After years of contention, the concept design for Crescent Head has finally been approved

The plan includes changes to the point car park and foreshore green space.

Author

Ellie Chamberlain
October 22, 2025

Following years of controversy, community engagement and various proposed plans, the final concept design for the Crescent Head foreshore and Willow Street precincts has been approved.

❓What happened: On Tuesday, Kempsey Shire Councillors adopted the Crescent Head Foreshore Concept Design following a collaborative process between council, the Crescent Head Foreshore Community Advisory Group (the CAG), and the wider community.

🏡 Local impacts: The balance between car parking and green space has been the key point of contention over the years.

  • The approved redesign includes more parking spots than what currently exists and only slightly less green space, as well as pedestrian crossings, a surf-check zone, playground, skate park, and a space for markets.

FORESHORE & SURF BREAK PARK CONCEPT PLAN. Kempsey Shire Council

WILLOW STREET & KILLICK CREEK CONCEPT PLAN. Kempsey Shire Council

🤝 (Almost) complete agreement: All except for one member of the community advisory group agreed to collectively support the final design.

  • A staff report brought to council noted that one member of the group who did not support the plan believed the CAG should be supporting more ocean-facing carparking as a response to survey feedback on the matter.

🗣️What are people saying? Member of the Save Crescent Head Point Car Park community group, Maria Johnson, said she is “stoked” the group were able to save the carpark as a result of five years of advocacy.

  • “We stopped council’s plans to remove the point car park completely, we stopped council’s plans for cabins in the eastern end of the point,” Johnson told the Mid North Coaster. “We lobbied hard for the eastern end of the holiday park to be included in the footprint for the foreshore redesign.”

  • “We saved the carpark and now we have a plan that caters for current and future demands.”

⏰ What’s next: Council staff will explore funding avenues for the detailed design and construction of the plan. The project may need to be staged and could take several years to complete.

The staff report states the concept design is subject to changes during the detailed design process as a result of a further feasibility review.

Thumbnail: Current Crescent Head Foreshore.