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City of Lake Macquarie
	City of Lake Macquarie; New South Wales
	; Location in New South Wales
Population:	195,559
Area:	644 km² (248.6 sq mi)
Mayor:	Greg Piper
Council Seat:	Speers Point
Region:	Hunter Valley
State District:	Lake Macquarie, Swansea, Charlestown, Wyong
Federal Division:	Shortland, Charlton
	Website: http://www.lakemac.com.au/;
	LGAs around City of Lake Macquarie:

This article is about the City of Lake Macquarie. For the lake, see Lake Macquarie (New South Wales).

The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle. It was proclaimed as a city in 1978.

[edit] The City of Lake Macquarie

The City of Lake Macquarie has an estimated population of 195,559 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 23 April 2009) and is the fourth largest Local Government Area in NSW by population (the two largest, Blacktown and Sutherland, are within metropolitan Sydney while the third largest is Wollongong). Its population is much larger than that of the City of Newcastle (pop. 152,659 ABS 2009) and similar to that of the City of Wollongong. One of its major tourist attractions is its lake, also named Lake Macquarie.

Lake Macquarie is classified as a "city", but there is no significant distinction between the terms "city", "shire", and "municipality" as applied to Local Government Areas in New South Wales. The area is demographically a set of closely contiguous towns that surround a coastal saltwater lake, and merge with the suburbs of Newcastle to the north. Some suburbs, such as Adamstown Heights are partly in the City of Newcastle and partly within the City of Lake Macquarie. There are 92 identified settlements ranging from small rural style communities through to larger and higher density areas such as Toronto, Warners Bay, Belmont and Charlestown.

[edit] History

The Shire of Lake Macquarie was proclaimed on 6 March 1906. It became a Municipality on 1 March 1977, and a city on 7 September 1984.^[2]^[3]^[4]

[edit] Demographics

According to the Australian Bureau Statistics ^[5], there:

were 189,596 people as at 30 June 2006, the 4th largest Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 2.8% of the New South Wales population of 6,827,694
was, in percentage terms, an increase of 0.2% in the number of people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 126th fastest growth in population of a Local Government Area in New South Wales.
was an increase in population over the 10 years to 30 June 2006 of 12,846 people or 7.3% (0.7% in annual average terms).

[edit] Main towns/villages

Lake Macquarie is home to several prominent coastal suburbs such as Catherine Hill Bay, Caves Beach, Blacksmiths Beach and Redhead. The area is known for its world-famous surfing conditions. Retail centres include Swansea, Belmont, Cardiff, Glendale, Toronto, Morisset and Charlestown (see below).

Significant population centres include:

The various towns and suburbs are classified as being part of the Newcastle Statistical District, so their population is included when Newcastle is commonly listed as Australia's sixth largest city. However, the City of Lake Macquarie has its own independent local government (Lake Macquarie City Council), which is planning to develop a new Central Business District. The largest commercial centre in the region is Charlestown which has a turnover greater than that of Newcastle's central business district.

Shopping

Charlestown Square
Stockland Glendale
Lake Macquarie Fair
Morisset Mega Market
Morisset Square
Morisset Marketplace -under construction

[edit] Freedom of the City

The following persons have been granted Freedom to the City of Lake Macquarie.^{[citation needed]}

Persons granted Freedom of the City	Notes
Cyril Renwick AO
Albert G. Burgin
Reginald Lenaghan OAM	Former Mayor
Ronald E. Robinson OAM
Paul W. Harragon OAM	Footballer
Ellen Kilpatrick	Former mayoress
Donald Caldwall

[edit] Economics

Lake Macquarie has a significant coal mining industry and smaller agriculture and manufacturing industries. Eraring power station, a 1980s-era coal-fired power station, supplies 25% of New South Wales' power.^[6] Lake Macquarie has a number of Constructed Wetlands with the council placing an empasis on the environment.

[edit] Council

Lake Macquarie City Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally. The area is divided into three wards, each electing four councillors. The mayor is directly elected.^[7] The current makeup of the council is as follows:^[7]

Party		Councillors
	Independents	6
	Australian Labor Party	3
	Liberal Party of Australia	2
	The Greens	2
	Total	13

The current council, elected in 2008, is:^[7]

Ward		Party	Notes
Mayor	Greg Piper	Independent	ILA
East Ward	Laurie Coghlan	Independent	ILA
	Kay Fraser	Labor	Deputy Mayor
	Garry Edwards	Liberal
	Phillipa Parsons	Greens
North Ward	Jodie Harrison	Labor
	Paul Scarfe	Independent	ILA
	Barry Johnston	Independent
	Hannah Gissane	Greens
West Ward	Wendy Harrison	Independent	ILA
	Daniel Wallace	Labor
	Arnold Tammekand	Independent	ILA- Elected on Wendy Harrison's ticket
	Anthony Birt	Liberal

ILA: Independent Lake Alliance

[edit] Gallery

View from Woods Point showing Vales Point	View from Cane Point showing Marks Point across Village Bay	Aerial photograph taken on a flight from Newcastle to Melbourne	Aerial photograph taken on a flight from Newcastle to Melbourne
Aerial photograph taken on a flight from Newcastle to Melbourne