Art & Culture
Arts Upper Hunter & Creative Valleys 🎨
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Arts Upper Hunter's mission is to provide, support and promote opportunities for all people in the Upper Hunter to participate creatively in the lives of the communities they live in.
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Visit www.artsupperhunter.com or check them out on Facebook
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See also their tourism project Creative Valleys which is 'a curated trail of Upper Hunter regions cultural attractions, experiences and stories'.
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One way event managers can support local tourism/Creative Valleys is by listing on Australian Tourism Data Warehouse. Creative Valleys sources its content through this platform, and anyone who lists on it appear across other key platforms including Destinations NSW. It's free to list and Creative Valleys can help groups with listing on this website if needed. Creative Valleys website also has the clever function of creating itineraries.
Sculpture on the Farm 🗿
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Sculpture on the Farm Dungog is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. It's dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of Dungog Shire for locals and visitors alike.
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In 2023, they donated the Jimmy Rix sculpture "Kangaroo and Honeyeater” aka "HoneyRoo" to Gresford school kids. He sits proudly watching over the Gresford Arboretum.
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Initiatives like this are helping establish our area as a hot spot of creativity and artistic talent. In 2025 the exhibition will be a three-day event featuring approximately 150 large-scale outdoor and smaller indoor works, showcased throughout the beautiful Dungog Common and the surrounding township, with the goal of attracting around 5,000 visitors to Dungog Shire.
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Check out their website, facebook, instagram or send them an email.
Introducing the Dungog Shire - News of the Area 🆕
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Our new paper is free to collect, weekly, with the first edition published 02.10.24
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The Dungog Chronicle as we knew it is no more, so what's next for specific local news? Due to the impacts of reduced funding and increase cost of production, the final print edition of the Dungog Chronicle was distributed on the 19.09.2024. Thank you to the team that dedicated themselves to sharing local stories. The Chronicle will continue digitally with a broader region focus.
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You can find the Dungog Shire News of the Area on Facebook, on their website, view the latest digital epublication.
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Keen for a print version? See outlets below:
Clarence Town IGA, Post office and Bowling Club Paterson Friendly Grocer, Service Station and Country Cafe Vacy General Store Dungog Information Centre, Newsagent, Lovey's IGA, Irwin's Service Station, Dowling General Store, Dungog RSL, Long Room Cafe, Hidden Valley Clothing, Bottlemart Gresford Foodworks, Gresford Rural & Garage, Gresford Butcher Providore, Beatty Hotel
Living Indigenous Heritage 🪃
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The people of the Wonnarua and Worimi Nations, and Gringai clan, are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live. There is growing enthusiasm to better honour our living Indigenous history so that it's more visible and celebrated. Many are being integrated into the various Community Builder Action Plans.
Business & Planning
Dungog Shire Council (DSC) - Strategic Plans 🏛️
It's likely not many people in the district read these plans - how do we make them more accessible? How can we ask questions of their annual self-assessments? Should Council have a talk-to-the-annual-review evening? There are 2 pages of these documents - a few key ones are below:
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See Dungog Shire Economic Development Plan 2022 – 2026: Pathways to Prosperity
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See Dungog Shire Open Space & Recreation Plan 2022 (Updated Oct 2023) contains overview of Dungog, Gresford, Vacy, Clarence Town assets and what they see as opportunities.
Community Foundation 🛡️
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There are early conversations in progress about starting a community foundation. The laws have apparently changed recently to make these more feasible in NSW/Australia.
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The kick off workshop was held at Tocal College on 26.09.2024. See the promo flier for more details. It was well attended, with good energy about empowering the community to drive progress.
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Key questions are scope (geographic), mechanism to establish allocation per area, decision making consulation process, timelines and ensuring any formal positions reflect the diverse makeup of the areas it represents.
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Benefits include tax minimisation, community control of assets purchased by the foundation (versus government or specific religious group), reduced bureaucracy/red-tape and faster decision making when securing funding for projects.
Dungog District Chamber of Commerce 🛍️
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A non-profit organisation of local businesses, professionals, and community members who advocate for members' interests, monitor and address issues affecting both business and community welfare. They foster a supportive network by providing reliable information and opportunities for members, promote Dungog Shire as a business destination, and encourage local spending to boost the economy.
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They also host the Future of Farming Forum
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Visit www.ddcc.org.au
Collaborative Commerce with Purpose 🫱🏻🫲🏽
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There are some fantastic examples in the area of businesses working together, with added benefits for the community and the environment. One is Anthea and Will from Maplewood Permaculture (Paterson) and Brett and Nici at Limestone Permaculture (Stroud). It was sparked by sharing learning journeys and bloomed at Permaculture in the Pub.
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Another is Sarah Sivyer from Just Been Laid (Eccleston) and her partnership with Slow Food Hunter Valley (a global movement of local community groups ensuring everyone has access to good, clean and fair food).
Agriculture
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Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) and Hunter Water Corporation are partnering on a long-term program for landholders in the Paterson, Allyn, Chichester, and Williams River valleys' drinking water catchments.
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The goal is to protect water quality and the environment while improving farm productivity. The program highlights riparian, bushland, and grazing management practices that benefit both landholders and the environment.
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Key elements include grazing management courses to improve farming practices, a comprehensive farm planning program, interactive field days and workshops, an incentives program to support landholders, and a landholder survey to gather valuable insights.
