www.winghamchronicle.com.au Wingham Chronicle Wednesday October 30 2013 — 5

THE Wingham Chamber of Commerce willmeet at the Australian Hotel tonight(Wednesday) to discuss the footpath issue.

Jane Ree and Bruce Moore from Greater TareeCity Council will be attending the meeting.

Chamber president Donna Carrier is calling onall members to attend the meeting to put forwardtheir point of view and for more businesses tojoin the chamber so they can help find a solution.

It is nearly two months since a council rangervisited Wingham and discovered a large numberof local business owners did not hold the neces-sary licences to have items on the footpath. Thestreetscape of Wingham changed almost instant-ly as tables and chairs, sandwich boards, clothesracks and vintage wares were all brought inside.

According to shoppers and business ownersalike the shopping district now looks barren anda far cry from the vibrant tourism hot spot visi-tors had come to know and love.

Facing a loss of trade amid fears their shops

and cafes looked closed, council was quick to of-fer businesses temporary development applica-tions to ensure some items could be returned tothe street. However some business owners havesaid that for them it is not worth the cost of ap-plying for a temporary or even a permanent DAand have simply given up hope.

According to Donna Carrier, president of theWingham Chamber of Commerce, only twomembers of the chamber applied for the tempo-rary DA and council has warned their rangers willbe visiting again soon to talk to those who haveno DA in place.

Donna has asked for an extension for the tem-porary DA holders.

Members are to arrive at 6pm for a 6.30pmstart.

Any business owner not currently a member ofthe Wingham Chamber of Commerce can callDonna Carrier on 0419 490 312 to discuss mem-bership.

Footpath commerce on agenda

Great day in the countryWHY not take the family to the beauti-

ful rural locality of Killabakh thisSaturday between 10am and 3pm to en-joy the community’s “Day in theCountry” art and craft exhibition?

This popular annual event is in its 27thyear and the community has againplanned a great range of attractions, ac-tivities and antics.

This major Manning Valley event is or-ganised by Killabakh volunteers to raisefunds for maintaining and enhancingtheir community buildings and facilitieswith painting of the hall currently highon their agenda.

The Red Cedar Band will once again bea feature of the day.

Entertainment will also be provided byCoasters Rock’n’Roll Club and poetryperformer John Grono.

Sharon Bird’s much-loved AnimalFarm, Killabakh Kids’ Activities and BedeTattersal’s sheep shearing demonstrationwill no doubt attract families with chil-dren while people of all ages will bedrawn to the displays of DONK operatingstatic machinery and the vintage andmodel cars.

This is a great place to meet and greetfriends and to start your Christmas shop-ping. There will be more than 70 ex-hibitors.

Among the new attractions are KimVickers’ Country Quilts, Alley’s GlassChimes, Destiny Rescue jewellery,Rainmoon and also Kandi Kids children’sclothing, Curry Trader Colin Mulcaster,Children’s Books n Things, and SherylSimpson’s Garden Revolution.

Also expected to appeal to discerningbuyers is the huge range of other plants –bromeliads, iris and daylilies, bonsai,

seedlings, and more – wood-and metal work, resurrectedrelics, hand crafted jewellery,old tools and wares, antiques,country crafts, clothing, andblacksmithing, all from qualityproducers, artisans and collec-tors.

One feature of the art show inthe former school this year – inaddition to works by Rod Spicer,Jo Ernst, Karl Andersson, VikiBullard, Jenny Dixon, SueDollin, Scott Reinhard, BarbaraO’Donnell and many others – isinternationally collected wild -life artist, Peter Schouten, arenowned fine art illustrator.The curators are especially ex-cited about Peter’s willingnessto be ‘artist in residence’ for theday.

A return by Koori artist RussellSaunders OAM and his talenteddaughter Rachel is sure to bepopular as will be many otherfavourites including Joy Fisher’sAfrican artefacts, Carol Saul’sphoto cards, Michelle Jose’s dryfelted endearing creations, theAlicorn Fantasy pottery andHelen Holt’s Waterfall Glass.Dinky Di Christmas decora-tions, antique wares, or qualitycandles or soaps would surelycomplement books as a gift – allavailable at Day in the Country.

The famous homemade Killabakh pies,sausage rolls, country lunches anddesserts, also Devonshire teas, frothycappuccinos and barbecued steaks andsausages will be available. A huge range

of other gourmet products from purvey-ors of fine food will tempt the taste buds.

Killabakh is just 16km north ofWingham along the Comboyne Road. Forthose who’ve not visited before, the routewill be well signposted.

Silk artist Judy Simonson will again be demon-strating her skill.

Marquees will once again provide ampleshade for visitors eating, chatting and/or enjoy-ing entertainment.

Chris Saul discussing the merits of old toolswith Rob Morgan (both of Killabakh).

TINONEE matriarch, NeitaMiddlemiss was named the 2013Myall Lakes Citizen of the Year inthe awards ceremony before anaudience of more than 300 at ClubTaree on Saturday.The awards were presented by theformer federal member for NewEngland and senior minister, IanSinclair AC.Neita was one of six winners in theawards which are conducted bythe member for Myall Lakes,Stephen Bromhead.The other winners were:❏ Amani Jensen-Bentley fromMitchells Island - 2013 MyallLakes Young Person of the Year❏ Grahame Burns from Forster -2013 Myall Lakes Senior Person ofthe Year❏ Molly Arens from Old Bar -2013 Myall Lakes Junior SportsPerson of the Year❏ Bryan Warren from Forster -

2013 Myall Lakes Sports Personof the Year❏ Manning Support Services -2013 Myall Lakes CommunityGroup of the YearNeita was also presented with the2013 Premier’s CommunityService Award in recognition ofher 70 years of volunteer work forthe Tinonee Red Cross. The NSW Local Woman of theYear was presented to JeanetteHolland OAM, from Taree. TheNSW Grand Friend of the Yearwas presented to Lea Young ofTaree, an award which is part ofthe state’s Grandparents Day cele-brations.A special Community Award wasalso presented to Great LakesCouncil in recognition of its “ser-vices to the community in localgovernment” which was acceptedby Great Lakes Mayor, Cr JanMcWilliams.

Myall Lakes awards