Central Coast Council is excited to announce its line-up of events for NSW Youth Week, running from 9 to 17 April.

Central Coast Council has commenced Shutdown 4 of the Mardi Water Treatment Plant upgrade, marking another significant milestone in the region’s largest water infrastructure project this decade.

The Central Coast Seniors Festival concluded on 16 March, leaving a trail of success with over 100 events, including two highly popular Seniors Expos.Building on this momentum, Central Coast Council has reaffirmed its commitment to providing year-round support for older residents, supporting their continued wellbeing and active participation through services and initiatives aligned with the Council’s Positive Ageing Strategy.Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said there are several programs currently on offer. “We are excited to continue our support through programs such as Tech Savvy Seniors, which has commenced, and the monthly Talking with Seniors Roadshow,” Ms Smith said. “The Tech Savvy Seniors program offers hands-on assistance to build skills and confidence in using computers, iPads, smartphones and online applications like email and social media.

Central Coast Council is upgrading Vera’s Water Garden as part of The Entrance Revitalisation Project and is inviting the community to participate in a short poll to determine the future of Vera’s statue.The statue, a long-standing feature of The Entrance, is now under consideration for replacement as Vera’s Water Garden undergoes a significant upgrade to a modern, zero-depth splash park, enhancing accessibility and interactive play for all users.This upgrade will commence after the autumn school holidays, with expected completion by the spring school holidays, weather permitting.

Central Coast Council is reminding local business operators that run commercial activities on open space areas such as parks, reserves and beaches to apply by 21 April for a License of a Trade or Business on Open Space.Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said any trade or business wishing to conduct activities on Council managed open space areas must apply for an annual temporary license.“The application process for a licence to operate during the 2025-26 financial year, will run between 24 March and close 21 April,” Ms Smith said.“This is relevant to commercial operators that run activities such as personal training or group fitness, water recreation activities, schools or camps or hire of kayak, surf boards or stand up paddle boards, and also corporate group training, clinics and coaching.”Council Mayor, Lawrie McKinna said the license process helps Council to balance the needs of all open space users. “Temporary licensing enables Council to provide equitable access to our limited public space for diverse activities, helps protect and preserve our natural environment, as well as ensures activities are safe and well-managed,” Mayor McKinna said. Application period closes 5pm, Monday 21 April 2025.For guidelines and application forms search  open space EOI at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au 

Central Coast Council plans to allocate an extra $20million over the next four years in road renewals to improve local road conditions and address infrastructure work backlogs.Road renewal works include resurfacing and rehabilitation, providing long-term solutions as part of the full life cycle of road maintenance and management.Central Coast Council’s Director Infrastructure and Services, Boris Bolgoff said maintaining a road network of over 2,200kms is no small feat, which is why the largest percentage of Council’s budget and resources is allocated to roads.“This additional $20million investment is proposed to fast track priority road renewals and will be included in the draft Delivery Program and 2025-26 Operational Plan that will be placed on public exhibition in May,” Mr Bolgoff said.

MEDIA RELEASE The critically endangered Wyong Sun Orchid (Thelymitra adorata) may be elusive, but a collaboration between Central Coast Council and the NSW Government’s Saving Our Species Program is aiming to change that.An Australian first trial for this species has successfully trained scent detection dogs to locate these rare orchids by detecting underground tubers in a minimally invasive way.Using their remarkable sense of smell, three talented Spaniels, Paddy, Sully and Vera, are leading this innovative conservation effort.

Inclusive play at The Entrance Waterfront Plaza has been improved with the addition of a 'We-Go-Swing' accessible swing and new shade sails.

More than 100 development industry professionals, along with Councillors and Council staff, attended the ‘Building a strong foundation for the future’ forum at Central Coast Council on Wednesday 19 March.The event offered a forum for Council to better understand the barriers to development and for the industry to better understand Council’s processes.Central Coast Mayor, Lawrie McKinna said the event generated helpful insights, ideas and improvement suggestions.“It was gratifying that so many industry professionals took time out of their schedules to participate,” Mayor McKinna said.“Our Council processes the highest volume of planning applications in NSW, with more than 2000 lodged last year.“We’re a busy region with a growing community.

Central Coast Council is dedicated to providing water and sewer services that cater to our community's needs.

Central Coast Council is inviting the community to help tackle one of Australia’s most damaging invasive species through the Carp to Croc muster event, an exciting fishing event aimed at reducing European Carp populations in our local waterways.European Carp pose a serious threat to local ecosystems, degrading water quality and displacing native species.

Get ready for free family fun under the stars!

Central Coast Council wishes to advise the community that shark nets at eleven patrolled beaches will be removed on 31 March 2025, one month earlier than in previous years.

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.Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said 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,” Ms Smith said.“Visitors have been able to 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 recognising 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”.Council Mayor Lawrie McKinna said 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,” Mayor McKinna said.“I strongly believe that being recognised by Ecotourism Australia will help support our local businesses, improve employment opportunities on the coast, and grow our visitor economy.”Visit lovecentralcoast.com/ecotourism 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 is pleased to announce 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.Danielle 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, Danielle’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.

MEDIA RELEASE The Central Coast had the highest NSW participation rate in the national 2024 second hand-shopping Garage Sale Trail event, with 12,629 locals taking part as a seller or shopper and highlighting a community commitment to re-use rather than waste disposal.Central Coast Council Director Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff said it is great to see the local community embrace sustainability in such a fun way.“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," Mr Bolgoff said.“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. "Additionally, more than half of respondents said they would not have run a sale if it wasn’t for this Council promoted event.“Thank you to all those Coasties that participated in 2024 by hosting a sale or by hopping along its trail to help keep household items out of landfill.”Council Mayor Lawrie McKinna said Council is pleased to participate in this great initiative each year.“The Garage Sale Trail builds in popularity each year and aligns with Council’s efforts to reduce waste, promote recycling and create a greener future for our community,” Mayor McKinna said.“This community-driven event shows how we can all band together to make a significant impact for our region’s environment, and discover a second-hand gem on the way!”To find other ways to reduce, recycle and reuse, search ‘waste and recycle’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au 

In celebration of International Women's Day this Saturday 8 March 2025, Central Coast Council is proud to recognise the significant contribution of its female lifeguards, aligning with the global theme of ‘Accelerate Action.’With 17 female beach safety staff currently rostered out of a total of 92, Central Coast Council has one of the highest representations of female lifeguards in New South Wales.

Central Coast Council adopted the Central Coast Airport Masterplan at its Ordinary Council meeting on 25 February 2025.The Airport Masterplan was informed through extensive industry and community engagement over the past four years.A key element in the adoption of the Masterplan by Council is the confirmation of the protection of the Porters Creek Wetland and surrounding areas of high ecological value through a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement (BSA), the highest level of environmental protection available in NSW.

Central Coast Council is inviting the community to have their say on proposed amendments to the Backflow Prevention Policy, which is now on public exhibition.Council maintains a Backflow Prevention Policy to ensure property owners with a medium to high hazard of backflow contamination understand their responsibility to install and maintain backflow prevention devices when connecting to Council’s drinking water system. The proposed amendments provide clearer guidance on property owners responsibilities, including:The installation and management of backflow prevention devices. The requirement to register containment backflow devices with Council. The annual submission of test results for these registered containment backflow devices.Council Director of Water and Sewer, Danielle Hargreaves reinforced the importance of backflow prevention and reassured residents that the policy applies only to properties identified as medium to high hazard by an accredited plumber.

Get ready to roll!