Increased traffic in Calderwood is causing issues to dairy farmers in the area. Photo: edb3_16 Envato
Shellharbour councillors have unanimously backed a push for a dedicated cattle crossing at the Tate Dairy in Calderwood, warning that soaring traffic volumes are turning a long-running farming operation into a safety risk for motorists, workers and animals.
At a recent meeting, councillors unanimously endorsed a notice of motion from Deputy Mayor Kellie Marsh calling on the NSW Government to fund and deliver safe crossing infrastructure on Calderwood Road to allow the Tate family’s 600-strong herd to move between paddocks safely.
The motion noted that the State Government was the consent authority for the Calderwood Urban Development Project, which approved the concept design for the upgrade of Calderwood Road, and Shellharbour Council had an ongoing commitment to work collaboratively with the government to ensure the viability of agricultural enterprises were protected.
“Tate Dairy at Calderwood is one of the last remaining large dairy farms in the Shellharbour area,” Cr Marsh said.
“It’s been operating since the 1950s.
“It’s very well-known locally around Calderwood and Albion Park for continuing dairy farming, despite major urban development nearby.”
Cr Marsh said the family-run business had modern facilities, and a large herd of 600 cows across 1000 acres.
She said council’s rural land strategy already recognised the dairy as an important part of the region’s farming history and economy.
“The growth of Calderwood has significantly increased traffic along Calderwood Road, creating serious safety concerns for local dairy farming operations, such as Tate’s Dairy,” she said.
“The dairy herd regularly needs to cross the road to move between paddocks for access to fresh pasture, water, and grazing rotation.
“With future development projections estimated around 10,000 vehicle movements a day, which is roughly what you’ll get along Wattle Road, safely moving cattle across the road is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous for both farmers and motorists.
“At present, there’s no dedicated cow crossing, underpass, overpass, warning system, nothing, no infrastructure.”
Cr Marsh said without a safe crossing point, the ongoing operation of traditional farming in Calderwood was “under pressure”.
She said as urban development continued, there was a growing need for the State Government to provide practical rural infrastructure solutions that allowed agriculture and residential growth to coexist safely.
“The NSW Government already funds cattle underpasses and livestock crossing safety infrastructure in regional areas through the Cattle Underpass Scheme, recognising that farming operations still require safe movement of cattle between paddocks,” she said.
“Calderwood should not be overlooked simply because urban development now surrounds long-standing agricultural land users.”
She also stressed that the Calderwood development was not approved by council, but “pushed through” by the State Government in a process she said was “wildly criticised” for overriding local concerns.
“Long-standing farming operations … were effectively expected to coexist with massive urban expansion without adequate infrastructure being delivered to protect them,” she said.
“The situation highlights a major planning failure, where development has been prioritised, while the practical realities and the safety needs of existing agricultural landowners have been left behind.”
Councillor Rob Petreski asked who owned the road, to which executive director planning and environment Michael Park responded that under the concept approval, the developer, which was Stockland, was required to upgrade the road surface in accordance with concept approval, but that did not include a cattle crossing.
Cr Petreski then asked who was responsible for building the infrastructure.
Mr Park said there was no requirement to provide a cattle crossing and that the nature of the motion was to try to map out a pathway to deliver it under the concept approval.
“Council are able to implement development in accordance with the concept approval, which has specifications for what needs to happen on Calderwood Road, which doesn’t include an underpass or overpass for cattle,” he said.
“My understanding of the motion is this is trying to seek a commitment from the State Government, who ultimately approved the development in that area, to fund or to deliver that cattle crossing under Calderwood Road to provide for safe movement of cattle over what will be a road that will have some 10,000 vehicles a day.”
The motion was unanimously carried, and council will now write to MPs Katelin McInerney, Jenny Aitchison and Tara Moriarty asking them to construct a cattle underpass upon completion of the Calderwood Road upgrade.
