Alive Magazine - Edition 33 - April 2023

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APRIL 2023 EDITION #33

Freedom Edition

A MAN WHO TRULY EMBODIES FREEDOM and found his calling to give

Full story on pages 04-09

The Shedding Journey a home to a community Full story on pages 10-13

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Dr Benjamin has undertaken Skin Cancer training at the University of Queensland and Skin laser and cosmetic training at the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. He is an expert in skin rejuvenation, skin pigmentation, chemical peels, cosmetic injections, vascular disorders of the skin, and understands how best to utilize the state of the art technology he has at the Hervey Bay Skin Clinic to achieve the results his patients are looking for.

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SKIN CANCER MANAGEMENT

UPCOMING EVENTS

THE ALIVE TEAM Founder / Creative Director JOY BUTLER info@alivemag.com.au Editor KERRIE ALEXANDER Deputy Editor LEANNE ESPOSITO Digital Editor LIZZIE MACAULAY Advertising Executive DARREN STIMPSON darren@alivemag.com.au Phone 0408 122 050 Advertising Representative KAREN WHITE karen@alivemag.com.au Phone 0418 197 386 Advertising Representative KIM HARRIS kim@alivemag.com.au

Apr 11-15

Head of Distribution JAMIE BUTLER All editorial and advertising in Alive Magazine publications are published in good faith based on material, verbal or written, provided by contributors and advertisers. No responsibbility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Alive Magazine is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

YOUTH WEEK 2023

When: April 11 - 15 Every day

Where: Various locations Fraser Coast region

What: In 2023 Fraser Coast Regional Council is collaborating with local youth services and agencies to host a jam-packed week of free fun activities! Please note: Events are open for 12 to 25-year-olds.

Parents and guardians are welcome to attend.

Laser Skirmish - Howard Skate Park / DJ Pool Party - Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre Youth Fest - SkateSide Pialba / Laser Skirmish - Bauple Rec Ground

DJ Pool Party - Maryborough Aquatic Centre / HBRG Youth Forum - Hervey Bay Regional Gallery Borough Beats - Anzac Park, Maryborough / Out and About - Anzac Park, Maryborough For full details visit frasercoast.qld.gov.au/youth-week

Feedback or suggestion?

Send to: info@alivemag.com.au

BURRUM HEADS EASTER FISHING COMPETITION

HBNC OPEN DAY

BROLGA LIVE @ TOOGOOM

Where: 22 Charles St, Pialba

What: It’s an opportunity to celebrate the community we live in and to promote harmony and kindness, while offering information and education about the services HBNC provides.

Where: Toogoom Community Hall

Where: Lion’s Park, Burrum Heads

When: Good Friday, Apr 7 - Easter Sunday

What: Burrum Heads Easter Fishing Classic which has earnt its reputation as a Top 5 event on the Fraser Coast. It is hosted by the proud members of the Burrum Heads Amateur Fishing Club Inc. for more than 20 years. Loads of great prizes up for grabs.

Cost: Adults $30, Juniors $5

When: Friday, Apr 14 10am - 1pm

This year’s theme will be “Country Kindness”, so expect a good, old-fashioned day of family fun!

Cost: FREE

When: Saturday, Apr 29 4pm - 7pm

What: Brolga Live @ is a series of free, familyfriendly, live outdoor concerts that will be popping up all over the Fraser Coast!

BYO Picnic and chairs. There will be a canteen on site. Please note: this is an alcohol free event.

Presented by the Brolga Theatre in partnership with the Toogoom Community.

Cost: FREE

MURAL OF THE MONTH - MARYBOROUGH MURAL TRAIL LONG TAN MURAL

This mural commemorates the battle against the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong, by 108 soldiers of Delta Company, the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, at Long Tan on the afternoon of the 18th August 1966. The crews of two helicopters from Nui Dat braved the poor conditions to drop ammunition to the beleaguered troops using helicopters that were originally transporting Little Pattie, Col Joye and the Joy Boys to entertain the troops. Warrant Officer Jack Kirby then distributed the ammunition. Eighteen of our soldiers were killed and 24 were wounded. This was Australia’s worst loss over a short period during the Vietnam War.

SCAN TO SEE THE TRAIL MAP

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COV E R STORY

by Russ Benning

Freedom TO BE D

ear Reader, what comes up for you when you hear the word ‘Freedom’?

touch?

How important is it to you?

Which arenas of your life does it

I want to challenge you to go deeper. A deeper level that is truly infinite.

Let’s zoom out for a minute and explore what it means for you to be you. Are you aware that the probability of you being born as a human being at all is 400 trillion to one? 400 TRILLION TO ONE! You are an absolute miracle in any and every sense of the word. It seems intrinsically impossible to me, that you, as a life form, let alone a human life, are not incredibly special and therefore incredibly important.

INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT! How could such a magnificent, individual, miracle of a being, not deserve to thrive? Not deserve the freedom to design their own life and experience what it means to be human in their own unique way?

Whatever your beliefs, I challenge you to tell me that you haven’t felt a connection to something greater than yourself. Something

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you can’t comprehensively describe in layterms, but you can feel in the core of your ‘self’ as absolutely TRUE.

I believe that deep within us all we know what is true and what It is to be ‘free’.

A couple of months ago I was invited by a friend to experience a ‘breath work’ session for the first time. I’d heard of the practice before but never tried it myself. For those who don’t know, a ‘breath work’ session is where a facilitator will guide you through certain patterns of breathing within a safe and comfortable environment. It sounds very basic, and in a lot of ways it is, however the anchoring into the deliberate breath can bring about some incredible results.

My experience was beyond anything I can explain in a sub paragraph of an article. Let’s just say it was very powerful and allowed me to access parts of me that felt very true, beyond my thinking mind.

The man responsible for my experience is a man I really admire and a man who truly embodies freedom. His name is Brendan Holland and he is this month’s featured guest.

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We had such an interesting and powerful conversation for this article. I learned a lot about not just Brendan himself, but about what it means to truly embody freedom. l listened with curiosity as he told me his story. Born and raised in Newcastle, NSW to a single mother, he shared that from the age of five, they travelled abroad every year of his life.

