4th June, 2024.
View Judy's speech calling on the government to return Yerranderie Airstrip to Council ownership, as part of the second reading of the National Parks And Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.
Mrs JUDY HANNAN (Wollondilly) (20:46): I support the National Parks and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. It is wonderful to hear from both sides of the House about the positive outcomes of this bill. People may or may not know that my electorate covers Yerranderie, a very small, remote village surrounded by the Blue Mountains National Park. The land of Yerranderie was gifted to the government by Val Lhuede about 12 years ago. Val is still alive. She celebrated her 100th birthday last year and, even though it is very late, I am sure she is watching this evening. What excites me most about the bill is that we will have plans of management, because that is something Val asked for when she donated the land and I believe it has not been done for that particular area.
As the person who stands here with the major job of looking after my electorate, I do have some concerns about the bill. I flag that I will be moving an amendment to the bill. It specifically relates to my community and some impacts that are going to be felt by them. Until I move the amendment, that is all I want to say on the bill.
Mrs JUDY HANNAN (Wollondilly) (21:18): I move my amendment No. 1 on sheet c2024-066C:
No. 1 Revocation of certain regional park and national park land in Wollondilly Shire
Page 9, Schedule 1. Insert after line 41—
65Revocation of part of Yerranderie Regional Park and Blue Mountains National Park
(1)This clause applies to approximately 0.68ha of land in the Yerranderie Regional Park and Blue Mountains National Park, identified as "land to be revoked" on a map published by the Minister in the Gazette for the purposes of this clause on 1 August 2024.
(2)On 1 August 2024, the reservation under this Act of the land as a regional park or national park is revoked.
(3)On the revocation of the land as a regional park or national park, the land is vested in Wollondilly Shire Council for an estate in fee simple, freed and discharged from all trusts, obligations, estates, interests, rights of way or other easements.
We have just heard some wonderful speeches about the protection of flora and fauna in our national parks and about the protection of the people who work for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. What we have not heard about is the protection of the community of Yerranderie. About 50 people live in Yerranderie. For me to get there, as part of my electorate, takes 4½ hours because it is literally encircled by a national park. The reason it is encircled is that a lady called Val Lhuede, who turned 100 just last year, donated her land, her private property, to the national park. It was a gift. But the town of Yerranderie is totally surrounded by national parks.
It has an airstrip that falls under both council and National Parks land. It has a tiny section of land—0.68 hectares—that belongs to National Parks that encroaches upon the airstrip. The residents of Yerranderie have always had access to their town but it has not always been easy. The road has been closed due to weather. It has had trees downed, potholes and various other things over the years. It has suffered fires and floods, and often the only way in and out for those residents is via a small aircraft. I am told that rescue these days can be done by helicopter but that will impede upon other services and rely on others to deliver food to those who are caught in the town. Some of them have their own small aircrafts, which is what they have been using up until now to get in and out.
Having the airstrip under a single ownership and management would fix the issue that National Parks has with using airstrips. I have looked at that issue but only one national park has let people come in on those airstrips. It is a simple change. It will not cost anything but it may one day save the life of somebody in Yerranderie that needs medical services. There is a church and an historic graveyard. As I said, people live there. For me, it is really worth the effort to stand in this Chamber even though I know I will probably not get much support from the Government or the Opposition. One of the great things about being an Independent is that I can work for my community. Whether they are towns of thousands of people or whether they're a town with 50 people, it is important to me that they get the access to their town that they deserve.
It is worth the effort for me to stand in this Chamber even though I will only be brief. I challenge all members to go to Yerranderie. Unless they are in a four-wheel drive, I bet that most members will not get there. I want members to remember that they are cursing those people to no access for many periods of the year, through fire and flood. I am not sure how supplies will get there. I hope that I get some support, but I do not believe it will happen. I have looked at revocation and tidying up of small areas. It was an opportunity to make the people of Yerranderie safe and protected in the future.