Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest

Eric Frei · 9th September 2007, 07:37 PM

Jarrod McCracken in tree-clearing row | The Courier-Mail

Quote:

David Murray

September 09, 2007 12:00am

FORMER rugby league star Jarrod McCracken has been accused of illegally clearing hundreds of trees on his multimillion-dollar Whitsundays property.
A court has ordered work to stop on the waterfront site at Clarke's Cove, north of Airlie Beach, after bulldozers cleared 10ha of coastal rainforest.

McCracken and and his wife Michelle have been warned the maximum penalty for causing environmental harm is a $1.5 million fine for a company or up to five years imprisonment for individuals.

The local council and Whitsunday Mayor Mario Demartini said the pristine site was cleared without a development application being lodged.

"This is a blatant disregard for the law and for the environment and I am shocked that someone would think they could do this without any approvals," he said.

McCracken, 37, a former New Zealand captain and Wests Tigers player, has forged a successful career as a Townsville-based property developer and has an estimated wealth of $30 million.

The 387ha property ? which a now defunct company called Cove Resort Pty Ltd, bought in 1999 for $15 million, then sold to Mrs McCracken for $5.5 million last December ? was inspected on August 21 after a fisherman spotted the cleared land and reported it to the council. A bulldozer and an excavator were working on the road as officials arrived. Areas had been cleared for a house pad, horse stud, esplanade and jetty, according to the inspection team, which included representatives from the state and federal environmental protection agencies.

An excavator, rock hammer and drilling rig were operating in the horse stud area, where it was estimated up to 144 large trees had been removed.

Planning and Environment Court documents estimate up to 65 Whitsunday bottle trees, listed as "rare", may have been knocked down in the house pad area.

The work had gone ahead despite the Whitsunday Shire Council sending a letter to Michelle McCracken on August 17 after an earlier property inspection.

"Council has grave concerns that the works being carried out on the land are unlawful," the letter said.

Mrs McCracken replied through her lawyers that work had stopped and she wished to "rectify the situation".

Jarrod McCracken's Crackers Corporation also received a letter but denied any involvement in the offending works and told the council to "substantiate the allegations or withdraw the complaint immediately".

The Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane issued an interim work ban on the property and adjourned the case until October 4.

Jarrod McCracken was given a $97,000 pay-out after his league career was cut short by a spear tackle in 2000. Last week, he was reported to be appealing over the pay-out figure, claiming it was lower than expected because a judge ruled the injury had allowed him to get rich through property developments.

Roller · 9th September 2007, 08:23 PM

He reads like another power crazed super rich brat, who the heck do they think they are,felling rare trees IMO is as bad as poaching endangered animals..

Eric Frei · 9th September 2007, 08:53 PM

Here's info on that rare bottle tree.

Whitsunday Shire Council - Natural Vegetation Management

Also it says he has an estimated wealth of $30 million but continues on to tell you this.

Quote:

Jarrod McCracken was given a $97,000 pay-out after his league career was cut short by a spear tackle in 2000. Last week, he was reported to be appealing over the pay-out figure, claiming it was lower than expected because a judge ruled the injury had allowed him to get rich through property developments.

Seems like a real down and out guy, maybe we should start collecting donations for the poor chap!

Roller · 10th September 2007, 05:15 AM

don't tell me he injured his foot lol

Eric Frei · 14th October 2008, 07:31 PM

Now after reaching an agreement with him the EPA do a 180 and go for criminal charges.

McCracken faces court over tree clearing - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

Quote:

McCracken faces court over tree clearing

October 14, 2008 - 12:02PM

Former rugby league star Jarrod McCracken will face court in December on criminal charges relating to the development of his multi-million dollar Whitsundays property.

Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency has charged McCracken and his company Crackers Corp with eight offences for alleged unauthorised clearing and earthworks on his 387ha property at Clarkes Cove in north Queensland.

The Whitsunday Shire Council is also pursuing three charges over the alleged development.

Lawyers for the former New Zealand captain, who played for the Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers in the NRL, his company and wife Michelle, appeared briefly for mention in Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday and the case was adjourned until December 11.

It's alleged McCracken cleared rare bottle trees from the site without permission, damaged native vegetation on state coastal land and Dryander National Park, and caused sediment to run off into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

He also is accused of breaching Aboriginal heritage protection laws.

Earlier this year, the McCrackens reached an out-of-court agreement with the EPA and Whitsunday Shire Council to replant hundreds of trees cleared from the property for building purposes.

Under the agreement areas of cleared coastal rainforest must be revegetated with native woody plants within 19 months, and the replanting will be monitored by the council.

However, the EPA in August decided to pursue the matter further with criminal charges.

Done it · 14th October 2008, 10:27 PM

Who's this guy think he is anyway? Ex NZ, ex Parramatta, ex QLD?
Should be in

http://www.treeworld.info/attachment...1&d=1223982966

Done it · 15th October 2008, 11:50 PM

Amazingly last night I said to myself "people like this bulldoze Australia away & plant palms, mostly not native ones"

Guess what!

Full story here,

Garrett aiming at McCracken | The Courier-Mail

I've never been a Garrett fan, but I'm with him here,

IMG]http://http://www.treeworld.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=8025&stc=1&d=1224074040[/IMG]A

Eric Frei · 16th October 2008, 12:59 AM

He just doesn't get it does he.

There's rules, he needed to lodge a development application etc. You dont just go around doing anything you want. There's regulations/laws and rules.

They're going to shaft this guy real bad, because he can afford it and he's thumbing his nose at them.

Maybe he's not allowed a jetty, or waterfront house, or it has to be engineered a specific way or located elsewhere to save trees etc etc etc.

The guys gonna cop it bad.

newguy18 · 16th October 2008, 02:05 AM

just another case where people have alot of money and think thier higher than the law.Personally i'm glad that they're getting in trouble for it.

Eric Frei · 12th May 2010, 07:51 PM

He's guilty and will be sentenced soon.

McCracken to be sentenced for illegal tree clearing - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Quote:

Former NRL player Jarrod McCracken will be sentenced in a northern Queensland next month for illegal tree clearing and earthworks on his Airlie Beach property near Mackay in 2007.

McCracken has pleaded guilty to nine charges in the Proserpine Magistrates court.

He is a former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team and played with a number of NRL clubs including Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy has reserved his decision on penalties.

Done it · 13th May 2010, 08:53 PM

I hope he has to pay costs as well.

This is a good update.

Huge fine looms for McCracken | Whitsundays News | Local News in Whitsundays | Whitsunday Times

Eric Frei · 13th May 2010, 10:48 PM

Seriously, in this day and age who'd do all of this without permission?

Quote:

Over the following three months a council road was widened and realigned, a headland was cleared for a jetty, a rock wall was erected on the coastline, earthworks were carried out on the beach to reshape a dune, a drain was dug in a southerly direction toward the ocean, vegetation was cleared for a horse paddock and a hill was cut down for a house pad – all without any council notification.

arborjockey · 18th May 2010, 05:09 PM

Our water shed in oregon is on someone elses property (one prperty above). we do have an easement through the middle of their property to get to it. behind that(two properties up) some idiot from the other side of the world. Some place called New Zealand where ever the hell that is. Decided he wanted to put grapes in. In hops country of all places.Were beer people up here.

He startred off by logging. The entire water shed above our property was destroid. He told our neighboors the water table would rise because the trees that drank all the water are gone. Not that they acyually raise the water table. The illagal cutting of the fir trees in the shed was done because it would have blocked the sun from his "french loud mouth soup plants". So he opted to take the fine which is planting a tree for every 1" dbh of the trees he cut down. 25" tree = 25 - 1" trees . Lucky it will only take 60 years to grow back. now our spring is full of silt and poison from him spraying pesticide/herbicide. Jack ass

Good thing is wine sales are down 30-40%

very_sarcastic · 22nd May 2010, 06:53 PM

Can't wait for the next installment when they hand his balls back to him in a little jar.

Even back in the day when he was injured and couldn't play footy, he sued the Storm for loss of revenue AT THE SAME TIME AS MAKING MILLIONS OUT OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT WHICH HE ONLY GOT INTO BECAUSE HE COULDN'T PLAY FOOTBALL.

Is this dude serious?! "I WANT A PRIVATE RESORT WITH A PONY CLUB FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I WILL CUT DOWN WHATEVER TREE OR HILL NECESSARY TO HAVE IT!"

