Central Coast Business Access - August - September 2022

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Bowlo rises from the ashes SharkSmart keeping Coast safe Vote for

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Artists are preparing for the Coast Music Festival.

BUSINESS | LIFESTYLE AUgUST – SEpTEmBEr EDITION www.coastba.com.au40

Central Coast Music Festival ready to go live ROCKS

inside T he region will be really rocking in September when the inaugural Central Coast Music Festival goes live in September. And the Festival already has the potential to be a huge event of the chose before their chord has been struck and the first bows have been taken. Central Coast Council has partnered with an array of local artists, venues and organisations to host the first ever Central Coast Music Festival when it takes centre stage at Gosford with an array of live music and workshops, culminating with a major concert. The Festival will debut on Saturday, September 17 and will deliver a live music festival unlike any other event in the region. page 6. ROCKS

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Central Coast Music Festival ready to go live COAST ROCKS Artists preparing for the Music Festival.

www.youtube.com/user/AccessNewsAustraliawww.facebook.com/CoastBAwww.coastba.com.au August – September 2022  ISSUE 40 How to get CCBA Central Coast Business Access is available at strategic locations throughout the Central Coast. To find a location near you visit our website. Digital Edition Each edition of CCBA can be read 24/7 and downloaded in digital format at our ISSUU www.issuu.com/accessnewsplatform: Publisher:ContactsMichael michael@accessnews.com.auWalls Admin and General: info@accessnews.com.au Editor: Dallas dallas@accessnews.com.auSherringham TravelNewsroomEditor:Dallas dallas@accessnews.com.auSherringham Advertising sales Julie colin@accessnews.com.auColinjulie@accessnews.com.auJacksonLinks Administration Rebecca rebecca@accessnwes.com.auSwaleh Design and production Design2Pro, Ju Ju Graphics. Platinum Media Partner 2 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 SECTIONS CENTRAL TRUSTEDCOAST'SLOCALMEDIAVOICEReadthedigitaledition24/7atourwebsite Our Broadcast Partner www.netwerx.tv - NETWERX is a broadcast hub that hosts and creates videos of public interest and commercial benefit. www.coastba.com.auEDITOr’S pICKS News 3 Emma McBride 7 Adam Crouch 9 Budget Roundup ....................... 16 Local Business Awards 17 Magazine 22 Property 23 Auto 24 Travel ........................................ 26 Trends 28 Fitness 29 Mental Health 30 Films 31 STADIUM ON THE MARKET One of Australia’s most picturesque venues is offcially on the market,with Central Coast Stadium accept naming rights offers. 10 ACHIEVING TO THE MAX Hundreds of people packed The Entertainment Grounds facility at Gosford Racetrack for the Graduation of the Max Potential program. BIGGEST WHINGERS BY NAME If your name is David or Sarah, congratulations, you are famous for complaining most about anything and everything. $10.5M NORTH AVOCA BARGAIN Atlassian tech guru Scott Farquhar has set a record beach-front price for the Central Coast Queenslander style property. 23 LANES EVENT HAS PROMISE The successful Parramatta Lanes event should be the blue print for a similar event to reinvigorate Coast tourism. 5 BUSINESS BOUNCING BACK Floods of this severity and frequency have been devastating for our community. See what grants are available. 7 Watch locally made films. Stay up to date on infrastructure. Watch profiles of regional leaders. www.netwerx.tv Local entertainment 2212 1 BUSINESS LIFESTYLEAU UST – SEpTE BErEDITION www.coastba.com.au40

Bowlo rises from the ashes SharkSmart keeping Coast safe Vote for businesslocalfavouriteyour inside The region will be really rocking in Septemberwhen the inaugural Central Coast Music Festivalgoes live in September. And the Festival alreadyhas the potential to be a huge event of the chosebefore their chord has been struck and the firstbows have been taken. Central Coast Council haspartnered with an array of local artists, venues andorganisations to host the first ever Central Coast MusicFestival when it takes centre stage at Gosford with anarray of live music and workshops, culminating witha major concert. The Festival will debut on Saturday,September 17 and will deliver a live music festivalunlike any other event in the region. More page 6. ROCKS

The blaze broke out in the gaming area of the popular bowlo, known official ly as The Greens The Entrance just before midnight, tearing through the TAB, func tion room, main bar and lounge. It took firefighters several hours to get the fire under control. Founded in 1939, it was one of the first bowling clubs on the Central Coast. Now the Development Application for The Greens has finally been approved. Mingara Leisure Group announced the Development Application for The Greens had been approved by the Central Coast Regional Planning Panel. After lengthy delays, this was her alded as great news for club members of The Greens – The Entrance, and the local community, who have been without their club for more than two years. Mingara Leisure Group, Chief Exec utive Officer Paul Barnett said he was pleased the construction project for The Greens could finally begin. “This project has received great support from the local community and Central Coast Council and our members have been incredibly patient as we have navigated this process,” Mr Barnett said. “The unprecedented times we have all endured over the last two years have contributed to longer than expected timeframes, so this DA approval is a great news story for the local community.” Extra car parking required The DA has been approved with deferred consent, requiring Mingara Lei sure Group to address some unresolved encroachment issues with the property boundaries.Someof which date back to when the club first began 80 years ago. In addi tion, extra car parking will be required between Taylor St and Park Rd. Mr Barnett said while these items were being remedied with Central Coast Council, Mingara Leisure Group would move forward with preparing construc tion“Wedocumentation.envisagea12-month construction timeline for this project and expect to start building mid-2023.”

“This acquisition is another positive step forward in redeveloping The Greens, The Entrance and securing the future of the club for many years to come.”

“Pleasingly, the Development Appli cation approval also includes the two cov ered bowling greens, which were part of our original amalgamation proposal with The Greens. It will be great to deliver this project as intended to our members,” Mr Barnett said.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 3www.coastba.com.au NEWS

In addition to the building project, Mingara Leisure Group has also received approval from Central Coast Council to purchase the land parcel. “We are working with Council on the re-classification of this land, which will take some time to be finalised before the purchase can be completed.”

Bowlo rises from the ashes

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

Mingara Leisure Group is a leader in the NSW Registered Clubs industry with extensive expertise and success in the amalgamation and management of Registered Clubs. Artist impression of the new bowlo.

THE Entrance’s much loved bowling club could be dubbed “The Phoenix” when it rises from the ashes of disas ter in mid-2024. Construction will finally begin midway through next year to replace the bowling club which was ravaged by fire during reconstruction around midnight on March 2, 2020. The historic Club was forced to tem porarily close its doors, after fire ripped through the building.

REPLACEMENT CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY

Further information, including an application form for the next round, can be found here: www.mensshed.org/development-grants.

4 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.auNEWS

Funding for Men’s Sheds

T HE Albanese Government is providing much needed funds to our men’s sheds. A total of $500,000 will be provided through the latest round of Na tional Men’s Sheds Programme (NSDP) funding. Across Australia, 153 men’s sheds will receive up to $10,000. Funds will be used to buy computers, host health and wellbeing events, make shed improvements, or purchase tools to use in the shed. Applications for the next round of NSDP open on Friday, August 19, with interested sheds encouraged to apply by Tuesday 27 September.

SHARKSMART WILL KEEP COAST SAFE With a new listening station

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM GETTING nipped by a hidden shark at a local beach is big worry for Central Coast surfers and swim mers but all that is about to change. The sharks are set to be put on the back foot ….err flipper…by a new tracking system being introduced on the Coast.Anew tagged shark listening station has been rolled out on the Coast, as part of the NSW Government’s 2021-22 Shark Management Program. Parliamentary Secretary for the Coast Adam Crouch said the Coast was the latest location to take possession of the extra shark mitigation technology, with a tagged shark listening station deployed off Soldiers Beach. “This means when a tagged shark comes close to the coastline off Soldiers Beach and surrounding beaches, every one using our SharkSmart app will know about it instantly, including Surf Life Saving NSW and Central Coast Council lifeguards,” Mr Crouch said. “As part of the NSW Government’s Shark Management Program, every Local Government Area along the NSW coastline will have at least one of these state-of-the-art units at ocean beaches in their“Overall,area.an additional 16 shark listening stations will be installed up and down the NSW coastline this year, increasing the State’s network to 37. “The NSW Department of Primary Industries has worked with local author ities on determining the best placement of these units in coastal locations and I’m very pleased to see this unit being installed right here in our region.”

DETECT TARGET SHARKS Shark listening stations detect the presence of tagged target sharks - White, Tiger and Bull sharks- swimming within 500M of the listening station and provide real-time alerts to the public and beach authorities via Twitter @ NSWSharkSmart and the SharkSmart app.This data also provides important insights into the movements of sharks in our waters. The NSW Government encourages all beachgoers to be SharkSmart when entering the ocean or estuarine environ ments and download the SharkSmart app. For more information, visit sharksmart.nsw.gov.au.

The Greater Cities Commission’s role is to bring together the cities of the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcas tle, Central Coast, Greater Sydney and Illawarra-Shoalhaven to create a globally competitive city region. There were discussions on how to build the region into a world class city and plenty of ideas were tossed up, but there were two glaring omissions – who is going to ‘sell’ the region to the world and who is going to convince reluctant residents of the Coast to support the proposals.ManyCentral Coast residents moved to the region to get away from the ‘Big City Rat Race’ and the last thing they want is for the region to plunge into big industry and mass population growth.

„ COMMENT BY SHERRINGHAMDALLAS

THE highly successful Parramatta Lanes event should be the blueprint for a similar event to reinvigorate an ailing tourist spot on the Central Coast such as The Entrance. City of Parramatta Council scooped a prestigious accolade for its flagship food, music and art festival, Parramatta Lanes, at this year’s Local Government Week Awards.The2021 Parramatta Lanes was awarded the RH Dougherty Award for Innovation in Special Events, recognising its creative approach to adapting the event post lockdown.

Continued planning and develop ment to shape the future of the Central Coast city is fundamental to the Six Cit ies vision. But how much planning can you do before someone has to act? I recently visited Los Angeles as guest of Las Vegas, Disney, Universal, Knotts Berry Farm and Anaheim Visitors Bureau and the overwhelming feature was how they ‘sell’ their tourism and community product to the world. Visit Anaheim has a team of 35 push ing the region while Singapore Enter prise has more than 30 staff. In Australia, the highly successful Townsville Enterprise has a team of 25 people pushing North Queensland to the world. While it might seem silly to compare the Coast to these cities, when you take on globalization, these are your oppo sition. To be successful, you have to not only match them, but you have to come up with a program that sets you above them. If the Greater City Commission wants to help the Coast, they have to put their funds into marketing the region rather than planning the region. Plans and ideas and concepts are only the start of regional progress. Like all businesses, great selling is the ultimate key to success. Artist impression of the development. Parramatta Lanes.

EMERGENCY response on major motorways will be significantly improved with an amendment to the road rules which will allow all emergen cy service vehicles, including those driven by volunteers, to legally and safely use U-turn bays.

