A MASTERPLAN that will shape the future of Catherine Hill Bay has nailed the brief as far as locals are concerned.
Lake Macquarie City Council approved the plan this week, which will see a new village green, community hall, cafe space and play area established in the town.
A new surf club will include a cafe and function space, a large car park, and public open space - with a heritage trail and lookout joining each precinct.
A place to connect was at the top of the list for residents, and Catherine Hill Progress Association president Sue Whyte said the plan will do exactly that.
"We all wanted the same thing, some facilities in the town," she said.
"What we really pressed at the beginning was connectivity, Mooney is a part of Catho and we have two other villages but they aren't really connected except by a dangerous road - what's in train now is a coastal walkway which we've been pushing for ages.
"If people don't have a place to gather, you don't get community."
The masterplan will ensure there are facilities and infrastructure for the growing population.
It will reinforce and celebrate the unique history of the area, and aims to enhance visitor experience.
The new community hub will be located at Middle Camp, reinterpreting the old bowling club with a village green, community hall and a cafe and playground.
The space will be integrated with Catherine Hill Bay Oval.
A new surf club with public open space, beach access and better parking is designed to give the community another function space.
There are also plans to upgrade access to Graveyard Beach.
It's the result of extensive community consultation over the last 12 months, guided by a community working group.
Mayor Kay Fraser said it was important to plan for the future as Catherine Hill Bay grows.
"It's an iconic area, everyone has heard of it for the pub or the beach, it's a beautiful part of Lake Mac and having these facilities will mean tourism could more than double," she said.
"The people who live there have a really strong sense of community, but they haven't had a meeting place, so it's really important to have that hall back and a place for a cafe and playground given lots of young families have moved out there."
"We also wanted to keep the heritage, it has a strong history in mining and we wanted to keep and maintain that part of its character."
The next step is a detailed design process before the council can begin to seek state and federal government funding.
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