Gina Bennett was hoping it would be third time lucky when her request to tether her horse Troy in open spaces around Nambucca Heads was listed for discussion at last week's Nambucca Shire Council meeting.
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But it was not to be ...
"Here I am again, the Trojan horse and the tethering issue ... it has since been clarified that metropolitan councils don't allow tethering in urban areas but we don't have the traffic or population issues and we do have the land," Ms Bennett said.
"I'd like you to remain open to the idea. I have bought electric fencing that is solar-powered and have been receiving only favourable comments from everyone so far.
"I ask you to let me continue until there is a problem, then you can serve a notice on me ... "
To prove her point, resident Barry Napper recounted his experience of hosting Troy for two days.
"I am not a horse person, but Troy is so gentle. All the neighbours loved it, especially the kids and there were absolutely no problems," Barry said.
"Two days later Gina came and collected him - the grass was gone and she removed the mess. It was all perfectly reasonable and there is no reason to have a horse in your yard."
Cr John Ainsworth said given that Gina had moved from tethering to enclosing the horse with a two-wire solar-powered electric fence, he saw no problem with the request.
He moved for the matter to be deferred to allow staff to investigate the legal ramifications with regard to the Local Government Act of keeping animals in enclosed areas in urban areas.
"How old is Troy?" he asked.
When Gina said he was seven, he quipped there was therefore plenty of time.
"Yes, but I'm getting a lot older," Gina sighed.
"Touche!" said the mayor.
Also making the news:
Ute Schulenberg
Journalism was always my plan but plans being what they are, I did not get to realise it until my early 40s ... and have loved every minute since. For me community journalism is the most intimate and honest place to be in this field - telling the stories of people I live with, side-by-side, every day. It is an honour.
Journalism was always my plan but plans being what they are, I did not get to realise it until my early 40s ... and have loved every minute since. For me community journalism is the most intimate and honest place to be in this field - telling the stories of people I live with, side-by-side, every day. It is an honour.
