Welcome to the website for the Avalon Preservation Association, also known as Avalon Preservation Trust. We are a not for profit volunteer community group incorporated under the NSW Associations Act, established almost 60 years ago. We are committed to protecting your interests – to keeping guard over our natural and built environment throughout the Avalon area.

Membership of the association is open to all those residents and/or ratepayers of Avalon Beach and adjacent areas who support the aims and objectives of our Association.

In APA, we care for Avalon because we live here.

APA Bulletin 128 February 2026

Celebrating over half a century of caring for Avalon

LATEST NEWS

Our latest Bulletin

Every two months APA circulates members with its latest Bulletin. A copy is also displayed on our notice board in front of Terry White Chemmart and there’s a QR link to the website on the community notice board outside the Avalon Recreation Centre. A copy is also kept in the Avalon Community Library. Bulletin 128 has been revised and is out now.

APA wishes to reassure members and others that we did not request that NBC erect the substantial works which have been installed on Avalon south hill. Last December we asked our council liaison to report on the condition of the hill especially in terms of “goat tracks”, the possibility of erosion and safety. APA is as surprised as members that work was approved and went ahead with no further recourse to us or the community.

Click here for updated info on the Barrenjoey Alliance for Arts and Culture (BAAC).

Avalon Shared Space – designers appointed

As you may know, work on the permanent iteration of the Avalon Shared Space has been delayed due to the work in the area by Sydney Water, which now will now not be completed until October 2026.

Council at its December 2025 meeting approved a tender to supply a design concept for the Avalon Shared Space. Landscape architects Nangle Pty Ltd were the successful tenderers and APA met briefly with representatives from Nangle. At that short meeting we outlined the major principles that the Avalon community expected to see in the draft design, on which APA will be given an opportunity to comment. APA, together with the Avalon Business Chamber and Barrenjoey Alliance for Arts & Culture, participated in a meeting in April with the Mayor, CEO and Manager of the Parks team. We have been promised a combined meeting with NBC and the design consultant to discuss specific issues. We will keep members and others advised of developments. The community organisations also asked for a copy of the brief to the design consultant, which is available here.

Private medical services to continue at Northern Beaches Hospital – for now

The Northern Beaches will continue to have access to private services at Northern Beaches Hospital (NBH) for the time being. The government will continue the provision of private services at Northern Beaches Hospital until 30 June 2027 while a review into provision of private services takes place. The review, to be undertaken by Dr David Swan, former CEO of St Vincent’s Hospital, will include consideration for co-locating a private hospital at NBH.

Comments on the NBC Draft Delivery Program 2026-2030

The Draft Delivery Program is now available on the Your Say page

Check item G11 & G12 for the Avalon Place Plan budget.

APA needs a new Treasurer!

APA is looking to recruit a Treasurer for the next year. To perform the role, which is well-supported, you will need:

– some experience of and confidence with numbers. (Please note: the position does not require accounting experience.)

– the ability to work with our existing paid bookkeeper to prepare accounts twice a year

– the ability to attend several short committee meetings a year, plus the AGM, currently held in the Avalon Beach Surf Club building, at which you will present the financial report.

The immediate past Treasurer is available to help, mentor and conduct a thorough handover. Please consider filling this role for APA – contact Craig Boaden at APA – email avalonpreservationa@gmail.com

Sydney Water work

Major works by Sydney Water to replace the old water main commenced in March 2025 in two sections: the first from Avalon Public School to the Avalon Recreation Centre, a trench, the work to be carried out at night, and the second a tunnelling operation from the Recreation Centre to the Avalon Fire Station, during the day. In the north, traffic has been rerouted through the car park just north of Woolworths. Due to the need to keep equipment onsite, the northern section of Old Barrenjoey Road has been unavailable to vehicles except via the detour through the carpark. Parking in this section has only been in the carpark, not on the road itself.

LATEST NEWS: Due to inclement weather, Sydney Water did not complete the work in 2025. Instead they ceased work and recommenced in March 2026. The new completion date is expected to be October 2026. For the Sydney Water project website, click here. For the Sydney Water flyer announcing this extension, click here.

