Hat Head Holiday Park and Reserve

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Update June 2026

Council has undertaken staged community engagement for the Hat Head Holiday Park, building on consultation conducted between 2020 and 2022. Throughout 2025 and early 2026, residents, visitors, local businesses and other stakeholders were invited to share their views on the future of the Holiday Park, adjoining Crown Land reserve and public recreation areas, with this community input helped to identify key priorities including road and pedestrian safety, traffic management, upgrades to amenities, improved park infrastructure, environmental protection and preserving the unique character of the park.

Following the community discussions in 2025, Council hosted additional drop-in and pop-up engagement sessions in April 2026 to further refine these priorities and proposed improvements. Feedback from the further engagement has already informed works delivered within the park, including vegetation management, furniture upgrades and safety reviews, and will continue to guide future planning and investment.

Based on community feedback, Council has identified a number of priority projects for Hat Head Holiday Park. The immediate priorities (2026/2027) are planning for upgraded or new amenities facilities and road and pedestrian safety initiatives. This will include a detailed design for Reserve Road improvements which may include road widening, traffic slowing treatments, formalised parking, new footpath and better separation of pedestrians and vehicles.

Secondary priorities to be delivered when resources allow are a new camp kitchen and additional powered camp sites.


June Ordinary Council Meeting mention of Hat Head Holiday Park

At the June Council Meeting item 11.8 Holiday Park Concept Plans and Priority Works Update resolved that Council:

  1. notes community and visitor feedback from the recent engagement on priorities for Hat Head Holiday Park;

  1. notes the continued implementation of the ten-year Macleay Valley Holiday Parks concept plans;

  1. supports the establishment of short-term capital works priorities for Hat Head and Horseshoe Bay Holiday Parks as noted in the report; and

  1. notes the Area 6 cabins project in Horseshoe Bay Holiday Park has been removed from the 2026-27 capital works program.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (9 / 0)

FOR: Cr Bain, Cr Coburn, Cr Lawrence, Cr Matchett, Cr Paix, Cr Ring, Cr Saul, Cr Selby and Cr Wyatt

AGAINST: Nil

Council thanks everyone who has contributed feedback and will continue to provide updates as these projects progress.

Overview and background

The project area, located between the Hat Head Bowling Club and Surf Club, Korogoro Creek and Conners Beach, is a key coastal destination that includes the Holiday Park, open spaces and community facilities. Feedback from previous engagement identified challenges such as limited parking, ageing infrastructure and reliance on a single access road, while also highlighting opportunities to improve safety, access and amenity for both residents and visitors.

Planning for the area is guided by Council’s Community Crown Land Plan of Management, the Hat Head Holiday Park Concept Plan 2021, and Council’s 2025/26 Operational Plan which includes the continued review of the Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Park Concept Plans.

How can you share feedback?

Thank you for your interest in the Hat Head Holiday Park. The previous consultation period CLOSED on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

Update June 2026

Council has undertaken staged community engagement for the Hat Head Holiday Park, building on consultation conducted between 2020 and 2022. Throughout 2025 and early 2026, residents, visitors, local businesses and other stakeholders were invited to share their views on the future of the Holiday Park, adjoining Crown Land reserve and public recreation areas, with this community input helped to identify key priorities including road and pedestrian safety, traffic management, upgrades to amenities, improved park infrastructure, environmental protection and preserving the unique character of the park.

Following the community discussions in 2025, Council hosted additional drop-in and pop-up engagement sessions in April 2026 to further refine these priorities and proposed improvements. Feedback from the further engagement has already informed works delivered within the park, including vegetation management, furniture upgrades and safety reviews, and will continue to guide future planning and investment.

Based on community feedback, Council has identified a number of priority projects for Hat Head Holiday Park. The immediate priorities (2026/2027) are planning for upgraded or new amenities facilities and road and pedestrian safety initiatives. This will include a detailed design for Reserve Road improvements which may include road widening, traffic slowing treatments, formalised parking, new footpath and better separation of pedestrians and vehicles.

Secondary priorities to be delivered when resources allow are a new camp kitchen and additional powered camp sites.


