The NoiseBin Rises!

First NoiseBin Sighting in the Wilds of Darlington

The structure and electronic systems for the NoiseBin are nearly done, and we've given a couple of community previews already. Our small team are working day-in, day-out to complete the last parts but we really need a couple of extra helpers to make this the huge success it should be. Some opportunities are outlined below.

The electronic nervous system of the NoiseBin project was spotted at a recent DRRA meeting (video, thanks to Trish C!). Smiling locals lined up to have a close look and feed the beast, which responded with a light classical selection.

The NoiseBin's appearance included rare sound recordings from the local environment - we could hear Stella and Jesse at Nyaania Creek, along with clips from others. Recordings were captured in June 2021 by the young designers who came up with the original idea. From the creek we could hear how the rains came early that year. Maybe a librarian could help us catalogue the sound library!

We're working out a way to publish the young peoples' recordings here on the website. Ian wants to hear from anyone with experience of HLS audio streaming (or just Linux software). Please get in touch and help us build a sound server!

The climax of the DRRA presentation was a dazzling LED light show controlled by the NoiseBin electronics. The team have built decoding logic to drive up to five separate LED strings, however there are some issues with the wiring and logic that are limiting our use to one strip. If there's anyone with a logic analyser or probe out there, we'd love to have your help!

The steel frame is assembled, and Kevin, Angus and Graeme are starting to fix the sheet cladding on. We tried a creative 'gull wing' front door (thanks, Ian!) and couldn't get it to close, so now we've built one with a massive external side hinge that works at treat and will withstand a 150 kph cyclone (you never know!).

The steel structure has been down for a fitting at its site next to the Sports Pavilion and another demo at the May DCRAG meeting, our long-suffering sponsors. Photos should be here somewhere.

Geoff and Javi are sharpening the site plans and the landscaping, which will include access for young children and those with disabilities.

We still have a stack of unfinished ideas to fill out the Design, so would love to hear from gardeners, software developers, graphic artists and sound producers who want to be part of a unique and community-changing installation. Call Geoff Barker to get the low-down, or email: admin@noisebin.org

See you down at the NoiseBin!

Lyn Woldendorp writes:

After 60 years, I still enjoy reading the Darlington Review. It is always very uplifting – reading about what the community is doing, the volunteers, both individuals and groups, to keep the village friendly and looking loved. What a wonderful project the Darlington Community Garden is, bringing all generations together to help and to be proud of their achievements, and teaching the younger ones respect and belonging. I read in their article regarding the mosaic tile and brick border, that the Shire of Mundaring were contributing a Matching Grant for $2000. Just nineteen pages before that I had read that the Shire were spending $150,000 on LED Shire signs for the Glen Forrest Train Park, Mundaring Sculpture Park and for Mt. Helena. A further Shire grant funded a similar sign at the Glen Forrest Fire Station. From Glen Forrest to Mundaring, I pass three signs in just 10 minutes, a distance of approx. 7km. That is a lot of ratepayers money spent on signage no one seems to want. We are already bombarded with social media and printed material. Why do we now need LED signage? Especially in playgrounds. We have chosen to live in the hills to be amongst nature, trees and in a beautiful environment and to bring our children up in it so that they may also appreciate its beauty. At great expense, the Shire is subjecting us to “visual pollution”!

Betty Pitcher writes:

I write in protest at the suggested widening of Darlington Oval.

The Darlington Oval currently, and for at least 50 years to my knowledge, provides for a host of activities during any week.

It is rarely empty and usage already includes much sport of various sorts but intermittently so that other more casual activities can be fitted around easily. The idea that the Oval should be extended for

Ray Griffith writes: more sport ignores these multiple uses, and users, and threatens to interrupt this diversity of activities. Quite unnecessarily, as I understand, due to the fact that only minutes away are two perfectly adequate sports facilities already in place. The wider world seems saturated with Sport so I urge you to leave our Public Open Space for these many activitiesmaybe smaller, but no less important to residents in their own daily lives.

Just a few points highlighting my feelings about widening the Darlington oval: Darlington is a small village with a community that enjoys it for what it is and have chosen to live here for that community character. Brown Park and Boya are large sports grounds with less character. The small oval fits in perfectly and will lose its charm if the community oval becomes a full on sports ground with older players playing there. This will also introduce more visitors, cars, drinks, litter, noise, etc. Why spoil Darlington. The reason for older players was made by a mother at a meeting held at the oval recently, which is that the children will remember the oval with fond memories. Other parents at the meeting whose children are now older said the children did not care where they played sport, they were just pleased that their friends were with them. Casual users also have fond memories of the oval as is.

We also have to be mindful about the creep where each year the sports group are going to want and try for something more. Many residents agree that any money the sports group would be asking for could be better spent in many other ways, this being the least important. Included in the widening is the need to shift the footy posts towards Pine Terrace, if this was done the footy ball could end up in the BBQ area and the grass in front of the Halls.

Also, the sports players for whom the oval will be widened, will only be using the oval for a few years at most for their sport, whereas the casual users of the oval have used or will use it for 20 years or more. I am an example of that as I have been using it for over 20 years. Lastly, the number of people that use the oval daily, for casual use is more than the players in a sports team. Currently if a sport is in progress with a younger team, the casual users can still use the perimeter of the oval. If the oval was bigger there would be little or no perimeter.

Mike Tooby writes:

It is on record that the widening of Darlington Oval is “technically feasible”. From the outset let me say that I do not doubt that at all. I am not an engineer, but I have worked with engineers all my working life, and I know that with good machinery and limitless funds, anything is feasible, but that does not mean it is right. I have lived in Darlington for 52 years, and have used the oval on a very regular basis, playing social cricket on it for 35 summers, exercising myself and my dogs, meeting friends, attending various functions. I have worked on the Station Reserve for 10 years with like minded volunteers. I think I can say, with absolute certainty, that I have a very good understanding of the way the Darlington Community functions.

I am as pleased as anyone that we have thriving clubs for junior sport with so many men and women giving up their time to run them. I ran the Darlington Branch of the Church of England Boys Society for nine years in the 1970s as the biggest group in Australia by a factor of two. This was only possible because of the tremendous support of the Darlington Community.

I am firmly against the widening of our very much loved oval because it cannot be proved necessary to provide for a few extra boys and girls when there is a perfectly good option five minutes away. The argument that the toilets are inadequate in Boya is a complete furphy. One could build a toilet Taj Mahal for the likely cost of the oval widening.

It is undoubtedly feasible but should the Mundaring Shire put scarce community resources into an unnecessary project? I sincerely hope not.

One final point: The line of deciduous trees on the far side of the oval was planted by the shire at the instigation of Darlington community members, foreshadowing the demise of the very old pine trees. A forest of dead black wattle was removed and burnt on the first community bonfire. The Social Cricket Club watered those trees over their first couple of years and community volunteers have looked after them ever since.

I do not believe that the proposed widening can be done without threatening the future of those trees.

Conservation is the wise use of all our resources; it is the highest form of national thrift. John F Kennedy, Address to Congress.