Central Coast Council’s award winning Wyong Lakes Festival is returning in November bigger and better than ever.Once again, Tuggerah Lakes will take centre stage when more than 30 events make a splash from 12-20 November.The nine day program will feature a full program of sporting, family, cultural, educational and live music events on and surrounding the Tuggerah Lakes catchment area including:Memorial Park, The EntrancePicnic Point, The EntranceMcKenzie Reserve, BudgewoiCanton Beach foreshoreColongra Bay foreshoreLong Jetty foreshore.Council’s Events Officer, Ms Cobey Linsley, said this year’s program has expanded and will be focussed around the six key event hubs.“We have even more events planned for this year’s Festival as well as some of the favourites from last year returning,” Cobey said.“The opening weekend will be jam packed and include a spectacular free evening concert featuring headliner ’Thirsty Merc’ and fireworks.“The popular Triathlon and Stand Up Paddle Board competitions will also be running on the opening weekend as well as a free brunch by the lake.“The final weekend of the Wyong Lakes Festival will finish with a big splash and will see live bands, moonlight cinema, folk festival, water obstacle course and a street festival.“We’ve had more interest this year from groups wanting to be a part of the Festival and have even more free events locked in the calendar.”Some of the new additions to the 2016 Wyong Lakes Festival include Colour Ya World, Obstasplash, Lighthouse Folk Festival, Long Jetty Street Festival and Long Jetty Moonlight Cinema.Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said he is excited about the opportunities the Festival will bring to the region.“No wonder our Wyong Lakes Festival is winning state-wide awards, it’s a fantastic event that takes in one of the most iconic locations on the Coast – Tuggerah Lakes," Mr Reynolds said.“The Festival is a great way for residents and visitors alike to take part in a wide range of interesting events and explore our beautiful lakes at the same time.“I can’t wait to see the Lakes come to life on and off the water.”All events are free for spectators to enjoy, with opportunities for people to participate in some events.A full program will be available online from Thursday 1 September.

Central Coast residents found it easier to drop off chemicals when Council opened up its Charmhaven Depot all weekend for the free drop off.Paints, oils and batteries were the most popular items in the 45.27 tonnes of chemicals dropped off at the regular cleanout Council runs with the support of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).Council’s Waste Coordinator, Mr Matthew Collins, said holding the cleanout on one day in the past had resulted in long waiting times for residents and having the two day event ensured a smoother run event.“It is really heartening to see so many of our residents wanting to make sure they dispose of their chemicals in a responsible manner,” Mr Collins said.“They had an easier time of it too this time as there was opportunity to drop off the chemicals on either day of the weekend so there was less waiting time which residents appreciated.“We had a lot of positive comments about the service particularly from the huge number of residents using the service for the first time.”1017 vehicles made the trip to Charmhaven Depot to drop off unwanted chemicals with a large proportion using the service for the first time.Paint was again the most common product presented at 24.75 tonnes followed by:oil – 4.17 tonneslead acid batteries – 3.51 tonnesgas cylinders – 2.91 tonnesgeneral household chemicals –  2.5 tonneshydrocarbons and fuels – 2.12 tonnesinert solids – 2.1 tonnesThe remaining tonnage was made up of various items including household batteries, acids, alkalis, photographic chemicals, pesticides and others.

Electors who are enrolled within the new Central Coast Council area do not need to vote at the council elections on 10 September 2016.Elections for Central Coast Council and the other newly merged councils in NSW will be held on 9 September 2017.At the election in 2017, the Central Coast Local Government Area will be divided into five wards with three Councillors to be elected for each one.  Details on the wards can be found at www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au

Central Coast Council has congratulated the winners and all the finalists in the 2016 Central Coast Business Excellence Awards announced on Saturday evening at Mingara.“We’re proud to sponsor these awards and it is clear from the quality of Central Coast businesses recognised tonight that excellence and business go hand in hand on the Central Coast,” Council Administrator Ian Reynolds said.“Excellence in business involves focusing on results, thirsting for innovation, cultivating a positive reputation and overcoming resistance,” Mr Reynolds said.“The hard work and diligence of these business operators and owners has helped shape the Central Coast as a key New South Wales growth centre.”Mr Reynolds said the newly amalgamated Central Coast Council is now one of the largest Councils in NSW, with a strong regional voice.

Artists from around Australia are urged to enter the 2016 Gosford Art Prize and Gosford Ceramic Prize, with entries closing in just over two weeks.Now in its 17th year, the annual program offers eligible artists a chance to win over $24,000 in total prizes.Entries close Monday 12 September 2016.

