CPPA Annual General Meeting 30/6/24 ,Online 2-3pm,

 

The Coal Point Progress Association(CPPA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) is being held on Sunday 30 June, 2-3pm online via zoom.

Please register to attend by clicking on the registration link.

If you would like to volunteer and be a part of the committee and are a financial member of the CPPA please complete a nomination form  and send to cppasecretary@gmail.com by 23/6/24.

The AGM will be as efficient as possible with core business being the receipt of the  annual reports, financial report and election of the committee for the upcoming year.

The Agenda

1. Acknowledgement of Country
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting held 19/6/23
1. Motion that the minutes of the meeting held 19/6/23 are a true and accurate record.
4. Annual Reports
• President
• Landcare
• Hall
1. Questions about reports
2. Motion: That the annual reports be accepted.  
5. Treasurer's Report
1. Questions to the Treasurer
2. Motion: That the Treasurer's report be accepted
6. Nomination of Returning Officer to conduct election
7. Election of Office Bearers and upto 6 other Committee members
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary
5. upto 6 committee members
8. Confirmation of Suzanne Pritchard as Public Officer
9. Committee meeting times
10. Meeting close

O where O where has the Chronicle been?

Dear locals,

It has been a while since the Chronicle has graced your letter/in-boxes and it’s not been through want of trying.

A series of circumstances over the past six months has made time, energy and capacity in very short supply for this volunteer editor. The Easter long weekend has provided a window of opportunity to review,renew and meet the CPPA’s commitment to community communication.

This newsletter is available to share local information. If you or your community/social group have something you’d like to share, email cppasecretary@gmail.com and together we can continue to have a conversation about the goings on in our community.

Regards Suzanne P, CPPA President-Secretary and Chronicle editor

Dates for Doing

https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html

CPPA meeting 2nd Monday of the month

3:30-5pm Progress Hall or online

TASNG meeting

2nd Wednesday of the month

5-6:30 The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde.

All Welcome.

Tools & techniques provided

Morning tea at 10am

11/4 - Stansfield

18/4 - Punti Creek Reserve

25/4 - Stansfield- ANZAC Day

2 / 5 - Punti Creek Reserve

9 /5 -Hampton Street Link

16 /5 - West Ridge

Crocodile Point

1st &3rd Wed

8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?

If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing? email

cppalandcare@gmail.com

More information about the sites and what we do at landcare

The Unforgettables Choir

An inclusive choir for people living with Dementia, using the power of music to re-awaken memories and holistically improve well-being.

Saturdays 2-4pm (during school terms).

Led by a registered music therapist.

Free to join.

No prior musical experience required.

Partners and carers welcome.

Afternoon tea provided.

Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.

E: conservatorium@newcastle.edu.au

P: 4921 8900

The CPPA project for the year- Kitchen Refurb

The CPPA Committee has been busy behind the scenes focussing attention on refurbishing our community-owned hall.

As you may recall, in 2022 the discovery of a substantial termite infestation in the kitchen required not only the treatment of the hungry wood-munchers but also removal and reinforcing of internal walls as well as cupboards and infrastructure in half of the kitchen. Funding was sought to address these issues. A total of $16,500 was received:a $500 donation from the Lions Club of Toronto, $8000 from the Eraring Site Community support program and $8000 from the Local Small Commitments allocation grant from the NSW government. These funds are committed to repairing half of the kitchen and installing new items such as storage cupboards, deep sinks, taps and energy efficient cooking facilities.

Once work commenced however, more damage was discovered and this required the rest of the kitchen to be considered for repair, cupboards to be removed, additional plaster boarding, insulation of the external walls and a custom-built window to be installed (made possible by Langfords Windows, who we thank for the community discount and installation support).

Compounding the renovation budget and timeline has been the increase in prices of materials and availability of trades, issues which are being felt across the broader community. An initial quote for the additional work was $18,680.

These proposed new works prompted strategic discussions about the future use of the hall, how much of the CPPA funds to commit and what work to undertake.

Progress Hall is a substantial community asset. Built in 1951 by local community fundraising, Progress Hall is one of the few wholly community owned halls in the city. It is the CPPA and NOT Council which owns Progress Hall, and, as such, the CPPA is responsible for its upkeep and all costs associated with owning a building that is available for community use.

The outcome of the CPPA committee discussion was an enthusiastic endorsement about refurbishing the kitchen to optimise community utilisation of Progress Hall into the future.

The refurbishment will position the hall as:

• a highly versatile and energy efficient space for hosting community events that require modern kitchen facilities to cater for a crowd,
• an assembly room to play a role in providing a comfortable gathering place on extreme weather days,
• a venue to accommodate hosting social activities including musical and comedy events, to connect our community,
• a gathering place for people interested in community conversations around collaborative housing initiatives to support ageing in place in a bushland suburb.

The CPPA is seeking community support to complete the refurbishment of the kitchen at Progress Hall.

We are endeavouring to raise $15,000 by the end of the financial year.

Once the kitchen refurbishment is complete an upgrade of the toilets will be undertaken to make the three existing toilets accessible and unisex to optimise efficiency of usage. If we exceed our fundraising goal, additional funds will be directed to the toilet trio upgrade.

Hiring the hall is one of the main income sources for the CPPA, the other being sponsorship of the Chronicle. Whilst the kitchen is currently unusable, hall hire options are limited to the few groups who do not require kitchen facilities.

Whilst the Chronicle production is currently irregular, additional support from the community is being sought to offset the loss from newsletter sponsorship income.

If you own or have connections with a local business and would like to be a sponsor of the Kitchen Refurb project, sponsorship is tax deductible and will be recognised in future Chronicle updates, on facebook and on a permanent plaque erected in the hall.

If you are a community member and would like to donate towards your community hall, we can offer you our sincere thanks. The CPPA is a registered charity, so rest assured the donation will be directed to the refurbishment project.

How to help!

Invoices can be issued for business sponsorships, email cppatreasurer@gmail.com

If you would like to deposit directly into the dedicated account for the refurb project, send an email to cppatreasurer@gmail.com, so a receipt can be forwarded.

BSB 650000

Account # 543115605

Ref: your surname

Locals Landcaring

Laudable Landcarers

“What a team! It was amazing to see how much was achieved this morning in such uncomfortable, almost tropical conditions. Bags of Formosa lilies and Asparagus fern were removed from the site. How proud and lucky Coal Point is to have such champions on the job!” – Landcaring Lois

Bonza Bushland Gardening Guide

Living in a bushland suburb where birds, bugs, brushies, bats and bush abound provides a unique insight into the lifestyle of the biodiverse rich and famous few. Along the Coal Point peninsula there are a few threatened species that call our place in space home too. The majestic Powerful Owl, the ever-so-cute Squirrel gliders and the dainty in-hiding Tetratheca juncea are still abundant enough that they have a chance of surviving in the long term if we can retain the bushland that they need for shelter,food and habitat.

We have a mosaic of public-private land within our community which, if considered as a whole, is big enough to support our amazing local wildlife. If it gets fragmented further, it will be death by a thousand blows with the final cut resulting in local extinctions.

Between 2012-2018 a $1million community project, Threatened Species Last Stand on the Coal Point Peninsula, supported locals and landcarers to learn about and protect our bushland assets. A Bonza Bushland Gardening Guide was produced to assist landholders with bushland blocks manage their native vegetation. This guide is available on the CPPA website, with some instructional videos, and as a pdf to download. https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/p/bonza-backyard-gardening-guide.html

Another useful resource for all the local bird lovers is the Birdlife Australia’s guide ‘What to feed wild birds’ 

Learning @ Landcare with Pam

Hi, I’m new to Landcare and have been finding that there’s a lot to learn about caring for and conserving our natural environment. Since moving to Lake Macquarie I’ve joined the Coal Point Landcare group where I join in on Thursday mornings when I can, and paddle to Crocodile Point, (Toronto Lion’s park) on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month to join the TASNG landcare group.

Recently, at the Hampton Street link landcare site, next to the Carey Bay shops, I was excited to find some bushes covered in blue berries. They were identified as native Elderberries which had me wondering. Can I eat them? Can I make some Elderberry wine?

A bit more research included asking the experts on a social media group called Australian Indigenous Plant Identification. There were a few wild answers, but we concluded that I had found Polyscias Sambucifolia (Elderberry Panax) which is not related to the Elderberry from the northern hemisphere.

Growing up to 11 metres tall, ours are babies between 300 cm and up to 2 metres. It has a small blue fruit which contains one or two seeds and is described as having a sweet taste with an astringent finish.

