I think we need a speed limit on the Fernleigh Track.
I’m not sure how you would police that, or who is responsible for penalising rule breakers, or even what that speed would be, but I think it’s an issue we must discuss.
We need to be proactive.
More than 1,200 people travel the popular track every day.
One can only hope it won’t take losing one of them before we implement measures to make it safer.
The Fernleigh Track is no longer the picturesque, shared path it once was.
The former coal railway line from Adamstown to Belmont can be as ferocious as the Pacific Highway at certain times of the day.
We are now trying to accommodate elderly walkers, dogs on leads, parents pushing prams, leisure riders, joggers, and kids riding bikes to school, with electric scooters, off-road bikes and lycra-clad riders attempting speed records.
It’s a recipe for disaster.
And, yes, I am aware that motorised travel is illegal on the track, but again, who is policing this?
You only need to recall the 14 December incident in which elderly cyclist Greg Hood was knocked from his bike by what is alleged to have been a motorbike rider.
Greg suffered fractured vertebrae, broken ribs, and permanently reduced lung function and paralysis.
When local groups posted about his accident on their social media pages no one seemed surprised, many claiming near-misses were a regular occurrence.
It’s fair to question how fast some cyclists are travelling on that pathway, and how dangerous their speed is for the next on the “food chain”.
Is a kid riding to school safe or the mum pushing a pram? And, what about the youngster trying out their new two-wheeler for the first time?
“Shared” is the key word. We need regulation that makes this track safe for everyone.
I recently hosted interstate visitors at my home and was keen to show them the beautiful Fernleigh Track in all its summer glory.
After a coffee in Whitebridge, we took a short stroll near the former Whitebridge Station and BHP bridge (hence the name White Bridge).
My 49-year-old male guest was walking ahead of me and, intrigued with the history of the iconic landmark that connects Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, turned to ask a question about its origins when he was nearly knocked over by a cyclist heading north at a speed comparable with a small car.
If there’d been a split-second difference, I have no doubt the interaction would have had more serious consequences.
After a mouthful of abuse was hurled at him and his ignorance (yes, it was his first-time on the track), he was left with a somewhat bitter taste of the hospitality of Novocastrians.
Bear in mind this occurred at 8.15am, a time when several school students are making their daily journey to and from learning institutions in the area.
Now I know this will upset some cyclists but perhaps if you’re travelling as fast as a car, you should be on a road where other inhabitants are travelling at similar speeds.
This is a track that has sat at its current location for at least 6,000 years.
Although it’s only speculation, I’m doubting the Awabakal people ever witnessed the Fernleigh fury that exists on this land today.
From a time in the late 1880s when the Adamstown to Belmont railway line was used to transport coal from Lake Mac mines to the port of Newcastle and the Newcastle steel works, to its current day role as a leisure travel route, the track has served many purposes.
In addition to coal haulage, the railway line boasted a passenger service between Belmont and Newcastle, a trip that took around one hour and was frequently used for weekend excursions from the city.
When coal transportation began to decline, the service and maintenance of the line decreased, before the scheduled passenger service was terminated in 1971.
After the Lambton Colliery shut down operations in 1991, use of the line ceased completely.
But, in 1994 the Fernleigh Track Committee transformed the former rail corridor to a community asset, purchased by the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle City Councils.
In 1999 both organisations and the NSW and federal governments allowed construction to start with a significant focus set on restoration and preservation.
And, since different sections were completed in stages (spanning 2003 – 2011) more plans have been developed to further the track to Murrays Beach.
In fact in December 2022, the track was promised a further $1.17 million from the Get NSW Active program.
Surely, we must get this right before we add an extra 12km to the Fernleigh fury.
It’s described in every promotional paperwork as being a path that ‘provides a safe off-road link between residential and employment areas’.
Sure, it does come with its own Code of Conduct, but how many track users are aware of these?
- Keep left at all times and do not block the track.
- When cycling, ring bell on approach of other users and travel at a safe speed.
- Keep dogs under control on a short lead.
- Ensure young children are supervised at all times.
- Whilst sharing the path, consider children, elderly users and people with disabilities.
- The track runs through a corridor of natural bushland. In the event of extreme weather conditions including bushfires and high winds, reconsider use.
- A number of fresh water supplies are located along the track, however it is advisable to carry one’s own supply if travelling in high temperatures or for long distances.
- Help protect this beautiful natural resource.
- Please retain all litter and dispose of in bins provided.
- Emergency: 000 or 112 from a mobile
So, what is the solution? How do we avoid further animosity?
Sadly, I don’t have a solution.
Do you?
For more stories like this:
- July 2022: Indigenous art to feature on the Fernleigh Track
- Sept 2021: Fernleigh Track a family favourite during lockdown
- Dec 2020: Fernleigh Track’s new $200,000 facility
- Oct 2021: Plans unveiled for northern section of F.A.S.T
- Oct 2020: Technology tracks Track’s users
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