Coast Community Chronicle 222 by Central Coast Newspapers

20 JANUARY 2021

ISSUE 222

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

News

Health risks of toxic emissions

A ban placed on river dams within the Ourimbah Creek and Jilliby Jilliby Creek water sources is just one aspect of water management on the Central Coast being reviewed by the NSW Government. See page 3

Out&About

Claims made that Vales Point allowed to pollute at double NSW legal levels See pages 4 & 5

Vera’s Water Garden is open and ready for play following a contamination issue. See page 17

Education

Dr Ben Ewald (left) and Will Belford of Future Sooner

Billion dollar battery for Eraring Power Station Dooralong Public School has been abandoned to decline into a derelict state since it was closed in 2011, and there are no clear plans for its future. See page 34

Sport Origin Energy is moving ahead with plans to install a battery, the biggest of its type in Australia, at its Eraring coal-fired power station, on the shores of Lake Macquarie. The battery would be used to store 700 megawatts of electricity from any source, including solar, wind, gas, as well as the coal-fuelled turbines, and send that power into the grid when needed. With an estimated investment by Origin of more than a billion

Power station to install country’s biggest storage battery

dollars, the Eraring battery project is currently the largest in Australia, in the move to drive down emissions and transition towards renewables, cleaner systems and more reliable electricity supply. Origin has sought an Expression of Interest to suitably qualified companies to supply and install the large scale battery. A Connection Enquiry has also been lodged with service provider TransGrid to connect the battery to the national grid

via the Eraring substation. Eraring is Australia’s largest power station supplying about a quarter of NSW’s energy needs and is Origin’s only coalfired generator. It is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2032 and this 700-megawatt battery will allow Origin to use existing infrastructure and network connections long after the power station has stopped producing electricity by burning coal. The battery will also support

the NSW energy grid’s transition away from fossil fuels and the entry of new solar and wind projects in coming decades. Origin Executive General Manager, Energy Supply and Operations, Greg Jarvis, said the battery at Eraring supported Origin’s decarbonisation objectives as well as recent NSW energy policy announcements to transition to renewable energy. “A large-scale battery at Eraring will help us better support renewable energy and

maintain reliable supply for customers by having long duration storage ready to despatch into the grid at times when renewable sources are not available,” he said. “It will support Origin’s orderly transition away from coal fired generation by 2032.” Operation of the battery is expected to be established over three stages, with the first being reached by late 2022, and full operation by 2026. Sue Murray

Two years ago, the Mariners launched the Yellow and Navy Foundation, the primary function of which was to provide opportunities and pathways for young players. See page 38

Puzzles page 23

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong - Phone: 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net - www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

INFO

Page 2

20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

CHANCE TO WIN!

SOURCE LINES: WHERE DO OUR ARTICLES COME FROM?

The Chronicle would like to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an advertising package with Central Coast Newspapers.

The lucky winner will receive a credit for a one eighth of a page advertisement valued at $250 to feature in 20,000 editions of either the Chronicle, Coast Community News or The Pelican Post, as well as in the digital edition. It will be seen by thousands of people and with the new year ahead of us, now is the time for businesses and notfor-profits to reconnect with the Central Coast community. For your chance to win write your full name, address and daytime telephone number of the back of an envelope and mail it to Coast Community Chronicle Advertising Competition, PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250, before 5pm on

Coast Community Chronicle includes “source lines” at the end of each article which aim to provide readers with information about where and how we came across the information, so that they might judge for themselves the veracity of what they are reading.

January 22. The winners of the It’s so Natural Competition were Rhonda Harvie- The Entrance,

It should not be assumed that the article is a verbatim reproduction of the source. Similarly, it should not be assumed that any reporter listed is necessarily responsible for writing the whole news item. Source lines are not by-lines. Often articles come from a number of sources. They are edited for readability and reader interest and given different headings, and consequently can be expressed quite differently from the source material. Coast Community Chronicle usually receives its information in three ways: It is sent to us by

Trudy Dunn - The Entrance and G. Penn - Lisarow. (Not available to current advertisers)

Prize winners may be required to pick up their prize from our Wyong office or Gosford. Entries may be passed on to prize providers for marketing purposes.

DO YOU WANT TO SEND US A STORY? CCN welcomes contributions from all members of the community, including citizen reports, media releases and letters to the Editor. All contributions should be emailed to editorial@centralcoastnews.net CCN reserves the right to use, or not use, any material sent to us in our publications and to validate, amend, update, expand or reduce information at our sole discretion and in accordance with our editorial standards.

CCN contributions. Media Statement - sent in response to our questions. Website or Social Media - information published online. Newsletter or Report published in print or online. Interview or Meeting statements recorded by a reporter. Forum contributions may be: Email if sent electronically and Letter if written on paper.

someone wanting to promote their activities; it is sent to us in response to our inquiries; or it comes from a newsletter or other document to which we have access. Sometimes we may interview a person or report what they said at a meeting. The following descriptions are used: Media Release - unsolicited

DO YOU WANT TO ADVERTISE?

Letters to the Editor will generally be All requests for advertising should be directed to published in their original but possibly edited manager@centralcoastnews.net. form, while other published material sent to Advertising rates are impacted by three key us may vary from its original form. things: – the size of the advertisement, e.g. a Material that is offensive, defamatory or half-page or a one-quarter page; the number of overtly political will not be published. editions that the advertisement runs; and the We may publish promotional information number of newspapers (one, two or three) in which the advertisement is run. based on our assessment of the level of CCN offers significant discounts for genuine news content, and any material advertisements that run over multiple editions used which is clearly advertorial in nature, and across multiple newspapers – see will be marked as such.

Next Edition: Coast Community Chronicle 223

www.coastcommunitynews.com.au/aboutus/ advertisingrates We also offer discounts for not-for-profit organisations and other community groups. Advertisers are invited to talk to us about becoming a DIGITAL PARTNER, which provides exclusive opportunities to promote your product, services or events on our digital platform as well. If you would like to be a DIGITAL PARTNER please call us on 0401 000 475 or email us at keeper@centralcoastnews.net

Deadline: January 22 Publication date: January 27

Coast Community Chronicle covers: Alison, Bateau Bay, Berkeley Vale, Blue Bay, Blue Haven, Budgewoi, Budgewoi Peninsula, Buff Point, Bushells Ridge, Canton Beach, Cedar Brush Creek, Chain Valley Bay, Charmhaven, Chittaway Bay, Chittaway Point, Colongra, Crangan Bay, Dooralong, Doyalson, Doyalson North, Durren Durren, Fountaindale, Frazer Park, Freemans, Glenning Valley, Gorokan, Gwandalan, Halekulani, Halloran, Hamlyn Terrace, Jilliby, Kangy Angy, Kanwal, Kiar, Killarney Vale, Kingfisher Shores, Lake Haven, Lake Munmorah, Lemon Tree, Little Jilliby, Long Jetty, Magenta, Mannering Park, Mardi, Moonee, Norah Head, Noraville, Ourimbah, Palmdale, Palmgrove, Point Wolstoncroft, Ravensdale, Rocky Point, San Remo, Shelly Beach, Summerland Point, Tacoma, Tacoma South, The Entrance, The Entrance North, Toowoon Bay, Toukley, Tuggerah, Tuggerawong, Tumbi Umbi, Wadalba, Wallarah, Warnervale, Watanobbi, Woongarrah, Wybung, Wyee, Wyee Point, Wyong, Wyong Creek, Wyongah, Yarramalong

Publisher: Ross Barry - CEO: Cec Bucello - Design & Production: Justin Stanley, Lucillia Eljuga Journalists: Sue Murray, Terry Collins, Dilon Luke, Jacinta Counihan, Hayley McMahon, Maisy Rae, Haakon Barry, Merilyn Vale - Head of Distribution: Anthony Wagstaff ISSN 1839-9045 - Print Post Approved - PP100001843 - Printed by Spotpress Marrickville

24 DECEMBER 2020 23 DECEMBER 2020

A new consolidated Central Coast Local Environment Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plan (DCP) will not come into force until the State Government gazettes them, which is not expected until early 2021.

See page 17

Source: Central Coast Rescue Squad

A free online healthy lifestyle program for older adults living on the Central Coast will return in 2021.

Two Central Coast residents are in COVID-19 home isolation Two Central Coast residents are in home isolation while another remains in hotel quarantine in Sydney after all being diagnosed with COVID-19.

CCN

Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) has confirmed that the two local cases have been linked to the Northern Beaches cluster, with health staff undertaking daily wellness checks with both patients. The CCLHD also confirmed that the resident in hotel quarantine had returned from overseas when they tested positive for the virus and that

their case is not deemed a risk to the Central Coast community. All three patients will remain in isolation until deemed noninfectious by health staff. According to a spokesperson for the CCLHD, one close contact has been identified in relation to the first local case, with the contact residing in the same household as the patient. They are now also in-home isolation and have been tested for COVID-19 as a precaution. The spokesperson said anyone who travelled via the 6.15pm ferry from Palm Beach to Wagstaffe on Wednesday,

December 16, is considered a casual contact of this case and advised that they should monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested immediately should symptoms appear, regardless of the severity. The spokesperson said that all close contacts for the second local case had been contacted and were selfisolating, with the ferry journey the only location identified for casual contacts. There are no other exposure sites identified on the Central Coast. The situation has prompted

CCLHD Chief Executive, Dr Andrew Montague, to remind residents about the importance of COVID testing. “It is important that anyone who gets tested also isolates themselves if they have even the slightest of symptoms,” Dr Montague said. “We are asking people to avoid non-essential travel to the Northern Beaches at this time. “We know many Central Coast residents commute to the Northern Beaches area for work, however, the message is the same for everyone regardless of whether you have

See page 31

been on Northern Beaches. “If you have symptoms, please get tested. “These latest cases serve as an important reminder that we cannot become complacent, COVID-19 is still present, and we must remain alert for symptoms.” Local COVID-19 testing is available at Wyong Hospital Building C (opposite the Health Services Building), open 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week. Bookings are encouraged on 4394 9200, however walk-ins are accepted. Dilon Luke

Sport

Central Coast residents are being urged to continue being tested for COVID-19 if they have even the mildest symptoms, with a COVID positive Western Sydney resident having visited Avoca Beach on December 20 and virus fragments having been discovered in a sewage treatment plant at Kincumber. The COVID positive resident, who is in isolation in Western Sydney, visited the Saltwater Bistro at Avoca Beach Hotel on December 20 between 7.40

and 8.30pm. Anyone who attended the bistro at the specified time is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative test result. They should then continue to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days and if any symptoms occur, get tested again. The business had a COVIDsafety plan in place and casual contacts are being contacted, with the case having been linked to the Avalon cluster. Meanwhile, the state’s

sewage surveillance program detected traces of the virus at the Kincumber sewage treatment plant, which services multiple suburbs to the south of the region, on December 21. There are currently two confirmed cases in the Central Coast Local Health District, both of whom are being monitored. Central Coast Local Health District has reinforced the importance of physical distancing, good hand hygiene and remaining alert for symptoms, which include a fever, cough, sore/scratchy

throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and loss of taste or smell. In addition to testing clinics at Gosford and Wyong hospitals, a walk-in COVID-19 testing clinic has been established at the Woy Woy Hospital, next to the kiosk, on Ocean Beach Rd, which will operate every day until Thursday December 24 (inclusive) between 8am and 4.30pm. Residents are reminded that home gatherings are limited to 10 people, with a slight easing of restrictions announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian

allowing children under 12 to be excluded from the number count over Christmas (December 24-26 inclusive). Berejiklian reinforced the fact that this is the maximum number allowed, more than one group of 10 visiting at different times of the day is not permitted. On December 27, restrictions revert to a maximum of 10 persons visiting a home, including children. Source: NSW Health website Media release, Dec 23 Central Coast Local Health District

MacKillop Catholic College Warnervale student, Jack Albanese, has ended his school year on a high after setting a new national record with Powerlifting Australia, not once, but twice. See page 38

Puzzles page 23

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong - Phone: 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net - www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

This latest loan sees Council’s total borrowings for the year reach $200M, with a $50M loan taken out with NAB in May to be repaid over 20 years, and another $50M borrowed from an unnamed financial institution in November – a principle and interest loan with

a fixed five-year term amortised over 15 years. The latest loan was approved at an extraordinary meeting on December 18 and is a fixed threeyear loan amortising over 15 years. Details of the loan were discussed in closed session and remain commercial-inconfidence. A Council spokesperson said the loan will assist Council with a positive budget for the next financial year and long term 10-

year financial plan. Council resolved at the December 18 meeting to authorise Administrator Dick Persson and Acting Chief Executive Officer Rik Hart to execute all documents relating to the facility agreement between Council and the financial institution. The Council also resolved that the report should remain confidential in accordance with section 10A(2)(d)(i) of the Local Government Act as it “contains

commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed, prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it”. The minutes also say that consideration of the matter in open Council would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest as publication of all tendered amounts would discourage potential tenderers from submitting commercial information in future. Meanwhile, Council continues

its path to financial recovery and sustainability under its business recovery plan, the spokesperson said. Reductions have been made in the capital works program, sales of assets are underway, an employee savings target has been set and a voluntary redundancy program has commenced, as well as notification to IPART for a special rate variation of 15 per cent. CCN report

News

It took firefighters two hours to contain a fire which broke out at Woy Woy Waste Management Facility on January 10.

See page 3

Bluebottles arrive en masse

ISSUE 222

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

News

Health risks of toxic emissions

A ban placed on river dams within the Ourimbah Creek and Jilliby Jilliby Creek water sources is just one aspect of water management on the Central Coast being reviewed by the NSW Government.

See page 5

See page 3

Out&About

20 JANUARY 2021

Fires ravaged waste management facilities at either end of the Central Coast on January 10 – the first time both Woy Woy and Buttonderry tips have experienced simultaneous fires.

Out&About

Central Coast Bicycle User Group (CCBUG) will continue its Social Sunday Cycles sessions with a ride to start at Fisherman’s Wharf, Woy Woy, on January 17.

Family run business, The Outlook Riding Academy, is a little different to others, offering guests ponies, parties, and a psychologist.

See page 3

Out&About

Woy Woy volunteer thanked by Premier The word ‘Bangarra’ is the Wiradjuri word meaning ‘to make fire’, and a special performance at The Art House Wyong in February is sure to set hearts and minds alight.

You can experience breathtaking work from four of Australia’s leading surf photographers at Gosford Regional Gallery this summer. See page 17

Education

It took all night on Sunday, January 10, for 45 firefighters and more than a dozen brigades to bring a blaze under control at Buttonderry Waste Management Facility on Hue Hue Rd, Jilliby.

See page 17

Education

See page 5

In a competition between 666 schools, the Terrigal Primary School debating team, Terrigal Tigers, have been named runnersup in the NSW Premiers Debating Challenge. See page 35

Sport

Spot us another $100M: Council Central Coast Council has taken out another loan – this time for $100M – as it continues to work through mitigation measures for its cash crisis.

ISSUE 275

News

ISSUE 005

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Twelve trees have been removed from a Bateau Bay picnic area in Wyrrabalong National Park following their deliberate poisoning.

See page 3

More signs of COVID on the Coast

14 JANUARY 2021

News

Out&About

The Central Coast community has come together to celebrate the life of one of their own.

Education

ISSUE 221

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

45 firefighters needed to extinguish Buttonderry blaze

The Palm Beach to Ettalong and Wagstaffe Ferry will continue to run on schedule despite calls from some residents for a suspension of the service during the Northern Beaches COVID-19 cluster period.

See page 3

Out&About

Volunteers from Warnervale and Wadalba Rural Fire Brigades and Central Coast Rescue Squad were called out just before 9am. The horse had been stuck in the dam overnight and was exhausted after trying to free himself. Crews managed to use large animal rescue slings to assist hauling him out of the water and mud to safety. A local vet was on the scene to give the horse a check over after his ordeal.

13 JANUARY 2021

News

Rescue crews were called out in torrential rain on Sunday, December 20, to rescue a horse stuck in a dam at Warnervale.

15 JANUARY 2021

ISSUE 274

ISSUE 220

REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS

Horse rescued

Central Coast Council’s financial woes date back to 2016 A specialist accounting firm that works with councils appears to have shed more light on the cause of Central Coast Council’s financial woes.

Central Coast fishers will soon be bream-ing with excitement, with a Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) recently deployed to ocean waters near Terrigal. See page 40

Puzzles page 22

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford - Phone: 4325 7369 - Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 - E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

LG Solutions looked at Council’s publicly available and audited financial statements in October 2020 after the Council financial position became public, and said that it had to “pick itself up off the floor after what it found”. “Little did we know when we started the review that we would uncover far more than we bargained for,” the LG

Solutions’ report said. The company held back on publishing its regular industry newsletter and notified its findings to Council, the Department of Local Government and the NSW Audit Office. LG Solutions said that they hadn’t heard back from any of those three organisations or from the council association, Local Government NSW, and therefore, published its findings in early November See page 10 for more

Junior school students at Warnervale’s MacKillop Catholic College will return to school to find a colourful surprise in the form of some new murals. See page 33

A group of Red Cross volunteers from across the State with Lauraine Martinus (3rd from left) personally thanked by Premier Gladys Berejiklian for her dedication to the local community

A Woy Woy resident has been personally thanked by Premier Gladys Berejiklian for her efforts and service during last summer’s bushfires.

Lauraine Martinus, Team Leader of Red Cross Emergency Services Central Coast, was commended on her dedication to the community at a special event held at the NSW Parliament last month. The announcement comes after a group of Red Cross volunteers from across the state received Bushfire

Emergency Citations, which recognise the services of thousands of people who fought the fires and supported communities. The seven volunteers who attended the event were invited to represent 636 Red Cross volunteers and staff across the state who are being awarded the service honour. As a Red Cross Emergency Services volunteer for more than 17 years, Martinus said some of the scenes of last year’s bushfires were devastating.

“Last year I travelled down, with my team members, to the Recovery Centre at Batemans Bay (and) we were able to work with local agencies to provide support to those people affected,” Martinus said. “I helped people register and linked them with support, from clean clothes, to a place to sleep, to financial assistance. “I was able to listen to their stories of what they had been through and offer comfort, reassurance and referrals to other agencies in the area. “A lot of people were

See page 17

Health

A second win in three days has pushed the Central Coast Mariners to the top of the table after a clinical 2-0 win away against Macarthur FC. See page 40 Central Coast Council Acting CEO, Rik Hart

Council has notified the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) of its intention to apply for a Special Variation (SV) of either a one-off 10 per cent remaining in the rate base for seven years or a one-off 15 per cent, remaining permanently in the rate base, inclusive of the

2021/22 rate peg of 2 per cent. Acting CEO Rik Hart said he understood community concern about paying more rates, but this was needed for Council’s long-term financial security and ongoing service delivery which would benefit everyone. “We have been open with the community about our financial situation and are taking significant steps to help our bottom line – we are selling assets, reducing staff numbers and materials and contracts, reducing the capital works program, looking at fees and

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch is warning Peninsula residents to be aware of the importance of continuing with COVID-safety measures...

Continued page 4

Education

See pages 4 & 5

Sport

A Woy Woy cricketer has been named player of the round after an impressive performance at Woongarrah last weekend. See page 40

Puzzles page 22

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong - Phone: 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net - www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Central Coast residents have expressed grave concerns about prospective rate rises in the aftermath of the council’s financial blowout. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) announced it had received 2,700 direct submissions (in December) from concerned residents – the highest number of submissions ever received on a single topic. Residents are invited to have a say on the proposed rate rise for the region which could potentially be as high as 15 per cent. Council has notified (IPART) of its intention to apply for a Special Variation (SV) of either a one-off 10 per cent remaining in the rate base for seven years or a one-off 15 per cent,

remaining permanently in the rate base, inclusive of the 2021/22 rate peg of 2%. With a 10 per cent rise the average residential increase would be $2.13 a week ($111 p.a.) and the average business increase $6.11 a week ($318 p.a.). With a 15 per cent increase the average residential rate rise would be $3.20 a week ($166 p.a.) and the average business rise $9.30 a week ($477 p.a.). Acting CEO Rik Hart said he understood community concern about paying more rates, but this was needed for Council’s long-term financial security and ongoing service delivery which would benefit everyone. “We have been open with the community about our financial situation and are taking

Central Coast Council Acting CEO, Rik Hart

significant steps to help our bottom line – we are selling assets, reducing staff numbers and materials and contracts, reducing the capital works program, looking at fees and

Vera’s Water Garden is open and ready for play following a contamination issue. See page 17

Education

Dr Ben Ewald (left) and Will Belford of Future Sooner

Billion dollar battery for Eraring Power Station

Community angst over prospective rate rises

Maisy Rae

Claims made that Vales Point allowed to pollute at double NSW legal levels

See page 17

A smack of bluebottle jellyfish has hit Central Coast beaches over the past week, causing major inconvenience for beachgoers. See page 4 for more

See page 35

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce says a rate rise is “the last thing” the Coast needs, as Central Coast Council invites residents to have their say on a proposed rise of 1015 per cent this year.

Puzzles page 23

elderly residents on the Central Coast to prepare for heatwaves. “It is a pleasure to be able to help people in their time of need,” Martinus said. “That is why I put my hand up last year to provide telephone support to those people staying at quarantine hotels in Sydney.” Martinus commended her fellow volunteers from the Central Coast team who also provided invaluable support and assistance to vulnerable residents.

‘The last thing we need’ - Chamber

Sport

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong - Phone: 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net - www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

devastated and feeling totally lost, all they wanted was a chat and some information.” As leader of the Central Coast team, Martinus has led a number of emergency responses over the past year for fires, floods, and COVID-19 related crises. In 2020 alone, Martinus worked in bushfire and flood evacuation centres, made over 400 personal support calls to returning Australians in hotel quarantine, taught primary school preparedness lessons, and delivered gel cooling neckties and messages to

charges and we have been able to secure further loans,” Hart said. “The last thing we want to do is put more burden on our ratepayers. “But if we do not have a substantial increase in our rate income as well, then even harder decisions will need to be made. “For our community that would mean a significant reduction or even elimination of services that they need and rely on us to provide. “Our first priority has to be the repayment of restricted funds, which were unlawfully used, so that does not become a burden for future generations. “This is a conversation our community has to have, and we want to hear from as many residents and ratepayers as possible.

“I urge all community members to keep an open mind, consider the information put before them, and to provide feedback over the coming weeks before Council determines in early February whether or not to formally apply to IPART for a Special Variation.” Information on the options being considered for an SV as well as a survey for ratepayers and residents can be found at yourvoiceourcoast.com Council will consider a report about the Special Variation options, inclusive of community feedback, at its meeting on February 8. IPART will continue to accept submissions until March 1. Source: Media release, Jan 11 Central Coast Council IPART website, Dec 24

Dooralong Public School has been abandoned to decline into a derelict state since it was closed in 2011, and there are no clear plans for its future. See page 34

The festive season may be over, but there are still plenty of family fun activities available for the rest of the holidays. See page 34

Sport

Sport Origin Energy is moving ahead with plans to install a battery, the biggest of its type in Australia, at its Eraring coal-fired power station, on the shores of Lake Macquarie. The BMX track at Duffys Reserve, Terrigal, has been closed for two months while the track is being upgraded by Central Coast Council with funding from the State Government. See page 39

Puzzles page 22

The battery would be used to store 700 megawatts of electricity from any source, including solar, wind, gas, as well as the coal-fuelled turbines, and send that power into the grid when needed. With an estimated investment by Origin of more than a billion

Power station to install country’s biggest storage battery

Two years ago, the Mariners launched the Yellow and Navy Foundation, the primary function of which was to provide opportunities and pathways for young players. See page 38

Puzzles page 23

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong - Phone: 4325 7369 - editorial@centralcoastnews.net - www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford - Phone: 4325 7369 - Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 - E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Office: Level 2.01/86-88 Mann Street Gosford & 3 Amy Close, Wyong Phone: 4325 7369 - Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

/centralcoastnewspapers

/CoastNewspapers

2020 OFFICIAL

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 3

20 January 2021

NEWS

Water management plan being reviewed

The weir on Wyong River Photo: Peter Hansen, NSW DPIE-Water

(DPIE) is undertaking public consultation on the proposed rules that will apply to water management and operation of water licences. The temporary ban on dams will last for up to two years or until the water sharing plan for the Central Coast Unregulated Water Sources 2009 is replaced, which is expected to

be by July 1, 2021. DPIE Executive Director, Policy, Planning and Sciences, Emma Solomon, said the ban would apply to all approvals for a dam within a higher stream in the catchments of Ourimbah and Jilliby Jilliby Creeks. “A risk assessment recently completed by the DPIE

Dams such as this one in Ourimbah Creek are now banned

identified that Jilliby Jilliby Creek and Ourimbah Creek water sources have very high environmental values that are at high risk from extraction in these catchments,” Solomon said. “This prohibition exists in the other surface water sources within the Central Coast area and this ban brings Jilliby

Jilliby Creek and Ourimbah Creek in line with those other water sources.” The permanency of this restriction will be discussed during the public exhibition phase of the replacement Water Sharing Plan for the Central Coast Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sharing Plan with is due to close on Sunday,

Caring for families since 1843

Central Coast Offices at Erina Heights, Mingara, Palmdale, Toukley & Greenway We’re here for you when you need us most, with 24/7 phone support available and offices located across the Central Coast for your convenience. We are also able to cater for all services, with catering options available on-site at our chapel locations.

02 4324 1533

January 31 Water sharing plans are subject to review every 10 years under the Water Management Act 2000 and the current Central Coast plan is nearing expiry, with the new one to take effect from July 1, 2021. Sue Murray

NEWS

Page 4

20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Claims made that Vales Point allowed A new local environmental group, Future Sooner, and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, have stepped up their community awareness campaign about the health risks of toxic emissions from the coal-fired Vales Point Power Station. This follows Delta Electricity’s application to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to

extend its Environmental Protection Licence. Delta lodged its application on December 23, 2020, requesting that Vales Point continue to be exempt from the Group 5 nitrogen oxides emission limits set out in the Clean Air Regulation and instead to continue to operate at the higher emissions limit approved by the EPA. The NSW Protection of the

Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010 provides groupings for industry. Vales Point Power Station is considered to belong to Group 2 when it comes to limits for emissions of nitrogen dioxide and that Environmental Protection Licence is due to expire on January 1, 2022. Delta is seeking to extend the period of time that Vales Point remains within Group 2 for a

further five-year period. Company Secretary, Steve Gurney, said that in making this application, Delta was in no way requesting that it be exempt from any emissions regulations. NCC Community Organiser, De Brierley Newton, said that if Vales Point was in the group it should be, Group 5, then under NSW emission standards, it would only be allowed 800 mg/

NIK & JANE’S

S LAST DAY

FURNITURE AND BEDDING EXPRESS

HUGE WAREHOUSE CLEARANCE PAY LESS FOR CASH

FREEBIES ON ALL AUSSIE MADE PRODUCTS

GST FREE

Dining Suites from $499

Dual Motor lift chairs from $1199

ADJUSTABLE BED WITH EXPLORER MATTRESS Package Deal sale price

LONG SINGLE $1799

KING SINGLE $1899

DOUBLE $2049

QUEEN $2099

GST FREE

KING $2399

Aussie made Mattresses from $199

Newspapers Central Coast

Sofabeds from $499

FREE Delivery - FREE Installation

BIG DEALS FOR SENIORS!

