Current flood notices are in place for areas of the Central Coast, including Tuggerah Lake. Read more and follow our Facebook page  Performing Arts Centre of the Year in 2022 The visual arts culture of the Central Coast We've hit the ground running for 2025 with our road crews out-and-about maintaining and improving Central Coast roads.  Other works including maintenance are continuing with crews undertaking: To see what capital work road works Council is undertaking this financial year near you, view our interactive online map.  To report or enquire about specific road maintenance or safety concerns: Central Coast Council has been convicted of two offences relating to the discharge of raw sewage into Narara Creek in 2023 after pleading guilty in the Land and Environment Court The fine contained a discount for an early guilty plea in November and took account of a Council proposition to spend up to $151,900 on restoration works at the creek’s wetlands At issue was a West Gosford sewer main break in 2023 which saw sewage discharge into the creek The court noted that Council pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity; had worked in full cooperation with the NSW Environmental Protection Agency had self-reported the issues and had no prior convictions It also noted that Council operates a large sewerage system and had one major leak from the West Gosford rising main in 2020 before the 2023 incident and a substantial leak at Wamberal in January 2019 “This history suggests that I cannot assume the Council is unlikely to re-offend given the scale of its responsibilities accepting that it is using its best endeavours to achieve its responsibilities,” the judgement noted The court did not accept a Council argument that it was in a unique position because of the 2020 financial crisis and being under administration Council had argued that this circumstance made it “inexpedient” to record a conviction against the Council which in effect did not exist at the time it had done everything it reasonably could to maintain the rising main and minimise risk to the environment given the financial circumstances it faced “Even if the Court forms the opinion that there was something more the Council could and therefore should have done it is to be respectfully observed that it can only be a criticism of the Administrator appointed by the Minister,” Council said “The Administrator was in charge and responsible for the Council for two and a half years prior to the 2023 incident.” But the court refused to accept the premise that circumstances did not warrant a penalty for general deterrence purposes all councils face the challenge of budget management and the Council’s financial issues are self-inflicted,” the judgement said “Further … I must consider the Council as a whole not its constituent parts such as elected councillors and staff.” Council was in the process of investigations to determine and assess the need for pipeline replacement in the vicinity of the incident Council has brought forward capital works plans to replace about 2km of the pipeline This will now start in 2025 and is expected to be completed by 2026 The pipeline takes raw sewerage through a connecting series of pump stations and pipelines that service Somersby It is then pumped across to Wyoming and North Gosford and through the Springfield sewer tunnel to Erina eventually ending at Kincumber Sewage Treatment Plant wow council or administrators really should be deducted out of there salaries taxpayers and ratepayers have to cop the bill for their mistakes and incompetence they are paid big money and no responsibility taken unbelievable but that’s what they are irresponsible government bluders when will council be held responsible for the constant raw sewage overflows at Winnie bay I don’t want your job and nor should you if you can’t do better this happened while council was under the control of the Administrator before councillors were elected to thier oversight positions And there’s still an environmental hazard that hasn’t been sorted along a tributary of Narara Creek between Pearson Street and Deane Street the elected council members or the public who elects them This fine should be paid by the CCC executive team primarily Hart and Farmer not the ratepayer I travel on the new trains daily from Woy Woy to Central and vice versa I love the new trains apart from (the fact) they are absolutely freezing Ettalong Memorial Bowling Club in Springwood St have both submitted revised plans to Central Coast Council for significant improvements… Humpty Dumpty Foundation has sprung into action to help Central Coast Local Health District provide seven breast pumps for its midwifery and Aboriginal health services The Footy Almanac The recent Slendour in the Grass Festival in Byron Bay has revived memories of something very similar just outside Gosford almost forty years ago The first Narara Music Festival was constructed on an expansive piece of land not far from Gosford NSW It was held on the Australia Day weekend in 1983 and was a celebration of Australian music featuring bands such as Cold Chisel expectations were high as I drove a car load of reprobate friends down from Toowoomba Qld to the site of Narara ’84 in my Mitsubishi Express van We were to meet a crew of other army mates from Sydney and set up camp for three days of debauchery At this point I need to confess and clarify something psychotropic stuff grown under lights in ceiling recesses but organic bush dope grown in Murphy’s Creek at the base of the Great Dividing Range in the fertile Darling Downs The strain of cannabis is called sinsemilla a seedless flower that flourished in south-east and northern Qld it was a small escape from the rigidity of army life but we never let it interfere with our work No matter what mischief we got up to on weekends in Toowoomba we always got to work on time at the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey took our roles seriously and never took a day off The weed supply was so plentiful that we gave much of it away The sinsemella ‘heads’ were so big that two heads My friend Keith’s party trick was to roll a 50 x paper joint using an entire packet of Tally-Ho papers and half a matchbox for a filter It looked like a Havana cigar and it would be guaranteed to liven up an otherwise routine BBQ at a friend’s house Keith and I lived together when I arrived in Oakey as a 17-year-old Me from a lower socio-economic region of WA and he from Sydney’s North Shore and the elite Knox Grammar School He was much more experienced in life than me and I found myself swept up in his gregarious nature which was often risky and dangerous a complete contradiction to my small town sensibility A few months prior to Narara ’84 he was posted to Sydney so the weekend was a reunion of sorts for us                                     The Author 1983 Keith met us at the Gosford Post Office on the Friday which was the first day of the festival We followed him to the site and I then noticed the squadron of security guarding the entrance I questioned Keith as to what was going to happen if these guys found the two bags of dope in my bag The security guard asked me if I was carrying any metal or cans He reached into my bag and pulled out the dope at which point I saw my military career disintegrate to dust right before me He held the two bags in one hand and then pulled out a standard metal coat hanger that I had packed We are going to turn it into a joint holder for a 100 x paper joint.” “Cool no problem but I have to confiscate it.” And then we entered Others were just flabbergasted that I was seriously going to roll a 100 x paper joint Keith and I had made a pact to roll an enormous joint supported by a re-fashioned coat hanger and pass it around the crowd in the concert pit for their enjoyment Keith and I had a three man tent set up next to a borrowed army 11ft x 11ft tent which housed the others There were 35,000 people attending the weekend and the tent city was vast Beer was served from kegs into 2 litre plastic juice bottles so some punters decided that rather than walk to the toilets it would be quicker to urinate back into the empties and throw them onto the designated walkways would partake in what they thought was a refreshing ale Apparently Simple Minds and The Eurythmics played on the Friday night but I don’t remember The Pretenders and Talking Heads were on the bill Around lunchtime a hippy from Nimbin was walking around selling drugs openly from one of those mobile carry trays that you see kids selling ice creams from at the footy It reminded me of Graham Chapman as Brian in The Life of Brian selling “wolf nipple chips” at the gladiator contest Anyway Keith and I bought a tab of acid each thinking “when in Rome?” Well after two hours or so of tripping followed by an hour of recovery sleep we had missed The Pretenders and Talking Heads I checked on my mates next door and none of them had moved either had decided he wasn’t going anywhere while he had a constant supply of beer and pot I wasn’t looking forward to driving his wretched stench back home after 3 days of squalor but he refused to budge This is Gav at Narara at his belligerent best and the second is a photo of Gav when he was ordered to get a haircut at the Army Aviation Centre It eventuated in him being formerly charged and a week’s guard duty but he felt it was worth it given the non-events of the preceding two days On stage there was a collection of independent Australian artists such as Deckchairs Overboard Strange Tenants and The Sunnyboys with international act Def Leppard to finish off the night We decided that because our joint holder had been confiscated we would roll the