Grumbling princesses at the Emily’s List Christmas party
KEEPING UP THE ACT
Our team of physiotherapists can support you with:
• GLA:D® Program for hip and knee osteoarthritis
• Education on self-management and joint health
• Supervised group sessions to build strength and confidence
• Pain management and strategies to reduce medication use
• Tailored support to prepare for or avoid joint replacement surgery
• Ongoing care with our exercise physiologists and exercise scientists
Our physiotherapists work closely with our exercise physiologists and exercise scientists, so if you need hydrotherapy or other exercise support, you can keep your care in the hands of one practice.
Jacqui Couldrick – Physiotherapist
Jacqui Couldrick is a physiotherapist with over 20 years’ experience in sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions, including work with the Australian Defence Force. She has a PhD on exercise therapy for knee osteoarthritis and delivers programs such as GLA:D® and PEAK at Arthritis ACT. Jacqui is passionate about nonsurgical, evidence-based interventions and teaches the GLA:D® course nationally.
Emil Terbio – Physiotherapist
Emil has come to Arthritis ACT highly recommended by clients he has worked with previously. With experience in the hospital system and private practice, Emil has interests in neurology, chronic pain and sports injury management and prevention. Emil is a soccer fan and assists local clubs in his spare time on weekends.
NEWS / Ruby Holden
Busking champ Ruby’s high hopes for Tamworth
By Elizabeth KOVACS
Up-and-coming musician
Ruby Holden, of Queanbeyan, has won a national title at the Cooma National Grand Final of the Australian busking championships.
“Honestly, if you told eight-yearold Ruby that she would be doing this right now, she wouldn’t believe you,” the 17-year-old performer says.
Starting in the Australian Girls Choir at age eight, she says, gave her a helping hand.
“Over the years, I’ve developed my performance, and my love for music has just grown,” she says.
“I love writing songs and being able to share my story through music.
“Making sure that people don’t always feel alone, that’s the power of music.”
Ruby’s style falls into country-pop fusion, although she says she’d like to further explore blues and jazz.
In 2021, Ruby got her first taste of performing solo at the Sutton Village Markets.
“I was so nervous,” she says. “But since then, busking has allowed me
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to develop my performance and get comfortable with performing in front of other people.”
Last year, after winning the Bombala title, Ruby had a shot at the Cooma championships. Although she didn’t win, she says it was a great opportunity to further refine her skills.
Winning the Braddon Busking championships in the Secondary Category (13-17 year olds) this year, she was given another shot at the Cooma titles.
“I didn’t have high hopes,” she says. “I just wanted to go into the day and enjoy it, but the energy was amazing on the street and I won!
“I didn’t believe it had actually happened.”
Now wrapping up her school year at Daramalan College, Ruby’s schedule shows no signs of slowing down with various end-of-year events in the lead up to Christmas. She’s also aiming for a top 10 spot at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.
“Last year, I was in the top 20 of 530 buskers, so I want to get in the official top 10 to be on the big stage,” she says.
“I’ll be learning lots of songs over the holidays. It’ll be practice, practice, practice.”
There won’t be much of a reprieve for Ruby, as she returns to college for
Since 1993: Volume 31, Number: 49
General manager: Tracey Avery, tracey@citynews.com.au
Ashika Nambiar, 0425 149860 Lisa Clarke, 0413 590811
Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au
Journalist: Elizabeth Kovacs, elizabeth@citynews.com.au
Distribution manager: Penny McCarroll Cover: Ana de la Vega. Story Page 7.
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POLITICS Australia is poised to eliminate cervical cancer
In 2021 there was not a single case of cervical cancer diagnosed in a woman under 25 years of age in Australia.
This is an amazing success story demonstrating the efficacy of vaccination as a key tool in preventive health.
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been responsible for causing cervical cancer along with penile and throat cancer.
There is no reason for anyone to have to suffer from these cancers in the future. The development of the vaccine was the work of former Australian of the Year, Professor Ian Frazer. What a contribution!
In 2007 Tony Abbott, who was then health minister in the Howard government, funded school-based HPV vaccination across Australia. There was considerable resistance from some schools that focused on sexual transmission rather than on cancer.
Although a conservative Catholic, Mr Abbott pushed on with the result that we see today.
That cohort of girls in 2007 and the following years are now the ones that have been successfully protected from this virus and from the cancer that is regularly the outcome of the virus.
However, we now realise that it is not just young girls that need to be vaccinated. By vaccinating boys as
two most successful countries in the world have adopted this approach.
Sweden and Australia are predicting the end of endemic cervical cancer and other related cancers by 2035. In just 10 years. What an amazing achievement.
Sweden’s strategy to eliminate cervical cancer by 2027, according to the country’s Cancer Council, encompasses HPV vaccinations for schoolaged children, free cervical screenings for women aged 23-70, and referral for treatment for those testing positive.
A catch-up program was launched in 2021, targeting girls born 1994-1999 to bridge the vaccination gap.
A similar approach has been adopted in Australia.
A key challenge everywhere is to have governments recognise Human Papilloma Virus vaccination as an investment. The costs associated with vaccination invariably return a net benefit.
