Patience pays off 

  

The Progress Association had to be patient yet again. Over three years later, in October 1978, they finally received a grant of $2500 from the Department of Sport and Recreation (with the backing of John Hatton, [independent] Member for the South Coast) for an extension to the hall. The extension work, which doubled the size of the original hall, was done by local builder Des Trethewey and was completed in August 1979. At the opening of this extension, John Hatton recalled early memories and the importance of life and relationships in a small community atmosphere, and said that people in future would recall ‘the great times we had in that old hall’.
 

Musician Joy Trethewey seated and ready for action inside the hall after the first extension. Note the unlined walls. 

The then Mayor of Shoalhaven, Harry Sawkins (left) with Tom Douglas (President of Callala Bay Progress Association). 1985

Community Celebration

Tennis and parties 
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But the big work was yet to come. In 1982, the Callala Bay tennis club, led by its foundation president Joy Trethewey, approached Council about building a tennis court on the land behind the hall/fire shed. John Hatton assisted again, and in 1984 funds were found from the Commonwealth Employment Program for further extensions and renovations to the hall. Total funding for the hall extension was $53,318. Of this, $48,000 was from the Commonwealth Employment Program and $5000 from the hall management committee. The tennis court also received funding and was built at a cost of $26,000, of which $5000 was cash from the tennis club; $5000 Council cash donation; $8000 Council loan and $8000 a grant from Department of Sport and Recreation. The Mayor Harry Sawkins praised the Callala Bay community for their total fundraising effort raising $10,000.
 
Things had come a long way from the goose raffle, and the whole community celebrated at the opening of the hall extension and the tennis court on 24 January 1985. John Hatton (MP) was in attendance, and the Mayor Harry Sawkins did the honours of the official opening. A street parade was held; there were clowns, a barbeque, raffles, games and competitions for the kids, and dancing went on into the small hours inside the hall with its wonderful wooden floors. 

John Hatton's prediction about the 'great times in the old hall' were certainly coming true!

Firies move on

From fire shed to 'the hall' ... 
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​In 1992 it truly became just ‘the hall’ – rather than hall/fire shed – when the fire truck left the shed and moved to the new fire station on Emmett Street, which was opened on 24 October 1992. The fire-shed area of the hall was converted to a meeting room.
 
 
Callala Bay continued to grow. From the late 1990s, it no longer had just the Mitchell’s general store, now there were shops on Emmett Street. A primary school was planned (it opened in 2000; previously, the children went to Culburra, or further back in time, to Pyree). More public space was needed, and in 1996 the new community hall on Emmett Street was officially opened, beside the planned school. That hall, with different facilities, helps to serve the multiple needs of Callala Bay’s growing community.
 


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Members of the Callala Bay Bush Fire Brigade (1985). The sign was relocated to the new fire station. 

The Progress Hall circa 1985 after the extensions and the tennis courts were added.  

Never gave up on the dream

At the heart of our community ... 
​The Callala Bay Progress Hall is an essential part of Callala Bay history. It was begun at a time when the most important thing for a small community was to build a place where people could get together. The very first thing the Progress Association wanted back in 1963 was not a sports ground, not even a fire truck, but a hall. It was built with years of local fundraising, hard work and effort. It has seen playgroups, children’s birthday parties, weddings, music nights, birthday parties, craft groups, yoga, folk dancing, worship groups, community fundraising activities; and continues to do that and more. Many of the groups still meeting there have been using the hall for years – like craft (a foundation group); folk dancing (started in 2004) and yoga (since 2008). Other relative newcomers include tai chi and Over ‘60s Fitness Classes.
 
Our Callala Bay Progress Hall is a wonderful space that deserves heritage listing, and is an amazing tribute to the resilience of the Callala Bay community that never gave up on its dream.