Newsangle 135

PUBLICATION OF THE ANGLESEA COMMUNITY HOUSE

ISSUE 135 SPRING 2018

Sun Bear Festival committee members Arlia (12), Noah (9) and Claudia (12) are excited to bring the event to Anglesea in October.

Sun Bear Festival set for Anglesea

By Katya Nedoluha

Children in our community are taking the lead to protect wildlife, celebrate culture and learn more about nature, through the annual Sun Bear Children’s Festival, which was inspired by Anglesea youngster Noah Dingle five years ago.

The festival will bring wildlife-loving families to our beloved ‘Roo town’ and shine a light on their concerns for these and other local endangered creatures with this year’s theme ‘Jump for Joy’.

Road kill, orphaned joeys, developmental threats to their habitat and culling for pet food are facts well known to the ‘kids committee’, which has been driving and directing this annual family wildlife event.

They are determined to continue to educate and inspire others to make a difference and change behaviours.

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The Sun Bear Children’s Festival started five years ago as a small event in Torquay and has grown into a wellestablished annual festival that celebrates kids’ love of wildlife and nature.

Many Anglesea and Aireys kids have been involved over the years, so the move to Anglesea is really exciting.

“Anglesea businesses and organisations have always been really supportive so it feels like coming home now,” says festival director Katja Nedoluha.

Highlights Walk the Painkalac

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Gregory Day profile

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Organic waste pilot

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Principal Murray Surkitt

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Peter Doyle profile

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Senior Citizens’ Week

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Art House Refurbishment

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Coastal Garden course

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Robert Bailey profile

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A Year to be Brave

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Community Corner

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Great Reads

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FREE BAG VOUCHER This voucher entitles the bearer to one free reusable shopping bag.

(Pick up from Bendigo Bank—Anglesea or Lorne—while stocks last.)

Supplied by Plastic Wise Winchelsea and proudly funded by Anglesea & Winchelsea Community Bank branches.

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News from the House

Published By Anglesea Community House Inc. 9.15am - 2.30pm Monday - Friday (During school terms) 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea PO Box 43, Anglesea, VIC, 3230 Tel: 5263 2116 Fax: 5263 1077 Email: newsangle@anglesea.org.au

Feedback/Comments To be addressed to the NewsAngle Editorial Committee, c/o Anglesea Community House or by email.

Advertisers If you wish to book an annual or casual advertisement, please request an Order Form by email.

By Sam Gault, President, Anglesea Community House Committee of Management

WONDERFUL WINTER

There is something special about being the first and only walker on the beach, on a glorious winter’s morning.

Whilst one may appreciate the ‘off season’, this winter it really struck me how dynamic this community has become all year round … ‘Love Winter in Aireys’, two productions from The Sound Doctor, the One-Act-Play Festival, a 60’s party at Morgan’s, the Surf Coast Arts Trail, multiple exhibitions at the Surf Coast Art Space, as well as an action-packed program at the Anglesea Community House, to name a few! (see www.anglesea.org.au/ events).

And there are further plans afoot! Five important local projects qualified for the Victorian Government’s ‘Pick My Project’ community funding initiative:

 Trees of the Surfcoast: A book, a

Contributors/Writers Please leave news items, order forms or notices at the Community House, or send by post or email and the Editor will get in touch with you.

Distribution NewsAngle is free of charge.

Copies are distributed via Australia Post home delivery in Anglesea and PO Boxes in Aireys Inlet, as well as various shops/cafes in both towns.

large-scale outdoor digital art exhibition, and an App aimed at greater engagement and appreciation of the unique local eco system ($111,579);  Local Township Speaker System: An audible, multilingual system for use during emergencies/incident/ events. To be operated by the CFA ($186,300);

 Anglesea Golf Clubhouse refurbishment: To impr ove amenity at the club ($137,867);  Upgrade of the Anglesea Football Netball Club carpark: Additional 34 Car parks at Ellimatta Reserve ($195,325);  Extension of the Community Resale Shed at the Anglesea Transfer Station: Mor e undercover space for the recovery and resale of usable items diverted from landfill ($71,947).

Each project offers benefit to our community and we wish each group best of luck. Voting has now closed, so hopefully you had a chance to nominate your preferred projects … and fingers crossed at least one of them gets up!

I hope you enjoy this edition of NewsAngle which continues to showcase our special part of the world.

Warmest thanks to our talented writers, editor and advertisers again for making this possible.

NewsAngle is available online at www.anglesea.org.au

Deadlines Issue: Casual ad bookings:

136 29 October

Articles/Contributions: 2 November Subject to availability of space Distribution:

13 December

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Community House.

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Sun Bear Festival set for Anglesea > continued from page 1

“Sea Side Seconds has been generously donating materials for our weekly ‘Crafternoons’, where the kids make props for the festival and artwork about looking after the environment.

“Anglesea Baptist and Lions have given financial support; Bendigo Community Bank has offered window space for promotion and the possibility of a grant; Ecologic and GORCC have been delivering educational programs; ANGAIR has jumped on board with tree planting and Anglesea Tourism is helping to put the word out and attract eco-visitors to our town.

“Besides that, Anglesea has been a leader in terms of getting rid of plastic bags, of which we are extremely proud, so it really is the right community to host this kind of environmental festival,” said Katja.

“I love that we are at the Shark Park because more people can see us and join in, and we are right next to the river and beach which is awesome!”, said founder Noah Dingle (aged 9).

To celebrate the fifth anniversary and to entice visitors from further away to Anglesea for the weekend, ‘Sun Bear’ will stretch over two days this year.

On the eve of the festival, there will be a BYO community picnic followed by an Indigenous Twilight Ceremony on the beach with the Wadawurrung and broader First Nations Community to foster a deeper spiritual connection to Mother Earth and all the elements, followed by Spotlighting with Possum Pete and Stargazing with the Geelong Astronomical Society.

The program for the Sun Bear Children’s Festival offers families a great opportunity to immerse in nature, culture and lots of fun games.

cultural stories and values of this coastline? The Wadawurrung People sustainably lived, cared and connected to this land for many generations.”

For the Twilight Ceremony, Indigenous youth involved with GPAC’s Parrwang project, will create an animal that will tell the story of looking after Country and all its creatures big and small.

Parrwang Youth Arts provides Geelong’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people (ages 2-18) with meaningful multi-arts experiences.

The festival hopes local schools will be involved in a collaborative artwork again to decorate the festival site.

Serendipitously, GORCC’s three-day coastal cultural tour with Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles arrives in Anglesea on the Saturday, and is well on time for the festival’s Indigenous Twilight Ceremony.

Walkers will have the added pleasure of joining this special gathering of dance and storytelling under the stars.

“We are incredibly privileged to have Corrina lead this three-day, guided walk, sharing cultural knowledge and stories of Wadawurrung Country and the Aboriginal heritage along the Surf Coast,” said Mr Northwood, Great Ocean Road Coast Chairman.

Ms Eccles said, “This is a beautiful coastline to many but do you know the NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

Last year, more than 80 Bellbrae students created stunning endangered wildlife posters which will be on display again. This year, Claudia Ivetac -Chapman (aged 12) has come up with the idea for schools and students to create kangaroo figurines that carry the message of ‘Jump for Joy’, and bunting with kids’ messages of their love of wildlife and passion for conservation.

It’s a perfect weekend getaway for the whole family to immerse in nature, culture and playing lots of fun games such as the Jump for Joy Sack Race, Koala Spoon Contest, Hooded Plover Egg Run and Sustainability Game.

Kids can plant a native tree, sew a joey pouch for orphaned animals, clean up the Anglesea river, learn about waste management and earn ‘eco-coins’.

There’ll be time to explore beach, dune and bush critters with the experts, build your own solar-powered boat, learn about the Orange-bellied Parrot, Rufous Bristlebird and wildlife rescue.

Keen to volunteer? We need you and will donate $25 for each volunteer contribution to wildlife organisations!

Sun Bear Children’s Festival #5 Sat 13 October – Twilight Program Sun 14 October – Festival Day For more information and tickets: www.sunbearfestival.com OR search for ‘Sunbear Children’s Festival’ at Anglesea on website www.eventbrite.com.au 5

Walk the Painkalac

By Mary Bremner

Residents of Aireys Inlet are passionate about the Painkalac Valley, and a Surf Coast Shire proposal to establish a walking track through this wetland environment is meeting with a lot of interest.

But don’t reach for the hiking boots just yet. The ‘Walk the Painkalac Project’ will kick off with a feasibility study, must involve community consultation and has to find funding.

The Vision Picture a starting point, perhaps on the creek’s edge behind the bottom shops, with information boards telling you about the valley’s rich history, flora, fauna and environmental value. Then look for maps and signs to set you on your way.

You might take a short loop walk along the bank of the creek as far as Butler’s Bend, find the newly constructed bridge and make a half hour circuit of the Painkalac Reserve.

Keep an eye open for eastern grey kangaroos and black wallabies. Pull out the binoculars to view any of the 100 species of birds found flitting in the vegetation or wading in the wetland.

The bird hides are thoughtfully located to make this easy for you.

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A view of the Painkalac Creek from its northern boundary in Aireys Inlet.

Admire the many species of plants that have revegetated this end of the valley since it has been protected from grazing stock.

Take in the vistas from a number of viewing points.

Don’t forget to pause and read the interpretive signs.

Learn about the first inhabitants, who

recognised the creek as the boundary between the land of the Wathaurong and Gadubanud peoples.

And watch where you’re walking – that rustling in the grass by the track is probably just a blue-tongued lizard but could also be a red-bellied black snake.

Night walks could reward a sighting of the threatened swamp antechinus or

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some of several species of bats who call the reserve their home.

