Planning documents for the Kooroowall-undi (Peat Island) and Foreshore Development Project at Mooney Mooney are on public exhibition until June 23.
Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council’s proposed development at the gateway to the Central Coast is focused on tourism featuring a jetty, café and visitor and cultural centre.
Former dairy buildings and a shed will be adapted for reuse as a café with indoor and outdoor seating and views overlooking the Hawkesbury River and foreshore.
A new accessible boardwalk will connect the café to the foreshore and viewing platform, and the existing expansive lawn area to the south of the new café will continue to be used for passive recreation such as walking, informal play, picnicking and, in the future, a potential event space.
The proposed jetty on the northern side of the causeway from the mainland to Peat Island will be used by tour operators to pick up and drop off visitors embarking on water-based guided tours.
It will also provide temporary mooring (no overnight stays) for a limited number of private boats wanting to pick up a coffee or light snack before continuing on their way along the Hawkesbury River.
Along with the guided walking tours of Kooroowall-Undi (Peat Island), the visitor and cultural centre within the former administration building will provide an opportunity for visitors to learn about and understand the site’s long, conflicting and at times troubled history.
The cultural centre will display art and materials, showcase Aboriginal culture, share stories and music, and feature hands-on activities.
The development is part of a larger plan to revitalise the precinct, which could in the future include accommodation and event spaces.
According to the Conservation Management Plan, the new development does not have an adverse impact: “rather (it) opens up what has been for many years a restricted access site and also involves the clearing of invasive weed species along the foreshore and will open up significant views to Peat Island”.
The proposal does not include any physical works on Peat Island itself.
The Aboriginal name for Peat Island is Kooroowall-Undi – place of the bandicoots – and the name is significant to cultural heritage and the Baiame Creation story.
Colonial exploration saw 60 acres at Mooney Mooney granted to George Peat in 1831 and in 1866 islands in the Hawkesbury River were reserved as Crown land, which displaced the local Aboriginal communities.
George Peat died in 1870 and in 1902 construction began on the then Rabbit Island which became a mental illness hospital in 1911 and later a facility for people with intellectual and mental disabilities before finally being decommissioned in 2010.
In 1936 the name of Rabbit Island was changed to Peat Island and a dairy was established in 1940 at Mooney Mooney Point.
Through the 1950s substantial construction included a causeway linking the island to the mainland at Mooney Mooney.
From the 1970s to 2010 there was a gradual decline in operations and the land was transferred to the Department of Community Services in 1989.
The 8ha was the subject of a 2016 land claim under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW).
While that claim was originally rejected, subsequent negotiations have seen the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council secure it freehold, with a number of commitments from the NSW Government.
After the property sat unused for 12 years, a deed of agreement was executed in 2022 for the transfer of ownership to the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Submissions for DA/306/2025 are open until June 23 on Central Coast Council’s website.
it should have been sold for up market houses
Thank you for providing this valuable news. It will be wonderful to finally open up Peat Island to the public. It has been shrouded in secrecy all my life of 70 years. There have been rumours about the psychiatric hospital at Peat Island incarcerating people there for decades. It will be fascinating to finally know the truth about Peat Island and discover its connection to the Aboriginal people of the area.
Peat lsland is also linked with the ferries that broke their moorings after flooding rains in 1978…with a rope tied to a large tree on the island in an attempt to stop them before they and piled up debris crashed into the Hawkesbury bridge.
I am looking forward to visiting the island and learning about its past.
think of the homeless many of them would fall into the category of person who were safely housed in a institution on this place .
the proposed use us another fizzer
I worked with previous staff and clients who were transferred to Casurina Grove at Kanwal from Peat Island. All those I spoke with said the clients were very happy on the island. Sure it was a facility for the mentally impaired, but they had a freedom there that a fenced in facility falls short of. Swimming all day, running around in the sun, gardens fresh veges. Imagine being uprooted from that to where they are now.
Finally a realistic proposal that protects a unique site,thankfully no sale to developers and expensive housing to ruin the area.
Really pleased that it is being used. It is a haunted Erie place that needs to be respected by all. To the person who thought it should be up market housing, you do not know how tirelessly we petitioned all councils to return it to the First Nation people. That is us, the river folk… people who live here and people who don’t want our river to be stuffed up with wealthy buffoons in big boats. I hope you realise how hard we worked to prevent this. Thank you.
What are the ongoing financial commitments from the NSW State Government? Why is the tax payer paying the bill yet again. Another missed opportunity! This is a key site, it could be so much more.
I feel this is a great use of the historic island. with rising water levels housing would become a nightmare for those building on the island and housing for the homeless risks becoming a slum. The island can finally be a place of piece and aid the our fight against global warming.
This former Health Dept. site at Mooney Mooney has been a political football for years . It in part comprises public housing deliberately allowed to deteriorate and subsequently vandalised due to neglect .
In terms of allocation of part of the site to the Aboriginals it should be noted within my family life time as residents of Mooney dating back to 1937 there were no local aboriginals . There were 2 part aboriginal families in Mooney ,one that traces back to South Australia and mine from Upper Manila.
The allocation of part of the foreshore ( extending well beyond the rock carvings ) compromises the future development of part of the site ( what was known as the sewing building located north towards Cabbage Tree Point ) . The redevelopment also ignores addressing the mud flats created by the Island Causeway, intended to be addressed in earlier development proposals and i suspect remnant asbestos both on the island and mainland arising from past rubbish disposal , throughout the earlier years of the hospital certainly up to the 1970’s.
As another issue is the history , as portrayed these days of Peat and Milson Islands. Many current comments are not in accordance with the operation of the hospitals as recounted to me by both my grandfathers who worked there from the 1920’s until the 1970’s , one of whom was the resident Supervisor of Milson Island.
Always was, always will be… a step in the right direction. Strongly disagree with development comments, this should be a site for all. So a thank you to the custodians who are planning to open the space. This area is a special place and it should be treated so. Not disagreeing with housing for people but not there… not another overdevelopment and victim to greed.
Congradulations to the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council for their success in
the land claim of Kooroowall-Undi.I have been a resident at Bar Point
for 40 years and will be glad to see first nations people having a
presence on the river. I have several 2 / 3 meter Bangalow palms that I
am happy to donate if you have use for them, call it a “Welcome to
Country” gift, as it were. Re the proposed jetty, soundings I have taken
suggest to me that this would not be the best location – look south of
the causeway instead, think ramp and floating dock, much cheaper.
Best wishes ian.s