22nd August 2020. Edition Two. In this edition: President's Message,
Hornsby Council News,
Catchments Remediation Rate,
National Tree Day – Beecroft Village Green,
Beecroft War memorial - repair update,
Spring Walk on Sunday 13th September,
Rodenticide's impact on our native birds of prey.
Newsletter from Jullian Leeser MP,
Recent Development Applications,
Latest Police Reports.
Hello everyone. I hope you are coping in this surreal world of Covid 19. The shutdown with the Spanish Flu pandemic after WW1 must have been very similar to what we are experiencing now. We know many people are struggling, whether financially or mentally. No doubt society was experiencing similar problems 100 years ago, especially straight after the war to end all wars. We must all be patient but also be considerate of others.
Last week Hornsby Council debated the status of Byles Creek. See article below. It has been 7 years now since the local community sought State and local government support to stop development and preserve the bushland on the large vacant residential lots located in the valley. Council will continue to explore ways of protecting the ecology of the valley and at the same time provide public access through the valley.
We are still getting local residents contacting the Trust about noise from the M2. I haven’t yet heard back from Dominic Perrottet our Treasurer and State Member on this matter. I sense he is a bit preoccupied with more pressing matters at the moment. So, if you have an M2 related noise issue and haven’t contacted the Trust, it’s not too late to voice your concerns.
With regard to the Metro haulage road behind Cheltenham Oval, Dominic Perrottet met with Hornsby Council’s General Manager to discuss the outstanding works and associated State funding as part of a formal handover of the project to Council. I understand Dominic agreed to get back to Council regarding the funding required. In the meantime Council has refused to accept the handover of the site from the Metro project until the State Government provides the funding for Council to complete the outstanding works. So the Metro Project is not yet completed! Metro Haulage Rd on Castle Howard Rd just beyond Murray Farm Rd. - 21 August 2020 If you have visited the Trust's website lately you would have noticed I have scanned in the past Trust bulletins. CLICK HERE. If anyone still has any past bulletins, please let me know and I’ll arrange for them to be scanned and added to the web site.
Hornsby Council news Council’s General Meeting on Wednesday 12th August 2020.
Items 5, 6 and 9 relate to C Ward, namely, Byles Creek Valley, Vegetation mapping for the whole Shire and Cherrybrook Station respectively. CLICK HERE for business papers, and CLICK HERE for minutes.
The attachments relating to items 5 and 9 in the business can be viewed at CLICK HERE
The Byles Creek item has been mentioned above. The vegetation mapping item means that all vegetation communities will be incorporated in the new planning maps and not just the current mapping that covers threatened vegetation communities. This extra layer of vegetation in the planning controls will not impact greatly on 2119 because we already have various layers of control such as heritage, which requires us to lodge a DA. But elsewhere across the Shire more properties will have to lodge a DA for development and not simply rely on the simpler complying development process.
Catchments Remediation Rate. This article is aimed at local residents with a professional background in water management, such as engineers.
Council’s Catchments Remediation Rate (CRR) Expenditure Review Panel is seeking three nominations from the community, preferably one from each Ward and a representative for the Lane Cove River catchment.
The Catchments Remediation Rate is levied at five percent of Council’s ordinary rates and raises $3 million each year that is used to install and maintain stormwater quality improvement devices within the Shire’s four major catchment (drainage) areas: Berowra Creek, Cowan Creek, Upper Lane Cove River and Hawkesbury River. This Panel has been in operation for a number of years and new panel members are needed to replace retiring members. So if you are interested in contributing to the management of our Council’s waterways, CLICK HERE for more information and to access the nomination form.
National Tree Day – Beecroft Village Green. Local community groups will hold an informal tree planting afternoon to commemorate a belated National Tree Day in the Beecroft Village Green from 2 pm on Sunday afternoon 30th August. Three advanced Sydney Blue Gums will be provided by Hornsby Council’s Nursery. Council will also prepare the ground prior to the event. With the Covid 19 virus still circulating, the Trust requests that attendees adhere to the current social distancing requirements. The planting exercise will be a short low key affair with minimal ceremony.
Beecroft War memorial - repair update. Ken Ellis from Artisan of Stone the heritage stonemason has been appointed by Council to undertake the repairs. The memorial is significant due to its size but also because of the large individual sandstone blocks. Ken was involved in the restoration of the Boer War memorial that was relocated into the Beecroft Station Garden. Due to specialised nature of the sandstone blocks that are required it will be some weeks before they are available. As a result don’t expect any activity on site until at least late September. There should be a time capsule in the memorial so there is a stop work clause in the contract to allow Council to recover the capsule.
Spring Walk on Sunday 13th September. The Covid 19 pandemic caused the Trust to cancel our traditional Autumn Walk, the first time in many years. The Spring Walk will inspect the recent improvements in the bushland around Chilworth Reserve. The walk will be circular in nature, commencing at 2pm and finishing about 4pm at the netball courts at Cheltenham Oval. We will be following designated walking tracks through as far as Burns Road South. Please come suitably dressed for the weather and track conditions. There will not be no formal afternoon tea due to the Covid 19 restrictions. However, you are welcome to provide your own refreshments. Previous Trust Spring Walk
The History and Formation of the Trust Regular visitors to the Trust’s website have probably noticed a number of earlier bulletins have been scanned and posted.CLICK HERE Some early correspondence from former founding members John Noble and Baldur Byles (Marie Byles brother) has also been scanned and given to the Beecroft Cheltenham History Group.
Also scanned in is an interesting history of the formation of the Trust. CLICK HERE to access it.
The use of Rodenticide and its impact on our native birds of prey This article published in the Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times has been provided by one of the Trust’s readers. Rodenticide is a rat poison that is having an adverse impact on the local Powerful Owl population. CLICK HERE for the article.
Julian Leeser MP. Newsletter dated August 10th 2020 The Trust's policy is that we will publish submitted newsletters from any of our elected representatives. CLICK HERE
Recent Development Applications The Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust's Web Site now has links to recently submitted Development Applications in the 2119 postcode area. This page will be updated with every eNews publication. CLICK HERE To access them.
Latest Police Reports CLICK HERE for the latest reports. Just a reminder that these reports are regularly provided by the Ryde Police Area Command which includes the entire suburbs of Beecroft & Cheltenham.
Annual Memberships for 2020 became due in March... CLICK HERE
Keep our two suburbs strong and informed by being a member!
To support or join the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust, please visit our website. CLICK HERE.The eNews has become our main method for disseminating information to the community. Currently we have over 1090 email addresses. We encourage residents who receive the eNews to tell their neighbours and friends. The eNews letter is available to all who subscribe. Trust Membership is not a requirement.
The eNews archives are available HERE. To subscribe to the eNews: CLICK HERE.The Trust has always had an unwritten policy to assist any resident regardless of their membership status.
