At last. Shirley Adams gets her Way

By Tim Howard

A jarring anomaly that has irked Clarence Valley residents from the moment it was first unveiled is about to be rectified.

Next month the name of the road that crosses the Balun Bindarray Bridge in Grafton will be changed from Shirley Way to Shirley Adams Way, finally giving correct recognition of the first female mayor of Grafton and a community champion.

Since November 2022 the section or road has been signposted as Shirley Way, setting off protests from every level of the community.

It has taken concerted efforts from Mrs Adam’s husband John, daughter Virginia, Clarence MP Richie Williamson and the Clarence Valley Council to get naming authority the Geographical Names Board to accept the community’s wishes.

The Adams family requested the approaches be renamed “Shirley Adams Way” to properly recognise Shirley Adams and ensure her memory lives on.

But the board refused the original request to use Mrs Adams full name because it had only recently introduced a ruling banning two word names because of the risk of confusion when directing emergency services units to specific addresses.

Since coming to office in March 2023, the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison kickstarted a special process to allow for Shirley Way to be renamed Shirley Adams Way, in line with the family’s request.

After a public consultation took place earlier this year, Minister Aitchison last week approved the change in name and Shirley Adams Way will be the new name of the road from late July.

The minister said Ms Adams was the first female mayor of the then Grafton City Council, a former Jacaranda Queen, Jacaranda Festival President in 1976 and 1977, a Jacaranda Festival life member and was deeply involved in NSW Girl Guides, the United Hospital Auxiliary, Meals on Wheels, Clarence River Historical Society, Country Women’s Association, and many other organisations.

She was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1989.

“Last week I was pleased to approve the renaming of Shirley Way in Grafton to Shirley Adams Way,” Minister Aitchison said.

“This is a fitting tribute to Shirley Adams OAM who served as Grafton’s first female mayor and was also the first woman to lead the Country Mayor’s Association of NSW.

“In recognition of her services to local government and the Girl Guide Movement, Ms Adams also received a medal in the Order of Australia (OAM).”

Former Grafton Mayor Shirley Adams, who died in June 2020, with her husband John Adams. Mr Adams has lobbied the government tirelessly for the name change on the bridge approaches.

The Minister said renaming the road was something she had supported since it first came to her attention.

“To honour Shirley’s legacy, it’s only right we rename this road, she said. “It’s come after years of campaigning and advocacy and is a great win for Shirley’s family and the broader Clarence Valley community.

“Everyone has always wanted the road to be renamed Shirley Adams Way and I am pleased that the NSW Labor Government has been able to make this happen.”

Ms Aitchison said the number of submissions calling for the change had been “overwhelming”.

“Given this and the special place Shirley Adams holds in the hearts of Clarence Valley community, I felt renaming the road to Shirley Adams Way was a simple, common sense way to honour the memory and legacy of a trailblazing woman,” she said.

“I am in awe of Shirley’s service to the Grafton and Clarence Valley communities.

“In coming weeks Transport for NSW will install new signage to mark the changing of the road name and the team will work with relevant organisations to notify them of the change.”

The minister has also reached out to the Adams family to notify them of the impending changes.

“I’ve spoken to Shirley’s daughter Virginia and she is just thrilled, she said.

“I’m looking forward to visiting Grafton to meet with Shirley’s family and friends to celebrate the renaming of the road when the new signs go up.

There has been bi-partisan support for the change, with the Minister acknowledging the work of Mr Williamson.

“I want to thank Richie Williamson MP and the Clarence Valley Council for their ongoing advocacy,” she said.

Mr Williamson said the change “just makes sense”.

“The name Shirley Adams is synonymous not only in Grafton but across the Clarence Valley and it is a fitting tribute to a remarkable lady and a dear friend who was a staunch advocate not only for her local community, but in encouraging women’s participation in public life and decision making,” he said.

“Shirley had a burning desire to make Grafton a better place and had a genuine love for the people of the city.”

Mr Williamson said the family would be relieved that the right decision had finally been made.

“I know her husband John Adams OAM and family are incredibly proud as is the community of Shirley’s legacy,” he said.

“The renaming of the road is a fitting tribute in honour and recognition of her service to local government, the girl guide movement and the wider community, and I look forward to the road officially being renamed with her family in the very near future.”

For more local Grafton news, click here.

Plan to turn ferry loss into $8.9mil windfall

By Tim Howard

A plan has been hatched to turn the Clarence Valley’s loss of the Ulmarra Ferry service earlier this month into an $8.9 million windfall.

A report from the Clarence Valley Council general manager Laura Black to the June council meeting on Tuesday said the loss of the ferry was a chance for the council to “advocate for compensatory funds” to fund infrastructure in the region.

