Vol 16 September 15th 2017
28 December 7th, Vol 48 27th Vol 176 October 9th2017 2020 111April July 12th 2018 2019
Your FREE online Eurobodalla weekend magazine.
Image courtesy of South Coast Pix Your Beagle Weekly Index Arts ……………………. 33 Cinema ……………….. 24 Community ………………3 o 23 Reading ……………………..25 to 31 Food………………………… 29,30 Sport and Fishing ………. 34 to 36 Editorial ………………….. 2 What’s On …………….... 32
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editorial Welcome to this week’s editorial, October 10th is World Homeless Day. For many in the Eurobodalla that is just another announcement that passes by as if it were World Clean Water Day or World Fresh Food Day. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
The general response might be that it is nice that the Homeless have a Day to celebrate just like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Maybe someone might buy them a coffee or put a few more dollars in their Dncup. The general response in the Eurobodalla is that Homelessness is some body else’s problem. You see the homeless on TV, someDmes in the city depending on where you go but rarely if ever do you see them in the Eurobodalla. For many homelessness is something they can not fathom. Oddly some even suggest that it is a lifestyle choice. A life on the open road, driEing from one meal to another, choosing to sleep rough when there are dormitories available. But to those who are homeless it is far removed from being a lifestyle choice. Many on the streets are there because they have no home to return to. Home is a place of love, of caring, of respect, of safety; and for many the simple fact that they needed to leave because they were neither loved, cared for, respected or safe jusDfied their leaving. DomesDc violence is exactly that.. VIOLENT. For those who are able to flee they might do so with liIle noDce and with few possessions. For many they take themselves and their children. There are those who require medical assistance in geJng by. In coping with the day to day demands of life, in being able to meet expectaDons. For many it is simply too much and they escape the “shackles” by walking away into a life on the street that will hopefully impose less demands. And then there are those who are homeless simply because they can’t afford to have a home. A home is rent, electricity, water, food on the table, clothing. All at considerable cost that can be beyond the capacity of a single person to afford. If you look around the Eurobodalla, at first glance you might think we have no Homeless here. But we do. They are well hidden on couches of friends, in spare rooms of neighbours, in provided crisis accommodaDon via support agencies. They are the ones you see early each morning step out of their cars and stretch from an uncomfortable sleep, to move on before the rangers arrive. In the coming months and years we will see more Homeless. And they will be ours. The ones who can no longer afford rising rents, the ones who lost their homes to the banks, the families shaIered by debt, the children no longer able to cope in homes that were once havens. So on World Homeless Day recognise that they walk among us and remain sight unseen, for now. But all to soon we shall see them on our roadsides as they “Go waltzing Mathilda”. And there, but for the grace of your God, goes I and thee. UnDl next—lei 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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Basil Sellers Art Prize 2020, winner announced Peter MaIhew Yates has won the Basil Sellers Art Prize 2020 with his “beauDfully executed” small oil painDng Connec ons. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 On of his the figuraDve arDst said he was thrilled, and 28 December 7th,success, 2017 Vol hearing 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 considered the award a promising start in a lifelong quest to hone his painterly skills. “It’s become an obsessions for me,” said Peter who fits his daily art pracDce around his job as a marine biologist. While Peter usually draws from life he admits he had an online siIer for Connec ons, which he created from within his parent’s garage. “I think some of the happiness I was feeling during the Dme Above: 2020 Basil Sellers Art Prize spent with my parents has made its way into this painDng,” winner Peter MaIhew Yates oil on said Peter. linen Connec ons. Prize patron Basil Sellers announced the winner online. This is the ninth ediDon of the biennial prize and exhibiDon, with the winner awarded $20,000. Judge Daniel Soma said he kept being drawn back to the winning work. “I was struck by the honest interpretaDon of the current social climate, and its beauDful execuDon,” said Daniel. Raewyn Lawrence is the winner of the $5,000 Eurobodalla Prize. Raewyn also receives a solo exhibiDon at the Bas and her oil on canvas Smoke will be added to Eurobodalla Council’s art collecDon. The Basil Sellers Art Prize exhibiDon runs at the Bas from 10 October to 8 November at Moruya’s Basil Sellers ExhibiDon Centre. For more informaDon visit www.thebas.com.au
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Below: 2020 Eurobodalla Prize winner Raewyn Lawrence oil on canvas Smoke.
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Qantas to launch flights Syd to Merimbula in .me for summer Vol 16 September 15th 2017
28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th Qantas has announced it will launch 111April Julytoday 12th 2018 2019 flights from Sydney to Merimbula for the first Dme saying they will "bring much needed compeDDon to the route in Dme for the summer holidays."
This will be a great shot in the arm for tourism into the Sapphire Coast region with up to 400 passengers a week with Qantas saying the airline will add flights if there is strong demand. The response from Rex Airlines to the Bega Valley Shire Council on learning of the new route is understood to be maIer of fact saying that "given the small passenger numbers, and the compeDDon posed by a secondary airline on a route where Rex has historically seen passenger numbers which do not support viable operaDons for two carriers, Rex wishes to provide formal noDficaDon that we will withdraw from the Sydney/Merimbula route permanently." It is understood that Rex has also indicated that the Melbourne/Merimbula service may also be equally impacted. Rex currently flies into Moruya from Sydney at 8:15am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a second aEernoon flight on Thursdays. This route has always been financially supplemented by the combinaDon with the more popular Merimbula leg. From 18 December 2020, Qantas will operate four direct flights per week with its 50-seat Q300 turboprop aircraE, adding more than 400 seats on the route each week.* The airline will add flights if there is strong demand. Bega General Manager, Leanne Barnes said, “We acknowledge Regional Express’ long commitment to the Bega Valley, and Council welcomes the QantasLink service to Merimbula airport. “This is a commercial decision for each airline and Council is the provider of airport infrastructure that can be uDlised by local and naDonal businesses. “We trust both airlines will operate, and provide services and choice to the local community, building on and supporDng local tourism seeking recovery aEer a parDcularly difficult year,” the General Manager said. QantasLink CEO John Gissing said the new Merimbula flights reinforced the naDonal carrier’s commitment to helping the tourism industry recover from COVID-19. “With border restricDons fuelling demand for intra-state travel, we see a big opportunity to bring more tourists to Merimbula,” Mr Gissing said. “This will be the first Dme that the flying kangaroo has flown to the Sapphire Coast, which will mean more compeDDve fares on a route that has been a monopoly for decades. “We’ll be promoDng Merimbula to millions of our frequent flyers across the state in the lead up the flights commencing. “These new flights will help more travellers explore the beauDful beaches and unique wildlife in and around beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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community Merimbula and give locals more choice in how they get to Sydney.” “We have a long history of serving regional Australia and we’re pleased to be able to support new routes where we see there is demand. It will also help us to get more of our people back to work,” Mr Gissing added. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres welcomed the announcement and encouraged Sydneysiders to take the opportunity to support the South Coast by visiDng this summer. “NSW’s far South Coast is known for its stunning beaches, as well as the fantasDc bushwalks, delicious oysters and excellent fishing throughout the region,” Minister Ayres said. “As we reconnect with and rediscover our own state, it’s exciDng that new desDnaDons are opening up to an even broader market such as this new Sydney to Merimbula route, making it incredibly easy for residents to travel to throughout NSW.” Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick said the new Qantas flights demonstrated the value of longterm planning to maintain growth and services in the Shire. “We decided many years ago to invest in Merimbula airport, knowing that appropriate infrastructure will aIract other airlines and great opportunity for every local town and village,” said Cr Fitzpatrick. “We welcome this move from Qantas to offer greater choice and value for customers, helping bring more visitors to the region. “There is no doubt these new services come at a good Dme. The summer bushfires and COVID-19 restricDons have hit our tourism industry hard, but with improved access to this beauDful part of the world we can now work towards a strong recovery.” Qantas launched two other intra-NSW routes in July, Sydney-Orange and for the first Dme in 15 years, Sydney-Byron Bay (Ballina). Since then, flights to Byron Bay have increased from one per day to up to four per day to meet demand. To celebrate the new route, Qantas is launching a three-day sale with fares available from $149 one-way, unless sold out prior. Fares are available to book from today via qantas.com or through travel agents. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Qantas has introduced a number of iniDaDves to help customers to book with greater flexibility, including allowing a flight to be moved free of charge, as well as introducing addiDonal health and safety measures through its Fly Well program. *Subject to government and regulatory approval.
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Rex con.nues flights into Moruya, for now Rex Airlines has confirmed it will conDnue its Sydney-Moruya flight schedule for now. Vol 16 September 15th 2017
28 December 7th, 2017 withdrawal from the Sydney-Merimbula route on Friday, and Qantas announcing Vol 48 April This follows the2018 airline’s 111 July 27th 12th 2019 plans to fly into Merimbula from December.
Eurobodalla Council’s General Manager Dr Catherine Dale said Rex were considering their opDons. “We’ve spoken with Rex this aEernoon and that conversaDon will conDnue in the coming days as they work through how this new situaDon might impact Moruya flights,” she said. The Council owns Moruya Airport, and the partnership struck between the two organisaDons in 2015 had seen passenger numbers grow by 20 percent unDl Covid travel restricDons hit in March. Nineteen flights per week are down to three. “We have a very posiDve partnership with the airline that resulted in increased passenger capacity and lower fares for the Moruya route,” Dr Dale said. “Pre-Covid, Rex were offering daily return flights that allowed residents, business travellers and medical professionals to get to and from Sydney in a day. We look forward to that essenDal service conDnuing as we establish the new normal,” Dr Dale said. Two years ago, Louise received the leIer that every woman fears – it was a recall to have further tests following an abnormal result on her rouDne, breast screening mammogram. Louise and her husband of 45 years were already dealing with his diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer, so when those tests revealed she had breast cancer, it was a terrible blow. At age 65, Louise is one of many thousands of women of a similar age who are diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia each year. And just like Louise and her husband, they have worked hard for their reDrement and are looking forward to their future. But breast cancer puts life-plans and dreams on hold; it threatens them, and someDmes they are never realised. That’s where your diary can help women get back to their lives and the precious moments yet to create. The 2021 Australian Women’s Health Diary raises funds for breast cancer clinical trials research. For over 40 years, the researchers at Breast Cancer Trials have been leading the way in saving the lives of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia and throughout the world. On sale now, this unique diary is packed with informaDon on a wide range of health topics for women of all ages, which aims to inform and inspire good health every day of the year. Plus, it has all the pracDcal diary features wrapped in a beauDful cover. Best of all, it can help save lives from breast cancer. Louise and 11 other women affected by breast cancer are excited to appear in the 2021 diary. Priced at just $18.95, the 2021 Australian Women’s Health Diary is available naDonally from newsagents, Woolworths, parDcipaDng Post Offices and online at www.womenshealthdiary.com.au
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Eden: Man and dog rescued a:er boat Vol 16 September 15th 2017 crashed into rocks 28 April December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018 Vol 111 July 12th 2019
A man and his loyal dog ‘Chewie’ are back on deck aEer Marine Area Command came to their rescue off the state’s far south coast. About 10am yesterday (Thursday 8 October), officers from the Eden Water Police were called to Twofold Bay at Eden, following reports a yacht had encountered trouble at rocks. The skipper, a 54-year-old man, and his dog ‘Chewy’ were rescued onboard a police vessel while his yacht was towed from the rocks. The man was brought back to shore, where he and his trusty sidekick were given towels to dry themselves. The yacht suffered structural damage. Right: the loyal dog “Chewie”
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Cobargo community a finalist in two major award Vol 16 September 15th 2017 categories 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Cobargo has achieved finalist status in two categories of the NSW/ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards, which encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contribuDons of individuals, communiDes and businesses in regional NSW and the ACT. The Cobargo Showground Land Manager has been selected as a finalist in the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Crown Land Manager Excellence Award, and the community of Cobargo has been selected as a finalist for the Awards Australia ConnecDng CommuniDes Award. A Crown land manager is the name of an enDty appointed to care, control and manage Crown reserves on behalf of the people of NSW. This Award recognises outstanding community service ethos, dedicaDon and commitment to their communiDes. There are more than 34,000 Crown reserves in NSW, covering about 3.1 million hectares. They are showgrounds, racecourses, surf lifesaving clubs, parks, sporDng venues, foreshores, caravan parks, recreaDonal trails and halls. “The Cobargo Showground is where the Cobargo and district community comes together in good Dmes and hard Dmes,” Crown Land Manager Board Chairman, Richard Tarlinton said. “During the summer bushfire period, the showground took on the funcDon of community refuge and the focus of the bushfire relief effort. It was inevitable that, as a community, we gravitated to the showground during the fire season; offering and receiving help, comfort and friendship. For those who had lost everything, the showground became a place of shelter, somewhere to eat and shower, and to share the experiences we were living through with others who understood. It then became the focus of the local bushfire relief effort; a place where we showed that small rural communiDes do not simply endure disaster but come through stronger, more resilient and more connected than ever before.” The Awards Australia ConnecDng CommuniDes Award, of which the community of the Cobargo region is a finalist, recognises grassroots, ‘real life’ iniDaDves (led by local community groups or not-forprofits) that demonstrate genuine involvement, long-term value and add to the life of the community. When considering this award, the nominees felt the whole community of Cobargo and surrounding localiDes deserved recogniDon for the response to the summer bushfires and the subsequent recovery and rebuilding effort. The NSW/ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards will be presented to the winners on Friday 20 November 2020. beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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Beach Road night works this month Night works to asphalt a secDon of Beach Road – between Bavarde Avenue Vol 16 September 15th 2017 to near Raine & Horne – 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 begin this month. The work is scheduled from 6pm to 6am from Sunday 11 to Thursday 15 October and Sunday 18 to Tuesday 20 October to reduce disrupDon to traffic during the day. Traffic control will be in place with only one lane open to traffic during the night work, and one lane in each direcDon open during the day. Commuters should allow extra Dme to travel through the area. Although every effort will be made to minimise noise, residents may hear heavy machinery operaDng. The work is a part of the larger Beach Road safety upgrade to improve road safety and reduce the road crash trauma to our community. For more informaDon visit www.esc.nsw.gov.au/currentworks
Changed traffic condi.ons on Princes Highway between Narooma and Bodalla Motorists are advised changed traffic condiDons on the Princes Highway between Narooma and Bodalla from Monday for roadside tree removal. Work will be carried out between 7am and 5pm from Monday 12 October for about three weeks, weather permiJng. No work will be carried out on weekends. Stop/slow traffic control, lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h will be in place for the safety of workers and motorists during work hours. Motorists could experience delays of up to 10 minutes at various locaDons on the highway. Motorists are advised to allow addiDonal travel Dme, drive to the condiDons and follow the direcDons of signs and traffic control.
