Conjola Improvements

Shoalhaven City Council and the Conjola Community Association (CCA) would like to thank everyone who participated in the Conjola Improvements survey. The purpose of the survey was to allow you tell us how money should be used that was donated to the Conjola Community Recovery Association (CCRA) in the aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires.

174 people completed the survey. This is a great result!

The survey was structured in two parts. Firstly, to allow you to tell us if you support the list of 9 Priority Projects and to identify the community’s top priorities from that list. Secondly, the survey included an additional question about an idea to establish a shared pathway connecting Conjola Park and Lake Conjola.

Results

The majority of people who completed the survey were from the Conjola area. 44% were from Conjola Park and 18% were from Lake Conjola.

We asked you to tell us if you support use of the donated funds on the 9 Priority Projects. 59% of respondents support this approach.

We then asked you to tell us which projects should be progressed by selecting from the list of 9 Priority Projects. TOP THREE results:

1. Accessible toilet (65%);

2. New pathway from Yooralla Bay Boat Ramp (Valley Drive to Cottee Close, via Hoylake Grove Reserve) (55%);

3. Additional picnic shelter with seating (41%).

The remaining six projects are:

4. Halfcourt basketball court (24%);

5. Additional play equipment (24%);

6. Memorial garden (22%);

7. Water bubbler and interpretive signage (19%);

8. Exercise equipment (13%);

9. Mural to pumping station (4%).

The list was generated based on previous consultation undertaken in relation to the community-led master plan that was developed in 2020/21.

Summary

There is majority support for use of the donated funds on the list of 9 Priority Projects. The community’s top priorities are the accessible toilet, a new pathway at Hoylake Grove Reserve, and additional shelter at Hoylake Grove Reserve.

Results also indicate it is clear the community would ALSO like to see the donated funds spent on other initiatives, such as:

• A shared pathway from Fisherman’s Paradise, through Conjola Park, to Lake Conjola (31%) and;
• Alternative bushfire recovery-related initiatives in the Conjola Area (5%).

Additional Question

We asked you to tell us if you support the idea to establish the shared pathway between Conjola Park and Lake Conjola. 88% said they support the idea to establish a shared pathway from Conjola park to Lake Conjola.

Several people also told us they would like to see this pathway continued to Fishermans Paradise.

Next Steps

Council is working with the Conjola Community Association (CCA) and the Interim Executive of the Conjola Community Recovery Association (CCRA) to develop a final proposal for the use of the donated funds that takes into consideration:

• The original intent of the donors;
• The survey results, and;
• Recently completed or planned Council projects.

We will keep you informed by posting further updates to this page.

Shoalhaven City Council received $615,000 from the Australian Government under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program to fund proposed improvements to the Conjola Park foreshore at Yooralla Bay.

This grant funding is in addition to, and separate from, funds donated to the Conjola Community Recovery Association in the aftermath of the bushfires. The donated funds continue to be held in trust by Council on behalf of the Conjola community, and were the subject of a survey which closed recently. The full results of that survey are being assessed now and will be released shortly.

Preliminary results from the recently completed CCRA Donations Survey indicate there is strong support for the establishment of a pathway from the Yooralla Bay Boat Ramp, along the Hoylake Grove Foreshore, to Cottee Close. This was ranked 2^nd out of the 9 projects presented in the survey.

The Jetty Replacement and Kayak Facility project will aid in establishing parts of that footpath, in line with feedback received from the Conjola Park community to date.

The Jetty Replacement and Kayak Facility project involves:

• Replacing the existing timber jetty south of the boat ramp on Valley Drive with a composite fibre (FRP) jetty, gangway and floating pontoon structure.
• Construct a 30m long, 2.4m wide FRP kayak launching facility at the southern end of the Hoylake Grove Reserve, serviceable for all tidal planes.
• Construct a 2m wide shared user path (SUP), connecting the two structures to the existing footpath on Hoylake Grove Reserve and to the boat ramp on Valley Drive.
• A pathway in this location received strong community support in the recently completed Hoylake Grove Reserve survey. Further details about the Hoylake Grove Reserve survey will be released soon.
• Provide an additional foreshore seat for the kayak launching facility.

The proposed works have been split into 2 stages:

• Stage 1: All deliverables north of the existing footpath on the Hoylake Grove Reserve, including:
  1. the SUP north to the jetty and the boat ramp on Valley Drive
  2. the proposed jetty.
• Stage 2: All deliverable south of the existing footpath on the Hoylake Grove Reserve, including:
  1. the SUP south to the kayak launching facility
  2. the proposed kayak launching facility
  3. the additional seat.

It is Council’s intention to deliver both stages of the works together early in the 2023/24 financial year, budget permitting.

Council would like to hear your opinion regarding this proposal. To assist us with this process, please complete the Online Survey on this web page by 5 pm Monday 15 May 2023.

For further details please refer to the Stage 1 and Stage 2 concept plans for the Jetty Replacement and Kayak Facility at Yooralla Bay in the 'Document Library' on this web page.

If you require any additional information, please contact ryleigh.bowman@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Conjola Improvements survey and told us how you would like to see money used that was donated to the Conjola Community Recovery Association in the aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires.

In total, 180 submissions were received. Over 150 people completed the survey online, 14 hard copies were completed at the launch event, and a further 10 hard copies were returned in the mail. We also received telephone enquiries and detailed written responses via email.

The survey was launched at a community event held at Hoylake Grove Reserve on 25 February 2023, and closed at 11:59pm on Sunday, 26 March. The survey was live for 4 weeks.

Council staff will now work with the Conjola Community Association to review the feedback received and to identify projects for further investigation.

