Overview

The upgrade to Wingham’s Riverside Reserve provided formalised car parking, refurbished amenities, new picnic tables, and landscaping at this popular beauty spot.

The project had to be postponed due to the March 2021 floods, which caused damage to the reserve. An expanded scope of began on 14 June 2022, following the flying-fox breeding season, in harmony with NSW Government guidelines.

The Reserve project included earthworks and paving to parking space, installation of timber bollards and a retaining wall.

The upgrade was possible thanks to $102,880 from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund.

After the 2021 floods, the original plan was expanded to include repairs to damaged facilities. A further $100,000 from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program was granted to undertake this repair work.

The reserve was also made more resilient to future floods by the construction of picnic islands, diversion of stormwaters, and enlargement and creation of drain dishes.

Following the floods, Council also obtained a $223,610 grant from Local Government NSW (LGNSW), funded by the NSW Environmental Trust to restore flying-fox roosting and foraging habitat. The grant will include revegetation and weed control rehabilitating eight hectares of land in the coming years, also helping to restore the endangered low land rainforest.

Status

Wingham Riverside Reserve was officially reopened Tuesday 6 December.

Restoration of the endangered low land rainforest will be ongoing.