The Ulladulla Suicide Prevention group have been working towards upgrading the area to include landscaping, car parking and seating for more than a year. 

There is currently nothing but a fence at the perimeter of the headland at the site, which is popular among whale watchers. 

Rotary Club of Milton Ulladulla Community Service director Emile Jansen is a member of the group and has designed plans for the works. 

“The prevention group passed the plans unanimously,” Mr Jansen said. 

Turning the road away from the lighthouse to stop people crashing vehicles into it was one of the main objectives of the plan, he said. 

Because of this, the plans have the road, which is Deering Street, end short of the lighthouse, with barricades, before a spiraling walk with history information on the walls leads people to the lighthouse and two viewing platforms on the headland. 

Gravel parking areas are also included in the plans. 

“The pathway will be compacted pressed granite, and the viewing decks are concrete. Each of the platforms have four telescopes on them so people can watch whales or ships in the days, or the stars at night,” Mr Jansen said. 

“The two screen walls which define one side of the path will be about 8-foot high and will be devoted to whales and whaling on the South Coast, and to the aboriginal community and their history.”

Suicide aware fencing will then be placed at the edge of the precinct. 

“It is fairly tall, not easy to get onto and it curves away under the handrail so there is nothing to get a foothold on. 

“If that doesn’t work, the last strategy we will employ is to put a catch net over the cliff, which will be modeled on the sort of thing aircraft carriers have, to catch people who may fall off. There will be sensors in it to phone the police station if it is triggered.” 

Although the plan has been finalised with the suicide prevention group, funding was needed for construction to begin. 

An overt commitment from all levels of government to achieve the objective was needed, Mr Jansen said. 

“I expect it to cost somewhere between $200,000 $300,000 to complete,” he said. 

The Rotary Club of Milton Ulladulla and Ulladulla Men’s Shed have committed to providing the labour for the job, they just need funding for materials. 

“We need political will power and money. We need our politicians, and councillors, to get behind this and make it happen,” Mr Jansen said. 

If you or someone you know is suffering from mental illness, phone Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.