Late in 2018 Dungog Regional Tourism was successful in obtaining a grant titled Infrastructure to Grow Camping & Outdoor Recreation in Dungog and District. This grant is from the New South Wales Government’s Regional Growth and Tourism Fund established under the Restart NSW Funding Act 2011.

The grant will improve camping and outdoor recreation facilities right across Dungog Shire. The sites where works are proposed are Gresford Showground and Recreation Area, Paterson Sportsground, Dungog Common, Dungog Showground, Williams River Holiday Park and Chichester Forest (East and West).

The total funds in the grant are $1.33 million to be spend as follows:

• Dungog Showground - $105,000

  ·         Improved stormwater collection and drainage

  ·         Lighting

  ·         Installation of solar panels

  Dungog Common - $295,000

  ·         Construction of a southern entry from Short Street

  ·         Construction of well drained, stabilised all-weather car parks and internal roads

  ·         Construction of an MTB Pump Track and Skills Park

  ·         Improvements to the MTB trails including upgrading several accessible trails for hand-cycling

  ·         Fencing and signage

  ·         Toilets and picnic shelters

  Gresford Showground - $142,000

  ·         Expanding the campground by creating 16 new powered sites

  ·         Installation of solar panels

  ·         Improved site drainage

  Paterson Sportsground - $101,000

  ·         Upgraded entrance and improved access road

  ·         Signage

  ·         Installation of solar panels

  Williams River Holiday Park - $93,000

  ·         Expanding water & fire service to the lower camping area

  ·         Improved access to amenities block

  Chichester Forest (East and West) - $592,000

  ·         Improvements to all camping areas

  ·         Improvements to access roads and signage

  ·         Additional toilets

  ·         Improved walks

A review of progress on the works in early 2023 allowed us to add the following works to the grant program:

Dungog Showground – extra $40,000

·         Contribution to Showground to Common trail

Dungog Common – extra $47,000

·         New entrance and carpark

Gresford Showground – extra $20,000

·         New services to camping area

Patterson Sportsground – relocation of funds

·         New BBQ & picnic shelter

Dungog VIC – $65,000

·         Refurbishment and display upgrade

Gresford Park – $60,000

·         New gazebo

Fulton Lookout – $20,000

·         Refurbishment

Pilchers Mountain – $30,000

·         Walking Trail marking

·         Fencing

Tourism Signage - $86,000

·         Refurbish village directory boards

·         New directory boards in Dungog

·         Point Of Interest Site Information signs

·         Point Of Interest approach and remote area warning signs

Construction of all of the above works is currently (August 2023) nearing completion.