Gresford News July 2020

resford News G

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July 2020

News of the communities of the Paterson and Allyn River Valleys

Mum and daughter riding in the Dungog Common. Photo Leighsa Cox Photography

Ready for adventure The Dungog region is increasingly popular with the outdoor adventure set. Mountain biking has received a boost with the newly created flow track through the Dungog Common which is attracting families of mountain bike riders of up to 400 on a weekend and 40 to 60 riders on a weekday. It has also generated positive publicity including a cover story in a June edition of Newcastle Weekly magazine and a feature video on the Destination NSW website.

Over the past few years we have been seeing an increase of both motorbike and pushbike riders enjoying our country roads. The steeply winding Bingleburra Road with its amazing views has been getting quite a workout. The team from Ride Dungog are keen to work with locals to continue to develop riding locations and events for both mountain and road bikes in our area. More biking inside...

The Gresford News is a Gresford District Community Group project. Circulation 800 – Donations appreciated and most welcome. Thank you!

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Gresford News Notices Clevedon Hospital

Gresford News CLASSIFIEDS Garage sale

19 Church Street, Gresford 9am-1pm • Saturday the 11th of July Household items and bric-a-brac.

Advertise in the GRESFORD NEWS CLASSIFIEDS

Gresford Hospitals

The Historical Society is looking for information about the Gresford Hospitals. These hospitals were well utilised in their day and were a vital part of our community.

Maitland for many years and saw considerable service looking after convalescing patients and others brought in for emergency attention after farm accidents.

Classified Ad Rates are: Standard line listing $2.75 a line or $11 for 5 lines

Household hints

• For mouth ulcers try rinsing often with salt and water.

• To prevent the wheat in your wheat bag Can you help with any photos or info from drying up, place a mug of water in on the staff who worked at these the microwave when heating the bag.

Some with long memories would hospitals? We are also after information • Coat the labels of your medicine bottles remember the Calala private hospital at on the origins of these two hospitals and with nail polish to keep instructions clear.

West Gresford run by a Matron Ficka. the details of the association between • A few drops of citronella on the skin This hospital was destroyed by fire in Clevedon and the Maitland hospital. will keep sandflies at bay.

1930 and there would be a select few still • Aloe vera gel will help fade age If you can help please call Del 4938 9589 with us who have the distinction of or sunspots. Rub on twice a day and or George 4938 9639 or Allan 4938 9718. being born there. leave for 45 minutes.

Any photos or documents or clippings Others will recall the Clevedon • Keep hand sanitiser in the office for a will be promptly scanned and returned. hospital which acted as an annex of hand wash to keep germs away.

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Located at Dungog Community Hospital on Hospital Road in Dungog phone no: 4992 3766

Shane Moss B.Sc. M.Chiro.

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Letter to the editor Dungog Shire Council (Council’s stated vision: “An area where rural character and lifestyle are preserved.”)

Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement The Vacy Village Action Group wish to submit comments on the Dungog Shire’s Local Strategic Statement which was recently distributed in draft form to Shire residents.

The Vacy Village Action Group was formed last year to focus opposition to the location of a proposed large scale solar farm on a hill directly overlooking Vacy Village.

Our Group is actively supportive of solar and wind farm developments, but has widespread community backing in ensuring that the rural lifestyle we all enjoy is not ruined by inappropriately sited industrial development of any kind.

The forerunner to the Vacy section of the draft Local Strategic Statement, namely the Vacy Local Area Plan (adopted by Council on 16 August 2005), specifically nominated features which would exclude redevelopment of rural land. These nominated exclusions embraced non-residential developments on slopes greater than 18 degrees, on land with a ‘high scenic character or value’, on land that has a ‘sense of place’ for local communities, etc.

The Vacy Area Plan of 2005 contained quite robust commentary on the need to minimise any visual impacts of developments of any nature in and around Vacy. To quote a few dot points from that Plan:

i “Retention of the rural character and appearance of the Vacy area is very important to both the Vacy community and Shire residents.” ii “Areas of high scenic value include the rural scenery along Gresford Road on the northern and southern approaches to Vacy village.” iii “The visual impact of any development along Horns Crossing Rd needs to be minimised.” iv “The desired outcomes include the retention of the rural character and setting of Vacy.”