Parramatta Lanes is one of NSW’s most popular festivals, connecting communities with a celebration of food, music and art. Last year’s event welcomed people back to the city with live music and comedy shows at local bars and restau rants, as well as a ‘COVID-friendly’ interactive augmented reality art trail that led visitors on a unique journey through the CBD streets and showcased the creative work of some of Australia’s top emerging artists. Parramatta Lanes was also award ed the Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event at the Australian Event Awards for Council’s 2020 hybrid event, which combined home-delivered meals with online live-streamed entertainment.

Summit vision needs to be sold

The Coast already has the successful Wyong Lanes Promotion which shows there is a major market for events like this on the Coast. The State Govern ment is enthusiastically backing new regional events which means money is available.Whether the event is held in The Entrance, Gosford or Budgewoi it would be a major tourism boost for the Coast. However, the once thriving tourism hotspot The Entrance would ideal for such an event. The point is here is a tourist product that is sure to work. And the Coast’s tourism industry outside of Terrigal, is suffering since Central Coast Council decided to outsource promotion. Central Coast Access would strongly support Lanes event at The Entrance, Budgewoi or Gosford.

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

Central Coast Council CEO David Farmer said the new Gosford Waterfront Masterplan could drive a modern era of business and visitor economy. The waterfront is possibly the area with the biggest potential for develop ment on the East Coast of Australia. Central Coast Business Access be lieves council should launch a worldwide competition amongst tourism experts calling for a unique concept for the wa terfront which will set it apart from sim ilar developments. This should include a marketing program for Gosford backed by the State Govt. One of the major problems on the wa terfront is the Central Coast Hwy-Dane Dr which was built too close to the water to allow for development. It would need to be moved 100m to the north to allow for proper development. Apart from the never ending water front saga, the key priorities to maximise industry development were discussed in volving health, food technology, tourism, technology knowledge, advanced manu facturing, construction and education.

GOSFORD WATERFRONT PLANS

Lanes event ideal for The Entrance

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 5www.coastba.com.au NEWS

-Dallas Sherringham is Editor in Chief of Mature Traveller, Cruise Magazine and Luxury Traveller. He is Travel Editor for Access News Group.

GOSFORD waterfront has been the most talked about redevelopment proposal in the history of the Cen tral Coast with more 50 years of forgotten ideas and shattered dreams to show for the journey. It was under the spotlight again the Central Coast summit earlier this month, with two proposals considered in build ing the capital of the region into a viable attractive city of the future.

Tagged ‘The Central Coast City Summit: Planning for Skills and Innova tion’ it was officially launched by NSW Minister for Skills and Innovation Alister Henskens.TheSummit was a collaboration between the Greater Cities Commission, Business NSW and the University of Newcastle.

Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said the amendment to Road Rule 317 will bring emer gency services organisations like the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and State Emergency Service (SES) into line with other first responders across the State. “Amending the road rules means emergency service workers will be able to legally and safely use U-turn bays on major motorways when responding to inci dents. This is just another step we are taking to help support our emergency services who are out there saving lives and livelihoods,” Mrs Ward said. The Road Rule change will be gazetted and take effect in the coming weeks.

There has been a lot of backlash on Social Media about plans to turn the Coast into another big city. Convincing still needed The Greater Cities Commission has to convince residents to go along with their Plan. Coast business leaders on the other hand, are solidly behind the proposal. And who is going to ‘sell’ the global city concept to the world? The failed Central Coast Council showed no interest in chasing big industry and big money for the region. They were more interested in chasing it away.

Road rule change for emergencies

Toby Wells - Fredericos

6 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.au

INAUGURAL

FESTIVAL SET TO GO

The Coast is ready to rock „ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM THE region will be really rocking in September when the inaugural Cen tral Coast Music Festival goes live in AndSeptember.theFestival already has the potential to be a huge event of the chose before their chord has been struck and the first bows have been taken. Central Coast Council has partnered with an array of local artists, venues and organisations to host the first ever Cen tral Coast Music Festival when it takes centre stage at Gosford with an array of live music and workshops, culminating with a major concert. The Festival will debut on Saturday September and will deliver a live music festival unlike any other event in the region. Throughout the week, the program offers a mix of stadium concerts and in timate performances at a range of venues in the Gosford CBD as well as pop-up experiences and workshops.

Council Administrator Rik Hart said it was great to see more live events being held on the Central Coast again. “With public events being cancelled or put online during the COVID pandem ic, it’s great to see the Coast coming to life again with more and more communi ty events,” Mr Hart said. “The Central Coast Music Festival has a wide range of music spanning all genres. Whether it’s participating in a workshop, enjoying some live music or attending the main event, make sure you get out and about and check out the festival.”

The Central Coast Leagues Club is the major partner of the Central Coast Music Festival which will be held in and around Gosford CBD. The full program of live gigs, workshops, pop up perfor mances and the main event can be found online at: sicfestivalwww.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/centralcoastmu

Dan Sultan (Headliner) - Main Event (1)

The Moving Stills

NEWS

LeahNEAVBrett

Council Director Community and Recreation Services Melanie Smith said the Music Festival had been created to contribute to the growth and develop ment of the local music industry on the Coast.“The Festival will give local musos a platform to showcase their talents and offerings through live gigs and work shops,” Ms Smith said. “This new event has been designed to not only appeal to the local music industry, but also engage with the wider community to create a lively experience for everyone. “It’s more than live music, it’s also a chance for you to tap into your inner musician and learn something new whether its DJing, music production, acapella, music photography or publish ing – there’s bound to be something in the program for you.” Gosford CBD will be a hub of live music from September 10 to 18, with the major concert being held on Saturday September 17 at Central Coast Stadium. Dan Sultan will headline a stellar line-up of acts at the stadium, including Pierce Brothers, Moving Stills and NEAV, which means festivalgoers can kick back and enjoy the music with a range of deli cious food and beverage options, as well as many musical surprises throughout the day.

Kelly Griffith - South End Social

Georgie Winchester Howard Shearman

Emma McBride is Member for Dobell and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Preven tion and Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health Emma McBride, Dr. Gordon Reid, David Harris, and Senator Murray Watt with SES crews in Wyong.

The Albanese Government will make sure our business community has the support it needs to bounce back. Whether its financial assistance or access to mental health support, there is help available.

Helping businesses bounce back „ EMMA MCBRIDE

The Disaster Recovery Payment is available for eligible locals who have su ered a significant loss during the floods Find out if you are eligible through Services Australia and apply through MyGov

COmmENT with Emma McBride

O n July 1, the Central Coast was hit by yet another natural disaster. Flood waters inundated homes and businesses across the Coast, caused widespread blackouts, and isolated entire towns. Some locals said it was the worst flood they had seen in a long time. It was also our third flood in just four years.Floods of this severity and fre quency have been devastating for our community.Notjust for residents, but also for businesses and sole traders. We know for some it will take a long time to recover and support is desperately needed. That’s why the Albanese Govern ment acted quickly and worked with the NSW Government to roll out disas ter assistance across the state. Under the Disaster Recovery Fund ing Arrangements, we are providing help to locals and business owners who have lost or damaged belongings during the floods. We are also providing concessional interest rate loans for small business es, primary producers, and non-profit organisations who have suffered direct damage because of this disaster. We are providing freight subsidies for primary producers and recovery grants of up to $75,000, as well as $50,000 grants for small businesses and not-for-profits who need help with theirTherecovery.Australian Government Disas ter Recovery Payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child is available for people who have suffered a significant loss, while the Di saster Recovery Allowance will provide employees and sole traders with up to 13 weeks of support if they have lost income because of this disaster. Locals will have until 10 January 2023 to lodge a claim through MyGov, and they can contact Services Australia to find out if they’re eligible. This support will play a key role in helping local businesses and workers get back on their feet. But we also recognise this isn’t the only support locals will need. Targeting mental health That’s why we’ve announced $13.1M to deliver targeted mental health support for flood-affected communi ties across NSW, including the Central Coast.Part of this funding will go towards Wellbeing and Resilience grants for the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network to help locals recover from this disaster. As the Assistant Minister for Men tal Health and Suicide Prevention, I understand traumatic events like this take a toll on individuals and commu nities.Inthe coming weeks and months, we can expect a surge in demand for mental health support and I want peo ple to know there is support available. Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate support through Lifeline (13 11 14), the Head to Health phoneline (1800 595 212) or head to the Government’s digital mental health gateway at www.headtohealth.gov.au.

$1000 for Adults $400 for Children

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 7www.coastba.com.au

SERVICE DESIGNED AROUND YOU HOME LOAN ANZ Mobile Lending Shop 3, 1A London Drive, Wyong OPEN 7 DAYS WE CAN TOBATTERIESSUPPLYYOURBUSINESSWECANCOMETOYOU SUNSATMON-FRI 9:00am-1:00pm8:00am-3:00pm7:30am-5:00pm 4351Wyong3738 LondonDr PacificHighway

REPLACES FORMER LOOPS I did my research as usual and found that the new line would replace two passing loops between Tuggerah and Wyong which closed down in the 1990s. Rail experts have always maintained that the travel times quoted by visiting Federal and State Ministers were “Impos sible” because of the design of the net work which restricts speeds through the urban network from Hornsby to Central via AnyStrathfield.plansfor a Very fast Train link would need a whole new underground route from Sydney or Parramatta to the Hawkesbury River, a difficult tunnel un der the River and a new route to Ourim bah and on to Newcaste.

Treasurer Matt Kean jumped on the Fast Train wagon and said the project “would help transform NSW”. “We’re committing $500m towards early works, planning and further de velopment of the line that will initially minimise delays and eventually allow high speed travel and drastically cut travel times,” Mr Kean said. “This will create tens of thousands of jobs and significantly boost the econo my.”Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch was more restrained and realistic in his support. He said the NSW Government’s com mitment for rail improvements on the Central Coast “builds on a Federal Gov ernment commitment to this great part of the state”. “This investment will help improve the capacity and reliability of the inter city network and will make journeys to and from our region faster and easier for Central Coast commuters,” Mr Crouch said. “This is in addition to the $300M investment in the state-of-the-art rail maintenance yard in Kangy Angy, which has helped create over 90 full time jobs for Central Coast locals. Site investigations as part of the proj ect are scheduled to commence before the end of 2022.

