The festive holiday season is the peak time for locals and tourists to be swimming in the old Bexhill Quarry, which has been abandoned since 2004.

While the popular swimming hole is being used illegally, technically, as it is on crown land, the Bexhill Parklands Association, which was formed in 2022, has been working on ways to turn it into community parklands.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has just secured a $10,000 State grant for the post-mining land use risk assessment of the old Bexhill Bricks Quarry to investigate whether it can actually be transformed into family-friendly native parklands.

Ms Saffin said she strongly supported the Bexhill Quarry Parklands Association Limited’s recreational tourism project, one which had the potential to directly link with a future stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

(People enjoying swimming at the old Bexhill Quarry site)

“Association President Des Harris and his committee have generated a lot of interest and support for their concept of an attraction featuring a sheltered picnic area, interpretive centre, native bush walking trails, safe swimming area and carparking,” Ms Saffin said.

“This grant will allow the Association to hire Newcastle-based consultants Integrated Environmental Management Australia (IEMA) to run a workshop of stakeholders, provide an opportunity for community input, and develop an action plan for addressing and closing out risks.

“The Association had raised $2,000 through meat raffles at the Eltham Hotel, and a further $2,000 from the Greater Bank, but the $10,000 grant will bring the Bexhill Quarry Parklands one step closer to becoming a reality.”

Mr Harris said the Association was extremely keen to work in partnership with the traditional owners of the land, the Widjabul Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung nation, and to follow proper planning processes.

“We are grateful to Janelle Saffin for believing in our project and for successfully lobbying for this critical grant funding,” Mr Harris said.

The project is also supported by Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, Lismore City Council, Boatharbour Landcare, Eltham Community Foundation, Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Destination NSW and Northern Rivers Tourism.