Re-Open Day and AGM outcomes

The Progress Hall Reopening Day & 30 years of Landcare celebration was a wonderful gathering of 45 community members. 

Sincere thanks to the Honourable Greg Piper for attending and officially cutting the ribbon to the refurbished kitchen and his kind words about CPPA’s long-standing, exemplary and unique role in   keeping the community connected through the Progress Hall and newsletter and also for caring for our local bushland. Progress Hall is of the very few community-owned halls left in the City. 

The repainted Hall was looking particularly resplendent and filled with the sound of casual, animated conversation. Thanks to Helen English on our newly-tuned piano and Bobby Paquet on guitar with some French folk classics for providing background music and our local landcare crew for illuminating attendees with   explanations of local weeds.

Scrumptious frittata and muffins provided by Cleaver and heated in our new kitchen, along with tea & coffee for all, wraps and cakes, allowed the assembled gathering to have their fill of food and friendship.

The raffle was well subscribed and was possible from the donations of prizes from The White Room, Carey Bay Cellars, The Goods and Jeannie & Michael.

Community Feedback

Community conversations were encouraged around how can we use the Hall, raise funds to support the ongoing costs of maintenance, renovations that would improve the hall usage, what community needs could the hall support and what’s a reasonable annual membership fee.

 The most popular suggestions for hall usage and improvement focused on wellbeing and creativity, with strong interest in activities such as yoga, mindfulness, and meditation, as well as a choir or folk festival. Education sessions like technology help, morning teas for people living alone and community craft sessions were also well-supported. These ideas reflect a clear desire to use the hall as a space for connection, learning, and inclusion.

In terms of fundraising and facilities, morning teas and native plant sales were among the top suggestions. Respondents also supported fixing the footpath at the street entrance. When asked about membership fees, the vast majority felt that $20 per year was a fair and accessible price, this will be discussed by the Committee. 

This feedback will directly guide planning for future programs, fundraising initiatives, and improvements to ensure the hall continues to serve the community’s evolving needs.

Thank You to the Funders

A vote of thanks goes out to the funders. The refurbishment project would not have been possible without the $8000 from the State Government’s Local Small Commitments Allocation (LSCA), an $8000 donation from the Eraring Site Community Support Fund, the Toronto Lions $500 contribution and community members $2800 of financial support. Along with $19,285 from the coffers of the CPPA, this refurbishment project cost $38,605 and has positioned our hall as unique and affordable location for community gatherings and local entertainment.

AGM outcomes

The open day wrapped up with an AGM which saw the Annual reports delivered and  following committee elected

President/Secretary – Suzanne Pritchard

Vice President – Pamela Sharp

Treasurer – Nico Marcar

Selma Barry – Action activator

Ros Cornish – Landcare Coordination

Nicole Haigh  - Newsletter Distribution

What's happening at the Hall and where the Landcare team will be lurking

The Hall is being utilised again for community activities and events.

If you want to know what's on check out the calendar for Yoga times on Monday & Wednesday, Pilates on Friday.

Or if you want to book the hall for an event, you can see when it's available.

Locals Landcaring around Coal Point, Carey Bay & Toronto

There's lots of information about the reserves and the local landcare activities on the website.

We meet anytime between 8am and noon, for however long you want 

Tools & techniques provided

Morning tea at 10am

15/5 West Ridge

22/5 Hampton St Link

29/5 West Ridge

5/6 Ambrose/Yarul

12/6 Puntei Creek

19/6 Burnage

Crocodile Point (TASNG)

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?

Ros - cppalandcare@gmail.com

When was the last time you visited an op-shop?

Reducing waste comes in many forms and fortunately in Toronto we have a fine selection of op-shops that are assisting our community to make a sustainable difference. Council has recently released the Lake Mac Op Shop Trail guides.

The guide says that “Op shopping isn’t just about finding great deals; it’s a powerful way to protect our planet and support our local community. In a world where fast fashion dominates, the environmental toll is immense. Clothes are made cheaply, worn briefly, and discarded quickly, contributing to massive waste and pollution. By choosing second-hand, we can challenge this throwaway culture and promote sustainability.

Op shopping gives pre-loved items a second life, significantly reducing carbon emissions, and conserving valuable resources. Each purchase is a step towards a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry. Plus, op shopping supports local communities and charities, making a positive social impact.

