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Established in 1964

Australia's first Civic Trust

The Trust has achieved much since its foundation.

Serving the Community

For Over 57 Years

Our mission is to preserve Existing Village Character & Heritage values

The Voice of Our Community

The Trust makes submissions to:

Federal, State and Local Governments, as well as to Statutory Authorities

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The Voice of Our Community

Many Events throughout the year are sponsored and organised by the Civic Trust.

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Upcoming Events

Please help protect our suburbs by becoming a Member of the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust.

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All the Newsletters Past and Present can be found here, including early Printed Bulletins.

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The Civic Trust has strong working relationships with many local organisations, groups, Civic Trusts, Councils, State and Federal Rep's.

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Beecroft-Cheltenham Civic Trust marked 57 years of service in 2021.

Established in 1964 & Australia's first, the Beecroft-Cheltenham Civic Trust was later formally incorporated under the NSW Incorporation Act (1984) on 5 December 1988.

The Trust aims to preserve the existing village character, heritage value and the natural beauty of the Beecroft and Cheltenham district. The Trust has achieved much since its foundation to advocate on behalf of residents to Federal, State and Local Governments as well as to Statutory Authorities for the survival of what remains of the area’s natural beauty and the preservation of civic infrastructure. You can find out more about our aims and objectives in our constitution.

During the year, your volunteer Trust:

Organises and sponsors public meetings at which residents have the opportunity to meet candidates ahead of Federal, State and local Council elections.

Assists with representations for individuals and groups of residents to our C Ward Councillors and to senior staff of Hornsby Shire Council.

Assists with representations for individuals and groups of residents to our Epping Ward Councillors of City of Parramatta Council.

Works with local residents to ensure the enforcement in our Heritage Conservation Area of the best aspects of Council planning controls.

Closely monitors submissions lodged with Council pertaining to the area covered by 2119 postcode and provides expert advocacy on design and related development issues.

Regularly emails eNews letters to over 1000 residents.

Prints and distributes bulletins concerning specific events to over 4000 households.

Helps organise and participates in "Clean Up Australia" from Beecroft Village Green every March.

Organises guided bushland Spring and Autumn Walks.

Has an ongoing professional working relationship with Hornsby Shire Council and with Parramatta Shire Council.

Participates in Beecroft in Bloom.

Promotes local community activities such as Street Libraries.

Participates in the Picnic for Trees on National Tree Day.

Reports on water pollution.

MEET THE COMMITTEE!

The Committee was elected by Trust members at the 2022 Annual General Meeting.

Rod Best PSM
President

Rod is a retired a lawyer who specialised in the field of child protection. Rod was awarded the Australian honour of a Public Service Medal in 2004 and was made an honorary life member of The Law Society of NSW in 2017. He is also interested in Australian social history and is Chair, Beecroft Cheltenham History Group and Director Fellowship of First Fleeters. For the last 5 years of his working life Rod was with Life Without Barriers. He is also an elder of the Beecroft Presbyterian Church.

Ross Walker OAM
Vice President

Ross was awarded his OAM for many years of community Service. Ross is a retired public servant involved in property management, with qualifications in surveying and town planning. Ross has lived in Beecroft for 30+ years. Apart from his continuing work with the Trust, Ross continues to actively volunteer with Bush Care, Beecroft Probus and The Garden Club. He is a member of the Sydney North Planning Panel and on the Hornsby Council Bushland Management Advisory Committee.

Bill Rankine
Vice President

Bill has lived in Beecroft for almost 30 years. He has been involved in the local Neighbourhood Watch and the Beecroft Probus club. He has an MBA and is a retired oil company executive. Bill provides the Police reports for the Trust’s newsletters and liaises with the local Police Area Command on behalf of the BCCT.

Michael McAuley BA, LLB, M
Secretary

Michael McAuley with his spouse Kaye have lived in Beecroft for the past 30 years, together with his children and now grandchildren. Michael continues to practise as a lawyer. Not a day passes without him walking around Beecroft Cheltenham, and in the surrounding bushland. Michael appreciates the area, not only for its beauty, but also for its varied community groups, and educational and other facilities.

Nina Mital
Treasurer

Nina is active in the Beecroft-Cheltenham community, with management committee positions in NFPs like the Beecroft Garden Club. Her professional background is consumer insights, with special interest in analytics and behavioral economics. Her favourite natives at the moment are from the genus Corymbia, particularly ficifolia, among the red/pink flowering gums. Nina loves her yoga and can be found practising her sun salutations any time of the day.

Brian Shirley
Website, eNews, IT

Brian has lived in Beecroft for 25 years. He is a retired Electrical Engineer. Brian spent 5 years in the Advertising Industry and then 45 years working in the Audio Visual industry. Brian looks after the Trust's Website and eNews, He is also a volunteer Instructor at "Computer Pals for Seniors" in West Ryde.

Janet Hayes

Janet has lived in Beecroft with husband, Lawrie, for 21 years. She is a keen gardener and member of the Beecroft Garden Club and is membership officer of a local Probus group. Janet is a regular walker in the area. She values the bushland and the heritage that the Beecroft Cheltenham area offers and enjoys the friendship and sense of community that we are so fortunate to have here.

Tim Abrams

Tim’s parents built an American Colonial home in Fiona Road Beecroft in 1945 after WW2. He was born in Poplars Private Hospital Epping in 1954. His professional career as a Industrial Relations advocate saw him represent both sides of the divide. This sense of a “fair go” allows him to ensure balance when applying to new developments and renovations. Tim’s passion is to ensure the Federation character and charm is not only maintained but is applied to any new development in the Beecroft Cheltenham catchment. Tim has a MBA ( Industrial Relations ) and is a local Justice of the Peace.

Glynn Rogers

Glynn is a retired communications engineer who worked for the CSIRO. He first came to Beecroft in 1973 after moving from Queensland, renting a flat for a year in the middle of what is now the M2. He returned as a rate payer in 1981 when he and his wife Heather bought their present property. As a keen walker, he is familiar with much of the surrounding bushland and believes it is a vital resource that must be preserved for the benefit of the whole community.

Gail Crossley

Gail has lived in Beecroft for more than 40 years and her children and grandchildren have attended KU Cheltenham Memorial Kindergarten and Beecroft Public School. Gail enjoys gardening and walking and has served as Vice President of the Beecroft and District Garden Club. Gail commenced her career as a research scientist in the USA and UK, then became a university academic in senior management roles and a higher education consultant. Gail values the natural beauty of the environment of our area and is committed to supporting the preservation of its bushland and the work of the Civic Trust.

Join the Trust Governing Committee

The Trust has also been active with:

Many submissions to Council Regarding Development Applications!

Trust Executive Committee member Ross Walker OAM, reads as many DAs as possible. He also reads and evaluates every DA submitted to the Trust by residents. Ross has, where appropriate and on behalf of Beecroft Cheltenham residents, made many submissions direct to Council.

Beecroft Station Access Ramp!

After lobbying state member for a pedestrian lift at Beecroft station, the Trust continued to lobby for the retention of the access ramp.

The Metro Haulage Road!

The Trust continues to lobby for appropriate remediation and bush regeneration of the area of what is referred to as the former Metro Haulage Road [off Murray Farm Rd]. The road was used to remove rubble from tunnel excavations for the Metro train system.

M2 Motorway Noise!

Many residents living close to the M2 motorway have asked for the Trust's support to appeal for the mitigation of the M2 Road noise.