The Muddy Puddles team is very happy – this is a milestone in the organisation’s development and a step in the right direction. Muddy Puddles is a not-for-profit locally-based organisation offering programs for children and young people with a disability, and their families. The organisation secured NSW Government funding to build the education and therapy centre.

If Muddy Puddles is to succeed in creating a sustainable service, it must have a permanent home that is fit-for-purpose, able to meet the needs of a range of age groups and offer a variety of services. The site at Melaleuca Crescent, Catalina suits these needs. It is in a prominent location, easily accessible and close to other educational facilities. It is convenient for clients, service partners from outside the region and for the Muddy Puddles support base.

The decision on Tuesday was the result of extended negotiations. In response to some community concern, Muddy Puddles was happy to compromise on the placement of the building and carpark to ensure open space is maximised. Muddy Puddles will make every effort to design a building sympathetic to the environment and enhance the play area available. Muddy Puddles would like to thank senior staff at the council, particularly Jeff Morgan.

I was astounded to hear this year's display of sculptures has been moved to Bawley Point.  

What is wrong with the Bay that we could not mount the display here, as occurred last year? Life in the Bay should be far more than holiday lets and jet skis. A population of our size should have a diverse arts and culture programme. We have some outstanding artists in our midst, let’s all enjoy their work. And of course, let us purchase exhibits of outstanding merit so that they are permanently on display.

Editor’s note: Larger exhibits for this year’s show will be at Bawley Point, but smaller pieces will be in Batemans Bay, including at an indoor venue and on a sculpture trail through the CBD. This year’s show will also celebrate high-school sculptors. The acquisitive program continues.

For at least 30 years, there’s been much discussion in the shire about coastal development in relation to global warming and hypothetical sea level rise events as a result of sea storm surges.

Estimates of land wave run up were generated by computer modelling if a particular best guess sea storm occurred. One-hundred-year river floods were also calculated, meeting with the best guess high tide levels at the same time. They also estimated areas in the shire that would be severely impacted by the hypothetical floods.

The NSW Government was part of the process, attempting to develop future land use policies or rules and regulations that would eventually become part of building and development controls. The current disquiet about development conditions and restrictions is because the Office of Environment and Heritage requires it. MPs have to date supported the process, including any development controls. Those who are unhappy need to take the issue of development controls up with the NSW Government, in the first instance with Bega MP Andrew Constance. The Premier and several other NSW Government ministers need to be involved, perhaps attending public meetings to explain what the State Government is doing and planning.