Work has finally begun on the long-awaited $1.4 million upgrade to the Sharpes Beach car park, with Ballina Shire Council confirming it will be ready in time for the 2025 summer season.

Sharpes is a year-round hotspot for surfers, swimmers, whale watchers, and walkers along the popular Ballina-to-Byron coastal road.

The upgrade will bring long-overdue improvements, including sealed parking, new toilets and showers, landscaping, and better accessibility.

The NSW Government committed $1.05 million to the project in late 2023. However, plans stalled in 2024 after initial designs included the removal of nine heritage Norfolk pine trees —plantings that have become a defining feature of the scenic drive.

The trees were originally planted by the late Dr Peter ‘Doc’ Stewart, a well-known local who envisioned a coastal corridor lined with Norfolk pines.

His family continues to lease the land to Council for the car park.

Council staff initially argued the pines were a “foreign species” that could interfere with infrastructure and reduce the number of car spaces.

After community concern and councillor intervention, a revised design was approved that retains most of the trees.

Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the upgrade would boost both access and amenity at one of the region’s most iconic beaches.

“These upgrades are about creating a more accessible, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy our stunning coastline,” Cr Cadwallader said.

“By improving facilities at Sharpes Beach, we’re also supporting active lifestyles and ensuring our surf lifesavers have the storage and equipment they need to keep our beaches safe.”

Key features of the upgrade include:

• Formalised car parking with accessible and long-vehicle spaces
  
• New accessible toilet and shower facilities
  
• An ocean-viewing deck with improved outlook
  
• Storage for surf lifesaving equipment
  
• Improved drainage and landscaping
  
• Restoration of native vegetation areas
  

The existing surf life saving tower will be removed and replaced with upgraded storage.

Council said the new design followed extensive community consultation, including public exhibition of the plans as part of the development approval process.

Temporary closures and alternate access

From 28 July 2025, the Sharpes Beach car park will close for construction. Work will be staged, with sections reopening as they are completed and deemed safe.

During the works, beachgoers can use the alternative car park on the western side of The Coast Road, accessible via Headlands Drive.

Pedestrian access to Sharpes Beach, the Coastal Recreational Path, and nearby bus stops will remain open, with occasional detours around work zones.

Council expects the upgrade to be completed by late October 2025.

For more information and updates, visit: ballina.nsw.gov.au/Sharpes-Beach-Carpark-Upgrade