“We are calling on the EPA to tighten the Licence conditions to require these power stations to put in modern pollution controls. “None of the power stations have scrubbers, they have filters which catch particles, but they do not have scrubbers which catch nitrogen dioxide or sulphur dioxide. “There’s a stricter licence condition that should apply to Vales Point Power Station, but it’s had an exemption that was granted for five years, 10 years ago, and extended again for another five years. “Now they’re asking for yet another five years exemption from the conditions that normally apply. “The main pollutants of concern are the nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particles, but while the particles are quite well dealt with by the filters when they’re working properly, the oxide gases are being released in an unregulated fashion,” Dr Ewald said. Future Sooner spokesman, Will Belford, said his group and the NCC was calling on the EPA to not grant the licence and instead made the owners of Vales Point clean up pollution control. “The two owners of the power station, Trevor St Baker and Brian Flannery, who bought it from the State Government for $1M in 2015, and last year reported $60M in dividends, so there’s clearly an opportunity and the means for them to install whatever is required to clean-up emissions, so they don’t need this exemption for the next five years,” Belford said. “Why should these people be granted an exemption when they have the capacity to clean up this power station and operate it at the same level as all the other ones.

FREE digital subscriptions to

Recliners from $499 Electric also available HALF PRICE LEATHER LOUNGES

m3 nitrogen dioxide emission and would not ever be allowed to exceed that. “At the moment, Vales Point is allowed 1500 mg/m3 when the standard for existing plants in Europe is 150 and in Japan it is 57 mg/m3,” she said. On Monday, January 18, Future Sooner and NCC placed hundreds of child silhouettes along the Lake Macquarie foreshore in front of the power station at Mannering Park, to visualise the impact of the number of children they claim are affected by asthma from emissions. Local epidemiologist, Dr Ben Ewald, has done extensive research, accumulating data and analysis based on statewide levels about the health risks from power station emissions. “We know that asthma is a common childhood problem and there’s about 12,000 children in Lake Macquarie and Central Coast local government areas who have asthma, and about 650 of those we can attribute to the nitrogen oxide from various power stations,” he said at a press conference on Monday. “We’ve come to this conclusion by applying how dangerous we know nitrogen oxide is to the number of children that we know have asthma, and the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in the air locally with the power station being the dominant source. “The good thing about this is that it is all entirely preventable and the power stations could be installing scrubbers to reduce the nitrogen dioxide going up the chimney. “Eraring Power Station has recently put in low-nitrogen dioxide furnaces, I understand, which has half dealt with the problem there, but Vales Point hasn’t done any of that kind of work.

Shop 11, Karalta Plaza, Karalta Lane, Erina - 4365 0997

www.nikandjanes.com.au

CCN

Simply tell us which paper you want to receive and we’ll send a link to your email address every publication day. COMMUNITY

COAST COMMUNITY

No paywall Complete newspaper available direct to you at no charge Comprehensive local news on line email: manager@centralcoastnews.net to be added to the list

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 5

20 January 2021

NEWS

to pollute at double NSW legal levels “The power station has already been slapped with a $30,000 fine for twice breaching its exemption licence. “That’s breaching a licence that already allows Vales Point to pollute at double the NSW legal levels.” Hunter Community Environment Centre Coordinator, Jo Lynch, said exemptions like that which Delta Electricity has applied for undermine regulations intended to protect the environment and the public. “Despite being a serial polluter, the Vales Point Power Station has been the recipient of special treatment with Federal Government funding to keep it running, but there should be no leniency shown by regulators or government when it comes to limiting pollutants that can harm the health of nearby communities,” she said. Delta Electricity has strongly rejected the claims by NCC, labelling them as factually incorrect and deliberately misleading. Company Secretary, Steve Gurney, said the power station

Child silhouettes representing children affected by asthma from emissions

operated in accordance with strict environmental licence conditions, with diligent oversight by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). “The NCC is a group of anticoal activists with one

objective; to shut down coal fired power stations,” Gurney said. “Delta’s Environmental Protection Licence was renewed by the EPA in July 2020 after considerable input

from the community and other groups. “Notably, limits for emissions such as of oxides of nitrogen have already been tightened as part of this renewal process.

“Delta continues to comply with these reduced limits and further work will be undertaken in upcoming maintenance outages to replace burners which will result in even greater reductions.”

Gurney said environmental data, as required under Delta’s licence, is posted on Delta’s website monthly for all to see. “Independent EPA analysis consistently shows that air quality on the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie is very good and among the best in NSW,” he said. “It also concludes that levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide easily meet National Standards. “Specifically, monitoring has shown that nitrogen dioxide concentrations were either very good or good at all monitor times,” Gurney said. The EPA is expected to deliver its decision by February 21 and a spokesperson said the application would be carefully considered in accordance with the EPA’s statutory obligations. The spokesperson said the application was “commercial in confidence” which means it is not open for public exhibition but part of the EPA’s assessment process would determine whether community consultation was necessary.

Join us for our

OPEN DAY 13 February 10am - 2pm

Say Hello to Freedom Downsizing is not about saying goodbye… It’s about saying hello! Ingenia Lifestyle Sunnylake Shores is a welcoming over 55s lifestyle community situated on the shores of picturesque Lake Munmorah. A safe and secure community giving you the freedom to choose to do the things you love, your way.

LAKEFRONT HOMES COMING SOON

• No stamp duty • No exit fees • Keep 100% of any capital gains

2 MACLEAY DR, HALEKULANI liveinsunnylakeshores.com.au

BRAND NEW HOMES FROM $279,000*

*Price is based on owning your own home and leasing the land. Prices correct at time of printing and subject to change without notice.

Call Jenni on 0458 018 332 today to register your interest.

Sue Murray

NEWS

Page 6

20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Ourimbah boarding house under consideration again The long-running saga of establishing a boarding house in Glen Rd, Ourimbah, which began in 2013, has re-emerged. The developer has lodged yet another development application, this time for 53 rooms over three storeys, to house up to 94 residents. This latest proposal (DA1249/2020) is pitched at providing accommodation for students and young professionals, given its proximity to Ourimbah campus of the University of Newcastle and connections to public transport. Spokesman for Ourimbah Region Residents Association (ORRA), Allan Benson, says the claim that the boarding house will be used as student housing is widely disputed by the community because there is no demonstrated need. He said ORRA recognised and supported the need for affordable housing on the Central Coast, but this type of boarding house might be out of reach for low-income earners. “ORRA is fully supportive of development in Ourimbah provided that the development complies with the relevant planning regulations and is in

A montage of how the proposed boarding house might look positioned behind Ourimbah shopping centre

character with the Ourimbah village,” Benson said. “Simply put, once again, this DA does not comply. “The Local Environmental Plan (LEP) calls for only two storey buildings in Ourimbah, but this DA has three. “The setbacks from the boundaries don’t comply and neither does the parking requirement. “This building will tower over the shops and totally visually

dominate our Ourimbah village. “There is a provision in the planning legislation that a boarding house must be in character with its surroundings. “The Land and Environment Court has ruled that previous DAs for this site with an identical footprint do not fit the character of Ourimbah, nor does the proposed hardstand car park,” Benson said. ORRA is also concerned about the fate of two Tallowwood

trees which have cultural and previously ruled that the heritage significance to the Tallowwood trees must be Ourimbah community. retained to comply with “These trees were planted character as a condition of the 103 years ago to celebrate the development.” conclusion of World War 1,” ORRA is urging all residents Benson said. to make their views about the known before “There are concerns that both proposal community feedback the construction process and ADVERTISEMENT building of a driveaway will submissions close on February destroy the root system of the 8. trees,” he said. This latest proposal is a “The Hunter Central Coast revised version of a previous ADVERTISEMENT Joint Regional Planning Panel application first put to the former Wyong Council in 2013

for 101 boarding rooms, which was later reduced to 83 rooms, and granted development consent. That development consent lapsed, meaning that this new development application was required. This DA employs the same building envelope and footprint as conditionally approved previously by the Hunter Central Coast Regional Planning Panel, however, the number of rooms has been reduced to 53. The Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) submitted with the DA says the proposal fits in with the “walkable neighbourhood” objective of the planning guidelines and will provide affordable accommodation for students and young professionals of which there is a shortage. A key consideration is the future expansion of the Ourimbah campus of the University of Newcastle, covered in the Ourimbah Masterplan, and the SEE points out that this accommodation will support that growth.

Emma McBride MP u m

MEMBER FO Sue Murray

Emma McBride MP MEMBER FOR DOBELL

for our comm Emma Caring McBride MP MEMBER FOR DOBELL ADVERTISEMENT

thr ough

Caring for our community DO YOU HELP WITH A Caring for ourNEED community

Emma loves the Coast. A true local, Emma’s family has been on the Coast for generations - and she went throug school in Wyong and Tuggerah. up

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MATTER?

loves the Coast. A true local, Emma’s family has been on the Coast for generations - and she went through The CoastEmma is her home and she’s working hard to make our community an even better place to live. school in Wyong and Tuggerah.

Emma loves the Coast. A true local, Emma’s family has been on the Coast for generations - and she went through Emma spent 20 years working in health, 10 years as a Pharmacist at Wyong Hospital. school in Wyong and Tuggerah. The Coast is her home and she’s working hard to make our community an even better place to live.

She moved her way up

from a clinical post to deputy director of pharmacy.

The Coast is her home and she’s working community anyears evenasbetter place at toWyong live. Hospital. She moved her way up nd Emmahard spentto20make years our working in health, 10 a Pharmacist

• Defence & She fought to save Wyong Hospital from privatisation and will stand up for pensioners, working families and Emma works tirelessly foredicare the Coast. • M Veterans young people. Emma works tirelessly for the Coast. Emma understands families• are N doing it tough and will do her best toAffairs care for our community by: DIS ships •Protecting Centrelink • Education &funding Medicare and strengthening Guaranteeing TAFE our hospitals and creating new apprenticeships •Restoring NBNpenalty rates and easing Training Investing in cheaper, on family budgets cleaner renewable energy •pressure Taxation • Congratulatory local schools with $43.7 •Strengthening C hild Support messages million more funding

Emma works tirelessly the Coast. • Cfor OVID-19

from 10 a clinical deputy director of pharmacy. Emma spent 20 years working in health, yearspost as atoPharmacist at Wyong Hospital. She moved her way up from a clinical post to deputy director of pharmacy.

She fought to save Wyong Hospital from privatisation and will stand up for pensioners, working families and She fought to save Wyong Hospital from and will stand up for pensioners, working families and youngprivatisation people. young people.

Emma understands families are doing it tough and will do her best to care for our community by:

Protecting Medicare and strengthening

Protecting Medicare and strengthening our hospitals our hospitals

Guaranteeing TAFE funding

Guaranteeing TAFE funding and creating new apprenticeships and creating new apprenticeships

Restoring penaltyInvesting rates and easing Investing in cheaper, Restoring penalty rates and easing in cheaper, pressure on family budgets cleaner renewable energy pressure on family budgets cleaner renewable energy Strengthening local schools with $43.7 Strengthening local schools with $43.7 million more funding million more funding

Mail: PO Box 3763 Tuggerah NSW 2259 Mail: PO 3763 Tuggerah Mail: PO BoxBox 3763 Tuggerah NSW 2259 NSW 2259 02 4353 0127 @ emma.mcbride.mp@aph.gov.au @ emma.mcbride.mp@aph.gov.au @ emma.mcbride.mp@aph.gov.au 01270127 ✆ 02 024353 4353 www.facebook.com/mcbrideemma

www.facebook.com/mcbrideemma www.facebook.com/mcbrideemma

Authorised by Emma McBride, MP, ALP, Suite 204, 1 Bryant Drive, Tuggerah NSW 2259.

Authorised by Emma McBride, ALP, 204/1 Bryant Drive, Tuggerah NSW 2259

Authorised by Emma McBride, MP, ALP, Suite 204, 1 Bryant Drive, Tuggerah NSW 2259.

Authorised by Emma McBride, MP, ALP, Suite 204, 1 Bryant Drive, Tuggerah NSW

NSW

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 7

20 January 2021

A Good Deal Better

For o an e whic staff

NEW AND USED MOBILITY SCOOTER SPECIALISTS AFIKIM AFISCOOTER WAS $3790 A GOOD DEAL BETTER!

We del

• SALES • SERVICE • REPAIRS NOW•

FONDLITE LITEWAY 4 PLUS KYMCO MINI COMFORT Was $2490

Was $3090

Now $1690

Now $2290

• Disassembles to store in your car boot • Lightweight tubular frame

$3590 OZRIDER BT 301

Was $2890

Now $2490

• Combines comfort with portablility • Large puncture proof tyres • 27 Kilometre battery range

TREK EVOLUTION

Was $3890

Now $3390

Built for Safety and Alo ease of use. • 35km battery range facilita • 3 Wheeler • Sturdy, smart styling with • Auto brakesComfortable basket • 180kg capacity • Seat suspension Captains Chair

LIMITED STOCK! FREE RIO DELIVERY! TREK SUN RIDER FINANCE AVAILABLE! TREK SUN RIDER RIO WAS $4490 Was $4490

OZRIDER BT406

Was $4890

Now $3890

NOW

$3890 • Perspex Canopy • Fully Adjustable • Robust & Comfortable

Now $4590

We h

• Large Engine • USB Music and Charging • Off Board Battery Charging

So com

KYMKO MAXER

Was $5790

Now $5290

• All comfort and safety features • 200kg Weigh Capacity • Travels up to 55kms

PerspexRd Canopy Cnr Anzac & The Entrance Rd, Long Jetty Fully Adjustable www.premiermobilitycentre.com.au - 4333 7004 Robust &

NEWS

Page 8

20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Ratepayers respond to rate rise options Ratepayers and residents are speaking up with their ideas on how Central Coast Council should manage its financial debt. Council invited people to take a survey on Council’s suggestions of a 10 percent rate hike for seven years or a 15 percent permanent rate hike. Resident, David Watts, says the rate increase would take 22 years to pay off its debt. He says a better idea would be financing a half a billion dollar loan at two percent per year. That would mean Council would have a $10M interest bill every year. He said Council had $10B in assets and a plan to sell some to meet the financial obligations could be devised. Others have taken issue with

the survey itself, saying they refused to fill out the survey when it does not allow alternatives to either a 10 or 15 percent rate rise. The Entrance businesswoman, Toni Moon, said “the survey screws us over no matter what you pick”. Others suggest people should bypass the Council survey and go straight to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) website to have their say. IPART will decide on whether Council can impose a rate rise and how much it can be. Council has updated its website with a comment on January 18 saying that while it understood that many in the community did not want a rate rise, this was not a viable option. “Council needs a rate rise to repay the restricted funds spent

on community infrastructure and services and to deliver a level of service to the community that ensures our assets and essential services are maintained,” the Council statement said. “Council resolved to consider two options: a 10 percent rate rise and a 15 percent rate rise (both including the rate peg of two percent), and is seeking community feedback on these two options only.” Palmdale resident, Brian Davies, said he was like many others who refused to fill out the survey. “It doesn’t matter if we put in dissenting comments, they’ll only count the ticked boxes,” he said. “Whose future are we securing? “The ratepayers didn’t get themselves into this mess and

yet miraculously it’s no one’s fault? “I see the rate rise as being like charging the lab rats to subsidise the experimenters. “The State Government imposed this massive amalgamation experiment on a whole lot of Councils for political reasons and it’s been a dismal failure. “It was not imposed on any proven basis and was always expected to take many years before any benefits were achieved. “To be able to implement it, Councils need people to run the existing separate systems, plus they need people to work on the processes to merge the systems. “No wonder staff costs went up. “With the larger organisation comes greater complexity and

more levels of management. “To add insult to injury, the government has been cost shifting their responsibilities to councils so our rates are de facto taxes to the State Government as they spend less of the state taxpayer funds. “And we see massive government grants to councils that don’t need help. “Then there seems to be inadequate checks and balances in the accounting systems, especially with regard to restricted funds, and not just at Central Coast Council,” Davies said. He questioned why the State Government or earlier CEO’s or CFO’s hadn’t moved to fix the problems. “There seems to be a lot of finger pointing at the suspended elected councilors, but as I see it,

the basic problems existed before they came on the scene,” he said. “They could only work with the financial reports provided to them that did not show the true situation, as demonstrated by several outside investigations into finances not showing any problems. “Admittedly during their time, we had COVID-19, fires, floods and beach erosion to make matters worse, but had we had adequate support for amalgamation and the State Government paying their share for disaster support, then I believe we’d bemuch better off.” Feedback to IPART is open until March 1. The Council survey closes at midnight Friday, January 29. Merilyn Vale

Council auditors to change emphasis Central Coast Council is working on more than 270 unaddressed recommendations and management actions arising from reviews by the NSW Audit Office; external consultant reviews and Council’s own internal auditor and its Internal Ombudsman. The internal auditor is suggesting that instead of

continuing to conduct business assurance audits which would simply layer up more management actions to fix broken controls, the internal audit should change emphasis. Changes include deciding on a top five “quick wins” and getting the Executive Leadership Team and unit managers moving on them quickly. One of the Top Five options is a policy for staff expenses.

Others are a cash management framework and a process for reporting contracts below $150,000. Another focus will be deciding on other Top Five high-risk issues and to concentrate on fixing them. These issues include performance management, workforce planning; and systems and process frameworks. This year’s Roads Maintenance

(Pothole Management) audit has been moved to next year, along with the Property Rates audit. The internal auditor has also cancelled a COVID-19 remote working control environment audit. Instead, the auditor will facilitate training for directors and managers on controls and how to effectively manage remote working environments. The internal audit said its role

would include assisting with research, engaging with key stakeholders through workshops, insights, advice and support, identifying best practice and learnings from other organisations’ documentation as well as ensuring risks are identified and managed. An audit report said that from the 2019/20 program of seven audits and an associated 116 recommendations, the root

cause of the identified control weaknesses could be attributed to one or more areas including: policy/strategic frameworks; poor workforce planning and management including roles and responsibilitiesandmanagement information reporting; weak performance in decision making and record keeping; and, weak asset planning and management. Merilyn Vale

Advisory committee meeting records will not always be in council reports Meeting Records of Central Coast Council advisory committees will no longer be included as attachments to Council Reports unless specifically required. Links to the Meeting Records on Council’s website will instead be included in Council reports. The new plan overturns an April 27, 2020, direction that saw councillors re-affirm that Minutes from Advisory Committees should continue to

come to the Council meetings. At that April meeting, staff had suggested that the Minutes need not be presented to the meetings if there were no recommendations that needed action, but Cr Jane Smith wanted them tabled so the Minutes were in the public domain and easily accessed. Her Motion was adopted unanimously. Now, a Council report to the first meeting of 2021, to be held on January 27, says the

process has been “further refined” to ensure “suitable use” of Council’s resources. Staff will prepare a Council report every second month to note meeting records from Advisory Group and Committee meetings held in the preceding two months. “This timing allows for the Meeting Records to be approved and circulated, and the associated one Council Report to be drafted, which will reduce the number of Council

Reports overall while not impacting content,” the Council report said. “If a Meeting Record includes a recommendation to Council and requires further commentary from the Convenor as the subject matter expert, a separate Council report will be submitted from the relevant Directorate.” The new system is in operation already for this first meeting, with links to a number of Committee Minutes and with

a recommendation to the Administrator that he receive the report on some of the meetings held in November and December 2020. They included the: Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee; Town Centre Advisory Committee;Water Management Advisory Committee; Status of Women Advisory Group; Terrigal Water Quality SubCommittee; and, the Employment and Economic Development Committee.

However, Catchments and Coast Committee meetings held for Brisbane Water and Gosford Lagoons on November 24, 2020, and for Tuggerah Lakes on December 9, 2020, as well as a Tourism Advisory Committee meeting in December, include recommendations to Council and will be reported separately to provide further commentary, the Council report said. No time frame was given. Merilyn Vale

DAVID MEHAN MP MEMBER FOR THE ENTRANCE P:4334 1012 YASMIN CATLEY MP MEMBER FOR SWANSEA P: 4972 1133 DAVID HARRIS MP MEMBER FOR WYONG P: 4352 2711

Your local voices on the Central Coast! Authorised by David Mehan, Yasmin Catley & David Harris. Printed using parliamentary entitlements.

161027 CC_MPs_AD.indd 1

27/10/2016 1:40:20 PM

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 9

20 January 2021

DUCTED PACKAGES FULLY INSTALLED ALL WITH 5 YEARS PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY

NO DEPOSIT

DUCTED PACKAGE 1

MONTHS INTEREST FREE#

Conditions apply. See store or website for details. Minimum purchase $1600.00

DUCTED PACKAGE 2 12.5kW COOLING & 14kW HEATING INVERTER NEW • 6 OUTLETS MODE WITH 2 ZONES L

12.5kW COOLING & 14kW HEATING INVERTER NEW • 6 OUTLETS MODE WITH 2 ZONES L

6495

6995

DUCTED PACKAGE 5

DUCTED PACKAGE 6

14kW COOLING & 16kW HEATING INVERTER • 8 OUTLETS WITH 2 ZONES

20kW 3 PHASE • 10 OUTLETS WITH 3 ZONES

8795

* AFTER $500 CASH BACK

INC GST

*VIA REDEMPTION

LY FUL LLED TA INS

3HP INVERTER REVERSE CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM 7.1kW Cooling, 8.0kW Heating

LY FUL LLED A T INS

3HP INVERTER REVERSE CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM 7.1kW Cooling, 8.0kW Heating

LY FUL LLED TA INS

10995

DUCTED PACKAGE 3

DUCTED PACKAGE 4

12.5kW DUCTED SYSTEM BONUS BAC WITH 14kW HEATING E CO T K LIT OU WA C H • 6 OUTLETS CO NT LL ROL WITH 2 ZONES

14kW COOLING & 16kW BONUS BAC HEATING INVERTER E CO T K LIT OU WA C H • 8 OUTLETS CO NT LL ROL WITH 2 ZONES

7995

* AFTER $250

INC GST

CASH BACK *VIA REDEMPTION

LY FUL LLED A T INS

3HP INVERTER REVERSE CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM 7.1kW COOLING, 8kW HEATING

8995

* AFTER $250 CASH BACK

INC GST

*VIA REDEMPTION

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

UP TO 17 METRE REACH

2295

LY FUL LLED A T 5 YEARS 3HP INVERTER REVERSE I N S PARTS & LABOUR CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM WARRANTY! 7.1kW COOLING, 8kW HEATING

DAIKIN

2695

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

LY FUL LLED A T INS

1HP

2495

5 YEARS

1HP

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

2295

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

MULTIHEAD PACKAGE • 1 Outdoor and 2 Indoor Units • Ideal for 2 Bedrooms • Individual Control for Every Room

LY FUL LLED TA INS

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

3295

LY FUL LLED TA INS

5 YEARS

PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY!

1.5HP INVERTER REVERSE CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM 3.5kW Cooling, 4kW Heating

1695

1HP INVERTER REVERSE CYCLE SPLIT SYSTEM 2.5kW Cooling, 3.0kW Heating

1349

2HP REVERSE CYCLE 5.1kW Cooling, 5.1kW Heating

1495

2/8 Kerta Rd, Kincumber, NSW 2251

www.globalrez.com.au WE SELL ALL THE MAJOR BRANDS. COMMERCIAL QUOTES ARE WELCOMED.

INC GST

AFTER $250 CASH BACK *VIA REDEMPTION

3/11 Accolade Ave, Morisset, NSW 2264 ph: 9371 1611 ph: 1300 781 855 Email: sales@globalrez.com.au

* Terms and Conditions apply. All prices are based on Single Story Homes and Back to Back installation on split systems or extra charges apply. Finance is subject to approval check with store for conditions and charges. Ducted Air conditioning pricing is based on single storey homes only or extra charges apply. Licence number 215189c.

INC GST

Page 10 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Coast Connect Central Coast Council’s weekly news and community information

From Council This week I want to address the frustration and anger felt about a possible rate increase. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY is a common theme in letters and emails from ratepayers. As ratepayers you are ‘the shareholders’ of the Council. There is no one else who will or should contribute to fixing the financial mess we’re in. Some call on the former councillors to pay. Not possible. The amount vastly exceeds their personal wealth, and secondly, there is no legal path for this to happen. Others suggest the State Government should pay because they forced the merger. As made clear in my 30day report, the merger had a very minor role in blowing out Council’s budget. The State Government will not accept responsibility for the financial mess created by the councillors elected and the CEO they appointed. The ‘turnaround’ plan Mr Hart and I are putting in place will give a balanced budget next year and deliver small surpluses thereafter to start paying off our debt. This plan involves cutting costs more than raising revenue. It avoids closing existing services. The rate increase proposal is now out for public consultation. If IPART approves the increase, when combined with harmonising rates between former Gosford and Wyong, average rates increase for former Gosford will be around $7.00 a week, and former Wyong average rates will decrease by about $3.00 a week.

Dick Persson AM Administrator, Central Coast Council

Amy Nelmes Bissett named 2021 Australia Day Ambassador

Securing your future with a rate rise

A Central Coast local, Amy is a freelance writer, editor and digital content creator whose work is regularly featured in international publications including Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Refinery 29 and Grazia.

Option 1 Temporary Fix Option – 10% With a 10% increase the average residential increase will be $2.13 a week and the average business increase will be $6.11 a week.

Australia Day Ambassadors are high achieving Australians who provide inspiration and pride to our local community, and there is no doubt that Amy Nelmes Bissett fits this brief.

In September 2020 when COVID-19 restrictions were impacting businesses across the Central Coast, Amy launched the ‘Coasties’ lifestyle magazine and website with an aim to inspire locals to support local. Since then, ‘Coasties’ has introduced the Coasties Card – a membership card which provides special deals and discounts to encourage the community to spend local across eateries, activities, and shopping, as well as beauty and wellness.

In a time when small businesses are struggling, Amy’s work through Coasties magazine has helped drive traffic into almost 400 local businesses, in just over three months! As 2021 Australia Day Ambassador for the Central Coast, Amy will be attending and speaking at local Australia Day celebrations.

Following careful consideration of public safety, Central Coast Council will not be holding any public events or fireworks displays this Australia Day. We encourage community members to keep safety at top of mind when planning Australia Day celebrations this year. This includes following current COVID restrictions, limiting group numbers and avoiding busy public spaces if possible.

Development Applications and Consents Development Applications and Consents can be inspected at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au by searching ‘Development Applications’ or in person at Council offices in Gosford and Wyong 8.30am-5pm weekdays.

Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2019, submissions on Development Applications are required to be published on our website. Submissions lodged using Council’s DA Submission Form or online portal will have personal contact details and signature redacted. All other submissions will be published in full. Your submission may also be reproduced in full in Council reports or in Court proceedings.

Council has resolved to consider applying to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a rate rise to help with Council’s financial recovery. This process is called a Special Variation (SV) application.

