Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track

Design Feature

Type of project
Infrastructure
State
New South Wales
Location
Urban
In Lake Macquarie, a gap between the Fernleigh Track and the Blacksmiths Shared Path has become the 3.5-kilometre Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track (FAST). This once-missing link is now an iconic shared pathway that completes the longest active transport route in the Hunter Region, stretching 27 kilometres from Adamstown to Murrays Beach. FAST has been designed to encourage safe physical activity, such as walking and wheeling. It also helps the local community learn more about the Belmont Lagoon and its surrounds, an area rich in cultural heritage and environmental history.
Project team
  • Lake Macquarie City Council
  • Glascott Landscape and Civil
  • NSW Government
  • Australian Government
  • Bahtabah Local Aboriginal Land Council

Project cost
$22.66 Million 
Health value
  • The FAST project provides a safe, accessible movement network in a spectacular natural setting that encourages walking and wheeling. Regular physical activity is associated with a wide range of health benefits, including reduced cardiovascular risk.1
  • FAST has increased the number of people using active transport to commute between Swansea and Belmont, including to Belmont’s busy TAFE campus and suburbs further south. Active transport can reduce motor vehicle usage and associated emissions, which can improve air quality and reduce the impacts on human health. 
  • The scenic nature of FAST makes it a drawcard for outdoor recreation, including photography and bird watching. Engaging with the natural world improves mental health and connection to place.2

Economic value
  • FAST’s iconic architectural elements, which showcase the area’s natural and cultural wonders, are a tourism drawcard.
  • By completing a 27-kilometre active transport route, FAST has created opportunities for Lake Macquarie City Council to host large-scale competitive cycling and running events that can increase local tourism. In 2022, the total contribution of Australia’s cycling tourism industry was valued at $16.9 billion,3making it a lucrative market to pursue.

Environmental value
  • By discouraging private vehicle use in favour of active transport, FAST encourages sustainable modes of travel that reduce the air pollution associated with car-based travel. 

Social value
  • FAST creates a sense of place and opportunities for social interaction and gathering by fostering physical and recreational activities in public open spaces. Social interaction is strongly linked to good health and a sense of community.4
  • Building community awareness of the Belmont Lagoon area supports increased knowledge of its rich environmental and cultural heritage. Local signage captures the role of the lagoon in the ‘When the Moon Cried’ Dreamtime story, an important link to the area’s First Nations history. 
  • Inclusive signage at points of interest along the FAST route make key cultural, historical and environmental information more accessible to a broad audience. 

Use value
  • Since it opened in August 2024, FAST has become one of the region’s most popular shared path destinations. It is used weekly by thousands of bird watchers, photographers, cyclists, runners and pedestrians. The route is of particular interest to people seeking longer distance physical challenges along this 27-kilometre route.

References

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