Community Vision

for the
Future of
Tomaree Headland, Shoal Bay,
Port Stephens

A Proposal from the Friends of Tomaree Headland

January 2019
 Tomaree Headland is an Outstanding
Natural and Heritage Asset
which can become a
Nationally Significant Tourist Attraction

1. Objectives
• To realise the full potential of this outstanding natural and heritage asset by
maintaining public access and enhanced interpretation of the unique natural, cultural
and heritage qualities of the Headland and Port Stephens
• To protect and as appropriate restore the important World War II relics on the
Tomaree Headland
• To enhance the public’s appreciation of the vital role of the Tomaree Headland and
Port Stephens in the defence of Australia and its allies in preparing for the Battle of
the Coral Sea
• To optimise visitor experiences and enterprise opportunities leading to financial self
sufficiency of the site
• To strengthen the appeal of the Tomaree Peninsula which is recognised as a strategic
tourism hub
• To complement the existing and planned improvements to the adjoining Tomaree
National Park, in particular the recently announced $7m Tomaree Coastal Walk which
commences at the base of Tomaree Headland

Friends of Tomaree Headland

comprises at this early stage representatives of the following Associations
and has rapidly growing support from the community at large:
Tomaree Business Chamber
Nelson Bay RSL Sub-Branch
Destination Port Stephens
Port Stephens Historical Society
Shoal Bay Community Association
Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association
EcoNetwork Port Stephens
Marine Parks Association

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2. The site
Tomaree Headland is one of the most visually spectacular and unspoiled parts of the New
South Wales coast at the southern entry to Port Stephens.

View to South from Summit

View to West over southern shore of Port Stephens

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 The Headland played an important role in the defence of Australia during the Second World
War. Plans for Fort Tomaree were drawn up in 1941 and from 1942 it became the focus of
Australian-United States combined training operations for the South-West Pacific. In March
1942 this facility and others in the Port Stephens area came under the command of General
Douglas Macarthur.

American soldiers boarding a landing ship in Shoal Bay during WWII – Fort Tomaree in background.
There were 22,000 U.S. troops involved in Port Stephens

Many defensive structures remain on the site including gun and torpedo emplacements and
a group of buildings which housed administration, training and other operational units.

Base for Torpedo Tubes on Headland Three-Pounder Gun Emplacement on Headland

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The defence administration buildings are located on the western portion of the Headland (Lot
453) comprising 8.8 hectares. These are currently used for supported accommodation for
intellectually disabled persons in a facility known as “Tomaree Lodge”.

The land is owned by the N.S.W. Department of Aging, Disability and Home Care. Tomaree
Lodge is due to close in 2019, once alternative accommodation is ready to receive the
remaining occupants. This site has a significant area of relatively flat land offering spectacular
views across Port Stephens.

In 1992 the Lodge was included in the Department of Health’s s.170 Heritage and
Conservation Register.

The heritage criteria of rarity states:

Tomaree Lodge has rarity value at a State level as one of the few surviving, relatively
intact Army garrison camps dating from the Second World War in NSW. While
Tomaree Lodge has some representative value as an example of a health facility in
NSW for people with mental illness and developmental disability, it is unique in this
group due to its earlier use as a World War Two Army Camp.

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In 1999, the “Tomaree Head Army/RAAF camp” was added to the N.S.W. State Heritage
Register.
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=5
012303

No interpretive signage is provided on this portion of the headland.

The remainder of the headland (Lot 454) comprises 26.7 hectares of steeply-sloping, thickly-
wooded National Park land. This is where most of the gunnery and associated support
facilities are located. Well-constructed walking paths provide access to the heritage sites and
the much visited Tomaree peak lookout which is at 160 metres above sea level. Heritage
sites in the National Park have interpretive boards provided by the National Parks Service.

Communications Post on Tomaree Headland

One of two “6 inch” gun emplacements on Tomaree

Headland

National Parks interpretive sign

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 Access to the headland is via a recently upgraded road and shared pedestrian/cycleway in a
bayside corridor under the control of Port Stephens Council. Parking for 55 cars is located
at the entry to the Headland but vehicular access to Tomaree Lodge is not open to the public.
The Lodge has 40 parking spaces for staff and visitors.

Shoal Bay village, 650 metres to the west, provides a range of tourist services including a
resort hotel, restaurants, supermarket, club, cycle hire, medical centre and caravan park.