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For more information contact Col Freeman, Sustainable Agriculture Extension Officer on 0428 043 427 or via col.freeman@lls.nsw.gov.au
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Plans for a micro-abattoir, offering many benefits to the community, are being prepared for submission to Dungog Council.
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It would allow small-scale producers of cattle, sheep and pigs to sell directly to consumers, markets, or local restaurants, enhancing farm profitability and resilience. It also reduces transportation costs and stress on livestock.
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It will mean farmers will have greater control over processing, improving traceability and quality, which appeals to consumers who value ethically sourced and locally produced meat.
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The project will cost $1.5 million, create seven jobs on the site, eleven other flow-on jobs in Dungog, and further boost the local economy by keeping profits in our area.
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John Monaghan from Rocking Chair Farm is the Chair of the group and can be contacted on 0418 345 051 or john@rockingchairfarm.com.au.
Hunter Rainforest Revival Project 🌳
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Hunter Rainforest Revival is a five-year education and training program to revive the Lower Hunter Dry Rainforest thanks to funding from the NSW Environmental Trust, with partners Hunter Local Land Services and Maitland City Council.
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The project aims are to:
- Educate community members and enable capacity to restore Dry Rainforest across the Maitland and Lower Hunter region.
- Create a network of Dry Rainforest habitats in the Maitland region. -
The Hunter Region Landcare Network (HRLN) is working with partners including private land-holders, community-based Landcare groups, Maitland Council and Local Land Services to bring back Lower Hunter Valley Floodplain Rainforest.
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Revegetation sites are being identified and prepared in readiness for plantings starting in April-June 2025. Community involvement is essential to make this project a success.
Soil Moisture Network Project 🌱
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This initiative provides landholders with real-time soil moisture data, helping them manage their properties and make informed decisions during critical times of the year.
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18 soil probes are placed across the Hunter region so producers can access data on soil moisture, temperature, wind, and rainfall to support grazing decisions, optimise productivity, and manage natural resources.
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For more information, visit Pasture Forecasting website and use the toggle on the RHS to select your town/river for specific metrics.
Community
Dungog Shire Community Centre (DSCC) 🍃
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The Centre is the not for profit (and non government organisation) hub for the community. We promote resilience by providing support and development assistance and advocate on behalf of those with less ’voice’ in the community.
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We maintain a huge range of activities and services to deliver support and keep people aware of what’s available. We focus on activities, consultation, education, food, culture, employment, engagement and community events.
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The DSCC is a Public Benefit Institution (PBI) and has Tax Deductible Gift Recipient status (DGR), which means every donation over $2 is tax deductible.
Tourism
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Their purpose is to support, help coordinate and promote tourism in the Dungog Shire and surrounds.
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Town planning implementation will increasingly involve sharing updates with them on town attractions so that as a group we can build the story of how the towns link and what they have to offer visitors.
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If you want to explore opportunities to work with them in promoting your events/business contact info@drt.org.au
Horseshoe Trail - a Tourist Driving Day Trip 🐎
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An initiative of Dungog Regional Tourism to promote a day trip drive for people holidaying in the Hunter Valley (typically Pikolbin).
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It's roughly in the shape of a horse shoe - hence the name, with recommended stops at Paterson, Vacy, Gresford, Dungog and Clarence Town. The towns along that track have an opportunity to develop and/or create attractions and highlight these as part of the promotional material.
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Visit visitdungog.com.au for more information and to see the map.
Science
More info is needed to add some shape to these. What we have:
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One project currently underway studying European Carp in the Paterson River
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One unrelated is studying Bass in the Paterson River
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One studying platypus numbers in the Paterson River (separate to the new Community Builders and 4 Valley potential collaboration under discussion)
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Landcare Gresford monitor basic water quality (independent of Hunter Water)
Do you know where we can get more information? Email hello@twinrivers.au and we'll add it to the list.
Watch Outs
Martins Creek Quarry Expansion - Current Under Appeal in the Courts 🚛
Helpful Links
Would significantly impact residents in Martins Creek, Paterson to Maitland
Lostock Dam to Glennies Creek Dam Pipeline Project 🫗
Update 24.04.2025 Hunter water security pipeline scrapped due to cost blow-outs.
Best described in the diagram below. Note infrastructure (including water treatment plant) planned for Paterson, Tocal, Maitland Vale and a second pipeline to Maitland.
It's also worth raising that the project has illuminated the possibility of DSC being paid for water resources. The LGA's containing active mines receive 'royalties' from those capitalising on their shire's natural resources. Increasingly, Council is being asked to share theirs without financial benefit. The question is why is earth being treated differently to water? That is what DSC is asking now.
Helpful Links
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visit hunterwater.com.au/Paterson
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email lostock-glennies.pipeline@dpie.nsw. gov.au
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phone 1300 081 047
Did you know something that's not here? Please share it so everyone can be informed and included in decisions that affect our community.
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This page is intended to capture elements that relate to community groups and/or factors that significantly impact residents. Whilst individual businesses fall outside of that, it's clear some are doing spectacular things! For those in Vacy, Gresford and Paterson please see the local business directory to get your name in lights. For businesses outside of these areas, please contact Dungog Regional Tourism and/or the Dungog District Chamber of Commerce to get involved. Our towns are starting work more actively with representatives to help promote the broader area and to support local business within it.