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Don't be a Magpie Kidnapper MSC WIRES super busy period is here again and it has started with an unusual number of magpie chicks being Vol 16 September 15th 2017 'rescued' by well meaning Eurobodalla residents. Though 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 we are always grateful people report our wildlife in need, with magpie chicks it is more oEen than not the case. When they finally fledge the chicks are slow to fly efficiently. They have their 'L' plates on. Just like WaIlebirds and noisy miners, they are slow to launch. This can usually take up to, or more than a week. At this Dme they are oEen on the ground flapping their wings, hopping and running in order to develop their flight muscles. This is normal behaviour. Their parents are vigilant at this Dme. They feed, protect and teach their baby to forage. The parents are usually keeping a close eye, even though you can't locate them. Rarely is a magpie chick abandoned. If you find any young bird that is feathered and standing, please keep a close eye on it from a distance to see if the Photo credit Sandy Collins parents are aIending. If they are and the chick is in no danger, there is no need to intervene. If the chick is in danger or too close to a road, place it in a nearby bush and keep a lookout for its aIending parents for at least a few hours. If the parents return the fledging should be leE alone. Rescue is needed if the chick is out of the nest with a few feathers or has its eyes closed. For rescue please call WIRES on 1300 094 737, on line at wires.org or take the chick to the nearest vet who will contact WIRES for care.
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Save Batemans marine sanctuaries Vol 16 September 15th 2017late before it’s too 28 April December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018 Vol 111 July 12th 2019
The Nature Coast Marine Group is calling on the NSW Government to step up and restore protecDon for all sanctuaries within Batemans Marine Park. Bill Barker says ‘’It’s now more than nine months since the NSW Government announced they would allow fishing acDvity in six sanctuaries that were previously out of bounds. “The NSW Government took this hasty decision without any scienDfic advice and without public consultaDon, ignoring its own rules for making changes to marine park zoning. Since these sanctuaries were axed in December 2019, bushfires and COVID have placed extraordinary pressure on our South Coast environment, communiDes and tourism. A flourishing Batemans Marine Park is a vital environmental and economic asset, directly supporDng diving, fishing and boaDng businesses, as well as being a drawcard for the South Coast’s $300 million nature-based tourism industry. “Yet, almost a year later and sDll having failed to consult our local community and businesses, the sanctuaries remain open - threatening the habitats they were created to protect.” As Bill Barker says, “Batemans Marine Park is already under review by the NSW Government. This provides the proper mechanism to consider future zoning and management issues. “The sanctuaries were put in place 13 years ago to allow marine life to flourish undisturbed and to protect crucial feeding and fish nursery areas. Sadly, important conservaDon gains were lost when no-take areas were opened up around Montague Island, as well as in Brou Lake, Nangudga Lake and two zones in Wagonga Inlet.” For the iconic Montague Island Nature Reserve, this adds to stresses on endangered grey nurse sharks, blue gropers, seals, penguins and other sea birds. Vital southern ocean kelp forests and biodiverse rocky reefs already under threat from encroaching urchin barrens now face even greater pressure to survive. In Wagonga Inlet, seagrass habitats and breeding safe havens have been placed at risk. Bill Barker explains ‘’More than 80% of the Batemans Marine Park has always been open to recreaDonal fishing, providing ample opportuniDes to cast a line outside nurseries and refuges.” According to conservaDon science expert Professor Hugh Possingham, “The science shows that fish increase in number, diversity and size in no-take zones, compared with fished areas. “Unlike mammals, fish don’t stop growing when they mature, and a fish twice as large produces many more than twice the offspring.” But as Professor Possingham says, “Modelling studies have repeatedly shown that where about 30% of an beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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community area is protected from all fishing, benefits to fishers in nearby waters are maximised.” “Full based on internaDonally Vol 16protecDon September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 recognised scienDfic principles is crucial to stave off rapidly declining biodiversity due to overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, polluDon and invasive species.” As the Nature Coast Marine Group points out, Batemans Marine Park had less than 19% preserved in sanctuary zones even before this aIack on exisDng protected areas. Bill Barker says, “We know that most local fishers do the right thing and are passionate about having a fishing future. They understand the value of no-take areas. “The NSW Government should stand up for responsible fishing and support healthy future fisheries. “With Christmas holidays ahead, we are all hoping for a safe summer. Time is running out for the NSW Government to restore Batemans marine sanctuaries and give ocean wildlife and baby fish the safe summer they deserve. “We expect any future park management and marine zoning decisions to be based on independent scienDfic evidence and open consultaDon. No more deals behind closed doors.”
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Concerns raised around the .meliness and accuracy of Fires Near Me App This week The Beagle editor wrote to the RFS Media Vol 16outlining Septemberconcerns 15th 2017 team 28 December 7th, 2017 over last weekend's Fires near Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Me App noDce indicaDng an Out Of Control fire on the Clyde. The noDce advised, as you can see (right), that there was a Bush Fire that was Out of Control at the locaDon idenDfied. The Beagle wrote to the RFS Media team "As you can expect this created panic, it brought back immediate feelings of anxiety and it brought back memories of the fires in this exact area last year that closed the highway for days on end. It also brought back the memory of the massive fires that resulted ranging south east into the valleys below and the massive plumes of smoke with acDve embers that followed. "This was just the Dp of the iceberg in regards to the emoDonal impact that this one screen shot and the descripDon "Out of Control". "Late in the aEernoon the fire was declared (leE) Under Control on the Fires near Me App. It had sat there for many hours offering liIle in the way of updated informaDon. That might seem of liIle importance to some but to the highly stressed and anxious residents of the fire savaged Eurobodalla it was not the promised new, improved Fires Near Me communicaDons they had been told would be in place for this bushfire season. "To add to the anxiety the Eurobodalla had woodsmoke in the area and that smoke also triggered flashbacks adding to the anxiety. "It is understood that just aEer 4:30pm fire brigades were called to reports of a bush fire on the Kings Highway between Batemans Bay and Currowan. "It is also understood that, aEer a thorough invesDgaDon of the area no fire was found and all crews were able to return to their staDons. "It has since been informally explained to the many people who may have noDced a noDficaDon from the Fires Near Me smartphone applicaDon that a noDce is set aEer a 000 call has been received and is then updated as crews arrive on scene to invesDgate the area. "If that is the case then the psychological consequences to the community of IMMEDIATELY aIribuDng a reported fires as OUT OF CONTROL needs urgent revision. The statement on the app of OUT OF CONTROL to a fire that has not yet been verified following a 000 call and has not been invesDgated is FALSE informaDon. A simple change of status to AWAITING CONFIRMATION would have not resulted in the widespread panic that this NoDficaDon caused. The beagle editor advised the RFS Media team "As a media outlet able to assess the immediate response of news items as they are published the following staDsDcs will indicate the impact that this unverified false alarm, posted by the Fires Near Me App that declared an out of control bushfire that caused. ConDnues…... beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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community ConDnued….. "The image below are the figures from yesterday's iniDal Facebook post. The post reports nothing more than the formal noDficaDon from Fires near Me. The numbers (and comments) indicate a widespread panic. Vol 16 September 15th 2017
28 December 7th, 2017 of the need to be careful with messaging the community. The Fires Near Me App "The above is an2018 example Vol 48 April 111 July 27th 12th 2019 was idenDfied in the NSW Bushfire Inquiry as a highly relied upon as a source of FACTUAL informaDon. By the icon and descripDon above we are led to believe from the following table that the FIRE HAS STARTED yet there is no immediate danger. Such a statement can only be made on inspecDon yet we know it had not been inspected and simply reported by a 000 phone call.
