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PUBLICATION OF THE ANGLESEA COMMUNITY HOUSE

ISSUE 147 SPRING 2021

Residents are being encouraged to create fire-resilient gardens to help reduce the impacts of bushfire. Photo by Patrick Callow

Fire-resilient backyards – a shared responsibility By Moreen Dainty

The risk of a major bushfire event is something communities up and down the Surf Coast face each summer. The rise in the number of extreme weather events in recent times, however, is of real concern. Although some may prefer to bury their heads in (or on) the sand, others argue we need to start thinking differently about how we live in this type of coastal environment and reduce the fire hazards around us. A good start is to take a look at what’s growing in our own back yard. In the last issue, I wrote about the $1.5 Community Houses are for Everyone

million spent by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) to extend strategic fuel breaks around our townships. These have been complemented by a very successful season of planned burns in the broader Otways landscape. Over the winter months, the focus

Highlights The Silo Arts Trail

What is Anglesea’s Eden?

Profile: Nels Sasulu

Profile: Aaron Tabone

Profile: Philippa Hesterman 16 From the House

The Check Up

Great Reads

Community Corner

Arts Scene

Continued on page 4 > 1

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

Hello! … from the House

NewsAngle NewsAngle is a free, quarterly magazine published by the Anglesea Community House for the communities of Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven and Moggs Creek. Its purpose is to strengthen connections across our community by writing about the diverse people, businesses and activities that make us who we are. NewsAngle aims to inform, entertain and educate readers, and to provide a voice for local groups and individuals to share information about events, activities and achievements.

By Sam Gault, Volunteer Committee of Management Chair Anglesea Community House (ACH)

RIDING THE PANDEMIC WAVES At the risk of stating the obvious, the pandemic (and successive lockdowns) suck. But it can suck less. Top tips for pandemic lockdown sucking less:  Lean into acknowledging that feeling ‘blah’ in these times is normal. 

Catch up on the Insta-viral talk by Chris Cheers. This Melbourne pyschologist shares his tips on making it through lockdown: pedestrian.tv/health/stress-cycleexplained-melbourne-psychologist-chris-cheersinstagram, think: 1. Slow breathing 2. Exercise 3. Hugs 4. Let emotions loose – big cry, big laugh 5. Get creative

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If you are into podcasts: abc.net.au/radionational/ programs/this-working-life/pandemic-uncertainty-andlockdown-creating-fatigue-and-burnout/13467478

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Keep kids, big and little, entertained by learning how animals at our zoos manage lockdown: zoo.org.au/ animals-at-home. I especially love the keeper talks.

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Check out National Aboriginal /Torres Strait Islander Art Awards Virtual Exhibition: magnt.net.au/natsiaa

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Get involved in the Fed Square free workouts: fedsquare.com/events/this-girl-can-week-virtual-classes after you have cooked up a storm through the on-demand cooking masterclasses: fedsquare.com/events/fed-foodies

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Join a virtual book club: melbourne.vic.gov.au/ community/libraries/whats-on/book-clubs/Pages/bookclubs.aspx

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Have a virtual day out at Melbourne Museum – or the Otways! museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/athome/play

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

Distribution NewsAngle is offered free to the community. You can read a digital version online at anglesea.org.au Hard copies are distributed via Australia Post using home delivery in Anglesea and PO Boxes in Aireys Inlet. NewsAngle can also be found at local shops/ cafes in both towns.

Deadlines for Next Edition Issue:

Summer, 148

Casual ad bookings:

25 October 2021

Articles/Contributions:

29 October 2021

Distribution:

9 December 2021

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But, maybe you need more than distraction?

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

You may be having difficulty navigating the online world, need help with the Power Saving Bonus, or you are struggling to make ends meet? Maybe you are feeling anxious, confused, unmotivated or isolated?

Anglesea Community House

The universal truth is that it sucks less when you connect with others!

9.00am - 2.30pm Monday - Friday 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea PO Box 43, Anglesea, VIC, 3230 Tel: 5263 2116 Email admin@anglesea.org.au

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

Anglesea Community House can help you stay connected to community and see you through. Our fabulous early childcare workers have worked very hard over the past 18 months to ensure we can continue to provide quality childcare to families, especially in times of lockdown and to essential workers in our community. Our confidential food security program, Foodlink, has also operated continuously since lockdown 1.0 and will continue to be available to anyone in need. Give us a call on 5263 2116 if there is anything we can do to help see you get through lockdowns and stay connected, healthy and safe.

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Fire resilient backyards > continued from page 1

shifted to helping property owners reduce fuel levels in selected high-risk streets on the bushland/township interface in Anglesea and Lorne. For example, residents of O'Donohue’s Road in Anglesea worked with Surf Coast Shire Council’s community fire safety and environmental officers to take away 15 truckloads of mulched vegetation from road reserves and gardens – with more to go. Thanks to the involvement and cooperation of householders, there is now far less fuel available on the outskirts of town in the event of a fire front coming through. Those who have lived experience of bushfires know the devastation and trauma they can cause. During the cooler months of the year many folk get out into the garden, pruning and clearing their properties well in advance of the bushfire season.

I’m the first to admit I don’t warm to the task of carrying out routine garden maintenance (and I’m sure I’m not alone). As I researched this article, however, I realised it’s time to lift my game. First and foremost, is the obvious risk of living on the Surf Coast, close to the Great Otway National Park. According to the CFA guide Prepare, Act, Survive communities in and around

Aireys Inlet, for example, face ‘EXTREME bushfire risk’. The question is how many visitors, and newer, semi-permanent house owners, are aware of this? Of equal concern is the lack of understanding about the kind of initial response local authorities can provide in the event of a fire. Regional Victoria simply doesn’t have the resources of metropolitan Melbourne, so in recent years authorities have been at pains to point out that we shouldn’t expect a fire engine to roll up in front of our house. We need to heed the advice and leave early. According to Darren Spicer, the Council’s dedicated municipal fire prevention officer, one part of the increased fuel risk for the Surf Coast is the woody weed species (tea tree, coastal wattles, pittosporum) that have taken hold since the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983. With a background in horticulture and years spent with the CFA, Darren is keen to challenge the idea that our surrounding landscape is ‘natural’. 'For example, the Anglesea area used to be mainly open grasslands that were well managed by the indigenous population before settlement. We’ve changed the landscape to one that has a very high fuel load,’ said Darren. ‘People don't realise that many of the shrubs and trees on their properties are in fact weeds, which have the ability to migrate without any natural control. They pop up in people’s gardens and

To increase the likelihood of your home surviving, the area immediately surrounding your home should be kept free of all flammable objects including wood piles, which can easily ignite during a bush fire. 4

are mistaken for “natural” species, ones that are indigenous to the area. ‘They grow into medium to large sized shrubs that provide a means for fine fuels on the ground to connect with mature trees. These “fuel ladders” are a major source of increased radiant heat in a bushfire,’ he explained. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests we all need to think more carefully about the fuel loads in and around our homes. Birgitte Hutchens, a community-based bushfire facilitator at Forest Fire Management Victoria, shared with me the findings of a CSIRO study into the Wye River and Separation Creek fires of Christmas 2015. These fires resulted in an unusually high number of homes (116) being lost given the weather conditions at the time. The fire that occurred within the towns was a surface fire with an average flame height of around 0.4 m. The fire front didn’t impact these towns – it was embers that lit surface fuels that soon led to house-to -house ignition, with homes as much as 12 metres apart catching fire. The report found continuous surface fuels existed across the townships, which allowed the fire to spread and ignite combustible house materials near ground level. The list of items included weatherboards, barge boards, timber stumps and decks or other heavy fuel elements like retaining walls, house cladding and belongings stored under houses.

Trees and shrubs abutting the home increase the effects of direct flame contact and radiant heat.

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Gas bottles that were incorrectly positioned, not chained in place, and with vents facing houses or sheds, were another contributing factor.

Recently, he has been working with groups of five to six residents in a street and is happy to run a community-based program for free.

Fuel reduction is a shared responsibility between government and landowners, so what do ordinary householders need to do?

‘Now more than ever before, it’s time for the community to step up,’ he said.

The Surf Coast Shire Council’s W ye River Learnings Fact Sheet stresses the need for householders to limit the ability of fire to reach their house.

1. Fire Ready Kit

A good start is to maintain a nonflammable area surrounding the house, clear of vegetation. The CFA recommends this should be at least two metres wide. I looked at the rest of their handy list and turned my eyes to my own backyard – and found it wanting. Armed with the Council’s W eeds of the Surf Coast Shire booklet, I decided to take a much closer look at what is around me (okay, no prizes for guessing I’m not a keen gardener). There are some things that I can fix easily and quickly, like my motivation to pick up the leaf litter lying around and pruning some of the vigorous growth of (what I now realise are) nasty, flammable weeds.

Visit the following websites and search for the name of each guide below to learn more about how you can better protect your property from bushfire. cfa.vic.gov.au 2. Landscaping for bushfire: garden design and plant selection 3. Your Guide to Property Preparation

surfcoast.vic.gov.au Hard landscaping features like rocks, paths and paved areas help separate vegetation to create a more fire-resilient garden.

A good example is the gardens around Aireys Inlet Community Hall. Pebble rock is now used in garden beds. The vegetation north of the hall has been managed to promote native herbaceous species, so it is like an open, woody grassland. ‘We wanted to create a more biodiverse ecology but one that reduces fuel risk,’ said Darren.

