WELCOME to WINTER! It is probably not the coldest on record, but it often feels that way. The one redeeming feature is the Australian athletes’ performances at the 22nd Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – enough to bring a ray of sunshine to even the least-interested sports’ fan. The Australian Medal count is something to be extremely proud of, considering our country’s population compared with some other nations. Australia has been placed first at 14 of the 22 Games (compared with England 7 and Canada 1) and has been placed in the top three for all Meets except the first (“British Empire”) Games in 1930. Come on Aussies – come on!
Historically, Winter is the Season when a lot of activities go into hibernation. Not quite so with BAG! As the reports on the following pages suggest, our volunteers have been out and about, addressing issues of concern and working hard to improve the overall appearance and appeal of our great Hills environment.
As mentioned previously, if you appreciate all the work BAG volunteers contribute to our Community, an invitation is extended for you to join us in any of the Events and activities promoted below and advertised on our Website or Facebook page. You will be made to feel most welcome.
Geoff Bartlett
BAG Secretary and Newsletter
NEXT BAG MEETING
Wednesday 24 August from
7.30pm @ Blackwood Memorial Hall - 21 Coromandel Parade Blackwood
GUEST SPEAKER: Ms. Louise Miller-Frost, MP. Federal Member for Boothby
OUR sincere congratulations are extended to Louise on her recent Election victory as the new Federal Member for Boothby. Louise has an impressive background as a CEO and Leader of Organisations (including over 15 years running health services across S.A.). She has spent her working life delivering outcomes that make a real difference in people’s lives.
As a mother of grown-up triplet sons, and three adult step-sons, she certainly understands the challenges faced by local parents and families.
You are cordially invited to join us at our Public Meeting on 24th August to hear more of Louise’s background and the plans she has in her new and exciting role as the Member for Boothby.
A light supper will be served following our brief General Meeting.
DIARY DATES
30 AUGUST - “CURTAIN UP” is an hilarious comedy starring 5 women, commencing 8.15pm at Blackwood Memorial Hall 21 Coromandel Parade. This is a Blackwood Circle of Friends fundraising event for Ukrainian refugees. Click here for more details and booking arrangements.
3 SEPTEMBER & 5 NOVEMBER – COROMANDEL STATION GARDENS WORKING BEE – 9 am to 11 am WE meet in the northern car park for a clean-up of the station platform and car park gardens. You are cordially invited to join us in this friendly get-together and have the opportunity of meeting like-minded residents who are dedicated to improving the station’s appearance for train commuters. All garden tools, safety vests, gloves etc. are provided – so just roll-up in your garden outfits! Light refreshments will be provided at the end of the event.
2 OCTOBER – BLACKWOOD STATION GARDENS WORKING BEE – 9 am to 11 am VOLUNTEERS meet in the northern car park (by the galvanized Stationmaster’s shed) for a couple of hours light work cleaning up the gardens and surrounds from the Station back yard down to the Red Hens’ enclosure. Light refreshments will be provided at the end of the event.
BLACKWOOD STATION WORKING BEE
WITH over 40 mms of rain falling around Blackwood since the beginning of August the soil in the Station gardens was “cherry ripe” for planting – and weeding! Lucky for us the wet weather gave way to a nice sunny morning and our happy band of volunteers (though smaller in number) managed to plant some natives in our “bee and butterfly” patch - on the approach path to the main platform. Several trees received a much-needed trim too. It was Margaret Cunningham’s last chance to join one of BAG’s Working Bees before she moves to W.A., to join her daughters in Albany. Thank you, Margaret, for your dedicated service over the years at both Coromandel and Blackwood Stations. Your cheery disposition will be sorely missed. Best wishes from all your gardening friends.
THE ARTC LINE AT COROMANDEL STATION
BAG was recently contacted by our new Member for Waite, Catherine Hutchesson, MP., who advised she has been having conversations with ARTC Staff in relation to our Volunteers having access to the platform adjacent to the freight line at Coro Station. It would now appear that ARTC will agree to this proposal - subject to certain “safety” criteria being met. This is indeed exciting news as for many years BAG has been keen to clean up this downgraded garden’s appearance - viewed by all the Adelaide Metro commuters waiting for their train arrivals. We believe this whole area will be transformed, once the weeds are eradicated and a lot of colourful native shrubs are introduced. Watch this space…….
Our grateful thanks to Catherine for pursuing this opportunity on BAG’s behalf.
