Category: Crag Archives

Our AGM on Sunday 4th May was well-attended and Guest Speaker Linda Cardew gave a most interesting and informative talk on the Civic Place proposal.

Kate Westoby in her President’s Report gave the following summary of the Association’s activities over the past year:

Guest speakers at our meetings have included Greg Woodhams, Council’s Director of Environmental Services, who spoke on the thorny issue of Development Applications. For those with interest in the history of Willoughby, local resident Ian Rannard gave a fascinating talk on the market gardens which once flourished in the area bounded by Eastern Valley Way and Alpha Road. At an earlier meeting, Council’s Traffic Engineer Tony Lehmann outlined proposals for traffic calming installations in Castlecrag, with members of the audience giving suggestions for revisions in keeping with the special heritage nature of Castlecrag.

After its long gestation period, we are happy to report that the Association’s website is now available. We thank Karen Benhar for her professional input.

Recently, the longstanding matter of the Foreshore Building Line has finally been resolved, and the Progress Association congratulates Council for bringing to conclusion a difficult process that needed to address a wide range of interests. While all groups will no doubt have some disappointment at the final result – ours being that the FBL on the Northern Escarpment is not as strong as the line we had hoped for – nevertheless, the outcome will provide significant protection for our foreshores over the coming years.

The Committee prepared a submission regarding Council’s corporate signage in parks, reserves and walkways. This was successful in getting Council’s support for installing the Bim Hilder-designed bronze plaques which have been used in various locations in Castlecrag over past years.

The Progress Association sends delegates to the Federation of Willoughby Progress Associations which meets every two months, for information-sharing meetings on matters of concern to the wider Willoughby community. The Federation has recently made a detailed submission to Council on the revision of DCP 27 which covers notification of Development Applications to interested parties.

Thank you to the hard-working committee which meets every alternate month to our general meetings, and tackles a wide range of issues of importance to maintaining the unique character of Castlecrag.

Kate Westoby, President

On Census night, 8 August 2006, householders in every house in Australia filled out their Census forms. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has now released the ‘QuickStats’ – see: www.censusdata.abs.gov.au

So what secrets do our 1022 private dwellings contain? Some Castlecrag numbers and percentage proportions are summarised below, with occasional comparisons where there are interesting differences with the Sydney Statistical District (the most relevant comparison) and Australia as a whole.

Population: 2807 (Syd 4.12M; Aus 19.9M); Females: 50.2% (Syd/Aus 50.7%).

Ages: 0-14 years, 650 (23.2%; Syd/Aus 20.7%); 15-24 years, 302 (10.8%; Syd/Aus 13.8%); 25-54 years, 1079 (38.4%; Syd 44%,Aus 42%); 55-64 years, 372 (13.3%; Syd 10.2%,Aus 11%); 65 years and over, 405 (14.4%; Syd 12.3%,Aus 13.3%). The median age is 41 years (Syd 35, Aus 37).

Citizenship: 88.9% (Syd 83%, Aus 86%).

Born overseas: 878 (31.3%; Syd 31.7%,Aus 22%).

Country of birth: Australia 1844 (65.7%; Syd 60.4%, Aus 71%); England 174 (6.2%; Syd 3.5%); New Zealand 59 (2.1%; Syd 2.6%); Hong Kong 58 (2.1%); South Africa 45 (1.6%); China 44.

Languages spoken at home: English only 82% (Syd 64%; Aus 79%); Cantonese & Mandarin 138; German 39; Japanese 37; Hungarian.

Religious affiliation: Catholic 748 (26.6%; Syd 29.7%); Anglican 737 (26.3%; Syd 18%); No Religion 547 (19.5%; Syd 14%, Aus 19%); Uniting Church 106 (3.8%); Judaism 98 (3.5%). (Note that Sydney includes 4.3% Eastern Orthodox; 3.9% Islam).

Marital status of Over 15s: Married 67% (Syd 50%); Never married 22% (Syd 34%); Separated or divorced 6.1% (Syd 10%); Widowed 4.5% (Syd 5.6%).

Income of Over 15s: Median weekly individual income $932 (Syd $578, Aus $440). Median weekly household income $2672 (Syd $1154, Aus $1027).

Family characteristics: 804 families, including 472 couple families with children (59%; Syd 49%, Aus 45%); 262 couple families without children (33%; Syd/Aus 37%); 63 one-parent families (8%; Syd/Aus 16%).

