Terrigal boardwalk: Business Events Council chair says project desperately needed

The head of a major Australian business organisation has told Central Coast Council that rejecting the Terrigal boardwalk proposal would send the message that doing business on the Central Coast is “just too hard”.

Terrigal Boardwalk: Large numbers of people on Terrigal headland.

The head of a major Australian business organisation has told Central Coast Council that rejecting the Terrigal boardwalk proposal would send the message that doing business on the Central Coast is “just too hard”.

Business Events Council of Australia chairman Matthew Hingerty was among several people to address council on the boardwalk issue this week, and said tourism on the Central Coast “desperately needed this piece of infrastructure”.

Artists impressions of the proposed Terrigal Boardwalk, November 2019

Mr Hingerty said the idea of a boardwalk at Terrigal had first been mooted in 1991 and since that time similar boardwalks had been successfully built at many locations in NSW.

“But we are no closer than we were in 1991,” Mr Hingerty said.

“Tourism operators want stuff to happen — sensitive, sustainable, equitable developments — they want nature based tourism,” he said.

“Approving this proposal will send the message that the Central Coast is open for tourism investment.”

Matthew Hingerty.

Rod Dever

Gosford-Erina-Coast Chamber of Commerce president Rod Dever also addressed Council and said there was a fear in the community that the boardwalk proposal would not proceed.

He said losing government funding for the proposal would add to the perception of “failure” created when millions in funding for the Whinny Bay track was handed back to the State Government earlier this year.

Despite the concerns of the business community, the majority of councillors still voted to proceed with an onsite inspection and engineer briefing at Terrigal before they decide whether council will match the $2.9 million already promised by the NSW Government for the boardwalk and upgrade of Terrigal rock pool.

Artists impression of Terrigal Boardwalk

Councillor Troy Marquart’s motion to block the site inspection through a recision motion failed.

The issue will come back to a June meeting of council when a final decision on funding of the project is likely to be made.