Crescent Head officially has a new Plan of Management (POM) for the local National Parkland.
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The plan by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) covers Goolawah National Park, Goolawah Regional Park and Limeburners Creek National Park.
This plan replaces the previous plan of management for Limeburners Creek National Park, which was adopted in 1998.
The POM was formally adopted by the Minister for the Environment on March 6 (2024) and includes a 'transitional agreement' for dogwalkers at Crescent Head.
Dogs are currently allowed in Goolawah Regional Park on Delicate Beach, Big Hill Beach and in the Delicate Camping Area. Dogs must be leashed in the Delicate Beach Camping Area and beach access points.
Dogs are not allowed in Limeburners Creek National Park and Goolawah National Park, however, people may walk with their dog on a leash through the transitional dog walking route in Goolawah National Park until 30 June 2025.
Dogs will not be allowed anywhere in Goolawah National Park after 30 June 2025.
"We heard the concerns around dog-walking access and have replaced the temporary arrangement with a permanent solution," NPWS Area Manager Shane Robinson said.
"As a result NPWS and Kempsey Shire Council will collaborate to create a new walking track to the northern end of Goolawah Beach.
"The is will enable direct access to the Council-managed part of the beach for dog-walking without having to enter the national park.
"The route will connect to Council's existing headland walk, providing panoramic views over the ocean, and can be constructed to suit most ages and fitness levels."
"To support delivery of this new track, an extension of the existing transitional dog-walking arrangements will continue until 30 June 2025.
"I'm pleased the new Plan of Management is now in place and that a constructive solution has been found for the dog-walking issue."
President of Crescent Head Dog Walkers Group (CHDaWG), Jann Eason, is not so pleased, calling the POM a "farce."
"The NPWS have ignored every single point we raised, and the new Labor Ministers appear to have not even checked the veracity of the research presented by NPWS," she said.
Ms Eason says she is 'gob-smacked' by the POM's mention of wild dogs and dingoes.
"So NPWS will welcome wild dogs into our National Parks but will deny an ordinary citizen to traverse a national park on gazetted road with a dog on a lead to reach a crown land inter-tidal zone?"
The new POM also enables the $1.65 million revitalisation of the Point Plomer Precinct. The popular campground has witnessed increasing visitation in recent years leading to a deterioration in the condition of the campground.
The project will improve campsites through drainage and leveling of sites, upgrade access roads, and introduce a new campground/information office.
NPWS says a total of 149 submissions were received during the public exhibition period of the Plan of Management and this feedback was considered when finalising the plan.
The new Plan of Management can be viewed here.
