Council should install signs at Pearl Beach, says Smith

Gosford Council should install signs about the strong whitewash at Pearl Beach following the findings of the Coroner into the death of Chayce Kofe Kelly a year ago, according to Member for Gosford Ms Kathy Smith.

"The coroner's findings are now available and recommendations are straight forward and clear," she said.

"The authorities must do something to protect residents and visitors alike.

"There has been great neglect of duty and dodging of responsibility with the issue and I urge those in a position of responsibility to act without delay to avoid more deaths on this deadly stretch of beach."

The recommendations stated that the Gosford Council give consideration to amending its Beach Management Policy so warning signs could be erected about the strong whitewash and other natural hazards present along Pearl Beach's northern shoreline.

The signage should be erected at access points to Pearl Beach including Mt Ettalong headland tracks between Umina Beach and Pearl Beach.

The recommendations also stated: "The Department of Primary Industries and Lands give consideration to any application submitted to the Public Reserves Management Fund by Gosford Council for funding for the erection of warning signage on Crown Land managed by Council about the strong whitewash and other natural hazards present along Pearl Beach's northern shoreline.

"The Pearl Beach Progress Associations signage remains in place unless it is replaced by Gosford Council signage."

Ms Smith said: "Praise must be given to Pearl Beach Progress Association who have taken the initiative to design, manufacture and display signs themselves in order to warn people away from these waters."

She called on the Gosford Council to implement a system to record and track adverse water events that occur on beaches contained in schedule one, part two of its Beach Management Policy.

"The system should pay particular regard to the beaches, which are never supervised, and those supervised beaches during periods when they are not subject to lifeguard supervision.

"The system should also include public education about how to make notifications and why notifications are important for public safety management planning."

Ms Smith said she had been campaigning for safety signage at Pearl Beach since mid-July.

She said it had been a year since the drowning death of Chayce Kofe Kelly at the northern end of the beach, with no action taken by the council or state government to alert people to the dangers on that stretch of beach.

Media release, 21 Mar 2016

Kathy Smith, Member for Gosford