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

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

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.

A cuppa for a Chronicle?

“A big thank you for The Chronicle each month, we moved from Fishing Point to Toronto last year have really enjoyed reading The Chronicle each month keeping us informed of what is happening in our area. Like knowing the DAs that have been submitted and all the other news.” - Carol

The first edition of the ‘Coal Point Chronicle’ was published in January 1980 as a means of keeping the community in touch with the issues of the day. Back then the headlines were ‘Lake Pollution’ resulting from sewage effluent, ‘Preserving the Coal Point Ridge Green Belt’ to prevent it being developed and denuded of trees, a ‘Family Fun day at Gurranba Reserve’ and the ‘Future of the Laycock Street Quarry’ which Council said at the time “will ultimately be developed as a park. The rumoured sporting area (to be) sited on the present day pony club”

Forty-two years later: (i) the Lake is a lot cleaner without leaky septic systems, (ii) Council continues to acquire parcels of land along the ridge with part of 11 Skye Point Rd currently being assessed for acquisition, (iii) ‘the Laycock St park’ became the Anglican Aged Care facility and (iv) the pony club did become the ‘sporting area’, Puntei Park, the leash free dog area and site for the upcoming Car boot Catch-up, our version of a family fun day with face painting, drumming, car boots full of tempting recyclable-useable items, a Lions BBQ and community groups showcasing their projects.

Since its inception The Chronicle has been produced and delivered by volunteers as a service to our members in the area, and over the years whilst the distribution has expanded beyond the initial Laycock/Ambrose Streets boundary to now include Coal Point, Carey Bay, Kilaben Bay and Toronto households east of Cary Street. Alas the financial membership does not reflect the distribution of the local newsletter.

For almost a year now the Chronicle has been letterboxed to Kilaben Bay, but only one new member from Kilaben Bay has joined, similarly the number of new members west of Laycock street towards Toronto are few.

The Chronicle expansion came about as there were community issues which needed to be shared: development applications, Council’s plans and strategies, protecting and caring for our unique bushland setting and the trees and Lake that frame our community, and the Toronto Foreshore we all enjoy.

Justifying the cost of extended Chronicle distribution is becoming a hot topic at local community meetings with an additional $133.67 having to be found each month.

Whilst one-off donations are appreciated, an annual or regular monthly donation from a group of dedicated supporters would result in tangible benefits from the donations. https://www.givenow.com.au/toronto-foreshore-protection

Of course having more members from Toronto and Kilaben Bay allows us to keep servicing those members with the distribution of the Chronicle.

All the membership information for CPPA and TASNG can be found on this website.

MoM and Chronicle THANKS!

Mother-of-Millions Muster

Our sincere thanks to all those who walked through Gurranba Reserve during May and took the trouble to toss a stem or two of this persistent, noxious weed into "the coffin".

Removing Mother-of-millions has been one of our greatest challenges over the years. You have made a real difference. We may not know your name, but we know you care.

A big THANK YOU from your Coal Point Landcare team!
(P.S. May is now over and the container will disappear for a few months)

Expanding the Chronicle distribution

Once again thank you to the locals who have been chipping in to continue the expanded distribution of the Chronicle into Kilaben Bay and parts of Toronto. At $116.61 per edition, the $648.54 received has kept the local news in our community’s letterboxes this year.

The hope was that there would be an increase in membership to either the CPPA or TASNG to support the expanded distribution, and there’s still time.

You can drop by the Progress Hall on Sunday 26 June between 11am and 2pm to join up, peruse some local art, have a cuppa and a chat and if you’re really keen hang around for the AGM at 2pm.

The option to donate online is still available .

The Chronicle Distribution Dilemma

The feedback is always overwhelmingly positive, the community perspective it provides is a community service, the content is locally relevant and informative, and it is all done by volunteers. This is truly our Chronicle. The writing, collating, editing and distribution to 2300 households along the Coal Point peninsula, (including Toronto, Kilaben Bay and Carey Bay) is all done by over 20 volunteers, 11 months of the year.

Printing is, however, a financial cost and with the start of a new ‘Chronicle’ year we are seeking community support to cover this increasing cost.

