Letter to the Editor: Vegetation intrusion

DEAR News Of The Area,

WHILE the restoration of North Bank (NOTA 4th July) can be seen as altruistic it also highlights the continued erosion of usable recreation areas at the Jetty precinct.

This North Bank area was for many years mowed on a regular basis.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a lawn, offering uninterrupted views of the harbour.

The area only degraded after the dumping of heavy timbered mulch a few years ago.

It is an extension of the ever-increasing encroachment of vegetation into usable public space, either by stealth, incompetence or a combination of both.

In time it will render this area useless as a viewing platform.

As late as the 1970s there was no bush or tree vegetation on the jetty foreshore south of the Jetty.

Later, land subject to vegetation planting was delineated by fencing on both the eastern and western boundaries.

Treed vegetation has since encroached beyond the eastern fence (still in original location) in places to the edge of the dune area adjacent to the beach proper.

New growth is appearing in an ever-easterly direction with no indication or evidence of restriction.

Additionally, there is a previously mowed area south of the new Vendetta building where a lawned area has been allowed to regenerate and has very recently been planted with new trees around its boundary to deter access.

Further loss of amenity has occurred in what appears to be a feature garden cum detention basin (in the middle of the previously promised cadets parade ground).

Both add to the further loss of usable recreational land.

The area is fast becoming like Beacon Hill Lookout, where vegetation has been allowed to grow unabated, severely affecting views of the ocean.

Again, in my youth this area was basically denuded of bush and trees allowing uninterrupted views of the ocean and airport.

The new function centre in the Vendetta building has very limited views and over time will resemble the Marine Rescue building, with ocean views completely obscured by vegetation.

Once established vegetated areas are almost impossible to remove (perhaps this is the reason a track from the Vendetta building to the beach for transport of their boats never eventuated), resulting in expensive and time-consuming EIS reports for starters (then comes compensatory planting in other locations and so it goes on.

Perhaps CHCC could explain what the overall plan for vegetation versus usable land is for the Jetty area, why it is growing unabated and why no community consultation is entered into.

Regards,
Bob CAMERON,
Coffs Harbour.