The grant covers the whole estuary system, not just the water you can see from The Entrance bridge: council’s announcement names Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake and Lake Munmorah, plus the connected waterways that drain into them: Wyong River, Ourimbah Creek, Tumbi Creek and Wallarah Creek. Federal Member for Dobell Emma McBride, announcing the funding with council, said: “I’m proud to have secured funding to protect Tuggerah Lakes for future generations.”
Council’s environment and planning director Luke Nicholls was blunter about the causes: decades of vegetation clearing and urbanisation have contributed to the lakes’ water quality and habitat problems. “It responds to environmental pressures that affect the health and usability of the lakes, including nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, erosion, litter and habitat degradation,” he said of the program.
What the seven projects actually do
| Project | What it does |
|---|---|
| Saltmarsh rehabilitation | Restores degraded foreshore saltmarsh. Already under way. |
| Streambank stabilisation | Cuts sediment and nutrient runoff from agricultural land; protects downstream waterways by filtering pollutants. |
| Urban stormwater treatment | Installs and upgrades biofiltration systems, vegetated swales and stormwater treatment devices. |
| Wetland rehabilitation | Restores degraded wetlands and, where appropriate, creates new treatment wetlands. |
| Bushland restoration | Weed control, native revegetation and erosion management in the catchment. |
| Nearshore flushing trials | Tests interventions in shallow lake areas to improve water circulation and reduce nutrient build-up. |
| Boat-based litter collection | Removes floating and accumulated litter from the lakes and waterways. |
Why it matters beyond the water’s edge
The lakes are the recreational heart of the northern Coast, and Acting Mayor John Mouland leaned on exactly that in the announcement: “Our community has a strong connection to the lakes. They support our wellbeing and are cherished as places for relaxation, recreation and nature-based tourism.” Council promises the program will deliver improved water quality, safer swimming conditions and healthier foreshores.
This money is separate from the lake works in council’s own budget: the adopted 2026-27 plan added $3.5 million over four years for coastal management including dredging The Entrance Channel, the lakes’ opening to the sea. Progress on the estuary projects is published on council’s Love Our Waterways project page, and The Coast Record keeps a reference page on the Tuggerah Lakes system that this story now joins.