SMRBI AGM

SMRBI AGM

Zoom meeting minutes

7th September 2021

Attendees: Liz, Charles, Vivian, Anna, Gavin, Stephen, Jane, Mark, Lyn, Tracy, Brian, Guy

Apologies: Lee, Jo HCEC

Agenda

· Presentation from Jo from HCEC-Apol for the meeting, so postponed.

· Presidents’ report

· Secretary report

· Financial/Treasurers’ report

· Election of positions for 2021/22 -nominations and designations of committee positions

· Other roles non committee

· Where to from here? Group focus and strategic goals for coming year

· Photo Promo on Facebook

· Letterbox drop

· Meetings for 2021/22

President report

Stephen submitted and presented his report to the group (see attached) highlighting the achievements of the group in a short time and thanked everyone for their input to this cause.

Secretary report

Tracy provided a verbal report to the group, apologised that she has been unable to fill the role to her greatest abilities due to study/work/family commitments. Tracy is very happy for someone to take on the role for the following year.

Treasurer Report

Brian submitted a written report (see attached) and outlined that currently the balance of our funds are $ 1,322.78

(Post meeting comments from Steve-expected outgoings to come for printing costs for letterbox drop at $195 in total, photo comp costs for prizes $250 (5 x $50 prizes) and then some income to come from membership re-joining fee $10 each due from today, to be deposited into bank account details to be provided online, facebook and website.)

Membership Renewal

Information regarding renewal/joining anew to be distributed.

SMRBI Elected Committee for 2021/22.

Mark Wyburn was appointed as Returning Officer and declared all positions vacant.

No nominations were received prior to the night.

President: Stephen Warham self-nominated 2nd by Gavin. Declared carried.

Vice President: Guy Finn nominated by Liz 2nd by Charles. Declared carried.

Treasurer: Brian McSeverny nominated Viv 2nd Stephen Declared carried.

Secretary: Liz Huxtable nominated Stephen 2nd Tracy Declared carried.

Public Officer: Gavin Ord nominated Gav 2nd Tracy Declared carried.

Committee member Vivian Rivera nominated Gav 2nd Stephen Declared carried.

Committee member Jane West nominated Jane 2nd Charles Declared carried.

Committee member Anna Drain nominated Anna 2nd Gavin Declared carried.

All positions filled.

Non committee roles

Gavin agreed to continue as our website editor.

Stephen and Gavin continue as Facebook editors.

Elise Budden has been managing Instagram but not been able to attend meetings. Liam may have an interest in taking on this role. Brian will follow up with him about this idea. To be confirmed by Steve with Elise.

Strategic Plan/Direction of SMRBI

· Where to from here? Group focus and strategic goals for coming year and ways of working together on these goals with COVID/DELTA challenges?

Jo from Hunter Community Environment Centre (HCEC) is unable to attend to night due to a clash. Looking for Jo to assist us with planning our way forward as highly experienced with environmental campaigns. Will try to arrange Jo for our next meeting and all to consider in preparation what our 3 areas of focus and priority should be for the this year?

Decision that we should develop a strategic plan to help outline our progress and current goals. Put on agenda for next meeting. ACTION: Feel free to email ideas to the saveourbush@gmail.com email and/or bring for next meeting.

Charles asked if we have had any feedback from BCT and our meeting with DPI. Answer: No. Stephen has not heard from them and await to see if Jo from HCEC has had any feedback from DPI.

ACTION: Stephen to write to NSW Minister again asking where are things positioned as we have had no feedback from the department since our meeting.

Liz Huxtable discussed correspondence with Jodie Harrison’s office previously where she had lodged complaints around the proposed development site. This was followed up with Council and a response was received around the Council having met their obligations and operated in a legal fashion. Liz is going to Write to Jodie Harrison’s office again querying the role the BCT is being asked to play in the site.

ACTION: Liz to correspond with Jodie Harrison’s office.

Viv raised that she has had correspondence with Birdlife Australia and they have no record of the Powerful Owls nesting in the Garden Suburb Bushland in their Powerful Owl Project. Viv also noted that Beth Mott of the Powerful Owl project has left Birdlife Australia and is now working with the DPI and she is wondering about our group connecting with her as she may be an ally in our cause of preserving the space.

ACTION: Liz to ask Paul van gaal and Mark for contact for Beth Mott so we can correspond with her.

Correspondence

Mark Wyburn emailed to outline his concerns about the lack of effective management of the bushland and the level of damage currently happening via many factors. (See email at end of minutes)

Discussion around current mountain bike trails being created in the bushland and damage to understory and proximity to Powerful Owl nest, a concern.

ACTION: Stephen letter to council re concerns and current management of bushland, perhaps might prompt advice as to whom to talk to in Crown lands re the current management.

Discussion around preservation and alternate use of bushland space and development of plan, such as environmental education space, implementation of management plan, bringing various users to an agreed framework.

SW said that due to limited people resources/time of our group we need to really hone in on what we can do to stop the development and the overall management

plan should be done in a professional manner by the owner of the land. However if people did have energy for developing some kind of suggested management plan, then feel free.

ACTION: Liz, Gavin and Mark to begin conversations around these ideas and potential to bring people together to better manage mixed uses or suggest treatments that could be undertaken.

