VISION STATEMENT

To preserve and enhance the cultural, environmental and social sustainability of the Tyagarah area and its inhabitants.

CHARTER

To protect the Tyagarah community's vision of a culturally, environmentally, economically and socially sustainable lifestyle.

To empower the Tyagarah community in all matters that affect the community, its people and environment and to represent its voice to other bodies.

To introduce and support active communication between all parties regarding developments, planned events and issues.

To prevent large-scale, high-density development or any development or activity inappropriate to the rural zonings and environmental and cultural status of, and vision for, the area.

To organize ready for action in the case of crisis projects.

To promote a peaceful and safe neighborhood.

To interact with Byron Shire Council and Byron Shire at large to:

support Byron Shire Council in their efforts to protect the integrity of the Shire

support the Council so they can assist us to achieve our aims

provide input to the vision for the Shire and its implementation

liase with other socially, culturally and environmentally active groups with a similar vision for Byron Shire

serve as a forum for discussions and co-ordination of community projects consistent with our vision

CONTEXT

Tyagarah is a quiet rural area set apart from other communities by its proximity to nature reserves, a tea tree lake and one of the last pristine beaches left in the world. People have moved to this area to adopt a lifestyle that is non-invasive, quiet, whole and in active cooperation with the precious natural resources around them. Most residents have begun reforesting their properties, created small supportive sub-communities and taken an active participation in the preservation of the social and environmental welfare of the area and the Shire.

The vision of the current community is consistent with the vision presented in the original Pilot Rural Locality Study for East Tyagarah 1995, adopted by council in October 1998 as part of the Byron Rural Settlement Strategy which was approved by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning in December 1998. It states:

"The residents of East Tyagarah see themselves as an established community, with a strong common purpose with the following objectives:

• Preservation of the scenic character of the locality;
• the retention, repair and expansion of the Tyagarah Nature Reserve, and locally esteemed natural vegetation remnants;
• the enhancement of wildlife populations and diversity;
• the adherence to low densities of human settlement consistent with demonstrated suitable uses for each parcel of land."

In 1999 the Byron Flora and Fauna study identified the Tyagarah area as:

• "An integral part of the coastal vegetation wildlife corridor" and
• "An area of High Ecological Significance, containing core native vegetation."

In chapter ten of the 1998 Byron Rural Settlement Strategy, "Achieving Sustainability", one of the stated outcomes of the Strategy is :

• "To demonstrate that it is possible to prepare and implement, at the local government level, a Strategy that embraces ecological, economic and social planning with high levels of community consultation and participation."

The strategy further states:

• "Sustainability also recognises that our economy, our ecology and our people are interdependent and therefore equally important and valuable. This means we should not improve one aspect if it is at the expense of another. Hence there is an implicit need to ensure full consideration of ecological, social and economic objectives."

The Tyagarah community believes that the future well-being of the area is dependent upon the continued recognition and implementation of the principles presented in the East Tyagarah Pilot Study 1995 and the LAMP that will arise from this, the Byron Rural Settlement Strategy, the Byron Flora and Fauna Study and in the TSCA's charter as set out above.

third draft as amended and ratified by meeting of nucleus 19.4.01