I’m happy to leave the fruit for the local wildlife as Currawongs love them and there is also a moth that eats the leaves, and I do wonder what eats the moth in a healthy ecosystem.

Another plant I’ve been noticing a lot and learning about is an invasive called Guinea grass, Megathyrus maximus. It’s easy and quite relaxing to pull or break the stems and put the seed heads in a bag to slow down its spread. (One year’s weeding stops 8 years of seedlings). By removing these exotic grasses we are reducing the competition for water, light and nutrients which gives our native plants a better chance.

There’s a lot to do and a lot to learn at Landcare. Ultimately, when we get involved we are caring for the country we live on and, as a bonus, we get to spend time with other people who care too.

Hope to see you there at landcare - Pam

Want to find out more about the local native plants? Visit the Plants in our Bigger Backyard page.

Landcare calendar 

If you'd like to receive an email each week with details about where we are landcaring and what we'll be doing contact cppalandcare@gmail.com and you'll be added to the email list.

TASNG April Update

TASNG has been in contact with Council about making the vehicle ‘wheel stops’ in The Boulevarde shopping precinct more visible. We are aware that a number of people have tripped over these and fallen, and sadly, one person is believed to have died. We suggest painting them a bright colour. A petition seeking such a change has been submitted to Council. In addition, Councillors have been appraised of this request and we understand that this matter will be raised at a Council meeting. We are waiting on further Council feedback.

Come cycling on Sunday mornings

A local group is looking for more cyclists on Sunday mornings. We meet outside Double Take cafe in Toronto (7 am during summer) and cycle between 40-50 km. Our group has greatly diminished in number over the years. We’re mostly ‘old farts’ and not too fast (average just over 20 kph). Contact Nico (0418 967 158).

Council’s Agendas for our community

One of the pleasures in putting the Chronicle together is catching up on what Council has planned for our community. It often takes time to do the find-search through the hundreds of pages of multiple documents that embed the detail in tables and maps, sort of like an easter-egg hunt really. Following are some of the treasures discovered in the recent searches.

Toronto Foreshore updates from LMCC

The Toronto Foreshore Masterplan (TFM) February update predicted that the next phase of the Foreshore revitalisation works is progressing, with construction for $1 million in upgrades to enhance the Toronto Baths going ahead in April 2024.

The Baths upgrade aims to create an inclusive and fully enclosed space with improved accessibility features.

Expected to be completed by late June 2024, the upgrades include:

• a jetty extension
• an accessibility ramp with handrails
• replacement of existing jetty decking
• netting around the internal perimeter to enclose the swimming area and prevent the entry of large marine fauna.

Access to the baths will be closed during construction.

The December update discussed how the detailed design of the baths building will feature toilets, showers, change-rooms and facilities for those living with disability.

Other recent TFM project developments included:

• completion of geotechnical investigations for the Wharf Road and Goffett Park precincts, with detailed design works due to be complete by mid-2024.
• design and approval documents are progressing for upgrades to Toronto Baths.

Council predicts that it is on track for works to begin on the Wharf Road Precinct of the TFM, including the Toronto Baths enclosure in mid-2024. This precinct includes:

• expansion of the playground
• cafe refurbishment
• expanded amenities
• shade pavilion and seating with barbecues
• outdoor fitness zone
• landscaping and pathways
• two accessible car parking spaces at the end of Wharf Road
• the removal of the boat ramp at Wharf Road.

Council’s Operation plan outlines the 2024-25FY projects that have been allocated budget including -

• Delivery the Toronto Foreshore Master Plan’s detailed design and delivery of capital works actions for Stages 3,4,5 and 6
• Lake Mac libraries are expanding the self-access services at the Toronto library.
• The draft Teralba to Toronto Climate Resilience Plan will be presented to Council for exhibition.
• Plan and develop road rehabilitation at Milford Street, Toronto between Awaba Road and Carleton Street

A Draft Active Recreation Strategy is now on Public Exhibition for community comment till 30 April

https://shape.lakemac.com.au/activelakemac

In the summary ‘Analysis of Hierarchy Distribution’ it identified that the Toronto planning catchment area provides two neighbourhood active recreation hubs (Bolton Point, Rathmines) supported by three local sites (Bolton Point Park, Ron Hill Oval, Wangi Foreshore).

There are some minor gaps in provision around Awaba, Wangi Wangi and Coal Point.

