A summary of subcommittee activities and related news since the April TBPA meeting.
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A document explaining the reasoning behind and benefits of recent NPWS works at the northern end of Thompson Beach has been developed, reviewed and approved by NPWS; and subsequently published on the TBPA web site.
It’s also been great to see a number of residents keeping an eye on the new works.
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A new permanent sign at the bottom of the beach ramp at the northern end of The Esplanade was put in place by NPWS in late April. Missing from the sign was a “dogs on leash” icon, which has since been added by NPWS. The same icon has also been added to the Park sign in the turnaround area.
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On a related note, Council has indicated that dogs must be on leash in foreshore/tidal flat areas outside of the Park at Thompson Beach, and will communicate this to the community and visitors through various means.
Sharon C. has made enquiries with Council as to the possibility of creating a leash-free dog park in a suitable area in the township.
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A line of bollards with pedestrian access will be established just south of the crossing to prevent vehicles travelling south along the walking trail. This is important as revegetation work is to be carried out in this section.
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Work on a submission to various authorities outlining ongoing driver behaviour problems and potential solutions is still being developed and will be presented to TBPA for its consideration when completed.
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High tides and rain have seen the inlet at the northern end at beyond full capacity on a number of occasions and the birds seem to be enjoying the situation. Ponds in the samphire area near Bakers Creek are also now all full – some for the first time in months. High levels of seagrass on the foreshore appear to be discouraging vehicle activity.
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Rubbish levels in some parts of Thompson Beach have been at their lowest for quite some time, there’s been no camping activity or incidents of used toilet paper improperly disposed of reported. With the exception of the weekend of the 16th and 17th of May, illegal motorbike and quad activity appears to have reduced, but monitoring is ongoing. It’s encouraging there has been a marked improvement in relation to most issues, particularly at the northern end, compared to the same time last year.
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