Coastwatchers member, Ron Gifford, is seeking support to retain community land. If you would like to help please print off the petition forms and, when you have gathered as many signatures as you can, post them to PO Box 444, Batemans Bay 2536.

LOSS OF COMMUNITY LAND - WHERE WILL THE CHILDREN PLAY?

There exists a process that allows Eurobodalla Shire Council to surrender Community Land to private ownership or to minority groups for their exclusive use. This land is owned by the general community … it is yours and mine.

Community Land throughout the Shire is under attack. Recently, land at Broulee and land at Hanging Rock were under threat of surrender.

A meeting held on the 18th Feb 2004 by the Batemans Bay Marina Co-op, current managers of the community's Boat Harbour and Marina, revealed a plan which proposes to take away approximately half of the Public Park west of the current Marina Manager's office, for the exclusive use of those fortunate enough to own a yacht or large motor vessel. This plan will take away the use and enjoyment from the majority of residents and visitors of half of a rare waterfront Public Park to provide a road along the waterfront for yacht owners to access a proposed 50 lot car-park, to allow a minority group to access a new waterfront clubhouse also to be built on Public Land, plus the extension of the current industrial drydock site into the Park on the main gateway to Batemans Bay.

The Shire has and will continue to be affected by increasing population. The need for public space which can be accessed and enjoyed by all of the general community is obvious. Even small parcels of land can provide visual barriers to development. At present the Council has decided to take any application for the removal of Community Land from the ownership, access and enjoyment of the general public, on a case by case basis. This means that the land can be lost.

The current process requires the public to be forever vigilant against Local Council and state government decisions regarding Community Land.

These transactions can easily slip past the attention of the general community. I became aware of Broulee after the fact, Hanging Rock at the last moment and the Bay Marina proposal by fluke. I own a property directly opposite the proposed site and despite being affected, for better or worse by the proposal, I was not informed of or invited to the "Public Meeting". Nor were any of the adjoining residents. What is being planned for the public space in your community?

With local government elections coming up, it is timely for the community to impress upon the soon to be elected Councillors that our land is a non-tradeable asset, held in trust by Council on behalf of present and future generations for the enjoyment of the majority. We want a Council that shares this view and whose first response is to protect Community and Public Land.

Please consider printing and signing the following petitions. The results will be presented to all candidates for election to Council for a declaration of their intention prior to voting. The petitions are in the form of PDF files (click here for help with reading PDF files)

Petition for Eurobodalla Shire Council
Petition for NSW Government