Newsangle Issue 138 Winter 2019

PUBLICATION OF THE ANGLESEA COMMUNITY HOUSE

ISSUE 138 WINTER 2019

Photo by Patrick Callow New York’s ‘Joan As Police Woman’ performed at the Anglesea Memorial Hall in May this year, marking two years of The Sound Doctor.

Sound Doctor Celebrates Two Years

By Andi Lawson-Moore

It’s hard to be believe but local group The Sound Doctor Presents recently celebrated two years of bringing music to Anglesea – and in incredible style, with two international artists gracing the Memorial Hall stage last month.

Started by a group of music lovers from Aireys Inlet keen to bring quality music to the Surf Coast, the first Sound Doctor Presents concert in May 2017 featured Irish songstress Lisa Hannigan.

Since then, Anglesea Memorial Hall has seen performances from the likes of Clare Bowditch, Jen Cloher, All Our Community Houses are for Everyone

Exes Live in Texas and Archie Roach in a sold-out show.

Last month, New Zealand’s Tiny Ruins dropped by as they toured the country with their stunning album Olympic Girls, and New York’s Joan as Police Woman included an Anglesea stopover on her first Australian tour in five years.

Highlights

Life on the River

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One-Act-Play Festival

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Betty Watson profile

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Bruny Island Volunteers

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Migratory Shorebirds

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Bree Melotte profile

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Love Winter in Aireys

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Community Corner

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Book Reviews

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Continued on page 4 > 1

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

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 via email advertising@anglesea.org.au

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

A CELEBRATION OF VOLUNTEERS Whilst we are a member-based organisation, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, we see ourselves as very much a volunteerreliant organisation.

It gave us great pleasure to celebrate the contribution all our wonderful volunteers make to the vibrancy of our community, with a morning tea at the House last month.

It was very exciting to see so many people attend, gather, share notes and enjoy the wonderful feast put on by the Country Women’s Association.

We were fortunate enough to have Surf Coast Mayor Rose Hodge drop by and share a few words and a cuppa with us.

We also took the opportunity to introduce our two new co-ordinators, Julie Martin and Marcelle Renkin to the community.

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.

Marcelle (left) and Julie are the new Co-ordinators at the Community House.

Julie Martin Operations Co-ordinator Julie will be known to many of you through her time on the Kindergarten Committee, the Primary School Council (current President) and Football & Netball Club (current Secretary), as well as her various jobs in cafes and businesses in town.

Julie comes to us with Bachelor Degrees in Social Work and Education, extensive experience in office management, administration and finance.

Marcelle Renkin Program Co-ordinator Marcelle, also likely to be known to many of you, comes to us most recently from Diversitat, where she has worked on a vast array of projects around road safety, women’s health, youth engagement, community engagement and social inclusion.

Before that, Marcelle worked with the Maya Traditions Foundation in Guatemala in various community development capacities. Marcelle has an Arts Degree in International Studies and has almost finished her Masters in Applied Learning and Teaching.

Please join the Committee in enthusiastically welcoming Julie and Marcelle to the team.

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

Deadlines Issue: Casual ad bookings: Articles/Contributions:

139 29 July 5 Aug

Subject to availability of space Distribution:

19 Sept

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

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Sound Doctor Celebrates Two Years > continued from page 1

For local GP and co-founder of the group, David Corbet, there was not only the excitement of clocking up two years of music events (no small feat when every day another festival goes bust or a music venue closes its doors) but it was an actual dream come true to have Joan as Police Woman in town.

He came up with the idea for ‘The Sound Doctor’ as a way to bring Joan to play in Anglesea, in a council hall that he saw as underutilised.

“I am such a fan of her music and I just thought it would be perfect to hear her in the intimate surrounds of our local hall,” said David.

“I first suggested it to her in January 2017, and I’ve been trying to make it happen ever since. I can’t quite believe she actually came to play – and what an amazing gig it was!”

One of the key factors in the success of The Sound Doctor project (which in January was awarded Surf Coast’s Community Event of the Year) is the attention to the quality of the sound.

“We came up with the name The Sound Doctor Presents as a nod to my job,” David explained, “but it’s now become

The beautiful Anglesea Memorial Hall is proving a popular venue for acts regularly presented in town by The Sound Doctor.

synonymous with the quality of sound we create for artists and the audience.

“We work with Music Workshop in Geelong to create a very special listening experience, whether that’s for a seated jazz recital or a standing pub-style rock show.”

August Gigs Confirmed The group certainly won’t be resting on its laurels – with plenty more great music planned for Anglesea, and the next shows set for 2 and 3 of August.

Known for their epic live shows, Cash Savage and The Last Drinks ar e on a big r oll and they’ll bring all the heart, guts and grit of their mighty front woman to town on Friday, 2 August.

On Saturday, 3 August, two proud Indigenous women, Wergai singer-songwriter Alice Skye and Groote Eylandtborn performer Emily Wurramara, come together for a night of stunning melodies.

Look out for more music in October – and sign up to the Sound Doctor mailing list to be first to know about what’s coming up. For further details, visit The Sound Doctor website at thesounddoctor.info

Tinpan Orange played to a packed house at Anglesea Memorial Hall last year.

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Memorial Seats Mystery

By June Laurie

When my father, John, died in 2003, my mother, siblings and I discussed placing a seat in the local park where dad loved to go for a daily walk. The idea was talked about for a while, then grief side-lined us all and it was put in the toohard basket.

Fast-forward to a little before the fiveyear anniversary of dad’s death, and I began the long bureaucratic task of making this happen. It was only because I had leave from work that I was able to complete this lengthy process.

The main hurdle was that dad was an insignificant person in the municipality and as such, the council could not allow us to place a memorial seat in the park.

I asked the person who was advising me if he was aware that there was only one seat in the whole of the park (1.9 hectares) and he was surprised to hear that.

A few days later, he phoned saying that council had agreed to provide a muchneeded seat and suggested that our family could arrange to place a plaque on it. It was a win-win situation.

I was surprised that I had a say in where the seat would be situated. I met with the representative, and we walked around the park, discussing where it would go.

his rich and interesting life. Which brings me to the point of this tale.

I am keen to uncover the lives of those folk who have memorial seats dotted around Aireys Inlet. There is very little that I have found out about them up to now, and many of the older seats along the cliff walk include no dates as to when they lived.

Lary Ethell’s memorial seat in Aireys Inlet.

June Laurie is interested in stories behind all the seats that are dotted around the area.

When they phoned me to ask if I’d mind moving it to a street-facing corner, I was happy to agree. And so, dad did get his seat, and mum was able to sit on it with her children and grandkids and talk about the man we had lost.

The saga of the seat placement would have amused dad, and I could almost hear him embellishing the details to his friends. But that was only a fraction of

Below, are the names on seats that I’ve found: Ian Brown/ Wal Fitzpatrick/ Miss Vaughan Johnson/ Lary Ethell / Don Diamond I’d be keen to follow up this article with another, or a series, about each of the people remembered. For this reason, I am seeking further information from their families and/or friends.

Please email me at jlamc@hotmail.com if you’d be interested in contributing to, or even writing, a short piece to honour any of these people.

My only thought was that the seat be placed closest to our mother’s house.

The site was selected, and the timeframe explained. It was to be ready for the five-year anniversary date in a week’s time. I was very appreciative.

But there was one last hurdle. Within hours of the concrete footing being laid and the plastic temporary fence erected around it, the complaints started.

Pinned to the orange, plastic fencing were outraged notes, claiming ‘no consultation’, and stating that a seat would attract unsavoury types to the park. These complaints were from those lucky enough to look onto the park from their homes.

I was incredulous but began to understand the absence of seats in many small parks, and the difficulties council face.

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Life on the River in Anglesea

By Liz Clark

After surviving the joys of the Anglesea roundabout, you follow the road around to cross the bridge and your eyes are immediately drawn to the boats along the river.

For me, there is a certain sense of anticipation that their bright colours will light up my day, and seeing them moored or out on the river indicates to me that I have arrived back home safely: all is well in the town, with normal activities happening, business as usual, tourists enjoying this beautiful place. Anglesea is as it should be.

Brothers, Adrian and Barry Booth, run Anglesea Paddle Boat and Canoe Hire.

In more than 60 years, there has been only four owners of this business.

Adrian first purchased the business with its original wooden boats almost 40 years ago, when the boats were quite a novelty for visitors, and only seen here, Lorne and Ballarat.

The original boats were declared to be ‘of historical, aesthetic, technical and social significance’ by the National Trust in 2001 but have now all been replaced by aluminium paddleboats.

Small motor boats were purchased in the mid ‘80s and canoes were also added to this fleet of small craft.

Originally, wood was used for all their boats, so they were quite heavy and prone to issues with rot and water damage, but boats are now crafted from fibreglass and aluminium and are really much more durable, holding their colours well and proving to be lighter weight for movement from storage to river and back again.

Adrian and Barry Booth are as much a part of Anglesea as their colourful river boats.

Special trailers have been designed and manufactured, with careful planning by Adrian and Barry to ensure that boats can be moved around fairly easily, both at the river site and as required by various groups visiting the town.

The Booths are very proud to have used only Australian and New Zealand manufacturers for their equipment.

Operation of these boating activities is well regulated by State and Federal Marine Boards, and safety of equipment and care for the river area remain important to both Adrian and Barry in their everyday business activities.

Adrian indicated that he is not too excited about IT and modern

technology, but both brothers affectionately call their time clock (pictured right) ‘the computer’.

It is ensconced in the rear of their jeep and carefully adjusted each time a new customer sets off on their aquatic adventure. The clock’s hands are moved to indicate time of finishing for each boat and separate pins are used to specify which boat is being monitored.

