Meg Oates, the 30 year veteran on council, believes Campelltown’s beautiful bushland, much of it pristine, belongs to all local people.
Cr Oates has proposed activating the multitude of bushwalking tracks and trails along the Georges River as well as building a new bush cycle track.
The aim is to make local bushland more accessible to a large number of people instead of just the select few, which is the case now.
If it comes off, the plan could result in putting Campbelltown on the ecotourism map, literally as well as metaphorically.
“This magnificent bushland should be available to all,’’ Cr Oates said after council endorsed a review of bushwalking tracks at last night’s council meeting – the last for the year.
In the face of some opposition from councillors who were concerned at the potential cost of the plan, among other things, Mayor George Brticevic said it would only be done “when funds become available’’.
“And this here tonight is asking for a feasibility study, no more,’’ he said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“But I agree that there’s no point locking up nature.’’[/social_quote]
Cr Oates has proposed that council also look into the feasibility of creating a bush cycle track along the Georges River, from Wedderburn to Glenfield.
Bush and mountain bike enthusiasts, local and from outside the area, already use Campbelltown’s fire trails on weekends, alongside bushwalkers and joggers clubs’ members.
“This is an opportunity to do something special that is also a good response to the idea of overdevelopment in our region,’’ Cr Oates told the meeting.
♦ In other decisions last night, council:
• supported a notice of motion calling for an investigation into developing a jacaranda lane in Campbelltown;
• Extended the public exhibition period for the Varroville cemetery development application until March 23 next year;
• will investigate the feasibility of extending the bus service from Campbelltown public hospital through Parkside Crescent past Campbelltown private hospital to Macarthur Square;
• Supported a call from Cr Warren Morrison to look into Beersheeba murals on the silos at Vardy’s Estate at Menangle Park;
• Approved the extension of the popular Macarthur Night Food Markets at Mawson Park until measures are taken to make them a permanent fixture. Eat Shop Love, the current operator, will continue in that role until then.
Adopted a plan to celebrate Campbelltown’s bicentenary in 2020. Funding will be provided in next year’s budget (2018-19).
Nea Makowski National Parks Association – Macarthur Branch
Indeed it does Ecca.
Our beautiful bushland has always been free for anybody to visit and still is. It is pristine and home to threatened Species of animal and plant. Any family can and should visit it. There are tracks for people of all ability to reach the Georges River throughout the Campbelltown area. All this talk of opening it up further by way of creating a track from Glenfield to Wedderburn is eco-vandalism under the guise of humanitarianism. Some people will make money from it: local B&B’s perhaps? Thankfully some councillors are not fooled.