1. Landscaping your Surf Coast Garden for Bushfire 2. Local Plants: Surf Coast Shire Alternative Plants Guide 3. Weeds of the Surf Coast Shire 4. Wye River Learnings Fact Sheet www.csiro.au 1. What Wye River can teach us about building for bushfires, CSIRO Land and Water vba.vic.gov.au 1. A guide to retrofit your home for better protection from a bushfire

I am now a regular user of the weekly green rubbish collection, which has made disposal of vegetation a lot easier. And I am rethinking where and when to mulch my garden. I know not to place mulch up against my house, but I didn’t know it’s better to mulch in autumn so it has time to decompose and is therefore less of a fire risk in summer. As I worked my way through some of the material produced by the Surf Coast Shire Council and community groups like the CFA and ANGAIR, I realised there is indeed a wealth of information and expertise out there in our community. However, it’s one thing to plant indigenous species, it’s quite another to create something that is also bushfire resilient. NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

A REGIONAL ROAD TRIP

The Silo Arts Trail By Penny Edmanson

Travellers on the Geelong Ring Road could hardly fail to have noticed the wonderful portrayal of three local individuals Corrina Eccles, Cor Horsten and Kelly Cartwright that appeared on the cement works’ silos at Fyansford. Created by home-grown street artist Rone in December 2017, they were sadly demolished in 2020. Amazed by the realistic depiction and awed by the sheer scale of the work, I started to delve further into such art installations across the state. What better excuse for a holiday than to visit parts of Australia’s largest outdoor gallery. It turned out to be the perfect regional road trip over five days, and could easily be modified or lengthened as desired. The Silo Arts Trail, conceived in 2016 after the completion of the first silo artwork in Brim, recognises and celebrates hard-working rural communities through a series of largescale mural portraits painted on grain silos. At the height of the farming boom, these silos were central to each town as farmers could catch up with their neighbours when bringing their wheat in after harvest. With changes to the industry, these silos became defunct and the art scheme provided an opportunity to acknowledge the town’s history, as well as celebrate the local community. With more and more people following ‘The Trail’, it has also provided a welcome injection into the regional economy.

Australian mural artist Adnate’s silo artwork at Sheep Hills.

My friend and I made an early start as we knew it would be the longest leg of our travels, with our destination being Mildura. However, the tourist mode kicked in quite close to home, with a stop at The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie for some chocolate-coated freeze-dried strawberries, and at Freshwater Creek Cakes for some melting moments. Then properly on the road, we took the Midland Highway to Ballarat and on to the Pyrenees region and our lunch destination of Avoca.

Avoca is a lovely town with many historic buildings dating from the gold rush era. It is becoming known as an antiques and collectables centre and is perfectly situated for visiting the many Pyrenees wineries. Ours being an art trail not a food and wine trail, we resisted the temptation and instead sought out Avoca’s ‘Famous Pyrenees Pies’. We weren’t game enough to sample the gourmet pies such as crocodile, emu and camel (all seeming a bit far from home) but could recommend the more mainstream fare.

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Our first silo was at Nullawil so we continued on the Sunraysia Highway to St Arnaud then Wycheproof and Nullawil. Here we were astounded by the creation of Sam Bates (Smug) who transformed the face of the 80-year-old concrete silo with a giant yet incredibly lifelike portrayal of a kelpie sheepdog and farmer.

Back on ‘The Trail’, we headed out of the Mallee and into the Wimmera towards our night’s accommodation at Dimboola. On the way we visited the silo art at Patchewollock, Lascelles, Rosebery, Brim and Sheep Hills. All these once flourishing farming towns now have populations of less than 200, so the increasing tourism generated by the silo art is welcome. The portraits are the work of worldrenowned Australian mural artists: Adnate, Kaff-eine, Fintan Magee, Rone, Guildo van Helten, and celebrated Russian street artist Julia Volchkova. Although the works are united in their use of the iconic silos and the Australian flavour of their subject matter, each artist has approached his/ her task differently.

Accommodation was quirky but comfortable (if you don’t mind shared bathroom facilities) and only a climb up the stairs to bed after a delicious pub meal. A quick look at Dimboola’s Pink Lake at sunrise and then on to our last day of silos. This time we headed to our most westerly destinations of Kaniva and Goroke for two mor e r ecent additions to the trail. The Kaniva artwork pays tribute to the nearby Little Desert and its diverse flora and fauna. More brightly coloured than some of the silos we’d seen, the Australian Hobby bird cleverly spreads its wings over the curves of the triple silo and atop the depictions of local orchids.

At Sheep Hills Adnate has used rich colours on a black base to portray four indigenous faces on a starry background, where many others are quite monochromatic. A quick stop at Sea Lake found a very different mural: a young girl swinging from a eucalyptus tree gazing over Lake Tyrell. Lake Tyrell itself is worth a visit. It is a unique salt lake only 7 km north of town which, pre-COVID, had become a popular destination for Asian tourists because of the stunning photographic opportunities, particularly at sunrise and sunset.

In some instances the work is governed by the nature of the silos themselves. Local farmer ‘Noodle’ Holland was chosen for Fintan Magee’s artwork at Patchewollock par tly because he was slim enough to fit on the two narrow silos!

Our destination for the next few hours was Mildura and we were relieved when the Mallee scrubland gave way to grape vines and citrus, just as we were starting to worry about the setting sun and wayward kangaroos. Mildura is indeed like an oasis in the desert: a bustling regional city with agriculture its backbone since the Chaffey brothers first experimented with irrigation in the late 1800s. An added bonus is its warm and stable weather – most welcome to us and fellow visitors from the south. Our accommodation was the stately Grand Hotel. Ideally situated in the heart of Mildura and opposite the beautiful Murray River, it provided a great base for morning walks along the excellent river walking paths, and even a day trip to Mungo National Park.

Again in Goroke, artist Geoffrey Carran was heavily inspired by the birdlife in the West Wimmera Shire. The word Goroke is the local aboriginal word for magpie so it is fitting that a magpie features along with a kookaburra and a galah.

Arriving at our night’s accommodation – The Victoria Hotel, Dimboola – we felt we had entered a bit of a time warp. Built in 1924 and described at the time as ‘an attribute and ornament to the town’, it has retained its stately feel with wide lacework verandahs, ornate pressed metal ceilings and open fireplaces.

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Our final artwork was in Rupanyup. Here Russian mural artist Julia Volchkova identified the importance of team sport in a rural community and featured the faces of two young Rupanyup sporting team members in a monochromatic work on a squat pair of conjoined steel silos. A night in Beaufort and a return to the cold weather of ‘the south’ then an easy amble back to Anglesea. Our road trip was over but plans were already being made for another, to visit the silos of north-east Victoria. 7

What is Anglesea’s Eden? By Mary Bremner

As the dust settled from the demolition of the Alcoa power station, Anglesea residents turned their thoughts to what would become of the site and the massive cavity remaining from the coal mine. Shortly after the site closure in 2015, Alcoa commenced a community consultation. Feedback indicated that residents wanted to maintain the town’s seaside village vibe by limiting residential development, but also support economic growth. This could be achieved through ecotourism, adventure-tourism, recreational and educational activities or renewable energy as an industry on the site. There was strong recognition of the community’s desire to take advantage of the site’s natural surrounds and unique flora and fauna.1 The idea of a large water body as a centrepiece for the future site captured people’s imaginations. Alcoa soon set about rehabilitation of the site. There’s broad agreement that the earthworks carried out to grade the mine’s edges and the carefully planned revegetation program have already resulted in an amazing transformation. In 2018, Alcoa developed a Freehold Concept Master Plan. Key to this plan is the creation of ‘a new tourism destination for Anglesea and the Great Ocean Road’. This arose from the company’s desire to leave a ‘significant and lasting contribution to the region’s future’.2 In need of someone who could turn this vision for the site into reality, Alcoa approached the Eden Project in Cornwall, England. This UK-based educational and environmental charity and social enterprise is famous for having transformed a disused clay quarry into a highly successful tourist attraction. CEO of Eden Project International Limited (EPIL), David Harland, said they get numerous enquiries of this sort, but Alcoa’s proposal piqued their interest. Eden came to Anglesea and liked what they saw. It fitted with EPIL’s vision to create international projects promoting an understanding of the vital relationship between plants, people and resources. 8

The Eden Project Anglesea remains on the table as a concept for the former Alcoa mine site.

‘We were impressed with Alcoa’s rehabilitation plan,’ David Harland said. In comparison with other opportunities, the distance from Melbourne and the number of visitors already travelling down the Great Ocean Road made Anglesea attractive. In May 2019, Alcoa and Eden Project launched the ‘concept phase’ of Eden Project Anglesea. They outlined a vision to the community ‘to create a place of extraordinary experiences, fusing science and wonder to immerse visitors in the extremes of the elements – earth, air, water, fire – and in so doing, creating a must-see prelude to a journey on the Great Ocean Road’.3 This vision is expanded on the website at edenprojectanglesea.com.au with artists’ impressions and descriptions of how each of these themes might be realised. As with Eden Cornwall, the proposed focus is on an educational experience – at Anglesea the emphasis would be on the local ecology and a theme of sustainability. At a series of community meetings, Alcoa and representatives from Eden, further fleshed out the proposal. The enterprise aims to attract 750,000

visitors a year. The cost of building the project, estimated at $150 million, would be funded by impact investment, that is, investors who are interested in using their money for the good of communities. The project would also rely on government investment in the necessary infrastructure support. The Eden Project would be on the former mine site, adjacent to the proposed water body, located in Area 3 of the A nglesea Futures Land Use Framework (see map on the right). The former power station site is not part of the Eden Project Anglesea concept – Alcoa will seek partners to develop a visitor and parkland destination offering a range of community facilities on that site. This would be independent of, but complement, the Eden Project. Eden made clear that its proposal is contingent on the resolution of a number of issues, not the least being the filling of the mine void to at least 50 per cent capacity by about 2024. Modelling has indicated that it would take 50 years to fill the void naturally. Early suggestions of diverting Salt Creek and using recycled water have been deemed unviable, leaving drawing water from the underground aquifer as the only option.

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Alcoa secured permission from Southern Rural Water – a water corporation operating under the Victorian Government’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) – to conduct a 12month-long groundwater pumping test, to determine if a sustainable extraction rate could be established and to monitor the environmental impact. This test began in May 2021.

Needless to say, there has been a mixed response from the community about the Eden concept. While some locals are excited about the possibilities it offers, others are concerned about the potential environmental and social impacts. Others are unsure, waiting to see what the actual proposal looks like before they decide whether they’d support it. What has become clear is that many in the community are keen to engage further on the topic, seeking to understand more about the arguments both for and against Eden, so they feel better informed. Promoting the economic benefits of the project to the region, Eden and Alcoa have predicted the creation of 170 construction jobs on site and an additional 700 jobs in the wider region. Once up and running, the destination would support 500 ongoing full-time jobs on and off the site. Their modelling predicts the creation of $350 million in the Surf Coast Shire in the first 10 years of operation.

