Young
people are leading the fight against coastal development at Smiths Beach
near Yallingup.
Liz
Miller, 15, has been spending family holidays at Smiths Beach for as long
as she can remember.
When she heard about the proposed major development,
she got to work.
"I want the next generation to see what we are
able to," she said. "Once you change it, you can't go back."
Under the development proposal, Canal Rocks Pty Ltd
has planned 230 residential lots, 460 holiday units, an outdoor festival
area, village and community centre, upgraded coastal paths and public
parking.
Walking around Fremantle one day in December with
friend Noni Cubitt, 15, the two Penhros College students managed to get
75 signatures against the development.
Liz's sister Jenny, a 19-year-old viticulture student,
offered her help.
"Smiths Beach is such a naturally beautiful place,
pristine, unique - people go there to get away from suburbia," Jenny
said.
Jenny distributed a new petition at several surf stores.
In one week, they got 1300 signatures, mainly from young people. Liz's
activist role will reach a new level when she addresses a rally, including
Greens (WA) MLC Christine Sharp, at Smiths Beach at 10am on January 27.
Melia Brent-White, 20, heads the Smiths Beach action
group.
The developers say tourists and residents will be
catered for by the development.
Canal Rocks chairman David McKenzie said the plan
represented 15 years of extensive community consultation and workshops.
It would involve extensive conservation and revegetation initiatives to
minimise the development's impact.
© Copyright 2001 by
West Australian Newspapers
Ltd. This report is for information only. No charge for such use is
made and the material is not being used for commercial purposes. The text
has not been modified from the original report.
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