Careel Shopping Village will go

Council has exhibited DA2024/1091 to demolish the Careel Village shops at North Avalon and replace them with a co-located 60-place child-care centre on top of a Dan Murphy’s retail liquor outlet! This outrageous combination will share the site. The development seeks to replace a small scale local shopping centre comprising half a dozen food and other outlets with a site dominated by a large retail liquor chain, co-located with a large childcare centre! It is a gross over-development, out of character with the area, on flood prone land, and completely against current research relating to the exposure of youth to the alcohol industry and the links between alcohol and domestic violence.

Over 160 submissions were received by NBC, most opposing. APA made a submission opposing this development, as did Jacqui Scruby MP, Member for Pittwater, and also the North Sydney Local Health District. For a comprehensive submission by planning consultant Bill Tulloch on behalf of a nearby resident, see here. The application was referred to the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel.

LATEST NEWS: May 2025 – The developer appealed direct to the Land & Environment Court (LEC) as a “deemed refusal” by NBC. This option is available after a number of days has passed with no decision. So the DA circumvented the Local Planning Panel. 4 September 2025 – The LEC rejected the Council’s and the community’s submissions and upheld the developer’s appeal. Now Dan Murphy’s has applied to Liquor & Gaming NSW for a liquor licence for the site – with a child care centre one floor up!

Some local roads to get lower speed limit and traffic calming

Northern Beaches Council will introduce a 30km/h speed limit on local roads in the Whale Beach to Palm Beach localities, east of but not including Barrenjoey Road (but see below). The new limit on local roads in north Avalon will be 40km/h. See the maps and more information on the NBC webpage here. Work has now commenced and is due to end in July 2026.

Council will also install new infrastructure, including “kerb build outs”, traffic calming devices, and new lower speed limit signs. It is also “looking to add a raised pedestrian crossing at Whale Beach Road, near the intersection with Barrenjoey Road, and new street lighting”. A 10 kph zone on one block of Ocean Road south from Palm Beach Road to Ocean Place will also be installed.

And, in other related news…..

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has also, with no community consultation, changed speed limits on the parts of Barrenjoey from Beaconsfield Street Newport to Palm Beach. The limit, formerly 60kph, is now 50kph.

1112 Barrenjoey Road (former general store) demolition gets go ahead from Land & Environment Court

DA2023/1289 for shoptop housing at 1112-1116 Barrenjoey Rd Palm Beach (the former general store site) was refused approval by Council and was appealed to the the Land and Environment Court (LEC). The community has indicated to the Court (as it did recently at 231 Whale Beach Road and 27 North Avalon Road) that there is major community concern with this type of development and that they are NOT in the public interest.

UPDATE:

Following widespread negative community comment, the developer deleted the proposed fifth storey. APA, while pleased at the removal of the extra storey, remains opposed to the development as non-compliant and excessive in bulk, scale and height. Nevertheless, the LEC approved the appeal for demolition of the general store and this work was carried out. Construction work on the new development has now commenced, with major blockages of Barrenjoey Road occurring every now and then,

Report a pothole

Rainy weather has caused some havoc on our road surfaces, with potholes emerging on many roads across the area. Potholes are repaired by either Council or NSW government teams depending on their location.

Council-managed roads

Council manages the local roads that are not major arterial corridors. If the pothole is on a Council-managed road please report it so NBC can make sure it’s on the works schedule. To report a local road pothole click here.

State-managed roads

Major roads are managed by the NSW Government and they are responsible for their maintenance, including repairing potholes. To see a list of these and to report a pothole click here.

Have your say on development applications

Anyone can submit comments to Northern Beaches Council to support or oppose a development application. These comments are called ‘submissions’. You can make a submission on any type of development application that is released for public comment.

Click here for further information on how to make a DA submission.

Avalon Beach Bike Facility

More than 300 residents voted on your preferred location: Des Creagh Reserve or Avalon Beach Reserve. APA supports the Avalon Beach Reserve proposal, adjacent to the current skate park.

