FOCUSn e w s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l

w i n t e r 2 0 1 5 s y d n e y h i l l s

AmAlgAmAtion supplement included – haVe your say

t a y l a f r a s e r i s o u r l o C a l n e t b a l l r i s i n g s t a r

2 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l h i l l s f o C u s i 3

as well, work will continue on major projects including beautification of

the baulkham hills town Centre and widening samantha riley drive to four lanes.

more than $4.3 million has been allocated to build playing fields at Caddies Creek reserve beaumont hills and over $3 million to start work on the arnold avenue sports Complex at Kellyville.

many local parks will get improvements to playgrounds, paths, lighting and seating. Crestwood reserve will receive upgrades to tennis courts, cricket nets, netball courts and exercise equipment while playing field reconstruction and drainage work will be carried out Castlewood Reserve.

$2.5 million will be spent on new footpaths and cycleways. Just some of the footpaths planned are for Cropley drive baulkham hills, brunette drive Castle hill, gowan brae avenue oatlands, lukas avenue Kenthurst, mcdonald street north rocks and missing sections of Poole Road Kellyville.

more than $12 million has been allocated to road upgrades including

sections of Annangrove road; baulkham hills road from Mulheron Avenue to langdon avenue; blackburn avenue north rocks; boundary road maralya from Old Pitt Town Road to martin road; sections of Cattai Ridge Road; Castlewood Drive from Crane road to darcey avenue and Chelsea avenue Baulkham Hills from Old northern road to windsor Road. Work will begin to look at upgrading withers Road to four lanes.

Col sutton reserve cycle way will receive solar

lighting and traffic signals are planned for Victoria ave Castle hill at Carrington street and salisbury Road.

major community building projects include construction of a multi-purpose theatre space at Castle grand Community Centre, upgrades to reading room lighting at Castle hill library and new bmX amenities at fred Caterson Reserve.

A full list of projects can be found on Council’s website by searching for The Hills Shire Plan.

PA R KS A n D S P O R TS f i e l D S A R e A H i g H l i g H T O f C O u n C i l’S W O R KS P R O g R A M fO R T H e 2 0 1 5 - 1 6 f i n A n C i A l y e A R . C O M M u n i T y B u i l D i n g u P g R A D e S , R O A D A n D T R A f f i C i M P R OV e M e n TS , C O n ST R u C T i O n O f n e W fO OT PAT H S A n D A R A n g e O f WAT e R WAyS P R O J eC TS A l S O f e AT u R e .

More than $4.3 Million has been allocated to build playing fields at caddies creek reserve beauMont hills and over $3 Million to start work on the arnold avenue sports coMplex at kellyville.

In the Hills Shirei n 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

W H A T ’ S H A P P e n i n g

we know that increasingly you want to contact, report

or complete business with council while relaxing at home on your tablet or via your phone when you are on the go.

the Council website has recently been redesigned from the ground up with mobile friendly in mind, to automatically resize to your preferred tech - no need to download or update an app for your mobile devices. we are also working hard to help you find the information you’re after; faster – a challenge when you consider that a typical council website can have hundreds of pages of information to navigate.

using predictive search

technology (the search function begins to give you a result with each letter you type) we hope you will find the section you are after as quickly as possible. you may have also noticed we have de-cluttered our homepage. The Hills homepage now features several of our most popular sections right below our search box as well as tabs for our latest news, announcements and publications and another for our up-coming events.

each section can be filtered to highlight what you are most interested in. And all this is only the beginning as we continue to refine our online customer service over the coming months.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Heavy rainfall periods usually lead to an outbreak of potholes – but significant investment in local roads over the last few years saw a major reduction in the number reported during the recent extreme weather. following a three-week period of wet weather in 2012, Council received 142 reports of potholes forming.

a continuous improvement project was carried out that specifically looked at preventing potholes from forming, rather than patching them after they occur.

as a result, Council invested heavily into a proactive roads program with a goal of improving road surfaces to prevent potholes forming. This approach paid off with only 37 potholes reported throughout the shire during the recent extremely heavy rainfall.

Councillors also acknowledged and thanked staff, volunteers from the SeS, RfS and officers from Police, fire nSW and Rescue and Ambulance nSW for their outstanding efforts during the recent storms.

We’re ‘Mobile Friendly’ OVERHANGING BRANCHES

Did you know that you do not need consent from your neighbour or Council to cut overhanging branches as long as it’s not more than 10% of the tree canopy.

