FREE FEBUARY 2013 > Dural > Mid-Dural > Round Corner > Kellyville > Annangrove > Kenthurst > Glenhaven > Arcadia > Glenorie > Galston What it means to be a “True Local” See page 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT That was the Year that Was By Peter Dawson On behalf of the shopkeepers and business owners of Dural & Round Corner I thank the hardworking members of the Chamber Executive for the countless hours they have given of their time, labour and means in order to promote the business community of the area during the past year. My team of Paul Pixton, Michael Martin, Judy Pope, Di Paton, Peter Colusso, John Leckie, Liz Pellinkhof, Rod Cuevas and Ian Gatenby have made this term as President very enjoyable indeed and I greatly appreciate their help and support. his year representatives of your Tlocal Chamber were invited to the Australian Business Chamber Conference and the NSW Business Chamber launch of the State of Origin series. We again supported the Inala Golf Day, raising over $28,000, and with Dural Rotary hosted the Dural Community Golf Classic from which $16,000 was donated to local charities. We enjoyed presentations from outstanding business coaches, marketing gurus, and experts from both private and public sectors. We also hosted the Drinks on the Village Green and Picnic in the Business Park on behalf of our Chamber members in those precincts. It has been a busy but very rewarding year for the Chamber, and we are proud of our achievements. Meetings The Chamber AGM will be held on 13th February, and on 26th February we will hold a joint meeting with Dural Rotary at Bivianos starting at 6.30pm to present the proceeds of the Dural Community Golf Classic to LifeStart, Riding for the Disabled, and Australian Rotary Health. All members and local businesses are invited to those events. eMail If you want to contact me or one of the very hardworking members of the Chamber Executive you can email us at mail@duralchamber. com.au and if you wish to write to the Editor or submit an article to Dooral Roundup the address is [email protected]. February 2013 – Dooral Roundup 1 EDITOR’S REPORT A good year ahead By Judy Pope Welcome to 2013, we all survived the end of 2012. And hasn’t it been a deliciously hot summer allowing lots of trips to the beach with gorgeous sunny weather. I spent just over a week in Byron Bay before returning to work early January and it was just divine. he mood on the street regarding our economy and future growth Tseems to be a little more optimistic this year. Interest rates are predicted to hold or even drop again and Aussies are starting to spend again though still conservatively. I am predicting a much better year for the local businesses. Good news on the home front is that my son that was in the car accident is recovering far quicker than expected and after a brief break I am now working at Richardson & Wrench Dural/Kenthurst in the Dural office as the Area Manager. Pop in and say Hullo if you are going past. Today we are celebrating Australia Day and once again I am in awe of the beautiful country we are all so lucky to live in. We may have a few problems but comparatively to the rest of the world we have a fairly peaceful existence. I hope you all enjoyed a lovely summer break and heres’ to an awesome 2013. Publisher Michael Martin • [email protected] editor Judy Pope • [email protected] Designer Blue Rock - Nicola Doulougeris • [email protected] advertising Terry Lambert • [email protected] Mobile: 0412 570 133 Deadline for copy & advertising is the 18th of every month prior to printing Dooral Roundup is an officially endorsed publication of Dural and Round Corner Chamber of Commerce and is published by Blue Rock Marketing Pty Ltd. All material appearing in this magazine is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without written consent of the copyright holder. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of all information in this publication, no responsibility is accepted by the Chamber for the content of offers made by advertisers or editorial comment. attention advertisers - The Dural and Round Corner Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. reserves the right to alter, omit or change editorials and advertisements. While every care is taken, no responsibility is accepted by the publishers for the content or offers made by advertisers or editorial comments. 2 Dooral Roundup – February 2013 COVER STORY Local Knowledge and Experience Neil & Meg Clark are the owners of Mode Property and three times in the same Middle Dural street!). Moving a lot a local couple with big plans! not only gives us a great understanding about the benefits each area has to offer, but I think Meg & I have gone hen we first met, Meg was studying B.App Science at through the full spectrum of emotions & expectations you WHawkesbury Uni and I was a removalist. Meg owned can experience in property. We have been a tenant, a buyer, a couple of horses agisted in Maraylya, and so the horses a landlord and a seller. I’m quite sure our combined personal could be ridden more we decided to rent a house together and professional experience in local property is unmatched. on acreage. Even then, getting approved on a rental house Meg and I started to work as a real estate team in 1999. I was tough but in 1991 we moved into our first house in think we may be one of the original husband and wife teams, Annangrove. so when the best location in the area became vacant we saw Rent was high and our income was low so I went to TAFE it as great opportunity to bring our own unique style of real to learn how to be a real estate agent. Breaking into the real estate to more people who live in the area we live and love. estate industry was hard, I was 21 with a stack of theoretical We have put our heart and soul into our new office and hope knowledge but absolutely no practical experience. I did some others think it looks as good as we do. We thought long and “part time” (free) work for a few small agency’s before finally hard about what we should call ourselves and decided on the securing a paid sales job at Elders Real Estate at the start of word Mode because it best suits the individual way we work, 1992. our style our ‘Mode’. We have big plans for our office and in I loved real estate from the day I started. I thought it the future hope to open more in other areas, but not until we was great being able to drive around, do some letter box make Mode Property this areas number one agency. dropping, meet people, see through all types of homes, and To do that we need your help. If you’re going to sell, negotiate over hundreds of thousands of dollars. My love of we would love to sell it. If you’re going to lease your the industry must have been contagious because Meg was property out, we would be proud to offer it. We are open 7 soon to follow with a job as property manager for Harvie and days a week at 500 Old Northern Road and our phone lines Abignano Real Estate in 1992 (so much for her uni degree!) are open from 8am to 8pm so please drop in or give us a call Meg and I were married at Netherby Homestead (Fagan on 9651 5115. Park) in 1995. We bought our first acreage in Boronia Road Glenorie in 1999 and now live in Dural with two kids at Northholm Grammar School. When we first moved to the Hills rural area we were Between 1999 and now we moved a lot. In fact we have often told that to be ‘true locals’ you had to live here lived in Arcadia, Glenorie, Kenthurst, Annangrove, Cattai, for over 20 years. Using that formula, we now proudly Middle Dural, Dural and Galston (we even bought and sold call ourselves true locals. February 2013 – Dooral Roundup 3 THE WAY WE WERE Houses and Water Supply The early settlers had a couple of important matters to consider when selecting their land. 1) To obtain good land for agriculture. 2) The position of such land with regard to a fresh clean water supply for household purposes, near a creek or spring if possible.. he building of a bark hut was the next move and then swam them across the Hawkesbury River on their way to the T the sinking of a well or underground tank in suitable water Sydney Markets. holding clay, shale or rock. The rain water which fell on the Colah Creek between Wylds Road crossing and Middle bark roof would be directed into the well for use when needed. Dural Road new bridge crossing was used as a watering and Building materials changed from bark to slab for sides of houses spelling place. and from bark to shingles and later to galvanised iron for roofing. It was not until 1938 that the first stage of the Sydney In 1851 a census gives the following figures –North Colah Water Board plan was completed from Ryde via Dural North Parish, 184 persons and there were only 40 houses, all were tower. This main was completed along Galston Road and weatherboard or slab, and many were shingled.