Nambucca Shire response to email to Melinda Pavey 27 JUNE 2016

Michael Coulter	4:18 PM (15 hours ago)
to me, Mayor, Stephen, Paul, Loreto

David

You may have already been filled in by our Engineering Designer Stephen Fowler but compared to the original $1m offer from the RMS, Stephen Fowler prepared a “bush fire trail” design which met the requirements of the RFS for access by a Category 1 fire tanker.  This design was costed at $1.5m.  I gather the RMS at Grafton are supportive of the design but the advice is the increased cost may get knocked back by RMS Head Office.  We are still awaiting a formal response to our application for Stephen’s design to be approved for construction.

Regards

Michael Coulter

General Manager

Nambucca Shire Council

PO Box 177 Macksville NSW 2447

Direct: (02) 6568 0200

Mobile: 0409 153 788

Web: www.nambucca.nsw.gov.au

Nambucca Valley ~ Living at its best

letter to Melinda Pavey re bushfire from Sandy Radke 25 June 2016

Melinda Parvey                                                           25 June 2016

Member for Oxley

Dear Ms Parvey

Earlier this month I wrote regarding the opening of the Bowraville-Bellingen Road (my email is copied below).  Our community still is waiting for action on this matter and, following the NSW Budget announcements, I feel I must petition you again.

The Bowraville-Bellingen Road has been in existence for a very long time and is of historic importance. Our indigenous people walked the road between the Bowraville camp to Bellingen Hospital to see the doctor and to some times give birth as it was the only hospital in walking distance. Someone I met remembers how, when she was a girl, she and her friends used to ride their horses from Bellingen to Bowraville to go to dances.  The road carried the royal mail by Cobb and Co.; it was the main road north that was never flooded and the mail could get through.  And today it remains an important access route.  People living in the area need it for their safety and well-being.

I for one do not care who’s jurisdiction this road is anymore.  People’s safety is at stake and I am not alone in losing patience.  Until 2009 it was a State responsibility and then guess what? It became local!  Of course it did!  Right around the time of major flooding that washed the road away in several places.  In local jurisdictions where significant land is unrateable due to State Forests and National Parks, local governments are always behind the 8 ball.  They fixed what they could but there is more to do.

With a Budget surplus of $3.7b and a total of $20.2b to be spent on Transport and Roads, over $6.7b of which is on Road Transport, surely the State Government can help us out here!

But when I look at the Budget programs, precious little of it goes outside the Sydney metropolitan area.  The only hope seems the $1.5b for road maintenance, however there seems to be a lot of caveats regarding fixing things for economic growth and none for the safety of Australians.

This road has been in existence for a long time and people bought property along it thinking they had reasonable access in and out.  Then, call it what you will - climate change, act of God, nature’s forces – it was eroded.   We have a basic right to have the road restored!

Sandy Radke

Fire at Spicketts Creek - inaccessible country e.g. Bellingen Road 28 May 2016

published Bellingen Courier Sun 8 June 2016

Double click to enlarge

Sandy Radke email to Melinda Pavey 1 June 2016

Dear Ms Pavey

I am a resident of Spicketts Creek in the Bellingen Shire and also a member of the Brierfield Bushfire Brigade.  Many of us in the Spicketts Creek and wider Brierfield area concerned that restoration of the the Bellingen-Bowraville Road is still in limbo.  For us this road is a major infrastructure asset and important access trunk for firefighters.

We had been hopeful, recently, regarding plans to upgrade and maintain this road as a Category 1 Tanker specification fire trail, as proposed by the Nambucca Shire Council.   This would at least give residents an escape route in emergency as well as help in fire protection and mitigation.   However, it is with disbelief and dismay that I have learned from another resident that the proposal mentioned above is possibly being sidelined while yet another report is sought.

For well over a week, a fire on Helliwells Road at Missabotti has, until yesterday, been out of control.  Last week, with very high winds, another fire broke out on the north side of the ridge where the Missabotte fire was going.  Eventually the westerly winds and normal fire behaviour caused the fire to spread to the north and west.  Technically, responsibility for the fire was with the Lower Mid North Coast RFS and State Forests however, our Brigade adjoins theses jurisdictions and in reality, we are the ones who may be called to assist, due to terrain and access.

