Submission to Sydney Harbour Federation Trust 10 December 2013By Fran LesterReproduced with permission
Submission re the Draft Amendment and Proposed Residential Aged Care Facility
I am writing to voice my concerns in relation to the above proposals, not because I happen to live in Mosman but because I am an Australian citizen.Approximately fifteen years ago I watched with admiration when Don Goodsir and Linda Bergin fronted the Headland Preservation Group and were instrumental in persuading the Federal Government to form what is now known as the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. The Trust has been the guardian of the historic, harbour parklands entrusted to it and to date has done an excellent job of adhering to the terms of the Act and maintaining the spaces for public use.I am a fifth generation Australian and the only member of my family to live in close proximity to one of these parklands. The other members are scattered from the north coast of New South Wales to Bawley Point in the South. Whenever they come to visit me however, they always make a point of doing a walk through the bushland to Middle Head to take in the magnificent views.My point is - the Sydney Harbour parklands are not just for locals. They are not just for Sydneysiders. They are for all Australians and perhaps just as importantly, for international visitors. The parklands are historic and perhaps none more so than the Middle Head park. To build a new, large and - from the look of the artist's drawings - rather ugly building that would be more in keeping with an urban, built-up area in the middle of the foreshore bushland is a particularly horrifying idea.The fact that there will be a substantial high care component and a dementia day care facility is also troubling. Both of these proposals are inappropriate for public parkland as there will need to be 24 hour security services and nursing care.We all want to see more aged care facilities that are situated in pleasant surroundings and operated by experienced providers. Perhaps in this regard low care residential accommodation could be a possibility at Middle Head and existing buildings could be adapted for re-use in keeping with the mandate given to the Trust. A more comprehensive tender could be instigated inviting a variety of aged care facilitators to come forward with ideas. The idea of an Aboriginal history museum on the headland is also an excellent one and very appropriate for the site.As the current custodian of our precious foreshores, the Trust needs do the right thing. It needs to look beyond the current proposal and consider other options that would be in keeping with the terms of the Act.Kind regardsFran Lester