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TWEEDCOUNCILWANTSTOCLOSESECTIONSOFTHERIVERTOTOWINGIMPORTANTINFORMATIONFORYOUTOREAD
TWEEDRIVERESTUARYCOASTALMANAGEMENTPROGRAMME(CMP)SUMMARYOFKEYISSUES
BYTWEEDRIVERUSERSINCORPORATEDEXECUTIVEBACKGROUND:TheTSCTweedRiverEstuaryCoastalManagementProgram(CMP)2020-2030willproviderecommendationsforthefuturemanagementofthisimportantwaterwayandwillfollowNSWgovernmentguidelinesforcoastalmanagement.TheTweedRiverEstuaryisthetidalsectionoftheriver,a35kmstretchbetweentheBrayParkWeiratMurwillumbahandtherivermouthatTweedHeads.TweedRiverUsersInchavebeeninvolvedintheprocessforseveralyears.WearecollectiveofresidentsandbusinessoperatorswhoseobjectivesaretopromotetheinterestsofthecommunityforsaferboatingandimprovedinfrastructureandaccesstotheTweedRiver.WHEREAREWENOW:Acommunityvaluesreportwastabled2yearsagowhichwasasurveyof850peopleonlineand400overthephoneintohowtheyusetheriverandhowtheywouldliketoseeitusedinthefuture.ThisformedsomeoftheopinionintheCMPandnowisyouropportunitytoensureyourvoiceisheardespeciallyifyouagreewiththesilentmajorityofriveruserswhodon’twanttoseesectionsoftheriverclosedtotowingactivities.CertainTweedShireCouncillorshavemadeitclearthattheirpreferenceistoseetheentireriverclosedtomotorisedactivityandvessels.ThecommunityhasuntilOctober30th,2019tomaketheirsubmissionandthenitwillgotoCouncilandtheNSWministerforapprovalandendorsement.TheCMPisover240pagesandhereisasummaryofmainpointsyoucoulduseinyoursubmission.SUBMISSIONS:MostoftheCMPhasvalid,actionableobjectivesthatshouldbeendorsedandimplementedbutthereareseveralpointsthatshouldberemoved.Youareencouragedtokeepyoursubmissionpositiveandofferanalternatetoyourobjection.Item1:ACTIONE3PAGE77ofCMPDevelopapolicyonMotorisedWaterRecreationBusinessesandamendtheTweedLEP2014viaadditionofaclause,toallowfordefinitionandassessmentofMotorisedWaterRecreationBusinesses,withtheintentofbeingconsistentwiththeEnvironmentalValuesandObjectivesoftheTweedRiverEstuaryCoastalManagementProgram.Suchapolicywouldincludenon-commercialorganisedeventsincludingmultipleparticipantsusingmotorisedvessels.
Usingmotorvehiclesasanexample,thisactionisthesameastellingtheMorrisMinorClubofQLDtheycan'tuseaTSCpark,picnictables,toilets,binsandothercouncilassetsbecausetheyareanon-commercial,organizedeventwithmultipleparticipants.Ifthereare“groupsofmotorisedvesseloperators”thataredisturbingthelocalamenityoroperatingvesselsinanunsafeorillegalmanner,thenthereareexistingwaysofhandlingthisviaRMS/Waterwayswhomanagesafetyandregulationontheriver.Notonlyisthispolicyalmostimpossibletoregulateandmanagebutit’svaguewordingcouldleadtointerpretationsthatgroupsofpeoplewhocometocelebrateabirthdayorsimilareventarepreventedfromdoingso.WebelievethisactionisanoverreachbycouncilandnotinthespiritofwhattheOfficeandEnvironmentandHeritageisaskingcouncilstodevelopwithinCMP’s.
TRURESPONSE:Thisaction/clauseshouldberemovedfromtheCMPasthereisnonetbenefittothemanagementoftheriverorimprovementtouseramenityandsafetyifnon-commercialgroupswherebannedfromusingtheriver.
Item2:
ACTIVEUSEZONEPAGE44ofCMPActiveUseZone:UpstreamendofStottsIslandtoCommercialRoadboatramp,Murwillumbah-Thisreachisacknowledgedasahigh-speedtowingareaasitisshelteredfromprevailingwindsandhasagenerallyflatwatersurfaceinmostconditions.However,thereachissubjecttosevereerosion.Significantbankprotectionworkswillberequiredtoensurethatcontinuedwakegeneratingboatuseinthisareaissustainable,howeverbankstabilisationworksmustbedesignedandconstructedinawaythatprotectsvisualamenityandmaximisesecologicalbenefits.Thecreationofspeciallocationsfortowingsports,inconjunctionwithprotectedbanks,wassupportedby70%ofresidentsinthecommunitysurvey.NovesselsrestrictionsaboveexistingRoadsandMaritimeServiceregulationsareadvocatedinthisarea.ThereareinaccuraciesinthedatareportedwithintheCMPwhichmayleadthereadertobelievetheTSCproposedactionissupportedbyalargenumberofrespondentswheninfactitisn’t.WhilstTRUsupportthebankstabilisationworksweareconcernedabouthowthedataisbeenreported.Aspertable3.2below,70%ofphonerespondentssupportedthecreationofspeciallocationswhereasonly53%onlinesupportedthecreationofthesezones.TRUIncisconcernedthatthetoneandwordingofthisquestioncouldbeinterpretedassupportforthecreationofspeciallocationsfortowingsportswhichcouldalsobeinterpretedastheclosureofsectionsoftherivertocreatecharacterzonesisequallysupported.TheCMPshouldbechangedtoreflectthetrueresultsofthesurvey.
TRURESPONSE:BankstabilisationworksaresupportedalongtheriverbutthereisnosupporttostoptowinginareasidentifiedintheCMP.Wewouldsupportincreasedsignage,educationandregulationoftheriverassuppliedbythosewhomanagetheriver,RMS/Waterwaysashistoryhasshownincreasedawarenessprogrammeshaveimprovedboatingsafetyanddriverunderstandingoftheenvironment.Forexample;awarenesscampaignsaroundlifevestsandsafetyequipmenthaveseenanimprovementinvesseloperator’sbehaviour.Increasedawarenesscampaignsofpreferredtowingareaswouldbemorebeneficiallongtermthanimposingablankedbanoncertainactivities,andnotothers.
Item3:
L6CONFLICTBETWEENRIVERUSERSPAGE157ofCMPTheCMPstatesthatithascompletedseveraldetailedstudiestoaddressknowledgegaps.TRUdoesn’tfeelthisisthecasewhenthereareanumberofunsupportedassumptionsthathavebeenmadeintheCMP.Forexample…..Conflictbetweenriverusers–primarilyalackofseparationbetweencompatibleuses(e.g.towingversusnatureappreciation/conservation;andpoweredcraftversusswimming/diving).Thisissueisexacerbatedthrougharestrictednumberofaccesspoints,highdemandatexistingfacilitiesandnon-compliancewithexistingmanagementandregulations.Asclearlydemonstratedinthegraphsbelow,conflictofusesontheriverisn’talargeissueforthecommunityandonly9%or114peoplefromthe1263surveyedfeltitwasabigissuewhenaskedtorespondtocurrentorotherissuesontheriver,thesameamountofpeoplewhoareconcernedaboutreducinglitteranddebrisontheriver.Whenrespondentswereaskeddirectlyaboutuserconflictontheriveritwassplitdownthemiddlecloseto50/50,hardlyamajorissuewhenyouconsidersiltingupoftheriverandareductioninfishnumberswereseentobemoreimportant.TRUbelievesthereisbiasfromTSCwhenitcomestothisperceivedissueofriverconflictandtowingactivitieseventhoughthereisnodatatosupportTSC’spremiseinadditontothesurveynumberslikeboatingregistrations,locationusageontheriver,rivervesselcapacityorfiledreportsofconflictswithRMS/Waterways.Ontheland,whenapotentialissueisidentified,detailedtrafficreportsforvehiclesarecommisionedandusedtoestablishactions.TRU’saredisapointedthesamedepthofdetailisnotbeinggatheredandusedtoestablishaneedsbasistoclosedownsectionsoftherivertotowing.Councilsowndatafromthecommunitysurveyshowsthatonly5%or63respondantsfromthe1263inthesurveywanttoseeabanorlimitonwaterskiingorwakeboardingandTRUaremystifiedwhytheywanttoclosedownsectionsoftheriver,withtheassociatedtowingrestrictions,whenitisclearlynotsupportedbysurveyrespondantsorTweedShireratepayers.TheCMPaddressesuserconflictunderKEYISSUESandsummarisesitbysaying:• ThemainhistoricaluserconflictswerebetweenskiersandrowersintheCondongtoMurwillumbahstretch.Butmeasureshadbeentakentomanagetheseissuessothattheyarenolongeraproblem(seecurrentandpastmanagementbelow).Giventhereisaverylowratingforuserconflictontheriver(refertablesbelow)TRUisunsurewhythishasbeenhighlightedasapriorityforcounciltoaddressintheCMPgiventherearesomanymoreactionableissuesthatcommunityhasaskedforittoaddress.TRURESPONSE:TheCMPcontainsabiasofuserconflictasanissueontheriver.TRUbelievesthisisnotthecasefromourownpersonalexperiencesnorisitreflectiveinthecommunitysurvey.Itseemsthatthisperceptionofuserconflictisoneofthemotivatorsincreatingcharacterzonesandseekingthebanontowingactivities.WhilstTRUrespectthatsomepeopledoexperienceconflictandthatweshouldnotignorethoseconcerns,giventhelownumberofpeoplewhoidentifywiththisissueandthatthereisnoevidencefromRMS/MaritimetobackupthisdataorshowthereareyearonyearupwardtrendsthenreferencestothisasaKEYISSUEshouldbe‘toneddown’withintheCMP.TRUbelieveseducationandincreasedregulationoftheperceivedhotspotsand/orboatrampflyerdropsonaregularbasisarebetterlong-termsolutionstoreducinguserconflictontheriver.
