2023-24 Financial Statements

The 2023-24 financial statements of the South Bruce Residents Association have been prepared and reviewed. They are presented here for the information of members. (Thumbnail below.)

South Bruce Residents Association saves Flea Bog Flat - May 2001

Eileen and Greg Dunstone have unearthed this May 2001 report from the ACT Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services about the proposal for residential development at Flea Bog Flat. 

 

The report mentions that:

• South Bruce Residents’ Association members appeared at a public hearing in March 2001. 
• SBRA members opposed the residential development, and referred to topics such as:
• noise
• woodland eco-system and a the mini-wetland
• absence of an ecological study
• loss of amenity.
• SBRA stated that "‘a meeting of our Residents’ Association on 19 November [2000], attended by most residents of the suburb, unanimously supported a resolution to have the site included in
  Canberra Nature Park, as well as the other two adjoining blocks [the site of today's Calvary Haydon Retirement Community] because they are an essential link towards Black Mountain and Bruce Ridge"
• SBRA considers that Block 4 [the northern edge of Calvary Haydon Retirement Community]‘is a vital east-west corridor between the Bruce Ridge and Gossan Hill in the Canberra Nature Park system… [and so should] be designated permanently as Canberra Nature Park… [It is] a species-rich zone of more than 70 identified local native plant species [and] at least 60 species of birds… [and] serves as habitat for kangaroos, wallaby, echidna, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, butterflies (12 species) and many others’. Further, Block 4 ‘serves as a human corridor to commuters, students, hikers, athletes, joggers, walkers, naturalists and residents’.

The committee recommended "that no residential development occur on Block 3 of Section 21" [ie, Flea Bog Flat].

Jaeger Circuit, October 1982

Brenda Lander has provided some neighbourhood photos from October 1982. She writes:

"This is our block while building 25 Jaeger Cct. Purchased in October 1982."

"25 Jaeger block with 23 Jaeger complete beside and looks up towards Timbertop court in the background"

 

 

 "Rooftops of Goldsworthy place and new builds in Isles Place"

South Bruce Sales Brochure 1980s

 Barbara Peek provided these images from a 1980s sales brochure. She says,

"This was the brochure from the Jennings office when we bought one of the 21
blocks (1 Isles Place). Sue Wickham (Jennings Sales Person) was selling
the blocks.  Interesting to see how the plans changed.  It was the first
development undertaken by a private company in Canberra."

South Bruce vacant land sales 1983

Eileen and Greg Dunstone provided this interesting snippet of local history.

I came across this recently - a list of those that purchased "land only"
from Jennings, instead of "house & land". Presumably all constructed
non-Jennings houses. The  historical lease prices are shown!

The Department of Territories, had contracted Jennings to develop our suburb
with the requirement that they sell "house & land" packages.

In phase 1 (Portus to Weatherburn)  Jennings requested approval to sell a
number of "land only" leases (presumably to solve a cash flow issue). The
Department gave them permission to sell 20 only blocks, but Jennings entered
contracts with a lot more than 20.

The government allowed those in the attached list to settle their purchases
- 21 of them -  but then refused subsequent settlements. Some Jennings land
only customers then bought Jennings houses, but 3 of us in Portus Place
fought on until the Government terminated the leases because Jennings hadn't
complied with the lease conditions.  A Supreme Court case was then involved
and eventually the 3 of us got the blocks and build non- Jennings homes.

I'm not sure if and  how any non Jennings homes were constructed in Phase 2
(Weatherburn to Clews)

There's been quite some appreciation in unimproved values of South Bruce blocks. Some blocks with 1983 values of $32,000 have values of $1,080,000 in 2024 (a compounding growth rate of more than 9%pa).

2022-2023 Financial Statements

The 2022-23 financial statements of the South Bruce Residents Association have been prepared and reviewed. They are presented here for the information of members. (Thumbnail below.)

 

South Bruce playground 1986

Deirdre Brocklebank has shared some photos taken in South Bruce in 1985-6. Thank you for sharing them with us.

The same area today is a much greener and more pleasant place (this post from 2016 shows the same area, 30 years later).

Click on any of the photos if you'd like a closer look.

If you would like to share any historic South Bruce photos, stories or records, then please use the Contact Us page to get in touch. 

 

 

Bruce floodway, looking down from the playground, 1986

 

 

Bruce battleaxe block off Fitzherbert Place, 1985