GOODE NEWS

September 2017

 Due to changes of committee members and their responsibilities, there has been a bit of a hiatus in the production of the Goode News newsletter. This edition is hoped to be the first of many from now on. Better still, we are working towards posting the Goode News on the FBA web site, where you can look up the latest news whenever it suits you. We will still email newsletter copies out to all registered members.

We would welcome news from Goode Beach residents to include in future editions and on the website. So, please, if you have any comments, ideas, suggestions, photos or news, contact the FBA Secretary, Chris Hopper, at: cghopper@gmail.com

FBA Website address: https://frenchmanbayassociation.com/

On the website, be sure to check out the Noticeboard as well as the Newsletter sections for recent news, as well as the history, environment and photo sections.

Breaking news — Lot 660 Development Proposal

The City of Albany contacted the FBA Committee on 7 September to advise that a proposal to develop a 5-star resort on Lot 660 (between Lake Vancouver and Goode Beach) is being evaluated. There will be a public consultation meeting at the entrance to the site, at the bottom of La Perouse Court, at 4.30 pm on Monday 18 September. The proposal documents can be viewed at the City of Albany offices or on their website at: http://www.albany.wa.gov.au/council/comments-complaints/public-comment/

Submissions can be made until 9 October 2017. An online survey will also be available and the City will write to all Goode Beach residents advising them of their opportunity to comment.

2017 Membership Dues – perhaps overdue?

Could members owing 2017 subscriptions please forward cash or cheque to Bill Deacon, FBA Treasurer @ 32 Karrakatta Road, Goode Beach 6330. Email: wd796373@bigpond.net.au or electronic transfer to CBA, BSB 066500, a/c 10017011. Please identify the deposit with surname & 2017. The cost is only $20 family & $10 individual. Please support the FBA.

 Message from the President

 2017 Committee Members

The Annual General meeting of the FBA was held on Thursday 16 March. Those elected to the committee include Tony Kinlay (President), Christine Hopper (Secretary), Bill Deacon (Treasurer), and Richard Vogwill, Elly Beckeringh, John Kelly, Rob Harley, Clare Mitchell and Martin Beeck.

 Proposed Development – Lots 1 and 2 Frenchman Bay Road

The development application seems to be taking a lot longer than we anticipated. Prior to the detailed design stage, numerous scientific studies of the site area are needed to get Council approval, as well as approval from other authorities, eg the Water Corporation and the Department of Health. We await further developments with interest.

Chalk Board and FBA Noticeboard

The chalkboard at the entrance to Goode Beach is no longer monitored by the FBA. However, it is a great way to keep the community informed about events and happenings of interest. Those who wish to use the board are asked to use their discretion as to how long notices should remain before being erased. For printed notices, don’t forget the FBA Noticeboard near the bus stop and mailbox on La Perouse Road.

Council Open Forum

Julie-Ann Gray of the City of Albany will be arranging a Council Open Forum in the Frenchman Bay area during October this year. This will provide an opportunity to members of the community (including non-members of the FBA) to connect with members of Council, the Mayor and senior staff, in an informal setting. It is likely to be held at Whaler’s Galley. Notice of the forum will be advertised on the chalkboard, on the FBA Noticeboard and via email to all members.

Sundowner

Our annual Sundowner will be on Saturday 27 January 2018, the day after Australia Day. It will again be held at Discovery Bay – please diarise the date!!

Please feel free to contact me, Tony Kinlay, with any ideas or concerns you have that the FBA can address, at: 10 La Perouse Road, mob 0488 117 747.

 Goode Beach artists in Southern Art & Craft Trail — starting 16 September

Two groups of artists in the 2017 Southern Art & Craft Trail have strong connections with Goode Beach. These are the Traces of Torndirrup and the FIGS (Felters in the Great Southern). To see their exhibition dates and details, look at items 48 and 50 in the Trail Guide, available at:

Click to access f11264_d80a45527a0d4de1adfbe9fc1c96802d.pdf

The Traces of Torndirrup exhibition has been created by Sarah McNamara, Clare Mitchell, Caitlin Goldsmith and Arlo Goldsmith who all love living at Goode Beach. They have met once a month and explored various locations in Torndirrup National Park and its adjoining coastline. They have also had ad hoc get-togethers for coffee and discussions at their homes. They create paintings, photographs, sculpture and mixed media based on their reflections of what they have experienced. They provide support, stimulation and encouragement to each other on their walks and when they share their work. Come and see their work at Albany’s Historic Whaling Station from 16 September to 8 October.

Felters in the Great Southern (FIGS) is a felting group who meet monthly to practise the art of felting and to share creative felting ideas. The group formed out of Albany Summer School felting classes in January 2013 with Lynley Campbell and Maggie Myers of Goode Beach spearheading the formation of the group.

Members come from as far afield as Mount Barker, Walpole and Borden and meet monthly in Denmark, Bornholm, Mount Barker and the Porongurups. Meetings usually include a demonstration of a felting technique, followed by a yummy homemade morning tea. Members then do their own work over lots of chat and finishing with a show and tell table. Every year FIGS hosts a tutored workshop in a specialised area of felting to expand members’ skills.

The group has branched out into the community by collectively making a felt cubby house in 2016 for the Vancouver Street Festival and this year an installation for “The Story of Wool” exhibition at Vancouver Arts Centre. 2017 will be the group’s fourth exhibition in the Southern Art and Craft Trail. FIGS is exhibiting at Torbay Hill Function Centre from 23 September to 8 October, daily 10-4, – do come along.

