Independents/ce

Moocooboola - 'two waters' - describes Hunters Hill's unique relationship with the water. It also has a legacy of large parcels of panoramic foreshore space, including the smaller Ferdinand St and Mornington Reserves, and the major parcels from Clarkes Point to Nelson Parade. Some of these excellent foreshores like Ferdinand St Reserve very nearly form a loop, but for one or two missing links - either along the foreshore or back up the unmade roads, like Ernest Street (here). This severely limits their utility and makes them vulerable to privatisation. Unlike most foreshore councils, Hunters Hill does not have does not have a spatial strategy for its open space that guides how it manages current and future access to the waterfront. It also lacks continuous foreshore access for most of the foreshore, and is already seeing creeping privatisation of that public land, either illegally by enclosure, or blatantly through expanding marine leases and public sale. Other councils meanwhile are building boardwalks, and even Lane Cove has a plan for future public space. We need to bring our public land into the public eye. This term of council we stand to lose even more foreshore land - with 16C Vernon Street already exhibited for potential sale - a key link from Mornington Reserve to Serpentine Road - and a stepping stone to the Marist Sisters waterfront beyond. This is why we must map, understand and fight to defend our public foreshores, and start to explore how to link these up for the benefit of all residents.