More about this project

The Pottsville Open Space Masterplan considers the following issues and opportunities:

• Pottsville Environment Park, the natural environment, Aboriginal heritage, history and recreational opportunities in the regional park.
• Determine the future use of Pottsville Memorial Oval as a sports field in consultation with sports clubs.
• Consider alternative uses for the oval such as youth recreation facilities and outdoor event space.
• Consider the provision of additional car parking.
• Improve access for people with disabilities to comply with Australian standards and upgrade pathways to improve access to high-use facilities including Ambrose Brown Park and Hardy Park North.
• Consider a half-court basketball and playground in Hardy Park North.

Prior community engagement with Pottsville residents in the development of the Open Space Strategy (2019-2029) will be considered and are listed below:

• The Tweed is well serviced by regional parks however, there are significant opportunities to improve their capacity to provide more diverse recreation activities, specifically Pottsville Environment Park.
• There is demand for additional youth recreation facilities in Pottsville (as well as several other locations across the Tweed).
• The bushland areas support and protect an exceptionally high diversity of plant and animal life and provide opportunities for residents and visitors to experience nature and learn about ecological communities. Pottsville Environment Park is a regional park and an important natural, cultural and recreational asset. The park’s facilities are in poor condition.
• The open spaces including Pottsville Memorial Oval and Phillip Street Reserve will continue to be focal points for social, recreation and cultural activities.
• Youth recreation facilities include sports fields, shared paths and a multi-court, with the ability to access waterways for nature-based activities. There are no skate facilities.

Pottsville Environment Centre
Established in 1988, Pottsville Environment Centre is located in 54 hectares of coastal vegetation set between the two arms of Cudgera Creek. With over 4km of walking tracks, wetland boardwalks and viewing platforms, on-site camping, kitchen, toilet and shower facilities Pottsville Environment Park is an ideal location for school and environmental group excursions. 

Camping for educational and environmental groups is currently not available and is under review. The building is available under very limited external hire.

The centre is managed by Tweed Shire Council and following groups have an interest/ connection to the Environment Centre:

• Tweed Byron Aboriginal Lands
• Crown Lands
• Tweed Shire Council
• Residents, visitors, and community organisations
• Environment groups

Park Features:

• Eucalyptus Track 2500m
• Melaleuca Track 750m
• Billabong Track 350m
• Rainforest Track 700m
• Boardwalks and viewing platforms
• Walking distance to Pottsville town centre, beach and Mooball Creek estuary
• Toilet, shower and kitchen facilities - Please note that the Public Toilet is only available with prior arrangement.

Pottsville Memorial Oval
Pottsville Memorial Oval is a 1.4 hectre open space in the centre of Pottsville. The oval has traditionally been used for sport and recreation. The Pottsville Beach Football club used the oval in the mid-90s, but it is best known as the home of the Tweed Coast Tigers AFL club. Recently the Tigers have started to use an additional ground at Seabreeze Sportsfield to accommodate the club’s growth and the need for an appropriate-sized oval for senior matches. Pottsville Memorial Oval is still used by the Tigers when Seabreeze is unavailable. The oval is also used for informal recreation such as walking.

There has been requests for different types of use for the oval (such as additional seating for picnics, informal sport such as a footy or soccer goal, and even a stage that could be used for community events). As a result, the consideration of alternative uses for the oval such as youth recreation facilities and / or an outdoor event space, as long as the oval can still be used for informal sports (i.e. a shared space with a range of different uses). 

Anzac Park
Anzac Park sits between Pottsville Community Hall and Pottsville Memorial Oval. The park is home to the Pottsville Beach Cenotaph; an honorary monument erected on behalf of the RSL Pottsville & District Sub-Branch. The cenotaph was built in 1988, and renovated in 2016. The park is used for Anzac Day services, by users of the community hall, and visitors to enjoy the beautiful natural environment. The park is Crown land which is managed by Council.

Philip Street Reserve
Philip St Reserve is a grassy open space located on the western side of Tweed Coast Road in Pottsville. The reserve is Crown land which is managed by Tweed Shire Council.  Philip St Reserve is best known as home to the Pottsville Community Markets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month between 7am – 1pm. Market stalls provide a range of goods including; fresh produce, plants, art, clothing, jewellery, and kitchenware. The markets are managed by Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre Markets. Philip St Reserve is also used for informal recreation such as dog walking (provided that dogs remain on leads) and exercise (recently installed exercise equipment).

Ambrose Brown Park
Ambrose Brown Park is located between the Tweed Coast Road (to the west) and Mooball Creek (to the east). The park is approximately 1.4 hectres of Crown land which is managed by Tweed Shire Council. The park is well used, in part to the wide range of amenity provided such as; BBQs, drinking fountain, playground, picnic facilities, shelters, public  toilet,  showers, and decking to beach. The park is a dog prohibited zone. Some of the amenities listed above were improved or installed recently, and it is unclear if any changes to the park are likely to take place in the near term. However, the Ambrose Brown Park is a key open space in Pottsville and it is important consider as part of the Pottsville Open Space Masterplan. 

Hardy Park North
Hardy Park North is located just south of Pottsville village centre between the Overall drive (to the west) and Mooball Creek (to the east). The park is community land which is owned by Council. Improving access to the park for people with disabilities to comply with Australian Standards has been flagged. This might include upgrade pathways. The consideration of installing a half-court basketball area and playground in Hardy Park North. This may require changing the fencing/ safety bollards that separate the park from Overall Drive in order to ensure people can use the park safely. 

Car parking in Pottsville is also being considered and how to improve access for people with disabilities to comply with Australian Standards (such as upgraded pathways). For example, is there a better way to connect the bicycle and walking path that runs alongside Tweed Coast Road next to Pottsville Memorial Oval, Anzac Park, and the Pottsville Community Hall?