Snapshot — 27 April 2026 · n = 58 responses · PPCA Community Survey Snapshot for MidCoast Council — prepared by villagefirst.org.au
Live page: https://villagefirst.org.au/results/blueys-beach-results-27april2026
| Preference | 21 Apr (n=43) | 27 Apr (n=58) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 38.1% (16) | 45.6% (26) | +7.5pp |
| Option 2 | 40.5% (17) | 31.6% (18) | −8.9pp |
| Option 1 | 21.4% (9) | 17.5% (10) | −3.9pp |
| Neither¹ | not reported | 5.3% (3) | new |
Hybrid leads with 45.6% — the option combining Option 1’s 23 parking bays with Option 2’s pedestrian crossing and wall seat.
Option 2 at 31.6% remains the second preference. Together, Hybrid + Option 2 account for 77% who want pedestrian features included.
Option 1 support (17.5%) reflects the strong preference for retaining 23 bays seen throughout the conjoint tasks.
Retain parking to support businesses. Control safety for pedestrians.
Sometimes planting can obscure the view of cars coming — perhaps a convex mirror opposite the bottle shop car park.
In the busy months it is almost impossible to get a car park at the BB shops.
From the village precinct — east and western streets need more angled parking.
More outdoor eating and dining areas would be lovely.
It is important to retain the number of car parking spaces to support local businesses and because most people have to drive to access the businesses. The verge crossing is very close to the roundabout and speed humps and crossings at either end would be more practical for traffic flow.
Typically able to park but find it very difficult to find somewhere to sit to have a coffee.
Parking is always limited during peak holiday periods — but so is everywhere. During off-peak times there is ample space. Option 2 has the edge for liveability and safety with the pedestrian walkway, even with 4 fewer car parks.
Option 1 retains current parking spaces which is important at peak holiday times. Option 1 also has pedestrian crossings at either end of the village — I think this would be safer and less disruptive than having the crossing in the middle, which is too close to the roundabout.
Parking is at a premium during peak holiday periods. However, if the expectation of parking directly in front of the shop you want to visit is lowered, ample parking can be found within 100 metres.
The speed limit needs to be reduced through the village area. Speed bumps and roundabouts will help.
Exiting at the parking at the pizza shop / superette end is risky — will be better with the roundabout. Pedestrian crossing will be safer. NO SPEED BUMPS — they damage cars, waste petrol, pollute with brake dust, wear out suspension — environmentally unsound.
During holiday periods there is limited parking availability. A time limit could help — 30 min pickup and 1 hour for those using restaurants.
Peak-time parking is inadequate.
Pedestrian issues persist for an older cohort — youth riding e-bikes and scooters knocking over older pedestrians on the village footpaths.
Long-term resident. Many near misses from the existing exit near the bottle shop, or people exiting from the wrong end.
So much more parking is needed, plus a pedestrian crossing, before a fatality happens — plus a speed hump.
Regular observer at Kembali Cafe. Pedestrians crossing from shops need clear line of sight. Vehicles travelling faster than is pedestrian-safe. Many delivery trucks entering and reversing.
A designated formal verge crossing is necessary to direct pedestrians — there is much informal crossing behaviour, particularly in busy times — and Blueys Beach Village is continuing to get busier.
Increasingly young people on bikes use the area. Safer formalised crossings placed within lines of desire are important so they will actually get used.
When it’s busy — let’s accept that. Places have peaks. Most of the time it isn’t busy. Design for what happens 90% of the time. If parking is full, people will park a little further away and walk. Having a larger area for tables and chairs will help businesses. Don’t make the whole design about the cars — there should be a balance.
More work needed regarding peak times in the village area.
Parking demand is currently high during peak season. Parking availability must be maintained, especially as developments will increase the population. Both options reduce the current parking availability.
The main issue is that the current speed limit is too fast.
There already isn’t enough parking during school holidays, so I avoid shopping there during these times.
This does not really meet holiday-period needs but will be great for non-holiday periods. Important to keep a community feel and not lose it.
Parking availability is far worse than it used to be. With new developments, parking will be next to impossible. We cannot afford to lose any spaces. Need a footpath towards the beach on the south side of the road. Need a formal crossing near the bottle shop. Need very short-time (10-min) parking for the post office.
