Shelling Out for Oysters
Fancy a meal out with a friend at a swanky seafood restaurant and like oysters? If you answer “Yes!” you are in for a surprise.
You see, after the QX infestations wiped out vast numbers of local leases and flood damage hit many estuarine systems, they are in short supply. In fact, you may very well be shelling out between $40 and $60 for a dozen!
It's the age-old story of supply and demand and with the festive season upon us, prices will not be dropping.
Those farmers who still have stocks of Sydney rock oysters and those with the unaffected Pacific variety are receiving the best prices ever for their product. This has been passed on to the consumer.
So bad has been the devastation of the industry, some growers with hefty debts will be finding it hard to continue. On the other hand, generous Government grants have given hope of survival and a better future for most.
Great piles of oyster shells have built up in and around the Tilligerry Creek depots. Indeed, the mound of oysters in the photo, at current prices, would be worth millions of dollars had they survived.
Oyster shell has been used to make driveways. It has been crushed to provide shell-grit for poultry and in recent times there has been demand for it to establish artificial reefs.
After paying the farmers a modest fee, recyclers are carting away the mounds of unwanted shells to give them a new life.
The degraded marine environment of Sydney Harbour is one example where a huge effort to restore it to its once pristine condition has been made and it's working! With pollution problems now in hand and missing links in the food chain restored, fish are returning and even seals are taking up permanent residence.
Photos: A mound of culled QX affected oysters......and industrial sized bags of shells destined for recycling.
Centenary for the Queen
One hundred years ago at Empire Bay on the Central Coast, the 'Ettalong' was launched and then began the service of a vessel which has plied the waters of Sydney and Lake Macquarie over all those years. She is now using Port Stephens as a home
base.
The craft was based in Sydney from the 1940s through to the 1970s and recently was popular for its 'Convict, Castles and Champagne' outings to Goat Island.
For some 40 years she functioned as a party boat on Lake Macquarie after being renamed the 'Wangi Queen'. Her owner at the time said she had hosted over 900 weddings and around one million tourists had boarded her.
To stay 'in survey', commercial vessels must undergo an annual inspection and the 'Wangi Queen' is to be slipped at Albatross Marina Lemon Tree Passage as part of this requirement.
Marina Manager Mike Colecliffe said that their slipway was the largest between Sydney and Pt Macquarie.
“ We also pride ourselves in being the most competitive slipway in Port Stephens offering a wide range of services to mariners,” he stated.
Over the years, the marina has hosted some famous sailors and their boats. These included the 'Winston Churchill' which foundered in the 1998 Hobart yacht race with the loss of three lives. David Lewis also sought refuge at the marina after a southerly gale blew him off course. His legendary solo voyage to Antarctica in his 'Ice Bird' remains as one of the greatest navigational feats of all time.
Photo: The 'Wangi Queen' hove to at the Lemon Tree Passage public wharf waiting to be slipped for inspection.
Crime Meeting Thursday
A special meeting to address the rising crime rate and the lack of effective policing in Tilligerry will be held at Club Lemon Tree at 5.30 pm on Thursday 1st December. Be there to have your say.
TAG Christmas Markets
Looking for that special Christmas present with a local connection? If you are, a stroll through the TAG Gallery in LTP on Sunday, 4th December might just find you the perfect gift.
That's not all! The market day will have some 35 stalls, the coffee buzz truck and our Lions Club will be putting on a sausage sizzle.
Photo: Committtee members Lyn Fischer and Sue Skidmore outside the gallery. Market Day Sunday 4th December
National Titles for Tanilba
Tanilba Sailing Club is to host the National Maricat Championships this coming February. They will also run their Big Boat Regatta in the same month.
Fathers Day is usually the opening of the sailing season at Tanilba but the club cancelled the early races due to the floods. Flotsam and jetsam washed down from the Karuah River posed a navigational hazard so to be on the safe side, races were deferred.
