HCA newsletters 2025
HCA newsletter February 2025
Clean Up Australia Sunday 2 March 2025
This year is the 35th anniversary of Clean Up Australia. The Hackett Community Association is doing its bit by making Hacket cleaner. We will have a table at the Hackett shops between 10am and 1pm – we will be set up in the open space near the North Canberra Osteopathy. You will need to register on the day and if possible, bring your own gloves. You can also register on line prior to the day. Bags will be provided. Volunteers usually give an hour of their time which is greatly appreciated. It is surprising how much rubbish is dropped, especially in parklands and the nature strips on Antill Street and Phillip Avenue, and around the oval. Any queries, contact Terry de Luca, the site supervisor, via info@hackett.asn.au. or phone 0419 461 348.
And remember, if you are having a clean-out of your house or garage, there are many places you can donate big items, rather than leaving them to be damaged on your nature strip. These include:
Vinnies, Woolley St, Dickson ph 6234 7495
Goodies Junction, Mitchell Resources Management Centre, Flemington Road
Metal pieces – Ezy Scrap, 17 Baillieu Court, Mitchell
Salvos Collection ph 137258
Drop-off for the Salvos and Vinnies – entrance to Bunnings Gungahlin car park, Franz Bormann Close
Bulky waste collection Canberra households are eligible for one free bulky waste collection of up to 2 cubic metres each financial year.
Meet the HCA
When you register for Clean Up Australia, take the opportunity to meet the HCA Committee and find out what we have done in Hackett in recent years. We would also like to hear what you would like done to improve our great suburb. If you know people who are not members, please encourage them to come along and join – it’s free.
Farewells
Elev8 Skin Boutique closed on Friday 7 February. They opened at the shops in mid 2023 and very kindly donated several vouchers for our raffle at our 60th birthday celebration of Hackett in October 2023. We wish Janus and Michelle all the best for their next endeavours.
The HCA also extends its thanks to Rev Tim Watson, who was the former minister at Holy Cross Anglican Church. Tim has recently moved to Melbourne to take up the post of Canon Precentor at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne. We wish Tim all the best in Melbourne – a big step up from the quiet backstreets of Hackett.
Bike event at the shops
Monkey Wrench will be hosting a bike market day and swap meet at the Hackett shops courtyard on Saturday March 1st, 9am to 12pm.
Sullivans Creek Re-naturalisation Options Report
Last year the ACT Government released a report which outlines a range of projects to re-naturalise Sullivans Creek. The concrete stormwater drain that runs next to Phillip Avenue is one site that is proposed for work. On page 34 of the report is the following short description of what may be done along this area (see the map on page 31 for the location):
- “Hackett – Link existing patches of woodland with re-naturalised creek to improve habitat connectivity and upstream water retention. Replace steep sections of the creek with rocky cascades. Provide cycle path, walking trails, places to sit and opportunities to engage with water.”
Further details about the whole project are being developed by the ACT Government.
Tuckerbox are looking for more helpers
Holy Cross Tuckerbox provides an important food and grocery outlet for people with budget constraints. They are looking for more people to help run the shop each Saturday from 1-4pm. If you are interested, please contact them via their page or drop in when they are open.
Increased traffic through Hackett
Have you noticed an increase in cars passing through Hackett particularly on weekday mornings 7-9am? It would appear more cars are coming off Antill St into Madigan and then driving through to Phillip Avenue or short cutting through Maitland St to access Majura Avenue. This could be due to drivers wanting to avoid Northbourne Avenue and redevelopment around City Hill associated the light rail extension? Let us know via our email info@hackett.asn.au
Hackett Facebook page
If you want to receive more immediate information about Hackett, please join the 950 people on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HackettCommunity/. We use the platform to:
- engage and support our local community, businesses and organisations;
- engage with Federal Members and ACT MLAs;
- interact with the North Canberra Community Council and affiliated suburb associations.
Thank you
The Committee recently acknowledged the contribution made by two of our long serving members – Bruce Smith who joined the committee in 2004 and Kay Murphy who joined in 2011. Thank you to both for making such a wonderful contribution to the work of the HCA to help improve our suburb.
Meetings
Our next committee meeting will be Tuesday 13 May 2025.
