Category: Crag Archives

My family and I are avid users of Willoughby’s wonderful parks, bushland reserves and and the great network of bush tracks and cycleways. (Incidently, Council has just updated a great brochure called walking and wheeling in Willoughby, I highly recommend it if you want to discover some great walks in our city).

One thing that often irks me is the abandoned shopping trolleys that often seem to escape shopping centres and end up in our streets, parks and worst of all, our creeks. I have requested Council to put a motion at the 2007 Local Government Association Conference requesting that the State Government grant council’s the right to charge for the cost of recovery and disposal of shopping trolleys from public areas.

Currently the percentage of a retailer’s trolleys which become ‘lost’ or stolen and end up in our environment and streets, are written-off as a business expense.

However the full costs of the product, i.e. cradle-to-grave costs, are not being completely included in this economic analysis. The burden of the lost trolleys is being transferred to the public and the environment.

If local government can recover the costs of retrieving lost and abandoned trolleys from retailers it may just tip the economic balance in favour of preventing the trolleys being ‘lost’ in the first place.

The Willoughby Men’s Shed was officially opened on 26 July 2007. Situated in the Northbridge RSL hall (down near the Northbridge Golf Club), the shed is is fully decked out with brand new equipment like table saws, wood and metal lathes, band saws and a state of the art dust extraction system to keep it all crisp and clean.

Any blokes out there who have a project lurking on the back burner or simply want to while away some time with some like minded fellows should contact Council’s Help Line on 97771000 to find out how they can get into it! Experienced hands are on deck to ensure you keep yours safe and sound).
The Spring Festival is back in Willoughby this September for its eleventh year running. The Festival gets bigger, better and more diverse each year. The Street Parade is the highlight and was held on Saturday the 15 September, with dancers, musicians, sporting groups and more weaving their way along Victoria Avenue, showcasing the fabulous talent within the Willoughby community. On display were many inspirational and practical initiatives that can help us all ‘think globally and act locally’.

This coincided with the launch of Willoughby City Council’s draft Sustainability Charter. It is the proposed policy that will oversee all Council’s activities with a view to their sustainability. It has three elements covering social, ecological and economic sustainability. The Charter is in draft form because we are seeking community comment on the policy before consideration or adopting it formally. There are lots of words, but no doubt they encompass the most exciting, meaningful and positive initiatives I have had anything to do with in my time on council. Check it out by typing ‘sustainability charter’ into the search field on Council’s website (hard copies are available from Council). Feedback is most welcome and the Charter is open for comment until 8 January 2008.

Cr Adrian Cox, Sailors Bay Ward

The public forum Keeping Castlecrag Special! sponsored by Willoughby City Council and the Progress Association on 26 October 2004 was a great success with some 100 residents attending.

The forum explored the special qualities of the suburb that the community may seek to retain and helped to explain the processes that are used to achieve the conservation of the built and natural environments. The aim was to demystify the issues and correct misinformation.

With Deputy Mayor Terry Fogarty in the chair, Bob Clark of the Sydney Harbour Trust led the session on Castlecrag’s special character using dramatic images to reinforce his coverage of the special features derived from its harbour setting. He covered the pressures for change and highlighted the scale and design of buildings and the need to retain tree cover as the key issues that need to be addressed if Castlecrag’s special character is to be maintained. With the assistance of projected images showing key elements of Castlecrag’s unique heritage. Bob reminded s that what we do no\w will have major future impact. Castlecrag is different for other places, and it is best to build with an understanding of this local character. As Bob said, people who know Castlecrag say affectionately, “Ah! Castlecrag”.

Professor James Weirick gave a most informative and entertaining presentation on the special features of the suburb that need to be preserved. Her reminded us that Griffin had made a gift of the foreshore and bushland reserves for the whole community, and these set a fundamental structure for development of Castlecrag that persists today.

