Coral Bay expansion - will this happen all along the Ningaloo?

Submitted: Thursday, Apr 09, 2015 at 22:39
ThreadID: 117425 Views:2507 Replies:5 FollowUps:5
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While the fight is on the allow the Ningaloo coast stations to have continue managing the coast with low key camping (see recent threads Gnaraloo, Warroora & Ningaloo Stations and Ningaloo Station Under Threat), an announcement of plans to allow 800 more visitor places, mostly caravan and camping sites, at Coral Bay Coral Bay to take more Visitors.

Extracts from above linked news report:

"Coral Bay, one of WA's premier tourist spots and home to internationally recognised Ningaloo reef, will be allowed to accommodate an extra 800 visitors despite concerns for fish stocks and the strain on water, waste disposal and electricity services."

"It proposes to increase the settlement's population cap from 4500 to 5300, mostly caravan and camping visitors."

Is this what would happen to other prime spots along the Ningaloo if the Government 'managed' the whole coastline for tourism development?

When we first visited Coral Bay, there were two caravan parks and I don't thing there was any form of non camping accommodation. This was not a huge amount of visitors; probably several hundred.

Of interest is this thread from 2005 Friends of Ningaloo IMPORTANT. In this the National Liberal Party platform was

"[1]Ningaloo Station remains as a remote camping area
[2] Sanctuaries remain as is,
[3] No land forfeited from the station for development or for extension of the Marine Park
[4] The Station will manage coastal camping and the land component of the Ningaloo Marine Park (current),
[5] No tourist nodes to be developed,
[6] Wilderness fishing accepted. "

with the Labour platform

"[1] Sanctuaries are increased to 92% (on Ningaloo Station Coastline),
[2] Very limited or no fishing,
[3] All of Ningaloo Station forfeited in 2015,
[4] CALM will “manage” the coast,
[5] Five tourist nodes will be established."

Now remind me, who did we vote in? :O


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Reply By: Batt's - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 01:04

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 01:04
Beautiful part of the country I know there are more people wanting to visit this region these days but numbers should be limited or it will end up ruined and overpopulated like a lot of nice coastal towns on the east coast.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 08:30

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 08:30
The reef is fragile to environmental damage, and so close to the coast here. Overuse of the coast will be damaging. But governments take the money and run. Not their problem after the next election.

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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 11:19

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 11:19
Hmmm, my theory is that this is their "plan" to provide for displaced Ningaloo/Warroora campers. We call Coral Bay "Cash Bay", as we always get a bad taste in our mouth after going there to resupply, feeling a bit ripped off by the exorbitant cost of things. We always wonder why people stay in Coral Bay when Ningaloo Station provides so much more peace. But each to their own. You really do need a 4WD trailer to get your gear down onto the station, whereas Coral Bay is more accessible. It just isn't our personal choice and we certainly won't be considering 3 weeks in a CP as an alternative - time to find the next remote spot... or fight harder to help the pastoralists keep the current situation (it is my forecast that they'll win, but I could be wrong this time).
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 13:39

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 13:39
Hi Michelle

The government always has the upper hand; they can take land from us at any time be it pastoral lease or freehold property.

I think they see big $$ signs and envisage a few Coral Bay type developments along this magnificent coast.

There are also people who don't think it fair that they cannot freely access all the coastlines on pastoral leases.

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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Sunday, Apr 12, 2015 at 18:13

Sunday, Apr 12, 2015 at 18:13
Pastoral leases they can take back, the land is leased from the Crown, but private property the amount of legal hoops they have to jump through to 'take' freehold land is significant (rightly so)
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Apr 12, 2015 at 18:35

Sunday, Apr 12, 2015 at 18:35
Don't count on it Road Warrior :O

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Reply By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 12:51

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 12:51
IF - big if perhaps - the current laws relating to super and particularly to taking lump sums are changed or tightened up then campers might be the winners in the longer term. The caravan industry is currently booming driven in large measure I suspect by retirees taking lump sums that go toward buying a van and tug in the pursuit of the great adventure. This in turn is putting pressure on coastal areas, especially in the north where we all like to go for winter - hence the wish to put in ever more caravan parks. Not to mention the ongoing push for the "right" to access free or low cost campsites. Fewer or smaller lump sums might just see a bit of a cooling-off in that market.

As for Ningaloo - would not like to see it turn into another Coral Bay. Agree with you Michelle about CB being very expensive.

Cheers,

Val.
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Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 12:53

Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 12:53
G'day MH,

I find this sort of government activity to be very concerning. It is easy for me to be cynical because we have similar movements here in relation to the Fraser Coast and Island with limits and fees in place for travelling on the beach north of Noosa. The experts say that we are loving the facilities to death and hence the need for these measures but let me make a couple of points,

1) The revenue raised has not resulted in damage mitigation works or better facilities that would limit camper impact. the cost impost seems to merely serve as a deterrent to campers.

2) It is difficult to see the impact of human over loving once a storm has come through. This makes one question to validity of those concerns.

These stories has me thinking I need to visit sooner rather than later. I have signed the petition as my effort to try and stop this.

Kind regards
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Reply By: MARIC - Monday, Apr 13, 2015 at 08:39

Monday, Apr 13, 2015 at 08:39
MH
If you read the news lately our esteemed Minister Redmond or is it Redman, doesn,t recall anything about the Libs promise about the stations retaining the coastal strip, if you had time one should guide him to the parliamentary records to enlighten him. Although they will come up with some Bulls...t twisted reason.
My family and I have stayed at both Ningaloo and Coral Bay and as Michelle our preferences are with Ningaloo where Phil and the Ladies are doing a great job managing the environment, whereas Coral Bay's santitary system is up the proverbial creek
And lastly, the Politicians are there to serve us, the more we can get on social media might embarrass them to recant.
It is only when you see mosquito land on your testicles that you find another way to solve problems without violence

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Apr 13, 2015 at 10:09

Monday, Apr 13, 2015 at 10:09
Thanks Maric. I will try and find a few moments today to email Terry Redman.

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