Liesl Tesch with Umina Beach Public School students and families.

11 June 2025

THANKS to an $8 million commitment from the NSW Government, Central Coast active transport users on Melbourne Avenue will finally enjoy a safe and smooth journey, with footpath upgrades on Melbourne Avenue, between Brisbane Avenue and Hobart Street, Umina Beach set to begin shortly.

Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch MP has celebrated the building of this critical footpath linkage, “beginning with a community petition in 2016, our community has been crying out for safe active transport infrastructure to improve the hazardous conditions for children walking and riding to school along Melbourne Avenue, alongside the wider community. I would like to thank the tireless advocacy of groups such as Umina Beach Public School P&C and Umina Beach Community Group for their advocacy for this project.

“I am thrilled that thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to improve footpath infrastructure on the Central Coast, this project was finally able to be prioritised, after too long being ignored by the former Liberal National Government and Central Coast Council. This project is a perfect example of the power of our community working alongside government to improve our community for the better,” Ms Tesch said.

Umina Beach Public School P&C Vice President, Nellie Feeney, echoed the community advocacy for this important project, “this is a great example of communities groups such as Umina Beach Public School P&C and Umina Beach Community Group working together, and this is a great outcome for our community.”

Grandparent and community advocate, Sally Jope also talked of the importance of this community linkage to the Umina Beach and wider Peninsula community, “this has been a long time coming and hopefully, this will make school access so much safer. It is not only the school, but the Recreation Precinct, the beach, the Club, these streets get used a lot and it is very unsafe as it is.”

“Thanks to the advocacy of Liesl Tesch, who has been on the case from the day she was elected, these footpaths will finally be delivered,” she said.

Ms Tesch said she was looking forward to seeing further projects in the Gosford electorate activated by this important funding, “our beautiful Peninsula is perfect for walking and cycling, and we know how important footpaths are to our local community, connecting our day-to-day lives. This is a win for everybody in our community thanks to the Minns Labor Government.”