FIGS is a very special group, very friendly and passionate about creative felting. We have 26 members and 120 on our mailing list. If you would like more information about FIGS or would like to be on our mailing list, please contact Maggie Myers at: myersm@iinet.net.au

Disappearing rabbits?

 Goode Beach residents may have noticed a reduction in the local rabbit population of late. This is likely due to the release in March 2017 of a new strain of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHDV1 K5) at 110 sites in WA, under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA). This was part of a nationally co-ordinated community participation project, unprecedented in Australia. For more information, including a map of release sites and contact details, see the article in the WA Government’s Bushland News at:

Click to access BushlandNews102.pdf

The Frenchman Bay Heritage Trail Project

The original concept for a heritage trail along and above Whalers Beach in Frenchman Bay was developed by the FBA during 2014. Possible stakeholders were consulted and positive feedback received. Subsequently, a Lotterywest grant of $22,000 was awarded to the FBA to study the feasibility of constructing the trail. This study was completed in September 2015 by H + H Architects and the FBA.

The trail design incorporates an upper limestone track; an informal track along the beach, extensive signage describing Aboriginal and European history, and several key viewing points and information ‘nodes’ along the escarpment and above Vancouver Dam. The trail will be delivered in stages. Portions of the older Bicentennial Track (constructed by the FBA) will be incorporated into the design as much as possible.

The FBA has continued to progress the development of the trail, including meetings with City of Albany Reserves staff, the City CEO and Aboriginal Elders. We now have verbal approval from these parties; however, because our trail is not in the City’s Trail Strategy, the project must be voted on/approved by Council. This vote will take place at the 26^th September Council Meeting. If we get Council approval, we can proceed to the next stage of the trail project.

As can be seen on FBA website, the Whalers Beach area has an extraordinarily rich heritage. It combines fantastic scenery with captivating history that involves: (i) the Aboriginal history of the place; (ii) early European contact with Aboriginal people; (iii) British and French explorers and scientists; (iv) American sealers; (v) British whalers; (vi) a Norwegian whaling station; (vii) honeymoon chalets; and (viii) various tearooms and caravan parks. The historical Vancouver Spring (and later Dam) at Whalers Beach has been used by seafarers since Vancouver’s visit in 1791 and in the early 20^th century this was the only water supply available to both Albany and the Norwegian whaling station.

What brought people to Whalers Beach were the fresh water springs that flowed, even at the height of summer. Knowledge of the water sources was essential for Noongar people and European sailors depended on the springs in the 19^th century. For some years Albany residents were also dependent on these springs for a town water supply. The Norwegian whaling station relied on the springs for both potable and industrial water supplies. There are many stories to be told about the fresh water springs and the people who were drawn to them. Water will be a major theme in the interpretive signage displayed at key vantage points.

The Frenchman Bay Heritage Trail Project provides a great opportunity to preserve and promote these little-known landmarks to the public, enhancing local knowledge and creating a trail that can contribute to our further understanding of this amazing place, where a huge Norwegian whaling station once stood and the dilapidated Vancouver Dam, above the beach, supplied fresh water to Albany; the sailing vessels and steamers anchored in Frenchman Bay and King George Sound; and the historical chalets and tearooms.

In the longer term, it is hoped that our trail will become a section of the Kinjarling Trail that will run from Bald Head, around King George Sound, to the fish traps on the Kalgan River.

City of Albany Letter to Goode Beach Residents re Reserves

In response to an FBA request for further information, we received the following letter from Sandra Maciejewski (City of Albany Reserves Officer):

All residents of Goode Beach would have recently received a hand delivered letter from the City of Albany’s Reserves Team. The purpose of this letter was to inform residents that, under the relevant local laws, no works are to be undertaken on City of Albany land without first obtaining a permit from the City. City of Albany land includes all public roads in Goode Beach, including the strip of land between the built road and the front of each private block. It also includes the beach and the area between the beach and the private land. There are also a number of City-managed reserves in Goode Beach, as well as reserves managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Goode Beach residents have received this letter as there have been a number of historical and recent incidences of illegal clearing of vegetation for views, as well as the creation of illegal tracks from private blocks to the beach. Unapproved planting in road verges has also been noted.

The City will also be delivering similar letters to other areas of concern within the City of Albany, particularly other areas along foreshores, where clearing for views in a real concern. Foreshore vegetation is valuable for the protection of these fragile environments from wind and water erosion, as well as important corridors for native fauna movement through the landscape. Foreshore vegetation is also an aesthetic asset to your neighbours and the general community.

Please help the City of Albany Reserves Team to care for the beautiful Goode Beach area, for you and for all. If you see someone who might be doing the wrong thing, we encourage you to use the “Report It” function on the City of Albany’s website at www.albany.wa.gov.au.

For more information, please contact Sandra Maciejewski (City of Albany Reserves Officer) on 6820 3960.

NOTICEBOARD

Whaler’s Galley evening opening dates

Whaler’s Galley café open for dinner on Friday 6 October and Friday 20 October, from 6pm. BYOG.   Reservations can be made by calling 98444711 or emailing: whalersgalleycafe@hotmail.com

CALLING FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Got a story or want to advertise or place a community message on the Goode News or FBA website Noticeboard?

 If you have news of interest to the Goode Beach community for inclusion in the Goode News or on the FBA website please contact FBA Secretary Chris Hopper (cghopper@gmail.com).

To download a PDF version of the Goode News, click on the following link: GOODE NEWS Sept 2017