Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council coordinator Shane Carriage said volunteers have been maintaining the tracks, controlling weeds and building viewing platforms for 14 years and he is pleased that Shoalhaven City Councillor Robert Miller is working towards attracting significant funding for the headland.

After meeting with Mr Carriage last week, Cr Miller told the Times he is keen to see the headland walks upgraded and linked to Ulladulla Harbour and its proposed fossil walk.

“Anything we can do to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy the local scenery should be encouraged,” he said.

“I would love to see the headland tracks formalised and linked to the harbour.

“This is the sort of project that could attract state and federal funding.”

Mr Carriage said the headland, accessed via Deering Street, is home to the Coomee Nulunga Cultural Trail which winds its way through the bush, down to beaches and out to the lighthouse before running back along the cliffs to the harbour.

Along the track there’s a series of timber walkways and viewing platforms on both the northern and southern side of the headland.

“It would be great to formalise the tracks and really get in and control the weeds like lantana that are taking over.

“The lands council volunteers spend a lot of time maintaining the walks and getting rid of the weeds, but it’s a huge job and its impossible to keep on top of,” he said.

Mr Carriage said it would take about $500,000 and three men, working full-time for three years to get the job done.

He said over the past 14 years volunteers and Work for the Dole groups had built many timber structures on the windblown southern and protected northern side of the outcrop.

“We take a lot of community and school groups on tours and explain the history of the area.

“It’s not just Aboriginal history, there’s a lot of non-Aboriginal history here as well.

“The Aboriginal midden dates back about 8,000 years and there’s a water well that once provided drinking water for the whole of Ulladulla.”

He said any funding and support from council would be welcome.

“There’s always work to be done, and it’s mainly voluntary, so the interest shown by councillor Miller is great,” he said.