What disruptions will surrounding residents experience during construction?
Council will work to minimise disruptions to surrounding residents, including noise impacts, on-street parking limitations and reduced pedestrian access in some areas. We will also engage directly with residents on-site if any more significant impacts arise.
Will the foreshore spanning from Arthur Street to the caravan park be accessible during the project?
No, the main foreshore route from Arthur Street to the caravan park will be closed during the works. However, a designated detour via New Street will be in place to maintain access around the area. Clear signage will be provided to guide pedestrians along the alternative route.
How will the proposed pathway manage the potential increase in use by other vehicles such as bicycles and scooters?
The works aim to provide safe walking access along the foreshore by extending the current narrow pathway from Clara Street to Arthur Street, improving accessibility in line with Council’s design principles to conserve and enhance public foreshore access. This aligns with Council’s Walking, Cycling, and Better Streets Strategy 2031 and the Lake Activation Strategy 2020–2030, which focus on improving well-being, connectivity, and accessibility, including for people with disabilities.
The informal cycleway marked on the concept designs is a proposal related to the Belmont Lakeside Holiday Park. It is only a concept at this stage, with no designs or timeframes scheduled. Feedback on the proposed pathway will be provided to the relevant Council team for consideration if and when the proposal progresses. It’s important to note that the proposed pathway is outside the scope of the foreshore stabilisation works. Since this section of the foreshore is Crown land, implementing restrictive access controls is limited, and restrictions on electronic transport devices could further reduce the already confined pathway width, making inclusive access more challenging.
How will drainage be managed to prevent water pooling between the grass mound and Clara Street?
The proposed foreshore stabilisation works include sloping the land and incorporating revegetation bays within the works zone to direct water flow towards the lake. Access points into the lake will be constructed at a lower elevation to ensure proper drainage and prevent water pooling behind the foreshore structure.
Machinery will require access through the boggy area between the grass mound and Clara Street. Once construction works are complete, all access tracks and areas within the works zone will be remediated which will improve the access in this location.
How will the vegetation bays be maintained?
The revegetation bays will undergo a maintenance period by Council to allow plant species to establish, which will include regular watering and weeding. In addition, wooden trims will be added around the revegetation bays to reduce grass creep and make it easier to maintain the surrounding grassed areas.
How will boats be launched, and is there an option to include a designated area for boat access in the design?
The foreshore stabilisation designs currently include stepped access at various points. Council is designing a modified access point located at the end of Arthur Street for ease of access with handheld watercraft. The design involves a modified stepped structure that includes additional steps (i.e. less depth between steps) and an extended width of 2m. This was the most suitable design to balance access to the lake without compromising the resilience of the foreshore structure. The location is in an open area to give available room to users with handheld watercraft. Modifications will not be made in the narrow section between Clara Street and Arthur Street, as this would risk compromising the resilience of the foreshore structure, create maintenance challenges and disrupt other users of this section.
For larger boat access, nearby boat ramps are available at Belmont South and Marks Point. Visit our webpage for more information.
What tree species are being planted along the foreshore?
The proposed tree species for the foreshore include Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia), and Pointed Boobialla (Myoporum acuminatum). These species were carefully selected for their suitability to the exposed foreshore environment and their ability to provide key benefits such as:
- Improved shading for community comfort.
- Reduced urban heat effects, aligning with Council’s Urban Heat Strategy (2022).
- Enhanced biodiversity and visual aesthetics.
- Minimal seasonal debris, as these smaller species produce less leaf and bark drop.
The trees will be planted minimally and in isolated open areas to balance improved shading and environmental benefits while preserving existing views. This approach is in line with several Council strategies, including the Foreshore and Waterway Development Guidelines (2024), Urban Greening Strategy 2022–2032, and Urban Heat Strategy (2022).
How will washed up seagrass be managed and can residents remove it?
The works aim to create a more natural, sloped foreshore design that mimics the natural environment. This will help reduce issues with seagrass wrack becoming trapped in the water, which can lead to anoxic breakdown and unpleasant odours. The wrack is expected to wash onto the foreshore structure, where it will naturally break down.
For seagrass wrack that washes up above the high tide line, the NSW Department of Primary Industries allows individuals to remove up to 20kg per day for personal use, such as for compost or fertiliser, without requiring a permit. Council does manage seagrass wrack removal in specific locations deemed high priority due to ecological concerns or safety hazards, and approval from the NSW Department of Industry is required for such works.
Could the historic concrete drain, which helped with water flow from the bay north of the caravan park into Village Bay, be re-instated?
Council has investigated the historic channel in this area. However, there are no plans to reinstate the channel due to potential negative social and environmental impacts. Requests for additional drainage works are outside the scope of this project.
Can no Lomandra or pointy sedges be planted as these are unsafe for walkers and children?
