2023-11-22

Completion of Black Gully Project

During former Administrator Viv May's tenure, our association was granted a bushfire recovery grant which was administered by Armidale Regional Council. We used these funds to assist Dave Carr of Stringybark Ecological to complete his Stage 3 plan for Black Gully Creek together with a comprehensive Review of Environmental Factors. This finalisation of this plan means that this project has been completed.

This plan is ripe with funding opportunities. This was confirmed in a meeting that Dave Carr and our association recently had with our local member, Mr Adam Marshall.

We hope that Armidale Regional Council, as the manager of the crown land in the Black Gully Creek precinct, will facilitate and perhaps play a lead role in applying for appropriate grants such as the State Government's Pedestrian Access Management plan and the Crown Lands Reserves Improvement Fund.

2022-06-14

Visions for Armidale Creeklands submission on regional water strategies

Submission to DPIE on North Coast (which includes Armidale) water strategies. Among other things, we argued for the expansion of Malpas Dam (Armidale’s main water supply). We noted the coastal bias of this document which is primarily focused on the coastal rivers of the North Coast.

One question asked on their form is: do we agree with the water challenges they propose? We answered:

We could have answered yes, but the only chance provided by your form restrictions to offer some points was to answer 'No'.

So, yes, we can agree with challenges 1, 2, 5 and 6 but, from our perspective, challenge 6 is of greatest concern to our city. Of course, regarding challenge 1 (declining catchment and river health), we point out that what happens with water on the Tablelands impacts on coastal water. Naturally, challenge 3 (saltwater intrusion) is not of relevance to us on the Tablelands and challenge 4 seems to us to be a 'politically correct' challenge that will require much more involvement of Aboriginal communities to be effective.

It seems to us that, whilst this 'North Coast' region includes a tableland city such as Armidale, it is almost as an afterthought. Yes, most of our city drains towards the coast, but why would not DPE consider a region such as Northern Tablelands which could more appropriately focus on issues faced by inland and upland cities such as Armidale - which do not have major rivers flowing through them? We do not receive the high rainfalls typical of the coastal areas which are the prime focus of this draft plan.

How much water should be provided to sustain and allow the growth of any city in the State? How is it calculated? Is there equity between the provision of water for coastal cities and those inland? We assume that it depends on a city or town's population, changes in population, average rainfall, variability of rainfall, size and quality of water storages, catchment of water storages, need for environmental flows, etc. etc. Why is this sort of information not provided in a transparent fashion so that citizens across the State can see that we are being treated equitably?

It seems to us that this draft plan is too focused on the coast and will mean that our tableland city will receive very little attention in the broad scheme of these DPE plans made within your State-wide bureaucracy in Parramatta.

It is nearly 60 years since Armidale's most recent water reservoir - Malpas Dam - was constructed. In the most recent drought of 2019 - which was unprecedented and catastrophic in our region - we learned the hard way of the severe limitations of this reservoir for our city, particularly if it wishes to grow.

So, we wish to bring to your attention the need not only to create a more secure supply of drinking water for our city and region but also to plan for the supply of sufficient environmental flows which can keep our local streams healthy even during drought. This is especially important to Armidale as its main stream, Dumaresq Creek, was dammed 13 km upstream way back in 1898. Lamentably, there is no plan to provide environmental flows which could sustain the health of our waterways and also provide a source of water for irrigating playing fields without impacting on the supply of drinking quality water for the city.

We believe the fact that your form design does not provide a space for a link to our community association, is regrettable. Please visit our website (https://www.armidalecreeklands.org.au/) to find more explanation about our association's views on water for Armidale's creeklands.

2021-11-18

Points made by Visions for Armidale Creeklands at meeting with ARC managment

In November 2021, our association was invited to meet with ARC management to discuss some of our concerns especially with the implementation plans for Stage 1 of the Creeklands Master Plan. In the interests of transparency, here is a 1-page summary of the points we put to that meeting.

We continue to seek representation as a community group to work with Council to implement the Creeklands Master Plan in the best manner possible. We remind readers that recommendation 2 of the adopted Armidale Creeklands Master Plan is: “Working group. Establish an expanded working group of stakeholders (including external or transient organisations or users) to regularly meet to continue project momentum”.

2021-11-11

Visions for Armidale Creeklands members’ views of Stage 1 implementation plans

Survey of members’ ranking of 20 items in proposed implementation of Stage 1 of Armidale Creeklands Master Plan (including page 153 described below). This feedback from our members shows quite a ‘luke-warm’ response to the plan developed and adopted by Council. The comments from members suggest areas where the plan could be improved. Our association awaits an oppurtunity to engage with Council in developing plans which will be better supported by the community.

2021-08-25

Stage 1 - Proposed Works and Indicative Costs

Implementation Plan - Stage 1 - Proposed Works and Indicative Costs (Council document - page 153). This document shows Council’s approved budget detailing the planned expenditure on the $3m awarded by the State Government for the ‘Dumaresq Creek Rehabilitation stage 1 Work Plan’.

