A long and bitter fight is developing over plans to develop an iconic beach area from that of an abandoned dairy farm to an elite tourist area equipped with upmarket accommodation and facilities.
To surfers this is known as " the Farm ". To the government it is " Killalea State Park ", on the south coast near Shellharbour. What is an undisputed fact is that this beach has some of the best surfing waves in the state.
For many years it was a closely guarded secret amongst the surfing fraternity. To reach the beach required a trek across farmland and a small fee of a few coins to compensate the farmer for disturbing his cattle. Then the government acquired the area as a park - and it has been undisturbed ever since.
Now there is a plan to allow a developer a fifty-two year lease on three parcels of land which represents a small portion of " The Farm ". This will allow an access road and tourist accommodation and facilities - and earn the government millions of dollars and bring vast numbers of tourists to what has been the surf communities " private beach ".
Conservationists are appalled. They want development banned and the area left in an undeveloped state. Surfers are aghast at the idea of sharing their " secret spot " with the great unwashed - and now the Aboriginal community is trying to set up an Aboriginal land claim on the basis that in past centuries Aboriginal people considered it " sacred ground ".
The scene is set for an epic battle - and as in most such cases the war will involve many battles - and the lawyers will get rich.
It is hard to predict a winner at this stage, but there is an old adage that no wise man should stand between a politician and a source of money - and " The Farm " is a potential honey pot !
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