UPDATE: South Lawson Park fence line

8 December 2022

Visitors to South Lawson Park will have noticed a minor readjustment to the installed fence line, on the south eastern end of the park, from the original design.

This adjustment has occurred due to the requirement to avoid a registered Aboriginal heritage site. This change was made following advice from a consulting archaeologist and according to state regulation.

While the fence line has been adjusted to avoid this culturally important area on the south eastern end of the dog off-leash area (marked A in image - approx. reduction of 283m2), it has also been further extended at the southern end to counter for this (marked B in image - approx. increase of 174m2).

This extension occurred as best as the designed and approved pathway (shown in yellow in the image) would allow, and follows feedback from the community in the last round of engagement.

Council appreciates that the adjustment may appear to be significant given the planned alignment was to run along the tree line, dividing the original two fairways. However, the final adjustment is only marginal (approx. 109m2). This is 0.2% of the new fenced off-leash area, that is still 43,290m2.

Fencing is also being installed as per the original plan to support the rehabilitation of the sensitive riparian zone, to exclude users and their animals, and to protect wildlife.

This fence formalises the environmental rehabilitation zone and will be reviewed in two years, to determine if suitable rehabilitation has occurred in this area and is sustainable. Once the upgraded park is operating as normal, we would expect the creek side of the fence to become a sanctuary for wildlife.

We are pleased to say that this project is still on track to be completed early in 2023, following earlier delays due to extreme weather.

The current upgrade of the park will create a significant recreational space that balances the needs of a wide cross-section of the Blue Mountains community. It will also ensure improved protections of the creek line, swamp and wet areas.