However, these successes have not been adopted worldwide. Low and middle-income countries have kept the distribution of vaccines to prioritising girls and young women when there is a limited budget, which is consistent with the approach taken by the World Health Organization
Gavi, an international organisation created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries, made a promise to girls around the world that they would support widespread vaccination by the end of 2025.
On November 21 they reported having met their promised target of vaccinating 86 million girls – just ahead of schedule.
A key challenge everywhere is to have governments recognise HPV vaccination as an investment. The costs associated with vaccination
invariably return a net benefit.
As Gavi reported: “An estimated 1 million lives will be saved, $US2.3 billion [$A3.5 billion] in economic benefits could be realised”.
Most importantly, they added, “and millions of girls across the world will face a future free from the suffering and anguish caused by cervical cancer”.
The 2025 Cervical Cancer Elimination Progress Report, by members of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Cervical Cancer Control, suggests there is more to be done to accelerate this amazing achievement, such as systematic notifications for those that missed out on vaccination at school, addressing financial barriers and providing accurate and tailored information to all priority populations.
Internationally, the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) believes, “HPV programs should integrate both vaccination and screening as complementary tools, adopting the most effective strategies that maximise not only the return on investment but also community health and patients’ quality of life”.
The WFPHA has been working
with a wide range of international NGOs on a call to action that includes 12 key elements. They include: “successful adult vaccination must focus on convenience and accessibility, including the use of new vaccination access points (eg, pharmacies, workplaces, community hubs)”. Additionally, “education and advocacy initiatives for healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dentists should be systematically implemented to strengthen their awareness and support for HPV vaccination in adults”.
The call to action concludes by pointing out “preventive health, including immunisation and screening, should not be viewed as a cost, but as a strategic investment. It strengthens the resilience of health systems, societies, and economies, and serves as a cornerstone of global health security”.
Michael Moore is the chair of the Inter national Taskforce on Immunization Policy for the WFPHA.
Redefine aged care next Saturday
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PLANNING / missing middle housing reforms
How will missing middle housing ever add up?
The Assembly’s inquiry into “missing middle” housing reform provides an opportunity to evaluate the contribution the proposed reforms can make to improving housing affordability and reducing inequality.
Increasing the supply of duplexes, terraces, townhouses and low-scale apartment buildings in established areas has been central to the federal government’s response to the current housing crisis.
It’s a crisis characterised by increased housing stress, wealth inequality and homelessness plus an increasing number of households having to occupy dwellings unsuited to their needs and increasing house prices with the income-to-price ratio doubling from four to eight since 2000.
How do the reforms overcome the obstacle of missing middle projects providing fewer opportunities for economies of scale than higher-density projects? To date the projects have provided high-end, not affordable housing.
ness and the incidence of poverty. Low investment and the sale and demolition of existing public housing units has resulted in the public housing share of the ACT dwelling stock falling from 12 per cent in 1991 to around 6 per cent in 2021. The waiting lists for social housing also continue to grow.
The price differential between stand-alone houses and other dwellings has widened, resulting in a separate house becoming less affordable to an increasing number of households.
the impetus the reforms will give to the provision of missing middle housing. Will the provision increase by 5 per cent? 10 per cent? 20 per cent or higher?
Groups such as Greater Canberra, building on the arguments for a more compact city (widening housing choice, savings in infrastructure, reduced travel and greenhouse emissions) argue missing middle housing reform will create a more affordable, sustainable and liveable Canberra.
The Assembly Committee should assess if the draft plan amendment is likely to deliver the claimed benefits. Will the reforms improve housing affordability? Will they substantially widen the range of housing in
established areas? Will they reduce the number of poor quality and poorly designed dwellings? Could the objectives of the reforms be delivered by alternative approaches? Should incentives be provided to encourage the inclusion of more affordable housing?
However, the key issue the committee should explore is the extent the provision of missing middle housing increases affordability and housing choice.
This should include an independent analysis of the Auckland housing market, often referenced as an example of where reduced planning controls led to an increase in supply and reduction in house prices.
But the outcome is contentious as
columnist Richard Johnston (CN July 31) demonstrated. The variation in housing prices could be a result of the cyclical nature of housing markets. Will the reforms lead to the substantial provision of housing in established areas that is affordable and designed to meet the demands of households including those with children and downsizers? Will the utilisation of pattern books and design guides necessarily result in the provision of better designed housing?
How do the reforms overcome the obstacle of missing middle projects providing fewer opportunities for construction efficiencies and economies of scale than higher-density projects? To date the projects have provided high-end, not affordable housing. Such projects do not increase the supply of social housing vital to reducing housing unaffordability, homeless-
Restrictions on the supply of greenfield land may have contributed to the reduced affordability by ignoring housing preferences and resulted in lower sustainability by increasing car-dependent development in surrounding NSW.
The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council’s State of the Housing System (May 2025) report identified the single biggest constraint on supply is the commercial unviability of many projects given current land, financing and development costs relative to expected sale prices.
Approved developments do not always proceed as developers only build when they can make a profit. Until these factors normalise, missing middle renewal is unlikely to be affordable.
