More than 100 residents gathered at the Culburra Community Centre to hear oral submissions from local residents, workers, a council representative and an Indigenous Elder at a conciliation hearing of the court on Monday, May 11.

The applicant, Sealark Pty Ltd which is a part of the Halloran Trust, provided a proposal which will see a 47 urban development area providing over 300 residential dwellings to the area.

Anthony Munn, who works as an oyster farmer and runs the NSW Food Authority Shellfish Standards Program, objected to the development and fears the increased housing could have dire consequences for oyster farmers.

"We're very stringent with the water quality that we have to maintain. The developments could shut down half the estuary if the site goes ahead," he said.

"The way it'll affect us is that too many nutrients from stormwater runoff and sewage will get into the river, creating algal blooms...it hurts the way we can operate.

"Some farmers derive all their income from this one zone, small farmers will not survive."

While environmental assessments were undertaken and ponds are planned in the proposal to catch stormwater runoff, Munn believes these measures are not enough to protect oyster farms.

According to Munn, oyster farms have a mandatory closure period of 1 to 2 days for rainfall events and 21 days for sewage spills.

"If we get three sewage spills that's 63 days close," he said.

"If this court finds this urban development acceptable, then please set the bar high. The developers should be putting in bond money so that if it does muck up, there's money there that we can use to fix it. If it does shuts down the oyster industry, the farmers need compensating."

Concerns about sacred Aboriginal sites were also raised by Vice-Chair of Jerrinja Local Aboriginal Land Council Aunty Delia Lowe.

Jerrinja tribal spokesperson Ronald Carberry said the developments would be placed right on top of Aboriginal sites in the area.

"We have around 30 registered Aboriginal sites within the development area. With over 300 houses there, people will be walking straight through our sites and accessing the water through our Midden sites," he said.

"Our Midden sites have huge potential as burial sites and these stone artefacts, some of them are over 10,000 years old.

"This is what everyone in Culburra, and the rest of Australia have to realise, we have got the oldest living culture in the world here. And everyone should be excited that they own a part of this, and not destroy it through development."

President of the Culburra Beach & Districts Chamber of Commerce Brian Muller is confident the environmental concerns of the developments were addressed in the amended proposal.

"Water quite naturally is just pouring into the Crookhaven River right now. However, with this subdivision, this will now be controlled. It will be much more environmentally friendly than what's going on now," he said.

With the residential lots planned away from the water, Muller is convinced that this will boost the permanent population of Culburra, which he said is vital if local businesses are to survive.

"Culburra Beach needs this development to proceed and now is the time to move forward," he said.

"Vacant residential land supply in our town is at crisis point. One vacant block in a good position but with no water or other views recently sold for $645,000. In a regional area like this that is just not acceptable."

"If you look at the corresponding villages around the Shoalhaven...they've all had developments done back from the water and away from the beach, and those houses have attracted permanent residents.

"So I'm very confident that the subdivision further back will attract at least 98 per cent permanent residents as opposed to holiday makers."

The amended proposal is for an urban development area and includes 244 low-density residential lots, capable of providing up to 293 dwellings; 12 medium-density residential lots; 45 integrated housing lots; three mixed use lots; 13 industrial lots; a sportsground with supporting amenities and parkland/open space areas; and supporting infrastructure and services, including new roads and a stormwater management system.

After the hearing, the Land and Environment Court said they would discuss the submissions and come to a decision about the fate of the West Culburra Development in the near future.

We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.