MESSAGE FROM THE SHIRE PRESIDENT

HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY

FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE 10

PAGE 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE :

FROM THE CEO 2

RATES AND CHARGES 3

WASTE

MANAGEMENT

4

TAMWORTH

ADVENTURE

5

H ISTORY PAGE 6

COMMUNITY PROFILE 7

CLEAN UP

AUSTRALIA DAY

9

Out and About

in the Barkly

10

Event Calendar 11

This month the Council considered and rejected an offer from Territory Government to enter into a contract for Housing Maintenance and Tenancy management services from 1st July, 2010. This decision was not taken lightly, but was based on a detailed report from our CEO and draft contracts that were, in effect, treating Local Govern-ment and Elected representatives with disrespect inviting contracts where locally elected representatives are to be gagged. Stopped from criticising government by a few lines on paper. The offending clause may be watered down I am sure, but its presence in a draft document for consideration by Council was offensive.

The Local Government is the third tier of Government in this territory and its voice will not be silenced. We will continue to advocate for our communities in whatever sphere of Government or industry and in whatever form that can and will deliver better services for our constituents.

In a few weeks I and my fellow Council representatives will be representing your in-terests at the table at the Local Government Association conference and issues con-cerning the ongoing relationships with the other spheres of government are on the agenda. I will be also be meeting with our Minister and this too, will be a topic for discussion.

In the next week or so we also say farewell to Gary Cartwright, Gary was the former Chief Executive Officer of the Urapuntja Council Aboriginal Corporation and one of the last of the former CEO‟s to come across to the Barkly Shire as Shire Services Man-ager. I personally would like to thank him for his service to this community and wish him well for the future.

As I write this today storm clouds are again threatening our communities and it is

hoped that we will not see a repeat of the devastation that occurred earlier this year.

Rain is nice, in small doses!

Rosalie Kunoth-Monks Shire President

FROM THE CEO

ISSUE 10

The Council this month has made a decision not to enter into a contract with Territory Housing for Maintenance and Tenancy services, as I reported to Council this decision may have an impact on staffing in that area of the Council‟s operations but it is early days yet and other options may evolve over the next few months. Clearly Territory Housing and or their contractors will require staffing and facilities in communities so this is a consideration.

Council has received an additional grant of $2.3m for CDEP Development and Support funds over the next few years and this will enable us to employ community development officers and training mentors in communities to assist with employment programs and outcomes.

We also took delivery of a new septic pump out truck, garbage truck as well as a street sweeper so the capital works budget has taken a hammering this month. The stormy weather has caused significant damage to roads and other infrastructure and again isolated communities for extended periods. I guess this is what they call a „typical” Wet season . Not sure of the terminology but it is nice to see rain.

Council has resolved to sponsor a program to encourage employers in Local Government to recruit more women and I am pleased to say that somehow I managed to get the gender balance right with just over 50% of the staff at present being female.

We also farewell our longest serving Shire Services Manager Gary Cartwright and I want to recognise his achievements and contribution to this Shire and the Community over some five years. I am sure that Gary will say that the past two or so years that I have known and worked with Gary have been exciting and filled with challenges and I wish him well for the future.

Over the next six weeks I will be on recreation leave, and the Acting CEO Gary Cleary will keep you posted on

what‟s happening in the Shire. Jeanette and I have a caravan and will travel, not sure where at present, but there

will be some fishing and water around, of that you can be sure.

Jeff Sowiak

Chief Executive Officer

Council is seeking expressions of interest from community groups, government agencies or other not for profit associations that may wish to utilise the former Camooweal Aboriginal Hostel located at 59 Austral Street, Camooweal to establish a community facility. The buildings on the site include 5 separate living units, a central kitchen, laundry and wash room facili-ties that have suffered significant vandal damage since the hostel was shut down approximately eight years ago. Council would be prepared to consider a sale/lease at nominal value on the understanding that the prop-erty would be used for community purposes. Organisations wishing to express an interest in either acquiring the property, via transfer, lease or other suggestions should write to the Council or email to ceo@barkly.nt.gov.au Inquiries to the Chief Executive Officer 89620000

Jeff Sowiak Chief Executive P.O Box 821 Tennant Creek NT 0861

Page 2

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST- CAMOOWEAL HOSTEL SITE

ISSUE 10 PAGE 3

Rates and Changes in Communities

There has been some confusion over the issue of waste management charges and rates being charged on prem-ises in communities and hopefully this information will provide some guidance to Schools, community stores , health clinics, police and other organisations who feel that they may be exempt from Council charges.