Local Op-shops are

• The White Room- Carey Bay Shopping Village – an extensive collection of quality bags, accessories and vintage clothing,
• Allira House Op Shop- 116 The Boulevarde offers clothing for everyone, with manchester, accessories, books and a small range of homewares. Proceeds support domestic violence refuges and education programs for people experiencing homelessness.
• Salvos-67-73 The Boulevarde - clothing for all ages, homewares, books, larger furniture items and nick-nacks
• Vinnies 80 The Boulevarde - offers an exciting variety of clothing, plus homewares, shoes, books and accessories.
• Save the Children -Shop 2/49A The Boulevarde- offering preloved clothing, shoes and accessories, plus brand-new excess stock at discounted prices. Partnering with Upparel for textile recycling
• Lifeline -34 The Boulevarde- clothing, homewares, furniture and books

Birds in Backyards Survey

The Birdlife Australia (BA) Autumn Birds In Backyards survey is now open. The purpose of this survey is to see how birds are doing in our urban areas. Cities can be hostile places for birds. Birdlife Australia wants to know about things like bird numbers, their behaviour and what features of gardens they like, and what they avoid.

Most people will be able to take part in these surveys easily, even if they have little birding experience. The survey forms will help you to identify common birds in your area to get you started. The data gathered will provide important information for BAs team of scientists.

You can participate in a Birds in Backyards seasonal survey almost anywhere. If you’ve got a backyard, you can do it there. However, even people who don’t have backyards can take part. Any location near your home where you can see birds is fine.

 

International Day of Biodiversity (IDB) 22 May

On ‘International Days of’, the mantra of Think Globally and Act Locally creates a time to reflect on what we are doing on the ground with our community and how it contributes to global goals.

The following musings are on the International Day of Biodiversity 2025 theme “Harmony with nature and sustainable development"

Biodiversity is the foundation of all life on Earth. It is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet, and economic prosperity for all people. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, protection from natural disasters as well as recreation and cultural inspiration.

The United Nations Global Biodiversity Framework has 23 Targets that set out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.

As a local community group we are actively implementing several of these targets to reduce the local threats to biodiversity

TARGET 4: Halt Species Extinction, Protect Genetic Diversity, and Manage Human-Wildlife Conflicts

The local geography of the peninsula which extends from Toronto to Coal Point means there is a high potential for existing isolated populations of a locally-threatened and vulnerable species to become extinct if the threats aren’t addressed.

Threats for the locally vulnerable Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), a small gliding possum, include the loss of hollows from the removal of older trees, habitat fragmentation of vegetated corridors from increased building footprints, especially the flowering shrubs that allow for movement and provide food and, increasingly common, are attacks by roaming cats.

Installing nestboxes, planting flowering native shrubs in your garden and keeping your cat inside are actions we can all take to ensure the survival of our local small mammals and birds.

TARGET 6: Reduce the Introduction of Invasive Alien Species by 50% and Minimize Their Impact

Exotic plants, alien species, aka weeds are an ever-present threat to our local bushland. From the exotic grasses that creep and covertly control the ground layer, to the vines that cover and crash the canopies, being aware of the impact of garden escapes and everyone doing their bit to keep garden plants in the garden makes a difference.

The extrusion of lawns into local public bushland is a major threat to our biodiverse reserves. Once in the native bushland, buffalo, couch and kikuyu smother the local natives, suppress germination and diminish the food available for local wildlife. There are a suite of native grasses and groundcovers that provide for low maintenance groundcover options. Stopping your lawn at your boundary, not dumping your garden waste and encouraging natives will greatly assist in burgeoning our biodiversity.

Along the West Ridge there is quite a population of the threatened plant Tetratheca juncea (Black-eyed Susan) - its survival depends on a native understorey devoid of exotic grasses.

There are local plants for sale at the Landcare & Sustainability Centre at Teralba, and Trees In Newcastle at Belmont.

TARGET 7: Reduce Pollution to Levels That Are Not Harmful to Biodiversity

Pollution comes in all forms. Excess nutrients from fertilisers or dog poo washing into the lake, unsecured soil from construction sites that ends up as sediment over seagrass beds from the stormwater system, rat poisons that accumulate in the food chain and kill native birds wildlife and pets, abundant lighting that disrupts nocturnal animals habitats and distracts insects and frogs and of course plastic, ever present, pervasive and problematic.

