Shane Crothers Homes' staff, customers and creditors still in the dark

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Staff, contractors, and customers are still in the dark and wondering what to do as Shane Crothers Homes has still not entered into administration, despite Mr Shane Crothers telling staff, creditors and customers it was happening about 25 days ago. 

Mr Crothers also told customers that he had sold the business. Everything Geraldton has learned that this is not the case. 

A group of creditors who claim they are owed large sums of money have joined forces to try and make something happen, after still not being informed of who the administrator is. 

Below is a copy of original letter sent to customers around four weeks ago. It states that Shane Crothers Homes was to enter into Voluntary Administration immediately. Mr Crothers also told Everything Geraldton himself that Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd had entered into voluntary administration. 

Several staff from Shane Crothers Homes have contacted Everything Geraldton upset that they have not been paid money they are owed, have not been fired or let go officially, and have no idea what is going on. Apart from being owed holiday pay and entitlements, we were informed that some of the staff were still attending work until recently.

Multiple customers who were building homes through Shane Crothers Homes have also spoken with Everything Geraldton asking if anyone knew if the company had entered into administration yet, as they have been unable to move forward with insurance claims etc, and are just sitting in the dark. 

These are copies of emails sent to staff of Shane Crothers Homes over the last week or so, provided to Everything Geraldton by staff of Shane Crothers Homes. 

In one of the letters Mr Crothers blames a technical issue with the banks, lawyers and accountants for the delays.

Debbie Crothers contacted Everything Geraldton upset over a comment made on our website claiming they were "rubbing their hands together".

"It's all lies," she said. "It's just not true. We've lost everything. We even had to sell the boat to make sure everyone got paid."

What happened with the supposed sale?

We spoke with a local builder Mick Desmond, who told us he had been in discussions to take over the building of the homes through his company Norwest Building Group. "We were approached and asked if we would like to finish the houses off," Mr Desmond told us. "We said yes. I talked to some of the creditors and tried to get to the bottom of which trade did what on each home [in an attempt to be able to use them again on that home]."

Mr Desmond tells us the plan was for him to pay a sum of money into a trust account, which would then apparently be used by liquidators. In exchange Mr Desmond would then complete the building of the homes using tradies and contractors that were originally used on the homes. The contractors would not have received old monies they were owed, but the intention was to provide them work moving forward, according to Mr Desmond. 

Mr Desmond said he did not go through with the arrangement, and walked away from it last night. 

"I couldn't get to the bottom of how it's going to work. I couldn't get a guarantee of where the money would go," said Mick Desmond. "I met with Mr Crothers yesterday as part of doing due diligence," he said. Mr Desmond told us he wasn't satisfied with the state of the stocktakes he saw on the homes, and decided to walk away from the arrangement. 

"We're happy to still be involved in finishing the homes," said Mr Desmond. "However we've exhausted all opportunities through this avenue."

We asked Mr Desmond who it was that approached him to ask him if he wanted to finish building the homes, and were informed by him that it was representatives from a company called Hall Chadwick. 

Who is Hall Chadwick?

Hall Chadwick, according to their website, is a Chartered Accountant and Business Advisory firm with offices around Australia, including Perth. 

Everything Geraldton contacted them to ask questions regarding their involvement with Shane Crothers and Shane Crothers Homes, but they were not willing to talk. 

"We respectfully decline to make any comments in relation to Shane Crothers," was their response. 

Will people still get their homes built?

From the Department of Commerce for WA:

Residential building work contracts in Western Australia are governed by the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (the Act). If residential building work valued over $20,000 is to be undertaken, the Act requires that a builder take out home indemnity insurance in the name of the owner before accepting payment or commencing work.
What is home indemnity insurance?
HII protects owners against financial loss if a builder cannot complete residential building work or meet a valid claim for faulty or unsatisfactory building work because of death, disappearance or insolvency.

Based on information provided by Dept of Commerce, it appears customers should be insured for exactly this kind of situation, and are able to have their homes completed if their builder becomes insolvent. The policy is in the name of the owner, not the builder.  

Click here to read more.

So what now?

We contacted Mr Shane Crothers this morning, who rang us back, but was not willing to make any comments at that time, other than that he was going to make a comment later this afternoon. 

We asked if it was true that the company still had not entered into administration, and were told a comment would be made later this afternoon. 

We asked if was true that Mr Crothers was leaving Geraldton, as per assertions made by creditors today. Again we were told a comment would be made this afternoon. 

We will update this article when Mr Crothers provides said comments. 

Update: Mr Crothers has sent the following statement

Our key priority throughout this process has been our clients. Our clients have been kept informed of our efforts to find another quality builder to facilitate a fast takeover of the unfinished jobs, avoiding delays related to the Home Indemnity Insurance system. 
This process has unfortunately taken a lot longer than we had anticipated due to negotiations with all parties involved and we regret the effect this has had on our clients, staff and creditors.
We will proceed with appointing a liquidator next week.