This is a machine that is not entirely accurate, often allowing quite a considerable time lapse before customers are reminded that it is way past the time when they should have returned to shore.

In a move towards more up-to-date trade practices, they have gone modern

Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays at the YMCA

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this summer, using a card tap machine and iPod for payments, making life vastly easier for both their customers and themselves. They are now also using a new accounting system – a real state of the art business!

gone astray and moving the time clock assiduously.

Adrian began his working life in banking, Barry in engineering. Adrian’s business acumen has taken him into various businesses in the area, including surfboard and skateboard manufacturing, and operation of the old Four Kings café – a pivotal point for surfies in the ‘70s and ‘80s and hive of activity for locals to meet and eat.

He is very proud of this fleet of watercraft, and enjoys life on the river, moving the boats from their storage shed to the river each day, greeting the locals who stroll by, feeding Claud the Crow, and keeping everything ship shape.

He is both proud and fond of this town, and does all he can to ensure that it is clean and tidy, having instigated (and continuing to support) the Clean Up Australia Day for local businesses, promoting and actively contributing to the work of our local traders’ association (BATA).

He is renowned for his generosity of spirit in supporting local events, donations of equipment and time, as and when required.

Personal testimony from someone who

His skills with repairs keep the business running effectively and efficiently, and ensure safety and reliability for all customers.

The ‘computer’ that helps keep the river boats running to schedule.

knows him well, indicates that he is a giving, generous person, and nothing is too much trouble for him in relation to family, his business and the local community.

Barry, the much quieter brother, is the person who is seen every day wading out in the river, helping customers board boats, rescuing anyone who has

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Neither Adrian nor Barry are too concerned about the fact that the river is so low at the moment and some concern has been expressed about the viability of having the boats continuing to run.

They are sure that ‘nature will find a way’, and in fact they can run on just a few inches of water if necessary.

As winter is always somewhat quieter, they are happy to wait and rely on a small but steady flow of visitors to keep their business afloat.

Let’s hope so, as Anglesea would not be the same without them.

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Anglesea’s Fun Festival of Shorts

By Christine Walker

Good things come in small packages. No one knows this better than the theatre companies who travel from far and wide to perform at the popular Anglesea One-Act-Play Festival in August each year.

Now in its 29th year, this annual theatrical event attracts theatre groups from across Victoria, who gather to present a variety of One-Act-Play performances at the Anglesea Memorial Hall. These little gems leave no room for boredom, with each play running between 20 to 45 minutes.

The festival, which runs over the weekend of 17-18 August, offers a great range of plays for theatre goers, showcasing everything from comedy, drama and classics, to original scripts.

As the host company, Anglesea Performing Arts (APA) has entered two works this year – one original script Slipped Through the Cracks by playwright Jules Allen, and another more experimental piece, Seven Jewish Children, by Caryl Churchill.

APA is delighted to announce that renowned Australian playwright, Hannie Rayson, and Radio National’s Michael Cathcart, will be the guest adjudicators for the weekend.

Hannie Rayson is author of critically acclaimed plays, such as Hotel Sorrento, Inheritance and Extinction.

She will share her expertise and knowledge to adjudicate the festival’s 18 plays, alongside Michael Cathcart, who’s background as theatre director, script editor and dramaturge, will ensure that participants receive insightful and useful feedback on their performances.

Anglesea Performing Arts cast in last year’s One-Act-Play with ‘Love, Loss & What I Wore’.

Audiences for the One-Act-Play Festival can come along for one session, one day, or the whole weekend.

For further details, see website www.angleseaperformers.org.au closer to the event, or contact Christine Walker on 0408 444 199.

Single sessions (three to four plays) will cost patrons $15. A Day Pass costs $30 and Gold Pass for the weekend is on sale for $45. Tickets to the One-Act -Play Festival will be available at the door, or online via trybooking.com.

Anglesea will continue its season for Slipped Through the Cracks and Seven Jewish Children at the Anglesea Memorial Hall until 31 August, for anyone unable to catch them during the One-Act-Play festival – or keen to see them performed again.

Up for grabs over the weekend are prizes and awards in categories such as acting, direction and design, made available by the festival’s principal sponsor, Anglesea Community Bank.

Always a hit with actors and audiences alike is the Festival Café, which serves up wholesome and tasty homemade treats over the whole weekend.

Located conveniently at the venue, the café tempts patrons to savour the delights of tasty soups, savouries and sweets between plays. Those attending the afternoon or evening performances can also enjoy a glass of wine from the bar.

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LOCAL PROFILE: BETTY WATSON

Basketball Legend Honoured

By Libby Stapleton

Perhaps it’s the poached egg she eats for breakfast every morning, or possibly the sequence of exercises completed before she even gets out of bed, but at 94 years of age, Betty Watson exudes a certain energy that many would envy.

An Aireys Inlet local, Betty pioneered women’s basketball in Australia and has been honoured in recent years with various awards for her contribution to the game, including an OAM in 1997, inclusion on the honour roll for Victorian women, and induction as a ‘legend’ into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Many modern players now receive annual awards in her name, including the ‘Betty Watson Rookie of the Year’ award in the Women’s National Basketball League, and the ‘Betty Watson Medal’ for the best Victorian female player.

“Betty Watson is without a doubt the founding mother of women’s basketball in Australia, and for more than 50 years has been a tireless champion for the game,” according to Basketball Australia.

After a lifetime working alongside her late husband Ken to promote basketball in this country, Betty retired to Aireys Inlet 30 years ago, but remains as passionate about the game today as she was in the 1940s.

“I still like to do little flick passes with household items, and I can’t help but toss the washing like a ball and follow through into the basket,” she muses. “l score myself points!

“You have to have as much fun as you can in life and just get on with it.”

Betty and Ken worked hard as amateur players, paying their own way overseas and interstate to promote the game.

They were instrumental in establishing the first Australian Women’s Championship in the 1950s, where some of the biggest names in Australian basketball had their origin.

One of Betty’s greatest battles in the early days was against basketball’s male -dominated administrators, to demand respect for women in the game.

Betty says the women were always as good as the men but it wasn’t encouraged for women to play sport.

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Betty Watson meets local basketball girls, Mackenzie Stapleton (left) and Missy Richmond.

“I had three little boys but I was an athlete and I liked to run. I really got a taste for it in 1942 when American nurses stationed at Royal Melbourne hospital asked whether we would like to play them in a game of basketball.

“We were playing netball at the time, but they played international rules basketball, same as the men,” she explains. “That’s when I really got enthusiastic about the idea of women’s basketball in Australia.”

Betty was national and state president of women’s basketball for 20 years, served as the Australian Team Manager for many years, and was instrumental in getting Australian women’s basketball to the Olympics.

“We were an athletic family,” she explains. “Ken was coach of the men’s Olympic team in 1956 and took them to Mexico in 1968. My eldest son Ray also competed in Mexico. Our son, Ian, who unfortunately died of cancer at 32 years, was captain of the Montreal and Munich Olympic teams.

“My third son, David, also refereed at an international level. We had a lot of tracksuits and smelly socks in our house.”

One of Betty’s fondest memories was when she was part of the basketball administration to escort the royal family to Albert Park stadium during

one of the Queen’s visits to Melbourne.

“I told them I wouldn’t wear a hat,” she says. “I’ll have a nice hair-do but I’m not getting a hat for the Queen.”

Last year, Betty was one of 20 women selected to attend a convention for women’s sport in Australia.

“It was such a thrill to contribute to the discussion,” says Betty. “I was there to help in their understanding and offer ideas on how to encourage women into leadership roles in sport.

“They were such a vibrant group of young women and it was such a delightful day. I was so excited to be part of it.”

A few weeks after the convention, a limousine arrived outside Betty’s home in Aireys Inlet, to collect her for another important event.

“It was a luncheon at Leonda up in Melbourne, put on by Basketball Victoria to honour women in basketball. Again, I was thrilled to be part of it,” she says.

“It’s been a wonderful journey and I’ve had so many experiences through my sport, including the opportunities to travel and meet people.”

Unfortunately, Betty suffered a stroke about two years ago and says her legs don’t cooperate as well as they used to.

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“I’ve lost a bit of coordination in my arm and leg. I don’t feel old when I sit and chat but I have a few balance issues now.”

One might think that, at 94, it might be time for Betty to take it easy but it appears nothing can keep a good woman down.

“I get lots of visitors and I never say no to an outing. There are so many wonderful people and services in the community.

“I go to fitness classes at the Aireys Inlet hall and I go on the Lorne community bus to social events every Wednesday.

“The IGA delivers groceries to me every week, and I join in various Probus club outings,” she says.

Earlier this month, Betty headed up to Queensland, sporting temporary butterfly tattoos down her arms, to cheer on the women’s masters basketball team, known as ‘The Butterflies’, to victory at the Masters Games in Cairns.

“It’s such a lot of fun to hang out with all the old basketball girls (some of them former Opals’ players) and reminisce about the amazing things we did together,” she says.

Betty is a living legend in the true sense of the word and remains a role model for young women in our community and across Australia.

“As long as girls are playing sport, that was always my aim.

The camaraderie and positive influence on young women is so important,” she says.

So what is Betty’s secret to longevity and good health?

Betty Watson with her old basketball mates ‘The Butterflies’ after their recent Masters Games victory in Cairns. From left: Dianne McMahon (coach), Daina Barnes, Nancy Wilkins, Rose Attwood, Sandra Tomlinson, Gayle Cavanagh, Carolyn Hunt, Faye Campbell, Jan Smithwick, Janice Crosswhite; and Betty Watson (front).

“I have the dearest little house to live in. I don’t want anything posh. You experience all the seasons in your life – sometimes a few tornadoes – but that’s how we develop empathy.

“I have my own meditation technique that I’ve been doing daily for 10 years. I exercise every morning. You don’t stay fit sitting in your chair!

