Thread: Stockton Beach Access Protest 2nd Feb

Originally Posted by cal415

HEres some interesting news....
$1.5bn Stockton mining proposal passed | Newcastle Herald

That is very old news - dated 28 Sep 2009 but the point you make is still valid though.

We find this time and time again - and area is given back to indigenous peoples on the basis of its cultural and historic values and they then promptly turn it into a money making program - I find that OK if the money is going to the indigenous community to help with various issues and to improve their lot for the long term but often it just goes to the current population.
Garry

Well here's a bit of fresh news from 5th Feb 2013 ..........
www.theherald.com.au/story/1280555/stock...nes-stay-off-limits/


STORM damage to Stockton’s famous sand dunes is worse than first thought, with authorities now moving to install expensive sand fencing in northern parts of the bight to encourage the repair of severely eroded banks.

The news is a blow to the park’s managers who had hoped to soon reopen sections of the dunes to campers and four-wheel-drive enthusiasts.

Users of the park have grown increasingly frustrated with restrictions on access and camping in the area, but it now seems certain that those areas will remain off limits for some time.

That frustration was displayed at a rally held last weekend which attracted an estimated 5000 four-wheel-drive enthusiasts who called for an end to access restrictions in the region’s national parks, and in particular Stockton sand dunes.

See the Herald's coverage of Saturday's Unlock Australia rally here, including a picture gallery, news report and video.

National Parks and Wildlife Service yesterday confirmed that an anticipated natural recovery of the storm-damaged dunes was either not happening, or happening much slower than expected.

NPWS ranger Tony Demamiel said sand fencing would be installed in some northern sections of the bight. Such fencing involves the laying of timber and other biodegradable materials in areas where high seas have breached the frontal dunes and flooded camping areas and four-wheel-drive tracks behind. While water has mostly drained from those areas, the danger of high seas re-entering remains, he said.

The material, erected in a mesh pattern, is designed to catch blowing sand and gradually rebuild the dunes.

‘‘We’ll have to trial the fencing in small sections and monitor the dune recovery,’’ Mr Demamiel said.

‘‘It won’t further restrict public access, but existing restrictions will have to remain in place.’’

The initial breaches in the dunes were caused by vehicles travelling from the beach and into camping areas behind, he said. Those breaches were worsened by recent high seas.

Four-wheel-drive clubs and recreational users of the dunes have flooded the Newcastle Herald with complaints about the restrictions in recent weeks.

NPWS said most of the fencing and gates referred to by park users had been erected by or for private landholders.

Worimi Land Council and Boral own several large slices of the bight which are used for commercial purposes or fenced to protect important Aboriginal sites.

Draft plan gathers pace as stakeholders squabble

A DRAFT plan of management for Stockton sand dunes is likely to be hastened following increased tensions between park managers and recreational park users.

In the pipeline for almost two years, the plan is being prepared by a board of management that comprises members of all stakeholder groups, including Worimi Land Council, four-wheel-drive clubs and commercial tour operators.

‘‘Everyone knows the park is in danger of being loved to death,’’ National Parks and Wildlife Service’s senior ranger Leanne Ellis said.

‘‘This plan will enable the park to be managed so that it can be protected, but also meet the demands of people who want to use it.’’

Ms Ellis said the recent spotlight on the area could speed up preparations of the draft plan.

‘‘We’re really pleased that so many people are interested in protecting and using the park,’’ she said.

The public will be able to comment and make formal submissions when the draft plan goes on public exhibition.


Print Story

Here's some more info from NPWS and their explanation as to why they keep telling the media only the camping area is closed (when in reality the dunes are closed too which is more like 75-80% of the entire Stockton Bight off limits):

“The information on the WCL website is correct - the area available to 4WDers is the beach front and the Recreational Vehicle Area. While NPWS has attempted to discuss the whole issue, the article in the Newcastle Herald, as well as other recent media, has focused on the questions being asked- about frontal dune damage and the camping area closures.

Access to the rear or hind dunes is via the frontal dunes and tour enquiry provides a good example of the complexity of the management challenges that NPWS and the WCL Board of Management face as they work to address managing for visitor use and access as well as protecting the cultural values of the land.

In addition to the damage to the frontal dune, the flooding and erosion caused by the June storm exposed a large number of Aboriginal sites behind the beachfront throughout the park. These sites occur both in the swale area and along the exposed faces of the high dunes themselves. All are highly susceptible to damage from vehicles.