Danger has abated for the moment and we hope for rain, however, the situation highlights the importance of the Bellingen-Bowraville Road.

My own property is about 8 km from the northern edge of the Missabotti fire, while it was burning I could clearly see it from my home and I attach a photo.  It certainly was more spectacular at night!  I can only image what residents nearer to the fire, with only the Bowraville Road for access were feeling.

I am extremely disappointed at the response of the Government on this matter.

Sandy Radke email to Minister for Roads 2 June 2016

Dear Minister

I am a resident of Spicketts Creek in the Bellingen Shire and also a member of the Brierfield Bushfire Brigade.  Many of us in the Spicketts Creek and wider Brierfield area are seriously concerned that restoration of the the Bellingen-Bowraville Road is still in limbo.  For us this road is a major infrastructure asset and important access trunk for firefighters.

In 2009 this road was severed by major flooding events and still it has not been restored to its original capacity, leaving residents vulnerable.

We had been hopeful, recently, regarding plans to upgrade and maintain this road as a Category 1 Tanker specification fire trail, as proposed by the Nambucca Shire Council.   This would at least give residents an escape route in emergency as well as help in fire protection and mitigation.  

However, it is with disbelief and dismay that I have learned that the proposal mentioned above is being sidelined by you while yet another report is sought.

For well over a week, a fire on Helliwells Road at Missabotti has, until yesterday, been out of control.  Last week, with very high winds, the fire broke out on the north side of the ridge where the Missabotti fire was going.  Eventually the westerly winds and normal fire behaviour caused the fire to spread to the north and west.  Technically, responsibility for the fire was with the Lower Mid North Coast RFS and State Forests however, our Brigade adjoins theses jurisdictions and in reality, we are the ones who may be called to assist, due to terrain and access.

Danger has abated for the moment and we hope for rain, however, the situation highlights the importance of the Bellingen-Bowraville Road.

My own property is about 8 km from the northern edge of the Missabotti fire, while it was burning I could clearly see it from my home and I attach a photo.  It certainly was more spectacular at night!  I can only image what residents nearer to the fire, with only the Bowraville Road for access, were feeling.

I am extremely disappointed at the response of the Government on this matter.   Another example of those of us in rural areas being patted on the head and set aside.

This road needs to be fixed URGENTLY!


Sandy Radke
1111 Bowraville Road
Spicketts Creek, NSW 2454

Response to Helen from Melinda Pavey

From: Melinda Pavey <Melinda.Pavey@parliament.nsw.gov.au>

Subject: Re: Bellingen/Bowraville

Date: 1 June 2016 11:01:51 am AEST

To: Helen 

Cc: ElectorateOffice Oxley <ElectorateOffice.Oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au>

Helen

Thank you. I will. Melinda

Sent from my iPhone

Helen Marges email to Melinda Pavey 1 June 2016

Dear Ms Pavey,

I refer to the letter sent to you by David Wallin (below) and urge you to push this matter to the “top” of the ministers pile of papers to attend to. 

It is a very long time since the road first closed following the severe whether of 31/3/2009. 

WE need this road to be opened - without it emergency services "ability to Respond to Life Threatening Situations” is jeopardised.

Fortunately the situation regarding this recent out of control bushfire not life threatening ……. but it very well could have been given less favourable weather conditions!

Regards,

Helen Marges

Melinda Pavey reply to email to David Wallin 1 June 2016

David

Thank you so much for your excellent assessment of the situation. I will push where I can this week.

Kindest regards

Melinda 

Fire at Spicketts Creek email to Melinda Pavey sent 1 June 2016

Dear Ms Pavey

A bush fire has been burning over an area of 360 hectares, which started on Helliwells road Missabotti about a week ago.

It burned through  inaccessible country including the closed Bellingen road.