For the more energetic, connect up with a choice of longer walks … perhaps to the Lighthouse, or follow the valley to the Distillery Creek Picnic area or even throw a pack on your back and set off on the Surf Coast Walk.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Shire owns a reserve extending for approximately 10 metres along each side of the creek, but with the remainder of the valley north of Butlers Bend in private hands, the reality is that these extensions of the walk, beyond the present reserve, may be a long way off.

The Background Ever since three huge ‘for sale’ signs went up on the valley’s edge, there has been a lot of talk in the town about future ownership and use of the privately-owned land. Owner, John Allen, offered his property, subdivided into three lots.

A group of people, including some members of AIDA, ANGAIR and other members of the Aireys Inlet community, established an incorporated body, ‘The Painkalac Project’ (TPP).

Council will need to consult with all the government bodies that have a stake in the land. AIDA, ANGAIR and ‘The Painkalac Project’ will have a say.

Community members will be given the opportunity for input.

The existing pathway on the Fairhaven side of the Painkalac Creek.

They are keen to find a good working relationship with those interested in the conservation of the valley and expressed a desire to rehabilitate selected areas of their land. They also left the way open to discussions on ceding some portions of their property back to public ownership.

The Current Situation The Surf Coast Shire Council recognises the environmental and heritage value of the valley and wishes to preserve the portion under its control for people’s enjoyment.

They have funded the development of the concept plan for the walking track in the current reserve – the 16.2 hectares reaching from the Great Ocean Road to Butler’s Bend.

This feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of the year and will recommend avenues for federal, state and private funding.

Anglesea Ward Councillors Margot Smith and Libby Coker are upbeat about the project.

Cr Smith is excited that the opportunity for a short walk in this beautiful environment will give people another reason to stop in Aireys Inlet and bring money into the local economy, particularly in the slower winter months.

Cr Coker, speaking as someone who has pushed the plan for many years, is thrilled to see it getting underway.

She envisages the council working with groups like ANGAIR, Landcare and keen members of the community to further rehabilitate the environment.

There will be many people in Aireys Inlet who can’t wait for this vision to become a reality.

With the support of the Shire, TPP negotiated for the purchase of this land, with the aim of regenerating the valley and preserving it for public enjoyment.

However, TPP was not able to reach an agreement with the owner.

One of the members of TPP, Michael Loughnan, purchased Lot 2, 11 acres incorporating a large area of wetland, with the intention of rehabilitating the environment and protecting its future under a Trust for Nature covenant.

In a recent letter to AIDA, Caroline Wood, the owner of nearby horseriding school, Blazing Saddles, and her husband Tim, indicated that they will have use of the 82 acres immediately adjacent to the Painkalac Reserve.

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The Cultural Cartographer – Author Gregory Day

By Terrence Hoffmann

If you were born in a town in France, or Greece or Italy, you would inevitably inherit the many ancient elements that comprise a culture. There is not just traditional food and song, but a distinct language, a manner of speaking, a dramatic but continuous history.

Each of the seasons are celebrated in a detailed fashion each year. There will be nuanced words to describe local weather, animals and wildlife, and a deep mythological understanding of the past and how that is always affecting the present.

Celebrated Aireys Inlet writer, Gregory Day, believes that on our local coast, due to colonisation, things are different.

There is barely any distinctive local language, a severely disrupted history, and an obsession with the monetary rather then the cultural value of land.

We live in a landscape populated for millenia by the Wadawurrung people.

We have actively ignored their language, their myths, their intimate knowledge of the seasons, and the important lessons to be learnt through their long interaction with the local birds and animals.

During the last few years, Greg has gathered support for a new approach to these issues from the local Aireys Inlet school community.

This is a significant development as it means the next generation in Aireys will know some Wadawurrung language, and through that a way of seeing the world through the prism of the ancient culture of the place.

Greg's award winning novels and stories are all part of his lifelong attempt at creating a layered and compassionate rendition of his local region.

Gregory’s great, great grandparents arrived in Geelong from Ireland and Sicily in 1841.

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Aireys Inlet local, author Gregory Day.

They settled in Inverleigh on a farm now reached along Day's Road.

A hundred years later, Greg's father, whose own father had moved to Melbourne to work with the Lands Department, drove along the Great Ocean Road with some mates, in a van with a sign on one side that read ’Don’t laugh madam. Your daughter may be in here.’ On the other side was a sign reading ’The Undertaker's Picnic’. A bunch of young blokes off on a pub crawl and adventure in the southwest in an early version of a Wicked van!

When they met some old family friends in Aireys Inlet and stopped for a while to catch up, a connection to the inlet started that now sees a whole mob of Days - Greg's brothers and their mother

Pat, and Pat's grandchildren and great grandchildren, living and working on the coast.

At the tender age of eight, Greg was occasionally pulling beer behind the bar of Stuey Calvert’s Inlet Hotel. At about the age of 15, he decided he wanted to be a writer.

He was a good footballer and trained with Fitzroy, however the desire to write was stronger and he started to pursue that life.

To support himself, he took on a variety of jobs in Melbourne, and also worked at Lorne fisheries for many years. He understood that if he wanted to be a true writer who wasn't a slave to trends and fashions he would have to make

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sacrifices. But this was not necessarily a bad thing. He has a simple litmus test. If you see a falling star, what do you wish for?

Now, after five published novels, he feels he is just getting going. As he says, he is building a slow and deliberate fictional map of his local cultural landscape.

Some would want money, fame, fortune and possessions. Greg would wish only for an authentic and happy life.

For instance, his latest novel, A Sand Archive, though set in Split Point, has a number of scenes in Geelong.

In his 20s, he also explored his creativity as a musician, putting out a number of records, including The Flash Road, his narrative of songs about the men who built the Great Ocean Road. This record, described by The Age as a 'quiet gem', is referenced in his new novel A Sand Archive.

Finding your voice is often raised as an important aspect of becoming a writer. Greg agrees that it is important to find out who you are as a person, what you can and can’t be. It takes years to find real substance.

Greg wrote several books that were never offered to publishers as he sought to discover a voice that felt right. In his 30s, he finally started to write some things that he felt were close to satisfactory.

The previous book A rchipelago of Souls, had a lot of King Island and the lakes around Colac. The first three books were based in a town called Mangowak, which is the Wadawurrung word for Aireys Inlet.

Greg spends his days writing, walking, imploring his chooks to lay more eggs and, with his partner Sian Marlow, looking after their boys Paddy and James.

He also does a few things in the community. He is president of the Aireys Eels Football Club and works in various ways with the school children in Lorne and Aireys to enrich their sense and perception of the cultural landscape.

He feels these activities ground him in the often unnoticed magic of our local world; an ancient world he is attempting to map in words and song, with the idea of positive change.

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Anglesea set to pilot food organics collection and composting program Surf Coast Shire Council will be introducing a kerbside food organics collection service in the shire this year, beginning with the Anglesea Food Organics Pilot program for every household in Anglesea.

Starting in November, Anglesea residents will be able to add their food scraps to their garden waste kerbside collection bin for processing into compost.

“We’re really excited to be able to introduce this service to the shire and start with Anglesea as our pilot town,” said Anglesea Ward Councillor Libby Coker.

“On average, nearly 30 per cent of the content of kerbside landfill bins in our shire is household food waste.”

“Having a food organics collection service means we can keep this waste out of landfill and turn it into something useful instead.”

When the new service comes into effect, there will be a change to the frequency of kerbside bin collections.

Residents’ organics bins will be collected weekly and the landfill collection will alternate with recycling each fortnight.

“Our new food organics collection program is a great way for us to use food waste as a resource rather than burying valuable and usable material in

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Local Councillors Margot Smith and Libby Coker are excited that Anglesea has been chosen as the pilot town for the shire’s new food organics collection and composting program.

landfill,” said fellow Anglesea Ward Councillor Margot Smith.

“There’s something in the program for everyone, so even if you already compost or have a worm farm at home, the new collection means you’ll be able to put meat, bones, citrus and other food waste you might choose to not compost, into your kerbside organics bin.”

The organics collected will be processed by Corio Waste Management at their Western Composting facility in Shepparton and converted into high quality compost and mulch products.

Before the service begins, Council will be helping households get set up for the new service. Kitchen caddies and compostable liners will be delivered to every household in Anglesea in October.

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These caddies will assist residents collect food waste in their homes before adding it to the kerbside organic collection bin.

The compostable liners supplied with the caddies are made from plant-based materials and do not contain plastic.

These liners are optional to use and are specifically designed for the composting system. No other bags may be used or placed into the organics kerbside collection bins.

“We’re doing what we can with the new service to make sure it works well for our Anglesea residents and later for all residents of the Surf Coast community,” said Cr Coker.

“We’ll be talking with community members to make sure the system is working well and look forward to hearing your feedback,” she said.

Each property will keep its current kerbside bins (organics, recycling, and landfill).

In October, all kerbside landfill (general waste) bin lids will be changed to red lids in order to standardise lid colours across kerbside collection services.

Anglesea residents will receive more information about what to do if their landfill bin lid needs changing.

“I’m really excited that we can start this pilot in Anglesea and do so at no extra cost to ratepayers,” Cr Smith said.

“It’s fantastic that we are able to support our community do more to help our environment and tackle the war on waste. I’m looking forward to being able to bring this service to the whole of the Surf Coast community in the next couple of years.”

Letters will be delivered to households in Anglesea in September with information about the program and what residents need to do to prepare.

Council will be holding information

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Anglesea residents will be able to add their food scraps to their garden waste kerbside collection bin for processing into compost.

sessions in Anglesea during October and November.

