Governor Phillip Park Plan of Management - Pittwater Council ...

Draft Governor Phillip Park Plan of Management
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Governor Phillip Park is an extremely popular regional recreation and tourist area located at the
northern-most point of Sydney, attracting locals, people living throughout Sydney, and overseas
visitors alike. The dramatic setting, sense of isolation, diversity of recreational opportunities, and
numerous cultural, heritage and geological features provide a unique environment.
Governor Phillip Park is surrounded by North Palm Beach and the Tasman Sea on the eastern
side, Pittwater waterway on the western side, and Barrenjoey Headland on the northern side. This
combination of unique natural and visual features within a relatively small area make Governor
Phillip Park one of the outstanding coastal reserves in New South Wales.
However, the natural beauty, historical significance, and recreational value of Governor Phillip Park
give rise to increasing pressures upon its natural environment, threats to its heritage features,
conflicts between various uses of the park, and pressures to raise funds for park improvements
from commercial activities. To preserve its attractions while its facilities remain available to those
who wish to enjoy them, this valuable open space resource must be carefully managed as a Crown
recreation reserve by Pittwater Council as Trust Managers acting as trustee for the park.
This Plan of Management also operates as a management plan for the conservation of the heritage
significance of the Barrenjoey Isthmus. Governor Phillip Park therefore needs a Plan of
Management to guide and direct its future use and management.
1.2 Land to which this Plan of Management applies
This Plan of Management applies to Governor Phillip Park at Palm Beach.
Governor Phillip Park is located within the Parish of Narrabeen, County of Cumberland.
Governor Phillip Park consists of an amalgamation of three Crown Reserves owned by the
Department of Land and Water Conservation, as shown in Figure 1.1. These reserves are as
follows:
• R. 56217 (10.8235 hectares), notified in the Government Gazette of 22 June 1923. R56219
(Lot 7007 DP 752046) comprising 3,035m 2 of former Police Purposes land was revoked on
22 February 1999, and added to R56217 and reserved by the Crown for the purpose of
Public Recreation.
• R. 61140 (5.67 hectares), notified in the Government Gazette of 29 March 1934 and
reserved by the Crown for the purpose of Public Recreation.
• R.64483 (8.1362 hectares), notified in the Government Gazette of 17 May 1929 and
reserved by the Crown for the purpose of Public Recreation.
• The total area of Governor Phillip Park is 24.63 hectares.
A non-public Crown road 20.115 metres wide exists within Governor Phillip Park. The road
generally extends in a north-eastern direction adjacent to the eastern foreshore of Pittwater, from
Beach Road in the south to the south-west corner of Barrenjoey Headland / Ku-ring-gai Chase
National Park. The title of the road is included within the three Crown Reserves that comprise
Governor Phillip Park
Within the reserve is a looped convenience access road that provides vehicular access to
amenities within the park.
Pittwater Council October 2002 5