Central Coast Business Review April 2023

Page 4

THE CENTRAL COAST‘S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE FOR OVER 30 YEARS Print Post Approved – PP100001854 Published monthly (except January) April 2023 1990 EST Construction starts on Archibald by ALAND New start for Central Coast Leagues Page 4 – Edgar Adams’ Editorial State Elections – A good result for Central Coast State election results – Terrigal no longer a safe Liberal seat Opportunities galore as construction takes off in Gosford New series: Focus on town centres THIS MONTH THE ENTRANCE

FOR LEASE

INDUSTRIAL UNITS

9 BLACKETT STREET

WEST GOSFORD

From $245 per week + GST

Located at the rear of Gosford Racecourse, within close proximity to the Hospital and easy freeway access, these units are a class above the rest.

Sizes range from 42m2 up to 131m2. Each unit has 4.8m high electric roller doors, 1 dedicated car space, water & waste points. Available May23.

FOR LEASE

ELEMENT BUILDING

ERINA

16m2

Contact Agent

This 16m2 suite is ready to move into, with a fabulous fit out that can accommodate 2 people comfortably, room for a third person if needed.

Loads of storage cupboards and bench space. Shared meeting and boardrooms, break out area, 1 designated parking space. Fantastic working environment.

FOR LEASE SHOP 4

210 ERINA PLAZA ERINA

$41,200 + OG + GST

Newly fitted out shop within the well positioned Erina Plaza.

Mostly open plan with polished concrete floors, blacked out exposed ceiling, ducted AC and LED lighting, Disabled WC and Kitchenette.

Dedicated parking at front door. Easy access, would suit destination store.

FOR LEASE

SUITES 3.20 & 3.21 PLATINUM BUILDING

ERINA

40m2 to 435m2

Contact Agent

Quality office suite, quality fit-out. With all the technology you need, including fingerprint access control.

2 x large executive offices, plus an additional 29 workstations, sun-filled staff breakout area and end of trip facilities.

FOR LEASE

OFFICE 6 FOUNTAIN PLAZA

ERINA

520m2

$415 per m2 + OG + GST

Overlooking Karalta Road, this suite has much to offer with it’s light filled rooms and flexible floor plate.

From 226m2 to 520m2, utilize the current fit-out or start over. Generous incentives offered depending on the lease terms.

FOR SALE/LEASE

SUITE 2

168 CENTRAL COAST HWY ERINA

125.5m2

$49,000 + OG + GST

Situated in the Service NSW complex, this light filled space is ideally situated on the ground floor.

Offered as a warm shell with private amenities, kitchenette and rear access. Plenty of passing traffic.

Available February 2023

PHONE 4365 4566 www.commercialhq.com.au Nicole Barr 0418 230044 e: nicole@commercialhq.com.au

20Readership ,000+

VIA AUSTRALIA POST

Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Central

Central Coast Business Review is a Registered Trade Mark of Adams Business Publications Pty Ltd

P.O. Box 3259, Erina, NSW 2250

Phone: (02) 4367 0733 Fax: (02) 4367 0744

Email: info@ccbusinessreview.com.au

Typesetting by Graphic by Design ph (02) 4365 6777

Print & Distribution by Bromley Direct ph 0412 439 773

© Adams Business Publications 1994. All rights reserved. Reproductions in any part prohibited. While every effort has been made to ensure all information in this magazine is accurate, no responsibility will be accepted by the publisher, Adams Business Publications. The producer accepts no responsibility for illustrations or photographs supplied by organisations or individuals and/or typographical errors.

3 Edgar Adams’ Editorial 4 State Elections – Good result for Central Coast 5 Terrigal no longer a safe Liberal seat 6 New start for Central Coast Leagues Club 7 Opportunities galore as construction takes off in Gosford 9 Government comes good on funding for Lake Munmorah intersection and 1,300 homes 10 New Chairman for Coast Opera Australia and new beginning 10 New Australian Workplace Laws –Flexible Working Amendments 11 Small business tech trends for 2023 and beyond 11 Feds announce Energy Efficiency Grants 12 Website promoting Central Coast businesses 12 Local business owners in Top 500 People in E-Commerce 13 Six String Brewing celebrates 10 years and announces growth plans 14 Erina Fair and Westfield Tuggerah performance results released 15 Mirait wins Macintyre Wind Farm contracts 16 The Entrance – A brighter future coming 17 Central Coast Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy open for community consultation 18 Administrator rethinks sale of Woy Woy Commuter Car Park 19 Sydney company buys Wyong industrial for expansion 20 Narara retail sells prior to auction 22 Funny business Regular features 17 Central Coast Council news 19 Property news 22 Funny business CONTENTS Phone 02 4367 0733 Email info@ccbusinessreview.com.au Web www.ccbusinessreview.com.au CONTACT
Coast Business Review
DISTRIBUTION
In this issue CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
GUARANTEED

State Elections – Good result for Central Coast

AFTER TWELVE YEARS in the wilderness the Central Coast could be coming in from the cold following the March 2023 State Election.

From the time they were elected the Liberal government identified with Western Sydney and they threw billions at it. But on election night it proved to be fruitless.

Meanwhile the people of the Central Coast got the message that they were being neglected and further entrenched the region as a Labor stronghold.

They went further. In the Terrigal Electorate, which has been blue ribbon Liberal for some forty years the voters showed their displeasure coming close to tipping sitting member Adam Crouch out.

On election night commentators gave Terrigal to Labor. However, pre-polls have bought him back from the dead. Even so Terrigal now has to be considered a marginal electorate.

The Liberals years ago downgraded the region to Parliamentary Secretary status which was an insult considering our population of 340,000 people.

The best news is that along with a new Minns Labor Government comes three Labor Members with Member for Wyong, David Harris being, among other things, Minister for the Central Coast.

CCBR congratulates all three Members; David Harris, Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch and Member for The Entrance, David Meahan.

We look forward to working with all three to make the Central Coast a better place to live.

In the twelve years since the O’Farrell Liberal Government was elected the region’s population has increased 25,000.

Nothing has kept pace, except health. We did get two new hospitals and the government did contribute to the UON Central Coast Clinical School and Research Institute. We had to drag them kicking and screaming to tip in $18 million as their share of a new UON Campus in Gosford CBD. That only got announced last month!

And, there was the disastrous amalgamation of Gosford and Wyong Councils.

So, where to from here?

Firstly, there are those issues that affect our region and then there are those that affect small and medium businesses across the board.

Central Coast Priorities

• Housing crisis. In September 2022

Business NSW Central Coast held a Housing Summit that highlighted the crisis now facing some 30% of local residents. Both social and affordable housing has reached a critical point exacerbated by a plethora of controls placed on residential housing subdivisions and simple home development applications by the State Government.

Allowing Green activists to control hous-

ing supply through multiple government agencies with surreptitious regulations has stopped the supply of new residential land and slowed house building almost to a standstill.

Fixing the Central Coast housing crisis has to be a top priority.

• New TAFE for Gosford. In November 2021 Landcom announced that it would buy the former Gosford Council Chambers land in Gosford and redevelop the site which would include building a new TAFE to replace the old TAFE which would be demolished and affordable housing built in its place.

The Perrottet Government shut down all conversation on this proposal shortly after and despite saying that a positive announcement would be made over the following year they have remained silent. Both projects are essential for the future of Gosford.

This is a top priority that CCBR and Gosford Erina Business Chamber will be championing with the new Government.

• Warnervale High School. A high school to service the Greater Warnervale area is desperately needed. However, the previous government refused to allocate funds. We know the Member for Wyong has been advocating for a high school but the former government preferred to pump billions into Western Sydney.

