HCA Newsletter November 2020
Annual General Meeting
We held our AGM on Tuesday 13 October 2020 where we elected our new committee:
| Chair – Chris Mobbs | Deputy Secretary – Kay Murphy |
| Deputy Chair – Scott Obara | Member – Brett Davis |
| Treasurer – Brook Clinton | Member – Terry de Luca |
| Deputy Treasurer – Greg Hughes | Member – Barbara Mobbs |
| Secretary – Bruce Smith |
The meeting also acknowledged the dedicated work of Terry de Luca who stepped down as Treasurer. Terry has performed this role for over ten years, as well as playing a key role in setting up the HCA in 2002. Terry is still on the committee as a member.
New HCA logo
The Committee has adopted a new logo for the HCA. It has a stylised H in the form of two people holding hands, which symbolises the partnership between the HCA and Hackett residents and businesses. We will be rolling out the new logo on our website and publications in the coming weeks.
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Adopt a Park projects
At the AGM, Lucy Hopkins spoke about the Adopt a Park project for the Hackett Shops Garden (the HCA is managing the grant for this project). The key steps involve a community planning event and the development of a plan (by a landscape architect) for enhancing the gardens. It was originally planned to have an event at the shops in April 2020, but this did not happen because of COVID. Watch the HCA website for more details about how this project will be progressed.
If you haven’t seen the Gilruth Park recently, then please wander by and check it out. It is a great example of communities working with government agencies to improve an open space. Using a grant under the Adopt a Park program, the nearby residents have repainted the seats, installed rocks for people to seat on, and established new garden beds.
Nature in the City 2020-21
The Bragg St Park Volunteers group received a grant of $9,100 to create swales in the Bragg Street Park (the HCA is also managing the grant for this project). Funds will be used to develop a plan for approval by the ACT Government and then construction of the swales. Swales are low banks of soil built to capture water so that it doesn’t run rapidly across the surface causing soil erosion. Subject to approval of the plan, work is scheduled to commence around March 2021.
Slower Streets signs
In August, the HCA applied to have Hackett included in the Slower Streets program. At the time of applying we were advised that due to high demand, the Government was waiting for more signs to be made. The signs arrived in early November and were installed by the HCA at key locations along Hackett streets.
Nomination of Hackett oval trees for the ACT Tree Register
The avenue of trees on the eastern side of the Hackett oval were well established before Hackett was developed in the mid 1960s. It includes two rows of Pinus radiata, and one row each of white box (Eucalyptus albens) and southern blue gum (Eucalyptus bicostata). If you look in the Hackett book you will see this avenue in several aerial photos of the Hackett area in the 1950s. The ACT Government has no records about their origin, though there were several possibilities which were researched but did not find any reference to these trees:
- Plantings by Charles Weston – Weston was responsible for planting a significant number of trees across Canberra from 1913-26 in his role as the officer in charge of afforestation. Some of these include Haig Park, that runs from Ainslie to Turner. It is possible that the then Afforestation Branch did plant them under the guidance of Weston, but either records were not made, or they have been lost.
- Wind break for Canberra’s first aerodrome at Dickson – The first airport for Canberra was in the area now occupied by Dickson. Files held by the National Archives of Australia did not show any reference to these trees. Given the prevailing winds in Canberra are from the west, the value of this avenue as a wind break is questionable.
- Trees planted by the former CSIRSO Research station at Downer – records from this establishment make no reference to these trees
In September, the HCA submitted a nomination to have these trees included on the ACT Tree Register. The fact that the origin of these trees is unknown, enhances the case for inclusion on the register. We hope to receive a decision in the coming months.
Mosaic Mural for the Hackett shops
You may be familiar with the metal frame in the garden adjacent to the IGA store, most recently cluttered with ACT election fliers. The HCA is pleased that the ACT Government has given approval for the Blue Gum Community School to install a tile mosaic mural in the frame. The mural will depict images of the plants and animals and other features the students have seen during their visits to Mt Majura.
Hackett book – the perfect Christmas gift
The HCA book “Hackett – 50 years plus: Story of a North Canberra suburb,” is still available but stocks are going fast. Pick up your copy from Hackett IGA for only $20 – ask at the checkout for a copy.
Equipment for use by community groups
The HCA has the following items for its use and for lending to other Hackett community groups:
- Gazebo 3mx3m
- Two power leads each 20m long
- Wheelable esky
- Electric 8 litre urn
- 70 metres of garden hoses
- Collapsible table
- A-frame poster board and a blackboard
If you would like to borrow any of these, please send an email to info@hackett.asn.au.
Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. We look forward to working with you in 2021.
Committee
Hackett Community Association
November 2020