Climate torch for Woy Woy

A national torch relay highlighting the need for action on climate change will pass through Woy Woy on Thursday.

Woy Woy has been selected as one of the locations for the GetUp National Climate Torch Relay.

Coordinator of the Gosford City leg Mr Mark Ellis said that hosting the Climate Torch provides the community with a great opportunity to highlight its commitment to addressing climate change.

"Climate change will severely affect the Woy Woy Peninsula, yet Gosford Council continues to put more people onto the Woy Woy Peninsula with no real plan to address the effects of climate change," Mr Ellis said.

"I want to see all levels of government take strong action so that we leave a healthy environment for our children in another century.

"The torch is a challenge to our representatives at all levels, from local councillors to the Prime Minister, to halve Australia's greenhouse emissions in a decade."

The GetUp Climate Torch Relay will reach Gosford on Wednesday, August 20, and Woy Woy on Thursday, August 21.

Members of the local community have organised a leg of the relay and are acting as torchbearers.

The chairperson of Gosford Council's Cities for Climate Protection Committee will accept the torch at the Spike Milligan Bridge at 10am on August 21.

The torch will then move throughout the Woy Woy Peninsula passing by all the local schools, churchs and the Woy Woy Environment Centre.

The torch will pass Woy Woy town centre at 10.30am, Woy Woy Public School at 11am, Woy Woy South Public School at 11.30am, Umina Public School at 1pm and Ettalong Public School at 1.30pm

An interactive information display will be mounted in the Woy Woy Library forecourt at 2pm, before the torch leaves the Peninsula along Brisbane Water Dr at 3pm.

A Climate Change Forum will be held at the Woy Woy Environment Centre from 6.30pm on Wednesday, August 20.

GetUp is an independent movement to build a progressive Australia, bringing together "like-minded people who want to bring participation back into our democracy".

Press release, 14 Aug 2008 Sarah Jones, GetUp