• Press release: 'Birthday Celebrations'

In excess of 150 people gathered at Orchid Beach last night to celebrate the first birthday of Friends of Fraser, the organisation formed last year to give Fraser Island users a voice in the management of Fraser Island.

Participants were able to watch the two big football matches on a giant TV screen and enjoy the atmosphere of the two finals. Of course most people supported the two Queensland teams and so a great deal of pleasure was derived by the Lions' win but almost as much sadness with the Broncos' loss as the losses of freedom experienced on Fraser Island.

Friends of Fraser organised barbecues and many people took the opportunity to cook their evening meal on the communal barbecues. The function was a BYO.

In a formal section of the evening the assembly was addressed by Mr. Doug Bell, a founding member of the committee, Mr. John Kingston MLA, Member for Maryborough who has been active in representing the views of Fraser Island visitors many of whom live in his electorate and Fred Williams, author of Written in Sand and historian. Mr. Williams was able to give a brief history of the development of the Island and spoke quite passionately about the dingo problem facing authorities.

The meeting was also addressed by Mr. Lin Powell of Hervey Bay, the inaugural chairman of the Community Advisory Committee on World Heritage Fraser Island. Mr. Powell was the Member of State Parliament who represented Fraser Island for a period of 15 years. Mrs. Bobbie Monks, outgoing President introduced a paper she had prepared in response to the Transport Study being undertaken by GHD on behalf of the Government. Mrs. Monks urged people to read her submission and if they agreed with it to produce a similar document for submission to GHD for their consideration.

Both Mrs. Monks and Mr. Powell, the incoming President, made it clear that management plans for the Island will only be acceptable to the majority if individuals make their attitude clear to the authorities.

"The Government will continue to make decisions on access issues and unless we clearly and loudly make them understand what we believe should happen, we cannot cry if the decision denies us freedoms," Mrs. Monks said.

Mr. Powell indicated that the next step the Friends of Fraser would take would be to form branches in other parts of the country. Steps are under way to form a branch in Hervey Bay, the Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Canberra. He said that it was evident with decisions that had taken place in the last four years, individual freedom to enjoy the delights of Fraser Island had been seriously limited.

The claim by some in authority that more controls must take place to control 4WD drivers who are hell bent on roaring over sand dunes with immunity is seriously inaccurate." He said.

Mr. Powell said that it was unfortunately true a small number of people drove inappropriately on Fraser Island. "But they do that on the mainland too and that does not result in all people being banned from driving on scenic roads. It seems that only on Fraser Island does this knee-jerk action take place and now we have a situation with so many roads being closed that the ones being left open are over used and in poor condition. A further problem being caused is one of fire control and being safely able to evacuate injured people," he said.

Mr. Powell said that the association's position must be made clear to the Government but individuals are needed to back up the association's submission and to that end he pleaded with the people at the birthday celebration to make their own separate submissions.

The celebration concluded with the cutting of an anniversary cake and the drawing of many small but interesting raffles.