Pittwater Offshore Newsletter

History Corner

Bumpo Creek, an affluent or inflowing stream that flowed into McCarrs Creek near the main bend in the inlet,. was reputedly named by some residents who found that on navigating at high tide their boats continually bumped on one side or the other on snags and mangroves. It wasn’t until 1945 that the Bumpo name was replaced by the more euphonious and atmospheric Cicada Glen Creek on the official plan, along with the names of Silent Pool and Crystal Creek.

The area of Cicada Glen embraced many large cabbage tree palms which are said to be older than the City of Sydney and the gully through which a freshwater stream was first seen was known as Jones’ Gully since the stream’s source rose in a 40 acre grant to James Jones. Many years later, in 1907, a track was made through thickly wooded bush all the way to Coal and Candle Creek by James Booth, a pioneer of Pittwater, for the keenly priced sum of six pounds ten shillings, or thirteen dollars in today’s money.

In September, 1883, near Tumble Down Dick, at the Pittwater Trig Station over 230m high above the end of McCarrs Creek, Mr. J. Brooks a community surveyor, occupied the station as an observation point . With a ten inch (25cm) theodolite he completed angular measurements or all surrounding and visible stations, including Barrenjoey Lighthouse.

In the area where soft hills rolled down to the very end of McCarrs Creek, a Mr. Wheeler waxed lyrical when he discovered yet another affluent that “flowed over a sandstone bed into a crystal pool a few feet (approx.2m.) deep. A tangerine ‘bottle brush’ , a perfect specimen of Banksia ericifolia, mirrored itself in a pool. On an open tract in a dell-like formation was a splendid setting of Boronia , glittering pink in the sunshine, with a few native roses. The lush Boronia serrulata did not waste its sweetness on the desert air.”

Next Month: THE LONELY PIONEERS

Leicester Warburton

Cartoon of the Month (click small calendar to download) Gwyn Perkins
Download a full version of this months calendar, ready for printing - click the calendar image above.

Raja Yoga Meditation Classes
Recently, there has been a Raja Yoga meditation course offered in a private home on the Western Foreshores.
Guided by Preeya, a Raja Yoga student who has been practising for 16 years, the course has been a great success. It is now thought of extending it to other residents in Pittwater.

We are seeking expressions of interest from people interested in meditation. All courses are free of charge.
For more information about BK (Brahma Kumaris) Raja Yoga, please go to
http://www.brahmakumaris.com.au/ or ring Patricia 0413 489 148 or email pravalic@bigpond.net.au

Kids on the Coast School holiday Program

Peninsula children have no excuse to be bored these April school holidays with Pittwater Council’s “Kids on the Coast” Holiday Program.

An interesting variety of activities is offered for children aged 5 years and over, with an underlying theme of caring for our coastal environment. Activities cost $15 per child and take place at the Coastal Environment Centre (CEC) at Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen (along Pelican Path on the shore of Narrabeen Lagoon).

Activities comprise:

• Tuesday 10 April, 10am-12noon: Bush Sculpture (7-12 years)
• Tuesday 10 April, 12.30pm-2.30pm: Ocean Care Games & Art (5-12 years)
• Friday 13 April, 10am-12noon: Rock Platform Discovery (7-12 years)
• Monday 16 April, 10am-12noon: Lagoon Life Exploration (5-12 years)
• Thursday 19 April, 10am-12noon: Flying High Kite Making (7-12 years)
• Friday 20 April, 10am-12noon: Shark Art (7-12 years)

The Kids on the Coast Holiday program is available on the Pittwater website at www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au and can also be sent on request through the CEC on 9970 6905.

Bookings for all activities are essential with the CEC on 9970 6905. As most activities are held outdoors, please ensure children wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen.

For more information: Coastal Environment Centre
Tel: 9970 6905
Please think of those with a Disability

Tennis Wharf gets used by a number of disabled people and they are having great difficulty negotiating their electric scooters and wheelchairs when they come to the jetty to pick things up. Please be alert to the need that space needs to be kept for turning, etc.

Kindly remember to park your wheelbarrows etc in such a way as to make it convenient for those with a disability.

AEON

The wavelet of shimmering water gurgles as it washes my toes. The incoming tide is stealthily edging over basking rock.
My skin glows with the balm of a caressing sun and a dragonfly wanders erratically.. There is a cathedral quiet on the island shore except for the wandering water and perhaps a sigh from the nor’easter sifting through the casuarina grove behind me. A spiritual comfort of peace here, an escape.
For so long, longer than the mind can comprehend, this water has stroked or, sometimes, even pounded this shore in a twice-daily rhythm of reliability. The aborigines were here, too, their middens stacked with giant shells. Before that it was a wildlife haven for millennia.
My eyes love the curving comfort of pretty Woody Point and the bulwark of hills behind the bays. They play a soothing symphony in my mind.
There is a wonder about these moments as I contemplate with gratitude.

Leicester Warburton

The Peninsula Music Club has been going for many years and has regular Musicales at Loquat Valley School. Many offshore residents attend and it is a great opportunity to hear fine music at a very reasonable price. Membership of the club costs $50 a year which entitles you to attend all five concerts and enjoy a great

sparkling wine and sandwich supper after the program! It is also possible to attend individual concerts without joining the club. Listed below are the remaining concerts or the year. If you would like more information, contact the president, Mrs J Tuynman on 02 9997 1937 or the secretary, Mrs W Reading 02 9938 1545.

Sunday the 4th of March was Clean Up Australia day. The Island had a huge response with thirty four volunteers turning up. Nineteen dead tinnys were taken off together with an estimated six tons of "stuff" This short note is to thank all those who lent a hand especially Dave and Toby from Broken Bay Lighterage.

A number of islanders gathered on Sunday 11th March to help a resident tidy up their house and surrounds. Very special thanks go to Simon Lambe, John Marshall, Cass Gye, Gordon Floyd, Bill Gye, Jack's cousin Steve, Michael Jones and David Richards (these names in no particular order) for giving up their Sunday. And extra praise to Robina Warburton from Pittwater Council for coordinating the clean up and arranging for the removal of the garbage.

This marvellous effort is indicative of the care and affection offshore residents have for one another.

Free On-Line Tutoring at Avalon Library

Avalon Community Library is the first library in the northern beaches to offer FREE on-line tutoring to members.

Students who are members of the library can take advantage of free tutoring through Online Classroom, through Tutoring Australia and computers at the library from 4pm -5pm Monday to Friday. After library hours, the system can be accessed via home computers until 8pm.

Students can participate in a live, one-to-one learning session with a tutor using the Online Classroom. It works much like MSN Messenger, allowing the tutor and student to text chat, share web pages and transfer files.

Subjects covered are for Year 4 to Year 12 and comprise:
• Mathematics (including Extension Maths)
• Science (General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

• English (General English, Essay Writing)
• Assignment Research (Finding information, organising reports etc)
• Study Skills (Time management, note-taking, revision techniques, etc)

Pittwater General Manager, Mark Ferguson, said: “Pittwater Council is delighted to offer this free service to members of Avalon Community Library. It is good to give something back to our community and we want to encourage young residents to use our library services. Since the service commenced, an average of 30 students have used it each month. We’d like to increase that number considerably, so we recommend students to take advantage of this free service.”

More information on Tutoring Australasia is available at http://yourtutor.com.au, or the library website at www.avalonlibrary.org.au, or by contacting Helen Clark on 9918 3013 or email avalonlibrary@ozemail.com.au

Pittwater Community Water Survey - your views count

Pittwater Council is currently preparing a Pittwater Community Water Conservation Plan to consider the future water demands of the local community and set targets and strategies for the reduction in water usage throughout the Pittwater LGA.

By completing a short survey (less than five minutes) you will provide important input into the plan by helping Council to understand community attitudes and preferences towards water conservation. You could also win one of four prizes containing a water wise gardener’s pack + shower timer, with over $150 worth of products to help your garden and bathroom become more water efficient. Survey responses are completely confidential and personal contact details are optional.

To complete the short survey go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=309093466425
To find out more about the plan go to http://www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/ and follow the link under Notices.

Thursday March 8, 2007 saw sixty offshore women share the spirit of International Women’s Day, by celebrating over breakfast at the Pasadena.

The call for an international date to celebrate women was first conceived of in northern Europe in1910. Here we were 97 years later celebrating on the shores of Pittwater. Lovely for all assembled is that March 8 was Trudy’s 87th birthday, so it was a double celebration.

Penny Star welcomed us to country as befits all Australian gatherings of a symbolic nature. Pen gave us the wonderful Aboriginal metaphor of a meeting of women such as ours was, being the ‘placenta’ of a community. Strong female stuff indeed.

