STEPincLogo A

  0  - $0.00

St Ives Showground

STEP WallabyIn early 2010, Ku-ring-gai Council placed the draft options for St Ives Showground and precinct lands on public exhibition. STEP made the following points in its submission:

  • the need to protect in perpetuity the endangered ecological community known as Duffys Forest
  • the removal of the Ku-ring-gai Mini Wheels Training Club (KMWTC) from this environmentally sensitive site
  • the retention of the Wildflower Garden in its current location

In June 2010 Ku-ring-gai Council released a report which recommended a departure from the exhibited plan by retaining the KMWTC, despite recognising the widespread environmental damage being done. Indeed on this issue the report specifically noted the need ‘to carry out associated environmental management works to regenerate the Duffys Forest vegetation community’.

On the positive side, the report recommended that Duffys Forest and other existing natural vegetation be protected from encroachment, vehicles, compaction, nutrients, weeds and rubbish. Noting again, the exception of ‘the KMWTC area, which has been damaged over a long period of time. A separate plan will be devised to guide use in the KMWTC area.’

On 26 May 2015, Council adopted the draft St Ives Showground and Precinct Lands Plan of Management (dPoM).

In May 2017 Council commissioned a report on developing the tourism potential of the municipality. The report focused on a plan to redevelop the St Ives precinct to achieve a ‘wow factor’ to attract visitors, benefit residents and help grow the local visitor economy.

In 2021 a draft plan of management was released for St Ives Showground and Precinct Lands. Many community groups put in submissions prior to the deadline. However the papers for the council meeting that was to consider the draft PoM were published before the closing date. The report had obviously been written by council staff some days before. None of the submissions from the community groups were considered in the report. STEP and other groups protested about this treatment. Public consultation was a sham.

back to top