Central Coast Council is encouraging residents to help enhance our natural environment by getting involved in a number of free events as part of National Landcare Week (5-11 September).

Council’s Landcare Coordinator, Ms Rebecca Dugan, said the events will showcase the great work the Landcare, Bushcare, Coastcare, Dunecare, Tidy Towns and Friends of Cemeteries volunteers are doing in the community and celebrate their achievements.

“Last financial year, volunteers from our groups contributed more than 28,000 hours on the ground to help enhance our local environment across the Coast,” Ms Dugan said.

"Our groups do an amazing job and a few of them were recently recognised at the Keep NSW Beautiful Blue Star Sustainability Awards.

“We are a project partner of the Floating Landcare initiative which won the Community Environment Achievement award and also saw Mannering Park Tidy Towns receive a Highly Commended in the same category.

“We were also a finalist in the Going Green Environmental Education category with Ourimbah Public School’s Rainforest Access Project.”

Council will be hosting a Floating Landcare event on Wednesday 14 September and Saturday 22 October and residents are encouraged to come along and see the Coast’s waterways from a different angle.

“It’s a great way to see Tuggerah Lake and the Hawkesbury from a different perspective and visit some beautiful locations only accessible by boat or kayak – and of course helping make a difference by restoring the local environment in those hard to get to places,” Ms Dugan said.

“If water isn’t your thing, but you’d still like to be involved, you can book into one of our Bushcare Major Day Out events at Tumbi Creek, Wyoming and Mataram Ridge.

“Volunteering for Landcare and Bushcare activities have been known to improve mental and physical health and well-being as well as being a great way to give back to the Coast’s environment that we all enjoy.”

Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said these events are a great way to get a taste of what Landcare is all about.

“Landcare and Bushcare are wonderful examples of the power of volunteering on the Central Coast,” Mr Reynolds said.

“If you have a passion for our environment and are looking for a way to stay active, in touch with your local community and meet like-minded people, joining a local Landcare or Bushcare group could be the answer.

“We support all our volunteers and encourage anyone with an interest in the natural environment to come along and find out more about our program.

“Our volunteers play an important role in creating the community we have, and I would like to thank each and every one of them for their contribution to making the Coast a wonderful place to live.”

There are more than 70 groups established across the Central Coast. Find one near you by calling Council’s Landcare and Bushcare teams on 4350 5555 or 4325 8222.

Event details:

Bushcare’s Major Day Out

Sunday 11 September – Tumbi Creek Bridge, Tumbi Umbi 10am-12pm.
Sunday 11 September – Wyoming Wingello Creek Tributary, Wyoming 10am-3pm.
Saturday 17 September – Mataram Ridge Park, Woongarrah 9-11am.

Floating Landcare

Wednesday 14 September – Wyong River 8.30am-12.30pm
Saturday 22 October – Bar Point on the Hawkesbury River, 8.30am-1.30pm

To find out more details on the events, visit www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/events