We're proud of the rich heritage of Catherine Hill Bay and want to make sure it's preserved and celebrated now and into the future.
We are preparing a Heritage Interpretation Plan (HIP) for the Catherine Hill Bay Master Plan Precincts.
The Catherine Hill Bay Precincts Master Plan highlighted the opportunity for the interpretation of key elements within the project site as one of the key principles for integrating the heritage and historical context.
The HIP builds on the master plan to provide a targeted approach for delivering messages about the cultural heritage values of the site to users and other audiences.
The HIP will focus on the two precincts - the Surf Life Saving Club Precinct and the Middle Camp Sports and Recreation Precinct -and interpretive opportunities along the proposed coastal walkway and heritage trail, including the Catherine Hill Bay Lookout on land managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The HIP will offer recommendations for interpretive elements and media across these precincts, including signage, markers, timelines, integrated public art, functional and play-based features - each celebrating the rich history, stories, peopleand infrastructure that define Catherine Hill Bay.
Thank you to everyone who attended our workshop, completed a survey or made a submission to inform our Heritage Interpretation Plan throughout May and June 2025. An engagement summary is now available.
A HIP provides a framework for ways of communicating the significance of a site to users and other audiences through interpretation. The HIP is intended to guide the detailed preparation of heritage interpretation elements throughout the planning and design process at a significant site.
The project area is part of the Catherine Hill Bay Cultural Precinct, which is state listed and recognised for its historical and scenic value. The Catherine Hill Bay Precincts Master Plan acknowledges the site’s heritage significance and the opportunity for the unique values and qualities to be shared. The HIP will address the area’s Aboriginal and historic heritage and establish a cohesive design approach, ensuring consistency in appearance and materials across the project site.
The HIP builds on the interpretive opportunities identified in the Catherine Hill Bay Precincts Master Plan to provide detailed recommendations for interpretive elements across the project site.
The HIP is being developed in parallel and with the design of the Community Hub (stage one of the Catherine Hill Bay Precincts Master Plan) and will inform planning and design of the future stages.
For an overview of the Catherine Hill Bay Precincts Master Plan including current and future stages, visit lakemac.com.au.
The HIP is being developed in accordance with the following Australian and NSW Standard Heritage Guidelines:
An understanding of the relevance and importance of Catherine Hill Bay to potential audiences is fundamental to creating interpretive media which accurately and sensitively conveys the significance of the site. Your input will help us highlight people and community, important historical events, businesses, infrastructure, and personal memories that should be celebrated through heritage interpretation.
Our Lake Macquarie History website has more information on the history of Catherine Hill Bay including photos and links to articles on notable locations and residents.