2015-04-28 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  28 APRIL 2015


Option 1: Do not construct a recreational/fishing structure for public use at the former
          rope swing location.
  Continue with the plan to rehabilitate the creek bank effectively closing this area to public
    access.
 Continue to monitor the area and provide education signage.
This option adopts a precautionary principle approach to resident’s concerns about a
recreation/fishing structure and mitigates any antisocial impacts a structure provided for public
use in this area may have on the neighbourhood.

It acknowledges local residents concerns and will deliver a good environmental outcome if the
public do not access the creek in this area.

Option 2: Redirect the allocated Capital Works funding to the design and construction of
          a formal access point to the creek at the picnic table location.

This option includes all the above actions outlined in Option 1; and
 Will provide the community with a formal access by way of steps to the creek and a
    canoe/kayak launch for recreational purposes.

Option 2 will achieve the same outcomes as Option 1 and may also direct the public away from
accessing the creek through the newly rehabilitated areas. A formal access point may also help
lessen the number of informal accesses to the creek which are currently fragmenting the riparian
vegetation.


Previous Council Consideration

Design and construction of the proposed structure was approved as a capital works project in the
2014-15 budget process following a March 2014 report to Council which highlighted the
significant bank erosion occurring onsite due to the increased popularity of the rope swings.

The report identified the high level of risk to the public on these public lands due to the current
state of the eroding creek bank, and the erosion occurring around the base of the overhanging
trees used for rope swings. The report suggested these trees are likely to fail in the foreseeable
future which will exacerbate the erosion and lead to further bank collapse.

The report recommended a high level of management intervention was required to address the
erosion and be capable of sustaining higher levels of recreational use in this area in the long
term. The recommendations included:
   removal of the rope swings and tree ladders on an ongoing basis as need arises;
   engagement with the local community in the design and installation of a bank stabilisation
     and access structure for recreational purposes; which would include erosion mitigation
     measures along the most impacted sections of the creek bank;
   closure of the degraded areas for rehabilitation, including fencing (e.g. post and rail) to
     protect vegetation and restrict access;
   a letter box drop to local residents explaining the area needed rehabilitation to prevent major
     erosion and reduce the public safety risk;
   provision of educational signage;
   monitoring of activities and erosion; and
   increased surveillance of the area by Local Laws Officers to ensure compliance with
     camping restrictions in the area.


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