The last fifteen years since the Vacy Local Area Plan was adopted have seen a significant increase in small rural lot housing development around the outskirts of Vacy which has been competently managed by Council generally in accordance with the Vacy Local Area Plan and particularly with empathy to the various guiding principles quoted above.

So far as Vacy village is concerned, the Council’s draft planning statement titled “Moving Towards 2040” provides a less comprehensive and less detailed concentration on the issues of importance to Vacy’s future.

Although we agree with the three Planning Principles for Vacy set out in the Draft Statement (namely, maintaining rural landscape, village quality and varying residential lot sizes) we would like to see two critical additions made the Moving Towards 2040 draft: a Reinstate some of the specifics from the 2006 Vacy Local Area Plan such as, but not limited to, acknowledging (i) the

high scenic value, include the rural scenery, along Gresford Road and (ii) the need for the visual impact of any development along Horns Crossing Rd to be minimised and (iii) banning non-residential developments on land with a slope greater than 18 degrees, and b Provide specific land use policy and guidelines for commercial solar and wind farm developers. This is the current elephant in the room for many local NSW Councils and is an issue, by its omission from Council policy, is creating, and will continue to create, uncertainty for potential alternative energy developers and considerable stress for residents. As one of the action items in the 2036 Hunter Regional Plan states, “Amend planning controls to deliver greater certainty of land use.”

Our recommendations are consistent with our submission to the NSW State Government’s Committee inquiring into “The Sustainability of Energy and Resources in NSW”, a copy of which is attached to this commentary.

In summary the Vacy Village Action Group recommends that before Council finalises its draft Local Strategic Planning Statement – Moving Towards 2040, two important additions are made to the statement, namely: a Reinstate some of the specifics from the 2006 Vacy Local Area Plan such as acknowledging the high scenic value of the Vacy neighbourhood. b Provide specific land use policy and guidelines for commercial solar and wind farm developers throughout the Shire.

Paul Wright, Vacy Village Action Group

Contribute To The Gresford News - It's your News The Gresford News is a great way to reach out to our community. Our content is created by members of the community just like you. If you have an event coming up or something interesting to say let us know. If you are part of a group organise a Publicity Officer to send in an occasional update of your activities. It can be as simple as photo and a paragraph to go with it.

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Postal Address: PO Box 73 East Gresford 2311. Deadline for stories & ads 20th of the month. Pictures – .jpg (not in word).

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SPLENDID ISOLATION

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View all details on line www.domain.com.au/2016337952

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Phone 0427 207542 • Email pamela@pmcountryestates.com.au

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• July 2020, p 7

Bush and Fire: Reading For Country For the last two winters, the Centre For Deep Reading has hosted a 10-day reading retreat at the spacious Tyraman Retreat, on Glendonbrook Road. The readers have tended to be a motley crew of city folk with country sensibilities. The focus of the winter retreats are always about land and country, typically looking at literary writers for whom place is an abiding concern. Given the hellacious nature of the fire season just passed, which the midvalley was mercifully spared, the focus this winter will be directly about landscape history and land management.

If we take book publishing as our yardstick, consciousness about the complexity of land management issues

has never been so high. At the local level we can point to Cameron Archer AM's The Magic Valley, a deep and caring work of landscape history for the Patterson Valley. At the national level we take the success of Bruce Pascoe's Dark Emu and Bill Gammage's The Biggest Estate on Earth as indicators for a new paradigm for re-thinking and re-incorporating indigenous land management practices.

The Centre For Deep Reading (with that peculiar word deep in its name) is driven to seek out key books from the past that the contemporary world all-too-easily forgets.

That's why this winter the retreat will be reading Eric Rolls' 1980 classic A Million Wild Acres, a book described as 'a bomb

Vacy General Store will continue to be open for all.

We will be doing takeaway food, Pizza, and coffee. Australia post will be open as normal.

We will have fresh bread and milk and your essential grocery needs and fuel are all available from 7am to 7pm. We ask if you would like take away food, pizza or coffee please ring your order through and we will have it ready. Also we ask if you drop in to shop we would appreciate you keeping in mind everyone's personal space.

Thank you for your support – Jo & Ian

NEW Phone Number: 4938 8425

landed in the field of the Australian consciousness of itself and its land.'

Alongside this we'll be reading Sylvia Hallam's 1975 book Fire & Hearth, a study of Noongar fire use in Western Australia.

