Central Coast Council’s Gosford Regional Gallery has won the inaugural Arts in Health Award at the Imagine Awards 2022.These awards are run by Museums and Galleries NSW and supported by Create NSW to celebrate excellence in Museums and Galleries across NSW.

Central Coast Council is delighted to announce the appointment of its new Director of Corporate Services, Marissa Racomelara.Central Coast Council CEO, David Farmer said Ms Racomelara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role with over 14 years’ experience working in local government.“During her executive roles with local government, Ms Racomelara has gained vast experience in strategic planning, operational leadership, financial discipline and recovery, crisis management and working within corporate services,” Mr Farmer said.“Ms Racomelara’s work across local government in regional and city areas gives her a unique ability to understand the day-to-day needs and aspirations of different communities and groups.“I am confident that Marissa will add great value to the upward trajectory already being achieved by Council, and further help strengthen our commitment to continue to improve our operations and service delivery to the community.”ENDS

Central Coast Council has completed one of its most significant projects recently undertaken – a new landfill cell at Buttonderry Waste Management Facility, costing $9 million.With Council’s existing landfill cell, which was constructed in 2013, reaching its end of life, Council has designed and constructed a new modern engineered landfill cell - approximately five hectares, or seven football fields, in size.Central Coast Council’s Director Infrastructure, Boris Bolgoff, said the new cell will meet the community’s waste disposal needs for approximately the next 4.5 years.“Council’s team, together with our contractors, faced many challenges during the project including Covid-19 impacts to contractor staff, higher than average wet weather and two significant natural disaster events, but have succeeded in delivering the project on time, on budget and meeting expectations.Mr Bolgoff said while the new Cell has enormous capacity and is needed as an important facility for the community, Council also wants the community be aware of alternatives in reducing waste.“Council, through its Resource Management Strategy, wants to educate the community to look at alternative ways of avoiding the generation of waste and to recycle and repurpose wherever possible.“Actions like sorting your waste and putting the right items in the right bins, recycling where possible, using reusable containers, finding other use for items, donating to charity, selling or gift it – there are many quite practical and simple ways of reducing waste in landfill,” Mr Bolgoff said.Council’s Waste and Resource Recovery Unit Manager, Andrew Pearce, said this project was challenging on many levels, with the priority always to ensure the new Cell meets all environmental requirements and community expectations.The works on the project included:The excavation and stockpiling of around 415,000 m3 of soil and rockThe installation of three engineered leachate barrier liners totalling 153,000 m2 designed to protect the environment.

Central Coast Council crews have been busy taking advantage of the recent periods of improved weather to roll out more permanent road repairs across the region’s road network.Council Director Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff said a flexible approach has been necessary to address the significant impacts from this year’s flooding events and consistent heavy rainfall.“When it’s raining only temporary pothole repair works can be undertaken, which is why potholes can reappear within only weeks of repair.

Central Coast Council events are getting bigger and better than ever, and with a packed calendar for the next two years.To help deliver these events, Council is calling for expressions of interest from businesses keen to become an event sponsor.Expressions of Interest are now open for a range of events, and interested parties are invited to view the Sponsorship Prospectus for the 2023-24 period.

Central Coast Council is this week partnering with the Australian Resilience Corps and Disaster Relief Australia to support on ground disaster resilience action on the Central Coast. The Australian Resilience Corps (The Corps) is a national volunteer network established by Minderoo Foundation and NRMA Insurance, working to grow Australia's largest resource of disaster resilience volunteers to help communities prepare for fires and floods before they occur.This week, The Corps is deploying volunteers across the country to help communities prepare for fires and floods, following a year of successive extreme weather events. The Central Coast Council is partnering in the initiative with three Central Coast sites being targeted for the on-ground work being undertaken by over 100 volunteers.  The sites are Shelly and Killcare beaches and Kincumba Mountain. Central Coast Council Director Environment and Planning Dr Alice Howe said the initiative is welcomed as it highlights the importance of preparing for natural disasters ahead of time and extends Council’s volunteering program, which provides opportunities for local residents to become involved in bush regeneration, habitat restoration and enhancing the resilience of the natural environment. “The 100 volunteers from The Corps are giving their time over a three-day period this week, working under supervision of trained Disaster Relief Australia personnel, to assist our community to build resilience for future fire and floods.  The initiative helps add value to the significant ongoing contributions of the 600+ volunteers already actively participating in Council’s Environmental Volunteering Program.“During their time on the ground at Shelly and Killcare beaches, the volunteers from The Corps have been removing weeds and litter from coastal dunes, to better stabilise and enhance natural dune systems and the biodiversity that they support. “As with other parts of our community, which have been placed under pressure from various disaster impacts, our dune systems have been placed under significant pressure from coastal erosion.Dr Howe said that today, at Kincumba Mountain, volunteers are undertaking maintenance of fire trails, including removal of accumulated sediment, minor reshaping of drainage lines and pruning of encroaching vegetation, as well as removing weeds from areas of native vegetation.“Kincumba Mountain is a very important asset during natural disasters as it houses a telecommunications tower, which is a vital asset for broadcasting during emergencies.  It is also rich in biodiversity and Aboriginal heritage sites, which also need to be protected from the threats of natural disasters”Nadine De Santis, Australian Resilience Corps Project Lead, said volunteers play a pivotal role in helping their communities adapt to and prepare for a changing climate and the natural threats that come with it.“If we can lift the resilience of communities across the country, we can reduce the risk of devastation from another Black Summer Fire or East Coast flooding event,” Ms De Santis said."We can’t do this without the help of volunteers.”Council Administrator Rik Hart said he was pleased Council is a partner in this very important initiative.“Extreme weather events are happening more frequently and with greater severity.  This has been very evident here on the Central Coast, with devastating results for many in the community. "We are in total agreement with Disaster Relief Australia and the Australian Resilience Corps that this is the time to focus on resilience to enable communities to break out of the cycle of response and recovery.

Central Coast Council has a jam-packed events calendar for the local community and visitors to enjoy, during the spring and summer months. Whilst the events calendar has had some changes over the last few years, Council’s flagship events will return with favourites such as The Lakes Festival which is currently underway, Love Lanes, and Flavours by the Sea.

An extraordinary project, featuring eight remarkable Pelican sculptures initiated by Central Coast Council, but led by school children on the Coast, was unveiled today at The Entrance.The Project Pelican is a fusion of environmental education and creative art to inspire students and the community to connect with the challenges and solutions involved in protecting and restoring the Tuggerah Lakes estuary.Developed and delivered by Council’s Estuary Management team, in collaboration with Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre, with funding from the Australian Government, the project has involved art students in years nine and ten, from eight secondary schools. Central Coast Council’s Director Community and Recreation Mel Smith, said the aim of The Project Pelican is to help students increase their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Tuggerah Lakes system and what is needed to protect and restore this fragile environment.“Tuggerah Lakes is one of the most important and iconic estuaries on the Central Coast.

Council’s commitment to deliver improved water and sewer services for the Central Coast community has been reinforced with the publishing of the first Central Coast Council Water and Sewer Delivery Plan 2022-2026.

Central Coast Council will commence the construction of a new Visitor Centre as well as upgrade the picnic area at Mangrove Dam on Monday 14 November 2022.This work follows the destruction of the amenities building in the 2019 Three Mile Fire.