3. The Opportunities
Tomaree Headland’s breathtaking panoramic views over Port Stephens and over the nearby
islands to the East, in combination with its highly significant World War II heritage, together
with its strategic Hunter regional location, offers a unique opportunity to create an
outstanding national heritage and tourism asset.
To realise this potential, the future management and further development of the Tomaree
Headland site urgently require a co-ordinated oversight and masterplan which would bring
together the administrative, financial and technical capacities of National Parks, War
Museum/Memorial interests, Port Stephens Council and Tourism/Regional Development
interests.
A high priority should be given to retention of the Tomaree Lodge Site (Lot 453 in deposited
Plan 705463) in public ownership with a continuing commitment to protection of its heritage
values.

Land Titles on Tomaree Headland – Tomaree Lodge (Lot 453) and National Park (Lot 454)

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The possibility of incorporation of the Tomaree Lodge site into a whole of headland
complex is also critical. For example, part of its land could solve the already overstressed
parking situation at the entry to the headland. The appeal of the $7.0 m. National Parks
Coastal Walk will be greatly enhanced by additional parking on the Lodge site.
The Friends of Tomaree Headland strongly believe that there is scope for a higher-level
presentation of the WW II history, marine science and cultural heritage of Port Stephens.
A visitor interpretive centre with creative audio visual and interactive exhibits would
greatly enhance visitor and educational experiences. Retail, boutique holiday
accommodation, cultural, research and educational/business opportunities could be
possible.
The success of the recently established $10.6 million National Anzac Centre in Albany W.A.
(a memorial to Australia’s participation in WW I) was fully funded by the Federal and
Western Australian governments. (http://nationalanzaccentre.com.au/national-anzac-
centre). Tomaree Headland could be a site for a memorial of similar status to
commemorate our involvement in the South West Pacific actions of WW II.

4. The Market
Port Stephens is an established premier NSW Tourist Destination located 3 hours by road
from Sydney, 1 hour north of Newcastle City and 40 minutes from the Newcastle/Port
Stephens Airport at Williamtown.

Visitation figures to Port Stephens for 2017/18 show an increase of 19%, reaching 1.6
million visitors who stayed 2.3 million nights. Domestic overnight visitors increased by
7.4%, day trip visitors by 32% and international overnight visitors by 16%.

Tourism is a key industry in Port Stephens contributing an estimated $539 million to the
local visitor economy or $1.5 million a day,

Recently, Port Stephens has been attracting increasing interest from China, Korea and
other Asian markets such as India.
Recent improvements in accessibility to Port Stephens include:
• Direct flights to and from Williamtown Airport to New Zealand
• Progressive construction of a motorway standard road link from Nelson Bay to
Newcastle ($200 million announced for the Williamtown-Bobs Farm dual carriageway
on 15 January 2019)
• Newcastle Harbour Cruise Boat Terminal improvements attracting increased cruise
liner visits
The addition of a nationally significant tourist attraction at Tomaree Headland would
diversify the product offer on the Tomaree Peninsula. In particular a major heritage and
interpretive centre would assist in attracting visitors outside the traditional high season
and add to the visitors’ experience all year round and in all weather conditions. Additional
overnight stays could be generated

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5. Community Support
The membership of Friends of Tomaree Headland reflects a broad cross section of the Port
Stephens community.

Residents and businessowners place a high value on Tomaree Headland as an iconic

natural and historic local asset. They are supportive of this initiative which will strengthen
the regional economy of Port Stephens. This strength of feeling was clearly demonstrated
in 1989 when the State Government of the day proposed to sell Tomaree Lodge but
retracted following fierce local opposition. The RSL sub-branch has its own collection of
heritage items from the WW II operations and is aware of many other collections in need
of protection and professional care.

6. The Way Forward

The Friends of Tomaree Headland have prepared this proposal for discussion with relevant
authorities, political representatives and stakeholders.

The aim is to:

• Highlight the current opportunities at Tomaree Headland
• Raise the need for the NSW Government to make an urgent commitment to
maintaining the Tomaree Lodge site (Lot 453, Deposited plan 705463) as public
land
• Initiate a programme to restore and protect the nationally significant World War
II relics on Tomaree Headland
• Secure support from relevant authorities to establish a working party to consider
the future management and development possibilities at Tomaree Headland
• Encourage the NSW Government to ensure a co-ordinated oversight of Tomaree
Headland and to prepare a Masterplan to guide its future use and management.

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Regional location map showing site of Tomaree Lodge on Tomaree Headland at entrance to Port Stephens

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