Coast Community News 366

Offshore wind farm planned off The Entrance

Out&About

Business

Council publishes first water and sewer delivery plan

To meet its obligations under the water rate rise granted by IPART in May this year, Central Coast Council has published its first Water and Sewer Delivery Plan 2022-2026.

Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader, said the Delivery Plan outlines how Council will deliver on promises made to the community in the 2021 Central Coast Council Water and Sewer IPART Pricing Proposal.

“We are progressing well in how we respond to the three focus areas of the Delivery Plan,” Loader said.

“These are ongoing customer engagement; improvements to our asset and project management framework; and our accountability strategy which includes our recently published Performance Plan.”

Council Administrator, Rik Hart, is confident that the outcomes in the Water and Sewer Delivery Plan 20222026 will be met.

“We are committed to working closely with our community to better understand their values and ensuring those values drive our business outcomes and future performance of the water and sewer services,” Hart said.

The Plan outlines Council’s plans to deliver: water that is safe to drink; services you can rely on; and fast response and effective restoration of interrupted services.

It says Council understands customers’ expectations and is committed to keeping residents up to date on what is happening with water and sewer in the region.

Council is also committed to

helping those having difficulty paying their water bill, caring for the environment and water conservation.

“CCC Water will implement the recommendations made by IPART in the Improving Performance Information Paper (and) implement asset management and project management strategies that

ensure that the assets provide maximum value and meet our customers’ needs now and into the future,” the Plan says.

Community engagement is set to include workshops and reference groups to inform values and outcomes in relation to: clean drinking water; good flow of water at tap; water security; value for money;

environmental management; protection of waterways; and reliable services.

The Plan can be viewed on Council’s website.

Meanwhile an upgrade of the sewer system in the Gosford city centre will see works continuing on Mann St into the new year.

During the work, the southbound lane of Mann St will be closed, and traffic diversions will be in place.

On-street parking spaces near the works will also not be available.

For more information on the upgrades, search ‘gosford cbd sewer upgrades’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.

Sport

Planning is underway for a 1.65 GW floating offshore wind farm to be located between The Entrance and Newcastle with a drop-in information session to be held on November 8.

6

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has given Delta Electricity a two-year deadline to comply with tighter emission controls for nitrogen oxides, imposed on Vales Point Power Station last December.

The Lakes Festival kicks off on Friday, November 4 and continues for 10 days offering something for everyone, with a program of sporting, family, cultural, educational, art and live music events.

Coastal Towns Business ChamberUpper Central Coast is holding a free expo for Small Business Month during November.

Freemasons on the Central Coast have once again supported the region’s surf life saving clubs with a $50,600 donation – taking total donations to more than half a million dollars over the past 11 years.

The

Source:

release,

Coast Council

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Coastlink stalwart honoured for two decades of service

Coastlink’s longest serving board member and organisational stalwart, Helen Roberts, has been recognised for almost two decades of voluntary contribution with the organisation’s first Life Membership.

Coastlink Lodge is also to be renamed Roberts Lodge in her honour.

Appointed to the board in 2003, Roberts brought a wealth of experience in disability, aged care and transport services from her work as CEO with Community Transport Central Coast Ltd and her roles on the Community Transport State Peak Body Board and other local not-for-profit boards.

Coastlink Chair, John Mouland, said she brought a depth of knowledge and passion to the organisation and was instrumental in the direction and growth of Coastlink during her tenure.

“Having worked with Helen as a member of the Coastlink Board over the past eight years, I have witnessed her unfailing commitment to improving the lives of people living with disability and the aged on the Central Coast,” Mouland said.

“Her broad knowledge base and breadth of experience with both local and state-wide organisations and advocacy bodies within the disability sector has been invaluable in guiding Coastlink’s growth and strategic direction over the past two decades.”

Coastlink CEO John Davis

said the organisation wanted a fitting tribute for the woman who had given so much to ensure all individuals can live a life of choice and inclusion.

“As Helen steps down from the Coastlink Board this October, we wanted to find a significant way to honour her longstanding contribution to our organisation,” he said.

“Helen is Coastlink’s first ever

Life Member and renaming our group home Coastlink Lodge at Watanobbi to Roberts Lodge is a way to recognise her involvement, her influence, and her input over so many years.

“On behalf of every member of the Coastlink community –our board members, our staff, our clients and their families, I would like to thank Helen for her outstanding contribution in

improving the lives of all individuals on the Central Coast.”

You can learn more about Coastlink’s wide range of disability, aged care and accommodation options at coastlink.org.au, or by following the organisation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Helen

Much loved wife of Garry.

of

and mother-in-

Aged 66 Years

Forever in our hearts

Family and friends are warmly invited to attend the

service for Susie on Friday 18th November, 2022 at Palmdale Lawn Cemetery and Memorial Park, Palmdale Rd, Palmdale in the Rose Chapel commencing at 11am.

Terry Collins

Coastlink CEO John Davis, Life Member Helen Roberts and Chair John Mouland

War of words over road repair backlog

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast has hit back at claims by Labor Federal and State MPs that the State Government has provided no “region specific support” to address the backlog of road repairs on the Central Coast.

Member for Robertson, Gordon Reid, said while the Federal Government had committed $40M for Central Coast road repairs in last week’s budget, there was no guarantee the region would receive any of the $50M available in the next round of the State Government’s Fixing

“The Coast is crying out for all levels of government to chip-in and address the deteriorating conditions of local roads,” Reid said.

“The Federal Government has come to the table, now we need the State Government to do the same.

“Residents contact my office frequently needing assistance with road maintenance and often tell me that there is a new saying across the Central Coast, that we used to drive on the left, but now we drive on what’s left.

“I’m calling on the State

Liberal Government (to) secure funding to repair our local roads.”

State Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch backed Reid up, saying the Government has “forgotten about the Central Coast”.

But Crouch said the region has received unprecedented funding over recent years for road infrastructure from the NSW Government.

“This includes over $7.5M in funding from the NSW Government through the Fixing Local Roads and Fixing Country Bridges Programs, including the rehabilitation of Wattle Tree Rd, Holgate, upgrades to

the rehabilitation of Gavenlock Rd, Tuggerah – just to name a few,” he said.

“Over the three rounds of the Fixing Local Roads program, the Central Coast has received over $4.2M in funding for 10 projects.

“Nine out of 10 projects are complete with the final intersection, Jilliby Rd and Hue Hue Rd, due for completion (in) December.”

Crouch said millions of dollars had been provided to Central Coast Council to help repair local roads, through the NSW Government’s Resilience Fund to fix local road infrastructure

and storm events.

“This is on top of the NSW Government’s $50M Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair round that Central Coast Council is eligible to apply for,” he said.

Crouch said funds provided in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 State included: $27.8M to continue the upgrade of the Pacific Hwy at Lisarow; $12.6M for Manns Rd intersection upgrades at Narara Creek and Stockyard Place; $7M to commence construction at Blackwall Rd and McMasters Rd; $26M to continue the widening of Pacific Hwy

Ourimbah St, Lisarow and $25M to continue planning and commence construction at the Tumbi Rd intersection on Central Coast Hwy.

“This does not include the $84M that the NSW Government has contributed towards the $420M Pacific Hwy through Wyong upgrade,” he said.

“Funding that the NSW Government provided has already been utilised through planning, but we have not heard a peep from the Federal Government regarding their share since the Federal Budget was announced last week.”

Local Roads Pothole Repair Fund.

Terry Collins

Member for Robertson, Gordon Reid, at Rickard Rd, Empire Bay

Adam Crouch says the region has received unprecedented funding for road infrastructure from the NSW Government

More rail disruptions throughout November

The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RBTU) has announced further industrial action impacting train services on the Central Coast throughout November, as negotiations with the State Government over pay and safety issues continue to stall.

A series of bans on various services will be held throughout the month, leading up to a network-wide stoppage on December 2, with full details yet to be announced.

RBTU Secretary Alex Claassens said the union has been doing everything possible to reach an agreement –including the Combined Rail Unions putting forward a very modest pay offer to government.

“Unfortunately, the NSW Government has chosen yet again to escalate the dispute rather than attempting to reach a resolution,” he said.

“We’ve been left with no choice but to begin further protected industrial action yet again, because allowing the NSW Government to get away with not providing a safe train is not an option.

“And we will not allow the government to bully members into accepting an inferior enterprise agreement.”

Claassens said unresolved questions over the legality of turning off Opal machines at railway stations, with no inconvenience to commuters, meant the union would be forced to restart action which

Call for restart of work on Gosford bypass

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, is calling on the NSW Government to restart work on Stage 4 of the Gosford bypass, where no work has occurred since 2016 and no work is anticipated for 10 years.

When complete, the bypass will see an upgrade of the Pacific Hwy from the M1 at Ourimbah extending to and including Manns Rd, West Gosford.

Mehan said more than 30,000 motorists use the route daily.

The bypass plan comprises five stages, of which two are complete with the third to be finished by the second half of next year.

Stage 1 saw the Pacific Hwy/ Dog Trap Rd intersection upgraded in 2007 and Stage 2 achieved a widening of the highway between Glen Rd and Burns Rd, Ourimbah, in 2012.

The first part of Stage 3 saw the highway between Ourimbah St at Lisarow and Glen Rd at Ourimbah widened in 2016.

The second part of Stage 3, which will see the highway

widened between Ourimbah St and Parsons Rd, Lisarow, is set for completion in the second half of next year.

Mehan said Stage 5 has been fully funded but not yet started and no real work to advance Stage 4 has occurred since 2016.

Stage 4 calls for an upgrade between Narara Creek Rd at Narara and Parsons Rd at Lisarow, with Stage 5 to

complete the bypass with upgrades along Manns Rd between Stockyard Place, West Gosford, and Narara Creek Rd, Narara

Mehan said a Transport for NSW found the section of the highway between Narara and Lisarow was operating over capacity eight years ago and he has highlighted the issue in State Parliament.

“Central Coast residents have

been bumper-to-bumper on this stretch of road for far too long and deserve better.”

“Stage 4 is the missing link – without which the full benefits of the Gosford Bypass won’t be realised.

“I am calling on the State Government to restart work on stage 4 and build the missing link.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam

Crouch, said the major upgrade had been split into stages due to the complexity and size of this project.

Crouch said with the stages between the Pacific Hwy and Parsons Rd at Lisarow now complete or nearing completion, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) was now planning for further stages that include the upgrade of Manns Rd and the Pacific Hwy between Parsons Rd, Lisarow, and Stockyard Pl, West Gosford.

“The development of these stages prioritises two busy intersections at Stockyard Pl and Narara Creek Rd, with the State and Federal Governments having committed $66M towards these priority intersection upgrades,” he said.

“In 2018, our community was invited to comment on the review of environmental factors report and concept design for each of the priority intersections.

“The feedback was taken into account and responded to in a submissions report.

“Transport has since

will have some impact on commuter services.

“We will always do everything we can to ensure our actions cause a headache for the government while minimising the impact on commuters, but not taking any action at all and letting the government get away with providing an unsafe railway is not an option,” he said.

“We are hopeful that common-sense will soon prevail and a sensible resolution can soon be reached.”

The full calendar of upcoming protected industrial action is available on the RBTU website.

Amelia’s

the Family Court

The Seminar will be presented in a friendly relaxed atmosphere and

time for your questions.

be helped a lot in understanding the system and will then be able

to take next.

completed a detailed design for both priority intersections and is now in the process of ensuring the detailed design fits within this committed allocation.

Crouch said that detailed design plans for the priority intersections and an expected construction start date will be made available to the community once project funding is finalised.

“Outside of the priority intersections and the current funding commitment noted above, there is currently no specific timeframe for the remainder of the proposed projects between Lisarow and West Gosford to progress,” he said.

“It is considered unlikely any construction work will occur in these sections for at least five years, noting that planning approval, detail design and major construction procurement would be required prior to any construction activities.”

Source: Media release, Nov 1 RBTU

More delays are expected on the Central Coast line

Terry Collins

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, is calling for work on the Gosford bypass to proceed

Illegally cleared Kariong land to be remediated

Community group Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA) has claimed a significant win for conservation, with the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) announcing that illegally cleared land at Kariong is to be remediated.

CEA founder Jake Cassar said the group had discovered the illegal clearing by a trespasser of a section of bushland owned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (DLALC) on Woy Woy Rd at Kariong two years ago.

After photographing the damage and meeting with the relevant Government agencies, CEA members have been pushing for the land to be remediated ever since.

“Fines were issued to a man who was found responsible, but until now there had been no moves towards regenerating this extremely ecologically sensitive land,” Cassar said.

“I recently spoke with a representative from the DPE who told me that a remediation order has been placed on the site and that the works would be underway soon.”

A DPE spokesperson confirmed the unlawful clearing resulted in a remediation order

for offences under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, which was issued to an individual landowner of property adjacent to the DLALC land.

“The terms of the remediation order, issued in April 2022, relate to removal of rubbish, fencing, mulching of cleared vegetation and weed control,” the spokesperson said.

“No active revegetation was necessary due to the vegetation regenerating naturally.

“Works under the order, delayed due to COVID-19, are expected to commence soon.”

Cassar said the news was a “great win for our voiceless flora and fauna and for those who’ve worked so tirelessly over the past two years to get this result”.

“If we hadn‘t discovered the illegal clearing of around five acres, reported it and continued to follow up, it’s highly likely nothing would have been done to remediate the endangered wetlands and State and Federally listed significant koala habitat,” he said.

The land is part of 13.2 hectares owned by DLALC, with less than half of the total site earmarked for a housing development and the remainder to be retained as bushland.

CEA has been pushing for the land to be reacquired by the Government and included in the national park which surrounds it, ensuring the owners are “duly compensated”.

“The Government clearly acknowledges the sensitivity of the site, zoning the land E2,” Cassar said.

Opponents to the development say the entire sandstone plateau tells an ancient story of

how the Aboriginal people lived in harmony with the land and all its inhabitants for tens of thousands of years and should be preserved.

DLALC CEO Brendan Moyle said the illegal clearing was the “most extreme” issue of trespass it had experienced on land it owns on behalf of the Aboriginal community.

“Darkinjung is exploring a range of options with that land, which includes the possible

rezoning of some of the Kariong site,” he said.

“The total land mass identified for possible development is 5.7 hectares.

“However, Darkinjung’s draft approaches include preserving the majority of the land (7.5 hectares) for environment conservation purposes, and the protection and preservation of Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) sites recorded

with the NSW Government.

Any future application will see the zoning of this conservation land from E2 to E3, strengthening environmental protections along the border of the national park.

“Darkinjung and its membership, approximately 750 Aboriginal people who meet the legal definition of being an Aboriginal person, remain committed to responsible development in a way that helps the current community and provides for future generations.

“Our ancestors were the first town planners, farmers, miners, artists and developers, practising these functions for over 65,000 years.

