Residents across the region can learn more about their waterways and make a contribution to scientific knowledge with a series of innovative workshops to be delivered by Central Coast Council throughout summer.Citizen Science programs are an opportunity for the broader community to help scientists understand the local environment by providing valuable data and insights.

Today Mayor Lisa Matthews marked an exciting moment for current and future users of Garnet Adcock Memorial Park at West Gosford as the first sod was turned to signal commencement of construction on the first stage of the $26.2 million redevelopment of the site.Central Coast Council Director of Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said “Over the next 12 months the community will see the construction of a state-of-the art multi-purpose sportsground amenities building that will accommodate five of the seven sporting codes that utilise this regional facility.

With a hot dry summer ahead, Central Coast Council is urging residents and businesses to continue the water saving efforts that have helped delay the introduction of water restrictions.Since Council launched the “Live to 150L” campaign in September, thousands of people have visited the online water use calculator and other tools for tips on saving water.Live to 150L encourages everyone to use no more than 150 litres of water per person per day.

Central Coast Council is extremely disappointed in the alleged behaviour of a group of individuals that disturbed the Little Tern nesting site at Karagi Reserve, The Entrance North on Sunday 1 December 2019.

Council prepares for $70M Federal Government funding injection for Coast’s roadsCouncil has approved 29 road projects across the Central Coast that will be delivered with $70million in Federal Government funding committed in the lead up to the 2019 Federal Election.Projects selected will be delivered as part of the ‘Central Coast Roads Package’ and will focus on busting congestion and increasing safety.The significant scale of the funding package means that projects will be delivered over consecutive years starting in 2019-20 and continuing through to 2024-25.Mayor Lisa Matthews said she was pleased to see the Federal Government deliver on its promise to fund local road upgrades on the Coast.“This $70million funding injection from the Federal Government will allow Council to deliver projects the community have identified as priorities on the Coast,” Mayor Matthews said.“Roads are a key priority for Council too with more than $240million in projects delivered over the past three years.“Maintaining and developing our region’s extensive road network – spanning 2,200 kilometres – requires all levels of government to work together.“The ‘Central Coast Roads Package’ is an example of a funding commitment that will make a real difference for our region.”Community to have its say on amalgamation experienceCentral Coast Council has recommended that additional questions be included in the annual Customer Experience survey for residents to provide their views on the amalgamation of the former Wyong and Gosford Councils, their experience and their satisfaction of the LGA. Council also advised that in early 2020, it will report on the estimated costs involved in amalgamating the two former Councils.The report will also outline the progress on various aspects of the amalgamation and the associated expenditures.Council supports community with over $695,900 in grantsCouncil has allocated $695,984 in funding to successful applications for community grants.Council has allocated $631,022 of funding across four programs for Round 1 of the Community Grants Program 2019-20.

Central Coast Stadium’s resident family of endangered Eastern Ospreys has grown by two with the recent successful hatching of two chicks, delighting Council, stadium staff, and bird lovers alike.It might seem like an odd place to raise a family, but the endangered sea bird has been a common sight in the stadium’s lighting tower ever since they began to occupy the area in 2014.After raising safety concerns including the issue of debris from the nest being dropped on the seats below which forced the closure of the ticketed bay, it was determined that a long-term solution was needed that was in the best interest of the birds.“In June of this year Council installed a reinforced platform for the birds to move into which was just metres away from their original home,” said Central Coast Stadium Manager Kath Kasey.“There was some initial concern that they might not take to their new nest but in the last couple of weeks stadium staff and patrons have been able to hear the cries of the hatched chicks as they pester mum and dad for their favourite food – fish!” Mayor Lisa Matthews said it was pleasing that the decision to invest in creating a new nest has paid off.

Central Coast Council has unfortunately had to cancel the Christmas in Kibble Park event scheduled for this Saturday, 23 November 2019 due to the current air quality conditions.The Central Coast is experiencing poor air quality this week due to smoke from bush fires west of the region and unfortunately conditions are expected to stay at these levels well into next week. Council has a responsibility to help keep the community as safe as possible and reduce potential negative health impacts.

Central Coast Council is urging residents to be as prepared as possible and to remain vigilant as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) continues to fight and monitor the Gospers Mountain fire west of the Central Coast.Mayor Lisa Matthews said it is vital that all Central Coast community members regularly refer to the information provided by the RFS.“The RFS is the lead agency for bush fires and we must all refer to the RFS for the latest advice on fires currently burning and for information on how to ensure we are as prepared as possible,” Mayor Matthews said.“At this point in time it is particularly important that our residents west of the M1 are prepared and vigilantly monitoring RFS advice regarding the Gospers Mountain fire.“Please download and use the RFS ‘Fires Near Me’ mobile phone app if you haven’t already.

