Issue 200 of COAST Community News

JANUARY 31, 2019 Gosford Central Community News

November 15, 2010

Your independent local newspaper

Performing Arts Centre design under review

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he proposed performing arts centre to be constructed on the existing Central Coast Leagues Club (CCLC) site is a priority, says Belinda Suann, Business Development Manager at Central Coast Leagues Club.

The proposed concept received overwhelming community support at the Gosford Challenge Mid Term Review and well known performing artists, celebrities and business people have also lent their support.

Gosford Council is

currently completing due diligence reports in the leadup to sourcing funding for the project.

“The performing arts centre remains high on our agenda and we are working with Council towards making the concept a reality.

“In the meantime, the

Central Coast Leagues Club is committed to supporting the performing arts, particularly through our entertainment program,” said Ms Suann.

The plans for the proposed performing arts centre incorporate a new home for the Central Coast

Conservatorium, a 1000 seat theatre, a 1000 seat convention hall, a jazz club and a television recording studio.

The design also allows for indoor and outdoor dining facilities which are important in enhancing the event experience for guests.

The building designs have been based on a needs analysis report prepared by the Friends of Performing Arts Precinct (FoPAP) and much consultation with community members and experts in the areas of theatre design, sound engineering and convention management.

Designs for the façade of the building have evolved from practical to impressive, in line with feedback that an iconic building identifying a performing arts and cultural precinct beside Gosford’s waterfront needs to be the uncompromising outcome.

Ms Suann said the Central Coast Leagues Club is committed to making the site immediately available for the project.

Media Release 12 Nov 2010 Belidna Suann, Central Coast Leagues Club

Changes to dog exercise areas in Davistown, Kincumber and Saratoga

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osford City Council has endorsed the re-opening of the dog off leash exercise area at Illoura Reserve, Mireen Ave Davistown.

The dog off leash exercise area was suspended at the Reserve in October last year in response to an urgency motion regarding the potential impact of dog off leash activity on the Bush Stone-curlew, a threatened species under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Council claims to be implementing a number of measures to reduce the potential impact of re-opening dog off leash

areas on the surrounding environment including the implementation of black chain wire fencing to reduce pedestrian and dog access to the woodland and beach area at the south western portion of Pippi Point, educational sign posting informing patrons of the sensitive nature of the foreshore environment and signage reminding dog owners of their legal responsibility in the collection and proper

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disposal of dog faeces.

Council also states that regular monitoring of the area will be undertaken and should Council or local environment groups detect Bush Stone-curlew breeding in any of the reserves, the designated areas in which the breeding is taking place may, upon assessment, be temporarily closed to dogs and their owners.

A second area at Broadwater Reserve, Seabreeze Ave, Kincumber

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has been closed to dog off and on leash activity due to the proximity to a children’s playground and Saratoga Oval Reserve, Willaroo Rd, Saratoga has been restricted to on leash activity only.

Council will review its recommendations for all six sites in 24 months.

Endorsed sites will be re-opened for dog off leash activity once signage has been installed and recommendations actioned.

Council Agenda, 2 Nov 2010 ENV.58

YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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Kincumber residents assured that magnetic fields are harmless

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esidents in Melville St, Kincumber have voiced concerns about the 66,000 volts of electricity that will be running along overhead power lines in the street.

The changes come as a result of the proposed construction of the EnergyAustralia Substation at Empire Bay. “The focus has been on the substation and no one has had any idea that the power lines were going through the street,” said Ruth Ross, president of the Residents of Kincumber Association.

According to Allyn Hamonet, spokesperson for EnergyAustralia, the new substation would need to be serviced from existing substations from Woy Woy and Avoca resulting in the power lines being run down Melville St. Residents are concerned that the 66,000 volts, compared to the current 11,000 volts will pose a health risk to those living in close proximity to the power lines, however Mr Hamonet claims that there will be little difference in terms of the level of electromagnetic field and if anything, there may be less.

“Magnetic fields are produced by current which has to push the voltage along the line.

“The higher the voltage, the less current is required which then reduces the level of magnetic field,” said Mr Hamonet.

Concerned resident Joanne Hughes thinks that EnergyAustralia should consider alternate routes for the power lines or the possibility of putting them underground and ensuring residents are aware of the issue.

“They should be consulting more with residents, not everyone received the letters that we received, not everyone in this street is aware of it,” said Ms Hughes.

However Mr Hamonet claims that residents have been kept informed about

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the status of the upgrade with newsletters and regular updates.

“It’s the most heavily populated area of the whole route,” said Ms Ross.

“There is a preschool, sporting oval and a retirement village, all very good reasons to consider the health risk of putting 66,000 volts overheard,” she said.

Mr Hamonet said that EnergyAustralia operates well within health regulation guidelines and the increased voltage should not affect residents any more than the power lines that are currently in place.

“Magnetic fields generated by power lines are no greater than those generated by a plasma TV or a home computer,” said Mr Hamonet.

According to EnergyAustralia,the power lines along Melville St, Kincumber were constructed in 1976 with an original view to connect to a substation in the Empire Bay area.

The power lines are currently operating at 11,000 volts however, they have the capacity to function at 66,000.

The power line structure will not be replaced in full to cater for the substation however according to Mr Hamonet, two, possibly three power poles will be replaced for general maintenance as well as the upgrade of overhead support structures.

Representatives of Melville St met with MP Chris Hartcher on Friday, November 12, to discuss their concerns and possible alternatives.

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Gosford Central Community News

March 14, 2011

Your independent local newspaper

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The new 22,000m2 warehouse and distribution centre will become the centre of the electrical supplier’s $8 billion network upgrade, including the holding station for major electrical equipment such as transformers and cables.

Ausgrid’s managing director Mr George Maltabarow said the Central Coast was fast becoming an important cog in the company’s operations.

“Our network administrative services

on the Central Coast are based at Tuggerah and we’re building a new superdepot at Ourimbah,” Mr Maltabarow said.

“They are now joined by our central warehouse at Somersby that will become the key point to supply equipment needed for our $8 billion network upgrade.”

Mr Maltabarow said Ausgrid already had 350 people stationed on the Central Coast helping to deliver $600 million of electrical upgrades and

70,000 maintenance tasks each year across the region.

“We have now directly employed another 13 people from the Central Coast to help run this new warehouse,” he said.

“It is a central point for our network operations, so its location, scale and technology will help drive even greater efficiency in delivering one of Australia’s largest infrastructure programs.”

The site was previously used by Coles as a central

distribution facility, but has since undergone an $11 million fit out to allow the safe and efficient storage of electrical equipment.

“It will accommodate an expected 64% increase in general materials and three times the number of cable deliveries required for our capital works program,” Mr Maltabarow said.

“It will also mean a more secure, safer and better controlled facility.”

Media Release, 3 Mar 2011 Allyn Hamonet, Ausgrid

Woy Woy Rd receives upgrade grant

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he NSW Government has provided $128,000 for the upgrade of Woy Woy Rd, Kariong, with completion expected by mid-March.

“These upgrades will provide a safer, smoother route for motorists”, said Labor candidate for Gosford Ms Katie Smith.

“I look forward to the upgrades completion in

Kaitlin Watts, 12 Nov 2010 Interviewees: Allyn Hamonet, Rush Ross and Joanne Hughes

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ISSUE 200

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Gosford Central Community News

July 18, 2011

Your independent local newspaper

Unionists storm the Bastille in Gosford

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mid-march and an improved journey on Woy Woy road”, said Ms Smith.

“I’d ask everyone persevere.

I have experienced the congestion that has built up this week

first hand.

“But can assume you that there will be a greatly improved journey on Woy Woy road once the project is finished,” she said.

Ms Smith said she is

aware that there are other road works underway and has asked everyone to take care.

“This is a difficult time but the end result will be worth it,” she said.

Media Release, 4 Mar 2011 Katie Smith, Labor

Ms Smith sent a letter to the Gosford Council general manager Mr Peter Wilson stating that it had been brought to her attention by several members of the public that Cr Holstein may be using Council facilities to benefit his campaign.

“Matters reported included holding meetings with relevant persons in the Mann St building and use of Council staff for campaign matters,” said Ms Smith.

“I am now aware that he is holding meetings with members of the public to discuss campaign matters in Council run buildings.

“It is not case where he is meeting with community groups operating out of the building as an invited speaker but he is actually running his campaign on these occasions,” said Ms Smith.

Cr Holstein said the unfounded allegations concerned the use of the Over 50s facilities and a recent meeting with the shadow minister for arts Mr Anthony Roberts.

“This just goes to show that this is nothing more than dirty politics from a candidate who represents a party that has nothing to say and nothing constructive to offer the people of Gosford,” Mr Holstein said.

“Both matters were referred to Gosford City Council for a thorough investigation and the general manager Mr Peter Wilson has confirmed that absolutely no evidence of any misuse of Council facilities or staff could be

Local trade union and community members rallied in Gosford on Bastille Day, Thursday, July 14, to protest against the NSW Government’s public sector workplace laws which takes away the workplace rights of teachers, nurses, firefighters, prison officers and other public sector workers.

For the full story and pictures, see Page 7

nformal discussions in regards to speculation that a second Sydney Airport may be located on the Central Coast were raised at the Central Coast Regional Organisation of Councils (CCROC) Meeting on Thursday, June 30.

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This follows the Federal Government recently commissioning a joint study with the State Government into Sydney’s airport needs and related transport matters.

The committee responsible for carrying out this joint study is chaired by both the Head of the Infrastructure and Transport Department Mr Mike Mrdak and Mr Sam Haddad from the NSW Planning Department and are preparing a report for both governments, to be completed in the second half of the year.

These reports will contain

a series of economic models that outline Sydney’s transport needs.

Gosford Council’s general manager Mr Peter Wilson said that both the State and Federal Governments will review the report before any possible locations are put forward.

“This is an extensive process and a number of options are being investigated, including the Central Coast, all of which will be reviewed by both governments in an effort to find the most suitable site.

“We need to wait for the recommendations of this report which will be

to ensure that the Gosford City Centre is developed in a manner that is consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Gosford City Centre Masterplan and both parties will work cooperatively to promote an open and consultative approach to moving the City Centre forward.

Both parties have agreed to ensure that the Gosford City Centre is developed in a manner that is consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Gosford City Centre Masterplan, complements the overall planning framework for the city, promotes and positions Gosford City Centre as a place to invest in, live in, do business, study and as a first choice place for employment, deliver a sustainable economic and management framework and make the centre attractive to the property development sector and as a place to invest.

The parties each have specific responsibilities under respective NSW

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legislation and through various other obligations.

Central Coast Regional Development Corporation is responsible under the Growth Centres Act for promoting, coordinating, managing and securing the orderly economic development of Gosford and Wyong and Council has a range of responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993 for development and sustainable management on behalf of the Gosford community and the State of NSW. The Gosford City Centre Plan identifies the potential of the waterfront for tourism, passive recreation and notes that “a challenge…will be to preserve essential harbour activities…while opening up the harbour to a wider range of uses for recreation, tourism, retail-café and community purposes.”

Email, 12 Jul 2011 Gosford Council Media Council Agenda GEN.11, 12 Jul 2011

Development association backs airport proposal

Speculation on new airport

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The Memorandum of Understanding demonstrates the ongoing commitment between Council and the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation to provide a co-operative and integrated approach to the planning and development of the Gosford City Centre.

The NSW Government’s Department of Lands and Central Coast Regional Development Corporation have partnered with Council to develop Our City, Our Destiny-Gosford City centre Masterplan, to revitalise the Gosford City Centre so that it can truly live up to its iconic status as the Capital of the Central Coast.

The Memorandum of Understanding reflects both parties’ commitment to facilitate the process.

It outlines the role of both parties in their contribution to revitalising the City Centre and enhancing the social fabric and economic health of the local region.

According to Council, the intention of both parties is

found,” Mr Holstein said.

In a letter from Mr Wilson to Cr Holstein it was confirmed that there was no evidence Cr Holstein had used the facilities ina

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Council agrees to memorandum

t the reconvened council meeting of Tuesday July 12, Gosford Council unanimously agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation (CCRDC).

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usgrid (formerly Energy Australia) has relocated its logistical headquarters to Somersby to help deliver one of Australia’s largest infrastructure programs.

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New depot to help deliver building program

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available later this year before we begin jumping to any conclusions.

“While Council has no direct involvement in this investigation we are more than happy to provide information or assistance for the joint study if requested. “ F o l l o w i n g recommendations coming from the report, we are also open to being engaged by the Federal and State Governments to discuss this issue,” said Mr Wilson.

Media Release, 1 Jul 2011 Gosford Council Media

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egional Development Australia Central Coast NSW has announced it is eager to see a Central Coast site, considered as part of a study into the need for a second Sydney airport.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast is aware of this joint study being undertaken between the Federal Government and NSW Government, and welcome the opportunity to engage with Government representatives to advance the possibility of a Central Coast based international airport,” said Regional Development Australia Central Coast chair Mr John Dawson.

Mr Dawson said the Regional Strategy for the Central Coast predicts job growth requirements of 45,000 over the next 25 years to service expected population growth,

and an airport creating approximately 6000 jobs would make a large dent in this target.

“The positive impacts would be enormous in terms of the economy, jobs and tourism,” he said.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast expects that the assessment process will involve an in-depth analysis of the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts before any final decision is taken.

“For Sydney’s second airport to operate successfully on the Central Coast it would require a very fast train connection,

another significant infrastructure investment, which would not only be a boon for Central Coast commuters, but have the potential to energise centre developments such as Warnervale, Gosford City and waterfront, and Mt Penang.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast looks forward to the findings of the study being announced in the near future,” said Mr Dawson.

Media Release, 8 Jul 2011 John Dawson, Regional Development Australia Central Coast

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E FR December 5, 2011

Your independent local newspaper

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Feedback sought for The Landing

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presentation will be held at the Arts Barn in Kariong on Sunday, December 11, from 2-4pm, by Ancient History specialist Mr Steven Strong and former skeptic and accomplished academic Dr Hans Dieter Von Senff.

The presentation will offer the general public access to their controversial and surprising research that identifies close links between Australia and ancient Egypt as well as identifying some 25 separate art stylestechniques of Aboriginal and Egyptian origin.

Mr Strong said he believes that the Central Coast region has an ancient history written in stone that has been hidden for thousands of years.

Mr Von Senff said he was so taken by the discovery of ancient hieroglyphs in the Kariong area that he has devoted his second PhD entirely to the subject.

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Hieroglyphs reveal hidden history

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eedback is being sought on the key planning controls to support the proposed revitalisation of the Gosford waterfront area, known as The Landing at Gosford.

Introduced to each other by local advocate and respected community member Ms Nina Angelo OAM, the two are now combining forces to present startling evidence that proves the Central Coast has an ancient, completely untold history in its very own backyard.

On the morning of the presentation local identity, bush-tucker man and passionate community leader, Jake Cassar will share his knowledge in a hands-on and interactive tour, starting from Kariong and taking the group to the site of the mysterious Hieroglyphs.

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure is exhibiting the proposed controls which have been submitted by the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation.

According to the proposed controls, the Gosford waterfront site has the potential to deliver a wide range of uses, including up to 125,000 square metres for residential premises, at least 60,000 square metres for commercial and retail uses, up to 20,000 square metres for hotel or serviced apartments and at least 15,000 square metres for entertainment and community facilities.

The community now has the chance to comment documents comprising a State significant site (SSS) study – which provides the context for, and a description of, the proposed planning controls, a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) amendment which provides the statutory zoning, height and gross floor area

Media Release, 25 Nov 2011 Kariong Arts Barn

Hieroglyphs found at Kariong

information and a development control plan which outlines more finegrain controls covering issues such as building alignments and setbacks, parking and the public domain.

Overall, some 700 additional residential dwellings and more than 4000 new jobs are proposed to be provided across the 52 hectare waterfront site (including 18 hectares of land and 33 hectares of water).

The documents are on exhibition until January 31.

The proposed planning controls have been prepared to broadly implement the vision outlined in The Landing at Gosford masterplan.

This masterplan was publicly exhibited from September to early November.

Media Release, 30 Nov 2011 Laurel-Lee Roderick, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure

The proposed development area on the Gosford waterfront

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May 7, 2012

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Your independent local newspaper

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o a s t a l Residents Incorporated held a sea level rally on Friday, April 27, at Gosford City Park to protest against the encoding of S149 (5) planning certificates.

Coastal Residents Incorporated secretary Mr Pat Aiken said the group invited Gosford councillors to attend the rally and explain why they had agreed to the persecution of a small group of people whose properties were affected by Gosford Council’s forecasts for sea level rise.

“The encoding of S149 (5) Planning Certificates with information that is blatantly exaggerated, in our opinion, demonstrates that you [Gosford councillors] have not acted in good faith and that you have not demonstrated a duty of care to those residents affected by your decision to support the recommendation of Council officers,” said Mr Aiken.

“This decision exposes Gosford Council to future litigation and has already damaged the livelihood and wellbeing of thousands of Gosford City residents,” he said.

Mr Aiken went on to say that Council continued

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Issue 32

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Coastal residents protest

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The sea level rise rally in Gosford

to claim that it would offer information sessions and public forums so the community could have their say, but after two years, there had been none.

“The water of Gosford Harbour is known to be the benchmark for the current 1:100 flood planning levels for all of Brisbane Water and yet Gosford Council has laid out proposals that amount to abandonment of Davistown, Empire Bay and Woy Woy as a consequence of Sea Level Rise projections and at cost to those property

owners.

“But the mayor then announced a need to raise public funds through a rate increase to support a commercial project that would be constructed on equally adversely affected land,” said Mr Aiken.

Gosford Council has claimed that over 9000 properties were potentially affected by Sea Level Rise, but according to Mr Aiken, the projections were based on exaggerated claims of the CSIRO. “The sea level rise

records from Fort Denison, Newcastle and Port Kembla do not agree with the recent claims by the CSIRO that NSW waters indicate an average sea level rise of 5mm average per year from 1993 until 2011.

“This is a blatant exaggeration of facts.

“The Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australian Sea Level Survey 2009 states that average Australian Sea Level over an average of 42 years is 1.4mm-year with a standard deviation of 0.7mm-year.

Photos: ValsPix

“The same survey states that Fort Denison, Newcastle and Port Kembla have averaged less than 1mm sea level rise for periods up to 100 years.

“Manly Hydraulics Laboratory, a NSW State Government agency, manages 21 tide gauges including five open ocean gauges and including Fort Denison which provides high quality long term sea level data to government agencies around the world.

“The CSIRO has ignored this information and instead

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published a document that indicates an average 5mm sea level rise for NSW Coastal Waters from 1993 until 2007 while Fort Denison indicates 0.4mm per year for the same period.

“An exaggeration of over 1000 per cent.

“Gosford Council appeared to support Tanya Plibersek and Deborah O’Neill who cornered a group of retirees, threatened them with coastal flooding of their properties unless a carbon tax was put in place and then walked away.

“Gosford Council has also walked away.

“Gosford Council will not engage in the consultation that was promised and our mayor, in an ABC local broadcast, has labelled those who oppose the decision of Gosford Council as sceptics.

“We are sceptical.

“We are sceptical of the claims made by Gosford Council that 9000 properties are affected and apparently being so concerned, Council still continues to retain information on planning certificates knowing how damaging this information has become,” he said.

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Council will also seek advice on the implications should it withdraw the section 149 certificate message pertaining to sea level rise until the NSW State Government provides direction for a consistent approach and message.

It will also continue to assist community members in dealing with insurance companies where they have received significantly increased insurance premiums due to flood risk and will write to the State Government requesting they make representations

to the Insurance Council of Australia to ensure individual insurance companies determine their premiums in an appropriate manner and so avoid unjustifiable increases in annual premiums.

Coastal Residents Incorporated president Mr Len Gibbon spoke to Council at its meeting of Tuesday, May 1, and said the s149 (5) planning certificate was “invalid”.

He said Council was acting outside of their authority and was “guilty of destroying whole

communities”.

“We call it irresponsible vandalism,” he said.

Gosford mayor Cr Laurie Maher said he thought insurance companies were abusing the policy.

Council developed sea level rise vulnerability mapping and, as part of developing these maps, used its discretion to share that information with current and future owners via a s149 (5) message.

The message stated that the land had been identified as being potentially affected by sea level rise of up to

0.9m by the year 2100 as adopted by Council at its meeting held on December 1, 2009.

It went on to say that: “Council’s adopted sea level rise planning level of 0.9m is consistent with the NSW State Government’s Sea Level Rise Policy Statement.”

“All applications to develop the land need to consider sea level rise but as council does not currently have relevant strategic plans with respect to management of sea level rise for the area, no specific sea level rise development controls apply to this land.

“Council is currently undertaking a program of studies that may affect future development on the land.”

The NSW Sea Level Rise Policy was released in October 2009 and provided sea level rise planning benchmarks to assist council in risk assessment and planning.

In August 2010 the “NSW Coastal Planning Guideline: Adapting to Sea Level Rise” was released by the State Government establishing planning principles to be applied by local government without clear direction or legislative backing.

The process also lacked any form of communication strategy or community consultation from the State Government.

Council’s report of Tuesday, May 1, stated that it had attempted to seek clarification and clearer direction on various issues

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Media Release, 6 Apr 2012 Pat Aiken, Coastal Residents Incorporated

Council to seek advice on sea level rises

osford Council has resolved to write to the Minister for the Central Coast, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency to request a consistent approach to sea level rise mapping and property certificate messaging to relevant land owners across the eastern seaboard of NSW.

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that surrounded sea level rise encoding, however, the State Government to date has failed to provide any clear and consistent direction for Councils on the NSW coast.

“NSW coastal communities are confused and angry at the differences of planning and communication strategies being undertaken by Councils.

“This frustration can only be resolved by direction from the State Government as to specifically when and what messages should be placed on s149 certificates to ensure consistency across all Councils.”

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Gosford Council Agenda NM.7, 1 May 2012

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September 25, 2012

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Your independent local newspaper

Gosford Public School Action Group chairperson Ms Jackie Draper, Central Coast Greens representative Ms Kate da Costa and Henry Kendall High School P and C president Mr Rob Wilcox spoke to the panel along with Teachers Federation representative Ms Debbie Westacott, Gosford Public School P and C president Mr Stephan Thomas and Gosford Waterfront Action Group representative Mr Gary Jackson.

“The whole proposal and documentation has been insultingly inadequate,” said Ms da Costa.

“The refusal of both

the previous and current government to consider any other site than Henry Kendall High School has reduced the time for proper planning, but

the children of Gosford Public School and Henry Kendall High School should not be punished for government intransigence.

osford Council has said it will seek legal advice following the ruling from the Federal Court of Australia on Friday, September 21, that investment company Lehman Brothers Australia is liable for millions of dollars lost by Councils via failed investments.

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Wingecarribee Shire Council, along with City of Swan and Parkes Shire Councils, led the class action case, which involved a total of 72 plaintiffs.

Although Gosford Council was not involved in the class action case, Council’s director of corporate services, Mr Nic Pasternatsky said Council

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“This will set precedence for mergers and the selloff of schools around the state.

“Many people worked tirelessly on this campaign,

supported by Dr John Kaye, Greens MLC in State Parliament.

“The petition, with over 10,500 signatures, thousands

Federal Court rules against Lehman Brothers

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Issue 42

Community objections overruled A

d e c i s i o n was made on Thursday, September 20, by the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) to approve the development application to relocate Gosford Public School to the grounds of Henry Kendall High School.

would be following the case closely and would be guided by their own independent legal advice.

Wingecarribee Shire Council was seeking to recover approximately $20million in potential losses.

The court found that the Council was misled by negligent advice and that the

Australian arm of Lehman Brothers, previously known as Grange Securities, had engaged in deceptive conduct, breach of contract and a breach of its fiduciary duties.

Newly elected mayor, and Chair of Wingecarribee Council’s Finance Committee, Cr Juliet Arkwright said the decision vindicated the

Council’s decision to instigate legal action against Lehman Brothers in a bid to recoup funds lost in financial products known as collaterised debt obligations (CDOs).

“This case has been an ongoing process, and we are very pleased with the result.

“We can now attempt to recoup funds,” Cr Arkwright said.

“However the ruling does not stipulate how much, or indeed when we can expect to see monies returned,” she

said.

“And whilst we may never receive all of our funds invested, any money recovered will have an enormous benefit for the community as it will be fed back into Council services and community assets.”

Wingecarribee Shire Council has already recovered $8.6 million from CDO investments, and still holds $11.6 million.

The Council now awaits a court date in November when Justice Steven Rares will give

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of letters, the teachers the parents and everyone who has to make this transition work have been ignored.

“This State government was elected on a promise to listen to and empower local communities, but this forced relocation over the wishes of the entire community has made a mockery of the Coalition’s promise.

“The move, promoted as a way of paying for much needed and overdue upgrades, is a false economy.

“As soon as the new school opens, it and the high school will be at capacity.

“The Government will find itself very soon having to pay for an entire new school, but they appear to only be interested in the current budget.

“We will be keeping a close eye on the merged schools and the old waterfront site to see how long it takes for anything to appear there which will benefit the community,” said Ms da Costa.

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Email, 21 Sep 2012 Kate da Costa, Central Coast Greens

final orders that will confirm details of the compensation that Lehman Brothers Australia will be liable for.

The published reasons for judgment and the summary of the decision are available at www.fedcourt.gov.au.

Media statement, 21 Sep 2012 Nic Pasternatsky, Gosford Council Media Release, 24 Sep 2012 Wingecarribee Shire Council

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Your independent local newspaper

February 26, 2013

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round 6,500 homes in Peats Ridge, Mooney Mooney, Kariong, Kulnura, Mount White and Narara were without power over the weekend of February 23 and 24 following severe storms in the region.

Additional crews from Ausgrid were sent from Newcastle and Sydney to assist in the restoration efforts as well as tree trimming crews to help cut away large trees and branches entangled in the electricity network.

In some sections of major cable from Ausgrid's Somersby Zone Substation, large trees had fallen every 200 metres, making

the repair job even more difficult.

Gosford SES controller Mr Rolf Poole said 200 calls were received from the Gosford area regarding damaged roofs, fallen trees, leaking roofs and floods.

Flooding occurred on the Central Coast Highway at the Racecourse Rd intersection, Shepard St in Umina, Wells St in Springfield and Showground

Rd Narara.

NSW Police deputy state emergency operations controller, assistant commissioner Alan Clarke said emergency service personnel were "frustrated that valuable time and resources were being wasted to rescue motorists who were blatantly ignoring signs that roads are closed".

“We are again appealing for motorists, and members

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A road closure on the Central Coast

A tree down at Waratah Rd, Mangrove Mountain, which brought down 11,000 Volt powerlines

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Issue 52

Over 6,500 homes lose power due to severe storms

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of the public to never enter floodwaters or cross flooded causeways.

“It is dangerous for them and for those who have to rescue them.

“Emergency services are tied up assisting people who have been affected by the weather and shouldn’t have to divert their resources to those who don’t heed warnings and act in a foolish manner.

“Motorists intending to drive are urged to slow down, be patient and drive to the conditions as many

roads are affected by surface water.

“Most importantly motorists need to be mindful of the dangers of flooded roads due to hidden dangers and debris.

"Drivers should never enter floodwaters or cross flooded causeways,” assistant commissioner Clarke said.

In the 24 hours leading up to Saturday, February 23, Narara received 36mm of rain, Kincumber 25mm and Lisarow 38mm.

On Sunday, February

24, Kincumber had 64mm, Narara had 72 and Lisarow received 122mm.

A number of beaches were closed over the weekend including Avoca, Copacabana, Killcare, North Avoca and Wamberal due to dangerous sea conditions.

Media Release, 24 Feb 2013 Ausgrid Media Media Release, 23 Feb 2013 NSW Police Media Website, 24 Feb 2013 Bureau of Meteorology

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Issue 62

December 3, 2013

Riverside Office Tower to open soon F

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inal preparations are being made as Riverside Park gets ready to unveil its latest development on Friday, August 9.

The four-storey tower will become home to the new Reliance GP Super Clinic.

“The Riverside Office Tower currently paves the way for a greener future with optimum energy efficiency and guaranteed savings in light and power,” said Riverside Park proprietor Mr Matthew Gibbens.

“It is the only building on the Central Coast to have a 4.5 star NABER rating,” he said.

The Office Tower covers a total of 6,300m² in size and boasts a grand foyer complete with sandstone feature walls, two lifts, Jimmy G’s cafe and pharmacy.

Other tenants include FLSmidth and Commonwealth Bank Business Banking.

The GP Super Clinic will include 14 doctors, 30 medical specialists, 33 treatment rooms, pathology, radiology and X-ray services and more.

The Clinic will have an emphasis on preventative health care and operate seven days per week until 10pm.

To-date the Gibbens Group for Riverside Park have completed projects in conjunction with major national brands including Dan Murphy’s, KFC, Storage King, Westpac, Australian Red Cross and

MoneyWise.

“All work completed by the Gibbens Group remains on target in terms of budget and timeframes”, Mathew Gibbens said.

While the majority of the office tower is now leased, there are still some spaces available for sale or lease starting from 76m² in size.

The next stage of the development is already underway with the construction of the 15,000m2 Masters Home Improvement and Medical Suites building due for completion by December.

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osford Council has missed out on round four Regional Development Australia Funding (RDAF) which had been sought for the proposed Kibbleplex project in the Market Town building in Gosford.

The Learning and Enterprise Centre proposal involved the establishment of a City Library and business hub, teleworking facilities and a university presence.

The application for $7 million in funding, to be matched by council’s $8.1 million contribution, was unsuccessful.

“It seems that once again the Central Coast misses out on significant infrastructure that would have provided better jobs

and better education for our children,” said Cr Jeff Strickson.

A meeting will now be requested with the newly elected deputy prime minister Mr Anthony Albanese to discuss why the application was not accepted even though it met all the essential criteria and had support from the wider community.

Member for Robertson Ms Deborah O’Neill said that, like all locals, she was disappointed that the

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Issue 72

Media release, 12 Jul 2013 Matthew Gibbens, Riverside Park

Kibbleplex funding rejected

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Your independent local newspaper

Thousands attend Christmas Parade

funding for the project was not successful.

“I understand that the applications are awarded on merit by an independent panel,” said Ms O’Neill.

“I am committed to the fight to fund Kibbleplex, a comprehensive answer to Gosford’s employment and educational needs.

“I see it as a joint project with Gosford Council, and other community partners.

I am proud of the investment that we have already brought to Gosford

with the early rollout of the National Broadband Network.

“New businesses are already relocating to the Coast to take advantage of the superfast and reliable broadband services available in the CBD. “We have also recently secured $2.3m for the Gosford TAFE to run the E-Links educational program, only made possible with the NBNEnabled Education and Skills Services Program.

“Gosford City Council was awarded an additional $668,000 under round four of the RDAF for local community infrastructure.

“We are investing in regional Australia.

“I welcome Chris Holstein’s public declaration of support for the project, and hope that funds from the State Government follow.

“While this round of RDAF is over, I will continue to fight very hard for the $7.5m being sought for this project.

“I know how much it means to our community and the important message it will send to prospective investors that Gosford is open for business and open to opportunity,” said Ms O’Neill.

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for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks said she was also disappointed that the funding didn’t come through.

“The Kibbleplex project would create badly needed new jobs and business and educational facilities in the centre of Gosford, but now the whole project is in jeopardy.”

he Gosford B u s i n e s s Improvement District (GBID) P r o m o t i o n s Committee held its annual Gosford City Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 30.

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Entries had been coming in from across the Central Coast in the lead up to the event, with community groups, organisations and businesses all wanting to join the Christmas Parade.

GBID manager Mr Paul Brasch said the annual Christmas Parade was a well-established tradition in Gosford where Mann St is blocked off and transformed

Gosford Council Agenda UM.4, 2 Jul 2013 Media release, 3 Jul 2013 Richard Mehrtens, Office of Deborah O’Neill Media release, 15 Jul 2013 Mary Doherty, Office of Lucy Wicks

with all the colour and excitement of a Christmas Parade.

“The Parade attracted thousands of people who lined Mann St ready to see what we roll out,” Mr Brasch said.

The parade saw marching bands, vintage cars and fire engines, costumed characters, business floats, roller girls, animals and Santa of course.

Central Coast Highland Dancing Inc won the business award for the Christmas Parade.

The organisation won a $5,000 media package which will be used to further promote Highland Dancing in the Central Coast Region.

Market stalls were set

up from 9am on the day in Kibble Park.

The parade travelled down Mann St, Gosford, at 11am, and ran until just before midday.

After the parade, there were many free activities for the whole family in Kibble Park, entertainment on the main stage and food and gift market stalls.

There were also jumping castles, Zorb balls, train rides, a giant chess set, giant snow dome and a waterslide.

Media release, 20 Nov 2013 Paul Brasch, Gosford Business Improvement District Website, 2 Dec 2013 Facebook Central Coast Highland Dancing group

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Issue 82

“Aunty” lovers protest suspected cuts to the ABC

oters in the Robertson electorate gathered outside the office of local member Ms Lucy Wicks on Wednesday, May 7, to urge her to plead a special case to protect the ABC, joining thousands making simultaneous petition deliveries around the country.