FIND OUT MORE www.thehills.nsw.gov.au

Pothole nuMbers Fall desPite heavy rain

concept design for caddies creek Reserve.

4 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l h i l l s f o C u s i 5

SYDNEY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL 30 October—1 NovemberBella Vista Farm

Adam Brand and The Wolfe Brothers plus more great country act.s. Two BIG days. One historic location.

ORANGE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL 19-20 September Castle Hill Showground

The zesty festival squeezed full of juicy segments including: art awards, bonsai, classic cars & bike display, judo demonstration, seniors dance, kids music festival, Paws in the Park, Pawsitive Steps, Sydney Boutique Makerts, Caslte Hill Players, The Hill Historical Society, fireworks and more.

PLUS BMX SHOOTOUT 12 September

SCHOOLS EXPO 12-13 September

KENTHURST FAIR 13 September

CRESTWOOD FAIR 13 September

HELPING LEARNER DRIVERS WORKSHOPWednesday 22 July | 6pmLearn simple steps on how to teach a leaner driver at this free two-hour workshop.Bookings: 9843 0145

CHILD RESTRAINT CHECK DAYWednesday 26 AugustRegister for a free child restraint fitting and/or check by an RMS approved fitter.Bookings: 9843 0145

LIVING SUSTAINABILITY WALKS & WORKSHOPS

COMPOST AND WORM FARMINGThursday 28 May | 10 —11.30am

HEALTHY LIVINGSaturday 30 May9.30—11.30amFind out how to createa healthier home.

SEASONAL GARDENINGThursday 4 June | 10—11.30 amIdeas to develop a productive fruit and vegetable garden

HEALTHY COOKINGThursday 11 June | 10am—noonDiscover the great taste of healthy food ,full of flavour, straight from your garden.

CHEESE MAKINGSaturday 13 June 9.30—11.30amWork with fermented milk to create cottage cheese.

Bookings essential:www.thehillsenvironment.eventbrite.com.au

BURRAGA TRACKBIDJIGAL WALKSaturday 23 May10am—noon This 4.7 km walk gives you the opportunity to enjoy parts of the Excelsior Creek and Darling Mills Creek valleys and the distinct vegetation of Bald Hill.

O’HARA’S CREEK, KENTHURST WALKSaturday 6 June 10am—noonCelebrate world environment day with a walk ending at a tranquil lagoon.

Bookings essential:www.thehillsenvironment.eventbrite.com.au

due to the overwhelming popularity of the 2014 Sydney Country music festival, the event has been extended to two big days in 2015 with a line-up of 26 Australian and international artists. in addition to adam brand and The Wolfe Brothers, the next seven artists have been announced for the explosive main stage show including adam harvey, beccy Cole, luke O’Shea, Adam eckersley band, amber lawrence, travis Collins and Paul Costa. more sizzling country acts will be announced in soon – so liKe the sydney Country music festival facebook page to get all the news as-it-happens.

C O u n T Ry fA n S - g e T R e A Dy fO R A M A S S i V e T W O - DAy l i V e M u S i C e V e n T AT B e l l A V i STA fA R M T H i S O C TO B e R / n OV e M B e R .

Set to ROCKs y d n e y C o u n t r y m u s i C f e s t i V a l

t h e f a r m

ron is a popular country music DJ on Today’s Country 94.1, and brought home the People’s Choice Award as Australia’s most popular country music dJ in 2012.

ron commands an audience of more than half a million fans from as far away as

Texas and describes himself as a ‘country music tragic’.ron was mC at the 2014 sydney Country music festival and encourages hills residents to get in early for their tickets to the massive two-day event at bella Vista farm this year – before the rest of Australia snaps them up.

introducing Festival aMbassador dJ ron trundle

31 oct - 1 nov 2015 @ bella vista farM parkwww.sydneycountryMusicfestival.coM.au

M e e T R O n T R u n D l e - O u R 2 0 1 5 sy d n e y m u s i C C o u n t ry f e st i Va l a m b a s sa d o r

rachel fahiM plays for orange blossoM festival 2014

6 i T H e H i l l S S H i R e C O u n C i l h i l l s f o C u s i 7

Call us now on 9761 7602 for a FREE trial.

