A boom gate that was put in place to prevent vehicles illegally accessing the Smiths Lake foreshore has been stolen.
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Local resident Graeme Macey believed the gate was removed during the early hours of January 28 or 29 and was more than just a mere act of vandalism.
“This is a deliberate attack on the efforts to protect and preserve the natural systems of Smiths Lake and the foreshore reserve,” he said.
The gate, which has been in place at the end of Eagle Nest Drive since December 2017, was installed by MidCoast Council following repeated complaints from local residents about vehicles using the location to illegally access the foreshore.
“Signage has been insufficient, so physically limiting vehicle access is the only option,” a letter addressed to Smiths Lake residents at the time read.
Once the gate went in we had 12 months of no issues.
- Graeme Macey
Mr Macey said before the boom gate was put in place the foreshore was being unlawfully accessed by 4WDs on a regular basis, with all-night parties, rubbish-dumping and antisocial behaviour becoming unfortunate byproducts of people’s misuse of the reserve.
“Once the gate went in we had 12 months of no issues,” he said.
“It worked really well.”
After discovering the gate had been removed, Mr Macey contacted council to have it replaced but said it failed to give him a clear indication of what would happen next.
More than two weeks later, the gate has yet to be replaced and Mr Macey has not received any notification about when a new one will be installed.
MidCoast Council community spaces, recreation and trades director, Dan Aldridge, said he wasn’t aware the gate was missing.
“I’m not aware of all issues that come before MidCoast Council,” he explained.
“It may have gone through to one of our operational staff.”
However, Mr Aldridge said the gate would be replaced as soon as possible.
He also hoped the removal of the gate was not a deliberate attack.
“If it was premeditated it’s very unfortunate,” he said.
“It reduces our capacity to address planned maintenance in the area.”
Mr Macey said that for now, bollards used to hold the gate in place seem to be making it hard for vehicles to access the foreshore, but that this would only stop them for so long.
“The gate has to go back,” he said.
“It’s the only acceptable solution.”
