Council to host open forums for the first time and additional meetings confirmed Central Coast Council will host an open forum followed by the traditional public forum before every ordinary Council meeting from Monday 23 November 2020.

Central Coast Council has welcomed 13 new members to its Access and Inclusion Reference Group (AIRG) who will support Council to further improve accessibility and inclusion on the Coast.The AIRG will guide Council in implementing the final year of its current Disability Inclusion Action Plan and will play an important role in the development of a new four-year Disability Inclusion Action Plan for 2021-2025.These plans set out actions that Council will deliver to enable people with disabilities to better access mainstream services, facilities, information and support to be fully and equally included in the community.Council’s Director of Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said that the AIRG plays an integral role in helping Council to create an inclusive and accessible Central Coast for all residents with a disability.“The 2020-2021 Access and Inclusion Reference Group includes community members with a lived experience of disability, as well as those who work within the disability and community sectors.“The group reflects the many dimensions and diversity of disability.

Central Coast Council interim administrator, Mr Dick Persson AM has confirmed Mr Rik Hart as Acting Chief Executive Officer at an extraordinary council meeting held in Wyong today. The temporary appointment is until the current CEO, Mr Gary Murphy, returns to the role or 12 months from today, whichever occurs first.

An Extraordinary Meeting of Central Coast Council will be held on Tuesday 3 November at 2pm.It will be the first meeting presided over by interim Administrator, Dick Persson AM. The meeting will be held in the Wyong Chambers as well as livestreamed and webcast via Council's website.Members of the public will be permitted to attend Chambers, however the attendance will be limited to meet requirements of the Public Health order. 

Central Coast Council has welcomed the release of the NSW State of the Beaches report, with 100% of ocean beaches and baths receiving a good or very good quality rating for 2019-2020.The annual report uses the Beachwatch results to rate designated ocean and estuarine swimming sites across the state.Mayor Lisa Matthews said the report shows Central Coast beaches to be in good condition overall.“It’s great to see all of our ocean beaches and baths receive a Good or Very Good rating for swimming water quality this year,” Mayor Matthews said.“Terrigal Beach, which has been a particular focus for our community, retained a good rating for the second reporting year, while Toowoon Bay and Cabbage Tree Bay Rockpool have returned to good from poor last year.“While we have some work to do on the estuarine beaches, baths and lagoon sites, improvements were seen at Summerland Point baths which was also rated good and no sites declined in rating this year.“Council has a number of significant projects underway, some in partnership with the NSW Government, to address many of these concerns.“We remain committed to pinpointing potential pollution sources and continue to improve the water quality in the area.”Sites that have shown improvement in the 2019-20 year include:Cabbage Tree Bay rockpoolSoldiers BeachSummerland Point bathsToowoon BayUmina Beach.Council’s Director Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said there were a number of processes underway to help Council address some of the issues in the report.“In addition to the audits underway, Council will consider ways to improve the estuarine, lake and lagoon sites as part of the Coastal Management Program processes currently underway and we look forward to the recommendations of the Tuggerah Lakes Expert Panel to assist with this.“In the meantime, Council advises residents to check the Beachwatch website for the latest results before choosing to swim in these locations.”Across NSW, it is recommended that swimming be avoided during and for up to one day after rainfall at ocean beaches and three days at estuaries, lakes and lagoons.For daily forecasts of water quality visit:

Central Coast Council has for the first time found Giant Devil’s Fig (Solanum chrysotrichum) in Umina Beach and is asking residents to be on the look out for this invasive weed.Council’s Biosecurity Officer, Paul Marynissen said weeds are a major threat to our unique natural environment, threatening the survival of hundreds of native plants and animals. “Giant Devil’s Fig is an uncommon weed on the Central Coast, however given that the trunk, branches and even the leaves are covered in very large, sharp prickles, we’d rather it be gone!” Mr Marynissen said.“We now have three known pockets of this weed on the Coast – with the previous two in the Wamberal/Terrigal and Lisarow/Holgate area.“While we know about these areas, the weed can be spread by bats and birds and could easily grow anywhere on the Central Coast, so please keep an eye out and let us know if you think you have seen it.”Council remains proactive in managing risks from animal and plant pests and diseases, weeds and contaminants.Young Giant Devil’s Fig can be easily recognised.

Mangrove Creek Dam picnic area and Dubbo Gully have reopened to visitors after a bushfire tore through the drinking water catchment last year. The area has been closed to allow for the demolition of burnt structures at the picnic area, removal of hazardous trees and natural bush regeneration. The picnic area is open 9am-5pm each day except Christmas Day.

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews has welcomed confirmation that Council has been successful in securing $600,000 in funding from the State Government to dredge The Entrance Channel. Central Coast Council applied in June 2019 for funding under the State Government’s Rescuing Our Waterways Program to continue its dredging program and will match the grant with $600,000 of its own funding. Mayor Lisa Matthews said it was great to see the long-awaited funding finally flowing for The Entrance Channel and the State Government on board to helping find a solution.

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews has called an Extraordinary Council Meeting for Monday 23 March 2020 due to the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Holidaymakers and the Central Coast go hand-in-hand and this summer tourism season is set to be one of the region’s busiest on record. Visitor numbers for the Coast have boomed this Spring and throughout the traditionally quieter winter months, providing a welcome boost to local businesses hit hard by the impacts of bushfires and COVID-19. Central Coast Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said visitors from Sydney and across Australia are heading to the Coast. “Over this year’s October long weekend some of our key attractions saw numbers up by as much as 300 percent and most accommodation was fully booked,” Ms Vaughan said. “This follows on from consistently strong tourism numbers for the Coast since April – year-on-year growth of 20 percent or higher across key indicators like restaurant and retail spend as well as AirBnB occupancy rates*. “Every indicator suggests this summer on the Coast will be abuzz and Council has taken steps to prepare for the influx of visitors to our beautiful region. “If you head to any of our 15 patrolled beaches you will hear safety announcements, including reminders to be COVID-safe, and we’re rolling out heightened management of bins and public amenities.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said the diverse appeal of the Central Coast is hard to beat. “Our stunning beaches, breathtaking bushland and picturesque hinterland region are at the heart of what makes the Coast so magnetic, but we’re also blessed with so many hidden gems that we’re encouraging visitors and locals to explore,” Mayor Matthews said. “The Coast has become a foodies paradise – we have great local produce and a vibrant dining scene across the region – and we’re also hard to beat for boutique shopping and adventure activities. “With international travel off the cards for the time being, we’re taking the time to discover and rediscover our own backyard and it’s no surprise that our spectacular region is at the top of the list. “It is important that we are all patient and kind this summer, keeping ourselves and others safe is what is most important.” A new destination brand for the Central Coast was launched in 2020 to promote the region as a vibrant, magnetically attractive place to live, work and play. For a full list of where to eat, stay and play on the Central Coast, head to lovecentralcoast.com