Thursday 14 December 2023

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)

DAs In Play to 20/9/23 to 11/12/23

It’s been a few months since a DA update has been provided and so there has been a bit of action, which if you share a boundary you may know about, but if you don’t you find out sometimes when the trees start to fall.

Some of the DAs of note include the demolition of the two waterfront houses on Victory Row in the Terraces section of the Toronto Foreshore Park, a carwash proposal and extra parking at the Toronto Workers Club, an interesting one into subdivision at 83 Skye Point Rd (a duplex and house) and a big one at 133 Excelsior Pde (10 two-storey multi-dwelling units).

114-118 Cary Street

Land & Environment Court Hearing proposed for Cary Street residential development- (Victory Pde/Cary St lights, next to McDonalds).

Toronto Investments (applicant) has appealed to the NSW Land and Environment Court against the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel’s refusal of Development Application No. DA/1651/2022 (114-118 Cary Street) for the construction of a mixed-use residential apartment building (108 units), following a breakdown of a Court-mediated conciliation process. The Court has now allowed the applicant to amend its DA and granted the applicant a hearing between 18-20 December.

Changes to the proposed building are mainly cosmetic, with the bulk, scale, size and heavy footprint essentially unchanged and it is still non-compliant under the Toronto Town Centre Area Plan. A more constrained, open development would help rather than hinder linkages with surrounds including the foreshore and Greenway and foster more active transport and leisure.

Whilst concerns about potential groundwater impacts on the adjacent SEPP 14 Toronto coastal wetland due to the proposed construction of a two level basement carpark have been somewhat addressed there are still uncertainties with modelling and field data.

Potential traffic-related impacts in surrounding streets and, particularly the Cary St/Bay St intersection, are not well addressed. Resident concerns about traffic congestion and safety have been largely ignored.

In-fill around town centres such as Toronto should be designed sensitively, without despoiling public amenity, natural and cultural heritage, appeal to residents and visitors, and a healthy environment and connection to our lake.

The Public are welcome to attend the on-site (Cary Street) meeting at 10.20 am on December 18 but will only be permitted to speak if previously registered. Council’s refusal position hasn’t changed. A community presence to support those immediately impacted as well as Council is something we can do to advocate against development by attrition, where community exhaustion weakens the capacity for the community to comment.

The issues mentioned in the August 2022 Chronicle remain ostensibly the same as outlined in previous Chronicles. https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/2022/08/da16512022-114-120-cary-street.html

CPPA Vice President – Nico Marcar

DAs in PLay 20/9/23 to 11/12/23


The CPPA endeavours to provide a summary of active applications in our area as outlined in the table at right.

Please consult LMCC’s website for a full listing
  • DA = Development Application
  • BC = Building Information Certificate
  • TA = Tree Assessment
  • CC = Construction Certificate
  • CDC = Complying
  • Development Certificate
  • REF = Review Environmental Factors
  • SC = Subdivision Certificate.
  • MU = Mixed use
  • RFB = Residential flat Building



Tuesday 12 December 2023

Membership renewal and an invitation to Join

As the end of the year approaches, it is the time that we ask members to renew their membership for the new year. The Progress Association presently has over 170 members. It is to serve our members that keeps the Association going. Membership subscriptions, our newsletter sponsor’s support and donations help keep the Association alive.

Our current major expense centres around repairing considerable termite damage at our hall. The repairs have provided the opportunity to significantly upgrade kitchen facilities, which will make the hall a valuable community resource, not only for small group activities but also increasing our capacity to effectively host community socials and utilise the hall as a cool space during extreme weather.

For new members, an application form is also available on our website. Our membership fees are $8 per year for an individual, or $13 for a household (defined as people living at the same address, whether a family or not). Five-year memberships are $32 and $52. The fees can easily be paid by a bank transfer to our account with Newcastle Permanent Building Society.

If you’re a member and would like to support the Association an easy thing to do is invite your neighbour to join up. And thanks to those members who have already renewed their membership.

Here's a CPPA Membership form
 

CPPA Treasurer – Harvey Mitchell

Update from the Eraring Energy Community Forum


The following notes are from the Forum, which the CPPA attends.

