C Ward Committee - 9 Jul 2026

Topics

• Alstonville Tidy Towns plaques stay on hold as Council searches for funding options
  Reinstatement of Alstonville’s Tidy Towns plaques remains unresolved, with Council deferring further options work because no funding is allocated.
  Residents and local heritage groups will not see the plaques reinstated yet, and the project has no identified funding.
• Alstonville accessible parking shortage flagged for Council discussion
  A community request has highlighted an alleged shortage of accessible parking bays in Main Street, with the issue referred for discussion at a future C Ward meeting.
  Accessible parking availability directly affects residents and visitors with disability, as well as Main Street businesses.
• Tamarind Drive bridge works backed by mangrove and koala-tree offsets
  Council outlined biodiversity safeguards and offsets for the Tamarind Drive Bridge Duplication, including 1.1 hectares of revegetation and about 1,400 native trees.
  The project’s environmental compensation and compliance measures affect habitat protection and public confidence in the bridge duplication.

Decisions

• Tidy Towns plaque reinstatement deferred
  Council deferred a decision on reinstating the Tidy Towns plaques in Alstonville while further financial options are investigated. The issue is to be examined during the remainder of 2026, with no dedicated funding allocated.
  The plaque project remains unfunded and residents should not expect immediate reinstatement.
• Accessible parking request referred for future discussion
  The request for accessible parking bays in Main Street, Alstonville was placed on the business-with-notice agenda for discussion at a subsequent C Ward meeting; no installation decision was recorded.
  The parking concern has been formally raised but has not yet produced a commitment to add bays.

Discussion

• Alstonville Tidy Towns plaque reinstatement
  Further investigation into reinstating the Tidy Towns plaques in Alstonville has been deferred to the 2026/27 financial year and will continue during the remainder of 2026. The prior estimate was $9,000, with no specific funding currently allocated.
  The plaques will not be restored immediately and any future work depends on identifying funding options.
• Disabled parking bays in Main Street, Alstonville
  A community member’s request, brought forward by the Alstonville Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce, raised the lack of accessible parking bays in Main Street, Alstonville. The matter is to be discussed at a future C Ward meeting.
  People with disability may face difficulty accessing shops and services in the town centre.
• Biodiversity offsets for Tamarind Drive Bridge Duplication
  Council described environmental offsets for the Tamarind Drive Bridge Duplication, including mangrove habitat enhancement at Prospect Lake and approximately 1,400 native trees, including around 400 koala food trees, at Ballina Waste Centre near Bicentennial Gardens.
  The offsets are intended to compensate for vegetation removal and protect local habitat during infrastructure works.
• Biodiversity requirements in Council procurement
  Council said biodiversity requirements in tenders and requests for quotes are determined by each project and may include vegetation management plans, planning approval conditions and native planting requirements.
  The approach influences how environmental protections are built into major Council contracts and works.

Impacts

• The Tidy Towns plaques in Alstonville will not be reinstated immediately because the project remains unfunded.
• People with disability using Main Street, Alstonville may continue to face limited accessible parking while the concern awaits further discussion.
• Environmental offset and monitoring measures are being used to address vegetation removal associated with the Tamarind Drive Bridge Duplication.

Places

• Freeborn Park, Alstonville (park)
  Location of proposed reinstatement of Tidy Towns plaques
• Main Street, Alstonville (road)
  Main Street disabled parking access request
• Prospect Lake (lake and project area)
  Environmental offset and habitat enhancement site
• Ballina Waste Centre (facility and project area)
  Revegetation and biodiversity offset site adjacent to Bicentennial Gardens
• Tamarind Drive (road and infrastructure project)
  Bridge duplication project and vegetation-offset area
• C Ward (ward)
  Local government ward represented by the committee
• Wollongbar (town)
  Community and development area represented at the meeting
• Alstonville (town)
  Community and historical area represented at the meeting

Next

• Continue investigating financial options for reinstating the Tidy Towns plaques in Alstonville.
  During the remainder of 2026 and in the 2026/27 financial year
• Return the Main Street, Alstonville accessible parking issue for discussion at a future C Ward meeting.
  Future C Ward meeting; date not specified
• Maintain environmental offset areas and monitor ecological establishment and compliance with project approvals.
  At least five years for offset maintenance

Extract

MINUTES OF THE C WARD COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT CRAWFORD HOUSE 10 WARDELL ROAD ALSTONVILLE ON 9/07/26 AT 5.00PM Ballina Shire Council C Ward Committee Minutes 09/07/26 of 12 1. Acknowledgment of Country In opening the meeting, the Chair provided an Acknowledgement of Country. 2. Attendance and Apologies (including updates/changes in membership) Members Cr Therese Crollick Cr Simon Kinny Cr Sharon Cadwallader (Mayor) Bill Coulter - Alstonville/Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce Christine Grant – St Vincent De Paul Jane Gardiner - Alstonville Plateau Historical Society and Heritage Advisory Ballina Josh Seage - Wollongbar Community Action Network (WCAN) Simon Winfield - Pearces Creek Hall Council...