“I’ve never been a square peg in a square hole. I’m digging my own hole,” Brendan said.

It’s clear that he never aligned with the western way of doing things. Regarding schooling he knew it wasn’t the place for him.

“Do this, do that, now you can eat your lunch, now you can go to the toilet you know?”

Brendan tells me he always had an inkling there was something more.

“There is another layer to reality.”

He left school early and took jobs here and there

while he worked out what was next for him. It wasn’t long before the travel bug bit, and he was again overseas, this time on a more indefinite basis.

It started as a working holiday in the USA where he worked in a summer camp program for young boys (5-6 years old), where leading up to the event the facilitators all met online. When he finally met in person one of the others he had been speaking to, a young woman from the UK, he dropped a selfprofessed “cheesy line” on her at a dive bar around the pool table and that was it. He laughed about how bad the line was but also that it worked! They worked and travelled together for a while and fast forward to today, are happily married with three beautiful kids and a fourth on the way.

When they decided to move back to Australia to live, Brendan chose a very different career and became a part of the Australian Federal Police. He joined because wanted to serve and protect his community, unfortunately the job was not what he expected.

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“It was the worst six years of my life. It wasn’t what I thought it would be,” he said.

Brendan went on to share that the job produced a version of himself that he didn’t like.

“I was angry, overweight and tired. Yeah, I was very toxic. I hated the world, hated myself.”

I found this so hard to believe based on the version of him that I met this year.

The only reason he stayed was that the money was quite good and it allowed them to live a ‘good life’.

“What I mean by a good life is a keeping up with the Joneses life. We had the big house, fast cars, the boat, all that, but we weren’t happy. I certainly wasn’t happy,” he said.

After the AFP job, Brendan and his wife started a cleaning business that they built from the ground up and are now in a position to sustain their liberated lifestyle.

For the last two years they have lived a very nomadic life, their caravan being their new home base. Originally planning to visit Hervey Bay for four days, they ended

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up staying for four months and solidified the area as a second main hub.

We circled back to the topic of freedom. A topic that we both shared as our number one value. Beautifully put, Brendan shared the following on the topic.

“If you put freedom at the top, everything else falls into place,” he said.

Going back and forth on the power of freedom, we landed on a simple mantra and he tells me.

“Freedom equals power, personal power.”

He explained that each time we get sucked into a screen or even take offence to someone else’s words we are outsourcing our power. We can’t control what happens externally, but we can control how we react to it.

Freedom to be, was the distillation that we continued to return to during several threads of discussions.

When I pressed further on what this meant to him, he explained that we are here to experience life. To find out who and what we are; and that we can’t do that while we’re constantly outsourcing our attention, and therefore outsourcing our power and our freedom.

He highlighted the importance of exploration, which I realise was a beautiful double entendre. While he initially referred to exploring in a physical sense, he then went on to describe how exploring locations also allows us to explore ourselves internally. As a species, human beings have become what we are today through curiosity and exploration. Arguably opposable thumbs too, but that’s a discussion for another time!

In my opinion, Brendan Holland, the man of the hour,

lland

Photo: Brendan Ho

Connection with Brendan www.the-healing-breath.org

embodies what true freedom is to the human race, and I love the way he describes why breath work is his calling.

“I want to play my part in the collective healing of humanity,” he said.

When I asked if he had any final thoughts he replied, “Just breathe haha. Breathe it in and let it go.”

So I’ll ask you again; what does freedom mean to you?

Photo: Brendan Holland

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C OMMU NITY CON N ECTI ON

by Kerrie Alexander

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GROW, EVOLVE AND TRANSFORM

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nimals molt to shed their outer layer and allow them to grow bigger or prepare for their next life stage.

Watching this incredible process gave one Hervey Bay mum a sign that it was time to move forward after struggling through a marriage breakdown and 20 stress-filled years of working to newspaper deadlines in the media industry.

When printing of regional newspapers came to a halt three years ago, Peta Johansen took a year off work to evaluate life and try to figure out what was next.

She had lost her mum nine years prior but only decided two years ago to head out on a bush retreat and spread her mum’s ashes in the hinterlands of the Northern Rivers.

This is where The Shedding journey began.

The Shedding is a shared community space on Fraser Street in Torquay for the purpose of providing opportunities for small local businesses and community groups to focus on all things creative.

“While I was scattering mum’s ashes I made a bit of a speech to myself to say, ‘if she’s here, give me a sign’, but there was absolutely nothing,” Peta said with a laugh.

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“The next day walking back to base camp, on the same path, there was this Monarch Butterfly coming out of its cocoon and I sat down with it, put my finger out and it sat on my finger drying its wings.

“I felt that my mum was not only with me but knew this next part of my life was about shedding; growing my wings and doing something different… and this space is literally a shed!

“Everything I have done to create this has just fallen into my lap. It has been ridiculously easy. I feel like that’s my mum’s magic behind it. It was just meant to be.”

Peta has a background in teaching Zumba and knows only too well what hassle and cost is involved in hiring a big hall or a full-time office space.

So, Peta put the call out to the community to see if there would be any interest in hiring a comfortable space for a minimal fee, and the feedback was overwhelming.

“I got a lot of people come back to me saying we need something like this in Hervey Bay,” Peta said.

“It can be expensive for sole traders or women in business who don’t want an office space full time but still need somewhere away from home.

“I just needed to figure out a career that I would love but still support the lifestyle of a single parent.

“I needed energy at the end of the day to give my kids.”

Her friend’s hair salon came up for lease at the same time which was exactly the area she needed to bring the business to life.

She said it had great energy and was the kind of space that could support her vision of creating a supportive community of like-minded people.

“The people who use the venue for their sessions get great feedback and they love coming into the space, taking ownership of it, and using whatever they need.

“It becomes their own space, and they feel comfortable in it.

“If you’re just starting out and feel like you belong in the space, that’s massive.

“Your participants pick up on that, so it’s a big thing.”

The Shedding was a huge hit and is now home to a community of reiki, art and craft sessions, one-on-one counselling sessions, social support services, yoga, 12

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embodied dance, children’s storytelling and workshops of varying kinds.

