As the new year kicks off, we begin a series of month-by-month reviews of the major regional news of 2024 as reported in Coast Community News.
January
After years of planning and several location changes work finally began on the regional library in Donnison St, Gosford, on January 16.
Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Read was unimpressed with a response from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission concerning the disparity in petrol prices across the Central Coast and between regions in NSW.
Members of the Save our Sand group were outraged that Central Coast Council contributed $100,000 towards a developer application being prepared for a seawall at Wamberal Beach.
Residents agitated for an urgent fix on Glen Rock Pde at Tascott and Peninsula Chamber of Commerce outlined its priorities for 2024 on essential roadworks.
Plans were announced for a major redevelopment of the Elanora hHotel at East Gosford.
Opposition to a Wamberal seawall ramped up with a rally on January 21 and the Peninsula Residents’ Association claimed Woy Woy Peninsula was in crisis due to over-development and lack of a tree canopy.
Protests continued over a proposed development by the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council at Kariong and there was discontent when red tape forced a Toukley ice creamery to relocate to Newcastle.
The Central Coast celebrated locals who were recognised in the Australia Day Honours List and the Sarah Lee factory at Lisarow was saved from the brink of collapse when a Gold Coast family stepped in to buy it out.
At the age of just 18 Matthew Blakemore was named the Central Coast Citizen of the Year for 2024 at Council’s annual Australia Day awards.
Living with autism and an intellectual disability, he works full-time at Central Coast Granite and also does overnight weekend shift at McDonald’s.
Robert Mulvey was named Senior Citizen of the Year and Volunteer of the Year was Regina Doyle, while Anannya Bandai was named Young Person of the Year.
On January 26 descendants of the Broken Bay tribe gathered with community members for a special ceremony as they do each Australia Day.
Organisers said the gathering was not a protest nor about changing the day but a solemn ceremony of remembrance and gratitude.
A partially built block of units in Church St, Terrigal, went up for auction following ongoing disputes with the owners wanting to add a sixth storey to the approved five-storey development.
Residents voiced their concern over a proposal to build a McDonald’s restaurant opposite a primary school in Toukley and the Shirley Shuttle Cancer Patient Transport Service was in trouble with the possibility of vital funding being withdrawn.
In a thrilling Liberty A-League match the Central Coast Mariners women secured the F3 derby win.
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