We’re sorry to report that Captain Pat is outta here.
He hasn’t left the building quite yet, but Pat McGeown, as most people know him, will be leaving the Macarthur region next month when he boards a plane bound for south east Asia.
A talented but humble gentleman, Captain Pat told me this morning that he has decided to broaden his horizons before he gets too old.
The local radio station C91.3 star says that he may even have a book or two in him and his new surroundings may help him get back into the writing, which he has neglected.
There’s no doubt that Captain Pat is one of the more interesting people of the Macarthur region and he will be a big loss.
So big the mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic is holding a civic reception next week to “acknowledge the commitment of Captain Pat McGeown to the community of Campbelltown and wish him well as he embarks on his overseas adventure’’.
Captain Pat told me that he finishes his work commitments at the end of the month and flies out of the country early in December.
He promised that he would keep touch.
We wish him well and hope that when he returns Down Under he again makes Macarthur his home.
♦ Nobody’s mentioned privatising Camden Hospital but that did not stop Camden Council from voting at its meeting last week to oppose any such plans.
Veteran councillor Eva Campbell tabled a notice of motion which called for council opposition to privatisation of the local hospital as well as writing to local MP, Chris Patterson, to enlist his support on the issue.
While they’re at it, they will ask the Liberal MP to ask for a full report on the status of the local hospital “and what measures can be undertaken to upgrade the hospital to the standard required to provide for our community as it grows to 200,000 residents’’.
♦ A sport magazine included Campbelltown Stadium in its top 10 sporting arenas in Sydney.
In fact the Stadium Journey list had Campbelltown’s pride and joy as the number one league ground for game day experience.
Hopefully the Wests Tigers bosses read the piece.
Certainly senior soccer people must have because they will be joining Mayor Brticevic in the stadium to make a major announcement.
To read more on the stadium list visit the Stadium Journey website here.
♦ Can you help MWLP? This great local organisation which connects students to business needs work placements to students who are studying business services as part of their HSC.
MWLP tell me that the Department of Education makes it compulsory for students to complete two weeks of work placement (one in year 11 and one in year 12).
For more details visit the MWLP website here.
♦ The Macarthur region is rapidly being transformed from semi rural to urban, but there are still plenty of agricultural activity, from dairy farming to fruit growing.
And that’s why the Greater Sydney Local Land Services continue to be a key player in the region, delivering programs for environmental management, working with landholders, stakeholders and the community to improve the condition of biodiversity and aquatic systems, assisting farmers to manage their land sustainably and developing the environmental knowledge and skills of the community.
Local Land Services also works with lead agencies such as the RFS, SES and DPI to assist with effective responses to emergencies arising from natural disasters and biosecurity threats, and continues to manage pest animals in the region in partnership with land owners and land managers.
The Greater Sydney Local Land Services November Board meeting will be held here, along with a tour of a range of projects and meetings with stakeholders and project partners.
This is all happening on November 21 and will finish off with a stakeholder and community function in Camden Valley Inn in the evening.
♦ It’s all happening at Narellan Town centre, with work continuing on linking the extensions west of Camden Valley Way with the eastern part of the growing retail complex.
It’s just another sign of the huge activity taking place across the entire region.
