Response from Hawks Nest resident, Gordon Bartlett

Dear MCNOTA,

I read the letter that the Hawks Nest/Tea Gardens Progress President/Treasurer sent to the Premier of NSW as published in the Nota of 2 October 2014 (Dear Mr Premier) and wish him well in receiving a response.

I have forwarded 3 letters over the past 3 months to the Minister Hon Kevin Humphries MP on the same matter, as a representative of the community, and as of today have received no reply.

The same letters were copied to Hon Craig Baumman and he has failed to reply to me also.

So what is new?

Having already received a grant back in 2012 from the Government to dredge the river, and having received from the previous Minister that a Mr Wills was given the task to make it happen, it has stalled all due to red tape and a desire by the beauracrats to ensure it never happens.

Since when does the public not be heard?

 

…and their approved submission be ignored?

I trust that all concerned in ensuring this project is carried out, as per the numerous promises made, and then forgotten, will attend the meeting on Monday 13 October 2014 in the old library next to the Community Centre in Hawks Nest and make your vote count, as well as your displeasure to the lack of action to date.

Gordon Bartlett, Hawks Nest

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by Trevor Jennings, Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens Progress Association

I wish to draw you attention to an urgent matter of environmental degradation in Port Stephens which is of great concern to the Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens Progress Association, ie the proposed dredging of the eastern channel of the Myall River, the proposed pumping of dredged sand onto Jimmys Beach, and the ongoing erosion of the beach.

The Association is extremely disappointed that the dredging the State government had promised would occur this year has been deferred until May next year.

The deferral means that additional sand will accumulate in the channel, with the resulting increase in cost of removal and transport to Jimmy’s Beach, as well as the possibility that State government funding may then be withheld. Even more important are the potential boating safety issues over the coming summer holiday period as a result of the further siltation of the channel.

Secondly, the Progress Association is appalled by the erosion of sand from Jimmy’s Beach and the financially wasteful and environmentally flawed concept of remediating the beach with sand trucked from Yacaaba spit (Deadmans quarry). This is a clear waste of Great Lakes Council’s limited budget, funded primarily from resident’s rate payments.

We have been advised that Port Stephens Council is responsible for the area up to the high tide mark on Jimmy’s Beach.

It’s time the State Government, Great Lakes Council and Port Stephens Council stopped wasting valuable time and money and implemented a permanent solution to the problem of erosion of Jimmy’s Beach by the construction of some sort of man-made structure, such as a groyne.

All three parties have an obligation to protect the undermining of The Boulevarde and adjacent properties, as well as halting the rapid build-up of sand within Port Stephens itself.

The Progress Association awaits your urgent response to this matter.

Trevor Jennings, President / Secretary of Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens Progress Association

 

The issue will be discussed further at the next Progress Association meeting at 7pm on Monday 13th October in the Old Library next to the Community Centre, Booner St, Hawks Nest.