The Council can charge rates on properties that are within the Shire to cover the cost of providing a range of Local Government Municipal Services to the Community, this is different from the specific functions relating to the removal and disposal of waste. Whilst rates only apply to rateable properties in the Shire, garbage and other service charges apply to all properties within the shire or a community for which a service is provided. The maintenance of the rubbish tip and the collection of bins is a service for which a charge can be raised. The Council has the power under the local government Act to determine what waste it will accept into its waste management service and the manner in which that waste will be collected. The provision of a rubbish tip and the collection of waste are municipal services and cannot be subsi-dised by CDEP nor can the Council engage CDEP participants in waste collection unless this is re-garded as part of a long term training plan that meets certain criteria and employees of the Council are involved in supervising the trainees. Community stores, clinics, schools and police stations generate waste. Council has a right to charge for the cost of collecting and disposing of that waste and for maintaining the equipment and facilities nec-essary to manage its disposal. This is called a Garbage Service Charge and this charge has been fixed by Council at its meeting in June each year when the rates and Charges were published and adopted by Council. The Shire Services Manager in each community has responsibility and can issues directives concerning how best to manage that service and he is authorised to do so by Council. RATES: Local Government Act 2008, Each year the council is obliged under the Local Government Act 2008, to issue the Declaration of Rates and Charges. You are able to access this information in its entirety on the Barkly Shire Web site www.barkly.nt.gov.au You will appreciate that the council has not as yet issued all the notices with respect to the rates and charges for the 2008/2009 or 2009/2010 financial year. The process of identifying property occupiers and issuing notices across the Shire has been a difficult one, not withstanding financial systems problems. However, these notices will be issued as soon as practical and there will be the normal period in which to pay.

NAME THAT STREET EVER WONDER HOW YOUR STREET GOT IT ’S NAME?, WELL HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO

FIND OUT ! BLAIN STREET: Named after Adair Macalister BLAIN who was born in NSW in 1895, the youngest of eight children. He was educated in Perth where he became interested in a surveying career and following war service, studied surveying and architecture in London before finally qualifying in Australia in 1924. He was appointed to the Territory under contract in 1929 and commenced work surveying the Katherine Farms. He surveyed pastoral boundaries at Alroy Downs, Rockhamp-ton Downs and Brunette, and also worked in Tennant Creek, Artunga and Alice Springs areas. He was elected as the Inde-pendent Federal Member for the NT in 1934, enlisted in 1940 and was later imprisoned in Changi. He retired from Parlia-ment in 1949 and moved to NSW. He died at Wentworth Falls in 1983.

Who was BOAG STREET named after? Send you answers to karina.files@barkly.nt.gov.au or mail to PO Box 821 Tennant Creek NT 0861 Attn: Karina Files

PAGE 4 ISSUE 10

Waste Management: Rural Garbage Charges

Waste Management and the collection of garbage is a core function of Council and as indicated, it is not possible to subsidise the cost of this service under the CDEP program. The Barkly Shire Council employs local people within the community to perform this task. The council, in order to provide this core service, is charged with the duty of collecting rates and within this schedule of rates is the service charge for waste management /garbage service. The charge for areas other than Tennant Creek and Elliott are catered for under Section 157 of the act – Rural Garbage Charge. From the Declaration: 2. (c) That whereas in relation to the Council's function of sanitation and garbage, the Council provides or is will-ing and able to provide a regular garbage service to all land within the areas designated by the Council to be rural communities within the Shire (except such land as the Council from time to time determines is to be excluded from the provisions of such service or for which the Council has determined it is impractical to provide such a service), the Council, pursuant to section 157 of the Local Government Act hereby declares the amount of the annual charge ( Rural Garbage Charge) for the regular garbage service in rural areas comprising a maximum of one „240 litre garbage bin‟ collected not more often than weekly to be $1,500.00 and for Each additional 240 litre bin collected in conjunction with the regular garbage service an additional $750.00. For the purposes of this charge, rural communities to which the collection service will be provided and the charges applied shall be deter-mined by resolution of the Council and will exclude the townships of Tennant Creek and Elliott. Vacant lots that fall within the communities subject to the Rural Garbage Charge shall be subject to a maximum charge of $400.00 per annum. . Provision of services It is up to the Shire Service Manager in each community to allocate the roster for the collection of gar-bage. It should however not change each week so you should be assured of a regular service. If this is not the case then you should advise the local Shire Service Manager or this office. Not all communities have, as yet , a regular garbage collection service or bins and in which case the garbage charge imposed relates to the management of the tip and its ongoing operations. Number of bins Where bins are provided you will be charged a service based on the number of bins issued so it would be in your interest to ensure that only those bins that are necessary are provided. Shire Services Man-ager‟s are conducting audits of the number bins for collection each week. Replacement Bins: Council will impose a charge for replacement bins including bins that are vandalised so you should en-sure that these are secured.

