Ed,

Since the demise of the Daily Examiner, I am eager to read the Letters to The Editor in the Clarence Valley Independent Newspaper which is our only printed avenue to express our discontent with issues effecting the valley. I am continually surprised that at the most there are only two or three letters per issue.

Recently I had the opportunity to rent a small cottage at Yamba towards the main beach area. When I walked along Clarence Street, I noticed that the majority of buildings on both sides of the road are accommodation facilities. Where have all these residents gone as “people” keep the town bubbling along in the off season?

The housing developments as one drives along the main road to Yamba contain the cardboard houses which are popping up around the country and do little to enhance and add to the ambiance of this unique seaside village.

Before I go on with the thrust of my letter, I would like to say that in years to come houses with character, gardens and colour schemes other than grey or white will be in high demand. I like to drive down some of the streets in Grafton which don’t have cardboard houses contained in the streetscape.

I can imagine in bygone years; residents would sit on their front verandas and have discourse with passers by.

I refer to John & Rae McNamara’s letter to the editor (CVI 6/12/23) which highlighted the proposal for 12m high-rise buildings for the Yamba Hill area bounded by Church and Clarence streets, Pacific Parade and Yamba Street and 18m for the CBD.

Yamba has always been regarded as a great seaside town to spend holidays whether you are local or the travelling public. What council is proposing is ludicrous and lacks forethought for the coming generations who should flock here because it is special.

A few years ago, my wife and I decided to travel to the Sunshine Coast to soak in the atmosphere and in particular revisit Noosa Heads. It is just the same as most of the towns in that area with cardboard houses, large shopping centres with all the usual outlets which are contained in traveller’s home towns.

What a shame!  In the past, these places had great character.

Come on all Valley Residents! Have a say through the printed media on this very important matter and keep this avenue in mind when you want to express an opinion other than those which are being fed to us by our elected councillors. Our valley forefathers got a lot of things right, however, they would turn in their graves if they saw what has, and is, to become of Yamba.

Kevin Walter, Waterview Heights