• Tuggerah Town Centre. In the dying days of the Berejiklian Government in 2019

4 We’ll handle it from here • Major supplier of architectural hardware to the residential and commercial market • Door locks, handles, security and more • Consultation service available • Working closely with direct clients, builders, architects and interior designers • Visit our showroom today! Avoca Beach Architectural Hardware & Locksmiths www.avocaarchitectural.com.au 4382 1286 0412 437 327 177 Avoca Dr, Avoca Beach info@avocaarchitectural.com.au CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
EDITORIAL Edgar Adams discusses local issues
CENTRAL COAST
APRIL 2023
BUSINESS REVIEW

Terrigal no longer a safe Liberal seat

TERRIGAL – 58,056 Electors enrolled Votes

at 5.47 pm 28th March, 2023

GOSFORD – Electors enrolled 58,134

Votes as at 5.47 pm 28th March, 2023

of seats still to be counted with the result going either way.

It doesn’t matter though because with the support of Independents the Minns Government is off and running.

Of course, as expected the Members for Wyong, The Entrance and Gosford walked in. Member for Wyong, David Harris will be Minister for the Central Coast, a much more powerful position than a mere Parliamentary Secretary. It is also expected that he will retain the shadow portfolios he held while in opposition: Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Shadow Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism.

However, Terrigal which has always been a Liberal stronghold has come close to being lost to Labor with a swing way greater than across the state. Mr Crouch has managed to turn safe seat into a swinging seat. Labor’s preselection of Sam Broughton, proved to be a masterstroke. A physiotherapist who went to school in Terrigal and offered a fresh change.

over 12% of the vote across the Coast. While they got nowhere these two parties showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with come the Local Government Elections in September 2024.

THE ENTRANCE – 58,657

As we go to print there still remains a large number of pre-poll and postal votes to be counted following the 25th March State Election.

Across the state what appeared to be a result that would see the Labor Party with an absolute majority there now a number

Mr Crouch was elected in 2015 and has served in a Liberal Government for the past eight years. He now has to learn how to represent his electorate as a member of the opposition party.

Meanwhile, an early analysis of the voting shows that The Greens and the new environment and anti-development party the Sustainable Australia Party have secured

WYONG – 56,809 Voters enrolled

5 aubrey brown LAWYERS T (02) 4350 3333 | F (02) 4351 2407 www.aubreybrown.com.au So that you can get back to the important business, of your business Creating Lifelong Relationships
us take the hassle out of your commercial law needs
Let
Candidate Party Votes % RIGG, Wayne SAP 1,847 4.47% CROUCH, Adam LIB 19,028 46.03% Da SILVA, Imogen GREENS 3,783 9.15% BROUGHTON, Sam ALP 16,684 40.36% TOTAL VOTES 41,342 100.0%
as
Candidate Party Votes % VAN HAREN, Hilary GREENS 3,798 8.92% BOCKING, Dee LIB 12,112 28.46% TESCH, Liesl ALP 27,744 51.08% SOETENS, Ineka SAP 691 1.62% BELLAMY, Lisa IND 1,414 3.32% MCCALLUM, Emily AJP 1,102 2.59% FREEMAN, Larry SFF 1,704 4.0% TOTAL VOTES 42,565 100.0%
Candidate Party Votes % LAMB, Georgia SAP 1,499 3.96% MEHAN, David ALP 17,376 45.87% PELAREK, Fardin AJP 1,423 3.76% BRACKEN, Nathan LIB 13,384 35.33% STEPHENSON, Ralph GREENS 3,192 8.43% LOGAN, Bentley LIB DEM 1,008 2.66% TOTAL VOTES 37,882 100.0%
Electors enrolled Votes as at 5.47 pm 28th March, 2023
Votes as at 5.47 pm
COVER STORY
28th March, 2023
Candidate Party Votes % SQUIRES, Matt LIB 8,222 20.54% WILLIAMSON, Doug GREENS 3,033 7.58% NEWBURY, Susan SAP 1,535 3.84% HARRIS, David ALP 21,201 52.98% STEVENSON, Martin ON 6,029 15.06% TOTAL VOTES 40,020 100.0% CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

New start for Central Coast Leagues

CENTRAL COAST LEAGUES Club is embarking on an extensive renovation project that will signal a new chapter in the Club’s future.

Designed by Altis Architecture, the $20 million refurbishment will deliver a revitalised ground floor precinct packed with features and services for members and guests to enjoy. Significantly, the redesign will focus on the Club’s greatest asset –its waterfront position overlooking all of Brisbane Water.

Project management firm Colliers International will manage the development, with building work scheduled to commence on April 17, 2023, taking approximately 10 months to complete.

CEO, Edward Camilleri said, “the new CCLC experience will begin the moment you enter the sophisticated, light-filled reception/lobby that will feature a

streamlined sign-in process and single-level access. An indoor/outdoor café serving light snacks, coffee, and gelato during the day will become a cosy wine bar after dark.”

With the aim of making the Club a family friendly venue there will be an extensive family dining precinct featuring an open kitchen, wood-fired pizza oven, and a dedicated kids’ play space located off the lobby.

Taking centre stage will be a huge central bar that will house over eighty beers on tap, showcasing a mixture of craft, domestic and local brews.

Another addition will be the Americanstyle sports lounge, with indoor and alfresco options and unique menu offerings.

Additionally the largest LED screen on the Central Coast will be installed wih stateof-the-art Audio.

The popular fitness centre has recently

been re-equipped with the latest exercise machines, a refit costing some $600,000 as part of a new fit-out in the renovation process. On completion it will be rebranded Coast Fitness HQ.

One of the Club’s earliest eating venues The Peking Garden Chinese Restaurant which remains in the same hands as the original operators, will also receive a new fit-out as part of the renovation.

“As exciting as this new refurbishment project is, it is just the forerunner of a major master plan that will rejuvenate and enhance the entire CCLC footprint,” said Mr Camilleri. “Our ultimate vision is to create a fully integrated lifestyle and entertainment precinct that the whole community can enjoy.”

But, in reality, the journey has just begun, and this refurbishment is the first stage of that plan.”

“The Central Coast Leagues Club was once the premier club on the Central Coast. We aim to bring it back to that,” Mr Camilleri

Building works will be carried out in stages and Central Coast Leagues Club will remain fully operational throughout the renovation.

6
BUSINESS NEWS
The central bar which will take centre stage as part of the revitalisation of the ground floor precinct at the Central Coast Leagues Club
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
CCLC CEO Edward Camilleri

Opportunities galore as construction takes off in Gosford

OVER THE NEXT two years Gosford CBD will experience an explosion of residential accommodation with six high rise projects now under construction.

Nearly a thousand residential units are now under construction with completion dates from late 2024 to early 2025 and this means the Gosford CBD population will rise by around 2,000 people.

Gosford’s population has already jumped from 3,499 in 2016 to 4,873 in 2021 (ABS Census) and this reflects the building boom of residential units at the outer edges of the CBD in those five years.

Another factor to consider is that the Median Age in Gosford CBD is 35 years and more importantly the Weekly Household Income has risen from $1,203 in 2016 to $1,421 in 2021. All this indicates a changing socioeconomic demographic in the marketplace.

Of course, Gosford CBD services a much wider area and all it needs is for business operators to recognise the opportunities.

Meanwhile, off-the-plan sales for all of the major developments now under construction are reported to be strong and all developers are very upbeat with progress so far.

Developer Project Units

Alceon Rumbalara 188

ALAND Archibald 323

Group Sapphire Gosford 97

Investments Vue Mer Residences 177

5-star Hotel for Gosford

(L-R)

Clint Willoughby.

Mr Tadrosse said he was proud to kick off such a significant milestone that meant as much for the company as it did for the Central Coast, particularly given the strong buyer and community interest in the wide range of lifestyle amenities within project. “Gosford has been waiting several years for this site to be transformed and we’re extremely proud to be the developer and builder with the foresight and resources to bring it to fruition,” Mr Tadrosse said.

The Archibald development includes a 130 room hotel and roof top Sky Bar.

CCBR understands that ALAND are presently negotiating with a 5-star hotel operator with an announcement to be made soon.

All developers are reporting satisfactory off-the-plan sales, even with the housing market being depressed.

Alceon Sales Manager Todd Campling said that sales are proceeding well and they expect units will be sold before completion.

Prices at Rumbalara range from $950,000 for a 2-bed apartment to $4 million for a ‘treehouse’ apartment.

