STAGE One of the Moonee Creek, Coffs Creek and Boambee/Newports Creek Coastal Management Program is now underway and the community is being called on for comment.

Coffs Harbour City Council is keen to hear from anyone who is interested in, values, or lives near these estuaries to have a say in their management.

Council wants to know what locals value about these waterways so it can make them even better.

Of particular interest is knowing what people think is great about the estuaries and what would make them even better, and also what concerns locals have and how could the overall management of the estuaries and catchment can be improved.

The community feedback will form an important part of a new Coastal Management Program, which has been funded through a grant from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

The Coastal Management Program will consider estuary and catchment health issues such as bank erosion, water quality, catchment and sediment inflows, as well as recreational amenity.

The Program seeks to achieve a balance between the community’s needs and the environment’s.

Council is currently working with specialist coastal management consultants on a Scoping Study, which will include key stakeholder as well as wider community consultation.

Stage One of the Program involves conducting a Scoping Study, which outlines the strategic context, reviews current management arrangements and sets forward a path for carrying out the Program.

The Scoping Study Stage is the first of five stages in the Coastal Management Program process.

Stages Two to Four will involve identifying threats and pressures impacting on the estuaries, and developing targeted management actions to address them.

The community will be asked for further involvement throughout Stages Two to Four through community drop-in sessions.

Stage Five will focus on implementation, and it is expected that the Coastal Management Program will be finalised in 2022.

Community members are now being invited to take part in a Community Values and Issues Survey at https://surveymonkey.com/r/MooneeCoffsBoambeeNewportsCMP.

The survey is open until 4 February 2021, and can be undertaken anonymously.

Residents can subscribe to stay informed about the project on Council’s webpage at https://haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/darkum-creek-woolgoolga-lake-willis-creek-and-hearnes-lake-community-survey.

 

By Emma DARBIN