Option 2 Securing Your Future Option – 15% With a 15% increase the average residential increase will be $3.20 a week and the average business increase will be $9.30 a week. Find out what these options mean for you and Council services, and have your say via our online survey. We want to hear from as many ratepayers and residents as possible before 29 January 2021. Find out more at yourvoiceourcoast.com

Council’s financial situation

Council has adopted a Recovery Action Plan that will review all aspects of Council’s operations. For up-to-date information search ‘news’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Council meeting

To find out when the next Council meeting is and to view it online go to centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ meetings

Be the

first

to know!

at Sign up today .gov.au/ sw .n st oa centralc enews

Notice of Exhibition In accordance with the resolution of Council on 30 November 2020, both the draft Gifts and Benefits Policy and draft Lobbying Policy will be placed on public exhibition for 28 days. The draft Gifts and Benefits Policy is a consolidation of the two former Councils’ gift and benefits policies and aligns with Council’s new Code of Conduct to support Council officials in the performance of their duties. The draft Lobbying Policy captures the updated requirements in Council’s new Code of Conduct and attempts to ensure that community expectations are met in relation to the conduct of ethical and transparent lobbying activities of Council officials. The Policy also provides the safeguard to ensure that there is no misunderstanding regarding Council’s adopted position in relation to the engagement of lobbyists. The above draft policies will be exhibited from 12 January to 12 February 2021 at:

• Wyong Office: 2 Hely Street, Wyong • Gosford Office: 49 Mann St, Gosford • Online: yourvoiceourcoast.com Submissions are to be addressed to the Acting Chief Executive Officer by: • Email: ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au • Post: PO Box 20 Wyong NSW 2259 or PO Box 21 Gosford NSW 2250 • Online: yourvoiceourcoast.com (preferred) Submissions will be accepted up until 12 February 2021. Your attention is drawn to the provisions of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 which allows for possible access to certain public and personal documentation. Rik Hart Acting Chief Executive Officer

Council Offices 2 Hely St Wyong / 49 Mann St Gosford | 8.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday | P 1300 463 954 Sign up for our e-news at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/enews

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 11 20 January 2021

NEWS

Auditors find problems with Council’s procedures Ten months after Central Coast councillors first asked for a report on the way that Council was hiring labour, an internal audit has admitted noncompliance with the framework for temporary labour hire. A number of significant concerns about specific engagements have been referred directly to Council’s internal ombudsman. This is despite a report to councillors in March 2020 that provided assurances that Council was adhering to legislative requirements. The revelations are in the December Minutes of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee which received a report from the Council’s internal audit into contractors, temporary and contingent labour hire. The Council meeting in March 2020 was provided with a report stating that prior to and since amalgamation, Council had made considerable progress in adopting a structured and controlled method of engagement and management of temporary personnel.

This report shows that further reviews contradicted that advice. “Subsequent to these assurances, this audit has reviewed current practices in managing temporary labour hire in terms of cost, tenure, performance, project planning and volume as well as assessing the adequacy of current policies, procedures, and reporting,” the report stated. “This audit identified that the controls over key risks associated with temporary labour hire are insufficient and require improvement. “In particular, there has been

a lack of ownership of the agency hire framework and non-compliance with the framework for temporary labour hire.” The audit concluded that Council’s framework for engaging and managing temporary labour was ineffective and did not comply with guidelines, and practices outlined by the Audit Office of NSW. The report goes on to talk about a number of significant concerns around specific engagements. “These engagements were referred directly to the Internal Ombudsman and did not form

any further part of our testing as these are being investigated separately by the Internal Ombudsman.” Council was approached on Monday, January 18, for more information, but no comment has been received prior to the Chronicle’s publication deadline. A total of 16 recommendations for improvement were made, with 13 rated as high-risk exposures. The report said all recommendations, “in whole or part”, were accepted by management. The report acknowledged

that since the start of the audit, management had been undertaking a project to improve systems and processes around the engagement and management of contractors and temporary labour hire and noted that “overall, management appear to be seeking to better understand the full extent of temporary labour hire and panel arrangements for wet plant hire, day labour and traffic control personnel”. It said Council’s financial crisis has led to the termination of many agency and contractor engagements. Cr Greg Best first championed the review of council’s hiring arrangements asking for a report in March last year, and when that report came back in April appearing to show compliance, he said he would wait for the audit report. The November Minutes of the audit, risk and management committee show Council’s contract management has also been audited. That review identified that the controls over the key risks in contract management were inadequate and required improvement.

Michael Lewis & Associates SOLICITORS & ATTORNEYS ABN. 80 010 976 639

We believe everyone should have a Will. That is why our office charges the following:

WILLS $80 +GST .00

BUYING OR SELLING?

20% OFF CONVEYANCING FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY ONLY IF YOU MENTION THIS AD!

Outside appointments on request

Phone 4392 2611

michaellewis@westnet.com.au Our office specialises in Conveyancing, Estates and Family Law

185 The Entrance Road, The Entrance

4332 2063 Convenient Location - Easy Parking

“This is mainly due to the lack of a complete and approved contract management framework, and consequent inconsistencies in the approach to contract management across Council,” the report said. It said for an enhanced framework to be effective it would need comprehensive implementation, monitoring and compliance by the Directorates. “An approved framework would add clarity regarding roles, responsibilities, processes, expectations, knowledge retention, and confirmation that risks are being considered and addressed,” the report said. “This audit identified that the contracts register, although incomplete and in need of support, contains the best information available on contracts requiring management. “Based on this data, Council had approximately 470 contracts greater than $150,000 each, with a total value of $1,141,444,000 in the financial year 2018/19.” Merilyn Vale

NEWS

Page 12 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Dobell businesses and individuals assisted by various support packages About 14,500 businesses in the Dobell electorate will again receive a tax incentive to write-off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase. NSW Senator, Jim Molan, said this action would support new investment, increase business cash flow and build on the Government’s successful Instant Asset Write-off measure

announced earlier in 2020. “The Government’s JobKeeper payment has helped 5,100 Dobell businesses stay afloat, supporting them through the coronavirus pandemic and keeping them connected to their employees,” he said. “For thousands of businesses, maintaining the employer and employee connection throughout this pandemic was only possible as a result of the

JobKeeper payment. “The Cashflow boost has also provided significant assistance to about 4,600 small and medium businesses providing payments to help businesses in Dobell stay afloat.” Senator Molan said other government payments had helped about 8,558 individuals with the Coronavirus Supplement, on top of the JobSeeker payment.

The Coronavirus Supplement was initially introduced for six months and was then extended to March 31, 2021, to help keep people job-ready. “This additional support for those who were without work will help our community to not only get through this crisis but recover on the other side,” Senator Molan said. Age pensioners have also been supported with about

22,143 in Dobell receiving two $750 economic support payments in April and July, 2020. Another payment of $250 was made to pensioners in December to help with additional costs through Christmas and New Year and another $250 payment is due in March. “These various support packages provided through the

coronavirus pandemic have reached all sectors of the Dobell community and we will continue to work with the community, industry and local and state governments as the situation develops and needs evolve,” Senator Molan said. Source: Media release, Jan 7 NSW Senator Jim Molan

Local Government NSW adopts three Central Coast resolutions Despite Central Coast Councillors being suspended from office on October 30 last year, they had a number of their resolutions adopted by the local government peak body at its annual conference late last year. Local Government NSW adopted three Central Coast resolutions and a fourth one was amended to become an issue that the association will work on this year. The first one saw LG NSW reaffirm its position that Local Planning Panels (LPPs) should remain a decision of the council, and the “adoption of such independent panels by councils should be voluntary not mandatory”. Central Coast voted in May last year to accept a LPP, but councillors said at the time that it was being imposed on them by the State Government. The resolution adopted at the conference committed LG NSW to make representation to the NSW Minister for Planning and to the Premier to express its

concern about changes to the operations of NSW Planning Panels which were introduced in August 2020. These changes included requiring panels to make determinations within two weeks of being provided an assessment report; panels to hold a public meeting only where a development application attracted 10 or more unique submissions; and, the scheduling when a panel had a significant number of proposals for determination. The resolution stated that these changes could reduce the panel’s ability to apply proper due diligence to each case or to obtain expert opinion. It said the changes to the system of referrals might increase the risk of corruption and that allowing, at the Chair’s discretion, applicants to attend a briefing, along with council staff, could remove the panel’s independence. “The Panels were set up to be independent of the internal workings of councils, not working with them and applicants,” the resolution stated.

BRAZEL MOORE

“The setting of timeframes to finalise determinations may impose undue pressure on councils. “Removing the requirement for modification to go back to the Panel will encourage ongoing modification instead of the community getting what is exhibited in the first place. “The inclusions of ‘targets’ will put an emphasis on pushing approvals through rather than due diligence in assessment. “The changes impose unreasonable and unrealistic demands on councils that require additional resourcing that is not funded. “The changes weaken planning processes, the integrity of the planning system and community confidence in planning.” The resolution was adopted. The conference adopted a second Central Coast resolution: That LG NSW campaigns for the NSW Government to restore funding and ensure the independence of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The campaign would include

building alliances with key stakeholders and peak bodies to develop a position statement and build a public campaign by providing resources to local councils to build grassroots support for the campaign. LG NSW will also advocate through the Australian Local Government Association for the Federal Government to establish an independent anti-corruption body with powers similar to those of the NSW ICAC. A message from Central Coast Council was added to the conference notes, which is normal practice from the contributing council. “The NSWICAC was established in 1988 as an independent organisation to ‘protect the public interest, prevent breaches of public trust and guide the conduct of public officials in the NSW public sector’,” the note stated. “ICAC is important because it ensures accountability, transparency and good governance. It builds confidence and trust. “Over recent years, NSW ICAC has been under attack - facing

ongoing budget cuts and limiting of its powers. “There are concerns that its independence is being undermined. “In 2019, the budget dropped by 10 percent and ICAC’s staffing levels are at near-record lows. “However, in the past two financial years, the number of matters received by ICAC has increased from 2,436 to 2,751. “There needs to be strong, well-resourced and independent oversight bodies such as ICAC that are protected from political attacks.” The conference adopted a third Motion sent from Central Coast Council relating to legislative reform that would make it an offence for a person to intentionally or recklessly threaten or incite violence towards councillors and council staff. The conference adopted the resolution which asked LG NSW to actively campaign for the reform. A fourth Motion from Central Coast was amended. The Coast was one of three

councils that submitted resolutions about cats. The Coast wanted the Companion Animals Act changed so that an owner of a cat had to take all reasonable precautions to prevent their cat from escaping from the property on which it was being kept. Hornsby Shire Council wanted the Act amended to prohibit cats from roaming on to public places and private property. In the end, the Liverpool City Council amendment got the numbers. The resolution that was adopted stated that LG NSW will advocate for tighter restrictions on cat owners (including that all cats be microchipped and desexed). It called for councils to be funded to provide services so stray cats can be microchipped, desexed and housed until rehomed; and that changes be made to the Companion Animal Act to permit the release of cats under a Trap Neuter Return Program. Merilyn Vale

FREECALL - 1800 891 691 - 4324 7699 FAMILY LAWYERS

131-133 Donnison Street Gosford - www.familylawgosford.com.au

Hi, I’m Michelle Meares, Lawyer Specialising in Family Law When people are going through separation and divorce, it can be very stressful. My aim is to provide a supportive environment for all of my Family Law Clients to help them find their way to making clear informed decisions about their matter.

I work to resolve Family Law disputes without the need for Court Intervention. However, if litigation becomes necessary, I am a skilled advocate with a strategic approach to effectively guide you through your complex situation.

If you are going through a separation and want to find out I always communicate clearly, in simple terms and I welcome where you stand in relation to property or parenting issues, questions. call now for a free confidential chat.

NEWS Debbie Gaunt Foundation putting perimenopause in the spotlight WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

A new women’s health charity created by a Shelly Beach family is helping a whole generation of women find understanding, confidence and comfort as they undergo the change before the change. The Debbie Gaunt Foundation was launched to build awareness about perimenopause, an oftenchallenging life event that can have devastating impacts on a woman’s physical and mental health. The transitional period before a woman’s final menstrual period (menopause), perimenopause most commonly occurs in women in their mid-

Debbie Gaunt

40s and signifies the ovaries winding down. Lasting anywhere between one to ten years, women going through perimenopause often

experience the same or even more intense symptoms of menopause. Irregular periods, hot flushes and exhaustion are as common among perimenopausal women as they are during menopause, as are mood swings, anxiety and depression. But unlike menopause, perimenopausal women often manage their condition independently and in private. Medical research into health problems and complications linked to perimenopause is also surprisingly scant, something Foundation Founder, Craig Gaunt, became painfully aware of after losing his wife Debbie to suicide in 2019.

A wife, mother, friend and colleague, Debbie became severely mentally unwell shortly before her death, an episode that has since been partially attributed to the hormonal effects of perimenopause. Vowing to honour Debbie’s memory to help other women and their families experiencing perimenopause, through the Debbie Gaunt Foundation, the Gaunt family now works tirelessly to raise awareness and understanding of perimenopause as well as funds for Australian led studies and projects that explore the mental health impacts of the condition. Improving general awareness of perimenopause is also high atop the Foundation’s to do list.

Page 13 20 January 2021

“Debbie’s perimenopause was very retrospective for my family. “We had never even heard of it before and sadly that’s the case for most people, even women, so they just suffer throughout it all. “That’s why we made a promise to do something about it,” Craig said. The Foundation’s first major project has been to fund the development of a women’s midlife mental health module for doctors to be delivered by Melbourne’s Monash Alfred Research Centre, the only specialised clinic in the country dedicated to helping women experiencing perimenopause.

The module will address perimenopausal depression, menopause and hormone replacement therapy, complex trauma disorder in perimenopause and family violence. So far, the Foundation has donated $20,000 for the project and has committed to raising an additional $24,500 for it throughout 2021. According to Craig, the Foundation’s long term goal is to help fund the opening of more specialist clinics like Monash Alfred around the country, including one here on the Coast. Dilon Luke

Coast has highest number of dog attacks but no policy Central Coast Council does not have a policy on dealing with nuisance or roaming dogs, despite the region having the highest rate of dog ownership in NSW.

as at September 30, 2020. The next biggest council area is Lake Macquarie with just over 89,000 dogs. Central Coast also has the highest number of dog attacks reported through NSW councils. A total of 64 incidents were

reported for the period July 1 to September 30, 2020. Council’s Companion Animals Advisory Committee heard at its November meeting that staff would develop a policy. Staff will look at benchmarking against other councils the area

the rangers have to cover as well as what the standard should be. They will use this information to progress the development of a policy for nuisance and roaming dogs. The advisory committee

5@5

The Coast had 136,733 dogs

heard earlier in 2021 that Council was reviewing the dog park and off-leash strategy. A revised strategy was expected to be available for community consultation by the end of 2020 but nothing has come before council yet for

permission to be sent out for public comment. The committee is due to meet again in February and it hopes to get an update on where that strategy is up to. Merilyn Vale

CCN

WEEKLY NEWS BRIEF

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

FORUM

Page 14 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Not all bikes can be reinvigorated

QR code scanning requirement ignored With COVID destroying the world and with how Christmas was basically cancelled, I am very concerned about the way people are ignoring QR Codes when entering stores. Both my wife and I shop regularly at Lake Haven Shopping Centre, mostly food shopping at the Woolworths store there. At the entry to the store, as there is at most stores, there is a stand with the QR code which is to be scanned upon entry. I have stood waiting for my wife watching people

I was inspired by your story regarding members of Alison Homestead Men’s Shed, who restore old pushbikes to give to people in need. (Chronicle p1&14 Dec 16) The day before it was

FORUM published, we happened to be on the walkway at Honeysuckle in Newcastle, when we came across a very old bike that someone had retrieved from the Hunter River.

It must have been submerged for many decades. (see photo) I feel it very unlikely that a restoration is possible, even for those talented members of the men’s shed! Email, Dec 16 Dorothee Crowther, Gorokan

Dumping of supermarket trolleys ignored I live near Mardi Creek and have been reporting the dumping of supermarket trolleys in the creek channel for some months. Two were removed early in the year, but since September, there have been two more dumped from the footbridge (I suppose) over to Westfields. I rang Council in October, then

FORUM again on November 17. It’s now early January. It is demoralising to see the trolleys sitting gathering weeds and leaves and potentially blocking the channel at the Gavenlock Rd side if it rains heavily. Can something be done?

Email, Jan 1 Valerie Derry, Mardi EDITOR’S NOTE: Council says staff inspect and schedule the removal of any waste affecting the flow of stormwater within the channel on a priority risk basis. Shopping trolleys are the property of the retailers and the location of abandoned trolleys should be reported to the appropriate retailer’s webpage or contact number.

FORUM See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper completely ignore this stand and just walk in. My understanding is that these codes are mandatory and have to be scanned into a phone, or if no phone, to be signed in to enter the store.

Over two months of watching this, not seen a single person used their phone to scan in. As we are trying to do the right thing and always scan in to shop, why is Woolworths, and as far as I have seen most stores, ignoring this requirement? Maybe your newspaper can dig into this matter, as this is a requirement and is for all of our safety as well as the safety of all the store employees, otherwise why have a rule if 90 per cent is ignoring it? Email, Dec 25 Robert Beggs, Toukley

Equalisation of rates should be a priority The recent talk about large rate increases has not taken into account the significant differences in the amount of rates paid on similar value blocks. The former Wyong Council

FORUM residents are currently paying about 20 percent more rates than the former Gosford Council residents. This has been happening for

more than six years. Equalisation of rates should be a priority before decisions are taken about large increases for all ratepayers. Email, Jan 14 Terry Kesby, Killarney Vale

Thanks for help after a fall I would like to sincerely say thank you to the people who helped me after a recent fall on Wednesday, January 6, outside Wyong Post Office. A kind gentleman in a wheelchair came to my aid,

FORUM and then two young ladies. They stayed with me until the ambulance arrived to take me to hospital. I am fine now and recovering at home.

Thank you, and thanks also the Wyong hospital staff for the excellent care I received from you all. I have no details so am unable to thank you personally. Email, Jan 14 Kath Sewell, Wyong

In-stock now Variety of Designs

BREATHABLE, REUSABLE CLOTH FACEMASKS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR! INCLUDES 2 FILTERS PER MASK VISIT MOBYB.COM

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Wyong ratepayers cannot continue to be flogged Some time prior to our Council amalgamation, Wyong ratepayers were required to pay a 7.6 percent Special Rate Variation (SRV), inclusive of an ordinary rate increase, on a compounding basis. This was approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) and apparently the Local Government Act provided for this compounding. As a consequence, I believe Wyong ratepayers paid considerably more than they should have to fund Wyong’s $40M infrastructure backlog over a four-year term. In my case, I believe I was more than $100 out of pocket at the end of the SRV.

FORUM See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper Between the third and fourth year of the SRV, there was an initiative to cease running the SRV because the funding target had been reached. This was over-ruled by Macquarie St (State Government). When the negative impact of the SRV was brought to the attention of presiding councillors and State MPs

David Harris, David Mehan and Yasmin Catley, silence followed. Surpluses for Wyong City Hall were the order of the day. If the likes of (Central Coast Administrator) Mr Persson and (Central Coast Council Acting CEO) Rik Hart have any actuarial knowledge, they would assess the SRV credit of old to favour former Wyong ratepayers in relation to the proposed 15 percent rate increase. Only Gosford ratepayers should incur a rate rise to normalise them and put them on par with the current higher paying Wyong ratepayers. The old Wyong ratepayers cannot continue to be flogged like a worn out draught horse. Email, Dec 22 Graham C Hanson, Lake Munmorah

Too many Central Coast main staff arterial roads are FORUM neglected

People can’t understand how Central Coast Council accumulated so much debt in a short time. Here are two reasons for starters: around 300 unnecessary extra staff with an average wage of $1,500 per week for three years plus all the vehicles supplied to administration staff that sit idle, clogging up streets and car parks all day. That’s just for starters. Never fear, we mug ratepayers will make up the shortfall.

I was reading the article on your website that Mr Neil Bevege wrote (Chronicle Forum June 24, 2020) and I agree with him that the public should be able to get an answer as to when the work will commence on the road through Wyong.

FORUM

being built in the area, which means that more cars come onto the main roads every day and our politicians do nothing, but sit on their hands and wait for people to stand up to them before they do anything, and It’s a disgrace that when the not always then. Liberals hold power in both A portion of the money paid NSW and the Federal by the subdividers is supposed Government, that the Central to go to widening and Coast main arterial roads are maintaining the main roads to Email, Dec 19 neglected. allow for extra traffic and for Peter Killen, Kanwal There are hundreds of homes further expansion in our communities. This Liberal State Government is more interested in the Sydney region, including the west, and totally ignores the Central Coast. Even our councillors, when they were in office, did little to get funding for such a project. COMMUNITY The council merging has only CCN caused more issues than when they were separate entities. I would hope that the news media could put pressure on all CCN those who would be responsible for a project to begin and not keep planning and postponing Imagine if it was a message into the future. about your business. The future is now.

If you’re reading this, so are

160,000

other people

Call 4325 7369

or see the website www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Email, Dec 24 Bill McCully, Tuggerah

Page 15 20 January 2021

FORUM

Millions spent making intersection more confusing I write in reference to the Chronicle story “Upgraded intersection likely to cause more accidents” (p8 Jan 13). The same thing has happened at the recently built new intersection on the corner of Oleander St and Evans Rd at Noraville. The original was an easy to navigate intersection with a

FORUM Give Way sign, similar to the Berkeley Vale intersection. The road was blocked off for months as they spent millions making the intersection more confusing. My wife and I pass that intersection each morning on our walk and as we watched the works unfolding last year,

we first thought they were upgrading the drainage. After a few more weeks we realised that the road was being redesigned. We were surprised to see the final upgrade as it made it a bit scary to go straight ahead along Evans Rd without holding up the traffic behind. Email, Jan 14 Bruce Butler, Toukley

Kind act appreciated I would like to send a commendation to the lady who stopped at the traffic lights at Lake Munmorah Woolworths to assist a gentleman walking near the median strip on the highway. She pulled up and managed to get him into her car and then

FORUM to the doctors at the shopping centre. I had spotted him and told him to wait as I turned around to come back for him and it took a little longer than I thought because of the traffic. When I got back there were

about three cars behind her and we all waited patiently as we could see what she was doing. It’s great to see that in these trying times people are still able to help someone in need. Well done. Email, Jan 6 Meg Hickson,

Long Jetty Christian Fellowship Welcomes you to

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

held at the Country Women’s Association (CWA) Hall 1 Pacific Street, Long Jetty 10.00 am to 11.00 am Followed by a provided morning tea

This temporary venue arrangement meets all specified safety regulations while COVID-19 restrictions prevent our regular Sunday Services at Diggers at The Entrance. Families and individuals of all ages and religious background are welcome. Newly formed in October 2019 we are part of God’s universal church. Our Mission is to proclaim Jesus’ gift of salvation and eternal life and to show his love by helping those in need in our community. Becoming part of our Fellowship family is a happy way to spend Sunday mornings. We welcome you. Enquiries: 0403 019 632 longjettychristianfellowship@gmail.com Like us on Facebook

ON THE BEAT

Page 16 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Boat fire under investigation

Man charged over online child exploitation offences Strike Force Trawler detectives have charged a man following an investigation into alleged online child exploitation offences.

Photos: Mannering Park Rural Fire Brigade

Firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service have extinguished a fire that broke out on a boat in Mannering Park just after 3pm on January 14. Crews from Doyalson Fire Station arrived to find large volumes of smoke and flames

issuing from a boat moored at a jetty on Lake Macquarie. Firefighters worked for approximately 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze and are now undergoing salvage operations. The occupants of the boat

including two children who were assessed on scene by NSW Ambulance with only minor injuries reported. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. Source: Media release, Jan 14 Fire and Rescue NSW Media

Police allege the 57-year-old woman evaded a COVID-19 checkpoint at Chandlers Creek at around 4am on Wednesday, December 30, 2020. According to police, the woman sped past the checkpoint, with a pursuit briefly initiated before it was terminated over concerns that her driving could pose a threat to the community. Police also allege the woman had earlier attempted to enter

Victoria and was directed to return to NSW and make application for a permit to enter the state as she was travelling from a designated coronavirus red zone. The woman was eventually arrested after an off-duty police officer spotted her driving near Nhill around 5pm that afternoon, with it understood that the woman was making her way towards South Australia. A coordinated response by general duties police, highway patrol and detectives from

On Sunday, December 27, 2020, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation

CCN

girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child. Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives arrested a 66-yearold man at a home near Tuggerah on Tuesday, January 12.

Source: Press release, Jan 12 NSW Police Media

Operation Hondo across Tuggerah Lakes Dilon Luke

following reports that a 7-yearold girl had been sexually touched by a man known to her. Following extensive inquiries, officers arrested a 42-year-old man at a home near Ourimbah two days later. He was taken to Gosford

or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.com.au Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Western Region ensured a safe resolution, with a tyre deflation device deployed on the Western Highway a short time later. The woman was then promptly arrested and has since been charged with recklessly exposing a police officer to risk by driving, failing to stop, reckless conduct, driving while disqualified, use of an unregistered vehicle and breaches of public health orders. She has been granted bail and is due to appear at the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court in April.

Ourimbah man charged Detectives have charged a man following an investigation into the alleged sexual touching of a child on the Coast.

Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Police crackdown on trail bikers with Operation Hondo

Bateau Bay woman to face several charges A Bateau Bay woman accused of dodging police and rushing a Victorian border checkpoint is headed to court.

In July 2020, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from the state’s Central Coast. Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with the 36-year-old mother of a 9-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child. It will be further alleged the man believed he was separately speaking with a 14-year-old

Anyone with information about these incidents should call

A search warrant was subsequently executed at the home, where detectives seized a computer and mobile phone, which will undergo further examination. The man was taken to Wyong Police Station and charged with incite to commit sexual intercourse with child under the age of 10 years, use carriage service transmit/ publish/promote child abuse and use carriage service to groom child under 16 years for sex. He was refused bail to appear at Wyong Local Court.

Police Station and charged with two counts of intentionally sexually touch child under 10 years. The man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court. Source: Press release, Dec 30 NSW Police Media

In response to numerous community and ministerial complaints, Police attached to Tuggerah Lakes Highway Patrol launched Operation Hondo over the weekend ending Sunday, January 17, with a focus to target the use of unregistered trail bikes in the district as well as complaints of reckless rider behaviour. The joint operation between Tuggerah Lakes and Lake Macquarie Policing Districts saw Highway Patrol officers along with local district Police

and specialist trail bike officers targeting locations between Catherine Hill Bay and San Remo, with the support of the NSW Police Air Wing. As a result of the operation, 120 infringement notices were issued for various offences along with seven charges for offences ranging from driving/ riding whilst disqualified, unlicensed, never held and Mid Range Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA). Additionally, six defect notices were issued and three

unregistered trail bikes were seized under the Road Transport Act 2013, after the riders made attempts to evade Police. Police utilised covert and aerial surveillance to track and engage with the riders for the safety of the community. Applications are being made through the Local Court for the bikes to be permanently forfeited to the Crown. Future Operations will be planned to deter this behaviour in the community.

