The Sandy Point Domain Masterplan sets out a long-term, strategic vision for one of Invercargill’s most popular recreation and leisure areas.
It sets out a roadmap for the use, development, and future of the domain. The Sandy Point Domain Masterplan was endorsed by Invercargill City Councillors at a Community Wellbeing Committee meeting on September 12, 2023 (watch it here). We are now gathering feedback on the Masterplan, during stage one of the public engagement process for the review of the Sandy Point Domain Management Plan.
About the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan
Near the Ōreti River, Sandy Point Domain is considered ‘home base’ for many of Invercargill’s sports clubs and organisations – from various rowing clubs, to equestrian, mountainbiking, motorsport (the domain is home to Teretonga Park, the southernmost FIA-recognised race circuit in the world), and more.
It is also popular with the wider community, who use the space for informal leisure opportunities. As well offering a range of recreation, sport, and adventure activities, Sandy Point Domain is also home to forestry and other commercial activities.
The Sandy Point Domain Masterplan will create a more structured approach to the ongoing management of this area. The overarching strategic goals of the Masterplan will feed into the implementation of reserve management plans for the area.
The Sandy Point Domain Masterplan has outlined overarching strategic goals for the area. These are: enhancing the recreational offering, promoting the unique visitor experience, and building environmental resilience.
Read the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan here.
Make a submission
Council has opened the consultation process for the draft Sandy Point Domain Management Plan. At this time, it also welcomes feedback on the longer-term Sandy Point Domain Masterplan.
This consultation will run from September 30, 2023 – January 31, 2024.
You can make a submission via letstalk.icc.govt.nz
There will also be forms located at Te Hīnaki Civic Administration Building (101 Esk St) and the Invercargill City Libraries & Archives (50 Dee St).
The goals of the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan
The overarching strategic goals of the Masterplan are:
‘Enhance recreational offering’:
Within the next 10 years:
- Removing or not replacing facilities and structures no longer required by clubs
- Beginning the consolidation of ‘like’ activities and clubs
- Start the initial development of a multi-use recreation opportunities area, at under-utilised locations.
If population and recreational trends continue as forecast, the longer-term outlook for the Sandy Point Domain could include changes such as:
- The continued consolidation of ‘like’ activities, based around motor, equine, water, and target sports, and team sports fields
- Development of a shared sports hub
- The relocation of facilities and infrastructure next to the Ōreti River
- The development of a Visitor Pavilion.
‘Promote unique visitor experience’:
Within the next 10 years:
- Developing an eco-park area at the southern end of the domain
- Developing an eco-adventure area adjacent to Fosbender Park at the northern end of the domain
- Developing a new visitor hub at Dunns Rd/Pit Rd, including the implementation of improved signage, wayfinding, and interpretation signage displaying the domain’s history
- Completing a sealed road loop around the recreation hub, incorporating Pit Rd, Links Rd, and Sandy Point Rd.
If population and recreational trends continue as forecast, the longer-term outlook for the Sandy Point Domain could include changes such as:
- Extending both the eco-park and eco-adventure areas
- Creating a crossing point across the Ōreti River via punt/flat bottom vessel
- Establishing Pit Rd as Sandy Point Domain’s main entry, and reduce and manage access down Sandy Point Rd onto Ōreti Beach
- Continuing to develop interpretation information about the area’s history.
‘Build environmental resilience’:
Within the next 10 years:
- Replanting and replacing slash, broom and forestry areas at southern end of the domain with suitable indigenous shrub and forest species
- Reducing coverage of commercial forestry at the southern end of the domain
- Enhancing existing wetland edges with suitable indigenous shrub and riparian planting
- Planting suitable indigenous shrub and trees north of Dunns Rd to support the development of the eco-adventure area.
