Central Coast Council would like to thank the Central Coast community for their ongoing support for drought-affected farmers across NSW.Mayor Jane Smith said the generosity of the Central Coast community since the state-wide drought declaration has been truly remarkable.“The impact of this drought has touched all of our hearts and our community is doing so much to help,” Mayor Smith said.“From personal donations, to fundraising initiatives, to creating new groups – I want to thank the Central Coast community for all that you are doing and will continue to do to support our farmers.“I would also like to thank Council staff for their generosity, very recently the team donated over $900 to Buy a Bale and they will raise money for Aussie Helpers later this month.”Central Coast community members can help farmers through a range of channels including:Australian Red CrossRural Aid/ Buy a BaleDrought AngelsAussie HelpersLions Need for FeedFoundation for Rural and Regional RenewalSalvation ArmyCouncil is not affiliated with any of the organisations listed above and encourages community members to research their preferred method to assist drought-affected farmers should they wish to

Central Coast Council’s commitment to creating a vibrant active transport network has been outlined in comprehensive plans for the future of the region’s footpaths, bike paths and shared paths.A range of proposed pathway projects across the Central Coast are outlined in the draft Pedestrian Access and Mobility Plan (PAMP) and Bike Plan, which are now on public display.Council Acting Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said the plans will provide a platform to develop a high-quality, well-connected pathway network across the Central Coast.“We will develop existing pathways and create new infrastructure so that people of all ages and abilities can walk and cycle throughout the Central Coast using safe, inclusive and connected facilities,” Mr Bolgoff said.“Developing our active transport network emerged as a key theme for our community in our Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and it is certainly a high priority for Council.“To develop the draft PAMP and Bike Plan we gathered near record levels of community feedback, which we’ve listened to in developing the plans.”Mr Bolgoff said future projects would focus on completing missing links, creating routes that loop and connect the region’s scenic waterways, and providing increased connection between centres, recreation spaces and public transport.“We have a responsibility to ensure projects selected benefit a majority of Central Coast residents.“The finalisation of PAMP and the Bike Plan will guide our funding decisions in the future and build on the significant investment already underway, which includes $5.8million for shared pathways and footpaths this financial year.“High pedestrian activity areas will be a core focus for upcoming projects and we have created action plans for Gosford, Woy Woy, Wyong/Tuggerah and The Entrance.”Mayor Jane Smith said improving and expanding the Central Coast’s network of footpaths, bike paths and shared paths would bring multifaceted benefits to the region.“The liveability and sustainability of the Central Coast will be enhanced through a network of pathways that not only provide a means to get active and experience our beautiful environment but also offer a legitimate alternative transport mode,” Mayor Smith said.“Building important ‘missing links’ and creating the right mix of footpaths, bike paths and shared paths will also boost regional and economic development by encouraging tourism.”The PAMP and Bike Plan will be on public display from Thursday 13 September to Thursday 11 October and all Central Coast community members are encouraged to have their say by visiting yourvoiceourcoast.com.

Four Central Coast Council childcare centres have been named as finalists in the Early Childhood Education Week Awards, recognising their excellence in program development.Council Unit Manager Learning and Education, Beth Burgess, said having so many of Council’s childcare centres named as finalists recognised the strengths of each centre’s educators as well as the commitment of parents and carers.“This year the awards attracted more than 400 nominations across the state, so it is a real testament to our educators and the quality of our programs that we have been nominated for 15 awards,” Mrs Burgess said.“We place a strong emphasis on developing strong connections in our community and a sense of belonging for the benefit of children and their families.“The awards are a great opportunity to showcase what we are doing well and also enable us to measure the success of our programs so we can continually improve on what we provide to families.“Special mention goes to Linda Handel from our Toukley Centre whose dedication to inspire those around her has been acknowledged with a nomination for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual.”During July’s Early Childhood Education Week, all four centres provided a range of experiences for children and their families, which were part of the award process.The centres are finalists in the following areas:Major awardsBest Multicultural Program – Kariong and KanwalBest Sustainability Program - KanwalBest Program highlighting Inclusivity Practices – KariongTheme awardsChildren are Connected and Contribute to their World – Kariong and KanwalChildren have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing – WyongChildren are Effective Communicators - WyongChildren engage in Play-Based Education - ToukleyKeeping Children Healthy & Safe - WyongThe Physical Environment where Children Learn & Play - ToukleyEncouraging Children’s Learning & Development - ToukleyFamilies & Communities Uniting - ToukleyIncorporating Sustainability Practices - KanwalPlay and transition to school - ToukleyInclusive practice - everyone is welcome – Kariong and Kanwal.Team and Individual AwardsOutstanding Contribution by an Individual – Toukley – Linda Handel.The award winners will be announced on Thursday 27 October 2018.