7
BUSINESS NEWS
Are you a Central Coast based
Business? We can help you protect your company. CONTACT US centralcoast@oraclegroup.com.au Fountain Plaza, Erina NSW 2250 02 4322 7856 Oracle Group (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 75 131 025 600 AFSL 363610
Hospitality
St
Pacific
Hilliers Waterfront 136
AHAA
Archibald by ALAND 323 residential units plus 130-room 5-Star hotel Sapphire Apartments on Henry Parry Drive, Gosford due for completion late 2023 ALAND CEO George Tadrosse, Highland Project Sales Director Georgia Scanlon and Highland Project Sales Director
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

UON Gosford Campus

At some point some smart operator will see an opportunity to cash in on the university students that the new UON Gosford Campus will attract. There is already a need flowing from the UON Clinical School and Research Institute at Gosford Hospital.

Student accommodation is only one aspect of providing for the needs of students, including foreign students. They will be looking to be serviced with everything from food to entertainment and leisure options.

A growing night time economy

As one example of how a forward thinking entrepreneur saw opportunities in Gosford, Grant Buckham saw the number of high rise units being built in and around Gosford.

Knowing that Gosford had nothing to offer people moving in, in 2018 he opened Bay Road Brew in Donnison Street.

It has proved a highly successful venture.

Since then the Harris Family has invested $12 million in renovations at the Hotel Gosford and John Singleton has recently refurbished The Bon Pavilion and renamed it Railway Hotel.

All are flourishing!

Can we save your business $1 million?

Saving money on a printing job isn’t necessarily about using cheaper paper. With our strategic approach and experience, we were able to deliver $1 million of annual savings to one of our clients by redesigning a mailing and reducing their postage costs. A cost saving that is simply extraordinary.

Based on the Central Coast, E-Bisglobal offers print management, procurement and software development to improve efficiency and maximise your bottom line.

8 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISE CREATIVE PACKAGING PRINT MANAGEMENT PROCUREMENT SOLUTIONS MARKETING & EVENT MANAGEMENT WAREHOUSING & LOGISTICS (3PL) 4352
| info@ebisglobal.com | ebisglobal.com
7777
23-EBIS-064 BUSINESS NEWS
Photo of a model of Rumbalara in the Gosford Display Suite Also eyeing a new market, Jared and Claire Lyons opened Lyons Den Bar in in south Gosford in 2021. Site works progressing on Rumbalara project
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
Site works progressing on St Hilliers’ Waterfront project

Government comes good on funding for Lake Munmorah intersection and 1,300 homes

FOLLOWING A REPORT in CCBR February issue that plans for 1,300 homes to be built in the Doyalson / Lake Munmorah area were in jeopardy as the State Government was stalling on a $5 million contribution for an intersection, we can now report that funds have been found.

Transport for NSW (TNSW) has confirmed that funding of $6.7 million is currently being transferred to them to enable detailed design and construction to start.

“This will allow TNSW to build on momentum and work through the steps to bring fruition realising the potential for the site and unlocking affordable housing for the Central Coast,” the Department said in response to the CCBR article.

A major sticking point in getting approvals for the development has been TNSW insisting on an upgrade of the Pacific Highway / Chain Valley Road intersection at Lake Munmorah that services a wider area.

Three landowners, Vivacity Property, JG Developments, and the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council are anxious to get moving with their projects that will see over 800 homes built at Chain Valley Bay with Vivacity saying they could start construction of 270 homes immediately.

The rezoning of the urban release area was completed in December 2022 and the construction of the first projects are programmed to begin in 2024 subject to Council approval which has been held up due to TNSW.

The Central Coast’s housing crisis was highlighted at a Business NSW Housing Summit in September last year as the most significant issue facing the region as population is forecast to grow to over 400,000 residents by 2041 requiring an additional 43,000 homes.

The issue has major social implications for the region and land availability, apart from a speedy development approval process, and was highlighted as the most important issue facing government at all levels.

9 BUSINESS NEWS
Chartered Accountants Audit, Taxation and SMSF services for SMEs and Individuals. We provide support, business advice and strategy on accounting, taxation and self-managed super funds. FAST • RELIABLE • PERSONAL • PROACTIVE www.harwoods.com.au | 02 4365 3142 Suite 3.29 Platinum West 4 Ilya Ave, Erina NSW 2250
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
Lake Munmorah Land Release Area completed 2022

New Chairman for Coast Opera Australia and new beginning

New Australian Workplace Laws - Flexible Working Amendments

WELL KNOWN ACTOR, director, producer and writer, Graeme Blundell has been appointed Chairman of Coast Opera Australia as it rebuilds following disruptions to performances over the past two years and will go back to basics with its 2023 season.

Remembered as the lead actor in the iconic 1970s Australian film Alvin Purple, Mr Blundell has also worked at La Mama Theatre, the Pram Factory, Hoopla, the Playbox Theatre Company and the Melbourne Theatre Company.

Additionally, he has a wealth of experience both on stage and in TV and movies as well as on the business side of the arts industry.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Blundell said, “It’s exciting to be part of a new creative adventure here on the Coast. The company is starting anew after the horrors of Covid and Angela Brewer, Founder and Artistic Director and her team have some great plans. It’s like a creative theatrical renewal for me after so many years as a critic and Foxtel movie presenter.”

“We will present intimate performances by artists including, Deborah Humble, Viktoria Bolonina and conductor Luke Spicer in a downscaled format and plan to end the year

with a full-scale opera,” he said. “We also plan to feature some other genres of music in our program, including a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan and some German Lieder songs.

Seeking supporters and sponsors Ms Brewer said, “We will be re-engaging with our supporters and offering subscriptions on our website.”

“We are keen to broaden the company’s appeal. We want to present pure voices with no amplification or add-ons. It is important to make opera accessible to the wider community.”

Ms Brewer paid tribute to the huge support offered by the Bouddi Foundation for the Arts.

“Several scholarships from the Foundation have enabled us to work with performers and prepare them for the world stage,” she said.

The 2023 program and subscription details will be available at www.coastoperaaustralia.com early next year.

Equip your business with BOQ Erina

There is no question that for a lot of Australians, the working day will have changed in shape and form since the onset of the pandemic. Noticeably, along with flexible working arrangements such as job sharing or part time work, workplaces have embraced swaths of technology which allow for remote working. The days where a full complement of employees would arrive on site or in the office for a day’s work is a thing of the past.

However, as Dolly Parton once said, “we cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails”, and it appears that business have done just that. Back in pre-COVID 2019, only 35% of employers reported having a formal working from home policy according to research by the Australian Governments Workplace Gender Equity Agency. This number had increased last year to 71% of employers. In total, less than 2% of organisations who engaged with the research did not offer their employees any kind of formal or informal flexibility.

This modern reality has been galvanised by new Australian workplace laws. The “Secure jobs, better pay” Act has amended to the Fair Work Act regarding, among other things, flexible work entitlements. Previously, employees could request flexible work hours, but there was little recourse available to them if the request was refused. Now, in certain circumstances where flexible work has been requested and no agreement has been reached, employees are able to take an employer’s refusal to the Fair Work Commission as part of a dispute resolution process. There, an effort will then be made to reach agreement by conciliation and, where that fails, parties may receive a binding decision through arbitration.

The new legislation applies to employees which fit certain categories, such as people who are over the age of 55, and parents of school aged children or younger. Employers will be legally required to take consultative steps to reach agreement with eligible employees who request flexible work hours or arrangements.

10
BOQ Erina Belinda Skepper, Owner-Manager 4372 5300 erina@boq.com.au facebook.com/boqerina boq.com.au Equipment finance is provided by BOQ Equipment Finance Limited ABN 78 008 492 582 (BOQEF). BOQEF is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740 (BOQ). BOQ does not guarantee or otherwise support the obligations or perfor mance of BOQEF or the products it offers. Full terms and conditions available at any BOQ branch. Fees and charges are payable. BOQEF’s standard credit assessment criteria apply.
Financing your equipment with BOQ is simple. Whether you’re looking to grow your business or you have a project that needs new equipment, we’re committed to making the process of financing the equipment you need easy. Talk to us today! CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 BUSINESS NEWS | BUSINESS TIPS
Graeme Blundell
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
Angela Brewer

Small businesses tech trends for 2023 and beyond

As an entrepreneur or small business owner, you may not be at the forefront of developing technology, but tech still plays a vital role in your business’s growth and efficiency. Given how much things have changed in the past year, small business technology trends will only become more important throughout 2023.

While new infrastructure like 5G will continue to gain traction, established markets such as employee monitoring software will also have a greater impact on small businesses.

Here are 7 small business tech trends for 2023 and beyond.

1. Artificial intelligence will become more widespread.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been hot tech topics for years. This could mean a wide range of implementation scenarios this year, such as voice assistants, personalized customer

2. The 5G rollout will ramp up.

The business implications of 5G are significant. The adoption of 5G technology began in 2019, but the pandemic significantly delayed rollout domestically and internationally. Still, the benefits of adopting the fifth generation of cellular capability include significantly faster data transmission speeds than 4G networks can provide. According to cell phone manufacturer Huawei, 5G also promises little or no latency, or delay in data transfer.

3. Employee monitoring software adoption will continue for hybrid teams. Hybrid and remote teams are here to stay, which means employee monitoring software is too. Although many businesses have already adopted these tools, expect more to join their ranks as the realities of managing remote workers set in.

4. Remote onboarding will be perfected. As more businesses embrace the hybrid working model (and the potential savings that stem from shedding office space and freeing up employee commuting time for additional work), they will rely more on technology to handle a successful onboarding process for remote employees.

5. Tech-assisted retail shopping will expand.

In a bid to cut costs and boost profitability, major retailers have been accelerating their rollout of mobile and social media shopping to create a contactless shopping experience. Small businesses will begin to follow suit as the price point on some of these technologies becomes more manageable.

Mobile payments have grown to include QR codes, mobile terminals and mobile wallets. Shoppers are increasingly comfortable with these ways to shop and pay, making them viable investments for small businesses with limited staff.

6. Superapps will emerge as the next generation of business software. Gartner predicts that 2023 will usher in the start of widespread development and use of what it dubs superapps. These apps will allow for the combination and unification of disparate app services into one easy to use interface. Small businesses can benefit from using these apps to better streamline operations for employees and vendors.

7. There will be an increased focus on cybersecurity.

The shift to new working practices has spawned new forms of fraud, with malware evolving in response to greater virtual communication and the rising domestic use of workplace hardware.

However, this sense of risk hasn’t trickled down to businesses. According to research from BullGuard, nearly 60 percent of small businesses think it’s unlikely they will be targeted in a cyberattack.

However, cybersecurity company Check Point found global cyberattacks in the third quarter of 2022 were 28 percent higher than in the same period in 2021.

Other tech trend areas which will also grow and become a focus for small businesses:

(i) We’ll see a big focus on big data.

(ii) Businesses will place a greater emphasis on automation.

(iii) Influencer marketing will remain popular and narrow in focus.

(iv) Social media advertising will continue to grow.

In summary, Tech trends can shift rapidly based on a multitude of factors, including the state of the economy, the availability of skilled labour and user response to the deployment of technologies.

With that in mind, be aware that the outlined technologies are likely to continue to grow throughout the year and into the coming years based on their increasing adoption, return on investment, and consumer behaviour.

Feds announce Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized

The Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Round 1, were announced by the Federal Government in early March and will support businesses to upgrade or replace inefficient equipment to improve their energy efficiency.

These upgrades will enable industries to reduce their energy use and manage energy cost volatility in the long term.

The grant opportunity provides small and medium businesses up to $25,000 to replace or upgrade existing equipment to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Applications close Wednesday, 19 April 2023

For more details visit: www.gov.au/ grants-and-programs/

11
BUSINESS TIPS
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Website - Central Coast Chronicle - (www. centralcoastchronicle.com.au) is relaunching with MORE offerings for local businesses to promote themselves to the Coast community.

The Chronicle offers businesses the opportunity to connect with other companies and the general public through editorial profile opportunities, social media content and the website itself, which has just been relaunched with an array of new services for members.

The new Chronicle website offers a dynamic database and features the general public can engage with, including a planning calendar, a classifieds section and news updates.

The Chronicle website comes from PR professional Brooke Simmons, Founder of

Pursuit Communications.

“In my fourteen years of running a PR agency, I saw an opportunity for businesses to have a one-stop platform to promote their business, connect with others and collaborate for future activities; consequently, the Chronicle was created.”

Businesses can take advantage of the Chronicle’s services from as little as $36 per month as part of their business membership package.

“The Chronicle aims to help businesses with three key areas when it comes to online networking and building awareness of their business; offering an increased visibility platform that’s not only cost-effective but also time-efficient and allows for easier follow-up with the people you directly want to do business with.”

Local Business Owners in Top 50™ People in E-Commerce

Local entrepreneurs, Melissa Wilkinson and Matthew Mosse-Robinson who founded Personalised Favours at West Gosford have been named in the Top 50 People in E-Commerce by Inside Retail.

Starting Personalised Favours from her garage back in 2009, Mel began making personalised wedding and engagement gifts when she couldn’t find any to her liking for her own wedding.

Fast forward to 2023, and Personalised Favours offers personalised gifts for all special occasions and is the flagship brand of the Foresight Online Group, which has grown to incorporate six successful e-commerce businesses.

Based in West Gosford, they now employ over 50 staff and dispatch more than 100,000 orders across Australia, Asia-Pacific and the US every year.

In 2021, Ms Wilkinson and Mr MosseRobinson were named in the Australian Financial Review Fast 100 list. They continue to innovate and grow in the online space and are a true local success story.

12 Architecture | Planning | Interiors www.ckds.com.au ARCHITECTS OF EXCELLENCE BUSINESS NEWS
Matthew Mosse-Robinson and Melissa Wilkinson
Website promoting Central Coast Businesses
Flyers & Folders, Booklets & Brochures, Magazines, Envelopes, Business Cards in fact all formats… If you have a print need request an obligation free quote. Efficient service, fast turnaround, quality product, plus competitive pricing. deal.direct@bromleydirect.com.au 0412 439 773 www.bromleydirect.com.au Bromley Direct Pty Limited abn 71 003 553 964 CCBR is
by local company… BROMLEY DIRECT All print formats available… CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
Central Coast Chronicle home page (l) Chronicle Founder Brooke Simmons ( r)
printed

Six String Brewing celebrates 10 years and announces new growth plans

The first boutique craft brewery and restaurant to be established on the Central Coast celebrated its 10th birthday this month.

The brain child of former policeman, Adam Klasterka and Chris Benson an IT Server Engineer, both of whom grew up on the Central Coast and had a passion for craft beers.

Since then, Adam Klasterka has moved on but brewer, Chris Benson with his wife Sharon have persevered and created a brand that is almost synonymous with the Central Coast.

Today Six String has cemented its place in the craft beer culture on the Central Coast and has become a popular dining and tasting venue from Wednesday to Saturday each week. The Bensons had planned on it also being a popular music venue as well, except that was stopped when a few locals who lived nearby complained.

That will all change when Six String opens their new landmark brewery and restaurant at The Sawmill site on the corner of Central Coast Highway and Avoca Drive, Erina towards the end of this year.

The new venue will allow Six String to increase production from 400,000 litres to 1 million litres and more annually and accommodate 150 people in their new restaurant which will feature live music.

“Music, food and beer is what craft brewing is all about,” says Chris. “I learned that while travelling through the UK years ago

and it has become my passion.”

And passion is what it is all about, as Chief Brewer Chris Benson is constantly developing new products. From their flagship Dark Red IPA to their Coastie Lager and Pale Ale to their popular seasonal releases which keeps the Six String fans rolling in.

Six String is certainly a local brand, 90% of their production is sold to restaurants, bars and a few hotels on the Central Coast and now into the Hunter Valley.

