Sand erosion at Jimmy's Beach is an issue that has plagued citizens of Hawks Nest Tea Gardens for over 25 years.
Stop-gap measures to fix the problem have failed and in the process cost ratepayers and Great Lakes Council hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Following last week's destructive storms, Jimmy's Beach has again been decimated by sand erosion and something has to be done.
The Nota has published a number of stories on the issue in the past as well as received numerous Letters to the Editor.
None has been more touching than a letter received this week from a 12 year-old local school girl.
Hayley Follett has lived in Tea Gardens for seven years and is a frequent visitor to the beach.
Passionate about the future of the beach, Miss Follett wrote to the Nota with a suggestion that she felt could be used to help fix the problem.
"I'm writing about an issue that concerns the whole town, something that will change the beaches of Port Stephens unless it is stopped.
The sand erosion at Jimmy's Beach is what I am talking about.
If you ask a child what happens when you build a sandcastle near the water they will answer that a wave can wash it away.
The same can be said for Jimmy's Beach sand restoration works.
The council is removing sand at Dead Man's Hill and dumping it at the end of Jimmy's Beach.
This has been happening for years but seems to be only a band-aid solution.
The cost of this ongoing exercise has been expensive to the ratepayer.
The sand gets washed away or blown away and settles further down near the short-cut to the Myall River.
I would like to offer a solution that will create a barrier for the sand erosion and a home for marine life.
What happens to old used tyres?
They are difficult to recycle and take up room at the dump.
If enough tyres could be collected we could build a reef by anchoring and placing the tyres on the ocean bed where the waves break, it will have a calming effect on the waves and prevent damage to Jimmy's Beach.
In a few short years we will have our own Jimmy's Reef for marine life.
We could even snorkel and watch this great spectacle.
We cannot keep trucking sand as obviously this is not working.
By taking the sand from Dead Man's Hill it has created another problem.
The natural vegetation that holds these sand dunes in place has been disturbed and removed and soon this area will disappear if we continue to abuse our environment. Council is not god and should not interfere with Mother Nature's gifts.
We can no longer build a home on land in our area without having a flora and fauna impact study performed, why is council exempt from disturbing flora and fauna habitats?
I would like to create a Committee for Jimmy's Reef, a group of people who will look at other alternatives than just trucking sand.
If you are not happy with council's current works at Jimmy's Beach, why not consider helping me build Jimmy's Reef?"
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