“Darkinjung applies the same ancient lore and values in how we manage our land responsibly to deliver outcomes for the broader community, benefits for the legitimate Aboriginal community which includes the most vulnerable people across the Central Coast, and how we use our collective landholdings of approximately 3,700 hectares to strengthen biodiversity across the Central Coast.”

Terry Collins

Jake Cassar at the site of the illegal clearing

Shorter deadline to cut power station emissions

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has given Delta Electricity a two-year deadline to comply with tighter emission controls for nitrogen oxides, imposed on Vales Point Power Station last December.

Delta wanted a five-year renewal of the pollution exemption in its Environmental Protection Licence (EPL), to emit 1,500mg per cubic metre of nitrogen oxide (NOx) per day.

At first the EPA issued the five-year licence but ordered the power station to reduce daily levels by 35 percent to 850mg per cubic metre for 99 percent of the time, and a 23 percent reduction to 980mg per cubic metre for the remaining time to allow for occasions of burning at higher temperatures.

Environmental Justice

Australia lawyers, representing the Nature Conservation Council and Australian Conservation Foundation, notified the EPA in February that approval of the power station’s pollution exemption was illegal because Delta had failed to meet the deadline to submit its application.

The EPA acted on that notification by declaring the previous licence conditions invalid and issuing a new exemption for only two years.

Delta spokesperson Steve Gurney said “this is an administrative interpretation issue, not an environmental one”.

“Delta’s EPL was varied in December 2021 after considerable input from the community and other groups, notably tightened limits for emissions such as oxides of nitrogen and Delta continues to

comply with these reduced limits,” he said.

The new licence exemption, announced on October 28, also includes a new requirement that Delta investigate, mitigate and report on the causes of NOx emissions when the power station is operating at low

loads or less than 50 percent capacity.

The EPA says there was a thorough review including independent technical advice, expert modelling, discussions with NSW Health and public consultation.

Chief Executive Officer of

NSW EPA, Tony Chappel, said modelling conducted by the Department of Planning and Environment’s science team found that the ground level concentration of NOx in the community met the national health-based standards.

“We believe this exemption strikes the right balance –reducing emissions to support the health of our communities and environment but also supporting the state’s need for ongoing reliable and affordable energy,” he said.

“As part of Delta’s updated licence conditions, the company must begin to implement better controls to proactively address their emissions and the results of this work will be considered by the EPA in 2023.

“As set out in our draft Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, licensees must also consider

how to improve the resilience of their infrastructure and management practices.

“A failure to act is no longer an option,” Chappel said.

The EPA ruling on emissions comes amid growing concerns across the community and environmental groups about the future of the ageing Vales Point Power Station which is scheduled to close in 2029.

A decision is yet to be announced by the Foreign Investment Review Board over the Sev.en Global Investments purchase of the power station and associated coal mines, Mannering Colliery and Chain Valley Colliery.

Also, there is still an EPA investigation to be resolved whether the power station operations contributed to two significant fish kills in Wyee Bay in August and September.

Sue Murray

Environmentalists applaud EPA decision on Vales Point

Local environment group, Future Sooner, has congratulated the Environmental Protection Authority on its decision to reduce the Vales Point coal-fired power station’s exemption licence from five years to two.

Future Sooner spokesperson, Gary Blaschke of Lake Munmorah, said the decision was a fair one.

“It proves that the EPA has considered the welfare of the people above the profits of a dirty coal-fired power station,” he said.

“It also demonstrates that all

the work Future Sooner did presenting health evidence to NSW Health, our local politicians and the EPA has proven effective.

“We thank Environmental Justice Australia for its incredible forensic work and local politicians Dr Gordon Reid, Emma McBride and Liesl

Tesch for their representations on our behalf to Parliament as well as support from the NSW Nature Conservation.

“Vales Point has two years to comply and for the health of Central Coast residents we urge the power station to immediately begin the process of upgrading.

“Future Sooner believes the EPA decision to reduce the Vales Point exemption licence to two years is a fair one and we hope Delta Electricity will act with as much integrity and cut the air pollution from power station or close it down,” Blaschke said.

He said Future Sooner

continued to oppose the sale of Vales Point power station to foreign owners, Sev.en Global Investments, and more information is available through the group’s facebook page.

Offshore wind farm planned off The Entrance

Planning is underway for a 1.65 GW floating offshore wind farm to be located between The Entrance and Newcastle with a drop-in information session to be held on November 8.

The Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project is set to be located 25-55 kilometres off the coast and is expected to comprise 110 floating offshore turbines, each with a capacity between 15 MW and 20 MW, as well as three floating substations.

The project is proposed to connect to the grid at the former Munmorah Power Station site.

It is being jointly developed by BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate with a shared set of development principles which include a focus on early and honest engagement and genuine partnerships.

BlueFloat Energy is a leading global offshore wind developer with a portfolio of projects in multiple geographies and Energy Estate is an Australian

company with a mission to accelerate the transformation of the energy sector and the decarbonisation of industry.

The developers acknowledge a project of this scale will have some impacts and are committed to working closely with the community and other stakeholders to deliver honest, transparent and informative engagement.

The first two drop-in sessions are to be held this month, on November 9 in Newcastle and on Tuesday, November from

4-7 pm at Diggers @ The Entrance.

The developers will also host a webinar on Thursday, November 10, from 5-6pm.

“An offshore wind project is complex and typically takes 611 years to carry out feasibility activities, obtain the necessary approvals and to be built,” they said.

“We are currently in the feasibility, development and approvals stage of the project.

“We will need environmental

and planning approvals under State and Commonwealth processes.

“A co-ordinated approach will be used to assess the cultural heritage, environmental, economic and social impact of our project.”

They are in the process of organising referral of the project under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act), expected to occur in December.

They will then require a feasibility licence under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021, to be assessed by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA).

A preliminary visual simulation is available on the Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project website: www. huntercoastowp.com.au.

Source: Media release, Nov 1 Future Sooner

Vales Point Power Station at Mannering Park

Source: Media release, Nov 2 Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project

Coast Connect

ADMINISTRATOR MESSAGE

Council’s debt now lower than pre-merger levels

At the 31 October 2022 Extraordinary Council Meeting, the Monthly Financial Results for September provided an update on how Council is tracking financially year-to-date (YTD).

I’m pleased to confirm that Council is trading favourably this financial year and continuing the trajectory we’ve been on for the past 18 months. At the end of September 2022, we showed a $10.3M YTD surplus, which is approximately $6M better than budget.

Most interestingly though, we’re showing $307.9M worth of borrowings (that is, loans outstanding) and this amount has been trending downwards since December 2020. Council’s total amount of borrowings is now $10M less than the two combined Councils had when they merged in May 2016, and that’s including the $150M worth of emergency loans required.

This means our total gross debt is lower than what was outstanding at the merger in May 2016. This is great news, and demonstrates Council’s commitment and focus on financial sustainability is steadfast.

As I have said previously, the financial crisis is behind us and there are clear and transparent guidelines in place which can keep us on track financially into the future.

With this positive trajectory and momentum continuing, Council can target productivity and service improvements in key areas where the community expectation is not being met, and I look forward to these services improving for the community.

Rik Hart, Administrator

Did you miss the last Council meeting?

Re-watch the webcast on our YouTube channel. Links can be found on our website at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/meetings, along with meeting agendas, reports and minutes. Next ordinary Council meeting will be held at Wyong on Tuesday 22 November 2022.

Have your say on the Gosford waterfront concept plan

You’re invited to reimagine Gosford waterfront with us by sharing your feedback, opinions, and ideas on a new concept plan. You can help shape the future of the Gosford waterfront by viewing the concept plan, reading the frequently asked questions, registering for a virtual drop-in information session and sharing ideas, suggestions and opinion online.

For more information, go to yourvoiceourcoast.com/gosfordwaterfront

Workshops to help learner drivers

FREE workshops are available for parents and supervisors of learner drivers to offer practical advice and hands-on support, to help you explain highly complex road rules and other important information to your learner driver.

Workshop held 6-8pm at Erina Library (10 Nov) and Woy Woy library (17 Nov). Bookings essential.

To reserve your spot, search ‘learner driver workshops’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Lakes Festival (4-13 Nov). Features over 30 events on and surrounding the waterways. Don’t miss the Light up the Lake (Sat 5 Nov, The Entrance). centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ lakesfestival

Garage Sail Trail, Central Coast (12-13 & 19-20 Nov). Participate and recycle your pre-loved items or join the trail and grab a bargain. garagesaletrail.com.au/centralcoast

View all Council events at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/events

Free pet microchipping day

If your furry friend isn’t microchipped, how will they find their way home if lost or runaway? We’re making it easy for you to microchip your pet – come along to Council’s free pet microchipping day at Socares Central Coast Animal Facility, Erina and Charmhaven on Saturday 12 November (9am3pm).

Microchipping helps local animal facilities and vets reunite lost pets with their owners quickly. For more information, search ‘pet microchipping day’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Funding for town centres

Council is piloting a Façade Improvement Support Program to provide $120,000 to eligible Central Coast businesses and owners of commercial property (located in the town centres of Wyong, Gosford, The Entrance and Toukley) to enhance their building facades and improve accessibility to their premises with dollar-for-dollar matched funding. Apply by 30 Nov.

For eligibility and program information search ‘façade improvement support program’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Council has a new number We listened to the community and have changed our number from 1300 to a local one - 4306 7900. But it’s more than a new number, we partnered with the NSW Department of Customer Service to improve our call centre technology, including a range of new features such as a call back function to reduce long waits. Search ‘customer service’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Council

Central

Did you know?

Funding boost for Aboriginal Corporation

The Gudjagang Ngara li-dhi Aboriginal Corporation has received $19,697 in funding through the third round of the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors program.

The program aims to empower seniors to be active and connected.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the Gudjagang Ngara li-dhi Aboriginal Corporation will support local seniors through Bidhal Elders.

“This is going to play such an important role in breaking down those barriers of social isolation,” he said.

“Bidhal Elders’ group uses a cultural therapy framework to combat the loneliness and social isolation felt among

Aboriginal people over the age of 50.

“Cultural therapy promotes using culture as treatment –using Aboriginal people’s cultural and community connections to strengthen wellbeing and foster healing and positive social outcomes for individuals and communities.

“Bidhal means ‘celebrate’ in Darkinjung language.”

Crouch said the projects will support Aboriginal Elders to resume leadership roles in the community, keep active and healthy, promote local Aboriginal cultural knowledge and identity, improve the overall quality of their life, and develop the Darkinjung Aboriginal community.

“These projects are also

intended to promote intergenerational knowledge sharing between generations, bringing together the Elders’ group with the youth group and women’s group,” he said.

“Seniors are an integral part of our society, and we want to make sure they don’t run the risk of falling into social isolation.”

Grants of up to $50,000 were on offer in the third round of the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors Grants program.

Projects must run through 2022-2023.

For more information on the grants program, visit: www.dcj. nsw.gov.au/rsis.

Smart buoy tracking water quality in Wyee Bay

A custom-built smart buoy is now stationed in Lake Macquarie’s Wyee Bay to assess water quality, in response to significant fish kills in August and September.

The buoy, which looks like a traditional navigation marker, uses pumps to automatically sample water from different depths, passing through an array of water quality sensors and then transmitting the data to the cloud for real-time analysis.

NSW Environment Protection Authority CEO, Tony Chappel said the buoy, positioned at

Wyee Point, would contribute to the long-term understanding of water quality in the lake.

“The health of the lake is an important issue for us, and the recent fish kills have understandably raised a lot of concern in the community,” he said.

“As the largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere, we want to ensure we have the best technology in place to monitor any changes.

“Over the next six months the buoy will provide our teams with vital baseline data which will assess salinity, turbidity, oxygen, temperature and pH

levels.

“The biggest benefit of these buoys is the real-time data they provide which will help our teams to spot an issue before it’s too late and hopefully protect against any further impacts on the lake’s marine life.

“We know the lake is the heart of the local community and we will continue to do what we can to keep people informed and ensure the best protections are in place,” Chappel said.

Smart buoys are part of a network of water quality initiatives set up across the state by the Science, Economics

Positions available on Council committees

Central Coast Council is inviting community members wanting to take an active role in local affairs to apply for a position on one of several Council advisory committees for 2023.

Applications are now open for community stakeholder representatives on the following committees: Social

Inclusion Advisory Committee; Pedestrian Access and Mobility Advisory Committee (PAMP); Mangrove Mountain and Spencer Advisory Committee; and Heritage Advisory Committee.

Successful applicants should have a genuine passion for their selected topic, a willingness to engage with a diverse group of people and be available to attend an advisory

138 Robina Town Centre Drive

Box

group meeting in December and quarterly committee meetings next year.

1300 36 0867

Due to the voluntary nature of the position, community representatives won’t receive fees or costs for their time.

Town Centre Qld

Qld

and Insights Division (SEI) of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

“This technology has been designed and purpose-built by SEI and we typically use these buoys for monitoring water quality in estuaries or for shortterm deployments following a flood or bushfire event as we monitor the impact of natural disasters on waterways,” said SEI Executive Director, Georgina Kelly.

Real-time data feed from the Wyee Point buoy can be viewed on EPA’s website

“Council uses advisory groups to help inform the direction of policies and it’s important that we hear from as many different voices as possible,” he said.

1300 81 8962

artwork@localdirectories.com.au www.localdirectories.com.au

areas to submit an expression of interest.”

Applications for all community advisory positions close at midnight on Sunday, November 13.

PROOF

Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said a community position on an advisory committee is a unique way for residents to have their say.

“We know from our regular engagement programs that residents can offer excellent perspectives and I would encourage anyone who has a lived experience, or a particular passion for one of these topic

For more details see the Council website.

DQCW SOLICITORS & LAWYERS

Source: Media release, Nov 2

Email: lemery@lindaemery.com.au

Source: Media release, Oct 31 Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, with Minister for Seniors Mark Coure and members of the Gudjagang Ngara li-dhi Aboriginal Corporation

Sue Murray

buoy

Linda Emery Lawyer Since 1983

Central Coast Council Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart

Two charged over alleged break and enter, stabbing at Budgewoi

Two people have been charged over an alleged home invasion and stabbing on the Central Coast on 30 October.

About 9.45am Friday, 28 October, a man and woman entered a home on Noela Place Budgewoi and entered the bedroom of a 30-yearold woman.

Police will allege in court a struggle ensued during which the resident suffered two stab wounds to her left thigh. The man and woman fled the scene and police were called.

Officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Police District, with the assistance of PolAir, arrested a woman nearby and took her to Wyong Police Station where she was charged with six offences, including aggravated break and enter while armed with an offensive weapon in

Anyone with information about these incidents should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.com.au Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

48-year-old man was arrested at Boyce Avenue, Wyong, about 2.30pm Saturday 29 October and was taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with aggravated break and enter while armed with offensive weapon in company, reckless wounding in company and trespass

He was bail refused to appear at Wyong Local Court on Sunday 30 October 2022.

