Central Coast Council Water and Sewer is seeking feedback regarding potential water and/or sewer connections from people who occupy, own, or operate a business from an ‘unserviced property’ on the Central Coast.The second phase of consultation follows an earlier consultation phase which was open to customers who are connected to Council’s water and/or sewerage services on the Central Coast.Council Director for Water and Sewer Jamie Loader said the community consultation ensures that Council develops knowledge and customer interest for including connection of ‘unserviced properties’ into future plans.“There are approximately 7,500 ‘unserviced properties’ that are not connected to the Council water and sewer network.

Central Coast Council offices will be closed on Friday 26 January for the Australia Day public holiday, and re-opening Monday 29 January 2024.Some of Council’s services and facilities will be closed or have changes, however essential services will continue to operate.An after-hours service is available on 02 4306 7900 to call in any urgent reports (such as water main breaks or sewer issues, and urgent road safety issues such as fallen trees over roads).Non-emergency enquiries, requests, reports or formal feedback can be submitted through our online Customer Service Centre 24/7 and these will be progressed from Monday 29 January 2024.

Central Coast Council is currently developing a new Coastal Management Program and is seeking community input on practical management for Central Coast beaches.The Open Coast Coastal Management Program is one of five new Coastal Management Programs (CMP) for the region that will be certified by the NSW Government and used to guide coastal management decisions and funding priorities for the next 10 years.Council’s Unit Manager of Environmental Management, Luke Sulkowski said the objective of the Open Coast CMP is to manage the coastal environment consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development for the social, cultural and economic well-being of the people of the Central Coast.“We’re at stage three of this five stage process in completing the document and would love as much input from the community as possible,” Mr Sulkowski said.“Once we have collated everything, we will develop an options assessment and come back to the community with a final draft before sending the final document to the State Government for their certification.“Input from our local residents will help optimise coastal management for the well-being of both our community and the environment – so tell us your concerns, ideas, wants and needs related to our beautiful beaches.“We would like to thank those who came along to our earlier pop-up sessions at Terrigal, Avoca and Toowoon Bay and encourage more suggestions throughout the consultation period whether it’s online or in person.”Council offers multiple ways the community can have an input into the future management of The Open Coast CMP.

The sod has been formally ‘turned’ to mark the commencement of the construction of the new Gosford Regional Library in Donnison Street, Gosford.Council Administrator Rik Hart was joined by Dr Gordon Reid MP Member for Robertson and North Construction &

There’s still plenty to keep children busy and active before school goes back, with Central Coast Council’s Summer school holiday program continuing through January.Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said this Summer’s program has brought back the most popular activities and lots of fresh events too. “We have a huge listing of free and affordable events for all ages and interests, which are delivered by our regional gallery, libraries, leisure centres, environmental team and youth services,” Ms Smith said.“Some events have limited numbers and are booking out fast, so I encourage parents and carers to jump on Council’s web page centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/whats-on to see what’s on and secure their spots.”Council Administrator Rik Hart said Council’s school holiday program is popular with local families.“The positive feedback we receive, and the speed that the events book out, show us how valued these programs are by our community,” Mr Hart said. “Council’s school holiday program provides an opportunity for the Coast’s young people to be entertained, engaged, keep active and also meet other locals”.See what’s on at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/whats-on.  

Summer has arrived and to help the community stay safe Council has officially launched its annual campaign to help locals and tourists safely enjoy the peak holiday season.This year the message is simple – be informed, be prepared, be safe.