If population and recreational trends continue as forecast, the longer-term outlook for the Sandy Point Domain could include changes such as:
- Discontinuing commercial exotic forestry in the eco-park area in the lower half of the domain
- Connecting planted areas between wetlands with suitable indigenous shrub, grass, and riparian species to create contigious areas of lowland and wetland planting
- Continuing the planting of indigenous shrub and trees to replace exotic forestry
- Phasing out and discontinuing bio-solid dispersal
- Enhancing Ōreti River edges with riparian buffer planting, forming part of a buffer area and nature-based solutions to mitigate/manage the impacts of climate change and sea level rise
- Expanding areas recognised as Significant Ecological Areas to the southern and western parts of the domain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan and the Sandy Point Domain Management Plan?
The Sandy Point Domain Masterplan is a long-term, strategic overview of how we intend to use, manage, maintain, and fund the domain. It covers the next 50 years, although the strategic goals outlined in the Masterplan depend on whether population growth and recreational trends continue as forecast. Meanwhile, the Sandy Point Domain Management Plan is a statutory requirement, under the Reserves Act 1977. These are created to outline the steps and actions we intend to take to manage specific reserves – in this case, the Sandy Point Domain – in the next 10 years.
Put simply: the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan outlines our vision for the domain in the next 50 years. The Sandy Point Domain Management Plan outlines the tangible steps we plan to take to achieve these goals, within the next decade.
Who created the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan?
Invercargill City Council partnered with Boffa Miskell to investigate the future of the Sandy Point Domain. Within Council, the creation of the Masterplan has included input from various teams including Parks and Recreation, and Strategy and Policy. This process also included input from stakeholders, mana whenua, and the wider community.
What community engagement regarding the future of Sandy Point Domain has taken place?
Part of the work carried out by Boffa Miskell has included extensive engagement with the community and stakeholders throughout 2022, to get their feedback on how they’d like to see the domain used in the future. That engagement process has been helpful in identifying the challenges the Sandy Point Domain faces, but also the opportunities.
What key challenges have been identified?
Three main challenges have been identified when it comes to the future of the Sandy Point Domain. These are:
- Remaining relevant to the future population demographics predicted for the city, and changes in recreational trends
- The quality and appropriateness of existing facilities, assets, and land uses
- Climate change and sea level rise, and the potential impact of inundation, coastal retreat, and coastal erosion on existing infrastructure within the domain.
What were some of the themes that came through in the community engagement process?
The engagement process – with key partners, stakeholders, and the wider community – was extremely valuable in identifying some key themes and trends. This included:
- Sandy Point Domain, and the recreational experience it offers, is highly valued by both locals and visitors to Invercargill – and it has the potential to become a place that has increased regional and national value
- A desire to see the space become more family-friendly and easier for everybody to access
- Future use of the former Oreti Sands golf course needs to be resolved: this has become a popular spot for people walking their dogs
- Existing infrastructure seen as “tired” – feedback was supportive of the creation of a modern facility that could be used as a recreational hub by a variety of clubs and organisations
- Potential for improved ecological outcomes: improved native biodiversity and plantings, indigenous species, and pest species management
- Commercial forestry could benefit from being centralised
- Support for additional storytelling, acknowledgement, and recognition of the area’s history and cultural significance
- General concern around the potential impacts of climate change and sea level rise, and a desire to see Council work alongside other agencies to implement mitigation strategies
- Noticeable impacts of flooding and erosion on existing infrastructure already, including roads and watersport assets
- Concerns around safety: including anti-social behaviour, lack of mobile phone reception, and timely access to emergency services
- The management of Sandy Point Domain was viewed as having taken a “piecemeal approach”. Generally there was no sense of a cohesive plan for the future of the domain, and the community indicated a desire for a cross-agency and mana whenua governance group structure to be put in place.
How can I have my say?
Consultation on the Sandy Point Domain Management Plan will run from September 30, 2023 – January 31, 2024.
Members of the public can also provide feedback on the Sandy Point Domain Masterplan during this time.
You can make a submission via letstalk.icc.govt.nz
There will also be forms located at Te Hīnaki Civic Administration Building (101 Esk St) and the Invercargill City Libraries & Archives (50 Dee St).