Central Coast Council is launching an innovative podcast series featuring the lives of six Central Coast men from various walks of life, to spotlight the changing role of masculinity.‘Man;Kind’ is Council’s first project that looks into the stereotypes around what it means to be a man in a bid to tell an alternative story about the impact of social issues, such as gender violence and equality, on the Central Coast.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the podcast aims to encourage everyone to work together to explore various perspectives on key social issues that impact on community wellbeing and vulnerable people.“What these podcasts really highlight is the fact that there is no one way to be male and we are pleased to be able to create this platform that allows Central Coast men to share their stories,” Ms Vaughan said.“Gender equality and gendered violence are extremely important topics within the community and it’s vital for the local community and local men to have a platform to share their experiences, challenges, ideas and knowledge, and realise they’re not alone.’’ 'Man;Kind’ will officially launch on 22 November at the spoken word poetry night at Wyong’s Art House, after which it will be available to download.Mayor Lisa Matthews said the podcast series reinforces the work that Council is doing to ensure our community is inclusive for all.“As a Council we have a responsibility to help alleviate the impact of social issues as well as start conversations around issues such as gender inequality, gender-based violence, domestic violence and socio-economic disadvantage,” Mayor Matthews said.“It’s important that we all have the opportunity to be heard and we’re delighted to be able launch this initiative – the first that focuses on men but is aimed to encourage discussion among everyone.”To continue these important conversations, during November and December as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Council is rolling out a ‘Healthy Relationships’ campaign for young people, running a series of ‘Supporting Healthy Relationships’ workshops and a temporary lightbox installation will be displayed on Terrigal Foreshore.Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/mankind for more information.

Central Coast Council will run a series of ‘Supporting Healthy Relationships’ workshops in November and December to help bring awareness to the issue of domestic and family violence (DFV).Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the workshops have been designed to provide the community with the tools they need to create better family relationships.“Domestic and family violence is a major health and welfare issue with current statistics showing that the Central Coast has some of the highest rates of DFV in NSW,” Ms Vaughan said.

Central Coast Council is now accepting unlimited quantities of household e-waste that can be dropped at all three Waste Management Facilities for free.The change has come about following a new contract arrangement to help maximise resource recovery and reduce the amount of electronics ending up in landfill.Council Unit Manger Waste Services and Business Development, Andrew Pearce said e-waste is recognised as the fastest growing waste stream with over 700,000 tonnes generated nationally.“Here on the Central Coast e-waste is one of the most common items placed in household bins and bulk kerbside collections,” Mr Pearce said.“When e-waste is collected and compacted in a mixed waste collection truck it becomes a missed opportunity to retrieve and reuse the precious metals and other resources while also unnecessarily consuming landfill space.“We accept all the traditional items such as televisions, computers and printers, but thanks to this new arrangement we can now also accept any electrical product with a cord that does not contain liquid.“Last year we recycled more than 135 tonnes of e-waste and with the number of new items that can now be dropped off we are hoping we can continue this upward trajectory.”E-waste collected at Councils facilities is temporarily stored and then bulk transferred to an e-waste processing facility in Sydney where it is shredded and sorted using advanced technology that creates high-quality raw materials for reuse.“Research has shown that people are suspicious about dropping off items with their personal details,” Mr Pearce added.“All data on devices is destroyed during the dismantling process, however, if you have any concerns reset and erase all data from devices before dropping them off.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is committed to delivering options where the community can easily recycle and reuse products.“We all have old phones and other e-waste that we don’t use anymore lying around the house,” Mayor Matthews said“This is a great opportunity to get rid of it all knowing it will be reused and have a future as a new product.“This excellent initiative demonstrates what local government can achieve to help improve recycling systems that move towards a more circular economy.“Last year we paid more than $29 million via the Waste Levy and received less than half a million back to reinvest into waste minimisation, recycling and resource recovery.“We are now calling on the State Government to work collaboratively with council’s and release some of these funds to develop innovative approaches to resource recovery.”Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ewaste for a list of accepted e-waste materials and Council’s Waste Management Facility locations and opening hours.ENDS