How c.oncerned are you about the following aspec.ts of the river?
(r,"405)
■ Nol at all COIIC=t:d • Not vr,v conccmcd ■ Vitt)' conc rned
Olfflcu l tv accessing the river for recreational boating
The spread of rock walls for eros ion protection
Oifflcultv accessing public foreshore on the river bank
Confll,u between passive and motorised recreational uses
Lack of foreshor vegetation
Siltation and/or s;ind bulld up
Poor water quality
Bank erosion
Re duct io n in fish numbers or species
Table 3.1: Levels of concern, CATI vs. online Low/no concern High concern
CATI Online CATI Online
Siltation and/or sand build up 43% 55% 57% 45% Bank erosion 27% 37% 73% 63% Reduction in fish numbers or species 25% 38% 75% 62% Poor water quality 44% 49% 56% 51%
Lack offoreshore vegetation 53% 50% 47% 50%
Difficulty accessing the river for recreational boating 77% 63% 23% 37%
Conflicts between passive and motorised recreational uses 49% 45% 51% 55%
The spread of rock walls for erosion protection 65% 61% 35% 39%
Difficulty accessing public foreshore on the river bank 69% 58% 31% 42%
Based on your ob servation s, do you beli eve the re ar e an y ot her curr ent issu es or p r obl e m s w i th t he Tw eed Ri v er?
(n=1263, CATI+ online, multiple onswer:; ollowed}
Improved occe:;s-focilities/mointenance
Limiting riller/bank erosion
Resollllng con/I/ct between users
Reducing litter/debris/pollution entering the river
Qvercommerciolisotion/growth
Riller speed limit/speedboats
Bonning or limiting jetskling
Banning or limiting water skiing/wake boording
Good as it is/no issue5
Better enforcement of rules
Flooding effect5 ond mitigation £. Overuse of river by Queens/anders '.Wl\:.
Edurotion/eco conservation :a;:;.2EZ
NB • 4"4
of rtS pondents
Problem with siltation --
Weed/pest control
Other
f'rs pondtd •no· or chose not to an.swrr
2" 4% 6" 10" 12% 14" 16,
46 " 31"
35 " 34"
19 " 23"
14 " 29"
47"
Item4:
E1CREATIONOFCHARACTERZONESPAGE54ofCMP
Recommend to NSW Roads and Maritime Services that the character zones recommended in the Recreational Use Strategy be reflected in the review of the Tweed Estuary Boating Plan 2010, in particular, the inclusion of the following restrictions: • create a no-tow zone within the “Conservation Zone “ (Stotts Island) to prevent wake damaging sensitive environmental habitat, whilst increasing the areas suitability for tranquil and passive recreational uses; and • extending the no ski/tow zone within the “Restoration Zone” (Bray Park Weir to Commercial Road Boat Ramp) to reduce the risk of further wake induced bank erosion, and increase the likelihood of existing erosion being able to be stabilised with bioengineered works, whilst increasing the areas suitability for tranquil and passive recreational uses.
TRUdonotsupportthecreationofcharacterzonesintheCMPasshownasE1onpage54.
ThecreationofCharacterZoneswillnotimproveboatingsafetyontheriverforvesselsthattow,infactitwillcreatemoreturningpointsforvesselspotentiallyputtingtheminconflictwithothervesselsandotherriverusersasboatshavetoturnawayfromwhatwouldbeanogozonefortowingactivitiesbutathruzoneforvesselsnottowing.
TheCMPandotherTSCdocumentsincorrectlycategorisestowingactivitiesasa‘riskoffurtherwakeinducedbankerosion’wheninfactavesseltowingsomeoneonatube,kneeboard,ski,wakeskateandevenawakeboardcanproduceless‘waveforce’thanacommercialtouristvesselorfishingboat.TRUhasdemostratedthisinpreviouspresentationsandwearehappytodemonstratethiswithalivedemonstration.
