Harbour Trust News - Parking

New Parking Scheme at Chowder Bay, Headland Park, Mosman

The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust introduced paid parking at its site at Chowder Bay, Mosman, on Tuesday December 1st 2009. Paid parking was introduced in order to better manage supply and demand of limited parking as demand for parking at Chowder Bay grows.

There are 82 parking spaces at Chowder Bay, and 10 businesses including two cafés, a restaurant, a function centre, an education centre with accommodation, a leadership centre, and marine research institute, amongst others. All of these businesses have staff and clients who require parking, in addition to the many casual visitors who come to Chowder Bay simply to relax, go to the beach, or walk their dogs. The new parking scheme is aimed at giving all of these park users a fair chance of finding a parking space, by managing supply and demand of spaces and also increasing the turnover of vehicles.

Overview of the new parking scheme

Parking charges will be applied from 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week as follows:

Monday to Friday: $3 per hour with a maximum of $16 for all day parking
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: $4 per hour with a maximum of $20 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.
There will be no annual parking permits.
Motorbikes are exempted from parking charges but must park in the dedicated motorbike parking area, opposite the Sergeants' Mess Function Centre.
Disabled drivers with NSW Disability Permits are exempted from parking charges. There will be two dedicated disabled parking spaces but if these are occupied, disabled drivers can park in any other marked parking space.
The existing one-hour maximum stay restrictions at spaces close to the roundabout in Chowder Bay will remain, whilst the three-hour limit for the remaining spaces will be lifted.
A short-term loading/unloading zone will be set up just past the roundabout for use by visitors and tenants with equipment or supplies.

These charges have been set in the context of charges at adjacent and other car parks in Sydney.

Five "pay and display" solar-powered parking meters will be installed at Chowder Bay. These machines will issue tickets that must be placed on dashboards of vehicles parked in any marked space. Spaces will not be numbered. As well as coin or credit card payments, in future the meters will also be able to accept other payment methods such as mobile phones and smart cards.

Commercial tenants at Chowder Bay will be allocated a limited number of reserved parking spaces.

Enforcement of paid parking will be carried out by Trust rangers and security staff in accordance with the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Regulations 2001 (No 296 as amended).

Penalty infringement notices will be issued on the spot and fines will be collected by the Trust. Read more about infringement notices

New parking signage will be installed.

All parking revenues will go towards the maintenance and upkeep costs of Trust sites.

The Trust welcomes feedback from users of this new system and will keep the system under review.

Contact

Users are welcome to email questions or comments to parking@harbourtrust.gov.au

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Trust introducing paid parking?

The reasons for the introduction of paid parking at Chowder Bay are:

High demand and low supply of parking spaces
The environmental impact of private vehicles on Trust sites is material, 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 wishes to encourage private vehicle users to walk, cycle and use public transport – these methods are also often the best ways to enjoy our parkland site.s
Many of the Trust's neighbours (e.g. local councils and National Parks and Wildlife Service) either already have paid parking or are planning to introduce it, and the absence of paid parking on Trust sites creates further parking pressure on Trust sites.
The revenue raised from paid parking will be reinvested into the sites, ensuring that their long term future as public sites is secured. (N.B. the Trust has no park entry fees and is now a self-funding agency.)

What evidence exists to support the introduction of paid parking?

The Trust has conducted parking and traffic research in the area since these sites were open to the public in 2003.

The opening of the new Sergeants' Mess function centre at Chowder Bay, and the earmarking of the nearby Sergeants' Quarters building for use by an existing tenant, means that all buildings at Chowder Bay are about to be occupied. This is good news but means this thriving harbourside community is now working at capacity, and as numbers of staff, customers and visitors grow, we have to manage demand and supply of parking.

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 at Chowder Bay was excessive and 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 at Chowder Bay 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 they remain free. For instance some beachgoers to Clifton Gardens are parking for long periods at Chowder Bay, avoiding parking fees in the large Council car park at Clifton Gardens;
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 with almost full building occupation and increased visitation, certain sites (in particular Chowder Bay) have now reached the point where vehicle management can only be achieved 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.
Further information on Headland Park

Where will paid parking be introduced?

Paid parking will be introduced at Chowder Bay, the Trust's site with the greatest imbalance between supply and demand of parking spaces.

