the
THE TWEED
s t ar
www.tweedecho.com.au Volume 3 #48 Thursday, August 11, 2011 Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 editor@tweedecho.com.au adcopy@tweedecho.com.au 21,000 copies every week CAB AUDIT
P.17
LOCAL & INDEPENDENT
Terranora project an ‘overdevelopment’ Steve Spencer
Plans to build nearly 1,800 multi-storey homes on a hillside overlooking Terranora Broadwater have been put on public display as a battle brews over a bid to move a section of an access road into wetland to squeeze more housing sites in. The 296-hectare greenfield-site project, called Area E, is bounded by Mahers Lane, Terranora Road, Fraser Drive and the broadwater, and will eventually house 4,000-plus new shire residents.
Farmland rezoned It was once prime agricultural land, famed for its tomatoes, but was earmarked for housing two decades ago and rezoned by the NSW government in 2007. Cr Katie Milne described it as an overdevelopment of the site and said she was concerned about the project’s effect on water quality in the broadwater and adjacent wetlands, and about the bid to have a portion of the access road shifted into wetland zoned for environmental protection. The road’s route is likely to be decided by a vote of Tweed councillors later this year or early next year. ‘What we are getting is housing density with urban sprawl. The whole hillside will be planted with houses and there has been a lack of community engagement on the issue,’ she said. ‘It shows a lack of respect for the community by not involving them in the decision making. ‘In other shires a project which will increase the population by 200 people is a big issue, but here we have plans for an extra 4,000 people, a minitown, and the issue is pretty well set in concrete.’
Cr Milne suggested wildlife corridors be created around the development. ‘Around Cobaki Broadwater there are 644 species of animals and I would assume Terranora Broadwater has about the same,’ she said. Deputy mayor Barry Longland also said the alignment of the access road was the most contentious issue, with a push to squeeze an extra eight to 10 home sites out of the project. But he said he was mostly pleased with the plans. ‘I will be seeking to keep the road alignment where it is [outside the wetland]. I think the development code adopted at the last council meeting is quite robust. It respects and seeks to protect the fragile ecology near the broadwater,’ he said. ‘It is a thorough document in terms of respect for the site. It provides adequate provision for open space and is well designed.’ Cr Longland said the land’s agricultural value was not an issue for councillors as the farmland was rezoned years ago. He said construction on the site’s steep slopes would be monitored to make sure developers do not undertake unauthorised excavations. ‘There are restrictions on cut and fill work,’ he said. Council’s director of planning Vince Connell said the access road, to be named Broadwater Parkway, had taken various routes during the planning process, but council planners had recommended against placing it though the environmental protection zone. ‘The applicant believes he had a previous agreement with council,’ he said.
Photo Jeff Dawson
Kicking in for Tweed’s Kenyan son Albert Elzinga
When Kenyan orphan, Sam Macharia (pictured), joined his mates and started playing soccer in the slums of the capital Nairobi, he never imagined his favourite sport would eventually take him to Australia. However, Sam’s luck changed when he met Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program (TKMP) coordinator Olita Ongonjo some five years ago at a soccer tournament in Nairobi. Olita was impressed by the youngster’s soccer skills, his volunteer work and his pleasant and engaging personality and offered the youngster the required support to come to Australia on a three-month cultural exchange continued on page 2 visit.
Murwillumbah couple Bernie and Sandra Zietlow took Sam in and after some early language problems, he became the family’s much-loved ‘fourth son’. Sam applied to have his threemonth visa extended and after nine months in the country he decided he wanted to stay and applied for a longer visa. Initially Sam was asked to return to Kenya but in October 2007 he arrived back in Australia with a five-year visa stamped in his passport. Sam said he loved his new life in Australia and was particularly impressed with the beautiful beaches in the Tweed. ‘I had never seen a beach before I came here,’ he said. Sam’s ‘second dad’ Bernie said that when he took him to the beach for the first time, Sam was utterly mesmerised by the crashing waves and didn’t want to leave his new favourite place. Sam, now 16 years old, attends Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School and plays soccer for Murwillumbah Football Club.
His soccer skills attracted the attention of the Gold Coast’s premier soccer team, Gold Coast United, and Sam has already trialled for the club. Sam hopes to get a spot in the club’s A-league side and trains daily to achieve his goal. A fundraising effort at the start of Sam’s stay helped the Zietlows pay for some of Sam’s study costs; however, the money is about to run out.
Soccer tournament To cover some of the impending bills associated with Sam’s stay, the Zietlows have organised a charity soccer tournament for this Saturday, August 13. The event, billed as the Great Nairobi/Tweed Kenyan Six-a-Side Tournament, will double as a farewell party for Olita Ongonjo who has recently attained a masters degree in integrated water management at the University of Queensland and will soon be leaving for Kenya to continue his work with the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program (TKMP).
ABN 82 087 650 682
<echowebsection=Local News>
continued on page 2
AC L N o . 2 4 1 0 0 0