"The status of the fire according to the noDficaDon is OUT OF CONTROL which, according to the table (right) is a fire spreading on one or more fronts and that there are no effecDve strategies in place for the enDre perimeter. That is exactly what the NoDficaDon very clearly advised users of the Fire near Me App. A fire has started and it is out of control. But it wasn't. It took two hours to advise it was Under Control. That too is FALSE as it is FACT that there was NO FIRE.
"During the last bushfires the community relied heavily on the Fires Near Me NSW app as a source of informaDon during the 2019-20 fire season. Feedback was mixed – while some found it incredibly useful, others noted limitaDons. "While Fires Near Me is an important source of informaDon, the NSW Bushfire Inquiry heard that it should not be relied upon as the ‘single source of truth’, parDcularly when fires are spreading quickly. "The example above highlights that the Fires near Me App is now relied on and that authoriDes need to be mindful that they are considered the ‘single source of truth’, and as such, must be mindful of TRUTHFULLY presenDng the situaDon. "In this instance there was no onground verificaDon that a Fire Had Started (as per the blue icon) nor was it OUT OF CONTROL yet the NoDficaDon clearly told the community otherwise. "Of considerable concern Your formal response for publicaDon as comment to the above would be appreciated". A spokesperson from the NSW Rural Fire Service responded: “Incidents, such as that you refer to in your enquiry, are originally generated in our systems and given the Alert level of Advice when reported, to inform the community of an incident in that area. This can either be scaled up or down once verified by brigade members.” “The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is con nually looking at improvements to the service it provides, including the display and informa on of public warnings like that through Fires Near Me NSW.”
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community Rob and Kate of South Coast Pix bring us the latest images of the new Batemans Bay Bridge saying: "Pix of the bridge works captured today. The bridge Vol 16 September 15th 2017 segments join up as soon as the wind slows 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 111April Julyshould 12th 2018 2019 down a liIle (maybe even today)."
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Bay business gearing up for Summer Like most businesses the Batemans Bay Taxi Service has taken a taken a big hit in 2020. The family business of over 20 years almost lost their depot in Gregory Street on New Year’s Eve. Vol 16 September 15th 2017
Business owner Steven 28 December 7th, 2017Hockey says “if it wasn’t for the Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 gallant acDons of family members and our driver Gail (right) that night, we would have lost the lot.” However, Steven says “with the community in shock through the bushfires, we made the decision to keep the essenDal business going from 5am Dll late at night, especially to service the supermarket shoppers. For some people this is their only transport opDon.” “I am so grateful to our drivers and support staff in the Bay that conDnued working at this Dme.” Since then it has been difficult for the business to recruit drivers for the 8 vehicles in the fleet. AEer the fires, drivers had a lot to deal with for themselves. With the onset of COVID and the short-lived cluster in Batemans Bay, aIracDng drivers back to work has been demanding. Steven says “It’s understandable that, as we are all learning to live with the new socially distanced and saniDzed condiDons of 2020, people may be cauDous, but our taxi are saniDzed regularly and our drivers wear masks.” Steven remains upbeat about the services that his tradiDonal taxi service offers. With the expected influx of holiday makers to the south coast this summer, there will be lots of opportunity for the drivers to make a good income. The business provides special Fare subsidies for those eligible for TTSS; we are also contracted to the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), EducaDon Department and NDIS. Batemans Bay Taxis have five maxi-taxis that carry up to 11 passengers each which is perfect for geJng to and from weddings, parDes, and almost any place you need to move a group around in comfort and safety. Steven says “These vehicles are purpose built with the latest liEing and anchoring systems to transport disabled and wheelchair bound ciDzens to the doctors, shopping or even to see friends, all our drivers are registered for working with children and have had police checks.” Steven says “all our taxis have radios and cameras fiIed for safety.” “We have many repeat clients, who have regular medical trips by taxi” says Steven. “They like to know the drivers and trust them to be on Dme. Our aim is to provide a pleasant experience when people use our taxi service.” The business has been a proud support of several sporDng clubs and charity organizaDon annually and Steven says “we operate as part of the community.” The business is sDll looking for drivers. No cost driver training is provided. Drivers with clean driving and no criminal history can be you earning a good income in about two weeks. Applicants that currently hold a Public Passenger Vehicle drivers’ approval and or a bus drivers authority card will be strongly considered for the driving roles. If you would like to know more regarding driving, email batemansbaytaxis@gmail.com or call 0429 422 286.
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Weekday night closure of the Kings Vol 16 September 15th Highway at 2017 Clyde 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 Mountain from Monday 12 October Transport for NSW will carry out essenDal maintenance work on Clyde Mountain including slope stabilisaDon in response to recent rainfall. The Kings Highway at Clyde Mountain will be closed in both direcDons at night between 6pm and 6am, Monday to Thursday for about three weeks from 12 October, weather permiJng. Work will also be carried out in the day between 6am and 6pm, Monday to Thursday and 6am and 12pm on Fridays. How will the work affect you? To carry out this work safely we will need to close the road to traffic at night Dme. Detours for light vehicles will be via the Princes Highway and Nerriga Road and are expected to add up to 75 minutes to journeys. Detours for heavy vehicles will be via the Princes Highway, Picton Road, the Hume Highway and Snowy Mountains Highway and are expected to add up to 3.5 hours to journeys. During day Dme work hours, traffic control, lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h will be in place for the safety of workers and motorists. Delays of up to 10 minutes can be expected. The road will be open from 12pm on Fridays unDl 6am on Mondays to allow for weekend traffic. For the latest traffic updates, you can call 132 701, visit livetraffic.com or download the Live Traffic NSW App.
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OUT NOW—the latest Beagle Abode : your online weekly Eurobodalla real estate guide Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
The beagle abode is an online weekly Eurobodalla real estate guide showcasing the current Eurobodalla market and our many realtors. The beagle abode is the new addiDon 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 properDes on the market each week. You can find Beagle Abode on the Beagle website under REAL ESTATE The latest Beagle Abode lisDngs 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.
