Beagle Weekender Vol 163 July 10th 2020

Vol 16 September 15th 2017

28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 2018 Vol 162 July27th 10th 2020 111April July 12th 2019

Your FREE online Eurobodalla weekend magazine.

Photo courtesy of Brian Kinsela

Your Beagle Weekly Index Arts ……………………. 28,29 Cinema ……………….. 0 Community ……………… 3 to 13 Reading ……………………..14 to 27 Food………………………… 0 Fishing ……………………. 30 Editorial ………………….. 2 What’s On …………….... 0

FIND ALL YOUR DAILY NEWS @ www.beagleweekly.com.au

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editorial Welcome to this week’s editorial, This week the Batemans Bay community have learnt that their Community Centre, that was built and paid for by the community, is to be leased to headspace, formally the NaAonal Youth Mental Health Vol 16 September 15th 2017 FoundaAon, is an Australian non-profit organisaAon for youth mental health established by the 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Australian Government in 2006. While this might be good for headspace and while the Council will enjoy the income for the next two years of this first lease period the wider community has now been told they will have to find somewhere else to go for the Youth Café, the Meals On Wheels food preparaAons, the University of the Third Age courses available to their 650 members, the local sports groups and the local market farmers that run the weekly Thursday market selling local produce and wares. While the lease report will go to Council on the 28th of July the open day to celebrate the announcement will be held on 17 July 2020 from 10am to 4pm at the Community Centre in Batemans Bay. There will no doubt be a turn out on the day of the 1000 signatories to a peAAon presented to Council last year asking that they retain the Centre for the community rather than lease it or sell it. If a lease is agreed to by the councillors , headspace will need to take over the Community Centre in stages from August. As Council has changed the classificaAon of the land from Community to Opera onal this is now an operaAonal maHer under the delegated authority given by councillors to the General Manager. As such she can do as she wishes with the building and the community do not need to be either advised or engaged on the maHer nor given any opportunity for objecAon via submission. The General Manager has previously advised the Batemans Bay community in wriAng that she "cannot give you any long term assurance on the future of the Batemans Bay Community Centre (BBCC), other than that which I have previously provided – namely that Council has not made any long term decisions," adding "The BBCC will need to remain open to the community un l the new Aqua c, Arts and Leisure Centre (AALC) is constructed and opera onal. Maintaining the exis ng facility would duplicate func ons and add opera onal costs while removing poten al sale or lease op ons, including the revenue arising from such. This would have the effect of inadvertently increasing the opera onal cost of the AALC and deprive that centre of a poten al source of income, therefore compromising its affordability, including the theatre." And there you have it. A done deal, all aHended to behind closed doors with the community now the poorer. As to why headspace HAD to go there rather than anywhere else in the now empty BBay CBD is anyone’s guess. UnAl next—lei

www.southcoastps.com.au/property?property_id=192967

Beagle Editor…….. Lei Parker 0405100257 All Enquiries please email beagleweeklynews@gmail.com PO Box 3029 Tuross Head, NSW 2537 Copyright © South Coast Beagle Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. The Beagle Weekly is owned by SOUTH COAST BEAGLE PTY. LTD.

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Police iden+fy Dalmeny man who died a.er alterca+on at Kingston Hotel, ACT Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

ACT Policing has idenAďŹ ed the man who died on Sunday night (5 July 2020) aQer an altercaAon at the Kingston Hotel. The man is Warren Hordpenko, a 44-year-old man from Dalmeny, New South Wales. Police are treaAng Mr Hordpenko’s death as suspicious. The invesAgaAon is ongoing. Police call for anyone at the Kingston Hotel on the evening of Sunday 5 July 2020, who interacted with Mr Hordpenko (pictured), to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Please quote reference 6568891. InformaAon can be provided anonymously. Police also urge anyone who has images or video footage from inside the Kingston Hotel to contact police. COVID-19 BORDER CLOSURE Q&A Q: Who is restricted from crossing the NSW-Victorian border? A: Under the Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Order 2020, anyone who has been in Victoria in the past 14 days must not enter NSW unless: They hold a current entry permit or they are authorised to enter under the order. Find out more: hHps://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules/border-restricAons/ guide Apply for a border permit: hHps://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transacAon/apply-covid-19-nsw-border-entrypermit

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headspace to lease Batemans Bay Community Centre Batemans Bay residents are learning that their community owned Batemans Bay Community Centre will be leased to RelaAonships Australia Canberra & Region, a not-for-profit service provider, that has been awarded the role of2017 lead agency to oversee the headspace service in Batemans Bay from late 2020. Vol 16 September 15th 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

The open day will be held on 17 July 2020 from 10am to 4pm at the Community Centre in Batemans Bay. NOTE that the lease report seeking Council support to adopt the lease will go to Council on the 28th of July. As Council has changed the classifica on of the land last year from community use to opera onal this is now an opera onal ma3er and the community do not need to be either advised or engaged nor given any opportunity for objec on via submission. The centre was built for the community under a black cloud that had seen the Council stealthily sell off the original community owned and constructed Community Centre in Orient Street. Council sold the old building and land for their own profit knowing full well that they were only the trustees. When this was revealed by Peter Neilson aQer considerable research Council said they would build a new community Centre at Hanging Rock. The Batemans Bay residents were not at all happy with that offer and demanded a centre be provided IN Batemans Bay. Council gave in and built the centre that now stands in Museum Place. Over the years the Centre has become the epicentre of the community while also providing the kitchen faciliAes for Meals On Wheels. The building and ameniAes are cost neutral for Council as it is well uAlised by many groups offering a variety of acAviAes from youth to seniors and more recently has become the weekly site for the community markets of fresh produce and handmade wares. But Council has had other ideas. They have stated on several occasions that their intent is to provide a community room at the proposed Mackay Park swimming pool and to either sell or lease the Batemans Bay Community Centre. At Council's meeAng on Tuesday May 28th, 2019 Councillor Anthony Mayne submiHed a peAAon with over 1000 signatures indicaAng concerns for the future of the Batemans Bay Community Centre puUng forward a moAon that a decision on the Batemans Bay Community Centre be deferred unAl the capital and operaAon costs for the Batemans Bay Regional AquaAc, Arts and Leisure Centre have been determined. The General Manager, Catherine Dale has stated that Council has not made a decision to sell the exisAng BBCC. It has been idenAfied that it could possibly be sold or leased, to offset construcAon and/or ongoing operaAonal costs associated with the proposed Batemans Bay AquaAcs, Arts and Leisure Centre BBAALC. Now under the veil of Covid secrecy it is revealed that Council have been ploUng once again to turn out the users of the community centre with confidenAal conversaAons happening behind the scenes as council staff go from group to group and suggest they find a new locaAon. The Beagle has learnt that Council has recently been contacted by Headspace, which is a naAonal youth mental health support service. Headspace have asked Council to consider leasing them the enAre Batemans Bay Community Centre building for the next two years. Council is advising the various community groups that use the community centre that Headspace needs to be located close to the CBD, but not in a main street locaAon to ensure a degree of privacy, and near their partner organisaAons to help with service delivery. Council also advises that they need a facility with a range of spaces and outdoor acAvity areas and accessible entry points. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Dhurga language revival bolstered by new dic+onary The dedicated work by siblings Patricia Ellis, Kerry Boyenga and Waine Donovan on2017 the Dhurga language has reached a major Vol 16 September 15th 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 milestone, with the publicaAon of the Dhurga Dic onary and Learners Grammar. The new book was launched officially at the Moruya Library today by renowned, Jackie French AM Author, Historian and Ecologist. The Dhurga language is one of the languages of the Yuin NaAon, spoken on the South Coast and Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, from south of Nowra to Narooma and west to Braidwood and Araluen. The CEO of the Australian InsAtute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), Craig Ritchie, said the dicAonary is a long-awaited resource for the Dhurga speaking people of Yuin Country and will be a valuable book for any person Call into Moruya Books for your copy wanAng to learn the tradiAonal language. “The community have worked Arelessly over many years to develop the Dhurga DicAonary and we are proud at AIATSIS to be able to help it reach publicaAon,” Mr Ritchie said. “The dicAonary is a boost for the teaching and Dhurga language revitalisaAon work already happening with the community and schools on the South Coast of New South Wales. It will serve as an invaluable resource for many years to come.” Patricia, Kerry and Waine have spent the past 20 years teaching Dhurga language in schools and have over 80 years of collecAve experience working in the educaAon sector. Thanks to the Areless efforts of the siblings, linguists and a dedicated community the revival of the Dhurga language has allowed for speakers young and old to embrace the tradiAonal language previously considered endangered. The new publicaAon is the most concise compilaAon of the Dhurga language to date with over 730 words, as well as informant and recorder details to validate authenAcity. The dicAonary is the first of its kind, designed to be user-friendly for all literacy levels and readers. Dhurga Dic onary and Learners Grammar was published through the Indigenous Languages PreservaAon: DicAonaries Project, run by AIATSIS and funded by the NaAonal Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). The dicAonary can also be ordered online through the publishing arm of AIATSIS, Aboriginal Studies Press.