Mr Benson said that during Covid they developed a strong online customer base and this continues to be part of their marketing efforts which will be expanded once they move into the new premises.

Asked about competition from the other craft breweries that have set up in recent years Mr Benson said they are an important part of the craft beer market. “Customer want variety, so we all work together and we are creating a strong craft beer following.”

Meanwhile, to take the business to a new level the Bensons have recently appointed a General Manager with the aim of expanding across the East Coast.

Brent Adams joins Six String after a twenty year career at Coca-Cola Amatil that included three years as General Manager of Samoa Breweries Ltd finally as State Manager of CCA.

13
BUSINESS NEWS Our
All Your IT Needs in
Solution. www.onecloud.com.au 1800 663 253 OneCloud IT Solutions is the #1 IT service provider on the Central Coast. IT SUPPORT CYBER SECURITY CLOUD SERVICES NBN & PHONES The four key pillars of our business are: Damian & Chris C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 3H 180x100 Mar23 Final V2.pdf 1 28/3/2023 4:05 pm Argyle Estates Buying or selling a quality business, contact the experts on the Central Coast 024332 6555 EST. OVER 40YEARS Business Brokers Argyle Estates argyle@argyleestates.com.au Graham McMullen – Licensee F.A.I.B.B. 0419326555
expertise in these areas guarantees an all-in-one solution for modernising your business.
One
The Bar and Brewery at Six String Brewery at Erina
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
Chris Benson

Mirait wins Macintyre Wind Farm contracts

TUGGERAH BASED MIRAIT Technologies

Australia has been awarded two contracts as part of the AU$1.96 billion, 1,026MW ACCIONA MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland that will be the biggest renewable energy facility, and one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.

One contract will see Mirait construct and install all earthing requirements to the 186 Wind Turbine footings prior to completion of the concrete works.

The second contract is for Cable Reticulation Works that will see Mirait perform all Works associated with the construction of 400km of trenching, installation of 33KV power cables and terminations of medium voltage buried in underground reticulation and optic fibre cables connecting all 186 Wind Turbines to their associated substations for connection to the energy grid.

ACCIONA Energia is a world leader in renewable energy infrastructure.

The MacIntyre Wind Farm is located approximately 50km west of Warwick in Queensland with the site selected due to its exposure to consistent winds across this part of the country.

Commenting on their success with these contracts MIRAIT Technologies Australia CEO Kerry White said, Mirait have entered the Renewable Energy market with great success in securing the contracts to deliver the MV Electrical Reticulation for the MacIntyre Wind Farm, which will become Australia’s largest wind farm.

We look forward to working with our client ACCIONA Constructions to deliver this transformative project for Queensland.”

A division of the MIRAIT Group (Japan), MIRAIT Technologies Australia is a national telecommunications, ICT and energy infrastructure construction and maintenance provider with head office at Tuggerah.

With offices covering the eastern seaboard of Australia, and a workforce of over 1,500 (employees and subcontractors), MIRAIT Technologies Australia delivers nationally.

Erina Fair and Westfield Tuggerah performance results released

Shopping Centre News magazine, the voice of the shopping centre industry in Australia and New Zealand has released their 2022 survey of the 91 largest centres in Australia – the Big Guns.

The Central Coast’s two regional shopping centres at Tuggerah and Erina are rate as Big Guns among the 91 centres across the country with Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of over 50,000 sqm.

In terms of GLA Erina Fair rates 21st with 114,993sqm while Westfield Tuggerah rates 44th with 85,277sqm.

Performance for each centre:

Erina Fair

Moving Average Turnover (MAT) for retail sales for CY2022 was $758.24 million (2021 $634.89m)

MAT per sqm including GST was $8,274 (2021 $6,766)

Specialty MAT per sqm was $10,327. Traffic / year was 10.83 million people. Average spend per customer visit was $69.99.

Westfield Tuggerah

Moving Average Turnover (MAT) for retail sales for CY2022 was $545.20 million (2021 $431.00m)

MAT per sqm including GST was $7,165. (2021 $5,873)

Specialty MAT per sqm was $10,035. Traffic / year was 7.6 million people. Average spend per customer visit was $71.80.

14 BUSINESS NEWS
Wind turbine tower under construction
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Construction Commenced

Archibald is Gosford’s most vibrant and dynamic urban village, combining 323 residential apartments, an upscale hotel, together with a dining and entertainment precinct.

At Archibald, guests are treated to resortstyle amenities, including an outdoor pool with swim-up bar and an open-air Skybar & Lounge on the 28th floor, which provides a magnificent view of the ocean.

– 1, 2 & 3 bed apartments + 4 bed penthouses

– Spacious bedrooms, chic kitchens & luxurious bathrooms

– A ground floor dining precinct including a restaurant, pub & hotel lobby café

– Easy access to both Sydney & Newcastle

– 20 mins by car to Terrigal & Avoca beaches

– ALAND is a trusted property developer & builder with a 100% completion rate

EST. COMPLETION
Q3 2024
1300
Wednesday to Sunday: 10am – 5pm Shop 1/134 Mann Street, Gosford NSW 2250 DISPLAY SUITE NOW OPEN
661 347

The Entrance – A brighter future coming

HISTORICALLY, THE ENTRANCE has always been seen as a holiday destination with a focus on it being at the entrance to Tuggerah Lake and the ocean – the perfect fishing and swimming spot and with its caravan parks and guest houses catering for a lower socio-economic demographic that goes back to the early 1900s.

Summer school holidays and weekends would see, and still do see visitors coming in their thousands and spending a few weeks swimming, fishing or just wandering around the foreshore. Even more day trippers come in at the weekends bringing with them their eskys and picnic rugs to enjoy the sunshine and be entertained by a starry-eyed council paying big money to music groups to keep everyone happy and to get them back. The only trouble being that these visitors spend next to nothing in the town and on Monday through to Friday shop keepers struggle to stay open and pay the bills. Good seasons with lots of sunny days are great but those years when it rains it is a disaster for these businesses.

Of course The Entrance is not alone, many other coastal towns suffer the same issue.

In terms of retail most businesses cater for the lower end and holiday market and one has to wonder how they keep trading.

On the other hand the food offer at The Entrance is quite extensive. There are around sixty food shops from small takeaway to restaurants covering a wide variety of cuisine and catering to the market.

The exception is The Entrance Social Club, formerly The Entrance Hotel which since being refurbished last year has become so popular that most nights one has to book to get in.

One very sad aspect that confronts visitors is the vacant restaurants on the waterfront and elsewhere around the business centre. In particular is Fisherman’s Wharf built in 2008 and which should be a signature food location and attraction but, except for one restaurant, is unoccupied and unloved.

Looking back thirty years and in an attempt to bring the town into the modern era to satisfy a changing more affluent demographic, Wyong Council, in 1996, under the leadership of Mayor Tony Sheridan and General Manager the late John Dawson, undertook a multi-million dollar Revitalisation Programme aimed at attracting investors, new businesses and a higher spending demographic. This saw the creation of a revolutionary children’s play area on the lake front, boardwalk along the lake edge to the entrance of the lake and extensive use of granite tiles to replace the bitumen paving along with a widening of the footpaths to allow for alfresco dining. Some years later the Tuggerah Lakes

Cycleway, a 12 kilometer shared pathway was built around the lake.

It was revolutionary though not supported by all the town’s folk.

At the same time Council introduced a Town Centre Levy and established a Town Centre Management Committee to promote the town funded by the levy. Unfortunately local politics got in the way and this initiative proved to by unsuccessful in the long run.

One highlight however was the introduction of the free Pelican Feeding, a daily event that became the town’s signature attraction for visitors and in particular - day trippers.

Sheridan and Dawson’s initiative worked. Property developers moved in buying up cheap land and building high rise home units wherever they could. As fast as development applications were lodged they were approved.

In the early 2000s The Entrance had caught the eye of Sydney property developer and builder, Bob Dunnet who saw the huge opportunities the town offered and by 2011 had acquired the Lakeside Plaza Shopping Centre and would go on to buy the entire block covering over 21,000sqm.

