Sandy Point Domain Management Plan

Sandy Point Domain overview

Sandy Point Domain is major recreation hub and open space to the west of Invercargill, near Oreti Beach. It is highly valued by the local community and visitors to the city of Invercargill. The domain provides a wide range of recreation, sport, and adventure activities and is ‘home’ to many sporting and recreational clubs as well as forestry and other commercial activities.

Sandy Point Domain also has significant cultural, biodiversity, historic and amenity values. The domain is facing some challenges including:

• remaining relevant to future population and recreational trends
• quality and appropriateness of existing assets, facilities and land uses
• potential impact of climate change and sea level rise on assets and infrastructure from inundation and erosion

A Masterplan was endorsed by Council in September 2023, following months of engagement with mana whenua, elected members, key partners and stakeholders and members of the public.The masterplan created a big picture vision to meet the future needs of Sandy Point Domain.

Purpose of a Management Plan

Council is required under the Reserves Act 1977 to prepare Management Plans on the reserves it manages.

Management plans contain policies on the long-term maintenance and development of the reserves.

They are prepared to ensure the needs of the current and future users are captured and reflected in the plan and are consistent with current ‘best practice’ management procedures.

The management plan process will follow a 12 month timeframe, including a two-step public notification process as required through the Reserves Act, with the result being a management plan document illustrating how the reserve will be managed over the next ten years to meet the vision of the masterplan.

Key Projects

This management plan will be a review of the 2013 Sandy Point Domain Management Plan. It aims to show the first ten years of detail based on the masterplan and each subsequent review will incorporate future priorities. Key Projects that will be concentrated on through the implementation of the Masterplan into the ten year management plan include:

Enhance Recreation

• Initial development of sport/recreation hub facilities
• Commencement of consolidation of “like” activities and clubs
• Development of a multi recreational use area including a park for dog walking, disc golf and informal walking areas within the former golf course location

Promote Unique Visitor Experience

• Develop Eco-sanctuary area at the southern end of Sandy Point, and Eco-adventure area adjacent to Fosbender Park at the northern end of the Domain
• Implementation of improved signage, wayfinding and interpretation displaying domain's history
• Complete sealed road loop around Recreation Hub, incorporating Pit Road, Links Road and Sandy Point Road

Build Environmental Resilience

• Replant and replace slash, broom and forestry areas at southern end of Sandy Point Domain with suitable indigenous shrub and forest species
• Consolidate coverage of commercial forestry at the southern end of Sandy Point Domain
• Enhance existing wetland edges with suitable indigenous shrub and riparian planting

Have your Say

Council has endorsed the Sandy Point Masterplan and is keen on seeking feedback during stage one of the public engagement for the review of the Sandy Point Management Plan.

Consultation with the public is the first step in the management plan process.

Council is inviting you,pursuant to Section 41 of the Reserves Act 1977, to have your say on what your top priorities are for the next ten years using the Masterplan as a guideline. As part of this process, Council is also inviting you to provide feedback on the Masterplan.

Your comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration in the preparation of the draft Sandy Point Management Plan. You will have a further opportunity to comment on the draft when it is released to the public.

Written submissions can be made online by completing the survey below. The online survey is open until Wednesday 31 January 2024.