Summerland Point: 728 objections to proposed Aboriginal group home

A proposed Indigenous group home in a sleepy Central Coast lakeside hamlet has attracted a staggering 728 objections. Find out what all the fuss is about.

Plans for a 15-room group home in a sleepy lakeside hamlet on the Central Coast have recieved a tsunami of objections.

A proposal for an Aboriginal group home on the Central Coast, which has redacted any clue of who is behind the plans, has attracted a tsunami of community opposition with a staggering 728 objections.

The plans have been lodged to turn a former Lakes Anglican School site at 30 Summerland Rd, Summerland Point, into a group home for up to 15 permament and or transitional residents.

The $1.6m proposal has been lodged by town planning firm ADW Johnson on behalf of an unnamed client, the identity of which has been redacted from all documents lodged with Central Coast Council.

The Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE) states the plan is to retain an existing seven-bedroom building on the 2.63ha site for permanent residents of the group home as well as erect six relocatable dwellings to house a further eight bedrooms that would be used for permanent or transitional residents.

The plans also include repurposing another four-bedroom building on the site for office space and consulting rooms, while demolishing six other structures which include two sheds and four historic classrooms along with a basketball court.

30 Summerland Rd, Summerland Point, which has a DA lodged to turn it into an Aboriginal group home. Picture: Google

The SoEE lists dozens of Appendices, which surrounding residents might find useful in assessing the proposal’s impact on the local area, including everything from biodiversity and tree removal reports through to crime and operational management reports.

However all of the appendices have been redacted from the SoEE.

The 2.63ha site is made up of three lots, owned by Yerin Aboriginal Health Services. Picture: supplied

The lack of detail around the proposal, along with the proposal itself, has attracted an avalanche of community condemnation with 728 objections lodged with council since the DA when on public exhibition on May 9.

Submissions close on July 7.

The overwhelming response has been the location, in the usually sleepy Lake Macquarie hamlet of Summerland Point, is not appropriate.

The objections state there are not enough services to respond to potential incidents with police, fire and ambulance 20-30 minutes away, a lack of public transport and “one road in and out” of the suburb.

Summerland Point on the shores of Lake Macquarie is usually a quiet residential suburb enjoyed by young families and elderly residents. (File picture)

Residents are also angry about a lack of transparency.

“The lack of communication to neighbours and local residents is also a big red flag by trying to keep it very low key,” one objection read.

“This area is full of young families and elderly residents, with both being at risk if the refuge resident’s do not follow the necessary requirements or standards expected of them.”

Property records show the site was purchased by Yerin Aboriginal Health Services in July 2023 for $3.9m.

Yerin operates the Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services, which was contacted for this article but is yet to respond.