Boating community and environmental groups are at odds over who should be allowed to enjoy a man-made island in Lake Macquarie off Marks Point.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service will fence off part of the island next week, to protect an endangered bird, the Little Tern, which used the area to nest for the first time last year.
The shorebirds are easily disturbed, yet the island is popular among recreational users of the lake.
They have started a petition to prevent the partial closure.
