Are you Interested in the work of the Tuross Head Progress Association?

Maybe interested in becoming a member?

Then please Click Here to view the Tuross Head Progress Association Committee page that provides minutes, agendas and the status and response of letters written on behalf of the community and learn how you can join. It is only $5 per year.

 

The History of the Progress Association and Hall pdf file 245kb

Please note: within the above document "The History of the Progress Association and Hall" the following is stated:

"The working partnership of the Progress Association, The Picture Club, and the Women's Club worked well until 1969 when the Progress Association drew up a new Constitution and before it could be registered by the Chief Secretary's Department it was necessary to confirm the ownership of the land and
Hall. A search was made for the documents and after considerable delay the Council located the Deeds in a local solicitor's office. It was also discovered that the solicitor had transferred the Deeds to the Council as Owners not as Trustees.

There was a meeting with the Chairman, Secretary and Vice-chairman of the Progress Association who met with the Shire Clerk, Deputy Clerk and the Chief Health Officer and it was agreed "That as there had never been any trouble with Tuross Head Progress Association in the past we will leave the
Deeds as they are, with Council as Owners and appoint the Progress Association to manage the Hall"

I can well understand the distress this caused in the village. I believe that the Association was given a very raw deal by the Council (still not too late to fix I suggest). It was able to gain ownership of a valuable property without compensation due to the inexperience of Progress Association officers who agreed to the terms. These terms were never at any time taken back to a Meeting and confirmed."

The transfer document here should be read for yourself to make your own determination of the comments above. It is evident by the signatures on the transfer document that the intention of Transfer was to pass ownership to Council else the signatories would NOT have signed.

Read the Minutes of the THPA meetings 1967 - 1970 that discuss ownership of the hall

Hall committee throws down the gauntlet 22/4/09

BY SALLY FOY
22/04/2009

The Shire Council should prepare itself for a battle should it decide to sell the historic Tuross Head Progress Hall.. That was the promise yesterday, by Tuross Head Association members, as they prepared to confront council over reports it would reclassify the land on which the historically listed building sits, a precursor to the sale.

Association secretary Ted Williams said the group had been chasing council for answers for months. Their biggest concern was ensuring that once sold, council would protect the sale proceeds for the Tuross Head community.

Mr Williams said council gave no response to their direct questions but issued a statement that read: “Council is considering reclassifying the Progress Hall property to operational land in the new Local Environment Plan with a view to selling or redeveloping the site”.

Council invited the association to discuss the matter five months ago but Mr Williams said that until now they had declined the offer.

“What’s the point of going to talk about things when they refuse to answer the questions we had already directed to them?” Mr Williams said.

“They’ve already got to the point of having it changed for the LEP so it doesn’t exactly promote having a discussion.”

The role of the association since 1947 has been to encourage progress in Tuross Head. Association member Lei Parker said the Progress Hall was built in the late 1940s on land gifted to Tuross by its people.

“The whole parcel of land was originally given to the people of Tuross, who thereupon built the hall with donations and labour and love,” Mr Parker said.

“The hall and the land it sits on therefore absolutely and ethically belong to the people of Tuross.”

Mr Parker said that if council considered going through with the sale, questions regarding ownership would be asked.

“We have endeavoured to gain all facts regarding ownership of the hall and questions regarding ownership and the current heritage order would absolutely be asked,” he said.