We will keep you informed about the outcome of this process by posting further updates to this page.

Have your say about how donations received by the Conjola Community Recovery Association, following the Black Summer bushfires, should be used.

$370,000 is held in trust by Shoalhaven City Council on behalf of the Conjola community.

Council, and the Conjola Community Association, would like to hear from you about how these funds should be used.

Please complete the survey here.

The feedback you provide will be used to determine which projects are progressed for further investigation.

Submissions close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, 26 March 2023.

Have your say about how funds donated to the Conjola community after the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires should be spent.

$370,000 is held in trust by Shoalhaven City Council on behalf of the Conjola community.

Council and the Conjola Community Association would like to hear from you about how the funds should be spent.

To find out more, and to have your say, complete the Online Survey.

Hard copies of this survey will be available at Hoylake Grove Reserve from 12pm to 3pm on Saturday, 25 February 2023.

Hard copies are also available for collection at the City Administration Centre in Nowra (36 Bridge Road, Nowra) and the Ulladulla Branch Office (14 Deering St, Ulladulla).

This survey closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, 26 March 2023.

A community event will be held at Hoylake Grove Reserve on Saturday, 25 February 2023.

Shoalhaven City Council and the Conjola Community Association (CCA) invites the Conjola Park community to come together to enjoy good food, great company, conversations, and to provide input and ideas about upgrades to open spaces, to support the Conjola Park community.

Key event details

Date: Saturday, 25 February 2023

Time: 12pm to 3pm

Location: Hoylake Grove Reserve

Bookings are essential for catering.

Activities include:

• Lunch (BBQ and dessert table).
• Fun activities for the younger crew.
• Opportunities to provide feedback about potential open space improvements in Conjola Park.
  • Council staff and Conjola Community Association representatives will be available on-site on the day to hear your ideas.
• Survey launch: community members will be able to provide feedback on how funds donated to the CCRA after the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires should be utilised.
  • Hard copies of the survey will be available to complete on the day.
  • An Online Survey will remain open until Sunday 26 March 2023.

Book your place here

Background

The Conjola Community Recovery Association (CCRA) was formed immediately following the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. The CCRA received donations for the purpose of supporting the Conjola Park community by upgrading open space facilities.

The CCRA members resolved that the donated funds should be distributed and to wind up. The Conjola Community Association worked with the CCRA to make this happen.

$370,000 is now held in trust by Shoalhaven City Council on behalf of the Conjola community.

• The Conjola Community Association formed a Sub-Committee in early 2023, which is made up of 5 CCA members. The Sub-Committee will work with the community and Council to ensure the donated funds are utilised well and supported by the community.
• Council and the Conjola Community Association would like to hear from you about how the donated funds should be spent.
• Come along to the community event to have a chat with Council staff and the Conjola Community Association about your ideas for the donated funds.

A new two-lane boat ramp and pontoon at Havilland Street, Conjola Park has been launched, providing a deep water boat launching facility on the western reaches of the lake.

The brand new pontoon and car-trailer parking spaces will provide the local community and visitors with a much needed recreational facility where boats of all sizes can be launched and retrieved safely.

The new facility provides safe and easy access to the water with plenty of room to launch and a large area for parking cars and trailers.

The project was made possible through the support of the NSW Government’s Boating Now Grant Program which contributed $661,000 towards the project, in addition to Bushfire Local Economic Recovery funding (BLER) of $775,000.

The grant funding works carried out:

• A two-lane boat ramp with an intermediate floating pontoon
• 26 sealed car-trailer spaces
• Access road and boat launching manoeuvring area
• Two accessible car spaces with a concrete path down to the boat ramp.

The boat ramp is now ready for summer, with additional landscape planting to be completed soon.

Stage two of the project will see additional car-trailer spaces and an amenities block.

For more information, visit Lake Conjola Boat Launching Ramp | Shoalhaven City Council (nsw.gov.au)

Due to the recent periods of wet weather and unforeseen circumstances, the construction of the new shelter and installation of the barbeque in Valley Drive Reserve at Hoylake Grove, Conjola Park has been delayed until the new year. Council apologise for any inconvenience.

Council wishes to advise the residents of Conjola Park of the following update for infrastructure works currently underway at Hoylake Grove Reserve, Conjola Park.

The shade sail was completed in November by a local contractor. Families can now enjoy the play equipment in the midday hours in full shade over the upcoming summer holidays.

The BBQ shelter and picnic facilities are currently under construction and are planned to be completed and available for use prior to Christmas.

Unfortunately due to the persistent wet weather experienced in November and early December, construction of the pathway network will now be completed in January 2022.

Council is pleased to advise Conjola Park residents of some exciting park upgrades coming soon to Hoylake Grove Reserve (located on Hoylake Grove, Conjola Park).

The upgrades seek to improve access to existing infrastructure and enhance the useability of the open space. The upgrades include:

• A new pathway network from Hoylake Grove to and around the playground
• A 6x4m shelter with wheelchair accessible BBQ picnic facilities
• A new shade sail to improve sun safety of the existing play equipment

The shade sail will be installed first, followed by construction of the pathway linking the playground, seating, BBQ and adjacent reserve.

These works for Hoylake Grove have been enabled via grant funding from the Federal Government and Council’s capital budget.

Works are expected to be completed by December 2021.

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Drawing for shelter:

Shade projections:
Please note the colours shown in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only. The shade sail will be coloured ‘Brunswick Green’ with ‘Riversand’ coloured posts and be positioned over the playground.

Shade projections at various times of day during mid-summer:

Plan for pathway network: