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Newsletter for Offshore Residents of Pittwater, Australia Volume 6, Issue 61; September 2004
Please accept my apologies for the brevity and slightly unusual appearance of this month's newsletter. Your editor is on a SIRA fact finding tour of the South of France and this edition has been prepared using a fifteen year old laptop computer with a French keyboard while sitting on the top of a mountain in the Ardeche. I kid you not! All should be back to normal for the next edition.
Please support the committee organising the Island Festival - so much has been done to make this an exciting event and it will be a great opportunity to invite family and friends to visit our corner of Paradise.
In this Issue:
Pittwater Council has won the RH Dougherty Communication Award, which recognises leading practice in communication management in councils.
The award was presented by the Local Government and Shires Associations at the launch of 2004 Local Government Week on 2 August 2004. Pittwater Council won the Dougherty Award for a new category, Reporting to Your Community. The winning submission was on Pittwater’s innovative internet program which streamlines the Development Application process by listing what development is permissible on every block in Pittwater, providing a concise list of
information to be submitted with a
Development Application and allowing progress of the
application to be tracked on-line. The judges said: “Pittwater Council’s entry, titled “An Open Door Community Communication Package”, for their on-line development enquiry and assessment program, was a clear and outstanding winner. It addressed one of local government’s major issues and produced a model other councils should follow.”
Pittwater Mayor Lynne Czinner said: “We are delighted to accept this prestigious award which recognizes Pittwater as a leader in local government communication. Reporting to our community has always been of vital importance to Pittwater Council, and it is gratifying that our new internet program for tracking Development Applications is being recognised and awarded at State level.”
28 Days on an Island - Festival
The festival will be a
celebration of this community . All the information can
be found on our brand new web pages at: www.scotlandisland.org.au/festival. Click here to go there now
We still need volunteers to help this all happen. Listed
are a number of jobs which we need coordinators for. The
Festival is made up of art, theatre and sporting events. 
We are looking for a team of organisers to stage the
quadrathon or triathlon.
SIRA are negotiating public liability for this event
therefore this need not be an impediment or excuse to get
out of organising this one.
The event can be held between the dates of Oct 5 and Nov
6. We are looking for a group of couch potatoes to watch
hours of SI players productions. We need you to find the
funniest and most poignant moments.
We are looking for an editor to put the best, funniest,
most poignant pieces of SI Players on to video so it can
be screened during the festival..
We need a group of workhorses to help set up Catherine
Park on Fri Nov 5 (Fair Eve) We are looking to borrow
sails to decorate and create shade in Catherine Park on
Fair Day.
We need stall holders. Let's be creative. Look at some of
the stall holders info sheets located on the wharves and
around the island for ideas.
The fair will begin at 11 am and finish at 8.30pm so we
need food and drink.
We have a great publicity machine so we are going to have
lots of hungry and thirsty people.
If you would like to book a stall call Linda 9979 4149 or
Maria 9979 7678.
If you can help co ordinate or be coordinated please call
Claire Atkins 9979 4709 or Emmi Collins 9979 7506
TRIVIA NIGHT - Save Mona Vale
Hospital
To fund our continued
fight to UPGRADE MONA VALE HOSPITAL and improve the
delivery of health services on the northern beaches -SATURDAY
4TH SEPTEMBER 6.30PM
MONA VALE MEMORIAL HALL, adjacent to Mona Vale Library
$20 admission
Please bring your own supper - Drinks available at
reasonable prices
TABLES OF 10 - BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL
Phone
Ken 9918 9170
Harvey 9918 3268
Alex 0413 806 626
MONA VALE HOSPITAL - THE PERFECT SITE
Community
Services Grants Program
We invite non-profit community organisations to apply for
funding under Council's Community Services Grants Program
2004/2005. Funding is available for projects that meet
the social and/or cultural needs of residents of
Pittwater. In 2004/05 funding is available under the
Annual Donations Program - One off grants of up to $1,000
(minimum grant $500) per year. pplications close on 27
September 2004. For a copy of the guidelines and
application form visit www.pittwaterlga.com.au (your
neighbourhood, community services, grants); phone
Jennifer Walker on 9970 1199 or email jennifer_walker@pittwater.nsw.gov.au
HSC Workshops
Mona Vale Library is running the following series of HSC
lectures/workshops in September at the library:
Art: Monday 6th September 5-7pm, with Keith Fyfe
Biology: Wednesday 8th September 4.30-6.30pm, with Vicki
Maggs
Maths 2 Unit: Saturday 11th September 10am-1pm, with Phil
Doyle
Maths General: Saturday 11th September 3-5pm, with Phil
Doyle
English: Saturday 11th September 12.30-2.30pm, with
Patrick Moran
Business Studies: Monday 13th September 4-6pm, with
Graham Roll
Enquiries and bookings: Rebeccah Vick on 9970 1608.