The retreat will feature a host of special guests to enliven and unpack these key texts in conversation. In addition to this we'll also be taking participants on two field trips, one to the dry rainforest, and a second to a fire affected landscape.

If any locals or regionals would like to participate in the retreat at any level, then check out all the details at deepreading.org, or get in touch via email: info@deep-reading.org

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Over 40 enquiries, 3 separate offers, and 1 very happy vendor.

“Thalaba” 1425 Paterson River Road Mt Rivers 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 4 Car | 121 Ha (299 Acres) Sold June 2020 by the local rural property specialists.

To find out more call Scott Bailey on 0407 722 705

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Are all electric cars the way of the future even way out here in Dungog Shire? For Dungog resident Georgina Clark the answer is a definite "No!" For her it's not the future it's already history.

Georgina has had her Renault Zoe for two years now though she says most people would never know it. "It looks like an ordinary car and operates like an ordinary car, except it's silent and I can refuel at home. I don't have to buy petrol any more. I bought an adaptor that goes from an ordinary domestic 3-pin power point to the fast charging input on the car."

And for Georgina the power going into her car is made on her roof. She has a 3.5 kilowatt solar power array which is modest for most Australian households but is enough for all her home energy use as well as charging her car and it also generates a credit on her power bill. She is a nett power supplier not a nett user.

Georgina is very happy to be an early adopter and the EV technology fits with her circumstances and the choices she has made since she moved to the Shire some 32 years ago. She says she has been fortunate to be able to build her own

• July 2020, p 9

Going EV in Dungog Shire? passive solar home and apply her knowledge and experiences to progressively live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Her current house uses its orientation, design and building materials to largely stay warm in winter and cool in summer so she has lower power use. The power she generates is only for herself and her travel is mostly local. At the moment it's a package that works for her.

Georgina is also aware of the downside for early adopters. She is frustrated with the slow pace of change in Australia and especially with the limited choice of EV's that are available here. She wanted an electric car back in 2008 and had an outlet put in the garage but she had to wait until 2018 for the industry to catch up with her.

And she admits that 'range anxiety' is still Georgina Clark about to plug in and fill up a reality because of the chicken and egg from the standard 3-pin power outlet in her garage. dilemma around setting up fast charging Fast charging outlets can also be installed for a full charge in 40 minutes. stations. But she can still get to Sydney if she leaves Dungog with a full battery.

It seems to me that concept of putting your foot on the brake to charge up is Her car has a rated range of 350 kilometres close to Georgina's lifestyle choices and but she points out that the actual range ethics – using less to go further. can be more. "Regenerative braking" she explains. "The battery charges when the Jane Richens, Chairperson car is going down hills."

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A land teeming with food

This is the third in a series of articles that Dr Jamie Derkenne is writing for the Gresford News.

As Gringai lands were increasingly cleared for colonist agriculture, the Gringai were forced to take the colonist maize and sheep to sustain themselves. But by the 1840s they were generally starving, and begging for food. Their entreaties were sometimes met with offers of poisoned damper.

At the beginning of colonisation there was so much food that the Gringai lived “well and happily”, according to Dr Ellar McKinlay of Dungog. They lived for the most part, he writes, on possums, kangaroos, wallabies,

John Heaviside Clark, Hunting the Kangaroo, from Field Sports of the Native Inhabitants of New South Wales Published by Edward Orme, London, 1813.

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• March 2020, p 11

birds and fish. At the time, the rivers of the three valleys teemed with fish.

within, leaving the perimeter intact to avoid detection.

flying fox prepared this way, and pronounced it “quite tasty”.

Hunting kangaroos was a big part of the men’s lives. The colonists believed they only partially cooked their meat, but as any modern chef will attest, kangaroo tastes much better done rare. A possum or kangaroo would be placed on top of a glowing fire and when ready one of the older men would remove it and proceed to dismember it. The men took their share first and the women and children made a meal of what was left.

Birds and fish were cooked by being plastered with mud and placed amid hot coals or in a hole packed with heated stones. McKinlay describes the result as “deliciously cooked”.

According to Bob Syron, the Gringai occupied the valleys year-round, visiting the plateaus in spring and summer to gather food. During winter they would hunt kangaroos, emus, possums and wombats, fish and other animals. On the Tops, fruits such as orange thorn, wild apple tree, giant stinging tree, figs, native cherry, geebung, native raspberry, and lillypilly were harvested. Other traditional plant foods include the bulbs of many orchids and the starch from the crown of tree ferns and the starch from stinging tree roots being roasted to make bread.