With over 1.3 million people in NSW living with disability, Central Coast Council is continuing to improve accessibility so all residents and visitors can enjoy the region’s unique natural environment, services and facilities.From accessible events and amenities through to beach wheelchair access and other social or economic opportunities, Council is working hard to remove the barriers people with a disability face each and every day.We still have a long way to go, but we can all play a positive role in making it easier for people with disability to live and work on – as well as visit – the Central Coast.

New drainage to reduce recovery time for local sporting fields  Field closures due to wet weather could become a thing of the past after council upgrades the drainage at two local sporting fields.Gavenlock Oval is often closed following a rain event due to its location near Narara Creek and poor natural drainage.

Don’t forget to wear purple to The Hub Erina this Friday night when Central Coast Council, the NSW Police Force’s Brisbane Waters Local Area Command, and local arts company Jopuka Productions celebrate Wear it Purple Day 2016.Wear it Purple Day aims to let young people everywhere know they have the right to be proud of who they are – and sex, sexuality or gender identity does not change this.The free event at The Hub Erina youth entertainment venue this Friday 26 August 2016 starts at 7pm and will feature vocal performances, a film screening and other activities.A cabaret style show by Jopuka Productions – the Central Coast’s first ever independent youth arts company – will be a highlight of the evening.Located in Erina Fair, The Hub Erina is run by Central Coast Council’s Youth Services and provides a platform for young people to showcase their passion and talent.For more information, please visit www.thehuberina.com

Now you can enjoy a lot more from a visit to Gosford Regional Gallery with the launch of visitor-friendly multimedia tours.The bespoke tours lead visitors from one area of the Gallery or Japanese Garden to another, and provide additional information as well as behind the scenes content and videos about current artworks, artists and Garden features.Central Coast Council’s Arts and Culture Coordinator Chris King said the Gallery had been working hard to increase opportunities for visitors to engage with its changing exhibition program.“Our intuitive multimedia tours are designed to strengthen engagement through interactive experiences,” Mr King said.“Visitors can delve in and out of the tours at their leisure, and tailor the information to suit their own interests or the available time they have to experience what is on offer.“The multimedia tours are an ideal way for us to use current technology to connect with visitors and ensure the Gallery remains relevant and inclusive.“It also means there is greater accessibility to our exhibitions for people with disabilities, which is an area we are keen to develop further,” he said.Gosford Regional Gallery is one of the first regional galleries in Australia to adopt multimedia tours and devices.Visitors can also download content directly onto their own phone or mobile device using the free Gallery and Garden Tour App from the Appstore or Googleplay.“Downloading the Gosford Regional Gallery App using our free onsite Wi-Fi means that visitors can continue learning about the artworks and artists even when they have left the Gallery,” Mr King added.“The current tours and App feature exclusive interviews with artist Jocelyn Maughan and reveal personal stories and explanations about her current exhibition An Artist Survey, which is on at the Gallery until 4 September 2016.”The Gosford Regional Gallery App is free to download and the Gallery now offers free onsite Wi-Fi.

Central Coast Council is hosting a Chemical CleanOut this weekend to give the community the opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted, out-of-date or unused household chemicals.Residents can drop off chemicals for free at the Charmhaven Depot, 137 Chelmsford Road (enter via Depot Road) between 9am and 3.30pm on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 August.Council’s Waste Coordinator, Mr Matthew Collins, said many common household chemicals can cause harm if they aren’t disposed of properly.“Keeping old chemicals in the shed or under the sink can increase the risk of poisoning around the home, while putting chemicals in your garbage bin or even pouring small amounts on to the ground or down drains, which is illegal, can pollute the environment and may cause harm to human health, plants and animals,” Mr Collins said.Materials which will be accepted include paint, pesticides and herbicides, poisons, solvents and chemical cleaners, motor oils, fuels and fluids, batteries, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, pool chemicals, acids and alkalis, hobby chemicals, and florescent tubes.A full list of the materials that can be dropped off can be found at www.cleanout.com.au or by calling 131 555.This is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

