Discussion Plan for Lake Ainsworth Reserve April 2005

Produced by Lake Ainsworth Community Access Group
L Walker: lynw@nor.com.au

Download the complete document as a 344kb MSWord.rtf here

View Maps:
Map 1 - Lake Ainsworth Crown Reserve (and Lennox Head adjoining urban area).
Map 2 - LACG Discussion Plan - Stage 1: Partial closure of caravan park
Map 3 - LACG Discussion Plan - Stage 2: Full closure of caravan park

Executive Summary:

Ballina Shire Council (BSC) adopted the Lake Ainsworth Management Plan in 2002 and in 2004 introduced for discussion draft Concept Plans for the Redevelopment of the Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park. Council assumed that the economic exploitation of the Lake Ainsworth Crown Reserve should continue. However, both documents resulted in considerable concern in the regional community.

BSC has recently appointed a consultant to draft a masterplan for the southern part of Lake Ainsworth Crown Reserve, including defining the boundaries of the Caravan Park, to resolve some of the issues raised. The masterplan is required to be consistent with the NSW Government’s Independent Inquiry into Coastal Lakes (IICL), NSW Healthy Rivers Commission, 2002 and with the Lake Ainsworth Management Plan (LAMP) 2002. The IICL’s most fundamental requirement is that a sustainability assessment be made as an essential part of formulating any management plan affecting the Lake. There isn’t one.

The LAMP has much of value that can and should be implemented. However, its flawed source documents, inadequate data, internal inconsistencies and poor predictions result in some undesirable recommendations being made. The impact of continuing urban development of Lennox Head has gone ahead unmonitored. There has been no implementation, monitoring and review of the LAMP despite priorities being listed for 2003. Yet a considerable amount of money has been spent on consultancies for the redevelopment of the Caravan Park as if this had nothing to do with the Lake Crown Reserve.

The Lake Ainsworth Community Access Group (LACAG) aims to develop an integrated plan for Lake Ainsworth and its catchments, which will sustain and improve the Lake’s health; and to achieve equity of access for all users to the recreational opportunities, physical space and visual amenity of the Lake.

The LACAG Discussion Plan for Lake Ainsworth Reserve does not negate the need for a sustainability assessment. LACAG’S PLAN.is designed without serious detriment to residents’ amenity nor to the surrounding environmentally sensitive areas. Overuse, overcrowding and stormwater problems have been acknowledged. Areas around Camp Drew and the Sport and Recreation Centre are taken into consideration. The dry heath and wetlands are valued in their own right. An integrated Management Plan is proposed. (In formulating its plan LACAG used the goals of the LAMP and followed its organizational structure.)

LACAG’s PLAN includes:
* phasing out the Caravan Park over 5-10 years in two stages;
* developing that area as open parkland for general use;
* designing roads, parking spaces, walking paths and boardwalks to facilitate public access but also to reduce impacts on the health of the Lake.;
* restoring the heathland to the west of the unformed Crown Reserve road;
* managing stormwater, runoff and groundwater appropriately now.

Photo: ©Copyright NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources

Advantages of LACAG’S PLAN are that: * the Lake has a better chance of being ecologically sustainable; * overuse and overcrowding would be substantially reduced; * blue green algae outbreaks could be reduced; * more public recreational space would be available; * traffic congestion would be reduced; * parking problems would be controlled; * there would be better access for all users, not just for Caravan Park users; * a wider range of activities could be developed for Lake Ainsworth and surrounding heathland; * Lennox Head Markets could be better sited and be available continuously over the year; * restoration of heathland close to the Lake would improve native habitat as well as the health of the Lake; and * it is economically responsible.

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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommendation 1. The essence of the LACAG’s Discussion Plan is its recommendation for the full closure of the Caravan Park in two stages; the development of a large, open space public reserve in the major part of the present Caravan Park site; and the restoration of the heathland in the western part. Stage 1 is for return to public use as parkland and some parking on land in line with Stewart St to Pacific Pde.; with walking paths to be provided through the remainder of the Caravan Park; and land in the north-western corner of the Caravan Park site to be restored as heathland and natural habitat. (refer 4.2)

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

Recommendation 2. LACAG recommends that an integrated Management Committee be established for Lake Ainsworth and its catchments. (refer 5.2)

WATER QUALITY

Recommendation 3. LACAG recommends that all the Caravan Park land west of the unformed Crown Road Reserve be restored to heath in order to assist the health of both the Lake catchment and the wetlands to the south and west. (refer 6.2)

Recommendation 4. LACAG recommends that the land to the east of the unformed Crown Road Reserve be open parkland for picnicking and controlled parking in marked areas. (refer 6.3)

Recommendation 5. LACAG recommends the implementation of all the water quality management actions proposed by the LAMP (mini wetlands, beds around foreshores, filter swales for run-off). (refer 6.4)

COASTAL DUNES

Recommendation 6. LACAG recommends that the LAMP action programme for dune care be implemented and that more help is made available for volunteer groups. (refer 7.2)

Recommendation 7. LACAG recommends that, for better protection of coastal dunes in the long–term, parking not be permitted on the eastern road at all. (refer 7.3)