Contact us via our email info@hackett.asn.au
HCA newsletter June 2025
Hackett Community Association
Defibrillator for the Hackett shops
Service One Mutual Ltd (credit union) has developed the ‘Streetbeat’ program which aims to install life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) publicly available 24/7 across the ACT. AEDs can be used when someone (young to elderly) is having a sudden cardiac arrest. With support from businesses and the community they have installed AEDs in many shopping centres including Dickson and O’Connor.
The Hackett Community Association is raising funds to install one at the Hackett shops. They are placed in either a wall-mounted red cabinet or a free-standing one mounted securely on concrete. The AED is portable so it can be used anywhere in the suburb and not just at the shops. We have already been offered around $3,000 by Hackett businesses and organisations to reach our goal of $3,500.
If you would like to contribute (donations are tax deductable) please send an email to info@hackett.asn.auand we will provide you with further details.
ACT 2025-26 Budget consultation
As part of the ACT budget consultation process the HCA made a submission for our suburb. We asked for the provision of picnic tables in Hackett parks that don’t have them (Tyron St-Mackenzie St, French St and Caldwell St parks and at the southern end of the Hackett Oval) and making the swings in the Bragg Street park compliant with the new recreation facilities guidelines. Although the budget was released this week we don’t know if these requests have been included. We will watch these spaces during the next 12 months.
HCA AGM
We are holding our AGM on Saturday 23 August 2025 from 3-4.30pm in the tea-room next to the Folk Dance Canberra Hall (between Blue Gum Community School and Maitland House). We are always looking for new committee members so please come along and join us.
All for now
HCA Committee
HCA newsletter July 2025
Hackett Community Association
Defibrillator for the Hackett shops
Service One Mutual Ltd (credit union) has developed the ‘Streetbeat’ program which aims to install life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) publicly available 24/7 across the ACT. AEDs can be used when someone (young to elderly) is having a sudden cardiac arrest. With support from businesses and the community they have installed AEDs in many shopping centres including Dickson and O’Connor.
The Hackett Community Association is raising funds to install one at the Hackett shops. They are placed in either a wall-mounted red cabinet or a free-standing one mounted securely on concrete. The AED is portable so it can be used anywhere in the suburb and not just at the shops. We have already been offered around $3,000 by Hackett businesses and organisations to reach our goal of $3,500.
If you would like to contribute (donations are tax deductable) please send an email to info@hackett.asn.auand we will provide you with further details.
ACT 2025-26 Budget consultation
As part of the ACT budget consultation process the HCA made a submission for our suburb. We asked for the provision of picnic tables in Hackett parks that don’t have them (Tyron St-Mackenzie St, French St and Caldwell St parks and at the southern end of the Hackett Oval) and making the swings in the Bragg Street park compliant with the new recreation facilities guidelines. Although the budget was released this week we don’t know if these requests have been included. We will watch these spaces during the next 12 months.
HCA AGM
We are holding our AGM on Saturday 23 August 2025 from 3-4.30pm in the tea-room next to the Folk Dance Canberra Hall (between Blue Gum Community School and Maitland House). We are always looking for new committee members so please come along and join us.
All for now
HCA Committee
HCA newsletter September 2025
Hackett Community Association
Defibrillator for the Hackett shops
Service One Mutual Ltd (credit union) has developed the ‘Streetbeat’ program which aims to install life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) publicly available 24/7 across the ACT. AEDs can be used when someone (young to elderly) is having a sudden cardiac arrest. With support from businesses and the community they have installed AEDs in many shopping centres including Dickson, Lyneham and O’Connor.
The Hackett Community Association is pleased to advise that we have raised $3,800 for an AED at our shops through kind donations from the Hackett community:
- Michael and Jenny McReynolds – Home by Holly
- Hackett IGA
- North Canberra Osteopathy
- Siam Twist
- Monkey Wrench
- Blissd Massage & Wellness Studios
- Blue Gum Community School
- Folk Dance Canberra
- Paul Pentony
- Christian Community Canberra (Holtze Close)
- Hackett Neighbourhood Watch
- Hackett Community Association
The HCA recently met with the Streetbeat program and an ACT Government officer and agreed to instal the AED outside the IGA store on the paved area. Installation should be sometime in October, followed by an opening event at which we will have St John Ambulance Australia to show how to use it – they also have a 30 minute online workshop about how to use the defib. We will keep you posted re the event date.