FREE Residential Bulk Rubbish Removal!

The Barkly Shire Council advises all Tennant Creek residents, it will be operating a free residential bulk rubbish collection service in early March 2010.

Residents may place their bulk rubbish on the verge for collection between Monday 1st March to Sunday 7th March 2010.

Green Waste is required to be separated from all other waste for ease of collection.

Any bulk waste placed on the verge prior to, or after these dates, will be considered a breach of Council’s (control of Public Places) By-Laws.

For further information please call Council on 8962 0000

ISSUE 10

Page 5

Barkly Resident’s Tamworth Adventure

Opening of the Greyhound Bus Depot

The opening of the “new” Tennant Creek Greyhound bus/freight depot was held on the 11th February at the Tennant Creek Transit Centre with a free BBQ for all. The Transit Centre was the original location of the depot up until approximately 2005 when the transit centre was closed and the buses new destination point became the BP Service Station. The transit centre will be opening from 8.30am till 12pm and 1pm till 5pm Monday to Friday and from 9am till 12pm on Saturdays for bookings and enquires for further infor-mation contact 1300 656 532 or visit greyhound.com.au.

Understandably the main concern for locals at the opening of the Transit Cen-tre was the fact that the bus times are still going to be in early hours of the morning and the office will not be open for passengers to wait in a supervised and safe area. These concerns have been voiced to the Greyhound representa-tives and we have been advised that there are currently discussions in place regarding these matters. At this stage the lights in the transit centre will be placed on a timer and are scheduled to turn on 15 minutes before the bus ar-rives and turn off 15 minutes after the bus departs.

Please stay tuned for the outcome of these discussions!

Greyhound Rep, Joc O'Connor with Tennant Creek locals at the opening of the centre.

We all know just how talented the people of the Barkly Region are, but a few lucky local Barkly residents got the opportunity, this year, to prove this fact to a wider audience. The Winanjjikari Music Centre‟s Manager Jeff McLaugh-lin and three fellow musicians, Barry Benning, Joe Davey (of the Tableland Drifters) and Harold Daly-waters made the long journey to Tamworth to check out some country music legends and ended up playing nine gigs over the course of their visit.

In a recent interview for the Arts Matters column Jeff McLaughlin says “ We‟re absolutely stoked and honoured that we‟ve been able to perform in Aus-tralia‟s Country Music Capital and we‟ll most certainly be back”.

In a recent interview with Mr. Barry Benning, he spoke about what a fantastic time the group had while in Tamworth and of catching up with his old mates Johnny Green and the Blues Cowboys band. This years trip clocked

up to number 18 for Barry and he proved to be a great guide for first timer Joe Davey from the Tableland Drifters, who was amazed at the astounding number of people present! Barry described the 2 weeks in Tamworth as a “working holiday” and will hope to return again next year to do it all again.

A proud member of the Winanjjikari Men‟s Music Centre, Barry would like to encourage anyone who is interested in music to come along and join in and sends a message out to all the youth of the Barkly Region in telling them that “If you set your goals, just like anything else in life, you can make anything happen. Try your best and you will go far!”

From everyone at the Barkly Shire Council, we would like to congratulate all those who ventured across the country to represent our wonderful region!

For further information on the Winanjjikari Music Centre please contact Barkly Regional Arts on 08 8962 2799.

ISSUE 10

History Page!

The Barkly Region, like the rest of Australia, has a unique and fascinating history. This year is monumental in a historical aspect as we will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Brunette Downs Races and the 150th Anniversary of the John McDouall Stuart Expedition. Coincidentally we are also celebrating the recent discovery of historical documents dating back to the 1930‟s. Photographs and documents depicting the first European women to settle in Tennant Creek were found in the Tennant Creek library earlier this month and has sparked great interest from the general community. Below is a brief history of Frances Udall, the first European women to settle in Tennant Creek.

Frances Udall

Frances was born in 1884, fifth daughter of Charles William George and Sarah Jane nee Raymond, who had arrived in Melbourne from Somerset in 1883 on passenger ship “John Elder”.

Growing up in Preston, Victoria, Frances spent several years as a school teacher but upon her fathers passing, retired from teaching to help her mother maintain the house. After her mothers passing in 1922, Frances holidayed interstate before opening a corner shop near the Milson‟s Point Ferry Wharf in Sydney. It just so happened that this career move proved to the meeting place of her future husband, Henry J Udall (Jim). Marrying at the St. Barnabas Church, Broadway in September 1930. Ap-proaching the Depression, like many other families, the Udall‟s chose to leave the cities and head for a more rural set-ting.

Jim, a Gallipoli Veteran, had studied mining at a tertiary institution in Manchester. This along with His love of the out doors and thrill of the unknown soon led them to the Northern Territory. Travelling in an old Buick, the newly married couple loaded up their life and made the long journey to

Tennant Creek.

In 1930 the only other European Settlers in Tennant Creek were the telegraph linesmen and a Government Official. Upon arrival Jim constructed a 3 room hut two miles from the current location of the township. All supplies needed to be brought from Alice Springs and last for months at a time. Water was a precious resource and had to be carted from some distance away. Regardless of the hardships faced by Frances, she soldiered on and managed to grow some vegetables in tubs outside of their new home. In the early day Frances also helped her husband mine the first gold he found, which later gained Jim a miner‟s right. Four men were eventually employed to mine with Jim and Frances began cooking for all hands.

The gold found by the Udall‟s gained significant publicity in the press and soon began the migration of numbers to the township, which was soon established as Tennant Creek.

During the early periods of the war with Japan, Frances became one of four members of the local CWA. The women of the CWA provided troops passing through the region with tea and scones. During a visit of a group of officers, one approached Frances and asked to view the kitchen area, he was told rather bluntly that it was not going to happen. A few weeks later Frances received a letter of commendation from the officer. As it turn out the officer in question was none other than General Douglas MacArthur. Soon after the residence of Tennant Creek were moved out of the area due to military reasons and were only allowed to take what they could carry.

Jim‟s vast knowledge of the region and mining experience proved to be beneficial to a couple of men who asked him where would be the best place to find gold in the area, the area he told them later became the site of Peko Mine.

After the evacuation of Tennant Creek, Frances and Jim returned to Victoria where Jims health deteriorated and sadly passed away in Bendigo in 1951.

After the death of Jim, Frances lived in a cottage in Eaglehawk. She toured Western Australia when she was 83 and lived independently until well into her 90‟s.

Frances Udall passed away in Bendigo in August 1982, aged 98.

Frances Udall while on holiday in Adelaide.

Main Street of Tennant Creek 1935

Jim Udall at new Great Northern Mine Tennant Creek

Page 6

All information included in this article was sourced from a letter written by Frances's Niece Olive Havard dated 1984.

PAGE 7 ISSUE 10

Community Profile: Arlparra

To over 1,200 Alyawarra and Anmatyerre speaking people, this area is „Utopia‟ – a land rich in Aboriginal culture and lore, rich in Abo-riginal languages, an abundance of bush-tucker, world famous batik and art on canvas work and in the main, a population which can boast a slightly improved health status in comparison to the national aver-age for Aboriginal people.

Arlparra is the main community providing a range of services to the other 15 homelands in the region. Collectively the 16 homelands is better known as „Utopia‟. Arlparra is located some 260 kms north-east of Alice Springs on the Sandover Highway.

As the resource centre for this region, 240 volt power is generated at Arlparra to supply all homelands, including Irrultja (near Ampilat-watja). Arlparra also has the main Barkly Shire Council office, com-munity store, a Police Station, High School, is the central point for Aged Care services and sports and recreation activities. There is an excellent under-cover basketball stadium and sporting facility at Arl-parra. All plant and equipment is maintained at Arlparra in the large mechanical workshop. This Council also maintains all roads in the region, totalling some 310 kms. There is also a housing workshop at Arlparra. Barkly Shire staff carry out „repairs and maintenance‟ to the 91 Aboriginal houses on contract to the NT government. All non-Aboriginal Council staff, teachers, community store staff and Police officers live at Arlparra.

Historically Utopia was a pastoral lease owned by the Chalmers fam-ily. The property was sold and became alienated Crown land held on behalf of Aboriginal people. After a lengthy Land Claim hearing, this land legally became known as the Angarapa Aboriginal Land Trust under the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976. Aboriginal people originally lived close to the main homestead area and the area now known as Three Bores Homeland. After the land claim was com-pleted, Aboriginal families then moved back to their more traditional areas - as a result, we now have 16 very distinct homelands. One of these homelands is where the „community controlled‟ health service operates from.

Because of the Australian and Northern Territory Government‟s clas-sification of this decentralised community being „outstations‟, funding levels here are greatly reduced in comparison to other remote Abo-riginal communities.

Utopia has suffered under the Australian Government Intervention. This area has now got a police station as a direct result of the Inter-vention but has not benefitted in any other way.

Despite the present situation, Utopia continues to be a vibrant and harmonious group of people.

Danny, Alan and Simon on a Rubbish run.

Ley and Brenda with a plate full of honey ants.

Local men of Arlparra

Local Women of Arlparra

Bush-Tucker yum

PAGE 8 ISSUE 10

Community Profile: Arlparra

The logistics of providing services to a decentralised community is

both complex and more costly.

PAGE 9 ISSUE 10

Julalikari Life Skills Joint Venture

Making Life Better

Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Tennant

Creek

Clean Up Home

Everyone who helps gets a stamp for a:

FREE BBQ at Peko Park

Sunday 7 March 2010

Meet at the following locations at 9.00am:

Mulga

Wuppa

Tingkarrli

Kargaru

Village

Peko Park

Garbage bags and Gloves will be provided on the day, but we ask that you bring along your hats (or Umbrellas) to protect you from the weather!

HELP KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL

For any further information please contact P: 8962 2959 E: lifeskills@julalikari.com.au

ISSUE 10

Page 10

Alpurrurulam Light Parade

CAYLUS Youth Workers have organised a fantastic display of colour with the Light Parade in Alpurrurulam earlier this month. With the elements on their side the wind and rain subsided to allow the community to enjoy this night spectacular. Some 60 lanterns, created by the youth of Alpurrurulam, paraded through the community and was cheered on by one and all. The event was such a successes that the Elders of Alpurrurulam hope that the Light Parade will

become an annual event.

Out and About in the Barkly!

New Training opportunities for Canteen Creek

CDEP Manager, Richard Brady with ICC Staff member Barry Freeman.

Cattle Grids arrive in Tennant Creek

New cattle grids have arrived in Tennant Creek are awaiting distribution to Canteen Creek and has opened up a fantastic training opportunity for residents of the remote community. ICC Tennant Creek in conjunction with the Barkly Shire Council CDEP have been successful in creating a training program in Canteen Creek surrounding the installation of the newly acquired cattle grids with the aid of Adam Randall from JRES. The aim of the training program is to provide 13 CDEP participants with accredited training and improve the community my minimising the infrastructure damage caused by the large number of wild donkeys in the Canteen Creek area.

Ali Curung

Ali Curung resident Betty Winters receiving her “Deadly” award from Centrelink remote

support program team for showing great community involvement and making a real difference to the Agent site in Ali Curing

Imangara‟s “Murray Creek” appearing to look more like a river in light of the recent rain and still rising!!!!

58 Peko Road Tennant Creek NT 0860

PO Box 821 Tennant Creek NT 0861

Telephone: 08 8962 0000 Fax: 08 8962 3066

Email: karina.files@barkly.nt.gov.au

BARKLY SHIRE COUNCIL

UP AND COMING EVENTS

C HECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT :

WWW . BARKLY . NT . GOV . AU

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR REGION!

If you would like to subscribe to the Barkly Shire Newsletter please contact Karina on 8962 0000 or email karina.files@barkly.nt.gov.au with your details.

MARCH 2010

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2

3 4 5 6 7*Cleanup Australia Day

*International Women‟s Day

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 CWA Exhibition

Opening Night

21 CWA Exhibition General Viewing.

22 CWA Exhibition General Viewing.

23 CWA Exhibition General Viewing.

24 CWA Exhibition General Viewing.

25 CWA Exhibition General Viewing.

26 27 28

29 30 31

For further information on events listed please visit: www.barkly.nt.gov.au or contact Karina Files on 08 8962 0000

Quote of the Month!

Whatever you want to do in this world, it is achiev-able. The most important thing that I've found, that

perhaps you could use, is be passionate and enthu-siastic in the direction that you choose in life, and

you'll be a winner. ~ Steve Irwin

International Women’s Day

Celebrate the economical, political and social achievements of women from the past, present

and future.

The Barkly Region will be holding 2 celebrations for International Women‟s Day 2010. Beginning 11am on Sunday the 7th March at Nyinkka Nyunyu women from all walks of life can come and join fun activities and partake in group discussions and contribute to the International Women‟s Day Mosaic.

Continuing at 6pm on Monday the 8th of March will be a public tree planting in the Women of the Barkly Garden in front of the Civic Centre on Peko!

Come and join the fun!

PAGE 11