What is happening at the Kyogle Showground?
Crown Lands has appointed an administrator to the Kyogle Showground Trust.
A spokesperson for Crown Lands in the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said the term of the Kyogle Showground and Public Recreation Land Manager Board expired on December 19 last year.
The department appointed temporary administrator Brian Bell to manage the showground for six months before a new board is appointed.
He will coordinate the management of the showground reserve and prepare a management plan for the management of the reserve for its user groups.
Mr Bell will also prepare a development application to lodge with Kyogle Council to authorise camping at the showground.
Once all this is in place, the department will seek nominations from the community for the appointment of a new Land Manager Board for the showground.
Last September IndyNR.com reported on campers living at Kyogle Showground who were about to be evicted. Read more on that here.
Campers paid a weekly rent and as more and more people came to stay at the showground, the issues around long term camping grew.
At that time, Crown Lands said only ‘primitive camping’ was allowed at the showground. This means short term stays.
IndyNR.com tried but has been unable to speak to members of the Showground and Recreation Reserve Trust.
State MP Janelle Saffin got involved at the end of last year.
Since then, most of the people living at the showground have moved on or been helped to find housing.
Ms Saffin there were still about five campers at the showground and Kyogle Support Services were helping these people.
“These people can stay until such time as an alternative is found for them. There is no date that they must be gone by,” she said.
Importantly, no more campers will be accepted at the showground.
Kyogle Council general manager Marcus Schintler said they had been advised that an administrator had been appointed.
“We have offered to assist the administrator through any DA process they may wish to undertake,” Mr Schintler said.
A Crown Lands representative and Ms Saffin will meet with Mr Bell at the showground next Wednesday, February 12.
This article appeared on indyNR.com on 6 February 2025. Updated 7 February 2025.
