Work underway on FAST northern section

Published on 09 October 2023

Work is underway on the landmark northern section of the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track, set to feature a wetlands boardwalk, public art installations and a unique new bridge over Cold Tea Creek.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser turned the sod on the project’s final stage on Monday, officially marking the start of a seven-month build that will extend from the end of the existing Fernleigh Track at Belmont to Ocean Park Road at Belmont South.

There, the track will join with the project’s middle section, already under construction, filling in a missing link of shared pathway to create a 27km continuous active transport route from Adamstown to Murrays Beach.

Cr Fraser said the northern section was the most exciting stage of the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track (FAST) build.

“This section will include iconic features that will really make this track a landmark for our city – not just for cyclists, but for walkers, tourists, birdwatchers and anyone else wanting to learn more about our cultural heritage,” she said.

It will feature more than 400m of elevated boardwalk skirting Belmont Lagoon, a viewing platform and two separate offshoots for birdwatching.

Lake Macquarie City Council Project Manager Tess Dziwulski said an existing narrow footbridge over Cold Tea Creek would be demolished and replaced with an artistic 34m span.

“The bridge’s teardrop design and aesthetic reflect the Awabakal Dreaming story of ‘When the Moon Cried’, explaining how Belmont Lagoon was formed,” she said.

“So, it will have a really striking look, but we’re also deploying some innovative construction techniques that haven’t been seen before in NSW to make it lighter and sturdier than a traditional bridge.”

Local artists Julie Squires and Shellie Smith have spent months painstakingly crafting life-size bronze art installations depicting a traditional Awabakal shelter, known as a Gunyah, and a paperbark canoe, as well as bronze Aboriginal symbols that will be installed on the Cold Tea Creek bridge.

Ms Dziwulski said the boardwalk would rise to 4m above the wetland at its highest point, offering views of Belmont Lagoon and surrounding wetlands.

“It’s a sensitive area environmentally, and we will be taking every step to minimise our impact during construction and throughout the life of this new shared path,” she said.

The FAST project is jointly funded by all three levels of government.

The NSW Government awarded the project $7.4 million through Round Two of its Regional Growth Environment and Tourism Fund, and a further $1.2 million through its Get NSW Active Fund.

The Australian Government is providing $1.2 million through its Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Fund.

Ms Dziwulski said Glascott Landscape & Civil would undertake the northern section construction.

“We’re starting from the southern end at Beach Street, but a second separate construction site at the northern end will kick off next month,” she said.

“The whole project is on track to be finished next April.”

Go to lakemac.com.au/fast for more information and updates on the project.