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South Coast of NSW to expect higher than normal fire poten+al The Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook: July 2020 reflects the main bushfire management prioriAes in each state and Vol 16 September 15th 2017 territory from September. It is parAcularly relevant to 28 December 7th,to 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018 111April July 12thJuly 2019 parts of northern Australia that have entered (or are soon to enter) their fire season – in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The Bushfire Outlook considers the impacts of recent fire seasons and the weather condiAons expected in coming months. While the risk of uncontrolled bushfires is low in most areas, the fire potenAal remains high in some specific regions due to the long-term low rainfall. It is important to remember that areas designated as normal or below normal fire potenAal may sAll experience bushfire – normal or below normal risk does not mean there is no risk. In Western Australia, rainfall from tropical cyclones has led to above normal fire condiAons in parts of the Kimberley.  In Queensland, normal fire potenAal is expected, however there is a risk of grass fires due to good grass growth in some areas.  The fire season started early in Northern Territory, but normal fire potenAal is expected.  The south coast of NSW expects higher than normal fire potenAal for this Ame of year due to long-term dry condiAons in areas that did not burn in the 2019/20 fire season.  All other areas can expect normal fire potenAal from July to September. The Bushfire Outlook is produced quarterly to be used by fire authoriAes to make strategic decisions such as resource planning and prescribed fire management to reduce the negaAve impacts of bushfire. 

See the full Bushfire Outlook by clicking the at this Link: h8ps://www.bnhcrc.com.au/file/11522/download?token=EQIi5VqL

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community People across regional NSW will benefit from mental health and wellbeing workshops focused on ‘preven+on through connec+on’, thanks to a four-way collaboraAon between the NSW Government funded Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) and Gotcha4Life, Landcare NSW and Surf Life Saving NSW.

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018 111April Julyfor 12thMental 2019 Minister Health

Bronnie Taylor said the partnership would bring together a wealth of experience and knowledge to provide support for regional communiAes who were facing ongoing challenges. “It conAnues to be a really tough Ame, especially for people living with the triple challenge of drought, bushfire and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mrs. Taylor. “It is completely normal for people to be having confronAng thoughts and feelings, and this is about making sure that people have strong connecAons in the community and know where to go to for specialist help when the going gets really tough.” “Each of the partners has a good understanding of the unique local challenges as well as a great deal of trust within the community, which means they are well-placed to make a difference from the ground up.” The RAMHP is a major project of the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health (CRRMH) in partnership with each of the rural NSW Health Districts, and is funded by the NSW Government. There are currently 20 RAMHP Coordinators who live and work across NSW. RAMHP works to address the short and long-term mental health needs of rural and remote communiAes in NSW by connecAng people to the help they need. RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton said conAnuing to find new ways of building mental fitness and capacity in rural communiAes was essenAal. “RAMHP will provide the advice that only a ‘local’ knows about each rural community and where to get help for your mental health.” “We are looking forward to working with Gotcha4Life, Landcare NSW and Surf Lifesaving NSW to ensure our rural communiAes have access to a full suite of mental fitness programs and are equipped with the skills and tools to cope with ongoing challenges,” said Ms. Caton. Dr Adrian Zammit Chief ExecuAve Officer at Landcare NSW said that while the organisaAon’s mission is to conAnue to care for the land and environment, it is founded on a series of close-knit communiAes that they support. “The value we all gain from invesAng in these relaAonships and harnessing our extensive network means thousands of members across NSW will be able to have access to the mental fitness programs and powerful messaging that Gotcha4Life can bring,” Dr. Zammit said. Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said the visions and beliefs of all the organisaAons are closely aligned, and the concept of building emoAonal muscle to protect against poor mental health really resonated.

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Moving to bigger things at five New play-based kits are helping families give young children a smoother ride when starAng school. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April Lisa 111 Heinze July 27th 12th has2018 2019 been at the helm of the 3Bs playgroups since their incepAon. She has developed transiAon-toschool kits as part of the organisaAons five-year celebraAons. “Each kit has an informaAon sheet with several acAviAes which see parents and carers play alongside their children,” said Lisa. “While the acAviAes may seem simple – like making a chef’s hat – they are actually cleverly designed; fun while developing the fine motor skills children need before they head into school.” Like the five-year-old kids preparing for big school, fiveyear-old 3Bs is going through a transiAon of its own, making its own new normal in the face of COVID-19. During the pandemic, Lisa said they’d been using virtual playgroups and adding acAviAes and compeAAons on the Eurobodalla Children’s Services Facebook page. She says physical playgroups will restart only when health and educaAon authoriAes deem it safe. Lisa said it was the ideal Ame to push ahead with a style of nature-based learning called forest school. “So many kids these days have high levels of anxiety – nature changes that,” said Lisa. “We can take a nature walk where we’ll sit for a few minutes and ask, what does nature sound like? Then, what does nature feel like? Look like? Smell like? This connecAon reduces anxiety and promotes wellbeing.” Lisa had tested out forest school last year, taking some kids out to Broulee Island – they came home saying they’d had “the funnest day in their enAre life.” “At first parents feel safer coming to our outdoor bush acAviAes. Now we’ve got mums meeAng up to take their kids on adventures themselves; it’s free, it’s accessible and it’s a lovely way to be with your child.” Forest school is quite a step from where 3Bs started five years ago. “I was hired, given a van, and asked to deliver seven playgroups across the shire. I had to resource them, staff them and talk to the community about locaAons,” said Lisa. “Playgroups works differently to kindy start programs. At playgroups, the parents are alongside, supporAng their child and providing familiarity in the new school environment. The feedback I get is that children are more at ease as they transiAon to school.3Bs playgroups have a fixed rouAne – with an hour of free play and an hour of structured play. It doesn’t maHer which 3Bs group in the shire to visit, that format is the same. It’s this structured environment that gets children prepared for the structure of school,” said Lisa “While mostly outdoors, we include different areas of the school – the library, the hall, a classroom – geUng them confident in the physical spaces.” Funded by the Department of Social Services, 3Bs playgroups are for children ages 0-5 and held at various locaAons across the shire; schools, halls and parks. The playgroups are free and delivered by professional educators. For more informaAon, visit hHps://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/council-services/ community-services/childrens-services/3Bs-Playgroups beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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$500,000 from CommBank for Bushfire recovery effort Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

Commonwealth Bank CEO, MaH Comyn, has visited the NSW South Coast this week to see the impact of coronavirus and bushfires on local businesses and communiAes. Above: CBA | CBA CEO, Ma3 Comyn stands with Bushfire Recovery Grant recipient, Eurobodalla Riding for the Disabled

Commonwealth Bank is invesAng half a million dollars along the NSW South Coast to support communiAes who have not only seen their local economies heavily impacted by the coronavirus, but are sAll struggling to recover from the devastaAng bushfires earlier this year. The half a million dollar investment coincides with a visit by Commonwealth Bank CEO, MaH Comyn, to the NSW South Coast this week where he will be meeAng with a number of community members, customers, small businesses, community organisaAons and grant recipients to see the impact of coronavirus and the bushfires first hand. Local organisaAons that have received a grant and are on the road to recovery include:  Narooma Surf Life Saving Club to upgrade their faciliAes so they can be beHer equipped as an evacuaAon centre in future, with disabled-friendly access.  Group 16 Rugby League, covering the NSW South Coast region, to develop a large-scale Rugby League Knockout Tournament, set to start in 2021.  Eurobodalla Riding for the Disabled for a new premises to cater beHer for their disabled clients and provide much needed outdoor shade for the horses and riders.

The Beagle Trades and Business Directory provides local Trades and Businesses a free lisAng in a hope that they might gain work from it, and conAnue to provide employment and economic benefit to their families and our communiAes. AdverAsing is usually outside the affordability of many smaller businesses and sole traders. The Beagle supports locals. These lisAngs are FREE. If you are a local business and would like to be listed please contact us as we oQen turn over these lisAngs to give everyone a fair go. Email beagleweeklynews@gmail.com Trades and Businesses can also list themselves on the Beagle Trades and Business Group in Facebook at hHps://www.facebook.com/groups/1303512213142880/

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Tears From Fire book launch Vol 16weekend Septembersaw 15th 2017book Last 28 December 7th, the 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

launch by Jim Hughes with the release of his 1st book Tears From Fire. Jim and his daughter lost their house in the horrific fires and wriAng poetry has helped him process some of the grief. The launch, hosted by the Bayview Hotel in Batemans Bay was well aHended with lots of signed copies sold. If you couldn't make the launch the book is also available through Tears From Fire Facebook page with PayPal. $14.95 if you live locally and they can get it to you easily or $19.95 with postage in Australia.