Central Coast Council’s Good Times Summer kicks off in Gosford on Saturday 16 December with a jam-packed schedule of community events, as part of the NSW Government’s $30M Safer Cities program.The program is a positive initiative driven by the voices of the Central Coast's women, girls and gender diverse communities.This is an important first step in delivering pilot initiatives to improve safety for women, girls and gender diverse people in streets and transport hubs across Gosford in a collaborative partnership with Transport for NSW.According to the Safer Cities survey earlier this year, 50% of participants shared that they felt unsafe in Gosford CBD and 61% had a negative perception of the city.Following these findings, laneway lighting, public art, and community events and activations were recommended as key actions to help enhance feelings of safety.Another exciting initiative to help improve safety and convenience is the free evening shuttle bus service which will travel in a loop around the Gosford CBD from Thursday to Saturday during the six-week Good Times Summer program.Visitors are encouraged to use public transport to get to Gosford, and then utilise the free shuttle bus to move around the different activities during the Good Times Summer period.This will also compliment the return of the weekly night markets in Gosford.Good Times Summer runs from Saturday 16 December 2023 until Saturday 27 January 2024.Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:“Everyone deserves to feel safe in public spaces, including on our transport network, and we know events like this can help achieve that goal.“Transport for NSW’s state-wide Safer Cities Survey found women were twice as likely to not feel safe in public spaces in NSW at night compared to men.

Central Coast Council is hosting New Year’s Eve in Memorial Park, The Entrance with a spectacular program planned for Sunday 31 December.The huge family-friendly event will have something for everyone to enjoy including a fun-filled evening of live music, amusement rides, an array of food options and a spectacular fireworks display to conclude the event at 9pm.Central Coast Council’s Director Community and Recreation Services Melanie Smith is looking forward to the New Year Eve celebrations.“This family-friendly, alcohol-free event will commence at 5.30pm with on-site food vendors, local restaurants and takeaway shops cooking up a treat, while music lovers will get the chance to enjoy Riley Lovell, Toby Wells Band, The Appointments and Sunsoli,” Ms Smith said.“We will also be rounding off the evening with a dazzling display of fireworks from 9pm.“Last year we welcomed the new year in with 20,000 attendees injecting an estimated $2million into the local economy and we anticipate this will again be another fantastic event!“If you’re looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Gosford, Hunter Events Group will be bringing family-friendly fun to Leagues Club Park, proudly supported by Central Coast Council."This event will begin at 5pm bringing you a night full of live entertainment, food vendors and a fireworks display at 9pm – coinciding with the conclusion of the Central Coast Mariners game at Industree Group Stadium."Council Administrator Rik Hart said it’s fantastic that New Year’s Eve celebrations are happening across the Coast.“New Year’s Eve at The Entrance is one of Council’s biggest events and I encourage all to celebrate safely, bring a chair and a rug and connect through food, music and fun at this family-friendly alcohol-free event,” Mr Hart said.Due to the scale and popularity of these events temporary road closures will be in place at both The Entrance and Gosford on Sunday 31 December.Temporary Road Closures at The Entrance between 3-11pm:Marine Parade, The Entrance between The Entrance Road and the end of the car park.

Central Coast Council has received state-wide recognition for two outstanding achievements in helping to manage and protect the environment at the LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards 2023.Council was awarded the top prize in the category of Innovation in Planning, Policies and Decision Making for its geospatially based Environment Assessment Traffic Light Tool.Council’s partnership with Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) in the Street Lighting Improvement Program was also named as a finalist in the category of Sustainable Infrastructure.Council’s Director of Environment and Planning, Alice Howe said these awards provide state-wide recognition for best practice in managing and protecting the environment. “Council's Information Services and Environment sections worked together to develop the Environment Assessment Traffic Light Tool, which is a mapping platform that can be used in environmental assessments and field work to identify environmental risks where works are to be undertaken,” Dr Howe said. “This is a fantastic achievement for all staff involved on this project and highlights how we are shaping the future, rewriting the narrative and creating something bigger than each of us.” Council’s Director of Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff said we have been working with SSROC and Ausgrid for several years in developing and implementing improved street lighting for the Central Coast region.

Central Coast Council’s draft Masterplan for the Central Coast Airport at Warnervale is now on public exhibition.The draft Airport Masterplan, informed by feedback collected via a telephone survey and industry engagement undertaken in 2020 and 2021, is aimed at driving economic activity through employment, tourism and business development.Work to support development of the draft Masterplan has also identified those areas of Porters Creek Wetland that can be established as a stewardship site.