Conservation of North Ocean Shores Inc.
Chronology of NSW Government's Protection of the North Ocean Shores /
Yelgun site.

1985 SEPP 14 Wetlands No. 57 gazetted by NSW Dept. of Planning.

1987 NSW Labor Minister for Planning & Environment places Interim
Conservation Order (ICO) on lands at North Ocean Shores / Yelgun
following bulldozing of culturally significant coastal lands.

1989 Large areas of North Ocean Shores/Yelgun Referenced by NPWS.
N.B. Only areas of high conservation value meet this criteria.

1990 Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Rezoning of Lands at Ocean
Shores, North.
N.B. Commissioner Simpson recommended that the majority of lands be
zoned for environmental protection due to the areas natural and cultural
values.

1990 Survey uncovers 22 Aboriginal Archaeological sites & defines Marshalls
Ridge (Jones Road) as a Ridge of 'High Archaeological Sensitivity' (Navin,
Canberra.)

1994 The Natural and Cultural Values of the North Ocean Shores / Yelgun area,
listed on the Register of the National Estate, Canberra, and is categorised
as an 'Indicative Place'.

1995 NSW Coalition Government acquires 325 ha of SEPP 14 Wetlands for
Nature Reserve.

1995 NSW Labor Government places a 12 month Interim Protection Order over
environmentally sensitive lands at North Ocean Shores / Yelgun.

1995 NSW NPWS Satellite Imagery highlights the Marshalls Ridge wildlife
corridor as the only substantial link of native vegetation connecting coastal
remnants through to the hinterland and World Heritage rainforests of the
Mount Warning caldera.

1996 NSW Labor Government purchases a further 350 ha of environmentally
sensitive lands at North Ocean Shores / Yelgun for additions to the
Billinudgel Nature Reserve.

1996 NSW Labor Minister for Environment extends IPO for a further 12 months
over Wooyung /North Ocean Shores lands.

1997 NSW Labor Government purchases a further 40 ha of culturally significant
land at Wooyung for additions to the Billinudgel Nature Reserve.

 

1997 RTA redrafts section of Pacific Highway Upgrade at Yelgun to avoid
impact on the Billinudgel Nature Reserve and SEPP 14 Wetlands.

1997 NSW Labor Minister of Planning places a ‘Stop-Work Order’ over lands in
the Marshalls Ridge, Jones Road wildlife corridor to halt unauthorised
clearing in habitat areas.

1997 NSW Labor Minister of Planning calls a Commission of Inquiry into the
Rezoning of Lands at North Ocean Shores to resolve issues surrounding
conflicting land use i.e. environmental & agriculture.
N.B. Commissioner Cleland acknowledges the scientific information re.
environmental & cultural significance of the Marshalls Ridge, Jones Road
wildlife corridor, despite its partial degradation. He expanded and
strengthened Byron Council’s draft environmental zonings to prevent
inappropriate development.

1998 NSW Labor Minister of Planning adopts Commissioner Cleland's
recommended zonings for North Ocean Shores / Yelgun and Amendment
51of the Byron LEP is gazetted.

1998 RTA recognises the findings of Cleland COI and invests $3.5 million for a
'Cut and Cover' overpass to maintain connectivity to the Marshalls Ridge,
Jones Road wildlife corridor to enable a safe passage for fauna. This
initiative was the first of its kind in NSW, possibly Australia. RTA invests a
further $1million on fauna mitigation devices i.e. underpasses.

2002 RTA acquires additional lands as 'Compensatory Habitat' in the Marshall's
Ridge, Jones Road locality to enhance the wildlife corridor servicing the
Billinudgel Nature Reserve.

2002 A regionally significant Aboriginal archaeological site is discovered. (Piper
2002)

2002 NSW Labor Minister for Environment issues a 'Stop-Work Order' over the
Marshalls Ridge, Jones Road wildlife corridor to stop clearing.
2002 NSW Labor Minister for Environment issues another 12 months Interim
Protection Order over the Marshalls Ridge, Jones Road wildlife corridor.

2002 NSW Labor Minister for Environment writes to Byron Council reminding it to
enforce Amendment No 51 of its Local Environment Plan.

2002 NSW Fisheries takes landowner to court over unauthorised clearing and the
pollution of the Yelgun Creek. Landowner was convicted and ordered to
rehabilitate.
N.B. Other government agencies e.g. Byron Council, NPWS, Dept. of
Agriculture & NSW Fisheries have spent valuable resources in numerous
court battles defending the high conservation values of the site.

2004 Fire escapes into peat and burns underground for months. (RFS, 2004)
Toxic smoke was reported kilometres away and cases of respiratory
problems, headaches and asthma were reported by the NSW Health
Department. (NRPH & DOCS, 2004)

2004 Fire escapes into Reserve. A Declaration of Emergency [Section 44] was
issued by the NSW Fire Service and cost the State over $1million to control.
50 fire units, five helibombers and 120 firefighters, including crews from the
mid-north coast, battled the fire for 3 days until heavy rain extinguished the
main blaze. An adjacent Primary School and housing estate were
evacuated.

2004 Byron Council incorporates all forested areas and intervening pasture on
the Yelgun site in their wildlife corridor mapping (BSC, 2004). Furthermore,
all forest blocks are mapped as High Conservation Value, Koala Habitat
and Threatened Fauna Habitat. (BCS, 2004)

2005 Director General of the NPWS places a ‘Stop-Work Order’ on lands
within the Marshalls Ridge, Jones Road wildlife corridor at North Ocean
Shores / Yelgun. Landowner ordered to rehabilitate.

2006 Billinudgel Property Pty. Ltd. purchases 2 adjoining properties (256 ha) at
North Ocean Shores and named the site North Byron Shire Parklands.
Billinudgel Property is a consortium of 14 people. One is the owner/Director
of 'Splendour in the Grass' , another is the Executive Producer of 'Loud'' &
'Noise' festivals.

2008 Byron Council approves DA No. 10.2007.462.1 to hold a one-off 'Trial' event
for a Splendour in the Grass festival at Yelgun. (over 1,000 submissions
were received)

2009 Appeal lodged in the L & E Court against Byron Council's approval for a
'Trial' festival. Judge Preston rules that Byron Council's approval of the DA
was 'Invalid and of no effect'.

N.B. IPO's & ICO's are rarely enacted, however, NSW Labor Ministers have utilised
this legislation at North Ocean Shores/Yelgun on several occasions.