Slow progress for Newey plan

Public submissions closed earlier this month for Cobar Shire Council’s Draft Plan of Management of the Cobar Newey Reserve.

Council’s Director of Planning and Environmental Services Garry Ryman said they had received “around 40 or so,” submissions during the public display period.

He said council will now take some time to review and evaluate all the submissions received from locals who provided their opinions about how the area should be managed, including whether or not the controversial issue of free camping should be permitted.

“They’ll now be reviewed and a report in due course prepared by Council.”

He said a decision about all related camping issues at the public facility will not potentially be determined until early next year.

“The earliest the matter will again be addressed is when council holds its first ordinary meeting of 2021,” Mr Ryman said.

The future of the Newey, or more specifically whether camping should be permitted at the recreation area, has been a cause for conjecture within the Cobar community for a number of years.

In October 2016, a number of community complaints were received when 20-plus vans per night were free camping at the reserve.

In March 2018, on the advice of the NSW Department of Industry, Council banned camping at the Newey until a management plan was completed.