Let’s talk about Walka
Walka is not being privatised
Community access to the site will be improved and remain free
Without State Government funding, large parts of Walka will remain closed
Less than 4% of the site will be used for accommodation
There is no planned removal of trees
We will enhance the natural environment and protect flora and fauna
Community consultation is an integral part of the project
We’re listening to your feedback and questions around the staged reopening of Walka Water Works. We’re here to clear up misunderstandings and from Monday will be addressing a series of topics both here and on our website mait.city/walkawaterworks
Detailed planning for the site is yet to commence, so here’s some of the ways to get involved. Expressions of Interest for the Community Liaison Group (CLG) closed as of Sunday 30 April 2023. For more information on the role, responsibilities and selection criteria for the Walka Water Works CLG, please read the Terms of Reference.
And don’t forget our Facebook Community Live Q&A on 11 May where we’ll continue to cover the topics, questions and concerns that you’ve raised mait.city/WalkaQandA
Beyond this there’ll be more opportunity for involvement as planning progresses.
No. Walka is not being privatised and community access will remain free and under Council management. Reflections manage holiday parks and reserves around New South Wales on Crown Land and will only manage the accommodation on site. Any profit they make must go back into NSW Crown Lands for the benefit of us all, not to private developers.
Yes. There will be a new access road from Oakhampton Road to Walka Water Works, the main entrance to the site will be near the Pumphouse Building. Access to the accommodation will be off to the right, just inside the current entry point to the site near Scobies Lane.
Yes. This proposal will see the historic Pumphouse Building partially restored and reopened after many years of being closed due to contamination issues and building code requirements.
When Council applied for State Government funding, an estimated calculation of the accommodation area came in at under 10% of the site. The time critical nature of the grant application and the fact that only a concept was required at the application stage, meant the figure of less than 10% was used to indicate the estimated portion of the site to be used for accommodation.
A more detailed look at the proposed accommodation area has now been undertaken and this has confirmed that the area (which has not changed from the original map published on Council’s website) would in fact represent less than 4% of the total site not including the lake, or less than 3% including the lake. The figure remains as ‘less than 10%’ although we’re now able to confirm that the percentage of the site to be used for accommodation is less than originally estimated.
