A native title claim made by the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council will not affect the construction on the desalination plant at Kurnell. The land was claimed under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and granted by Land and Water Conservation Minister Richard Amery in July 2001.
A spokesman for the NSW Lands Office confirmed the claim as granted to the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council, however a spokesman said records showed that the council chose to undertake its own survey, which is a necessary step before the title can be transferred.
“The land has not yet been surveyed and, therefore, has not been transferred to the land council,” the spokesman said. “However, the land council is the beneficial owner of the land in accordance with the Minster’s determination.”
Documents on the Sydney Water website show the tunnel for bringing seawater to the plant crossing the area claimed by the land council. A Sydney Water spokesman said that plan was out of date.
“The design of the tunnels from the desalination plant has both tunnels exiting the plant to the east, underneath the Boral site adjacent to the desalination plant,” he said. “The tunnels then exit the Boral site, pass under Sir Joseph Banks Dr and follow the path of an access road to Botany Bay National Park, and out under the rocky reef in the Tasman Sea.
“The tunnel design does not include tunnels passing under the land that is subject to native title claim. In short, the tunnel route map in the environmental assessment of 2005 was a proposal that is now out of date.”
Land council member Christopher Ingray said the council had been involved in the consultation process and was impressed by the level of input they were allowed. “The land council at the moment is quite happy,” he said. “I believe they’ve already gone above and beyond the levels of consultation they were actually required to do, and everyone has been pleased with the approach.” Makeover coming for Eton St Arcade
Plans for an extreme makeover have been drawn up for one of the oldest shopping arcades in the Sutherland Shire after the arcade was purchased from Michael Cripps of Burraneer Developments, a Director of Cripps & Cripps Real Estate in Sutherland Shire.
The 90 square metre Eton St Arcade site was built in the 1960s and has 32 retail outlets spread out over two levels, including a café and takeaway shop, a jeweller and a barber’s shop. A spokesman for Southerly Investments said they were “in negotiation” with the tenants. “There are some good businesses there so most of them will stay but they will have to spruce up their shops,” he said. “The arcade is a main thoroughfare for people so we want to maintain that by enhancing the quality of some of the shops.”
Real estate agent Paul Wilson from Cooper Wilson Commercial Taren Point said the arcade was a prime location that would benefit from a facelift. “It will encourage people to go there. At the moment it’s somewhat of a ghost town.” Cronulla Public reporting on news
Channel 9 news reporter Mark Ferguson visited Cronulla Public School students last week giving them a lesson in journalism. Arriving in a helicopter, he spoke to senior pupils on what skills were needed and required.
Part of the reason for his visit was as a follow-up to their class program where the students have been reporting on news.
The week prior, the students recorded the temperature and their photo was featured during the Channel 9 weather segment. | 
