Plans of Management

Council adopted the Plan of Management for Crown Reserves – Park and Natural Areas at an Ordinary Meeting held on 15 August 2022, following the consent provided by the Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands.

Plan of Management for Crown Reserves – Park and Natural Areas

Council adopted the Henley Precinct Plan of Management at an Ordinary Meeting held on 15 August 2022, following the consent provided by the Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands.

Henley Precinct Plan of Management

Council adopted the Plan of Management for Figtree Park and Gladesville Road Community Centre Reserves at an Ordinary Meeting held on 20 June 2022, following consent provided by the Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands.

Plan of Management for Figtree Park and Gladesville Road Community Centre Reserves

Boronia Park Plan of Management 2020

Boronia Park is a 24.2 hectare district park in Hunter’s Hill, situated along the lower reaches of the Lane Cove River.

Boronia Park is the largest area of open space in Hunter’s Hill. The Park offers a rare combination of natural bushland areas, managed parkland settings, and developed sports fields and facilities that are not found elsewhere in the local government area.

The Park is a Crown Reserve (No. 500262) managed by Hunter’s Hill Council. Around half the park is zoned RE1 Public recreation and the rest zoned E2 Environmental conservation. It is the premier sportsground in Hunter’s Hill Municipality. The bushland contains Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, an endangered ecological community, and the walking tracks form part of the Great North Walk.

The Park:

• protects three endangered ecological communities, and provides valuable habitat for a range of native animals including several threatened species, with information signs explaining these values to visitors
• is part of a regionally significant wildlife corridor linking Sydney Harbour and Lane Cove National Park
• is the focus of on-going weed control and bush regeneration measures
• is listed as a heritage item in Council’s LEP, and includes several items of Aboriginal cultural heritage significance and European historic heritage value
• provides three full-sized sports fields (two floodlit)
• has been a venue for rugby union for over 100 years, and includes the historic grandstand at Oval No. 1
• includes a turf cricket wicket (at Oval No. 1) and three high standard, lockable, cricket practice nets
• has two sealed and one grassed netball courts
• has a junior playground and a mixed age playground
• has a range of scattered park and picnic furniture
• is heavily used by people enjoying casual or independent leisure and recreation activities
• is a popular venue for personal trainers, fitness groups, dog-walkers and other small group users
•  is an important visual element for both the local streetscape as well as views to and from the area
• is traversed by the Great North Walk and offers a choice of internal bushland walking tracks
• is the venue for community events such as the annual Moocooboola Festival, Food and Wine Festival and Carols by Candlelight
• provides access to the Lane Cove River; and
• performs valuable stormwater management and water quality functions.

Hunter’s Hill Council adopted the Boronia Park Plan of Management on 30 April 2020. The Plan can be read here.

This Plan of Management was endorsed by Hunter’s Hill Council and the NSW Government.

The Public Hearing for the proposed re-categorisation for Boronia Park was held on 27 February 2020 and the Public Hearing Report can be read here.

Council published a series of “What’s happening at Boronia Park” newsletters during the preparation of the Plan of Management to keep the community informed and up to date on progress. The newsletters can be found below:

• August 2019
• October 2019
• February 2020
• May 2020

The proposed sport/community facility to be built at Boronia Park is for the benefit and use of the wider community, for district sports clubs, nearby schools and other community groups.

You can read more on the Boronia Park Sports and Community Facility project page.

Action plan

Budget allocations will be assigned as part of Council’s wider rolling Council Delivery Program and shorter-term annual Operational Plans, annual budget cycles and business planning for Council’s various units.

Council also provides funds and resources for the operational management of the Park – including staff salaries, contract services, repairs and maintenance and the like – and raises some income from the Park’s use (such as licence payments, permits fees, etc.). However Council invariably funds the Park’s management, and development, in excess of any net revenue generated by the area.

In view of these financial realities/constraints a priority was assigned to each Management Action identified in Section 6 – High, Medium or Low – to reflect their relative importance and implementation timing in order to achieve the Plan’s objectives. Actions can also be single once-off tasks or, as for many actions, “ongoing” – where the action in question will require funding throughout the Park’s management and/or the life of this Plan. As noted above, many actions which are of a more management guideline, policy or direction-setting character also may not require the direct allocation of resources.

Funding and resources may come from many sources – including volunteer involvement, specific-purpose grant funding, corporate donations, stakeholder fund raising, bequeaths, university projects, and others.