Actions that make a huge difference locally include minimising fertiliser use and picking up the pooch-poo.Both of these pollutants flow directly into the Lake, which of course surrounds the peninsula. Using alternatives to the Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGAR), will keep our pets and wildlife, especially our local owls, alive a lot longer. Minimising night-time illumination keeps the nocturnal habits of the wildlife aligned with protecting the vulnerable from predation, whilst saving electricity. Doing your best to prevent plastic entering the environment by using alternatives and ensuring it doesn’t end up in the bush or lake helps too.

TARGET 8: Minimize the Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity and Build Resilience

Council's approach to supporting communities that may be impacted by long-term inundation due to sea and/or lake level rise is to proactively undertake adaptation planning for the worst affected communities. Whilst the eastern side of the Lake has had six local plans produced, the Teralba to Toronto Climate Resilience Plan will be the first on the western side. Over the next few months, the plan will be going out for community consultation.

Suburbs between Toronto and Teralba (including Carey Bay) are likely to be significantly affected by the impacts of climate change, particularly sea level rise. Council is working with these communities so they can adapt to changes in the natural environment. Increasing tree canopy in urban areas will be important for reducing the effects of urban heat and ensuring streets and public spaces are cool and comfortable. Preserving bushland will support the city’s mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, while protecting our biodiversity and showcasing our highly-valued natural environment.

TARGET 12: Enhance Green Spaces and Urban Planning for Human Well-Being and Biodiversity

The recent adoption of Council’s Housing Diversity Plan whereby minimum lot sizes for subdivision and dual occupancies were reduced, whilst a win for increasing housing supply, has the potential to diminish the biodiverse assets of our community. The premise of the plan, to avoid encroachment of urban development into environmentally sensitive land by making more efficient use of available urban land needs to also consider the available greenspace and exiting corridors and fortify it against further fragmentation. We are so fortunate to still have healthy bushland and wildlife, retaining this during a density transition requires the will to find the way to align with the Community Strategic Plan’s Environmental goals.

Learning at Landcare- Pamela Sharp

It's Autumn, we’ve passed the equinox and the days are becoming shorter, cooler and wetter with damp nights and morning dew. On the Awabakal seasonal calendar (seasons.awabakallanguage.org.au) it’s the breeding season for birabaan the Wedge-tailed eagle and owls such as the Powerful owl and the Barking owl. The Noisy miners at my place are acting like it’s their breeding season too!

Madeira Vine and Native Violet- Time of the Vine

There’s a vine that I’ve needed to learn about since moving here and have become good at recognising its heart shaped leaves and climbing habit. 

Madeira Vine (Anredera cordifolia) also known as Lamb's tail or Potato vine, is an invasive climbing vine with fleshy heart-shaped leaves and aerial tubers. It smothers other vegetation including the canopy of tall trees. It has aerial tubers which are light green or brown, wavy and look a bit like rough knobbly potatoes. The tubers can get quite heavy and cause branches to fall off. In the Hunter region it is considered a priority weed and it is not permitted to sell, buy or plant it.

Madeira Vine has recently flowered on Coal Point. The flowers are mildly fragrant, white or cream star shaped with 5 petals. These flowers cluster on spikes 6 -30 cm long. But it's not the flowers that cause the problem.

At Landcare we carefully remove the vines from the plants they are covering, taking care not to damage the plants, then we even more carefully collect the aerial tubers so that they don’t sprout from the ground. Just as important is coming back and monitoring for sprouting tubers, carefully tracing them back to the shoot and removing them from the site. As a landcarer, this is one weed we can remove to help the bushland recover and thrive.

Land owners can help by removing it from their property. Dog owners need to be aware that it is a plant considered toxic to dogs.

Information on how to control Madeira Vine and the various techniques that can be used.

Removing weeds or reducing their bulk allows the small native plants to see the light of day and thrive without competition.

One local favourite is the Native Violet (Viola hederacea). Lake Macquarie Backyard Habitat Planting guide describes it as adaptable to most soil types and grows in partial sun to full shade. Leaves are bright green and kidney shaped. Flowers appear all year-round and are purple and white, appearing singularly on stems. In bushland they are good frog habitat and grow prolifically to out compete some weeds.

My lovely neighbour gave me a bucketful to plant in my small backyard and they look much prettier than a lawn and I don’t have to mow. As a bonus the flowers are edible with a mild taste that goes well as a garnish for sweet or savory dishes.