Isn't liquidation different to administration?

Yes. 

Read more here.

Mayor exercises discretionary powers for emergency works at St Georges

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City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn has exercised his discretionary powers under the Local Government Act to begin emergency works to mitigate erosion at St Georges Beach.

On Tuesday Mayor Van Styn approved immediate works which include the construction of a low level sandbag groyne and sand nourishment works.

Mayor Van Styn said it was with careful consultation with City staff that he decided to make the executive decision.

“I understand how rare it is to utilise this power but this is an extremely important issue that demanded immediate attention,” he said.

“Without me exercising my rights under the Local Government Act, this process could have potentially taken months which is time we just don’t have.

“We have very important community infrastructure at risk and that’s why I took immediate action.”

CEO Ken Diehm said the City asked the Mayor to consider the urgency of the matter and move this forward as erosion posed imminent threat to essential community infrastructure.

“We regularly review and monitor coastal erosion and it is vital we take the necessary steps to protect our essential community and public infrastructure,” Mr Diehm said.

“With damage that occurred over the weekend, we can see that the toilet block at Rundle Park and the road near St Georges Beach is under great threat.

“We have to act fast and look at our options, hence why the Mayor has used his discretionary powers to ensure an interim solution can be implemented before any further damage occurs.”

The City have engaged specialist consultants Royal HaskoningDHV to develop a foreshore protection scheme for St Georges Beach. A report from the company showed that erosion was the result of short period wind generated waves coinciding with high water levels.

The City are now working off Haskoning’s recommendation for a low-crested sandbag groyne and sand replenishment works.

“We believe the groyne will help to capture the sand that is getting washed away and it will give us more time to work on a long-term solution not just for St Georges but for the rest of our coast including Sunset Beach and Drummond Cove,” Mr Diehm said.

Whitehill Road in Drummond Cove has also been under scrutiny following damaging storms over the weekend.

Mayor Van Styn said the process being undertaken to combat erosion could not be rushed.

“We are not trying to jump the gun and we are going through all appropriate processes. A long term solution is something that cannot be rushed,” he said.

“Sand is moving from the south to the north and we are working with specialists on the Beresford Foreshore and are following the Department of Planning’s coastal hazard risk management and adaptation planning guidelines (CHRMAP) process.

“We know this is a sensitive issue and we have engaged with the community to ensure we get the best outcome for our residents.”

Works at St Georges Beach are estimated to cost $650,000 and there is money in the 2015/16 budget to undertake the project.

The groyne and sand works will begin in the coming weeks and may take up to two weeks for completion.

Traffic management will be in place during this time. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to exercise caution and obey all warning signs and direction from authorised City personnel and contractors.

Port levy scrapped after it generated double what it was intended for initially

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Not sure who does the accounting for the state government. But a levy at Geraldton's port that was put in place to repay a $107 million loan in 2003, actually generated $210 million, and only reduced the loan by $40 million. 

The government has decided the debt is to be cleared and the levy scrapped, following letters from Nationals member MLC Paul Brown. 

Not everyone is happy with the levy being scrapped though. 

Click here to read full story. 

 

ABC: Farm Fish Harvest in Geraldton

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A great short video from ABC Mid West, on Yellowtail Kingfish being bred in Geraldton. 

Midwest aquaculture trial harvest: Thousands of Yellow Tail Kingfish ready to hit the Australian market Fifteen thousand fat and healthy Yellow Tail Kingfish currently swim in Geraldton's Champion Bay waiting to be delivered to a local restaurant and markets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Indian Ocean Fresh Australia have been working with the Mid West Development Commission to determine if it is commercially viable to farm fish in the pristine waters off Geraldton's coast.

Improvements to wastewater infrastructure in Geraldton

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Residents in regional Western Australia will benefit from the State Government’s investment in water and wastewater projects.

Water Minister Mia Davies has announced $782 million had been committed to Water Corporation projects across Western Australia, as part of the 2016-17 State Budget.

Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney, welcomed the announcement today, saying local projects – including upgrades to Geraldton’s wastewater infrastructure would benefit, helping to ensure the community has access to quality and reliable water and wastewater services.

In the 2016-17 year, a total of $782 million has been committed to capital investment projects across the State. These projects will improve Water Corporation’s services, and ensure its customers have access to reliable, high quality water and wastewater services.

In the Mid-West, a total of $23 million will be invested in capital projects in 2016-17.

Improvements to wastewater infrastructure in Geraldton

• Water Corporation will invest $4 million in 2016-17 to improve wastewater infrastructure in Geraldton. 

• It includes an upgrade to the Geraldton Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve odour control, effluent and sludge handling capabilities.  As well as construct a wastewater pump station within the Glenfield Beach Estate to service residential development.

• Work is expected to begin in July 2016 and be completed by September 2017 with an estimated total value of $6 million.

Water Corporation provides water, wastewater and drainage services to more than 2 million people across the 2.6 million square kilometre expanse of Western Australia.