There is vagueness about
BRIDGE WORK
Perhaps it has been “oversold” by governments to deflect from their failures over decades to construct sufficient social housing or to have the courage to take effective taxation reform from fear of an electoral backlash from the property owning majority. To genuinely respond to the housing crisis, the missing middle reforms should be part of a multi-faceted approach that also includes the greatly increased construction of social housing, tax reform, increasing the size and productivity of the construction labour force, capping the share of loans to investors, abandoning the 5 per cent deposit scheme and a review of immigration levels (and the associated issues of university funding).
Mike Quirk is a former NCDC and ACT government planner.
Bridge span to close in January
The northbound span of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge will close to all traffic from January 7 as two years of renewal work begins.
The National Capital Authority is undertaking essential bridge strengthening and widening of the shared paths.
The NCA says the $174.5 million upgrades to the bridge are the most significant since it opened to traffic in 1963.
“We acknowledge the closure of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, alongside other projects in construction simultaneously across the ACT, create significant disruption to the road and shared path network for Canberrans and visitors to the National Capital,” the NCA says.
From January 7 there will be a full closure of the northbound span – lanes and shared path.
The southbound span will have; two northbound lanes with one for general traffic and one bus and emergency services priority lane and one southbound lane for general traffic.
The Flynn Drive on-ramp to Commonwealth Avenue northbound will be closed, with a detour via Coronation Drive. Northbound (towards the
city) traffic will merge into one lane near Albert Hall and move on to the southbound span of the bridge via the newly constructed crossover lanes.
Southbound traffic (toward Parliament House) will merge into one lane after Albert Street and continue on the southbound span of the bridge.
The removal of the two sets
of flagpoles along Commonwealth Avenue and construction of temporary crossover lanes in the medians at either end of the bridge will be completed before the end of the year.
For more information about the project and changed traffic arrangements, visit www.nca.gov.au/commbridge
How Commonwealth Avenue Bridge will operate from January 7 as the first work begins on refurbishing the bridge.
established areas? Photo: Paul Costigan
On fire: the obsessions of flautist Ana de la Vega
By Helen MUSA
Described by the Berlin Morning Post as “one of the most outstanding artists of our time”, flautist and artistic director of the Snow Concert Hall, Ana de la Vega, has been juggling her musical direction of the Snow facility with raising her new baby, Belle Daisy Storm Campbell.
She recently took time to close the 2025 season with a concert named after her international bestselling album, My Paris, devoted to the city she loves best – after Canberra, that is, as I found during a quick coffee chat in Manuka.
De la Vega is always on fire. One of the world’s most sought-after flau tists, she has performed as a soloist in such great halls as the Philharmonie Berlin, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wigmore Hall London, and the Liszt Academy Budapest.
She loves telling how, at age seven, she first heard Jean-Pierre Rampal’s recording of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 8 and became obsessed with studying in Paris.
“I had never even seen a flute, but I became totally obsessed with the idea of studying with Jean-Pierre,” she says.
“I studied flute at school, went to Sydney University, then bought a one-way ticket to Paris.”
She says: “There is no instrument more connected to or relevant to a city as the flute is to Paris and Paris is to the flute. The great flute players of all time have either been French or studied in Paris, and the Conservatoire is the centre of flute playing.”
While she acknowledges the flute’s presence in German and Russian Romantic music, it’s France where it’s
A country girl at heart, de la Vega grew up in the Kiama region, was schooled in the southern highlands, but also enjoyed time on a family farm
Now she has married her old sweetheart Rob, a sheep grazier from Michelago, who found what it’s like being married to a star musician when he toured to Europe with her and the baby a couple of months ago.
Professionally, de la Vega’s mind is now very much on the 2026 Snow Concert Hall program, which opens in March with Britain’s King’s Singers, followed by a May opera gala featuring Jane Ede and Helen Sherman.
a concert series for Canberra then taking up the directorship in 2023.
“In getting artists to Australia, you’re quite restricted by who’s already coming and what dates are in their diary,” she says. “You also need an equal spread through the year, gender balance and variety of instruments.”
A surprise addition is opera –though not to her.
“I played principal flute in a Portuguese orchestra after graduating. That was the most fantastic training because there’s a hell of a lot of flute in opera and ballet music – more than in symphonic music.”
Typically, de la Vega has used her connections well, and it turns out that she has previously worked with mezzo-soprano Helen Sherman in London.
“Australian opera singers are something we should be very, very proud of. Around the world, we are renowned for that, and I want to be part of celebrating it,” she says.
Located in the heart of Canberra’s medical precinct in Deakin
At Canberra Family Health Centre, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-focused healthcare for individuals and families. Located centrally in Deakin, our centre offers a wide range of medical services designed to meet your health needs at every stage of life.
There she found that Rampal had passed away, but she pleaded with his colleague Raymond Guiot to take her on.
“He said: ‘I’m too old, you’re crazy,’ but I begged and he agreed – for three months – and I worked towards the auditions and got in.”
Since then, it’s always been “my Paris”.
