Farmers and fishers divided by Green Point beach access debate

A South East coastal community is divided as fed-up farmers lock the gates to a beach access track after decades of retrieving bogged vehicles on their land.

Wye landowners Jo and Morgan Feast have locked a gate to stop people accessing the beach from their private property. Picture: Jessica Ball

A beach access road is threatening to divide a Limestone Coast community.

Running through the Feast Family farm at Wye, the 2.2km Green Point track does not lead directly to the beach with users diverting 950m to a private gate.

Morgan Feast locked in the gate in July 2020 saying the decades of use had ruined the paddock and raised environmental concerns.

“Pa wanted to shut it 50 years ago but didn’t because of the fact someone could quite easily drop a match in a hay stack or leave gates open on purpose,” Mr Feast said.

The end of the surveyed road that runs through the Feast family farm at Wye. Picture: Jessica Ball

The fifth generation farmer said they were fed up with recovering bogged vehicles, fixing livestock problems when gates are left opened and often found people hunting, 4X4 driving, motorbike riding and hiking on their property without permission.

Despite the closure, Mr Feast said he had received four calls for help in 2021, including a carload of tourists looking for cockles in a Mercedes Benz wagon.

Now Grant Council has received petitions from both sides of the debate.

More than 350 people have signed a petition calling for the road to be closed while the South East Amateur

Surf Fishing Club collected a further 350 signatures asking for it to be developed.

At Monday night’s council meeting, Mr Feast said development was not an option with the family proposing they purchase it or council permanently close it.

“The generations of Feasts have been farming the land longer than any fishermen have been fishing Green Point,” he said.

Wye landowners Jo and Morgan Feast have locked a gate to stop people accessing the beach from their private property. Picture: Jessica Ball

“We have had no joy in letting you through our property.

“I really don’t want to put the pressure on the next generation of Feasts all because a few fishermen thought their recreational fun was more important than running our farm.”

At the meeting South East Amateur Surf Fishing Club founder Graeme Ploenges said the petition showed the community’s need for a safe way to access a difficult to reach beach.

“As a fishing club we have 60 members mainly all blokes local to the South East and are very passionate and keen to keep utilising our beaches,” Mr Ploenges said.

“Not only is this an opportunity for a safe access for fishermen, fire and rescue but the possibility to extend tourism to district.

“Closing the roadway will benefit a minority offering a roadway access will benefit everyone in the community.”

Three beach access points located off Paradise Road, 1km from the surveyed road that runs through the Feast family farm at Wye. Picture: Jessica Ball

Port MacDonnell CFS captain and avid fishermen Rodney Virgo said all other access points were hazardous and further developing the unmarked road could reduce the issues faced by the Feast family and create a safer option for emergency services to access the beach.

Fourth generation farmer Jo Feast said developing the Green Point track would split their property in half making it unworkable and encourage inexperienced drivers to the beach leading to more bogged cars.

She said the council’s projected cost of $75,000 was unrealistic due to the nature of the road and the money would be better spent fixing the problems at three other access points within a 10km stretch at Browns Bay, Paradise Road and Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park.

Mayor Richard Sage said council was awaiting further reports before it could make a decision on the road’s future and at this stage no alternatives are being investigated.