Dunnet’s enthusiasm for The Entrance would see him spend a million on a masterplan for the site which had been described by former NSW State Architect Chris Johnson as a ‘cathedral’ site while Mr Dunnet saw it as by far the most attractive in Australia for its scenic, aquatic and geographic beauty. However, he said the built environment was and still is dreadful.

In March 2015 Mr Dunnet lodge his Development Application for a $300 million development that would kickstart the town. The development would comprise two towers with a new shopping centre, 478 residential units, a 108-room hotel. restaurants and conference facilities, a landscaped podium with two pools and over 1,400 parking spaces.

It was a visionary plan, however Wyong Council at the time demanded that he contribute an unreasonable sum running into millions to support some of their pet projects for the town.

Nevertheless the Development has been approved and the approval remains preserved.

Lakeside Plaza renewal

Currently Mr Dunnet, who fails to be distracted by the above issues, is undertaking a $4 million renewal of Lakeside Plaza which will see twelve new shops and a large Italian restaurant as a central feature of the centre and says that one day conditions will be right to make his dream come true.

Publicans making a change

While many businesses at The Entrance continue to struggle pub owners Peter Harris and Andrew Thomas see a big future for the town and are investing.

The Harris Family completed a $6 million refurbishment of then heritage listed Lakes Hotel late last year transforming the property into a casual, contemporary pub, while Sydney publican Andrew Thomas spent $6 million on a revamp of The Entrance Hotel and rebranding it The Entrance Social Club. Opening in mid last year this venue has proved to be so popular that one has to book well ahead to get in.

16 FOCUS ON THE ENTRANCE
A recent photograph of Fishermans Wharf, The Entrance (Photo courtesy of Corelogic)
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023
The Entrance

Central Coast Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy open for community consultation

Central Coast Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy is now on exhibition for community input.

The Strategy, which is open for community consultation from 15 March to 26 April 2023, has been drafted to help manage the future demand for housing within the region.

Council’s Director Environment and Planning Dr Alice Howe said the draft Local Housing Strategy explores the challenges associated with housing such as continuing rapid population growth, the shortage of low-cost rental accommodation and the lack of diversity within the existing housing stock - and identifies a vision and key objectives to address these challenges.

“A coordinated approach across all levels of government and the private sector is required to support diverse and sustainable housing on the Central Coast.

“Council is able to directly influence housing typologies and supply through land use zoning, development approvals, development charges as well as public infrastructure delivery. The Local Housing

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

New residential developments for a changing demographic

Since the GFC in 2007 that saw a number of developers go under following the flood of badly built units that had come onto the market in the previous ten years, residential development at The Entrance has dried up.

However, a new found optimism is now seeing reputable developers and builders eyeing the town with renewed investment.

The locally based Pace Family is developing GLASS, a 30 unit development on 1 Francis Street and Ocean Parade. Agent Bruce McLachlan from McLachlan Partners reports that all but four units have been sold off the plan at prices up to $2.5 million. GLASS has been designed by East Gosford architects White + Dickson with construction by Stevens Construction.

McLachlan Partners are also marketing ELYSIAN a 55 unit 6-level development by Century Developers at 43-49 Ocean Parade. Mr McLachlan said that in the short time the property has been on the market eleven units have sold off the plan at prices ranging from $900,000 to $1.5 million.

“As prices in Terrigal have moved out of the reach of many first-time buyers and down-sizers we are now seeing a demand for quality developments from local and Sydney buyers,” said Mr McLachlan.

“The Entrance is certainly seeing a changing demographic moving in and that is extending back to Long Jetty as well,” he said.

Strategy will ensure this is done in a coordinated and collaborative manner.”

Dr Howe said Council originally sought input from the community about its Local Strategic Planning Statement and the Affordable and Alternative Housing Strategy. Council then collated the information gathered and prepared a discussion paper, in conjunction with a comprehensive evidence-based report. The result of these have informed the development of the draft Local Housing Strategy.

“We now want to again receive feedback from the community on this very important Strategy, as it impacts virtually everyone on the Coast, and will become even more crucial as the Central Coast population continues to grow.”

Dr Howe said as well as the community being able to give feedback on-line, Council will also be holding drop-in community information sessions during the exhibition period.

Council Administrator Rik Hart said Council is absolutely committed to helping shape the future of housing on the Coast

– in particular how affordable housing can be woven into the overall housing development on the Coast.

“There is a common misconception that affordable housing refers to social or community housing. This is not the case - affordable housing is much more than this and a diverse mix of housing types is required to meet the needs of our community. Over half (63%) of all households on the Central Coast earn below $2000 a week and need affordable housing.

“I am extremely pleased with Council’s resolve in tackling the issue of housing on the Central Coast,” Mr Hart said.

“The anticipated growth in population on the Coast is a terrific thing, which will help boost both economic growth and enhance the social fabric of our community. However, it is essential that we get the mix of housing types right to ensure there is equity for all.”

Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy is on exhibition from 15 March to 26 April 2023. Visit yourvoiceourcoast.com/housing to find out more and have your say.

Administrator rethinks sale of Woy

Woy Commuter Car Park

The sale of Deepwater Plaza at Woy Woy now appears to be in the balance after Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, did a backflip on his earlier decision to sell the commuter car park adjacent to the Plaza thereby clearing the way for the sale.

(See full report CCBR March 2023)

At Council’s February 28th meeting Mr Hart approved a recommendation to sell the car park to property developers Raptis & Co.

It appears that the sale was conditional on Raptis & Co acquiring the car park on very favourable conditions.

The news that Council had virtually given the commuter car park away caused a furore on the Peninsula led by Peninsular Chamber of Commerce President Matthew Wales and Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch.

In a media release from Council Mr Hart said that he had asked Council’s CEO, David Farmer, to pause negotiations between Council and any prospective owner of the commuter carpark at Woy Woy train station until after the NSW State Election. Upon resumption, the Administrator has asked the CEO to ensure the community’s perspectives are considered before any agreement is finalised.

“I agree with the community that commuter car parks at public transport hubs on the Central Coast are essential. However,

Council does not need to own rail commuter car parks to achieve this outcome.

“Commuter car parks are the responsibility of the State Government, and Council does not own any other commuter car park on the Central Coast.

“Council’s preference was to align the Woy Woy commuter car park to these traditional ownership structures and transfer the site to Transport for NSW (TfNSW). However, to date, TfNSW has declined to take on this responsibility, despite TfNSW owning another commuter car park adjacent to Woy Woy station, with plans for expansion.

At present, Council leases the 700-space commuter car park to TfNSW. This lease is in place until 2065 and gives TfNSW full control of the car park, including the ability to set the fee for parking (which is currently zero). However, as the owner, Council is responsible for renewing the car park, at an average cost of around $270,000 per year, and receives a peppercorn rent of $1 in return.

“Transferring the site off Council’s books allows the annual $270,000 maintenance costs, plus the eventual replacement costs which would be significantly more than this, to be reinvested into other community infrastructure and services that need Council’s attention.”

17 CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL NEWS
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

New Australian Workplace Laws - Flexible Working Amendments

It is important to remember that the obligation to consult does not mean an obligation to agree. The new changes include the requirement that, where an employee’s request cannot be accommodated on reasonable business grounds, an employer has the responsibility of proposing an alternative. Should an employee decide not to take an alternate option, and there are reasonable business grounds for an employer to refuse a request for flexible working, then there is every possibility that the Commission would find in favour of an employer, should the matter reach that stage.

As with most Workplace disputes, having and following a process is key. A recent decision in the Fair Work Commission has highlighted the importance of genuinely engaging with an

employee who has requested flexible working conditions. In that case, the employer had flippantly refused their employees flexible working request without beforehand engaging in any efforts with the employee to find a workable solution. Consequently, the Commission determined that the employers did not have the “reasonable business grounds” necessary to refuse the request. This pre-amendment ruling indicates that the Commission will most likely take a careful look at an employer’s response when presented with a request. So, having proper processes and workplace policies is vital.

