The regional plan retains a strong emphases on settlement planning for housing and employment and includes planning principles for local strategies and settlement planning guidelines.
It also encourages councils to collaborate with partnering councils within the subregions to sustainably locate new housing and employment lands.
The North Coast’s subregions are:
- Mid North Coast – Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and Clarence Valley LGAs
- Northern Rivers – Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Kyogle LGAs.
Mid-North Coast
The Mid North Coast covers approximately 21,700 km2. The Birpai, Dunghutti, Thunggutti, Gumbaynggirr, Yaegl and Bundjalung nations are the traditional owners of this land.
This subregion contains the Camden-Haven, Hastings, Macleay, Nambucca, Bellinger, Coffs Harbour and Clarence river catchments.
The natural environment underpins many of the subregion’s key industries like agriculture, forestry, commercial fishing, aquaculture and tourism.
Northern Rivers
The Northern Rivers spans approximately 10,277 km2 and takes in the Richmond, Tweed, Upper Clarence and Wilson river catchments. The Bundjalung and Githabul nations are the traditional owners of this land.
Supporting one of the most biodiverse environments in Australia, the subregion’s picturesque coastlines, waterways, rainforests, wetlands and lush rural hinterland make it a popular residential and tourist destination.
Creative industries, tourism and agriculture underpin the local economy.
Read objective 18 (PDF, 15.4 MB) to learn more.