Johns River

5 March 2008

Mr ROBERT OAKESHOTT (Port Macquarie) [10.57 a.m.]: The Johns River Community Progress Association is a local community organisation that is a model on the mid North Coast for projects that are driven from the ground up. The association not only faces the substantial challenges posed by serving a community split by the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line, but also must deal with the implications for the community of the Pacific Highway upgrade and a bypass that added to its difficulties. I have been extremely impressed by the association's work in identifying the issues before it. Rather than expecting the local council, the State Government or the Federal Government to come up with solutions to the issues at Johns River, it has arrived at some local solutions. It has presented what is now a substantial package to all three levels of government, which makes it very easy to try to assist the Johns River village and community.

The decision by the Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA] to bypass the Johns River village as part of the Pacific Highway upgrade creates a need for a response as to how the village will present itself after the bypass is opened. Consideration will also need to be given to the development and the ongoing function of the Johns River village. The village at Johns River is a focus to the residents in both the village itself and the rural hinterland along Stewarts River. It is also the first port of entry into the greater Taree local government area for people travelling from the north. The village's key functions as a rural service area, a highway service village, and a welcome point to the local government area must be maintained after the bypass is built.

To the credit of the Greater Taree City Council, it established a section 355 committee to project manage the preparation of a draft plan for the Johns River village post bypass. The inquiry is examining appropriate changes to road infrastructure, public parking and amenities, future land use and the village amenity in light of changes generated by relocation of the highway. Council wishes the village to function as a highway service village and the entry to the local government area. Already the progress association has formed a very strong partnership with the local government authority and it is now, from the documents that have been produced, seeking support from other agencies, such as the various State government agencies involved.

The Johns River village is substantially between the current alignment of the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway. A number of houses are located on the western side of the highway, north of Stewarts River Road, and a number of small-scale rural properties are dotted along Hannam Vale Road to the west. The Johns River State Forest lies to the east of the North Coast rail line and a proactive agricultural landscape can be found to the west along the Stewarts River valley.