Bouddi Coastal Walk upgrade

The NSW Government has made a commitment to improve the access to national parks across the state. Work commenced on 29 April 2020 and will be delivered in stages over the next 3 years. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by 2023.

Our national parks are managed to protect their unique values and provide for sustainable visitor use and enjoyment. This includes providing and maintaining visitor experiences such as walking tracks.

The Bouddi Coastal Walk is a highly visited attraction within Bouddi National Park and provides access to pristine, secluded beaches and spectacular coastal views. The high pedestrian traffic places pressure on the track and the environment is susceptible to erosion. The work will replace or maintain infrastructure such as stairs and increase erosion controls which will improve visitor safety and enhance visitor experience for walkers.

These works will improve the longevity of the track and assist with maintenance. The intent of the work is to improve the standard, address erosion issues, improve visitor safety and enhance the visitor experience.

Why is the work only focussed on this track?

The Bouddi coastal walk is a popular walk for local community and visitors and experiences up to 200,000 visitors every year. Over the past 7 years NPWS has undertaken extensive works in the park to upgrade several walking tracks including Flannel Flower track, Bombi Moors to Little Beach and Maitland Bay. Other work includes redesign of Putty Beach camping and picnic areas, refurbishment of Maitland Bay Information Centre and installation of new interpretative signs at Daleys Point Aboriginal Site. The upgrade of the Bouddi coastal walk continues our work to provide great experiences for park visitors.

An environmental assessment has been conducted for this project to assess any potential environmental impacts and determine measures to address these, so the national park’s conservation values are protected. All works will be carried out in accordance with the assessment and will be closely monitored during the life of the project.

How will the works affect park visitors?

To ensure visitor safety during construction, temporary closures of sections of the track may be in place. NPWS will endeavour to reduce inconvenience as much as possible, however the safety of visitors, construction staff and contractors is paramount. Temporary closures will be notified on the National Parks website and warning signage installed. Notices will also be placed in local locations such as shops and the Maitland Bay Information Centre (open on weekends). Visitors can also phone the local NPWS office on 02 4320 4200. We request that all visitors heed these closures and follow the direction of workers for their own safety.

During the works, helicopters will be used periodically to fly in construction materials. Whilst helicopters are operating overhead closures will be in place to ensure public safety. NPWS staff will be in place during these periods to restrict visitor access during the operation to ensure safety.

Is this work covered in the plan of management?

The Bouddi National Park plan of management provides for the maintenance and upgrade of walking tracks and this work is consistent with the plan.

How does this affect the local community?

The Bouddi coastal walk is popular with local residents, many of whom use the track for their regular exercise. Whilst the temporary closure of sections of the track on occasions may have impact, the benefits of the track improvements and protection of the environment as a result of the works will be long term. The track will be more resilient to weather conditions and reduce the impacts of erosion, improving visitor safety and accessibility.

Any closures will be updated on the National Parks website which should be checked prior to visiting the park. In addition, local media will be advised, posters installed at local shops at Killcare and Wagstaff, the Maitland Bay Information Centre and temporary signs installed at closed sections of the track. Visitors can also phone the local NPWS office on 02 4320 4200 for updates on the track conditions.