Published in the Pittwater Online News
Member for Pittwater Rory Amon has called on the Minns Labor Government to keep their promise and rule out ‘Airbnb’-style accommodation on Barrenjoey Headland. The call follows a draft Plan of Management prepared by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2022 which allowed the heritage listed buildings on Barrenjoey Headland to be turned into ‘Airbnb’-style accommodation.
“During the recent election campaign, I secured vital concessions from the then Liberal Government that the Boatman’s Cottage would be maintained as a residence for the local caretaker, that the road to the top of the Headland would not be upgraded to allow for commercial activity on the Headland, and that a Strategic Reference Group with residents included would be formed to determine and finalise the Plan of Management,” said Mr Amon.
Prior to the March 2023 election, then Shadow Minister, the Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC and Labor candidate for Pittwater, Jeffrey Quinn, attended a January 2023 rally – both ruling out the proposed commercialisation of Barrenjoey Headland and leaving locals under no illusion that there would be no ‘Airbnb’-style accommodation at Barrenjoey under a Labor Government a statement from the the Pittwater MP reads
“Since the election, I have questioned the Labor Government about whether they will rule out ‘Airbnb’-style accommodation on the Headland. Labor have broken their promise to scrap the plan and have put commercialisation of the Headland back on the table, advising Parliament that “options for heritage buildings [on Barrenjoey Headland] will be considered by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage when reviewing the final plan of management.” Mr. Amon said.
The Member for Pittwater is speaking of a question tabled by him on May 9th 2023:
In relation to the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves Draft Plan of Management:
(1) When is the Plan of Management due to be finalised? (2) Will the proposal for the permissibility of short-stay visitor accommodation at Barrenjoey Headland be removed from the Plan of Management prior to it being finalised? (3) Will the proposal for the permissibility of short-stay visitor accommodation at any other locations covered by the Plan of Management also be removed prior to the document being finalised?
The answer received on June 13th 2023 was
(1) A new plan of management for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is being finalised for the Minister for the Environment and Heritage's consideration in the near future. (2) The heritage value of buildings at Barrenjoey Head and other locations within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park will continue to be protected by any new plan of management. Management options for heritage buildings will be considered by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage when reviewing the final plan of management. (3) See response to Question 2.
The ambiguity in the response has renewed concerns in the community that the last open to all and accessible to all historic lighthouse in NSW may be removed from public hands for private users.
Assoc. Professor Ricard West AM, President of the Palm Beach Whale Beach Association, spoke to Pittwater Online News last week, stating,
''Palm Beach & Whale Beach Association (PBWBA) is concerned to learn that Penny Sharpe, as the Minister responsible for NSW National Parks, appears to be wavering in her commitment against commercialisation of the heritage listed Lighthouse Keepers' cottages on Barrenjoey Headland Palm Beach.''
''At the January 2023 Rally organised by PBWBA to protest against the then Liberal State Govt’s plan to develop the cottages for short term holiday accommodation, we were honoured to have Ms Sharpe, a long time political crusader for fairmindedness, as a guest speaker. Ms Sharpe reminded the large crowd that it was a Labor government that produced the Conservation Management Plan for Barrenjoey Headland in 2002. Speaking about it at the rally, she said:
‘…it was decided then that this was a special place and wasn’t to be commercialised or privatised.’
Read the full article at https://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/Reply-to-Barrenjoey-Headland-query-raises-concerns.php
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