Backyard Biodiversity- Environmental Art Project 2022 Winners

Over 1,900 Perth primary school students submitted a piece of artwork into the 21st annual Environmental Art Project, run by the Mundaring Arts Centre. The theme this year was ‘Backyard Biodiversity’. Students were challenged to explore local diversity by looking closely at nature to discover, observe and monitor the flora and fauna of their local area.

All entries have been presented in an online exhibition and can be viewed at: https://www.enviroartproject.com.au/exhibition-22. Additionally, a selection of entries has been transformed into a walking trail at Midland’s Weeip Park, and banners in the Mundaring Rose Gardens.

Darlington was well represented with five students’ submissions being selected and acknowledged. Congratulations to the following individuals:

The new and enlarged committee of the Darlington Ratepayers and Residents Association(DRRA) is clearly energised by the promise and challenges of 2023 and has already had its first meeting about current issues and the year ahead. New Chairperson Anthony Spagnolo and Deputy Chairperson Louise Stelfox make a good team in the leadership roles and have a committee that encompasses locals with an impressive range of experience in a variety of fields.

“Former President Steve Beadle has done an outstanding job, and I'm excited to take over as Chairperson,” says Anthony. "It is our mission to ensure Darlington residents can participate actively in the maintenance and improvement of our village lifestyle. We also represent the interests of residents and ratepayers to the Shire and hope to make progress on a range of key issues in 2023.”

You can read more in DRRA notes in this issue. The first DRRA public meeting is on Thursday February 9 at 7.30pm and the longrunning saga of the Satterley will feature a presentation by Save Perth Hills a townsite for 4,000 in North Stoneville.

Please see the DRRA and DCRAG notes in this edition for further information on the contested proposals to widen the oval and (separately) to create a footpath to run alongside the oval by the pine trees.

In summary, decisions regarding the oval widening proposal and consideration of the opposition to it have been delayed by the Shire until 2024 when the Shire review its Recreational Facilities Informing Strategy. Similarly, the drainage and tree root work requested will be explored in 2026/7 when there is a planned upgrade of the reticulation system.

With regard to the footpath, which has already been agreed to and published by DCRAG, this has now reached the stage of being awarded to a contractor with work beginning in the near future.

The replacement of the old damaged perimeter bollards has been under planning and discussion for some time. Shane

Purdy, Director of Infrastructure at the Shire has reassured that consideration of the tree root systems will be given in the placement of the bollards when they are moved closer to the road and that there will still be larger than Australian Standard (6.7m as opposed to Standard 5.4m) parking bay length for cars between the bollards and the road. I do have to wonder a little about the width of the actual road that tends to cause, when vehicles meet from opposing directions, one of the vehicles to drop two wheels onto the gravel area into what will in future be the parking bays.

While it might therefore seem sensible to reverse park, once the work has been done, to ensure that Rover is well away from the road before disembarking from the back, it may on the other hand be necessary to park larger vehicles right up to the bollards to give some space at the road edge. Only time will tell whether indeed, as the Shire hopes, it will become a safer area.

Community members and groups were celebrated for their outstanding contribution to the local area at the Shire of Mundaring’s Celebrating Community event. The Shire’s event is held each year to coincide with International Volunteer Day on December 5, and is supported by Department of Communities through the Thank a Volunteer Day grant program.

The Inspirational Volunteer award recognises individuals or groups who made an outstanding contribution to the local community. There were three recipients from Darlington; Lee Oliver from the Darlington Tennis Club, Melanie Ingram- a local volunteer who delivers social events for older people, and the group behind LAMP (Lower Recreation Area Master Plan). Darlington also had a Rising Star recipient; Elaina Davies who received this award for her work with The Baha'i Community of Mundaring.

The recipients were congratulated by Shire President, James Martin; “I want to sincerely thank each and every one of our volunteers and groups who have made a significant difference over the year. Without your time and dedication, it would be difficult to provide the wide range of initiatives that are delivered by volunteers across our community.”