It has been contained, but in Spicketts Creek we could see the flames coming down the hill towards our property. Two recently arrived owners in the front line of the fire moved out.

I have written to you previously about the need to reopen the Bellingen road and the main argument is the danger of bush fires, and I pointed out to you that Andrew Stoner promised to do this in 2011 from Natural Disaster Funding. (see below)

There has been some progress with all the local authorities, RFS, National Parks, Forestry and including RMS supporting rebuilding the road  as a fire trail to the standard of a Category 1 Fire Tanker (13 tonnes).

This current fire, which started as a controlled burn, demonstrates the need for this infrastructure. Bellingen Road was built 130 years ago and provided the starting point for various fire trails and logging trails. Without these the country in inaccessible.

I heard yesterday from Nambucca Shire Council that the proposal is sitting on the desk of the National Party Minister for Roads Duncan Gay, while he calls for another report. Surely the current fire should finally confirm the need for rebuilding the road.

I am copying this email to my neighbours and intend to send it to the local papers.

We expect better from the National Party in providing essential services to the rural community

David Wallin

From: Andrew Stoner <Andrew.Stoner@parliament.nsw.gov.au>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 08:08:15 +1000
To: "treeferns@westnet.com.au" <treeferns@westnet.com.au>
Cc: ElectorateOffice Oxley <ElectorateOffice.Oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au>
Subject: Fwd: Re: Bowraville Road - funding of local roads and progress inspending natural disaster funding

Dear David

Firstly, apologies for the delay in responding.

I have always supported the restoration of the Bowraville-Bellingen Road under Natural Disaster funding arrangements and have consistently lobbied both State and Local Government toward this end.  The great shame is that they are still merely talking about it nearly 2 years later.
 A Nationals & Liberal State Government will act to have the road restored with Natural Disaster funding.
 Yours sincerely

Andrew Stoner

Email to Melinda Pavey re bush fire at Spicketts Creek David Wallin <treeferns34@gmail.com>

Jun 1

to Melinda

Dear Ms Pavey

A bush fire has been burning over an area of 360 hectares, which started on Helliwells road Missabotti about a week ago.

It burned through  inaccessible country including the closed Bellingen road.

It has been contained, but in Spicketts Creek we could see the flames coming down the hill towards our property. Two recently arrived owners in the front line of the fire moved out.

I have written to you previously about the need to reopen the Bellingen road and the main argument is the danger of bush fires, and I pointed out to you that Andrew Stoner promised to do this in 2011 from Natural Disaster Funding. (see below)

There has been some progress with all the local authorities, RFS, National Parks, Forestry and including RMS supporting rebuilding the road  as a fire trail to the standard of a Category 1 Fire Tanker (13 tonnes).

This current fire, which started as a controlled burn, demonstrates the need for this infrastructure. Bellingen Road was built 130 years ago and provided the starting point for various fire trails and logging trails. Without these the country in inaccessible.

I heard yesterday from Nambucca Shire Council that the proposal is sitting on the desk of the National Party Minister for Roads Duncan Gay, while he calls for another report. Surely the current fire should finally confirm the need for rebuilding the road.

I am copying this email to my neighbours and intend to send it to the local papers.

We expect better from the National Party in providing essential services to the rural community

David Wallin

From: Andrew Stoner <Andrew.Stoner@parliament.nsw.gov.au>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 08:08:15 +1000
To: "treeferns@westnet.com.au" <treeferns@westnet.com.au>
Cc: ElectorateOffice Oxley <ElectorateOffice.Oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au>
Subject: Fwd: Re: Bowraville Road - funding of local roads and progress inspending natural disaster funding

Dear David

Firstly, apologies for the delay in responding.

I have always supported the restoration of the Bowraville-Bellingen Road under Natural Disaster funding arrangements and have consistently lobbied both State and Local Government toward this end.  The great shame is that they are still merely talking about it nearly 2 years later.
 A Nationals & Liberal State Government will act to have the road restored with Natural Disaster funding.
 Yours sincerely

Andrew Stoner