OLD FARMHOUSE WORKING BEE – BLACKWOOD HILL RESERVE
THIRTEEN dedicated BAG garden volunteers attended a Working Bee on Wednesday 20 July at the Blackwood Hill Commemorative Table site on Trevor Terrace. Workers concentrated on weeding the Entrance Garden, trimming the Rosemary hedge on the approach path to the “mock cottage ruin” and cutting the new growth of the 100 y.o. Pomegranate hedge along the back of the property. Libby Moore, who looks after Barty’s Park garden in Drake’s western car park, gave the Lions’ Club bench seat a much-needed fresh coat of timber stain.
The area has now taken on a greater cared-for appearance and the plants are really taking shape. The concept was first started in 2007 under the Blackwood Neighbourhood Watch umbrella, in close cooperation with Maggy Ragless (Council’s Local Community Historian at the time) and was entirely constructed and maintained by volunteers.
A big thank you to all our volunteers who contributed on the day.
MITCHAM COUNCIL ELECTIONS – HAVE YOUR SAY
BOUNDARY CHANGES - THE City of Mitcham undertook a Representation Review in 2021 which changed internal boundaries of the current Wards to better reflect the number of Voters per Elected Member. The Council has also reduced the number of Elected Members from 13 plus the Mayor, to 12 plus the Mayor to fit with new State Government legislation.
VOTING IN COUNCIL ELECTIONS IS CONDUCTED BY POST (NO POLLING BOOTHS).
MEET THE CANDIDATES - The City of Mitcham will be hosting four “Meet the Candidates” sessions. The Wards that directly concern Hills dwellers are:
CRAIGBURN and THE PARK Wards: KARINYA (Sturt Soccer Club) CLUBROOMS on Shepherds Hill Road 7pm to 9pm Thursday 22 September
BOORMAN and GAULT Wards: CITY of MITCHAM CIVIC CENTRE 131 Belair Road Torrens Park 7pm to 9pm Thursday 6 October
MURALS UPDATE PHOTOS
THE Stobie Pole murals project is certainly the longest ongoing project ever undertaken by BAG. It was an idea our Executive pursued after visiting our Rail Care friends who tend the gardens surrounding the West Croydon station and were also the driving force behind the Rosetta Street murals project. To date we have attached 165 art works, painted on cement boards, and attached to poles on both sides of Shepherds Hill Road and Coromandel Parade.
BAG is indebted to the City of Mitcham, the Coromandel Rotary Club, the Blackwood Lions Club, Westfield Marion, the Belair Hotel, Banner Mitre 10 and many local residents for their generous support for this popular colourful transformation of the Stobie poles on the main road approaches to Blackwood. And to the large number of artists who have contributed in the past (and are continuing with new images) free of cost, we say a very BIG “Thank you”.
Hopefully ALL the poles on these streets will soon be adorned with new artwork.
The murals shown in these photos were created by well-known local artist, Ruth Flaherty. The image of the Galahs, next to Wittunga Botanic Garden, was installed in December 2020 and the Kookaburra, Possum and Koala boards on the Barber Room shop pole on Coromandel Parade, were attached last month.
THE BELAIR HOTEL & BANNER MITRE 10 DONATIONS
BAG would like to publicly acknowledge the generous support afforded to our Group by THE BELAIR HOTEL, through their successful “Support Local” fundraising effort over the four Monday nights in April.
The money raised will enable BAG’s Stobie pole murals project to continue from Edward Street down to The Belair – at the Glenalta railway crossing.
On the same subject, BANNER MITRE 10 gave BAG numerous cans and containers of various coloured paints (either surplus to their needs or incorrectly mixed), plus some other paint-related material. These will assist greatly with our ongoing Stobie pole Murals project and future Christmas Tree Festival decorations.
Thank you, Chris and Kelvin, for your support for BAG.
BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY HUB (“KUMANGKA”) UPDATE PHOTOS
MOST Mitcham Hills residents will have witnessed the amount of activity happening on Young Street in recent weeks. As our images indicate work on the new Blackwood Library and Community Centre is progressing at a rate of knots, even though it appears the naming of this exciting new project has yet to be set in stone. At this early stage it is quite hard to imagine the ultimate transformation that we can expect to see by the end of 2023.
DRAKES SUPERMARKET – COMMUNITY DOLLARS
Shop at Drakes Supermarket and want to support BAG? For every $2 spent at a participating Drakes Store, one cent will be credited to BAG if you show them a "BAG Tag" or select BAG via the new "myDrakes app".