Landcare group calls for open space strategy

The Central Coast Council needs to produce an open space and community land strategy before it reclassifies or sells off any community land on the Peninsula, according to Ms Sue Ellis from the Ettymalong Creek Landcare Group.

Ms Ellis spoke at a public meeting held by Central Coast Council to gather information from the community about its proposal to reclassify 25 parcels of community land, including five located on the Peninsula.

She said, at the meeting, the council-appointed consultant Mr John Hancock said he had been asked by the former Gosford Council "to develop a strategy to identify land for retail sale.

"That is not a land strategy," Ms Ellis said.

"We would like to see an open spaces and community land strategy developed before any ad hoc proposals go forward.

"We all use these parks and reserves either actively or passively and we expect council to protect and care for them."

Ms Ellis said she argued at the meeting that it was inappropriate to assess each reserve in isolation when they are part of a network of reserves, parks and pocket parks.

"Over the five reserves in question on the Peninsula there are more than 114 mature and majestic native trees that are an incredibly important resource for the area," she said.

According to Ms Ellis, as the volume of medium-density residential development on the Peninsula increases, so too does the need to retain community open spaces.

"This is especially so at the moment given local councils' lax tree removal policies," she said.

The maturity of many of the native trees found on the Peninsula's five reserves means they are also an important food source for s number of native species including the Grey Headed Flying Fox, Swift Parrot and Regent Honey Eater.

According to Ms Ellis a number of substantive studies have been completed about the sustainability of such species on the Peninsula and the role of mature native trees in their sustainability.

Some of the native trees on the five reserves make up part of the Umina Coastal Sandplain which was identified as an endangered ecological community by the NSW Scientific Committee in 2007.

"There have been several other in-depth inquiries about the importance of the vegetation in this local area," she said.

Environment Australia recognised the significance of Eucalyptus robusta and Melaleuca quinquenervia (Paper bark) and other local vegetation as a food source for the federally listed and endangered swift parrot in its decision in 2003 in relation to Gosford Council flood mitigation works at Kahibah Creek, Ms Ellis said.

The determination stated that the removal of trees in this location would have a significant impact on the food source of the migratory swift parrot and required council to undertake extensive compensatory planting and 10 years of monitoring and maintenance to ensure the new plantings survived to maturity.

The importance of vegetation in Umina was also assessed by the Land and Environment Court in February 2006 (Providence Projects Pty Ltd v Gosford City Council [2006] NSWLEC 52 (17 February 2006).

"Even a cursory glance at the Gosford LEP for the Peninsula will show the very small number of pocket parks in public hands to cater for the ever growing population.

"We need more, not less of this valuable public resource.

"All our parks and reserves are needed now and in the future to cater for passive recreation/contemplation, preservation of native flora and fauna, current and future play areas (structured and non-structured) and community gardens.

"Developers (as part of good public policy) have been required to contribute to public open space to cater for population growth resulting from their developments, residents have regularly bequeathed land to add to the public estate and council itself has purchased open space for the benefit of the wider community.

"I object strongly to the idea that this council has the mandate to negate this legacy and to sell off these reserves.

"This is particularly so in the absence of any strategic open space, conservation or recreation land strategy," she said.

Ms Ellis said she was also disappointed by the lack of organisation at the council's public meetings.

"It was very muddled and disorganised and they didn't seem prepared for the number of people who attended," she said.

"There is no timeframe in relation to when the other four reserves on the Peninsula will be considered and no clarity of process," she said.

"Council's website states that in recent years it has continued to acquire an average of approximately 28 hectares of new land annually for community and recreational purposes.

"Presumably these new lands were acquired as a result of additional identified needs or for specific purposes not already being met by existing land holdings.

"It does not follow that existing reserves will therefore not be required.

"I am not aware of any land that has been acquired in recent years on the Peninsula for these purposes, despite the rapid and continued growth in population.

"There have been a number of enhancements to some larger parks however, these merely cater for the growing population and significant tourist visitation, and do not obviate the need for local pocket parks for both passive and active recreation."

Interview and email, 7 Jul 2016

Sue Ellis, Ettymalong Creek Landcare Group

Reporter: Jackie Pearson