Tuross residents have shown mixed reactions to the proposed modified layout of a subdivision between Anderson Avenue and Chavel Crescent that borders the Coila Lake foreshore. The subdivision appears to be in two sections with the western section laid out fronting standard roadways that link in with Coila Crescent and Monash Avenue west. Of interest is the fact that it appears the new section of road that meets with Monash Avenue will also be called "Monash Avenue" adding further to the confusion that has long reigned of having two distinct Monash Avenues in the same town that are NOT joined. For many in the community it was hoped that the two sections of Monash would be joined however the Eurobodalla Council Director of Infrastructure has been adamant for over two decades that he would not permit the sections to be joined citing costs and environmental impacts to the wetland it traverses. This proposed plan however flies in face of his argument where the new section of Monash Avenue will be adjacent to the foreshore reserve and only a small section of the entire length of the new Monash Avenue will remain unjoined. At a very well attended public meeting hosted by the Tuross Head Progress Association the local RFS agreed and supported that the town needed an alternate exit route if Hector McWilliam Ave should be cut off due to fire etc (as appeared to be the concern during the recent bushfires). The Association's president has since reminded residents via social media that "the joining of Monash Ave was taken out by council around 15 years ago and that many representations have been made to Council over the years, and in particular the last 12 months regarding this, but they say no". The recent fires saw the reality of potential of Hector McWilliam Drive being cut off as an evacuation path for the residents east of the golf course from Coila Lake to Old Tuross and also saw the immediate removal of trees along Hector McWilliam from Winston Place towards the west. Many in the community were quite astoundanded by this backflip having only recently heard at a public meeting their Council assure the community there was no possibility of fire impacting Tuross and that there was no need to carry out any hazard reduction.
It is noted that Council allowed the dam on the golf course ( a public reserve under their control) to be built that encroaches into what would be the Monash Avenue link road reserve thus compromising the ability to join the two sections without incurring considerable cost.
The other point of interest of this move to construct the extension of Monash Avenue west is that it will suit the imposition of construction of the missing link of concrete cycleway imposed on the developer to run within the proposed road reserve.
The Tuross community has sought to have this missing link from the Coila Bridge to Anderson constructed for two decades, appealing on several occasions to allow the tarack to continue to remain in the community owned foreshore. They have continued to say they would build it at their own cost. Several funding grant opportunities have also gone by that would not have been supported by Council simply because the Council's Director of Infrastructure has insisted that any development in this area would see the cost of the cycleway link imposed on the developer.
It will be interesting to see if such an imposition will stand as this proposal seeks to modify the approved ‘Development Application for Urban Subdivision’ approved on the 3 December 1984.
It is understood that that approved Development Application for Urban Subdivision did not impose the burden of contribution to a cycleway on the developer.
Eurobodalla Council are currently calling for submissions. For more information on the proposed subdivision CLICK HERE
