What is a Plan of Management?

A Plan of Management (POM) is required for all Council-managed community land in NSW under the Local Government Act 1993 and establishes directions for planning; identifies permissible uses, leases and licences, and prioritises future development.

The draft Cooper Park Plan of Management POM aims to ensure the Park is used and maintained appropriately in the future.

It proposes strategies to ensure Cooper Park is managed in a way that meets both legislative requirements and community expectations.

The draft Cooper Park POM continues our efforts to enhance and conserve Cooper Park’s significant bushland and heritage, and provide a diverse range of recreational opportunities.

We propose to:

• Formally categorise relevant areas of the Park into the following four categories under the Local Government Act 1993 so we can best manage the Park into the future and meet the community’s needs and our legislative obligations:
  • Park
  • Sportsground
  • General Community Use
  • Natural Area – Bushland
  • Natural Area – Waterways.

These categories come with specific guidelines and objectives set in the Local Government Act 1993 and Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. Council is obligated to adhere to these regulations.

• Ensure the natural environment is conserved by following the best environmental practices are in use to build a green a resilient public land that enhances biodiversity, conserves natural resources and improves sustainability
• Protect and enhance the Park’s heritage and cultural awareness by ensuring land is used and managed in a way that is consistent with the Park’s local heritage listing and endorse Council’s listing of the Park on the State Heritage Register.
• Ensure the Park remains safe, clean and well-maintained, so that facilities and experiences meet community expectations and are fit for purpose
• Encourage functional and varied landscapes to promote recreational, social and community opportunities
• Improve accessibility and inclusivity by providing universal access, where possible. We aim to make Cooper Park a place where people with mobility issues (such as those who use walking aids andmobility scooters) can access a variety of recreation spaces and get close to nature.
• Ensure the Park’s aesthetic and landscape quality remains high so the Park’s environmental, heritage and cultural values are maintained.
• Manage watercourses to improve water quality and water flows, and protect biodiversity and Riparian ecology.

What is a Masterplan?

A Master Plan guides and prioritises capital improvements and resources, establishes a vision, and promotes new ideas.

The draft Cooper Park Master Plan

The draft Cooper Park Master Plan sets out strategies for the Park’s diverse landscapes and identifies short, medium, and long-term improvements. It guides future activities and improvements within the Park.

Future works on the Park will establish an improved landscape of greater environmental stability and broader recreation opportunities to cater to the community’s diverse growing needs.

The Master Plan uses six core principles. The improvements identified in the proposed Plan will:

• Enhance and improve the bushland character and protect the Park’s unique bushland
• Retain the Park’s heritage and cultural significance including celebrating and protecting the existing landscape and built items of heritage and cultural significance
• Strengthen the Park’s typology by improving the Park’s diverse open spaces to cater for a variety of users and functions
• Strengthen access, circulation and legibility including improvements to pathways and improved signage in the Park
• Promote sustainability with initiatives to enhance the Park’s biodiversity and mitigate environmental damage
• Provide a blueprint for future Park upgrades and improvements.

We're planning a number of exciting upgrades and improvements at Cooper Park.

Here are some of the key elements of our draft Plan of Management

1. Bunna Place

We propose to enhance the community's experience by making improvements pedestrian safety at Bunna Place carpark and accommodates more parking bays.

A new planted traffic island and unsheltered picnic tables will create a space for the community to gather and enjoy.

2. Picnic Grounds

We propose to make improvements to help this space become place for a families and community members to socialise by introducing family-friendly facilities such as new tables and lawns and an upgraded play space, as well as additional planting and an improved creek edge to promote water play and wildlife rejuvenation.

3. Cooper Park North

We propose to create an improved intergenerational community hub which includes an upgraded play space, children’s bike learning track, and allows for dog off-leash. A proposed new path network will create an accessible connection between existing and new facilities.

4. The Amphitheatre

The inclusion of hillside seating to accommodate skyline and sunset views, and tiered bleacher seating at the base of the hill to allow for small-scale events and rest and relaxation. The masterplan also establishes a continuous walking and running path that loops around the perimeter of the Amphitheatre Flats. A fitness station is proposed to enhance the site’s fitness experience.

5. Cooper Park South

The site is proposed to be reconfigured to accommodate dogs off-leash.

A new proposed fence at the Park’s perimeter will prevent dogs straying onto the adjacent street.

6. Lower Cooper Park

Lower Cooper Park is proposed to receive new park furniture including benches and picnic tables to provide a place for people to meet and enjoy their surroundings. Improvements to the path network will be made to create a well-marked and easily navigable paths across Lower Cooper Park and paths connecting to Lough Playing Fields.