We’ve heard it all before „ DALLAS SHERRRINGHAM PREMIER Dominic Perrottet and the national media have combined to turn a very important announce ment of improved rail service for the Central Coast into a ‘fantasy’. “Sydney to Gosford in 25 minutes,” boomed newsreaders on multiple TV news services. “Sydney to Newcastle in an hour!” The Fast Train was back. Some even claimed it was the ‘Vey Fast Train’. The ABC even used a photo of a French Very Fast Train to illustrate its story. Of course, we have heard it all before on the Central Coast – at every election since time immemorial. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even pulled it down off the shelf and attempted to use it at the recent Fed eral election with a $500m grant, but someone must have tapped him on the shoulder and told him Coast people think it is a farce. It quickly went back on the shelf.To be fair, the Premier did give the Fast Train a mention quoting fanciful times in his announcement of $500m in improvements to the Tuggerah-Wyong rail line. What he said was the $500M com mitment in the 2022-23 NSW Budget would bring ‘faster rail’ a step closer, along with quicker and more reliable connections between Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle. The funding will go to the first stage of the Northern Corridor, helping build two new electrified rail tracks between Tuggerah and Wyong, new platforms and station upgrades, new bridges including over the Wyong River and safeguarding future fast rail connections to the north and south, subject to agreement with the new Federal Government. But then he went a step too far. “The NSW Government’s Fast Rail vision could slash travel times between Sydney and Newcastle to one hour, Syd ney and Gosford to 25 minutes and Syd ney to Wollongong in just 45 minutes.”

8 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.auNEWS ALL ABOARD THE PREMIER EXPRESSION

And the media went into a frenzy as the Premier went on. “We’re committed to a rail network that helps shape our State’s growth for the next century, starting with improve ments to cut delays and lay the foun dations for making faster travel times a reality,” Mr Perrottet said. “This investment will improve reli ability and increase capacity in the rail network helping deliver better services closer to home for the people on the Cen tral Coast as we plan a brighter future for the people across the State.”

Tranquil backwaters around Brisbane Water are a million miles from the hustle and bustle of Wadalba and Woongarrah in the north where whole suburbs are springing up “overnight”. The new Council will inevitably mean a mixture of representatives who want to maintain the status quo and those who want to plan for the future, with 75,000 people stampeding up the M1 by 2040. This clash needs to be resolved so that the region can progress responsibly while meeting the expectations of residents who want to enjoy “the quiet life” on the Coast. Ratepayers have to face the fact that the last council failed because most of the people they elected to represent them had largely no corporate experience or fiscal responsibility.Thefinancial position of council is the cornerstone of Local Government. Coun cilors are elected to manage the finances of the ratepayers At Central Coast Coun cil the financial position was hardly ever mentioned in my experience of covering meetings. Most projects were put before council unfunded and it was then up to the Coun cil management to find staff and funding to investigate an inordinate amount of trivial matters and personal agendas such as “rising seawater retreat from the Coast”, “provision of soap in public toilets” and a “climate emergency”. Council had a long history of shuffling money around to cover costs, often ille gally and this was allowed to go on while councilors dabbled in personal projects and voted as a bloc to ensure some coun cilors never had a project approved. It eventually went broke – to the tune of $600m.So,the kind of councilors we appoint in two years’ time is vital to our future.

Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart said the Minister’s announce ment now provided Council with a date to work towards and time to implement the Public Inquiry Commissioner’s recom mendations. “Council has made significant progress in stabilising the organisation, holding local government elections in 2024 allows Council to ensure a solid foundation for a newly elected body,” Mr Hart said. The Constitutional Referendum to determine the future number of Central Coast Councilors will be held in line with the local government election. Council has acknowledged the Min ister’s support in-principle of the eight recommendations made by Commissioner Roslyn McCulloch following the public inquiry and will address the outstanding recommendations prior to the return of Councilors.

STADIUM SEEKS NAMING RIGHTS PARTNER

“We believe Central Coast Stadium presents as an unrivalled naming rights opportunity - a truly unique proposition for a prospective Naming Rights Partner looking to increase brand awareness and the value of their brand,” said Ms Casey. “The stadium is one of the most beautiful properties in Australian sport and entertainment and its location gives our naming rights partner access to the 350,000 residents of the Central Coast and valuable exposure to the 5.5 million people living in Sydney and Newcastle. “There will also be broadcast and media exposure from up to 40 sporting, entertainment and community events held each year at the Stadium.”

Central Coast Stadium is the hub of sport and entertainment on the Coast, a purpose-built rectangular stadium and the home of the Central Mariners A-Leagues football club. It regularly hosts NRL and interna tional rugby, and other sport and enter tainment events. The stadium has also become a centre of celebration on the Coast, hosting regular business, commu nity, charity and cultural events. The stadium is the last Tier 2 stadium naming rights property available in NSW, with the major stadiums in Syd ney, Newcastle and Wollongong signed to long-term naming rights agreements.

10 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.auNEWS

Work to start on Tuggerah Station Coast Council: New era or same old? „ DALLAS SHERRRINGHAM ANEW Central Coast Council will be elected in 2024 and it will be the most critical poll in the history of Local Government in this deeply divided region. Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said the election for Council would be held on September 14, 2024, as part of the general Statewide poll. It will be a momentous occasion for the financially battered region. Coast business needs a progressive, responsi ble corporate based Council to allow the region to expand and progress. But there is also a strong pushback in the region against overdevelopment and an ever increasing influx of newcomers without the infrastructure to handle them.

ONE of Australia’s most picturesque venues is officially on the market, with Central Coast Stadium accept ing proposals to become the venue’s new naming rights partner. VenuesLive, the newly appointed operator of the stadium on behalf of Cen tral Coast Council, has started the search for a new partner to enjoy significant benefits and exposure over the 5-to-10yearKathterm.Casey, venue manager of Central Coast Stadium, said the partnership offer was a dream opportunity for a leading company to get their brand before the eyes of millions of potential customers and to strengthen relationships within the burgeoning Central Coast region.

The Central Coast is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia with the Greater Sydney Commission developing a strategic plan for the Coast on behalf of the NSW Government that focusses on economic opportunities and employment growth. The NSW and Federal Governments have pledged $1B for a fast-rail link between Sydney and the Central Coast. Rail travel between Sydney and Gosford will be reduced to just 25 minutes on a fast-rail link between the two cities. A university campus in Gosford is also in the Msplanning.Casey said: “We’re giving leading companies the chance to be part of an exciting new era and embed their brand in the fabric of the Central Coast – a booming growth region. “The Stadium is a much-loved community asset, delivering significant economic benefits to the region while acting as a focal point for community pride and a sense of place within the Central Coast.”

VenuesLive will undergo the process of receiving proposals and shortlisting potential partners with confirmation of a preferred naming rights partner expect ed by the end of August. To express interest in this unique naming rights opportunity, please go to www.centralcoaststadi um.com.au/namingrights

Central Coast Stadium. Artist impression of the project.

ACCESS to the Tuggerah railway sta tion will soon become a lot easier for all customers, with early work now underway on $34M accessibil ity upgrades.Ministerfor Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the upgrades would make it easier for everyone to ac cess public transport services, including people with a disability, with mobility aids, parents or carers with prams, and travellers with luggage. “The upgrade of Tuggerah Station in volves installing new lifts and stairs and a new pedestrian footbridge, connecting the Pacific Highway, commuter car park and station platforms,” Mr Farraway said. “Other features will include a family accessible toilet and ambulant toilets, a widened platform for improved custom er accessibility and upgraded station entrances, including new and improved footpaths.“There will be 15 accessible parking spaces made available in the commuter car park, upgraded bus stops and pick up and drop offs will be easier with a dedicated drop off zone. Parliamentary Secretary for the Cen tral Coast Adam Crouch said in prepa ration for major work to start later this year, early work has commenced. “The station upgrade is part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, which has committed almost $600 million since 2011 to deliver mod ern, integrated and accessible transport facilities across regional NSW, Mr Couch said. All efforts will be made to minimise impacts to commuters where possible, and to enable adherence to strict envi ronmental conditions relating to noise, vibration, and dust management. For more information about the Transport Access Program, visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ projects-tap.

Central Coast Stadium is “on the market”

RSL BACKS A WINNER

The students are given one-on-one coaching over six months including ex perimental workshops and delivering a community service pitch. Guest speakers at the Celebration included the Federal Member for Rob ertson Dr Gordon Reid, Gosford RSL CEO Russell Cooper and Member for Gosford Leisl Tesch. They all encour aged the students to set goals and follow their dreams. A stunning video by star of The Voice Sunrise Michelle from Narara Valley High School called “Make It Happen” was shown as winner of the Personal Expression section. Community coach Leonie White explained her personal journey and how much being part of the program enriched her life. Gosford High School’s star in the making Siddhartha ‘Sid’ Bezwada had the crowd in awe as he described his personal journey in the Young Adult Reflection. (We will present a special feature on Sid on our next edition). The students, coaches and sponsors were presented with certificates by Gosford RSL President Gary Young, Russell Cooper and Leisl Tesch. All in all an outstanding program developing our leaders of the future.

12 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.auNEWS GOSFORD

Workforce shortages need solutions

The graduating students of Max Potential with their Certificates of Achievement with Leisl Tesch.

Star of The Voice Sunrise Michelle from Narara Valley High whose stunning video “Make It Happen” opened the Celebration.

Future stars of the Coast

IT’S very apt that one of the first announcements of the new Albanese Government was that it would hold a Na tional Jobs and Skills Summit at Parliament House in Can berra from September 1-2. The summit will bring together representatives from business, other employers, unions and governments to address the workforce shortage crisis that has emerged in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will also inform a subsequent Employment White Paper to help shape the future of Australia’s labourHeremarket.onthe Central Coast, the work force shortage crisis is arguably as chal lenging as it is anywhere and is hurting local businesses of every shape and size. This is reflected in our record high local job vacancies, over 2,000 at last count and more than double what it was two years ago, according to the Internet Job Vacancy Index. This corresponds with record low unemployment rates (3.6 per cent) and numbers of people (5,470) in July 2022. In July 2019 our unemployment rate was 6.5 per cent. To ensure our perspective is heard at the highest levels, Business NSW is working with the Australian Chamber who will represent the Australian Cham ber movement at the National Jobs and Skills Summit to put forward realistic, achievable solutions. So, what are the solutions to the wicked problem of, put simply, not enough workers to service a growing economy?Our2022 skills survey confirmed that worker shortages are the biggest chal lenge facing businesses right now, which in turn means that this is the greatest obstacle to Australia’s economic recovery andAprospects.recordhigh 93 per cent of business es are experiencing a skills shortage, far higher than in 2021 (73 per cent) 2019 (55 per cent) and 2017 (59 per cent). Less than 1 per cent reported that the staff shortages were having no effect on the business and every industry is being almost equally affected. Supported by this data and other feedback direct from the business com munity, Business NSW is advocating for two broad solutions that are achievable, direct and will deliver more workers into the areas of our econo my most in need. One is to streamline the skills pipeline for ‘homegrown’ workers, and the other is to grow our total workforce through migration. Governments and businesses across Australia are making welcome invest ments in skilling - and re-skilling - local people to fill key roles in the areas men tioned. In short, this requires a strong stream of jobseekers being referred into training programs that, once completed, can fill key workforce gaps locally accord ing to employer need. An example getting runs on the board locally is our own Gosford Indus try Training Hub, funded by the Federal Government and delivered by Business NSW. Our Careers Facilitator woks with State Government representatives, ca reers advisors and industry to connect to vocational training pathways.

