DEAR News Of The Area,

FROM 1984 to 1990 I held a senior position in the NSW PWD for the Mid North Coast responsible for various Government Programs including the management of the Coffs Harbour Port Area.

I was the local representative for the State Government’s project known as the Jetty Foreshores Development Project.

This project was introduced by the Wran Labor Government in about 1984 and included extensive tourism and residential development on the land to the east of the railway line.

Most of the land had been used previously for port, railway and industrial purposes including timber processing activities, fuel storage etc.

It was recognised by the Government (at the time) that there was a need to provide an overpass to replace the level crossing to cater for the increased traffic that would be generated by the proposed development.

There was extensive community consultation over many years including expressions of interest and development proposals from major development consortiums.

The extent of development was scaled back considerably in response to community feedback.

However, it became very clear that both Council and the community did not support residential and tourism development east of the railway line.

With the passage of time and the change of Government the decision was taken by the then Liberal and National Party not to proceed further.

In about 1989, Wal Murray (leader of the National Party, Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Works) came to Coffs Harbour and I stood beside him when he announced on TV that the Government had listened to the people and would not be proceeding with residential or tourist development east of the railway line, as it was clear that the proposal did not have the support of Council or the community of Coffs Harbour.

There have been several attempts by various Governments to prepare management plans to permit the use of the foreshore lands for residential and tourist development since that time and they have always failed through lack of community support.

I believe Coffs Harbour is unique and both the people who come here to live and the tourists are attracted by the fact that the area hasn’t been overly developed.

We don’t have development along the beaches like Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast or even many of the smaller towns where imposing development encroaches on the beaches and foreshores, destroying the ambience and amenity of the area.

There is, in my opinion, a deep-seated belief in the community, that has been demonstrated over an extended period of time, that we should preserve what we have for future generations.

The State Government has been putting up these development proposals for almost 40 years and the community keeps rejecting them.

Why won’t they take no for an answer?

Why won’t Mr Singh accept what Wal Murray, a well-respected leader of the National Party, said 30 years ago?

Regards,
Bruce FIDGE,
Coffs Harbour.