Camden Head Lookout plan revamped following Council vote

A new plan has been decided on for the management of Camden Head Lookout.

PORT Macquarie-Hastings councillors have voted to rescind and amend Council’s July 2024 resolution regarding the plan of management for Camden Head Lookout.

The changes signal a shift in the approach to the management and development of the site.

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At Council’s 14 November meeting, councillors Lauren Edwards and Nik Lipovac moved a rescission motion to overturn the six-part resolution from July, which included a plan to use an initial community-proposed masterplan (Individual Stakeholder Proposal) as a starting point for long-term development.

Cr Edwards, speaking in favour of the rescission motion, said the Individual Stakeholder Proposal voted for in July represented “wasting ratepayers money for something that isn’t going to be approved”.

“The writing on the wall is that the owners of the land that Council is managing are not supportive of the individual stakeholder plan,” she said.

“Noting that an environmental impact statement would start at $150,000… I don’t feel we should be moving down that road to test…for approval for something that I feel is really clearly not supported.

“We have had correspondence from multiple stakeholders and authorities on this.”

Cr Nik Lipovac, also speaking in support, said the alternate plan (Amended Camden Head Lookout Reserve Master Plan) had the support of Council staff, National Parks and Wildlife Service, government departments and Landcare.

“Who are we to argue with that level of support?” he asked councillors.

“The plan was also supported by a petition from concerned residents, significant feedback during the public exhibition period and also supported by individual correspondents to councillors.”

Speaking against the rescission motion, Mayor Adam Roberts noted that in July the Individual Stakeholder Proposal had been adopted “as a starting point”, with the to-be-created Friends of Camden Head Lookout group to further develop the plan.

He said this wording was included in the July motion as a “gesture of goodwill, to make sure that community had input into any process that goes forward”.

The rescission motion carried with five votes in favour from councillors Edwards, Intemann, Lipovac, Sheppard and Tubman.

Opposing the rescission were Crs Hornshaw, Kirkman, Maltman and Roberts.

An amended motion was then put forward which proposed the implementation of the Amended Camden Head Lookout Reserve Master Plan, which had been endorsed by Council staff ahead of the July vote.

The amended motion was also carried five to four with the same voting split.

It was also resolved that Council acknowledge the site cleanup activities, as per the July resolution, which have already commenced.

The establishment of a Friends of Camden Head Lookout volunteer group was also reaffirmed to assist in ongoing site maintenance and planning.

Those in favour believe the amended master plan provides a clearer direction for the site’s development while incorporating feedback from the community engagement process.

However, the decision to rescind the original resolution has drawn mixed reactions.

Supporters argue it streamlines planning and ensures progress, while opponents have expressed concerns about disregarding prior community contributions.

By Emily GRAHAM

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