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

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.”

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)

Bayira - Catching songs, stories and dreams

On Thursday 21 September, the University of Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Auckland Street is hosting a special free event, Bayira.

Bayira brings together local Elders, students and the community and features performances by the Newcastle People’s Chorus and young people from the Big Picture school, as well as creative workshops, storytelling and more.

It opens at 5.30pm with performances from the People’s Chorus of Newcastle of some favourite songs such as “Weevils in the Flour”. Next will be “Catching Dreams”, a segment of music, storytelling and drama presentations by Indigenous and non-Indigenous high school students.

A local Indigenous youth perspective on the Voice follows and a presentation on language by Angelina Joshua.

At 7pm there will be a break during which light refreshments will be served.

After the break, you can choose to participate in an Indigenous arts workshop or a session, “Catching Stories- Newcastle Stories”.

The event will conclude at 8.30pm after a yarning circle. 

Feel free to pop in for a while or attend all. The event is free but we would like you to register.

TAFE students survey two Coal Point Reserves

During the first half of the year a class of TAFE students, under the guidance of Trisha Barker conducted biological surveys at two local reserves, West Ridge- Tiirabeynba and Stansfield- Nikinba

A student report from Jacqueline Brown is available to read in its entirety online and some of the findings and recommendations from her report follow, providing a glimpse of the local biodiversity and steps we can take to retain and enhance it.

4.4 Threatened animal species at West Ridge Reserve

Our animal surveys and observations at West Ridge confirmed the likely and potential presence of two threatened animal species.

Our second spotlighting survey recorded the sighting of one squirrel glider. This validated the two squirrel glider sightings recorded for this location in BIONET Atlas NSW.

The discovery of a regurgitated pellet (with small mammal skeleton inside) at Stansfield Reserve suggested the potential presence of a Powerful Owl hunting at this locality. BIONET Atlas NSW species sightings records and visual sightings from members of CPPA confirmed Powerful owl sightings at West Ridge.

Our spotlighting surveys also recorded the presence of numerous ringtail possums which are a common food source for the Powerful owl.

Section 5- Survey recommendations

Based on our site survey findings and conclusions, suggested remedial actions and recommendations are as follows:

REMEDIAL ACTION 1

Enhance nesting sites for squirrel gliders.

CPPA as part of the Threatened Species – Last Stand on Coal Point Peninsula Project designed and completed a mass installation of nesting boxes for squirrel gliders across the Coal Point bushland reserves. Squirrel gliders are hollow-dependent and require natural tree hollows or nesting boxes to survive.

It was evident during our site surveys that some of these nesting boxes are being occupied by rainbow lorikeets, which are numerous in number across Stansfield and West Ridge reserves.

REMEDIAL ACTION 2

Address the ‘edge effect‘ issues at Stansfield Reserve

Stansfield Reserve is particularly subject to the ’edge effect’ due to the following factors:

Small, fragmented core of native bushland with extended, disturbed edges,

Asset Protection Zone on north-western edge exposes reserve to weeds and garden escapees,

Walking tracks dissect the reserve creating additional ’edges’ and encourage spread of weeds especially weed grasses and

Residential development on edges of reserve is encouraging erosion, stormwater run-off, and the spread of exotic and invasive species.

RECOMMENDATION 1

Conduct a survey of squirrel gliders at Stansfield and West Ridge Reserve including their use of tree hollows and nesting boxes.

Consider modifying existing nesting boxes and hollows to enhance use by squirrel gliders and to discourage use by other species.

This may require augmentation of hollows using Hollow Hog designs and adaptations https://www.hollowhog.com.au/

RECOMMENDATION 2

Expand Stansfield Reserve with native species planting and connection of bushland corridors

The planting of endemic native species on the residential edges of the reserve will assist in providing a buffer to the exposed edges and protect habitat and remnant vegetation. The planting of native tree, shrub and groundcover species by private property owners should be encouraged along with targeted planting of understorey species in adjacent streets and public areas.

