COMMUNITY PICNIC IN THE PARK – SUNDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2021
Everyone is invited to join us for an informal picnic in our new Community Park.
Please bring your own Picnic (food and drinks), rugs, and chairs. From 11 am.
Coffee and Tea available to purchase on the day.

COLOURING COMPETITION:
Colour our beautiful poster to win a prize! Judged the day of the Picnic.
3 categories: 5 years old and under , Grade 1 - 4 , Grade 5 - 7
Copy of Poster available at the General Store, Nov Community Times and Echunga
Primary School or print your own from Echunga Community Chat Facebook Page.

DONATION FROM ECHUNGA PRIMARY SCHOOL
A huge thank you to the students from Echunga Primary School who raised
$125.50 from their casual day fundraiser and donated this to ECA!

ECHUNGA COMMUNITY PARK
Thanks to Echunga Primary School who have been busy planting more donated
trees/shrubs in the park and spreading mulch. ECA will be organising a Working
Bee to finish some of the spring jobs (date TBA). Brush-cutting is to be
undertaken by ECA volunteers and Farm Gate Services and maintenance to be
completed by the Mount Barker District Council (MBDC) before summer.
There are sandstone wallers to be installed in the park, when the weather allows,
and a ‘Discovery Trail’ has been created through the pine trees through MBDC.

The Macclesfield Men’s shed are also busy building two picnic tables, one funded
through a MBDC grant and the other donated by the Battunga Lions Club to
celebrate 50 years of their community service in the district; we look forward to
their installation!

MAINTENANCE ITEMS
ECA recently sought feedback from the community and compiled a list of 27
maintenance items around Echunga that need attention from Mount Barker
District Council. This was passed to the Manager of Infrastructure Maintenance &
Operations on a walk around our Township to highlight some of these items.

SOUTH WARD COUNCILLORS
ECA has met with both of our South Ward Councillors regarding our Endorsed
Township Plan, in particular the Main Street Upgrade, as well as Footpaths and
the Long Term Financial Plan and Annual Business Plan, 2022/23. It was a
productive discussion about our priorities for the next financial year.

NEW STREET SEATING
You might have noticed the new seating on the main street, ECA recently installed
two new park benches, a project supported by funding of $3600 from the Office
for Ageing Well through the Grants for Seniors program. One has been placed out
the front of the Echunga Memorial Institute and one near the bus stop up from
the General Store. We are sure those waiting at the Post Office and walkers
needing a rest will welcome these.

COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD
There is a new Community Notice board out the front of the Post Office. This is
for any local Echunga community news. Please no business advertising.

We always welcome new members.
For information please contact [email protected] or visit www.echunga.org

COMMUNITY PARK . Our focus this year has been the development of the new Echunga Community Park. A large amount of this 2-hectare area has been cleared by a small group of volunteers, rustic log seats have been constructed from the fallen logs, and with a Federal Grant through the District Council of Mt Barker, 250 metres of pathways have been established. . On 16th May, we held a successful tree-planting day, with 100 local volunteers, including local community groups and South Ward Councillors. 450 tree and shrub seedlings were planted with open space areas retained and wide access pathways. The Association provided a free sausage sizzle for the volunteers. A big thank you to everyone involved. . The Association have also applied for and received a grant of $2600 through the District Council’s Community grants to install a hardwood picnic table being built by Macclesfield Men’s shed, and large sandstone seating wallers. Battunga Lions Club are donating another picnic table, to celebrate their 50 years of community service in the district. . A Fairy garden is also being established, by a talented local, Hannah Noack. . Discussions and submissions have been made with the District Council to acquire further funding for a shelter and BBQ area, more pathways, a doggy-bag dispenser, and on-going maintenance.

WOODGATE PLAYGROUND .
The toddler playground has now been completed, with new play equipment, and adult table and chairs. Also a toddler table and chair set, has been very kindly donated by David and Jenny Marshman. Special thanks also to all the community who came out to help with initial clearing of plants, establishing a pathway, putting down soft fall and installing the table and chairs.

