Tilligerry Habitat Newsletter June 2015

June 2015

Greetings members

Again with the year galloping away from us I write to invite you to the community BBQ at 12 noon on Sunday 14th June. It would be lovely if you brought something to share. Food includes rissoles, chicken and sausage on the verandah, salads and usually pavlova.

Cost $8 members, $10 visitors. All welcome.

We did not include news in the last newsletter/BBQ reminder as we had delayed the meeting because some committee members were away so this may be longer than usual.

The storm The only tree we lost on Tilligerry Habitat was the banksia in the waterwise garden which came down with a flying fox still attached although dead. Branches of course are scattered all around. There is a very large Angophora costata or Sydney red gum still lying across the Sailing Club road which we are told will be removed next week. The building flooded and we were without power for 4 days. Koalas were not seen at all during May but we have 2 back for June.

We did much better than other bush areas; Tomaree Head tracks are clear but Barry Park boardwalks are impassable and I am told Hunter Botanic Gardens near Raymond Terrace are still closed.

Sadly May saw the passing of Alan Boura, Jean Olley’s partner, and a wake for him was held here.

We are on the run up to the AGM (nomination papers attached to this email) on second Sunday in August so we are looking at strategic and action plans for 2015-16 which will culminate some time around 6th July 2016 with the 20th birthday celebrations of

Tilligerry Habitat so we have some planning to do.

It is also time to renew your membership unless you have joined late (in last 6 months) so that form is also attached below.

Thanks to David Hill who has redone his mosaic for the south wall after his early blue wrens work was stolen just after it was put up. We will probably not put it up until we redevelop that space after we get a grant. Hopefully soon.

We have signed an agreement with a company called Green Lion who will bring initially 5-10 international volunteers to Tilligerry

Habitat starting on July 1. Green Lion have been taking similar volunteers into Asia for 15 years. The company will brief the volunteers, bring them to the backpackers in Anna Bay, transport them here and supervise their work 5 days a week usually for one or two weeks.

The volunteers pay their way and put money into the local economy by paying $150 to Tilligerry Habitat for each volunteer. They will work with the rest of our volunteers on Mon and Tues and with a supervisor on similar tasks for Wed, Thurs and Friday. Our reason for agreeing to work with Green Lion were extra labour, financial repayment for materials and cultural.

The visitors may be involved with Tanilba Bay Public School on cultural matters (this happens a lot in South America where the volunteers get involved in activities like teaching English as well as bush rehabilitation). After they have worked for 2 weeks they often go travelling before going home.

A very pleasant new trend is the increase in community groups meeting here. So the Ukelele players meet here on Thursday and in return pay for tea and coffee and Sue and Bob Royal mind the Centre and clean.

It is also good to see Jenny and David Gorringe back on Wednesdays relieving Jane Twohill and on Sundays. It is good to have these people around and many join and pay membership.

If you can help with keeping the Centre open for as little as 3 hours drop in and we will put you on our reserve list. Dick is getting better and he gets down here for the occasional morning tea but won’t be back soon.