Autumn 2015 | Edition #107 | Circulation 4,000 copies Lake Wollumboola p.3 | People Power: Heart of Huski p.5 DREDGING: Messing With Nature A Costly Exercise CHRIS GROUNDS & has been produced. From it go these proposals are not large for popular Whale-watching The likely net impact would be PAT THOMPSON we learn that three dredging falling below the threshold tourism and all-tides access of the eventual loss of a roughly projects have been recom- required for a full environ- tenders from visiting cruise equivalent volume of sand from HEN someone mended and two prioritised, mental impact report, residents ships. Vessels are increasing in the southern end of Callala down at the pub namely Currambene Creek and should take notice of the cost to size and number to meet tourist Beach from erosion in a severe gets a good idea, Suxxex Inlet, which with Lake ratepayers, the environmental demand. storm event.” some joker always Conjola involves an estimated impact and Council’s neglect However the Consultant’s The sand is to be ‘de-watered’ Wagrees that bloody Council cost of approximately $2 million. to follow its own planning Report warns: “The sand budget in bunds on Callala Beach, right should do something about As I write the consultants are processes. at the entrance of Currambene near the spit, which is an impor- it. In the Shoalhaven like in busy finalising a Review of the Creek is in balance. Over- tant bird resting area used by other places you can get things Environmental Factors, which CURRAMBENE CREEK dredging the sand shoal at the ‘Threatened Species shorebirds’ going by starting a petition. is due to be released for public The push for dredging at the creek mouth would result in and migratory species. The Now who is not going to agree comment in March before the entrance of Currambene Creek temporary loss of sand from the sand is then to be moved up the that by spending a few bob and matter will return to Council for comes from commercial pres- creek’s delta system. It would beach – truck or pumped – for shifting a load or two of sand, a decision. sures with a view to increasing also open up the wharf & moor- we can improve our boating Whilst as dredging projects a larger commercial presence ings to more ocean storm swell. CONTINUED P. 2 amenity. We all like the water and messing about in boats, as Sand spit at entrance to Currambene Creek...Chris Grounds after all that is why many of us chose to live here. Equally our politicians know a good thing when they see one. A petition with a few thousand names appended to it certainly gets their juices flowing. And so with a little pressure here and a little pressure there, money to at least do a study and see if “a good idea” gels is worth voting for. So $400,000 of ratepayers money and State taxes is advanced. Never mind that endless previous studies have found that “a good idea” is in fact a bad one. Never mind also that Council’s own Management Plan specifically pours cold water on dredging. It states, “Sediment movement is a dynamic process. Dredging will only ever provide short term improvement, followed by natural infilling of the channel from subsequent floods or tidal deposition. In addition to the significant initial costs involved in dredging there is also a size- able ongoing financial commit- ment required (Webb McKeown & Assoc., 2006). THE NEXT STEP Having engaged consult- ants Peter Spurway & Assoc. a, Dredging Feasibility Study (available on Council’s website) 2 Autumn 2015 #107 letters State Election: SU STAINABLE Apart from polluting the beach, SHOALHAVEN what about polluting the crystal clear waters of Jervis Bay when Over the last three months, six rubbish is washed in at high tide? It’s Time To Act! of us connected with Shoalhaven Transition have been meeting and Imagine the impression given working towards developing a plan to caring tourists enthusiastic to After more 30 years of strategic planning for dedication to Jervis Bay National Park, for a sustainable Shoalhaven. see this wonderful icon of the and conservation initiatives, the wellbeing of to conserve the internationally signifi- Shoalhaven only to find it trashed. I Lake Wollumboola is still under threat from cant natural values and Aboriginal cultural The initiative for this project comes am disgusted. massive development expansion. heritage of the Lake and catchment. from Ian Chambers, a Sydney- based business consultant, and Can we ask questions? Who Please support the Lake Wollumboola finalising both National Park dedication and co-author of the book, Plan for benefits from tourists or their Protection Association’s campaign to have rezoning issues as part of the Halloran Trust the Planet. This book focuses dollars? Not many at Hyams. the remaining undeveloped parts of the Lake Planning Proposal process, with a