Investing in the Right Project, at the Right Location:
The True Cost of the Proposed Oxley Beach Ocean Pool 

Supporting an Tidal/River/Ocean Pool — But Getting the Location Right

Protect Oxley Beach Port Macquarie supports the community's aspiration for a high-quality ocean pool.

Our concern is not the concept of an ocean pool.

Our concern is whether Oxley Beach is the right location for such a significant and permanent public investment.

A major public facility should be environmentally responsible, accessible, strategically justified and financially sustainable—not just when it opens, but for decades afterwards.

The proposed Port Macquarie Ocean Pool would create a long-term financial commitment for the Port Macquarie-Hastings community. While construction funding may rely substantially on government grants, the responsibility for operating, maintaining, repairing and eventually renewing the asset would ultimately need to be met by the asset owner and the community.

That makes the location an important financial decision.

Where an ocean pool is built can significantly affect what it costs to build, operate and maintain.

The Proposed Ocean Pool Is a Significant Capital Investment

The Ocean Pool feasibility study estimates construction costs of approximately $13.28 million in 2025 dollars.

However, this is an early-stage Class 4 cost estimate, with an accuracy range of approximately -15% to +50%.

That means the eventual construction cost could be considerably higher than the current estimate.

The estimate also excludes or may not fully account for a range of additional project costs, including factors such as:

• construction cost escalation

• financing costs

• legal costs

• abnormal weather

• some authority fees

• unforeseen site conditions

• other project-related costs.

This is important because early estimates are not the same as final construction costs.

A project of this scale needs to be assessed against realistic whole-of-life costs rather than relying solely on an early construction estimate.

Construction Is Only the Beginning

When discussing major public infrastructure, it is easy to focus on the construction price.

But for Council, the lifetime cost of the asset is arguably more important.

Once an ocean pool is built, someone has to:

• operate it

• clean it

• power it

• inspect it

• maintain it

• repair it

• insure it

• renew ageing components

• respond to storm damage

• replace major infrastructure when it reaches the end of its useful life.

Those costs continue year after year.

Council's independent financial assessment estimates ongoing operating and maintenance costs of approximately $430,000–$500,000 per year.

That is a substantial recurring financial commitment.

What Could the Annual Cost Include?

The estimated annual costs include items such as:

• routine maintenance

• cleaning

• electricity

• seawater pumping

• depreciation

• long-term asset renewal.

Council's financial assessment also identifies annual depreciation of approximately $250,000–$260,000 and annual renewal funding requirements of approximately $110,000.

These figures demonstrate that the financial commitment does not end when construction is completed.

And importantly, major unexpected costs associated with severe coastal events may sit outside ordinary annual maintenance.

What About Storm Damage?

Oxley Beach is not an inland swimming facility.

It is a permanent structure in an exposed marine environment.

That means the proposed infrastructure would be subject to:

• large ocean swells

• storm events

• saltwater corrosion

• wave impact

• coastal erosion

• sand movement

• inundation

• changing coastal conditions.

Major coastal storms can cause significant damage to marine infrastructure.

Repairs to ocean pools, seawalls, promenades, boardwalks and other coastal assets can cost millions of dollars when major events occur.

These costs can be difficult to predict.

A responsible financial assessment therefore needs to consider not only the average annual maintenance bill, but also the potential for large, irregular expenditure following severe coastal events.

Why Does the Oxley Beach Location Matter?

The proposed cost is not simply about building an ocean pool.

It is also about the complexity of building one at Oxley Beach.

The site presents a combination of steep terrain, exposed coastal conditions, natural rock platforms and constrained access.

This can require significant engineering.

Potential infrastructure includes:

• reinforced concrete structures

• excavation and modification of rock platforms

• long access ramps

• seawater intake infrastructure

• seawater discharge infrastructure

• pump stations

• pump pits

• mechanical equipment

• electrical infrastructure

• water and sewer connections

• communications services

• public amenities

• pathways and access infrastructure.

Each additional engineering requirement can add to both construction and long-term maintenance costs.

The Geography of a Site Can Become a Financial Issue

Location is often discussed as an environmental or planning consideration.

It is also a financial consideration.

A site that requires substantial excavation, structural engineering, marine pumping systems, difficult access arrangements and ongoing coastal maintenance may cost significantly more over the life of the asset than a site where these challenges are reduced.

This is why comparing locations should involve more than asking:

“Can an ocean pool be built here?”

The better question is:

“Where can an ocean pool be delivered with the lowest reasonable whole-of-life cost and the greatest long-term benefit to the community?”

Whole-of-Life Cost Matters

Whole-of-life costing considers the total cost of an asset from planning through to eventual replacement.

For an ocean pool, that could include:

1. Planning and design

Investigations, engineering, approvals and design.

2. Construction

Civil works, concrete structures, services, equipment and landscaping.

3. Operation

Staffing, electricity, cleaning, water systems and day-to-day management.

4. Maintenance

Routine repairs, inspections, equipment replacement and structural maintenance.

5. Coastal damage

Repairs following storms, erosion or other extreme events.

6. Renewal

Replacing ageing infrastructure and major components.

