Plans to relocate longterm residents of the Terrace Reserve Holiday Park in Brunswick Heads to an ‘eco-village’ among the memorial trees at the southern end of the Reserve have now been shelved, according to Cr Sarah Ndiaye.
An ecologist report tabled at the Council meeting at the end of October stated that the Coastal Cypress trees, some thought to be 400 years old, will continue to decline if the current use strategy remains in place. The report recommends permanent removal of ‘all camping and infrastructure in the south of the park and restrict all activities to the northern area.’
Council are currently negotiating with the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSWCHPT) who manage the site and Cr Ndiaye believes that Council are ‘in a position where we can work with the Trust on getting the best outcomes for the community and the Cypress Pines.’
NSWCHPT CEO Steve Edmonds told Echonetdaily that ‘The report by provided by Robert Michael Kooyman in August 2017 has been taken under consideration by the Trust and we continue to work with our consulting Arborists to determine if any of the report’s findings warrant modification to the adopted Vegetation Management Plan.’
Cr Ndiaye concluded that, ‘In an ideal world, a rehabilitation and regeneration of that area would be wonderful, and if that meant pulling up roadways and only having porous surfaces and removing the amenities block, so be it. If there are any sites still able to be utilised once correct protection of the root systems and drop zones are in place (there may be six or seven), then soft camping with no vehicles would be best, perhaps where the tents are provided by the park so there’s no non compliant pegging or tying.’
The NSWCHPT were asked by The Echo if they planned to follow the ecologist recommendation but they did not respond before deadline.
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