Council has previously identified encroachments on Community Land adjacent to the Sturt River where Marion Holiday Park (MHP) has constructed cabins. A portion of the cabins encroach on Community Land.

Council and the MHP entered into a licence agreement where it was agreed that the MHP could occupy the encroached land. Key elements of the encroachment include a total of 13 cabins with an encroachment area that varies between 0.6m2 and 26.6m2.

The current licence was executed for a period of five years and is set to expire on 30 November 2025 with an annual fee of $2,500 plus GST. MHP also maintain the balance of the reserve between their boundary and the Sturt River.

Following discussions at a Council Forum on 1 April where Council Members heard from the Marion Holiday Park owners, and the Director of Southern Cultural Immersion, it is proposed that Council undertake a period of community engagement in relation to a proposal to grant a further licence for the encroachments for a period of 10 years, during which time the encroachments must be removed from community land so that all cabins are contained within the Marion Holiday Park boundary.

Council seeks an agreement as part of the new licence that Marion Holiday Park will continue the maintenance of the reserve between their property and the riparian zone.

The current licence agreement expires on 30 November 2025 and Council are proposing to grant a new licence for a further 10 years, during which time Marion Holiday Park will be required to undertake work to bring the cabins into their site boundary so that they are no longer encroaching onto the community land.

It is further proposed that the responsibility for the maintenance of the reserve be returned to Council which will ensure the protection of this important environmental zone and reinforce the community ownership of the reserve.