Save Myall Road Bushland Incorporated (SMRBI)Presidents Report for Annual General Meeting 2020/21

Save Myall Road Bushland Incorporated (SMRBI)

Presidents Report for Annual General Meeting 2020/21

7/9/2021

SMRBI began as a group of people primarily from the Cardiff and Garden Suburbs area who are acting together to prevent the proposed development by Landcom in the surrounding bushland, or to ensure if the development proceeds that the best potential outcomes for the local community and the environment can be obtained.

The group at this date officially has 27 registered members who have filled out the application form and paid their $10 joining fee. Others have made donations and not bothered to fill out the joining form. Over 60 people are on the email list and hundreds if not thousands of people have been involved in some aspect of the group. Our media reach whilst modest is in the thousands with interviews via ABC radio, 2NURFM and also via the Newcastle Weekly online story.

SMRBI was registered in its’ first year as an incorporated association under NSW legislation and has limited liability to some extent of its’ members to the value of their membership fee.

This year we have done the following

· Formed an incorporated association

· Undertaken fund raising, held an online auction

· Arranged and held a significant community protest with 150 people attending

· Provided the community with written information about the development

· Engaged legal advice

· Obtained advice and support from the Hunter Community Environment Centre

· Held a community event, creek croak/BBQ

· Established an email account, bank account, Facebook page, website, Instagram page

· Meet with NSW DPIE representatives

· Had representation from 3 Lake Macquarie Councillors

· Supported Clean Up Australia Day (with the majority of our members)

· Removed a trailer load of rubbish from the bush

· Written numerous letters to various authorities to engage them in our protest about the development

· Created and displayed a range of protest signage

· Undertook display in person at times of these signs along the road (Thanks Jim and Genine).

· Engaged a range of other stakeholders including soccer club, Knitting Nannas etc

· Meet on regular occasions to organize our group.

· Obtained significant donations of time, auction items, honey and money to assist our cause.

· Sought and gained expert advice on legal action, owls, bats, cultural matters, prmoted flora and fauna list of the area, engaged significantly and supported by Cardiff Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (Thanks Gav)

· Commenced a photo competition

In closing I would especially like to thank Signmo Belmont owners Avelina and Tariq Rah for their assistance with signage and encouragement, they have done everything for us for FREE as members of our local community, support them if you can. Thanks to Jo and Paul from the Hunter Community

Environment Centre, they have both been generous with their time and support. Thanks Guy Fin who along with me prior to SMRBI started had set up our own petitions in Change.org without knowing that we were doing that.

We aim to stop this destruction and the protest day clearly demonstrated that we are representative of the local community and beyond. We had people aged from a few months olds to nearly in their 80s and they wanted to express their opinions about not being listened to about how their community will be impacted if this development goes ahead.

SMRBI is a voice of the community and we must act to make that voice as loud and clear as we possibly can. We can be proud of what we have started and I look forward to what we can do going ahead. Let’s get on and do that for the coming year.

Kindest regards

Steve Warham

President