Hill 60 Crown Reserve Draft Plan of Management

Share your thoughts on our draft plan to manage the Crown Reserve at Hill 60

The draft Plan of Management for Hill 60 Crown Reserve (97344) has been prepared as part of Council’s ongoing responsibilities for managing Crown Land and to meet the requirements of both the Crown Land Management Act 2016 and the Local Government Act 1993.

The Hill 60 Crown Reserve Plan of Management area is located on the headland at Hill 60 in Port Kembla and accessed via Military Road and Gloucester Boulevard by vehicle and the Ngaraba-Aan Cultural Trail on foot. It includes the pathway to Fisherman’s Beach but does not include the sandy beach area. It does not include the small portion of Council owned community land (Lot 3 DP 86079) adjoining Gloucester Boulevard that is separately covered under the Community Land Plan of Management 2022. The Hill 60 Crown Reserve Draft Plan of Management area is show in the map and in the picture (right).

Draft Plans of Management for Crown Reserves rely on approval from the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure – Crown Lands to seek community feedback. Council has recently received Crown Lands approval to exhibit the Hill 60 Crown Reserve draft Plan of Management.

What is the purpose of this Plan of Management?

The Hill 60 Crown Reserve Draft Plan of Management aims to administer the Hill 60 headland on a day-to-day basis and into the future in a way that complies with the Crown Land Management Act 2016. This Act requires Council to manage the land as if it were community land, including preparing a Plan of Management. A community land plan of management does the following:

• Describes the existing condition of the land generally, incorporating what is built on the land already.
• Sets Plan of Management permissible activities, uses and developments (including related leasing and licencing).
• Sets management objectives and performance targets for the land linked to Council’s Community Strategic Plan and the community land categories under the plan.

Why is this Plan of Management important?

Most of the land at Hill 60 is under the community land category 'Area of Cultural Significance' so conserving and understanding the significant culture, environmental values and history of Hill 60 is a priority. This recreational area has complex heritage values and requires consistent and careful management by Council and the community. Hill 60:

• is a place of ongoing connection for the Aboriginal community,
• has a coastal natural environment, supporting native plants and wildlife,
• is home to the Port Kemba Marine Recue service who occupy one of the many WWII era structures that are on the headland.

The accessible viewing platform project completed in December 2024 is an example of careful planning, listening and implementation of a concept from the 2015 Landscape Master Plan. Information about the 2024 accessible viewing platform project shows how Council works within a complex set of approvals and with the community to complete a Hill 60 project. The Hill 60 Crown Reserve Draft Plan of Management includes 2024 project information as a guide for future Landscape Masterplan projects. It permits future landscape master plan improvements that fit within approvals to safeguard the area’s significance.

The draft Plan of Management raises awareness about safety risks. Visitors need to be aware of the dangers in the area and take responsibility for their own safety. For example:

• Rock fishing is dangerous; six people have died here between 2021 and 2024.
• Fisherman's Beach is not patrolled; there are no lifeguards.
• Hang gliding is an inherently risky activity that is not currently carried out under development consent conditions and licence terms like at Bald Hill Lookout.
• Militiary tunnels are closed; they are unsafe and entering them is trespassing and dangerous.

The Hill 60 Crown Reserve Draft Plan of Management is on exhibition from Thursday 3 July 2025 to Monday 1 September 2025 and can be viewed: