Tea Gardens office closure

TEA Gardens office was only open for limited hours and closed last Thursday to allow for it to be recarpeted following the recent vandal attack.

Hours this week will return to 10am to 4pm hours.

The office will need to close again in several weeks’ time for repainting and Council will advise the community when this will occur.

Working with farmers for catchment management

Council and Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) are working together for catchment improvement and farm management.

Works include revegetation and weed control along streams, creeks, drainage lines, dams and wetlands.

Restoring riparian and wetland vegetation helps prevent sediment and nutrients from washing into waterways during rain events, keeping rivers and estuaries clean for fishing, boating, swimming and oyster production.

The vegetation also provides biodiversity outcomes, providing habitat for birds, reptiles and frogs.

Benefits to farmers include improved water quality in their dams, tree shelter belts for stock and a healthy and biodiverse landscape in which native species provide natural insect control and pollination.

Projects are underway in Pampoolah, Wallamba, The Branch, Stroud and the Myall River catchment.

Destination Services

Each day we move one step closer to business as usual with Destination Services staff working to ensure all Visitor Centres are compliant with the NSW Health regulations.

Believe it or not, visitation is currently still slow, however this is expected to rise with the anticipated lifting of restrictions on November 1 for vaccinated people.

Accommodation bookings for the Christmas holiday season are looking very strong with many providers already booked out.

Preparations are underway to re-open our volunteer visitor centres – Bulahdelah, Tea Gardens and Pacific Palms – in readiness for summer.

These centres experienced extended closures due to Covid-19, lockdowns and management changes.

I look forward to seeing them open and our local volunteers doing what they do best – welcoming tourists with a smile and information.

COVID Testing Sewage Systems

Last week was the first week of expanded testing in our area, the results so far have again shown a positive detection in Taree (consistent with current cases) as well as the first detection recorded at our Hawks Nest Plant.

So be vigilant and even with the slightest symptom get tested.

I know that Kate Washington and Council will be proactive in calling for more pop-up testing clinics to encourage greater levels of testing at Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest.

 

By Cr Len ROBERTS