June Ordinary Council Meeting mention of Hat Head Holiday Park

At the June Council Meeting item 11.8 Holiday Park Concept Plans and Priority Works Update resolved that Council:

  1. notes community and visitor feedback from the recent engagement on priorities for Hat Head Holiday Park;

  1. notes the continued implementation of the ten-year Macleay Valley Holiday Parks concept plans;

  1. supports the establishment of short-term capital works priorities for Hat Head and Horseshoe Bay Holiday Parks as noted in the report; and

  1. notes the Area 6 cabins project in Horseshoe Bay Holiday Park has been removed from the 2026-27 capital works program.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (9 / 0)

FOR: Cr Bain, Cr Coburn, Cr Lawrence, Cr Matchett, Cr Paix, Cr Ring, Cr Saul, Cr Selby and Cr Wyatt

AGAINST: Nil

Council thanks everyone who has contributed feedback and will continue to provide updates as these projects progress.

Overview and background

The project area, located between the Hat Head Bowling Club and Surf Club, Korogoro Creek and Conners Beach, is a key coastal destination that includes the Holiday Park, open spaces and community facilities. Feedback from previous engagement identified challenges such as limited parking, ageing infrastructure and reliance on a single access road, while also highlighting opportunities to improve safety, access and amenity for both residents and visitors.

Planning for the area is guided by Council’s Community Crown Land Plan of Management, the Hat Head Holiday Park Concept Plan 2021, and Council’s 2025/26 Operational Plan which includes the continued review of the Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Park Concept Plans.

How can you share feedback?

Thank you for your interest in the Hat Head Holiday Park. The previous consultation period CLOSED on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

  • Updates

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    Update April 2026

    In late 2025, Council heard from residents, visitors and business owners about what matters most at Hat Head Holiday Park, including what you’d like to see changed, repaired, preserved or considered for the future.

    Since then, we’ve taken action on your feedback, delivering a range of improvements across the Holiday Park. This includes trimming and clearing vegetation, as well as installing new BBQs, tabletops and seating—take a look at these updates below. We’ve also completed a review of roads and pedestrian safety, and we’re coming back out to Hat Head to share these updates, continue the conversation, and hear from you.

    Join us at one of our upcoming engagement sessions:

    • Monday 13 April | 2pm–6pm – Hat Head Bowling Club - COMPLETED
    • Tuesday 14 April | 9am–12pm – Public Reserve BBQ shelter - COMPLETED
    • Wednesday 15 April | 2pm–5pm – Public Reserve BBQ shelter - COMPLETED

    Your feedback will help shape the future of the holiday park over time as the Hat Head Holiday Park gradually progresses.

    Update April 2026

    In late 2025, Council heard from residents, visitors and business owners about what matters most at Hat Head Holiday Park, including what you’d like to see changed, repaired, preserved or considered for the future.

    Since then, we’ve taken action on your feedback, delivering a range of improvements across the Holiday Park. This includes trimming and clearing vegetation, as well as installing new BBQs, tabletops and seating—take a look at these updates below. We’ve also completed a review of roads and pedestrian safety, and we’re coming back out to Hat Head to share these updates, continue the conversation, and hear from you.

    Join us at one of our upcoming engagement sessions:

    • Monday 13 April | 2pm–6pm – Hat Head Bowling Club - COMPLETED
    • Tuesday 14 April | 9am–12pm – Public Reserve BBQ shelter - COMPLETED
    • Wednesday 15 April | 2pm–5pm – Public Reserve BBQ shelter - COMPLETED

    Your feedback will help shape the future of the holiday park over time as the Hat Head Holiday Park gradually progresses.

  • Previous engagement and outcomes based on your feedback

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    Community, residents, businesses and visitors previously shared their ideas and priorities for the Hat Head Holiday Park, the nearby Crown Land reserve, and the surrounding recreation areas.

    Across previous sessions, attendees had the opportunity to discuss:

    • smoother connections between the beach, boat ramp, creek, footbridge, playground, and amenities,
    • improvements and upgrades to public parking, the holiday park reception, kiosk and manager residence, and
    • opportunities to improve safety by separating vehicles and pedestrians, enhancing both road and pedestrian access through the Holiday Park including the consideration of a ring road and or separate entry and exit,
    • upgrades to park amenities and accommodation including the option of additional and or relocation of cabins in the future.

