Can NSW afford Tyagarah Nature Reserve ?

A day at Tyagarah Nature Reserve: “ a thin strip of protected coast encompassing 7 km of secluded and unspoiled beach backed by coastal heath.” (N.P.) Longing to be emerged in a coastal flora and fauna environment, we drove north of Byron Bay (map). The way to the NATURE RESERVE was a continues strip of mining the Earth, the trees, the soil, the water, grab & cash it in. The dust off the wide road suffocated the plants. A 'fire trail' on the left seemed like a 'bushy' track to walk into that environment. It was 'clear-felled' to either side in such a butch way that walking became unpleasant. Mainly old banksias were hacked in half, but all the weeds, lantana and bitou left untouched.

Off to the iconic Australian beach car-park. A very busy place, cars arriving at high speed, no-one but us paying the fee. Through the bitou dunes to the beach. After a short time it becomes clear that all the hasty male lurkers might not be naturalists. They move in and bully. 7 km of beachfront seems too small for enjoying the conservation of nature. Hassled off the beach we try another northen walk, this time it ends after a short time in a clear-felled patch that is privatised to raise introduced bees. Disappointed, we try one more path and get to a once divine coastal lake, framed by paperbarks, rushes and lotus. The entry had a warning sign about 'sexual harrassment'. The banks and roots of the trees were trodden bare and eroding.

A local ecologist summed up about the state of the place:

• Cars -Speeds up to 70 - 100 kph have been observed routinely.
• Motorised speed craft in the shallows
• Every day there are dogs on the beach and they are almost never on a leash
• Trail bikes on the beach
• Cars on the beach
• Littering
• Sexual harrassment

Also heard the rumour that the beach will receive aerial bombing of herbicide (VN style)
It does appear that the conservation of nature is contrary to the aims of the big quarry Australia, but in a NATURE RESERVE one would expect that some sustainable land management is taking place. It is the Australian dilemma: How to eat the cake and flog it off at the same time. It would have been appreciated to have prior warning by the authorities on their website about the use and the condition of the reserve.