A superb meal was served by Kowan and crew to our members and guests including volunteers from the Visitor Information Centre.

Mr Chadban gave an entertaining review of his 40 years serving the Great Lakes community, including 13 years as mayor.

Some tales were a wonderful reminisce of less complicated times, with a clear theme of passion for the area and affection for the people that live here.

President Ivy Stevenson reflected on Mr Chadban’s statement that once something is knocked down and destroyed, it is rarely rebuilt, but that development need not mean destruction.

To wrap up the year that has been, Shona Hunter Howarth listed some of the chamber’s achievements in 2008, and some of her projects completed on behalf of the chamber.

o Reinvented the Walk on the Wild Side from a single day event to three days.

o Participated in a festivals project research study

o Attended Great Lakes Tourism meetings as a committee member

o Engaged new major sponsors BP Tea Gardens and Telstra Countrywide

o Successfully applied for a grant from the RTA for Ride on the Wild Side

o Won the Regional Tourism Award for the Myall River Festival

o Completed the painting workshops and installation of the Youth Art Mural

o Attended a Small Communities Big Ideas workshop

oAttended two DSRD Community Economic Development Conferences

o Supported the Bluewater Country Music Festival

o Organised the annual Car Boot Sale with Indigo Blue

o Organised two Visitor Information Centre volunteer famil’s

o Liaised with the Getaway crew for a Tea Gardens waterfront segment

o Created two new TV ads, one of the Myall Coast area and one for the Myall River Festival

o Received council’s Cultural Award for Enlightened Support of the Arts

o Successfully secured a customer service course before our summer season.

o Delivered the biggest Myall River Festival yet

o Formed a new arts groups called the Myall Coast Arts Network (MCAN)

o Created a new chamber website: www.myallcoast.org.au

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3, with guest speaker Wendy Franklin, who has created a large and unique tourism industry in an area where tourism did not previously exist.

Shona Hunter Howarth