Pool Reopens

 The heated pool at Tilligerry Aquatic Centre has reopened for business after a ten week shutdown and a change in management. The YMCA is now in control having secured the contract for the lease of the three council owned pools.

Manager Jo Howard told The Messenger that the new look centre has had an upgrade with a mechanical overhaul of the pump sheds, extensive paint work, a kitchen makeover and the installation of a turnstile.

 “We have fresh ideas to increase patronage of the centre. We also have a minibus which will operate a free service for swimmers. By purchasing a season ticket swimmers can have unlimited access for as little as 57 cents per day.”

 Photo:- Jo Howard new manager of pool.

The Spy Who Slipped Through The Net

 The phone rang. On the other end of the line was a faltering hesitant voice, with a request.

“Could I come around and collect some books for the Lemon Tree Library?”

Relatives were going through the effects of the late Peace Clayton and rather than dump the books at the tip, they thought that the small library might have some use for them. So I picked them up. The books were of good quality but it was the subject matter that intrigued me. The lately departed lady was obviously a left winger – perhaps a communist- as the publications included works by Carl Marx, Engels, Trotsky and Lenin. I delivered them and though little more of it. Peace Clayton I vaguely remembered from Tanilba Golf Club as a thin, leathery old lady whom my wife had played golf with on the odd occasion.

 Quite by chance in 2003 while perusing the book shelves of the library my eyes lit upon a publication in the Australiana section: ‘Australia’s Spies and Their Secrets’ by investigative journalist David McNight. It was a good read but what drew my interest were the detailed references to a suspected spy – Wally Clayton – the husband of Peace.

On top of this inscribed in the front of the book were the words : “Donated by Wal Clayton.”

 The story of Walter Clayton dates back to the Petrov defection of the 1950s and the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle has just fallen into place with the publication of Mark Aarons’ book ‘The Family File’.

 Clayton became a person of interest to the security service during the 1930s as a communist party organizer  but it was his naming during the 1954 Royal Commission into espionage which saw him hounded for years by ASIO but never charged or locked up.

 Originally from New Zealand Walter (Wally or Pop) Clayton settled in Melbourne in 1931. There he worked as a salesman. Like so many of his generation, he was appalled by the poverty and suffering brought on by the apparent collapse of capitalism during the Great Depression. He then became a communist party agitator. Moving to Sydney he drew interest as a member of the central control commission of the party which organized underground secret venues and printing facilities which could be used if the party was officially banned as it had been during the war years.

 In 1947 Clayton disappeared for several years and the authorities renewed their efforts  to find his whereabouts in 1952 but to no avail. By 1953 he was described as “…the spymaster who was the channel between the various sub-sources and the Russian Controller with whom he had several meetings….”  Information detailed in the Petrov papers referred to Clayton as “Klod” or more simply “K”. Clayton appeared not so much to be involved in direct espionage but moreso in passing on names of people who could be cultivated by Soviet controllers.

The 1954 Royal Commission into espionage issued a subpoena  for Clayton to appear before it but he could not be found. Wanted posters were issued. Finally in 1955 Clayton was run to ground and put in  the box during and ‘in-camera’ sitting of the Commission.

Answering questions he was deliberately vague and misleading.

 The manhunt for Wally Clayton and the naming of leftwing figures associated with the Labour Party greatly assisted  the then Liberal Government of Robert Menzies to hold power for many years after the witch hunt for spies subsided.

 Despite constant surveillance, grilling, intimidation and phone taps for many years Walter Seddon Clayton remained a free man. He found work hard to come by and finally ended up as a fisherman at Port Stephens. Locally he was known as “The Snapper King” fishing out of Broughton Island away from the prying eyes of ASIO. He later took up residence in Nelson Bay.

 Wally and Peace Clayton spent their final years at Salt Ash. Wally died during the late ‘90s. Peace passed away some years later and, faithful to the end, left her estate to the then much depleted communist party.

 There our story could very well have ended had it not been for research done by Mark Aarons for his recently released book. His father, Laurie Aarons was a close associate of Wally Clayton and secretary of the communist party. Mark retrieved a cassette tape from his father’s house. In a recorded discussion with Laurie Aarons, Clayton admitted his role in espionage and worried about the effect on the party should he be unmasked.

