This marked-up drone shot shows where new eco-tourism facilities and environmental restoration works could take place. Image: Urban Apartments Pty Ltd.
Investigations have begun into the possibility of “eco-tourist facilities” for a stretch of untouched Coalcliff seaside land.
The combined 6.3-hectare site, bisected by Lawrence Hargrave Drive and the rail line, consists of a two-hectare eastern portion considered for “eco-tourist facilities, environmental facilities and environmental protection works” and a 4.3 ha western portion for “environmental protection works”.
A Scoping Report submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Industry on behalf of Urban Apartments Pty Ltd suggests the eco-tourist facilities on the eastern portion could include 24 eco-tourist cabins to accommodate 72 guests, a communal pavilion, a multipurpose amenities building, a public walking track, an observation deck/s and parking.
“The subject site has a varied topography with some cleared areas, steep hillsides and cliffs, which afford a spectacular outlook to the Tasman Sea and the Illawarra Escarpment,” it reads.
The environmental protection works proposed for the western portion suggest vegetation restoration initiatives including revegetation, weed management, natural regeneration, in-fill planting and maintenance. An existing clearing would be earmarked for seating areas and potential viewing decks.
Early consultation documents on the NSW Government Planning Portal include a Vision Study, Preliminary biodiversity assessment, Preliminary bushfire assessment, Coalcliff Vegetation Management Plan (VMP), Biodiversity Constraints Assessment and a Site Plan.
Urban Property Group’s head of planning Chris Ferreira said while no works had yet been proposed, the submissions represented the initial step in a long planning process that would include robust community consultation.
“This is a necessary first step to determine the assessments we would be required to undertake if we were to proceed with the proposal, so it’s very much in its infancy,” he said.
“We fully intend on commencing a deep consultation process not just with immediate neighbours but the wider community, as well as all of the relevant NSW agencies, including Wollongong City Council and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.”
The Vision Study includes an inspiration board of other eco-tourism facilities designed to blend with their surrounding landscapes. Image: Andrew Burns Architecture.
Chris said per the submitted documents, there was a desire to “respect the natural beauty of the site and the sensitivity of the land and the surrounding area”.
The vision for the site builds on the success of the popular Grand Pacific Walk, complemented by “low-scale, single-storey” facilities designed to blend into the surrounding environment.
“This site shares equally in breathtaking views of the escarpment and the cliffs, and we want to share that with the public,” Chris said.
Facilities could also include a separate multipurpose “environmental facility building” attached to a public viewing deck and open to the public as a venue for hire, with information about native local flora and fauna.
Chris said the possibility of new observation decks that would be free and available for the public to use, and an additional connection to the existing Wodi Wodi track, would open up “numerous benefits” to the public, and create spaces for people to “connect in appreciation of Coalcliff”.
“There’s a significant opportunity to open up a beautiful but underutilised parcel of land that would allow both locals and visitors to appreciate the beauty of a part of Coalcliff that’s been closed off, and to do so in a way that increases appreciation of the natural environment,” he said.
“We think it’s the right use for the site … There will be multiple touch points to ensure collaboration helps shape the proposal in a way that’s aligned with the values of the area.”
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