Want to help protect Oxley Beach Port Macquarie? Find out how to complete the community survey, volunteer, contact decision-makers, attend events, share the campaign and support informed community participation.

Every Voice Makes a Difference: How You Can Help Protect Oxley Beach Port Macquarie

Protect Oxley Beach Port Macquarie is a community-led grassroots movement powered by volunteers, local residents and people who care about the future of one of Port Macquarie's most valued natural coastal places.

Our campaign is not about opposing an ocean pool. We support the idea of a high-quality public swimming facility for the Port Macquarie-Hastings community. Our focus is ensuring that any future ocean or tidal pool is located where it can be delivered responsibly, sustainably, safely and for the long-term benefit of the entire community.

The decisions being made about Oxley Beach Port Macquarie could have lasting environmental, cultural, financial and community consequences. That's why community participation matters.

Whether you have five minutes or five hours, there are many ways you can make your voice heard.

Why Community Action Matters

Major planning decisions are shaped by evidence, submissions, consultation and community participation.

Every survey response, letter, petition, volunteer contribution and respectful conversation helps demonstrate that people are engaged with the future of Oxley Beach.

Community participation can also help decision-makers understand issues that may not be apparent from technical reports alone—including how people actually use the beach, what makes it special and what they believe should be protected.

At Protect Oxley Beach, we believe informed community participation is an important part of good planning.

You don't have to be an expert to have a voice.

You simply need to care about the future of your community.

Current Ways You Can Get Involved

📋 Complete the Protect Oxley Beach Community Survey

Status: Open

Our community survey provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to share their experiences, priorities and views about Oxley Beach and the proposed Ocean Pool.

Survey responses can help us better understand how the community uses the beach and what people value about this important natural coastal space.

Your response can contribute to the evidence we use when engaging with government agencies, elected representatives and other decision-makers.

Take the Survey

Complete the Protect Oxley Beach Community Survey

Every response matters.

✍️ Sign the Petition

Status: Coming soon

A community petition provides another way for people to formally express their views about the future of Oxley Beach.

Petitions can demonstrate the breadth of community concern and ensure that community views are formally presented to relevant decision-makers.

The Protect Oxley Beach petition is currently under development.

Check back for details on how to sign and participate.

📧 Write to Decision-Makers

One of the simplest ways to participate in the planning process is to contact elected representatives and relevant government agencies directly.

A personal letter or email allows you to explain, in your own words, why Oxley Beach matters to you and what you believe should happen.

Protect Oxley Beach is preparing easy-to-use letter templates that can be personalised and sent to Ministers, Members of Parliament and relevant government agencies.

Letter Templates

Visit the Protect Oxley Beach Members & Letter Templates page

You don't need to use complicated planning language.

A genuine personal story about why Oxley Beach is important to you can be powerful.

You might explain:

• how often you visit Oxley Beach

• what you use the beach for

• why you value its natural character

• your concerns about the proposed location

• your views about accessibility

• your concerns about parking and traffic

• the cultural significance of the area

• why you believe alternative locations should be investigated

• what you would like decision-makers to consider.

👥 Join the Protect Oxley Beach Community

Protect Oxley Beach is growing because people are choosing to become involved.

Joining the community means you can receive updates, learn about upcoming events and stay informed as the proposed Ocean Pool progresses through the NSW planning process.

Facebook

Join the Protect Oxley Beach Facebook Group

Instagram

Follow Protect Oxley Beach on Instagram

Following and sharing campaign information can also help ensure that accurate, evidence-based information reaches more people across the Port Macquarie-Hastings community.

🙋 Become a Volunteer

Community campaigns rely on people willing to contribute their time and skills.

You don't need to have experience in campaigning, planning or environmental advocacy.

Volunteers can contribute in many different ways, including:

• community outreach

• research

• administration

• event support

• graphic design

• photography

• social media

• communications

• website assistance

• community surveys

• letterbox distribution

• event setup

• fundraising

• professional expertise.

Even a small amount of time can make a difference.

