When Jane Morehen sailed into the pristine Scarborough Harbour on a cruising holiday with her husband seven years ago they decided to buy a house there.
Now the retired home owner is opposing plans by the Queensland government to redevelop the state-owned harbour into a "key centre" for boating and tourism in the region.
Ms Morehen is part of the Scarborough Harbour Action Group, which claims the plan will worsen traffic, remove green space, and harm the economic wellbeing of residents and existing businesses.
"We're not against all development, but it's a small residential area with a lack of availability for parking and there are other places in the city of Moreton Bay that can be developed," Ms Morehen said.
"We don't want more dining and eating and cafes at the expense of green space and walking and people being able to enjoy exercise in this beautiful area."
Scarborough Harbour is about a 30-minute drive from Brisbane Airport.
The draft Scarborough Harbour master plan includes walking and cycling path upgrades, new boat ramps, paddle craft launch bays, and precincts for clubs and venues.
The plan also identifies opportunities for a direct fisher-to-public seafood market, active transport, and expanded public transport options.
Action group campaigner Mandy Lake said the plan put her blood pressure up.
"This is being seen as progress, but if progress is putting in hotels and pubs and more parking spaces then I'd like to get the hell out," Ms Lake said.
"We have been accused of being NIMBYs [not-in-my-backyard], but if anyone's to benefit from any commercial development I'd argue it should be the residents in that area.
"It's not so much not-in-my-backyard, it's not-on-our-watch."
The action group has a petition before the Queensland Parliament demanding the government cease plans for Scarborough Harbour and restart them again in a "collaborative manner" involving local residents, businesses, and the City of Moreton Bay.
Don't fear change
Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) campaigner Natalie Rayment said, in her view, this master plan represented an exciting opportunity for the whole of South-East Queensland.
The YIMBY Queensland chief executive said it would attract people to the Redcliffe Peninsula and increase the vibrancy of the region.
"I get that every community has had some fear of change and what that might do and who that might bring into the area," Ms Rayment said.
"But as is often the case with these things, once a bit more activity and liveliness comes, people end up loving it, and that fear of change turns into a love of what's great about Scarborough."
Scarborough retiree and boat owner Jennifer Don believed the plan would come at the expense of local residents.
"We're not against progress or development. What everyone is wanting is whatever is best for all the community," Ms Don said.
"This is an area that needs to be used by everybody, not by a select few."
Watching the neighourhood change
Retiree Clint Hanson said he had grown up in Scarborough and watched the area become increasingly crowded over the years.
"On the eastern side of Scarborough we have a lot of high-rise buildings now that were never there, and they have created a lot of shade," Mr Hanson said.
"I've been here all my life, so I've seen the traffic grow immensely over the years."
A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said the plan would bring jobs and economic benefits to the region while protecting the local environment.
The spokesperson said they would consider community feedback and release a final master plan later this year.
They said the master plan would merely be an indicative road map outlining the development potential at Scarborough Harbour over the coming decades.
"The master plan will be a non-statutory document that looks out to 2050 and will be used to guide future leasing and development decisions and implementation actions over time," the spokesperson said.
"The finalised master plan will rely on and be subject to existing legislative, development, and leasing processes.
"Over the coming years, the master plan will be monitored, reviewed, and updated as appropriate."
In response to claims by the action group that residents were not properly consulted, the spokesperson said the department delivered 19,750 postcards, held seven community pop-up sessions, established a dedicated phone line and email inbox to respond to enquiries, and made copies of the master plan available online.
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