Eden (EPIL) CEO, David Harland said they have a strong local procurement policy and predicts purchasing at least 80 per cent of their goods and services locally. Pre-COVID, 2.8 million tourists visited the Great Ocean Road annually. Eden’s plans to funnel some of them off the road is music to the ears of local business owners and accommodation providers. President of the Business and Traders Association (BATA), Damien Cerantonio, is confident he is representing the view of many local businesses in welcoming the proposal. As owner of the Great Ocean Road Resort and part owner of the Anglesea Riverside Motel, Damien is acutely aware of the seasonal nature of tourism in Anglesea. ‘This is so important for us in the offpeak season and mid-week – it will bring a lot of visitors to our region when we need them most and all businesses are going to benefit from that,’ said Damien. ‘Prior to COVID, the landmark attraction was the Twelve Apostles but visitors made a bee-line for Port Campbell and didn’t spend any money at the beginning of the Great Ocean Road. An attraction like the Eden Project would help slow people down and encourage them to stay for a day or a couple of nights and spend money in our towns – whether it be Anglesea, Torquay or Aireys Inlet,’ he added. Some people have suggested it opens up exciting possibilities for other tourist

operators to create packages of experiences and give visitors a series of reasons to stay. Anglesea-based Director of Baptist Camping Victoria, Geoff Caldwell, is enthused by the status of Eden Project as a charity and social enterprise. ‘They’re a world class eco-tourism body – we want the best we can have in town,’ said Geoff. ‘As an eco-friendly project with links to education, indigenous culture, conservation groups and local businesses – it ticks so many boxes,’ he said. With the camps putting 40,000 people through the town each year, Geoff is confident the schools would want to visit the project. Eden’s mission to educate people about the environment has also impressed keen local naturalists, Peter and Christine Forster. They see a great opportunity to showcase ANGAIR’s 50 years of knowledge of the area. ‘We’d rather have Eden than something more commercial,’ said Peter. ‘Alcoa will be gone one way or another and they will sell the land to people who see another type of opportunity. We think Eden’s the best option.’ Wildlife ecologist and Aireys Inlet resident, Dr Barbara Wilson, is of a similar view. ‘I’m supportive because they have very creative ways of engaging people to understand the living world,’ said Barb, who is a founding member of the Anglesea Heath Consultative Committee (set up to work with leaseholders, Alcoa) and a researcher into local endangered mammals. ‘The education that tourists get at the Twelve Apostles is completely limited – this will be so much more than just a poster book or a photo opportunity,’ Barb added. ‘It’s a chance to tell the world what we’ve got out there in the way of biodiversity.’ Anglesea resident, Peter Doyle, describes the Eden Project as ‘an extraordinary opportunity for Victoria to take an international lead in environmental education, that also benefits Anglesea’. Considering the employment the project could create, Peter said, ‘I think the town could do with another couple of hundred families’. He believes this would give local businesses year-round viability. Continued on page 10 >

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What is Anglesea’s Eden? > continued from page 9

‘I get very upset at this drawbridge mentality – we’re in and let’s keep everybody else out. We have so much to share,’ said Peter. He believes Eden can happen, while still maintaining the seaside village character of Anglesea, which was highlighted as a priority in the Anglesea Structure Plan – the document developed collaboratively by the Surf Coast Shire Council and the community to help guide town planning.

There are also some local residents who have serious concerns about the Eden Project in Anglesea. They worry about traffic congestion already experienced in peak periods and the existing concerns about the strain on the Great Ocean Road and its environment. Critics are also disappointed about the way community was engaged on the proposed land use planning for the Alcoa site. Surf Coast resident, Professor Chris Ryan’s interest in the issue arises from a long international career in environmental design and sustainability. Chris doesn’t mince words in characterising the project as a ‘theme park with pretensions to be educational’. ‘The proposed facility is intended to entertain as well as educate,’ Chris said. ‘The overall experience is divided into themed spaces, which visitors move around. It seems that it will have a variety of active experiences for those who pay their daily ticket; including things like lake adventures and a zip line. There will be everything necessary to support the daily outing for those visitors, including food. ‘The main thing is that this is an enclosed park, which will require entry tickets and “Theme Park” is the only general descriptor that seems appropriate,’ he said. Among his many misgivings, Chris questions the financial model. He points out that the Cornwall project foundation drew the majority of its funding from the UK Millennium Fund and the European Union. ‘Most of the income from the Cornwall project has been able to be ploughed 10

The future use of the Alcoa mine site remains a point of discussion for the community.

back into supporting staff wages and the educational program. In the Anglesea case, the investors will want a return, so this enterprise has to run at a profit,’ Chris said. Eden CEO David Harland said that they looked at a number of financial models for Anglesea. ‘We feel that the economic case stacks up for social investors. The nature of those investors is that they provide long term, patient capital, so while they require a return, it is at a lesser level than, say, venture capital or private equity,’ he explained. Chris Ryan said the community is still hoping to see a business plan, which would give greater understanding of the financial returns that should be expected by investors in the Eden Project Anglesea. The number of visitors assumed in Eden’s calculations is 750,000 annually. Eden acknowledges that this means upwards of 4,000 people through the gates on some days. Entrance fees will only account for about 50 per cent of their revenue. According to its website, Eden Cornwall hosts a series of music concerts attracting up to 5,000 people, and hires out the venue for weddings and business functions. Their gift shop offers everything from garden tools to clothing, toys and books to beauty products. There are six different catering outlets.

With entrance fees accounting for only half their income, Eden Anglesea is expected to attract 35–40 per cent of revenue from retail and catering, with the remaining 10–15 per cent from other components such as weddings, conferences and corporate events, according to David Harland. This brings Chris to another concern, which is the potential of the venture to ‘cannibalise’ local and regional businesses. With food, shopping and recreational activities available on the site, Chris believes these are tourist dollars that will not be spent in the town or further down the road. However, the A nglesea Futures Land Use Framework states that new retail cannot compete with local businesses.

David Harland has said he would hope that existing retailers in Anglesea could have a presence at Eden. Chris also has serious objections to the choice of a UK-based company. ‘It seems to me to be a massive failure of confidence on the part of Alcoa. As far as we know, Eden is the only organisation that Alcoa has approached to pitch a concept for the old mine site,’ said Chris. He points to the extraordinary Australian talent in design innovation and project

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development. ‘Any comparable project would have been put out as an open design competition,’ he said. ‘In fact, I’m currently working on a big project on the future of the Great Ocean Road with four of the world’s top design universities, all in Melbourne, that could come up with alternative proposals.

‘It’s an incredible opportunity for a genuinely local project, reflecting to the world what Australia could do,’ Chris said. Community members, Meg and Andrew Arnold, don’t believe any development needs to take place on the site. ‘Alcoa has set up this discussion around “What’s going to go there?” when all they need to do is clean up the site and leave,’ said Meg. ‘When consulted, the community made it clear they only want nature-based activities – small trails, camping sites, crosscountry biking.’ Meg and Andrew don’t see any dying or struggling businesses in Anglesea and point to the portable classrooms brought to the school to cater for the recent influx of students. With people able to work from home, they believe that many families have moved to live in Anglesea. Nor does the couple buy the employment creation incentive. ‘There’s not high unemployment in Anglesea. This raises the question, “Who are we creating the jobs for?” Most people who would work there wouldn’t live in Anglesea – it wouldn’t add much to the local economy from that point of view.’ The couple is also unconvinced about Eden’s eco-tourism credentials. The damage to the heath caused by the infrastructure of roads needed to get in and out of Eden and the impact on nocturnal animals by light pollution were listed as concerns. They are also unhappy about the potential use of artesian water to fill the void. Margaret Knight and Jim Bailey share a similar view. Wary of the commercial side of the venture, Jim said, ‘We already have the natural bush, featuring earth, fire, air and water – it doesn’t need to be done artificially or commercially,’ said Jim. ‘You can see

beautiful rocks, cliffs and beaches, you don’t need to see fibreglass versions. You can look at clouds, and mist off a waterfall, you don’t need to see a smoke machine,’ said Jim. ‘I could see campsites being the main attraction on this site, like the National Parks you see around Victoria. That would probably bring more people into town and using the facilities here than a theme park. People come to Anglesea for the natural environment – it isn’t like the Gold Coast, it’s not a commercial town, it’s a seaside resort,’ added Margaret. The COVID pandemic, with the consequent halt to international tourism, has brought all negotiations on the project to a halt and created an uncertain future. Optimistically, Alcoa recently announced a restart to the Community Consultation Network meetings when restrictions have eased. Eden’s David Harland also remains positive and is looking forward to a return visit when our borders open. In the meantime, until the viability of the creation of the water body is confirmed (being a prerequisite for EPIL’s continued interest in developing a detailed proposal) the Eden concept remains a concept and the project is effectively at a standstill. Following earlier discussions, Paul Davis, CEO of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, said they were waiting for a concrete proposal from the Eden Project before engaging with the local traditional owners about their future involvement. ANGAIR President, Sally White said, ‘ANGAIR finds it encouraging that a proven educational charity envisions a project to showcase the powerful environmental forces that have shaped the unique Surf Coast. It is, however, a complex undertaking and one that ANGAIR will study closely when the project’s plans are further advanced.’ The Surf Coast Shire Council’s General Manager Environment and Development, Ransce Salan said, ‘The Eden Project is a concept and we are yet to see what the final proposal will involve. At this stage, we are unaware of what approvals would be required by Council. Due to the proposed size and impact of the development, they are likely to be at state government, rather than Shire level.’

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It remains to be seen how tourism to the region changes post-COVID, but all calculations based on visitor numbers and tourist patterns will require some revision. Anecdotally, Anglesea has also seen a pandemic-driven boost to its population and the impact on local businesses is yet to be tallied. The issue of housing is a hot topic and the opportunities and challenges offered by the Alcoa precinct are part of that discussion.

