Rodney Stevens

It was standing room only at Yamba’s Wooli Street hall on Saturday as Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann joined concerned residents at a public meeting convened by Valley Watch to illustrate concerning developments on the floodplain.

Attendees learned of Valley Watch’s activities, raising awareness of development on the West Yamba floodplain since it first became an issue under the former Maclean Shire Council in 1995.

In acknowledgement of the traditional owners in Naidoc week, Yaegl elder Ken ‘Fox’ Laurie performed a Welcome to Country, while boards were placed on the side of the hall for concerned residents to write down their ‘Questions, Ideas and Issues.’

Long-term Valley Watch member Ros Woodward then gave a background on the organisation and its activities.

“In 2006 when the West Yamba issue was brought to my attention it raised a lot of questions and concerns,” she said.

“Now those questions and concerns are becoming our reality.

“In 2009 the highway got approved, free fill was available and trucks started rolling in.”

At the time, Ms Woodward said Valley Watch learned 130 million cubic metres of fill was to be brought into Yamba every six minutes, eight hours a day, five days a week for six years, by truck.

Past Valley Watch President, meeting coordinator President Helen Tyas Tunggal said Valley Watch had spoken to the flood enquiry, wrote to all local politicians, made zoom presentations to council and submissions to the flood rebuilding commission.

She said Lismore MP Janelle Saffin made Valley Watch aware of the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction which aims to achieve the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries until 2030.

Ms Tyas Tunggal presented an array of images and maps featuring everything from drainage plans to development areas, illustrating the numerous planned developments on Carrs Drive, how they are currently impacting homes and the potential future problems that could arise.

She said in 1995 when Maclean Council commenced planning for West Yamba, Valley Watch argued the area was flood prone, likely to be impacted by climate change and contained sensitive ecosystems. 

A scientific report which followed found there were seven different endangered ecological communities, Ms Tyas Tunggal said, in the area.

West Yamba resident Ryan said he spent 200 hours trying to understand the local environment and development control plans after battling flooding since 2.4 metres of fill went in on Carrs Drive behind his property, creating a stormwater dam.

He showed videos of clear stormwater flooding his property and dozens of homes on Yamba Road impacted by floodwater, which he claims was influenced by the Carrs Drive landfill.

“It really was a mistake approving this…its not suitable for landfill expansion,” he said.

“I hope council understand and acknowledge this.”

Clarence Valley councillors, Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy, Cr Bill Day and Cr Karen Toms attended the meeting, while an apologies were received by Cr Steve Pickering, and Cr Debrah Novak, who was unable to attend at the last minute.

Following the acknowledgement Valley Watch’s 1500 plus signature petition calling for a Masterplan for West Yamba, Cr Clancy informed the meeting council staff were preparing a document that will be presented at the August Council meeting. 

The meeting then heard about the experiences in the 2022 floods of Mal and Karen from Endeavour Street, who said it was the first time the length of their street was cut by water and Mick of Susan Street, who said he had never seen flooding come this far up the street.

A resident of Golding Street, Jeremy spoke of the flaws he had identified in a BMT flood study concerning a proposed 22 site development on a horse paddock behind the Grevillia Waters Over 50’s Lifestyle Community.

“West Yamba in itself acts as sort of a water retarding basin for the rest of Yamba, that will no longer happen (if Carrs Drive is filled for developments),” he said.

With the proposed West Yamba bypass to join Deering Street, Ryan also said there would be a huge amount of drainage work required to prevent damming in what is a natural floodway.

Valley Watch member Lynne Cairns then presented the group’s concerns about a proposed 136 moveable home development at 8 Park Avenue, Yamba.

Originally approved as a 21 lot subdivision, the plans by developer Hometown would see fill brought into what is currently land east of Wattle Park, between Wattle Park and Sores Dr, to at least a height of 1.6 metres above the previously filled level averaging 1.6m AHD.

Mrs Cairns showed images and videos of how the drainage around the Park Avenue site is already woefully inadequate, flooding numerous surrounding houses in streets including Telopea Ave, The Halyard, Barbara Close, Park Avenue, Shores Drive and Yamba Road.

“There are still five homes in Yamba Road that are uninhabitable due to stormwater damage,” she said.

“There’s going to be new fill behind the Yamba Road prperties, it’s going to be 1.6 metres higher than what’s already there.”

Mrs Cairns said the fill will result in the water flowing to Shores Drive, known as one of the first streets in Yamba to flood.

“This is where all the water is to be funnelled if that subdivision on Park Avenue goes ahead,” she said.

On the east of Shores Drive is the 130 hectare Clarence Estuary Nature Reserve, Mrs Cairns said, which contains 100 native plant species and could also be drastically impacted by the development.

Mrs Cairns urged all concerned residents to write to Clarence Valley Council and request their concerns about the Park Avenue development be passed on to the Northern Regional Planning Panel, who next meet on July 20, before the 2022 NSW Flood Enquiry delivers its report at the end of July.

After the two-and-a-half hour meeting finished, two residents expressed their concerns about the flooding of Orion Drive due to the expansion of Palm Lake Resort, which commenced last month.

Ms Faehrmann, who didn’t speak at the meeting, was on a fact finding tour “to expose some of the worst developments right up and down our beautiful NSW coast,” she wrote on social media.

“My first stop is Bonny Hills near Port Macquarie where a third retirement village is planned smack bang in the middle of koala habitat.

“Then we head to South West Rocks, Scotts Head, Coffs Harbour, Red Rock and Yamba where hundreds of houses are being planned to be built in some of the most flood prone land in the state.

“My office is being absolutely inundated by communities crying for help to stop totally inappropriate developments being approved that will swallow their small coastal villages and wipe out extremely important wildlife habitat.”

She described the plans to build on the Yamba floodplain as ludicrous.

“It was standing room only at a town hall meeting of residents alarmed about the increased flooding risk posed by ludicrous proposals to build upwards of 1500 new dwellings on floodplains and wetlands in their beautiful coastal town,” she said of the Yamba meeting.

“We will no longer let the government get away with ignoring this issue.

Communities say no more development on floodplains, wetlands, coastal swamps and other ecologically sensitive areas.

“It doesn’t matter if DAs have already been approved.

“Community safety must come first.

“No excuses.”