Approximately 10 to 12 workers and children plus Mike J., Steve and Paul from the s355 Committee turned up for the working bee. The names and contact details of the working bee participants who signed in will be added to the Committees mailing list. The works carried out includes the following:

• ELM GROVE

• Paul & Leanne who will be having a wedding at Elm Grove on April 12 and Geoff from Flora Place arrived at 7:30am and along with Steve and Paul started work in Elm Grove.
• The work included the removal of fallen branches, bark and weeds, mowing of surrounding weed and growth areas, raking the gravel and a general tidy up to the area.
• Recent rain has started new grass growth and by the wedding date, April 12, the area should have a green grass cover.

1. The material removed was piled in the mound area in preparation for the planned bonfire.

• FENCE REMOVAL

1. When the main group of workers turned up at the scheduled time of 10:00am Steve and Mike worked with a team on removing the fence on the southern side of the native plantation area.
2. The full length of the southern fence was removed with the fence material being carefully rolled for storage along with the steel pickets for later reuse or sale.
3. The removal of this section of the fence improves the appearance of the Common by making it look like one open area and easier to visualise the future playing field as part of the Common.

• RUIN CONSERVATION WORK

1. The second group of workers and Paul started work on cleaning up around the Ruin.
2.  All stones that appeared to have fallen from the Ruin walls were collected and stored on pallets to the north of the Ruin for future restoration work. Four plus pallets of stones were collected.
3. Work was started on the clearing of weeds, rubbish and soil from the interior of the ruin. The plan is to remove the soil down to 100mm below the doorsill levels and replace it with a gravel surface for ease of maintenance.
4. The clearing of the interior of the Ruin proved to be difficult work with the extensive weed growth and tree roots but a good start was made. This will have to be continuing work for future working bees.
5. Interesting artefacts were unearthed during the Ruin clean up including:

• One large metal door hinge
• A one penny coin dated 1911
• Two metal rings/clamps of unidentified use
• Bits of broken pottery and glass
• Fragments of bones

1. All artefacts will be collected and retained during the Ruin clean up work.
2. Spoil from the Ruin cleanup was dumped in a shallow depression to the north to the building, which is guessed to be the location of a dunny.

• GPS PLOTTING OF NATIVE TREE PLANTING

1. Maryke Booth and Shelly Owen from the Royalla Landcare Group started the process of plotting all the planted native trees on the Common. Approximately 140 trees were located and this process will continue until all trees are located along with species name and height.
2. The GPS location information will be forwarded to Brendan at the Council who has offered to locate the trees on the site plan.
3. This information will be very useful in future planning and development works at the Common.

Paul

Paul Bombardier

Site Development Sub-Committee

Royalla Common s355 Committee