Harbour Trust News - Parking

Parking Scheme at Headland Park's Middle Head precinct, Mosman.

Background

The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is now restoring the Middle Head precinct of Headland Park, emulating the successful restoration of Georges Heights and Chowder Bay. The Middle Head precinct encompasses the former Australian School of Pacific Administration (ASOPA), Ten Terminal and adjacent parkland.
The project includes restoring buildings for re-use, landscaping grounds, and upgrading and increasing parking facilities. New public car parks have already been created throughout the site with additional parking areas expected to open in late 2011. Building and landscaping works are underway. To facilitate increased public access and ensure balanced use of the limited parking spaces at Middle Head by multiple user groups, as well as to help pay for these new facilities, paid parking was introduced at the Harbour Trust's Middle Head precinct on 11 May 2010.

Parking proceeds go towards the upkeep of the lands and buildings belonging to the Harbour Trust, which is now a self-funding agency.
Changes to the parking scheme for Middle Head will come into effect on 1 September 2011 - click here for details. These changes include the creation of three separate Ticket Parking Areas at Headland Park -

click here for map of parking areas (PDF 152 KB). These Parking Areas are:

Middle Head (see below for detailed information);
Clubhouse (click here for information); and
Chowder Bay (click here for information).

Parking tickets will only be valid in the Parking Area in which they are purchased, and are not transferable to other Parking Areas.

Overview of the parking scheme in the Middle Head Parking Area (effective 1.9.11)

Download Middle Head map here (PDF 490 KB)

Parking charges will be applied from 8 am to 5 pm seven days a week as follows:
Monday to Friday: $3 per hour with a maximum of $8 for all day parking
Sat/Sun/Public Holidays: $4 per hour with a maximum of $10 for all day parking
Meters will accept coins and credit cards (Mastercard and Visa only).
Minimum credit card transaction amount is $3.
Part hour payment and top-up payments are possible.
There will be no change machines.
Annual parking permits are not available for public purchase, but tenants will be issued with a limited number of permits for use within the Middle Head parking area.
Motorbikes are exempted from parking charges but should park in the dedicated motorbike areas on Chowder Bay Road close to car park 1, or car park 3
Disabled drivers with NSW Disability Permits are exempted from parking charges. There are dedicated disabled parking spaces in car park 2 across the road from Middle Head Oval, and at car park 3 at 10 Terminal (the nearby Clubhouse car park near Burnt Orange café and shop also has disabled parking). However, if these disabled spaces are occupied, disabled drivers can park in any other marked parking space and be exempt from parking charges.

Car parking charges have been set in the context of charges at adjacent and other car parks in Sydney.
Solar-powered parking meters have been installed at each car park at the Trust's Middle Head site. These machines issue tickets that must be placed on dashboards of vehicles parked in any marked space. Spaces are not numbered.
The Trust's commercial tenants at Middle Head will be allocated a limited number of parking permits which will be able to be used in the Middle Head parking area. Car park 4 past 10 Terminal is used as a Park and Ride facility for guests attending functions at Chowder Bay and catching the Sergeants' Mess shuttle bus.
Enforcement of paid parking is carried out by Trust Rangers in accordance with the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Regulations 2001 (No 296 as amended). More about enforcement of regulations
Parking infringement notices will be issued and fines will be collected on the Trust's behalf by a collection agency or via court prosecution if necessary.
All parking revenues will go towards the maintenance and upkeep costs of Trust sites. The Trust is now a self-funding agency.
The Trust welcomes feedback from users of this system and will keep the system under review.
Users are welcome to email questions or comments to: parking@harbourtrust.gov.au

Frequently asked questions

Why has the Trust introduced paid parking?

The reasons for the introduction of paid parking at the Middle Head precinct in 2010 are:

The Trust’s revitalisation of Middle Head and the new parking facilities will increase public access and visitation. The car parks will be used not just by park visitors, but also a significant number of new tenants, restaurant patrons, beach goers, and users of Middle Head Oval. The Trust has recently created a new public car park adjacent to the former Golf Club House, now occupied by the new Burnt Orange café and shop, which is already in strong demand. Paid parking will ensure balanced use of the limited parking spaces at Middle Head by multiple user groups, by encouraging turnover of spaces and evening out supply and demand.
Parking proceeds will help pay for the new facilities at Middle Head. The revenue raised from paid parking will be reinvested into the Harbour Trust's sites, ensuring that their long term future as public sites is secured. The Trust has no park entry fees, and is now a self-funded agency.
The environmental impact of private vehicles on Trust sites is substantial, and the Trust believes that a “user pays” approach is the fairest way of covering some of the costs of this impact.
For environmental and health reasons, the Trust aims to encourage visitors to its sites to walk, cycle or use public transport – these methods are also often the best ways to enjoy our parkland sites.
Many of the Trust's neighbours (e.g. local councils and National Parks and Wildlife Service) already have paid parking, and the absence of paid parking on Trust sites creates further parking pressure on Trust sites.

What evidence exists to support the introduction of paid parking?

The Trust has conducted parking and traffic research in the Headland Park area since these sites were open to the public in 2003.
In June 2008 the Trust commissioned the traffic consultants Urbanhorizon to conduct detailed parking and traffic surveys at Headland Park and prepare a parking management plan for the area. Their key findings and recommendations were:

that duration of stay was excessive, and in some locations, 50% of motorists were staying longer than the prescribed time limit;
that car space turnover (the number of cars using a car space over an average day) is poor. Many spaces are occupied by the same vehicle for up to 8 hours, blocking them for use by other visitors;
that existing or planned paid parking at neighbouring sites (operated by Mosman Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service) will place further pressure on Trust car parks if Trust parking areas remain free;
that the number of parking exemptions should be minimised due to the overall lack of spaces;
that public transport (especially the 244 bus service) was now a viable way to access these sites seven days a week and should be further promoted.

Uses have been sought for these sites which reduce car parking impacts, but as the Trust develops new uses for these sites and visitation increases, the sites are reaching the point where parking demand is best managed with paid parking.

Where is Headland Park?

Headland Park, Mosman, comprises former defence lands at Middle Head, Georges Heights and Chowder Bay. It is bordered by National Parks and Wildlife Service lands along Chowder Bay Road and Middle Head, and by Mosman Council land at Clifton Gardens, Balmoral and Rawson Park.

Where will paid parking be introduced?

Paid parking was introduced at Chowder Bay in December 2009. It was introduced to the Middle Head precinct on 11 May 2010, at car parks 1,2,3 and the Clubhouse car park. Car park 4 is used as a Park and Ride facility for guests attending functions at Chowder Bay and catching the Sergeants’ Mess shuttle. Construction will start on car parks 5 and 6 in mid-2011, which will re-open in late 2011 as public paid parking. The map below shows the layout of the Trust's Middle Head site and details of the parking areas.

Download Middle Head Parking Map here (PDF 490 KB)
Both Chowder Bay and Middle Head precincts of Headland Park have a good alternative public transport link in the form of the 244 bus, introduced following years of discussions between the Trust and STA, and now extended to run seven days a week.
The Trust also recently upgraded Middle Head Road to include a new roadside path from Georges Heights, where free parking is available, to Middle Head.

How many ticket machines will there be?

Six initially in the Middle Head precinct. Additional meters will be installed to Car Parks 5 & 6 once they re-open. See the site map for the location of the parking meters.

Download Middle Head Parking Map here (PDF 490 KB)

Will there be change machines?

No. Change machines are subject to mechanical failure and vandalism, as well as posing an additional security risk. Credit card payment is available at all machines.

Will length of stay be unlimited provided payment is made?

Yes, there are no time-restricted areas at Middle Head precinct. Length of stay is not restricted provided payment is made.

Are parking tickets transferable?

Tickets are not transferable between individuals or vehicles. Parking tickets are only valid in the Parking Area in which they are purchased –

see map for parking areas (PDF 152 KF).

What about tenant parking?

Arrangements are in place to provide Middle Head tenants with parking permits which may be used in the Middle Head parking area. Car park 4 past 10 Terminal is used as a Park and Ride facility for guests attending functions at Chowder Bay and catching the Sergeants’ Mess shuttle bus.

Will there be any general exemptions?

Yes, two.

Disabled drivers will not be subject to parking charges provided a valid State Disability Permit is displayed on the vehicle. There are dedicated disabled parking spaces in car park 2 across the road from Middle Head Oval and open to the public at weekends and public holidays, and at car park 3 (the nearby Clubhouse car park near Burnt Orange café and shop also has disabled parking). However if these are occupied, disabled drivers can park in any other marked parking space and be exempt from parking charges.
Motorcycles will not be subject to parking charges, but should park in the dedicated motorbike areas on Chowder Bay Road near car park 1 across the road from Middle Head Oval, or car park 3.

Download Middle Head Parking Map here (PDF 490 KB)

Is it possible for the general public or tenants to purchase a Trust annual parking permit?

No. These parking measures are intended to facilitate short term car parking only, and we do not have enough spaces to be able to offer annual permits.
Please note that Mosman Council and NPWS parking permits are not valid on Trust sites.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) also have parking spaces along Chowder Bay Road, from near Obelisk Beach to just outside the Chowder Bay gates. NPWS is introducing paid parking for these spaces. NPWS annual passes currently entitle holders to four hours free parking in these spaces. Please check further details on the NPWS Website
Annual parking stickers are available from Mosman Council for the council-operated Balmoral and Clifton Gardens car parks. Visit the Mosman Council website for more details. Mosman residents are entitled to an annual sticker free of charge, which allows them to park without charge in all non-Trust foreshore reserves in Mosman, including Balmoral and Clifton Gardens.

What alternatives are there to driving to and parking at Middle Head?

For environmental and health reasons, the Trust aims to encourage visitors to walk, cycle and use public transport – these methods are also often the best ways to enjoy our parkland sites.
The Trust has put in place measures to provide alternatives to travel to Middle Head by private vehicle.

The Trust has worked with the STA to extend the 244 bus route from Wynyard to Chowder Bay, link to there are stops in both directions near HMAS Penguin for access to Middle Head. This has recently been extended to include weekends and until early evenings on weekdays. Visit the Transport Info website for more details
The Trust also recently upgraded Middle Head Road to include a new roadside path from Georges Heights, where free parking is available, to Middle Head. It is approximately 0.7 km from the entrance to Lower Georges Heights, near Shot café, to Middle Head Oval.

There are also options for parking nearby on neighbouring lands owned by Mosman Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Click here for Mosman Council Parking details

Click here for National Parks and Wildlife Service parking details

What if a ticket machine is out of order?

There will be more than one ticket machine at each site, and so a 'machine out of order' note on the dashboard is generally not an excuse for non-payment of parking fees.

Won't all this 'street furniture' destroy the ambience of these sites?

Parking meters and related signs will detract somewhat from the attractiveness of these sites, but the Trust believes this is currently the only way to effectively manage limited parking resources. The Trust will be keen to adopt any new parking payment technologies which reduce or eliminate these impacts, provided such technologies are proven, reliable and easy to use.

Is the introduction of paid parking at Middle Head related to Mosman Council's proposal to introduce paid parking at Balmoral?

No. The reasons the Trust is introducing paid parking at Middle Head are outlined here.
The Trust has observed the debate about and subsequent implementation of paid parking at Balmoral, but the situation and issues at Balmoral are very different to those at Middle Head and Chowder Bay, and the Trust and Council schemes are not related.

Is the Trust's new parking scheme primarily aimed at raising revenue?

No, it is a factor but not the primary one. The main reason is to facilitate increased public access and ensure balanced use of the limited parking spaces at Middle Head by multiple user groups, as visitation increases as we revitalise the precinct.
Paid parking will however help to pay for these new facilities at Middle Head, as the Trust emulates the successful restoration of Georges Heights and Chowder Bay at this precinct.
The Trust is now a self-funding agency, so revenue raised from paid parking will be reinvested into the Trust's sites, which are free of charge and open to all, ensuring that their long term future as public sites is secured.

How will parking times and fees be enforced?

Trust rangers will be authorised to issue fines to owners of vehicles who:

do not park in marked parking area
do not display a valid parking ticket or disabled badge
park illegally in tenant parking areas
do not follow parking regulations and/or signs

Rangers will log parking infringements, print notices, and normally leave them on the vehicle. Infringement details are sent to a central database where parking infringement notices will be monitored and fines collected on the Trust's behalf.

What parking fines are payable?

The maximum fine that can be imposed by a court under Trust Regulations is ten penalty units per offence. One penalty unit is equivalent to $110. Commonwealth policy in relation to administrative penalty regimes is that the maximum “on the spot” fine is 20% of the maximum a court can impose, i.e. two penalty units or $220.
The Trust has reviewed fine levels so that most “on the spot” fines have been reduced to $110.

What legal basis does the Trust have to enforce the new parking scheme?

The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is a federal government agency established by the Sydney Federation Trust Act 2001. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts is the responsible minister.
A change to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Regulations 2001 (No 296 as amended), approved by the Governor General and effective from 1 August 2009, gives the Trust the authority to establish an Infringement Notice System (INS). The INS is an alternative to prosecution for Infringement Notice offences.
The Trust's regulations apply to a range of issues including parking, animals on Trust land, noise, unlicensed activities, safety, dumping of waste, amongst others.
A summary of regulations and the Trust's Infringement Notice Scheme is available here

The Federal Register of Legislative Instruments is a repository of Commonwealth legislative instruments, and includes the Trust’s regulations, including amendments.

What if I have a parking fine. How do I pay or appeal?

If you would like to appeal an infringement you will need to complete a Statutory Declaration.
More information on how to appeal an infringement

What if I have a question, comment or complaint about the Trust's paid parking system?

Please email parking@harbourtrust.gov.au or call our office during business hours on 8969 2100.
More information on the Trust's complaints policy