The movies are coming

The past few Chronicles have made mention of a Transition Movie Festival that aims to share the current information about building community resilience to the twin challenges of Peak Oil and Climate Change.
The movie program has been set, the Hall booked and the data projector and screen purchased, thanks to a Volunteers Small Equipment Grant from the Dept of Families, Housing, Community and Indigenous Affairs.

The movie marathon is running over several months, with multiple screenings over Friday, Saturday or Sunday so that as many people as possible can see the movies at a time that’s convenient for them.

All the film sessions will also have Conversation Café forums to gather ideas and issues that arise from the films.The format for the viewings will run to a pre-advertised schedule so that people can come along to any particular film that is showing, and not have to stay for all the films.

All the movies will be shown at Progress Hall, and there’ll be supper/food available.

• April 16th Friday- 6-9.30pm, In Transition- The Movie and A Crude Awakening
• May 8th- Saturday Noon-4.30pm In Transition-The Movie, End of Suburbia and The Power of Community
• June 19th Sunday 11am-4.00pm- In Transition- The Movie, An Inconvenient Truth, The Power of Community
• July 15th Friday 6-9pm In Transition- The Movie and Power of Community
• August 13th Saturday Noon-5pm In Transition- The Movie, Escape from Suburbia and A Crude Awakening
• September 18th Sunday 11-4.30pm In Transition- The Movie, End of Suburbia and Escape from Suburbia

The local Transition group meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 4pm at Progress Hall, to plan the events and activities and think about how the Transition Town process works. All interested people are welcome to come along. Email cppatransition@gmail.com or talk to Luke 4959 9401 about what the group is upto.

Transition Town Steering Group update

The Coal Point Transition Town Steering Group (CPTTSG) has been meeting regularly and been planning a year of activity focussing on awareness raising  through a series of movies & speaker sessions and culminating at the end of the year in a Live More Use Less Festival to be held locally in Gurranba Reserve and at the Hall.

In February the group is hosting a Transition Training workshop on 27th -28th February. The trainers are from the Bowral Transition group, made famous for their stance on excluding bottled water from Bundanoon, the Bundy on Tap campaign.

The training covers the context for transition, an overview of the 12 principals of Transition, visioning, awareness raising, the initiating group, the psychology of change, open space technology, Joanna Macy activities and transition networks. It is an inspiring session and people from Transition Town Newcastle are also coming along.

The cost for the 2 days of training is $50, or $30 conc. Morning/Afternoon tea and lunch are provided. Email cppatransition@gmail.com for more information. Places are limited.

Apologies for those awaiting the film festival extravaganza in January, it was decided mid December that many people would not be around so instead there’ll be regular movies shown over the upcoming months.

What’s on in December

• Transition Town Steering Group Strategic Planning session Sunday 6th 9am-1pm– 23 Whitelock Street 
•  Monthly meeting of the Progress AssociationMonday 7th 7-9pm,Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd 
• Landcare- Stansfield Reserves –Thursday 3rd  with LRO Green Team volunteers at  the end of Stansfield Close 
• Landcare Christmas Party—Thursday 17th  at 11am, Landcare Resource Office, Toronto Road Teralba
  

Landcare For Youth (L4Y)

The Landcare for Youth program aims to support young people from preschool to University to design and implement on-ground Landcare projects to develop an ethic of stewardship towards the land. The project also aims to develop networks for the youth and the teachers/carers supporting them. L4Y is being implemented by Trees In Newcastle.

Anywhere in Lake Macquarie where young people gather is eligible for support, Scouts, Guides, sailing clubs, schools of any flavour, preschools and playgroups. The support comes in the form of onground advice to help design the project and plants to put in the ground.
If you know of a school, preschool, TAFE or youth group in Lake Macquarie that would like to undertake an on-ground project or help to build the L4Y network, let Jenny at TIN know, ph 4969 1500 or education@treesinnewcastle.org.au. There are resource request forms on TIN's website
The L4Y-Landcare For Youth project is funded by the Environmental Trust and supported by Lake Macquarie City Council and Lake Macquarie Landcare Inc

Old time cinema coming to Coal Point

The Newcastle and Hunter CineSound Society in conjunction with the Lake
Macquarie Historical Society will be holding a film night at Progress Hall on
Saturday November 7th at 7-9.30pm .
The films will include three historical films about Newcastle from the 1940-50s, a
comedy and Newsreels of Lake Macquarie from 1948.
There’ll be historical displays from the Historical Society and an old fashioned
supper all for $5. There’ll be plenty of seats available at the door.