The club sails each Sunday from their picturesqe waterfront club at Tanilba Bay. New members are most welcome and Sam Breaden runs 'learn to sail' sessions with the club's 'Bic' trainers. These were purchased with a State Government Sports and Recreation grant. Tanilba is a family oriented club with parents actively encouraged to bond with their children during these sessions.
Last weekend Tanilba sailors travelled to Carcoar near Blaney for their annual Maricat regatta.
Seasoned veterans Mark and Mike Colecliffe filled the top two placings with Scott Spencer and his son Kobi performing well.
The club boasts several State and National champions who cut their teeth sailing on the broad expanse of water between Tanilba, Soldiers Point and Tahlee.
Their facebook page gives full details of their operation.
Photo: Brothers Mike and Mark Colecliffe and crew going head to head at Tanilba Bay recently.
Reward for Stolen Plaque
The current owners of Historic Tanilba House (c 1827) were shocked to discover that a 1932 plaque, put in place by Henry Halloran had been stolen recently.
The radial brass plaque oriented visitors to the towns and cities around Port Stephens. One ray pointed across the water to 'Pindimar City', a major proposed development that didn't go ahead. It was also inscribed with the latitude and longitude plus the tidal variations.
Deirdre Hall discovered it missing when she posed for a photo with visitors for the recent flower show.
“I saw it there just a few days earlier and was shocked at its disappearance,” she said.
“We just want it back and are offering a $100 reward. No questions will be asked.” she added.
The destruction of heritage listed sites or the removal of historical artefacts incurs very hefty fines. Deirdre and her partner Glenn in renovating the convict built homestead had to get all work approved by the Heritage Council, even to the extent of the paint used.
“In tidying up the three acres, all trees had to be inspected and the work carried out by a professional arborist and his team. Our olive tree is the second oldest in Australia so we left it alone. Even the dead limbs were left untouched,” she stated.
The rebirth of Tanilba House as a wedding and corporate venue has seen bookings soar. It is no longer open to the public but an anniversary gala day proved popular as did the colonial 'High Teas'.
Covid restrictions and 'The Big Wet' forced rescheduling of functions but the restored property is going from strength to strength.
“We do let the bridal couple inside to pose for photos but the place is now our home and we wish to protect our privacy,” she added.
Photos: Historic Tanilba House. The missing plaque was set into the 'cup' behind the flower garden.....and a close up of the stolen item.
Koala Population Exploding
The koala population in the eastern states is set to explode accor
ding to researcher, lifetime forester, and author Viv Jurskis. To understand why, we must backtrack to colonial times.
Not a single sighting was made of this very rare marsupial for some fifteen years after the white man set foot in Sydney Cove. The Aborigines, by mosaic cool burning had created open woodlands with no understorey. Colonial artists depicted this in their paintings. It was therefore very easy for the explorers to travel through the hinterland in search of new farmland, rivers and unknown animals.
The dramatic decrease in the Aboriginal population mainly due to European diseases saw the traditional
burnings fade away. This in turn led to a massive increase in fuel buildup and mega fires.
For the koala, it created the perfect environment with many more food trees with soft young shoots to browse. In short, their population exploded.
Koalas bec
ame so numerous that they outstripped resources, suffering overcrowding, malnutrition and disease. A robust skin export industry flourished. Even today, on Kangaroo Island, the koala population rose to 48 000 after they were introduced in the 1920s. This was only possible because the plantation blue gums provided enough food for them. The bushfires incinerated about 40 000.
It is rare these days to find a koala in Tilligerry but a cool winter bushfire a few years back did not crown in some of the best koala habitat between Tanilba Bay and Oyster Cove. It was the same on the southern side of main road towards Tilligerry Creek. Any koalas in these swamp mahogany forests have now got the perfect breeding areas with lots of food to support a healthy colony.
Meanwhile, The great bushfires which swept the Eastern Seaboard followed by flooding rains have seen vast eucalypt forests come alive with new regrowth. Koalas are returning to these forests and breeding faster than ever. An explosion in their numbers is on the cards.
