FAQs

Spoonbill Reserve is Council owned, community land.  All community land is required by legislation to be categorised as one or more of five possible categories that aligns with the purpose for which the land is dedicated or reserved.  Spoonbill Reserve has a category of 'General Community Use'.  

'General Community Use' is for all areas where the primary purpose relates to public recreation and the physical, cultural, social, and intellectual welfare or development of members of the public.  This includes venues such as community halls, scout and guide halls, and libraries.

The core objectives of land in the 'General Community Use' category are (Local Government Act 1993):

• to promote, encourage and provide for the use of the land;

• to provide facilities on the land, to meet the current and future needs of the local community and of the wider public: 

(a) in relation to public recreation and the physical, cultural, social and intellectual welfare or development of individual members of the public, and 

(b) in relation to purposes for which a lease, licence or other estate may be granted in respect of the land (other than the provision of public utilities and works associated with or ancillary to public utilities).

A link to the Plan of Management for Community Land is here:  plan-of-management-for-community-land-v3-web-1.pdf

Spoonbill Reserve is Council owned, community land subject to Council's general Plan of Management for Community Land.  It was dedicated to Council in the late 1990's as a condition of consent (1999/723) to satisfy open space requirements as part of the Headlands Estate subdivision.  Whilst the site is special to the local community for the presence of Spoonbills and was formerly known as the 'spoonbill nesting site', it was not dedicated / reserved explicitly for this purpose.

No. Spoonbill Reserve was not 'gifted' to Council.  Spoonbill Reserve was dedicated to Council in the late 1990's as a condition of consent (1999/723) to satisfy open space requirements as part of the Headlands Estate subdivision.  There were several subsequent submissions by the land developer at the time to utilise the land for alternative purposes. These submissions were vehemently opposed by the local community who passionately advocated for the 'spoonbill nesting area', as it was known at the time, to be reserved as open space for the general public.

The Royal Spoonbill is known to have nested in the pine tree in the reserve in the mid to late 1990's prior to substantial development of housing around the area. At the time the site was affectionately known by the community as the Spoonbill Nesting Area.  The most recent official records of the Royal Spoonbill in the area are in the pine trees further west at the end of Seaside Avenue with one sighting of Juvenile Royal Spoonbill in 2021 - Record: BioNet Atlas of NSW Wildlife:SPJGI8019113 | Occurrence record | Atlas of Living Australia 

Local residents report more recent sightings of Spoonbill using the subject open space area.

A master plan is a document which is developed with the community to articulate a medium - long term vision for a site.  It recognises the value of the reserve to the community and provides a conceptual layout to guide the future of the parkland for general community use. 

A master plan is a big picture which often requires staged implementation as funding becomes available.

There is a small amount of funding allocated for open space improvements at Spoonbill Reserve in the 2029-2030 financial year.  No other funds are yet available. However, having an adopted master plan provides an opportunity to attract funding for future construction of any works outlined in the master plan.