Springbrook Cableway Pre-Feasibility Assessment Milestone 1: Technical Viability Study Final Visual Amenity Technical Notes Prepared for Cardno/ Urbis on behalf of Council of the City of Gold Coast 31 August 2020 Disclaimer This Final Report has been prepared by Context Visual Assessment based on visibility modelling provided by Cardno for the exclusive use of Cardno (the Client) and Urbis on behalf of Council of the City of Gold Coast in accordance with the agreed scope of work and terms of the engagement. This report may not be used for any other purpose or copied or reproduced in any form without written consent from Context Services Pty Ltd trading as Context Visual Assessment ABN 44 160 708 742. Document Control Issue Date Revision Prepared Review 1 6 July 2020 Draft NT NT 2 31 August 2020 Final NT NT Table of Contents 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Background and Purpose 5 1.3 Limitations and Assumptions 5 1.4 Study Area Overview 6 2 Visibility Principles 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 Visibility 7 2.3 Likely Visual Components 7 2.4 Viewing Distance 8 2.5 Visual Impact Assessment Principles 9 3 Methodology 10 3.1 Overview 10 3.2 Description of Landscape Values 10 3.3 Visibility and Constraints 10 3.3.1 Visual Exposure Mapping 10 3.3.2 View Corridor Mapping 10 3.3.3 Viewshed Mapping 11 3.3.4 Visibility and Viewing Distance 11 3.3.5 Visual Absorption Capacity 12 3.4 Constraint and Opportunity Mapping 12 3.5 View Opportunities 12 3.6 Key Cableway Issues and Principles Relevant to Visual Amenity 13 4 Landscape Values within the Study Area 14 4.1 Previous Studies and Schemes 14 4.2 Background to Landscape Values Protection on the Gold Coast 14 4.3 Landscape Values within the Study Area 14 4.4 Valued Landscape Character Types 15 4.5 Significant Landscape Features 16 4.6 Character of Mudgeeraba 18 4.7 Character of Springbrook 18 4.8 World Heritage Values 20 5 Visibility and Constraints 21 5.1 Introduction 21 5.2 Visual Exposure 21 5.3 Citywide View Corridors 23 5.4 Key views within the Study Area 24 5.4.1 VPO1 Wunburra Lookout 27 5.4.2 VPO2 Tanninaba Falls Lookout 29 5.4.3 VPO3 Purlingbrook Falls Eastern Lookout 31 5.4.4 VPO4 Canyon Lookout 33 5.4.5 VP05 Goomoolahra Falls Lookout 35 5.4.6 VP06 Somerset Drive and Swanton Drive, Mudgeeraba 37 5.4.7 VP07 Pacific Motorway, Mudgeeraba 39 5.4.8 VP08 Gold Coast Springbrook Road, Neranwood 41 5.5 Visual Absorption Capacity 43 5.6 Visual Constraints and Opportunities 45 Springbrook Cableway Pre-Feasibility Assessment Final Milestone 1 Visual Amenity Technical Notes 31 August 2020 Page 3 6 View Opportunities 47 6.1 Introduction 47 6.2 Viewshed 1 - South along Austinville Valley 49 6.3 Viewshed 2 - South towards the upper reaches of Mudgeeraba Creek 50 6.4 Viewshed 3 - South along Little Nerang Creek towards The Canyon 51 6.5 Viewshed 4 - North from Mount Nimmel towards Advancetown Lake 52 6.6 Viewshed 5 - East from Mount Nimmel towards the Gold Coast 53 7 Key Cableway Issues - Potential Visual Impacts 54 7.1 Potential Visual Impacts 54 7.2 Potential Character and Scenic Amenity Impacts 54 8 Key Cableway Principles- Visual Amenity 56 8.1 Siting Principles 56 8.2 Vegetation Clearing and Disturbance 57 8.3 Built Form and Structure Design 58 8.3.1 Built Form associated with Base and Destination Stations 58 8.3.2 Tower Structure Design 59 8.3.3 Materials Surface Treatments 59 8.4 Lighting 59 9 References 60 Appendices Appendix A Visual Constraints & Opportunity Mapping Appendix B Key Views & Viewshed Opportunities Springbrook Cableway Pre-Feasibility Assessment Final Milestone 1 Visual Amenity Technical Notes 31 August 2020 Page 4 1 Introduction 1.1 Background and Purpose This Visual Amenity Technical Notes Report has been prepared to support a Pre-Feasibility Assessment for a cableway to Springbrook for Cardno and Urbis on behalf of Council of the City of Gold Coast (Council). This assessment forms part of a Technical Viability Study for Milestone 1 of the project and is intended to identify the opportunities and constraints of a cableway to Springbrook and identify and evaluate the potential benefits in relation to visual amenity. The outputs of this study are intended to assist with establishing the technical parameters on which an economic assessment can be undertaken to facilitate local and state government decision-making. This study takes into consideration the following principles for eco-tourism development which form the basis for the Pre-Feasibility Assessment, as outlined in the Project Brief (p7): ‘It is essential that if there is a need for a cableway, the ecotourism development would: be compatible with the natural and cultural values of the National Park be designed to fit within the character of the National Park have minimised its footprint