Beagle Giveaway Jim has very kindly donated a copy of Tears From Fire as a giveaway. If you would like to go into the draw for the book email beagleweeklynews@gmail.com or sms 0405100257 with your name, phone number and the completed Code Word BeagleT#aR#F#OMF#RE - closes Sunday 12th July 2020 at noon.

Proposed Hazard Reduc+on Wednesday 15th July 2020 The community is advised that subject to suitable weather condiAons Fire and Rescue NSW is intending to conduct a hazard reducAon burn at: Spinnaker Place Moruya Heads, NSW 2537 AU These controlled burns are part of the Eurobodalla Bush Fire Management CommiHee’s annual Hazard ReducAon Program. Strategic areas are being fuel reduced for the community. Weather condiAons permiUng, the planned burn will be conducted on: Wednesday, 15 July 2020 between the Ames of <10 am to 5pm> This noAce shall be deemed to be applicable for a period of 7 Days from the date of issue. In the event that unstable weather condiAons should occur on the proposed burning days, alternaAve days will be chosen. This le8er will remain valid un+l 22/07/2020. Due to high fuel loads this Hazard ReducAon may cause substanAal amounts of smoke in the area of Moruya Heads, a leHerbox drop will be completed prior to the HR in the immediate area of the burn. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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OUT NOWâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the latest Beagle Abode : your online weekly Eurobodalla real estate Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 guide The beagle abode is an online weekly Eurobodalla real estate guide showcasing the current Eurobodalla market and our independent realtors. The beagle abode is the new addiAon to the South Coast Beagle that owns The Beagle and the South Coast Travel Guide: The Nature Coast of NSW : from Durras to The Tilbas The Beagle Abode has been established to provide that service while also providing our readers with a glossy overview of latest properAes on the market each week. You can ďŹ nd Beagle Abode on the Beagle website under REAL ESTATE The latest Beagle Abode lisAngs are also available each week as a FlipBook on the website and also distributed to readers via our social media pages and our twice weekly mailouts.

Been to Merimbula lately? NSW Health is urging Merimbula residents and holidaymakers to be on alert for COVID-19 symptoms aQer a child holidaying in the area tested posiAve to COVID-19. Anyone with even the mildest of respiratory symptoms or fever in the Southern NSW Local Health District area should aHend a COVID-19 clinic for tesAng. Find a free COVID-19 tesAng clinic near you: hHps://www.health.nsw.gov.au/InfecAous/covid19/Pages/clinics.aspx

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The Moruya Examiner remains one of the many ACM mastheads that are s+ll not being printed The Moruya Examiner remains one of the many ACM mastheads that are sAll not being printed by media company ACM. The Beagle has now learned that ACM, Vol 16 September the publisher of15th the 2017 Moruya Examiner, Bay Post and Narooma News, says it is proposing to close four of its 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 nine press sites that includes Canberra, where the Moruya Examiner was printed. Australian Community Media was expected last week to return dozens of Atles to print aQer many including the Moruya Examiner and The Independent were suspended as adverAsing collapsed because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Since the lock down both the Bay Post and Narooma News have closed their shop fronts with staff working from home. In a statement published today across ACM plaborms it is reported that ACM's Anthony Catalano said "economic challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic" had affected "not only our own business but many other publishers who uAlised ACM's nine print faciliAes around the country". "With the suspension of these external prinAng clients along with our own product stand-downs, ACM no longer has the volume of prinAng to warrant the number of print centres in its stable," the statement said. "Consequently, today we announce that following a review of our operaAons we have entered into a consultaAon period with our print site employees at four of our print sites. "The review is designed to ensure that our prinAng capacity meets the current needs of the business and is the prudent decision to ensure ACM's ongoing success and its long-term objecAve of building on its posiAon as Australia's largest regional media publisher." In April 2020 The RIOTACT reported that Australian Community Media (ACM) had suspended prinAng operaAons, stood down staff and closed office doors amid the COVID-19 pandemic saying "Subscribers to the likes of the Moruya Examiner, the Braidwood Times, the Cootamundra Herald, the Eden Magnet and others have been told that print ediAons are halted unAl the end of June". These suspensions were at the same Ame independent media outlets including Region Media, About Regional, The Beagle and the Braidwood Bugle were responding to the challenge and have provided conAnued unabated news coverage. The "end of June" has been and gone and the Moruya Examiner has not returned as promised, nor has there been any statement by the Bay Post in regards to the status of the once regal masthead that has served the Moruya and Eurobodalla region for 150 years. The Moruya Examiner paper is parAcularly important as Moruya has been the administraAve and service centre of the Eurobodalla region from Moruya’s early days in the 1850s providing a wriHen record the growth of the region and of the emerging industries. The Moruya Examiner once provided invaluable insights into local aUtudes to state, naAonal and internaAonal events and provided incredibly rich and deep knowledge of the social history of the growing rural communiAes in the Eurobodalla region. Since it was cloned with the Bay Post under a common masthead the role the once vital newspaper played was somewhat diminished There may sAll be hope for the Moruya Examiner if ACM are recipients of the Regional and Small Publishers InnovaAon Fund – 2020 Round open to regional and metropolitan publishers and content service providers producing public interest journalism.

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www.iga.com.au/catalogue

reading—le8er to the editor

Community does ma8er The Beagle Editor, We have been shaHered by the events of the last eight months and appear to be set for more. The droughts, fires, floods, and pandemic have hurt us all and caused many scars upon people within the Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 community. Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 The possible second wave of the pandemic is not far away and unless we watch what we do we will be caught up in lockdowns, loss of jobs and more problems than we already have. One good thing going for us is the place where we live. It is beauAful, tranquil, and relaAvely free from the major problems seen in major ciAes. We do have problems with homelessness, violence in the home, abuse of all sorts and a lack of great economic development. These problems need to be addressed and there are many good organisaAons working within our area to assist, and there are some who wish to expand. Our community is blessed that so many wish to help others and we should support all of them. But there must be a balance. Those in need should be assisted but those who are trying to assist others need support and not thrown out because someone can pay more. The Eurobodalla Shire Council needs to support its community. They need to seek ways to liQ each of us up and they need to support those who are trying to help the Council do just that. The Batemans Bay Community Centre is the focus for such efforts and so many community groups use this facility to support others whether they be young and need specialist educaAonal training or a sports group teaching the young; the older community who meet in a group to support each other, community groups who host their members and the wider community to a funcAon or U3A who provide educaAonal sAmulaAon to our older community, just to list a few. At one-point last year a PeAAon was presented to Clr Mayne for presentaAon to Council which highlighted the use of the community centre by the community. The number of groups using the facility was huge and passed what most would have thought possible. However, it appears that they are all going to be thrown out so the Shire Council can provide one group exclusive use of the Batemans Bay Community Centre because they will pay for the Lease of the centre for next two years. Money is more important than the community needs, it would appear. No more will U3A provide lectures there or Probus meet, or Rotary host ANU Year 1 Doctors visiAng the region or Meals on Wheels provide Group Social Support. No more Counselling, family gatherings, Christmas parAes or meeAng rooms for the organisers of Australia Day 2021! The new facility at McKay Park will be great and it should be welcomed. However, none of these groups will be able to afford the cost of hiring a room. It will not be like for like and if we are fortunate to get regular entertainment, the promoters will need the rooms set aside for the community, so once more groups will be searching for affordable spaces. Our community and its needs maHer and the group seeking the Lease should be encouraged but encouraged to look elsewhere so there is not mental anguish for the rest of us. Surely the Council and its staff can do beHer and care for its community-all of it! Alan Russell, Manager, Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels 9 July 2020 beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Le8er to the editor The Beagle Editor, I am most disappointed to learn that Eurobodalla Councillors have gone against their word. Now they are kicking out the community from their own Community Centre to lease it to a government agency that could, in all honesty, lease a building anywhere in the almost empty Batemans Bay CBD precinct. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

It was only last year that they agreed that any decision on the Batemans Bay Community Centre be deferred unAl the capital and operaAon costs for the Batemans Bay Regional AquaAc, Arts and Leisure Centre have been determined based on actual tendered prices. At the Council meeAng of 28th May 2019, Director Usher says "...All of the needs of the current user groups (of the community centre) we believe will be accommodated in the new centre (Batemans Bay AquaAc/Arts & Leisure Centre). The mayor asks ' going forward, what opportuniAes will not only the sunset commiHee have around discussions around the community centre in parAcular but more broadly our community....what future opportuniAes will there be for them to have input into this'. Director Usher then goes onto answer a quesAon that has not been asked ie what opportuniAes will the community have to be involved in decisions surrounding the community centre. With great insight, Clr Nathan then asks Director Usher to explain his answer in terms of the current community centre users 'because the way you couched that, it was about the swimming pool'. Director Usher then waffles on with another ambiguous answer saying that 'I used the swimming group as a key user group of the new facility so any of the new user groups would be targeted....'. which, again, does not answer the quesAon asked of him. Councillors appear to be in a state of bewilderment at Usher's doublebureaucratspeak. Mayor Innes then tells members of the gallery to take any conversaAon outside. Clr Pollock then goes onto enlighten us that the Community Centre was built on 'operaAonal' land and that the reason for the change in classificaAon was to address a boundary issue. Very strategic to ensure that a community building be built on operaAonal land. AcquisiAon by theQ? The general manager then goes onto explain what the adopAon of the proposed moAon would mean 'moAon to defer making any decision (regarding the community centre) unAl the capital and operaAonal costs for the Batemans Bay Regional AquaAc Arts & Leisure Centre have been determined based on actual tendered prices'. Clr McGinlay then points out that the MoAon does not address what the peAAon is actually seeking '.....to maintain the community centre in perpetuity for the community' which is enArely different to the proposed MoAon. But what was the actual MOTION? 19/83 MOTION Councillor Mayne/Councillor McGinlay THAT: 1. The peAAon be received and noted. 2. A decision on the Batemans Bay Community Centre be deferred unAl the capital and operaAon costs for the Batemans Bay Regional AquaAc, Arts and Leisure Centre have been determined based on actual tendered prices. (The MoAon on being put was declared CARRIED) Should Councillors endorse the execuAon of the proposed lease of OUR Community Centre, then they have chosen to ignore/disregard a previous decision carried unanimously. Do they intend to disrespect the decision made by it back in May 2019? All eyes will be on our 'elected' representaAves on 28th July to see if they will hold true to their word or not. Coral Anderson. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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community HELP US HELP YOU - CHECK YOUR LETTERBOX Local Land Services is urging landholders to keep an eye out for Annual Land and Stock Returns which are landing in mailboxes this week. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

Annual returns are a statutory requirement and the data provided ensures Local Land Services customers get the help they need when emergencies or disasters strike. “We’re urging landholders to complete their Annual Land and Stock Return online, because that’s the quickest way to ensure we can respond swiQly and accurately when needed,” said Business Partner, Emergency Management, Steve Eastwood. “Landholders can help us help them in an emergency or biosecurity event,” he said. Annual Land and Stock Returns are a snapshot in Ame, much like a census and landholders should fill in the details as they were recorded at 30 June. Annual returns need to be lodged to Local Land Services no later than 31 August. The informaAon gathered builds a picture of agricultural land use and livestock numbers across NSW and assists in monitoring flocks and herds for emergency animal diseases. “We understand circumstances change over a 12 month period, and aQer a hard few years, reporAng livestock figures can be confronAng, especially when landholders have destocked due to drought, fire or flood,” Dr Eastwood said. ExecuAve Director Regional OperaAons, Rob Kelly, noted that the livestock figure landholders provide on their return does not affect the amount they pay in rates. Local Land Services rates are calculated on a property’s NoAonal Carrying Capacity. Mr Kelly said it is vital Local Land Services has accurate, up-to date informaAon so it can best deliver services. “It may not be top of every landholder’s to-do list right now, but we need all returns so we can understand what’s happening on the ground across the state,” he said. “In an emergency situaAon like last summer’s fires, our team will be supporAng landholders as well as other agencies and suppliers to roll out an enormous amount of pracAcal help, as well as informaAon and advice,” he said Lodging online only takes a few minutes. Visit www.lls.nsw.gov.au/alsr and follow the links to the dedicated portal.. The online process can be done in three simple steps and helps reduce face to face contact with Local Land Services and mail service staff, although postal lodgement is sAll available. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading

OFF THE GRID by John Longhurst59 ‘Oi Dad, Angus beef caHle prices going through the roof on the market report. If we sell those fiQy in the back paddock we are ahead fiQy percent over the three months. Want me to press sell.’ Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12th 2019 The old beef farmer spun around and eyeballed his son hanging out the kitchen window.

‘Get off that bloody computer. How many Ames have I got to tell you we can’t have the computer going at the same Ame as the washing machine with our solar energy system. That’s exactly how we lose money. You’re drawing power from the grid whilst mum’s following the power roster.’ Overhearing the reprimand, the mother paused her phone conversaAon to her best customer and rushed to fill the washing machine with clothes before the electricity Nazi came in for morning tea. The old beef farmer gazed up at the cloudy sky and shook his head. ‘Hey love, I reckon you have got half an hour to finish that washing load. The sun is out but not for long. I hope you got it on the economy cycle.’ She fumbled around with the dials and rushed back to a now silent phone. ‘Damn’ she cursed. She had been working on that sale for the last two weeks and her income was keeping the farm afloat. The old beef farmer strolled in for morning tea. He seated himself at the head of the table. He flicked open his iPad and tapped the energy consumpAon app. There was the odd groan and the odd ‘ha ... ha’ as he scrolled through the data. ‘Ah not a bad morning love. Not too bad. It’s telling me you were late puUng the washing on and we had to buy some kilowaHs when that cloud cover came over. I did warn you. Doesn’t seem to be any point me standing in the backyard telling you how much sun there is if you are not going to listen ....... I’m beHer off spending me Ame farming.’ She shook her head. She pined for the days when no one cared when you used electricity. It was now all peak, shoulder, off peak, inverters, solar and the terms went on and on. He even monitored the electricity usage on their recent holiday to Indonesia. ‘Hang on, what’s going on here. Someone’s been using a heap of power before sunrise. Bloody kids. Look at this graph love. See that spike. Let’s look at that usage compared to yesterday and compare the whole month to last year. Now if we compare that to the weather paHerns for the same Ame last year...... there you go.... preHy good eh! We have saved a bit there. You beauty!’ He wrote down some figures and pulled out the household diary. He made a number of adjustments to the power roster. He was very proud of his efficiency. Heavy white goods to be running in the middle of the day, air condiAoner used to cool the house and then turn it off when the sun goes down and laptops and computers in the late aQernoon. He was trying to get everyone to play cards at night rather than watch television to avoid the early evening peak Ame spike and preHy much a free for all post 10.00pm off peak rates. Pleased with his adjustments, he closed the diary and finished his morning cup of tea. ‘I hope you going to look at those heifers calving this aQernoon. A lot of the money I’ve been earning is mixed up in that.’ He scratched his chin ‘Ah ....... best I adjust those solar panels on the eastern side of the roof. I reckon there is a five percent boost in power we generate with a minor twig here and there.’ She was about to ramp up the exchange when the son burst in. ‘Crikey, Dad Angus up by three hundred percent. We got to sell. Should sort out all the debt and then some but we got to move now.’ The old beef farmer’s eyes widened. ‘Son, get off that bloody computer. Computer Ame is 4.30pm. Follow the bloody roster and we save a lot of money. I want to get off the grid.’ He shook his head, turned off the light switch, glanced up at the sun and gave it a big wink. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Reading—history

100 Years Ago July 3rd 1920 ANOTHER OPERATION.– His many friends will be sorry to hear that Mr. Feneley, who dislocated his collar bone pracAcing football, will have to undergo another operaAon. The doctors at Maitland, the home Vol 16whilst September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 48 April 2018 111young July 27th 12th 2019 ofVolour sport, have now found it necessary to drill and sAtch the bone with gold wire. LIGHTEN OUR DARKNESS.– The Braidwood Municipal Council has adopted a small lighAng scheme for the town. Our Shire Council evidently does not believe in “LeUng their light so shine before men that they may see their good works,” as our streets sAll remain in darkness. What has become of our Progress AssociaAon’s worthy move in this direcAon? WHO WILL HE BE?- A prize of one guinea has been offered by a lady for the most original make-up by a gentleman at the forthcoming Hospital Ball. Now, who will be the gallant gentleman to make a similar offer for a lady? S.O.S.—The latest report on the sugar shortage states that the steamer Austral Mount leQ Cuba on June 1 with a full equipment of raw sugar for Sydney and should arrive here early in July. Her cargo will be promptly refined in Sydney, and thenceforth the Sydney shops will have fair quanAAes of white crystal and other sorts. During July the new-season’s sugar (N.S.W. and Queensland) will be available in Sydney, and early in August the shortage will be at an end. An official assurance has already been given that the price of sugar in Australia will not rise for at least three years, and what may happen then, nobody knows. THE SHAMROCK.– Mrs. J. Strahan, of the Shamrock Tea Rooms, who has been an inmate of Lewisham Hospital, suffering from a nervous breakdown, writes to say that although not much improved, she will reopen her business in Vulcan-street early this month. A WARNING.– Moruya unfortunately at the present Ame possesses some low rascals who will not pay their legiAmate debts. One business man informs us that one such unprincipled thing contracted a debt which he would not pay, and when a summons was issued the villain only worked a certain number of days in order to keep his wages under the amount for which a garnishee order could be issued. Tradespeople beware! NERRIGUNDAH. (From our Correspondent). The welcome home social tendered to Pte. Fred McGill, on the 18th of June, by the Nerrigundah PatrioAc CommiHee, was a great success both financially and otherwise. ...The admission was 5/- double and 3/single, and the door takings with sale of Ackets amounted to £23/2/9. Mr Roberts manager of the dredge undertook the decoraAons, and with flags, bunAng and ferns arAsAcally arranged, and in large leHering of “Welcome Home,” neatly interwoven with ferns in the background, the hall looked splendid and was greatly admired by many visitors. Dancing commenced at 8 p.m. … About nine o’clock Pte. McGill, who is totally blind, accompanied by his charming English wife walked down the hall, amidst great cheering and took their seats on the stage in front of the Roll of Honor tablet, where they were soon surrounded by many of his friends who were there to greet him...Mr J. Pollock, who acted as chairman, gave a lengthy and appropriate address aQerwards presenAng our returned hero with the Nerrigundah Returned Soldier’s medal, and the Shire Council’s CerAficate, also a wallet containing £66 12s. Private McGill suitably responded… I may also add that the forAtude with which he bears up against his terrible afflicAon should be a lesson to us all, and especially to those who are conAnually finding something to growl at when aQer all they should be ever thankful for their sight alone. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading Gadfly 119

By Robert Macklin

At first, one could only empathise with Dan Andrews as the Victorian Premier announced the most strident response to the sudden Covid-19 breakout in those nine towers. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Same with the to ‘ring-fence’ and lockdown Melbourne in the hope of containing it to Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12thdecision 2019

the Victorian capital. After all, Andrews had been the most determined of all the premiers to deal with the health issue first and only then to loosen the economic bonds and return his state to the new normal. But then, as the State and Federal authorities’ attempts to isolate Victoria and the towers became ever more glaringly shambolic, a new perception bullied its way in: for all their self-congratulation, the members of the so-called National Cabinet – Andrews prominent among them - had failed to see and heed the obvious lessons from a near neighbour. No, not New Zealand, but another island state equally close to our borders, the Republic of Singapore. The parallels could hardly be more obvious – a quick initial response made them an example to the world as they flattened their curve. But Singapore’s overwhelmingly Chinese government had a blind spot: they simply didn’t notice – let alone embrace - the migrant workers from Indonesia and elsewhere living in crowded conditions and doing the menial work that put them cheek by jowl with the infection every day. Australia’s blindness was twofold. It overlooked the potential disaster of the failed British experiment of the 1960s in housing the poor in ghastly tower blocks; and it failed utterly to heed the lessons from neighbouring Singapore. The explanation is not hard to find and it goes to the heart of the Australian psyche in 2020, some 230 years since the British forced their settlement upon the great south land. It’s a work in progress, not just to make amends for the horrors of an attempted Aboriginal genocide, but to incorporate the wisdom of their attachment to mother earth, her flora and fauna. It’s not just to engage with our neighbours in the Asia-Pacific, but to become a genuine regional citizen. Perhaps the first tentative moves are at last being taken to embrace the First Australians, but even that is a daily struggle. The regional venture is just as intransigent. It’s taken the growling awakening of the Chinese giant to spur Defence Minister Linda Reynolds to touch bases with a few of her equally tremulous counterparts. Otherwise, we might as well be in the middle of the Atlantic for all we engage with our regional neighbours. The Murdoch papers and commercial TV are worse than useless. They only report disasters. The ABC is not much better. They run hugely expensive offices in London and Washington which add nothing of value to the news and views that pour out of both in a never-ending stream. Sure, there’s Bill Birtles in China (for now) but that only highlights the paucity of content from Port Moresby, Fiji, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, New Delhi and of course Singapore. Just think how long it’s been since you heard anything from any of them in the nightly bulletins. Who even knows the name of the current Prime Ministers of Malaysia or Papua New Guinea? Little wonder that Singapore’s second wave was not front of mind in the National Cabinet’s planning regime. Alas, the ties that bind us to a white, colonial past are an ancient harness of reins and blinkers. The nine steeples of Flemington cry fair warning of the obstacles looming ahead. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

robert@robertmacklin.com 18

reading

Every Friday by John Longhurst He is old, fat and weather beaten. His are strapped and he cannot bend. His clothing is Volknees 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 taHered, nondescript and likely rejected from the local Saint Vincent de Paul shop. Every Friday he is there. On the corner. In this quaint town where almost everyone else is travelling through to the coast or to the capital city. His age bridges the millennium but most of it was lived last century. He sits amongst his produce, on that same corner every Friday, as reliable as the chill wind turns up collars. Buckets of rocket peppery on the tongue, bunched red radishes like baubles for a bush Christmas tree, cauliflowers fat and white sit brain like on the table and spinach promising boring goodness and health fill dirty white buckets. All the produce is marked with earth as tesAmony to the morning harvest in a manner that would take an organic Sydney grocer hours to apply with a brush. His health and decline over the years is in marked contrast to the produce he sells bursAng with vitality. Every Friday I have the same thought. Will I end up looking like this bloke if I keep buying his fruit and veg? Every Friday I have to bend to get the rocket from the bucket as his knees are crook. And then every Friday I wait. And wait. He finishes the conversaAon with the old woman in front of me a number of Ames. They say goodbye a number of Ames and then they say ‘hang on ‘ a number of Ames and only then, like a very slow barn dance, he turns for my patronage. I wait. Thankfully, we don’t know each other well enough to chat yet, so the transacAon is conducted on a reduced dose of Mogadon. But sAll he fumbles around in his pocket for his mobile phone for the eQpos app. He adjusts his glasses. He gets out a pen and paper to add up the bill which is pointless anyway because he always says ‘What do you reckon?...... ahhhh.... just make it ten dollars.’ I give him my card. He turns it around whilst simultaneously trying to punch the amount into the mobile phone. He usually drops either the card or the mobile phone and we start again. Every Friday. ‘Bloody good these things eh?’ and we both look at his phone. ‘Makes things quick eh?’ Every bloody Friday.

beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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100 years ago—July 10th 1920 STATISTICS.– Following are the staAsAcs recorded at the local Registrar’s Office for the quarter ending 30th June, 1920. 29 births, 12 deaths, 9 marriages: total 50.

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12th 2019 SUBURBAN HOLDINGS.—ApplicaAons must be lodged at the local Crown Lands Office before the 3rd

prox. For 25 acres of land at Congo for a suburban holding. FOOTBALL.– The football match between Mogo and Moruya Football Clubs took place on Saturday last on the local ground. At the kick-off play became very fast and soon aQer the start BeleHe crossed for Mogo and Maloney added the extra points. Moruya forwards then took the ball to Mogo’s twenty-five and aQer a succession of scrums LiHle secured and passed to Randle, who scored for Moruya near the corner. The kick at goal was unsuccessful. At half-Ame the scores were Mogo 5, Moruya 3. In the last half both Mogo and Moruya were very close to scoring. At the sound of the final whistle the scores were unaltered, Mogo winning by 5 points to 3. Moruya entertained the visitors aQer the match. THE RULE OF THE ROAD.– A new traffic ordinance under the Local Government Act has been gazeHed. It provides for the driving of vehicles, their loading and their lighAng at night. It is now an offence to organise any procession or parade in any town without first geUng the wriHen permission of the council. A curious anomaly under the old ordinance has been cured. Under that ordinance a perambulator was a vehicle and it was an offence for it to be taken on a footpath or to be on the streets at night without lights. Now it is specifically provide that “vehicle” shall not include a “perambulator, baby carriage, or invalid’s chair.” “Vehicle” however would sAll include a wheelbarrow, so that a person who takes a wheelbarrow through the street is bound to comply with all the traffic laws as to the side of the road and lighAng. The ordinance, if strictly construed, makes even the use of children’s scooters on the footpath an offence. Every bicycle must not only have a light at night, but also a rear red reflector. A GLORIOUS COUNTRY. Thus an exchange: “New South Wales is a glorious country, bounded on the north by taxes, on the south by strikes, on the east by the ArbitraAon Court, and on the west by the Trades Hall. It is noted for the high cost of living, trade unions, never-sweats, sport-worshippers, workshunners, never-pays, horse racing, prize fighAng, land and mining swindles, red tape and caucus rule. It is the best place on earth for drones and idlers, who readily respond to the beck and call of paid agitators, for whom the industrious and thriQy are taxed, taxed, taxed to desperaAon.” beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Reading—history ConAnues…. KIORA SCHOOL.– In the hands of Mr. Louis, the2017 new school Vol 16contractor, September 15th 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 building at Kiora is rapidly taking shape. When completed, it should make a substanAal improvement in the appearance of things in the locality, besides meeAng a long-felt need. OYSTER LEASE. CANDLEGUT CREEK. Lease No. 10831: Timothy Wray; Parish of Tomaga; County of St. Vincent; 300 yards. On the southern bank, adjoining the western end of the applicant’s oyster lease no. 7612. 10 years EUROBODALLA SHIRE COUNCIL. CORRESPONDENCE. From Lands Dept. re applicaAon for permissive occupancy by Dr. Birmingham, of Narooma, for boat shed. ApplicaAon approved. From L.G. Dept: re applicaAon by Ferryman LaHa, of Bateman’s Bay, for an increase in his contract of 6/6 per week. The clerk was instructed to noAfy LaHa that the Government would not increase the amount of his contract, nor could the Council do so. The engineer and Cr. AnneHs were authorised to interview Mr. LaHa on the maHer. From L.G. Dept. re increase of wages to Ferryman BeUni at Narooma. The applicant to be informed that no alteraAon could be made unAl the motor power punt was installed. WEDDING. HENDERSON-CLARKE. St. Peter’s Church, Coila was the scene of a very preHy wedding on Wednesday aQernoon, 30th alt., when Rev. G. A. Sanders officiated at the marriage of Ivy Monica, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Clarke, of Coila, to Robert Henderson, (late A.I.F.) of Leura. It is many years since a marriage ceremony was witnessed in the Coila Church (the first being that of the bride’s grandfather the late Mr. E. Gray), and on this occasion the purple and white colours of the bridegroom’s baHalion, quite enhanced the preHy though simple decoraAons. The bride, who was given away by her father, was charmingly aUred in a gown of ivory crepe-de-chine with an overdress of embossed net. The embroidered bridal veil was worn with a circlet of orange blossoms. She carried a beauAful shower bouquet of stocks, roses and asparagus fern, which (with the bridesmaid’s flowers) were arranged by Mrs. T. Davis. Miss Rene Clarke aHended her sister as bridesmaid, wearing a most becoming frock of ivory ninon and shadow lace, finished with pink, and a pale pink crepe-de-chine hat ornamented with fancy braid. … beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Blitz—a 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12threview 2019 by Trevor Moore

