From the Mayor’s desk: Cr Leah Anderson

OUR community vision for Port Stephens is a great lifestyle in a treasured environment.

We’re fortunate to live in such a beautiful place, and as a Council we’re committed to making sure it continues to meet the evolving needs of our community.

We’ve been listening to your feedback, and my fellow Councillors and I are using it to shape our priorities for the year ahead.

Housing delivery is a major focus.

Rising house prices are forcing many people to look outside of Port Stephens for a place to live.

To respond, we’re progressing plans to deliver new homes on Council-owned land to support a variety of housing options and prioritising housing in town centres close to shops, services and transport.

We’re also simplifying planning processes and lowering costs to make it easier for investors to build more affordable homes here.

As we focus on bringing investment into Port Stephens, we’ll continue delivering critical infrastructure. Roads, drainage and pathways remain priorities for 2026.

We’re continuing our $29 million commitment through the Roads Acceleration Program to enhance safety. We are also finalising our Roads Futures Strategy to promote efficient and transparent road management, along with advocating for the reclassification of major regional routes to secure long-term state and federal funding.

Our new Pathways Plan will soon be open for community feedback to guide how we plan, prioritise and fund new footpaths and shared pathways across our region.

Protecting our coastline and waterways is also central.

The 2025 weather events damaged coastal areas, making clear the need for a strong Coastal Management Program to care for beaches, foreshore and waterways, protect liveability, and safeguard the places we love.

Delivering these priorities depends on financial sustainability, clear communication, and genuine community engagement. We must ensure we can fund projects now and into the future, respond to rising costs and disasters, and let community views shape decisions.

We’ll continue to work with residents, state partners and industry to deliver practical, lasting outcomes that meet the needs of our evolving community, ensuring Port Stephens remains a great place to work, live and invest.