Paula Martin „ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM HUNDREDS of people packed The Entertainment Grounds facility at Gosford Racetrack last week for the Graduation and Celebration Ceremony of the outstanding Max Po tentialSponsoredprogram.by the Gosford RSL, Max Potential is a Leadership Development initiative that connects the Coast’s best and brightest high school students with local community and business leaders who have been trained as coaches.

The following three immigration solutions would make a very real and very fast difference without hindering the growth of our home-grown pipeline. First, we need to reward those inter national workers on temporary visas that are due to expire in the next 12 months with a further automatic two-year exten sion that is rolled over and requires no application or fee to ease administration delays. Second, we need to motivate inter national students to return to our shores and those who are here to stay longer. The government should implement longer temporary graduate visas of four years and at the same time maintain the temporary relaxation of working hours for existing student visa holders while there remains a critical labour shortage. Finally, we need to encourage skilled migrants back into Australia and support more employers to sponsor migrants by making the visa process easier, cheaper and faster. Clearing the backlog of visa ap plications is a good start, with easier pathways to permanent residency and citizenship a must.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 13www.coastba.com.au NEWS

Gosford RSL Club CEO Russell Cooper said the club was extremely proud of its longstanding sponsorship of the Leadership Program. Outstanding young leader of the future Siddhartha ‘Sid’ Bezwada from Gosford High who gave a stunning Young Adult Reflection Speech. Guest Speaker Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid encouraged students to follow their dreams.

Image is for illustrative purposes only. J006615 (formerly Blacktown Workers Club Group). Brought to you by Workers Blacktown is bringing Parkside Lifestyle Community to life, right next to Workers Sports, promising a village exclusively for over 55’s to enjoy, share and most importantly... live every day. To learn more, visit our website and register your interest to receive updates. parkside lifestyle.com.au

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 15www.coastba.com.au

COmmENT Adam Crouch

Employment and Safety Excitingly, this budget is poised to benefit our Central Coast’s employment market. As part of the $1.3 billion invest ment for the next stage of the Regional Job Creation Fund, we will soon be the home to a brand-new Mountain Bike Park at Glenworth Valley. Current workplaces will be able to benefit from the launch of a Respect at Work Taskforce focussed on stopping sexual harassment in the workplace, partnered with a $30 million anti-ha rassment initiative centralised on public spaces, parkland, and public trans port. This will foster a safe and secure workplace environment, extending to community common areas and transport networks. Education Support Another brilliant feature of this budget is the investment into early child hood education. Over 10 years, upwards of $5.8 billion will be used to deliver universal pre-kindergarten for all NSW children by 2030. This is complimented by a $37.9 million investment into before and after school care services. Further, a $281.6 million workforce package is set to boost the early childhood sector as $1.4 billion is invested over four years to provide up to $4,000 in pre-school fund ing relief for families. I know this will immensely benefit our working popula tion and will provide children increased opportunity to learn and socialise with their cohort, developing key basic skills and improving their early childhood development.OurNSW State Government is also set to better support women in small business by investing $15 million over the next four years to provide free access to TAFE courses and professional advice. Women looking for work will also be able to apply for grants of up to $5,000 avail able to fund a new work wardrobe, the necessary technology, and any additional training as part of a $32 million invest ment. This provides a major boost for an individual’s employability and access to opportunities; I implore all those eligible to take advantage of these services.

Travel Subsidies Residents of the Central Coast region will be able to benefit from a fantastic in vestment into reducing the costs of trav el. Specifically, this includes a total spend of $98 million in providing all Regional Apprentices and University Students a $250 prepaid travel card, as well as an extension of the Regional Seniors Travel Program. An investment of $32 million will also benefit motorists, where individuals are able to save up to $750 on toll costs as part of a relief package, receiving a 40% rebate when more than $375 is spent within a year. I know this will partic ularly benefit our region’s commuters, putting money back into the pockets of workers and businesses alike. To learn more about how this budget can benefit you or your business, please do not hesitate to get in contact with your nearest Service NSW Centre to book a Savings Finder Assessment at service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/savings-finderhttps://www.

The recent delivery of the 2022-23 NSW State Budget has the Coast in its focus, ensuring reform and substantial support for the community and local businesses.

„ BY ADAM CROUCH

Environment and Climate Change

2022-23 NSW Budget:Supporting Our Coast

I am proud to celebrate the an nouncement of the First Home Buyer Choice program. This is designed to man age the housing shortage, where $728.6 million has been invested into delivering quality, accessible and affordable housing across New South Wales. Of this, $500 million will be used to unlock land and accelerate the development of housing infrastructure. Undoubtedly, our Central Coast will benefit from this funding, allowing first-time buyers feasible entry into the housing market. The Together Home Project is set to benefit many fantastic organisations across the Central Coast, where $37 million will actively support those who are on a trajectory of homelessness. Of this commitment, the Central Coast will receive $5.84 million in upgrades to social housing. This is a fantastic funding boost to local organisations which is set to improve quality of life and improve in dividual capacity and capability, funding long-term housing.

Housing and Cost of Living

Infrastructure The Central Coast has not missed out on infrastructure, awarded multiple projects set to improve town centres, key roads, and public transport. Specifically, $7.3 million has been designated to the Warnervale Town Cen tre Water and Sewer plan, and $6.8 mil lion to the Mardi Water Treatment Plant Upgrade. $159,000 has been pledged to the commencement of Stage 2 upgrades at Carrington Street Oval, Narara, as well as $91,000 to build practice wickets at Baker Park, Wyong, and $134,000 to ensure the delivery of Saratoga Sailing Club’s Security, Equity, Accessibility, and Sustainability Project. These projects are set to continue supporting community engagement, ensuring our Central Coast will con tinue to be a clean, happy, and healthy community. As for our roads, the budget indicates $5.46 million for planning and precon struction of Mann’s Road, $7 million to commence construction at McMaster’s Road/Blackwall Road, $26 million to continue the widening of the Pacific Highway at Lisarow. I know that this will make a huge difference to the lives of Central Coast locals, improving the driv ing experience and ensuring longevity of our transport network. I am also keen to acknowledge the NSW Government’s commitment of $999 million to continue the delivery of the new Intercity Fleet of trains which are set to service our region, as well as a further $1.5 million to continue planning and construction of Tuggerah’s Commut er Car Park and $27.7 million to expand and upgrade Tuggerah Station. Such investments will have immense benefit for commuters, ensuring a more reliable and modern experience.

As the Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, I am keen to celebrate the budget’s focus on managing the cost of living, and continual delivery of infrastructure. The areas of health and regional development have particularly benefitted from this budget which is wholistically centred on reform. Central Coast locals should be confident in this budget which is designed to deliver for residents and businesses alike.

Further, as part of the Greater Sydney Commission, the Six Cities Project is set to receive a total of $30.2 million, of which the Central Coast is to receive $20.2 million. Such an immense financial boost will be directed to funding projects identified by the Central Coast Strategy. Health Our hardworking allied health employees, including the Central Coast Local Health District’s 8000 staff, are set to receive a 6% pay increase over the next two years, as well as a $3,000 bonus to acknowledge the additional support provided throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.Iamparticularly excited to highlight that the Central Coast will benefit from the NSW government’s $1.76 billion investment to increase full time hospi tal and health service staff positions by 10,148 places across the state. In addition, our region will host two of the 30 new ambulance stations, which will soon be built in Kincumber and Lisarow.

Central Coast residents have always placed major emphasis on the impor tance of maintaining our region’s natural beauty. I am proud to acknowledge that this budget sees a major boost to fire management in National Parks through a $598 million investment ensuring 250 positions of permanent employment with critical infrastructure upgrades. This will undoubtedly improve the safety of our National Parks, further provid ing peace of mind and reassurance for residents as the risk of bushfires on the Coast will be well-managed. An additional $93.7 million has also been committed to deliver the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy which is designed to prepare for the impacts of climate change, and to ensure new in vestment opportunities in NSW. I am also keen to highlight $38 million invested into charging infrastruc ture to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles across our state as part of a $663 million NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy.

TO say the last few years for Central Coast businesses dependent on in ternational freight has been a difficult one would be an under statement, according to the multi award winning team at Dyson LogisticsWith the rising cost of international freight and delays due to weather, war, COVID 19 and staffing shortag es in key logistics areas such trucking, a considerable strain has been placed on many Central Coast businesses. But Dyson Logistics, a full-service in ternational freight forwarding company, have been uniquely positioned to assist local businesses right here on the Coast. Being a local they have the ability to service Central Coast exporters and importers with rates and service un matched by companies based in Sydney who don’t always value their clients as individuals the same way Dyson Logistics“Beingdo.locat ed close to our clients has helps us areanotthanmuchtheirunderstandneedskeeneraforwarderbasedinthewouldhave the capacity to do,” Dyson Lo gistics CEO and Founder Kane Dyson“Thissaid.matched with the profession alism of our staff, their immense experi ence in the industry and our vast global network of agents has meant we have been able to lessen the burden and im pact on our clients, saving them consid erable time and money.” Dyson Logistics were rewarded for their efforts earlier in the year with an Australian Small Business Champions Awards in the Transport and Logistics category.Upagainst some stiff competition from our across Australia, they proudly represented the Central Coast on the night. Of their win, the judging panel had this to say: “Dyson Logistics is a well-re spected Central Coast icon who contin ues to grow their international freight forwarding business with integrity and pride. Wanting to break the logistics industry mould of profit at any cost, they focus their business attention on servic ing customers through great relation ships and with an understanding of trust and transparency.”

GLAMOUROUS Hair & Co Is an award-winning salon located in Hamlyn Terrace. They became established in together as a team in 2010, Salon Owner Lucy Mills West said. “The team members have one main passion and that is to provide an ex ceptional service. We build up our clients’ confidence with a friendly welcome and inclusive environment one hair appointment at a time,” Luci said. The salon offers a wide, luxurious range of colors and services. In fact, they are color, precision cutting and wedding specialists . “We cater for all clients including men’s ladies and children. We even hold pam per parties for little princesses to give them a birthday they will never forget. “We also offer off site wedding packages with hair and makeup services to make your wedding day one with ease. “We have been in business now for 12 amazing years and have grown from a mo bile hairdressing business to a team of five experienced stylists,” Luci said. Glamorous Hair & Co strives on professionalism and provides a space where you can become ‘your own kind of beautiful’.

Dyson: The experts on freight

Vote for your favourite business

16 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.auLOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg

Glamourous passion for service

Janine’s group is growing fast JANINE Hunter has a busy life head ing the well-known networking group, Women in Business Connect – Central Coast.Through her love of networking and trying to find her ‘tribe’, Janine started her own networking community for women solopreneurs and small to medium business owners. In almost two years she has grown the group to over 800 members and created a supportive community who find encourage ment and friendship through networking events and the Facebook group. “We will share tips, strategies and advice on a whole range of topics from sales to so cial media, list building, planning, launching and everything else in between,” Janine said. “Whether you are just starting out or looking to grow your existing business, or just learn a few new things then you are in the right “Rememberplace. you will only get as much out of a group as you put into it so I really encourage you to take the time to join in with conversations, get to know each other and share interesting information and tips,” Janine said.

