Background

Parks and open space in the Georges River area are either Council owned “community lands” or State owned “Crown Reserve” managed by Council. Changes to legislation guiding the management of Crown Reserves now requires Council to include Crown Reserves in a plan of management.

A Plan of Management is a report outlining how Council proposes to manage open space for the benefit of the community. The plan must identify:

• an appropriate community land category for the land;
• objectives and outcomes for management of the land;
• the means by which Council proposes to achieve objectives and outcomes; and
• the way by which council proposes to assess its performance

The community lands categories as identified by the Local Government Act 1993 (LG Act) provide a system by which land is placed in a category which best reflects its environmental, cultural and recreational values. Accordingly, the plan then describes how the land will be managed reflecting a series of core objectives for the community lands category, which are also defined by the LG Act.

The categories are documented in the plan of management and include:

	Natural Area - The Natural Areas reserves included in this Plan, provide conservation of natural bushland, foreshore or wetlands, low key informal recreational opportunities for the community and important landscape relief and buffer to urban development. The individual Natural Areas vary in size from 0.07 hectares up to 9.5 hectares. The total area of Natural Areas covered by this plan of management is approximately 39 hectares.
	Sportsground - The individual Sportsgrounds vary in size from 0.5 hectares up to 36 hectares (while Hurstville Golf Course is 39 hectares). The total area of Sportsgrounds covered by this plan of management is approximately 123.8 hectares
	Park - Local Parks are generally small open spaces ranging in size from 0.0121 hectares (121m2) in area but also including several district parks of up to 1.5 hectares. A number of parks covered by this generic Plan of Management are foreshore parks along the Georges River or Salt Pan Creek.
	General Community Use- The land within the General Community Use areas plan, provide varied facilities and services for the community. The individual General Community Use areas vary in size from 0.06 hectares up to 1.1 hectares
	Sites that have important cultural heritage values may also be categorised ‘Area of Cultural Significance’.

In November 2022, Council adopted the Generic Plans of Management following consultation with the community. An amendment is

proposed to the Generic Plans of Management.

Amendment No 1

On the 24 July 2023, Council resolved to place on exhibition the following amendments to the Generic Plans of Management for

Sportsgrounds, Parks, General Community Use and Natural Areas to incorporate additional land as follows:

• Riverwood Park (Lot A DP 325838) (R65642) has been included in the Generic Sportsground and Natural Areas Plans of Management as Council has been appointed Crown Land Manager (CLM).
• Rasdall Park (Lot 1-3 DP 1046103) (R71245) has been included in the Generic Parks Plan of Management as Council has been appointed as CLM.
• Incorporation 25 Joffre Street, South Hurstville (Lot 60 DP 4607) into the Generic Parks Plan of Management.

On 27 November 2023 Council resolved to place on exhibition the following additional amendments to the Generic Plans of Management

• Amend the descriptions for the Local Approvals Policy, Public Art Policy and Community Lease Policy in all Generic Plans of Management to ensure they are concise and simple
• Amend the land classification in Table 1 and Table 2 for Pole Depot (3Bridges & Penshurst Child Care & Community Centre) at 5 St Georges Road, Penshurst (Lot 101 DP 586060) from operational land to community land in the General Community Use Generic Plan of Management to reflect the current land classification.
• Amend the address for Pole Depot (3 Bridges & Penshurst Child Care & Community Centre) in section 3.8.4 – Management and Use of the General Community Use Generic Plan of Management from 27 Joffre Street to 25 St Georges Road, Penshurst to reflect the correct street address.

How to be involved

Community feedback is essential in helping guide us in our decision-making process. Your feedback will influence the choices we make when developing our plans and ensure we are on the right path to achieving and managing our community's overall vision.

The draft Generic Plans of Management will be on public exhibition from 31 July 2024 to 11 September 2024:

• Via the supporting documents tab on this page
• Georges River Civic Centre, MacMahon Street, Hurstville
• Hurstville Library, Corner of Queens Road and Dora Street, Hurstville
• Kogarah (Clive James) Library and Service Centre, Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street, Kogarah

If you would like to provide feedback or comments on the Policy, we encourage you to:

	Complete our online feedback form. Use the links below to submit your online feedback, or
	Return a hard copy submission.

If you are returning a hard copy submission, please quote Public Submission - Generic Plans of Management - SF24/3859 at the beginning of your submission and return:

	In person to Georges River Council Civic Centre or Libraries
	Via email: mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au
	Via post: PO Box 205, Hurstville BC NSW 1481

The closing date for responses is Wednesday 11 September 2024.

Any submissions received are considered public, however, a person may request to have their personal details suppressed. For more information about Council’s Privacy Management Plan, contact the Public Officer on 9330 6400. If you make a submission and have made political donations or gifts, a statement must be completed.

Categorisation and Public Hearing

As mentioned above, 25 Joffery Street, South Hurstville (Lot 60 DP 4607) into the Generic Parks Plan of Management.

Under section 40A(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, Council is organising a public hearing into the proposed categorisation or re-categorisation of community land. The public hearing will be held on 3 September 2024 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Georges River Civic Centre, corner of MacMahon and Dora Streets, Hurstville.

If you wish to attend the public hearing, please register your attendance below.

If you have any questions on the Plan of Management, please contact the Strategic Planning section on (02) 9330 9469.

Do you need assistance reading and accessing this page?

For a free interpreter call us via the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450

If you have a hearing or speech impairment, please contact the National Relay Service:

• Voice Relay number: 1300 555 727
• TTY number: 133 677