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE

Dilon Luke

CALL 02 4325 7369 OR SEE WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 17 20 January 2021

OUT & ABOUT

Vera’s Water Garden is back up and running following a brief closure

Vera’s Water Garden is open and ready for play following a contamination issue. On January 13, the much loved children’s water play

space located on The Entrance foreshore was closed after glass was discovered in the wading pool. A spokesperson for Central Coast Council confirmed that shards from at least two glass

bottles had been found along the steps and in the pool, prompting the closure. “Obviously this (glass) posed a risk to our community so we closed the pool while we cleaned the area and drained

and flushed it to ensure no glass fragments were left. “The pool was then refilled and treated, with a final inspection taking place before reopening the pool later that day,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also clarified that council did not believe that this was an intentional act of vandalism as speculated by some members of the community on social media,but rather an unfortunate

accident, prompting the spokesperson to ask residents and visitors to be more mindful when out and about in the community.

returned to the water no worse for wear. But in the heat of the moment, no contact information was exchanged, with the Wildlife ARC member now keen to track the little hero down. “I would really like to find this boy so that I can thank him and arrange some sort of reward for him because he really did save that gull’s life.

“Not many kids would go out of their way to do what he did and I just think he deserves some sort of acknowledgement,” Thometzek said. The incident occurred around 6pm near the carpark of the Hibiscus Lakeside Motel and Thometzek believes the boy was around 11 years old.

Dilon Luke

Mystery hero sought A Wildlife ARC member is searching for a brave young boy who saved the life of a seagull at Budgewoi. Linda Thometzek was on phone duty for the Central Coast based wildlife rescue group on January 13 when she received a call from a concerned community member about a gull in distress.

CCN

The caller had noticed a fisherman on Budgewoi Bridge cast his line and hit a gull. According to the witness, the bird became tangled in the line, but rather than do anything to assist the animal, the fisherman simply cut his line and continued fishing. Believing the struggling bird would likely drown, the witness called Wildlife ARC for help.

Also concerned about the possibility of drowning, Thometzek began giving the caller advice on how to retrieve the gull, before a quick thinking boy sprang into action. “My caller was on the opposite side of the lake when all of this happened, so I’d been getting this running commentary of the whole situation. “As he was getting ready to

drive over to the other side of the bridge, he just stopped and said a boy had fished the gull out of the water. “By the time he had gone over, the boy had managed to calm the gull and was busy untangling it from the line,” Thometzek said. Offering advice and encouragement to the boy from the phone, Thometzek said that once untangled the gull

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE

Dilon Luke

CALL 02 4325 7369 OR SEE WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

OUT & ABOUT

Page 18 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Artspace Pop Up Gallery launches at The Entrance

A new creative hub and gallery space is set to bring a new wave of creative culture to The Entrance. Artspace Pop Up Gallery opened in the vacant shop next to The Entrance Library in late December as part of Central Coast Council’s Creative Community Program and is now poised to deliver an exciting and vibrant cultural program over the next six months. Tammy Briggs, Cheryl Bruce and Jess Sylvester are the creative trio behind the space and believe that nourishing the creative soul of The Entrance through exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations and community events will help reinvigorate the suburb and drive new interest in the area from creatives as a potential place to live, work and play.

Tammy Briggs, Jess Sylvester and Cheryl Bruce

It’s a vision akin to the artisan fuelled revitalisation of Long Jetty and according to Briggs, the space will revolve around local artists and makers, giving them opportunities to exhibit and sell their work, engage

with the public and promote themselves. Briggs said that despite having a diverse and multifaceted artisan community, the Central Coast

was lacking in creative spaces and believes initiatives like Artspace are not only needed to fill the void, but that they also act as catalysts for growth in the communities that embrace them.

“There are so many artists here on the Coast who just have nowhere to go to exhibit and to engage with the public, which is so important to developing yourself as a confident artist, so that’s why

we believe Artspace is going to be hugely successful. “Build it and they will come is my motto, and I think that by bringing this space to The Entrance, we can really help give our local arts community a sense of hope after the pandemic, and also bring a lot of opportunity to the local business community by attracting new demographics into the area and letting them see its potential firsthand,” Briggs said. “The reaction from people coming in has just been pure joy and all of our upcoming workshops have already reached over 95 per cent in bookings, so the hunger for an offering like ours is pretty clear. “Although our initial lease is only for six months, our end goal is to become a permanent fixture of The Entrance.” Dilon Luke

2021 Regional Seniors’ Travel Card is now available The 2021 Regional Seniors’ Travel Card is now available, loaded with $250 to purchase fuel, use taxi services or travel on NSW TrainLink and coaches. Eligible seniors will have a

minimum of 12 months to use their card from the time of activation. In 2020, more than 40,000 seniors across the Central Coast benefitted from the Regional Seniors’ Travel Card and can now apply for a new

one through Service NSW. “The Central Coast is a vast geographic area and this means travel can be one of the most significant household costs faced by our seniors,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch.

“This makes it easier for seniors to access essential services like doctors’ appointments, travel to and from shopping centres and to stay connected with family and friends,” Crouch said. To be eligible, seniors must be

an age pensioner with a valid Pensioner Concession Card or hold a Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Card issued by either the Department of Human Services or Department of Veterans’ Affairs. They must also permanently

live in regional NSW outside of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Source: Media release, Jan 18 Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch

COASTAL DIARY A COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF EVENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THE CENTRAL COAST THURSDAY, JAN 21

Handcraft Market, The Entrance Community Gallery, 23/01 - 31/01, Ticketed entry

Central Dance Company: Invitation To The Ballet... SUNDAY, JAN 24 With Paquita, Laycock Street CommuAvoca Beachside Markets, nity Theatre, 21 & 22/01, Heazlett Park Foreshore, Ticketed 9am - 2pm Breakfast on the Mountain, MONDAY, JAN 25 Kincumber Mountain Reserve, 7:30am - 10am Basketball for Beginners, Lake Haven Recreation Centre, 10am and 11am sessions

Over 60’s Healthy and Active online program, 10 week online program, free 4320 9700

SATURDAY, JAN 23

www.activeandhealthy.nsw.gov.au

Tuggerah Lakes Art Society: Home Baked Exhibition and

SUNDAY, JAN 31

Peninsula Lions Club: event, 8am 43494757 Car Boot Sale, waterwatch@cen.org.au Dunban Road Car Park on the cnr of Ocean Beach WEDNESDAY, FEB 10 Road, 7am - 1pm

lle e c n

SATURDAY, FEB 6 Wildplant Community Nursery: Plant sale day, CEN Office, Brush Rd, Ourimbah, 9am - 12pm

GEBC February Luncheon Event with Guest Speaker David Harris, The Entertainment Grounds Gosford, Ticketed, 12:15pm

SATURDAY, FEB 13

SUNDAY, FEB 7 Breakfast with the Birds 2021, Central Coast Wetlands, Pioneer Dairy, Ticketed - register prior to

Open day, Ingenia Lifestyle

Sunnylake Shores Play AFL with the Bombers 2 Macleay Dr, Halekulani, - register now for season SATURDAY, FEB 27 10am - 2pm 2021, Coal Ash Public Meeting, 0458 018 332 Adelaide St Oval, Tumbi Point Wolstoncroft Sport and Umbi, 10am - 2pm Recreation Centre - Recreation Summer Spandex 0438 153 328 Be my Valentine, Naughty Noodle Fun Haus, Ticketed, 8pm

Alliance Francaise conversation group: practice your French at any level, Ettalong Diggers Club, First attendance is free, 10am - 12pm 0416 303 804 SUNDAY, FEB 14

president@kvbombers.com

Hall, RSVP to attend, 1pm - 4pm

Handmade on the Coast, SUNDAY, FEB 28 Woy Woy Waterfront, Brick Wharf Rd, 9am - 2pm FRIDAY, FEB 19 Antiques & Collectables, Mercure Kooindah Waters Resort Wyong, 19/02 - 26/02, 10am - 3pm

Peninsula Lions Club: Car Boot Sale, Dunban Road Car Park on the cnr of Ocean Beach Road, 7am - 1pm

Basic entries in the Coastal Diary are FREE. Send information to coastaldiary@centralcoastnews.net

ENHANCED entries using bold typeface with an address, phone number and a live link are available for a small fee. Photographs can also be added for a small fee. All display advertisers are entitled to a free enhanced entry.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 19 20 January 2021

OUT & ABOUT

Coastal Twist to make a sparkling splash at Mardi Gras

‘Community members at last year’s Mardi Gras Parade’

For the first time in its 43year history, the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade will be transforming the Sydney Cricket Ground into a glitter fuelled showcase of LGBTQI+ culture and community, when 5,000 paradegoers from 100 LGBTQI+ community groups from around Australia take over the venue on March 6. Among them is the Coast’s own Coastal Twist Festival, who’s collective of LGBTQI+ doers, makers and allies are

busily getting ready to make a splash and a statement with their ocean themed float and costumes. “This year’s Mardi Gras theme is ‘Rise’ and most locals would have felt the impact of droughts, fires, floods and a global pandemic. “It has tested everyone’s spirit and resolve. “Throw creatives and marginalised peoples into that mix and as the agents of change, we know first hand when we rise to the occasion, amazing things happen,” said Coastal Twist Chair, Juan Iocco.

Leigh Rijff and Shane Milsom have stepped up as Coastal Twists’ 2021 Co-Head Float Designers and the pair said that their vision for this year’s festivities was one of unity and celebration. “Our intention is to bring our multiple diverse local communities together as one unique and beautiful force through our float. “As the hinterland rolls down to our coastline, the Central Coast creates one of the most amazing coastlines in the world and with that magic as our inspiration, our float will ‘Rise’

with some of the fabulous hidden creatures from the depths of our salty waters,” Milsom explained. “Mardi Gras is this magic time of year where we all come together as a community to not only make something special to showcase the Central Coast at the parade, but it’s also about forming new bonds, new connections and making lifelong friendships that continue well after all the glitter and glamour ends,” Rijff said. With 2021 to be just Coastal Twist’s second appearance in Sydney Mardi Gras, Iocco said

Canton Beach closed until further notice Visitors to Canton Beach are warned against swimming, fishing and recreational activities at Canton Beach following a sewer break on Tuesday, December 22.

the area with daily sampling. There were plans to partially reopen Canton Beach on Friday, January 15, however recent rain has seen water quality readings decline and the area is deemed unsuitable for swimming, fishing and recreational activities. Heavy rainfall increases the risk of waterways being impacted by pollution due to stormwater run-off, a Council spokesperson said. Council will provide an update as soon as the area is safe to swim and fish again.

Central Coast Council’s alarm system alerted crews to a sewer rising main break in Wattle St in the early hours that day and a crew was dispatched to contain flows being discharged from the break. Clean-up and repairs were done throughout that day and warning signs put in place advising against swimming until further notice. Council continues to monitor

CENTRAL COAST

Sue Murray

the organisation was honoured to have been chosen to take part in the revamped Covidsafe version of the event. “The 2021 Parade will take inspiration from its past and move away from large floats, focusing instead on the outlandish pageantry of vibrant costumes, puppetry and props that made it such a phenomenon in its earliest years.

“In a twist of fate, getting back to community roots is one of the good things that’s come out of this pandemic and anyone wanting to get involved with Coastal Twist and the parade, from marching, costume making to admin, can learn more on our website,” Iocco said. Dilon Luke

Learn FRENCH with CENTRAL COAST

WWW.AFCENTRALCOAST.ORG.AU

Canton Beach

We offer the most effective way to learn French with our methods, developed over 130 years • Very experienced teachers • Individual attention ST! O C • Small classes LOW • Limited Places

Does your dog have fleas?

FREE FLEA TREATMENT F

FIND THE BEST FUEL PRICES ONLINE

coastcommunitynews.com.au

Participate in an exciting study to receive: FREE treatment for your dog against fleas and ticks for 3 months! PLUS Coles/Myer vouchers up to $400 for your participation!

Call or SMS TODAY - 0408 016 676 Conditions and eligibility criteria apply

For more information ring: East Gosford: Félix Ph: 4339 1151 Bateau Bay: Patricia Ph: 4333 6634 Alliance Française de la Côte Centrale is a Not for Profit organization , registered with the ACNC

Page 20

Friday 22 January

Thursday 21 January

Wednesday 20 January

20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

ABC (C20/21)

PRIME (C61/60)

6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 10:00 Grand Designs [s] 11:00 Gardening Australia [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 The City And The City (M) [s] 2:00 The Letdown (M l,s) [s] 2:30 Sando (PG) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 4:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 4:30 Back Roads (PG) [s] 5:00 Escape From The City (PG) [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (PG) [s] 6:30 Anh’s Brush With Fame: John Williamson (PG) [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 7.30 (PG) [s] 8:00 Hard Quiz (PG) [s] 8:30 Spicks and Specks: 2000s Special (PG) [s] 9:20 QI: Road And Rail (M l) [s] 9:50 Adam Hills: The Last Leg [s] 10:50 ABC Late News [s] 11:10 Judi Dench’s Wild Borneo Adventure [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 The Inauguration Of President Joseph R. Biden Jr *Replay* 10:00 Joanna Lumley’s Unseen Adventures (PG) [s] 11:00 Gardening Australia [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 The City And The City (M) [s] 2:00 The Letdown (M l,s) [s] 2:30 Sando (M d,s) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 4:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 4:30 Back Roads (PG) [s] 5:00 Escape From The City (PG) [s] 5:55 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (PG) [s] 6:30 Anh’s Brush With Fame (PG) 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 7.30 (PG) [s] 8:00 Would I Lie To You? (PG) [s] 8:30 Rick Stein’s Secret France [s] 9:30 Miriam Margolyes Almost Australian: Mateship (Part 2 Of 3) (M l) [s] 10:30 ABC Late News [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 10:00 Rick Stein’s Secret France [s] 11:00 Judi Dench’s Wild Borneo Adventure [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 Rock ’N Roll Guns For Hire: The Story Of The Sidemen (M l) 2:30 The Ex-PM (M l,s) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 4:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 4:30 Back Roads (PG) [s] 5:00 Escape From The City (PG) [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (PG) [s] 6:30 Anh’s Brush With Fame: Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (PG) [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat [s] 8:00 Vera: Death Of A Family Man (PG) [s] 9:35 Mystery Road: Silence (M l) [s] 10:25 State Of The Union (PG) [s] 10:35 ABC Late News [s] 10:55 Barracuda (M l,s) [s] 11:50 rage (MA15+) [s]

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer Series [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “In The Line Of Duty: Smoke Jumpers” (PG) (’96) Stars: Adam Baldwin 2:00 Surf Patrol [s] 2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s] 3:00 The Chase UK [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars *Live* From Marvel Stadium [s] 11:00 Movie: “V For Vendetta” (MA15+) (’11) – In fascist Great Britain, a shadowy freedom fighter known only as “V” begins a violent guerrilla campaign to destroy those who have embraced totalitarianism. Stars: Hugo Weaving 6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer Series [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “The Patron Saint Of Liars” (PG) (’97) Stars: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dana Delany 2:00 Surf Patrol [s] 2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s] 3:00 The Chase UK [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat *Live* From Adelaide Oval [s] – The white-ball action will be explosive when the Strikers and Heat square off at Adelaide Oval in what shapes as a crucial encounter for both teams’ BBL finals hopes. 11:00 Movie: “Hall Pass” (MA15+) (’11) Stars: Owen Wilson 1:30 Home Shopping 6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show Summer Series [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Girl Happy” (G) (’65) Stars: Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Mary Ann Mobley 2:00 Surf Patrol [s] 2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s] 3:00 The Chase UK [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Better Homes: Australia’s Most Amazing Homes: Vintage Twist (PG) [s] 8:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s] 8:30 Movie: “Unknown” (M s,v) (’11) Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz 10:50 Movie: “Run All Night” (MA15+) (’15) Stars: Bruce McGill 1:30 Home Shopping

Also see: ABC COMEDY (Channel 22) ABC ME (Channel 23) ABC NEWS (Channel 24)

Also see: 7TWO (Channel 62) 7MATE (Channel 63) 7FLIX (Channel 66)

NINE (C81/80)

5:30 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30 9:30 10:30 11:00 11:50 12:40 1:10 2:05 3:00 5:30 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:10

3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 1:30 6:00 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 8:30

11:20 1:30

TEN (C13)

Today [s] 6:00 Headline News [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Today Extra [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] Ellen (PG) [s] 1:00 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Movie: “Honey” (PG) (’03) Of Here! (M) [s] Stars: Jessica Alba, Mekhi 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Phifer, Romeo Miller 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] NINE News [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] Paramedics (M) [s] 6:00 WIN News [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] The Inbetween (M) Chicago Med: 7:30 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out The Ghosts Of Past (MA15+) [s] Of Here! (M) [s] – To unlock a delicious roast chicken for NINE News Late [s] New Amsterdam: The dinner, the celebs must run around looking for keys Denominator (M mp) [s] otherwise the chicken will Tipping Point (PG) [s] explode! A Current Affair (PG) [s] 9:00 Bull: To Save A Life (M) [s] Paramedics (PG) [s] 9:30 Bull: Child Of Mine (M) [s] Chicago Med: The Ghosts Of Past (MA15+) [s] 11:00 WIN’s All Australian News [s] US Presidential Inauguration 12:00 The Project (PG) [s] *Live* From Washington DC 1:00 The Late Show (PG) [s] 6:00 Headline News [s] Today [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Today Extra [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] 1:00 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out David Attenborough’s Of Here! (M) [s] Dynasties: Lion (PG) [s] Movie: “I.Q.” (G) (’94) – Albert 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Einstein helps a young man 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] who’s in love with Einstein’s niece to catch her attention by 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] pretending temporarily to be a 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] great physicist. Stars: Meg 5:00 10 News First [s] Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] Matthau, Stephen Fry, Lou 7:30 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Jacobi, Gene Saks Of Here! (M) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 9:00 Law & Order: SVU: Guardians NINE’s Afternoon News [s] And Gladiators (M) [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 10:00 Law & Order: SVU: Can’t Be NINE News [s] Held Accountable (Part 1) (M) A Current Affair (PG) [s] 11:00 This Is Us: There (M) [s] Great Getaways (PG) [s] Race Across The World (M) 12:00 WIN’s All Australian News [s] 1:00 The Project (PG) [s] NINE News Late [s] The Horn: Faster Than The 2:00 The Late Show With Stephen Grim Reaper (M) [s] Colbert (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 3:00 Home Shopping Home Shopping 4:30 CBS This Morning [s] Today [s] 6:00 Farm To Fork [s] Today Extra Summer [s] 6:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] 7:00 Headline News [s] Ellen (PG) [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Movie: “Falling In Love” (PG) 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] (’84) Stars: Robert De Niro, 1:00 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Meryl Streep, Harvey Keitel Of Here! (M) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] NINE News [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful Country House Hunters (PG) [s] Australia: Yarra Valley [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] Movie: “Cast Away” (M) (’00) – 6:00 WIN News [s] A FedEx executive must 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] transform himself physically and 7:30 The Living Room [s] emotionally to survive a crash 8:30 The Graham Norton Show landing on a deserted island. (M l,s) [s] – Join Graham as he Stars: Chris Noth, Tom Hanks, chats with Rebel Wilson, Keeley Helen Hunt, Lari White, Nick Hawes, Noel Clarke, M. Night Searcy, Paul Sanchez Shyamalan, Daniel Sloss, Ant Movie: “Transcendence” (M) Middleton and Jake Bugg. (’14) Stars: Johnny Depp, 10:30The Project (PG) [s] Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman 11:30 WIN’s All Australian News [s] Home Shopping 12:30 The Late Show (PG) [s]

Also see: GEM (Channel 82) GO! (Channel 83/88) LIFE (Channel 84)

SBS (C30)

CGTN English News NHK World English News Worldwatch PBS Newshour America In Color: Playtime (M) Great British Railway Journeys (PG) 3:20 Who Do You Think You Are?: Jane Turner (PG) 4:20 Great American Railroad Journeys (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind Australia 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Britain’s Most Historic Towns: Portsmouth Age Of Empire 8:30 The Last Journey Of The Vikings 9:30 Vikings: Lost Souls (MA15+) 10:25 SBS World News Late 10:55 24 Hours In Emergency: Liberation Day (M) 11:50 Movie: “The Workshop” (M l,s) (’17) Stars: Nakhane Touré (In French) 5:00 CGTN English News 5:15 NHK World English News 5:30 Worldwatch 1:00 PBS Newshour 2:00 America In Color: The Wild West (M) 2:50 Great British Railway Journeys (PG) 3:25 Who Do You Think You Are?: John Newcombe (PG) 4:20 Great American Railroad Journeys (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind Australia 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 The World’s Greatest Palaces (PG) 8:30 The Rise Of The Nazis: First Six Months In Power (M) 9:35 World On Fire (M) (In English/ French/ German/ Polish) 10:45 SBS World News Late 11:15 24 Hours In Police Custody: Family Secrets (M l) 12:10 Home Ground (MA15+) (In Norwegian) 5:00 CGTN English News 5:15 NHK World English News 5:30 Worldwatch 1:00 PBS Newshour 2:00 America In Color: American Royalty (M) 2:55 Great British Railway Journeys: Invergordon To John O’groats (PG) 3:30 Who Do You Think You Are?: Noni Hazlehurst (PG) 4:30 Great American Railroad Journeys (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind Australia 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Planet Of Treasures: Latin America (PG) (In English/ Spanish) 8:30 Who Do You Think You Are?: Daniel Radcliffe (PG) 9:40 Hitler’s Supercars (PG) 10:35 SBS World News Late 11:05 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M) 11:55 Versailles: The Legacy (M s,v)

Also see: 10 PEACH (Channel 11) 10 BOLD (Channel 12)

Classifications: (G) General, (PG) Parental Guidance, (M) Mature Audiences, (MA15+) Mature Audience Over 15 Years, [s] Subtitles Consumer Advice: (d) drug references, (s) sexual references or sex scenes (h) horror, (l) language, (mp) medical procedures, (n) nudity, (v) violence

5:00 5:15 5:30 1:00 2:00 2:50

Also see: SBS VICELAND (Channel 31) SBS MOVIES (Channel 32) SBS FOOD (Channel 33) SBS NITV (Channel 34)

Advert

• Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers Compensation • Personal Injury and work related claims • Total Permanent Disability Claims • Life Insurance - Death Benefit • Public Liability claims

We have a dedicated team of lawyers with over 50 yrs combined experience 25 Alison Road WYONG - 98 Mann Street GOSFORD 4353 1248

4322 6666

NO WIN... NO FEE* *Conditions apply

YOUR INSURANCE SPECIALISTS

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU PRIME (C61/60)

Sunday 24 January

6:00 6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s] 10:00 The Morning Show - Weekend 10:00 10:30 (PG) [s] 12:00 My Road To Adventure (PG) 11:00 12:30 Surf Patrol [s] 12:00 1:00 Beach Cops (PG) [s] 2:30 1:30 Movie: “The Game Plan” (G) (’15) Stars: Dwayne Johnson 4:00 Australia’s Amazing Homes: 5:00 Extreme Homes (PG) [s] 5:30 5:00 Seven News At 5 [s] 6:00 5:30 Sydney Weekender (PG) [s] 7:00 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: 8:30 Sydney Sixers v Hobart 9:30 Hurricanes *Live* From The SCG [s] 11:00 Movie: “Eraser” (MA15+) (’96) – A witness protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co11:50 workers when dealing with a 12:20 case involving high-tech weapons. Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan 1:15 1:30 1:30 Home Shopping

6:00 rage (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] 10:00 Offsiders: Summer Series [s] 10:30 The World In 2020 [s] 11:00 Compass (PG) [s] 11:30 Songs Of Praise (PG) [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 12:30 Golden Guitar Awards 2021 2:00 Landline Summer (M) [s] 2:30 War On Waste: The Battle Continues (PG) [s] 3:30 Everyone’s A Critic (Part 2) [s] 4:00 Football: W-League: Round 5: Canberra United v Melbourne Victory *Live* From Viking Park 6:00 Antiques Roadshow [s] 7:00 ABC News Sunday [s] 7:40 Grand Designs - House Of The Year: Houses That Fit Into Their Surroundings (PG) [s] 8:30 Joanna Lumley’s Unseen Adventures (PG) [s] 9:15 Stateless (M l,v) [s] 10:10 Killing Eve (MA15+) [s] 10:55 No Offence (M l,d,v) [s] 11:40 Endeavour: Pylon (M v) [s]

6:00 Sunrise [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 The Morning Show (PG) [s] 9:00 ABC News Mornings [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 10:00 Antiques Roadshow [s] 12:00 Movie: “With This Ring” (M d,s) 11:00 Gardening Australia [s] (’15) Stars: Gabrielle Union, 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] Regina Hall, Jill Scott 1:00 Unforgotten (M l) [s] 2:00 Surf Patrol [s] 2:00 The Letdown (M l,s) [s] 2:30 Border Security - Australia’s 2:35 The Ex-PM (M l,s) [s] Front Line (PG) [s] 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 3:00 The Chase UK [s] 4:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 4:30 Back Roads (PG) [s] 5:00 Escape From The City (PG) [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia [s] 6:00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: (PG) [s] Adelaide Strikers v Sydney 6:30 Anh’s Brush With Fame: Thunder *Live* From Spotless Sigrid Thornton (PG) [s] Stadium [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 7:30 Australian Of The Year 2021 11:00 Movie: “Passenger 57” (M v,l) (’92) – Wesley Snipes stars as 8:30 Australia Remastered [s] the one man who can stop a 9:25 The Crown And Us: The Story gang of ruthless terrorists Of The Royals In Australia (PG) aboard a hijacked airliner in this 10:25 Tomorrow Tonight: action thriller. Stars: Wesley The Vice Card (PG) [s] Snipes, Bruce Payne, Elizabeth 10:55 ABC Late News [s] Hurley, Tom Sizemore 11:15 Harrow (M v) [s] 1:00 Home Shopping 12:05 No Offence (M l,n) [s]

Tuesday 26 January

NINE (C81/80)

6:00 6:00 rage (PG) [s] 6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 7:00 Weekend Breakfast [s] 7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s] 10:00 10:00 rage (PG) [s] 9:00 The Morning Show [s] 12:00 11:00 rage Guest Programmer (PG) 12:00 Movie: “Angel Flight Down” 12:30 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] (PG) (’96) Stars: Patricia 1:00 12:30 Employable Me Australia (M l) Kalember, David Charvet 1:30 Agatha Christie’s Ordeal By 2:00 Movie: “Joe Versus The Innocence (M v) [s] Volcano” (PG) (’90) Stars: Tom 2:00 2:30 Boyer Lecture: Hanks, Meg Ryan Andrew Forrest [s] 4:00 Better Homes And Gardens 3:00 Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat [s] 5:00 Seven News At 5 [s] 3:30 Dream Gardens: Coffs 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s 3:50 5:00 Harbour, NSW [s] Front Line (PG) [s] 5:30 4:00 Ask The Doctor: Gut (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 6:00 4:30 Landline Summer [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: 7:00 5:00 Football: A-League: Round 5: Melbourne Stars v Perth 7:30 Western United v Perth Glory Scorchers *Live* From The 8:30 *Live* From Geelong [s] MCG [s] 7:00 ABC News [s] 11:00 Movie: “Blood Father” (MA15+) 7:30 Midsomer Murders: Till Death (’16) – An ex-con reunites with Do Us Part (PG) [s] his estranged wayward 17-year- 11:20 old daughter to protect her from 9:00 Endeavour: Pylon (M v) [s] drug dealers who are trying to 10:35 Call The Midwife (PG) [s] kill her. Stars: Mel Gibson, Erin 1:30 11:30 Deep Water (M l,s) [s] 2:00 Moriarty, Diego Luna 12:20 rage Guest Programmer 5:30 1:00 Home Shopping (MA15+) [s]

