6 CURRENT USES

The Community Strategic Plan11 appropriately describes the focal role of the Nabiac Showground and Hall, as the home of the annual Wallamba District Agricultural Show, junior rodeos, camp drafting and the monthly Nabiac Farmers Market, whilst also hosting the local branch of the Great Lakes Library.

Other functions which are conducted on the Reserve include the monthly cattle sales, pony club and camps, team penning, barrel racing, Men’s Shed, dog shows, with rugby and football on the sports field. The local Landcare group also has an interest in the management of the Reserve. Collectively, these functions create an important focus for this community, and the opportunity for further development and utilisation of the Reserve will be an important ongoing consideration.

The Reserve provides ready access to pedestrians and casual users as well as planned sporting events and practice. It is well positioned to address the casual and active needs of the local community, as well as provide a linkage to other open space areas nearby.

6.1 Current User Groups

The Reserve is currently used as active open space by the following sporting, social and business bodies under agreement with Council, in accordance with MidCoast Council’s Terms and Conditions for Use of Recreational Spaces procedures (March 2016):

Regular Users - Showground

 Wallamba River Pony Club - monthly training club days and 2 competition days

 Team Penning - monthly training days

 Gooch Agencies - monthly cattle sales

 Community Hall Committee

 Farmers Markets - Monthly

Annual Events

 Wallamba Agricultural & Horticultural Show

 Campdraft

 Junior Rodeo

 Caravan & Camping Show (annually held twice in the last 3 years)

Sports field Users

 Wallamba Football (soccer) Club - Winter

11 Community Strategic Plan 2016-2021. Coordinated by Nabiac Village Futures Group 2015.

 Wallamba Rugby Union Football Club – Winter

6.2 Other Uses

Local residents and visitors have ready access to the Reserve and opportunities exist for a range of passive activities including:

 Motor home stays both informally and in association with sporting events (eg., eventing, pony club).

 Walking and exercising.

 Town Library (opens 4 days per week). 12

 Community hall. Bookings include weddings, parties, meeting place for various community groups.

6.3 Existing Interests and Tenures

Tenures are issued over community lands in accordance with MidCoast Council’s Leasing/Licencing of Council Lands and Buildings Policy (2017), and in accordance with the LGA (see 10.3). The following tenures exist at the Reserve:

 Licence agreement with Gooch Agencies for the operation of monthly cattle sales, commencing 1 February 2022 for 12 months.

 Licence agreement with Nabiac Farmers Market for the operation of monthly markets, commencing 1 July 2021 for 3 years with 2 x 3 year options.

 Licence agreement with Wallamba District Agricultural and Horticultural Association for the use of Nabiac Showground Hall, commencing 1 July 2022 for 5 years.

12 The library is operated by Council principally to provide the local community access to recreational experiences including reading and borrowing of fiction and non-fiction books and movies.