Samaritan House celebrates 30 years
Lucy Hohnen, CEO, St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn, hosted an event on Monday 25 August to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Samaritan House. Attendees include MLAs, past and present residents, past and present staff and local community representatives, including the HCA. Present were both Bob Wilson, who was the CEO of Vinnies back in 1995 when it opened, and Rolo Brett, who had been the Coordinator at the Centre for over 20 years during that time.
Lucy spoke of a service that has stood as a place of refuge, dignity, and renewal for over 6,500 men experiencing homelessness in the ACT since 1995. In the past 12 months Samaritan House has accommodated some 85 men, with demand continuing to outpace capacity.
Quite a number of current and recent residents were present, assisting with the preparation for the event and one speaking of his experience of living there being akin to living in a family, thanking all involved and encouraging those present to continue to support the amazing work of the service.
The HCA would like to congratulate all the wonderful staff who provide such a valuable service for the Canberra community.
Friends of Mount Majura
If you are walking along Mt Majura behind Rivett St, check out the FoMM’s new display near the Hackett water reservoir. It shows the wonderful work these volunteers have been doing to remove weeds and help restore this valuable woodland. For more information check their September newsletter on their website https://majura.org/fomm-newsletter-september-2025/
HCA new committee
We held our AGM on Saturday 23 August. Our new committee includes the following Hackett residents – Chris Mobbs (Chair), Shan Short (Treasurer), Bruce Smith (Secretary), Committee members – Maureen Dawes, John Carty, Kay Murphy and Barbara Mobbs. Our next meeting is in November 2025. If you would like to participate, or have issues you would like the HCA to consider, please send an email to info@hackett.asn.au.
All for now
HCA Committee
HCA November 2025 newsletter
Defibrillator installed at the Hackett shops
In our September newsletter we gave an update on our funding raising efforts to have an Automated External Defibrillator (AEDs) provided at our shops under the Service One Mutual Ltd (credit union) ‘Streetbeat’ program. The HCA was very pleased to see the AED installed on Monday 10 November and then have it launched on Wednesday 12 November by Ivan Slavich, CEO of Service One. We had around 30 people at the launch including Service One staff, St John Ambulance, representatives from Hackett businesses, organisations and residents.
Thank you to Kris from Home by Holly who volunteered to be a person needing the AED. You can see videos and pictures of the launch on the HCA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HackettCommunity/ and on the HCA website https://hackett.asn.au/community-actions/
Here are some FAQs from the StreetBeat website about the AEDs https://www.streetbeat.life/about
Do you need to break the glass or use a key to open the cabinet?
No – although the cabinets are factory-fitted with a lock, we do not lock them. To save precious time in an emergency, you simply lift the cabinet lid to access the defibrillator.
When you open the cabinet lid, are the emergency services automatically notified?
No – when you open the cabinet, an audible alarm will sound. This is to alert people nearby to the emergency so they can render assistance. You still need to call 000 from a phone to call for an ambulance.
Who looks after the AEDs?
We nominate a champion for each device, usually a local shop owner or community member. Any problems can be reported by the public to St John Ambulance on 1 300 ST JOHN.
How often do the AEDs need to be serviced?
The defibrillation pads have a 2-year shelf life and the lithium battery offers a 4-year shelf life. Once installed, St John Ambulance register the device on their system and conduct servicing as required.
Can I receive training how to use an AED?
The AEDs are easy to use and have voice commands that provide step-by-step instructions on what to do. However, if you would like to become familiar with using an AED before finding yourself in an emergency situation, St John Ambulance offers a range of first aid courses. Further details can be found here for ACT or here for NSW.
How would I know if someone is having a cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest is caused by an issue in the heart’s electrical system, which may not be detectable beforehand. In cardiac arrest, the event is sudden, the casualty will be unresponsive and unable to breathe normally.
If I use the AED on someone who is not in cardiac arrest, will it damage their heart?
Once applied to the casualty, the AED analyses the heart’s rhythm and determines whether defibrillation is required. If it detects a normal heartbeat, it will not administer a shock.
Can the AED be used anywhere in Hackett?
Yes – it can be taken to someone’s home – there is a tracking device.
HCA Committee
18 November 2025