Kangaroos were important in everyday living for food, warmth, tools and to find water holes. Bob Syron recalls that when he was growing up his father showed him that kangaroos always hop in the same spots. Their tracks therefore are often round circles of bald ground about two metres apart. His father told him that one of the Gringai hunting methods was to dig a pit in one of the bald circles and cover it with a bit of grass.

Bob Syron also recalls a method of catching poddy mullet that survives to this day. “They would get a long stick as William Scott, who grew up with the straight as they could find with a fork at Gringai in the 1840s and 1850s recalls the end about 6 to 7 feet long and then The food variety was so great that the birds were easily secured and were an attach a 6 to 7 feet long piece of thin Gringai initially refused offers of bread, abundant part of the daily meal. The vine to the end of the pole. They would but that quickly changed. Maize feathers would be scorched with the skin then round up the poddy mullet by became one of the Gringai’s staple into a delectable outer covering. One of forming a ring in the water driving them foods, and as such they were viewed the most fancied foods was the flyingas close to the shore then commence quite literally as vermin. Charles fox. The Gringai would capture them by whipping the top of the water to stun Boydell, an Allyn River landholder, tugging down vines and limbs to which the fish.” The fish would float on top complained that “cockatoos and the huge bats clung, knocking them on ready to be bagged. He said that blacks'' were stealing his crop, which the head when they tumbled to the whenever they could get wire or barbed he vigilantly guarded. The local ground. The flying-foxes would be wire, they would use it in preference to Gringai hollowed out the crop from thrown on a fire to cook. Scott also tried the vines.

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New Flow Track

Thanks to you... Gresford The recent decision to discontinue the print production of the Dungog Chronicle has brought to public attention the great value of having a public voice for local community issues. People are realising the many benefits they took for granted for so long.

the News has been voluntary.

The News has also always been a form of printed 'social media' before the digital social media existed. It has always been a compilation of community contributions.

It has been individuals and groups in the community providing their own words and images, talking about their own achievements and things of interest and sending it out to the community at large.

The media is much more than a venue for advertising and business promotion.

It is a valuable part of the creation and maintenance of the community itself. It is a venue for community discussion, a It has been Robyn Thornton and other way of sharing information and a way of CWA members sending in their New Fast Flow Track. Photo: Ready Aim Media identifying with place. contributions each month, Glenda Smith From Council Happenings 26 June… writing book reviews, Russel Jessop The Gresford News has been providing creating crossword puzzles, Janie Chandler these opportunities for the Gresford This week, both local Members of and the garden group, the Historical Parliament visited the Dungog Common district community for the past 24 years and is still going strong while many other Society members researching the local to inspect Dungog’s newest asset – the history and Robyn Werkhoven writing print media ventures are closing down.

1.2km flow track, with Michael Johnsen That fact highlights the uniqueness of the about the local art scene. The News does MP visiting on Monday and Dr David Gresford News. It has changed, developed not pick winners. It publishes what is Gillespie MP visiting on Thursday…to provided in the voice of the contributors. and adapted to changing circumstances ride the track with some trepidation!

The Mayor of Dungog, Clr John Connors over the last 25 years but many of the And it is also the businesses and fundamental 'differences' of the News and Interim General Manager, Stephen advertisers, many of whom have have stayed in place.

Glen, also attended. supported a voice for the Gresford community every month for 25 years.

The success of this project is amazing, with For a start the News has never been a fully commercial venture. It has always this recreational asset already attracting Thank You Gresford. You are special. negotiated a path of community service hundreds of users to the shire and having alongside the necessity of paying bills.

Jane Richens & Brian Doherty, an exceptionally positive flow-on effect on Much of the work in the production of Editors and production, Gresford News our local business community.

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It's Winter Survey Time!

The days are shorter, temperatures drop, but backyard birdwatching never stops!

• July 2020, p 13

When completing your winter survey, there are a few important interactions you can share with us.