These projects will improve Water Corporation’s services, and ensure its customers have access to quality and reliable water and wastewater services.

For more information about projects in your area visit www.watercorporation.com.au.

Crothers Construction Pty Ltd not associated with Shane Crothers Homes

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The team at Crothers Construction Pty Ltd would like to advise the public that Crothers Construction Pty Ltd, located at 160 Chapman Road Geraldton, has nothing to do with Shane Crothers Homes in any way.

Crothers Construction Pty Ltd, owned by David Crothers, has no ties with Shane Crothers Homes.

For further information on Crothers Construction refer to their website: www.crothers.com.au

Local businesses and tradies angry about handling of Shane Crothers Homes collapse

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Since Everything Geraldton published news about the demise of Shane Crothers Homes, multiple business owners have come forward and expressed anger at the situation, claiming they are owed many of thousands of dollars and have been kept in the dark. 

Some of the business owners we spoke with did not want to be named, but shared that they are extremely angry over how they felt they had been treated, and the money they are owed. 

Based on the number of businesses that have contacted Everything Geraldton, lots of people have not been paid. 

There's also mystery surrounding who exactly is the administrator for Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd, with several creditors speculating that an administrator HAS NOT taken control of the company yet as Mr Crothers asserted. 

Company Director Mr Shane Crothers stated to Everything Geraldton last week that Shane Crothers Homes had entered into voluntary administration, but at the time of publication of this article the business is not listed with ASIC as being in administration, nor is anyone we have spoken to aware of who the administrator is. According to ASIC, no Form 505 Notification of appointment or cessation of an external administrator has been lodged. 

The following information is from ASIC for creditors (people owed money) regarding voluntary administration, and it explains a little about what happens when someone who owes you money enters administration. 

ASIC says the administrator will contact people within days. It's been over a week, and no one has heard anything, and Mr Crothers isn't returning calls. 

This is also from ASIC:

It says administrators have 8 days to call a meeting for creditors. Tomorrow (Wednesday 10 May) will be the eighth business day since the public was informed by Mr Crothers that Shane Crothers Homes had entered into voluntary administration, and no meeting has been organised yet. 

Everything Geraldton received a copy of the correspondence Mr Crothers sent out to clients, claiming that he had sold the company, AND it had entered into administration. Accountants we have spoken with are confused how the company can both be sold, and have entered into voluntary administration. 

There has been no word on who the buyer of "the business" is, and what it is exactly the mystery buyer has purchased. Mr Crothers claims the unnamed new builder will be employing SCH staff immediately. 

Everything Geraldton has since tried multiple times to get in touch with Mr Crothers. None of our phone calls have been returned. 

When we spoke with Mr Crothers last week we directly asked if people currently building with Shane Crothers Homes would have their projects completed. He said he was unable to answer that question, even though he had already assured clients that the unnamed "new builder" would see the homes through to completion. 

Everything Geraldton did some digging on what public information is available for Shane Crothers Homes. 

Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd is fully owned by KALBANK HOLDINGS PTY LTD, which is in turn fully owned by Shane Alfred Crothers. 

(Kalbank Holdings is also not listed as being in administration with ASIC.)

The principal place of business listed for Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd with ASIC is 144 Flores Road. 

This property, interestingly, is not owned by Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd. According to Landgate the property is owned by CHAPMAN ROAD SMSF WARRANT PTY LTD.

SMSF stands for self managed super fund. 

This self managed super fund, according to public records on ASIC, is owned by Debra Michelle Crothers and Shane Alfred Crothers. 

Individual creditors, some of whom say they are owed hundreds of thousands, are fearful they may not be able to touch the property at Flores Road because it is owned by a separate superannuation fund, and not Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd. 

In the ASIC filings for CHAPMAN ROAD SMSF WARRANT PTY LTD, Mr Shane Crothers is registered in one role as living at 189 Parmelia Boulevard, White Peak, and in another as living at 15 Basile Court, Wandina. 

15 Basile Court is registered with Landgate as being owned by Lisa Jane Vince. This property was also advertised this year as being for rent. 15 Basile Court is, however, still the registered address ASIC has for Debra Crothers and Shane Crothers. 

189 Parmelia Boulevard is registered with Landgate as being owned by Debra Michelle Crothers, and is "Subject to Dealing".

189 Parmelia is also currently advertised for sale. (Link.)

Based on publicly available information we could find, none of the properties associated with Mr Shane Crothers or Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd are held in the names of Shane Crothers or Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd. 

We have been informed by creditors that other properties also exist. 

All of the ownership information we have published is publicly available online. No private information has been published. 

There are also questions surrounding the future of the businesses "Devpro Unit Developments" and "Devpro Design & Construct". 

Everything Geraldton has not been able to contact the office number at Devpro, with the phone simply giving an engaged signal. 

Devpro Unit Developments and Devpro Design and Construct are both trading names for WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD.

WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD also lists its principal place of business as 144 Flores Road. 

The current directors of WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD are Shane Alfred Crothers and John Preston Crothers. 

Almost 50% of WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD is owned by KALBANK HOLDINGS PTY LTD. (120,000 shares) (which is in turn owned by Mr Shane Crothers.)

Crothers Bros. Holdings Pty Ltd owns 40,000 shares. (which is owned by Lorraine Crothers and Geoffrey Crothers.)

JP and KH Crothers Pty Ltd own 40,000 shares. (which is owned by JOHN PRESTON CROTHERS and KATHRYN HELEN CROTHERS.)

LORRAINE KAYE CROTHERS owns 25 shares. 

SHANE CROTHERS HOMES PTY LTD owns 25 shares (which is in turn owned by Kalbank Holdings, which is in turn owned by Mr Shane Crothers.)

A.C.N. 008 685 836 PTY LTD owns 50 shares. (Yes, that's the name of the company. It's previous name was GERALDTON BRICKWORKS PTY LTD). (it is owned by STARFIELD NOMINEES PTY LTD which is registered at the same address as Lorraine Crothers and Geoffrey Crothers. A liquidator was appointed in 2014.)

It is unclear if WAVERLEY CORPORATION PTY LTD / DEVPRO is still trading. They also have not been contactable. 

"When I asked about the money he owed me, he laughed."

Daniel Tyler from Bubbles Plumbing and Gas says he's owed between $14,000 and $15,000 by Shane Crothers Homes, and feels like he's been kept in the dark.

He says he heard rumours about Shane Crothers Homes closing, and he rang Mr Shane Crothers on Monday morning of last week (2/5/16) to find out the story. 

"I did speak to him Monday morning. I rang at around 8:30. He told me he'd gone into voluntary liquidation. But in the letter he said administration. They're totally different things. When I asked about the money he owed me, he laughed and said “well you won't see that will you.” It was like he didn’t care. 

"[Since then] I haven’t heard a thing from him. You ring their office, and it just goes on an answering machine. 

"No administrator has contacted me, and I haven’t been able to find out who the administrator is. I’ve looked on ASIC and there’s nothing registered on there as being in administration."

We asked Mr Tyler if he expected to be paid eventually. 

"I’ve got no idea, I’ve got no idea about the whole thing because no one’s saying anything. A lot of people are owed money through town, and no one knows, they’re all in the dark as well.”

PLEASE NOTE:

Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address. 

Everything Geraldton has been advised that Shane and Debra Crothers do not live at 15 Basile Ct, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address. 

Shane Crothers Homes

Kalbank Holdings

Chapman Road SMSF Warrant Pty Ltd

Waverly Corporation

Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address. 

Crothers Bros. Holdings

Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address. 

A.C.N. 008 685 836 Pty Ltd 

Note: Everything Geraldton has been advised that Geoff and Lorraine Crothers do not live at 95 Brede Street, and have not lived there for several years. It appears they have not informed ASIC of their current address. 

JP & KH Crothers Pty Ltd

15 Basile Court

Note: The owner of this property does not appear to be associated with Shane Crothers. However, this address is the address Mr Crothers has publicly listed with ASIC for most of his businesses. It is not clear if Mr Crothers has up to date information registered with ASIC or not. 

144 Flores Road

189 Parmelia Blvd

Why I changed my mind on the Cashless Welfare Card

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When Andrew Forrest first put forward his idea to politicians for a cashless income management system to tackle some of the alcohol and drug abuse that was occurring in our communities, I was fond of the idea.

Having worked first hand with youth in Geraldton I have seen the effects of alcohol abuse on young kids in our communities.

I supported Geraldton being given a chance to trial the card. As Mr Forrest put it, what we're doing now isn't working; we need to try something. And I agreed.

But as time has gone on, and I've spent time trying to research the implementation of the card, I have changed my mind.

There are two reasons.

First, no metric has been decided upon to measure whether or not the card is achieving its stated goal. If crime increases after the implementation of the card, will the government guarantee removing the card and admitting they wasted our money? Would crime rates have gone up anyway and will the card be unfairly blamed? If crime decreases after the card is introduced, how will we even know if it's because of the card, or will the proponents of the card try and take credit? If the people known to abuse alcohol regularly simply move to another town (like what happened in the Pilbara), will the government get rid of the card? We have no idea.

The "trial" seems extraordinarily vague and unscientific. 

Secondly, and this is the main reason for my change of heart, is the stigma that will be attached to the very distinct card.

Like it or not, being unemployed and on the dole has a large social stigma attached to it. Heck, most of our surnames are our ancestors' occupations. What we do for a living is a massive part of our self identity in our culture, for better or worse. Think back to any 'small talk' chat you've had with a new acquaintance since you left school. "What do you do?" was most likely one of the 'get to know you' questions. And if you were on the dole, you didn't say "I'm on the dole." You said "I'm looking for work, but I'm a painter." Or "I used to be a teacher but I'm not working currently, I'm a full time carer for my sick mother."

