Local treasure ruined

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I am a local farmer.  What I mean by that is I am a surfer who regularly surfs at The farm which is in Killalea National Park at Shellharbour.

I am writing this letter as my boardies dry on the line and as I think back to what I have experienced today and recently.  It should be said that this is a local treasure gone to waste due to greed and over development.

Over the last couple of years I have watched all the new residential area rise and spread like a disease at the entry to the national park.

The beach has become so crowded that it is a challenge to get a wave.  Surf ettiquette has gone out the window, and surf rage is on the rise at a rapid pace.  This is due to people not knowing the common rules that go with surfing (or ignoring them), and the fluctuation of "illegal boat people" (the learner on a 10 foot malibu board or stand up paddle board) who are more of a danger to everyone else than themselves.

I understand that everybody has to learn and that's great if you want to surf, because it can be one of the most satisfying feelings, but people need the take into account surfer priority and others on the wave.

I left there today frustrated because I was dropped in on my last two waves and this is a common occurrence.

It can be said that surfer rage is going to be more prominent in places like this due to the density of people and that density of people is due to the over development that I mentioned above.

The single worst thing that The Farm has experienced is the construction of the car park that drives you straight down to the beach.  Not only is it bad for surfers but it is very complacent by our local government.

Why would you build a driveway to take people down to an unpatrolled beach?  It beggars belief that this could happen.

It is only a matter of time before something bad happens down there and I am sure our council and governments will be asking why.

Posted by Jai Hudson

Illawarra Mercury – 20 February 2010

 

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