A Sense of Place

A series of free cultural, knowledge-sharing and celebratory events.

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The St Albans School of Arts has long been a centre of community cultural life for our valley, and we are focused on continuing that tradition. The upgrade to the hall’s facilities will help to reinforce our community gathering space, and to celebrate this, we are delivering a series of cultural events,
A Sense of Place, to build social connectedness.

A Sense of Place is a program aimed at increasing understanding, knowledge and connection to our environment, history and community. We are focused on increasing our sense of wellbeing while reducing levels of social isolation, and ensuring we can face any future emergencies with strengthened social resilience. We invite all locals to join us for these free events over the coming months, and to celebrate our friendships, our community, and our joy in living in this special place.

St Albans School of Arts Committee

9:45am Sunday, 17 September 2023

Guided nature walk

Do you want to know more about our local native plant communities?
Join us for a presentation and spring guided bushwalk, led by the highly experienced Jacob Philpott and Peter Mobbs, designed to provide an understanding of local native plant communities in the Macdonald Valley and how to identify them. Book here.

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10:30am Saturday, 7 October 2023

Our ever-changing river

How much do you know about the our river?
Gunanday, the Macdonald River, is a capricious beast, sometimes a benign recreational waterway, while at other times a ruinous rising torrent. In this talk, led by geomorphologist Simon Mould, we will learn about our river's morphology – its form and structure – and how its movements change our valley and the surrounding land. Book here.

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6:00pm Saturday, 28 October 2023

Eat your valley history

What we eat in our valley has evolved from a varied history – indigenous foods, settler farms and modern veggie patches.
Come and hear Australian food historian and gastronomer Jacqui Newling explain the history of what we eat. Spaces are very limited, so if you are interested, and willing to cook or bake something for this event, please contact us here.

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Photos from Eat Your Valley History

"What greater compliment can there be for an author and historian than their work being the inspiration for a whole community cooking my recipes and continuing the theme with their own local produce and heritage to share with others!" Jacqui Newling

7:00pm Saturday, 18 november 2023

The Tempest

Our local Shakespearean company, Come You Spirits, create a magical  riverside performance, telling a story of loss and restoration, to invigorate and revive us after our tempestuous times. 

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10:30am Saturday, 3 February 2024

Building in the Valley

Local builders showcase, through photos, local projects they have built, saved, restored or remodelled. Get ready to ask questions and gain real insight into the work that goes into building in our valley.

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4:00pm Saturday, 17 February 2024

Dyarubbin and Ganangdayi

Emeritus Professor Grace Karskens worked with Darug people on the collaborative Dyarubbin: The Real Secret River project, which uncovered Aboriginal names for the Hawkesbury and our valley. Join Grace as she explains names and stories of special sites in this beautiful and haunting place.
(View of part of Hawkesbury River at 1st fall and connection with Grose River NS Wales, 1809, by George William Evans)

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7pm, Saturday, 2 March 2024

Emma Pask Sings Jazz

Acclaimed jazz singer Emma Pask joins us with her accompanist to sing jazz classics. The hall will be set up with tables and lighting to create a jazz club ambience. Limited places – RSVP essential: Bookings@StAlbansSchoolofArts.org

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4pm Saturday 23 March 2024

Celebration

Our series of events will conclude with a celebration of our resilient and diverse community and showcase our hall refurbishment. Join us to celebrate the conclusion of the works, and get a look at the
new facilities and courtyard.

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Black Summer Bushfire Recovery
Grant Project

The Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program supports the recovery efforts of communities affected by the 2019–20 bushfires. These grants are to assist the recovery efforts of communities by enabling them to undertake projects that support ongoing unmet community, social, economic and built environment recovery and resilience needs. 

The St Albans School of Arts committee was a successful grant applicant, receiving $455,000 from the federal government to create a place of refuge & social hub in Macdonald Valley. 

This project meets two profound needs of our community. It will help build a stronger community and support its recovery by upgrades to the local hall creating a community hub that can serve as a refuge/congregation centre during future bushfires and other emergencies as well as providing an outdoor area for community use, an upgraded kitchen and improved access to make it a more comfortable and appealing space to deliver a broader range of activities throughout the year. This project includes a cultural program that will enhance the life of our community and strengthen social connection but most importantly, help us support ourselves. 

The Committee is grateful to the following people, groups and organisations that supported the application:

Susan Templeman MP
Macdonald Valley Association
Macdonald Valley Public School
St Albans Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade
Macdonald Valley Public School Parents and Citizens
Anglican Church of St Alban the Martyr
Wisemans Ferry Bowling Club
Hawkesbury City Council

St Albans Weedwackers 

The grant will see improvements to our hall, including:
- 110,000lt in ground water tank
- creation of space for community use at the rear of the hall
- rear sandstone retaining wall & landscaping
- A new lock up shed to improve our storage facility
- Doubled solar storage capacity
- Upgrade of kitchen facilities
- A series of cultural events (A Sense of Place) culminating with a celebration of the upgrades to the hall in March 2024. 

Hawkesbury City Council is responsible for delivering the infrastructure works and the St Albans School of Arts committee will be delivering the cultural program of activities with the financial support of the
St Albans Writers' Festival committee.


 

Acknowledgement

St Albans School of Arts acknowledges the Darug and Darkinjung people as the Traditional Custodians of the Hawkesbury and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
© St Albans School of Arts 2023