Central Coast Library Service is calling on aspiring writers and rhymesters to enter the first Poetry Writing Competition for Council, which opens for entries today.The competition, which replaces the Short Story Competition, provides an incredible platform for budding poets to be discovered and have their efforts publicly recognised.Council Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess said this was one of the many ways the Library Service helped to strengthen the sense of belonging in the community.“This competition provides a fantastic opportunity to create connections, participate in community life and let your talent light shine,” Mrs Burgess said.“We will be hosting a number of poetry workshops during October to assist hopeful entrants develop their language, characterisation, structure and dialogue skills, in order to build confidence and improve their writing.“We love that we can help boost the profile of creative writing across the Coast while simultaneously helping to improve reading and writing skills in our community.“You never know how good you are until you try, so I encourage all aspiring poets out there to tell their story in verse and give it a red hot go!”The divisions this year are junior (9-12 years), youth (13-16 years) and open (17+ years), with the winners of each division receiving a $200 gift card and writing gift pack to encourage a continued love of writing and further develop their skills.Winning entries will also be displayed in the Central Coast community on World Poetry Day 21 March, 2019.With 2018 being the Year of Lifelong Learning, Mrs Burgess added the competition helps individuals take an active approach to learning.“Learning is lifelong and lifewide – it is flexible, can be formal or informal, goes well beyond formal education and doesn’t stop no matter your age,” Mrs Burgess said.“We are committed to creating dynamic learning environments that inspire lifelong learning and support an improved quality of life to help our customers connect, discover and create.“This is exactly what our Poetry Writing Competition delivers, while building upon our existing active and flexible programs that help support our community’s education, learning and recreational needs.“With more opportunities than ever, I would urge everyone to become a member of our Library Service and take advantage of the amazing resources and services available.“It’s free and lasts a lifetime!”The Poetry Writing Competition 2018 is open to current library members and residents of the Central Coast.

Central Coast Council is encouraging the community to be a good sport by donating pre-loved sports goods at SportsFest this year – and has appointed the not-for-profit organisation Fair Game Australia to manage the collection and distribution of all donations.Mayor Jane Smith said there are barriers to participation in sport and recreation in many parts of our community on the Central Coast.“Living a healthy and active lifestyle doesn’t come easy to all of us,” Mayor Smith said.

Central Coast Council is playing their part to help residents wage their own war on waste with more of the popular Green Living Workshops on offer to reduce, reuse and recycle around the home.The workshops provide participants with practical and hands-on advice for sustainable living by helping to repurpose food waste, live chemical free and move towards a no waste household.Mayor Jane Smith said these workshops were a key outcome of the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) Green theme to provide ongoing education opportunities for the community.“Education is a crucial component of our focus area to protect our environmental resources for the future,” Mayor Smith said.“Many of the ways residents can help care for our natural environment starts at home, and these Green Living Workshops provide an excellent first step in the right direction.“With food waste still accounting for over forty percent of general household waste and adding substantially to our carbon emissions, we all have a role to play in reducing the amount of household food waste sent to landfill.”Each household that attends a composting and worm farming workshops will receive a free worm farm or compost bin so they can get started straight away.Council Unit Manager Learning and Education, Beth Burgess, said with the impacts of single use plastic becoming more prevalent, increasing numbers of residents were looking to reduce the amount of waste they are generating.“With the abundance of information at our fingertips, challenging yourself to lead a more sustainable lifestyle can at times be confusing,” Mrs Burgess said.“If you have ever wondered about the suitability and benefits of attending a workshop, the results speak for themselves, with the average attendee’s knowledge on the subject more than doubling, and satisfaction of the workshops at over 90 percent.“There are only a handful of events scheduled for the remainder of the year, so I would encourage anyone interested to reserve their seats as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.“Our special events for children aged five to 15 will be on offer as part of the Spring school holidays program, providing a fun and accessible way to educate children on the importance of sustainability around the home.“The information helps instil habits from an early age to reduce and recycle food waste by turning it into a great resource for the garden as well as educating those around them.”As spaces are limited bookings are essential and can be made online via centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/events or call 4350 8175 to reserve your spot.Workshop scheduleTuesday 25 September at Green Point Community CentreNo Dig Garden, 9.30am-12pmBeeswax Wrap Making and Sustainable Food Workshop, 12.30-3pmWednesday 26 September at Tuggerah LibraryComposting and Worm Farming, 9.30am-12pmNo Waste Household, 12.30-3pmSaturday 20 October at Point Clare Community SchoolComposting and Worm Farming, 9.30am-12pmOrganic Gardening Workshop, 12-2.30pmTuesday 23 October at Erina LibraryKeeping Backyard Chickens, 9-11.30amBeeswax Wrap Making and Sustainable Food Workshop, 12-2.30pmWednesday 24 October at Buttonderry Waste Management FacilityComposting and Worm Farming, 9-11.30amNo Waste Household, 12-2.30pmInformation on school holiday events can be found at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/schoolholidays