Lomandra plantings are not included in the revegetation bays. Instead, the bays will feature native species that represent saltmarsh and foreshore vegetation communities. To ensure safety and maintain natural habitats, the exotic species Juncus acutus—which has sharp, pointy leaves—will not be planted. Instead, native sedges with softer leaves, such as Juncus kraussii and Baumea juncea, will be used. Additionally, the revegetation bays will be bordered with a wooden trim, and multiple access points will be provided to allow safe and easy access to the lake around these areas.
How will construction access be managed, and is the proposed three-metre accessway sufficient for machinery and equipment needed for the works?
The construction will begin at the northern and southern ends of Village Bay and progressively move toward the middle of the site. This approach ensures that machinery access is maintained as the works advance.
What is the width of the saltmarsh beds in the Village Bay Foreshore project, and is there a monitoring program in place for future works?
The revegetation bays behind the sandstone structures are designed to enhance stabilisation, biodiversity, and aesthetics. These bays will range in width, extending up to 3m where space permits, and a minimum of 1m in narrower areas. While saltmarsh species are prioritised, higher elevation sections that are less likely to be regularly inundated will feature other native species to reflect the natural foreshore vegetation communities.
Additionally, the sandstone revetment will include pockets of saltmarsh intended for regular inundation. Site visits to comparable projects, including Newcastle’s Cottage Creek, provided valuable insights through photos, measurements and observations of planted saltmarsh species. This information has been helpful in the design of the Village Bay Foreshore revegetation works while considering constraints such as foreshore structure width.
To support long-term success, the revegetation works will include a maintenance period for species establishment. Future foreshore works will also be entered into an Asset database for ongoing monitoring and condition assessment.
Will the foreshore works create additional habitat for snakes, given that they have been sighted near the drain?
The revegetation bays will be designed in a linear shape to support foreshore stabilisation and manage sediment runoff. Given their linear and isolated nature, it is unlikely that the works will contribute to an increase in the snake population in the area.
Can the overflow carpark next to the caravan park be fenced to improve safety and prevent bikes from accessing the area, as it’s currently too close to the foreshore?
The overflow carpark is located entirely within the Holiday Parks' land, close to the park entrance. It is currently marked by two benches that help define the usable parking space. This carpark serves visitors and provides additional capacity when on-street parking along Ethel Street, Clara Street and Paley Crescent is in high demand. Further delineation of the overflow carpark boundaries cannot be carried out until the construction of a proposed pathway, which will improve safe access for the community. This is separate to the Village Bay Foreshore works and, at this stage, there are no designs or timeframes for the pathway.
Why doesn't the council dredge the bay, as it was previously dredged and sandy, allowing people to use it, but now it seems unusable?
There are no plans for dredging in Village Bay, either for navigation or environmental reasons. Previous dredging in the 1990s and 2000s led to negative environmental outcomes, disrupting flow and dynamics in parts of Swansea Channel. As such, there are no plans to repeat this type of work. For navigation, vessel skippers are advised to navigate only in shallow areas with appropriately shallow-drafted vessels.
How will the works affect the deeper section of the bay and boat navigation?
The bay is deeper near the foreshore, which some people use for boat navigation. The primary goals of the project are to stabilise the foreshore and provide safe walking access. To achieve this, the original alignment of the foreshore will be reinstated, and its width will be expanded to improve accessibility for users.
Additionally, the designs will be updated to include more suitable access points for small boats or handheld watercraft, located near open space areas to reduce the need for navigating along the foreshore.
What can be done about illegal parking on Clara Street and difficulty turning for cars towing caravans?
Community members who observe illegal parking are encouraged to contact the Council's Customer Service Centre with details of the time, frequency and specific locations of the incidents. These reports will be investigated by Council Rangers.
Most caravan drivers use navigation systems that direct them to Ethel Street and straight to the holiday park. To assist with this, Council has installed signage both north and south of the caravan park to guide drivers. However, all signage installations along the highway must be reviewed and approved by Transport for NSW.
Relocating the Caravan Park sign further down the road is limited by the potential impact on adjacent private land and requires further approval. Council has also explored the option of reactivating the traffic lights at Paley Crescent/Beach Street to improve turning access to Ethel Street/Paley Crescent. However, preliminary advice from Transport for NSW indicates that they do not plan to reactivate the lights for southbound right turns or as an exit from Paley Crescent.
Will there be any improvements to drainage on local roads?
The issue of nuisance flooding and drainage on roads was addressed in the Marks Point and Belmont South Local Adaptation Plan (LAP) 2016. Developed in collaboration with residents, the LAP outlines long-term strategies to adapt to changing lake and flood levels. As part of ongoing efforts, Council is currently investigating a road raising trial in Swansea to help mitigate flooding and improve drainage.