Hills community care food servicesWarm up this Winter With our delicious neW Winter menu

• Do you want enticing, flavoursome and affordable meals delivered to your door by caring volunteers?

• Are you sick of cooking or thinking of what to cook?

• Are you over the age of 65 and residing in The Hills Shire?

• Be AMAZED and SURPRISED by the vast variety of Winter meals now available.

Young Talent Time

the hills shire Council is proud to support the western sydney Academy of Sport, an

independent, not-for-profit organisation providing quality high performance training programs for talented young athletes in Western Sydney.

the academy catchment area covers 1,800 square kilometres and includes 10 local government areas in western sydney, including the Hills Shire Council.

the academy provides scholarships to athletes generally between the ages of

13 and 18 for a 12 month period during which time the athlete is provided with various technical and educational development opportunities that assist in the transition to elite level sport.

Tayla fraser, of Rouse Hill, is one of many Hills athletes achieving their goals since joining the Academy program.

tayla most recently competed for nSW at the u17 national Championships and on the heels of a strong tournament that yielded a silver medal; she was then selected as a member of the u17 Australian squad.

For more information on the Academy and its programs visit www.wsas.com.au.

hills Community Care is seeKing Volunteers within THe COMMuniTy TRAnSPORT TeAM.

volunteers Wanted!

tayla is our rising starwould like to meet new people and help others? hills Community Care provides services to people who are frail aged or have a disability - and the following volunteer positions are available.

bus assistantsassist with balcombe heights social day Program - morning and afternoon shifts.

coMMunity transport driversAssist with transporting people to and from medical appointments.

requireMentshills Community Care is required to maintain the Community transport driver authorisation standards set out by transport for nSW. This means volunteers need:• A current unrestricted nSW Drivers

licence• An RMS Driver History Record Check

(available at any RMS office or online at myrta.com)

• Confirmation from a doctor that you are fit to drive for Community Transport

• A Police check

hills Community Care reimburses a per kilometre rate to cover fuel for private vehicles when carrying our passengers. if you or someone you know is interested, please call 9761 7613 or visit hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au.

other young locals to receive awards include (left - right): methila nanayakkara, recognised with the Volunteer of the year award, sisters Vanessa and Sarah Tan as joint winners of the sporting achievement award, Claudia Chow, runner-up youth Ambassador, finalist Balraj Ougra and ashvin bandodkar who was awarded the education and Training category. not pictured is Vishni ravindran who won the Art and Culture award.

S O P H i A WA K e l i n g ( S eC O n D f R O M l e f T ) H A S B e e n n A M e D 2 0 1 5 yO u T H a m b a s sa d o r at t h e sy d n e y h i l l s yo u t h awa r d s r eC e n t ly, ta K i n g T H e R e i n S f R O M O u Tg O i n g A M B A S SA D O R C A S S i Dy- R A e W i l S O n .

young achievers recognised

Meet nerida - she’s energetic, ’80-something’ and enjoys programs offered by Hills Community Care. A Hills resident for over 59 years, nerida and her late husband raised their two children in Baulkham Hills. nerida is now a proud grandmother of four boys and one girl, who she says “make the effort to call their grandmother almost every day”.

nerida’s face may be familiar - she worked at baulkham hills woolies for nearly 18 years. in addition to family and work commitments, she’s also volunteered with the red Cross since she was a teenager and helps with their stall at rouse hill shopping Centre each month. nerida started out with hills Community Care when she needed help getting to the shops. Hills Community Care provides a number of services, including a fortnightly shopping service to centres around the Hills. She’s been attending for over four years and loves it – making many new friends. “everybody is so lovely and i am treated so great!” nerida tells people. if you or someone you know could benefit from Hills Community Care like nerida has, please call 9761 7600 for more information.

nerida’s notes

8 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l h i l l s f o C u s i 9

INTERPRETING THEBy 1804, Governor King had declared convicts would carry out agricultural work at land known as Government Farm, Castle Hill.

Much of the land that now forms Castle Hill Heritage Park was cleared by convict labour and a two-storey stone barracks constructed on the site as convict accommodation. This was the first specifically designed barracks in the Australian colonies – before this, convicts were typically housed in huts.

A surplus of grain and a dwindling number of convicts saw the barracks converted to a granary in 1806.

In 1811, Governor Macquarie instructed that the building be converted to a mental asylum, complete with enclosed garden, accommodating about 30 people.

