Alfresco dining by Lake Illawarra foreshore on the menu

16 September 2021

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully is urging Property NSW to allow use of its King Street, Warrawong landholding on the Lake Illawarra foreshore as a location for alfresco dining once COVID lockdown restrictions have been eased for the summer season and to help the local economy recover.

He said the underutilised site would be an ideal location for mobile and temporary food and beverage vending over the summer months allowing alfresco dining.

The massive King Street site could help in developing Wollongong City Council’s mobile food vending trial.

“The 32 hectares of waterfront land offers a picturesque view of the largest body of water in the Illawarra and the Illawarra Escarpment in the distance.

“Who wouldn’t want to have an alfresco dining experience during the summer months, then take a stroll along the boardwalk and a selfie on the foreshore jetties jutting into the water, with the sun setting in the background?”, he said.

Mr Scully has written to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey, with whom he has collaborated in the past to fund repairs of the Lake Illawarra jetties which are currently underway, with his proposal.

He said the King Street site should also be master planned so it can become one of the great public spaces and tourism attractions of the Illawarra and a jewel in the crown of the southern suburbs.

“Outdoor and alfresco dining is a great lifestyle feature of so many of the cultures of people who live in Wollongong’s southern suburbs.

“Wollongong’s outdoor dining push should not be limited to the Wollongong CBD.

“As we start to come out of the COVID crisis and local double dose vaccinations increase, there will still be some restrictions on hospitality venues and the number of patrons they can accommodate indoors.

“This underutilised site with a carpark has so much potential for recreation, tourism and ecological conservation and can help with COVID economic recovery for the growing hospitality businesses in the southern suburbs of Wollongong.

“The jetty repairs are underway and will soon be re-opened to the public so let’s look at what else can be done with the site that does not involve it simply being sold to the highest bidder”, he said.

Mr Scully has asked the Minister for Property NSW to work with Wollongong City Council in the development of its mobile food vending trial for the summer season.