Not all of us are keen to announce our current employment status to the world, just like some of us like to keep private our marital status, or our religious beliefs, or our sexual preference, or our membership at alcoholics anonymous.

But once this card is brought in, every time you pull it out to pay for something, you're loudly announcing to the person serving you, and the people in line behind you, that you don't have a job and rely on tax payer money to make ends meet.

Some of those people serving you will quietly put you in a box in their minds. Some of those people in line behind you will judge you while they inspect what you've chosen to buy with their hard earned tax money.

Some will not.

My credit card doesn't have my job written on it. And thank God too. I don't want to announce what I do for a living everywhere I go.

And I don't think it's right to stigmatise our fellow humans who, for one reason or another, find themselves without a job.

4000 years ago the Israelites had a system whereby farmers weren't allowed to harvest all the way to the edge of their fields. Why? So the poor could obtain food without being stigmatised and having to beg.

Are there people abusing the system, who have no intention of looking for work, and love their tax payer funded drug use?

Sure.

Are they the majority?

Of course not.

Should we stigmatise everyone who's currently unemployed because of the few bad apples?

I don't think so.

Could we consider instead a system just for people known to DCP that need income management help?

Shane Crothers Homes closing down

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Well known local builder 'Shane Crothers Homes' has entered into voluntary administration.

Company Director Shane Crothers confirmed today the sad news with Everything Geraldton.

But he had a word of thanks for the Geraldton community who supported SCH for the last two decades.

"I like to thank everyone that has supported us over 19 years. Clients, contractors, suppliers, staff. We're truly thankful. A lot of them have been fantastic with messages of support this week. We've been proud to be a small, locally owned family builder, and we thank all of our customers who have supported us over the last 19 years."

Mr Crothers mentioned the tough environment for business around town at the moment, saying it's a sad day when a local businesses that's been operating for 19 years closes.

Shane Crothers Homes have been operating in the Mid West since 1997.

Update: Tradies and businesses unhappy about not getting paid. 

How this satellite could increase populations throughout the regions

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As I drove around Australia last month, one thing that struck me was how decent the 4G and 3G coverage was throughout our nation, with the exception of NT. It's been 10 years since I had done such a trip. That was before the iPhone existed and we all expected to have Facebook in our pockets 24/7. Mobile reception was notably poorer a decade ago. 

What really surprised me was how having a half decent internet connection as I travelled gave me a sense of connectedness... both to my friends and family, and to the wider world. I have come to rely on the Internet for everything from banking and shopping, to communications and information consumption, not to mention entertainment.  

There are so many beautiful, but remote parts of this massive island, but I found myself thinking "yeah I could live here" in many of them, in part because I didn't feel quite so distant from the rest of the world.  

BUT... Mobile internet costs are way too high to be used in large doses. Each Gig of data cost be an extra $10. Living in rural Australia would require a decent home internet connection, something most remote places have gone without... until now. 

Enter the NBN satellite 'Sky Muster'. Finally, residents living in regional and rural Australia will be able to connect to affordable, high-speed broadband. 

Melissa Price, federal member for Durack, welcomed the official launch.  “This is great news for people in Durack that will finally be able to access high speed internet,” Ms Price said.

Offering download speeds of up to 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps, the Sky Muster service will provide a faster online experience for internet users living in regional and remote areas.

“The remoteness of our continent and its islands is no longer a barrier to broadband connectivity thanks to nbn’s Sky Muster.”

To put those speeds in perspective, 25 Mbps is about a quarter of what you can get if you're on a fibre connection... but it's still 100 times faster than the speeds many people in the bush get. Many people who have access to a fibre connection only purchase a 25Mbps speed anyway. We shouldn't overstate the value of the service either. Not only are the speeds slower than fibre, but the amount of data you can download is a lot less. 

Each service requires a professional installation of a new receiver dish and indoor modem.

Equal priority will be given to new customers and current nbn Interim Satellite Service users migrating to Sky Muster. Around 5,000 users per month will be connected in the early months of the rollout before scaling up to 10,000 installations per month later this year.

More than 600 installers have been fully trained and are forecast to reach on average one to two premises per day due to safety considerations and extended traveling times involved in each installation.

An estimated 22,026 homes and businesses in Durack will be eligible to connect to the service as they are outside of nbn’s fixed line and fixed wireless coverage areas.

For more information on eligibility and retailers visit: www.nbnco.com.au or freecall nbn on 1800 687 626.

To give you some idea of the level of service and price, for around $150 per month, you can get about 60Gb of data to use during normal times, and another 8Gb to use during off peak times. This is still a far cry from the levels needed to compare to larger centres (I use about 1000Gb per month), but it will make doing most non video tasks quite bearable in rural areas. You won't be able to enjoy copious amounts of Netflix, iTunes movies, and YouTube though. 

