The State Government and the Sutherland Shire Council have announced a deal to rebuild Bundeena and Gunnamatta Bay wharves.
For Sutherland Shire Council the announcement by the state government was both good news and a relief, as the council had included the funding in their 2007-08 draft budget, despite having no guarantees until after the draft budget was passed.
The rebuilding of the wharves has been on the agenda for some time and, according to the council’s works committee, the Bundeena community is pleased with the announcement.
The state government said the Bundeena and Cronulla ferry wharves allow the transfer of commuters from Bundeena to CityRail services at Cronulla railway station and that the Bundeena wharf also facilitates local bus services which link residents to ferry services. The rebuilding of the wharves is an important step in the overall improvement of the transport infrastructure in Bundeena and will ensure the continuation of ferry services.
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ANSTO Decommissioning to enter Phase Two
Australia’s first nuclear reactor, ANSTO, has applied for a licence to begin the second phase of dismantling and decommissioning the centre, which was shut down in January of this year.
Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation (ANSTO) acting executive director Dr Ron Cameron said that all spent fuel and heavy water had been removed already from the reactor and the new licence will allow the organisation to dismantle non-radioactive components of the centre and begin detailed planning for the final stages of decommissioning.
The complete dismantlement of the centre is scheduled for completion around 2016, after which the site will then be released for other uses.
Radioactivity levels of equipment will diminish after 10 years and enable the reactor centre to be dismantled fully and removed and for all waste to be safely stored, according to Dr Cameron.
The final decommissioning phase will require another licence and approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
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Students solving environmental issues
An innovative online environmental awareness program, Murder under the Microscope, has captured the imagination of local school students with up to 17 schools from the local area taking part.
The schools have joined more than 22,000 students from across Australia and the UK for the six week program which is designed to engage students and build environmental knowledge, raise awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability.
Murder under the Microscope is an environmental crime game with an education focus, where students become investigators using clues to identify the specific environment, the effects and the cause. As it is based on science, the underlying theme is that it may occur in the real world.
The program will also help to develop students’ computer and internet skills, as well as opening them up to a number of other subjects such as science and technology, human society and its environment, and science and geography.
During the six week period of the program students will use the website to uncover clues and share them with teams. The website contains information, references and material as well as video and graphical messages for the students to compare, record and share their findings.
The students can then make hypotheses, analyse data, draw conclusions and publish reports. Local MPs have described this interactive method of learning as an example of the NSW public education system being at the forefront of learning innovation.
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A festival success
The 2007 Jazz and Shiraz festival, held last weekend at Cronulla, was the most successful in its six-year history. Rebecca Wood, manager of Cronulla Beach CBD, said the southern Sydney’s premier food and wine festival was a triumph and that some of the wine stall owners described it as the best food and wine festival they had attended.
A record crowd of 40,000 people attended, with many drawn to see the performance of ARIA award winner Deni Hines, a festival highlight. The majority of the crowd were Sutherland Shire residents however all parts of NSW were represented along with tourists from America and Wales. The festival was looked upon as an opportunity to showcase what the Shire has to offer.
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Dean loves living in the Sutherland Shire. In fact he was born, raised and schooled in the Shire and currently lives with his
young family at Engadine. In his younger days he was an accomplished sportsperson and is still actively involved in local amateur
sports administration. Dean operates his own business in the area and is keen to support and promote the wider community in any
way he can with his new role. | 