Vic wrote a book: 'The Great Koala Scam' and uses empirical evidence to support his claims. It is well worth a read.
Photos: 'Smoky' a Mallabula koala..... and the cool bushfire which was koala friendly.....plus 'Heather' before she died, one of the last koalas in the Tilligerry Habitat.
Troubling Trees
Port Stephens Council is currently investigating the felling of a stand of casuarinas in Rudd Reserve Lemon Tree Passage.
A council officer found 'dozens' of them sawn off on the southern side of the bridged creek close to Cook Pde. Those on the northern side were untouched and formed a dense thicket. After checking their files, council could find no record of them being cut down.
Indeed, this is not a new problem. Koala trees were planted around the nearby carpark and amenities block in Henderson Park but were vandalized.
In Nelson Bay some years back, A towering blackbutt mysteriously died opening up million dollar water views for those across the road
To dissuade this, PSSC festooned the dead tree with flags and dumped shipping containers in front of it.
Residents are requested to report any tree removals in public reserves and if possible, keep photographic evidence or CCTV footage and alert the authorities.
Photos: The forest of trees on one side of the creek and the cut down casuarinas on the other.
Volunteers in the
Spotlight
The fifth birthday celebrations of the Lemon Tree Passage Pharmacy proved to be a bonus for both our local firies and Marine Rescue.
Owner, Fardi Fahmy presented each volunteer service with a cheque for $1 000. This came from the proceeds of a fundraising raffle.
Fardi said that coming from the city, he was overwhelmed by the community spirit in Tilligerry.
“ Both of these organizations are run by unpaid volunteers and we are honoured to support them,” he said.
Both the local RFS and Marine Rescue have another benefactor which donates $1000 to each service every year.
Lemon Tree Passage lady bowlers run a gala bowls day once a year and proceeds of entry fees, raffles and sausage sizzles go towards their donation. If there is a shortfall, they make it up from their own funds.
Photos: Marine Rescue and volunteer firies at the celebrations.
Tourists Target Tilligerry
Dee Why on Sydney's northern beaches is nothing like the
quiet holiday destination of yesteryear with a sea of fibro shacks nestled between the main surf beach and the arterial road linking Manly to Palm Beach. It is now a sea of cranes as highrise unit blocks soar skywards. Many residents yearn for the simplicity and tranquillity of days gone by.
With this in mind, 'On Course Tours' from Terrey Hills makes regular stopovers at Lemon Tree Passag
e.
John Donne, tour guide explains:
“We do regular two day excursions with our home base being Nelson Bay,” he said. “From there we head out to quiet backwaters which you just don't get in Sydney,” he added. “ Henderson Park in Lemon Tree Passage is a great place for lunch with a picnic shelter, the amenities block beside the foreshore and the sea birds everywhere,” he remarked.
“Today, the bus is full of seniors from the Dee Why RSL sub-branch . We always buy fresh seafood here which assists the local economy. Tell you what! These old people don't eat very much. There's a stack of king prawns smoked salmon and oysters left over. Would you like some? We're off to the macadamia farm at Medowie but will return with more tourists in the future.
Being a reporter can be stressful at times, but someone has to do it.
Photos : John Donne with the tourists and the view from their shelter shed.
More Patrols Needed
The attempted break and enter at Doreen Bradley's Strathmore Rd. home recently has once again brought into the spotlight the effectiveness of policing on the Tilligerry Peninsula.
For some forty years Doreen has led the charge for a new police station and twenty four hour policing.
“ It's my great disappointment that despite being promised this, we have wasted resources and there are no officers on duty late at night when criminals are active,” she added.
The offer of free Crown Land as a station site at Tanilba was rejected by the police and we got a little 'dog box' thing dumped off the back of a truck in Lemon Tree Passage, “ she state
d.
“This wasteful exercise cost the taxpayer at least $500 000.”
“The really big problem is in the type of policing services we get,” she asserted. “It is common to have the road into town blocked by highway patrol vehicles in the daytime doing rego and DUI checks. On the other hand, late at night, crime is rampant with hoons doing wheelies, stolen cars torched, vandalism rife and and defenceless residents' homes broken into,” she said.
Residents want police presence after dark, particularly of a weekend when we get the most problems. The way things stand, we simply aren't getting the type of law enforcement we expect,” she concluded.
Photos: Doreen Bradley: 'Night patrols needed.....The new 'dog box' station at LTP....Bins torched in LTP.....and a burnt out car at Mallabula.
A Soft Spot for Seniors
Look at the picture. That's a very much younger Bruce MacKenzie with one of the committee members involved in constructing the senior citizens centre and pensioner units at Tanilba.
As a councillor he fought for their construction and even paid for the fitting out of rooms in the main building out of his own pocket.
His interest in older folk has never waned and it probably prompted his family company to develop the old RSL oval into a pensioner village.
The plans have now been approved by PSSC and comprise 38 single storey units plus common facilities such as a pool, BBQ areas and a bowling green. Access will be from the rear area of the Koala Bay estate.
A fence will screen the village from the existing RSL & Sporting Club.
Photo: Bruce on the job at what is now Tanilba Shores opposite the waterfront at Tanilba Bay.
Mountain Men
Tilligerry has more than its fair share of mountain men who make the annual trek to Mt Panorama to watch the Bathurst 1000.
This year tested their resolve with the rivers west of the Great Divide awash with floodwaters but these hardy souls braved the elements and will be back next year.
Retired master mechanic and local car club registrar Geoff Camm gives us an insight into why he has returned for well over 40 years: “Atmosphere is what its all about,” he said. “You just can't absorb the excitement of the real thing watching it on TV, he stated.”
“The sound
s, smells and rivalry create a scene no different to a grand final football match. I wouldn't miss it for the world,” he remarked.
“The other thing about the the races is that you get to know other like minded enthusiasts over the years. We camp out and visit one another, have a few drinks and thoroughly enjoy ourselves,” he said.
The other Tilligerry resident with strong links to Mt Panorama was the late John Snow who both raced there and was pivotal in developing the circuit both before and after WW2.
Little would be remembered of him had his life and times had not been recorded in an excellent motor racing book by John Medley.
'John Snow Classic Motor Racer' (2010) took some ten years to cobble together. It charts the life of a rich playboy
who is set abroad on buying trips by his father who owned 'Snows', a huge emporium in Sydney.
It was on the European circuit that the young John cut his teeth motor racing and had him importing cars to Australia.
He was heaviy involved in developing the Mt Panorama race track and also extended his business interests to the district.
After retiring from motor sports he and his wife Judy opened real estate offices in Lemon Tree Passage and Tanilba Bay. Their waterfront home at Tanilba had its lower storey built taller than most to accommdate a grandfather clock which was a family heirloom.
Their final move was to Fullerton Cove where Judy indulged herself with horses.
Photos: Mountain man Geoff Camm with his treasured 1955 Chev.....Racing legend John Snow......and the Snow home at Tanilba. Note how high the downstairs storey is.
The Staff of Life
Have you heard the phrase: 'The Staff of Life?' It's a biblical text ( Isiah 3:1) which refers to the basic foods we eat, particularly bread.
For the owners of Paul's Fresh Bake at Tanilba Bay and many other local businesses it has an entirely different meaning. You see, attracting staff and retaining them is a big problem which is increasing. But Why?
Toni Rudder sees it this way:
“We just can't recruit bakers and counter staff are very hard to come by,” she said. “I've noticed a shift in attitude of applicants since the Covid pandemic. Many don't want to work the hours we need them and they want jobs to fit in with their own agendas. It doesn't work that way in business” she stated.
Next door at Tilligerry Quality Meats Glen Curry has the same problem. “Qualified butchers are very difficult to find and the wages and conditions they demand can be very hard for small family businesses to sustain. I've noticed young applicants have a different attitude to work than when I started off. Some have an 'entitle
ment' attitude and want to work on their own conditions which are not able to be met,” he added.