Man in court after robbery

A man appeared in court on Sunday 30 October charged over an alleged robbery on the Central Coast.

About 5.50pm, Saturday 29 October 2022, police were called to Manns Road, West Gosford, following reports of a robbery.

Officers attached to Brisbane Water Police District arrived at

the scene and found a 33-yearold man allegedly chasing a 54-year-old man.

The younger man was arrested and searched with police seizing a set of car keys allegedly belonging to the other man.

He was taken Gosford Police Station where he was charged

with aggravated robbery and possess housebreaking implements.

The man, from Wyong, has been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Sunday 30 October 2022).

The older man suffered facial injuries; however, did not require medical treatment.

Man charged after cash and drugs seized in Berkeley Vale

company, reckless wounding in company, trespass (three counts), and malicious damage.

The 26 year old woman from Maitland was also charged with breach of bail.

She was refused bail and appeared at Wyong Local Court on Saturday 29 October 2022, where she was again refused bail.

Following inquiries, a

The injured woman was taken to Wyong Hospital for treatment and has since been released.

Police believe the three are known to each other.

Source: NSW Police Media

A man has been charged after police seized cash and drugs during a vehicle stop on the Central Coast yesterday.

About 9.30pm on Tuesday 25 October, officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Traffic and Highway Patrol Command stopped an LDV utility on Wyong Road, Berkeley Vale, after routine checks revealed the vehicle was unregistered.

The driver – a 34-year-old man – was submitted to a roadside drug test which allegedly returned a positive result.

During a search of the utility, police located and seized $25,000 cash, methylamphetamine and cocaine.

The man was arrested and

taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, supply prohibited drug and two counts of possess prohibited drug.

Police also seized the utility.

The Queensland man was refused bail to appear before Wyong Local Court on Wednesday 26 October 2022.

Inquiries are continuing.

Source: NSW Police Media

Missing woman last seen in ToukleyMan dies in Doyalson car crash

Police are appealing for dashcam vision after a man died and a second was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash at Doyalson.

Emergency services were called to the Pacific Highway scene at about 8.30pm on Monday, October 31 and found a northbound SUV and a southbound hatchback had

collided head-on in the southbound lanes.

The 56-year-old driver of the hatchback died at the scene.

Driver of the SUV, a 52-yearold man, was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition.

Officers from Tuggerah Lakes

Police District established a crime scene with Crash Investigation Unit officers undertaking inquiries.

Anyone with information about this incident, or dashcam footage, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at nsw. crimestoppers.com.au.

Source: Tuggerah Lakes Police

Police are calling on assistance from the community to locate a missing woman from Toukley.

Jamilla Humphrey, aged 51, was last seen around 12pm on Sunday, October 30 when she was leaving a property in Moss Ave, Toukley.

She is described as 180cm tall, of caucasian appearance, with light brown hair and blue/ grey eyes.

There is concern for her

welfare because Humphrey has not returned home or contacted family. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw. crimestoppers.com.au.

The Missing Persons report number is E 91750064.

Source: Tuggerah Lakes Police

Source: NSW Police Media

Jamilla Humphrey

Great strides since the 1960s … not

Everybody should read the “Six Cities Region Discussion Paper” that is up for public discussion (“Six Cities consultation too rushed, says CEN”, CCN 365).

It will make them aware of how futile this exercise is.

Anybody who can wade through the 68 pages of platitudes and obfuscations that pass for a discussion paper will emerge no wiser than when he/she started.

About the only thing that can be argued is whether we want the whole urbanized coastal strip treated as a single integrated region or prefer the present piecemeal and chaotic approach that has brought us

FORUM

See Page 2 for address and contribution conditions.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of the newspaper

to the point we’re at now.

I dearly wish that I had kept my copies of the “Sydney Region Outline Plan 19702000: a Strategy for Development” (State Planning Authority, March 1968) and “Sydney Region Outline Plan 1980” (NSW Planning and

Gosford Waterfront

I would just like to say on this subject, that this is not a great way to spend rate payers’ money when the rest of the council area has fallen into disrepair.

It appears that all the focus is on Gosford nowadays when it comes to spending money.

The so-called Central Coast Council should represent the

whole area, not just Gosford.

The Gosford waterfront only attracts a small minority of tourists to the area compared to the ocean front regions.

Spend the money on the people who pay the rates.

Email, 30 Oct Brad Godfey

Environment Commission), so that we could see exactly what intellectual advances our politicians have made over the past 50 years or so.

My recollection is that the proposals made in 1968 don’t differ markedly from the nebulous ideas now being put forward as the solution to all our problems.

Of course, the statistics have changed, there are more coloured diagrams of not much import, and the word “vibrant” is bandied about with gay abandon, but of hard thinking about what is actually required there is very little evidence.

The danger of anybody’s responding to the invitation to comment is that it will allow the

authorities to say that the public participated and that all relevant submissions were taken into account.

On the other hand, if nobody comments, the authorities will be able to say that there was absolutely no negative feedback on the proposals which are, therefore, taken to be fully acceptable.

Of course, the entire process is “a political sham”, as Gary Chestnut says: that is the whole point of the exercise.

This time, I intend to keep my copy of the document, so that I can review it again in 50 years and see what strides we have made.

Email, 31 Oct Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy

Thank you for printing my letters – it is amazing what a letter can do.

The large potholes on George Downes Drive have been fixed and, now, I must also say thank you very much to the team of workers from Mangrove Mountain Depot for the good work.

Thank you Trolley woes

FORUM FORUMFORUM

I note that Coles has dispensed with its smaller trolleys, forcing me to reach down even further for the few items that I have (I have a slipped disc).

Given that there is some psychological pressure to fill the trolley, is this some devious plot to increase sales, or something more innocuous?

Dear Dave, we have investigated and found Coles’ trolleys to be very functional and their staff to be very friendly and helpful - no sign of any devious plots anywhere. CCN

Now all we need is Mangrove

Mountain Depot to come out and grade Walkers Ridge, as it is now becoming unsafe, especially considering that there are a lot of mothers taking their children to catch the school bus.

Email, 31 Oct Christine & John Woods

Email, 31 Oct Dave Horsfall, North Gosford

Lakes Festival lights up the region

Quilts thank veterans for their service

As Remembrance Day approaches, the DoyalsonWyee RSL Sub-Branch Auxiliary has been busy making Thankyou for your Service quilts in support of veterans and their families.

The quilts were handed to RSLNSW HQ to pass on to veterans in need.

A total of 11 quilts were donated.

The auxiliary has also donated several quilts, laundry bags and back packs to Ronald

McDonald House, Gosford antenatal ward, Wyong Hospital, Battered Women’s Refuge and Westmead Children’s Hospital to name just a few.

In addition, the DoyalsonWyee RSL sub-branch also sends monetary donations to the local schools within the district to help them with their commemorative events.

The auxiliary is open to any person and comprises men and women who work to raise funds for the wellbeing of

current and ex-serving members of the ADF and their families.

They visit veterans in hospitals and aged care facilities, assist with subbranch commemoration activities and cater for subbranch events.

If you are interested in volunteering with the auxiliary you can either contact the subbranch at doyalsonsubbranch@ doylo.com.au or visit the subbranch on a Wednesday or Friday morning at the Doyalson

RSL club.

If you are a veteran (any person who has served in the Australian Defence Force for more than one day or a family member of a veteran and need assistance, you can contact your local RSL sub-branch which will work with you and provide assistance or place you in contact with any of the government services.

Harlisha makes finals of smartphone film competition

A documentary by Point Frederick resident Harlisha Newie-Joe has been announced as a finalist in the SF3 (SmartFone Flick Fest) Online festival for films made on smartphones.

Newie-Joe’s film, Roots, has been named as a Gala Finalist with $50,000 in prizemoney up for grabs and will also compete against two other First Nations finalists for a $7,000 prize from Dolby.

Founded in Sydney, SF3 – in which each film must be entirely created using only a smart phone or tablet – will bring a variety of films to the world through online screenings from November 5-20.

Newie-Joe, who is a student at the NAISDA Dance College,

said her film is about tracing her lineage back to her ancestors (Samoan, Niuean and Torres Strait Islander).

“(I am) tracing back to the people and their journey, as they are the reason behind my existence – the blood flowing through my veins, the reason my heart beats,” she said.

“(They are) the story behind my skin, my hair, my eyes, my smile.

“I am the representation of my ancestors; I carry their stories while also creating my own.

“I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without their sacrifices, love and strength.”

Festival Co-Founder Ali Crew said smartphone film-making is refined and rough at the same time.

“That is what makes it so deeply engaging to watch,” she said.

“We are seeing these incredible stories from all corners of the earth, beautifully told and all being shot on these

small and highly accessible cameras.”

The festival has attracted record-breaking numbers of entries from all over the world as it celebrates its eighth year.

SF3 received more than 300

entries this year including from new sources, such as Kenya and Nigeria where festival cofounder/director Angela Blake conducted extensive zoom masterclasses.

Other new entrants included

some from China as well as host of politically-charged films from Central and South America.

As always, there was incredible work from around Australia as well as the USA, UK, France and further afield.

The Gala Finals will be held on Saturday, November 5, at the Actors Centre Australia in Leichhardt, with top Australian director of films such as Red Dog and Slim & I, Kriv Stenders, set to deliver a masterclass on November 13.

For more information, visit www.sf3.com.au.

Tickets to screenings and masterclasses are available through Eventbrite.

Sustainability festival at Mingara

The inaugural Sustainable Future Festival will be held at Mingara Recreation Club from November 11-13, offering a sea of sustainability designed to celebrate all things waste related.

Forming part of The Lakes Festival, the new event will offer something for everyone with a jam-packed program full of environmentally friendly educational activities, displays and competitions.

Central Coast Council Director Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff, said the event aims to educate and inspire residents on how to live more sustainably.

“Council is thrilled to partner with its waste collection contractor Cleanaway to deliver an event that not only brings community members together to learn about all things sustainability, but also offers handy tips and tricks on how we can all minimise our carbon footprint and keep our region’s coastline as beautiful as ever,” Bolgoff said.

“The festival will see a special guest appearance from former The Block stars and Central Coast locals, Kyal and Kara on Saturday, November 12.

“The pair will join a discussion panel on how to reuse items already in your home, before hosting an interactive demonstration on repurposing furniture.”

Leading scientist and environmental activist, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, will also join the event on Sunday, November 13, offering eager festival-goers advice on how to contribute to creating a more sustainable future and reduce our carbon footprint.

Council Administrator Rik Hart said Central Coast residents have shown over the years that they are passionate about reducing the amount of household waste that ends up in landfill.

“This terrific event offers the perfect opportunity for locals to learn first-hand from the experts on how to live more sustainably, and what simple steps can be

taken at home to reduce our carbon footprint,” Hart said.

“I encourage residents to check out all this fantastic new event has to offer and help support the local businesses taking part.”

Further festival highlights include: performances from Junkyard Beats; an out of this world Waste Maze; a Christmas waste prevention seminar from Take 3 For the Sea; Secrets of the Sea artwork by Minka Gillian; beeswax demonstrations; a daily welcome to country from Girri Girra; waste fighting duo The Super Sustainables and their nemesis, The Rubbish Rebel; and a new, interactive sustainable education vehicle.

The Sustainable Future Festival will take place from November 11-13, at Mingara Recreation Club, with gates open from 9am until 4pm each day.

For further information and to see the full event program visit 1coast.com.au

Source: Media release, Oct 30 Doyalson-Wyee RSL Sub-Branch Auxiliary

The Army quilt made by the auxiliary

Source: Media release, Nov 2 SF3

A scene from Roots

Edible Garden Trail comes to the Coast

The Central Coast will host its very first Edible Garden Trail on November 19-20, with more than 35 garden hosts and their families volunteering their time and opening their gardens to visitors.

Ticket holders will be able to view a broad range of gardens growing healthy, chemical-free food put together by hosts who hold a wealth of wisdom and knowledge gained from collective years of practical experience.

One of the gardens on show will be the Earth Driven Collective at Empire Bay.

“I grow all of the seedlings in my nursery and greenhouse and love watching the cycle,” owner Lorrae Clugston said.

“In terms of a specific process with planting, I don’t have one.

“I literally just chuck it in wherever and see what I learn from it.

“Has it flourished? Why? What parts of the plant can be eaten? Is it medicinal? How can I cook/work with it? Can I save the seed?

“My garden is an everevolving part of my mental health growth and I’m excited to keep learning through

Kelly Feetam from Little Feet Gourmet – a market garden at Ourimbah – said their growing style is traditional, no-till, organic market gardening with no chemical sprays or synthetic fertilisers.

“We grow from seed, companion plant using herbs and have started introducing flowers to encourage beneficial insects,” she said.

“We’ve had a number of challenges including a major flood events, damaging hail and drought but you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward, learning every

day.”

Barbara Roach, co-creator of the Gwandalan and Summerland Point Community Garden, said the point of the garden was is to teach people to feed themselves organically.

“This includes trying to get children interested in food growing,” she said.

“Very little of our community garden is new; most of it is from used items that we have picked up here and there.

“I designed the garden and structures in it around the sun and shade areas.”

Also, on view on the day will be Charlotte’s Coastal Patch at

Copacabana.

“We have planted the street verge and welcome anyone passing by to help themselves to herbs and chillies,” Charlotte Morgan said.

“We feel passionately that verges should be planted and encouraged in every community.

“Having a veggie patch out the front is very social; walkers always stop for a chat and are interested to know what’s happening in the garden.”

At the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail there will be something for everyone from tiny balcony potted gardens to shared street gardens,

abundant backyard plots and larger gardens incorporating food forests, wheelchair accessible gardens and gardens incorporating Indigenous foods and cultural practices.

Presented by Permaculture Central Coast, the trail will showcase permaculture principles in action.

Permaculture is centred around the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share and has been derived from Indigenous knowledge and practices.

Visitors will be encouraged to learn how to: eliminate harmful practices from their garden;

improve the biodiversity of life above and below the ground in their garden; start growing and eating nutrient dense food that is seasonal and as fresh as it gets; and source their food locally and seasonally via a printed Local Food Guide produced for the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail.

The guide is a comprehensive list of local farmers, co-ops, produce swaps and roadside stalls who are using organic and regenerative practices, including when and where their products are available.

Tickets for the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail are available through Humanitix.

Ticket holders will have access to 34 private gardens.

A number of community gardens and public spaces will also be opening on the day and welcoming visitors free of charge.

For more information, keep an eye on the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail Facebook page.

Mother Nature and Permaculture.”

