Stuarts Point can you help?

Published on 03 March 2023

Stuarts Point, we need your help.

Council has an important plan for Stuarts Point on exhibition and we’ve only had 6 (yes SIX) responses from the community about it in the month it has been on exhibition.

We're hoping you can spare a few minutes to read a short summary of Stuarts Point and tell us if its accurate using a VERY SHORT SURVEY. If you could share this link with a few other locals, it would be really helpful.

What is the document?

To be honest, it hasn't got a great name. It’s called the "Local Growth Management Strategy".

Bad name sure, but good document. Important document.

Used by all Councils, a Local Growth Management Strategy is a plan for controlling and directing the growth and development of a specific region.

The goal of these strategies is to promote sustainable development, manage land use, protect the environment, and maintain the quality of life for residents. We can all agree that's important.

A well-designed local growth management strategy can help ensure that a region develops in a balanced and sustainable manner, while preserving the character and quality of life of its communities.

So what?

So if we don’t get the vision for Stuarts Point right in this document, then we are going to be aiming in the wrong direction with a bunch of other plans.

SO, we need the community to read what we’ve drafted and tell us if its on the money or what needs tweaking.

BUT it’s a very long document.

So… we pulled out the key bits of the character statement for Stuarts Point and popped them down below. You can download the full document as a PDF and we would LOVE it if you could look at that, but if not, at least read the bit about your home.

So can you PLEASE have a read and fill in the very short survey to tell us if it is right/wrong in its summary of Stuarts Point?

Then if you could please share it with as many people as possible in the two weeks before this closes on 14 March that would be incredible.

Thank you so much!

Stuarts Point

Our vision

Maintain the quiet, low-rise coastal character of Stuarts Point, particularly through the management of future development height, scale and density and protection of visually significant vegetation.

Continue to invest in improving the quality of the public realm, pedestrian amenity and street tree provision.

We love:

That it is a small area which means residents can walk and ride everywhere
Our natural environment – where the mountain meets the sea
How close we are to great beaches
That we are a small community
Our rural setting.

We value:

Our relaxed coastal lifestyle
Our community spirit and village atmosphere
Our natural environment.

We will say NO to:

Development which is proposed to occur without the necessary infrastructure and services needed to support it
Development that is inconsistent with the unique coastal character of the village.

Key issues:

No sewer connection
Conflicts with 4WD users on Stuarts Point Beach and environmental and recreation values
Waterway and aquatic health of the Macleay Arm
Water table levels during wet periods.

Coastal village character and key features

Focused around the intersection of Ocean Avenue, Marine Parade and Banksia Street, the Stuarts Point Foreshore Reserve and Holiday Park are the village's key attractions.

Key community infrastructure includes the Stuarts Point Community Hall, Yarrahapinni Community House, library, War Memorial, tennis courts, Stuarts Point Public School, Stuarts Point Oval, the Stuarts Point Workers’ Recreation and Bowls Club.

Residential character

Housing within the village typically comprises one and two-storey coastal shacks, holiday homes and permanent dwellings on lots between 600m2 to 1200m2, though some large lots around 2000m2 also occur along Ocean Avenue.

Both older and newer two-storey dwellings tend to have balconies overlooking the street.

Street frontages are characterised by wide grassy verges and generally fences are absent, however, where fences are present, they are typically low.

Stuarts Point also acts as a small service centre for rural residential properties surrounding the village, along with the small settlement of Fishermans Reach located to the south of the village.

Stuarts Point Beach is accessed via a short walk through coastal vegetation

Streetscape character

Due to the generally flat topography, the village is easily accessible on foot and concrete footpaths provide access between the village centre, school and Joe Donovan Sporting Complex.

Several formal carparks are provided outside key commercial and community facilities, including within Stuarts Point Foreshore (which provides boat trailer parking) whilst ample parallel on-street parking is available.

Public lighting is limited to standard road safety lighting throughout the village and flood lighting within the Joe Donovan Sporting Complex and is respectful of the village's sensitive coastal settlement.

Street tree plantings are somewhat limited and sporadic; however some formal street tree planting is located along Ocean Avenue and within residential areas to the north.

The surrounding forested landscape, mature trees within parks and reserves and garden ‘escapees’ contribute significantly to the laid back, vegetated coastal character of the village.

Open space and recreation

Stuarts Point Foreshore Reserve is the key open space within Stuarts Point and has recently been upgraded, providing a new playground and more accessible pedestrian connections to the village.

Formal sport and recreation facilities include the Joe Donovan Sporting Complex and the tennis courts.

The Macleay Arm provides for a variety of water-based recreation activities, including swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, sailing, fishing and boating, whilst the undeveloped and unpatrolled Stuarts Point Beach is accessed via a 1.5km return walk across the Macleay Arm footbridge and through coastal vegetation or via 4WD from Grassy Head.

Several easy walking trails are advertised within Stuarts Point and additional nature-based recreation opportunities are provided within the nearby Fishermans Bend Nature Reserve, Yarrahapinni Wetlands National Park and Yarriabini National Park.

Cultural values

There are no public artwork elements within Stuarts Point, however, interpretive signage elements located within Stuart Point Foreshore Reserve discuss the dreamtime story of how Yarrahapinni Mountain was created as well as the history of European settlement at Stuarts Point.

The War Memorial, flagpole and several iconic Norfolk Island Pines are also key local landmarks.

Views and scenic amenity values

Whilst there are no formal lookouts within Stuarts Point, several locations afford spectacular views over the surrounding landscape and towards key landscape features, including views from:

The footbridge and wharf, north and south along the Macleay Arm
The small beach to the east of the footbridge north towards Scotts Mountain, Cooks Knob and Middle Head Ridge
The recently installed fishing platform towards the Macleay Arm
The small park at the corner of Marine Parade and Kimpton Street towards the Macleay Arm and Grassy Head
Along the foreshore towards the Macleay Arm.
Other key views within the village that contribute strongly to its setting include:
Views west, particularly along Ocean Street towards Mount Yarrahapinni and the Macleay Hills
Views into the adjacent coastal forest landscape (particularly from Second Avenue).

Despite the high scenic value and cultural connection to the landscapes surrounding Stuarts Point, none of these landscapes are protected on account of their scenic amenity value.

Now have your say

Please fill out the very short survey or make a submission.

Thank you.