Antill descendant Marie Reeves will take her crusade for justice over Jarvisfield and Vault Hill cemetery to tonight’s Wollondilly Council community forum in Tahmoor.
Mrs Reeves is poised to ask searing questions over the future of Antill golf course, as well as council’s intentions regarding the historic Antill family cemetery known as Vault Hill.
The forum will be held in the Tahmoor Community Centre Youth Hub Hall from 6.30pm.
Mrs Reeves, concerned with the neglect of Jarvisfield, the historic homestead (pictured above) that is used as the club house of Antill golf course, has been waging a 30 year campaign.
She has offered to buy Jarvisfield from council so her family can restore and repair it.
However council, which says it doesn’t have enough money for repair and restoration work, has steadfastly refused her offer.
“When will council inform the Wollondilly community of its intentions for the future use of Antill Park Golf Club property,’’ is one of her questions for tonight’s forum.
“Given the Antill land was a forced acquisition with the terms of the resumption stating, ‘to resume the land described in the schedule hereto for the purpose of providing, controlling and managing grounds for public recreation, convenience and enjoyment,’ isn’t it unethical and totally against the spirit of the resumption terms to use the property for purposes other than that stated in the Resumption Notice? If not, why not,’’ Mrs Reeves will ask.
But she will also ask why Wollondilly Shire Council removed from its community library’s shelves the book donated by author Lynette Styles titled Antill Golf Club Associates which Mrs Reeves says “gives a factual insight into the history of the golf club’’.
“Given the library is a ratepayer funded community service along with the fact that we are living in a democratic country, what makes it acceptable for Wollondilly Shire Council to censor material that is factually accurate,’’ Mrs Reeves will ask tonight.
On the Antill family cemetery issue, Mrs Reeves wants to know if a 2015 resolution calling for a report on the feasibility of creating a lookout and barbecue area at the top of Vault Hill (pictured above) was ever prepared and what was council’s decision.
Mrs Reeves will ask: “Is council taking active steps to acquire the historic Antill cemetery site at Vault Hill to safeguard and maintain as an important part of Picton’s heritage? Does council accept that without the Antill family Picton would not exist?
