FAQ

Council is exhibiting a proposal to name two lots (Lots 7 and 8 DP 7813) Blackall Street, Bulli, as the Paul Mason Jones Reserve. The two lots, as shown below, are to the south of the Sandon Point car park and outside of the declared Sandon Point Aboriginal Place.

A request to name part of the reserve was submitted to Council by the Paul Mason Jones Reserve Committee, under Council’s Community Recognition Program.

The Committee is made up of local residents, life members of the Sandon Point Surf Life Saving Club and Sandon Point Boardriders Club, and a member of Paul’s family. The Committee has been working with community groups for 9 years towards the naming of the reserve.

Paul Mason Jones A.K.A. “Jinxy” was the founding President of the Sandon Point Board Riders’ Club and a past President of the Southern Pacific Board Riders’ Club, and it was his dream to restore the headland at Sandon Point. Paul was tragically killed in a trucking accident in 1979 at the age of 27, and at the time, his passing stimulated a strong community desire to honour his life and contribution to the local community. A four year project was independently funded and undertaken by local volunteers to remediate and enhance the existing headland, incorporating the relocation of the car park to its current position with minimal Council assistance. Appendix I of the Sandon Point Plan of Management contains information the Paul Mason Jones Reserve Committee provided about Paul Mason Jones and the restoration of the reserve. The Plan of Management and accompanying appendices are available to download from the Document Library and can also be emailed on request.

On 23 February 2015, Council adopted a Plan of Management (PoM) for Sandon Point and McCauley’s Beach. The adopted PoM included Appendix 1: Information the Paul Mason Jones Reserve Committee Would Like to Share about Paul Mason Jones. The proposal to recognise Paul Mason Jones was included in exhibited versions of the draft PoM, but did not nominate a specific area. A 700-person petition supporting the idea was tabled at a Council meeting. Council did not receive any written objections to the proposal. The adopted PoM supports the installation of a Paul Mason Jones Reserve sign subject to compliance with Council’s Community Recognition Program Policy.

The Paul Mason Jones Reserve Committee, in June 2009, received advice from the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council that it supported the proposed naming. However, given the significance of Sandon Point to the Aboriginal community, the proposal was considered at the Sandon Point Aboriginal Place Joint Management Agreement Partners meeting on 30 October 2015 and, again, at the meeting on 26 November 2015. The Sandon Point Aboriginal Place Joint Management Agreement Partners supported the idea of the proposal proceeding in accordance with Wollongong City Council’s Naming of Community Facilities and Parks Policy requirements. In other words, it was supported at the meetings that the naming proposal should be exhibited for public comment.

Council is in the process of seeking an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) to install Council signage acknowledging the declared Sandon Point Aboriginal Place. An AHIP helps to manage potential harm to Aboriginal objects and places when Council is undertaking work in an area, in this case, the installation of Council signage. Council is working though Sandon Point Aboriginal Place Joint Management Partner meetings to progress Sandon Point Aboriginal Place signage.

Council’s role is to facilitate feedback from the community on the proposal and report back to the Geographical Names Board. The Geographical Names Board will reactivate the original application from the Paul Mason Jones Reserve Committee once Council has reported on the outcome of this consultation.

The Geographical Names Board dictates the process:

It may take approximately 6 – 8 weeks for the Geographical Names Board to formally gazette the name. If approved, it may be the end of 2016 before the reserve has been officially named.

The signage will follow the style guidelines set out in Council’s Suburb and Park Signage Style Guide and meet other requirements related protecting Aboriginal Culture and Heritage, given the significance of Sandon Point. The design would be simple and similar to Council reserve and park signs in other locations.