News

This Easter, head to The Grove Library fun a fun-filled program of events and activities to keep the kids occupied over the holidays

Kids Easter Egg Competition 2020
Colour and decorate the Easter egg for a chance to win a yummy Chocolate Bunny or egg for Easter.  Competition opens Tuesday 5 March, entries to be handed in to The Grove Library by Tuesday 16 April 6pm., with winners notified the next day. Age Groups: 2-4 years, 5-7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years.  A winner and runner-up will be chosen in each age group. Entry forms can be collected from The Grove Library or downloaded from The Grove Library website. Entrants must be Western Suburbs Library members.

Chickens in the Library
Give the kids a front-and-centre view of the cycle of life and watch the chickens hatch and grow over the whole school holiday period; from egg to chicken -Tuesday 14  – Friday 24 April (afternoons). Take time to relax and colour-in chicken pictures as well.

Easter Story Time by the River
Songs, stories, sun and chocolate; it’s Easter Story Time at Perth’s best river reserve!
Where: Keanes Point Reserve, Tuesday: 7 April 10.30am. No bookings necessary Parents can grab a coffee BYO brunch and join in the fun.

Minecraft Camp
When:  April Tuesday 14 April 2020, Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm Where: Grove Community Centre Cost $73.00
(sessions are fully supervised).  For event information contact Mindbuzz directly on: 0487 191 680 bookings: or click  http://www.mindbuzz.com.au/events/grove/

Time to Fly
Angel wings, fairy wings, bird wings, which one are you? Join as we decorate wings to wear on your back.
Where: Library  When:  Thursday 16 April 2020 Time: 1.30– 2.30pm Ages:  6 -11 are welcome. Cost: 3.00
Places are limited – bookings are required.  # Children under 6 welcome, if accompanied by an adult.

Clay Time Fun
Kids.. bring a grandparent or parent to this intergenerational activity working  with air dry clay. Where: Library When: Friday 17 April  Time: 1.30 – 2.30 pm Cost: $5.00 - pay on day. Suitable for ages 5-12 years, materials supplied.

Earth Day 2020
Join us for a craft afternoon as we create a Borneo Rainforest display. April is Earth Month at The Grove Library and the perfect time to highlight Orangutan conservation. Decorate an Orangutan and add it to our rainforest display 2020 will mark 50 years of Earth Day.  Where: Library, When: Tuesday 21 April Time: 1.30– 2.30pm For ages 4 – 10 years old.

Movie time @ The Grove Library
Join us for popcorn and a free movie afternoon with Toy Story 4.  Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. Where: Community Centre, When: 23rd April 2019 1pm Cost: free Runtime: 112 minutes, for ages 6 – 12 years old. Bookings are required.

To register for these events and activities, call The Grove Library on 9286 9286

Drop-in Tech Help
Need a great starting point in dealing with computers and technology? Our volunteers are available to help you with any general technical queries.  No Bookings Required
Where: Library
When: Fridays 10.00am – 12.00pm

e-Library Help
Where: Library
When: Thursdays 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
One on one sessions for help with digital library services like e-books, audiobooks & e-magazines.
Bookings Required on 08 9286 8686

Tech Workshops 2020
The Grove Library will be running beginner workshops to learn the basics of technology.
Each workshop will is a single topic covered in detail. Conducted in small groups these sessions are perfect for the beginner.
Running from February until July 2020 these sessions are in high demand and bookings are essential.
For more information on the courses please ring 9286 8686

The Community Partnership Program (CPP) provides funding to improve the capacity and long term viability of local groups and to facilitate the development of new initiatives that will provide long term benefit to the Mosman Park Community. 

Western Electric Sporting Association (WESA) are based at Rocky Bay and have called Mosman Park home for 19 years (pictured below with Mayor Pollock).

WESA successfully applied for the CPP grant in the August 2019 round to purchase team shirts for their newly branded Power League team, Mosman Magic. 

The next round of Community Partnership Funding will open in July.

If you wish to discuss any potential funding opportunities or would like to receive notification when the funding opens, please contact our Community Development Team, community@mosmanpark.wa.gov.au or 9383 6600.

In the edition of the Western Suburbs Weekly, there was coverage related to pruning scheduled to take place on Buckland Hill.

To clarify this situation, please note the following.

Mayor Pollock: In regard to Buckland Hill, Council's Conservation and Management Plan was created after extensive consultation with nearby residents, the Leighton Battery volunteers and the Friends of Mosman Park Bushland, and we have sought to balance all of their interests.  This has created a Plan that caters for conservation of the environment and the preservation of heritage at the Leighton Battery site.  The limited pruning approved for this site will be done with great sensitivity, will not adversely affect the local bird habitat and will encourage smaller native shrubs to thrive.

Background

The following questions and answers were provided to Jon Bassett of the Western Suburbs Weekly prior to the publication of the story on Thursday 13 2020.

Q: Could Mayor Pollock please reply to the question why the Council would proposed to fell trees when it is seeking to increase and retain vegetation in areas such as Pt Roe and the park along Rocky Bay?

A: The Town has a strong desire to retain trees and vegetation where possible, as well as promote healthy vegetation. However, the Town also acknowledges the need to balance this desire against competing values such as in this case to unencumber historical views from the Leighton Battery, which is a heritage site of state and national significance.

Q: Are any of the tree proposed to be felled those in what the BHCMP describes that the hill’s ‘threatened ecological community’ of Callitris preissii or Melaleuca lanceolata, and if yes, what is the council’s justification?

A: The Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) in Buckland Hill covers 2.21 hectares, of which 0.11 hectares is subject to the clearing permit. Unencumbering the views will be approached in the most sensitive way possible, with pruning done where possible and only resorting to removal where absolutely necessary. The Department of Water and Environmental Resources endorse this approach.  The Town has applied for a permit from them for these works, and a decision is not expected until 6 March 2020.  This permit is based on the approved plan for this site (which was developed in consultation with community groups including Friends of Mosman Park Bushland and the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Society WA inc (Leighton Battery) in 2019.

Q: Are any of the trees to be felled protected Rottnest island tea trees, and if yes, what is the council’s justification?

A: The “Rottnest island tea trees“ referred to are actually the Rottnest Island pine (Callitris preissii). These Rottnest Island pines form part of the TEC.

Q: Your application says there were those who wanted no vegetation removed, and some who wanted more.  Who were both these groups?

A: It is not our place to speak on their behalf but our understanding is that the Friends of Mosman Park Bushland are in favour of retaining all native vegetation, while the Leighton Battery would like to remove some vegetation to allow for the historical views of the original site, which is being restored with grant funding from the Town and from the State Government.  Some nearby residents would like to see additional vegetation at the site removed to reduce bushfire risk as well as increase safety through better passive surveillance due to break ins and other opportunistic crime that occurs at the site.

Q: Have the trees to be felled already been identified, and if not, why?

A: The areas are defined in Figures 148 and 149 of the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan. The areas are where the height of the plants need to meet a height of 1 to 5 meters, depending on distance from the observation post and elevation of the site. To achieve the height management as outlined in the plan, it is likely we will not need to removal as many as 45 trees, however the permit as requested in its current form will allow to the Town to achieve the outcomes as they appear in the plan.  The Plan itself was subject to extensive community consultation at all phases of its development.

Q: Why did the council not include a clearing permit offset proposal in the application? And, were any considered, and what would they have been?  (i.e Where could have you planted 45 trees to offset the clearing?).

A: The Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan outlines revegetation works that offset the clearing, and the continuing rehabilitation of Buckland Hill. It was felt that this served the purpose of clearing permit offset proposal. In addition to offsetting the tree removals, the Town has committed to ongoing revegetation of the site, as well as other activities that will increase the quality of the vegetation on site as part of a broad management approach that includes heritage as well as preservation of the environment.

Q: How many new trees, shrubs and plants are proposed to be planted in the cleared areas?

A: In the areas cleared, as well as surrounding areas at the Buckland Hill site, the Town will be planting 2,000 shrubs and plants that meet the height restrictions outlined in the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan. The pruning and tree removal will be staged over two years with the intention of removing as few trees as possible.

Q: How much will the pruning and felling cost overall and over what period?

A: The Town’s intention is to undertake strategic pruning in year one to see what can be achieved without proceeding to removals. This is estimated to cost less than $1,000. In year two, trees requiring removal will be progressed, at an estimated cost of $2,000 - $3,000 depending on what was able to be achieved through pruning in the previous year, but these are indicative figures only.

Q: Council is aware of a rare native cherry near the observation post maybe one of the last in MP - and whether this could be removed in the proposal?

A: There is no mention of a “native cherry” in the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan, but a Priority 3 Beyeria cinerea subsp. cinerea was located in Buckland Hill. If this is the species referred to, it is not located in the area covered by this application. Also, it grows to 50cms and would not need to be pruned in order to meet the height restrictions. 

The new vision for the future of the revitalisation of the Mosman Park Town Centre is reaching an exciting stage, with invitations being sent to the entire community to take part in a walkabout through the precinct, culminating in a workshop to capture their best and brightest ideas.

 “Everyone is invited”, Mayor Pollock explained, “to take a walk with our planners, see the canvas we are working with and add in their own inspiration for what our Town Centre could be.”

Ideas about transport, parking, lighting, seating, art/sculpture/murals, events and festivals will help the Town’s planners to develop and finalise an exciting concept to make Mosman Park an even more desirable destination for local people and visitors to come together.

Just prior to the workshops, the Town’s newly-appointed Design Review Panel toured the area and added their professional expertise in such areas as landscaping, design, architecture and activation.

“We want a thriving hub that draws in people from all over Perth as well as Mosman Park and neighbouring areas via public transport and cycling/walking to a place full of inviting spaces where people can gather, shop, dine, relax in and connect, and nurture a village atmosphere,” Mayor Pollock said.

He advised that the walkabouts will begin from Glyde Street and travel around the Town Centre, including Stuart Street, St Leonard's Street, Willis Street, and the retail zone of Stirling Highway, concluding Monument Street for a catered workshop.  The tour will be led by the Town’s planners who will be on hand to answer your questions and capture ideas.

Walkabout Workshops:

Saturday 14 & 28 March 2020, 10am – 12pm

Monday 16 March 2020, 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Wednesday 18 & 25 March 2020, 4pm – 6pm

*Wednesday 1 April 2020, 3.30pm – 5.30pm

*Saturday 4 April 2020, 10am – 12pm

Following the workshops, the concept plan will then be revised with this input and presented back to the community later in the year.  Background documents relating to this project including the Local Planning Policy LPP20 – Mosman Park Town Centre Planning Area and the Draft Town Centre Plan are available here

Places are limited – book now. *Note these sessions will be enabled for all abilities

CLICK HERE TO BOOK