 Although many Australians were implicated as spies, none was actually tried or jailed as a result as the Petrov Royal Commission. 

Makeover For Park

The reserve behind the wharf at Mallabula is to get a makeover according to Cr Steve Tucker.

“I have received many requests to make this area more user friendly,” he said. “Older people in particular and those with young families find it difficult to access the waterfront  since the locked gate was installed. After consultation with council officials and community groups we have decided to put picnic tables in the shaded grassed area at the top of the reserve.”

Local identity Doreen Bradley OAM sees this as a positive move.

“This is a great decision by council as it will bring this reserve up to the same standard as all the other parks on the peninsula. Some boats racks, BBQ facilities and garbage bins would make it much more user friendly.”

Photo:- Doreen Bradley and friend-picnic tables needed in this area.

Tilly Tennis Tots

 Federal funding for the Tilligerry Family Network has seen pre-school children (1-5) becoming involved in games , exercise and fun at the Mallabula Hall. Organiser Lyn Martin told The Messenger that this group was conducted free of charge each Monday between 12 and 1pm and on Friday between 10 – 12 noon.

“It is all about exercise, social contact (for mothers and children) and motor skill development,” she said. “Mothers and their children are most welcome and for more details I can be contacted on 4987 4674.”

        Photo:- Assistant Sancher Harpe with her budding tennis players.

Save On Power Bills

With electricity bills escalating Port Stephens residents – particularly pensioners and those on fixed incomes - are finding it hard to make ends meet. Tanilba pensioner, Bette Williams is one such person but by using power wisely she has been able to cut costs.

Here’s how it’s done:

Energy Australia charges around 33c per kwh  for the peak period between 2pm – 8pm.

Its off peak rates between 10pm – 7am are around 8c per kwh – a saving of 75%.

All other times consumers pay around 13c per kwh.

By cooking, washing and heating/cooling  the home at off peak times considerable savings can be made.

                       Power wise Bette Williams with an electricity bill.

Fruits Of The Fire

Apart from getting rid of a serious bushfire hazard, a recent burnoff at Mallabula has seen the long dormant plants leap to life with following rainfall. Just one month later hundreds of grass trees have sprouted with banksia, wattle, boronia and the vines coming to life in the nutrient rich soil.

Local residents look forward to a carpet of wildflowers in the spring.

                                                                   The area, soon after the burnoff.

Connie Grant and her daughter Amy admiring the regrowth.

Handing Over The Reins.

 After six years as organizer of the monthly market day at Kooindah Centre Kathy Davidson is calling it a day.

“My husband Tim and I are retiring from our manchester business and the Tilligerry Lions’ Club have taken over the market day management. The markets have grown in size over the years and traders keep coming back,” she said. “People look forward to the markets which are held on the third Saturday of each month. It is a great way of bringing the community together and interacting with one another. In our retirement we will still support the market days with our own stall selling manchester goods.”

 Tim and Kathy Davidson flanked by local Lions Robbie Owen and Vince Pagett at a recent Market Day.

Tribute To Ian

After 40 years of service, 15 of which were served as Captain, Ian Hicks has stood aside as an executive officer of the LTP Rural Fire Service due to health issues.

He is the only brigade member still serving since its inception in 1969.

“We started out with a box trailer which contained a water tank and pump,” he said. “Then we obtained an ex WWII ‘blitz’ wagon. We bought our own white overalls and boots and built our own fire station,” he said. “The fire station was the hub of the community in the early times. It was used as a Sunday school, a baby health centre, the coast guard met there, it was a poling booth for elections and it was used as a cinema on Saturday afternoon to entertain the children. Once it became a makeshift morgue when we fished a body out of Tilligerry Creek!”

 “We have never lost a local house in a bushfire ever though in 1980 a fire which started at Tanilba jumped Mallabula and went right through Lemon Tree to the water’s edge. Probably the biggest fires we attended were in 1994 when bushfires ravaged the Medowie - Salt Ash area.”

 Ian has been honoured with a Council Life Membership Award of the RFS as well as several RFS medals.

         Well done – Ian with his awards at his LTP home.