The
Northern Parks and Playgrounds Movement has been deeply disturbed by
the proposal of the State Government to dispose of the essential Morisset
Hospital grounds ,part of the Tomaree Headland and also part of the
Rankin Park Hospital grounds on the ridge behind Newcastle. The threatened
disposal of these lands for short term cash flow without proper consideration
of the future is outrageous and immoral. On the one hand the Government
is trying to sell off essential open space and on the other hand it
is forcing local government in the Hunter to acquire regional open space
such as at Green Point without any help or consideration as is given
in the Sydney Region.
The Greiner government
has had a wonderful opportunity in N.S.W.to fight corruption and build
on the widespread interest in the environment but strangely the government
has set itself against the environment and has dismantled the concept
of planning for the best use of the land for the future. Its become
just another Sydney government making no effort to help important regional
centres like Lake Macquarie.
The
way the Caves Beach Resort proposal has been dealt with by local government
and at the State level has denied natural justice to the citizens of
Lake Macquarie and disregarded long term goals for the environment of
Lake Macquarie.It has made it impossible to have the officially recognised
environmental concerns assessed and the most appropriate use of the
land determined.The local Council failed to require a Local Environmental
Study (L.E.S.) to be prepared and the Minister for Planning and the
Government failed to establish a Commission of Inquiry as should have
been done to maintain the credibility of the planning system in the
eyes of the community.
Behind
the public relations stunt that the people were subjected to, was a
resort proposal.However, with the disregard of planning procedures,
there was no way of determining if the proponent had the resources to
carry out the things that had been proposed, let alone decide if they
were the best uses for the land.
Many
of the developers that have put forward speculative projects in recent
years, have turned out to be under funded two, ten, or fifty five dollar
paid up capital companies. Both the Green Point and Rathmines marina
developers had very few resources yet Council was prepared to go into
an agreement for a 99 year lease of public parkland in the case of Rathmines
and hand huge windfall profits to a green point developer. We are thankful
in the Rathmines case that the Lake Macquarie City Council has now abandoned
the marina proposal. It is now essential for the land to be rezoned
back to open space and the area to be appropriately landscaped in keeping
with its park status. I personally do not understand why Council did
not accede to the clear wishes of the people in this matter years ago.
The
Parks and Playgrounds Movement is disappointed with the Lake Macquarie
Council and the State Government for leasing the oceanfront at Caves
Beach / Pinny Beach to Gordon Pacific at the ridiculous cost of one
dollar per annum. This Movement would be only too pleased to pay the
one dollar annual rental and make the oceanfront and heathlands open
for the free and unfettered use of the people of Lake Macquarie.The
Local Environmental Plan gazetted by the Minister, David Hay for the
area was not only prepared without reasonable community input, but its
final form was without adequate zoning for public open space and recreation
or adequate consideration of the public interest. Only a tiny strip
of Lakeside foreshore and oceanfront were negotiated for public use.
The oceanfront and Pinny Beach were then leased back to the developer,
as mentioned earlier, for one dollar per annum by secret agreement.
All
the details relating to the development of the land are included in
a deed of agreement, a draft of which was exhibited for public comment.
The final agreement was signed by the Minister for Planning, The Lake
Macquarie Mayor and Town Clerk and the companies owned by Gordon Pacific.
It is considerably different from the document that was exhibited and
which the Aldermen in Council considered. The Deed should be made public
and its details made the subject of public discussion.
Our heritage should not be given away on the chance of speculative development.
It must be conserved for the enjoyment of all.
Local government should be much more careful before overturning long
term planning principles and goals that have been carefully considered
and have wide community acceptance. ( The recent debacle with high rise
in the residential areas at North Sydney is another case). Shoddy planning
procedures and decisions can only bring planning into disrepute and
lead to political cronyism (Queensland style) and open the door to corruption.
The Movement has continued with its long standing efforts to achieve
a bushland park fronting the shores of Lake Macquarie on land between
Belmont and Valentine. This land was previously zoned for parkland in
the draft Northumberland County Plan and earmarked for a National Park
by the former Northumberland County Council. The recently completed
Foresite Green Point Study is a milestone document which confirms all
that has been said by conservationists and residents about the importance
of this land for conservation, recreation and parkland.
The present Lake Macquarie City Council has a unique opportunity to
begin the acquisition of the 220 ha site for a regional Public Reserve.