If you have been following our • Aggressive interactions – Let us know #BirdingAtHome journey on social media, if you have observed any species then you would have seen your fellow initiate interactions with other birds birders enjoying a #CuppaWithTheBirds for and whether this interaction could be 10 minutes each day – let us super charge classed as aggressive – you can do this that! Brew a nice warm beverage, round up in the sighting details tab using the the troops and head outside for our 20 specific species interactions option. minute Birds in Backyards Winter Survey • Have you seen any birds feeding on 2020. To take part in the surveys, all you the native plants in your garden? If so have to do is register your free Birdata – who was dining on what? – you can account, read the instructions for the web tell us in the notes section when you or app or watch the video. Download the record the species you have observed Birdata app and take your smartphone or under “sighting details” tablet outside with you and record all the • Who has been braving a chilly winter birds you seen in your space in 20 mins. dip? – Tell us if any birds are using If you are unsure where or how to start, your birdbaths or other water sources or even feel like you don’t know the first on your property using the notes thing about birds only that you love to section in the sighting details tabs. see them, then fear not! Our Urban Birds • Have any birds been dabbling in some Program Manager, Dr. Holly Parsons, will Oscar-worthy acting? – tell us about be hosting free webinars on Wednesday the weird and wonderful things your July 1 at 7pm (AEST) or Sunday July 5 at backyard birds have been up to you 2pm (AEST). These webinars will focus using the notes section in the sighting on how to use Birdata, bird ID’ing tips details tabs. and tricks, how to complete one of our Birds in Backyards surveys and why this Annual Competition data is important. You can register for a Don't forget our major prize for the year session here – if you complete at least one survey per

season (that’s Summer 2019/20, Autumn 2020, Winter 2020 & Spring 2020) you will go into the draw to win a pair of brand new Nikon binoculars (worth $249) to take with you on all your birding adventures!

The rules for the annual competition: • All surveys must be completed within the Birds in Backyards surveys on Birdata • Surveys must be submitted from a single surveyor/Birdata account holder • Surveys are only counted within each survey period • For the Major Challenge, at least one survey in each season must be completed from a single Birdata account.

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CWA NEWS

CANCELLATION The CWA meeting to be The Visitor, Without Fail, Persuader, The

Prepare a 24cmx13cm loaf tin.

Enemy, Gone tomorrow, 61 Hours, Never Go Beat butter, vanilla and sugar for 2 mins Back, Night School, The Midnight Line. until creamy. Add mashed banana and FRENCH CONVERSATION Held in the eggs, best until well combined. Sift in BOOK CLUB The members meet on the flour, salt and bi-carb soda. Stir well.

CWA rooms on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month will go ahead. 2nd Saturday of the month. New Pour into prepared tin. Bake 1 hour or members always welcome. The book for until done.

Ladies and gentleman welcome. Please July is “The Marriage of Opposites” by phone Glenda Smith on 4938 9456 for NEXT MEETING (hopefully) 9.30am in further details. If you are new to the area Alice Hoffman. Due to Covid-19 no afternoon tea will be served, please bring the CWA rooms, 12 Durham Road, East please come along. your own refreshments.

Gresford on August 6.

COUNTRY OF STUDY “ECUADOR” Due Robyn Thornton, Secretary COVID-19 COOKING to social gathering restrictions Each year The Land Newspaper sponsors International Day has been postponed.

The Land Cookery competition. Gresford We hope to work with the Gresford will hold its judging on February 11th.

School children in second term.

Providing them with material about the One of the recipes is the ever popular

by Glenda Smith country and cardboard for their posters. Banana Bread in section 4. This recipe must be used.

Prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. held on July 2nd has been cancelled.

On the Shelves

Banana Bread LIBRARY The CWA library is open to all. Ingredients When the French conversation classes are on Glenda will help you. Other times call Dotti Hilliard on 4938 9483 and she will arrange to let you in. The street library is updated and books changed regularly.

Lee Child thank you goes to the person who dropped The Killing Floor. We are still looking for the Jack Reacher books,

120g butter 1 1/4 cups brown sugar 2 average size bananas, mashed 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups plain flour 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda Method Preheat oven to 180C (160 fan forced).

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Rosamunde Pilcher This collection of novellas (Another View; The Day of the Storm; and Sleeping Tiger) was among a box of romance novels

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G resford News

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• July 2020, p 15

Gresford Vacy Football Club July recently donated to the CWA library.

Some will go into the street library out the front and some will go onto the shelves. The library and book box seem to have been used consistently by the reading public during the lockdown, which is very pleasing.

