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GENERAL
Mawson Dental Care shares the habits that protect your smile for life.
Photo by Wilson Au Yeung
Small habits, lifelong smiles: Why young adults should prioritise their oral hea h
The habits we develop as young adults often stay with us for life.
Whether it’s exercising regularly, eating well or looking after our mental health, the choices made in our late teens and twenties can shape our wellbeing for decades. The same is true for our oral health, yet it’s an area many young Australians overlook.
This Dental Health Week, Mawson Dental Care is encouraging young Canberrans to make their oral health a priority, reminding them that a few simple daily habits can help prevent more serious dental problems in the future.
With many young people beginning to make their own healthcare decisions, now is the ideal time to establish the routines that can protect their teeth and gums for years to come. According to Mawson Dental Care Associate Dentist Dr Theresa Mendez, this stage of life is critical for building the foundations of good oral health.
“This stage in life is when young people start making their own health decisions,” Dr Mendez says.
“Good habits during this time, like brushing twice a day, flossing,
eating well and having regular check-ups, often continue for life. Looking after the gums and teeth can prevent problems like tooth decay and gum disease, reducing the need for more complex work in the future.”
As young people become more independent, dental care can easily take a back seat to study, work, travel and busy social lives. It’s common for regular check-ups to be delayed or for brushing and flossing routines to become inconsistent.
While those habits might not seem significant at the time, they can have lasting consequences.
“Small daily habits like brushing twice a day, flossing, eating a healthy diet and seeing your dentist regularly can make a big difference.”
Dr Mendez says one of the biggest mistakes she sees is people waiting until there is a problem before seeking professional care.
“In my opinion, the biggest mistake would be to neglect their health, skip dental check-ups, brushing and flossing, and not have good diet habits,” she says.
“People also tend to seek dental treatment only when the problems become more complex and expensive.”
Many dental conditions, including tooth decay and gum disease, develop gradually and often without pain in their early stages. By the time symptoms become obvious, treatment can be more extensive and costly than if the issue had been detected during a routine examination.
Fortunately, maintaining a healthy smile doesn’t require
complicated routines or expensive products.
Dr Mendez says a handful of simple daily habits can make a significant di erence over the long term. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing every day, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet and attending regular dental check-ups all play an important role in protecting teeth and gums.
Diet is another area that deserves attention.
While sugary foods are well known for contributing to tooth decay, many drinks can be just as damaging. Their high sugar and acid content can increase the risk of both tooth decay and enamel erosion.
The team at Mawson Dental Care is encouraging young Canberrans to build healthy oral health habits this Dental Health Week.
“Frequent consumption of sugary or acidic drinks, including energy drinks, sports drinks and soft drinks, can increase the risk of tooth decay and enamel erosion,” Dr Mendez says.
Another growing influence on young people’s oral health is social media.
Online platforms can be a useful source of information and help raise awareness about good oral health practices, but they can also promote trends that are not supported by scientific evidence.
“Social media can have a mixed influence,” Dr Mendez says.
“It can help raise awareness about oral health, but it can also promote trends that aren’t evidence-based, such as DIY teeth whitening or using products incorrectly, which can damage teeth and gums.
“It’s important that young people
get their oral health advice from trusted dental professionals and focus on habits that are proven to protect their smile.”
Dr Mendez encourages young people to seek advice from qualified dental professionals who can recommend treatments that are safe, e ective and appropriate for their individual needs.
Regular check-ups also remain one of the best ways to maintain good oral health and prevent small issues from becoming larger ones.
“For most young adults, a dental check-up can be done every six to 12 months,” Dr Mendez says.
“However, that is based on the person’s specific oral condition and dental risks.”
These appointments give dentists the opportunity to identify problems early, professionally clean teeth and provide personalised advice that helps patients maintain
healthy smiles throughout every stage of life.
The message behind this year’s Dental Health Week is ultimately a simple one. Good oral health isn’t built overnight. It’s the result of small decisions made consistently, day after day.
As Dr Mendez says, those daily habits can have lifelong benefits.
“Small daily habits like brushing twice a day, flossing, eating a healthy diet and seeing your dentist regularly can make a big di erence,” she says.
“Taking care of your teeth now will help you keep a healthy smile for years to come.”
For young Canberrans, there’s no better time to start. A few
minutes each day and a regular visit to the dentist could help protect their smile for decades to come.
Dental Health Week is the perfect reminder to put your oral health first. To book a check-up or learn more about preventive dental care, visit mawsondentalcare.
com.au or contact the team on (02) 6290 0055.
Mawson Dental Care Associate Dentist Dr Theresa Mendez says the simple oral health habits young adults develop today can help protect their smiles for years to come.
Operation Kingfisher fallout: Minister resigns and cabinet reshuffle
by NICHOLAS FULLER
An integrity report that found serious corrupt conduct at the heart of a school procurement has cost Labor MLA Yvette Berry her place in cabinet; intensified scrutiny of union influence in ACT Government contracts; and forced Chief Minister Andrew Barr to rebuild his ministry.
Ms Berry resigned last week after the ACT Integrity Commission found that her former chief of staff, Joshua Ceramidas, and the former head of the Education Directorate, Katy Haire, engaged in serious corrupt conduct during the $18.2 million Campbell Primary School modernisation procurement.
The Commission’s Operation Kingfisher investigation found Ms Haire and Mr Ceramidas dishonestly created a “back door” for Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) interests to influence the tender process.
Two evaluation teams had recommended construction company Manteena as the preferred contractor, but the contract was awarded to real estate company Lendlease instead. The Commission found the process effectively cheated Manteena; substantially increased the cost to the ACT; and was followed by a calculated attempt to conceal what had happened.
Neither company was found to have engaged in wrongdoing, and the Commission made no adverse finding against Ms Berry herself.
However, Ms Berry resigned from the cabinet that afternoon. She had been Deputy Chief Minister and held the education and housing portfolios.