As you may recall the Ash Dam stabilisation was the trigger that closed the Myuna Bay Sport and Rec camp.

From the minutes

5. Ash Dam Stabilization Works
  • Phase 1 of Ash Dam Stabilization works was reported to be complete, specifically the buttressing phase.
  • It was noted that this is a major milestone as the project now meets the required factor of safety.
  • DS NSW Audit has been successfully completed, confirming compliance.

6. Proposed Acquisition of Origin
  • An update on the proposed acquisition of Origin was presented, including:
  • ACCC approval status.
  • Distribution of the scheme booklet.
  • Announcement of a shareholder meeting scheduled for 23 November 2023.
  • The transfer is set to be completed by 18 December with no expected change to operations.

An update on the update about the acquisition from the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH)10/10/23: “Australia’s competition watchdog has approved the takeover of the nation’s biggest energy retailer Origin Energy by Canadian fund giant Brookfield and its consortium partner MidOcean, but the $18.7 billion deal still needs the backing of large shareholders who think the bid undervalues the company.

An update from SMH on 4/12/23 “Australia’s largest super fund and other shareholders of Origin Energy have dealt a fatal blow to Brookfield and EIG after 13 months of corporate drama, rejecting a multibillion-dollar bid by the consortium to break up and privatise Australia’s largest energy provider.”

Wednesday 20 September 2023

Wanted - Walkers and Hall Maintenance Coordinator

Hall Maintenance Coordinator

The Coal Point Progress Association is a volunteer organisation that owns its own hall.

The Hall, like any building, requires a bit of maintenance every now and then. For the past decade Ian Dennison had kept an eye on what needed to be done and organised working bees to do it.

Since Ian's retirement the CPPA has been looking for a new Hall maintenance coordinator to fulfil this role. 

In consultation with the Hall hire coordinator and the CPPA committee any maintenance tasks are identified and then a process and to address them is considered.

If you are interested please email cppasecretary@gmail.com or talk with Suzanne.

Newsletter deliverers

The Chronicle is a local newsletter, produced and delivered by volunteers, with the printing supported by sponsors.

It is hand delivered to 2370 letterboxes in the Coal Point, Carey Bay, Kilaben Bay and Toronto areas.

Walkers are wanted to deliver the almost monthly Chronicle. You will be assigned an area to letterbox. The newsletters are delivered in bulk to your door where you get to fold them and deliver them.

The runs take about an hour to deliver.

Contact Nico if you'd like to lend a hand.




Local's landcaring



More information about the local landcare program is here


Tools & techniques provided

Morning tea at 10am


Coal Point & Carey Bay Landcaring 8am-noon

  • 28/8 West Ridge
  • 5/10 Yarul
  • 12/10 Puntei Creek Reserve
  • 19/10 Burnage
  • 26/10 Killibinbin
  • 2/11 Burnage

Crocodile Point

1st &3rd Wednesday
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

https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/p/guardian-group-information.htm






Annual TASNG Report 2023

Chair's Report 2023 - Steve Dewer

The Annual General Meeting of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group was held on 13th September and the elected committee bore a striking resemblance to last year’s dedicated crew.

Steve Dewar - Chairperson, Lois Simpson - Deputy Chairperson, Nico Marcar - Secretary, Trish Eldridge -Treasurer, Joanne Rees - Assistant Secretary

After a big change in the leadership, it was a hard act to follow Nico, Lois and Trisha.

TASNG’s efforts to improve our natural environment are crucial after COVID. Led by Lois, major improvements are happening to sustain and maintain the Toronto West Welcome garden and to clear out invasive plants from the wetlands opposite Toronto Lions Park, called “Crocodile Point” by our group.

We have supported Boomerang Bag making through Toronto library’s Make and Mend program. Trish and Lois have supported our campaign to reuse material and avoid plastics.

Nico and Steve attempted to change the habits of McDonalds Toronto customers about recycling on Clean Up Australia Day. We will continue to advocate to avoid plastics and promote recycling.

Lois continued to advocate for our community’s safety to get the painting of the parking bollards in the Boulevarde attended to after many accidents, and it looks like success is on its way.