Dwellings: 1022, with 947 occupied on 8/8/06; 931 separate houses (98%; Syd 62%, Aus 75%).

Median weekly rent: $600 (Syd $250, Aus $190).

Median housing loan repayment: $3000/month (Syd $1800,Aus $1300).

Average household size: 3.0 (Syd/Aus 2.7); av. 1.1 persons per bedroom.

Fully-owned houses: 468 (49.4%; Syd/Aus 30%); Being purchased 331 (35%; Syd 31%); Rented 117 (12.4%; Syd 30%). Of the 947 occupied private dwellings, 797 (84%) were family households (Syd 68%); 125 (13%) were lone person households (Syd 22%). Of the 117 privately rented dwellings, 90 were via real estate agents (77%; Syd 62%).

Bruce Wilson

In April 1998 Willoughby City Council established the Griffin Reserves Advisory Committee and its members consist of residents of Castlecrag, the Councillors of our Ward and Council staff. Its functions are to review the current Plan of Management for the Griffin Reserves in Castlecrag as it relates to the ongoing implementation, development, work and management of these areas and to advise on aspects of the use, control management of Griffin Reserves for consideration by Council. Its duties include monitoring and advising Council on the health and condition of bushland in the reserves and encouraging the visitation, promotion and enhancement of the natural and built features of the Griffin Reserves.

Much work has in the Reserves and Islands has been overseen by this committee since 1998. The work has been done using bush regeneration contractors and in some reserves working with residents. It is funded by Council. The nature of the work is necessarily slow and it will be some years before Griffin’s entire system of inter-related Walkways and Reserves is again able to be used safely. Regeneration and planting in The Buttress Reserve, below The Tower Reserve, has been underway for some time, but last week the contractor arrived to start work and was horrified to discover that vandals had ripped out plants and slashed or destroyed trees. All her efforts to restore the natural vegetation of this reserve had been made null and void.

Griffin’s vision for Castlecrag was one in which the natural landscape, not the built form was the dominant feature. The Plan of Management seeks to re-establish this vision and it is a matter of deep disappointment that some would seek to destroy this. Let us hope that The Buttress, after further regeneration work, and as the other Reserves are demonstrating, will become the place of natural loveliness it was planned to be.

Elizabeth Lander

Castlecrag mourns Battlement resident of 56 years, Neville Milston. Some 120 friends celebrated his life on 25 July, addressed by colleagues from the North Shore Temple Emmanuel, The Jewish Ex-Servicemen’s Association and the Masonic Lodge of Tranquility.

Born 1920 in Leichhardt, then growing up in Coogee, Neville had to leave school at 14 during the Depression to help in his parents’ gifts business. In 1938 he enlisted in the Citizens Military Forces at 18 as Hitler entered Czechoslovakia and he joined the AIF in 1941, became a radio operator and was shipped out to Malaya. His 8th Division Signals were ordered to join a British military post, but all had to surrender, and were imprisoned in infamous Changi.

Neville then spent 42 months building the 450km Burma Railway, working from 5am to 6pm on starvation rations and dropping from 60kg to a life-threatening 40kg. More than one-third of his comrades died. Liberated in August 1945 he needed extensive rehabilitation before returning to civilian life, and was awarded the Efficiency Medal. [For recollections see www.ajn.com.au April 2007]

In 1949 he met Madge Grouse, a Jewish ex-servicewoman who had seen duty in New Guinea. They married and moved to Castlecrag in 1951 ready to start living life to the full for their next 50 years together. Their three children – Michael, Richard and Leah (and two foster children) – and “their” suburb absorbed them.
Helping build the Infants School, raising of funds for the Walter Burley Griffin Fountain, the Castlecrag Conservation Society and the annual Red Cross Appeal, working for Meals-On-Wheels and other charitable and community endeavours were all part of community involvement. And in 1981 Neville completed a Bachelor of Arts degree: “to get the education I missed out when I was young”, he said.

His three loves outside the family were the Australian Labor Party (he was awarded the McKell Award in 2003 for long and distinguished service), the Masonic Lodge, and Liberal Judaism. It appears that his continued active involvement in such community groups was an important ingredient in his physical and mental longevity…… perhaps a lesson for us all.

He was active to his last day, often seen at the local shops, never mentioning his own ill-health, and always a kind word and empathy for others’ concerns. He passed away in his sleep. We shall miss his great contribution to our community. Shalom Neville.