Associate Professor Maryse Badawy
MB/ BS Degree, FRACGP, FHKAM (Family Medicine), Grad Dip Fam Med, Master Family Medicine, Member Australasian Menopause Society
National and International Family Medicine and Academic experience.
Suite 6, Level 3, Peter Yorke Building, 173 Strickland Crescent, Deakin ACT
August brings the Sitkovetsky Piano Trio, and later the Dutch piano duo Lucas and Arthur Jussen, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with a dance-themed program, and finally Piers Lane’s recital of Chopin’s Nocturnes.
She’s been on a steep learning curve since initiating the idea of such
“The most important thing to me is that as many people as possible in Canberra are inspired to come and hear classical music. I don’t want to ostracise anyone – I want our music to feel as accessible as possible. It’s been absolutely mind-blowing to get the best-of-the-best performances.”
Details of the 2026 Snow Concert Hall season are at snowconcerthall.com
St Philip’s Anglican Church O’Connor, 24 Macpherson Street www.stphilipsoconnor.org.au
Sunday 7th December 4pm Community Carols Service
Sing along with favourite carols, hear traditions of Christmas, with performance from local Tongan Choir
Sunday 21st December 7pm Lessons and Carols
Traditional service of carols and the story of Christmas
Christmas Eve - Wednesday 24th December 5 pm Children’s Crib service
Hear the story of Christmas and sing some carols. Come dressed for nativity.
11pm Midnight Mass
The most important Service of Christmas as we share in carols and the Eucharist (Communion) and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Christmas Day - Thursday 25th December 9.30am Christmas Day Service with Carols
The legal twists and turns of using tracking apps
“My friend Larry’s in jail for doing something he didn’t do. He didn’t run fast enough.” –Damon Wayans
In early June 2025, a couple in London – Mia Forbes Pirie and Mark Simpson – had their Jaguar stolen from outside their home.
Thanks to a hidden Apple AirTag, they quickly tracked it to a loca tion in Chiswick. They alerted the Metropolitan Police, who reportedly responded with vague assurances but no action – even with a precise location provided.
Fearing the AirTag might be removed, the couple went to the location themselves. They found the car and “stole it back”. After recovery, the police took up the investigation but since the Jaguar was parked on a public street, the owners are unlikely to be charged –which they could have been if they had entered private property to steal it back.
thieves did not offer any resistance.)
I’m aware that former SAS personnel are available for hire to recover tracked stolen property in the UK. Presumably police are turning a blind eye to SAS recovery cases. (A friend of my nephew had his stolen car recovered in London by former SAS personnel who were apparently disappointed that the
There doesn’t seem to be a reported case in Canberra quite like the London AirTag Jaguar one, but there have been notable Canberra incidents involving tracking devices and stolen property.
In December 2023, ACT Policing executed a warrant in Ngunnawal after a stolen e-bike with an Apple AirTag was tracked by its owner. The warrant led to the recovery of six e-bikes and 15 scooters – worth about $30,000 – and additional stolen property.
St Ninian’s Uniting Church
That case involved police action based on tracking data, though not owners taking matters into their own hands – it was an official lawenforcement recovery using proper legal channels.
In April this year, a Canberra man – referred to as “Mr S” – used Apple’s Find My iPad after discovering it stolen. He tracked it to a private home, looked through the window, and pinged the device so it played a sound inside.
This led to police recovering the iPad (along with other stolen
property). The suspect was arrested. Later, the suspect’s lawyer challenged the admissibility of the evidence, calling it an “electronic trespass” because accessing the sound via a ping could be considered entering the suspect’s premises unlawfully!
While it didn’t involve a break-in by the owner, it does highlight legal complexities around using tracking apps.
In July 2025, an AirTag attached to an e-bike led police to uncover a stash of stolen bikes and scooters in Civic. Police say a man tracked his stolen bike to a serviced apartment in the CBD. ACT police then secured a warrant and searched the property. They found 15 bikes and e-bikes and five e-scooters, along with tools and other bike parts. Police estimate the value of the stolen goods to be around $50,000. What these cases show is that electronic tracking is now a viable way for victims to track down some types of stolen property. In the ACT at least, police seem prepared to act on tracking information so there should be no need for Canberrans to steal back stolen items.
On a lighter note: A woman goes to a health centre where she is seen by one of the younger doctors. After about four minutes in the examination room, she bursts out screaming and runs down the hall.
An older doctor stops her and asks what the problem is, and she tells him her story. After listening, he has her sit down and relax in another room.
The older doctor marches down the hallway back to where the young doctor is writing on his clipboard. “What’s the matter with you?” the older doctor demands. “Mrs Terry is 61 years old, has four grown children and seven grandchildren and you tell her she is pregnant ?”
The younger doctor continues writing without looking up and says: “But does she still have the hiccups?”
Join us for an evening of Christmas joy with your favourite carols, a short radio-style reading, the St Ninian’s Choir, pianist Linus Lee and other special contributors. Come one, come all and enjoy the celebration as we “Herald in the King” together!
