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Finding company in music

By SIMONE KERWIN

IT could have been a daunting moment for Wendie Wilkie when, as a nine-year-old, she was gifted a violin by her grandmother’s friend.

“She’d had it when she was a child, so this violin is about 170 years old,” Wendie said.

Young Wendie was not fazed by the trust shown in bestowing the instrument on her, and she enjoyed playing the violin throughout high school.

Though she played intermittently while attending teachers’ college, and living in various locations around Australia including Darwin and Perth, the heirloom travelled with her.

“I didn’t play very much for 40 years, then I moved to Albany in Western Australia and found they had a community symphony orchestra,” she said.

“I met someone who had learnt the cello at 55, and they told me that many of the members had come late to music, so I joined - and I fell in love with it again.”

When she moved from Albany to Wanga-ratta, Wendie sought opportunities to continue playing music, and was thrilled in 2021 when the call went out for interest in starting a Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra.■ Continued page 6

◆ PASSION: Foundation Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra member Wendie Wilkie relishes the chance to hone her violin skills as part of the group. PHOTO: Simone Kerwin

VET CORNER

White Ibis - pest or friend?

THE Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) is found across Australia and is in many places considered a pest, as a result of their bold behaviour – they are not above sticking their beaks into your lunch if you are sitting in the park. They tend to cluster in groups and it is not unusual to find up to 50 of them gathered on your front lawn.

The White Ibis usually breeds from August through to April, although it does vary from location to location.

For instance, ibises in Sydney breed from June to February.

The White Ibis breeds for longer when the conditions are right when there is enough water and food about.

You’ve probably spotted this familiar face (and long, black beak) when you’ve gone out to enjoy the sun in a local park, at a picnic site or even on your front lawn.

Don’t write off the ibis because it forages in bins or tips, simply weigh down lids on bins to make the contents inaccessible. You might not like their scavenging ways, but the ibis is a good buddy to have around. The White Ibis is great at aerating the soil in your lawn, local park and playing fi eld

with FNPW - Backyard buddies

while they’re digging around for insects with their long beaks.

Not only will ibises help your soil, they also keep insect numbers to a manageable level.

The ibis is a ‘farmer’s friend’ because of its voracious appetite for insects. When huge numbers of locusts appear, ibises help out farmers by eating hundreds and hundreds of them.

Though ibises may seem very common in some urban areas, their abundance is decreasing in their natural range.

A thriving population of ibises shows that the wetland, grassland or estuary they inhabit is healthy. Drought and the diversion of water from inland rivers for irrigation has reduced the ibises’ ability to breed in inland wetlands and waterways.

This is why it is important that we are buddies to ibises in our towns and suburbs, as they may not have anywhere else to go.

This Day in History, 1974

WARBY RANGES LAND SLIP

DURING one of the wettest years on record a land slip occurred in the Warby Range on this day, sending thousands of tons of soil, gravel, rocks and trees slip-sliding down the hillside.

An instant gully was created with a tremendous crash; rocks weighing as much as fi ve tons bowled over trees - some of the rocks released in the slide coming to rest on Jubilee Golf Club’s fairways.

Schooling anglers in the art of catching redfin in local

lakes

REDFIN are on the bite at both Lake William Hovell and Lake Buff alo.

This is the best time of the year to fish for redfin in both lakes and at the moment they are both producing quality red-fi n. Lake Buffalo gives you the added bonus of being able to switch over to some larger lures and target Murray cod while Lake William Hovell gives you the option to target trout as well as redfi n.

In both lakes, try trolling small diving lures in 10 to 12 feet of water.

Just motor (or paddle) along slowly, dragging the lure behind you. If you catch a redfi n, turn

around and go back over that area in case there is a school of redfi n there.

If you don’t catch any more fish, keep working your way along the bank.

If you continue to catch fi sh in the same spot that may indicate that there is a school of redfi n under your boat. It may be worth dropping an anchor and fi shing in that spot. If you do drop the anchor

and fish in one spot, try angling with small yabbies or worms as bait.

If lures are your thing, try bouncing a lipless crankbait, or a soft plastic up and down off the bottom.

I would give this technique 20 minutes or so and if no fi sh turn up, pull the anchor in and keep trolling until you catch the next fish and then try again. When redfi n fishing in lakes at this time of the year it is all about finding the schools of fi sh.

You may pick up one of two fish all day, but if you can sit your boat or kayak on top of a school you can experience some really top notch redfi n fi shing.

◆ SCHOOL TARGET: The image quality isn’t great, but this is a school of redfin in 10 feet of water at Lake William Hovell. This is a screen shot from a video filmed with my GoPro.

with Rob Alexander WANGARATTA

with Beechworth Bakery

Seven years of deliciousness: Celebrating Beechworth Bakery Yackandandah

JOIN us in celebrating a milestone as Beechworth Bakery marks seven years of deliciousness in Yackandandah.