The aim should be to connect existing reserves to create an extended vegetation corridor to enhance wildlife movement and minimise edge effects.

Kitty Cat Containment Kits (KCCK)

Do you have a companion cat? Would you like to be able to let it outside for some fresh air in the knowledge that it is safe from harm and won’t roam to hunt or kill our precious native wildlife?

The CPPA is exploring a project to assist cat owners with responsibly caring for their cats and in the process protecting our local population of threatened species, such as the Squirrel and Sugar Gliders, along with our diverse birds and abundant skinks and small reptiles.

The idea that we’d like to explore is subsidising the installation of enclosures by

• getting a list of interested locals who would like some sort of containment structure at their place, attached or free standing,
• organising a bulk buy of materials,
• organising a contractor to install at a bulk installation rate,
• establishing an ongoing raffle where the prize is the installation of a Kitty Cat Containment structure, and
• growing a group of locals with instalment expertise to support locals with DIY installation.

There are lots of interesting ways to incorporate a cat enclosure at your place. Here are some links to some ideas about DIY structures and installing pre-made options.

Some standard constructions quotes have been obtained:

• Balcony enclosed area ($1250): Netting from ground to ceiling approx. 2.5m High x 4m long. Aluminium frame.
• Side of House area ($2250) Netting from top of fence to eaves approx. 2m wide x 10m long. Aluminium frame on house side of netting. Gate installed at one end for access.

One option to kickstart the project is to seek grant funding. The more local interest we can gain and include in the funding application the more favourably the application will be viewed.

If you are interested in participating please provide the information outlined below or complete the online form , and post or deliver to 197 Skye Point Rd or email cppasecretary@gmail.com

KCCK EOI

• What suburb do you live in?
• What is the item you would like to consider?
• Free standing enclosure ($400-$1000)
• Side of house enclosure ($2250)
• Balcony enclosure ($1250)
• Other…
• What percentage of the cost would you be prepared to contribute?
• Name
• Preferred contact details phone/email

A paw pledge to progress wildlife protection

The Invasive Species Council is currently lobbying governments for more conclusive cat containment, encouraging people to take the Paw Pledge so that governments can see what their constituents want. On the pledge you can mention if you are a cat owner (past or present) or if you simply support better protection for wildlife from cats. 

Aussie Bird Count

The Aussie Bird count is looming, 16-22 October, a great citizen science project that gets you out and about for 20 minutes, contemplating the beautiful bushland suburb we live and counting the birds we share it with. There’s time to download the app and start getting your ID eye fine-tuned.

The Aussie Bird count website has a handy bird finder tool and a webform, or there’s the app if you want to venture into one our beautiful reserves and do your count there.

Last year’s national survey showed that many of the top 10 NSW birds were also common locally.

• Rainbow Lorikeet
• Noisy Miner
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
• Australian Magpie
• Galah
• Welcome Swallow
• Common Myna
• Little Corella
• Silver Gull
• Crested Pigeon

DAs In Play - 28/7/23 to 19/9/23

DA/1503/2023- 2 Brighton Av- 133 Excelsior Pde is back

Comments are due by 5 October for the 10 two-storey multi-dwelling housing units. There are currently 93 trees present within the site; a total of 55 trees are to be removed with 38 trees to be retained. The images below have been taken from the Statement of Environmental Effects. Please consult LMCC’s website for a full listing.

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

TinKat Alley Art Studio & Gallery

Tinkat Alley Art Studio is a hub for local Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Artists that come together for creative inspiration and motivation and is run by Kate Belton for the enjoyment and advancement of all that share a creative spirit!

Kate purchased the Station Master’s Cottage at Fassifern in 2015 and runs Art Classes and Workshops and also boasts a quirky Art Gallery for Original Local Art Sales. The gallery is run on a co-operative basis with artists from the Lake Macquarie area, including Sue Van Oosterom from our very own Coal Point area.