Central Coast Bushiness Access is again proud to support the Central Coast Local Business Awards as media partner. Voting for the 2022 awards is now open. To vote for your favourite business simply scan the QR code on the advertisement to be linked to the businesses' voting page.

www.thebusinessawards.com.auwww.coastba.com.au

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 17www.coastba.com.au 34 York Street East Gosford 02 4324 3375 Scan the QR code to vote for Laserclear Cosmetic Clinic in the Cental Coast Local Business Awards. Scan the QR code to vote for Lotus Naturopathy & Massage in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. A: 4/53 Pacific Highway, Ourimbah NSW 2258 T: 02 4362 1146 E:Wadmin@lotusnaturopathy.com.au:www.lotusnaturopathy.com.au Shop 1, 110 Erina Street Gosford NSW 2250 P: 02 4324 6886 E: milkandhoneyhair@outlook.com W: www.milkandhoneyhairandbeauty.com.au Scan the QR code to vote for Milk & Honey Hair in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. Scan the QR code to vote for Mobility Hire and Sales in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. 3 Blackwall Road • Woy Woy 02 4342 www.mobilityhireandsales.com.au5208 Scan the QR code to vote for Nationwide Auto in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. Nationwide Auto Service Centre 5/401 Manns Road West Gosford NSW 2250 P: 02 4325 7133 E: nationwideauto@bigpond.com W: www.nationwideauto.repcoservice.net Northlakes Swim Centre 14 Ocean Street Budgewoi NSW 2262 02 4390 7627 Scan the QR code to vote for Northlakes Swim Centre in the Central Coast Local Business Awards Northlakes is Dedicated to Teaching Individuals to Swim Confidently and Safely LOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg

18 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.au Spices 29 Goan Indian Restaurant 34 Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy NSW 2256. info@spices29.com.auwww.spices29.com.au0243398225 Scan the QR code to vote for Spices 29 Goan Indian Restaurant in the Central Coast Local Business Awards Scan the QR code to vote for Star Automotive Repairs in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. Unit 5, 3 Koala Crescent, West Gosford Phone 4324 www.mechanicsgosford.com.au6172 Star Automotive Repairs MVRL49584 FINALIST LOCAL BUS ONESS CAL LNESS OCAL NESS AWARDS LOCAL BUS ONESS CAL LNESS OCAL NESS AWARDS WINNER Studio N Shop 2 490a The Entrance Road Erina Heights NSW 2260 Scan the QR code to vote for Studio N in the Central Coast Local Business Awards Scan the QR code to vote for Transitional Health & Fitness in the Central Coast Local Business Awards. 608/882 Pacific Highway Lisarow NSW 0404www.thfstudio.net.au2250391011 "We Deliver Real Results That Last" Scan the QR code to vote for West Gosford Family Vets in the Central Coast Local Business Awards West Gosford Family Vet 2/20 Jusfrute Drive West Gosford NSW 2250 (02) 4323 6023 info@westgosfordfamilyvetWestgosfordfamilyvet.com.com LOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg Scan the QR code to vote for Gorokan Guardian Pharmacy to become a finalist in the Central Coast Business Awards02.4392.213170WallarahRoadGorokanNSW2263 Shop for Health Products Online Your Friendly & Professional Chemist in Gorokan Our Gorokan Pharmacy Offers 45 Health Services Scan the QR code to vote for Women in Business to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards Women in Business Connect - Central Coast Janine Hunter Ph: 0414 393585 E: womeninbusinessconnectcc@gmail.com

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 19www.coastba.com.au Scan the QR code to vote for Albany Dental to become a finalist in the Central Coast Business Awards • Full range of cosmetic, general, dentistrypreventative&dentures • Affordable teeth whitening • Friendly caring staff • Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme 4324 1181 Suite 5, 215 Albany Street reception@albanydental.net.aualbanydental.net.auGOSFORD CALEAH & CO. 0413 614 hello@caleahandco.com445 Shop 2 197 The Round Drive Avoca Beach NSW 2251Caleah & Co to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards 2022 0 2 2222 2 LOCAL LBUSINESS OCALLO S SSESCE A N N LN L I SIBS B BU U AWARDS A AR R WRAW D AD A S S Bla kt C tyBlacktown City Scan the QR code to vote for Central Coast Floating Floors to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards 402 The Entrance Rd 402 The Entrance Rd, Long Jetty NSW2261 (02) 4326 1317 or Enquire Online Your car... your choice of repairer (02) 4324 admin@ccsmash.com.au4769 Scan the QR code to vote for Central Coast Smash Repairs to become a finalist in the Central Coast Business Awards INT E RN ATIONA L FR E IGHT F O R WARDE R TH E C E NTRA L C OAST’S OW N ph: ( 02) 4322-2246 • dyso n logis t ics .c o m WINNER Transport and Logistics Australian Small Business Champion Awards Scan the QR code to vote for Dyson Logistics to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards Scan the QR Code to vote for Fitted by Janine Hunter to become a nalist in the Central Coast Business Awards Janine Hunter | M: 0414 393 585 E: janine.hunter@intimo.com.au | Look and feel fabulous in your foundations. Book a Vir tual Bra Consultation here: ttedbyjaninehunter.as.me LOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg

Scan the QR code to vote for Mouthguard Studio to be a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards years of smash repairs ENTRAL Coast Smash Repairs has been established for more than over 40 years and in that time, they have built up an enviable reputation for their excellent workmanship. Family owned and operated, CCSR do repairs for all insurance companies as well as private work. In fact, they even paint anything that can be painted, which is something a lot of people don’t realise. They offer good old-fashioned service and go the extra mile which is very rare these days. You could even say they are old school. In serving the Central Community for more than four decades, CCSR’s team of professional repairers have gone from strength to strength. And at CCSR their customers always come first. They understand how stressful having an accident can be and they so they take care of everything and make the process as smooth and hassle free for you as possible.Theyoffer a lifetime guarantee on all their work and CCSR are preferred by most major insurance companies along with most fleet companies. In fact, they will provide you with an efficient and cost-effective solution for all your smash repair needs. CCSR are in Birru Road, North Gosford. www. ccsmash.com.au Phone: 4324 4769

LOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg 40

excellence C

20 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.au P: 02 4384 4703 M: 0412 437 georgesterrigal@gmail.com006 251 Scenic Highway Terrigal NSW 2260 Scan the QR Code to Vote for Georges Fruit Barn to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards 2022 0 2 2222 2 LOCAL LBUSINESS OCALLO S SSESCE A N N LN L I SIBS B BU U AWARDS A AR R WRAW D AD A S S Bla k C tyBlacktown City & Co Scan the Barcode to vote for Glamorous Hair to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards 4393 0008 glamoroushairbyluci@hotmail.com "Scan the QR code to vote for Green view Gallery to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards" Phone 02 4309 5818 Mobile 0408 306 279 2/263 Avoca Drive Kincumber NSW 2251 Email: greenviewgalery2251@gmail.com Web: greenviewgallery.com Central CoastCentral Coast 202 LOCAL LBUSINESS OCAL BUSINESS AWARDS AWARDS Central CoastCentral Coast Shelly Beach Rd, NSW 02info@munchascafe.com.au2261www.munchascafe.com.au43338197 Scan the QR Code to vote for Munchas Cafe to become a finalist in the Central Coast Local Business Awards 18 Adelaide Street East www.mouthguardstudio.comGosford43030021

Expert help in buying a property

GUARDIAN Pharmacy Gorokan is a very popular, friendly pharmacy that takes care of their community. Apart from owning the business, Eric is one of the pharmacists at Gorokan Guardian Pharmacy and he says: “We are committed to enhancing the role of the pharmacist in the community.” “We are open every day of the year for your convenience. And we are also the first to open and the last to close in the Wyong Shire area,” Eric said. The pharmacy provides everything you need in the medical, first aid and well ness fields, from a full diabetes service to mother and baby advice, beauty products, naturopathy, health products and Sleep Apnea expertise, one of our priorities are to provide medications and care to Central Coast Nursing homes, to help families look after their loved ones. Gorokan Guardian Phar macy provides Dosing Admin istration Aids to customers for FREE. This is convenient way of helping our customers take medications on time and safely. We also offer free local delivery.Eric says: “I have been a pharmacist for over 18 years and I am passionate about providing community healthcare in our local area.” “I also have a strong interest in travel vaccinations and immunizations support ing our clients in these days of uncertainty.“Aquestion I continue to ask myself is: ‘how can I positively impact a customer’s life, as I em brace new technology and en gage in professional services?’” Eric recently outbid oth er pharmacies nationally at a pharmacy conference to score an artwork that now takes pride of place in the pharmacy. This magnificent artwork by Sarah Rowan supports the LGBTQIA + community and artists. The auction was arranged to raise money and awareness for Ovarian cancer.

LOCAL BUSINESS AWArDS VOTINg

THE wonderful tastes and flavors of India are the highlight of a visit to Spices 29 - Goan Indian Restaurant in Woy Woy. If you are looking for a highly rated restaurant on that special night out then your search will definitely lead you to Spices 29-Goan restaurant. The popular restaurant started as a vision five years ago with an aim to deliver consistently divine and authentic food and hospitable service and is now thriving. At Spices 29, their promise is to serve quality food made with the freshest ingredients perfectly blended with the taste of India and their chef’s love, served to your table with a smileand a reason ableTheirprice.course over the five years has been successfully marked by several good reviews and awards and achievements. Situated in the heart of Woy Woy, Spices 29 unlike other Indian restaurants gives a different yet modern vibe. The perfect black and white well-fur nished interiors and the brilliant art works of Mario Miranda, the Goan artist, make it an exquisite and magnificent place to eat and celebrate with families and friends. The menu has a list of dishes and desserts on offer with a choice of vegan and gluten free meals and the highlight is the Chef’s specials with exot ic and highly recommended dishes. When you visit, you may wonder how the taste and flavor of each curry is significantly different to the next in the list and this is where they believe they really excel. The restaurant’s name and logo are also symbolic of their belief, with the 29 hearts representing 29 states of India and a tree-like hand trying to unify their flavors to serve on your plate. Finally, if you are seeking real flavor and love to be served to you and in a friendly yet profile style, make your way to Spices 29 because as they say: “It’s not about the heat, it’s about the flavor”.

The authentic taste of India

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 21www.coastba.com.au

As a practice, they have long term staff members who have supported the business and helped to make it a suc cess. For example, Receptionist Sharon has been working for one year longer than Dr TheyHeydenrych.alsohaveseveral other staff members who have been there for 10 plus years. The Albany Dental motto is ‘Experience, Integrity, Caring’ – which is embedded in their history. Albany Dental has been doing good quality, conservative dentistry for more than 40 years. There is a good reason their patients are loyal to them and con tinue to come back every six months. The staff treat patients just like family because they are indeed family. Multi-generational families continue to come to the practice and bring their family and friends. And after winning the Central Coast Local Business Awards in 2021, their first year in the competition, Albany Dental are looking to make it two in a row.