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Waving signs and chanting, a group of 35 residents hand delivered a 240,000 strong petition and a bunch of bananas to the office of Ms Wicks on the day that Federal Cabinet met to finalise changes to the upcoming Budget.

Jack Lloyd from Umina, who organised the Robertson petition delivery, said: “I got involved because I want to make sure my local member understands how important the ABC is to our region.”

More than 1,400 residents of Robertson signed the petition with two public meetings held recently with a focus on the effects of budget cuts on ABC operations on the Central Coast and nationally.

Mr Lloyd, however, said that within 24 hours of the petition delivery to over 60 Members of the House of Representatives across Australia, a media leak indicated that Federal Cabinet had decided to axe the ABC overseas service.

“Closure of the ABC overseas service is a direct contravention of the ABC Charter because it stops

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Protestors outside the office of Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks

the ABC from broadcasting directly to Australian residents living overseas.

“Furthermore, the impact of budget cuts makes it more likely that we will lose the local radio station, ABC 92.5.

“So much for the promises of our Prime Minister, Tony Abbott and our local representative, Ms Lucy Wicks,” said Mr Lloyd.

“Mr Abbott said prior to the Federal election that there would be ‘no cuts to the ABC’.”

Mr Lloyd said Ms Wicks met for half an hour with leaders of the delivery protest

and said the government had no plans to privatise or alter the charters of the ABC or SBS. She said that she had personally met with ABC representatives to emphasise the importance of retaining the local ABC 92.5 station.

She said she hoped that it could be relocated to another location when its lease in Erina Fair expires in July.

She emphasised that the government had undertaken a review of the ABC because it wanted to be sure that efficient use was being made of taxpayer funds.

However, she did not respond directly to the request that she plead a special case for the ABC with the Minister for Communications, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull.

Members of Friends of the ABC emphasised that because of the topography and the geography of the Central Coast, only two of five ABC radio services could be accessed by local resident and an upgrade was needed rather than cuts to service.

Over 65 petition deliveries took place in regional towns and cities across every state and territory, including

in the electorates of key budget decision-makers, Communication Minister Turnbull, Treasurer Hockey and Prime Minister Abbott.

GetUp’s national director Sam Mclean said: “This is the fastest growing petition we’ve ever had and it’s on the way to being our biggest, which underlines just how seriously Australians take this threat to their ABC.” “Now, with petition deliveries happening at Federal MPs’ offices right across the country, thousands of Australians are making it clear they love their

ABC and are ready to fight for it.”

In a formal statement to Coast Community News, Ms Wicks said she had met with presenter Scott Levi and producers at ABC Central Coast 92.5 FM regarding the relocation of the station.

“I have been told by the ABC that the relocation of the ABC Central Coast studio is an issue with the lease and they are currently looking at suitable alternative sites but there are certainly no plans not to continue the service,” said Ms Wicks.

“As the local member, I am a strong supporter of local radio here on the Coast, and have written to ABC managing director Mark Scott to express this, and met with ABC State director Peter Longman in January.

“As the mid-year financial outlook revealed, the Budget is in a much worse state than Labor had forecast.

“If left unchanged, the Commonwealth Budget would be heading to combined deficits of $123 billion over the next four years.

“That is why the Coalition is reviewing every public agency to ensure taxpayers are getting full value for money.

“The ABC and SBS are no exception, they have an obligation to their owners, the Australian people, to run their organisations as efficiently and cost effectively as possible,” said Ms Wicks.

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Media releases, 7 & 9 May 2014 Jack Lloyd, Umina Media statement, 7 May 2014 Tim Sowden, office of Lucy Wicks MP

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Kings Estate Terrigal will deliver 135 lots on 54.1 hectares of land located on Kings Ave at Terrigal, of which 18 hectares will be set aside to ensure the environment and ambience of the land is maintained.

This will be the first major residential development in Terrigal in more than 10 years, after the Stevens Group lodged a DA with Gosford Council earlier this year.

The approved DA reflects a lower density development, with land that backs onto natural reserves and has an overall 135 lots, ranging from around 570m2 to more than 2,700m2.

The development is scheduled to be completed in various stages, with 18 hectares allocated to Gosford Council under the Coastal Open Space

System.

The Coastal Open Space System includes part of Kincumba Mountain.

Stevens Group managing director Mr John Stevens said: “The focus

for us on this development is very much on delivering an estate that embraces the natural beauty of the area and ensures the waterways and wildlife corridors are kept to the highest

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of standards, while also boasting large lots.

“To achieve this, we have dropped the density on site to ensure a minimum lot size of 570m2, while maintaining the natural

landscape by earmarking a substantial portion of the land to the Coastal Open Space System.

“Further to this, the site will be developed under Community Title.

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Media release, 24 Sep 2014 Ashleigh Milne, Brilliant Logic

200 EDITIONS! Your Future Central Coast discussion paper launched

With the population of the Central Coast projected to increase to almost 387,000 by 2031, the Discussion Paper was launched to

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Issue 92

“The Community Title will allow for the effective management of community assets into the future and the creation of guidelines to steer the architectural integrity of the development, guaranteeing homes suit the landform and environment.

“We are very excited about this project and what it means for Terrigal and the Central Coast.

“This is the last land release in Terrigal and follows a 17-year rezoning and approval process.

“With pent up interest from buyers, generated from the long wait for the land, it is anticipated that when lots go to market in mid-October, many of the lots will be snatched up in record time,” said Mr Stevens.

Kings Estate Terrigal is named after the King family who were the original land owners in the area.

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osford Council has given the green light for the final land release in Terrigal, approving the Stevens Group’s master-planned development – Kings Estate Terrigal.

inister for Planning Ms Pru Goward and Minister for the Central Coast and Assistant Minister for Planning Mr Rob Stokes launched the Department of Planning and Environment’s discussion paper Your Future Central Coast on Friday, September 19.

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Kings Estate Terrigal multi-million dollar land release approved

kick start the conversation about the Coast’s future, in particular the focus on creating more jobs closer to home.

“The Central Coast is a great place to live and raise a family, but there are real challenges we need to address if the community is

to harness the region’s full potential,” Ms Goward said.

Mr Stokes said: “As the Coast grows, it’s critical we have the jobs, transport, roads, health services and jobs to allow the area to thrive in the future and that’s why the NSW Government

is planning for a growing Central Coast now.”

The Your Future Central Coast discussion paper is the first step in developing this plan.

Feedback received will inform the draft regional growth and infrastructure

plan.

Like the discussion paper, the draft plan will be released for further consultation and feedback.

Email 19 Sep 2014 Central Coast Regional Development Corporation

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Video News:

PAGE 2 JANUARY 31, 2019

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Jackie’s last video is all about her

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ackie Pearson is a self confessed “print dinosaur who has ridden the digital wave”.

On the eve of her departure for the next phase of her career, the former Central Coast Newspapers’ reporter recorded her final video interview on current and future trends in print journalism, and this time, she was on the receiving end of the questions posed by videographer, Dave Abrahams.

Pearson reflected on the 32 video interviews she had completed in her role with Central Coast Newspapers.

“I love face to face interviewing and these interviews are a great opportunity for high profile people in our community to be themselves,” she said.

With no studio, the interviews

black and white photographs and liaising with compositors who worked from the same premises.

“The print industry has been deconstructed in recent years with the move to digital, but local newspapers are still filling an important role,” she said.

Pearson opened up on the “blessing and menace” of social media in the journalism industry, and the way some of the major newspapers around the globe have not implemented the transition from print to digital in a way that protects journalism.

Pearson also shared some valuable advice for young journalists starting out in their careers and looked at the value of paying for qualifications in a “dying industry”.

are raw, filmed in the newspaper’s offices, offering a different format for presenting news to our readers.

Pearson reflected on her career in print journalism, from the time she did work experience at the age of 15 for her local newspaper, when typewriters were still in use, and her jobs included filing

The complete interview with Jackie Pearson can be seen at www.coastcommunitynews.com.au/news/video-news/

About us

Central Coast Newspapers is a local, family owned business that publishes and distributes three Central Coast Newspapers every fortnight.

All staff are also locals and between them, the three papers cover the entire Central Coast.

Each paper focuses specifically on an area bound by postcodes as follows: Peninsula News Post Codes 2256 and 2257; Coast Community News Post Codes 2250,

more information.

All articles are edited and given a heading and are often quite different from what was originally received.

Contributions are welcome and are preferred in email form, ideally with any relevant photographs attached.

Contributions must include the contributor’s name, address and phone numbers.

This is not for publication but name and suburb will be published and anonymous contributions will not be included.

2251, 2260; and Wyong Regional Chronicle Post Codes 2258, 2259, 2261, 2262 and 2263.

Coast Community News coverage takes in parts of Gosford West, Gosford East and Wyong Central Coast Council Wards. It also takes in parts of the State seats of Gosford, Terrigal and The Entrance, and parts of the Federal seats of Robertson and Dobell All articles are sourced and dated so that readers will know when and where the information came from and where they can perhaps get

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oast Community News in partnership with Tree Tops Central Coast, would like to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a Tree Tops Adventure prize pack the whole family can enjoy.

Get the kids out of the house this summer and challenge the whole family with the ultimate wow factor experience as you climb, swing, zip line and trapeze your way through a tree top adventure.

The adventure prize pack includes a family pass with entry for two adults and two children, a combo entry voucher for one adult for the Tree Top Crazy Rider and a combo entry voucher for one adult and one child for the Tree Top Vertical Challenge.

Tree Tops is a fun and unique experience through a network of rope bridges, flying foxes, trapezes and Tarzan jumps stretching

Tops Competition, PO Box 1056, Gosford, 2250, NSW, by 5pm on February 12.

The winner of the first Tree Tops Adventure prize pack was Christine Jack of Tacoma.

through the tree canopy.

For your chance to win write your full name, daytime telephone number, address and email on the back of an envelope and mail it to Coast Community News Tree

Publisher: Cec Bucello - Graphic Design: Justin Stanley Journalists: Terry Collins, Dilon Luke Coastal Diary: Lucillia Eljuga Ph: 4325 7369 Email: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Next Edition: Coast Community News 201 Deadline: February 12 Publication date: February 14 2250 - Bucketty, Calga, Central Mangrove, East Gosford, Erina, Erina Fair, Glenworth Valley, Gosford, Greengrove, Holgate, Kariong, Kulnura, Lisarow, Lower Mangrove, Mangrove Creek, Mangrove Mountain, Matcham, Mooney Mooney Creek, Mount White, Narara, Niagara Park, North Gosford, Peats Ridge, Point Clare, Point Frederick, Somersby, Springfield, Tascott, Ten Mile Hollow, Upper Mangrove, Wendoree Park, West Gosford, Wyoming 2251 - Avoca Beach, Bensville, Bouddi, Copacabana, Davistown, Green Point, Kincumber, MacMasters Beach, Picketts Valley, Saratoga, Yattalunga 2260 - Foresters Beach, Nortfh Avoca, Terrigal, Wamberal ISSN 1839-9045 - Print Post Approved - PP100001843 - Printed by New Age Printing

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Issue 156

23 January 2019

Edition 460

Woy Woy has been designated a “principal town centre” in a review conducted for Central Coast Council which was adopted at the December 10 council meeting.

The staff review has recommended a hierarchy for town centres that would see Woy Woy classified along with Wyong, The Entrance, Gosford and Terrigal as principal town centres.

Umina and Ettalong, as well as Toukley, Long Jetty, Budgewoi, Avoca and Kincumber, would become “major town centres … all of which should have a targeted and coordinated place activation focus for Council”.

“It is a key finding of this review that a more formalised and centrist approach is required within Council to ensure that we are properly servicing the identified principal and major town centres,” the review written by council staff said “To meet this objective, an expansion of responsibilities and staffing would be needed,” it said.

The review also identified a “gap in the regional delivery of economic development for the Central Coast, particularly by Central Coast Council.

“Key aspects of strategic economic development linked to the needs of expectations of the community, such as sustainability, jobs generation, transport planning and support of innovation and start up businesses, are not currently being adequately addressed,” the review said.

The aim of the review was

to “focus on holistic place management and activation, effectively addressing the interdependencies between effective asset management, marketing and promotion, tourism, business development, economic development and delivery of quality events within key precincts.

“The future management of town centres should aim to provide a strategic, streamlined and costeffective approach, to ensure priority service delivery of town centre management functions.

“In a region as large and diverse as the Central Coast, the definition of a ‘town centre’ is important to establish, to ensure that coordinated resources are focused on areas that provide the best opportunity to achieve place activation, economic development and social connection to our community.”

All commercial property owners within the former Gosford Local Government Area pay Special Rate Levies, but only Gosford has been serviced by a third party entity responsible for marketing, promoting, event delivery, business development and varying levels of asset maintenance.

The review found that Council provided “limited and varying funding levels” which meant the town centres on the Peninsula struggled to get funding for events.

“Little funding is directly targeted towards activities or projects,” the review said.

“In the absence of a dedicated focus or town centre management team within Council, little coordination or strategic decision

DECEMBER 20, 2018

is taken to ensure capital works projects, maintenance or events and activations meet broader objectives,” it said.

Another finding was that aligned delivery of services such as security and cleaning would ensure best value and consistent service levels.

The review recommended that Council request the CEO to investigate how to resource a dedicated team within Council to coordinate town centre management.

Another recommendation was for Council to work with the NSW Business Chamber to develop a model to specifically support local economic and business development initiatives.

Council will also establish an external regional model to provide a regional focus and direction for delivery of economic development, marketing and promotion, business development and attraction of major events for town centres across the Coast.

A professional board for the regional model will be considered.

The Place Activation section within Council will be expanded to ensure best practice internal coordination of assets, contract management, leasing, delivery of events and services.

Central Coast Council Mayor, Clr Jane Smith, said th report back to Council should also “consider how we consult and engage with communities in those town centres”.

SOURCE: Central Coast Council agenda 4.1, 10 Dec 2018 Jackie Pearson, journalist

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Residential zone is “to promote best practice in the design of multi-dwelling housing and other similar types of development; to ensure that non-residential uses do not adversely affect residential amenity or place demands on services beyond the level reasonably required for multidwelling housing or other similar types of development”.

“Specific minimum lot sizes for multi-dwelling housing, residential flat buildings and attached dwellings are not set under the Central Coast Development Control Plan.

“This form of housing can be

managed through other provisions of the DCP chapter applying to these forms of development such as building setback, floor space ratio, open space requirements etc.

“The removal of this clause, for these land-uses, will allow greater flexibility to encourage higher density development within the R1 zone.

“It will also reduce expectations of unfeasible development where greater lot sizes would be required.”

The Council held its first information sessions on the proposed new development and

Firefighters rescue trapped ducklings Firefighters from the Umina unit of Fire and Rescue NSW have responded to reports of a family of ducks trapped in a drain in Ettalong.

The firefighters arrived to find a distressed mother duck circling the drain.

Upon inspection, it was

determined three ducklings had become trapped and an operation to retrieve them commenced.

All three ducklings were rescued and found to be in good health and reunited with their mother.

SOURCE: Social media, 11 Dec 2018 Scott Kell, Fire and Rescue NSW Umina Unit

zoning controls in Wyong and Erina on December 11 and 12.

It has said it will announce more information sessions in the New Year but it is unclear whether any sessions will occur on the Peninsula.

Council representatives will be available at Deepwater Plaza, Woy Woy, on Thursday, January 17 from 10:30am and 12:30pm to give residents information about the proposed consolidated development controls.

Submissions from the public will be accepted until February 28.

The consolidated plan has been placed on public exhibition

two years after the new Central Coast Council resolved to prepare a planning proposal to consolidate the provisions of the Local Environmental Plans from the former Gosford and Wyong Councils.

The draft plan standardises matters not dealt with under current controls.

“The preparation of a Consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan is the first step in the process to preparing a Comprehensive Plan,” according to details on the Council’s yourvoiceourcoast website.

THIS ISSUE contains 70 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

www.centralcoastnews.net

YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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Continued P4

ISSUE 198

Younger generation are going to cop the worst from climate change effects

roups and individuals distributing misinformation about Central Coast Council’s imminent draft Climate Change strategy, are causing unnecessary fear, according to, John Asquith, Chair of the Community Environment Network (CEN).

New planning controls to increase residential density Development controls included in a draft new planning scheme would permit higher density development in residential areas around Woy Woy.

The proposed change is directly at odds with the position of local community groups like Save Our Woy Woy. The draft Consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan were placed on exhibition last week.

According to the draft, the new objective for the R1 General

Edition 461

17 December 2018

Woy Woy designated as town centre like Gosford

“For a start, the idea of planned retreat on the Coast is a nonsense,” Asquith said.

“If you have a look at the maps, there are only a few areas on the Coast where planned retreat could be an option,” he said.

“One of them is Wamberal Beach.

“Planned retreat is where you give up the land because you don’t want to build infrastructure, but at Wamberal, a sea wall is the plan, so to build that infrastructure is the opposite of planned retreat.

“The problem at Wamberal is that the landholders don’t want to contribute the $500,000 each needed to build the wall, even though it is to protect their private property.

“They expect the rest of the ratepayers to cover the cost.

“That would mean roughly, the rates of every 200 ratepayers would be going to save one waterfront landholder’s property.

“That has been the problem at Wamberal for the past 20 years.

“Council has always been howled down when they say private landholders have to save private land, and the Council has to pay to save public land.

“As you work your way down the Coast, as far as I know, there is no erosion problem

Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club innundated by East Coast Low Pressure System June 4 and 5, 2017

that threatens houses at Avoca, then there are little bays that are not threatened with erosion, because they have headlands holding everything together.

“Ettalong, Umina and Ocean Beach are being eroded, but planned retreat can only occur where there is no public infrastructure between your house and the ocean, or a lack of preparedness to build infrastructure.

“However, all along that coastline in those areas, there is a road between the houses and the beach.

“There are virtually no houses not separated from the beach where it is eroding, by a road or park or reserve with public infrastructure.

“Therefore planned retreat is not an option there either, because there is already public infrastructure, namely a road, with foundations and everything that goes with that.

“There is no plan to abandon roads, so if you have a road between you and the threat, it is about the best thing you can have.

“If the road stays, you stay, so planned retreat is virtually an option in no parts of the Central

Coast.”

Asquith said that he did not believe low-lying areas around Brisbane Water, including Davistown and Saratoga, would be considered for planned retreat either.

“Most of those houses front a reserve.

“All along Davistown, there is a big public reserve that is all a public facility and it would not be abandoned.

“There is nothing in the policy saying that if you get inundated four times a year, you will have to leave your home.

“Council does not have the power to make you leave your home.

“They don’t have any need to look at planned retreat.

“The thing the policy will do will mean that we start to take action to slow down climate change, plant more trees, build sea walls, do whatever we have to do.

What the Council should do, in my view, is to be planning for change, as these areas are affected by flood levels, they should be adopting strategies to make the drains bigger, raise the road level, and call that

Photo: ABC Central Coast

adaptation.

“You adapt and do what you can.

“You can’t stop it, so you adapt to it.

“Tell me, where are they planning planned retreat, because there is nothing in the policy about it?

Asquith said members of the older generations needed to think about the legacy they were leaving their children and grand children, and that plans needed to be put in place now to ameliorate future risks.

“Councillors have been criticised for setting flood levels that are too high, but they are not too high.

“It is a fact that on the Central Coast, with a South East Low, and a maximum storm surge, the amount the ocean is lifted with the low pressure air, is five metres plus the high tide, plus the flood waters, and flood levels set by Council need to reflect that.

“I was in New Orleans earlier this year and had a good look at the storm surge they got from Hurricane Katrina, and they got a nine metre storm surge on top of a high tide.

“Some of the bridges, one huge bridge, were being demolished, one was way up in the air, but it was being demolished because people who had been on that bridge during Katrina were washed off and drowned.

“There are exceptional circumstances, so you at least plan for those Proposed Maximum Floods of five metres, which are half of what New Orleans experienced in Katrina.

“We were amazed that when we were more than 100 miles from the ocean, we went out on the Bayou and they were showing us boats that were ripped off moorings on the coast and dumped in the bayous, and they gave up trying to repair them and getting them back out to the ocean.”

According to John Asquith, those on the Central Coast attempting to undermine the need for Council to plan for sea level rise, “are talking the thing down for their own private benefit.

“They are all older men and they won’t be around when the worst of it hits.

“It is the younger generation who are going to cop the worst of this, and these people will be long gone and long forgotten.

“They are running a scare campaign because Council is going through a very careful process to make sure people’s voices are heard.

“Council are going through a number of steps before they have a draft policy, so I would suggest that people who have concerns should identify what it is that concerns them, and ask Council to explain and consider.”

Asquith said plans needed to be put in place now, not in 50 or 100 years’ time.

“We cannot wait 100 years

to try and turn around the processes that are already in place.

“It is happening right now and we are seeing it every day, with stronger cyclones, much more instability in the climate, and it is easy to understand, because there is more heat, and heat is energy.

“Two weeks ago, in north Queensland, we had rainforests on fire, and now we have the biggest cyclone we have had in 15 years.

“Our thoughts should be focused on the legacy we leave, so if a person of 20 today is going to be seriously impacted over the next 40 years by climate change, it is going to affect their food supply.

“In NSW, we already have a shortage of grain.

“This is the third year of drought in the wheat belt.

“People of retirement age will see the impact on their children and grandchildren.

“We inherited a planet that was functional when we were children, and we are leaving a legacy that our children and their children will not be able to turn around in their lifetime.

“The job we have got is more than looking after ourselves.

“Think of the legacy you are going to leave, whatever age you are.

“You can see the effects that climate change are going to have on the rest of your life.

“The scientists are saying that if we don’t act in the next 10 years, we are not going to keep temperature rises under two degrees, and they have identified a two degree rise as one that would see systems go out of control.”

Source: Interview, Dec 14 John Asquith, Community Environment Network Jackie Pearson, journalist

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

14 January 2019

Central Coast mayor Cr Jane Smith has criticised the number of non-complying development applications being approved by the Council.

She said findings from ICAC reports showed that it was when councils did not enforce their own planning controls that it created problems.

Cr Smith said it was extremely disappointing “that our community spends a lot of time and effort in developing and consulting and being a part of the development of local environment plans and development control plans with the expectation that our council will enforce those planning guidelines and controls”.

She said Gosford Council had a reputation for not enforcing its planning controls.

“So I had hoped that, as a new council, we could provide certainty to our community and certainty to developers by adopting a decisionmaking process that did reflect our community’s expectations from being involved in that planning,” she said.

Most recent applications for multiple dwelling developments on the Peninsula have been approved, despite not complying with the council’s development control plan (DCP).

“Although the DCP perhaps does not have the strength of a local environment plan and one non-compliance may be considered acceptable to have so many non-compliances I would think sets a poor precedent for future development,” Smith said.

Cr Kyle MacGregor said: “The most important issue we are dealing with here is what is the point of having planning controls if people won’t comply with them.

“I believe we should be getting people to do their best to comply,”

Cr MacGregor said.

“In the event there is massive variations and they are not able to comply I think we should have a very stringent look at that,” he said.

The councillors were speaking at the final Council meeting for 2018, successfully arguing for the refusal of not a Peninsula development but a Terrigal development which council planners had recommended be approved.

Cr Smith’s grounds for refusal were based on nine noncompliances with the development control plan.

The non-compliances she listed were similar to, or the same as, non-compliances with a growing number of residential developments that are being approved by Council on the Peninsula.

“To approve this development when there is such noncompliance with the DCP would be to create an expectation for similar concessions,” Cr Smith said.

Cr Smith’s reasons for refusal included non-compliance with setbacks, communal space, deep soil zones, and side boundary setbacks, activation of a laneway.

Such non-compliances have been regularly accepted, and used as precedents, when included in Peninsula development applications but Cr Smith appears to have drawn a line in the sand when it came to the Terrigal development.

Cr Smith said she was interested in reaching out to the Peninsula community to learn more about their concerns regarding the number of developments applications lodged with Council that did not comply with the current Local Environment Plan or Development Control Plan.

SOURCE: Central Coast Council agenda, 10 Dec 2018 Reporter: Jackie Pearson

Edition 462

29 January 2019

JANUARY 31, 2019

Mayor criticises non-complying development approvals

Gosford Central Community News

November 15, 2010

Federal Environment Minister approves Wallarah 2 Coal Mine

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he Wallarah 2 Coal Mine has received Federal G o v e r n m e n t approval, despite the NSW Land and Environment Court still to rule on it.

Station building may become retail space The upper level at Woy Woy railway station may be used as retail space.

Sydney Trains is offering the station’s former ticket office for lease.

The 28sqm ticket office is being advertised through commercial

property agent specialists Real Commercial.

The former ticket office site has been listed for a five-year lease as a retail space.

No price was available with the listing but key selling points included Woy Woy station’s role as a major transportation hub for the

southern Central Coast and the areas predicted residential growth rate.

The listing also stated that the station sees over 115,000 passenger movements monthly.

SOURCE: Website, 10 Jan 2019 Andrew Mednick, Real Commercial

Measles alert issued for the Peninsula NSW Health has issued a measles alert for the Peninsula after a tourist who visited Woy Woy and Umina over Christmas was diagnosed with the disease.

The tourist from Canberra visited the Peninsula between December 26 and 30 and made several visits to popular community locations including Jasmine Greens Kiosk, Umina Beach Shopping Centre and Deepwater Plaza.

According to NSW Health’s communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard, anyone who visited these locations at the same time should be aware of symptoms.

“The time from exposure to the disease to the onset of symptoms is typically about 10 days but can be as long as 18 days so people should be alert to symptoms until mid-January,” Dr Sheppeard said.

The infection is highly contagious and can spread through coughing or sneezing.

Measles symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body.

Infants under 12 months, who are too young to be vaccinated, and young adults are most likely to be susceptible to the infection, Dr Sheppeard said.

SOURCE: Media statement, 2 Jan 2019 Dr Vicky Sheppeard, NSW Health

THIS ISSUE contains 71 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

Environment Minister, Melissa Price’s, decision on Friday, January 18, to give the go ahead to the Wallarah 2 Coal Mine has been condemned by community groups and opposition politicians.

The Australian Coal Alliance (ACA) said it was short sighted and reckless.

The Greens called the timing of the decision cynical.

Resident activist, Gregory Olsen, who started a change.org petition against the mine, called it outrageous.

But Wyong Coal, owned by Korean company Kores, said its Wallarah 2 project would add significant direct and indirect employment and long term economic benefit, including more than 800 ongoing jobs, and more than $600M every year in regional economic contribution.

The company is working on final feasibility and detailed design activities in line with both the federal Government approval, and the NSW Planning Assessment Commission approval from 12 months ago.

Wyong Coal said it had been to the Land

Mr Barry O’Farrell and Mr Alan Hayes (centre) with four Liberal politicians promising to stop Wallarah 2 in 2011

Photo: Alan Hayes

and Environment Court appeal in November, 2018, and remained confident of the determination process and approval.

“This action reviewed the various administrative steps, processes and responsibilities culminating in the planning approval granted by the PAC in January, 2018,” the company said in a newsletter.

The legal judgment is expected early this year.

Australian Coal Alliance (ACA) said it had been estimated that the proposed mine would result in the loss of between 900 to 1300 ML of drinking water a year from the Central Coast’s drinking water catchment during its 28 year lifespan, though there was some uncertainty about the quantum of that loss.

ACA Campaign

Manager, Alan Hayes, said the mining company, in their own Environmental Impact Statement, stated that between 2.5 to 3.25ML of water would be lost each day.

“Proponent Kores, which plans to export the coal for power generation, proposes to construct a pipeline to deliver compensatory water to Central Coast Council, although there was no actual documentation in their EIS to show how this could be achieved,’’ Hayes said.

“It is because of this and other errors by the Planning Assessment Commission in their January, 2018, approval, that enabled the community group, the Australian Coal Alliance, to take the Government and the proponent to the Land and Environment Court last November.

“A judgement on the outcome of the court action is expected sometime between mid April and early May.” Hayes said that the latest approval was an indication that the Australian government’s priorities were still not sufficiently focused on water conservation.

“This summer is showing us how precious water is, and how disastrous it can be and how vulnerable we are, when it runs dry.

“It’s reckless and unacceptable for a coal mine to undermine the water for the growing cities of the Central Coast, which have suffered from water shortages in the past.”

Hayes said ACA had already instructed their solicitors to request a ‘’statement of reason’’, as allowed by the Environment Protection

Biodiversity and Conservation (EPBC) Act. “The Government has 28 days to supply that information from the date of their approval, and once received, we have 28 days to lodge proceedings,” he said.

Federal Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, labelled the decision reckless.

“Minister Price has ignored the Central Coast community’s pleas to use her powers to stop this mine,’’ McBride said.

“This decision is shortsighted and dangerous.

“The government is prepared to risk the water supply of the entire Central Coast for this highly speculative, foreign owned, coal project.‘’ McBride said that under the previous Labor Government, a ‘’water trigger’’ was written into the Environment

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Performing Arts Centre design under review

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Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) 1999 to protect water catchments from the impacts of longwall coal mining.

She said Labor had established an Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development to ensure that proposals for new coal mines were examined for their impact on critical water resources and endangered species.

In 2013, the IESC raised a long list of potential impacts of the Wallarah 2 coal mine on the water catchment and endangered species.

“Rather than listen to the independent expert advice, this government recruited new IESC members to tell it what it wanted to hear,’’ McBride said.

“It appears the Minister and the Government’s hand-picked IESC members are prepared to allow Kores to make it up as they go along, allowing monitoring and self-regulation to take the place of proper controls.

“The set of conditions Minister Price has applied will be too little too late when the predicted subsidence occurs damaging water supplies in the catchment.

Office: 3 Amy Close, Wyong Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

Continued P4

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he proposed performing arts centre to be constructed on the existing Central Coast Leagues Club (CCLC) site is a priority, says Belinda Suann, Business Development Manager at Central Coast Leagues Club.

The proposed concept received overwhelming community support at the Gosford Challenge Mid Term Review and well known performing artists, celebrities and business people have also lent their support.

Gosford Council is

currently completing due diligence reports in the leadup to sourcing funding for the project.

“The performing arts centre remains high on our agenda and we are working with Council towards making the concept a reality.

“In the meantime, the

Central Coast Leagues Club is committed to supporting the performing arts, particularly through our entertainment program,” said Ms Suann.

The plans for the proposed performing arts centre incorporate a new home for the Central Coast

Conservatorium, a 1000 seat theatre, a 1000 seat convention hall, a jazz club and a television recording studio.

The design also allows for indoor and outdoor dining facilities which are important in enhancing the event experience for guests.

The building designs have been based on a needs analysis report prepared by the Friends of Performing Arts Precinct (FoPAP) and much consultation with community members and experts in the areas of theatre design, sound engineering and convention management.

Designs for the façade of the building have evolved from practical to impressive, in line with feedback that an iconic building identifying a performing arts and cultural precinct beside Gosford’s waterfront needs to be the uncompromising outcome.

Ms Suann said the Central Coast Leagues Club is committed to making the site immediately available for the project.

Media Release 12 Nov 2010 Belidna Suann, Central Coast Leagues Club

Changes to dog exercise areas in Davistown, Kincumber and Saratoga

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osford City Council has endorsed the re-opening of the dog off leash exercise area at Illoura Reserve, Mireen Ave Davistown.

The dog off leash exercise area was suspended at the Reserve in October last year in response to an urgency motion regarding the potential impact of dog off leash activity on the Bush Stone-curlew, a threatened species under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Council claims to be implementing a number of measures to reduce the potential impact of re-opening dog off leash

areas on the surrounding environment including the implementation of black chain wire fencing to reduce pedestrian and dog access to the woodland and beach area at the south western portion of Pippi Point, educational sign posting informing patrons of the sensitive nature of the foreshore environment and signage reminding dog owners of their legal responsibility in the collection and proper

disposal of dog faeces.

Council also states that regular monitoring of the area will be undertaken and should Council or local environment groups detect Bush Stone-curlew breeding in any of the reserves, the designated areas in which the breeding is taking place may, upon assessment, be temporarily closed to dogs and their owners.

A second area at Broadwater Reserve, Seabreeze Ave, Kincumber

has been closed to dog off and on leash activity due to the proximity to a children’s playground and Saratoga Oval Reserve, Willaroo Rd, Saratoga has been restricted to on leash activity only.

Council will review its recommendations for all six sites in 24 months.

Endorsed sites will be re-opened for dog off leash activity once signage has been installed and recommendations actioned.

Council Agenda, 2 Nov 2010 ENV.58

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ISSUE 200 Gosford Central Community News

Issue 001

July 18, 2011

Kincumber residents assured that magnetic fields are harmless

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Unionists storm the Bastille in Gosford

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esidents in Melville St, Kincumber have voiced concerns about the 66,000 volts of electricity that will be running along overhead power lines in the street.

The changes come as a result of the proposed construction of the EnergyAustralia Substation at Empire Bay. “The focus has been on the substation and no one has had any idea that the power lines were going through the street,” said Ruth Ross, president of the Residents of Kincumber Association.

