A BOARDWALK snaking through Lake Macquarie wetlands to a viewing platform is expected to form the centrepiece of the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track (FAST)'s northern section.
The Newcastle Herald can unveil the Lake Macquarie City Council plan, which includes a new bridge over Cold Tea Creek and spur footpaths looping through the area.
Project manager Tess Dziwulski said a decision on the "iconic piece of infrastructure" came after more than a year of environmental investigation, public consultation and negotiation with land owners.
"The structures, public art installations and interpretive signage that form part of the project will deliver ... more than just a shared pathway," Ms Dziwulski said.
Ironwork on the new bridge and the viewing platform are both due to nod to the Indigenous cultural story detailing the waterway's formation.
After crossing Cold Tea Creek, the track will continue along the eastern side of Beach Street oval, then onto Ocean Park Road and Green Street, past Belmont cemetery and along the northern edge of Belmont Golf & Bowls before meeting the southern section on the Pacific Highway.
The southern section is under construction following a $7.4 million state government grant, with the council footing the rest of the bill.
"The track will fill in a missing link of shared pathway between the end of the Fernleigh Track at Belmont and Blacksmiths, adding to our city's growing active transport network," the council's chief executive, Tony Farrell, said.
