Celebrating 50 years in Thornlie

During its centenary year, the City of Gosnells will celebrate another important milestone next month with the 50th anniversary of the suburb of Thornlie.

On Wednesday 10 October, Dr Gil McDonald – author of The Gosnells Story – will talk about the area’s heritage and discuss how the Thornlie community evolved from an early farming settlement in 1884 to a suburb of almost 23,000 people.

Long-time Thornlie resident and City Mayor Patricia Morris AM JP will launch the celebrations, along with a new brochure on the suburb’s history.

The Mayor’s family was among the first to settle in the area when the post-World War II migration boom sparked a population explosion in Perth.

“The land soon had more value for residential use than farming and by the early-1950s, the former pastoral land known as Thornlie Park was sold and developed into the suburb we know today.

“I have loved living in Thornlie. Our house was the 107th one built in the area and I have watched the suburb grow and change over the years.

“In the early days, it was a bit like a country town. We were probably one of the first communities in Perth to have a P&C but no primary school – fortunately, that soon changed.

“I have very fond memories of my time with the Brownies and Guides groups and I’m still proudly involved with Thornlie’s sporting community.”

Thornlie has the honour of having the State’s first air-conditioned shopping mall at Thornlie Square, one of the first Muslim secondary schools in Australia and has been at the forefront of urban planning with the carefully planned and marketed residential developments of Crestwood and Forest Lakes estates.

The presentation at Thornlie Library is from 10.30am to 11.30am and includes morning tea. For more information and bookings, please call Thornlie Library T: 9459 2499.

as posted on COGsite

Less than 3000 voters ...

... I'm dismayed to report that less than 3000 voting packages have been returned for the Canning Vale ward, and the trend is that less packages are returned each day from now on, having stood in the last election 2 years ago, I am amazed how different the election process was this time around.

the packages were sent out almost only a week after the close of calling for candidates, which really gave candidates little time to get their messages out, also last year a draw was held for the order on the voting slip, seems this year that the order was determined by who had the first appointment with the returning officer.

two years ago and at previous elections voters would of noticed that the garbage trucks had advertisement on them notifying us of the elections, this year it does not seem to have happened, and apart from the sparse ads in the local papers and the COG news that is delivered in one of the local papers, you would of been lucky to have even noticed this election and as I feared most people would not of even bothered to have opened their election packages, I feel the voting numbers will be well down this year.

the reforms to local government have changed the way the votes are counted and a recent report has called for less councilors and amalgamation of existing councils, but most people would not even notice ...