June has been a great month of achievements for our organisation! Here is our news -
Accreditation Granted to the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway Inc
We have received our Notice of Accreditation from the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR for short) which permits OTHR to carry out operations on the railway between Oberon and Tarana. These operations include constructing and maintaining railway infrastructure and the movement of rolling stock on the railway.
With the accreditation comes many responsibilities to establish a safety management system which will ensure the safety of workers and visitors to the railway at all times. The next 6 months will see some of us hard at work finalising the required documentation to comply with the conditions of accreditation.
Successful Community Working Party on Sunday, 18th of June- see photos
Our first serious working bee saw a good turn out of 35 volunteers who came from near and far to clear the track from Oberon Station and in sections towards Rutters Ridge Road. The points near the station yards were cleared by a work gang armed with mattocks, picks and shovels while another team removed weeds and rubbish from the heritage-listed trucking yards. Workers further along the line could be seen in their orange safety vests shifting rocks, weeds and soil from the track. After tools were downed everyone was treated to drinks and a hearty sausage sizzle. We have received tremendous positive feedback from local residents as they see the rail line reappearing after being buried for decades.
Our appreciation goes to all of our helpers, and in particular to: the Oberon Rural Fire Service whose members burnt off weeds near the line, to Russell Bailey who loaned and operated his bobcat, to Andrew Humphries who loaned his bobcat which was operated by Peter Culley, to Garrick Hawkins and Peter D'Arcy of "Mayfield" who loaned their mini excavator which was operated by our member Colin Maloney, to Shane Moorhead who loaned and operated his mobile crane, to Gary Mawhood for the loan of his dingo digger which was operated by Matt McMahon, to Bill Muldoon who donated many supplies, to Barker's Butchery for Wayne's donation of many sausages and to Warwick Mawhood of S.E. Mawhood & Sons for his donation of groceries.
Next Railway Work Party -
Weekend of 22nd and 23rd of July at 9.00 a.m. at Oberon Railway Station
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!
Mark your calendars for the next track clearing date which is set down for a full weekend, so your help is needed once again. Our managers are planning to make a big dent in track clearing on the Saturday, with a follow-up if necessary, on the Sunday. Please bring your shovels, rakes, mattocks, hard brooms, work gloves and safety boots and meet at Oberon Railway Station at 9.00 a.m.
It is hoped that we can start organising regular weekly work gangs before too long to move the huge track cleaning job along. There is so much to be done before we can think about running any vehicles along the line to Hazelgrove. We will keep you posted on future regular working parties.
Future Safety Training Induction Course -
Wednesday, 12thJuly at 7.30 p.m. in the old dining room at the Oberon RSL Club
To comply with the conditions of our Accreditation, all OTHR volunteers MUST have undertaken our safety training induction course before carrying out any type of work along the railway line. We will conduct another training session for members on Wednesday 12th of July at 7.30 p.m. at the Oberon RSL Club. It is important that you phone (6336 12 11) or email me ASAP to let us know if you will be attending this course.
National Certificates of Competency - IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Many members hold WorkCover pre-1April 1996 licences e.g forklift driver, crane driver. THESE WILL NOT BE RECOGNISED AFTER 1 SEPTEMBER 2007. You must apply for conversion of your old style licence by 1 September 2006 . If you apply for conversion after this date you will need to undergo reassessment by a WorkCover Accredited Assessor.
To convert your old licence, you must complete an application for conversion and a proof of identity form plus provide JP certified copies of your old licence and appropriate ID documents. There is a fee of $30.00 for the conversion. For more information, phone the WorkCover Assistance Service on 13 10 50 or check the website at www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
Recording our railway history
We are keen to record the history of the Oberon - Tarana railway from former employees and local residents before this history is lost to us forever. We know of a number of former employees in the district whom we wish to interview to hear their memories of their days on the line. You may know some who should be interviewed. If you have information you could share with us, or perhaps you have an interest in history and would like to help us conduct the interviews, then we need your help. Please contact us.
2006 Membership Renewal Request
We have been reviewing our records and note that some members have yet to renew their membership for 2006. If you happen to be one of these people, we would be grateful to receive your application form and $10 family fee to renew your membership for 2006. The forms are located on our website for people with internet access. As you will realise, the $10.00 fee barely covers our stationery and postage costs. We look forward to receiving your renewal very soon.
Next Monthly Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 5th of July at 7.30 p.m. in the old dining room of the Oberon RSL Club.
Our monthly meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.30 p.m. at the Oberon RSL Club.
We look forward to seeing you at our meetings and work parties.
Margaret Conners
Secretary
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