Will people flock to the regions so they can have a notably poorer internet connection? Of course not. But will a half decent satellite connection be enough for many people who were considering a tree change? I believe it might be. 

Jaffle Shack on foreshore now allowed alfresco dining

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The area where Jaffle Shack is located. 

The pop up store along the Geraldton foreshore "Jaffle Shack" was granted permission for alfresco seating at Tuesday's council meeting, after being rejected at last months meeting.

Last month the proprietors of nearby restaurants Dome and Skeetas were both present at the council meeting to raise questions regarding the seating at the pop up store. Mr Graham Sertorio from Dome was particularly visibly frustrated at the proposal. Several issues were raised, in particular the question surrounding the need for Jaffle Shack to provide public toilets. In a response provided later, the council has advised that the nearby public toilets at the foreshore suffice. 

The style of table to be used at the Jaffle Shack. 

Although divided in their opinions, council rejected the application for the seating in March, stating that the seating did not keep with the goal of open free space at the foreshore, and that what was originally put to them as a "pop up" coffee shop was evolving into a fully fledged restaurant on the foreshore.

The proponent for the request, Jaffle Shack owner Christian Watters, changed the number of tables from the original application of 9 tables with 6 stools per table to 4 tables with only 5 stools per table, and also reduced the footprint of the area needed from 60m2 to 50m2.

Part of the condition for approval is that the alfresco dining is to be made available for general public use, and not only patrons of the Jaffle Shack.

The proposal passed council 7 votes to 5.

Interestingly, last month council staff noted in the meeting that ALL alfresco dining tables and chairs that are on public areas are available for the general public's use.

​In supporting the application, Mr Watters advised council of the following:

* The addition of alfresco dining to the area surrounding the Jaffle Shack will assist in creating an environment that is healthy, safe and comfortable not only for patrons of the Jaffle Shack but for other users of the foreshore. Currently customers are bringing their own picnic blankets and congregating around the trees to take advantage of the shade on offer. The alfresco dining options proposed will increase the available shade and as a result will increase the availability of suitable spaces. Through thoughtful design in keeping with the shack, the attractiveness of the area will also be improved. 


* By providing an area to sit and take in our wonderful foreshore (both protected from the heat of the sun and also in a way that ensures an ability to dine in some comfort) the vibrancy of the area will be enhanced. A more comfortable seating arrangement than currently is on offer (by way of seating on the grass) will encourage longer stays which is in keeping with the City’s desire for the foreshore area. 


* The public amenity of the area will not be impeded at all by this application. The area proposed for the seating is immediately adjacent to the Jaffle Shack and have both a path and trees which are well suited to the addition of further seating. 


* This proposal will not impede at all on the community’s use of the public infrastructure currently in place and will in fact improve the infrastructure on offer by freeing up community facilities for general usage.

* The proposed operating hours of the seating area are as per those of the café, this being 7.30am until 6pm at this time but subject to seasonal changes. 


The type of stool to be used.  

* The tables and chairs will be stored in the existing lease area. 


* The stools have rubber stoppers on the bottom of each foot 
preventing damage to the grass. 


​

​Questions asked 22 March regarding previous proposal:

Mr Graham Sertorio, Director, Champion Bay Holdings 2 Hoskin Street, Bluff Point

Question:


If there is to be an extension to the Jaffle Shack’s alfresco area, where are the toilet facilities to be located to accommodate the patrons?

Response:


The alfresco application submitted will be using the City’s facilities that are provided on the foreshore given the size of the facility and temporary nature as approved.

Question
:

Where there is an alfresco area with more than 20 seats isn’t the proponent to provide toilets

Response:

This question will be taken on notice and a response will be provided in the next Agenda. A formal response will be provided to Mr Sertorio.

Response
:

The requirements for toilets is specified within the National Construction Code (NCC) Sanitary facilities need to be provided for patrons if the total number of persons accommodated in the building is more than 20.

This is generally calculated by the number of seating proposed (Tables, Chairs) for patrons. The toilet facilities to be used by patrons need not be for their use exclusively. For a building accommodating more than 20, the NCC goes onto state “Suitable sanitary facilities for personal hygiene must be provided in a convenient location within or associated with a building, to the degree necessary. The proximity to the public toilets is not dissimilar to a café etc. within a shopping centre.

​Mr Graham Sertorio referred to a letter dated 3 Aug 2015, from the City of Greater Geraldton and the following question/response.

Questions were addressed at the Ordinary Meeting of Council of 28 July 2015 as per below

Question:


If increased to 48sq meter now. Does this mean the Pop Up Café will have its own private seating for its customers?

Response:


It will mean the footprint area of 48m2 will be leased to the proponent for exclusive use under a lease agreement for use in line with a sea container café with a verandah /decking containing universal access.

Question:


With the excessive use now available, how is it maintained by Council?

Response
:

The City will monitor the use as per other alfresco areas and the recommendation includes a condition in this regard. For example the alfresco area at 2 Foreshore and those in Marine Terrace are not part of any lease area and no fees are charged by the City in order to encourage vibrancy.

