Sorrento: Parking upgrades for commercial activity centre & surrounds

Revised proposed plan of upgrades to Morce Avenue car park.

Morce Avenue Sorrento car park – revised-plan.pdf(PDF, 421KB)

We received extensive feedback, from locals, businesses and visitors, on the plan options in March 2025. Taking this into account and ensuring we addressed the loading requirements for Morce Avenue businesses, we revised the preferred plan. If implemented this will provide and additional 95 parking spaces.

The proposed Morce Avenue car park upgrade to provide an additional 95 parking spaces will be progressed through a submission to Council’s Annual Capital Works Program Evaluation process for the 27/28 financial year. The first step will then be to complete a detailed car park design when funding is allocated.

In response to feedback on restrictions, we propose the 1P on-street parking, within the Ocean Beach Road commercial area and adjoining streets (as seen in yellow in the below plan), all becomes 2P. Also parking within the Morce Avenue car park to be a combination of 3P and all-day spaces.

The proposed changes will not impact existing short-term parking and disabled car parking spaces currently available on Ocean Beach Road.

Map of proposed changes to restrictions.

We are proposing to install wayfinding signage for Morce Avenue car park at key intersections throughout the activity centre.

Map of proposed wayfinding signage to Morce Avenue car park.

 We aim to have these changes implemented before the summer holiday period this year.

Update on the Hotham Road angle parking trial, which was in place for approximately three months over the 2025–26 summer holiday period.

The trial was introduced to help respond to very high seasonal parking demand in Sorrento during peak summer periods. Following the conclusion of the busiest part of the season, Council officers have now completed a detailed evaluation of how the trial performed.

What We Heard and Observed

Parking demand during summer

• The trial provided 19 additional parking spaces, which were well used during peak holiday periods.
• Outside these peak times, usage was generally low, confirming that demand in this area is highly seasonal.

Safety and traffic operation

• While the additional parking helped with demand, the trial also raised safety and operational concerns.
• Issues were observed with vehicles reversing into traffic, pedestrians needing to walk within traffic lanes, and limited space for larger vehicles and those towing boat trailers.
• Vehicle speeds often remained higher than the temporary 40 km/h limit, increasing risk during parking manoeuvres.

Community and stakeholder feedback

• Community feedback was mixed, with a slight majority of respondents raising safety concerns.
• Emergency services, boat businesses, operators, and resident groups highlighted concerns about access, visibility, and narrow traffic lanes.
• Local traders recognised the benefit of additional parking during peak periods.

What This Means

• The current trial layout is not suitable to remain in place or be made permanent, as safety risks cannot be adequately addressed within the existing road width.
• The previous parallel parking arrangement is safe and compliant, but it does not provide extra parking during peak periods.
• If angle parking is pursued on Hotham Road in the future, it would need to be set back from the road (indented), include appropriate lane widths and a footpath, and operate at a lower speed environment.
• This type of solution aligns with the David MacFarlan Reserve Masterplan but would require additional works such as tree removal and shared path construction, resulting in higher costs.
• A further report will be presented in July 2026 to consider parking demand across the town centre as a whole, including Morce Avenue additional parking proposals, and to confirm an integrated and cost‑effective approach.

Map of angled parking trial on Hotham Road.