7. End-of-life costs

Eventually repairing, substantially reconstructing or replacing the facility.

A project that appears affordable to construct may become much more expensive when these costs are considered over several decades.

Is the Ocean Pool a Strategic Priority?

Another important financial question is whether the proposed Ocean Pool is currently identified as a strategic infrastructure priority for Council.

Council's assessment notes that the proposed Ocean Pool is not identified within adopted strategic planning documents or infrastructure delivery programs.

This includes consideration of:

• the Community Strategic Plan

• the Recreation and Open Space Action Plan

• strategic infrastructure planning

• adopted long-term capital works programs.

At the same time, Council has identified delivery of the Port Macquarie Aquatic Centre as its highest priority aquatic infrastructure project.

This creates an important question about sequencing.

If Council has finite financial and staff resources, should a new major recreational asset be prioritised before existing strategic infrastructure commitments are delivered?

Every Public Dollar Has an Opportunity Cost

Council does not have unlimited resources.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is responsible for maintaining a very large portfolio of roads, bridges, buildings, parks, sporting facilities, pools, pathways and other public infrastructure.

When Council commits to a new long-term asset, it also commits resources that could potentially be used elsewhere.

This is the concept of opportunity cost.

Every dollar committed to one project is a dollar that cannot simultaneously be spent on another project.

What Else Does the Community Need?

Across the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area, communities continue to require investment in existing infrastructure.

Priorities include:

• Port Macquarie Aquatic Centre

• Laurieton Pool

• Tuffins Lane Sporting Complex

• Wauchope Sporting Complex

• road resurfacing

• rural road maintenance

• bridge repairs

• Wrights Road roundabout

• King Creek intersection improvements

• playgrounds

• parks and reserves

• footpaths

• shared pathways

• community halls

• existing sporting facilities

• essential asset renewal.

These projects serve communities throughout the local government area.

The question is not whether an ocean pool could provide a benefit.

It is whether this particular ocean pool, at this particular location, represents the best long-term use of limited public resources.

Ratepayers Carry the Long-Term Commitment

Construction grants can help fund the initial project.

But grants do not necessarily pay for every future cost.

Once the facility becomes a Council asset, ongoing costs may include:

• electricity

• cleaning

• maintenance

• inspections

• repairs

• insurance

• asset renewal

• depreciation

• major coastal repairs

• eventual replacement.

These costs can continue for decades.

That means the financial responsibility does not disappear when the construction project is finished.

Rising Rates, Rising Costs

This question becomes even more important in an environment where households are already experiencing increasing Council charges.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has approved a program of incremental rate increases over coming years as it manages rising costs associated with existing infrastructure and community services.

These increases are intended to support Council's current financial commitments.

The estimated ongoing cost of operating and maintaining an ocean pool would represent an additional recurring financial obligation.

Independent estimates indicate that annual operating and maintenance costs could reach approximately $430,000–$500,000, before allowing for major storm damage, significant asset renewal, insurance variations or future climate adaptation works.

That leads to a reasonable community question:

Can Council responsibly take on another long-term annual financial commitment while it is already increasing rates to maintain existing services and infrastructure?

This is not an argument against investment.

It is an argument for prioritisation and financial discipline.

What Happens If Construction Costs Increase?

The current construction estimate includes a significant range of uncertainty.

If construction costs rise substantially, several outcomes are possible.

Council may need to:

• seek additional grant funding

• contribute more of its own funds

• reduce project scope

• delay other projects

• increase borrowing

• defer other infrastructure works.

The more expensive a project becomes, the greater its potential impact on Council's broader capital works program.

This is why choosing a location that minimises unnecessary construction complexity is important.

Grants Are Not Guaranteed

External funding can potentially reduce the initial burden on local ratepayers.

However, government grant programs are competitive.

An ocean pool project may compete with other community infrastructure proposals across New South Wales.

There is no guarantee that the full amount required for construction will be provided through grants.

And even where construction funding is secured, ongoing operational and maintenance costs generally remain a long-term consideration for the asset owner.

A sound business case therefore needs to work even after the grant funding is gone.

Why Location Is a Financial Decision

The debate about the proposed Oxley Beach Ocean Pool is often framed around environmental, cultural or planning issues.

But there is another critical dimension:

financial sustainability.

If one location requires:

• more excavation

• more concrete

• more structural engineering

• more pumping infrastructure

• more difficult access

• more coastal protection

• more maintenance

• more repairs

then those characteristics can translate directly into higher costs.

Choosing a different location with:

• better access

• flatter terrain

• existing services

• simpler construction

• lower coastal exposure

• reduced engineering requirements

could potentially reduce the long-term cost of delivering the same community outcome.

The Cheapest Construction Price Isn't Necessarily the Cheapest Project

It is important to distinguish between capital cost and whole-of-life cost.

A project with a lower initial construction price can become expensive if it requires significant ongoing maintenance.

Conversely, a slightly more expensive project could potentially provide better long-term value if it is easier and cheaper to operate and maintain.

For public infrastructure, the relevant question should therefore be:

What is the best value over the entire life of the asset?

