The Farm at Killalea State Park is set to become a National Surf Reserve after surfer Chris Homer's nomination was accepted.
The Warilla resident was thrilled yesterday after campaigning for more than a year to get official iconic surf status for his favourite break.
When Lands Minister Tony Kelly gazetted Crescent Head in June, he said it was the third legally protected reserve of its type in NSW, and fourth in the world. The others in NSW are Lennox Head and Angourie at Yamba, both on the North Coast.
Professor Andrew Short is deputy chair of the reserve committee that picked Killalea from piles of applications.
The space between the headlands at The Farm would be protected, plus 500m seaward from the shoreline. This bans development that would interfere with the renowned Killalea break, but wouldn't impact on anything away from the sand.
Mr Homer is against a proposed tourist development at Killalea.
"It's about preserving the surfing experience here. When you surf Killalea or The Farm, all you can see is pristine environment. You don't get that a lot, especially in a community regarded as a city, such as Shellharbour," he said.
His surf reserve push was supported by the NSW Department of Lands, which also has the job of giving it the final tick after Mr Homer consults the community. He does not miss the irony that this same government department looks after the Crown Land that surrounds The Farm, and is behind the plans to sell the development lease for a resort to be built on the ridge above the surf beach.
Mr Homer hopes the publicity of Killalea being dedicated a surf reserve will help sell his message to keep the state park in the public's hands.
"There's significant opposition but I hope this will heighten it and make it a bit more passionate," he said.
He suspected the Government considered the surf status a plus for increasing the value of its land and attracting more people to the proposed resort.
A department spokesman said the Government was very supportive of the move, but it still had to go through the "formalities" before it was gazetted.
Surfer Paul Witzig lives on the North Coast and remembers surfing The Farm several decades ago. He said it was important to prevent the "magic being lost".
"Green rolling country, pristine environment. It was a real pleasure to go there," the former surf film-maker said.
Treating our surfing assets like national parks was crucial, he said, but warned that cashing-in on the attraction could sound its death knell.
"I've been involved with the development of surf management plans in Papua New Guinea and the whole emphasis is to preserve the quality of the surf experience, and to limit the numbers of people coming.
"Look at places like the Gold Coast and Noosa, with big surf resorts where developers come and flog the hell out of it and end up destroying what was there to begin with."
Killalea State Park Trust looks after the land on behalf of the Government and has been heavily involved in the negotiations with developers.
Chair Ed Gilmore had not heard yesterday about the surf reserve approval, but said the trust backed the decision.
"I think it will help to enhance the trust and to assist in tourism, which is pretty important. It will be a benefit for the development, certainly that all helps."
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