Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser (pictured) said “with 360-degree views that stretch across the lake to the coast, all the way up to Port Stephens and across to the Watagans, Munibung Hill is one of the most spectacular but least-visited sites in Lake Macquarie.”
Speaking at the Lake Mac Council meeting on Monday 25 October Mayor Fraser went on to say: “The Management Plan provides a framework for Council to manage the land parcels that make up Munibung Hill, as well as guiding the ongoing management, maintenance, safe public access and recreation opportunities and promotion of this well-loved area.”
Of the four stand out highlights of the meeting, Munibung Hill was up there, with six councilors – Kay Fraser, Colin Grigg, David Belcher, Barney Langford, Brian Adamthwaite and Kevin Baker – speaking for the agenda item. Council endorsed the draft Munibung Hill Management Plan and its associated documents, with the eleven councilors present voting unanimously for them to go on public exhibition. Unfortunately, Councillor Harrison who got the ball rolling over 15 months ago, was unable to be present and to speak in support of the motion.
The Plan, plus the associated Concept Plan, will be on public exhibition for 42 days from 8 November to 20 December.
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Let’s not knock back this opportunity
Extensive publicity campaign aims to spread the message far and wide
Umwelt, the consultants appointed by Council to carry out the site study and prepare a draft Management Plan for Munibung Hill, have produced a 103 page document and an associated 26 page concept plan. A wide-ranging publicity program is being co-ordinated by Karena Thomas, Lake Mac Council, Community Engagement Specialist. It includes:
- Distributing 11,500 postcards to residents in nearby suburbs;
- Signage around Munibung Hill;
- Media releases for newspaper, radio and television;
- Social media coverage including Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Notifications to Sustainable Neighbourhood groups and Landcare groups;
- Munibung Hill consultation website page – where people will be invited to post comments, and
- Q & A meetings involving an in-person meeting to be held on a Wednesday 5.30 – 6.30pm plus an online meeting during a lunch time;
Whether it’s a comment on Councils Facebook page, a post on the consultation map page, a short wirtten letter, a full blown submission, or attendance at one of the meetings, the more comments and feedback on the Management Plan and the Concept Plan the better.
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Munibung Hill makes for a good breakfast story
The announcement of the Management Plan going on public exhibition is a good news story that was picked up by Dan Cox and Jenny Marchant. (1233 ABC Newcastle breakfast, 27 October, 8.40am)
Guest from Lake Mac Council was Brendon Callander, Section Manager Community Assets, who said that: “Obviously people want to be able to get up there, to the top, the views, as you say, are spectacular and it’s an area we really want to open up to the community. So yes, walking trails and those sorts of things, but any more intensive development is not part of the plan.”
“Munibung Hill obviously has a long history, and an important part of that history is the Awabakal use of the hill and the stories that come from that. So there’s some really important sites, and we’ve done a lot of consultation with the Aboriginal Land Councils in the area to make sure that those sites are protected – not doing any disturbance to those and where they need to be isolated, we’re looking to do that as well.”
“It’s really important that people get on and have a look at the Plan we’ve put together and provide us with feedback so that we can know we’re on the right track and we can get this project moving forward.”
MMM … Issue 24, November 2021
