Edgar Adams' Editorial

In this issue of CCBR we have carried out an extensive review of The Entrance. It will ruffle some feathers, and so it should. The Entrance has a lot going for it but the place needs some big visionary thinkers – not myopic, old fashioned people who have trouble seeing over the back fence – if it is to become a tourist destination that it obviously can.

In early July, Wyong Council approved of The Entrance Peninsula Planning Strategy and at the same meeting ‘approved’ a $250 million managed resort and residential development. By nine o’clock the following morning the Mayor, Bob Graham couldn’t contain himself. He had a press release out saying that it and another major development had been approved with the implication that we would see the bulldozers pretty soon. Nothing was further from the truth. This development was approved – BUT with over one hundred conditions.

A spokesman for the developer told us it would take at least a year to work through, would cost thousands of dollars and then have to be resubmitted to Council – at which time there is no guarantee that they will be accepted or that new conditions will be imposed. While the Central Coast Express Advocate dutifully copied every word of the press release, CCBR thought it should be investigated a little more before printing what is nothing more than spin.

The result is an overview of The Entrance. It shows that Wyong Council is making an attempt to get the place working and there are people who have some fresh ideas and want to invest. What everyone really needs to get their head around though, is that there aren’t too many lenders and only a few investors. It’s a situation that is going to persist for a long time.

Furthermore, and more to the point, everyone needs to understand that the days of easy money are unlikely to return for at least ten years, probably longer. Competition for the investment dollars is now going to be very intense. Any Council and community group who thinks they can fool developers and investors around need to take a reality check. Similarly, and particularly in the case of The Entrance, there is another competitive issue – tourism.Every state and every region is now competing stronger than ever before for the tourism dollar. And it extends overseas. Airlines and tourist resorts are now offering fantastic deals.Tourists are now more sophisticated and demanding than they were in the ‘50s. If The Entrance wants to be a destination, it will have to do more than offer Pelican Feeding, the occasional band and a merry-go-round ride.

What no one can understand is that right next door we have a market of five million people. And within that market there is a big market of cashed up people. But they won’t come if they can’t enjoy themselves and that means having fun the way they want. Not what we think they want! This isn’t an issue for just The Entrance, it applies to the whole Central Coast. Oh! And by the way, none of our local councillors – Wyong or Gosford – have any idea of what this is all about.

Finally, our congratulations to Murray Vaughan and his team at Kincumber Mitre 10 for winning Mitre 10’s Store of the Year Award. Also to Peter Witney and his team at Bambi Enterprises for winning Harvey Norman’s Supplier of the Year Award in their category. The Central Coast has a lot of award-winning businesses that we all should be pretty proud of. We are going through tough times at present but it is those who run their businesses professionally and understand their customers and know that effort and service is the key to who will come out of this stronger than ever.

Edgar Adams
Editor

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