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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Matthew Kelly

Aboriginal elder not backing down over Stockton caravan park

Demanding respect: Worimi Aboriginal elder Lennie Anderson has sought an interim protection order on land being used for the relocation of 16 holiday cabins from Stockton Caravan park.

Worimi Aboriginal elder Lennie Anderson has vowed to continue his campaign to stop holiday cabins from Stockton caravan park from being relocated to land near the town's swimming pool.

Mr Anderson lodged an interim protection order on the site last week under the 1974 National Parks and Wildlife Act, which is designed to protect Aboriginal sites of significance.

Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) officers are expected to inspect the site later this week.

Meanwhile, the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council, which represents 450 members, is yet to form a position on the actions of City of Newcastle until it has met with council and OEH representatives.

"We neither support or dispute (Mr Anderson's claim) it," Worimi Land Council chief executive Andrew Smith said.

"We absolutely feel for the Stockton community and what they are going through. Hopefully there is an amicable way forward."

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Mr Anderson, who was chief executive of the land council for 15 years, said his claim was based on extensive knowledge gained from oral history and ships' logs that detailed the significance of Stockton to Aboriginal people.

He has argued the relocation of 16 cabins from the caravan park amounts to "cultural destruction" of the land.

"Newcastle council have relocated cabins to the public area, substantiated them by installing sub-surface services ... without any DA [development application] or public awareness," he said in his application.

He told the Newcastle Herald on Monday that his aim was not to prevent development but to ensure it occurred in a way that was respectful of the area's significance to Aboriginal people.

"I don't know any Aboriginal person who would oppose that land from being used as a public space," he said.

"When the pool went in they (the council) went through an appropriate process and sought permission, but in this case they are slapping them down and calling it a crisis when in fact they are pursuing a business agenda."

City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said on Sunday that the relocation of the cabins was complicated and highlighted the "significant economic role the caravan park plays in the local Stockton community".

A development application for the project is being prepared.

Mr Anderson, who was instrumental in having Stockton Bight declared as a place of Aboriginal significance, said he would pursue his claim regardless of what the land council did.

If rejected, he will lodge the claim via the 1993 Native Title Act.

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