Annual General Meeting – Meeting Minutes – Oct 30 2025

FRIENDS OF FRESHWATER

MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HELD ON 30 OCTOBER 2025
IN THE FRESHWATER SURF CLUB

The Meeting opened at 7.00pm with the acknowledgement of country and thanks were
extended to the Mayor for Northern Beaches Council, Sue Heins and Councillors Kristyn
Glanville, Joelene Hackman and FSLC President Shanny Dyer
Attendees: The list of attendees will be kept on the record.
Guests: Sue Heins Mayor of Northern Beaches Council, Joeline Hackman, NB Council, Kristyn
Glanville, NB Councillor, Shanny Dyer President Freshwater Surf Club.

Welcome: by Dhon Armour
Apologies: Di Ryall, Sean King (Harbord Hotel).
Last year financials – Nominated as accepted into record.

Friends of Freshwater:

Chairman: Denise Goldstein

Denise extended a welcome to all and expressed her thanks to those in attendance.

Thanks were extended to Freshwater Surf Club for the use of the Surf Club for this

meeting.

Denise reiterated the focus of the Friends of Freshwater scrutinizing Development

Applications ensuring compliance and governance, such as:

1. Commenting on Stage 2 of Harbord Hotel addressed the noise concerns raised.
2. The DA for Pilu (restaurant) consolidating the venue facilities.
3. The improvement of beach dunes and new vegetation.
4. Eastern carpark at the Diggers continues to be an ongoing concern. While it is Crown Land, Mounties is responsible for remediation.
5. Upgrade of Surf Club is ongoing, and Friends are keeping close consultation with, in particular, the amenities block in relation to the reserve.
6. Stage 3 of Harbord Hotel redevelopment is high on the list of priorities as well as th development on the southern side of Lawrence Street.
7. We continue to have great communication with Local, State and Federal government stakeholders and appreciate their genuine interest in our community and support of FoF.

Furthermore, we appreciate the various projects and work closely with Council on:

1. Missing segment of the coastal walkway
2. Children’s playgrounds
3. Public amenities in The Village and Freshie Reserve
4. The conversion of the eastern Diggers carpark area to green open space and upgrad of Worlds Surfing Reserve “Duke” site
5.  Noted that FoF welcomed the public art with “Signal Fire” McKillop Headland.
6. Bush regeneration to southern Freshwater Headland ecosystem, now known as Irene Crump Reserve.
7. Support of Freshie Community Garden
8. Establishment of Public Art in Freshwater.
9. Work with other stakeholders, i.e. Soldiers Avenue.
10. Advise Council on heritage reviews of infrastructure and architecture.

Dhon – called for nominations to approve the Minutes of the AGM held in 2024
Mover: Rob Keeping. Seconder: Jenny Harley

Treasurer’s report – presented by Denise

• As noted costs have gone up and in particular the insurance premiums and there will be further costs for the re-design of the FoF logo.

• Garden costs – supplies etc

• Soldiers Avenue – supported by government grants for plaques etc

• Irene Crump reserve costs by the bush regeneration team

• Public grant for garden pods in The Village and installation of Signal Fire on the headland.

• Surfers Walk of Fame – at eastern end of the Diggers.

• Hawaiian Airlines made a donation of USD $2500 and they supported a clean-up of the bushland around Surfers Walk. Council assisted with the supply of two trucks to handle the waste.

• Artwork. FoF have engaged Kyle Nettleton to install artwork on the wall facing Pocket Park.

• Pilu – FoF are supporters of Marylin and Giovanni of Pilu and their DA.

The Financial Accounts were approved Glanville.
mover by Chris Frith and seconded by Kristyn

Angus Guthrie Co Chairman addressed the meeting:

• Surf Club DA – approved earlier this year. FoF attention is now focused on the amenities block to be constructed by Council as part of the Freshwater Reserve

• Pilu – approved this year despite a small group of residents who opposed.

• Harbord Hotel – FoF opposed Stage 3 rezoning DA. Now being evaluated by Sydney North Planning Panel.

• 10- 28 Lawrence Street: This is a valuable stretch of commercial property and there were many benefits to the proposal. However, drawbacks such as parking and the overlook of properties to the south were not addressed.

The DA was rejected by Council on several grounds and is now the subject of a Land & Environment Court Conciliation hearing to be held on site on 24 November at 9:30am. Friends of Freshwater is registered to attend.

