Maureen Magee and the Tallawarra Power Station redevelopment (background) Founder of a group called the Concerned Residents of East Dapto, Maureen and a growing band of supporters are leading the fight against certain rezonings to what has become a somewhat controversial Tallawarra Power Station redevelopment.
There are already some 2300 signatures to a petition which will shortly go to the State Government asking not to have land adjacent to the power station rezoned for housing.
Like others in the area Maureen is concerned about the noise that will emanate from the upgraded power station and which will not only impact on people living close by, but is expected to be felt as far away as East Berkeley, Lake Heights and Mt Warrigal.
Personally, she is not totally against the power station project just as long as Tallawarra Point’s beauty and present peacefulness isn’t disturbed.
She is also vitally concerned that the housing proposal for the area will take place on land already declared asbestos active and prone to flooding.
Born in Melbourne, Maureen left school at the end of Year 12 and after teaching herself Italian she undertook a range of unskilled jobs before becoming a governess on a sheep station in central NSW.
Coming to Sydney she worked backstage at a theatre assisting with lighting before taking up a Commonwealth Scholarship, which saw her head off to university.
At the time she was living with her sister in Redfern and her personal associations with the aboriginal inhabitants resulted in a lifetime commitment to the issues facing these people.
After completing a Bachelor of Social Studies, Maureen began working for Shellharbour City Council in community health, and later was involved in helping to establish the first community hall at Cringila and in obtaining funding for the Wollongong Womens’ Centre.
Maureen’s work in the field of social security took her from Helensburgh to the Victorian border and into the ACT.
And, along the way she became involved in helping to raise foster children on both a short and long term basis.
Time in the country
Moving to Kangaroo Valley she became active in the local communities association before spending time working on one of the biggest goat dairy farms in the area.
She also studied Poultry Art at TAFE and along the way became an ardent supporter of small business.
On a visit to East Timor she helped establish the first institute there for the blind and trained locals in social work.
Arriving in Wollongong, Maureen became heavily involved in the political scene as a member of the Free Judith Mitchell Campaign (Judith was gaoled for the alleged murder of her baby ), and when the campaign was successful she decided there must be other causes she could turn her attention to.
Now living at Dapto, Maureen wants nothing better than to see the suburb receive its rightful recognition in the future growth of the city.
She is already involved in the preparation of plans for improved youth employment in the area, and is a solid supporter of small business.
Maureen is perfectly placed where she lives in Dapto to look from her home across Lake Illawarra to where the kerfuffle is going on about future rezoning and the like surrounding the Tallawarra development.
If you would like to learn more about the Concerned Residents of East Dapto and the power station call Maureen on 4261 1392 or email her at Maureen@shoal.net.au. | 
