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Restoration process to continue

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After the Friends of Willow Court Committee started restoration of the front gates in October 2012 and concluded in November (Gates Completed) in an attempt to get the ball rolling with restoration at the site we saw yesterday a leak from the Derwent Valley Council to the Mercury about a briefing given DSCN3327 by David Llewellyn about further restoration works that are about to start in April. The unsigned article informed the Public that;

“In a briefing to the council, they (David Llewellyn and project manager Brett Noble) said the installation of a power supply was almost complete, giving a kick-start to further works.

Mr Noble said there was about $1.5 million available to do the priority work and it would have to go a long way.

This included the development of a visitor centre in a wing of the adjacent Bronte building (1925).

He said the two buildings were in remarkably good condition and it would be possible to reuse many original features, including doors and windows.

The site would soon close to all visitors for six to eight months”

Full Mercury article.

While this article states that the site will be closed for six to eight months, Project Officer Brett Noble is in discussion with the Friends of Willow Court about holding events that have been planned for the next few months.

Jane-Harrington-aloneThe Conservation Committee sort a report from Dr Jane Harrington about restoration and Priority Conservation Works on the Willow Court Precinct and this was presented to the Derwent Valley Council in November 2012. These works are of great importance and the report highlighted three points

The need to preserve and maintain the Barracks building as a matter of urgency

Funding for works to conserve the buildings being immediately available

The potential existing for Barracks and Bronte to be developed as a historic interpretation centre for the site.

Conservation Committee get on with the job.

We (Willow Court Advocay Group) are please that the first official restoration works will occur soon and that this bandage work will assist the site from deteriorating any more. The Friends of Willow Court were informed that Mr Paul Lan and Dr Jane Harrington presented a range of fencing types for Willow Court that would comply with Heritage standards but they haven’t heard anymore about security on the site and hope that something will be in place before work commences and tradesmen are employed.

As soon as talks with Brett Noble have completed a list of events will appear here.

 

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Global

Hacker detected

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Last night and this morning we have detected a local computer hacker attempting to gain access to this website. On the good side this hacker is using a static IP address which is traceable through their Internet Service Provider. It is illegal to access something that doesn’t belong to you. We will report and seek legal recourse for any future attempts.

Mark Krause

hacker

 

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Global

Tunnel discovery announced

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tunnelTunnel vision

Engineers are examining videos of historic underground tunnels in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley.

Further investigations revealed tunnels about six metres below the surface.

Derwent Valley Mayor Martyn Evans says the tunnels have now been filmed.

It is believed the tunnels date back to the 1830s and could have been used to transfer convicts and patients to the mental health hospital at Willow Court.

 

The council has announce the video and investigation after discovering last year a suspected air shaft, which was announced by Cr Bromfield at the Frascati Open day in January 2013.

Just examining the video footage it is clear that while there are older building materials used, there are also some more modern materials in use as well. There is also clear evidence of a drain, either storm water of sewage entering the tunnel.

tunnel video mercury

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Global

Aldo Fabian the writer of Women of the Willow; Guest Speaker

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meetingFriends of Willow Court  met last Thursday night with Aldo Fabian the writer of Women of the Willow, a play in three acts which was last presented at Willow Court in 2011. He talked to the Friends of Willow Court about the possibility of future involvement at the site. With a rich history of dramatic arts and tourist ventures here and in New South Wales he will be a welcome addition to the team. We can’t wait to see what can happen. So many stories can be told of life in the early colonial times through too much closer history, from all angles and from many people whom have come into contact with this historic precinct. Derwent Valley Players

The committee also put forward a draft terms of reference for Council to approve and discussed future Heritage Events for this year.

The minutes will be up on the Council Website as soon as they are approved at the next meeting.

 

 

 

 

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Global, Local

Supermarket plans for oval area (UPDATE)

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Update Click HERE or the picture Supermarket shopping centre announced

 

 

 

THERE is considerable interest in two supermarket proposals that have been lodged with the Council this month, says Councilor Bester.

 

Click HERE to visit Cr. Damian Bester’s web page to view the current plans for the oval precinct and some of his comments.

black-and-white-willow-court.jpgOne of the area marked to be a shopping supermarket

is this oval at Willow Court while just down the road

100 meters stands the Heritage Precinct of Willow Court.

It will be interesting to see what sort of legacy this

Council will leave the community of New Norfolk

and the Derwent Valley.

 

It’s not an easy decision for any Councillor to make

when there are competing ideas and philosophies

for this large site with many different pros and cons.

 

It would be good to let your Councillor know your opinion.

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Global

Site of Conscience and the Ministers response to be discussed at Council (UPDATE)

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UPDATE

At the February Council Meeting this year it was announced that Minister Cassie O’Conner has granted a meeting date with representatives of the Council who are concerned about the possibility of any Apology to People who were housed and incarcerated within Royal Derwent Hospital/ Willow Court. This apology was around the past practises used at this location because of the public policy at of the time.

Restriction of freedoms that most people in the community never knew about and appalling conditions that are well recorded throughout history in books such at the “Troubled Asylum” compel political leaders to ask themselves, was this right, just or proper? The Mayor should be well advised about conditions and happening from the hospital as three Councillors were former employees at Willow Court/RDH and a number have indirect connection.

 

Taken from the Agenda for the November Derwent Council Meeting, this article sits out. This agenda item reported on both the “Site of Conscience” statement from the Hon David Llewellyn AM on ABC Local radio and the Minister for Human Services Cassie O’Conner’s  response to to the  question, “when are you envisaging an apology to the people who lived at Willow Court and Royal Derwent Hospital?”

There is no doubt that this is a sensitive issue and if the Minister is going to proceed, then a full consultation should take place.