“And I have a whiskey every night with a dash of water.”

Here’s cheers to that!

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Quolls Under the House and an Outdoor Loo: a Volunteer Experience on Bruny Island

By Mary Bremner

While, last winter, most sensible people of our age-group were heading to Queensland or boarding planes for the northern hemisphere, my husband, Keith, and I packed our warmest woollies and took off for Tasmania.

We had heard from friends about the opportunity to be volunteer caretakers at the Old Quarantine Station on North Bruny Island.

We applied for four weeks in August, making the most in our application of our proven ability as communicators (I was a teacher), our practical skills (Keith was a farmer), our record of community service, our interest in the natural environment and our confidence to cope with living in an isolated situation.

Keith’s first-aid qualifications met a compulsory requirement. We were delighted to be accepted.

The historic site is located on an isolated peninsular, on an island off an island – a suitably lonely situation for its original purpose as a maritime quarantine station.

Today, it is part of a state reserve under the care of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, and run in conjunction with a volunteer group – the Friends of Bruny Island Quarantine Station (FBIQS).

Our accommodation was formerly the doctor’s residence. Door snakes plugged the worst of the drafts in the 1880s weatherboard house, and a wood heater warmed the lounge room effectively.

It was well set up with all the comforts we needed, although the chilly dash to the outside toilet and bathroom brought back childhood memories.

Mary and Keith Bremner volunteered as caretakers at the Old Quarantine Station on Bruny Island in Tasmania.

The setting is delightful, nestled in bushland and overlooking Shelter Bay, where the early ships moored to offload people and bring in supplies.

wallaby poo from the paths, chopping and carting wood, cleaning the buildings, taking rubbish to the tip and tending the vegetable garden.

At first, the silence, only punctuated by bird calls and croaking frogs, was a bit eerie, even for people who have grown up on farms, but we soon came to enjoy it.

I was responsible for ‘meet and greet’, necessitating a crash study of the history of the site. For the first few days I faked it, but my confidence grew and I was soon able to deliver a fairly convincing spiel.

The weather was changeable in the extreme. At first, we bathed in four days of sublime sunshine, after frosty nights. A cold front brought heavy showers and sent the thermometer plummeting to a maximum of nine degrees. We could see snow on the hills over the D’Entrecasteaux Straight.

It didn’t take us long to settle into a comfortable routine. Keith took charge of cleaning and maintenance.

Volunteers are sometimes given a project, such as painting, but we weren’t allocated anything specific.

Keith occupied many hours fishing off the jetty at the Old Quarantine Station.

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Chores involved some mowing, cleaning out gutters and drains, raking

I furnished visitors with the brochure on the self-guided walk and escorted them to the starting point.

In my introduction, I always mentioned the long period of occupation of the Nuenonne people, and guests were interested to know that Truganinni (who many of us were erroneously taught at school was the last Tasmanian aborigine) was born on Bruny Island.

The Quarantine Station was established in 1884 to prevent the importation by ship of small pox and typhoid. The aforementioned doctor’s residence, the ‘cleansing room’ and the mortuary are still standing, and date from that time.

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Only the footings remain of the hospital and passengers’ accommodation.

For days, we searched for the endangered 40-spotted pardalote, only to find some right under our noses, in a tree outside the Visitor’s Centre.

When World War 1 broke out, it became an internment camp for German nationals.

The busiest era came in 1919 – approximately 9,000 returning soldiers were quarantined for seven days, due to the world-wide Spanish flu pandemic.

Barracks and tents were erected, movies shown in an outdoor cinema, boxing competitions held and the locals did their best to look after ‘their boys’.

Subsequently, the buildings were left to deteriorate and some of them were dismantled and rebuilt around Bruny Island as farm sheds.

From the 1950s to the 1980s, the place became a plant quarantine station, and a brick structure and hot houses were erected for this purpose. This is the building that is now used as a visitor’s centre.

Seven years ago, the FBIQS was formed and lobbied to save the site before it was beyond redemption. They organised working bees to restore some of the buildings and erected interpretive signs, displaying photos from the period.

The full two-hour walk around the site takes in the ‘German chimney’ – the remains of an old fireplace thought to date from the internment camp era – and a stroll to the jetty on Quarantine Bay – a popular place for yachties to moor for a night or two.

They gave away their presence with a ‘click click’ of their beaks, the rustle of leaves and a flutter of tiny wings.

Through binoculars, I could see the olive body and distinctive row of white dots that confirmed my identification.

Some of the remaining buildings at the old quarantine station — the doctor’s residence (left) and cleansing room.

around – it was like living in a small country town.

Our jaunts included a delightful 12kilometre coastal walk to Cape Queen Elizabeth, Pennicott’s exhilarating cruise around the southern tip of Bruny Island, and an excursion in search of the rare white wallabies.

Fishing off the jetty occupied Keith for many hours. He provided several meals of what the locals call ‘cod’ (they say boil them and they taste like lobster) and flathead. We chipped huge oysters off the rocks and harvested mussels at low tide. With fresh greens, herbs and rhubarb in the garden, we weren’t going to starve.

Morning walks through the peninsula’s bushland were rewarded with many sightings of Bruny Island’s endemic bird species.

I felt sure that if the twitchers knew these rare little birds were there, we would have many more visitors, yet when I mentioned them to people, mostly, their eyes glazed over.

The journal entries from previous caretakers made a lot of reference to a family of quolls that kept them awake at night fighting under the house.

We only heard them occasionally but one night took torches out for some spotlighting. We found a tawny frogmouth owl, a pademelon, a potoroo, two very black brush-tail possums and later spied a quoll, with its distinctive spotty coat, making a dash from under our veranda.

For anyone interested in this experience, head to the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service website.

The program runs all year round and there are other caretaking opportunities.

Keith says he draws the line at a lighthouse.

Daily visitor numbers varied from zero to 15, although the summer months are much busier. Most day trippers arriving at Bruny Island, turn right after disembarking from the ferry and head for the winery, cheese-makers, brewery, chocolate shop and the lighthouse at the southern tip.

Only the more adventurous, or those with a few days on their hands, venture north to discover the delights of that part of the island.

The station was closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and we made full use of this to explore further afield and to stock up from the Adventure Island store – one of only two small stores on the island.

One day, arriving to collect a meat order, I was greeted by the proprietor with, ‘You must be Mary’. Word gets NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

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Making the Invisible Visible

By Bron Ives

It’s June, it’s cold and they have left, but summers are short up there and I’m hoping they will be back before too long.

You may have visited a print exhibition in Anglesea over Easter, and if so, you were one of the thousand people who visited to see the prints, to have a chat and support our local artists, or perhaps you commented on how thoughtful and beautiful the works were.

Curlew Sandpipers (Critically Endangered); and I couldn’t go past the Great Knot (Critically Endangered).

Other printmakers chose Red-necked Stints, Red-kneed Dotterel, Ruff, Black -winged Stilt, Wood Sandpipers, the Common Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, and the threats facing the birds.

Some people left smiling, others reflective or a little melancholic, and a few shed a quiet tear.

For me, what was most moving, was that it engaged with a whole lot of people on something invisible to most of us – migratory shorebirds.

Who knew that these small, quiet, brown birds were so talented and that thousands of them live close by over the summer months – and that they are our most endangered birds.

Over the past six months, the Anglesea Art House printmakers have been working on a group exhibition about the astonishing number and variety of shorebirds that ‘overwinter’ every year at Victoria’s own ‘Kakadu’ – the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee.

This amazing ecosystem, powered by waste, is one of Australia’s top birdwatching sites, with over 280 bird species having been recorded here, and it is an internationally-recognised bird habitat under the RAMSAR Convention.

Anyone can visit, you just have to take part in a brief orientation and pick up a key to gain access to this peaceful haven, run by Melbourne Water.

Curlew Sandpiper by Matthew Solly 14

Safe Landing by Ursula Shepherd

So, this is what the printmakers did early one morning last November.

The visit to the treatment plant was inspiring, with the initial idea for the local exhibition coming from an environmental art project launched in 2017 by Kate Gorringe-Smith, The Overwintering Project: Mapping Sanctuary, which invited printmakers from Australia and New Zealand to visit, research, and respond to their local migratory shorebird habitats.

Printmakers contributed two of their prints to the project – one to join a travelling exhibition, the other to sell to raise funds for shorebird research. So far, over 150 artists have joined and $10,000 has been raised. Linked to the core exhibition are independent events throughout the country – such as our Surf Coast exhibition.

Elizabeth Rickey, Jill Edwards and Nicola Picken chose to work on prints of the Eastern Curlew (Critically Endangered); Lee Powell was inspired by the Latham’s Snipe (Secure) – an occasional visitor to the Allan Noble Sanctuary; Maggi Jean and Matthew Solly worked on

When I was 12, my father and I found an injured snipe.

The bird healed and was released. We suspect it made its way to the Western Treatment Plant. I live in the Painkalac Creek valley and I commonly hear the snipe’s call – a single high pitched ‘krek'.

Lee Powell None of us knew much about these birds before we started but now we realise that they can fly fast, high and far – they have been recorded flying up to 70 kmph at 6,000m. They take advantage of weather patterns but they do not glide, they flap their wings the whole way – and some do this without stopping.

Great Knot by Bron Ives

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This is all the more remarkable because these small birds cannot swim – their feathers are not waterproof and their feet are not webbed – so they must fly until they reach land. Think about this next time you get on a plane and sit back to enjoy, or endure, the journey: it’s a pretty amazing feat.

The birds that visit the treatment plant travel along the East AsianAustralasian Flyway, one of eight migration flyways that criss-cross the earth. Think of it as a highway in the sky that has multiple lanes, entries, exits, feeding stations and pullovers along the way.