Download map showing layout of Chowder Bay and details of parking

Why has Chowder Bay been chosen initially?

Chowder Bay is one of most intensively used Trust sites but has very limited car parking. Chowder Bay businesses and their visitors currently compete for parking spaces with day visitors and users of Clifton Gardens Reserve and beach. Timed parking restrictions introduced at Chowder Bay in late 2008 by the Trust have helped to some extent, but the existence of paid parking at Clifton Gardens (operated by Mosman Council) means that the parking load on Chowder Bay will become unsustainable in the long term if it remains free.

Chowder Bay has 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.

How many ticket machines will there be?

Five at Chowder Bay – one near the roundabout and four along the road.

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?

The one hour maximum stay at the spaces near the roundabout in Chowder Bay will be retained. Other than that, length of stay is not restricted provided payment is made.

Are parking tickets transferable?

Tickets are not transferable between individuals or vehicles.

What about tenant parking?

Arrangements are in place to provide Chowder Bay tenants limited with parking either in the vicinity of their own building or in the vicinity of Building 19 at Chowder Bay.

Will there be any general exemptions?

Yes, two.

Motorbikes are exempted from parking charges but must park in the dedicated motorbike parking area, which is being created opposite the Sergeants' Mess Function Centre.
Disabled drivers with NSW Disability Permits are exempted from parking charges. There will be two dedicated disabled parking spaces but if these are occupied, disabled drivers can park in any other marked parking space.

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.

Annual parking stickers are available from Mosman Council for the nearby council-operated Clifton Gardens car park (current annual fee for non-residents is $265 per annum to cover all Mosman Council foreshore reserves). Mosman residents are entitled to an annual sticker free of charge, which allows them to park without charge in all foreshore reserves in Mosman, including Clifton Gardens.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) also have paid parking spaces along Chowder Bay Road, just outside the Chowder Bay gates. NPWS annual passes are valid there for a four hour stay. NPWS offer a range of annual park passes which includes parking and park entry fees.

Please note that Mosman Council and NPWS parking permits are not valid on Trust sites.

What alternatives are there to driving to and parking at Chowder Bay?

For environmental and health reasons, the Trust wishes to encourage private vehicle users 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 Chowder Bay by private vehicle.

The Trust has worked with the STA to extend the 244 bus route from Wynyard to Chowder Bay. This has recently been extended to include weekends and until early evenings on weekdays.
The Trust has encouraged tenants to introduce alternatives. Ripples runs a courtesy car service to take diners to and from their cars. The new Sergeants' Mess function centre runs a shuttle bus service to transfer patrons to and from the Trust's car park at Middle Head.
The Trust has created a bush track from Chowder Bay to Georges Heights, where free parking is available. The 10-minute scenic track passes Georges Head Lookout and Gunners' Barracks.

There are also options for parking nearby on neighbouring lands owned by Mosman Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service. More information on other parking options

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 Chowder Bay related to Mosman Council's proposal to introduce paid parking at Balmoral?

No. The Trust is introducing paid parking due to the specific conditions at Chowder Bay. Read more about the Trust's reasons for paid parking.

The Trust has observed the debate about and subsequent implementation of paid parking at Balmoral with interest, but the situation and issues at Balmoral are very different to those at Chowder Bay, and the two schemes are not related.

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

No. The Trust's main reason for introducing paid parking is to control demand and supply of the limited parking available, and to improve the availability of parking for all visitors and tenants.

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. The Trust is now a self-funding agency.

How will parking times and fees be enforced?

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

a) do not park in marked parking areas
b) do not display a valid parking ticket or disabled badge
c) park illegally in tenant parking areas
d) do not follow parking regulations and/or signs.

Parking infringements will be logged and enforcement notes completed and left on the vehicle by Harbour Trust rangers and security. Infringement details are sent to a central database where parking infringement notices will be sent out and fines collected on the Trust's behalf. Read more about Infringement Notices

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 currently 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 with most fines being $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 as well as parking, including animals on Trust land, noise, unlicensed activities, safety, dumping of waste, amongst others.

Check the summary of regulations and the Trusts Infringement Notice Scheme

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 an infringement notice I want to appeal?

If you would like to appeal an infringement you will need to complete a Statutory Declaration. More information of 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 (02) 8969 2100.

Further Information

Information on the Trust's complaints policy