The Draft Master Plan is now on public exhibition, with submissions due at 5.00 pm on Wednesday 13 December 2023.
Please let your views be known. Read the Cockatoo Island Draft Master Plan (scroll down until you see ‘Documents for review’) and ‘Have you say’ here >
KEY POINTS
Here are some key points to consider when making a submission regarding the Harbour Trust’s Cockatoo Island Draft Master Plan.
Firstly, the Harbour Trust should publish its plan in an easy-to-access format. The PDF of the full Draft Master Plan is a daunting document for the public to read and absorb.
This Draft Master Plan is considerably more realistic and authentic than the previous concept published in 2020. HPG acknowledges the complexity of the restoration effort to weave the four layers of history into a unique visitor experience.
The Draft Master Plan is NOT a master plan but rather a well-developed concept document, as with other Harbour Trust documents. It does not include cost estimates, priorities, or stages with respective timeframes. A business plan for setting up the required infrastructure to support the vision of greatly increased visitation is necessary for the public to comment meaningfully.
Access is the key to success – getting to the island and getting around once there. This aspect of infrastructure should be a top priority.
HPG cautions against sanitising the gritty marine industrial layer.
There should be no re-wilding with vegetation that is not endemic or the planting of trees that detract from the rugged visual impact.
HPG supports using a slipway for a filtered harbour pool but urges the Harbour Trust to keep the pool and surrounds appropriate and not resort-like.
HPG believes the Fitzroy Dock should be restored as a working dock with a functioning caisson. Potential uses could be ongoing maintenance of the many heritage vessels in Sydney. This would greatly enhance the visitor experience.
Contamination is an issue acknowledged but not addressed in the concept document. For example, great care must be taken in constructing the planned 20 new cabins in the contaminated north-western corner.
HPG appreciates the Trust’s commitment to increasing marine biodiversity by installing artificial reefs and living seawalls. In doing so, they must resist the temptation to place visitor experience and aesthetic preference over scientific ecological best practices.
The Harbour Trust’s vision is for many medium to large events. There is the potential for this to impact small groups and individual enjoyment of the island.
HPG does not support the use of the Powerhouse for events – it must be preserved intact without damaging its heritage values.
The Harbour Trust must ensure that all remnant convict structures that form the UNESCO World Heritage Listing of the Cockatoo Island Convict Site (1839-69) are protected.