What happens on one part of the highway is felt elsewhere along the path.

“These birds have been pushed to the margins,” Gorringe-Smith says.

“Basically, wetland habitat is being destroyed at a greater rate than our

Sunset Foraging by Nicky Perkin

forests. I think there is a lot of misunderstanding about our wetlands.

“We don’t value mud, we don’t understand that when the seas rise, it is the wetlands that are going to be able to absorb extra liquid, that’s their job – and we are so busy reclaiming them.

“Birds are bio-indicators: their presence shows a healthy environment. If shorebirds continue to decline at their current rate, and some species have declined by 80 percent over the past 30 years, it also means that the global environment of the Flyway is being seriously degraded.

“This, of course, also affects our health, wellbeing and ultimate survival.

Looking after migratory shorebirds and the Flyway is another way of looking after ourselves. But I would like to think we are doing it for them and all the other living things that depend on the global ecology, not only to save ourselves,” she said.

My print was made with 50year-old oil paints that were used by my great Aunt Lily to paint landscapes in the 1940s. I wonder what our coastal environment would have looked like when Aunty Lily was painting?

Nicola Picken

It is easy to shrug and wonder what on earth we can do about this, but we can’t ponder for long because habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate and we’re losing the birds – right now.

Black-winged Stilt by Marj Harrison

It’s impossible to ask people to save something they don’t know about, so in order to help migratory shorebirds, we

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need everyone to learn about them and to care about them – and they need to care enough to sign a petition, to visit an environmental art project, to donate money, to join an organisation, to change their behavior, or even to change their vote.

Shorebirds challenge our ideas about what is important in our lives – they are small, they are not brightly coloured, they do not sing sweetly and their habitat is often unremarkable.

I could not draw a happy bird and instead drew from the heart and from what I had experienced as a wildlife carer … I am asking the viewer to consider their role in all of this. It seems to me that we are all in this together.

Emma Mitchell

Yet they migrate, and right now human migration is often viewed as a threat to borders and resources. These tiny birds can remind us that we are all globally interdependent in many complex, subtle and ancient ways.

Humans and animals have always fled hostile environments in search of sanctuary, and that sanctuary, however welcoming, may never completely erase the memory and call of home.

Thank you for helping to make shorebirds a little more visible – maybe you’ll see them when they return later this year?

To read more about one of the world’s greatest bird habitats, the Western Treatment Plant, head to https:// www.foreground.com.au/environment/ industrial-ecology-werribee-westerntreatment-plant/ 15

LOCAL PROFILE: BREE MELOTTE, GREAT OCEAN ROAD WELLNESS

Grow with the best

By Jenna Crawford

Walking into GROW (Great Ocean Road Wellness), I was overwhelmed by the feeling of relaxation and wellbeing that exudes from the premises, like nothing I have ever experienced before.

Bree Melotte passionately operates this unique, ‘new age’ convenience store.

She was born and bred in Daylesford, where she attended the local primary school before embarking on a daily bus trip to Ballarat, to complete her secondary education at Ballarat Grammar School.

21, witnessed many events impacting upon indigenous communities.

At 17 years old, she fulfilled her New Year's resolution to learn to surf, and found herself in Anglesea. She rented a house for awhile and found work at Kafe Kaos in Lorne.

It made it a logical step to establish a shop/centre to provide the necessary ingredients to support such a holistic philosophy.

After her time in Anglesea, Bree ventured north to Darwin and studied primary teaching. At that time, she worked as a labourer in an indigenous community, and from the age of 18 to

She returned to live in Lorne and became a qualified naturopath, looking at how diet and other natural means can be of benefit in the treatment of illness and disease.

GROW provides the local community with an alternative to traditional convenience stores. It sells organic food, fruit and vegetables, with most products sourced locally. Some also come from Apollo Bay, the Victoria Market and Byron Bay, and all are organically grown, without the interference of chemicals.

Customers have the opportunity to purchase organic bulk wholefoods, bulk household products and can bring their own containers and jars to be filled and refilled.

Doing this eliminates the use of single-use plastics, thus helping to save our planet.

About 75 percent of customers who go to GROW are Anglesea locals, coming in for their first or repeat visit. The store is certainly ‘one-of-a-kind’ in our local area.

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Bree Melotte, of GROW in Anglesea.

Similar stores can be found in Winchelsea and Geelong.

In addition to purchasing products from GROW, customers can enjoy delicious coffee and a range of organic, healthy eating options. All the cakes are made on site. Breakfast and lunch options vary between vegan, chicken and other meat varieties.

In the summer, a variety of salads are available, while the colder months provide wholesome curries and soups.

Bree and her staff are passionate about providing a relaxing, easy-going experience for all members of our community.

In addition to coffee and eating options, patrons can spend valuable time in an area devoted to other activities, such as the reading nook, where one can sit and read books that are on hand or discuss and exchange titles with others.

Opportunities to engage in other hobbies of your choice are also available, allowing people to teach or learn. For example, one can knit or learn how to knit from fellow knitters. Meditation is also available.

GROW opened in 2017 and is going from strength to strength in all positive ways. If you have not visited the store at 3/11 Inverlochy Street in Anglesea, you are really missing something.

Take the time to visit and improve your own mental health by enjoying one or more of the options this wellness store has to offer.

Open from 6am until 5pm, seven days a week. Grow and enjoy!

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Fun with Fruit!

By Liz Clark

Having received a report on the grapevine that a household in Camp Road, Anglesea, is proudly boasting ownership of the most fruitful and productive passionfruit vine in the area, your intrepid reporter sought a raisin to visit the owner of the said plant.

Fortunately, I was able to orange a meeting with Marg and Rick while the plant was at its best, so I duly made an appointment, setting a date and time to call in.

were quite aware of where to draw the lime in competing for the best crop in town and had gone to grape lengths to be fair and honest in their declaration of being the best.

No challenge is too grape for me, so I put my mind to the task, assuming that a fresh pear of eyes could more fairly judge the worthiness of the boast than the eyes of doting owners who assumed that their plant was the pick of the bunch in town.

I sat down be cider (Marg) and said ‘thanks a bunch’ and that I was grapeful for the opportunity to visit their garden, but I still haven’t figured out just how they manage to do so well.

Durian my visit, I noticed my hosts had a wonderful zest for life, a unique passion for their garden. They assured me that never in a melon years would I see such a plant again.

“Come in to the garden,” they said. “The vine is juiced around the corner.”

And there it was, almost as magnificent as they had promised.

I was s-peachless at the vision of the finest of passionfruits I have ever laid eyes on. It was stupendous, adorned with large (still green) fruit hanging from it like baubles on a Christmas tree.

It’s so appealing and satisfying to be such successful gardeners. I have tried growing passionfruit myself, but it gives me the pip to see my plants struggle to grow, let alone bear fruit. Mine seemed to have no zest for life and all my efforts have gone a bit pear-shaped.

I pretended I didn’t give a fig for their success, compared with my sad failures, but it did hurt just a little – sour grapes, I suppose.

I am wondering how to improve my agricultural pursuits and become the top banana of the passionfruit industry in Anglesea. Perhaps we should hold a competition and get a few clues from other fruit growers in the region.

It was laden – at least 500 fruit I am told – and certainly stretches at least 25 metres as it wraps its way around the house.

Parts of this remarkable plant reach to the eaves. What a spectacle! It certainly takes the cake and deserves a gold medlar. I trust I will be in line for a bite of the cherry when they hand out the ripe fruit to friends and admirers.

In order to plum the depths of the secret of the success of the passionfruit vine, I dared to ask whether they had berried anything under the plant to make it grow so successfully.

I have heard that a liver under a passionfruit can produce amazing results. They were, however, quite pearsistent that they had done no such thing, having had great concerns for its fruiture and the overall health of the plant. They expect it to go on bearing fruit for a long time yet, and live to a ripe old age.

They were not the type of people to bow to pear pressure and introduce strange practices into their gardening habits. They

Is this the biggest passionfruit plant in Anglesea?

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17

Love Winter in Aireys What Good is the Warmth of Summer Without the Cold of Winter?

By Robyn Lucas

Whether you are the bear that goes to bed early, or the late night owl, you must make time this winter to enjoy some of this year’s blockbuster program, Love Winter in A ireys.

Eight years strong, the 2019 program is a cultural sensation and I am looking forward to experiencing the diverse range of events on offer over the next two months.

Throughout July and August, you can keep warm, socialise and indulge in the 60-plus events, including culinary delights, yoga retreats, dance like no one is watching, and more.

There is so much to see, hear and taste this year.

Following are some of my personal highlights:

Wear Artrageous First up, my favourite event, Wear Artrageous. This is a must see, at Aireys Inlet Community Hall, on Saturday, 29 June, promising a fun, performative and creative use of wearable art.

As the audience, you will need to BYO drinks, glasses and nibbles, while you enjoy sitting at tables to relax and be entertained by the ‘Artrageous’ fashion show.

For new readers and those who don’t know anything about Wear Artrageous, it originated in the late 1990s for artists to create costumes, which are then modelled to music and choreography to match their theme. It is an annual event to keep in your calendars.

This year, brilliant stage designer Janet Miller, who has a background in TV staging in Australia and the UK, will deliver the lighting and sound, so it should be next level.

Wear Artrageous returns to the program for this year’s Love Winter in Aireys.

Book your seats for Wear Artrageous via e-mail to oceaninlet@bigpond.com or phone Anne on 0416 080 617.

Italian Feast I know, as an Italophile, I will not be resisting the Italian Feast, on Sunday, 30 August. The three-course feast will showcase food from different regions of Italy.

A low-cost but highly creative and entertaining event, at $10 per head admission, this is a Surf Coast Arts initiative.