The Beagle Trades and Business Directory provides local Trades and Businesses a free lisDng in a hope that they might gain work from it, and conDnue to provide employment and economic benefit to their families and our communiDes. AdverDsing is usually outside the affordability of many smaller businesses and sole traders. The Beagle supports locals. These lisDngs are FREE. If you are a local business and would like to be listed please contact us as we oEen turn over these lisDngs 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 hIps://www.facebook.com/groups/1303512213142880/
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Call for Pallia.ve Care Volunteers in the Eurobodalla Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
The Eurobodalla PalliaDve Care Volunteer Service is calling for men and women over the age of 18 from across the region including: Batemans Bay, Moruya, Tuross, Narooma and Tilba areas to volunteer for their community. PalliaDve care volunteers give support by phone, video calls or by visiDng people in their homes or place of residence, when a life is limited due to an incurable illness. “Demand for palliaDve care in the home and in aged care is increasing. Volunteers are needed from our community to support people, their family, and their carers as they deal with what is a difficult stage of their lives,” said Fiona Sivyer, Project Officer of the Consumer and Carer Relief at End of Life (CCREOL) Project, which is a collaboraDon between PalliaDve Care NSW, Southern NSW Local Health District and COORDINARE, with the aim of establishing local palliaDve care volunteer services across Southern NSW. Death and dying, end-of-life, and palliaDve care can be difficult and someDmes confronDng topics. The volunteer’s role involves supporDng people along the way, as they grapple with these sensiDve subjects. “Our volunteers provide one-onone meaningful social support to clients, their family, and carers. It‘s about maintaining the best quality of life unDl death”. They also provide much needed carer respite. “Carers might want volunteer support so they can have few hours break each week. They might want a volunteer to stay with their loved one while they go have a shower or get to an appointment for example without worrying about leaving their loved one alone,” Ms Sivyer explained. “Having addiDonal volunteer support means that carers can pracDce a liIle bit of self-care. It’s the liIle things that can make a big difference.” We are encouraging members of the community who would like to become a palliaDve care volunteer to get in touch and become part of the program. Eurobodalla PalliaDve Care Volunteer Dinah Ligh]oot tells us it is a very special stage of life to be involved in. “It’s an absolute privilege to be asked to be part of someone’s final stages of their life. The role of a palliaDve care volunteer isn’t for
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www.iga.com.au/catalogue
community everyone, there is a lot of listening to be done and waiDng for the right opportuniDes to help in a way that is right for the person and the family” PalliaDve care volunteers come from diverse backgrounds. No qualificaDons or specific experience are Vol 16 September 15th 2017 necessary for this role, and life experiences, excellent listening skills and compassion are enormously 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 beneficial. “Working in palliaDve care is one of the most rewarding volunteer choices anyone can make. Not only does it make a huge difference to the person who is dying and their family, but also to the volunteer's own life. Volunteers learn to cherish each day, listen deeply and value life as a precious giE.” RestricDons imposed by the current COVID-19 pandemic have leE many clients and carers, especially within in aged care faciliDes, feeling isolated and lonely. It has also forced services to reimagine how they can best provide social support whilst maintaining social distancing protocols. One soluDon is to use communicaDon technologies to foster connecDons, but this can only work if everyone is comfortable working with the equipment and soEware required. “With this in mind we are also calling for people to volunteer for IT support posiDons – people who could assist volunteers, clients and carers to use a variety of communicaDon technologies, equipment and soEware.” “This will enable many of the Community-based Volunteers to conDnue safely supporDng clients and carers if greater restricDons are need to be brought back into an area”, said Ms Sivyer. Successful applicants will receive comprehensive training, ongoing support, and supervision. Volunteers will be bound by professional ethics of confidenDality and must obtain mandatory security checks. For an ApplicaDon Packs and further informaDon contact Renata Sheehan, Community Engagement Manager on 0477 322 107 or renata.sheehan@health.nsw.gov.au PalliaDve Care Facts What is pallia.ve care? ^PalliaDve Care is specialised health care which looks aEer people whose illness is not curable. This is an illness that will eventually end life. It aims to give comfort and support by managing pain and other symptoms so people can live life as well as possible. PalliaDve Care considers the needs of the ‘whole’ person, including physical, emoDonal, social, and spiritual needs. It also includes the support of carers and families. PalliaDve care is not used to end life. PalliaDve care services referrals are available through the Southern NSW Local Health District Central Intake Service - 1800 999 880. PalliaDve care can be provided at home, in residenDal aged care and in the Southern NSW Local Health District faciliDes by families, GPs, nongovernment care providers, community nurses and hospital staff. beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
Montague Art and CraE Society Inc post: “Finally completed the mural on the Lighthouse Surgery is a great example of art helping with a call to acDon to protect our precious biodiversity ... such an Important message�
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NSW South Coast volunteers off to 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards final Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
Volunteers from across NSW South Coast were today recognised for their outstanding contribuDon to their local community at a special virtual ceremony for the 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards. About 100 special guests, volunteers and community leaders came together for the first ever virtual event to recognise and celebrate the region’s volunteers. The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are an annual program run by The Centre for Volunteering which has grown to become one of the largest celebraDons of volunteering across the country. Regional finalists for the awards are announced at 25 ceremonies throughout NSW and are invited to the Gala State Ceremony for the announcement of the 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year. The 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are supported by principal partners the NSW Department of CommuniDes and JusDce and ClubsNSW, which represents the state’s 1,400 not-for-profit clubs. The 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year for the NSW South Coast region is Paul Hamer co-founder of the Scouts Mental Health First Aid for Youth program. 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award recipients for the South Coast are: Adult Volunteer of the Year - Paul Hamer from Catalina High School Teacher Paul Hamer helped establish the Mental Health First Aid for Youth program for the NSW Scout organisaDon. Paul has helped train over 200 scout leaders across NSW in vital skills to idenDfy and help support young people experiencing mental health issues. Senior Volunteer of the Year - Carleen Maley from Tathra Carleen has been supporDng mulDple causes and organisaDons and thousands of people throughout the Far South Coast and other remote regions for the past four decades. She has given more than 60,000 hours of her Dme over this period for the VIEW Club of Australia, the Bega District and Pambula Hospitals and Telstra Connected Seniors program. She has helped raise more than $1 million for the Smith Family, but her contribuDon across so many other areas of support has been immeasurable. Volunteer Team of the Year - WIRES Mid-South Coast Branch The 97 team members from the Mid-South Coast Wires Branch have given their land and lounge rooms to help care for sick and injured animals that share their local communiDes. They provide a 24/7 response that was so important during the recent bushfires that devastated the region. More than 2,750 rescues were made over that period, in the most dire and desperate circumstances. The team also includes three trained volunteer shooters who take on the responsibility to humanely euthanize injured animals.
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Narooma Dog Training Club (NDTC) wants to let everyone know that there Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019 isVolonly one more Registra.on Day planned for this year - Saturday 10 October. Also, there are only 10 places available in the Beginners Class that will start that aEernoon at Nata Oval, Narooma. Covid-19 Safety requires that NDTC restrict intake and manage the overwhelming response it has had since the reboot of programs in July. Taking this decision also means that NDTC Instructors, who are all dedicated volunteers, can meet handler expectaDons and conDnue to deliver a quality program. Weather permiJng, handlers signing up for the Beginners Class on Saturday 10 October will have the opportunity to aIend eight lessons prior to the Christmas break. That's plenty of Dme to learn basic handling skills and socialise your dog. The registraDon fee is just $10 per dog, plus $3 per dog for each lesson aIended. So if you are interested in bringing your pet dog to obedience training, please ring and book a place as soon as possible. For more details and essenDal booking, phone Carol - 0458 953 281.
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cinema
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reading
“We’re all in this together” by Kristy McBain, Federal Member for Eden Monaro “We’re all in this together” - it’s become the catch cry and familiar tune to the global pandemic. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 and beyond have heard the Vol 48 2018 111April July 27th 12th 2019 People from Eden-Monaro
call, acDng for the collecDve good, something that is now paying dividends as we start to move towards ‘COVIDNormal’. The power that comes with that sense of working together on what is right, on what is fair, without the colour of poliDcs - has been clear to see. Sadly, we are seeing the tribalism of poliDcs fracture our ‘togetherness’ not just in our discussions and planning around COVID-19, but also in our response to the devastaDng drought and bushfires that preceded the pandemic. It appears poliDcs is back. What I heard during the recent Eden-Monaro by-elecDon was that people want and expect more from their leaders. People rightly want their leaders to work for them, not against each other. People had hoped that the challenges of 2020, and the self-reflecDon that has come with that, might result in a reset of poliDcs. Late last month the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack announced $100 million to assist 10 regions. In his own words, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the eligible regions had been chosen because “they are regions whose economies have experienced the brunt of natural events such as bushfires, or COVID-19, and drought.” I applaud the announcement, and I welcome the inclusion of the Snowy Mountains – but Batlow, Cobargo, Kiah, Nerrigundah, Braidwood and surrounding communiDes are all asking – what about the rest of Eden-Monaro? On the raw data alone based on bushfire losses – the communiDes of Eden-Monaro are rightly asking where do we rate? With over 750 homes lost, over 2,000 sheds and outbuildings destroyed, thousands of kilometres of fencing and livestock torched, and not forgeJng the fruit tree and forestry losses, the downturn in tourism, retail and hospitality income, the loss of lives and livelihoods - why aren’t we included in this funding? Eden-Monaro communiDes are doing their best to show us, their leaders, the way. Through our Chambers of Commerce, community and service clubs, arts and cultural groups and sporDng organisaDons, local leaders are coming up with ideas to move us forward towards renewal. These ideas are fantasDc and deserve aIenDon – the type of aIenDon that this grant funding affords. Sadly, the aIenDon of the Morrison Government is elsewhere. The decision to exclude most of these communiDes from this funding has leE me guIed and angry. Is this payback for a Labor win in Eden-Monaro? Hardly the way people want and need poliDcs carried out post-2020. I ask the Deputy Prime Minister – please don’t let poliDcs get in the way of truly assisDng the regions that are hurDng the most. Come and talk to our communiDes, see for yourself how hard they are doing it. If it is because of the colours I wear – I’ll stay away from the announcements and the ribbon cuJng – just do the right thing by this region. Do the right thing for this country because we are “all in this together”.
