NRMA park found in breach
An investigation into the NRMA-owned Ocean Beach Holiday Park by Gosford Council has confirmed it to be operating outside its lease boundary.
The council has removed private property signs placed by the park on adjacent public land.
Coordinator of active open spaces Ms Karen Tucker said council had been in negotiations with the management of Ocean Beach Holiday Park in response to allegations of public land being misused.
Umina resident Mr Robert Payne and his wife were forcibly removed from public land adjoining the park on February 7.
A subsequent multi-faceted investigation was carried out by council, the Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Department of Lands.
"As a result of its investigations, council has removed signage indicating the public land as private property," Ms Tucker said.
"Future arrangements for the land, including public access, will be looked into by council staff.
"Council did find the park to infringe on public land and the manner in which the couple was removed from the land was not a behaviour we would encourage."
Ms Tucker said the park had seen numerous people own and manage it over the years and felt the incident was a misunderstanding as a result of this.
A Department of Lands spokesperson stated it had discussed the matter with parties involved.
"Ocean Beach Holiday Park will address issues regarding the adjoining Crown reserve with Gosford Council as trust manager," the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, the park offered an apology to Mr Payne and his wife through Peninsula News "so that has been resolved".
An investigation into claims trees were illegally removed from the endangered Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland were also carried out as a result of the incident.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change was unavailable for comment at the time Peninsula News went to print.
Clare Graham, 11 Mar 2009
Interviewee: Karen Tucker, Gosford Council
Media Statement, 12 Mar 2009
Keeley O'Mara, Department of Lands