Residents complain about seasonal berry pickers at Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park, but manager says it’s operating within law

Residents say farm workers living at a Coffs Coast holiday park are crushing the vibe in one of the area’s most prized villages. But park management begs to differ. See what’s causing the friction.

Gina Ingleby says Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park has become unsightly. Picture: Supplied

Residents of Little Arrawarra near Coffs Harbour are calling for the immediate closure of a holiday park they claim has been converted into a “shanty town” for seasonal fruit pickers.

But the holiday park’s manager said the facilities are operating within the law and appreciated by most people living nearby.

The concerned residents claim Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park is operating beyond its remit – and is now home to 100 blueberry farm workers, with a further 100 or so backpackers staying at an adjacent surf camp.

Emerald Beach woman Gina Ingleby owns an investment property neighbouring the holiday park.

Residents say they regularly remove rubbish from the dunes and creek, and believe the littering is by people staying at Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park. Picture: Supplied

“My real estate rang me and said my tenant was in tears because of the infrastructure that has popped up overnight,” she said.

Ms Ingleby said Little Arrawarra residents have been fighting changes at the park “for over a decade now”.

Their concerns centre chiefly on rubbish, noise and a general strain on the village’s infrastructure.

A City of Coffs Harbour spokesperson said: “The city has been made aware of these concerns over the past week and is investigating them.”

“It’s zoned as a holiday park but there’s one road in and one road out and 37 buses daily (taking the pickers to and from work),” Ms Ingleby said.

She said she believed an additional “200-plus” blueberry pickers were expected to move in during April and May.

“Little Arrawarra simply does not have the infrastructure to deal with it,” she said.

“Additional dwellings have popped up. Why is this town being forgotten?”

Arrawarra Beach and the creek are rated among the jewels in the crown on the Coffs Coast, but residents say access to the beach is a challenge. Picture: Supplied

Nathan Folkes, who provides onsite management at the holiday park and surf camp, said all facilities were legal.

He said the park was approached by blueberry farm operators looking for somewhere to accommodate workers when the Covid pandemic hit.

“It was a simple case of we had empty beds,” Mr Folkes said.

“We can’t leave our seasonal workers high and dry.”

A 30-year plan of management is being developed for the park, he said, with the intention to return the customer mix back to its traditional market of holiday-makers.

Nathan Folkes, who runs the Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park and surf camp, said a 30-year masterplan is being developed for the park which will return it to its more traditional customers of holiday-makers as opposed to seasonal workers. Picture: Supplied

“Eighty per cent (of the community) support where we are and what we’re doing,” Mr Folkes said.

He said the park and camp were still catering for tourists and school groups in addition to the workers.

Mr Folkes said traffic, rubbish and noise remained unchanged.

“Everything’s demountable and everything’s certified,” he said of the park’s structures.

Little Arrawarra resident Heather Young said her main issue with the holiday park was that it was the only access point to the beach – albeit across privately owned land.

“Our main wish is that we can get to the beach unfettered,” she said.

Gina Ingleby says a building at the Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park is hard up against the fence line to an investment property she owns. Picture: Supplied

Ms Young said noise was also a sore point, with buses ferrying workers to and from the farms from “five in the morning to eight in the night”.

“The buses actually shake our house they’re so heavy,” she said.

Ms Young said she would like to see a strip of land set aside to establish public beach access, so people did not have to walk through the park.

Gina Ingleby says Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park has become unsightly. Picture: Supplied

Most seasonal workers staying at the holiday park are Pacific Islanders in Australia as part of the federal government’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility program (PALM).

Many are employed by Costa Group.

“We use a range of accommodation including Arrawarra Caravan Park, which also provides backpacker accommodation,” a Costa spokesperson said.

“Accommodation for PALM workers must comply with standards set down by the Federal Government as a condition of the PALM scheme.

Blueberry farming is a huge Coffs industry.

“The number of seasonal workers varies according to our harvest requirements.

“In regard to transport, we currently have two buses doing two trips per day.”

The spokesperson said trying to accommodate the seasonal workforce on-farm instead of in the general community was not possible.

“This is not currently a practical option as it would require the NSW government to make changes to planning laws, and in particular, to accommodate the numbers involved,” the spokesperson said.