standard 50 x ‘papery’ and head to the concert space we lit up and passed the giant ‘scoob’ around the delighted crowd All this time we were unaware of the menacing clouds that were surrounding Northern NSW About an hour later The Radiators were playing when the first of the gigantic raindrops started to strike There wasn’t any wind when the heavens opened just an incredible volume of water driven by rain that had serious weight The Radiators ran off stage and we witnessed dozens of young blokes wrestling and sliding in thick mud trying to maintain a sense of fun bodies and semi-full juice bottles to get back to our tent We were confronted by Gavin and the rest of the boys sitting on chairs towards the front of the large tent under cover but with a river now running through the middle of it caused by a gaping hole in the roof The river continued over the top of our tent which was now flat because the force of the rain had dislodged the tent poles and crushed the canopy flat Everything inside the tent was destroyed or water logged With no other option than to stay awake all night we went to the main commercial area where you could buy some food and even a bong if required We found some garbage bags and string and decided to tie them around as much of our bodies as possible for some insulation We looked like aliens and combined with the ample ingestion of weed to numb the cold we wandered around like a couple of zombies Desperate for warmth in the early hours of the morning we approached the medical tent and rehearsed what we would say to the nurse in order for her to give us a bed we strode confidently to the nurse at her desk and simultaneously said It’s believed that of the 35,000 that attended Narara ’84 All music for the final day was cancelled due to the unstable nature of the ground beneath the stage It would be the second and last Narara Music Festival An absolute disgrace of a weekend and only compounded by the ten hour drive home accompanied by the rotting corpse of an unwashed and malodorous Gavin I’m certainly not condoning the use of cannabis and personally I didn’t touch it after moving to Melbourne post-army to play footy some 35 years ago “If you’re at a concert or ball game and someone is violent I’ve never seen people on pot get into a fight More from Ian Wilson Here. To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own And want to ensure it continues in its current form To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE. Lifelong St Kilda FC tragic and father to 2 x girls On a more contemporary note this weekend the Echuca Winter Blues Festival returns After being cancelled in 2020 & 2021 for the obvious reason as part of a large crowd trying to quickly bring it back to being the wonderful festival it’s long been: I’m sure it will be hopefully it’s a safe weekend of great music in the lovely setting of Echuca Yes Glen the 70’s and 80’s festivals were quite feral and devoid of any OH&S The Echuca festival has a great reputation I trust the weather is kind and you have a ball Traveled from St Kilda from booking bands like COSMIC PSYCOS @ the espy to “BIG FESTIVAL WITH INTERNATIONAL ACTS” Was so disappointed until Chrissie performed Best gig Eevaa I’M OFF TAP ON TOUR FRONT STAGE LOOKING UP TO HEAVEN…BLEW TALKING HEADS & THE REST AWAY THX WAS WORTHWHILE THEN & THE MEMORY NOW… DANMAN. Found your article by accident googling Narara We unknowingly pitched our tent in a dry riverbed so after everything got drenched I spent the rest of the night sleeping in a Porta loo Next morning we realised we were going back to Brisbane minus tent and soaked bedding Slept all the way home and was seriously pissed off when someone on the bus nicked my thongs while I slept Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up for your weekly Almanac eNewsletter here VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE Copyright © 2025 · The Footy Almanac - Web Hosting by DISKMANdotNet Return to top of page Following months of advocacy by Federal Member for Robertson Gordon Reid and the community of Narara, Central Coast Council has confirmed that it plans to renew Deane St in Narara this September. Council said it would undertake road renewal works subject to favourable weather and contractor availability. The outcome has been a long time coming for the community of Narara and surrounding suburbs who have had to navigate Deane St and deteriorating road conditions. “I welcome the update from Central Coast Council that it plans to renew Deane St this September,” Reid said. “It should not have taken months of advocacy by my office and the community to secure what all ratepayers should expect as the bare minimum – that is safe and reliable local roads. “I thank everyone in the community who has written to me and supported our petition to Central Coast Council to get this road renewed. Narara resident Martin Gallagher said about 7,000 people lived in Narara and the surrounding areas, with the only two roads in and out being Deane St and Carrington St. “This road renewal will be welcome news to all the motorists that use this road every day,” he said. “Deane St is an important thoroughfare for the community and bus services. “This renewal will improve safety and accessibility.” I travel on the new trains daily from Woy Woy to Central and vice versa. I love the new trains apart from (the fact) they are absolutely freezing. I bought… Ettalong Memorial Bowling Club in Springwood St, Ettalong Beach, and Everglades Country Club in Dunban Rd, Woy Woy, have both submitted revised plans to Central Coast Council for significant improvements… Humpty Dumpty Foundation has sprung into action to help Central Coast Local Health District provide seven breast pumps for its midwifery and Aboriginal health services. The Pumped For Life Mother’s… A recent community cohesion survey conducted at Narara Ecovillage has revealed that its residents experience levels of social connection that significantly exceed the national average. Ecovillages are intentional communities designed to foster sustainable living and social collaboration. The survey, aimed at establishing a baseline for the ecovillage’s strategic objective of creating community, gathered responses from 146 residents and compared the results to national averages. The findings show that Narara Ecovillage achieved an overall cohesion score of 3.2 out of 4, surpassing the national average of 2.8. Adjunct Professor, Sustainability and Social Capital at Western Sydney University and Narara Ecovillage resident Rosemary Leonard said the study was significant in showcasing the benefits of intentional community living. “The survey results are a testament to how living in an ecovillage fosters deep connections, trust, and a sense of belonging, aspects of community life that are increasingly rare in today’s world,” she said. “Narara Ecovillage stands as a beacon of what is possible when people intentionally come together to live with kindness, awareness of their interdependence, and a shared commitment to sustainability.” The survey highlighted several key strengths in the community, with residents scoring particularly high in areas of practical support (3.5), trust (3.4), helpfulness (3.4), and community commitment (3.4). “Acts of kindness, community activities, willingness to address and resolve conflicts and a strong sense of safety for children were key sources of belonging for our residents,” Leonard said. “Our organised activities, from working bees to festivals, as well as smaller interest groups, provide a platform for meaningful connection. The survey found that 23% of respondents lived alone, with similar cohesion scores to those living with others. Unlike those in the wider community, single residents at Narara Ecovillage reported less loneliness and greater access to support. “We’re seeing that single residents here don’t face the same barriers to engagement or loneliness as those living alone in conventional housing,” Leonard said. “Our culture of kindness and proactive social interactions helps everyone feel supported, regardless of their living situation.” The survey also highlighted the power of intergenerational living at Narara Ecovillage, where residents of all ages, from infants to seniors, build strong, cross-generational bonds. “Our intergenerational model creates a vibrant, inclusive community where everyone, young and old, supports each other adding to the sense of connection and shared responsibility,” Leonard said. One resident highlighted community interactions such as dinners with friends, working together, yoga together, having a voice in projects, catching up virtually and in person, resident meetings, watching children grow and invitations to social events and festivals. Leonard said Narara Ecovillage showed that strong social cohesion and collaboration was possible. “We’re proud of what we’ve built – a community where people support one another and live in harmony with the natural world,” she said. “None of us were experts, but together we’ve achieved more than we could alone. “This survey shows that when we come together, we can create stronger, more connected communities, and we hope it encourages others to do the same.” Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0bf62f455418a62e11f5984ee314b2c" );document.getElementById("efb1a04fa5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); The community battery at Narara has been switched on at last. It is the second battery to be delivered under the Federal Government’s  Community Batteries for Household Solar program. The 412-kilowatt-hour Narara battery, built by Ausgrid, will provide cleaner, cheaper energy and will help with energy reliability when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. One in three Australian homes now have rooftop solar, and investments in storage like the battery will allow more households in the area to access the cost-of-living benefits of household solar. Recent analysis shows that households in NSW can save $1,015, or 48 per cent off their annual energy bills with rooftop solar – but they need a grid that can support reliable energy when the sun goes down. Cheap solar energy doesn’t just benefit individual households but the whole energy market, with the 31 per cent growth in rooftop solar last quarter helping to deliver a 71 per cent reduction in wholesale prices in a year. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen did the honours by turning on the Narara battery on November 3. “Delivering more storage like we’re doing today enables more households to reliably access the cost-of -living relief offered by solar,” he said. “We committed to deploy 400 community batteries to help households access cheaper, cleaner energy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. “Community batteries store locally generated, clean, excess solar energy for later use, putting downward pressure on household electricity costs and easing pressure on the grid.” Federal Member for Roberston Gordon Reid said community batteries helped suburbs transition to renewable energy, reducing their carbon footprint and helping with the cost of energy. This battery is the second of 58 batteries being delivered through the Business Grants Hub The remaining 342 community batteries will be overseen by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Such a small battery at such an enormous cost. This is why government needs tos stay out of things like this. An application for a strata subdivision for 18 lots of an approved cluster housing development at Narara Eco Village went to the Local Planning Panel on Thursday, September 3. The proposal is for lots ranging from 93 m2 to 173 m2 and parking for two cars. Council staff have recommended the panel approve the proposal for 14 Balgara Rise, Narara. Previous development of the land was approved in 2014 for a cluster housing development. At the time of lodgement of the application in 2013, the site was zoned 2(a) Residential under the former Gosford Planning Scheme Ordinance (GPSO) and the development was classified as Cluster Housing which was permissible. Cluster housing is no longer a defined use, and the development is now defined as Multi Dwelling Housing which is not permitted under the current zoning. The current application is for strata subdivision of a component of the previously approved development. The proposed strata subdivision would have been a complying development under State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, should it have occurred within five years of the date of the consent, now more than six years ago. Gosford Local Environmental Plan 2014 refers to minimum lot size for strata plan scheme in certain rural, residential and environment protection zones, including the R2 zone where the minimum lot size is 550m2. The proposed lots sizes vary between 93m2 and 176m2 , resulting in a maximum variation of 457m2 or 83 per cent. The report said the variation to allow for the proposed strata subdivision would enable each dwelling to be contained within their respective lots and allow for typical ownership and tenure arrangements for this type of development. The Narara Eco Village site comprises about 63 hectares that was formerly occupied and operated as the Gosford Horticulture Research and Advisory Station (under the control of the NSW Department of Primary Industry). The land was disposed of by NSW Department of Primary Industry and was acquired in September 2012 by a Co-Operative for the purposes of establishing an eco-village. Since that time the site has been known as Narara Eco-Village and provides opportunities for eco friendly living and related community ventures. The planning panel decision should be made public within one week of the meeting. Police detectives walk near the site of the alleged attempted abduction. (ABC News: Mary-Lou Vince) Link copiedShareShare articleA man who attempted to abduct a young woman on the New South Wales Central Coast on Sunday is believed to be the same person who sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl three weeks ago. Police have appealed to the local community for help to find the man, who is believed to be responsible for the two attacks at Narara. Strike Force Garawan was established after the sexual and indecent assault of the 12-year-old girl, as she walked along a path through bushland on her way to school on May 15. Police said the same taskforce was now investigating the attempted abduction of an 18-year-old woman near Narara Railway Station on Sunday. Officers have been told the woman got off a train just before 4:30pm and walked along Narara Valley Drive and into a laneway leading to Koninderie Parade. She was approached from behind by a man who grabbed her around the neck. The woman told police she kicked the man and broke free, and ran towards Koninderie Parade calling out for help. She contacted emergency services after seeing the man walk away toward Narara Valley Drive. The man involved in the attempted abduction is described as being in his mid-20s, about 175cm tall with a chubby build, ginger, blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a grey hooded jumper, long camouflage pants and black heavy boots. Police said he also had a loose covering over his face that exposed his eyes and nose. The path where 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in May. (ABC News: Mary-Lou Vince) The 12-year-old girl involved in the earlier attack told police she was tied up and sexually assaulted by a man while she walked along a path between Reeves and Carrington streets at Narara. The man is described as being aged in his mid-20s, about 180cm tall with a chubby build, with grey, blond hair and blue eyes. At the time he was wearing a knitted camouflage shirt, camouflage pants over navy blue pants, and a camouflage hat, with a loose covering over his face that exposed his eyes and nose. After that attack, police said they would be patrolling the area around the pathway which is a commonly used thoroughfare. Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Haddow, the Commander of State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad, said police believed the two crimes were linked as the description of the offender was strikingly similar in both cases. "We have extra patrols in the Narara area and we are doing everything we can to assure the public that we are giving this job as many resources as we can." He has urged anyone who knows anyone who fits the description and wears camouflage gear to contact police. "These types of investigations rely heavily upon community assistance," he said. Detective Superintendent Haddow declined to disclose whether police had identified a suspect. "At this stage it's an ongoing investigation and I can't discuss lines of inquiry or specifics in relation to the matter, but certainly we are in such a position that we are seeking help from the public," he said. "Child abduction is very rare in most cases, it's certainly a rare crime in New South Wales. In the wake of the latest attack, police have urged the local community to be vigilant with their safety and encourage parents to talk to their children about 'Safe People, Safe Places'. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Cosmos » Sustainability Marie Low is a regional and rural journalist based in Gunnedah In a vegetable garden that once was a greenhouse for a horticultural research site Suzie Brown is tending kale and silverbeet her husband and nine-year-old daughter are among those who have ditched suburban life to join Narara Ecovillage a 63-hectare site about 5km north of Gosford on the central coast of New South Wales which aims to have about 150 homes and up to 400 residents and has become a test case for renewable energy the ecovillage was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the federal Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) towards establishment of an on-site smart power network The ARENA website notes that the project was an “ecovillage model for sustainable living including social economic as well as environmental outcomes” The website further notes that “it will demonstrate that costs can be significantly reduced by eliminating the need for one substation out of two on-site, the benefits of this village model can be extended to virtual power generators located in the same district and beyond.” The microgrid includes 471 kW of solar photovoltaics (PV) 460 kWh of energy storage and integrated demand side management and control systems “The Narara Ecovillage Smart Grid project will collect data relating to social impacts and the interaction of the microgrid with the NSW electricity network,” the ARENA website states going on to note that the grant would help the ecovillage become “a world-leading carbon-neutral sustainable living centre that integrates and maximises renewable energy use and new energy storage technologies” “a world-leading carbon-neutral sustainable living centre that integrates and maximises renewable energy use and new energy storage technologies” Findings from the project are already being released through a NSW Government Clean Energy Knowledge Sharing Initiative Case Study available online a 437 kWh battery was installed at the ecovillage early this year allowing the storage of solar power during the day for use at night and on cloudy days Solar panels on all the buildings feed