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So, join me, and start off your night with a complimentary aperitif. The bar at Little Feast will be stocked with delicious Italian wines, beer, aperitifs and soft drinks for you to enjoy.

Definitely BYO your singing voice, so you can sing your way through Italian songs, whilst being entertained

by Ben Costanzo on his magnificent piano accordion. If you are interested in learning new card games, there may be some special table hosts to show you how to play Scopa.

Dress Code: wear a splash of green, white and/or red.

Good value at $60 per head.

Gin Cocktails & GORGEOUS Desserts Before I head to Italy, I will need a local drink, so am going to book into Great Ocean Road Gin Cocktails & GORGEOUS Desserts, at the Great Ocean Road Gin Tasting Room.

I’m sure I’ll enjoy an evening of decadent cocktails, matched with delectable cakes & desserts. Another event not to be missed, you’ll find us in the Gin room on Friday, 19 July.

Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery Over winter, there will be plenty of visual eggs at Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery. During July, we will see new works by Irene Majer, as well as James McMurtrie with his Glass Art Exhibition. The finale, in August, will feature our local sculpture collaborators, Cinnamon and Rowan Stephens, who will present a winter metal garden inspired by organic and whimsical shapes and forms. Their artwork is very distinctive so I can’t wait to see what they do.

Trivia Night & Mystical Exhibition Some fun nights out with the family over winter are the Kid’s Trivia & Pizza at Truffles on 10 July, a s well a s the mystical enchanted forest exhibition at Aireys Inlet Primary School on 10-11 August. Students will transform the bushland surrounding their school into an enchanted forest filled with fireflies ... coming to life at night.

A fabulous family adventure not to be missed.

Wed 3 Jul Sat 6 Jul Sat 6 Jul Sat 6 Jul Sun 7 Jul Wed 10 Jul Fri 19 Jul

Fri 19 Jul Sat 20 Jul Sun 21 Jul Sat 3 Aug

Adults wanting their own fix of trivia can join in the fun at Truffles on 3 July.

Sun 4 Aug

For all events, refer to the calendar (right) or visit the website www.aireysinlet.org.au.

Sat/Sun 10-11 Aug Sat/Sun 10-11 Aug Sat/Sun 10-11 Aug Sat 17 Aug Sat/Sun 17-18 Aug Sun 18 Aug Fri 30 Aug

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Adult Trivia & Pizza Night @ Truffles Mini Golf Championships @ Great Ocean Road Mini Golf Soup in the Garden @ Aireys Inlet Community Garden Irene Majer Art Exhibition @ Eagles Nest Aireys Inlet Winter Market @ Aireys Inlet Community Hall Kids Trivia & Pizza Night @ Truffles GORG Gin Cocktails & GORGEOUS Desserts @ Great Ocean Road Gin 5-Rhythms Winter Dance @ Aireys Inlet Community Hall James McMurtrie Glass Art Exhibition @ Eagles Nest Gallery Under The Influence Of Words, an afternoon of written words @ Aireys Pub Aireysistible, an evening of dance, stories and food in support of refugees @ Aireys Inlet Community Hall ‘Nurture’ your mind and body @ Aireys Inlet Community Hall Surf Coast Arts Trail @ venues in Aireys Fireflies In The Enchanted Forest @ Aireys Inlet Primary School Glass Art Installations@ Great Escape Books Artist’s Metal Garden @ Eagles Nest International Lighthouse Weekend @ Split Point Lighthouse Tennis Tournament @ Aireys Tennis Club Italian Dinner @ Little Feast 19

Life Stories – Putting Pen to Paper

By Moreen Dainty

Last year, I signed up for a life-writing course at Anglesea Community House. The course had been publicised in NewsA ngle and was to be taught by a local writer and playwright called Janet Brown. On the spur of the moment, I decided to give it a go.

I had no idea what to expect or who I would meet (and, if I’m honest, whether my writing would be good enough).

Nevertheless, I had an inkling this might be something I needed to do. In recent years, I had watched my elderly mother suffer from dementia.

Ours had been a difficult relationship and it was only latterly that I had been able to really connect with her. Her illness robbed me of the chance to ask some important life questions.

As I went through her old photographs, I realised I didn’t know enough about the stories behind them. I didn’t want my daughter to face that same, painful vacuum.

Local resident Moreen Dainty unlocked her joy of writing in a course with Janet Brown.

I realised, however, that I wanted to do more than simply create a life record. Somewhat ambitiously, perhaps, I felt I wanted to reconcile myself with my past, to take stock of this ordinary life of mine. What had I learnt about myself over the past six decades? What did I want to commit to paper? Who might be interested in reading it?

Although none of us considered ourselves ‘real writers’, many of us had kept journals during our lives, which held treasured insights into how we once felt and thought. Over the coming weeks, we would refer to these and other mementos from our past to give impetus to our writing.

When I turned up to class, I discovered I was not the only one asking these questions. My fellow classmates were from very different walks of life – but we all shared a love of writing.

As the weeks went by, this disparate group of people began to develop the confidence and wherewithal to share life stories.

(We also agreed that what was said in class, stayed in class.)

Each session, Janet helped us explore different writing methods. She would encourage us to sample other authors’ works and openly discuss the problems we experienced as we put pen to paper. Over time, these expertly-led sessions helped us develop an increased awareness of our craft, our capacity to express ourselves and to project our own unique voice.

Our folders started to fill with notes, essays and even draft chapters that described key events, people and places in our lives. A virtual treasure-trove of material now available for future generations to read.

At the end of the course, some felt they would like to go on to publish their work, others were simply content, finally, to have got something down on paper. A few of us have continued to meet and share our writing. We give each other support and feedback. We are also learning about each other in a rich and meaningful way – one that is helping us develop strong bonds.

Many writers struggle with the writing process. We procrastinate because it can be such hard, grinding work.

Reading out what I had written to others on this course, helped me see the power of my words. It helped me appreciate the joy of writing, even if it is just for oneself. It helped me gain perspective on past hurts. For the first time in my life, I was able to write – unfettered by work deadlines and other people’s agendas.

Nowadays, the words flow more easily onto my screen. My internal critic no longer tries to crush the life out of what I have just written. ‘Delete’ is no longer a tantalising keystroke away.

If you are interested in joining a future writing course, please register your interest with Anglesea Community House Program Co-ordinator Marcelle Renkin on 5263 2116.

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Tech Angle

By Chris Dos

Good news – the redundancy of humans* may not be as imminent as we were led to believe.

By now, we’ve all had plenty of time to either celebrate or simply accept the result of our recent federal election.

The outcome, such a surprise to us all, went against virtually all polling predictions. So much so, the pollsters and their forecasts have been picked apart more than the policies of the opposing parties.

The general consensus is that they used outdated methods and didn't achieve the required breadth of opinion in their sample of the electorate.

I assumed that the outcome of a largely two-horse race could be predicted correctly about half the time, much like a coin toss, but if only it were that simple!

When asked directly for our opinion, people have been simply re-stating what they believe the general opinion to be. The different pollsters have also been guilty of this herd mentality, being reluctant to go against the result that most analysts were predicting.

Of course, there was one clever prognosticator who did foretell the outcome using a completely different approach. He did it by mining our ‘echatter’ across social media, arriving at a prediction at odds with the others, yet correct.

Are we more truthful to the anonymous universe of the internet than to another human on the other end of a telephone? I offer another explanation – we voted this way simply because we were told the opposite was going to happen.

As long as experts are smugly telling us how we will act, we will fall over ourselves to do the opposite. So try as it might, Artificial Intelligence will never replicate our flawed, irrational and unpredictable human-ness. *Different from ‘A Redundancy of Humans’, the collective noun.

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21

TWITCHERS’ CORNER Written and illustrated by Kaye Traynor

YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER Caligavis chrysops Every year between March and May, thousands of Yellowfaced Honeyeaters will migrate from South Australia and Victoria, north along coastal NSW and Queensland. It is one of the most definite migrations among Australian birds and, as the birds fly during daylight hours, it is especially obvious.

Their annual northern flights are of interest to ornithologists, but precise details and the movements of individual birds are yet to be known. It is understood, however, that the entire population does not migrate and some birds remain in the south throughout the winter.

In the spring, the birds return south in smaller flocks between the months of August and October. They seem to return to the areas where they lived during the previous summer.

In appearance, the Yellow-faced Honeyeater measures 160180mm. The sexes are similar. Upper parts olive brown; yellow stripe under the eye, bordered above and below by black, ending in small white tuft. Underparts grey. Eye bluegrey, feet brown. Juveniles – duller than adults. The only honeyeater with which the Yellow-faced could be confused within our area is the slightly larger Singing Honeyeater.

The Yellow-faced can be found in eucalypt forests, woodlands, mangroves, coastal and mountain heathlands, thickets, orchards, parks and gardens. An active bird, it hawks for insects about the outer foliage and flowering trees, but also feeds in low heath and scrub. It takes its nectar from various eucalypts, as well as popular garden plants such as grevilleas, banksias and correas.

Most nesting activity takes place during October to January, but may occur from July to March. In the south, the breeding season is later than for most other honeyeaters. The nest is a small cup of grass, bark and spiderwebs bound by the rim onto a horizontal fork in the outer foliage of a shrub or tree up to 7m above ground. Two or three 21 x 14mm eggs are laid; light pink or buff coloured, spotted with browns and reds, particularly at the larger end.

Ref. Garden Birds - Attracting Birds to Australian & New Zealand Gardens. Clifford B. Frith, Consulltant editors: Cyril Walker and Tim Parmenter The Australian Bird Guide. Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke, Jeff Davies, Peter Marsack, Kim Franklin.

