Members of the AFA Committee have met earlier in the year in an effort to get our membership database in order and to flag that a membership drive would be needed.

A pretty good roll up of AFA members gathered in Braidwood on April 28 2024 for a General Meeting.

There was much discussion on some of the issues facing our National Parks such as the Government moves to hand back ownership and management to various Aboriginal Groups. There is a page on our website dedicated to this issue

Our aging membership base was also discussed.

The AGM was held at the Braidwood RSL on August 25 2024 followed by a General Meeting.

The last General Meeting was held on Sunday 3rd November at the Araluen Hotel (10am).
One outcome of that meeting was that a member kindly undertook to start a Facebook page for AFA - see article.

Several Access for All members enjoyed a ride along the historic Deua River Track and visited the remote Alpine Homestead. The Bombay Riders organized the ride. Lesley Whale contributed this account.

This is the old house at Alpine as it stands presently, saved from the ravages of Fire. There are new yards built there and a good sized Shed for machinery. We rode through from Woolla and back in one day - a total of 38 km.

There has been little activity in the past 12 months in terms of regular meetings.

The new Executive has met in Braidwood on November 26 2023. They discussed many items but a key task was to update our Membership contact details. Several long standing members are financially outstanding and the committee should be reaching out to you. Most existing committee members kindly volunteered for the next twelve months and we are pleased to welcome Hugh Hodgkinson as our new Secretary.

One key task is to improve our communications with perhaps more "newsletters". These may be quite short and our preference is to use emails as far as possible. The Executive touched on the status of the various Bridle Tracks.

The combined AGM and regular meeting was held on Sunday 27 August 2023 at 10am at the Araluen Pub.

Myrtle Collett (1930-2015) - one of Access for All stalwarts - passed away peacefully in Braidwood hospital last Monday 15th June 2015 after suffering a stroke a few weeks before.

FOR MYRTLE  By Roger Thwaites

I have found when pen strikes paper
And the memories start to flow
The many mates I’ve loved and lost
Some decades past you know
A few were simple stockmen
Some proudly served their god
Some bravely served their country
Some died from lack of love

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST ECO ACTIVISTS RECEIVE MILLIONS FROM TAX PAYERS THROUGH GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

We have extracted the following information by referring to Daily Telegraph, 6 December 2016, Article titled, “ENVIRO-MENTAL: STATE FUNDS FOR GREEN MOANERS”.

• Birdlife Australia: received two grants from the environmental trust, one for $132,000 and another for $963,276.
• National Parks Association of NSW: Received at least $127,000 from the state government through the environment fund.
• Environmental Defenders Office: Got $80,000 from the environmental trust and another $966,000 from the Justice Department.
• Total Environment Centre: Was given $80,000 by the environmental trust.
• WIRES: $80,000.
• Nature Conservation Council: $141,000.
  Read More

Tim has been the Regional Manager Far South Coast from 2000 to 16 December 2015. With the amalgamation frenzy we are witnessing from state government in various departments and local government it seems they no longer had a job for Tim. It is very sad really not only for Tim and his family and Access for All (AFA) but for all who support fair treatment, good management and commitment to good environmental policy. The new region of our local National Parks now extends from the Victorian border to Wollongong.

Scott Page was talking about his 200 kilometre charity run from Braidwood to Cobargo utilising the WD Tarlinton Track pioneered by his forebears, the great pioneers William Tarlinton and “Super” Sutherland.

Scott said, “Traditionally, local horse-riding groups maintained it by way of use, but with restrictions now on this land the last 20 years has seen a degradation of the track. Motivated by this, we, the descendants of these great pioneers and legends have decided to run/trek/swim from Braidwood to Cobargo following the original pathways.

Neale Lavis OAM, one of Australia’s greatest horsemen, departed this life on 6 October 2019. Described as Lavis the legend, a humble and generous man, but most of all a true friend to many of us, as well as member and great supporter of Access for All.

Jill, Neale and Velma at the unveiling of the memorial plaque-a tribute to Neale’s equestrian achievements, Bodalla, September 2017.

AFA extends our sympathy to the family, wife Velma and children Jill, Sandra, Ross and Robyn. Neale will be sadly missed by all of us.

Neale and Peter Smith at the Braidwood & District Historical Society’s Annual Dinner on 24 August.

Neale attended the dinner in Braidwood along with about 30 AFA members to hear BDHS President’s talk on Braidwood’s Almost Forgotten Tracks. As we all know he had an advent full and eventful life but is best known for winning gold and silver medals in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. He also bred some famous race horses, including Strawberry Road (1982-3 race horse of the year) and Just a Dash who went on to win the 1981 Melbourne Cup. In 1999, Neale was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the equestrian sports as a competitor, coach, and administrator, and to the community. Most of all he was passionate about horses and loved the bush.

A quote from Neale, “The thing is all about the riding I have done, and I always put it back to the fact that I rode in the bush and became fearless in the bush, that really stuck with me.”

Peter Smith's Book Launch about The Clarke Gang held on May 23 in Braidwood was a huge success.

Peter is a valued member of Access for All and he also wrote the book "The Deua River Track"

The Canberra Times has an excellent review of the definitive work HERE

Fifteen year old, seventh generation local Braidwood equestrienne, Maxyne Prothero has been playing polocrosse for 12 years, making her way through the ranks of sub-junior, junior, mixed and open competitions.

She has successfully represented her club at carnivals within the Southern Highlands, South West Slopes and Hunter Valley zones, NSW state club championships and her Southern Highlands zone at the NSW state zone championships in sub-junior and junior competitions.

Her hard work and dedication is paying off. She says she has now fulfilled half of her polocrosse dreams for 2020. Firstly she has been selected as the female recipient of the NSW/NZ Junior Exchange Programme in January 2020 where she will travel to New Zealand to stay with a host family (TBA). They will supply a horse and transport for up to 4 weekend polocrosse carnivals where Maxyne will play in her host family’s club colours, a 3-day polocrosse coaching clinic with the NZ junior and intermediates and compete in the New Zealand junior and intermediate competition.

AFA member, Maxyne in action on the polocrosse field.