Come and join us at Landcare any Thursday morning. There’s lots to learn and plenty to do, it’s great for getting in some social activity, some exercise and helping to care for the land on which we live and play. Send an email to Ros to get on the mailing list for her weekly update.

DAs In Play

Why are these DAs listed here?

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

• 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

Back in the day, the process of notification for development applications was a public listing by Council in the local newspapers and personal letters to neighbours.

As the internet capability grew, newspapers ceased and so did the broadscale notification.

Advice from the State government is “Talking to your neighbours about your development proposal, big or small, is always a good idea and often saves a lot of trouble down the track.”

Local Council will “notify neighbouring landowners by letter (where applicable).”

There is a lot of wriggle room in these suggestions. What happens if the neighbour is not so talkative? What happens if Council doesn’t think notification is applicable?

The notification process has been so diminished that the CPPA now reviews the DAs in our area that are listed on Council’s website so that neighbours can be made aware. DAs that involve mutli-dwelling proposals are usually critiqued as well for community impact.

There have been several instances where the first a neighbour knew of a proposed development was via the Chronicle, their heartfelt thanks confirmed that the service we were providing was valued.

The Progress Association is not anti-development, we are very much in favour of sustainable development that aligns with community values and respects the residents and the bushland setting in which we have chosen to live. Unfortunately, these values are often not reflected when developers endeavour to maximise profits and the expense of the community in which the development is occurring.

With the recent changes in what is permissible in the low-density residential zoning, the DAs In Play may prove to be a very useful tool, especially as community infrastructure is limited or non-existent.

Council’s local to-do list

Councils recently adopted Delivery Program 2025-29 and Operational Plan 2025-26 has a few items on their to-do list for our community. The majority of actions are planning and design so we can only hope the plans come to fruition.

• Jetty replacement at public wharf, Wharf Street, Toronto 
• Toronto Lyle Peacock Oval grandstand and amenities replacement 
• Plan and design new shared path at Booragul to Toronto Greenway via Fennell Bay 
• Plan and design drainage improvements at Excelsior Parade 
• Plan and design new footpath at Excelsior Parade
• Plan and design Toronto Foreshore Master Plan
• Complete playground replacement at Keith Barry Oval, 
• Plan and design drainage improvements at 9A Killara Close 
• Plan and design road rehabilitation at Ambrose Street, Carey Bay from Excelsior Parade to Brighton Avenue

Joy, glee, and excitement are in the air! - Progress Hall re-opeing

The Progress Hall is looking absolutely amazing, and the CPPA Committee is beyond thrilled to be throwing open the doors once again! We warmly invite you to join us for a festive Re-Open Day on Saturday 22 March 2025, from 10am to 2pm.

This special event is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with locals, soak in the cheerful atmosphere, and celebrate the incredible achievements of our community group. We can’t wait to welcome you back to our beautifully refreshed hall—see you there!

10:00- 10:30 Welcome members of the community back to the Hall, seeing is believing, it’s an amazing transformation. Share your ideas for future uses and events.

10:30 – 11:00 The official re-opening of the hall ceremony, with the Honourable Greg Piper MP, cutting the ribbon and turning on the urn. A time for some heartfelt thanks and reflections on the community contributions that have maintained this community asset for the past 74 years.

11:00 – 11:30 Celebrating 30 years of Landcare in our community. Who are the landcarers, what do they do and where do they do it. Join us in a slice of community cake and a cuppa.

11:30 -1:30 Drop by and say hi. Explore the hall, immerse yourself in a display of local weeds and how to get rid of them. Purchase a native plant that can replace your weed. Chat about your trees and see if they have the potential to be a hollowhog-hotel. Join the CPPA and support what we do. There will be members-a-plenty to propose and second your application.

To add to the festive atmosphere throughout the day there will be some light music so visitors can appreciate the acoustics and test out the well sprung floor if you like to move and groove. On stage will be Bobby Paquet, a French folk guitarist and on the recently tuned piano will be Helen English, accomplished pianist.

There will be a rolling morning tea with some tastebud tempting treats provided by the Cleaver crew.

1:30 – 2pm Join in the Annual General Meeting of the CPPA where the achievements of the year will be shared, the financial report delivered, plans for 2025 discussed and the election of the Committee undertaken. Nominations received so far for the Committee have been from Suzanne Pritchard, Nico Marcar, Cath Fairs, Selma Barry, Helen English, Nicole Haigh, Pam Sharp and Ros Cornish.