Despite the many and varied opinions on the benefits and costs of the proposed Eden Project for Anglesea, there is widespread agreement that Anglesea should retain its casual, seaside village charm. Differences of opinion stem from varying understandings of the way the Eden Project may impact on this. Eden CEO David Harland acknowledges this, saying, ‘We exist as a social enterprise, which is about doing good in the places we’re based and it must be that Anglesea benefits here – otherwise we’ll have got it horribly wrong. If it turns out that a genuine majority of people really don’t want this, then we won’t come’. I’ll leave the last word with longstanding Anglesea resident and former mayor, Beth Davidson OAM, who believes strongly in the need to get the discussion in the town right. ‘I say to people, engage with the facts. Don’t bring just an opinion, but an informed opinion to it because this is too important to Anglesea.’ Beth believes the best decisions are made when the right balance is found between the social, environmental and economic factors. ‘Let’s have the open conversation, bring an open heart and mind to it. Something’s going to happen – let’s make it serve us. Let’s make it real.’ Footnotes 1. Alcoa Guiding Principles for Future Land Use Planning at Alcoa’s Anglesea Power station and mine site, September 2016 2. Alcoa Freehold Concept Master Plan Anglesea, March 2018 3. Eden Project Anglesea Concept, edenprojectanglesea.com.au 11

LOCAL PROFILE – NELS SASULU

Samoa’s loss is our gain By Penny Edmanson

We can blame COVID for many inconveniences – lockdowns, cancellations of holiday plans, home-schooling and general melancholy, but it has brought one big bonus to our town and particularly our youth in the extended stay of Neli (aka Nels) Sasulu and his family. Nels’ family come from the Polynesian Islands of Samoa where a large part of his extended family still live. Nels was born in New Zealand shortly after his family emigrated. Like a true Samoan, Nels has always loved rugby. He has played since he was five years old, progressing to play professionally for Manu Samoa and semi-professionally for private Rugby Sevens teams that toured the Pacific and throughout Europe. Nels was passionate about his sport and was disappointed when he had to retire from the professional ranks due to injuries. Nels met his wife Zoe in Australia when he was here to visit some family members. After some time in New Zealand, where their second and third children were born, they settled in Melbourne, completing their family with two more babies. Connection to family and culture have always been important to Nels, with regular trips back to his home island of Upolu where both his parents’ villages (Lalomanu and Saleapaga) are situated on the south-east coast – a tropical paradise. As Nels says, ‘Life is so simple, peaceful and connected in Samoa’. On their last visit three years ago, the children felt the same way and were really reluctant to return to Australia, so Nels and Zoe made the major decision to relocate. They plan to live in Saleapaga on family-owned land. They put their Melbourne house on the market, packed their belongings and moved in with Zoe’s mother in Anglesea, for what they thought would be a short stay. Little did they know that by the time their house had sold, COVID would hit and Samoa would close its borders. 12

Nels Sasulu and his family have made a great contribution to community life after finding themselves based in Anglesea longer than expected due to the COVID pandemic.

Nels has certainly not been idle in his prolonged stay in Anglesea. Following a casual conversation with Marcelle Renkin, Program Coordinator at Anglesea Community House, about reaching out to the local youth of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, the idea of ‘Active Kids, Active Futures’ was born. Nels has a special place in his heart for young people and never more so than in this current climate of uncertainty where, as he says, ‘it seems more vital than ever to promote health and exercise that today’s youth can implement in their daily lives to keep them physically and mentally healthy’. He explains that, ‘adolescence was a pivotal time in my life for beginning to make important decisions that would impact my future. I had a few key figures during those years that really made a difference. ‘I feel the Active Kids Active Futures program will have succeeded if we can

do the same for even just one kid who might need a hand up.’ The initial kick-start program was run during the July school holidays with two sessions a week. Session content included personal goal setting, functional strength training at the Body Sculpting and Fitness Gym in Torquay, learning the fundamentals of boxing, and kayaking on the Anglesea River. What an awesome range of activities to appeal to young people! An added bonus after each session was the healthy lunch of sandwiches, home baking and fruit provided by Nels’ wonderful wife Zoe. In spite of a hectic lifestyle with five children ranging from secondary school age to kindergarten, Zoe and Nels have found time to give further to the community. They are actively involved in organising and running the Anglesea basketball program. Nels gives credit to Rebecca Gilbert, Jane Calder and the Blakeney family for laying the

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foundations. He downplays his own contribution, saying, ‘with five children that all love basketball it just made sense for us to help out’. His care for children is evident when he describes how proud he is to see the Anglesea kids ‘develop good characteristics and make new friends while having tons of fun playing basketball’. He clearly feels this is just as significant as the fact that some of the junior teams in the last couple of years have either won their grade or finished in the top two. The program currently has 65 individuals participating across eight teams from fundamental level right through to men’s and women’s competitions held in Torquay, so more assistance would be welcome. Anyone keen to get involved as a player or to just help out, can contact Nels (see his details on the right). He also encourages everyone to search and ‘like’ their Facebook page Anglesea Basketball.

Nels Sasulu is running the Active Kids Active Futures program for young people in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, and has been instrumental in expanding the Anglesea Basketball program.

Nels intends the Active Kids Active Futures pr ogr am to continue to r un in each school holiday break, including Christmas. The majority of sessions are delivered at the Anglesea Community Hall, so

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it’s a great opportunity for local young people to keep busy, healthy and fit. Enquiries can be directed to the Community House T: 5263 2116. Contact Nels on mobile 0416 131 637 or via email nsasulu@gmail.com

LOCAL PROFILE: AARON TABONE

Discovering the Community Garden By Liz Clark

The history and layout of Anglesea has meant that in various little pockets of the town different facilities have evolved and developed over the years. We have the Art House in Cameron Road, a truly wonderful place for budding artists to learn new skills and display their work, but how many people know where it is? It’s off the main road and in a place where many locals don’t go.

nothing wrong with this. But is it time to branch out, make some new discoveries, find out what Anglesea is really like?

The same is true for the Men’s Shed, tucked in at the end of the Bowls Club, the Community House nestled well out of sight behind the Medical Centre, and the Community Garden in the same precinct. The football/netball clubs are also off the beaten track, so many people may not go there either.

More than 18 months ago, Aaron Tabone was a newcomer to town, looking for community engagement and a place to meet some new people. He had recently moved here from Melbourne, forced by COVID to set up his business from home, and he needed to find some new friends and activities.

Residents love the fact that Anglesea is natural and beautiful, offers both seaside living and bush lifestyle too. It hasn’t been planned like a modern suburb with sporting facilities all in one place, community hubs for various allied activities, churches and medical facilities all together, or one large shopping centre – thank goodness!

Perhaps NewsA ngle should introduce you to one of these hidden gems in our community.

Aaron Tabone has enjoyed getting his hands dirty after discovering the Anglesea Community Garden.

As creatures of habit, we tend to stick to our own territory – especially since COVID began, when we have had little choice. We wander the usual track to the shops and back, meet with friends at our coffee shop of choice, go to our favourite beach. And there’s

He is not sure what drew him to the Anglesea Community Garden initially, as he knows nothing about gardens – and it is on the other side of the river from where he lives – but the reputation of this group for a fun social life was quite tempting. He was immediately made welcome and embarked on a steep learning curve to discover how gardening works. The Community Garden has a good percentage of retirees in their membership, so a young, healthy and energetic addition to their gardening group was most welcome, especially the ability to dig, bend and do a bit of heavier work as it comes along.

Aaron enjoys his interactions with members, and is picking up lots of hints about what to sow when, where to plant what, how to make a garden work. Such was his enjoyment of the garden, that Aaron was happy to temporarily take on the role of convenor, after Winsome Coutts stepped down. His work as an IT consultant in a large company supporting aged care service means he is a good organiser. He sees the role of the Garden Convenor as being a conduit between the Council, Community House and the

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Community Garden group, providing responsible oversight of how things are running, rather than anything in the sphere of actual gardening. He says that’s best left to the experts, of whom there are many who are skilled and experienced.

developed to encourage other young families to be part of a wide range of activities. He is very keen for the garden to become a place where people can just go for a walk or join various social activities rather than have members consider they need to be working whenever they come through the gate.

Funding of projects is always high on the list for community groups, and Aaron is well aware that although the Council is very generous with grants and general support, as is Anglesea Community Bank, there is a limit to how much they can hope for to support everyday activities.

Aaron encourages all members of the community to call in and visit the Anglesea Community Garden and give it a try – find out how friendly they are, walk through the garden, and learn some new skills, as well as share in the bounty from the garden once they become members.

To build a sustainable future requires a larger membership, more community activities and fundraising, and hopefully a few donations from outside the group. The prospect of endless sausage sizzles is not appealing and, although they enjoy occasional shifts at the Resale Shed (a great source of income for them), the constant demand for more soil/plants/manures and so on, means there is an ongoing need for additional funds.

OPENING HOURS Anglesea Community Garden First Saturday of the month: 9am – working bee + morning tea

Aaron would love to see more young families join the garden group. As a proud father of a one-year-old son, Aaron hopes that opportunities can be

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Second Friday of the month: 5pm – drinks by the fire (BYO drinks and snacks to share) Enquiries to angleseacommunitygarden@gmail.com

LOCAL PROFILE: PHILIPPA HESTERMAN

Finding food for the soul By Liz Clark

Born in Western Australia, primary school educated in South Australia, then secondary and tertiary educated back in WA, Philippa Hesterman discusses her extraordinary life. After studying geology and zoology for two years at the University of Western Australia, she found a job teaching at a private girls’ school in Perth. In 1957 she married Donald Hesterman, a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, who was soon posted to Wagga Wagga. She found a position with the Wheat Institute there, assisting with research into fungicides.

Philippa remained in Perth for that year, then joined Don in Victoria, and soon found a job at the S.S. Cameron Laboratory in Werribee. They rented a farm property in Mount Cottrell, and after seven years their daughter Heather was born. The family had very happy years there, assisting the owner of the property with the sheep work and keeping the water systems working.

In 1958 they were posted back to Western Australia. Philippa worked in the Agriculture Department at the University of Western Australia examining sheep and their consumption of a grass called Phalaris tuberosa, which caused ‘Phalaris Staggers’ due to toxicity of the young growth if consumed in large amounts. In another of several moves, Don (who had grown up in Indonesia on a tea plantation) was selected to take part in an intense course in Indonesian at the School of Languages at Point Cook in

Heather attended school at Mossfiel in Hoppers Crossing, and Philippa took a job at Mt Derrimut, focusing on analysis of animal feeds. Philippa Hesterman

Victoria, little realising that he would continue to work there as a teacher for a further 17 years.

When Don retired from the School of Languages, he returned to Western Australia and set up a company designed to assist new investors and businesses to understand and interpret local law in Indonesia. This meant he travelled to Indonesia quite frequently and Philippa enjoyed stays there over the years. On returning to Western Australia, Philippa found many of her friends in Perth were now working, so she decided to get a new job in a new field, starting a course in industrial psychology then transferring to welfare studies. On completion of her studies, she began a new career at the main psychiatric hospital in Perth in the social work department and continued working there for 13 years. Philippa was challenged by a wide range of issues in this work, as at that time mental health and head injured patients/clients were all ‘lumped together’ in sheltered workshops in psychiatric services, a part of the Health Department of Western Australia.

