Repairs to Tom’s Cottage and Pathways Progress

On the 17 August 2022 we met with Mark Ingram of National Parks and Wildlife and Rebecca Morley of Port Stephens Council to catch up on the Seaham Shared Pathways concept proposal.

Mark Ingram and his team at National Parks and Wildlife Port Stephens have been extremely supportive in progressing the project. After consigning a historian to prepare a Heritage Action Statement on the historic Tom’s Cottage, they have then proceeded to do repair work to secure the cottage, installed termite traps and performed weed control around the hut. This had always been Dad’s priority in his vision for the project. It was heart-warming to survey the repairs and to meet with Mark.

Rebecca Morley from Port Stephens Council came on board this year and was a beautiful and inspiring soul who encouraged me to apply for a Vibrant Spaces grant to help fund the print, production and installation of the historic info signage which Dad and I had worked together to concept stage. With a happy heart I can now announce that the signage project has been awarded the grant. In the new year I will be designing an informative website which corresponds via QR codes to the various signs at historic locations around Seaham.

In other positive news the pathway concept has been added to the Port Stephens Hinterland Place Plan which is currently in draft stage. This means that council will be looking at ways to progress Dad’s vision for the path that loops around the swamp and park area. This is a long term project that will involve many stages of planning and assessment but it is so positive to have it there in the plan stage.

It’s so uplifting to feel that things are finally progressing in a positive direction and I’m sure that Dad would have a smile on his face to see things moving along.