It’s pure fantasy of course, an animation being used to get locals thinking about how the city might look, feel and function one day. It’s just one futuristic scenario created by Lake Macquarie City Council using virtual reality (VR) technology as part of the Shape Your Future project. 

Mayor Jodie Harrison said while the VR environments are for fun, rather than real proposals for the future, they set the scene for envisioning big ideas about what is possible for the city.

“The decisions we make and actions we take today, can impact our tomorrow,” Cr Harrison said. 

“That’s why we’re asking the Lake Macquarie community about what they value about our city, and the vision they have for the future.

“The VR environments are to inspire creative thinking and encourage people to collaborate with council to shape the future of the city.”

The VR animation of the futuristic city asks viewers to consider such things as future power sources, expanded transport networks, and potential new uses for the estuary.

Cr Harrison said the council was compelled to plan for the future if it wanted to continue to meet the needs of residents.

“Change is happening. Technology, population growth, social shifts, and economic pressures and opportunities are already influencing and shaping how we live,” Cr Harrison said.

“Over the next 12 to 18 months, council and the community will collaborate to develop ways we can overcome challenges and take advantage of opportunities, stemming from that change. 

“We need to meet community needs now, while thinking about how we can continue to do so for future generations.

“The feedback and ideas we receive from the community will guide what council does now and into the future – that’s why public participation is crucial.”

Cr Harrison said residents’ collective input would influence council’s approach to “balancing current needs while meeting social, economic and environmental trends in the future”.

As part of the community engagement process, council staff will visit Lake communities in July and August, and host a series of workshops in September to delve deeper into how the city can meet current and future needs.

Locals have already taken to the council’s ‘Shape Your Future’ website to have their say about the city’s future.

Among the items on their wishlists are more footpaths and cycleways, a 15,000-seat stadium at Macquarie Field, two traffic lanes each way between Morisset and Glendale, and an active night-time economy with bars and music venues.