(I need a cup of tee and something to reduce my blood pressure)

Bad enough when developers (private or not) have such disregard for the environment. Unfortunately the punishment is completely inadequate compared to the irreparable damage caused. A couple of hundred thousand dollars (chicken feed for some of these big boys) doesn't bring back the age and diversity of the trees and ecosystem in general. Man, is it any wonder they have such strict rules and regulations concerning environmental protection. I feel sorry for the home gardener who only wants to remove a near dead Casuarina only to have council slap a protection order on it, when you got this nugget of turd ripping out whatever he wants willy-nilly and nobody noticing until the damage has been done.

Tigers or no Tigers, this guy ain't above the law and deserves what he gets. (GO THE TIGERS!)

Eric Frei · 22nd May 2010, 09:22 PM

Hey, these footy guys just do their own thing, here's another.

Former footballer Gorden Tallis to face court over illegal tree clearing in Bardon | Courier Mail

Quote:

* May 19, 2010 2:07PM

FORMER league great Gorden Tallis will front a Brisbane court in July to answer accusations he illegally cleared trees from a property last year.

Tallis is accused of interfering with vegetation at a property at Bardon, in Brisbane's inner-west, in January 2009, in contravention of Brisbane City Council regulations.

Lawyer Dan McManus, for Tallis, appeared in the Magistrates Court in Brisbane Tuesday where he indicated his client would enter a plea to the charge.

Tallis, 37, who captained Australia, Queensland and the Brisbane Broncos in a 12-year professional rugby league career, did not appear in court.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

The matter was adjourned until July 7.

very_sarcastic · 22nd May 2010, 09:34 PM

No Tallis! not you too!!!!

Eric Frei · 22nd June 2010, 08:13 PM

All up he got hammered for $215,500

Rugby league star fined for illegal tree clearing - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Quote:

Former rugby league star turned property developer Jarrod McCracken has been fined more than $180,000 for illegal tree clearing on a coastal property north of Airlie Beach in north Queensland.

Last month Mr McCracken pleaded guilty to six charges related to the clearing of 13 hectares of native bushland to build a house, a road and a horse paddock.

In the Proserpine Magistrates Court today, Magistrate Athol Kennedy ordered Mr McCracken to pay a fine of $140,000 plus a council penalty of $42,500 and costs of $33,000.

Apocalypsse · 22nd June 2010, 08:33 PM

Lolsnap

Done it · 22nd June 2010, 10:59 PM

Magistrate Athol Kennedy

Eric Frei · 29th July 2010, 04:57 PM

Gorden Tallis fined $12,000 by council for illegally clearing trees from Brisbane property | Courier Mail

Quote:

Last updated: July 29, 2010
Gorden Tallis fined $12,000 by council for illegally clearing trees from Brisbane property

FORMER Rugby League great Gorden Tallis has been hit with a $12,000 fine for illegally clearing trees from the site of his "dream home".

Tallis, 37, was charged with removing 14 trees in contravention of Brisbane City Council regulations from his Bardon property in January 2009.

He pleaded guilty in the Magistrates Court in Brisbane today.

Tallis's lawyer said his client had misunderstood a planning approval for his proposed home and had not set out to deliberately flout council regulations.

He was fined $8,000 and ordered to pay $4000 in costs. Outside court Tallis said he had only been concerned that the trees could pose a danger to his family during storms and had worked closely with Council to replant the vegetation.

Tallis captained Australia, Queensland and the Brisbane Broncos in a 12-year professional rugby league career.

terry · 29th July 2010, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

All up he got hammered for $215,500

Rugby league star fined for illegal tree clearing - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

$215,500 is chicken feed his property just doubled in value.He most proberbly knew he was going to get caught and happy to pay that sort of money.

9th September 2007, 08:23 PM	#2
Roller Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Suffolk UK Posts: 155	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest He reads like another power crazed super rich brat, who the heck do they think they are,felling rare trees IMO is as bad as poaching endangered animals.. __________________ www.arboraeration.co.uk Tree healthcare specialists covering the UK

10th September 2007, 05:15 AM	#4
Roller Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Suffolk UK Posts: 155	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest don't tell me he injured his foot lol __________________ www.arboraeration.co.uk Tree healthcare specialists covering the UK

14th October 2008, 10:27 PM	#6
Done it Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Parramatta. nsw. Australia. Posts: 689	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Who's this guy think he is anyway? Ex NZ, ex Parramatta, ex QLD? Should be in http://www.treeworld.info/attachment...1&d=1223982966 Attached Thumbnails