An action-packed, adrenaline-pumping line up of exhibitors has been secured for this year’s SportsFest, with the program showcasing a variety of Central Coast sport and recreational opportunities.This family-friendly event, being held 22-23 September from 10am-5pm at EDSACC Bateau Bay, will provide information about something for everyone’s sporting taste – from the water to the court, from traditional to the more obscure and everything in between.Central Coast Council Unit Manager, Open Space and Recreation, Brett Sherar said the aim of the SportsFest’s program is to encourage attendees to learn about and experience a range of sports.“This year, SportsFest participants will be able to watch demonstrations on an exciting range of sports, from scooters and skating, through to gridiron and wheelchair sports,” Mr Sherar said.“For those who like to get some hands-on experience, they can try out a myriad of sports, including dragon boating, circus skills, archery, croquet and table tennis – there’s even high rock climbing for all ages.“Festival-goers can also listen and hear from sporting groups, and buy some great sport-related products from exhibitor and retail stalls.”Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in casual clothes and runners so they can get involved in the free ‘Come ‘n Try’ sessions.SportsFest’s proud partnerships include NSW Office of Sport, Sport NSW, Central Coast Academy of Sport and official media partners, Star 104.5 FM.Download the events program at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/SportsFest and stay up to date with SportsFest announcements at facebook.com/SportsFestCentralCoast

Local university students have a rare opportunity to gain practical work skills as part of Central Coast Council’s 2019 scholarship program.The annual program will provide four first or second-year university students with an outstanding opportunity to combine study with paid employment with one of the Coast’s largest organisations.Council’s Executive Manager People and Culture, Kellie Reeves, said Council is looking for bright, talented and enthusiastic students who want to gain local workforce experience.“This program is designed to encourage participation in undergraduate studies by offering scholarship opportunities exclusively to our local students who are looking for a step up into their career,” Ms Reeves said.“Currently, only 14% of Central Coast residents have a bachelor or higher university degree.

Talented artists from all across Australia have competed for $24,000 in prizemoney, with Sydney artist Stephanie Monteith announced the winner of the 2018 Gosford Art Prize.Local artist Keiko Matsui took out first place in the Gosford Ceramics Prize, which saw more entries than ever before, showing the resurgence in contemporary ceramics throughout Australia.Central Coast Council Team Leader Art Galleries, Arts and Culture, Tim Braham said there were 525 entries with 146 artworks chosen as finalists for the exhibition.“The Gosford Art Prize has strong recognition within the arts community and by holding this prestigious annual competition here on the Coast, local artists have the opportunity to be judged and appreciated on a national stage in friendly competition with Australia’s most talented artists,” Mr Braham said.“Approximately 53% of the finalists come from the Central Coast, which shows the depth of our local talent.“We were impressed by the high standard and huge diversity of the artworks received.

Coast Council has further investigated the exposed concrete stairs at Terrigal Beach and will now remove some of the stairs as soon as possible.The stairs have been on the southern end of the beach since a storm in the 1930s and are usually covered through natural sand replenishment.Council is currently contacting earth moving operators to find the appropriate machinery to safely remove the stairs which will also require a part closure of the beach.

In response to increased reports of the scavenging for containers to return under the NSW Return and Earn scheme, Central Coast Council is reminding the community the contents of household and public litter bins are not public property.The NSW container deposit scheme was introduced in NSW on 1 December 2017 with a number of collection points across the Coast where recyclable containers can earn ten cents an item.Council Acting Senior Manager Business and Economic Development, Andrew Pearce, said there were concerns about the mess being left behind and invasion of privacy by people raiding residential and public waste recycling bins.

Planning where to park in Terrigal is now easier with the launch of ParkSpot (Central Coast), a parking app providing real time information on parking availability for one of the coast’s busiest areas.

