Kempsey Shire Council successfully auctioned 13 cabins from Crescent Head Holiday Park to raise funds for upgrades, following a high-profile public auction campaign.
Those cabins will be removed in the coming weeks, with the first cabins removed by their new owners last week, resulting in some alterations to Crescent Head traffic conditions, including temporary closure of the car park.
In April, Council announced plans to upgrade a section of Crescent Head Holiday Park, with 12 new cabins to be installed later this year. As a result, 13 retired cabins were put up for auction.
Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers were engaged to auction the 13 existing oceanside cabins at Crescent Head Holiday Park. The auction was published online on 18 May 2020 and closed 10am 12 June 2020
Great interest was shown prior to and during the auction period resulting in a strong result, with the sale of all 13 cabins resulting in a total hammer price of $321,000
The funds generated from the sale of the cabins will be utilised to help fund the Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Park upgrade program. Council investigated the potential to donate the cabins to bushfire affected residents however NSW state legislation significantly restricts Council from donating public goods of value to individuals.
Council's Director Corporate and Commercial Stephen Mitchell said the auction had produced an outstanding result.
"It is wonderful to see these much-loved cabins getting new leases of life while the holiday park is able to prepare for the new cabins that will greatly improve the experience for all visitors. It's a genuine win-win situation," he said.
The cabins will gradually be removed from the Crescent Head Holiday Park over the coming weeks through to Friday 3 July. Council advised residents and visitors that the foreshore carpark will be closed temporarily for safety, with large trucks and machinery coming and going from the site.
The car park will be closed from Tuesday 23 June to Friday 26 June, re-opened for the weekend, then closed again Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July in time for the school holidays.
Additionally, as part of the removal, a section of fencing on the boundary of the holiday park along the Point car park will be removed to create access. This fencing will be replaced by temporary plastic barricades until the new cabins have been installed in the reserve.
Council and an external arborist also inspected the much-loved nearby Norfolk Pines to ensure their safety during the removals. As a result, three Norfolk Pines have had a small number of lower branches removed consistent with past lopping. This will not affect the health of the Norfolk Pine and is considered normal vegetation maintenance/management.
In coming months Council will release a detailed community engagement plan outlining how the community and visitors can provide input on future holiday park developments and layout possibilities for all five Macleay Valley Coast Holiday Parks.