Central Coast Council’s Laycock Street Community Theatre beat Star City, Hope Estate, South Sydney Juniors and two other major Sydney clubs to win the Best Technical Support Award at last night’s Australian Entertainment ‘MO’ Awards.The ‘MO’ Awards are known world-wide as one of the most respected trophies in Australian show business.Council’s Arts and Entertainment Coordinator Chris King, along with the Theatre’s Operations Team Leader Dean Harrington, proudly accepted the award at a star-studded ceremony in Sydney.“We’re thrilled with the win, which recognised Laycock Street Community Theatre as providing the highest standard of technical support in lighting and sound across the industry,” Mr King said.“Given the very tough competition we were up against, our talented team is especially honoured that their expertise and hard work has been acknowledged as part of these awards.“We always knew Laycock Street Community Theatre had one of the best technical teams in the country and this award, which is one of the highest honours the Australian entertainment industry presents, certainly confirms it,” he said.Last year Council invested $150,000 on a new state-of-the-art sound system at Laycock Street Community Theatre.“The Theatre’s sound equipment now matches the sound quality found in many of Australia’s top entertainment venues,” Mr King added.Laycock Street Community Theatre hosts over 250 performances each year across a wide variety of genres from musicals, rock concerts, dramas and comedy acts through to corporate events, film presentations and many other community events.For full details of the Theatre’s upcoming program, visit www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/theatres

Animal welfare on the Central Coast has been given a boost with Council investing $100,000 in upgrading facilities at its animal care facility in Charmhaven.

Time is running out for Central Coast community groups and other local, eligible organisations to apply for grants worth up to $50,000 from the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund.Applications for the first round of grants close on Friday 26 August 2016.Well over 100 community groups and other organisations attended the series of information presentations and drop-in sessions, held by Council during late July and early August across the Central Coast, to find out more about the funding program and how to apply.Given the great turnout at these sessions, Council is expecting plenty of great applications that aim to deliver much needed community oriented projects and initiatives.Some of the types of projects community groups can apply to potentially get funding for include:Infrastructure – Projects that aim to upgrade, develop or improve a neighbourhood’s community infrastructure.Social – Projects that create, diversify or enhance participation in the community, or provide benefits that address an identified community need.Environmental – Projects that address environmental issues and concerns within a neighbourhood or contribute to environmental education and awareness.Accessibility – Projects that enhance and improve access options for the community, either through transport, disability access or connectivity.Sports development – Projects that contribute to the development of sporting groups or are designed to enhance participation in sporting activities.Economic – Projects that strengthen and enhance the existing local business community, provide opportunities for new enterprises and entrepreneurs, or provide vocational training and job creation outcomes.Art and culture – Projects that provide opportunities for creative community participation, new collaborative partnerships, investigation and research into local culture and history and/or creative placemaking.As part of the $10 million provided to the newly formed Central Coast Council under the Stronger Communities Fund, $1 million has been earmarked for local community group grants over the next three years.So whether it’s the local junior sporting club, neighbourhood centre or men’s shed, Council is encouraging as many sporting, cultural, environment and other groups to apply for funding that will help them ensure the Central Coast remains a vibrant, socially inclusive and modern place for residents and visitors.A Stronger Communities Fund Assessment Panel will be set up to assess and recommend projects for funding.To be successful for funding, community projects must meet the following criteria:Deliver social, cultural, economic or environmental benefits to the local community.Address an identified community priority.Be well defined with a clear budget.Demonstrate that any ongoing or recurrent costs of the project can be met by the community group once grant funding has been expended.Demonstrate the capacity to manage funds and deliver the project.Council is looking forward to working collaboratively with local community groups through the Stronger Communities Fund to enhance Central Coast residents’ lives, by bringing as many community development projects as possible to fruition.To lodge an application, go to:

Magpie breeding season is about to begin and Central Coast Council is reminding the community to take precautions around places where magpies nest.Native birds, such as Australian magpies, are highly protective of their eggs, nest and young and will often swoop at unsuspecting passers-by if they feel threatened.Council’s Section Manager Parks and Sportfields, Mr Keith Ollier, said magpies are usually friendly but become very protective and even aggressive during the breeding season which runs until the end of September.“Magpies produce 3 to 5 eggs in early-to-mid August and females sit on the eggs for about 20 days,” Mr Ollier said.“It is during this time that fast moving objects such as people and bikes and anyone really who moves directly towards their nests are perceived as threats and are likely to be swooped.“Dog walkers and prams are also a common target.“Swooping may seem frightening to us, however we need to appreciate it is a natural instinct for a magpie to protect their territory and offspring.“Other native birds that are also common culprits on the Coast include plover, butcher birds and kookaburras, but even invasive species like Indian Mynas can attack at this time of the year.“Don’t try to scare off the bird.  Wildlife is protected and there are serious penalties for taking, harassing or injuring native wildlife.  Taking this action can sometimes lead to a more serious and sustained attack as well.“Our advice is to try to avoid nesting areas where possible, even taking a detour from your normal path.  Most magpies only swoop within about 50 metres of their nest.Tips for surviving the magpie swooping season include:Avoid the swoop area, try walking or riding in a different direction.Cyclists should wear a helmet.