“We keep it low cost and flexible especially people with one-on-one clients.

“I haven’t had any issues and everyone that has come in has been so positive.

“It’s not just hiring space - it’s a community. We are all on a path of personal development and there’s lots of people to connect with.”

The business has given Peta the freedom and flexibility to work the hours she desires and be available to her children who previously suffered from anxiety.

“I just want to be present and enjoy my children. I’m just starting to still learn how to relax.

“Deadlines always fell on school pick-up times. I’d be literally yelling at the kids to get in the car so I could get home and meet those deadlines.

“The kids were constantly rushing and had anxiety about going places with me because we were in a constant rush.”

Now, the whole dynamic of the household has changed, Peta said.

“When my marriage broke down, I was setting the tone of the house and it wasn’t healthy.

“They were so strung out, but now they are just going so great and pursuing the things they are passionate about.”

The Shedding is also home to Peta’s own movement class, Magic Nation. It offers embodied dance to adults and storytelling sessions to children with Fairy Waverley (a very close relative to Peta).

“Magic Nation, for the kids, is all about increasing their creativity by getting them to think about how they want the world to work. Their imaginations are limitless.

“So many activities are screen based now and they don’t get to explore options so this is a blank canvas for them to create whatever they want.

“I just love working with children.”

To find out more about hiring some space at The Shedding or to join in any of the activities visit the shedding Facebook page, email theshedding@mail.com or phone Peta on 0400 255 116.

List of the businesses operating at the Shedding: Yoga - Meditation in Motion Reiki - Immersion Healing Soundbath Healing, nutrition and counseling - Gaia Health and Life Coaching Counseling and social services - Thrive At Life Embodied Dance and interactive storytelling - Magic Nation Movement Tai Chi - Beachi Slime/children's parties - Party Bay Junk Journals - An Arty Crafty Life Mud Women and Wine Art - Miss Shelly Seashells and Creative Heads by Jaycee Art journaling - Be Your Brilliance Women's empowered dance - The Awake Movement Fermentation - Creative Cultures Blue Lotus Tea Ceremony - Nakia Steamfesta AGM Sensory play - Calm Play Party Meditation - Kirtan by the Bay Pilates - Elevate Studios Playgroup - Gentle Gathering by the Shedding Suitcase Rummage by the Shedding and Nakia Freestyle dance - Magic Nation Women's Circles by Alena Eden and the Shedding.

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13

W ISE W ORD S

by Kerrie Alexander

“

I joined for the freedom; I left home for it! I loved the Army and if I hadn’t of had the car accident I would have stayed.

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DELIVERANCE

BY LOVE T

he only thing I knew about Max walking into this interview was that he is a proud Army veteran who bravely enlisted to fight for the freedom of his country.

A poster boy for an Anzac Day edition of the magazine.

However, the angle of the story quickly changed after finding out what this cheeky, charming, funny yet terribly pained 80-year-old had endured over the course of his life.

His wife of 28 years, Lynn, had an equally traumatic story to tell about her earlier years.

So, it was clear that the story had to become about two troubled souls who found each other and found freedom in their life through the Army, poetry, Toastmasters and their undying love for each other.

Max was born in Crookwell, New South Wales, in 1943 where he lived with his parents and brother in what he called ‘one of the most dysfunctional families he had ever seen’.

The stories of emotional and physical abuse on the two boys were horrendous.

“We were neglected. They would have taken us kids away these days,” Max said.

“We didn’t have a toothbrush between any of the family, we slept on bad bedding and my mother and father used to whip me.

“We used to have to sit in a back of the ute in the pouring rain and mum and dad would drive around.

“We got up to all sorts of mischief with mates and did all sorts of crazy things. I was out of the house at 6am in the morning and I was out until the streetlights came on.

“I think I had such a terrible home life that I acted like a clown when I was at school.”

As soon as he turned 17, Max enlisted in the Army, along with his brother, but unfortunately this mischievous personality led Max to have a chequered career only reaching “to the dizzy heights of Lance Corporal” in the nine years he served.

A love of the ladies was also a big weakness with a couple of stints in the Army prison for going AWOL, opting for dates instead of work.

However, the Army did give Max the freedom to be himself away from abuse and neglect, he was taught rules and regulations, found fitness and said he loved the stability the services offered.

“The structure helped,” Max said.

“I preferred that than living at home.”

Max started his career at the training grounds in Kapooka. Seventeen was the earliest age you could enlist and Max was the youngest in his unit. This earnt him the nickname ‘Junior’.

Prior to being posted to 126 Sig Squadron he trained in morse code along with many other skills, his career

ended when serving at 5 Sig Regiment in Melbourne.

Max’s memory has faded now but he was able to demonstrate Morse Code for me with ease.

“Once you hear it all day it’s like birds sing it and dogs bark it. You would go to bed thinking it and breathing it,” Max said.

“You would sit in the classroom all day with the headphones on learning it.”

It was only six weeks before deployment to Vietnam that a 21-year-old Max endured a horrific car accident that almost took his life.

He spent five months in hospital with plaster from head to toe with broken bones and serious injuries sustained from a guidepost spearing him through the bottom of the car.

“I really wanted to go to Vietnam and was devastated that I couldn’t,” Max said.

“My brother went and was a captain. I used to have to salute him.”

Only two weeks after being released from hospital the Army had Max back to hard core training exercises like running, jumping and crawling through trenches.

His body hadn’t recovered, and it did permanent damage to his muscles and ligaments and is one of the main reasons he now has severe osteoarthritis and is confined to a wheelchair today.

This sadly ended his Army career.

“I joined for the freedom; I left home for it! I loved the Army and if I hadn’t of had the car accident I would have stayed.

“I loved everything about the army. I loved the mateship and I lived for it!”

In a life filled with turmoil and grief Max found happiness and solace from a young age through writing poetry.

He said putting pen to paper was an escape from his terrible childhood, some sad but also some humorous times in the Army and tales of three failed marriages.

There are thousands of poems now proudly displayed in his writing folders.

