Windale is a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

of the city of Lake Macquarie, in the Newcastle metropolitan area. It is located west of the junction of the Pacific Highway and Newcastle Inner City Bypass, covering an area of . Windale is a lower socio-economic area consisting largely of

public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...

homes, and has historically been known for its high rates of

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...

, crime and unemployment, however recent local government efforts to regenerate the area have been somewhat successful. The suburb was listed as one of the most socially disadvantaged areas in the State according to the 2015 Dropping Off The Edge report.

History

The Awabakal are the traditional people of this area.

Local Government Regeneration

In 2012 the Lake Macquarie Council initiated a plan to regenerate and overall improve the suburb.

Government and politics

At federal level, Windale is within the Division of Shortland, a safe seat for the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms the f ...

. It has been held since 1998. The Windale booth was won easily at the 2010 federal election by the Labor Party, with a two-party preferred vote of 81.60%. In the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

, Windale is within the electorate of Charlestown. Charlestown is currently held by the Labor Party's

Jodie Harrison Jodie Elizabeth Harrison (born 1968) is an Australian politician who has represented the Charlestown Electorate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Labor Party since 25 October 2014, when she was elected in a by-election. Pers ...

following the 2014 Charlestown state by-election. It is a very safe Labor seat. Windale is located within the East Ward of the City of Lake Macquarie, which elected one Labor, one

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, one

Greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...

and independent councillors at the 2007 local government elections.East Ward – City of Lake Macquarie
Retrieved 10 April 2008

References

External links

History of Windale
{{City of Lake Macquarie suburbs Suburbs of Lake Macquarie