Central Coast Council is the target of yet another senseless vandalism act forcing the closure of another sporting oval, disadvantaging local families and visitors.Sporting and community groups may be forced to delay events at Sohier Oval, Ourimbah as vandals have joyrided on the oval’s wet grounds destroying the surface.Council is calling on the community to help apprehend these vandals and is putting up a $20,000 reward for information.Council’s Section Manager of Parks and Sports fields, Mr Keith Ollier said, both of the grounds at the Sohier sporting fields have had extensive damage to the turf and because of the uneven surface it isn’t safe for the public to use the fields in its current state.“Both fields will need repairs, levelling out the surface of the ground, placing topsoil and fixing barriers before the oval can be opened, costing Council a further $3000,” said Mr Ollier.“Vandalism across the Central Coast is rife at the moment.“Money spent on repairing damage this month alone has climbed to $30,000.“These mindless attacks cost rate payers money, cost our staff time and disrupt the public from using our facilities.”Other facilities that have been vandalised recently include;Palmdale median stripsLisarow High School sporting fieldsNorthlakes sporting fieldsCouncil’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said he is concerned Council’s facilities are being targeted and is calling on the community to help.“I would like to call upon any community member who witnesses acts of vandalism to report it to the Police so we can stop vandalism in its tracks,” said Mr Reynolds.“Vandalism is an issue of community concern that takes away much needed financial support from other services Council can deliver for the Central Coast.“We want to reduce the level of vandalism in our community so that more money can be invested in projects our community need, want and value.”Anyone with information of these incidents is encouraged to report it to the Police.

Part of Leagues Club Field in Gosford’s city centre has been temporarily closed while Central Coast Council completes important sewerage network upgrades.At this stage, the upgrades are expected to be completed in November 2016.

Central Coast Council Libraries are continuing to inspire a love of learning and reading in the community by presenting local author, Chris Monaghan at Bateau Bay Library this month.Chris is a retired Terrigal High School teacher whose love of history has inspired his three popular novels:

New shot put circles at West Gosford’s Adcock Park, a music program for people with a disability and the Gosford Language Festival are just some of the 97 successful community initiatives awarded around $375,000 as part of Central Coast Council’s latest grant programs.Council’s Administrator Ian Reynolds congratulated the successful recipients at a special celebration last night.“The variety of community-oriented projects that this latest funding will help local groups, associations and other organisations deliver for the Central Coast is truly remarkable,” Mr Reynolds said.“From upgrades at Wyoming’s Youth Skills Centre and Somersby’s School of the Arts Hall, through to resurfacing the tennis court at Empire Bay and a bushfire preparation event in Mangrove Mountain, these initiatives will improve the lives and wellbeing of our residents and visitors.“We know that community groups are the heart and soul of the region, which is why our grant programs give us a great chance to develop partnerships that provide real social, economic and other benefits,” he said.The latest grants cover a number of council’s key funding program areas including community development and facilities, heritage, recreation, and Indigenous culture.“Last night it was very pleasing to see so many local community groups come together to celebrate their successful grants as well as share ideas and form valuable networks that I’m sure will lead to even more opportunities and initiatives,” Mr Reynolds added.“But for now, I’m especially looking forward to seeing these latest 97 projects and initiatives come to fruition.”

Central Coast Council is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to be part of a Disability Inclusion Reference Group.

Council Grants Deliver a Stronger Central Coast Community   Central Coast Council is providing 21 local community organisations with just over $30,000 in funding in its latest round of grants under its Community Subsidy and Neighbourhood Activation Program.Funding has been allocated to three groups from the Community Subsidy Program - Country Women’s Association, Wyong Family History Group and Toukley Art Society, to provide assistance and support to the Central Coast community.In April, the former Wyong Shire Council launched a new grant program called the Neighbourhood Activation Program designed to benefit grassroots programs that in the past may not have qualified for other grant programs.Administrator Reynolds said council received a positive response and a large number of applications for the program, targeted at local neighbourhood projects undertaken by one street or a small volunteer group.“This was about finding projects that bring neighbours together to make a real difference in their local area,” Mr Reynolds said.“It is about empowering communities to take control of their own destiny and be proud of their local area.“It is fantastic that council can provide these grants to help make that happen.”18 grassroots programs have received funding including San Remo Tidy Towns establishing a graffiti removal group, a drop-in centre at Gwandalan and a luncheon for the homeless in Wyong.Community and sporting groups are also encouraged to apply for the $1 million in grants on offer under the NSW Government’s Stronger Community Fund.This grant program has been made possible as part of $10 million made available to merged councils.