Trish Hellier - 3 May 2022

Trish Hellier presented to Council at the Public Access Session on 3 May 2022.

Good morning Mayor, Councilors, General Manager, Staff, and those zooming from home my name is Trish Hellier from Batemans Bay.

I would like to raise 4 subject with you this morning :-

SUBJECT 1. - Flying Foxes – The Bats are back – Councilors our acreage is surrounded by trees these trees are namely flowering gum trees variety.  For months now we have been invaded by the bats.  We are on tank water and are extremely concerned about our drinking water and have been purchasing water from the local shops. We are continually having to wash down our patios, pathways windows etc.

I have been experiencing sore eyes etc due to the stench and have had to use medication for these problems after being away for the last 2 weeks I found that the symptoms disappeared but in being back the last 3 days the problem have returned.

My daughter who lives in Sunshine Bay has an easement at the back of her home (Council owned land) that has had a growth flowering gum trees that are being engulfed by bats.  My grandchildren can no longer use their back yard and play equipment.  The stench is disgusting and my daughter and grandchildren are experiencing the sore eyes etc

In 2016 I was involved with Council as a community member when they engaged a Consultancy firm from Sydney with their attempts to engage with the community through consultations in the Village Centre and the Batemans Bay Community Centre.  As we all know this eventually led to a large meeting at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club and eventually the State Government provided a grant to Council.

My understanding is that the Council was to continue with a “Maintenance Programme” over this issue is this correct and has this occurred?

SUBJECT 2 – Councilors I would like to draw your attention to a traffic situations in Batemans Bay  during busy times especially the last Christmas, long weekends etc.  The left lane on the Princes Highway turning into North street at the KFC corner can be disaster in these busy times.  Traffic can become to a stand still where cars try to enter the Woolworths car park, cars travelling down north street to the corner of Clyde and Orient Street come to a stand still.  Many people seem to use these streets as a by pass to Beach Road and Orient Street becomes engulfed with cars.

I believe that a number of visitors to the area looking for a car park do not realise there is an underground car park at the Village Centre and I am of the view in these busy times a large illuminated sign on the Princes Highway with an arrow pointing to the underground car park.

Perhaps the Council should be considering using the “old Bowling Club site” for car parking during these busy times (said tongue in cheek).

SUBJECT 3 – Councilors Orient Street Batemans Bay – sometime back Council consulted the community on the parking situation in Batemans Bay I put in submissions the “powers to be” decided to place area for 4 parks for Motor Bikes outside the Batemans Bay Post Office and an area 4 Motor Bike parks outside the old West Pack Building across from the Pub.  As I have a PO Box in Batemans Bay and I am in town most days I rarely see the 4 parks allocated to motor bikes in use outside the Post Office.  We desperately need more parking in Orient Street the disabled car parks have been placed rear to curb parking and as I have told the Mayor on two occasions I have witnessed and helped pick up a resident who had a disabled walker trolley and due to the slant of the road ended up in the gutter. The facts are previously we had 3 car parking places outside the Post Office now we only have room for 2 parks and meanwhile on most occasions the area of the motor bikes remain vacant.

SUBJECT 4 – At a Council Meeting when the item “Affordable Housing Strategy” Clr. Grace raised the issue in relation to “Homeliness in our area” this is not a new issue and but has been compounded by the bushfires and high rents I would like to draw the Councilors attention to a presentation I made in Council on the 27^th October 2015 NOM/15 “Refugee Welcome Zone” perhaps the Councilors should take the time and read my presentation in 2015 which raised the issue of “Homelessness”.

Recently I did a walk around at the Airport Campground as I did in January 2015 while some of those living there are set up with solar panels etc  many do not have any form of power and are  “desperate to get out” .  Councilors we have a “Show ground at Moruya” that has powered sites.

Many small towns have for sometime now opened up their showground areas for camping.  I spoke to some of the people living at the airport camp ground and  many would be prepared to pay $25.00 a night to have a powered site with the access to shower and toilets.

This type of facility can help provide a two fold situation -

On that may help some homelessness in our area and for some caravan/mobile home travellers who I know are currently by passing Eurobodalla they stop at the Bega Showground and Milton Showground – we know those who want to go stop at Caravan Parks will stop there but the majority of Caravan Parks do not take animals  a showground can provide this facility.

I firmly believe that Eurobodalla is missing out financially by not providing an alternative camping facility for such travellers as they buy their fuel, food, souvenirs etc and spend money in the communities.

Trish Hellier