Under the leadership of Marty Matassoni, the bakery continues founder Tom O’Toole’s legacy of excellence, offering exceptional food and service to our loyal customers.

Located in the heart of the historic village of Yackandan-dah, one of Australia’s prettiest villages with a centre classifi ed by the national trust, Beech-worth Bakery welcomes locals and travellers of all kinds.

Whether you arrive by road or trail, car or motorcycle, bus or coach, or even on foot, everyone is invited to take some time out in Yackandandah and enjoy its relaxed pace.

To mark this dual celebration, we invite you to join us in honouring seven years of deliciousness in Yackandan-dah.

Festivities begin with our famous Beesting Sale, off ering a buy one, get one free for just 10 cents deal, available from Monday, May 13 to Friday, May 17. This is followed by the renowned Beechworth Bakery Steak Pie Sale, with the same buy one, get one free for just 10 cents offer, available on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19.

On Saturday at 11am, we invite locals to join us in singing Happy Birthday and enjoy a slice of cake, featuring the iconic A Model Ford Bakery Vans for kids to enjoy and snap memorable photos.

◆ SPECIAL DEALS: The festivities for Beechworth Bakery Yackandandah’s seventh birthday will start on May 13.

“This celebration is more than just a milestone; it’s a testament to the dedication of our bakery team and the unwaver-”ing support of the community,Mr Matassoni said.

“We are immensely grateful to both locals and tourists for the opportunity to serve, and we eagerly anticipate many more years of creating tradi-tions and serving delicious ”treats.

Join Beechworth Bakery Yackandandah, where every bite tells a story.

Beechworth Bakery: Creating traditions since 1984. Don’t miss out on the Beest-

ing and Pie Sale from May 13 to 19. Be sure to join the celebra-tion with the cake cutting and bakery van visit on Saturday, May 18, at 11am. Beechworth Bakery Yackan-dandah is located at 20 High Street, Yackandandah, and is open from 7:30am to 5:30pm daily.

◆ BIRTHDAY

CELEBRATIONS: Jo from Beechworth Bakery Yackandandah had the honours of cutting the birthday cake.

6.00 News. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Foreign Correspondent. 10.30 The Pacific. 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 After The Party. 2.00 Anh’s Brush With Fame. 2.30 Back Roads. 3.00 Back In Time For Dinner. 4.00 Long Lost Family. 4.45 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Hard Quiz. 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things. 9.00 Secret Science. New.

Rage. 4.30 Art Works. 5.00 Landline. 5.30 7.30. ABC TV PLUS (22) 6.00 Kids’ Programs. 4.35 Beep And Mort. 5.20 PJ Masks. 5.50 Interstellar Ella. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 7.05 Andy And The Band. 7.30 Would I Lie To You? 8.30 White Fever. Final. 9.00 The Witchfinder. 10.00 Portlandia. 10.45 Would I Lie To You? 11.45 MOVIE: Matchstick Men. (2003) 1.45 Close. 5.00 Hoopla. 5.25 Alva’s World. 5.40 Kids’ Programs.

ABC ME (23) 6.00 Programs. Kids’ 4.00 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.

4.20 Odd Squad. 4.45 Operation Ouch! 5.00 Mystery Lane. 5.25 Miraculous. 5.45 Total DramaRama. 6.00 Ted’s Top Ten. 6.30 Operation Ouch! 7.00 Horrible Histories. 7.35 Kung Fu Panda. 8.10 Open Season: Call Of Nature. 8.35 Summer Memories. 8.50 Holly Hobbie. 9.10 The Next Step. 9.35 Ace My Space. 10.15 Rage. 11.20 Close.

■ From page 1

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.10 Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs. 10.10 Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out. 11.00 The Story Of Tea. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.10 Hindenburg: Ten Mistakes. 3.05 Living Black. 3.35 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw. 4.05 Who Do You Think You Are? US. 5.00 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8.30 Insight. 9.30 Dateline. 10.00 SBS World News Late. 10.30 Living Black. 11.05 Lost Luggage. 12.55 Dark Woods. 3.35 Portillo’s Greatest Railway Journeys. 4.30 Peer To Peer.

6 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 11.30 Seven Morning News. 12.00 To Be Advised. 1.35 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. 2.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5 The Chase Australia. 6.00 Seven News. 7 Home And Away. 7 Farmer Wants A Wife. Final. 9.05 Miniseries: The Marlow Murder Club. 10.05 Ambulance: Code Red. 1 The Latest: Seven News. 11.35 The Real Manhunter.

1 Gold Digger. Final.

2 Home Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise. 6.00 Morning 7TWO (62) Programs. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Harry’s Practice. 9.30 NBC Today. 12.00 Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2 Impossible Builds. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes And Gardens. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.30 A Touch Of Frost. 10.50 The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard. 11.50 Late Programs. 6.00 Morning 7MATE (64) Programs. 12.00 Outback Opal Hunters.

Finding company in music

Wendie was among those who went along to the first public meeting in the King George Gardens, and while the COVID-19 pandemic presented some obstacles along the way, the orchestra was able to hold its fi rst concert in November, 2021.

Since then, the group has staged mid-year and end-of-year concerts, one each time at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre and in another location within the region.

The orchestra is currently preparing for its next mid-year concerts, which will be held at the Beechworth Memorial Hall on Sunday, June 23 from 2pm, and at the WPACC on Thursday, June 27 from 7.30pm. Each concert series has a theme, and in June it will be water, with the ‘Symphony of the Seas’ performances including pieces ranging from

traditional classical music such as Meldelssohn’s Hebrides Overture to more modern pieces like Henri Mancini’s ‘Moon River’ and Oscar Hammerstein’s ‘Showboat’.

“Playing with other people takes me back to when I was a child and I loved playing music with other people, it was just good fun,” Wendie said. “Playing with others makes you play better, and as well as that, it’s a great way to meet people and have those connections.

“The orchestra is a great opportunity to play a range of things, and enjoy that diversity of styles.

“I think we get a pretty good balance; the more serious pieces challenge us, while the more popular pieces are fun, but can also challenge us in diff erent ways.

“We have a very good committee, and they are doing a lot of work to bring it all together.

“We now have 33 players, and that sometimes reaches 40 with a few specialised players we can call on for pieces which need them, but we can always have more players. “When you start something new like this, you wonder whether it will work, but we have people who really wanted it to work and have made the commitment to stay with it in the early days. “This is our fourth year, and we have got more confident, with some good players encouraging the ones who are not so strong, and I think that’s really great.

“There’s encouragement for people to have a go at a solo if they would like to, and we will have Sarah Brindley (violin) and Bronwyn McGor-lick (horn player) doing that in these concerts.”

Wendie encouraged anyone interested in joining the orchestra to seriously consider it.

FEATURE STORY

◆ TALENT SHOWCASE: The Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra will again be on stage at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on June 27, with its latest performance, ‘Symphony of the Seas’. The concert will also be performed at the Beechworth Memorial Hall on June 23.

“Music is such a wonderful thing; it captures the whole range of human emotion, from the joyous and toe-tapping to the sad and melancholy,” she said.

“In the pieces chosen for the theme of water, you can hear the sound of the ocean, the crashing of water in a cave, and the fl ow of a river.

“Water features a lot here in the

North East, and I think people will fi nd the variety of pieces really interesting and entertaining.”

To book for the Wangaratta concert, visit https://www.wpacc.com.au/ Whats-On/Wangaratta-Symphony-Orchestra-Symphony-of-the-seas, and for the Beechworth concert visit https://events.humanitix.com/sym-phony-of-the-seas

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it’s

Navigating the property market

THE property market is everchanging and right now, Garry Nash & Co director, Mike Noble said we are seeing changes from the COVID market.

He said right now, while there are more properties available on the market, they are also more expensive.

“We’ve probably over the last six months seen a greater volume of stock come onto the market, which is good so that also makes it easier for people,” he said.

“The median house price in our region and Wodonga was back in the $300,000s in 2019 and it’s still in $500,000s today.

“But that’s nothing compared to Sydney where you pay over $700,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, so we’re very ”fortunate here.

While the property market is becoming more expensive, Mike said it’s not unmanageable.

The key pieces of advice he’d give people currently entering the market are: 1. Having early discussions: Talking with

to

amortgage broker or bank to find out what it’s like to borrow money and the types of things they’ll need to do so can go a long way.

2. Do your research: Research what kinds of properties are coming onto the market and what they are selling for.

3. Speak to a real estate agent: Establishing a real estate agent can help you stay informed with the current market, and they can help by making recommendations catered to you.

Mike said at Garry Nash & Co they help their customers by offering them helpful information.

“People who are on our database will get alerts for when a new property comes on the market,” he said.

“They can see what properties are coming to the market, the volume of the listings ”and what they’re selling for.

To find out more visit

https://www.garrynash.com.au/.

• UNDERSTANDING THE MARKET: When buying a new property,

important

understand the property market.

with Mike Noble GARRY NASH & CO REAL ESTATE

◆ PORTABLE TOOL KITS: These Kincrome portable tool kits are perfect for the automotive expert or tradie on the go.

with David James NORTH EAST FASTENERS