According to Allyn Hamonet, spokesperson for EnergyAustralia, the new substation would need to be serviced from existing substations from Woy Woy and Avoca resulting in the power lines being run down Melville St. Residents are concerned that the 66,000 volts, compared to the current 11,000 volts will pose a health risk to those living in close proximity to the power lines, however Mr Hamonet claims that there will be little difference in terms of the level of electromagnetic field and if anything, there may be less.

“Magnetic fields are produced by current which has to push the voltage along the line.

“The higher the voltage, the less current is required which then reduces the level of magnetic field,” said Mr Hamonet.

Concerned resident Joanne Hughes thinks that EnergyAustralia should consider alternate routes for the power lines or the possibility of putting them underground and ensuring residents are aware of the issue.

“They should be consulting more with residents, not everyone received the letters that we received, not everyone in this street is aware of it,” said Ms Hughes.

However Mr Hamonet claims that residents have been kept informed about

the status of the upgrade with newsletters and regular updates.

“It’s the most heavily populated area of the whole route,” said Ms Ross.

“There is a preschool, sporting oval and a retirement village, all very good reasons to consider the health risk of putting 66,000 volts overheard,” she said.

Mr Hamonet said that EnergyAustralia operates well within health regulation guidelines and the increased voltage should not affect residents any more than the power lines that are currently in place.

“Magnetic fields generated by power lines are no greater than those generated by a plasma TV or a home computer,” said Mr Hamonet.

According to EnergyAustralia,the power lines along Melville St, Kincumber were constructed in 1976 with an original view to connect to a substation in the Empire Bay area.

The power lines are currently operating at 11,000 volts however, they have the capacity to function at 66,000.

The power line structure will not be replaced in full to cater for the substation however according to Mr Hamonet, two, possibly three power poles will be replaced for general maintenance as well as the upgrade of overhead support structures.

Representatives of Melville St met with MP Chris Hartcher on Friday, November 12, to discuss their concerns and possible alternatives.

Local trade union and community members rallied in Gosford on Bastille Day, Thursday, July 14, to protest against the NSW Government’s public sector workplace laws which takes away the workplace rights of teachers, nurses, firefighters, prison officers and other public sector workers.

For the full story and pictures, see Page 7

I

Speculation on new airport

nformal discussions in regards to speculation that a second Sydney Airport may be located on the Central Coast were raised at the Central Coast Regional Organisation of Councils (CCROC) Meeting on Thursday, June 30.

This follows the Federal Government recently commissioning a joint study with the State Government into Sydney’s airport needs and related transport matters.

The committee responsible for carrying out this joint study is chaired by both the Head of the Infrastructure and Transport Department Mr Mike Mrdak and Mr Sam Haddad from the NSW Planning Department and are preparing a report for both governments, to be completed in the second half of the year.

These reports will contain

Kaitlin Watts, 12 Nov 2010 Interviewees: Allyn Hamonet, Rush Ross and Joanne Hughes

a series of economic models that outline Sydney’s transport needs.

Gosford Council’s general manager Mr Peter Wilson said that both the State and Federal Governments will review the report before any possible locations are put forward.

“This is an extensive process and a number of options are being investigated, including the Central Coast, all of which will be reviewed by both governments in an effort to find the most suitable site.

“We need to wait for the recommendations of this report which will be

available later this year before we begin jumping to any conclusions.

“While Council has no direct involvement in this investigation we are more than happy to provide information or assistance for the joint study if requested. “ F o l l o w i n g recommendations coming from the report, we are also open to being engaged by the Federal and State Governments to discuss this issue,” said Mr Wilson.

Media Release, 1 Jul 2011 Gosford Council Media

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Issue 012

Council agrees to memorandum

t the reconvened council meeting of Tuesday July 12, Gosford Council unanimously agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation (CCRDC).

The Memorandum of Understanding demonstrates the ongoing commitment between Council and the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation to provide a co-operative and integrated approach to the planning and development of the Gosford City Centre.

The NSW Government’s Department of Lands and Central Coast Regional Development Corporation have partnered with Council to develop Our City, Our Destiny-Gosford City centre Masterplan, to revitalise the Gosford City Centre so that it can truly live up to its iconic status as the Capital of the Central Coast.

The Memorandum of Understanding reflects both parties’ commitment to facilitate the process.

It outlines the role of both parties in their contribution to revitalising the City Centre and enhancing the social fabric and economic health of the local region.

According to Council, the intention of both parties is

to ensure that the Gosford City Centre is developed in a manner that is consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Gosford City Centre Masterplan and both parties will work cooperatively to promote an open and consultative approach to moving the City Centre forward.

Both parties have agreed to ensure that the Gosford City Centre is developed in a manner that is consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Gosford City Centre Masterplan, complements the overall planning framework for the city, promotes and positions Gosford City Centre as a place to invest in, live in, do business, study and as a first choice place for employment, deliver a sustainable economic and management framework and make the centre attractive to the property development sector and as a place to invest.

The parties each have specific responsibilities under respective NSW

legislation and through various other obligations.

Central Coast Regional Development Corporation is responsible under the Growth Centres Act for promoting, coordinating, managing and securing the orderly economic development of Gosford and Wyong and Council has a range of responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993 for development and sustainable management on behalf of the Gosford community and the State of NSW. The Gosford City Centre Plan identifies the potential of the waterfront for tourism, passive recreation and notes that “a challenge…will be to preserve essential harbour activities…while opening up the harbour to a wider range of uses for recreation, tourism, retail-café and community purposes.”

Email, 12 Jul 2011 Gosford Council Media Council Agenda GEN.11, 12 Jul 2011

Development association backs airport proposal

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egional Development Australia Central Coast NSW has announced it is eager to see a Central Coast site, considered as part of a study into the need for a second Sydney airport.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast is aware of this joint study being undertaken between the Federal Government and NSW Government, and welcome the opportunity to engage with Government representatives to advance the possibility of a Central Coast based international airport,” said Regional Development Australia Central Coast chair Mr John Dawson.

Mr Dawson said the Regional Strategy for the Central Coast predicts job growth requirements of 45,000 over the next 25 years to service expected population growth,

and an airport creating approximately 6000 jobs would make a large dent in this target.

“The positive impacts would be enormous in terms of the economy, jobs and tourism,” he said.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast expects that the assessment process will involve an in-depth analysis of the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts before any final decision is taken.

“For Sydney’s second airport to operate successfully on the Central Coast it would require a very fast train connection,

another significant infrastructure investment, which would not only be a boon for Central Coast commuters, but have the potential to energise centre developments such as Warnervale, Gosford City and waterfront, and Mt Penang.

“Regional Development Australia Central Coast looks forward to the findings of the study being announced in the near future,” said Mr Dawson.

Media Release, 8 Jul 2011 John Dawson, Regional Development Australia Central Coast

FREE December 5, 2011

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Hieroglyphs reveal hidden history A

presentation will be held at the Arts Barn in Kariong on Sunday, December 11, from 2-4pm, by Ancient History specialist Mr Steven Strong and former skeptic and accomplished academic Dr Hans Dieter Von Senff.

The presentation will offer the general public access to their controversial and surprising research that identifies close links between Australia and ancient Egypt as well as identifying some 25 separate art stylestechniques of Aboriginal and Egyptian origin.

Mr Strong said he believes that the Central Coast region has an ancient history written in stone that has been hidden for thousands of years.

Mr Von Senff said he was so taken by the discovery of ancient hieroglyphs in the Kariong area that he has devoted his second PhD entirely to the subject.

Retired geologist Charmaine Beckett and Save Woy Woy member Norm Harris addressed the panel.

Fire destroys Umina Mall Fire has destroyed Umina Mall shopping centre.

Fire broke out in the Umina eight-shop complex in the early hours of the morning on January 13.

Police and fire officers were called to the centre on Ocean Beach Road about 2:15am Efforts were made to contain the blaze; but it had spread into the roof cavity where insulation continued to burn.

Emergency services remained at the scene of the fire more than 12 hours after arriving to fight the fire.

Shop tenant real estate agent Lois Jones praised the fire brigade officers who went into

the burning building to rescue valuable equipment and files for the businesses.

“They are worth more money,’’ she said.

Cr Richard Mehrtens said the said the situation presented an opportunity for renewal.

He said the prime location between Woy Woy and Umina served as an important shopping point for nearby residents.

“I hope that the owners of the site have a vision to keep the best bits of the site alive, such as its accessibility and convenience, and focus on the necessities of life that people rely on.”

Anyone with information on the fire at Umina Mall is being urged to

come forward.

The cause of the fire was being investigated and was being treated as suspicious, police said at the time, and have since confirmed it remains an ongoing active investigation.

Any links with the fire at Woy Woy community garden the following week were also being investigated.

SOURCE: Media statement, 13 Jan 2019 Media Unit, NSW Police Phone call, 23 Jan 2019 NSW Police, Woy Woy Media statement, 25 Jan 2019 Cr RIchard Mehrtens, Central Coast Council See more P6-P9

Panel signals possible nursing home approval in rare bushland The Joint Regional Planning Panel has voted to support the concept of allowing a 160-bed nursing home in endangered bushland in Woy Woy.

The owner of land at 45 Hillview St, Woy Woy, containing Umina coastal sandplain woodland has been told to give the planning authority more detail after a public hearing last week.

The four-member joint regional planning panel voted three to one to support the concept but they did not approve the proposal – as yet.

Cr Kyle MacGregor was the dissenting member of the panel.

The approval would not comply with planning provisions.

The building would generally exceed height limits by 50 per cent and in the rear 25 per cent of the site being three times the limit.

Panel chair Mr Jason Perica said the panel had a number of details they wanted from the developer and from Central Coast Council staff assessing the details.

These included clarity about rules around development in areas with acid sulphide soils and whether previous consents about conservation considerations on this particular site had been complied with.

They also asked for a review of the proposed boardwalk and senior housing requirements under State Environmental Plans.

Mr Perica said they needed more time to digest information the developer had provided that day

relating to one variation against planning guidelines.

Planning provisions require the development to be no higher than one storey within 25 metres of the rear boundary and two storey elsewhere.

Mr Perica said the three storeys were higher but allowed the development to be concentrated on the cleared area and the density was less than the guidelines and given the significant setbacks of the building and characteristics of the site, there was enough conceptual support for not refusing but they would not approve “tonight”.

The site currently has an active development approval for senior housing but the owner has come back with a variation to that original consent from 2007.

The latest plan is to build a three storey 160-bed nursing home, which is one storey above planning guidelines.

Many of the approvals from the previous consent are being carried over to the new proposal and the planning panel wanted some of these reviewed in light of current regulations.

Mr Perica said he expected a decision in weeks rather than months.

There would not be another public meeting but the information being sought would be published before a final decision was made.

SOURCE: Hearing, 24 Jan 2019 Hunter Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel

THIS ISSUE contains 39 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

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Issue 022

Feedback sought for The Landing

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eedback is being sought on the key planning controls to support the proposed revitalisation of the Gosford waterfront area, known as The Landing at Gosford.

Introduced to each other by local advocate and respected community member Ms Nina Angelo OAM, the two are now combining forces to present startling evidence that proves the Central Coast has an ancient, completely untold history in its very own backyard.

On the morning of the presentation local identity, bush-tucker man and passionate community leader, Jake Cassar will share his knowledge in a hands-on and interactive tour, starting from Kariong and taking the group to the site of the mysterious Hieroglyphs.

Media Release, 25 Nov 2011 Kariong Arts Barn

Hieroglyphs found at Kariong

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure is exhibiting the proposed controls which have been submitted by the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation.

According to the proposed controls, the Gosford waterfront site has the potential to deliver a wide range of uses, including up to 125,000 square metres for residential premises, at least 60,000 square metres for commercial and retail uses, up to 20,000 square metres for hotel or serviced apartments and at least 15,000 square metres for entertainment and community facilities.

The community now has the chance to comment documents comprising a State significant site (SSS) study – which provides the context for, and a description of, the proposed planning controls, a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) amendment which provides the statutory zoning, height and gross floor area

information and a development control plan which outlines more finegrain controls covering issues such as building alignments and setbacks, parking and the public domain.

Overall, some 700 additional residential dwellings and more than 4000 new jobs are proposed to be provided across the 52 hectare waterfront site (including 18 hectares of land and 33 hectares of water).

The documents are on exhibition until January 31.The proposed planning controls have been prepared to broadly implement the vision outlined in The Landing at Gosford masterplan.

This masterplan was publicly exhibited from September to early November.

Media Release, 30 Nov 2011 Laurel-Lee Roderick, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure

The proposed development area on the Gosford waterfront

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May 7, 2012

Coastal Residents Incorporated secretary Mr Pat Aiken said the group invited Gosford councillors to attend the rally and explain why they had agreed to the persecution of a small group of people whose properties were affected by Gosford Council’s forecasts for sea level rise.

“The encoding of S149 (5) Planning Certificates with information that is blatantly exaggerated, in our opinion, demonstrates that you [Gosford councillors] have not acted in good faith and that you have not demonstrated a duty of care to those residents affected by your decision to support the recommendation of Council officers,” said Mr Aiken.

“This decision exposes Gosford Council to future litigation and has already damaged the livelihood and wellbeing of thousands of Gosford City residents,” he said.

Mr Aiken went on to say that Council continued

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to claim that it would offer information sessions and public forums so the community could have their say, but after two years, there had been none.

“The water of Gosford Harbour is known to be the benchmark for the current 1:100 flood planning levels for all of Brisbane Water and yet Gosford Council has laid out proposals that amount to abandonment of Davistown, Empire Bay and Woy Woy as a consequence of Sea Level Rise projections and at cost to those property

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Issue 32

owners.

“But the mayor then announced a need to raise public funds through a rate increase to support a commercial project that would be constructed on equally adversely affected land,” said Mr Aiken.

Gosford Council has claimed that over 9000 properti

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JANUARY 31, 2019

Future of Winney Bay Clifftop Walk funding unclear

espite protracted and sometimes heated debate at its meeting on January 29, Central Coast Council voted to stand by its decision of December, 2018, to scale back the design of the Winney Bay Clifftop Walk.

A rescission motion aiming to reverse the December decision and revert to the original design was lost in an 8-6 vote, but the question of the day is, does that mean that the $4.6m in State Government funding which was promised for the project is lost forever?

Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the Council’s decision, said Infrastructure NSW had advised him that the proposed changes would make the project too different to the original, and that Council could either “continue with the original approved project, or decline the funding”.

He slammed Council’s “poor decision-making which has seen our region’s largest ever tourism infrastructure grant get trashed”, and has indicated he would not support

a new funding application from Council for a scaled down design.

But Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith, said that although she had had similar advice from INSW, she understood Council was still able to submit a new proposal for funding consideration.

“Council staff will be preparing a detailed proposal,” Smith said.

“Our final proposal still meets the needs of the community.

“It is accessible and it honours the Aboriginal community.”

Despite assertions from Crouch that Council had now burnt bridges with Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council,

Regional Development Australia Central Coast, the 5 Lands Walk Committee, and the community, Smith said the issue had received mixed responses.

“On Tuesday night, we were addressed by two members of the Aboriginal community who favoured the scaling back of the proposal, and one representative from the Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council whose main concern was the relocation of the whalethemed lookout,” she said.

“I think we can still come up with a design which will address their concerns.”

Council staff will now work on a revised design with

the path width reduced to 2 metres, without the bridge and market stall spaces, and with a relocation of the lookout.

Smith said the project had a long history, dating back to well before the merger of Gosford and Wyong Councils.

The 5 Lands Coastal Walkway Masterplan was prepared in 2011 to identify a permanent walking trail connecting the coastal communities of Macmasters Beach, Copacabana, Avoca Beach, North Avoca and Terrigal.

It identified various options for the route, including at Copacabana and Winner Bay, and was adopted by the former Gosford Council in 2012.

Smith said various changes had been made to the Masterplan over the years, and when the new Central Coast councillors were elected in 2017, they decided to revisit the walkway issue.

“In the past 12 months we have had a community meeting, various consultations, on-site inspections and a meeting with stakeholders,” she said.

“There is no doubt that most people want a walkway, but there is a diversity of views on the detail.

“I believe we have come up with a good compromise solution that still delivers an upgraded and accessible walk, a fantastic lookout, is

more compatible with the local environment, and better protects Coastal Open Space System (COSS) lands.

Smith said it was disappointing that Crouch had “politicised” the issue and continued to argue against the revised project, which she said met the objectives of the approved grant, addressed community concerns, and delivered a permanent coastal pathway to support the 5 Lands Walk.

“Mr Crouch should be working with Council to secure this funding for the community.

“That is what the community expects and deserves from their local member,” she said.

“Council will continue to make decisions in the best interests of its community, our tourism and business partners, and the natural environment that we all love about the Coast.”

Source: Media release, Jan 25 Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith Media releases, Jan 24 and Jan 29 Adam Crouch, Member for Terrigal Media statement, Jan 30 Central Coast Council Interview, Jan 30 Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith Reporter: Terry Collins

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R

Springfield Pond Wetland restoration underway

estoration works are underway at the Springfield Pond Wetland, according to Central Coast Councillor, Jeff Sundstrom.

L

ocal boaters will be safer on the water thanks to a new amphibious vessel for sea rescue operations, funded by a $161,000 NSW Government Infrastructure Grant.

Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the project would help Marine Rescue Central Coast volunteers rescue people who find themselves in distress in the ocean.

“The new vessel, known as sea legs, will be capable of accessing beaches, inland waterways and coves which are inaccessible for emergency services,” Crouch said.

“Due to its ability to be used on land and water, without requiring a separate trailer, the amphibious vessel will greatly reduce the

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time taken for volunteers to respond to an emergency,” he added.

Marine Rescue Central Coast Unit Commander, Roger Palmer, said: “Having this boat available will not only help the boating public but also our dedicated team of volunteers to access the Marine Rescue craft at The Haven in a safe and timely manner.”

Minister for Racing, Paul Toole, said the project was funded through the Infrastructure Grants program.

“More than $50m in funding is being provided during this current term of government for projects across sport and recreation, emergency preparedness, and arts and culture,” Minister Toole said.

Source: Media release, Jan 24 Ben Sheath, Office of Adam Crouch MP

The wetland became overrun with noxious weeds following a severe storm in 2015.

Since then, Springfield residents have watched on as the Wetland was increasingly consumed by weeds.

Residents were especially concerned about the pond after reports that wildlife had drowned after becoming entangled in weeds.

According to Springfield resident, Glenys Ray, the community was extremely concerned about the safety risk that the weeds now represented, both to wildlife and unsuspecting children.

Concerns were also held surrounding the spread of the main weed, Salvinia Molesta, and its potential impact on nearby homes, should its spread continue to be left unchecked.

Ray took the Springfield residents’ concerns to a

The Truxor in action on Springfield Pond

Central Coast Council meeting in September, 2018, and urged Council to act.

In December, 2018, Council approved $10,000 for stage one of rehabilitation works, including the creation of a temporary barrier to contain the Salvinia Molesta, which will be removed from the pond after spraying.

An amphibious bobcat, called a Truxor, was also contracted to assist with the works.

Cr Sundstrom said the Truxor had begun working on the weeds and Council was

preparing to undertake the next part of stage one works.

“The next step is to mechanically remove some of the weeds to the banks of the pond where they will dewater,” Cr Sundstrom said.

“The refuse will then be removed from site.

“Meanwhile, the weevil as a pest insect utilised in weed control, will also be introduced, and it looks like the weather will be prime for the weevil to do its best work,” he said.

Cr Sundstrom said the works were a win for the Springfield

Stairlifts never looked this

Source: Website, Jan 17 Jeff Sundstrom, Central Coast Councillor Media release, Dec 17 Glenys Ray, Springfield Pond Wetland Residents Group Media statement, Aug 13 Central Coast Council Media Interview, Aug 13 Glenys Ray, Springfield Pond Wetland Residents Group Interview, Aug 20 Terry Mealor, Aquatic Technologies Agenda item 7.4, Sep 10 Central Coast Council Ordinary Meeting Alex Turner-Cohen, Journalist Dilon Luke, Journalist

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community.

“Congratulations to Glenys and the rest of the folk at Springfield and beyond that have been working so hard to ensure the best environmental outcome, and thanks also to Council staff for their efforts and input.

“Let’s hope it’s a case of good bye and good riddance to our old mate Salvinia Molesta,” Cr Sundstrom said.

“The residents and community are very excited to see some action take place to improve this precious pocket of wetland,” said Ray.

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Details of new Development Application lodged by Verde Terra sought

ountains District Association (MDA) has called for Central Coast Council to release details of a new Development Application lodged in December, 2018, by Verde Terra, operator of the contentious Mangrove Mountain Landfill.

“Council is currently a party to proceedings in the Land and Environment Court in which Verde Terra is appealing an Environmental Protection Authority decision to refuse its application to renew (vary) its environment protection licence (EPL 11395) for the site, and now it has a DA lodged by Verde Terra also to assess,” association spokesman, Dr Stephen Goodwin, said.

But Goodwin said the new DA had been received by Council before Christmas and there had been ample time for it to be processed.

“The community has been demanding a new DA for

Mangrove Mountain Landfill for some time now,” Goodwin said.

“The original consent approved by the former Gosford City Council over 20 years ago did not approve a regional waste facility for this environmentally contentious site, yet that is what has been allowed to develop at

Mangrove Mountain Golf Course.

“While MDA is sympathetic to the legal situation with Mangrove Mountain Landfill at present, the silence from Council has been deafening.

“Why are the DA documents not online for public viewing?

“Council has had them for

over a month and completed its preliminary assessment of them two weeks ago.

“Council is going to have a busy year with Mangrove Mountain Landfill, but this is a shaky start.

“The community is very keen to head off attempts by Verde Terra to legitimise a mega

dump for this environmentally fragile site.

“The site is a leading supplier of water from the underlying sandstone aquifer into the Central Coast water supply.

“MDA has indicated many times that it would like to work with Council rather than being kept in the dark.

“The community has invested a lot of time and effort into this issue and would like to see transparency where this is possible, or at least an update.”

Central Coast Council confirmed it had received a Development Application from Verde Terra but would make no further comment as the DA was still “under assessment”.

Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith, said she expected the DA and all supporting documents would be on display in the next few weeks.

“The length of time it takes to assess a DA depends on the scope and scale of it and the amount of technical detail contained,” she said.

Smith said Council’s new Mangrove Mountain and Spencer Advisory Committee would improve awareness and communication around the ongoing landfill issue.

Source: Media release, Jan 29 Mountains District Association Interview, Jan 30 Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith

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Two years in the job and still loving it

B

y the time the State Election takes place on March 23, Gosford MP, Liesl Tesch, will have spent almost two years in the job that she says still has her “pinching herself” every day.

Elected at a by-election in April, 2017, following the resignation and subsequent death of sitting MP Kathy Smith, Tesch said she had had “a ball every day serving the community” since her election.

“I feel as though I have been kicking some goals, despite a short term and even though Labor is in Opposition,” Tesch said.

“I have been pushing for better resources around homelessness and disability services and accessibility, and have some wins there.”

One such victory was attaining access for the disabled to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

“I was astounded that there was no way for people with a physical disability to access that bridge and, following a rally I organised at the bottom of the bridge, a lift was

installed just in time for the Invictus Games.

“I saw that as a major victory.”

The first wheelchair user to be elected to State Parliament, Tesch has also fought long and hard for full inclusion for the disabled at Parliament House, and has had input into future planning with the Government Architect.

“Some of the planning was not up to standard and things are on hold until they are made really inclusive,” she said.

“It’s been an ongoing battle, but we are a step closer.”

Nearer to home, Tesch has taken full advantage of the numerous community contacts she had made through a

career as a teacher and elite sportswoman to “really get to know” her electorate.

“Learning to negotiate the various government agencies has been frustrating at times, and I feel many people have lost faith in the system,” she said.

“I get hugged in the street a lot, and I think people know that I live in their city, share their values and will fight for them.

“I have good open relationships with a lot of families and feel I have much left to do.”

Already endorsed to recontest the seat for the Labor Party, Tesch said one of the top items on her agenda for a second term would be

working hard towards a longterm solution to the Ettalong Channel dredging problem.

“The closure of the channel late in 2018 hit the community so hard,” she said.

“It was extremely disruptive and it is important to set up an appropriate relationship with Central Coast Council so we can form a joint policy which is proactive rather than reactive, going forward.”

As well as tackling the demands of being an MP, Tesch has been studying ethics in politics, social justice and human rights in what little downtime she has.

Even so, partner, Mark Thomson, is fully supportive of her political career.

“Because I used to do so much travelling while involved in competitive sports, I actually spend more nights at home than I did previously,” Tesch said.

The MP will host a Sail Against the Polly event at Gosford Sailing Club on February 27, 2019, and urges interested residents to call the club for details of the twilight sail.

Interview, Jan 25 Gosford MP Liesl Tesch Reporter: Terry Collins

Order of Australia Medal for Ken Austin for exemplary humanitarian service

G

reen Point resident, Ken Austin, has received an Order of Australia Medal in the 2019 Australia Day Honours.

Austin received his honour for services to the community and to Rotary.

Austin has been a member of the Rotary Club of Gosford North for 36 years, and has held numerous positons at the club.

Joining in 1983, he served as Secretary from 1986 through to 1997.

Austin also served as the club’s Sergeant from 1984 to 1985, a role he would reprise two more times, from 1996-97 and 2002-03.

He held the office of Vice President through 1988-1989 before being elected President in 89, a role he retained until 1990.

During his time with the

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club Austin also participated in many ventures for Rotary Australia, most notably the Nepal Dental Project in 1992, of which he was a founding member.

Austin also spent time as a volunteer at the Kokoda Hospital as a representative of Rotary Australia and Gosford North.

Over the years, Austin has also received many accolades through Rotary for his enduring commitment to the Gosford North club and his community.

He is one of just a few thousand Rotarians internationally to receive a Service Above Self Award, the organisation’s highest individual honour, which is only awarded to 150 Rotarians a year who demonstrate exemplary humanitarian service.

Source: Document, Jan 21 Kaye Browning, Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat

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Regional Business Chamber reports drop in business confidence

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SW Business Chamber, Central Coast, is calling on all political parties to outline their policies for supporting business prior to the March 23 state election, with confidence in Gosford and throughout the region, alarmingly low.

Regional Director, Paula Martin, said energy costs and the uncertainty over the 2019 NSW and Federal elections, had contributed to subdued confidence felt by business owners all over the state, according to the Chamber’s latest quarterly survey.

“A quick glance at results for the Central Coast might suggest that confidence is rising and doing better than the state average, but that’s misleading though,” Martin said.

She said that although visitors to the region during the holiday period had lifted confidence somewhat, the lift was much lower for this time of year than was usual.

“To gather our information, we interview sample businesses from all different sectors on such things as their profits and their operational expenses, and we found confidence levels on the Coast had dropped,” Martin said.

“For us that is a concern.

“Many of our businesses are struggling with operational costs – payroll thresholds and energy expenses are hitting

Council to resist compulsory introduction of Independent Hearing Assessment Panels

C

entral Coast Council is set to go into battle to retain its planning powers, with the passing of a resolution at its January 29 meeting to resist the introduction of an Independent Hearing Assessment Panel (IHAP) for the region.

Regional Director of the NSW Business Chamber, Central Coast, Paula Martin

hard.

“So far, there is no clarity from any of the political parties on where their policies are in relation to business.

“We are calling for parties to commit to a review on the speed of infrastructure development, transport availability and rising energy costs.

“Transport connectivity here on the Coast is extremely important.

“We welcome news of a fast train service, but if Coast businesses are to employ more staff, particularly young staff, these staff members need to be able to get to the job.

“Youth unemployment on the Coast still sits at around 16%, and many young people have to take multiple buses and trains to get to a prospective job, and that is unacceptable.

“Our businesses can’t employ young people if they

can’t get there.”

The Chamber is also calling for a pledge for a careers hub on the Central Coast.

“Imagine a careers hub, led by industry, where young people could find out where opportunities are in high growth industries like food and beverages, and be encouraged to apply for jobs which are available.

“With the state election now less than two months away, it is vital that those parties looking to form the next government understand the true nature of current business conditions and just how important it is to have policies that assist business to invest and create new jobs.”

Source: Media release, Jan 24 NSW Business Chamber Central Coast Interview, Jan 25 Paula Martin, NSW Business Chamber, Central Coast.

Mayor Jane Smith put up a successful Mayoral Minute, with councillors resolving to support Local Government NSW’s campaign against the compulsory introduction of IHAPs to local government areas.

The panels, each comprising a chair, two independent expert members and a community member, assess Development Applications (DAs) made to local councils and were made mandatory for all Sydney Councils and Wollongong City Council from March 1, 2018.

According to the NSW Department of Planning, they are put in place so the process of assessing and determining DAs with a high corruption risk, sensitivity or strategic importance are transparent and accountable.

The NSW Government now wants to extend the panels to Newcastle and the Central Coast, but Smith said the introduction of a panel on

the Coast would cost Council money and reduce its level of service delivery to the community.

“This is an issue of concern to councillors all over the state,” Smith said.

“We want to see legislation changed so these panels are not mandatory.

“Some councils might benefit from expert input, but basically, they are taking planning powers away from communities.

“A key consideration for any DA should be public interest, and democratically elected representatives are best placed to consider that.”

Smith said it was worth noting that the current State Government made a preelection promise of returning powers to councils.

She stressed that ratepayers would be expected to pay for the cost of establishing and running the panel, which has been estimated at a cost of $100,000 per year, but would probably cost more on the Central Coast due to the number of applications regularly received.

Council would also be required to cover court costs if IHAP decisions were challenged by applicants, even though Council would not have been the decision making authority.

Despite complaints from, Councillor Greg Best, that councillors had been given only five days to consider the Mayoral Minute, and an unsuccessful amendment to provide a more considered response to the complex Kaldos Report which recommended IHAPs to the Minister for Planning, councillors voted to move immediately.

They resolved that Council would reaffirm its position that it must be the decision maker for all planning matters on the Central Coast that aren’t subject to determination by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel and oppose the introduction of an IHAP for the Central Coast.

Council also resolved to work with Local Government NSW and other councils to campaign to restore planning powers to communities.

Council will write to the Minister for Planning and local State MPs and candidates on the Central Coast calling for pledges for a reform of the NSW planning system to restore the right of councils to choose whether to use local panels.

Source: Agenda item 1.4 Central Coast Council meeting, Jan 29 Interview, Jan 30 Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith Reporter: Terry Collins

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Millions of dollars collected in waste levy are not being reinvested

C

entral Coast Council has joined the State-wide Save Our Recycling campaign, calling on the NSW Government to reinvest 100 per cent of funds collected through the waste levy into waste minimisation, recycling and resource recovery.

The waste levy is the contribution paid to the NSW Government for each tonne of waste received at Council’s Waste Management Facilities, a requirement of The Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act).

Mayor Jane Smith said Council is supporting the campaign, as the funding collected by the waste levy should be reinvested in creating jobs and sustainable industries right here on the Central Coast.

“With recent changes to recycling processes, there is an urgent need for us to develop innovative approaches to resource recovery,” Mayor Smith said.

“Central Coast Council paid $57.8m in waste levy funds for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years, but only directly received $670,000 over the same period to assist with waste management and recycling infrastructure programs and education.

“The release of waste levy funds could help us develop a modern, smart, home grown resource recovery and recycling industry, establish more innovative recycling facilities, producing packaging and products that are easier to recycle and reuse.

“This would lead to creation of much needed local jobs for our growing community without any extra cost to ratepayers.

“We supported a similar motion at the Local Government NSW

Conference, held in November, 2018, and already have many motions with similar intent,” Mayor Smith added.

“This will align us to the Local Government NSW campaign to help send a clear message that we want a state-wide approach to waste and recycling.

“I would also encourage the community to fill out the campaign survey to help better understand the ways in which NSW residents recycle, and their attitudes towards the management of household waste and recycling,” she said.

Council will now seek bipartisan support from the State Government to commit to reinvesting 100 per cent of the Waste Levy in waste minimisation, recycling, resource recovery and waste management infrastructure.

Source: Media release, Jan 14 Central Coast Council Media

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PAGE 9

JANUARY 31, 2019

Clean Air Policy specifically for the Central Coast being formulated

T

he Community Environment Network is setting the wheels in motion for the formulation of a Clean Air Policy, specifically for the Central Coast.

Chair, John Asquith, said the network had formed an Air Pollution sub-committee and was keen to hear from any residents affected by air pollution, particularly those suffering with asthma.

“Doctors have told me that any increase in air pollution carries the risk of increased effects,” Asquith said.

“There are 30,000 sufferers from asthma on the Central Coast, and their voices are not being heard.

“Childhood asthma is particularly prevalent.

“We strongly believe everyone has the right to clean air.

“The NSW Minister for Environment was working on a NSW Clean Air Agreement, but nothing has happened in more than 12 months.”

Asquith said a number of people had expressed interest in the subcommittee, with many saying the

John Asquith

heavy heat and humidity were already exacerbating asthma conditions.

“Our focus is to come up with a brief strategy to put to Central Coast Council and the Environment Protection Authority,” he said.

