Port Stephens Council worked hard to get the new bridge installed over the culvert at Foreshore Drive, however other works have continued to languish despite the community advocating for funded projects to be completed.

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The popular walking track at Corlette Point was washed out in the storms.

The track features a set of concrete stairs leading from the Anchorage up onto a headland walk of around two kilometres, linking the walk along the foreshore from the Tomaree Coastal Walk at Shoal Bay through to Nelson Bay, around Salamander Bay and the Mambo Wanda Wetlands and on to Soldiers Point.

All of which can be traversed on dedicated walking or cycling tracks and through parklands and foreshore reserves.

Sadly the track has fallen into disuse, with the landslip making it unsafe to traverse.

Now, some of the stairways on the bush track are becoming overgrown due to a lack of foot traffic.

Port Stephens Council’s Asset Section Manager, John Maretich told News Of The Area, “During the March 2021 storms, a landslip occurred on a small section of the informal walking track at Corlette Point.

“Council received funding from the first round of NSW State Government Disaster Recovery Funding to repair this landslip, among other projects.

“Our capital works program prioritises road repairs, rehabilitation and upgrades and the current program focuses on a number of important projects across the LGA that meet this priority, including the works at Little Beach, Avenue of the Allies, Marine Drive at Fingal Bay and Teramby Road at Nelson Bay.

“The repair works of the Corlette Point walking track will be scheduled in our future capital works programming and will be completed before December 2024.”

Locals are disappointed that this funded work is not already in the schedule of future capital works when it was impacted in March 2021 and funded in the first round of NSW State Government Disaster Recovery Funding.

For regular walkers this deadline for completion is somewhat of a blow – Council has committed to repairing the track within 45 months of the time when the damage occurred.

Marylou Stubbs, President of Business Port Stephens told News Of The Area, “Much of our business community is reliant on the tourist trade, and whilst some key areas impacted in the 2021 storms have been rectified, it’s critical that we continue to push for all remedial work to be completed within reasonable timeframes.

“These tracks, including Corlette Point, form a crucial part of the attraction to our region for those who enjoy exploring nature and the vistas on these off-road treks.

“Maintaining walking tracks and their ease of navigation will continue to enhance our appeal to our target tourism markets,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON