A photo published on the North Coast ABC website showing flooding at the Yelgun site is incorrect, says the North Parklands public relations officer.
The ABC subsequently added a clarification to the picture, saying, ‘North Byron Parklands objector Chris Cherry showed this photograph at a public meeting, saying it was taken from Wooyung Rd looking towards the camping area of the proposed event site. However, North Byron Parklands spokesman Mat Morris and several Ocean Shores residents deny this photograph is of the festival site. They say it was taken elsewhere in the region. (Chris Cherry – Submitted).’
Last week Mr Morris admitted that parts of the site earmarked for car parking were under water during the recent floods but added that the organisation would have 48 hours’ notice of any likely inundation.
The media spokesperson also denied TV Prime news reports that the site would host ‘raves and doofs’.
‘Chris Cherry said that we said that was what our minor events (under 300 people) are for. This is just not true.’
Correction
In Laura Jan Shore’s letter yesterday, she named a fireman who spoke at the Ocean Shores hearing last week as Chris Cherry. He is Chris Cooney.
Chris Cherry’s photo is correct. Local residents are aware of the flooding at the carpark site of NBSP and have seen it flood in the recent rains. In preparing her case against NBSP she has not needed to fake photos. Anyone who drove past the site on Brunswick Valley Way in the last weeks would know that it was flooded. Matt Morris acknowledges the area floods. Sometimes floods are unpredictable – such was the case in Qld last year, and 48 hours notice is not always possible with weather.
The reporter should have checked with Chris Cherry and other local residents before posting this ‘news’.