Courses for Horses
Do you know about the
literary heritage of Scotland Island?
On the day of the fair,
October 31st, we are planning a writers' tent, which will
feature various things: local stories, local writers
reading their work, children showing their handcrafted
books, a book launch and a display of the literary
heritage of Scotland Island and the off shore communities.
We need help in several areas: 1) We need information about our literary heritage as well as realia - books, newspaper clippings, pictures, photos, etc - relating to this heritage so that we can construct an informative and interesting display, 2) We also want to display works by people currently living on the island and offshore communities - if you are a writer and have a published work, we'd like to show it. You can also sell copies in the tent. 3) The writers' tent will contain a café - if you'd like to run one, or know of someone who would, let us know.
If you can contribute anything, or if you have any great ideas, please contact either Carol Floyd (floydcbg@ozemail.com.au) or Penny Star (star@ozzienet.net).
Water Agreements for Scotland
Island
A reminder for all those
who have not signed their Water Agreements and SIRA
membership
form + $20.00 to do so as soon as
possible. Water cannot be
purchased without these now that SIRA has taken over the
upgrade of the line. The new agreement has been posted on
the Scotland Island website here and all future newsletters will contain a
permanent link that will allow you download a copy. To
download a copy in Microsoft WORD format CLICK HERE. To download as a pdf file, CLICK HERE
Vehicle Registration Day is September 18 from 9am to 2pm in the Fire Shed.
Cost $50 + $10 for
the Fire Brigade.
Pink Slips are valid for 1
year. Currently there are about 23 registered
vehicles on the Island, plus a couple of trucks and
terrain vehicles. Everyone is being encouraged to
ensure that their vehicle is registered to cover
for third party insurance in the event of an accident.
With the number of vehicles now in use, this has become even more necessary
Hazard Reduction for Scotland Island
You are no doubt aware
that Scotland Island is risk (Warringah-Pittwater
Bushfire Risk . doc.012). The current drought means that
we have an increased risk of . We must take action as
soon as possible to minimise the danger to our .
SIRA requested a special green waste clean up from the
Pittwater Council and were advised that it cannot be
provided during the current waste contract (expires
September 2005). This means that each island resident or
landowner must take individual responsibility for
ensuring that fire risks are minimised . SIRA has
discussed the issue with the Scotland Island Rural Fire
Brigade and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service at
Terry Hills. 
If you cannot mulch or compost all your vegetative waste,
we are proposing the following actions:
1. SIRA is negotiating with Island contractors to provide
a green waste clean up on October 18, the week following
the Council clean up. There will be some cost involved
but being shared it will be much less and will be
partially supported by SIRA funds. We have asked Council
to help by transporting the waste from Church Point cargo
wharf to Kimbriki. If they agree we hope to be able to
keep the average cost per household well below $20.00 .
The conditions of Council vegetation collections on the
mainland will be imposed. Branches should be tied with
twine into manageable bundles up to 1.2 m in length and
with branches no more than 75mm thick. No untied
branches, no bags and no cardboard cartons will be
collected.