Mr Barr said that ministers were accountable under the Ministerial Code of Conduct for the decisions and actions of their staff.
“I acknowledge Deputy Chief Minister Berry’s long service to the ACT community and her contribution to government over many years,” Mr Barr said. “She has held significant ministerial responsibilities and played an important role in
advancing reforms across education, housing, community services and the rights of vulnerable Canberrans.”
The Chief Minister said the government had strengthened procurement and integrity arrangements since the events investigated, which took place between 2019 and 2020.
Ms Berry’s resignation did not end the political fallout.
Opposition leader Mark Parton MLA said the Campbell Primary School project had cost taxpayers nearly $1 million more because of union pressure, and argued the findings raised wider questions about CFMEU influence.
“Most Canberrans don’t believe this was a one-off,” Mr Parton said. “Union influence goes deep, and it is one of the reasons everything costs more than it should in Canberra.”
The Canberra Liberals called for ministers –including Michael Pettersson – and staff to end their CFMEU memberships.
Local businessman Tom Adam argued that Mr Barr himself should resign, and asked how deeply corruption reached into the ACT Public Service.
Master Builders ACT chief executive Anna Neelagama said Ms Berry’s resignation had managed the immediate political fallout without addressing the system that enabled the conduct.
“What we really need to see is a serious systems overhaul so we can deal with the fundamental fairness issues that builders and all of our members have faced,” Ms Neelagama told ABC Canberra radio.
She called for the Secure Local Jobs Code, an ACT Government procurement scheme, to be abolished or independently reviewed. Interference in the Campbell Primary School procurement occurred partly under the guise of concerns about compliance with the code.
“Kingfisher identified a culture and a system that enabled significant misconduct, interference [and] intervention by the top officials that we should have trust and faith in,” she said. “That means anything in the portfolio could be subject
to the same interference and maliciousness.”
Others paid tribute to Ms Berry. The ACT Ice Sports Federation spokesman Sandi Logan described her as “a true champion of the ice sports” and of sport, education, housing, women and early childhood development. He said she had helped secure government backing for a proposed twin-sheet ice sports centre in Tuggeranong.
On Monday, the ACT Government announced a new cabinet.
Rachel Stephen-Smith will become deputy chief minister, and takes responsibility for education, child development and wellbeing, finance, the ACT Public Service, and health infrastructure.
Dr Marisa Paterson will replace Ms StephenSmith as health minister; Suzanne Orr takes housing and homelessness; and Chris Steel sport and recreation.
Backbencher Caitlin Tough will enter cabinet as minister for human rights, community services, corrections, women, seniors and veterans, and the prevention of family and domestic violence.
“This Cabinet is focused on building the homes, infrastructure, public services and economic opportunities that a growing city needs,” Mr Barr said.
Mr Parton criticised the reshuffle as insufficient.
“This government is corrupt,” Mr Parton said. You can rearrange the deck chairs [on the Titanic] as much as you like, but I’m not sure that it’s going to get better outcomes… We are seeing a government in genuine crisis.”
Yvette Berry resigned from cabinet last week after a corruption scandal. Photo: Kerrie Brewer
Farewell popular Queanbeyan Magistrate Roger Clisdell
I
first appeared as a solicitor in February 1976 in Muswellbrook, NSW. After 50 years, I still go to the Queanbeyan Court and appear there on occasions. It was with some sadness, then, that I attended an excellent dinner last Friday at the Ottoman in Barton to farewell the much respected, and indeed loved, Local Court magistrate who has presided over
the Queanbeyan Circuit for the last six years, Roger Clisdell. Roger indeed reminded me a bit of my first magistrate, Rod Blackmore, who went on to become head NSW Children’s Court magistrate. Rod was all you could ask for in a magistrate: e cient, fair, firm and friendly, and respected by clients of the court, practitioners and police.
An experienced magistrate of over 18 years and, before that, a solicitor in private practice, Roger has presided over thousands of matters and served in country postings from Bourke to Parkes to the Queanbeyan district. He’s o to Gri th now for two years and leaves a lot of people sad to see him go.
Roger epitomises the no-nonsense,
all, the 160 or so NSW magistrates dispose of over 500,000 cases a year. In Victoria, over 200 magistrates get through only about 250,000, and in the ACT it’s always been a lot more formalistic.
When I first appeared in front of Roger four or so years ago, I was struck by his friendly, pleasant manner and his smile. He made everyone feel at ease and comfortable. He was practical. He had the respect of defendants, witnesses, police, court sta and practitioners. He dispensed quick, e ective, smooth justice with e ciency and good humour. He was never condescending and related to all the people who came before him.
Roger was, at times, controversial
principles that he applied.
1. Always go into court with an open mind. Never prejudge a matter.
2. Make the court as welcoming and comfortable to all participants as you can. Listen to people.
3. A driver’s licence is essential to so many people in the country, so always do what you can to enable defendants to keep, or at least not lose, their licence for too long.
4. Some crimes are not excusable, and he would draw the line at cruelty to animals and assaults on police and first responders. Jail would usually result, and he gave some very impressive jail sentences for several nasty cases of kangaroo torture recently. This region has been so lucky to have had Roger Clisdell presiding over the Queanbeyan and Cooma Local Courts for the last six years. Good luck to Your Honour for the future, and thank
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Tuggeranong volunteer recognised as ‘Legend of the Tongs’
by BERNIE RYAN
There are few things more Australian than sausages, or ‘snags’, cooked on an Aussie BBQ, wrapped in bread and lathered in tomato sauce.
For over 25 years, Australian hardware giant Bunnings has leveraged this iconic treat for the
benefit of countless not-for-profit organisations via their weekend sausage sizzle stands.
A worthy companion sharing top billing with the snag on any Aussie metric, however, would also have to be the footy.
Enter the Bunnings ‘Legend of the Tongs’ competition, one of the newer additions to Bunnings’ 12-year partnership with the AFL.
Arguably a ‘match’ made in Aussie lore heaven.
