Wests Leagues club in Leumeah celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It started out in 1974 with very basic premises – more or less a large room with one bar and a small number of poker machines.
The wonderful facilities enjoyed by members and visitors 50 years later are a far cry from those humble beginnings, thanks to a number of additions, including the 1997 ones pictured here.
Wests Group Macarthur, which also runs the tennis club next door, known now as the Sherwood, Lakeside golf course and the nearby Country Club on Camden Valley Way, will be celebrating the half century milestone in style.
As well as a special dinner on August 31, the club has commissioned my former colleague in Fairfax Community Newspaper Jeff McGill, to write a book on the first 50 years of Wests. The book will be launched at the dinner.
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Talking of milestones, after 20 years of serving local soccer Darcy Lound has stepped away as chairman of Macarthur Football Association.
His journey in Macarthur football began at the Minto Stingers Soccer Club where he served as a player, coach, committee member and club president.
Mr Lound, who currently serves on Campbelltown Council as the leader of the Labor team, became chairman of Macarthur Rams football club, who won a NSW National premier Leagues first grade premiership during his watch in 2014.
He then became chair of Macarthur Football Association and over eight years introduced initiatives and transformative programs such as the M League, MSAP, Super League, and built strong relationships with neighbouring associations like SDFSFA.
Our guess is that Mr Lound, the father of three children, wants to concentrate on his council career and his family.
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Campbelltown Council is looking into the feasibility of establishing a café or food venue at the Billabong Parklands, which opened recently. Hopefully there may be one running by the time the hot weather arrives.
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Joshua Davison, who attends Oran Park Anglican College, is among 20 NSW students who will travel to Japan in September as part of the Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship.
The plan is for them to learn more about our nation’s involvement in World War II by visiting significant sites, including a former Australian POW Camp in Naoetsu, the Yokohama War Cemetery and the Hiroshima Peace Park and Memorial.
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Michael Banasik has been almost part of the furniture at Wollondilly Council but after almost 30 years he has announced that he won’t be running in the local government elections of September 14.
“Thank you Wollondilly, it has been such a great honour to be your councillor for the last 29 years. I will continue to work for the community until September,’’ he said in a social media post.
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Up here in Campbelltown, Meg Oates, the Labor Party’s record breaking councillor with 37 years service so far, is definitely on the ticket for the 2024 election.
As number two on the party’s ticket, Councillor Oates is certain to be elected to another term.
Cr Oates, pictured above (left) lending a hand during a smoking ceremony in Koshigaya Park, was first elected in 1987, so she will reach 40 years as a councillor at Campbelltown in 2027, all things being equal.
This will be a record for a metropolitan council but not across the entire state.
It’s still pretty impressive though.
