Green corridor secured as Ray Hannah Lands saved for Thirroul

Wins don’t come much bigger than this.

On Monday night Wollongong City Council voted to purchase the ‘Ray Hannah Lands’ – over 6.5 hectares of green space near McCauley’s Beach – and secure it for community use, all for the price of a single dollar.

Ross Dearden of the Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG) has been advocating for this outcome for over 30 years.

“This is a huge win,” Ross said. “This is a green corridor that connects the escarpment right down to McCauley's Beach.” 

The land sits behind McCauley's Beach along Hewitts, Woodlands and Tramway creeks. Known locally as the ‘Ray Hannah lands’ after a past owner, it has long been desired by the community for public use.

“This land is the ‘lungs of Thirroul’,” Thirroul Village Committee secretary Annette Jones said after witnessing the vote at council.

“People are going to be able to walk through the area, help with land care and just enjoy this magical space."

In recent years, the owners of the land have variously made different commercial offers for Council to purchase the site. The land was zoned as flood prone in 2012 and unable to be built on.

It was only through the persistent work of Ross and many other community groups that the issue was kept on the agenda.

In recent months, after renewed advocacy from Ross, the Thirroul Village Committee, Bushcare and state MP Maryanne Stuart, Wollongong City Council engaged with the current owner, High Dune Pty Ltd, seeking to find a resolution and fair price for the transfer of the land to the community. 

Last night Council voted to accept the transfer for the nominal price of $1, which has been agreed to by the owner and council management. 

As Lord Mayor Tania Brown said during the meeting, after 30 years “the price was right”.

Many councillors spoke in support of the purchase, all recognising the decades of campaigning from Ross for the land. The vote was unanimous and met with applause. Ross was visible moved as the vote took place, admitting he was nervous right up until the moment it was done.

Hewitts Creek Bushcare has been looking after an adjourning portion of land near the site for over a decade, bringing back to life an area that was neglected and riddled with weeds. 

Ian McKinlay of the Bushcare group said while it would mean a lot of work, caring for the land would protect the habitats of over 100 species of birdlife as well as fish and eels in the creeks. 

“There are multiple breeding sites in that area now, especially for water birds,” Ian said. “Hopefully more will return now the land is under community management.”

Council also voted to allocate funding for the ongoing maintenance of the wetlands in the site.