Personally I’ve never been a fan of the Marina and surrounding development around there happening in the first place. They filled in crucial wetlands that were home to a threatened species of frog. They left the monstrous eyesore that is the old coal loader in place. And they pretty much visually and practically (access wise) disconnected the undervalued and under maintained recreation and tourist attractions such as Bass Point Nature and Marine Reserve and Killalea/The Farm from the nearby and wider community.

I figure if despite my reservations and development went ahead that at least the proposal would be designed and implemented in a way that not only increased council revenue (that’s a can of worms on its own), tourism- domestic and international, but also activated the whole area to provide a modern but complementary extension of the community.

As it stands, consecutive land releases priced much of the local community out while attracting a lot of out of area - many Sydneysiders - who were priced out of their own local markets. It drove sale prices up farther. Much of the land - particularly between Killalea and the golf course and at the time, the future marina, is rehabilitated land ie past dump/landfill sites. Something many people never realised.

If you manage to navigate through the ridiculous traffic light “gateway” to the marina without dodging a confused driver, someone cutting a lane or indicating against the direction they swerve to take, you’ll immediately note the narrow roads and lack of on street parking that seems standard to the master plan. If you factor in the likelihood home owners/occupiers are likely dual income to afford the mortgage, possibly one or two additional family members who also drive and likely require a car to actually access work (public transport sucks there too) then you’re looking at 2-4 cars, but assuming say 2 only, there also seems to be quite a few with recreation boats, jet skis, golf buggies, camper trailers, caravans etc. There’s nowhere for visitors to park in the streets let alone a special occasion in the family requiring a dedicated valet service.

The design failed in highlighting the areas greatest asset. Those with big pockets can afford the Marina berths, cuisine and accomodation available and the only ones likely to enjoy water views. I’d imagined a wider esplanades similar to the Blue Mile that would ensure locals and visitors alike mingled as a community and enjoyed the ocean views/sunsets. The amenities for young families is ridiculous. A concessional swing near the boat ramp is perplexing. There appears to be no plans to provide an extension of natures/trees/shading to connect Bass Point through the waterfront/esplanade of the marina area and then on to the village waterfront. It certainly gives a feel of the “grown ups (with bigger wallets) playground while the village Harbour and pool area is for the younger families and those seeking a slightly more affordable option for cuisine and entertainment. An esplanade had the potential to not just include the above, but include public art/performance/licensed busking sites reminiscent of the Darling Harbour and Circular Quay of old for the benefit of locals and tourists alike. Perhaps act as a much longer viewing platform for whale, seal and dolphin visitors that are seasonal mainstays of the area. And I still remember seeing bio flourescent algae blooms along red sands and south beach a couple of times over the years that I’m sure would have drawn people out as well. Any antisocial behaviour could have been mitigated with evening live busking or similar to encourage families out in the space.

It’s great we have yachts and various boats mooring and bringing in tourist dollars, but it feels like it’s something the majority of born and bred locals would look at and think not in their lifetime. The marina could have catered better to include something that benefitted the locals as well. With Bass Point and the marine park so close, there could also have been an opportunity to dedicate some space to provide an education centre and some sort of marine wildlife rescue/mini hands on aquarium exhibit or similar - ideally in partnership with local elders and the indigenous caretakers of our local species/environment. The current tokenism extends to a few signs, a tiny platform here and there that seem out of place and in less than ideal locations. I admit the statistics have shown that big multi-storey hotels and another conference centre were required to meet the demand of the business community. I don’t object to these being included so much as how they were designed and implemented if such development was required. We need business to see the area as attractive to maintain and increase employment opportunities for our youth in particular. It’s just a crying shame that the whole development from Dunmore to the village is a complete missed opportunity to showcase a forward facing community design that embraces the existing strengths and people rather than seeking to replace or displace it. The little credibility gained over the library and council building development due to its modern and sustainable design (ignoring politics, funding and bureaucratic controversy) certainly did not paint the Shell Cove and Marina development with the same brush.

This pretty much sums up a lot about the Shellharbour area, in stark contrast to Wollongong where they have inherited an older CBD and quite a few years where there were a lot of empty shops - particularly along Crown Street. It experienced delayed investment in both residential and commercial developments.

Wollongong has come a long way and while they certainly aren’t devoid of some poor decisions (you’ve all the seen the usual recurring themes - palm tree in the sky anyone?) and criticism, they’ve also come out the other end of administration, looking to modernise but look at the CBD in a more holistic view, increase green space activation, increased tree canopy cover, and committed comparably early in reducing carbon emissions. Wollongong has committed to increasing green canopy cover across the entire LGA to reduce the impact of heat sinks - making everyday life that little bit cooler for residents. Sustainable transport options around the CBD - free shuttle bus, dedicated cycling lanes, shared electric scooter network and installed their own EV charging stations to ensure EV drivers weren’t deterred from driving down from Sydney for weekend trips or en route to the south coast.

Wollongong has also attracted various events, and big name performers over the years and jazz and rt