Susanna Freymark
The gates to Bells Bay Campground at Toonumbar Dam were locked by Water NSW for several days.
State MP Janelle Saffin said Water NSW informed her the gates would be unlocked today, Wednesday, July 9 and the signs would come down.
At 3pm today, a reader sent a photo of the gate that was still locked.
“I have an agreement with them to work with Kyogle Council to work out how best we keep it for public use,” Ms Saffin said.
It is a small victory in a long standing battle to keep the campground open and for the Kyogle Fishing Club to continue its use of the site.
Read how club members were gobsmacked by the closure.
Fishing club president Barry Reeves said the club’s lease for Bells Bay was terminated on June 24.
“We are no longer responsible for the site,” Mr Reeves said.
This is not a win, he said about the gates being unlocked.
Water NSW has said it does not have the funds to maintain and repair the grounds.
The campground and the cottages at Toonumbar Dam have been left to deteriorate for years. The fishing club was a tenant in one of the cottages.
One of the problems is money. Who will pay to make the dam area safe and maintain the road to Bells Bay?
Neither Kyogle Council nor the fishing club has that sort of cash. Neither does it seem, does WaterNSW.
Kyogle Council general manager Marcus Schintler said the council was pleased the minister intervened to have the gates opened.
“We hope that a solution can be found to ensure the ongoing tenure of the Kyogle Fishing Club,” Mr Schintler said.
“We note the minister is keen for the NSW Government to work with Kyogle Council to find a solution, and we are more than happy to provide assistance.
“However, it’s important to remember that this is NSW Government owned infrastructure and the people of Kyogle cannot carry the cost of its upgrade.”
Mr Reeves said the fishing club has about $10,000 in its account.
“We’re a not for profit and everything goes back into the bay,” he said.
WaterNSW has agreed to extend access to Bells Bay campground for an interim period of no more than a few months.
“This will provide additional time to explore options for the site’s future, including a new custodian,” a WaterNSW spokesperson said.
“WaterNSW will erect warning signs advising the public to exercise caution on access roads and within the recreational area.”
Mr Reeves said this will cause problems if no one is keeping an eye on the campground.
People have been turning up in their vans to camp at Bells Bay and have been unable to access the site because of the locked gate.
He is concerned that now the campground is open, who will maintain it?
WaterNSW announced its decision to close the campground after a safety audit identified several hazards in the area.
“These hazards remain, and further extensions are unlikely. We are continuing to work to identify options to support safe ongoing access to the site,” WaterNSW said.
It was the fishing club that alerted WaterNSW to some of the safety concerns before they knew there were plans to close Bells Bay. They thought they were doing the right thing by letting WaterNSW know.
WaterNSW has a Toonumbar Remediation Requirements and Strategic Considerations report that it will be discussing with the fishing club next week.
The report recommends a strategic review of the asset’s purpose and supports divestment or alternate transfer to remove liability and align with WaterNSW’s operational focus.
In other words, WaterNSW is pulling out and is not going to spend the required, yet unknown amount, to make Bells Bay and the entrance to Toonumbar Dam suitable for use by residents and tourists.
The issues include electrical problems in the cottage, asbestos, and structural integrity. There are cracks in the masonry and evidence of water in the foundations.
For WaterNSW, there are also legal and safety issues.
Then there are the access roads at Toonumbar Dam. Access to Bells Bay is by sealed and unsealed roads.
The WaterNSW report said the roads were not designed or maintained for public access, and present safety, environmental, and liability risks.
Culverts and drainage are required on the roads too.
There are more issues with trees, vegetation and bushfire hazards.
For the Kyogle Fishing Club which has maintained the campground and successfully run fishing comps and released fish into the dam, this sudden decision after years of neglect by WaterNSW comes as a shock.
Mr Reeves said he believes WaterNSW has backtracked on the locked gates because it stops traditional owners from using Bells Bay.
The gates are open; the issues are many and the costs to keep this Kyogle tourist attraction are great.
Negotiations will continue but without an injection of money, the issues at Toonumbar and Bells Bay will only grow bigger.
And the discontent from the fishing club and community will increase exponentially.