Hill Bathers Way section underway

Newcastle City Council has started work on the next stage of the landmark Bathers Way coastal pathway from Merewether to Nobbys Beach.

The stage includes construction of a shared pathway from Strzelecki Lookout to King Edward Park and an upgrade of the busy Memorial Drive/Cliff Street intersection.

^{The corner to be refashioned at Cliff St and Memorial Drive.}

"One by one Council is delivering the links between Merewether Baths and Nobbys Beach to provide a showpiece coastal pathway," Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

"The improvements on top of The Hill will cater to the increased numbers of visitors drawn to the Bathers Way.

"This latest stage linking Memorial Drive to York Drive follows progress on the seawall at South Newcastle Beach and construction of the four to six-meter-wide pathway.

"Later, when the King Edward Park link is completed, the spaciousness of the pathway and improvements made along it will attract even more people to a coastal stretch that will rival Sydney's Bondi to Bronte Walk.

"Unlike the Sydney walk though, the Bathers Way will also provide for recreational cyclists, so the closer the project gets to completion the more excited I am to see the benefits for Newcastle."

^{An artist's impression of the new and improved amenity.}

The design of the Strzelecki-King Edward Park section includes a new pedestrian crossing at the entrance to the lookout car park.

This will connect the Memorial Drive section of Bathers Way with Cliff Street.

Lighting, landscaping and drainage will be upgraded before new trees are planted, including two advanced Norfolk Island pines at the upper entrance to King Edward Park.

Existing sandstone pillars there will be removed and installed in their original location at the park's lower entrance in the near future.

Work is expected to take around six months.