Climate Code Red Emergency Planning

The Society for Sustainability & Environmental Engineering,
Lake Macquarie City Council and Newcastle City Council
invite you to a workshop on Climate Code Red Emergency Planning
If Australia declared ‘Code Red’ status on climate change and had to reduce
carbon emissions by 50% immediately and at all costs, what would we do? Come
and contribute your ideas in a national series of workshops, taking a fresh look
at options to combat climate change using a light-hearted approach to explore a
serious situation.
Keynote Address by Professor Ian Lowe
Professor Lowe will present a clear and balanced explanation of the current
scientific understanding of global warming, and its effects on Australia’s climate,
land use, energy and water consumption, and on our economy, industry,
agriculture and daily life.
Professor Lowe will also challenge us to address the changes brought by global
warming, and to accept responsibility for planning and creating a sustainable
future.
When: Wednesday, 14 October 2009
4.00pm – 7.00pm
Where: Newcastle Panthers
King Street, Newcastle West
RSVP: Essential by 10 October 2009
Katrina Baker Ph: 02 4926 4440
Email: kbaker@engineersaustralia.org.au
There is no charge to attend this workshop

Coal Point Public School Fete – Sat 7th November 2009

Coal Point Public School will be holding it’s biannual fete in November. Anyone
wishing to prepare plants for the plant stall, or crafts, including Christmas
themed crafts, may wish to start preparations now. Anyone who may wish to
donate a prize for the raffle, or prizes for the chocolate wheel should contact
P&C representative Kylie-Ann on 0438662484 or phone the principal Ms Kim
Creswell at the school on 49591374

Around the reserves

It’s a sign!

It has finally happened…the signs for Threlkeld, Gurranba and Burnage Reserves
are up and awesome. The signs tell a tale of the Landcaring that has been
happening for over a decade on these reserves. The Landcaring journey has also
been about learning about these special places and now that knowledge can be
shared. Many thanks to all the contributors who provided photos, information,
proofing and putting up with a big thank you to Lake Mac Print for making them
look so lovely.

Lake Macquarie Landcare is organising a Field Day around Coal Point Landcare sites on  Sun 11th October 9.30am - 12.30pm

Join us for this exciting field day visiting several of the Coal Point Landcare Groups wonderful sites and learn about weed treatment and creek stabilisation in an urban
environment. Meet at the Carey Bay Wetlands at 9.30am, then to Burnage
Reserve at 10.15am (morning tea) and to Gurranba Reserve at 11pm (lunch at
12pm). Contact the Landcare Resource Office on 4921 0392 or for more
details or to register for catering purposes. See you there!

New additions at Birraban
If you don’t get out to Birriban reserve much you’ve missed the installation of the
fabulous Fish Cleaning table. It shimmers and shines and is big enough to share
a dugong on. Installed along with the pristine piscine piece was a bubbler to
satiate the thirst of the park users. The fish cleaning table was funded from a
Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme which LMCC applied for on
behalf of the Progress Association. Sincerest thanks to LMCC and the locals who
kept an eye on the progress.

What’s Going on at Gurranba
Apart from the new sign there is lots of activity in the ‘lower 40’ redressing the
insufficient capacity of the stormwater water pipes that became obvious in the
storm of 2007. LMCC are relocating the detention pits, installing larger pipes and
relocating the outflow of the stormwater to prevent flooding of the adjacent
properties. Some of the Casuarinas on the waterfront will be removed to
accommodate the changes and LMCC will replant the site when they’ve finished.

Hype 4 Kids at Carey Bay

When it’s raining and pouring, and inside is boring, bring your little ones down to Hype 4 kids. They can enjoy the soft play and giant inflatable area or race through the 3 tier climbing structure.

The third week of every month is a theme week. September 15th -18th is Princess and Pirates. Ribbons and tulle...eye patches and hats. Children can dress as their favourite themed character and play, participate in games and dance with staff to themed music to set an exciting mood and long term memories. Come as a group or on your own. Every one will have a great time.

It’s nearly time to reserve a spot for the school holiday program. There will be 2 weeks of fun filled days including Hip Hop , Karate, Spa day, crafts and games. Other special guests still to be announced.

Squash is on the rise again. There are 2 courts available to rent or get involved with the squash social. Thursday 5:30-8pm and Saturday 2-4pm.
Weekend Flexi Competition Starts 5th/6th September. For more Info,  please call 4959 8386.