Last week we celebrated NAIDOC Week across the region and what a fantastic celebration it was! Council partnered with a number of local community groups to put together an action-packed program of events and it was great to see everyone come together to join in the festivities.
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I had the honour of participating in the flag-raising ceremony at the Barkuma Family Fun Day on Tuesday, which saw an incredible turnout and a huge range of activities on offer, along with great weather to boot. As always, the Wakakulang traditional dancers put on a great performance and I even tried my hand at some painting.
The Black Creek Street Parade and Family Fun Day on Saturday was also a special celebration of the diversity and harmony within our community.
NAIDOC Week is so important as we celebrate, recognise and learn from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and I’d like to congratulate everyone who played a part in our local program of events.
HALL OF FAME
Our City of Cessnock Hall of Fame has grown to 59 members as Mr Amos Ambrose Fogg and Mr William “Bill” Noel Hicks were inducted on June 28.
Mr Fogg was posthumously inducted for his vision for the need for public transport within the Cessnock Coalfields and Hunter Valley and Mr Hicks was inducted for his commitment to conservation, in particular, his development of the innovative ‘long stem planting’.
It was fascinating to hear Amos and Bill’s stories as while these ambitious and talented men were in very different fields, they were both so forward thinking, which is why they excelled in what they put their minds to.
SERVICE CLUBS CHANGEOVER
I also attended the Rotary and Lions Club changeover events, which was great to recognise the fantastic work of service clubs in our community. I’d like to make special mention of Loretta Porter and Ross Lidbury for receiving Paul Harris awards for their outstanding work over a number of years.
GOVERNOR’S VISIT
During the Governor of NSW, General David Hurley and his wife, Linda Hurley’s Vice Regal visit to the area, we were able to showcase our proactive community, which was very well received.
The Branxton Greta Chamber of Commerce invited the Governor to be a patron of the Branxton to Greta Memorial Cycleway which recognises the over 300 men who joined the armed forces in World War I. I congratulate the Chamber for their initiative in having a high-profile patron for this exciting project.
KURRI KURRI STRATEGY
If you are yet to do so, do not forget to check out the Kurri Kurri District Strategy which is now on public exhibition. It is really important we hear from a broad cross section of the community, so we encourage you to have your say.
If you would like to find out more, we are holding two more drop-in sessions where council staff will be on hand to explain the strategy in more detail. The next one will be held at the Weston Civic Centre on Friday, July 14 from 10am to 2pm and then at Rotary Park in Kurri Kurri on Friday, July 21 from 10am to 2pm. To view the strategy, visit www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/community/exhibition/kurrikurridistrictstrategy.
ROAD CREWS OUT AND ABOUT
Our road crews have a busy schedule this week so you are sure to see them out and about!
The team will be on Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba and Dalwood Road, Greta completing road and drainage construction. There will also be culvert reconstruction works happening on Buchanan Road, Buchanan and Whitburn Street, Greta.
