Keswick Island locals not giving up in battle with developer
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TROUBLE in paradise continues for residents of an island 26 kilometres off Mackay's coast, who remain locked in a battle with a Chinese developer.
In July, the Daily Mercury revealed frustrated Keswick Island residents were claiming the island's head lessee, China Bloom, had restricted them from accessing their homes.
Resident Craig Gilberd said the battle was headed for arbitration - where a dispute is resolved by an impartial adjudicator.
The residents are yet to apply for this action.
Mr Gilberd claims the State Government department involved in the issue, the Department of Natural Resources, has not been in contact with Keswick Island residents in the past six months.
"They just want to put us in the corner so we go away," he said.
"The only way we can get attention is through the media.
"All we want is to be able to sit down and have the idyllic lifestyle that I worked my guts out for all my life."
A government spokesman said departmental representatives met with four of the island's 140 sublessees in person in March 2020 to discuss several issues they raised.
He said there had also been regular engagement via phone and email, most recently with a phone call in September.
Mr Gilberd believes China Bloom is restricting access in a bid to get rid of the residents so it can use the island for its own purposes.
But others say areas are being restricted only while upgrades occur around the island.
Island resident James Asbury said the government was well aware of the issues plaguing the small island community.
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He said a 250-page document of alleged breaches had been handed to the premier's office, as well as the Department of Natural Resources.
"The government has an obligation to ensure that the requirements of the head lease are adhered to," Mr Asbury said.
"There's a 250-page document of (alleged) breaches and the government isn't doing anything about it."
A department spokesman said it was continuing to work with both head lessee China Bloom and sublessees to ensure all relevant activities were in accordance with the terms of the lease.
"The issue regarding access to and from the island is a private and commercial matter between the head lessee and sublessees," he said.
"To date, no party has formally applied to undertake mediation or arbitration, an option available to them under the Land Act 1994."
China Bloom took over a 99-year lease to a section of Keswick Island about 18 months ago.
The Daily Mercury contacted China Bloom for comment, but did not receive a response by deadline.
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