Bruce Wilson

Burley’s café and restaurant

Many residents will be aware that a new café and restaurant, Burley’s opened at Shop 5, The Quadrangle, in early March, which was formerly Lunch Café & Restaurant. The owners, Malcolm and Janet McLune, have named their venture after Castlecrag’s famous founder and designer, Walter Burley Griffin. Featuring refurbished premises and Modern Australian cuisine, Burley’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as coffee anytime in between. The chef aims to have regular changes of menu and also offers daily specials.

Sydney Butcher Boys

The butcher’s shop in The Quadrangle is under new ownership. Ian Goldfinch, trading as Sydney Butcher Boys, renovated the premises and gave the shop a new image for it’s re-opening on 1 March. Ian previously worked for butchers in the eastern suburbs. Sydney Butcher Boys at Castlecrag is his first venture as an owner and his father and mother, John and Sandra, are currently assisted with the business. Ian offers a large range of gourmet meat products, with special lines such as Moroccan basil pesto lamb rumps and Batong Boerewees from South Africa.

Books of local interest

Sally’s Bookshop now has in stock a book about the early days of our community here in Castlecrag and another will be launched there on 31 May. Communism a Love Story by Jeff Sparrow is a biography of Guido Baracchi, a colourful resident of Castlecrag between 1937 and 1945 (and again in 1950). Baracchi’s time in Castlecrag stemmed from his friendship with Walter Burley Griffin in Melbourne. It was characterised by a number of romantic liaisons.

The Crag by Wanda Spathopoulos will be launched at Sally’s Bookshop at 6.30pm on Thursday 31 May. It is a memoir of Wanda’s life in Castlecrag during its early years. A daughter of Edgar Herbert, the physical educational pioneer who lived in Castlecrag from 1927, Wanda is one of the few remaining people to have personally known Walter and Marion Griffin. All are welcome to the book launch, but bookings are essential for what promises to be a very interesting evening –
Phone: 9958 5007. Sally Crawford.

Are you searching for another playground to visit with the children? Make your way to Warners Park, which has recently been refurbished by Willoughby City Council.

The enclosed playground is suitable for young children, though the older ones will be well occupied on the massive climbing frame. A paved bike path for the trikes and bikes with training wheels encircles the sand pit, complete with a water pump, perfect for building dams and rivers. Adults are catered for as well, with two gas barbecues and three covered picnic tables waiting to host the next family outing.

Warners Park is accessible by car through Northbridge by following the signs to The Outpost. For an even more memorable approach, walk down to The Rampart, follow the trail through Keep Reserve and enter the park through the bush.

Jennifer Kos

Things seem to be ‘hotting up’ on the subjects of environmental sustainability and its close cousin, climate change. The loss of most winter crops in southeastern Australia due to utter failure of spring rains and severe bushfires this summer tied up resources and caused severe losses, while Al Gore’s compelling film convinced many about the Inconvenient Truth of global warming has generated widespread discussion within our community. These events lifted public awareness to a new level and the Stern Report from Britain and local political developments since have at least maintained that level.

Willoughby City Council has been encouraging greater awareness of sustainability issues through many of its ‘e-Restore’ suite of programs over several years. We now have a larger and more loyal group of volunteer bush-carers than any other council in New South Wales. Our recycling achievements are also the envy of many local government councils. The e-Restore program was funded by a levy on rates. That levy was introduced and extended with very little objection. So I draw the conclusion that most ratepayers are in favour of our actions. However, a paucity of new faces at e-Restore events suggests that many ratepayers remain largely uncommitted. Perhaps they remain ‘on the fence’ with thoughts such as ‘I just don’t have time’, ‘what impact can I have?’ or ‘what impact can Australia have?’

Some leaders, such as Al Gore and Tim Flannery, exhort us to start the change process with small steps in our own lives – steps like recycling, saving water and reducing our energy consumption. Others, like Clive Hamilton of the Australia Institute, say that we need to be ‘told’. He points out that leaded petrol, with its health risks, was not abolished by people deciding not to buy it, but by prohibition through government legislation. But which politician or party will be brave enough to propose such legislation in the face of powerful vested interests while the public appears apathetic? Both views are correct: let us have voters demanding political (and corporate) change and backing it up with visible actions of our own. Obvious activism in Willoughby might involve joining a Sustainability Street group. We might choose to buy ‘green’ power, ie, electricity that is generated from renewable sources. If we believe in the power of the market, we might be prepared to advocate (or at least acknowledge to friends and colleagues) the logic of higher prices for energy and water.