Source: Media

Charlotte’s Coastal Patch at Copacabana

ABC (C20/21)

6:00 News Breakfast [s]

9:00 ABC News Mornings [s]

10:00 Q+A (PG) [s]

11:10 Secrets Of The Museum [s]

12:00 ABC News At Noon [s]

1:00 Significant Others (M d,l) [s]

1:50 Death In Paradise (PG) [s]

2:45 Poh’s Kitchen [s]

3:15 Gardening Australia [s]

4:15 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (PG) [s]

5:00 Back Roads (PG) [s]

5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) [s]

6:00 The Drum [s]

7:00 ABC News [s]

7:30 Gardening Australia [s] Costa and Josh meet at a community farm and Millie tours regional biodiversity links.

8:30 Frankly (PG) [s]

9:10 All Creatures Great And Small (PG) [s]

9:55 Fisk (M v) [s]

10:25 Annika (M l) [s]

11:10 ABC Late News [s]

11:30 rage (MA15+) [s]

Moth Catcher

Murders: The Killings Of Copenhagen

British Stole

Sydney

Of The Museum

7:00 ABC News [s]

7:30 Doc Martin (PG) [s]

8:20 The Capture (M l) [s]

9:20 Significant Others (M d,l) [s]

10:10 Des (M l) [s]

11:00 Silent Witness: Brother’s Keeper (Part 2) (M v) [s]

12:00 rage (MA15+) [s]

PRIME (C61/60)

6:00 Sunrise [s]

9:00 The Morning Show [s]

11:30 Seven Morning News [s]

12:00 Movie: “A Trick Of The Mind” (M v) (’06) Stars: Alexandra Holden, Paul Johansson

2:00 House Of Wellness (PG) [s]

3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s]

4:00 Seven News At 4 [s]

5:00 Program To Be Advised 6:00 Seven News [s]

7:00 Better Homes And Gardens

8:30 Movie: “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (PG) (’15) – As the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has only a single remaining vacancy, posing a rooming predicament for two fresh arrivals, Sonny pursues his expansionist dream of opening a second hotel. Stars: Dame Judi Dench, Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Danny Mahoney, David Strathairn

11:00 Australia’s Got Talent (PG) [s] 1:00 Home Shopping

6:00 Home Shopping

7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s]

10:00 The Morning ShowWeekend [s]

12:00 Seven’s Horse Racing: Rosehill/ Doomben *Live* [s] 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s]

7:30 Movie: “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” (PG) (’92) – One year after Kevin McCallister was left home alone and had to defeat a pair of bumbling burglars, he accidentally finds himself stranded in New York City - and the same criminals are not far behind. Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern

9:40 Movie: “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” (PG) (’92) Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci

12:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 Weekend Sunrise [s] 10:00 The Morning ShowWeekend (PG) [s]

12:00 House Of Wellness (PG) [s] 1:00 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) [s] 1:30 Cricket: Womens Big Bash League: Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Thunder *Live* From Blundstone Arena [s]

NINE (C81/80)

6:00 Today [s]

9:00 Today Extra [s]

11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Before I Fall” (M l) (’17) Stars: Zoey Deutch 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 6:00 NINE News [s]

7:00 Cricket: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Australia v Afghanistan *Live* From Adelaide Oval [s] 10:00 Movie: “Atomic Blonde” (MA15+) (’17) – An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents. Stars: Charlize Theron 12:15 Reported Missing: George (M l) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:00 Religious Programs 4:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Drive TV [s] 6:30 Getaway (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Today [s] 10:00 Today Extra Saturday [s] 12:00 Our State On A Plate (PG) [s] 12:30 Rivals (PG) [s] 1:00 Drive TV [s] 1:30 Cross Court [s] 2:00 My Way (PG) [s] 2:30 Reel Destinations [s] 3:00 The Block (PG) [s] 4:30 The Garden Gurus [s] 5:00 NINE News: First At Five [s] 5:30 Getaway (PG) [s] 6:00 NINE News Saturday [s] 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 7:30 Movie: “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle” (PG) (’17) Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart 9:50 Movie: “Central Intelligence” (M l,s,v) (’16) Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart 12:00 Movie: “Begin Again” (M l) (’13) Stars: Keira Knightley 2:00 Home Shopping 5:30 Skippy - The Bush Kangaroo

TEN (C10) SBS (C30)

6:00 The Talk [s]

7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s]

7:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 8:00 10 News First [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 1:00 The Living Room [s] 2:00 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 Farm To Fork [s] 4:00 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Living Room (PG) [s] 8:30 The Graham Norton Show (M) [s]

9:30 Have You Been Paying Attention? (M l,s) [s] 10:30 Road To The Melbourne Cup Carnival [s]

11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show (PG) [s]

6:00 Reel Action [s]

6:30 Religious Programs [s]

7:00 All 4 Adventure [s]

8:00 Road To The Melbourne Cup Carnival [s] 8:30 The Living Room (PG) [s] 9:30 Studio 10: Saturday [s]

12:00 Horse Racing: VRC Champions Stakes Day *Live* From Flemington Racecourse 6:00 10 News First [s]

7:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) [s]

7:30 Blue Bloods: Ghosted (M) [s] – Jamie begs Erin to release a perp who can lead him to a powerful criminal, and Eddie’s partner vandalises her car.

8:30 CSI: Vegas: Story Of A Gun (M v) [s]

9:30 NCIS: Unearth (M) [s]

10:30 My Life Is Murder (M) [s]

11:30 The Cheap Seats (M l) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping 4:30 Authentic (PG) [s] 5:00 Religious Programs [s]

5:00 Worldwatch 9:00 Peer To Peer (PG)

10:00 Incredible Homes (PG) 11:00 Hugh’s Wild West (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch

2:00 Apocalypse - The Second World War: Crushing Defeat (PG)

3:00 NITV News: Nula 3:40 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG)

4:10 Portillo’s Greatest Railway Journeys: Railways And Royalty (PG)

5:05 Jeopardy! (PG)

5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG)

6:30 SBS World News

7:35 Secrets Of The Lost Liners: Cap Arcona (PG)

8:30 Good With Wood (PG)

9:25 World’s Greatest Hotels: The Peninsula (PG)

10:15 SBS World News Late 10:45 Das Boot (MA15+) (In German/ English)

5:00 Worldwatch 9:00 Britain’s Great Outdoors

10:00 The World From Above (PG)

11:00 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Dogs (PG)

12:00 Worldwatch

2:00 Figure Skating: ISU Grand Prix Canada

4:00 Ballroom Fit 4:05 Wheelchair Sports 4:10 Dr Russell’s Imaginarium (PG)

4:45 I’m Not A Runner (PG) 5:50 Lost Home Movies Of Nazi Germany: Nemesis (PG) 6:30 SBS World News

7:35 Michael Palin - Travels Of A Lifetime (PG)

8:25 Secrets Of The Royal Palaces: Kensington (PG)

9:20 Secrets Of The Pyramids (PG)

10:10 Celebrity Letters And Numbers (PG)

11:10 Movie: “The Front Runner” (M) (’18) Stars: Hugh Jackman

[s]

Antiques Roadshow [s]

Frankly (PG) [s]

ABC News Sunday [s]

Inside The Sydney Opera House (PG) [s]

Significant Others (M d,l) [s]

Silent Witness: Matters Of Life And Death (Part 1) (M n,v) [s]

The Cry (M l) [s]

5:00 Seven News At 5 [s] 5:30 Sydney Weekender [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Australia’s Got Talent: Semi-Final 1 (PG) [s] 8:45 Armed And Dangerous: Breakouts (M) [s] 10:05 Monster Mansion - Evil Behind Bars (M) [s] 11:15 Born To Kill?: Thor Nis Christiansen (M) [s]

12:15 Behave Yourself (PG) [s] 1:15 Medical Emergency (PG) [s] 2:00 Home Shopping

6:00 Rivals [s] 6:30 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 7:00 Weekend Today [s] 10:00 Sports Sunday (PG) [s] 11:00 Reel Destinations [s] 11:30 Fishing Australia [s] 12:00 Great Australian Detour [s] 12:30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo (PG) [s] 1:30 Spy In The Wild (PG) [s] 2:40 The Block: Landscape Reveal (PG) [s] 4:00 Bondi Vet (PG) [s] 5:00 NINE News: First At Five [s] 5:30 RBT: Surprise (PG) [s] 6:00 NINE News Sunday [s] 7:00 The Block: Auction Episode (PG) [s] 8:50 60 Minutes (PG) [s] 9:50 NINE News Late [s] 10:20 The First 48: Fighting Chance (M v) [s] 11:20 Killer Couples: Monserrate Shirley And Mark Leonard (MA15+) [s] 12:10 Tipping Point (PG) [s]

6:00 Religious Programs [s] 8:00 The Living Room [s] 9:00 Luca’s Key Ingredient [s] 9:30 Studio 10: Sunday (PG) [s] 12:00 The Traitors (PG) [s] 1:10 My Market Kitchen [s] 1:30 Good Chef Bad Chef [s] 2:00 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield [s] 2:30 Freshly Picked With Simon Toohey [s] 3:00 Cook With Luke [s] 3:30 Farm To Fork (PG) [s] 4:00 Well Traveller (PG) [s] 4:30 Taste Of Australia With Hayden Quinn [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Traitors (PG) [s] 9:10 NCIS: Hawaii: Stolen Valor (M v) [s] 10:10 FBI: Discord (M v) [s] 11:00 The Sunday Project (PG) [s] 12:00 Home Shopping 4:30 CBS Mornings [s]

5:00 Worldwatch – NHK World English News Morning 5:15 Worldwatch Continues 9:00 Britain’s Great Outdoors

10:00 The World From Above (PG)

11:00 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Dogs (PG)

12:00 Worldwatch 1:00 Motor Sports: Speedweek 3:00 Football: Countdown To Qatar 4:00 Sportswoman: Nadia Nadim 4:30 Figure Skating: ISU Grand Prix Canada 5:30 Ascot Kayaking 5:35 ETOA - A Kokoda Track Story (PG) (In English/ Tok Pisin)

6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Curse Of The Ancients: Middle Ages (PG) 8:30 King Tut - Allies And Enemies (PG) 10:30 Sex And Sensibility (MA15+) 11:25 Planet Expedition (PG) 2:00 America’s Great Divide: Obama To Trump (M)

ABC (C20/21)

6:00 News Breakfast [s]

9:00 ABC News Mornings [s]

10:00 Landline [s]

11:00 Antiques Roadshow [s]

12:00 ABC News At Noon [s]

1:00 Rosehaven (PG) [s]

1:30 Poh’s Kitchen Lends A Hand

2:00 Parliament Question Time [s]

3:00 Gardening Australia [s]

4:10 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (PG) [s]

5:00 Back Roads (PG) [s]

5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) [s]

6:00 The Drum [s]

7:00 ABC News [s]

7:30 7.30 (PG) [s]

8:00 Australian Story (PG) [s]

8:30 Four Corners (PG) [s]

9:20 Media Watch (PG) [s]

9:35 Planet America [s]

10:05 Parkinson In Australia: 1983: Bill Hunter, Cliff Young, John Newcombe (PG) [s]

10:55 ABC Late News [s]

11:10 The Business [s]

11:25 Q+A [s]

PRIME (C61/60)

6:00 Sunrise [s]

9:00 The Morning Show [s]

11:30 Seven Morning News [s]

12:00 Movie: “Chris Watts: Confessions Of A Killer” (M v) (’20) Stars: Sean Kleier

2:00 World’s Deadliest: Sink Swim Slide Capsize (PG) [s]

3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s]

4:00 Seven News At 4 [s]

5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) [s]

6:00 Seven News [s]

7:00 Home And Away (PG) [s]

7:30 This Is Your Life: Rebecca Gibney (PG) [s] 9:20 9-1-1: Henren Begins (M) [s] Hen fears for Karen’s life when an explosion rocks her science lab on the day she brings Denny to work with her.

10:20 S.W.A.T.: Positive Thinking (M v) [s]

11:20 The Latest Seven News [s] 11:50 Heartbreak Island Australia (M l) [s]

1:00 Home Shopping

6:00 Sunrise [s]

9:00 The Morning Show [s]

11:30 Seven Morning News [s]

12:00 Movie: “My Daughter Must Live” (M v) (’14) – Desperate to find a liver donor for her child, a woman tries to track down the girl’s biological father. Stars: Joelle Carter

2:00 Police: Hour Of Duty (PG) [s]

3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s]

4:00 Seven News At 4 [s]

[s]

6:00 The Drum [s]

7:00 ABC News [s]

7:30 7.30 [s]

8:00 Stuff The British Stole (PG) [s]

8:30 Magda’s Big National Health Check (M l) [s]

9:30 Jeffrey Smart [s]

10:30 People’s Republic Of Mallacoota: That’s A Lot Of Sausage Sizzles (M l) [s]

11:00 ABC Late News [s]

11:15 The Business [s]

(PG)

Question

Australia

Clarke’s Amazing

(PG)

Would I Lie To You? (PG) [s]

10:00 The Witchfinder (MA15+) [s]

10:35 ABC Late News [s]

10:50 The Business [s]

11:05 Inside The Sydney Opera House (PG) [s]

12:05 Marcella (M l,v) [s]

5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Home And Away (PG) [s]

7:30 Kitchen Nightmares Australia: Café De Vie (PG) [s] 8:35 The Good Doctor: Growth Opportunities (M v) [s]

9:35 10 Years Younger In 10 Days: Lucie And Taryn (M) [s]

10:35 The Latest Seven News [s]

11:05 Chicago Fire: Hot And Fast (M) [s]

12:05 The Resident: Peking Duck Day (M) [s]

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show [s]

11:30 Seven Morning News [s]

12:00 Movie: “His Perfect Obsession” (M v) (’18) Stars: Arianne Zucker, Ali Skovbye 2:00 Police: Hour Of Duty (M v) [s] 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Home And Away (PG) [s] 7:30 Hey Hey We’re 50 (PG) [s] –Hosted by Daryl Somers, the one-off special event Hey Hey It’s 50 Years celebrates the 50th anniversary of the launch of Australia’s longest-running and most-loved variety/ comedy show.