ACTION: Stephen to send around email for Liz, Mark to follow up.

Email contacts

SW indicated that he thought we should share email addresses of the group and/or those who have provide their email to us? Group agreed this would be useful and we should send out an email to advise that we plan to do this and if there are any objections or people don’t want theirs included, then we can withdraw those from sharing. Carried.

Bushland Photo Promotion

SW set up on promo facebook, getting good interaction with 30 photos up now. Some creative and beautiful images submitted. Conditions outlined on facebook post, important that people send their photo entries to saveourbush@gmail.com and not just upload them to our site. (See conditions for promo as outlined on Facebook at end of these minutes)

Letterbox Drop-To keep the local community in the loop

SW finally got around to drafting and printing flyers for letterbox drop. Can be picked up from this weekend from Steve and Tracy’s 15 Coronation Ave Cardiff if you can do an area as part of your exercise allowed under covid conditions.

ACTION: Those able to do letter box drop, contact steve 0458 929297 to arrange contactless pick up and get map of area for delivery during exercise. Brian to forward maps to SW,

Meetings 2021/22

A decision was made after discussion that meeting remain on a Tuesday evening and will be monthly with the occasional purpose fit meeting in between such as Jo HCEC or guest speaker of relevance etc. A decision was also made to change the meeting start time to 6:30pm. Meetings continue on ZOOM until we are out of lockdown.

ACTION: SW to confirm meeting date with Jo Lynch HCEC for our next meeting, then meet monthly from there.

Copy of email from Mark Wyburn 26 Aug 2021

Thanks for your meeting request and continued efforts with regard to the Myall Rd bush.

I wish to raise a new item of business at the next appropriate meeting, as detailed below.

I wish the group to raise concern to the relevant state government authority regarding the acceleration of destruction of the bush area through bike track creation, including the proposed conservation offset area and the planned development area.

I have been observing this track creation and bush destruction increasing over the last few years, and this morning on my daily walk I came across the latest tracks which have prompted me to write. The key points are:-

1. The tracks are cut without any regard to the flora in the area. The latest track cut yesterday goes through a lovely, shaded gully on the far eastern side of the conservation area, adjacent to the powerful owl roost. It has already damaged the last remaining birds nest plant in that gully – several others have been stolen over the years.

2. The sensitive gully/ephemeral creek on the eastern side of the development, that will be an isolated remnant reserved area if the development proceeds, is also being hacked with new trails.

3. Casuarinas and other small trees are routinely snapped off and broken, and chainsaws are now regularly used in the area.

4. Sensitive plant areas including orchids, grass trees and tetratheca juncea have been hacked out without any thought to the damage.

5. The tracks are so numerous now I don’t understand why more and more are being created.

6. Timber stealing has increased – I caught a ute in there two weeks ago with a chainsaw removing fallen logs. They accessed the area via Myall Rd track opposite Gymea Drive.

7. Unregistered trail bikes are daily in the areas, causing track damage and personal risk to walkers.

8. The level of damage is even greater south towards the power transmission line easement at Hillsborough – I can’t walk there now as it is too upsetting.

9. Two concrete blocks have been recently dumped in the area. Previous rubbish dumped in the area includes palm tree cuttings, fridges, TV’s and brick disposal. The access track off Gillian Crescent needs to be blocked off to vehicles. 4WD’s have used this access for exploration into the area as well – fortunately, the tracks get too narrow and are too short but that hasn’t stopped them from trying to get through by driving through bush and trampling more plants.

If the rate of clearing continues, there will be nothing left to enjoy, other than lots of bike tracks and erosion. While I support the continued use of the area for mountain biking, it must be controlled and this wanton track clearing cannot be allowed to continue, otherwise it will be in a very degraded state if it ever becomes a conservation area, or we are successful in stopping the development. I suspect the clearing has accelerated again with the massively increased use of the area due to COVID restrictions – people are coming into the area by car now for exercise – which is fine – just don’t damage the bush.

Copy of Facebook Promo for photo comp

CRAP Photo right??

Well can you do better?

How would you like to be named as one of five winners in our effort to find the best photos of the Myall Road Bushland?

$50 for each winner with 5 to be awarded.

Submit your photos that meet the following conditions below and our committee will determine who gets the chocolates ($50 actually to five individual winners) Email your pictures to saveourbush@gmail.com.au

We will upload the photos to our facebook page and one of the 5 prizes will go to the one that gets the most likes on it by the finish date. So encourage your friends to vote for your pic on our facebook page. Here are the conditions.

*Photo must be taken within the Myall Road Bushland site.

*Obviously only take the photo while doing a covid approved activity.

*Must be original work (not submitting someone else’s)

*Must agree by submitting to provide permission for SMRBI to use image into the future for not-for-profit purposes of the group.

*Must send it to saveourbush@gmail.com by 30th of September, the earlier you get it to us the more likes it may get.

*Must agree to have your name published on facebook to inform people that we have awarded all 5 $50 prizes.

*Maximum of 5 pictures per person can be submitted.

Winners announced 10th October and notified by email.

So help us tell the story of how great this parcel of green space is and how we need to keep it, start snapping your photos now.