Volunteer With Protect Oxley Beach

Complete the Volunteer Application Form

📢 Share the Campaign

You can help simply by sharing information.

Talk to your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues about Oxley Beach Port Macquarie.

Share campaign resources through social media. Send someone a link to an article they may find useful. Encourage people to complete the community survey. Let people know when consultation opportunities become available.

The more people understand what is being proposed, the better equipped the community is to participate in the planning process.

Help Share the Message

Share the Protect Oxley Beach website, campaign resources and social media channels with people who may want to know more.

Good community discussion starts with good information.

📅 Attend Community Events

Community meetings, information sessions and public events will be announced as they become available.

These events provide opportunities to:

• learn more about the proposal

• ask questions

• meet other community members

• hear different perspectives

• discuss planning and environmental issues

• connect with volunteers

• contribute ideas.

See Upcoming Events

View the Protect Oxley Beach Home Page and Events Calendar

💙 Support the Campaign

Protect Oxley Beach is a volunteer-run grassroots community movement.

Local financial contributions help support practical campaign costs such as website hosting, printing, community information materials and other resources required for community engagement.

Every contribution—large or small—can help.

For information about financial support, transparency and how community donations are managed:

Visit our Financial Support page

Donation facilities are currently under development.

What Could Happen Next?

The proposed Oxley Beach Ocean Pool is part of an ongoing NSW planning process.

As the proposal progresses, there may be additional opportunities for the community to participate.

Future community actions may include:

• public exhibition submissions

• Gateway consultation responses

• community forums

• information sessions

• volunteer activities

• community walks at Oxley Beach

• fundraising events

• media campaigns

• agency-specific campaigns

• calls for submissions to Parliamentary inquiries, if required

• further community surveys and research.

We will publish information about future opportunities as they become available.

You Don't Have to Do Everything

Community participation isn't about everyone doing the same thing.

One person might complete a survey.

Another might write to their local Member of Parliament.

Someone else might volunteer for an hour.

A family might attend a community meeting.

A local business might share information with customers.

A resident might simply tell a neighbour why Oxley Beach matters to them.

All of these actions contribute to a stronger community voice.

A Community Movement Built From the Ground Up

Protect Oxley Beach began in February 2026, when a small group of local residents came together because they wanted the community to have access to clear information about the proposed Ocean Pool.

Since then, the movement has continued to grow.

People involved in the campaign come from different backgrounds and have different experiences. What brings them together is a shared belief that decisions about Oxley Beach should be transparent, evidence-based and focused on the long-term interests of the Port Macquarie-Hastings community.

The campaign includes residents, families, Traditional Owners, environmental advocates, surfers, swimmers, walkers, people living with disability, carers, professionals and long-term members of the local community.

You don't have to agree on everything to participate in a constructive community conversation.

What matters is that people have the opportunity to be heard.

Protecting Oxley Beach Is About More Than One Project

At its heart, the Protect Oxley Beach campaign is about asking an important question:

What is the best outcome for our community and our coastline for generations to come?

We believe Port Macquarie-Hastings can invest in excellent public recreation while also protecting places of natural, cultural and environmental significance.

We believe an ocean or tidal pool should be assessed on its merits—and that the right facility should be located in the right place.

That means considering environmental values, Birpai cultural heritage, accessibility, coastal hazards, traffic and parking, engineering requirements, financial sustainability, planning controls and whole-of-life costs.

It also means listening to the people who live here.

Every Voice Makes a Difference

The future of Oxley Beach Port Macquarie will ultimately be shaped by decisions made through the planning and consultation process.

Community members have an opportunity to participate in that process.

Complete the survey.

Write a letter.

Sign the petition when it opens.

Volunteer.

Attend a community event.

Share factual information.

Talk to your neighbours.

Stay informed.

You don't need to do everything.

Just do something.

Together, we can help ensure that decisions about Oxley Beach are informed by evidence, meaningful community participation and the long-term public interest.

Every Voice Makes a Difference.