9:15 Air Crash Investigations: North Sea Nightmare (PG) [s] 10:15 The Latest Seven News [s] 10:45 The Amazing Race (PG) [s] 11:45 Motorway Patrol (PG) [s] 12:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Sunrise [s] 9:00 The Morning Show [s] 11:30 Seven Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Body Heat” (M l,n,s) (’81) – In the midst of a searing Florida heat wave, a woman persuades her lover, a smalltown lawyer, to murder her rich husband. Stars: Kathleen Turner, William Hurt, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston, Mickey Rourke

2:00 Kochie’s Business Builders

2:30 Border Security International (PG) [s]

NINE (C81/80)

6:00 Today [s] 9:00 Today Extra [s] 11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] 12:00 The Block: Auction Episode (PG) [s] 1:50 Talking Honey (PG) [s] 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 6:00 NINE News [s]

7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 7:30 My Mum, Your Dad: We’re Like The FBI Right Now (M) [s] 9:10 Under Investigation: Bad Faith (M) [s] 10:10 Suburban Gangsters: The Armed Robbers (M) [s] 11:10 NINE News Late [s] 11:40 The Equalizer: Glory (M v) [s]

12:30 Emergence: Killshot (Part 2) (M v) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:00 Religious Programs 4:30 A Current Affair (PG) [s]

6:00 Today [s]

9:00 Today Extra [s]

11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s]

12:00 My Mum, Your Dad: We’re Like The FBI Right Now (M) [s]

1:50 Talking Honey (PG) [s]

2:00 Pointless (PG) [s]

3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s]

4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s]

6:00 NINE News [s]

7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s]

7:30 My Mum, Your Dad: This Might Get A Little Weird (M) [s] 9:10 Travel Guides: Red Centre (PG) [s] We are heading to the Red Centre for Australia’s most iconic holiday.

10:10 Botched: Cross-Eyed Nips And Cartel Hips (MA15+) [s]

11:10 NINE News Late [s]

11:40 Skin A&E (M v) [s]

12:40 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:00 Religious Programs 4:30 A Current Affair (PG) [s]

6:00 Today [s] 9:00 Today Extra [s] 11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] 12:00 My Mum, Your Dad: This Might Get A Little Weird (M) [s] 1:50 Talking Honey (PG) [s] 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 6:00 NINE News [s] 7:00 Cricket: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Semi-Final *Live* From The SCG [s]

10:00 NINE News Late [s] 10:30 Program To Be Advised 11:30 Family Law: Under The Influence (M s) [s] Abby and Daniel represent a woman whose divorce gets ugly when her ex-husband accuses her of being in a cult.

12:30 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:00 Religious Programs 4:30 A Current Affair (PG) [s]

TEN (C10) SBS (C30)

6:00 The Talk [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 8:00 10 News First [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 1:00 The Traitors (PG) [s] 2:40 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s]

3:30 My Market Kitchen [s]

4:00 Farm To Fork [s]

4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Traitors (M) [s] 8:40 Have You Been Paying Attention? (M) [s] 9:40 Ghosts: The Tree (M) [s]

10:10 Peter Helliar: Loopy (MA15+) [s]

11:25 The Project (PG) [s] 12:25 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s]

1:30 Home Shopping

6:00 The Talk [s]

7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s]

7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s]

8:00 10 News First [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s]

12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s]

1:00 The Traitors (M) [s]

2:10 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:30 Good Chef Bad Chef [s]

3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s]

3:30 My Market Kitchen [s]

4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s]

5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s]

7:30 The Dog House Australia (PG) [s]

8:30 The Cheap Seats (PG) [s]

9:30 NCIS: Leave No Trace (M v) [s]

10:30 NCIS: First Steps (M v) [s]

11:30 The Project (PG) [s]

12:30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s]

1:30 Home Shopping

6:00 The Talk [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s]

8:00 10 News First [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 1:00 The Real Love Boat Australia (PG) [s] 2:00 Entertainment Tonight [s] 2:30 Good Chef Bad Chef [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s] 4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 The Dog House Australia (PG) [s] 8:30 The Real Love Boat Australia (PG) [s]

10:00 My Life Is Murder (M) [s] 11:00 The Project (PG) [s] 12:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s]

5:00 Worldwatch 9:15 The Peer To Peer (PG)

10:10 Incredible Homes (PG) 11:10 Hugh’s Wild West (PG) 12:10 Worldwatch 2:00 Apocalypse - The Second World War (PG) (In English/ French/ German)

3:00 Journey Through Albania: Albania Through The Eyes Of A Foreign Citizen

3:40 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:10 Empire With Michael Portillo (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG)

5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG) 6:30 SBS World News

7:30 Celebrity Letters And Numbers (M)

8:30 Scotland’s Extreme Medics (M l) 9:25 24 Hours In Emergency: Miracles (M) 10:25 SBS World News Late

5:00 Worldwatch 9:05 Peer To Peer (PG)

10:00 Incredible Homes (PG) 11:00 Hugh’s Wild West (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch 2:00 Apocalypse - The Second World War (PG) (In English/ French/ German)

3:00 Journey Through Albania: A Typical Day In Albania

3:35 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG)

4:05 Empire With Michael Portillo (PG)

5:05 Jeopardy! (PG)

5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG) 6:30 SBS World News

7:30 Great Coastal Railway Journeys: Port Talbot To Pembrey Burry Port/ Carmarthen To Pembroke (PG)

8:30 The Cleaning Company (M) 10:05 The Artist’s View: Olivia Newton-John (M d,l,s)

10:35 SBS World News Late

5:00 Worldwatch 9:05 Peer To Peer (PG) 10:00 Incredible Homes (PG) 11:00 Hugh’s Wild West (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch 2:00 Apocalypse - The Second World War (PG) (In English/ French/ German)

3:00 Journey Through Albania: Albanian Handicrafts In Kruja

3:40 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG)

4:10 Empire With Michael Portillo (PG)

5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG) 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Charles - The New King (M) 8:30 Stolen - Catching The Art Thieves (M)

9:35 Nine Perfect Strangers: Wheels On The Bus (MA15+) 10:25 SBS World News Late 10:55 No Man’s Land (MA15+) (In French/ Arabic/ English)

7.30 [s]

You Can’t Ask That: Carnies And Show People (M l) [s]

Q+A [s]

Kurt Fearnley’s One Plus One: Judith Lucy [s]

Stuff The British Stole (M) [s]

ABC Late News [s]

3:00 The Chase UK (PG) [s] 4:00 Seven News At 4 [s] 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) [s] 6:00 Seven News [s] 7:00 Home And Away (PG) [s] 8:30 Kath & Kim: Holiday/ Fame/ Work/ Environment (PG) [s] 10:50 The Latest Seven News [s] 11:20 Autopsy USA: Lucille Ball (M d) [s]

12:30 Home Shopping

6:00 Today [s] 9:00 Today Extra [s] 11:30 NINE’s Morning News [s] 12:00 Movie: “Sinister Savior" (M v) (’20) Stars: Marci Miller, Kelly Blatz, Rosa Blasi, Lew Temple 1:50 Talking Honey (PG) [s] 2:00 Pointless (PG) [s] 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News [s] 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat [s] 6:00 NINE News [s] 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) [s] 7:30 RBT: Flying By (PG) [s] 8:30 Paramedics (M) [s] 9:30 A+E After Dark (M) [s] 10:30 NINE News Late [s] 11:00 The First 48: Soldier Down/ Blood Vendetta (M) [s] 11:50 Pure Genius: Not Your Grandmother’s Robotic Surgery (M) [s] 12:40 Tipping Point (PG) [s] 1:30 Home Shopping 4:00 Religious Programs 4:30 A Current Affair (PG) [s]

6:00 The Talk [s] 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 7:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s] 8:00 10 News First [s] 8:30 Studio 10 (PG) [s] 12:00 Dr Phil (M) [s] 1:00 The Real Love Boat Australia (PG) [s] 2:30 Entertainment Tonight [s] 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) [s] 3:30 My Market Kitchen [s]

4:00 Farm To Fork [s] 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) [s]

5:00 10 News First [s] 6:30 The Project (PG) [s] 7:30 Ambulance Australia (PG) [s] 8:30 The Real Love Boat Australia (PG) [s]

9:30 Program To Be Advised 10:30 Program To Be Advised 11:30 The Project (PG) [s]

12:30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) [s]

1:30 Home Shopping

5:00 Worldwatch 9:00 Peer To Peer (PG)

10:00 Incredible Homes (PG)

11:00 Hugh’s Wild West (PG)

12:00 Worldwatch

2:00 Apocalypse - The Second World War: Inferno (PG) (In English/ French/ German)

3:00 Journey Through Albania: Living In Up In Lezha

3:35 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG)

4:10 Empire With Michael Portillo (PG)

5:05 Jeopardy! (PG)

5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG)

6:30 SBS World News

7:30 Dishing It Up (PG)

8:00 Guillaume’s Paris (PG)

8:30 World’s Most Scenic River Journeys: The Neopolitan Line, Italy (PG)

9:30 The Handmaid’s Tale: Safe (PG) 10:30 SBS World News Late

Nominations

Community Environment Network

FROG ID WEEK - FROG SPOTTING NIGHT

FrogID Week is Australia’s Biggest Frog Count, held annually for Australians

through the free FrogID app, as a

of

their

distributions over time, helping us to understand how

health and distribution around the nation. It aims to

are responding to a changing planet.

When: Saturday 19th November 2022

Time: 7

Where: COSS

Cost: FREE

•

•

•

•

9pm

event of part of the Friends of COSS project, with funding from Central Coast Council Protection of the Environment Trust

Makers Trail growing strongly

The Central Coast Makers Trail is growing strongly with four new attractions added to the popular tourist trail in October.

The four new artisan producers to join the ‘Central Coast Makers Trail’ were welcomed at an event held at the iconic Firescreek Winery in Holgate last Thursday evening.

Firescreek co-founder Nadia O’Connell put on a show that resembled an English garden party complete with a marque and live music by rising local talent Emma Powell.

The evening was stylishly MC’ed by Central Coast based actor, Marney McQueen, who amused the assembled crowd with stories and her notinconsiderable voice-over repertoire.

The new Makers are; Sydney

Oyster Farm Tours, Six Strings Brewing Company, Herbie’s Spices and Block ‘N Tackle Brewery.

These four new pit stops are for visitors and locals alike and

will be promoted by The Makers Trail through maps, editorials, advertising and social media postings.

The region-wide initiative is designed to help boost business

post-pandemic. By all accounts, the project is already a real winner with day trippers and local businesses alike.

The introduction of the four additional local businesses

complements the Trail’s existing offering, including award-winning cheeses, botanical wines, chocolate and nougat, crafted by boutique artisans and fine producers who call the Central Coast home.

The existing Makers Trail members have reported new business and greater profile in and around the Central Coast and Sydney areas.

The Makers Trail program is run through the successful Central Coast Industry Connect CCIC group and is partly funded by industry and both the State and Federal Governments.

“The Coast has a strong food and beverage manufacturing presence, contributing $1.4B in output to the region. CCIC has worked on this project for the past five years with Regional Development

Writing workshop for aspiring authors

Central Coast Library Service will partner with Words on the Waves Writing Festival to deliver a unique writing workshop for aspiring authors on Thursday, November 24, at Erina.

National Novel Writing Month is held annually and encourages participants to commit to writing a 50,000-word novel between November 1 and 30.

Participants can learn how to utilise the NaNoWriMo approach to maximise writing productivity with bestselling

author of The Safe Place and The Shadow House, Anna Downes.

They will also gain insight into Downes’s tried and true preparatory tactics.

Downes grew up in Sheffield, UK.

She studied drama at the University of Manchester before winning a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and moving to London to pursue an acting career that included credits in EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, and Dalziel and Pascoe, as well as a long-

running stage production of The Dresser in London’s West End.

Her internationally bestselling debut novel, The Safe Place, was published simultaneously in Australia, the US and the UK in 2020 and was shortlisted for the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards.

Her second book, The Shadow House, was published in 2021 in Australia and New Zealand followed by publication in the UK and the USA in 2022.

Downes has written for the Sydney Morning Herald,

REVIEW

Sunday Life Magazine and CrimeReads, and her books have been translated into 10 different languages.

She now lives on the Central Coast with her husband and two children.

The workshop will be held from 6-8pm at Erina Library on November 24.

Bookings are essential by calling 4304 7650 or asking in your local library branch.

Australia Central Coast and our stakeholders, and to now see it being one step closer to reality is exciting and a great opportunity for the region,” CCIC Director Frank Sammut said.

This is a key element in the establishment of a Food and beverage manufacturing ecosystem in the region.”

The Trail’s growth is expected to consistently grow, following the Federal Budget’s recent confirmation of $17.2M allocated to the region, for its Food Manufacturing and Innovation Hub.

The Central Coast Makers Trail can be easily accessed at their dedicated website centralcoastmakerstrail.com. au

David Abrahams

The title of the book refers to a speech from Macbeth, which was Marx’s favourite speech.

When it came time to name the company Marx fought for Tomorrow Games.

But Sam and Sadie thought the name was “too soft”. Marx tries to explain, “What is a game?”

“It’s tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow.

It’s the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.”

But in the end Marx was overruled and the company name became, Unfair Games. But let’s go back to the

beginning, before there was a company to name.

Before there was a game there were “Sick Kids” (Chapter 1).

Before there was Mazer, there was Samson Masur.

He was in the hospital for one of the many surgeries to fix his foot, which broke in 27 places after a car accident, that also killed his mother.

Sadie was 11 and, in the hospital, because her older sister, Alice, had cancer.

Sadie had been banished from Alice’s room for suggesting that Alice would look good in a hat.

That suggestion led Alice on a tirade that ended with “This is why you don’t have any friends, Sadie Green!”

Author: Gabrielle Zevin Publisher: Vintage

A friendly nurse suggests Alice find the game room and, when she does, she finds a boy playing Super Mario Bros.

That boy is Samson Masur who shows Sadie how to get to the top of the flagpole.

A friendship is formed.

Sadie visits Sam for fourteen months.

A friendship ends.

Then, years later, Sam and Sadie meet again at a train station in Boston when Sam is at Harvard and Sadie at MIT.

Sadie tossed Sam a game she was working on and told him to play it.

Sam plays the game.

Sam gets his roommate Marx to play the game.

And so starts the beginning of a gaming empire, Unfair

Games.

Their first collaboration will be Go, Ichigo, Go.

It will make them rich.

It will break them apart.

This book tackles a lot of issue, gay marriage, sexism, homophobia, gun violence, disability, grief.

It is about relationship that blur the lines of reality and the virtual world – zooming in, then zooming out.

As Sadie says: “Lovers are common… True collaborators in this life are rare.”

My one criticism is that some of the sections go on too long.

Maybe as a non-gamer I didn’t appreciate the amount

of detail about developing a game, or the vast array and types of games.

I also didn’t connect with Sadie, the one female protagonist.

I really didn’t understand her issues with Sam.

And man, there were issues.

To say this is a book about gaming is to not do it justice, and frankly it is the reason I kept overlooking this book for so long.

Gaming is not my cup of tea.

A well written book with a great story and complex characters, that is my cup of tea.

Can’t say that this book will

make me take up gaming, but it did have me look up Baz Luhrmann’s, “Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen)”, spoken word set to music. Somehow, I missed that one in the late 90’s, it was even sixteen on Triple J’s Hottest 100. Seems like a lot of good advice there.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more.