“It lets you express yourself in a way that you can never express yourself with just words.

“I wrote my first poem when I was about 14.”

It’s a common bond for Max and Lynn who were members of the Hervey Bay Toastmasters Club for 14 years and 16 years respectively.

They both say it changed their lives. The confidence they gained helped the two “broken souls” come back to the land of the living.

Before a chance meeting with Max at a Gold Coast Night Club, Lynn was trapped in an abusive relationship that could have ended hers and her two children’s life.

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“I personally wanted growth growing up and I did everything I could to try and change that neediness and feeling of being unwanted.

“When we first went, we were both shy. Max wanted to vomit before each meeting. We just sat in the back for a long time until they said we would have to join if we wanted to stay.

“It took a very long time before we could stand up and talk but we did it. We both ended up as president.”

Twenty-eight years ago they even said “I Do” for real, as part of a special toastmasters wedding.

It started as a mock wedding to teach people how to write and present wedding speeches but Max didn’t hesitate when Lynn said “why don’t we do it for real”.

“A toastmasters celebrant conducted the wedding, with a number of the regions toastmasters clubs as guests and we got married out the front underneath the bougainvillea facing the beach at the old Pialba Hotel,” Lynn said.

“One of our toastmaster friends had a V8 Jaguar and dropped us at the door with all the people looking at us.

“It was a very special day.”

Lynn is now Max’s full-time carer and they are unfortunately no longer members of Toastmasters due to his decline in health.

However, their love story continues.

“I’m always happy, aren’t I darling,” Max said to Lynn with a smile.

She fled the relationship in the middle of the night and headed to the Gold Coast in search of a new life.

“I’m always sick but I don’t sit here and feel sorry for myself I just get on with it. Being married to my old girl makes me happy.”

“I just grabbed a few things and shot through,” Lynn said.

On her first night out ever with work friends, she was sitting on a bus and noticed a tall, dark and handsome young stud dressed in a black leather jacket, black shirt and a gold necklace.

“He was the most beautiful looking man I had ever seen,” Lynn said.

“She chased me all over the Gold Coast,” Max said with a laugh.

“I was a country girl who had never worn heels before, and I was in absolute agony. When I looked over to the bar at the club we were at, I saw Max sitting there on a round stool so I walked up and wriggled my bum up on it.

“A bloke that good looking, I didn’t think he would notice me. But he did.”

Lynn and Max both believe it was fate that they met that night.

“It was destiny. I was in a prison with that partner for 14 years and to come across Max on the first night out, ever, was just fate!

“The both of us were very damaged. I had stopped thinking and just shut down from all the trauma. I was like a zombie with no emotions.

“We were both very damaged and needed each other.”

Their love got them through extensive counselling which gave them the ability to start living life free of suffering.

It also gave them the confidence to find a voice in Toastmasters. With more confidence Lynn went on to teach adult writing and poetry classes where Max was her star pupil.

“Toastmasters changed our lives,” Lynn said.

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LOCAL ART I S T

by April Spadina

THE FREE SPIRIT

TRACE TURNER

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gentle, coastal breeze blows the tall cypress pines above Trace Turner as she sits quietly in her studio. Her long hair falls over her shoulders to rest at her waist in soft braids, interlaced with silver strands. She breathes to her core and welcomes the morning.

Her soul is of the earth; a connection of heart and terra firma. Trace is a potter, a sculptor of clay, and it is this chosen medium that seduces her in a way that has led her through a life of discovery and chance.

There was a time Trace lived in the rugged, desert landscape of Tuscon Arizona and it was there that she was captivated by the late Native American potter Maria Martinez and the Pueblo pottery style. It was a captivation that stayed with Trace for many years and eventually, the earth found its way again to her soul and she started her own journey with clay.

Each piece of pottery Trace tenderly creates is a unique work of art that has a symbolic and spiritual link to Mother Earth. The unpredictable nature of her technique further enhances her love for her craft and as each piece is unveiled it reveals itself in its beautiful, new form. The organic method used in Trace’s craft involves carefully enveloping each object in a variety of organic matter. Pine needles, seaweed, bark and feathers are wrapped around the sculpture and secured with wire before being saggarfired in rusty tin cans to leave the shadowy, carbon smoke effect behind. Colourful oxidisation of sculptural surfaces

comes from terra sigillata, a Greek term meaning “earth seal” which involves a slip of pigmented clay brushed on to the surface.

Trace’s primitive sculptures are formed from an intrinsic sense of connectivity with the body. As a masseuse she finds harmony in a flow between skin and clay so it’s only natural that she would create beautiful sculptural pieces based on the human form. Her figural busts might be encased in delicate armour, leaning in to yoga poses or bathed in butterflies, they are always gentle and have a sense of peace about them. The bowls and vases she forms by hand often have a piece intentionally removed and then stitched back in with wire to be whole once more, each fragmented piece beautiful and unique on its own.

Trace has found a balance in life that comes from art, friendship, her authentic sisterhood and community. She opens her studio and shares her love of clay with those yearning to embrace new experiences that are soul fulfilling. It is Trace’s free spirit and curious nature that has lead her to embark on a wholesome, earthly journey and as fate would have it, it has been earth itself that has unearthed Trace of Clay.

Check out Trace Turner’s work from her website www.traceofclay.com.au or her instagram @traceofclay

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a community funding program for arts, culture and heritage on the Fraser Coast.

Visit our website to find out more information about funding for your creative idea.

www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/RADF

The part and

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Fraser Coast Regional Council.

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19

DU NGA DE RBY

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MASON’S MISSION WITH DUNGA DERBY BY HIS SIDE! RECIPIENT’S STORY

O

n 21st January, 2018 our beautiful little boy was brought into this world. A non-complicated natural labour bringing into the world a healthy 8 pound 2 baby. He was just perfect and such a beautiful completion to our family of 4.