Not simply:

What does it cost to build?

Choosing the Right Location Could Save Future Generations Money

Infrastructure decisions can last for generations.

An ocean pool constructed today could still require Council expenditure decades into the future.

Future residents and ratepayers may have no involvement in the decision to build the facility, yet they could inherit the responsibility for maintaining it.

That makes today's location decision particularly important.

Choosing a site that minimises long-term risk is a way of protecting future community finances.

We Support a Tidal Pool/Ocean Pool — At the Right Location

Protect Oxley Beach does not oppose the idea of a tidal pool/ocean pool.

We support investment in high-quality public recreation.

We believe the community deserves facilities that are:

• accessible

• safe

• environmentally responsible

• culturally respectful

• strategically justified

• financially sustainable

• designed for long-term community benefit.

Our concern is that Oxley Beach may be an unusually expensive and technically complex location for achieving that outcome.

The combination of steep terrain, marine exposure, coastal hazards and significant engineering requirements creates potential long-term financial risks.

A more suitable location could potentially deliver the same community benefit with lower construction complexity, lower maintenance requirements and less financial exposure for future ratepayers.

The Community Deserves a Proper Comparison of Alternatives

Before committing to a project of this scale, the community should be able to understand how the proposed location compares with alternatives.

That comparison should consider:

Consideration

Why it matters

Construction cost

Determines initial capital requirement

Whole-of-life cost

Shows the true long-term financial commitment

Maintenance

Determines recurring annual expenditure

Coastal exposure

Influences repair and renewal risk

Accessibility

Determines how easily everyone can use the facility

Existing services

Can reduce construction costs

Engineering complexity

Can significantly affect project cost

Strategic priority

Shows how the project fits Council's broader plans

Grant availability

Determines how much local funding may be required

Community benefit

Measures value delivered to residents

Alternative locations

Provides a basis for comparing value for money

The community deserves to know not only whether an Ocean Pool can be built at Oxley Beach, but whether it is the best place to build one.

Responsible Investment Means Looking Beyond the Opening Day

An ocean pool may be a wonderful community asset.

But public infrastructure must be judged over its entire life.

The decision should account for:

What will it cost to build?

What will it cost every year?

What happens after a major storm?

How much will renewal cost?

Who will pay when major components need replacing?

Does the project align with Council's strategic priorities?

Could another location deliver the same benefit at lower long-term cost?

These are reasonable questions for any major public investment.

The Real Question: What Is the Best Value for Port Macquarie-Hastings?

Protect Oxley Beach believes the community can support an ocean pool while also asking Council to demonstrate that the proposed location represents responsible financial management.

The issue is not ocean pool versus no ocean pool.

It is:

the right project, the right location and the right investment for the long-term future of the Port Macquarie-Hastings community.

A facility that costs less to build, is easier to maintain, has lower exposure to coastal hazards and places less pressure on future Council budgets may ultimately provide greater value to the community.

Public money should deliver public benefit.

And when that commitment could last for generations, choosing the right location matters.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Oxley Beach Ocean Pool Cost

How much will the proposed Oxley Beach Ocean Pool cost?

• The feasibility study estimates construction at approximately $13.28 million in 2025 dollars. This is an early-stage Class 4 estimate with a stated accuracy range of approximately -15% to +50%, so the eventual cost could be higher.

How much could the Ocean Pool cost Council every year?

• Council's independent financial assessment estimates approximately $430,000–$500,000 per year for operation and maintenance, including costs such as cleaning, electricity, seawater pumping, depreciation and renewal.

Who will pay for ongoing Ocean Pool maintenance?

• Even if construction receives substantial external grant funding, ongoing operation, maintenance and renewal would remain a long-term responsibility of the asset owner. If Council owns the facility, these costs would ultimately form part of Council's financial obligations.

Why could Oxley Beach be an expensive location?

• The site's steep terrain, marine exposure, natural rock platforms, coastal hazards and constrained access mean substantial engineering and specialised marine infrastructure may be required.

Why does the location matter financially?

• Different sites can have dramatically different construction and maintenance requirements. A location requiring less excavation, simpler access, fewer structural works and lower exposure to coastal hazards could potentially have a lower whole-of-life cost.

Is the Ocean Pool currently a Council strategic priority?

• Council's assessment states that the proposed Ocean Pool is not identified within adopted strategic planning or infrastructure delivery programs. Council has separately identified delivery of the Port Macquarie Aquatic Centre as its highest priority aquatic infrastructure project.

Why are rising Council rates relevant?

• Council is already managing increasing costs associated with existing infrastructure and services. Any new recurring financial commitment needs to be considered alongside those existing obligations and the impact on future Council budgets.

Does Protect Oxley Beach oppose an ocean pool?

• No. Protect Oxley Beach supports the community aspiration for an ocean pool. The campaign's position is that an ocean pool should be located where it can be delivered safely, sustainably, strategically and with the best long-term value for the entire community.

Further Information

For supporting documents, feasibility information, planning material and other publicly available evidence, see the Protect Oxley Beach Public Documents resource.

View the Protect Oxley Beach Public Documents