Ballina Shire Council has backed away from a controversial proposal to revisit the master plan for Cawarra Park, following a strong public backlash and a vocal community protest last weekend.
In a sharp reversal of its May decision to reopen discussions on building croquet courts at the park, councillors voted 7–3 on Thursday to leave the current plan in place, effectively ending the latest push to redevelop the popular open space.
Mayor Sharon Cadwallader, who had stood alone in opposing the plan’s review last month, reaffirmed her position and welcomed the council’s decision to respect previous community consultation.
“It’s no secret I didn’t vote for the review. I was the only one that voted against it last meeting because I’ve been through the process,” she said. “It just destroys community confidence when you revisit something so soon after such extensive consultation.”
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She acknowledged that some newer councillors had not been part of that original consultation and voted for the review without full context, but said the master plan should now be left as is.
Public Pressure Prompted Change
Last Sunday, more than 70 residents rallied at Cawarra Park to protest the possible development of croquet lawns. Many expressed frustration that the council appeared to ignore the master plan adopted in November 2023 after significant public consultation.
Councillor Eva Ramsey (pictured) echoed the mood of the protest, saying the message from the public was clear.
“So many people have written to us and spoken to us about it because they’re passionate,” she said. “There’s not much green space left on the island. If we’re going to be adding high-density housing, we have to protect what’s here.”
Councillor Ramsey also argued that spreading sporting facilities across the broader shire—not concentrating them in central Ballina—was a more equitable approach.
Croquet Club Pleads Its Case
Ballina Croquet Club President Carolyn Reay-Young made a detailed submission to councillors, arguing the club’s modest proposal had been misunderstood.
She stressed that the club only ever requested a two-lawn facility, not the four-lawn regional complex outlined in earlier drafts of the master plan.
“We’d like to reassure Council and the community that the proposed development… would have minimal impact on Cawarra Park while delivering significant community benefits,” she said.
Reay-Young also highlighted uncertainty over the club’s current location at Hampton Park, which is subject to a commercial lease held by Ballina Bowling Club. She said the croquet club fears its future there is not guaranteed.
Mixed Views Among Councillors
While the majority supported shelving the review, some councillors argued a reassessment of the master plan was reasonable.
Councillor Therese Crollick said she knew the park well and believed there was room for additional sports use without losing green space. “We’re not proposing to fence off the open space,” she said. “This is just about checking whether we can make better use of it.”
However, most councillors argued that maintaining public trust in the planning process was paramount and that the current open-space use should remain unchanged
As Councillor Phil Meehan – who supported the initial push for review but ultimately led debate on the reversal, said: “We need to listen to the people who vote us in.”
Follow Ballina News Daily for further coverage of Council’s June meeting in the coming days.
It was good to see that Democracy prevailed.
We’d like to thank the Mayor and Council staff for their transparency and honesty in this matter.
We were pleased that the majority of councillors (including 2 of the 3 A Ward Councillors) voted to support Councillor Meehan’s motion to take no further action in relation to Cawarra Park.
Our community is tight knit and we value our green space. It’s not that we don’t want change, it is that Cawarra Park is already used in a way that is fit for purpose. Thank you Ballina Council from residents of Cawarra Park surrounds.
Common sense prevails