Central Coast Council is excited to announce that the new Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre will be open to the public from tomorrow Saturday 30 September 2023.  The $3.2 million project has been rebuilt after Central Coast Council received $2.567 million from the Commonwealth and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund.  Key features of the new facility include a new interactive visitor education centre, accessible family friendly amenities, a children’s play space and revitalised picnic area with new picnic table shelters, bins and bench seating. Council Director for Water and Sewer Jamie Loader encouraged the community to come out and see the new visitor centre.  “The Mangrove Creek Dam Visitor Centre provides an exceptional visitor experience through the provision of modern visitor facilities, providing educational insights into the water supply system, natural environment and cultural heritage of the area.  “Central Coast Council provides a potable water supply service to approximately 350,000 residents across the region.

The Sustainable Future Festival will return to the Central Coast on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October, taking over the University of Newcastle’s Ourimbah campus to celebrate all things sustainable.This family friendly event offers something for everyone, with a jam-packed program filled with environmentally friendly activities, workshops and demonstrations.Central Coast Council Director of Infrastructure, Boris Bolgoff said this exciting festival aims to stimulate a new way of thinking about waste management and resource recovery, as well as inspire the community on how to live more sustainably.“Council is pleased to once again partner with its waste collection contractor Cleanaway, to deliver an event that not only brings community members together to learn about all things sustainability, but also offers handy tips and tricks on how we can all minimise our carbon footprint and keep the Central Coast as beautiful as ever,” Mr Bolgoff said."This year’s festival will host some very special guests including Triple M and Better Homes and Gardens star, Rob Palmer on Saturday 14 October.

Council has adopted its first Water and Sewer Customer Charter and Customer Complaints Management Framework with a focus on better outcomes for customers. Council’s Water and Sewer also continues to keep the community informed on performance and progress with the publication of Water and Sewer’s bi-annual Delivery Plan Progress Report (January-June 2023) and its annual Performance Report 2022-2023 on our website. Water and Sewer has also drafted a new, customer-informed, Water and Sewer Community Engagement and Education Strategy on public exhibition until 26 October.

Residents and businesses are eligible to collect an environmentally friendly graffiti removal kit courtesy of Central Coast Council.The kits are available from all local libraries as well the Gosford and Wyong customer service centres with each resident and business entitled to one per year.Each kit contains Soy Safe graffiti removal, protective eyewear, gloves and a scrubbing brush.Council’s Director of Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith, said the free kits are an important part of the graffiti removal strategy.“Graffiti can be a costly expense to businesses and residents both in time and money.

Visitors to Central Coast are being offered a new perspective on pelican encounters, with a brand-new education programme taking them behind the scenes of marine wildlife care.Council has partnered with Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast to deliver a family friendly, educational, safe, eco-friendly pelican experience called ‘Pelican Time with Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast’.

Community input in now being sought for the future use of 1A Jaques Street Ourimbah, following the site being transferred to Central Coast Council from the University of Newcastle in August this year.

As part of our commitment to maintaining quality water and sewer infrastructure across the region, Central Coast Water and Sewer have been undertaking works to refurbish the Vacuum Sewer System within Davistown, Tacoma and St Hubert’s Island. Vacuum sewer systems are an effective sewer management option for flat landscapes.

October is NSW Small Business month and Central Coast Council is inviting small business owners to celebrate at a breakfast seminar on Friday 6 October.This year’s theme is ‘My Small Business’ and is focused on providing assistance and tips on how small businesses can strengthen their business.Council’s Unit Manager Economic Development and Property, Jamie Barclay, said in line with this year’s theme Council will host a free breakfast seminar on increasing small business digital maturity capabilities.“The aim of the event is to get small businesses on the Coast to think about their own digital and online presence and what steps they can take to optimise it,” Mr Barclay said.“We have engaged the Fifth Element to facilitate the seminar who specialise in supporting small businesses in building a more robust enterprise through digital activation.”Council’s Administrator, Rik Hart, encourages small business owners to attend the seminar to take home the tips they need to enhance their business online.“The breakfast seminar will also be a great chance to network with other local businesses in the area and share ideas,” Mr Hart said.“Small Business month focuses on the different elements of being a small business owner, and we hope our seminar will help you with your individual business needs.”The free breakfast seminar, ‘My Small Business Digital Maturity’, is proudly supported by the NSW Government Small Business Commissions and will be held on Friday 6 October from 8-10.30am at The Entertainment grounds, West Gosford.Find out more and book your seat today! ENDS 