The Griffin Conservation Area is today protected by DCP 16, and this ensures that the significant features of Castlecrag will be retained. The features that characterise Castlecrag are nationally and internationally recognised – an urban character which respects the character of the landscape, allows sharing of views, encompasses design aimed at conserving the landscape quality, sense of community and social connections; and where the built form is subservient to the natural landscape. Professor Weirick observed that a repeated theme in Castlecrag is the way in which roads have been constructed in the landscape; the roads are small in scale, perhaps inspired by the ancient roads of Japan. This is very different to the roads in most other Sydney suburbs. He detailed some of the techniques that have been used to create buildings subordinate to the landscape. These include disaggregated elements of the building, and integration of gardens with adjacent reserves. It has been demonstrated on many sites that the griffin aims are still relevant and possible to retain, that there is a sense of continuity with the Griffin philosophy here; modern houses are still sited so that the bushland filters the views of the buildings.

John McInerny (Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney and Past President of the Planning Institute of Australia) has had a long contact with Castlecrag. He tackled the myths that are often spread about the financial implications of heritage listing.

John said that the Griffins are classed as one of the most important Australian influences in urban design, and there is increasing international interest in the Castlecrag area. He examined the financial implications of ownership of properties in conservation areas and analysed individual listed item – Vs – conservation areas which contain many such items and have overall landscape controls. John said that there is no doubt that a conservation area classification does add value to a property when compared with equivalent properties outside the conservation area. The development controls for conservation of certain qualities add certainty, and the specific and unique environment is valued. The NSW Heritage Council’s publication, Heritage Listing – benefits for owners, states: “people purchase heritage buildings because they like them”. The document emphasises that heritage listing does not preclude changes. Some agents say that heritage properties are easiest to sell and bring the best prices. Isolated (listed) heritage properties may not appreciate in value as rapidly as those in conservation areas, although an individual heritage listing may improve the value and should not restrict the owners too much. John said that development controls need to be clear and rigorously enforced, quoting John Milne “All that makes existence possible is the enforcement of constraints on other people.”

John gave examples of how good architects can work successfully with new buildings in the urban design framework of conservation areas (e.g. Paddington, Sydney). The Griffin Conservation Area DCP is a good planning instrument; its intention is to re-state Griffin’s vision, and replacement buildings can be an opportunity to reinstate the vision, and to correct some of the mistakes of the 1950s and 1960s.

Peter Moffitt (Architect, Planner, Urban Designer, and Castlecrag Resident) noted that the Willoughby LEP lists over 200 heritage items: they are not all buildings, but many types of items. In a review of the list in 2001, there were an additional 50 properties nominated, many by their owners.

In examining the way in which a heritage listing might affect a property owner, Peter said that a property owner can sell, rent and maintain a property in the normal way – no special approvals are needed. A development application is needed for alterations and additions, and this is the process to allow consideration of the impact on the heritage values of the listed item. There is usually no problem with actions such as updating bathrooms. And a property owner can apply to the Valuer general for a heritage-restricted value on a listed property. Link to Willoughby City Council Heritage Listings.

Willoughby Council’s Environmental Services Director, Greg Woodhams then spoke on Planning Controls and DCPs. He explained that the plan-making process is the means to enunciate the values, through planning controls – such as for the Griffin Conservation Area.

Greg advised that to avoid delays, anyone planning to submit a development application to Council should consult the planning staff early in the process. A heritage impact statement is relatively simple and there is a standard format for guidance. When the development application is lodged with Council, it goes through the examination of Council experts, and neighbours are notified. Issues to be negotiated are identified before a report to Council is prepared. For some applications, a Council Officer can do the report and decision. For the rest, Council makes the decision. Then a construction certificate is issued, and there may be ‘Section 96 modifications’ for small changes. Council or a private certifier carry out mandatory inspections for compliance.

The DCPs for Willoughby City and Castlecrag are very good, because there is an active community. This improves the planning instruments through many inputs, and the DCPs reflect the views of the whole community. Link to Willoughby City Council DCP 19 Heritage & Conservation and DCP Guidelines

The Forum concluded with questions and discussion and the Chair thanked all for their attendance. It was suggested that there should be another such Forum in the future.

