Determined to commercialise public park

In 1996 Gosford Council as trustees, attempted to offer that area of crown land referred to as "Patonga Caravan and Camping Area" to commercial interests for private lease.

As a result of overwhelming public opinion against this proposal, the then Minister for Land, Kim Yeadon caused an official and detailed "land assessment" to be carried out in accordance with the relevant act to determine the most appropriate use of this area.

That assessment determined that the subject land was not a caravan park nor a camping ground in its entirety, but in fact remained an "area of public recreation" as it had been proclaimed in 1917 and that it serves and provides very many and varied uses for the people of Patonga, the people of the shire and indeed the general public of this State.

The Minister decreed that due to the recreational significance of the site to the township of Patonga, the land was to be retained as a recreational area and low key camping and caravanning ground and that the intensification of its use as a caravan park was to be discouraged.

Gosford Council shelved its plan to commercialise the site and retired defeated!

In 1999, Council once again proposed to offer the site to commercial interests so that those interests could install what would have been highly profitable permanent on-site cabins as accommodation for people wishing to attend the Sydney Olympic Games.

Once again members of the public and residents of Patonga made representations to the Minister for Lands, who was then Richard Amery, opposing the Council's blatant attempt to commercialise their recreational ground which resulted in Mr Amery re-confirming the previous land assessment and instructing Gosford Council that the plan was not to proceed and that the provisions of the land assessment were to be adhered to.

People 2 - Gosford Council nil!

However, determination is a wonderful thing and Gosford Council is nothing if not determined.

Now we, the people of Patonga and the Shire, are faced with another attempt by Gosford Council to commercialise and destroy one of the most idyllic and valuable public areas on the entire Central Coast.

Although the Council insists it is in dire need of funds and it will be unable to provide the necessary services and infrastructure for the people of the Shire without a drastic rate rise, it is nevertheless proceeding with an extremely costly and extravagant plan, which appears to be a complete contradiction to the spirit and contents of the existing "land assessment".

Council intends to realign the roadways inside the park so that there are two distinct areas, neither accessible from each other by vehicle; one containing four permanent on site cabins for accommodating tourists and a caretaker's residence, which is to be built in the park; a boom gate so that only those resident in the park will be able to gain admittance; and a separate entrance for those wishing to use the only public boat ramp in Patonga Creek.

If this is not intensifying the use of the area as a "caravan park" and precluding and alienating the public from its own recreation ground, I should like to see a better example!

These plans together with other modifications yet to be fully disclosed by Council will of course cost a huge amount of money in addition to the $110,000 already expended by Council in providing the new children's playground recently installed in the park and which for the main part, sits almost totally unused.

I therefore urge anyone interested in the preservation of this public park (because that is exactly what it is and has been since 1917) to contact the current Minister for Lands, The Honourable Tony Kelly MP at Level 34 Governor Macquarie Towers, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney, 2000, the local member, Marie Andrews, MP at 20 Blackwall Road, Woy Woy, 2256 and also the General Manager of Gosford Council and to voice their opposition at the blatant commercialisation of this wonderful area.

Vic Jefferies Patonga