into the micro grid and excess is fed back into the national electricity grid Read also: More and more Australians want to live an energy-efficient and sustainable lifestyle it means that when the lights unexpectedly go off in nearby Narara and ecovillage resident Lincoln De Kalb said the village had a fully carbon neutral energy supply “As the ecovillage continues to grow and new homes are built more solar panels will join our micro grid and help charge the battery,” De Kalb says “It feels great to know that we’re not adding carbon emissions to the atmosphere and our excess solar energy helps the wider community access solar as well.” NEV Power is expected to grow to include 1052 kW of solar PV generation and 825 kWh of batteries when the ecovillage is complete It will be a demonstration village with tours and presentations Brown and her family are renting while they wait for a house compliant with the ecovillage’s strict guidelines to be built “We have known about the village for a long time,” Brown who is also a founder and volunteer director for Australian Parents for Climate Action “A friend who has a house here offered to rent it to us to try it out Within a few months we had realised how great it was.” Houses within the ecovillage must meet a minimum Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) 7-star rating (one star above the usual building requirement) and are measured on other aspects such as whether building materials are sourced locally the level of their embodied carbon and water efficiencies The requirements have resulted in an eclectic mix of housing a “Hobbit house” tucked into the slope with a bamboo reciprocal frame roof covered with zincalume steel Some houses appear traditional but are solar passive or thermally efficient in their design “The village standards are strict,” Brown says then you are pretty sure to meet council requirements.” Homes must have solar capacity for 1 kW per bedroom and lots can only be sold to co-operative members who must each pay a minimum shareholding of $30,000 This buys them shares representing a slice of the community land and buildings owned by the co-operative The lots are sold to members at market price Our people are committed to community and environmental standards “It takes a while for people to have a look around and to determine if it is right for them,” Brown says loves to hear the sound of frogs and birds and the family is contributing to providing food through the community garden Brown says her family has found the ecovillage to be home in a way their suburban house never was “It doesn’t matter what your background is or how old you are “My daughter had 60 acres to explore safely We feel more relaxed – she knows everybody and she loves it.” Are you interested in how science and technology is transforming production, energy, and agriculture? Then our new email newsletter Greenlight Project, launching soon, is for you. Click here to become an inaugural subscriber The Greenlight Project is a year-long look at how regional Australia is preparing for and adapting to climate change Home > Knowledge & Innovation > Knowledge Bank > Narara Ecovillage Smart Grid Project Lessons Learnt Report: Narara Ecovillage Smart Grid Project Lessons Learnt (PDF 581KB) This report presents the lessons learnt for the Narara Ecovillage Project since project inception The ARENA-funded Smart Grid project (‘project’) commenced in September 2016 and aims to enable NEV Power (‘NEV’) a wholly owned subsidiary of Narara Co-operative Ltd to operate a smart grid system using solar PV and battery storage to achieve a net carbon neutral community title subdivision of approximately 150 dwellings in total – an ‘ecovillage’ model for sustainable living including social economic as well as environmental outcomes NEV Power aims to connect its smart grid to the Ausgrid network as a high voltage embedded commercial customer the project will demonstrate a solution for minimising grid impacts from high export levels of solar generation and battery storage from a medium density housing development while on the residential side the project will show how an urban community can increase energy resilience and sustainability Narara Ecovillage Smart Grid Project Lessons Learnt (PDF 581KB) We present knowledge sharing from experts in energy technology Stay up to date with this valuable knowledge by following us on social, or by signing up to ARENAWIRE or the ARENA Insights newsletter Get the latest in energy innovation straight to your inbox The Central Coast is the next cab off the rank following the first of six community batteries to be installed in and around the Sydney region now up-and-running at Cabarita Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and Ausgrid CEO Marc England joined local MP Sally Sitou and residents as the 412kWh battery was switched on Five other batteries are set to be switched on at Bondi North Epping and Warriewood over the coming months with the Central Coast planned to be next in line Community batteries are flexible and scalable energy solutions which benefit both the local communities they are built within and the wider energy system Batteries like this support power quality and voltage enabling residents to install more solar and feed the solar energy into the grid and support home electrification and electric vehicle charging The batteries will also support more intermittent renewable energy generation by bridging the gap between when that energy is generated and when it is needed This means excess solar generated by homes can be stored locally during the day reducing the need to buy more expensive power from the grid when the sun isn’t shining Community batteries can also help apply downward pressure on energy prices by avoiding costly network upgrades to meet peak demand Ausgrid CEO Marc England said the benefits of community batteries were immense “We estimate NSW consumers could save up to $20B if community batteries replaced half the expected home batteries with the added benefits of continuing to put downward pressure on peak energy prices while maintaining grid stability” he said community batteries take advantage of our existing network infrastructure speeding up installation time and reducing the need for expensive network augmentation we could deliver more than one to two GW of storage leading to increased electricity system security and reliability for our customers “We are excited and ready to make electricity accessible to everyone as we drive a net-zero future.” For more information on community batteries, visit www.ausgrid.com.au/sharedbattery Ausgrid has installed a new community battery in Narara on the Central Coast, the second battery under the Federal Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program.  This marks Ausgrid’s fifth community battery installation and a first for the Central Coast.   Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, joined Ausgrid CEO, Marc England, and Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid, to unveil the 412kWh battery to the community. Delivered in partnership with Central Coast Council, the battery will allow customers in Narara to more efficiently utilise their solar energy. Community batteries support power quality and voltage in local areas by harnessing and storing excess solar from local homes, so more customers can install rooftop solar systems and charge their electric vehicles.   These batteries are uniquely placed to allow more renewable energy into the grid while delivering services to the wider energy market, applying downward pressure on energy bills.  Mr Bowen said that community batteries would help both households and the broader energy transformation.  “Delivering more storage like we’re doing today – enables more households to reliably access the cost-of-living relief offered by solar,: Mr Bowen said.  “We committed to deploy 400 community batteries to help households access cheaper, cleaner energy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with the fantastic local Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid today.  “Community batteries store locally generated, clean, excess solar energy for later use, putting downward pressure on household electricity costs and easing pressure on the grid.”  Dr Reid welcomed the activation, and said that the Narara Community Battery will help residents in Narara harness and store excess roof top solar power, which the whole community will benefit from.  “Community batteries help our suburbs transition to renewable energy, reducing our carbon footprint and helping with the cost of energy,” Dr Reid said.  “I look forward to continuing to be a part of a Federal Government that is committed to rolling out community batteries across Australia.”  Mr England said that Ausgrid is confident community batteries of all sizes attached to the distribution network will play a vital role in supporting the energy transition to 100 per cent renewables.  “Ultimately, as we continue to work toward making these batteries a viable storage as a service solution, the community will receive greater benefit, while greening the grid,” Mr England said. “We have already received positive community feedback from Narara residents about this battery being a visible symbol of the transition towards net zero, and their desire for more across the Central Coast. As a result of being connected to the distribution network, both small community size and medium scale (<5MW) batteries address the local challenges of higher peak demand and the hollowing out of system demand during the day; supporting the network during peak times and avoiding the need for network augmentation that would otherwise be necessary to address grid constraints while significantly accelerating installation time. To support its community battery roll out under the Community Batteries for Household Solar Program, Ausgrid is installing community-based renewable energy projects to further increase access to the renewable energy transition.  