From Beginners to Accomplished Artists, Tinkat Alley not only offers a place to create it offers a venue to sell their art and a very special place to make new friends! Tinkat Alley Art Studio is open for Lessons/Mentoring Tuesday – Friday and the Gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm (other times by appointment).

Whether you are looking for a Masterpiece for that blank wall or just want to push some paint around the canvas, Tinkat Alley Art Studio has it all!

Tinkat Alley Art Studio |4 Wallsend Road Fassifern | phone 0400 494490|www.tinkat.com

ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

"We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.

This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.

How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?

With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future."

The Voice referendum has come out of the The Uluru statement.

The Uluru Statement website is an informative space that has a timeline of the actions and conversations that have got our nation to this point in time.

The Yes and No pamphlets for the Voice Referendum have both been released. Both Yes and No pamphlets have been at independently fact-checked by ‘The Guardian’, and well worth a read.

So if you don’t know, there’s still time to find out. Ignorance is not bliss.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-no-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-yes-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

Here’s some more Voice info links:

• dca.org.au/topics/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples
• ulurustatement.org/education/resources
• reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/support-a-voice-to-parliament
• australianstogether.org.au/other-resources/voice-of-parliament
• monash.edu/law/research/centres/castancentre/our-areas-of-work/indigenous/voice-to-parliament-resources
• voice.gov.au
• https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/voice-the-case-for-voting-no/ [no case]

Why do Sustainable Neighbourhood Volunteers do what they do?

TASNG Update- July

The next meeting of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group will be  9/8/23
2nd Wednesday of the Month
5-6:30pm 

The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde.
 All Welcome. 

Local initiatives of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG) include:

1. Advocating for Shared Pathways with priority Toronto to Booragul, but not forgetting Kilaben Bay to Rathmines;
2. Advocating to LMCC and Biraban Land Council about planning for a Biraban/Threlkeld memorial as part of the Toronto Foreshore Planning later this year;
   
3. Setting up a major display at the new Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre (umali barai-ku) for“Plastic Free July” to encourage people to reduce their purchase of all plastics, reuse of containers, and recycle plastics where available;
4. Maintaining the garden established on Awaba Road at the entrance to West Toronto and the wetlands opposite Lions Park;
5. Helping the Boomerang Bags group at Toronto Library, second Saturday of each month;
6. Supporting the Pamper Care project at the Woodrising Neighbourhood Centre by collecting food during the current rental crisis;
7. Advocating for the community against the overdevelopment proposal for apartments at Cary St adjacent to McDonalds;
8. Participating in resilience meetings about climate change preparation through Ausgrid and Toronto to Teralba area meetings;
9. Launching an anti-graffiti campaign in Toronto, acknowledging support from Toronto police and local businesses with Certificates of Appreciation and applying for a Clubs Grant to set up Awabakal mural displays at Goodsir St Toronto where graffiti was removed.

Pamper Care Report 

A HUGE, HUGE thank you to those who supported Pamper Care with cash and product. It is really appreciated.

Again, tin June we had a high turnover of clients needing support. Thirty one people, including those with cats, needed mainly food assistance.

Once again, Pamper Care funds subsidized some of the OZHarvest intake. At Woodrising Neighbourhood Centre’s OzHarvest day, held ona Thursday, at least 12 people have attended each week, coming in for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Ausgrid resilience workshops

About 30 residents from Lake Macquarie have attended three workshops since April (with one more in October) to assess options for Ausgrid to implementstrategies to improve the resilience of infrastructure and community responses during severe weather events.

Along with Port Stevens and Central Coast, Ausgrid is submitting a proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator to spend about $200M in support of these and other initiatives.

Current focus areas for Lake Macquarie are: protection of high vegetation areas from east coast lows, reduced outage time and frequency for most customers, development of a blackout plan, an Ausgrid liaison person shared between the three Councils, energy resilience, small mobile generators (also for mobile phone towers) and communications targeting vulnerable customers.

Was your July plastic free?

