Tuesday 6 February 2018

Members Morning Tea

Welcome to 2018 members past, present and future!


To celebrate our connection with each other as members of this amazing association that has been around since 1946, we’re having a member’s Morning Tea at Progress Hall on Saturday 10th February from 8:30am to 12:30.

Everyone is welcome to come along and see what activities the CPPA is involved with and hopefully add your support in one way or another.

There will be a fine selection of hot beverages and cooling cordials along with homemade biscuits and cakes to keep the conversation flowing around various topic tables that you can peruse at your leisure.

If you’ve been holding off paying your membership fees, drop in, join up and pick up a native plant as a thankyou. There is a membership for here.

Would you like to volunteer for a one–off project to support the CPPA? There’ll be a selection of sign up sheets to satiate the urge to do-good such as lending a hand at one of the hall working bees, lending your legs to deliver a newsletter, lending your know-how when we need to know how.

If you’ve got time on your hands and want to get physical with the Landcare crew they would love to talk to you, there’ll be information a plenty to ponder and the landcare library will be on display to help with plant ID.

Have you got a big bushy block and need some advice on what’s on it, or what to put on it? The Threatened Species Project was set up to answer those questions, plant lists, nestboxes, habitat assessments and plant orders can be organised with the flick of pen.

Do you have DA ideas- What could Carey Bay be like? Contribute ideas to the proposed DA at 20 Laycock St, Carey Bay for 22 dwellings. The developer has agreed to meet representatives of CPPA and TASNG and we’re keen to put forward some community suggestions for a more sustainable development.

Are you keen to progress pedestrian-biking issues or local waste? You can find out about the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group’s special projects in these areas.

If you just want to savour the morning tea and sit you can get informed about the Adani Coal mine at the same time. There will be a continuous screening of Guarding the Galilee.

Do you know where to park if you visit the Hall?

If you're visiting the hall it's best to park in the park i.e. Gurranba Reserve, 90m from the hall. 
LMCC has advised the CPPa that the road rules say if the road has a continuous dividing line you must park at least 3m from it and not on a footpath or nature strip

TSLS To-do

The six-year Threatened Species Last Stand on the Coal Point Peninsula project (TSLS) is on the last leg, with the project completion date of 30/6/18. There are some activities that are already completed, still quite a few activities to be enjoyed and of course there will be some that keep on going on after the TSLS project finishes.

The Summer survey was completed on 22/1/18 by the adventuresome avian expert Tom Clarke. 

Young Dollarbird waiting patiently
for parents to return (Tom Clarke)
Tom’s consistency and commitment to the project has been commendable, as are his reports all 23 of them! There is final report to come which will be looking at any trends and summarising the information collected over the past six years. If you are avian-orientated and would like to continue with any of the surveys please contact the CPPA, Tom is keen to share his process.
The Summer Survey Highlights included:
  • The uncommon record of White-throated Needletails, at least 14 individuals could be accounted for travelling directly overhead and not too far above the canopy. These birds appeared to be following the ridge from Stansfield Reserve to Carey Bay as they passed by. It is interesting to note that this species was also recorded at this site in April 2017; that would have been right at the end of the previous season before they headed back to Northern Asia.
  • Some indications of breeding success were noted with two separate sightings of juvenile Dollarbird and a Grey Butcherbird family group consisting of two adults and a very dependent fledgling at Stansfield Reserve. Grey Butcherbirds have nested in the Stansfield (non-burn) area several times over the course of the surveys. Both juvenile Dollarbirds were found sitting quietly with no hint (you cannot mistake their calls) of parent birds at all. Perhaps they were taking it easy in the heat also.
  • The most widely recorded species for these surveys were Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy Miner and Grey Butcherbird. They were recorded at every survey site and this is hardly surprising of course. Over the last five years, 22 rounds of formal surveys have been completed and the dominance of these birds is strongly confirmed on every occasion. With regards the honeyeaters, it is almost a complete shut-out for the smaller less-aggressive birds.

Another tick on the TSLS to-do list has been for the professional bush regeneration support provided by LMCC’s Natural Areas crew. 

Over the summer they have spent four days building on the success of the April 2016 burn at Stansfield Reserve, targeting woody weeds such as Ochna- Mickey Mouse plant, a garden escape, that has survived and thrived. The team of four also spent four days at Hampton Street Link focussed on the ‘heavy lifting’ of Lantana removal and Cassia control (another garden escape). This work is preparing the ground for the National Tree Day planting that is planned for May 20th to reinstate the rainforest remnants and kickstart the recovery of the ground covers.
The support of the LMCC Natural Areas Team has been greatly appreciated, their willingness to share their knowledge and their enthusiasm for undertaking the physically demanding work has helped the local landcare group to keep their spirits and enjoyment of bushland activities high.

A fun-filled five months is ahead with projects on the go including the mega mural on the Hunter Water Reservoir, an Awesome Art & Craft show and Plant-pack purchases.

The mega-mural: 

Enthusiastic street artists have already begun preparing the surface of the reservoir and Hunter Local Land Services recently awarded the CPPA a grant to cover the Youth Week mural completion celebration on 17/4/18. Throughout February we’ll be lining up the local schools, and community artists to sort out how the space can be used. 
In March it will be cans in hand to put the artwork out there. A mural webpagehas been set up which lists the local plants and animals that can be emblazoned upon the water tank walls. If you’re keen to pick a subject and practice your style there’s quite a few to choose from. A facebook page is being set up by Graffiti Dan, the street artist mentor overseeing the mural.

The Art and Craft show 

For the traditional artists The Awesome Art and Craft Show planning has begun. If you are a local artisan and would like the opportunity to showcase your art or craft please contact Barbara Lawrenson at artandcraftcppa@gmail.com or 0409 839 428. As this event will be celebrating the completion of the TSLS project any works of art-craft that relate to the flora and fauna of the area would be most appreciated. There is a webpage where details of the event will be housed.

