Spring into action
Longer days, warmer weather, and with our great outdoors springing back to life, there’s no better time to enjoy everything that’s on offer across the region.
From finding our best picnic spots, to taking in a live music gig, or enjoying the high flying thrills of our newest event, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Barrington Coast Airshow, 9 November at Taree Regional Airport, is a thrilling aeronautical event for anyone who loves aviation or just enjoys an exciting day out! Be spellbound as iconic warplanes roar through the sky with incredible manoeuvres to take your breath away. It’s like stepping back in time and feeling the power of history right before your eyes.
The Paul Bennet Airshows team, current Australian Aerobatic Champions, will showcase jaw-dropping aerobatic skills, guaranteed to keep you glued to your seat.
On the ground explore interactive exhibits, check out cool aircraft on display and enjoy family-friendly entertainment, delicious food and aviation-themed souvenirs.
Get ready for a day of excitement at the Barrington Coast Airshow. Buy tickets at barringtoncoastairshow.com.au or read on for your chance to win a double pass.
PICNIC PERFECT
Who cares if you slept through winter because picnic season is here.
To help you on your way we’ve compiled everything you need to make your spring alfresco event the best ever.
Where to find great picnic spots
Town or country? Mountain, lake, river or beach?
Just the two of you or are you bringing the whole crew?
Maybe an awesome view will seal the deal as the ‘best picnic ever’. barringtoncoast.com.au/explore/findyour-perfect-picnic-spots-of-thebarrington-coast
What to pack
Picnics have a simple recipe for success: a gathering of family or friends, in the outdoors, sharing a meal. How big or how fancy depends on you, so check our suggestions to make it memorable and more sustainable too.
And if there’s laughter then the picnic is a success, so always pack a smile: barringtoncoast.com.au/explore/ourtop-ten-tips-for-perfect-picnics
Recycling right...
Now more than just being the best sort in your street.
We grabbed coffee with Duncan Russ, Council’s Coordinator of Waste Operations, to find out what all the fuss is about when it comes to recycling.
Why is there such a focus on recycling – not just here, but the world over?
Our current “throw away” society, and associated issues like resource use, pollution, rising costs and problem waste, are now attracting serious attention. Recycling helps extend the useful life of different resources and products, k their value high and creating demand for waste streams otherwise destined for disposal.
How does the MidCoast community compare when it comes to recycling right?
We do a great job with our recycling, with residents using their bins correctly, sorting recyclables at our waste facilities and engaging in activities that promote a circular economy like visiting tip shops and holding garage sales.
What are some of the most common mistakes we make when recycling? It’s easy to accidently place recylables in your red bin (and conversely, nonrecyclables in your yellow bin). This is especially confusing when similar items go in different bins - for example, soft plastics won’t go in your yellow bin like a milk container would, nor would drinking glasses go in there like a beer bottle would. Number 1 tip for people when it comes to recycling?
Always take the opportunity to recycle! Download the Recycle Mate app to ensure the right things go in the right bins, buy preowned goods or repurpose items, and keep materials out of landfill if possible. Remember – if it goes to landfill, it really is waste.
Any upcoming opportunities to learn more about recycling?
In November we’ll celebrate National Recycling Week, inviting people to visit our new Sustainability Centre at the Tuncurry Waste Management Centre. We also regularly pop up in local communities to help people understand how they can “recycle right”. Check our website for details.
Saturday 16 November
Join the fun at our new Sustainability Centre in Tuncurry, with tours, coffee, giveaways, recycling workshops, kids activities and more. Keep an eye out online as we announce more details. 17 - 21 November 2024
Water wiser with Marnie Coates
We tapped into a wealth of water-wiser tips from our Executive Manager of Water and Systems, in the lead-up to National Water Week in October.
Why worry about water?
We all have a connection to water, whether it’s recreational or as an essential resource to support our lives and our livelihoods. As such, we all need to play our part in sharing this natural resource and protecting our precious environment.
What surprises people most about water use at home?
People are usually shocked to learn that typically half of all water use is outdoors. Watering gardens, washing cars and playing under a sprinkler all really add up when it comes to overall water use. It’s really important to minimise the amount of precious, high-quality drinking water we are using for those applications where substitutes are available.
Shower or bath?
Shower! But keep it short. Get washed, then jump out and find some other nice way to relax.
Wash dishes or dishwasher?
Dishwasher if you’ve got one. Make sure you wait until you have a full load each time, and avoid pre-rinsing - just scrape plates off and throw them in the dishwasher.
Garden hose or watering can?
Either is fine. Just make sure you use a trigger nozzle on your hose. Water in the early morning or late afternoon as this is when plants can make best use of the water you give them.
How can single households contribute to water saving?
It’s hard for singles to be as efficient as larger families but the key things to remember are to hold off on washing laundry or running the dishwasher until you have a full load available.
What’s on for National Water Week?
Keep an eye out for a series of fun events happening for Water Week, including treatment plant tours.
We’re a work in progress
Do you sometimes feel like the work we do in your local neighbourhood is never ending?
We do too.
That’s partly because of the ongoing nature of the hundreds of services we deliver, but also because we are home to over 100,000 people in 200 towns and villages, spread over 10,052km2. It’s a lot.
When it comes to government in Australia, local councils are considered the “third tier” even though it’s acknowledged they have the biggest impact on people’s day-to-day lives, providing services to communities that would be virtually impossible for state and federal governments to deliver.
