The Gully in Katoomba, formerly home to a large Indigenous population, finally has a plan of management which recognises the area's vital importance to the Dharug and Gundungurra people who once called it home.
And it will finally shed the last remains of its unhappy past when the former car racing track is recategorised from sportsground to natural area.
Aunty Carol Cooper, who grew up in the Gully in a family of nine until they were removed in the 1950s to make way for the racetrack, said the management plan was "fantastic".
"I am very happy that the racetrack will be maintained as a walking and cycling path for everyone to enjoy this beautiful place. I am also pleased to see that there will be toilets at last and that money has been budgeted for this," she said.
"I would also like there to be a dedicated space for Aboriginal performances and I hope this will be included in the new cultural facilities. We have some amazing women's dancing groups and we also like to see the men performing."
The Gully had long been an important meeting and camping place for Aboriginal people pre-1788. Gundungurra people established a permanent residential settlement there from at least 1894.
In 1957, the residents were evicted when a group of local businessmen, backed by council, thought it would make a good venue for a car racing track.
Some of the residents relocated elsewhere in Katoomba, others moved away never to return.
The destruction of the community was finally recognised and The Gully declared an Aboriginal Place in 2002.
There has been extensive consultation during the formation of the plan of management, including with many traditional owners.
A petition to save the Catalina Park Raceway was submitted to council in response to the plans to recategorise it to "natural area" by some who were concerned that it was being "wiped from history books".
Council has determined that The Gully is an Aboriginal Place and any request for recognition of the motor racing history would have to be considerate of the Aboriginal cultural significance of the site.
As Aunty Carol put it: "What it all boils down to is inclusion. Without that there is never going to be peace. Everyone needs to feel like they are someone. There are many stories still to be told by those of us who lived in the Gully. My memories are of a community that got on together and shared what we had."