Both businesses have reduced their operating hours due to staff shortages.
Meanwhile in Lemon Tree Passage, Jo Gordon from Tanilba Tyres and Mechanical is finding it almost impossible to get a motor mechanic.
“ We put a $350 advertisement in 'SEEK', she said. There were 3000 hits on the item but not one applicant,” she stated. “We are now offering a $500 'spotter's fee' to anybody who can refer a mechanic to us. After three months' work both the spotter and the mechanic will get $500 each. That's how hard it is to find somebody to do the job,” she remarked.
Photos: Toni Rudder (centre).....“Staff hard to find,”...... the Curry family at their butcher shop …..and Greg and Jo Gordon …. “Bonuses for a mechanic.”
T
he Pool
The Tilligerry Aquatic Centre is now operating on Summer hours. Weekdays 6am – 6pm and Weekends 9am – 4pm
For details of Learn to Swim, Aqua Classes, Season tickets etc 49824 730
Photo: Local motorbike legend Luke George with his ‘Boot Camp’ students lapping it up at the pool.
Literature Awards Now Open
The Port Stephens Literature Awards are now open for entry with the closing date being 31st October 2022.
This year the Tilligery Lions Club will be running the competition with prizes totalling $1100.
The awards are for short stories of up to 2000 words on any topic and must be original works, typed and double spaced. A separate cover sh
eet with the author's contact details must accompany each entry. An entry fee of $10 is required plus $5 for each additional submission.
Full details can be found on tilligerry.com in the green left sidebar by clicking on 'Literature Award'. More details of entry conditions can be found by scrolling down the news page. Phone inquiries: 49845931 or 0407279844
All entries are to be sent to: Literature Award PO Box 133 Tanilba Bay 2319.
Co-ordinator Kevin Colman said that the Lions Club was proud to continue with the Awards which date back some 20+ years.
“They have encouraged creative writing, with some of those entering going on to write books of their own and winning prizes in the literary field,” he said.
The awards are sponsored by Club Lemon Tree, Port Stephens Council and News Of The Area.
Photo: Phill Murray, local author, receiving his award from Cr Steve Tucker and judge Lloyd Hogg.
Kooris Colour Cashless Club
The $200 000 makeover of the Tilligerry Tennis Club and the $16 000 automated booking system have increased the club usage enormously.
The cashless and now keyless club explains how it all works on their Tilligerry Tennis Club website.
Local businesses are actively supporting the club with advertising and the forward looking committee is developing programs for children. It is also encouraging the public to use the facilities for recreational and social tennis.
But there's more! Noted indigenous artist Jason Russel and his team from 'Koori Colours' have been commissioned to highlight the clubhouse with a full length mural and a tennis theme as its inspiration. Their gallery details can be found by entering their name in a search engine.
Meanwhile, next door, the Tilligerry Aquatic Centre has reopened after its winter maintenance shutdown. The water temperature sits at around 25 degrees centigrade and both the pool and the showers have had now been given a boost by extra solar panels installed on the main building. New heat pumps are also now functioning at full capacity.
The tennis club can be accessed by turning into Fairlands Rd. Mallabula and taking the Strathmore Road turnoff. The pool is signposted just past Mallabula on the Lemon Tree Passage main road.
Photos: The Russell family of Jason, Kerri, Rohan and Aiden with a painting of what the finished mural will look like.....plus the new look courts and clubhouse......and our heated pool next door which has reopened.
TACE Calls it a Day
After serving the citizens of Tilligerry in one form or another for around forty years, Tilligerry Adult and Community Education (TACE) has called it a day.
It all began in 1983 when the Lemon Tree Passage School moved to its current site at Tanilba Bay. This left the main administrative block, three classrooms and a shelter shed unoccupied.
Various groups took up residence in the old wooden buildings and these included a library, baby health centre and seniors' workshop.
