By ASHLEIGH WHATSON
MORE than 200 Scenic Rim residents rallied in Beaudesert on Saturday, calling on elected representatives to publicly declare their position on Cleanaway’s proposed Bromelton Energy and Resource Centre (BERC).
The protest at Davidson Park drew families, farmers, business owners and long‑time locals, who arrived with handmade placards, songs and poetry in what organisers described as a creative but determined show of opposition.
The proposed waste‑to‑energy incinerator would burn up to 760,000 tonnes of waste a year, around 25 times the Scenic Rim’s annual output, and sit 7km from Beaudesert.
Despite invitations, none of the nine councillors or state and federal representatives attended the full event.
Speakers urged Scenic Rim Regional Council, Member for Scenic Rim Jon Krause MP and federal representative Scott Buchholz to state clearly whether they support or oppose the project.
Local campaigner Ms Lizz Hills said the turnout reflected deep concern.
“More than 200 people gave up their Saturday to stand together for clean air, safe food and the future of this valley,” she said. “What we didn’t hear was a single word on the day from the people we elected to represent us. Silence is a position too.”
Environmental groups highlighted potential impacts on farming, traffic and public health with Ms Erica Bates, President of Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire, said the facility would bring “around 472 truck movements a day” to the Mount Lindesay Highway.
“The people who would live with that came out in force on Saturday. Our elected representatives need to come out too,” she said.
Environmental educator Dr Andy Grodecki warned of long‑term contamination risks.
“Dioxins and PFAS don’t stay in the air. They settle into soil, rainwater tanks, beef, dairy and eggs, and they persist for decades,” he said.
Former Greens candidate and Ipswich community advocate Ms Dani Mutton, who has campaigned against similar proposals in her region, said the Scenic Rim should pay close attention to Cleanaway’s track record.
“Cleanaway has a long history of non‑compliance and safety failures, if they couldn’t run their landfill properly, why would this community trust them with an incinerator?” Ms Mutton said.
“These are toxic jobs, around 50 of them, compared with thousands already employed in farming and tourism. The Scenic Rim deserves better than locking itself into old, dirty technology.”
Cleanaway maintains the project would support Queensland’s shift toward a circular economy.
“If approved, BERC will provide a solution for residual waste that cannot be recycled, recovering valuable resources and generating energy from material that would otherwise be sent to landfill,” a spokesperson said.
They noted technical specialists are available throughout October to answer community questions.
Residents are now being encouraged to lodge submissions before 16 November, and to seek public positions from their councillors and local MPs as the proposal moves through the Coordinator‑General’s assessment process.