After a couple of honeymoon weeks, Mason started to develop fussy feeding and wheezy breathing. We quickly learnt our son had GORD and mild laryngomalacia (an immature larynx). As the months went on, we started to notice his delay in development and lack of visual attention. This is what landed us in the Brisbane’s children’s hospital for a week. Test after test, in search of answers. After brain MRI’s, lumbar punctures, simple genetic testing, metabolic testing, blood testing plus many more, the answer was still unclear. Every test they did came back normal. We were told he had a condition called ‘delayed visual maturation’ and should have full vision by 12 months. They also told us that he should just ‘catch up’.

As the months passed, the gap became wider and wider. He wasn’t meeting any of his milestones. By 1 year of age we knew we had to do something. We started intensive therapy, along with weekly therapy in the attempt to give our son the best fighting chance. Hours upon hours of therapy he was making gains, but for the amount of time and effort he put in the gains were small.

Just after his 2nd birthday they decided to do further genetic testing – sending both mine, my husband’s and Mason’s bloods off to America. It was there our world came crashing down. We discovered out son had an extremely rare, non-inherited, genetic disorder called STXBP1. Never heard of it? Neither had we. Mason became one of only 400 in the world to have this very rare genetic disorder. It is a condition characterized by abnormal brain function and intellectual disability. We quickly learnt our son would never just ‘catch up’, in actual fact his life was going to be extremely challenging in so many ways, forever.

This disorder brings with it 95% having severe epilepsy, intellectual disability, movement disorders, ataxia (difficulty co-ordinating movements) , hypotonia (weak muscle tone), autistic traits, behavioural issues, most non-verbal.

As parents we were completely heartbroken, however we were never going to let this diagnosis define him. He attends up to 5-6 therapy sessions a week consisting of Occupational Therapy, Physio Therapy, Speech Therapy, Hippotherapy, Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME) therapy. He also attends intensive therapies each year at a Paediatric Therapy Centre in Sydney called the NAPA centre, where he participated in up to 60 hours of therapy in just 3 weeks, 2-3 times a year.

Mason unfortunately started having seizures just after his 3rd birthday. We were hoping he stayed in the 5% that

never have epilepsy. At this stage they are controlled under Keppra. The scariest part of this disorder is the unknown. Because it is relatively new and rare, there is so much to still learn about the disorder. The spectrum varies from child to child. There is no cure. The only thing they can do is treat the symptoms as they arise.

Although he faces huge challenges on a daily basis, Mason is our warrior. He is such a happy, determined little boy that has taught us so much about life. He has taught us to stop and appreciate the simple things in life.

The things we all take so much for granted.

With all of this therapy we see great gains, although the gains may be small to a ‘typically developing child’ to us they are HUGE. At 2 he started to crawl. At 3 he took his first steps. We have learnt to always celebrate the ‘inch stones’ along the way, because he has to work so damn hard to achieve them. He is working so hard to learn how to navigate uneven ground and steps. Motor planning is a real challenge for him. He remains non-verbal and his understanding is limited. However, he loves people especially his big sister, animals, mirrors, bubbles, balloons and water, water, water!

Although his progress is slow, progress is progress - we never give up hope. Hope there may one day be a cure to help our little warrior!

We can’t thank Dunga Derby enough.

We also want to thank the Rally for a Cause Board for granting the support and funds to help our little boy.

Every day is a tough slog for not only him but the whole family. I have not been able to go back to work since he was born (as a teacher), the pressure is then placed onto my husband to be the sole breadwinner. The thousands it costs for therapy. (Thank goodness some gets supplemented by NDIS) The extra costs for special beds, special equipment, nappies, fuel to get to therapies daily, the constant medical appointments, accommodation for the intensives in Sydney, the list could go on.

This money helps ease some pressure within the family.

We not only decided to use the money to help ease the immediate financial burden, but we are hoping to also use the money towards helping make a therapy room in our house for Mason. Including soft fall, swings, ramps, steps, outdoor play therapy equipment etc. It allows us to create a space where Mason can continue to learn and grow within our own home. It gives him a safe space and a place he can love to learn and continue to grow for many years to come.

Although it can feel alone having a special needs child at times, when charities like this offer such amazing support, it reminds us that we are never alone in this journey and that not only our closest family and friends are cheering our Warrior Mason on, but also the grater community. So THANK YOU, we honestly can’t thank you enough!!

Rally For A Cause is a charity for the Fraser Coast community and the money that raise is returned to people in Fraser Coast region.

To find out more about Rally For A Cause or to donate, visit www.rallyforacause.org.au.

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21

HE LPING HA N D S

by Hayley Godfrey

E

A SAFE PLACE FOR SURVIVORS

ighty-one women have passed through the doors of Myriam Cottage; a place that provides safety, shelter and peace of mind for women who have all endured personal hardship in their lives. These women come with inspirational stories, including fighting through the devastation of mental health, sleeping in their vehicles, escaping abusive partners or families, lacking food, shelter and money, having no one to depend on, experiencing feelings of abandonment and despair. The journey to rebuild their self-worth, self-esteem, and sense of self, begins when they enter this sanctuary; the only women’s crisis home in the Wide Bay area which provides refuge for women in our community.

The services offered by Myriam Cottage include providing short term accommodation in a supportive environment by volunteers dedicating their time to help these women rebuild their lives.

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Myriam Cottage is independently owned and relies heavily on community support and spirit for donations to maintain this incredible cause. Myriam Cottage is a place that is a judgement free zone, a safe space, and people don’t have to be on the waiting list to find housing. It provides safety and assistance to women who have experienced aforementioned issues, such as homelessness, relationship breakdowns, mental illness, and domestic violence. The people behind this amazing resource are all volunteer based and includes; Marie Gibbon who is the founder and the heart of Myriam, Alicia Wade, the president, Sonia Raco, the ambassador, Di Hancock who runs the house and a dedicated team and committee who help out.

The following story is from an interview I had the pleasure of conducting with these extraordinary people who generously give their time.

Sonia said “As a therapist, I have supported many women facing homelessness and DV. What’s important is for people to become more educated around what is abuse; often it’s not just physical, abuse is also mental and emotional such as coercive and financial control, manipulation, gaslighting, isolation, words and actions and so much more. Our role is to help our residents heal from past traumas, give them a self-care toolbox and to understand that abuse can silence their victims and support these beautiful women to rebuild not only their self-esteem and confidence but to build a life that they deserve.

