Nambucca Heads Town Centre Master Plan survey reveals surprising results

THE results of the initial survey on Nambucca Heads’ Town Centre Master Plan are in – with some surprising and not-so-surprising results.

For the 279 survey respondents, parking was of highest interest, and rather than supermarket or retail shopping being the biggest drawcard to town, it was dining and takeaway food.

Nambucca Heads Mayor Gary Lee said Nambucca Heads was one of the most beautiful coastal towns in New South Wales and the master plan was an important opportunity for the community to help shape a strategy for its future.

“Today, I visited Nambucca Heads with Master Plan project consultant lead, Garry Murray of Redbelly Design, to hear the findings of the first round of community consultation,” Mr Lee said.

“It was pleasing to learn that 279 people responded to the project’s initial survey and about 70 attended the community drop-in session on 13 August.

“The results have confirmed several aspects of the town centre’s urban design and amenity that Council knew required improvement, as well as some new insights.”

The key survey results included:

• 117 of the 279 respondents visited the town centre daily.
• The main reason people visited was to dine or get take-away food
• The main thing people liked about the town centre was ‘social interaction and sense of

community’.

• What they most disliked was its ‘streetscape character and visual quality’.

When asked for more comments, 168 people replied ‘parking needs’.

Interestingly, on average, 48 per cent stay up to one hour in the town centre, 32 per cent stay less than 15 minutes, 11 per cent for up to two hours, and 9 per cent for more than two hours.

The initial survey ran from 31 July to 28 August, with the community drop-in session held on Thursday 13 August, at the Nambucca Community & Arts Centre.

Next steps for the project are:

• Redbelly Design will prepare a formal report on community consultation and provide its Stage 1 investigation and assessment. This report will be presented to the council and published on its website.
• The report will also be shared with the Nambucca Heads Town Centre Community Reference Group and discussed at the group’s next meeting.

It’s envisaged that the master plan’s design ideas will be drafted and provided for the community to view and provide feedback on in November or December 2026.

For more information, visit Council’s website at: nambucca.nsw.gov.au/Community/GetInvolved/Nambucca-Heads-Town-Centre-Master-Plan