The ownership was transferred from the Education Department to Port Stephens Council with strict conditions regarding the land use.
An expanded function of the now officially named TACE came when they set up an office in the old Plaza at Tanilba Bay. This provided an ideal place to offer computer access and lessons in their use for the general public as this new technology started to take over our everyday lives.
Financial support for TACE came from the NSW State Government, PSSC, Club Lemon Tree, Tilligerry RSL, Tomago Aluminium, Tilligerry Lions and others.
The closure of Tilligerry Plaza saw a final move to the Lemon Tree Passage Library which itself had relocated to the old RSL hall on the main road.
Co-ordinators of TACE over the years included Robyn Jeffery, Leanne Sullivan, Angela Follett, Mary Kay and Sue Hamilton. They were backed up by other community volunteers.
Administrative issues, funding and a lesser need for people to become computer literate saw the decision made to cease operation in its present form.
In future, the individual groups which formerly operated under the umbrella of TACE will now be responsible for their own operation and accountable to Port Stephens Shire Council.
TACE is currently writing up a detailed history of its community function over such a long time and will lodge the document with the Port Stephens Family History Society. This will be freely available to members of the general public who seek a greater insight.
Photo: Lions Club representatives Lynley Keers and Heather Hargreaves handing over a donation to co-ordinators Mary Kay and Sue Hamilton outside the Plaza office. Volunteer Carole Walker looks on.
Richard Retires
After 40 years of service with Port Stephens Coast Guard (now renamed Marine Rescue) Richard Osborne is weighing the anchor. He has served in various roles, including two terms as Commander.
On top of this he put in 34 years as an unpaid volunteer with the bushfire movement. For this they hono
ured him with Life Membership.
This extensive community service over such a long time saw him awarded an Order of Australia Medal.
Reflecting on his time with the service, he said that he had worked with a great bunch of like minded people who put the community needs before their own interests.
“Both my partner Di, who also clocked up 26 years service and I have developed long lasting friendships through our volunteer work,” he said.
“These days, with the electronic age upon us, things are much more complex and the equipment more demanding and expensive,” he stated.
“The training has to be more thorough but the advent of GPS and even the humble mobile phone have made communications far easier and streamlined, “ he added.
Richard and Di plan to travel and in their extra spare time they will become more involved in the local and district radio club for which Richard has developed an enduring passion.
A formal farewell at a date to be fixed is currently being organized by Marine Rescue.
Photos: Richard on his last shift at Marine Rescue.....and being awarded Life Membership of the RFS.
New Community Directory
Come along and find out more about Tilligerry Connect and our new Tilligerry Community and Health Directory!!
Make connections to people, services, groups and fun activities and events in the Tilligerry area.
And we will be hosting a fun, educational activity to help our fellow Tilligerians get connected and find out all the wonderful resources available on our peninsula and beyond. We are limiting our event to 10 participants and they will each get our new directory as well.
Saturday 17 September 12-3 PM
Bookings essential.
Contact tilliconnect@gmail.com or phone us at 0408 686 846 if interested.
Sharing the Telco Towers
Governments insist that Telco companies share transmition towers as too many of them make an unsightly blot on the landscape.
That's why Tilligerry has just three big ones to give maxium coverage for mobile phones with as few 'black spots' as possible.
They are located at Tanilba Golf Club, the Lemon Tree Passage Industrial Estate and beside Marine
Rescue at the top of Whitbread Dve. They pay rent to those who own the land on which they are constructed.
Marine Rescue some years back had trouble collecting rent for the land they leased beside their base station so they turned to Federal Member Bob Baldwin for assistance. After threatening to name the company in parliament, back rent and rent in advance to the tune of some $25 000 was deposited in their account within a week.
Another type of tower sharing happens at the tall telco tower in the Industrial estate in Lemon Tree.
A pair of ospreys built a large nest out of branches amid the cluster of electronic gear. Technicians pulled it down but then realized that it was illegal to interfere with the nesting sites of these protected raptors.
