‘No longer fishing villages’: Fight to save charm of South Coast holiday towns

Thousands of Sydneysiders are drawn to the charm of South Coast holiday towns such as Culburra and Berry every summer, but a plan to protect their character is up in the air amid developer objections.

Shoalhaven City Council agreed unanimously to incorporate character into its planning rules last month in response to community fears that developments were harming what they loved most about their towns and villages.

Swimmers enjoy the sunshine at Culburra beach.Credit: James Brickwood

But two weeks later, seven of 13 councillors changed their mind, voting to “pause” the changes to receive a briefing on the topic and seek community input. The changes would have made council staff consider a place’s character when assessing a development proposal.

The Department of Planning has flagged Shoalhaven as one of the Sydney satellite areas where the population is expected to rise sharply in the next 15 years.

“We are no longer fishing villages, and while [some] enjoy their own beautiful home in paradise, we have a housing crisis,” Councillor Lou Casmiri told council at the second meeting on December 10, arguing character protections should be abandoned because they would delay development and allow for objections.

“As a businessperson, I cannot understand why we spent millions of dollars to go to the Land and Environment Court to object to receiving business from – that dirty word – developers.

Thousands of Sydneysiders visit Shoalhaven beach villages such as Hyams Beach each year. Credit: Rhett Whyman

“Developers are not criminals. Developers are people who put their houses at risk, who borrow money, they come here, buy land, and want to build houses for us. We need to respect that.”

Under the planning changes, staff assessing the character effects of a proposed development would have referred to a report paid for by the state Department of Planning in 2018, which documented the existing and future character of Shoalhaven’s 57 towns, villages and future settlements.

Community groups supported the plan earlier this year, but developer Sealark objected, and planning consultancy Allen Price, which Sealark is using for a 400-home subdivision on 46 hectares of bushland at Culburra, suggested multiple changes.

In its submission in July, Sealark said that while it broadly backed efforts to protect and enhance character, the Culburra assessment was unsuitable, undeveloped, and created uncertainty.

The approved Sealark development at Culburra.

It said planning objectives should focus on the desired future character of a town, rather than the existing character, and more community consultation was needed before changing Shoalhaven’s Local Environment Plan.

The character report said Culburra was an “easygoing” town with a distinct identity and strong community, noting its surf culture, natural and informal landscape, brightly coloured houses, and quirky shops and cafes. In the future, the town’s “dated” retail buildings would be updated and surrounded by medium-density housing.

Culburra Residents and Ratepayers Action Group president Claire Haywood said the beach hamlet was a “classic, iconic holiday town” that had to be protected, and the report was “spot-on”.

“It’s not just the buildings and shopfronts, it’s the wildlife you experience every day,” she said. “The kangaroos and joeys you see on the side of the road, the ducks that walk down the street and the pelicans that come off the lake.

Development at Shellharbour, between Wollongong and Shoalhaven.Credit: Shellharbour Council

“The aspirations of Sealark for the character of this town are more like something that would resemble the Shellharbour developments [south of Wollongong].”

But Sealark managing director Matt Philpott said the development would enhance Culburra and deliver much-needed housing, including at least 40 affordable homes, which would increase the permanent population and vibrancy of the town. He said the development would protect the Crookhaven River, a key point of concern.

“Development [of any form] will have an impact on the character of a place,” he told the Herald.

“Even the demolition of a single older dwelling and the construction of a modern home in its place will have an impact, albeit minor, on a place’s character … as any form of development occurs, it would ideally move the place towards the vision of the desired future character that has been adopted.”

People enjoy a coffee from Frankie’s Coffee Van in Culburra.Credit: Facebook

The Independent Planning Commission rejected a larger version of the Culburra development in 2018, saying it posed an unacceptable risk to the environment and Indigenous heritage sites and was not in the public interest.

It noted public support, prompted by concern the town would lose assets such as its school if it kept declining. Opposition to the project was related largely to the environmental effects.

The Land and Environment Court approved the development in 2021 after the planning commission and Sealark reached an agreement. Sealark is now awaiting federal environmental approval.

The character of Shoalhaven towns and villages, according to a government report

• Culburra: Easygoing beach town with a strong community presence at its heart and a unique local identity.
• Berry: Charming historic town set within a rural landscape, which oozes sophistication.
• Hyams Beach: The crown jewel of Jervis Bay. Enchanting and dramatic, with a feeling of exclusivity, it pulls visitors in to experience paradise.
• Manyana: Quiet and unpretentious beachside haven that is informal and relaxed, in a green and natural setting.
• Currarong: Tiny coastal haven that is precious and secluded, with a stunning natural landscape.

The developer is part of a charitable trust whose beneficiaries include Sydney private school Scots College. Sealark also plans a 380-house subdivision at nearby Callala Bay on 40 hectares of endangered greater glider habitat.

Shoalhaven councillor Jemma Tribe, who fought to retain the character protections, said there was room for growth in the Shoalhaven. However, it had to be handled carefully to protect the environment, which was important to residents and tourists – visitors inject $1.42 billion into the local economy every year.

“Tourism is crucial. It’s a massive industry and it has a significant trickle-down effect for all the other industries as well, but that doesn’t mean we need to be the Central Coast,” she said.

During the December meeting, she questioned what had prompted Casmiri to bring the matter back before council after councillors had voted unanimously for the protections two weeks earlier.

Casmiri said he realised the issue needed greater deliberation.

The planned Sealark development at Callala Bay.Credit:

“You only need to talk to the other people – called developers – and let them tell you stories, about what it’s taken, how long it’s taken, and where we are going,” he said.

Philpott said Sealark had not spoken to any councillors between the November and December meetings, and character had not come up during a briefing it gave councillors and staff about Culburra five days before the first meeting.

Tribe said she would bring the character changes back before council in January.

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