GALLERY: Axe marks the spot

The cutting of the ribbon by an axe-wielding mayor Peter Besseling, marked the opening of a centre which will serve the community, tourism and local business.

See video of the ribbon cutting, click here.

In January 2009 Port Macquarie-Hastings Council decided to close the then Kew Visitor Information Centre, citing a lack of visitation and direct local tourism benefit.

The building and land were put on the market in January 2012.

At a heated community meeting discussing the council's plans for the Kew community, after the bypass of the Pacific Highway, then administrator Neil Porter was asked if he would take the former VIC off the market. He said simply, "Yes."

From that moment on a steering committee worked to find a way to get a visitor information centre working again. The group presented Mr Porter and the council with the idea of reopening the centre as a community hub, visitor and business information centre and art gallery - all run by volunteers.

One of the councillors at Saturday's opening ceremony remarked that it is easy to complain about things the council aren't doing, but when someone comes with a plan seeking council's support, it's a no-brainer. In the case of iKew, the steering committee had worked together to nut out a plan, recruited over 60 eager volunteers and were asking the council to support their effort.

A memorandum of understanding was signed, sealing the deal for two years with a view to extending the committee's nominal lease on the building should the initiative be successful.

Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce president Garry Carpenter said the lead up to the centre's opening was a truly inspiring community effort.

"Our community spirit is best displayed by the work of the Kendall Op Shop which delivers thousands of dollars in funding back to the community every year," Mr Carpenter said.

"They provided the set up funding for iKew. We hope iKew will be a lasting and sustainable community project. It's up to us to create a thriving community hub and tell visitors all about our great region."

Camden Haven Showgirl 2013 Chloe Baker spoke at the ceremony paying tribute to the work of the volunteers.

"We have so much to offer. People don't know about how wonderful the Camden Haven is or about all the things we are lucky enough to see every day," Miss Baker said.

Original poems were read by John Cooper of Queens Lake Village and Allie Perkin who lives part of the year in the Hastings and the other in Canada.

Mayor Peter Besseling recited the iconic Banjo Paterson's Man From Ironbark from memory.

"This centre represents what a community can do," Cr Besseling said in his address.

"It was here in 2008 that the plans for the Herons Creek diesel-fuelled peaking power plant were displayed and it was here that the seeds of community action were sewn to stop it. 

"The iKew steering committee was lead by one of the finest lobbyists I know, Garry Carpenter, who should be acknowledged as the driving force of this project."

A full gallery of photos and video from the opening can be found at www.camdencourier.com.au