Design process/history

Fernleigh Track follows the route of a former railway line, which was closed in 1991. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Councils jointly purchased the land corridor in 1993 and began planning for its conversion to a walking and cycling track. In 1996, the Councils established a joint committee under Section 355 of the Local Government Act 1993, to exercise care, control and management over the corridor, with its first major task being to develop a management plan, which would direct appropriate use and development of the corridor. An extended study process including several rounds of community consultation resulted in the development of an implementation plan that was formally adopted by both Councils in 1999. Work was then begun on the construction of the track, in a joint venture between the two Councils and the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA). Stage one of the track (Adamstown to Kahibah) was opened in 2003, and Stage two (Kahibah to Whitebridge) in 2005. This work to date has created a total of 5.5 kilometres of track.

Construction of Stage 3 is expected to commence in June 2009 and will extend the route another 4 kilometres from Whitebridge to Redhead, providing a continuous off-road sealed pedestrian and cycle link from Redhead to Newcastle. This section will be jointly funded by the Federal Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Governments Better Regions Program, the RTA, the NSW Department of Planning and the two Councils. There are also plans for two final sections, which would continue the track a further 6 kilometres to Belmont.

The Fernleigh Track Committee continues to manage the Track, and is comprised of three councillors from each of Newcastle City Council and Lake Macquarie City Council, as well as council staff, a community representative from each Local Government Area, a representative from a regional cycling group, and a representative from a regional parks organisation.