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The Bellinger & Kalang Rivers Estuary Management Plan is now in the public consultation faze until the end of February. The plan can be perused at the BSC and the Bellingen and Urunga Libraries, or on http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/news.html Bellinger/Kalang Estuary Management Plan.
The plan has identified many problems with the estuary including: bank erosion and noise from high-speed boating, damage to sea-grasses, polluted oysters and unsafe swimming.
The Plan deals with your river and it is vital that you have a say in the management.
If you haven't already written a submission NOW is the time to participate in this VITAL issue. You can down load the BEC draft submission by clicking here.
Your short submission to the Bellinger/Kalang Rivers estuary management plan need not to be more than 1/2 page. The issues BEC would like to address are.
1) A 4 knots speed limit by all recreational boating on the whole river system
2) Support for our proposed Coastal Regional Park under the NP&W Act
3) Restricting access to the river banks by grazing animals
You can email your submission to council@bellingen.nsw.gov.au with a separate copy to me for our record, please.
Regards
Leif Nielsen Lemke
Bellingen Environment Centre
4/1 Church Street Lane
Bellingen NSW 2454
Ph. 02 66 558 770
thordale@westnet.com.au
Here is some suggestions for a short submission
Help BEC save the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers by spending a few minutes on a submission.
General Manager
Bellingen Shire Council
Hyde Street, Bellingen, NSW 2454
Submission to the Bellinger/Kalang Rivers Estuary Management Plan:
We/I would like to submit the following:
Issues related to the Estuary Management Plan:
Water quality: The water quality in the Bellinger River has forced the closure of the oyster industry and is often unsafe for swimming.
Reasons:
High-speed boating activities stir the bottom and pollute the water column.
Cows in the river.
Unknown point source and run-off from paddocks.
Riverbank erosion: The Bellinger River suffers from extensive river bank erosion.
The reasons:
Damage from high-speed vessel’s wake. We request a 4-6 knot speed limit on the whole river system.
Damage from grazing animals and trampling of the river bank by cows.
Lack of adequate vegetation on the river banks.
Protection and diversity of wildlife and its habitat (Flora & Fauna): Extensive damage to the sea-grass beds, mangroves and bank vegetation from:
Damage from high-speed vessel’s wake. We request a 4-6 knot speed limit on the whole river system.
Damage from grazing animals and trampling of the river bank by cows.
Disturbance to animals and nesting birds from speed boat activities.
Safety for recreational users:
Unsafe for passive users (swimmers, canoeing, fishers etc) from high-speed boating activities.
Economic and social impacts:
The damage to the river bank from high-speed boating activities has cost the BSC (rate-payers) many thousands of dollars in cost of repairs. The cost of this activity is ongoing if the activity is not curtailed.
Disturbance of the tranquillity in the riverine environment.
The noise from wake-boarders, water-skiers and Jet-skis is not pleasant for other users of the river and residents, and can lead to permanent hearing damage and high blood pressure if you can’t escape the noise.
Name Date Address
See the BEC Submission and the Draft Estuary Management Plan , at the Bellingen Environment Centre, 4/1 Church St Lane, Bellingen open Tuesday to Thursday 10-16 for further proof and details or at http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/roads/1649/2004.html
Submissions received until 29/02/2008.
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