Independent MP for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, has expressed concern that the opportunity to develop a new sports and recreation centre may be jeopardized due to a lack of planning for the heritage-listed Morisset Hospital site. The New South Wales government, through Steve Kamper, Minister for Sport, announced in December 2022 that seven hectares of land from the hospital would be designated for a new $40 million sports facility. This project aims to replace the former Myuna Bay centre but is now at risk without a comprehensive master plan.
Although the hospital is scheduled to remain operational until 2027, the government has signalled its intention to vacate the site. Mr. Piper addressed the issue in state parliament, highlighting a troubling absence of future plans for the hospital grounds. He stated, “As far as I can see, it just plans to turn the lights off and leave.”
Without proper preparations, Mr. Piper fears that the site could fall victim to degradation, vandalism, and theft. He warned that instead of transforming the area into a sporting hub that could attract investment, the site may simply succumb to neglect, with nature reclaiming the space and infrastructure deteriorating.
“Make no mistake: if the funds committed to this project are eaten up by enabling works, the sports facility will not get built,” he cautioned. The current 2025-26 NSW budget does not allocate any funds for either the master plan or the necessary infrastructure upgrades. Mr. Piper emphasized that the government had always been aware that enabling infrastructure would be essential, regardless of the location of the new sports facility.
The Morisset Hospital was established over a century ago when the government reserved more than 1,200 hectares of land in 1900 for its construction, which officially opened in 1909. Mr. Piper urged the government to seize the opportunity to plan for the site’s future while respecting its cultural and natural heritage values.
He specifically called for the completion of an updated heritage management plan to ensure the protection and restoration of the 14 items of state significance included in the local environmental plan. “We cannot let the opportunity pass by because of a failure to properly plan for it. To do so would shortchange the people of Lake Macquarie,” he asserted.
The implications of vacating Morisset Hospital without a strategic plan are significant. Mr. Piper pointed out that NSW Health is well aware of the potential challenges that would arise from such a decision. “It is mind-boggling that it could think of doing so when it knows that this would lead to degradation of the site and its valuable heritage buildings, undermine the viability of the Morisset Sports Facility, and limit the future success of the local community.”
As discussions continue, the community and stakeholders await further clarification from the government regarding the future of the Morisset Hospital site and the proposed sports facility.
