December 2025 Update

Thank you to everyone in the Hat Head community who recently shared feedback with us. We heard your concerns about vegetation management, the BBQ structure, and local roads around the Hat Head Holiday Park.

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 will complete a review of the interface between the public roadway, reserve space and holiday park.
This review will focus on:

• Pedestrian safety and vehicle movements

• Potential installation of raised “wombat” crossings

• Additional signage or other safety measures

The recommended improvements we've heard from the community are now in discussion at Council.

Next Steps

We recognise there’s still more to be done, and we appreciate the community’s ongoing input.
Your feedback helps guide Council and our partners to improve local amenities and safety for everyone who lives in and visits Hat Head.

Thank you again to everyone who shared their insights and ideas.

Overview

Hat Head residents, businesses, visitors and other stakeholders are invited to share their views on the future of the Hat Head Holiday Park and adjoining Crown Land reserve and public recreation areas.

The area is a key coastal destination and includes the Holiday Park, open spaces, and facilities located between the Hat Head Bowling Club and the surf club, Korogoro Creek and Conners Beach.

The current layout presents challenges such as limited parking, aging infrastructure and only one access road through the Holiday Park to the public recreation areas. There are opportunities to improve safety by separating vehicles and pedestrians, improve access, amenity, and functionality for locals and visitors alike.

Background

The current plan for the Hat Head Reserve is outlined in Kempsey Shire Council’s Community Crown Land Plan of Management and the Hat Head Holiday Park Concept Plan 2021. Council’s 2025/26 Operational Plan notes the intention to continue reviewing the Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Park Concept Plans, including Hat Head Holiday Park.

Previous Engagement

We heard from the community during our Hat Head engagement sessions, where residents, businesses and visitors shared their ideas and priorities for the Hat Head Holiday Park, the nearby Crown Land reserve, and the surrounding recreation areas.

Across both 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. Your feedback is now helping guide the review process and shape future upgrades to ensure the reserve and Holiday Park continue to serve both locals and visitors well.