Kiama council has adopted a revised master plan for the area known as the municipality’s ‘‘jewel in the crown’’.
The Kiama Harbour and Blowhole Point Headland master plan provides ‘‘a strategic direction’’ for the future of the 30 hectares of Crown land, an area which is a magnet for tourists all year round.
The master plan proposes the long-term retention of the tourist cabin park on Blowhole Point and highlights ‘‘the need to maximise the potential of the harbour precinct for commercial and tourist activity’’.
Questions had been raised about the future of the headland’s tennis courts, with suggestions that the site could be redeveloped into some form of hostel accommodation.
The Blowhole Tennis Club – believed to be Kiama’s oldest sporting club, dating back to the late 19th century – has just 16 members, however, a merger with the larger Kiama Tennis Club, which has more than 300 members, had been proposed, with the intention to expand and upgrade the headland’s courts.
The council agreed it would look to extend the lease to the Blowhole Tennis Club to 2028, subject to a formal amalgamation of the two tennis clubs.
It also agreed to make plans to rejuvenate the area around the scout hall building a ‘‘high priority’’ given the area was a highly visible focal point.
The revised master plan updates a 2002 plan of management for the area which identified more than 20 projects which combined have a current value of around $4.5 million.
More than $1.5 million has been spent so far on projects. On Tuesday, Labor candidate for Kiama Glenn Kolomeitz promised $3 million to complete the remaining projects.