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Obviously the differences between patients’ needs were vast, but the staff had to manage as well as they could. Philippa commented that at that time little could be done to bring about any change, as there were ‘no votes in these people’ – a dire predicament. Her work was largely in rehabilitation, finding patients jobs, assisting them with new skills and work behaviours, and advising and assisting employers about provision of helpful and meaningful support to her clients. She travelled to outer suburbs of Perth, visiting clients at hostels and in various sheltered workshops where they were trained to work in spray painting, elementary mechanics and sewing – small businesses set up within the department to help support the needs of the clients. Ten weeks after she retired, Philippa’s husband died and she really forgets what happened for the next three months.

However, one morning she got up and decided she ‘was going to get on with my life’.

ANGAIR and a deep appreciation of this beautiful place she had chosen as home.

Her daughter Heather had been chosen to represent Australia in a printmaking exhibition in Amsterdam, so together they embarked on a 10-week tour of England and Europe prior to returning to Western Australia via Singapore.

Friends introduced her to a book club and many hours of delightful reading and companionship, and then to the Anglesea Art House.

Heather and her family were in Victoria, she was in Perth, and she missed them.

She decided to sell her home, and within two weeks had found a new home in Anglesea, 21 years ago. A visit to the ANGAIR Art and Wildflower Show opened the door – firstly to a membership, then to a lot of good friendships, a deep love for the local flora, hours of gardening and weeding, position as Secretary of

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Here she took watercolour painting lessons with Ray Woods, a wonderful teacher who showed her how to find the essence of a subject, how to use her imagination, and how to notice and enjoy her surroundings. She has also tried her hand with Louise Price and landscapes, Lee Powell with printmaking, and is enjoying honing new skills and finding new ways to fill each day. She claims she will never be an artist, but she is well on the way. With a large garden of her own, gardening duties at ANGAIR, art and books, Philippa has found food for her soul and a great deal of joy in being a resident of this beautiful town.

BUSINESS PROFILE: COASTLINE ADVICE

Getting the right advice Almost 20 years a local, Coastline Advice is a highly regarded financial advice firm and we’re excited to have Darryn Jacobs talk to NewsA ngle about his business and the economic landscape. The important role of financial advice in our community

highs making it difficult for first-home buyers, however, it has given many of our clients an opportunity to kick-start their retirement.

In 2002, I established Coastline Advice with a vison to improve the financial wellbeing of our community. From humble beginnings in Anglesea, my team and I have helped shape not only the livelihoods of the Surf Coast, but thousands of lives across the region. What role has Coastline Advice played in our community? While it sounds cliché, the most common feedback we get from our clients is that they wish they had found us sooner. The right financial advice can lay the proper foundations to some of the most important decisions we make, whether that’s buying a home, setting up our children’s future or planning a comfortable retirement. Managing your own financial affairs isn’t simple. The intricacies of investments, ever-changing financial regulations, and the complexity of navigating your financial future can weigh heavily on your shoulders. We

Darryn Jacobs, Coastline Advice

pride ourselves on building long-term partnerships with clients within the community so that we can understand their goals, and together, pave the way. How can we capitalise on the booming Surf Coast property market? With interest rates at a record low, property is on the tip of everybody’s tongue. House prices are soaring to new

As an example, one of our clients had a long-term goal to retire between Queensland and Victoria and took advantage of the seller’s market to achieve this. With the right advice and planning, they were able to downsize their coastal property and purchase two homes, one in Queensland and one on the Surf Coast. Their surplus funds and compounding investments were injected into their super, creating a healthy retirement nest egg. They now happily enjoy retirement, following the sun along the East Coast. How have Coastline’s community values attributed to your success? We are a team of more than 20 locals with a joint passion for ensuring the best financial advice is attainable for everybody. By sharing a community with our clients, we can build long-term partnerships and see firsthand when they achieve their retirement goals or take their dream holiday. By staying true to our values, we are proud to be able to give back to local clubs and programs, returning the support our communities have shown us over the years. How does Coastline add value to its clients’ financial position? Coastline prides itself on providing clients access to the best superannuation, investment and insurance solutions on the market. We start by understanding clients’ goals, and through innovative advice strategies, we help turn these goals into reality. We are also a one-stop-shop for all home loan requirements for purchasing a home, investment property or refinancing to a more competitive interest rate. If you have any questions about your finances, we look forward to hearing from you. Contact our team on 5264 7700, or enquire through our website coastlineadvice.com.au.

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From the House … By Marcelle Renkin, Program Coordinator

Here at the House we are once again ebbing and flowing with the waves of COVID-19 restrictions and trying to manage them the best we can to ensure that we are still able to deliver on our core business – connecting community and providing an inclusive space for community to come together. We have some fantastic new courses on offer at the House, including ‘Ready Set, Dog!’ and puppy training with local behavioural animal specialist ‘Take the Lead’, and a character development workshop for young people by local animator and artist Scarlet Sykes Hesterman.

Zero Emissions Community Plan

We are also once again offering an online ‘Learn to Draw’ class with the popular artist Donna Meyer. We continue to offer yoga, pilates, meditation and mindfulness, and our regular meet-up groups and playgroup when restrictions allow. These courses and classes are a great way to get involved and meet other people in the community. Check out more detail in the Course Guide included here in NewsA ngle or see our website anglesea.org.au for more information including times and costs. If there are any activities or events that you would love to see happening at the Community House, please get in touch and let us know!

Unfortunately the fantastic event we had set up to bring you in August, Zero Emissions Ideas Fest was not able to happen due to COVID lockdown restrictions. Zero Emissions Surf Coast worked hard to plan this event with the intent of getting community input into ideas around a sustainable zero emissions future for Anglesea, Aireys and surrounds. You can still have your say about this issue by completing an online survey (via our website anglesea.org.au/uncategorized/ zero-emissions-ideas/) or pick up a postcard at the Community House or from around town to share your thoughts.

Ongoing community support We are grateful to the support of our volunteers, Caitlin and Xavier, who have made our drop-in Computer Club accessible to those who need support using digital devices to get and stay connected with family, build skills, do personal business and access online activities and events. Drop in to the Computer Club on Tuesdays from 1–3pm if you need any help with your computer, phone, tablet or laptop. During lockdown, give us a call to see if we can help you remotely.

Return of the fabulous Anglesea Twilight Farmers Market We are excited to be gearing up for the 2021–2022 season of our Twilight Farmers Market. The season will kick off on Friday 5 November from 4.30 pm and run the first and third Friday of the month until March. Join us to start the season with a Welcome to Country smoking ceremony, which will be the first in a series of Yarning Sessions presented by the Community House in 2021–2022. Come along, enjoy meeting the makers and growers, pick up some local, seasonal and sustainably

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The Check Up By Dr Lucy Dobson, She/Her, Anglesea Medical

GENDER DIVERSITY Transgender and gender-diverse health is a rapidly expanding area of general practice in Australia. For many years there have been people identifying as a gender that was not ‘assigned’ to them at birth. comfortable with who they are and not what others expect.

However, social stigma and discrimination has oppressed their ability to express themselves without recrimination.

It is important to establish what pronouns a person chooses to use, these include she/her, he/him, they/them. If you misgender someone with use of incorrect pronouns, politely apologise and correct yourself.

Gender identity lies on a spectrum A transgender person is someone who identifies as the opposite gender to the sex they were born at birth. A non-binary person identifies as neither male nor female, they lie somewhere along the ‘binary’ spectrum. Gender identity is different from sexuality, and again the latter lies on a spectrum. Sexuality is a person’s attraction to another gender and is personal preference. It cannot be assumed to be based on gender identity.

medical and surgical transition. There are many elements to gender expression and taking hormones or having genderreassignment surgery is by no means the only or ‘complete’ way to do so, which is often the belief of the general public.

Supporting transition

GPs are in a privileged position to support people who experience ‘gender dysphoria’, an intense dislike or incongruence in their gender assigned at birth.

Social transition, ‘coming out’ is often the most important and one of the more difficult parts of transition as it is influenced by the expectations of family, friends and society about what it means to be a male or female, brother, sister, daughter, son, mum or dad.

We can do this by supporting social,

To the person, it is about being

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Happiness comes from being truthful to one’s self. The best thing you can do to support a transgender or gender diverse person is to let them be who they want to be!

Who to contact If you or anyone you know is experiencing gender dysphoria, going through transition or know someone who is, and you are looking for support, speak to your local GP or explore the following resources. GASP Geelong: gaspgeelong.org.au/about Transgender Victoria: tgv.org.au Transcend Australia: transcendaus.org/ Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14

Banking on our community By Rob Cameron Bendigo Community Bank ®

NEW BRANCH SET TO OPEN All the technical requirements are now ticked off and it will be full steam ahead for the opening of the new Community Bank site in late September, located at the eastern end of the main Anglesea shopping centre precinct. There will be works commencing on the facade of the building during the lead up to the opening and there may be some minor inconvenience to shoppers as the tradespeople go about their work. The new facility will have a fresh updated look, with office and meeting rooms on both levels of the two-storey building, providing customer service convenience and privacy, which is an important part of the modern banking experience. The Bendigo Community Bank will remain the only banking shopfront in the Anglesea township and also carry the important difference of being a locally-owned business, providing the direct financial support back to the community through the community grants program. This program has returned in excess of $1.2 million to Anglesea and district, supporting schools, sporting clubs, service groups and environmental agencies in the region.

