Tuesday 29 October 2013

Halloween Lithgow 13

WITH a free trick or treat trail, themed street entertainment, and spectacular light shows, Lithgow’s Halloween 13 event will be great fun for the local community.
Activities get under way from 6 pm with the costume parade in Marjorie Jackson Plaza followed by the zombie wedding at seven then the full range of activities along the business area.
Portland is also planning promotional activities beginning with a Halloween themes Portland central School fete tomorrow.
Full Portland details will be in Thursday’s Mercury.
“Everyone is invited, young or old, to the Halloween 13 event on the evening of Thursday October 31,” mayor Maree Statham said yesterday.
“The inaugural Halloween 13 Lithgow event will be a chance for everyone to have some fun as well as showing our commitment to supporting our Main Street businesses.
“Council has been working closely with many Main Street businesses in Lithgow and Portland to integrate the free street entertainment and attractions with shop promotions such as trick or treat offerings, special scary Halloween cuisine in cafes and restaurants along with a range of specially discounted products and services,” Cr Statham said.
“The response from our main street businesses has been incredible with so many jumping on board and getting involved in the event by staying open late on the Thursday as part of Halloween 13 Lithgow,” Council’s Economic Development Officer Matt Brewster said.
“It’s really important that the Lithgow community increase their support for local businesses and I would urge everyone to think twice before leaving the Lithgow area to do their shopping or undertake their purchases right now.
“By participating in Halloween 13 Lithgow you can show your support by walking the trick or treat trail along Main Street, enjoying the free entertainment and indulging in some special shopping and eating experiences.”

You can also get your copy of the trick or treat trail map and list of participating businesses in last Saturday’s edition of the Lithgow Mercury.For more information about Halloween 13 Lithgow visit Council’s facebook age www.facebook.com/LithgowCityCouncil.

Sad news for Capertee

DEATH & FUNERAL NOTICE
ENGLISH: Ronald Kevin (Ron) 
22 October, 2013 peacefully at Lithgow District Hospital. Of Capertee. Dearly loved son of Wesley & Lillian (both dec), loved father of Ronald and Stephen (dec), much loved Pop of his grand children & great grandchildren, dear brother of June and uncle of her family.
Aged 79 years.
"Always Remembered"
Funeral & committal services for RON will be held in St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Capertee ON WEDNESDAY AT 11.30AM. At the conclusion of the services a private cremation will take place.
Members of the Lithgow Workmen's Club are invited to attend.

Job Losses in the Mining Sector

As the flames die down and unrest settles in local communities, families have again been hit with another blow with over 90 mine employees told not to come into work and their positions no longer viable.
Three mining companies in the Lithgow Region have laid off staff with RGN Mining Services releasing more than 60 employees.
Centennial Coal have restructured their operations resulting in more job losses along with Coalpac who have gone into voluntary receivership.
The cost to the community will be steep as the ripple effect takes place.
To read what Centennial have to say about the situation pick up Saturday's Lithgow Mercury

Lithgow Mercury Sat 26th October 2013

Airly Coal Second Information Session


From: Gregory Brown [mailto:Gregory.Brown@centennialcoal.com.au]
Sent: Friday, 25 October 2013 6:45 PM
To:
Subject: Airly Mine Community Information Session 2


Airly Mine is currently undertaking a range of specialist studies that will form an Environmental Impact Statement to support the proposed Airly Mine Extension Project.  As part of this Project, Airly Mine is holding community information sessions to share the findings of the independent specialist consultants. 
Airly Mine would like to invite the SMC to the second information session which will present information relating to the flora and fauna, aquatic ecology and cultural heritage studies for the Project.

It will be held on Sunday, 10 November (10am – 1pm) at the Glen Alice Community Hall, Glen Alice Road, Glen Alice.

Administrators appointed to companies of Coalpac Consolidation Project in Cullen Bullen


Company Administrators Matthew Wayne Caddy and Shaun Robert Fraser were appointed on the 18 October 2013 for the following companies associated with controversial Coalpac Consolidation Project:

Company: CET Resources Pty Ltd
Company: Coalpac Pty Ltd
Company: Portland Road Pastoral Co Pty Ltd in its own capacity and as trustee for Portland Road Unit Trust
Company: Lithgow Coal Company Pty Limited

Notice is given that a first meeting of the creditors of the Company, or a first meeting for each of the Companies, (for multiple companies), will be held:

Location:     Cliftons, Level 13, 60 Margaret Street, Sydney
Meeting Date:     30 October 2013
Meeting Time:     11am


Monday 14 October 2013

The Story of Capertee

Are you interested in The Story of Capertee?


The Story of Capertee- written by Bruce Jefferies

78 pages of history and photos

Together with stories of:
Ben Bullen
Crown Ridge
Kangaroo Flat
Round Swamp
 Palmer's Oakey
Excelsior
Torbane
Airly 
Glen Davis

If you are interested in purchasing this book please email caperteeprogress@gmail.com 
or
Call Benita on 02 63590066.

Cost $15 + postage

Wednesday 9 October 2013

October Progress Meeting

As our planned meeting date fell on a public holiday we have moved the meeting to Monday 14th of October 2013, at the Capertee and District War Memorial Hall from 7pm
All Welcome!

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has recommended that the Coalpac should not be approved in its current form.

Friday, 4 October 2013

Coalpac Coal Project recommended for refusal due to significant rock formation and biodiversity impacts 

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has recommended that the Coalpac Consolidation Project near Lithgow should not be approved in its current form.

A final decision will now be made by the independent Planning Assessment Commission (PAC),made up of different panel members to those who conducted a review of the project last year.
The department’s assessment found that the open cut mining operations as currently proposed would be incompatible with the natural setting which includes unique rock formations and sensitive and important biodiversity areas.

The mine site is located just two kilometres from the Gardens of Stone National Park which forms part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage listing. The area has significant biodiversity and geological values, particularly due to its rock formations known as “pagodas”.

The department found that, within this setting, the narrow elongated nature of the mine plan would cause a significantly greater impact on the surrounding area compared to more conventional mines of a similar size.

The rock pagodas, in particular, are open rock faces estimated to be around 250 million years old which the independent PAC has previously found to be worthy of total protection from mining.
The proposed expansion involves mining as close as 50m from these pagodas, carving into the rocky slopes and conservation areas which form their base, heavily impacting on their setting.

The department concluded that, while the project would generate economic benefits, its substantial environmental impacts would outweigh those benefits.

The department’s conclusion is consistent with an independent review of the project undertaken by the PAC last year, which included public hearings.

The proposed mine, located 25km northwest of Lithgow, was proposed to produce up to 3.5 million tonnes of coal a year over 21 years.

The department acknowledges that Coalpac has proposed to scale-back its initial proposal to limit impacts on significant rock pagodas, but even with these changes the mine will have an
unacceptable impact on the conservation significance of the area.

The department's assessment found it would difficult to rehabilitate this bushland back to its original state, given the steep slopes that would be created by the mine after it progressed along the valley floor.

Media release
In the end, this is not the right place for a major open cut coal mine. The department has undertaken a balanced assessment which has carefully considered the economic benefits of the
mine against the environmental impacts.

The department’s assessment report and recommendation can be found at:http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4332

Media contact: Paul Searle (02) 9228 6295 or 0429 153 425

Capertee Valley Garden Group

Capertee Valley Garden Group Friday 11th October

Garden Group Meets


Thank you all so much for all the offers to host the next garden gp - very much appreciated.  Pam was first, so she's the lucky winner!   Looking forward to seeing everyone at her place at 10 Friday 11/10.
best wishes,

 As a bit of a "theme" maybe we could exchange info about watering systems? How does everyone water their garden?  What works? What doesn't?  What you recommend to people who are starting out? etc etc.   If you have a super fantastic sprinkler, maybe you can bring it so everyone can have a look?   If you can't make it to the garden group feel free to email any ideas you have on this topic and maybe we will try to compile all the info for a short article in the next Gazette...
Rick and Alex


Copied from Capertee Valley Alliance

Pearsons Lookout Signage

Pearsons Lookout sign by Lithgow Council