Mannering Park Landcare & Tidy Towns
12 Oct 10
Mannering Park Landcare & Tidy Towns Group Inc.
We celebrated our first anniversary on November 2 and we've clocked up about 1700 hours in that time as well as a Highly Commended award in the 2010 Wyong Shire Garden Competition for the rockery gardens at the Community Hall. Congratulations and thanks to all who have contributed.
It was only a couple of days before graffiti vandals senselessly defaced the timber on the new outdoor seating we've built at the community hall, but, now we have a graffiti removal kit of our own and really need help from the whole community to remove graffiti swiftly after it appears. We have enlisted the willing co-operation of local shopkeepers to be a first port of call to report graffiti and they will pass on information to our group via Sue Meyers (4359 3618 or 0447 369085) or Jan Stone (4359 1335).
A meeting with Wyong Shire Council's landscape architect Katherine Simmons was held on November 18 to make arrangements for a new native garden surrounding the amenities block at Vales Point Reserve. Also, our members will provide labour to establish another garden adjacent the boat ramp at the reserve.
We've planted frangipanis in the church grounds and finished the bromeliad garden at the community hall.
The circle garden at the Ruttleys/Vales Rd intersection has been mulched and thanks go to Aerial Tree Services for the generous donation of truck loads of mulch. Also, Council has supplied more plants to fill the bare patches in that garden.
Soon, we will be laying turf on the footpath outside the community hall and maybe making another small garden in front of the car park.
Much work is going on behind the scenes to properly plan future projects including an entry sign to Mannering Park, a native garden along the school fence line, and we are in communication with Delta Electricity about possible tidy-up plans along the western side of Vales Road leading into town.
Landcare plans for foreshore land (Scout Hall to Delta fence) mainly involves removing noxious weeds (bitou bush, lantana , asparagus fern) and on our last Landcare day we dragged out about 300kg of rubbish and found coins dating back to 1966/19968 - how long has it been since that area has been cleared?
Our fundraising calendar is a tremendous success - both financially and socially - with a fashion parade last month and this month it was all about hats and horses at our Melbourne Cup Day which was a resounding success even though the inclement weather forced us to hold our "garden party" indoors.
First prize in our summer raffle is a P&O cruise (2nights for 2), 2nd is a Blu-ray DVD player (donated by Gosford Airconditioning) and 3rd is a George Foreman grill. It will be drawn on January 22 as part of the festivities of the Mannering Park Jewel of the Lake Festival.
For more information about our Landcare & Tidy Towns Group please phone Sue Meyers, Chairman (phone 4359 3618) or email: mp.landcare.tidytowns@hotmail.com
Look forward to meeting you!