It was with a real sense of pride that I have watched these students grow from small children into the fine adults they are today.

I would like to publically thank them on behalf of the whole school for the love and humor which they brought to our College every day and wish them nothing but the best for their upcoming HSC exams and indeed their future.

David Price

Head of Bega Campus

Sapphire Coast Anglican College

Tip site fiasco

Recently we were invited along with 12 other community stakeholders to a workshop for the proposed Central Waste Facility held at the BVSC committee room.

In attendance were David Basil and Wayne Sartori (BVSC) also consultants from GHD and AECOM (formerly HLA) for the presentation.

Our understanding is that the community consists of the entire population of the Bega Valley Shire and stakeholders are those people in the community who are paying rates, after all it is their rate hikes over the last three years that is paying for all these studies.

Why wasn’t the meeting advertised and held at a venue so all interested parties could have attended?

Is council trying to hide the true facts of this debacle, after all we have had many consultants, namely:

Bob Armaral and Cardno Willing (site study, (2004-2005); HLA (2006 –2007 1200 pages of EIS); GHD (another EIS 2008, 278 page document); GEOLYSE (checking EIS studies); ENSRA (study of noise and odour for EIS); AECOM (Formerly HLA) preparing another EIS.

Toward the end of the meeting in which discrepancies were highlighted in the consultants studies, the question was asked: “would the new EIS be available at no cost?”

David Basil replied: “no”.

The EIS would cost $25 for a hard copy and $10 for a cd.

We are asking why should we have to pay for another EIS Study for the same project?

When is it going to stop?

How many more studies and how much longer is the community going to be jerked around by council?

The community of the Bega Valley Shire can no longer be expected to foot the bill for more studies for a project that is flawed.

The Wanatta lane site in Wolumla is environmentally unsuitable and a disaster waiting to happen.

For information on Council’s tip sites visit WRAG’S website:

www.begatip.com.au

Wal and Hennie Mullard

Wolumla

Leave it alone

Every so often, Forests NSW (formerly State Forests), have a rush of blood and do something utterly stupid.

A case in point some years ago was the long and bitter struggle against their often duplicitous campaign to log the catchment of the Tantawangalo Creek west of Candelo.

As most people in the Shire will know, Tantawangalo Creek is the principle water source for Candelo, Wolumla and through Yellow Pinch dam to Merimbula.

Given the dry years we have had since it is more than fortunate that through the efforts of conservationists, farmers and other concerned citizens, sanity prevailed and the catchment was protected in the creation of the South East Forests National Park.

Even with that protection, Tantawangalo Creek has now been sadly diminished from a healthy, vigorous stream to little more than a trickle.

For different reasons, the proposal to log the small spotted gum forest that fringes the northern edge of Bermagui town clearly indicates that the decision making capabilities of Forests NSW have not improved one jot.

This beautiful forest lined avenue into Bermagui IS Bermagui.

It is as much a treasured part of Bermagui as the Blue Pool, the harbour and Horseshoe Bay.

For so long it has been the most welcoming entry into Bermagui for locals and tourists alike.

Logging these few kilometres would be little more than bloody-minded vandalism and will doubtless be treated as such.

The comment attributed to a Forests NSW spokesman to the effect that they could flag specific trees that people believe should be retained is risible and makes it clear that they simply do not understand the community and societal implications of their activities.

It is not a matter of Forests NSW generously saving a few trees.

The town of Bermagui and the wider community want this small area of forest left exactly as it is.

David Payne

Bermagui

Tourism

important

In the October 3-4 Weekend Sydney Morning Herald, Julian Lee writes that a recent survey shows Australia as the most desirable tourist destination for German, Japanese, British, and American travellers, “because of its wildlife, scenery, beaches, and the adventure experience it could deliver”.

Almost all of us agree that tourism is important to our economy, particularly here on the Wilderness Coast.

If the over-intensive logging of native forests continues, tourists may not find chip mills and biomass fuel plants as desirable as koalas, parrots, and gum trees.

Thus, even if we don’t value our forests as climate change mitigators, wildlife sanctuaries, and rainfall creators, we should take heed of the economic value.

Dan Katz

Tathra