Alicia said “As a DV survivor myself, I had always lived in fear and anxiety for my life but I turned my life around and have now become a leading expert in Gratitude and Self-leadership which in turn has helped me live a more meaningful life and share these skills with our residents to implement the tools and resources I have collected over the years such use developing healthy boundaries, practising selfcare and self-love and understanding our worth”.

The idea to establish Myriam Cottage was born when Marie’s mother passed away in 2016. Marie tells me “She had a burning desire to do something for her mother to keep her legacy going”. Marie always knew that her mother wanted to have a house to help the homeless and the less fortunate, so she was driven to do that for her. Marie, with her resourceful nature and skill, reached out to her family, friends and community to help her acquire Myriam to make this dream a reality. Marie explains that she observed her mother serving food to people in her local community, especially those in need, back in Mauritius; a country which unlike Australia, had no pension. Marie’s mother used to help the people who’d visit her. She would give them a cup of tea and something to eat, then when they were leaving, she would fill their bag with essentials such as rice and bread; she did that all her life, so that’s where Marie learned to share her things. Marie also remembers her mother buying lottery tickets at the end of her life. She bought one every week to get some money, but never did. So even though she’s gone now, her dream is still alive in death.

the house, and some additional food items for the pantry. Marie relies on the local community for monetary donations and so much more. Additionally, Myriam Cottage is affiliated with some local organisations who give generously such as; We Care 2, who provide emergency relief kits with surplus food items and anything else that can be spared, the RSL funding have generously donated money toward maintenance of the property, government grants when available and local groups and individuals in the community willing to donate.

To keep funding going, Marie also recycles bottles, sells second hand furniture, and is always relying on the community to become resourceful in finding ways to raise money to support the running of the house, but most importantly, helping residents who are in need.

With the support of Myriam Cottage, the woman who experience the benefits of this sanctuary, embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, which will eventually allow them to fulfil their maximum potential. As Marie says, “Be Love. Be the change.”

Want to donate?

You can find out more about Myriam Cottage at: www.myriamcottage2016.wixsite.com/myriamcottage all donations are received with love and appreciation.

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C O U N T RY K I T C HENS

FISH TACOS WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA Serves: 6

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hours

1 ½ serves per portion Ingredients

1 bulb of garlic

½ a small red cabbage, grated or shredded 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar ½ cup natural yogurt

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

400 grams cod OR other white fish 12 small flour OR corn tortillas Pineapple Salsa:

1 small pineapple, trimmed, peeled and cored 1 red onion, finely diced

½ bunch coriander, chopped

2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos, chopped (optional) ½ cup cotija OR feta cheese, crumbled 1 lime, juiced

Recipe courtesy of Lindsey Thynne, Country Kitchens team

Method

PREHEAT oven to 180°C and place whole garlic bulb to bake for hour or until softened.

CUT pineapple into wedges and fry in large pan over medium heat until lightly charred. Finely dice the pineapple.

PUT pineapple pieces and any juices left in the pan into a small bowl. Add the red onion, coriander and pickled jalapeno and mix well.

CRUMBLE cotija or feta cheese into the pineapple mix and squeeze in the juice of one lime. Drizzle with olive oil, mix well and set aside.

ADD cabbage and red wine vinegar to a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.

SQUEEZE the roasted garlic out of the bulb and stir into the yoghurt. Mix well and set aside.

SEASON fish with a pinch of salt and pepper. You can also roll the fillets in flour for a nice crust.

HEAT a frying pan on medium heat and add olive oil.

When hot, fry the fish fillets for a couple minutes each side, or until just opaque.

WARM tortillas in a frying pan or the oven until soft.

LOAD tortillas with the cabbage mixture, flake over the fish and top with salsa and garlic yoghurt.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

The QCWA Country Kitchens

Empowering women through education and health is a priority for the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA).

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25

FASHION 1.

by Kate Manley

FREEDOM OF CHOICE A s fashion style is no longer restricted by age or income, great freedom comes in creating an image that reflects your individual

personality and lifestyle.

Whether that is a classic wardrobe of monotone, minimalist colours

or a wild assortment of colours and patterns, your fashion statement should be whatever makes you happy.

With more women able to work from home, a more comfortable and relaxed casual form of dressing has morphed into the norm.

Loungewear is now the new daywear.

As the quote from Chanel states: ‘Fashion has two purposes:

comfort and love. Beauty comes when fashion succeeds.’

So enjoy the freedom to choose to wear whatever you want and then carry it off with confidence and conviction.

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27

SMART MON EY

by Kodie Axelson

28

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FREEDOM. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? W hen we think of freedom, we think of no strings attached and the ability to do what we want when we want. What is the reality of that? In some way, shape or form the majority of us have responsibilities to tend to. The idea of freedom can seem a little out of reach.

I think we all have endless possibilities. We all are living our own experience but if you believe something to be true then you can make it a reality.

Everybody’s idea of freedom is different. Some may want the ability to travel. Some want to buy land and farm their animals and grow their veggies. Whatever it may be there is no denying that it will need to be funded somehow. Whether it be your own money or the banks’.

We spend a lot of our lifetime in the working space and a lot of people don’t love what they do or the people they do it with. This is a lot of time to spend with people that can potentially be draining you or your energy rather than adding to it. I think your freedom can begin here. Being surrounded by the right people that energise you and lift you up can make you feel unstoppable. These people are the ones that build you up and want to see you make your dreams a reality. If you’ve never lived in a space where you’ve been able to dream of a life you want then these people can help you see that. The feeling of being surrounded by these people is freeing in itself. It opens your eyes to possibility, if you’re willing to see it.

From a base level as humans, we need to have purpose. When we go to work, we need to have a purpose to be there. When we build a business, we need to have a purpose as to why we are putting in so many hours. Being surrounded by the right

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people can help you see your purpose in life. It can create happiness within you that can change your mindset and open your eyes to see the things you are capable of and the life you are capable of living.

