About Castlecrag Progress Association

Background

The Castlecrag Progress Association Inc. has been in existence since 1925. It was incorporated in April 1992 under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 and has an unbroken record of service to the residents of Castlecrag.

Its objectives are:

To do everything possible to promote and further the interests of the district of Castlecrag or other nearby areas where it is possible that benefit could accrue to the advantage of the district and could enhance and stimulate the community life of residents of Castlecrag and environs.
To conserve the natural and human heritage of Castlecrag for the benefit of future generations.

The inaugural meeting of the Progress Association was held on 10 November 1925, when Edgar Herbert was elected president. Walter and Marion Griffin were active members, with Walter serving on the Executive Committee.

Protest Rally to try and save the the Infants School.

Its early campaigns were for:

A Government infants school
Better transport access to the city by construction of an arterial road from East Lindfield to North Sydney. This was achieved in 1939 with the opening of Eastern Valley Way
The upgrading of Edinburgh Road
The undergrounding of electricity wires
Sewage services for the Castlecrag Peninsula
Tree planting along Edinburgh Road.

Other subsequent campaigns of the Progress Association are presented in History. The Association has consistently campaigned to maintain the Griffin vision for Castlecrag and took the lead in:

Community opposition to the extension of the Warringah Freeway over the northern escarpment of the Castlecrag Peninsula (abandoned in 1976)
The establishment of planning controls to protect the built and natural environment of the suburb (progressively implemented by Council)
Improved traffic management in the suburb
The retention of the Infants School (failed despite intense community support over an extended period).

Membership

Membership of the of the Progress Association is open to residents of the suburb of Castlecrag on an individual basis. Annual membership (calendar year) is $20 per person or $10 concession.

Please click here for a Membership Form for downloading. Completed forms with payment should be sent to:

The Treasurer
PO Box 4259
Castlecrag NSW 2068.


Our Committee	Click here to read the CPA President's Inaugural Report for 2010

The following people have been elected to the Castlecrag Progress Association executive and committee for 2010-2011:


Vice-Presidents:	David Harrop and Kate Westoby
Secretary:	Jill Newton
Treasurer:	Diana Jones
Committee:	Joe Christie, Matthew Keighery, Warwick Lynch, Gay Spies OAM, Dr John Steel and Phil Walsh, Richard Wylie.

Committee Profiles:

Joe Christie, a qualified CPA and part owner of a property funds management business, has lived in Castlecrag since early 2006 and is married with three young boys. As a child he played and explored bush tracks around Castlecrag while visiting his cousins. He enjoys the Crag community, the bush surrounds and the unique history and aims to get more people involved in the broader community.

David Harrop has a Diploma in Financial Services (Insurance Broking) and is a Justice of the Peace. He has served on the CPA committee since 1997 and resided in Castlecrag for over 30 years. David has been active in a number of community issues such as the Foreshore Building Line and in the ongoing fight to retain the urban bushland.

Diana Jones a science graduate, bookkeeper, and retired computer programmer, has lived in Castlecrag for over 30 years and has a husband and one married daughter. She is interested in heritage and the natural environment, is active in several community organisations and helps maintain the 203 bus terminus garden. In recognition of her services, Diana was awarded Life Membership of the CPA in May 2009.

Matthew Keighery and his family moved to Castlecrag from North Sydney ten years ago to be closer to bushland. He is (mostly) a keen bushcarer and since coming to Castlecrag has gained a Bush Regeneration Certificate, a Diploma of Conservation and Land Management and is about to complete a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Plant Ecology. Matthew is on the Griffin Reserves Advisory Committee, is Secretary of the Castlecrag Conservation Society, and a committee member of Bushcare's Major Day Out.
Professionally, Matthew produces video and multimedia content, predominately for corporate clients. He is excited by the opportunities that new media technologies provide to engage the Castlecrag community.

Warwick Lynch is a Chartered Accountant and currently works in a senior finance role for a large media organisation. A recent new arrival in Castlecrag area but long time resident of the lower north shore, Warwick has held a long time interest in sport, fitness, the theatre and history. Warwick is a mixture of old fashioned values with a modern outlook. He believes in sustainability and the environment, but also in protecting our heritage and embracing community values. Warwick participates in The Retreat Bush Care Group and has become a member of the Progress Association so he can put something back into the Castlecrag community.

Jill Newton is a patent and trade mark attorney and IP lawyer. After rebuilding a house in Castlecrag she and Richard moved here in 1999. She was elected to the CPA committee in 2003 and has been secretary since 2006. Jill is also a member of the Retreat Bushcare Group, enjoys the local waterways and loves living in this very special part of Sydney with its sense of community, history, natural beauty and architecture.

Gay Spies OAM has been active in Castlecrag community affairs for 28 years through her untiring efforts to protect the natural environment. Her service at President of the Willoughby Environment Protection Association (WEPA) and her work on the Sugarloaf Bush Regeneration project, among other services, resulted in her Willoughby City Citizen of the Year award in 2002. Gay's particular interests include indigenous plants and textiles.

John Steel is currently a consultant in livestock parasite control, following a long career as a CSIRO research scientist in the livestock industry. He and Marianne became residents of Castlecrag in 1979, joining the Progress Association shortly thereafter. John was elected to the committee in 1998 and served as President from 2004–2007. A founding member of the Oriel Bushcare Group, he has a strong interest in environmental sustainability and the preservation of our natural and built heritage that makes Castlecrag such a special place in which to live and rear a family. John is well-known for his fashionable bushcare attire, and has been accepted as a contestant in the next series of MasterChef following an outstanding performance of gourmet cuisine in the Oriel Reserve, where he effortlessly fed over 80 local residents and Councillors.

Phil Walsh is an IT consultant with one of the Big-Four accountancy and advisory firms. A relative newcomer to Castlecrag, moving to the area from Willoughby in 2009, Phil, Pru and their 3 boys, were attracted to the area by the community feel and the bushland surroundings. Spending a large part of his life sailing around Sydney Harbour, Phil is passionate about the foreshore and local waterways. Phil has a keen interest in maintaining the original principles of Castlecrag that make the area so special , specifically regenerating native bush regeneration and maintaining the Griffin Reserves, pathways and foreshore in a way that brings the community together.

Kate Westoby is a Teacher/Librarian at Castle Cove Primary School. She has been active in the Castlecrag community for many years, covering the kindergarten, infants' school, the SOS*CRAG campaign, WEPA and the Conservation Society. She has served on the Progress Association Committee since 1985 and was President from 2001 to 2004 and 2009 to 2010.

Richard Wyllie is a Chartered Accountant and has been a resident of Castlecrag for 16 years. He likes the sense of community, natural bushland setting, native wildlife and scenic waterways, all of which make Castlecrag a unique and special place. Richard has a strong interest in sustainability and in preserving both the sensitive natural and architectural heritage of Castlecrag for future generations to enjoy.

The Crag

The Crag
The Progress Association commenced a newsletter for the residents of Castlecrag in 1974 as 'Castlecrag News'. It was relaunched as The Crag in March 1978 and has been published regularly since then. The Crag has been improved over the years and is distributed to all the 1100 households and businesses in the suburb. It publishes material on events and people in the Castlecrag Community. To view recent articles from The Crag, click here. The material published in The Crag on our history is presented under History. Articles, comments and letters to the editor are always welcome. Please forward these to 'The Editors' at PO Box 4259, Castlecrag NSW 2068 or email: editors@castlecrag.org.au.

CPA Documents

The Progress Association prepared policy guidelines and other documents from time to time setting out the processes it follows to ensure objective and transparent outcomes. Click on the document(s) listed below for more information.

Click here to read 'Keeping Castlecrag Special: Our DA Policy'

Click here to read 'Comment on Development Applications'

This web page is published by The Castlecrag Progress Association