Question:

At no cost?

Response
:

Council will not charge for the Alfresco area exactly the same as other alfresco areas.

Question
:

Why do I get charged for the Alfresco area (at Dome)

Response
:

As your Alfresco area is part of the building structure and is for exclusive use.

Mr C Cox, 19a Ajax Drive, Wandina, Geraldton

Question:


Will the proponent have to pay any money in lieu of parking like other restaurants and businesses considering they will be seating approximately 70 people and will they be required to subsidise the use of public toilets?

Response:


Provision of car parking on the foreshore for the various activity areas were part of the overall Foreshore Master Plan. It is noted that the foreshore car parking areas are also catering for the City Centre activities as well.

Question:


This business was approves as a pop up shop, with a set area. If the concept is now changing to a business/restaurant with the capacity for up to 70 people, should this therefore go back to council, and be re classified as a restaurant rather than a pop up shop?

Response:


The current approval covers the operation of a sea container café with the floor area now set at 50 sq m. The proposed alfresco area does not change the current approval/ use.

Question
:

Will the proponent be erecting all the 9 tables and 54 chairs daily to increase the available shade seating on the foreshore for other users as was mentioned in his application or will he be erecting tables and chairs as required as stated at the agenda meeting purely for him own benefit and use?

Response:


The application mentions tables and chairs daily use. The proponent has advised that if business is quiet on certain days he will only put out chairs/tables to meet those needs.

​

Wonthella Supa IGA best in the State

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Geraldton’s much loved and newly renovated Wonthella Supa IGA has cleaned up at the IGA State awards night.

Wonthella received three department awards for meat, grocery and customer service and managed to take out the top prize of Store of Year, making them the best Supa IGA in the state. Manager Leanne Merendino was also celebrated, receiving the ‘Rising Star’ Award. 

‘It’s fantastic for the team out there to be recognised for all their hard work,’ said Operations Manager Stuart Bain. ‘They were up against the best from around WA. Leanne has such a passion for her store and serving her customers and this is reflected in her whole team.’

Wonthella Supa IGA was reopened in 1974 by the Rigter family. Long time manager Eileen Jones became a favourite with the locals, before she passed the baton over to Leanne in 2011. It underwent a complete transformation last year with staff working overtime to create the new look you see today.

2016 marks the first year that a RegionalSupa IGA has won the award. The management crew head to Queensland in July where they will be in the running for the best store in the nation.

14 seriously good value properties in Geraldton at the moment

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If you want to get into the property market either as a home owner or an investor, there are some screaming bargains to be had in Geraldton at the moment. You can find "handy man dreams" for around $100,000 and there's plenty of family sized homes to browse. 

Here's a few we found that seem worth investigating. 

Click on any of the photos for more info. 

Might be worth calling a mortgage broker to see what you can borrow. You can reach The Mortgage Gallery on 9964 4770 or click here.

1. Affordable in Cape Burney

$280,000-$310,000

20 Mersey Drive, Cape Burney

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
Tenanted at $320 per week. 

Click here for more info.

2. 4 beds under 400 in Wandina

$375,000

5 Intombi Rise, Wandina

4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms
"The seller is motivated to sell at the asking price and will consider offers."

Click here for more info.

3. Cheap in Beachlands

$189,000

14 Whitfield Street, Beachlands

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
Current rental return $250 per week.

Click here for more info.

4. Just out of town bargain

$199,000

7 Tuart Avenue, Nabawa

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
42km's out of town. Extra quiet. 

Click here for more info. 

5. 4 bedrooms central under 400

$379,000

35 Ainsworth St, Geraldton

4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms
"The perfect outdoor entertaining deck"

Click here for more info.

6. Under 300 in Wandina

$299,000

2A Conch Rise, Wandina

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
Air conditioning

Click here for more info.

7. Good price for Beresford

$339,000

43 Mark Street Beresford

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
Short walk to the beach

Click here for more info.

8. Super close to the beach

$360,000

12A/323-325 Willcock Drive, Tarcoola Beach

3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms
Really nice home really close to the water

Click here for more info.

9. As cheap as they come

$99,000

8 Felicia Street, Rangeway

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom

Click here for more info.

10. 25 acres in Greenough

$479,000

34379 Brand Highway Greenough

3 bedroom 1 bathroom
Trees, shed, space to move

Click here for more info.

11. Deepdale for mid 400's

$430,000 - $460,000

9 Roding Court, Deepdale

4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms
2.47 acres

Click here for more info.

12. Large block in Strathalbyn

$439,500

5 Begonia Court, Strathalbyn

4 bedrooms 1 bathroom
6 x 6 shed

Click here for more info.

13. Tarcoola Beach bargain

$285,000

22 Seacrest Street, Tarcoola Beach

3 bedrooms 1 bathroom
Great suburb

Click here for more info. 

