City of Coffs Harbour Council to raise Boambee concerns with Reflections

CITY of Coffs Harbour Council will write to the Chief Executive Officer of Reflections Holidays Nick Baker, to formally raise community concerns regarding the maintenance of local Reflections-managed reserves.

The condition of Boambee Creek Reserve, which comes under the auspices of Crown Land manager Reflections, was raised in a Notice of Motion by Councillor Paul Amos at the council’s 29 January ordinary meeting.

Included in Cr Amos’s motion, which was defeated, was a request for the council to prepare a report examining the options available to alter the current management arrangements.

He canvassed the possibility of compulsory acquisition by the Council, “or any other practical means of achieving the intended public access and facilities improvements”.

In an alternative, successful motion, put by Mayor Nikki Williams, the Council resolved to also write to Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh, seeking his support to facilitate a meeting with NSW Minister for Crown Lands Steve Kamper, during the March 2026 Regional Cities program.

At the proposed meeting, Cr Williams will “advocate for fair, transparent and equitable investment in all Reflections Holidays-managed Crown reserves within the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area, including Boambee Creek and Moonee Beach”.

Key issues identified at Boambee Creek Reserve include the need for:

– remediation of the reserve’s creek bank, which has been eroded,

– increased investment to address the identified problems,

– refurbishment of the reserve’s assets to a level that ensures usability and public safety;

– scrapping of the $8 entry fee to encourage public use, and

– support for endeavours to have the reserve’s kiosk reopened, or other options to provide food and beverages within the reserve.

By Mike HELY