It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

(Macbeth)

Source: Media release, Oct 27 Central Coast Council Author Anne Downes

Kim Reardon The Reluctant Book Critic

Encouraging more diverse housing, prioritising infrastructure delivery and revitalising the night-time economy are features of an updated vision for the Central Coast.

Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes, Anthony Roberts, has released the finalised Central Coast Regional Plan 2041, which will guide the region’s future over the next 20 years and responds to community feedback.

“With the region’s population expected to grow by almost 57,000 by 2041, there’s no surprise this booming community is facing housing pressures,” Roberts said.

“Our blueprint identifies

Business & Property

Regional plan for next 20 years on Coast revealed

actions to boost local housing stock, including encouraging innovative solutions such as tiny homes and 3D-printed housing, and establishing an Urban Development Program Committee to oversee the plan’s implementation.

“The Committee will also monitor the housing supply pipeline and facilitate infrastructure coordination to unlock development-ready land, enabling industry to build more homes in the right areas.

“The Central Coast is one of four areas where Urban Development Programs will be rolled out in response to recommendations made by the Regional Housing Taskforce, with Upper Hunter, Mid-Coast,

and the Canberra Region also set to benefit.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the plan includes initiatives to promote sustainability, improve the night-time economy, and enhance connections to public space.

“Meeting our net zero emissions by 2050 target will be prioritised in all planning decisions, as well as ensuring the daily needs of residents can be accessed within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from where they live, reducing reliance on cars,” Crouch said.

“It also highlights strategies to help Aboriginal communities better control the destiny of their land, direct development

away from important environmental areas, improve the water quality of Tuggerah Lakes, and expand the Coastal Open Space System.

“The finalised plan also includes objectives to revamp the Central Coast’s nightlife, such as offering more afterhours activities and allowing shops, cafes, galleries and museums to open their doors for longer in popular tourist towns.”

The document highlights nine priority areas: more jobs close to home; supporting the right of Aboriginal residents to economic self-determination; creating 15-minute neighbourhoods to support mixed, multi-modal, inclusive and vibrant communities; an inter connected

Central Coast without cardependent communities; nimble neighbourhoods, diverse housing and sequenced development; reaching net zero and increasing resilience and sustainable infrastructure; conservingheritage,landscapes, environmentally sensitive areas, waterways and drinking water catchments; planning for businesses and services at the heart of healthy, prosperous and innovative communities; and sustaining and balancing productive rural landscapes.

It highlights four major districts in the region; Narara, incorporating the regional capital of Gosford,the Peninsula, Lisarow, Terrigal and Avoca; Central Lakes, emerging as the primary growth front between

the Central Coast and Greater Newcastle; Tuggerah; and Watagan, encompassing the mountain ranges bordering the region.

A number of regionally significant growth areas have also been identified, including Somersby, Gosford City Centre, Morisset, Warnervale, Tuggerah,the newly established Karagi (the Aboriginal name for the narrow channel that divides the mainland and connects Tuggerah Lake to the ocean); and Central Coast Plateau.

To view the blueprint, visit https://www.planning.nsw. gov.au/centralcoast2041.

Warnervale has been named as one of the regionally significant growth areas

The city of Gosford is another regionally significant growth area

Source: Media release, Oct 27 NSW Government

Collaboration between all stakeholders in the progression of development on the Central Coast continues to improve, with Regional Development Australia Central Coast (RDACC) and the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA)

Bank merger set to go ahead in March

Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent are set to officially merge next March after members strongly voted in favour of the move to create one of Australia’s leading customer-owned banks.

The provisional results of Special General Meetings held on November 2 are undergoing final validation and if confirmed, will see the formation of a combined entity with more than $20B in total assets and approximately 600,000 customers, many of them on the Central Coast, benefiting from almost 200 years of combined operating history.

The merged organisation, Newcastle Greater Mutual

Group Ltd, will be led by a Board comprising four Directors from each of the current Greater Bank and Newcastle Permanent Boards.

Wayne Russell, Chair of Greater Bank, will assume the role of Chair and Bernadette Inglis, CEO of Newcastle Permanent, will be Group CEO.

Russell said both leadership teams were buoyed by the voting turnout.

“Creating a financial powerhouse based in the Hunter is an incredibly exciting prospect and I speak for both organisations when I say how proud we are that our members share our vision and voted a strong ‘yes’,” he said.

“Bringing together our two brands under the one merged

entity better positions us to compete with the major banks and deliver high value, competitive banking for our customers.

“Final validation of the votes is underway but we’re confident the provisional outcome will be confirmed, and the merger will proceed.”

Jeff Eather, Chair of Newcastle Permanent, said both banks had long championed customer-owned banking.

“The new organisation will have size and scale that we can leverage to grow our business over the longer term,” he said.

“We now have a strong springboard to take our way of banking to more Australians, while keeping skills and expertise, jobs and investment

Collaboration on developing the Coast

NSW hosting another successful Central Coast Developers Forum on October 27.

The fourth event in the productive and popular series saw government representatives, regional leaders and local developers

coming together to improve development and economic outcomes for the region.

RDACC Chair, Lawrie McKinna, said there had been a definite shift in increasing cooperation between Central Coast Council and local developers since the forums

began in 2021.

“We are pleased to have Council representatives present at each of these events and participate in discussions about the challenges and frustrations developers have traditionally experienced within our region,” he said.

“These forums have strengthened the relationship between government and industry here on the Central Coast; we heard updates about the progress that has been made between UDIA, Council, the Greater Cities Commission and local developers through ongoing discussions and meetings instigated by these forum events.”

The forum also featured presentations by UDIA NSW, the Greater Cities Commission

(GCC), the NSW Department Planning and Environment (DPE) and the Department Regional NSW (DRNSW).

RDACC CEO and Director Regional Development, John Mouland, says in addition to strengthening regional collaboration, the forums are an important avenue to share information and updates about the constantly evolving state of development on the Central Coast.

“The forums are an important source of knowledge sharing and help to strengthen the understanding for all participants of constraints and opportunities that exist across our region,” he said.

“The event provided updates on the Central Coast Regional Plan, the formation of the NSW

here.”

Once the votes have been finalised, both organisations will publish the results of the Special General Meetings on their respective websites.

The merger is planned to come into effect March 1, 2023, following final regulatory approvals.

Maintaining the branch network will remain a critical part of the new entity’s strategy moving forward.

There will be no change to customer bank accounts or banking details on merging.

Government’s Urban Development Program (UDP) Committee for the Coast, the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan (biocertification), and a number of other key factors that influence development here on the Coast.

“Looking ahead, the next Developer Forum is planned for early 2023 to continue the momentum we’ve achieved regarding improved development conditions, drivers for investment, job creation and ensuring there is adequate housing supply for our current and projected population growth”.

Source: Media release, Nov 2 Greater Bank and Newcastle United Permanent

New CEO Bernadette Inglis and new Chair Wayne Russell

Source: Media release, Oct 27 Regional Development Australia Central Coast

Central Coast Council has adjusted its Capital Works program budget to bring forward a number of shovel ready projects across the region.

An extraordinary meeting on October 31 heard that year-todate capital works expenditure to September 2022, came in at $28.0M – well under the $35.8M budget, due largely to delays in obtaining the DA for the Gosford Regional Library.

As a result, Council will bring forward projects totalling $9.4M, which will now be delivered this financial year.

Projects to be brought forward include: Woy Woy tennis court fence replacement; The Entrance Surf Life Saving Club concept design; Gosford pool filtration renewal; asphalt resurfacing program; road

Capital works projects brought forward

heavy patching; new Stormwater Gross Pollutant Trap Russell Drysdale St, East Gosford; Woongarrah Sports field Playspace upgrade; Hamlyn Terrace Sports Field playspace upgrade; Skyhawk Playspace upgrade; Mataram Ridge Park Playspace upgrade; and carpark upgrade design –James Browne Oval, Woy Woy.

CEO David Farmer said Council plans capital works to upgrade roads, water and sewer and other community infrastructure every year.

“While there is a timetable of project delivery, because of Council’s financial rigour on capital works planning, Council is able to be more agile to adjust the delivery of projects when the opportunity arises,” he said.

Administrator Rik Hart said

Council currently has 96 active projects being delivered through the Capital Works Program.

“Council is committed to delivering improvements the community wants to see, and I

am delighted the projects that have been bought forward are achieving that,” he said.

“The community can view any movement in the budget through our Monthly Finance Reports which are available on

Council’s website.

“This ensures transparency of Council’s financial management and keeps us accountable.”

The community can keep upto-date on all capital works project, by viewing the capital works infrastructure map on Council’s website.

“While the map shows the main capital works projects, hundreds more smaller jobs and routine maintenance tasks continue to be delivered every day by Council staff,” Farmer said.

To view the interactive map go to the ‘Capital Works Program Map’ page at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Meanwhile, Farmer noted that the Gosford Regional Library’s Development Application has now been

UDIA commends focus on housing supply

The Central Coast Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) has commended the focus on “development ready” housing supply in the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 which was publicly released on

October 27 by Minister for Planning and Homes, Anthony Roberts.

It is envisaged the region will grow to more than 404,250 people by 2041 and the Plan aims to facilitate that growth in a sustainable way by adapting

to future challenges posed by changes in climate, housing markets and the economy.

UDIA’s Central Coast Chairman Caine King said his organisation was looking forward to helping deliver on the Regional Plan’s vision for the Central Coast’s growing

h

r

population.

“The region is experiencing a surge in demand, and we just don’t have enough housing or employment land to meet the demand,” he said.

“With government investing in highway and rail upgrades, our fast pace of change is expected to accelerate, and it is critical to plan now for this growth to ensure the region can supply enough jobs and housing that is affordable for

the local population.”

King said the UDIA commended the Regional Plan’s focus on delivering development ready housing supply to address the Coast’s growing housing shortage, by having enough sites that are zoned, serviced with enabling infrastructure and have resolved biodiversity considerations.

The Regional Plan creates a new Urban Development

approved, with the project phased to commence construction this financial year.

Meanwhile, Council’s overall financial position continues to improve, with the crisis of 2016 now officially over.

Hart told the meeting that outstanding loans are now $307M.

They have been trending downwards since September, 2020, with Council’s debt now $10M less than the combined debts of the former Gosford and Wyong councils at the time of the 2016 merger.

“It is fantastic news that we are now well and truly over the financial crisis and can now focus on efficiency and productivity gains,” Hart said.

Program (UDP) Committee for the Central Coast, where the Department of Planning and Environment, Council, government agencies, infrastructure providers and industry will come together to understand the development pipeline and ensure the Coast has enough housing and jobs.

Gosford’s Frangipani Cafe closes its doors after 21 years

One of Gosford CBD’s most loved cafes closed its doors on Friday, October 28 to the great sadness of local customers and staff.

The cafe, owned and managed by local identity Cyril Down has been somewhat of an institution for many locals for the last 21 years.

Cyril was still smiling, holding back the tears as dozens of well-wishers bought flowers and gifts of thanks for the loyal staff that have served them over the years.

“So many friendships were made and grown here at the cafe,” said floor manager Wendy “it’s a real shame, we

survived COVID and now, just as we’re bouncing back, we need to shut down due to a disagreement with the new Imperial Centre management”.

Though, Cyril said to CCN he’ll get back on the horse and reopen after a very good holiday.

David Abrahams

Source: Central Coast Council extraordinary meeting, Oct 31

Filtration renewal at Gosford Pool is one of the projects brought forward

Frangipani Cafe owner Cyril Down and Floor Manager Wendy Flood surrounded by flowers on the last day of trade in Gosford’s Imperial Centre.

Source: Media release, Oct 27 UDIA Central Coast

Showcasing small business at Toukley expo

The Small Business Expo on Thursday, November 17 will showcase products and services provided by the Chamber members as well as panel discussions from local government, industry organisations and business experts.

There will be special offers from business members, door prizes and information about Chamber activities coming up in 2023.

The event will be held from 4pm to 8pm at The Ary in Toukley, which is the major sponsor of the Coastal Towns Business Chamber.

President Julie Watson said the Chamber was a group of businesspeople who were passionate about supporting the community and promoting the commercial sector.

“Our members are businesspeople operating in the northern parts of the Central Coast and we especially encourage and support those who have work-from-home businesses,” she said.

“The expo will be a great opportunity to come along and get to know the local business community.

“We work across various sectors including trade, industry, micro through to large businesses, not-for-profit and community organisations,” Watson said.

While actively advocating for members, Coastal Towns Business Chamber also ensures that businesses are

able to collaborate in creating opportunities for themselves, their partners and clients, through events and activities to promote the common interests of the business community.

“We are doing things differently and although we still have the traditional business support in place, we also make sure member meetings are engaging and interactive,” Watson said.

“We’ve had pow-wows,

speed pitching, panel discussions, interviews and much more – there’s no stuffy meetings, it’s all about connection and support, and that’s what we do best.

“The Chamber has joined the Business NSW alliance which means members all benefit from being part of a larger organisation than just their local Chamber.

“We advocate on their behalf and take part in the Integrated

Business Chamber meetings with Central Coast Council on a quarterly basis.

“We take members ideas or issues to the meeting and come away with other new ideas and information to pass on to our own members.

“It’s a way of having a stronger voice for our coastal towns in the upper Central Coast,” Watson said.

Although Coast Towns Chamber is a relatively new

organisation, it’s a strong group, with Julie Watson of Stronger Than My Excuses, reelected as President at the first annual general meeting in October.

Other office bearers for 202223 are Vice-President Toni Oliver of Toni Oliver Conveyancing, Secretary Chris Becker of Dulux Group and Treasurer Rosemaree Rettenmund of Retro Bookkeeping.

Committee members are Adam Rice of AJR Counselling Coaching and Consulting, Axel Starviking who has his own hypnotherapy clinic, Joanne Johnson of Southern Cross Funeral Directors, Mary-Louise Clifford of ML Clifford Consulting and Rebecca Hannan of Light Path Therapy.

The Ary at Toukley is the major sponsor for the Chamber and secondary sponsor is Bilson Law -Family Lawyers.

Registrations are essential for the Coastal Towns Business Chamber Small Business Expo, for catering purposes, and can be made on the website ctbc. org.au

Coastal Towns Business Chamber-Upper Central Coast is holding a free expo for Small Business Month during November.

Sue Murray

At a recent Chamber event, from left, Chris Becker, Rebecca Hannan, Rosemaree Rettenmund, Julie Watson, Mary-Louise Clifford, Emma McBride MP, Adam Rice, Toni Oliver

Childcare subsidies to bring out women’s talents

BALTAZAR Editor-in-Chief

For many families with young children, the federal government’s new childcare arrangements can’t come soon enough.

