Orange Mayor Jason Hamling has welcomed today’s visit by NSW Premier Chris Minns to inspect progress on the upgrade of Lake Canobolas.
The upgrade of Orange’s most popular recreation spot began in June 2023. The $1.3 million upgrade, funded by the NSW Government, Orange City Council and Cadia Valley Operations, includes ten projects that aim to improve access to the water and recreation areas for all
community members.
Cr Hamling said he was pleased to have the opportunity to share progress on the upgrade with the Premier.
Councillors Tammy Greenhalgh and Tony Mileto, Orange Mayor Jason Hamling and NSW Premier Chris Minns walk around Lake Canobolas.
“This upgrade of Lake Canobolas is going to make what is already a very popular spot for Orange families even more attractive,” Cr Hamling said.
“The Council is pleased to be working in partnership with the NSW Government to deliver this upgrade. Premier Chris Minns is very interested to see how this project is developing and it was great to show him how good it looks firsthand.”
Projects included in the upgrade are:
- Retaining walls with built-in paths designed to make the lake’s two beaches more accessible
- Replacing the playground on the eastern side of the lake with more modern accessible play equipment
- An upgrade to the visitor walkway in the historic pump house
- Re-aligning internal roads between the lake and the café, including a new pedestrian crossing
- New line marking in parking areas
- A new location to launch canoes and dragon boats
- New shade structures
Elements that are yet to be completed include:
- A new, accessible amenities block alongside the new playground
- A new, accessible amenities block on the western side of the lake
- A 2.5-metre-wide, wheelchair-accessible floating boardwalk on the western shore
The list of projects was developed after community engagement around the recently drafted Lake Canobolas Masterplan. The grant application for the upgrade was supported by a number of community groups who regularly use the lake.
The $1.3 million project is being funded by:
- NSW Government’s Places to Swim – Open Spaces program $1 million
- NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities program $344K
- Orange City Council $34K
- Cadia Valley Operations $6500