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HISTORY SPOT

Diggers Parade

By Jan Morris, Anglesea & District Historical Society

That odd shaped road named Diggers Parade, which diverges from outside today's Surf Coast Resort through to McMillan Street, started life as an afterthought – it wasn't on the original plan.

Vehicles were horse drawn, and most of the local tracks on the far side of the river bridge headed towards an unfenced water hole in McMillan Street, just west of the driveway into today's Historical Society.

The reason for this was that horses need fresh water, and this water hole was one of the only places where everybody could get access to the important requirement.

It was also realised that an easier approach was needed to the growing number of holiday cottages being built on the Gladstone hill.

The logical choice was to upgrade the road on the subdivisional drawing, then named the River Esplanade, now Great Ocean Road.

Unfortunately, this proposed roadwork was required to traverse an area known as Noble's paddock, which was extremely rough, covered with large bull rushes, plenty of snakes, and some parts low lying and subject to river flooding.

The authorities decided to take the easy way out, and created a detour around the natural blockade. This diversion allowed road construction to be made in an easier and cheaper manner.

There were no graders or bulldozers in those days, just pick, shovel, and a horse-hauled scoop.

George Noble, who originally subdivided the broad acres on the west side of the river, gave a portion of vacant land adjacent to his Noorah homestead, so that the changed route could proceed on higher ground through the middle of his blocks, and by-pass the obstruction.

This new track was surveyed, registered and constructed, and later in 1919 patriotically named Diggers Parade in recognition of the many soldiers returning from World War 1.

In 1934, it was reported that the Shire and the Country Roads Board were considering a proposal to build a new section of road straight across from the bridge to McMillan Street, which would avert the long turn of Diggers Parade, and make the thoroughfare safer to the increased motor traffic conditions.

However, bureaucratic decisions are not made easily, and it took until after World War 2 before the track was replaced by the originally planned River Esplanade.

Noble’s old low-lying land between Diggers Parade and the present main road was gradually filled, and later became the sites for what we now know as the Colledge Reserve, as well as the service station, motel and surf shop.

Today's corner shopping centre and Surf Coast Resort occupy the former location of George Noble's original home Noorah.

His second home, known as Glissy, is still in Holmwood Ave. From the research of Lindsay Braden

NO-MAINTENANCE

DECKING

 No Rot  No Oiling  Slip-resistant

to Australian Standards  Concealed

fixings  Comparable in price to Merbu

Made from recycled timber fibre and HDPE

Phone: 0417 591 113 Email: huntersales@netspace.net.au www.timberlast.com.au

Diggers Parade as it is today.

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23

Community Corner NEWS AND UPDATES FROM YOUR CORNER OF THE WORLD

Anglesea Netball Club Scores New Shelter The Anglesea Lions Club coordinated a Sportsperson’s Night recently, at the Anglesea Hotel, to raise money for new seating and shelters at the Anglesea Netball Courts.

The netball club needed to raise $9,500, and the Surf Coast Shire Council would fund the remainder.

The night was a great success, with 150 people attending and listening to MC Ian Cover interview the guest speakers: Australian netballer, Tegan Philip; AFL star, Patrick Dangerfield; and former Cats player Andrew Bews, who is currently assistant football coach at Anglesea.

By Tony Revell Anglesea CFA

Is Your Home Fire Safe?

Firefighters attend more than 3,000 house fires in Victoria each year. Many could be prevented by taking simple precautions to reduce the risk of fire.

In the Kitchen: Never leave cooking unattended, keep tea towels and flammable items away from the stove and keep grills, fans and cooking surfaces free from grease.

Ian Cover (right) interviewing the three speakers (right to left) Tegan Philip, Patrick Dangerfield and Andrew Bews, at the recent Sportsperson’s Night.

In Living Areas: Have gas heaters and chimneys checked, make sure heaters are off before going to bed or going out, always use a fire screen in front of an open fire and keep clothing, curtains or toys at least one metre away from heaters.

Keep candles, incense, and oil burners away from anything flammable and matches out of children’s reach.

The night raised $8,000 and the balance will be made up jointly by the Anglesea Lions Club and Anglesea Community Bank.

The seating and shelters have now been installed at the courts.

Fire Lines

Anglesea’s new netball shelter was installed with funds raised at the recent Anglesea Lions Sportsperson’s Night.

Power and Appliance Safety: Never overload power boards and replace faulty appliances immediately. Check power leads for damage or kinks.

Clean the lint filter on your clothes dryer after each load.

In Bedrooms: Don't leave electric blankets on for more than 30 minutes, never put weight on the bed while the electric blanket is switched on. Never smoke in bed.

Smoke Alarms: Working smoke alarms save lives. It is law in Victoria to have at least one smoke alarm on each level of every home. Extra smoke alarms are recommended to ensure every sleeping zone is protected and in bedrooms where the door is closed when sleeping.

Change smoke alarm batteries every year and test regularly.

More Information? Visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au Tony Revell, Anglesea CFA Community Engagement Protecting People, Property and our Environment.

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Surf Coast Arts Trail 2019

By Cinnamon Stephens

Winter on the Surf Coast means the Arts Trail is coming!

The creative community will be abuzz with artists, studios and galleries preparing their artwork and art spaces for this annual event.

This year, the Surf Coast Arts Trail will run 10-11 August, from 10am to 4pm.

2019 will see the launch of an exciting interactive website, as well as the trusty Arts Trail map that will be available from early July.

The new website will allow each visitor to design their own trail, and discover other artists based on location, artwork medium or other nearby attractions.

The Arts Trail website will be available beyond the event, providing artists an extra opportunity to promote their work and studios throughout the year.

‘Sooty Owl Tea Cosie’

by Torquay artist Renee Treml

The Surf Coast Shire boasts a plethora of talented artisans living and working amongst the beauty of this region.

Many are hidden away and only open their doors to the public during the Arts Trail weekend.

This is truly a special time when you can catch some studios actively demonstrating their crafts.

‘Lady In Red’ by Surf Coast artist Peta Uthmeyer From pottery to discover, along with a great number wheels to blacksmithing, painting of studios that have proven to be easels to jeweller’s benches, favourites amongst the seasoned Arts printmaking studios to woodworking Trail visitors. sheds, and plenty more, Surf Coast Arts Trail has it all.

For more information on our new website, map availability and to stay In 2019, the Arts Trail will showcase up-to-date with the artists included in around 50 venues that will take you this year’s event, follow us on through the beautiful hinterland and Facebook and Instagram. along the coast.

The trail includes 10 brand new venues

See you on this year’s trail.

Do you know where to find local defibrillators?

Defibrillators (also known as AEDs – automated external defibrillators) can be used by members of the public to help save someone’s life in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.

There are a number of defibrillators on outside walls of various buildings in town, and the Lions Club has added to these.

There are now two at either end of the main shopping centre in Anglesea, and others can be found as follows: Aireys Inlet  Strapper Surf, 83 Great Ocean Rd  Aireys Inlet Community Hall, 6 Great Ocean Rd

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Anglesea

 Go Ride A Wave, Shop 143-B Great Ocean Road

 Anglesea Pizza & Pasta Shop, 1/63 Great Ocean Road

 Anglesea Motor Yacht Club, at Point Roadknight

 Bendigo Community Bank, 97 Great Ocean Road

 Anglesea Art House, 23 Cameron Road

 Anglesea Men’s Shed, Cameron Road

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COMMUNITY CORNER

BATA Advises Shopping Centre Maintenance over Winter Business and Tourism Anglesea (BATA) has advised that proposed works at the Anglesea Shopping Centre are to be undertaken during the winter period.

This will include the removal of a portion of existing pavement and replacement with exposed aggregate concrete to match in with the existing concrete finish.

As part of these works, the existing Eucalyptus trees within the area of pavement to be replaced will also need to be removed and replaced with a suitable tree species that will provide shade but not damage the new pavement area.

The gum trees along the shop-side roadway verge are tearing up the pavement and require year-long clearing of dead branches and leaves.

These trees will be replaced with a

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Fish Art for Collection

species that doesn't continually drop branches, leaves or fruit (as do the olive trees in the area) or cause allergies.

After considering species options with ANGAIR and BATA’s Streetscape group, the tree Ulmus parvifolia ‘Todd’ has been selected for planting. These are deciduous trees, with dense foliage providing shaded seating through summer.

The above-mentioned gums are the only trees proposed for removal. The existing olive trees are outside the scope of works and will be retained. The exact number of trees and the exact locations of the replacements are yet to be confirmed. Existing furniture is to be retained.

Line marking on site currently indicates service location only, and is not an indication of extent of the proposed works.

Did you make a mosaic fish that has been on the wall at the Anglesea shopping centre, outside Morgans?

They were carefully removed when the shopping area was repainted.

If you would like to have your fish, they are at the Anglesea Community House.

Call in to collect your artwork.

They will be there until the end of August 2019.

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Anglesea, you’ve bin making a difference!

Surf Coast Shire Council’s Food Organics Collection service will continue in Anglesea, with resounding community support and strong results in waste diversion achieved through the pilot.

Most Anglesea householders and visitors have embraced the shift to placing food waste into kerbside organics bins, along with garden clippings, and already helped deliver a 22 per cent reduction of waste going to landfill. Food scraps are instead being turned into valuable compost for farms and gardens.

Recent surveys revealed 83 per cent of people are either very satisfied or satisfied with the service, and 11 per cent are unsatisfied or very unsatisfied.

These results have led council to keeping the service in place, while a review of the pilot is underway. This will include further analysis of data from community surveys and waste audits, and lead to recommendations about the future of the service in the shire.

Key results from the pilot, measured between 12 December 2018 and 24 April, include:  22 per cent (103 tonne) reduction in waste to landfill;  196 tonne reduction in greenhouse emissions;  98 per cent of survey respondents know what goes into the kerbside organics bin;  The amount of recyclables found in kerbside landfill bins dropped from 15 to 4 per cent.

Council’s survey also revealed some concerns, including reduced frequency of landfill bin collections, accumulation of nappies, and how holidaymakers will understand the system. This feedback has been helpful, and already Council has scheduled an additional landfill bin collection in Anglesea during summer, and added education materials to its website for homeowners to leave in their rental properties.

Positive survey comments included: “This is a brilliant initiative and it makes me excited to live in Anglesea. Please do not stop it,” one said.

“Proud to be a ratepayer with the Surf Coast Shire that has been plastic bag free, and continues to be proactive about caring for the environment and reducing waste.”

“This was a wonderful initiative and we hope it remains for a long time. We have used the caddy since the pilot started, and enjoy being able to send our food waste somewhere it will not be going to landfill. It also reduced the work for us, as we now don’t need to set up compost for food scraps.”

Anglesea ward councillor Margot Smith said she found the new service easy to adopt in the home.

“I’ve found it has also highlighted how much plastic we use and how much stuff comes in packaging,” Cr Smith said.

“It has changed not only the way we send organics to landfill but also what we do in the future and how we buy things.

“I must say a big thank you to everyone who helped make the program a success. Hopefully it will expand.”

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COMMUNITY CORNER

Anglesea Surf Life Saving Clubhouse farewelled in style

By Jen Mclntyre , Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club

With the sun shining brightly, it was a picturesque day at the Anglesea clubhouse’s Farewell Party, with close to 300 members past and present attending.

It was so great to see some faces who had travelled from interstate to attend the day and clearly displayed the lifelong memories and friendships the clubhouse and Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club have helped to create.

With eight past presidents in attendance, guests were entertained with stories of times gone by.

Local musician Tristan Ross entertained the guests, and said he really enjoyed hearing about all the bands that played at the club, especially The Group, which he grew up on.

It was especially significant that on the day we farewelled the old clubhouse, we reached our Redevelopment fundraising target.

Thanks to some generous members,

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$26,000 was donated on the day, rounding out the $5 million target that was set when the project was initiated.

What an incredible achievement to reach this figure.

It would not have been possible without the work of the Building and Redevelopment Committee and the tireless effort of Fundraising Chair, Ingilby Dickson. A big thank you to everybody who has contributed so far.

Past presidents who attended the Farewell Party at the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club, including John Worrell who sadly passed away recently.

As the sun set on the Farewell Party, and we reflected on years of memories in the clubhouse, it was indeed fitting to reflect on the words of the Anglesea Nipper Chant: We are Anglesea couldn’t be prouder!

Planning is underway to minimise disruption to surf club activities such as patrols, nippers, and training and development opportunities.

Works are expected to commence in June, and at minimum, one season will occur with no clubhouse.

For all the information regarding the redevelopment, you can head to the website www.angleseaslsc.org.au

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Surfcoast Shire News

By Ward Councillor Margot Smith

You will all be aware by now that we have lost Councillor Libby Coker, but gained Libby Coker MP, as Libby has been elected as the representative for our Federal seat of Corangamite.

Libby has always worked very hard representing the community at a local level and now takes those skills to the national stage.

What a terrific honour for her, and I think we will be well represented by her.

I have personally enjoyed working with Libby over the last seven years and wish her all the very best. There is likely to be a by-election to fill the

vacancy in the Anglesea Ward, so stay tuned for more information.

The Eden Project Hot on the heels of the Federal Election decision, came the announcement by Alcoa and the UK Eden Project of a proposal for an educational eco-tourism attraction on part of the old mine and power station land – specifically area 3.

the opportunity to have questions answered, input considered and perhaps more.

Budget Feedback Back on the more mundane business of budgets, I would like to thank those that have made submissions into the process.

The Eden Project in Cornwall is worldclass and it is exciting to be able to discuss the opportunity for such a concept on the outskirts of Anglesea.

These submissions cover projects, road and footpath improvements, and fees and charges for facilities. It is important for us as Councillors to hear your concerns and ideas for improvements.

I’m sure many have questions on the impacts and opportunities, and from what I have seen to date, we will have

I hope you are enjoying winter and taking the opportunity to enjoy wet and windy walks along the tracks.

Imagine getting paid to do what you love?

Case Study: Child Care Educator Paula Hinds After many years working in a city corporate world of banking and finance, Paula decided she needed a career change and a tree change.

With a love of country life, and in particular horses, she moved to the Surf Coast and re-trained as a Family Day Care Educator.

Family Day Care is a professional home-based child care service for children aged from six weeks to 12 years.

Operating as an educator in her home at Gherang, Paula found the flexibility to run her own business, while working in with her own family needs, finding work/life balance.

needs, likes and interests, offering indoor or outdoor play and exploration.

Activities might involve tending the cherry tomatoes and basil in the garden, feeding carrots and apples to ‘TC’ the pony or playing in the autumn leaves.

The children also engage in child-led play, allowing them to explore and discover, and giving them a sense of belonging at the home-based service.

Paula ensures the children are comfortable, happy and engaged, and their learning can be profound. She loves her new calling and recommends it to others.

Now her home has children aged 1 to 4 years attending four days a week for care, with some children having attended and been making themselves at home there since they were seven months old!

So what does it take to be a Family Day Care Educator? It takes passion, a love of children, a certificate III in children’s services and a house passing a safety check. Family Day Care Educators can work three to five days a week, managing their own time and business, including superannuation and tax.

Paula collaborates with children and families daily to identify the children’s

Following is a checklist of what you will need to get started:

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 Certificate III in early childhood education and care, or working towards;  Working with children and criminal record check;  Level 2 first aid qualification less than three years old;  Certificate in anaphylaxis management less than three years old;  CPR qualification less than 12 months old;  Public liability insurance;

 Australian Business number, ABN;  Customer Reference Number, CRN, if applicable;  Mandatory reporting knowledge, can be completed during induction;  Food handling qualification, can be completed during induction;  Computer, internet, printer.

Family Day Care Educator courses and training options are available. For more information, please call 5261 0600 or email familydaycare@surfcoast.vic.gov.au 29

COMMUNITY CORNER

Anglesea Primary School defines values

By Murray Surkitt, Principal, Anglesea Primary School

Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, Collaboration: these are the new Anglesea Primary School values, determined after gaining input from students, staff, parents and the community.

Students are playing an active role in assisting the school to implement the values throughout the school.

This has included them helping to make mascots for each of the values, as well as writing student-friendly statements describing what the values look like at our school.

A new Student Leadership Program has seen the introduction of Values Leaders, who at each Friday’s school assembly state the value of the week for the following week and how the students can show this value at school.

For example, ‘Responsibility – We come to class prepared and ready to learn’.

Students are acknowledged for showing the value through weekly class values awards, and a principal’s award is given to a student for making a special effort to demonstrate the value.

With everyone demonstrating our school values, we are aiming to make Anglesea the best school it can be.

New student furniture (desks and tables) has just arrived, which will enable greater flexibility, allowing teachers and students to learn together in a more collaborative learning environment.

The school’s wonderful Parents Social Club, which organises terrific events for the school, including the annual Village Fair and Family Bowls Day, provided funds for the new furniture.

Other new resources include books for students to read during English sessions and equipment to use during Maths.

We have also purchased gardening equipment to use in our Outdoor Learning environments, such as the Indigenous Garden. Two portable bigscreen televisions with Apple TVs will provide extra opportunities for high quality teaching and learning to occur, such as children completing projects collaboratively and presenting to others what they have learnt.

Community participation remains a strong feature of our school.

The CFA program for Grade 5-6 students is continuing and, in May, a Planting Day was held to put in over 400 plants about the school with the assistance of ANGAIR, Otways Indigenous Nursery, Ocean Road Landscaping, the Grade 3-4 students, and parents.

An innovative and exciting program this year involves the Grade 6 students participating in a project that was developed by researchers from CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere.

The project looks at how smoke affects air quality, and our students built a device called Smoke Observation Gadget (SMOG) to measure particles in the air. Anglesea Primary School is very lucky to be only one of two schools in Victoria to be involved in this exciting Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) project.

If you would like to learn more about Anglesea Primary, please feel free to contact the school.

Great staff, great students, great community = great school!

CLASSROOOM CAPERS Having just had a weekly assembly at Anglesea Primary School, one of my students asked me whilst we were returning to our classrooms ...

"Who is Joyce?"

I asked in return. "I beg your pardon Tim?" He asked the same question again and I had to ask him to explain his question.

His response to this day still makes me laugh every time I hear our national anthem. I quote, "The song tells us that we must all ring Joyce".

Jenna Crawford 30

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Support for Solar Systems helps Cut Costs

By Robyn Lucas

Lynne and Trevor, from Anglesea, admit to taking a long time to decide to install solar power.

Although keen to save money on energy bills and do their bit for the environment, initially it seemed too hard – until they attended a presentation hosted by Surf Coast Shire Council.

Lynne describes the presentation as the light-bulb moment that led the couple to subsequently install a 3.3kW rooftop solar system in April 2017.

“The installer guided us through the process, explaining the pros and cons of each decision. In the end, it was super easy and went smoothly,” Lynne says, admitting to being delighted when the first bill arrived.

“Despite a tariff increase, it was 30 percent lower than the same billing period the previous year.”

The couple has since reduced their overall energy use and costs even further by making simple changes to the way they use household appliances, and installing extra insulation in the roof.

“We run our washing machine and dishwasher during the day

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Solar systems can help locals reduce energy costs.

to take advantage of the free power provided by our solar panels,” Lynne explains.

“The insulation batts recommended by our plumber have made a really big difference too – especially in the upstairs area, which used to be so hot and stuffy during summer. It was unbearable.”

As a Powered By Positive advocate, Lynne offers the following advice: “Just take the first step. Seek out information, make enquiries, find suppliers and tradespeople who share your values and are willing to guide you through each decision along the way.”

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Banking on our Community

By Rob Cameron Anglesea & District Bendigo Community Bank ®

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PROJECTS The Anglesea, Lorne and Winchelsea Community Bank® continues to be active in the local region, working closely with groups to assist in the process of fundraising and event planning.

The Anglesea Lions Club has been a great supporter of the Community Bank’s work and the two community-minded groups often partner in local projects. Most recently, the two organisations joined with the Anglesea Football Netball Club to present a dinner fundraiser for the construction of new shelters on the netball courts.

The club’s most famous exports, Melbourne Vixen and Australian Diamond netballer, Tegan Philip (nee Caldwell), and Geelong footballer, Patrick Dangerfield, were special guests at the event.

They were supported by former Cats champion and current Anglesea football club assistant coach, Andrew Bews, while ABC Radio’s Coodabeen Champion, Ian Cover, controlled proceedings with his usual flair and humour.

The Lions Club and Community Bank® both made significant financial contributions to ensure the project would be completed.

Surf Coast Mountain Bike Club The Community Bank® has also been delighted to provide support to the Surf Coast Mountain Bike Club, which has just started operations at the bike park in Camp Road, Anglesea.

The club was looking for funds to support the purchase of a trailer to move equipment for club events.

The Community Bank® was happy to provide $5000 toward the project. Club President Tony Smales made the announcement at a club event, also attended by the Surf Coast Mayor Rose Hodge and local Councillor Margot Smith.

Club Vice President Jon Pendlebury had been a major driver in the creation of the club, after being a member of the Geelong Mountain Bike Club and seeing the need to support a growing interest in the sport on the Surf Coast.

The Community Bank® has been delighted to support these local projects and looks forward to being able to pour more of the profits generated locally back into community projects.

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LOCAL PROFILE: JOHN DIGBY

On the Beat with Sergeant Digby

By Jenna Crawford

In January this year, Anglesea welcomed a newly-appointed Sergeant of Police. John Digby now heads a team of four locally-based police personnel working from the Anglesea Police Station, near the Anglesea Fire Station on the Great Ocean Road.

He has three Leading Senior Constables to assist in the various roles of policing in our part of the Surf Coast.

John grew up in Geelong, attending Oberon Primary School and Geelong Technical College. He spent 12 years working for F.C. Walker and Sons in the tiling and plastering industry, completing office duties and dealing with sales.

At about 30 years of age, John decided to leave Walkers and pursue a career with Victoria Police because he thought it would be a worthwhile job.

Along with a whole lot of people from different age groups and backgrounds, he completed his six-month training at the Glen Waverley Police Academy.

Graduates are permitted to select areas in which to be appointed, and John decided to return to his home town.

He spent two years in Geelong, followed by another two years in Stawell, gaining valuable experience in country issues and policing. After Stawell, he returned again to Geelong.

Over the next four years, he was seconded to different units in Geelong and the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Some of these included the Geelong and Footscray Criminal Investigation Units (CIU) and Embona Taskforce, targeting armed robberies.

John went on to become a qualified detective whilst working in Melbourne.

He explained the difference in being a uniformed policeman and a detective is that uniformed police are involved in frontline responses, whilst a detective becomes involved in criminal investigations into serious, ongoing crimes.

In 2002, John gained a full-time

Sergeant John Digby, Anglesea Police

detective position at Hamilton CIU, before moving to the Crime Department in Melbourne. His last four years have been spent as a uniformed officer at Colac, with a three-month stint at Lorne Police Station.

John brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to his role as Sergeant at Anglesea.

He believes his role is to be pro-active and to provide good service to the town and the surrounding area.

Intervention referrals are an important part in minimising crime in our community.

He is not afraid to engage outside agencies to assist in keeping people and property as safe as possible.

Working with emergency services agencies, such as the Country Fire Authority and the Surf Coast Shire is a priority.

Theft from houses and motor vehicles, and traffic management along the Great Ocean Road, are among some of the issues that Sergeant John Digby and his fellow constables want to minimise.

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

Land of Fences (Book 3 of Winter trilogy)

Unconditional Love: A Memoir of Filmmaking and Motherhood

Mark Smith has a history of writing utterly compulsive and thought-provoking reads.

Set against the rich tapestry of the Australian bush on the coast, the world has evolved and become a dangerous, lawless place. Yet not all are ready to lay down their humanity. The Winter trilogy is a heartpounding quest for survival in a world where many of the laws of morality, kindness and decency have become redundant. It is dangerous to be honourable in such a world.

Land of Fences picks up seamlessly where book two, Wilder Country, left off. Finn and Kas, along with their own blended form of family, face the ultimate challenge to their survival when they are forced to face off the loathsome Ramage and Tusker. Cornered, captured and offered a series of utterly impossible choices, Land of Fences accelerates at breakneck speed. This is a magnificent series for both teens and adults.

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

by Jocelyn Moorhouse (Australian Memoir)

Unconditional Love is a striking memoir.

Jocelyn Moorhouse has created a breathtaking account of her life, regaling her career in filmmaking, motherhood and the loss of her beloved parents. Moorhouse was director of The Dressmaker film, which reached into our homes and became a favourite. Reading her book is a delight to the heart and mind, and her storytelling speaks right into your depth. Married to the equally talented PJ Hogan, Moorhouse opens up their home and the life they have created together.

Speaking candidly of their four children, she almost processes her journey through motherhood out loud. It is a courageous and authentic telling of all the pieces that make up her identity. I devoured this book. It was relatable and intelligent, filled with courage and vulnerability. A great book to lose yourself in, one that will feed the soul.

Review by Lydia @ Great Escape Books.

The River

The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club

by Mark Smith (Australian Fiction)

by Peter Heller (American Fiction)

The River is a magnificent homage to both the beauty and the unpredictable violence of nature. Jack and Wynn are best friends from college, both comfortable in their skin, they decide to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, kayaking together down the mighty Maskwa River in northern Canada.

The river starts slowly, almost contemplatively. The descriptions of the mountains and the waters are so visceral that I felt as if I was also canoeing, the book and the trip just flowing seamlessly along. But then Jack smells smoke and the pace picks up markedly. A monster wildfire is heading their way. With no satellite phone, they stumble on a drunk’s camp, and then further disorientating them, they hear a woman’s scream and find her partner distressed and in shock. You come to love these boys and just want them to turn around and flee. I greatly admire Peter Heller’s writing, its tightness, its immediacy and its beauty. This is a marvellous book for all who love great writing and the natural world.

Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books

by Alex Bell (English Children’s Fiction)

Stella Starflake Pearl joins the Polar Bear Explorers’ Club on an expedition to discover the coldest place on earth. Although girls are not usually allowed to join this club, Stella’s adoptive father, Felix, pulls some strings to ensure 12-year-old Stella gets a chance to join the adventure. She is accompanied by Ethan Edward Rook, a magician and explorer; Shay Silverton Kipling, a wolf whisperer; and Beanie, a medic who is half elf. When Stella and her friends get separated from the adults in their group, the big question is; can they cross the frozen wilderness and survive? Each of the young explorers is very unique in personality. They need to work together as a team to manage their encounters with an abundance of creatures such as giant yetis, golden geese, unicorns, untrustworthy trolls, pet polar bear cubs and carnivorous cabbages. A real page turner, which left me shivering from excitement, as well as imaginary frostbite, from the strong detail surrounding the icy setting! Recommended for ages 8-12.

Review by Wendy @ Great Escape Books

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Write Angles

By Melva Stott

A beacon of the past There's been a move afoot to demolish the Alcoa tower for aircraft safety. I said it's been there for 50 years with no such incidents, and with modern navigational equipment, it's not likely to happen now.

Just put a red light on top. Then some bright spark commented that we don't have jurisdiction for a red light area in Anglesea!

Lest we forget So many Anglesea people co-operated to present a most impressive Anzac Day commemoration at the RSL. A firsthand account of what it was like to serve in Vietnam was something I hadn't heard before. The participating children from Aireys Inlet and Anglesea Primary Schools were referred to as the future personnel, doctors, nurses, teachers, and leaders. They will keep the memories and the thanksgiving services alive in days to come. I always think the bugler is the bravest person on these occasions – a solo performance on a tricky instrument deserves admiration. Well done, Noel.

Meeting places Lately, I have been catching up with a lot of local people my age that I haven't seen for years – no, it's not a new club, it's called the medical centre. However, there is a group called Meet-Up 3230, where older residents – especially those who

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live alone – can come to chat, see a film, enjoy afternoon tea, and maybe win a raffle prize. It's held on the last Monday of each month at 1pm, at the Anglesea Bowling Club. The films are specially chosen and are inspirational and/or humourous, with no complicated plots. We all go home feeling happy.

Come along and join us. I also meet a lot of people when I'm out walking – some have dogs, I just have necessity.

Origins and change Anglesea was formerly known as Swampy Creek … because it was indeed swampy – the riverbank and the area where the motel, servo, and resort now stand, was like the area leading into Coogoorah Park today. But that hasn't been a handicap; after all, London was also built on a swamp. Should our lives seem like they're on shakey ground, a changed outlook could put us on a steady path into the future.

A compliment?

After a recent speaking engagement in Geelong, the audience had a look at my town crier photo boards spanning 25 years, and said, "You were good looking when you were younger."!!

The herald I always know when NewsA ngle has come out because people in the street start quoting parts of Write Angles back to me … then I know it's time to go off and look for a copy.

Keep smiling!

Melva Stott

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CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH PROGRAMS RUNNING IN TERM 3 AT ANGLESEA COMMUNITY HOUSE DRAMA CLUB * TAEKWONDO

CALL 5263 2116 TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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