More information about the service and information sessions can be found on Council’s website at www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/ AngleseaOrganics

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Principles of a Principal

By Jenna Crawford

It doesn't seem that long ago I shared a classroom/library with Mr Murray Surkitt, who is now the newly appointed Principal of Anglesea Primary School. Murray was teaching a combined grade 5/6 class, whilst I was teacher-librarian.

Much has changed since, but his enthusiasm, passion and dedication for the job has not.

Murray brings many varied experiences to his new appointment. He grew up in Caramut, the son of a sheep shearer and later contractor.

His primary years were spent at the local school, followed by his secondary education at Mortlake High School, which had only about 140 students.

Murray was interested in mathematics and physics at high school and it wasn’t until a discussion with the career’s teacher during Year 12 that he decided to pursue a career in teaching.

Murray attended Ballarat University to train as a teacher and affectionately remembers his first teaching round at Mt Clear Primary School.

After the preps were read the book Who Sank the Boat?, they were given the opportunity to find out for themselves who sank the boat. The children made boats and placed various objects in them to determine who they thought caused the boat to sink.

The children had lots of fun and the university lecturer, observing the lesson, was impressed that the children had learned a lot about flotation … without getting too wet.

Murray has gained much experience at different grade levels over the years. He taught grade 2 at Hamilton North Primary School, then grades 1 and 2 at, a much smaller, Bellbrae Primary School.

He then progressed to Point Cook Primary School to teach grades 4 and 5.

This school was near the RAAF base and the students came from very diverse backgrounds.

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Anglesea Primary School Principal Murray Surkitt with student Louise Bodsworth.

Getting them to know each other better and function as a team was a particular challenge to Murray.

the community and to provide real-life learning opportunities and challenges for the students.

In 2001, Murray came to Anglesea Primary School as a classroom teacher and fulfilled many roles. He began his time at the school as a grade 3 and 4 teacher working in the portable outside the main building.

After Anglesea, Murray went to Mandama Primary School in Grovedale. He worked there for five and a half years, with two of those years as Acting Principal, which allowed him to develop his leadership skills in a large school setting that catered for more than 500 students.

He trained and became the Reading Recovery teacher, working with individual students, and then finally became the grades 5 and 6 teacher.

Murray achieved many things in those years and one thing I remember that I can attribute to him is the swimming program for all students to participate in at the Point Roadknight beach.

Trained instructors taught the students about learning to swim and survive in the sea, rather than a pool experience.

Murray was also a key player in introducing the Community Based Action Projects, with students and various community groups working together on projects for the benefit of

Whilst at Mandama Primary School, he was approached to fulfil the role as Principal at Deans Marsh Primary School.

The school had about 60 students in various multi-aged grades.

There was an inexperienced but highly motivated teaching staff there who, along with Murray, implemented various initiatives focused on improving student achievement, engagement and wellbeing.

This included providing high quality teaching and learning programs, resources and major improvements to

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the school grounds. Community support and gratitude was immeasurable.

Murray returned to Anglesea as Acting Principal after the retirement of Pamela Sandlant last year. After successfully submitting his expression of interest, referee checks and making an appearance before a five-person interviewing panel, he was appointed Principal of the Anglesea Primary School midway through term two.

The new, open-plan school has now been occupied for about eight years. It has 135 students. Four teachers work in the junior space, four in the senior space and three specialists in the areas of art, music and physical education.

Murray's motto for all his staff is "Every child is everyone's responsibility".

The key emphasis in the school is to keep seeking improvement in the students in terms of wellbeing, achievement and engagement.

As a school principal, Murray sees part of his role as providing educational and instructional leadership to his teaching staff.

He wishes for his staff members to be enthusiastic about their jobs; have a love of kids and learning; to form positive relationships with one another; and work effectively in teams for the benefit of students, parents and the broader community.

The relationship between the school and the broader community is paramount to success.

Evidence of the community bonds can be witnessed through many avenues.

The seating in the outdoor space is attributable to the Anglesea Men's Shed. The Anglesea Lioness's contribute fruit to the Fresh Fruit program, whilst Foodlink contributes funds to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

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The Survive and Thrive bushfire awareness program is a joint venture with the CFA. The local camps contribute their venues and services to outdoor education programmes.

ANGAIR works with students to supply and maintain the plants that beautify the school grounds.

Other community groups that support the school include Anglesea Community Bank, Alcoa, Anglesea Lions Club and the Anglesea Community House.

The Parents’ Club plan and lead the annual Village Fair which generates about $20,000 in revenue for the school.

Anglesea Primary School is very grateful for the positive relationships and support it receives from many local community groups and organisations.

Under Murray's leadership, a focus will be to build upon these relationships, which provide further learning opportunities for the students of Anglesea Primary and ultimately, the benefit of the wider community.

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LOCAL PROFILE: PETER DOYLE

A Thing with Boats

By Gary Robinson

A rivulet of sweat ran slowly down the middle of Bill Davidson’s back. Damn wearing a shirt and jacket on such a warm day. Still, he smiled as he watched his wife Beth and children laugh and frolic on the grass bank of the Anglesea River.

His eldest boy, aged 13, had been born at the turn of the new century – 22 January 1900. This was the family’s first time in Anglesea, and Bill was looking forward to watching the first rowing event between the lads from Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

It was a new event on the social calendar and a lot of folk from Geelong had made the arduous trip down the ‘road’ for it.

He was also looking forward to the socalled ‘beer chewing’ contest to be held before the main event.

Bill had heard there was a fine beach at Anglesea but with dangerous waves at the mouth of the river, and while he would’ve liked to take a look, he was worried for the safety of his children, especially his eldest son who was a bit too adventurous for Bill’s liking.

Fast forward that scene to New Year’s Day in this current century, and those same boats that Bill watched in the rowing event still line up in the main race of the New Year’s Day regatta, run by the Anglesea Recreation and Sports Club (AR&SC).

And how, you might well ask, have these boats been preserved for over a century?

The answer lies with the efforts of many Anglesea folk who holidayed over the century but, most recently, by local residents Peter Doyle and Graeme Wilson, with friends from other longtime Anglesea families, the McMillans, Humes, Hancocks, Merchies and Lairds.

Born in Moonee Ponds, the son of dentist Myles Doyle, Peter’s family moved to East Kew shortly after he was born.

His interest in boats was initiated when his father and Michael Hancock bought a sailing boat in about 1966 to use at Roadknight beach.

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Peter Doyle (front) and members of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club have teamed with some of Geelong’s ethnic and cultural groups, many of them refugees, to build wooden boats and have recently formed the ‘Corio Bay Community Skiff Rowers’.

That Mirror dinghy was literally the first sail ever set off at Roadknight beach and it was towed on an EH Holden trailer.

His interest in boats was anchored by the history of his grandfather, father and uncle all being competitive rowers (his uncle Brian Doyle stroked the 1956 Olympic crew at Ballarat) .

That interest led to a commitment to row for Xavier College (culminating in him being elected Captain of Boats in 1973) then at Mercantile Rowing Club.

The appearance of that Mirror dinghy opened the realisation that our Roadknight bay was fantastic for the emerging sport of off-the-beach sailing.

Others were quick to take up sailing at Roadknight. Led by John Worrall, John Laird and Michael Hancock, offthe-beach sailing at Roadknight boomed, with it fielding the largest Hobie Cat fleet in Australia during the 1980s.

Peter’s grandfather purchased the block on the corner of Eleventh Avenue and Government Road in 1956 and the

family’s long association with Anglesea was born.

The house was lost in the ’83 fires but the Doyle’s quickly got on with a rebuilding program, replacing the original house and building a second on the land.

Peter has a sister Corrine and three children – Sophie, who is now 30 and working in advertising in Melbourne, 28-year-old Sam, a lighting specialist in creative theatre, and 20-year-old Effie studying Classics at Oxford.

Peter’s career was in strategic sales with major U.S. computer and software corporations. He began as a cadet sales rep for NCR, for whom he sold the first mini computers.

He then moved to Wang Australia, where he became the key account director for their Telstra business and, after three years in that role, was poached by an emerging company called Microsoft to lead their Telstra partnership – one of Microsoft’s most significant customers in the world.

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He then moved to Oracle Corp where he led their Telstra account and eventually managed Oracle’s relationship with IBM. When Peter and wife Desi made the decision to move to Anglesea full time in 2009, the adventure continued.

While working at the surf club, he decided that the 100-yearold Anglesea Regatta, the little club and its unique (in the world) 100-year-old boats could do with some attention.

As he’d been helping with regatta starts for nearly 20 years, had time, interest and some boat-building skills on his hands, he set a course to reinvigorate the fading event, to revitalise its beautiful boats regatta and to engage a whole new era of participation.

The objective was to set up the regatta to row through its second century.

Membership of the Anglesea Recreation and Sports Club, which has run the regatta since 1911, was zero in 2009.

Anglesea residents, Graeme and Prue Webber, decided to undertake a fundraising exercise and together wrote a book on the history of Anglesea with the regatta as the focus.

of Geelong’s various ethnicities, cultures and religions (many of them refugees) was just the obvious thing to do.

So, with the support of State Labour MP, Christine Couzens, the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and Diversitat, the project was born.

Peter says the build team was made up of Christian refugees from Iraq, Muslims from Iran/Persia, members of Father Kevin Dillon’s ‘Lifeboat Geelong Foundation’ for victims of clerical abuse, and was led by refugee boat builders from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) – all working as one team in building two boats.

The next two St Ayles Skiffs are underway now at the Old Fyansford Paper Mill and we’re all invited to drop in any Saturday morning.

The ‘Spirit of St Ayles Cup’ is now a permanent fixture of the RGYC’s Wooden Boat Festival and attracts skiffs and crews from all over Australia.