Ms Black’s report noted the Transport for NSW advised the cost of replacing the ferry would have been $4million with annual running costs of more than $800,000 annually.

“Total funds sought are $8,883,950, to be allocated to Clarence Valley Council,” the report read.

The recommendation to the council was

That Council:

1. writes to Local State Member Richie Williamson seeking his support in advocating for an allocation of funds to the Clarence Valley in lieu of continuation of the Ulmarra to Southgate Ferry service by Transport NSW.
2. writes to the Minister for Regional Transport, the Hon. Jenny Aitchison requesting:
   1. funding totalling $8,883,950 to enable the upgrade of 5kms of Lawrence Road from Great Marlow to Grafton and, completion of the Ulmarra Riverside Precinct Bailey Park connectivity and Small Park upgrade and, completion of the Grafton Waterfront Precinct from Clarence Street to the Grafton Bridge.
   2. Transport NSW prioritises its commitment to design and deliver pedestrian access across Big River Way in the town of Ulmarra to facilitate connectivity in the town.
   3. Funds be made available to Transport NSW to prioritise the upgrade of the Pound and Villiers Street intersection to a signalised intersection as this is both a residual matter relating to the Grafton Bridge duplication and an intersection that will experience increased vehicular movements as a result of cessation of the Ulmarra to Southgate Ferry.

The report said a number of key projects in receipt of government funding had been underfunded.

For example the 5km Lawrence Rd – Great Marlow Rd to Grafton project had received $2.212 million, but the construction estimate was $7,341 mil, more than $5 million short of the mark.

Two projects in Ulmarra, the refurbishment of the riverside precinct of Bailey Park and the showground, Small Park were also in need of extra funding.

A full report on the council decision will appear in a future edition of The Northern Rivers Times.

For more local Clarence Valley news, click here.

Another Yamba flood plain DA under scrutiny

By Tim Howard

Yamba residents are hoping regulators will rule out another development on the flood plain when a Land and Environment Court conciliation conference comes to the region next week.

The court has called a conciliation conference for July 2 between Clifton Yamba Lifestyle Pty Ltd and Clarence Valley Council after legal action was taken over a “deemed refusal” of a 216-dwelling estate development, DA 2023/0241 at 110-120 Carrs Dr.

The conference gives the opportunity for residents opposed to the development to present evidence to the LEC commissioner, who will oversee the conference.

The conference was to have included a site visit, but this has been dropped and resident speakers will give evidence on a Teams link or over the phone.

A court officer said a publicly accessible Teams link would be made available for this part of the conciliation process.

After the residents’ evidence, the conciliation will move into confidential session, likely using a separate link, with the parties and senior commissioner taking part.

The development has been in the sights of influential community group the Yamba Community Action Network.

The group made several submissions to the Northern Regional Planning Panel which refused a development application earlier this month for a 284-lot sub-division not far from this development.

At the same time the group was invited to Parliament House in Sydney to give evidence to a Parliamentary Committee looking into planning and environmental issues.

Yamba CAN secretary Lynne Cairns said her members were concerned the developer had made changes to its proposal since legal action commenced earlier this year.

She said council’s solicitor has told her that if there were changes they would be “without prejudice”, so could not reveal what they might be.

The court has confirmed it would not release any communications it had with the parties, a policy which Ms Cairns described as garbage.

“We need to know if there have been changes to what was originally proposed in order to make comment on it,” she said.

“If we’re going to provide evidence on something, we have to know what’s different.”

She also said, “she thought it was paramount the commissioner of the court needed to undertake a site visit to fully understand the area and cumulative impacts.”

Ms Cairns said there were similar concerns to the Miles St development the NRPP refused earlier this month.

“We’re particularly concerned about the evacuation procedures during a flood,” she said.

“And most of our concerns are virtually the same as the Kahuna DA.

“In fact, the documentation for both evacuation plans looks remarkably similar.”

Problems with the evacuation plan was one of the four reasons the NRPP decided to refuse the DA.

The LEC website said: “Conciliation is a process in which the parties to a dispute, with the assistance of an impartial conciliator, identify the issues in dispute, develop options, consider alternatives and endeavour to reach agreement.

“The conciliator may have an advisory role on the content of the dispute or the outcome of its resolution but not a determinative role.

“The conciliator may advise on or determine the process of conciliation whereby resolution is attempted, and may make suggestions for terms of settlement, give expert advice on likely terms, and may actively encourage the parties to reach agreement.”

After the conciliation conference the LEC has scheduled a directions hearing  in Sydney for July 11.

For more Yamba news, click here.