Blue Mountains City Council is excited to be working with the Treeline Lurline Steering Committee and the Katoomba Chamber of Commerce & Community to create a landmark boulevard of trees, seasonal colour, heritage, art and story along Lurline Street, Katoomba.

More information about Treeline Lurline is also available at treelinelurline.org.

Undergrounding power - work commences on Monday, 4 March 2024.

The first stage of construction for the Treeline Lurline project will start on Monday, 4 March 2024.

Blue Mountains City Council is working with the Treeline Lurline Committee of the Katoomba Chamber of Commerce & Community to underground the powerlines along Lurline Street between Waratah Street and Merriwa Street. Electrical infrastructure contractors Dancore Solutions are undertaking the construction. New street lighting will also be installed during this stage of works.

The first part of the work involves digging trenches for the underground power lines. This will occur along the path and road surface primarily within the first block of the project (between Waratah Street and Merriwa Street) and mainly along the eastern side of the street beside the RSL. However, some work will occur on the western side but should not affect access to private residences.

The trenching work will involve changes to vehicle and pedestrian traffic conditions along Lurline Street and may affect movement along adjoining streets. At times, some areas of Lurline Street (between Waratah Street and Merriwa Street) will need to be closed to traffic so the work can be conducted safely.

Access for residents and business will be retained and coordinated with the contractor on site.

Construction works will generally take place between 7am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 1pm on Saturdays.

Construction traffic will be managed by Council’s contractors who have been engaged for the works. Some noise and vibration will occur from the construction works. However, active efforts will be made to eliminate and mitigate noise and vibration where possible.

Most of the trenching work is expected to be carried out in March, with full completion of this phase of the project scheduled for May, including the installation of new street lighting.

View a map of the approximate trenching locations. Note that these will not all be open at one time but will generally be completed in sections.

What’s next?

Once power has been undergrounded, construction will start on the above-ground streetscape improvements. More information about road detours and closures will be provided before this work begins in June 2024 (weather permitting).

Draft designs for Treeline Lurline are now available .

View the draft design package (also available in the 'Draft Design Package' tab on the right of this page). The package helps to explain and present the draft designs.

The survey on the draft design package is now closed. Thank you to everyone who responded.

About Treeline Lurline.

Treeline Lurline is an infrastructure renewal project of major tree planting with underground power lines and whole-of-precinct refurbishment along Lurline Street, Katoomba.

It is a collaboration of residents, business and government working together to rejuvenate the Lurline streetscape and provide a spectacular tree-lined boulevard that links Katoomba Town Centre with Echo Point and the Three Sisters.

Lurline Street is the gateway to the Three Sisters at Echo Point, a premier tourist attraction in the Blue Mountains National Park and the most visited Aboriginal sacred site in Australia. It is also a major thoroughfare for local people moving around Katoomba.

The Treeline Lurline Project was initiated and developed by Katoomba Chamber of Commerce & Community and its Treeline Lurline Steering Committee of local residents, businesses and community groups. The project is consistent with Council's Draft Katoomba Masterplan.

Stage One has been funded by the Australian Federal Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Program with a $4,004,275 grant to Katoomba Chamber of Commerce and Community.

Blue Mountains City Council is the project manager. It has a joint Project Control Group with the Katoomba Chamber.

Bendigo Community Bank Blue Mountains is a sponsor and community partner and The National Trust Blue Mountains Branch and Blue Mountains Tourism are community partners.

As the public landowner, Council is a key partner and facilitator in the delivery of this important project.

Core elements of the Treeline Lurline project:

Watercolour illustration by David Wardman provided courtesy of Treeline Lurline

• Undergrounded powerlines for the unhindered and healthy growth of the trees.
  
  
• 1.4 km avenue of advanced street trees to eventually form a spectacular arched canopy from Waratah Street junction at the bottom of Katoomba town centre to the Forster Road junction overlooking Echo Point.
  
  
• Seasonal colour and summer shade.
  
  
• Street corner gardens showcasing cool climate endemic, native and exotic plants popular in upper Blue Mountains gardens.
  
  
• Whole-of-precinct refurbishment that extends the world-class design quality underpinning of Echo Point along Lurline Street to Katoomba town centre.
  
  
• Replacement of dilapidated paving, kerb and guttering with state-of-the-art sustainable street infrastructure including drainage with pervious surfaces and stormwater harvested, polished and channelled to the trees and gardens.
  
  
• Active transport facilities linking the Katoomba town centre and railway station to the Echo Point precinct, Greater Blue Mountains Trail and Grand Clifftop Walk connecting to other townships.
  
  
• Street furniture including seating and rest areas, water stations and rubbish bins.
  
  
• Interpretive heritage and art trail that explores the cultural, architectural and garden history of the locality and the sequent occupancy across 20,000 years from First Nations to colonial and post Federation mining, tourism and cool climate gardening.
  
  
• Wildlife habitat corridor.
  
  

Stage One

The Treeline Lurline project will be delivered in stages as funding becomes available.

Funding has been obtained for Stage 1 Works.

Stage 1 Works include:

• High Level Design for the approximately 1.4 km length of Lurline Street that will form the full extent of the Treeline Lurline project. This includes identifying opportunities and constraints that will establish a consistent pattern for the entire street when establishing the Detailed Design, Documentation and Construction for Block 1 works.
  
  
• Detailed Design and Documentation for Block 1 work in Lurline Street – located between Waratah Street and Merriwa Street in Katoomba.
  
  
• Construction for Block 1 work above and below ground in Lurline Street– located between Waratah Street and Merriwa Street in Katoomba.
  
  

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback via our online survey. The survey has now closed and a consultation report will be available soon.

Stay informed with updates on this project - click ‘Subscribe’ in the Stay informed box to the right.