In addition to the community battery in Narara, Ausgrid will be installing a 30.36kW solar array on the Narara Community Centre, lowering energy costs for the hub, and increasing renewable energy generation in the community.  In addition, the battery has been wrapped in custom artwork created by local First Nations artist Emma Peel, titled Travelling across Country. The artwork represents the journey across Ausgrid’s network area, from Oatley to Scone, and the unique landscapes the areas encompass. Featured image: The Narara Community Battery. Image credit: Ausgrid.  As the dust settles from the 2025 Federal Election, Energy is revisiting the Labor Party’s energy policies and election promises... It’s said that history doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes. And in the energy sector, those rhymes are unmistakable. Whether... As the energy industry transforms under the influence of technological innovation, professionals are challenged to keep up by adopting smarter... © 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited © 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. 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View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders A 100-YEAR-OLD house in Narara that was once a citrus and bean farm is on the market No. 95 Hanlan St North remains relatively unchanged from its original form and has only ever been owned by three families “The house was built in 1916 for John Swinson his wife and three daughters,” current owner Andrew Smith said “The family lived there for 18 years and helped build the church on Berrys Head Rd and Pacific Highway in Narara Their family name is recorded in the foundation stone of the church.” Mr Smith then went on to recall how the property was acquired in 1935 by the ‘The Elizabeth Kirby Trust Scheme’ which used the Kirby estate to assist returned soldiers or airmen to take up rural holdings on which they intended to live and work “One of the successful applicants for the Kirby Scheme was Lalor and his family who lived in the house and used the property to grow citrus and beans for the next 50 years,” Mr Smith said The property has an old world charm that will appeal to a certain type of buyer “By 1986 the area had been developed and turned into single building blocks My family purchased the house in 1986 to use as a family home and have lived and owned it for the last 30 years.” the large 854sqm block is still full of old world charm Featuring high ceilings and original hardwood flooring wraparound veranda and two open fireplaces the property will appeal to a certain type of buyer but part of the property may need some work Mr Smith said that the purchase may suit someone handy although he doesn’t like the idea of changing it too much “People will either love it or hate it,” Mr Smith said I hope someone who loves it like we do buys it.” The property will go to auction on Saturday 14 April at 2pm third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Play Duration: 10 minutes 28 seconds10m Presented by When Granger Narara's flying career began 40 years ago, he had no idea that decades later he'd be flying an airliner into Brussels with his son as his co-pilot. He would also become somewhat of a pioneer, as the first Papua New Guinean national to fly for an overseas airline. But Captain Narara said that happened quite by chance in 1991. "I was instructing on the Airbus at Air Nuigini, and we leased one to a company in Bulgaria," he said. "I was actually going through Dubai on a trip to Singapore and believe it or not, ran into a guy at a bar in the hotel who said 'what are you doing here?'" It was then that he learned about Emirates - which at the time only had a few aeroplanes and was looking for instructors. "I thought if I don't do it now, I'll be too old in ten years or fifteen years." By the time Captain Narara left to join Etihad, he was the chief pilot. Another career milestone was conducting a flight with his son Nigel - now also an Etihad pilot - at his side as first officer. "We were going into Brussels... the weather wasn't very good it was low fog and we were getting bounced around." "As we were coming into land he said... 'It's ok dad it's all under control.'" "You know, nobody ever called me 'dad' in the cockpit, it's always 'yes captain, yes captain', not 'it's ok dad', I forgot I was flying with my son!" "That's the first time I've been called dad in the cockpit by my colleague, it was so funny." Granger Narara encourages anyone with dreams of flying to go for it. "Right now flying careers are the thing and there are great opportunities." But alongside seeing the world and having fun, there are some unexpected pitfalls to flying so often. "I think the hardest thing to remember is what your hotel room number is. That's probably the biggest challenge these days. It's like 'what's my room number again? I forgot.'" Tim, Granger and Nigel in their captain's uniforms Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Hempcrete house at Narara Ecovillage will open its doors to the public Narara Ecovillage is continuing on its mission to fill its little township with sustainable houses with homes made from unique provisions like strawbale panels and upcycled materials such as tyres and bottles Resident Donna Carey is part way through construction of her hempcrete house, which will be open to the public on 15 September for Sustainable House Day The hempcrete house is currently under construction The 130sqm three-bedroom house incorporates a multitude of design features ensuring that not only does the building meet all of the Ecovillage’s rigorous sustainability goals and guidelines but also creates a very comfortable and liveable home for Ms Carey the home is being built by Ryan White from eBuild and Consult who has a hempcrete extension on his own property in Umina “Hempcrete is made up of hemp hurd or shiv which is the woody stem of the hemp plant that is broken down into a woodchip texture and bound by a hydrated lime mixture,” he said Builder Ryan White posing with some of the hempcrete material sand and water are mixed and poured into a timber structure and carefully tapped lightly into place.” Mr White said that there were many benefits of using the material including mould reduction the actual production of the hemp herb only takes about three or four months to grow and there are no insecticides required minimal water and it can grow in all type of soil,” he said when mixed it absorbs more carbon and therefore reduces carbon in the atmosphere.” Mr White said that he is passionate about the hempcrete side of his business but it would not become his sole focus until the material became more widely used “There are indications that it will increase but the biggest challenge is affordability — once efficiency and labour costs improve and the cost is comparative to a typical build Jazz Mozzi from the Narara Ecovillage said that the community now had six completed homes five almost completed and another three on the go plus an 18-unit cluster development which will be ready early next year “The community feeling is terrific with more members moving on site into their homes,” she said Narara Ecovillage will be opening the doors to several of its sustainable houses this Saturday, click here to book tickets Ecovillages are a subset of intentional housing defined as twenty or more people living together lightly on the earth, explains Andrew McLean, co-founder of the non-profit organisation, Eco Villages Australia McLean reveals inquiries to Eco Villages Australia have doubled over covid at Narara the waiting list for stage two land is filling fast Huang (who now has three children and another on the way) first learnt about Narara from a girlfriend and came up for an open day “Straight away I knew it would be better for me,” she says the couple bought a small block of land in the village for about $280,000 and built a natural straw “I only have to walk 20 metres to find someone to connect to Our kids are really connected to other neighbouring kids and other adults.” The family enjoys dinners with the community twice a week and a free holiday program for kids Other perks include a bulk-food buying service and unofficial “shag roster” for couples with kids The lower-cost lifestyle has meant John only has to commute to the city two days a week Huang estimates they save $16,000 a year by living at Narara “There are so many trading and bartering opportunities here,” she says John had an accident on his electric skateboard and was cared for by volunteer nurses in the village a more socially connected life isn’t utopia With all decisions made collectively it can be frustrating listening to everyone’s opinion it’s not uncommon for kids to come knocking on the door for play dates at 7am How these homeowners successfully renovated in flood-prone areas A renter’s guide to growing your own food at home The realities of a making a sea or tree change Dani Austin, 34, and partner Sam Ryan were attracted to Aldinga Arts Ecovillage by the kindness displayed by residents when they attended a tiny homes workshop there In 2015 they bought a block and built a straw-bale home in 2017 “We grow almost all our own veggies and have chickens,” Dani says. “We’re in a goat collective, too.” The couple, who work part-time in Adelaide, also run a micro-business, Folk Of All Trades “We love learning from the diversity of people here,” Austin says “The biggest challenge for us personally is remembering to collaborate and compromise Living in a community is not something you’re taught at school (school is generally about individual achievement and progress) today’s ecovillages represent a growing global response to the problems of modern living “Covid has highlighted some real weaknesses in our society – globalised manufacturing social disconnection and an economy based on overconsumption.” “Some people own their own lots and some use a collective stewardship model McLean estimates there are 6000 ecovillages across the world. The number within Australia is unknown, given many remain hidden. Clusters exist in south-wast Queensland and northern NSW. Buildings range from basic to the high-end properties of award-winning The Ecovillage at Currumbin (Queensland) where residents enjoy communal Bali huts Along with buying land or an established home, another option is renting. McLean, for instance, shares a three-bedroom workers cottage at Maleny Ecovillage Some residents choose to lend to the non-profit to buy land and improve the property all residents then pay rent which pays off these loans some developers are calling their developments ecovillages “They need to be self-managed or it isn’t one.” A good place to start is the Global Ecovillage Network. Some impose high demands and rules on members, most allow more freedom of choice. The key is to match the type of people to yourself. Attend an open day to get a feel for the place. Commonly, the only requirement to enter is the cash to buy in, but for others, it’s more about admittance to the club. “It’s a bit like marriage – go in with eyes wide open, but once you get into it, with eyes half-shut,” McLean advises. Also, make sure it’s easy to leave. “It’s not easy working together,” he says. “But in a world facing ecological destruction, it’s the number one thing we need to grapple with.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate When the new multi-million-dollar upgrade of Narara railway station was unveiled on November 29, even self-proclaimed Mayor of Narara, Paddy Gerrard, gave it the thumbs up. The Triple M breakfast host joined Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, in inspecting the new facilities. “I don’t use the trains much myself but this is a real boon for Narara and will make a lot of difference for many people,” Gerrard said. Crouch said the $15.5M upgrade is part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program being rolled out across NSW. “Thanks to these upgrades, Narara station is now easier to access for all customers including people with a disability, people with mobility aids, parents or carers with prams and travellers with luggage,” Crouch said. “The upgrade supported dozens of jobs over the process of planning and construction, providing a welcome boost to our local economy. “Customers are already using the new lifts and the upgraded accessible paths in and around the station, which have improved the experience of getting to and from the train platform. “Other improvements include new accessible parking spaces, a ‘kiss and ride’ space for easier pick-ups and drop-offs, and a new pedestrian crossing across the northern commuter car park. “There are also formalised Boarding Assistance Zones on each platform and upgraded CCTV and lighting. “Our aim is to make train travel as easy as possible for every commuter.” Source:Media release, Nov 29Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch The Central Coast’s water main problem was, again, on full display today. Emergency services this time forced to close roads near a train station, after a pipe burst during the morning peak. is one of many Australians choosing this February to give up alcohol or another vice as part of the febfast challenge The initiative invites people to fast for the month to help raise money for Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) Parfitt had wanted to stop drinking for the past 12 months due to health reasons and said this challenge was great for motivation and the donations keep me feeling both accountable and encouraged “I actually stopped again just before febfast and I hope to keep going afterwards “There are days I struggle more than others “So I’ll go out for a walk and remember why I am doing this and who I am doing it for I absolutely feel better without alcohol – mentally and physically Parfitt has raised $165 for YSAS and aims to reach $300 and homelessness are all significant issues on the Central Coast,” Parfitt said so obviously have a vested interest in their future and wellbeing.” People can still participate in the challenge despite it being halfway through the month “Early intervention and effective treatment mean that young people can have a fighting chance,” Parfitt said “A recent (excellent) documentary I watched said it could take up to 20 years for people struggling with addiction to seek treatment – how sad is that “We really need to work on reducing the stigma associated with addiction and mental health so people aren’t afraid to get the help they need.” Sign-up to the latest news from Better Homes and Gardens Disclaimer: By joining, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use On the Central Coast of NSW lies a community of people who are truly living their values Every home in this planned village is designed to be energy efficient including one that looks like it came straight from the pages of a fantasy novel The village was founded to gather friends and like-minded people to form a supportive environmentally conscious community that is a green example for Australia You might just get some tips to save on energy bills and also help save the environment For more information, head to nararaecovillage.com Better Homes and Gardens promotes inspired living for home loving Australians With a total audience reach of over six million Better Homes and Gardens is the country’s original and most successful multi-platform brand power-house print magazine and thriving digital and social platforms for your chance to WIN $25,000 cash or curated gift set Council Watch Watching Central Coast Council on behalf of fair-minded and reasonable people October 27, 2022 by The State Government launched the Central Coast Regional Plan (CCRP) on October 27 It is the latest in a long line of “plans” for the Coast and it’s not the end of the line: more plans are coming The Coast is part of the Six Cities Vision and this CCRP outlines our part in that jigsaw puzzle The Greater Cities Commission is writing up a “Central Coast Strategy for Economic Growth” plan which will complement this regional plan (CCRP) The Strategy for Economic Growth’s job will be to “accelerate the CCRP’s commitments with clear actions and funding” The CCRP will have the status of a district strategic plan – but only until the Greater Cities Commission produces its own Six Cities Regional Plan and its Central Coast City Plan commences The plan talks about nine objectives but more housing seems most important when it comes to the detail The regional plan will shape how the State Government will collaborate with Council state agencies and those “stakeholders” on the regionally significant growth areas so that the housing is delivered quickly The State Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts says a core part of the delivery will be an Urban Development Program Committee and assist with infrastructure coordination “This will help ensure there is 5 years of zoned and developable land enabling more homes for families and those seeking to be part of the great communities all along the Central Coast,” he says in the foreward to the plan a plan to develop a particular area might need a Place Delivery Group (PDG) “The place-delivery group will be established to resolve planning and infrastructure constraints for an area undergoing significant change,” the plan explains the plan identifies that more “employment lands” are needed so that means more partnerships are needed “The supply of zoned and serviced employment land requires a partnership between the NSW Government and Council infrastructure providers and the development industry,” the plan explains The department will produce an annual report on the delivery and implementation of the regional plan 1/ Narara District  (purple) takes in a huge area “The Narara district is the Central Coast’s major urban area incorporating the regional capital of Gosford the emerging centre of Lisarow and tourism centres at Ettalong Beach Terrigal and Avoca Beach,” the plan states “Each of these places has its own culture and history to be celebrated in future planning.” 