The proposed site is right next door to retirement village and the constant traffic with delivery trucks and customers will have a detrimental affect on the residents there.

The intersection of Tura Beach Drive and Sapphire Coast Drive is already a dangerous one. It will be made much more so with the extra traffic being generated by Bunnings being there.

Bega has a designated industrial area and there are other sites as well in this area that would be much more suitable for such a development. If the anonymous tradesman who wrote to the MNW last week is willing to go to Canberra to buy cheap products then a drive to Bega should not be a problem for him.

We agree with the reasons that the NSW Planning and Environment Department gave when it refused the rezoning of two blocks of land at Tura Beach to allow a Bunnings store to be built there. 

In 2016 when the members of the Bega Valley Council were discussing this matter one councillor made a cogent point opposing the plan to site the warehouse at Tura Beach. He said that as not all the land would be used by Bunnings it would leave the way open for other development along Sapphire Coast Drive. This would create a precedent for more undesirable industrial development.

Please do not accuse us of being NIMBYs. We chose to live in a this beautiful spot, not expecting it to be turned into an industrial area. If we wanted to live with constant traffic and heavy vehicles around us we would have stayed in the city. Residential areas are not suitable for such businesses.

If Bunnings were to be built in Bega the opportunity for jobs would not be lost and customers would be able to buy the cheap goods they want.

Patrick Watson's letter regarding the state of gardens in Bega brings to mind the recent work in the Gipps St car park.  What was once a small green space at the entrance to the car park with grass and a thriving young claret ash is now a dead zone following council 'improvements'. Too much glyphosate, not enough gardening.

Last week, early one morning, with a sick toddler and no medical centre open, I had to make a quick dash into Bega hospital.

The emergency department team were amazing. Not only did they treat my child immediately, they also were amazing in explaining what was going on medically and making sure that I knew what to do moving forward. Although it was a long weekend with a child with a fever, I felt really comfortable using their advice to look after her.

Also not once did we feel rushed out of their emergency beds – despite them not having many free. Thanks so much to the team – they all deserve a massive pay rise!

Congratulations to the new Bermagui Seaside Fair committee for another successful day reflecting great community spirit. This is particularly so given that the new driving force ran with the pass from the previous committee whose core members earned some relief after years of dedicated work producing what is the premier event on the Bermagui calendar.

The only disappointment some others and I felt was the deletion from the fair program of the traditional Blessing of Bermagui District Fleet held at the harbour before the parade. 

We have so much to be grateful for in this special corner of the world.  It goes beyond being merely fortunate – we are outright privileged to live here. Let's continue to give thanks for all that and hope for the future.