Regarding Ballina Council’s warnings of tidal flooding in various streets in the Ballina Shire (
Echo online,12 January). For several decades we have been trying to stop Ballina Shire Council filling in all wetlands and swamps around Ballina Island.
A drive around Ballina town will show all the areas ‘reclaimed’ from swamp and wetlands. The following are a few – Banyanda Estate, Harvey Norman near the airport, the industrial land near the airport, INXS area, housing estate near Aldi, caravan parks of West Ballina, Over 55s estate near Bunnings – all on lowlands.
The new development proposed for the old Ferryboat Motel site on Burns Point Ferry Road for up to 400 manufactured homes is a prime example of existing flood area. Entry into the motel was considered hazardous after heavy rain and king tides – just observe the flooding in the school near Bunnings, water has been an ongoing problem there for years.
Clive Quick, Rous
For around 20 years my wife and I have tried to protect Marom Creek Weir and groundwater from pollution and destruction. Recent action included stopping the Water Bottling fiasco on the Alstonville Plateau with the help of the Alstonville residents. This included letter drops, interviews with the Chief Scientist and his team.
We have watched intensive nurseries releasing their untreated waste water (nutrient, algae, farm chemicals etc.) into watercourses passing through our property flowing into the Marom Creek Weir for the last four days – and over 30 times in the last 15 years.
Ballina Council inform us that, in a Water Catchment Zone, Council ‘cannot and will not guarantee the quality and quantity of the runoff from [x} Nursery’.