Frequently Asked Questions

Stage 3 of the Wentworth Falls Lake Precinct upgrade is here, with the concept plan for the Loop Walk. This proposes a continuous loop walk to improve safety and accessibility while protecting the precinct’s natural environment. 

Council is seeking community feedback on this concept plan.

This stage of the upgrade is funded by the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program.  

Wentworth Falls Lake Reserve is one of four district parks in the Blue Mountains. 

District parks are large and high-quality parks that cater to the needs of the broader community. They offer a wider variety of activities and settings and are often the most popular parks and playgrounds.

This upgrade is in line with the vision for the park and precinct as outlined in the community-endorsed Wentworth Falls Lake Reserve Masterplan and Plan of Management (adopted on 29 June 2021). 

The vision is to provide a high-quality precinct that is accessible and inclusive for the community and visitors, while protecting its natural values and biodiversity, as well as safely managing dam infrastructure.

• Along the eastern edge of the lake a new viewing platform and pedestrian walkway now link to an accessible path along the lake edge to Waratah Road. 
• A new carpark on Waratah Road has been constructed, which links to the accessible path.
• Improvements to sections of the shared path along Sinclair Crescent have been completed.
• A new boat ramp and emergency services access area has been constructed.
• An upgraded dam, spillway and path across the dam wall have been completed.
• Stage 1 of the Sinclair Crescent carpark has been constructed and opened to the community.

The concept plan includes a range of measures aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and reducing vehicle speeds, including: 

• A proposed 10km/h shared zone. 
• Traffic calming treatments at key locations, particularly near blind corners. 
• Delineation of pedestrian space within the road corridor. 
• Potential landscaping and road treatments to encourage slower driving behaviour. 
• Improved connections between on-road and off-road walking sections. 

A key objective of this upgrade is to improve visitor access, while protecting sensitive environmental areas. Proposed track upgrades are intended to guide users onto designated paths, reduce informal trail creation, minimise erosion, and discourage trampling of sensitive vegetation and hanging swamp areas.

This upgrade is in line with the vision for the precinct, as outlined in the Wentworth Falls Lake Reserve Masterplan and Plan of Management, adopted in 2021. As with all proposed Council projects, extensive environmental assessments have been undertaken. This includes a formal Review of Environmental Factors. 

It is important that, while we improve accessibility and the appropriate level of recreational amenity for a district park, we balance this with the need to preserve the natural values of the site, as well as the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultural heritage. 

A full flora and fauna study has been undertaken and all work is designed and delivered in consultation with Council’s tree, environment, and heritage teams.

The upgrade works will have a small footprint in relation to the overall site and environmental impacts have been avoided or mitigated in the concept design process.

Not necessarily. The concept plan presents a range of potential improvements. As with many grant-funded projects, the final scope will need to balance community priorities, environmental considerations, technical requirements and available funding. Feedback received during this consultation will help Council determine which elements should be prioritised if budget constraints require some items to be modified or removed. 

The proposed loop walk includes accessible viewing areas and seeks will improve access where practical. However, due to the steep terrain and natural bushland setting around parts of the lake, it is not feasible for the entire loop walk to be fully accessible. The design aims to provide accessible experiences at key locations while retaining the natural character of the area.

Most existing tracks will remain. Some sections may be upgraded or formalised to improve safety, accessibility and environmental outcomes. Other informal tracks may remain in their current condition, particularly where they are outside the primary project scope. 

The current concept plan does not propose expanding the Waratah Road car park. The project instead focuses on improving walking connections, safety, environmental protection and visitor experiences around the lake precinct. 

Feedback received during community consultation will help Council: 

• Understand overall support for the proposed concept. 
• Identify the community's highest priorities. 
• Balance environmental, safety, accessibility and visitor experience outcomes. 
• Refine the design before progressing to detailed design and construction. 
• Allocate available funding to the elements that deliver the greatest community benefit. 

Council will review all feedback received and prepare a consultation outcomes report. The concept design will then be refined where appropriate before progressing to the next stage of design and delivery. Updated information will be made available to the community as the project develops. 

Subject to design refinement, approvals, funding requirements and procurement, construction is expected to start mid to late 2027.