Copacabana Community
December 2020
Hoping that you are all coping with the new lifestyle ‘rules’ of Covid 19 and keeping well and safe. It’s so good that the CCA Management Committee is keeping us informed of goings-on in Copa, especially now that it’s difficult to meet up with members. I’m pleased to hear about the fantastic revamp of Susan Fahey Park, despite some wet and wild weather, which should be a great community facility for all to enjoy. And it’s terrific that progress is being made on the Men’s Shed – another community initiative that’s been a long time coming!
I’m sad that Copa Carols have been cancelled this year – it’s always a great event and opportunity to get together with friends and neighbours. Let’s hope next year will be different!
Crimewise, Copa continues to be quiet with no spikes in crime levels reported.
Probably that is due in part to the fact that many people are working from home and people who are usually only here on weekends and holidays have now chosen to ‘stay put’ in beautiful Copa.
With Christmas just around the corner I have much pleasure in wishing all Copa friends and neighbours a Merry Christmas and a healthy Happy New Year.
Josi Fudge
September 2020
Firstly, I want to thank Copacabana Community Association Management Committee for their work in providing information and news updates pertaining to CCA activity during these most difficult times of the COVID-19 virus.
Luckily Copa has not had any spike in crime lately. Thanks must go to our community for their co-operation in keeping crime low by always reporting to Police on CRIME STOPPERS 1800 333 000.
It’s been months now that this Virus has been with us and caused so much heartache, sadness and confusion to so many families. It is just extremely important to practice the recommended actions from NSW Health:
Wash and sanitise your hands regularly; keep to the social distance length 1.5 metres; stay at home unless absolutely necessary to go out and if you are visiting crowded places, it’s recommended to wear a mask.
We are all in this together and complying with the rules will stop the spread of this cruel virus and help to save lives.
Let’s keep Copa free of this devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
Josi Fudge
March 2020
Happy New Year to you all; may 2020 bring good health and much happiness to everyone. Crime in Copa has been low, even over the busy Summer season with its usual influx of tourists and visitors. Obviously, Copa is a favourite holiday destination as well as being popular for day outings.
It’s a good idea to also remember to ‘lock before you leave’ - that means your house and your car. There have been reported thefts from cars over the summer.
Josi Fudge
December 2019
We’re sorry to report that Josi Fudge has spent some time in both Gosford and Brisbane Water Private hospitals recently, with her illness requiring an operation. However, we are relieved to hear that Josi is recovering well, with Bob constantly at her side. True to her usual intrepid style, Josi ‘phoned in’ the following report for this issue of Copa News.
‘Copa has been quiet crime-wise, which is a relief. The only exception was some anti-social behaviour, theft and vandalism reported at Sean Brinklow Park. This has been reported to Police and locals have been requested to keep an eye on the park and report any further issues immediately by calling Triple zero. We discussed the problem at the last CCA meeting; with suggestions from members including trimming surrounding trees and checking if CCTV covers the park area (It doesn’t, sadly). The park is highly valued by the community, particularly after the recent fantastic upgrade to facilities and improved accessibility for all. It’s a shame that bad behaviour of this nature has occurred so soon after the rebuild. Let’s hope it does not continue. I take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year.'
On behalf of the community, we wish Josi continuing good health and a wonderful festive season ahead. We’re sure she’ll bounce back quickly.
September 2019
First things first. What a wonderful surprise I had at the CCA’s June Meeting after reporting that I would not be re-nominating for Vice President but will continue as Copacabana Neighbourhood Watch Area Coordinator. I was presented with the most beautiful hexagon shaped crystal trophy, engraved with a message of thanks for my contribution to the Copacabana community over so many years. I accepted the trophy from CCA President, Steve Boucher with pride although I have to admit to being somewhat overwhelmed. Thanks so much to the CCA Management Committee and the members.
The Copacabana crime rate is thankfully still low. Two incidents that were spoken of at the meeting had been reported to the Police which is always a good idea. We’d appreciate an email to info@copanews.com.au to let us know of any incidents we may not be aware of and call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
It’s important to be vigilant about your home and personal security to avoid break & enters as well as vehicle theft or stealing from vehicles. Consider installing window locks and bars if your home is particularly exposed as well as outside sensor lights to deter thieves.
Keep windows and door entry clear of garden shrubs to maximise visibility from the street. There will be more tips in Crime Prevention Leaflets available at CCA meetings. In closing, remember that crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility for a safe community.