Over the past two years the distribution of The Chronicle was gradually expanded by 800 households to include additional areas within the boundaries of the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG), including Kilaben Bay and Toronto, to share the issues generated by the Bath St mixed-use development proposal and the Toronto Foreshore Master Planning process. The additional printing costs (and volunteer distribution) have to date been borne by TASNG and the Toronto Action Group (TAG).

The three organisations now involved in the production & distribution of The Chronicle (CPPA, TAG and TASNG), are reviewing the capacity to continue the expanded distribution in 2022 and are seeking your support to cover a cost of $50/month ($550 a year), an outlay that is hard for the CPPA alone to justify without a membership base in these areas. All funds raised will go towards the printing of the Chronicle.

Will you support the continued community communication via The Chronicle?

There are a couple of options.

• You can join the CPPA or TASNG. More members especially in Toronto and Kilaben Bay means The Chronicle is providing a service to our members.
• You can donate directly towards the cost of printing via our donation page 

Community Quirks

Welcome to all the new residents in our area celebrating your first Christmas in our community. We all think our community is great, here are some of the reasons why we love to live where we do.

Seaworthy Santa

For several generations there’s been a tradition of Santa cruising the western Lake foreshores on Christmas Eve, heralding in the festive season, singing carols, and spreading cheer, in the form of lolly bags, to children who flock to the foreshore reserves to give the big guy a wave and a yo-ho-ho.

Back in the day the Wangi Queen was Santa’s boat-de-jour, but with ‘The Queen’ retiring a few years ago the Toronto Sunrise Rotary Club took up the Santa sack and have continued the local tradition with local boats.

If you feel like joining in the festivities you can join the flotilla from Bolton Point at 4.30 pm or bring the family to one of the local jetties listed below to enjoy this wonderful community tradition. This year will be a little different, alas no lollies, spreading cheer not COVID was the priority.

• Bolton Point- 4:30 pm
• Toronto 5:00 pm
• Kilaben Bay 6:15 pm
• Rathmines 6:45 pm
• Wangi Workers Club 7:15 pm

Waterfront Walking

Another long-time and strong tradition in our community has been the ability for locals to walk along the foreshore as a mode of recreation. Without safe pedestrian paths in our community, the relatively flat foreshore has always been a walking option. Whilst acknowledging that there are absolute waterfront properties in our community with boundaries extending to the high water mark, the neighbourly notion that it was OK to walk past was greatly appreciated and part of keeping the community connected.

Backyard Buddies

Enjoying our bigger bushland backyard and the abundant bird and wildlife is another peculiarity of the Coal Point Peninsula. The sunrise cacophony and sunset chorus of the kookaburra is something special that our suburbs still have. We have large remnant trees with the capacity for kookaburras to make their nests in. The midnight meditative hoots of the migratory koels can be heard above the bark-a-lot dogs, punctuating the day and night, a sound to treasure. Our bushland provides not only a corridor for birds to move through but food and shelter for the wildlife. Responsible pet ownership is key to keeping these places safe for our community-pets-without-borders, our ‘backyard buddies’. https://backyardbuddies.org.au

The Chronicle

The Chronicle has been gracing the letterboxes of the CPPA community since January 1980, with 317 editions circulated to date. The newsletter is wholly produced and distributed by volunteers with sponsorship of spaces covering the printing costs. It takes 3-4 days each month to write, collate and edit the content, lay it out for printing, put it online and distribute into 2300 letter boxes in Coal Point, Carey Bay, Kilaben Bay and Toronto areas.

The demise of the local newspapers in the past year has meant that The Chronicle was one of the few hard copy information sources available with a perspective on the local issues of importance. The protection of the Toronto Foreshore, local sustainability initiatives, development applications, a multitude of Council’s plans and strategies as well neighbours noticing nature, landcare activities and insights on our local flora and fauna regularly grace the space on the yellow pages.

You can also view the Chronicle online - https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com
or subscribe to receive an email each month with The Chronicle articles, coalpointprogress@gmail.com.

