Acacia Ponds is a lifestyle village for over 55s. This is the place you go to when you want to downsize, and at the moment, selling a home in Tura or Merimbula for $600,000 (or more), and buying a house here would give retirees a lot of change. In fact, a couple or a single person could afford a caravan or a motorhome, and travel around Australia for half the year.

Currently the 11 properties range in price from $329,000 to $165,000. This is a very convivial place to live - super quiet, wonderful gardens, pleasant walks, and a vibrant social life organised by a dedicated social committee.

There is a strong commitment among the residents to "look out for one another", much sharing of produce grown on site, a significant library, and fully equipped kitchen for breakfasts, lunches, and occasional parties. In short, it's a great place to live.

Regarding the lack of long-term rental properties, those older people living by themselves in large homes, may like to consider sharing their homes by letting out those downstairs flats that are common in this area. I personally know of four women living alone in 4+ bedroom homes, with only occasional visits from family members seeking a beachside holiday.

One thing's for sure: Now is the time to consider the many people who are homeless, particularly those who lost everything in the bushfires, and young people who would benefit from being mentored and given boarding accommodation.

The Crown has always claimed, and in law "owns", all valuable minerals under the surface of your property, since about 1900. Therefore it has the sole discretionary right to grant exploration/mining licences, via the government.

Until this law is repealed or altered to allow landowners what many would consider their moral rights, this will not change. Why? Because the government, whatever party is in power, will not relinquish financial gain to a moral/ethical imperative. Though of cause they may be persuaded by voter backlash.

Ben Boyd National Park is public land for every member of the public. National Parks NSW has no right to commercialise any part of it for the benefit of commercial interests such as AWC and exclude those who cannot or do not wish to pay exorbitant fees for luxury accommodation.

This is public land.

Joe Biden is coming to the defence of public lands in the US after the demise of right wing government and the public will defend them here.

I contest this commercial development. This national park is such a beautiful part of the world and should remain untouched.

People have been hiking and camping along this coastline for hundreds of years and should be allowed to continue. There's no need for any form of accommodation. Please stop destroying our national parks and Indigenous and historical sites.

No-one wants to be hiking this coastline and stumble across a backpackers lodge. The environmental impact will outweigh everything else. Please respect our national parks, wildlife and our environment.

Go REX!