Dad and Cessnock City Council

As well as the above, i was also involved in the acquisition of the old Yawarra Boys Home becoming the Kurri Kurri TAFE College with a predominate role as the NSW State Mining College and its parallel role of servicing the Kurri Kurri populace as the broader community outwith Kurri

I served 10 years on Cessnock City Council (the later half as Deputy Mayor) as one of the 4 Aldermen representing the broader Kurri Kurri area(Kurri Kurri, Pelaw Main, Heddon Greta et al, resigning to take over my new TAFE position as inaugural Principal of Tenterfield College of TAFE

Myself and fellow Alderman, Erroll Kennedy were instrumental in starting the Kurri Kurri Youth and Community Centre committee, starting with a public meeting, which led to community film shows and tramplounes atvthe swimming pool, ad well as meat raffles around the six Kurri and weston and abermain Hotels on a tThursday night. The outcome of many years of many activities, culminating in saving the  defunct Coop Store from ignominy by getting Council to purchase same. (for approximately 96 thousand dollars?)

NOTE- We were ably assisted by a very hard working and committed committee - some 10 people - of which Mrs Glennis Sumner was the chairperson. None of which was could have been done without this dedicated , honourable,  band of approximately 12 people.

Under Glennis we, as a group were united in working and lobbying for  the needs of our area's children and youth.  The community supported us handsomely, attested to by the ongoing 'wellness' of the Centre in Laing St Kurri Kurri. 

We presented many many programmes of films and other youth orientated pursuits as well as raising funds and,  AS important, the AWARENESS needed to bring this project to fruition- which is still ongoing in 2015, as I write this.

The committee deserve the fullest of accolades in their dedication to and for the needs of our  YOUTH

 Mayor Eric Fitzgibbon  in cooperation with the Neville Wran State Government and his state treasurer, Ken Booth, an old Kurri Kurri boy, saved the Store and hence a new Youth and Community centre as well as a badly needed new library was established, the old library being turned into a badly needed Child Care Centre.

In this we also had the full support of not only Bob Brown, MP, but Ken Booth, as State Treasurer and the Premier, Neville Wran, as well as the majority of Cessnock City Council. ( as a side note I was the initiator of the name change from 'Greater Cessnock City Council' to the simpler and more commonsensical and easier to find on maps and other finding aids such as Phone and other reference  publications

George F Ellis , former ALP  Ward 4 Alderman(10years) with the latter 4 years as Deputy Mayor (Greater Cessnock City Council and later simply Cessnock City Council), and Spokesperson for the Kurri Kurri District Youth And Cummunity Centre

I must also thank my Wife, Eleanor, as a member of that committee, who was an equal partner in all of my endeavours. Without her unstinting hard work as well, I would not have had as much energy to pursue our common goals for our children, Lisa and Dianne, who also enthusiastically assisted, as well as put up with our very  packed community life, which resulted in a great feeling of family involvement, forcwhich I am always grateful for their understanding and unstinting support, 

as well as the communities children and youth

This information is from memory and dates need inserted to make it relevant to any further use

 

 

Dad hidden in the shadow in background at official opening of the Kurri Kurri Community & Recreation Centre by Ken Booth, Nov 1985-we lived at187 Aberdare St KK . 

Not long after I became the Principal at Tenterfield TAFE College and Mum became a North West Regional Consultant operating from Tamworth. 

Lisa and Dianne went to Sydney in our family flat at Harris Park. 

 

In the meantime I got promoted to Moree TAFE college Then a few years later we bought Haven St Merrylands and reunited in Sydney ....

 

 

Dad a few years later (2020) sent a whimsical email with the first photo above attached saying:

Who is this BlackBearded Behometh, on a Cessnock Council inspection party over the purchase of the Kurri Kurri Coop Store?
Has he a Scottish accent? Is his mother from Bonnybridge, Scotland living with his wife, Eleanor and twa brae lassies, Lisa and Dianne and Angus the cat???
Did the Council purchase the Store, which eventually become a Youth & Community Centre, with a brand new library attached, and the old library was refurbished into a Childcare Centre
Take a trip down memory lane and ask yourself, "Where was I then and what was I doing"
Oh, life was a great ball of fun!!!!