The Federal Government announced last week it will provide $2 million towards funding the final stages of the track between Redhead and Belmont.

The project is estimated to cost $4.6 million, with Lake Macquarie and Newcastle councils and the Roads and Traffic Authority contributing the further $2.6 million needed to complete the track.

When finished next year, the shared cycle and walking path will stretch 15.5 kilometres from Adamstown to Belmont TAFE and pass through Kahibah, Whitebridge, Redhead and Jewells.

Newcastle Cycleways Movement president David Bennett said the idea for a cycle and walking path along the former railway line was bounced around years before coal trains stopped using the track.

“We have a picture of cycleways members on the old Redhead platform in 1979, that is when we first got interested in it (Fernleigh Track), we knew there wouldn’t be trains forever,” Mr Bennett said.

He praised the efforts of Lake Macquarie and Newcastle councils in establishing the track but said it had been a slow process and lots of hard work.

“It has taken 10 years to get here,” he said.

“We’re absolutely stoked that this (the $2million funding) has got through.

“When I saw the amount of work that needed to be done, I wasn’t that hopeful.

“The cycleways’ vision is we will one day be able to get from the bottom of the state to the top and Fernleigh is nearly 16 kilometres of that.”

Shortland MP Jill Hall said the Fernleigh Track committee of Lake Macquarie and Newcastle council representatives and members of the public had worked hard over 15 years to establish the pathway.

She said the project had received the $2 million out of $40 million the Federal Government had set aside for funding cycleways.

“I think we are going to have one of the best tracks in Australia, with five beaches along the track and just a beautiful environment,” she said.

“Now to see the project near completion is actually fantastic.

“Something generation after generation can enjoy.”