Heaven Can Wait (HCW) Charity Regatta (5-6 Feb)

The HCW Charity Regatta was conceived and inaugurated by Lake Macquarie resident, keen sailor and cancer survivor Shaun Lewicki as a major annual sailing event on the lake to promote sailing and to raise funds for cancer research – particularly men’s cancers. As the survival rates from cancer have improved, so have the needs of the Hunter Branch of Cancer Council NSW, and the funds raised from this regatta are now directed to the Home Help Program. This program provides domestic assistance to both recovering and terminal cancer patients who, because of their illness, are unable to perform many of the domestic duties they would normally do.

In the 15 years that this event has been run, it has raised some $470,000 in support of the charities and it’s expected to be well over the $500,000 after the 2022 event.

The 16th HCW Charity Sailing Regatta will be run over the weekend of February 5 and 6.

The Charity Dinner will again be held on the preceding Friday - February 4th, at the Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto.

Race Entry and information can be found on the RMYC website - https://www.rmyctoronto.com.au/heaven-can-wait

CPPA Membership Renewal is underway

Membership to the Coal Point Progress Association aligns with the calendar year. Shortly all existing members will be given an update about their membership status, whether they need to renew or how long their multi-year membership has left to run.

If you’re not a member and would like to join, a membership form is available on the website or by emailing cppa.membership@gmail.com.

Winter Greetings

The absence of the Chronicle has been a consequence of the flurry of activity being generated by the Threatened Species project.

On-ground works in the public reserves have been occurring regularly and the local Landcare team has been receiving additional support every Thursday.

The Stansfield Close reserves have been receiving some additional attention to support the preparation for the Asset Protection Burn, mooted for Autumn but hopefully some time soon.

A site tour of the public land and the private properties that had expressed interest in the project was also undertaken.

In order to maximise the available bush regeneration budget work will focus around neighbourly nodes of interest. In the next Chronicle expressions of interest will be sought for further inclusion of private land in the project.

Private landholders may be able to gain bushland benefits in sharing the cost of additional bush regeneration days, being part of a mass nest box installation or party to a bulk order plant purchase to expand the habitat of your bushland.

National Tree Day at Carey Bay Wetlands will be a chance to catch up and discuss any interest you may have in the project.

Other Progress happenings:

• Progress Committee meetings are on the second Monday of the month
• Membership renewals will still be graciously received by the Treasurer.
• A members only social event is being planned for Spring.
• More walkers are required for the distribution of the Chronicle. If you would like to walk for an hour once a month please let Barbara know.
• Is there a local business interested in restricting possum access to the roof space of Progress Hall? Contact Tony for details.

Request for more Chronicle distributors

Would you like to walk with a purpose once a month? 

We’re looking for a few energetic folk to assist in delivering the Chronicle. It would involve folding and letterboxing 50-100 newsletters in an area around where you live. Please contact Barbara on 4959 1259 if you’re interested.

Walkers Wanted

The Coal Point Chronicle is hand delivered to 1300 local homes and we’re looking for some people to assist in distribution.

If you have an hour once a month to pop about 50-100 chronicle in your neighbour’s letterboxes contact Barbara on 4959 1259

Are you a local business and want to share your expertise locally?

There are some sponsorship spaces available in the monthly Chronicle, the cost is $35/month. You can run the sponsorship as often or as little as you like. 

All you need to provide is the information you want mentioned and if you have a logo or image, the electronic file. 

The Chronicle is letter boxed by Progress volunteers to 1265 local residents. The sponsorship goes towards maintaining the Hall for community use and Landcare projects. 

The Chronicle is produced 11 times a year and is compiled and edited by Suzanne Pritchard. If you would like more information contact Suzanne.

The Why, Who & How of the Coal Point Chronicle?

Since 1980 a regular newsletter has been circulated throughout the community by the Progress Association.

A dozen members hand deliver 30-170 newsletters each,11 times a year.

Since 1995, Suzanne Pritchard, who has also been CPPA President takes about 14 hours a month to put fingers to keypad and produce a Chronicle, sourcing information from Committee input, local groups and regional networks.

Since 2009 this information has also been made available online.

If you have items of local interest worth sharing there is always space to fill email coalpointprogress@gmail.com.au

Sponsors make printing of the newsletter possible.