PUBLIC ACCESS TO CAMPERS’ TOILETS
11 February 2020
Cr Fraser – The motion put up by Cr Gill and passed by Council at the 28 January meeting is unduly restrictive. It allows keyed access to Council foreshore toilets to campers and nearby bathing box licensees and their families. Most of these people do not live in the Shire.
Yet our own residents remain shut out of being able to use their own Council toilets on their own foreshores! This is ridiculous. I’ve already had complaints about this. It’s an absurd situation and can’t be allowed to go on.
My notice of motion, if accepted by Council, will open up Council controlled foreshore toilets to year round use by the general public.
Now I have made enquiries in other committees of management areas.
As to Capel Sound I have had an e mail from Wayne Nicholls the Committee of Management manager –
That it has toilets in 4 locations that are open to the public from 7am to after 8pm each day. These are not the camping amenities.
It seems that because of 4 public toilets there is adequate coverage of the Capel Sound foreshore area without opening the campers toilets to the public. This is because they are spaced pretty well along the length of its foreshore.
It currently has portables in one location and it is building a new public toilet block at Truemans Rd foreshore this year and also utilize portables at the boat ramp.
As to the land managed by the Camerons Bight to Sullivan Bay Committee of Management –
A committee member has commented that –
It is developing a “Toilet strategy review” for its Foreshore which will look at a new facility at Sevilles Carpark (above BYS) to assist with demand for Scuba divers and other visitors. It has installed Public toilets at the Hughes Rd picnic area on its Foreshore which are open all year round. It has plans to add all year round public toilets at strategic locations.
The Camping toilets have a “staggered” opening period to minimize its cleaning costs and are only open for the period that particular campground is open. The camping toilets are open to the public (not just campers) for the period that a particular camping ground is open and are open 24/7.
I understand that there are similar public arrangements at Safety Beach with its Committee of Management controlled land.
Clearly further information is required as to the public and sectional use of the foreshore toilets in the areas for which this council is land manager. The motion I propose, as varied, does just that.