on the site contribute to protecting and positively enhancing the National Park’ 1.2 Objectives The objectives of this study are to: Identify the landscape values of the study area in the context of Springbrook National Park and its contribution to World Heritage values Identify and map views to the study area from other parts of the city and views within the study area Identify the visual constraints and opportunities of a cableway to Springbrook Identify view opportunities from the study area to the surrounding landscape Identify the likely potential visual impacts of a cableway to Springbrook during construction and operation and recommend mitigation measures in the form of principles As required for the brief for this assessment, this study provides a high level summary statement document and does not consider land tenure. It draws upon desktop analysis and is primarily based on available existing information. The outputs of this Technical Note Assessment are intended to inform the development of Key Cableway Issues and Key Cableway Principles as part of a Technical Viability Study Summary Document to be prepared by others. 1.3 Limitations and Assumptions This section limits the scope of works to the visual amenity tasks outlined above, together with the following limitations and assumptions: This assessment relies on previous state (ie. Shaping SEQ - South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017) and Council studies in relation to landscape values and provides a high level summary of relevant studies. A landscape character area assessment for the study area and literature review are not within the scope of this assessment. This assessment excludes a review of federal, state and local regulatory considerations relevant to visual amenity but provides a broad consideration of World Heritage Values relevant to the study area. Springbrook Cableway Pre-Feasibility Assessment Final Milestone 1 Visual Amenity Technical Notes 31 August 2020 Page 5 Whilst the Pre-Feasibility Assessment may also investigate alternatives to a cableway as a means to experience the study area, this report considers the main likely visual components of a cableway, as outlined in Section 2.3, for the purposes of this assessment. Preliminary visibility analysis has been undertaken and its scope is limited to identifying potential visual constraints and opportunities within the study area. It does not assess the potential visibility of a hypothetical cableway within the study area and excludes visibility modelling of route options and infrastructure. This assessment is limited to the assessment of sensitive publically accessible receptors, as outlined in Section 3.3.3. This assessment identifies high level view opportunities based primarily on terrain analysis and does not consider potential receptor sensitivity for this analysis. 1.4 Study Area Overview The study area encompasses Springbrook National Park and the adjacent settlement of Springbrook located within the Gold Coast hinterland and extends to the north east towards the Pacific Motorway (M1). It also includes the settlement of Mudgeeraba and semi-rural areas at Austinville and Neranwood, as shown in Figure 1-1. Figure 1-1 Aerial photo of Study area (Source: Nearmap) Springbrook Cableway Pre-Feasibility Assessment Final Milestone 1 Visual Amenity Technical Notes 31 August 2020 Page 6 2 Visibility Principles 2.1 Introduction This section provides the background to the key factors which affect the visual perception of objects within the landscape relevant to a cableway facility and outlines general principles that guide consideration of visual impacts. 2.2 Visibility The ability to visually differentiate an object within a landscape setting is the result ‘of a complex interplay between the observer, the observed object, and various factors that affect visual perception’ (United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (USDIBLM), 2013, p20). The main visibility factors which affect the perception of objects within the landscape, as shown in Figure 2-1 include: The characteristics of the viewer, which is influenced by viewer engagement, a viewer’s previous experiences of a landscape and viewer motion. Viewshed limiting factors including potential screening from topography, vegetation and built form. The distance between a viewed object and the viewer, which affects the perceived scale of an object and extent of contrast between an object and its surroundings. The visual backdrop against which an object is seen, such as the mountains or the sky. Atmospheric conditions Lighting factors Viewing geometry and the spatial relationship of a viewer to an object including the vertical and horizontal angle of view, such as viewing up or down or perpendicular to an object. The visual characteristic