Pittwater Online News

Ingleside RFB - Warringah/Pittwater Headquarters RFB Volunteers Deployed To North Coast Of NSW Infernos 

Ingleside RFB Members Race To Assist On North Coast 

November 8, 2019

Ingleside NSWRFS heavy bushfire Tanker was deployed 5am this morning to the Port Macquarie area to assist with the bushfire effort. An additional 5 tankers were also responded to Taree just after lunch. Ingleside currently have 4 RFS volunteers involved in this bushfire effort.

The 2nd Strike Team that left just after lunch from the Northern Beaches RFS District today (Friday November 8th) ended up at the Rainbow Flat bushfire, just South of Taree. Hot times for that Strike Team. 

Later same day (8.11.2019):

The four Ingleside Rural Fire Brigade NSWRFS volunteers have continued to assist with the bushfire effort on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Their heavy bushfire tanker continues to work in the area. They have saved homes! 

The Ingleside NSWRFS Tanker is up in the Port Macquarie area.

At 12:30am, November 10th, 74 bush fires continue to burn across NSW with 43 still not under control. 1 fire remains at Emergency Warning at Hillville Rd on the Mid-Coast and 15 still at Watch and Act.

Crews are using favourable conditions on a number of firegrounds to undertake backburning to strengthen containment lines ahead of worsening conditions early this week.

Here are some photos from our RFS volunteers over the last 24 hours. Keep up to date with the Fires Near Me App.

You too can volunteer with the Ingleside RFB: www.inglesiderfs.org.au/join-us

Photos courtesy Ingleside RFB

Warringah / Pittwater Headquarters Rural Fire Brigade

November 8, 2019

This Afternoon, 4 Warringah HQ members responded North to assist the Mid coast District With the current fire emergency.

This video shows our Captain and Senior Deputy Captain leading the crew into Holdens Lane, Rainbow Flat, and shows just how bad the fire situation currently is. 

Please visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me if you want to keep up to date with the emergency situation around eastern NSW.

Video by: Deputy Captain McGowan

Major Fire Updates: Dangerous Fire Conditions Forecast For Tuesday 12 November

Sunday, November 10th, 2019: NSW RFS

Tuesday will be a dangerous day.

Based on the latest forecast, we are likely to see widespread Severe and Extreme fire danger. This is expected to stretch from the Queensland border to the south coast, and across the Central West.

There is already extensive fire activity across the north coast and northern NSW areas. These fires won’t be contained in time.

Under these conditions, these fires will spread quickly and will threaten homes and lives.

These conditions will be as bad, if not worse, than those experienced on Friday as they will be across a much broader area including large population centres like Sydney.

There are significant resources committed to fires and they are limited.

If you are threatened by fire, you may not get help.

Monitor conditions over the next few days. Use the time now to get ready.

Stay up to date on bush fires in your area and take responsibility for your own safety.

This coming Tuesday has the potential to be a very serious fire danger day for most of NSW including the Greater Sydney area.

Are YOU Bush Fire Prepared?

Have YOU and YOUR family discussed what to do in the event of a bushfire?

Preparing for a bush fire is easier than you think. It’s your responsibility to prepare yourself, your home and your family. There are four simple steps to get ready for a bush fire:

1. DISCUSS what to do if a bush fire threatens your home.

2. PREPARE your home and get it ready for bush a bush fire event.

3. KNOW the bush fire alert levels. IE: Advise - Watch & Act - EMERGENCY WARNING

4. KEEP all the bush fire information numbers, websites, and the smart phone app.

More information including guides to prepare a Bushfire Survival Plan can be found at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/bush-fire-survival-plan

Stay up to date with current Bush Fires in your area by going to the Fires Near Me Website (https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me) or download the app to your smart device.

The Christmas Drought Run - Hampers For Farmers And Their Families: 2019

Di (left) and Lisa with the first trailer of donations collected a few weeks ago.

The girls are currently collecting a range of necessities and new toys to get to three towns so those already struggling with bushfires and a drought that won't end have a bit of relief and care from the city this coming December.

For the next two weeks Lisa's home is the drop off point for everything from dry dog food to new toys for youngsters. Lisa explains:

"Di Cutrie and myself (Lisa Hewitt) are collecting for these poor farmers, can everybody dig deep. Imagine what these poor peoples' lives are like. If everyone here just gave a little, we as a community could make just a small difference to some very struggling farmers and their families lives.

The 'Hampers' is only ONE part of our THREE part Christmas Drought Run!! 

We still require literally TONNES and TONNES of non-perishable food, 10ltr water cartridges, dry pet food, IGA Gift Cards, Pre-paid Visas/Pre-paid EFTPOS cards, BRAND NEW unwrapped toys and gifts for the farming kids for our 330+ Prime Producing Farmers and their families of the Baradine, Bingara and Yeoval areas.

Items can be dropped off to Lisa's place in Avalon.

MORE HERE

Council Document Puts B-Line To Newport Back On The Agenda And May Facilitate Inappropriate Development 

Proposed roundabout demonstration by residents at B-Line to Newport Rally, 2017  - photo supplied

In 2017 and 2018 the community in Newport and north of Newport rose enmasse to express they were against such a proposal. Subsequent investigations by Transport for NSW showing the extension of the service, and a terminal at Newport, was not feasible - the proposal was canned. 

