2024 in review – October

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

October

Surf season launched on the Central Coast and organisers of the Long Jetty Festival were blindsided when Council refused to allow the event to go ahead.

The 15 new Central Coast councillors were officially named with five Labor, four Liberal including one independent Liberal, three from Team Central Coast and two independent conservative councillors.

Hornsby Kurringai Community Transport took over from the collapsed Community Transport Central Coast Limited, pledging to run the services, including the Shirley Shuttle, until the end of the year.

The annual Ross Kelly Cup rugby league carnival saw 56 schools from all over the state compete at the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex.

Lawrie McKinna was elected mayor of the new Central Coast Council with Doug Eaton elected deputy.

A turtle island habitat was introduced at Springfield wetland and Wyong based 4iD Solutions was crowned business of the year at the Central Coast Regional Business Awards.

The Kokoda challenge, an annual charity event honouring the legacy of Australian diggers, returned to the Coast and Council granted Terrigal Bowling Club a 10-year lease extension, securing the future of the beloved community hub.

A Central Coast family met and chatted with King Charles on his Australian visit and parents were reeling following the sudden closure of Coast Community Connections’ long day care service for preschool children at Woy Woy.

Gosford Private Hospital announced it would cease its maternity services at the end of March 2025 and the Central Coast was named a top 100 green destination for the fourth year.

Peninsula Leisure Centre hosted the State Underwater Hockey Titles.

Coast Community Connections worked with the Department of Education to help find solutions for families impacted by the closure of its long day daycare service and a woman was severely burnt following a gas explosion at the Six String Brewing Company at Erina.

After three years of rating as poor Terrigal Beach achieved a good rating in the 20 2324 state of the beaches report and Empire Bay based Sorrento pizzeria received global recognition.