IT’S a bitter, sweet time for members of the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Family Research Group.

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After 17 years, the group has been forced to close the doors of their office and meeting area at the Masonic Centre, on Myall Street.

A rent increase and the centre under new management by the Grand Lodge in Sydney, sealed their fate.

For the past few weeks, members of the Group have been packing up and moving their research books, computers and memorabilia into storage.

At their farewell get together they took a trip down memory lane with a photo journey of members and day trips, and weekend get togethers since 2002.

On a positive note, the Research Group has been given temporary accommodation.

“The Tea Gardens Country Club has offered the Jack Bramble Room, so we’ll be able to open the doors again in May, or maybe earlier,” Anne Shannon said.

The move will enable the group to continue with its mammoth ‘Trove Project’, involving the digitising of the early copies of the NOTA dating back to 1970.

The group will be able to use the room at the Country Club on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays unless a function is booked.

“The Country Club’s management has been terrific, Warren Gooley didn’t hesitate when we asked to use the room,” Terry Munright said.

After a farewell morning tea, it was time to take the Family Research Welcome sign off the wall and bid farewell to their old home and look forward to the next chapter.

By: Margie TIERNEY