As a result of this “reality”, identified Management Actions of different priority may proceed in differing orders or at different rates – and high priority actions need not necessarily precede lower-priority actions. Implementation of some actions may also be contingent on or influenced by the results of other actions, changing management circumstances or opportunities to gain management efficiencies. In some cases, the resources to deliver a low priority or longer-term action may be available before a high priority action. This may be due to the amount of money required, or the project being funded from resources other than Council funds, or factors outside of Council’s control.

Management Actions

Riverglade Reserve is a 13 hectare district park located on Tarban Creek, between the suburbs of Gladesville, Huntleys Point and Hunters Hill. Its main access is off Manning Road, Waruda Place or Joly Parade.

The Riverglade Reserve is predominantly Crown land reserved for the purpose of “public recreation”. Hunter’s Hill Council is charged with care, control and management of the Reserve. Part of the reserve is community land owned by Hunter’s Hill Council. Part of the reserve is zoned RE1 public recreation and the rest zoned E2 Environmental conservation. It offers a combination of natural; bushland areas, managed parkland settings and developed sports fields.

Council adopted a Riverglade Reserve Plan of Management at a meeting on 15 February 2021, following an analysis of feedback from a public exhibition period during November and December 2020.

This Plan of Management provides guidelines and actions for future management and maintenance of the reserve:

Riverglade Reserve Plan of Management

Riverglade Reserve Landscape Concept Plan

Council worked with Eco Logical Australia to update a 2013 Plan of Management for Riverglade Reserve.

A Public Hearing for the proposed re-categorisation for Riverglade Reserve was held on 1 December 2020 and the Public Hearing Report can be read here.

All Abilities Playspace

Council engaged Nature Play Solutions to develop designs for an inclusive, nature based playspace to be created at Riverglade Reserve.

Inclusive playspace Livvi’s Place opened at Riverglade Reserve in November 2021.

Read more on the project page.

Council is looking to restore The Priory, and add additional amenities to the immediate precinct and broader Riverglade Reserve.

Click here to read more about what’s happening with The Priory.

The study area incorporates two Reserves located in Woolwich in the Hunter’s Hill Municipality, approximately 4km from the Sydney CBD. Clarkes Point Reserve lies at the confluence of the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers and is State owned under the care control and management of Hunter’s Hill Council. Morts Reserve located directly to the west is Council owned Community land.

The Reserves form an integral component in the network of Sydney Harbour foreshore open space, and are bounded by the Woolwich Dock and Goat Paddock open space to the north and the Horse Paddock open space to the west (all currently managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust). Kellys Bush conservation area also lies beyond the Woolwich Marina to the west of the Horse Paddock.

The plan seeks to balance open space and recreational needs with conservation of the inherent cultural and natural heritage and qualities of the site. It also recognises the planning by Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (SHFT) for adjoining land and the opportunities presented by a coordinated approach and plan for public open space on the peninsular.

The plan aims to provide a basis for guiding Council’s ongoing enhancement and maintenance of this important open space asset and provide a suitable guide for day to day and long term decision making.

Clarkes Point Reserve and Morts Reserve Plan of Management 2004

The Francis Street Reserve Plan of Management has been prepared in accordance with the Department of Local Government guidelines. The document includes the following key information:

– Classification of land.

– Categorisation of land according to legislation.

– Summary of consultations with the broader community.

– Setting of objectives and performance targets for management of the land, specifies means of achieving performance targets (i.e. management strategies, specify method of assessing achievement of performance targets.

The Plan of Management separates management activities into five broad categories:

Stream, pollution, biodiversity, cultural heritage and visitor management. The Plan provides management strategies, expected associated costs, and timeframes for strategy implementation.

Francis Street Reserve Plan of Management 2001

The Ferdinand Street Reserve Plan of Management outlines the category of the reserve, aboriginal and European history, vegetation in the reserve, problems associated with management and solutions.

Reserve R51760 was notified for public recreation in October 1916, and placed under care control and management of Council.

Ferdinand Street Reserve Plan of Management 1998

Kelly’s Bush is probably most remembered as the site of the first green ban, but there are several other reasons for its significance as urban remnant bushland:

-Kelly’s Bush is the most western area of bushland on Sydney Harbour, it is situated on the Parramatta River side of the Woolwich peninsula while other bushland areas are on the Lane Cove River side, it is one of the few pieces of remnant bushland close to the CBD, its close proximity to Boronia Park and other bushland, making it a possible corridor for wildlife, and its pathways form part of the Great North Walk.

-Its location means that Kelly’s Bush contains genetic variation in plant species that may not occur elsewhere, in addition, there are a number of uncommon plant species occurring in Kelly’s Bush including Allocasuarina paludosa, which is normally associated with the northern beaches.

– There are several sites including axe grinding grooves and middens.

Kelly’s Bush Plan of Management 1997