People enjoying Oxley Beach Port Macquarie

A Place That Doesn't Need to Be Built to Be Valuable

For many people, Oxley Beach Port Macquarie is already one of the community's most treasured places.

It is one of the few remaining natural beaches close to the Port Macquarie town centre—a place where people can experience an open coastline, connect with nature, spend time with family, exercise, reflect, learn about Birpai culture and simply enjoy the ocean.

Unlike many recreational spaces that depend on constructed facilities, Oxley Beach's greatest value comes from what is already there.

The beach doesn't need to be transformed to provide a community benefit.

It already provides one.

A community survey conducted by Protect Oxley Beach, with 781 respondents, found overwhelming appreciation for Oxley Beach as a natural public space. Respondents consistently described the beach as peaceful, beautiful, unspoilt and irreplaceable, with strong support for retaining its natural character for future generations.

A Place People Use Every Day

Oxley Beach is much more than a strip of sand beside the ocean.

It is a diverse public open space supporting recreation, health, wellbeing, culture and social connection throughout the year.

In the Protect Oxley Beach community survey:

• 98% of respondents use Oxley Beach for beach activities such as walking, dog walking, fishing and rockpooling.

• 94% use the area for walking, running, exercise and personal fitness.

• 62% gather there with family and friends.

• 47% visit for quiet reflection and relaxation.

• 42% use the beach for swimming, snorkelling and other ocean activities.

These figures illustrate something many locals already understand: Oxley Beach is an important everyday community space.

People don't necessarily visit because of a particular building or facility.

They visit because of the beach itself.

More Than Recreation

The value of Oxley Beach cannot be measured simply by counting visitors.

People come because it offers experiences that are increasingly difficult to find within an urban environment.

At Oxley Beach, people can:

• walk or run along the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk

• watch whales and dolphins offshore

• fish from the rocks

• explore rock pools with children

• walk dogs on the designated on-leash beach

• enjoy family picnics and barbecues

• celebrate weddings and family milestones

• hold memorials and ash-scattering ceremonies

• connect with Birpai Country

• enjoy quiet moments overlooking the ocean

• observe wildlife and experience the natural coastal environment.

Many of these experiences require little or no infrastructure.

They are possible because Oxley Beach has retained its natural character.

The Value of a Natural Beach in the Town Centre

As Port Macquarie has grown, much of the coastline around the town centre has been influenced by roads, buildings, seawalls, promenades and recreational infrastructure.

Oxley Beach remains one of the places where people can still experience a relatively undeveloped coastal landscape close to the heart of town.

That natural character contributes to what makes Port Macquarie special.

A town's identity isn't created only by buildings, facilities and infrastructure.

It is also shaped by the landscapes that remain.

Not every public space needs to be developed to be valuable.

Sometimes the greatest public benefit comes from protecting what already exists.

Why Natural Places Matter

Modern communities need quality infrastructure.

We need parks, sporting facilities, playgrounds, aquatic centres, walking tracks and other public amenities.

But communities also need places that remain largely natural.

Natural coastal environments provide benefits that can be difficult to quantify financially but are closely connected to wellbeing, biodiversity, cultural identity and quality of life.

Oxley Beach provides opportunities for:

• experiencing nature close to the town centre

• exercise and active recreation

• peaceful reflection and relaxation

• appreciating scenic beauty

• connecting with the ocean

• observing wildlife

• environmental education

• preserving cultural landscapes

• creating memories with family and friends

• leaving a natural coastal place for future generations.

These values are part of the reason natural public spaces matter.

And once a natural coastal landscape is substantially engineered, some of those qualities cannot simply be recreated somewhere else.

A Place of Cultural Significance

Oxley Beach also forms part of the traditional Country of the Birpai People.

For Birpai Traditional Owners, Country is a living connection encompassing culture, family, knowledge, stories and responsibilities to care for land and sea.

Protect Oxley Beach has worked with Birpai Traditional Owners and Aboriginal community members throughout the campaign to better understand and respect these perspectives.

With permission, we share the following words from Birpai Elder Dr Aunty Rhonda Radley:

“Sacred places are stories, connections and obligations to care for Country. This place now known as Oxley Beach has sacredness, significance and history for the Birpai people and locals of this area. This beautiful natural landscape and stories belong to our children's children, future generations. Say no to the Oxley Beach proposal.”

These words highlight that Oxley Beach is more than a location on a map.

It is part of a living cultural landscape whose significance extends beyond the present generation.

What the Community Told Us

The survey responses collected by Protect Oxley Beach showed strong appreciation for the existing character of Oxley Beach.

People described it as a place worth preserving and repeatedly expressed concern about losing its natural qualities.

Among the comments shared with the campaign were:

“Oxley Beach is a beautiful unspoilt beach and should be protected at all costs.”

