The Central Coast’s journey to becoming a certified ECO Destination is progressing in leaps and bounds with an additional 10 local nature-based businesses receiving funding to pursue certification. Achieving ECO Destination Certification will see the Central Coast recognised as a world-class location for sustainable and nature-based tourism, which will provide a substantial and ongoing boost to the local economy. Central Coast Council Director Corporate Affairs and Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Cowley said it was exciting to see so many local operators welcomed into the program. “We are working with Ecotourism Australia and WWF-Australia to achieve ECO Destination Certification by World Environment Day in June 2022,” Ms Cowley said. “As an important part of this journey, nature-based tourism businesses on the Coast were recently invited to submit an EOI seeking support to pursue formal recognition as an ecotourism provider, joining our region’s wider certification journey. “Through a fully-funded partnership with Ecotourism Australia and WWF-Australia, these businesses will receive mentoring throughout their certification journey, as well as a $500 funding incentive to assist with the first year of the process.” The Central Coast has the largest regional cohort of certified or seeking certification businesses, with the following 10 operators now welcomed into the program: •    Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park – Calga•    Bombora Ettalong Beach SUP – Ettalong Beach•    Canton Beach Paddleshack – Canton Beach•    Elixir Journeys – Bouddi National Park•    Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures – Glenworth Valley•    Grace Springs Farm – Kulnura•    Iris Lodge Alpacas – Jilliby•    Jake Cassar Bushcraft – Brisbane Water National Park•    Rocky Trail Entertainment – Lake Munmorah•    Terrigal Ocean Tours – Terrigal & Broken BayIf successful in achieving certification, new program members will join the Central Coast’s existing cohort of ECO certified operators – AquaFun Avoca Lake, Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre, Noonaweena in the hinterland, and TreeTops Adventure Park in Ourimbah State Forest.Chief Executive at Ecotourism Australia, Rod Hillman said the Central Coast is an outstanding candidate to become a certified ECO Destination.“The Central Coast has well managed and extensive protected areas, a strong environmental ethic within the community and Council, and high quality existing ecotourism experiences,” Mr Hillman said.“Ecotourism Australia visited the Central Coast in May to launch the region’s journey to become a certified ECO Destination with regional stakeholders and announce an incentive program to create and build new ecotourism products in the region. “Working closely with Central Coast Council, regional stakeholders and the local tourism industry, the program is designed to build on the Central Coast’s reputation as a premium location for high quality ecotourism experiences and accommodation.“The incentive program has encouraged 10 existing tourism businesses in the region to build on their sustainability credentials and practices by starting their application to be ECO Certified.”Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the support of Ecotourism Australia and WWF-Australia will ensure the region fulfills its potential as an eco-destination of choice.“The Central Coast has an abundance of world-class, nature-based tourist attractions and this sees us well-placed to attract an increasing number of visitors seeking sustainable travel experiences,” Mr Hart said.“Tourism is an important pillar of the Central Coast economy and ecotourism will play an increasingly important role in ensuring the region is front of mind for a broad mix of visitors.”The ECO Destination Certification program is fully funded by WWF-Australia as part of their Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund.Businesses in the certification program are supported with online tools, resources and bootcamps delivered by Ecotourism Australia to help their business become more sustainable. For more information visit the dedicated ecotourism hub – lovecentralcoast.com/ecotourismECO Destination Certification will play an important role in helping the Coast’s tourism sector to recover following necessary COVID restrictions. The current lockdown period makes it more important than ever to support all local businesses and to make this easier Council has recently launched three new ‘Love Local’ guides – lovecentralcoast.com/lovelocal 

Council will consider the community consultation findings and the next stage of its Asset Sales Program (Tranche 3) at the Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 27 July.Community consultation on the proposed properties for sale ran from 30 April to 28 May attracting 1,333 submissions and 611 direct emails and letters from the public.Council Director Corporate Affairs and Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Cowley said the consultation was invaluable in helping to understand in a short timeframe localised issues, stakeholder interests and likely impacts should some parcels of land proceed to sale.“Thank you to everyone who has submitted feedback and contributed to this discussion.

Central Coast Council’s work to protect the Little Tern has seen record numbers of the endangered coastal bird at Karagi Point North Entrance, officially marking the site as crucial for the species’ ongoing conservation.Council Environmental Education Officer, Nick Carson said the Karagi Point breeding colony was considered the most important nesting site in NSW for the 2020/21 breeding season.“In December last year we knew we were on track for a record baby boom of the feathered kind, but even then our estimated numbers were still shy of the final results,” Mr Carson said.“With an estimated 72 breeding pairs, 97 nests, 236 eggs (approximately 2.4 eggs per nest) and 152 chicks being observed, these figures were greater than what was observed at any other site in NSW for the 2020-21 breeding season.“An average of 0.71 chicks successfully fledged per breeding pair, and with only 350 chicks believed to have successfully fledged throughout the same period in NSW, this means that one seventh of the population can be attributed to Karagi Point alone.“This was clearly the most successful breeding season seen at Karagi Point in over 20 years of monitoring.

Central Coast Chemical CleanOut events scheduled for the coming weekends have been postponed due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions currently in place for the region. The two events were to be held at Event Park, Kariong on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July and at Council’s Charmhaven Depot on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August. Council will continue to work with the NSW Environment Protection Authority to reschedule the events and the community will be advised once new dates are confirmed. For residents who need to properly dispose of the problem wastes of paints, oils, gas bottles, fluoro lights, smoke detectors and batteries, Council’s new Community Recycling Centre is open 7 days a week and accepts household quantities of these wastes for free.

Central Coast Council is assuring the community that essential services will continue in line with the additional COVID-19 restrictions recently announced by the NSW Government.The NSW Government has announced from Monday 12:01am on 19 July 2021, work at construction sites in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, is not to be carried out unless the work is urgently required.Council Chief Executive Officer, David Farmer said the community can be assured that Council is following the requirements of the latest announcement.“We have carefully reviewed the Public Health Orders and we are making sure all of our work undertaken by Staff is in accordance with those orders.

Central Coast Council has completed the first ever survey for Koalas across the region with Koalas detected in the Mangrove Creek Dam catchment and Watagan Mountains.Council Director Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said staff also looked at Ourimbah State Forest, Brisbane Water National Park and Council’s Coastal Open Space System (COSS) lands as other potential Koala habitats.“In response to an increased number of Koala sightings being reported to us, the first ever survey for Koalas across the Central Coast was completed using a combination of phone surveys, postal surveys and an ecological study using song meters,” Mr Cox said.“Phone and postal surveys were used to help record any community Koala sightings and in Spring, song meters were deployed in 58 potential Koala habitat locations to record the bellows of male Koalas during the breeding season.“Koalas were recorded at nine sites in the far west of the region.

Today the Premier announced a further two-week lockdown for the Central Coast region, now in place until 11.59pm on Friday 30 July.

Over 24,000 square metres of land has been weeded and over 80 volunteer hours have been spent prepping Porters Creek for this year’s National Tree Day.Central Coast Council Director Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said he hopes the Central Coast community will be able to come together for a special tree planting event to continue conservation works.“Council has planted approximately 2,000 native plants on the site in the last 12 months that will help create, enhance and restore natural habitat.