More and more locals join push to ban fireworks

An increasing number of residents are joining calls to ban the official fireworks that are part of annual celebrations such as New Year’s Eve.

Campbelltown is no exception.

This trend has been apparent for a few years now. But leading up to the last NY Eve celebrations, these calls were louder than ever.

Here at the South West Voice we received numerous letters to the editor that shared the same message: please, no more fireworks.

Local councils now find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place, because there’s still plenty of people who love fireworks.

In other words, they’re damned if they do and they’re damned if they don’t.

Indeed, another related trend of the past few years is private citizens setting off their own fireworks.

That kind of thing is as much on the rise as are the calls to give fireworks the flick.

Those opposed usually cite the impact on domestic pets, as well as native animals in bushland areas of Macarthur.

Others in that camp also argue that fireworks are a waste of money – money that could be better spent on more important things.

Here’s hoping that our local councils can have a good, hard look at this issue and come up with a resolution.

It’s clear that opposition to fireworks is not going away any time soon; in fact, it is more likely that it will get stronger in the next few years.

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Mr Perfect, a community organisation connecting men over a relaxed free barbecue in a local park to chat about all matters of life, has started up at Macquarie Fields.

It had its first gathering late last year, and is now inviting men from the northern parts of Campbelltown to go along to the first one this year on Sunday, January 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Macquarie Road Reserve, Macquarie Fields (at the back of the Macquarie Fields Leisure Centre).

There’s no need to RSVP, just turn up for a free feed and the chance to meet some new people.

Mr Perfect are more than a barbecue every month. Online they provide quality resources for the good of men’s mental health and also meet for various activities such as cycling, coffee.

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Why does no one want to do business in this area?

A good question, but if you know Liverpool like we do, it does not come as a surprise that a resident would ask something like that.

The question was asked in a chat group by a resident asking how is it that if you live east of the Georges River you have to travel to Bankstown or Hoxton Park to visit a Bunnings store.

It was also pointed out that there used be plenty of hardware stores in East Campbelltown and elsewhere, but they’ve all closed down or relocated.

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Down this way, we just want our cricket club,Campbelltown Camden Ghosts, to win its first premiership.

The club was formed way back in 1984, that’s 42 years by our calculations, and the men’s first grade team that plays in the Sydney Premier competition have yet to taste success.

They got close a few times, but that’s about it.

They are currently running 15^th out of 20 teams in the 2025-26 premiership, so the trophy cabinet will remain empty for at least another year.

I bumped into the club president Morris Iemma just before Christmas and asked him, when will we win one.

Morris, who of course was NSW Premier back in the day, is a wonderful person and is doing all he can.

And if anyone can lead the Ghosts to premiership glory it’s him, so let’s hope the breakthrough comes sooner rather than later.

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Since the Campbelltown Library opened its doors late last year, a lot of us are spending time in Downtown Plaza.

Just near the main entrance to the library are up and down escalators, which provide access to Queen Street and the shops upstairs.

Unfortunately, only the down escalator is working, with the up escalator out of order for weeks if not months.

For the sake of older residents let’s hope the owners of the Plaza can get stuck in and repair the escalator, shown in the video below.