I think the beginning of freedom starts here. When the people around you help your wings grow, you have an abundant mindset rather than living from scarcity. Where energy goes, energy flows. There is much negativity in the world today and there is a lot of doom and gloom. I get it sometimes being positive in this crazy world is a hard task, but it’s worth it.

There’s a big world out there.

I write this article sitting in my hotel in LA. I am on a business study tour with a bunch of amazing women.

Everyone has their own stories, their own starting point, and their own struggles. No two people live the exact same experience and when you’re surrounded by people that have come from nothing, and have done amazing things, it makes you feel like you can do it too. This goes for all walks of life. We aren’t all given the same ‘leg up’ in life, but if you can make the most of your situation by sitting in rooms with people who want to live full lives and make the most of everyday, the energy is different. The vibe is different, and I’m here for it.

If you needed a call to action to go out and do what you want in the world, maybe this could be it. When you’re grateful for all that you have, and you move about the word with kindness and openness great things can happen. This is a money column and I’ll throw it in at the end here that if you are living your life from a core place of gratitude and abundance the money will come. But first, the energy needs to shift.

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he fishing in April on the Fraser Coast is one of the best times of the year for many species particularly our pelagics. Longtail tuna are one of the main attractions as their migration brings them into our waters in good numbers and they are the perfect sportfish. If sportfishing isn’t your thing there are plenty more options from estuary to reef fishing.

Burrum River

A few good whiting have been caught in the Burrum of late with 40cm fish being reported. Using live yabbies has been most effective on the whiting. For lure anglers the odd mangrove jack has been coming off the snags in the mid reaches with some trevally and tarpon also about. Out the front the Burrum 8 mile has produced golden trevally, longtail tuna, mackerel, cod and blackall.

Urangan Pier

Flathead, mackerel, queenfish and bream were the most common captures of the pier. Whiting have been taken in the shallows around the pier and surrounding beaches with worms, yabbies and small poppers working well.

Platypus Bay

Platypus Bay has produced some longtail tuna, mac tuna, spotted and school mackerel of late. Fishing deep around the tuna schools has also produced some trevally and grunter on soft plastics and small metal jigs. Bottom fishing with fresh baits has been good for scarlets when you can get out a little wider with the night tides producing best catches.

Sandy Strait

In the Straits whiting have been about on the Boral Flats and around the Susan River. In the Mary River salmon have been taken from Beaver Rock to River Heads but have been a bit patchy. Grunter have been in good numbers throughout the straits and Mary system also with live yabbies, soft plastics and small herring being the best offerings. On the ledges of the straits cod, sweetlip and parrot have been taken on baits.

Local Reefs

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Some good grass sweetlip have been on the chew of late with the artificial reef, the boags hole and the channel hole all producing good fish. Sharks are a problem so moving about or drifting seems to work best to avoid the sharks. Tuna have also been in the channels taking soft plastics and metal slugs. Other species about on the local reefs have been coral trout, cod, parrot and blackall.

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31

T H E W AV E RIDE R

…AND THEN THE PEOPLE SAID NO! THE END

by Celine Louie

T

here was a time when we would look naively out at the seas of our future and believe that they would always stay relatively calm. The ride of our lives was enjoyed with relative comfort and not much thought to our inherited freedom was ever really considered.

We were all a little shaken recently when things changed, but with promises of our returned freedomsshould we just do what was asked? Many chose to follow the tide in the hopes of riding smoother waters in the not too distant future.

For others there came a call to ride in the opposite direction; sensing that our ability to choose how we ride this life was at stake should we follow the tide. For those that chose to ride against the tide, there came a very bumpy ride indeed.

We’ve been riding these turbulent seas for a few years now, and our ability to choose how we ride has been at stake many a time recently.

Fortunately, there is simplicity in riding against the tide.

You don’t need to be a pro surfer. Rather connection to one self and an ability to step back from the whitewash and take a look from another perspective can summon a powerful strength within us. Many do not even know they had that feeling deep within that tells you, ‘yes, riding against the tide is a must for not only you, but the generations that will follow.’

The power of words and actions has repercussions that go far beyond just our lips and those that hear us say the word.

Saying the word NO creates a power that ripples in the waves around us. Those that hear you say it feel the call to say it too, therein forms a power in the surf that rises

up, creating a tidal wave of strength, crashing out past all that stands in the way.

We all have the strength within us to say the word. But if we choose to simply follow the tide, we can easily be carried away to parts of the ocean that are dark and turbulent. Places we will not want to end up, with the idyllic calm seas we used to reside in, only a distant memory, and the ability to return taken from us.

So it is up to all of us to look at what stands in the way of our freedoms, and to choose not to allow it. By now many have realised that following the tide may not have been such a good idea, for a freedom that comes with conditions is in fact, not freedom at all.

Lately many surfers have risen; stirred by the injustices they see around them. Surfers of all ages and backgrounds, all with different strengths and weaknesses, but all of them with the knowledge in them to know that their voice and choices have enough power to change the course of the tide.

The most beautiful part of this tidal wave of NO’s has been the coming together of surfers, connecting and supporting one another, realising the momentous power of that one tiny word. For some the ride has been harder than for others, and so it is in the human spirit that we shall support and carry one another forward, knowing that by banding strong we can carry all of those who feel the same call to say the word.

So listen to the strength within you, my friends, if you hear that word, no matter how faint or far away it may sound, listen to it. It may only echo quietly within you, but it holds more power than anything else you have.

Freedom is fleeting but your words and actions have the power to save it.

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L I FE C H A T WI T H M I C H ELLE

FREEDOM TO BE YOU

W

elcome to Life Chat.

The theme of ‘Freedom’ this month strikes a chord of resonance within me. My own experiences have shown that a person can feel trapped in life, even when living in a freedom-loving country like Australia. When love is offered to us only on the condition we please someone else and change who we are to appease them, then relationships feel like a prison. That was my experience, anyway, during a tough previous marriage.

Almost twenty years after entering this relationship, I left. I left a very comfortable four-bedroomed brick home, with rumpus room and double garage. This was the first new home I had ever lived in.