Ninety-six per cent of families (about 1.26 million) will be bet ter off with the higher childcare subsidies, according to the government.

The more generous payments for childcare mean more wom en and men will be able to work additional hours and boost their family income.

“There is an awful lot of talent we aren’t tapping into,” says Danielle Wood, CEO of the Grat tan Institute, a policy think tank.

Australian childcare is one of the most expensive in the OECD, particularly when mea sured against countries with leading-edge services such as Sweden, Germany and Canada.

Childcare costs Australian parents around 24% of their earnings, compared with 1% in Germany, 5% in Sweden and 16% in Canada, according to a report by Parenthood.

This means the high cost

of childcare is an entrenched disincentive to working mothers to do a five-day week and put their babies and small children into long daycare.

“Enabling women who want to participate more in the labour market to do so would deepen our pools of talent and boost national productivity,” says Wood.

The new subsidies could be an additional $6000 a year per child for children in long day care, depending on a family’s income and other factors.

The subsidy for the first child jumps from 85% to 90%pa.

Families with more than one child in childcare will get a higher subsidy.

There are also better benefits for school-age children in care outside school hours.

But, frustratingly for families, the boost to payments won’t ar rive until the middle of next year.

Why so long? The childcare sector has plenty of flaws to iron out.

There are around 7300 child care employers looking after around one million children.

But the sector is beset by shortages of childcare educator staff, who are burnt out and have low morale.

They are poorly paid and many plan to leave their job in the coming year or so.

Ramping up childcare subsidies will boost demand for childcare, but the catch is that there won’t be enough staff to meet it.

Typically, higher subsidies trigger a rise in fees.

Out-of-pocket childcare costs have grown on average by more

than 3% a year above inflation over the past decade, the sec ond-fastest-growing component of the consumer price index over that time, after tobacco, according to Wood.

Subsidies can be a dou ble-edged sword, because while they help improve afford ability, they also contribute to higher costs - some centres have increased fees already ahead of the higher subsidies.

Finding good-quality full-time childcare is a huge issue for families.

There are 113,000 Australians, most of them women, who want to work but cannot because they can’t access affordable childcare, according to Bureau of Statistics data.

Nine million Australians live in a childcare “desert”, where there are three or more children under five for every available place, according to research by the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University.

Childcare deserts are more likely in regional and remote areas, but often cities have

Regional scheme opens the door for more home buyers

Would-be homeowners in regional Australia can avoid the cost of lenders mort gage insurance (LMI) when taking out a loan following the launch of 10,000 places under the federal govern ment’s new Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee.

The initiative allows first home buyers to purchase a property with a deposit as low as 5%.

But instead of them paying LMI, which is normal on depos its below 20%, the government will guarantee the difference to the lender.

Participants will need to be Australian citizens purchasing outside a capital city who can prove that they have lived in the area for 12 months.

As with other existing home buying schemes, incomes caps and property price restric tions apply.

“Home ownership continues to be a major issue for young Australians, and the expansion of the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee Scheme will provide significant support for young people,” says Michael Lawrence, chief executive of the Customer Owned Banking Association.

“This will help both regional Australians, and those that look to cement moves made to the regions in recent years as hybrid and remote working continues to become normalised.”

Since a surge of activity in 2020, figures suggest that first

pockets where the number of children wanting childcare out numbers the places available.

The report comes as research shows that the lack of access to childcare means women earn ing the median wage miss out on about $118,000 in superannu ation over their lifetime.

It found that nine million Australians (35.2% of the popu lation) live in one of the deserts, with a distinct correlation between wealth and childcare availability and cost.

SUSAN HELY

home buyers have become increasingly locked out of the market as prices have increased, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics noting that new loan commitments from the cohort are as low as they have been since 2019.

TOM WATSON

With a staggering number of children on the Central Coast living in out-of-home care, My Forever Family NSW is looking for families prepared to open their homes to children in need.

Barbara Wallisch of Toukely has fostered more than 50 children over the past 27 years and has adopted two.

“I have no natural children, having suffered from fertility issues,” she said.

“I was on IVF for many years but eventually decided to foster and adopt.”

Wallish, who has been widowed for the past four

Homes needed for Coast children in need

years, said she had done some crisis and respite care but had been mostly involved with short and long-term fostering.

“Finding a child who has been traumatised starting to trust you and improve at school, make friends and start to live a more normal life is very rewarding,” she said.

“The experience with each child depends on their age.”

Wallisch, who currently has several children in care, said she keeps in touch with some of her former foster children.

Department of Communities and Justice NSW data for 2020 shows that 13 children and

young people per 1,000 are living in out of home care on the Central Coast District – well above the state average of 9 in 1,000.

With 996 children and young people in in care in the region

at June 30, 2021, there is a pressing need for more homes as the state faces a critical shortage of carers.

Renée Carter is CEO of Adopt Change, which operates the My Forever Family NSW program.

“The sad reality is, there are currently not enough carer homes for children who are unable to live with their family,” she said.

“We are encouraging people to consider becoming a carer and to reach out to find out more.

“Becoming a carer means opening your homes and lives to provide the everyday

RYSS programs for youth

Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS) has a range of activities specifically tailored to young people aged 12 to 25 to support their wellbeing and mental health through programs to build resilience and employability.

The Sideliners program supports young people on a school suspension to Get Back

in the Game through a range of encouraging, challenging and engaging topics designed to help better connect with their peers, their education and their relationships.

Building Up Rising Up helps to build employment skills and to understand the job-seeking process and get ready for employment.

Participants in the podcast workshops will learn skills in content creation, editing and

interviewing to develop a series of podcasts exploring some of the most important current issues and challenges faced by youth, and use the art of storytelling to offer real strategies and solutions to help listeners experiencing the same challenges.

Other programs include a healthy and respectful relationships program for young men, a fitness group, a practical life skills course, as

well as a program to empower young women who have experienced abuse and violence.

There is so much more on offer at RYSS, a not-for-profit organisation providing high quality services, resources and facilities including support, information, assessment, referrals, supervised activities, advocacy services, workshops, case management, excursions and programs to enhance

experiences of childhood in a safe and stable environment.

“Whilst we want these children and young people to find stability, no matter how long they stay with you, you can make a profound difference in their life, becoming part of their extended family and support network.

“As well as being able to provide a home in this way, the beautiful flow-on effect is that you get to know some amazing young humans and watch them grow into who they are meant to be.

“Playing a part in nurturing them through that is a lifechanging experience.”

There are all types of carer homes needed – including kinship and foster care (parttime, emergency and longterm), guardianship and adoption, which suit individual or family circumstances.

Carers have the opportunity to care for children so that they can thrive and continue to form strong bonds with their families and community, providing unique support that can last a lifetime.

Find out more about becoming a carer for kids and My Forever Family NSW at www. myforeverfamily.org.au/.

Terry Collins

personal development. These are co-ordinated from a range of locations such as the Gosford Shopfront Service where youth workers are available for advice and referral and the Wyoming Youth Centre and the Youth Arts Warehouse.

Wyoming Youth Centre provides a space for youth group programs that focus on skills development and the Youth Arts Warehouse is a

theatre venue providing creative development programs for young people and emerging artists to participate in events, live bands, youth theatre, exhibitions, and a recording studio available for hire.

More information about the wide spectrum of programs available is available at the RYSS website ryss.com.au

Barbara Wallisch

Improvements at Coast schools

Schools all over the Central Coast are benefitting from new and improved facilities thanks to the NSW Government’s $120M.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said 59 projects across the region had been driven by what school communities want and included work such as upgrades to Chertsey Primary School, Killarney Vale Public School, Point Clare Public School, and Wadalba Community School.

Works have included

everything from toilet upgrades to refurbished canteens, various building works and construction, refreshed outdoor areas, landscaping, interior upgrades, COLA shades and even carpark upgrades.

“I am so pleased to see projects across our region benefiting our students from one end of the Central Coast to the other,” Crouch said.

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government are ensuring that students no matter where they live in the state have access to modern

learning facilities.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell, said was important to prioritise the delivery of modern facilities to all schools across the state.

“The NSW Government funding will provide a boost, not only to local school infrastructure projects and local economy by supporting local tradies, but also in making sure these school continue to be a proud part of their communities,” she said.

The projects are identified by school communities, and co-

More single-use plastics banned

Additional single-use plastic items are now banned in NSW, with Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre (EEC) happy to accept unused items such as plastic cutlery, straws, bowls, and cotton tips in original packaging for recycling.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said while plastic is a versatile and useful material, it is increasingly threatening our natural environment.

“Single-use plastic items,

designed to be used once and then thrown away, are cheap and convenient, but they pose an enormous threat, with plastic packaging and single-use items making up 60 per cent of all litter in NSW,” Crouch said.

He said the latest ban would prevent nearly 2.7 billion plastic items from entering the coastal, marine and bushland environments of NSW over the next 20 years.

Lightweight plastic bags have been banned since June 1 and are now joined by plastic singleuse cutlery, straws (exemption

for individuals who need a plastic single-use straw due to a disability or other medical need), plates, bowls and expanded polystyrene bowls, expanded polystyrene foodware (including cups, clamshell containers and plates), plastic cotton buds and plastic microbeads in certain rinse off personal hygiene products.

“The legislation also provides a comprehensive framework that will help transition NSW towards a circular economy where materials and resources are valued and kept in the productive economy while

creating jobs and protecting the environment and the community,” Crouch said.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said the latest bans are an important step in creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.

“We started this journey in 2020, when we received 16,000 submissions in response to the proposed plastics ban, with 98 per cent of them supporting the bans,” he said.

“NSW Parliament passed the Plastics Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021 last year, and

since then, we’ve been helping the community and businesses to prepare for these changes with extensive engagement, education and communication campaigns in multiple languages.

“The feedback is clear – the community is disturbed by the amount of single-use plastic entering our environment, so we’ve listened.”

The NSW Government has partnered with Great Plastic Rescue to collect excess stock from wholesalers, distributors, retailers, businesses and not-

funded by the school and the NSW Government.

The NSW Government will invest $8.6B in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW.

This builds on the more than $9.1Bn invested in projects delivered since 2017.

for-profits for recycling and remanufacturing into new items.

Ongoing education and support will continue to ensure businesses and consumers understand what’s banned and what’s not,including exemptions that allow the supply of some items for people with disabilities or for medical reasons.

For more information about the NSW Government’s single use plastic bans, visit http:// www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/plasticsban.

Source: Media release, Oct 20 Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam CrouchChertsey Public School is one of the 59 to

Terry Collins

Jesse and his friends are off to the beach thanks to Hireup

Trips to the beach for a group of high-needs young adults on the Central Coast have now become a reality, with the recent purchase of a beach wheelchair thanks to the Hireup Impact Grants program.

Elida Christoffersen was one of nine successful recipients of the inaugural program presented by Hireup, Australia’s largest NDIS-registered disability support worker platform.

She applied on behalf of her son, Jesse Delmas, 20, and his disabled peer group, for whom beach trips have been a challenge.

“We are a group of mums who got together through a Facebook group, with all of our children being too high-needs for various day programs,”

Christoffersen said.

“We get together with our children, who are all young adults, once or twice a week and do various activities with them.

“We have been bowling occasionally and we take them to a special centre in Sydney with indoor equipment catering to high-needs young people, including special mats and a disability swing.”

But trips to the beach present more of a challenge to the small group.

“Jesse suffers from the very rare WOLF-Hirschhorn syndrome, which has many side effects including epilepsy and diabetes,” Christoffersen said.

“He is non-verbal and cannot walk independently.

“Our group has found it

The state’s top teachers are set to be rewarded with higher pay and enhanced status under a new scheme unveiled by the NSW Government this week.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said under options released for consultation, classroom teachers who are assessed as “expert teachers” under the Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program could attract salaries of up to $147,000 a year, or beyond, in recognition of their skills and impact.

difficult to find outdoor activities for the young people - Jesse loves the beach, even just going for walks along the sand, but access is a problem.

“Many beaches do have special wheelchairs, but they are often either in use or in disrepair.”

Now with their own chair,

Jesse and his friends will be able to enjoy the beach days so many of us take for granted.

“These activities are so important for Jesse so he can keep in contact with his peer group in different ways.”

The Hireup Impact Grants program is designed to fund activities not covered by an NDIS plan, with the theme for this grant round “community connection”.

Hireup co-CEO Laura O’Reilly the nine grants will see recipients develop individual skills, purchase equipment that will improve their quality of life, and engage in enriching and valuable experiences so they can better connect with, and immerse themselves within, their communities.

The successful grant applications were assessed by

Plan to reward our top teachers

Crouch said the reforms are a key component of the Government’s focus on building a modern education system that recognises and rewards excellence in our classrooms.

“It’s fantastic to see the Government taking action to recognise and reward the great teachers we have in our public schools, including across the Central Coast,” he said.

“This is all about keeping our best teachers in the classroom, teaching our students and improving outcomes.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell,

said the reforms had the backing of the teaching workforce.

“Initial feedback shows that around three out of four teachers in NSW would be interested in putting themselves forward for such a role,” she said.

“This supports our approach and I’m looking forward to hearing more from the profession on our proposed plans.”

Developed by Professor John Hattie, a world-leading expert on education outcomes, the Options Paper proposes the

creation of new teaching roles across schools with salaries ranging from $117,000 to $147,000, depending on the proportion of mentoring and collaboration time the teacher undertakes.

The Paper asks a series of questions of the teaching workforce and key stakeholders around the best pathways for identifying, selecting and allocating these roles.

Over the next four weeks more than 100 roundtables will be held with teachers and other school staff state-wide, with staff also able to share

feedback via an online survey.

Hattie said it is important the policy is built from the profession up, rather than from the top down.

“We want to hear from teachers across this entire state to ensure we get the policy right and to find the best way to get great teachers to remain in the classroom,” he said.

“We already know from feedback to date that schools see this reform as worthwhile, but it’s important in this next step to hear exactly how they want to see it work.”

a committee made up of Hireup employees and individuals from the Hireup Community Advisory Group.

The funding ranged from $1,200 to $15,000 and all activities fall outside of the NDIS funding criteria.

The Impact Grants Program was launched by Hireup in July with The Achieve Foundation, a new organisation which aims to increase the social inclusion of people with disability, coming on board to assist with $20,000 in funding support.

“This is the inaugural Hireup Impact Grants program and it is our hope that there will more to come from Hireup in this space, because we need grants like this to supplement the NDIS,” O’Reilly said.

Terry Collins

The Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program is expected to start in 2023, and scale up across the education system over time.

Consultation is open until November 25.

A copy of the policy options paper released and the consultation survey can be found at https://education. nsw.gov.au/public-schools/ rewarding-excellence-inteaching.

Application for Appointment of Board Members

Tuggerah Lake (R1003002) Reserve Land Manager Ever wondered who is responsible for keeping Crown reserves operating?

