The Seige of Look At Me Now (1988 - 1995)
Ocean Outfall - Northern Beaches - Coffs
Harbour
The Coffs Harbour City Council and the NSW State Government's plans to construct a ocean sewage outfall on the Northern Beaches near Coffs Harbour New South Wales Australia, were finally laid to rest after twelve years of community opposition.
In 1995 New South Wales State election result confirmed that the conservative National Party Coalition Government would be displaced by a new Labor Government led by Bob Carr.
Look at Me Now Headland near the village of Emerald Beach was the last of three alternative sites that were favoured options for sewage disposal by ocean outfall.
It was also the site of the most determined push by the Coffs Harbour City Council and the conservative state Government.
The once proposed site was situated about half way up Australia's
east coast in a region of subtropical splendour. The primary
regional industries are tourism and banana plantations. The
area used to be officially promoted at 'The Banana Republic',
at that time a rather apt title.
The waters along the coastline are part of the Solitary Islands
Marine Park. The area is of national importance because of
the diversity of marine life due to the overlapping warm northern
currents and cool southern currents. It also contains the
southern most coral colonies in Australian waters. Due to
a lack of river systems these waters are naturally nutrient
poor.
Surfing and the love of nature are part of a lifestyle adopted
by most coastal communities in the mid north coast area, unfortunately
there are those, who seek unsustainable development. The population
of the Coffs Harbour region is growing. A previous mayor and
property speculator, had been publicly quoted as suggesting
that a population of 500,000 could be sustained.
So the ocean outfall became the battleground for opposing
views.
In 1994 Coffs Harbour Aboriginal Land Council commissioned
an archaeological and an anthropological study of Look At
Me Now Headland at Emerald Beach. One report dealt with the
middens and a large stone axe factory at the back of the headland,
the other was a study of the spiritual / mythological significance
of the headland. The reports formally revealed that the headland
and sea caves are of high mythological and ritual significance
to the Gumbaingerri People who lodged a heritage claim.
A DEEPER HISTORY
1983 Moonee Beach Headland (pop.300, ten
kilometres north of Coffs Harbour), saw the first attempt
to construct a treatment works and ocean outfall at the beach.
Six months of intensive campaigning and a little luck saw
the proposal abandoned.
1985 - 1987 Woolgoolga Headland (pop.3000,
twenty kilometres north of Coffs Harbour). After two years
of united community resistance the realisation that the opposition
was going to be far too strong forced the authorities via
a Commission of Inquiry to shift the preferred option to the
smaller village of Emerald Beach.
1988 - 1995 Emerald Beach (pop.1000) Fifteen
kilometres north of Coffs Harbour.
Look At Me Now Headland was so named because the signal station
masters daughter, who lived near the headland, used to receive
messages from her fiancee a light house keeper on nearby South
Solitary Island.
A NSW state politician, the Coffs Harbour City Council and
tame engineers within the Public Works Department were determined
that the outfall would go ahead. They spent millions of dollars
and in a desperate attempt to win, changed the goal posts
every time they looked like losing.
Source: Surfrider Foundation
Australia