NewsAngle Issue 152 Summer 2022

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Issue 152 Summer 2022

Publication of the Anglesea Community House

Photo by Deborah Elliot

Revival of a much-loved clubhouse

By Michael Collins After more than 10 years in the making, the much-loved Anglesea Motor Yacht Club (AMYC) has officially welcomed members and the community to its redeveloped clubhouse. It’s an amazing space and the new upstairs floor plan perfectly captures the beautiful vista from Point Addis to Point Roadknight.

Funding for the redevelopment was almost entirely raised by the club, other than a grant from the Surf Coast Shire. There was no state or federal government assistance.

From its early beginnings as a diving club, fishing, and then sailing club, AMYC has evolved into a broad member-based club with many interests. The redeveloped clubhouse is a terrific multi-purpose space for members and community groups.

The club is the home of the famous Rusty Anchor Bar, the popular surf coast Roo Run, and hosts the annual Rock to Ramp swim conducted by Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club (ASLSC). It is the base for surf life saving patrols during the summer months. It has an active sailing program and is the base for the Rusty Anglers fishing group.

Volunteer-led revamp Above all else, the club is a volunteerled organisation, maintaining its strong sense of community spirit, with a friendly and very social vibe.

The club is appreciative of the outstanding work done by its building sub-committee and in particular volunteer project managers Kate Stanley and John O’Connor.

The previous building was originally constructed in the early 1960s, largely from volunteer labour and working bees. The re-building process involved securing 13 management plans for the precinct and negotiations with the Wadawurrung, traditional owners of the land, recognising the cultural heritage of the area. Given the close proximity to the water, several climate change and erosion studies were also undertaken over many years.

The new clubhouse is the result of an incredible amount of work over a very long period of time and was officially opened with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by recently retired Commodore Wes Smith and fellow life members.

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NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

Hello! … from the House

By Beth Davidson What do the Men’s Shed, Community Garden, Childcare Services, ReSale Shed, Repair Cafe, Community Choir, Foodlink, Movie Club, Community Network, Twilight Market, NewsAngle and Rubbish Rangers all have in common?

They are among the local groups and activities auspiced by the Anglesea Community House!

Yes, that’s right, our small organisation has tentacles right throughout the region. Even if you have never visited the House (at 5 McMillan St, Anglesea), it’s likely that you have come into contact with one of the programs operated by, or supported by the House. Community/ neighbourhood houses have a hard-won reputation for driving miniscule dollars a long way because we are embedded in our communities. We are not called ‘the Heart of the Community’ for nothing!

Community houses are only as good as the people attracted to them, and our recent Annual Report tells a powerful story of all the above mentioned groups bringing people together around shared interests, friendships and activity. We, as one of 400 Houses across the state, receive a small amount of state government funding to deliver community development/community strengthening programs. If you’ve ever wondered what those terms refer to, look no further than the extensive list above because that’s community development in action! Congrats to all the movers, shakers, community builders contributing to make our place so special and welcoming.

strengthening the base from which we operate. This means a renewed focus on teambuilding for the voluntary committee and staff (many thanks to Jamie Mackenzie from Red Flag Leadership for assisting us in this) as well as a focus on financial sustainability in such hard times. We look forward to receiving the State Government election commitment of $60,000 as we build a more sustainable strategy to see us into the future.

Warm wishes for happy, safe and healthy holiday season and 2023.

Beth Davidson OAM President, Anglesea Community House Inc.

In this NewsAngle Sky ranger Dean Snow

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Decades of protecting and restoring

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Update on community precinct master plan

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Keep Aireys Inlet in the dark

10–11

Anglesea performing arts

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Local profile: Pattie Beerens

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Local profile: Arnav Chug

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Business profile: Le Comptoir

18–19

In the House

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History spot: Ash Wednesday

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Community Corner

30–36

Arts Scene

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At ACH we are not resting on our laurels and there’s always things to do better. Our focus in 2023 will be on

Editorial If you have feedback or comments about articles, or would like to make a suggestion, please contact the editor at newsangle@anglesea.org.au or leave news items/notices for the editor at the Anglesea Community House.

Hard copies are distributed to PO boxes in Aireys Inlet and can be found at local cafes/ shops in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

Distribution

Deadlines for next edition Issue 153 Autumn 2023 Casual ad bookings 10 March 2023 Articles/contributions 4 March 2023 Distribution 4 April 2023

NewsAngle is offered free to the community.

You can read a digital version online at anglesea.org.au/newsangle.

If you would like to book an annual or casual advertisement, please email Julie at advertising@anglesea.org.au.

Anglesea Community House 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea PO Box 43, Anglesea, VIC, 3230 Tel: 5263 2116 Hours: 9 am–2.30 pm, Monday–Friday Email admin@anglesea.org.au Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Community House.

Anglesea Community House is located on the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung people.

We acknowledge them as Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and future.

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FEATURE

Sky ranger Dean Snow

By Penny Edmanson

For those in our community who have embraced social media, a daily check of ‘Anglesea Life’ on Facebook is a must. The aerial shots provided by Dean Snow are a highlight, but who is the man behind the camera and the controls?

Dean is no stranger to long-term residents, and many an interesting anecdote could be told of the youthful Dean and his mates. However, these are best kept under wraps, as 40 years on these young larrikins are fine upstanding members of our community.

Taking one for the team I volunteered not only to find out about our local Birdman but, with more than a little trepidation, to go on a flight with him.

Dean Snow grew up in Belmont. When he was about 11, he was given a Mal surfboard.

Unfortunately, it was too big to carry so the following Christmas he asked for another. As fate would have it, he was given a blank (the basic shaped surfboard foam core that is used to make surfboards).

And so his interest in building things was born.

Fortunately, Dean gave me little notice and one morning in October I got the call that the conditions were right.

Within half an hour I was looking at a very small plane and learning that Dean had built it himself ! Without time to get nervous or think of a good excuse to pull out, I climbed in. We taxied along the paddock avoiding the cows and kangaroos, turned and took off. What an experience!

With a smooth ascent we quietly rose to the optimal 2500 feet (762 metres). Coasting at 109 knots, the views were so amazing it was easy to forget that only a fibreglass shell separated us from the elements. And this from someone who does not even enjoy flying commercially.

We travelled along the coast to the Heads, observing the swollen Barwon River spilling its muddy contents into the sea and a couple of intrepid surfers braving the waves off Point Nepean. Dean never tires of the view, preferring the ever-changing nature of the ocean to the static views of human-made structures. The previous day he had spotted a whale and a school of tuna off Thirteenth Beach. Today he pointed out an extensive dinoflagellate bloom off Point Roadknight that would no doubt have provided a spectacular display of bioluminescence on a dark night.

For me the extent of the urban sprawl of Torquay and surrounds was pretty shocking, as was the view of the eroding Anglesea cliffs with recent rock falls clearly visible and where the old Surfcoast Walk is gradually slipping into the sea.

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Over the years he has built surfboards, sailboards, kiteboards, foil boards, microlights, lightplanes and yachts, and of course like any good craftsperson he has tried out his products.

Penny enjoys the Surf Coast views with Dean Snow.

Dean was never particularly happy with his job at the Ford Factory in Geelong so he jumped at the chance to purchase seven acres of land on the Great Ocean Road.

A former pine plantation destroyed in the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983, Dean and his partner initially ran a horse trail riding business and then built nine rustic holiday cabins known as Maroo Park Cottages.

While looking after the various tasks required to run tourist accommodation, Dean still found time to indulge his passion for tinkering. He built a yacht which he successfully raced on Western Port and in the Marley Point Overnight Race. However, Dean is more of a bird than a fish. He started flying hang gliders 30 years ago, it was this particular craft that gave him his hairiest moment.

Hang gliding above Urquhart’s Bluff, a sudden atmospheric anomaly caused him to be sucked up by an overpowering lift at 1000 feet (c. 305 metres) a minute while trying desperately to land.

After 18 years his marriage ended and by this time Dean had purchased 108 acres behind the Chocolate Factory from Peter O’Donohue. The land was relatively cheap as it couldn’t be subdivided further, and here Dean lives with his adult son. Needless to say, the focus is the big shed/ hangar essential for Dean’s ever-expanding hobbies.

Currently the walls are lined with surfboards, foil boards and various other ‘toys’ but centre stage is given to the

NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

FEATURE beginnings of his latest project – a Glasair 11 plane – a low wing two-seater from the United States.

Dean has been making planes for a couple of years.

The one currently in the air is a Jabiru J230D, an Australian design with the kit made in Bundaberg.

It arrives packaged in what Dean drily remarks can double as a coffin. When constructed it is 6.55 metres long with a wingspan of 9.55 metres and a fuel capacity of 140 litres. It has a strut-based high wing and a single engine. For those contemplating a similar pastime, note that it is not a cheap hobby, costing $80,000+ to get off the ground, as well as all that’s required to gain a recreational pilot’s licence.

In spite of Dean’s obvious taste for extreme adventures, he is diligent with safety. He explains that weather, traffic and fuel supply are all important. The day has to be calm with good visibility. In addition to using a transponder to constantly relay his position, he maintains radio contact with other aircraft in the vicinity and uses OzRunways EFB app to monitor other air traffic.

Above all, regular maintenance of the plane is the key.

