Lifetime achievement award to Phil Jenkyn

IMG_4496_2 Philip Jenkyn is a retired barrister, former Hunters Hill Councillor, and community activist.  From his Joubert-built sandstone villa in Hunters Hill, which he shares with wife Gloria and daughter Victoria, Phil has been variously a stirrer, trouble maker, asker of difficult questions and opinion builder.  This award from the National Trust salutes Phil’s contribution to heritage conservation in New South Wales and Sydney, which has been serial and various, and not without controversy: Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

Hunters Hill Hotel re-development

HHHWho will decide what gets built in Hunters Hill – the community or the developers?

The Hunters Hill Hotel has submitted a section 96 amendment to their approval to develop the hotel and car park site.

In The Trust’s view the original consent did not score well in meeting these objectives but the modified proposal does even less to satisfy the goals of the Development Control Plan that Council and the community have spent the last 10 years developing.  We urge members to write to or email the Council as soon as possible to register their objections to this proposal. The objectives of DCP 27 are to ensure that any development, among other things: Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

Riverfront devastation at Bonnefin Road

devestation of the riverfront

The riverfront is being denuded at 39 Bonnefin Road Hunters Hill, in contravention of the planning objectives contained in Hunters Hill Council’s DCP 15 and the State Regional Environment Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005.  

A cursory examination of the DA shows this is not in accordance with the original development approval:

  1. Trees and foliage that were shown on the approved plans to be retained have now been removed. Other trees have huge piles of soil and rock banked up against them and the areas around their root have been compacted by the excavators, severely impacting on their chances of survival.
  2. The retaining wall at the bottom of the site is very different from what is shown on the plans and quite out of character with typical dry stone walls in the area.

Following inquiries from the Trust, Council has requested an investigation of the wall. 

It seems this site will never be the same again.  

Bedrock excavated

Council needs to take action and consider ways of preventing this level of foreshore destruction happening again. 

What you can do:  contact  Hunters Hill Council 9879 9400 or huntershill@nsw.gov.au  to voice your concern. 

Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

2010 Annual General Meeting

Trust members are encouraged to attend the 2010 AGM:  7.30 pm, Friday April 30th, at the RSL Hall, corner of Ady and Alexandra Streets, Hunters Hill.

After a brief meeting and election of office bearers, the author  Gregory Blaxell  will give a presentation on “The Upper Reaches of the Parramatta River:  from Ryde Bridge to Silverwater

River front cover second edition March 2010 HR GABGregory is a well-known historian, author, yachtsman, columnist and member of Ryde Council’s Heritage Advisory Council.  Signed copies of his book The River: Sydney Cove to Parramatta will be available for purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refreshments:  wine, cheese and biscuits will be provided after the talk

Committee Elections

Nominations are called for for the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and up to 5 committee members.  Please download a copy of the Nomination Form if you would like to join the committee.  If you can’t attend the meeting but would like to vote, you can download a copy of the Proxy form here.

 

Posted in Events, General News | Comments closed

2009 Christmas party at Wyaldra

The Trust’s 2009 Christmas cocktail party was hosted by Alice and Conrad Oppen at Wyladra on 27th November.  You can see some photos from the event here.

Posted in Events | Comments closed

Boronia Park reflections: a conversation with Arthur Mashford

In light of the current threat to the integrity of Boronia Park as public open space, as outlined on p.1 of the October edition of the Journal, it was illuminating to have a conversation recently with a long-time resident of Park Road Arthur Mashford, a bright nonagenarian, is currently working on a book on the history of Boronia Park, on track to be published next year. Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

Thomas Muir and the naming of Hunter’s Hill

Left to Right: Captain John Hunter, second governor of NSW. Thomas Muir, Scottish activist and convict.

Left to Right: Captain John Hunter, second governor of NSW. Thomas Muir, Scottish activist and convict.

by Beverley Sherry

Recently the notion that the Municipality of Hunter’s Hill derived its name from Thomas Muir’s Huntershill has been resurrected, suggested by Don Beresford in an address to the Hunter’s Hill Historical Society.1 Thomas Muir (1765-1799) was one of the five so-called “Scottish Martyrs” transported to New South Wales in 1794 for sedition.2 Read More »

Posted in Journal Articles | Comments closed

Proposed rugby club facility at Boronia Park

RUGBY CLUB BORONIA PK PLANSThe Trust has recently become aware of The Hunters Hill Rugby Club’s proposal for a facility to be constructed in Princes Street on the bank of No 2 oval at Boronia Park. 

David Innes, Group Manager Works and Services at Council says that “The whole proposal is still in its preliminary stages and we have suggested to the proponents that they need to identify and understand community attitudes and support, before lodging any applications”.

The Trust appreciates the club’s need to have a place of its own to keep gear and gym equipment and where members and friends can go after the game to have a drink, a bite to eat and to socialise etc.    However there is a level of concern in the community about the location of the building which may be due to a lack of information.  So in the interests of getting some clarity, we have written to the club with a number of questions about the plans displayed at the September 13th meeting: Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

Alterations to Hunters Hill Public School

Hunters Hill Public School

New 2 storey classroom and toilet block at Hunters Hill Public School

 Hunters Hill Public School has plans for a new 2-storey classroom block at the school.  It is to be designed and built by Bovis Lend Lease under the Federal Government’s economic stimulus plan – “Nation Building”. 

Under this plan there is no requirement for the builder to submit a Development Application to Council

Hunters Hill Trust has expressed a number of concerns: Read More »

Posted in General News | Comments closed

Threat to riverfront parkland

UPDATE:  Sydney Uni has requested and been granted a deferral of the the assessment of their development application.

Sydney University proposes to build a huge boatshed and pontoon on public riverfront at Cunningham’s Reach, Linley Point 

As it is now:  the Lane Cove River at Cunningham’s Reach, west of the Figtree Bridge

As it is now: the Lane Cove River at Cunningham’s Reach, west of the Figtree Bridge

Under the current proposal, 60% of the useable area of the park would be alienated. All that would remain of the park is an area less than one third of the size of a football pitch.
Read More »

Posted in Battles, General News | Comments closed