Narrabeen Lagoon Multi-use Trail Project

After months of designing, surveying, and conducting environmental and impact assessments, construction of Stage 1 of the Narrabeen Lagoon Multi-use trail is scheduled to commence in July 2010. For Stage 2, investigations are already underway and design is due to commence in the coming months.

The Narrabeen Lagoon Multi-use Trail Project aims to design and construct 2.5km of trail and pedestrian bridge infrastructure between Deep Creek and South Creek. This project will complete the final links of the existing trail network along the foreshores of the northern beaches largest coastal lagoon.

Project Stages

Stage 1 is from Deep Creek Bridge to Middle Creek Reserve.

Stage 2 is from Middle Creek Reserve to South Creek Reserve and involves the trail section through the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation (Sydney Academy) and the Cromer Golf Club.

Stage 1: Deep Creek Bridge to Middle Creek Reserve

Stage 1 involves the construction of an 850m trail between Deep and Middle Creeks. Construction of the 850m of trail is being managed by Warringah Council and is expected to be completed by early 2011.

The new trail will connect with a new pedestrian bridge at Deep Creek adjacent to the southern side of the existing Deep Creek Bridge. The bridge is being managed by Pittwater Council and is due for completion in 2011.

The new infrastructure will provide pedestrians and cyclists with safe passage to walk and ride this section of the lagoon away from the busy Wakehurst Parkway.

The new section of trail navigates through a sensitive foreshore environment which contains Endangered Ecological Communities, possible buried Aboriginal archaeological material and the ruins of the heritage listed ‘Never Been Beaten Lime and Cement Works. These ruins are listed as having local heritage significance in the Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2000.

To ensure the new section of trail is sensitive to these constraints, Warringah Council commissioned highly qualified ecological, heritage and design consultants to undertake the necessary studies and assessments.

Stage 2 - Middle Creek Reserve to South Creek Reserve

Stage 2 involves improvements to existing parking and visitor facilities at Middle Creek Reserve. It also includes the necessary trail and bridge infrastructure linking through the Sydney Academy and the Cromer Golf Club. The objective of this stage is to provide trail and bridge infrastructure that links the new infrastructure in Stage 1 to the existing trail from South Creek Reserve to Jamieson Park. 

Progression of this stage was made possible with the NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation’s formal announcement in September 2008, in which Warringah Council gained approval to construct a trail through the Sydney Academy. Since this date, Warringah Council has been in consultation with the relevant public authorities, the Sydney Academy and the Cromer Golf Club to identify stakeholder concerns.

Funding

On 6 May 2009, the Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Peter Garrett MP announced Warringah Council’s success in obtaining a $4 million grant from the Australian Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program - Strategic Projects.

Warringah Council has also been successful in obtaining grants from the NSW State Government. These grants were received from the Department of Planning’s Metropolitan Greenspace Program and the Department of Environment and Climate Change’s Estuary Management Program.

Strategic Vision

Completion of this project has been identified as an outcome of the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy the draft Northeast Sub-Regional Strategy, Warringah Council's Dee Why Valley and South Creek Open Space Plan of Management, the Warringah Regional Multiple-Use Trail Strategy (PDF, 3.64), and the Narrabeen Lagoon Estuary Management Plan.

The trail has the capacity to link to Sydney’s Regional Trail network including the Great North Walk and Coastal Trails as well as a regional trail linking south to Dee Why Lagoon.

For more information call Natural Environment on 9942 2111.