FOR almost 80 years, the Tin City has nestled in the sand dunes of Stockton Bight, well beyond the reach of bureaucrats and regulations.
But a recent crackdown by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has residents and tour operators worried that the iconic shanty town could disappear beneath the dunes.
The situation was described as "an act of bureaucratic bastardry" on the floor of NSW Parliament this week by Port Stephens MP Craig Baumann.
Occupants of the 11 corrugated iron homes have been banned from using a modified vehicle to scoop away sand that builds quickly around the dwellings.
The Roads and Traffic Authority has refused to register the rusty vehicle, which has a plough attached to the front, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service won't allow it to be used because it's unregistered.
Rangers have threatened occupants with fines, and told them the vehicle could be confiscated if used again.
Part-time resident Dave Chapman, who has occupied one of the shacks for more than 30 years, said he had been given a final warning from authorities after removing sand that had built up during a storm last week.
"We've used [the vehicle] a couple of times recently, but we can't any more," Mr Chapman said. "We haven't had any strong winds since [last week], but it can happen overnight."
A committee of residents is now urgently trying to find a replacement vehicle before the sand builds up again.
Mr Baumann told Parliament on Tuesday of the plight of the iconic settlement.
"These huts have been owned and used by fishing families since the '30s and have come to be an iconic part of Stockton Beach," Mr Baumann said.
He said he'd had "admirable support" from Minister for the Hunter and Tourism Jodi McKay, and called on Environment Minister Frank Sartor to intervene.
Ms McKay's office said she was attempting to set up a meeting between the two.
Port Stephens 4WD Tours runs regular trips to Tin City and director Mark Newling said yesterday that the lack of flexibility could hurt the tourism industry.
"If we lose Tin City, we lose a unique Australian icon," Mr Newling said. "If something's been there since 1930, why in 2010 do we say we'll just let it go? It appears they want to let the huts be taken over by the sand."
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service was given authority over the sand dunes in 2007, when the area was handed to the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council as conservation lands.
Before that time, Tin City was largely unregulated.
A spokeswoman for the service said yesterday Tin City "users" had been given permission to remove sand that built up around the huts.
"For safety reasons, the vehicles . . must be fully or conditionally registered," she said.
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