The owner of Southbound Escapes, which operates from the former Visitor Information Centre building, has applied for a licence for a food truck. Photo: Steve Dorman.
Most of the recent Eurobodalla Shire Council meeting was spent debating for the third time a licence for a food truck in Narooma, and the construction of a new animal shelter in Moruya.
At the council meeting on 25 March councillors approved a one-year licence for a food truck adjacent to the former Visitor Information Centre (VIC) building in Narooma. The following day the council received a rescission motion from councillors Rob Pollock, Phil Constable and Sharon Winslade.
At the council meeting’s public forum on 29 April (Tuesday), the food truck licence applicant Sally Bouckley, owner of Southbound Escapes which operates from the former VIC building, addressed councillors.
Two local business owners then spoke about why they were opposed to her application.
In their view Southbound Escapes is getting a competitive advantage because it does not have to pay for parking spaces like other business owners do. Nor is it paying to have tables and chairs in a public area and the food truck is within 250 metres of competing businesses.
The three councillors supporting the rescission motion shared that view, speaking of fairness and a level playing field.
On the other side was the view that the regulations covering bricks and mortar businesses did not apply to mobile food trucks and that it was a good way to activate a public space to benefit the community and visitors.
Clrs Constable, Pollock and Winslade supported the rescission because they wanted to go back to the drawing board and start afresh.
Councillors Anthony Mayne, Amber Schutz and Colleen Turner voted against the rescission.
Location plan and site analysis of the proposed new animal shelter in Moruya. Photo: via Eurobodalla Shire Council website.
As there were three votes in favour of the rescission motion and three votes against, Clr Mayne as Deputy Mayor had the casting vote.
The rescission motion was defeated. Clr Mayne said therefore the March 2025 motion approving the food truck licence stood.
Mayor Mat Hatcher excused himself from the public forum and council meeting when the issue was discussed, debated and voted on because his business supplies coffee to Southbound Escapes.
Councillors Laurence Babington and Mick Johnson were apologies.
During the public forum Louise Webb of the Animal Welfare League NSW – Eurobodalla Branch and Peter Cormick spoke in support of the construction of a new animal shelter in the industrial area of Moruya which they said was long overdue.
When the matter was discussed in the council meeting Cr Mayne proposed an amendment that council provide a comprehensive report back to the community this calendar year on the design, construction and budget so the project did not drift and was kept top of mind.
Council staff said it was council’s grant policy not to apply for grant funding until a project was “shovel ready” with an approved development application (DA).
Clr Schutz said the animal shelter issue had been ongoing for years and as it was critical it should not keep drifting out while council waited for grant funding. She proposed a further amendment for a report to be provided to council in conjunction with its consideration of the annual operating plan.
The amended motion was passed unanimously and council staff were commended for resolving the issue around the site’s sales yards.
Eurobodalla Shire councillors with former general manager Warwick Winn. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
A DA for a 40-metre monopole in the Dalmeny industrial area to improve mobile phone reception was approved unanimously without debate.
Councillors resolved to extend the public exhibition period for the draft Batemans Bay Master Plan from 30 May to 30 June given its importance and that the public exhibition period had coincided with the Easter and school holidays.
Two mayoral reports were added to the council meeting agenda after it was circulated.
One concerned the donation of one or more large pieces of public bronze sculpture by Gillie and Mar. Councillors discussed what costs might arise from that, such as installing and maintaining them. They also discussed who would select the pieces and if there should be a public consultation or budget allocation to promote the sculpture.
Mayor Hatcher said there was a good chance of missing the opportunity if they delayed accepting the offer.
The mayoral report was passed unanimously.
The other report concerned the coastal erosion at the northern end of Surfside Beach, along Myamba Parade.
The recommendation was for the council to advocate to both NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison and the NSW Government for funding, specifically to dredge the Clyde River and “re-nourish” the sand at Surfside Beach as a matter of urgency, and that the council facilitates a meeting between relevant state government agencies and the Surfside community and supports representation made by Dr Michael Holland, Member for Bega.
The report was passed unanimously.