In 1829, the barracks changed use again – this time as St Simons Church of England and Ireland, with a small church school nearby, until services were transferred to St Pauls Church of England in Old Northern Road in 1861.

The barracks were demolished in 1866 and the stone reused to build The Parsonage opposite St Pauls.

In 2003, an archaeological survey uncovered the foundations of the barracks.

In 2014, the interpretive structure at Castle Hill Heritage Park was built above the original sandstone footings. The steel frames give a sense of the size of the barracks and interpretive signage tells the story of those who lived and worked there.

The stone plinths represent the alignment of convict bedding within the barracks – most likely hammocks.

The smaller building to the north is thought to have been a separate kitchen addition constructed for the asylum.

You can see this slice of Australia’s history for yourself at Castle Hill Heritage Park, Heritage Drive, Castle Hill.

Barracks

HIS

TO

RY

Heritage Park.indd 2-3 13/05/2015 2:33 pm

1 0 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l h i l l s f o C u s i 1 1

It’s an iconic event in The Hills calendar and in 2015 it will be held in an iconic location in The Hills.

The much loved Castle Hill Showground will play host to the Orange Blossom Festival this September and you’re invited to bring the family, join the fun and celebrate your community.

It’s going to be one weekend squeezed full of zest and it’s got everything in one location including: • Art Awards• Bonsai Display• Classic Cars & Bikes

• Community Demos• Kids Music Festival• Paws in the Park/Pawsitive Steps• Boutique Markets• Schools Expo• Seniors Dance• PLUS other fantastic community fairs and festivalsFun for the kids, teens and adults — and this year the parade will be back!

Orange Blossom Festival is the zestiest festival of the year. Stemming from historical Hills Shire roots as major citrus growing region, this festival has become a fundamental segment of our local community.

It’s a time for the community to get together and celebrate who we are and from where we have come.Orange Blossom Festival has certainly blossomed over the years.

Growing from it’s original form as footpath and garden competition in 1959, this annual festival has become an iconic social and cultural event.

It is now one of Australia’s largest community owned and run festivals.

It’s your community. It’s your festival. Come down to the Showground, 19-20 September and celebrate with zest.

NEW LOCATION

FOR 2015

AT THE SHOWGROUND

Hills Focus - OBF.indd 2-3 11/05/2015 10:55 am

Discover & Go

online 24/7

FIND RELIABLE INFORMATION

ThE hILLs shIRE LIBRARy sERvIcE | www.ThEhILLs.Nsw.gOv.Au/LIBRARy

LOgIN usINg yOuR LIBRARy MEMBERshIp NuMBER AT hOME OR IN ThE LIBRARy.

it’s free to join the Library!

Dictionaries encycLoPeDias neWsPaPer articLes

MaGaZine articLes

the hills shire walking tours app is now available for your smartphone or tablet. The first of the tours available is a walking tour of Balcombe Heights estate.

the tour contains a number of stops that include audio and images from around the property delving into the history of the William Thompson Masonic School.

the school originally opened in 1922 as a boarding school for Masonic children who had been orphaned or left in poor circumstances following world war 1 and continued to do so until the 1970s. The app is available for download from the App Store and google Play. download and have a wander through the property and listen to its history.

did you know that street lighting makes up 55% of councils’ energy costs? your

Council is committed to reducing energy usage and finding savings.

from June, Council joins eight other western sydney councils to change approximately 13,000 street lights to leDs for the light years Ahead project. Over 1,400 lights will be changed in The Hills Shire.

Over 20 years it’s estimated the nine councils will save

$21 million and 74,000 tonnes in carbon emissions. this is equivalent to lighting 92,500 average australian homes each year. Alone, The hills shire Council will save approximately $2,700,000 and more than 8,800 tonnes of emissions. The leds adhere to australian standards in street lighting and most of the old lights can be recycled.

As part of light years Ahead, residents are encourages to find energy savings in homes and businesses. By making small changes we can make a

real impact – saving money on our energy bills.

for information on the project and to follow the roll out go to www.lightyearsahead.com.au

this activity received funding from the Australian government and is co-ordinated by western sydney Regional Organisation of Councils.

the nine participating councils are blue mountains, blacktown, fairfield, Hawkesbury, Hills Shire, liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith.

‘aPPy’ Walking tourscouncil stePs

Light Years Ahead

h i l l s f o C u s i 1 31 2 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l

0423 798 891clr.thomas@thehills.nsw.gov.au

C l r m i K e t h o m a s

C l r d r m i C h e l l e b y r n e

0448 268 140 clr.byrne@thehills.nsw.gov.au

C l r r a y m o n d h a r t y o a m

0412 265 876r.harty@bigpond.com

raymondharty@comet-training.com.au

i was honoured to attend a range of AnZAC services across the Sydney Hills. it was a great honour to meet his excellency general the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d), governor of new South Wales at Centenary of AnZAC launch at Bella Vista farm. Very special AnZAC Sunday and Dawn services were held by Sub-branch Castle Hill RSl & Castle Hill RSl. i also attended services held by Annangrove Progress Association and was thrilled to witness a RAAf flyover at Kenthurst Park thanks to Rotary of Kenthurst.

Congratulations to all of the organisers and also The Centenary of AnZAC Hills Community Committee for their efforts. with large projects such as the north west rail link and the growth of high density housing in our areas, it is important to remain vigilant as a community and Council to preserve our history and parklands.

we must make sure that any development does not take our garden Shire away from future generations and that development is sympathetic to the surrounding environment. it’s now important, more than ever that you raise your concerns, hopes and desires for your area with your local community groups, neighbours and with your Councillors. i am to proud say that our Council supports a number of initiatives to help your household reduce waste. Why not join the compost revolution for great offers such as half-price compost bins and worm farms?

for further info visit www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Services/for-Residents/Waste-Recycling for any local matters in east ward or across the Hills you are welcome to contact me.

The Hills Shire is divided into four wards - north, Central, east and West - and each ward is represented by three Councillors. you can contact your local Councillor direct to discuss any issues you may have about your Ward. information about Ward boundaries, Councillors, Council meetings and latest news can be found on Council’s website www.thehills.nsw.gov.au - click on the ‘About Council’ tab at the top of the home page.

liKe Bella Vista Farm on Facebook

As a councillor, i have always promoted the principles of:• financial prudence• less bureaucracy• less regulation• Responsible governance in promoting less regulation Council has reduced controls over our residents’ ability to manage their trees. Recent storms have highlighted the wisdom of giving residents the ability to manage their trees. it is their right to be able to do so. Many families had the sad experience of extensive damage to their homes from these storms. Those residents who asked to remove dangerous tress and were refused are right to be angry.

Our local member and Minister for emergency services david elliott is so concerned about the problems that our residents face, he is considering legislation to allow them to manage their trees within 10 metres of their home without Council approval. i support this proposal and will move to reduce Council regulations to be consistent with this view. regulations controlling trees are only really relevant in the older areas of our shire where the vegetation has been planted some time ago and hurt our older, long-term residents. in newer areas, there are few trees due to the high densities forced on Council by state planning departments. in the older areas, Council has previously refused permission for our residents to remove trees on the basis of the tree’s health. for many residents, Council was insensitive to their fears and needs.

the policy was popular with radical greens, but not our residents with tree problems. i trust our residents will see their Council responding to their needs.

During my two years as Mayor of The Hills Shire, one of the achievements i was most proud of was the establishment of The Hills youth Army.

During that time, Council reformed and restructured our volunteering program and although it was a bit of a shock to the system, i truly believe we have ended up with a far more effective, rewarding and engaging volunteer system. One of the primary aims of the reform was to attract more young people to volunteering. while Council was and still is extremely lucky to have such a large, committed and devoted group of senior volunteers, our youth volunteer numbers were falling and we needed to address the problem. while the youth army has many dedicated volunteers, it wouldn’t be in the shape it is today without the energy and enthusiasm of Beaumont Hills resident Sophia Wakeling. One of the most community-minded young people i know, Sophia was last month recognised for her achievements by being named as the 2015 Sydney Hills youth Ambassador. she absolutely deserves this role and has proven time and time again what an outstanding asset she is to the Sydney Hills community. Sophia is an excellent role model to her peers and even to many adults in the community. While we won’t don’t expect every young person to put in the time and effort that Sophia does, we would absolutely love to attract more young people to volunteering in the youth Army. There is a renewed focus on providing our volunteers with experiences that will help them upskill and learn things that they can take into their chosen careers. To find out more about the Hills youth Army, visit www.thehills.nsw.gov.au and search for Hills youth Army.

0419 495 089clr.haselden@thehills.nsw.gov.au

the sydney metropolitan area is home to 41 councils, each represented by a different Mayor, different set of Councillors, different general manager and with a different set of rules to their neighbour. unfortunately, many councils are struggling to provide the basic services expected by their residents and ratepayers. An independent assessment of councils has painted a damning picture of the sector now and heading into the future. fortunately, The Hills Shire Council has some of the best assets (parks, roads, community centres etc) and finances in nSW. We have been independently rated as being one of the top two local government areas in the state. for local government to stay relevant, we need large-scale reform of the industry and a reduction in the number of councils. Maintaining the status quo is no longer an option. the nsw government appointed an independent local government Review Panel to investigate how the sector could be fixed. They recommended the amalgamation of several Councils. if there was any Council that had an excuse for resting on their laurels, it would be us. But i’m proud to say that Hills Shire Councillors have unanimously embraced the call for local government reform. We were one of the first councils to put forward a positive plan for reform in June 2013, rather than sticking our head in the sand and opposing local government reform. our plan is to create a larger council area that takes in all of the current Hills Shire Council with parts of Hawkesbury, Hornsby and Parramatta. The options for Hills are available on our website and on our facebook page. i encourage you to take a look and have your say on the future of the Sydney Hills.

C O u n C i l l O R S C O M M e n T S - e A s t C O u n C i l l O R S C O M M e n T S - w e s t

C l r a n d r e w J e f f e r i e s

C l r r y a n t r a C e y

C l r a l a n h a s e l d e n

0427 928 111clr.jefferies@thehills.nsw.gov.au

0419 429 217clr.tracey@thehills.nsw.gov.au

D e P u T y M Ay O R m ay o r

volunteers, trash, destruction and sacrificethe recent storm we experienced was quickly followed by the shocking destruction which confronted the poor, earthquake ravaged people of nepal. The two wildly different recovery operations again demonstrated how fortunate we are with our large volunteer and publicly funded force of emergency services. Hills volunteers, as usual, made a massive difference to the lives of those affected here in contrast to the awful conditions which the citizens of nepal continue to experience. Our storm reaffirmed the dangers which mature trees pose in growing too close to dwellings and the damage we saw reinforces the argument that residents should have more sway in determining how to manage their own property. Accompanied by a number of other councillors, i attended the annual waste conference which addresses the burgeoning problems of our throwaway society. Our household food waste remains stuck at 40% of our red bin content and our hard rubbish collections are challenging Council with increasing volumes of discarded furniture. The state government, despite protestations from the beverage industry, recently announced our container deposit scheme and this initiative will significantly reduce the cans and plastic bottles thrown carelessly into our streets. Refuse generation is a global problem of staggering magnitude and it is incumbent on all of us to be mindful of our waste and its environmental impact. illegal dumping remains a major problem across sydney and i encourage residents in areas prone to this odious behaviour to note and report suspicious behaviour. The Centenary of Anzac week engaged the community in ways which were a credit to the organisers who had worked so diligently to remind us of the horrors of war, the sacrifice of so many lives and the formative events which contributed to our great modern democracy. We could only end the week’s commemoration in humbled reflection.

0419 618 790clr.taylor@thehills.nsw.gov.au

C l r m a r K t a y l o r

C l r r o b y n P R e S T O n

0419 200 300clr.preston@bigpond.com

C l R P e T e R g a n g e m i

0419 429 095clr.gangemi@thehills.nsw.gov.au

sydney hills youth awardsas the only past hills youth ambassador to ever be elected to the Hills Shire Council, i feel an extra sense of pride at seeing a new youth Ambassador appointed each year. We have been well served in this community by some absolutely tremendous past youth ambassadors such as sarah dagg, melody gardiner and Andrew Hawkins to name just a few. it was a privilege to be able to attend the awards this year to see the most amazing young woman i have ever met in this community, sophia wakeling appointed as the 2015 Hills youth Ambassador. sophia lives to serve our hills community, always putting everyone else first above herself. Sophia leads the hills youth army, which help volunteer at every local community event including australia day, youth Week, Orange Blossom festival and Run for The Hills. Sophia is a stalwart of the Hills Relay for life Committee and of local Bushcare groups. sophia has represented our area in ymCa youth Parliament, un conventions and public speaking competitions, and co-created an award-winning social justice project to highlight homelessness. We have some magnificent volunteers in our area, and i know our future is in great hands with such amazing young people coming through like Sophia. Boycotts, divestments and sanctionsi recently received a request from a group to support a call to strip Veolia Waste company of their contracts with the hills shire Council due to their conducting of business in israel. The so-called ‘boycotts, divestments and sanctions’ movement is one of the most misleading and ill-directed campaigns in my time on Council. Councils that have attempted to go down this path – such as Marrickville - were prepared to squander millions of dollars to the absolute dismay of you and i, the hard working ratepayer. As a Council, we should appoint companies based on ability to do the job and value for the ratepayer. There is no more fundamental right of a country, than its right to exist and there is no more fundamental right of a company, than its right to trade. i stand with Veolia, Max Brenner and Hewlett Packard and other like-minded companies and thank them for their positive contribution to our community.

i had the honour over recent months to observe first hand the tireless and selfless work of our local State emergency Services. in times of storm and tempest, when many of us are concerned about our ‘own possessions’, these outstanding volunteers are focused on ‘keeping others and their property out of harm’s way’. Sometimes its merely helping direct traffic on a safe detour, other times; it is helping search floodwaters in desperate moments. i am very proud there is such a large number of these magnificent volunteers amongst our Shire. however i am over whelmed by their commitment, courage and most of all; the good Australian mateship and humour they do it with ! if you see one of these Shire standouts could you please help me by thanking them?

liKe sydney Hills events on Facebook

the Maroota Mustersunday, 23 august 2015 Just recently i received an email from the Muster Coordinator at Maroota Public School asking me to assist with promoting the annual Maroota Muster. for a school that only has 54 students, the families and volunteers do a mighty job organising such a stellar day. it’s grass roots Australia at its best - not the flashy pizzazz of a glitzy gold Coast grand Prix or the upmarket style of the annual fashion week parades. it is honest, true-blue Aussies showcasing the best of bygone days and wholesome country living. When you get there you’re ushered to a big grassed paddock especially dedicated to parking your four-wheel drive or your four-cylinder. no-one casts aspersions on you if you rock up in an old knock-about jalopy because there is no pretension about this special day. you can be guaranteed to be greeted by the smell of freshly cooked snags and onions on the barbie. next thing you’ll notice is the whip-cracking display which cuts through the air as you meander along taking in stalls that display beautiful eclectic jewelry, bags, goats milk soap, scented candles, bees wax, wools, home-made honey, jams and pickles. if you are on the prowl for collectibles you can sift through the junk and treasures - it’s all at the Maroota Muster. Don’t forget to take in the antique tractor and truck display as well as the wood chopping competition and sheep shearing from nearby Tobruk sheep station. The school relies heavily on fundraising and donations to provide the children with the resources and equipment they require and the maroota muster is their main fundraiser. it attracts many visitors both from the local community and surrounding areas. i have never been disappointed whenever i attend and always come away with a sense of pride in how well locals pull together for a great cause. So i urge you to make a day of it and take the beautiful scenic drive along Old northern Road to Maroota for a thoroughly enjoyable day - or if your business would like to sponsor the event call Kristy on 0417 940 199.

0414 482 000clr.tonyhay@thehills.nsw.gov.au

This edition of The Hills focus comes to you as the nights are getting longer and colder. it is at this time of year it is important to look out for your neighbours, particularly if they are elderly, as people can become sick rather quickly. The Hills lgA was recently hit by a number of severe storms causing trees to come down, localised flooding and pot holes to appear.

i would like to thank our volunteers (SeS & rfs) who worked in collaboration with the emergency services to handle everything that was thrown at them.

i also want to acknowledge Council staff who began repairing roads very swiftly. i thoroughly enjoyed the Centenary of AnZAC commemorations and wish to thank the committee on giving the hills residents a fantastic tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. i request your assistance with reporting illegal dumping. it is not only unsightly but could prove fatal to our environment and our health.

