TCA Tilli News for January, February 24
What happened? What’s on in March?
Summer has passed in a blur of heat, COVID and watering to keep the gardens alive. My summer lilies this year bloomed one day and shrivelled the next. Perhaps the hottest summer ever.
Australia Day was celebrated across the community with all foreshore parks being very busy; Tanilba Bay especially.
Council ran 2 events for reportedly very successful holiday events for youth in Tanilba Bay.
TilliFest 23 was also the hottest on record moved to Sunday 10 with Christmas Carols on the Green on the 9th Dec also badly affected by heat resulting in a financial loss. When we started TilliFest in 2012 and moved it to the foreshore from McCann Park we had in mind a day at the show that is a whole day of events. We had discussions with Poyers and a few others at TilliFest24 and we are talking to others about starting at perhaps 2 as a half day event that still runs into the fireworks at meetings over next months.
TCA monthly Meeting 6.30 Thursday 29th Feb Tanilba Foreshore Hall Council staff tell us our Tilligerry Place Plan was delayed by the new Housing Strategy but will still be launched with celebrations in June, Meanwhile TCA will meet about items not in the place plan. We have invited council to talk to us about the projects that have been done and perhaps better community consultation. Photos new drainage at gates & the finished? LTP square. Lemon Tree Passage Hill is a very popular walking place and a biological hotspot. We would like to talk to YOU about what we can protect and how to go about it before it is further degraded. TCA is putting in a grant application to set up a new Tilligerry website. Council elections are on Sat 14th Sept and our long term local councillor Steve Tucker may stand down after 15 years.
Wonderful council projects a long time coming so let’s celebrate!! The two roads Ave of the Allies and Tanilba Rd have been on the works list for 15 years. The worst roads in Port Stephens we were told totalling $5.1m estimated. Lemon Tree Square and path adds another $1.3m. Just co-incidence that they happened about the same time and as Tilligerry Plaza is demolished preparing for the building of The Caswells. More is planned in Henderson Park as the old toilets are given to Marine Rescue as the start of centre on the foreshore and a new unisex toilet and storage shed is to be built somewhere soon. We probably won’t see projects like this for many many years. All the council work was funded by grants applied for by staff. Our rates pay the staff we are told. We should also recognise the the vision of Cr Tucker who may be retiring on 14 Sept council elections– someone has to dream up the projects.
TCA has reported on the grant we had for fox removal near Mallabula Sports Complex. We had a strike rate of 6 shot by contractors in 2022 for $2000 and only 3 in 2023 for $4000! We estimate there are perhaps 100 foxes eating our wildlife. We have applied for a Port Stephens Environment Grant for next year to have contractors remove 27 large Pinus elleotti which are still seeding into the bush nearby with photo of Hunter Flora and fauna marking trees. Worimi has run a cultural burn nearby to show the traditional way of reducing fire.
Lemon Tree Passage Hill is half Worimi land and half crown land. Many paths start on Worimi land, cross crown land and end on Worimi land so we need to work out its management into the future.
TCA has worked with local venues to put together a Tilligerry Seniors Festival involving free and paid events to get seniors out and about on Tilligerry. Look for our red poster and join us.
West of Tanilba Bay Tilligerry Landcare has completed the NSW Environmental Trust grant to remove dumped rubbish, pine trees and lantana from Gir-um-bit SCA ( means `salt water’). Work is ongoing with National Parks and a group called Geebung.
We are combining as many clean up process as we can by doing Clean Up Australia at Henderson Park, RAF Park and school as Take 3 for the Sea. Participants are asked to register and find at least 3 pieces of rubbish and work out if it is plastic etc and how it got there. This is a focus on microplastics.
Stop press
The frozen fish truck that collided with the new RFS electronic community signboard opposite Coles has been reported by locals to police and insurance repairs are being investigated.
March Events
1st March Clean Up Australia schools
3rd March RAF Park, Henderson Park and Rookes Point. 11th to 25th March NSW & Tilligerry Seniors Festival
28th March TCA AGM
Fran 0407 374 384