Lorraine Cairnes

Download the “Castlecrag Heritage Forum transcribed notes October 2004”

Some 36 Castlecrag residents – new faces, ‘old hands’ and new residents – participated in a public forum at the Progress Association General Meeting at the community centre on 21 August to discuss what they wished to see in our community over the coming 5-10 years. As expected, such an event brought forward a range of views, but there were also key themes of agreement.

One such theme was that Castlecrag’s unique architecture and natural bushland settling have been major drawcards to those who have come to settle here; both for recent arrivals and those who have been here for longer periods. They spoke of the wonderful environment the suburb offers for adults and children alike – of the walking tracks to explore our bushland and harbour vistas, the many examples of innovative buildings that fit snugly into the natural environment, the improvements in children’s playgrounds and the range of voluntary groups that enrich our community. There was string agreement that a key challenge for us all is to protect our built and natural environment and the community-based services that we currently enjoy. The value of our community library was singled out as a service that requires strong support from residents in order to survive.

The efforts of the community, through the Progress Association and other community groups, to protect and conserve Castlecrag’s unique heritage over they years, often in the face of strong opposition by some, was identified as a key factor in maintaining Castlecrag as the ‘special place’ that its residents enjoy today. Several speakers identified the trend towards large houses that dominate the landscape as a major threat to the suburb’s character and natural environment. It was pointed out, however, that while there is a need for constant vigil to ensure that development applications (DAs) comply with Council controls, it has been heartening to see that the proportion of non-complying DAs has diminished in recent years. Nevertheless, factors such as ignorance of the special features of the suburb, aspirations for grander mansions and/or pressure on Willoughby Council to process DAs against time targets mean that some unsatisfactory proposals continue to be put forward.

The village atmosphere that has emerged in our shopping centre over recent years was highlighted by several contributors as a special feature of Castlecrag, although it was felt that further steps could be made to improve the social amenities of the area. Some saw this in terms of improvements to the built environment at the entrance to the suburb; others felt that the enhancement should be made through more trees and shrubs in the streetscape. There was general concern that Council has not been sufficiently vigilant in monitoring the ‘tree butchers’ from electricity companies who mangle street trees in the name of ‘pruning’. There was also agreement that more should be done to protect large trees in the suburb, both on private property and in the reserves.

A number of participants felt that residents should seek to be more sustainable by shopping locally rather than undertaking excessive car travel to other shopping facilities. Of the present range of goods and services, the inability to purchase Travel10 bus tickets at our local shops was raised as a concern, while a good health food shop was identified as a need. Poetry readings and wine tasting events at our local bookshop and restaurants were identified as possible activities to strengthen interaction between local residents and the business community, while design improvements at the Quadrangle were suggested to make it a more welcoming place for people. A grander suggestion was the possibility of a co-operative business in a local shop that brought a wider range of activities to our shopping centre on a rotational basis (eg Thai noodle nights) and fostered closer interaction between community and business.

The Haven Amphitheatre was highlighted as ‘the jewel in the crown’ of our social agenda, but its management committee is constantly looking for ideas on the kind of events that should be held there to ensure its programs are relevant to the community. The recent Australia Day street parties in The Bulwark, The Scarp and The Battlement were put forward as examples of positive initiatives that helped to bring residents together and make newcomers feel welcome. Linden Way and parts of Edinburgh Road were also put forward as examples of this activity.

We would like to hear further suggestions from Castlecrag residents and businesses on the activities and improvements you would like to see in our community in the short- to medium-term. Please write to The Crag, PO Box 4259, Castlecrag 2068 or email us at: editors@castlecrag.org.au

Our native wildlife will be able to breathe easier now that Willoughby City Council has designated a number of Wildlife Protection Areas (WPAs) in our bushland reserves. These are:

• HD Robb Reserve (Castle Cove), the Castlecrag Northern Escarpment and Willis Park (Middle Cove), which are WPAs in their entirety, so no domestic animals, leashed or not, are allowed.
• Explosives Reserve and North Arm Reserve (both in Castle Cove), Flat Rock Gully (Naremburn and Northbridge) and Ferndale Park (West Chatswood), which are WPAs except for walking tracks. Dogs must be leashed and confined to walking tracks.
• Blue Gum Park (West Chatswood) is now a WPA with the exclusion of the walking track between Dulwich Road and Kooba Avenue.

