Doug Foskey (Letters,26 August) asks why the state government is taxing farmers for ‘services’ he never sees. Indeed, why?
The traditional dairy, cane, horticultural, and timber industries created the landscape that initially drew people back to the Byron region after whaling and meat processing ended in the early 1960s.
The region is blessed with a climate that is ideal for agriculture and horticulture and both need to be encouraged, or at least maintained, for the sake of the region’s economy and character.
The organic or boutique dairy industry, for instance, is a natural fit for the region and should be encouraged, along with specialist crops.
Open agricultural land also provides space for rural housing that could complement farming income. Also, is there room for a boutique timber industry utilising selected timber from around the region?
As an occasional visitor to Brunswick and Byron Bay from the Gold Coast since the late 1990s, I have noticed a long-term trend – parts of the Shire on the coast and hinterland have become overgrown, apparently because of the ‘sacred’ status of vegetation.
At Broken Head the only open space seems to be the beach and the caravan park – and the scandalous National Parks pay-per-hour parking wedged into the thick growth.
Should there be an extended drought in Northern NSW the risk to life, limb, and property, and trees and wildlife, will be horrendous.
Is tourism the only ‘alternative’ for Byron, with its low-paid, part-time restaurant and accommodation servicing jobs?
BC Melville, Highland Park, Qld
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