Here in the MidCoast region, just some of the work you might see us doing in your area includes:
• maintenance of local roads and footpaths
• works to upgrade water or sewer pipes
• collection of kerbside bins
• mowing of sportsfields, parks and reserves
• installing new play equipment at a nearby park
• clean-up and repairs to vandalised amenities
We know we have a big job ahead of us. That’s why we’re a work in progress. We’re your work in progress.
We know the work we do for our MidCoast communities can sometimes be disruptive.
With people dispersed across an area the size of Jamaica, keeping everyone updated on what’s happening and when can be challenging.
Get the right information at the right time by registering for our weekly email newsletter. Find out first. Subscribe today.
midcoast.nsw.gov.au/news
A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day. And they’re not alone, with 72% of Australians reporting elevated levels of distress.
Regular, meaningful conversations with the people close to you can help prevent small things from becoming big things. By checking in regularly, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to.
So don't wait for R U OK?Day on 12 September.
Ask R U OK? Any Day of the year because a conversation could change a life.
with another round of MidCoast related trivia. Answers found online.
1. Length of our coastline?
☐ 42km ☐ 122km ☐ 192km
2. Number of library locations?
☐ 5 ☐ 8 ☐ 11
3. Number of tourists each year?
☐ Less than 1 million
☐ Around 1.5 million
☐ Over 2 million
4. Tonnes of waste generated?
☐ Less than 20,000 per year
☐ About 30,000 per year
☐ More than 40,000 per year
5. Litres of drinking water supplied?
☐ 900,000 litres per year
☐ 9 million litres per year
☐ 9 billion litres per year
ruok.org.au
Win a free double-pass valued at $120
For your chance to win tell us who you’ll bring along to this breathtaking aviation event, and why.
Email ads@midcoast.nsw.gov.au by 5pm on Friday 25 October.
AWFUL, THANKS FOR ASKING
Five minutes with Debbie Olsson
Manager of Customer Experience
Frontline staff are Increasingly being subjected to misdirected hostility from angry customers. Debbie explains there’s no excuse for abuse.
Who is most at risk? Almost all our communityfacing staff have experienced unacceptable behaviour on the job, including staff in our customer service centres, call centre and libraries, and those working outdoors like our Rangers and road crews.
What’s the problem? We pride ourselves on providing a quality customer experience, so people taking out their frustrations on staff goes completely against our employee philosophy. The result can be more than just an awful day at work, often having long-lasting emotional impacts such as anxiety, loss of confidence, and depression.
Where is the hostility originating? Staff abuse is a problem across many categories including retail, banking and fast food, and can be attributed in part to current day stressors such as cost of living and time pressures. Here at Council, our staff are often the first point of contact for the community and while they know a lot about our services, they’re not the experts or decision-makers for any service.
What can be done? Unfortunately it’s become more normal for a customer to “make a scene” to get what they want, so a fundamental shift in community attitudes is needed before the problem can be addressed. It’s also important to explain abusive behaviour with real examples, so customers understand what is acceptable and what is not.
Any advice for a frustrated customer? Put yourself in the shoes of the person you’re dealing with. Remember they’re only doing their job; they’re community members and someone’s parent, spouse, grandparent. It is not OK to abuse them just because they’re wearing a Council uniform - treat them with the respect they deserve.
If you don’t get the outcome you’re looking for, use our Report and Request system to provide feedback. Doing this means it will be reviewed by the appropriate staff, and you’ll be able to track your enquiry through to the time you receive a response.
Got a problem? Tell us about it.
With over 10,000km2 to cover, delivering your every day services like roadworks, water, and bin collections, can be challenging.
If you have an issue that needs addressing, use our report and request system to let us know.
midcoast.nsw.gov.au/report
What’s on
You’ll find plenty to keep you entertained this spring, from local markets in towns and villages right across the region, to art classes at the Manning Regional Art Gallery. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the events we think you’ll like.
8 Sept Gloucester Mountain Man Tri Challenge
8 Sept Mount George Billy Cart Derby & Spring Festival, School of Arts Hall
14 Sept Spring Festival 2024, Wharf Street Forster
18 Sept In the Zone, Manning Entertainment Centre (MEC)
20-21 Sept Stroud Rodeo & Campdraft, Stroud Showground
24 Sept16 Nov Femme-Maison: Imagined Boundaries
Obsession Manning Regional Art Gallery Aligned
October School holiday program, at your nearest MidCoast Council Library
4-6 Oct Old Bar Beach Festival, Old Bar Reserve
6 Oct Stroud Brick & Rolling Pin Competition, Stroud Showground
12-13 Oct Taree Show, Taree Showground
18-20 Oct Wingham Music Festival, Wingham Showground
19 Oct The Pianist with the Hair (Julian Garguilo), MEC
Oct-Nov Nourish to Flourish Festival, MidCoast Council Libraries
1-3 Nov Lakeside Festival, John Wright Park
9 Nov Barrington Coast Airshow, Taree Regional Airport
15-16 Nov Bulahdelah Show, Bulahdelah Showground
16 Nov Triathlon Hawks Nest, Providence Bay Park
17 Nov Mark Vincent, MEC
Head online for full details, and to find more great events: MEC: themec.com.au Library: library.midcoast.nsw.gov.au
General: barringtoncoast.com.au Gallery: mrag.midcoast.nsw.gov.au