URGENT – YOUR HELP NEEDED TO SAVE YUNGABA - *NOW* -

The National Heritage Council are currently considering Yungaba for National Heritage Significance and have asked for feedback -

Could you please send in your comments to them on why you think Yungaba should be listed as nationally significant?
To send your comment go to : http://www.environment.gov.au

To see the full Yungaba National Heritage Nomination – go to : http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl & type in Yungaba & select the Yungaba National Heritage Nomination

click here to find out the full story - LATEST NEWSLETTER

YUNGABA CONCERT

URGENT – Request for financial support

The legal team, working at significantly reduced rates (pro bono), have requested a $5000 non-returnable deposit to be paid shortly so that they can make an early start on needed legal research. Committee members have already pledged $3500.

Your support at this time would be greatly appreciated. Please write a cheque to Yungaba Action Group Inc and send to the following address: Treasurer YAG, Guido Cifali, PO Box 5564, West End, 4101. You will be sent a tax refundable receipt.

Alternatively you can deposit straight into our Bank Account:

Yungaba Action Group Inc

Commonwealth Bank, West End

BSB: 06 4131

Account Number 10272133

Call for fundraising helpers We are currently forming a fundraising committee and are looking for willing workers. Do you have some good ideas for fundraising? Would you be interested in helping us begin to organise some exciting fundraising activities such as a Concert, Chocolate Drives, Stalls etc? Ring or email us if you can help in any way.   SEND TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS & NETWORKS!!!   The Federal Government has intervened in Papua New Guinea to save a part of the Kokoda Track from development but won’t do anything to save Yungaba. Yungaba is the only intact 19 th century Immigration Depot left in Australia . It was the embarkation point for the infamous deportation of thousands of South Sea Islanders under the White Australia Policy. During WW1 it was the military hospital where wounded ANZACS were treated before they returned home.   The State Government has intervened to stop the development of the Regent Theatre, but won’t do anything to save Yungaba. Yungaba was the front door to hundreds of thousands of migrants to Queensland for over 100 years and it is estimated that one in every ten Queensland families has some connection to Yungaba.

YAG Appeal Because YAG made a submission to BCC, we will have an opportunity to appeal the Approval. As will all of the 70+ individuals who submitted a submission on the Yungaba development application. BCC will notify us of the commencement of a period of 20 working days within which an appeal may be lodged. We have held talks with architectural and historical experts and legal professionals. Legal advice has determined that an Appeal is viable. If our Committee decide to proceed with an appeal, we will provide as much information as we are able without jeopardising our strategy and asking for donations to support the main cost of the appeal. If you submitted a submission and would like to be included in our Appeal, please contact JOIN US   YUNGABA ACtION GROUP & GUESTS – Descendents of the First Migrants, First People representatives, Medical Personnel from WW1 Military Hospital, South Sea Islander representatives, Story Bridge Design and Construction workers, WW2 Evacuees from Hong Kong, and South East Asia, Migrants, Refugees, Former Staff, Former Tenants, Former Apprentices from rural Queensland, Community Members Delene Cuddihy, President Yungaba Action Group www.yungaba.org.au - Phone: 040 259 7 259

CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND

NEW DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION UPDATE -

Brisbane City Council Approval

14 th December 07

Australand’s Development Application 964931 (see www.brisbane.qld.gov.au) was approved, subject to conditions, on 14 th December.

Australand have made representations to BCC about the Approval conditions and negotiations are in progress.

These may be completed shortly. Groups and individuals who made submissions on the DA will then be invited to submit an appeal.

November 07

The decision on the new Development Application (DA) to turn historic Yungaba into 10 luxury apartments inside a gated community is still pending.

The deadline for submissions on the DA closed in July and YAG along with many others put in a submission objecting strongly to the proposed development. Nearly all of the 70 submissions opposed the DA, with 40 directly mentioning the YAG alternative proposed usage of Yungaba.

The YAG submission focused on three areas of objection:

• heritage
• vegetation on the site
• public access to the Yungaba Immigration Depot
  

The key elements of our heritage argument included:

• That the cultural heritage significant building (the Yungaba Immigration Depot) is being assessed as a generic character building, which is not in keeping with its historical and cultural uniqueness, nor with its heritage significance.
• That the Queensland government should reacquire the site or a good part thereof for an adaptive re-use redevelopment that would revitalize the site as a centre of excellence in the realm of Queensland peoples’ history right up to the advent of multiculturalism and present day socio-cultural endeavours. The Yungaba Action Group’s alternative proposal for an immigration museum - a centre of practical and theoretical learning that would nourish and celebrate public memory for generations to come - is an appropriate adaptive re-use of the building.

For details of the link to the development application and our alternative proposal for Yungaba, see our website: http://www.yungaba.org.au

 

LOBBYING

YAG has continued to lobby the Government while the Council is considering the DA and the submissions.

YAG representatives met with the now Premier and member for South Brisbane, Anna Bligh in August and presented the YAG alternative (an immigration museum) to her. Minister Bligh has since advised that she has considered this proposal but the Government had not changed its position on the sale of Yungaba. She advised that the sale was the best way to preserve the historic and community significance of the site while providing purpose-built facilities for the multicultural community.

In September, YAG wrote again to Premier Bligh, suggesting that the Government excise the building and front gardens from the rest of the development. Ms Bligh said that this was unlikely given the Government’s position but that she would refer this matter to Robert Schwarten, the Minister for Public Works for consideration. We have not yet received any response from Minister Schwarten.

The Queensland Government has the ultimate say in what happens to Yungaba and there is still time for it to come to the party and act to keep the building in public hands.

We urge you to continue to lobby the Premier and Minister Schwarten. Please write to either or both of these – Click here for a sample letter.

Yungaba is at present subject to a Development Approval that will see this publicly owned historic building converted to the private property of ten owners who can afford a luxury apartment. After over 100 years of continued public access, Yungaba will be open only one day a year to the public.

Yungaba with its years of usage for immigrants and more recently for cultural exchange is highly valued by the Queensland community. It demonstrates the importance of immigration in the course of Queensland history. As the only surviving purpose built immigration depot in Australia , it has national significance.

Yungaba Action Group believes that Yungaba should not become anyone’s private property. Its grounds and adjacent crown land should be retained as much needed green space in an already overbuilt inner city precinct.

Yungaba Action Group is aiming for a moratorium on this Development Approval to allow for proper consultation with the community and to propose a public access development for this significant heritage site.

    Click here to see - Development plans

 STOP PRESS - NEW DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION
   Click here for more information..
 

On 6 December 1887 , the migrant ship “Duke of Buccleuch” landed the first migrants at Yungaba (Kangaroo Point Immigration Depot). Since then, hundreds of thousands of migrants, refugees and evacuees have been welcomed to Queensland within this gracious building and grounds. Yungaba also has national significance as it was the site of the deportation for thousands of South Sea Islanders under the White Australia Policy. During WW1 it was transformed into the 6 th Australian General Hospital where thousands of wounded Queensland ANZACS were welcomed home.