Central Coast Council is excited to announce that the new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre will be open to the public from tomorrow Saturday 30 September 2023. 

The $3.2 million project has been rebuilt after Central Coast Council received $2.567 million from the Commonwealth and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund. 

Key features of the new facility include a new interactive visitor education centre, accessible family friendly amenities, a children’s play space and revitalised picnic area with new picnic table shelters, bins and bench seating.

Council Director for Water and Sewer Jamie Loader encouraged the community to come out and see the new visitor centre. 

“The Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre provides an exceptional visitor experience through the provision of modern visitor facilities, providing educational insights into the water supply system, natural environment and cultural heritage of the area. 

“Central Coast Council provides a potable water supply service to approximately 350,000 residents across the region. Key components of the water supply system include Mangrove Creek Dam, Mangrove Creek Weir and their associated catchments. 

“The new visitor space provides our community with the opportunity to come out and see the scale of this for themselves, taking in the serenity that Mangrove Creek Dam has to offer, all while enjoying the new family friendly facilities,” Mr Loader said. 

Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart thanked the Commonwealth and NSW Governments for their support towards the project.

“The Mangrove Creek Weir and Mangrove Creek catchments were significantly affected by the Three Mile Fire in December 2019, with the Mangrove Creek Dam Picnic Area being destroyed.

“Mangrove Creek Dam is the largest dam on the Central Coast and a key component of the Central Coast Water Supply System. With approximately 20,000 visitors a year, the provision of an enhanced visitor experience improves our tourism offering in the Central Coast hinterland. 

“This project shows how great things happen when different levels of Government work together hand-in-hand with the community,” Mr Hart said. 

Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said the new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre will educate the community on where their precious water comes from.

“From the ashes new tourism ventures have grown, with this project prom

oting the stunning natural landscape which lies in the Central Coast hinterland,” Ms Moriarty said.

“The NSW Government is continuing to deliver the support that communities need to keep moving forward in recovery and is ensuring no one is left behind.”

Community consultation was undertaken by Central Coast Council for this project with feedback informing design and construction planning process. 

Construction commenced during November 2022, with works completed September 2023. 

The Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre is open from 9am to 5pm seven days per week, excluding Christmas Day. The site will be closed to the public during periods of extreme and catastrophic fire danger to manage public safety.

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