STAY CONNECTED – UPPER PLENTY
WHAT’S ON AT THE SHACK IN 2011?
Please Note: The Shack will be unavailable for hire from May to August due to extension & refurbishment activities. Planned events may also need to be rescheduled. Please check the noticeboard, website, “What’s News” magazine, or contact a Community Advisory Group (CAG) Committee member. Contacts listed on last page of newsletter.
FREE FOR REMOVAL:
Approximately 30 concrete fence posts, including at least 2 corner posts and strainer posts. Located at the Upper Plenty hall (the Shack). Removal required ASAP. Contact Rose on 5783-1661.
Annual Bonfire & BBQ – Saturday June 4th, 6 – 8pm
BYO marshmallows, toasting forks & drinks. This is an outdoor event so make sure you dress for the weather!
A delicious BBQ meal will be provided. Please advise Rose on 5783-1661 if you have any specific dietary requirements.
Working Bee at the Creek – Sunday 19th June, from 9.00am
Please come along and give us a hand to rehabilitate this potentially fantastic recreational area. In its completed state it will provide a beautiful area of indigenous vegetation, with walkways and interpretative signage to help people identify plants and learn about our native wildlife.
We will be mulching, picking up rubbish & generally preparing for planting in August / September. Bring your wheelbarrow, shovel, garden fork, rake. BBQ lunch provided. Gloves & rubbish bags provided for rubbish collection.
Old-Time Film Night – Saturday 6th August, 7.00pm
Great fun for all the family – slapstick comedy from the old days!
Main feature is Abbott & Costello’s Pardon My Sarong.
Entry is free. Ice creams, lollies & drinks will be on sale.
Community Advisory Group (CAG) Committee meetings – are held on the first Friday of the month at 9.30am. Venue may change while renovations are occurring.
The CAG Committee is overseeing the implementation of the Community Recovery Plan which was developed, after community consultation, in response to the 2009 bushfires. Any community member can attend these meetings to have their say. Enquiries – Hayley 5783-1141, Alison 5783-1950, Rose 5783-1661.
The Shack Committee of Management – next meeting will be held on Wednesday June 15th at 7.30pm. If you would like to become involved in managing our only community public place we would love to see you at this meeting. Contact Rose 5783-1661 for venue details.
Community Get-Togethers / BBQs – will resume Friday October 7th.
BUT
There will be a Family Bowling Night and another Paintball Event for the guys coming up soon. Events will be advertised via email or in “What’s News”. If you are interested in either of these proposed events contact a CAG Committee member.
Street Parties – there is funding available for residents to hold street parties. Maxine & Don Watson have held three very successful street parties for Clarkes Road residents since Black Saturday. You all know the old saying, “you can’t choose your family”? You can’t choose your neighbours either, but it’s always good to know them and recognise their positive contribution to your neighbourhood. Funding does not include alcohol. Contact a CAG Committee member for more information.
Garden Club – meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm. Venue may change while Shack renovations are occurring. Contact Susan – 5783-1456.
WHO IS WHERE AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
A State Champion in Upper Plenty! – Six foot four, 13 year old Ryan Maxwell from Upper Plenty (Cleves Rd. South), a member of the Kilmore District’s Little Athletics Team became a State champion when he won the Under 14 High Jump Event at the Little Athletics Victoria State Track & Field Championships at Melbourne’s Olympic park on Sunday, 20th March, with a personal best jump of 167cm (7cm higher than his previous personal best). Ryan, who normally competes on grass at the J.J. Clancy Oval in Kilmore, enjoyed the experience of competing on the synthetic surface of Olympic Park whilst being supported by his family. Well done Ryan – I’m sure we will be hearing a lot more about you in the future.
The Lilley family (Munts Rd) – the property has been sold after a couple of years on the market.
Gaven Day (Clarkes Rd) – many thanks for very generously fixing the Shack’s broken trestle tables, despite being so busy with the rest of your life.
Rita & Keith Miller (Clarkes Rd.) – took possession of the keys to their rebuilt home in early March and moved back soon after. Like so many people who have rebuilt they expressed their enormous relief and happiness to be “back home”.