To rectify the situation, when modifications to the tower were made they constructed a metal 'basket' on top to lure the birds back. It worked and the sea hawks have now rebuilt their nest.
Ospreys feed almost exclusively on fish and are adapted to snatch them from the water with their talons.
They usually breed from July through to September and lay two to three eggs which incubate for around 40 days. The chicks are fully fledged in nine weeks.
Photos: An osprey returns to its nest carrying a branch to build with......The new cup shaped nest site on top of the tower......Bob Baldwin and friends....plus the Marine Rescue tower overlooking the bay.
Lift for Library
But where is it? This is most asked question by those wanting to borrow books in Tilligerry.
The town public library is situated on the main road opposite the Lemon Tree Passage Motel and when open, has a 'library' flag fluttering from a pole in front of it.
It's been there for decades and is staffed by volunteers and operates from 10am until noon six days per week. (Monday to Saturday).
A big makeover a couple of years back saw new carpet, reader friendly furniture and a slick paint job spruce it up.
What's more, a heavy cull of the least read books and an injection of new stock has something for everyone, including children.
Tilligerry Men's Shed workers have just removed the old overgrown sign and have carved a new one which is much more visible.
Business is more or less back to normal after a year or so of roadwork disruptions and the construction of a new police station two doors away. Council have taken over the computer access and has 2 brand new computers. A new scanner is on order and you will now be able to print A4 colour pages.
The library augments the mobile service which visits the villages of Tanilba Bay, Mallabula and Lemon Tree Passage on a rotational basis.
Both services have now recovered from the Covid lockdown restrictions and are back up to pace.
Photos: The LTP Library after the makeover......and the new sign giving it better visibility.
The Koala Bay Story
Lancom's Koala Bay estate wasn't an easy one to develop. The site itself was part of a swamp so the whole site had to be filled.
This involved countless hundreds of trucks dumping thousands of tonnes of sand onto the site. To stop the sand blowing it away , they planted millet, the seed of which was very popular with birds. Indeed bird fanciers would take bunches of the stuff home for their pet parrots.
By releasing about 20 blocks at a time, they di
dn't flood the market and each sale financed the next bit of the development.
A list of blocks for sale was pinned to the office door at the site and people would queue for weeks to reserve one of their choice and had to be present until the sale day. Some had caravans to stay in and others slept in tents and replaced those 'minding' their spot with a relay of family members. Landcom provided toilet facilities.
The first sale of allotments backed onto the existing Fairlands Rd properties at Mallabula and went for around $90 000. They peaked at about $225 000 for rather ordinary sites in the middle of the estate.
Prices then fell, with the last group bordering the school and parkland realizing some $125 000 each.
It was (and is) a quality development with Lancom eager to sell a lifestye rather than just small, uninteresting flat allotments. This they did by linking it to the waterfront and by constructing a viewing platform and foreshore boardwalk. Their glossy brochures featured pelicans, golden sunsets and families having fun on the white sandy beaches.
Developers must pay a 'section 94' levy to PSSC and in Lancom's case it was close to $1 000 000. This is for publc infrastructure. Rather than stump up the cash, they put in parks, playgrounds, two lakes, cycleways and commissioned aboriginal carvings. They also wanted to bulldoze the scouts and guides hall and replace them with a community centre but this didn't happen.
One interesting feature was the creation of an island and lake beside the RSL oval. They spared no expense, even using a huge crane to place a $30 000 native fig tree on the top of the island. They also transplanted grass trees to the school grounds, around the lake and to an embankment with a decorative stone entrance to showcase the RSL. Their botanist used native shrubs and trees to screen the blocks along the main road from the sight and sound of traffic. A liaison committee of locals was established to advise them. All in all the 276 home sites greatly boosted the prosperity of the town.
Photos: The lake and viewing platform....Replacing the foreshore boardwalk.....and the $30 000 tree being put on the island.
It's on Again!!!!
This years awards will be hosted by Tilligerry Lions Club. Please contact the phone number in the add.
