LAPEROUSE

Environmentally Speaking 23 Autumn 2010

Celebrating Achievements in Health, Safety and Environment (Qenos Olefines winners); Xin Yan Tai  Super Container Ship in Botany Bay;  The Failure of Free-Market Economics; Our Home Grown Applebys; Christmas Special from Premier;  Clean Up Australia Day;  Focus on Freight for Rudd

2010 National Trust Heritage Festival
 ‘The Making of Our Nation’
9 – 24 April

“… our future is not as a penal colony … but a free settlement …”
 Gov. Lachlan Macquarie

The Friends of the Laperouse Museum will lead a walk around the Macquarie Watchtower and interpret nearby sites.  Refreshments will be served on the verandah of the Museum afterwards.

10.15am on 18th April- free but bookings essential: Telephone:   92527262

Link to full program of National Trust Events

Saturday 17 April 2010 2 pm to 4 pm
Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens
Mrs Macquaries Road Sydney. Enter via Woolloomooloo Gate
$15 per person (Friends of The Gardens $13)
Includes refreshments
Bookings: 9231 8304 / 9231 8134
Royal Botanic Gardens Talk & Walk Series

Sir Joseph Banks was one of the most influential naturalists of his
time and during this walk through the Gardens you will discover his
contribution to the botanic world. Viewing of images from the
Royal Botanic Gardens’ edition of the Banks’ Florilegium included.

extract from Tony Fitzgerald’s address to the Accountability Round Table, 11th March 2010, Monash University - full text

………….. I propose to say something more – for the last time – of my pessimism about the increasing domination of Australia’s public life by the small self-interested groups who control the major political parties, who increasing seem unconcerned that their political authority is held for the benefit of the Australian public & that their duty is to govern in the public interest, not for political advantage.

A harmonious civil society rests on essential pillars, including individual freedom, non-discriminatory equality, the rule of [just] law, the distribution of power & effective checks & balances. Moreover, as Chief Justice Warren of the United States Supreme Court pointed out many years ago “Law ….. presupposes the existence of a broad area of human conduct controlled only by ethical norms and not subject to Law at all.” That aphorism sits uneasily with the realities of 21st century Australian politics.

However, until official misconduct becomes sufficiently egregious & notorious to overcome community cynicism & generate public outrage, few Australians seem troubled by, or even interested in, structural & systemic flaws in our political process & public administration. Citizens who are not directly affected by a law or official action or decision are generally more concerned with day-to-day financial and other personal considerations than with the misuse of power or the impact of injustice on others.

This general apathy is not really surprising. (more…)

It was a record turnout of 105 at Congwong Bay for the 20th Anniversary of Cleanup Australia Day. The strongest representation this year came from the under 10s (24).  Males outnumbered females 64 to 41, and adults outnumbered children 56 to 49.  Woollahra Pathfinders were here again along with district scouts and cubs -  1st Little Bay, 1st Kingsford Smith and  Kensington 3rd/4th-  Streamwatch and  members from the La Perouse Precinct Committee.  41 bags of rubbish were collected in addition to an umbrella, three buckets, one bin and a surfboard.  The Fishcare  team at Brown’s Rock collected 6 bags  and dragged the smelly debris up the hill for collection by National Parks staff.

The early participants started on Little Congwong and moved around to Big Congwong.  By 9.30 the bulk of the work was complete and late starters moved off to collect around Frenchmans.  At 10.30 members of  Scouting groups conducted an award ceremony and enjoyed a swim and picnic.

A big thankyou to Lionel  from National Parks who  set up the marquee, table and chairs and collected bags from collection points,  and to  Randwick Council who collected the rubbish piled in Cann Park.

(Photos top - bottom: Little Congwong 9.30 and all finished.  Onto Big Congwong - the dunes,  the Lagoon and back up the stairs; a cross-section from the groups (Scouts, Pathfinders, Precinct) with some of the collection; the Scouts finishing the day with an award ceremony; and finally Lionel packing up the marquee).

On the previous Friday staff from Sydney Ports conducted their regular CleanUP Australia Day at Bicentennial Park, Yarra Bay.  Despite the rain there was a strong turnout with three La Perouse Precinct members adding support.

Daily Telegraph April 30 1933, S. (Sam) J. Hood (1870-1953)  Photographer:  Father Edmund Bond celebrating Mass at La Perouse at Receveur Grave,  with the then recently built Bunnerong Power Station in background.   Link to more photographs

Below from L- R:

Scan of image of sketch with the following note on the bottom:A Plan of the Two allotments of Ground, on the North Shore of Botany Bay, released by His Excellency Sir Thomas Brisbane KCB etc etc etc to Monsr Le Baron De Bougainville Commanding His Most Christian Majesty’s Ship Thetis, for the purpose of erecting Monuments to the Memory of Count De La Perouse & Father Le Receveur. J Oxley Sgt. Sept 8^th 1825’.  Scan of image of sketch/drawing of a ‘Plan, shewing [sic] 2 areas to be transferred to the French Government’ [La Perouse Monument & Le Receveur’s Grave]. Note on reverse reads; ‘From Plan Dept of Lands, 1918′.

The La Perouse Precinct meets the first Monday of each month at 7pm at Prince Henry Community Centre -  except in January when there is no meeting and October when the meeting is shifted to the second Monday because of the Public Holiday.  The final meeting for the year is the Precinct Christmas Party.

Dates for 2010 are as follows:

Feb 1, March 1, April 12, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 11, November 1, December 6

Full Details about the Precinct