Wesley Mission - Green Conscience Wesley Mission - Green Conscience Contents Introduction Acknowledgments 1. Birdwood Park 2. Trees in Newcastle 3. Shortland Wetlands 4. Northern Parks & Playgrounds 5. Throsby Creek http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/default.asp (1 of 2) [6/06/2003 3:46:05 PM] Wesley Mission - Green Conscience 6. Hunter Botanic Gardens 1990-2001 7. The Ecohome & Eco-Village 8. Green Point 9. Koala Preservation Society 10. Friends of the Earth 11. Green Corps & Green Reserve 12. Glenrock State Recreation Area 13. Citizens Against Kooragang airport 14. Flora and Fauna Protection Society 15. Smoke Abatement 16. Cleaner beaches 17. Surfrider 18. No Lead Campaign at Boolaroo 19. Australia Native Plant Society 20. Wilderness Society 21. Animal Watch 22. The Green Movement Conclusion Bibliography http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/default.asp (2 of 2) [6/06/2003 3:46:05 PM] Introduction INTRODUCTION We live in a society where conspicuous consumption is often applauded, or envied, rather than deplored. In a society where most of the people live in poverty, the principle that 'more is better' applies. However, when a society becomes affluent this is no longer the case. Many of our problems originate in the fact that some people have not yet grasped this simple truth. One of the problems emanating from this state of affairs is the depletion of natural resources and the pollution of our land, air and water. This book gives a brief account of some of the groups who have attempted to restore a balance, or sanity, into the debate about where we, as a society, are heading. In the area of what may loosely be called "environmental history", surprisingly little has been written about the Newcastle Region. Two notable works are: John Ramsland, A History of Blackbutt Nature Reserve, (unpublished manuscript in Newcastle Library and Auchmuty Library), 1988; and Patricia Withers, The Origin and Development of the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens 1981-1989, 1994. Typically books which survey aspects of Australian history provide only brief mentions of Newcastle and the Hunter Region. It is wishful thinking to imagine that people outside the Hunter will write our history. We need to do it ourselves and, in any case, who is better qualified? Ross Edmonds Project Supervisor Wesley Uniting Employment << Previous Next >> Contents Introduction Acknowledgments 1. Birdwood Park 2. Trees in Newcastle 3. Shortland Wetlands 4. Northern Parks & Playgrounds 5. Throsby Creek 6. Hunter Botanic Gardens 1990-2001 7. The Ecohome & Eco-Village 8. Green Point 9. Koala Preservation Society 10. Friends of the Earth 11. Green Corps & Green Reserve 12. Glenrock State Recreation Area http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/introduction.asp (1 of 2) [6/06/2003 3:46:18 PM] Introduction 13. Citizens Against Kooragang airport 14. Flora and Fauna Protection Society 15. Smoke Abatement 16. Cleaner beaches 17. Surfrider 18. No Lead Campaign at Boolaroo 19. Australia Native Plant Society 20. Wilderness Society 21. Animal Watch 22. The Green Movement Conclusion Bibliography http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/introduction.asp (2 of 2) [6/06/2003 3:46:18 PM] Acknowledgments Acknowledgments This publication is a testament to the hard work of the following local people who volunteered two days each week for six months to research, write, publish and illustrate this book. John Vidler Melanie Mitchell Andrew Jeszke Allan Fairbairn Rhonda Miller Sherry Robinson John Vant Veld Lee Tiplady Jason Doyle Siobhan Hird Christine McFarland Kate Curteis Angela Scales (Illustration & Graphics) Leigh McClelland Kathleen Bell This project was funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (formerly DEWRSB) under Work for the Dole. Wesley Uniting Employment Newcastle West provided supervision / sponsorship of the project. Both DEWR and Wesley Uniting Employment are commended for their support and commitment to this valuable project. Community Greening in Newcastle was a six-month project with the following aims: ● Contribute to the collective memory and community awareness in Newcastle ● Inspire and document community achievement of improvements in the local environment ● Provide meaningful opportunities for unemployed people to gain and develop skills and experience. In an economic climate where unemployment appears to be a permanent and increasingly prominent feature of the landscape, it is imperative that people have the opportunity to refine and develop career skills. The loss to the local community as a result of unemployment and under-employment is considerable. This project showcases the immense talents of local people in areas related to historical research, journalism, graphic design, and publishing. In addition to documenting and celebrating the considerable achievements of the local community in preservation and protection of the local environment, this project aims to encourage a continuing community approach to creating a broad range of employment opportunities in the