Most days when the conditions are right Dean takes off from his property in Bellbrae to cruise along the coast. He is like a ranger of the skies, keeping an eye on our unique environment: the state of our river, our cliffs, our forests, our ocean and marine life. If you want to keep your feet planted safely on the ground but still share that very special bird’s eye view, I urge you to join Anglesea Life on Facebook for his amazing aerial shots.

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Decades of protecting and restoring

By Janet Stephens Did you know that 30 years ago a substantial amount of the coastal vegetation between Anglesea Main Beach and Point Roadknight was engulfed with environmental weeds? There was no beautiful walking track stretching from Anglesea SLSC to Point Roadknight as there is today. How did it come about? We have to thank a small band of volunteers from the Anglesea Coast Action Group (merged with Angair from 2012) for 27 years of work along this track.

Highlights of their work include the following: ▪ Advocating for and finding funding for the walking track from the Heathland Garden to Anglesea SLSC, enabling tourists and residents to walk safely between Anglesea and Point Roadknight.

▪ Revegetation of an area east of the car park at the Anglesea SLSC, engulfed in blackberries in 2003, but now a remnant stand of Coastal Moonah Woodland, listed as an endangered area under the State Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. ▪ Clearing an area above the Anglesea SLSC (ocean side of the Great Ocean Road) of environmental weeds up to three metres high. Within six months an amazing transformation took place. Without woody weeds the bare soil became moist and warmer and a mass germination of heathland plants emerged. Today. it is hard to believe that this pristine heathland has not always been in place.

▪ The Soapy Rocks revegetation project, clearing environmental weeds first then establishing mass indigenous plantings. Some natural regeneration has also taken place which is very heartening.

▪ Establishment of the Heathland Garden, Melba Parade, Point Roadknight, previously a barren carpark covered with kikuyu and sallow wattle. Today, the vegetation is diverse, local and beautiful.

Of course, others assisted with some of these projects as well – St Bernard’s College Essendon students, Angair volunteers, GORCC and various funding grants, but they could not have happened without the initiative, supervision, planning and hard work of Carl Rayner and a small band of volunteers.

Carl Rayner in front of high environmental weeds along the path near the Surf Life Saving Club.

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FEATURE

$200,000 state funding for community precinct master plan

By Geraldine Ditchburn

Surf Coast Shire Council has received $200,000 funding from the Victorian Government Investment Fast Track Fund to prepare a master plan for the Anglesea community precinct in McMillan Street, with an additional $50,000 to be contributed by the Council.

Surf Coast Shire former mayor and Anglesea ward councillor, Libby Stapleton, says the funding for a master plan for the site presents ‘ … an opportunity to reimagine what this space could look like’, including showcasing environmentally sustainable buildings and creating spaces that engender the sharing of ideas and services between interest groups and across generations.

The community precinct is currently home to a number of services including the Anglesea Community House (which operates the childcare centre), senior citizens, kindergarten, youth space, historical society, community garden, Anglesea Memorial Hall and Angair, as well as a range of health services.

Initial support for the planning proposal has come from a number of sources. Barwon Health, members of the community precinct, and the Housing Challenge Working Group have all registered positive responses to the idea of a redeveloped precinct.

A recent Shire audit of the precinct noted a number of challenges at the site, including disconnected spaces operating in isolation and some buildings requiring major repairs. There is little space for additional uses of the site, such as social housing or other services, and infrastructure is duplicated in some instances. Issues such as parking and entry and exit routes were also noted in the audit as inefficiencies in the use of the current site.

According to Alicia Hooper, Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives at Surf Coast Council, the opportunity to develop a master plan for the area is welcome. However, before any work is started, a full assessment of the site, including any evidence of contamination, needs to be undertaken. Natural and human-made heritage and bushfire overlays also need to be considered. Some of the buildings have historical value so they need to be integrated into any new space.

Social and affordable housing It is timely that funding to prepare a master plan for the site may provide an opportunity to address the acute housing shortage in the area. Alicia Hopper notes that, ‘Surf Coast Council is [facing] a housing affordability crisis … There is a huge deficit of housing’.

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A Shire survey of 71 coastal businesses revealed that not only did the lack of housing mean that it was difficult to retain staff, but many businesses had to close some of the time. It is estimated that an additional 4000 workers are required to maintain business and key health services along the Great South Coast and these workers need affordable places to live.

‘Our coastal communities will not thrive if we cannot provide a combination of mixed density, affordable accommodation …’ says Libby Stapleton, Former Surf Coast Shire Mayor and Anglesea ward councillor.

‘We’ll lose teachers, nurses, doctors, hospitality staff and more if we don’t do something to provide more affordable and secure accommodation.

‘The impact is immediate and personal but also broader and longer term, a stronger social fabric and a diverse and more resilient economy.’

The way forward Clarification of the key purposes of a revised precinct, including the potential integration of affordable housing, will need to be discussed and agreed to by the community.

Consideration of current needs and the ways in which a new precinct might be ‘congruent with’ or enhance the surrounding spaces will be items for discussion.

‘It is important that you do something that the community is proud of ’, says Alicia, ‘and make sure voices are heard and included’. The Council plans to engage experts to facilitate this process to ensure the consultation process includes all relevant stakeholders.

For Libby, funding for a master plan provides ‘an opportunity … to invest in a project that brings together housing, health, community, education and other services’.

‘Our coastal communities will not thrive if we cannot provide a combination of mixed density, affordable accommodation’

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FEATURE

Plan for McMillan Street community precinct Source: Surf Coast Shire and Coomes Consulting

Aireys Inlet Housing Project The provision of affordable social housing is underway in Aireys Inlet. Community consultation using online surveys and events have been set up to allow community input on the purpose and design of an affordable housing project at 2 Fraser Drive.

Council has owned the land and units at 2 Fraser Drive, Aireys Inlet for decades and rents the units out at below-market rate to residents allocated from the Victorian Housing Register.

From the Shire: It is early in the consultation process but what people are telling us is they know there is a real need for social and affordable housing ...

Everyone seems to know someone who is struggling to find or hold on to affordable housing.

There are 783 people on the Victorian Housing Register waiting list for social housing seeking to live in Anglesea/Aireys Inlet district; 533 are in priority categories and 250 who are not in priority categories, but have registered their interest.

All going well, Council will be able to start an Expression of Interest process to see if there are registered housing providers who would like to partner with our community to deliver this project as part of the state government’s Big Housing Build.

Community members can learn more about the project and have their say via surfcoast.vic.gov/ housing. People seeking more information can email info@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or phone Council on 5260 0600.

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FEATURE

Keep Aireys Inlet in the dark

By Mary Bremner

Aireys Inlet & District Association (AIDA) recently organised an event as part of its bid to become an International Dark Sky designated area. With one of the darkest skies within two hours of Melbourne, Aireys Inlet is well positioned to become the first official Dark Sky Community in Victoria.

I picked my way across the Painkalac valley while veering towards the two telescopes I had been told were set up in the darkness. I was hoping for my night vision to kick in – something I had just learned happens after about half an hour in the dark. I was on the Bambra road rehabilitation property of Mick Loughnan and Jacinta Halloran and taking part in an after-dark field trip as part of the Aireys Inlet & District Association (AIDA) Dark Sky event.

On cue, the clouds blew away allowing a complete view of our night sky and the swathe of sparkling lights that form the Milky Way overhead. My knowledge of the stars is limited to picking out the Southern Cross, the Saucepan and the evening star. Squinting into the telescope, I was blown away to see the luminous planet Jupiter come into focus and also to spy Saturn, complete with its distinctive rings. Further down the valley, lights had been set up with a sheet to attract a variety of moths. A chorus of frogs singing in harmony provided the sound track to the experience.

Educating via the Dark Sky projects Earlier in the evening I had listened to Judith Bailey from the Victorian Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association explain the aims of the movement. Its purpose, stated simply, is to protect the night from light

pollution. It works to educate people and encourages town planning that involves the strategic use of night lighting.

First Nations woman and astronomer, Krystal de Napoli, held the audience entranced as she explained how our Indigenous people had vast knowledge of the stars and planets and used them to guide many aspects of their daily life and culture. The stars guided their sustainable hunting practices; for example, when it was time to harvest emu eggs and when to stop.

Greg Day gave a local perspective and shared that it was not unheard of for Aireys Inlet townsfolk to conduct guerrilla raids to sabotage obtrusive street lighting. (Who knew?)

Why preserve our dark sky?

I’ve experienced the joys of star gazing while living on a farm, out camping and travelling in the outback. I knew that minimal light is optimal for astronomical observations, but it was enlightening to discover many other reasons to preserve our dark skies.

Artificial lighting has a big impact on nocturnal wildlife, which uses the dark as safe cover for hunting and mating.

Migratory birds can be lured off course by the sky-glow of big cities. Judith Bailey gave just one example when she spoke of the alarming reduction in the numbers of Bogong moths caused, at least in part, when they’re lured from their migration paths by the lights of cities and towns. The moths are an important food source for the critically endangered mountain pygmy possums.

Research has suggested harmful effects on human health when artificial light upsets our biological clocks, which have evolved to the rhythms of day and night. There is also the issue of wasteful energy consumption with the resulting carbon emissions due to excessive night lighting.

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FEATURE Slow tourism destination AIDA members believe that Aireys Inlet’s night sky is something special and worth preserving for future generations. The organiser of the evening event, Frieda Wachsmann believes a listing as a Dark Sky Designated Place would make Aireys Inlet an attractive destination for ‘slow tourism’. Instead of speeding through by bus, visitors would stay longer to appreciate the region’s natural beauty, including the night sky. This complements other initiatives to advance nature-based, sustainable tourism on the Great Ocean Road.

