Is Yamba being developed to the drowning point?

Here are a few selected quotes from an article in The Daily Telegraph today.

* FOR years it has been a sleepy surfing hamlet but it's about to be violently awoken from its slumber.
* Like many NSW coastal towns Yamba's real estate market has been described as a "sleeping giant ready to explode".
* Because of its location, demographer Bernard Salt has pin-pointed Yamba as the next NSW North Coast "boom town". He said the combination of an upgraded Pacific Highway and sea-changers making the move, cash in hand, had made it a prime target for developers to swoop in.
"Yamba is a place to watch out for - it's the next cab off the rank after Byron Bay," Mr Salt said.
* The iconic Blue Dolphin Holiday Park is also being developed. It is getting a $300 million makeover which will see the $32-a-night family camping holiday destination replaced by four to five star luxury tourist and permanent apartments.
The first stage of 55 strata title apartments will begin in May, with final building expected to be completed in six years.
* "It's a great family place that's got everything - a river and beach - and we'd hate to see the death of the family holiday just so people can make a few bucks," Mrs Apps said. "However I suppose, unfortunately, that is progress."
* He said Clarence Valley Council was working on a development control plan to preserve coastal heritage.
The Daily Telegraph article
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23050802-5006009,00.html

Nowhere in this newspaper article was there any mention of the potential negative impact of climate change on Yamba.
The CSIRO has warned the NSW North Coast of potential problems due to freshwater shortages, increased storm activity, ocean storm surges, and seawater innundation.
This blog has also drawn attention to growing concern amongst coastal residents.

The Clarence Valley's oldest and largest newspaper The Daily Examiner published this worst case map projection on 16 Feburary 2007. It shows barely anything in Yamba left above the maximum high water mark.
Before this stage is reached Yamba might well be subject to natural disaster mass evacuation using the one small bridge out of town which leads to safe inland areas and emergency assistance.

Map from http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/