Legislated as an Endangered Ecological Community and threatened by on-going development, this rainforest is, unfortunately, subject to invasion by environmental weeds - most notably Asparagus 'Fern' and Bitou Bush, both of which have been recognised as 'Weeds of National Significance'.

Many environmental weeds have escaped from our gardens or been planted in the mistaken belief that they would be the best solution to hold the dunes and sand in place.

The red-berried Asparagus once grew over knee-high throughout the rainforest near the Old Bar Public School and Bitou Bush has rapidly overtaken our fore dune areas.

A great effort has been made by Old Bar residents and groups over many years to try to rid the rainforest of these pests, and to re-establish indigenous native plants such as Coastal Banksia, Tuckeroo, Boobialla and a host of understory vegetation.

Volunteers with Manning Coastcare Group are continuing this tradition and are back at work now in Old Bar after the COVID-19 shutdown.

They can be seen out in their yellow shirts weeding in the rainforest and dunes or working with the Old Bar Beach Sand Replenishment Group in the construction of sand traps on the beach. In their latest project, Coastcare volunteers are contributing to the current Bitou eradication program by hand-cutting bushes and replanting natives in front of the surf club, thus avoiding the need for spraying to be undertaken in this well-used public area.

The Manning Coastcare organisation, formed in 1996, has around one hundred volunteers working in five groups over the 40 km coast from Crowdy Head to Hallidays Point. In cooperation with MidCoast Council, Coastcare operates under the Landcare NSW umbrella and recently formed the MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection with two other local Landcare networks.

A range of hands-on workshops and training sessions keep Coastcare volunteers well informed and well equipped - and they develop great friendships and connections as they work together to help preserve our wonderful beach environments for future generations. Why not join them?

Find out more at www.midcoast2tops.org.au/manning-coastcare. Email secretary.manningcoastcare@gmail.com or call MCCG Coordinator, Helen Kemp, on 0410 606 463.

From July 6, Bingo will be back on at Club Old Bar.

The lady bowlers organise and run this activity voluntarily as a service to the community and it was very popular prior to the COVID close down. It has been a way of socialising and meeting up with friends.

Eyes down 11am; lunch break and finish around 2pm. Please spread the word and come along to enjoy friendships and have a bit of fun. Don't forget your dobber!

An important intersection on Old Bar Road has now been completed by the contractors, Springfield. The Saltwater Rd./Redgum Rd. intersection has been crying out for improvement for some time and it is good to see it now fully reconstructed with turning lanes for both side roads in both directions.

Good progress has also been made with the reconstruction through the Old Bar CBD and it should be completed by the start of the school holidays.

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