Kiama Coast Walk track extension

Published on 23 September 2020

Councillors have endorsed Council’s preferred route concept for an extension of the iconic Coastal Walking Track from Gerringong to Gerroa.

Director Engineering and Works, Mike Dowd, said this extension would provide an uninterrupted 30km walking trail along the entire coastline of the Kiama Municipality.

“Since it was established in 2012, the Coastal Walking Track has quickly become one of the great walks in Australia, showcasing the breathtaking beauty of our Municipality,” Mr Dowd said.

“Extending the Track from Gerringong to Gerroa will complete ‘the missing link’ and connect the trail from the Minnamurra River all the way to Seven Mile Beach.”

Mr Dowd said the extension was one of the highest priorities for Council’s Walking Tracks and Cycleways Committee, and also in the Kiama Tourism Opportunity Plan.

The preferred route concept was determined after considering a range of factors, such as public safety, ease of walking and constructing the track.

Also taken into account were environmental factors such as watercourses and gullies and land ownership.

“This route concept means only having to acquire land from three privately-owned properties, the rest being public reserves or Council land.”

“We’ll be consulting land owners, tourism, indigenous and environmental groups, as well as the wider community.”

“The first step, however, is getting the support of the NSW Government for acquiring the land and funding the project.”

“This involves applying to the Department of Planning’s Coastal Lands Protection Scheme, which is designed to increase public ownership of important coastal land.”

“If successful, the Department will handle all the land acquisition for us, including compensation.”

The Scheme requires applications for land acquisitions to meet at least one of three criteria:

• Public access: to promote public access to the coastal foreshore
• Scenic quality: to maintain the scenic quality of the NSW coast
• Ecological values: to protect ecological sites of regional, state and/or national significance

“We believe the Gerringong to Gerroa section of our coast meets all three criteria.”