Parking is at a premium — bad enough in quiet months; in busy months it’s a no-go zone.
In busy and holiday times, all of the above improvements are needed.
During holiday peak times there is a lack of parking and pedestrians cross everywhere.
Drivers need clear vision when leaving the parking area. Speed limit should be 40 km/h from the Medical Centre to Red Gum Road — that entire section is very dangerous. Some time restrictions on parking, and dedicated short-term parking for the post office.
On weekends and holidays there is a lot of traffic and parking demand. As much parking as possible is needed. The extra parking from the developer will help.
Parking not usually problematic. No need for a crossing within the parking area outside the shops. Crossing the road to Kembali and the pharmacist needs care — a crossing and speed humps there would help. The village needs to be more pedestrian-friendly.
Parking is an important issue and is only going to get worse — reducing it is counterproductive. Vehicle speed and wayward pedestrians need attention. All informal parking spots are used in peak times. People cross anywhere and are at times oblivious to oncoming vehicles.
Coastal styling is appreciated.
The position of the roundabout seems really unsafe. How will new residents access the shops if there is no appropriate crossing for them?
Insufficient public green space.
Be sure to tidy up the rear areas of the shops.
It is a small area and it would be difficult to come up with a practical design that offered more amenities.
Bins are often overflowing — more shaded areas needed.
It’s great to see bike racks included. But how are people supposed to get there safely by bike? Lakes Way connects communities like Tiona, Elizabeth Beach, Smiths Lake and The Palms, but it’s not a road where most people would feel comfortable cycling. A broader vision — safe separated cycleways connecting these communities — would be a genuine game-changer. Is there a plan? If not, we’d encourage Council to start that conversation.
Heavy goods vehicles and trucks should not be allowed to access the village centre.
Allowing eateries to have outdoor seating is always welcomed. The high-bench seating outside Drift Cafe works well — it doesn’t take up much space and adds versatility.
More shops and a medical centre are needed. The current shops will not be sufficient for the increase in population. The medical centre is proposed for relocation with no alternate in Pacific Palms proposed.
Mark out parking bays along the road beyond the 19/23 formal bays. Why not require developers to provide underground parking?
Cars need to slow down coming into the area from both directions — signage prior to the village, similar to school zone arrangements during peak periods.
More parking for the post office.
Why not open up the space behind the post office for vehicle parking? There is insufficient parking now for safe access for the older cohort of residents, let alone the influx from new developments.
Is it possible to utilise and formalise the space behind the shops?
Only 3 bike racks are provided in both options. This should be increased to future-proof the proposal — as e-bike use grows, demand for bike parking will increase significantly.
Perhaps getting the entire length of the footpath in front of the existing shops 500mm wider (if there is space). Consider turning curves for delivery vehicles.
Make Option 1 speed humps and formal pedestrian crossings standard features.
Too many shop staff tying up parking. Need to ensure very short-term (10-minute) parking for the post office.
More areas for seating to eat. A local map, perhaps designed by a local artist.
There is no long-term master plan for expansion of shops. What happens when Ingenia, Lot 23, and the other developments are all fully built and inhabited?
My preference is Option 2 with no verge crossing (no crossing within the parking area outside the shops).
If the speed were reduced to 30 km/h the crossings could possibly be removed. It may also be possible to widen the pavement in front of the shops to allow for more seating options.
The Hybrid (Option 1 parking + Option 2 crossing and wall seat) is now the leading single community preference at 45%. It maximises community agreement — retaining all 23 parking bays while including the pedestrian features supported by 77% of respondents. The PPCA should formally advocate for this outcome if architecturally feasible.
77% of surveyed community members support including the verge pedestrian crossing and wall seat (Hybrid 45% + Option 2 31%). These features should be included in whichever option Council selects.
Conjoint analysis and open-text responses consistently show that retaining 23 parking bays is the dominant concern, particularly in the context of new residential developments. The PPCA should request Council address how parking demand will be managed as the area’s population grows.
Multiple written responses raised concerns about the roundabout proximity to the proposed verge crossing. The PPCA should request Council confirm a pedestrian safety assessment of the crossing location and consider whether crossings at either end of the village (as in Option 1) provide a safer alternative.