2/ A Central Lakes District (what colour is that: Mango??) takes in not only Warnervale and Munmorah but also Morisset which is not in the LGA of the Central Coast but is part of Lake Macquarie Council area 3/ The tuggerah District (yellow) takes in the Tuggerah to Wyong Growth Corridor and the health precinct surrounding the redevelopment of Wyong Hospital but also establishes a new strategic centre and regionally significant growth area known as Karagi (Aboriginal name for the channel) that integrates future development around The Entrance 4/ The Watagan District (Green) includes Jilliby this is confusing as the Watagan Mountains is a particular area north of those areas there are pages and pages of planning priorities and “place strategy outcomes” relating to the different areas I urge local community groups to become acquainted with those priorities and outcomes if you want to keep abreast of current thinking for your area We have one administrator instead of 15 councillors He needs to know you’re interested in all this The CCRP has nine objectives with a lot of details for each objective which I haven’t included here A prosperous Central Coast with more jobs close to home Support the right of aboriginal residents to economic self-determination Create 15 minute neighbourhoods to support mixed An interconnected Central Coast without car dependent communities Reach net zero and increase resilience and sustainable infrastructure Plan for businesses and services at the heart of healthy Sustain and balance productive rule landscapes Each objective has a number of performance outcomes and strategies to get there it is worth local communities reading this document to understand the focus for these objectives and what that means for their areas “The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (October 2022) and may not be accurate The state of New South Wales (including the NSW Department of Planning and Environment) the author and the publisher take no responsibility reliability or correctness of any information included in the document (including material provided by third parties) Readers should make their own inquiries and rely on their own advice when making decisions related to material contained in this publication.” See the document here: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/centralcoast2041 Filed Under: Explore Tagged With: , This motion is understood as a ‘need’ in accommodating a growing population BUT it seems that off-street parking is not included in the application process The spate of ‘granny flats’ being built seem to be a quick answer for our community Many infill developments appear to impede traffic thoroughfare due to not enough parking space onsite or none whatsoever thus the ‘extra’ street parking especially in the newer suburbs which have laneways and narrow streets All of this is detrimental to the streetscape and community access I would feel more comfortable with these momentous plans if we had local councillors capable of looking after the areas they represent and live in I probably won’t live long enough to see see most of this come to fruition April 25, 2025 By April 13, 2025 By March 23, 2025 By March 13, 2025 By December 11, 2024 By November 25, 2024 By November 7, 2024 By October 30, 2024 By October 1, 2024 By This page is run by journalist Merilyn Vale and is not associated with Council. Copyright © 2025 · Merilyn Vale The Central Coast Cricket Association’s One Day Premiership has been won by Narara Wyoming over Terrigal Matcham at Tuggerah Regional Sporting Complex on Sunday, February 28. Each team made use of 38 overs, with Narara batting second and overcoming Terrigal’s score of 135 runs, with five wickets still to play. In the opening innings, it didn’t take long for Narara to take their first wicket, making opening batsman, Kristian Mitchell, walk in the second over due to Ethan Lulham’s catch off of Michael Shelley’s ball, who went on to take two more. Nonetheless, Terigal’s opening batsman, Lloyd Radcliffe, went on to face 80 balls and score a total of 38 runs, the highest scoring for his team. Radcliffe’s end came in the 28th over when Lulham ran him out off of Thomas Owen’s bowling. Despite Radcliffe’s strong innings, as well as that of Zachary Peters, who scored 34 runs off 53 balls, and who was again caught by Lulham, Terrigal were plagued by a string of underwhelming performances and were all bowled out mid-way through the 39th over. A similarly stunted start reduced Narara to nine batsmen after six overs, with both Carl Bolte and Mark McLachlan reaching only seven runs each. From here, consistency was found through the partnership of Lulham and Peter Gallichan, respectively earning 22 and 23 runs off 61 and 44 balls. Entering in the 20th over, Owen went on up to Narara’s second last over, earning 39 runs off his 65 balls faced. With the scores levelled at 135, Kered Baird lost his wicket at the hands of Terrigal’s Alex Patterson, and Narara sent out Shelley to finish the game. However, it was the Narara skipper, James Smith, who finished it off on the very next bowl, scoring his team’s winning run and raising his total to 27 not out, off 29 balls. Source:WebsiteCentral Coast Cricket Association Speaking in public is a challenging skill to master, but the students at Narara Public School have stepped up to the plate by participating in their own annual Public Speaking Competition. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 took part in the in-class debates over the past few weeks discussing a range of topics. School principal, Grant McFarland, oversaw many of the presentations and said he was extremely impressed with the calibre of speeches. “It was evident how much time and effort students put into preparing and practising their speech,” he said. “All students should be very proud of their efforts. “Public speaking is a difficult skill and one that does not come easy to most people. McFarland said that the school focuses on public speaking and debating with students by offering coaching by one of the teachers. “They normally go on to a representative level across the schools on the Central Coast, but because of the current climate, we did our own in-school comp this year,” he said. “They do it in stage groups, starting off in class and then the teacher selects a nominated number of kids who go onto represent their own stage groups.” Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Eight months after Craig Kelly sold his Sutherland Shire house in Illawong, the United Australia Party leader has bought a family home for his wife and children more than 100 kilometres away on the Central Coast Records show the former Liberal Party MP’s wife paid $1.345 million for the seven-bedroom property in Narara but eight months later he was yet to update the federal parliamentary Register of Members’ Interests The 3800 square metre property in Narara has two residences on title Following inquiries from The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday and I acknowledge that I should have updated this earlier.” It is a requirement of membership of the House of Representative for members to lodge any sale or purchase of property on the registrar within 28 days was sold at auction in February for $1.651 million three days before he resigned from the Liberal Party to sit on the crossbench as an independent who has been an outspoken critic of vaccines on social media and against lockdowns in Victoria joined Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party in August Mr Kelly said he and Vicki sold up earlier this year to buy a larger house with more outdoor space that would better provide for their intellectually disabled son The leader of the United Australia Party was prompted to update the parliamentary register of interests on Monday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen “He is now 25 years of age and his entire world revolves around his home,” Mr Kelly said of which we were unable to do so in Sydney and therefore the best option for him was to relocate to a semi-rural location.” Mr Kelly said Vicki was also keen to move away after public calls for people to protest out the front of the family home and claims the publication of their address prompted politically motivated intruders to enter their home The Kelly family’s Narara home has a pizza oven reported Mr Kelly as saying: “Someone sneaked in during an open house inspection and hung an Islamic flag in the main bedroom.” Mr Kelly said that while his wife and children were living in the Central Coast home he would continue to live in the electorate in Menai “Due to recent COVID restrictions and the parliamentary calendar I have only seen them once in the past several months and I’m looking forwarded to the Christmas break when we will be able to spend time together,” he said The Kelly family’s Central Coast home is set on 3800 square metres and was billed a “secluded urban oasis” in the marketing before it sold There are two separate residences on title of which the main is a five-bedroom house with a vast covered deck that overlooks a wood-fired pizza oven The second dwelling is a two-bedroom granny flat that was built in 2017 Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here Eight months after Craig Kelly the United Australia Party leader has bought a family home for his wife and children more than 100 kilometres away on the Central Coast Records show the former Liberal Party MP\\u2019s wife but eight months later he was yet to update the federal parliamentary Register of Members\\u2019 Interests and I acknowledge that I should have updated this earlier.\\u201D joined Clive Palmer\\u2019s United Australia Party in August \\u201CHe is now 25 years of age and his entire world revolves around his home,\\u201D Mr Kelly said and therefore the best option for him was to relocate to a semi-rural location.\\u201D reported Mr Kelly as saying: \\u201CSomeone sneaked in during an open house inspection and hung an Islamic flag in the main bedroom.