The meeting-inclined members
of the Association meet on the third Sunday of every second
month, at the Toowong High School. As well as making submissions
to Council on matters that affect this community, the Association
also conducts working bees rehabilitating the Toowong Creek
environs, and has formed a History sub-group, who are gathering
local oral histories. Contact Association secretary: Susan
Leggett (3870 3927), Working Bees (Morag Wilson 3870 0612),
and History (Leigh Chamberlain (3371 5000). We also have a
web site (www.toowongwest.org.au)
and can be emailed at: secretary@toowongwest.org.au
and leigh@toowongwest.org.au
You are invited to join the
Association. Please complete the tear off section overleaf.
You may also wish to provide comments or feedback please
feel free to email us or return the slip overleaf.
Some
definitions:
In keeping with the Association's
aim to protect, maintain and enhance the architectural, environmental
and visual amenity and character of the area, we welcome continuing
dialogue on the definition of character. As the Association's
Local Area Plan submissions (available on our web site) set
out, character housing, for example, has a broader meaning
than simply preserving pre-1947 housing stock! A better definition
might include houses of the Queensland vernacular from any
period that suit the climate and topography. Character is
also determined by garden spaces consistent with the period
in which the house was built. In other words, character housing
reflects a particular period. Council's definition, in ignoring
the land on which the house sits, allows for the loss of significant
green space in the inner suburbs. There seems to be a risk
at present of the eventual loss of the majority back gardens
and yards, whatever the zoning, in favour of infill housing.
We welcome your comments! It is also interesting to note that,
while a number of 'townhome' developments have occurred in
West Toowong and are advertised for sale as having numerous
advantages, freestanding houses in their original surrounds
are selling at a far greater rate.
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Recent
events
History Group.
Our history group is flourishing! A significant number of
oral histories have been recorded and transcribed, and many
more are on the 'to do' list. Our History Group began in direct
response to the issue of loss of character housing and gardens;
we felt that in order to really understand 'character', we
needed to understand the context in which houses/gardens were
first constructed, and the sort of lives people lived in this
suburb. Eventually, it is planned that the histories collected
will provide the material for a publication. Copies of all
histories are also being placed in the John Oxley library.
Toowong Pool.
Some members of the Association (and a number of people from
the broader Brisbane community) recently had the revealing
experience of taking their appeal against BCC's decision to
sell off Toowong Pool in favour of office development to the
Planning and Environment Court. Thirteen appellants were represented
in Court by barrister Simon Couper, with expert witness reports
from Town Planner Natalie Rayment and Social Planner Wendy
Sarkissian. We also received significant advice from the Environmental
Defenders Office and were assisted by donations and support
from the community. Association funds were not used. The case
ran for four days. While we gained invaluable knowledge about
the appeals process, we were unfortunately not successful
the appeal was dismissed. However, the loss of community
recreation facilities remains a crucial issue. Residents may
have noticed in the Westside News recently that the
Auchenflower Bowls Club has been bought by developers. Another
community facility, green space and social meeting place will,
therefore, be lost. As Toowong (and Auchenflower) contain
no vacant crown land (and Auchenflower has a severe park shortage),
it is very unlikely that once lost, facilities will ever be
replaced. Some members will be continuing to engage with Council
on addressing this issue.
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