It’s almost impossible to be plastic free, which is why we’ve got ourselves into this pollution pickle. The numbers and impact are staggering. From the IUCN webpage they say 

• Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications.
• At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.
• Marine species ingest or are entangled by plastic debris, which causes severe injuries and death.
• Plastic pollution threatens food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change.
• There is an urgent need to explore new and existing legally binding agreements to address marine plastic pollution.
• The most power we have to change things is at a personal level, supported by agencies that encourage and facilitate a low plastic lifestyle.

We are very fortunate to have a Council that is leading the way in closing the loop on plastic pollution.

So if you’re one of the people that’s been stock piling your soft plastics since RedCycle shut up shop last year then you’re about to regain some storage space.

A soft plastics recycling solution is now available once again!

Locals can drop off household quantities of non-foil-based soft plastics free of charge at the Awaba Community Recycling Centre (CRC).

Council will also recover hard plastics such as bumper bars, laundry baskets and planter pots, along with old CDs and DVDs, from its waste management facilities to divert these materials from landfill.

These hard and soft plastics will be collected by Australian Composite Technology to be pelletised and transformed into a specialty material known as ‘Plasmar’, used to create products such as fence posts, bollards, sleepers and park benches.

As part of the agreement, Council will buy back the manufactured products for use across Lake Macquarie, contributing to the city’s circular economy.

So if you’re heading to the tip, why not let your neighbours know and drop their softies off too!

But there’s more (and no it’s not a set of steak knives).

There is a way to reduce plastic use, one product at a time. The Plastic Free July website offers loads of advice.

When you look in your cupboard how many of your cleaning products come in plastic containers?

Taking the next steps…

Bulk food stores often offer refillable cleaning products, including window cleaner, dishwashing liquid, and laundry powder/liquid. Farmers markets, chain supermarkets and even delivery trucks increasingly offer refills.

Buying eco-friendly cleaning products in bulk and sharing them with friends, family members and neighbours can be a great way to reduce plastic waste too.

Many people make a simple all-purpose cleaner with equal parts of white vinegar and water (vinegar is a recommended product for mould removal), while others make a water and bicarbonate soda paste for scrubbing. Adding a few drops of essential oil or a squeeze of citrus juice will make homemade cleaning options smell great too.

The impact:

• Avoiding chemicals that can be toxic for yourself, your family and the planet.
• Reducing plastic waste and the use of our natural resources in creating it.
• Saving money by buying in bulk or using homemade cleaning products.

https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/get-involved/what-you-can-do/plastic-free-cleaning/

What’s happening on the foreshore? Works update – July 2023

Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit

From mid-July LMCC will be undertaking investigation works at Toronto foreshore to help prepare the Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit for future precincts of the Toronto foreshore revitalisation project.

The investigations are part of the due diligence process for the detailed designs of these future stages.

Wharf Road Precinct

LMCC are on track for works to begin on the Wharf Road Precinct, including the Toronto Baths enclosure in mid-2024. This precinct includes:

• expansion of the playground
• expanded cafe area
• 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.

Prior to works starting, LMCC will be working directly with affected stakeholders, as well implementing a robust communications plan to inform the wider community about the works

The plans for the rest of the foreshore precincts as outlined on the council’s website include 

The Terraces Precinct works will celebrate the existing character of the site and provide connections along and between each terrace.

This stage is in detailed design but will involve key elements such as:

• shade pavilion and seating
• lookouts
• extension of the shared pathway to link to the Town Green
• demolition of the cottages at 5 and 9 Victory Row
• vegetation and landscaping

The Bath Street Precinct is in detailed design but will involve key elements such as:

• new public square and parking
• commercial building approximately 300sqm
• new landscaped terraces
• belvedere and new stair connections

What’s a ‘belvedere’ you may ask? It is derived from the Italian belvidere, which means beautiful view, and that’s exactly the purpose of these structures. According to Wikipedia “A belvedere is an architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view. The term has been used both for rooms in the upper part of a building or structures on the roof, or a separate pavilion in a garden or park.”

Looks like Toronto might become a two rotunda town!