Susanna Freymark
While the Kyogle Fishing Club is busy preparing for a fishing comp in October, Water NSW has clarified its position on the licensing of Bells Bay for camping and fishing.
On May 27, fishing club president Barry Reeves said WaterNSW had given four weeks’ notice on the closure of the popular fishing and camping spot at Bells Bay. Read more about that here.
Mr Reeves said the club signed a temporary lease on August 1 and sent it to WaterNSW. They haven’t heard anything since.
Meanwhile, there have been negotiations going on between the Kyogle Council, State MP Janelle Saffin and Water NSW.
IndyNR. com asked WaterNSW to clarify its position on the licence for Kyogle Fishing Club.
WaterNSW has provided Kyogle Fishing Club with an interim licence that expires on November 30, as agreed, a spokesperson for WaterNSW said.
“WaterNSW is in the process of finalising a longer-term licence, intended to come into effect from December 1.
“WaterNSW will meet with Kyogle Fishing Club in coming weeks to consult with the club on the terms and conditions in the proposed new licence.”
And what about the money promised to Kyogle Council to repair the conference centre at Toonumbar Dam?
The cabins and surrounding site are in a state of disrepair.
Kyogle Council said about $600,000 was promised to the council for work at Toonumbar, with 50% coming from Water NSW and 50% from the Cross-Border Commission.
WaterNSW said it advised Kyogle Council in February this year that it could not proceed with the 2023 joint funding proposal as it did not have funding for regional recreational assets.
The decision followed further costings indicating the upgrade and maintenance requirements across the Toonumbar site were well in excess of the proposed 2023 funding arrangement, WaterNSW said.
WaterNSW said its focus was on core functions at the dam.
We are exploring options to identify a suitable owner for the site, WaterNSW said.
Kyogle Council had been in talks with the Cross-Border Commission about retaining the $130,0000 for improvements to Toonumbar.
The council confirmed today, Friday, September 12 that the NSW Government wouldn’t allow the transfer of money from the resort/conference area to be made to Bells Bay. Kyogle Council must now return the $130,000 to the Cross-Border Commission.
Either way, the cost of repairing the centre is high and if WaterNSW sells the site, it will be up to a private owner to decide what happens next.
ABOUT TOONUMBAR DAM
• It is the most northern dam in NSW and holds water from a 9,800ha catchment for irrigation and water supply in the Richmond Valley.
• The dam’s surface area is equal to nearly 500 football fields and itswall is taller than a 13-storey building.
• Toonumbar is an Aboriginal word for heelmark.
• Construction began in 1969 and took two years to build, using largely local materials.
• Toonumbar Dam was established to conserve water, control flows, reduce flood risk and provide a reliable water supply in the tributaries of the Richmond River.