Council has adopted the draft City Heart Masterplan to be placed on public exhibition seeking community feedback until Monday 8th December 2025. The draft City Heart Masterplan is setting a vision for living, working and belonging in the heart of our city. Initial Community Engagement undertaken from June - August 2025 has informed the draft City Heart Strategy and Master Plan.

Purpose

The functions of the draft City Heart Masterplan are to inform:

• Strategic Direction: articulate a long-term vision for how the City Heart can evolve socially, economically, environmentally, and physically.
• Guiding Principles: offering principles and frameworks to guide future decision making, inform future policy development, infrastructure investment, and community engagement.
• Flexibility: outcomes on the ground will take many years as the draft Master Plan will adapt over time due to shifts in population, economics, legislation, climate, technology, or community needs.
• Integration: to coordinate multiple planning layers like transport, housing, open space, resourcing and sustainability into a cohesive plan.
• Community Engagement: extensive consultation, making them a powerful tool for reflecting community aspirations and building consensus. They also need to be reviewed and retested with the community over time to ‘check in’ to see if they are still relevant, need adjustment or require significant change.

Where is the City Heart?

The City Heart is the civic, cultural, and economic hubs of Port Macquarie-Hastings, nestled between the Hastings River and the coastline. It encompasses the central business district, key civic spaces, heritage streetscapes, and commercial and residential precincts. The area includes major landmarks, public spaces, and a growing mix of uses that define the character and identity of Port Macquarie.

City Heart Precincts

There are 5 precincts that make up the City Heart, each one with its own character, strengths, and opportunities. Explore the tabs below for details on the precincts and proposed projects.

The historic and cultural heart of Port Macquarie, with a lively mix of shops, dining, and services. Protecting heritage character and enhancing the precinct with the proposed projects:

• widened walkways along the foreshore
• new waterfront pavilions that draw people to the river's edge
• activate vacant sites with new housing, retail, dining and community uses
• increase housing choice with mixed-use housing development

The Westport precinct is an opportunity for development and a stronger connection to the CBD with proposed:

• tree-lined streets and improved walking and cycling paths to the CBD
• development along Kooloonbung Creek
• balanced housing growth with livability, open spaces and amenity
• vibrant residential neighbourhood and livability

Settlement City is a key gateway into the city bringing people together for shopping, services, and easy access to the foreshore and marina for residents and visitors. Proposed enhancements for the precinct are:

• mixed-use redevelopment opportunities across underutilised land
• potential introduction of more retail and dining on the waterfront
• creation of a town centre for events, shopping, and dining
• carparking use and enhancements

Home to key community facilities the Civic Precinct provides a strong base for civic, cultural, and community activity. To create stronger community connections and the identity of the Civic Precinct within the City Heart the following is proposed:

• consolidated facilities into a multifunctional Community Hub with a youth centre, library, Players Theatre and Pipe Band Hall and civic services
• new aquatic facility and expanded open spaces for health and wellness
• selective mixed-use development

Eastport and Windmill Hill connect the City Heart with the coastline, offering a mix of apartments, clubs, and visitor accommodation alongside popular beaches. Protecting the relaxed character and prospective enhancements for the future include:

• opportunities for higher-density apartments along main corridors
• retaining the cultural heritage of the Windmill Hill area
• improved transport and pedestrian connections between coastal precincts and the city centre
• increased housing diversity close to Town Beach and the CBD
• preservation of beachside character in Windmill Hill and encouraging renewal in Eastport

Have Your Say

You can provide your feedback on the draft City Heart Strategy and Masterplan by:

• Submitting feedback via the online submission form below or;
• Pin and comment on our interactive map; or
• Completing the survey below; or
• Emailing: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au or;
• Posting to:
  Chief Executive Officer
  Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
  PO Box 84
  Port Macquarie NSW 2444

All submissions must be received by 5pm Monday 8 December 2025.