Community
2 December, 2023
Taylor Point buyback to feature in election campaigns
THE buyback of Taylor Point at Trinity Beach is set to become a focus of both the local and state government elections.
Community First has set the ball rolling with mayoral candidate Denis Walls and division 9 candidate Carine Visschers meeting a large group of northern beaches residents at the home of stalwart campaigner Eugenie Navarre last Saturday to breathe new life into the campaign for the buyback of the Taylor Point headland at the end of Trinity Beach.
“Now is the time to really push for the buyback of this significant 18ha property,” said Ms Visschers. “With the council election coming up and the state election next October, plus the increasing impact of four-wheel drives on the headland, now is the time to really push for this buyback. It will be a key platform for me leading to the March 16 council elections,” she said.
“Council has a major role to play in the process in partnership with the state government. Witness the relationship established at Earl Hill after the government bought back the land and the council engaged in the establishment of the paths and other infrastructure that have become such a community asset.”
Taylor Point has a long and chequered history since Josephine Blessas gifted it to Trinity Anglican School with the intention of it being used as a community space. The school sold it to developer McKellar who then on-sold it to developer Rob Prettejohn.
“Mr Prettejohn has been keen to sell the Taylor Point block for a long time,” said Mr Walls. “Through his real estate agent, he has indicated that he wants to protect the environment as much as possible in any sale and leave a strong legacy for the future. We, in the Community First team, support him in that desire,” he said.
“The Save Taylor Point community group has already collected over 5000 signatures in support of the buyback.”
Mr Walls said Yirrganydji traditional owners were in support and people wanted the four-wheel drive abuse to stop and the land to be rehabilitated and returned to the public domain.