Council is empowered to do this under the Companion Animals Act (1998) and has based this action on the recommendations of its’ Fauna Study (2001) and the Urban Bushland Plan of Management (1997). Both recommended reducing dog access to bushland to protect native wildlife.

The Fauna Study identified a number of areas that provide critical habitat for native animals, some of which are listed under State and Commonwealth legislation as threatened species requiring protection of their habitats, while others have become uncommon in the Sydney Region. The Powerful Owl and Red Crowned Toadlet fall into the first category, while the second includes the echidna, Glebe Gully Skink and Bibron’s Toadlet.

In the WPAs closest to Castlecrag, the bushland between the Sugarloaf and Camp Creek catchments is home to echidnas, the Powerful Owl, Red Crowned Toadlet and Swamp Wallaby, as well as two recently sighted ground-dwelling birds, the Buff-Banded Rail and the rare Lewin’s Rail. There are no formal walking tracks in this large expanse of bushland, so native fauna is not disturbed.

In making their decision, Councillors took into account differing opinions about the impact of domestic animals on wildlife in bushland and the wishes of those who wished to exercise their dogs in reserves. For some residents the bushland provides a pleasant environment in which they and their dog can exercise, but for others the presence of dogs represents the loss of the passive amenity provided by tranquillity and natural values. There are also the harmful impacts of dog faeces and the nuisance behaviour of some animals.

The decision by Councillors seeks to find a balance that satisfies the legitimate environmental and social demands of the community. The WPAs that have been adopted are not as comprehensive as those originally recommended by the Fauna Study, but the designation of these areas, together with your support, will significantly enhance the conservation of native wildlife in our midst.

While there is considerable emphasis on restricting dog access to WPAs, residents should note that the restrictions apply to all domestic animals. Owners are required to keep their cats out of the bush at all times because of their impact on birds, small reptiles and ring-tail possums.

Willoughby Council is second only to Canada Bay in the provision of off-leash exercise areas in the metropolitan area. It provides a brochure and map detailing 14 off-leash areas, which provide 10 hours per day of unrestricted use for dog exercise and socialisation.

Gay Spies

Searching for a Poet Lorikeet, 11 November 2007

All Castlecrag residents are invited to a Sunday afternoon poetry reading get-together outside Sally’s Bookshop at The Griffin Centre on 11 November from 2.30pm to 5-ish. Bring along a piece of poetry that you have written, or has special inspiration in your life. As it is also Remembrance Day, why not some poems on peace and sharing of the world? Of course, some humorous Patterson-style doggerel, or Wordsworth whimsy will be welcome ingredients. Seated out on the verandah we will start about 2.30, take a 30 minute interval at 3.30 for you to get some afternoon tea or some wine from our excellent local shops, then a final hour of entertainment.

All original works will be eligible for the title ‘Poet Lorikeet’, to be selected by a well-versed expert formerly with the Passionate Larks & Wild Night Servers, Lorraine Cairnes. Other prizes donated by your Progress Association will be awarded to junior poets, and poems of special merit.

While entry is FREE, in order to be assured of a seat, please phone our convenor Sally Crawford 9958-5007 or visit Sally’s Bookshop to reserve a seat. Alternative arrangements will be made in case of wet weather or large numbers of participants. Why not book ahead with a Castlecrag restaurant to round off a wonderful afternoon and evening?

CragSitters

In August CragSitters arranged a night out for its Mums at the Bai Yok Thai Restaurant in Castlecrag. This provided a great opportunity for the Mums to have a well deserved night off and meet some other locals. They suggested that we organise a night out for the Dads. So Dads, we will keep you posted on dates and venues.