Christmas Day Family Service Held in our historic stone church Cnr Mouat & Brigalow Street, Lynham
Celebrate with carols & the joy of the Christ child. Service: 9:00am — All welcome Lessons and Carols Service – Sunday, 14 December, 9:30 am
An offering will be collected during the evening for the Uniting City Church Early Morning Centre. Cash or electronic donations are appreciated. Plenty of off-street parking available. If you cannot attend in person, join us via Zoom: stninians.org.au
Mark Simpson with his stolen car that he had to “steal back” using the AirTag location.
Photo: Mia Forbes
KINDNESS / the right way to win a war Simple genius: what Gino did about beaten Angelo
The most important things in life depend on where your life is. Right now it’s preparing for Senate Estimates, a difficult patient diagnosis to share, and the return of some adult monsters to disturb our Downton Abbeywatching, empty nesting lives.
Next week it will be something else. In 1976, though, the most important thing was whether Angelo or Mario would pick me in one of the afterschool playground soccer teams.
It’s the Angelo Radice Elementary School in my Sicilian home town Gela, and the daily soccer match begins with stress.
Angelo was the captain of one team every day on account of being the best player in the whole school, and Mario was the captain of the other team, as he possessed the vital quality of owning the ball. Owning the ball in those days made you both chief minister and treasurer.
In the same way that it happened in Australia and probably every other country, captains one and two would take turns selecting a player.
I liked it when there were an even number of players because being the last one picked at least I get on to a side. I’m not saying my talents were ignored, but Bianca was on crutches for a whole
term and still got picked ahead of me, as she used those sticks with a skilful viciousness that echoed her mum’s laser-sharp shoe throwing when her brother had transgressed at anything. It was tougher when there was an odd number as I would be last and left out.
Outshining the Olympics and Italian earthquake that year was the dramatic improvement of Gino’s game, who’d become far superior to Angelo and everyone else.
After various challenges foreshadowing young tyros fuming on the backbenches, the old order changed. Ball owner Mario, aided by Bella and Maria who wielded the political power of their dad’s owning the pizza
How often have you seen the victims win a revolution, then become worse than the original oppressor? How often have you seen someone vanquish a school bully and then become just as toxic themselves?
shop and the bakery respectively, anointed Gino as the Other Team’s Captain.
Gino’s challenge then was what to do about Angelo, a man known to react to difficulty with fists of fury. Especially as bad blood persisted between them on account of the mysterious disappearance of some Mars bars and Juventus footy cards.
Voices had been raised. Teachers had been involved and we had lost a match to a neighbouring school when one had refused to pass the ball to the other standing before an open goal. Shakespeare wrote nothing like this. Puccini came close.
On his first day as captain, he came to his first selection. We held our breath longer than Marco’s dad, the abalone diver. Astonishingly, Gino’s first selection for his team was… Angelo. And he picked his former nemesis first, every day thereafter!
After school I consulted dad, gainfully unemployed in the town square with sundry uncles guarding their
pride and sipping something slowly.
Why did Gino pick Angelo first? His somewhat Mediterranean view was to quote the title of the autobiography of the popular Sicilian gangster Turi Giuliano, “God protect me from my friends”.
Mario Puzo homaged the line in The Godfather with the classic: “Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer”. I actually asked Gino about it one day when he deigned to talk to the guy with the funny accent and he said, simply: “I just felt sorry for him. He may be a Roma supporter, but he’s still okay”.
How often have you seen the victims win a revolution, then become worse than the original oppressor? How often have you seen someone vanquish a school bully and then become just as toxic themselves?
I remember reading about the downtrodden revolutionaries in Rus -
sia in 1917 and how it didn’t take them long to brutally murder the Tsar and his family, and thought of a hundred playground moments.
I often think of Gino’s simple genius to respect the person he’d defeated, from which everyone benefited, and in whose duty he was much more Mother Teresa than Machiavelli.
He took Angelo and had made him governor-general or foreign minister rather than humiliatingly dismiss him to a back bench.
Kindness is having the authority to take authority in a situation, with the option to be self promoting, cruel, and to “never split the difference”, and to choose to split the difference.
Not too long later I heard that both the boys had difficult lives, while mine involves the endless gratitude of living in this wonderful town in this wonderful country.
Local GP and ANU associate professor, Antonio Di Dio says he’s been a bad influence on medi cal students since the late 1980s.
“Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer”... Marlon Brando in The Godfather (1972).
STRONG HEALTH, STRONG CULTURE, STRONG COMMUNITY
Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services is a community-controlled health service
in Narrabundah, providing holistic, culturally safe care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the ACT and surrounding regions.
WINNUNGA OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING:
Health and Medical Care
• GP and specialist clinics
• Aboriginal Health Workers
• Chronic disease support, pathology, immunisations, dental, optometry, and more
Pregnancy, Parenting and Family Support
• AFPP: Free support for young, first-time Aboriginal mums from pregnancy to bub’s second birthday
• Healthy Pregnancy Group & Childbirth Classes
• Mums and Bubs Clinic
Quit Smoking Support
• Free nicotine replacement therapy, personalised quit plans, and culturally safe support through the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing
• Counselling and mental health support
• Drug and alcohol programs
• NDIS, court and justice support
Community and Justice Programs
• Men’s and women’s groups
• Yarning circles, nutrition and healing programs
• Support for people in custody and post-release
Garden-sculpture thieves exhaust Tom and Claire
Years ago Tom Eames, of Holt, made a garden monument from old exhaust pipes from his grandson’s motorbike, which stood in pride of place in his front garden.
