Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks, beaches, bush, birds, wildlife.  First light and a startled kangaroo watches as you head down for a swim.  White tailed black cockies call in the early morning air.  Clear water shimmers.

Gifts like these demand respect and reciprocity.  We and Denmark WA Shire Council should be actively looking after these stunning natural resources rich in biodiversity and ecosystems, now and for the future.

Already over promoted, over visited and congested, a concentration of visitors to the William Bay National Park is contributing to environmental degradation especially at Greens and Elephant Rocks.  Visitors are dissatisfied due to over-tourism. These findings are from Denmark Shire's Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2021-2025.  

Far from protecting these fragile places, Council says it's not their problem. It's the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions WA (DBCA) that looks after national parks. Some Councillors suggest DBCA could discourage visitors by charging entry. That's not a solution. 

Making matters worse, Council has asked the WA Planning Commission to authorise their rezoning of farmland opposite the entry to William Bay National Park from rural to tourist.  The developer wants to establish  caravan parks, brewery, shop, restaurant, worker accommodation, car parks and an array of other tourist activities.  More people, more vehicles, more pressure on an under pressure coastline.  Five WA Government departments have sounded warnings about the site's suitability - from environmental concerns to bushfire and road safety risks. 

This is a forerunner to even more tourist development there and in other key areas of the Shire.  Ignoring key elements of its Sustainable Tourism Strategy, Council drafted a new Local Planning Strategy.  This strategy creates nine (9) new tourism precincts (2,280 hectares) and a lot more rezoning.  Like in our town centre - goodbye Denmark village.  At Weedon Hill, Mount Shadforth, Scotsdale-McLeod, Ocean Beach, River Mouth - and another 430ha earmarked for William Bay. Watch out farms, forest, bush and additional over-stretched coastline. So long visual amenity, hello Margaret River. 

Thanks to feedback like this petition, Council has recently said it is “reconsidering the tourism precincts”. It has not said it's walking away from promoting tourism growth. We are watching closely.

These places are not commodities to be used for commercial exploitation. We need to keep them intact and healthy, teaching us, our kids, their kids' kids, lessons in wonder, gratitude and joy.  Life lessons.

It's not too late to keep these places safe - if we act now.  Be a guardian for these remaining wild places, forest and farmlands.  We owe them and our kids.  Say NO to Denmark Shire Council rezoning rural land for tourist development at the gateway to William Bay National Park.  Say NO to the creation of tourism precincts in precious places like William Bay. Tell Council to go back to the drawing board with the Draft Local Planning Strategy and next time take better note of all that the community is saying about our future.  Send the message to Denmark Shire by signing the petition, please.