See attached Flier

Residents between Seaham and Woodville have been extended an invitation to be part of a survey conducted through the University of Canberra, researching the difficulties (if there are any) in this area moving forward on a range of social , environmental, development issues and more. This is being conducted throughout Australia and is in relation to the DOTE (Dropping off the EDGE) longitudinal study.

I have agreed to help facilitate the meetings and that is why I am sharing the information through this website and related Facebook posts. Please read the following information carefully and if you are interested respond directly to RSVP on the flyer attached.

The format will be 2 workshops of 6-8 people each on Thursday 27^th May. Time 10.30am – midday and 5.30pm – 7pm. Refreshments will be provided. Please refer to the document below.

I believe this could be a valuable exercise in understanding how we as a community see our strengths and weaknesses and also to understand how we look to the future.

I have been advised that the speed limit on Seaham Road between Seaham and the vicinity of the intersection with Hinton Road Nelsons plains, has been reduced from 90 to 80kph.

This is after years of lobbying by VOWW, BHSAG and local residents, with the support of both Hanson and PSC.

Of particular concern has been the intersection with Hinton Road where nearby residents have endured years of angst from countless close shaves and accidents that leave car part debris strewn around. The intersection remains a concern due to the lack of passing and turning lanes. Bus stop safety and that of residents accessing their driveways along this section of Seaham Road has been the other major concern. The speed reduction will give drivers more time to react to slow and turning vehicles, and hopefully will reduce the severity of any collisions that do occur.

This change is consistent with the 80kph speed limit that was introduced on Clarence Town Road and Butterwick Road in 2019.

We are pleased that the speed limit reduction has been implemented before the pending increase in quarry truck movements from the approved quarry expansion, Hanson continue to work toward being able to adopt the new consent.

So please be mindful of the new speed limit, for the safety of locals and other road users, and to avoid speeding fines. As you know, the police and mobile speed cameras do monitor our roads. Also be mindful of mobile phone use camera trailers that have been seen operating in the area.

I have not found any media release from Transport for NSW on the matter, but did notice workmen at the end of Brandy Hill Drive, possibly installing the new signs. If there is any further information come o light, we will keep you informed.

Stay safe.

Firstly, welcome to everyone who follows our website, and particularly those people who have recently joined us.

BHSAG and VOWW have been very busy since May. This update covers activities since the NSW IPC’s 16th July approval of the Brandy Hill quarry expansion, which remains subject to signoff by federal minister for the Environment by 13^th October.

Considerable efforts have been directed to ensure the Federal Minister for the Environment has independent current data on the local Koala population, and understands public sentiment on this matter. These efforts have resulted in considerable ongoing media coverage centred on the Facebook campaign “Save Port Stephens Koalas”.  This group now has nearly 4,500 members, locally, nationally and internationally.  You may have seen some of the extensive radio, TV, newspaper and online coverage.   There has been significant celebrity interest and involvement, including Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy Barnes, Magda Szubanski, and Shaynna Blaze.  The Federal Environment Minister met with Campaign Managers and the University Koala Experts last week.  It is still very important that you express your views to the Minister, as per our previous post.  
We are not currently proposing any protest meetings/marches.

One of the many Koala sightings in the area

A team of professional koala experts at the Newcastle University were engaged by BHSAG/VOWW to conduct a koala survey.  They thoroughly researched the koala habitat surrounding the Brandy Hill quarry site. Their report states the quarry expansion would destroy some of the most valuable koala habitat in Port Stephens.  The area is also a critical breeding corridor.  The Brandy Hill/Seaham area is the last in-land koala ‘hub’ and over 40 separate sightings of koalas have been made by locals, within quarry land or in close proximity to the site, since the campaign began.  Breeding female koalas and bellowing males show this is an important breeding ground.   

In addition to quarry matters, VOWW continues to be involved with inappropriate rezoning proposals. A developer wants to have land at 610 Seaham Rd rezoned to small lot rural-residential (<0.8ha). This garnered opposition from the adjacent chicken, turkey and beef farmers. VOWW committee provided support at two council meetings. Despite these efforts,  PSC decided to refer the rezoning to the NSW Planning’s “Gateway” process. Unless Gateway rejects it outright this will go to public exhibit and seek public comment, before a decision is made.

Another inappropriate rezoning to small lot rural-residential in Giles Road was also opposed at a recent council meeting. Fortunately, PSC decided to reject that proposal.

There are other rezoning proposals in the Seaham, Brandy Hill and Nelsons plans areas that we will keep you informed about. One, to rezone part of 792 Seaham Rd (the old Eskdale property) to 2 hectare rural residential, seems to be in keeping with adjacent estates, but we await the details.

BHSAG has also been in contact with DPIE regarding Hanson’s management plan for compliance with the new IPC conditions. DPIE expects Hanson to take up the new consent later this year. Perhaps they are really running out of available rock under the old consent.

BHSAG continues to correspond with PSC regarding Hanson’s trucks ongoing breach of conditions by despatching prior to 6am.

We have also been in contact with our Councillors, to ensure that the bus bays and shared footpath as required under the new consent, are fit for purpose. Given that the roads do not currently meet standards for contemporary quarry trucks, the shared footpath is even more essential for the future safety of pedestrians and cyclists, particularly as trucks are expected to get heavier and longer over the life of the new consent.

We have been contacted by a resident of Woodberry, regarding large numbers of quarry trucks using Raymond Terrace and Woodberry Roads and the Tarro railway bridge and highway interchange. They believe these are Brandy Hill Quarry trucks, using routes that are not approved under either the current or IPC consents.

