Case Study Reflection Three: Batemans Bay and its Future

Batemans Bay is a coastal town located on the south coast of New South Wales. Batemans Bay provides a unique representation of an ordinary Australian coastal town. Governed within the jurisdiction of the Eurobodalla Shire Council, the town faces many serious issues in the long term pertaining to economic, social and climatic factors. I was in Batemans Bay last year when I noticed many planning problems in terms of all three factors. An example was the insufficient infrastructure needed to accommodate the needs of the strong aging population (which stands at around 22% of 65 and over). Also, being located on the coast, the planning strategy posed a serious risk in an event of any natural disasters.

Tourism provides the backbone to the Bateman Bay economy. Without it the economic repercussions are significant. Batemans Bay is seen rather more of seasonal tourism destination where summer is considered the desirable time of year for holiday flocking. This is because their is rarely any facilities in Batemans Bay for tourism in the colder months meaning infrastructure is required to accommodate an all-year round tourism industry which will provide a kick to the economy. Eurobodalla Shire council has put in place a strategy to ensure economic longevity whilst maintaining high levels of infrastructure and facilities for Batemans Bay. Through the Greater Batemans Bay Structure Plan, economic, social and environmental considerations have been taken by the council. These include of facilitating mixed-land use especially at Surf Beach which will likely create a new wave of employment through the growth of local businesses and new communities. This will have a positive impact on the economy. Another initiative is to develop the North Moruya Business Park. This development will stimulate the local economy through further employment whilst at the same time offer services and a centralized industry.
In the social context, the council has strived to ensure the social complex of Batemans Bay does not lag with the rest of the nation in terms of aged care facilities, health facilities etc. Through the structure plan the council has suggested a range of social housing to meet the demands in the short and long term run. However, the council has put an emphasis on the aging population with the implementation of the Aging-in-Place Strategy which is designed to ensure facilities and services remain consistent with the increases in the aging population.
The state of Batemans Bay's environment plays a vital role in the well being of the local area. With climate change causing sea rise and off shore natural disasters the council has put in place measures to ensure that future disasters are dealt well and accordingly. The Strategic Environmental Assessment is designed to investigate lands and zoned areas to ensure environmental problems such as as erosion, run-offs, sedimentation, pollution of waterways etc are at a minimal.

Batemans Bay offers an exemplar of an ordinary Australian beach town however its central issues is the aging population, tourism, climate change and infrastructure. The council has put forward many recommendations to ensure the future is much more sustainable for the beach town. The final analysis, the town possesses high economic potentials and through better road infrastructure, encourage business activities and further residential zoning Batemans Bay will be a thriving beach town.

References

Eurobodalla Council. 2014. Moruya Structure Plan. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/development-and-planning/tools/eurobodalla-settlement-strategy-and-structure-plans/moruya-structure-plan. [Accessed 10 May 2014

NSW Department of Planning. 2014. South Coast Regional Strategy. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/StrategicPlanning/Regionalstrategies/SouthCoast/tabid/197/language/en-AU/Default.aspx. [Accessed 10 May 14].

Eurobodalla Council. 2014. Greater Batemans Bay Structure Plan. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/development-and-planning/tools/eurobodalla-settlement-strategy-and-structure-plans/greater-batemans-bay-structure-plan. [Accessed 10 May 14].