Council is inviting the community to comment on plans to consolidate informal tracks in the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland between 17 March to 14 April, to share thoughts on the management of these areas. Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland (UCSW) is a unique group of plants and animals that co-exist together on the coastal sands of the Umina-Woy Woy Peninsula, and is listed as an endangered ecological community (EEC).The region’s natural assets are rich and diverse, and their conservation and protection is important.

On Saturday 26 March 2022, Town Criers from across Australia will gather at Alison Homestead in Wyong as the Central Coast plays host to the 2022 National Town Crier Championships.From 12.30-3.30pm, the nation's best Town Criers will be representing their areas and competing for the title of Australian Champion of Champions.Central Coast Town Crier and current Australian Champion, Stephen Clarke is thrilled at the opportunity to showcase our wonderful region, as well as be the host for this year’s event.“We are inviting the community to come along and enjoy this fun and very colourful event,” Mr Clarke said.Council Administrator, Rik Hart said Council was delighted to be hosting the national event, which offers an unusual and entertaining experience for all ages.“This is an example of the diverse types of events and activities Council supports on the Central Coast,” Mr Hart said.“On the same weekend as the Town Crier Championships, Flavours By The Sea is also being held at Terrigal – so there’s something on the Coast for everyone to enjoy.”The Championships, which have been running for 32 years, are held under the authority of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Australian Town Criers.Town Criers compete against one another for the titles of Champion of Champions, Loudest Cry, and Most Extravagant Outfit!The competing Town Criers each perform two cries – one about their own hometown and another about the host town.

Council has named five new Y4Y (Youth for Youth) action team members, to represent young people on the Central Coast. The newly appointed team members range from 14 to 24 years and include young people who live, work or study on the Central Coast.

The Central Coast is starting to recover from the impacts of the recent severe weather event which saw substantial rainfall and localised flash flooding, however parts of our region are still impacted.Safety and supporting the affected community continues to remain a priority for Council.A Recovery Committee has been established and Council is working with Resilience NSW as we move forward.While water is receding there is still major flooding continuing throughout the Hawkesbury area.

Two Pop-up Recovery Hubs will open at Spencer and The Entrance from Monday 14 March to support affected communities.

Central Coast Council is encouraging community members to have their say on the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) draft determination on water, sewerage and stormwater drainage pricing for the Central Coast released today (15 March 2022).IPART’s draft prices would see the combined yearly bill for a typical household increase by approximately $200 on 1 July 2022 and then by around $49 per year, before inflation, until 2025-26.Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said Council encourages community members to provide feedback directly to IPART through their consultation process and a Public Hearing that will be held on 5 April 2022.“Council’s pricing submission to IPART was shaped by community feedback and we’re now encouraging locals to review the draft determination for our region and provide feedback directly to IPART,” Mr Loader said.“IPART will consider all community responses, which can be provided online or by attending the Public Hearing, before releasing their final determination on Central Coast water, sewerage and stormwater drainage pricing on 24 May 2022.“This pricing change is vital to ensure the maintenance and development of critical infrastructure and to meet the service levels our community expects.”Council is currently reviewing IPART’s draft determination and will provide detailed feedback as part of the consultation process.Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the Central Coast community should take advantage of this final opportunity to have their say on water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices for the next four years.“IPART’s draft determination on water prices is out and we’re calling on the local community to once again have their say – this time directly to IPART through their current community consultation process.“The Central Coast currently has the lowest water prices in NSW and we must return to pricing levels that will ensure we can meet the needs of our community.“Local residents will also be aware that we are going through a separate IPART process to keep ordinary rates at their current level for an additional seven years in order to maintain service levels and meet the requirements of necessary emergency loans.“It is important to note that our rates submission to IPART is not connected in any way to this draft IPART determination on our water, sewerage and stormwater drainage pricing.”Community members can have their say on the draft water, sewerage and stormwater drainage pricing determination for the Central Coast by visiting IPART’s website.ENDSKey features of the draft determinationThe combined yearly bill for a typical household would increase by around $200 on 1 July 2022.

