HELLO, well the new year is now underway, and the Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Association Committee is gearing up for a great 2022.

We will hold meetings every second Monday of the month from February at the Hawks Nest Community Hall.

Our first big event is the ‘LIVE LIFE – RECONNECT’ EXPO happening in Seniors Week at the Hawks Nest Community Hall on 2 April.

Through a grant from the NSW Government, we can (hopefully) safely meet and engage with all our great community groups, enjoy live entertainment, arts, crafts, and a Lions BBQ.

If you or your community group is interested in supporting and/or volunteering at this event, please contact 0434 151 375.

Our first Progress Association meeting is on Monday 14 February with a number of recently elected councillors invited to attend.

At this and subsequent meetings, we will seek to renew our community with invitations extended to all our local community groups, plus returning and new members.

Their input will help ensure that the Progress Association can advocate for the improvement and sustainable development of our area.

Our advocacy will also be based on a review of key MidCoast Council (MCC) plans including the Delivery Program, Financial Statements, Strategic Plan (MidCoast 2030: Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility), Community Engagement Plan, and others such as the Future Land Use Plan and Pedestrian Access Management Plan.

The aim is to identify gaps in all the current MCC plans and advocate for their mitigation, ensure local ‘in plan’ actions are completed on time, uphold accountability and transparency, and communicate new and emerging needs for action.

A key priority will be an update to our Local Community Plan last completed in 2018.

This information will also inform future applications for more community grants to improve our amenities with local, state and/or federal government support.

The first MCC Council Ordinary Meeting for 2022 is on Wednesday 12 January with the newly elected Councillors.
The Progress Association is committed to monitoring all MCC meetings and sharing relevant information and issues with our community.

Finally, we hope to see you at the Australia Day function hosted by the Lions Club at Hawks Nest Pelican Park, Moira Parade.

This year’s Australia Day is about “reflecting, respecting and celebrating the Australian spirit and the best of this country – our mateship, our sense of community and our resilience. We find optimism and hope as we look to the future.”

See you around the BBQ.

 

By Bruce MURRAY, President, Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Association