MAIN STREET FURNITURE .
The Association has applied for and received a Grant from the Council for the Ageing, for a new seat and bench. These will be placed out the front of the Echunga Memorial Institute and near the General Store.

FUNDRAISING .
We ran a successful sausage sizzle at Bunnings last March and we are planning another hot dog stall at Farmgate in August, during the SALA festival.

NEW GRANT APPLICATIONS .
We have applied to Landscape SA for $1000 for protective gear for our volunteers, when using power equipment in the park and for additional plants. . We are applying for a $25,000 grant through SA Connect for fencing along the western side of the community park, opposite the school and recreation grounds.

COMMUNITY EVENT .
We are hoping to organise a “Picnic in the Park” in November, (weather and Covid permitting). This will be a big family day with a bouncy castle and a sausage sizzle.

AGM .
Please come to our AGM which is being held on Tuesday August 24th at 7pm. Venue to be advised. Everyone welcome to join us, to have your say and meet some new friends. Membership forms and information are available on our website www.echunga.org.au.
Contact [email protected]

Last year as you know, was a difficult one for everyone. We did still manage to have
some community meetings, at the Echunga Golf Club, as it is large enough for social
distancing. We will be holding our first meeting for the year on TUESDAY 23RD
FEBRUARY, at 7pm and everyone is welcome.
We are very happy to see how well our main street planter boxes are doing, through
summer, as members of the association have a roster to water and maintain them.

Woodgate playground, Hagen Street.
The Association applied for and received a “Stronger Communities Programme
Grant” from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to upgrade this
small playground. Late 2019 we had an initial working bee, where we cleaned up
undergrowth, pruned and generally tidied up. Early last year we created a “nature”
pathway for small children to safely ride their bikes.
The District Council of Mt Barker has installed new fencing. We have a solid bench
and seats, made by the Macclesfield Men’s Shed, and some exciting new playground
equipment on order, which will be installed soon. This area will become a safe place
for parents to relax whilst their small children have some fun.

New Community Park opposite the Recreation Ground

“Love your Creek”
The Association also applied for and received a “Grass Roots Grant” from the
Landscape SA and Fleurieu Region, for our “Love your creek” project.
This will go towards revegetating, weeding, removing some pine and ash trees and
slashing. We plan to plant 500 native shrubs at a community planting day sometime
in late autumn

Work has already begun, with Association and volunteer community members,
removing fences from alongside the roadway, tidying up dead branches and slashing
of weeds and high grasses. Special thank you to Geoff Smith, Joe Kuptke (Adelaide
Hills Tree Services) Steve Rowe Spraying and Farmgate services.
Anyone who has some spare time and would like to help with this, please contact
Lyn Wells via [email protected]
The District Council of Mount Barker have also removed some trees and done some
trimming along the boundary near the main road. Through a Federal “Small town
post covid infrastructure grant”. 200 metres of hard rubble pathways will be made
to connect the main street with the Primary School.
In the longer term, plans are underway for a gas fired barbecue shelter, a nature
adventure playground for older children, and an all-important toilet block.
This park is part of the approved upgrade of our township, within the Strategic
Township Plan, that was voted on by the community at town meetings in 2019.
This Township Plan is available to peruse at the District Council of Mount Barker’s
website, under “Echunga Township Plan”.

Fundraising
Each year the Association fundraises towards our ongoing projects and for the
Public Liability Insurance that we need to have to cover our members and
volunteers. Last year was difficult, because of the pandemic, but we did manage to
run a Bunning’s sausage sizzle, (we got the last one before lockdown) and we also
held a hotdog stall at Farmgate’s Christmas party.
Membership

We look forward to gaining a few more members of the Association this year. It is
only $10 a year to join, and this gives you access to our private member’s Facebook
page, input on and the option to vote on any ongoing or new projects and the
opportunity of making friendships by working together towards the continuing
beautification of our wonderful little town.

Membership forms are available on our website www.echunga.org.au
Contact: email [email protected]