I left the furniture and other joint belongings behind, moving into a small ex-housing commission rental property whose was toilet situated in the only bathroom and whose laundry was accessed through the main bedroom. There was also an open dilapidated carport.

I bought a 2-seater couch from St Vinnies (no way a 3-seater would fit) and the bits and pieces the kids and I needed to be comfortable.

I can’t describe the incredible sense of freedom on the very first afternoon I was in this little home. It was like I could breathe at last.

The best thing, from my point of view, was that the entire interior was painted a bright, cheery yellow. It spoke of promise, sunshine and new beginnings. About dusk on that same day, I stepped into the front yard to get some fresh air. Among the tangle of prickles that was once a garden bed, one sunflower raised its head to the sky as if saying, “Don’t give up! You can do it!” I was so happy to see it that I cried.

It’s the small things that touch our hearts, isn’t it?

by Michelle Robinson Bach. Counselling.

Dip. Clinical Hypnotherapy

No matter what’s happening for you, I pray that you revel in the freedom to be just ‘you’. Let’s face it - no-one else can do it. That gift was given to you, alone.

I’m afraid I may have swung the pendulum a little too far towards my quirky side by buying a cat- clock that meowed on the hour, a Christmas star that hung above the kitchen table all year round, and so many crystals there was barely a surface available for anything else… but I was happy in my own skin at last.

From that point on, I was inspired to complete qualifications in counselling, hypnotherapy and ministry. I travelled to England several times, studying at the Arthur Findlay Spiritualist College, to study soul journeying, energy healing, trance mediumship and intuitive gifts.

My life opened in wonderful and mysterious ways. I truly believe that when we allow ourselves to be who we know we are, our life-path is all the richer. Our souls communicate through our intuition and we feel more confident within.

If you would like to join me in a 6 week, weekly Zoom program to explore your connections to your spiritual guidance and intuitive gifts, please email me at michellerobinson2207@gmail.com. I plan to begin this program in early May.

Wishing you the space, courage and freedom to be you and true only to you.

See you next month.

Remember, if you would like to stay connected with me to receive positive tips for life each morning, feel welcome to join my free Facebook group “Your Intuitive Gifts At Work.” Here is a direct link where you can join my group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ yourintuitivegiftsatwork

www.facebook.com/groups/yourintuitivegiftsatwork

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33

I NSPIRATIONS

APRIL INSPIRATION

by Alison Dunlop

How does one feel totally free? Try this technique. Take three deep breaths. Place your hand over your heart space and direct your breath there. Be aware of the rise and fall of your chest.

Visualise or feel yourself in the most peaceful place. Feel the peace and serenity oozing through your body. Spend as long as you like in this place before taking three deep breaths and coming back to the present. Tapping into your heart is where your freedom begins.

Capricorn Dec 22 -Jan 19

Cancer June 21- July 22

When I look at this card, I see fun days ahead for you, Capricorn. With Easter around the corner, it will be a great opportunity for you to get away. Enjoy some beach time, watch the sunsets, or you may even be jetting somewhere. How exciting!

Oh dear, you have been feeling frustrated.

Whatever the situation, unclench the fists, take a step back and breathe. It is very easy to let this stress build up, so be sure to talk it out, and don’t react on impulse. Go for a walk, and look at the situation without the emotion, and the situation may become clearer, with what action to take.

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18

Leo July 23 - Aug 22

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22

Aries Mar 21 - April 19

Libra Sept - 23 - Oct 23

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 21

Gemini May 21 - June 20

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21

The clock is ticking Aquarius, and I ask you, is it about time you acted on something you have been procrastinating on? The timing doesn’t get much better than this.

Act on it!! You are being told, it is safe to do so. Timing is everything.

Is it time for you to deal with your troubles or shadow side. It is indicated that a male is shining light on a situation and is there to support you. You also are being assured that you have help from your spiritual team. Stand tall, you are being reminded you are safe!

Happiness is all around you this month, Aries. The card also indicates there could be cause for a celebration. Ride the positive vibe wave. Enjoy!

What a beautiful heart you have Taurus.

The card this month indicates you may be helping others heal. I can really feel the fullness and the love you have to share.

Good on you. It also indicates for you to continue to do what you are passionate about.

Stay tuned for an important email or message this month Gemini. A focus on communications is also relevant. When communicating, as the sender, be sure you are clear with what you are trying to convey. It is also a good time to listen to your intuition.

Alison Dunlop Kinesiologist. Find out more at: www.alisondunlopkinesiology.com.au (Cards drawn from the Modern Oracle by Katy-K)

34

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Leo, everything you touch is turning to gold. This month you are being rewarded for all your hard work. Give yourself a pat on the back for your efforts. Be reassured you are indeed moving forward. Be proud.

Time for you Virgo, to step out and shine.

The recent work you have been doing on yourself is paying off, and a gorgeous transformation is about to occur. How exciting, your new chapter is about to play out.

Something new is on the horizons this month Libra. The card indicates a new beginning or a fresh start. Perhaps, there may be a birth of a new job, a project or situation.

You may also get news of a pregnancy.

Congratulations!

Are you studying at the moment? With uni back in full swing, it could be time to knuckle down with the books. Another interpretation for this card is perhaps you need to bring more focus or clarity to something. If you are signing any documentation, be sure to check the fine print.

If you have had grand ideas of starting a new venture, this month is a good month to work on a business plan. For others, there may be an opportunity for some development or life learning. Whether this learning is good or bad, look at it as a growth life experience.

RE A DE RS ’ G ALLERY

Crossword of the month

MARYBOROUGH URBAN SKETCHERS

Hervey Bay Regional Gallery - by Lou Millen We are the Maryborough Qld chapter of Urban Sketchers!

The Urban Sketchers mission is to raise the artistic, storytelling and educational value of on-location drawing, promoting its practice and connecting people around the world who draw on location where they live and travel.

“See the world, one building at a time”.

More info please go to our Facebook group: Urban Sketchers Maryborough Qld

Last month’s solution

Licensed Meal Delivery to your seat during Café hours The BIGGEST SCREENS in the Bay

128 Boat Harbour Drive, Pialba

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