Mayoral Column - 6 September 2023
Published on 06 September 2023
Recently, I was privileged to join with school staff, student representatives and parents for the unveiling of a beautiful mural at Holy Spirit Primary School Kurri Kurri, along with members of the local parish and Kurri Kurri Town with Hearts mural team. The mural includes 16 individual artworks spanning 45 metres and tells a story about the history of Holy Spirit Parish Primary School from its beginnings in 1908.
This mural is the 66th in the ever-expanding Town with Hearts mural listing and is the sixth Kurri Kurri mural painted by talented artist, Daniel Joyce.
I also attended the Korreil Wonnai AECG Kullaburra Award Ceremony for 2023 at Kurri Kurri High School. The awards celebrate the success and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Korreil Wonnai AECG area (Cessnock/Kurri Kurri), highlighting successes of Year 12 students as well individual awards in Leadership, All-rounder, Attendance, and Sport categories.
Last month, I hosted a Facebook live question and answer session on the Wollombi Road upgrade with Council’s Director of Works and Infrastructure, Paul McLachlan. It’s important to dispel some of the misinformation that is being circulated in the community. Mr McLachlan clarified the project is in the early stages, with Council in the process of engaging an engineering consultant to undertake technical investigations to inform a design that satisfies the conditions of consent and meets community expectations around parking, safety and travel times, and refined through extensive community consultation over the course of the project.
The full unedited video is available on Council’s Facebook channel for those who weren’t able to attend the live session. I look forward to doing more live Q&A sessions on other important projects in the future.
Last Friday was the 100th anniversary of the Bellbird Colliery mine disaster. On that fateful day, lives were lost, families were shattered, and the entire region was cast into mourning.
The Bellbird Colliery was a significant employer in an industry that defined our region. Generations of local families share a connection to the colliery. Indeed, my grandfather, Arthur Hartcher, worked there as a mine electrician right up to its closure in 1977. These connections intensified the sense of devastation felt when disaster struck on 1 September 1923.
Yet, amidst the sorrow and grief, a remarkable sense of unity and resilience emerged. Our community demonstrated an unwavering determination to rebuild, to stand together, and to ensure that such a disaster would never transpire again. The centenary of the Bellbird Mine Disaster is not just a commemoration of loss; it is a celebration of the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity.