Susanna Freymark
At Kyogle Showground there are about 40 van/caravan sites where people have been living for the past two years.
These people have been told they must leave the showground so Kyogle Show can be held there on September 27–28.
The campers have done this before for other events – this time though, they have been told not to come back. This decision has nothing to do with the show committee.
The campers attended a meeting run by the Kyogle Showground Trust Committee at the showground last Wednesday, August 21.
The media were not allowed to attend and the trust committee would not publicly comment on the meeting agenda.
Kyogle Showground is on Crown land – IndyNR.com asked Crown Lands for a comment but has not received one.
Kyogle Council said people having to leave the showground is a matter for the Showground Land Manager or the Department for Crown Lands, not council.
“To be clear the Showground is not a council managed asset,” the council said.
The people living at the showground are upset. Some have been living there since the floods, others are newcomers.
None of them wanted their name published for fear of repercussions on their living situation.
IndyNR.com spoke to about eight of them after the Wednesday meeting where they were informed they could not return to the showgrounds on September 29.
One couple with a baby said they live in a self-contained van with their own power and could park anywhere but didn’t want to leave Kyogle because the man works in town.
A man from the Gold Coast said he lives there because rents are too high at the coast.
Another man has been staying in Kyogle but is about to go on a three week caravan trip.
There was a lengthy Kyogle Council statement on social media to address the questions that had come to them:
“Multiple complaints from Kyogle Showground users, the general public and community groups have been made raising issues of public health and safety, and environmental health, resulting from current camping arrangements on Crown Land at Kyogle Showground.
The Kyogle Showground is administered by the Kyogle Showground Public Land Manager.
Investigations revealed that the Kyogle Showground Public Land Manager did not have approval to operate a camping ground, as required under NSW Government legislation.
The NSW Government Department of Crown Lands is responsible for the management of all Crown land, including at the Showground.
The NSW Government Department of Crown Lands has advised that use of the Showground for long-term camping is not permitted.
As a result, the Kyogle Showground Public Land Manager has advised affected people that they must vacate the site.
The Kyogle Showground Public Land Manager is in the process of preparing an application to obtain the approval required to operate a camping area at the Showground, and Council has been assisting throughout this process.
The approval process will ensure that the public health and safety and environmental concerns raised by members of our community and users of the Showground are appropriately addressed, so that all community members can continue to use the Showground for events and public recreation.”
Groups that use Kyogle Showground want their showground back and have seen numerous issues with it being used for 40 semi-permanent van sites.
Kyogle Pony Club president Peter Painter wanted to put forward what it was like for a group using the showground on a regular basis.
Kyogle Pony club has been running at the showgrounds for more than 70 years, Mr Painter said.
“Over this time, we have had ups and downs with the grounds but never like it is currently – it’s just not safe,” he said.
“The pony club have had to stop conducting days on the show grounds again this year for the seventh year in a row (covid did stop some).”
Over this time parents have had to remove drug paraphernalia (exposed needles), human faeces and god knows what else from the area that has been allocated to the pony club use. The pony club has funded $100,000 of improvements in the last 15 years.
“We have had parents and children verbally abused by campers and threatening harm.
“We have had to shield children away on the grounds from indecent behaviour.”
Mr Painter said there was an issue with greywater going straight onto the ground from the campers and if it was not going onto the ground, it was going into the stormwater drains.
IndyNR.com has not been able to confirm this.
The council said any questions about progressing a DA at the showground should be put to the Showground Land Manager or the Department for Crown Lands. Crown Lands will decide what the park can be used for, the council said.
“Over the last five years I know of numerous users both individuals and organisations that have tried to utilise the ground and they have given up and taken their event or what they were trying to do elsewhere, many times outside the local area,” Mr Painter said.
“This is lost money to the Kyogle area.”
People weren’t speaking out about this because they were concerned about repercussions from the land managers, Mr Painter said.
“I do understand that the campers are a benefit to the community but at what expense?” he said.
At the Meet the Candidates forum at Kyogle Golf Club on Thursday, August 22, a woman stood up and asked the candidates, “What will you do for the homeless at the showground?
“There are 40 families and the caravan park is shut– where do people go from the showgrounds?” she said.
Councillor Danielle Mulholland said she had been researching where they could go.
Ward C candidate Simon Dejoux said, “The systemic cause of housing issues are long term and substantial.
“In the short term, we need to look for other places they can move to and look at neighbouring towns,” he said.
Former Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell who was moderator at the forum said it was a huge issue for all councils.
Candidate for Ward B Olivia Taylor said the town needs its showground.
“We need homes for the homeless,” she said.
The council said Kyogle Caravan Park is receiving an update to ensure its ongoing use is compliant with legislation, including health and safety, and compliant with user expectations of a caravan park at the gateway to the rainforest.
“Once the park reopens the longevity of stays at the site will comply with State Government legislation.”
IndyNR.com believes this is likely to be set at a 28-day stay maximum.
The showground issue is a fraught one for the community.
The issue of homelessness is a massive one across the state and in the Kyogle LGA. For those facing homelessness, it is inherently personal.
The solution for right now? We’d like to hear your thoughts on that. Email indynr.com@gmail.com
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