DA lodged for Lake Macquarie's first library museum

Published on 01 March 2021

Plans have been lodged for Lake Macquarie’s first co-located library museum proposed for construction at Cameron Park Plaza on Northlakes Drive.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Cr Kay Fraser said she was excited to see Council take another step toward delivering the Hunter Valley’s first converged library and museum building.

“Libraries are a central part of any community, which is why it is so important for us to provide modern spaces to house these popular services,” Cr Fraser said.

“As well as providing library services, the proposed facility will feature a museum collection showcasing the history of West Wallsend and north west Lake Macquarie, with the opportunity to attract touring exhibitions.

“One of my favourite features of the design is the landscaping, which includes heritage items including mining artefacts to help showcase the history of the Sugar Valley area.”

Council’s Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism Jacqui Hemsley said she is looking forward to seeing the Library Museum come to life.

“This facility will deliver new experiences and services for residents living in North West Lake Macquarie,” Ms Hemsley said.

“The Sugar Valley Library Museum will be the perfect example of a modern library, providing cutting-edge technology, creativity, storytelling and immersion. As a Museum, the building will tell the stories, struggles, strengths and life of north west Lake Macquarie through collection, video, photography and oral histories.

“The community’s feedback was overwhelming positive during the recent consultation and we received some comments that helped us further improve and enhance the final design.”

Pending approvals, construction is expected to start in late 2021. Edgeworth Library will remain open until the new cultural facility is operational in late 2022. Once construction is complete, library services at Edgeworth will relocate to the new building.

The project will be funded by developer contributions.