“We want them to look at changes to the air caused by bushfire burn-offs, coal trains going through the Central Coast with fumes coming off them.

“We want them to identify the

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risks and look at mitigating them.

“We are determined to get this on the agenda this year – pollution is only going to get worse.

“We want to hear about people’s actual experiences with pollution, even if it’s only dust from the building site next door.

“We have to do all we can to maintain air quality,” Asquith said.

Source: Interview, Jan 29 John Asquith, Chair, Community Environment Network

PAGE 10 JANUARY 31, 2019

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Rally to inform the public of the danger of petroleum exploration

I

ndependent candidate for Robertson and local businessman, David Abrahams, will hold a rally at Terrigal Skillion on Sunday, February 3, to inform the public of the danger of petroleum exploration off the Central Coast.

“Few people know that highly destructive seismic testing will start within weeks, and oil rigs off Terrigal and other beaches will follow,” Abrahams said.

“The federal agency responsible for giving the green light, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) has played the Coast for fools, holding community consultations in Sydney and Newcastle only.

“Its decision to snub the Coast community is typical of how this region is treated by state and federal bosses.

“If locals knew of the likely result of this industry to their fishing grounds, the whales and dolphins, and the entire water column, they would be shocked.

“Experience shows massive fish kills as a result of seismic test trawling along coasts.

“They use high explosive sound canons at up to 260 Db. “This kills everything in the area of the explosions and we’re likely to experience fish

kills similar to the MurrayDarling fish deaths.”

Abrahams said Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 had been damned by the NSW State Government, Newcastle and Central Coast Councils, and fishing and environmental organisations, and he is pushing for a bipartisan meeting with Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, with the objective of having the permit revoked.

Abrahams said Greens’ candidate, Cath Connor, had agreed to participate, but he had no response from Labor candidate, Anne Charlton.

“Robertson MP, Lucy Wicks, has told me that she will ask the Minister to conduct a consultation on the Central Coast,” he said.

“I fear this will just blur the issue.”

Abrahams said all candidates needed to be united in the desire to protect the Coast’s beaches, fishing zones, sea life and lifestyle.

“All of us, Liberal, Labor, Green and Independent, should go together to see the Prime Minister.

“He can stop PEP 11 in two minutes,” he said Wicks said she had met with David Abrahams on January 16, after which she had sought further advice from Minister for Resources, Matthew Canavan.

“I am advised that no exploration offshore NSW

can take place until an Environment Plan has been approved by the independent regulator, NOPSEMA,” she said.

“I am also advised that there are currently no plans lodged with NOPSEMA and that the company will need to consult on any plan before submitting it to NOPSEMA.” “I am looking forward to meeting with NOPSEMA and department officials in the coming weeks.”

Charlton said she had written a letter to Minister for the Environment, Melissa Price, expressing the concerns of the local community on the PEP11 Gas Exploration Project situated off the coast of NSW between Newcastle and Sydney.

“After the recent approval of the Wallarah 2 Coal Mine, I am concerned that our community is not being heard by the State and Federal Governments on key decisions that affect our local environment,” she said “I hope Minister Price can provide further information about exploration already undertaken and how seismic testing may have affected our sensitive local marine life.”

Source: Media release, Jan 29 David Abrahams, Independent candidate for Robertson Media statement, Jan 29 Lucy Wicks, Robertson MP Media statement, Jan 30 Anne Charlton, Labor candidate for Robertson

F

Being a sitting member seen as being a “huge honour and an amazing experience”

or Adam Crouch, serving as the Member for the State seat of Terrigal has been a “huge honour and an amazing experience”, and having been already unanimously endorsed as the Liberal candidate for the seat in the coming State election on March 23, Crouch is hopeful of continuing to serve constituents for the next four years or so.

Despite a slight swing to Labor in 2015, Terrigal is largely considered to be a safe Liberal seat, but Crouch takes nothing for granted.

“Any parliamentarian who thinks he is safe is arrogant,” he said.

“At the same time, it is reassuring to know that my party is behind me.”

Crouch reckons he has the best job in the world.

“A lot of people say I am always smiling, but that’s because I have been able to make commitments to people from one end of the electorate to the other, and deliver on them,” he said.

“I decided to run in the first place because I had lived here for decades and saw nothing happening – it just wasn’t good enough.

“I have seen the Gosford Hospital redevelopment go from a concept to an almostcompleted project, the $2.2M road upgrades at Terrigal are going fantastically well, and we’ve delivered $2.8M for works at Avoca, as well as $3M towards a boardwalk at Terrigal, which is something

people have wanted for 20 years.

“People expect road, hospital and school upgrades – they are a given- and it is good to be part of a government which has put itself in a position to be able to do those things.

“But I get just as much pleasure from delivering the small things – from $1,500 for a club to buy a defibrillator, to grants for sporting and community groups, over-50s clubs, RSLs and school P and Cs.” Crouch is especially pleased that he has encouraged almost 8,000 families in his electorate to take advantage of the $100 Active Kids rebate.

“I came upon one mum backing out of her driveway at Killcare and explained the rebate to her,” he said.

“She had three kids, meaning she was eligible for $300 each year, and her reaction was: ‘I guess they can play netball again’.

“It’s those sorts of reactions which make you get out of bed in the morning.

“And people are also taking advantage of the Creative Kids rebate so that their kids can do things like drama and music.

“It’s not a huge amount but it makes a difference.”

Crouch has seen a change of Premier during his first term, with Gladys Berejiklian taking over the role on January 23, 2017, following the resignation of, Mike Baird.

“Gladys has an incredible work ethic,” Crouch said.

“She is driven and passionate, and being a former Treasurer and Transport Minister, she is a ‘doer’.

“We have a good working relationship and she knows that although the Central Coast is benefitting in many ways, there’s always more to be done.”

Even though he loves the job, Crouch admits it was a “steep learning curve” at first.

“You have to learn very quickly,” he said.

“I talked it over (before running) with my wife, Jill, and she is very understanding, but it impacts on our life significantly.

“I work 70+ hours a week, including weekends, and we have learned to juggle that.

“We have regular date nights to help preserve the work/life balance.

“She knows I am a workaholic and very passionate about this job, and being a dedicated nurse she understands public service.

“I find it hard to switch off from the job and am always striving to do more.

“Jill comes with me to a lot of things and that makes it easier.”

Crouch said his wife’s diagnosis with Stage 4 breast cancer just before the last election had changed the couple’s priorities.

“Something like that makes you really think about what you do and how important it is to enjoy it,” he said.

“We had to completely refocus.

“Jill still works in the oncology unit, where she is also a patient.”

Source: Interview, Jan 16 Adam Crouch, Member for Terrigal

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PAGE 11C JANUARY 31, 2019

Adcock Park to have a major redevelopment

Artist’s impressions of the redeveloped Adcock Park

C

entral Coast Council will invest $25.35m over the next two financial years (2019/20 and 2020/21), in the redevelopment of Adcock Park at West Gosford.

Councillors unanimously passed a resolution at the Council meeting on January 29, to provide the funding, which includes a $1m grant from the NSW Government’s Public Reserves Management

Fund.

The $26.2m project, including $850,000 approved in the 2018/19 capital works budget, will be undertaken as a two stage program of works to optimise access for sporting codes and allow construction to commence sooner.

Councillors considered a suggestion from Councillor, Kyle MacGregor, that the number of netball courts be increased to 32, which is two more than currently planned, so that state events and NSW

championships can be held at the one ground.

Mayor Jane Smith said the need for 32 courts at Adcock Park was unclear. ”I am getting conflicting advice from different sporting bodies,” she said.

“We need to confirm if 32 courts are required at the one facility for various events or if games can be spread to other sites.”

She said another consideration could be that having more netball courts

would adversely affect other users of Adcock Park.

Smith said Council staff would investigate the effects of increasing court numbers to 32 and report back to Council.

The redevelopment will include: Construction of a single multi-purpose sportsground amenities building to provide a more sustainable, costeffective facility in the long term; Upgrade of the existing overloaded mains power supply; Construction of a new water main to replace the

existing ageing asbestos main; Demolition of the existing structurally compromised touch amenities building, ageing netball amenities building and baseball net; Conversion of the existing AFL/ cricket building from amenities to storage; Construction of a new consolidated car park at the entry to the facility to improve site safety; Reconstruction of the playing fields including installation of irrigation and sub-soil drainage to improve useability

and playability; Construction of three additional netball courts; Installation of new floodlighting to Australian Standard for 100 lux luminance for AFL and touch sporting fields, netball courts and athletics field/velodrome areas; and, Construction of footpaths and maintenance vehicle access.

Source: Agenda item 3.5 Central Coast Council meeting, Jan 29 Interview, Jan 30 Central Coast Mayor, Jane Smith Reporter: Terry Collins

Central Coast Council Seniors Festival Concert 2019

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Council is consolidating its planning controls across the entire Central Coast and we need your input!

The Central Coast has been operating under four different planning instruments each with different planning controls. The alignment of these planning instruments into a coast-wide Consolidated Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Consolidated Development Control Plan (DCP) will deliver a consistent approach to development controls, making the process more efficient and transparent.

Learn more at an Information Session near you: Wednesday 6 February 2019 6:00pm – 8:00pm Erina Room, Erina Fair Terrigal Drive, Erina

Wednesday 13 February 2019 6:00pm – 8:00pm Central Coast Council Wyong Office 2 Hely Street, Wyong

Help us celebrate the NSW Seniors Festival and join in the many events being held across the Central Coast.

For more information on the consolidation of planning controls or to find out about our Pop Up Stalls, visit yourvoiceourcoast.com/planningcontrols

Pick up your full program of events from your local 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Senior Centre or local library.

Consultation closes 28 February, 2019.

A full program can also be found online at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/news

yourvoiceourcoast.com/planningcontrols

PAGE 12 JANUARY 31, 2019

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Major shakeup of town centre manag T

he Gosford Business Improvement District Inc (GBID) appears likely to lose its Council funding from June 30 in a shakeup of town centre management across the Coast.

Councillors considered a comprehensive review of current town centre management arrangements, which took 19 months to complete, during their final 2018 meeting on Monday, December 10.

The review revealed that a Special Rate Variation (SRV) paid by business property owners throughout the former Gosford Local Government Area (LGA) had been diverted, while Council was in Administration, to pay for the appointment of the Affinity Group, to do region wide tourism marketing, and to create a new tourism website for the whole region.

“All properties categorised as business within the former Gosford LGA have been paying a Business/Tourism Development Special Rate since 1994-95,” the review said.

“Forecast income for 2017-18 from that levy was $874,000, and it has been used to pay for Council’s third-party tourism marketing provider, Affinity, and the development of a new tourism website,” it said.

Affinity is responsible for tourism in the whole new Central Coast LGA but it appears Gosford property owners are footing the whole bill and paying for a new Central Coast tourism website.

The review said the levy was also used for asset management such as

landscaping, cleaning and security services in some town centres across the former Gosford LGA. “The collection of a business/ tourism development special rate from all commercial property owners in the former Gosford LGA with no third party entity undertaking town centre management functions in any town centre (other than Gosford) further supports the need for this review,” the report to Councillors said.

“And gives Council the opportunity to ensure that businesses paying a SRL can benefit from an approach that provides economic impact, business development and place activation outcomes positively contributing to the sustainability of the business sector.”

Speaking about the review after the Council meeting, Mayor Jane Smith, said: “Staff have developed some models around how we will look at town centres.

“Council is keen to improve how that all works and so the staff have provided a report that recommends some models that I think the Councillors want to tweak and consider other options.

“There is a recognition, both by the staff and by the Councillors, that we do need to pull that together a bit more internally and coordinate that a little bit better.”

Councillors resolved to extend GBID’s contract to the end of June, but Mayor Smith said she anticipated there could be job losses at GBID unless alternative funding sources were found.

“That is my understanding, that is one of the issues, and the way it is looking is, if those contracts don’t get extended, I would expect they would cut positions, unless that funding

can come from somewhere else,” she said.

Deputy Mayor, Chris Holstein, who is also a current member of the GBID committee, said he believed the different direction to be taken by Council on town centre management would ultimately have positive outcomes for those centres.

“By bringing all town centre management functions into Council under one umbrella, there are some benefits to come from that,” Clr Holstein said.

“The issue for GBID is going to be how to ensure the events that have been purely GBID are not going to be lost,” he said.

“That will be the source of more discussions; how GBID interacts and works with that is to be determined.”

A key finding of the town centre management review was “that the practice of contracting out core functions of town centre management to localised entities in only a few town centres is currently not best practice.

Gosford is the only town centre in the former Gosford LGA to be managed by a third party funding agreement, between Council and GBID. The Gosford Central Business District Improvement Special Rate was introduced in 199495 to provide funding for works which would enhance the CBD and benefit business properties within that area.

In 2017-18, the SRL raised $465,000 for Council, of which, GBID was paid $255,793.

GBID, a not-for-profit, independent organisation, was set up in 2008 after consultation with the business community.

It is managed by a voluntary board made up of local business owners and community members.

In addition to the $255,793 provided to GBID for marketing, promotion and events, Council undertakes asset maintenance, contract management for delivery of security, cleaning and landscaping, and coordination of major infrastructure and capital works.

The operational budget for 2017-18 for asset and contract management functions was $492,878.

“There is currently no defined town centre area in place for Gosford which identifies the area of responsibility for town centre management,” the review said.

“Outside of the agreements, the GBID office is located in a premises owned by Council and a rent subsidy is provided to the value of $14,250 per annum.

“GBID is largely reliant on funding received from Council to undertake town centre management functions with minimal income received from membership fees.”

It currently employs a full time project manager and a 24-hour a week permanent part time business developer, according to the review.

“GBID has currently not provided any funding for any additional asset management, as in the case of Greater Toukley Vision and Wyong Regional Chamber of Commerce, with Council undertaking this function for the Gosford town centre and they currently receive the highest level of funding for marketing, promotion and events.

“This may explain why, of the three third party entities, GBID is the only one providing business development support and have a dedicated focus for the delivery of events.

“They have a dedicated staff member undertaking the role of business developer and offering new member’s training.”

In general, the review found that funding agreements, such as the one between Council and GBID, didn’t specify the proportion of funding that can be dedicated to costs such as staffing, administration and premises versus operational expenditure “which has resulted in high levels of the funding provided to all three dedicated to administration costs.

“This has resulted in the third party entities focusing their funding and resources primarily on event delivery at the expense of their other agreed deliverables such as marketing and promotion, including tourism and business development.

“As a result, there has not been a strategic or regional view, and at times, the entities have not operated within a governance and procurement framework as rigorous as that found within Council or required under the Local Government Act.” The review recommended a hierarchy for the identification of town centres be introduced with Gosford, and Terrigal identified as principle town centres, along with Woy Woy, Wyong and The Entrance.

Avoca and Kincumber would be identified as major town centres, along with Umina, Ettalong, Toukley, Long Jetty and Budgewoi, “all of which should have a targeted and coordinated place activation focus for Council”.

Terrigal’s Tourism and Business Special Development Rate commenced in 200405 and covers all rateable properties within Terrigal, North Avoca and Wamberal

categorised as business.

In 2017-18, it equated to $572,000 and was used by Council to pay for landscaping, maintenance, CCTV, security and road upgrades.

The review said third parties currently responsible for town centre management functions “and with the limited and varying funding levels provided

by Council” can find it difficult to adequately resource and attract staff with the skill set, qualifications and knowledge “needed to undertake the complexities of the role”.

“Currently the staff resourcing for each of the third party entities is largely focused on smaller scale event delivery, and the bulk of the funding is used for staff wages and administration costs to just allow these entities to function; little funding is directly targeted towards activities or projects.”

It found that the absence of a dedicated town centre management team within Council meant that there was “little coordination or strategic direction taken to ensure capital works, projects, maintenance or events and activations meet broader objectives.

“There has not been a dedicated focus or adequately resourced team within Council tasked with providing clear direction to the existing third party entities,” it said.

“For some contracted services (security and cleaning) an aligned approach would ensure best value and consistent service levels.

“That is one of the things I think Councillors are keen to improve, that we have some sort of unit in Council that really coordinates that,” said Mayor Smith.

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PAGE 13C JANUARY 31, 2019

ement across the Coast underway “I think that is still what we are getting further information about, in terms of options, but at this stage that internal unit is really about the operational stuff that happens in town centres that Council has a role in,” she said.

A further report back to Council in 2019 was expected to look at bigger questions such as coordination and support for attracting visitors to town centres.

“Whether it should be an internal group, whether it should be an external committee, whether it should be a different model altogether, that is what Councillors want to hear more thoughts about,” she said.

“Councillors have been keen for quite a while to build up our capacity, basically we want to build up staff, in the economic development area.

“It certainly ties in with our restructure, with our new Innovation and Futures Directorate, so part of that will include economic development.”

A resolution to commence the town centre management review was passed by the Administrator, Ian Reynolds, in May 2017.

The review was to look at “arrangements in relation to achieving best practice town centre management with a view to providing a report in due course to the newly-

centres which are Gosford, Wyong, The Entrance and Toukley.

“This situation is essentially a historical construct that has developed as a direct result of decisions taken and advocacy by each of the business communities, in most cases decades ago, to introduce special rate levies (SRLs) within these four towns.

“Vibrant, inclusive, prosperous, well-serviced and maintained town centres are what we all wish to achieve,” the report said.

“It is a key finding of this review that a more formalised and centrist approach is required within Council to ensure we are properly servicing the identified principal and major town centres,” it said.

Source: Agenda item 4.1, Dec 10 Central Coast Council ordinary meeting Interview, Dec 11 Jane Smith, Central Coast Council Interview, Dec 19 Chris Holstein, Central Coast Council and GBID Jackie Pearson, journalist

GBID event in Kibble Park Gosford

elected Council.

The review was to “guide the future management of town centres, with a focus on holistic place management and activation, effectively addressing the interdependencies between effective asset management, marketing and promotion, tourism, business development, economic development and the delivery of quality events within these

key precincts.

“The future management of town centres should aim to provide a strategic, streamlined and cost effective approach to ensure priority service delivery of town centre management functions for identified town centres across the Central Coast.

“In a region as large and diverse as the Central Coast, the definition of a town centre is important to establish

to ensure that coordinated resources are focused on areas that provide the best opportunity to achieve place activation, economic

development and social connection for our community.

“The Central Coast currently has four identified town

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PAGE 14 JANUARY 31, 2019 FORUM

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Sticking to planning rules is better for the majority

entral Coast Mayor, Jane Smith, has stressed the need for Council to enforce its own planning controls (Coast Community News edition 199).

She obviously knows, along with many of us ratepayers who have had dealings with the planning department at Council, that favourable decisions on developments can be had.

DCPs and LEPs, and many other planning rules, are

FORUM

decided on by the personal preference of one or two individuals who are allowed to ignore planning and environmental rules that have cost tens of thousands of dollars to research and implement.

Architects on their websites regularly spruik: “helping you to get your DA passed by Council”.

Obviously, they believe they have some influence on the decision.

Many of these DAs granted contrary to planning controls pit neighbour against neighbour, and negatively impact on the visual appeal of many Council areas.

Adhering strictly to the planning controls will result in less work and stress for Council employees and one must question why they persist in making decisions which ignore Council’s own planning provisions, or indeed why are they allowed to?

Email, Jan 18 Don Bate, Forresters Beach

Lets make Australia great again

I

have read in the Sydney Telegraph about the problem on removing rubbish from streets.

Well that only goes with the complete fiasco that is our street planning.

State Planning, it is all your fault and you should be ashamed to bring foreign planning to Australia.

FORUM I can completely agree with the rubbish collecting companies that it is so difficult to do their jobs.

Let’s get back to Australian planning, stop using foreign planning policies and decentralise our coast line and put other cities in the country in the spotlight.

Governments over the past 40 years have betrayed us and we should reject them totally.

Let’s become a great nation again and do what we want not what others want.

John Howard was great and so was Sir Robert Menzies.

We need a Nationalist Government not a Communist one.

Email, Jan 21 Robert Findley, Point Clare

W

Not happy with condition of paths

hen will this Council learn to accommodate the needs of its disabled residents, quite apart from the disgraceful condition of paths, if they exist at all.

Take the corner of Glennie St and Dunbar Way. The south-western corner is

FORUM

a nice ramp, easily negotiable with a walking stick, yet, the south-eastern corner, in complete contrast, is practically a kerb, which with my disability, I find difficult to negotiate.

It is made even worse by my currently damaged Achilles

tendon.

Given the drama surrounding the current Council, it really is time that they were thrown out on their collective rears and replaced with a more competent one, one that actually cares about its citizens.

Email, Jan 28 Dave Horsfall, North Gosford

Winney Bay environmental supporters relieved

W

ith 15 anxious residents in the Council Chamber, there was a real sigh of relief when the Councillors voted in favour of a re-design of the proposed Winney Bay access.

Residents have been concerned with the proposal for vehicle access, a bridge, destination wedding platform, market stalls and clearing of Costal Open Space System

FORUM Letters to the editor should be sent to:

COAST COMMUNITY

NEWS PO Box 1056

Gosford 2250 or

editorial@centralcoastnews.net

See Page 2 for contribution conditions COSS on the Bulbararing cliff top.

Indigenous elders, locals, environmentalists, and members of the Australian Conservation Foundation were all very pleased with the re-focus back to the original plan of a bush trail rather than vehicle access.

Thanks needs to go to the councillors who listened to the residents’ concerns and have re-focused on the environment rather than concreting bushland.

Email, Dec 19 Joy Cooper, Green Point

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FORUM PAGE 15 JANUARY 31, 2019

Independent thinker needs to check facts

I

n response to a piece in the Forum of Coast Community News edition 199, the writer of Rise of the independent thinker, would be well advised to check his facts first.

The Charter of the United Nations (1945) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) form the hub of International Law. They were not written or ratified, by the now over 190 states, until after the end of both World Wars.

When combined with the Genocide Convention (1948) and the Refugee Convention (1951), these documents incorporate some of the key values of the United Nations.

These UN values have formed the legal and moral framework for the international order since 1945.

On the first of January, 1901, six self-governing colonies came together to form the Commonwealth of Australia.

Less than 15 years later, over 400,000 of her citizens enlisted to fight in World War 1.

Approximately 65 million men fought in World War 1.

By the time it ended in November, 1918, about 10 million of them had died, and

A

FORUM Letters to the editor should be sent to:

COAST COMMUNITY

NEWS PO Box 1056

Gosford 2250 or

editorial@centralcoastnews.net

See Page 2 for contribution conditions another 20 million had been wounded.

In reality, the war lasted for more than four years.

Worldwide, with civilians’ shattered families, it caused about 34 million casualties and 17 million deaths.

Never again the people said.

Twenty years later the obscenity was repeated with World War 2.

Australia has the most ancient civilisation on Earth.

Indigenous people have lived here for more than 50,000 years.

The British flag was first raised at Sydney cove in 1788.

Over 160,000 men and women convicted of crimes in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were transported to these penal colonies to provide cheap labour for over 60 years.

They were accompanied by

military supervisors, and some free settlers and artisans.

Numbers increased by intermarriage, and with the ever increasing arrivals from other continents, searching for gold and other rare minerals, selling trees, farming sugar cane plantations etc.

Families sought refuge here from religious intolerance, found safe haven here, and a new start after the World Wars, Asian wars, and the continuing conflict in the Middle East.

We needed people, the country prospered, diversity enriched everyone.

We are all members of the human race.

For 230 years, we have arrived and still endeavour to adapt to this environment and its first peoples.

It’s a global world and we will continue to live, work and travel everywhere.

When, where and how does this “independent thinker on the rise” believe he can take back “our country?”

The more that the people and nations of the world act in accordance with the United Nations values, the more likely that global peace and security will be achieved.

Letter, Jan 21 Pamela Lemoine, Gosford

Terrigal boardwalk not wanted

s a regular visitor to Terrigal, I wonder why there is not a fourth option regarding the proposed boardwalk; no boardwalk.

FORUM

I have never seen overcrowding along the footpath from Terrigal to the Haven/Skillion, but I have seen dangerous seas hammer the proposed area for a pathway.

The Central Coast Council has been hoodwinked by the NSW Government.

What do the ratepayers to the north think of this extravagance?

Email, Dec19 Bob Hall, Wyoming

Other Regional News - In brief

Coast Community News focuses on news specifically relating to post code areas 2250, 2251 & 2260. Given the

advent of a Central Coast Council, following is a

summary of news articles published in the most recent edition of each of our sister Central Coast publications.

The full articles and more, as well as all previously published editions, can be seen on line on our website

www.CentralCoastNews.net Copies of these other publications may be obtained from our offices in Gosford, by subscription, or from a myriad of locations in the areas covered by each publication.

Issue 156

23 January 2019

Your independent community newspaper - Ph: 4325 7369

Federal Environment Minister approves Wallarah 2 Coal Mine

Federal Environment Minister approves Wallarah 2 Coal Mine

The Wallarah 2 Coal Mine has received Federal Government he Wallarah 2 approval, despite the NSW Land Coal Mine has received Federal Court still to rule and Environment G o v e r n m e n t on it. despite the approval,

T

NSW Land and Environment Court still to rule on it.

New two billion dollar power plant

Free pet microchipping

The owner of Vales Point is Council is holding a free expected to respond to the Federal microchipping day on February 16.

Protection and Government’s call for expressions Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) 1999 to of interest of energy projects, with protect water catchments from the impacts of longa two billion dollar investment wall coal mining. proposal at the power station, says She said Labor

had established an Independent Expert Scientific Committee Environment Minister, (IESC) on Coal Seam Melissa Price’s, decision Gas and Large Coal on Friday, January 18, Mining Development to to give the go ahead to ensure that proposals the Wallarah 2 Coal Mine for new coal mines were has been condemned by examined for their impact community groups and on critical water resources opposition politicians. and endangered species.

The Australian Coal In 2013, the IESC raised Alliance (ACA) said it Mr Barry O’Farrell and Mr Alan Hayes (centre) with four Liberal politicians promising to stop Wallarah 2 in 2011 a long list of potential was short sighted and Photo: Alan Hayes impacts of the Wallarah reckless. and Environment Court Manager, Alan Hayes, “A judgement on the Biodiversity and 2 coal mine on the The Greens called the appeal in November, said the mining outcome of the court Conservation (EPBC) Act. water catchment and timing of the decision 2018, and remained company, in their own action is expected “The Government has endangered species. cynical. confident of the Environmental Impact sometime between mid 28 days to supply that “Rather than listen to Resident activist, determination process Statement, stated that April and early May.” information from the the independent expert Gregory Olsen, who and approval. between 2.5 to 3.25ML of Hayes said that the date of their approval, advice, this government started a change.org “This action reviewed water would be lost each latest approval was and once received, we recruited new IESC petition against the mine, the various administrative day. an indication that the have 28 days to lodge members to tell it what it called it outrageous. steps, processes “Proponent Kores, Australian government’s proceedings,” he said. wanted to hear,’’ McBride But Wyong Coal, and responsibilities which plans to export the priorities were still not Federal Member for said. owned by Korean culminating in the coal for power generation, sufficiently focused on Dobell, Emma McBride, “It appears the Minister company Kores, said its planning approval proposes to construct water conservation. labelled the decision and the Government’s Wallarah 2 project would granted by the PAC a pipeline to deliver “This summer is reckless. hand-picked IESC add significant direct in January, 2018,” the compensatory water to showing us how precious “Minister Price has and indirect employment company said in a Central Coast Council, water is, and how ignored the Central Coast members are prepared and long term economic newsletter. although there was no disastrous it can be and community’s pleas to use to allow Kores to make benefit, including more documentation how vulnerable we are, her powers to stop this it up as they go along, The legal judgment is actual allowing monitoring and than 800 ongoing jobs, expected early this year. in their EIS to show how when it runs dry. mine,’’ McBride said. self-regulation to take the and more than $600M Australian Coal Alliance this could be achieved,’’ “It’s reckless and “This decision is short- place of proper controls. every year in regional (ACA) said it had been Hayes said. unacceptable for a coal sighted and dangerous.

“The set of conditions economic contribution.

“It is because of this mine to undermine the estimated that the “The government is Minister Price has applied The company is proposed mine would and other errors by the water for the growing prepared to risk the will be too little too late Wyongresult Regional Chronicle focuses on news specifically relating to post code areas 2258, 2259, 2261, working on final feasibility Planning Assessment in the loss of cities of the Central Coast, water supply of the when the predicted and detailed design 2262, & 2263. and more can be seen our website www.centralcoastnews.net Commission in their between 900 toThe 1300full ML articles which haveon suffered from entire Central Coast for subsidence occurs activities in line with both of drinking water a year January, 2018, approval, water shortages in the this highly speculative, damaging water supplies the federal Government from the Central Coast’s that enabled the past.” foreign owned, coal in the catchment. approval, and the NSW drinking water catchment community group, the Hayes said ACA had project.‘’ Planning Assessment during its 28 year lifespan, Australian Coal Alliance, already instructed their McBride said that Commission approval though there was some to take the Government solicitors to request a under the previous Labor from 12 months ago.

Continued P4 uncertainty about the and the proponent to the ‘’statement of reason’’, Government, a ‘’water Land and Environment as allowed by the Wyong Coal said it quantum of that loss. trigger’’ was written had been to the Land ACA Campaign Court last November.

Environment Protection into the Environment

Three community groups forced to leave

As Wyong Race Club gears up for a $6m expansion, three community groups on its land are packing up to go, after more than a century on site for one of them.

Tree removal policy has an Vales Point Power Station extended public exhibition ash dam fill found to be period contaminated by asbestos Central Coast Council has The company which was extended the public exhibition operating the ash dam at Vales period for the revised Draft Point has left the site.

Development Control Plan Chapter relating to Tree and Vegetation Management, to January 28.

Combined council releases its first annual report

Police numbers are 50% below state average

Central Coast Council has released its latest Annual Report, which provides a comprehensive account of Council’s performance from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

Member for the Entrance, David Mehan, has called on the NSW Government to explain why the Central Coast has again received none of the new police graduating from the Goulburn Police Academy.

Edition 462

Consolidated Local Environmental Plan on exhibition Planning controls for the Central Coast are currently being consolidated by Central Coast Council to deliver efficiencies and simplify planning for thewholecommunity.

Office: 3 Amy Close, Wyong Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

Fire destroys Umina Mall

29 January 2019

Panel signals possible nursing Community garden seeks help home approval in rare bushland after fire

Fire has destroyed Umina Mall The Joint Regional Planning Panel Woy Woy Community Garden shopping centre. has voted to support the concept of is looking for help after an arson allowing a 160-bed nursing home attack on January 20. in endangered bushland in Woy Retired geologist Charmaine Beckett and Woy. Save Woy Woy member Norm Harris addressed the panel.

Panel signals Rotary club farewells possible nursing exchange student approval A fledgling has been Umina A woman Mall was airlifted fromhome The Rotary Club of Uminain Beach Firekookaburra destroys reunited with its parents thanks a walking track in Killcare on have farewelled their 2019 Rotary rareExchange bushland to members of the Pearl Beach January 18, after getting into Youth Program student Fledgling kookaburra ‘reunited’ with its parents

Fire has destroyed Umina Mall shopping centre.

Woman airlifted from walking track

the burning building to rescue valuable equipment and files for

come forward.

The cause of the fire was being

The Joint Regional Planning Panel has voted to support the concept of allowing a 160-bed nursing home in endangered bushland in Woy Woy.

relating to one variation against planning guidelines.

Planning provisions require the development to be no higher than Cr Richard Mehrtens said the it remains an ongoing active 13. one storey within 25 metres of investigation. said the situation presented an Police and fire officers were the rear boundary and two storey Any links with the fire at Woy called to the centre on Ocean opportunity for renewal. elsewhere.

He said the prime location Woy community garden the The owner of land at 45 Hillview Beach Road about 2:15am Mr Perica said the three storeys Efforts were made to contain between Woy Woy and Umina following week were also being St, Woy Woy, containing Umina were higher but allowed the served as an important shopping investigated. coastal sandplain woodland has the blaze; but it had spread into development to be concentrated SOURCE: been told to give the planning the roof cavity where insulation point for nearby residents.

Media statement, 13 Jan 2019 authority more detail after a public on the cleared area and the density “I hope that the owners of the continued to burn. was less than the guidelines and Media Unit, NSW Police hearing last week.

Emergency services remained site have a vision to keep the best given the significant setbacks of the Phone call, 23 Jan 2019 The four-member joint regional building and characteristics of the at the scene of the fire more than bits of the site alive, such as its NSW Police, Woy Woy 12 hours after arriving to fight the accessibility and convenience, and Media statement, 25 Jan 2019 planning panel voted three to one site, there was enough conceptual focus on the necessities of life that fire.

Cr RIchard Mehrtens, to support the concept but they did support for not refusing but they Central Coast Council not approve the proposal – as yet.

Shop tenant real estate agent people rely on.” would not approve “tonight”.