For the second year in a row, the Legend of the Tongs runs across 18 weeks of the 2026 AFL season, recognising grassroots volunteers who show up week in and week out, across both AFL and AFLW communities.
Each week, five ‘legends’ and their local club win a BBQ prize pack valued at over $585.
One such legend is Geoff Bennett, a retired ACT public servant and father of two.
Mr Bennett has spent the past three years manning the barbecue most Thursday nights, having first started volunteering when his two sons played
juniors.
Mr Bennett was nominated and selected for his unwavering dedication to the Tuggeranong Valley Australian Football and Netball Club.
“I was just looking for something to do to help the club, and this was available,” he says.
“I enjoy going to the footy anyway, so it’s a fun way to spend the day and raise some money for the club.”
This week, Mr Bennett picked up the club’s new BBQ from Bunnings Tuggeranong and he couldn’t be more delighted to hand it over.
“We’ve got a bunch of people who really give up a good portion of their lives to make our club work, and my contribution is really not much compared to theirs,” he says.
Mr Bennett adds that football is not just about sport, but community.
“It helps young people, and it helps adults,” he says. “It’s more than football.”
Nominations are now open, with winners announced weekly. Entries close 16 August. Nominate your local footy club’s Legend of the Tongs: bunnings.com.au/campaign/legend_of_the_ tongs
From left to right: Murray Chenyworth, Kimberly Charley, Matthew Macken, Geoff Bennett and Jack Symondson.
John McGrath Auto Group: the Electric Future Driving
The future of driving isn’t coming, it’s already here, and Canberra motorists are perfectly placed to embrace it. The power of electric is already on display at the John McGrath Auto Group. We have one of the most diverse EV lineups in the region, designed to suit every lifestyle, budget, and adventure.
Whether you’re searching for everyday e ciency, exhilarating performance or practical capability, there’s an electric vehicle ready to exceed expectations. Thrill-seekers can experience the breathtaking Kia EV6, the head-turning MG Cyberster or the electrified performance of the Corvette E-Ray. Families needing extra space can discover premium comfort in the luxurious Zeekr 009 or the versatile LDV MIFA 9.
Businesses aren’t being left behind either. The next generation of commercial vehicles has arrived with the Kia PV5, our newest fully electric
cargo van. Alongside LDV’s strong lineup with the eDeliver 5, eDeliver 7 and eDeliver 9. Your business can deliver with zero emissions without compromising practicality. Even the proven KGM Musso has been electrified, helping redefine what modern motoring looks like.
For many Canberra drivers, their perfect first EV is already here. Our best-sellers like the Kia EV3, MG4 and Zeekr 7X are proving that electric driving is more attractive than ever. Don’t think EV ownership is a ordable? Meet our MG4 Urban and GAC AION UT, budget-friendly options that exceed expectations.
With Canberra leading the nation in electric vehicle adoption, there has never been a better time to make the switch. Lower running costs, reduced emissions, and impressive driving performance are just the beginning.
Visit John McGrath Auto Group and discover that your perfect electric vehicle isn’t a vision of
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Platypus Month returns in August
by NICHOLAS FULLER
When Europeans first saw the platypus, they were incredulous. This strange creature, with the tail of a beaver and the bill and feet of a duck, must surely be a hoax, spluttered the worthies of the Royal Society.
But the platypus is stranger than they realised.
It’s a mammal, but, like a bird, it lays eggs. It’s a monotreme, one of only five such species in the world, alongside the Australian and New Guinean echidnas. It’s venomous: the males carry spurs they use for territorial disputes. It uses electrical and pressure signals to triangulate where prey are, while it swims with its eyes, ears, and nostrils closed. Its webbed feet are like retractable gloves: the webbing folds back so it can use its claws to dig burrows.
“They’re incredible,” says ecologist Daniel Harris-Pascal, citizen science facilitator with the ACT Government. “We’ve got a lot of incredible creatures in Australia, but because platypus are elusive and cryptic, they spark people’s interest in
seeing one.”
And Canberrans can not only see one, but are encouraged to look for them in August, otherwise known as Platypus Month, an annual community monitoring program run by Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch to understand platypus populations and waterway health. The community collects information on platypus presence, activity, and distribution.
“It’s an opportunity to see platypus, raise awareness of the fact that they live here in our city, and it’s a citizen science undertaking,” Mr Harris-Pascal said.
The public should also look out for the rakali, or native water rat. Historically persecuted as pests and hunted for their pelts, they won the ABC’s underrated animals countdown last year.
August is chosen as Platypus Month because the animals become more active as they prepare for the September breeding season, and are easy to observe at dawn and dusk (around 6 to 6:30am and 4:30 to 5:30pm).
Throughout the month, there will be guided
platypus walks and 34 surveys along regional waterways, including Queanbeyan River, Murrumbidgee River, Namarag Nature Reserve, Tidbinbilla Sanctuary, Cooma Creek, Point Hut Crossing, and Jerrabomberra Wetlands.
Volunteers need no experience. They will learn how to spot a platypus, what to look for, and hopefully see one, Mr Harris-Pascal said.
“We do try to call ahead and get the platypus to show up, but sometimes they’re there, sometimes they’re not there, depending on the day.”
For more information, visit act.waterwatch.org. au/programs/platypus-month
Platypus Month returns this August, inviting Canberrans to help monitor one of Australia’s most unique native animals. Photo: ACT Waterwatch
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National Zookeeper Week: Celebrating Canberra’s caring keepers
by VINCENT SAMARAS
Ever wondered how to weigh a cheetah? Well, you put it on the scales, of course. But it takes a professional to convince a big cat to step onto them willingly. It’s just one of the many specialised tasks undertaken by Canberra’s dedicated zookeepers.
From training giraffes and caring for critically endangered cotton-top tamarins to building years of trust with cheetahs, National Zookeeper Week (19-25 July) celebrates the people behind the scenes who keep the National Zoo and Aquarium’s animals healthy and thriving.