The ALP is to be congratulated on their announced policy to acquire
this area ,for parkland when they next come to power in N.S.W. The
Liberal Party especially the local branches need to pledge their support
for the Park and place pressure on the State Government for funds so
that the State can share the cost as is done for the acquisition of
parkland in the Sydney Region. The Movement also wishes to place on
record its appreciation of the Mayor's continuing support for the Green
Point Park Proposal. We are distressed however that the Mayor has not
emphasised the need to acquire the full 220 ha to ensure that the whole
geographic unit is dedicated as parkland.
The
work of the Green Point Action Committee G.P.A.C. and in particular
their chairperson Pauline Keating must be applauded and is deeply appreciated
by the Movement. The Belmont Lagoon Project has continued to gain our
support and we are pleased that an excellent plan for the Lagoon's conservation
has been prepared by the local Committee. A recent Development Application
for the extension of the existing Caravan Park into the lagoon wetlands
has been refused and we strongly support the action of the Lake Macquarie
City Council. The Movement now wants to see this significant wetland
included along with other important lake wetlands into the National
Park Strategy for Lake Macquarie.
The Northern Parks and Playgrounds Movement believes that it is absolutely
essential for the State Government, which represents all the people
of NSW.,to aid the Lake Macquarie community and their Council in bringing
to fruition a parkland and conservation plan for Lake Macquarie along
the lines of the Movement's National Park Strategy.
The Premier Mr Greiner only yesterday outlined the Government's master
plan for parkland on Sydney Harbour. I can recall the election promises
made by those who now hold office that an urgent habitat study would
be made of Lake Macquarie to provide the basis for the conservation
of the Lake and the establishment of regional parks fronting the Lake.
The Movement asks Mr Greiner ,"Please think of the future of Lake
Macquarie and don't just regard yourself as only the Premier of a Sydney
Government".
During
the year we have continued to call for the activation of the old Northumberland
Development Fund . This fund now covers the whole Hunter Region and
is called the Hunter Development Fund but has never been activated except
to purchase the old County Council Chambers in Auckland Street that
are now used by the State Government for the Planning Department Office.
The Sydney Regional Fund has operated continuously since the Cumberland
County Council days and has acquired hundreds of millions of dollars
worth of open space in the Sydney area with the State Government contributing
fifty percent of funds.
Many
other open space and National Park areas acquired in the Sydney Region
have been acquired by direct Government grants. Our interest in the
Hunter Fund has been supported widely in the community but requires
initiative from a majority of the Local Councils and the support of
the State Government.
The
Movement fully supports the concept of a single authority for the conservation
of Lake Macquarie and we were interested in the Private Members Bill
which was brought forward by Ivan Welsh MP for Swansea. Unfortunately
the Bill when it was examined was really a Bill to develop lake Macquarie
(dredging and filling) and not a Bill whose primary aim was to Conserve
the Lake. We were pleased that it was dropped. Perhaps it would be
better if the Lake could be designated as a Conservation Area under
the National Parks and Wildlife Act and conservation agreements concluded
between the Director and the various authorities Lands Dep., PWD.,and
Local Councils as suggested in our National Park Strategy for Lake Macquarie.
The
Parks and Playgrounds Movement is anxious that Munibung Hill between
Speers Point and Cardiff be protected and conserved. We are opposed
to a Highway cutting through the ridge and want that proposal abandoned.
Munibung Hill is the most significant natural feature at the northern
end of the Lake. It is an important vantage point and landmark overlooking
Cardiff, Warners Bay and Speers point with extensive vistas down the
Lake, to Charlestown, Newcastle and Mount Sugarloaf. Munibung Hill has
been poorly treated in the past but we must ensure that it is sympathetically
rehabilitated and managed in the future.
On
the Barrington issue we strongly support the Wilderness Society in their
criticisms of the Draft Barrington Tops Management Plan . We believe
that it is essential for the World Heritage values of the Tops to be
preserved and that a unified Wilderness Classification be gazetted over
the entire Tops Area and that a proposed forestry road entering the
Park on the western boundary be abandoned. Older members of the movement
will be aware that the struggle for the Barrington Tops National Park
originated in the Movement's 1954 Barrington Project proposals. Our
proposals of 1954 were in response to a resort type development that
had been proposed for the Tops. Rod Earp led the Movement with his
National Park proposition which ultimately came to fruition and helped
bring about the formation of the National Parks Association and the
National Parks and wildlife legislation in NSW.
The Barrington Tops National Park needs to be extended and given greater
protection.
Our most important initiative in the Newcastle area this year was the
preparation of the Historic Park and Open Air Museum proposal for that
land including the former railway land and the Convict Stockade site
which was given to the City by the previous State Government for parkland
and confirmed by the present state government. The Historic Park and
Open Air Museum concept was developed in response to a series of proposals
prepared by Tract Consultants, the Melbourne based firm that had been
commissioned by the NSW Lands Department. The Citizens' Foreshore Committee
which had previously been set up with the help of the Movement was reconstituted
and our plan further developed. The new plan is the Foreshore Committee's
plan and has gained widespread approval and support.
