The smattering of mostly simple, traditional fibro shacks have been erected either right on the shore or on dirt roads just a few streets back, with whimsical names such as Snapper Rd, Whiting Rd, and Garfish Rd. Some date back to the 1930s and have become cherished generational family holiday homes, now owned outright under a successful freeholding project.
It is a different situation however for the adjacent ‘Dunny Lane’ shacks. These shacks are on Crown Land, separate from the Fisherman Bay development, and are not in compliance with contemporary safety, amenity, and environmental standards. Affectionately named after a row of outdoor toilets which sit behind humble holiday homes, the Dunny Lane shacks are being addressed under the Department for Environment and Water’s (DEW) Retaining Shacks Project.
Barunga West Council has proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DEW to address concerns regarding the Dunny Lane Crown Leased properties. The proposal aims to resolve environmental, public health, fire safety, amenity, and building standards concerns relating to the properties.
The proposal involves Council and the State Government working co-operatively to develop and document a strategy, including an initial feasibility study, to ascertain whether, and under what conditions, the currently leased Crown land can be reconfigured, developed, and converted to freehold title. It also includes assessing the net environmental, health, and safety benefits of the project and identifying the infrastructure that must be delivered.
Barunga West Council CEO Maree Wauchope said Council’s plan aimed to provide a fair and equitable process to offer existing Crown leaseholders freehold title of the land, and could lead to a significant reduction in environmental and health risks.
The Dunny Lane Shack settlement comprises 32 Crown Leases, 32 ratepayers, and 46 Crown Records of un-alienated land.
For many years, the shack owners have sought to freehold land to provide secured tenure and confidence to develop and upgrade their buildings. The freehold of the land has been subject to the previous State Government’s commitment to retain shacks on Crown land and in national parks by granting longer tenure and/or freehold in exchange for upgrading the shack to meet contemporary safety, amenity, and environmental standards.
The current proposal involves no financial risk to Council and could lead to a significant reduction in environmental and health risks should the feasibility study and other investigations result in a satisfactory resolution for the Dunny Lane area.
“The aim is to provide a fair and equitable process to offer existing Crown leaseholders freehold title of the land,” Ms Wauchope said.
“The proposed MOU addresses long-standing concerns about the environment, public health, fire safety, amenity, and building standards of some of the structures in Dunny Lane, and Council believes that working together with the State Government will lead to a positive outcome for all parties involved.”
The MOU is yet to receive a detailed response from DEW, but Ms Wauchope said Council remained positive about engaging with the State Government to resolve the matter. If an MOU or other form of arrangement between Council and DEW does not eventuate, a report recommending what actions, if any, Council should take with respect to the shacks will be developed and presented to Councillors for consideration.
“We believe that working together with the State Government is the best way forward and ultimately will lead to positive outcomes for everyone,” Ms Wauchope said.
Adjacent to the Fisherman Bay shack settlement, the Dunny Lane Crown Leased properties have been the subject of complaints and concerns in relation to the environment, public health, fire safety, and overall amenity and building standards of some of the structures.
“While the Fisherman Bay settlement has successfully undergone a freehold process that included the delivery of wastewater infrastructure, coastal protection measures, road improvements and stormwater upgrades, the Dunny Lane shacks rema
in on Crown land and are not in compliance with contemporary safety, amenity, and environmental standards,” Ms Wauchope said.
“Council recognises its responsibility to the community to ensure the built environment is safe for use and occupation. Therefore, for the buildings at Dunny Lane to continue to be occupied, at a minimum, a compliant wastewater system is required to be installed to ensure health standards. The status quo is no longer acceptable.
“Council remains positive about engaging with the State Government to resolve the matter and ensure Fisherman Bay continues to be a beloved, peaceful and safe holiday destination.”