Subjects on this page:
1 Bowler Geotechnical Pty Ltd refuse to produce report indicating safe habitability below St Bernards.
2 Beaudesert Shire Councils, Development Control Plan (DCP) prohibits development at the site.
3 Part of cliff falls again in 2008 at site of 1974 landslide. 4 Willmott Report clearly states cliffs at site are an active slip zone.
5 Ongoing rockfalls from cliffs in the area.
6 Pictures of 1974 landslide.
7 The links lead to relevant worldwide information.
8 St Bernards landslide destroys the spectacular "Secluded Falls".
9 Recognised landslide risk preconditions.   Fig 1 Picture taken Sunday/18/01/2009. Rock and soil fell from Above; a helicopter shot, taken between 28/06/006 and
cliff 20 horizontal metres from proposed Hotel Lodge (from 03/07/006, shows no damage to cliff at same location.
applicants drawings) during last winter rains and took out
vegetation including a largetree. Rock above is now overhanging.
This is the exact site of the massive 1974 landslide.
 Fig 2 Any building 20 horizontal metres from the previous cliff edge would have gone with it
Fig 3 below
   
 Fig 4 The above excerpts are from the original document at bottom of this page for downloading. The Legend above shows
that the cliffs at St Bernards Hotel Site are an active landslide zone, not just a possible landslide zone. D3 indicates the
highest landslide risk area.
The reproduced text in Fig 4 above right shows that the previous Beaudesert Shire Council used Warwick Willmotts report
as the reference document when preparing the Tamborine Mountain Development Control Plan (DCP). The cliffs at St Bernards
are classified D3 "No building recommended because of steepness and dangers of rock falls and debris flows. further clearing
should be discouraged to avoid extensive degradation of scarps." (Cliffs or steep slopes) DCP page 107 D3.
The DCP singled out the St Bernards site and Alpine Terrace as areas that could not be developed. "The Council will not
approve uses of a non-residential nature such as eco-tourism facilities, tourist accomodation, tourist facilities or arts and
crafts - related uses on the following frontages; Alpine Terrace". DCP page 111, 3.3.2 (1).
Building, clearing or effluent absorption/transpiration areas shall generally not be permitted within 50 metres of Guanaba Creek
except as determined by Council having regard to the potential for adverse environment impact on the creek. DCP, page
111.3.3.3 (a) (iii).
The specified significant landscape character elements of the Escarpment Protection Area are: ......The catchment area of
the headwaters of Guanaba Creek which is highly significant in ecological terms. DCP, page 114 3.6.1.
Bowler Geotechnical
Bowler Geotechnical were asked to investigate if the area below St Bernards was suitable for a building envelope. They also investigated two other areas on the shelf; one off Justin Avenue and another off Licuala Drive. They prepared favorable reports for those two sites for Beaudesert Shire Council and each site was approved by Council. They however refused to prepare a report for the area beneath St Bernards even though it was seemingly a safe distance, about 75 metres, from the cliff face. See Bowler's bore logs below .
 Fig 5 Outlined are two areas above, among others, that are no longer there, having collapsed since 1974.
  Fig 6 Workers chaining rock above house on Shelf Road,2008. Situation at present
    Fig 7 Shelf Road Gallery of falling rocks, 2008
 Fig 8 Nearby Kaiser Road landslip
   
Fig 10 1974 landslide destroyed the spectacular Secluded Falls. Light coloured rock indicates further collapse recently
Landslides commonly occur as a result of: Addition of water to a slope from agricultural or landscape irrigation, roof downspouts, poor drainage, septic-tank effluent, canal leakage, or broken water or sewer lines. Residential development not only adds weight to the slope through the buildings themselves but also through excess water supplied from landscape irrigation and seepage from swimming pools and sewage effluent systems. and other transportation arteries may be blocked by debris, raising the risk for accidents and hampering access by rescue and medical
Check for broken water, services.sewerage, gas or electrical mains.
There are many ways in which slopes may fail, depending on the angle of slope, the water content, the type of earth material involved, and local environmental factors such as ground Water plays a key role in producing slope failure. In the form of rivers and wave action, water erodes the base of slopes, removing support, which increases driving forces. Water can also increase the driving force by loading, i.e., adding to the total mass that is subjected to the force of gravity. Landslides also help to broaden the valleys, especially where deep soils or debris occur on slopes. Landslides do occur naturally from time to time, but the frequency is increased by disturbance to the vegetation such as by cyclones and man's clearing of forests. Landslide risk preconditions recognised by authorities worldwide.
What areas are at risk? Some areas are more likely to experience landslides or mudflows, including:
• Areas where wildfires or human modification of the land have destroyed vegetation;
• Areas where landslides have occurred before;
• Steep slopes and areas at the bottom of slopes or canyons;
• Slopes that have been altered for construction of buildings and roads;
• Channels along a stream or river; and
• Areas where surface runoff is directed.
The St Bernards Site meets all the above criteria.   
|