Monday 25 January

Saturday 23 January

ABC (C20/21)

5:30 9:00 11:30 12:00 1:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 7:30 9:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:25 1:20

5:30 6:00 Sunrise [s] 6:00 News Breakfast [s] 9:00 7:30 WugulOra Morning Ceremony 9:00 The Morning Show (PG) [s] 11:30 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 2021 [s] 12:00 Movie: “The BBQ” (PG) (’18) 12:00 8:30 News Breakfast [s] Stars: Shane Jacobson, Magda 1:00 9:00 Australia Day: Flag Raising Szubanski, Manu Feildel And Citizenship Ceremony [s] 2:00 Surf Patrol [s] 10:15 ABC News Mornings [s] 2:30 Border Security - Australia’s 11:00 Gardening Australia [s] Front Line (PG) [s] 12:00 ABC News At Noon [s] 1:00 Australian Of The Year 2021 3:00 The Chase UK [s] 3:00 4:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: 2:00 Salute To Australia [s] Melbourne Renegades v Hobart 4:00 2:35 The Ex-PM (M l) [s] 5:00 Hurricanes *Live* From The 3:00 ABC News Afternoons [s] 6:00 MCG [s] 4:00 The Heights (PG) [s] 7:00 6:00 Seven News [s] 4:30 Back Roads (PG) [s] 7:30 5:00 Escape From The City (PG) [s] 7:00 Cricket: Big Bash League: Melbourne Renegades v Hobart 8:30 6:00 January 26 (PG) [s] Hurricanes *Live* From The 6:55 Governor-General’s Australia MCG [s] Day Message [s] 10:15 7:30 Cricket: Big Bash League: 7:00 ABC News [s] 10:45 Melbourne Stars v Sydney 7:30 Australia Day *Live* 2021 [s] Sixers *Live* From The MCG [s] 9:30 Australian Made (M l,s) [s] 11:40 11:30 Movie: “Conspiracy Theory” 10:50 ABC Late News [s] (M v) (’97) Stars: Mel Gibson, 11:10 Glitch (M l,s) [s] Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart 12:30 12:05 No Offence (M l,v) [s] 1:30 2:30 Home Shopping 12:55 rage (MA15+) [s]

Also see: ABC COMEDY (Channel 22) ABC ME (Channel 23) ABC NEWS (Channel 24)

Also see: 7TWO (Channel 62) 7MATE (Channel 63) 7FLIX (Channel 66)

TEN (C13)

Page 21 20 January 2021

SBS (C30)

Easy Eats [s] 6:00 Which Car? [s] 5:00 CGTN English News Weekend Today [s] 6:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 5:15 NHK World English News Today Extra Summer [s] 7:00 Escape Fishing With ET [s] 5:30 Worldwatch Destination WA [s] 7:30 All 4 Adventure [s] 1:00 PBS Newshour Animal Embassy (PG) [s] 8:30 Pat Callinan’s 4X4 2:00 Great British Railway World’s Greatest Animal Adventures [s] Journeys: London Paddington Encounters [s] 9:30 Studio 10 Saturday (PG) [s] To Warminster/ Salisbury To Movie: “Rocky IV” (M v) (’85) 12:00 Beyond The Fire (PG) [s] Castle Carey/ Taunton To Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph 12:30 Left Off The Map [s] Minehead (PG) 1:00 10 Minute Kitchen [s] Lundgren, Talia Shire, Burt 3:45 Gourmet Farmer 1:30 Healthy Homes Australia [s] Young, Brigitte Nielsen 4:15 Remarkable Places To Eat: Serengeti: Misfortune (PG) [s] 2:00 Jamie And The Nonnas [s] Venice (PG) 3:00 What’s Up Down Under [s] NINE News: First At Five [s] 5:25 Battle Of Crete: Evacuation RBT: Mum Was Right (PG) [s] 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 6:30 SBS World News 4:00 Everyday Gourmet With NINE News Saturday [s] 7:30 Robson Green’s Australian Justine Schofield [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] Adventure: Queensland (PG) 4:30 Farm To Fork [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 8:30 Movie: “American Gangster” 5:00 10 News First [s] Movie: “First Man” (M l) (’18) (MA15+) (’07) Stars: Denzel Stars: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, 6:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) [s] Washington, Russell Crowe, 7:00 Toddlers Behaving (Very) Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin Badly (PG) [s] Movie: “Out Of The Furnace” 11:20 The Twelve (M l,s,v) (MA15+) (’13) Stars: Christian 8:00 Movie: “The Sapphires” (PG) (In Flemish) Bale, Casey Affleck (’12) Stars: Jessica Mauboy 4:00 Great British Railway Destination WA [s] 10:05 Movie: “Motherhood” (MA15+) Journeys: Great Yarmouth To Home Shopping (’09) Stars: Uma Thurman Beccles/ Windsor To Didcot Wesley Impact [s] 11:55 NCIS: Los Angeles (M v) [s] (PG) 6:00 Religious Programs [s] Easy Eats [s] 5:00 CGTN English News 7:30 Fishing Australia [s] Weekend Today [s] 5:15 NHK World English News 8:00 Good Chef Bad Chef [s] Cybershack (PG) [s] 5:30 Worldwatch The Xtreme Collxtion (PG) [s] 8:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 1:00 Speedweek World’s Greatest Natural 9:00 Luca’s Key Ingredient [s] 2:00 Beach Volleyball: Wonders: Coasts [s] 9:30 Studio 10 Sunday [s] Cobram Barooga Classic Race Across The World (PG) 12:00 Program To Be Advised 4:00 Gymnastics: Movie: “Duplicity” (PG) (’09) 1:30 RV Daily Foodie Trails [s] World Challenge Hungary Stars: Clive Owen, Julia 2:00 Pat Callinan’s 4X4 5:30 KGB - The Sword And The Roberts, Tom Wilkinson Adventures [s] Shield NINE News: First At Five [s] 3:00 Farm To Fork [s] (In English/ Russian/ Ukrainian) Territory Cops (PG) [s] 3:30 Taste Of Australia With 6:30 SBS World News NINE News Sunday [s] Hayden Quinn [s] 7:30 Lost World - Deeper Into The The Diana Interview: Revenge 4:00 All 4 Adventure [s] Black Sea – Journey To An Of A Princess (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] Ancient Sea/ Secrets Of Ancient 60 Minutes (PG) [s] 6:00 WIN News [s] Empires Movie: “Flight” (MA15+) (’12) 6:30 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] 9:30 Scotland: Rome’s Final Stars: Denzel Washington, Kelly 7:30 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Frontier Reilly, Nadine Velazquez, John Of Here! (M) [s] 10:35 Secret Life Of Death: Goodman, Don Cheadle, Bruce 9:30 The Graham Norton Show Untold Australia (M l) Greenwood, Brian Geraghty 11:35 Police Custody: (M l,s) [s] NINE News Late [s] 10:30 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] In Plain Sight (M l) Young, Dumb And Banged Up 11:30 Program To Be Advised 12:30 How To Lose Weight Well In The Sun (M) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping (PG) Explore [s] 4:30 CBS This Morning [s] 3:20 Michael Mosley: Trust Me, I’m Home Shopping A Doctor (PG) Today [s] Today Extra [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] Ellen (PG) [s] Movie: “The Man In The Moon” (PG) (’91) Stars: Sam Waterston, Tess Harper Tipping Point [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] NINE News [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Frontline Workers (PG) [s] RBT: Conspiracy Theory/ Don’t Trust Your Friends (PG) [s] Boeing’s Killer Plane: What Went Wrong? (PG) [s] NINE News Late [s] The First 48: Million Dollar Question (M) [s] – A Cleveland man is shot multiple times and left to die in an alley. Tipping Point [s] Explore [s]

6:00 Headline News [s] 5:00 CGTN English News 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 5:15 NHK World English News 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] 5:30 Worldwatch 1:00 Program To Be Advised 2:00 America In Color: 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Hollywood’s Golden Age (M) 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] 2:50 Great British Railway 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] Journeys: Lynton And 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful Lynmouth To Exeter (PG) (PG) [s] 3:25 Who Do You Think You Are?: 5:00 10 News First [s] Charlie Teo 6:00 WIN News [s] 4:25 Great American Railroad 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] Journeys (PG) 7:30 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out 5:30 Letters And Numbers Of Here! (M) [s] 6:00 Mastermind Australia 9:30 The Montreal Comedy 6:30 SBS World News Festival (MA15+) [s] 7:35 The Architecture The 10:30 Hughesy, We Have A Problem Railways Built: Metroland (PG) (M) [s] – Hughesy is joined by 8:30 The Big Fat Quiz Of Arj Barker, Amanda Keller, Everything (M) Tommy Little, Roxy Jacenko 10:45 SBS World News Late and Steph Tisdell to tackle the 11:15 Hamilton Agent (MA15+) first world problems. (In Swedish/ English) 11:30 WIN’s All Australian News [s] 12:05 Outlander (MA15+) 12:30 The Project (PG) [s] 2:10 Dead Lucky (M l,v) 1:30 The Late Show (PG) [s] 4:15 Great British Railway 2:30 Home Shopping Journeys Felixstowe (PG)

6:00 Headline News [s] Today [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] Today Extra [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (PG) [s] NINE’s Morning News [s] 1:00 Program To Be Advised Ellen (PG) [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] Movie: “Now Add Honey” 3:30 Left Off The Map [s] (M l,n) (’15) Stars: Robyn 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] Butler, Lucy Fry, Portia de 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful Rossi, Lucy Durack, Ashley (PG) [s] Ricardo, Hamish Blake, Philippa 5:00 10 News First [s] Coulthard, Dave Thornton 6:00 WIN News [s] Tipping Point [s] NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 7:30 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out NINE News [s] Of Here! (M) [s] A Current Affair (PG) [s] 9:30 NCIS: Boom (M v) [s] – The Travel Guides: Byron (PG) [s] team investigates an explosion Movie: “The Castle” (M l) (’97) outside the home of a Navy Stars: Eric Bana, Michael petty officer and a popular Caton, Stephen Curry reality TV star. NINE News Late [s] 10.30 NCIS: Los Angeles: Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year Third Wheel (M) [s] Asia (PG) [s] 11:30 WIN’s All Australian News [s] Law & Order: Criminal Intent: 12:30 The Project (PG) [s] Probability (M v) [s] 1:30 The Late Show (PG) [s] Tipping Point (PG) [s] 2:30 Home Shopping Home Shopping 4:30 CBS This Morning [s]

Also see: GEM (Channel 82) GO! (Channel 83/88) LIFE (Channel 84)

Also see: 10 PEACH (Channel 11) 10 BOLD (Channel 12)

Programming information correct at time of going to press, changes are at the network’s discretion Prepared by National Typesetting Services

5:00 5:15 5:30 6:00 8:00 9:00

CGTN English News NHK World English News Worldwatch Sunrise Ceremony: NITV NITV News Special Movie: “Rabbit-Proof Fence” (PG) (’02) Stars: Everlyn Sampi 10:35 Always Was Always Will Be 11:05 Vote Yes For Aborigines 12:00 Sunrise Ceremony 2:00 Archaeology At The Big Dig: Digging Into The Rocks (PG) 2:40 Escalation Sensation 3:15 Who Do You Think You Are?: Australia (PG) 4:20 Great American Railroad Journeys (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind Australia 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Great Continental Railway Journeys 8:30 The Beach (M l) 11:25 SBS World News Late 11:55 The A Word (M l,s) 1:00 The Pier (MA15+) (In Spanish)

Also see: SBS VICELAND (Channel 31) SBS MOVIES (Channel 32) SBS FOOD (Channel 33) SBS NITV (Channel 34)

Page 22 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATIONS

CCN

ARTS & CULTURE Wyong Writers

Caravans, tents, mobile homes, all welcome. Social outings & trips away

0458 645 979

Writers meet monthly to encourage and develop their writing skills.We meet on the 4th Saturday of each month – arrive at 1.15pm for a 1.30 start. Woodbury Community Centre 1 Woolmers Cres, Mardi.

Lake Munmorah 50s Plus Leisure and Learning Club

meilingvenning@hotmail.com www.wyongwriters.org

4358 8390

4333 7489

Toukley District Art Society

Painting, drawing groups and classes, demonstarations and workshops. Open 7 days 10am - 4pm, Cafe. Tues - drawing 10am - 1pm, Wed-painting 9:30am - 12:30pm

4392 4666

toukleyartgallery@gmail.com www.toukleyartgallery.com.au

COMMUNITY GROUPS Berkeley Vale Neighbourhood Centre

Information and referral, energy account assistance, food assistance, no interest loans, computer, printing and internet access, kid’s school holiday activities, parenting program, workshops, drop-in centre, community garden, walking group.

4388 5801 or 0490 538 494 manager@bvnc.org.au https://bvnc.org.au

Central Coast Caravanners Inc

3rd Sun - Jan to Nov Trips away, social outings, friendship with like minded folk Call Geoff 0447 882 150

Central Coast Community Legal Centre

www.friendlytravellers.com

Computer classes, dancing, exercise, pilates, yoga, craft, carpet bowls and Tai Chi.

Long Jetty Senior Citizens’ Club

4332 5522

Long Jetty Over 50s Club

The Lakes Church

wyonguca@gmail.com www.wyong.uca.org.au

Indoor bowls, computers, exercise, yoga, line-dancing, tai chi and more - 9am to 3pm

4332 5522

Tuggerah Lakes Toastmasters’ Club

Are you looking to Build your confidence? Grow as a leader; Improve your communication

0410 238 022

Toukley Neighbourhood Centre

Lakes food care, energy account assistance, no interest loans, free counselling. Childrens’, youth & adult activities. Laundry & hot showers. Hall & meeting space for hire.

4396 1555 www.tnc.org.au

Toukley Presbyterian Church

toukleypc.org.au

0437 048 815

Country Women’s Association-Toukley

Mthly Market 2nd Sat 9am-1pm 175 Main Rd Books, bric-a-brac, cakes, Devonshire tea, handicrafts, plants, preserves, sausage sizzle, fun, fellowship, fundraising Meet 1st Wed 10am Hall available for hire.

4976 1642

Friendly Travellers Caravan Club

Improve your public speaking, leadership skills & confidence. 1st, 3rd & 5th Fri 10:30am to 12:30pm Wyong RSL Club

Wyong Uniting Church Weekly Sunday service 9am Bible Study group 62 Watanobbi Rd, Wyong 4352 1528

Computer classes, line dancing, tai chi and zumba gold Mon - Fri, 9am to 3pm

contact@centralcoastclc.org.au

Secondhand shopping, upcycling, minimalism, creativity, community lounge area, free Wifi. 5/22-32 Pacific Hwy Mon-Sat - 9am-4pm

Wyong Toastmasters’ Club

0421 216 952

Hargraves St & Victoria Ave Family service (Sunday school 9.30am), cafe church 5pm, community activities

The Creative Compassion Centre

4353 1750

wyongtoastmasters@gmail.com

Not for profit service providing free legal advice. Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm

4353 4988

events, projects, workshops, arts programs. Open community garden.

4392 9904

Venue for Hire

Central Coast Wetlands, Tuggerah - several buildings for hire, suitable for weddings, seminars, markets & fund raisers.

0408 271 957

pioneerdairy@bigpond.com

Volunteering Central Coast

Refer potential volunteers to community organisations and provide support to them. Training for volunteers and managers of volunteers. Information sessions

4329 7122

recruit@volcc.org.au

Wyong Neighbourhood Centre Supporting disadvantaged, vulnerable and isolated people offering community services,

All Welcome! Sundays - 8:30am, 10:30am & 5pm, Kids church, youth group, cafe, wheelchair friendly, 6 Pioneer Ave, Tuggerah

4353 0977 thelakes.net.au

COMMUNITY CENTRES CENTRAL COAST MARINE DISCOVERY CENTRE

The revamped CCMDC is open. Schools and Group bookings welcome by appointment. Building has special needs access and toilets. Open 7 days 9am – 3pm. Terrigal.

4385 5027

ccmdc@bigpond.com www.ccmdc.org.au

HEALTH GROUPS Alcoholics Anonymous - Someone cares. Thurs - 12.30pm, Progress Hall Henry Parry & Wells Street East Gosford Better Hearing Australia

Hearing loss management Support and educational groups providing practical experience and confidence.

4321 0275

Central Coast Prostate Cancer Support Group (Wyong) Last Fri, Terrigal Uniting Church 380 Terrigal Dr, Terrigal 9.30am to 12 noon

4367 9600 www.pcfa.org.au

Central Coast Asbestos Diseases Support Group

Support for those suffering with asbestos diseases and others interested in asbestos issues. You are not alone, meet with others who can share their experiences. Bring a family member or friend. 1pm at Ourimbah RSL on forth Wed of each month.

Maree 0419 418 190

Al - Anon Family Groups Health

We offer hope and friendship for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Al-anon family groups meet weekly, please contact

1300 252 666 al-anon.org.au

S.A

Is Internet porn destroying your life. We may be able to help. We are a 12 step fellowship like AA. Meets every Sat at 7pm on the Central Coast Contact for further details

0473 631 439

newcastlesagroup@gmail.com

Probus Club

Meet new friends and enjoy social events. 2nd Thur., 10:30am, guest speakers. Social outings 3rd Thur. Woodbury Park Community Hall, Mardi

Groups/schools welcome Morning tea/lunch for group bookings, wheelchair friendly, Alison Homestead 1 Cape Rd, Wyong Sun-Thur 10am-2pm

4352 1886

www.alisonhomestead.com.au

MUSIC Coastal a Cappella

Award winning women’s a cappella chorus. Music education provided. Rehearsals Tuesday 7pm @ Red Tree Theatre Tuggerah. Performance opportunities. Hire us for your next event.

0412 948 450

coastalacappella@gmail.com

POLITICAL GROUPS Labor Party Ourimbah/ Narara Branch Discussion/action community Issues – 3 levels of Government Function Room, Grange Hotel, Wyoming 7.30pm 1st. Monday

0410 309 494

Kyle.macgregor@hotmail.com

Central Coast Greens

Local, state wide, national & international issues & campaigns Council and parliamentary representation - 3rd Thur centralcoast.nsw.greens.org.au centralcoastgreens@gmail.com

Liberal Party Ourimbah Branch How good is this? 2nd Thurs

0468 476 237

PROBUS CLUBS

Tuggerah Lakes U3A The Entrance - cryptic

Wyong Golf Club, 4th Mon, Morning Tea, Guest Speakers, regular monthly outings probuswyong55090@gmail.com

www.tugglakesu3a.info

Wyong Probus Club

4352 3692

The Entrance Probus Club

Ladies and gentlemen welcome. Guest speakers, morning tea and many activities. 9.30am 4th Tues Bateau Bay Bowling Club

0478 228 914

Inner Wheel Club Wyong Join a team of dedicated women, sharing fun and friendship and a passion for community service 6.30pm 3rd Wed Wyong Golf Club 4393 2755

4390 2451

LEARN TO DANCE

Social ballroom dancing for all ages, all you need is a desire to learn and dance, no partner required. meet every Wed -15 Lorraine Ave Berkeley Vale, 2:00pm Anne - 0409 938 345 anneglazier@y7mail.com

SPORT KI-DO Mingara Judo Academy

Junior boys and girls Mon and Wed Two classes 6-8.30pm from 7yrs, Kangy Angy

0413 237 010

iiw.au.wyong@gmail.com

www.kidomingarajudo.com.au

The Lions Club of The Entrance

SATO - KAI KARATE - DO

Serve your community make friends, join Lions. 1st and 3rd Wed, North Entrance Surf Club. The Entrance Markets Sun Mornings, behind The Entrance Cinema.

0488 286 006

theentrancelions@gmail.com

The Lions Club of Gwandalan

Join the Lions, make friends and help your local community Sat Garage Sales and BBQ 7 to 11.30am

4972 5562

secgwandalanlions@gmail.com

The Lions Club of Wyong

50 years supporting local activities - Meet new friends 4th Tues 6:30pm Don Small / Lions Retirement Village Colin 0413 014 266 www.wyong.nsw.lions.org.au

SPECIAL INTEREST Biz Plus Networking Association Grow your business & build worthwhile relationships. Networking breakfasts every Thur 7:15- 9am Erina Leagues Club Geoff Neilson network@bizplus.com.au

Central Coast Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service

Toukley Dojo 7th. Dan Shihan Master Instructor.

0413 456 086

Sato- ha shitoryu karate do australia

Wyong Lakes Australian Rules Football Club Play AFL - Teams for Boys, Girls, Women & Men. No Experience Necessary

0404 257 702

play@wyonglakesafc.com.au

Doyalson Wyee Soccer Club

Football club for the local community, encouraging juniors from under 5 to senior team. Karen 0410 045 981 president@doylowolves.com.au

Canton Beach Sports Club Lawn Bowls

Come and join us at Canton Beach Sports Club, every Tues 9:30am. Never played before, don’t worry, all levels welcome. Free coaching available. go on, give us a call on 0415 210 536 for Chris, or 0409 292 086 for Lorraine.

VENUE HIRE

Central Coast Wetlands – Pioneer Dairy

Central Coast Wetlands is located in Tuggerah. We have several buildings for hire. They would be suitable for weddings, seminars, markets & fund raisers.

0408 271 957

pioneerdairy@bigpond.com

Newspapers Tuggerah Combined

Free telephone advice and

Central Coast

CCN

4353 5515

cctaas@hotmail.com

crosswords, play reading Bateau Bay - Memoirs, Reading Group - Killarney Vale - Talks, Mah Jong - Toukley - Creative Writing Berkley Vale - Music appreciation - Chittaway Bay - Movies

4351 0450

HISTORY GROUPS SERVICE GROUPS Museum & Historical Society, Wyong District

advocacy for all tenants & residents in residential parks

If you would like your Community Organisation listed here call us on 4325 7369 or see www.coastcommunitynews.com.au

Entries in the Not For Profit Community Organisations Directory are free. However, we require each organisation to subscribe to each newspaper to ensure that someone from that organisation keeps their entry up to date. Subscription rates $75 for 25 editions.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

13 14

20 January 2021

Across

Down

9 Corpulent (5) 10 Extreme surprise (9) 11 Souvenir (5) 12 Inherent (9) 13 Possess (3) 14 Hebrew minor prophet (5) 15 E.g. wine goblets (9) 16 Bush (5) 18 Double birdie (5) 22 Large mass of sliding snow (9) 25 Renounce (5) 27 Open mesh fabric (3) 28 Staff (9) 29 Mistaken (5) 30 Weaken insidiously (9) 31 Passageway (5)

1 Highest singing voice in women (7) 2 Affluence (6) 3 Recent arrival (8) 4 Saw (6) 5 Book end, perhaps (4,4) 6 Exceptional intellect (6) 7 Convince (8) 8 Adhesive label (7) 16 Frenzied rush (8) 17 Single-celled organisms (8) 19 Conceal with decorative paper (4,4) 20 Neither solid nor liquid (7) 21 Abrade (7) 23 Part of a group (6) 24 Followed (6) 26 Cardiff International Airport (6)

27 28

PUZZLES

Page 23

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE

CALL 02 4325 7369

MISSING LINK Fill in each letter of the alphabet once only. FILL IN THE WORDS N I CER

Place all the words listed into the grid. Each word can be used The first word ConceAonly.R L has been filled in.

C RougeB A O ScornU Slope Z H A R Slyly Strut S E D Thorn Tiers I R T Trait E E N Trots N Upset A Utter G Yokes I T R O 5 LETTERS Alter Burst Chats Chums Cloak Creed Crumb Ditty Eerie Essay Hotel Meant Nasty Nerve Nicer Otter Outdo Rants Relit Repel

E D

C T

S L

O A

O K

G E E T 27

R L Y

A C

I C

E E E 22

I X

T Y

U R

O W

E 14

A E

G 15

U P E

I O U S L6 I O O E S T X 1 E7 O N4E E R R A T B E A 3 L D Y

7 3 4 1 5 9

1 2 1 7 3 9

Â© Lovatts Puzzles

O A B

L E

Missing Link Solution:

Sudoku Ha

A T

O P

I E

L T

T P

B R

D H

L Y

R S

T A

P E

L N

T C

E W

S R

M N

Crochet Enlarge Erupted Leashes

2 4 8

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

CCN 1

7 LETTERS

I E

J C C A R O I C A L T O Z H A U S E R M A E V E N A G I N T R S Y

K Q L P I O U S B L I U O O Z E R D E S T X D H O E T I N E E R N B R A T G B W O F E R A L D Y

4 6 3 8 5 7 9 1 2

7 9 1 2 6 3 8 5 4

8 2 5 4 1 9 6 3 7

3 8 4 5 2 6 7 9 1

9 5 2 1 7 8 3 4 6

6 1 7 9 3 4 2 8 5

5 3 9 6 4 2 1 7 8

1 7 6 3 8 5 4 2 9

2 4 8 7 9 1 5 6 3

OUT & ABOUT

Page 24 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Family history an important part of a nation’s history It wasn’t until he was an adult that Jorge Carvarino of Hamlyn Terrace realised the important positions that his parents held in East Timor before it was invaded by Indonesia in 1975. Brought to Australia at the age of six, along with his brother and sister, Carvarino was raised by his maternal grandparents, who had fled East Timor during the invasion. He didn’t discover that his parents, both high figures in Timorese politics prior to the invasion, were incarcerated and eventually killed by the invading forces. Consul-General of TimorLeste in Sydney, Luciano Valentim da Conceicao, is trying to interest the ABC in making a documentary on the family and paid a visit to the Coast on January 13 to discuss the proposal with Carvarino. “I didn’t really know much about my family history growing up,” Carvarino said. “I came to Australia when I was six and didn’t realise until much later that my parents were actually heavily involved in the decolonisation movement prior to the end of Portuguese colonisation in 1975. “It’s all a bit of a blur. “I was only a baby when my father was in exile. “I am told that he was the

The Carvarino family of Hamlyn Terrace with Consul-General of Timor-Leste, Luciano Valentim da Conceicao

second Prime Minister of East Timor prior to the Indonesian invasion. “Apparently they were both on a hit list and my father was captured by the Indonesian military and later killed. “There is still mystery surrounding what happened to my mother following her surrender to the military.

CCN

Monogamy Author: Sue Miller Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

This is a story about Annie and Graham. Both had been previously married and were divorced when they met at the launch of Graham’s new bookstore in Boston. Graham was larger than life, in form and spirit. He was cheery, warm, a lover of the pleasures that life had to offer. People gravitated towards Graham. Loved him. Annie was slender, delicate, reserved. Opposites attract after all. Before Annie, Graham was married to Frieda. It was the 1960s and they agreed on an open marriage. When Graham started his relationship with Freida he was homely and, “people didn’t find that as charming as they did later. Later, when all the changes in the rules came around. And for Graham, the beard, the full

“I didn’t really get to know either of my parents. “My siblings and I were kept in a camp by the Indonesian military and I know that my father’s mother had to make some sort of payment to get us out. “The three of us were brought to Australia in 1983 and grew up in Queensland raised by my grandparents.

