March News
Cooper Plains Origins Project
Dutch History Cafe Projects
More Local Support
We skipped last month’s meeting and this newsletter comes 2 weeks late due to personal reasons the Chair has had to endure. Project business stalled. Nonetheless, there have been some minor developments regarding external support, the Dutch Houses and the Convict Camp.
Parliament House and Lucinda Bar Tour
The small contingent of members and fans who joined the tour of Parliament were impressed and pleased with it. We learnt a lot and were proud to find our very own former President Beryl Roberts’ book He Made His Mark – Joshua Jeays enshrined in the foyer display cabinet. Thus so because he designed the building.
Coopers Plains Origin Project
No progress to report on this but I was giving my neighbour a little history tour down Musgrave Road when we noticed a carefully maintained pile of rocks next to the WaterEquip factory on Stable Swamp Creek. This is uncannily close to the legendary Convict Camp ‘Hut’. It’s surrounded by fencing but open to the public. It could be just flood-mitigation. If anyone can put us out of our mistery, please do.
Dutch House History Cafe Project
A small group of my neighbours are interested in supporting the history cafe project, so I took them for a tour and viewing of 9 Macdevitt Street and 4 McKoy Street. Their skills include carpentry, glazing, building, pizza-oven chef, barista, manicurist, accounting and computing. Between us, we can do this.
We collectively agreed that 4 McKoy Street is the superior candidate because of its prime location front, centre and overlooking the Cornerstone Living McKoy Park where there is some street parking. It is also in better condition and very original.
Local MP Peter Russo responded to our inquiry into the current ownership of the properties saying they did not belong to the Department of Housing. This isn’t particularly helpful because we know 9 Macdevitt Street is being sold by the developer back to the housing department; it probably hasn’t finalized. I made inquiries about 4 McKoy Street and it appears to be privately owned and rented.
Local support from Smith & Li
Real estate agent Jon Smith has kindly offered to provide us with some marketing materials. We will have a stall, banner and flyers ready to display at Neighbour Day in Beryl Roberts Park on Sunday 31st around midday. Do come along.
Events
Cooper Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
March 23rd Saturday at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)
All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below (if the field isn’t there, click on this post’s heading and try again). Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.