Port Stephens Council

Attention Nelson Bay! The foreshore has been reopened to the public after the fire at D’Albora Marina on Wednesday 8 August. You can now enjoy the sunshine at Nelson Bay Beach ☀️

We're partnering with Port Stephens sporting clubs and the local community to provide relief to our farmers who are currently experiencing crippling drought throughout rural NSW. Let's come together to support those in need! www.portstephens.org.au/farmersrelief

We’re celebrating the first netball game on the new courts at Ferodale Sports Complex, Medowie. Thanks to the Medowie Netball Club for making this happen! 🙏

A BIG thanks to the Soldiers Point Lions Club for their $12,000 donation, which will be used to fund much needed upgrades to the park and amenities at Bob Cairns Reserve.

** UPDATE ** A total fire ban has been issued until midnight tonight as fire rating for the Lower Hunter is now severe. Visit the RFS website for details on TOBAN requirements.
The NSW Rural Fire Service is urging land managers and property owners to carefully consider conditions before burning off today, with winds up to 70 km/h and above average temperatures forecast for the Hunter region.
... Don’t be the fire risk to your community. Don’t light up unless it’s safe. Report any unattended fires to Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Information about burning and required notifications are available on the NSW RFS website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/safeb urning
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SRV Myth #4 - All the money is going to Nelson Bay and Raymond Terrace.
Busted: Yes, some significant funds are being allocated to major regional projects in our larger towns, such as Tomaree Sports Complex or an Art Centre in Raymond Terrace. However, the spread of funds is very even across the local government area. Funding is dispersed across the three wards and each town and village will receive significant benefits. Learn more: www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/srv

*Update* Phone system is up and running! You can now call us on 4988 0255 :)
We're experiencing a phone system outage, impacting our ability to dial out and receive calls. We'll try to fix the issue as soon as possible. If you need assistance, please send us a private message. We apologise for the inconvenience.

Attention Raymond Terrace! On Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 August, we'll be undertaking night road maintenance works on: - Sturgeon Street, near William Street roundabout. - Sturgeon and William Streets - Glenelg and Port Stephens Streets - Glenelg and Irrawang Streets
... To avoid any inconvenience, we ask residents to park all vehicles away from the street and footpath, and not use sprinklers or hoses in close proximity to the road between 5pm and 7am.
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You're invited to this unique photography exhibition at Cessnock Regional Gallery. Look Twice Exhibition will showcase the work of 7 award-winning professional photographers based in the Hunter Valley.

Meet Reuben ❤️ His mum Kelly sent us a message this morning telling us how much he loves the "big truck" and its driver: "I just wanted to express my appreciation to the young man who drives the recycling truck around Nelson Bay. My boy Reuben absolutely loves him. He has always waved and made his Monday mornings, but this morning was different. Reuben has his own bin now, which we took out last night. The man stopped his truck, hopped out and emptied Reuben's bin... He was in such awe of "the big truck" and "the guy" - his morning/week has been made! A huge thank you to the waste disposal team, and this particular worker who has made a 2-year-old's day - it was such a sweet gesture".

SRV Myth #3 - Council tells us they will deliver all these projects, but once they get the money, they will spend it on other things.
Busted: Council needs to apply for its SRV to an independent state government body (IPART). This application will include a detailed plan of the work we propose to undertake. If approved, Council will need to report to IPART annually and provide updates against the specific projects it has nominated to ensure monies are spent as proposed. Learn more: www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/srv

** Traffic changes on the Medowie/Nelson Bay Road Roundabout ** Linemarking changes will be made on Sunday night (weather permitting) to allow right hand turn from both lanes onto Nelson Bay Road from Medowie Road in Williamtown.
The upgrades have been identified as necessary given traffic efficiency and safety issues. This is the first stage of the upgrade project funded by the RMS.

After an unusually high number of fires in the area, the NSW RFS Lower Hunter is urging Port Stephens residents to take extreme care when conducting burning activities. If you're planning to do a hazard reduction burning, please notify your neighbours and the local fire authority 24-hours before lighting a fire. For more information, contact the Lower Hunter Fire Control Centre on 4015 0000.

*Updated* The problem has been fixed and our telephone service is up and running. If you’d like to contact Council, please give us a call on 4988 0255.
We're experiencing an outage of telephone service in our area. Telstra has informed the service will resume on Tuesday 14 August, affecting our on-call service over the weekend. If you'd like to contact Customer Service, please email council@portstephens.nsw.gov.au We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

SRV Myth #2 - Port Stephens Council must be broke if they need to raise rates to build the things we need.
Busted: Council currently runs its operations at a surplus. This makes us a rarity amongst regional councils and is something we are justifiably proud of. By running efficiently we have also managed to keep our residential rates some of the lowest in the Hunter. However, our community is telling us they want more than we can afford with our current income. Learn more: www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/srv

SRV Myth #1 - If this SRV is approved, my rates will be increasing by 77% next year.
Busted: Any rate increase will be drawn out over a 7 year period. This means rates will not increase the full proposed amount in one year. For example, under the most expensive option being considered (option 4), the average ratepayer in Port Stephens would, in year one, pay about $1.70 a week extra in their rates – less than the cost of the Sunday paper. Learn more: www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/srv

Don't miss out on attending the Port Stephens Business Leaders Lunch with the NSW Premier, Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP as keynote speaker. This is a unique opportunity for businesses from across the Hunter region to hear about the NSW Government's plans for Port Stephens first hand. Get your tickets today: http://bit.ly/2uXCp8Q

Attention Nelson Bay! Due to the fire in the early hours of this morning, EPA have issued a clean-up order for Nelson Bay Beach. As a result, the area between D'Albora Marina and the Cruise terminal will be closed immediately until further notice. Thanks for your understanding.