NBC is currently developing a design plan for the site to the north of the skate park, The yellow brick road may need to be partially moved slightly east to avoid the bike park. APA has requested that the new portion be constructed in light yellow to match the current Avalon Beach landmark. For more information click here.

Modern architecture heritage study

The Council has received more than 100 community nominations of buildings from the Modernist period (ie post World War 2), that may be worthy of further investigation and possible heritage protection.

Nominations are being considered and potential property owners will be contacted.

NBC had a huge response to the call for nominations. It says that it has taken longer than expected to review and select a shortlist of priority properties for detailed heritage assessment. NBC is continuing to work with the Consultants to prepare detailed heritage assessments of priority properties. For further information at the NBC website click here. For the APA post click here.

Roads near Avalon Public School to get pedestrian crossings

Council has implemented changes to parking durations in Old Barrenjoey Road near Avalon Public School. Its project, which you can see here. The preamble states “We have received a number of safety concerns from local residents and Avalon Public School about street safety and its impact on children, parents, carers and local residents”.

The Traffic Committee at its June 2024 meeting accepted the NBC recommendations, which include the parking restrictions but not the pedestrian crossings.

Large numbers of mostly primary school aged pedestrians must cross both Sanders Lane and The Crescent opposite twice each day. Council’s original project contained no suggestion of a pedestrian crossing across Sanders Lane or The Crescent. This a critical concern left unaddressed in the NBC proposal.

The School has carried out a data collection study of the area – please read it here. Its priority is for pedestrian crossings to be installed across Sanders Lane and The Crescent, to warn drivers of pedestrian activity.

APA has continued to push, with the School, for pedestrian crossings to be constructed to properly improve road safety for students.

STOP PRESS: APA has continued speaking with NBC on the issue of pedestrian crossings, and we understand that design work has commenced. It is unfortunate that construction will be delayed until Sydney Water leave the site in October 2026. However, this is a big win for the safety of students walking to school.

Trailers & boats parked on streets

In 2021 the NSW Government introduced new laws – the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 and regulations – that put accountability firmly on those responsible to do the right thing and remove their property quickly from public land. These reforms were developed following widespread consultation with Councils, the public, industry groups, retailers, peak bodies and government agencies. The Act includes caravans, boat & other trailers, whether or not attached to a vehicle. The law forces owners to take responsibility for their vehicles and provides councils with stronger powers to rid our roads, footpaths, parks, bushland and waterways of abandoned and unattended property.

The law commenced on 1 November 2022 and replaced the outdated Impounding Act 1993. Parking issues relating to trailers and boats should be reported to Council Rangers here or via Customer Service on 1300 434 434, for investigation.

Avalon place plan

NBC approved the Avalon Place Plan on 26 July 2022. NBC proposed terracing Avalon Beach southern headland [draft p.74], which was a pleasant grassy headland behind the bus stop. This item was designated for implementation in the 5-10 year timeframe ; however, in a stunning decision, work was carried out in March 2026 with NO community consultation. This overdesigned intrusion still has almost zero support in the community. APA with other community organisations met with the Mayor, CEO and Manager of the Parks team in April 2026. We expect to hold a further meeting at which we will detail your priorities for the Avalon Place Plan as well as the shared space.

Work on the shared space in Old Barrenjoey Road north commenced in November 2022 but was badly botched and had to be largely done again, drawing out the trial survey period and subsequent processes. For more information see article above. For the NBC web page on this important issue click here; for the APA web page click here.

The APA notice board

APA has a notice board in Avalon Beach Village. It is currently located on the southern wall between Terry White Chemmart (Herforts) and Belle Real Estate at 56 Old Barrenjoey Road (our thanks to both). There is also a notice on the community noticeboard in Dunbar Park with a QR code to the website. Check the notice boards regularly to catch up with APA news in the Village, as we will change the contents regularly. We hope to have news re moving the noticeboard to a better location shortly.