Blacktown City Coucil's Annual Garden Competition is back for 2020!

It's time to showcase your creative flair and have your hard work recognised during the annual Blacktown City Garden Competition. With all the changes happening in the world with COVID-19 and many families now home bound, this is a perfect opportunity to keep active and maintain your pride and joy. 

Council are on the lookout for the city's best gardens across the following categories (max 3 per entry):

• Best Front Garden
• Best Back Garden
• Best Commercial Garden (Retirement Village or Business)
• Best Education Facility Garden (all education facilities) 
• Best Edible Garden (Residential/education/business)
• Best Australian Native Garden 
• Best Sustainable Garden
• Best Community Garden
• Best Individual Residential (unit/townhouse)
• Best Garden by Senior Citizen (60 years +)
• Best Themed/Novel Garden
• Best Garden by a Person/Group with a Disability.

Preliminary judging will be conducted between 31 August - 11 September 2020 inclusive, with the final round judging by industry experts in Late September Early October 2020.

For full details or to enter the competition, visit Council's website.

Cumberland City Council is commencing works to upgrade Granville Park Community Sports Pavilion, with completion expected by May 2021.

The new sport facility will include a new grandstand, multipurpose rooms, kiosk, upgraded carpark and rugby field.


Mayor of Cumberland City Steve Christou says this is an exciting step in what will be the heart of community sports in the area.


“As I’ve said before, this is important work that we can deliver when Councillors work together for the community putting aside their political affiliations. Councillor Joe Rahme and I have a strong record of working together for the benefit of our local community,” Mayor Steve Christou said.
“This sportsground is a place for community and sports enthusiasts to bring activity and their passion for sports to life.


“We look forward to welcoming Two Blues Rugby Union Club back to a revitalised home ground.”
The works will also see the reconstruction of the field, field lighting, stormwater drainage, irrigation and re-turfing.
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The total value of the project is $10.74 million. Cumberland Council has received a $2.74 million grant from the NSW Government Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund.

It might be kicking off 105 days later than originally planned but the 2020 Shute Shield gets underway this Saturday on SWR Sport with a mouth watering clash between premiership fancies Gordon & Eastern Suburbs at Chatswood Oval.

SWR Sport is gearing up for its third season of Shute Shield coverage, delivering more choice for Rugby fans in calling at least one match every round with every club featuring at least once throughout the season. This year SWR Sport is beefing up its rugby coverage with a new rugby program as well as a major acquisition to it's already experienced & respected commentary team.

Leading the commentary team once again will be SWR Sport Managing Director Julian Daw who has called rugby at every level from Test matches to Super Rugby, World Sevens Series to Shute Shield. A rising star in the broadcasting world prior to COVID shutting down the season he was the voice of the Waratahs coverage for Crocmedia.

Joining him will be Robbie Feldmann who has been a mainstay of the rugby coverage since SWR Sport's inception and has called test matches, NRC, World Sevens Series & Shute Shield. 

Former USA International and Australian Schoolboys rep Tom Coolican returns as SWR Sport's chief rugby analyst. A rising star in the commentary ranks he has called every form of the game for SWR Sport, Crocmedia & Fox Sports.

Rounding out the core crew for 2020 SWR Sport welcome their marquee off-season signee in Fox Sports commentator Andrew Swain.
​Swainy is one of the most respected commentators in Australian rugby and has called Super Rugby, Super W & NRC on Fox Sports for over a decade.
A former player himself with Brothers in the Brisbane comp & Colleagues in Sydney he's been a fixture of the Shute Shield's TV coverage in recent years and will feature as both a play-by-play & expert commentator on SWR's coverage in 2020.

The coverage will also feature additional members of the SWR Sport stable including Tom English, Ben Eisenhuth & Jessica Dunne among others throughout the year.

The coverage will also be complemented by SWR's new weekly rugby show "SWR Sport Rugby" which will air 2pm every Saturday with a full preview of each weeks round as well as a look at the ever-changing rugby landscape in this year of uncertainty.

To hear the coverage go to swr999.com.au/sport, we will also be expanding on further platforms throughout the year. 

SWR Sport is proudly sponsored by Virtual Builders Australia (virtualbuildersaustralia.com.au), follow us on twitter for up to date broadcast information @SWR999Sport

In a recent conversation with SWR Triple 9's Wayne 'Busco' Buscombe, Chief Inspector Bob Fitzgerald, of Blacktown Police Area Command, had a welcoming thank you message to SWR Triple 9 FM.

"The community wants to thank you Busco and SWR Triple 9 for your support in getting real-time information out there. Information that has been needed by the good community, makes a positive impact that saves lives, saves property, saves the environment."

"The Ambulance Service, Rural Fire Service, the State Emegency Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, Health NSW, NSW Police Force and a host of volunteer organisations appreciate the airtime that SWR gives us in getting important, life-saving messages and updates out into the community. [...] It best prepares us for today's & future challanges."

Tennis is back! The tennis courts at Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope are reopening from Monday the 11th of May.

Court hire is only available through online bookings, and at a very affordable rate of $10 per hour. Book a court today at blacktown.nsw.gov.au/btcs.

For futher details call the Blacktown Tennis Centre team on 9421 2600.🎾

Amid the cancellations of ANZAC Day Dawn Services, SWR Triple 9 have taken to the airwaves with an ANZAC Day Dawn Service from 5am to 6:15am. We'll also be playing some ANZAC tracks until 8am.

Some of our community programs will also be partaking in their shows, featuring ANZAC themed shows or segments. Some programs that have incidated they will be featuring ANZAC Day content include:
Saturday Wake Up - 9am
Inphase - 10am
Bringin' It Back - 8pm
Rockin' With KP - 10pm

Lest We Forget.

Blacktown City Council closed its aquatic and leisure centres to the public last month as a consequence of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The closures left the food and drink outlets at the venues with a stock of food items and rather than it going to waste Council looked for opportunities to help those in need in the community.

Staff from Blacktown Aquatic Centre, Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope, Riverstone Swimming Centre and Mount Druitt Swim Centre organised for their perishable food items to be sent to Foodbank Australia at Glendenning.

Foodbank teams up with local charities to supply vital relief programs such as community pantries, dining halls, mobile soup vans, emergency hampers and breakfast or lunch programs in schools.
Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said, “Year in year out our friends at Foodbank do a fantastic job of feeding the vulnerable in our community.

“Now more than ever people need help and seeing this food go to where it is needed is something Council was more than happy to be involved in.”
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The range of non-perishables items donated included fresh vegetables, fruits, breads, frozen foods, biscuits and drinks. 

The Annual SWR Triple 9 FM tipping competition is back, now with AFL Tipping! And listeners are invited to join t0o! Will Busco make his comeback, or will Jamie take the win for another year?

Click Here to Join the Competition