Anyone with information on the Cr Kyle MacGregor was the Lois Jones praised the fire The site currently has an active See more P6-P9 dissenting member of the panel. brigade officers who went into fire at Umina Mall is being urged to development approval for senior The approval would not comply housing but the owner has come with planning provisions. back with a variation to that original The building would generally consent from 2007. exceed height limits by 50 per cent The latest plan is to build a and in the rear 25 per cent of the three storey 160-bed nursing site being three times the limit. home, which is one storey above The full articles and more can be seen on line on our website Panel www.CentralCoastNews.net chair Mr Jason Perica planning guidelines. said the panel had a number They can also be seen on www.PeninsulaNews.info Many of the approvals from the of details they wanted from the previous consent are being carried developer and from Central Coast over to the new proposal and the Council staff assessing the details. planning panel wanted some of These included clarity about these reviewed in light of current rules around development in regulations. areas with acid sulphide soils Mr Perica said he expected and whether previous consents a decision in weeks rather than about conservation considerations months.

the businesses. investigated and was being treated community volunteers from difficulties.

Fire broke out and in the Umina “They are worth more money,’’ as suspicious, police said at the eight-shop complex in the early the Wildlife ARCon society. time, and have since confirmed hours of the morning January she said.

Association to speak against fence

The Wagstaffe-Killcare Community Association has asked to speak at Central Coast Council’s residents’ forum at on January 29 against approval of a fence at Killcare Heights.

Umina Mall site could have bright future, says Mehrtens

Beau Seal.

Businesses affected

by Umina Mall fire

The recent fire at Umina Mall Jane Raj Is finished. presents an opportunity for renewal of the site says Central Coast Councillor Richard Mehrtens.

PAGE 16 JANUARY 31, 2019

ONTHEBEAT

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First six face court following Lost Paradise arrests

S

ix young women were among the first of 50 people to front Gosford Local Court in relation to drug smuggling offences incurred at Glenworth Valley music festival, Lost Paradise, over the New Year.

Between them, the six women, all aged between 18 to 24, were caught with 64 illegal substances.

All six stood accused of wilfully smuggling prohibited drugs, and five of the women left Gosford with convictions on their permanent records, after Magistrate, Alex Mijovich, heard of the various methods the women went to conceal their drugs.

Three of the women, sisters, Meg and Lili Christensen, of Singleton, and, Tia Rose Mills, of Coogee, were caught with 25 MDMA capsules.

According to police facts tendered in court, the three women had hidden their drugs in various ways, hiding them in water bottles, bags and packets of chips.

The court heard that the three had planned on taking

Anyone with information about these incidents should call

Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www1.police.nsw.gov.au Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

and sharing the drugs over the four day event, and that they were also holding some for a friend whom they had intended to meet up with during the festival.

Following a search of, Meg Christensen’s, handbag, another tablet was located, concealed in a balloon.

According to the police facts, Christensen had been unaware of the capsule in the balloon.

Police allege Christensen told them she had forgotten about the capsule which she had not purchased for use at Lost Paradise.

“That is one more MDMA tablet from ages ago and I forgot it was there.

“I planned to take seven capsules over the next four days, however, I didn’t plan to

If you’re reading this, so could up to 150,000 other people

take the one in the balloon as I forgot it was in my handbag,” she told police.

Blackhill student, Amelia Fordsmith, was also found with 10 capsules of MDMA. According to facts presented, Fordsmith revealed that she had concealed the drugs internally after being approached by a police dog.

Maryland resident, Kiana Mee Ra Soper, was also found with an internal concealment of 12 capsules, after police located her: “hiding behind a portable toilet wriggling her hips around trying to secret an object into her pants,” the police facts read.

Following police questioning, Soper removed a tampon that had the drugs taped to it.

Despite all five women’s lawyers arguing that the drugs were for personal use and that this was their first time before a court, Magistrate Mijovich said he could not turn a blind eye to the matter, given the community’s expectations around drug offences at music festivals.

“We’re asked not to give a conviction for young people on a first offence, but we have people dying,” the Magistrate

J What would it cost to get your message out to that many people using any other medium?

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Source: Court case, Jan 23 Police notes, Jan 23 Dilon Luke, Journalist

P

olice are appealing for information as they continue to investigate the death of Brisbane man, Josh Tam, the 22-year-old who died of an alleged drug overdose at the Lost Paradise music festival in Glenworth Valley.

At about 6pm, December 29, emergency services were called to the festival after reports that a man was unconscious.

Officers from Brisbane Water Police District attended and located Tam, who was being treated by medical staff at the venue.

He could not be revived and subsequently died.

Investigators have been preparing a report for the information of the Coroner, who will determine the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

As part of the investigation, police are appealing for

anyone who was with Tam leading up to, or during, the festival, to come forward.

In particular, police would like to speak to another patron, specifically, a woman who was with Tam when medical staff first responded to his collapse.

The woman, who is believed to have been an acquaintance of Tam’s, spoke briefly to medical staff and left without leaving her details.

Anyone with information about Tam’s movements prior to his death, is urged to come forward and contact police.

Source: Media release, Jan 18 NSW Police Media

Two near drownings at Avoca Lagoon ust after 5:15pm on Wednesday, January 9, emergency services were called to the Avoca Lagoon at Avoca Beach, after two children were

Imagine if it was a message about your business.

said.

The Magistrate also said he wanted to quash the notion that anybody can come to court on a first offence and walk away with a “slap on the wrist.”

All five women received a conviction on their permanent records and were placed on Community Release Orders.

The sixth woman, Olivia Dominish, of Ashtonville, was accused of attempting to smuggle 10 MDMA capsules into the festival, but her lawyer disputed the police facts surrounding her case, and the matter was adjourned to Maitland Local Court.

There was no suggestion that, aside from Mills and the Christensen sisters, the women were known to each other.

Over the coming weeks, the rest of the 50 accused will front court.

Another 60 people are also expected to front court after being charged with driving with illicit drugs in their system after leaving the festival.

Investigations continue into alleged drug overdose death

pulled from the water.

A 4-year-old boy was rescued by members of the public, who commenced CPR until Ambulance paramedics

arrived.

A 5-year-old girl was also rescued and treated.

It is understood that an off duty doctor and a nurse, who happened to be nearby, assisted with their immediate treatment until paramedics

arrived.

The boy was airlifted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, where he remains in a serious condition.

The girl was taken to Gosford Hospital for observation.

Source: Media release, Jan 10 NSW Police Media

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Wanted

Festival drug suppliers face court

T

ONTHEBEAT PAGE 17

3 August 2015

Sp

Inaugural mixed bowls

to plead guilty to charges of wo men accused supply and possession after of supplying drugs he was caught with 25 grams at Glenworth Anyone with information about of MDMA and a quantity of these incidents should call Valley music festival, Xanax, but sought to have the Crime Stoppers on Lost Paradise, fronted matter adjourned so his client 1800 333and 000the losing rink team.

Gosford LocalBowling Court on Club held Woy Woy could be considered for the A meat or use the Crime Stoppers online raffle was also held. its inaugural Tuesday Mixed January 18.

Magistrate’s EarlywillReferral It is planned that this now reporting page: Bowls on Tuesday, July 28. continue asInto a weekly with Play commenced at 1pm with Treatmentevent, rehabilitation www1.police.nsw.gov.au Mark Burns, of Elanora

40 bowlers out playing a game of

all bowlers are welcome.

program.

Information provided will be treated in Media release, 29 Jul 2015 Heights, triples. and, Liam Ellisthe strictest of confidence.

Gaye Scarfe, Woy Woy The Magistrate declined the At the end of play, prizes were Roberts, of Drummoyne, Women’s Bowling Club awarded for the winning rink team request and adjourned Ellisappeared charged with one Roberts’ case to February 1. count each of supplying and During their cases, there possessing prohibited drugs. was for personal use. was no suggestion made that Burns pleaded guilty to Residing Registrar, Chris possessing and supplying Steptoe, adjourned Burns’ either Burns or Ellis-Roberts MDMA. case for sentencing at were linked to the supply of drugs that killed Brisbane man According to police facts Downing Centre Local Court. and festival goer, Joshua Tam. tendered in court, he was In a different courtroom, also found to be in possession Ellis-Roberts’ lawyer told Source: of more than six grams of residing Magistrate, Alex Court case, Jan 18 Police notes, Jan 18 cocaine, which he told police Mijovich, that his client intends

From left Glen Simington, Dale Phillips and Dick Nowland with Scott Wil

Bowls carnival he in worst condition

Dilon Luke, Journalist

Woman charged with drug supply offences Competitors in the inaugural Woy Woy mixed bowls competition

A Runabout towed

woman has been charged with drug supply offences in Gosford and Lisarow.

at a house on Hills St, North Gosford, just after 3:30pm, where they seized mobile 37-year-old woman following phones, an amount of cannabis a vehicle stop on the Pacific and a weapon.

Strike Force Plowet, Highway, Lisarow.

The woman was charged aboard Central 22. to Marine ofRescue has The towed vehicle was searched, comprising officers from with Coast offering supply The rescue boat was then a six-metre and officers allegedly located Brisbane Water Police half-cabin prohibited drugsecure (x3), possess assigned to locate and two runabout with two people on and seized an amount District, established prohibitedhazards drug (x2),tosupply large logs deemed safe boardwas from southinof the Rip navigation around Rip to be seen October, 2018, to investigate of drugs, believed prohibited drug andthe possess Bridge to Davistown.

Bridge area. hadnamely failed on Sunday, methylamphetamine. the The supplymotor of drugs, or use located. a prohibited weapon The logs were One was June 7, at around 9:15am, and described “huge”. methylamphetamine, in to the getShe permission. was to arrested and taken aswithout they required help back They were placed ashore for the ramp Gosford area. adjacent to Davistown to Gosford Police station. removal by Council.

Public Wharf.

8 June Source: 2015 At The about 12pm on Tuesday, Later that day, policeMedia release, tow was completed by Media release, Jan 16 Ron Cole, Marine Rescue January police arrested a Liepa, Mr Al 15, Howes, Mr Karl executed Mr a search warrant NSW CentralNSW Coast Unit Police Media

to Davistown

Paul Oliver and Mr Bruce Larking

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teams finallytomade it of onto the Thehave 2015 Umina Kingfi sher Police appealed to the Lisarow community for any 26 information pertaining the identity this man

greens.

Carnival, held on Thursday, The start was delayed Friday July 16 and Friday, July 17 2018. olice Transport due to continuing problems with was played in the worst conditions male is described as Command thathasorganisers the weather,Thehowever conditions improved once again and despite being: Male, Caucasian, could recall in the 44appealed to the the bitterly cold winds and frombowls Lisarow Railway Station, year history of the 40 to 50 years threatening approximately skies, all three games Lisarow community for competition. and believe he were can assist completed results old, wearingand dark coloured

P

information may flwith An initial that downpour ooded all decided. enquiries regarding the shorts and a dark coloured three greens requiring matches to The winners of the carnival help them identify the malicious but damagewere to a vehicle be played on only two greens a composite lead singlet withteam, yellow with graphic. man pictured. in the commuter car park at Police are seeking to identify the man, depicted in CCTV

the station, at about 3:35pm on Sunday, December 16,

Source: Media release, Jan 22 NSW Police Media

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Glen Philli Dick wins A Fawc Magr wins

PAGE 18 JANUARY 31, 2019 HEALTH

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Dr Andrew Browning has received an Order of Australia Medal

Dr Browning received his honour for services to international health through the provision of obstetric care to women in Africa.

Dr Browning is the Founder of The Barbara May Foundation, which is the masthead charity from which he founds and funds maternity and fistula facilities across the globe.

Dr Browning received his AM Award specifically for the work of Foundation supported charity, Maternity Africa, a Tanzanian based charity that builds hospitals to provide safe and free fistula and maternity care.

To date, Maternity Africa has safely delivered babies for over 40,000 women and operated on 6,500 obstetric

DECEMBER 6, 2018

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ISSUE 197

Premier’s proposed fast train study met with support and scepticism

N

SW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, visited Gosford Train Station on December 5, to announce that the Central Coast would benefit from significantly reduced travel times, after being included in one of the four proposed fast rail routes identified by the NSW Government.

In July, the government released, A 20-Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW. One of the key elements of that vision is better connectivity between regional centres, and from cities and international gateways.

Premier Berejiklian said a fast rail network is a game changing project which would attract more investment and generate new job opportunities for the Central Coast.

“We know fast rail would transform the way people get to and from the Central Coast forever,” Berejiklian said.

“It would slash travel times allowing more people to leave the car at home and catch the train to either Sydney or Newcastle,” she added.

The delivery of fast rail to the Central Coast has the potential to reduce travel times by up to 75 per cent.

The NSW Government has appointed Professor Andrew McNaughton, to lead an expert panel to provide advice to the Premier on how the government should best deliver a fast rail network to connect the state.

“Long distance fast and high speed rail studies have been undertaken in Australia over many years,” Premier Berejiklian said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch and the Liberal candidate for Gosford, Sue Dengate, at Gosford Train Station

“These studies have usually focused on linking the major Eastern Seaboard cities of Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne, and focused on rail as a competitor to air and road transport options.

“Most of the studies found that the costs and required ticket prices of an interstate high-speed rail network would be insurmountably high compared to likely customer volumes.

“Until now, limited work has been done on the potential for a fast rail network connecting regional cities within NSW. “The Fast Rail Network Strategy will, for the first time, provide a comprehensive assessment focused on connecting regional cities,” Berejiklian said.

“The NSW Government is committed to moving from

high-level vision to planning, and on to delivery,” the Premier continued.

“Having a strategy will ensure that future investment decisions on fast rail are well considered.

“Preparing the Fast Rail Network Strategy in 2019 is the first significant step in taking the network from vision to delivery,” she said.

Under the Strategy, preliminary works will commence on that first stage of the fast rail network in the next term of government, if the Liberal Nationals retain power.

Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, joined the Premier in making her announcement and said a fast rail link from the Central Coast to Sydney and Newcastle would transform the region.

“This announcement is also

on top of the New Intercity Fleet Trains which will enter service late next year,” Crouch said.

Sue Dengate, Liberal Candidate for Gosford, said fast rail will be a huge boost for the Central Coast.

“Faster travel times will mean that workers can spend less time commuting and more time with their families,” Dengate said.

Following the Premier’s announcement, several Central Coast government agencies, politicians, development agencies and community figures weighed in on the Coast’s possible inclusion on the fast train route.

Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, said faster rail for the region was a dream many residents of the Central Coast would like to see

realised.

“We have many residents who leave the Coast early in the morning and return to their families late in the evening due to job opportunities being in Sydney and Newcastle, and so today’s announcement is very welcomed.

“This announcement builds on the process that was first started in September 2017 when the Federal Government launched the Faster Rail Prospectus at Gosford Station, and this Prospectus was all about calling for new and upgraded rail infrastructure to help link cities and the regions,” Wicks said.

“This announcement has huge potential for the Central Coast and will slash commute times and has huge returns for residents.

“This announcement is for

fistula patients at no cost to the patient.

Through Foundation, Dr Browning has also established and worked in numerous other healthcare facilities and organisations across the African continent, including: the Hamlin Fistula Outreach Centre in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, which he founded and worked at as a fistula surgeon from 2005 to 2010; and, Vision Maternity Care, Ethiopia, which has provided free medical assistance to more than 2,000 pregnant women every year since its inception in 2011.

He is also the Founding Director of the Selian Fistula Project.

Dr Browning is also a respected member of the international gynaecological health profession and has worked on many boards and committees during his 24 year career.

He is a member of: the Committee for Fistula and Genital Trauma; International Federation of Gynaecology

our hard working commuters and those people who use our trains on a regular basis who want to live on the Central Coast and be linked to two great cities that surround it, Sydney and Newcastle,” Wicks said.

Central Coast Council Mayor, Jane Smith, has welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a northern high speed rail route which could reduce travel times between Sydney and the Central Coast.

Mayor Smith said this would make a significant difference to thousands of Central Coast residents who commute to Sydney every day, often spending up to four hours a day on a return train journey between the Coast and their destination.

“We know commuting is a major issue for our community, with many Coasties having to travel off the Coast every day for work or study,” Mayor Smith said.

“Reducing the commute to Sydney from around 90 minutes to 30 minutes would allow the community to have an additional two hours per day or as much as 10 hours per week for other activities at home or in their community, like spending time with their family, rather than sitting on a train,” Mayor Smith said.

“This could also have a flow on effect of encouraging those who drive to Sydney each day to leave their cars at home and hop on a train, which would also reduce traffic on our major roads and deliver benefits to the environment.

Continued P3

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

JANUARY 17, 2019 DECEMBER 20, 2018

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ISSUE 198

Younger generation are going to cop the worst from climate change effects

roups and individuals distributing misinformation about Central Coast Council’s imminent draft Climate Change strategy, are causing unnecessary fear, according to, John Asquith, Chair of the Community Environment Network (CEN).

“For a start, the idea of planned retreat on the Coast is a nonsense,” Asquith said.

“If you have a look at the maps, there are only a few areas on the Coast where planned retreat could be an option,” he said.

“One of them is Wamberal Beach.

“Planned retreat is where you give up the land because you don’t want to build infrastructure, but at Wamberal, a sea wall is the plan, so to build that infrastructure is the opposite of planned retreat.

“The problem at Wamberal is that the landholders don’t want to contribute the $500,000 each needed to build the wall, even though it is to protect their private property.

“They expect the rest of the ratepayers to cover the cost.

“That would mean roughly, the rates of every 200 ratepayers would be going to save one waterfront landholder’s property.

“That has been the problem at Wamberal for the past 20 years.

“Council has always been howled down when they say private landholders have to save private land, and the Council has to pay to save public land.

“As you work your way down the Coast, as far as I know, there is no erosion problem

Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club innundated by East Coast Low Pressure System June 4 and 5, 2017

that threatens houses at Avoca, then there are little bays that are not threatened with erosion, because they have headlands holding everything together.

“Ettalong, Umina and Ocean Beach are being eroded, but planned retreat can only occur where there is no public infrastructure between your house and the ocean, or a lack of preparedness to build infrastructure.

“However, all along that coastline in those areas, there is a road between the houses and the beach.

“There are virtually no houses not separated from the beach where it is eroding, by a road or park or reserve with public infrastructure.

“Therefore planned retreat is not an option there either, because there is already public infrastructure, namely a road, with foundations and everything that goes with that.

“There is no plan to abandon roads, so if you have a road between you and the threat, it is about the best thing you can have.

“If the road stays, you stay, so planned retreat is virtually an option in no parts of the Central

Coast.”

Asquith said that he did not believe low-lying areas around Brisbane Water, including Davistown and Saratoga, would be considered for planned retreat either.

“Most of those houses front a reserve.

“All along Davistown, there is a big public reserve that is all a public facility and it would not be abandoned.

“There is nothing in the policy saying that if you get inundated four times a year, you will have to leave your home.

“Council does not have the power to make you leave your home.

“They don’t have any need to look at planned retreat.

“The thing the policy will do will mean that we start to take action to slow down climate change, plant more trees, build sea walls, do whatever we have to do.

What the Council should do, in my view, is to be planning for change, as these areas are affected by flood levels, they should be adopting strategies to make the drains bigger, raise the road level, and call that

Photo: ABC Central Coast

adaptation.

“You adapt and do what you can.

“You can’t stop it, so you adapt to it.

“Tell me, where are they planning planned retreat, because there is nothing in the policy about it?

Asquith said members of the older generations needed to think about the legacy they were leaving their children and grand children, and that plans needed to be put in place now to ameliorate future risks.

“Councillors have been criticised for setting flood levels that are too high, but they are not too high.

“It is a fact that on the Central Coast, with a South East Low, and a maximum storm surge, the amount the ocean is lifted with the low pressure air, is five metres plus the high tide, plus the flood waters, and flood levels set by Council need to reflect that.

“I was in New Orleans earlier this year and had a good look at the storm surge they got from Hurricane Katrina, and they got a nine metre storm surge on top of a high tide.

“Some of the bridges, one huge bridge, were being demolished, one was way up in the air, but it was being demolished because people who had been on that bridge during Katrina were washed off and drowned.

“There are exceptional circumstances, so you at least plan for those Proposed Maximum Floods of five metres, which are half of what New Orleans experienced in Katrina.

“We were amazed that when we were more than 100 miles from the ocean, we went out on the Bayou and they were showing us boats that were ripped off moorings on the coast and dumped in the bayous, and they gave up trying to repair them and getting them back out to the ocean.”

According to John Asquith, those on the Central Coast attempting to undermine the need for Council to plan for sea level rise, “are talking the thing down for their own private benefit.

“They are all older men and they won’t be around when the worst of it hits.

“It is the younger generation who are going to cop the worst of this, and these people will be long gone and long forgotten.

“They are running a scare campaign because Council is going through a very careful process to make sure people’s voices are heard.

“Council are going through a number of steps before they have a draft policy, so I would suggest that people who have concerns should identify what it is that concerns them, and ask Council to explain and consider.”

Asquith said plans needed to be put in place now, not in 50 or 100 years’ time.

“We cannot wait 100 years

to try and turn around the processes that are already in place.

“It is happening right now and we are seeing it every day, with stronger cyclones, much more instability in the climate, and it is easy to understand, because there is more heat, and heat is energy.

“Two weeks ago, in north Queensland, we had rainforests on fire, and now we have the biggest cyclone we have had in 15 years.

“Our thoughts should be focused on the legacy we leave, so if a person of 20 today is going to be seriously impacted over the next 40 years by climate change, it is going to affect their food supply.

“In NSW, we already have a shortage of grain.

“This is the third year of drought in the wheat belt.

“People of retirement age will see the impact on their children and grandchildren.

“We inherited a planet that was functional when we were children, and we are leaving a legacy that our children and their children will not be able to turn around in their lifetime.

“The job we have got is more than looking after ourselves.

“Think of the legacy you are going to leave, whatever age you are.

“You can see the effects that climate change are going to have on the rest of your life.

“The scientists are saying that if we don’t act in the next 10 years, we are not going to keep temperature rises under two degrees, and they have identified a two degree rise as one that would see systems go out of control.”

Source: Interview, Dec 14 John Asquith, Community Environment Network Jackie Pearson, journalist

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Excessively non complying Terrigal development rejected

T

C

he public exhibition period for the revised Draft Development Control Plan Chapter relating to Tree and Vegetation Management has been extended by Central Coast Council to January 28.

entral Coast Mayor, Jane Smith, has stressed the need for Council to enforce its own planning controls, after an application for a shop top housing development at 5-7 Church St, Terrigal, was refused at the final Council meeting for 2018.

Smith moved for refusal of the application, which would have comprised two groundfloor shops, 12 residential units and 23 onsite carparking spaces, against the advice of Council staff, making special mention of its level of non-compliance.

She said the development exceeded the number of storeys by 25 per cent, had no setback to Hudson La, and no communal space had been provided.

Smith said members of the community spent a lot of time and effort contributing to the development of local environment plans and development control plans with the expectation they would be enforced.

“Both the former Gosford and Wyong Councils had a reputation for not enforcing their own planning controls,” she said.

“So I had hoped that as a new Council, we could provide certainty to our community and to developers by adopting a more reflective decision making process.”

Smith said previous ICAC reports showed problems were created when councils didn’t enforce their planning controls.

The subject land

A report from Council’s Environment and Planning Directorate had recommended that Council grant conditional consent to the proposal, but in a narrow vote, Councillors voted, seven to six, to refuse consent for the $10.7M development in the B2 Local Centre zone.

“The development, as it currently stands, has significant non-compliance with the Development Control Plan (DCP),” Smith said.

“To approve this development when there is such noncompliance with the DCP would create an expectation for similar concessions.

“Although the DCP perhaps doesn’t have the strength of a Local Environment Plan, and one non-compliance may be considered acceptable, to have so many non-compliances

sets a poor precedent for future development in Terrigal CBD.” Clr Kyle MacGregor, who seconded the motion, said: “The most important issue we are dealing with here is what is the point of having planning controls if people won’t comply with them?

“I believe we should be getting people to do their best to comply.

“In the event there is massive variation and they are unable to comply. then I think we’ve got to have a pretty stringent look at that and really go over the detail of it. and try and find a better outcome for the community.”

The refusal was based on three points, with the resolution saying that: “The development is not in the public interest as it will create an expectation

that similar non-compliance with Council’s planning controls is acceptable; the development exceeds the number of storeys by 25 per cent; the external wall height is a 23.55 per cent variation; maximum width of enclosed floor space at the fifth level has exceedance of between 10 and 26 per cent; no setback to Hudson La, representing 100 per cent variation; no communal space is provided, representing 100 per cent variation; no deep soil zones are provided, representing 100 per cent variation; and, no side boundary setbacks for visual privacy, representing 100 per cent variation.

Source: Agenda item 3.1, Dec 10 Central Coast Council ordinary meeting Jackie Pearson, journalist

ISSUE 199

Public exhibition of draft Tree and Vegetation Management policy extended

This extension, based on community feedback, will provide residents with additional time to lodge a submission on the important harmonisation of tree and vegetation management works policies across the Central Coast.

If adopted following exhibition, the existing Wyong and Gosford Development Control Plans (DCP) would be amended to include the revised Chapter providing the community with a consistent policy until such time as Council adopts a Consolidated DCP. Council’s revised policy relates to urban and environmental zoned lands, and requires a land owner to obtain a permit before the pruning or removal of any tree or any vegetation located greater than three metres from a house or other approved building, where the proposed pruning or tree removal is not covered by a set of nominated exemptions.

Council may also issue permits for minor clearing of land not associated with new development, and where the clearing does not exceed the specified threshold.

This revised policy accords with recent NSW Government Land Management and Biodiversity Conservation

reforms and will provide greater clarity for residents.

The Community Environment Network (CEN) has asked its members to make submissions to “help save the trees in the back yards of the Central Coast”.

“If the draft Chapter is not amended, trees will be lost unnecessarily,” a CEN direct mailout to members said.

“The draft Chapter generally requires landowners to obtain a permit from Council to remove or prune a tree, but the draft also describes exemptions to avoid having to obtain a Council permit.

“Under the proposed Chapter, trees may be removed without a permit if ‘evidence’ is provided by an arborist with Trade (AQF3) qualifications that they are dead or pose a risk to persons or property, and are not required as habitat for native fauna.

“AQF3 training does not cover tree species, diseases, assessment or reporting.

“Most tree-removers hold AQF3 qualifications.

“Since tree-removers are paid to remove trees, they have a clear conflict of interest if they are authorised to condemn trees.

“In addition, Council should recognise the value of nonnative trees.

“In some areas, maples, jacarandas and other large exotics provide the only canopy. These should be retained while more natives are introduced.”

Source: Media release, Nov 27 Central Coast Council media Email, Dec 2 Community Environment Network

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

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and Obstetrics; an Honorary Fellow, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; Fellow, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; Co-chair of FIGO Fistula Committee (International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists); and, also cochairs FIGO’s Expert Advisory Group.

Raised in a Christian household, Dr Browning, grew up on the stories of missionary doctors and decided early on that he wanted to follow in their footsteps.

After completing medical school, Dr Browning spent the junior years of his career at Gosford Hospital, before achieving his credentials in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Once certified, he immediately made the move to Africa in 2001, where he spent the next 17 years working as a full time volunteer doctor.

Keenly aware of the massive gap between Australia and Africa’s healthcare system and the destructive effects of fistulas, Dr Browning said the decision to dedicate his life to bettering maternity and fistula treatment in Africa was an easy one.

“The need for dedicated maternity hospitals and fistula treatment across Africa is indescribable,” Dr Browning said.

“Put simply, a fistula is a hole in the body that connects two organs that would not normally connect,” Dr Browning

explained.

Women are particularly susceptible to developing a fistula during labour, especially if there are complications during birth.

According to Dr Browning, government hospitals in Africa simply don’t have the capacity to deal with prolonged births known as obstructed labour.

“Obstructed labour affects around 5 per cent of women.

“It occurs when a blockage prevents the baby from exiting the pelvis and normally results in the death of the child.

“As caesarean surgery is beyond a lot of these hospitals, the mothers often have to endure labour, which can go on for days, until they deliver a still born.

“By that time, they’ve suffered extensive internal damage to their vagina, pelvis and rectum, often resulting in severe fistulas,” Dr Browning said.

“Fistulas cause leakage, so on top of suffering the loss of a child and having internal damage, these women now have to deal with uncontrollable leaking.

“Most of our fistula patients are depressed.

“Many have been abandoned by their families, and with no way to access the surgery they need, they often attempt suicide,” Dr Browning said.

“That’s why the work of The Barbara May Foundation is so important.

“By providing free maternity care, we give women the

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“So far we’ve built three, just 1997 to go,” Dr Browning joked.

Dr Browning hopes that receiving this AM Award will help promote the work of The Barbara May Foundation to Australians.

“Fifty per cent of Africa’s healthcare system is made up of missionary workers and volunteers.

“I have worked with many unsung heroes who have dedicated their entire lives as volunteers working to better healthcare in Africa.

“The need is so great.

“We still have over 2,000 people waiting to receive fistula treatment and anything you can give would be of a huge help,” Dr Browning said. “$200 ensures a woman can give birth safely with no cost to herself in a Barbara May Foundation Hospital and includes all the associated costs from clothing to meals. “$400 ensures a patient can get life changing fistula surgery at no cost.

“This is on par with or even better than our own healthcare system and I urge anyone who can to consider donating to the Foundation,” Dr Browning said.

The Foundation also has links to facilities in Somalia, Nepal, Conga and Uganda, and, Dr Browning, said any able bodied volunteers would be welcomed.

Source: Document, Jan 21 Kaye Browning, Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat Interview, Jan 29 Dr Andrew Browning, The Barbara May Foundation Dilon Luke, Journalist

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chance to safely deliver their babies and also minimise the chances of a fistula developing.

“By doing this we’re filling a necessary gap in healthcare,” Dr Browning said.

“Over the years, I’d say we’ve helped deliver over 100,000 babies and provided reconstructive fistula surgery for 6,000 people,” Dr Browning said.

Through his work, Dr Browning, has also been accredited with improving the surgical techniques associated with gynaecological reconstruction, particularly around vaginal and urethra reconstruction surgery, and the practice of reconstructing ligaments in the pelvis.

Dr Browning moved back to Australia in 2018 so his children could attend high school.

“My wife built a primary school in Tanzania, which my children attended, but we moved back to the Coast so they could continue their education,” Dr Browning said.

Dr Browning now splits his time between fundraising for the Foundation whilst in Australia and teaching and practicing at Foundation hospitals during regular trips to Africa.

“Right now we’re focusing on fundraising, so we can continue consolidating our fistula treatment and prevention work as well as provide the funding for more midwife training,” he said.

According to Dr Browning, Africa will need around 2,000 more maternity hospitals that operate at The Barbara May Foundation’s standard to meet the population’s demand.

AUSTRALIAN COAL ALLIANCE

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o p a c a b a n a resident, Dr Andrew Browning, has received an Order of Australia Medal, Member of the Order Award (AM Award), in the 2019 Australia Day Honours.

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Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher, and Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, recently announced an additional $520,000 in funding to continue the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Trials in partnership with headspace to June 30, 2021.

Wicks said three quarters of all mental illness strikes people under the age of 25.

“As many as one-in-four young Australians aged 16 to 24 experience mental illness in any given year and, sadly, the Central Coast is not immune,” she said.

“Headspace Gosford does a terrific job and, through IPS, has made a real difference to the lives of 100 young locals.”

Ms Wicks said an evaluation of headspace Gosford had shown that approximately 40 per cent of IPS participants had achieved an educational or employment goal.

Headspace Gosford is operated by Central Coast Local Health District and offers services for mental health, sexual health and physical health, assistance with alcohol and drug issues, and work and study help.

Launched in November, 2016, IPS targets vulnerable young people with mental illness.

Gosford is one of 14 existing IPS Trials around Australia to be extended for two years.

Source: Media release, Jan 22 Lucy Wicks, Member for Robertson Reporter: Terry Collins

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HEALTH PAGE 19 JANUARY 31, 2019

Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday aims to empower the healthcare community

Individual Placement and Support Trials to be extended he Federal Government has extended its partnership with headspace Gosford, to give young people with mental illness living on the Central Coast ongoing support in entering the workforce.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

S

Central Coast Local Health District staff celebrate Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday

taff across the entire Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) will be donning their loudest shirts on February 1 in support of Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday.

The event was founded by Wyong Hospital’s, Dr Michael Kale and Dr Benji Pfister, to raise awareness around the high rate of suicide and mental health issues amongst healthcare workers.

“There is a cruel irony in the disproportionate rates of suicide and mental illnesses facing individuals who dedicate their careers to helping others,” Dr Kale said.

“Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday aims to empower the healthcare community to raise awareness and show support to each other,” he added.

Back for its third instalment across the CCLHD, Dr Kale said he came up with the idea for Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday after a family member was lost to suicide.

“My uncle was a carnival operator whom we lost to suicide.

“He used to make fairy floss, and I received the machine that he used to make it,” Dr Kale said.

He and Dr Pfister were both keenly aware of the disproportionately high rate of mental health issues plaguing their profession, as well as the mounting pressures facing their hospital community.

That was when the pair thought bringing a touch of childhood whimsy to the hospital would do everyone some good.

“There is a sense of childish carefree nostalgia in fairy floss.

“I believe the juxtaposition created, carrying this highly visible and edible representation, while wearing a loud shirt in the conservative hospital environment, makes

the events’ message so much more powerful,” Dr Kale said.