In this era of tightened labour markets and low unemployment, it makes sense for employers to consider flexible work requests accommodate them where

State Elections – Good result for Central Coast

Scentre Group, owners of Westfield Tuggerah shopping centre and the Darkinjung Land Council presented the Minister Anthony Roberts with a plan to transform Tuggerah into a new age community.

Tuggerah stands at the centre of the Central Coast and has the capacity to generate over $4 billion in economic benefit. It should be a major transport interchange supporting a mix of retail, a regional sporting complex, education, entertainment options and within that over 2,600 homes in medium and high rise living. It was killed off once the new government took office.

This has to be a top priority for incoming Minister for the Central Coast David Harris and the new Planning Minister.

Small and Medium Business Priorities

• Energy. Perhaps the new government can bring themselves to understand that small and medium businesses are facing financial ruin as the cost of electricity doubles and gas prices increase by over 50%. For manufacturers our politicians need to understand that many are struggling as environmentalists and activists simply will not understand that it is base load power that drives industry. A few puffs of wind and a sunny day might be okay them but what we are doing is driving manufacturing back to China and India and elsewhere.

• Workers Compensation. Workers Compensation is a cancer that is out of control. Treasurer then Premier Perrottet

WHY BUSINE SS OWNER S ON THE CENTR AL COA S T CHOOSE CCBR TO GROW THEIR BUSINE SS

✓ They can reach over 20,000 business readers every month.

✓ Most widely read and trusted business publication on the Central Coast.

✓ The repetition of your ad every month means readers will get to know you and remember you.

✓ Independent surveys show 94% of readers will use the CCBR for reference when looking for suppliers.

✓ The quality of the publication and the content means readers retain the CCBR for future reference.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

possible. Data obtained by National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that a third of Australian employees who are currently working flexibly would be inclined to immediately quit their job or start looking for a new one if they were required to return to their place of employment on a full time basis. Like Dolly, it seems that, in this post COVID work environment, Australian workers are less inclined to be constrained to office, working 9 to 5.

To avoid the risks of failing to properly consider any requests for flexible work arrangements, we can provide advice and guidance and practical tips to suit your business.

For more information on workplace laws contact Warwick Ryan at: Warwick.Ryan@hicksons.com.au

created a monster when he changed WorkCover to iCare which now operates on the basis that employees are always right and entitled to huge compensation on the basis of their say-so and employers are always in the wrong.

Workers Compensation claims are automatically paid by iCare and recov ered from employees with increased premiums.

It is a scandal that simply has to be addressed.

18 CONTINUED ARTICLES
FROM PAGE 4 Call E d g ar A da ms now on 040 4 4 7 2 5 7 1 o r E m ail : edga r a da ms @ c cb u s ine s s r e vie w.c om. a u
CONTINUED
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Sydney company buys Wyong industrial for expansion

reception area with commercial kitchen area forms part of one building

Overall area of the property is 4,100sqm

The property which was on the market for less than three months sold for $3.5 million (GST not applicable).

Brett Dowling and Ty Blanch from LJ Hooker Commercial Central Coast who negotiated the sale said that Flemings Dynamics’ directors are very excited about the prospect of expanding and see the Central Coast as the perfect area with a strong employee pool and potential for long term growth.

“The industrial market remains strong as supply is tight.

DA’s for new development are taking upwards of 12 months for an approval, creating a massive bottleneck.

FLEMING DYNAMICS, A Northern Beaches based supplier of specialised machinery and equipment to the manufacturing industry, has purchased a property at 11-13 Amsterdam Circuit, Wyong for storage and warehousing.

The property which was formerly used as

a heliport for a private operator was built to allow it to be repurposed as an industrial warehouse/factory and comprises 2 buildings one of 1,000sqm and second of !,500sqm with extensive hardstand, all security fenced.

A state-of-the-art 720sqm office and

We still have great demand for industrial property of all sizes from both the local and the Sydney market, making now an ideal time to sell with great results being achieved.

We anticipate that once the supply frees up and the pressures of inflation and increased interest rates take effect, that we could see a softening of the market,” he said.

19 Suite 401/1 Bryant Drive, TUGGERAH NSW 2259 87 Mann Street, GOSFORD NSW 2250 Central Coast (02) 4353 7700 TOP OFFICE INTERNATIONALLY NUMBER OF SALES 2021 – 2022 Begin with the No. 1 Karen Aubrey Focus Marketing Area Specialist Somersby, West Gosford & the Peninsula PROPERTY NEWS
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Narara retail sells prior to auction

A

FREEHOLD INVESTMENT

property at 16 Deane Street, Narara has been picked up by a Sydney investor prior to auction for $1.75 million (GST not applicable).

The property which was last traded in 2006 comprises two retail shops on a 1,779sqm lot with onsite parking within walking distance from Narara Railway Station.

Total annual gross income is $115,000 plus GST providing the buyer with an initial return on investment of 6.6% per annum.

West Gosford industrial sells in 6 days.

Shop 1 is leased to Australian Liquor Marketers until April 2026 with a further 3 year option with annual CPI increases.

Shop 2 is leased to Ezy Group Convenience Pty Ltd until August 2027 with a further 5 year option with annual CPI increases.

Zoned R2 Low Density Residential for property services a large residential area as well as a strong commuter customer base.

Mark Davies from Raine & Horne Commercial Central Coast negotiated the sale.

GKR Karate Australia which operates a chain of karate clubs throughout Australia and overseas, has leased a 339sqm industrial unit at 10 O’Hart Close, Charmhaven.

Terms of lease are 5 years with 5 year option at a rental of $50,000 per annum plus Outgoings and GST.

Mark Davies from Raine & Horne Commercial Central Coast negotiated the lease.

Software developer leases at Platinum Erina

A freehold industrial property with 413sqm factory on a 689sqm lot at 31 Young Street, West Gosford has sold to a local investor for $1.2 million (GST not applicable).

The property was sold with vacant possession. And is zoned B6 – Enterprise Corridor and features a maximum building height of 18 metres STCA.

The high clearance factory includes ground and mezzanine level offices, amenities ,LED lighting and high speed NBN broadband connection.

The property last traded in 2010 for $357,000 (Source: RPData)

Commenting on the sale Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal said that the property had only been on he market for six days. “We are getting a huge number of enquiries for properties such as this,” he said.

A Sydney developer has paid $5.85 million plus GST for 3 Burnet Road, Warnervale, one of the last large developable industrial sites on the Centra Coast.

The 1.12 ha level and cleared lot with all services was last traded in 2022 for $2.42 million (Source RPData).

Mark Davies from Raine & Horne Commercial Central Coast negotiated the sale

Arts and Crafts centre opens at Toukley

An Arts & Crafts Centre has leased a 60sqm retail shop at 225B Main Road, Toukley

Terms of lease are 1 year with 1 year option at a rental of $17,000 per annum plus Outgoings and GST.

Mark Davies from Raine & Horne Commercial Central Coast negotiated the lease.

Software developer, ClockOn Australia has leased Suite 3.34 in the Platinum Building, 4 Ilya Avenue, Erina.

Terms of lease for the 213.5sqm suite are 5 years with 3 x3 year options at rental of $85,400 per annum plus Outgoings and GST with increases greater of CPI & 3%, capped at 5%.

The 3rd Floor suite comprises fully fitted out open office area with 10 work stations, 3 spacious executive offices, meeting room, 2 meeting pods, kitchen and dining area plus 5 dedicated parking spaces.

The lease was negotiated by Nicole Barr from Commercialhq.

20 PROPERTY NEWS
Sydney developer buys rare industrial site Karate business leases at Charmhaven
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Davistown restaurant leased

A restaurant on the waterfront at 1 Restella Avenue, Davistown has been leased to a new operator from Sydney who will trade as The Caspian Mediterranean Restaurant.

Terms of lease for the 370sqm space are 3

LEASINGS

Fire protection company leases at Tuggerah

A fire protection company, Applied Fire Protection and Maintenance has leased Unit 4, 12 Reliance Drive, Tuggerah Business Park.

