"In the scheme of things, people from the large metropolitan areas do holiday, invest and retire in our area and do require recreational facilities, shops, services, health and aged facilities.

"There is an urgent need at present to provide all these services and facilities in the Harrington area. Retirees certainly assist in relieving housing pressures in the larger centres."

Mr Smith said Greater Taree City Council's recent announcement that it had no money for dredging the Back Channel was just one example that highlights the failure by all levels of government to commit to essential remedial works.

Representations for the work have been made over many years, in fact an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was carried out in 1997 at a cost of $80,000.

"There are certainly no firm proposals for the future," he said.

"Permission to dredge has been given and environmental plans finalised, agreements reached by all government departments, but still there has been no resolution for disposal of the dredge tailings.

"Consequently no work has been carried out, the impact means the community will be deprived of the amenity.

"There is now a clearly evident impact on fish stocks and breeding, and on the overall tourist attraction of Harrington."

Mr Smith questioned whether the cost of the environmental studies has been wasted.

"This problem will not go away and is compounding every day that the work is not done.

"There must be a solution to dredging's perceived environmental problems, otherwise projects such as the dredging of Botany Bay for airports and shipping terminals, plus water desalination plants and other projects would never take place."

Mr Smith said the community needs to be told whether siltation problems in Harrington's back channel and lagoon will come under the control of the newly-proclaimed State Park.

"The question now arises will the State government accept that responsibility and alleviate our council's funding dilemma in rehabilitating both the backwater and lagoon?"

He said any inspection of the wharves and surrounds at Crowdy harbour displays - even to the untrained eye - a lack of maintenance.

"There are piers needing repairs, all the grounds are in need of a major clean-up, dredging is urgently needed for professional and recreational fishing industries. There are problems with mooring, entering and leaving the harbour because of the build-up of sand."

He said the provision of aged care facilities for Harrington - mooted many years ago - now seems remote, despite the large influx in resident numbers and the provision of other community services such as a new shopping centre, second hotel, resort accommodation, golf course, council library and community centre.

The November 19 meeting has been called to inform the Harrington and Lower Manning community of the future needs and to understand how vital it is for a show of public support, Mr Smith said.

"We need to encourage the development and participation in community programs, to support Greater Taree City Council as it seeks assistance from the other two tiers of government.

"Failure to accomplish a solution to these current problems will only compound into the future, affecting every resident of the local area."