Save Link Road Forest

The Link Road Forest website is at linkroadforest.com

We started a new campaign website linkroadforest.com however we’ll leave our place-marker and some history here with the wonderful HCEC group. Hunter Community Environment Centre gave the Link Road Forest Campaign its kickstart bringing together all the groups whose intimite knowledge of the Lower Hunter region landscape recognised how critically important it was to save this piece of the Green Corridor jigsaw puzzle. It also can continue to be an accessible recreation and sporting area into the future.

The Campaign is ramping up - we need you!

NSW Government has announced it is fast-tracking the rezoning of 574 ha of the Link Road Forest to build 4,200 new homes. This will decimate the native forest habitat on both sides of the Link Road, killing and dislocating thousands of animals.

Newcastle Council has determined the area has High Environmental Value and recommended its reclassification from ‘housing release’ to ‘environmental and open space’.

Link Road Forest is home to at least 16 threatened species, including squirrel gliders, five species of bats, glossy black cockatoos, masked owls, powerful owls and the critically endangered scrub turpentine. In addition, the beloved endangered koala has been confirmed in the area. One koala was sighted within the development area, trying to cross Link Road earlier this year.

Newcastle is on track to meet its State-sanctioned housing targets without the need to clear Link Road Forest.

If you care about this valuable native forest and the animals that call it home, now is the time to act!

Signup to help - click the ACT NOW button above.

SIGN THE PETITON

We are now building support on a paper petition to the Lower House (Legislative Assembly). Download it here and please ask your networks to sign. We’re over 8,000 signatures on it and at 10,000 it can be debated in the House. Petitions can be returned to:
Link Road Forest Campaign
21 Gordon Avenue, Hamilton NSW 2303

We were successful in reaching 10,456 signatures on the ePetition to the NSW Upper House (Legislative Council) and it was tabled in Parliament House on 15 Sep 2026.

Link Road Forest Overview

Link Road Forest is a 592-hectare area of mainly regrowth native forest located on former mining land. It spans two local government areas:

Newcastle (423 ha) zoned as C4 Environmental Living
Lake Macquarie (169 ha) zoned as RU6 Transition and C2 Environmental Conservation

The land is privately owned by Eden Estates, which submitted Planning Proposals to both councils in 2021. While Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC) granted Gateway approval, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) terminated the proposal in early 2024 due to insufficient information. The City of Newcastle (CN) has not progressed the proposal, citing unresolved concerns.

Preliminary ecological assessments identified 11 threatened fauna species, including the endangered large-eared pied bat, and 5 threatened plant species, including the critically endangered Rhodamnia rubescens (scrub turpentine). Koalas have been recorded on-site this year (2025).

Most Newcastle councillors (11 of 13) have pledged to oppose further native forest clearing for residential development, citing biodiversity and climate concerns.

Newcastle Council is currently considering an amendment to the Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) to reclassify 147 ha of Link Road Forest from Housing Release Area to Environmental and Open Space, based on its High Environmental Value (HEV).

A larger section of the forest (approx. 280 ha north of Link Road) may have even higher biodiversity value but is currently part of the National Pinch Point Regionally Significant Growth Area under the Hunter Regional Plan 2046. This area cannot be reclassified unless it is first removed from that designation. Newcastle Council has resolved to request a formal investigation into this area’s environmental significance.

Council is expected to approve the proposed LSPS amendment soon. ( Note: the Council’s “have your say” closed on 22/5/2025).

However the Council has now had its planning powers taken away from it by the NSW State govt which is fast'-tracking rezoning of this tract of land.

Link Road Forest is under immediate threat of being rezoned for residential development. Link Road Forest consists of 592 hectares overall encompassing GLENDALE to WALLSEND extending to MINMI with 72% in the City of Newcastle and 28% with the City of Lake Macquarie.

If the rezoning application is successful it will displace threatened species and impact connectivity from the Watagan Range for species along the coast, as this area is the last significant piece of bushland linking east Lake Macquarie and Newcastle's reserves providing a wildlife corridor now and for future climate change survival.

FIND HOW YOU CAN ACT TO SAVE LINK ROAD FOREST BELOW!

WHY SAVE LINK ROAD FOREST?

MANY ABORIGINAL SITES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE AREA

Proposed Development Map

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment

News and Media

Wildlife Corridors & Connectivity

This site provides connectivity from the Watagan Range for species along the coast.

Last significant piece of bushland linking east Lake Macquarie and Newcastle’s reserves.
Squirrel gliders inhabiting the Blackbutt Nature Reserve and the development site are currently connected through wildlife corridors running through Cardiff Heights.

Squirrel Gliders

(Iconic Species of Lake Macquarie/Newcastle Area)

It is estimated that the population extending across northern Central Coast and southern Lake Macquarie LGAs was the biggest in Australia (Smith 2000, cited in Economos R. & McDonald A. 2008).

Lake Macquarie City Council ecologists estimate that across Newcastle (Glenrock State Conservation Area, Tingira Heights Nature Reserves, Jesmond bushland, Blackbutt Reserve) the area of likely habitat is 1,767 ha, with a potential maximum population of possibly 300 - 600 Squirrel Gliders.
The Lake Macquarie Squirrel Glider Planning and Management Guidelines 2015 within the LGA, “any further loss of habitat or connectivity in the north-east population is expected to be significant ” and cites the significance of development impacts relate to loss of major habitat connectivity, and reduction in habitat fragments to sizes of less than 400 ha.