Letters to the editor - November 22

The Service received reports that several signs were stolen from the shorebird nesting sites at Congo Beach late last month.

Making the situation worse is that during the theft the protective fencing was vandalised and a Red-capped Plover nest containing two precious eggs was destroyed.

These are tiny shorebirds with adults less than 10cm in height, eggs no bigger than a 10-cent piece and their chicks when hatched are highly camouflaged standing at just 4cm tall.

The signs and fencing are painstaking erected each season by volunteers who are dedicated to keeping endangered shorebirds safe.

Anyone with information on the theft or destruction of the nests is advised to contact the NPWS Narooma office on 4476 0800 or the local Police.

Destruction and disturbance of shorebird nest sites is an offence under the NSW Parks and Wildlife Act and the Threatened Species Conservation Act. 

NPWS have since returned to Congo Beach to re-install signs and to check on the 5 remaining pairs of shorebirds.

There are also endangered Pied Oyster Catchers currently nesting at Congo Beach but so far this season one nest has been lost to predation and another nest abandoned due to roaming domestic dogs.

Another shorebird nest has been destroyed at Tuross Lake due to human disturbance. The Eurobodalla Coast offers key nesting sites for many of these endangered shorebirds. 

We have an opportunity to make a difference here and we urge people to please take care and share the shoreline.

Your publication has been inundated lately with frustration at Eurobodlla Shire Council’s refusal to listen to the majority of ratepayers, who obviously have serious concerns about what council is insisting on doing – it seems with very good reason.

For starters, this (Batemans Bay swimming pool) is another facility that is only used by a few, but paid for by us all – but it is blatantly obvious that the majority of people are demanding a 50-metre pool. For whatever reason this council and those behind the scenes point blank refuse to listen.

With the way it has been costed, (it) really does make one think that there is the smell of a rat in the works.

So many of these councillors, back when they were craving our vote, insisted that they were about community consultation and here we have them doing the complete opposite.

The figures being thrown round are unbelievable and make me think of going into the pool business.

Go onto the Weddin Shire Council site and see the beautiful 50-metre pool they’ve just installed, complete with covered wading pool, and see that it was all done for under $6 million.

Would someone from the council like to explain the out-of-this-world costing on our proposed pool?

I have written to Eurobodalla Shire Council enquiring what they intend to do regarding David MacLachlan’s resignation from the Sunset Committee.  

What are the terms of reference for the committee? Do they intend to pick a replacement?  Will they seek Expressions of Interest from the public?  Will they disband the Sunset Committee altogether?  

I await their response.