North Head gets $3.89m upgrade and safety boost

Manly’s North Head will get a $3.89m upgrade to its walking trails and lookouts, as well as safety improvements.

North Head, Sydney Harbour.

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North Head will undergo a $3.89m upgrade with improved and extended walking trails and safety improvements around the car park and at the harbour viewing areas.

The three-year project will concentrate on the area around the Fairfax lookouts and will include looking at the rock stability and improving the general safety of the area for visitors.

Plans could also include creating better seating so people can relax or have picnics.

Manly MP James Griffin welcomed the upgrade and said the investment in North Head

will deliver benefits for the local community.

Member for Manly James Griffin at New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

“By providing safer pedestrian access to North Head and improving parking and traffic

arrangements, these upgrades will deliver positive changes for Manly and its many visitors,” he said.

The funding is part of the NSW Government’s $149.6 million Improving Access to National

Parks program, which involves capital works upgrading and extending walking trails,

improvements to visitor infrastructure and introducing online and digital tools for virtual tours.

The project will also address interpretation and storytelling at Fairfax lookouts.

Views from North Head. Picture: Jijay Singh.

Environment Minister Matt Kean said this investment is recognition of the natural and cultural

significance of Sydney Harbour National Park’s North Head.

“Over 500,000 local, domestic and international visitors visit North Head each year to

experience its scenic lookouts with 180-degree views across Sydney Harbour, clifftop walks

and incredible diversity of native flora and fauna,” Mr Kean said.

“Together with North Head Sanctuary, it protects over 260 hectares of significant ecological

communities, Aboriginal sites, historic buildings and public green space.”

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will next ask architects to prepare concept designs.

The design will focus on components that have had common support from stakeholders and will look to deliver the greatest level of improvement within the allocated budget.

The plans will be placed on public exhibition for community feedback in the next few months.