Hunter. In this http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/acknowledgements.asp (1 of 3) [6/06/2003 3:46:32 PM] Acknowledgments respect, the project was successful in creating an opportunity for meaningful employment of one of our noted local historians. Ross Edmonds is a local historian with a broad knowledge of the regions history. His passion and expertise were essential to the success of this project. His commitment to the content and endeavour chronicled in this book, and to the practice of History, was an inspiration to all concerned. Thanks go to the many people who agreed to interviews, and to those people who generously lent scrap books and other material. These people are mentioned by name in the references for each chapter. This project was undertaken with assistance from Newcastle City Council and activities were based at the Palais Royale Youth Venue in Newcastle. Palais staff have shared the venue with us over the last 6 months and were co-operative in providing assistance and advice. Particular thanks to Dale Garbutt, and to Ingrid Woodrow for her assistance with editing. The council printery staff were also approachable and co-operative. Particular thanks are also given to the staff of the local history section of the Newcastle Region Library, and the University of Newcastle Archives. In both cases staff assisted greatly in the process of locating material and generally coming to grips with modern library technology. The original proposal for this project was guided through the maze of bureaucracy by Colin Brown, Lynlee Johnson and Narelle Ryan. The ongoing monitoring and supervision of the project required a valuable contribution from Sue Mc Cluskey, Suzanne Brown, Richard Chippendale, Joanne Gibson, Chris Murray and Julia Barker. This book was compiled as a non-profit exercise to develop a community resource, and copies have been distributed free of charge to all local public and high school libraries. Wesley Uniting Employment will also be making this publication available on the World Wide Web. While every effort has been made to ensure the authenticity of all reference materials, the authors apologise for any discrepancies. The book is intended for community use and educational purposes. A major aim is to stimulate further debate and discussion of issues relating to environmental preservation and management in Newcastle. Lisa Woodrow Employment Consultant Wesley Uniting Employment Newcastle West << Previous Next >> Contents Introduction http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/acknowledgements.asp (2 of 3) [6/06/2003 3:46:32 PM] Acknowledgments Acknowledgments 1. Birdwood Park 2. Trees in Newcastle 3. Shortland Wetlands 4. Northern Parks & Playgrounds 5. Throsby Creek 6. Hunter Botanic Gardens 1990-2001 7. The Ecohome & Eco-Village 8. Green Point 9. Koala Preservation Society 10. Friends of the Earth 11. Green Corps & Green Reserve 12. Glenrock State Recreation Area 13. Citizens Against Kooragang airport 14. Flora and Fauna Protection Society 15. Smoke Abatement 16. Cleaner beaches 17. Surfrider 18. No Lead Campaign at Boolaroo 19. Australia Native Plant Society 20. Wilderness Society 21. Animal Watch 22. The Green Movement Conclusion Bibliography http://www.wesleymission.org.au/publications/green_c/acknowledgements.asp (3 of 3) [6/06/2003 3:46:32 PM] BIRDWOOD PARK BIRDWOOD PARK In January 1971 John Turner wrote a feature article for the Newcastle Morning Herald (NMH). The headline read: "Birdwood Park seems doomed". These words proved to be prophetic. The land for Birdwood Park had been given to the people of Newcastle by the A.A. Company in 1888 and so has had a long history. In 1945 Council told the Town Clerk to "negotiate" for resumption of land with the frontage to King Street for an extension to Birdwood Park. It was anticipated that "…removal of air raid shelters from the park and the acquisition of the land would provide a reasonable breathing space for the city and would permit erection of a children's playground". Shortly after, however, plans to accommodate the ever-increasing flow of traffic into and out of the city were drawn up. These involved widening King Street and building a highway through Birdwood Park. The issue did not attract much public attention until 1971, by which time the park was in a very sorry state. John Turner wrote: "in preparation for its fate, it has been allowed to deteriorate into a derelict paddock. But it could and should be an outstanding aesthetic feature in the middle of our ever increasing acres of tar and cement". He went on to say: "Birdwood Park is not an isolated example of the alienation of public parks for roads". Examples of this were the widening of King Street in 1968 and the extension of the scenic highway through Jefferson Park in Merewether. It is obvious, he wrote, "…that the main criteria for determining the course of new roads, or for selecting existing roads for widening, has been the availability of parklands. By siting main roads in our parks, the State Government fulfils its road- building obligations at a minimum cost".