To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.

We, the undersigned petitioners, highlight to the House that former privately owned freehold land that was given to the people of Pambula by the Martin family has been removed from community control without public consultation and is now under NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust’s (NSWCHPT) management.

This land on the corner of Bullara and Narregol Streets, Pambula (LGA Bega Valley Shire) known as Martin Park was given by members of the Martin family to the people of Pambula specifically for sporting purposes during the 1920s. It remains an important part of local community, sporting and social life, and volunteer groups have contributed significant time, funds and effort into developing and maintaining the property. Responsible community management continued until December 2013 when Pambula Recreation Reserve Trust was forcibly dissolved by the NSW Government’s Trade and Investment – Crown Lands Office. It is now under NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSWCHPT) control. Its inclusion under a commercial caravan park management arrangement is clearly inconsistent with the site’s purpose and is systematically eroding the community’s right to use and enjoy it for the reasons it was donated.

 We therefore respectfully demand that the Legislative Assembly:

1) Cadastrally separate by title from the adjoining Crown reserve the land known as Martin Park and given by the Martin family to the people of Pambula;

2) Remove Martin Park from NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSWCHPT) management and return it to community ownership, management and control; and

3) Return any and all funds held by the former Pambula Recreation Reserve Trust at the time of its dissolution in December 2013 to the new management trust for the benefit of the ground and its facilities.

NB: Please be aware that this petition is also published in hard copy. Please ensure you sign once only EITHER the hard copy OR the digital copy.