MORISSET HOSPITAL SITE AND WATERFRONT

The historic Morisset Hospital site is incredibly unique and offers an opportunity to vastly improve public lake access for the greater Morisset area. The site includes a state-listed heritage site under the NSW Heritage Act 1977, Morisset Hospital Precinct SHR 00827, which will be maintained, conserved and interpreted through adaptive re-use. The intention of listing on the State Register is to ensure its long-term conservation.

The NSW Government has gradually been winding down health services at the Morisset Hospital site. Further investigation and ongoing discussion is needed with the NSW Government, Council and the community to determine future uses of this site. The site requires a Conservation Management Plan or Heritage Asset Action Plan (HAAP) to ensure it is managed and maintained in a manner that ensures the ongoing conservation of its heritage significance, consistent with its state listing under the Heritage Act.

Consideration of the appropriate adaptive re-use of the hospital site, which maintains its heritage

Q Station, Sydney

significance, will require a clear understanding of the heritage significance of the location, what contributes to that significance and how that significance can be conserved. This discussion paper gives an opportunity for Council to gather early stage input from the community and Heritage NSW on the heritage significance of this site and options for adaptive re-use, which might be appropriate.

Just north of Morisset Hospital is an area zoned as RU6 Transition. This parcel of land is owned by Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council and was originally considered for recreational purposes. It contains some aquatic habitat and floods in the lower portions of the site. It also fronts Pourmalong Creek. Recreation/conservation are likely future land uses.

The area adjoins the Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area and contains threatened ecological community and species habitat related to the Pourmalong Creek riparian corridors. This area should be further investigated in a future biodiversity study.

The former North Head Quarantine Station is a model example of adaptive re-use of a state listed heritage site of great historic value. At this site, public ownership and public access has been retained, whilst the historic significance of the place is conserved and maintained using funds generated by the leasing and adaptive reuse of the site.