How can you help VOWW and the BHSAG committee and the work they are doing to fight inappropriate development in West Ward, and to hold PSC accountable?

Become a member of VOWW (BHSAG is a subcommittee of VOWW), an incorporated body to represent you , the local residents. See attached membership application form for details of how to submit your application and pay the $5 annual fee.

Let us show PSC that we are not just “THOSE PEOPLE”, a vocal minority (to be ignored), but a vocal majority! If we don’t act on issues now, we stand to lose our local character and amenity to big developers, who have no regard for us or the environment. We are not opposed to development, just that which is inappropriate for the area. Remember why you chose to live where you do.

Please email or phone councillors tonight or first thing tomorrow, if you have any objections to this rezoning, as it will be voted on tomorrow evening.

At tomorrow’s council meeting, councillors will debate the re-zoning  of farmland at 610 Seaham Rd, Nelson’s Plains from Rural (RU1) to residential (RU5). No one in the community has been made aware of this and as a consequence no objections have been lodged with councillors. The developer of this land has however personally lobbied councillors individually. Developers have a history of getting around the council and state laws with no regard to the community that will most likely to be affected. In this case there will need to be changes made to several council rules regarding access to Seaham Rd., distances to odour sources such as the chicken farms, reduce the minimum lot size, etc.

This potential re-zoning is contrary to all council planning guidelines and the term “rural Lifestyle” does nothing to mitigate the loss of productive farmland and the potential loss of investment and livelihood of the 3 surrounding chicken farms.
We urgently need to get the message to councillors before tomorrow’s meeting that you are opposed to this rezoning.

Here are some of the arguments against.
The local farmers object to this because it places extra pressure on their farming practices. Eg: the need to improve pasture land means spreading fertiliser like chicken manure which will obviously annoy any new housing residents.
The chicken sheds which create odour by their very nature and also night time operation, will be at risk. There are guidelines for new housing close to chicken sheds and agricultural for these very reasons and these guidelines will not be met by rezoning.
The rezoning would be contrary to council’s own planning guidelines for rural West Ward and also contrary to NSW planning guidelines.
An extra road intersection onto Seaham Road would add an extra danger with the possibility of 600 trucks per day from the Hanson quarry, should it get the final go-ahead.
Housing in close proximity to floodplain with stormwater run off and potential for polluting the Williams River.
The reduction of lot sizes below the 1ha, to 8000 square metres.
Incompatible land use in the midst of farm and chicken farm. There will be pressure to then close down this chicken industry.
Main argument is the preservation of valuable, productive farmland and agricultural use. Once this is lost it cannot be regained.

Please email or phone your objections to every councillor by tomorrow. The timeline is crucial. As early as possible. Note the P LeMottee has advised he will abstain due to conflict of interests.

Here is a link to the PSC papers, and go to page 98.

https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/trim/council-minutes-2020?RecordNumber=20%2F260273.

Cr Ryan Palmer
mayor@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0402 749 467

East Ward
glen.dunkley@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0438 550 356

jaimie.abbott@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0403 176 298

john.nell@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0419 375 059

Central Ward
chris.doohan@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0434 601 957

sarah.smith@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0421 317 173

steve.tucker@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0437 045 940

West Ward
giacomo.arnott@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0468 391 459

ken.jordan@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0422 781 180

paul.lemottee@portstephens.nsw.gov.au | 0414 548 525

Welcome to new people following our group.
Thanks for everyone’s support.
Margarete Ritchie.
VOWW.

The following has been provided by Pre McGee from the Seaham Park and Wetland Committee, which  has put forward two projects for NSW Govt funding.  These are a bus shelter and associated laneways at Seaham School and school bus interchange and outdoor exercise equipment for Seaham Park.

These projects have successfully gone through stage 1 and 2 culling and stage 3 is a public vote.

The bus shelter is a high priority because in the 1990s there was a bus shelter which was removed because it was a closed-in structure which did not provide good visibility from the street.

The Seaham School bus stop and associated school bus interchange is both a transfer point for children from surrounding areas going to schools in Maitland and Raymond Terrace but also a disembarkation point for children going to Seaham School.  There are both health and safety issues associated with there being no bus shelter and no formal bus laneway.

Parents and the community are concerned about children waiting in extreme heat for buses.  At the interchange it would be hotter due to the urban island heat effect where localized warming occurs due to dark coloured and paved surfaces and the heat emissions from idling buses creating intense heat.  There is no shelter and no trees at the interchange.

There is also no designated waiting area for school children to wait or alight for buses.

In wet weather school students shelter across the road under the shop awning and run across the road when their bus arrives.  This create safety issues for themselves as well as drivers.

Drivers and children will not be put at risk of children running across the road when their bus arrives as they will be able to shelter on the side of the road where the bus stops.

Please  vote and support these projects. This flyer explains the process.
SP My Community Projects Flyer 2019
(a document box may appear at the bottom of your PC screen – click to open)

Letterboxes in the area have been receiving the following flier about VOWW ‘s activities including the results of the photo competition. The VOWW AGM is on the 31st July at the Woodville School of Arts Hall at 6:30pm. Come along and meet other community minded people.

There will be a guest speaker at this meeting. Chas Keys is a former deputy director of the SES in NSW. He has written extensively on flood management, flood warning systems, planning for floods and education of the community about flood safety. His talk will include the inevitability of population growth pressures on urban fringe areas like ours and will be riveting for residents. Questions will also be welcome.

The BHSAG is a subcommittee of VOWW, so we encourage you to support VOWW with your $5 per year membership, which is due from July each year.

VOWW Newsletter and upcoming AGM

The following form outlines how to become as member.

Application Form