Pharmacy that cares for community

Albany Dental a proud local ALBANY Dental is a well-known family practice and was purchased by Dr Philip Heydenrych in 1978. The practice has been in operation for more than 44 years and is proudly local. It became known as Al bany Dental in 2006, when they moved from the original site on William St in 2006 to across the road in Albany St. Dr Heydenrych sold the business to Dr Illo Streimann in 2014 and has stayed on as an associate dentist since that time.

Principal Jamie-Lee Carragher launched Ezystep Conveyancing as a home-based mobile business in 2013 having completed her Associate Degree in Law to become a licensed conveyancer while working as a legal secretary for eight years with a law firm. In 2014, as her business expanded, she moved into an office in Toukley. Having a passion for property law and becoming an entrepreneur Jamie-Lee decided to open a second office in Belmont in 2018, which her twin sister Renee runs and operates. Renee has successfully created the second office and filtered Ezystep Conveyancing into the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle property market. For more information visit: www.ezystepconvey ancing.net.au

ALOT of people think that buying a property is making price negotiations with an agent and talking to a bank to arrange payment. That’s not the case. With buying a prop erty there are rules and regulations that each different property has, from either the council or community standards, that you normally would not know about until reading through a contract which is quite difficult unless you have gone through this process before. The main thing purchasers need to be aware of when buying is issues with pest and building such as electrical, plumbing, pest infestations, encroachment and boundary issues, zoning and building restrictions- and the list goes on. This is where expert help is vital, Ezystep Conveyancing Business Development Manag er Renee Seymour said. “It is our job to ensure that our client completes all the due diligence inquiries before committing to the purchase as once contracts are locked in, they cannot get out of the contract. “It’s the same with selling a property - our job is to make the process as easy as possible,” Renee said. Ezystep Conveyancing supports all con veyancing matters across NSW from offices on the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie, with a total focus in on property law. “Being licensed conveyancers, we are up to date with current trends, law changes, common negotiations and are fast of the mark to action whatever it is you may need,” Renee said. “Unlike a solicitor’s office, we are not distracted by other areas of law and can concentrate on the area we specialise in. Our job is to make the process of buying or selling a property as smooth and easy as possible.

MEET THE ‘KARENS’ OF 2022

What started out as an innocent name, Karen is now a pejorative term used to describe ‘an uptight, middle-aged woman that wants to speak to the manag er’*, according to definitions online

The biggest whingers by name „ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM IF your name is David or Sarah, con gratulations, you are famous for com plaining most about anything and everything.Thesetwo names topped the list of people most likely to complain in Online Reviews of everything from Fast Food to hotels, supermarkets and cruise ships. Researchers analysed 80,000 nega tive reviews on Trustpilot and TripAdvi sor for some of the most popular brands, dining venues, tourist attraction, and supermarkets, to reveal the people most likely to submit a complaint. The survey of one star negative reviews on the internet revealed that males were far more likely to complain than women and David’s were the biggest whingers of all. The male complainers in order from one to nine are: David, Paul, John, Mark, Chris, James, Michael, Andrew and Peter, with David twice as likely to complain than Peter. Sarah came in 10th overall and the full ladies names list in order was: Sarah, Karen, Emma, Julie, Lisa, Su san Laura, Claire Michelle and Jane, with Sarah twice as likely to leave a one-star rating than the last three names. And the Sarahs shock ratings win flies in the face of Internet tradition where the biggest complainers are nick named Karens.

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In the past few years ‘being a Karen’ has turned into an online meme, with people posting videos on social media of people lashing out at others for no good reason. While there are people that object to being called a Karen, the trend does in fact live up to its name as it comes in second place for most likely to complain online. Worst Tourist Attractions Interestingly, more old-fashioned names such as Julie, Susan, and Karen rank as the biggest complainers, compared to more millennial names. So what do the Karens complain about? Well, when it comes to the World’s great tourist attractions, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the most over-rated place to visit. The Top 10 most complained about attractions are: 1.Hollywood Walk of Fame, 2. The Palace of Versailles, 3. Stonehenge, 4. Hollywood Sign 5. Big Ben, 6. The White House, 7. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, 8. Empire State Building 9. Pyramids of Giza, 10. Buckingham Palace. Karen’ complaints include: ‘Stonehenge is just a pile of rocks’, the Queen’s Palace garden is ‘shabby’ and ‘Big Ben isn’t big’.

Source: Mr Q website

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 23www.coastba.com.au

TECH GURU SETS BEACHFRONT RECORD

ANORTH Avoca home bought by billionaire Atlassian guru Scott Farquhar has set a record beach front price for the Central Coast. Mr Farquhar reportedly paid $10.5M for the contemporary version of the traditional Queenslander style and was considered a bargain at that price. It was more than $2M under the property’s original price guide of $13m when it first entered the market in Feb ruary. The property last sold for $3m six years ago. Mr Farquhar and his investment banker wife Kim Jackson added the five bedrooms home complete with swim ming and sweeping beachfront lawns to their impressive property portfolio. The home is set on a 556sqm block and was created as a contem porary interpretation of the classic Queenslander and ‘captures the very essence of beachfront living’, according to the property description by selling agent Belle Property Terrigal. It has level manicured lawns, complete with a stone firepit, which overlook the ocean. The tech billionaire and his wife are also the owners of the mansion known as ‘Elaine’ at Point Piper which they for $71M in 2017 - the third highest price ever paid for a house in Sydney. In 2020, Mr Farquhar revealed his plans to restore the home to its former glory and preserve its sprawling gar dens, century-old trees and stable. The ‘Elaine’ estate is next door to a 1.12ha property owned by Mr Far quhar’s Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes. Mr Cannon-Brookes in 2018 bought the $100m ‘Fairwater’, which was for mally owned by Lady Mary Fairfax. The purchase actually broke the record for Australia’s most expensive residential mansion, overtaking Mr Farquhar’s $71m price tag by almost $30m.Mr Farquhar ranked fourth on this year’s AFR Rich List 200 after his worth soared by $6.4bn in the last 12 months to an estimated $26.4bn. His estimated worth has since risen as Atlassian’s share price has soared 56% to $US279.35 in recent weeks. Co-founder Mr Cannon-Brookes was third on the AFR list worth $27.83B. The pair, who first met while study ing at University of NSW, founded Atlassian in 2002 with a $10,000 credit card debt. The tech firm still only consisted of several employees seven years later when the co-founders gatecrashed a podcast recording at a tech conference in Belgium with the aim of making an impact, according to media reports. They bought $2000 worth of beer and put Atlassian stickers on them, which were then handed to all of the 1000 attendees as they walked in. The marketing gamble paid off and the pair haven’t looked back since.

SHOWCASE

Mr Farquhar, 42, recently opened up about ‘Atlassian Central’, an am bitious project being built in Sydney that will become the company’s new headquarters.Theofficewill be 75,000sqm and 40 storeys tall, comprised of low-carbon steel, concrete and timber, with costs of around $1.4bn and a completion date of 2027.

$10.5M for North Avoca “bargain”

prOpErTY

„ PETER BARNWELL HYUNDAI has this week confirmed it will produce an “affordable EV for Europe” possibly based on the i10 light hatch. Automotive News Europe (ANE) nailed the story in Prague on Tuesday reporting that Hyundai plans to launch a fully electric, entry-level car in Europe. Though no details are confirmed, a tiddler-size Hyundai EV may be based on the existing i10 to cut costs utilising components from the Ioniq electric mod el that is still (only just) available through dealers at $54,600 plus on-road costs. If it was to come to Australia, indic ative pricing on an i10 based EV would place it at around $30,000 making it, in today’s market, by far the cheapest EV available. A Hyundai Australia spokesman said the importer has “no comment to make” regarding the Prague revelation. Hyundai’s smallest offering in Austra lia at the moment is the i20 N hot hatch priced at $32,990 plus on-road costs; but it is a size up on the i10 (pictured) which has been available in European and Asian markets in the current generation for a couple of years. According to ANE, the South Korean carmaker is developing an affordable, pure EV for Europe that could succeed the petrol-powered i10 but it will take some time to develop a production-ready version. Speculation relating to what would power such a vehicle centres around Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric, which is cur rently being phased out, but components from which could be re-purposed in an EV minicar to keep costs down. That would mean a 100kW/295Nm single electric traction motor driving the front wheels and sourcing power from a 38kWh lithium-ion battery that is rechargeable in as little as 54 minutes using a 100kW charger. In the 1540kg Ioniq Electric, a claimed range of 311km is possible; though that would be greater in a small er, lighter vehicle such as an i10 EV. Hyundai Motor Europe’s market ing chief, Andreas-Christoph Hofmann said of the forthcoming EV minicar: “Automakers in Europe are developing affordable small electric cars as lawmak ers tighten emissions regulations and consumer increasingly switch to EVs.” Working on a family EV Volkswagen Group is said to be work ing on a family of small EVs for its VW, Skoda and Cupra brands with a target starting price of €20,000 ($A29,600).

24 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.au

AUTO Electric light hatch from Hyundai to set new affordability benchmark for EVs

According to ANE, Mr Hofmann said Hyundai’s small EV would have similar pricing.“Everybody in the industry knows the target of this kind of vehicle is 20,000 euros,” he told the Automotive News Europe Congress in Prague. Mr Hofmann said city cars are tough to sell profitably because of their low pricing and due to the technical prob lems in electrifying small vehicles. Hyundai will launch 11 more full electric vehicles in Europe by 2030, Mr Hofmann said. The brand currently sells the Ioniq 5 compact crossover joined this month, by the Ioniq 6 sedan. “(The) Ioniq 6 will arrive in Europe before year end, but sales in most EU markets will start in early 2023,” said Mr Hofmann. “EVs accounted for 16 per cent of total sales of the Hyundai brand in the first half (of the year).” In his speech, Mr Hofmann spoke of the future Ioniq 7 large SUV which he confirmed for Europe but clarified the statement saying it is mainly a vehicle conceived for the US market where larg er vehicles are more popular. ANE says the success of its current electric range is helping Hyundai to in crease sales and market share in Europe in the first half of 2022. “Hyundai brand’s sales in the EU, EFTA and UK markets rose 8.2 per cent year-on-year through to June in a total market down 14 per cent. The brand’s market share increased to 4.7 per cent from 3.7 per cent, according to data from industry association ACEA,” it reported. Notwithstanding global supply and transport problems, Hyundai aims to continue to increase its vehicle sales in Europe this year compared to last year and boost its market share. “We are confident about the second half (of the year)” Mr Hofmann told ANE.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 25www.coastba.com.au Solutions page 31 CrOSSWOrDS/gAmES CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Fad or frenzy 5. Opportunity, so to speak 9. Infiltrator, perhaps 14. Traveling, say 15. Spoonbills do it 16. Pillow filler 17. Juniors, e.g. 19. Fractious 20. Lumberjack’s cry 21. Big beef piece 23. Border duty 25. What tellers do 30. Advent 32. Like a span of oxen 33. “The Water Diviner” actor 36. Redressing 38. Communal pronoun 39. Farm hand, at times 40. Call, in Vegas 41. Broadway handouts 44. Updates a blog 46. Get another magazine 47. Weapon for a trooper 49. Frees from doubt 51. Extreme cruelty 54. Checklist bit 56. High beam? 58. Sousaphones 62. Strip of leaves 64. Word with secret or press 65. “So be it!” 66. Trap starter 67. Frat letter 68. Indicates yes 69. Grown grigs DOWN 1. Go on a tirade 2. Expect anon 3. Type of radiation 4. Something to tweeze 5. Overshadows 6. High-quality table wood 7. Coleridge works 8. Pine secretion 9. Became exhausted, with “out” 10. Be a bad witness 11. Campaign creations 12. Trawler attachment 13. Venture 18. Paris flower 22. Library gizmo 24. Savage 26. ___ of hope 27. Out of whack 28. Church dogma 29. A sphere lacks them 31. Breaks the news 33. Coconut product 34. Recreation center posting 35. Grad school grillings 37. Western Colorado sights 39. Bathroom cleaner? 42. “___ don’t say!” 43. Latte preparer 44. Bicycle 45. Hole in the head 48. Empire builders 50. Chair or car style 52. In need of freshening 53. Mercury, for example 55. Office comm. 57. Pilates count 58. Body image, briefly? 59. “Yuck” cousin 60. Quilting social 61. Carpenter at the picnic? 63. Served dinner

