Forum –
Here we are again, facing a third week of lockdown and more with tighter restrictions because we live in the Central Coast Council boundary even though we are among a handful of villages that front Lake Macquarie.
Less than two years ago, Lake Macquarie City Council put in a request to the Boundaries Commission to take all the suburbs from Wyee Point to Gwandalan and Summerland Point into their Council area.
All of these villages lie on Lake Macquarie waterfront and are the only areas of Lake Macquarie that aren’t in the Lake Macquarie City Council.
This would seem to be a rational, common sense, move as Lake Macquarie rarely, if ever, gets a mention by Central Coast Council, as compared to the management required for its other massive waterways, Tuggerah Lakes and the Brisbane Water, it is able to overlook us.
Yet, Central Coast Council would not agree with the release.
This was a huge blow to the residents who really identify with Lake Macquarie and more of our northern areas like Swansea, Belmont, Charlestown and Newcastle, rather than Gosford.
How different our life would be now; no lockdown, and one body to care for the lake.
It’s not as if we get anything special from Central Coast Council and aren’t likely to for years and years due to the hopeless financial state we now find ourselves saddled with because of this failed State Government experiment of amalgamation.
I can’t help but think this decision was made because Central Coast Council can see dollar signs from development at Gwandalan, Summerland Point and Crangan Bay plus the Greater Munmorah Structure Plan which, in my opinion, will be an ecological disaster for our region and cause problems with pollution, drainage and runoff for both Lake Macquarie and Tuggerah Lakes.
However, we residents who feel similarly should not abandon hope and try again to release ourselves from the grip of this behemoth Central Coast Council and become ratepayers for Lake Macquarie City Council.
We should agitate by contacting our local members and making direct appeals to both councils and the Boundaries Commission as individuals and community groups.
Email, July 11
Susan Wynn, Mannering Park
Mayor Graham (passed) Wyong Council visited Summerland Pt some years ago & was quizzed about the $25.00 Enviromental Levey we paid to Wyong Council for Lake Macquarie, he firmly believed Lake Macquarie was further north & not included in his shire, this meeting was held in the Community Hall at Summerland Pt. which is about 50 feet from Lake Mac. & from where he was standing in the hall. I think that says it all. I believe he did not know where he was nor did he know that a fair percentage of the community live in residents on the shore of Lake Mac. in this suburb. Councilor Symmington did an audit & very soon after Wyong council did spend a few dollars here but it has all stopped now due to our Council having financial problems. The sooner we become included with Lake
Mac. Council the better off all the residents will be & so will Lake Macquarie, all will benefit as Wyong Council took our money & spent it elsewhere.