Please report illegal dumping to either Council on 9843 0555 or the ePA on 131 555. on a personal note i would like to congratulate David elliott on his recent re-election and elevation to the cabinet in the portfolios of Veteran Affairs, Corrective Services and emergency Services.

in addition i congratulate my colleague mark Taylor on his election to the seat of Seven Hills - both areas have quality representation in State Parliament. Remember to stay safe and warm this winter - best wishes to all.

i recently had the honour of speaking on behalf of the Mayor at a Council forum. it might sound routine, but it was the most personally meaningful thing i’ve done since i was elected to represent you. The forum was conducted by Council in conjunction with the lisa harnum foundation and its partners to discuss establishing a much-needed women’s refuge, along with support services, in the Hills. Many might find it surprising we have a need for such services - we enjoy low crime, have excellent schools and for the most part, The Hills appears to be an idyllic place to raise a family. you’d be forgiven for being under the illusion we are immune to issues like domestic violence. Alarmingly we have some of the highest rates in Sydney. in July 2014 our only crisis centre for women, St Michaels family Support and accommodation Centre, closed its doors leaving women from the Hills with largely nowhere to go to seek help and safe refuge. As a child of domestic violence, this lack of a safe haven for women was heartbreaking. Sadly, like far too many in our community, i have witnessed first-hand the devastation domestic violence wreaks on the victim and the catastrophic ripple effect it can have on others, especially children. i know how hard it is for women to overcome the shame, guilt, fear and stigma and find the courage to ask for help. it saddens me that in the 40 years since my mother took her children and fled, not enough has changed to provide services to help women when they most need it. This is why i was extraordinarily honoured to have been part of the forum and see the overwhelming support the lisa harnum foundation and its partners are receiving to establish services to help women in the Hills. i’m proud to be part of a Council that now includes domestic Violence as part of our Community Plan. Our hope is that through connecting organisations, resources and facilities we will establish services that are both effective and timely for women who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, Domestic Violence. i must acknowledge the work of some incredible women - Aileen Mountifield (The lisa Harnum foundation), Annabelle Daniel (Women’s Community shelters) and melissa monteiro (Community migrant Resource Centre). These women have done the extraordinary in such a short timeframe – in securing funding and support for a new centre they hope to have up and running by the end of this year. it will be my greatest honour to roll up my sleeves and work alongside them to help in any way i might. if you’d like to support us, please contact The lisa harnum foundation on 1300 732 848 or visit www.lisahf.org.au.

C O u n C i l l O R S C O M M e n T S - c e n t R A l C O u n C i l l O R S C O M M e n T S - n o R t H

C l r y V o n n e K e a n e

C l r d r J e f f l o w e

C l r t o n y h a y o a m

0419 553 495clr.keane@thehills.nsw.gov.au

0419 821 557clr.lowe@thehills.nsw.gov.au

h i l l s f o C u s i 1 51 4 i t h e h i l l s s h i r e C o u n C i l

The Hills Shire is divided into four wards - north, Central, east and West - and each ward is represented by three Councillors. you can contact your local Councillor direct to discuss any issues you may have about your Ward. information about Ward boundaries, Councillors, Council meetings and latest news can be found on Council’s website www.thehills.nsw.gov.au - click on the ‘About Council’ tab at the top of the home page.

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BALCOMBE HEIGHTS 6/92 Seven Hills RdBaulkham Hills9639 4212 CASTLE GLEN22 Gilbert Rd,Castle Hill9680 4824 ELLERMANCnr Kenthurst Rd & Pellitt LnRound Corner Dural9651 3998 EURAMBIE PARK41 Coonara Ave West Pennant Hills9871 2553 EXCELSIOR AVE189 Excelsior AveCastle Hill9680 2735 NORTH ROCKSCnr Farnell Ave & Balaka Dr, Carlingford9873 1780

• Opening hours from 7.00am to 6.00pm Monday-Friday • Notforprofit—noadditionalchargesforPublicHoliday, or administration fees • ApprovedforChildCareBenefit&Rebate• Nutritious meals, following Munch & Move Principles• Orientation programs to assist your child settle into the centre• Qualifiedandexperiencededucators,includingdegreequalified Early Childhood Teachers• Educationalprogramsthatreflectthecurrenttheory,learning outcomes and practice of the Early Years Learning Framework.• Individual learning assessment journals provided• Spacious natural physical environments designed for play and safe exploration• Accredited SunSmart Centres• Opportunities for family involvement and participation

www.thehills.nsw.gov.au | 9843 0555

For over 25 years, The Hills Shire Council has been providing EARLy CHILdHOOd CARE ANd EdUCATION for families with children from 6 wEEKS TO 5 yEARS. Council Centres operate under National Quality Standards.

EARLy CHILdHOOd CARE & EdUCATION