The first two of these stories are set in Cornwall, which Pilcher obviously knows well and loves, while the third is set on a remote Spanish island. All are concerned with somewhat lonely young women at an emotional crossroads, searching for a sense of belonging or family. Written in the 1960-70s, they all feature frequent mention of cigarette smoking and drinking, which dates them somewhat, but they are well-paced, with excellent descriptions of physical surroundings and character vignettes.

There should be many happy hours of reading within this donation for lovers of this genre.

All books reviewed are from the CWA library on a separate shelf in the library so they are easy to find plus the reviews are in a folder.

Playing Dates The clubs season is well underway with training started and a return to play now confirmed by Northern NSW football to be Fri 3rd / Sat 4th July.

‘TeamApp’ is used widely listing all the GVFC teams fixtures and we encourage everyone to download this valuable resource.

GVFC are pleased to advise that the club is doing everything we can to be ready for the season start.

Covid-19 In regards to training and games, things won’t quite be the same and there will be evolving rules and regulations to follow to keep community sport in line with the ‘New Normal’ that is life during and after CV-19.

Please work with your club, coaches and managers to abide by the guidelines imposed for the season. Inform your children of the rules and do your collective best to have a fun, healthy and safe season.

HVFA and NNSW Football has guides and resources being made available for training and return to play to assist players, parents and coaches gain an understanding of what’s required. Please

see the following link for further information: www.northernnswfootball. com.au/return-to-play-portal/

Volunteers The club needs volunteers to assist with Covid-19 safe operations on home games days, so please respond to the below contacts to advise your availability to help the club and our teams.

Womens World Cup 2023 Exciting news that the joint bid by Australia and New Zealand was selected by FIFA to host the cup in 2023 across both countries and their major cities, inclusive of Newcastle!

This is a significant event for Australia, NZ and Womens sport with the worlds focus on our great countries for the tournament. No doubt this will inspire more young scorpions to participate in the coming years and I’m sure there will be a number of our club members attending the games during the period.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or questions.

– gresfordvacyfc@outlook.com We look forward to seeing everyone at Sunscorp Stadium in the very near future.

Voucher Raffles:

Wednesday, Friday & Sunday Tickets on sale 6.30 4938 9368 Monday open 4 – 7pm Tuesday open 4 – 7pm Wednesday open 4 – 9pm Thursday open 4 – 8pm Friday open 4 – 10pm Saturday open 4 – 9pm Sunday open 4 – 9pm

LITTLE PAN ASIAN RESTAURANT Open Wednesday – Sunday from 5.30pm

4938 9166 Like us on Facebook

44 years experience

G resford News • March 2020

The

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G resford News

The

Hunter Livestock Forum 2020 FREE WEBINAR SERIES Decision making in the livestock industry Webinar Series – Agriculture

Tony Hegarty, Cattle Council of Australia President & Chair Hunter LLS Board • ‘The Science of Decision Making – the is changing, challenging and complex so heart, head and gut of decision making' being confident to make the right Cam Nicholson, Nicon Rural Services decisions at the right time is important.

• ‘Climate Outlook Update’ The 2020 Hunter Livestock Forum will ABC Weatherman Graham Creed explore on-farm decision making considering the people, land and Friday 10 July – Your Head in Decision business elements through a series of Making free fortnightly webinars.

• ‘Minimise the stress of decision-making’ It will provide Hunter Livestock Matthew Milne, Coordinator at the producers the strategies and tools for Rural Adversity Mental Health improved Decision making in a Program (RAMHP) changing world – being able to make the • 'Where’s the rain you promised’ right decisions is critical.

ABC Weatherman Graham Creed It doesn’t matter what we grow or how we grow it we still need to make decisions for a sustainable enterprise and industry. Let us bring the experts to you – to help give you the tools to make the right decisions for your people, business and land.

Friday 24 July – Climate influences on Decision Making

Webinar times 9–10.30am Note: This webinar series is being recorded so if you miss a session go to the Hunter Local Land Services website or YouTube page.

Friday 7 August – Animal Health and Decision Making

Friday 26 June – Your Business is Decision Making • ‘Using good times to prepare for bad times’

• 'Soil Moisture Network explained' Sarah Giblin, Hunter LLS Ag Extension Officer • ‘Climate Outlook Update’ ABC Weatherman Graham Creed

• 'Update on animal health issues to manage for the coming season' Hunter LLS District Vet team RSVP NOW: https://hunterlls.wufoo. com/forms/2020-hunter-livestock-forum/

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• July 2020, p 17

2020 Ernest Hardes Memorial Scholarship The scholarship offers two Hunter Valley based tertiary students access to "on the farm" mentoring and short courses in sustainable growing. Applications close 31 July 2020 (extended due to COVID19) for over $2000 worth of short courses presented by Hunter Organic Growers Society and Slow Food Hunter Valley.

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G resford News • July 2020

The

, p 18

Council Happenings 26 June

Rural Lands Strategy At its Extraordinary Meeting this week, council deferred the public exhibition of the Policy Directions Paper, which represents the next stage in the development of the Rural Lands Strategy, so that further workshops could be held with councillors and the new General Manager, given the importance of this document and its impacts on the future of our shire.

This matter will now be taken to council’s Ordinary Meeting in July, with a view for the public exhibition period of the Policy Directions Paper to commence from 16 July – 12 August.

The Rural Lands Strategy is focused on protecting and promoting our region’s agricultural growth and diversification and will guide our rural land use to support a sustainable community.

For more info: dungog.nsw.gov.au/ruralland-strategy

The Dungog Chronicle Council continues to support the recommencement of publication of the

Vacy Village Motel business as usual until further notice Conveniently located next to Flying Duck Restaurant, Farmers Hotel and opposite the Vacy General Store Spacious, clean, affordable accommodation with modern ensuites, great views, air conditioning and comfortable beds.

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John Connors – Mayor

Dungog Chronicle and has previously resolved to advocate to the publishers for the reinstatement of the paper – while expressing the communities’ regret and highlighting the need for this local publication.

Unfortunately, it was not possible for council officials to participate in the recent protest rally, as it was held in breach of NSW Public Health Orders (there being more than 20 people in a public gathering), however Mayor Connors spoke to media outlets in support of the paper and council will continue to advocate for its return.

weather. These works are now scheduled for completion in late July.

Lord Street: Pavement rehabilitation of the section of Lord Street from Mary Street to Myles Street has commenced and will be ongoing for approximately three (3) weeks.

Bridges

Coulston Bridge: Bridgeworks and initial sealing works are complete. Guardrail works to be completed next week.

Spooner Bridge: Bridgeworks are continuing on the bridge deck scheduled to be poured next week. This bridge is scheduled to be open for traffic in the latter part of this year.

Tillegra Bridge: Abutment, piering and Road and Bridge Updates wingwall works are underway. This is a Dowling Street: Pavement and initial nine-month program with access over sealing works are now substantially the existing timber bridge to remain in complete, with asphalt works to be place for the duration of the works. The undertaken at the intersection of Dowling new bridge is scheduled to be open for Street and Mackay Street in July. traffic in March 2021.

Dungog Road: Pavement and initial Summer Hill Bridge: Replacement of the sealing works complete. Guardrail works Summer Hill Bridge is scheduled to to be completed in early July. commence on 4 July. These works will Torryburn Road: Current work on the require full closure of Summer Hill Road pavement rehabilitation of the full for a period of eight (8) weeks. Local 2.5km sealed length of Torryburn Road detour signage will be in place for the has been slightly delayed due to wet duration of the works.

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G resford News

• July 2020, p 19 Gresford News July Crossword The

Anglican Parish of Gresford Paterson

Whilst our churches are closed due to COVID19 the Newcastle Anglican Cathedral has services on YouTube. You can also ring 40582680 (local call) to listen to a short service of prayer. The service will change each Sunday.

If you know of anyone hardship in the Gresford & Paterson areas going through a time of real need and who may need some form of assistance, please let one of our Ministry Team know. (0438 413 007) We now have a new minister who is a Locum for the Parish. His name is Fr Peter Rothnie and he can be contacted on 0438 413 007, which is also the contact number for the Parish. Fr Peter is happy for people to be able to email him. His email address is: r2cmdi@bigpond.com

St Helen’s Catholic Parish of Gresford and Sacred Heart Summer Hill Due to the pandemic all churches are closed until further notice The Parish Priest, Fr. Derek Garner can be contacted on 4992 1477 June 2020 crossword answers

Crossword kindly provided by Russel Jessop.

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