Thereisnosupportforthecreationofcharacterzonesinthecommunitysurveyandthemajorityofrespondentssupporttowingactivities.
NationalParksandWildlifewhomanagetheStottsIslandreservehavepublishedthefollowingmanagementplanfortheIsland:
SoilandHydrology:Thebanksoftheislandareerodingontheupstreamsidewhilstdepositionisoccurringonthedownstreamside.SiltationanderosionhaveprobablyincreasedfollowingsettlementandlandclearingintheTweedValley.
DesiredOutcomes:Naturalerosionandhydrologicalprocessesareallowedcontinue.ThereisnodisturbancetofringingnativevegetationonStottsisland.
TRURESPONSE:ThereisnocommunitysupportforthecreationoftheproposedCharacterZonesandTRUdon’tbelievethecreationofacharacterzonewillimproveboatingsafetyasitwillconcentratetowingactivitiesinasmallersectionoftheriver.Bankerosionisnotprimarilycausedbytowingactivitieswhichisonlyasmallcontributingfactorwhencomparedtotidal,wind,animalandfloodmovements.Theproposedzonewillnot“increasetheareassuitabilityfortranquilandpassiverecreationaluses”whenothermotorvesselswillstillhaveaccesstothisareawhichcanstillcreateasbigorbiggerwakeforcethanavesselthatistowing.TRUbelieveseducationandincreasedregulationoftheperceivedhotspotsand/orboatrampflyerdropsonaregularbasisarebetterlong-termsolutionstoreducingtowingactivitiesintheStottsIslandareaIFitisprovedthatthereisasafetyissueforvesseloperators.
Item5:
E1CREATIONOFRESTORATIONZONEPAGE54
Extendingthenoski/towzonewithinthe“RestorationZone”(BrayParkWeirtoCommercialRoadBoatRamp)toreducetheriskoffurtherwakeinducedbankerosion,andincreasethelikelihoodofexistingerosionbeingabletobestabilisedwithbioengineeredworks,whilstincreasingtheareassuitabilityfortranquilandpassiverecreationaluses.(refertablebelow)TRUdonotsupporttheextensionofanotowzoneintheCommercialRdBoatRampareaasshownintheCMPThisactionwillnotimproveriversafetyorreducetheriskoffurtherbankerosionasprovedbyvariousreportsthatshowtidal,wind,animalandfloodmovementsarethemajorcontributortobankerosion.
TRUbelievesthattheclosureofthisareaasanotowzonewillpushtowingactivitydowntherivertowardstheMurwillumbahRowingClubareacreatinganincreaseinvesselandusertrafficwhentheidealmanagementofuseractivityistospreaditoutacrosstheriverandnotconcentrateactivitiesinacertainarea.Weareofthebeliefthatthereisnonetgainbyclosingthisareaandwillcreatesafetyissueforallriverusers.WeendorseextendingthetowableareaupstreamfromtheDunbibleCreektoBrayPark.
TRURESPONSE:Thereisnocommunitysupportforthecreationoftheproposedrestorationzone.TRUdoesnotbelievethecreationofarestorationzonewillimproveboatingsafety,infactitwillconcentratetowingactivitiesdownstreaminfrontoftheRowingClubprecinct.Bankerosionisnotprimarilycausedbytowingactivitiesandisasmallcontributingfactorwhencomparedtotidal,wind,animalandfloodmovements.Theproposedrestorationzonewillnot“increasetheareassuitabilityfortranquilandpassiverecreationaluses”whenothermotorvesselswillstillhaveaccesstothisareawhichcanstillcreateasbigorbiggerwakeforcethanavesselthatistowing.
CLOSINGCOMMENTS:
Inclosing,TRUbelievesthatpublishingtheCMPpriortoanupdatedTweedEstuaryBoatingPlanfromtherelevantNSWagencyisprematureasTSCarenotthegoverningauthorityoftheriverwhenitcomestosafetyandregulation.FurthermoreTRUisatalosstounderstandwhyTSCcontinuestowasteratepayersmoneyinproducingadocumentandrecommendationsthatarenotnecessarilyfoundedonfactorsupportedbytheratepayersofTweedShireandultimatelymaynotbesupportedbytheNSWauthoritygoverningtheestuary.Finally,TRUbelievethatsafetyforallriverusersshouldbethenumberonepriority.Inthisregardthecurrentmanagementandoperationoftheriverhasworkedwellwithveryfewreportedaccidentsovertheyears.TRU’sgreatestfearsfromTSC’sexhibitedCMParearoundtheproposedcreationofthe“CharacterZones”potentiallyleadingtoconfusionamongstwatercraftusersthusincreasingthepotentialforconflictsandaccidents.