The Bilpin Hall, a historic and essential community hub, is at the centre of a growing controversy as the committee responsible for its management debates significant changes to its constitution. At issue is a proposal from the newly elected committee to amend the constitution to allow funds to be used for community programs rather than solely for infrastructure improvements.

The Hall, built in the 1960s on land that was part of an 1883 Travelling Stock Reserve, replaced an earlier Memorial Hall and has long served as a vital meeting place for the Bilpin district. Over its history, the Hall has supported the community through a range of services, including health and wellbeing initiatives, education programs, recreational activities, and a weekly local produce market.

Currently, the committee’s constitution mandates the management of the building and grounds and the use of raised funds exclusively for facility improvements. With approximately $23,000 in the bank, the proposed constitutional change would allow these funds to support community programs directly. A Special General Meeting (SGM) has been scheduled for December 10 to vote on the proposal, but the process has already sparked significant debate.

Increased Membership and Unclear Meeting Location

The proposed changes have resulted in a surge of interest from the community, with over 20 new applications to join the Hall Committee. It is believed that many of these new members oppose the constitutional amendment, leading to uncertainty about the outcome of the vote. Application forms to join the committee are available from the Bilpin Post Office. The email address for the Hall Committee is Bilpindistricthall@gmail.com

Adding to the controversy is confusion over the meeting’s location. While the SGM notice specifies the date and time, it omits the venue—a requirement under the committee’s governance rules. Traditionally, committee meetings have been held at the Hall, but the new committee has moved meetings to a private residence. This change has raised concerns about transparency and accessibility, potentially affecting participation in the crucial vote.

Community Concerns

For many in Bilpin, the Hall is more than just a building—it is a cornerstone of the community. Concerns about how the proposed changes might alter the Hall’s role and its financial priorities have sparked a vigorous debate. Proponents argue that expanding the constitution would enable the committee to provide much-needed programs for the community. Critics, however, cite the range of existing programs provided by government and private individual at the Hall to meet the needs of the community as being adequate; and fear the proposed change will dilute the focus on maintaining the Hall’s infrastructure reducing long-term sustainability.

Governance Challenges

The situation also underscores the importance of clear and transparent governance. The omission of the meeting venue from the SGM notice and the shift to private locations for committee meetings have left some community members questioning the committee’s adherence to its own rules.

Looking Ahead

With the SGM fast approaching, the Bilpin community faces a pivotal moment. Whether the proposed changes are accepted or rejected, the process has highlighted the deep connection between the Hall and the people it serves. Ensuring that this debate is conducted openly and fairly will be critical to preserving trust in the committee and the Hall’s future.

As the Bilpin Hall Committee navigates this contentious period, one thing remains clear: the Hall’s historical and cultural significance continues to inspire passionate engagement from the community who built it.

In a surprising development, Hawkesbury Council compliance officers have turned their attention toward the region’s longstanding tradition of homemade jam production, a craft that has sustained local farmers and delighted visitors for over 230 years. This scrutiny follows an inspection last week of a local roadside stall, initiated after a complaint about customer seating arrangements, which has now escalated to include the products being sold, notably those of elderly, small-scale producers.

The council officers reportedly photographed items on display, including jars of jam made by an 80-year-old local woman who has spent years using her skills to preserve seasonal farm produce and support her livelihood. Shortly after the visit, she received a call from Council officials who inquired whether she had development consent to manufacture jam and informed her that, without it, she would need to submit a formal Development Application (DA).

The requirement to submit a DA has raised concerns across the community, as Hawkesbury Council has one of the longest and most expensive DA processes in New South Wales. Currently, the Council’s DA process takes on average, more than 46 days to accept an application for lodgement—just the beginning of what can become a months-long journey through a web of requirements and regulations. The costs of applying for a DA can also be burdensome, with fees potentially running into thousands of dollars depending on the nature of the application.

For small-scale producers, many of whom sell their goods to operators of roadside stalls, the requirement to secure development consent threatens not only the viability of their operations but also the preservation of a local tradition that has become deeply embedded in Hawkesbury’s rural identity. This move is the latest in a series of recent actions by Council that local business advocates argue could risk discouraging small, home-based enterprises that have operated harmoniously for generations.

For many, the Hawkesbury Council’s insistence on compliance with high-cost, time-consuming processes appears to be at odds with supporting local producers. The community is left wondering why a tradition that has been embraced for generations should suddenly face obstacles at a time when small, local enterprises are struggling to survive.

Hawkesbury Council’s latest action risks impacting not only the livelihoods of elderly residents and small-scale jam makers but also the cultural fabric of the Hawkesbury region itself. As residents brace for further inspections, many are left questioning whether Council policies are in line with preserving the area’s unique heritage.

The first stage of the Hawkesbury Council election results has been determined by the NSW Electoral Commission. Based on the initial count, the new council lineup includes representation from various political groups, with nine of the 12 councillor positions filled:

• Liberal Party: 3 councillors
• Labor Party: 1 councillor
• Greens: 1 councillor
• Small Business Party: 1 councillor
• Shooters Fishers Farmers: 1 councillor
• Mary Lyons Buckett: 1 councillor
• Nathan Zamprogno: 1 councillor

As the vote count continues, the race for the final three seats remains open. Current projections suggest one more position could go to the Liberal Party, with the remaining two likely contested between Shooters Fishers Farmers and Labor. However, these results are subject to change as the count progresses.

For real-time updates, you can follow the vote tally here.

Councillors’ Visions for Hawkesbury

PHOTO Councillors signing from the same hymn book at a meet the candidate event held at Kurrajong Heights Bowling Club. “The community hopes this level of goodwill between candidates is maintained as they are confirmed as Councillors” Clint can you pull a photo from this video https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mV80dtir7CsBfE6GFP19341QCKO2ihs0/view?usp=sharing or just use the one attached. I know the quality is crap. 

Danielle Wheeler – Greens
Danielle Wheeler remains a strong advocate for environmental protection, heritage preservation, and increased community engagement. She plans to focus on expanding tree canopy, supporting the Koala Plan of Management, and improving public amenities for residents.

Mary Lyons-Buckett – Independent
A dedicated voice for disaster resilience and cultural enhancement, Mary Lyons-Buckett aims to further develop the creative and tourism sectors while restoring trust within the Council. She advocates for greater efficiency and accountability in local governance.

Shane Djuric – Shooters Fishers Farmers
Shane Djuric, known for protecting local landmarks and championing community-driven initiatives, is set to push for audits of Council performance and streamlined development application (DA) processes.

Nathan Zamprogno – Independent
Nathan Zamprogno’s platform focuses on transparency, road infrastructure improvements, and reducing the Council’s backlog on essential projects. He remains committed to creating a more collaborative and outward-facing Council.

Sarah McMahon – Liberal Party
Sarah McMahon has a proven track record in securing infrastructure investments. Her re-election campaign focused on stable economic management, improving roads, and delivering much-needed infrastructure grants.

Eddie Dogramaci – Small Business Party
Eddie Dogramaci has been a fearless critic of local maladministration. His vision includes replacing Council management with seasoned professionals, ensuring transparency in Council activities, and addressing hidden operational costs that affect the local economy.

Next Steps in the Election

The final three councillor positions will be determined as vote counting progresses. The Hawkesbury community eagerly awaits the completion of this process, which will define the full makeup of its leadership for the coming term.

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https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/we-could-not-hold-it-can-you-fight-fire-with-fire-20231212-p5eqzu.html

The Mt Tomah Berambing Community Association held its AGM on 12 August and about 30 people attended. With the State electoral boundary running through Berambing, both the Blue Mountains State MP, Trish Doyle and the Hawkesbury MP, Robyn Preston, were there.
Both MP’s expressed support for the proposal which is for a new ambulance station to be built in Berambing, and for it to also serve as a Neighbourhood Safer Place during bushfire emergencies.
Support of our local MPs is crucial as we now need to present the case to the Minister for Health, Hon Ryan Park MP.
The Association noted that the previous minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, approved a second ambulance station in the Hawkesbury electorate, but its location was not decided.
“We are pressing for it to be in Berambing, as a logical midpoint between the existing stations in Richmond and Lithgow. This is the best way to maximise coverage and improve service response times for everyone along the BLOR.”
Having an ambulance station located 45 minutes away from the nearest hospital can offer several advantages including a significantly reduced response times in emergency situations. Also our aging population means an increased occurrence of medical emergencies.
A quicker response time can mean the difference between life and death for patients with critical medical conditions, trauma, or other emergencies. It would also be beneficial for disaster preparedness.
Ambulance staff stationed in the area can become familiar with local geography, road conditions, and potential challenges, allowing them to navigate efficiently and make informed decisions during emergencies.
The Ambulance Station could also double as a Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP) in the event of bushfire emergencies. While Mt Tomah Fire Station is now an NSP, it doesn’t assist the residents of Berambing as the usual fire path divides these communities in two, making a need for an NSP at Berambing as well as Mt Tomah.

SafeWork NSW issued fireworks permits to Chapel Hill Wedding Centre Berambing for two weddings, a fortnight apart in November. The firework events were each about 6 minutes duration.

Chapel Hill was required to notify property owners one week before the events. Instead, they decided to notify the neighbours a month in advance.

About seven property owners objected. The primary objections were that fireworks would distress their animals.

The police broke up a protest demonstration about the fireworks, held at the entrance to Chapel Hill as guests were arriving for the first wedding. The display was held about 10pm that evening for about 6 minutes.

Negative reviews were made on the wedding centre’s Facebook page by protesters and further complaints were lodged with Council, WorkSafe and other agencies involved in the fireworks approval process. The next wedding fireworks was scheduled for two weeks later.

Chapel Hill was contacted by Council on the morning of 21 November 2023 by Cr Mary Lyons Buckett who left a message that a notice of motion to act on fireworks would be made at the Council meeting that evening.

At Hawkesbury Council’s meeting a motion was passed that Council write to SafeWork NSW asking that the permit to hold the second wedding fireworks display at Chapel Hill be revoked, and Council adopt a fireworks policy that Queanbeyan Council has implemented. This motion was approved.

Hawkesbury Council’s new fireworks policy allows for 100mm fireworks to be used for a period of up to 30 minutes. Chapel Hill permit was for smaller 65mm fireworks for 6minutes.

This new policy will allow Council to hold its annual Australia Day fireworks displays at Hanna Park North Richmond, lighting up the night sky above the surrounding lowlands paddocks including horse properties around the polo fields.

The Hawkesbury District Agricultural Society, who annually gather all the areas prized animals together and conduct a firework display above their heads at the Hawkesbury Show don’t have to worry about Council’s new policy either.

After receiving the letter from Hawksbury Council SafeWork NSW withdrew the permit for the second wedding fireworks at Chapel Hill.