Project objective
The Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan (VMP) covers the foreshore area from The Middle Brighton Baths (The Baths) to Green Point. The creation of the VMP builds on the Dendy Beach Masterplan and is an action of the Council Plan 2021 - 2025.
The VMP aims to enhance the visitor experience and reduce impact to locals by easing challenges created by the popularity of the Brighton Bathing Boxes, the iconic beach, and the new Dendy Beach Pavilion with café which will open in 2024. It also aims to leverage this destination’s popularity to deliver economic benefits from tourism to other Bayside areas.
Identified challenges experienced within the precinct include:
- Tourist bus parking and traffic congestion
- Appropriate access to essential public amenities (including toilets, change facilities and rubbish bins)
- Inadequate directional and wayfinding signage from car parks and local public transport hubs, especially for non-English speaking visitors
- Issues experienced by Bathing Box owners and local residents, including visitor behaviour and parking congestion in residential streets.
The VMP aligns with the Bayside 2050 Community Vision, the Council Plan 2021 - 25, the Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-24, and the Bayside Tourism Strategy 2013.
Project impacts
We’ve drafted the VMP outlining operational practices and associated strategies which can help to address a wide range of identified challenges.
These include:
- Designated bus parking
- Tour operator permits and seasonal bus parking restrictions
- Improved signage
- Shared path and accessibility improvements
- Smart waste management systems
The plan presents a range of aspirational but unfunded ideas which could further enhance and improve the visitor experience, and address key challenges, such as over-congestion at Dendy Beach, by dispersing visitors across the precinct.
These include:
- Revitalising The Baths
- A viewing deck at Green Point
- Greater car and bus parking provision at The Baths and Green Point.
- Improved connectivity between The Baths and Dendy Beach
In the long term, aspirational ideas that are supported may undergo further feasibility investigations and detailed project planning. Community and stakeholder engagements would apply for each initiative, in accordance with Council’s Stakeholder and Community Engagement Policy 2021. Budget funding and any applicable permits would also be required.
What information do we need from the community?
To gauge community sentiment about the draft plan and to test the aspirational ideas proposed for the precinct, we’re undertaking a four-week community engagement consultation.
During the campaign, we are seeking to understand:
- Community sentiment for the plan overall
- Level of support for the proposed operational improvements and unfunded aspirational ideas for the precinct
- New ideas to enhance and improve the visitor experience and deliver the strategic objectives
- Identify any gaps in the draft plan and areas for improvement.
What can the community influence?
- Council’s understanding of community sentiment for the draft plan
- The identification of gaps and areas for improvement in the plan
- Council’s decision to endorse proposed elements and initiatives
- Whether further feasibility investigations of aspirational ideas is undertaken.
What can’t the community influence?
- The development of a Visitor Management Plan
- The dates, timelines and milestones involved in the development of the plan.
- Project costs and contractor selection for implementing endorsed initiatives.
- Alignment to legislative and ethical requirements/ guidelines.
Stakeholders and community
This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.
Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter
Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated
Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum
| Stakeholder/ community | Interest | Impact | Influence |
| Local residents | H | H | Consult |
| Visitors with accessibility needs | H | H | Consult |
| Brighton Bathing Box Association | H | H | Consult |
| Visitors and broader community (local/interstate/international) | M | M | Consult |
| Bayside Tourism Network | M | M | Consult |
| Bayside Traders Associations | M | M | Consult |
| Brighton Savoy | M | M | Consult |
| Middle Brighton Baths operator/ tenant | M | M | Consult |
| Dendy Pavilion Café operator/ tenant | H | H | Consult |
| Brighton Life Saving Club | L | M | Consult |
| Royal Brighton Yacht Club | L | M | Consult |
| Friends of Brighton Dunes | M | M | Consult |
| Tour Bus Operators | L | M | Consult |
| Bunurong Land Council | M | M | Consult |
Selected tools and techniques
The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.
Key tools for communicating the project
- Project page on Have Your Say engagement platform
- Direct email to relevant Have Your Say members
- Direct email to relevant groups, committees, business operators
- Letter to local residents
- Signage at Dendy Beach, The Baths and Green Point
- Let’s Talk Bayside magazine (bi-monthly print magazine)
- This Week in Bayside (Council e-newsletter)
- Council website (news story)
- Social media, including sponsored posts
Key methods for gathering feedback
- Multi-lingual online survey hosted on the Have Your Say project page
- Written statement submitted via on the Have Your Say project page
- In person intercept surveys at Dendy Beach
- Email, post, or phone submissions
- Opportunity to book a meeting with Economic Development to discuss the project
- Printed survey, as required.
Project timelines
| Community engagement | 21 March – 21 April 2024 |
| Consider feedback to finalise plan | April - May 2024 Community feedback will inform the proposed plan. |
| Adopt plan | 18 June 2024 Council is expected to consider community feedback and a proposed plan for adoption at its June meeting. |
| Implement operational actions | 2024 - ongoing |
| Explore aspirational actions | If supported, significant actions in the plan (including capital works or changes to infrastructure) would require scoping, community engagement, funding and permits (as required). |
Decision-making process
Community engagement will run over four weeks on the draft Dendy Beach Visitor Management Plan. This program will seek information from stakeholders and the broader community to refine the plan.
It is expected Council will consider community feedback and the proposed plan for adoption at its 18 June 2024 meeting.
The agenda for this meeting will be published a week before the meeting date. Interested community members can make a submission or request to speak in relation to this project at the meeting.
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More information
Ryan Cooray
Economic Development Officer
03 9599 4497