Erik Larson, 2020, ISBN 9-780-0082-749-7, 608pp Any book about the Second World War interests me largely, I suspect, because I remember that my parents would always use phrases like “since the war” or “during the war”. I suspect that today’s young might ask “which war?” but for us, we knew. We could see the evidence. We played on bomb sites. There were sAll pill boxes liHering the countryside. In the south of England, where I was brought up, these pill boxes (a or concrete guard post, normally equipped with loopholes through which to fire weapons) had been constructed when the possibility of the Nazis invading the BriAsh Isles was real indeed. The Nazi plan to invade was called OperaAon Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe) and significant planning was done before it was postponed in September 1940 mainly because of Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, but also because Sealion depended upon the LuQwaffe gaining air superiority, something that they never achieved. The Splendid and the Vile tells the story of a year in the war beginning in May 1940 when Churchill became Prime Minister. It focuses on what damage the LuQwaffe did during the Blitz. In that Ame nearly 29,000 of London’s ciAzens were killed and 28,556 seriously injured. In Britain as a whole the total of civilian deaths in 1940 and 1941, including those in London, was 42,652 with another 52,370 injured. Of the dead 5,626 were children. London bore the brunt of the LuQwaffe’s operaAons. In May 1940 the worst raid of the war killed 1,436 Londoners and injured another 1,792. It leQ 12,000 people without homes. To put this in perspecAve, over 44,000 deaths in the UK are aHributed (as I write) to COVID19 with nearly 290,000 cases. Of course, the two events are not comparable, but the numbers are interesAng. Erik Larson is a journalist who writes, inter alia, for the New York Times and is author of several non-ficAon books. For him, as an American, it was the New York 11 September 2001 aHacks that led him to think about how it was for Britons, and Londoners in parAcular, during the Blitz. In parAcular, as he says in his introducAon, he wondered how Churchill kept going. “Keep calm and carry on” is all very well on a billboard but in pracAce, how was it? The book is not, however, a biography of Churchill. The story is told largely through the diaries of the people around Churchill, most notably (though by no means only) his private secretary, John Colville, and his younger daughter, Mary. In the introducAon Lawson says "although at Ames it may appear to be otherwise this is a work of non-ficAon. Anything between quotaAon marks comes from some form of historical document”. This is lovely device and it brings the book alive and adds some colour to the stories of the main dramaAc personae. Coliville, later Sir John, became Churchill’s private secretary at the age of 25 and kept his diary in contravenAon of the Official Secrets Act. He published his memoirs aQer the war (see The Fringes of Power: Downing Street Diaries, 1939 to 1955). Of course, what he published was about his acAviAes in support of Churchill. In digging out the original diaries, Larsen is able to tell us about Collville’s pursuit of, and unrequited love for Gay Margesson. We read about Mary Churchill’s daily life as a young woman – in her late teens – socialising with airmen, falling in love and doing all the things that teenagers do while the beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading Blitz was in full swing all around. What amazed me was that life in London went on preHy much as if there was no Blitz. The Blitz was just something to be put up with. It is worth quoAng one passage from the end of this book, just aQer Vol 16 15thwar. 2017 They had declared war on Japan aQer Pearl the USSeptember entered the 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 Harbor but have not declared war on Germany, partly because, poliAcally, it would not have been expedient. Anyway, eventually Germany declared war on the US and Roosevelt was happy to reciprocate. All you need to know is that Inspector Walter Thompson was Churchill’s bodyguard and that Churchill is staying at the White House. Churchill has spoken to Roosevelt on the telephone but has not yet met him face to face. Here’s the story: The first night Churchill and members of his party spent in the White House, Inspector Thompson – also one of the houseguests – was with Churchill in his room, scouAng various points of danger, when someone knocked at the door. At Churchill’s direcAon, Thompson answered and found a president outside in his wheelchair, alone in the hall. Thompson opened the door wide, and then saw an old expression come over the president’s face as he looked into the room behind the detecAve.

Inspector Walter Thompson looking after Churchill

“I turned,” Thompson wrote. “Winston Churchill was stark naked, a drink in one hand, a cigar in the other.” The president prepared to wheel himself out. “Come on in, Franklin,” Churchill said. “We’re quite alone.” The president offered what Thompson called an “odd shrug” and then wheeled himself in. “You see, Mr President,” Churchill said, “I have nothing to hide.” Churchill proceeded to sling a towel over his shoulder and for the next hour conversed with Roosevelt while walking around the room naked, sipping his drink, and now and then refilling the president’s glass. “He might have been a Roman at the baths, relaxing aQer a successful debate in the Senate,” inspector Thompson wrote. “I don’t believe Mr Churchill would’ve blinked and I if Mrs Roosevelt had walked in too.” He was a singular individual was Churchill, not all good but not all bad either. It may be 600 pages long, but I read it in a few days. It is an exciAng story and very well told. Buy it immediately and read it. You will not be sorry and as I like saying, you will be the beHer person for the experience. Things could always be worse.

beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Lest we forget what was by Jesse Rohan PreHy Point is a stark reminder of what we stand to lose if governments try to kickstart Vol 16 September 15th 2017 our economy with fossil fuels instead 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 of clean renewables as the basis for invesAng in jobs and infrastructure: worsening fire seasons with more Catastrophic days and more days of higher temperatures. Yesterday I took my morning walk there, noAcing the trees burnt black, dead, with no signs of new shoots. How can this recover? This used to be a shady, green dreaming place, a beauAful walk through lush undergrowth full of birds… most of the green now is weeds. Last week the NSW government released its Strategic Statement on Coal ExploraAon and Mining announcing more coal expansion and mining. Governments are approving the destrucAon of our communiAes while they ignore scienAfic evidence of the worsening impacts of climate change. This lack of leadership fuels my sense of anger and powerlessness as I witness first hand the devastaAng impacts of climate change. I feel so absolutely abandoned by the people who are supposedly elected to protect everyday Australians, yet they refuse to listen and act on expert and scienAfic advice that has been presented clearly for decades. While my family survived last season’s New Year's Eve fire, our future safety is at risk as our elected officials knowingly allow climate change to worsen. In Catastrophic fire condiAons, we are told not to stay and defend our homes, but where can we go? No regional town or property is safe then, and even our ciAes are under threat. Bushfire smoke will cover much of the conAnent, affecAng our health. If we all have to pack up and leave for many days or weeks in preparaAon for rising numbers of Catastrophic days, the costs to producAvity will be enormous. Six months aQer the Clyde Mountain bushfire raced towards our Malua Bay home, I sAll wake up in the middle of the night. In the early weeks it was out of fear for my family's safety, with bushfires sAll burning nearby. Now it’s a sense of grief for our sadly decimated environment, for our quiet, empty forests of burnt trees missing so many birds and animals, and despair about the dangerous future ahead keeps me waking, worried for our children’s future. On New Year's Eve we had a detailed fire plan, with a tank, fire hoses and a petrol-driven fire pump, so we stayed to defend our home. Our children, aged 15, 17 and 22 stayed too, despite plans to evacuate them. Their opAons had closed quickly with road closures and impending fires along the coast and not-very-safe ‘safer places’. With our fire hoses joined together and the help of a few neighbours, we managed to keep the fire away from homes in our street. Watching as the flames first appeared in the dense smoke over the ridge, knowing our fire brigades were elsewhere and our communicaAons were cut caused a sickening feeling of fear. The kids wanted to evacuate right then, but we followed our fire plan and all stayed. As we watched the bushfire burning towards us through the forest from three direcAons joining in a semi-circle, we felt helpless with our mops and buckets and even our fire hoses. Luckily the steep slope down towards our street slowed the fire as it came closer, and then the Southerly change hit. At first the wind was strong and erraAc, but then it drove the fire back on itself, leaving burning logs, stumps and bushes. The forest adjacent to our home conAnued to burn for a few days and nights, so I woke every hour to check that the flames in the bush weren't coming closer or spreading up tree trunks. We heard many crashes as huge trees burnt through and fell down over the next weeks. Many Ames in those first few nights I woke my partner so we could drag the fire hoses down to the forest to bring the flames back under control unAl later when our fire brigade beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading Lest we forget what was by Jesse Rohan con nues… and a water-bombing helicopter helped douse where our hoses couldn’t reach. With fires near us2017 out, I drove around our community checking for further fire threats and taking photos of the Vol 16the September 15th 28 December 7th,it2017 devastaAon before was cleaned up. Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12th 2019 I wanted people to see what had happened to our community, to see the decimaAon caused by climate-driven bushfires so that at last our leaders would act to keep us safe from even worse events. During the long weeks when power infrastructure was ruined, I'd sit in my hot car on a hill to get signal, desperately scrolling through the news on my phone, hoping to see an announcement that the federal government would now commit to urgent acAon on climate change. There were many arAcles from former fire chiefs, scienAsts, and other experts saying that climate change had fuelled these unprecedented bushfire condiAons, and that digging up and burning fossil fuels like coal and gas was making it worse. No announcement on climate acAon came. I was stunned that the federal government could ignore the unprecedented scale of bushfire devastaAon and death across Australia and conAnue with fossil fuels ‘business as usual’. They excused Australia's emissions as too small to maHer - when in reality, we are a major polluter and fossil fuel exporter. New coal and gas projects like the Adani mine and a gas facility in Narrabri were approved, and the NSW government is even risking mining under Sydney’s water catchment when vital water supplies should be carefully protected. This is our second bushfire; we’ve been through this before during the 2003 Canberra firestorm. Ordered by police to evacuate even aQer the main fire front had passed, I drove through flames with my babies, then 10 months and five years old, while my partner stayed to defend our home. Driving in pitch black smoke with flames along both sides of the road, showers of embers whirling and traffic lights dead, ours was the only car on the road. It felt like Armageddon as we came out of the dense smoke to Woden, strangely surreal as shoppers were going about their day, unaware of the disaster striking the outer suburbs of Canberra. We moved to Malua Bay a couple of years aQer the Canberra firestorm, in search of green nature spaces for our children, which had not regenerated much since the fire as Canberra rainfall reduced and temperatures conAnued to rise. Here in Malua Bay I joined the local Rural Fire Brigade to feel safer and more prepared for bushfires. Seeing the need for more members, I started our brigade’s web page and helped write a newsleHer for our brigade to aHract new members and inform our local community. It’s great to see the brigade’s Facebook page now too - a welcome source of communicaAon for our community during the power failures. I stopped acAve duty aQer a tall spoHed gum tree almost fell on me during a hazard-reducAon - the second Ame this had happened. Unable to face the thought of my kids, then in primary school, losing their mother on the fireground, I became inacAve. My kids are young adults now, and they feel doubbul that the federal government will act with integrity on climate change. They introduced me to Juice Media’s Honest Government Ads and we all laugh at our country’s plight, but feel awful facing the simple, stark truth that our beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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reading Lest we forget what was by Jesse Rohan con nues… elected representaAves are not represenAng ordinary Australians to keep them safe and healthy. My younger son even quit school recently, seeing no point in learning for a future that looks Vol 16 September 15th 2017 scary due to climate 28 December 7th,change. 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 My source of hope is for my children to know that I tried my hardest to fight for their future. By taking democraAc acAon, I am maintaining hope that enough voices will bring about the change that’s needed for governments to act, and modelling for them their democraAc rights. Since Greta Thunberg first inspired the school strikes, I joined them in solidarity, marching in the streets of Canberra as well as in the Eurobodalla. Since the fires I’ve delivered handwriHen and hearbelt leHers to my local member, Andrew Constance, but have had no reply at all. I’ve wriHen to poliAcians at all levels of government, including our local council, asking them to take more urgent and effecAve acAon to keep us safe from the looming impacts of worsening climate heaAng. I join local climate acAon groups for public events, like 350.org, taking wheelbarrows of burnt stuff from Parliament House to the Coal Lobby to present them with an invoice for their esAmated damages to our naAon. I will conAnue to act along with thousands of other Australians who dread worsening future fire seasons and economic consequences of climate catastrophe much worse than the Covid-19 epidemic. Seeing how our poliAcal system works has been an eye-opener for me. The fact that the powerful coal lobby is within walking distance of Parliament House and is one of the biggest donors to elecAon campaigns seems to be a blatant conflict of interest for poliAcians. I find it hard to respect the integrity of poliAcians who refuse to be subjected to adequate and fair processes of invesAgaAon into corrupAon to show all sources of poliAcal funding and conflicts of interest. Instead of acAng for the best interests of ordinary ciAzens, governments appear to make their decisions along party lines and for poliAcal gains and profits for the few large and powerful companies that can afford to lobby. Across the world I’m seeing signs of hope that other governments are at last commiUng to lower emissions and moving to renewables. Over 1000 climate lawsuits have commenced, and in December 2019 the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ordered its government to cut that naAon’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by the end of 2020. According to the Chief JusAce, Kees Streeherk, because of climate change “the lives, well-being and living circumstances of many people around the world, including in the Netherlands, are being threatened.” This decision supported an original Hague District Court decision of 2015 which stated that ‘the possibility of damages to current and future generaAons was so great and concrete that, given its duty of care, “the state must make an adequate contribuAon, greater than its current contribuAon, to prevent hazardous climate change.”’

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reading Lest we forget what was by Jesse Rohan con nues… I’m also heartened to hear that astute world banks, many businesses and other investors are divesAng fossil fuels investments while they can, for fear of being leQ with stranded assets as governments across the world turn to renewables for their economic recovery, which expert scienAsts and economists are advising. Clean and safe renewable energy sources are now readily and becoming Vol 16 available September 15th 2017 cheaper and more popular. 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Every day the media presents more scienAfic evidence of the escalaAon of climate change. It’s easy to lose hope in the face of so much growing evidence that scienAfic predicAons are actually happening now, and at a faster rate than scienAsts predicted. ‘We are running out of Ame to act’ is the most important message I’m seeing. It helps to know that every day, more Australians are calling for climate acAon, and that there are already soluAons available to bring down emissions that will help our economy recover. These include phasing out fossil fuels immediately and invesAng in large-scale renewable energy and baHery storage, along with land rehabilitaAon and reforestaAon to restore our eco-system. InvesAng in clean energy projects can solve both the post-COVID-19 economic crisis while tackling the even more serious climate crisis. We can create thousands of safe, stable jobs in renewables, reset our economy, strengthen regional communiAes, and ensure a safer future for our children and grandchildren. The billions of dollars in the post-Covid-19 economic sAmulus are a unique opportunity (perhaps our last) to make a lasAng impact on our emissions while invesAng in infrastructure and jobs that will bring us a beHer, cleaner and safer future. PoliAcians cannot afford to waste this opportunity by approving more fossil fuels projects which will make bushfires and other climate-driven disasters even worse. As the world invests in renewables which are cheaper and safer, Australia’s investments in fossil fuels will become worthless. The canary in the coalmine will have died for nothing. Just like the cigareHe companies who knew the impacts of their products, so too our poliAcians have been warned by our scienAsts and experts of the effects of fossil fuels on climate change. To conAnue to fund our destrucAon is immoral. Governments at all levels have a responsibility to keep us all safe. Australia’s poliAcal leaders have shown us that they are willing to listen to the experts and scienAsts and act for the safety of all Australians during the Covid-19 pandemic. The climate crisis is already affecAng us all - our safety, health, our psychological well-being, our environment and animals. Climate change presents a far greater threat to our safety than Covid-19, terrorists, war, or economic depression. It affects our quality of life, our health and our survival, and the costs of not acAng now will far outweigh the consequences for our economy as climate heaAng escalates. Australia has been listening to scienAsts and health experts and has managed to avoid the health disaster we’ve seen in other countries. It’s essenAal that our leaders to heed the scienAsts and experts on climate change and respond to this even greater emergency while we sAll have Ame to keep us safer. What we do next for our economic recovery will shape our lives for decades to come. Investment is essenAal to liQ us out of this economic crisis: at the same Ame we should make this an opportunity to improve as much as we can, to get as much bang for our buck as possible. Eden-Monaro voters had an important opportunity to have a say in how our economy is kick-started, by voAng for a candidate who supports urgent acAon on climate change and a people-centred approach to invesAng on infrastructure that will improve everyone’s lives. We can’t afford our children’s future to go up in smoke by conAnuing to invest in fossil fuels. Fiona Kotvojs, the Liberal candidate, downplayed the human contribuAon to global heaAng, preferring to focus on managing fuel loads instead, and did not acknowledge the overwhelming scienAfic evidence against this view. LiHle doubt Ms Kotvojs was constrained by the coaliAon’s ineffectual climate change policy, in parAcular their conAnued investment in fossil fuels despite the scienAfic acceptance that burning fossil fuels has a direct impact of worsening climate change. Though a vote for the Greens or Labor would not have gained a majority in Federal parliament, voAng this way for the many who did sent a powerful message to leaders that we want acAon on climate change NOW: we don’t want a fossil-fuel led economic ‘recovery’ which will keep us on the path to escalaAng bushfires and environmental destrucAon. The cost of not acAng on the climate crisis will be far worse than the cost of acAng now. We want to invest in people, and infrastructure that will set us up for the next decades to make our communiAes stronger and more resilient. If we put people first rather than profits for the relaAve few, we can use this massive investment opportunity to transiAon to a clean energy economy, creaAng hundreds of thousands of good jobs, making sure everyone has an income they can live on and a safer future with hope for our young people.

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arts

Shimmering: The Mona Hessing Tribute Project Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019

Inspired by one of Australia’s leading texAle arAsts Mona Hessing, a selected group of arAsts from the Eurobodalla Fibre and TexAle ArAst Group (EFTAG) have come together to pay homage in Shimmering: The Mona Hessing Tribute Project.

Exhibi+on dates: +l Sunday 26 July, 2020 A pioneer of texAle art, Mona Hessing exhibited naAonally and internaAonally throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s before seHling in Eurobodalla. AQer receiving a donaAon of some of Hessing’s materials, each arAst created an original artwork inspired by Hessing and her contribuAon to the texAle medium. This exhibiAon will feature both 2D and 3D works made from natural braided sisal and hand-dyed and hand-spun wool with silk slubs. ArAsts: Julie Armstrong, Julie Brennan, Alison Bogg, Lorna Crane, Cathie Griffith, Roslyn Holmes, Susan Jamison, Stephanie Simko, Mischi West Anthony Browell Portrait of Mona Hessing in studio 1973 (detail), courtesy of the Churchill Trust. Mona Hessing (1933-2001) was instrumental in moving the texAle form from the constraints of fine cloth made on a loom to the freedom, scope and scale enjoyed by contemporary texAle arAsts today; three-dimensional construcAons and hand-woven forms in varied techniques. AQer traveling and exhibiAng overseas, Hessing seHled in Tuross Head where she conAnued to exhibit locally and naAonally.— EFTAG formed in 2005 through shared interests and passion for texAle art. Since then over 100 members have shared and learned skills, promoAng fibre and texAle arts with the aim of increasing awareness to future members and with the wider public.

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Resilient ar+sts set for spring brush up Organisers of the River of Art are determined this year’s event will go ahead, despite changes required aQer the summer bushfires Vol September 15th 2017 and16 COVID-19. 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Now in its 15th year, the much-loved fesAval is a trail of arts events that run from Durras in the north to Bermagui in the south and holds an important place on the region’s events calendar. In what now seems a prescient move, organisers changed this year’s date from May to September to allow arAsts and visitors to enjoy the colours and warmth of spring. Co-chairs Di Jay and Vicki Lascelles believe the addiAonal breathing space will beHer help the whole region celebrate the fesAval’s very relevant theme of Resilience and Renewal. “It really is an arAst driven event,” said Ms Jay, “and we provide a plaborm for them to showcase their work”. “We see ourselves contribuAng to the local economy by bringing in visitors as well as fulfilling our core role of supporAng the arts.” Above: River of Art Co-chair Di Ordinarily, the River of Art features about 120 events and garners up to Jay says this year’s River of Art is 25,000 individual event aHendances. There’ll be some changes for this suitably themed Resilience and year’s 10-day event. Renewal. “We were hoping to run a large public-art-focussed event on the riverside in Moruya, called River of Art aQer Dark, but we can’t take that risk now. We will save that for next year,” Ms Jay said. “The River of Art 2020 will be a more inAmate event, with open studios where people can see a poHer get their hands dirty or watch a sculptor or painter at work and buy directly from that arAst. “We will also showcase videos of arAsts in their studios and the work they make in a new Arts Directory on our revamped website. Appointments can then be made directly with the arAst to visit their studio. “The always popular Art on Parade will see arAsts collaborate with local businesses to showcase their work in town shopfronts.” Visitors to exhibiAons will be limited to 25 at a Ame, to comply with COVID-19 restricAons and performance and music events will also be more inAmate. Ms Jay said many local arAsts had suffered through the fires, and more than ever, the River of Art would support and promote their work. “ArAsts have been influenced by what they saw and experienced and some say it has taken their work in a different direcAon, even if it’s just the colours they are using … it’s changed the way we look at the world,” Ms Jay said. “Then came COVID and suddenly the place we were fleeing has become our safe place. Many of our arAsts have used this Ame to focus on their work.” Eurobodalla Council has recognised and funded the fesAval as one of two hallmark events for the region. Council’s manager of events planning Liz Rankin said the River of Art helped drive economic development of the shire and had potenAal to become an event of naAonal significance. “To that end, we have a three year agreement with River of Art, providing it with $20,000 of financial assistance,” Ms Rankin said. With no hard copy programs this year, the River of Art commiHee will launch a revamped website and online fesAval program in mid-August, leaving patrons plenty of planning Ame before the 18 to 27 September fesAval. beagle weekly : Vol 163 July 10th 2020

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Your up to date fishing report from Tackle World Moruya July 10th 2020 Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 111April July 12th 2018 2019 Moruya River

There are sAll plenty of bream to be caught at the moment. In front of the hole in the wall good numbers of bream and trevally have been reported. Deeply fished plasAcs or baits have been working this week. Further up the river, the flats under the bridge and the holes around the hospital stretch have the potenAal to hold good bream this Ame of year. One fish that has been a liHle noAceable in reduced catch rates has been the estuary perch. As to why, well that has a few anglers scratching their heads. Hopefully Ame will see these enigmaAc fish reappear. Tuross River A liHle exploraAon may be required to find the fish in this system this week. With the usual spots/holes/ locaAons fishing a liHle hard, a bit of travel is on the cards. Coopers island can fish fairly well this Ame of the year, with fresh live squirt worms one of the preferred baits. The mouth of Bumbo creek can hold a few fish at this Ame of the year. With deeply fished soQ plasAcs, lures or baits historically working well. Expect to find the odd jewfish, estuary perch or bream. Four ways can hold good numbers of ep’s and bream this Ame of the year, but exploraAon is always a good way to discover new areas and places fish hold. Rock and beach There are sAll good numbers of drummer off the local ledges being caught, whilst the beaches are on the go slow. The salmon aren’t thick in the water at the moment, so paAence again this week is the key, unless you manage to find a school holding in a guHer when you turn up. We are sAll waiAng for the cuHlefish spawn run to start and finish, which will herald the start of the snapper coming in really close to feed on the cuHlefish aQer they die. CasAng to big reds that are surface feeding on cuHlefish carcasses is a very visual and rewarding way to fish. Offshore The flaUes and snapper have been a liHle quiet this week, with catch numbers and reports dropping off a bit. There are sAll reports coming from the game crews that there are sAll some blue and yellowfin running out wide. With the predicted east coast low coming in this weekend, offshore trips are best aHempted early in the weekend before the swell and condiAons change for the worse. ************************************** BIG birthday sale on this weekend Saturday and Sunday 11-12 July. Just a quick reminder that we have our birthday sale on this weekend Saturday and Sunday 11-12 July. There will be lots of great saving to be found in store. Pay us a visit this weekend, and who knows, you may find something you can’t live without! Have a great weekend everyone and keep safe, while you remember “every day’s a good day for fishing … “ Team Tackle World Moruya See you on the Weekend!!

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