Councillors
Newcastle City Council
City Hall Newcastle Friday, 08 January 2010

Dear Councillor
Bogey Hole & King Edward Park are part of one Land Parcel & are Heritage Items

Parks and Playgrounds Movement is pleased to note the excellent article by Cr John Tate Lord Mayor about the Bogey Hole and coast published in the Herald today 8/1/2010.

Cr Tate indicated that the Bogey Hole and the coast are owned by the Government and Council needs assistance in its management and that the Newcastle Council gave the Land & Property Management Authority $150,000 to prepare a land use plan.

Our coast is a scarce and priceless resource which is held in trust for the people of NSW. Elected Councillors and Members of Parliament as Trustees are expected to do all in their power to protect that scarce resource for the benefit of all people and tomorrow’s people.

In regard to the Bogey Hole it is an integral part of the existing King Edward Park Crown Land parcel. It was formerly part of the 87 acres of the 2000 acre Coal grant to the AA Company retained by the Crown in 1824. King Edward Park including the Bogey Hole was dedicated for Public Recreation in March 1894. The Park has an absolute water frontage and Newcastle Council has exercised care control and management for the whole area since dedication.

We are pleased that the collapsed cliff top fence is now being reinstated and we ask that the safety chain around the pool be also restored. Furthermore we request that rusted out picnic tables be replaced and the stairway to the pool be cleaned and drained at the side.

Parks and Playgrounds Movement believe that it is important that a clear working relationship be maintained between the Department of Lands (Now named NSW Land & Property Management Authority) and the Newcastle Council as in the past.

However we must point out that we are appalled and outraged that our Newcastle Council has allowed itself to be a silent party to a $300,000 dollar report aimed to alienate our scarce coastal lands and change their use against the interests of the public of Newcastle.

We also ask you to make public the details of the Newcastle fee simple land at Merewether that was transferred to the Minister for Lands by gift Aug 2008 in contravention of the covenant running with the land.

We Trust in your help to make sure that our distinctive coastal heritage is protected.
Yours sincerely.

Doug Lithgow Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc