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I purchased a lot on Promontory Way, North Arm Cove in 1993, from my then mother-in-law. She owned and lived in the dwelling next door. At that time, it was estimated that zoning of the urban blocks would be extended from the North Arm Cove Village possibly around 2014. This, of course, did not happen. Numerous calls to the Council over the years have ended with the reply that nothing was planned in the near future. I am deeply disappointed that the Council has chosen to develop other areas within the Shire with facilities and infrastructure eg. Tea Gardens, rather than North Arm Cove, despite the fact that there is a well-established community on the peninsula. I purchased the land with a view to it being a medium to long-term investment as part of my superannuation and I am shattered to think it is no longer a viable option. I have been making the rate payments and land maintenance payments when requested by RFS (I must say, I was only contacted once), for the past 29 years. This point may not seem important to many, but when you have worked all your life, not making millions, and taking initiative to consider some future investment plan for yourself or beneficiaries, it is quite soul destroying when something like this happens. The fact that my land is right next door, and across the road from existing dwellings really rubs salt into the wound. It is a beautiful part of the world and had the timing been right and more development had occurred I would have no doubt settled there in my retirement. I have heard that “people power” has overturned many decisions that Councils have made, so I am very thankful that I found NACRPA and you good people are pushing forward with the objections to this Plan and putting forward such a positive vision for the future of this area. Yes, we do need more voices and we must encourage more to join. My thanks to you for this initiative. This is my story. Kerry Woods  
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 GLAMPING HAVEN: This 844 square metre block at 2 Tamworth Street, North Arm Cove, is for sale with an on-site caravan. It has a price tag of $120,000. Picture: First National Hawks Nest A quiet coastal village of just 450 people was the biggest winner in the property boom of 2021. The Port Stephens township of North Arm Cove recorded the strongest annual growth in dwelling values of any Australian suburb, rising a mammoth 64.4 per cent according to CoreLogic figures. What might surprise outsiders is that most sales in 2021 were less than $40,000. The explanation for this factors in zoning, Walter Burley Griffin and 100 years of complex history. THE LANDSCAPE North Arm Cove could have been anything. In the 20 years to 1919 it was considered as a site for a naval base and the nation's capital before the area's council approved Walter Burley Griffin's plans for 'Port Stephens City'. The Canberra designer's plans for railways, wharves and gardens never eventuated, but some waterfront homes were built before all undeveloped land was zoned 'rural' in the 1960s. RELATED: Huge $6.9 million sale sets new record for Bar Beach $5m Kilaben Bay stunner could be region's top tennis court home Astonishing Nissen hut renovation preserves Belmont North history  Walter Burley Griffin's plans for Port Stephens City were rejigged by Henry Halloran in the early 1920s. Today, North Arm Cove is split into two sections - a village of about 300 homes and a cluster of more than 3000 undeveloped blocks. The town has no shops, mains water or sewage systems, but residents say there's nowhere like it. "It's a lovely little quiet village to live in, people love living there," said Bob Reid, a resident of 30-plus years. "They like the environment, the bush ... it's a wonderful little bit of paradise." All remaining blocks have non-urban zoning, which prohibits dwelling structures and restricts owners from spending more than two consecutive days, or 60 days in a year, on their properties. Non-urban landowners pay between $300 and $600 every year in rates, and many blocks are only accessible via privately-owned roads. Non-urban landowners regularly hand over their blocks to MidCoast Council, which owns about 1000 lots, in lieu of paying rates.  No home in North Arm Cove had cracked $1.5 million before 2020. Four $2 million transactions have occurred since, including two sales of $2.35 million. WHO'S BUYING? The property frenzy may have calmed, but North Arm Cove's annual growth rate still sits at 35.1 per cent in the 12 months to July. First National Hawks Nest's John Rumble says much of the town's astonishing growth can be attributed to sales of village homes. "Five years ago people were buying these properties on the waterfront for $800,000," he said. "Four or five years later they're selling for $1.4, $1.5, $1.6 million which is unheard of." He said there were several factors that led owners to offload non-urban blocks, which typically sell for between $25,000 and $45,000. "Some people just don't get up here enough to be able to use them, others have had these same blocks in the family for 30 to 50 years and they've been handed on down. "The kids and grandkids say 'this is never going to happen' and they sell it. "The main reason people buy them is to set up for recreational camping, and they're coming from everywhere - Newcastle, the Central Coast, Sydney."  A 1208 square metre block at Lot 2110 Manilla Crescent is selling for $37,500. Picture: First National Real Estate