2021-08-25

Appointment of NSW Public Works to manage creeklands restoration

Pages (5) from Council meeting Agenda (August 25, 2021) which shows appointment of NSW Public Works Advisory to project manage the NSW DPIE Public Spaces Legacy project - Armidale Creeklands Restoration. This document states in part: “Community Outcome 1: Maintain and improve local waterways, lagoons and creek lands in partnership with community groups and other agencies.” To date (September 2022) our association has not been invited to discuss any of this Stage 1 restoration project with Council or with NSW Public Works Advisory. (See highlights we have added to this document concerning items that we feel are noteworthy).

2021-02-24

Visions for Armidale Creeklands presentation to Council

In early 2021, Mayor Ian Tiley, invited our association to make a presentation to Council. Here is a copy of that presentation with a description of our history and what our association wants to see happen along the creeklands of Armidale - it has lots of pictures! We make the point that water is the key to all cities, especially those in inland Australia!

2020-10-28

Community submissions on draft Creeklands Master Plan

All 23 community submissions (including submission from Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc) to the draft Master Plan for the Armidale Creeklands in pages 176-243 of 1235 pages of the ordinary Council meeting minutes of October 28, 2020.

2020-10-28

Recommendations on community submissions adopted by Council

Here are the recommendations that were approved by Council at this meeting. After noting the 23 detailed submissions from the community, only 2 amendments to the Master Plan were accepted (keep the concrete duck pond and the concrete the labyrinth - neither of which our association supports). We deplore that our association’s 16 recommendations were reduced in the report to 1 brief inaccurate statement. You can read Council’s 5-page brief summary of the submissions and recommendations here.

2020-10-28

Adopted implementation plan for Stage 1 of Creeklands Master Plan

Here is the Implementation plan for Stage 1 of the Creeklands Master Plan adopted at the October 28, 2020 Council meeting. It lists the proposed works and indicative costs for Stage 1 of $1,368,000.

2020-09-16

Visions for Armidale Creeklands submission on draft Creeklands Master Plan

Submission by Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc to the draft Creeklands Master Plan. This 7-page submission lists some 16 points supporting and raising concerns about various aspects of the draft plan. (Note that this submission is the same as that included in the above combined submissions from 23 community parties on pages 176-243 of the October 28, 2020 Council meeting).

2020-08-20

Draft Creeklands Master Plan released for comment

Council Administrator, Viv May, authorised release of the draft Armidale Creeklands Master Plan for public comment for a period of 28 days (to September 17, 2020). We wonder why it took Council 2 years to release this draft Plan and yet only provide the community with a 28-day window for comments on this large and complex document.

2019-12-03

Visions for Armidale Creeklands submission to Armidale Regional Plan 2040

Our association’s 15-page submission to the Armidale Regional Plan 2040. We appreciated the opportunity to contribute ideas to this broad plan for the city and commend it to the interested reader. Unfortunately, during the tenure of the Administrator Mr Viv May, this planning process was abandoned. We have never seen any other submissions made to this planning process and so we wonder, what gems might be contained in those unknown number of submissions? We have suggested to Council that It would be in the interests of the community to see those submissions made available via Council’s website.

Here are just a few of our suggestions contained in our submission:

• Water should flow continuously along the creeklands in order to provide a healthy well-oxygenated stream to support all life and enjoyment along this important artery of our city.

• We want to create at least 9 billabongs, wetlands and/or lagoons within the city.

• The creeklands recreational facilities need to be developed to increase their value and use by all residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.

• We suggest that once water is recycled through the city, it will be feasible to provide water for irrigation of grass areas - such as the golf course, the race course and sporting fields - using metered pumps under license from the creek itself. This would avoid the use of potable water for irrigating sporting fields and the racecourse - a practice we feel is most unwise.

• We suggest that all water flows in the catchment be monitored in real time both to help manage risk during flood events and also to maximise the efficiency of water capture, storage and use during non-flood times.

• We encourage the creation of small waterfalls and riffles along the creeklands to help maintain adequate oxygen in the water resulting in a healthy ecosystem.

• Creating deeper ponds or wetlands will help reduce the abundance of native reeds enabling more extensive views of water without exacerbating flooding.

• Our members are in favour of a greater focus being given to magnificent trees along the creeklands, including native trees and those with deciduous colour. This might include a botanic garden.

• We are particularly inspired by creative and safe playgrounds such as the Wild Play garden in Centennial Park.

• We acknowledge the need for the provision of sufficient picnic spots and parking places to enable access to the creeklands

• Our members are in favour of installations of sculptures in parts of the creeklands precinct.

2018-10-03

Draft Armidale Creeklands Master Plan

Draft Armidale Creeklands Master Plan prepared for Council by McGregor Coxall (118 pp) (large file: 13MB). (This report was not released for viewing by the public until August 20, 2020).

2018-04-07

Visions for Armidale Creeklands submission to consultants preparing draft Master Plan for creeklands

Our association’s submission to Council’s consultants (McGregor Coxall) in answer to the 5 areas identified by the consultants.

2017-07-04

Council’s vision for Dumaresq Creeklands

Following our presentation to then Administrator, Dr Ian Tiley (on June 7, 2017), Council released on their website this master vision for Dumaresq creeklands which included Council’s commitment to engage consultants to prepare a draft Creeklands Master Plan.