Greater effort, however, will be needed by everyone if this plan is
to be implemented. A carparking area in front of the Menkens designed
Earp Gillam Warehouse will spoil a basic concept of the plan and must
be viewed with concern. We will ask the Citizens' Foreshore Committee
to call a public Meeting to discuss the full implementation of the park
plan.
The Newcastle City Council should move to zone the land in accordance
with their own resolution adopted from a Lord Mayoral Minute that the
entire area be zoned for open space and parkland.
We have been pleased to see that some further progress has been made
on the archaeological investigation of the site by Damaris Bairstow
and we look forward to the preparation of the Heritage Plan by the project
Leader, Meredith Walker. This whole project could create an exciting
culmination to almost thirty years of continuous striving by the Parks
and Playgrounds Movement,the citizens of Newcastle and the City Council.
The Movement supports the work of the Marmong Point Progress Association
in their efforts to protect the proposed lakeside park proposal and
also to protect their own suburb from the effects of longwall mining.
We
have been disappointed with the failure of the Lake Macquarie Council
to adequately consider our Charlestown Hub proposal. This proposal could
have transformed the Charlestown hill area and vitalised the area in
a much ,more acceptable way that is happening with the cinema and office
complex. The extension of the business district along the Pacific Highway
in a ribbon compounds the problems and will probably become unworkable
in the future. Our plan was based on the natural advantages and the
practical needs of traffic and the historical village nodal point to
create a fine civic focus for the East Lake Macquarie area.The Newcastle
Council Civic Park Management Study is supported and should be closely
considered by the Movement. We should take the lead, and formulate a
new plan to raise the status of the area in line with the aspirations
of the people of Newcastle. The Movement has always considered that
the eastern end of the park needed special attention because it had
never been landscaped to complement the rest of the park after its former
use as a carpark.
Members will recall that the Movement has had a long interest in the
park and that we have had to wage a constant fight to achieve the extension
of the park through to Darby Street. The Movement's 1968 proposal for
the park, called for the mounding and moulding of the land surface to
create a gently sloping area near Darby Street to cater for large gatherings
and create a landscaped vista from within the park to unify the view
of the Hill.
It
is a pleasure to see the Pacific Park becoming one of Newcastle's best
parks. The park is a credit to the designer, Bruce Mackenzie, and all
who have helped in its construction. The Council's recent clearing of
the old fire station from the site is greatly appreciated and we look
forward to the maturity of the landscape as the years pass. The Movement
would like to see the placement of a suitable sculpture in the park
at the head of Hunter Street in the space intended for the return of
the Coal monument.
Pacific Park should be used as the standard for the Foreshore Park.
The
Movement has continued its interest in the Glenrock State Recreation
Area. We have put forward proposals for the rehabilitation of the water
board lands before they are handed over to the SRA. We are anxious that
a graded walking trail be established from Merewether Heights to Dudley
following the general western periphery of the park and the higher land.
The trail will mainly follow existing tracks and make a safe walking
trail giving extensive views toward the sea and connecting the various
natural units and access points in the park.
Most of Glenrock's problems have been caused by poor or non existent
management by public authorities in the past and determined efforts
are required in the future.
The Glenrock State Recreation Park Trust should be appointed as a matter
of urgency.
The Movement continues to take a vital interest in the community. We
have helped in the formation of a residents' group steering committee
for the establishment of an Adamstown Residents' Group and a park plan
for West Park Adamstown. We have joined with residents of Mayfield who
desire to save the magnificent trees and small undedicated park opposite
the Mayfield primary school.
We
have attended many public meetings on park matters including the launching
of the Citizens' Foreshore Plan and the meeting at Princeton Ave,to
express opposition to a rezoning of a park area off Princeton Ave. The
local residents don't want the area turned over to a housing development.
We have been quick to support the need for a green network to help the
community in the flow of information and reduce costs to ordinary citizens
of Faxing and printing.
The release of the Throsby Creek Total Catchment Management Study was
an important initiative that is being acted upon by the Tighes Hill
community.
I
wish to thank all those people who have helped in this hectic year and
all those who have helped in time effort and donations. I want to particularly
want to express our appreciation to the local media ,the Newcastle Herald,
ABC. radio, NBN 3, New FM. and 2NUR FM. Their unbiased reporting of
environmental news is of critical importance in a democratic society.
Northern
Parks and Playgrounds Movement
22nd
November, 1989.