DUNDULLIMAL HOMESTEAD If you are visiting Dubbo and the Western Plains Zoo, take a detour to Dundullimal Homestead, which is be lieved to be the first homestead west of the Macquarie River. The homestead was built in 1842 by John Maughan and is owned by National Trust of Australia, NSW branch. It was added to the NSW State Heritage Regis ter in 2002 and is listed on the) Register of the National DundullimalEstate.isanAboriginal word meaning “thunderstorm” or “hailstorm” and was the name of the local Aboriginal group. Built around as the head station of the surrounding 6500ha squatting run, the Dundullimal homestead is believed to be the oldest surviving slab hut house in Australia.Thehomestead is also Dubbo’s oldest building open to the public. Its interior is relatively sophisticated for its type, with an imposing sitting room and is noted for its tent-shaped plaster ceiling, and wall paper reproduced from an 1850 pattern. The house is furnished with original period furniture. The working areas in clude sandstone stables, the blacksmith’s forge, coach room, sunken cool room and stores. This complex of buildings reflects the practical elements of rural life on a large, isolated property during the nine teenth century.

PALM COVE; Many visitors to North Queensland miss Palm Cove as they drive from Cairns to Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest beyond. This modern ocean side resort town is the most beautiful beach in FNQ and to me it is much more attractive than the ‘tinsel town’ of Port Douglas. You can sit under the palm trees and enjoy breakfast or lunch or go to the beach for a cooling swim. The famous pier at Palm Cove juts out into the Coral Sea for several hun dred metres and is a great spot for fish ing or a gentle stroll. The view at sunrise is sublime.PalmCove has a vast range of accom modation, but my favorite spot is the NRMA Caravan Park next to beach and adjacent to the pier. My favorite event is the ukulele con cert and singalong on Sunday afternoon.

GULGONG Mudgee is the most popular desti nation west of the Great Dividing Range for many Sydneysiders. However, just a 20 minute drive north west of the Shiraz capital is the little historic town of Gulgong.Many of the old buildings have been retained including the shops that were featured on the original Ten Dollar note. The beautiful old Opera House still hosts shows and the town museum is superb. The normal accommodation outlets are available and there is even an excel lent golf course available. Henry Lawson walked these streets as a young boy growing up in Eurunderee, just out of town and many of the char acters in his stories and poems are based on local identities.

LIGHTNING RIDGE: The legendary opal capital was once an isolated village of tin shacks set amongst piles of white gravel with a pub and a couple of shops. All that has changed in recent years and ‘the Ridge’ is now a modern vibrant town with tarred streets, an Olympic Swimming Pool and an excellent range of accommodation. It is an easy one hour drive from Walgett out on the Barwon River which in turn, is eight hours from Sydney. Good motels, bnb’s and even a Big Four Caravan Park are available. The Lightning Ridge Outback Resort adjoins the town caravan park. From fossicking for opals to admiring sculptures in an underground cave and relaxing in naturally-heated springs, the Lightning Ridge area offers a bounty of memorable experiences against the back drop of the majestic Outback SILVERTON; Broken Hill is the main stopping off point for travellers heading west from Sydney. The little former mining town of Silverton is just a half hour drive from the Silver City, but many visitors miss it. This is despite the fact that Silver ton has featured in hundreds of movies including the iconic original Mad Max movies.Atthe Silverton Hotel, the heartbeat of what remains of the town, photos of the casts and production crews are proudly displayed around the walls of the old pub. Around the town, leftover vehicles from the movies are now sculptures and there several galleries worth a visit. And just outside of Silverton are the Mundi Mundi Plains where iconic scenes from Mad Max 2 were filmed. Walk to the top of the lookout and see the vast plains stretch out as far as the eye can see for hundreds of kilometres. The view is so clear you can even see the curvature of the earth. It’s particularly spectacular at sunset.

26 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.au TrAVEL with DALLAS SHERRINGHAM PLACES JUST OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Go somewhere new in 2022

KATA TJUTA a.k.a THE OLGAS Millions of people visit Uluru and drive all around it taking photo after photo of sunrises and sunsets, but few make the half hour journey out to this fascinating place. I always say: “Kata Tjuta is what Uluru was like before the tourist hordes arrived”.There is no human intervention there, it is just an isolated place where the only sound is the hot westerly breeze blowing in from the Gibson Desert. There are some superb walks at Kata Tjuta, most of them passing through the aptly named Valley of the Winds which is a huge pass between two of the domed mountains.Thosewho visit and take a walk often say they enjoyed it more than Uluru because of the quiet solitude.

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM OUR release from the restraints of the pandemic has led to millions of Australians suddenly hitting the road looking for new adventures. With overseas travel still under a cloud and hefty increases in the cost of travel insurance and air fares, Aussies are reconsidering their own country as a priority travel destination. In years gone by, “see Australia first” was a popular saying but that was before the cheap international airfares of the early 21st century. Now the “Around Australia” concept has led to hundreds of web sites and social media pages devoted to everything from camping beside a creek on a farm to cruising around in a million dollar Winnebago. A lot of us love to discover new places off the beaten track and have grown tired of going to same place every year. I’m in this demographic, going out of my way to discover and photograph hid den gems out in our own vast backyard.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 27www.coastba.com.au

Loved Tuscany? Then visit The Collio, Orvieto, Le Marche or Langhe If rolling hills, pretty hilltop villages, fields of flowers, gourmet adventures or zipping between wineries on a Vespa are still high on your holiday wish list, there are several Italian regions which give Tuscany a run for its money. Choose The Collio wine region in Fri uili-Venezia Giulia for blooming sunflow ers, family-run vineyards and spectac ular valleys along the Slovenian border. Over in Umbria, atmospheric Orvieto is home to a magnificent gothic Duomo, artisan boutiques peddling hand-painted ceramics and an incredible underground city, while Castelluccio boasts glorious views over the Apennine Mountains and fields of violets and poppies during spring.Sitting pretty alongside Umbria is Le Marche, a lesser-known region which de serves to be discovered. Combining tur quoise waters along the Adriatic Coast, rural landscapes waiting to be painted, scenic Monti Sibillini National Park which is beloved by hikers, and historic walled villages where visitors can take a step back in time to experience authentic local Italian life. In Piedmont, Langhe boasts Tus can-style rolling landscapes covered in vineyards with petite villages clustered on hilltops – with the added bonus of views across to the snow-topped Alps. Piedmont’s gourmet capital Alba is a must for any foodie’s itinerary, thanks to its elegant pasticcerie and providores specialising in white truffles and local wine. Loved the Amalfi Coast & Italian Riviera? Then visit Tropea, Ostuni, Sestri Levante or San Fruttuoso If clifftop buildings, sandy beaches and clear blue waters normally lure you to the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre, try the impossibly beautiful Tropea at the tip of Italy’s toe in Calabria instead. Known as the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Tro pea was lauded as Italy’s Most Beautiful Village in 2021 For a completely different ambience, Instagram favorite Ostuni in Puglia exudes Greek vibes with its whitewashed architecture, hilltop location, winding streets, and Adriatic Sea views. Sestri Levante in Liguria is a dreamy alternative to popular Positano with its colorful houses, delightful boats, beaches, and lively evening street life, while the quirky hilltop village of Seborga above Rada di Poggio – which is seeking sov ereignty to become its own micronation like Monaco (only a much more downto-earth version) – is a heavenly hamlet known for its olive farming, elected ‘royalty’ and views. Hidden between Portofino and Camogli, San Fruttuoso can only be reached via a panoramic hiking trail, or by sea, but this tiny piece of paradise is reward in itself for making the effort to get there. With its pebbled beach directly in front of an ancient monastery, it’s an escapist’s delight inviting visitors to slow down, savor fresh local seafood and revel in the gorgeous Golfo Paradiso views. Loved Florence? Then visit Lecce, Pienza, Urbino The unofficial ‘Florence of the South’, Lecce in Apulia is the obvious choice for those looking for cities renowned for Renaissance arts and architecture. With its central Duomo, Sant’Oronzo square, Baroque buildings, historic amphitheatre and churches with golden facades, Lecce is vibrant university town worthy of inclusion on any Puglian itinerary.

TrAVEL with DALLAS SHERRINGHAM AUSSIES ARE FLOCKING TO EUROPE

Discovering the secret Italy

Loved Lake Como? Then visit Lake Braies or Lake Orta Ask anyone about Italy’s most famous lakes and they’re likely to mention the villa-lined playground of the rich and famous, Lake Como or Lake Garda, yet some of the country’s other lake and alpine districts are often overlooked…but shouldn’t be. Lago di Braies, or Lake Braies, is a breathtaking lake with UNESCO World Heritage Site billing in the heart of the Dolomites in South Tyrol. Known for its crystal-clear water and dramatic moun tain backdrop, it’s best explored by hik ing the perimeter trail or renting a boat for a picturesque paddle with a picnic.