Similar to the floods of 2021, debris and mixed bulk rubbish is being washed ashore on the beaches closest to the Hawkesbury River – including Umina, Ocean Beach, Patonga and Killcare.Now there are suitable conditions, Council crews are starting the clean-up of the debris that has washed up on beaches and asks that any collected by the community is placed away from the water’s edge.Ongoing, Council does a lot to manage the quality of the waterways, providing bins in public spaces, and the installation of gross pollutant traps at a number of key locations across the coast to stop dirt and rubbish entering the water.Council Administrator, Rik Hart said these past few weeks have shown us what ends up in the gutter, ends up in our waterways.“When people litter on the roadside, it ends up in the drainage system which leads to the major waterways and can create all sorts of environmental problems for the flora and fauna that call the Coast’s local waterways home,” Mr Hart said.“While Council actively stops some rubbish entering the waterways, we need the communities help to stop rubbish flowing into our drainage systems in the first place.”Roadside litter is one of the most unnecessary and preventable environmental problems.Littering is not only damaging to our environment, but it is also a fineable offence, and everyone can play a role in reducing the impact of litter on local beaches and waterways.The NSW EPA can issue fines from $250 for an individual and $500 for a corporation for littering from a vehicle, based on reports from members of the public.Find out how you can report a tosser littering from their vehicle by visiting the NSW EPA website www.epa.nsw.gov.au.ENDS

Council is working with Resilience NSW to ensure residents have access to information and support services to aid recovery following the recent severe weather event.Community members that have been impacted are encouraged to visit one of the pop-up Recovery Hubs at Spencer Community Hall, Diggers at The Entrance or the Berkeley Community Centre for help and information. SPENCER COMMUNITY HALL, 4776 Wisemans Ferry Road, Spencer Wed 16 Mar (10am – 4pm)Sat 19 Mar (10am – 4pm)\Mon 21 Mar (10am – 4pm)Tues 22 Mar (10am – 4pm) DIGGERS AT THE ENTRANCE, 315 The Entrance Rd, Long Jetty Thur 17 Mar (10am - 4pm)Sun 20 Mar (10am – 2pm)Wed 23 Mar (10 - 4pm)Thur 24 Mar (10am – 4pm)BERKELEY COMMUNITY CENTRE, 3 Heather Ave, Glenning ValleyFri 18 Mar (10am - 4pm)More dates and times will be arranged according to community need and updates will be posted on Council’s website – search ‘flood recovery’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au  centralcoast.nsw.gov.auENDS

Council has identified the proposal submitted by Venues Live for the management of Central Coast Stadium as being the preferred and is now negotiating to finalise the commercial terms of the management agreement.

Central Coast dam levels reached a record high in January 2022 – with Mangrove Creek Dam hitting 77.2 percent and topping the previous high of 76 percent achieved six years ago in February 2016.This milestone for the region demonstrates the value of optimising the capacity of existing water supply sources – a key pillar of the Central Coast Water Security Plan.Central Coast Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said the recent removal of a capacity restriction for Mangrove Creek Dam improves the region’s ability to capitalise on periods of heavy rain.“It is exciting to see record dam levels on the Central Coast and we are seeking to maintain strong levels across the summer due to the current La Niña* weather pattern,” Mr Loader said.“Previously Council had to stop transferring water into Mangrove Creek Dam at 75 percent total storage and not let the level within the dam exceed 80 percent.“We have resolved the 80 percent capacity limit that had been in place for Mangrove Creek Dam after working with industry specialists to conduct a detailed risk based assessment within updated Dam Safety Regulations. “The ability to fill Mangrove Creek Dam to 100 percent puts us in a significantly stronger position to capitalise on periods of heavy rain and is a key action of Pillar 2 of the Central Coast Water Security Plan, which is focused on optimising the capacity of our existing water sources.“Further actions in Pillar 2 include maximising water transfers between the Coast and the Hunter, sustainably extracting and treating water from existing groundwater supplies, and using existing recycled water facilities to supply non-drinking water for irrigation and industry.“While we are experiencing favourable conditions at the moment, into the future we cannot rely on surface water sources alone – water availability and raw water quality can impact our ability to harvest and store more water within our dams.”Council Administrator, Rik Hart said water planning is key for the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the Central Coast.“The ability to fill Mangrove Creek Dam to its full capacity is a vital step forward – put simply, we have substantially boosted our ability to store water when it is available,” Mr Hart said.“It is wonderful to see our dam levels hit new record highs but we can’t lose sight of the actions needed for water security into the future – we must be prepared for a growing population and the potential for severe and sustained drought.“Through the Central Coast Water Security Plan we are taking a multifaceted approach that encompasses sustainable water usage, making the most of our current water supply resources, and planning for the creation of new water supply sources that don’t rely on rainfall.”Recent water storage levelsSince 1 November 2021 to 3 February 2022, system operation resulted in:Mangrove Creek Dam storage increasing by 1.9 percent – 3,340 megalitres or 1,335 Olympic swimming pools.Total dam storage increasing by 3.4 percent – 6,870 megalitres or 2,750 Olympic swimming pools.*The Bureau of Meteorology in its latest climate driver update on 3 February 2022 outlined that La Niña conditions are continuing and climate models indicate these conditions will likely persist until early autumn 2022.