A follow-up gathering for families was held at Stoker Playground of the CragSitters on 9 September. Despite it being the APEC long weekend, we still had a number of families in attendance. The next gathering is planned for on Sunday 9 December at 3.30pm, again at Stoker Playground in Edinburgh Road. We invite existing and new members to join us on the day.

New members, both families and babysitters are welcome to the group, so if you’re a family who would like to find out more about the group or if you are interested in providing babysitting services, you can email us on cragsitters@yahoo.com.au

Sharie Kennedy-Wren

Community Notice Board

The Council’s notice board near the bus-stop outside The Quadrangle requires repair and the Progress Association has approached Council to attend to these. It also requires those using the board to follow some basic rules.

Please note the board has two sides: the eastern side is for display of notices from Willoughby Council and any of its formal sub-committees including The Haven Amphitheatre and Community Centre. The other side is for established community groups and public notices for local events. It is not for private commercial gain or advertising of events outside Castlecrag, or Willoughby, or personal notices of lost pets or possessions. Notices should be kept to A4 or A5 size.

Roger Page Real Estate kindly holds the keys as a community service to the people of Castlecrag. Please show them the proposed poster before asking for the key, and comply with the rules as to content.

Awards to Local Residents

Congratulations to Antoinette McSharry, who was commended by the judges of this year’s Willoughby Art Prize for her painting A Day in my Life, Sailors Bay in the Willoughby Resident Award sponsored by Willoughby City Council.

The coveted Sheads First National Real Estate 2D Award for Painting & Mixed Media was won by 92-year old Aboriginal painter Loongkoonan from the Kimberley Region of Western Australia for her Bush Tucker in Nyirina Country.

And congratulations to Valda Wilson who has been awarded the Best Soprano Award at this year’s McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge.

Boatshed Centenary

The Sailors Bay Park Boatshed celebrates its centenary this year. The first boatshed at the foot of Rockley Street in Sailors Bay Park was leased in 1907 for a Mr Bob Carr (no known relation of a recent NSW Premier). This was a popular place for families to picnic and hire of rowing skiffs for exploring the foreshores or quietly paddling canoes, as we still do today.

Special Thanks

The Castlecrag community extends special thanks to:

Willoughby Council’s Trades Supervisor Mark Supple and painters Frank and Tony Hecimovic for their recent restoration of the noticeboard at The Griffin Centre. The work demonstrates meticulous rust removal and stabilisation, while the former ‘Heritage Green’ has been replaced with ‘Eucalypt Green’.

The Bai Yok Thai Restaurant for its donation of 137 items of crockery, including 70 large plates, 14 serving platters and 30 coupes. These can be hired cheaply for Castlecrag events by contacting us at: info@castlecrag.org.au

The Haven Notice: Shuttle buses

Do you have a light-rigid bus, mini-bus, people-mover or large car that could help for half-an-hour before and after an event at The Haven amphitheatre? Do you currently hold an ‘LR’ (Light Rigid) licence?

The Haven is looking for volunteers in this area – even occasional help would be a tremendous assistance. Naturally there would be free admissions to shows and other rewards.

Phone Howard Rubie on 0418 648 870 if you can help.

Eric Kaye 1916-2004

Life Member of the Castlecrag Progress Association

Castlecrag lost one of its notable and longstanding citizens with the passing of Eric Kaye on 14 June.

The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Eric’s teenage years sparked his interest in engineering. He joined the Navy and studied engineering at Technical College in the evenings.

Eric married Rita in 1942. They purchased a block of land at 325 Edinburgh Road in 1948 and got local architect and close friend, Chris Sorensen, to design their house. They then spent many years building this house – indeed, Eric was still working on it 50 years later.

Many, many wonderful memories were created at their home. From their deck perched above Middle Harbour, the Kayes were inspired by the magnificent natural landscape.

