LAPEROUSE

 The ex-UNSW site at Little Bay was gifted to the University for the establishment of a Medical School.  The School was never built but the site has been used for Biological Science research and very notably for Solar Energy Research.  Solarch, the first building to generate green power in NSW once stood on this site.  The site also contains a number of playing fields.  In 2006, the University decided that the site was surplus to its needs and obtained  permission from the Minister of Education, then Carmel Tebbutt, to sell. In early 2007  La Perouse Precinct Committee was briefed on a proposal to build around 150 town houses on this site.  The Solarch building was not to be retained and conveniently burnt down within days of the briefing.  The proposal was passed by Randwick Council and earlier this year the University sold the site to Charter Hall, a Property Funds Manager. 

Charter Hall are now proposing a new Masterplan for the site which will see between 400 and 600 dwellings.  The mix of buildings will include 5 x 5 storey  and 4 x 3 storey appartments.  Further details: 

The public face of the project is Elton Consulting.  The following appears on their website: www.elton.com.au  Projects include the Carlton Brewery re-development at Broadway and the Hillsong Rosebery proposal.  Directors include:  Brian Elton, a former General Manager in the Department of Housing;  James Evans,who co-authored and managed the production of the award winning Community Engagement in the NSW Planning System website and handbook as well as working on the State Plan and the Metropolitan Water Plan;  and Trish Oakley former Chief of Staff to the former Deputy Premier, Andrew Refshauge.* 

Elton Consulting conducted the first public consultation at Little Bay yesterday.  Features of the proposal include:

1.A walking and cycling path to connect Bilga Crescent Housing Estate with sites at Prince Henry.

2.A viewing platform for the Heritage Listed Miocene geological site and an opportunity to route the walking/cycling path to include this platform.  The Miocene site contains pollen of many species including the Wollemi Pine.  Link for detail.

3.Protection of the Ochre ‘mine’ in partnership with the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council.

4.A road, passing by where Solarch once stood, has been tentatively named Solarch Avenue.

*At one point there was a proposal to develop this site as a state of the art Permaculture Village and according to a source from the now defunct Ecoliving Centre at UNSW (axed in 2006) there was support from Refshauge for this proposal……. if only! 

This development, which could add another 1500 residents to Little Bay, further supports the need for Stockland to develop the Shopping Villiage and Medical Centre at Prince Henry in accordance with the Landcom Award Winning Masterplan. 

Link to Film Clip   of  Eileen Pittman and Tibby Whalan describing life during the Great Depression (1929-39) in Australia. Eileen Pittman talks about building a makeshift shelter at Happy Valley, an unemployment camp in Sydney, and having to make do with handouts and visits to soup kitchens. She explains that life was even harder for Indigenous Australians in this period. Tibby Whalan sings a well-known ditty from the era, ‘Hallelujah, I’m a bum’. The clip also includes black-and-white footage and photographs that show Happy Valley, a woman trying on donated clothing, soup kitchens and Indigenous women and children during the Great Depression.

Happy Valley was the largest and best known unemployment camp, situated in the sandhills of La Perouse in Sydney’s south. At its height, Happy Valley, which operated from 1930 to 1939, included 130 encampments and 330 people. It was established on the banks of a gully that provided shelter from the gusty winds of Botany Bay. Read the rest of this entry »

 Laperouse Explorers tested Happy Valley Creek at 9.30 on 21st October as part of the National Water Week program.  The results were not particularly good.  Faecal coliforms were 2600 per 100 ml of water.  Under ANZECC guidelines the median bacterial content in fresh and marine waters should not exceed 150 for primary contact.  Primary contact is defined as swimming and surfing.  For Secondary contact - boating, fishing - the value should not exceed 1000. 

Dissolved Oxygen was at 49% which is well below what it should be - 85 to 110%.  Phosphate levels were elevated probably as a result of the extensive weed infestations in and around the creek.  Electrical conductivity was also up at 470.  Further details about watertesting on the La Perouse Headland as well as other sites are at www.streamwatch.org.au

 In February, 1988, Bob Carr as NSW Minister for Planning and Environment together with Andre Giraud, Minister of the Government of France, opened the Laperouse Museum which commemorates the expedition of Laperouse and serves to perpetuate and further strengthen the long lasting ties between Australia and France. Since 1988 Bob has demonstrated his ongoing interest and support for the Museum. In his latest book “My Reading Life”, Bob examines the reasons why certain books have captured his attention and provides an outline of the books he perceives to be integral reading. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing following the talk.  All proceeds from “My Reading Life” go to Interplast Aust & NZ, ,a charity that provides medical volunteers to undertake programs of plastic andreconstructive surgery and training in neighbouring Asian Pacific countries. Nibbles and drinks will be provided after the presentation. RSVP essential: Greg Bond, Ph. 9661 5431 / 0418 628730

Issue 17- First Congestion Tax in Australia at Port Botany;Food Miles & Fair Miles; Trailer Parking Ban; Desal; Botany Bay Cable; Walk Against Warming; Buy Nothing Day; Prince Henry plus special Garnaut Review supplement.

The next meeting for Permaculture East will be held at Barrett House, Barrett Place – opposite the corner of Frenchmans Road and Searle Avenue Clovelly.  For further details:  www.permaeast.wikidot.com 

For the past 6 years Laperouse Explorers have been watertesting at sites around the La Perouse Headland.  Join them this morning as they test Happy Valley Creek as part of National Water Week (October 19-26).  Meeting at the Happy Valley bridge.  This is located at the entry to Botany Bay National Park on Anzac Parade at La Perouse, just after Gross Street.

   Little Bay Cubs and Kingsford Smith Troop joined Laperouse Explorers at Engine Pond to carry out a streamwatch exercise.  Julia Phillips, Sydney Airport’s Environmental Coordinator came along to lend support and Airside Tarmac Tours generously provided access to their facilities. Chris Gow, from Sydney Water Streamwatch, explained how catchments operated (see photo left) and the scouts tested pH, turbidity and salt levels in the water.  Then it was time to get out the nets to see what water bugs could be found (see photo far left).  The catch of the day was a native Firetail Gudgeon (Hypseleotris galii). Chris inducted a previous group of cubs into streamwatching a few years ago so in recognition of his continued support he was awarded the special 100th anniversary scarf.

 Wreckage of Ansett Airlines Vickers Viscount aircraft recovered from Botany Bay 1961/62. This airliner crashed into Botany Bay on Nov 30 1961 close to the site of the subsequent runway extension into the Bay.The airliner lost a wing and part of the tailplane and then probably went into a violent roll.  It hit the water at an estimated 450 miles an hour. The wreckage took over 3 months to recover and pieces were found kilometres away on the southern side of the bay. 15 people died in the crash.

   The La Perouse School Art Exhibition was opened at the Laperouse Museum this week.  It features shell art produced by the students.  Shell craft was originally introduced by missionaries and has been particularly associated with La Perouse.  In “Women Artists in the Nineteenth Century” Deborah Cherry and Janice Helland note that “by the mid-1900s Queen Emma’s Shellwork was said to be admired in England as well as throughout Australia”.   Women from La Perouse have continued this tradition as “shellers” since this time.  Link to Powerhouse Museum Items