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PLANS for a new multi-million dollar caravan park at the small fishing
town of Lancelin in WA have hit troubled waters.
This is despite the state government's Caravan and Camping Action Plan
highlighting the tourist destination as an "extreme priority" for a new
caravan and tourist park in the town, about 100km north of Perth.
Problems arose after worried locals protested that the oceanside
development could threaten sand dunes supporting a "threatened ecological
community" of grasslands with national heritage significance.
They raised their concerns with the Urban Bushland Council, the peak
community organisation for urban bushland recognition and protection.
In a report, the organisation's senior executive, Vic Semeniuk, said the
area proposed for the near 300-site park was on top of rare dune slacks
... wetlands formed in dune hollows.
"Dune slacks have only been found at six sites in the whole of Western
Australia, and therefore any occurrence of dune slacks is significant," he
said.
Lancelin was among 17 areas identified in the action plan as having gaps
in the provision of caravan and camping facilites.
"Recommendations were developed with a single primary aim ... to make WA
the preferred caravan and camping holiday destination and deliver on
expectations through a sustainable framework," the plan said.
The Shire of Gingin has also identified a "significant and urgent" need
for a new tourist park in Lancelin to counteract the loss of affordable
accommodation previously available at North End Caravan Park.
Meanwhile, the Lancelin Caravan Park lease will expire next year.
The shire council has reassured the community that environmental issues
will be considered.
If approved by the Minister for Planning, it would call for expressions of
interest from developers.