Peter has been a great contributor to the communities he has come in touch with and Anglesea is proud to be associated with his selfless endeavours. All power to you Peter!

The funds raised from book sales were the key to setting the regatta back on its feet, off to its second hundred years.

Today, AR & SC membership stands at 180!

The four boats that were built for the club in 1913 have been revitalised and are in A1 condition, and the boat shed (with its 100-year honour boards) is a great place to be.

With the boat rebuild program completed, an ember-proofing of the roof, and a more recently installed solar unit, the club under Peter’s stewardship, moves from strength to strength.

Peter acknowledges the help of the Surf Coast Shire in funding much of this preservation.

HIRING! STAFF WANTED at beautiful Willows Tea House in Aireys Inlet

Please call 0414964401

He stresses that the club and the boats are open to and available for the whole community. He is planning monthly ‘come-row-a-boat’ mornings with good coffee available and invites anyone interested in visiting the historic shed sooner to contact him.

Peter is currently the secretary of the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong.

A free event held every two years, it attracts 45,000 visitors and hundreds of beautiful boats, and is a fabulous day of family entertainment.

He says we should all go to the 2020 Wooden Boat Festival to celebrate the science of Captain James Cook on the 250th anniversary of his bumping into Australia.

Peter’s interest in boats and his life-long compulsion for community engagement combined to see him initiate a program of teaming Geelong’s ‘Cultural and Linguistically Diverse’ (CALD) communities to build Scottish off-shore rowing boats from kits.

A visit to Geelong’s Pako Festa added an awareness of the ethnic diversity in the region and the deep skill they represent.

Put together, they represent a huge and under-utilised asset for our community. Building Scottish boats with a team made up NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

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Anglesea to Waurn Ponds Bus Service Proposal In December 2017, the Anglesea Public Transport Action Group sought Council’s support to initiate a trial for a bus service connecting Anglesea to Waurn Ponds. It’s been a bit of a journey so Council wanted to share the route with you so far.

SENIORS WEEK ON THE SURF COAST During Seniors Week, 7-14 October 2018, there will be a range of events taking place around the Surf Coast.

The Anglesea & District Historical Society will host the following events at History House, 5A McMillan St, Anglesea.

Remembering Anglesea 2pm, Sunday 7 October

THE NEXT STOP

COUNCIL ON BOARD

In April 2018, discussions were held with Transport for Victoria (T for V) who has responsibility for planning and funding public transport services.

Council’s 24 April meeting considered and resolved on the following:

The meeting was positive and T for V acknowledged:  The proposal is more than a local community transport issue – it is a public / mass transport issue.  T for V is not in favour of a standalone bus service from Anglesea to Waurn Ponds but instead, indicated a willingness to further investigate opportunities to reroute existing VLine bus services toward a sustainable public transport solution.  T for V is currently investigating a ‘Stage One’ alteration to the VLine bus service that may include rerouting of the service to travel from Anglesea via Torquay and then direct to Waurn Ponds Railway station, stopping at Waurn Ponds shopping centre en-route to the Geelong Railway Station.  This may also involve consideration of 1-2 additional daily VLine bus services on this route.  Important factors being considered

by T for V include minimal impact for current passengers and the implementation cost for service changes.  T for V is currently investigating a staged proposal that could be included in submissions for future State Government funding.

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Include the Anglesea to Waurn Ponds Bus Service Proposal in Council’s advocacy program for public transport improvements. This means re-routing of V-Line bus services to a direct route from Anglesea to Waurn Ponds and also for the provision of additional Great Ocean Road V-Line bus services towards the goal of five return services per day (as per the G21 Region Public Transport Strategy Action Plan).

Progress towards a sustainable bus service solution.

The Anglesea community are likewise taking every opportunity to seek State Government support for the Anglesea to Waurn Ponds Bus Service campaign.

JOURNEY PLANNING The Anglesea Community also placed an application into ‘Pick My Project’, however, it was unsuccessful. Council has committed to continuing to advocate for funding support for this project.

We will keep you posted on the rest of the route, the time table and any ‘bus stops’ we schedule from here.

We also invite you to provide direct support in any way to the community campaign, please contact: angleseawaurnponds@yahoo.com www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au

Hear from long-term residents and founding members of the Anglesea & District Historical Society, Alan Poldgnester and Dawn Hollbone about the history of Anglesea.

Sharing our History 11am-12.30pm, Tuesday 9 October Participate in a range of interesting and interactive activities, including a workshop about sharing the history of objects, and a quiz on unusual museum objects. Includes lunch.

Browse the museum anytime during the day. Please bring along a special object and share its history.

Forgotten Australians Lecture from VANISH 10am, Thursday 11 October Listen to a guest speaker from VANISH talk about finding former wards of state, de facto adoptees, and those who were placed in institutions or foster care in Victoria.

Bathing Box & Marine Display Official Opening 11am-12.30pm, Sunday 14 October Join members of the Historical Society to celebrate the official opening and conservation of the last remaining bathing box in Anglesea, and the new marine display.

Cost: The above events at the Anglesea & District Historical Society are free or gold coin donation.

Enquiries: Jan Morris 5263 3085 To view the full Seniors Week on the Surf Coast program, visit www.seniorsonline.vic.gov.au or contact Olivia Naughtin at the Surf Coast Shire on 5261 0600.

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Never too ‘Young’ to join the Senior Citizens

By Jenna Crawford

If you have recently celebrated your 50th birthday, or celebrated it a number of years ago and have a spare $5, why don't you consider becoming a member of the Anglesea and Aireys Inlet Senior Citizen's Club?

Rather than spending time at home looking at four walls, you could join in one or a number of the various activities offered by the club.

By enjoying the company of others, you can laugh, talk, exchange views and learn. In fact, you can exercise your mind, body and mouth all at the same time.

At the club rooms at 3 McMillan Street, Anglesea, you can participate in any of the activities on offer at different times of the week.

Monday offers card games (500 and Canasta) at 10.30am, followed by Bingo at 1.30pm. You will never win a fortune at Bingo, but I can guarantee you that you will have a few laughs.

Tuesday at 1.30pm, you can join the men for a very competitive game of carpet bowls. These games may be played between fellow club members or

against members from other clubs such as Torquay or Winchelsea.

The second Tuesday of each month, you can join the shopping trip to Waurn Ponds, leaving at 9.30 am. There is a small charge of $5 per person to cover the use of the bus and fuel.

Wednesday at 11am is devoted to a gentle exercise class where everyone works within their own bodily limitations and has a good laugh.

On the third Wednesday of the month, a craft group meets at 10am to expand their already creative minds and learn new and valuable skills.

The first Thursday of each month is when the Ladies Friendship Group meets. This is an ideal opportunity to get to know others within our small community.

At noon on Fridays, lunch is organised through the council. There is no need to

sit at home having lunch by yourself when you can enjoy a nice meal in the company of others.

The club has two billiard tables in a separate room and has recently acquired a table tennis table. These can be accessed by members at pre-arranged times.

Special events are held throughout the year, such as outings and bus trips to different places or in-house events — everyone is welcome to attend.

The Anglesea Senior Citizens’ Club is opening its doors on Saturday, 13 October from 10am to 4pm, as part of Seniors Week, and hopes to demystify the myth that you have to be ‘really old’ to join in with their activities.

Please feel free to walk through the very open door and partake in any of the above mentioned activities. You will be made most welcome.

The Senior Citizens get together for many activities, including Christmas in July, gentle exercise, bingo, friendship groups and more.

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Art House Tackles the Three Rs: Refresh, Refurbish, Renew

By Liz Clark

I find myself in the unique position of being both the author of this article and President of Anglesea Art House, which means I won't need to make half a dozen phone calls to set up a time to talk to myself, I can ask in-depth questions (or not) and fully understand the answer.

I won't need to send the story back to myself for proofing or corrections, and I can fit the writing into my timeline.

I can also choose which bits to leave in and which to take out and still make this a full and open account of how the renovations at the Art House are now drawing to their completion.

It will be good too to use former experience in the area of diplomacy to gild any difficulties that may have been encountered during the build. It sounds a very satisfying scenario indeed.

The Anglesea Art House on Cameron Road is both a property and a community group. As a property, it is owned by Surf Coast Shire Council and comes under the normal maintenance guidelines used for all its buildings.

As a community group, it is formed by members who share an interest in artistic pursuits and enjoy a wide range of art and craft activities. It is run by a committee of volunteers.

Imagine my delight when a visit from Council’s Facilities Operation Manager in 2016 began a discussion about replacing two old sheds at the rear of the property - one a former bathing box, the other a makeshift shed pieced together with whatever was handy at the time.

Both were well past their use-by dates.

I won't bore readers with stories of spiders, possums and rats, or even the snake.

The new ‘garage’ built at the Anglesea Art House is lined, well lit, concreted and large enough for a variety of Art House activities — or even a party!

Together with Council, we drew up a plan for a large concreted garage to house pottery and glass kilns, with room for storage and a workshop. I'm not sure what happened to that plan.

Perhaps it had something to do with the story of Jack and the Beanstalk - it grew and grew.

Looking at the new structure at the rear of the Art House you will see the Taj Mahal of garages - a magnificent lofty structure, definitely not a garage - lined, well lit, concreted, large enough for all our art activities or perhaps a very good party.

Both kiln rooms (one for pottery, one for glass) have sliding doors to keep out dust, and enough room to store all necessary tools, as well to prepare pieces for the kilns.

Inside the newly renovated Art House.

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The store room is very large, with new strong shelving, a place for (almost) everything, great natural lighting and a nifty little roller door. At this stage, while it is still so neat and ordered, I can peep in that door and have the same sort of satisfaction I feel when I have

cleaned my oven - pride and pleasure it looks magnificent, tidy, organised and clean.

The workroom itself is far larger than the two sheds we had before, amazingly well lit with a great polished concrete floor, shelving, work benches, storage room and paneled walls. Already we have heard plans from various members for new activities.

Council has agreed to complete the back area of the Art House by erecting fences for security, as well as a structure (like a very tall carport) to provide shelter for everyday access between buildings, as well as during the Kids Art Bash in summer, where shade is needed for those working outside.

Prior to landscaping, they will also ensure drainage is no longer an issue.

At the front of the Art House, a sadly deteriorated carpark is due to be refurbished. We have been fortunate to obtain the services of Christian Jenkins, a well known landscaper (son of one of our members) to design and complete

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both our outdoor areas in cooperation with Council.

With some artistic input from members, they should become very well-used, attractive areas, especially in summer.

I am most excited about the prospect of the two large metal fish we will use to make a gateway into the carpark.

During the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, one of the highlights was a series of 36 barges along the Yarra River, which held beautiful and intricate sculpted fish, indigenous to the country they represented.

Through wonderful management or perhaps just good luck, the Art House now has two of these. One has been on the front wall of the Art House, ignored and taken for granted for years. The other - well, I'm not telling you where it came from, but it is magnificent and will appear even more so when our front area is completed.

Would you believe, in addition to all this, we were found to have toilets that didn't comply with current Health and Safety regulations. Guess what? More consultation with Council, more planning, more joy for Art House members.

With great consideration for our needs, John Chatterton and his crew from the Surf Coast Shire Council, have managed to provide us with two new, clean, wheelchair-accessible toilets, a new kitchen and office area, and a separate room for our printer makers.

Our two printing presses fit quite neatly into our former kitchen and the printers are delighted to be back at work in the Art House. Like many of our groups, they were unable to work without the necessary equipment for quite a few months while building was completed.

With most of our facilities now spanking new, we needed to look at the main working and display area of the Art House.

One of the large metal sculpted fish acquired from the 2006 Commonwealth Games will feature as part of a new gateway to the Anglesea Art House.

the excited response we had from visitors, old and new.

changes, discussions both positive and fruitful.

During the time we have been waiting for the completion of our building, the Art House committee has been involved in a Strategic Review, forming some more definite ideas around expectations and purpose, vision, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and future planning for the Art House.

Of course, Art House members have also worked extremely hard during this time, especially with managing the storage of everything we owned in two containers - taking things in and out for displays, the Kids Art Bash, the Art Show, and finding what they needed inside dark containers surrounded by mud.

New groups have been formed to look at marketing and rebranding, membership, internal space, external space and landscaping, and communication. We are slowly moving ahead through this process, and are delighted to have a group of students from Deakin University assisting with rebranding and marketing.

They have taken on this project on a voluntary basis as part of their assessment for a media unit. It is somewhat overwhelming to watch their proficiency with so many technical things - nothing seems too hard.

We are extremely grateful to the Surf Coast Shire, particularly John Chatterton, Shannon Samuel and Julie Dyer for the time, effort and genuine concern involved in these renovations: attention to detail, tolerance of mind

To be honest, in comparison with everything new around it, we could not fail to see that it was looking tired and dingy. Shelves were removed, paint applied, new shelves in place, and lo and behold, we have yet another new space of which to be proud.

Members' work is again on display and available for sale. The Arts Trail in August was the perfect opportunity for us to show off our wonderful new facilities and we were delighted with

New work space at the Art House.

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Special tributes also go to the husbands/partners of our members who were always more than ready to lift, carry, mend and construct. Every one of them responded to pleas for help with grace, expertise and good humour.

It is wonderfully refreshing to see Council acknowledging the importance of the arts in our community and supporting our Art House with such enthusiasm.

Winston Churchill once said 'We shape our buildings: thereafter, they shape us’. And Walt Disney said 'You can design and create and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality'.

So now, the Art House community begins to look ahead to implement a great arts program and invite more local people to join us in making dreams and hopes and aspirations become real. Please feel welcome to join us at 23 Cameron Road, Anglesea.

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IN THE HOUSE WITH …

PETER SHAW & CAROLYN HALL, OCEAN ROAD LANDSCAPING

Your Coastal Garden

By Ann Wingad

This is the time of year when we start to look at our garden and think that maybe, just maybe it could do with a bit of a makeover.

Winter comes and goes, but it leaves the garden looking a bit sad and grey … until the dawn of spring comes along and injects some light and colour into the world, providing the motivation to get out there and give our gardens a spring makeover.

Anglesea Community House is very lucky to have Peter Shaw and Carolyn Hall make themselves available to provide that much-needed motivation and inspiration.

In that time she has developed her skill and knowledge, completed a Diploma in Landscape Design and now focuses on garden design.

The last session will culminate in group garden visits and a shared meal around a cosy fire — the ideal way to fine tune your ideas and inspirations.

Peter and Carolyn will be presenting ‘Your Coastal Garden’ to local gardeners at the Anglesea Community House in November. Part of the learning process will involve garden visits and creating a design or redesign for your garden.

Thursdays from 1st November, 7-9pm for 5 weeks, with the last session starting at 6pm to allow time for the additional activities.

Cost: $175 ($75 concession). Limited places - bookings to 5263 2116 or courses@anglesea.org.au

For Peter, creating gardens is a personal creative outlet.

He draws from, and believes in the benefits of working with nature, rather than imposing upon it.

As over-used as the term has now become, he understands the value in creating sustainable landscapes through the choice of sustainable materials and methods.

Carolyn has been a later bloomer to the professional horticultural industry.

After years learning from building her own gardens and renovating houses, she brings a great attitude and knowledge to her work.

She specialises in plants and plant design, she loves to find the perfect plant for any spot in the garden and has a growing pallet of favourite plants.

She is a hard working hands-on person who loves to design and build gardens, especially when working with people who also love their garden.

Carolyn has had nearly 10 years’ experience working in the landscape industry.

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Give your garden a spring makeover with the ‘Your Coastal Garden’ course in November.

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A ‘Q&A’ WITH ...

The Anglesea Men’s Shed Did you know that Anglesea has a very productive and welcoming Men’s Shed?

The Men’s Shed is auspiced by Anglesea Community House and was opened in its current location in 2012, following an initial meeting in 2007 and a beginning in a different location that year.  The current Men’s Shed is located at the river end of the Anglesea Bowling Club buildings;  The aim of the Men’s Shed movement is to reduce isolation and improve the health of their members;  Membership is open to all males who live within a 30 km radius of Anglesea;  The Anglesea Men’s Shed operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am and 12.30;  The cost of membership is $55 for the first year (this includes a $25 initial membership fee) and $30 each subsequent year;  Currently, there are about 50 members and an average attendance on Tuesdays of about 30 men, and on Thursdays, of about 20;

Inside the Anglesea Men’s Shed — open to all males who live within 30km of Anglesea.

knives, scissors and secateurs for a small fee. They also are available to perform small repairs that are not a priority for tradesmen and have just completed six seats for the primary school, amongst other community activities;  These men are not ‘dull’ boys!

Membership of the Shed is not all work and no play. Each month they arrange for attendance at a movie,

followed by lunch, and of course there is the usual banter as the men work side by side;  There are many households where the lady of the house just loves the Men’s Shed. I wonder why!  Apparently the ladies are the Shed’s best recruiters;  The person to contact for more information is Jeff Wilson on 0474 748 792.

 A vast array of machinery greets anyone who walks in the door: wood and metal lathes, band and mitre saws, thicknessers, a welding shop, a paint shop, an engineering shop and more!  Occupational Health and Safety are regarded as very important, and training and appropriate safety gear is provided for those wishing to use the equipment;  Some men indulge in personal projects, others concentrate on learning new skills and/or making items for sale (see the wonderful display in the Community Bank windows) and some come just for the “coffee and bullshit”;  Members with skills and experience are very generous with their time to assist and guide those more challenged as ‘handymen’;  These clever men are able to sharpen NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

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LOCAL PROFILE: ROBERT BAILEY, KNOX ANTENNAS

A Clear Reception

By Jenna Crawford

The reception was very clear when I interviewed Robert Bailey from Knox Antennas, the businessman who services Geelong and the Surf Coast with all television installations and repairs.

Robert grew up on a farm near Inverleigh. He would have liked to follow in his father's footsteps and pursue a life in the farming profession but times were tough through ongoing droughts so earning an income through cereal and sheep farming was not a viable option at that stage.

He attended Inverleigh Primary School, followed by attendance at Bell Park Secondary College from the years seven to eleven.

From these work experience opportunities, Robert was offered an apprenticeship in 1989. He completed a four-year apprenticeship at Sunshine TAFE, graduating with a Certificate in Television and Antennas.

At school he enjoyed the hands-on experiences in metalwork and woodwork and decided working with his hands would make an ideal choice for a profession and his working life.

His formal education in the field continued at RMIT, where he successfully completed a Certificate of Radio Tradesman.

Work experience in the television field with Messenger Electronics in Mercer Street, Geelong, allowed him the ‘learning on the job’ opportunities, enabling him to develop his skills in television and antenna repairs and maintainence.

Robert spent 12 years working at Messengers, where about 80 percent of his time was devoted to repairing televisions and the other 20 percent spent on antennas.

Robert Bailey enjoys the challenges presented by change in the TV antenna industry.

Robert has seen many changes in this field of technology but admits the

‘mucking about and fiddling’, which comes naturally to him, has kept him abreast with all the technological changes.

He has embraced and enjoys the ongoing challenges change presents.

Although Robert acknowledges the opportunities he had at secondary school, he wishes more time had been devoted to learning life skills.

Matters of finance, whether that be home loans, business loans, meeting and balancing budgets, should have been a compulsory subject.

Robert joined Julian Knox at Knox Antennas in 2002. He could not be more appreciative of the help Julian offered him and Sharon, his wife, in all areas of business.

It made his coastal move a smooth transition. He and Julian worked together on many jobs, but by 2005 Robert was largely working independently, whilst Julian managed the administrative side of the business.

Robert liked working by himself and was fully prepared to take full responsibility for the jobs, mistakes and successes that he had made.

Julian retired from the business seven or eight years ago, allowing Robert to buy the business. He loves doing what he does, and believes that honesty is far more important than making money.

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Robert enjoys go-kart racing in his time off.

Interacting with customers is an enjoyable part of his job, whether they be home owners, renters or real estate representatives.

With 90 percent of his business generated through recommendations from satisfied customers, is there a better way to do business?

Robert still has time to pursue his passion for go-kart racing.

His working week is usually 7am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday, so a Sunday distraction, enjoyed and shared with Sharon at Beckley Park, is wonderfully relaxing.

Incredibly fast speeds reached in a 125cc go-kart can blow the television and antenna bugs out of his head, momentarily.

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A Year to be Brave Anglesea teenager Somerset Arnold shares with readers her recent experience at acting school, having just completed a year-long course with Brave Studios in Melbourne.

By Somerset Arnold, age 13 years

My year at Brave Studios was the most challenging, most amazing year of my life so far. Brave taught me so much that I can’t imagine not knowing it now, it’s like second nature!

Brave Studios is a school for actors of any age to learn new things, or refresh old things.

In 2017, Brave Studios opened auditions for their very first 12-month teen acting course.

I saw auditions were open and thought I would give it a go because acting is my passion.

For the audition we had to learn a script, which was three pages, and told the story of a girl named Alice and how she wanted to do everything that the boys did.

term would commence in two weeks …

I was sooooooo excited!

On the first day, we all sat in a circle and told each other some things about ourselves.

I looked around at everyone and there was one person that looked about my age, his name was Ezra. Well, it turned out that we worked with each other for every single script, except for two, so we became very good friends.

We were challenged to get out of our comfort zone and try new things.

One of the highlights of the year was when we had a weekend workshop with well-known director Ana Kokkinos (The Slap, Head On, Blessed).

We had a week to learn it, and then off we went. We auditioned in front of the course organiser and a teacher.

We performed a script in front of Ana and she took us through it like she was directing a movie scene.

A few days later, I got an email saying I had made it into the course and the

Each of us had something that would be challenging to perform. In my script, I

Anglesea teenager Somerset Arnold has recently completed a ‘Brave’ year.

had to kiss my partner, but luckily I had worked with him for the entire course, so I knew him pretty well and it was not like kissing a stranger.

The year at Brave was the best year of my life and I definitely recommend it.

I’m now waiting to see if I pick up an acting agent, but I do have a voice over agent called Scout Voice Management based in Sydney and am very exited about that!

I have made life-long friends and met amazing people!

Brave Studios was the best place to start off my acting journey.

Somerset with her ‘Brave’ acting class.

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TWITCHERS’ CORNER Written and illustrated by Kaye Traynor

Banking on our Community

By Rob Cameron Anglesea & District Bendigo Community Bank ®

The Anglesea & District Bendigo Community Bank® branch is now in its 13th year of operation and has returned over $900,000 to community groups in the local area thanks to the banking support received from locals.

Barn Owl Tyto alba 30-40cms (female larger) The Barn Owl is one of the most widely distributed of all birds as it is found in parts of Europe, Indian subcontinent, South-east Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and many island groups. Australian barn owls belong to the subspecies Tyto alba delicatula.

The Barn Owl, with its heart-shaped facial disc, is sometimes referred to as ‘White Owl’. At night time they can appear as a ghostly form in the beam of car lights. They are rarely seen in the daytime.

The sexes are similar, having a white facial disc, with a dark mark in front of the eye. Eye black. Upper parts grey to yellow-buff with numerous fine pale grey and dark spots.

White below, with dark spots. Legs partially feathered to the ankle.

They tend to inhabit open, wooded country, including arid and semi-arid lands, farms and parklands. They do not occur in heavily forested areas. Their numbers fluctuate depending on the food supply. In southern parts of Australia their main diet is house mice as well as a few species of native rodents. They will also take small birds, lizards, beetles and moths. The barn owl hunts by flying close to the ground, or listening from a fence post or a low perch, then it glides or drops on to its victim and usually swallows it whole. During colder months, many die from starvation. This year, there has been an unusually high mortality of barn owls in southern areas of Victoria. The precise reason is not known, but it could be as a result of ingesting rat poison through their prey or shortage of food due to cold and drought in the north.

During the day they will roost in tree hollows, thickly foliaged trees and rock crevices. In the breeding season their nest is usually in a large tree hollow where 3-4 rounded, white eggs are laid, mainly during Autumn-Spring, depending on the food supply.

(References: Reader’sDigest Complete Book of Australian Birds, The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Graham Pizzey & Frank Knight)

The parent company, Corangamite Financial Services Ltd, has recently opened a third branch at Lorne, to support the branches already at Anglesea & Winchelsea.

The Community Bank® takes great delight in providing financial support as well as access to a mobile barbecue and marquees to many community groups.

We were thrilled to recently support the highly successful One Act Play Festival in Anglesea, the Aireys Inlet Open Tennis Tournament and continue to work closely with the Anglesea Lions Club on community projects.

All of this is possible due to the support of the community members who choose to conduct their banking business at our local branches.

The profits made at these branches are then returned to community groups through a grant application process.

With the recent closure of banking services in Lorne, the opening of a new Bendigo Community Bank branch has provided a great deal of optimism to the local community.

Bendigo Bank is also highly commended in the finance industry, having recently received international recognition as the second most community connected bank in the world.

In addition, this year Bendigo Bank was named one of Australia's ‘Most Trusted Brands’ in the annual Reader's Digest awards.

These accolades add to the proven track record of supporting our local communities and gives a great deal of confidence that local customers can access a full range of products and services available through their local Bendigo Community Bank® branches.

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Community Corner NEWS AND UPDATES FROM YOUR CORNER OF THE WORLD

Fire Lines

By Tony Revell Anglesea CFA, Community Engagement

Time to Start Preparing Your Property for the Fire Season With warmer weather approaching, Anglesea CFA is actively preparing for the coming fire season.

Pre-summer activities underway include equipment testing and upgrades, and reviewing and practising firefighting procedures.

We also anticipate having additional firefighters this season, with a number of new recruits completing initial training.

Whilst we are doing all we can to make our town as safe as possible, we also encourage residents to take the time to reduce the risk to their property.

There are three main reasons houses burn down during fires.

They are embers, heat and flame.

Many of the trees around Anglesea have bark that is prone to extensive spotting in the event of a fire, so even if the fire front is some distance from the town, significant ember attack is possible.

There are several things you can do to lessen the impact of ember attack, reduce the risk of fire getting inside your house and reduce flame and heat near your house.  Keep grass cut to less than 10cm;

 Keep woodpiles away from house;  Remove flammable items from decks and verandas, such as boxes, furniture and doormats;

 Store flammable liquids away from house;  Keep gutters clear of leaf litter;  Get rid of dry grass, leaves, twigs and loose bark;  Cut back overhanging branches near buildings;  Do not have large shrubs next to or under windows;  Prune lower branches of shrubs to separate from surface fuels underneath.

More information on preparing your property is available at: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare Tony Revell Community Safety, Anglesea CFA

Anglesea Performing Arts takes The Hope Song to Geelong Courthouse Theatre Following its sold-out premier season at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne earlier this year, the sensitive, engaging theatre production The Hope Song, presented by Anglesea Performing Arts (APA Ensemble), will be performed in Geelong for Mental Health Week on 1314 October.

Image by Rebecca Hosking

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If you missed the production last October when it was performed in Anglesea for Mental Health Week 2017, you now have

an opportunity to see it at Geelong’s Courthouse Theatre.

Written by Anglesea’s Janet Brown and directed by APA’s Iris Walshe-Howling, The Hope Song is presented by seven actors from the Surf Coast and Geelong, taking the audience on a journey that attests to the enduring power of hope.

In this honest and moving play, souls are bared in a potent piece of verbatim theatre that helps people to

understand something powerful not only about the seven, but also about themselves – that in so many ways ‘they are us’.

The Hope Song is proudly presented in partnership with WDV (Women with Disabilities Victoria) Barwon Hub. Evening and Matinee sessions are available.

Tickets and further information can be found at www.courthouse.org.au/ ticket/thehopesong

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

FREE ‘WISER DRIVER’ COURSE The Anglesea Community House is offering a FREE refresher course for drivers.

This informative, informal and friendly program will help drivers to upgrade their knowledge and build on their experience to continue driving safely.

Topics to be covered include:

WHEN Thursdays 10.30am— 12.30pm Starts 25 October for 4 weeks

WHERE



How driving has changed over the years



Our strengths as older drivers



Overcoming the risks



Safety tips for wiser driving

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL



Night time driving

Call 5263 2116



Changes to road rules

Email courses@anglesea.org.au

Anglesea Community House 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea

Anglesea Lions Club – Serving the Community for 50 Years The Lions Club of Anglesea is proudly celebrating its 50th year of service to the local and wider community. As a volunteer organisation we provide manpower for community activities and raise funds to support worthy causes.

We are proud and excited to announce our partnership with the Bendigo Community Bank and thank them for their support in our activities including Carols by Candlelight, Australia Day Breakfast, Defibrillator Project and many other projects.

We have been able to respond quickly to unexpected situations as they arise in the community, such as local families experiencing stressful times or disasters like the Wye River bushfires, and currently support for drought relief for farmers.

Other annual activities of the Lion and Lioness Clubs include the World’s Biggest BBQ for Children Cancer Research, Anglesea Riverbank Market, Camp Quality for Children’s Cancer Support and the Christmas Stocking Raffle, which provides bursaries for students from our local primary schools going to secondary school.

The Anglesea Lion and Lioness Clubs welcome people who would like to make a contribution to their community and enjoy the happy social environment of our clubs.

This year, in partnership with the Bendigo Community Bank, we will be purchasing four defibrillators to be located at critical locations in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

The Lions Club will be purchasing four defibrillators to be located in critical locations around Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

Last year, we raised funds to support a three-day camp for Indigenous students from the region. Due to the great success of this camp, we are again raising funds for another camp in November.

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Lions Club Contacts President: Trevor Taylor M: 0466 883 976 Secretary: Trish Ryan M: 0418 785 994 Lioness Club Contacts President: June Taylor M: 0448 844 276 Secretary: Betsy Newman M: 0412 769 144 27

Community Corner

Spring Flowering on the Surf Coast

By Sally White, ANGAIR

The golden glory of winter flowering wattles is the messenger that announces spring is on its way. At last!

Then, in September, the bush and heathlands come alive with red, orange, blue, green and purple, as the riches of the Surf Coast show why the district is renowned for its floral diversity.

After all, it contains 110 species of Victoria’s ground orchids and boasts about one-quarter of the state’s flora, or some 620 plant species, two of which occur nowhere else in the world.

And, of course, September is also the time for ANGAIR’s popular annual Wildflower & Art Weekend, which showcases this natural wonder.

This year, visitors will get a sneak preview of ANGAIR’s latest project, which aims to develop a database containing nearly 50 years of local natural history knowledge gathered by ANGAIR members.

When complete, the database will be available for research by students and the general public.

The weekend again includes its traditional offerings: the rainbow display of our indigenous wildflowers, a second display of Australian native plants and the art show with its emphasis on flora and fauna.

The bus tours and walking tours, led by local experts, allow visitors to see — and learn more about — the wildflowers in their natural setting.

There is also a range of nature-based children’s activities to coincide with the first weekend of the school holidays, The show is based at the Anglesea Hall in McMillan Street and will run from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, 22 and 23 September.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for pensioners, while students and children are admitted free.

ANGAIR WILDFLOWER & ART WEEKEND The Surf Coast’s premier showcase of its environmental riches 22 & 23 September 2017 10 am – 4 pm

Anglesea Memorial Hall McMillan Street, Anglesea

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Anglesea features on the big screen in Undertow Movie buffs may have noticed our local town and beaches feature prominently in a new movie called Undertow, which was shown recently as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).

The psychological thriller directed by Geelong’s Miranda Nation, will also be presented as part of MIFF’s ‘Travelling Showcase’ at GPAC, 7.30pm on Friday 12 October.

“With evocative Surf Coast cinematography and a starkly topical underbelly, it’s bound to have audiences talking long after the final credits roll,” states the MIFF review.

Themes of grief and obsession are explored, against the backdrop of local footy culture.

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN— RATED 18+.

Information and tickets at www.miff.com.au/program/film/mifftravelling-showcase-undertow

Police Beat

By Craig Stanton Anglesea Police Station Victoria Police has created an ‘Eye Watch’ page specific for the Surf Coast. The Facebook page has been available in other police service areas in the past and has been found to be a great way for Victoria Police to communicate information to specific areas.

The page will contain information ranging from — but not limited to — persons of interest to the Police as well as Emergency Management warnings and good news stories specific to the Surf Coast.

You can access the page by searching online for ‘Eyewatch – Surf Coast Police’.

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YMCA Camp Delivers Top Community Event

By Terrence Hoffmann

The ‘Community Celebration’ presented by the Anglesea Community House at the end of last year was very popular.

Hosted by the YMCA Camp at Anglesea, the event drew much praise for its interesting food, served to guests on the lawn, and age-appropriate children’s activities, supervised

by YMCA staff, so parents could socialise with friends.

This year’s event promises to be even better. To pin down why things ran so well, I went to find out more about the YMCA from the Acting Camp Manager, Jason Stewart.

The instructor can do the physical work after asking the person holding on to them if they feel good about the experience and whether they wish to continue further.

A former physical education and science teacher, Jason took a job at the YMCA camp so he could complete his Master of Education degree. He has now graduated but remains in the job because of the rewards he finds in his work.

The participants are the ones driving the experience and setting goals.

He loves the YMCA culture, where environmental issues are approached from numerous directions, leaving participants with new skills, new knowledge and a different way of seeing themselves.

There are several program streams, including the kitchen garden, during which participants are taught about the garden-to-plate philosophy.

There are lessons on composting, waste reduction and bush cooking over an open fire. Children love this, as do those of all ages.

There are physical programs as well, where trained staff encourage people to push their comfort zone.

A skilled educator will be able to draw a person into the process where they can learn and feel confident and capable of making the next step. A good instructor will see when a person is afraid and needs to be reassured.

Jason Stewart, Acting Manager of the YMCA Camp at Anglesea.

Then they can ask them if they might be able to take just one more step and, if they do, help them to consider this in the context of their learning and their journey.

This is what gets people returning.

The whole journey is influenced by each of the other programs. For example, because the chefs cook great food and participants love it, they see the point of the garden-to-plate philosophy and accept the challenges of it because they are involved and loving what they experience.

This also gives the staff the joy to continue to lead people on their personal journeys.

There is a range of abilities of people attending the camp. People with special needs may need to be strapped into a harness with an instructor in order to swing on the ropes.

With trained, highly educated individuals like Jason on staff, it is easy to see why the camp is so popular and why they handled the crowd for the Community Celebration with such aplomb.

If you missed last year’s celebration, do come to this year’s event.

Scheduled for Friday, 30 November from 6pm, there will be food, entertainment and an opportunity to connect and celebrate with others in our community.

The Anglesea Community Rock Choir will entertain guests with their rock band, and children will have ageappropriate activities to enjoy. BYO alcohol.

Tickets on sale through the Community House website at www.anglesea.org.au Community House Members: $20 Single adult ticket: $25 Family tickets for children under 12 and two adults: $40

Children under 12: FREE

Aireys Inlet Playgroup Resumes Aireys Inlet families are invited to attend ‘Playgroup’ for babies to preschool children, at the Aireys Inlet Community Hall on Mondays (school term) from 11am - 1pm.

The Playgroup is up and running again after a short break this year.

children can enjoy a huge range of toys and activities.

This is a great opportunity to meet other young families on the Surf Coast.

Come along and connect with families in our community!

There is plenty of room for children to run and play, with an outdoor playground, sandpit and cubby, plus a large heated indoor area where

Gold coin donation.

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For further information, contact: Felicity - 0435 966 512 Facebook @Aireysplaygroup 29

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Tech Angle

By Chris Dos

My Health Record

By Ward Councillor Margot Smith

In late July, I and other Councillors had the opportunity to meet and listen to Craig Reucassel from the ABC program ‘War on Waste’.

It was an interesting mix of the good stories and the bad, and how it isn’t that hard for us to reduce our waste, but it does require a very conscious change in our behaviour.

The recent changes brought in by the major supermarket changes on plastic bags is a very good example of the spectrum of views on changing behaviour.

Some find it very easy and some are irrationally angry about the changes and intimidated by the message. For us in Anglesea, we embraced that change many years ago.

Around the time of the Anzac 100th anniversary, a popular geneology website started to really push the sale of family trees that allowed your ‘family story’ to emerge.

Almost every ad break of the similarly themed ‘Who do you think you are?’ TV show featured plugs for this product,

with everyday Aussies discovering to their amazement that they were related to a Melbourne Cup winning jockey, or a bushranger, or some other person of note.

For most people, just a bit of feel-good fun.

But these days, a ‘bit of fun’ can quickly turn a bit weird, and before you can say ‘Orwellian distopia’, we go from family trees to sending in our DNA for testing!

Now there is nothing wrong with willingly investigating one’s genetic makeup via a tube of your (or someone else’s) spittle but the storage, safety and sharing of all this accumulated information is quite a responsibility given to these people.

The last program addressed the issue of organics, explaining that diverting organics from landfill has been implemented by a few Councils around the country, relatively easily and successfully.

My Health Record could be viewed in much the same way.

Officers in our Shire have been reviewing and considering this for some time and now it was very timely to announce that Surf Coast will be trialling this in Anglesea later this year.

Medical information, such as prescriptions, allergies and medical conditions, will be on record in a central place for others with the appropriate permission to see and help provide better health services to us.

I’m pretty excited about this and look forward to the opportunity to reduce my landfill waste.

Imagine if we maximised our recycling, avoided all those plastics and separated our organics – the landfill bin might be almost empty.

You will see more information from Council on this in a separate article in this edition (pages 10-11).

While we reduce our waste footprint, perhaps we can also consider the safety of our own footprints.

I am regularly pounding the streets of Anglesea – walking to keep fit – and I’m often confronted with cars going a little bit faster than they need or should. Just about everywhere is 50km in our townships, so make sure you allow enough time to get where you want and to stick to the speed limit.

A massive gathering of personal data which, we are told, will streamline and simplify the provision of health services.

Already there has been strenuous debate regarding its virtue, and the Health Minister Greg Hunt has acknowledged this by extending the period in which we can opt out, but also makes the point that the information can be restricted by the patient to control who gets to see what.

This system will be very helpful for some people, but it seems ironic that you will have a record created unless you opt-out, whereas the privacy controls are of an opt-in nature.

Let’s also consider the many cyclists in our town as well, make room for them, particularly on the blind corners – there is nothing scarier for cyclists than someone cutting the corner, heading directly for them.

That is, it’s all up to the individual to set the safeguards.

So let’s keep Anglesea safe for cars, pedestrians, cyclists and kangaroos.

we need to get informed, make a choice and take control.

So the burden and the freedom is on us. There will always be concern as to the security of all this quite sensitive information, so before the 15 November deadline arrives,

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HISTORY SPOT

By Jan Morris, Anglesea & District Historical Society

Anglesea Bridge In the 1880s, Swampy Creek (Anglesea) on the east side and Gladstone, on the west side, were separated by the river. Swampy Creek was in the Shire of Barrabool and Gladstone was in the Shire of Winchelsea.

The first bridge was a footbridge upstream at the river fork. This allowed people from Gladstone to cross the river and purchase goods at Mrs. Murray’s post office and store.

Horse-crossings at the river mouth were dangerous, even at low tide.

Neither shire took responsibility for building a bridge for traffic. After many requests by locals and fund raising of 100 pounds, the bridge building finally commenced in 1892.

The contract cost was 479 pounds, nine shillings and five pence (the equivalent of about $959) but the contractor claimed extra. Neither shire would meet the extra cost and so the locals again fundraised.

The bridge was at the end of Murch Crescent, just below the Presbyterian (now Uniting) church. The road bridge joined the two settlements into one and the name was changed to Anglesea River.

The first pedestrian bridge at Anglesea, shown here in 1904

The bridge became the lifeline of Anglesea.

It was nearly burned on two occasions but the locals managed to save it with buckets of water.

1898 —The Mawson family cross the bridge

1927—Gerlach’s T-Model Ford on bridge

The old bridge was 11 feet by 18 feet but, in 1968, a new wider road bridge was built, taking a slightly different course across the river and the road alignment was altered from Murch Crescent. Also, a roundabout was installed east of the bridge In 2018, this bridge is inadequate for the tourist traffic in summer. The roundabout has been increased, but the size of the bridge still limits the flow of traffic at busy times. Alternatives have been considered but no decision has been made.

Photos and information from Anglesea & District Historical Society Inc. The society welcomes new members and visitors.

Entrance 4, 5A McMillan St, Anglesea.

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1968 — The old and the new bridge NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

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Great Reads Brought to you by Nicole and the team at Great Escape Books

Warlight

(Man Booker Longlisted)

by Michael Ondaatje—Sri Lankan-born Canadian author

Warlight was the faint illumination that guided people during the blackouts. In this book, by the author of The English Patient, it is a guide through a personal history. This is a quiet, contemplative historical fiction novel set in England in 1945, just after World War II ends.

Narrated by 14-year-old Nathaniel, he recounts his shaken world after he and his older sister Rachel, have been left with a shady and mysterious caretaker, whom they call "The Moth," while their parents travel to Singapore for a year for business. And yet, nothing and no-one are what they seem. The unravelling of what is really going on and who their parents and the dubious friends are, happens at a leisurely pace but Ondaatje's beautiful writing creates an emotional impact that leads you along, teaches you a thing or two, pulls on your emotions and will keep you spellbound. With themes of war, family, identity and memory being explored, Warlight is initially a coming-of-age story but develops into something else, as the writer builds up his tale and its intriguing characters are developed. Review by Jenny @ Great Escape Books

Boy Swallows Universe

by Trent Dalton (Australian Fiction)

There are some books that just make your heart sing, so joyous and so rare. Boy Swallows Universe is one such book. Eli and August are not your usual siblings and not from your run-of-a-mill family. Raised within a circle of criminals, the brothers’ teenage suburban journey to make sense of their world with its layers of hidden allegiances is one that may make you shudder, laugh out loud and marvel at.

This exceptional debut novel from Trent Dalton is one of those page turners that you are just so glad you started, knowing you'll be embarking on a most exceptional journey. We believe Boy Swallows Universe is set to become an Australian classic.

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

Scrublands

by Chris Hammer (Australian Fiction)

The shattered close-knit dusty town community of Riversend is baffled by the slaughter of their town’s most upstanding citizens by their caring and compassionate young priest. When a war-shocked journalist is assigned to take a fresh look at how the townsfolk are coping a year on from the tragedy, he uncovers a web of half-truths and deceit, where everyone has something to hide. If you adored The Dry (Jane Harper), this is the book for you.

Moving at lightning speed, this powerful Australian mystery populated by great memorable characters takes you to entirely unexpected places. A truly sensational read. Chris Hammer was a journalist and roving foreign correspondent for SBS Dateline, reporting from more than 30 countries on six continents. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, current affairs correspondent for SBS TV and a senior political journalist for The Age. Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

Catching Teller Crow

by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Australian YA Fiction)

Rarely do you find a novel as powerful and edgy as Catching Teller Crow. Beth Teller is your normal down-to-earth teenager; funny and feisty, she gives her dad (a detective with the West Australian Police force) heaps of good-natured lip. The issue is he’s the only one who can see her and respond to her wisecracks, because Beth is very dead. When a fire rips through a home for displaced kids, Beth and her dad are drawn into the complicated web of the town’s lies, where everyone from the local police sergeant to a young teenage survivor, Isobel Catching, are not what they seem. Beth is indigenous, her dad white, and family is everything in their world. So when Isobel Catching, an orphan, tells them a nightmarish dream she has of a horrendous injustice implicating the most powerful citizens of the town, the novel explodes with raw power. I adored Catching Teller Crow; it is hard and edgy, but softened with real humour and empathy as it explores the hard topics of race, identity, loss, violence and justice.

My young adult (teenage) book of the year!

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

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LOCAL PROFILE: DARREN AND LEANNE REYNOLDS

New Owners at Maids

By Terrence Hoffmann

Darren and Leanne Reynolds have recently taken over the Anglesea General Store that everyone calls ‘Maids’.

They had only been running the business for a week or so when we spoke, so were on a steep learning curve to get things organised.

The settlement took longer than expected, so the cafe stood idle while the legal matters were completed.

They were surprised and delighted by the good will and support expressed by their customers. It just reinforced their decision to establish themselves in Anglesea, although it has taken many steps to get here.

Darren has run a small general engineering business in Melbourne since 1995. He makes equipment and installs it. However, since the decline in manufacturing industry, particularly in Geelong, he needed to travel further afield for work.

Being interstate and travelling in the country meant that he was missing out on family life. He started to look for alternatives that would keep him at home.

Always a keen open water swimmer, Darren swam in Lorne’s Pier-to-Pub

Darren and Leanne Reynolds are the new owners of Anglesea General Store.

each year, and the Rock-to-Ramp in Anglesea too.

Melbourne they decided to make the move to the Great Ocean Road.

Whenever they were in Anglesea, they had a coffee at Maids café and loved the place. While they were on a trip down the coast from their life in

They chose to live in Torquay, which allowed Darren to commute to Melbourne to keep his engineering business running. It also gave them an opportunity to enjoy living in a smaller community.

Last year they were in Anglesea again when they spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign at Maids café. Leanne had previously run a café in Diamond Creek, so knew what the business required. They decided to take the plunge and run a new venture together.

Their two sons are no longer at home.

One lives in Melbourne, the other in Geelong where he works as a garden landscaper.

While Darren has taken up surfing only a few years ago, and loves it, he fears that the hours demanded of a café owner will prevent him from swimming as much as he’d like. However, he is loving the life.

The couple plans to keep things pretty much as they are. The only innovation to date is to display a series of photos provided by the Anglesea & District Historical Society of the store in former times. An interesting link to the past for a couple creating a new future for themselves.

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Write Angles

By Melva Stott

Spring Ding Spring has sprung! The birds are blooming, the bees are shining, the flowers are chirping, the sun is humming; and this writer has a spring loose! (But you already knew that, didn't you?)

Best Little Town in Aus When a newspaper asked its readers: “Where have you received fantastic service?”, I thought about going into the Anglesea Community Bank and being called up by name, then the supermarket and the chemist as they both deliver if you need this assistance, and the doctors make home visits in compassionate circumstances.

My thoughts then flowed on to all the other local businesses … and there's nowhere that excellent service cannot be found in our town, so I just have to say, "Anywhere in Anglesea!"

But back in history?

In the 1880s there was no licensed house serving intoxicating liquors in Anglesea River. However the staggering results of people consuming these beverages were quite evident.

Everyone knew there was unlawful trading going on from an illicit still out on Salt Creek. Alas, one day, the

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constabulary was tipped off, and when they arrived, that hidden den of iniquity was promptly closed down.

Getting on Rex Bills spoke at the Historical Society about Scouting. He came in civvies. He said he took his uniform out of the wardrobe but it had shrunk. And I've discovered I live up a hill - never noticed until recently. I still walk to venues, but I try to cadge a ride home these days. Oh! Dear! You know you're getting old when your youngest grandchild turns into a teenager and your great-grandchild has started school!

A few Big Os Conrad, the three-legged cat, has turned 10 and we celebrated with a party. No, we didn't eat cat food - I cooked mince and vegetables which was the next best thing. However, we did have a cat-shaped cake and crunchy KitKats.

Other Big Os for me this year include receiving my 30-year volunteer badge from Barwon Health, attending our 60-year Geelong Teachers' College reunion, and 30 years living in Anglesea. Although, our family association with this town began nine years earlier when we joined the Anglesea Entertainers and met lots of lovely locals.

Keep smiling!

Melva Stott

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