Reserve management plans

Council manages and maintains over 130 parks and reserves on your behalf – from large urban playgrounds, sportsgrounds, and coastal and native bush scenic reserves, through to pocket-sized neighbourhood green spaces.

Reserve Management Plans guide how we use our parks and reserves

Reserve Management Plans tell us how the community wishes to see a reserve, or set of reserves, used and looked after. They guide council in the day-to-day management and long term decisions for the reserve(s) by setting out objectives, policies and for how the reserve(s) are used, managed, or developed. 

We’re reviewing and preparing reserve management plans

Council has begun a review of all its Reserve Management Plans, some of which are 30 years old. We’re also preparing plans for those reserves that don’t have them.

We’re required to do this under the Reserves Act 1977, and to meet the district’s Open Space Strategy vision and priorities, and community expectations.

We aim to produce an overarching or ‘omnibus’ plan that covers our open space reserves in one plan and is easy to maintain, update and refer to.

Phases of the review

1. Notify intent to develop/review a Reserve Management Plan
2. Seek community and stakeholder feedback on the use, management and development of reserve/s
3. Prepare draft omnibus Reserve Management Plan 
4. Publicly notify and invite submissions on the draft plan
5. Analyse submissions
6. Hold a hearing of submissions
7. Implement approved Reserve Management Plans.

How you can get involved

There are two opportunities for you to provide input into the preparation of our Reserve Management Plans. The first is a public notice called a ‘notice of intent’ to signal the start of the community engagement phase. The second opportunity will be when the draft RMP is prepared – you will be able to submit on the draft plan. 

To be notified directly:

• Sign up for public notices
• Register to have your say

Phase 1 – Feedback Sought:

This first opportunity to provide input is at the beginning of the plan’s development. Your feedback influences what goes into the draft Reserve Management Plan.

Phase 2 – Comments on Draft RMP Sought:

This phase is the formal consultation under the Reserves Act 1977. Council calls for public submissions on the draft plan. Your submissions are considered as part of a formal process to create the final plan.