Robyn Baxendale of Lovett Bay spoke on her work with the International Red Cross Committee. She outlined the focus of this international humanitarian body and also gave us particular insights into some of the issues particular to women that IRCC helps with. The amount of $300US was raised as a donation for Robyn to allocate. She has arranged for this to be sent to a colleague in the Mongolian Red Cross to distribute to a group of women who rely on the MRCS for basic necessities.

These are families of destitute herders who can no longer sustain themselves in their traditional rural environments, who migrate to the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar and simply squat in their Gers (tents). They receive almost nothing from the government so their needs are substantial. The local MRCS branches know them well, so can ensure that the funds go to where they are needed most. In keeping with the source of the funding Robyn has emphasised that if cash donations are made, these should essentially go to women, or to men caring for children.

Emmie Orhan (Collins) has provided some photos of this lovely morning. Kerry Borthwick took the opportunity to extend an invitation of Women On Water (WOW) to all offshore women- this group meets monthly.

Thanks to all the women who attended and to the Pasadena and staff who provided at such short notice for this event.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor, who attended the more formal Pittwater IWD celebration organized by Zonta and the Council, send their best wishes via Mandy Loveday. Mandy also announced the Pittwater Woman of the Year: Lynette Russell who is Principal of Barrenjoey High School. Lynette won the award for recognition of her services to education spanning a number of decades.

It was a wonderful event that could have stretched into mid-morning and beyond. It was a pleasure to organise, Mandy and Emmie have put up their hands to do IWD 2008.

Dinner for Trudy Engler

Three course Dinner - catering by Lisa Atkins

7pm Saturday 12th May 2007

Scotland Island Community Hall

Tickets $50per head (includes a gift for Trudy) and are available at Church Point 5-7pm on Thursday 5th April and Friday 20th April 2007 from Fiona and Deryn or by cheque made payable to Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA) PO Box 70, Church Point, 2105.

Very highly commended - tickets for this function will sell out quickly. Make a point of buying tickets as soon as possible.

Oh What A Night

As Toby pointed out, there are no winners and losers on Scotland Idol; everyone's a winner - rubbish! Your Scotland Idol is: DERRY FINKELDEY.

The producers of Scotland Idols would like to thank everyone who gave their tremendous support to the event and raised over $1,000 for Kindy (SIOCS) which will be used to develop the Kindy playground, including new sandpit shelter and climb frame structure, relocation of the blackboard and activity wall and most excitedly the establishment of a children’s garden so the children can cultivate and grow their own veggies and flowers.

Everyone had a great night being thoroughly entertained by a stunning range of performances that could only be produced by this island and off-shore community. Original artists Johnny Cash, Sheryl Crow, Patsy Montana (Yodelling), Kate Bush, Leonardo's Bride/Husband, Steppenwolf, Captain and Tennille, Mitzi Gaynor, Chrissie Hinde and Cab Calloway were given a run for their money by our Idols: Graham Catt, Erin Ricketts, John Travers, Shayne Chamen-Kraal, Izzy Moodie, Karmel Patterson, Ruth Tedder, Lizzy Brand (with Andrew Bains in a grass skirt and coconuts), Derry Finkeldey and Brian Franki respectively.

A couple of weekends ago my youngest son's new BMX - a Xmas present - was borrowed?/ taken? and in fact rather audaciously 'replaced' with an old reject from the plastic and bamboo cover he'd left it under at the front of our block. We've asked around and have scouted the island with no joy. I feel it must be here somewhere and can't believe a parent hasn't questioned where it appeared from. Contact me at emstar@tpg.com.au

The Firemans Ball

The Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade is delighted to present the Fireman's Ball with music from the fabulous Lionel Robinson & The Dukes of Lounge, fine cuisine from Elvina Bay's own Lisa Atkins and a licensed bar all within the magical Fire Station Ballroom.

Date: Saturday, 28 April 2007
Time: 7pm
Venue: Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade
Dress: Black Tie
Tickets: $65 each available from www.pittwatertradingonline.com.au or PMC Hill Real Estate, Church Point

Cloak room available. No BYO, licensed bar operating.

Tickets are limited so don't miss out on the premier Island event!

Finally:

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA), or any of the associated Pittwater Offshore Resident's Committees