Hunter Business Lions Club seeks assistance from the public to restore the monuments in the Norm Bassan MBE Lions Park Stockton. The monuments are on a prime site overlooking Newcastle Harbour and the City of Newcastle. They have a substantial association with the community and are of historical significance. Since the demise of the Lions Club of Stockton, they have fallen into a state of disrepair.
Background Norm Bassan MBE, one of Stockton's best known and loved citizens, served in Egypt, Sinai and Palestine with the Sixth Light Horse Regiment. He was Charter President and Life Member of the Lions Club of Stockton, an alderman on Newcastle Council and NSW Senior Citizen of the Year. He was involved in the Progress Association, P&C Association, Australia Day Council, Mattara Committee and many other community activities. He was honoured with an MBE for services to the community in 1976. Norm died in 1998 aged ninety-nine. Ross Craig (1926-2012) was a local historian born in Stockton and dedicated much of his life promoting and conserving the history of Stockton. He possessed a wealth of knowledge about the suburb and was a charter member of the Stockton Historical Society, co-editor of its magazine and a life member of the Stockton Lions Club. He and his wife Pat, who shared his passion for history, made a great contribution to the Stockton and Newcastle communities. Part of their extensive collection of photographs and tapes is held at the University of Newcastle Library. Their ashes are interred within the monuments.
The Monuments The monuments consist of: two concrete lion statues obtained from Malaya via Singleton army base, the brick plinths on which they sit, a wooden sign above them and a poppet wheel obtained from the Rothbury Colliery that represents Stockton's association with coal mining. A plaque attached to one of the monuments sponsored by the Rats of Tobruk Association of Newcastle commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II and details the beach defenses around Stockton during the war. Other plaques affixed to the monuments honour dedicated past presidents of the Lions Club.
Aims and Objectives The aims of the project are to improve the appearance and amenity of the Norm Bassan MBE Lions Park Stockton, thus enhancing the prominent site it occupies, promoting civic pride, preserving community and historically significant monuments and increasing the number of visitors to the site. The objectives of the project are to repair and restore the two concrete lion statues, the brick plinths on which they sit, the wooden sign above them and the poppet wheel behind them.
Our Video Our video was created free of charge by a member of our club, past President Jamie Gilmore. FIND HUNTER BUSINESS LIONS ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HunterBusinessLions/
Hunter Business Lions is a small, no-fuss club that meets monthly at lunchtime to pursue the Lions humanitarian ethic and work to help the community. Lions club members strive to make a difference in their local community as well as in communities worldwide.
Funds Banked To
Hunter Business Lions Activity Account
Campaign Creator
Hunter Business Lions Club
Newcastle, NSW
Tue, 9 Feb 2021
Rebecca Kate Murray
$ 150
Tue, 10 Nov 2020
Anonymous
$ 15
Sun, 18 Oct 2020
Karen Burgess
$ 50
I have had the pleasure of seeing these lions and they are wonderful to behold. I saw a similar pair in the grounds of The Carrington Hotel Katoomba on a recent holiday. They deserve to be restored to their full majesty.
Sun, 13 Sep 2020
Julie Kearney
$ 250
As a proud resident of Stockton I am pleased that the Lions Club cares about our history and can help us restore our history. Thank you!
Hunter Business Lions is a small, no-fuss club that meets monthly at lunchtime to pursue the Lions humanitarian ethic and work to help the community. Lions club members strive to make a difference in their local community as well as in communities worldwide.
I have had the pleasure of seeing these lions and they are wonderful to behold. I saw a similar pair in the grounds of The Carrington Hotel Katoomba on a recent holiday. They deserve to be restored to their full majesty.