Joanna has brilliantly led our anti-graffiti campaign and congratulated Toronto businesses via the award letter prepared by Suzanne. We have put in a grant application to the Eraring Community Grant for Awabakal painting prints on the Toronto Dentist’s wall and High School mural extension in Cook St. The Awabakal link is so important as Biraban Land Council supported our call for a Biraban & Threlkeld memorial on our Toronto foreshore reserve.

Helle will be working with Nico on getting more shared pathways in Westlakes and it looks like Toronto to Teralba is a priority, while we wait for a Kilaben Bay to Rathmines link.

Our partnership with Coal Point Progress Association is so important, especially through the Chronicle, thank you Suzanne. We had a wonderful carboot sale at Carey Bay last October, supported by the community, although we would have liked many more people. We will have a Trash and Treasure Reuse/Recycling stall at Lions Market in October!

Chris has kept us up to date with the amazing Hub Community Garden and we thank the Hub for allowing us to use the Hub for our meetings. We did have a Repair Cafe there in March. A moderate success but we would have liked more repairers.

Finally, we continue to support the wonderful work of Robyn at Pamper Care, so important during the Cost of Living crisis.

Thank you everyone…Steve

Boomerang Bags - Sew Sustainable

Are you interested in joining a new Boomerang Bags community?

Can you sew a straight line or use an iron? Do you have fabric you can donate? Do you want to help prevent used fabric going to landfill and be part of the circular economy?

Join the volunteers of Toronto Sustainable Neighbourhood Group for a free social sewing morning at the Toronto Library “Make and Mend Space”. Making bags from rescued fabric to share with others.

2023 Dates and Times

  • Saturday 14 October 2023 9:15am - 11:30am
  • Saturday 11 November 2023 9:15am - 11:30am
  • Saturday 9 December 2023 9:15am - 11:30am
Location: Toronto Library, Brighton Avenue, Toronto

Teralba to Toronto (T2T) Climate Resilience

LMCC’s Climate Resilience Crew are inviting interested locals to learn more about risk management in the context of their climate resilience work from Teralba to Toronto.

Join Steve O’Keefe for an interactive introduction to risk management, with a focus on climate change and disaster risk.

This session will explore the practical applications of risk management in strengthening climate resilience between the lakeside suburbs of Teralba and Toronto.

Steve is a logistics and project management specialist with a passion for implementing realistic risk mitigation strategies. He has previously lectured in Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development at the University of Newcastle.
  • Date: Thursday 28 September 2023
  • Time: Please arrive at 4.45pm for a 5pm start
  • Venue: Committee Room: Lake Macquarie City Council Administration Building, 126-138 Main Road, Speers Point, NSW, 2284 (or online by MS Teams – RSVP)
  • RSVP by emailing nfarmer@lakemac.nsw.gov.au For further information on Teralba to Toronto Climate Resilience Planning visit: shape.lakemac.com.au/Teralba-to-Toronto

Are you ready for a long hot summer?

Attendees at a recent T2T Climate Resilience meeting had a strong focus on emergency management and disaster risk reduction – particularly with the summer bushfire and heatwave season approaching. Please see the following links and resources to assist:

o   See Emergency services | NSW Government for NSW emergency links including access to key NSW agencies and the Hazards Near Me App

o   See NSW RFS Get Ready site: Plan and prepare - NSW Rural Fire Service

o   NSW Health is a lead agency in response to extreme heat (heatwave) events. For further information see: Beat the heat (nsw.gov.au)

o   Visit NSW SES site for flood and storm preparedness and response: NSW State Emergency Service.  SES also has a local flood emergency sub-plan Local Flood Emergency Sub Plan

o   See Council’s Emergencies page to access key links and information: Emergencies - Lake Macquarie City Council,  especially:  Preparing for an emergency - Lake Macquarie City Council

o   Council’s Senior Bushfire Officer advised that the next Council EcoAdvocate Newsletter will include a story on preparing for summer bushfires.  If not already subscribed, visit: Get the latest environmental news from Council (confirmsubscription.com)