Business leaders on the Peninsula are concerned that the Ettalong foreshore has not been maintained in keeping with the Plan of Management (POM) for the area and has requested an onsite meeting with Central Coast Council officers in September.
Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Mainstreet Coordinator, Debra Wales, said vegetation around the viewing platforms on the foreshore was out of control and called on Council for immediate action.
“In 1996 the vegetation was out of control with weed infestations and coastal wattle growing over the beach rendering the beachfront almost useless to the public,” she said.
“The beach had become an embarrassment and contributed toward the decline of the town.
“This is why (President) Matthew Wales and I, through the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, instigated the foreshore masterplan process which led to the current Plan of Management.
“The success of that plan is evident in the upgrade from the Box On the Water Restaurant to the south.
“However, the Plan of Management has failed for that portion between Beach St and Picnic Pde.
“This portion was always a compromise.
“The committee reluctantly agreed to the viewing platforms rather than a boardwalk, with interlinking vegetation, but on the basis that the vegetation and view lines was maintained.
“Further, that vegetation would be maintained under the viewing platforms and not growing over the decks as can be seen today.”
Wales said Council has consistently failed to ensure the maintenance was undertaken in accordance with the POM.
“As a result, this portion of the beach is weed infested, overgrown and an embarrassment to the town at a time when we are trying to increase visitation numbers,” she said.
“We now have, as we did in 1996, vagrants living in the bush, boats and canoes stored in the vegetation and coastal wattle overgrowing the viewing platforms and the beachfront.
“Sadly, we are back to the bad old days.”
Wales said the vegetation is so dense that the beach cannot be seen from the restaurant deck at Diggers.
She said the weeds beneath the banksia trees needed to be maintained, trimmed and managed to protect view lines and ensure adequate beachfront is available to the public.
The introduced dune area presents an obstruction to the Ettalong Beach town centre solely to imitate an “estuary foreshore system” that never existed, she said.
Wales said the Chamber is not seeking changes to the POM, but implementation of the management processes already included in it.
“(We want Council to) ensure that the vegetation is addressed as a matter of urgency before we … lose another summer with bad reviews and loss of business over the state of the beachfront,” she said.
She has requested a meeting on September 13 with Council officers, to be attended by Chamber President, matthew Wales, Ettalong Diggers CEO Col Murphy, business owner Andrew Tregent and Mantra Strata representative Daryl Lynch.
A spokesperson said Council does not support the removal or trimming of vegetation in dune environments for the purpose of improving views from private properties.
“It is important to retain dune vegetation for several reasons including that it assists in stabilising dunes and sand that are subject to coastal erosion processes,” the spokesperson said.
“Dune vegetation acts as a wind break and assists in trapping sand blown from the beach towards The Esplanade.
“It also provides habitat for native animals and biodiversity more generally.”
The spokesperson said Council considers that its maintenance and vegetation management along Ettalong foreshore is consistent with the POM, with efforts being made to retain existing banksia trees located within the dune area.
“It also requires Council to retain native dune vegetation and rehabilitate with new species to improve the local foreshore ecosystem,” the spokesperson said.
“ Council’s public tree management program undertakes pruning or removal of trees where they present a risk to the public.
“These works will typically involve the trimming and removal of only dead, dying or defective trees and vegetation.
“Dune vegetation that encroaches on to public footpaths or public viewing decks will also be trimmed or removed to facilitate public use of those community assets.
“Typically tree pruning or removal is not undertaken for view enhancement unless it is directly associated with a public lookout area.
“Council’s maintenance teams are currently prioritising storm recovery activities, which have led to delays in our regular maintenance schedule.
“Where a risk to public safety is identified selected pruning of dune vegetation will be undertaken to mitigate the risk.”
The spokesperson said Council is preparing the Coastal Management Programs in accordance with the Coastal Management Act 2016 which will allow the community to provide feedback on the preferred management of the Ettalong Beach foreshore during the detailed engagement phase later in 2023.
“Council will work to ensure a consistent approach to the management of this foreshore area is included in the Coastal Management Program, the District Place Plan, and the Plan of Management.
“Council will also work with the specialist community providers to investigate the identified homelessness situation.”
Terry Collins