“The founding principle behind this movement is the realisation that we often spend more of our waking hours with colleagues at work than we do with our friends and family.

“Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday encourages all members that make up the healthcare community, not just doctors and nurses, to stand in solidarity against issues facing those who spend their lives saving the lives of others,” he said.

Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday also doubles as a fundraiser for mental health organisation, The Black Dog Institute, and since the inaugural event, the movement is on the rise, spreading to Local Health Districts across NSW and as far afield as the Gold Coast.

“A success beyond our expectations, on the inaugural Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday, we saw unity amongst all scopes of the healthcare community, from environmental staff to allied health, nurses and doctors alike.

“This led to an even bigger success in 2018, and we cannot wait for this year’s event.

“So please join us at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals on February 1 in showing support for all our CCLHD workers, indulge in some fairy floss and tell depression to get flossed,” Dr Kale said.

Source: Website, Jan 26 Dr Andrew Montague, Central Coast Local Health District Website, Jan 28 Dr Michael Kale, Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday

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PAGE 20 JANUARY 31, 2019

EDUCATION

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DIY Library wins Festival of Big Ideas

Thesis paper presented at international conference

A

Gosford High School English teacher has presented his thesis paper at the Modern Language Association (MLA) Conference in Chicago, USA, on January 4.

“Congratulations to, Josh McMahon, for presenting at

F

ollowing on from its successful launch in 2017, Central Coast Grammar School’s (CCGS) Festival of Big Ideas returned in December.

A showcase of entrepreneurial skills, the festival celebrated the energy and enthusiasm of Year 10 students as they tackled problems and sought innovative solutions.

“This year’s festival saw students present a melting pot of innovative ideas, including an impressive Big Shark

destination landmark (Big Banana-style) to encourage tourism and education about shark populations, and the provision of a worldclass basketball stadium for the region,” said CCGS Headmaster, Bill Lowe.

It was the The DIY Library, the brainchild of students, Robert Bacon, Jackson Pulbrook, Lachie Angus and Riley Moore, that impressed judges the most.

“Their vision was to create a supply system where customers can borrow tools, and gain the skills and expertise from skilled

professionals in order to complete a DIY job.

“Underpinning the novel idea is a mission to combat today’s throwaway society, as captured with their slogan, fix not throw,” Lowe said.

A panel of judges, including owner of Treehouse Creative, Jason van Genderen, and Youth Development Officer, Haley Vallon, assessed each presentation based on creativity, innovation and global citizenship.

Source: Website, Dec 10 Bill Lowe, Central Coast Grammar School

the highly prestigious MLA Conference,” said Principal, Tony Rudd.

“The Modern Language Association is the principal professional association in the US for scholars of language and literature.

“The MLA aims to strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature.

“Josh McMahon represented

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Source: Website, Dec 31 Tony Rudd, Gosford High School

Central Coast Grammar is Champion Debating School for fourth time

C

entral Coast Grammar School’s (CCGS) debating

teams had great success at the 2018 HICES Debating Challenge

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“He presented his paper entitled, Writing Against the National: Patrick White’s ‘Voss’ and Alexis Wright’s ‘Carpentaria’, and an Imagined Australia,” Rudd said.

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Grand Final.

“Over 40 schools, 1,400 students and 500 debates made up this year’s competition, with strong performances from the CCGS teams seeing the school crowned the overall Champion Debating School for 2018,” said CCGS Headmaster, Bill Low. Seven teams from the school entered the competition, with two, the Middle Division and Open Division, successfully making it all the way to the grand final.

The Middle Division won their debate and the Open Division were named runners-up.

Debating and Public Speaking Convenor, Karen Seeneevassen, said the results are a credit to the dedication, enthusiasm and skill the whole squad demonstrated throughout the competition.

“This is now the third time in the past four years that Central Coast Grammar has been named the HICES Champion Debating School.

“Over this time, our debating program has continued to grow, with more and more students coming on board to learn the lifelong skills of persuasiveness, thinking on your feet and staying calm under pressure,” Seeneevassen said.

Source: Website, Oct 15 Bill Low, Central Coast Grammar School homepage

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The National Dreamtime Awards are an opportunity for First Nations’ people from across Australia to come together and recognise excellence within the categories of Sport, Arts, Education and Community.

The peer-nominated Educational Institute of the Year Award is awarded to an institution that has demonstrated a commitment to improving access and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

NAISDA Chief Executive Officer, Kim Walker, said that

the organisation is thrilled to receive this significant accolade.

“This recognition reflects NAISDA’s rigour, governance and commitment to forward planning.

“It is a consolidation of the organisation’s strong work over the last 10 years on Darkinjung land as an agile Indigenous Social Enterprise,” said Walker.

“We would like to thank our visionary Founder, Carole Johnson, along with the tireless commitment of NAISDA Boards and Chairs, NAISDA’s team of dedicated staff and trainers, and of course, our Elders and Cultural Tutors,” he said.

For over four decades, NAISDA Dance College has been fostering the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creative and cultural leaders.

This accolade recognises NAISDA’s commitment to

excellence across all levels of the organisation.

“This honour galvanises our growth and momentum to navigate towards an exciting new future,” continued Walker.

“We are committed to building a new centre of Indigenous Creative Study, Naya Wa Yugali, which will deliver a new model for Indigenous Creative Learning in Australia.

“This Award is a significant symbol of our community’s support and work towards this plan and acknowledges the impact the organisation is making within the Indigenous education, creative, cultural and business landscapes,” he added.

The Award was accepted on behalf of NAISDA Dance College by NAISDA Chair, Sean Gordon, and NAISDA Board of Studies Chair, Dr Nerida Blair.

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EDUCATION PAGE 21 JANUARY 31, 2019

Students undergo professional music tour

NAISDA recognised as Educational Institute of the Year AISDA Dance College has been recognised as Educational Institute of the Year at the 2018 National Dreamtime Awards, which were held in Sydney on November 16.

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Kariong Mountains High School music students have undergone a professional music tour as part of their studies

ariong Mountains High School music students reached the conclusion of their 2018 Music Tour project on December 27.

Music students had been preparing for the project for months, which culminated in two days of touring and performances at partner schools across the Central Coast.

According to Principal, Anne Vine, the project provides

music students with invaluable experience about the logistics of planning and actioning a music focused event.

“This tour provided our music students with the experience of being on an authentic music tour, where they spent over a term rehearsing a show, and then had to execute that show to each of our partner schools.

“The students also learn about setting up, running and packing down live sound equipment, and working to a deadline,” Vine said.

“The 12 students who came

on tour not only performed the show to a high standard but also constantly went into the audience to talk, dance, clap, floss and dab with all of the students from the primary schools, even those that were unsure about the music,” she added.

A highlight reel of some of the best moments from the tour is available to be viewed on the school’s Facebook page.

Source: Website, Dec 27 Anne Vine, Kariong Mountains High School

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PAGE 22 JANUARY 31, 2019

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Wide range of activities planned for Seniors’ Festival

F

rom cooking, film making and art exhibits to retirement planning, line dancing and water sports, organisers believe that there’s something for everyone at this year’s NSW Seniors’ Festival.

While the Festival, supported

by Central Coast Council, officially runs from February 13-24, the entire month of February is jam-packed with events and activities for Central Coast residents aged over 50.

Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said the Festival celebrates seniors and their significant contribution to the community as workers, volunteers, neighbours, friends, parents and grandparents.

“People over the age of 60 represent more than 27 per cent of our population, and they play a very important part in our community life,”

The 2019 Central Coast Seniors’ Festival is jam-packed with activities

Vaughan said.

“This Festival provides local seniors with a great opportunity to get together, make new friends, learn a new skill or try something different.

“Pick up one of our calendars and choose from the more than 100 events on offer,” she

said.

Mayor Jane Smith said the Festival celebrates the role that seniors play, the contributions they make to the NSW community, and the increasing role they play in the local area.

“This Seniors Festival is a

time to provide this part of our growing population with the opportunity to learn new skills and try different things and be active.

“This is your time to shine as a senior citizen on the Central Coast, have fun and celebrate your age, wisdom and experience, in a fun and ADVERTISEMENT

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friendly environment,” Mayor Smith said.

Festival activities taking place across the former Gosford LGA kick off on February 5 with day one of Silver Screen at The Erina Centre.

Silver Screen is the first of five, free five day film making course and workshop for people aged 50 years and over.

Participants will learn how to make their own five minute film which will then be screened at a Seniors’ Film Festival held in The Hub, at the Erina Centre, on February 24.

A Grandma Moses 2018 Selected Artists Exhibition will take place on February 8 at The Erina Centre.

Artists who won the over 50’s Grandma Moses Art Competition in 2018 will display a selection of their work to inspire others to enter the popular competition in 2019.

Grandparents’ Storytime will take place at Erina Library on February 12.

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Class and social chess games will take place at Gosford 50 Plus Learning and Leisure Centre.

Materials for the art class will be supplied.

The Centre will also host a Be Connect Program on that day to teach participants how to get the most out of their smart devices and cover basic functionality.

Line dancing and scrapbook making are on at the Centre from 1pm.

The Imperial Centre will be giving away 600 discount voucher booklets to seniors on February 12 in centre court.

Other events will take place at different locations on different days.

Full details are available on line or from Council outlets.

Source: Media release, Jan 24 Central Coast Council Media Document, Jan 28 2019 Central Coast Seniors Festival Program Dilon Luke, Journalist

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*$3,240, NOW $2,590, departing 21/05, 05/09 & 08/10/2019 including Shanghai, Wuhan, Yangtze River Cruise (balcony cabin on 5 star ship), Chongqing with Panda house visit, Xian & Beijing.

*$2,590, NOW only $1,590, departing 27/03/2019, including Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.

13 Day Vietnam Holiday Special Tour (Special)

15 Day Vietnam and Cambodia Tour (Special)

19 Day India and Sri Lanka Double Indulgence (Special)

*$3,180, NOW fr $2,380, departing monthly from now to Nov. 2019 except for Dec. & Jan., covering the must-see highlights in Vietnam from North to South.

*$3,980, NOW fr. $3,480, departing monthly from now to Nov. 2019 (except for Dec. & Jan.), including many highlights in Vietnam and Cambodia.

*$5,580, NOW fr. $5,080, departing 06/03, 08/05, 03/09 & 06/11/2019, including many must-see highlights in India and Sri Lanka. (14 Day Sri Lanka only: $3,980)

23 Day Spain, Portugal & Morocco Vista Tour (Special)

20 Day Best of Balkan Tour (Special)

15 Day China Shangri-la Tour (Special)

*$6,280, NOW $5,580, departing 10/05/2019 including many must-see highlights in Spain, Portugal & Morocco.

*$7,680, NOW $7,480, departing 01/06 & 13/09/2019 including Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria & Serbia.

*$3,690, NOW $3,290, departing 14/04/2019, including Kunming, Shangri-la, Lijiang, Dali, Jianshui, Yuanyang, Pu’er and Xishuangbanna.

(02) 9267 7699

Free Brochure

Discount applies to ADT club members. Please join now (Conditions apply). *Conditions apply to all our special offers.

All prices include airfare, airport tax, fuel surcharge (subject to change), transfer & transport, most meals, 4 or 5 star hotels, 5 star cruise ship for China Yangtze, sightseeing with admission and English-speaking guide.

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OUT&ABOUT PAGE 23 JANUARY 31, 2019

2019 Central Coast Australia Day Award recipients announced

C

entral Coast Council has announced its 2019 Australia Day Award recipients.

Cancer education and research advocate, Yvonne Crestani, has been named Citizen of the Year, for her dedication to improving the life of cancer patients and their families, and providing educational opportunities for medical personnel on the Coast.

Crestani formed the Crestani Scholarships in Radiotherapy Foundation, which raises higher education and research study funds for medical personnel, in honour of her late husband, Chris Crestani, a respected chief Radiation Therapist at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, who passed away from cancer in 2006.

One scholarship in particular has resulted in the team at Gosford Hospital’s Central Coast Cancer Centre being able to study a new technique which has reduced the number of radiation treatments for patients from 30 to just two or three.

Central Coast Council Mayor,

Jane Smith, said Crestani’s commitment to improving the life of cancer patients, and the welfare of their family members, for over a decade, made her a worthy Central Coast Citizen of the Year.

“Australia Day is a celebration of our diversity, our values, our national achievements and our hopes for the future,” Mayor Smith said.

“Each year we celebrate the achievement and contribution of prominent local community members through our Australia Day Awards.

“Yvonne has been leading the Crestani Foundation for over a decade, and her dedication and commitment to delivering better outcomes for cancer patients is enriching our community and ensuring a better quality of life for residents.

“Yvonne has expanded her scholarship program steadily over the past decade, raising over $200,000 in funds for health workers.

“Her continued commitment to expand her scholarships to train all cancer health workers, including additional

2019 Citizen of the Year, Yvonne Crestani

nurses, is inspirational, and I am honoured to name Yvonne Crestani as Central Coast’s Citizen of the Year,” Mayor Smith said.

Other 2019 Australia Day Award winners from the former Gosford LGA include: Brad Cardis, Debbi Lalor, Sharon Baxter, Robert Powell, Lyndall Parris and Deen Rad. Brad Cardis was the winner of the Arts, Culture and Entertainment Award.

“Brad works tirelessly behind the scenes to support and promote local businesses,

musicians and artists on their path to success,” Mayor Smith said.

“Brad is also responsible for connecting many entrepreneurs and smaller business owners on the Central Coast through networking opportunities and his passion sees him continue to facilitate opportunities for local artisans to succeed,” she added.

Cardis and wife Bianca, are the duo behind event planning company, Fixx Events.

Between them, they’ve had a hand in orchestrating some

of the most successful events across the Coast, including Avoca Beachside Markets, The Mt Penang Gardens Christmas Fair, Central Coast Comicon, The Lakes Festival and many more.

Debbi Lalor was awarded the Businesses Connecting Communities Award for her work in promoting the Coast.

“Debbi is the creator of the What’s On Central Coast website, which has been running for the past 15 years, with over 2.1m visitors.

“Debbi’s website connects local venues, market organisers, cinemas, small and big businesses with visiting tourists and locals to better the Coast community and promote the Central Coast as a destination,” Mayor Smith said.

Sharon Baxter and Robert Powell were both named the Community Volunteers of the Year.

“Sharon has contributed in excess of 15,000 unpaid hours of dedication to the advancement of the Terrigal United Football Club, its members and extended

families, spanning over 17 years; and with 15 years of community service, Robert lives and breathes Surf Life Saving and has educated and assessed thousands of surf life savers over the years at Umina Surf Life Saving Club.

“He was also recognised as Patrol Captain for the NSWSLS Patrol of the Year Award in 2018,” Mayor Smith said.

Lyndall Parris received the 2019 Environmental Award.

“Lyndall is the founder of Narara Ecovillage, a sustainable, co-operative development on the old Horticultural Research Station site at Narara, and has worked tirelessly for the last 20 years to bring this project to fruition.

“Deen is an active advocate for cultural awareness, travelling around NSW promoting tolerance and harmony against racism and bullying, and mentoring young people of minority backgrounds who struggle to find identity and belonging,” Mayor Smith said.

Source: Media release, Jan 26 Central Coast Council Media

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COASTAL DIARY

A COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF EVENTS OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS ON THE CENTRAL COAST FRIDAY, FEB 1 Nutrition and Cooking for Positive Ageing, Ettalong 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free, Bookings essential, 10:30am

Ticketed, 7:30pm 4343 0111 Coast Onscreen Seniors Short Film Workshops: Short Film Aspects, Workshop 1, Bookings required, 03/02 - 08/02, 10am - 2pm

10:30am Wyong Toastmasters Club First Impressions a 2 hour interactive workshop, Wyong RSL Club, Ticketed, 10:30am - 12:30pm

Tuggerah Lakes U3A SATURDAY, FEB 9 presents Two Travel Talks: Clean Up Australia Day By train through China and at the Terrigal Lagoon, Tibet and Adventures in Meet at the front of the Croatia and nearby islands, Marine Centre, 8am The Entrance/Long Jetty RSL Hall, 10am - 12pm

WEDNESDAY, FEB 6

Aussie Nightmarkets, The Entertainment Grounds Gosford, 5pm - 10pm

SATURDAY, FEB 2 World Wetlands Day, Central Coast Wetlands - Pioneer Dairy, Ticketed, Bookings essential, 8am - 11am

Alliance Française conversation group Central Coast Council - Come and practise Pop up Stall consolidating planning your French at any level, controls, Erina Room at Erina Leagues Club, Erina Fair, 6 - 8pm First attendance is free, Rotary Club Northlakes 10am - 12pm Toukely - BBQ @ camp 0418 238 836 Toukley, Evans Road Canton Beach, Bookings essential, 5:30pm - 9pm

Running in the Shadows Fleetwood Mac Show, Laycock Street Theatre Auditorium, Ticketed, 8pm - 10:20pm

Tracey-Lee Psychic THURSDAY, FEB 7 Medium, Central Coast Leagues Club Meet the State election BlueWave Living in the Parkview Room, candidates, Tea Cosy Fair, Ticketed, 7pm Copacabana Surf Club, 9am - 1pm 7:30pm Troubadour Folkclub : The Marine Discovery Wonderfull Winter Wilson, FRIDAY, FEB 8 Centre - Love The St Lukes Hall, Ticketed, Lagoon Project, 7pm Grandma Moses 2018 Terrigal Scout Hall, Selected Artists Exhibition, Ticketed, 9:30am - 2pm Wildplant Community The Foyer, The Erina 4349 4756 Nursery Sale Day, Centre, Free - Bookings CEN Office Ourimbah, essential, 10am - 11am UB40 FT Ali Campbell & 9am - 12pm Astro, The Entertainment Grounds The Songs of Neil Young, Gosford, Ticketed, Laycock Street Community 8pm Theatre, Ticketed, 8pm Craft Beer, Burgers & Blues Weekend, The Dam Hotel CCM vs Melbourne Victory, Central Coast Stadium, Ticketed, 5:35pm INXS tribute dinner show, Gosford RSL, Ticketed

Neil Diamond – The Man, The Music Tribute Show, Diggers @ The Entrance, Ticketed, 6:30pm 4332 3399 Jack Newton Junior Golf Clinic, Gosford Golf Club, Free, 4 - 5pm

Senior Moments, The Art House Wyong, Ticketed, 01/02 - 02/02, 2pm & 7:30pm

SUNDAY, FEB 3 Baby Animals, Ettalong Diggers, Ticketed, 9:45pm 4343 0111 Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, Ettalong Diggers,

Nutrition and Cooking for Positive Ageing, Toukley 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free - Bookings essential,

SUNDAY, FEB 10

- 3:30pm, Accommodation Options for Creative Folk Art Social Older Australians, Group, 12:30pm - 2:30pm, Coast Onscreen Seniors Tuggerah Library, Bookings Mahjong, 12:30pm Short Film Workshops: essential, 3:30pm Story Development, 12pm - 2pm Workshop 2, The Hub Erina FRIDAY, FEB 15 Centre, Bridge & Scrabble, Bookings required, 10am Ettalong 50+ Leisure & - 2pm Tuggerah Lakes U3A Learning Centre, presents a Talk on Free, 12pm - 3:30pm Local Railways -Then and TUESDAY, FEB 12 Now, The Entrance/Long Aqua Water Aerobics, Jetty RSL Hall, Grandparents Storytime, Peninsular Leisure Centre, 10am - 12pm Erina Library, Free, Free, 12:30pm-1:30pm 10:30am Aqua Water Aerobics, Social Scrapbooking, Line Gosford Olympic Pool, Free, Shirl’s Sing-A-Long, dancing, 8:30am - 9:30am The Greens Bowling Club, Gosford 50+ Leisure & The Entrance, Free, Learning Centre, Linedancing, 10:30am - 12:30pm Free, 1pm - 3pm Ettalong 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, 2261 Community Understanding the Costs of Free, 9am - 11am, Roundtable, Aged Care, Painting Social Group, 9am The Entrance Community Tuggerah Library, Free - 12pm Centre, RSVP, Bookings essential, Learn Indoor Bowls - 12pm 12pm 2:15pm - 4:15pm Seniors Active Day, WEDNESDAY, FEB 13 Free Senior Strength Point Wolstoncroft Sport Training, and Recreation Centre, Active Over 50’s Classes, Lake Haven Recreation Ticketed, 9am - 2:30pm Lake Haven Recreation Centre & Peninsular Leisure Centre, Centre, 13 - 24/02, Understanding Your Free, 8:30am - 9:30am Bookings essential Pension, Woy Woy Library, Free, Tim Maddren - Me & My Bookings essential, 10am THURSDAY, FEB 14 Shadow, Understanding Retirement Laycock Street Community Income Streams Valentine’s On The Greens, Theatre, 12:15pm, Estate Planning Evergaldes Country Club Ticketed, 11am 2:30pm Woy Woy,Ticketed, 6pm Indoor Bowls, Leatherwork Nutrition and Cooking for & Table Tennis, Positive Ageing, Ettalong 50+ Leisure Active Over 50’s Classes, Gosford 50+ Leisure & & Learning Centre, Free, Lake Haven Learning Centre, 9am - 12pm Recreation Centre, Free, Free, 10:30am, 8:30am - 9:30am Table Tennis, 1:30pm Mindful Art & Chess, 3:30pm Gosford 50+ Leisure & Old Time / New Vogue Learning Centre, Dancing, Free, 9am - 12pm, Ettalong 50+ Leisure & SATURDAY, FEB 16 Be Connected Program, Learning Centre, 10am - 12pm Free, 9am - 12pm

Terrigal Love Our Lagoon Project: Water Quality & Marine Debris GEC Chamber February Lunch Event, Workshop, Terrigal Scout Hall, The Entertainment Grounds, Gosford, Ticketed, Ticketed, 12:15pm - 2pm 9:30am - 2:30pm register at www.ccmdc.org. au/events-

CBWN after hours Sparkle Event, Summer Spandex - cutting Nexus Smart Hub Wyong, edge cabaret-performance, Ticketed, 5:30 - 7:30pm Laycock Street Community Centrelink and Carer’s Theatre, Ticketed, Benefits, 8pm Tuggerah Library, Free, Bookings essential, 2019 Love Lanes 10am - 11:45am Festival,

Wyong Town Park, 9am - 4pm The Highwaymen Outlaws of Country, The Art House Wyong, Ticketed, 7:30pm

Silver Storytime, Erina Library, Free, 10am - 12pm

Council Wyong Office, TUESDAY, FEB 19 6 - 8pm Centrelink and Carer’s Benefits, Erina Library, Free Bookings essential, 10am - 11:45am, Rhonda Burchmore Accommodation Options for Up Close & Personal, Older Australians - 12pm, The Art House Wyong, Understanding the Costs of Ticketed, 11am Aged Care - 2:30pm

4335 1485

It’s BBQ Time, Toukley 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Ticketed, 12pm - 3:30pm Sydney Comedy Club at the EG, The Entertainment Grounds Gosford, Ticketed, 6:30pm - 11:30pm

Managing Your Money, Lake Haven Library, Free, Bookings essential, 10am - 12pm

The Songs of Steely Dan, Seniors Hawkesbury Cruise Laycock Street Community and Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Lunch, Theatre, Hawkesbury River / Broken Ticketed, 8pm Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, SUNDAY, FEB 17 Ticketed, 9:30am - 2:15pm Coast Onscreen Seniors Short Film Workshops: Film Editing Techniques, Workshop 3, Bookings required, 10am - 2pm

MONDAY, FEB 18

Latin American / Ballroom Dancing, Ettalong 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free, 9:30am 11:30am

Scams and Online Safety Seniors Festival Open Days, for Seniors, Terrigal 50+ Leisure & Tuggerah Library, Learning Centre, Free - Bookings essential, 18 - 22/02, Free, 1:30pm - 2:30pm 7:30am - 3:30pm Mini Market - 9am - 2pm

WEDNESDAY, FEB 20

Aqua Fitness, Toukley Aquatic Centre, Free, 7:45am - 8:45am

Climate Change Community Workshop The Entrance Ward, Mingara Recreation Club, 6 - 8:30pm Active Over 50’s Classes, Lake Haven Recreation Centre, Free, 8:30am - 9:30am

Darts, Gosford 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free, 9:30am - 12pm

Sit & Sew Social Group, Gosford 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free, 9am - 12pm

To register visit yourvoiceourcoast.com/climatechange

Host of ABC Craig

Free Microchipping Chess, Reucassel - War on Waste Ettalong 50+ Leisure & program, Day, Central Coast Council’s Learning Centre, The Art House Wyong, SoCare Wyong Animal Seniors Concert and Expo, Free, 9am - 11am, Free, 6 - 7pm Care Facility, Central Central Coast Council Move ‘n’ Groove 11:30am Coast Animal Care Coast Onscreen Seniors Wyong Service Centre, - 12:30pm Facility – Gosford Short Film Workshops: Film Free - Bookings essential, Finalisation, Pound, 10am - 4pm 10am - 1pm Knit & Knatter, Social centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/pets

Rock “N” Roll Revival, Office of Sport, Myuna Bay Centre, Ticketed, 10am - 2:30pm Grandparents Storytime, Erina Library, Free, 10:30am

Wyong Family History Group Drop In Session, Tuggerah Library, Free, 9am - 12pm

Painting Group, Origami, Gosford 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre, Free, 9am - 12pm

Workshop 4, Bookings required, 10am - 2pm

Seniors Canoeing/Kayaking, Seniors Stand Up Join & Enjoy Week, Paddleboard, Long Jetty Over 50’s Club Avoca Lagoon, Ticketed, The Kings of Country Rock, for Leisure & Learning, 10am - 12pm The Art House Wyong, Free, 18 - 22/02, Ticketed, 8pm 9:30am - 11:30am & 1pm Healthy Ageing Talk, - 3pm Gosford 50+ Leisure & Central Coast Council Learning Centre, Free Pop up Stall Bookings essential, consolidating planning 10am - 12pm

Seniors Discount Voucher Polynesian Dance, Booklet Giveaway, Ettalong 50+ Leisure & Centre Court - Gosford Learning Centre, Imperial Centre, Free, 12pm - 1pm, Free, 10am - 2pm Cards – Hand & Foot, 12pm controls, Central Coast

Basic entries in the Coastal Diary are FREE. Send information to coastaldiary@centralcoastnews.net

ENHANCED entries using bold typeface with an address, phone number and a live link are available for a small fee.

Photographs can also be added for a small fee. All display advertisers are entitled to a free enhanced entry.

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Event co-organiser, Joan Cassels, said Mad About Dirt Day was the child of the successful Narara Ecoburbia Festival.

“Mad About Dirt Day will be a day dedicated to soil, gardening, growing food, permaculture and soil conservation,” Cassels said.

Keynote speakers on the day include: Tino Carnevale and Angus Stewart, from ABC TV’s Gardening Australia, and, Peter Rutherford, from Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises.

The event will be broken up into two parts and commences from 9am at the school, before moving to the Ecovillage.

Cassels said the event will be free to attend due to a Council grant and other sponsors.

“The latest estimates are that up to two thirds of the world’s soils are being degraded, at a time when the world population and consumption habits are growing.

“The good thing is that everyone can do something about this in their own backyard.

“It’s good for you, and you can eat the results,” Cassels said.

“Our great speakers will be sharing why they are passionate about soil, and what you can do.

“You can also see and learn about different types of earth being used in house building at the Ecovillage, and children can get their hands into dirt,” she added.

Source: Media release, Jan 28 Richard Cassels, Narara Eco Living Network

RHONDA BURCHMORE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 11AM WWW.THEARTHOUSEWYONG.COM.AU

02 4335 1485

OUT&ABOUT PAGE 25 JANUARY 31, 2019

Festival of Women to be held in March

Mad About Dirt Day announced

he Narara Eco Living Network has announced a new event, Mad About Dirt Day, to be held on May 11 at Narara Valley High School and Narara Ecovillage.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

P

lanning is well underway for the second Central Coast Festival of Women, which takes place from March 1-10.

According to Festival Committee Member, Margaret Heathcote, there will be something for everyone during this year’s program, as the Coast celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) and the many valuable contributions of local women to the community.

The Festival will be launched

The Central Coast Festival of Women is back and bigger than ever

at an invitation event, hosted by State Members of Parliament, to be held at the Wyoming Community Centre, followed by the fifth IWD Expo at Erina Fair Shopping Centre, from 9am, on March 2.

Organisations participating in the IWD Expo will include Business and Professional Women Central Coast (BPW CC), Country Women’s Association of NSW (CWA), Soroptimists International Brisbane Water (SIBW), Rotary Clubs of the Central Coast, the Central Coast Community

Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC), Zonta Club of the Central Coast and many more.

The University of Newcastle (UON) Ourimbah Campus and TAFE NSW are also involved.

A new addition in 2019 will be the Zonta Birthing Kit Packing Day, to be held at Central Coast Grammar School, Erina, on March 9.

Zonta is aiming to pack 4,500 birthing kits for women in developing countries.

The Festival will culminate on March 10 with the Soroptimist International

Women’s Day Breakfast at the Reef Restaurant, Terrigal, and the All About Women Satellite Programme live streamed from the Sydney Opera House to UON Ourimbah Campus in the afternoon.

Some events in this year’s Festival program must be prebooked.

Visit the Festival’s Facebook page for information about booking.

Source: Media release, Jan 28 Margaret Heathcote, Central Coast Festival of Women

NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATIONS ARTS & CULTURE CENTRAL COAST ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Free social French conversation groups, small classes at East Gosford and Bateau Bay Inquires: Renee 0435 028 416 www.afcentralcoast.org.au afcentralcoast@gmail.com

CENTRAL COAST ART SOCIETY

Lectures, demonstrations and discussion. Weekly paint-outs Tuesdays 4349 5860 for locations Workshops - 4363 1156 9.30am - 12.30pm 1st and 3rd Wed Social Meetings 1.30pm 4th Wed Gosford City Arts Centre.

4325 1420

publicity@artcentralcoast.asn.au

CENTRAL COAST HANDWEAVERS, SPINNERS AND TEXTILE ARTS GUILD

Spinning and weaving, patchwork and quilting, felting and other fibre and fabric crafts, community quilting bees - Day and Night Groups 4325 4743 www.cottagecrafts.net.au

COMMUNITY GROUPS ABC - “The Friends”

Support group for Public Broadcaster.

Aims. safeguard ABC’s independence, funding, & standards. Meetings through the year + social afternoons Well-known guest speakers 4341 5170 www.fabcnsw.org.au

CENTRAL COAST CARAVANNERS INC

3rd Sun Monthly Visitors - New Members welcome, Trips Away, Social Outings, friendship with like minded senior folk - Details from Geoff 0447 882 150

CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

Not for profit service providing free legal advice.

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm 4353 4988 contact@centralcoastclc.org.au

CENTRAL COAST 50+ SINGLES SOCIAL GROUP Invites Ladies & Gents for dinner, dancing - BBQs & socialising each w/e. Friendly group monthly programme all areas 0412 200 571 0437 699 366 50pssg@gmail.com

CENTRAL COAST SUNDAY LUNCH BUNCH

(Singles over 55) Luncheons 1st and 3rd Sundays monthly at various licensed venues 0418 772 569 (after 2pm)

CCLC INDOOR BOWLS Mon - Ladies Social Wed Night - Mixed Social Sat - Mixed Social New members welcome - tuition given level 2 Central Coast Leagues Club 4334 3800

GOSFORD NORTH PROBUS CLUB

Meets 4th Tuesday at the Grange Hotel Monthy meeting 4th Tuesday Grange Hotel 10am 43225560

FREEMASONS

Who are they? What do they do?

Find out about the wolrd’s oldest fraternal organisation and how we help our community.

Gosford Masonic Centre 86 Mann St Gosford www.tccl2001.org

Seniors Social and Friendship Club Inc Meets 2nd Mon Regular monthly social activities as well as day outings and short breaks away, organised by individual members.

4322 7588 or 0427 404 322

TERRIGAL WAMBERAL RSL SUB-BRANCH

VOLUNTEERING CENTRAL COAST

Refer potential volunteers to community organisations.

Activities include fitness, yoga, Provide support to volunteers bridge, mahjong, zumba gold, and community organisations. line dancing, tai chi, painting, Provide training to volunteers craft and computer classes. and managers of volunteers 43845152 Information sessions “Bridge to Volunteering” held regularly.

WYOMING 4329 7122 recruit@volcc.org.au

WILDLIFE ARC

We rescue and care for injured and orphan native animals.

24hr/day, 7days/week.Gen Meeting 3rd Sun Wyoming Community Centre, Maidens Brush Rd Wyoming at 10am 4325 0666

COMMUNITY CENTRES COMMUNITY CENTRES provide the local community with a meeting place and hub for groups, services and information.

