Free camping at Sandy Point again reared its head, briefly, at a recent extraordinary meeting of Hay Shire Council.

In a Notice of Motion by retiring councillor, Peter Handford, Council was asked to impose a fee on campers using the facilities at popular Sandy Point Reserve.

“For what it costs us, I feel we need to get something out of it. It’s been going on for a long time,” Cr Handford said.

Hay Shire Council and Hay Lions Football and Netball Club partnered again for the annual native fish restocking in the river around Hay, and 8000 Murray Cod and Golden Perch fingerlings were released west of Sandy Point on New Year’s Day.

Council has back-flipped on its final Murrumbidgee River Masterplan adopted two years ago which included the redevelopment of Sandy Point Reserve, particularly around the beach and boat ramp.

A Notice of Motion was received by Council for the recent October meeting from Cr Martyn Quinn, calling for the return of the beach as it was before last year’s flood event.

Hay Shire Council voted to uphold the approved Murrumbidgee River Masterplan at last Tuesday’s Council meeting, despite objections from a number of residents.

An alteration to Hay’s River Master Plan will be the subject of a Council report at its February meeting next week at the behest of a group of the town’s river users.

They are objecting to Section 9 of the Master Plan which lists the removal of the road at the beach.