“Last year we sold our home and moved into a retirement villa in Kippax and woke up one morning to find the relocated sculpture stolen,” wrote Tom’s wife Claire in early October, calling it “a pretty lowdown act to steal from elderly people”.
“Tom is a couple of years off 90 and he regarded making it as an achievement.”
A day later the couple, out walking, found the garden ornament “thrown in bushes up near the Raiders Club.”
To stop it happening again, Tom concreted the ornament into the ground. But this past week Claire wrote to say: “You wouldn’t believe it, stolen AGAIN! Concrete base and all. Guess we’re lucky they left the hole. “This ornament is one of a kind, and may I advise the thief the word is out, so you may get a knock on your door when least expecting it. Karma comes around.” Claire will keep us posted.
Fiona’s fighting to keep sporting facilities
It is disappointing to read another letter by Michael Bourke, or should I say young “Malcolm” Bourke (letters, CN November 27). Though I’m not sure why he is using his
and the younger constituents of Murrumbidgee. Firstly, Fadden is not part of the electorate of Murrumbidgee and secondly you are one-eyed for ACT Labor. She is fighting to keep sporting facilities
such as the Phillip Pool and advocating for new facilities in the electorate such as a multi-purpose indoor sports facility, which several sporting groups have been fighting for.
It’s also a bit rich to say her campaigners have abused you when they did nothing of the sort, but merely engaged in debate when you were canvassing for ACT Labor at a local shopping centre.
I think it’s time you moved on Malcolm and fight for things other than your pet hates!
Martin Miller, via email
So few birds makes me sad
Thanks to all those who put me straight about Miner/Mynah birds. Whichever variety I still do not like them.
Around where I live we see very few birds these days. The odd magpie lark, currawong, cockatoo and feral pigeons.
All our wonderful native birds and the odd introduced ones have simply gone. Being someone who loves to see the birds this is quite sad. Is this the same across Canberra?
Melanie Glover, Duffy
A system with no checks and balances?
In response to Richard Johnston’s letter (GG’s Place, a great spot for affordable hous-
ing! CN November 20) and other referenced letters about the seeming irrelevance of the governor-general – I’m quite shocked by how quickly educated people would allow us to slip into a system of government with no checks and balances and no independent executive.
It is arguments like these that will ensure Australia remains a constitutional monarchy indefinitely.
James Ellis, Yarralumla
What point was Ross trying to make?
In a confused and confusing letter of November 25, Ross E Smith said, “I am not a racist.”
He spoke of the “supposed” conflicts between “white settlers” and “indigenous tribes”.
He said: “The AWM Canberra (and other war memorials throughout Australia) is no place for cultural diversity... There is no reason for racial division in Australia.”
Can anyone explain what point he was trying to make?
Leon Arundell, Downer
Brave enough to swap wind for hydro?
Free hydro electricity is readily available from all the water falling along the east coast of the nation and in Tasmania – ready to be directed into smaller and smaller
pipes, then turning generators to provide ready and distributed sources of electric power.
I’m inspired by having watched a TV program – Amanda Owen’s Farming Lives – that showed how this system in North Wales ran the farm and power was sold back to the grid.
My question is: are we brave enough to swap huge wind generators for local, efficient, inexpensive systems that will help local communities?
Peter Gately, Flynn
Forget tram shrine and think of ratepayers!
So, despite the billions spent on the damn tram, it still won’t go to the airport, the railway station or for 11 years to our main hospital.
Why spend anymore on it? Given so much of Civic is barred due to construction of stage 2a, this is simply an ongoing chaotic disaster.
Many businesses have suffered considerable financial loss with customers unable to access premises and food deliverers inconvenienced.
A disgrace. Forget the shrine to Shane or Andrew. Think of the ratepayers!
Renee Goossens, Turner
Albo should be solving problems at home
I generally agree with Mario Stivala’s letters (CN November 20) despite him criticising me for supporting a Royal Commission into Robodebt.
As it turned out the Commission didn’t agree with Mario that the first payment to those who were dudded was enough and it revealed a host of other issues associated with Robodebt.
In his latest letter, Mario mentions just one of the failings of Albanese, the cost-of-living issue.
Off the top of my head I will list some others: lack of action on gambling and gambling advertising, no action on Tasmanian salmon farms where they have to live in their own excrement, restrictions on FOI requests and general lack of transparency on jobs for the boys, restrictions on the National Anti-Corruption Commission, delayed action on the SA toxic algae bloom, the continuation of perks such as the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and free tickets to to major sports, music and entertainment functions, mute responses to continuous Chinese provocations on air and on the sea, and lack of action on aged-care facilities, and high energy prices to name a few.