WHAT'S NEXT? MidCoast Council advises on its website that future rezoning of paper subdivisions such as North Arm Cove is "highly unlikely". The council is in the process of adopting a Rural Strategy, which is understood to involve rezoning North Arm Cove's non-urban land to environmental conservation or management land. The rezoning would still not permit dwellings. Many believe it could be decades before further development takes place at North Arm Cove, however, a landowner community group is pushing for it to happen much sooner. "Up until now it hasn't been feasible," said David Buxton, of North Arm Cove Rate Payers Association. "You would need sewer and stormwater and power ... it would all have to connect to the sewer system at Tea Gardens and the cost of that connection was worth more than the land was worth. "But now because land values have gone up so much and we have reticulated water systems, all of this can be done much cheaper." For many of us landowners we often feel isolated and don't know who to turn to...phoning or writing to council, government ministers or politicians...begging to be heard...hoping for some kind of change. ANYTHING. In 2016 one woman, Stella Maris, wrote to the local newspaper "News of the Area" sharing her story. What it did was trigger a reaction of people reaching out to find each other. To find their voice, and be heard. Here's a link to Stella's news story, which has attracted more than 131 comments. Thanks Stella, you have been so instrumental in getting our story out there, enabling us to finding each other, and being heard. Here's to Hope! A Call For North Arm Cove’s Development And Potential by News Of The Area - Modern Media - June 17, 2016 Dear News Of The Area My husband and I bought a block of land in North Arm Cove about 20 years ago with the hope that one day we could build our little house. We felt in love with the area and we use to go every summer with our children to look at our land and enjoy the beautiful water views. We named our land “HOPE”. We never stopped paying the rates for 20 years and I believe many people still paying like us; and the ones that stopped paying probably became pensioners and cannot afford to pay anymore. But how much money all the people paid to the council probably for more than 20 years. I don’t think money is the problem. We don’t go there every year anymore. Some times we pay some locals from North Arm Cove to cut the grass in our land. But I can say the area has deteriorated a lot not only the non urban area but also the urban area it looked really sad. It is a pity that this council does not recognize that North Arm Cove has a big potential to develop and create more jobs. I wrote a nice letter to the Council to ask about the approval of environmental free houses: kit homes with solar energy, rain water tanks, our own sewage but never have a reply. I hope people doesn’t give up and continuing fighting for something that it is ours. Stella Maris Ratepayer North Arm Cove Fast forward to 2022... When I emailed my story for me it was a way of relief, I knew that somehow, somebody up there was going through the same situation and I was going to be heard.,not like when I wrote to the council . Then the time passed by and I forgot completely about my letter, until one day a lady "Renate Tuano" sent me a private message asking me if I was the same person from the article, of course I said YES, and she replied you better have a look at all the people responses. I was in shock and so happy at the same time. Then Renate suggested to open a Facebook page and also to continue with the NAC Petition. So we did.   I would like to introduce myself, my name is Michael White. I live in Mount Coolum, Queensland on the Sunshine Coast. So did my father Malcolm White and my mother Colleen White whom have recently passed away at the ages of 86 and 85. In my parents' living years my father brought a piece of Dreamland in North Arm Cove. To him; he thought that the piece of Dreamland would become his place of residence for him and my mum to retire on. I was 12 years old when my father bought that land and still today I have photos of my father and my older brother and my two friends and myself a few weeks after dad brought the land we camped on the land. It was so beautiful and we cleared the land with a lawn mower. The road access was a gravel cleared road. My Dad's journey began when he was a Return Officer in the Vietnam War and later in his older years became a Return Service Officer for the Vietnam Vets in Queensland. The land my father paid for was in cold hard cash, bought on salesman belief. Dad thought he was going to have an easy living life after returning home from a non-belief War. Cut a long story short my parents lived in Minto, NSW lived in an old shack saving every penny that they could to build a dream home on their Dreamland in NORTH ARM COVE. Well over 40 years now still paying for COUNCIL RATES?????? which I would like ask where that money has been spent,,,, definitely not on the surrounding on NORTH ARM COVE because if it was properly been looked after by council fees the place wouldn't look like an overgrowth bushland and the streets that we used to drive down would be still there. My Dad and Mum were even quoted in the Advertising promotions at the time...and there were words like "Council approved the Torrens Title Sub-division in 1919" which gave my people like my Dad hope that they would be able to build one day soon... Before my father passed away one day over a cold beer he asked me for one thing in life...I asked what's was that Dad? Dad replayed, would you do something for Mum and Myself? I asked again...what was that Dad?...He said if I pass the NORTH ARM COVE land over to you (me being one of six kids)...would you promise me NOT TO GIVE UP ON MUM'S and HIS DREAMLAND and build a beautiful home on it for us and promise to hand it down the family tree ,,I replied I can only do my best dad ,,he said I have not given up in 40 years and I hope you don't either. Well here I am today trying to fulfill my DAD and MUM'S DREAM and to make NORTH ARM COVE a beautiful living place for families who have HELD their land for many years and to help their dreams come true just like my parents wanted. I would love to build a beautiful sustainable ECO-FRIENDLY SELF MANAGABLE HOME for my long term family fellows and pass it on as too, just like what my DAD WANTED. My Dad's land is only one street away from the NORTH ARM COVE VILLAGE that has been there now for years. We share same dirt same rock same air that we breathe and we share the same vegetation growth and WE AS ONE should have the same rights as NORTH ARM COVE VILLAGE and the same rights as every living landonwer in this county WE CALL HOME. AUSTRALIA. I've attached a photo when my dad and brother cleared the land 40 years ago.    |
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