Divisions Over Use Of Jetty

Newcastle Herald

Thursday November 13, 2008

Damon Cronshaw

FISHOS and boaties are in a turf war over use of Valentine's public jetty.

Valentine fisher Patricia Crowe said boat owners had taken over the jetty illegally.

A Lake Macquarie City Council sign at the jetty asserts that boats may anchor at the jetty only for two hours a day.

Mrs Crowe said boats were staying at the jetty all weekend and sometimes for up to a week.

They used a council tap at the jetty to scrub their boats with chemicals, she said.

"They pollute the water, you can't catch a fish off the jetty any more," Mrs Crowe said.

She accused boaties of drinking on the jetty, which was an alcohol-free zone, and of not sharing the jetty with fishers.

"One of them pulled me by the arm and bundled me off the jetty," Mrs Crowe said.

"They have told kids to get off the jetty."

A council spokeswoman said conflict between fishos and boaties was age-old and people should share the jetty.

The spokeswoman said rangers did patrol the area.

- Damon Cronshaw