Category Archives: Gardening Volunteers

Hospital Parking & Access Roads Upgrade project

Parking facilities at the hospital are currently undergoing a substantial, multi-million dollar upgrade which is scheduled to finish late in September 2020. The works will provide the hospital with 52 additional car park spaces, and 8 accessible parking spaces, improve the traffic and pedestrian flow and improve staff and patient safety.

The Hartley House Car Park has been re-designed and re-paved, resulting in additional parking spaces for visitors and staff. The Main Car Park and “Tennis Court” car park are being brought to the same level and merged, resulting in a further increase in parking spaces (and a wonderful view of the mountains). The roundabout, which prevented large vehicles from entering the hospital has been removed, and the access road will be re-paved. Several new walkways have been constructed allowing easier inter-building access.

New walkway under construction

Main Car Park view

Main Car Park view 3

Hartley House parking

Hartley House new parking

BHAG was pleased to have been invited to participate in the planning process by MNCLHD.
As a result we have been able to work co-operatively with the hospital and the earthworks company AJ Civil Projects throughout the project.

In addition to the earthworks, weed trees have been removed, wood much has been made available to the volunteer gardeners, several mature Elkhorn and Staghorn ferns have been relocated to the Hewitt Arboretum, the entrance to the arboretum has been cleared and mulched, and the time capsule which was located in the old roundabout has been preserved for later installation at the entrance to the main hospital building.

Our mulch pile

Staghorn – it will recover

Elkhorn

Arboretum entrance tidied

Newly mulched beds

BHAG looks forward to continued co-operation with the Mid North Coast Local Health District on future upgrading and improvements to the Bellinger River District Hospital.

BHAG 2019 AGM & President’s Report

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The 2019 AGM was held on the 24th July 2019 at the Uniting Church Hall Bellingen.

I would like to thank and extend a warm welcome to the members of the 2019/2020 Committee:

Public Officer (retained): Fenella Briscomb
President: Barbara Moore
Vice President: Pauline Murphy
Secretary: Fenella Briscomb
Treasurer: John Conway
Committee Members: Charlotte Blesing, Marlene Howes and Margaret Hooper
Consultant VMO: Doctors Derek & Olivia Bell

This past year’s ‘on ground’ activities continued to demonstrate our communities’ commitment to our local Bellingen Hospital with regular maintenance of the gardens we have created and restored including watering during the very hot and long dry Spring and Summer seasons. This physical presence at our hospital reminds senior executives and staff that our community remains vigilant and committed. We will never allow them to forget what happened in late 2009 when our community was called to action and saved our very own Bellingen Hospital.

Regular maintenance, expanded services and new capital works are a common occurrence by the health network including the recent survey work to redesign on-site parking, improve the safety for pedestrian access & overall improve the internal road design especially regarding large vehicle access including Emergency Services that will be achieved by removing the existing roundabout adjacent to the main car park. Some of you may recall that the Roundabout was raised as a hazard in early 2010 however along with many other matters that the community wished to assist the then CE Mr Chris Crawford our offer of assistance fell on deaf ears. If a critical situation were to occur such as a loss of services or a change in the delivery of core services that one would expect at a local public hospital we would immediately act and confidently call upon our amazing community to rally to the cause.

I would like to make special mention of the loss of two committed members of BHAG Inc. Early this year Shirley Dunne (Shirl the Pearl) passed away after a long illness. Shirl was on the committee for many years & a volunteer gardener at the hospital from 2010. In June this year David Wallin suddenly passed away. David was a foundation member in 2009 & volunteered to create a website & build a membership data base both of which are used today even though they have been tweaked over the years. Both members will be missed & on behalf of BHAG Inc. I would like to say thank you to them & their contribution.

The Minutes and President’s report of the 2019 AGM are able to be viewed by clicking on the links below.

On behalf of the incoming committee I would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our amazing community for your on-going support. Your generous donations and acknowledgment of the committee’s work encourages us to continue in what may appear to be a stable and safe situation – though we remain the ever vigilant sceptic. We continue to represent your voice at all levels of Government and at the senior level of management of the Mid North Coast Local Health District and locally at Bellingen Hospital.

Please contact us if you have any concerns about the service or stable future of our Bellingen Hospital as we are your voice – loud and clear.

Yours in ‘SOS Bellingen Hospital’

Barbara Moore (President)

MINUTES OF BHAG AGM 24 July 2019

BHAG 2019 AGM Presidents Report

BHAG 2018 AGM & President’s Report

Wellness Garden – Archimedean Spiral

The 2018 AGM was held on the 25th July 2018 at the Uniting Church Hall Bellingen.

I would like to thank and extend a warm welcome to the members of the 2018/2019 Committee:

Regular maintenance, expanded services and new capital works are a common occurrence by the health network including the recent installation of solar power (grid connected) that was funded by the NSW State Government. Many of you may recall that Martin Hogan had discussed this matter with Health in 2010 and I can report that he is absolutely delighted to hear this news. We would expect the savings will translate to more funds available for core health services however if a critical situation were to occur such as a loss of services or a change in the delivery of core services that one would expect at a local public hospital we would immediately act and confidently call upon our amazing community to rally to the cause.

The Minutes and President’s report of the 2018 AGM are able to be viewed by clicking on the links below.

Please contact us if you have any concerns about the service or stable future of our Bellingen Hospital as we are your voice – loud and clear.

Yours in ‘SOS Bellingen Hospital’

Barbara Moore (President)

MINUTES OF BHAG AGM 25 July 2018

2018 Presidents Report