It recommended the establishment of a neighbourhood hub in the Toronto catchment to provide two to three active recreation facilities or one key attractor that people will travel to e.g. a skate park or BMX pump track. Neighbourhood hubs have a 10-minute drive-time catchment.

Some active recreation facilities are already planned such as a new multi-court at Hampton Street Reserve (Puntie Park) and the Toronto Foreshore Exercise Area as part of the current Toronto Foreshore Masterplan.

Also identified as part of the Toronto Contributions Plan in Toronto or Carey Bay is a new BMX facility at Toronto (Cook Street) or Carey Bay (Hampton Street Reserve/Puntei Park)

The only formally recognised walking trail in our area is the Kilaben Bay Nature Walk The walk starts from Toronto Fire Station down a fire trail and links to the elevated Boardwalks through to Kilaben Bay. The walk features five separate vegetation communities and over 100 different bird species. If you haven’t explored it, perhaps the school holidays will be a great time.

LMCC’s Infill Development Plan

LMCC’s Infill Development Plan has been adopted to facilitate infill housing in residential zones close to the business zones of Lake Macquarie. It is primarily intended to help unlock development in existing medium density residential areas. The intent is to support a range of infill residential development in areas already zoned for that purpose, but where such development is not well supported by current planning controls.

The planning proposal seeks to marginally increase the current ten metre height limit in the R3 Medium Density Residential zone, and in some cases the relevant Business zone close to and within town centres. This generally aims to enable three-storey development. In Toronto it could allow four- to five-storey residential development.

Council considers the proposed changes are minor in nature. In Toronto there are minor height variances from 10 to 11/12m and a small additional R3 zoned area proposed.

Whilst several community submissions regarding the proposal for Renwick Street were received, concerns were not considered important enough to change the outcome.

DAs in Play 12/12/23 to 2/4/24

The CPPA endeavours to provide a summary of active applications in our area as outlined in the table Please consult LMCC’s website for a full listing: 

Progress News

Festive Season Celebrations

An end of year gathering for all the CPPA volunteers and members is scheduled for Thursday 21st December 12:00 at the Progress Hall.

If you deliver a Chronicle, Landcare with the locals, lend a helping hand around the Hall, are a member who wants to catch up with the active members and see what they get up to, or a sponsor or a donor who wants to meet those who your support supports, you are most welcome to join us.

There’ll also be $5 limit random Secret Santa i.e., bring a gift to the value of $5 and a randomised selection process will happen on the day.

Please RSVP to cppasecretary@gmail.com so we can cater accordingly.

Chronicle in hiatus

In case you’ve been wondering where the Chronicle has been for the last few months, there was a production hiatus due to overwhelming personal demands on the volunteer editor, Suzanne Pritchard, who has been producing the local newsletter since 1995. In optimal years 11 editions are produced, often 8-10, this year only seven. The support of the CPPA Committee contributions has made the December Chronicle possible just in time to send some festive season cheer.

The Chronicle not only provides a vehicle for very local news, it also generates funds to maintain our community-owned hall through sponsorship. When there is no Chronicle the CPPA’s income is impacted. If you would like to send some seasonal cheer to assist in supplementing this year’s financial shortfall, donations are greatly appreciated.

If you’re a member you can add a donation to your renewal; if you’re not a member you can still donate directly to our bank account or online and you are most welcome to join your local community organisation.

CPPA President – Suzanne Pritchard

Hall Update

If you’ve been to the hall this year, you’ll know that there are some changes happening in the kitchen.

Heavily impacted by termite damage, the kitchen is now undergoing a major renovation, which when complete will see our Progress Hall suitable for all sorts of functions large and small.

Progress to date includes replacing the termite damaged timbers and sealing off the unused doorway, window and southern servery to make room for extra cupboards and storage. The new framework is now completed, and electrical and plumbing work is being undertaken. Once that is done the walls will be lined with new gyprock. The project to date has been funded by a donation from the Eraring Site Community support program.

When complete there will no longer be a need to bob down to look through the servery: the opening has been expanded. The old stove will be replaced by an induction hob and a multifunction oven and rangehood. There’ll be a super-speedy dishwasher, bin-unit, boiling water unit, double sink, laundry sink and some goose-neck taps to expand the sink’s versatility. Grant funding has secured these extras.

An additional bonus has seen the arrival of a heat pump hot water system thanks to the NSW Government’s Energy Savings Scheme, which provides financial incentives to install energy efficient equipment and appliances in NSW households and businesses. An even bigger thanks goes out to Defended Energy’s Heath Smith who saw our hall whilst driving past and rang to advise us of the scheme and then arranged the speedy install and provided a donation towards our end of year lunch, all within a month. Heath is happy to chat about your business’ sustainable energy eligibility 0433 663 183, www.defended.com.au.

The renovations, whilst prompted by the termites, have also provided the CPPA with an opportunity to reflect upon the long-term usage of the hall. It is a considerable community asset and an ideal venue to celebrate community talent or escape the heat or shelter from the rain whilst gathering with a group of friends. There will certainly be more community social events on the horizon once the renovations are complete.

We thank all the local people who have been involved in this work.

CPPA Committee - Selma Barry

Playing with plants

Landcarer’s recognised

At the recent 2023 Environmental Excellence in Landcare Awards, two of our regular landcare crew were recognised with the Landcare Achievers award. Congratulations Ros Cornish and Kathy Gall, and sincere thanks for your weekly contributions to caring for our local environment.

We are extremely fortunate to have a highly talented and knowledgeable landcare group that gathers every Thursday to assist our precious bushland reserves in their quest for survival against a backdrop of weed invasions, climate change and fragmentation.

Our Landcare team is on the front line of addressing biodiversity loss locally. They are seeing the changes in weeding and seeding, noticing the arrivals of new threats, and the changing seasonal growth patterns of old ones. It is the Landcare team that extracts the dumped garden waste, from the public reserves, that threaten the survival of local plants by taking soil space, water, light and nutrients from the native plants.

Most of our bushland restoration activities can be traced back to dealing with dumped garden waste. The recent dumping of succulents on the west ridge, west of the school on the lower track, meant another day’s work, just when we thought we were making progress from the garden escapees that had been rambling down the hill.

Council’s Green Waste bin is the perfect place for garden waste.

Our bushland needs all the help it can get if it is going to survive into the future with shifting and extreme weather. Please help us to help protect the abundant variety of plant life we have, that supports the mix of birds and animals we enjoy. Bin it, don’t dump it.

CPPA President - Suzanne Pritchard

Local Landcaring Locations

Want to join Us? Lots of information about what we do and where we do it is here.
If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing? email cppalandcare@gmail.com

Tools & techniques provided
Morning tea at 10am

• 18/1 Hampton St Link
• 25/1/West Ridge
• 1/2 -Hampton St Link
• 8/2 -West Ridge
• 15/2 - Ambrose St
• 22/2 -Burnage

Crocodile Point

1st & 3rd Wed  8:30-10am. 

Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

December Gardening 🌸

• It’s going to be a hot summer so make the most of mulch on your garden beds.
• Water in the late afternoon so the plants can benefit from the water overnight.
• Net your fruit trees to prevent bats, possums, birds and/or rats from damaging the fruit.
• What’s ready to pick..well I am harvesting rhubarb, blueberries, strawberries, shallots, lettuce, a variety of herbs and tomatoes. Hope you are harvesting from your garden too.
• If you want to sow some seeds summer is a good time for beans, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, celery, chicory, cucumber, eggplants, endive, lettuce, melons, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, silverbeet, spring onions, sweet corn and tomatoes. (https://www.hunterorganicgrowerssociety.org.au/growers-guide)

CPPA Committee - Selma Barry

 

TASNG Update

On Sunday December 17, it’s a “Trash and Treasure” stall at the Lions Market to prove that we can all Repair, Reuse, Recycle. 

TASNG members will be selling items in good condition that would have gone to the Awaba Tip after the recent and last regular Bulk Collection in our area for a small fee. We’ll also be promoting the local “Buy, Sell, Swap” Facebook sites and Recycling places that we all can use to stop being a throwaway society.

The locally-sewn Boomerang Bags will be for sale and there’ll be information to help you prepare your Bushfire Plan for a dangerous summer season.

Other TASNG projects on the go include continuing to remove local graffiti and install aboriginal art in their place. TASNG members will also be making a submission to the NSW Government’s “Plastics Next Steps” to reduce plastic pollution in our society.

Have a great Xmas and 2024 and we are looking forward to seeing you at our “ Trash and Treasure” stall at the next Lions Market!

Cheers, Steve Dewar (Chair TASNG)