    These conversations formed an important first step in understanding what matters most to the Hat Head community.

    Thank you to everyone in the Hat Head community who shared feedback with us in December 2025. Below is a summary of what we heard and what’s been done so far 👇.

    Vegetation Management

    What we heard:

    Community members raised concerns about overgrown vegetation in and around the Hat Head Holiday Park, particularly near public pathways and the boat ramp.

    What’s been done:

    • Kempsey Shire Council (KSC) and NRMA have completed a review of vegetation within the public space area (shown in blue on the map below).

    • The review found the vegetation around the boat ramp is being maintained to a satisfactory standard.

    • NRMA has undertaken trimming and clearing works in the area highlighted in orange in the second image below.

    • While there’s still some minor clean-up work to complete, safe access has now been restored along the pathway areas in time for the recent school holidays.


    Vegetation before and after (in no particular order):

    Before:
    After:

    BBQ Structure

    What we heard:

    The community requested an upgrade to the BBQ facilities at Hat Head and in the meanwhile for the broken gutter to be fixed.

    What’s been done:

    • The Civic Services team has delivered this project.

    • New BBQ units, table tops and seats were procured and installed.

    Roads and Pedestrian Safety

    What we heard:

    Concerns were raised about road safety and the condition of public roadways in the Holiday Park.

    What’s happening next:

    KSC has completed a review of the interface between the public roadway, reserve space and holiday park.
    This review focused on:

    • Pedestrian safety and vehicle movements

    • Potential installation of raised “wombat” crossings

    • Additional signage or other safety measures

    The roads and pedestrian safety review was discussed at the April 2026 community sessions.

    Community, residents, businesses and visitors previously shared their ideas and priorities for the Hat Head Holiday Park, the nearby Crown Land reserve, and the surrounding recreation areas.

    Across previous sessions, attendees had the opportunity to discuss:

    • smoother connections between the beach, boat ramp, creek, footbridge, playground, and amenities,
    • improvements and upgrades to public parking, the holiday park reception, kiosk and manager residence, and
    • opportunities to improve safety by separating vehicles and pedestrians, enhancing both road and pedestrian access through the Holiday Park including the consideration of a ring road and or separate entry and exit,
    • upgrades to park amenities and accommodation including the option of additional and or relocation of cabins in the future.

    These conversations formed an important first step in understanding what matters most to the Hat Head community.

    Thank you to everyone in the Hat Head community who shared feedback with us in December 2025. Below is a summary of what we heard and what’s been done so far 👇.

    Vegetation Management

    What we heard:

    Community members raised concerns about overgrown vegetation in and around the Hat Head Holiday Park, particularly near public pathways and the boat ramp.

    What’s been done:

    • Kempsey Shire Council (KSC) and NRMA have completed a review of vegetation within the public space area (shown in blue on the map below).

    • The review found the vegetation around the boat ramp is being maintained to a satisfactory standard.

    • NRMA has undertaken trimming and clearing works in the area highlighted in orange in the second image below.

    • While there’s still some minor clean-up work to complete, safe access has now been restored along the pathway areas in time for the recent school holidays.


    Vegetation before and after (in no particular order):

    Before:
    After:

    BBQ Structure

    What we heard:

    The community requested an upgrade to the BBQ facilities at Hat Head and in the meanwhile for the broken gutter to be fixed.

    What’s been done:

    • The Civic Services team has delivered this project.

    • New BBQ units, table tops and seats were procured and installed.

    Roads and Pedestrian Safety

    What we heard:

    Concerns were raised about road safety and the condition of public roadways in the Holiday Park.

    What’s happening next:

    KSC has completed a review of the interface between the public roadway, reserve space and holiday park.
    This review focused on:

    • Pedestrian safety and vehicle movements

    • Potential installation of raised “wombat” crossings

    • Additional signage or other safety measures

    The roads and pedestrian safety review was discussed at the April 2026 community sessions.

Page last updated: 06 Jul 2026, 01:18 PM