your say
Time to clean out the cupboard at Killalea
After I attended the recent community meeting between the Save Killalea Alliance with the Killalea State Trust, there was a funny little moment when both sides seemed to commiserate with each other, as to "how did we all end up in this situation?"
While some confusion ensued from the Lands Department spokesperson and the Chair Ed Gilmore over who commissioned what and who approached who, there was a bit of a nod and wink that the Trust would be perfectly happy if Frank Sartor knocked the development on its head, as residential development by stealth, disguised as a tourism resort. After all, if that occurs the Trust has acted "in good faith" and can keep all its option fee, nearly a million dollars, to pay for sealing its road and this nightmare can go away!
Sartor has done this already for the Golden Bear resort in the Hunter Valley, and the Greg Norman residential golf course at the old Huntley mine.
Sartor described these as Trojan horses for back-door residential subdivisions. In the concept plan for the three resorts at Killalea, it makes it clear you, as one individual, can stay for up to 205 days in your cabin that you have leased.
Otherwise, the Trust has made it clear since all the facilities to be built are for Sydney or overseas tourists, it is utterly indifferent to local appeals to reject the development.
Truly, the members of the Trust, many who have been on the board for more than eight years, are looking very tired. They have had plenty of time to commission an Aboriginal heritage study of Killalea, as Shellharbour council has recommended, and not done so, and are only spending $5000 a year, on bitou bush removal, which is about the same as the expenses paid to trust members.
This shows an exhaustion and lack of vision, clearly shown in the recent meeting. It is time to spill the entire trust, replace them with new members, and make it compulsory for one member to represent the local Aboriginal Heritage, such as Aunty Gwen who applied for a position and did not even receive the courtesy of a rejection letter.
It all reminds me of the gold-panning scheme on Killalea beach in 1860, which fizzled out to nothing. Seems there still is fool's gold at Killalea beach!
Mark Whalan
Kiama Downs
Illawarra Mercury - 1 September 2007
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