Peninsula residents can look forward to an improved water supply this summer with Central Coast Council set to commence work on an extensive water mains maintenance program.Part of this program will see a number of dead-ends in the water supply network on the Peninsula extended to connect into the main network, which will ensure continued high-quality water to the area.Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said Council actively monitors and tests the effectiveness of the Coast’s water quality and extending dead-end water mains is a priority.“The Peninsula has a greater risk of low circulating water due to the large number of dead-end networks,” Mr Loader said.“We have flushed the mains, identified 11 sections of dead-ends that we are extending to connect into the main network and will soon eliminate these remaining dead-ends to ensure continued high-quality water to the community.”“Our goal remains to improve the integrity of the water infrastructure in the local community and regular maintenance helps us achieve this.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council’s Water Mains Cleaning Program is an essential investment with the local community benefiting directly.“There are over 2,600km of water mains that we actively maintain and upgrade, and we are committed to investing in this essential service so it meets the needs of our growing community now and into the future,” Mayor Matthews said.“Council is improving the integrity of our water infrastructure and the quality of our drinking water for the local community, with programs like this rolling out consistently each year.”Works will commence every day from 21 November to 9 December, except on Sundays, between the hours of 8am and 5pm and will not disrupt the water supply.

It’s National Recycling Week and Central Coast Council is bringing this year’s theme, ‘Busting Recycling Myths’ into the spotlight.Council Unit Manager Waste Services and Business Development, Andrew Pearce said residents were avid recyclers, however, in a bid to reduce waste often placed items in the incorrect bin.“It’s important to remember that simply because something has a recycling symbol, does not mean it can be placed in your yellow lid household bin,” Mr Pearce said.“These symbols are developed on a national scale, while local governments have differing agreements with their recycling contractors.“In the same vain, we accept many items that do not have a recycling symbol;

Council opens another door for growth and investment on the Central Coast Council has endorsed the public exhibition of a draft Tuggerah to Wyong Economic Corridor (The Corridor) Strategy and a Transport Report in the next step to enable the successful and sustained growth of the Central Coast.Mayor Lisa Matthews said the draft Corridor Strategy supports the NSW Government’s Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 and will implement a number of directions to guide planning and investment in the region.“The Tuggerah to Wyong Economic Corridor is a key part of the Northern Growth Corridor in line with the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036.

Central Coast Council is encouraging Central Coast residents to be prepared, stay vigilant and check on neighbours ahead of Catastrophic Fire Danger conditions predicted for tomorrow, Tuesday 12 November.Council Chief Executive Officer, Gary Murphy said community members should refer to the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) for the latest advice on fires burning and for information on how to be as prepared as possible for the catastrophic conditions forecast.“A State of Emergency has been declared and a state-wide total fire ban is in force – it is vital that we are all as vigilant and prepared as possible,” Mr Murphy said.“The NSW Rural Fire Service is the lead agency for bush fires and all community members should refer to the RFS for the latest advice and information. “All community members with a smart phone are encouraged to download and monitor the RFS ‘Fires Near Me’ App, alternatively refer to the RFS website – rfs.nsw.gov.au  “Please also take time to check in on your neighbours, particularly elderly residents, to ensure that they are safe and prepared.”A number of Council closures and changes are already in place in preparation for tomorrow including:Council Bushland Reserves, Picnic areas and Walking Tracks are closed until further notice (this is in addition to all NSW National Parks and Reserves, including Tracks, Trails, Campgrounds and Picnic Areas)Waste services change – bin and bulk kerbside collections will be starting earlier (from 4am) Childcare centres closed – Northlakes (San Remo) Little Coast Kids and Kariong Child Care Centre Event cancelled – Pop-Up Create Precinct (part of The Lakes Festival) at MacKenzies Reserve, Budgewoi For more information on Council services visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/newsFor the latest advice on fires burning and for information on how to plan and prepare for emergencies visit rfs.nsw.gov.au   

Central Coast Council is encouraging residents living in Budgewoi and the surrounding suburbs to contribute to a unique art project that will take pride of place at Noela Place Reserve.The project will utilise community contributions from stories and pictures to visually depict the rich history of Budgewoi as well as the importance of the lake to the area.The finished project will be unveiled at the ‘Last Regatta’ sailing event in February 2020.Director of Connected Communities Julie Vaughan said that Council has worked closely with the community to make the project happen.“Throughout this process, the project team has worked alongside the Noela Place community working group to develop the concept for the mural,” Ms Vaughan said.“A key driving force behind this project is to create a deeper sense of identity and connection for Budgewoi locals and visitors to the area, and an additional bonus is that it will help deal with local graffiti in an innovative way.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said buildings make a town but people make a community.