7. Rainforest Gully and Urban Bushland

We propose very few changes to this area. The proposed improvements include improving the existing path network through non-intrusive construction methods (minimal hardscaped paths) and adding seating to encourage quiet passive recreation and respite.

8. Upper and lower ponds revitalisation

The two ponds have also been identified for improvements which aim to support existing wildlife and enhance community experience.

9. Improved arrival experience at all Park entries

Implementing signs, improving planting and general landscape improvement at every Park entry.

10. An improved north-south pedestrian path

Improvements to the pedestrian paths which connect Cooper Park North and main Cooper Park.

Summary:

We are required to categorise all areas of Cooper Park in the Plan of Management as either "Sportsground", "Park", "General Community Use", "Area of Cultural Significance" or "Natural Area".

We are proposing to change the category of some areas of Cooper Park, including categorising Lower Cooper Park as "sportsground" (currently categorised as "park") and five changes to correct errors in categorisation in the 2001 Plan of Management.

More information:

The Local Government Act requires all POMs to categorise areas of a park as "Sportsground", "Park", "General Community Use", "Area of Cultural Significance" or "Natural Area". Accurate categorisation is crucial as these categories are assigned that best align with a park section's current use and management. The updates in the draft 2025 POM are necessary as the 2001 Cooper Park did not accurately reflect the current use of Cooper Park. Please refer to below diagrams for the corresponding numbers and changes:

1. Lower Cooper Park was categorised as “Park” in the existing 2001 Cooper Park POM. The change to the category of “Sportsground” will allow us to better meet the needs of the community and it more accurately reflects Lower Cooper Park’s current use. Lower Cooper Park has been a popular spot for organised sports for many years.

The following changes are crucial corrections that rectify mapping errors from the 2001 Cooper Park POM. These corrections ensure that the 2025 Cooper Park POM is accurate and relevant to the current use of Cooper Park:

2. The Tennis Kiosk, which was incorrectly categorised as “Bushland” in the 2001 Cooper Park POM, is now being categorised as “General Community Use” in the draft 2025 POM. This change represents the current use of the kiosk, and it aligns more closely with the community's use of the Kiosk.

3. The inclusion of an area of Cooper Park at View Street, which was incorrectly omitted from the Cooper Park boundary in the 2001 POM.

4. The inclusion of an area of Cooper Park at the junction of Edward and Adelaide streets, which was incorrectly omitted from the Cooper Park boundary in the 2001 POM.

5. The readjustment of the “General Community Use" category at Cooper Park Community Hall. The 2001 POM incorrectly categorises part of the playground and parkland at Cooper Park North as “General Community Use”. The draft 2025 POM rectifies this and accurately categorises only the Community Hall as “General Community Use”. The adjacent playground and parkland are categorised as “Park”.

6. The readjustment of the “Park” category boundary at the Picnic Grounds (the area east of the Tennis Courts). The 2001 POM map of the area was inaccurate. The 2025 map footprint of the area is more exact.

Draft 2025 Cooper Park POM land categories diagram

View a larger version of this diagram here

2001 Cooper Park POM land categories diagram. View a larger version of this diagram here.

These changes to the categories requires that we must hold a public hearing.

The Local Government Act requires that when the categorisation of community land is changed, Council must hold a public hearing for members of the public to come and have their say.

If you’d like to make a comment or submission regarding the change of categories for some areas of Cooper Park, come along to Thornton Room, Council Chambers 536 New South Head Road Double Bay on Wednesday 28 May, 6pm. Please refer to the following link for more information: www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/Events/Cooper-Park-public-hearing

If you have comments and feedback relating to any other aspect of the draft Cooper Park POM or draft Cooper Park Masterplan please share your feedback in the form below, email us at joanna.tanus@woollahra.nsw.gov.au or come and talk to us at one of our pop-up community sessions. Find out more below.

We are proposing changes in land categories in the 2025 Cooper Park Plan of Management (for more information see "change of categories for some areas of the Park" section above)

These changes to the categories requires that we must hold a public hearing for members of the public to come and have their say.

If you’d like to make a comment or submission regarding the changes of categories for some areas of Cooper Park, come along to Thornton Room, Council Chambers 536 New South Head Road Double Bay on Wednesday 28 May, 6pm.

Please refer to the following link for more information: www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/Events/Cooper-Park-public-hearing

For further details, please read the Cooper Park Proposed Recategorisation Public Hearing Background report here.

If you have comments and feedback relating to any other aspect of the draft Cooper Park POM or draft Cooper Park Masterplan please share your feedback in the form below, email us at joanna.tanus@woollahra.nsw.gov.au or come and talk to us at one of our pop-up community sessions.

Find out more below.