You will need to put your piles out on the weekend of
October 17 so that SIRA volunteers can collect the fees
in advance.
Please watch noticeboards and the electronic newsletter
for further information
2. We are enclosing information on how you may get
permission to do a pile burn even though the bush fire
season has officially started.
In undertaking hazard reduction please consider the
associated environmental issues.
It is not necessary to clear every bit of vegetation on
your property. Indeed it is dangerous to do so. Tree
canopy and shrubs, correctly placed , offer some
protection from ember attack. You should also remember
that many of our houses are built on areas prone to land
slip. Vegetation helps protect against this danger.
Finally, we are a habitat for native plant and animal
species.. Clear felling not only removes native plant
species but destroys the habitat of little animals. For
further information on all these matters please contact
the Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade or the NSW Rural
Fire Service , Thompson Drive off Kamber Road, Terry
Hills. Ph. 9450 3000.
The following pamphlets are available free of charge at
Terry Hills
Before you light that fire
Guidelines for Pile Burning
Guidelines for Asset Protection zones
I look forward to working with you to ensure that our
beautiful island remains safe this summer.
Shar Jones (SIRA President)
As our newsletter continues to grow
(nearly 600 readers) we are including some links to other
nearby organisations and events that may be of interest.
If you would like to contribute, please send a message to
the editor by clicking here.
Local Real
Estate Agents: 
| Botham Real Estate | L.J.Hooker Mona Vale |
| PMC Hill (subscribe to their newsletter here) | Pittwater Real Estate |
Government Organisations:
- Local Pittwater Council, or email them at pittwater_council@pittwater.nsw.gov.au or by clicking here.
- State: John Brogden, Member for Pittwater, or email him at jbrogden@nswcoalition.com or by clicking here
- Federal: Bronwyn Bishop, Member for Mackellar, or email her at Bronwyn.Bishop.MP@aph.gov.au or by clicking here
Local Transport:
Local Accommodation:
Local Pittwater Studies Website: http://www.pittlink.net/ls/index.html Emergency Contact Numbers
Emergency Scotland Island Water Contacts: click here for information (while online) |
Airlines, Buses and
Railways
| Sydney Airport: Arrivals and Departures | Qantas Information |
| Sydney Buses information. | Virgin Blue Information |
| NSW Railway Timetables and Information. |
Weather
- Tides, Moon phases, Sun rise & set for Sydney
- Weather Forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology in Sydney, Australia
| Join SIRA You can now join the Scotland Island Residents Association by clicking here. Please print the page you see and return the completed form to SIRA at this address: The Treasurer, SIRA, PO Box 70, Church Point 2105. Please NO CASH. | Join WPCA To join the Western Pittwater Community Association, contact Larry at larrye@aftrs.edu.au or click here or phone 02-9979-5026 for more information. |
Archived Newsletters A complete set of past electronic
newsletters since 2000 can be found and read at http://www.scotlandisland.org.au/newsletters/archive.html or by clicking here or by visiting
the Mona Vale Library.
Spread the Word:
The future of this newsletter is in your hands. More than 700 residents and friends read this electronic newsletter monthly. Please tell your friends and neighbours to subscribe. If you are particularly literate in matters computing, you might like to help them follow the very simple path to subscription. It is easy to join. Simply click here to join, leave or change options or go to following address: http://www.scotlandisland.org.au/signup
Finally:
If you would like to contribute to
this newsletter it's easy!. Send an e-mail to the
editor by clicking here.
Type your
short contribution (100 words would be fine) and assuming
it is of general interest to the community, does not
include matter of a political nature and is not offensive
to your neighbours, it will
appear next month.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:
To get on and off this newsletter, or to change your options, - click here or got to: http://www.scotlandisland.org.au/signup
The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Scotland Island Residents Association, or any of the associated Pittwater Offshore Resident's Committees
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