Countless facilities like showgrounds, local halls and parks are run by Statutory Land Manager Boards, made up of people just like you. People who understand the need and have a desire to manage public land and assets for the benefit of the entire community.

Your role as a Board Member is voluntary, but the rewards of giving something back to the community are priceless.

We are looking for a good mix of people with a variety of skills, however, sound business and financial management skills and objective decision-making expertise would be a distinct advantage.

Don’t let this opportunity to do something for yourself and your community pass you by – contact us today.

The Tuggerah Lake (R1003002) Reserve Land Manager manages the Reserve No. 1003002 at Tuggerah And Chittaway Point notified on 22-Jun-2001 for Public Recreation And Coastal Environmental Protection. The term of appointment will be for a period not exceeding 5 years. Application for membership can be made via portal.crownland.nsw.gov.au

All applications are required to be lodged by 5 December 2022.

For further information contact: Rebecca Rooth on (02) 4937 9347 or go to reservemanager.crownland.nsw.gov.au

Have your pet microchipped for free

Have your pet microchipped for free at the Erina and Charmhaven Socares Animal Care Facilities on Saturday, November 12.

The free microchip day is being provided by Central Coast Council in partnership with its contractor Socares Central Coast.

You can also have your pet registered and relevant registration details updated on the day free of charge, as well as accessing pet ownership advice, educational material and pet care products.

Microchipping and registrations are an important legal requirement when owning a pet and help to ensure companion animals can be reunited with their owners, should they become lost.

They also help animal care facilities to locate owners of animals and rehome lost pets.

The move is part of Council’s aim to increase the number of microchipped, registered and desexed dogs and cats across the region.

The free microchip day will be at Socares facilities in Pateman Rd, Erina, and Depot Rd, Charmhaven, from 9am-3pm on Saturday, November 12.

No registrations are required – walk-ins will be accepted on the day.

More details available at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.

Source: Media release, Nov 2 Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch

Jesse Delmas

Source: Media release,

Coast

DOWN IN THE GARDEN:

WITH CHERALYN DARCEY

Tucked

AWESOME AQUATIC PLANTS

Aquatic Plants are not only a beautiful addition to your water features, they also help maintain the ecological balance of these areas of the garden while creating a habitat for local wildlife like frogs and beneficial insects.

Based on the way they grow, aquatic plants are generally categorised as being floating, marginal, shallow, or deep water.

When creating an aquatic plant garden, aim for a mix of these types and across species. Not all plants are suitable for all types of water features, the depth of the water and the speed of any running water will also determine water plant choices.

Some aquatic plants grow in soil along the margins, others are happy floating on the surface, some need to be

completely submerged and there are those that like to anchor themselves to the deep bottom.

Here is a selection based on growing areas that may help you determine which aquatic wonders will work for your water feature designing.

Floating Plants.

If you have a large pond these can look spectacular but be warned, most floating plants tend to multiply quickly and can take over and as such are considered invasive weeds.

While water lilies (Nymphaea spp.) may seem like floating plants, they are not.

These gorgeous beauties along with their friends the lotus (Nelumbo spp.) are deepwater aquatics because while their foliage and flowers do rest upon the surface, their roots

are embedded in the bottom of water ways.

Deep water aquatic plants are those that need more than 30cm of water depth to grow successfully as their roots need to be kept cool and protected from the sun.

Along with these deep-water plants are what is known as the deep-water oxygenators and this group will generally live submerged under the water, you probably already know them because these are usually as fish aquarium plants.

One example is Milfoils (Myriophyllum spp.) They work as their name suggests, they pump life-giving oxygen into the water.

Marginal plants grow along the edges of water areas. Some are known as bog marginals and others are defined as shallow or deep

WHAT’S ON FOR PLANT LOVERS

Community Environment Network Plant Sale and Bee Talk

5th November,

Building,

to

marginals depending on the depth of the water they prefer.

Examples include Louisiana Iris (Iris spp.) and Pickle Rush (Pontederia cordata).

The veggie gardeners amongst us are not left out either.

There are plenty of delicious edible aquatic plants that you can grow including water chestnuts, water spinach, taro, Brahmi, water mint, water celery, water parsley, creeping jenny, and nardoo.

All of these are excellent additions to Asian dishes, and they also make rather lovely and interesting teas and salads.

If you are after Australian Native water plants then try this bunch: Fairy Lights (Scirpus Cernuus) is a shallow water plant that prefers shade and part sun.

Water Ribbions (Triglochin

procera) is a shade tolerant leafy plant that can grow fully submerged and has delightful, tufted flowers.

Samphire (Tecticornia Pergranulata) is bog loving plant that is also edible.

Golden Marshflower (Villarsia Reniformis) with its bright buttercup yellow flowers will grow in full sun to part shade in shallow waters.

To create a water feature there are many prefab shells on the market that make creating the areas for different levels easy but an organically created pond is not difficult.

While you still may need to install a soft liner, depending on your area and soil, a pond can be made in just a few simple steps.

Most are prepared for planting, after digging the desired shaped and sized hole,

by adding layers of soil, sand and then gravel to the bottom. Follow this by tucking in pockets and ridges of soil along the sides.

You can’t use potting mix that’s meant for terrestrial plants, instead use top-quality garden soil that is silt and clay free.

There are also commercial water pots and baskets available for certain types of aquatic plants that make growing them in your ponds, fish havens and fountains much easier.

Pests are generally not a problem for aquatics and feeding can be achieved with a slow-release fertiliser in early spring.

This is also the best time for any replanting that you are planning.

PLANT THIS WEEK

from 10am with Ben Davis-MacAndrew.

The University of Newcastles

plants. cen.org.au/events

Lakes Festival Creative Nature Children’s Corner at S.W.A.M.P.

Monday 7th - Friday 11th November @ Central Coast Wetlands

This is a space for children (and their parent/carer) to explore the arts, flora, nature, story and food, as part of the 2022 Lakes Festival, supported by the Central Coast Council.online bookings are a must - eventbrite.com. au/e/lakes-festival-creative-nature-childrens-corner-tickets-415790991047

Australian Plant Society Central Coast presents Lisa Wriley of Kariong Eco Garden Friday November 11th, 7:30pm @ Phillip House, 21 Old Mt Penang Road, Kariong

Lisa is going to share ecological principles and practicalities to enhance our knowledge on preserving and caring for our planet so our beautiful native plants, along with all life on earth, will survive, flourish and be conserved. austplants.com.au/Central-Coast-Events

This week you can also plant the following: culinary herbs, artichoke suckers, beans, beetroot, blueberry, capsicum, carrot, celery, chicory, chilli, cress, cucumber, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, spring onions, parsnip, potatoes (tubers), pumpkin, radish, raspberry, rhubarb, rosella, salsify, silverbeet, squashes, strawberry, sweet corn, sweet potato (shoots), tomato, zucchini, ageratum, alyssum, amaranths, aster, begonia (bedding), canna lily, coleus, cosmos, carnation, dianthus, everlasting daisy, gazania, gerbera, gypsophila, geranium, impatiens, marigold, petunias, portulaca, lobelia, love-in-a-mist, lupin, nasturtium, nemesia, sunflowers.

Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden educator at swampcentralcoast.com.au and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am live every Saturday on CoastFM963, on air locally or download the app: communityradio.plus. Send gardening questions, events, and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com

Have

you think we all need to know about, then please call me on 0408105864.

Norah Head first National Surfing Reserve on Central Coast

The Norah Head coastline between Hargraves Beach in the north and Pelican Point in the south is the first stretch of seashore on the Central Coast to attain National Surfing Reserve status.

This small and unique strip of coastline features unspoiled world-class surfing options in all wave and wind conditions including at least nine beach breaks, two point breaks, three bomboras and two reef breaks.

The Norah Head National Surfing Reserve Committee has been working with the community and essential stakeholders for about two years to achieve the Surfing Reserve honour.

A public Dedication Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 26 at 11am when a plinth and plaque will be unveiled on Soldiers Beach headland.

Committee Chairperson, Debbie McGuigan said the motivation for seeking National Surfing Reserve status was a genuine love of the beautiful Norah Head village, beautiful beaches and breaks as well as an appreciation of the rich and colourful surfing history.

“Our coastline is considered sacred by locals and our beaches have been surfed since the 1950s,” she said.

“The first committee meeting was held in November 2020 following an acceptance of our initial proposal and permission given by the National Surfing Reserve Board to proceed with our official submission which involved creating an information booklet and designing a plinth, plaque and road signage.”

Although COVID-19

restrictions made the process challenging, the small but passionate committee pushed ahead and with the help of other groups the project began to move forward.

They included Darkinjung Traditional Landowners and Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, NSW Crown Lands, a wide range of individuals from both the surfing and broader community, Norah Head Surfing Fraternity, Norah Head Bowling and Sports

Club, Women in the Waves, Volunteer Land Care groups, Norah Head Ratepayers and Coastcare Association, Soldiers Beach Surf Lifesaving Club, Central Coast Council, members of Federal and State Parliament, Norah Head Lighthouse Trust, Norah Head Surf Coaching, Norah Head Tourist Park and other local businesses.

“All have a shared sense of community and vision to celebrate our rich history and

connection to the environment, to honour our splendid surfing achievements and to preserve our iconic surf coastline,” McGuigan said.

Dedication of a surfing site as a National Surfing Reserve is a community and government recognition of the contribution surfing makes to the Australian lifestyle and the significance that surfing sites have made to the development of surfing in Australia.

National Surfing Reserves are

iconic places of intrinsic environmental, heritage, sporting and cultural value to a nation. They embrace all people to enjoy, understand and protect unique coastal environments of universal value to the surfing world.

A National Surfing Reserve encourages stewardship and creates another community voice to unite and protect sensitive surfing resources.

The power of a National Surfing Reserve also comes from creating awareness of surfing assets and the ability to influence people and governments to protect these assets.

McGuigan says it could also come from working with Central Coast Council to be included in their Coastal Management Plan.

“What is good for surfing –protecting dunes, breaks and water quality – is good for all water sports,” she said.

“The stewardship component of a Surfing Reserve encourages the community to continually monitor the surfing environment and its landscapes to address situations before it is too late.”

Freemasons continue to support surf life saving

Freemasons on the Central Coast have once again supported the region’s surf life saving clubs with a $50,600 donation – taking total donations to more than half a million dollars over the past 11 years.

Members pf the organisation attended the annual Raising of the Flags ceremony at Terrigal Beach on September 24, as the beach season officially got underway.

“Freemasons on the Central Coast have been supporting local surf life saving clubs since the presentation of a surf boat and Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) to Soldiers Beach SLS

Club in 2011,” a spokesperson said.

“However, 2022 is a milestone year for our partnership.

“Not only do we continue to be a major contributor to Surf Life Saving Central Coast (SLSCC), but this year our total donation tally exceeded half a million dollars.”

The spokesperson said the bright pink rashies worn by all Central Coast Nippers were an initiative by Central Coast Surf Life Saving and Freemasons on the Central Coast commencing in 2012.

“(This was) to help keep our kids safe by making them more visible in the water, an initiative

that has spread throughout Australia.”

This year Freemasons on the Central Coast are also supporting the Rookie Surf Life Savers.

Welcoming the 2022/2023 summer season, the Rookies of 15 local Surf Clubs marched onto the beach to the sounds of the City of Gosford Pipe Band for the official launch to beach season.

“This was a beautiful sight on a glorious Saturday morning with many locals looking on,” the spokesperson said.

Sue Murray

Soldiers Beach with Norah Head lighthouse in background

Source: Media release, Oct 30 Freemasons

Mariners find their mojo at home

The Central Coast Mariners have pulled off a stunning comeback to overcome Western United 4-2 at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Mariners dominated the field of play for much of the first half but were not able to convert their pressure into goals despite a handful of chances inside the box.

It was United who opened the scoring before racing out to a 2-0 lead at half time courtesy of

a goal by ex-Mariner Connor Pain.

The Mariners emerged from the sheds re-energised, with Montgomery turning to his bench, with Paul Ayongo, Garang Kuol and Jacob Farrell all coming onto the field.

Kuol’s devastating pace and was on display again, with the youngster producing one of his trademark runs before being taken out by Topor-Stanley.

After initially giving a yellow card, the referee upgraded the

card to red after looking at VAR, with the replay’s showing the defender dangerously took out Kuol’s legs.

With the extra man advantage, Koul set up Cummings in the 67th minute for the first of what would be four goals to the blue and yellow.

In the 74th minute Cummings then set up Beni Nkololo who found the back of the net to level the scores.

Next, it was the young Mariner Jacob Farrell who scored in the

78th minute with a classy header to put the home side ahead on the scoreboard.

The final goal of the game was a sweet maneuver and assist by Cummings passed expertly to the half time sub Paul Ayongo who scored his first A-League goal to seal the deal and claim the important three points.

The game gave great hope to the modest local crowd and proved the mantra the Mariners have been spruiking ‘We won’t back down’ is now well and truly

part of the club’s DNA.

The next game is against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday in Wanderers territory, the club putting on a supporters’ bus for the occasion.

Meanwhile, the club has confirmed their commitment to playing at Central Coast Stadium at least out to 2025/26 including the use of the ground for the A-league women’s matches.

CEO Shaun Mielekamp inked the contract with the new stadium manager VenuesLive

this week, something that puts solid ground under the club, their supporters and sponsors.

Mr Mielekamp said. “Our Central Coast Mariners members and supporters are guaranteed at least 12 home matches of A-League Men’s football each season along with every Mariners A-League Women’s home game when our team enters the Liberty A-League Women’s competition from the 2023/24 season,”

New women’s cricket team bowling ’em over

The Brisbane Water Cricket Club has started a brand new, third grade women’s team – The Bluetongues –and is already shaking up the competition with recent wins.

Team Captain Kelly Dearing said starting the new team has allowed many women who have watched their sons and husbands play for years to finally get out onto the field.

“We have a large age range on the team, with the youngest player just 17 years old playing alongside over 50s,” she said.

“It is amazing to see all these women with different

backgrounds and experiences get out onto the field and have some fun.

“Having a women’s team develops the culture of the sporting club and provides important opportunities for all females to play a sport they love.”

Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, recently delivered the team’s hats in an official handover.

“I cannot be more excited to see these wonderful women go out and have fun while dominating the wicket at the same time,” Tesch said.

“I had the joy of meeting the

team, and the sense of community and team spirit was already strong.

“It is always great to see women coming together to have fun and support each other in whatever context.”

The season began early in October and will finish up at the end of March.

To find out more on how to enrol for next season, keep an eye on Central Coast Cricket Association’s social media and community boards around Adcock Park in June next year.

Source: Media release, Oct 28 Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch

David Abrahams

The Mariners celebrate their third goal of the match

Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, hands over the team caps