CROWDY Head Environment and Cultural Centre Working Group in February requested member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams advocate five key issues to the relevant ministers involved in the management of assets and land of the former Crowdy Head Public School.

The five issues were the consensus view of the public meeting held at Crowdy Head Surf Club on January 29. Mrs Williams attended the meeting and it attracted more than 50 people.

They were:

o Desires to see the land be kept in public ownership and utilised as a public resource with a focus on Aboriginal and cultural heritage and education about the environment to build community awareness and engagement, engaging local communities and students as well as those from urban centres and western districts.

o Considers that keeping the facility for public use is a sound and sensible approach to building on the considerable investment that the State and Commonwealth government and community have made in the infrastructure of the school, especially in recent years.

o Is behind the concept of contributing to management and maintenance of this facility in the short and long term.

o Requests provision of a suitable timeframe eg. 12 months for the development of a proposal and action plan for the establishment and management of a heritage and environment centre.

o Requests an agreement be put in place that has a suitable timeframe to give the community confidence and the time needed to build the sustainability of such a centre.