No closure of Barbour Park

"I'm fed up to my back teeth with people asking me why I want to close the caravan park.

Thus Upper Lachlan Mayor Cr. John Shaw assured Gunning people (including a group in the public gallery) at last Council meeting that neither he nor Council had any desire to stop the use of Barbour Park as a rest area for travellers.

The subject has become a sore point with Gunning people, particularly in the business sector, who had believed that the "rest area" for caravan and similar vehicles was to be closed.

This belief apparently provoked the raising of a petition, with more than 350 signatures, opposing such a move.

The petition stated that Council would consider "prohibiting campervans, caravans etc from staying overnight or alternatively only expensive motor homes to stay, which borders on discrimination."

It further claimed that Council itself had agreed that only appropriate signage was needed "without need for a Management Plan and associated red tape."

Council had it added, closed the legal caravan park at the Gunning Showground, that Gunning needed the caravans for the tourist business, and that to stop them was a backward step.

Council's Planning Director, Mrs. Tina  Dodson, told Council that to enable the "park" area to be utilised in such a way to meet the community's expectations a Plan of Management was required” a view shared by the Gunning Chamber of Commerce and two residents Bernie Boyce and Jay and Kerry Gribbin in letters to Council. Mrs. Dodson added: "Council, in recent months, has been faced with a difficult situation in managing compatible community expectations and the economic benefit of a particular land use."

She said the strategy was to designate an overnight rest area for travellers within Barbour Park with due consideration to other factors such as public amenity and safety.

"As with any draft strategy this would be subject to community consultation," she added.

The alternatives as put by Mrs. Dodson were to place the Draft Recreation Vehicles Management Strategy and Plan of Management on public exhibition — or to place relevant signage within the park prohibiting overnight stays by campervans, caravans and the like.

Cr. John Searl attempted to move that Council declare an area enclosed at the end of the reserve, on the pool side, as a rest area, and on the other side of the creek and at existing access points erect signs advising authorised vehicles only, and no camping."

This lapsed for want of a seconder, with Cr. James Wheelwright commenting: "All your concerns will be addressed (in the management plan) anyway."

Crs. Paul Culhane and Darren O'Brien moved, successfully, that the Plan be exhibited for the public for 60 days.

Cr. Malcolm Barlow commented that he was concerned with Council's legal obligations, with the potential for accidents to happen. "We don't want Council exposed to litigation," he said.

Mrs. Dodson: "I'm fully aware of your concerns, and it will be a part of the Plan and Management."

Cr. Brian McCormack: "If it is restricted to self-contained units, it takes out most caravans."

General Manager Mr. John Bell: "The strategy is to allow those vehicles to be there."

Cr. McCormack: "Can the Showground be re-opened as a caravan park?" Mr. Bell: "At a cost; anything can be done at a cost."

Cr. Shaw closed the debate: “We are not going to close the caravan park; the Director is not going to close the caravan Park.

"There has been a complaint and the Director has to act on complaints made in writing.

"Nobody wants this to close and cost Gunning business.

"I'm fed up to the back teeth with people asking, me why I want to close the caravan park.

"I believe this is the way forward; we've got sixty days to get it right."