A recent commentary on the level of affluence in present-day Australia mentioned that we now spend a smaller proportion of our income on water and most forms of energy that at any time in the past. The economic ‘system’ encourages us to use more. How many of us are prepared to concede that, in terms of protecting the environment, the system is not working and needs to be changed? Perhaps Australia can be the place that makes the necessary changes and shows that possibility to the rest of the world.

Furthermore, can we here in Willoughby be at the forefront of that change process? We are well placed to do so: affluent, educated and progressive. It seems to me that this must be where not only our priority but also much of our energy must be directed as a community. For me, many of Willoughby’s traditional concerns become inconsequential by comparison.

To paraphrase from an epoch-changing book: what profit for mankind if we gain the whole world but lose the planet?

Councillors will be addressing the future of e-Restore and its stance on sustainability and climate change in a full day workshop in late April. Watch this space. I would welcome any thoughts you may have on how and when we might involve you, our constituents.

Clr. Barry Thompson (Naremburn Ward)

Phone: 9412 1596; Email: Barry.Thompson@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

Mark Sabolch, the Water Management Engineer at Willoughby City Council, was guest speaker at the Progress Association’s AGM on 16 May 2004. He spoke about water in Castlecrag from both the perspective of an environmental water engineer, and that of a boy who grew up in the 1960s environment of Castlecrag.

Mark’s early childhood was in Castlecrag, his architect father having built the family home in The Bulwark. The house applied many of Walter Burley Griffin’s principles, with its flat roof and grey brick finish melding into the bush setting. The blocks on either side were vacant, so his early educational experiences were of the ‘enchanted bush’.

While Griffin’s achievements in relating the built to the natural environment are well known, the relationship of the fabric of Castlecrag to water is less appreciated. Griffin saw the importance of keeping the creeks as nature reserves to maintain the aesthetics of the bush and to ensure that the bays received clean water. The Castlecrag landscape design provides ‘zones of transition’ from the built to the natural environment.

As the built environment has become more dominant, native vegetation has been lost and the creeks and bays have become degraded, especially after storms. Mark presented photographs of recent examples of pollution from litter and scouring of creeks in Willoughby. Often sediment from building sites and other man-made interventions is deposited in the creeks and this kills off the biological life of the creek. He included extreme cases where chemical spills had caused major fish kills in our local creeks.

Willoughby Council is monitoring the environmental condition of the creeks by sampling the water and sediment, and measuring the presence of sensitive animal and insect species, such as the damsel fly. On the Signal Index of water quality, which uses a 1-7 scale with less than 4 being severely impaired, all the Middle Harbour creeks rate around 3.3. Against the AusRiverAS biotic index, the Willoughby creeks averaged around ‘D’ (impoverished). Thus, the creeks draining into Middle Harbour are in poor condition environmentally.

The key issue is, do people care? This is a difficult question to answer, but testing under the Streets to Creeks project suggests that residents are now more aware of where stormwater from their street goes. The results show, however, that residents regard problems associated with urban density and its impacts more highly than those of stormwater and water quality.

Mark spent some time outlining innovative stormwater management practices to reduce environmental impacts in future. These include vegetative drains in the median strip of roads, the use of roof gardens and greater use of rainwater tanks. A demonstration rainwater tank with plumbing for internal use and planter boxes that collect roof runoff have been installed at the community centre at Warner’s Park and there is optimism that innovative stormwater management practices will be applied to the LandCom development site at Willoughby Market Garden Park.

The Walter Burley Griffin Society website has won the 2007 EnergyAustralia National Trust Heritage Award for Interpretation and Presentation, Community Groups. The National Trust awards have been described as the ‘Oscars’ of the heritage world.

Meredith Burgmann, President of the Legislative Council, and ABC broadcaster David Marr presented the awards at the Westin Hotel in Sydney on 12 March 2007.

The website, which went live in mid 2006, promotes a greater understanding and appreciation of the work of Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin and encourages the conservation of their extensive work. It contains thirty-five sections covering the lives and works of Walter and Marion Griffin, the influences that shaped their work and an impressive photo gallery. These were written and designed by members of the society with expertise in various fields. The site also contains downloadable student activity sheets for primary and secondary school teachers.

In selecting the Griffin website for the award, the judges said: ‘It is an impressive achievement from a community-based organisation, about important 20th century architects. It deals with their work both in Australia and overseas.’

