Safeguarding The Spit

In 1968, Alderman Jock McIlwain of the Gold Coast City Council responded to community protests over a proposed mineral sands depot on The Spit, which included plans to transport sand through Main Beach streets using heavy trucks. McIlwain said, “There is a big development plan in mind for The Spit, and we don’t want to see it endangered,” adding that the community was “not happy to see desecration of The Spit.” The proposal was ultimately abandoned.

In the decades that followed, ideas for a mini city housing 8,000 people, a golf course, racing circuit, high-rise hotels, apartments, a cruise ship terminal and casinos have met community resistance. This opposition highlights the community’s long-term commitment to preserving public spaces on The Spit.

Following extensive community consultation, The Spit Master Plan was released by the Queensland Government in 2019. It aims to strike a balance between preserving the natural landscape and allowing for controlled commercial growth.