Killalea surf keeps on rolling

By BRENDAN CRABB

WARILLA surfer Chris Homer has responded to claims that the efforts to have the Farm Beach at Killalea State Park dedicated as a national surfing reserve is nothing more than a “PR excursive”.

In a letter to the Lake Times on August 28, surfer Joe Ruiz-Avila claimed that the Department Of Lands giving approval for the beach to be dedicated as a surfing reserve was a “blatant political strategy” to distract locals from the proposed development of an eco-resort at Killalea.

The benefit of declaring Killalea a national surfing reserve is that the area between the headlands and 500 metres from the shoreline will be legally protected from development.

“It is unsavoury if not unethical to offer a community some ill-defined ‘iconic’ protection for the Killalea beach, whilst Minister Kelly ploughs on with the development for his favoured fiscal mercenaries,” Mr Ruiz-Avila wrote. “But somehow the piddling promise for some nebulous protection, is short fare to pay for the harm that will be caused by this development.”

Mr Ruiz-Avila also wrote that the process may be meaningless, “if the development proceeds whilst beach accessibility is questioned and the high-water mark, which some say could be four metres higher, remains undefined. Any manner of iconic beach protection that can be offered without establishing high-water marks or rights of entry, is clearly a nonsense.”

Mr Homer – who was designated as chairman of the Killalea National National Surfing Reserve steering committee – said he was not concerned by Mr Ruiz-Avila’s opinion.

“I’m confident that it will be of great benefit to the community, and while there are a lot of perspectives about why it’s been put in place and everyone’s allowed to express their opinion, I feel it will be beneficial to the community,” he said. “There are issues on the side, but those are completely separate; I’m dealing with the conservation side of things.”

Mr Homer said the steering committee’s agenda was to prepare a booklet on the history of the site, to design a brass plaque to be unveiled at a special dedication ceremony and, with the co-operation of Shellharbour City Council and the Department of Lands, organise the ceremony.

Responding to criticism that access to The Farm beach itself may be hindered if the proposed eco-tourist park is approved, Mr Homer said the high-water mark would be determined by the State Government later.

“I’m hoping our work will help it to be put in an appropriate place and create an aura of protection and conservation, which is what we are trying to achieve.”

The steering committee met for the first time last week, and Professor Andrew Short of the Australian Surfing Reserves and Sites National Reference Group said that the group’s sole focus was on having the beach’s dedication approved by the NSW Minister for Lands, Tony Kelly.

“All the focus at this stage is on the surfing reserve and we are not concerned with the landward side that is managed by the Trust,” Prof. Short said.

“The proposed develop-ment at Killalea State Park is a separate issue and we are not concerned with that.”

Besides Mr Homer, the steering committee’s other members are as follows: Richard Campbell, Ed Gilmore, Colin Gow, Jason Gow, Robert Lewis, Ray Mahoney, Dave Milnes, Andrew Page, Bruce Robinson, Phil Smyth, Rob Truskett and Ailsa Wadey.

For further information, please contact Chris Homer at homersurf@hotmail.com.