Terms of lease for the 145sqm unit are 3 years with no option at a rental of $65,000 per annum plus Outgoings and GST.

Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal negotiated the lease.

Health and fitness business leases at Fountaindale

A health and fitness business has leased

FOR SALE

Locksmith and Architectural Hardware – Avoca Beach

PRICE ON APPLICATION

This quality locally owned and managed business has been successfully operated by the same owner for over 36 years and is offered for sale for the first time as the owner wishes to retire. The business enjoys an enviable reputation for locking systems and door furniture and is a major supplier of residential and commercial architectural hardware across the Central Coast and throughout Australia working with architects, builders and the general public.

Turnover $900,000+ including Online turnover

The current owner will continue to support the new owner

Contact: Derek – 0412 437 327

years with no option at a rental of $50,000 net per annum for the 1st year, $60,000 net per annum for 2nd year and 3rd year $65,000 net per annum all plus GST.

Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal negotiated the lease.

Factory A, ½ Catamaran Road, Fountaindale for 5 years plus 5 year option at a rental of $130,000 per annum net plus GST.

The building comprises office, factory and holding yard with 400sqm office space over 2 levels and 576sqm warehouse with holding yard/hardstand of 900sqm.

Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal negotiated the lease.

Tobacconists lease at Ourimbah and Wyong

Tobacconists have leased a 56sqm retail shop in a village neighbourhood centre at 34-48 Cutler Avenue, Wyong.

Terms of lease for the 56 sqm shop are 7 years with 5 year option at a rental of $60,00 per annum plus Outgoings and GST.

King of the Pack Tobacconist has Shop 1 at 39 Pacific Highway, Ourimbah in the Ourimbah shopping strip.

Terms of lease for the 70sqm space are 2 years with 5 year option at a rental of $20,800 per annum plus Outgoings and GST

Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal negotiated the lease.

Shops leased in Karalta Road Erina

Ben Purdue from LJ Hooker Commercial Terrigal reports that he has leased two shops in the 8 Karalta Road Erina retail/ commercial precinct.

Shop 6 of $102sqm has been leased to a bridal business for 5 years plus 5 year option at a rental of $36,000 per annum including Outgoings and GST.

Compass Pilates Studio has leased Shop 8 of 102sqm for 3 years with 2 x 3 year options at a rental of $36,000 per annum including Outgoings plus GST.

Accountant leases in Highpoint Erina

Accountants, Crowe Consulting have leased a 62 sqm office suite in the Highpoint Building, 257-259 The Entrance Road, Erina.

Terms of lease are 3 year with 3 year option at a rental of $22,875 per annum plus Outgoing and GST.

Jaimy Vegter from DiJones Commercial Central Coast negotiated the lease.

21 PROPERTY NEWS
Mark Davies 0422 442 858 Central Coast 9/258 Wallarah Road, Kanwal Auction Commercial Central Coast rhc.com.au/centralcoast • Zoned B1 Neighbourhood Centre • 124sqm of Floor area • 5+5+5-year lease term • Long established Take away Food business
income of $62,400 per annum
April, Thursday On site at 11am
• Net
20th
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

A surgeon, an accountant and a lawyer were arguing about which of them was practicing the oldest profession. The surgeon said “God created Eve from Adam’s rib. Obviously, God is a surgeon, so medicine is the oldest profession.” The Accountant protested, “Before God created Eve from Adam’s rib, He created an orderly universe from chaos. That clearly shows that God was an accountant before He was a surgeon. Accounting, then, has to be the oldest profession.” The lawyer sat for a moment wryly smiling, looking at the surgeon and the accountant. “That may be true,” the lawyer said shrugging his shoulders, “but who created the chaos?”

I quit my posiiton as a scuba diving instructor the first day on the job.

Deep down, I realised it wasn’t for me.

A young man joins a large corporation as a trainee.

On his very first day at work, he dials the canteen and shouts into the phone, “get me a coffee, quickly.”

The voice on the other end of the phone responded, “You fool you have dialled the wrong extension. Do you know who you are talking to.”

“No,” replied the trainee.

“It’s the CEO of the company, you fool.”

The trainee shouts back, “And do you know who you are talking to you fool?”

“No,” replied the CEO indignantly.

“Good!” replied the trainee and puts down the phone.

Yesterday I drank a bottle of invisible ink. I was in hospital all night waiting to be seen.

You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.

Two scientists are studying how far frogs can jump. Their first step was to teach a frog to jump on command. This completed, they yelled jump, and the frog jumped 8 meters. Considering what effect each leg had, they then amputated one leg and yelled jump again.

The frog jumped 6 meters. After noting this, they amputated a second leg. After yelling jump, the frog jumps 4 meters. This was such an interesting result that they went on to amputate a third leg. This time, the frog was only able to leap 2 meters.

Feeling a breakthrough was coming, they amputated the last leg. Despite yelling jump repeatedly, the frog wouldn’t move. Their conclusions were that amputation of more than 3 legs causes deafness in frogs.]

Three engineers who were riding in a car, went down a hill, and crashed.

One, a mechanical engineer said, “It must be the brakes. Let me check ‘em out.”

The electrical engineer said, “I think it was something in the electrical system. Let me check it out.”

Finally the software engineer said, “Let’s push it back up the hill and run it again.”

“The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.”

As my wife and I prepared for our garage sale, I came across a painting. Looking at

the back, I discovered that I had written “To my beautiful wife on our fifth anniversary. I love you … Keith.” Feeling nostalgic about a gift I’d given her 25 years earlier, I showed it to her, thinking we should rehang the picture. After gazing at my message for a few seconds, she replied, “You know, I think a black marker would cover over all that so that we could sell it.”

It was getting close to my wife’s birthday. She was looking at herself in the mirror. I asked her what she’d like for her birthday. She sighed and said I’d like to be eight again... On the morning of her birthday, I woke up early and made her a nice big bowl of coco pops. I then took her on a special trip to Legoland. On the way home we stopped at McDonald’s where I got her a Happy Meal. We then went to the cinema where they were playing old Disney movies. I got her a large Slush Puppie iced drink and a bag of popcorn. After the movie we walked home in the rain. I got her to jump into the puddles. I then surprised her with a nice pink bunny rabbit birthday cake. She was shattered as she fell into bed. “How was it being eight again” I asked thinking I’d smashed it. “I meant my dress size! You nutter” she replied.

Quote of the month

“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.”

A BUSINESS IS JUST HARD.

We can help make your journey easier and pro table. From developing your brand, to creating stand-out collateral and elevating your digital marketing, we deliver stunning design and marketing know-how to connect you with your next client. Whether you need a simple yer or a full marketing plan, make Graphic By Design your next call.

22
FUNNY BUSINESS
MARKETING / BRAND / PRINT / DIGITAL+WEB 02 4365 6777 graphicbydesign.com. au
GROWING
CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW APRIL 2023

Property Land Holdings for Lease across the Central Coast

1 David St, Doyalson, NSW

TENANCY Industrial, showroom, or warehouse distribution

FLOOR AREA from 1,500m² to 12,000m²

AVAILABILITY Q2 2025

47 Myoora Rd, Somersby, NSW

TENANCY Industrial hardstand (sealed)

FLOOR AREA up to 40,000m² hardstand

AVAILABILITY NOW Q1 2023

7 Pinnacle Pl, Somersby, NSW

TENANCY Industrial and warehouse distribution

FLOOR AREA up to 2,000m²

AVAILABILITY Q2 2025

119 Wisemans Ferry Rd, Somersby, NSW

TENANCY Industrial and warehouse distribution

FLOOR AREA from 100m² to 7,000m²

AVAILABILITY Q1 2025

Gosford Somersby Tuggerah Doyalson Newcastle
A Borg company
Sydney M1
spaceurban.com.au 1300 300 641 info@spaceurban.com.au Scan the QR code to view a full list of available properties
Come and discover the Ducati range on the 1st of June 2023 at Worthington Motorcycles. 5 Kangoo Road Kariong NSW 2250 - Ph: (02) 4340 3555 worthingtonmotorcycles.com.au Developed with Technical partner

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.