Shire to limit Dreamer’s Hill use
Dreamer’s Hill, Karratha’s landmark sales point for just about anything with a motor or wheels, will be regulated from the beginning of March with a permit system to maximise the use of available space and limit the number of sales.
Roebourne Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Collene Longmore said permits for the sale of vehicles, including a parking layout, will be free until June 30, 2012.
“The new layout will require most vehicles to be parked at a 90 degree angle to the reserve boundary and this should allow more vehicles to fit into the reserve,” she said.
“Once the permit system has been implemented, sellers of vehicles will need to purchase a permit at the Shire of Roebourne before taking their vehicle to the site,” she said.
“Each permit will need to be displayed on the vehicle for sale and each person will only be permitted to sell one car, boat, motorbike and so on each year.”
From July 1, 2012, permits will cost approximately $20 and will allow the holder of the permit to display their vehicle each weekend for one month.
Ms Longmore said permits would be issued on a first-in, best-dressed basis.
Permit signage will be installed at the reserve in the next few weeks and Shire officers will attend on weekends in late February and early March with pamphlets about the new permit system and to direct parking.
“If vehicles continue to spill outside the reserve then we may need to consider the creation of an overflow area for vehicles which cannot be accommodated at the reserve on busy weekends,” she said.
The permit system was developed after residents’ concerns about the popular selling point at the north-east corner of the Dampier Highway and Bathgate Road intersection (western end), were investigated by the Shire officers.
“These concerns included the types of goods for sale, increasing number of traffic movements in the area immediately surrounding the reserve and drivers’ vision being obscured by vehicles for sale at the reserve,” Ms Longmore said.
A report summarising investigations was presented at May’s Ordinary Council Meeting and Council approved the implementation of a paid permit system to formalise the sale of vehicles at the site and, in turn, tackle the issues.
Ms Longmore said to introduce a permit system at Dreamer’s Hill the Shire first had to have the management order at the reserve changed and this process had now been finalised.
The final cost of permits is to be determined by Council at its 2012—13 annual budget deliberations.
Tags: dreamers hill, for sale, Karratha, vehicles
