Concerns over quad bike venture a 'storm in a tea cup'
QUAD bike tour operator Charles Marais intends to have his Woondum National Park tours up and running by December.
And the man behind the tourism venture, approved last Thursday, believes the matter should never have been before council in the first place.
"Realistically it was something that should never have gone to council. It was a decision that council planning could have made on their own. They're quite aware of that but they chose to go that long route," Mr Marais said.
"We've got to try and get December trade. We've got to make the dollars."
Mr Marais said he would now go ahead and buy the 12 quad bikes he needed to run the tours for 10 clients plus tour guides. After months of investigation especially into how neighbours along Tablelands Rd would be impacted by noise, Mr Marais has the green light to operate Monday to Saturdays - excluding public holidays - with two tours a day.
Mr Marais wanted seven-day tours through the park and said while he was happy he could finally start moving on his plans, he would be seeking an extension of his allowable operations.
"We'll negotiate further down the track (with council)," he said.
He believes the campaign against the bikes being allowed to operate in national parks was a storm in a tea cup.
"Correctly speaking, council had their own legal advice. They were told legally they had no jurisdiction in the national park, the entire thing was to do with my property."