• 50 Lawrence Street: Nearing completion. This was approved despite several objections including the clash with heritage listed properties across the road, interaction with properties to the south, parking, lack of renewable energy facilities and a clash between the proposed entrance and the 167-bus stop (now resolved with the entrance moved to Oliver Street).

• Old Diggers carpark: This remains a fenced-off, un-remediated, eyesore despite 7 years having passed since completion of construction. Despite some consultation over 2 years ago we have heard nothing since. Mounties had wanted to seek approval under a Review of Environmental factors while the State Government hasinsisted on a DA. After meetings between the State, Council and Mounties a full DA is being prepared and will be subject to normal community review. However, this is unlikely to be available until next year.

• Surfers Walk and Coastal Pathways: Friends of Freshwater has active involvement in Surfers Walk including the cleanup day with Hawaiian Airlines last year and investigations with Council into the restoration of mosaics this year (restoring one cost $2,500). We would also like to see Surfers Walk extended.

However, we are reluctant to spend money in the area until we know what Mounties is going to do. The cancellation of the southward extension of the South Curl Curl to Freshwater boardwalk was also discussed.

• Placemaking Grant: Design by local indigenous artist Kyle Nettleton selected for installation in Pocket Park. After some delays we will soon be ready to proceed with the artwork

• Irene Crump Reserve and The Dunes. Friends of Freshwater runs the Bush Regeneration team working on Irene Crump reserve which devotes up to 1000 hours of volunteer time per year. Great progress has been made yet more help isalways welcome.

While not part of the Council Bush Regen teams we attend education sessions and complement their work. We assisted in securing grants in 2023 for plantings in the Dunes and participated in the National Tree Planting Day

event organised by council to plant 3,500 native coastal plants in the Dunes.
A second grant should be applied to the Dunes to the south of the surf club in 2025.

• Angus finished by thanking the council for their support of many of our activities, as well as welcoming more involvement from the community in the work we do.

Maureen Nichols, Garden Committee spoke about calling for new membership.

• Compost bin’s structure was a great success.

• Recent vandalism – an avocado tree was cut down, and a vine was destroyed.

Peter Harley OAM – spoke on behalf of the Stakeholders of Soldiers Avenue.

• The Avenue of Honour – Its inception was 12 years ago. Members include: Wendy Machon, Chris Frith, Peter Harley, Ken Covey to name a few.

• It is one of the few left in Australia. Grants have been obtained which allowed the installation of bronze plaques to remember the soldiers who fought in WW1. Each plaque costs $5,000.00 to be made and so far 24 have been installed.

• The top half of Soldiers Avenue is for WW2 soldiers and those from the surf club:

William Knox, Mackie Campbell, Edwin (Megsie) Madigan, Lieutenant Will Messenger. (they were the founders of Harbord Diggers Club).

• We plan to recognise them with a footpath plaque each.

• We are indebted to Wendy Machon for all her research on the soldiers.

David Benn, as Returning Officer for this meeting, called for nominations for the Committee positions.

• Chairperson and Treasurer: Denise Goldstein

• Co-Chair and Garden: Angus Guthrie

• Secretary: Chris Frith

• Peter Harley OAM

• Membership: Di Ryall

• Rob Keeping and Kieren Dight– put together “The Duke” & manage IT

• Sharyne Mullens and Kieren Dight– working on new logo

• Dhon Armour: Member

• Denver Bevan

• Maureen Nichols: Garden CommitteeWe are looking for new members as part of succession planning.

The new President of the Surf Club, Shanny Dyer addressed the meeting:

• Shanny thanked the meeting for her invite and expressed her desire to work with the FoF and expressed her opinion that The Club house was a beautiful old building and heritage listed. Furthermore, it was a great facility and community hub. The new café (restaurant) is not a licensed facility, and funds still need to be raised.

• Shanny spoke of a Youth Club and a club for all ages.

Denise then spoke about the new Surf Club.

Kristyn Glanville advised that the Mounties need a formal DA for eastern side of building.

Kristyn advised that Council is in support of a concept for landscaping and to extend surfers walk.

Pater Harley OAM was in favour of a push for more volunteers

Sue Heins (Mayor) spoke about the main playground being closed for a week whilst works were to be carried out and there will be a media release soon

The DA for Pilu was approved but with the conditions in relation to certain hours. Glenda Dunn who lives nearby advised that the noise was minimal and this had been supported by a noise measurement device that had been placed on her balcony.

The meeting closed at 8.31pm.