The PM might be fine as an international negotiator, but we need a leader who can concentrate on the many problems at home rather than touring the world, with or without his partner, and attending sporting events, and Taylor Swift concerts and the like.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
Yawning, and yearning for independents
Barnaby Joyce MP is the one pushing an empty trolley on a “political shopping” journey as he seeks solace from a whingeing, backwards-looking, right-wing political party that historically has failed to work hard at contributing positively to our country’s wellbeing and prosperity (“Liberal supporters ‘shopping’ elsewhere in dire poll”, citynews.com.au November 24).
Many disillusioned Liberal voters will choose to appreciate and remain in the “modern Australia” that the federal Liberals’ leader has now decided to turn away from too.
Sussan Ley had the opportunity to learn from the results of the Canberra Liberals’ efforts of repeatedly shunning a more progressive party persona and approach to electoral representation and policy development.
Instead, she has chosen to botch the main chances she had of leading the Coalition out of its self-made political wilderness.
Her chatty, yet still superficial, media blitzes will most likely lead to more yawning, and yearning for an additional round of intelligent, hardworking independent candidates in 2028.
Sue Dyer,
Barnaby puts self interest front and centre
Anyone who thought Barnaby would an nounce what he’s going to do in the future, doesn’t know Barnaby.
He got a headline by announcing his resigna tion from the Nats and will continue to get more media coverage from the inevitable speculation about where he may finally land.
Why be satisfied with the exposure from one announcement, when you are able to choreograph the ongoing saga and get yourself multiple headlines?
While Barnaby has many skills, both positive and negative, he has always been most consistent in putting his self-interest front and centre.
Barnaby is the epitome of the JT Lang truism: “In the race of human life, always back self-interest, because you know it’s trying”.
Ian De Landelles, Murrays Beach, NSW
Downer
Tom Eames’ exhaust pipe sculpture and the hole where it used to be in his Kippax garden.
Barnaby Joyce.
Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Christmas gift guide
Beautiful gifts that give back
At The Reindeers’ Retreat, every gift tells a deeper story.
Our hampers and Christmas treas ures aren’t just beautifully curated – they’re created with purpose. Each one is hand-packed by our team of elves: young people from vulnerable backgrounds who gain confidence, skills and meaningful employment through the work they do here.
From luxury pamper sets to elegant Portmeirion Christmas ceramics, from men’s grooming kits to gourmet foodie packs, and from adorable kids’ baskets to our signature Summer Santa Pamper Hampers – we have Canberra’s biggest and most joyful range.
Our gifts and hampers start at just $10 and go up to $150, making meaningful magic accessible for every budget.
Looking for something personal?
We can tailor and gift-wrap a custom hamper to your budget and style at no extra cost – perfect for teachers, colleagues, neighbours, Se cret Santas and anyone who deserves a thoughtful Christmas surprise. Beautiful gifts that give back.
ing rings down to half price, a golden opportunity to find something truly special without the usual price tag.
But Advance Jewellers also showcases a wide array of beautiful pieces from elegant necklaces and earrings to classic gold jewellery and eyecatching designs, so you’ll find something to suit a and custom designs. Whether you’re after a ready to wear piece or a custom remake, the local team brings care and experience to every commission.
Advance Jewellers Southlands Shopping Centre, Mawson. Call 0408 310 063.
Beautiful gifts that give back.
Hand-packed by our elves. Made with purpose. Loved by Canberra.
Canberra’s largest range of Christmas hampers — gifts from $10 to $150.
Pamper bundles, gourmet goodies, men’s gifts and kids’ crafts.
Plus our signature Summer Santa Hampers — all curated and ready to go.
Custom hampers tailored & gift wrapped at no extra cost
Every hamper is hand-packed by our elves
Your purchase creates meaningful employment for young people overcoming adversity
Christmas gift guide
Swanee roars back with chart-topping album
Australian rock legend Swanee has made one of the year’s most powerful returns with his new album Believe, a release that’s stormed the charts and captured the hearts of fans old and new. ARIA charts and continues its incredible run, re maining in the Top 10 of the ARIA Blues and Roots chart for 16 straight weeks, an extraordinary achievement for any artist, let alone a comeback album.
A standout moment on Believe is the song Brother of Mine, the first recording featuring all three Barnes brothers – Swanee, Alan and Jimmy. The historic and deeply personal track showcases the unmistakable grit, harmony and emotion that
only this family can deliver. The video clip, available online, is a must-watch, offering rare insight
The album also features duets with some of Australia’s finest musicians, adding richness and energy to a collection already brimming with soul
Fans can pick up the double coloured vinyl or CD online at johnswan.net.au or in-store at Songland Records, Weston.
is back & “Believe” is the comeback album of the year.
Available now on double coloured vinyl and CD, “Believe” is a must have for collectors and lovers of iconic Aussie rock.
Explosive, soulful and unmistakably Swanee, this chart topping release features “Brother of Mine” the first-ever recording by the three Barnes brothers: Swanee, Alan and Jimmy “Believe” also brings together Swanee and some of Australia’s finest musicians for powerful duets that fans are already calling career highlights. Already Top 5 on 5 differentARIA charts!
