Landcare Questions Council Decisions After 27 Years of Restoration (2026)

Hastings Landcare are questioning recent decisions by Mayor Roberts and Councillors Maltman, Kirkman and Hornshaw over the future management of the Camden Head Pilot Station area. Dunbogan Bushcare has worked weekly on this site for 27 years to restore bushland, increase biodiversity and prevent erosion. The group says it was not consulted before the Stage 3 area of the Camden Head Lookout Masterplan was removed from its care.

Dunbogan Bushcare is an outstanding example of volunteer dedication. In fact, the group’s work has even been acknowledged in the NSW parliament. The group has chalked up over 16,000 hours of work and planted 8000 trees. Supported by Council staff, the group has made a huge impact transforming ugly weed-ridden sites back to their natural beauty. Many grants enabled contractor funding to speed up restoration. The group’s work in restoring endangered littoral rainforest habitat is regarded as an example of success.

Stage 3 of the Camden Head Lookout Masterplan involves infill planting and maintenance. Landcare members do not understand why the Mayor would take this area away from the group, considering the scope of work Landcare has achieved there and its long-running history of restoring and maintaining the site.

Landcare member, Les Mitchell said, “I was present earlier this year when Sue Baker addressed Council’s Public Forum about this and called for communication lines to be opened. Despite this, in Council’s recent Landcare Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the areas to be worked by each group, Mayor Roberts has taken away from the group the area mapped as Stage 3 in the Master Plan. What a slap in the face to the group! That Mayor Roberts and his three supporters who are elected to represent the whole community, have treated a community group in this way is unacceptable and reflects inappropriate leadership to say the least. I call on you Mr. Mayor, to give a public explanation for your attitude and decision.”

Landcare is also questioning why the Mayor has advanced the Master Plan to an immediate priority ahead of other unfunded projects.  Council’s established prioritisation process should apply equally to all community projects.

Stephen Allwood of Hastings Landcare said, “While we support the Master Plan we do not understand the queue-jumping of this project over other unfunded projects. Council has a prioritisation process for unfunded projects.  Why go above this process and put this particular project on top of the list? It should follow the prioritisation process like all the other unfunded projects.”

Landcare says these decisions were made without any consultation. Stephen Allwood of Hastings Landcare says, “Watching the meeting it was disappointing that these decisions were made with no consultation with Landcare, as a major environmental partner for council, who look after 150 ha of council managed land. It could have been a win, win, win situation for the community if the irresponsible change was not made.”

Dunbogan Bushcare Coordinator, Sue Baker said, “I praise and give thanks to the sub-group of wonderful volunteers lead by Ian Butlin who has managed the weekly working bees there since 2009.”

Landcare is now calling for transparency, proper consultation and a clear explanation from Councillors about the decisions affecting an area that volunteers have worked tirelessly to restore.