Autumn has arrived and it was great to see so many people enjoying our beautiful beaches and natural environment.
To keep our economy strong over the cooler months, the focus now shifts to off-season events like the recent Shoal Bay Food and Wine Festival and Sail Port Stephens, which have been great at bringing people to our area. You can also expect to see a great winter program at our Libraries and the return of Illuminate Raymond Terrace on Saturday 19 September.
March also marked another big step in our economy and global connectivity, with flights to Singapore via Bali from Newcastle Airport. Alongside routes to Perth and Hobart, this makes it easier than ever for locals to travel and for the world to discover Port Stephens.
Delivering on roads remains a priority. Our teams are busy across the region trialling different ways to maintain our roads. I’m pleased to see a few major projects reaching completion, including the pavement rehabilitation on Medowie Road at Campvale, as well as East Seaham Road and Tarean Road in Karuah.
We’re also staying focused on housing, specifically affordability. Our goal is to ensure everyone can afford to stay in the community they love. To help achieve this, we’re simplifying the process to build smaller homes like townhouses and villas.
It has also been heartening to see the community working alongside us to protect the local coastal spots we use. This includes Clean Up Australia Day and Take 3 for the Sea, as well as our ongoing work on the Coastal Management Program. Our recent sand nourishment at Shoal Bay and Corlette Beach is helping to safeguard our foreshores and protect community spaces like Conroy Park from erosion.
There are lots of opportunities to give feedback on our local projects at the moment. Your feedback helps us to make better decisions about how we manage and improve our local area. Whether it’s about our town centres, community facilities, or our natural environment, your feedback is vital to make sure Port Stephens grows in a way that works for us all.
I encourage you to stay up to date by subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter, Your Port, on our website. Thank you for your continued support and commitment in making Port Stephens a better place to live, work and invest.
L Anderson
Leah Anderson, Mayor of Port Stephens
Housing in Port Stephens
Making housing affordable
We know housing affordability is a concern in Port Stephens, and we’re taking action through our Local Housing Strategy. Our role is to facilitate housing rather than build it all. We’re the fastest Council in the Hunter for building approvals, approving over 660 new homes last year, while also unlocking Council-owned land, streamlining planning approvals, and advocating to state and federal governments for funding to speed delivery. By focusing on more housing options like townhouses and apartments near town centres, we’re helping every generation stay connected to the area they love and live close to shops, services and public transport.
State of housing in Port Stephens
$950,000 average house price
$660 average cost of rent per week
570 families are on a social housing waitllist
Delivering for our community
1 in 3 households experience housing stress
Smarter road maintenance
apartments
We’re changing how we look after our roads by being more proactive with our maintenance. We are using smarter ways to spot road defects early, allowing us to schedule repairs before they become major problems. This new approach ensures our crews are working where they are needed most.
We are also trialling a range of pothole products and flexible gravel patches to test durability and placement in all sorts of weather.
Major road projects – pscouncil.info/projects-and-works
COMPLETE SCHEDULED IN PROGRESS
Medowie Road, Campvale (Central Ward)
This major link road has recently been improved with new road pavement and line markings, wider lanes and shoulders, and minor alignments. It’s now safer and easier for local residents, workers and tourists to use.
East Seaham Road, East Seaham (West Ward)
In January 2026, we commenced the next stage, continuing west towards Wallaroo Road, for approximately 630m. This project is expected to be complete in June 2026.
Mustons Road, Karuah (East Ward)
The objective of the works is to provide an off-road shared path from Tarean Road through to Boronia Road, as well as widening and returning the road across Mustons Gully to 2 lanes. Scheduled to commence mid 2026.
Enriching our environment
Looking after our coastline
Keeping our beaches and foreshores healthy reflects our community pride. We see this in action through the community’s involvement in Clean Up Australia Day and Take 3 for the Sea, which has a big impact on our environment. While these efforts keep our coast clean, our Coastal Management Program continues to address challenges like erosion. We recently completed sand nourishment at Shoal Bay and Corlette Beach to safeguard the foreshore and protect community spaces like Conroy Park. By combining major works with local care, we’re making sure the places where we all walk, swim, and relax are preserved for everyone to enjoy.
A cool change for our bushland
We’ve been working with Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council and Bindelong Indigenous Aboriginal Corporation to protect our bushland using traditional ‘cool burns.’ These low-intensity burns remove undergrowth and dry debris without damaging the tall canopy trees that our native wildlife depend on. Reintroducing these practices offers significant cultural and environmental outcomes including helping native plants to flourish, while enhancing koala habitat, and reducing the risk of dangerous wildfires. This project was made possible through grant funding from the NSW Government Environmental Trust.
Watch the video at pscouncil.info/cool-burn-video
Have your say
Join the conversation!
Your feedback is vital to making sure Port Stephens grows the way our community wants. There are many ways to get involved, and it’s a great time to join the conversation.
From local parks to bigger strategies, your voice helps us get the balance right. We’re currently seeking your input on:
• Anna Bay and Tilligerry Floodplain Plan to help us build a more resilient region.
• Aquatics Strategy to help shape the future of our local pools.
• Local playground designs for the next round of equipment and upgrades.
• Dogs in Space to refine our plans for off-leash areas across the LGA.
Visit haveyoursay.portstephens.nsw.gov.au to see all current projects.
Raymond Terrace Place Plan – what’s next
Thank you to everyone who has shared their ideas for the future of Raymond Terrace. It was great to hear your thoughts provided online, at our workshops and during our recent pop-up stalls. Your feedback highlighted priorities, like improving paths, supporting new business investment, and making sure there are good housing options for both young families and seniors. We’re now using these ideas to shape the draft Place Plan so it reflects what the community wants for Raymond Terrace.
The draft plan will be available for community feedback later this year. This will be another opportunity for you to look at the details and make sure we’ve got the balance right before the plan is finished. Stay tuned for more updates here pscouncil.info/rt-place-plan
What’s on in Port Stephens
Immerse yourself at the Koala Sanctuary
The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is partnering with Wild Light Experiences to bring you Sanctuary Morning Immersions! Join us for a transformative 3 hour, nature-led wellbeing experience and leave feeling calm, with regulated breathe and a soothed nervous system. The sessions run on Wednesday 22 and 29 April, and Wednesday 20 May. These include a sunrise guided meditation, yin yoga on the Sanctuary Skywalk, journalling and a tea ritual. Places are limited, book
at pscouncil.info/psks-immersions
Our Libraries this May
Port Stephens Libraries are hosting more great events this May for all ages and interests. From Sensory Storytime on the first Thursday of the month to Seed Saving Workshop on 12 and 14 May and practical advice from the Hunter Community Legal Centre on 22 May, we have events for everyone. To learn more and book, visit pscouncil.info/psleventbrite
Key dates for your diary
April
Mario Kart and Milkshakes
23 April at Raymond Terrace and Tomaree Libraries
Sunday Sounds with Anyerin
26 April at Robinson Reserve, Anna Bay
May
Seed Saving Workshops
12 May at Raymond Terrace Library and 14 May at Tomaree Library