Book Donations
Tilligerry Community Library ha
s always enjoyed the support of the community donating their books. Whilst we do appreciate them, we can only accept them with prior consultation. Our hours are 10-12 noon Monday to Saturday and our phone number is 4982 3477 if you wanted to call up or pop in and check with us before bringing them in. Please don’t leave them at the door.
More than Just a News Service
You've seen our illuminated sign 'tilligerry.com' beside the main road near the golf club as you drive into town at night.
With news services moving away from the print media, tilligerry.com for over 10 years now has moved with the times and gives local residents the news that they can't get anywhere else. Indeed, those travelling around Australia or internationally can keep up to date with a click on a mouse or a mobile phone.
Before our 'hit meter' broke down we were averaging around 2000 views each month. We have a few businesses supporting us but we really don't want advertisers as we are a not for profit community service.
That's not all! Each year we run a national Literature Award (a short story competition) with the support of PSSC, Club Lemon Tree and News Of The Area.
On top of this we offer the public internet access, assistance with the operation of electronic devices and photo copying.
It gets even better. There are constant requests, usually from residents new to the area, for general information about available services and organizations out this way.
We now have an extensive community directory listing some 80 of these which includes: churches, clubs, social groups, cultural events, schools, tourist information, community support, JPs, medical services, play groups and pre schools.
For more details scroll to the bottom of this page or click on 'Literature Award' and 'Community Directory' in the left hand green side bar.
Photo: tilligerry.com more than just news.
elebrating the re-opening.
New Community Directory
As the Tilligerry community expands and changes, there is the need to provide residents (particularly newcomers) and tourists with a directory of service groups, clubs and businesses. With this in mind, TACE (Tilligerry Adult and Community Education) will be compiling one in the near future.
It will be available in both an online and printed format.
TACE works under the umbrella of PSSC and coordinates community groups such as art, lead lighting, family history and mah jong. It has its home base at the LTP library. It also publishes tilligerry.com our local online news service which has grown to be the major source of local news for residents .Most months it gets over 1500 'hits'. The Port Stephens Literature Awards, a national short story competition, is another initiative of TACE and is run by volunteers.
If you would like to publicise your club, social group or business, email basic contact information to: tace@tilligerry.com and it will be considered for inclusion. There will be no charge for this service.
Photo: TACE volunteers Helen Mizrachi and Sue Hamilton at the library.
Tilligerry Adult & Community Education Inc. (TACE)
Don't forget that we have the only public internet/computer access open 5 days per week. We are located in the community library (opp the Motel) at Lemon Tree Passage.
Normal Hours
Monday 10am to 12 midday Tuesday 10am to 12 midday Wednesday 10am to 12 midday
Thursday 10am to 12 middal Friday 10am to 12 midday
Cost to non-members of TACE is $5.00 per hour (minimum charge $1) and printing/photocopying is 25c per sheet (black and white only)
Thanks to Club Lemon Tree and Tilligerry Lions for assistance in keeping our equipment up-to-date. We have 3 computers running Windows 7, MS Office 2010, 1 computer with Windows XP and MS Office 2003 and a Brother printer/fax.
If you have any stories you want to put on the tilligerry.com send an email to tace@tilligerry.com or ring Sue on 4982 3986.
tilligerry.com
The local Tilligerry Adult and Community Education (TACE) volunteers headed by Sue Hamilton has got the site up and running. They welcome all community groups to send in their news or details of upcoming events.
Sue Hamilton said that online news was the way of the future. “It is very hard to promote the activities of community organisations these days so we have decided, as a community service, to provide a site for all to access. I’d ask people to go onto our website at tilligerry.com and have a look and if it suits them they can send their photos and stories to tace@tilligerry.com for consideration. Photos should be of low resolution and news items brief, non political and edited. This is a free service run by volunteers and supported by Port Stephens Council.”
Photo:- Check it out – Sue Hamilton at the TACE office in the LTP Library.
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