In order to gain this accreditation, there has to be a demonstration of community support, along with Surf Coast Shire Council backing and the development of a policy document. Our shire would join a number of local government bodies across Australia, in following the five principals for responsible outdoor lighting. Any lights need to have a clear purpose, be directed only where needed, be no brighter than necessary, controlled so used only when needed and be warm in colour, wherever practicable.

Photo by Michael van Berkel

Private citizens would be encouraged to eliminate unnecessary lighting, use energy efficient forms of lighting, shields that direct light down, dimmers, timers and sensors. Light that is necessary for public safety would be maintained, but installed in a sensitive manner.

When our time was up in the valley, my freshly sharpened awareness of night lighting noticed so much illumination along the road through the town. It is only in places such as this, away from the artificial glow of our bigger towns and cities, that we can experience those moments of awe that come from lifting our gaze to the night sky. This seems a heritage well worth preserving.

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FEATURE

Anglesea Performing Arts

By Stacey Carmichael and Lina Libroaperto

It’s been a busy year for Anglesea Performing Arts (APA), bringing audiences from across the state to our seaside town to enjoy and be captivated by live theatre.

After a successful one-act play double bill, Love, Loss and What I Bore, in June this year, APA hosted the 30th Annual Anglesea One Act Play Festival in August. The two ensemble plays, directed by Nikki Watson, were then taken to the Foster One Act Play Festival where multiple awards were won!

Indeed, Anglesea Performing Arts is proud to have presented this powerful piece of theatre, to stimulate conversation around a critical social issue and hopefully bring about a change in attitudes and maybe even a call to action for those who are witnesses to ‘violence against the vulnerable’.

But it didn’t stop there! In November, APA presented The Bleeding Tree. A theatrical masterpiece written by Angus Cerini, The Bleeding Tree is a murder ballad set against a deceptively deadly Aussie backdrop, with three fierce females fighting back. Directed by award-winning and much-loved local director Iris Walshe-Howling, this moving and evocative play sold out and had audiences completely enthralled.

The cast and crew were also delighted to welcome the esteemed playwright, Angus Cerini, to one of the matinee performances. It was an honour for all involved to share the work with him.

Colin Mockett Review from Entertainment Geelong: In the hands of writer Cerini, director Iris WalshHowling and that ultra-talented acting trio, The Bleeding Tree becomes a beautifully sensitive stage experience that effortlessly portrays emotions using innuendo and indirect communications to reveal the emotions and truths behind human tragedies.

Such was their stage skills and discipline, along with director Walsh-Howling’s unobtrusive control. Lina Libroaperto, Julie Fryman and Stacey Carmichael presented a series of acting master classes inside the play’s structure. And there was more. All the above skills were interlaced, bracketed and supported by Kirsten Honey’s music, played live from a raised dais behind the audience. Add in Kip Cowland’s low-profile but pitch-perfect sound and lighting, and this Bleeding Tree made for a remarkable, brilliant gem of a small theatre in the modest Anglesea venue.

Generous support for other causes APA also has a social conscience and for several seasons now they have donated the proceeds of opening night to a not-for-profit organisation. Past recipients include our local Aireys Inlet Rural Australians for Refugees and La Mama theatre post-fire rebuild. The Bleeding Tree’s opening night proceeds of $1000 will be donated to The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, Geelong.

‘We look for a local non-government organisation that is supporting people in need in our local and broader community. Given the themes of The Bleeding Tree, it is apt to select an organisation that provides support and resources to family members who are targets of violence and sexual assault,’ says Lina Libroaperto, long-term APA member.

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Cast and crew left to right – Back: Lina Libroaperto, Sarah Crowe, Iris Walsh-Howling, Kip Cowland. Front: Julie Fryman, Stacey Carmichael, Kirstin Honey

Anglesea Performing Arts is the local, ensemble theatre troupe that has been performing awardwinning productions for around 20 years in its current incarnation.

The group has a much longer history. It was formerly known as Anglesea Entertainers and regularly performed musicals, plays and pantomimes. The APA website gives details of productions from the most recent 20 years. It is indeed an impressive body of work including Australian plays, classical Greek tragedies, original works from local playwrights (including the awardwinning Janet Brown), and unique group devised pieces.

So if you missed out on our offerings in 2022, but your interest is piqued and you’d like to keep informed about our exciting 2023 season, then check out our website and even register to receive an e-newsletter about current productions. www.angleseaperformingarts.com

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FEATURE

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LOCAL PROFILE

Pattie Beerens weaving clay with place

By Helen Thomas

Anglesea residents who last year followed the trail of the ‘Anglesea Phantoms’ may be familiar with the work of local Anglesea artist Pattie Beerens.

The phantoms mysteriously appeared one night in the light of the full moon and were placed in a range of locations for residents to discover. These 12 unique pieces of art, created secretly by 12 artists including Pattie, were constructed from local materials and found objects.

weaving collaboration created in Mpartnwe (Alice Springs).

Place of not knowing

It was here in this space and ‘place of not knowing’ that Pattie drew inspiration and understanding of her practice. She described the artwork as having ‘Sea Phantom’ is ‘rested’ when it became Sea Phantom photographed here by about accepting the ‘not local photographer and knowing’, of the Country, collaborator Tom Radtke. It began with Pattie delivering a of the Arrernte people, of their land and their ways, and woven ephemeral head form to each artist as a basis on being content at times with inhabiting this unknowing which to create a sculpture. state.

Artists chose a location of meaning and importance to Pattie said: ‘The weaving wandered over a few weeks as a them and it was here that they situated their phantom. response to feeling more than seeing. It has been teaching Each phantom had a story and was placed respectfully me to acknowledge without knowing and to accept within the landscape so it could be found and residents without understanding’. could connect with it. A map provided the location for Pattie arrived in Alice Springs a couple of weeks before each of the phantoms as they took us on an exciting the conference started. She began to explore and journey of discovery. The phantoms stayed in place until experience the sense of place and to locate herself in this the dark night of no moon two weeks later, then desert country before beginning to weave her magical clay disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived! threads.

Connection to landscape and environment Pattie has created many art installations on Wadawurrung Country and this acknowledgement of Country is important to her.

It is this spirit of place and connection to landscape and environment that plays such an integral part in her work and her art practice.

As part of this ongoing exploration, Pattie made an important and transformational journey this year when she travelled to Alice Springs to participate in the ‘Apmere Mparntwe’ Australian Ceramics Triennale. This is an Arrernte term meaning ‘this place Alice Springs’.

Pattie’s installation at the conference was formed in collaboration with Aboriginal children and families, conference delegates and visitors. She named it ‘place of not knowing’ on Arrernte Country: The story of a clay 14

She elaborated: ‘We were weaving with clay and stories before the conference began, with the clay the process forms as an exchange. Clay takes moisture from our hands and forms from the pressure of our fingers. Clay collects along cotton threads, it drips, it slumps, it glistens’.

During the conference her sculptural clay weaving was hanging from the trees and woven among the vegetation.

It continued to evolve organically in response to the environment and its people, as over time she produced an ephemeral sculpture installation in the Araluen Cultural Precinct.

She explained: ‘This is my story of being on this Country of the Arrernte people. A tangle of stories woven together to say something of this world and show how it is possible to mend and grow’.

Pattie spoke of the journey of connecting with clay and earth here and how this is expressed through her art practice. Clay is not object, clay is country and place.

NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

LOCAL PROFILE She spoke of the importance of acknowledging the provenance of the clay she uses in her work and described visiting the clay pans on the outskirts of Alice Springs with an Aboriginal elder who spoke with her about his family’s connection to Arrernte Country.

Patti said: ‘Collecting clay respectfully is a ritual of clay weaving, extraction of clay for art can be an extraction of stories and spirithood. I wonder as a white person what does it mean to respect this Country’.

Lorne Sculpture Biennale This same principle informed her sculptural work ‘dwell’ at the Lorne Sculpture Biennale in 2022. She created an evolving work from found materials sourced locally and respectfully in Lorne and surrounds.

In collaboration with artists and performers, including dancer Thaedra Frangos, a Wemba Wemba and Dhudhuroa woman, and video artist Rory Daniel, she encouraged visitors to dwell in the space and experience the seaside in all its forms and senses: sight, touch, smell and movement.

Pattie (left) with writer Helen Thomas

Pattie most recently worked with gardeners at the St Kilda Community ‘Veg Out’ Garden. She planted cuttings donated by friends and is weaving a sculpture from fruit tree prunings rescued from the compost.

She called the work ‘hallowed blossom’ as it takes the form of a four-metre high sculptural piece.

The piece was commissioned for Big Sculpture Biennale 2022. It pays tribute to the memory of a local community gardener.

Locals have had an opportunity to experience more of Pattie’s work in recent months as she participated in the Anglesea Art Space ‘Our River’ collaboration. We look forward to more of her weaving magic.

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LOCAL PROFILE

Welcome Arnav Chug!

By Helen Thomas

Arnav recently purchased the Aireys Inlet pharmacy, when the much-loved and highly respected pharmacist Minh Nguyen moved to Ballarat to rejoin his family.

Although Arnav has only been in Aireys Inlet for seven months he is very familiar with the Surf Coast as he grew up in Geelong.

