A number of Kubirriwarra people, Traditional Owners of the Mossman-Port Douglas area, are planning to block Cooya Beach boat ramp with their vehicles this morning, Wednesday, October 16, to  protest the lack of action by Douglas Shire Council in providing water with which to maintain the Kuyu Kuyu Cultural, Environmental and Recreational Reserve.

Traditional Owner Linc Walker said water was accessed from a tap on the back of a toilet block and transmitted to the reserve via poly pipes. The pipes and tap were impacted by flooding earlier this year and the tap was removed, leaving Traditional Owners without a source of water to maintain the site.

A water tank is now in place, but according to Mr Walker it does not provide the amount of water the site, which includes fruit trees and traditional medicinal plants, requires.

Mr Walker said the tap was a requirement under the Native Title agreement which covers the site and had been removed without consultation.

He said he had twice communicated with Douglas Shire Council on the matter.

In correspondence sighted by Newport, Douglas Shire Council advised Mr Walker of the process the site was outside the declared service area for reticulated water and there were a number of steps he would need to undertake to reinstate the water supply to the Reserve.

First, he may have to apply to have the declared service area extended. If this step is required, and approved by Council, Mr Walker would then need to complete a Water Supply Connection application, pay the applicable fees, hire a licenced plumber to design “the water connection and subsequent water reticulation network,” obtain a state government permit for “plumbing, drainage and on-site sewerage work”, and submit these to Council for approval.

Commenting on the matter, Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said, “Council can confirm the water line to this site was cut off due to damages incurred by Cyclone Jasper.