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Reading—editorial
Are our councillors under inves.ga.on over suspicion of breaching confiden.ality Today I was contacted Vol 16 September 15th 2017by a Sydney based 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 private invesDgaDon company, acDng on behalf of their client, seeking informaDon around an email that I sent to all of the Councillors on August 12th, 2020: The email of August 12th, 2020 said Terrific news about ADCO being awarded the tender Good to hear that ADCO have been advised by Council they have been awarded the contract for the Mackay Park Project. It will no doubt be of benefit to have both the architect and construc on company awarded the Hills Wave Centre project undertaking the Mackay Park project as both facili es have much in common. Councillors, for your informa on, in case the GM hasn't told you yet FDC were advised they were not the successful tenderer while Richard Crookes haven’t been no fied either way. Zauner also haven’t been no fied either way as yet. So I won't be publishing this un l I see the grand announcement By the way it has been more than two weeks. The community might like to be informed. Lei Now, some four weeks later, I have an invesDgator asking where I got the informaDon from as he was invesDgaDng a breach of confidenDality. You can imagine, as a registered media company and as a journalist who respects confidenDality of sources, I was within my rights to simply say "Nup, not telling". But instead I looked at the bigger picture and this is what I considered before conDnuing with the phone call: -A Private InvesDgator has a copy of my email to Councillors - obviously provided to him by his client. - That email was ONLY sent to councilors with a copy to Council records. - At that point even Blind Freddy would determine that the client could only be Council and not any of the tenderers. Note I did not ask the inves gator who his client was knowing he would not be at liberty to advise. So here we have, contracted and paid for by Council, an invesDgator invesDgaDng who? It could only be staff or councillors. Who was it that advised the Beagle of the name of the winning tenderer on August 12th, more than two weeks aEer the Councillors had endorsed the winning tenderer but decided to not name for reasons of Commercial in Confidence so that they might pursue further negoDaDons? Is the client a Director suspecDng staff of the breach? Maybe it is the General Manager suspecDng her staff or Directors of contacDng the Beagle and breaching confidenDality? Maybe the Councillors themselves were beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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reading being invesDgated for breaching confidenDality? For a consulDng private invesDgator to be employed and given a copy of my email that was sent to Councillors indicates that the order of the invesDgaDon could only have been endorsed via the General Manager. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
As you can imagine the conducDng of an invesDgaDon into councillors is a very serious maIer indeed. And if it wasn't the General Manager then who was it? Just who is the client? To have so liIle faith in our councillors, and to possibly distrust them to the extent that a somebody in Council would iniDate a private invesDgaDon is indeed worrying. I am more than aware that a breach of such confidenDality, disclosing who the winning tenderer might be, could result in codes of conduct and possible criminal acDons. But to what extent would the invesDgaDon go? Councillors ipads and phones are Council property. Councillors emails are stored on Council's servers. If the invesDgaDon is as serious as it seems would this see Councillors having to hand over their phones and laptops for forensic scruDny? If this is the case then what else might be found? A private correspondence between a ratepayer and their councillor voicing concerns of unfair treatment by Council staff, possible evidence of breaches of the Privacy Act by Council staff? Maybe even emails from councilors to ratepayers offering up dissenDng views on issues that have been adopted in Council. The phones would reveal the names, dates and Dmes of phone calls as well. So will these devices be scruDnised? In talking with the invesDgator I was aware that my answers to his quesDons would be formally reported as part of his invesDgaDon. But why on earth would the Council employee go to the effort of contracDng a Sydney based private invesDgaDon company to discover the source of my advice on the winning tenderer when all he/she needed to do was ring me and ask. Exactly how much will the ratepayers be paying for this? Today I wrote to the Councillors and said "Councillors, you will be pleased to know that none of you, nor any Council staff, breached any confidenDality and that I advised the invesDgator of how the informaDon came to be discovered." "I must say how disappointed I am though. I have never seen this Council at such a low level. It is permeated by a nasty toxicity, veiled in such secrecy and appears more oEen to be controlled via latent threats to both staff and councillors." "There is no denying that this invesDgaDon is aimed solely at councillors as staff appear to be above reproach (or have been already grilled). To my mind this can only be seen as an invesDgaDve acDon conducted by COUNCIL, via the General Manager (or her staff) against YOU, the Councillors. Hopefully you have been advised that such an invesDgaDon has been iniDated against your good selves. It will now be the final report of a private invesDgator, back to their client, that either exonerates you or sees you face further acDons. "No doubt none of you will be advised of the outcome of this confidenDal report, for the eyes of the client only, unless further acDon is required. And alas none of you will be privvy, with the excepDon of the client, to know who my source was, as this informaDon was conveyed in confidenDality. "What a shameful point this is in the history of this once reputable council." I concluded. beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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Reading—history
100 Years Ago OCTOBER 9th 1920 NERRIGUNDAH SPORTS.– Our friends in the Golden Valley notify in this issue that a big day’s sports, with ball atSeptember night, will15th take2017 place on Friday, 12th Nov. The proceeds will be devoted to their Battery fund. Full Vol 16 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 particulars may be seen on posters. NAROOMA (From our Correspondent) On Monday last (Eight-Hour Day) Narooma was treated to a pleasant sight by seeing the old hand ferry punt being replaced by motor power which up to the present is apparently working successfully. NELLIGEN (From our Correspondents). Nelligen has lately lost a good citizen in the person of Mr. F. Duffy, who left a few days ago to take up a position under the Harbor Trust. Prior to his departure a large gathering of his friends entertained him at a social evening in the School of Arts, to wish him “Good-bye and good luck.” Eulogistic speeches were delivered by Messrs, McCauley, Cameron and Gumley, and he was presented with a handsome gold chain and suitably inscribed medal. He will be much missed, especially at local dances, at which he invariably acted as M.C. ….. Considerable progress has been made with the factory for treating burrawangs. A portable engine, dynamos, and other machinery, has been landed here, and a number of workmen are putting it in position. The manager’s residence is well under way, and a month or two should see the place ready for a start. The manager, Mr. Dodds, is pushing that work rapidly forward, and the establishment of the industry has already proved of considerable benefit to the district. Nelligenites were astonished to learn per medium of the “Examiner” that Bateman’s Bay Progress Association has forwarded a counter petition to the one sent from here re alteration of mail services. Considering that the proposed alteration does not in any way inconvenience Bayites, beyond giving them earlier delivery from Nelligen, we quite fail to see the why or wherefore of this “dog-in-the-manger” action. “By their fruits ye shall know them,” and judging by their action in this matter, the Association seems to be a small coterie of busybodies, who have taken upon themselves this unfriendly and unwarranted interference with our endeavours to secure a very necessary improvement in our mail service. The name of the Association might be suitably altered to 8106“The Bateman’s Bay Retrogressive Association.” They progress like the crab is supposed to do—backwards.
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Reading—LeKer to the Editor
Is it .me for the o: forgoKen Princes Highway to be given a Vol 16 September 15th 2017 new name 28 April December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018 Vol 111 July 12th 2019
I have not been to the King Leopold Ranges in the Kimberly but various travel reports and YouTube footage describe the area as stunningly beauDful. It is another extraordinary area of Australia sDll on my bucket list. The family of Western Australian mining billionaire, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest named the ranges in 1879 aEer the brutal and racist Belgium King. Leopold personally and cruelly ruled over the enDre Congo region between 1885 and 1908 and was widely believed to be responsible for the deaths of 10million lives. The Forrest family were themselves sympatheDc to racist views having close Des to the far-right anD-semaDc League of Rights. A few months ago, the Western Australian government finally moved to replace this reminder of a racist tyrant with the tradiDonal indigenous descripDon Wunaamin Miliwundi Range. Recently I watched an historical documentary on the 1936 abdicaDon of Edward VIII in favour of his brother George VI (Queen Elizabeth’s father). Edward VIII, like King Leopold, was an admiIed white supremacist, anD-Semite and a Nazi sympathiser. While earlier touring Australia as the Prince of Wales, he described our First NaDons people: ‘they are the most revolDng form of living creatures I’ve ever seen!! They are the lowest known form of human beings & are the nearest thing to monkeys’. He also later said that he was indifferent to any reacDon from Australians and New Zealanders because ‘not many people live there’. To commemorate this 1920 Australian Tour by the Prince of Wales, the Federal Government of the day named our greatest Highway extending from Sydney to Adelaide: the Princes Highway. Now, 100 years later, this is an honour unacceptable by today’s standards. I’m not sure how the first seed can be planted to begin a movement to rename the Princes Highway, or even whether there are others with the same views as mine, but perhaps this arDcle could be a useful beginning. Kim Odgers October 2020
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LeKer to the Editor An open leKer to Councilors to Keep Batemans Bay Community Centre Dear Councillors As you know the potenDal loss of the BBayCCentre is becoming a hot issue, and rightly so, now and for the future council elecDons.15th 2017 Vol 16 September 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
The call to keep the CommCentre is now almost an enDrely ‘stand alone’ issue. The fact that MPark highlighted it and ‘caused’ this problem has now been overtaken by the awareness of the potenDal loss of the facility for itself. The fact that it: has a commercial scale – and purpose built!!! – kitchen a sprung floor – the only one, as far as we can work out, in any community asset in the Bay on ground level- easy access plenty of parking affordable versaDle has over 400 bookings a year from over 100 user groups and several key user groups such as Meals on Wheels and Social Outreach located town side of the highway near other service faciliDes and the museum and park potenDal to make a Community Precinct built ‘by’ the Community for the Community is nowhere near replicated in the proposed MPark project AND it is making its own way financially! Why would you dispose of it??? As has been suggested: if the MPark Centre is supposed to be able to replace the CommCentre, why not lease that??!!! So far Perfex has been a flagship in campaigning for a Performing Arts Centre but: ‘not at any cost’ – not the loss of key community assets for the sake of giving the arts a nice space (inspiring, if you look at the link by ADCO – we shall see). But this has now become a Community issue because it is the wider community that will suffer if this is leased or sold or disposed of out of community hands. Many assets will or have gone: the racecourse has gone, pockets of green are going, the Tourist informaDon Centre will go, the Mini Golf was moved on, and goodness knows what else is happening. All to pay for an overrun for a project we were told by the GM would be built within the budget of the grants. So much for that! The CommCentre is a key asset, planned and purpose-built by the community for the needs of this community. Sure, it needs updaDng and is not fancy, but it is a key icon, pays its way and is used well. It has also come to be a clear indicator, again, of how liIle Council listens to opinions and needs contrary to what their plans are and how liIle they value and incorporate the community views they say they represent. This is the second reason it will be such an elecDon issue. You have recently received leIers from Fiona Phillips MP expressing her concerns (to both the Mayor and General Manager), there has been an over1000 signature peDDon; there has been a well aIended rally and there is more to come. How much more do you need to be told we are not happy losing this key community asset, and see no jusDficaDon for it. Therefore this is again a direct request to reclassify the Centre BACK to ‘Community’ and keep it, as the peDDon of over 1000 signatures requested over a year ago. Sincerely Sue Mackenzie (President PERFEX) beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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Reading—Letter to the Editor The Beagle Editor, Will I go? I, like everyone else who aIended the meeDng at the Batemans Bay Community Centre last Friday morning, faced this decision Vol 16 September 15th 2017 and decided yes, it was important be there, despite the pandemic, despite being in the 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 111 July 12th 2019 demographic most at risk and despite the fact that Batemans Bay is full of visitors. Why? Because the Batemans Bay Community Centre is a vital part of the fabric of our community. The decision to lease the Community Centre is bureaucraDc one. The council can make more money out of a lease. What I find parDcularly offensive about council’s response to community concerns is their constant repartee which suggests that it is somehow “giving” to its community by “allowing” community members and their volunteer organisaDons to “use” the centre. Let me be clear....as the Course Coordinator for University of the Third Age, I book a significant number of council venues. I know that we pay a substanDal amount of money for the use of those venues, just not enough to saDsfy the money grabbing bureaucrats who are making the decisions. However, not only do our over 600 members pay rates to the Eurobodalla Council, which to my way of thinking, enDtles them to use council faciliDes, but everyone in our organisaDon is a volunteer. When you start to consider the thousands of hours, which our organisaDon alone contributes to the health and well-being of a considerable porDon of the populaDon in the Eurobodalla region, then council’s aJtude is just plain ignorant. The council gives community organisaDons a 10% discount, but then so do a number of other community groups in the shire that are lucky enough to have their own buildings. The Eurobodalla Council’s mantra seems to be: Why make so much fuss, there are other venues. While there are other council venues, the Batemans Bay Community Centre is the only central, affordable, large, readily available, mulD-purpose, well maintained and easily accessible venue in the region, parDcularly if you happen to be reDred and living on a fixed income. If you cannot drive, or you live centrally in a reDrement facility so that you can access services, then it just makes sense to put as many acDviDes as possible in that facility, within easy reach. The decision to lease it, and then make community organisaDons pay for the privilege of using their own centre, at market rates, illustrates a depth of ignorance on the part of the Eurobodalla Council which is breathtaking in its stupidity. I should point out that council has two large other venues in Batemans Bay which are problemaDc for community organisaDons that require regular use. Hanging Rock is oEen unavailable during the year. It is much larger than the Community Centre and therefore aIracts funcDons like the Caravan and Camping Show. End of year exams are also held there and of course it serves as an emergency hub. These are all quite necessary and reasonable funcDons but it does limit how that building can be used. The only other large venue is MacKay Park which is now closed. Community organisaDons save the Eurobodalla Council an enormous amount of money with the services they provide. It goes without saying that if the council had to step in and do what we do, they would be broke. The contribuDon that community organisaDons make is well documented and is worth millions to the council. Let’s add the pandemic into the mix. We are now in a situaDon where people have to social distance if they want to conDnue to live their lives with any degree of normality. As a result, venues such as the Batemans Bay Community Centre have become even more important. They allow larger groups to meet in a safe environment and to feel secure. Is it just that the Eurobodalla Council is so far removed from its people that it cannot work all this out or it just doesn’t care? If you can answer yes (to either quesDon) then remember that we need councillors who understand the nuts and bolts of this community. The ability to operate in a way that provides easy access and a safe environment for community organisaDons to reach the communiDes they serve the everyday glue which helps many people to remain acDve, to keep their brains working and to enjoy life. Chris Sweeney beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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What’s on
All the known gigs to date: Vol 16 September 2017 Oct 9th - Corey 15th Legge at the Quarterdeck Narooma Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
Oct 10th Three hours South @ Tilba Valley Winery & Ale House Kick off 12.30 Oct 10th - Robin Simpson @ JJ's at the Marina 7:30pm
Oct 11th Tony Jaggers @ Tilba Valley Winery & Ale House Kick off 12.30 Oct 11th - Southern Impact – Club Narooma (3pm) Oct 11th - LP Duo at the Bodalla Dairy Shed 12:30pm to 4pm Oct 17th - Vinnie and Him @ JJ's at the Marina 7:30pm
Boudicea + Hannah
Oct 18th - Sim and Co at the Bodalla Dairy Shed 12:30pm to 4pm Oct 24th - Flamenco Paddy @ JJ's at the Marina 7:30pm Oct 31st - Totum @ JJ's at the Marina 7:30pm Dec 27th - Daniel Champagne // COVID Safe Show at Smokey Dan's
Above: Eleni mixing up a storm of her own with our new cocktails THE HAND GRENADE AND THE GILLIGAN @ The QUARTERDECK
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arts Learn the art of coil weaving with Vicki Parsons at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. Saturday 17th October, or Saturday 28 November. Cost is only $110 per person for this interesDng 5hour workshop. Enrol HERE: hIp:// southcoastcolleges.edu.au/ course/weaving-feathers-ďŹ bresnaDve-grasses
Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
or ph. 02 4472 9202 Postcards from the Fires ExhibiDon at 'The Gallery' in Mogo, the NSW SES Batemans Bay Unit very fragile and precious Helmet on Display unDl Sunday 11/10/2020
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sports
Broulee Runners Wed Oct 7th 2020 Day light saving is with us and we are one week
Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, together 2017 away from geJng as a social distancing Vol 48 April 2018 111 July 27th 12th 2019
group to run a 5-kilometre event from the Mossy Point Anchor. AEer more than six months 5pm on 14 October will be significant in the life of the Broulee Runners. We started back on 7 February 2007 with only a 5-kilometre run with 8 starters and it was not unDl 10 September 2008 that the 3.5kilometre event was introduced. Then on the 29 September 2010 the successful 2-kilometre distance was used. We all hope that it will not take that long to have us all back together. People will be able to run or walk the 5-kilometres and there is no Dme limit if you finish in the light. You are encouraged to test yourself over this distance. People can sDll Dme a run over any of the 3 distances at a convenient Dme and locaDon for you and have it recorded. The champion of the week is Kim Young despite having Chemo and radiotherapy to aIack her lymphoma, she is keen to get back on the track again. Having come to the realisaDon that her running career is over for the foreseeable future and intends to become a brisk walker. Kim has been a great exponent and supporter of fitness, having been a triathlete and fitness trainer. She wants to see people parDcipate by walking or running and not to be embarrassed about holding people up. Her message is to come and walk the Broulee
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sports
Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 111April July 27th 12th 2018 2019
Jetblack Wild Wombat set to return to Mogo Oct 31st In the leadup to the Jetblack Wild Wombat MTB Challenge on October 31st 2020 in Mogo this brilliant video has been produced that showcases the event and the region. Video produc on Faber Film. (c) Rocky Trail Entertainment Pty Ltd Hosted by Rocky Trail Entertainment, its crew spent a week in and around Mogo and documented their stay to give contestants a taste of the #rockytraildesDnaDon! Mountain bikers from far and wide will be descending to the region for what promises to be an awesome race on the popular 'Dam Loop' in Mogo This event is not just for contestants but also great for spectators to see the mountain bike racing acDon up close – entry to the event centre is free. Interested in the race? More informaDon here hIps://rockytrailentertainment.com/jetblack-wild-wombat
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fishing
Your UP TO DATE Fishing report courtesy of Tackle World Moruya Moruya River. It was a pleasure seeing the local town bustling with people last weekend. It was great to see that the combinaDon of school holidays, a long weekend and Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 December 7th, 2017 with closed borders, equated to a very busy town. opDons Vollimited 48 27th 111April Julytravel 12th 2018 2019 Hopefully we can conDnue to see increased support as people holiday closer to home. What a difference this week had, with a hot long weekend followed by a wet week. This cold wet week will most probably have reset the fishing a liIle bit with the cooler temps shuJng the bite down a bit. The river in front of the hospital has been holding a few bream this week. With one local angler finding chicken breast cut into strips working for him. This is a technique that has been around along Dme when the bite is a bit hard. Try something different for a change. Thin strips of steak have also been known to work if you are looking for a different opDon. Further up the system, the shallows around Yarragee bend have been holding a few flathead. With soE plasDcs soE vibes and hardbody lures all working. Nippers pumped fresh will also work in this area. Down around the hole in the wall, there have been good reports on bream, whiDng and trevally coming from last weekend. Again live nippers, and soE plasDcs were geJng the bite. Tuross River. The shallow sand flats were holding holding the beIer fish last weekend, as the warmer than average days warmed the shallower areas, this helped get the flathead on the chew. Coming into this weekend, hopefully a few clearer warmer days has the same effect. There have been a few good bream landed and lost from in front of the boat shed last weekend as well. SoE plasDc presentaDons have been working well. Look for the smaller 2.5” grubs and minnow style lures, as these are representaDve of the food source the fish are chasing. Further upstream around the metal bridge good flathead have been caught on 2.5” minnows. The flathead caught have been coughing small bait fish. Match the hatch as they say. As reported last week, it’s Dme to get the crab pots out, and look for a muddle or two. Try the deeper holes on river bends, or the creek mouth entrances for best success. Rock and beach. Beaches all along the coast have been turning up the odd salmon or two. They are not in massive numbers, but can be caught if you are happy to wait for a bite. The rocky headlands have been holding a few Luderick of late as well as a few drummer. Offshore. Good numbers of fish have been reported a bit deeper than usual, with fish being found out around the 50m mark as opposed to the usual 30-40m marks. Mixed bags of nannygai, snapper, flathead and mowies, as can been seen pictured can be found. Nice fillets for the family. AEer the long weekend, and the usual mariDme blitz that accompanies it, it’s Dme to check that every thing onboard is up to date and good condiDon. We have a batch of fresh inshore flares if yours are geJng close to running out. We also have stock of inflatable life jacket cartridges if yours is starDng to show signs of rust. Now is the Dme to get ready for the up coming summer boaDng season. The winds are sDll a bit hit and miss at the moment. Non the less, the morning sessions seem to be the best Dme to beat any wind that may arise later in the day. So for a non sand blasted, driE destroying session, get up early and try then. Don’t forget we are sDll running our Zman & TT compeDDon in store. To qualify for a Dcket, you just need to spend $50 to get an entry. This will be drawn at the beginning of November, so there is plenty of Dme to enter. The prize is a goodie bag valued at $300 of Zman soE plasDcs and TT jig head as well a few other assorted goodies. Stay safe everyone, and remember “every days a good day for fishing....” Team Tackle World Moruya. beagle weekly : Vol 176 October 9th 2020
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classiďŹ eds
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