He is an experienced pharmacist who has worked in a variety of research and hospital settings. Arnav has a particular interest in public health and his Master’s degree focused on public health administration and health economics.

Arnav has also assumed a range of community leadership roles and mentored vulnerable youth at risk of disengaging from education and employment. He was club president of the Rotaract Club of Barwon and led a fundraising initiative for humanitarian aid for Sri Lankan flood victims, which was awarded Rotaract Australia’s best International Project of the Year 2016. He has received numerous awards in other areas.

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Arnav’s background Arnav was born in the city of Amritsar, located in Northern India and bordering Pakistan. In August 1947, India and Pakistan gained freedom after two centuries of British rule. The Partition of British India split the former British province of Punjab between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. Many people became displaced and massive population exchanges occurred between the two newly formed states. Arnav’s grandparents fled into the Indian State renamed the East Punjab, which is predominantly Hindu. Like his own parents, his grandparents were looking for stability and religious tolerance in which to raise their family.

Settling in Australia He arrived in Australia in 2006 at age 12 with his mother Manu, his father Satbir and his sister Sania aged 19. The family had some Punjabi friends already living in Geelong at this time, so it was a natural move for them to choose this as their preferred location for settlement. Arnav went straight into year seven at Belmont High School, while his

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LOCAL PROFILE sister began a commerce degree at Deakin University.

Sania graduated and currently works in administration at Deakin in the Faculty of Law. Elder sister Annie, who had already married by the time the family emigrated, remains in the Punjab.

The family settled well into life in Geelong and Arnav’s parents set about raising their children in the hope of giving them the best possible life choices, including educational opportunities.

While they were a middle class family in India, they did not have this same level of economic security on arrival in Australia. In the Punjab, Arnav’s father ran a small business and his mother was a primary school teacher.

They were granted working visas on the condition of establishing a small business in regional/rural Australia, which they promptly set about doing.

Arnav’s mother decided not to return to teaching as her qualifications were not recognised here and she did not want to retrain. She went into the family business with Arnav’s father and they worked hard but enjoyed their contact with people. Their petrol station became a thriving and successful business. Now in their late 60s they are about to retire.

The importance of family Arnav says: ‘We all worked hard as a family and did several jobs. I did paper rounds. Initially my parents had three jobs and I grew up helping them by working in the petrol station too.’

Arnav excelled academically and his science background meant he applied to study physiotherapy, medicine and pharmacy. The physiotherapy and medicine offers would have taken him interstate and away from his family. For this reason and because of his experience growing up as the son of parents who ran a small business, working in service and caring for people, he decided to stay close to the family and pursue a career in pharmacy. He attended Monash University (Pharmacy College) and lived in residence while studying at the Parkville campus. He returned home on weekends to visit his family and work in the business.

‘important players’ in his decision-making. He was careful to add, that his parents always act as guides and mentors to him and that they have always encouraged him and his sister to be independent and autonomous. For them, their children’s happiness and fulfillment is of primary concern.

This requires a fine balance between family preferences and individual choice and is a strong cultural ethos, which informs their family life.

Arnav hopes to instill these same values and this level of care and concern if and when he has his own children. In the future, he would like to move to Aireys Inlet to live, but for the time being he has bought a house in Mt Duneed, which allows him to be both close to family and to work.

Thanks for welcoming me Arnav is delighted to be working as the local pharmacist in Aireys Inlet. He describes the community as friendly and says that he has been embraced fully in his new and exciting undertaking in owning his own business. He appreciates the opportunity to work in a small community where he is able to get to know people and build relationships. This fits with his philosophy of caring for people while being able to deliver an important and essential service to the town.

He says his greatest challenge is to achieve a good work– life balance so he can appreciate and enjoy the beauty and serenity that the coastal hamlet of Aireys Inlet has to offer.

As with any major decisions he has had to make, he discussed and consulted with his parents regarding his career choices. He described his parents as being

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Le Comptoir – c’est super!

By Mary Bremner

The smell of freshly baked bread wafts from the kitchen, glistening fruits nestle into pastries on the counter, French accents can be overheard. This isn’t your average country coffee stop.

Aireys Inlet, once dubbed ‘Fitzroy sur la Plage’ by visiting writer Shane Maloney is cementing its reputation as a foodie destination with the recent opening of the French cafe, Le Comptoir.

Owners Sam Roig-Sclafer and Asher Healy are well known as the hosts at the popular Lighthouse Tea Rooms – a business they took over in 2019. Sam came to Aireys Inlet after falling in love with local girl, Asher, while here on a working visa. Three years later, the couple are now the parents to two young children, Noé and Elijah, and are firmly established in the town.

When the owner of the premises at the Top Shops, formerly occupied by Truffles, approached Sam and Asher about taking on the lease for a new venture, the couple thought long and hard. The offer of help with the renovations was tempting and they decided to take the plunge.

Straightaway, Sam chatted with interior designer Ian Wilson, a frequent customer at the Lighthouse cafe. Sam had a vision of a destination that is more about good food,

prepared with passion, than fine dining. Ian had spent a lot of time walking in France, visiting and eating in small villages and he totally understood Sam’s concept.

Ian’s design made use of recycled timber linings to give warmth to the room. He chose bentwood chairs, wooden tables and chic fittings to add a French vibe, while still being a practical environment for both customers and staff.

Highlighting local ingredients Sam and Asher want the Le Comptoir experience to be one of conviviality, with people sharing small plates, cooked daily from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. To that end, the couple spent six months visiting producers and cheese makers in regional Victoria, seeking out the best local foodstuffs for use in the kitchen and to stock their large deli bar. However, Sam has found that when they hear his accent, customers ask for a French cheese, so he is also meeting that demand with a range of imported products.

Le Comptoir has a small menu that changes every two weeks. ‘We don’t want to be stuck in a routine, but keep creating things and surprising our customers. The pastries are all made in house, except the croissants, which are delivered fresh each day by Noisette – they also bring the baguettes, which are finished in the kitchen.

These baguettes, filled with delicious combinations from the deli bar, are a regular on the menu and available for take-away. Platters of cheese and charcuterie are also standards. The livers of Great Ocean Ducks find their way into house-made paté, while rillettes are made using Barongarook Pork. Typical menu items include freshly made salads, oeufs en cocotte (baked eggs), chermoula aubergine (baked eggplant), pate aux pommes de terre

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BUSINESS PROFILE eggplant), pate aux pommes de terre (potato pie) or a celeriac remoulade (celeriac mayonnaise salad). You can drink French wine, with a selection from Sam’s home region of Bordeaux and a choice of fine Australian wine.

All day venue Sam could see the potential for a venue that opened longer hours - they are open from 8 am to 8 pm. This means that you can visit at opening hours for breakfast, cruise through morning coffees and pastries, come with your friends for lunch, enjoy a late afternoon get together over a glass of wine and a platter of cheese or charcuterie or make it there for a light dinner.

The focus is on French food served simply and without pretension. Sam freely admits that this presented its challenges and he has endured some emotional outbursts from customers seeking alternatives to whole milk in their coffee. There is no decaf or chai latte at Le Comptoir.

Sam explained that he is standing firm in the face of customers who aren’t on board with his desire to share a typically French experience.

Why the name Le Comptoir? (French for The Counter).

There are layers of meaning, Sam explained. It was the name of a pizza place where he worked for his father in France. It describes the broad, welcoming counter that is a feature of the cafe. There is also the historical overtone of the old-style general store, where customers asked for their provisions at a counter.

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Community Corner

In the House

By Marcelle Rankin

Farmers Market in full swing We were excited to welcome on board Helen Kline, Aireys resident and business owner and operator of Stir Crazy Kitchen, as the Anglesea Twilight Market Manager for season three! Helen has been busy for over 10 years now sourcing locally grown citrus fruit and creating delicious zesty cordials. Helen is keen to see the continued success of this Community House event and shares what she loves about the market: ‘Anglesea Twilight Market is a wonderful regional market and enjoys a great little Friday night community vibe.

We bring along our retro caravan with the cordial offered as a frozen granita, perfect for the summer months ahead’.

We look forward to seeing you drop in to the market over the summer months. Join us on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month from 4.30 pm to 8 pm in the Community House carpark for shopping, dinner, live music and more!

Power saving bonus still available Anglesea Community House, alongside many other neighbourhood houses across the state has partnered with the State Government of Victoria and Good Shepard to

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increase community access to the Power Saving Bonus. So far we have supported 58 families in our communities to access the Power Saving Bonus. If you or anyone you know has limited access to online services or would like some support in applying, please get in touch or drop in with your electricity bill and your bank details so we Market Manager Helen handing over the door prize can get you sorted. This to a lucky market attendee! state government initiative is open until the 30 June 2023.

Courses and MeetUps at ACH Why not try something new in 2023! We have plenty on offer whether you are wanting to try something new, join a regular meet-up group, meet some new people in town or increase your skills and knowledge. Check out the What’s On section where you are sure to find an activity or class that will get you out and about and trying something new, connecting with your community along the way.

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Community Corner

Snappers continue to grow and share knowledge

By Deborah Elliot Anglesea Snappers is a group of enthusiastic photographers from the Anglesea region and supported by Anglesea Community House. The club operates informally, meeting twice a month – first and third Tuesdays at 7.30 pm in the Anglesea Community House, 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea. We also have monthly excursions.

The emphasis is on improving photographic skill through sharing work and knowledge. The group includes very experienced and skilled photographers who are happy to pass on their knowledge to those at earlier stages of the photography journey. The group has presentations on many aspects of photography, such as composition and design, night photos, long exposure and post-production.

The Surf Coast region provides great opportunities for photography – from seascapes, waterfalls, spectacular sunrises and sunsets to rugged cliffs and flora and fauna.

Our monthly excursions provide the opportunity to apply and experiment with our shared knowledge.

The club also has a lot of fun!

The Anglesea Snappers recently held their second exhibition at the Anglesea Art Space showcasing member’s work. Over 600 people attended the exhibition and sales were excellent. The club thank all our local friends and visitors to Anglesea for their support. The Snappers have applied to have another exhibition at Anglesea Art Space in 2023.

You can find the club on Facebook and Instagram under Anglesea Snappers Photography Club.

Snappers at the recent Art Space exhibition, from left to right: Ian Coles, Michael Scholtes, John Lenegan, Rob Shepherd, Paul Wright, Deb Elliot, with Stuart Fry in front.

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By Rob Cameron Community Development Manager The Anglesea and District Community Bank is continuing to work closely with the Anglesea Lions Club on valuable local projects. In recent times the focus has been on the location and servicing of the defibrillators, strategically positioned around the region.

It is always hoped there will never be a need to use one of these important medical aids, but we are reminded that recently in the Anglesea shopping precinct a defibrillator was required and probably saved a life.

The battery and connection pads on these vital machines have a limited viability and the servicing is taking place at present to ensure the machines are in perfect working order. The Lions Club is partnering with the Community Bank to ensure the funding is provided to complete this important task.

Christmas Carols are back!

The Lions Club is also supporting the local Christmas Carols in Anglesea and they will be staged again this year at the Village Green in Cameron Park on 21 December at 7 pm.

This is a return to festivities after COVID restrictions. We hope the weather will be fabulous and the locals will support the event in large numbers.

If you miss this gathering, the Anglesea Baptist Church is also having a Carols night at the riverbank Information Centre at 6 pm on Friday 23 December.

Supporting local cricket development The Anglesea Cricket Club has commenced the interrupted season in fine style, winning the three games they have been able to play in the A Grade section stretching their unbeaten run to three years and three games. The club is fielding four senior men’s teams and a senior women’s team again this season and three junior teams, as well as the Junior Blasters under-10 start-out program.

The Anglesea and District Community Bank is delighted to have provided support for the purchase of a new bowling machine, which provides club coaches with a new skill development tool to assist with junior and senior players.

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23

HISTORY SPOT

70th anniversary celebrations

By Raylene Fordham, Club Manager

Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club has celebrated its 70th anniversary! To commemorate the event the club hosted a weekend of celebrations and reminiscing in November.

Commencing with a social gathering on Friday 4 November, attendees reminisced about old times while viewing the extensive memorabilia display, curated by Anglesea and Life Saving Victoria Life Member and Historian, Prue Weber. Saturday and Sunday saw close to 200 people enjoy a BBQ feast, with young and old taking part in the informal celebrations, followed by a presentation of a numbered lifesaving cap to all competitors who have represented the state over seven decades.

First woman golf club president in 70 years Jules Rolfe has been elected president of the Anglesea Golf Club – the first woman president of the club in its more than 70year history.

It was terrific to have 93-year-old Kenneth Coulson, who completed his Bronze Medallion in 1952, in attendance.

To make the weekend even more special was the announcement of member Christine Cardwell, as Surf Sport Coach of the Year at the Surf Life Saving Australia Awards.

Rolfe is a keen golfer and lives locally. Outgoing President Mike Grossman said: ‘I am delighted to have Jules take over the reigns. She has previous experience on our Board and also worked as a chief executive officer and director in the not-for-profit sector.’

President, David (Ducky) Marsh, whose children are now fourth generation members said: ‘The surf club has been an integral part of mine and my family’s life and it’s wonderful to share this great place now with my children.’

Asked about the future of the club, Jules said: ‘We have a number of initiatives underway, including completion of the townhouse project, planning tree re-vegetation on the course and developing junior golf.’

Ocean Patrols started on Saturday 26 November and go through to generally the end of Easter, so look out for the yellow and red caps. Stay safe this summer and remember to swim between the flags.

Anglesea Golf Club welcomes new members and green fee players as well as visitors to the kangaroo tours, bistro, driving range and mini golf.

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HISTORY SPOT

40 years on – remembering Ash Wednesday

By Jan Morris Many residents’ homes and livelihoods were threatened on Ash Wednesday – 16 February 1983.

There was a loss of 132 houses in Anglesea alone, not to mention the huge losses in Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven and surrounding areas.

The following are quotes from The Ashes of Memory, a book published by the Anglesea Creative Writing Group following the Ash Wednesday fires.

As I drove to the road, I could hear the fire roaring and then crackling. A fire crew was next door and one of them called, ‘Are you alright? Go for your life’.

They turned and followed me.

Nancy McDonald

From the beach I saw Anglesea Fire engulfing the area around Spout Creek between incinerated as I am accompanied Eastern View and Moggs Creek by sounds like rifle shots as tiles exploded. I watched the fire fires as they roared through the towns from Lorne to sweeping on towards Jan Juc and thought about the Anglesea. Turnbull’s report from a helicopter included the limited power of man in such circumstances.

Madge Toumy

following: ‘As we flew down the Ocean Road towards

As we left Dad in Anglesea to fight the fire my little sister said, ‘Please don’t die Daddy’. It’s funny how a little child’s words said just how we felt and brought to the surface the tragic circumstances of the evening.

Lorne, we came across smoke billowing thousands of

Jessica Morrison

Journalist David Turnbull was working for Ten News on Ash Wednesday. He was given the task of covering the

metres into the air, the hills around the Pioneer Holiday Resort were absolutely ablaze, everywhere you looked it seems the forest was alight. Roadblocks further up the highway have kept traffic out of the area, we haven’t got close to the township itself as yet, but if anybody’s trapped in there, God help them.’

Stories such as these will be included in a display of objects and written and audiovisual material developed by the Historical Society prompted by the upcoming 40th anniversary of Ash Wednesday. In addition, the vital work of the CFA is acknowledged as an integral part of the bushfire history story. The Historical Society is also hosting an event in February – see the details here.

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Advertisement

Alcoa Anglesea Update Summer 2022-2023

Welcome to Alcoa’s regular community update where we share the latest information about our activities at the former mine and power station site. In this edition we provide a wrap up of our 2022 activities and a look into 2023.

Mine water filling strategy Throughout the year we have provided regular updates about the potential use of groundwater to fill the mine pit, and specifically the pumping test.

The data collated from the pumping test is being used to update the Anglesea Groundwater Model to assist in determining if a sustainable pumping rate can be achieved.

Importantly, the data gathered during the test, which has now concluded, did not identify any adverse impacts on groundwater dependent ecosystems, including the Anglesea River.

The groundwater model development is currently going through a rigorous independent peer review process by the government appointed Technical Review Panel.

Following this, Alcoa will also undertake a further groundwater impact and environmental risk assessment.

We expect these steps, which will determine if Alcoa applies to Southern Rural Water for a licence amendment to support the filling of the mine pit with groundwater, will be completed in the new year.

Monitoring and maintenance program Across the year, monitoring and maintenance activities continued in the rehabilitated mine areas, including extensive weed management, erosion repairs, stability monitoring and regular geotechnical and vegetation expert inspections.

These activities are key to our objective to ensuring a safe, stable and sustainable landform.

The challenging weather conditions during Spring are keeping our team busy into Summer, with weeding works and lower slope erosion maintenance repairs undertaken in late 2022.

In November, a team of experienced ecologists undertook their regular grasslands’ assessment to evaluate the extent and health of established grass cover, invasive weed species, and soil condition. Works will continue with their guidance to ensure the continued development of the native wallaby grasslands.

These regular inspections are instrumental in the development and sustainability of the vegetation, and we were pleased to share this progress with Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation representatives at a recent site visit.

Landfill closure In late 2022 contractors commenced works at the power station site to permanently and safely cap and close the onsite landfill in accordance with EPA Victoria licence requirements.

Since 1992 under a licence with EPA we have managed a landfill for the disposal of asbestos used in the power station’s construction. The materials were progressively removed during major maintenance activities while the site operated and during decommissioning activities after site closure.

Specialised consultants developed the cap design in compliance with EPA’s ‘Best Practice Environmental Management’ standards. An EPA appointed auditor also reviewed and verified the cap design and construction.

The final landform will be a gently sloped grassed area, and the proposed long term land use a public open space.

We expect this work will be completed in mid-2023.

Stay informed As always, we welcome your feedback and questions about our activities.

To contact the Anglesea team or sign up to our regular Community Updates, please email angleseaps@alcoa.com.au or visit www.alcoa.com.au/anglesea for further information.

Best wishes, Warren Sharp Site Asset Manager Alcoa Anglesea

Alcoa Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands where we operate, the Wadawurrung People, and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

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Great Reads The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

Winner of The Booker Prize 2022, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is an unpredictable story full of humour, mythology, disturbing truths, mystery and mayhem.

In the war-ravaged streets of Colombo 1990, Maali Almeida, a photographer, gambler, and risk-taker finds himself in the overcrowded, despair-choked waiting room of the afterlife. With no memory of his death, Maali is confronted by a Colombo overflowing with ghosts, ghouls and unfathomable creatures. Maali has seven moons to uncover how and why his life was abruptly cut short.

