THURSDAY, 21 AUGUST 2025
YOUR WEEKLY INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER
ISSUE #500
SEE PAGE 16
Avoca paddlers win Patonga race
News
P8 Call for more action on homelessness
Out&About
P30 Short course women’s winner Liv Manser
We’re celebrating our 500th print edition With the publication of its 500th edition on August 21, Coast Community News marks an important milestone in local journalism. The milestone is also a time to acknowledge those who helped shape CCN’s journey. Founding Editor Cec Becello and his family established a communityfocused publication, while former owner Ross Barry successfully restructured, refinanced and grew the organisation Central Coast Newspapers, ensuring its continued presence and influence. The publication was first published in January 2011 under the name Gosford Central Community News as part of three sub-regional newspapers, The Peninsula News and The Wyong Chronicle.
Sue Murray, Terry Collins and Merilyn Vale
The masthead changed to its current title in January 2012. It became the voice of the Central Coast region after the two councils merged in 2016. In 2018 local businessman Ross Barry purchased the masthead with a
vision to represent the up-and-coming Central Coast region. He promoted the masthead’s importance after closing down the Wyong Chronicle and Pelican Post due to pandemic era financial shocks in 2022.
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Sport
P32
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David Abrahams, who had worked for the organisation for over a decade, took over the reins in a management buyout in 2023. Since taking on the role of Managing Editor just over two years ago, Abrahams has steered the organisation back into profitability and broadened its reach across the region. Under his leadership, CCN has expanded its news delivery to include regional radio news while strengthening its digital presence with a national audience at its website coastcommunitynews.com.au The news service, which publishes daily online and on radio, maintains an archive of more than 25,000 local stories.
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