As the state government has recently announced the privatisation of all bus services for the area, and the Keoride system is set to be continued past its trial period, signalling even more shifting of the public towards private transport, uncertainty about what routes and services will be available once these changes take place may make the point moot. 

However, the consultation closes today, November 10th, and as the document supports not only the extension of the B-Line but also a BRT to Newport, one Local Environment Plan for such a diverse range of communities and ecosystems, wants to see Mona Vale transitions as ‘Mona Vale services people living in the LGA’s north, including Newport, Avalon and Palm Beach, and could be transitioned from a predominantly low density centre to a place that offers more diverse housing and job opportunities, especially catering to the ageing population’, and lends itself to the Bayview Golf Course Development rejected a few times being passed through the wording of the document, residents of Pittwater are being asked by their advocate groups to provide feedback.

Feedback can be provided in 5, 10, and 15 minute answers online should you not wish to pen a long and detailed point by page point response.

Other concerns with the Draft LSPS document titled ‘Towards 2040’ include:

• Spot Rezonings needs more emphasis so that it is clear council is strongly against allowing them
• The forecast expansion of Marinas in Pittwater has to ensure there is no net increase after (i.e. have to swap equal number of swing moorings at equivalent length)
• The draft document does not address or mention Air Quality – this should occur and set out the goals for improvement
• The draft also supports the introduction of a BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) system to replace the B-Line – all the way to Newport. A BRT requires a dedicated 24 hour bus lane which means there would be no parking on Barrenjoey Rd, destroying the village atmosphere and all the businesses along its route
• The Pittwater area needs a controlled sustainable tourism industry which takes into account the environment, and proper infrastructure 

There are also concerns that in the development of the LEP through the Local Strategic Planning Statements that relevant Character Statements may not adequately maintain the true character requirements of the Pittwater community. Originally the State Planning Act following the council amalgamations (and following concerns raised by the forced amalgamated councils) allowed for an LSPS to be prepared for each of the five wards. Council did not elect to take up this opportunity and decided to only have one LSPS for the whole of the three former council areas now under its control.

The council view then was was that it was not practical to put the Character Statements in the LSPS due to the vast number that maybe required and the limited size that was required/suggested under the legislation.

MORE HERE

Bilgola Banksia Razing For Coastal Trail To Bring ‘All Together As One’ Symbolism Achieves Opposite Affect

The 'Coastal Walk' upgrade of the already existing pathway from Palm Beach to Manly has caused community outcry at Palm Beach when sandstone blocks not shown on the original plans were installed, while a planned boardwalk at the southern end and excise of family access was abandoned due to community outcry, has struggled to find support with residents for its Whale Beach sections, caused outrage with its original plan to excise a favourite community greenspace at South Avalon and in the last two weeks, appalled and angered residents as it churns through Bilgola, ripping out banksia trees and installing concrete where they once were, despite assurances in the Bilgola Beach Upgrade final document of September 2018 that they would be retained and maintained. 

Spruiked from the outset as a symbol of the forcibly amalgamated councils being one, the incident has only served to point out this mechanism is not working out at every stage so far and has some wondering whether that walk is actually for tourists to the area rather than for residents.

Bilgola beach carpark post Coastal Walk 'upgrades' - banksias and shrubs replaced with concrete - photos supplied

In March 2018 a plan for Bilgola Beach upgrades was placed online for community consultation. The community immediately reacted with ‘feedback’ which clearly enunciated an expressed wish to not have plastic turf installed alongside the beach, nor lose the greenery that offers some shade and a strip of habitat bridge for local fauna. Now both flora and fauna are gone.

The trees and shrubs that once broke the solid flat hard and hot surfaces at Bilgola Beach carpark being destroyed and concrete installed as part, as it turns out, of the branding touted as the ‘Coastal Walk’, is just one incident spoken of in letters received this week. 

Atop Bilgola, in the little Plateau Park that goes into bush reserve behind Loblay street, more concrete has been installed where once youngsters could fall over into soft green grass. When Council workers were asked ‘why’ the response was that it was to stop kids riding their mountain bikes in there and eroding it – 

‘but putting in a concrete path isn't going to make them ride on it, just adds more concrete’ residents have stated to Pittwater Online, as well as;

‘didn’t this council recently declare a climate emergency and state they would be pursuing practices to alleviate that in a local context?’ 

“ Whole place will look like the eastern suburbs before we know it.” has been the comment in several emails.

Plateau park this week - photo supplied by a resident

Last Issue one resident pointed out: - 

‘Did you know the coastal path from Manly to Palm Beach is planned to be up to 3.5 metres and in concrete? More of a road than a path. Much vegetation will be removed as a result. Please advise our community urgently (that they need to speak up)

Like all Pittwater Residents, I love and deeply appreciate the natural beauty of this area. The purpose of my letter is to let you know of two of my concerns regarding Council plans for the coastal walk from Newport to Avalon, and around the Bilgola bends. 

Last Tuesday, I attended the council meeting and heard with disbelief for the first time that the proposed shared coastal pathway in that sensitive section was going to be 3.5 meters wide and in concrete! 

This is huge, and more the size of a road that a path. It will require significant removal of vegetation which will be replaced by a substantial concrete scar, disfiguring the natural landscape. 

Removing greenery and replacing it with concrete is not progress.