14. Near new 5 x 2

$490,000

19 Glenview Street, Mount Tarcoola

5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms
Air con, solar, security

Click here for more info.

Power will be off at Stirlings Central this afternoon after a truck hit a power pole

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EG has been informed that Western Power are shutting down power to Stirlings Central in a few minutes and it will be off for the afternoon.

Staff at Stirlings Central said that a truck has hit a power pole, and emergency repairs are needed to be carried out. 

The Centre is not closing it's doors, though some retailers may not be able to operate without electricity. 

It's not clear what time at this stage power will be restored. 

Update 3pm: "Woollies sending customers out of the store because the back up power is not working."

How the City of Greater Geraldton ranks in comparison to councils from around WA

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'Business News' recently put out their 2016 Book of Lists. If you can get your hands on a copy it's a fascinating read. They also have the latest data online for subscribers. One of the areas they cover is local governments. 

We were curious to see how the City of Greater Geraldton compared to other councils around WA in different categories. 

Here's how Greater Geraldton ranks in several categories, as at the end of the last financial year:

By Total Revenue

16th with $76,090,000. That's more than Fremantle.

The highest was City of Stirling with $207,440,000

By Area

32nd with 9,889 km2.

The largest local government area is Shire of East Pilbara with 371,696km2.

By Population

15th, with 41,087.

The largest is the City of Stirling with 227,367 followed by City of Wanneroo with 188,000.

By Total Rates Levied

15th, with $39,460,000. That's slightly less that Karratha, and a tad more than Fremantle. 

The highest was City of Stirling with $122,282,000.

By Profit and Loss

According to figures published by Business News, City of Greater Geraldton ran a profit of $4,350,000 last fiscal year, the 30th highest in the state. The City of Karratha was highest with $108,670,000.

By Total Assets

Geraldton was 11th with $888,280,000. 

By Total Liabilities

5th highest in the state, with $54.32m

This is up from $37.6m the previous year. 

By Total Staff

20th, with 334.

By Number of Dwellings

19th, with 15,659

By Number of Electors

17th, with 23,696 people. 

Interesting notes:

The City of Perth only has 10,385 electors, with a population of 21,860. 

The Shire of Chapman Valley has 774 electors and a population of 1,174.

The City of Stirling is by far the most populous local government area in WA at 227,367 and has over 92,000 dwellings. 

Aquarena Creche to close it's doors, but it may reopen in the future

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Note: The bigger story here is probably that more staff cut backs will be taking place at the City of Greater Geraldton in the coming months. But as various cuts to city expenses rolls out, residents start to notice that their particular beloved service is under threat. EG will have more on the City budget and changes around the city in the near future. 

Cost cutting results in closure of Aquarena creche... but hopefully not forever

Everything Geraldton recently received a copy of an open letter to the CGG council and CEO, from a concerned resident regarding the future of the creche at Aquarena, Geraldton's public swimming pool, after hearing the creche was shutting down. 

To the CEO, Mayor and all Councillors,

I am a mother of two children, aged 4 and 2.

We love living in Geraldton and we love going to the Aquarena.

Last week, it was brought to my attention that the creche at the Aquarena might close at the end of the current term, which is in less than two weeks.
I hope this is not true, as this would cause great angst to myself and many other mothers.
I use the Aquarena weekly to exercise and keep fit and healthy. 
Without the creche, I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore, as the cost and time involved for me to hire a babysitter would be far too expensive.
Losing the fantastic service of the creche will also have further consequences for myself and many others.
We won’t be able to enrole our children in swimming classes due to having to supervise other younger children. Therefore a loss in revenue for swimming classes could be expected.
At the Aquarena, families meet and spend time enjoying the cafe and shop at the pool, which wouldn’t happen anymore, resulting in a loss of social interaction and lifestlye in Geraldton.
The creche is an essential component of the Aquarena and keeping it running at an affordable cost is of great benefit to many people, and also essential to the sustainability of operating a community service.
I look forward to a positive response from you regarding this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Insa Korth
Geraldton Resident and Mum.

Should rate payers be funding babysitting for other people?

The City of Greater Geraldton CEO, Ken Diehm, responded regarding the matter, saying the closure of the creche was part of wider cut backs, aimed at reducing the $7million deficit the city runs.

"The Aquarena is a key public service provided by the City," said Mr Diehm. "However it costs the City approximately $1million dollars a year to keep its doors open. The Aquarena however needs to contribute to the required savings and hence the service delivery model for the crèche is being changed. The Aquarena crèche, as it is currently run with Council officers, will cease on 9 April 2016."

But it's not all bad news for creche users, with Mr Diehm saying the city will be reaching out to the private sector in the future to run the creche.

"The Aquarena will be looking at external private opportunities to facilitate this service and will be seeking expressions of interest in the near future from commercial providers and educators to continue the operations,” said Mr Diehm. 

Mr Diehm also said there will be a reduction in staff numbers throughout the City of Greater Geraldton.