Plants-a-Plenty Purchases

Do you have a spot in your garden that needs filling? Would you like a plant that is perfect for our area and the local wildlife? Would you like to support the local landcare project after the grant has finished? If you answered yes to any of these questions read on.
A selection of local plants are being grown by Hunter Indigenous Plants for locals to purchase at 3 plants for $10. Funds raised will go towards supporting the weekly landcaring projects. They’ll be ready for pick up at the Art and Craft Show. Orders and payment are needed by 30/4/18. Orders can be lodged online or with the hard copy order form available at the members morning tea and in the March Chronicle.

Do you know where to park if you use the Hall?

If you’re using the hall it’s best to park in the park i.e. Gurranba Reserve. LMCC has advised the CPPA to alert hall users to the following road rules:


Reg.197 A driver must not stop on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path or dividing strip, or a nature strip adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area, unless a sign applies and the driver is permitted to stop at that place

Reg.208   Parallel parking on a road (except in a median strip parking area). If the road has a continuous dividing line or a dividing strip, the driver must position the vehicle at least 3 metres from the continuous dividing line or dividing strip, unless otherwise indicated by information on or with a parking control sign.
LMCC advised the CPPA that Skye Point Rd is 6.8m wide any vehicle parked along this section of road would contravene reg.208.
To ensure we keep in good with our neighbours hall users are encouraged to park according to the road rules.

How to Clean Up Australia, one bag at a time.

At AdaptNSW’s Annual forum Dr Nick Watts profiled his recent publication The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change, and reiterated three sobering key findings:
  • the impacts of climate change are unequivocal and potentially irreversible, affecting the health of populations around the world right now;
  • delayed action on climate change has jeopardised human lives and livelihoods;
  • there is reason for optimism with significant action in the past 5 years and 2017 being a year of momentum change presenting clear and unprecedented opportunities for public health.
Whilst plastic bags may seem a world away from climate change, the Clean Up Australia Day crew remind us that plastic bags are made from non-renewable natural resources such as crude oil, gas and coal, the use of which to make the bags generates greenhouse gases that are driving climate change. Just 8.7 plastic checkout bags contain enough embodied petroleum energy to drive a car 1km.

Plastic bags take over 1000 years to breakdown, in Australia 7,150 bags are thrown away each minute, 4 billion bags used annually (about 200/person) and 10% of marine plastic is bags that kill 100,000s of marine animals globally each year. Plastic bags are recyclable and there are recycle bins at the supermarkets. If plastic is not recycled, this embodied energy is lost from the resource chain.

Over the next 6 months the major super markets will be phasing out the single-use plastic bags. More durable, reusable plastic bags will be available to purchase for 15c or you could start making your own long-lasting bag.



Clean Up Australia Day sites

The Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group will be doing their best to reduce plastic waste locally. On Sunday March 4th the Clean Up Australia Day project will focus on collecting plastics from the foreshore, anyone can participate and clean up a stretch of your favourite bit of Lake Mac or register on the Clean Up Australia Day website to formally participate locally. 

The TASNG crew will be radiating out from the yacht club from 9am on Sunday 4th March and also assisting around the Lions Park from 8-10am. You can register here.

In the near future TASNG will be hosting a bag making workshop in preparation for the transition away from single-use plastic bags.


How Convenience is Killing Our Plant – An infographic by the team at Arte Ideas
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The Progress year is full steam ahead with an Annual General Meeting scheduled for Monday 12th March from 5-6pm at Progress Hall. At the AGM reports outlining the activities of the year will be shared, projects for the coming year pondered, finances discussed and a Committee elected to keep the Association ticking along.

If you have a hankering to get involved with a local group, the CPPA can provide lots of opportunities to learn new skills, collaborate on projects and enjoy social trivia every fortnight. Everyone is welcome to attend the AGM and financial members can vote. For more information about what’s involved contact one of the committee members listed on the Chronicle.

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If you're interested in nominating to be on the Committee here's a nomination form

Formosa Lily is about to bloom

After years of methodical removal of Formosa lily flowers from our bushland the odd plant or two still manages to emerge over summer. If the flower gets pollinated hundreds of seeds form, get blown on the wind and the process continues.

The flower buds are forming now and it’s time to crack-on and get this garden escape out of the bush. If you like cut flowers feel free to collect this ornamental and scented flower and take it home, just leave enough of the stalk so the landcarers can remove the garlic like bulb.

If you’d like to have a go at removing the whole plant to give the bush a breather there’s an instructional video that the local landcarers put together on the website- Formosa foe not friend.

Friendship Picnic – Friday Feb 23rd 5:30-7:30pm.

Another family friendly gathering with music and games is planned for the Toronto Foreshore, following on the success of the inaugural gathering late last year. If you want to meet some locals this is one way to get friendly. BYO picnic and friendly face.

DA Updates

DA 1835/2016- Hirecraft

The amended application for the mixed use development of 37 residential units and 3 shops on the Toronto Foreshore was lodged just prior to Christmas and an extension to comment granted by LMCC till 30/1/18. The extension enabled a community awareness process to happen…quite successfully with hundreds of comments received both for and against the DA and opinion pieces appearing in the local newspapers.

The Councilors are very aware of the DA and one has stated “it will be a very interesting determination”. The Council session may be a good one to attend.

More information about the amended DA can be seen here

DA 1865/2017- 20 Laycock St

At the Council’s December meeting a resolution was made to facilitate contact between the CPPA and the developer regarding sustainable design for the development. The developer is happy to make contact and the CPPA and TASNG will be taking the opportunity to talk.