Central Coast Council is welcoming the confirmation of State Government funding to extend the dredging of the Ettalong Channel from the Rescuing Our Waterways Program.Council applied for $2.4 million in funding under this Program in June this year and today’s announcement has confirmed the success of this application for matching funding from the State Government.Mayor Jane Smith said Council has responded to community concerns about navigation in the Channel by applying for the matching funding and was pleased the application had been processed so quickly.“Our community want a solution to the issue of Ettalong Channel and today’s announcement will see that happen through collaboration with the State Government,” Mayor Smith said.“The devil is in the detail of how best to undertake this dredging exercise in cooperation with the State Government and how we will now use the sand to renourish nearby beaches.“We are willing to work through a long-term solution for our community.“As we have said all along there is currently no funding allocated in this year’s budget so savings of $1.225 million will now need to be found in other areas to pay for our share.”

Central Coast Council’s motions seeking to be joined as a party to current proceedings in the Land and Environment Court of NSW between Verde Terra Pty and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) have been adjourned for hearing to 9 October 2018.Those proceedings concern applications made by Verde Terra to the EPA to modify an existing environment protection licence issued for the Mangrove Mountain landfill site.Council will not make further comment about those proceedings until those motions are determined by the Court.

From the North to the South, Central Coast Council’s popular School Holiday Program is back with new activities for all ages, including the older kids!Out now, the September/October program lists a combination of free and paid events, live entertainment, art and sporting activities.

Central Coast Council has commissioned engineering consultants BMT to undertake an overland flood study for each of the contributing catchments within the Central Coast Council Local Government Area (LGA) that flow into Lake Macquarie.The flood study forms an initial stage towards the development of a comprehensive Floodplain Risk Management Plan, in accordance with the NSW Floodplain Development Manual (2005).Council Acting Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff, said Council has taken the initiative to carry out the flood study to assist with managing the risk the community faces from flooding.“We are eager to receive any comments and information from our community who live in the catchment areas about their experiences of local flooding,” Mr Bolgoff said.“The participation and feedback from the community is essential to the success of the study, and will be instrumental in helping to develop a detailed plan to manage ongoing flood risk.“The flood study is in its inception phase where the consultants are collecting and collating data on flooding and the catchment.

Recognising the achievements of individuals and groups for their outstanding contribution to the local community, Central Coast Council will soon open nominations for the 2019 Central Coast Australia Day Awards.The Coast-wide Australia Day Awards last year saw close to 70 nominations, with Kate Broadhurst being named the 2018 Central Coast Citizen of the Year for her work developing a surf program for children with additional needs.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said the prestigious Australia Day Awards honour locals who are leaders in the community, or who work quietly behind the scenes, to make the Central Coast a great place to live.“Australia Day is a celebration of our diversity, our values, our national achievements and our hopes for the future.

Central Coast Council has recommended average residential water bills be reduced across the Central Coast from 1 July 2019, in its submission on the review of water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices.Council lodged the submission to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) on Friday 7 September 2018.Council Senior Manager, Water and Sewer, Bileen Nel said Council was proposing to align prices across the two former local government areas, improve a number of key service levels and reduce the typical residential water bill.“Price consistency across the Central Coast was a top priority for our community and we have listened to this feedback,” Ms Nel said.“Our submission is also built around the top three values for these services identified by our community – reliability, value for money and efficiency.“A number of capital works programs have been identified to improve water supply security for our region including an upgrade to the Mangrove Creek Dam spillway, which was highlighted by our community as a key consideration.”The final submission to IPART demonstrates Council’s commitment to openness and transparency by detailing a four-year capital works program and agreed service levels to ensure the Central Coast community understands where and how their money is spent.Council has recommended an alignment of prices for non-residential customers, which will result in a decrease in charges for some customers and an increase for others due to the way charges are applied.IPART will now consider Council’s submission as part of the review and determination process, which provides opportunities for the community to provide feedback direct to IPART by 12 October 2018 or by attending IPART’s Public Hearing on 27 November 2018.Ms Nel said Council would also conduct a number of community information sessions in September to provide further insight into how Council’s submission would affect the Central Coast community.“I encourage all members of our community to take part in this process, read the documents available, attend our community information sessions and provide feedback direct to IPART.”Council’s submission, details about the IPART consultation process and further details on Council’s community information sessions are available at yourvoiceourcoast.com/WaterPricing

Pearl Beach artist Annie Reid has taken out the major prize in the prestigious Grandma Moses Art Competition, which attracted a record number of entries this year.The painting of the Californian beachside suburb San Clemente is on display at the Grandma Moses Exhibition in Gosford.

Pearl Beach artist Annie Reid has taken out the major prize in the prestigious Grandma Moses Art Competition, which attracted a record number of entries this year.The painting of the Californian beachside suburb San Clemente is on display at the Grandma Moses Exhibition in Gosford.