2024 in review – March

We continue our series of month-by-month reviews of the major regional news of 2024 as reported in Coast Community News.

March

Nicola Olyslagers won the world indoor high jump championship in Scotland and Council considered a proposal to extend the Coastal Open Space System into the northern part of the region.

An expert roundtable was held to look at how more lives can be saved on NSW beaches after more than a dozen coastal drownings during Summer including three on the Central Coast.

Fire and Rescue crews from the Central Coast headed home after helping deal with Victoria’s bushfire crisis.

Premium aged care provider Arcare acquired The Orchards Aged Care at Lisarow and the Community Environment Network urged Council to hold off on reclassifying 10 properties from community land to operational land until councillors are elected in September.

Council objected to a State Government plan for high density housing around Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong railway stations.

Residents were fed up with the stench coming from the Bateau Bay sewage treatment plant and the upgrade of Tuggerah railway station forged ahead.

The future of Gosford Bowling Club remained precarious with Council pushing ahead with plans to re-classify the land it occupies from community to operational.

They were hopes PEP-11 would soon be dead in the water with the passage of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Bill in State Parliament.

The Australian Reptile Park was named major tourist attraction at the 2023 Australian Tourism Awards.

Future Sooner members were outraged by an announcement that the State Government would consider extending the life of the Eraring power station beyond 2025.

Opposition continued to the planned Darkinjung development at Kariong and there were fears that proposed government changes to mobile home regulations could affect some of the Central Coast’s most vulnerable people.

Council worked with the State Government to remove silvania weed along the Wyong River and held a second information session for those considering running for local government office at the September election.

The newly refurbished Gosford RSL club opened its doors and community housing provider Pacific Link turned 40.

Central Coast sailor Tom Slingsby and his crew were forced to retire from the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix following a dramatic collision with a course marker.