Local community support The staff at the Anglesea Community Bank recently got on board the Olympic spirit and conducted a little fundraiser for the local Anglesea Foodlink. The Men’s Shed in Anglesea kindly involved themselves with a $500 contribution, and a further $140 was raised within the branch, with a total $640 going directly to Foodlink. The Lorne Community Bank branch has also been active with support for the Lorne Paramedics Unit, with $500 provided toward the purchase of braces to support damaged limbs in accident situations, allowing patients to be transported to medical facilities in comfort. These are just examples of little contributions making a huge difference in making a community a better, stronger place. Drop in to one of the three locally-owned Community Bank branches at Anglesea, Lorne or Winchelsea and ask the staff if your community group can receive support from the profits made from your everyday banking experience. 22

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

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (Australian)

This is the much anticipated second novel from author of The Last Migration, which I rated as my book of the year for 2020. In Once There Were Wolves, McConaghy has avoided the dreaded second book syndrome and delivered another superb read. Inti Flynn is the leader of a team of biologists reintroducing wolves to the Highlands of Scotland. By rewilding the forests, the hope is that nature can achieve the balance it needs for the land to heal itself. Inty brings her broken silent twin sister, Aggie, hoping she can heal her too. There is resistance from all quarters though, leading to unimaginable consequences. McConaghy is a wildly imaginative writer who has stamped her place on the Australian literary scene. When you are reading both her books, you genuinely feel that you have made a discovery. If you are looking for a book that you can truly immerse yourself in and revel in the joy of great writing, Once There Were Wolves is it. Review by Marty (Nic's partner) @ Great Escape Books When The Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (USA) Author of The Paris Wife, Paula McLain has turned her hand to crime and lucky for us she has produced this brilliant story. Anna is a detective specialising in missing children and is very successful and driven, despite the cost to her life and relationships. Exhausted, she takes a break in a cabin in her childhood home (ghosts and all). She is drawn unofficially into helping her friend, the local sheriff in a missing-girl case. They tie several cold cases together on a roller coaster ride. The danger is very close to home and there are some heartstopping near misses, complex but not enough to slow things down right to the dramatic end. Slick and fast tracked, this a satisfying read and McLain has nailed the crime genre. Can’t wait for more from this award-winning author. Review by Sue @ Great Escape Books

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris (USA) — Booker Prize Longlist 2021

The country is in chaos. The Civil War between North and South has just resulted in the African-American slaves being freed. Plantation owners are bitter at the loss of labour and freed slaves are starving and homeless. Into this backdrop of the first days of freedom, we meet brothers Landry and Prentiss. Hiding out in the dense forest abutting their former plantation, they spend their days scavenging for food and shelter, when they come to the notice of George Walker, a neighbouring farmer reeling from the recent loss of his son in the civil war. He convinces the brothers to reside on his land as free men and help him rekindle the lifeblood of the neglected farm. But not all in the township take kindly to his enlightened views, and there is trouble brewing closer to home. Tender and beautiful, this is a stunning story of empathy, of human capacity for forgiveness and the great will to live. Five stars, an outstanding read. Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan (Australian)

Dr Norman Swan believes we are all at risk of ‘knowing more and more about less and less’. In this no-nonsense book about health, he bypasses wellness trends and sticks to the science. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many turned to Dr Swan for simple, honest guidance when surrounded by hype and hysteria. This book is his response to a population overwhelmed by too much information regarding what’s good for you and what’s not. So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? explores the science behind a healthy diet, chronic and degenerative diseases, mental health issues, sleep, sex, and relationships, and the economics and politics surrounding public health. The overarching theme is that it’s better to look at health as a big picture rather than obsess over individual aspects. He encourages us not to think too much about nutrients and calories, but instead enjoy a home-cooked meal with loved ones, as social connectedness is just as important for good overall health. An accessible read with a good bit of wit and humour added in along the way. A great common-sense guide to health for all. Review by Belinda @ Great Escape Books

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Tech Angle By Chris Dos

A JOY FLIGHT INTO SPACE A month or so ago, the richest man on the planet, gazillionaire Jeff Bezos, blasted off in his rather phallic shaped rocket ship ‘New Shepard’ from a private launching pad in Texas. He and his crew travelled over 100 kilometres into the air, well past the arbitrary line at which space starts. Unless you count somersaults as a form of research, no scientific experiments were done, making it probably the most expensive folly, sorry, joy flight in the history of humanity. He took his brother (at his mum’s insistence I would think) and the son of some wealthy financier. For balance, he also took a proper astronaut who was the equal of any other rocketeer back in the day but had never blasted off before. It seems they thought at the time SHE didn’t have ‘The Right Stuff’, whatever that might be.* Upon landing, Mr Bezos emerged from the craft looking like JR Ewing (‘Some people call me the space cowboy…’) which the internet quite rightly had a field day with. Maybe he was nodding to the conspiracy theory that the pantomime-evil oil baron and the guy who went into space only to crash land on a beach and find a genie in a bottle were actually the same person? Who knows. Anyway, it turns out there was a very important environmental reason for all this. According to Jeff, heavy polluting industry needs to be moved into space to keep Earth the beautiful gem that it is. This wisdom cost only about 300 times the carbon footprint of a plane flight. He then sort of thanked his Amazon customers for paying him the mountains of money that made it all possible. It seems the irony that it’s the landfill he sells that will eventually bury our little gem and all of us too, was lost like so much space junk. *The documentary about the gloriously named Wally Funk is called ‘Mercury 13’.

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HISTORY SPOT

Where does Anglesea’s history start? By Jan Morris, Anglesea and District Historical Society

Kuarka Dorla is what the First Nations Australians call Anglesea, which is part of Wadawurrung Country. They knew this as the place to get lobsters and other shellfish. The summer was not their favourite time to come to Kuarka Dorla because there was very little shade, and fresh water was only available after rain. However, the remains of their middens show us that the rocks along the coast, especially Point Roadknight, were where they caught and cooked the rock lobsters and other shell fish.

function room of the Anglesea Hotel, while enjoying a two-course dinner and coffee. Costing $50, the event starts at 6.30pm on Saturday 2 October.

Aireys Inlet, or Mangowak as the Wadawurrung call it, was much more attractive. William Buckley tells us fish and lobsters were plentiful there too, but there were also many shrubs with edible fruit and fresh water springs. The larger trees and the caves along the beach provided shelter. Mangowak was a good place to be and they frequented it more often.

Over 50 years ago, Keith Cecil, Arthur Bubb, Joan Murch and others saw the need to preserve the history of Anglesea and district, so the Anglesea and District Historical Society Inc. was formed in 1980.

Tickets are available from Jan Morris 0448 526 311, Susan Clarke 0438 070 560 or Karl Jacklin 0412 619 219.

Preserving local history

Shell remains in middens at Point Roadknight. Photo credit: Marilyn Wendt

Indigenous land. We have heard of the terrible treatment Indigenous people received from many early landowners, but they were not all like that.

We have no recorded Anglesea history before British settlement came here. We would love to know more detail of how First Australians lived here, but unfortunately their stories are largely lost.

Dr Fred Cahir, an Associate Professor in Aboriginal History at Federation University, has researched the records of early station owners and he paints a balanced picture in his book My Country All Gone, the White Men Have Stolen It: the invasion of Wadawurrung Country, 1800-1870.

We do have the tales of William Buckley, who lived with the Wadawurrung for 32 years, and the observations of some early whalers, but we have very little knowledge of

Do you want to understand the truth about the relationships between the two cultures in those early years of settlement in our part of the country? Come and hear Fred Cahir in the

In 1986, the Council allowed the society to move into a house they owned in the community precinct and this became History House. We couldn’t celebrate our 50th birthday last year because of COVID. But we do honour the foresight of the first Historical Society members and many others, who over the past years have collected and preserved artefacts, photos and documents and recorded our history. It is now our responsibility to preserve history and to tell the stories and keep the records of today. The Anglesea and District Historical Society promotes the history of the area through ‘infotainment’, informing and entertaining, using meetings, and outings to places of historical interest. We also have small working groups that meet to record and catalogue information. This is a never-ending job and we need help. If you can spare a couple of hours a week to help while you learn about the history of Anglesea and district, then contact us through Facebook or email us at: anghisthouse@gmail.com You will be made most welcome. Or if you would like to join for our historical meetings and outings, just go to our website and you will find a membership form. Members get preference for all activities but visitors are always welcome home.vicnet.net.au/~angen/ member.htm

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TWITCHERS’ CORNER Written and illustrated by Kaye Traynor

Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Wing 53-60mm Bill 6-9mm Wt. 6-12g Of the five species of Pardalotes, the Spotted Pardalote is the most colourful. In our area, two species can be found – the Spotted and the Striated Pardalote. They are sometimes referred to as diamond birds. Found only in Australia, they occur in the south-east and east of the continent, from Adelaide up to Cooktown region, also Tasmania, and the south-west corner of Western Australia. Their habitat can be coastal eucalypt forests and woodlands, parks and gardens and in dry open forests close to river systems. The Spotted Pardalote is the most striking of the five species. Males are black on the forehead, crown, wings and tail but all these are strongly spotted with white. An obvious white eyebrow extends from the bill over the eye. Their back is grey-brown and heavily spotted with a rich buff. They have a chestnut brown rump with crimson on the uppertail base, and sides of face and neck are grey, finely flecked with black. The chin, throat and undertail are bright yellow and the underparts between are buff. The tail and bill is black. Females are duller in appearance with a yellowish-buff crown spotting and the eyes are brown buff and less distinct. The chin and throat are a dull white. Immature birds resemble females but are duller, particularly on the crown with an indistinct eyebrow. Spotted Pardalotes are usually found in tree canopy foliage where they forage for insects. During breeding season they occur singly or in pairs, but in autumn/winter they will form flocks of up to 100 birds. Nesting season is from August to March. A tunnel is excavated into a bank of a river, roadside or cliff. The tunnel is approximately 40 to 60cm long with a nest chamber built with bark and grasses where three to four white, oval eggs are laid. Spotted Pardalotes are fairly common, but so often unseen within the dense foliage. They are quite beautiful and always a delight when observed in our gardens and surrounding bushland. Ref: The Australian Bird Guide - Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke, Jeff Davies, Peter Marsack, Kim Franklin

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Surf Coast Shire Council

By Councillor Mike Bodsworth, Anglesea Ward

Tough decision on bike park I’m writing this a few days after a council meeting where we voted to not proceed with a small proposed bike park at Ocean Acres on the edge of Torquay. Disappointing people is an unfortunate fact of life as a councillor, and having campaigned for many years to save Anglesea Bike Park and expand mountain biking opportunities on the Surf Coast, I felt like a hypocrite.

I see mountain biking as a classic ‘recreation for excitement’ activity. In fact, I see the Anglesea district as a perfect recreational setting because it naturally offers a wide spectrum of opportunities, from very relaxing to very exciting – a podcast on the beach for dad, for example, and an enthralling

It’s time to start preparing property for the fire season With warmer weather here, Anglesea CFA is preparing for the coming fire season. Pre-summer activities are commencing within our Brigade and include equipment testing and upgrades, and reviewing and practising firefighting procedures. With many of us spending more of our time within Anglesea, now is the right time to start your own preparations.

There are three main reasons houses burn down during fires: embers, heat and flame. Many of the trees around Anglesea have bark that is prone to extensive spotting in the event of a fire, so even if the fire front is some distance from the town, significant ember attack is possible.