„ TRAVEL EDITOR DALLAS SHERRINGHAM AS the return to international travel takes off, Italy is the number one destination for many Australians heading back to Europe – with 52% of those ready to travel planning a visit soon. First time visitors will soak up the usual tourist hotspots like Rome, Flor ence, Venice and Tuscany, however for returning-visitors and those looking to discover a slice of real Italy beyond the usual tourist hordes there are some great alternatives. You see, repeat visitors, and those who prefer the pioneering to the popular, are swapping established tourist hotspots for alternative and underrated gems full of charm, character and color. By embracing this ‘secondary travel destination’ trend, visitors can visit a much-loved destination and extend their stay for a more immersive Italian experience from the top of the boot to the tip. So go beyond Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast on your next Italian adventure with these destination swaps to get you started… Loved Venice? Then visit Chioggia Just a hop, skip and jump from the hustle and bustle of Venice, Chioggia is a quieter town with the same vibe you know and love. Situated on the southern side of the Venetian lagoon on the Adri atic Coast, Chioggia is home to charming canals, colorful historic buildings, and boats and bridges galore best explored on foot. Loved Capri? Then visit Procida If you’ve been captivated by the color, cuisine and photogenic beauty of Capri, then you’re bound to fall in love with Procida, a tiny island nestled between Ischia and Naples which made an inter national name for itself as the filming location for ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’ and is Italy’s reigning Capital of Culture. Combining coastal walking trails, mouth-watering Napoli pizza, histor ic buildings such as the Abbazia San Michele Arcangelo, fishing villages, and more than its fair share of traditional bakeries, Procida is gorgeous rather than glamorous and much less chaotic than Capri in peak season – although it does get crowded with Italian holiday makers during August. Loved Rome? Then visit Ostia Antica, Matera, Bologna, or Verona If you’re enchanted by the rich his tory and ancient architecture of Rome, you’ll be fascinated by Ostia Antica, where the ancient ruins are said to be better preserved than Pompeii. In southern Italy, Matera in Basili cata is utterly unique and a bucket-list destination for those fascinated by his tory. Home to the world-heritage-listed ‘Sassi di Matera’, a series of intriguing cave dwellings cut from rock dating back 30,000 years, the city’s narrow alleys are best explored on foot Bologna in Emilia-Romagna is known as Italy’s food capital, with a café and restaurant scene rivalling Rome, as well as its fair share of historic icons, including Europe’s oldest university and countless buildings boasting porticos. This is the spot to taste handmade tor tellini and tagliatelle al ragu, or to take a tasting tour of the Quadrilatero market district, collecting cheese and cured meats along the way.

• The syndrome 'Nextflixitis' is im pacting productivity.

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM IMUST admit up front that I am a Net flix addict, thanks to the pandemic and too much time on my hands in lock down. And it has ruined my productivity and work etiquette to such an extent that I lose endless hours of sleep worry ing about the likely outcome of the next episode of my favorite shows. It all started rather quietly when I discovered that Netflix was actually available through my Foxtel link. I’d heard about it, but it never actu ally watched it. The movies were mostly Hollywood rubbish made to suit delin quents interested in super heroes and monsters from Mars. This all changed during the first week of lockdown when I found a link to wellknown shock-horror series “The Tiger King”.Around 1pm on Monday afternoon I switched on the first episode and was immediately hypnotized by the antics of one Joe Exotic and his arch nemesis, the equally eccentric Carole Baskin, The first episode was like settling down for a quiet drink as we learnt about the ‘stars’ of the series framed by the superb Big Cats. Now, Netflix has a way of leaving you dangling between episodes like to old Movie serials we used to watch at the local Cinema every Saturday morning. I watched the next six episodes one after the other which took me beyond midnight when you take into consider ation meal breaks and family matters. And so it has been ever since. I start watching a series and I have to watch them all one after the other- The Keep ers, Murder Investigations, Below Deck, Aussie Gold Hunters, Sports Frauds, Murder Mountain- the list goes on and on. Then I began watching foreign lan guage docos which had subtitles which are hard to read when you are trying to concentrate on the images. Workwise, it meant a lot less sleep, watching TV into the wee small hours and then trying to start work at 5am. Some afternoons, I was watching the telly instead of working. And it seems I wasn’t only one to suffer from this terrible affliction.

Netflix and its impact on workplaces and productivity across the country has been recognised as a national problem. According to CEO of Workspaces Jenny Folley, Netflix and binge-watch ing addiction, is affecting many people including key personnel.

OF A NETFLIX ADDICT

It’s ruining my productivity!

TSOLUTIONSrENDS

Ms Folley in her report said:

28 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.augAmES

• Many people became hooked on Netflix during the pandemic.

• Most bingers will watch up to six shows at a time. People are now watching during work hours, while at work and at home.

• Workers and workplaces need to urgently address the issue. The quickest and simplest way to do it is to turn off the Netflix link and not to wander the airwaves looking for shows to watch.That’s what I have done, but also have been diagnosed with chronic ‘Foxitis’ , brought about by watching to much sport at all hours of the night and in the early morning. At least I have gained a little educa tion during the process with Judge Judy and The Peoples Court giving me excel lent legal advice.

CONFESSIONS

Jenny Folley.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 29www.coastba.com.au FITNESS 4 REASONS TO GET A PERSONAL TRAINER It’s all about results and fun „ ADAM SIMPSON IF you’re looking to get started on a health and fitness program, one thing that you should give some consider ation to is hiring a personal trainer. cise preferences. Is going to make your training that much more enjoyable and if you are enjoying your training you are more likely to be able to stick to it. Being able to stick to a program consistently is going to be a huge factor in whether you achieve the results you are after.

We must redefine, rethink our in tentions and daily habits more so than just our thoughts themselves if we are to truly change our minds and life experi ence; and in turn increase mental health and wellness and quality of life. We are what we think, yes; only because the way we think is maintained because of what we do. It’s a vicious cycle It is hard to change our habits and therefore thinking because the old think ing habits, particularly if they’re nega tive, are going to keep us avoiding acting – which is why people fail to achieve goals. It’s a vicious cycle. What to do: We must think about how we want to be! What we want to do! How we want to live our life! This must be based on what we value and is truly important to us. Not what we wish we were; and not because it seems life what everyone else wants. Define this based on your core values and what is important to you! Set long term goals and smaller sub-goals and plans to achieve these goals. The daily plans and steps form the basis for new habits.These new habits become ‘evidence’ for new thinking because they become an actual lived emotional experience and not just some ideal of how you’d like to be. For instance, if you want to be health ier and more active. You can’t just think about being like that. You must think about your plans then make them and DO THEM. When you take action aligned with that thought you then ‘become’ a healthier and more active person as per that example. This behaviour aligned with action is the new reality, effects changes in mind and this becomes the new you. This now becomes a new way of thinking about yourself. It’s not in the future and it’s not a fantasy.Youhave literally changed your mind by changing your habits. You then have a sustained new self-concept and way to think about yourself. If there’s one quick takeaway, I’d say keep it simple to start. But most impor tantly even if you start small, start with yourself. Start a new, small habit that is all for you; around self-care and taking the time to put yourself first. Mine is 15-20 minutes of meditation, contemplation and setting daily inten tions. I do this because I value myself. When you do something even small for yourself that you value – you are by implication valuing yourself and will experience self-value and in turn change your mind and experiencing of yourself that you value and appreciate yourself. This is a healthy mindset and there fore a healthier and happier, you!

Marcus Whelan is a Registered Psychologist and Mental Fitness Coachwith 10+ years’ experience in private practice. He holds undergraduate and post graduate degrees in psychology and education. Visit: www.marcuswhelanpsychology.com.au edition www.coastba.com.au-

You need to change your habits „ MINDSET | MARCUS WHEAN PSYCHOLOGY is basically the science of everything relating to human mental processes and behaviours. As a psychologist and coach, I apply this every day to helping clients. People of all ages and backgrounds present with their own unique issues and stories. Whilst we have unique individual differences there are certain factors we share in how and why we think and be have the way we do. When we experience challenges and stresses it is often because of how we think or are thinking. The mind itself not a thing as such; and is an abstract concept to define. We all get what we mean by mind but defining what it is exactly is, for me, not straightforward. For simplicity’s sake let’s describe mind as the experiencing of life and ourselves by way of senses, perceptions, thoughts and emotions. It is this interac tion that is both or mind and our experi ence of mind and therefore ourselves and our life. It is important to understand how ever, that whilst the mind ‘causes’ our life experience; it is the ‘effect’ of our life experiences, actions and habits. It is the way we interpret and make sense and meaning of all that has hap pened and anticipating the future as to what may yet happen. To change our minds though is not at all easy as you mayTorelate.justsay “think differently”, or “just think positively” is, in reality, an unreal isticWeproposition.canthink in such a way to be in tentional but just changing our thoughts on a whim is not easy and any changes are often not sustained. Why? To change our thinking, thoughts and mindset we must change our behaviours and challenge our daily habits. Thinking the same old way, we always have is a habit itself. We cannot change the habits of thinking unless we change the habits of daily behaviours andOuractions.mindset and thinking habits have been reinforced by correlating actions and behaviours.

Digigtal

30 | AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 www.coastba.com.aumENTAL HEALTH WANT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND?

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 | 31www.coastba.com.au

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FILm with JACOB RICHARDSON

Self-protection tips and strategies A GUIDE TO Living with C VID For the latest expert advice on living with COVID see our full magazine at: www. issuu.com/communitybroadcastnetwork/docs/lwc_magazineorclickonthelinkatwww.accessnews.com.au Self-protection tips and strategies A GUIDE TOLiving with C VIDIssue 01 | May 2022 AwithFamily’sCOVID- page 13 Mental Health: Whatitreallymeans- page 15 Prevention: transmissionHowworks- page 8 Tips: of the GP- page 5 Voice Business: A guide for survival- page 19 journey ISSUE 1 NOW!OUT

DIRECTED by David Leitch, the modern master of the action movie, Bullet Train doesn’t disappoint. It’s full of inventive action, couched in a series of intriguing scenarios thrown up by the setting and the multinational cast of Whetherassassins.it’ssamurai swords slicing through train seats, briefcases being used as weapons, explosive handguns, throw ing knives or hyperdemic needles, the fights always seem fresh and inventive. If the choreography doesn’t quite match Leitch’s previous work on John Wick or The Matrix, perhaps that’s too be forgiven - it’s less about realism here, and more about how ridiculous the movie can go. The film does feel a tad long, al though it never truly drags; the abun dance of non-stop action sees to that. Oddly enough, the length is felt at the start, where the character introductions, muddled amongst a sea of early action set pieces, feel jumpy and ill-at-ease. Once the film settles into itself and we’re aware of the pieces at play, as well as the edges of the board, it becomes a much more manageable beast. Indeed, as much as it is long (clocking in at over two hours), it never loses your interest. Brad Pitt is a wonder in the lead role, delivering a performance as the emo tionally reformed, fresh out of therapy Ladybug that is charming, hilarious and endearing. He’s matched by a pair of incredible performances in Taylor-Johnson and Tyree-Henry, who are true joys to watch on screen together in this film.

There are a couple of misfired charac ters who fail to stick, and only one of the three surprise cameos lands, but for the most part this is a funny, engaging piece that is acted superbly and anchored by a true talent. Ultimately, Bullet Train is the sort of fun summer action flick that feels fresh, will make you smile, wince and belly laugh in equal measure, and will have you fondly remembering moments for days to come. Is it worth the price of a ticket? Undoubtedly. by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

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