After writing about the formative years of the Tallong Community Focus Group (TCFG) in last month's article and reflecting on the group's achievements up to the AGM held on October 21, it is clear that the group has delivered significant projects to the residents of Tallong.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
One project is to inform and seek feedback from the community through a regular newsletter delivered to all letterboxes, articles in local newspapers, postings on social media platforms and maintaining web addresses.
Another project is to provide a social calendar of events, of which the Apple Festival held in May each year is the most ambitious one.
The TCFG is appreciative of the long standing financial support given by Boral which has allowed further development of the festival.
Every year the group joins with other local organisations to hold a village Christmas party and an Anzac Day ceremony.
Several historical celebrations have been staged by the group, among them the Kangaroo March reenactment, Centenary of Anzac ceremony and last year a Centenary of Armistice Day ceremony and historical display.
Other historical celebrations organised in recent years include 150 years of schooling in Tallong and 200 years since Europeans first came through Tallong and the subsequent settling of the district.
Since Tallong: A Heritage was published in 2010 with a grant from the Royal Australian Historical Society, infrastructure projects were made possible by obtaining grant funding.
The village sign was erected in 2012 with funds from Veolia Mulwaree Trust and the Centenary of Anzac Memorial with a Southern Phones endowment.
The restoration of the war memorial was completed in 2015 with a grant from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Development of the Memorial Park, after permission was obtained from the council in 2013, was completed in stages using Village Discretionary Funds by the end of 2016.
Stage one involved forming the Jim Watling Walkway, erection of the Big Apple structure, signage and planter boxes for the crab apple trees.
Stage two included reclamation of storm damage, planting of native species, drainage work, installing bridges and building up the walkway.
This year a gazebo has been erected along the walkway with a Stronger Communities Grant and a map of places of interest was installed at the entrance gate.
In addition, a clean up of the railway station car park precinct and planting of crab apple trees was carried out in 2016.
The welcome signs at each end of the village and history sign frames installed in the park were erected in 2017.
TCFG AGM results
At the AGM last month, committee positions were filled by president Christine Wursten, vice president Jim Wattling, secretary Kerry Lawrence, treasurer Jeremy Porter and ordinary members Guy Lewis, Todd Turner-Sow, Troy Brown and Belinda Agren.
It was resolved at the meeting to form an Apple Day Committee for 2020 in November and to have a celebration in 2020 of 100 years from the dedication of the Memorial Hall.
To finish this year's calendar a concert featuring locally well known Harry Hookey, Jo Casely and the Desert Alien Band on Friday, December 6 at 7pm.
Tickets are available from http://www.trybooking.com/BGELF.
Christmas celebration
On Friday, December 20 from 6pm a Christmas celebration will be held in the Memorial Park.
Carols will be sung by candlelight, Santa will arrive with goodies for the children, BYO picnic, with sausage sizzle and ice blocks provided and please bring a gift to donate to a local charity.
Local organisations contributing on the night are TCFG, Hall Trust, RFS, CWA, TPS students and U3A choir.