During his successful engineering career with the Australian Navy, Eric took possession of the Navy’s first computer in the United Kingdom, and spent several years in Washington DC where he and Rita made many close friends and became interested in the human rights movement.

Eric held an abiding love for Castlecrag and established a strong relationship with the whole Castlecrag community. He was a passionate advocate for the natural environment, and it was under Eric’s guidance as president of the Castlecrag Progress Association that the successful campaign against the extension of the Warringah Expressway through the bushland of the northern escarpment of Castlecrag, was fought during the 1980s.

In 1980, Eric was elected to Willoughby Council. He stated that his aim was to preserve Castlecrag’s quiet beauty for the enjoyment of Sydney’s future generations. He was re-elected in 1983, becoming Deputy Mayor in 1985. His role as an alderman was one in which he took great pride.

Eric served on the advisory committee that prepared an environmental study of the Castlecrag Peninsula for Willoughby Council from 1980. The report, released in 1982, established the basic guidelines for the future development of the suburb.

A natural leader but a self-effacing person, Eric will be fondly remembered and missed by those in the Willoughby and wider community who were fortunate to know and love him.

Luke Hastings/Editors

Each community group and organisation is founded on shared aspirations and beliefs and a common purpose. As each group interacts with the wider populace and other groups, it helps weave the rich fabric that makes a vibrant community tapestry. Accordingly even those who do not endorse every belief of another group have reason to celebrate its achievements as a contribution to the greater good of the community.

On Sunday 22 July, the congregation of St James Church welcomed all Castlecrag residents, via its new wheelchair accessible entrance, to celebrate the 60th (‘Diamond’) Anniversary of the first Church of England (now Anglican) service in Castlecrag. (A ‘church’ refers to a body of people professing the same Christian creed, not merely the edifice for public Christian worship.)

Originally in the Parish of St Thomas’, North Sydney, the Castlecrag area became the responsibility of St Stephen’s Willoughby, when that Church was founded. Archdeacon H S Begbie became Rector of St Stephen’s in 1921 and soon purchased land in Willoughby and Castlecrag. The Castlecrag site was on the corner of Edinburgh Road and The Parapet, but was subsequently sold when a new minister took over at St Stephen’s.

There were no services in Castlecrag until July 1947 when 16 people assembled at the home of Jack and Dorothy O’Connor. Worship at this venue continued for seven years. The name St James was chosen as younger brother of St John, the Willoughby sibling church. A Parents and Friends Association was also formed, making thousands of cakes and bottles of jam to raise funds for the Sunday School and proposed church building. By August 1949 a Building Fund was established and by April 1950 thanks to the generosity of Mr FW Turton, the rocky site on 184-186 Edinburgh Road was acquired.

On 24 July 1954, the lower church hall was opened and dedicated by Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia, the Most Reverend H W K Mowll. This building served as a church, Sunday school and concert hall and centre of community activities. By 1956, the congregation had outgrown it and every Anglican family was approached for donations enabling a decision to build a new building and acquire adjoining land for a future church centre.

The present Church was designed by local architect John Brindley and features the acclaimed Bim Hilder foyer mural depicting scenes from Apostle James’ life. In November 1969 the Church Centre was dedicated by Bishop Hulme–Moir, a fitting climax to the work of Rev C E Reynolds, his planners and builders. The large debt incurred was repaid via musical comedies organized by Dorothy O’Connor with local youth, and Annual Art Shows organized by June and Barry Raymond. In 1987, St James Church was finally consecrated by the Bishop of North Sydney, the Right Rev D Cameron.

At the present, services are held at 8am each Sunday and the Sunday school has recently re-opened under the guidance of our youth worker Richard Sercombe. Bishop Peter Watson is the interim minister until Rev Robert Cameron arrives in February 2008.Each Christmas members carry out ‘Operation Caring Christmas’ delivering small cakes and similar ’goodies’ to residents who are unable to get out. If you would like to receive, or to give, please contact St James’ members.

