RED Rock residents and others who own property in the village have continued to express concerns about a proposal to establish a primitive campground next to Seals Red Rock, the local bowling club.
They fear the proposed development, which City of Coffs Harbour Council will vote on – likely at its 23 April Ordinary Meeting – is inappropriate for many reasons, including that it adjoins a residential area.
Seals Red Rock, whose parent club is Maroubra Seals, plans to turn the land near the club into an area where up to 16 caravans and recreational vehicles can park for up to 28 days in any six-month period.
Under the plan, basic facilities such as showers and toilets will be available.
Public submissions on the proposal closed on 6 April, 2026.
An article in last week’s News Of The Area erroneously stated the City of Coffs Harbour Council had received around 50 submissions, with a majority in support.
At the time of writing, that was the number that had been uploaded to the council’s ‘Development Application Tracker’.
As of Monday, 13 April, 247 submissions had been received.
These submissions included a petition with multiple objections, and a petition from the proponent Seals Red Rock with multiple signatures in support.
Of the individual submissions received, the vast majority were opposed to the plan, with around three dozen writing in support.
Red Rock property owner Ron Campey, whose family has owned a house in the village since 1950, described the Seals Red Rock proposal as “pretty contentious”.
He questioned statements from Seals Maroubra chairman Wayne Clare, who suggested that if the campground didn’t proceed, local organisations such as the Red Rock Multi Use Centre would miss out on financial assistance from the club, specifically to help cover its insurance costs.
“They have never received any assistance from the club for their insurance,” Mr Campey said.
“Seals have come in and promised us a lot more than they have given.
“The community in Red Rock has generally been very close over the years.
“They don’t want multi-storey residences in Red Rock, and they can see how it could be heading in that direction.
“They might call it progress, but as a group we don’t want to see Red Rock over-developed.
“We want it to retain its character.”
By Mike HELY
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