In the end, my heart said ‘yes’ but my head said ‘no’. We decided that a jump track of the size and scope proposed, in that location, didn’t have a big enough chance of success to warrant going ahead. The money will be allocated to improving an existing bike park in Jan Juc instead.

While numbers of excitement-versusrelaxation-seekers are not well researched, there’s no doubt that a lot of people find daily work, school and ‘home duty’ routines a bit boring and want to fire up in their free time, not calm down.

By Tony Revell Anglesea CFA Community Engagement

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

The proposal came about through concerns surrounding unsanctioned bike jumps, and a letter from a young local rider who argued that a properly built and managed facility would be a better way to go.

I have a particular passion for the subject, from both a ‘lived experience’ perspective and a more academic one. I’ve been an avid mountain biker for 30 years and am a bit of a thrill seeker, particularly in nature. I also based my Master of Landscape Architecture research in 1994 on thrill-seeking recreation: arguing that, while cities and towns offer lots of parks and open spaces for people who seek relaxation in their leisure time, there aren’t many places for people who seek excitement.

Fire Lines

mountain bike ride through the bush for mum. Great for us locals, but great for visitors and our visitor economy too. It’s part of why I question the ‘Anglesea Futures’ (DELWP, 2018) call for a Major Tourist Attraction and am wary of the Eden Project proposal. I think Anglesea has a unique natural appeal that’s unlikely to be enhanced by big tourist developments. I think Anglesea already calls out to people, with its own unique voice, and it’s awesome enough already. Finally, can I just say that in our family we’re finding each COVID lockdown more painful than the last, even if we’re relatively fortunate. There are so many people doing it tough and not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. If you’re struggling or you’re worried about someone, call a helpline like Beyond Blue, Lifeline, or Kids Help Line. If you’d like to contact me about any of the above, or anything else councilrelated, please email me at mbodsworth@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or phone me on 0427 337 558.

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There are several things you can do to lessen the impact of ember attack, reduce the risk of fire getting inside your house and reduce flame and heat near your house.  Keep grass cut to less than 10 cm.  Keep woodpiles away from house.  Remove flammable items from decks and verandas, such as boxes, furniture and doormats.  Store flammable liquids away from house.  Keep gutters clear of leaf litter.  Get rid of dry grass, leaves, twigs and loose bark.  Cut back overhanging branches near buildings.  Do not have large shrubs next to or under windows.  Prune lower branches of shrubs to separate from surface fuels underneath. More information on preparing your property is available at: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare

Community Corner NEWS AND UPDATES FROM YOUR CORNER OF THE WORLD

The (wildflower) show must go on! The ANGAIR Wildflower & Art Weekend has unfortunately been cancelled for the second year in a row due to the pandemic, however the digital show will ensure no-one is denied a glimpse of the natural delights of the Surf Coast. The ANGAIR Nature Show website features a raft of new material and can be enjoyed from 9 September at: www.angairnatureshow.org.au

The popular online walks segment will feature the recently opened Yan Wirring Mirr walk on the Anglesea Heath. The ANGAIR Nature Show themes include:

New items include a gallery of nature photographs from local photographers, including members of the newly-formed Anglesea Snappers, who had planned to exhibit in the physical show. There are also six new jigsaws featuring local scenes, bugs and beasties, which have been added to last year's four jigsaws.

 WONDER Discover, explore and wonder at the amazing fauna and flora found in the Anglesea/Aireys region.

With a large and diverse range of content embedded online across different themes, there is something on the website to suit most interests and ages. Viewers are encouraged to go back again and again to explore the various items and look for what’s new. This includes an exhibition in which local school students present creative works aimed at persuading people to protect the Surf Coast’s endangered and vulnerable plant and animal species.

 EXPLORE Take a self-guided walk along backroads recommended by our ANGAIR specialists.  LEARN Learn more about ANGAIR activities, local fauna and flora, and other environment-related activities in our community.  CREATE AND PLAY Enter the photogr aphy competition; view the artwork of Anglesea Primary School students; test your creativity with nature related projects. Play jigsaws, quizzes, crosswords with a nature theme to while away the time in lock down.  PROTECT Learn how you can take better care of our precious environment.

Featured on the 2021 poster is the Hedge Wattle, Acacia paradoxa 30

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Leading playwright announced inaugural patron of AIRAR Acclaimed multi-award-winning playwright and leading figure in Australian dramatic arts, Hannie Rayson, has become the inaugural patron of Aireys Inlet Rural Australians for Refugees (AIRAR).

Cardio Tennis coming to Anglesea

Well known to local residents through holidaying and writing at her husband’s family holiday house in Aireys Inlet and her collaboration with the Lighthouse Literary festivals and lunches over the past decade, Hannie says it is an honour to be named as patron. A long-term supporter of refugees, Hannie’s initial connection began in 2001 amid general outrage and shame over the Tampa affair, where 433 people seeking asylum in Australia, were instead diverted to the hurriedly established offshore detention centre on Nauru. These feelings intensified with the SIEV X controversy and cover-up of the tragic drowning of 353 refugees in international waters while en route to Australia. In 2005, provoked by her rage at government refugee policy, Hannie wrote a play Two Brothers, which premiered at the Melbourne Theatre Company. This ground-breaking play about politics and refugees has been performed throughout Australia, and internationally, and has featured on the VCE curriculum. ‘Australia is a country capable of great tolerance and acceptance. We need to bring our best selves to the way we respond to those who seek our welcome and turn to us for hope,’ Hannie observed. As a co-founder of St Kilda’s Theatre Works in 1980, Hannie was pivotal in the development of community theatre, a place for innovative and independent plays. Her first major success was Hotel Sorrento, which won several prizes. Her more recent works include Falling from Grace, Scenes from a Separation (written with Andrew Bovell), Competitive Tenderness, Life After George, Inheritance, The Glass Soldier, The Swimming Club and Extinction. In 2015, she wrote a memoir Hello, Beautiful!

With a mix of cardio workouts and modified fun tennis drills, Cardio Tennis is all about quick fitness and great tunes. Every session is open to players of all ages and abilities. You don’t even have to be good at tennis to get involved. It’s all about having fun while staying fit. Cardio Tennis really is a workout that doesn’t feel like work and still gets a result.

Hannie Rayson, the AIRAR inaugural patron. Photo credit: Tiffany Pilcher

After 40 years in the theatre, Hannie’s career highlights include attending opening nights of her plays in the West End and other theatres in London, Paris, Tokyo, Montreal and New Zealand. She has been nominated for the Miles Franklin Award – the only playwright ever to be nominated for a play, and had Two Brothers read at the prestigious (George Bernard) Shaw Festival in Canada. Hannie’s first collaboration with AIRAR is spearheading its major fundraiser this year – One Perfect Day with internationally renowned performer Bernadette Robinson – occurring in early October. Tickets sold out in just over 24 hours.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played before. Anglesea Cardio Tennis is a combination of fun, fitness, coaching and match play. Our coach, Peter Hubacek, will mix up the activities to cater for all skill levels, so while it’s great for beginners, more experienced tennis players will also have a good time. Sessions run for 60 minutes. Cost per session $15. Equipment to play – a tennis racquet (we have racquets available to borrow ), your favourite workout gear, runners (or acceptable footwear), water bottle or sports drink. Running two sessions weekly: Tuesday 7.00pm to 8.00pm Thursday 9.30am to 10.30am Commencing Tuesday 5 October and Thursday 7 October Enquiries: Phone Peter Hubacek 0428 399 973

‘We feel privileged and proud to have Hannie as our first patron,’ said Mary Bremner, AIRAR convenor. ‘With her strong local connection, long association with the refugee issue and high public profile, she is the perfect ambassador for our group.’

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COMMUNITY CORNER

U3A Surf Coast news Despite a series of sudden lockdowns in 2021 and unexpected cancellation of courses, U3A Surf Coast put together a program of 27 classes and activities, the most ambitious program in its seven-year history. In a world made uncertain by COVID, U3A sees social connection as crucial, especially for the 65-plus age group. Activities range from the educational to the entertaining and informative. A highlight of the recent program was a series of lectures on the Geelong Football Club from Col Hutchinson, Geelong Cats Life Member and specialist in AFL statistics and a football historian. He is the author of several books including Cats’ tales: the Geelong Football Club, 1897–1983.

Counsellor Louise Day (from Dementia Australia) presented a session on Understanding Dementia, an introduction to the different types of dementia, diagnosis, planning ahead and how to support someone living with dementia. It is estimated that around 472,000 Australians live with dementia. Popular tutor Tim Robinson returned with ‘I Contain Multitudes’, which looked at the depth and variety of both American music as a whole, and Bob Dylan in particular, starting with the multitudes of ‘old music’, including Appalachian, Blues, Cajan, Jazz, Country, Rock and more. More information and enrolment at www.u3asurfcoast.org.au/coursesactivities

Col Hutchison

Mobile: 0435 374 139 Email: info@u3asurfcoast.org.au

Lions support For many years, the Anglesea Lions and Lioness Clubs have operated as separate organisations, providing financial and inkind support to a range of community organisations. But things change, and the Lions and Lioness clubs have amalgamated. This provides us with the opportunity to review our community support activities. As part of this review, we are approaching community organisations to seek information about activities that the Lions Club might support. Some examples of our support include:  singlets for Anglesea Basketball Juniors  scholarships for students from Aireys and Anglesea  care packages for seniors during lockdowns  Anglesea RSL  Red Cross for Bushfire Appeal  Anglesea Historical Society building refurbishment  public defibrillators  Memorial Hall upgrade  mosaic boat  Camp Quality Unfortunately, fundraising activities have been curtailed during lockdowns, including our Friday night pub raffles and the Lioness Pink Ribbon luncheon. Last year we successfully ran an online Xmas Stocking Raffle, and we would be happy to support similar initiatives from local organisations. Share your ideas. Join us. David Morris President, Lions Club of Anglesea Inc anglesealions@gmail.com www.anglesea.vic.lions.org.au www.facebook.com/ groups/1863893030593819

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Waste reforms deliver 74% landfill diversion Surf Coast Shire Council is diverting 74 per cent of waste and recyclables from landfill following introduction of the food organics collection and a fourth bin for glass. Initially trialled in Anglesea, the new food organics and garden organics (FOGO) collection was rolled out shire-wide in February. The 74 per cent diversion rate is about 20 per cent up on the same period last year, and puts Surf Coast Shire up with the best among Victorian councils. From February to June, the FOGO collection accumulated 3121 tonnes for transforming into compost, up 37 per cent on previous garden organics-only collection. The new purple lid fourth bins collected 694 tonnes of glass for recycling into a sand replacement product reducing the need for quarried sand. As a result of the expanded recycling and waste program, the life of the Anglesea landfill has been extended by several years.