Today, St James’ elegant design in light face-brick and stone tower topped by an unadorned wooden cross, floodlit at night, is a pleasing landmark and symbol of community cooperation that welcomes all. Please contact us on 9958 4377.

Bev Westwood and Esther Leslie, with Bruce Wilson

Marguerite (Rita) Elizabeth Kaye:

1917-2003

Marguerite Elizabeth Kaye, who has died aged 86, was a resident of Castlecrag for nearly 60 years and a former editor of The Crag. She is survived by her husband, Eric, her daughter, Barbara, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Marguerite, affectionately known as Rita, was born at home in Paddington on 3 July 1917. She was one of six children of Fred and Ethel Miller, and their only girl. After living in various houses in Sydney’s east, Rita’s family moved to Northbridge. Rita attended a youth fellowship group at St Mark’s church in Northbridge. She regularly attended the local movie theatre (near to the current Woolworths) on a Saturday. On one Saturday, Rita noticed a fine looking gentleman in the theatre queue and determined that they should meet. You will not be surprised to learn that Eric Kaye was oblivious to all but the newsreels and movies that he had gone to view. In stark contrast to the times, Rita brashly invited Eric to accompany her to a dance of the youth fellowship group and the rest, as they say, is history. Rita and Eric were married on 21 February 1942.

Rita and Eric always had a great love for the outdoors and their honeymoon was spent bushwalking from Bungonia down the Grose Valley to the Kangaroo Valley, including passing through the Blue Gum Forest, later photographed by another former resident of Castlecrag, Max Dupain. After they were married Rita and Eric moved from their family homes into “Wee Jean”, a shack at the end of the Castlecrag peninsula. In 1945 and 1947, they had two lovely young girls – Barbara and Margaret.

In 1948, Rita and Eric had almost saved enough for a deposit on a block of land further up the hill. They bargained the owner down and purchased 325 Edinburgh Road, an address that would remain theirs for more than 50 years.
In this post-war period materials were in short supply so the construction of their family home took a number of years. Rita was actively involved in the building and often told of her pride in the walls she had plastered. Many, many wonderful memories were created at 325 Edinburgh Road.

It is not hard to understand why Rita and Eric were attracted to Castlecrag. However, Rita and Eric did not merely adopt this suburb, they adopted the entire community. Rita became a voluntary librarian at the Community Library. Rita and Eric were members of the Castlecrag Progress Association for more than 50 years. Among the many tasks she undertook, Rita worked tirelessly to raise funds for community projects such as building the Castlecrag Kindergarten. Rita and Eric participated in numerous community campaigns opposed to the construction of the proposed Warringah Freeway which would have devastated their suburb. As we know, this was ultimately successful. Rita took on the role of Editor of The Crag for many years.

Another role in which Rita took immense personal pride was in the regeneration of Castlecrag’s bush. She participated in various groups, including one led by Beverley Blacklock and, more recently, WEPA’s Bush Regeneration team working in the Sugarloaf Catchment Creek.

Rita made many, many friends in Castlecrag, who will sadly miss her and fondly remember her.

There are some who pass this way and it is difficult to recall what, if any, impact they have made for doing so. Rita was not one of them. The contribution which she made during her life – to her family, her community and to her husband – is substantial and lasting.

Castlecrag is one of four communities selected for an exploration of ‘Life in the Australian city’, one of ten broad themes governing the National Museum of Australia’s (NMA) new permanent gallery due to open in August 2009.

The Creating a Country Gallery aims to represent the encounters of ideas, people and places that are signposts in the evolution of Australia’s social, political and economic forms. The detailed explorations of particular places will reveal the circumstances that produced these historical encounters, locating them in their geographical and social contexts.

For the exhibit on the Australian city, the NMA has deliberately avoided an abstract centred on the usual themes of the colonial townscape, changes to transportation and the growth of suburbia. This exhibit, like all the others in the new gallery, considers its theme from the perspective of place. Castlecrag will stand alongside displays on Bennelong Point, suburban Brisbane in the late-nineteenth century and Rottnest Island in Western Australia. Visitors will be encouraged to view each place as a particular reflection about how we have built our cities, how they have changed, and how we have responded to life in an urban environment.