Recommendation 8. LACAG agrees with the LAMS proposal to move the Surf Club building to a less vulnerable site. (refer 7.4)

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Recommendation 9. LACAG recommends that the unformed Crown Reserve road become the road to the west and north and, if possible, its use be limited. All roads where vehicles & pedestrians may be using the road should become shared zones i.e. 10kph. (refer 8.2)

Recommendation 10. LACAG recommends that there be no parking on the Lake foreshore roads. Both the south and the east foreshore roads should be closed to parking when the caravan park is closed, and there should be only two small, designated parking areas at the eastern end of Ross St. (ref. 8.3)

Recommendation 11. LACAG recommends spreading public usage especially away from the foreshores by siting parking, BBQs, markets, and a small children’s playground area further away from the banks into the present Caravan Park site.
* With no parking on the east road, dogs could be permitted to access the beach at the path approximately 100m to the north of the Surf Club.
* Until full closure of the Caravan Park there need to be designated paths for pedestrians through to the Lake from Stewart St, Gibbon St and at the beginning of housing in Barrett Dr. (ref. 8.4)

RECREATION

Recommendation 12. LACAG recommends that recreational activities within the Lake Crown Reserve should continue but must be consistent with the sustainability and health of the Lake. (refer 9.3)

Recommendation 13. LACAG recommends encouraging land-based activities including picnicking, sunbathing, barbecuing, parking, and markets, be moved away from the immediate Lake foreshores and that a playground for small children be placed near the southern side of the Reserve close to picnic tables. (ref. 9.4)

Recommendation 14. LACAG further recommends that the markets be relocated to within the present Caravan Park boundaries in Stage 1 of LACAG’s plan. (refer 9.5)

Recommendation 15. LACAG recommends that there be a number of recreational regulations prominently displayed in and around the Crown Reserve. (refer 9.7)

Recommendation 16. LACAG recommends banning fishing and motor-craft from the Lake. (refer 9.8)

Recommendation 17. LACG recommends that water-craft that are too large to carry into the Lake have a strictly defined area and be required to register for access to the Lake. (refer 9.9)

Recommendation 18. LACAG recommends that commercial users of the Lake be required to pay a small fee and to undertake proper care of the Lake environment. (refer 9.10)

Recommendation 19. LACAG recommends that access to and egress from all Lake beaches and/or water use be via designated paths. (refer 9.11)

Recommendation 20. LACAG recommends that eco-tourism opportunities be explored and developed and the area of the Caravan Park west of the unformed Crown Reserve road be rehabilitated as dry heathland and wetland. (refer 9.12)

Recommendation 21. LACAG recommends that improving recreational activities rather than increasing accommodation be the focus of the Lake Ainsworth Crown Reserve. (refer 9.13)

ECOLOGY, PLANNING and DEVELOPMENT, EROSION and SEDIMENTATION

Recommendation 22. LACAG recommends that the Trustee Management Committee recently established by BSC be broadened to include community representatives and local experts. (refer 10.2)

Recommendation 23. LACAG recommends an immediate start be made by the Trustee Management Committee to plan and implement a sustainability assessment for Lake Ainsworth and surrounding reserves. The next BSC budget should allow for this. (refer 10.3)

EDUCATION

Recommendation 24. LACAG recommends that appropriate information about the values the Lake environment and the impacts of human activity be readily available e.g.
* on signage at the entrance to the Lake reserve;
* in comprehensive and informative pamphlets available near the general noticeboards and at other locations in the local area. (refer 11.2)

Recommendation 25. LACAG recommends that, during LACAG’s Stage I re-development, relevant information and regulations should be made available to Caravan Park users. (refer 11.3)

Recommendation 26. LACAG recommends that BSC strongly support local community organisations in their efforts to inform and educate the community about the Lake’s environment. (refer 11.4)

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

Recommendation 27. LACAG recommends that BSC supports the Lennox Head markets in the Lakeside location preferred by the community. The masterplan should designate a secure and environmentally sustainable site now and for the future. The present Caravan Park site is the only such site. (refer 12.2)

Recommendation 28. LACAG recommends that, regarding any future proposal for the Caravan Park, BSC adopt Public Resolution 5 from the public meeting held at Lennox Head on 20th June 2004:
this meeting calls on Council as part of the planning process to obtain an independent feasibility study demonstrating the commercial viability of the proposed Caravan Park over its economic working life. (refer 12.3)

Recommendation 29. LACAG recommends that BSC, after closing the Caravan Park, be prepared to support rehabilitating park and heathland as it does for other projects. (refer 12.4)

Recommendation 30. LACAG recommends that, during the staged of the Caravan Park, cabins not be replaced. (refer 12.5)

Recommendation 31. LACAG recommends that BSC spend the current accumulated reserves from the Caravan Park on implementing Lake sustainability measures. (refer 12.6)

Produced by Lake Ainsworth Community Access Group
For further information, please contact Lyn Walker: lynw@nor.com.au

For more information about Lake Ainsworth
Department of Land and Water Conservation
http://www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/water/estuaries/inventory/ainsworth.html