Fernleigh Track section reopens between Redhead and Whitebridge after bushfire closure

newy.com.au – A section of the Fernleigh Track between Redhead and Whitebridge reopened on Friday after a bushfire burned more than 90ha of bushland alongside the popular shared path.

The Lake Macquarie City Council-managed track is a busy weekend route for walkers and cyclists, and the reopening comes less than a week after the fire forced a closure between Station Street at Whitebridge and Liles Oval at Redhead.

Council crews and contractors worked over the past six days to assess damage and remove fire-affected trees considered at risk of falling, allowing the section to be reopened in time for the weekend.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said 20 trees had been removed, including several mature eucalypts beside the track. “It has been a huge effort to get it all done so quickly and I’d like to thank everyone involved for their hard work,” he said.

Shultz said the track’s popularity was a key factor in pushing to reopen quickly. “We know how popular the Fernleigh Track is, and it’s great to get it reopened in time for the weekend,” he said.

The track had been closed since a bush fire broke out on 6 December, with the impacted stretch running between Station Street, Whitebridge, and Liles Oval, Redhead.

Shultz also thanked emergency services for containing the fire. “We’re also so grateful to the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and other emergency services who helped contain the fire and prevented it from reaching homes or doing further damage to the Fernleigh Track and other important infrastructure,” he said.

With higher-than-usual traffic expected after the closure, Shultz urged users to take extra care and follow shared pathway etiquette. “After a week of closure, we’re likely to have more people than usual using the track and checking out how it looks after the fire,” he said. “I’d just ask everyone to take care, slow down, stay to the left and think of other track users.”