15th October 2008, 11:50 PM	#7
Done it Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Parramatta. nsw. Australia. Posts: 689	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Amazingly last night I said to myself "people like this bulldoze Australia away & plant palms, mostly not native ones" Guess what! Full story here, Garrett aiming at McCracken \| The Courier-Mail I've never been a Garrett fan, but I'm with him here, IMG]http://http://www.treeworld.info/attachment.php?attachmentid=8025&stc=1&d=1224074040[/IMG]A Attached Thumbnails

16th October 2008, 12:59 AM	#8
Eric Frei Admin - Australia's most prominant Arborist - prev Ekka Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 10,775	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest He just doesn't get it does he. There's rules, he needed to lodge a development application etc. You dont just go around doing anything you want. There's regulations/laws and rules. They're going to shaft this guy real bad, because he can afford it and he's thumbing his nose at them. Maybe he's not allowed a jetty, or waterfront house, or it has to be engineered a specific way or located elsewhere to save trees etc etc etc. The guys gonna cop it bad. __________________ Free Online Tree Value Calculator by TreeWorld Free Online TPZ and SRZ AS4970-2009 Calculator by TreeWorld Free Online Tree Surface Area and Tree Volume Calculator by TreeWorld My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist \| Project Arborist

16th October 2008, 02:05 AM	#9
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 5,206	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest just another case where people have alot of money and think thier higher than the law.Personally i'm glad that they're getting in trouble for it. __________________ Have your say join us today. I ship USA saws out of the USA old schooler

13th May 2010, 08:53 PM	#11
Done it Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Parramatta. nsw. Australia. Posts: 689	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest I hope he has to pay costs as well. This is a good update. Huge fine looms for McCracken \| Whitsundays News \| Local News in Whitsundays \| Whitsunday Times

18th May 2010, 05:09 PM	#13
arborjockey Mature tree Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: hawaii. ohio. oregon. california Posts: 274	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Our water shed in oregon is on someone elses property (one prperty above). we do have an easement through the middle of their property to get to it. behind that(two properties up) some idiot from the other side of the world. Some place called New Zealand where ever the hell that is. Decided he wanted to put grapes in. In hops country of all places.Were beer people up here. He startred off by logging. The entire water shed above our property was destroid. He told our neighboors the water table would rise because the trees that drank all the water are gone. Not that they acyually raise the water table. The illagal cutting of the fir trees in the shed was done because it would have blocked the sun from his "french loud mouth soup plants". So he opted to take the fine which is planting a tree for every 1" dbh of the trees he cut down. 25" tree = 25 - 1" trees . Lucky it will only take 60 years to grow back. now our spring is full of silt and poison from him spraying pesticide/herbicide. Jack ass Good thing is wine sales are down 30-40%

22nd May 2010, 06:53 PM	#14
very_sarcastic Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 65	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Can't wait for the next installment when they hand his balls back to him in a little jar. Even back in the day when he was injured and couldn't play footy, he sued the Storm for loss of revenue AT THE SAME TIME AS MAKING MILLIONS OUT OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT WHICH HE ONLY GOT INTO BECAUSE HE COULDN'T PLAY FOOTBALL. Is this dude serious?! "I WANT A PRIVATE RESORT WITH A PONY CLUB FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I WILL CUT DOWN WHATEVER TREE OR HILL NECESSARY TO HAVE IT!" (I need a cup of tee and something to reduce my blood pressure) Bad enough when developers (private or not) have such disregard for the environment. Unfortunately the punishment is completely inadequate compared to the irreparable damage caused. A couple of hundred thousand dollars (chicken feed for some of these big boys) doesn't bring back the age and diversity of the trees and ecosystem in general. Man, is it any wonder they have such strict rules and regulations concerning environmental protection. I feel sorry for the home gardener who only wants to remove a near dead Casuarina only to have council slap a protection order on it, when you got this nugget of turd ripping out whatever he wants willy-nilly and nobody noticing until the damage has been done. Tigers or no Tigers, this guy ain't above the law and deserves what he gets. (GO THE TIGERS!)

22nd May 2010, 09:34 PM	#16
very_sarcastic Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 65	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest No Tallis! not you too!!!!

22nd June 2010, 08:33 PM	#18
Apocalypsse Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 589	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Lolsnap

22nd June 2010, 10:59 PM	#19
Done it Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Parramatta. nsw. Australia. Posts: 689	Re: Former league star McCracken accused of illegal clearing in rainforest Magistrate Athol Kennedy

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