Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space
The new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitors Centre will be open for the public to enjoy from Saturday 30 September 2023 and is open 9am - 5pm seven days per week excluding Christmas Day. The site will be closed to the public during periods of extreme and catastrophic fire danger to manage public safety.
The new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space will feature:
- new interactive visitor education centre
- new accessible family friendly amenities block
- new children’s play space
- new picnic table shelters, pergola shelters, bins and bench seating
- new soft native landscaping to picnic areas
- wayfinding and interpretive signage
- improved pedestrian and vehicle access including new parallel bus parking
Central Coast Council received $2.567million from the NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund to complete this important project and the design and construction contract has been awarded to North Construction & Building.
Consultation
The community told us what they would like to see in this space during the consultation earlier this year and we are proud to have re-designed the initial plans to now deliver features that are valued by our community.
Council wanted to hear from the community on how to best represent the significance of this site, which is home to a critical piece of our region’s water supply network and has a rich Indigenous and agriculture history.
The community were invited to share their ideas, feedback and stories which will be used to guide the concept design for the Mangrove Creek Dam picnic area and lookout by:
- Reading the frequently asked questions (available below)
- Viewing the interactive map and explore the suggested concept designs, comment on proposed features and highlight points of interest that are important to you (comments are now closed but you an still explore the interactive map).
The Updated Concept Design was based on community feedback collected between 1 February and 11 March 2022.
Links
Doc View
Consultation results
Updated Concept Design
Timeline View
Who's listening
Where is the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space to be located?
The Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space will be located at the picnic area, adjacent to the upper viewing platform.
Why is Council preparing a concept design for the Visitor Space?
Council is requesting the communities input in preparing the final concept design for the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space to ensure that the space delivered is reflective of the community’s aspirations for this significant site.
What benefits will the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space deliver once complete?
The proposed project will rebuild the amenities building destroyed by the 2019-20 bushfires and improve the picnic area and educational facilities – providing a Visitor Space.
The revitalisation of the Visitor Space will also enhance linkages with other tourism offerings on the Central Coast.
How is the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space being funded?
As a result of the destruction of the site following the 2019 Three Mile Fire Central Coast Council has received $2.567million from the NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund to create a Visitor Space that encourages both locals and tourists to spend more time enjoying this beautiful area and supporting local businesses.
How was this site affected by the Three Mile Fire?
The Three Mile Fire completely destroyed the Mangrove Creek Dam picnic area including the amenities building, fencing and information display boards. The loss of this Council asset has required the area to be closed to the public for approximately one year. Portable toilets have been set-up at the site to enable some form of public visitation.
How can I have my say on the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space concept plans?
Between 1 February and 11 March 2022, Council encouraged the community to have their say on the draft concept plans which present an overall layout for the site and provide information on key inclusions such as amenities block, visitor centre with overhanging viewing platforms on two levels, BBQs, picnic tables and seating as well as the potential for a nature-based children’s playspace.
What are the next steps for the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space?
Following the concept plan consultation period, Council used the information collected to inform the finalisation of the concept plan.
Construction on the new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space commenced in November 2022 and is expected to be completed in August 2023 (weather and other delays permitting). The external buildings are now complete, with external weather sensitive works to be completed. We will advise the public once these works are complete and the facility is open.
Where can I find out more information on the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space?
For more information on the development of the Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Space concept plans you can:
- view the information available on this page
- contact us using the information listed in the “Who’s listening” widget.