City of Coffs Harbour Council is continuing its lobbying efforts for a “modest” increase in tourism signage on the Pacific Highway in preparation for post-Coffs Bypass life.
The city will be off the national highway when the new bypass opens in late December, and the Council has been in ongoing talks with Transport for NSW and the State Government about additional signage since early this year.
But it says that, to date, those negotiations haven’t led to any agreement for additional signage other than what is ‘standard’, being:
- A green directional sign indicating the bypassing of Coffs Harbour on the southern and northern approaches;
- A photographic blue billboard-style location sign (similar to those for Woolgoolga, Urunga and Nambucca Heads) with icons indicating services and facilities, again to the south and north of Coffs; and
- A brown ‘Tourist Drive 18’ sign on the northern approach.
“Council’s Highway Bypass Integration Committee and City staff have worked hard to mount a case for a small increase in tourism signage as we will remain a premier visitor destination after the Bypass,” said Mayor, Nikki Williams.
“Together with committee chair and Deputy Mayor George Cecato, General Manager Murray Wood and City Infrastructure Director Andrew Beswick, I met with (Roads and Regional Transport) Minister Jenny Aitchison where we received a good hearing – and we’ll continue to advocate on behalf of the community.”
An audit of the existing highway through the heart of Coffs identified signage for almost 20 significant places of interest, including the National Marine Science Centre, The Clog Barn, Sealy Lookout, Park Beach Plaza, and the airport and hospital.
“Transport has agreed to new highway signage for The Big Banana due to its state significance,” Mr Beswick said.
“We’ve noted that areas to our south and north have been permitted brown attraction signage, including for Ricardoes Tomatoes, Cassegrain Winery and Billabong Zoo at Port Macquarie, and up north for New Italy Museum, the Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and The Farm at Ewingsdale.”
The Council would like to see:
- The approved brown tourist signage north of Coffs to include ‘Jetty and Marina’ and ‘Scenic Walks and Beaches’ plus associated icons;
- Blue ‘services and facilities’ signage for ‘Resorts’ and ‘Coffs International Stadium’; and
- Formalisation of the Orara Valley Tourist Trail. Through Destination NSW, the City will seek to have an official route defined and will then apply for allocation of a ‘Tourist Drive’ number.
“We are seeking a modest increase in signage and will continue to work with Transport and other agencies to achieve an improved outcome which supports Coffs Harbour as a destination as well as the broader visitor economy,” Mr Beswick said.