“Traditional Birpai land must be conserved. There are other costs—not just financial—but the loss of Country and connection.”

“This beach is zoned C2 for a reason. Keep this a development-free zone.”

“If it was for the community, they'd choose a better location.”

“We do not need to damage our coastal environment just to please a handful of the community.”

These comments represent individual survey responses rather than a claim that every member of the community holds the same view.

However, the survey revealed a notable consistency: people value Oxley Beach for what it already is.

Among respondents:

• 67% walk, run or use Oxley as part of the Coastal Walk

• 47% visit for quiet reflection

• 37% enjoy picnics and BBQs

• 31% beachcomb or explore the rock pools

• 29% swim or sunbake

• 26% walk their dogs on-leash

• 24% use the area for gatherings, celebrations and ceremonies

• 19% use it for personal fitness. 

A Place for Everyone to Experience Differently

One of the strengths of Oxley Beach is that it doesn't have to serve only one purpose.

A runner can use it as part of their morning exercise.

A family can explore rock pools.

A fisherman can spend an afternoon on the rocks.

A dog owner can walk along the designated beach.

A visitor can experience the Coastal Walk.

Someone can sit quietly and watch the ocean.

A Birpai person can connect with Country.

A family can gather for a picnic or commemorate someone they love.

These different experiences can coexist because the beach itself provides the setting.

That versatility is one of the most valuable characteristics of a natural public space.

Supporting Recreation Without Losing Natural Places

Protect Oxley Beach supports investment in high-quality community recreation.

The question is not whether Port Macquarie should invest in its community.

It is about where and how that investment should occur.

We believe communities can have excellent recreational facilities while also protecting natural places.

An ocean pool, aquatic facility or other major recreational project may provide significant community benefits in an appropriate location.

But development does not automatically create value.

Sometimes value already exists—and the responsible decision is to protect it.

What Could Be Lost?

When people discuss development, it is natural to focus on what will be gained.

A new facility may provide new opportunities for recreation and public use.

But responsible planning also requires asking what could be lost.

At Oxley Beach, that could include elements of the existing:

• natural landscape

• open coastal character

• ecological values

• geological setting

• cultural landscape

• recreational experiences

• sense of place

• quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

These qualities are difficult to replace once a natural coastline has been substantially altered.

Preserving Something That Cannot Be Replaced

Protect Oxley Beach believes communities should invest in recreation while also retaining places that are natural, culturally significant and environmentally valuable.

Oxley Beach is one of those places.

Its value isn't dependent on a major structure.

It doesn't need to be transformed before it can benefit the community.

It is already providing opportunities for exercise, recreation, connection, reflection, culture and enjoyment every day.

Once heavily engineered infrastructure is introduced, the existing landscape, ecology, cultural setting and sense of place cannot simply be recreated.

For many people, the greatest legacy we can leave future generations is not another piece of infrastructure.

It is the opportunity to inherit something that still feels natural.

What People Love About Oxley Beach

Perhaps the simplest way to understand Oxley Beach's value is to ask what people would miss if its natural character changed.

• They would miss the open horizon.

• The sound of the ocean.

• The rock platforms.

• The natural shoreline.

• The Coastal Walk.

• The wildlife.

• The quiet moments.

• The family memories.

• The connection to Country.

• The feeling of having a natural beach close to the centre of Port Macquarie.

For many people, that is what makes Oxley Beach special.

It is a place that already provides enormous public value without needing to be built upon.

And that may be its greatest value of all.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oxley Beach

Why do people value Oxley Beach in Port Macquarie?

• People value Oxley Beach for its natural character, scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, cultural significance and proximity to the Port Macquarie town centre. It provides opportunities for walking, exercise, swimming, fishing, rockpooling, family activities, nature appreciation and connection to Country.

How many people participated in the Oxley Beach community survey?

• The Protect Oxley Beach community survey received 1,102 responses.

What did the Oxley Beach survey find?

• The survey found high levels of use and appreciation of Oxley Beach. According to the campaign's survey results, 98% of respondents used the area for beach activities, 94% for walking, running or exercise, 62% for family and social gatherings, 47% for quiet reflection and 42% for swimming, snorkelling and other ocean activities.

Why is it important to keep some coastal areas natural?

• Natural coastal places can provide recreation, biodiversity, cultural value, scenic beauty, wellbeing benefits and opportunities to experience nature. These qualities can be difficult to recreate once a natural landscape is permanently altered.

Is Protect Oxley Beach against investment in community recreation?

• No. Protect Oxley Beach supports investment in quality public recreation. Its position is that major recreational infrastructure should be located where it can be delivered responsibly while protecting important natural, cultural and environmental values.

Why is Oxley Beach culturally significant?

• Oxley Beach forms part of the traditional Country of the Birpai People. It remains part of a living cultural landscape and has continuing significance for Birpai Traditional Owners and Aboriginal community members.