Happy new year, Central Coast community! I hope you were able to take a break over the holiday period and enjoy some time with your families and friends. 

2023 is already in full swing, with this year’s Australia Day Awards held earlier this week. At the beginning of each year, Council celebrates the achievements and contributions of prominent local community members through these awards. On Monday 23 January, ten locals received Australia Day honours, including Mr Ryan Wilson, who was named Citizen of the Year. 

Mr Wilson, a tradesman, developed the idea for Free Trade Day after attending a typical household callout and becoming aware that the gentleman had been without hot water for some time due to a broken hot water system that he could not afford to fix. This thought kick-started Free Trade Day as a solution to supporting locals in need through generosity and community spirit. Today, Free Trade Day conducts hundreds of jobs across the Coast each year with over 300 volunteers and countless more businesses coming on board every day!

The calibre of the 50+ award nominees this year was outstanding, which is a testament to the depth of talent and community spirit we have on the Coast. 

You can read about all the winners and nominees on Council’s website here. 

Rik Hart, Administrator 
 

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