If you are coming along please send an email to cppasecretary@gmail.com so we can make sure we cater adequately.

Thank you to the refurbishment contributors

The refurbishment of the kitchen started in 2023, on the back of the discovery of a very significant termite infestation. Since then the community and CPPA combined to create something very special, and for that our heartfelt and genuine thanks are given to:

Selma Barry, for the thoughtful practical kitchen design and coordinating the whole project and carrying much of the stress involved in such a project

Cath Fairs & Family, for the attention to detail and decluttering skills, re-setting the hall with enthusiasm and gusto for the next stage of its community life.

Ian Dennison for his timber transforming talents, commencing with the kitchen deconstruction dealing with the worst of the termite damaged timbers and following up with carpentry detailing at the kitchen completion end of the project

David Israel for being our trades consultant and overseeing the technical aspects of reconstructing the kitchen

Langford Windows for a lovely new window and a $1000 discount

Reece Plumbing Warners Bay for the donations of taps (warnersbay.plumbing.nsw@reece.com.au )

Dave the Plasterer – D & C Senior-for doing a top job for a great price in ensuring the kitchen walls were perfect for the kitchen installation

Brody Geddes from MKB-Joinery and Benchtops who created and installed a lovely kitchen and was very patient with us throughout the process (mkbjb@outlook.com)

Guy Brauer and Ross McGrath for coming to the electrical rescue and donating their expertise and time

CoolWatt Air and Electrical for a prompt quote and installation of additional power points and ensuring the oven electricals had capacity.(Mitchel Davies - 0457124406)

Dean, The PlumbOn Plumber for a quick quote, quick job and community discount

Luke Fairs for the carpentry work in completing theframing and undertaking the gyprocking to get the walls resurrected and replaced.

Tom and Kay Scott for the timber donations that helped us stretch the dollars that little bit further

Toronto Sunrise Rotary for responding to an urgent plea to paint the kitchen prior to the kitchen installation

Carpet Court- Toronto for the newly levelled floor and enduring vinyl flooring

Wangi Mens Shed for supplying Peter Bowen to provide advice ()

Bennetts Painting – Kyle and Graeme for painting the Hall interior in a super quick timeframe and going above and beyond the call of duty to get the tint right and doing all the fiddly bits. (m:0451370045)

The Landcare team for making the grounds and surrounds look so wonderful for the re-open day.

Toronto Workers Club Community services to go

Image from https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/community-living/toronto-workers-club-in-nsw-plans-to-expand-its-existing-elements-of-toronto-retirement-village

The Toronto Workers Club (TWC) plans to demolish the only bowling green and tennis courts in our community to build more units.

The TWC 2024 Annual Report states the club’s short-term goal is to exceed members’ and guests’ expectations in facilities, products, and services. Their long-term objective is to provide the community with high-quality services in a safe and friendly environment, generating profits to reinvest into improved services and community support.

Despite these statements, TWC has directed the bowls and tennis clubs to wind up by June 2025. Both clubs are financially viable and self-sustaining. TWC is pushing for this deadline without lodging a DA with Council or consulting any community or club members.

Residents of the Elements retirement village will also lose access to these on-site activities—facilities they expected when buying their Villas.

TWC is a member-owned, not-for-profit organisation created to provide activities and facilities for the community. Removing bowls and tennis will impact our seniors, local schools, junior bowlers, and tennis players, who will lose these precious facilities forever.

Over 70 people attended a community meeting at The Hub on 4th March to discuss how to stop TWC’s plans. Sadly, no club representative attended. Many spoke passionately about the loss and challenged claims that the bowls green and tennis courts are underused. They are well utilised.

Over the years, TWC has already reduced facilities, removing two tennis courts and bowling greens. Now they’ve told financially healthy, well-attended clubs to close.

Elements residents who bought in when bowls and tennis were part of the lifestyle were not told they’d be removed. They now face years of construction and the possibility of their homes being overshadowed by a motel.

Please give your feedback to the Workers Club at enquiries@torontoworkersclub.com.au.

This is OUR club, OUR bowls green, OUR tennis courts. Our community deserves better. Once gone, these clubs—and what they bring—will be lost forever.

- Maree Smith