Eurobodalla Council's proposal to close and sell Coopers Island Road at Trunketabella is on hold while councillors take time to review submissions from the community and discuss the matter with the NSW Government.
The proposal was placed on public exhibition last month. The short gravel road runs east from the highway towards a causeway over Bowns Creek, previously a popular spot for fishing and kayaking on the Tuross River. However, a detailed Crown Solicitors' investigation revealed the causeway and adjoining land are privately owned, leading Council to propose the road be closed and sold.
General Manager Mark Ferguson said Council received a significant number of submissions in response to the proposal.
"Due to the public interest in this matter, no decision will be made on the closure and sale until Council has had time to fully consider the issues raised and discuss these with the NSW Government. At the earliest that will be the March 2026 Council meeting," Mr Ferguson said.
"NSW Crown Lands and the NSW Department of Primary Industries are key players in this matter as the agencies who determined there was no public access to the waterway, and the agency responsible for recreational fishing. Council will be engaging further with these agencies as part of our considerations."
All residents and groups that made a submission have received a letter advising the proposed closure and sale is pending further consideration, and that they will be contacted again before Council makes a decision.
Matters raised by members of the community in response to the public exhibition - which also attracted five speakers to Council's December public access session - include questions around the Crown Solicitor's determination, the long history of public access to the area, Aboriginal and heritage connections, safety and public nuisance issues the Upper House Select Committee Inquiry currently underway, and the potential for compulsory acquisition.