\\u201D \\u201CDue to recent COVID restrictions and the parliamentary calendar and I\\u2019m looking forwarded to the Christmas break when we will be able to spend time together,\\u201D he said The Kelly family\\u2019s Central Coast home is set on 3800 square metres and was billed a \\u201Csecluded urban oasis\\u201D in the marketing before it sold Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens An alleged sexual predator has been arrested and charged after police say he disguised himself in military camouflage gear three months ago to abduct and sexually assault a young girl who was on her way to school Police launched Strike Force Garawan to investigate the attack at Narara on the Central Coast on May 15 dragged into bushland and sexually and indecently assaulted The 31-year-old man (left) faces nine charges over the alleged sexual assault at Narara in May.Credit: Police Media running to her school where she raised the alarm on Friday night when his car was stopped in what police have described as a "very well-planned operation" is also accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl known to him.Credit: Police Media the Child Abuse Squad and the Sex Crimes Squad then searched his home in nearby Woongarrah where they seized items including clothing and a knife said police will allege Mr Johnson was wearing a Ghillie suit at the time he attacked the young girl The heavy burlap suits are a type of shaggy camouflage clothing often used by the military to help soldiers blend into backdrops such as scrub or sand Detective Superintendent Howlett said the young victim was handling the situation "remarkably well" after being told her alleged attacker had been arrested the Child Abuse Squad and the Sex Crimes Squad arrested the man then searched a nearby home.Credit: Police Media "I want to take this opportunity to thank the public for their assistance This investigation has had a lot of publicity," Detective Superintendent Howlett said "I also want to acknowledge the bravery of the victim She has been absolutely exceptional with the detail she has been able to provide the investigation and I personally want want to thank her for all of her assistance Police examine an item of clothing during a search at a home in Woongarrah.Credit: Police Media "Obviously she's relieved that an offender has been arrested There is an "ongoing investigation" into a second assault An example of the kind of "Ghillie" suit the attacker was described as wearing In that incident, an 18-year-old woman was walking near Narara train station at 4.30pm when she was grabbed from behind by a man wearing a hooded jumper, camouflage pants and black boots. She managed to kick the man, break free, and run off while shouting for help. Mr Johnson faces nine charges over the attack on the 12-year-old, including kidnapping with intent to commit a serious indictable offence, aggravated sexual assault, producing child abuse material, and possessing or using a prohibited weapon. He faces a further four charges over the alleged sexual assault of a second girl, aged 11, who police say was known to him. Detective Superintendent Howlett said the 11-year-old was assaulted from late 2016 to early 2017. "Now that this arrest has taken place, there's a possibility that further victims will come forward," Detective Superintendent Howlett said. She urged parents to have a conversation with their children about how to raise the alarm if they were approached by someone who intended to harm them. Mr Johnson was taken to Wyong Police Station after his arrest, where he suffered a "medical episode" and was taken to hospital under police guard. He is expected to face Wyong Local Court on Sunday. An alleged sexual predator has been arrested and charged, after police say he disguised himself in military camouflage gear three months ago to abduct and sexually assault a young girl who was on her way to school. Police launched Strike Force Garawan to investigate , where the girl was grabbed from behind, dragged into bushland and sexually and indecently assaulted. Eventually she escaped, running to her school where she raised the alarm. Troy Johnson, 31, was arrested at Lake Haven, near Wyong, on Friday night when his car was stopped in what police have described as a \\\"very well-planned operation\\\". Local police, the Child Abuse Squad and the Sex Crimes Squad then searched his home in nearby Woongarrah, where they seized items including clothing and a knife. Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, the commander of the Sex Crimes Squad, said police will allege Mr Johnson was wearing a Ghillie suit at the time he attacked the young girl. The heavy burlap suits are a type of shaggy camouflage clothing often used by the military to help soldiers blend into backdrops such as scrub or sand. Detective Superintendent Howlett said the young victim was handling the situation \\\"remarkably well\\\" after being told her alleged attacker had been arrested. \\\"I want to take this opportunity to thank the public for their assistance. This investigation has had a lot of publicity,\\\" Detective Superintendent Howlett said. \\\"I also want to acknowledge the bravery of the victim. She has been absolutely exceptional with the detail she has been able to provide the investigation, and I personally want want to thank her for all of her assistance. \\\"Obviously she's relieved that an offender has been arrested. It is of some comfort to her.\\\" There is an \\\"ongoing investigation\\\" into a second assault, also at Narara, on June 4. In that incident, an at 4.30pm when she was grabbed from behind by a man wearing a hooded jumper, camouflage pants and black boots. \\\"Now that this arrest has taken place, there's a possibility that further victims will come forward,\\\" Detective Superintendent Howlett said. Mr Johnson was taken to Wyong Police Station after his arrest, where he suffered a \\\"medical episode\\\" and was taken to hospital under police guard. Commuters have been waiting a long time since major upgrades at Lisarow and Narara railway stations were promised in the lead-up to the 2019 State election, and now the works are set to go ahead. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the work was being delivered through the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program. “The proposed upgrades will make access at Lisarow and Narara Stations easier for train customers, including people with a disability, limited mobility, parents and carers with prams and travellers with luggage,” Crouch said. “They will also ensure our local stations improve the customer experience and provide room for future growth on the public transport network. “While both sites remain subject to the final planning approval, a contract has been awarded to Haslin Constructions for the design and construction phases. “Enabling works, which include services investigation and site establishment, will begin in the next few weeks.” The Lisarow station upgrade is proposed to include, among other things, two new lifts connecting the platforms to the existing footbridge, a new accessible parking space; a ‘kiss and ride’ space in the Railway Cres commuter car park; a new ramp from the Pacific Hwy pedestrian footpath and CCTV and PA system upgrades. Narara station will see two new lifts connecting the platforms to the existing footbridge; a new accessible parking space; a ‘kiss and ride’ space in both commuter car parks; a new path from the station to Narara Valley Drive and the relocation of a southbound bus stop on Narara Valley Drive. Source:Media release, Aug 27Parliamentary Secretary for the Central coast, Adam Crouch The man accused of the assaults was wearing a camouflage mask similar to this Link copiedShareShare articleA man suspected of attacking two girls on the New South Wales Central Coast attempted to camouflage himself even wearing a full ghillie suit during an assault While walking to school on May 15, a 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man who grabbed her from behind and took her into nearby bushland Officers were told the girl was walking along a pathway between Reeves and Carrington streets at Narara The man tied her up with cable ties and sexually and indecently assaulted her Police said the man was wearing clothing described as a "3D leafy ghillie suit" which included a face mask The girl managed to escape and made her way to school where she reported the incident She has since physically recovered from her injuries Police are also investigating the attempted abduction of a 18-year-old woman near Narara Railway Station on June 4. The accused grabbed a 12-year-old girl and pulled her into bushland while wearing this clothing. (Supplied: NSW Police) After the woman got off a train just before 4:30pm and walked along Narara Valley Drive and into the laneway leading to Koninderie Parade, she was approached by a man who grabbed her around the neck. The woman kicked back at the man and broke free from his grip and ran toward Koninderie Parade calling out for help. She then contacted triple-0. The man was wearing long camouflage pants, black heavy boots and a loose covering over his face. Police believe the same man is responsible for both attacks due to the victims' descriptions of physical appearance and conversations. The man is described as being aged in his mid-20s, 175-180cm tall with a chubby build, grey/blond hair and blue eyes. Sex Crimes Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett said it would be difficult to get around suburbia wearing a ghillie suit without drawing attention to yourself, so it is believed he knew the best routes to go unnoticed. Detective Superintendent Howlett urged the community to take a good look at the items to see if they recognise anything. Police would like to hear from anyone who recognises this clothing. (Supplied: NSW Police) "The clothing ... is quite distinct, but it is widely available and may not necessarily have been purchased at the same time — or even purchased recently. "While we continue with our inquiries, we are appealing to the community to help narrow down our search. "Anyone who knows someone who fits the description and who would have access to an outfit like this is urged to get in touch with us as soon as possible." Detectives believe the man would be very familiar with the Narara area.