Issues around managing toilets, camping, fires, graffiti and more have arisen at the 364ha Dirawong Coastal Reserve at Evans Head following Crown Lands’ failure to appoint a new board by the time the previous five-year term had expired, say former board members.
The board’s term ended on 8 August 2023 and though Crown Lands had advertised for new board members, with applications closing on 16 June, no new board was appointed. Crown Lands then reopened the board member applications until 31 August. Crown Lands explained the delay in board appointment on a ‘late application from the Bandjalang Corporation’.
Breakdown of management
‘The site has at least 60,000 vehicle visits a year. Someone needs to be on the ground looking after site and dealing with the myriad problems which can arise, and to liaise with other authorities who provide regular assistance. The Dirawong cannot be managed remotely,’ Dr Gates told The Echo.
‘It was distressing to see the breakdown in day-to-day management of the Reserve after the many thousands of hours previous board members had put into it. But more than that the lack of contact by Crown Lands with the public who were only too willing to assist with a variety of tasks and who had clear “personal ownership” was of major concern. I’ve been receiving calls from regular users of the Reserve expressing their concern. That ownership will “dry up” if it is not looked after, with detriment to the Reserve.
‘Some of these matters have since been resolved with the assistance of former board members. But many aspects of day-to-day management of the Reserve remain unresolved,’ explained Dr Gates.
‘Breaches of by-laws such as dogs on site, overnight camping, and maintenance of the digestion tanks of the independent toilets haven’t been managed with potential consequences for public health and safety. Crown Lands appears to be unresponsive to these problems.’
Graffiti
The impact of explicit graffiti on the toilets on Friday, 29 September at the Reserve led to numerous calls to former board members. They told The Echo that while they had sent messages to Crown Lands the graffiti would have been quickly and effectively removed by the board if it was still in place.
This graffiti was ‘definitely not suitable for visitors including many school kids to the Dirawong!’ said Dr Gates.
‘Where is the onground person who is supposed to be looking after the site in the interim between the boards appointments?’ he asked.
Recently, former board members were called because the toilet digestion tanks which were previously looked after by the volunteer Board needed urgent attention particularly because of the influx of visitors during School Holidays. They had not been serviced since the end of the Board’s term in early August.
Similarly questions were raised around the teaching of drone flying classes at the Reserve when the neighbouring Evans Head Air Weapons Range was active.
‘Where was the management of the risk, something drummed into the previous board as a critical aspect of board responsibility?’ asked Dr Gates.
♦ The Echo has sent questions to Crown Lands in relation to these issues.
