Sunday, 18 February 2001

Councillor John Kilpatrick
Mayor of the City of Lake Macquarie
PO Box 1906
Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310

Dear Mayor,

Re: Bicycle Path through Green Point Foreshore Reserve, DA 1642/2001

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is the peak environment organisation of the state with over 120 member societies, which promote the cause of conservation throughout NSW. Through our member societies we communicate with over 150,000 individuals.

NCC is aware of a proposal to construct a secondary Bicycle Path to the Dilkerra Ave end of the Green Point Foreshore Reserve that would severely impact on the core bushland values of the reserve.

Lake Macquarie Council has already implemented the regional off-road part of the official Newcastle /Lake Macquarie Bike Plan 1996 connecting Green Point Drive with Ross Street through the Reserve.

Nature Conservation Council of NSW is opposed to the construction of a secondary cycle path to Dilkerra Ave. One and a half million dollars of State Government funds have been spent in the reserve to protect the principle foreshore bushland values of the reserve and to carry out initial sympathetic works. The construction of this section of Cycle Path would devalue the principle value of the Reserve.

It would cause unacceptable damage and fragmentation of the remaining rainforest and high conservation bushland and the steep slopes and thickly vegetated nature of this section of the reserve would make a cycle path extremely hazardous to use.

Because of its excessive width and the unsympathetic method of its construction and of the materials used it would be totally unwarranted in this sensitive area of Green Point Reserve.

The 2000 Annual Conference of the Nature Conservation Council adopted a Policy on Bicycle Paths in Bushland (attached). And advocates the following:
… The restriction of bicycle paths to non bushland areas;
… No new construction of bicycle paths through any Endangered Ecological Community;
… No new construction of bicycle paths in linear reserves or in or near remnant bushland areas where the construction of a path will compromise any of the values stated in the Framework;
… The creation of on-road bicycle friendly bike routes near to bushland which allow access at various points to the bushland areas so as to encourage cyclists to travel to bushland areas;
… The construction of bicycle storage facilities (racks or lockers) at popular bushland areas, so bicycles can be left safely;
… Where bicycle paths are built adjacent to bushland, landscaping must not compromise any of the values stated in the Framework;
… Where bicycle paths are built adjacent to bushland, all potential impacts must be taken into account, including noise, scent, litter and light, and the paths be made impact neutral.

For the above reasons we ask you to bring our views to the attention of your fellow councillors and request that Council curtail the construction of this dangerous and unwarranted secondary bicycle path in the Green Point Foreshore Reserve.

Yours sincerely,

Kathy Ridge
Executive Officer