Some fabulous new active transport links are ready to explore in Lake Macquarie.
These paths augment Lake Macquarie’s extensive network of tracks, trails and off-road shared pathways, and provide more opportunities for walking and cycling – both for recreation and daily utility trips.
Lake Macquarie City Council is has an excellent Walking, Cycling and Better Streets Strategy to guide the prioritisation and delivery of paths. Adopted in 2021, the document has embedded a culture of walking and cycling within the community. 103km of the city’s 254km Principal Bicycle Network have now been built.
As always, supportive politicians have played a major role in sustaining momentum.
“These new paths contribute to our ongoing push to promote tourism and active transport in Lake Mac and expands our city’s network of family-friendly shared pathways,” says retiring Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser.
Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track is open!
A stunning 3.5km extension of the iconic Fernleigh Track has filled a missing gap in the Coastline R1 Regional Cycleway to create a 27km continuous active transport route from Murrays Beach to Adamstown in Newcastle.
The Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track, known to locals as FAST, includes a landmark viewing platform, 400m of wetland boardwalk, separate footpath loops for bird-watching and a spectacular new bridge over Cold Tea Creek.
The $20 million track’s centrepiece is a 400m stretch of elevated boardwalk over wetlands (Image: LMCC)
The path runs next to Belmont Lagoon, a place of significant cultural and ecological value. The surrounding wetlands are the focal point of the Aboriginal creation story known as ‘When the Moon Cried’. And it is one of the region’s best spots for bird-watching. Up to 120 bird species are believed to frequent the area.
Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track forms part of the Coastline R1 Regional Cycleway, part of the Greater Newcastle Principal Bicycle Network. (Map: LMCC and Bicycle NSW)
First Nations culture is also acknowledged with sculptural interpretations of a Gunya shelter, a bark canoe and other features of an aboriginal camp. The life-size art installations are by local Aboriginal artists Shellie Smith and Daniella Chedzey and fellow artist Julie Squires.
A fantastic overhead shot of the viewing platform. The various sculptural features of the project are designed to not just to be attractive, but to start conversations about the deep cultural significance of the Belmont Lagoon (Image: LMCC)
“We are blessed with so many beautiful places here in Lake Mac, but Belmont Lagoon is up there with the best of them,” Councillor Fraser said. “Until now, it’s been a bit of a hidden gem, but the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track provides a very low impact means of shedding light on this natural and cultural wonder.”
The bespoke bridge over Cold Tea Creek has teardrop-shaped steel framing echoing the ‘When the Moon Cried’ creation story. (Image: LMCC)
You can go on an armchair tour of FAST with Garry Robinson of CycleSydney.wiki here
A Cameron Park connection
Work is now complete on a 230m path at Cameron Park, linking Pasterfield Sports Complex with the shared paths in the suburb’s older residential precinct in the east.
The 240m Pasterfield shared path linking the existing shared path near Albatross Avenue, Cameron Park and the Pasterfield Sports Complex. Newly planted trees will provide shade and visual amenity when mature
(Image: LMCC)
“These are small but mighty projects that reap significant benefits for the local community, encouraging active transport and healthy lifestyles and reducing our reliance on cars,” said Councillor Fraser.
And one more at Cardiff
Similarly, a freshly completed 820m shared path at Cardiff fills in another missing link, running parallel to Winding Creek from Wilkinson Park off Myall Road to Newcastle Street.
It then resumes at Henry Street and continues to an existing shared path at Frith Street. Plans are under development to provide an extra section of path between Newcastle Street and Henry Street to bypass the current short on-road detour.
The link forms part of a much longer regional cycle route that will connect the Fernleigh Track to Richmond Vale via Charlestown, Hillsborough, Cardiff, Glendale, Edgeworth and Minmi.
A map locating the Cameron Park and Cardiff projects in the northern part of the Lake Macquarie LGA. The Bareki Road missing link is also shown. (Map: LMCC and Bicycle NSW)
“Cardiff is one of our city’s key growth centres,” Councillor Fraser said. “Links such as these provide a direct, off-road route for pedestrians and cyclists. We will increasingly need them under the NSW Government’s plan to significantly increase housing density around Lake Mac train stations.”
More cycling and walking infrastructure is coming
Planning is underway for several major projects to further extend that network.
These include the Charlestown to Whitebridge cycleway, shared paths connecting Cooranbong to Morisset and Cameron Park to Edgeworth, an extension to the Greenway Track rail trail that runs from Toronto to Fassifern, and another path from the Fernleigh Track to Belmont foreshore.
One notorious and dangerous missing section of the foreshore path, known as Bareki Road bends, has been earmarked as a priority project by the Strategic Cycleway Corridors program. If the business case is approved, NSW Government funding will help tackle some major engineering challenges. This is great news for council and the community!
Plan an adventure on two wheels in Lake Macquarie
Hear here for more information on Lake Mac’s shared paths. A full list of Lake Macquarie shared pathways is available on the fold-out cycling map. Alternatively, there is an online interactive cycling map that council maintains really well.
And don’t forget to join Bicycle NSW before you head off!
Not only will you ride with peace of mind knowing that you are covered by our comprehensive insurance. You will enjoy many other Member-only benefits, and very importantly, support our advocacy for better infrastructure.
Not ready to sign up. Then please buy Bicycle NSW a Coffee (or three!) to help our team to work each and every day, on the ground in NSW, to make NSW better for bike riding.