‘It aligns with their vision’: Operator’s disappointment as Shellharbour Council plucks skydiving start-up out of sky

A husband-and-wife skydiving business has copped a massive setback with Shellharbour Council denying them a licence to operate next to the world-class marina at Shell Cove.

A thrillseeking venture in the Illawarra has been handicapped by a decision at Shellharbour Council’s meeting on Tuesday night.

Beachside Skydive just got its feet off the ground in 2021 however the council - in a five-to-four decision - voted against giving the small business a 12-month trial licence despite it being checked off by council staff.

The licence, which would have netted the city more than $10,000, would have been for access to a 500sq m landing zone on Shellharbour South Beach as well as a small temporary check-in area.

The four Labor councillors were the ones who voted in favour of granting the licence with councillor Rob Petreski suggesting it would be “an opportunity to expand business in the LGA and tourism activity to other drawcards around Shellharbour and Shell Cove”.

Councillor Jacqui Graf was one of the no-voters arguing “It‘s worth more than $25 a day for 500sq m of free use”, while councillor John Davey said he was against the ”commercialisation of the beach”.

“The potential benefits unfortunately don’t outweigh considerations about the commercialisation of the beach and giving over exclusive access for periods of time,” Cr Davey said.

Beachside Skydive was looking to use a section of Shellharbour South Beach as a landing strip. Picture: Shellharbour Council

“It‘s the thin end of the wedge and I don’t think we should commercialise our beach environment.

“We have an increasing population in the part of the city who will want access to the already small and narrow beach.”

Mayor Chris Homer was one of the votes against, along with councillors Davey, Graf, Kellie Marsh and Colin Gow with councillor Lou Stefanovski lamenting their “little town” mentality.

“I want to be known as a city not a little town,” he said.

“The benefits outweigh the negatives. I’ve been involved for six months and I know the businesses in Shellharbour have been crying out for something like this.

“We’re not talking about 12 years, we’re talking about 12 months. If we hear concerns from the community we can knock them back in 12 months and say, thank you very much.”

Husband-and-wife operators of Beachside Skydive Robert Verner and Megan Crombie addressed councillors before the meeting, and afterwards expressed their disappointment about the set back to NewsLocal.

“We’re just disappointed the council would knock back a tourism business for the Shell Cove precinct,” Ms Crombie said.

Beachside Skydive operators Robert Verner and Megan Crombie. Picture: Facebook

“It aligns with their vision, it would bring in external tourists and would be using the airport.

“All the businesses we spoke to, especially those at the new waterfront (in Shell Cove) were highly supportive. We were going to be sending tourists to the marina while they waited so they would be having coffees and lunches there.”

Ms Crombie said they wouldn’t give up and would heed the advice to amend the application to consider another landing site.

However, she urged the council to show some goodwill given the risk the couple was taking by setting up a business for a 12-month trial.

“A 12-month trial is a huge risk,” she said.

“We have to get an aircraft, employ people and we were willing to take that risk based on a 12-month trial.

“[Beachside Skydive] would employ up to 12 people, most of whom are Shellharbour constituents, and many have skills in the skydiving industry and are currently unemployed.”