Simultaneously, Maali desperately attempts to lead his friends to his concealed collection of photos that expose the brutality and corruption of the Sri Lankan Civil War, while avoiding a ghost-fuelled tug of war to seek revenge or find peace. The story is also a reflection and exploration of the relationships between Maali and his friends and acquaintances during his life.

For readers who can keep an open mind and are up for a tempestuous journey, this story is a disturbing preview into the horrors of civil war – full of profound insights, magical realism, a murder mystery and a delve into the notions of life and death.

Review by Jess @ Great Escape Books

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout From the Booker-longlisted author of Oh William!, Elizabeth Strout is one of the big names in American literature. If you haven’t come across her yet, Lucy by the Sea is a lovely novel to start to explore her writing.

In Lucy by the Sea we meet up with Lucy Barton, a renowned writer who is funny, humane and a little self-deprecating. Lucy

has recently been widowed and has been scooped up by her ex-husband William – a scientist so they can isolate in the old Winterbourne cottage in upstate Maine. After New York, it’s pretty much like a foreign country to Lucy, but pragmatically, she knuckles down and despite the boredom, decides to makes the best of it, at turns taking walks and sharing stories with kindly neighbours like Bob Burgess a safe at arms-length distance, but then also having their car egged and damaged by similar hostile locals.

This is the chaotic and bewildering start of COVID in New York, where their friends and neighbours are literally dying of the virus. Lucy’s unaware that she’s quietly grieving and that William too may have challenges.

Separated from their grown children who are experiencing their own troubles, Strout makes you deeply care about what happens to this family.

I adore the humanity of Strout’s writing. With every novel she continues to astonish me with how she portrays human beings in all their beauty and their inevitable flaws.

This gorgeous contemplative novel is bracing, as well as tender and joyous. A marvellous uplifting read and highly recommended.

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

Orchids of the Anglesea District (4th edition) by Margaret MacDonald and Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for the Protection of Flora and Fauna (ANGAIR)

This eagerly awaited wildflower guide depicts 115 species of native orchid found in the Anglesea district and surrounds, including Aireys Inlet. It will delight anyone from the casual bushwalker to the dedicated botanist.

It is beautifully produced and in a lightweight format you can carry in your jacket pocket.

An essential guide.

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

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Twitchers’ Corner Written and illustrated by Kaye Traynor

Galah Cacatua roseicapilla Other names: Roseate cockatoo, Rose-breasted Cockatoo Length: 360mm (including tail 150mm) Galahs are widespread and one of the most abundant of Australian parrots. They are common throughout most of Australia, except the extreme eastern coast, south-western Australia and parts of Tasmania. They mainly occur throughout savannah woodlands and open grasslands. Over the years, there seems to have been a dramatic increase in numbers, as well as expansion of their range. This is most likely due to clearing of forests and cultivation of grain crops, as well as provision of watering places which create the best conditions for galahs to thrive.

Galahs are one of the most beautiful birds and because they are so commonly seen, we tend to take their beauty for granted. They are usually seen in flocks of 30 to 1000 birds.

They forage together where food is abundant. Like most parrots, galahs are seed eaters. They gather nearly all their food from the ground – seeds of grasses and herbs, tubers and insect larvae. Foraging in numbers has advantages for greater safety. With several birds all feeding together, one nearly always has its head up, making it difficult for an intruder to approach unnoticed.

Breeding season is from July to December. The nest is a large hollow, in a living or dead tree. Each pair defends the nest tree and returns to the same site each year. Both parents prepare the nest hole by lining it with gum leaves.

Two to five white eggs are laid and incubated by both parents. When the young galah leaves the nest it can fly almost as efficiently as the parents. New fledglings gather together and form creches in patches of woodland. Parents forage in nearby countryside then fly back to the creche where their fledglings recognise their call and gather around to be fed. This continues for six to eight weeks. There is a high mortality of young galahs but usually once they reach adulthood, they generally live for many years.

References: Menkhorst P, Rogers D, Clarke R, Davies J, Marsack P, Franklin K 2019 The Australian Bird Guide, CSIRO Publishing

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Surf Coast Shire Council

by Mike Bodsworth I recently joined a diverse group of attendees at an inspiring design workshop in Aireys Inlet, as part of Council’s project exploring options for new social housing at 2 Fraser Drive. Next year a similar, though broader, process will kick off in the McMillan Street precinct in Anglesea, where affordable housing will be considered as part of a mix of community uses.

Trails have a proven ability to deliver health and wellbeing benefits across generations and genders, generate economic activity and social vitality, with no low-season, and foster both an appreciation of nature and a desire to conserve it. Council will soon release a ‘prospectus’ that details potential for a formalised and improved Anglesea trail network.

Over the past couple of years, many us have seen friends, family or neighbours move out of the district due to a triple whammy of high house prices, escalating rents and low rental availability. Maybe you’ve had to re-locate yourself to find affordable accommodation.

Finally, can I say thanks to Anglesea RSL for a lovely Remembrance Day ceremony at the new War Memorial, where I was proud to lay a wreath on behalf of the Council. I wish readers a happy and safe festive season.

For Council, addressing housing issues without jeopardising local town character and lifestyles, within the constraints of Federal and State policy settings and basic economic realities, is really challenging. We’re grateful for the wealth of expertise in fields like architecture and planning, finance and community development, as well as great goodwill that exists within local communities. You can search ‘social housing’ on our website to find out more.

In November, councillors elected a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Cr Libby Stapleton stepped down after a sterling two years as boss and Cr Liz Pattison was elected Mayor. I was elected Deputy Mayor.

Email mbodsworth@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or phone 0427 337 558.

Expertise and goodwill were also on show at a recent mountain biking (MTB) roundtable, organised by Surf Coast MTB Club.

Representatives from the MTB community, environment groups, land-management agencies and other groups met to exchange information and aspirations that included: ▪ agreement that preservation of biodiversity and cultural values is paramount ▪ recognition of the great fit between trail-based recreation and the area’s lifestyle, visitor economy, school camps and ‘outdoorsy’ character ▪ concern around unsanctioned trailbuilding and recognition that the provision of a properly planned and managed trail network is the best long-term solution ▪ recognition of the difficulty building a MTB culture of appreciation and sustainability around a largely unplanned and unmanaged trail network ▪ interest in the potential for a community-based management model, like a trail foundation, offering quality and sustainability at minimal cost to land-management agencies.

Mike Bodsworth with new Mayor Liz Pattison.

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Community Corner News and updates from your corner of the world

Anglesea U18s – a premiership against all odds

By Michael Collins

Only six players attended when first year coach Darcy Cooper, first year assistant coach Stevie Lewis and team manager Sonia Pettenon arrived for the first night of Anglesea U18 training. But what transpired through teamwork and great community support over the season had a fairytale ending when the side won the 2022 Division 2 premiership! their way into the ‘big dance’ on the back of eight consecutive wins and a belief that they might just give this thing a shake.

Remarkable premiership win

With two thirds of the season gone and the young kangaroos languishing in second last place on the ladder, the earlier predictions of a lack of success seemed well founded. Despite some valiant losses and even a nail-biting draw against top side Modewarre, it seemed it would be another year of ‘close but not quite good enough’.

A team bonding trip supported by the use of the Anglesea and District Community Bank Bus may have been the catalyst for change. Then players unavailable due to COVID and other illnesses began to return. Some of the boys playing in the senior ranks came back and played with their mates in the U18s. Others who hadn’t played for years decided that they might as well have one last run as a junior.

First win, and then another So with the season all but written off, the side was finally able to field a full team and started to win. Somehow, this thrown together group from Anglesea, Bellbrae, Jan Juc, Torquay and Aireys Inlet was able to string together six consecutive wins and secure fourth spot on the ladder.

More importantly, they were having fun and playing good football.

The Elimination Final against Queenscliff (who had beaten them by 11 goals during the season) a week later should have ended their winning streak. Fortunately, a mark and subsequent kick for goal after the final siren fell agonisingly short and Anglesea came away winners by a single point. The following week they convincingly won the Preliminary Final against Werribee Centrals, making 30

The Grand Final was to be the fourth time for the season that Anglesea would meet Modewarre, with the kangaroos previously losing twice and drawing once. Despite a strong start by Anglesea, Modewarre was able to draw level towards the end of the third quarter and it appeared that the top side might prevail. However, a stirring last quarter saw Anglesea run away with the game by a convincing 25 points securing their first ever Division 2 premiership!

Their ninth win in a row completed a remarkable premiership fairy tale of the underdog prevailing when all seemed lost.

Grand finals are never won easily, and the support the team received from the coaches, parents and club, particularly president Jamie McKenzie, was invaluable.

The support from the Anglesea community was also incredible and it seemed like half the town was at the game cheering them on. However, most of the credit should go to the boys who by playing as a team and for each other were able to beat far superior opposition. They were able to win a premiership against all odds.

U3A Surf Coast U3A Surf Coast has released its new timetable and is now open for enrolments. First term begins on Monday 13 February. Each of the four terms is eight weeks. All tutors are volunteers. New and exciting courses: ▪ Tai Chi Sword Forms ▪ Discover Greece with Roula ▪ Mindfulness with Jean ▪ Tales of the Sea Trivia ▪ Tai Chi for Beginners

▪ Yoga and Voice for Sound Health ▪ Booker Prize 2022 Shortlist ▪ Mahjong Western Style ▪ Chiacchieriamo (Let’s Talk Italian)

Please check website or email info@u3asurfcoast.org.au or phone: 0435 374 139.

NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

Community Corner

Exciting funding grants for Anglesea Primary School

By Murray Surkitt, Principal Anglesea Primary School has a strong connection to the natural world and, after two years of COVID disruption, we can report the school has been successful in three grant applications to build outdoor learning spaces or rejuvenate existing ones and we plan to use these funds for three exciting projects.

Inclusive playground After multiple applications, the school has successfully obtained a grant of $200,000 from the Inclusive Schools Fund. We plan to build an inclusive playground, due to be completed by late 2023. This playground space will be in addition to our existing playground so we will no longer need to schedule student use of play space.

It will cater for students with disabilities or additional needs, making our school a more welcoming and accessible place. Furthermore, it will be a resource for the community

that can be used after school hours and on weekends.

Outdoor Learning Centre

the sun while students work and learn. The roof of the gazebo will collect water for irrigation.

Our second grant of $25,000 from the Department of Education and Trainings School Shade Sails Fund will be used to erect a shade structure next to the Grade 5 and 6 classroom.

Parents Club fundraising and school-based funds will provide a timber deck under the structure, and we are hoping this is completed during the upcoming summer holiday break.

Garden Gazebo A third grant of $19,500 from the Department of Health’s Shade Grants Program will be used to build a gazebo over the outdoor seating in our school garden to provide shelter from

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Community Corner

Environmental action and community connections

By Kate Long The Repair Cafe Surf Coast aims to reduce the volume of items sent to landfill by assisting people to repair broken and worn-out items instead. It utilises the many and varied skills of volunteers from Wye River to Torquay, while other part-time residents travel from Ballarat and Melbourne.

One of our volunteers, David has been coming regularly for the past year. He is a graduate in Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Science, currently working mainly in the design of industrial equipment. He enjoys the Repair Cafe opportunity to use his practical skills and loves the challenge and hands-on experience. He gets a real buzz from nutting out a problem, repairing things, which would otherwise end up in landfill, and drawing on the experience and expertise of other volunteers. David’s mother and sister also come regularly and add their sewing expertise to our volunteer talent.

Another volunteer Marie is a GP in her day job. She is a passionate bird watcher and environmentalist. Like many of our volunteers, she lives and works in Melbourne, but volunteers at the Repair Cafe as often as her work and

family schedule allows. Marie utilises her organisational and management skills in assessing electrical items brought in for repair and assigning them to the volunteer who she deems best able to repair them. Most importantly, she ensures that people are seen in turn and keeps an eye on the time taken to repair items. The Repair Cafe can get very busy and Marie has developed efficient systems for streamlining the process.

Join us?

Would you like to join this dynamic community organisation and make a real contribution to limiting items ending up in landfill? Apart from ‘fixing skills’ there are many ways you can contribute, such as assisting with publicity, data management, social media and photography. Not all volunteers can come every month so it is good to have a large pool of people to help.

Interested? Check out our Facebook page, come along to an event and have a chat, or email us at repaircafesurfcoast@gmail.com.

... a place to take all your broken and worn-out items and get help from volunteers from your community to repair them.

WHEN: February 5 June 4 November 12 March 5 August 6 December 3 April 2 September 10 April 30 October 1 TIME: 10am-2pm (repair items accepted till 1.30pm) VENUE: Aireys Inlet Community Hall, 6 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet  Clothing & textiles

 Toys

 Jewellery

 Bikes and scooters

 Garden tool maintenance

 Furniture

 Electrical & mechanical items

Visitors need to supply parts, if required. While we can’t always repair everything, we can always give advice.

Incorporating Kids’ Tinkering Zone

Kids (3-15yrs), and accompanying adults, have fun dismantling and reassembling household items.

cost - Volunteers complete the repairs for free, however donations are appreciated to cover our costs. repaircafesurfcoast repaircafesurfcoast E: repaircafesurfcoast@gmail.com

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Community Corner

Lionettes Notes

By Carmen Koster and Betsy Newman What an exciting time we had hosting the Pink Ribbon Lunch at the Anglesea Bowling Club in October. The clubrooms were decorated with pink balloons, serviettes and plates and the attendees came in their best pink outfits.

We were delighted that our guest speaker was the former Mayor of the Surf Coast Council, Cr Libby Stapleton. COVID caused the cancellation of our past two Pink Ribbon Days.

All profits from the event will be distributed to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, McGrath Foundation and the Breast Cancer Network. These foundations provide wonderful assistance, support and hope to people diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time of writing, over $4000 has been raised.

We say a sincere thanks to the Bendigo Bank who through its Corangamite Financial Services provided financial support to us. The IGA was very generous in its support and Robyn Dodd Real Estate was a welcome donor. The Anglesea Bowling Club provided their clubrooms for the community to enjoy our function. We thank the committee and members for making the facilities available to us.

Some amazing gifts were donated to our well supported raffles. We say sincere thanks to Robyn Dodd, Anglesea Resort and the Anglesea Pharmacy for their gifts and special thanks to June Christie, Dawn Newton and Miriam Hercus for their beautiful individual art work.

The Lady of the Day was Margaret Owen who received a voucher donated by Doreen Leeman.

The Lionettes have been very happy to welcome new member Robyn James who was inducted at the recent visit of our District representatives. We welcome any enquiries about our club and we are looking forward to further activity in the coming months. Camp Quality and the Lions Christmas Carols are coming in December then the Riverside Market in early January will keep us busy.

Thank you to our wonderful community for supporting us in all we do. Special thanks to all our members who went above and beyond to deliver the very successful Pink Ribbon Lunch.

Email: anglesealionessclub@gmail.com

LIONS CLUB AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATION

Thursday 26 January 2023

Anglesea Riverbank 8.00 - 10.30am • Billy Tea Bush Band • Torquay Lions Train

• Anglesea History • Torquay Scouts

• Anglesea Rock Choir

• Australian Poetry •

Speakers:

•

• Professor Andrew Gunstone: Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Reconciliation, Federation University • Australia Day Ambassador Breakfast (optional) of egg, bacon, toast & sausage – Adults $8, Children $5 COVID - Masks optional If inclement weather, re-locates to Memorial Hall

ANGLESEA LIONS CLUB

CHRISTMAS STOCKING RAFFLE

T HE CAUSE Every year Anglesea Lions Club runs a Christmas Stocking Raffle. The aim is to raise $3,000 to go towards bursaries for grade six students from Anglesea and Aireys Inlet Primary Schools, to help them begin their secondary school education.

We are running the raffle online at https://www.raffletix.com.au/lionsxmasraffle2022

THE PRIZE

A Christmas stocking valued at over $1000, with something for everyone in the family, including toys, beach gear, tools, food, and vouchers!

THE DRAW The prize draw will be conducted at the Anglesea Carols by Candlelight 2022 at the Village Green at 7.30pm on Wednesday the 21st December, 2022. Winners will be notified by email or text message.

HOW TO BUY TICKETS: ONLINE: Visit the website via the QR code and buy tickets using your credit card.

WITH CASH: If you prefer to pay cash, see a Lions Club Member Please note: All tickets will be sent via text message.

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Community Corner

Strategic fuel breaks around Anglesea

By Tony Revell, CFA Anglesea, Community Engagement Anglesea CFA has been working in partnership with several agencies to create a network of strategic fuel breaks around Anglesea. Through this project, the agencies have collected excessive quantities of exposed rubbish, conducted ongoing weed maintenance activities and completed several planned burns that were supported by these breaks.

floor due to the thinning of the trees and removal of woody dominated middle story.

To support these works, we encourage you to understand your

bushfire risk and to prepare for the fire danger period. Visit: www. surfcoast.vic.gov.au/Community/ Emergencies-and-safety/Fire-ready.

Control burning helps defend our town and reduces risks to life and property. Reduced fuel loads decrease the impact of bushfire, slow the rate of spread and lower the intensity of a fire.

Further maintenance of the strategic fuel break network is ongoing. Each fire break has a tailor-made maintenance program, using a variety of methods including handworks, slashers, mulchers and excavators.

Regrowth of the understory along the Great Ocean Road near Anglesea shows just how well these areas are recovering from the construction of these firebreaks. The understory is thriving with the added light, water and nutrients now reaching the forest

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NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

Community Corner

Happy 30th birthday Anglesea Baptist Church!

By Marianne Messer

Anglesea Baptist supporters met at the Anglesea Community House in 1993.

Now that we can, it’s more important than ever to get together to celebrate significant milestones. So in October, Anglesea Baptist (AB) threw the community a dessert and Op Shop dress-up party to mark 30 years of ministry to the town.

Like many Baptist churches AB started small and is an answer to prayer. In 1981, two wonderful women of God, Nancy McDonald (Anglican) and Marj Cully (Uniting) began meeting to pray for a spirit-filled church for their tiny country town. Eight years later a family arrived from New Zealand believing that God had called them to start a Baptist church in Anglesea.

Anglesea Christian Fellowship began with three people meeting weekly for Bible study, then monthly for worship at the Anglesea Community House. Encouraged by their commitment, over the next two years, Torquay Christian Fellowship called and supported a pastor for their Anglesea neighbours.

A church timeline captured 30 years of providing food relief through FoodLink, community support through the Op Shop, youth mentoring, aged care action, affordable housing and emergency relief, and the ongoing and vital public celebration of faith, love and community. Party goers built a heart wall of sentiment, capturing in handwritten blocks what one anonymous contributor wrote: ‘the way AB is a pillar of the Anglesea community’.

The evening closed with a hearty rendition of an AB theme song, ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ and a celebration of thankfulness for all those who today and in the years before have gone out into the community and beyond to make a difference for God.

Inter-denominational cooperation was not a new theme for Anglesea – 100 years earlier Rev. Frederick Wilkin hosted a regular prayer meeting for believers of all denominations at his home, which became Baptist Camping’s Camp Wilkin.

At the 30th birthday party, the church gathered the community together to carry on that tradition of inclusiveness, to share memories, eat wonderful food (a church tradition) and celebrate the impact AB has had on the region and on many lives.

Marianne Messer with current pastor Michael Varney

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Community ARTS SCENE Corner

Community garden celebrates 10 years

By Heather McKee The Community Garden at Aireys Inlet celebrated its 10th anniversary recently – two years late.

The celebration commenced with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony with didgeridoo by representatives of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. The new Mayor, Councillor Liz Pattison spoke and local Councillor Libby Stapleton also attended.

Past members who had been active in planning and establishing the garden joined current garden members to celebrate the role that the community garden plays in our local community – growing food, friendships and community.

Gretel Lamont who has worked with many others to make the garden what it is today gave a brief history.

‘In 2009 at a Rural Women’s network meeting, the idea of a community garden in Aireys was raised to enable locals to sustainably grow organic produce close to home. After a submission to council for access to council owned land at 2 Fraser Drive, the garden officially opened in 2010. By 2013, membership had grown, the fruit trees were thriving, a shed had been relocated from the Anglesea Bowling Club and Community Garden 3231 was well on its way to becoming an important community organisation

in Aireys Inlet, bringing residents together to become a community hub.’

In 2019 the community garden moved from under the auspice of the Anglesea Neighbourhood House, achieving incorporation. By 2020 the garden has established itself as a strong organisation in Aireys Inlet with a membership of over 160 residents, many who actively participate in the fortnightly working bees that allow the garden to flourish.

Others just enjoy the garden and the social environment the community garden offers.

The event was supported by the Aireys Inlet General Store, Aireys Pub, Stir Crazy Cordials, Dinny Goonan wines and Bendigo Community Bank, Anglesea and District branch.

Anglesea and Aireys Inlet FoodLink Anglesea and Aireys Inlet FoodLink is a community service group that has been looking after locals for over 30 years.

service clubs and our Donation Box outside IGA help to keep it going.

It delivers pantry items, fruit and vegetable vouchers, meat vouchers on a fortnightly basis to those in our community who need assistance. This year, in these challenging times, FoodLink has provided support on an ongoing basis to 15 households.

At Christmas, a hamper is provided to all our recipients and the churches and the Community House provide a Giving Tree. The generosity of the community provides a gift and special goodies for all.

For funding we rely entirely on the generosity of the community. Donations from Anglesea Baptists, Men’s Shed, Lodge of the Great Ocean Road, other Anglesea 36

Thank you to everyone across the community for your generous support over the year and for those who kindly left gifts under the giving trees.

Foodlink Committee

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Community ARTS SCENE Corner

Arts scene

Summer Artists in Residence

Compiled by Deborah Elliot There is so much art and craft to see in Anglesea! Below you will find a summary of the Art Scene in Anglesea for the next couple of months. Please go to each organisation’s website to confirm the details of the events listed below.

10–15 January 2023 10 am-4 pm daily

Anglesea Art House 23 Cameron Road, Anglesea www.angleseaarthouse.com.au

New members are always welcome.

The Kids Art Bash will run again in January 2023.

Anglesea Art Space Shop 2, 103 Great Ocean Road, Anglesea surfcoastartspace.com.au

Located opposite the beautiful Anglesea River among the small row of shops on the corner of Noble Street, the Anglesea Art Space has regular exhibitions showcasing the work of local and regional artists.

Details supplied by the Anglesea Art Space Coordinator, Helen Gibbins.

Surf Coast ARTS Inc

Surf Coast ARTS Inc is a voluntary organisation that has been supporting the arts throughout our region since 1995. Thanks to funding from Creative Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria, it has started to turn its website into an Arts Resource Hub to service artists, locals and visitors. www.surfcoastarts.com @surfcoastarts POSTCARDS 2022–23 15 Dec 2022–8 Jan 2023 10 am to 4 pm daily (closed Xmas Day)

A small, affordable and just a bit fab exhibition for the busy Xmas and New Year period! Surf Coast ARTS Inc members have submitted 2D and 3D artworks that measure 12 cm × 17 cm.

Three artworks/postcards will be selected from the total entries to be printed as real postcards – each of the winning artists will also receive a bonus $100 cash prize! There is also a small People’s Choice award.

After the success of our Winter Studio Program, Anglesea Art Space is holding a Summer Artists in Residence for the holiday season – an opportunity for visitors to interact with artists who will be working and exhibiting in the space.

Karen Harding’s Sunrise Beach Walk has been voted the People’s Choice cover winner for the 2023 Surf Coast Community Arts Calendar. About 450 people visited the Anglesea Art Space to experience in-person the work of the 96 artists who submitted for the calendar, while more than 5000 viewed the exhibition online.

The Year That Was!

Celebrating the exhibiting artists of 2022 17–29 January 2022 10 am–4 pm daily

A big group exhibition to celebrate the many talented artists who exhibited at Anglesea Art Space during 2022 – a showcase of diverse work made throughout our region. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back!

February 2023 onwards

Next year’s exhibition program is currently being decided.

To find out what’s coming up next, please join our email newsletter at: tinyurl.com/angleseaartspace, or follow us on instagram and Facebook @angleseaartspace.

Anglesea Indoor Market 143c Great Ocean Road, Anglesea

A boutique mini-market, shared retail space with up to 15 select indoor stalls, and outdoor food truck sites. Discover and shop small creative brands from local independent artisans, designers, creatives, makers, finders, and crafters.

Please see the Anglesea Indoor Market Facebook page for more information.

Anglesea Performing Arts The Anglesea Performing Arts have just completed a very successful season of ‘The Bleeding Tree’. See their website for upcoming performances. www.angleseaperformingarts.com

Anglesea Snappers Photography Club The Snappers are a group of local photographers who meet at 7:30 pm on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Anglesea Community House. The 1st Tuesday is ‘show and tell’ and the 3rd Tuesday is a technical session. The purpose of the group is to share a love of photography, share our knowledge and learn from each other.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, 7 February 2023. The convenor is Deb Elliott – 0439 686 585.

Eagles Nest Art Gallery 48 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet www.eaglesnestgallery.com.au

Don’t miss out on our exclusive gallery wall calendar – limited stocks this year!

January weekends will see live painting demonstrations in the gallery sculpture garden.

5 February, 5–7 pm Alberto Graia – visiting guest Italian artist soiree 11 February, 1–4 pm Meet the Artists Event Our special guest artist in January will be Aireys Inlet local oil painter Eddie Warhurst. In February we will see Italian graphite master, Alberto Graia returning to our gallery. Alberto will headline our February exhibitions with an opening evening event on Sunday 5 February, 5–7 pm.

11 February, 1–4 pm will open the next series of exhibitions by Heather Stewart, Mark Trinham, Dani Salvo, Cinnamon Stephens and Rob Kain.

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Write Angles

By Melva Stott

NewsAngle’s fate NewsAngle has already gone from a bi-monthly to a quarterly and I’m hoping it doesn’t go digital as this may exclude senior readers.

I wrote an Aussie column for a similar type of publication that came out of England and went around the world. It was a quarterly which later went to three issues per year, then it went digital … and then it died!

Unwanted alias I don’t write for a certain seniors magazine because they think I’m senile and don’t know my own name! The last time they changed my names to Mary Scott.

Two days later I walked into a meeting at the Community House and was greeted with, ‘We saw your letter this week!’ They knew it was me … and I’m happy being famous in my own backyard.

Another name problem I’ve been looking at some old photos and remembered that back in the 90s I had the perfect part in an Anglesea Entertainers play – on stage all night, no lines to learn … and I wasn’t a dead body (although I have been a ghost, hovering around behind the other cast members – but only the audience was aware of my presence). Anyway, to get back to where I started rambling from there were actually two of us – Carleen Huggins and me – two old

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grey-haired sisters, sitting on a couch knitting for the entire performance. One of us was Eulalie and the other was Euphemia, but neither of us ever worked out which one we were. However we did get a lot of knitting done!

Christmas memories In the past in Anglesea, Santa didn’t travel in a sleigh – our local Santa drove a Merc! This was back in the days when Brian Butterworth would be out and about delivering Lions Christmas cake to everyone who lived alone.

For 16 years, Mary and Joseph set up their stable on the riverbank for eight days before Christmas, where locals, and visitors from all over the world would drop in for a chat. And on Christmas Eve they would take their baby (slightly premature) to the midnight carol service at Bellbrae Uniting Church.

As this era came to an end I had the stable placed at our gateway and called it the bus shelter – a nice place for me to wait for my friends to pick me up.

After a few years I asked Jacko Leeman if he could build me a new one, and he said, ‘Let’s save a little bit of Stan.’

So he strengthened and repaired the old stable giving it new life, which was such a nice thought. Now, whenever I sit in there, I think of Jacko as well as Joseph/Stan.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and a merry New Year!

Keep smiling!

Melva Stott

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NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone