The Lake Pillans Boardwalk was reopened last Saturday by Mayor Maree Statham.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The boardwalk was reconstructed after being destroyed by the devastating Gospers Mountain bushfire in December 2019. "The [December 2019] fires brought devastation and loss to many people across the Greater Lithgow area and elsewhere around the state," said the Mayor.
"We all witnessed the loss of homes, property, livestock, natural bushland and most sadly, several lives. The physical evidence is still visible all around us. But so too, the impacts of these fires are still being felt by individuals and communities and will continue to do so for some time. Not always so visible, but very real."
The $1 million reconstruction of the boardwalk was co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments' Bushfire Local Economies Recovery Fund. BLERF support regions impacted by bushfires through employment and building resilience.
The original boardwalk was constructed in the 1990's by locals in the SkillShare program.
Lake Pillans is a significant part of Lithgow's rich industrial history. The wetlands were originally used as storage for cooling water from the Blast furnace during Lithgow's industrial age.
The area was repurposed in the 1990's to provide recreation for the community. The repurposing brought new life to the historical lake that remained unused since the 1930's.
The wetlands are also a functioning ecosystem. Lake Pillans naturally filters storm water by collecting and holding flood waters. The area also functions as a habitat for a range of wildlife and plants. During times of drought, the wetlands also become a refuge for animals.
"The loss of the Lake Pillans boardwalk was a shock, especially I imagine for the community who live close by or who use it regularly. I'm sure we all agree that Lake Pillans is a special place that is visited and enjoyed by many. A very peaceful place too. We are so lucky to have this beautiful natural place, right next to the historic blast furnace ruins. Not only for the benefit of the local community, but fantastic tourist attractions too," said the Mayor.
Lake Pillians has now been restored and is open to the community for use. It features a walking track circuit with bridges and boardwalk. There is also opportunity for visitors to bask in the recovered native woodland.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