morato- on eleven key aspects of human catchment conserved as part of Jervis Bay rium on further development applications for activity, the urgent difficulties we Are any benefits worth the impacts National Park. the Lake and Crookhaven River catchments. face involving each of these, and to our priceless natural treasures? outlines strategies for addressing I personally think not. Write to the NSW Planning and Environment opening up the Halloran Planning Proposal these challenges using a business Ministers, Pru Goward and Rob Stokes, with process to community engagement and management approach. This Council, JB National Park and copies to Member for South Coast Shelley public comment. book provides “ a business plan Jervis Bay Marine Parks Authority Hancock and representatives of other parties framework to the global challenges need to act before the next batch requesting that they support: progressing without further delay the we face, and the coordination of of attracted tourists come and listing of Lake Wollumboola as a wetland of the solutions which will enable us ‘love’ Hyams Beach. acquisition of Halloran Trust lands in the International Importance under the Ramsar to build a sustainable world”. Lake Wollumboola catchment and surrounds Convention. Maureen Webb Ian took part in the discussion Shoalhaven resident following the screening in Huskisson of the film “The Dredging Economics of Happiness” in SAVING TAFE Continued From P.1 August last year. He later linked up with members of Transition, and TAFE is bleeding to death – slowly 1.5kms to be dumped over the dynamic in response to natural The Community Engagement suggested that we work on a plan – with ongoing reductions to their vegetated fore-dune in front events such as floods and storm Policy sets out the principal for a sustainable Shoalhaven, using budgets, finding a full time TAFE of some houses – 7000m3 of seas. People in the meeting also that there will be a plan. No the same approach he used in his teacher is almost like finding a dredged sand to a depth of 1m testified to the Inlet being in a such Plan was presented at the book. unicorn! – unconsolidated. Trucking can good state and quite usable. consultation meeting nor does be highly damaging to beach There was the clear input that one seem to exist. Like the The areas of activity in the TAFE NSW has always been a sand ecology. This is claimed to the dredging-sand mining Estuary Management Plan, the Shoalhaven we are focussing on fantastic place for education, from be an erosion mitigation action proposal was unnecessary Community Engagement Plan so far, are: food production, energy trade’s to diplomas and pathways but can only afford some houses and that given the consultant apparently can seemingly be generation, waste treatment, to work, regional NSW has relied protection but not all requiring comments in response to ques- ignored. When it is comes to transport, and education. Our aims on the TAFE system to deliver some protection. The efficacy tions of how long the dredging voting contradictory matters are to investigate what the current programs for our young people and of the dredging is untested and may last, is contrary to good can easily be set aside in favour situation is, to develop strategies people interested in returning to the admission is that the dura- management and expenditure. of populist notions. On the that would move towards work or changing career. tion of effect is unknown and up-side it all makes for a good sustainability, and to take action depends on nature – really! COUNCIL yarn down at the pub. It is that in the local community based on The NSW Government has Given the nature of the feed- bloody Council again, why do these strategies. been pouring money into SUSSEX INLET back from a strongly supported we bother with them! private providers and for profit The proposal for here is that community consultative If you’d like to contribute in any organisations that are benefiting dredging is desired to improve meeting questions arise which way, or to find out more about this from new income sources and depths in parts of current must be asked and answered. project, you can contact me at directly challenging the bread channels. At the Community Consultation requires an [email protected] and butter courses that have consultative meetings organ- acknowledged two-way flow in ised by Council various views seeking a response to proposals, traditionally been provided by TAFE. THE NEW BUSH TELEGRAPH Peter Becke, Shoalhaven Privatisation by stealth. This is a were expressed that included in this case dredging, other- Transition terrible situation for regional areas comments that the dredging wise it is simply information The views expressed in this such as the South Coast where was more in the nature of sand- giving.