Empire Bay will be the next Central Coast location to receive a new wharf featuring a floating pontoon and solar lighting.Construction of the new amenity at Empire Bay is part of the most extensive wharf replacement program ever undertaken by Central Coast Council.Council Director Roads, Transport, Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the new wharf at Empire Bay follows completion of a similar project at Spencer.“Wharf projects are a key focus for our 2019-20 capital works program – Spencer residents are enjoying their new wharf and Empire Bay is the next cab off the rank,” Mr Bolgoff said.“We also have two wharf projects scheduled for Davistown – one at Davistown Road and one at Amy Street.“And of course, we’re currently consulting with the community on the largest individual wharf project ever undertaken by Council – the $5.32million redevelopment of Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf.”“Each of our wharf projects features a floating pontoon to improve accessibility for all boat users, including those accessing available ferry services, by providing a consistent access level during most tide and weather conditions.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is committed to delivering new recreational facilities and opportunities for the community.“We are getting on with the job of delivering new services and infrastructure our growing community need, in partnership with the State Government,” Mayor Matthews said.“We have incredibly beautiful waterways on the Coast and our new wharf facilities will be a great resource for locals and tourists alike.”Construction of the new Empire Bay Wharf will start on Monday 11 November 2019 and will take approximately eight weeks to complete, weather and circumstances permitting.Ferry services for Empire Bay will continue to operate at a reduced timetable from Shelly Beach Road, Empire Bay for the duration of the works.Council apologies for any inconvenience caused during these important works.Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the NSW Government was proud to contribute funding for the upgrade.“Empire Bay public wharf is a key community asset that is frequented by local ferry services, boaters and fishermen,” Mr Crouch said.“The NSW Liberal Government is contributing funding to upgrade priority wharves around Brisbane Water – including Empire Bay, Davistown and Spencer.“Through funding partnerships with Council, we can provide better access to waterways and create a safer, more enjoyable boating experience for everyone.”Council’s $1.64million investment in the wharf replacement program includes $375,000 in NSW Government funding as part of the NSW Boating Now Program.The project to redevelop Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf is proudly funded by the NSW Government with $3.99million from the Regional Communities Development Fund and with $1.33million from Council.

In a NSW first, the Central Coast will become part of the “Love Food Community” working to tackle food waste.Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch today announced $210,000 for Central Coast Council to become one of the first four communities in NSW to deliver a two-year, community-wide approach to reducing food waste.“Funding will support activities to reduce food waste in homes, businesses, pubs, clubs, resorts, aged care facilities and hotels across our region,” Mr Crouch said.“It will reach at least 17,000 households and 500 businesses in the first ever whole-of-community approach to prevent food waste in NSW.“This is a practical environmental measure and I congratulate Council for securing the funding for this initiative.

Central Coast Council – in partnership with the Art Gallery of NSW – is delighted to bring this touring exhibition to the region for the third time in the 98-year-history of this most illustrious painting prize.Inaugurated in 1921, the Archibald Prize is a window into Australian culture with sporting heroes, politicians, actors, and artists just some of the many people to have posed for portraits over the years.Council Team Leader Art Galleries, Tim Braham said the often-controversial Archibald Prize is arguably the most renowned and anticipated annual exhibition in the nation.“This holiday season local and visitors of the Central Coast will have the opportunity to view the stunning collection of 51 finalists from the prestigious 2019 Archibald Prize,” Mr Braham said.“Visitors to the exhibition will also have their chance to play art critic for the day as they are encouraged to vote for their favourite portrait in the ANZ People’s Choice award.“As part of the regional tour we are also encouraging budding artists between the ages of five and 18 to submit a portrait for the Young Archie competition.“Just like the Archibald Prize, young artists are required to paint a portrait, from a live sitting;

Entering the adult world can be a daunting experience at the best of times, but Central Coast Council is hoping to ease the transition for the region’s youth with an innovative expo at Erina next month.The inaugural Skills 4 Life expo aimed at 15 to 24-year-olds will be full of workshops, presentations, demonstrations and activities with an emphasis on teaching life skills that can’t be taught at school.Some of the topics explored include how to manage your money, what is superannuation, maintaining your car, basic healthy cooking skills, job hunting and how to prepare, what to do in a medical emergency, moving out of home, being healthy and navigating technology.Director of Connected Communities Julie Vaughan said the expo is an example of Council’s commitment to young people.“This project is about the empowerment of young people across the Central Coast and better equipping them for their life beyond school,” Ms Vaughan said.“Our aim for the program is to assist adolescent transitions by building skills that are essential components of healthy development and skills that define a resilient young person.“The research suggests that having basic life skills can improve the mental state of young people and help them become socially adjusted and happy adults.”  Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is committed to creating a community where young people feel valued, safe and supported to stay on the Central Coast to live, work, study and play.