The Central Coast is now Ecotourism certified under Ecotourism Australia’s globally recognised ECO Destination Certification and is one of only eleven regions in Australia to hold this recognition in sustainable tourism.This milestone strengthens the Central Coast’s reputation as a leading eco-conscious destination which helps to attract even more visitors each year.The globally recognised program assesses destinations on environmental management, cultural heritage, visitor experience and community benefits.Visitors can immerse themselves in authentic, high-quality experiences inspired by nature that are offered by locally-run businesses dedicated to sustainable tourism and showcasing the natural beauty of the Central Coast.We’ve held an ECO destination status for the past two years and have advanced to the next level of Ecotourism, following an independent audit that was conducted against 105 criteria and interviews with a range of stakeholders.This milestone recognises our ongoing commitment to sustainable tourism, responsible visitor experiences, and the protection of natural and cultural assets in partnership with our community and tourism operators.This achievement reflects a collaborative effort between Council, tourism operators and the community, whose collective aim is to position the region as a top choice for responsible tourism. Being an eco-destination encourages sustainable practices that preserve the beautiful natural assets, national parks and wildlife of the Central Coast, while supporting our local businesses, improving employment opportunities on the coast and growing our visitor economy.To learn more, search 'ecotourism' at lovecentralcoast.com to discover our region's ECO journey and how you can be part of our journey to a greener, more sustainable future.

Central Coast Council has announced the appointment of Dr Danielle Toase as its new Director Environment and Planning, following an extensive recruitment process.Dr Toase will oversee the Environment and Planning directorate within Council, leading functions such as Development Assessment, Environmental Management and Environmental Compliance.Dr Toase is an Environment and Planning Executive with a wealth of experience across the corporate, consulting, regulatory, research and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) sectors.Widely recognised as a leader in her field, Dr Toase's expertise has led her to publish over 10 academic papers and share her insights as an expert panellist and presenter at conferences across Australia, Europe and the USA.

We are shell-ebrating the safe hatching of several clutches of turtles on their ‘turtle island’ at Springfield Pond Wetland.In a first for the Central Coast, members of the Springfield Residents Association introduced their citizen science project on Thursday 10 October, with the aim to increase survival rates of freshwater turtles and turtle nests.The island was installed by the experts from the 1 Million Turtles community conservation program, in association with the University of Sydney and partner universities and agencies, and collaboration with Central Coast Council.Springfield Wetland was chosen for the turtle island habitat due to its location, proximity to universities and schools, and community interest in the wetland.When female turtles nest on the island, their eggs are safer from foxes which have a devastating impact on turtle populations.The island has helped at least three clutches of eggs through to the adorable hatchling stage!

We had the highest NSW participation rate in the national 2024 second-hand shopping event Garage Sale Trail, with 12,629 locals taking part as a seller or shopper and highlighting a community commitment to re-use rather than waste disposal.During the event held in November 2024, Central Coast locals sold and purchased the most items, re-using a staggering 14 tonnes by opting for pre-loved rather than new and helping to keep more than 26,000 items out of landfill.Local participating sellers collectively made over $138,000 and said that 42 percent of items would have gone to landfill if not sold through Garage Sale Trail.