The informative heritage site also received praise from members of the community. Scott Robertson, an architect and member of the National Trust’s Urban Conservation Committee said: ‘it is still one of the best, most useful websites I have seen and used. A model of what information websites should be’.

The use of the internet and the electronic media is becoming an important tool in conservation. Tina Jackson, Executive Director of the National Trust of Australia said: ‘Just as heritage may be intangible — much more than just bricks and mortar — we must use electronic communication to get the heritage conservation message across to new and wider audiences.’

Adrienne Kabos, the committee member of the WB Griffin Society who oversaw the development of the website, said: ‘the website is the work of a team of 30 people and this award is a very nice acknowledgment of their expertise and commitment’.

Congratulations go out to all those in the community involved in the project.You can visit the website at www.griffinsociety.org

Jacqueline Levett

The retiring President, Kate Westoby, presented her third annual report to the Annual General Meeting on 16 May, as follows:

The past year has been a successful one for the Progress Association. Our main activities were:

The Castlecrag Community Fair, held on 4 June 2003, was once again a very successful event with a number of community groups and local businesses involved. The Progress Association ran its highly successful trash and treasure stall under the splendid management of Kathy Rosenmeyer. Money raised has been put aside for the restoration of the Griffin Fountain and other community projects.

General meetings. James Smallhorn spoke at the August meeting on the Griffin Fountain, covering the restoration plans and the costs. A community forum was held at our October meeting where a range of issues and ideas were discussed such as Development Applications, traffic problems, tree plantings on Edinburgh Road and the recording of oral histories from long time residents. Willoughby Council’s Traffic Manager, Tony Lehmann, spoke about traffic management in Castlecrag at the February meeting.

Council’s Development Controls. During the last year Willoughby Council has revised some important DCPs – notably DCP 19(Heritage and Conservation) and DCP 27(Notifications). The Progress Association made submissions on these and we are pleased to report that, generally, the revisions have clarified and tightened the processes and the controls. However, this Association has ongoing concerns about the need for more rigorous application of the Controls.

Traffic. After a longstanding effort by the Progress Association I am pleased to report that there has been some action by Council during the year, the most notable being the completion of the roundabout at the corner of Edinburgh Road, The Postern and Rutland Avenue. The other planned calming structures have been placed on hold pending change in traffic speed and/or accidents. However, some line markings will be painted on Edinburgh Road to demarcate cycle lanes and parking spaces. Other minor traffic improvements have been made in Sunnyside Crescent and The Bulwark.

Federation of Progress Associations. Traffic has also been a major issue for the Federation of Progress Associations, which established a subcommittee to examine traffic issues in Northbridge with representation from Castlecrag, South Willoughby, Naremburn and Northbridge. The Federation has been able to establish an umbrella Public Liability Insurance policy that has enabled the five participating Progress Associations (including Castlecrag) to significantly reduce their premiums. Also, through the Federation we have been actively providing input into the planning process of Civic Place. We therefore, note with satisfaction, the endorsement of the project by Willoughby’s citizens at the Council poll conducted at the March Council elections. We thank Bob McKillop, Elizabeth Lander and Gay Spies for representing our association on the Federation throughout the year.

The Crag. Kerry McKillop and Elizabeth Lander continue as editors of The Crag publishing four issues culminating in Number 150 in April 2004. We have continued with the serialisation of the history of Castlecrag, which has generated considerable public interest. Thanks are in order to Bob McKillop, Adrienne Kabos, James Werrick and Elizabeth Lander for putting this series together. We thank all the advertisers for their support and we ask the community to get behind the local businesses that support us. Thanks to our devoted volunteer deliverers: Mac and Annette Robertson, Judith Keller, Lisa Sherington, Jill Newton, Gay and Harold Spies, David and Joanna Harrop and Marie Clifton-Bassett. Thanks also to our expert ex-postman Harry Fox for delivering The Crag. We are proud of our newsletter.

Website. I reported last year that we were about to establish our website. However, we had some technical difficulties so we advertised in The Crag for a volunteer to manage the website. I’m pleased to report that Annette Frith has come forward in response and with her help the website has been updated and established with a new ISP. Please check our site at: www.castlecrag.org.au. We welcome any comments and suggestions for further improvement.

Committee. Finally, I would like to thank the members of this committee for all their hard work. They are all people with a love of this area and are committed to enhancing and protecting our natural and built environment as well as encouraging a sense of community. A lot of work is carried out throughout the year such as, responding to DAs and DCPs, creating The Crag and producing the Fair, to name just a few tasks.

Kate Westoby