Planning for the future

Over the last year, the community has continued to come together with the help of local volunteers to tackle future flood and coastal risks in Pelican and Blacksmiths. Together we have brainstormed and assessed options, and put forward the best for further investigation and a cost benefit analysis with Department of Planning Industry and Environment.

In 2020, with the report on the feasibility of options and the results of the cost benefit analysis, Council and the Community Working Group will develop a draft Local Adaptation Plan for Pelican and Blacksmiths. Once prepared, the community will be asked to share their feedback to get it right for our community.

The Project

Living by the coast and lake is a great lifestyle, and it is important that we manage this dynamic environment where sea and lake levels are gradually rising. Decisions we make now can have lasting impacts. New roads, drains and homes built today will still be around in fifty to one hundred years, so we have to plan for the future now.

Sea levels are rising gradually at a rate of around 2.6mm per year in the lake and off the coast of NSW. Based on the best available information it is expected that mean sea level will rise 0.4 metres above 1990 levels by 2050 and 0.9 metres by 2100. This means the rate of sea level rise is expected to accelerate, but it also allows us to have time to plan and prepare now.

Lake Macquarie City Council continues to meet with residents to listen and talk about opportunities for the community to help plan for the future of the area.