Friends of North Bruny facilitates cooperation between North Bruny’s communities, government and other organisations. Find out more about north Bruny Island – what to do, where to go.
Thanks to everyone who completed the survey on the future of Kellaway Park and/or came to our community event in January. We greatly appreciate your input.
For your interest here is a summary of the survey results including feedback from the community day and an outline of the ‘next steps’.
We will keep you informed of future developments as they happen.
Let’s all read, this Tasmania Reads Week
Between 5 – 11 March, libraries, schools, business, and communities across the state will be celebrating Tasmania Reads week and you can too. Friends of North Bruny (FONB) are supporting a get together at Dennes Point on Tuesday 7 March where we will talk about our favourite Tasmanian Read. We hope this will be the impetus for a regular book group here in North Bruny and we’d love it if you could come along (and maybe bring a friend).
When: Tuesday 7 March 2023
Time: 11am – 1 pm
Where: Dennes Point – location will depend on final numbers, and we’ll keep you posted.
Cost: Free
Booking: Not essential but preferred – it will help us in finalising the venue and making sure there are enough cups! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reading-tasmanian-for-tasmania-reads-tickets-558497479997
Now for the fun bit, what to read? We’re leaving that up to you, it just needs to have a Tasmanian flavour – it could be a read by a Tasmanian writer; it could be set in Tasmania; it could be about Tasmania – the broader the range the more interesting the discussion. Fiction/nonfiction/poetry/essays/magazines are all excellent choices, and you can ‘read’ hardcopy, eBooks or audio books. There are some great suggestions in the Tasmania reads online magazine. Download it here
You might already have something in your own collection. If not, why not check out what’s available at:
Libraries Tasmania. Our nearest branch is at Kingston but if you are a member, you can borrow or return from any branch and membership is free. You can join online which will also allow you to borrow straight away from the eLibrary.
Bruny Island Community Library at Alonnah has a great range of Tasmanian titles. They are open on Thursday and Saturday from 1-4 pm, and also on Wednesday mornings. The Community Library is also planning an event for Tasmania Reads in April – we’ll keep you posted!
Share what you’re reading on social media using the hashtags #TasmaniaReads and #BrunyIslandReads
Create your own logo using the resources on the Australia Reads page.
Read for Pleasure/Read with Friends/Read for Learning
The primary objective of Friends of North Bruny is to protect the environment and lifestyle of North Bruny, but we are also concerned with issues which affect the whole of Bruny Island.
After a fairly long period of preparation, we have recently installed bins and associated signs at 8 locations around the island as part of our ‘Bin Marine Plastics’ project. Our aim is for folk who are walking on the beach to collect any plastic debris that they see and put it in these bins, to get it out of the marine environment and away from seabirds and marine creatures which might otherwise eat it. And of course, to help keep our beaches wild and beautiful!
The bins are at these locations:
The artwork for the project by Gordon Harrison-Williams is very impressive, and we will be using the logo for T-shirts and car stickers as we spread the ‘Bin Marine Plastics’ message. We hope that the project will inspire similar action in other places.
We are very grateful for the support of various organisations and individuals who have contributed to the project – Kingborough Council; the Bruny Island Environment Network (BIEN); the Bruny Island Community Association (BICA); the Inala Foundation; the Pennicott Foundation; Bruny Island Coastal Retreats; and the Matysek family.
Unfortunately, despite the signage which explains the purpose of the bins, and despite the prominent label on the top of the bins which says ‘Beach Plastic Only’, we have been finding from the outset that people are using the bins for general rubbish. This is very thoughtless, and dispiriting. We have made modifications to the bins to address the problem and working towards positive solutions.
We do still need volunteers to help us manage the project, particularly on South Bruny. If you feel able to help, please contact Ros Woodburn on 0407 581070.
Friends of North Bruny is currently undertaking community consultation about the possible reactivation of Kellaway Park, Dennes Point. We value your opinion and there are a couple of ways you can be involved – keep reading …
Kellaway Park is located in the centre of Dennes Point off Sports Road. The land was donated by Percival Wallace Kellaway for recreational use for the people of North Bruny and named Kellaway Park as a mark of respect. This public open space, now owned by Kingborough Council, has a tennis court, cricket pitch and clubroom. Part of the land is wooded. The Park is also used for emergency helicopter retrieval from the area. There were discussions about the Park in 2016 as part of the North Bruny Background and Future Directions Plan. In the coming weeks day to day management of the Park will be assumed by the North Bruny Hall (Lennon Hall, Dennes Point) Committee.
Some young families have suggested that we investigate the level of community support to revitalise the Park. What facilities are lacking on North Bruny which might be introduced into Kellaway Park for community use? If there is enough interest Friends of North Bruny (FONB) in partnership with the Hall Committee would need to develop a proposal and seek funding through various community grant programs as well as seeking support from Kingborough Council for any proposals. The latter is needed as the land is Council property and additional maintenance may be required.
There are a couple of ways you can provide feedback.
Thank you for your assistance and best wishes for the holiday season.
FONB Committee
Friends of North Bruny are very pleased to announce that the Dennes Point Heritage Trail has opened! Thanks to Rodney Dillon for welcoming us to Country, and Greg Lehman for his moving speech about the great significance of the site and the new trail. Thanks also to Kingborough Mayor Steve Wass for officially opening the Trail, and Gerry McAfee for officiating. And thank you also to everyone who came along to the opening, and all those who have supported this project at every step along the way. If you haven’t seen the Trail yet, we hope you’ll come along and walk it soon.
Find out more:
Here are some photos from the opening.
Bruny Island community groups Friends of North Bruny, the Bruny Island Environment Network and Bruny Island Community Association have joined together to call for a moratorium on marine farming in Storm Bay. The moratorium objectives are detailed in the following joint submission.
Below is an important media release from Tassal. It provides formal confirmation by their accreditation body, SCS Global Services, that MF90 (the Tinderbox Lease) will soon be retired. FONB cautiously welcomes this development. We have sought advice from Tassal about the remediation protocols that might be in place for this process. We have also asked DPIWE’s Director of Marine Resources for advice on what reduction in nitrogen load might be expected with this and other retirements in the Channel. We remain deeply concerned about the impacts of proposed expansions of fish farming in Storm Bay. FONB would welcome comment.
For the past 12 months and more, the issue of fish farm expansion in Storm Bay has come to dominate discussion within FONB. A well attended General Meeting on February 11, and an AGM last month that attracted an even larger turnout, demonstrated the degree of community concern that exists over this issue. FONB will continue to serve as a fulcrum for analysis and action over fish farm expansion on the northeast coast of Bruny Island. Our position is well summarised in the following motion, unanimously passed at the 11 February meeting:
‘That the Executive Committee act on behalf of Friends of North Bruny to work with other community groups around Storm Bay to bring to the attention of the Premier, Fisheries Minister and the Marine Farming Planning Review Panel the need for an agreed plan for sustainable fish farming in Storm Bay and the D’Entrecasteaux; and, asks that this be resolved before there are any expansion to the leases in Storm Bay.’
Friends of North Bruny have made it to the parallel universe of cyberspace! Our website is designed to bring together and make it easier for everyone to access information about North Bruny Island. It will also provide the online platform for a fabulous audio visual on Kelly’s Point, which is coming soon.
On the site right now, you’ll find various reports and other information on North Bruny Island, a great image collection (please let us know if you have others you’d like to add), and information about Friends of North Bruny, including all our past newsletters.
What are you waiting for? Go and have a look –
www.friendsofnorthbruny.org.au