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Collapse Issue 201 - 13 Oct 2008Issue 201 - 13 Oct 2008
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Council to fight bed closure
Groups to ride to Gosford CBD
Chamber calls for loss details
More disruption for Bulls Hill works
Residents asked to prepare for fire
Lobbying for bypass study
Chamber supports network replacement
Andrews warns on climate change
Hawthornes are farewelled
Channel dredging a priority, says Freewater
Mayor plays down economic crisis
Golden Oldies wanted
Finance seminars for retirees
Bush care work at Pearl Beach
Annual spring fair
Scouts celebrate with promotion day
Sustainable living day
Community ideas wanted
Town crier wins two awards
Village construction to start next year
Volunteering session
Council works
Restaurant wins award
Peninsula in the News
Unremarkable rainfall
Correction
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Replacement toilet wanted
Praise for ferry captain
Peninsula will get fair share
Distortion of the facts
Proud to be Australian
States needed as a check
Early renewal
Chuckling
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
New attendance trial
Outstanding participation
Japanese students visit college
Rugby league win to boys
Ambulance service to run literacy course
Girls are rugby champions
Spelling final held at Ettalong
Student art exhibition
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Recognised
Five soccer champions
Centre to host Masters event
Bowls awards
Netball club wins $2500
Annual pairs
Sand Slog success
Course for swimming teachers
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Blues Festival in seventh year
Classes start
Author speaks at literary event
Patonga memories are inspiration
Wayne Cornell sings at festival
Mother and son exhibit
Springsong attracts 80
PCYC performs
Musical delight
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Exercise program helps recovery
Baby massage workshop
Stroke awareness events held
Violence workshop for health workers
Yoga aid for children
New therapy starts at Woy Woy
Collapse  HISTORY HISTORY
The Trafalgar Ave airstrip

Channel dredging a priority, says Freewater

Cr Peter Freewater has named the Ettalong channel dredging as one of his main priorities as a Greens councillor and local resident.

Cr Freewater said the Ettalong channel dredging was essential in maintaining safe navigation, tourism, fishing and boating access and the environment.

"My main priorities include pushing ahead with desperately needed maintenance dredging for the entrance channel," Cr Freewater said.

Cr Freewater said he was a former member of the council's Coastal Estuary Management Committee that initiated plans to dredge Ettalong channel last year.

"It seems that there are some surfers that think that the proposed maintenance dredging of Brisbane Water entrance channel will damage the Box Head surf break," Cr Freewater said. "As a keen surfer and as Broken Bay Beaches representative for Surfrider Foundation, there is no way known that I would ever do anything to hurt Box Head.

"I surf there at least half a dozen times a year and if it worked more often I'd be there more often as well.

"The dredging will only remove clean sand from a very small section of the channel adjacent to the rocks at the southern end of Lobster Beach.

"This is far from the surfing sections of the shoal and will have absolutely no effect on the surf.

"I have had the best coastal modellers in Australia investigate the sand removal and the placement of sand to determine how to improve the shoal for surfing.

Cr Freewater said there currently were gaps in the Box Head surf break.

"Those who know the break will tell you that it doesn't link up the way it used to," Cr Freewater said.

"The sand can be placed in the deeper sections towards the end of Ocean Beach and will be spread by natural wave action to fill those gaps.

"Some people have suggested that the sand should be placed on Ettalong Beach but it won't stay there and will be washed off during the next big storm - as has always happened and is why there have always been navigation problems between Ettalong and Wagstaffe.

"If Council wants to put sand on Ettalong Beach, it must take it from the Wagstaffe shoals and not introduce more sand or the navigation in Brisbane Water will diminish further.

"My idea to place the dredged clean sand from the entrance channel onto the surfing side of the shoal is the most economically and ecologically sustainable way to deal with it and it will also improve the surf.

"I won't let any sand miners take the sand away because it belongs to the Box break and more to the point it belongs to the surfers of the Peninsula."

Cr Freewater said he also intends pushing hard for changes to the Local Environment Plan currently under review.

"In particular, I wish to see the Coastal Open Space System lands given the conservation status that they need, rather than the recreational status being sought at present," Cr Freewater said.

"In this regard I will also push for additional resources to expand the Bushcare program so that our COSS reserves maintain their ecological integrity.

"Another priority is for some restructuring of council.

"The damning report handed down by the coroner following the Somersby tragedy recommends significant changes at the senior management level.

"I believe that the councillors must demonstrate their commitment to community safety, even if that requires some hard decisions by the older councillors - we need to restore faith in Gosford council."

He said the community "must be sick and tired" of council crying poor.

"We have millions of ratepayers dollars tied up in investments that should be spent on improving local living conditions," Cr Freewater said.

"The community must be sick and tired of council crying poor all the time while at the same time they are playing the stock market and losing millions of dollars."


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