It’s now less than two weeks before Central Coast Council hosts one of the largest annual Indigenous sporting events at Tuggerah in partnership with the Newcastle All Blacks – the 2023 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout.Also referred to as the ‘Koori Knockout’, this mass participation sporting event will showcase some of the best rugby league talent in the country and holds a highly regarded and significant place on the Indigenous calendar.The Knockout will kick off on Friday 29 September at the Central Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Complex (CCRSRC) and will be played over the October long weekend.Council’s Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith, said up to 150 teams are expected to participate across the four-day event, attracting thousands of people to the Coast.“With so many people expected to attend the Knockout, we have put in place a Traffic Management Plan to help cater for the extra visitors and traffic,” Ms Smith said.“With limited parking in the area for so many event goers, we’re encouraging people to take advantage of public transport - as our facility has been built in such a perfect location it’s only a short walk from the already existing train and bus services at Tuggerah Station!“To complement the public service, we will also be providing a free shuttle bus service to the complex from EDSACC Oval North, Bateau Bay and Tuggerah Dog Park that will run until 7pm every day of the Knockout.“We want everyone who’s competing or watching the Knockout to get there hassle free and enjoy some great footy at our amazing facility.”Council’s Administrator, Rik Hart, said Council hosted the event in 2019 with the Newcastle All Blacks and is excited to be doing it all again.“With so many more teams participating this year, Tuggerah has proven it’s the best complex to cater for the extra games and hosting such a major sporting event will deliver significant benefits to our local community,” Mr Hart said.“This event will be attracting thousands of spectators and will boost our local tourist economy by an estimated $6 million, providing a direct benefit to our region’s small businesses and local employment.“The Koori Knockout is one event not to be missed with some of the country’s best talent on display – you may even catch a close up of an NRL/NRLW star in action too!”The 51st NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout will be held at CCRSRC Tuggerah from Friday 29 September to Monday 2 October 2023.

The $35 million upgrade to Bateau Bay Sewage Treatment Plant is one step closer with the contract to upgrade the odour facilities being awarded to Gongues Constructions Pty Ltd.  This Contract is for the design and construction of a new inlet works Odour Control Facility and the full refurbishment of the Primary Sedimentation Tanks Odour Control Facility.  Director for Water and Sewer Jamie Loader said while the works were due to be part of the overall plant upgrade these works had been brought forward under a dedicated contract to accelerate the delivery of the new and augmented odour control infrastructure.  “The new system will replace the original with an upsized multibarrier treatment process capable of reducing odour to below detectable limits.

More than 150 sport, active recreation and physical activity opportunities have already been unveiled as part of Get Active San Remo and Blue Haven this October.The initiative, returning for its second year, aims to encourage people in San Remo and Blue Haven to get active and discover the unique range of activities offered by sport and recreation providers in the region throughout the month. Activities already announced include basketball, rugby league, tennis, fishing, swimming, karate, walking groups and social sports – with more expected to be added over the coming weeks. It has been developed in partnership by the NSW Office of Sport, Central Coast Council and Central Coast Local Health District’s Health Promotion Service to break down the barriers people face to being physically active. To help achieve this, many of the activities will be offered for free or at low or reduced cost, with the aim to encourage people to try a new activity or sport and foster social connection – helping build a stronger and healthier community.It follows the success of last year’s inaugural Get Active initiative, which saw 155 participation opportunities offered to the community from 35 different local providers.This year sees a fresh calendar of opportunities on offer that have again been shaped by feedback from the local community.Central Coast Council’s Administrator, Rik Hart, said Get Active is already leaving a lasting legacy.“It has been great to see so many of the activity providers who were part of last year’s calendar return again this year, as well as some new ones coming on board too,” Mr Hart said. “Whether new activities or existing ones, the support from local sport and recreation providers to offer opportunities to be active either for free or at discounted rates, provides a great incentive for people to try new activities.“What was really pleasing in the feedback from last year was that 95 per cent of those who were active during last year’s initiative said they were likely to continue to be active, while 80 per cent of providers who offered an activity continued to do so following the end of the official program. “That continuing of being active is what Get Active aims to achieve and so provides a lasting legacy in the community.” Nigel Tebb, Health Promotion Officer at Central Coast Local Health District, underlined the importance of physical activity.“Regular physical activity and exercise is so important for our physical and mental health and wellbeing,” Mr Tebb said. “That’s why we’re working in partnership with the community, listening to feedback on the type of activities they want to see and what we can do to help remove some of the barriers people face to being physically active.”To view the calendar of activities and to book to take part, visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/getactive.If you are a local organisation or group wishing to get involved and offer an activity, please contact adam.kidd@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au or call 0427 175 234. ENDS

Ahead of National Water Week 16-22 October, primary school aged children across the Central Coast are encouraged to create a poster reflecting water-related issues that are important to them and our local area.The National Water Week Primary School Poster Competition is open to children aged between 5-12 years across the country.

Council’s 2020-2025 Playspace Strategy provides strategic direction for the development and sustainable management of playspaces on the Central Coast, which have so far this year seen over $1.7M of upgrades.Playspaces at fourteen locations across the Central Coast including Budgewoi, Berkley Vale, Woy Woy Bay, Koolewong, Wyongah, Toukley, Killarney Vale, Tuggerah, Terrigal, Blue Haven, Hamlyn Terrace and Woongarrah have all been part of Council’s upgrade program.

Central Coast Council is continuing to provide opportunities for local creatives to shine by showcasing their skills, art and talents in the next Creative Spaces program announced for 2023 and beyond.The line up of creatives to host activities in the Gallery Container in the Toukley Village Green for the Creative Spaces 2023-24 program will positively contribute to the cultural life and increase visitation to Toukley for the benefit of local business.Council Director of Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said Council was proud to have curated an engaging program that fills the Gallery Container with creative workshops, exhibitions and demonstrations to ensure the greatest benefit to local makers and creators, and the wider community.“Council is funding three visual arts programs to occupy three-month blocks from 11 September 2023 to 28 June 2024,” Ms Smith said.“The program is now live and is vibrant and dynamic, so we encourage all community members to explore the schedule and regularly visit Creative Spaces in Toukley’s Village Green.

Central Coast Council is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Gosford Art Prize, with $28,000 in prize pool money awarded to artists from across the Central Coast and beyond.This year 948 entries were entered from across Australia.

The Central Coast is once again putting the pedal to the metal to host ChromeFest - one of NSW biggest cars shows - at The Entrance, 27-29 October.There is no car show that compares to the Central Coast’s home-grown ChromeFest where hundreds of car enthusiasts and rock ‘n’ roll fans come together to kick up their heels for a tribute to classic cars, vintage glamour and everything 1950s and 60s.ChromeFest is a free three-day event – Friday 27 October to Sunday 29 October – held at The Entrance and presented by Central Coast Council, with support from a range of sponsors.Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said ChromeFest 2023 event program, is all about cars, chrome, fashion, swing dancing and tunes from the good ol’days.“Now in its 15th year, the festival’s iconic Show n’Shine classic car displays have been opened for the first time to include show car owners of all makes and models pre 1979 with a passion for car shining!

Central Coast Council is inviting the community to share their feedback to help further inform the next iteration of the Central Coast Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and the Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS).Council’s Director Environment and Planning, Alice Howe said Council wants to hear from all community members about their lived experiences, values, perceptions and desires for the Central Coast region.“The current CSP was adopted in 2018 and provides the Central Coast community’s vision for the region and describes the key objectives we can all work towards to achieve that vision over the next ten years,” Dr Howe said.“The current interim LSPS was adopted in 2020 and frames the future land use direction for the Central Coast over the next 20 years.

Central Coast Council is inviting residents to have their say on a proposal that will see 80 lots of land across the local government area reclassified from operational land to community land.The decision to move towards the reclassification of Council-owned land was driven by community feedback during the Council Community Land Plan of Management process earlier this year. Numerous representations were received from community members that some operational land (which is typically used for day-to-day Council operations) would be better classified as community land (which is typically held in perpetuity for public use).Lots that have been identified for reclassification in 12 suburbs across the Central Coast include:* Four sites with community facilities comprising five lots in all:* Glenning Valley:

Central Coast Council is now inviting all interested community members to share their feedback on the revised draft Dogs in Open Space Action Plan (revised draft Plan) until Sunday 1 October 2023.The revised draft Plan has been simplified and refined in response to the extensive community feedback received during the first round of consultation, as well as further technical studies and community workshops on key issues of concern.

In the lead-up to the coming bushfire and storm season, this September Central Coast Council is hosting a series of webinars and promoting events to empower the community to take proactive steps to better prepare themselves, their families, and their homes for emergencies.Council Director of Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said preparing for emergencies is important and a shared responsibility.