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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Sage Swinton

Plan sets goals for Lake Mac events but 'lots more to do'

Lake Macquarie council is trying to boost its event offering.

Lake Macquarie council wants to attract 70 per cent of its population to council events a year and increase the number of major events in the city to 26 annually.

The goals were outlined in the 2024-2028 Events and Festivals Action Plan adopted by the council on July 22.

The plan includes 67 actions including seeking grant funding opportunities to develop a large-scale cultural arts festival that attracts national attention and work on the feasibility for a new performing arts centre and conference facility.

Draft plans were exhibited earlier in 2024 and four submissions were made about the draft proposal.

A community not-for-profit event organiser suggested improvements to traffic management at Speers Point Park for major events and called for established community events to have special event status entitling them to council support.

As well as an aim of 26 major events a year, the plan also sets a goal of 20 "iconic" events annually, such as Float Your Boat and Fast and Loud Festival.

The plan said an equivalent of 60 per cent of the city's population attended events in 2023, which the council wants to grow to 70 per cent resulting from an increase of attendees from outside the LGA.

Liberal councillors Jason Pauling said the council had come a long way in its event offering, but "I don't think we've even started yet in terms of the potential in this space for fantastic, bigger, more iconic events that will come".

"We have started to lay a foundation," he said. "But I can't help but think this is still very, very much in its infancy of what is capable here as we move to celebrate the lake.

"[There is] so much more to do before we realise the potential that this area and what the council can deliver in terms of working with other partners to make a celebration of all these events and festivals for all walks of life across the city."

Mayor Kay Fraser agreed the plan's goals could be more ambitious.

"We could probably do a lot more," she said.

But she said she was confident the plan would build on the $28 million economic injection from events during the 2022-2023 financial year.

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