“A lot of the family history was hidden from us. “When we came of age, we each went our separate ways and my brother now lives in Canberra and my sister in Brisbane.” The siblings did not find out for many years that they also had a younger brother, who was adopted by an Indonesian general following the invasion.

“In 2009 we got a call saying that they had found our younger brother and we have since reconnected via social media,” Carvarino said. “He hadn’t known about us and had grown up assuming he was Indonesian. “In 2019, my eldest brother went back to Timor and met our younger brother.

“I’m disappointed not to have known much about my parents and their struggles growing up.” Married to a Mauritian, whose nation has also had its share of struggles, Carvarino is determined that their three children will grow up fully aware of their heritage. “We have children aged eleven and nine, and a baby born last year,” he said. “We want them to grow up knowing their background and what my parents did for them. “There is still a blood call to Timor-Leste and once the children get a little older, we would like to go back and see what we can contribute. “We would like to see TimorLeste grow and prosper.” Carvarino said the ConsulGeneral was the first official to have reached out to the family. Himself highly active in Timorese politics prior to its independence in 1999 and since, Conceicao is determined to see a documentary on the Carvarino family come to fruition. “This family’s story is a large part of our history,” he said. While on the Coast, Conceicao also paid a visit to Anglican priest, Fr Rod Bower of Gosford, to thank him for his church’s support of Timorese people. Terry Collins

BOOK REVIEW head of hair, the contact lenses, and the sudden interest in elegant clothes. And the way all of those choices seemed to color everything he did and said. Seemed to change its meaning. Seemed to make him attractive.” As more women gravitated towards the attractive Graham, Freida moved away until she asked for a divorce. But they remained friends, not only because they had Lucas but because they still loved each other. Graham is such a lovable and forgivable man that the his ex-wife Frieda and Annie become friends in spite of the infidelity. Annie was hesitant to start a relationship with Graham, “But Graham was persistent, a joyous lover, an enthusiast, and finally Annie gave over to him. How could she not? She’d been waylaid, really – by happiness, by his love for her, and then more slowly, hers for him.” They moved in together and within a year were married and soon after had their daughter Sarah. Annie’s career as a photographer was showing promise. She had a show that was received well, but she put it all on hold while she raised Sarah.

She tried to get back into photography but times changed and her work “wasn’t as hot, as transgressive” as the newer artists. Thirty years goes by in the blink of an eye. “Annie was happy too. But occasionally through their years together, and in spite of everything that was pleasurable and loving between them, she would feel it again, the sense of him having overtaken her somehow, overwhelmed her.” Graham tried to be “more careful

and more faithful,” in his marriage with Annie but he is a person that loves everything life has to offer. The pivotal moment (sorry, spoiler alert) occurs when Graham, in a fit of monogamous remorse, decides to break up with his secret lover and subsequently suffers a heart attack and dies. When Annie eventually discovers his betrayal, she feels disoriented (naturally), but more betrayed by her friends that hid his secret than Graham himself. She will dwell on her own past and question her own faithfulness. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking of what kind of review I would write. It is hard to put my finger on exactly why I liked this book. It is simply a story about a couple and, as with every couple, there are ups and downs, but there was something about it that intrigued me. It was a simple story, but very well done, very well written. The one difficulty I had was with the timeline. In present day there was a mention of Obama being made a presidential

candidate, and Graham’s relationship with Freida referred to the 1960s and 1970s. Nevertheless, it is an engaging, often meditative, book and Miller’s skill with exploring the interwoven nuances of marriage, fidelity, parenthood and individual aspiration combined with the rich description of food and wine making it an enjoyable read. Kim Reardon The Reluctant Book Critic

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 25 20 January 2021

OUT & ABOUT

DOWN IN THE GARDEN: CREATE NEW PLANTS WITH PROPAGATION Seed Saving Such an exciting thing to do because you may end up with plants very different from the parent plant you collected the seeds from in your garden. For most plants, it is best to use healthy, strong plants and collect seed pods as soon as they change colour from whatever is ripe for them (usually green) to a dried brown to black. Place indoors in a full sun position, out of the way of drafts and wait until fully dry. Pods may release on their own or you can gently break open and (again) store seeds in a cool, dry, dark place until you wish to sow.

CUTTINGS It’s not that all plants can’t be reproduced via cuttings, but some methods work better than others with different plants (I’m always happy to answer questions on this via email: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com)

Types of Cuttings CHERALYN DARCEY

Propagation is an interesting and rather addictive gardening practice … once you have achieved a few successes. For the botanically minded, there are two types of propagation, the first being ‘sexual’ which is the creation of new plants via parts from two parent plants to create a third new plant. This is probably familiar to most of us as the process of seed creation through pollination. The offspring is a combination of the traits of both parent plants so, just like us humans, will not always be exactly the same as either parent but more likely a combination of the two. The other type of propagation is ‘asexual’ and this is achieved via cuttings, division of plants, grafting, budding and layering of one parent plant and this will produce a clone. The resulting plant is an exact copy of the parent plant in every way although mutations do sometimes occur.

Softwood cuttings are taken from new growth and as the name suggests, they are very soft. They take really well either in water for later transplanting or in cutting and seed raising mixtures but are rather fickle with a low survival rate after striking. Greenwood cuttings are created when the plant stems are a little past the softwood stage and can be recognised by firmer stems. They have a better survival rate into maturity. Semi-ripe cuttings work very well with conifers and most evergreens and are taken once the stems begin to bud. Hard wood cuttings are made well before new growth begins when the plant is in a dormant phase. These cuttings are slower to strike, don’t have as great a rate of striking but once they do take, have an excellent survival rate into maturity. Leaf-bud cuttings are a semi-ripe cutting with a single leaf still attached and these are an economical way of creating an increased number of cuttings, especially from shrubs. Full leaves develop roots from the picked end of the leaf and part leave cuttings will develop roots from the wound created from cutting them up. Root cuttings are created from larger roots of suitable plants during their dormant phase.

Types of Stem Cutting Preparation When obtaining cuttings, most are taken from the stem just below a node. These joints in a ‘nodal cutting’ hold a lot of vascular tissue and so the formation of roots is far more likely. Other methods include ‘heal cutting’ which involves pulling away side shoots so that some of the bark from the main stem comes away with it, ‘wounding’ a cutting by scraping away a section of the bark to expose the inner tissue and ‘callusing’ which is also a form of wounding in which a callus is encouraged to form from a scraped stem.

Root Hormone

SEEDS The trick to successful seed propagation is good seed stock to begin with and sowing as per requirement of the particular plant – simply throwing out a handful of seeds and hoping for the best really won’t cut it. There also needs to be a bit of reality check as not all seeds are likely to germinate and not all seedlings will survive to become mature plants.

Buying Seeds Always check the ‘sow by’ date on the packet and ensure that the seeds can be sown at the time you are thinking of planting them. If you really must have that packet of seeds you have spied on your shopping trip, make sure the ‘sow by’ date still falls within the coming season and keep in a cool, dry, dark place until you are ready to use them. It’s best that once opened, all are used. Follow the directions given on the packet closely for the greatest success as some seeds have very different needs including the requirement to soak before use and sowing depths and mediums will also vary.

To help your baby cutting along, you can apply a root hormone. There are commercial preparations out there but I’m a fan of organic homemade so here’s one of my recipes: 1. Add one generous tablespoon of organic honey to 2 cups of boiling water and stir well – once it drops to room temperature it is ready. 2. Dip cutting end into the mixture and then plant in a seed and cutting soil raising mix. I have also tried dipping hardwood cuttings into Vegemite and had success as well - as strange as it sounds it’s probably the Vitamin B boost that creates the magic!

Cutting and Seed Raising Mediums Many cuttings can be started in a clear jar of water that sits in filtered light while seeds can be put straight into ordinary garden soil or a potting mix. Planting straight into a speciality cutting and seed raising medium however gives the vast majority of plants the best beginning and makes transplanting into your garden or larger pots easier down the track. Propagation mixes need to provide aeration, excellent drainage and support. Although bagged commercial mixtures can be purchased, a good example of a homemade mix is: 2 parts coir peat, 2 parts compost and 1 part course river sand.

BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS and RHIZOMES These are underground compressed stems that hold a

bud within. Many lay dormant between growing seasons until conditions suit their return as a new plant or they simply begin new growth at any time of the year depending on conditions. Tubers can be either Root Tubers, that are formed from sections of root stock or Stem Tubers that, as you would guess, form from sections of modified stems. Most can be separated carefully from the parent plant to create a new plant and some of the bulbs can be encouraged to further divide through chipping sections into separate scales, cutting segments that still contain the basal plate of the bulb or scoring, depending on the plant type.

PROPAGATION EXAMPLES These are not the only way to propagate these plants, but it gives you an idea of how you could start creating your own new plants at your place.

From seeds Most annuals and perennials, Grevillea (Grevillea), Avocado (Persea)

From stem cuttings Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Geranium (Pelagonium), Wattle (Acacia), Lemon (Citrus limon), Mulberry (Morus), Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica), Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

DIVISION

From leaf cuttings

If you are a fan of Agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus), Dayliy (Hemerocallis spp.) or Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum spp.) then you might already be aware that you can create new delights by easing in-between clumps of your plants and simply lifting out sections for replanting. There are many plants that can be easily divided, and an indication is a clumping form in their growth pattern. Sometimes the clumps may need to be carefully cut with a sharp knife to release.

African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha), Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe)

LAYERING Many plants layer naturally when their stems touch the ground, prompting the stem to develop roots. You can see this in plants like Ivy (Hedera spp.). To copy this process, all you need to do is bend stems down onto the soil and peg down to encourage root formation. For stems that cannot reach the soil, Air Layering can be used where a wound is made in the stem and then it is covered in compost and wrapped in moss. Once roots form in either layering method, the stem is cut from the plant and transplanted.

Division Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

Spoil Layering Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Cosomum), String of Pearls (Senecia rowleyanus), Ivy (Hedra) Air LayeringFig (Ficus), Magnolia (Magnolia), Camellia (Camellia japonica), Rose (Rosa)

ON THE GARDEN GRAPVINE Adults & Kids - Finger Painted Flowers Sat, 16th Jan 10:00am - 12:45pm Exhale Art and Wellness Studio, Unit 7/314-316 The Entrance Rd, Long Jetty www. exhaleart.com.au Create Your Own Tree Painting (7yrs to adult). Sun 17th Jan 10am - 2pm The CollaborArtti, Chittaway Bay. Call Kylie or Marie on 0402978647 Central Coast Council School Holiday Workshops Ages 7 to 14 must be accompanied by one adult. Bookings a must: centralcoast.nsw.gov ….The Entrance: Composting Mon 18th Jan 9 10am, Worm Farming Mon 18th Jan 10:30 - 11:30am, Upcycled Terrariums Tue 19th Jan 9 - 10am Gosford: Uncycled Terrariums Tues 19th Jan 9 10am, Insect Hotels Tues 19th Jan 10:30 - 11:30am, Propagation 19th Jan 12 - 1pm THIS WEEK YOU COULD PLANT Brussel sprouts, capsicum, chilli, climbing beans, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, pumpkin, radish, rockmelon, rosella, spring onion, squash,sweet corn,watermelon,basil,chives,lemongrass, mint, rosemary, tarragon, amaranth, azaleas, camellias, grevilleas, marigolds, petunias, sunflowers Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden coordinator and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am every Saturday on CoastFM963 Send your gardening questions, events and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com

BUSINESS & PROPERTY

Page 26 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Business & Property

Alison Michalk receives professional achievement award Alison Michalk, whose business was one of Australia’s first to be certified against some of the highest standards in the world for social and environmental responsibility, has won Charles Sturt University Alumnus of the Year Professional Achievement Award. Michalk, a Charles Sturt alumna, has always marched to her own beat when it comes to business. Just 10 days after giving birth to her second son, at a time when many new parents are taking leave from work, Michalk was launching a new business, Quiip, based on the Central Coast. Quiip was one of Australia’s first online moderating service businesses. Under Alison’s leadership, driven by her enthusiasm for sustainability and ethical business, it has also become one of Australia’s first 250 certified B Corporations, which is one of the highest standards for verified social and environmental responsibility. Quiip’s success was helped by Michalk’s role as a cofounder of the nation’s first industry body for people in her profession, Australian Community Managers (ACM),

Alison Michalk

which today boasts more than 5,000 members, and her work co-creating the Swarm Conference, which is one of the world’s longest-running conferences for online community management professionals. “I started Quiip because I wanted to create a business that was flexible and could accommodate the needs of not only busy parents, but the high demands people have in the modern world,” Michalk said. “I knew that there was a lot of work opportunities in the field of managing online communities, which was an

emerging field when I started Quiip.” Quiip is now a global leader in online community management and moderation services and has employees across Australia, Europe and North America. Its diverse team of 15 employees includes full-time carers and people living with invisible disabilities, many of whom have struggled with the rigidity of traditional workplaces. “For me, I needed flexibility and freedom to do my best work and I think that is what many of us need,” Michalk

said. “At Quiip there’s no head office, no commute and no 9-to-5, and because we operate 24/7, staff can choose their hours and blend work with life. “Flexible work is the way of the future and I encourage companies as they embrace remote work to consider what other practices or expectations they can overhaul,” she said. When you ask Michalk what she is most proud of when it comes to her career, it isn’t her entrepreneurial work in her field, or that she is the CEO and founder of a successful

business. What she is most proud of is her work inspiring other businesses to be a force for social good and adopt B Corp practices. Michalk dedicates much of her time, in between juggling children and running a 24/7 business, to support fellow business leaders through the rigorous B Corp certification process, and also provides them with consultation on corporate sustainability and flexible workplace practices. “I am very involved in the B Corp movement, it is a real passion of mine,” she said.

“I am the Communications Chair for B Local Sydney and currently certifying as a B Consultant to help other companies certify. “I also recently launched an online community for the Australian and New Zealand B Corp movement during COVID-19 and I am sitting on a global taskforce.” Michalk’s passion for the environmental and social responsibility can be traced back to her days studying a Bachelor of Communications at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. “As an Environment Officer on the Charles Sturt SRC, I spent a lot of time in the late 1990s campaigning for the environment,” she said. “In 1999, we had the largest representation of all universities at the Students & Sustainability Conference in Tasmania, because we had so many passionate and active members of ‘green action’. “Now, two decades later, I’ve been able to combine my skills as a CEO with my deeply held beliefs for the environment, as I believe companies can drive the system changes that we need to solve the problems tha the world is facing right now.” Source: Media release, Jan 15 Charles Sturt University

Business confidence on a swing While Central Coast businesses have shown their resilience and optimism in the face of COVID-19, this confidence can be quickly eroded by lockdowns, border closures and the easing of government support, says Business NSW Central Coast. Regional Director, Paula Martin, said in Business NSW’s December Business Conditions Survey, NSW businesses said they were turning the corner following the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The survey clearly showed resilience and optimism in the sector, with Central Coast confidence doubling for the quarter,” Martin said. “The survey, conducted right

Business NSW Central Coast Regional Director, Paula Martin

across NSW, showed business confidence was positive for the first time since June 2018, but much of the survey was completed prior to the Christmas lockdowns.

“Optimism for increased local sales in the lead up to Christmas almost tripled on the Central Coast and local business were gearing up for expanded capacity to meet demand. “Pleasingly we also saw a reduction in supply chain, distribution and transport issues.” But Martin said despite overall increases in confidence, 23 per cent of businesses claimed they are at a high risk of failure when supports such as JobKeeper, tax relief, interest waivers and other measures conclude. “This vulnerability will hang over the small business sector for much of the year and will need to be factored into decisions about withdrawing support measures.” she said.

Martin said finding people with the right skills had become the number one priority for Coast business and a growing area of concern. “Technology and problem solving skills are in deep need,” she said. “The NSW Government has done a good job in listening to business needs and responding as soon as possible by easing restrictions and opening up communities. “However, since the survey results were finalised, swift decisions like lockdowns and border closures (have increased) the fragility of business.” Source: Media release, Jan 19 Business NSW Central Coast

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 27 20 January 2021

BUSINESS & PROPERTY

Farm owners deny alleged animal abuser runs their business The owners of Wyong Creek’s Amazement Farm and Fun Park have denied claims that alleged animal abuser, Daniel Brighton, is running their business. An anonymous whistleblower contacted the Chronicle claiming Brighton was the new owner/operator of the farm stay, adventure and animal attraction facility and expressed their concern at his working with animals whilst at the centre of an ongoing court case of alleged animal cruelty. Brighton was convicted for animal cruelty offences in June 2019 after charges were brought against him by RSPCA NSW. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison with a non-parole period of two years and two months, but in April 2020 he successfully appealed the charges in the NSW Supreme Court. That appeal has since been challenged by RSPCA NSW and the matter is again before the courts. The Chronicle took the

Amazement Farm and Fun Park

whistleblower’s allegations directly to Amazement and the new owners have since set the record straight regarding Daniel Brighton’s employment and the insinuation that animal abuses could be occurring at their property. Darren and Jenny Brighton are the real owner/operators of Amazement and spoke exclusively to the Chronicle about the situation.

Darren Brighton, who is Daniel’s father, said he and his wife had an impeccable record when it came to animal care and welfare and dismissed all claims made by the whistleblower as untrue. “Jenny is the licensee and permit holder for all the animals at Amazement. “Amazement is fully approved and compliant with all the requirements set by the

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and have received A-grade ratings from our last two site inspections. “The animals at Amazement are expertly cared for and we have rigorous animal husbandry standards. “Since taking over the park a year ago, we have drastically improved the positive welfare outcomes for the animals living at the park in relation to

husbandry, diets and enrichment. “We have a full staff of qualified animal keepers who are responsible for our animal husbandry practices and animal care and have our animal’s welfare as their main priority. “We are also members of a peak industry body, the Wildlife Exhibitors Network. “The animals under our care

are treated with the utmost love and care by our skilled staff. “We take great pride in displaying these wonderful animals to the community and being a place where both the local community and tourists can get up close and personal and learn about our animals,” Darren Brighton said. “Contrary to the claims made, Daniel Brighton is not an owner nor an employee of Amazement. “The property and business are both owned and operated by Jenny and I. “Daniel lives in Sydney and helps us out where he can, as a consultant. “We are unable to comment on Daniel’s legal proceedings in detail as they remain before the court. “It is true that Daniel was charged with animal cruelty, but the conviction was overturned, and that decision has just been confirmed by the Court of Appeal,” Darren Brighton said. Dilon Luke

Farm stay accommodation proposed at Wyong Creek Plans for farm stay accommodation and an animal boarding/training establishment at Wyong Creek have been lodged with Central Coast Council. The proposal for the 6.47ha site at 670 Yarramalong Rd is demolition of an existing house to make way for two detached dwellings, a single bedroom farm stay unit, and the keeping and breeding of native birds of prey. The applicants want to construct an aviary, 7.5m by 3.5m and 3.6m high, for the keeping and breeding of native birds of prey including hawks and falcons, and for mobile exhibitions which would take place off-site. It is a rural property which is mostly cleared, adjoining

Ourimbah State Forest on the eastern boundary, and used for keeping and breeding Highland and Poll Highland cattle. Farm stay accommodation is a double storey, single bedroom barn-like dwelling with a western outlook over a dam and screened by vegetation along the northern and western boundaries. The two single-storey residences for the applicants and their parents would comprise a main four-bedroom house and another twobedroom home, both located in the south-west corner of the site. A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) submitted with the development application (DA 1181/2020) says a new on-site sewage management

system will be installed to service the two houses and farm stay unit as well as a new giant concrete water tank. The proposal does not require the removal of any trees. The site is zoned RU1 Primary Production under Wyong Local Environment Plan (LEP) 2013 and dual occupancy, farm stay accommodation and animal board or training establishments are permitted uses with the consent of Council. Development is also subject to the draft Central Coast LEP 2018. According to the DA application, the proposal is supported by a bushfire assessment report and emergency bushfire and flood management plans. Sue Murray

Newspapers

Location for a proposed farm stay at Wyong Creek

Central Coast

CCN

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Page 28 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Brought to you by moneymag.com.au

CREATING FINANCIAL FREEDOM

What I wish I knew before buying my first property Julia NEWBOULD Editor-at-large • Money magazine

1. Pay it down I wish I knew more about the mechanics of paying my home loan faster before I bought my first property. I wish someone sat me down back then and explained how interest rates worked and the benefits of paying more than my minimum monthly mortgage payments. I would have budgeted more towards it.

could and not thinking about taking a loan to include the renovations I wanted to do. In retrospect, the cost of renovations is always going to rise, so once you’ve bitten the bullet to buy the house you may as well get on with as many renovations you can afford early in the piece. If you’re not sure what needs to be done, then put the renovations on hold, but make sure the money is ready for when you are. I had budgeted for a new bathroom as that was a necessity but I couldn’t even paint the house until I had worked extra jobs to afford the paint. Luckily I had family around to actually do the painting!

2. Commit to the reno Before buying my first property I was all about saving what I

3. Find a way in Negative gearing can be a tax-effective way to maximise

There’s a great benefit to knowing early what things to do and what to avoid, the team at Money magazine happily reveal what they wish they knew before they took the plunge into property.

the capital appreciation of a property, as the net loss from the shortfall between rental income and mortgage repayments can be deducted from your taxable income. It also gave me entry into the property market earlier than I would’ve had otherwise. But

it still means you need to find money to plug the difference each month, and that has at times been a serious strain to my cashflow. That said, the current low-rate environment has gone a long way to alleviating this pain and goes to show how important it

is to refinance as rates fall. 5. Understand the interest I wish I knew what the interest on your home loan actually costs you (even at low rates and with a smallish offset). In the first month we were charged interest that equalled

almost two-thirds of our repayments - so initially it seemed we were on a hiding to nothing. Thankfully over the course of three years this has come down significantly because we now pay more than the minimum fortnightly repayment and have boosted the offset.

The uni courses most likely to get you hired after graduation Before you choose what to study, it’s a good idea to look at where the jobs and money are most plentiful. Pharmacy and engineering graduates are most likely to land a job after uni, while only about one in two communications and creative arts students will find employment. The 2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey, which demonstrates the employment outcomes of higher education graduates four months after finishing

their studies, found that students who undertake STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and vocational courses give them a head start in the job market. “COVID-19 has had a major impact on the Australian labour market, including graduate employment outcomes. As could be expected, graduate employment rates have declined between 2019 and 2020,” notes the report. It found that pharmacy graduates had full-time employment

rates of 96.4%, followed by engineering and science and mathematics grads with fulltime employment rates of 87.6% and 81.7% respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, the undergraduate full-time employment rate in serviced-based activities fell sharply in communications, down 7.3% to 52.8%, while creative arts saw a fall of 7.1% to 45.8% cent. While COVID has pushed the unemployment rate to 7%, the median salary for graduates

has increased to $65,000, up from $64,000 in 2019. Graduate dentists raked in the highest salaries $84,000 on average, down from $88,200 last year, while doctors came in second with a median salary of $75,000. Teachers and social workers also fared well, with both earning above $70,000. And despite having the highest employment rate, pharmacy graduates earned the least fresh out the gates, with a

Subscribe to Money magazine and receive a Collins leather-bound 2021 Management diary! APPLY CODE: M2012MON2 Offer available until 27 January 2021

Visit moneymag.com.au and click subscribe

YOUR FREE GIFT VALUED AT

$28.99

median salary of $49,600. The survey results come amid a strong push by the federal government to support students in fields that are in high demand. “Australia will need more

science, technology, engineering and mathematics skilled workers to help drive our economic recovery and there will be more jobs that rely on those skills,” federal minister for education Dan Tehan said recently. “The newly created National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund will drive universities to be more responsive to the needs of Australian businesses and to design education that helps prepare students for the jobs of the future.”

Scan me with your phone camera

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 29 20 January 2021

WHERE DO YOU GET IT?

