Expansion On The Rocks

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday July 19, 2005

GABRIEL FOWLER

Coastal councils are facing growing pains as people continue to swap big cities for seaside living. But, as GABRIEL FOWLER discovers, the pressures on Seal Rocks appear to be only part-time, just during the summer months.

THE main attraction of the sleepy coastal village of Seal Rocks is its lack of development.

For starters, it can only be accessed by a dirt road which cuts the village off from Lakes Road, and the rest of the world along with it.

There are no shopping centres or housing developments, and there are no road-widening schemes or other major plans for construction in the pipeline, according to Great Lakes Council.

There is one general store that sells fuel and a few supplies but little more, a caravan park and other camping areas, with one small hamlet of holiday cabins.

There is no reticulated water supply, no sewerage, and in terms of development, there is nowhere to go, with the village bounded in two directions by national park.

It is characterised by unspoilt surfing beaches, idyllic picnic areas, the nearby Myall Lakes National Park and Seal Rocks lighthouse.

Great Lakes Council intends to keep it that way, and is making a concerted effort to prevent "McMansions" being built in the area.

If recent action in the Land and Environment Court is any indication, the council will get its way.

The council rejected a housing proposal for Seal Rocks about three years ago, which the applicant contested in the Land and Environment Court and lost.

The council's planning and environmental services director Glenn Handford said the norm in Seal Rocks has been 10-square metre by 15-square metre fibro shacks and that was how it was likely to remain.

But what the council cannot control is the price of real estate and the demographics.

More and more holiday-makers are buying houses that are sometimes occupied only a few weeks a year.

Among the permanent residents is Eric Clark who helps the fishermen in and out with their catch every day, from boats hauled in to the Fisherman's Reserve from Boat's Beach by way of a cable that crosses the road.

For supplies, Mr Clark travels to the bottle shop and general store in nearby Bungwahl.

For a cold beer he has to make the trip to Smiths Lake Bowling Club.

Mr Clark originally came from Port Macquarie before moving to Seal Rocks where he has based himself at the Fisherman's Reserve, which belongs to the Seal Rocks Fisherman's Association.

Mr Clark said the only real change in the area is the price that houses are attracting.

"One house that was only a bit of a shack (on the beachfront) was bought by Hot Tuna for $1.55 million," Mr Clark said.

"Another one further down is on the market for $2.35 million."

There are two new duplexes on the beachfront, one is a holiday house for the owner and the other he lets.

Holiday houses in the area are in demand.

Some holiday-makers will pay $3000 a week for a house, Mr Clark said.

His observations are backed by LJ Hooker Pacific Palms principal Greg Hope who said the Seal Rocks property market was very tight, with an average of one property on the market every year.

"Seal Rocks has broad appeal but not everyone can afford it," Mr Hope said.

He estimated there were about 60 properties in Seal Rocks.

Holiday house rentals varied in price from $380 a week to $1280 a week during winter, to between $1200 and $4000 a week at peak time.

It was a small market but it was growing, Mr Hope said.

"Seven years ago we would have had one fisherman's cottage, and now we have six and they have either been renovated or are relatively new," he said.

Bernie King, one of the few remaining professional fishermen left in Seal Rocks, said the place had turned into a "ghost town".

"All the residents have now been bought out by the rich," Mr King said.

"There would only be about 10 families here. Now, there's no one here from [June] to October you are lucky to see five people.

"It gets a bit lonely, because there used to be dozens of people hanging around."

Mr King moved to the area in 1981 after holidaying there since 1975.

The village was originally inhabited by squatters and it was not discovered that they were not paying rates until the 1960s when the area was surveyed for the supply of electricity to the lighthouse, he said.

At that time there were 72 housing lots recorded.

Residents, including himself, later fought numerous attempts at developing the area, which was once ear-marked for 400 housing lots and an international hotel for the headland.

There used to be a dozen professional fisherman in the area but now there was about five, Mr King said.

SEAL ROCKS:

Population: Not specifically measured the nearest town of Smiths Lakes had a population of 907 in 2001

Growth: Between 1996 and 2001 Smiths Lake grew by 58 people, or 6.8 per cent

TOMORROW:

THE HERALD LOOKS AT

FORSTER - TUNCURRY