To re-open the Recreation Vehicle Area after the storm, archaeological assessments were undertaken for all of the newly exposed sites and protection measures put in place. This area was targeted for this work as there are far fewer Aboriginal sites in the RVA due to its history of mineral sand mining.

It has not been possible to undertake this level of archaeological assessment and protection work for the extensive areas of exposed sites in the dunes north of Lavis Lane. Due to the large number of sites, and the challenges of finding routes across mobile dunes, it is almost impossible to drive in this area now without directly impacting on these Aboriginal sites. This area remains closed to vehicles due to the number and extent of sites throughout this area and the high risk of permanent damage to these sites from vehicles.

Ensuring the protection of Aboriginal sites and the frontal dune, and the provision of camping and 4WD access are key issues that will be addressed in the forthcoming draft plan of management. Balancing these often competing objectives has been the key challenge the Board of Management has been grappling with in the development of the Plan, and the storm only served to bring the issues into sharp focus.

I hope the above goes some way to explaining the difficulties and sensitivity of the issue while also providing some explanation.”

I've driven straight onto the high dunes plenty of times in the past without going via the beachfront, frontal dunes or swale areas.

Seriously how does one protect the structural integrity of any archaeological site in constantly moving sand dunes?

I take it most of these sights are midens?

cheers,
Terry

Originally Posted by TerryO

Seriously how does one protect the structural integrity of any archaeological site in constantly moving sand dunes?

I take it most of these sights are midens?

cheers,
Terry

you have to wondewr don't you, maybe they will find a missing king or something out there?

4wd nsw & act have there quarterly meeting this weekend and i hear npws will be attending to discuss this matter further. maybe some more news after the weekend through the 4wd clubs.

Can someone clarify the ownership status of Stockton?

The indigenous group own a fair chunk - I think at the north - How much.

Boral own or have a lease (similar to a pastoral lease) of a fair chunk - How much.

I assume the remainder comes under the local council - again how much.

Now we know that while it is not a NP the owners have asked the NSW NPWS to manage it on their behalf. My concern is that with all this pubic (well in Newcastle but not anywhere else) disquiet the owners will simply say enough is enough - we do not want this agro and take management back from NPWS and simply close their land as would be their right - just as landowners all over the country have been doing when people do the wrong thing on their property.

So can someone clarify who owns what - what is private, what is public owned?

Garry

Hi Garry, this map is a good place to start:

http://www.worimiconservationlands.c...'doc_id=60

I wonder if the outcome of any agreements made between NPWS and the 4WD association will be shared with the majority of Stockton beach users or will it only benefit a small number of 4x4 owners in an affiliated club?

Ok - thanks.

So from that map it is almost 100% Indigenous and private land.

So contrary to what Roothy and his crowd are saying that it is our right to go onto Stockton this is actually not the case as it is private not public land (though most people would consider Indigenous land to be public land) - we are able to go on there due to the generosity of the owners.

I have asked whether Roothy and his crowd actually tried to discuss the issues with the owners before the demonstration but I assume by their silence they didn't. Normally if you want something, you talk first (more so with Indigenous groups) and only act as a last resort.

Just think if you owned a large plot of land and decided to close it to 4wd access and a bunch of 4wders came and demonstrated on your door step without discussing the issue first - what you do? I know what I would do - the place would be shut and further discussion ended. However if the issue had been discussed, issues raised in a civil manner then things might be different.

Government natural resource management agencies like to deal with peak bodies as there are too many different interests and the expectation is that the Peak Body will balance the opposing and different views and present a "united" front. Now I believe the 4wd Association is the peak body on this issue BUT their constitution means that they can only represent 4wd clubs who are in their membership (I believe the Toyota and Nissan 4wd clubs are not members). This is not unusual - for example you cannot get "historic" registration if you are not a member of a recognised car club.

Don't get me wrong - I like Stockton and go there when I can but I am concerned that the Neanderthal actions by Roothy and his lot will just hasten the closure or severe restricted use of Stockton. His group should have talked first and if getting no where then maybe acted.

He has assumed the NPWS are lying about re-opening the closed areas at a later date and staged the protest but then I am cynical about the motives of his actions - more about visibility and readership of 4WDA magazine than any real concern about the area.

Just my thoughts.

Garry