CCN

FOLLOWING IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE PICKUP LOCATIONS, PAPERS ARE DELIVERED TO ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS EVERY WEDNESDAY Halekulani Bowling Club BATEAU BAY 50 Natuna Ave Ritchies IGA Cresthaven Shopping Centre Leader Pet Supplies 17 Lake St Bateau Bay Bowling Club 5 Bias Ave Coast Hotel The Entrance Leagues Club 169 Budgewoi Rd 3 Bay Village Rd Tenth Avenue Pharmacy Tuggerah Lakes Community 56 Tenth Ave Centre BUFF POINT 1 Bay Village Rd Budgewoi Soccer Club Bateau Bay Men’s Shed 1 Millington Way 1 Bay Village Rd CANTON BEACH Bateau Bay Square Heritage Village Toukley 12 Bay Village Rd 2 Evans Rd

1/74 Wallarah Rd

Coles The Entrance Rd

Lakefront Village 1-91 Village Way

Woolworths 12 Bay Village Rd

GWANDALAN Gwandalan Public School Kanangra Dr

CHAIN VALLEY BAY Valhalla by Gateway Lifestyle Gwandalan Bowling Club 25 Mulloway Rd Gamban Rd

Sun Valley Tourist Park 2 Bateau Bay Rd Blue Lagoon Beach Resort 10 Bateau Bay Rd Uniting Nareen Gardens Bateau Bay 19 Bias Ave Bupa Aged Care Bateau Bay 17 Bias Ave Elderslee Retirement Community 15 Bias Ave Southern Cross Care Reynolds Court Residential Aged Care 7 Bias Ave Kiah Lodge Retirement Community 15 Anne Findlay Pl BERKELEY VALE Berkeley Vale Public School 6 Pindarri Ave Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College - Berkeley Vale Campus 5-25 Berkeley Rd BP 1 Blade Cl Berkeley Vale Private Hospital Lorraine Ave Opal Berkeley Village 8 Lorraine Ave Medical Centre 3/10 Lorraine Ave Berkeley Vale Cellars 258 Lakedge Ave Berkeley Vale Neighbourhood Centre 3 Heather Ave

Central Coast Leagues Club 1 Dane Dr Masonic Centre 86 Mann Street

Wyong Public Hospital Pacific Hwy

CHARMHAVEN Charmhaven Tennis Centre Parkside Dr Northlakes Tavern 17-33 Pacific Hwy Supanews Westfield Northlakes CHITTAWAY BAY Chittaway Centre Pharmacy Chittaway Shopping Centre DOYALSON Macquarie Shores Home Village 150 Tall Timbers Rd Doyalson Wyee RSL Club Pacific Hwy FOUNTAINDALE Happy Belly Takeaway 9 Catamaran Rd FORRESTER’S BEACH Celebrations Shops 6&7, 15 Forrester’s Beach Rd Brown Sugar Bakery 15 Forrester’s Beach Rd Forries Café 970 The Entrance Rd, Forrester’s Beach Di Matteos 27 Forrester’s Beach Rd

Liquorland 72 Wallarah Rd

Coles 11 Parsons Rd

Coles Express 102-106 Wyong Rd

The Orchards Retirement Village 15 The Ridgeway

The Bottle-O Shop 2/120 Wyong Rd Killarney Vale Bakery & Café 122 Wyong Rd

LONG JETTY Caltex Long Jetty 431 The Entrance Rd

Killarney Vale Newsagency 112 Wyong Rd

Bridge Club 415 The Entrance Rd

Central Coast Cycles 118 Wyong Rd

CUT Computers 421 The Entrance Rd

Red Prawn & Seafood Takeaway 118 Wyong Rd

Diggers at The Entrance 315 The Entrance Rd

KULNURA General Store, Indian Restaurant & Cafe 4 Greta Rd LAKE HAVEN Lake Haven Castle Cottage 8 Kylie Cl Metro Cinemas Lake Haven Forrow Dr

The Dam Hotel Cnr Minnesota Rd & Pacific Hwy

Arcare Kanwal Aged Care 2 Pearce Rd

Oasis Caratel Caravan Park 207/209 Wallarah Rd Wyong Rugby League Club 40 Lake Haven Dr Fill & Carry Fruit Market 258 Wallarah Rd BYO Cellars 260 Wallarah Rd

Central Coast Fresh & Cooked Seafood 74 Wallarah Rd

KILLARNEY VALE Opal Killarney Vale 1 Daniel Cl

TSG Gorokan

Central Coast Community

Lakeside Leisure Village 51 Kamilaroo Ave Lake Munmorah Residential Resort 2 Saliena Ave LISAROW Lisarow Takeaway Shop 2/1 Parsons Rd Lisarow Newsagency Shop 13/1 Parsons Rd McDonald’s 2 Parsons Road Woolworths 3 Parsons Rd

Corner Park Road & Warrigal 149-157 Main Rd Street TUGGERAH 7-Eleven The Entrance Westfield (service desk) Gosford Ave 50 Wyong Rd

WYEE Wyee Mini Market Shop 5 Wyee Shopping Village

KFC 16 The Entrance Road

WYONG Wyong Neighbourhood Centre Inc Building 2/8 Rankens Ct

Jimbo’s Quality Seafoods 109 The Entrance Rd Subway 35/37 Coral St Dunleith Tourist Park 2 Hutton Rd Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance Rd

Kaino’s Seafood And Burgers David Mehan MP - The Entrance Electorate Office 324 The Entrance Rd 24 The Entrance Rd MAGENTA Smoking Dragon Magenta Shores Golf & 173 The Entrance Rd Country Club 1 Magenta Dr TOOWOON BAY MANNERING PARK The Bottle-O Mannering Park Cellars 68 Vales Rd

Lake Haven Shopping Centre NORAH HEAD (service desk) Norah Head Bowling & Lake Haven Drive & Sports Club Goobarabah Avenue Bottlemart Victoria St 181-187 Minnesota Rd Lake Haven Library and NORAVILLE Council Services Palm Springs Home Village Vietnam Veterans Keith Lake Haven Shopping Centre 181 Minnesota Rd Payne VC Hostel LTD 1 Evans Rd Catholic Healthcare Wellness RFBI Lake Haven Masonic Village Centre OURIMBAH Christopher Cres 1 Minnesota Rd Ourimbah Lisarow RSL Club Subway 6/20 Pacific Hwy Warnervale Public School Warnervale Rd & Minnesota 2/14 Bannister Dr Coastal Rural Traders Rd McDonald’s 10 Ourimbah St Goobarabah Ave Uniting Nareen Terrace TAFE Ourimbah Campus Hamlyn Terrace LAKE MUNMORAH Q-10, Loop Rd & The lot 1/35 Louisiana Rd Lake Munmorah Public Boulevarde School Uniting Starrett Lodge Pacific Highway Carters Rd The Preview 1/35 Louisiana Rd The Boulevarde Jamaica Blue Anglican Care Warnervale The Millery 275 Pacific Hwy Gardens 10 Chittaway Rd 171 Mataram Rd Woolworths Lee Rowan’s Garden world 1 Tall Timbers Rd KANWAL 72 Pacific Hwy Amcal+ Pharmacy Kanwal Parktrees Village Village SAN REMO 750 Pacific Hwy Shop 1/260 Wallarah Rd Coles Lake Munmorah Senior Northlakes Shopping Centre Kanwal Medical Centre, Citizens Club k2/654 Pacific Hwy Neighbourhood Centre 1 Acacia Ave 28 Brava Ave Tuggerah Lakes Private Munmorah United Bowling Hospital the Lott Club 645 Pacific Hwy 21 Pacific Hwy Acacia Ave

Forrester’s Beach Retirement William Cape Gardens Village 40 Pearce Rd 1001 The Entrance Rd

GOROKAN Guardian Pharmacy 70 Wallarah Rd

Discount Drug Store 73 Scenic Dr

GOSFORD Imperial centre 171 Mann St

The Lakeside Lifestyle Community 132 Finlay Ave

Blue Haven Public School 37 Colorado Dr

United Petroleum 67-71 Scenic Dr

6 Wallarah Rd

HAMLYN TERRACE Hakea Grove Aged Care 102 Louisiana Rd

Caltex service station The Entrance Rd Cnr Bellevue Rd

Coles Noela Pl

Toukley & Districts Art Society

Teraglin Lakeshore Home Village 2 Mulloway Rd

BLUE HAVEN Blue Haven Community Centre 1 Apsley Ct

BUDGEWOI

Wallarah Bay Recreation Club 40 Wallarah Rd

Care Association Cnr Cornish Avenue & Wyong Rd

San Remo Pharmacy 123 Marine Parade THE ENTRANCE The Entrance Visitor Information Centre 46 Marine Parade Nesuto The Entrance Apartments 18 Coral St

The Greens The Entrance

Supanews Westfield Tuggerah Terry White Chemmart Westfield Tuggerah Tuggerah Library and Council Services Westfield Tuggerah

Wyong Family History Group 6 Rankens Ct Village Central Wyong 18/34 Alison Rd Plaza Newsagency 6/18-34 Alison Rd

Shingle Inn Tuggerah Westfield Tuggerah

The Art House Theatre 19-21 Margaret St

Meals on Wheels 6/10 Pioneer Ave

Club Wyong RSL 15 Margaret St

Emma McBride MP Mariners Centre of Excellence, Suite 204

Central Coast Mobile Village 1A Cutler Dr IGA North Wyong Shop 2/34-38 Cutler Drive North

Bay Takeaway 205 Bay Rd

TUMBI UMBI Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College, Tumbi Umbi Campus 150 Bellevue Rd

Toowoon Bay Cellars 153-155 Bay Rd

Glengara Retirement Village 220 Hansen’s Rd

Australia Post 145 Bay Rd

Mingara Recreation Club 12-14 Mingara Dr

Toowoon Bay Seafood & Take Away 92 Toowoon Bay Rd

Chemist Outlet Tumbi Umbi Discount Chemist 7 Mingara Dr

Amcal+ Pharmacy Toowoon Bay 96 Toowoon Bay Rd

Domino’s Pizza Mingara 8 Mingara Dr

United Petroleum 359 Pacific Highway North

McDonald’s Mingara Mingara Dr

Mr David Harris MP - Wyong Electorate Office 142 Pacific Hwy

Toowoon Bay Holiday Park 1 Koongara St

Family Bean 90 Toowoon Bay Rd Flour & Co. 88 Toowoon Bay Rd TOUKLEY Toukley50 Plus Leisure & Learning Centre 1 Hargraves St

3 Mingara Dr Subway Restaurant Lot 9 Mingara Dr &, Wyong Rd WADALBA McDonald’s London Dr

The Salvation Army 28 Canton Beach Rd

Woolworths 1 Figtree Blvd

NewsXpress Toukley Shop 1/30 Canton Beach Rd

Coles Orchid Way

Coastal Health Medical Centre 213-217 Main Rd

The Lott 2 Edward Stinson Avenue

Toukley Golf Club 54 Ninth Ave Opal Norah Head 63 Palomar Parade Toukley Public School Main Rd Canton Beach Sports Club 11 Hibbard St PRP Diagnostic Imaging 54 Victoria Ave

Coles 781/17-21Yaralla St Wallarah Point Care Community

Wyong High School 53 Alison Rd TAFE NSW – Wyong Porter St Wyong Milk Factory Café 141 Alison Rd All Sorts Fitness Wyong 141 Alison Rd Alison Homestead 1 Cape Rd

Hungry Jack’s Mingara Recreation Complex KFC 300 Pacific Hwy KFC Mingara

Seabreeze Seafoods 10 Hargraves St

Lakeside Shopping Centre The Entrance Rd & Dening St Toukley Library Main Rd Coles The Entrance Rd &, Dening St

Coles Westfield Tuggerah

Nargis Gourmet Food Indian & kebab 6/2 Edward Stinson Ave WAMBERAL Pacific Garden Hotel 871 The Entrance Rd WARNERVALE ChemistCare 3 Mary Mackillop Drv Warnies Café 1/13 Warnervale Rd WOONGARRAH Warnervale Gardens 171 Mataram Rd St. Mary Mackillop Catholic Church Warnervale 91 Sparks Rd

Subway 250/300 Pacific Hwy Nexus Smart Hub 3 Amy Cl JAY-C 60/1-10 Amy Cl Kidz Hq 2c Amy Cl Wyong Golf Club 319 Pacific Hwy St James Anglican Church 25-27 Byron St Wyong Bowling Club 3 Panonia Rd Meander Village 18 Boyce Ave Kooindah Waters Golf Club 40 Kooindah Blvd Wyong Men Shed Incorporated 175 Pollock Ave Bendigo Bank 88 Pacific Hwy Oliver’s Real Food Caltex Stopover, Pacific Hwy Cafe F3 Northbound F3 Northbound Freeway

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR LOCATION ADDED TO THIS LIST FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

Page 30

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

20 January 2021

COME IN FOR A FREE ASSESSMENT COSMETIC DENTISTRY • DENTAL IMPLANTS • SINGLE TOOTH REPLACEMENT • FULL MOUTH REHABILITATION OVER 4-6 IMPLANTS • IMPLANT SUPPORTED DENTURES

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR SMILE THIS NEW YEAR!

WE ACCEPT HOSPITAL VOUCHERS AND VETERAN AFFAIRS

NO GAP

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED & GENTLE DENTIST FOR YOUR FAMILY?

Exam and Clean appointment for Private Dental Health Insurance patients. Not with a Health Fund? Just pay $179 Includes FREE Xrays worth $160 Full Comprehensive Exam, Clean and Polish, OPG X-rays, Treatment Planning and Fluoride

A whiter brighter Smile in one hour PHILIPS Zoom White speed in chair teeth whitening special - only $595 (normally $950)

NOW ACCEPTING % INTEREST ON PAYMENT PLANS 90

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM CLEAN, FLUORIDE & X- RAYS

FOR KIDS ONLY.

COSMETIC

al Lifel

al Lifeline

Bulk Bill Under New Medicare's CDBS. 000 Free Dental Care- Ask us the Details) ntal Sealants # Customized Mouth Guards

ord Train Station

.dentallifeline.com.au

We provide reasons to smile

$1,000 Free Dental Care for children age 2 to 17 Ask us for the Details

BOOK ONLINE

PORCELAIN VENEERS

FREE CONSULTATION

INVISALIGN

Dr. Meena Gambhir

Dr. Namita Mehta

Saturday Appointments Available - We accept Veteran’s Affairs patients Shop 1, 201 Mann Street, Opposite Gosford Train Station, Gosford 2250 gosford@dentallifeline.com.au | www.dentallifeline.com.au

GOSFORD - BONDI - HORNSBY

* OPENING SOON IN MAITLAND * Dr. Dolly Soni

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 31 20 January 2021

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Shoppers donate record amounts The generosity of customers at Bateau Bay Coles has placed the supermarket as the 10th highest fundraiser in NSW for the Coles Group National Christmas Appeal. Bateau Bay shoppers donated $6,400, and with 18 other Central Coast Coles supermarkets, donated $60,821.77 of the NSW total of $471,713. (See table for individual stores) The San Remo Coles liquor store recorded the sixth highest fundraising amount in Australia at $6,011. More than $3.2M was

donated across the nation in the lead-up to Christmas to help feed vulnerable Australians and support families affected by childhood cancer. This was more than 2.6 times the amount raised in the 2019 Christmas fundraising campaign. More than half the funds raised were from Coles supermarket customers who purchased a $2 donation card at the checkout to support food rescue organisation, SecondBite, and national children’s cancer charity, Redkite. Coles Central Coast Regional Manager, David Murray, said

that while 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, it was great to see such incredible generosity from Coles customers across the Coast to help provide support for families and individuals doing it tough. “Raising more than $60,000 in a few short weeks is a terrific effort,” he said. “I’d particularly like to thank our customers and team members at West Gosford who raised an incredible $11,434, which is a record for the area.” Coles Liquor stores also achieved record fundraising efforts, raising a national total of $720,000 for SecondBite, up

almost 25 percent from the 2019 Christmas Appeal. In addition to donations by customers and team members, for the first time Coles Group donated $200,000 worth of gift cards to nearly 2,000 families affected by childhood cancer to help make their festive season brighter. The record fundraising efforts will provide much needed support for SecondBite and Redkite, both of which faced increased demand for their services during the holiday season due to the impact of COVID-19. Sue Murray

COVID-19 testing figures rose dramatically Testing numbers for COVID-19 rose dramatically on the Coast over the pre and post-Christmas holiday period, with more than 12,000 people being tested region wide during the week ending December 26 alone. Central Coast Local Health District Acting Chief Executive, Kate Lyons, thanked all residents who presented for testing and reinforced the need for continued vigilance. “We all play an important role in stopping the spread of the virus and testing is a crucial part of keeping our loved ones safe,” Lyons said. “There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19

on the Central Coast.” Lyons said there was an increase in testing numbers across the region following confirmation of the Avalon cluster and associated Central Coast cases in December. “Across all Central Coast COVID-19 public and private testing centres, during the week ending December 19, 4,676 tests were conducted, a rate of 13.3 per 1,000 population. “This then increased to 11,781 tests, or 33.4 per 1,000 population, the following week, after confirmation of the first Central Coast case on December 18. “During the week ending January 2, 6,644 tests were conducted.”

Is your sleep as good as it should be? For over a decade, Pacific Sleep has been your local provider for sleep health solutions on the Central Coast. Proudly independent, we offer ongoing care and support with all major brands of sleep equipment. We won’t sleep until you get the sleep you deserve! Contact Pacific Sleep today for: • Home sleep testing • CPAP trials and rental • CPAP or BiPAP equipment and support • Home oxygen therapy solutions, including AIRVO ™ Conveniently located at North Gosford Private Hospital Specialist Centre and at the heart of Toukley shopping district.

Call 4339 1222 Email info@pacificsleep.com.au | pacificsleep.com.au | Pacific Sleep is an approved DVA supplier North Gosford Specialist Centre, Suite 2, 14-18 Jarrett Street | Toukley 45 Canton Beach Road

The Chronicle has also obtained the most recent testing figures for Wyong Hospital, with northerners appearing to be presenting in larger numbers than their southern peers. “In December 2020, the Wyong Hospital COVID-19 clinic tested 2,542 people while Gosford Hospital tested 2,283,” she said. “From January 1 to 14, 1,184 people have been tested at Wyong,” Lyons said. The CCLHD continues to urge anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested immediately. “Testing is quick, free, and easy.” Dilon Luke

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Page 32 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Why your vagus nerve is the key to wellbeing

GEORGIA LIENEMANN This is part two in our ‘guide to feeling good’. Essentially, we’re stepping outside of the reductionist ‘diet plus exercise equals health’ paradigm and focusing on left-of-centre hacks to alter our biochemistry, physiology, mood and outlook. Last week we touched on the idea that there’s a whole range of fun pastimes that we can indulge in to help us achieve our health goals from a different angle. Things like rest, pleasure and human connection. This week we’re exploring the role of the vagus nerve, why it’s central to feeling good and how understanding its structure and function opens up even more exciting ways to improve our health. What is the vagus nerve? The vagus nerve is one of the longest nerves in the body and is so named because it wanders like a vagabond from the brain, all over the body, wrapping around every organ along the way. It controls our parasympathetic nervous system and can be thought of as a major highway between our mind and body, sending sensory information to and from the brain. Via the vagus nerve, we’re constantly reacting to various signals in our environment in ways that either relax or alarm the body. This is essentially the precursor to our emotional state, which then triggers our behaviour. The vagus nerve is the reason your hackles rise and stomach turns when you sense a threat and why you feel instantly relaxed when you smell your mother’s cooking. Neglect the vagus nerve at your peril Given that it oversees a vast range of important functions, a poorly functioning vagus nerve has been associated with a long list of conditions, such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, low stress tolerance, brain fog and cognitive impairment including dementia, autoimmune

diseases, digestive disorders and cardiovascular conditions like stroke. The research in this field has been able to validate the importance of the mind-body connection. A few decades ago, the idea that ‘thinking happy thoughts’ could be a genuine health strategy would have seemed laughable. Now the latest science offers a very rational and architectural explanation for why our thoughts, senses and emotions are among the most critical aspects to consider and manage when it comes to looking after our health. In all comes down to vagal tone Vagal tone refers to how well-functioning or ‘toned’ the vagus nerve is. The better our vagal tone, the easier we’re able to get ourselves into a state of calm. There’s effectively a positive feedback loop between good physical and emotional health and strong vagal tone. It goes both ways: taking care of your physical and emotional health helps to tone the vagus nerve and engaging in activities that strengthen the vagus nerve improves our physical and emotional health. Stimulating the vagus nerve Now we get to the fun part. There’s a vast range of enjoyable strategies to improve vagal tone by stimulating the vagus nerve. And anything that stimulates the vagus nerve switches off the destructive yet occasionally useful ‘fight or flight’ response and facilitates a rapid shift into ‘rest and digest’ mode, known as parasympathetic dominance. Remember from last week, we really should be in this state the large majority of the time and yet so few of us actually are. Vagus nerve stimulation has a lengthy list of physiological benefits, including improved digestion, sleep, neural plasticity and memory, and lowering inflammation, blood pressure, insulin resistance and stress hormones.

Accessible zones for stimulation Whilst the vagus nerve wraps around every organ in the body, it also opens into many parts of the face. And therefore, when we talk about stimulating the vagus nerve for improved health and an effective jolt back into parasympathetic dominance, we can do this by accessing it in this region.

improvements in memory, creativity and cognitive function and so much more. In a nutshell, virtually any pastime that makes you feel good is having a significant impact on your health by improving vagal tone. Isn’t that a refreshing way to approach your health regime?! Human connection and feelings of awe

The nerve travels behind the eyeballs and ears, around the throat muscles and vocal cords, along the hard and soft palate in the mouth and into the tongue.

To give some more examples, new research has shown that even micro-moments of rewarding human connection have a stimulating effect on the vagus nerve.

So, things like gargling, chanting, singing, humming, laughter – or even splashing the face with cold water – are effective ways to tone the vagus nerve.

One study concluded that “genuine wholehearted micro-moments of social connectedness between two individuals appeared to instantaneously trigger a parasympathetic response that improved vagal tone for both parties involved”.

Other ways to stimulate the vagus nerve, include things like: • Deep breathing • Meditation and prayer • Yoga, Tai Chi and weight training • Acupuncture • Massage • Good nutrition Many of these practices have multiple mechanisms in terms of improving our health – the truth is, we don’t need to know how or why they work, merely that they do. Singing releases endorphins, oxytocin, dopamine and reduces stress hormones, depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. Music has been shown to enhance the immune system, accelerate the metabolism, reduce pain and improve healing and recovery time. We’ve touched on the benefits of laughter in this column before and they’re along similar lines – a radical boost in immunity (thanks to increased Natural Killer cell function),

Another study, that “positive emotions, positive social connections, and physical health influence one another in a self-sustaining upward-spiral dynamic.” Even the feeling of awe has been shown to activate the vagus nerve. When was the last time you could say you were awe-struck? Isn’t it fascinating to discover that anything that inspires a state of awe – and it could be a broad spectrum of stimuli, such as enjoying a good sunrise or a breath-taking piece of art or music – can improve our health via its effect on the vagus nerve? So, for those of you who recently made healthfocused new year’s resolutions that revolved around diet and exercise, you might want to consider tweaking them.

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 33 20 January 2021

EDUCATION & SCIENCE

Toddler trapped in a storeroom at a child care centre A Department of Education investigation is underway about how two-and-a halfyear-old Abel Bridge came to be trapped in a storeroom at Dinky Di Children’s Learning Centre in Lake Haven. No one seems to know exactly how long the toddler was locked in the storeroom, but Abel’s mother, Samantha Bridge, said it appeared that the staff didn’t know he was missing until she and the boy’s grandmother, Christine Stace, arrived at the centre to collect Abel to take him home. It was 5.40pm on Friday, January 8, when Stace walked into the Centre to pick-up her grandson and staff couldn’t find him, sparking a frantic search of the entire Centre. Stace finally discovered the boy in the storage room out the back after hearing him crying ‘nanny help’, and after she pushed open the closed door, she had to climb up and over boxes, old fridges and furniture to get to him. “I notified Dinky Di management straight away

after it happened and I was told that they would investigate and if it was founded, they would report it to the Department of Education,” Page said. “I reported it anyway because it is a serious incident. “I am absolutely furious,” she said. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said it was investigating the incident and an officer from the Department had been in touch with the family and would keep them updated on the progress of the investigation. Dinky Di Children’s Learning Centres issued a statement saying that they were currently in the process of an investigation and that they took the safety, security and wellbeing of the children trusted to their care seriously. The statement said Abel was one of two children present in the nappy changing area with an educator and during a brief conversation with the person who came to pick him up, Abel accessed the storage area. “The child was located, unharmed, less than a few

The storeroom where toddler Abel Bridge was trapped

minutes after he had left the educator. “However, Dinky Di Children’s Learning Centres regards this as a serious matter and so, in addition to reporting the matter to the Department of Education

within the required timeframe, we are conducting our own internal investigation. “Steps were immediately taken to address the issues that occurred and prevent

them from recurring and we will take any further steps that may be required once the investigation is complete,” the statement said. Samantha Page said: “Every time I hear from someone in management at the centre I get a different amount of time that Abel was missing – 30 seconds, a minute, two minutes, and that he was with the educator right up until we arrived at the centre to pick him up,” she said. “So, which one was it? “I learned later that there isn’t even a lock on the door that goes to that storeroom, it gets locked with a piece of timber. “There’s chemical bottles there, and they weren’t empty, I checked that to make sure, and there’s old fridges there. “I asked why he was locked out there, but it was just their dismissive response that turned me off. “I don’t know what to think, I’m horrified that he was even in there to begin with,” Page said. She believes Abel’s soiled nappy might indicate how long he was trapped in the

storeroom. “My son has severe nappy rash and is now on antibiotics to treat blisters after being in his nappy for so long,” she said. “Either they didn’t change his nappy all day, which wouldn’t surprise me because I’ve had that conversation with them before, or Abel was in that storage room for a lot longer than they’re letting on. “Now if I shut doors in our house he screams ‘please don’t lock me in’. “I can’t leave him alone, he’s stuck to me like glue, he’s gone back to sucking his thumb and has started to chew the inside of his mouth, and by the following Wednesday, the inside of his mouth was swollen and bleeding requiring medical treatment. “My GP has now referred us to a paediatrician for behavioural psychology for my son,” Page said. “All I want is for them to do the right thing and discipline the people who were involved and apologise,” she said. Sue Murray

Carers can share the first day milestone with children Parents of Kindergarten students will be able to share the first day milestone with their children, according to newly released Covid guidelines. Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell, said the main update to the guidelines that were released on January 18, was that parents and carers of children in Kindergarten, and Years 1, 2 and 7, would be able to enter school grounds on the first day to drop off their children in a Covid-safe way. “The first day of school is an incredibly important day, especially for those children starting Kindergarten. “I am so thrilled that despite the challenges of the pandemic, parents and carers will be able to take part in this milestone event in their child’s life in a Covid-safe way,” Mitchell said. “The NSW Government has

worked hard to get the balance right for day one of school to ensure that we provide a sense of normalcy whilst keeping people safe. “Parents and carers attending on day one and beyond are urged to follow Covid-safe practices, which include physical distancing, hygiene practices and not to mingle in or outside the school.” According to Central Coast Council of P&Cs President, Sharryn Brownlee, the decision has been welcomed by Central Coast parents, principals and teachers, who’d been eagerly awaiting news regarding first day arrangements. “There was real concern about parents not being able to be a part of this important milestone, so this announcement has given a lot of people peace of mind. “For Kindergarten families, this move is especially welcome, as the first day drop

off is so important for both parent and child. “For parents it’s a time for them to meet their child’s teacher and learn about the environment that they’re entrusting their child to. “It’s the little things like learning where places like the office, canteen and library are, getting that lay of the land and a sense of what their child’s school life will be like that helps put parents at ease. “Likewise, for Kindies, getting to share that experience with their parents helps them overcome any anxiety they might have about going into the classroom or meeting their teacher and classmates, because mum or dad are there to encourage them. “It’s far better than simply walking them through the gate,” Brownlee said. Brownlee said the same logic applied to Year 7 families, with

Newspapers

the transition towards higher learning just as much a milestone to families as the first day of Kindergarten. “Starting Year 7 is a huge step. “Even the most diligent Year 6 student can feel daunted by things like changing your classroom and teacher every period and going from the top to the bottom of the pecking order, so having parents there for day one is a good way to establish a sense of connectivity between school and home, and just like with Kindergarten, parents want to see firsthand the school environment that they’re entrusting their child to.” Day one visits are also a great way for parents to build relationships with teachers, a practice Brownlee said had been constrained last year. “What I’m hearing from principals is that the parent teacher relationship has never

been more important. “Last year’s remote learning really exposed that, and this year will hopefully allow for those relationships to be rebuilt and strengthened.” With families getting ready for the start of a new school year, Brownlee said schools were now eagerly awaiting advice on other communal events. “There’s a real sense of hope surrounding the return of events and occasions now. “Harmony Day, Easter, school sport; there’s so much coming up in Term 1 that parents are hoping they’ll be able to be involved in, and for a child, there really is nothing like having a family member come and attend these special events.” Schools will provide relevant information to families about the processes for their school prior to the first day.