Josi Fudge
BE AWARE. TAKE CARE. KEEP ‘NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHING’
June 2019
What a busy time it’s been with Easter, ANZAC day and two elections! Crime wise, the old saying ‘No news is good news’ applies with the new style of crime reporting. There have been no spikes in incidents in Copa, so that’s good news.
Police have reported an increase in sophisticated scams including cyber scams online, callers to home phones and mobiles, and even people turning up at your door. Always be aware and never give personal details out to a stranger. If it seems ‘too good to be true’ that’s what it is, so don’t be taken in. It was reported there have been about 3.2 million victims of scams recently in Australia.
On another subject – we are so lucky that Copa is a dog-friendly beach. Just a reminder: Dogs are allowed on-leash on Copa beach from the first walkway past Copa Cellars and Lady Copa Pizzeria. Once on the beach they are allowed off-leash between this walkway and the ocean area in front of Cockrone Lagoon. They are also allowed on-leash on the beach from the MacMasters side of Cockrone Lagoon to Gerda Road and from the access on Del Monte Place near Casa Place to the side of the lagoon.
Dogs are not permitted (including on leash) anywhere near the designated surfing ends of both Copa (including the rockpool area) and MacMasters, which includes all the dunes. They are also not permitted around the perimeter of Cockrone Lagoon. Look out for the signs along Del Monte Place for more information. Dogs must be supervised at all times.
We appreciate the efforts that responsible dog owners have made over the years to always do the right thing in terms of supervision and cleaning up after their dogs. Unfortunately, there are some owners who allow their dogs to roam off-leash in areas where they are not permitted. Incidents have been reported recently where off-leash dogs have attacked both people and other dogs in the no-dog area of Copa beach.
Josi Fudge
BE AWARE. TAKE CARE. KEEP ‘NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHING’
CC Council has indicated that due to the above reported incidents and the increasing number of dogs off-leash near the surfing beaches, they will be increasing the monitoring of the beach by rangers and fines could result for people not supervising their dogs appropriately.
As our community loves our local dog amenity, it would be great if we could all remind visitors of what is required to protect our wonderful coastline. If everyone picks up after their dogs and supervises them while on the beach we can all continue to enjoy our beaches with our furry friends, unlike folks in Sydney where almost all beaches have a dog-free policy. For more information checkout centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/recreation/parks-and-reserves/
Rug up, keep warm and stay safe over Winter.
March 2019
Greetings to all - hope that 2019 will be a good year. Just catching up with Copa crime statistics for last year. None recorded for October, excellent news. In November there was only one incident, a Break & Enter.
It will be interesting to see December and January results with the explosion of population in Copacabana over the Holiday season. Our little seaside village has obviously become a favourite place to holiday and enjoy. Police have changed the crime statistics reporting of raw data and will in future report any increase or spike in crime in a particular area to the NHW Area Coordinator.
Interesting to see more crime prevention ideas introduced and laws implemented for safer roads, further assisting police with their duties. High tech spy cameras have been introduced on highways to catch irresponsible drivers, misuse of mobile phones, speeding and other distractions. The road toll has been horrific with totally unacceptable numbers of road accidents, injuries and deaths.
Illicit Drugs:
Police and Customs officers are constantly seizing large quantities of imported and home produced drugs in illegal laboratories. It has been reported that Australia is now the most favoured country of destination for illegal drugs as the demand is highest, which is certainly very worrying. Police and all authorities are working at top level to eliminate this scourge from our communities.
Festival Drug Use:
It is welcome news that urgent attention has been paid to illicit drug taking and dealers at music and other entertainment festivals by police, security and all other relevant authorities. These functions are tremendously popular with our teen and twenties populations. Several young people have died due to overdose and many others hospitalised.
You can help by always reporting to Police any suspicious behaviour relating to illegal drug dealing and having an honest and open conversation about the risks with your kids. It could just save a life!
Cyber bullying on social media:
There is currently a ‘Duty of Care’ push to make social media companies responsible for harm caused by cyber bullying and offensive content on their networks. Surveys reveal that one in five teenagers are subject to cyber bullying and that figure is on the increase.
There is evidence that cyber bullying has a lasting and damaging effect on victims, including poor self-esteem, which can lead to depression and suicide. It is important to keep an open dialogue with our children and teens about the potential for them to be bullied online and to encourage them to discuss any such bullying with the family first, so that prevention strategies can be put in place at home and at school. A good resource for parents can be found at https://esafety.gov.au/iparent.
