Jannali residents say 'thank you' for support from across the shire

At a small gathering in the front yard of a Mary Street home on Sunday afternoon, they expressed their deep gratitude for the support they received from across Sutherland Shire and beyond.

A larger street party is being organised for this weekend.

Transport for NSW advised property owners by phone last Thursday morning compulsory acquisition notices were being withdrawn. Letters were hand delivered that evening.

Tom Richards, a leader of community group Save Our Homes - Jannali 2226, said the "community outpouring of support has been amazing".

"They under-estimated our community and they also under-estimated the strength of people across the shire," he said.

"Support has not just been from the sidelines - it's been 'jump in'."

Nicole, a young widow with two sons, six and three, whose plight was revealed in the Leader's initial report, said she was relieved the immediate threat had been removed.

However, Nicole added, "my foundations have been shaken and I will be carefully watching what happens over the other side [the shopping centre car park]".

For now, she can smile again, revealing, "Today I played grip ball with my kids in the backyard and I thought, 'I haven't been able to do this without stress for three weeks' ".

Next-door neighbour Liam Mulhall told of a very emotional moment during their ordeal.

"I heard this commotion in the street and went out to find a group of young people with disabilities from the nearby St George and Sutherland Community College standing outside our house and calling out, "No, no, no".

On Friday, after learning his and other homes had been saved, Mr Mulhall revealed residents were feeling "a kaleidoscope of emotions".

In a Facebook post, he said emotions ranged from "the tremendous relief that our homes will not be taken from us, to anger at the meat grinder we have been put though over the past three weeks, from the joy that the heart of our neighborhood will not be destroyed, to the shock that it so nearly was, from bottomless gratitude at the truly extraordinary support we have received from neighbours, shire, NSW, Australian residents and beyond, to a determination that others not be treated in the same shameful way".

Mayor Steve Simpson said, for the council, the challenge posed by the shopping centre car park development had only just begun.

"Council will continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to aid the state government in delivering this piece of infrastructure in a way that benefits our whole community," he said.

"We again have to stress, this plan is still reliant on a number of hurdles being cleared in terms of planning approval, land rezoning and community consultation."

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