GOSFORD 50+ LEISURE AND LEARNING CENTRE

Mon-Fri Chess, Darts, Handicraft, Indoor Bowls, Knitting, Line Dancing, Origami, Painting, Pencil Drawing, Scrabble, Scrapbooking, Sit & Sew, Table Tennis, Ukulele 4304 7065

GOSFORD-NARARA NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

At Breakers Country Club pension and welfare officers available to assist with DVA compensation claims and benefits Wed & Fri 10am – Midday Meetings 2nd Sat 10am 4384 2661

School Holiday activities, playgroup, multicultural programs, community activities - Rooms for Hire 4329 4477

TERRIGAL HAVEN PROBUS CLUB INC

POINT CLARE COMMUNITY HALL

rsl@breakerscc.com.au

A male only club, meets monthly 10am, 2nd Monday 0407 890 722 mcmillar5@bigpond.com

THE NSW JUSTICES ASSOCIATION INC

Seeking volunteers for added community desks Monday Erina Fair & Imperial Centre Gosford 9am-1pm 5th Monday 2.00 to 5.00pm Tuesday Gosford Court 9.30am-1pm Friday Kincumber Library 10.30am-1pm Free Insurance and training provided 0418 203 671 marketing@nswja.org

U3A CENTRAL COAST

mental health and well-being.

TERRIGAL FIFTY PLUS POLITICAL PARTY LEISURE AND LEARNING Anonymous, free and open to all.

Weekly at Woy Woy, Bateau CENTRE CENTRAL COAST GREENS Bay and Wyong

admin@gnnc.com.au

COMMUNITY CENTRE

Community Support, Zumba Book Club, Community Garden, Facility Hire, EAPA, Fine Assistance, Volunteer Opportunity, CDAT, OSHC/ Vacation Care Managed by Gosford Regional Community Services 4323 7483

accounts@gosfordcommunity.org.au www.gosfordcommunity.org.au

HEALTH GROUPS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

meet every Wed 12.30pm Someone cares - Anglican Church 3 Mann St Gosford 4323 3890

BETTER HEARING AUSTRALIA CENTRAL COAST

Hearing loss management Support and educational groups providing practical experience and confidence Learn the benefits of hearing aids 4321 0275

CENTRAL COAST PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (GOSFORD)

Meet last Friday Month Terrigal Uniting Church 380 Terrigal Dre, Terrigal 9.30am to 12 noon 4367 9600

Community Garden - Playgroup www.pcfa.org.au Craft and Exercise Groups Function or Meeting Hire DYING WITH DIGNITY Managed by Gosford Regional Campaigning to give those Community Services suffering unrelievable terminal Enquiries regarding hire to or incurable illness the choice 4323 7483 to receive legal medical help accounts@gosfordcommunity. to die. Quarterly meetings, org.au Erina Fair. www.gosfordcommunity.org.au 02 4369 8053

GREEN POINT COMMUNITY CENTRE

j2@heelstone.com.au

FAIRHAVEN SERVICES

• Room Hire • JP Service • Yoga • School holiday programs • Food hampers • Community Garden And much more 4367 7591

Enabling People who live with a disability to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Since 1962. Independant Living, community participation, life skills & more NDIS Provider.

KARIONG NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

GAMBLING SOLUTIONS

4349 5500

Counsellors provide free, Enjoy a diverse range of confidential, professional Early childhood clinic, free courses and activities for service to gamblers, family and family law advice, active seniors. Keep your mind active friends. Woy Woy, Kincumber, playgroup, computer classes, and make new friends. Your Gosford, The Entrance. retirement years can be the OOSH services, fitness classes, 4344 7992 arts & crafts, over 50’s best years of all. friendship group, youth group, 0408 704 701 GROW Support Groups www.centralcoast.u3anet.org.au social groups and many more Small friendly groups formed services. to learn how to overcome 4340 1724 anxiety, depression and wwww.knc.net.au loneliness and to improve

assisting youth. Support our great projects, get involved with our fun club. New member enquiries welcomed Graham Black - 0410 509 071

The Central Coast Greens For a fairer, more transparent grahamblack@outlook.com.au and accountable government based on democratic principles MEALS ON WHEELS Local, state-wide, national Delicious meals delivered free and international issues and Join us for a midday meal CCLC BRIDGE CLUB campaigns - Council and Help with shopping and Duplicate Bridge-partner not parliamentary representation cooking classes required for most sessions.

Developing a new economy 4363 7111 Central Coast Leagues Club Protecting our environment 12.30pm Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri. Peaceful conflict resolution Sat 1.30pm Wed 7.15pm Mon Community participation 4325 9854 We meet monthly every 3rd www.cclcbridgeclub.asn.au CENTRAL COAST FAMILY Thu - Details and info: cclcbridgeclub@westnet.com.au 1800 558 268

www.grow.org.au

SPECIAL INTEREST

HISTORY GROUPS HISTORY SOCIETY INC.

Open Tue to Fri 9.30am 2.30pm First Sat 9.30 - noon Thur 7pm - 9pm Other times by appointment.

4324 5164 www.centralcoastfhs.org.au admin@centralcoasths.org.au

BRISBANE WATER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

• Coach tours • School educational tours • Annual Street Stalls • Participation in History Heritage Week Celebration Margaret Pearce 4325 2270

FELLOWSHIP OF FIRST FLEETERS CENTRAL COAST

centralcoast.nsw.greens.org.au centralcoastgreens@gmail.com

AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY OURIMBAH/ NARARA BRANCH

Discussion/action community issues - 3 levels of Government Niagara Park Primary School 7.30pm 1st Mon each month 0410 309 494 kyle.macgregor@hotmail.com

PUBLIC SPEAKING Develop confidence by improving your speaking skills.

Meetings are entertaining and educational.

For anyone interested in early history or early family histories.

Don’t need to be a First Fleeter.

Point Clare Community Hall 2nd Sat 10:30am 4392 1926 4311 6254

Mthly meetings 1st and 3rd Mon 7.15-9.30pm Ourimbah RSL 4362 7227

MUSIC

SERVICE GROUPS

BLUE GUM FLAT TOASTMASTERS

BRISBANE WATER BRASS INNER WHEEL CLUBS OF Brass Band entertainment CENTRAL COAST for the community playing all types of popular music Rehearsal every Tues.

7.30pm-10pm 0419 274 012

COASTAL A CAPPELLA Dynamic award winning women’s a cappella chorus new members always welcome.

Music eduction provided Lots of Performance opportunities, or hire us for your next event.

0412 948 450

coastalacappella@gmail.com

SOUNDWAVES

A cappella harmony for Men – new members welcome.

Rehearsals Mondays 7.00pm to 9.30pm Central Coast Leagues Club, Dane Drive, Gosford Ring Max on 4324 3631 or Kieran 4324 1977

SYMPHONY CENTRAL COAST

Community Orchestra welcomes new memberships to join our ranks. Rehearsals every Wednesday 7.30 to 9.45pm at Erina info@sympnony centralcoast.com.au

Wyong, Terrigal & Gosford North Clubs Women working together to make a difference and imprive lives while making new friends.

Enjoy social outings and community involvment.

Wyong Club Meets 3rd Wed 6.30pm Terrigal Club Meets 3rd Mon 12 noon Gosford North 2nd Wed 7pm 0417 480 549 or 0407 008 555

CENTRAL COAST GOJU-KAI KARATE

Traditional Karate & Self Defence for Teens & Adults No Contracts, Cheap Rates Wamberal - Mon 630pm Kincumber - Thurs 715pm 0417 697 096 www.centralcoastgojukaikarate.com.au

CENTRAL COAST SOARING CLUB INC

Gliding Club, Learn to fly, Instruction FREE to members 14 and up for Training Flying at Bloodtree Rd Mangrove Mountain Thur, Sat, Sun ( weather permitting) 0412 164 082 0414 635 047 www.ccsoaring.com.au

SPIRITUALITY IN THE PUB

Ecumenical & Interfaith Speakers Forum & Q&A with focus on developing understanding and encouraging dialogue about spirituality through people sharing their life journeys.

1st Tues March to October 2nd Tues November 7.30 to 9pm Grange Hotel Wyoming 4328 2596 - 0498 588 261

WOMEN’S GROUPS CENTRAL COAST WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE

Counseling, therapeutic and social groups, workshops, domestic violence and abuse issues. All services provided by women for women LIONS CLUB OF WOY WOY 4324 2533 1st and 3rd Mon. Woy Woy www.cccwhc.com.au Leagues Club Make new friends and SOROPTIMIST have fun while serving your community.

INTERNATIONAL 0478 959 895 BRISBANE WATER Making a difference in the lives ROTARY CLUB OF of women and girls through Awareness, Advocacy and GOSFORD Action by supporting local and Gosford Golf Club 6pm national projects Thursdays 2nd Thur 7 pm Breakers Supporting local and overseas Country Club, Dover Rd, communities come along and Wamberal share fellowship and fun. sibrisbanewater@@siswp.org 0414 777 748 www.gosfordrotary.org.au

www.siswp.org

ROTARY CLUB OF GOSFORD NORTH

Active community minded club.

Many projects focussed on

If you would like your Community Organisation listed here call us on 4325 7369 or see www.centralcoastnewspapers.com Entries in the Not For Profit Community Organisations Directory are free. However, we require each organisation to subscribe to each newspaper to ensure that someone from that organisation keeps their entry up to date.

Australia Post is about to increase their postage rates by over 42% and we can no longer continue to absorb these increases. Subscription rates have therefore needed to be increased from $50 to $75 for 25 editions.

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SPORT

PAGE 27 JANUARY 31, 2019

Graham finished fourth at the FIS Moguls World Cup event

N

arara Moguls skier, Matt Graham, has finished fourth at the FIS Moguls World Cup event, held in Lake Louise, Tremblant, Canada, on January 18.

Graham and the rest of the Australian Moguls team commenced their quest for

gold in December, 2018, when the World Cup tour commenced in Ruka, Finland.

Since then, Graham has skied across China and Canada in pursuit of gold, and medalled once during the Calgary (Canada) leg of the tour, where he picked up a bronze.

With six events in the tour still to be contested across

three different countries, Graham and the rest of the Australian team still have plenty of opportunities to add to their medal tally.

The next leg of the tour will see moguls descend on Park City (USA) on February 8.

Source: Website, Jan 28 Australian Olympic Committee

Matt wins the World Adaptive Surfing Championship for a second time

W

amberal’s, Matt Formston, took out the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships, held in California on December 17, 2018.

Team Australia finished in sixth position in the overall Team Points, buoyed by Formston, who won the Adaptive Surfing Visually Impaired division, with a 11.3 total.

This is the second time Formston has taken out the World Championship in as many years, a victory all the more sweet after a technical

issue in the semi-finals almost cost him his campaign.

During his semi-final heat, another competitor dropped in on Formston, and the two collided, resulting in serious damage to Formston’s surfboard.

This forced him to exit the surf mid-heat to change boards.

Luckily for Formston, scores were adjusted in acknowledgement of the incident, and he was able to progress onto the finals.

Of his back to back World Championship titles, Formston said it was a surreal feeling.

“It’s good to be back home in Australia after such an amazing World’s campaign,” he said.

“I’m extremely proud of this particular achievement, becoming a two time World Champion.

“Massive thank you to all my Team Australia team mates, especially our coach, Josh Fuller, and team manager, Alyssa Anastasio,” Formston continued.

Source: Website, Dec 17 Surfing Australia Media Website, Dec 21 Matt Formston official Facebook page

Y

SERVICES DIRECTORY

AMBULANCE, POLICE, FIRE 000 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Organisations Aboriginal Legal Service 8842 8000 Community Options 4351 3388 Bungree Aboriginal Association 4397 7700 Mingaletta 4342 7515 Aboriginal Home Care 4321 7215 Drug & Alcohol rehab 4388 6360 Respite Care Options 4351 3388 Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health 4351 1040 Darkinjung Local Land Council 4351 2930

Accommodation

Dept. of Housing Gosford 4323 5211 Regional Youth Support Services 4323 2374 Coast Shelter 4324 7239 Neleh House 4340 1052 Elandra Women and Children’s Refuge 4396 4263 Kara Women and Children’s Refuge 4323 1709 Coimba Mens Refuge 4324 7239 Rumbalara Youth Refuge 4325 7555 Wyong Youth Refuge 4351 1922 Youth Angle 4341 8830 Woy Woy Youth Cottage 4341 9027 Maya Young Womens Refuge 4323 1636 Pacific Link Com Housing 4324 7617 Rumbalara Youth Refuge 4325 7555 Youth Angle • Woy Woy 4341 8830 Temporary Accommodation 1800 152 152

Animal Rescue

Wildlife Arc 4325 0666 Wires 1300 094 737

Counselling

Little athletes to receive new sun-safe uniforms oung athletes from across the Terrigal electorate have received a sun safe boost in the form of a $5,000 grant through the NSW Government’s Local Sports Grant Program.

Narara’s, Matt Graham, is chasing gold in the FIS Moguls World Cup Tour

The funding has been allocated to Terrigal Wamberal Little Athletics Club for the purchase of new sun-safe uniforms to help protect young athletes’ skin over the summer season.

Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, delivered the funding

to the club on December 7 and said he was thrilled to see so many families involved in the program.

Source: Website, Dec 7 Adam Crouch, official Facebook page

Mensline - talk with a bloke 1300 789 978 Lifecare Family Services 1300 130 225 CatholicCare: 4356 2600 Relationship Australia: 1300 364 277 Interrelate: 1800 449 118

Emergency

Police Assistance Line 131 444 Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 Woy Woy Police Station 4323 5599 Energy Australia 13 13 88 Gas Emergency 131 909 Gosford City Council 4325 8222 Marine Rescue - Central Coast 4325 7929 SES - Storm and Flood Emergency 132 500

Crisis Services and Helplines

Lifeline - 24 hr. 13 11 14 Suicide Helpline 1800 191 919 Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 Parents Helpline 13 20 55 Indigenous Call Centre 136 380 Family Relationship Advice Line 1800 050 321

Family Drug Support 1300 368 186 G-line - Gambling Helpline 1800 633 635 Credit Helpline 1800 808 488 Child Support Agency 13 12 72 Australian Injury Helpline 1800 223 363 Veteran Affairs Net work 1300 551 918 Mens Domestic Violence 1800 000 599 Sexual Assault Resource 1800 199 888 Gay and Lesbian Counselling 1800 184 527 Gay and Lesbian Support 1800 249 377 Youth Sexuality Network 4320 2856 Vietnam Veterans 1800 011 046 Victims Support Services 1800 633 063 Translation and Interpreting Service 13 14 50

Family and Relationships

Parents Helpline 132 055 Central Coast Family Support Service 4340 1099 Horizons (For men with children) 4351 5008 Interrelate - Family Relationships 1300 736 966 Uniting Care Burnside Gosford 1800 067 967

Health

Gosford Hospital 4320 2111 Cancer Hotline 131 120 Mental Health info Service 1300 794 991 Sexual Health @ Gosford Hospital 4320 2114 Beyond Blue (Depression) 1300 22 4636

Problems, Habits & Addiction

G-Line Telephone Counsel 1800 633 635 Gamblers Anonymous 9726 6625 Alcoholics Anonymous 4323 3890 Narcotics Anonymous 4325 0524 Quitline 131 848

Phone services:

Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 Beyondblue 1300 224 636 Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463 Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Help Line 1800 551 800 Griefline 1300 845 745 Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467

Welfare Services

Donnison St. Restaurant 4325 3510 Central Coast Family Support Services 4340 1585 Horizons Family Services 4351 5008 Meals on Wheels Gosford 4363 7111 Woy Woy 4341 6699 Department of Community Services Gosford - 4336 2400 The Salvation Army 4325 5733 Samaritans Emergency Relief 4393 2450 St Vincent De Paul Society HELPLINE 4323 6081

also, see the Not for Profit organisations directory inside

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

PAGE 28 JANUARY 31, 2019 CLASSIFIEDS ANTENNAS

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BUILDERS

ENTERTAINMENT

A Better Picture

Installations & Tuning New home specialist Credit cards OK HAYWARD VIDEO All areas Gosford 4323 6367 Woy Woy 4344 4414 Warnervale 1800 244 456 0412 685 555

Totally Building & Maintenance Building Repairs & Maintenance Basic Carpentry, Bricklaying, Paving and Concreting.

No Job too small Fully Insured 25 years experience

se imro r P n Joh 285 585 0417

ASBESTOS

ELECTRICIAN

Asbestos Removal

YOUR LOCAL

Fully licensed and insured asbestos removals from houses, garages, sheds, bathrooms etc.

Ph: Tom 0422 653 794 or 4393 9890 Safe Work NSW Lic. AD212564

BEAUTY

Kellie Sherack Qualified Nail Technician www.redheadnails.com

0400 224 080

LicNo#98098R

Antenna & Digital

ELECTRICIAN

Same day service Guaranteed

Lighting, Power Points, Phone & Data, Fault Finding,

No job too small.

Seniors Discount.

Lic number 265652C

4308 6771 ELECTRICIAN

SAME DAY SERVICE ALL ELECTRICAL WORK Poles, Aerials & Mains Phone Data & TV Switchboard Upgrades Oven Stove & Hot Water NO CALL OUT FEE Credit Cards Welcome

4322 8980 Lic 528150c

Classifieds

advertising rates in print and on-line Classified advertising is the cheapest form of newspaper advertising.

This newspaper is published on line on the night before publication date, and is read that way by hundreds of people. All advertisements, including these classified advertising pages, appear in full on-line as an additional benefit for free.

See www.CentralCoastNewspapers.com or www.CentralCoastNews.net Central Coast Newspapers’ advertising rates are relatively much lower than in other newspapers and at the same time much larger than in other newspapers, with the minimum size being 50mm X 42mm. Approximately 16,000 copies of each newspaper are printed and distributed every fortnight.

Personal and Not For Profit Organisations

As Central Coast Newspapers are community newspapers, the cost of advertising not for profit organisations’ events is subsidised. This makes them the same rate as non business advertisements.

A mono 5cm advertisement only costs $33. Each additional cm costs $6.60 as does colour, and/or a photograph or a logo. Private advertisements need to be paid for at the time of booking.

Business rates

The minimum size of 5cm X a single column only costs $40 + GST in mono and an extra $8 + GST for colour, a logo or a photograph, every two weeks. Most businesses choose to advertise on an ongoing basis and discounts apply for multiple bookings, if they are paid for in full, in advance.

Having an advertisement run for 3 months only costs $215 + GST, for 6 months it is $385 + GST, and for 12 months advertising, the total cost is only $700 + GST – Approximately $14 per week.

Artwork is free and advertisers are encouraged to change their advertisements frequently

The Troubadour Folk and Acoustic Music Club

The Wonderfull Winter Wilson Saturday 2nd of February St Lukes Hall $10,13 and 15 www.troubadour.org.au

4342 6716 BluesAngels

Your total acoustic blues/roots package, top to toe, and then some.

Minnie the Moocher to Eagle Rock and on into indie roots, beatnik jazz, backhills bluegrass and prog folk. Available as duo, trio or band negotiable for your party, event or venue.

tomflood@hotmail.com

4787 5689 MASSAGE

Calming Souls Massage

Remedial Massage Therapist Infant Massage Instructor Paediatric Massage Consultant

Call Kate 0423 150 561 calmingsoulsmassage@gmail.com

PAINTER

PLUMBER

YOUR LOCAL

BUCELLO’S Painting Services

PLUMBER Same day service Guaranteed

• Residential and Commercial • Interior and Exterior • New Work and Repaints Free Quotes All work guaranteed

0410 404 664

Blocked drains, Leaking taps and toilets, Hot water and all aspects Of pluming drainage and gas fitting.

Lic number 265652C

4346 4057

PLASTERERS

client near Toukley.

Must have Cert III and First Aid cert.

Call 131 095

Tilers 0439 589 426 TILING

Ph: Neville 0417 426 254

REMOVALS

PHIL BOURKE PLASTERING

Allways Moving Removals

Over 36 yrs exp

No job too big or too small

House, office units

Gyprock, Renovations Small Jobs, Free Quotes Reliable Service

0418 452 474 Licence No 2107c

Affordable rates

Call for free quote 0497 800 074 0421 084 650

TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL 4325 7369 FROM ONLY $20+GST PER WEEK

THE SHAME FILE

of

& AthroBalm & Effective Business Solutions of Ettalong

• Michelle Umback - 2 Funky, Terrigal • Modern Asian Cuisine, • Audrey’s Family Restaurant, George Nouri •T ony Fitzpatrick trading as Victoria Street East Gosford Futurtek Roofing

PCA’s to look after a

Immediately

No jobs over $1,000.

formerly

looking for AIN/PCW/

Start

Gyprock plasterboard, small jobs, walls, ceilings and cornices.

Over 30 year’s experience.

Computers Gosford

Programmed Care is

wanted!

Your local plasterer

Central Coast Newspapers has a very liberal credit policy for advertisers and realises that from time to time, people, businesses and organisations get into financial difficulty and may need assistance and time to get things back on track.

However, some people, businesses and organisations take advantage of this generosity they use advertising but simply don’t pay their account after several months and need to be taken to court to do so.

From time to time, as necessary, we will name these people, businesses or organisations as a warning to our readers so that they will be wary when dealing with them.

• Renotek, Tascott

POSITIONS VACANT

Decorative Fabrics & • AAA Coastal Painting • Furnishings Steve McGinty, Service, Greg Sutherland, •S helley Walker - Previously Wyoming trading as Headmasters Hair North Gosford Ezy Homes - Freddies • Dean Lampard - Trading as Design, Park Plaza Gosford • Warehouse, Gosford Central Lampard Painting • Jessica Davis - A1 Cleaning Plaza Services, Erina • Coast and Country • Thomas James Clinton, Removalists - Gosford • I nspire P/L trading as CUP Trading as TMA Products

Tiling Wall & Floor Property Maintenance 0439 589 426

homes2nv@gmail.com

THOMO’S TILING SERVICES

ALL TYPES OF WALL AND FLOOR TILING AND WATERPROOFING

PH: 0402 575 663 LIC. 129726C

WANTED TO BUY

CASH PAID for good quality Swords, Knives and War memorabilia.

For large collections home visit

available

Shop 12 - Ebbtide Mall 155 The Entrance Rd The Entrance

4333 8555 PUBLIC NOTICE

DYING with DIGNITY: The MEDICALISATION of DYING 15 FEBRUARY - 10 am

Meeting Room 3, opp. Gosford Library, The Hive Fair SPEAKER: Prof. Ken Hillman, AO Author of ‘A Good Life To The End - Taking control of our inevitable journey through aging and death

NON-MEMBERS ARE WELCOME Enquiries: 4369 8053; centralcoast@dwdnsw.org.au

SPORT PAGE 29 Breakers receives $173,511 grant SHARE

Helen Cruden wins gold and silver World Deaf Lawn Bowls medals

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Gosford City Bowling Club member has medalled at the 2019 World Deaf Lawn Bowls titles.

Gosford’s, Helen Cruden, was one of seven Australian women to make the Women’s Bowls team that would contest the Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, from January 4 to15.

Cruden competed in both the

Pairs and the Fours, coming away with a gold and a silver medal.

Australia dominated in the Women’s Fours, crushing Wales 29 to 6 in their opening game, and then Scotland in the semi-final, 29 to 9.

They faced New Zealand in the final, but couldn’t be beaten, posting a 22 to 9 victory.

Australia again faced off with Wales in their opening game of the Pairs, and again came

out on top posting a 29 to 9 victory.

Their match against Scotland proved tighter than in the Fours, but team Australia held it together to take out the win, 19 to 10.

In the final, New Zealand were able to edge their way to the gold with a hotly contested 18 to 13 point finale.

Source: Media release, Jan 25 Heather McColl, Gosford City Bowling Club

Monica represented NSW in National Softball Championship

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oint Frederick local, Monica Pettitt, was a part of the NSW Metro Orange Under 15’s Girls Softball team that took out the third place at the 2019 Australian Regional Softball Championship.

Mirrabooka Softball Complex, in northern Perth, hosted this year’s edition of the annual championships, that will return to the same venue in 2020, in the lead up to the Olympic Games.

The event pits the best of the best amongst Australia’s junior softball players, with many aspiring to join the Australian team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Pettitt loves living on the Central Coast, however, she now plays her association softball in the upper north of Sydney.

While she enjoys where her sport has taken her, she has her eyes firmly set on the future.

“I started back in 2011, so this is my ninth year,” she said.

“I was put in the outfield and developed an arm, and then a year later, I started catching, and have been ever since.

“I then went to Nationals with NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA).

“That’s where I started in my primary school’s PSSA team, and then ended up coaching them.

“Now I bring it here,” Pettitt

said.

This is Pettitt’s second year representing NSW Metro.

Despite her country residence on the Central Coast, Softball Australia places its players in the state/territory association where softballers first played their association softball.

For Monica, that is the far northern Sydney suburbs, aka, the NSW Metro Orange side.

Pettitt’s goal is to one day represent Australia and she’s one of the juniors aspiring to make the 2020 Olympic team.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

JANUARY 31, 2019

Adam Crouch presenting the cheque to Breakers’ staff

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reakers Country Club is to receive a $173,511 NSW Government grant.

these local facilities,” Crouch said.

“This Infrastructure Grant will expand the range of sports on offer at Breakers Country Club, encouraging participants of all ages, abilities and levels of fitness to visit the club.

“Once complete, Breakers Country Club will be further enabled to cater for our growing population and help meet current and future demand for top-class local facilities,” he added.

Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the project is being funded in partnership with Breakers Country Club, and will deliver improvements to the golf course, a new outdoor gym and shade for the bowling greens.

“I’m delighted that the NSW Liberal Government is able to provide funding to improve

Minister for Racing, Paul Toole, said the project was funded through the Clubgrants Category 3 Infrastructure Grants program.

“These grants are funded by a contribution from the state’s registered clubs to reinvest profits from gaming machines back into community projects,” Minister Toole said.

Source: Media release, Jan 18 Ben Sheath, Office of Adam Crouch MP

Source: Media release, Jan 15 Bill Quinn, Overheard Productions

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PAGE 36 JANUARY 31, 2019

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Local skaters put on a dominating performance

Logan Radford is Flying Ants National Skiffs Champion

From L to R 12 and Under Boys, Ryder Kasun, Calan Dixon, Nate Michalk-Banning and Zach Ridla, back row, Russell Grundy, event judge

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horde of the Coast’s best young skaters descended on Bato Yard Skate Park on January 19, for the 2019 Australian

Skateboarding League’s NSW State Qualifier.

Local amateur skateboarders showed off their talents in battle against other skaters

TIDE CHART FORT DENISON

LAT 33° 51’ S - LONG 151° 14’ E - TIME ZONE - 1000 Times and Heights(m) of high and low waters Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect.

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APPROX. TIME LAG AFTER FORT DENISON

Ettalong 40 min, Rip Bridge 2hrs - Wisemans Ferry 2 hrs 30 min, Koolewong 2 hrs 10 min In view of the variations caused by local conditions and meteorological effects, these times are approximate and must be considered as a guide only. They are not to be relied on for critical depth calculations for safe navigation. Actual times of High and Low Water may occur before or after the times indicated

Photo: Hayden Nixon

from around the state for prizes and to secure a place in the national finals.

The series has a $1,000 prize pool for open divisions and sponsor prizes for all the younger divisions.

Each season, the top five qualifiers from each state will receive a place to compete in the Australian Skateboarding League National Final in Melbourne in March.

Local skaters put on a dominating performance with the Coast recording a high number of top five qualifiers across all age brackets.

In the 12 and Under Boys’ event, all skaters in the top five hailed from the Coast, with Avoca’s, Ryder Kasun, taking out the bracket.

Kincumber’s, Zach Ridla, and Avoca’s, Nate MichalkBanning, also made the top five in the Under 12’s, taking out fourth and fifth respectively.

The 16 and Under bracket was also taken out by an Avoca local, Ben Field, with Saratoga’s, Jayden Webber, right behind him in second.

Copacabana’s, John Bejarano, and Forresters Beach’s, Sam Sutton, competed in the Open Men’s, with Bejarano placing second and Sutton fifth.

Source: Media release, Jan 22 Central Coast Council Media

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Logan Radford and Joel Beashel celebrating their victory

member of Gosford Junior Sailing Club (GJSC) has taken out the 2019 Flying Ants National Skiffs Championships.

The club’s Logan Radford, with his skipper, Joel Beashel, who is not a GJSC member, took out the national title after four days of racing on Lake Illawarra.

Radford and Beashel pulled no punches throughout the event which was broken down into a series of 10 races.

The pair put on an exceptional performance, never recording a placement outside of the top three over all 10 races.

All up Radford and Beashel took out the title with seven first place finishes, two second places and one third.

Gosford Sailing Club President, Graeme Sheldon, said the club was thrilled for Radford and congratulated him on a job well done.

Source: Document, Jan 21 Flying Ants National Skiffs Championships 2018/19 Results Website, Jan 21 Graeme Sheldon, Gosford Sailing Club Dilon Luke, Journalist

Tristan and Shaun take out gold at Oceania Baseball World Cup Qualifier

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wo Central Coast Marlins’ players were a part of the Australian team that took out the gold during the 2019 Under 18’s Oceania Baseball World Cup Qualifier.

Held in the country of Guam, from January 21-27, the qualifier pitted the best of Oceania’s young baseball

players against each other for a shot at glory in the Baseball World Cup. Marlins’ player, Tristan Watts, was selected for the Australian team off the back of a powerful performance during the Australian Youth Championships, and was joined by fellow Marlin and Assistant Coach, Shaun Smith, in the qualifier.

“Massive congratulations to Tristan and Shaun on taking

out the gold,” said Marlins’ President, David Bryant.

“This is huge news as it qualifies Australia to compete in the Under 18’s World Cup in Korea later this year.

“Well done Tristan and Shaun, we are so proud to call you Marlins,” Bryant said.

Source: Website, Jan 28 David Bryant, Central Coast Marlins

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JANUARY 31, 2019

YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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ISSUE 200

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February 4, 2015

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Issue 101

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Work has commenced on new commuter car park in Gosford

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The Gosford Commuter Car Park Project, located at 132-134 Faunce St and 253 Mann St, is part of the Transport Access program, a NSW Government initiative to provide a better experience for public transport customers by delivering accessible, modern secure and integrated transport infrastructure.

Site investigations have been undertaken to test ground materials.

These works involved digging potholes in the Mann St footpath and drilling boreholes in Faunce and Mann Sts. Early works activities also involved earth works and installation of underground services.

The car park is expected to provide a further 65 commuter car parking spaces.

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Waterways polluted by a series of sewage overflows levels have not yet dropped to a level where the public health alert can be lifted.

Potential sewage pollution of waterways can pose risks to public health.

Temporary warning signs remain in place as a

precaution to advise the community that waterways in these areas might be affected and to avoid swimming and other recreational activities at these locations.

Recent heavy rainfall across the region is thought

to have caused a number of sewage pump stations to overflow on Wednesday, January 28 at the following locations: Pinetree Lane, Brunswick Rd, Hastings Rd and Willoughby Rd in Terrigal; Windsor Rd in Wamberal; The Round Dr in Avoca; Tramway Rd in North Avoca; Hawk St in Kincumber; Pateman Rd in Erina; and Newcastle St in Springfield.

Crews are continuing to monitor water quality in and around these locations.

Council is also liaising with all relevant authorities, including the NSW Environment Protection Authority, in-line with Council’s response procedures.

Council would also like to assure the community that this public health alert does not apply to the drinking

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water supply.

The drinking water supply has not been affected by these incidents.

Council monitors the region’s drinking water quality at every stage of the supply system to make sure residents receive water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Media release, 28 Jan 2015 Gosford Council media

Ph: 4325 7369

Issue 112

The best option presented to Council for the Kibbleplex building was to turn another level of empty retail space over to parking

he currently vacant upper floor of the Kibbleplex building in Henry Parry Drive is likely to become a 300-space car park based on a report to the Tuesday, July 14 ordinary meeting of Gosford Council.

Council received a report from a strategy/policy workshop held in March that recommended a strategic change for Kibbleplex targeting the upper vacant level as car parking.

It also recommended that initiatives to lease the ground floor for learning and education, retail, commercial or community activities and a possible smart work hub expansion should continue.

However, the report concluded that prospects for the future of Kibbleplex are limited and Council’s return on investment miniscule.

“Recent reports and reviews suggest Kibbleplex is not an ideal library location and other sites are under review,” the report said.

“In this respect, most learning and education uses would be better dealt

The new commuter car park site in Gosford

osford Council is advising the community to avoid using public waterways in parts of Terrigal, Wamberal, Avoca, North Avoca, Kincumber, Erina and Springfield until further notice following a series of sewage overflows on Wednesday, January 28.

Council’s water quality monitoring is indicating that waterways including Terrigal Lagoon and Avoca Lake might be or still are affected.

Although these water quality monitoring results are improving, potential pollution

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Kibbleplex level 2 is likely to become a car park

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with in conjunction with the library.”

Kibbleplex was acquired for $11 million in 2011, subsidised by a $7 million grant on the basis the two upper levels provided 400 commuter parks for five years, the report said.

This commitment expires on February 28, 2016, effectively transferring full control of the building to Council.

“The lower levels have a combined area of 18,000 sqm but remain vacant given their size, location and limited adaptability for most uses,” the report said.

“Numerous initiatives

by Council and private investors to deliver solutions on these floors have failed.

“The combined existing and foreseeable demand from all potential uses is less than 25% of the total area available.