Parents, staff and students are not required to wear face masks at school, but in line with Public Health Orders, masks must be worn by those aged 12 years and over on any public transport. Similarly, students aged 12 and over must comply with the Public Health Orders around masks at all other relevant locations within the community and during external school activities. Parents are asked to avoid coming on to school grounds unless the visit complies with the current school guidelines, such as volunteering at the school canteen or visiting the uniform shop. Schools can still plan for sporting carnivals, excursions and overnight camps, and special events such as concerts, with a Covid Safety Plan in place. Dilon Luke

Central Coast

CCN

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

EDUCATION & SCIENCE

Page 34 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

School abandoned

Dooralong Public School has been abandoned to decline into a derelict state since it was closed in 2011, and there are no clear plans for its future. Buildings have fallen into disrepair and walls have been heavily graffitied, rotting timber decking has been cordoned off, the grounds are wildly overgrown with weeds and rampant vegetation. “The Department is aware of the condition of these grounds and will be undertaking works to manage the area,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Education. “Mowing and securing any damaged buildings is expected to begin over the next few weeks.” The school closed in 2011 due to lack of enrolments and

there hasn’t been any decision about the future use of the site which houses classrooms, covered outdoor learning areas, play equipment, water tanks, foundations, pathways, amenities buildings and a teacher’s residence/library. “The school is on the Wyong Local Environment Plan as having local heritage significance, which would impact any future proposed changes to the existing heritage buildings,” said a Department spokesperson. “Once a decision on the future use of the site is made, which is anticipated to be by the end of 2021, the site will undergo further maintenance work.” Over the years since the school was closed, numerous community organisations have approached the Department to

use the buildings but all have been rejected or fallen through for one reason or another. In 2018, Central Coast Council quashed a Department proposal to rezone the school site to sell it for future “village” subdivision because it would diminish the local prominence and heritage value of the school buildings. A Trustee of Dooralong Hall for the past 20 years, Carolyn McNamee, said that at various stages since the school closed she had contacted Wyong MP, David Harris, and the Department of Education to try and get something done to preserve the school. “I got fobbed off quite a bit by the Department,” she said. Harris said he’s made numerous representations to the Department on behalf of the community but mostly they

had fallen on deaf ears. “I get very saddened every time I go past there, and I know there are many people in the community who are disappointed,” McNamee said. “It was suggested several years ago that the Hall Trust take over the school, and there’s a lot involved in that, and after discussion among the members, we decided that we already had enough on our plate with the hall and the reserve, which is quite a big undertaking for volunteers to look after. “Although, if there was an action group or a community group to take on care of the school, we would fully support them. “For too long, the Department has just put it on the backburner and I really don’t think they have any plan at all for the

future of the school,” McNamee said. Dooralong Public School opened on August 19, 1903, with 15 pupils and enrolments steadily grew with a tradition of high academic and sporting results. In 1908, Samuel McKimm was appointed Teacher-inCharge and remained there until he retired in 1950. A former Principal of the school, Paul Maish, who still lives in Dooralong, lived in the teacher’s house, He was a member of the Centenary Committee and collated and edited the Dooralong Public School Centenary Book which is available at local libraries and even graces the annals of the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

He said there was always a great sense of community at the school, with parents playing a significant hands-on role, which all contributed to the real spirit of the school. Following on from Maish as Principal was Wyong MP, David Harris, who taught and lived at the school for seven years. Former students of the school include former Wyong Shire President Wilfred Barrett, James Hoskins who went on to become principal of James Ruse High School and champion jockey, Peter Losh. Maish said that aside from the Hall, the school is the only thing that really marks Dooralong. “It’s sad to just let it go like that,” Maish said. Sue Murray

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 35 20 January 2021

NEWS

Free Mental Health Op Shops for unexpected admissions

Delivering dignity, that’s what Central Coast Health’s (CCH) two new Mental Health Op Shops aim to do. These safe spaces have been set up at Wyong and Gosford

Hospitals to allow mental health patients to access good quality second hand clothing as well as new underwear, socks and footwear free-of-charge during an unexpected admission.

According to CCH Mental Health Activities Manager, Niki Wardrope, the service helps patients during what can be a difficult period in their lives by giving them choice of what to wear as well as hassle free

access to clean basics during a stay at an inpatient unit. Wardrope said that the generosity of staff, community members and community managed organisations had

enabled the Mental Health team to keep both op shops stocked, but added that continuous donations would be needed to keep the service running long term.

“All new and second hand donated items are washed by our wonderful volunteers prior to being made available in op shops,” Wardrope said. Dilon Luke

CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT EDITION OF THE CHRONICLE TO GET THE LATEST LOCAL NEWS? Then satisfy that need for free by listening to a podcast of our daily local news bulletin at www.centralcoastnews.net/podcast/bulletin/ Or, get it from our facebook page www.facebook.com/centralcoastnewspapers Or, follow us on twitter twitter.com/CoastNewspapers Or see our end of week video news, 5@5 – NEWS coastcommunitynews.com.au/news/video-news/

Daily local news as it happens from Central Coast Newspapers

CLASSIFIEDS

Page 36 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

BATHROOM

AIR CONDITIONING

ABSOLUTE COMFORT AIR

þSplit System Specialist þ Senior Discounts þ Sales þ Service & Installation, þ All Air Conditioning brands þ Fully Insured & 20+ Years Experience þ Acrtick Certified QUALITY WORK GUARANTEED Lic252855c AU41541

DAVE 0416 770 318

GUTTERING

Bathroom Doctor • Leaking Showers • Waterproofing • Re-Grouting • Wall & Floor Tiling • Pool Coping • Pool Surroundings

Donavan Sewell 0458 358 822 FREE QUOTES

A Better Picture

CARPENTER

YOUR LOCAL

ASBESTOS

Asbestos Removal Fully licensed and insured asbestos removals from houses, garages, sheds, bathrooms etc. Ph: Tom 0422 653 794 or 4393 9890 Safe Work NSW Lic. AD212564

PERGOLAS DECKS BATHROOM RENOVATIONS Stainless Steel Wire Handrails 30yrs Exp Lic R93981. Phone/Txt David 0419 986 403

david.follett@bigpond.com

ALL GENERAL CARPENTRY

ELECTRICIAN Same day service Guaranteed

Lighting, Power Points, Phone & Data, Fault Finding,

No job too small. Seniors Discount. Lic number 265652C

4308 6771

HAIRDRESSING

SammyBaillie

Classified advertising is the cheapest form of newspaper advertising. This newspaper is also published on line on the publication date, and is also read that way by hundreds of people. All advertisements, including these classified advertising pages, appear in full on-line as an additional benefit for free.

See www.coastcommunitynews.com.au Central Coast Newspapers’ classified advertising rates are relatively much lower than in other newspapers and at the same time much larger than in other newspapers, with the minimum size being 50mm X 42mm. Approximately 20,000 copies of each this newspaper are printed and distributed every week.

Personal and Not For Profit Organisations

As Central Coast Newspapers are community newspapers, the cost of advertising not for profit organisations’ events is subsidised. This makes them the same rate as non business advertisements. A mono 5cm advertisement only costs $33. Each additional cm costs $6.60 as does colour, and/or a photograph or a logo. Private advertisements need to be paid for at the time of booking.

Business rates & In Memoriam

The minimum size of 5cm X a single column only costs $50 + GST in mono and an extra $10 + GST for colour, a logo or a photograph. Classified advertisements in all 3 papers are only $40+GST each. Most businesses choose to advertise on an ongoing basis and discounts apply for multiple bookings, if they are paid for in full, in advance. Having a prepaid classified advertisement run for 6 editions only costs $250 + GST and $50 + GST more for colour. For 12 editions, it is $495 + GST and $100+ GST more for colour. For 24 editions, it is only $950 + GST and $200 + GST for colour, a saving of $290 + GST. Artwork is free and advertisers are encouraged to change their advertisements frequently

Competent Caring and Qualified Masseuses

Specialising in Balayage and Hair Extensions

Rear of 314-316 The Entrance Road Cnr Pacific Street LONG JETTY 9am to 7 pm

Balayage starting from $150*

find us on instagram

7 days 0481 711 574

sammybaillie1301@hotmail.com *terms and conditions apply

LAWN MOWING

RUBBISH REMOVAL

All types of rubbish, including asbestos, removed.

MOWING - EDGING WHIPPER SNIPPING

7 DAYS A WEEK ALL ELECTRICAL AND DATA RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL

A&R GARDENING

0412 345 775

AAA. A ADEPT GARDENER

• ALL REGULAR GARDEN & LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE • HEDGE TRIMMING & HEIGHT REDUCTIONS • TREE PRUNING, FORMATIVE & SPECIALIST PRUNING • GARDEN CLEAN-UPS, MAKEOVERS & RESTORATIONST • MULCHING, FERTILISING & WEED CONTROL • CHAINSAW WORK • SMALL TREE REMOVALS & CHIPPING SERVICE • STUMP GRINDING- LOW IMPACT & DIFFICULT ACCESS • CLEAN, POLITE, PUNCTUAL & EFFICIENT SERVICE • HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE FULLY INSURED

CALL ANDREW : 0449 170 008

ADVERTISE HERE!

PH: 4325 7369

Ph: 0431 866 292

easilawns@hotmail.com

A&R GARDENING

High Pressure Cleaning inc Gutters, Tree services. Prompt Service - Fully insured. FREE QUOTE - Seven Days

& Rubbish Removal

0406 132 669

LANDSCAPING

Landscaping, Rubbish removal. Turf laying. Land & yard clearing. Hedge Trimming.

Blake’s Demolition

FULLY INSURED CALL FOR A FREE QUOTE

GARDENER

All types of gardens

Fully licensed and insured. Also will demolish sheds, garages, small buildings, bathrooms etc.

ONE OFF TIDY UP OR REGULAR MAINTENANCE

Lic. 28352c

CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING RATES

REPAIRS

homestudio

Stairs, pergolas, verandas, decks etc. Available now Call Michael Bennett Ph: 0407 281 046

Therapeutic and Relaxing Massage

www.bathroomdoctor.com.au

ELECTRICIAN

Gosford 4323 6367 Woy Woy 4344 4414 Warnervale 1800 244 456 0412 685 555

MASSAGE

WE TILE TO MAKE YOU SMILE

CARPENTER

Installations & Tuning New home specialist Credit cards OK HAYWARD VIDEO All areas

NEW PACIFIC

BN: 98022397 - Lic 127 403c

ANTENNAS Antenna & Digital

MASSAGE

All types of gardens

Landscaping, Rubbish removal. Turf laying. Land & yard clearing. Hedge Trimming. High Pressure Cleaning inc Gutters, Tree services. Prompt Service - Fully insured. FREE QUOTE - Seven Days

0412 345 775

PAVERS n STUFF LANDSCAPING RETAINING WALLS PAVING Total Property Maintenance No Job too big or too small Ph: Chris 0407 258 666

IT’S A NO BRAINER! An advertisement this size in 20,000 newspapers from only $50 + GST per week Call now before the price goes up Ph: 4325 7369

Lic: AD205997

The Shame File

CENTRAL COAST NEWSPAPERS has a very liberal credit policy for advertisers and realises that from time to time, people, businesses and organisations get into financial difficulty and may need assistance and time to get things back on track. However, some people, businesses and organisations take advantage of this generosity they use advertising but simply don’t pay their account after several months and need to be taken to court to do so. From time to time, as necessary, we will name these people, businesses or organisations as a warning to our readers so that they will be wary when dealing with them. •G olden Scissors Hairdressing, Wyong • Tony Fitzpatrick trading as Futurtek Roofing • B akefresh, Wyong • D avid Hill, Long Jetty • J essica Davis of Erina - trading as A1 cleaning services • R attananporn Massage, Wyong • D arren Rucker, Tiler Killarney Vale • T homas James Clinton, Trading as TMA Products & AthroBalm & Effective Business Solutions of Ettalong • L ee Critchley of Lake Munmorah, currently trading at Lakehaven

Shopping Centre •G ary Rudge of Midea AirConditioning, Budgewoi • D ecorative Fabrics & Furnishings - Steve McGinty, Wyoming • E mma Knowles Blacksmith NSW • M ulla Villa PTY Ltd • J essica Wheatcroft trading as Wheatcroft Advertising • R obcass Furniture Removals, Mannering Park • C raig Lack Fencing • R ussell Berry, All Green Environmental Solutions, Kariong • B ill Thompson, Bricklayer, Gorokan

YOUR SPONSORSHIP CAN CHANGE A DISADVANTAGED CHILD’S LIFE 1 in 10 Australian children are living in disadvantage*. They don’t have the basics they need for their education such as the right uniform, bag or even books. By sponsoring an Australian child today you will give them the essentials they need to fit in, keep up and succeed at school. *Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013).

*Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013).

CALL 1800 024 069 THESMITHFAMILY.COM.AU

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 37 20 January 2021

SPORT

Heart confirm 2021 Premier League line up

Central Coast Heart are gearing up for another bumper Premier League season

TILING

IN MEMORIAM

Malone, Rita

Tiling Wall & Floor Property Maintenance 0439 589 426 homes2nv@gmail.com WANTED

BOATS WANTED New or old, any condition we pick up, paid cash, any size. Sell your boat today Phone John

0402 465 655

Late of Bateau Bay, Passed away on the 17th of January 21. Aged 77, much loved wife of Jeffrey and mother of Christopher, beloved daughter of Bartolo and Maria Lucchese, both deceased. Cherished sister of Gino Lucchese and sister in law of Catherine, Barry Malone and Pam Elliott. Sadly missed by all who knew her. Relatives and friends are warmly invited to attend a mass for the late Rita Malone at our Lady of the Rosary, The Entrance on Thursday 21st, commencing at 1:30pm, a burial will follow at Wamberal cemetery at 3pm.

BASKETBALL Central Coast Heart has confirmed its 2021 Premier League teams. The Premier League squad features seventeen returning players, two players from last year’s Metro League team and seven new recruits. The Heart made waves last season when their Opens team set a new Premier League Record for a win streak after making it all the way to Round 10 undefeated.

Heart Opens players for 2021 are: Erin Asquith, Demi Evans, Leanne Grevenitz, Tarsha Hawley, Kristen Kessler, Maddi Mueller, Brooklyn O’Mara, Zoe Peden, Eliza Perkins, Laura Rodger, Jazmyn Rodwell, Maddie Taylor, Dakota Thomas and Alicia Walsh, with Amber Cross in as Coach and Kirstie Fuller as Assistant Coach. Karen Hawley has also signed on as team manager for the Opens. The Under 23’s also had a bumper season in 2020 and will be looking to replicate that

success and push it further this season. Under 23’s players are: Ella Butcher, Savannah Castellino, Jacinta Clark, Isabella De Vivo, Eliza Hand, Gillian Leecroft, Abbie Leyshon, Kate Love, Milly Lupo, Aela Streatfield, Danielle Taylor and Olivia Taylor, with Megan Sharpe in as Coach and Jade Nicoll as Assistant Coach. Round 1 of Origin Energy Premier League is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, April 14.

PRETTY WOMEN 21-30 yo

Open 24/7 Full service

Pretty Asian Ladies

Passionate Friendly Service Escorts Available Call 0477 070 023

386 The Entrance Rd

LONG JETTY

4333 5800

4332 2333

VIDEO NEWS 5@5

CCN

Dilon Luke

ADULT SERVICES

Each Friday evening we publish a brief video news wrap highlighting stories from the previous week. coastcommunitynews.com.au

EFTPOS • Parking at rear www.prettywomen.biz

New Management Brothel Pretty Girls 0478 170 008 5 Enterprise Drive Berkeley Vale

SPORT

Page 38 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Mariners’ Academy graduates make their mark FOOTBALL Two years ago, the Mariners launched the Yellow and Navy Foundation, the primary function of which was to provide opportunities and pathways for young players. This focus, combined with the club’s philosophy to provide opportunities for young players, is beginning to deliver results for the Mariners at A-League level. After a year in which the Club’s NPL First and Under 20’s Men’s Academy teams were both crowned Premiers and Champions, a number of Mariners’ Academy youngsters are now really making their mark in the A-League team. Alou Kuol made just his second A-League start two weeks ago after another impressive NPL campaign and scored the winner for Alen Stajcic’s side in the F3 Derby, before providing plenty of impact in the first 45 minutes against Macarthur.

The youngster was given a scholarship by the Yellow and Navy Foundation and moved up to the Coast from Shepparton in 2019, and after impressing at youth level, began training a few sessions a week with the A-League squad at the beginning of 2020. In the Mariners’ game against Macarthur, Mariners’ Academy forward, Jordan Smylie, came off the bench to score the sealer in the 2-0 win, meaning that Mariners’ Academy graduates have netted two of the Mariners’ three goals so far this season. In addition, Mariners’ Academy graduates Gianni Stensness and Joshua Nisbet have played nearly all minutes so far this season, while Lewis Miller and Max Ballard have both come off the bench to make meaningful contributions when asked to do so. In another mark of recognition for the calibre of the Mariners’ Academy, Sam Silvera completed a transfer to Portuguese Premier League team Pacos Ferreira, while

Matt Cahill has been loaned out to Southern District FC in the Hong Kong Premier League. Mariners’ Academy sponsor, Anton Tagliaferro, said the opening matches and performance of the youngsters is a great step to solidify the Mariners’ position as the premier club for nurturing youth in Australian Football. “The Mariners have a rich history in this frame, having previously provided opportunities for players like Maty Ryan, Trent Sainsbury and others who went on the have great careers in bigger leagues overseas,” Tagliaferro said. “The club has always had a tradition of creating great ‘Coasties’ and many of these players reached great heights in their careers by going on to play in some of the biggest Leagues overseas and for the Socceroos. “I am really happy to be involved with the Mariners’ Academy and to work closely with Mike Charlesworth and the football staff at the club as

the club looks to identify, nurture and develop young talent and to give these boys the best chance possible to carve out a professional career in football. “I have always maintained that the next Kewells or Vidukas are out there and it is our job to try and identify these players, offer them a spot at the Academy and then provide good developmental opportunities and a pathway for them. “I must say a big well done to Ken Schembri, our Head of Football, for doing such a great job in leading and co-ordinating our Football Program. “Ken, along with Head Coaches, Alen, Nahuel, Nick and Sergio, deserve huge credit for doing such a thorough and professional job with our young players and it is a real pleasure for me to work with and be associated with such a great bunch of professional and dedicated coaches.” Gianni Stensness has been a mainstay of the Mariners’ midfield since arriving in 2019 Photo: Central Coast Mariners

Source: Press release, Jan 14 Central Coast Mariners’ Media

Sally Hunt sets a new club record ATHLETICS Mingara Athletics Club member, Sally Hunt, competed in Athletics New South Wales’ 2021 Illawarra State Challenge on Saturday, January 16, coming back from injury and setting a new club record. The Women’s NSW Mile Opens’ Championship race was the 42nd event at the Kerryn McCann Athletic Centre in Wollongong, wherein Sally raced against some of the fastest women in the State and achieved a time of 6:27.66. This has earned her a new

Sally Hunt

FORT DENISON

Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect.

TIDE CHART

accolade with the fastest Women’s 50-59 years, 1 mile time, for Mingara Athletics. After breaking her arm and wrist in August 2020, Sally commented on how pleased she was with her performance, despite being matched against younger athletes such as 16 year old Imogen Stewart from Illawong Revesby Workers Athletics, who won the race with an outstanding 4:38.15. “It’s daunting racing against younger athletes when you’re over 50,” said Sally. “But Because there were other Masters ladies competing as well, it wasn’t so bad.” One of these other Masters ladies was Illawong’s Robyn

Basman, who Sally out-ran in the end by less than a second. “Robyn is great comradery amongst us Masters ladies. “We worked together throughout the race but then I beat her in the final sprint. “Other days she’s beaten me, so now we’re planning on the next encounter.” For Sally, as well as Mingara Club as a whole, the next big race day is on Saturday, January 30, where they will host club’s from around New South Wales for a chance to qualify for National and International competitions and set state and national records. Haakon Barry

LAT 33° 51’ S - LONG 151° 14’ E - TIME ZONE - 1000

Times and Heights(m) of high and low waters

0219 1.34 0310 1.36 0405 1.40 0501 1.45 0555 1.51 0007 0.64 0054 0.61 0808 0.73 0912 0.77 1026 0.76 1139 0.72 1243 0.65 0645 1.59 0729 1.67 WED 1409 1.36 THU 1503 1.27 FRI 1611 1.20 SAT 1723 1.17 SUN 1828 1.19 MON 1334 0.56 TUE 1417 0.48 2040 0.58 2128 0.62 2220 0.64 2315 0.65 1922 1.22 2007 1.27 0138 0.57 0220 0.52 0302 0.48 0346 0.44 0432 0.43 0520 0.44 0022 1.49 0811 1.75 0852 1.82 0933 1.88 1015 1.91 1059 1.90 1143 1.84 0612 0.47 WED 1456 0.40 THU 1534 0.34 FRI 1613 0.29 SAT 1652 0.26 SUN 1732 0.26 MON 1814 0.28 TUE 1229 1.75 2048 1.31 2129 1.36 2209 1.40 2251 1.44 2335 1.47 1857 0.33

APPROX. TIME LAG AFTER FORT DENISON Ettalong 40 min, Rip Bridge 2hrs - Wisemans Ferry 2 hrs 30 min, Koolewong 2 hrs 10 min

In view of the variations caused by local conditions and meteorological effects, these times are approximate and must be considered as a guide only. They are not to be relied on for critical depth calculations for safe navigation. Actual times of High and Low Water may occur before or after the times indicated

WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU - COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

Page 39 20 January 2021

SPORT

Central Coast win the John Smith Shield and the Metropolitan Series

Bowls Central Coast Under 25 Metropolitan Series Winners.

BOWLS Two outstanding wins have marked the calendar of Bowls Central Coast on Sunday, January 17, with two prestigious accolades brought back to the Coast. Both the Opens and Under 25 teams won gold in their respective tournaments after strong showings by Central Coast club members from Ettalong to Lake Munmorah. The Opens side were competing in the John Smith Shield against teams from Newcastle District (Zone 2),

Hunter Region (Zone 6) and Manning District (Zone 11), held at East Cessnock. The Central Coast side consisted of four teams. Nathan Mallay, Shane White, Zac Robertson and Lee Trethowan, all from Ettalong, made up Team One. Team Two was Bateau Bay’s Joel Nouws, Terrigal’s Jeff Watson, and Josh Zephyr and Mark Wheatley from Halekulani. Ettalong’s Bailey Meti, Halekuni’s Shane Gibbin, and Chayne Edwards and Rod Rewko from Bateau Bay were Team Three.

John Smith Central Coast teams

Team Four included Luke Rash and Sean Love from Davistown RSL, Luke O’Grady from The Greens, and Ettalong’s Shane Starkey. The Shield was set up for each Zone to face each other once in three consecutive rounds. The first round saw Central Coast face up against Manning District and Hunter Region against Newcastle, wherein clear wins by Central Coast and Hunter set them up as the two title contenders. These two sides faced each other in Round Three, after both

Club looking for furniture donations They waited almost a decade for their new clubhouse to be built and now the Wyong Lakes AFL Club is seeking the community’s help to kit it out. The club has put out a call for secondhand furniture donations with all offers welcome, provided the pieces

are in good condition. Club President, Rebecca Ives, said bar tables and chairs were on top of the wish list, with lounges and other seating the next most wanted items. “Most of our profits have gone into the club house build itself, so there wasn’t much left over for the fit out, but we’d really appreciate any donations of high top tables and chairs to

help make the space a good place for mingling.” With COVID-19 preventing the club from holding an official opening of the new clubhouse facilities last year, Ives said members were hoping to have the space fully furnished in time for a grand opening event before season 2021 kicks off. Dilon Luke

winning again in Round Two. The Central Coast did the greater damage and won the round on 2.5 rinks, securing 9.5 points. In the end, Central Coast earned an overall total of 25 points, four points clear of Manning District in second place. The Under 25’s competed in the U25 Metropolitan Series played at Wyong against Newcastle District, the Greater Western Sydney region (Zone 5) and Sydney North West (Zone 10). The Metropolitan Series was

broken into three rounds, wherein each team would face each other in a game of pairs, triples and fours. The Central Coast side consisted of: Brandon Stokes and Brandon Meti from Ettalong in the pairs; Lake Munmorah’s Olivia Crane, Blaine Cook from Mingara, and Halekulani’s Mitch McDonnel in the triples; and, Mingara’s Billy White, Lake Munmorah’s Jarred Crane, Gosford City’s Brandon Willimette and Halekulani’s Zac Henley in the fours. An early lead by Newcastle in the first two rounds against the

two Sydney sides shot them up to 10 points. Central Coast drew with Sydney North West in Round One then beat Greater Western Sydney in Round Two, placing them 3 points behind Newcastle. In the end, it came down to the Round Three match-up being the classic Newcastle – Central Coast derby. In a stunning performance, the lads from the Coast pulled out all six points to top the table by a three point lead. Source: Bowls Central Coast

SPORT

Page 40 20 January 2021

COAST COMMUNITY CHRONICLE - WWW.COASTCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM.AU

Rookie Lifesaver Challenge held

Shelly Beach SLSC Competitors. From L – R: Lauren West, Mikaela Williams Potts, Harry Kingsley, Deakin Wright, Riley Wait, Jack Orley.

SURF LIFE SAVING Central Coast Surf Life Saving hosted the Rookie Lifesaver Challenge 2021 at Terrigal Beach on Saturday, January 16, with many of the northern clubs heading south to compete. With the scheduled Round

Three of the Board and Ski challenge at North Entrance Surf Life postponed due to strong sets rolling in from the sea, the Terrigal competition became surf lifesaving event of the weekend. Young U13 and U14 Rookie Lifesavers from Soldiers Beach, Toowoon Bay, Shelly Beach and Wamberal Surf Life Saving Clubs travelled to

Terrigal to form teams of six in a variety of different challenges designed around scenarios that rookies could be expected to face whilst on surf patrol. The rookies also participated in theory tests and on their flag signals used on patrolling duties, all of which sought to test the competitors’ vital lifesaving techniques, knowledge and skills against

their peers. The clear Summer’s day brought with it great sport as well as sportsmanship, notably from Joel Wait and Kianna Goy of Shelly Beach Surf Life Saving Club, who helped the Copacabana and Toowoon Bay teams fill up their numbers. Nonetheless, Shelly Beach performed well, reaching up to

a point away from the competition’s winners on the overall point score. However, it was the hosts, Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, who claimed the highest score. Central Coast Surf Life Saving reported an exceptional display of skills mixed with a good deal of fun. The new year has brought

with it a number of lifesaving surf rescues on the Coast already, showing how vital it is for the Clubs to maintain their highest standard of service for the many beach dwellers in our midst. Source: Central Coast Surf Life Saving Shelly Beach SLSC

Sharks full of confidence ahead of semi-finals GRIDIRON While they may have ended their regular season with a loss, the Central Coast Sharks remain full of confidence ahead of the semi-finals of Gridiron NSW’s 2020 Women’s Competition.

The Sharks in action against the Raiders Pic: Bevan Lenders/Sports Action Pix

The Sharks went down 40-0 against ladder leaders UNSW Raiders in their last hit out, putting them in third overall, with a record of four wins and four losses, but according to Club President,Luke Smidmore, seasonal records won’t

account for much come the playoffs, with it all boiling down to who’s better on the day. With the draw for the semis yet to be announced, Smidmore said the club will be focusing on training, with the fledgling Lady Sharks keen to leave their mark on the competition and make their first appearance in the Opal Bowl grand final. With excitement bubbling over at that prospect, Smidmore said players and coaches had done a phenomenal job overcoming the challenges that the pandemic threw at them. “For me it has been

particularly good to see our rookies get in and really get involved. “While we do have a few veterans, our core from last year’s inaugural team was mostly rookies and their progression this year has just been huge. “Thankfully, this has also been a season with minimal injuries, which is great because it means we’ve got players ready to rotate and everyone is really looking forward to the semis in a fortnight’s time,” Smidmore said. Dilon Luke