The trees on the northern end of the former Ex Services' Country Club Golf Course are among 513 mature trees that have been selected for removal, about 200 will be retained.

New trees would be planted but opponents questioned what type and how long until they produced shade.

The proposal includes a 10,000 capacity rectangular sports complex, an additional eight rectangular grounds, that could be converted to cricket fields in summer, and an athletics field in addition to the facilities already available at neighbouring Jack Brabham Park.

However, some of the 138 people who gathered in the shade for the picnic argued that the plan failed to consider a long-term vision for Orange and that the region's natural beauty and environment goes hand-in hand with food and wine branding that brings thousands of people to the area.

One of the picnic's organisers, Kate Hook said the campaign was a community-based initiative being run by individuals.

"We just want people to imagine alternatives and to envision it as a big open parkland," Mrs Hook said.

"We think a sports stadium would be great for Orange," however, she said they preferred it be built at the original site planned near the Northern Distributor Road.

"We already had a 36-year head start on the growth that's needed to make this kind of parkland."

On Sunday councillor Jo McRae posted an online video asking how the council could afford to maintain both a sports precinct and a parkland, however Mrs Hook said Orange has a growing population so the budget would increase.

Cr Stephen Nugent attended the picnic in support of the protestors but said the Northern Distributor Road site had other issues including not being a level site, naturally occurring asbestos, and the need to create access for electricity, water and sewerage, which would increase the cost of the facility.

However, he said there was no reason the plan could not be altered to retain more trees and reduce potential gridlock on Forest Road for emergency vehicles and mine workers when big events were on.

He suggested moving the stadium to the Huntley Road side and retaining more trees as a shady green space if the development had to proceed at the Bloomfield site.

Cr Nugent said while entertaining big NRL or A-League games would have little financial benefit for the community due to people leaving after the event, however junior cricket carnival had an immense economic boost.

"I think there's a number of issues and a number of queries," Cr Nugent said.

Another picnicker John Murray said a stadium would only be used by a portion of the population for a small percentage of the year and he'd rather the NSW government funds be put towards other issues such as a public transport system.

Trevor Stedman said the Bernie Stedman field was named after his brother and he has previously played golf at the former Country Club course and did not support it was a location for a sports precinct.

"They could do it where they were going to do it on the other side of town," he said.

"A big sporting stadium would be OK but not here with the traffic jams."

Patty Stedman said she also support a sports stadium, but not if it meant knocking all the trees down.

"We've got to leave something for the kids."

Some concerns were also raised that the trees could be removed but the sports precinct then be withdrawn creating a barren space for years to come.

The next step for those who want to have a say about the precinct will be a Zoom meeting, and face-to-face meeting at the ELF at Orange Showground at 7pm on Thursday to discuss how to write a submission for the development application.