Junior football club rejects Council plan to plant Kauri Pines in Bulli Park

A PLAN to plant Kauri Pines along the Ursula Road shared path at Bulli Park has been slammed by a junior football club.

In a stinging email to Wollongong City Council (WCC), Bulli Junior Football Club president, Francis Hinds says 678 young players and their families oppose the tree planting proposal, in its current form. 

“To be clear, Bulli Junior FC supports the initiative to create shade and a green landscape along the new footpath. However, the proposed location of trees on Bulli Park, rather than the bike track, fails to meet WCC’s project proposal aim and lacks any substantial prior community engagement to assess the impact of the trees on the playing fields and Bulli JFC members,” Mr Hinds writes in the email.

“It is disappointing that council felt it was ok to release the proposal without first consulting with our community organisation.”

The club has identified several points in opposition to the plan, stating the trees would impact the playability of the park’s eastern field and proposed lighting installation. The points include:

• Playability impact – The proposal places trees within the 5-metre outer boundary of the Eastern Field. The boundary must be free of objects either located within or protruding, to meet Football NSW safety requirements.
• While the club has two fields, the eastern field is the only one with the size requirements, under Football NSW regulations, for full sided games (12v12 players).  The pitch size is currently at the smallest allowable length due to an embankment on the northern end and extensive earth works are required to extend the field north. The proposal will therefore cut at least 15m off the pitch length and render the pitch unplayable for full sided games. The proposal would eliminate games for 50 per cent of players if the field is shortened.
• Impact on lighting development – Bulli Junior Football Club, after a three-year process to receive approval from Native Title, Crown Lands and WCC DA, is about to commence installation of new lighting for the eastern ground. The club says the lights that are desperately needed as it struggles for training space and night games with current player numbers. The club secured a Football NSW Legacy grant from the State Government and will be funding the remainder of the project from community donations and its own savings.

Mr Hinds said to avoid impact on the fields, the club is requesting that council considers alternatives for greening the path and Ursula Road.

“There is ample space to plan a row of trees between the concrete path and street parking along Ursula Road,” he said.

“Additionally, the tree species (Kauri Pine)… is endemic to Northern Australia, not the Illawarra. We would like to see a local species of tree planted in the area as an alternative to the Kauri.”

Mr Hinds said his club would like to work with Council to find alternative solutions.

“Our organisation has also communicated in the past on a desire for a Master Plan for Bulli Park to improve the facilities and support multiple community groups. We have already received interest from several complimentary groups who would like to explore the potential for upgrading the facilities.”  

In a media release, Council said the proposed plantings would not impact the neighbouring sports fields and would provide much-needed shade around the shared path while the chosen tree species would also allow for filtered views of the ocean and escarpment. Read the full story HERE.

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