I REFER to the letter from Steve Bryson of Pappinbarra, published on 10 April 2014.
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Your correspondent is a landowner at Pappinbarra, but has not been resident here for over a year.
While living in the valley, Mr Bryson was (like others before and since) on the receiving end of a great deal of neighbourly help and support in difficult times.
His letter, however, paints a sad picture of 'a community deeply divided'!
It is obvious that he and some other landowners have taken exception to conservation works being undertaken on private land, paid for in part by government landcare funding.
What is perhaps not apparent to those who peruse your letters page is the public denigration and personal vendetta launched against the grantees by Mr Bryson following those works.
The image projected to your large readership is regrettable and requires repudiation.
Contrary to what Mr Bryson would have us believe, Pappinbarra is known throughout the LGA for its energy, vitality and community spirit.
Like many rural areas, we have benefitted from an influx of new residents, many young and with children, with new ideas, new interests, and a willingness to engage in community events and activities.
The Pappinbarra Progress Association (PPA), with over 100 members, is dedicated to fostering the sense of community that continues to thrive in our valley and its environs.
PPA maintains our community-owned Hollisdale Hall and its grounds, where we have a neighbourhood get-together and barbecue on the first Friday of every month except January - all welcome!
There was no division evident at the April event - just good company and good cheer as usual.
PPA runs cooking, cheese-making and ecological workshops, and (supported by our advertisers) publishes a monthly 8-page newsletter, Pitchfork, delivered to every mailbox in the area, e-mailed to an increasing number who request it, and available for pickup at the Beechwood PO and Hotel, as well as at The Living Room and ecoWild in Wauchope (print run of 300).
We organise bush dances, trivia nights, and have a local choir and a drama group (Pappinbarra Players) who performed three plays to full houses in the past few years. More is in the pipeline.
Other local groups have working bees to do gardening or control riparian weeds on each other's properties.
The essence of good community relations is not that we all agree on everything all the time but that we are prepared to listen to, and show respect and tolerance for, the views and opinions of others. Importantly, those expressing views and opinions should avail themselves of opportunities to be fully informed.
There is no evidence in Mr Bryson's letter of such an approach. The PPA rejects the views of Mr Bryson, and will strongly resist any efforts made to by him to foment division in our community!
Jean Hegarty
President
Pappinbarra Progress
Association