May has become the South Australia’s traditional month to celebrate volunteers in all walks of life - and BAG volunteers are no exception. If you have a glance through this Newsletter, you will certainly gain the impression that our dedicated volunteers are pulling their weight in many areas within our great Community. On behalf of the Committee, I would like to pass on our sincere thanks to you all for your untiring efforts.
2023 is certainly proving to be an exciting time for our State with all the Events and Festivals which have been organised - and living in Blackwood is no exception. We are eagerly looking forward to the latter part of the year when the various infrastructure projects, currently under construction, are completed ……… with more to come.
On that note, we are pleased to advise that the Guest Speaker at our next Public Meeting on 24th May will be URSULA HICKEY (Manager Special Projects in the City of Mitcham). See further details below.
All residents and Traders are cordially invited to join us at our Public Meetings and/or be part of our many volunteer Groups as mentioned under “Diary Dates”. No Membership Fee applies.
Kind regards
Geoff Bartlett
BAG Secretary and Newsletter Editor
WEBSITE: www.blackwoodacttiongroup.org.au
FACEBOOK: @blackwoodactiongroup
NEXT BAG PUBLIC MEETING
Wednesday 24 May from
7.30pm @ Blackwood Memorial Hall - 21 Coromandel Parade Blackwood
GUEST SPEAKER: Ursula Hickey, Manager Special Projects in the City of Mitcham TOPIC: An update on the new Blackwood Library/Community Centre (Tiwu Kumangka) and what we can look forward to.
A light supper will be provided at the close of the General Meeting. No charge.
DIARY DATES
BAG Public Meeting – Wednesday 24 May from 7.30pm (See details above)
Celebrity Quiz Night – Saturday 27 May from 7.00pm sharp (see Promo flyer attached)
Blackwood Station Gardens Working Bee – Sunday 4 June from 9.00am Meet at rear of station buildings. All tools provided plus Morning Tea from 11.00am
Coromandel Station Gardens Working Bee – Saturday 1 July from 9.00am Meet in the northern car park. All Tools, Visi vests and Morning Tea will be provided.
Blackwood Station Gardens Working Bee – Sunday 6 August from 9.00am
PLEASE NOTE: We regret to advise that the BLACKWOOD’S GOT TALENT concerts, planned for 20th and 21st May, have had to be POSTPONED due to copyright requirements. We hope this problem will be sorted out soon and the program can be re-scheduled. Watch this space.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S HISTORY FESTIVAL
The local History Events organised by our dedicated volunteers have all been very successful and we would like to thank all supporters who joined the “Travel Back in Time” train journeys from Belair to Eden Hills and back to Blackwood, the “Heritage Along the Ridge” walking tours of Belair and the “Off the Beaten Track” guided bus tours of National Park. We do live in an interesting environment.
PUBLIC BENCH SEATS ARE INSTALLED
We are pleased to report that our five bench seats have at last been installed – thanks to a previous Federal Government’s Grant awarded to BAG in April 2022.
Two superbly designed laser-cut ANZAC DAY memorial seats were placed at the rear of the Blackwood Soldiers’ memorial at the Roundabout just prior to Remembrance Day last November. Five extra seats have now been set in place along Coromandel Parade and Main Road verges.
BAG is indebted to The Belair Hotel for the generously donated funds from their “Support Local” fund-raising program in April which enabled us to pay for the seats installation. All the seats have now been given a coat of paint and/or Stain by BAG volunteers to enhance their appearance.
We believe all the seats will be welcomed by many residents who walk along these sections of the main thoroughfares to the Blackwood shops.
GLENALTA RAILWAY CROSSING UPGRADES
A significant improvement to our local streetscape has occurred around the Glenalta Rail crossing precinct in the past month. Thousands of motorists who travel along this section of Main Road, to or from Belair, can observe the absolutely stunning mural two metres high and stretching northwards for 200 metres along the pedestrian pathway from the road crossing.
Created by Adam Poole-Mottinshaw, a former Blackwood High School student, we believe this mural will be ‘the answer to our prayers” as for many years the unattractive galvanized iron fence line has been a constant target for graffiti “artists”. BAG volunteers and Rail Care workers regularly painted out the graffiti, but it was obvious that they were really fighting a losing battle. Many thanks to Scott Bailey (Rail Care), Catherine Hutchesson (MP., Member for Waite), ARTC, the Blackwood RSL, the City of Mitcham, the DIT Senior Aboriginal Leadership Committee, Blackwood High and Belair Primary School students and members of the local community for bringing this whole project together.
The Main Road Glenalta Rail Crossing Verge Garden
Following the Official launch of the ANZAC mural our local Member, Catherine Hutchesson, was instrumental in pushing for a verge garden adjacent to the Main Road crossing. Many volunteers from BAG joined with Catherine’s supporters and an ARTC Staff Member to plant many natives shrubs and groundcovers in the “not-too friendly” soil. Fortunately, Ben (from Blackwood Hire) came to the rescue with a motorised hole-digger.
Following the creation of the verge garden, the ARTC Rep. was also instrumental in having the graffiti-covered freight-line platform and adjoining shed painted..
The whole precinct has now taken on a more cared-for appearance.
WRAG ACTIVITIES
Woodlake Reserve Action Group have been working tirelessly to restore the Woodlake Reserve in Craigburn Farm to its former glory. When the Reserve was first established, it was the jewel in the crown, a feature attraction of the area. But sadly, in recent years, the Reserve has been allowed to deteriorate badly.
In a recent survey of 270 households, 90% of respondents said the Reserve was now in poor shape.
in April over 50 people attended WRAG’s first Community event, which was funded by the City of Mitcham. Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross, Councillors Karen Hockley, Darren Kruse and Tom Morrison, local MP Catherine Hutchesson and Amy Anderson from Green Adelaide, together with Geoff and Lis Bartlett attended.
The event was a thorough success. Residents enjoyed a sausage sizzle and mingled with each other for the first time. Many residents showed an interest in assisting WRAG in cleaning up the Reserve. Another community event has been planned for Spring.
WRAG have been canvassing for an additional Open Space Volunteer Coordinator, as we haven’t been given permission to work on Council land due to the lack of an additional Open Space Volunteer Coordinator. We were invited to do a deputation at a Special budget Council meeting to try and get support from Council to employ an additional Open Space Coordinator. The Elected Members voted in our favour, however, we are now awaiting consultation from the community. We hope enough people will select Option B in the survey, so that Mitcham Council can deliver more projects including an Open Space Coordinator in the next budget.