The history of Castlecrag offers a fascinating way of exploring and reflecting on the ideas and values that have shaped our homes and our cities. An exhibit on Castlecrag has many tantalizing possibilities. Broadly speaking, the exhibit aims to introduce visitors to the Griffins’ social and architectural vision for a planned residential community. While the objects will tell how Marion and Walter went about building a unique suburban plan, visitors should leave with a strong sense of the Griffins’ philosophical understanding of urban life, the fusion between the natural and built worlds and the kind of society they dreamed of fostering.

The Castlecrag exhibit will revolve around four major themes. The first will consider the creation of Castlecrag and the Greater Sydney Development Association (GSDA). Here the primary objects will be colourful advertising and promotional material held by the National Library and the fabulous cinema advertisement, Beautiful Middle Harbour. The second theme centres on the knitlock machines held by the National Museum of Australia. I have written elsewhere that on first sight of these wondrous machines, I was unsure if they were an elaborate steel clothing press or some kind of medieval torture device. Patented in 1919, Griffin first experimented with the knitlock system in Melbourne and intended to build knitlock homes in Canberra. Yet, it was at Castlecrag where the knitlock system began to take on a much broader cultural significance. It has come to embody both Griffin’s idealism as well as his commitment to a practical, adaptable and democratic architecture.

The third theme heads inside to consider some of the values and attitudes inherent in the Griffins’ approach to interior design. In 1912, the strong-willed Marion revealed something of her attitude to cluttered, over furnished homes (amongst other things!) when she wrote:

The confusion to which we doom ourselves when we use figured wall papers, figured rugs, figured curtains, figured upholstery, is responsible for much of the weariness of the women who spend so much of their time in the house, for peevishness of children…and for [the] crouchiness of men who need rest when they come home from a day’s work…

A spartan Griffin designed desk and lampshade will be key objects in this part of the exhibit.

The final theme has a strong accent on the community of Castlecrag, both in the past and in recent times. Visitors to the gallery should sense the continuity between the Griffins’ vision and the current residents of Castlecrag who continue to celebrate this historical legacy. Few objects convey this with more force that the giant puppets of Walter and Marion. Like the other places being explored in the Australian Cities exhibit, Castlecrag will not be presented in some kind of historical time-warp, dislocated from present day concerns. Indeed, it is the continuities as well as the disjunctions with the past that will make for a fascinating, relevant and lively exhibit. In this vein, I look forward to recording (in a format to be determined) some stories about life in Castlecrag, life in a Griffin home, what attracted people to the area, and most importantly, some of the issues the suburb faces today.

Daniel Oakman, Curator

National Museum of Australia

The 2003 Castlecrag Community Fair on 1 June was an outstanding success. Fine weather brought large crowds and the event served its purpose of bringing our community together. Once again, our mayor, Pat Reilly, officially opened the Fair and met with many of those attending.

All our community groups in The Crag conducted stalls or activities at the Fair and Willoughby Council was well represented with a range of education displays. There was a range of items on sale and all the community groups reported good support for their activities.

The Association extends a big thank you to Kathy Rosenmeyer and her helpers at the Trash and Treasure stall. We are indebted to all those who helped make this such a success. Thanks are also extended to the businesses which participated in the Fair and helped to make it a wonderful day for our community: Castlecrag Newsagent, Shamrock Meats, Rodney Clark, Castlecrag Florist, Castlecrag Quality Meats, Castlecrag Fruiterers, Momo Interiors, Castlecrag Pharmacy, Galleria, Mia, Travelplan Australia, Lunch, Clipso, Christina’s Restaurant, The Professionals, LJ Hooker, PRD Nationwide, Richardson & Wrench, Treats & Temptations, Flavours of Peking, Source and Castlecrag Cellars. With this generous assistance, we covered the cost of staging the Fair and there was a small surplus.