“Available grants are too small to deliver outcomes over the large area.

“Significant Council investment is not recommended, due to limited prospect of a commercial return and also the insufficient economic benefits available.

“Entities such as the Smart Work Hub can expand if successful, and solid interest exists from one educational entity at present.

The suggestion to investigate conversion of the upper vacant level for car parking was seen as “a strategic and low risk investment for Council, likely to provide good future returns as CBD revitalisation occurs.

“A position on this initiative and the February 28, 2016 expiry date will also enable a City Centre Park Strategy to be

finalised,” the report said.

“The two lower levels were always a major challenge and were initially mothballed.

“Each provides 9,000 sqm floor plates with limited demand or utility in their current form.

Since 2011, numerous initiatives have been touted including a learning and education centre, lecture theatres and meeting rooms, co-locating the library, smart work hub, and large office spaces.

All options resulted in very little return on investment for Gosford Council, according to the report.

“In 2011, a private developer took an option to lease the building and create a Paddy’s Market” type concept to the ground floor and commercial offices above.

“The project failed due to minimal interest.

“Other leasing campaigns also failed, generally because; the floor plates do not provide

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

appealing office premises, natural light is very low and better alternatives exist elsewhere.

“Annual office demand in Gosford is limited and even if marketable; the large floors would take many years to fill.

“Forecast rent levels do not suggest a satisfactory return given the costs to deliver.”

The report also said ongoing initiatives to establish a learning and education centre also remain uneconomic.

“The total demand from all prospective learning and education uses is only around 4,000 sqm, less than 25% of the space available,” it said.

The report suggested that learning and education users would want Council to fund their fit out and other set up costs, also considered unviable.

“Learning and education premises are small, with the largest to date being a 1,500 sq metre interest from the Central Coast Community

College (“CCCC”).

“This is progressing and does not rely on a library presence.

“Available tools to measure the economic impact of these entities suggest limited economic benefits.

“Nearby universities remain reluctant to commit to Gosford in any substantial manner, which could justify Council investment.”

A commercial agent has again been appointed to pursue large retail or commercial tenants for the ground floor but interest to date is low and significant results are not anticipated.

“Both floors are unlikely to lease in the foresee-able future.

“The $7,000,000 potential funding available, equates to only $390 per square metre, so meaningful fit-out initiatives would need Council capital.

Ordinary meeting agenda, 14 July 2015 Gosford Council Jackie Pearson, journalist

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

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m a j o r development worth around $17.6 million in the heart of Gosford’s city centre has been approved by Council.

The 14 storey mixed use development comprising a ground floor tavern, 75 residential units and basement car parking level will be built on the current Duttons Tavern site in Mann St. This development will maintain and upgrade the tavern that currently serves the surrounding area, provide new residential opportunities that support Gosford’s development as a regional city and is located close to public transport.

The maximum height of the development complies with the Gosford Local Environment Plan but a minor variation in the floor space ratio has been approved.

Allowances have also been made for car parking.

The existing tavern does have some ground level parking at the rear in Paul Lane and there will be one level of basement car parking.

Earlier plans for the development included a level of parking above the ground floor but issues of overshadowing Kibble Park meant the plans had to be revised so the development will only provide 33 parking spaces.

Two podium levels will include 15 residential units.

Floors three through to 12 will house another 54 residential units and there will be two penthouse apartments on the top floor.

The proposal includes 24 one bedroom units, 47 two bedroom units and four three bedroom units.

The tavern will be a redevelopment of the existing Duttons tavern and the hours of operation will

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14 storey development approved for Mann St

be in accordance with the liquor licence for the existing tavern.

The owner of the site, Mr Bob Bourne addressed the council meeting before the development was approved.

Mr Bourne said the first development application he attempted to get approved through Gosford Council in the early 1970s took eight years to get accepted.

Mr Bourne said, on this occasion, the professionalism of council staff had been “breathtaking”.

Mr Bourne suggested that the nature of the new Mann St development went handin-hand with the rejuvenation of Gosford hospital and could provide future homes for hospital staff.

The owner of the building that adjoins the development site spoke against the motion.

He complained that a quantity surveyor’s report had not been released and questioned how he could make comment on the development without seeing its contents.

He was informed the report could not be made public because of copyright.

He said he had owned the property adjoining the development since 1995.

He said he had been contacted by a party representing Mr Bourne in 2013 to offer around $2 million to purchase his building and land.

“I have had some discussions with Bob over the years and I told him some months before he lodged this development I was prepared to sign as consenting owner if he wanted to include my property, if he would pay costs of DA approval and it would be adjusted on sale to any purchaser.

“He did not accept my letter and I can’t sell to someone who wants to buy my property for only a fraction of what it is worth.”

A report to the council meeting referred to the potential of the neighbouring property, which is located between the Bourne development site and the Imperial Centre, to become “isolated”.

He complained that Gosford Council had not sent him information regarding the redevelopment prospects of his site.

Deputy mayor, Cr Craig Doyle questioned whether or not council had addressed all concerns relating to the neighbouring property.

Director for governance and planning, Ms Danielle Dixon said Council did have an obligation to look at the adjoining property and make sure this site has acceptable setback and that staff were comfortable the site could be developed and the setbacks were adequate.

However, Ms Dixon said

it was unlikely the adjoining property would be developed to the same scale.

“If you only have one site then you are constrained, which is why we gave preferences and additional incentives.

“We think there is a possible development than can occur on that site but not to the same scale,’ Ms Dixon said.

Most councillors who asked questions about the Bourne development were mainly concerned with the issue of available parking.

Mr Bourne was allowed to substitute some parking spaces by undertaking to run a mini bus for the tavern.

It was resolved that the proximity of the building to Gosford train station and bus routes meant that some units could be sold without an attached car space.

Cr Gabby Bowles said parking was her main concern but concluded that she didn’t think it was a bad thing to have reduced parking spaces.

“We should be pushing people to more sustainable and public transport,” Cr Bowles said.

“I think this is a positive and unique opportunity because it is in the heart of our city and will accommodate people who don’t necessarily want their own car,” she said.

“Tying parking spaces to properties in the strata plan

Issue 122

gives price points that we may not otherwise have in our city and it will improve the city,” she said.

“We need people living in our city if we want it to thrive.

“This is a really creative and positive outcome to encourage those who do not want to own a vehicle.”

Cr Craig Doyle also spoke in support of the development’s approval.

He said making single units available in the heart of Gosford would give young professionals a good entry point to the property market.

“Wouldn’t it be great to have some young professionals in the centre of Gosford creating more demand,” he said.

Mr Bourne told the meeting he was eager to progress the development to construction certificate stage as early as possible in 2016.

Almost $460 million worth of development has now been approved for Gosford’s City Centre by Council and the Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel.

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Meeting transcript, Nov 24, 2015 Gosford Council ordinary meeting Agenda item gov.155, Nov 24, 2015 Gosford Council ordinary meeting Jackie Pearson, journalist

STOP PRESS

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s we were going to press, the Federal Senate had voted resoundingly in favour of a motion by Sen Deborah O’Neill

calling on the Federal Government to abandon the decision to build an Australian Tax Office on the Gosford waterfront.

was carried 37 to 28 and also called for consultation with the community for any future federal infrastructure investment for the Central Coast.

More page 5

Senator O’Neill’s motion

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

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May 5, 2016

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Council continues to defy state government over PAC site

n defiance of the NSW Government’s wishes, Gosford Council has determined to prepare a specific plan of management for the War Memorial and Poppy Park to ensure the areas continue to be community open space.

Gosford mayor, Cr Lawrie McKinna, used his casting vote on April 26 to support a motion for council to prepare a plan of management to ensure Poppy Park and the War memorial have a declared purpose.

Cr Hillary Morris put the notice of motion and said: “There has been a great deal of consternation regarding the protection of both the War Memorial site and Poppy Park.

“As both sites are owned by Crown Lands, it is appropriate for council to develop plans of management as required under the Crown Lands Act. “Currently both sites have a generic plan of management, however, a more formal plan of management should be implemented to ensure both parks receive declared purpose status.”

Long-standing arts campaigner, Ms Margaret Hardy, spoke in favour of the motion.

“I am here representing the people who want the performing arts precinct built on the former school site,” Ms Hardy said.

She noted that the NSW Government was insistent that the regional performing arts centre should be built on the Poppy Park site.

She said the War Memorial and Poppy Park both represented a “memorial and it should be honoured”.

“Given their importance, they should have a specific plan of management

Gosford Council will draft a specific management plan for the War Memorial and Poppy Park to keep them as open community spaces

developed in consultation with the community to set out how council will manage the land and how it will be conserved and developed,” Cr Morris said when speaking for her motion.

“I have heard from the community loudly and clearly that they don’t want anything else built there,” Cr Morris said.

Cr Deanna Bocking attempted to amend the motion so that the “declared purpose would include permitted uses for a performing arts centre with the land being predominantly open space, so it does have a declared purpose but doesn’t rule out having a performing arts centre there”.

The amendment was seconded by Cr Chris Burke.

Cr Bocking said there had been support to build the performing arts centre on Poppy Park since 2013 and recalled quotes from previous newspaper reports referring to it as the

“centrepiece of the Gosford waterfront” that would kick start the CBD’s revitalisation and a “game changer”.

“We are taking a gamble that we could lose any funding at all for the Performing Arts Centre,” Cr Bocking said.

“The only comment I have got from the community thus far is ‘just build it’,” she said.

“The State Government owns the school site, so I am pretty sure they want to sell it to the highest bidder to put funds back into local school improvements.

“The RSL is happy, FOPAP is happy, it is in the DCP, we have the cost of land covered in federal and state grants, so why not just get on with it?

“What people will not get over is Gosford’s ‘mode of going nowhere operation’ that we seem to be stuck in,” she said.

Cr Burke then spoke in support of Cr Bocking’s proposed amendment.

“This has been going on

for 20 years,” Cr Burke said.

“Whenever we are close to having something happen on the waterfront, we hear from a silent minority, this time 2,000 people out of 165,000,” he said.

Cr Burke said he believed that if the NSW Government and Federal Government were contributing $22 million towards the $32 million project, “they should have a say in where it should go.”

Cr Bob Ward also supported the proposed amendment.

“The amendment doesn’t say the site of the performing arts centre should be the War Memorial or Poppy Park, but that a plan of management should include that potential use,” Cr Ward said.

“Why cut off that option entirely, we might rue the day we did that,” he said.

Cr Jeff Strickson said the issue of where to locate a regional performing arts centre had been discussed for the whole eight years he

had been a councillor.

“I just want to see Gosford move forward, and if we keep procrastinating, it is not going to move forward, we are going to lose this.

“If we have alternate sites and the opportunity to negotiate with the State Government, I would encourage officers to do that sooner rather than later, because the only people who are going to suffer here are the people of the local government area.

Cr Bocking, Strickson, Burke and Ward voted for the amendment but it was defeated by Cr McKinna’s casting cost.

Gosford Council’s CEO Mr Paul Anderson said before anything could be built on the Poppy Park, council would have to take ownership of the land (which it currently manages for Crown Lands) and have any title extinguished.

He said the land had been valued at $3 million and would need to be purchased

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by Gosford Council from the Department of Lands.

Mr Anderson also said that the Poppy Park site had only been used as a potential site “for the purpose of getting state government funding”.

Cr Vicki Scott also spoke in favour of the original motion.

“I don’t know how the State and Federal Governments can ignore what the people are saying because it is loud and clear that the people want the entertainment centre on the school site,” Cr Scott said.

“The State and Federal Government would prefer to put ugly office blocks on the school site so the office workers can enjoy the view,” she said.

In closing the debate, Cr Morris said: “Poppy Park showed the community what can be done when you show imagination on a piece of open space like that.

“I don’t want to lose a precious piece of open space.

“As far as I am concerned, I am happy to accept the loss of state money and hope that the Federal Government would fill the gap.

“I was never happy with the location or the design; I accepted it as a concept plan that allowed us to go out and get the funding,” she said.

Votes for and against the motion were also split at four a-piece, so Cr McKinna used his casting vote from the chair to support the motion for council to prepare a specific plan of management for the War Memorial and Poppy Park and for it to remain as open community space.

Gosford Council agenda, Apr 26, 2016 NM.7 Meeting transcript, Apr 26, 2016 Gosford Council ordinary meeting Jackie Pearson, journalist

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

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Gosford’s battlefield

From iconic site to construction site, the ATO land on Gosford’s Waterfront

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laims and counter claims in the Land and Environment Court, the JRPP’s decision to defer a ruling on the NSW Finance building, and the growing perception that the Central Coast Council is neglecting Gosford, have left the city’s waterfront seeming more like a battlefield than an iconic site.

Doma, the developer of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) building on the corner of Mann St and Georgiana Tce in Gosford, has launched its own Land and Environment Court action to secure coverage for legal costs in response to the Gosford Waterfront Alliance’s application to the Court to stop the development.

Meanwhile, the ATO site has already been cleared, with a large mound of covered fill, exposed historic building remnants and tree stumps greeting all those who approach the city from Brian McGowan Bridge.

The NSW Government’s second proposed development on the former Gosford Public School land,

to house staff from the NSW Department of Finance, has also hit a snag with the developer, in this case the Crown itself, in the form of the NSW Government, asking, at the September 15 briefing, for the JRPP to defer its decision on the development.

Concerns about the impact of the Land and Environment Court action

Site preparation under way at the ATO site on the Gosford Waterfront

were cited as one reason for requesting a deferral, because if the ATO building does not go ahead, the plans for the NSW Finance building will need to be rejigged.

Gosford’s business leaders have argued, with increasing volume, that the mess on the Gosford Waterfront and the ongoing decay of the CBD, is being compounded by what it considers to be the new Central Coast Council’s failure to make the reinvigoration of the regional capital one of its priorities.

The surprise resignation of Ms Judy Jaeger, the recently appointed Group Leader of Customer and Community Relations, has compounded fears that the new Council under Administration has a Wyong or Northern Central Coast bias that has left committed and keen Gosford investors hanging.

Ms Jaeger was the only remaining executive-level manager from the former Gosford Council on the new council’s leadership team.

The NSW Government’s regional plan for the Central

Coast has clearly positioned Gosford as the region’s capital, but the city may have to wait until after the September 2017 local government election for a new governing body to pick up the pieces that appear to have been dropped by the current administration.

See inside for separate articles on each of these issues.

Various documents and interviews Jackie Pearson, Journalist

M Exposed foundations on the Doma ATO site on the Gosford Waterfront

The site for the proposed ATO building with exposed tree stumps

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net

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Billion Dollar FEBRUARY 23, 2017

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Waterfront Proposal A

billion-dollar project that aims to transform Gosford into the infrastructure investment gateway to Asia is waiting for a stamp of support from the Central Coast Council and NSW Government.

Mr Steve Duncan, Chairman of the G5 Global Vision Foundation and Bensville resident, said the proposal had been presented to the NSW Premier and Cabinet and that he was hopeful of an opportunity to meet with NSW Government representatives within the next couple of weeks.

The proposal, which includes plans to redevelop the Gosford waterfront, has been on the desks of senior executives at Gosford and then Central Coast Council for almost 12 months.

Mr Duncan said the proposal involved waterfront retail and public space, hotel and conference facilities; mixed use residential, commercial and retail, a highspeed intercity ferry service and infrastructure; and much more.

The Central Coast Council has asked the NSW Government to assist it to formulate a strategy and roadmap for the State Significant, world-class project.

In briefing notes presented to NSW Government Ministers at a recent Community Cabinet meeting, the Central Coast Council asked for “an audience in confidence with the State Government to present this opportunity and formulate a strategy and roadmap for the realisation of the project with a view to it being a State Significant project.

“Central Coast Council has been working commercial in confidence with a proponent on a proposal that has the potential

markets,” he said.

“We have the DA process and the public involvement process ready to go.

“We have brought in the best architects and engineers Australia has to offer and this is about infrastructure; it is not a land grab.

“We have done the 20-year plan.

“As an international investment banker, I knew I had to secure the funding first and that is what I have done.

“We have asked Council to give us the green light to start working through all the issues with the community and the environment.

“We will take the commercial

Gosford waterfront

to be a game changer for the Gosford Waterfront,” which the briefing notes described as the “gateway location to the Central Coast.

“The proposed Gosford waterfront development will work within the framework and principles set out by the intended Gosford Masterplan undertaken by the former Gosford Council, the Gosford Challenge, and Our City, Our Destiny Gosford Masterplan,’ the briefing document said.

“This State Significant project will require partnership with the NSW State Government across a number of portfolios including planning, lands and RMS. “It has the potential to change the face of the Central Coast region, bring significant employment and economic stimulus to the region and contribute to the social wellbeing of the community,” the Cabinet briefing said.

Mr Duncan, who has had a long career as a merchant banker, said the project had been years in the planning and also involved a much bigger picture for Gosford and the region.

The G5 Global Vision Foundation owns a company called Cellate, which is an Australian building technology that dates back to 1964, and established landmark projects in Australia until it relocated to the United Arab Emirates in 1990.

Mr Duncan said he had successfully convinced the company to relocate its headquarters to Gosford as a stepping stone to expanding into Asia, and that Cellate was also negotiating the acquisition of a number of sites to develop as housing on the Coast.

“The Central Coast Council has been very meticulous in dealing with our proposal because they

want it to happen,” he said.

“I would say they have been a lot more cautious than they have been in the past because they have been disappointed before.

“We have got to get Australia back working again and the Central Coast has been neglected because the same people have been in the same positions for the past 20 years and nothing has happened,” he said.

“Our group specialises in infrastructure capital raising and we have serious projects on the go in India, South Africa and Asia.

“We have been in the Middle East and have done very well out of it, but we are pulling out because the current situation is too dangerous.

“We believe the growth region in the future will be Asia, locations like the Philippines and Indonesia, and Gosford is perfectly positioned to be our gateway into those

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risk; we just want to be able to lease the [waterfront] land on commercial terms.”

Mr Duncan said he believed the proposal would create 3,000 long-term jobs in Gosford.

“We are working with the University of Newcastle to bring a Centre of Engineering Excellence to Gosford.

“The Australian Maritime College will have a presence on the Central Coast,” he said.

The Gosford waterfront was described in the Council document as one of the most picturesque landscapes on the eastern shores of Australia.

Continued P3

Member for Gosford, Kathy Smith, resigns from Parliament

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ember for the State Seat of Gosford, Ms Kathy Smith, has announced her resignation from NSW Parliament, due to her ongoing struggle with cancer.

Against all the odds, she won Gosford for Labor in 2015.

Ms Smith was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and doctors were confident at the time that she would win her second battle with the disease that first struck her in 1996.

Unfortunately, the cancer has now metastasized and requires further treatment.

“There is no higher honour than to represent your community in Parliament, and that is why it is with great sadness that I announce my decision to resign as your Member for Gosford,” Ms Smith said.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer last year, my doctors were positive that, with treatment, I would win my second battle with this disease,” she said.

Continued P4

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

JULY 13, 2017

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Historic moment for Gosford CBD T

he Community Environment Network (CEN) and Mountain Districts Association (MDA) have called for Central Coast Council to require a new Development Application (DA) and a new Environmental Impact Study (EIS) before consenting to any plans to reopen the landfill at Mangrove Mountain.

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An aerial view of the Bonython Tower site shows work well under way on the Singleton development

r John Singleton declared it an “historic moment” when he officially broke ground on his Gosford CBD development, Bonython Tower, on Thursday, June 29.

He said it was the first-ever high rise to be built in the Gosford CBD and the only development of its kind on the Central Coast.

It is Mr Singleton’s flagship development.

“This is a great day,” he said.

“I have been talking about the benefits of this region for

years, and have introduced everyone from politicians to developers, but in the end, I decided to put my money where my mouth is and do it myself.

“Many development consents have been issued by the Council, but how good is it to see one actually commence right in the middle of the CBD? “A world class building that would be proud to sit in Sydney or Melbourne.

“I told you that I would do it, and here is the physical proof.

“How exciting, here comes Bonython Tower.

“Bonython Tower is no longer a dream, but it is becoming a

reality after 18 months of planning and design.

“We are now able to see it grow and become a beautiful dominating feature of the Gosford CBD skyline.

“What’s even better is that it is a local Central Coast project.

“CKDS Architecture, Northrop Engineers and our builder, Stevens Constructions, are all local and all are employing local people to work on the project, and make the Central Coast a better place” Mr Singleton said.

Located centrally on Mann Street, Bonython Tower is a mixed-use development, comprising of 54 luxury

apartments and two ultimate penthouses.

It also boasts two levels of premier corporate suites and a world class restaurant and bar which will set a new benchmark for dining on the Central Coast.

There is immediate access to public transport, and Bonython Tower is within easy walking distance to the new ATO Offices, Gosford Hospital and the brand new and exciting Central Coast Medical School and Health and Medical Research Institute.

Source: Media release, Jun 29 Paul Anderson, Bonython Property and Investments

ISSUE 162

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

Independent report calls for more safeguards for Mangrove Mountain landfill

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) released an independent report on the Mangrove Mountain landfill, with recommendations, including measures for the safe operation of the site.

The EPA, in consultation with the Mountain Districts Association (MDA), appointed SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd in September, 2016, to independently assess operations at the landfill site, which had not received any waste since May 2014.

The consultant’s report made the following observations about the historic and future operation of the landfill.

“In relation to the past operation of the Mangrove Mountain facility, this Independent Environmental

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rime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Gosford on Wednesday, November 29, to inspect progress on the Gosford ATO building and to meet with local business owners who have successfully expanded into the international market through the Coalition Government’s Free Trade Agreement with China.

West Gosford bedding manufacturer, Bambi Enterprises, was the Prime Minister’s first stop, where he was joined by Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks.

Mr Turnbull and Ms Wicks made the trip to West Gosford to meet with the local family behind Bambi Enterprises, the Witneys, tour their factory, and congratulate them on their successful deal with Chinese eCommerce giant, JD.com.

Through Bambi, Mr and Ms Peter and Jan Witney supply a range of luxury and natural fibre products to some of Australia’s leading retailers including Snooze, Harvey Norman and 40 Winks.

It is understood the Witneys had been in negotiations with JD.com for some time, having hosted a delegation from the Fortune Global 500 online retailer earlier in November.

Since that meeting, JD.com has ordered 1,500 quilts from Bambi and the Witneys have set their sights on further expansion into the Asian market.

Peter and Jan began Bambi

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ISSUE 172

Above: office space on the first level of the new ATO building in Gosford.

Below: Prime Minister Turnbull and Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks, pose for a photograph with an ATO employee

35 years ago, making seat covers in their garage in Tascott, and have since grown from strength to strength, employing over 30 people at their factory to deliver their luxury line of eco products, and are already planning to expand both their premises and their staff numbers.

“The Prime Minister has joined me here in Gosford today to talk about the importance of local jobs here on the Central Coast,” Ms Wicks said.

“People in my electorate always talk to me about the importance of local jobs, and we know this because one of our core commitments here on the Central Coast was the delivery of 600 new jobs, and today, the Prime Minister and I will meet some of these first

new employees.

“This is a fantastic example of how the Coalition has delivered on every single one of our commitments to the people here on the Central Coast,” Ms Wicks continued.

“But we know that at the end of the day, business creates jobs, and that is why fantastic local businesses like Bambi, and families like Jan and Peter’s, are so important.

“The Witneys are an example of how the Coalition’s policies can enable small businesses to grow to create more jobs and new opportunities right here on the Central Coast,” Ms Wicks said.

The Prime Minister then joined Ms Wicks at the new Australian Taxation Office building in Gosford, to meet

with new employees from the Coalition Government’s promised 600 new jobs to boost the Central Coast region.

“Lucy Wicks is a tireless advocate for the Central Coast, and together we are working to create jobs and grow the local economy.

“This new ATO facility is a vital part of that plan,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our policies are designed to get more people into work in this region, and put more money back into people’s pockets.”

Ms Wicks and Mr Turnbull met with the first group of recruits already in the building, with more staff starting in the coming weeks, while the bulk of new jobs will be flowing into Gosford throughout 2018.

“We are now seeing a real game changer for Gosford come to life, delivering opportunities for locals to be able to both live and work in the best region in Australia,” Ms Wicks said.

“These 600 jobs for the region will have a significant flow-on impact within the community, which is great news for local businesses like the many cafes that are just a short walk away in Gosford CBD. “We’ve also seen a boost of over $7.5 million dollars into the local economy, with most of the construction being done by local contractors,” Ms Wicks concluded.

Source: Press conferences, Nov 29 Malcolm Turnbull and Lucy Wicks, West Gosford Dilon Luke, journalist

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Report (IER) has considered a broad range of information and concludes that, significant improvement is required in order to comply with necessary operational and regulatory procedures and policies.

“Robust engineering design should be complemented by best practice construction and responsible filling of cells.

“With higher design and operational standards, should come higher regulatory scrutiny by the NSW EPA and Council, to ensure operators comply with their Environmental Protection Licence … DA etc.

“The NSW EPA will need to review the operational documents provided … together with the design proposals, to assess the adequacy of the proposed landfill expansion whilst assessing the suitability of the site with regard to its position, size, location and potential environmental impacts.

“In light of the sensitive nature of the site being in or within 40 metres of a permanent or intermittent water body, or in an area overlying an aquifer that contains drinking water quality groundwater that is vulnerable to pollution, the development needs additional

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

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Prime Minister inspects almost-complete Taxation Office

MAY 10, 2018

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Councillors fighting to uphold community’s preference for regional library

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he community’s preference for a regional library integrated with a-grade commercial space may be upheld when Central Coast Council votes on the matter on May 28.

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On April 11 the Council resolved to build a stand-alone regional library in Donnison St, even though the majority of community participants in an online survey had voted for a library integrated with a commercial building.

A rescission motion at the April 23 Central Coast Council meeting was successful, and that earlier decision was reversed.

However, after a scrappy and directionless debate, Councillors once again deferred a final decision on the location and form of the new library.

It is understood that the absence of one councillor at the May 28 meeting, and a change to the voting status of another, may result in a third option making it over the line, which would see the regional library built in Donnison St, with commercial space, and guarantees to ensure the project’s financial viability.

Mayor Jane Smith is not in favour of such a proposal and has expressed concerns that a library integrated with commercial space could represent a financial risk to Council.

All Councillors voted in favour of the rescission motion except, Mayor Jane Smith and Clr Louise Greenaway, and Clr Doug Vincent was absent.

The deferral was finally accepted: “to consider the commercial viability of a modern facility that the

Concept 2 (above) was preferred by the community; it has 10 storeys including A-grade commercial space and three levels of basement parking

community have said they want for the Gosford CBD.” “Following a detailed Councillor workshop, a further report on a revised proposal for a Regional Library in Gosford will be presented to the May 28 Council meeting,” Mayor Jane Smith said.

“We need to ensure that we create a truly iconic building in the city centre, helping to attract business and investment to the area, as well as increase connectivity amongst educational institutions,” Mayor Smith said.

“This catalyst project for the CBD must be a central meeting point for locals and visitors alike, creating a true innovation centre and drawcard to the city centre,” she said.

“Libraries are at the heart of creating liveable, connected and sustainable cities, and that is definitely what we want to see for the Gosford CBD.”

After the meeting, Mayor Smith said she was concerned about the financial risks involved in committing to build commercial space with so much private development coming on line in the CBD and surrounds.

“With some major projects, such as RPAC and the library, I don’t want to overextend without sufficient guarantee that funding will be forthcoming,” Mayor Smith said.

“Right around NSW there are stories of councils that have been a little ambitious and have come down with over extending, and I am a little cautious about our risk management.

“I think a regional library is a great project for the Central Coast, and for Gosford’s city centre in particular, so really, my specific concern is about the financial risk and making sure we have got that covered,” she said.

“We have got some large

projects, and whenever we put up a large amount of money, that means that we are not putting it up on something else, and we need to ensure it will be successful.”

On April 11, Councillors had voted in favour of the standalone library option, wholly on Council-owned land, at 123A Donnision Street.

The building was to be redesigned to accommodate possible additional levels of commercial development if further funding was secured.

However, a rescission motion to reverse Council’s decision was put forward by Councillors Greg Best, Bruce McLachlan, Jilly Pilon, Rebecca Gale Collins and Troy Marquart, for the April 23 ordinary Council meeting.

Mr Tony Mylan, from ET Australia, which is a current tenant of the 123A Donnison St property and owns the adjoining building, spoke against the rescission motion.

“It puts further stress and concern on all of the people involved in this development,” Mr Mylan said.

“The description in the rescission motion of this being ad hoc I find a bit peculiar, because I have been working with Gosford Council and Central Coast Council for three years, and it has been anything other than ad hoc.

“I commend staff, directors and the Acting CEO for the work they have been doing negotiating and consulting with us and the general public.”

Mr Mylan pointed out that 70 per cent of respondents to a survey about the library were in favour of Concept 2, a library combined with commercial space built across the Council and ET’s building site.

“Despite public support for Concept 2, Council voted for Concept 1.

“I am at a loss to the politics, but I wanted to indicate to the

meeting this evening that the rescission motion has some general points in it that leave ET Australia and other tenants with no timeline as to what might happen next, unsure what to do with tenants in the building, how it will impact on the school year, how it will impact tenants.

“It will leave us with more questions than we had before this evening.”

He said he appreciated Council’s willingness to vary Concept 1 so that all current Parkside tenants would be accommodated.

Clr Jillian Hogan asked Mr Mylan to explain the impact the rescission motion was having on the tenants, many of whom were community service providers.

“We have a tenant in that building whose lease expires on November 30, and we have been exchanging correspondence about an extension to the lease, and our tenants, who are a state government department, are extremely keen to extend the lease.

“They wish to have a five year lease with a five year option, so they can refit and refurbish their premises.

“We have been giving them a please wait response.

“We wrote to Council asking for a timeline for development, indicating why we needed to do that, and as a result of that, we have now entered negotiations with the state government department to extend their lease.

“If we do that, the space in Donnison St, and the car park, would be tied up for the next 10 years.

Continued P4

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

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regional library and a regional performing arts centre (RPAC), with combined, but not yet disclosed, construction costs of up to $150m, will be built in a new cultural precinct on the Gosford CBD block bounded by Mann St, Donnison St, and Henry Parry Dve. The library and RPAC were back on the agenda for the Monday, September 24, meeting of Central Coast Council, to provide Councillors with a summary of the concept designs and cost estimates that they called for at their May 28 meeting.

In May, the majority of Councillors voted in favour of a regional library in a 10-storey building, with three storeys of parking and commercial and retail space.

Many Councillors also expressed interest in a proposal for a cultural precinct, including both the library and RPAC. “Further investigation was required, in order to give Council the ability to make an informed decision on how

(if at all) to proceed with this concept,” the staff report for September 24 said.

It was the outcomes of that further investigation that Councillors discussed at their most recent meeting.

A $4.32m increase to the 2018-19 capital budget was approved “to accommodate the proposed delivery program” detailed in a confidential document.

The majority of the information considered by Councillors was, not shared with the public, including schematic designs, additional lots of land to be purchased and the proposed delivery program.

Council resolved to keep out of the public domain 13 out of 18 attachments regarding the proposed precinct, as those documents would, if disclosed, “confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the Council proposed to conduct business”.

Mayor Jane Smith and CEO, Gary Murphy, will be seeking urgent discussions with both the NSW Government and the Federal Government funding bodies, to assist with the funding shortfall, which has not been disclosed.

Mayor Smith said the Precinct will help achieve the Community Strategic Plan’s goal to create a growing and competitive region by establishing Gosford CBD as a key destination that attracts businesses, local residents, visitors and tourists.

“Council will be creating an outstanding precinct that the Central Coast can be proud of, and will appeal to all ages, abilities and backgrounds,” Mayor Smith said.

“The development of both the regional library and the RPAC is essential as Council works towards establishing a true capital for the Central Coast.

“Delivering these projects as one integrated cultural precinct will benefit both projects individually, as well as facilitating the revitalisation of Gosford CBD and creating the vibrant and sustainable region the community wants and deserves.”

Councillors voted to request CEO, Gary Murphy, proceed with detailed design development of the Gosford Cultural Precinct “to facilitate submission of a DA to the relevant consent authority”.

Mayor Smith said once the project reached the

development application stage, expected in the current financial year, all details would be made public.

Murphy was also asked to negotiate and execute a Deed of Agreement with ET Australia to acquire 125 Donnison St, next door to the Parkside Building.

He was also directed to proceed with acquisition of other lots included in another of the confidential attachments.

As such, the estimated cost of the Precinct was to remain confidential in order to maintain commercial confidence and ensure the integrity of the market value.

Expressions of interest or tenders will be called for the appointment of a “suitably experienced commercial agent to commence pre-leasing for the proposed commercial and retail space”.

According to the limited information placed in the public domain, the concept designs for the precinct included a regional library and innovation hub, a regional performing arts centre and conference venue, allowance for ET Australia and tenants, small retail tenancies, commercial tenancies, underground parking, pedestrian through site

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linkages and public domain and landscaping works.

Council staff have incorporate three “hold points” in their proposal for delivery of the cultural precinct.

The first requires expenditure of $4.3m in the current financial year to put

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Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au