SCRRApp app proves a winner In a recent Council survey, the new Surf Coast Rubbish and Recycling App, SCRRApp, received a 4.5-star rating from users.

Anglesea Surf Club memberships open Memberships for the 21/22 season are open at the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club The club has activities for the whole family and provides skills for young people that will be valuable their whole life. Pop in to the club and chat with the staff about joining – you won’t regret getting involved.

The app has been downloaded more than 6800 times, and can be downloaded free from the iTunes or Google Play app stores. The survey also revealed that 80 per cent of respondents were using supplied kitchen caddies for collecting food organics, with 77 per cent using supplied liner bags. The bags are optional because food organics can go into bins loose. Only Council-supplied or approved bags can be used. In line with community requests reflected through the survey, Council will complete extra kerbside general waste and mixed recycling collections across the shire during the weeks following Christmas and New Year. The collections will be included in the new waste and recycling calendar and on the SCRRApp app once details are finalised.

Need more information or more caddy liners? Visit www.surfcoast.vic,gov.au/Property/Waste-andrecycling for more information about waste services, approved caddy liners and Council’s recycling and waste enewsletter. NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

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COMMUNITY CORNER

Anglesea Men’s Shed members keep busy By Ross Davey, Convenor

The Anglesea and District Men’s Shed has been a part of the Surf Coast community for about 12 years. For the last 10 years we have been located at the western end of the Anglesea Bowling Club. Like everyone else, for the past 18 months or so we have been living in an Alice in Wonderland world not knowing what is coming next. Despite all the confusion, drama and mayhem, we have been able to continue operating with good numbers rolling up to the shed every Tuesday and Thursday morning (when open) to be with their mates. We have continued to make toys, home wares, Christmas decorations and more serious stuff like large coffee tables made from recycled fence palings, boxes for memorabilia for the RSL and Historical House and many other projects for the community. The restoration of the Inverlochy memorial at Loveridge Lookout has been another successful project. Recently we conducted a women’s woodworking class over three weeks. Eight local women were instructed in use of woodworking machinery and tools. They were all delighted with their

Women’s woodworking classes at the Anglesea Men’s Shed have been a great success.

newfound skills and everyone took home two completed projects – a table and a jewellery box. All are looking forward to further advanced classes next year. Due to the restrictions of this year and last, we were unable to display our wares at the Riverbank markets at

Easter and Cup weekend. To help us overcome these issues, we have decided to open the Shed to the wider community on Thursday mornings (COVID restrictions permitting) from 9.30 – 11.30am, starting 7 October. You are welcome to visit and have a look at what we do and perhaps purchase some of the gifts and goods the members have made, which may be suitable for your home, children and grandchildren. Please feel free to drop in.

The Men’s Shed will open its doors on Thursdays for the community to buy handmade wooden gifts and more. NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone

COMMUNITY CORNER

Anglesea War Memorial update Some exciting plans are being made for the official opening of the Anglesea and District War Memorial Wall. The event will take place on Sunday 14 November at 1.30 pm, when the flags will be raised for the first time. All are welcome to attend. An exhibition titled ‘Know My Name’, celebrating some of the 395 people listed on the Memorial Wall plaques, will run over three days at the Anglesea Hall early in 2022. This event is about people from all walks of life from Anglesea to Bellbrae and Eastern View, and it tells the stories of people either caught up in war or who served in peacetime before, during or after living in our region. Some tales are told in themes such as the fun days at the Anglesea Regatta before WW1 broke out, or about district pioneers, from farmers to lighthouse keepers whose sons enlisted. And we learn about the men and women who later became successful Anglesea business and community leaders. The parade includes colourful characters, war artists and poets, military surveyors and engineers, heroes and leaders and people for whom streets were named. All of these are supported by a wonderful collection of photographs, books, paintings, medals and uniforms, evocative songs and some unusual memorabilia. Research for the exhibition has thrown up some interesting puzzles. One is the 1920 Avenue of Honour, when 72 trees, mostly flowering gums, were planted

along the old main road (now Murch Crescent) and up Noble Street (then the road to Aireys Inlet). Each tree was surrounded by a low picket fence with a plaque commemorating the deceased soldier. But these disappeared when the trees were cleared by a power company decades later. Does anyone know the names of the 72 who did not return from WW1? Or the fate of the plaques? We have some photos of working bees in the early days of building the Memorial Hall and we would love pictures of the walls going up or the building taking its final shape. We are still seeking names – the hardest to find are those who enlisted in

the Army, Navy or Air Force from the mid-1970s to current times. Did you go to one of our local primary schools with someone who later joined any of these services? If you have a photo of a veteran tucked away in an album or some memorabilia you would be able to share for the exhibition, please let us know. Contact exhibition organiser Jane Shennan on 0429 675 717, or email jane.shennan@bigpond.com for a copy of the 395 names that have so far been accepted for our plaques. More details about both of these events will be announced in coming weeks.

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Arts Scene Compiled by Deborah Elliott, local resident, oil painter, photographer and textile artist

Below you will find a summary of the Arts Scene in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet for the next couple of months. Please go to each organisation’s website to confirm the details of the events listed, as the COVID pandemic is having an impact on many planned activities. Eagles Nest Art Gallery 48 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet www.eaglesnestgallery.com.au

Opening October Deb Elliott – abstract paintings – SEA AND DESERT Barbara Hebb Roe – textile art – GAZING ON GUNGURRU Sally Mattner – paintings – THE SCAPE

Opening 6 November Box Hill Clay Workers – functional ceramics exhibition Lorne Sculpture Biennale – COASTAL FRINGE sculpture venue

Opening 4 December Elaine d’Esterre – abstract mixed media paintings – ON THE EDGE Jill Shalless – paintings and pastels – TIDES. TEXTURE. TOUCH Marina Fox – sculpture, paintings and jewellery – AWAY WITH THE BIRDS For up-to-date details, please check gallery website (above) or social media posts.

Anglesea Art House 23 Cameron Road, Anglesea www.angleseaarthouse.com.au The Art House has members attending a variety of sessions every week. For more information on classes and the Anglesea Art House in general please see the website above.

Anglesea Art Space Shop 2, 103 Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea https://surfcoastartspace.com.au

NAIDOC Week / Heal County Exhibition The new dates for this exhibition will be from 4–26 September, from 10am–4pm. First Nations artists with connections to the Surf Coast will demonstrate their deep and ongoing connections to the land, rivers and sea of Traditional Country.

Always Look on the Bright Side by Sally Mattner

2021 Surf Coast Arts Calendar Now entering its 23rd year, the Arts Calendar competition gives artists from across the Surf Coast Shire the opportunity to submit their work for inclusion in this well-loved community calendar.

painting, Paint a mermaid tail, Tiedyeing t-shirts, Make your own ‘no-sew’ scrunchies, Make your own playdough. Prices range from $10-$65.

Artists can submit works via an online registration form at: www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/Experience/ Arts-culture-and-heritage/Arts-Calendar

September – December workshops for Adults: Beginners resin pouring, Beginners paint pouring, Beginners paint poured wave, Beginners paint poured beach scene, Beginners acrylic pallet knife wave scent, Driftwood art, Beginners macrame shopping bag, Beginners macrame basket, Beginners macrame lampshades, Beginners decoupage, Beginners furniture revamping.

The exhibition of works submitted will be held at Anglesea Art Space from Friday 15 - Sunday 31 October.

Please see Facebook for details of all workshops: www.facebook.com/ Angleseaindoormarket

For an opportunity to feature in the Shire's community calendar, artists within the Surf Coast can submit works until 17 September 2021.

Anglesea Indoor Market 143c Great Ocean Road, Anglesea September school holiday workshops for kids: Beginners paper mache sculpture, Beginners paint pouring, Beginners macrame wall hanging, Beginners macrame mermaid tail key chains, Beginners acrylic

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Anglesea Snappers Photography Club Convenor Deb Elliott – 0439 686 585 The Snappers meet at 7:30pm on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Anglesea Community House, 5 McMillan Street, Anglesea. 37

Write Angles By Melva Stott

Wondering Spring has sprung! The grass is riz! I wonder where the freesias iz. I know the freesias aren’t native, but they are an introduced symbol of Anglesea like the colourful boats on the river, and the distinctive boat sheds. The freesias are only visible for a short time each year and I haven't been able to discover who introduced them or when they first appeared, but it does suggest that at sometime in the past we had our very own version of Johnnie Appleseed.

Warning For our own safety and for the sake of the proliferation of kangaroos and deer, it’s advisable to avoid Forest Road after dark if possible, or to proceed slowly and carefully if it’s really necessary to travel at that time. Caution is needed until after passing Winchelsea.

Way back when Back in 2007 Mavis O’Donnell realised that 20 local residents were turning into octogenarians that year, so she organised a town party for the ‘1927 Babes’. Sixteen of these people were able to attend with a companion (the other four were away, touring Australia)! I know all this because the Pope was turning 80 that year, and two nuns (who looked remarkably like the town criers) called in to convey the Pope’s good wishes. Sister Agnostica

and Mother Ulteria, sang ‘Sisters’, and told the guests of honour that their chances of receiving a Rolls Royce, a yacht, or a world trip for their birthday was absolutely NUN! Two adages come to mind: the best things in life are not things; and the best antique you can ever have is an old friend. 80! 80! 80! Oi! Oi! Oi! Early this year I turned 80, which reminded me of the 1927 Babes, and I’ve been wondering how many 1941 Babes there might be in Anglesea – so who else is 80 this year? If you are one of us and would like to celebrate together – maybe with lunch at the pub – then let me know (0435 41 9191). We may be able to organise something before the end of our special year.

What if ... The Yorkshire Dales National Park in England recently created a Dark Sky Reserve. It’s a place where a lack of light pollution allows thousands of stars, the Milky Way, meteors, and even the Northern Lights to be viewed. I enjoy the night skies here in town, where the Milky Way and other astral bodies are really awesome. But a designated place away from town lighting would be a wonderful way to behold this night-time vista. There could be no better site for a local Dark Sky Reserve than the Great Otways National Park. Keep smiling! Melva Stott

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Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays at the YMCA

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