Council Agenda

Cassie O’Conner article

Hon David Llewellyn AM Radio interview

 

Derwent Valley Council

Council Meeting Agenda

15 November 2012

9. MOTIONS ON NOTICE

Date: 15/11/12

File: 197

Sites of Conscience (Apology)

Moved: Cr Lester

Seconded:

That Council writes to the Minister for Human Services The Hon. Cassie O’Conner requesting a meeting with her to discuss the proposal for Willow Court Sites of Conscience before any decision is made by the State Government.

Discussion

I have been made aware that this matter must have been the subject of discussions with the Chairperson of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee, the Hon David Llewellyn AM. The reason I make that statement is because he has made the comment on ABC Radio. I was somewhat heartened to read Councillor Bester’s e-mail of the 6th November 2012 which reads in part as follows:“the following message was posted today on the Willow Court website operated by the Sites of Conscience proponents. At today’s meeting with Cassie O’Conner I was able to ask the question, as the Minister for Human Services, when are you envisaging an apology to the people who lived at Willow Court and Royal Derwent Hospital? The answer in short is late next year is the plan, the longer answer is that there needs to be a lot of support from People living with Disabilities and those that advocate on behalf of those people whom may not be able to advocate for themselves.

Silence on this matter will not give support, even though there is an evidence basis for an apology. It is also important that this is not seen as an apology on behalf of previous Staff of Willow Court, but more an apology for the past policies and practices”.

I feel it is critical that the consultation that is stated above from the Minister takes place but it is also important that those that previously worked in the hospital are fully consulted as well as the people who reside in the Derwent Valley.

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Global, Local

Power being connected

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electricWillow Court has a lack of electric power and security, but this last week and this week the Avenue will be closed while underground cables are installed. This will allow for the site to be well lite, secure and have the ability to have events at night. This is part of the Conservation Committee’s ongoing work to restore the historic precinct. Power will allow trades people to start the restoration process. Heritage Tasmania require that the cables be located underground to preserve the visual qualities if the area.

This is a major positive for Willow Court as it is a basic foundation program this will lead to many varied activities at and about Willow Court.

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Global, Uncategorized

Smear and incitement becoming wearing

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I believe that I have brought to the public ‘s attention a range of positive stories, even though some had to have interesting angle in their approach to see the positive side of the restoration of Willow Court, both building and people history. As someone who believes in positive behavioural re-enforcement, I have to look hard at the issues to write news stories around events and happening. The last few stories have lost that positive edge, not all things can be looked at when they simply don’t have a positive edge.

This week I have had to read false allegation against me by a paranormal enthusiast. After this person resigned from the Willow Court Committee we have had nothing but smear and incitement to create a toxic culture at New Norfolk and on social media. We have tried to rise above answering these group members, when they cut and paste comments and put their own swing on them.

As a volunteer who has offered every hour of work free and supported a wonderful team of Derwent Valley residents achieve and bring Willow Court sensitively to  the public over the last twelve months these attack are wearing.

This was removed after I stated on this site that I will hand this allegation to my legal advocate on Monday.

my comment apiu

 

Aiden Sullivan

 

Unfortantly the Documentary has been unlawfully leaked into the wrong hands, That being the Willow court committee which was behind the ABC news report on us last night.

This is just an example of what length some members of the Willow court committee will go to. I believe that they started out with the good of willow court in there mind, but now it is clear that their agenda towards my team have out shadowed whats good for the site.

The only copy’s of the Documentary that have been pubically released have been handed to each councillor of the Derwent Valley Council.

These people feel like they have more of a right than you to view this Documentary and will go to any length to stop it, Which now includes illegal activity.

 

Nicole N Nick Jarvis Interesting comment, if mark can get his hands on a copy it’s a wonder the Disability specialists have not also seen it. I’m a bit bemused why he and the committee would be bitter that we left, we must have meant more to them than we think or they lost some sort of control when we left.

Mark you are a bit hypocritical you didn’t have a problem showing the same archive footage at previous open days did you? But because it doesn’t fit your purpose or its not in one of your own films you chose to attack us for something you also endorsed.

The footage shown at Open days has all the people removed! Mark

Aiden Sullivan 100% agree Nick, this archive footage is know open to the public

 

Dave Condon It’s always a different story when it’s someone else and not them.
It’s funny how quick they are to point the finger at APIU and their documentary, but similar footage has been used before by Mark.
One word sums them up “Hypocrites”

 

Ben Crothers I don’t think that’s exactly fair, because it is not about the using the footage, it’s about what it is used for.

 

Nicole N Nick Jarvis That’s not really how its been explained to us Ben and even the article talks about showing patients which would be referring to footage. As for the paranormal investigation footage, it’s basically us talking to thin air in a sense, no patients in that section.

 

Carlene Ellis have u composed a statement yet?

 

Nicole N Nick Jarvis No not yet Carlene Ellis

 

 

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Global, Local

Shame Cr Judy Bromfield Shame.

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Judy BromfieldTonight the General Manager of the Derwent Valley Council confirmed that Cr, Judy Bromfield knew about the need for people to run the Long Table Fire Fundraising event at Willow Court tonight and knew the consequences of her plan to defer new (Insured)Members of the Willow Court Committee well before she moved a motion on Thursday Night’s Council Meeting to stop the event.

 

Her decision can only mean that she did deliberately stop the fundraising event tonight at Willow Court.

Is Councillor Bromfield aware of the stress she has caused to Council employees and volunteers?  Shame Cr Bromfield Shame. The General Manager along with Cr Bester did assist at the gates of Willow Court tonight to help inform people that the event would be not going ahead .

Cr Judy Bromfield owes the people who worked hard to arrange this event for the Tasmanian Fire Appeal and the New Norfolk Community an explanation and an apology, this is disgusting behaviour from a Councilor with over 20 years experience.

 

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