Council's 'bizarre' move near infamous tent city sparks wild theories
Locals pondered why the set of blocks were erected, in particular questioning their size and proximity to the pristine waterfront walkway.
Confused locals living in a popular seaside suburb have questioned why council erected a set of "enormous, bizarre blocks" along the shorefront, describing them as "ugly" and sparking concerns they would "detract from an otherwise beautiful area".
Last week the large concrete cubes were spotted along the footpath at Gayundah Arboretum Park at Woody Point in Brisbane's Moreton Bay area. It's a location renowned for its pristine shoreline and picturesque views, and is also notorious for being the home of the infamous Woody Point "tent city", where rough sleepers have been forced to make camp amid the country's worsening housing and cost-of-living crises.
Locals in the area recently pondered why the set of blocks was erected, in particular questioning their size and proximity to the water. "Does anyone know what is going on with Woody Point Gayundah Park, with all the enormous concrete blocks being built along the footpath? They are massive," a woman asked, adding a "banana for scale" in an image uploaded online.
People responding had a range of ideas.
Confusion as 'ugly' concrete blocks emerge along coastal walk
"I heard it's going to be a viewing platform," one man suggested. "Wind turbines to power foreshore low glow lights," said a second. "Maybe accommodation for the homeless," a woman theorised. "They are to stop tents flying away," somebody else said.
One man joked: "Can you put an apple beside the banana so we know how big the banana is, so we can then scale how big the concrete block is?".
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"They are ugly and detract from a beautiful area. I hope they do something else besides leave them as a lump of concrete. Council certainly did not notify us they were going to be installed," a frustrated woman argued.
"Pretty sure they have something to do with stopping the theft of copper wiring from lighting," someone else suggested. "They are trying to stop the homeless camping there," another claimed.
Others shared that they "don't walk down there any more" because of what they described as the poorly maintained tent city. Locals and rough sleepers have long been at odds in the area, with homeless people earlier claiming they were being harassed and told to move on by unsympathetic homeowners.
Council sets record straight on concrete blocks
A local action group earlier lobbied for the City of Moreton Bay council to remove the long-term campsite. Yahoo News Australia asked the City for clarity over the concrete blocks' use. They did not link them to the ongoing dispute between rough sleepers and locals, and instead said they were simply installed to house light posts in a bid to upgrade the area.
"The footings are part of Councils’ Gayundah Arboretum Park Lighting Renewal Project," a spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia. "The goal of the project is to replace existing light poles that are currently suffering from advanced corrosion due to their coastal location.
"The large plinth style footings are needed due to the soil conditions present at this site and were specified and engineered specifically to ensure safety and longevity."
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