Josi Fudge
BE AWARE. TAKE CARE. KEEP ‘NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHING’
Hello Friends and Neighbours December 2018
Yes, that’s right, we are almost at the end of another year and I’m happy to report once again it has been very quiet crime wise in Copa. Break & enter, stealing from vehicles and malicious damage incidents are significantly down, and other categories are stable.
Our thanks go to Copa residents for responding to requests to always immediately report any crime or suspicious behaviour to Police. We have been told that crime rates have plummeted on the Central Coast due to a number of factors:
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Proactive Policing
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Use of modern technology
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Ability of Police cars now to act as mobile stations
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Installation of CCTV in most Central Coast areasAssistance from residents in reporting crime and suspicious behaviour urgently
With Christmas approaching, holidays and celebrating, unfortunately there is evidence that these are the most dangerous times for domestic violence incidents, particularly straight after holidays. Generally this is when call centres go “ballistic”, with mostly women seeking help. As has been reported widely in news media, help is not always urgently requested and consequently several women have been violently assaulted and even murdered across the country. This is a very sad state of affairs and we urge all Copa residents to be vigilant.
A few safety tips for people going away on holidays, which may seem obvious but bear repeating as many Break & Enters occur during the holiday season.
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Lock windows as well as doors.
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If you are going away, ask a trusted neighbour to clear your letterbox and park their car in your driveway sometimes, keep lawns short and advise where you can be contacted.
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Stop all deliveries you are expecting.
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Be sure your phone message and social media pages do not say you are on holidays.
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Prepay any service bills (electricity, gas, phone) so that supply continues.
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Lock your electricity meter box - avoid power stealing. For more info contact your provider.
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Use sensor lighting and an electronic security alarm if you have them.
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Avoid packing your vehicle the night before you leave, as it could become an attractive target for thieves and ‘advertise’ that you’re going away.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Enjoy your holidays.
Josi Fudge
BE AWARE. TAKE CARE. KEEP ‘NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHING’
Hello Everyone
Welcome and congratulations to our new CCA\NHW Management Committee for 2018/19. Neighbourhood Watch will continue to support and be part of the CCA group to help keep crime in Copa low, as it has been for some time. Sadly there have been some incidents reported including the heartless theft of the swing for disabled children (pictured to the right) in Shaun Brinklow Park. Thanks to Central Coast Council it was replaced very promptly. There have also been reports of vandalism and malicious damage to steps in the Captain Cook and Winney Bay area, which seem to occur at weekends.
We welcomed Senior Constable Rachael Scott – Crime Prevention Officer, Brisbane Water LAC as Guest Speaker at our June meeting. She stressed the importance of reporting crime and suspicious behaviour to Police immediately: Emergency 000 / Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 / Police Assistance Line 131 444 (Minor Crime). Senior Constable Scott left a selection of booklets, fridge magnets and other items relating to personal and home safety for Copacabana residents to refer to when needed, including a ‘Black book of Scams’. She also advised that people could download a free app developed by Australia’s Emergency Services, government and industry partners - Triplezero.gov.au
These information pieces will be made available at future CCA meetings.
Josi Fudge
ALWAYS REMEMBER WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
I am pleased to report that the high grade CCTV cameras have now been installed as shown in the map to the right – the road in front of the shops, facing the rear of the shops, the car park and the skate park area as well as a camera at the Captain Cook Lookout.
This is the culmination of negotiations and discussions with Council that first started about 10 years ago by Copa Neighbourhood Watch and then continued on by CCA/NHW. CCTV cameras can help to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and they also enable the police to identify offenders more easily. So congratulations and thanks must go to all involved in this safety project. Whilst thankfully Copa remains a safe place to live, the installation of these cameras should help to maintain our idyllic neighbourhood by promoting security and discouraging anti-social behaviour.
We now have to focus on 2018 to make it a better year, particularly road safety. Over the past three years 40 people have died and 2773 people injured on Central Coast Roads. 64 per cent of injuries occurred on roads with a 50-60km/h speed limit and of those crashes where speed was found to be a factor, 53 per cent occurred on roads with a 50km/h limit.
Accidents are happening on quiet back streets in areas where people least expect them. It is important that we say “zero tolerance” and drive responsibly and follow the road rules.