Glenys & Bill Broderick (Clarkes Rd) – have also moved into their new home.
Upper Plenty Primary School – have started the final stage of their building program. Building is expected to be completed within a fairly short time-frame as the building is pre-fabricated and erected on site.
Addy & Willy Maskell (Mahadys Rd) – rebuilding is moving along.
Susan & Wayne Bott (Mahady’s Rd) – recently celebrated their son Andrew’s 21st birthday. Andrew is an apprenticed electrician to Cathy Day’s (Clarkes Rd.) brother.
Welcome to Adrienne Dunstan & Family who have recently moved to Cleves Road South. Adrienne is related to the Peachy family.
Chris & Gordon Ogilvie (Mahadys Rd) – House frame arrived in early May, slab already having been laid by FSI Concrete whom Chris & Gordon highly recommend. They have been flat out with building and all the other associated activities – like the fun activity of digging drainage trenches in the rain…. Daughter Cait’s car got stolen from the front of the Whittlesea house a couple of months ago. Cait is doing very well in her photography career and has recently completed a fashion photo shoot for an up & coming fashion designer. The boys are also doing well in their respective fields. Good luck building!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Phone & Internet outage in Upper Plenty & Wallan in March – You all noticed this, I’m sure. Local resident, Tony Wakefield, sent a letter to Telstra outlining his concerns about this event, most particularly in view of already limited mobile coverage of our area and the potential impact in an emergency situation such as we have already experienced with Black Saturday 2009. Go to the website to read Tony’s letter in full and the Telstra response.
Update on building & renovation activities at the hall – the new windows have been installed and look great. A veranda has been constructed over the front of the toilet block which gives a very “cottagey” look, only to be improved upon once a coat of paint has been applied. Temporary fencing has been erected and more will be happening very soon.
Bushfire Memorial – Mitchell Shire Council have been seeking input from community members about the construction of a Memorial.
The Sawmill (Mahadys Rd.) – Ongoing planning / permit issues with Council.
This is the last issue of Upper Plenty – Stay Connected. This newsletter arose out of the feelings of dislocation and loss of community that affected us all as a result of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. It has served its purpose well but the urgency for news is no longer there after nearly 2 ½ years, and, most residents have made their decisions about remaining and rebuilding, leaving and selling up, or somewhere between. I know there are people still struggling and doing it tough, and I hope we will all continue to recognise and support them. I want to thank all those people who have so generously shared their news for publication, all those who have contributed jokes, and mostly, those friends and neighbours who have still talked to me and trusted me not to share all we have discussed.
You can still catch up on Upper Plenty news on the website and the Upper Plenty Hall column in the “What’s News”, the Wandong Heathcote Junction magazine, published monthly and delivered to most homes in Upper Plenty.
If there is anyone out there who would like to continue the newsletter on a quarterly basis there is funding to cover printing, stationary & postage. Otherwise, it is a purely voluntary undertaking.
JOKES
Two businessmen were sitting down for a break in their soon to be opened shop.
As yet, the shop wasn’t ready, with only a few shelves set up.
One said to the other, “I bet any minute now some pensioner is going to walk by, put his face to the window, and ask what we are selling”.
No sooner than the words were out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious old woman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a soft voice asked, “What are you selling here?”.
One of the men replied sarcastically, “We’re selling arseholes”.
Without skipping a beat, the old dear said, “Must be doing well….
only two left”.
Pensioners – don’t mess with them.
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Supported by VBAF
Email: shack [AT] upperplenty.com
Ph: 5783-1661 – Rose King
Mail: 175 Clarkes Rd., Upper Plenty 3756
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For further information on events in Upper Plenty –
* “What’s News” monthly magazine delivered locally, also available at Sticks ‘n ‘Stones, Newsagents, libraries, and various cafes.
* Contact a Community Advisory group Committee member –
Hayley Day-5783-1141, Alison Holmberg – 5783-1950,
Rose King – 5783-1661
