Much of the success of Coffs Harbour City Council’s recent initiatives can be attributed to a strong focus on environmental protection. Projects such as the Regional Water Supply Scheme, the Coffs Harbour Sewerage Strategy, the Waste Strategy, creation of the State and Regional Parks, energy efficiency projects, and numerous planning initiatives have had a strong emphasis on environmental protection and enhancement.
Coffs Harbour City Council won the inaugural Prime Minister’s Environment Award for Sustainable Communities on World Environment Day 2000, as a result of a number of these initiatives. The City introduced the first Koala Plan of Management in NSW, a joint project involving the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Council, to protect koalas and their habitat from existing and future development.
An environmental levy was introduced to ratepayers, raising about $700,000 each year to fund priority one projects identified in the City’s State of the Environment Reports.
Coffs Harbour City Council was selected by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum to assist the City of Suva in Fiji in solving waste challenges. Council continues to host an annual Waste Conference, attracting delegates from all tiers of government throughout the nation. The City also hosted the nation’s first State of the Environment Conference, in 2000, attracting hundreds of national and international delegates.
More recent initiatives include the introduction of energy efficiency guidelines for housing, and efficiency projects within the organisation, with a funds pooling system to direct energy savings into new projects to reduce energy use. Coffs Harbour has now achieved Milestone 3 of the International Cities for Climate Protection Program. A biodiversity action plan has been developed, identifying a huge range of priorities for environmental protection.
Coffs Harbour has for some years recognised the need for sustainable planning, and is now in the process of introducing sustainability guidelines throughout the organisation’s decision making processes. This will ensure the Coffs Harbour area retains the character that makes it one of the most beautiful and biodiverse regions in the world.