Cheetah Team Leader Leah Carnegie showed how two male cheetahs, Sani and Zambi, voluntarily (with a little encouragement from some tasty treats) step onto scales as part of their regular health checks.
“We weigh these guys at least once a fortnight, if not once a month,” Leah says. “It’s all about keeping a close eye on their health.”
Regular weighing allows keepers to monitor everything from seasonal weight fluctuations to overall wellbeing. The same training also enables the cheetahs to calmly participate in blood tests, vaccinations and crate training, significantly reducing stress for both the animals and their keepers.
To most people, getting up close to weigh a cheetah would be a little more than intimidating. For Leah, the process is built on something that takes
years to develop.
“It’s taken many years to build those bonds of respect and trust,” she says. “They know we’re not there to harm them; we’re there to respect them. If they decide they don’t want to come near us, we won’t push it. I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work with them and to share that experience with our guests.”
That same philosophy extends across the zoo. Hoofstock Keeper Stacey Rebolledo demonstrated the work she does with giraffes Skye and Khamisi during a target training session. The pair share their habitat with three zebras, with the mixed-species group living comfortably together.
In the Small Primates precinct, Primate Team Leader Courtney Hawkins showcased induction box training with the zoo’s endangered cotton-top tamarins. The behaviour teaches the monkeys to voluntarily enter a transport box, making future veterinary visits significantly less stressful.
“We try to make as many of our medical behaviours as possible completely voluntary,” Courtney says. “We want those experiences to be as positive and stressfree as possible.”
To learn more about the National Zoo and Aquarium, visit nationalzoo.com.au
Hoofstock Keeper Stacey Rebolledo demonstrates target training with the giraffes at the National Zoo and Aquarium.
Women’s Legal Centre ACT: 30 years of helping Canberrans
by NICHOLAS FULLER
For 30 years, the Women’s Legal Centre ACT has provided free legal advice and representation to women, trans and gender-diverse people, particularly those affected by gender-based violence and discrimination.
“We provide legal assistance in conjunction with other forms of social and cultural support that help women to stay engaged with their legal matter and actually resolve it,” CEO Elena Rosenman said.
The Centre is an integrated legal assistance service, where lawyers, social workers, cultural support officers and victim advocates work together. Their clients might seek
help with family and sexual violence, divorce and separation, workplace problems, or migration issues.
“We really wrap around the women that we see and meet as many of their needs as we can in the one spot,” Ms Rosenman said.
Its lawyers work in family law, employment, discrimination and sexual harassment, and migration, while its specialist programs include Mulleun Mura, led by First Nations women, and a sexual violence legal service established two years ago.
Private lawyers give their time through volunteer legal advice clinics, helping the Centre assist more people who could not afford private representation.
“It is an absolute commitment to making the justice system accessible and actually able to deliver justice to everyone in our community, not just those who can afford it,” Ms Rosenman said.
let me down when I needed them most, but these wonderful women not only provided the net, but held my hand and jumped with me.”
Many clients hear about the Centre from women it has helped before.
“We’re helping women that you know,” Ms Rosenman said. “This is an issue that is happening in our local communities, and it is possible to address and respond to it.”
But demand for the Centre’s services is rising sharply. Ms Rosenman said Canberra’s growing population and greater awareness of violence and coercive control had led more people to seek help. At the same time, cost-of-living pressures and fears about losing housing, financial security, or access to children could keep women in violent relationships.
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For instance, the Centre helped Laila, a migrant woman with limited English who had left an abusive husband, sell their home and secure enough money for her and her children to start again. Its Mulleun Mura team helped Bridie, an Aboriginal woman, protect her son from her ex-partner. It helped Mira, who fled persecution with her children, win the right to stay in Australia after nearly seven years.
“There are many women living in Canberra now, who have security and safety and comfort in their lives because they were able to get really specialist support at the time that they need it,” Ms Rosenman said.
One client said that the Centre’s family lawyer and social worker guided her to a positive solution when she was at her most vulnerable.
“Their expertise, patience and unwavering support has been invaluable. I cannot thank them enough for ensuring a net would appear should I jump.
“I have had so many people
Requests for assistance increased nearly 40 per cent last year, for the fifth or sixth year in a row, Ms Rosenman said. In 2025, the Centre received nearly 3,500 calls and more than 900 online requests; helped more than 1,700 women; and indirectly supported more than 2,200 children.
“Our capacity has not grown at the same rate as the requests for assistance,” Ms Rosenman said.
Fundraising helps the Centre maintain its services. The Centre’s EOFY appeal raised $13,184, exceeding its $10,000 target. One person gave $5,000, while Parker Coles Curtis Lawyers matched donations up to $10,000.
“Because of this community, someone escaping violence has a lawyer by their side,” the Centre said. “Someone afraid to speak up at work finds the courage to do it. A mother secures safe housing for herself and her children.”
Elena Rosenman, CEO of the Women’s Legal Centre ACT
Photo Nicholas Fuller
Chasing rainbows with your phone
by JACKY LEE
Canberra has a knack for rainbows.
Our rain often blows through in a couple of hours, sitting over just one part of the city, so the sun breaks through while it is still drizzling nearby. That combination is what makes a rainbow, so locals catch one after another.
There is a simple rule for finding them. A rainbow always appears in the part of the sky opposite the sun, so put the sun at your back. The lower the sun sits, the higher and wider the
arc, which is why the most dramatic rainbows turn up in early morning or late afternoon. Around midday the sun is too high and the arc barely clears the horizon.
The photograph was a lucky one. A full arc formed, and a fainter second rainbow appeared above it, both framing one of Canberra’s most striking buildings, the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion at the National Arboretum. That upper arc is a true second rainbow, formed when sunlight reflects twice inside the raindrops rather than once. The extra bounce makes it
dimmer and reverses its colours.
For composition, place a strong focal point dead centre beneath the arc. Rainbows are symmetrical, so here symmetry is your friend. The pavilion in the middle anchors the eye and ties the scene together.
My camera that day was simply my phone. For an easy result, turn it to portrait orientation, use panorama mode, and sweep slowly across, keeping the horizon level so the join stays clean.
For a sharper result, switch to raw at highest resolution and take
overlapping frames by hand, around ten, then stitch them on a computer. This image came out near 70 megapixels, big enough for a canvas print 1.5 metres wide.
So next time the rain clears and the sun drops low, turn your back and look up.
Jacky Lee is a Canberra-based photographer whose work explores the natural and built environment, and has been exhibited internationally.
Photo Jacky Lee
Art that moves you, literally
by GEORGIA CURRY
Bribery is encouraged, as is artistic talent, and slick dance moves/ outfits are rewarded in the USinspired Canberra Kinetic Sculpture Race on 7 November.
This isn’t your lofty Archibald Prize, it’s more like radical Burning Man festival vibes meets grounded Birdman Rally.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a kinetic (moving) sculpture that is peoplepowered (e.g. pedalled) and race on both land and water for the sheer glory of winning (no prize money).
It’s only been held in Canberra once (2022), but in California it’s
been running for 57 years and sculptures have ended up in the world’s largest museum: The Smithsonian Institution.
Californian-born artist and event organiser Trevor Bulllock said it’s all about “adults having fun so kids want to grow up”.
“That embodies this whole whimsical, kooky race,” Travis said.
“It’s perfect for Canberra because of our public art kinetic sculptures and because of Canberra’s unique interest in the kooky arts and being sustainable. Sustainability is a huge aspect of the race because it is human-powered and it is a vision for the future of travel.”
Imagine commuting to work on a giant cockatoo (one of the entries
in 2022) or an oversized snail.
“Everyone gets a prize, no technical skills needed,” Travis said. “Anyone from a high school team to a professional welder can enter and win something – and they will win something.”
Judges score each entry on the following categories: art, engineering, speed and pageantry (your song and dance, costume creation).
Unlike the kinetic sculpture race in the US, which is a three-day race covering about 80km, the Canberra version is a couple of kilometres starting at the Carillon.
“I’ve raced in the States 16 times so I have quite a lot of history in the race,” Travis said. “I’ve won best in art, best in pageantry, best campsite, best bribe. The mediocre award was a really fun one to win too because you can’t do anything to try to win it. It’s dead middle of all the score sheets.”
If you need inspiration, some of Travis’s past kinetic sculptures include “Crabba” (a mix of Abba and a crab) which moved sideways, and Shania Train.
Due to the aquatic nature of the
race, lifeguards will be on hand to save sinking slugs, as happened in 2022.
“The Slug Terra was the most amazing engineered machine ever – one person but in a five-metrelong slug covered in this stretchy fabric and it had a barbecue bike on the front,” Travis said.
“It was putting out smoke the whole time and when the wind caught it, this guy is pedalling and he’s going backwards. He can’t make it around the buoy and in the end his whole barbecue bike fell into the water.”
Epic fails are also rewarded –the biggest splash and the biggest flip.
“I hope that this race can become an annual thing so that if you fail this year, next year you can fail even harder,” Travis said. “Bribes are welcome and highly encouraged. The best bribe wins.”
You can also apply for funding of up to $1000 to be part of the 2026 Canberra Kinetic Sculpture Race on 7 November. Applications close 15 August. Canberra Kinetic Sculpture Race is on Facebook or kineticsculpture.wixsite.com/cksr
The Canberra Kinetic Sculpture Race – people-powered art – is now open for entries.
have you heard?
Red Dove Op Shop
The Red Dove Op Shop will be open Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 August, 9am–1pm, at Tuggeranong Uniting Church, Comrie Street, Wanniassa. Browse winter clothing, bric-a-brac, linen, books and jewellery, with great prices and regular specials. Enjoy morning tea and homemade treats. EFTPOS is available, with easy parking and access.
Friends ANBG Thursday Talks
Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens will host a Thursday Talk on 6 August featuring Emeritus Professor Patrick De Deckker, presenting The extraordinary expedition of Dumont d’Urville that discovered Antarctica in 1840. The talk will be held at the ANBG Theatrette, opposite the ANBG Visitor Centre, 12:30–1:30pm. Bookings: trybooking.com/DKZGI. Gold coin, note and EFTPOS donations support the Friends’ special projects in the gardens.
Canberra Jung Society
The Canberra Jung Society will meet on Friday 7 August at the MacKillop Conference Centre, 50 Archibald Street, Lyneham. Sophia Farrington will present Alchemy of the Soul: Integrating the Shadow Through Creative Expression, exploring how creative practices such as painting, drawing and collage can help transform challenging relationships into opportunities for self-awareness and personal growth. Gather from 7:30pm, with the presentation at 8pm. Cost: $15 ($10 concession). For more information, visit canberrajungsociety.org.au.
Weston Creek Gardeners’ Club
The Weston Creek Gardeners’ Club will hold its next indoor meeting on Thursday 20 August, 1:30pm, at Raiders Club Weston Creek. New members are welcome to enjoy gardening talks, friendship and visits to local gardens from September to April. For more information, email WCGCSEC1@gmail.com.
Narrabundah Probus Club
The Narrabundah Probus Club will meet on Tuesday 11 August, 11:15am, at the Harmonie German Club. Exercise physiologist Sophie Woodbridge will discuss how strength training can help improve muscle strength, joint stability and function for people with osteoarthritis. Visitors are welcome.
Belconnen Senior Singers
Belconnen Senior Singers meets at the Belconnen Seniors Club, 14 Chandler Street, Belconnen. The group welcomes new members to enjoy singing, followed by coffee and a chat, and regularly performs at local aged care homes. Membership is $15, with a $7 fee per session. For more information, call 0494 364 573 or email roz.saunders8@gmail.com
Hymnfest and Tea for MND
Yarralumla Uniting Church will host Hymnfest and Tea for MND on Sunday 9 August, 2–4pm, at Denman Street, Yarralumla. Enjoy an afternoon of singing, fellowship and afternoon tea, with all proceeds supporting MND NSW and families affected by Motor Neurone Disease. For more information, email Bronwyn at solfamax@gmail.com
GIVIT donation of the week: Men’s clothing
GIVIT is working with an organisation that provides specialist drug treatment programs and peer-based treatments in their community centre. They are currently seeking support for a man with a disability whose home has been broken into. Many of this man’s personal belongings were stolen such as medications, clothing, shoes and other essentials. Since he only relies on a disability pension, he does not have the financial capacity to replace the stolen items. He has been feeling vulnerable and requires support to replace what he lost so GIVIT is requesting men’s clothing. Your simple donation will provide comfort and help restore a sense of safety and dignity in his home. Generous Canberrans can donate men’s clothing or fund the purchase of this item. 100% of your financial donation will be used to purchase what’s needed. To help please visit: GIVIT.org.au/what’s-needed, search; Location State: ‘ACT’, Keywords: ‘men’s clothing’ and Suburb: ‘Belconnen, 2617’. GIVIT supports charities and community groups across the Capital Region by matching your items with people who need them most.
Bold Bandannas fundraising stall
The Bold Bandannas Relay for Life team will hold a fundraising stall on Saturday 15 August, 8:30am–4:30pm, at Fyshwick Markets (inside Ziggy’s shop). Stock up on homemade jams, marmalades, chutneys, pickles, lemon butter and reduced-sugar varieties, with all proceeds supporting Relay for Life. For more information, call Jan on 0451 679 220.
PUZZLES & STARS
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)
This week teaches you who to trust or, more precisely, who you can trust with what. Because trust is really a prediction. Some can be trusted to show up on time. Others just can’t, but perhaps they can be trusted to provide contrast, and to give you reasons to be self-reliant.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)
You’re so ready to invest in the pursuit you’ve been studying. The sense that this is for you gets stronger, to the point where it would be harder to resist than follow through. Curiosity matures into commitment. Obstacles look less like warnings and more like part of the admission price.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 21)
BRAIN BUSTERS
1 Australian musician Vernon Hill is best known for playing which instrument?
2 Which 1871 nonsense poem contains the words, “O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”?
3 Which well-known historical figure was born on 15 August 1769?
4 Stovies is a traditional Scottish dish based on which vegetable?
5 Which author created the literary character, Victor Frankenstein?
SOLUTIONS
Venus embracing a different rhythm offers you the gift of objectivity. Soon you’ll have an even clearer understanding of where you are and where you want to go next. No need to measure your progress against anyone else’s. You know your own strengths and limits.
CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22)
The influence of the Venus transit is interesting in your world as with it comes an abrupt shift in priorities. The question changes from “Will this work?” to “Does this fit?” The right doors open without force. Circumstances bring out your best without asking you to become someone else.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)
You’ll be unusually responsive to living systems. You light up hearing the birds, seeing the river under the highway and appreciating the way flowers decide where they belong. Even your favourite metaphors come from nature honouring the built-in intelligence that doesn’t need to be forced.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)
As this Venus chapter draws to a close, you’ll be like a chef in a cooking contest when the “time’s up” buzzer sounds. No more fixing. The project is done given the allowable circumstances. Be proud of what you did, even if it’s not exactly what you wanted: It’s good. Maybe even excellent.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 23)
The Venus change highlights your inherent talent for the art of arrangement: a room, a calendar, a conversation... each benefits from thoughtful placement. Small decisions will clear the way for what’s next. You know what belongs, and you’ll now have the chance to act on that knowledge.
SCORPIO (OCT. 24-NOV. 21)
You make it safe for people to say what’s on their mind, which is rarer than you’d imagine. People usually follow social conventions and act more appropriate than real. The result is that you can stop searching for hidden motives and start responding to what’s actually happening.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)
On the cusp of Venus’s homecoming, let go of the idea that everything worthwhile has to be difficult. When you pick the easy route, you conserve energy. Soon you’ll need to be in good form to take advantage of opportunity. Until then, keep saving up for something big.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)
You’ll be reminded that you have better things to do than try to manage every outcome. The Venus change nudges you toward focusing on keeping your side of the street clean and letting others benefit from the lessons of their own mistakes. As a result, your whole team becomes stronger.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)
You wander into conversations and walk away with ideas that are exciting enough to try right away. A recommendation, article or passing comment will change the direction of your work. Ask questions without worrying whether you appear naive. People enjoy being interesting to you.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)
Venus reaches the end of her stay in Virgo, and you still don’t feel “ready”. But what you need is not preparation or permission; it’s a shove. You’ll get it, too – the reason to step forward, raise your hand, jump in water, ask for the date. The push that gets you in the game, as scary as it is, is a gift.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Precursor to Nirvana
by GEORGIA CURRY
Way before Nirvana, there was Australia’s Kim Salmon and now our very own “godfather of grunge” is plugging his distorted guitars in at Smith’s Alternative on Saturday 15 August.
Kim was using dirty, swampy and bass-heavy sounds in the early ‘80s, long before Kurt Cobain found fame but for Kim, “grunge” was an adjective, not a genre.
He’s a little uncomfortable with being dubbed the “inventor” of grunge.
“Sometimes I claim it and own it but I was just doing music the way I felt it should be done,” Kim said.
“I used to say to recording engineers ‘can you keep that grunge in the sound please? I want more of that’. It was an adjective but maybe I co-opted it for sound. Over the years I’ve disowned it, owned it, but it’s going to follow me around to my grave. It’s just a word.”
Kim may not be comfortable with the “godfather” title but he’s without a doubt the “pioneer of punk” because – after dropping out of fine arts studies – he formed Perth’s first punk band in the ‘70s: the Cheap Nasties.
Probably the most remote punk
“At first I couldn’t accept it, but she wore me down and when it came in the mail, it pretty much leapt out, I didn’t even know how to play it but it played itself out of the guitar case.”
As we chat, Kim flicks through his record collection and finds some T-Rex (“there’s lots of T-Rex in my sound”).
His latest album, Totally Sick!, is out now and the second track’s a ratings winner – “Fully Sick and Tired” (about that great Aussie tradition of chucking a sickie).
Another track, “There’s a Virus Going Around”, needs no further explanation. There seems to be a pattern here, with songs like “Fix Me Up” and “Pathologise Me.”
Are you okay Kim?
act in the world.
“We came from such a middleclass culture, an easy beach culture and it wasn’t conducive to punk so it was in the realms of the imagination,” Kim said.
“The assumption is that we were all looking to the east coast but it was really, ‘no f**k the east coast we don’t need them to tell us how to do it’. That was our attitude. In those days, we got things quicker from the UK anyway.”
These days, Kim’s based in Melbourne and his local watering hole is The Merry Creek Tavern, run by Mick Thomas from Weddings Parties Anything.
“All these muses sort of work in similar circles,” Kim said.
He swears he’s “not a guitar nerd” but when he counts his collection he says, “I’m probably a guitar nerd”.
His pride and joy is a 1955 Gibson Les Paul special in TV yellow, which used to belong to Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen.
It’s a slight improve on his first guitar, a $14 steel-string acoustic that he bought when he was 13 (back then he actually wanted to be a nuclear physicist).
“A fan gave the 1955 Gibson Les Paul special to me,” he said.
“It just depends on which existence you want to talk about, whether it’s me reading the paper,” the 70-year-old said. “You could say on a few levels [I’m Sick] but on other levels I’m feeling not too bad,
self-wise.”
Kim wasn’t sure if he had enough material for a new album, “and then I looked through my catalogue and it seems like I’m a pretty sick guy”.
“It was making me better,” he said. “All these songs had had a life but a lot of them slipped through the cracks. It’s like a K-tel album of greatest hits that never were – pretty much most of them nobody knows about them.”
Kim’s had many incarnations over the years (The Scientists, The Surrealists, Beasts of Bourbon) but this time round, he’s touring as Smoked Salmon (a name he picked up after a bushfire benefit).
For the vinyl collectors, Fully Sick! even comes in a limited-edition spew green.
Kim Salmon plays at Smith’s Alternative in Civic on Saturday 15 August, 9pm. Tickets: smithsalternative.com/events/kimsalmon-97208
Kim Salmon, the “godfather of grunge” plays Smith’s Alternative on 15 August.
Booktalk
This week, Jeff Popple reviews three fun novels for a mid-winter weekend read. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan
Atria, $34.99
Fantasy romance, or ‘romantasy’, is one of the hottest publishing genres today. Mixing romance tropes with fantasy plots and magic, it is finding a very eager audience. Stacey McEwan’s A Forbidden Alchemy was one of the biggest romantasy books of 2025 and she has now followed it up with a second in the series, A Forsaken Prophecy. Once more featuring Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known Earth Charmer, the book follows the star-crossed lovers as they traverse the battle-scarred Belavere Trench in search of a vital resource. Magic, sexy romance and gritty scenes make this a must-read fantasy.
The Frock Shop by Sophie Green
Hachette, $34.99
Sophie Green has established herself as a leading Australian writer of warm-hearted, engaging tales about female friendship and second chances. Her latest novel, The Frock Shop, sticks very much to the successful pattern, as it follows the lives of five women in 1990s Sydney. Centred around a charity frock shop in Mosman, it is an enjoyable story about finding your place in the world and the value of good friends. Deftly moving through heartbreak, family drama, new opportunities and finding happiness, it is a heartfelt read that champions the importance of clothes and the beauty of the second-hand. Warmly recommended.
A Spy in the Blood by Paul Warner
Bonnier, $34.99
Fans of intelligent, fast-paced spy fiction will enjoy Paul Warner’s A Spy in the Blood. Mark Wolfe was once one of England’s top spies. Now retired from active service, he spends his days working for MI6 as an affable recruiter of new agents. When his daughter, a new recruit to the organisation, disappears while on a mission, he resurrects his old skills of evasion and subterfuge and heads off to find her. Wolfe discovers, however, that it is a very different high-tech intelligence world now, and that the old rules no longer apply. An entertaining read that shows a real flair for storytelling.
Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
Book by Jennifer Lee
Originally directed on Broadway by Michael Grandage
Based on the Disney film written by
Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee
produced
What’s on!
The Zoo’s 28th Birthday
1 - 2 AUG
The National Zoo and Aquarium celebrates 28 years of conservation, protection and preservation of the natural world with a family fun weekend celebration. There will be free hayrides, mascot photo opportunities, great food, special keeper talks, birthday enrichment for the animals and the opportunity to win lucky door prizes including a
Raiders double header
Another Canberra Raiders double header at GIO Stadium is upon us, as the NRL side’s push for finals continues against the Knights, while the NRLW team take on the Broncos
COMMUNITY
Fired Up Winter Festival 15 AUG
Canberra Potters is excited to announce the return of Fired Up, their winter festival celebrating Canberra’s vibrant ceramics community. This event invites the public to join for an enchanted evening under the winter night sky and for visitors to immerse themselves in the world of ceramic making, creativity and community.
Watson Arts Centre, 15 August from 3-8pm; canberrapotters.com.au
COMMUNITY
Oz Comic-Con
Canberra 15-16 AUG
Step into the extraordinary world of Oz Comic-Con, where creativity thrives and passion unites fans of every generation! Embark on a thrilling journey across two action-packed days filled with adventure, laughter, and all things pop culture.
Exhibition Park in Canberra, 15-16 August from 10am-4pm; ozcomiccon.com/canberra
wingIn San Francisco, depressed music teacher Joe (Seth Rogen) observes his student jazz band practice at the local conservatory. After riding
to learn his stay-at-home wife
Angela (Olivia Wilde) has invited their upstairs neighbours, Piña (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), over for dinner at their apartment. While Joe is extremely irritated that the couple’s late-night loud noises have interrupted his sleep, and Angela is ill-prepared for a dinner party, the people upstairs arrive and the night begins.
Directed by lead Olivia Wilde, the movie is the fifth adaptation of the original stage play. A closed location with only four leads, this universal story about marital tensions is ripe for reinterpretation.
Angela is at her wits’ end, neurotically trying to regain a sense of passion in her life with Joe, who is resigned to his own personal and professional failings. Staying with Joe for the sake of their child, Angela sees an exciting break in her norm and a chance for a better way of life with the introduction of her intriguing neighbours into their apartment. The seductive Piña and smooth, Zen-like Hawk seem to have their acts together, leading a very modern lifestyle that seems to be an idyllic balance of honesty, spirituality and sensuality. While the cast and location are lean, the characters, apartment and central concept of comparison as the thief of joy are explored to the nth degree.
Verdict: A brilliantly acted, touching, farcical exploration of the emptiness of keeping up with the Joneses.
- Luke McWilliams themovieclub.net
Viewed at Dendy Cinemas.
Why it’s okay to complain
CO N T R IBU
wi DR VIVIENNE LEWIS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA
I don’t know about you, but complaining has never come naturally to me. After returning from a recent holiday, I found myself writing several complaint letters about services that simply hadn’t delivered what had been promised. It wasn’t something I enjoyed doing. In fact, I put it o for days, wondering whether I should just let it go.
Then I realised something. This
is exactly the sort of situation I often talk about with my clients. Many of us find it surprisingly di cult to speak up when we feel we’ve been treated unfairly. We worry about causing a fuss, hurting someone’s feelings or being seen as di cult. Somewhere along the way we’ve confused being polite with staying silent.
The problem is that staying silent often comes at a cost. When we don’t express our concerns, we don’t just lose money or accept poor service; we often carry the frustration around with us. Sometimes the emotional energy we spend thinking about the situation is far greater than the few minutes it would have taken to raise the issue in the first place.
This is where assertiveness comes in. Assertiveness isn’t about being demanding, rude or argumentative. It sits in the healthy middle ground
between saying nothing and becoming aggressive. It’s simply the ability to express your thoughts, feelings and needs clearly, respectfully and confidently.
People who communicate assertively often feel more in control of their lives. They are less likely to bottle up resentment and more likely to solve problems before they become much bigger. Assertiveness is really about self-respect, while still respecting the other person.
If you do need to make a complaint, it helps to pause before firing o an email. Decide what outcome you’re hoping for. Being clear about your goal helps keep your communication calm and focused
Stick to the facts. Describe what happened, why it didn’t meet your expectations and what you would like done to resolve the situation. Resist the temptation to exaggerate or make personal attacks. The person reading your email is usually trying to help and
probably wasn’t responsible for the original problem.
I’ve also learnt that it’s okay to follow up if you don’t receive a response. Being persistent isn’t the same as being aggressive.
Writing my recent complaint letters reminded me that assertiveness isn’t really about the outcome. Of course, I hope the companies respond positively, but even before they’ve replied I feel better knowing I’ve respectfully stood up for myself. I’ve said what needed to be said without being rude or unreasonable.
Perhaps that’s the real lesson. Whether it’s poor customer service, a misunderstanding at work or even a di cult conversation with someone you love, speaking up respectfully is good for your mental health. Your voice matters. You don’t have to apologise for expecting to be treated fairly. Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is politely say, “This wasn’t okay.”
Isolation leaving the elderly at risk of malnutrition
by CHELSEA HEANEY AND SAMANTHA LOCK, AAP to eat.
It might not sound like a dramatic health event, but according to a new report, older Australians are more at risk of malnutrition as isolation erodes their appetite.
As things worsen with each missed meal, it can lead to something far more serious like a fall, infection or a hospital admission.
HomePlate Insights, led by the Maggie Beer Foundation and funded by the Wicking Trust, has released the findings of its national survey of almost 2,500 older Australians.
It found one in nine older people
interviewed were living or eating alone, 40 per cent of people living alone said cooking was simply unappealing and more than a quarter were silently skipping meals.
The single strongest driver of poor eating outcomes was a lack of energy or motivation – more than twice as influential as the cost of food.
Maggie Beer Foundation CEO Jane Mussared said older people wanted to stay at home, but staying well and staying at home weren’t the same thing.
“Malnutrition can build slowly and quietly, and it often goes unnoticed until someone ends up
“The importance of eating well perhaps hasn’t had the profile or been as well understood as it needs to be.”
University of Sydney geriatrician Susan Kurrle said malnutrition in later life was rarely dramatic, and rarely about a single cause.
“It’s the slow accumulation of physical changes, social isolation and lost confidence in the kitchen,” Professor Kurrle said.
Mike Quinn, 82, who lives alone in Toowoomba, relies on frozen meals for a “proper dinner” after a stroke in 2015 paralysed most of the left side of his body.
“It’s certainly almost impossible to use my left hand to help me prepare anything,” he said.
Older people who reluctantly leave their homes and go in nursing
“It’s just it’s a lot of work preparing a meal for one person ... so I tend not to.”
Mike Quinn is among a growing number of older Australians who find it difficult to prepare meals.
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Space and nature in Duffy
Duffy 9 Paloona Place
Hidden away in a quiet Duffy cul-de-sac, this much-loved family home is the kind of place where memories are made.
Held by the same family for many years, the home sits on a 1,435sqm block surrounded by established native gardens that offer privacy, birdlife and room to simply enjoy the outdoors. It’s the sort of backyard where kids can spend hours exploring, friends can gather around the
flows into a sunny sunroom, creating an inviting space for everything from busy weekday mornings to weekend get-togethers.
A versatile studio with its own entrance provides options for a home office, creative space or gym, while the oversized garage and
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