Get your copy today at www.johnswan.net.au or in store at Songland Records, Cooleman Court, Weston
Take your gift giving to new heights!
Put your loved on into the pilot’s seat at Jet Flight Simulator Canberra for an amazing and unforgettable challenge, where they’ll be in charge of the realistic replica of a Boeing 737 aircraft, while being ably assisted by an experienced sim instructor. They’ll choose their departure and arrival locations from over 24,000 airports worldwide. They’ll explore the sophisticated navigational features, or simply fly off into the sunset over a tropical paradise. A fantastic educational and entertaining experience.
Shorter sessions are ideal for learning the primary aircraft controls – throttle, flaps, elevator, and ailerons – and simple take-off and landing procedures.
Longer sessions give you the choice of a variety of airports, light and weather conditions. You’ll
increase skills and confidence with the primary controls. A great way to test your interest in recreational flying and aptitude for an aviation career. And a great way just to have fun!
Jet Flight Simulator Canberra offers instant online purchasing and gift voucher creation, ideal for those last-minute gifts. Simply select the duration of the flight: 30 minutes is great for younger kids (minimum age is 6 years), while teenagers and adults will enjoy the longer flights on offer. Spoil the budding pilot in your life with this fantastic flight simulation experience in the Boeing 737 replica cockpit.
Jet Flight Simulator Canberra jetflightsimulatorcanberra.com.au or call 0438 834 026
Swanee with Brian ‘Frog’ Harris of Songland Records.
Painting, sketching or crafting with your hands is quietly revolutionary and offers a mindful escape from the digital world. At Eckersley’s, this season is all about reconnecting with traditional arts and the joy of gifting creativity.
Eckersley’s is abundant in high-quality materials that honour techniques passed down through generations, supporting traditional artists and preserving skills that might otherwise be forgotten. Every brushstroke becomes a moment of focus, presence, and mindfulness - a chance to unplug and immerse yourself in the tactile satisfaction of creation.
The store also offers curated DIY kits and personalised gift options for all ages and skill levels. Hands-on projects make perfect Christmas presents, offering experiences rather than objects. Painting
and drawing sets, modelling kits, craft bundles and personalised gifts encourage curiosity, imagination, and the delight of making something truly your own.
Celebrating its 60th year, Eckersley’s continues to nurture creativity and inspire makers of all ages.
With three local stores in Phillip, Braddon and Belconnen, Eckersley’s is staffed by friendly artists who are ready to help you find the perfect materials and inspiration. Gifting at Eckersley’s is truly about sharing the joy of creativity, supporting traditional craft and creating moments of connection and learning.
Eckersley’s Art & Craft
Located in Belconnen, Braddon and Phillip. eckersleys.com.au
Home Improvements
an honour to be Canberra’s trusted leader in the workwear industry.
“It’s extremely important that we provide the right equipment and the best safety products to our clients,” says Pat.
“We want to get it right the first time so that we build long-term relationships with our clients.”
Providing clothing and safety items for a wide variety of industries, Pat says they can help labourers, chefs, blue and white-collar workers all the way to government departments, such as Defence, and hospitals.
Providing a free measure-and-quote and free delivery service, Pat says they also provide a full embroidery and screen printing service.
“We are competitively priced and are prepared to negotiate on bulk orders,” he says.
“These are just some factors on why we believe Seears Workwear has become a household name.”
Renovating your home can feel overwhelming – especially if you’ve had stressful experiences in the past. But with the right team and plan, it can be smooth, even enjoyable.
Kim Persson, owner of Renova tion Matters, has helped over 100 homeowners transform their homes. She knows a renovation isn’t just about new floors or fresh paint – it’s about making your home feel comfortable, functional, and truly yours.
“Renovations touch so much more than just the surface. There’s coordinating trades, meeting regula tions, and making sure everything is done safely and properly,” Kim says.
With her experience and trained eye, Kim helps turn your ideas into a home that’s both beautiful and built to last. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone walk into their refreshed space and say, “You’ve turned our house into a home we love!”
Whether you’re updating for comfort, lifestyle, or preparing to sell for the best price, Kim is there to make the journey smooth, stressfree, and enjoyable.
Seears Workwear owners Pat Seears, right, with son Shane.
Kim Persson, owner of Renovation Matters.
“The kitchen really is the heart of the home and when you have a kitchen that is not only functional but is really beautiful to look at, it’s a great joy,” says Robyn Monteleone, partner at Select Custom Joinery.
Operating since 2000, Select Custom Joinery is known for creating sustainable kitchens and joinery.
“We are a niche business and specialise in using timber and other solid materials,” she says.
Their commitment goes beyond just using sustainable materials, and Robyn says they always think about longevity, with everything they design meant to last for a long time.
Robyn’s husband Gino Monteleone, the primary cabinet maker and partner of the business, trained as a furniture maker.
“Gino’s training started with building custom furniture,” she says.
“Our kitchens and custom pieces are built to
furniture-making standards, so they are pieces of furniture that people will love for many years to come.
With the aim of creating pieces that are customised for each client’s lifestyle and personality, Robyn says they often design a feature in each person’s home which is unique to them.
“The satisfaction that clients get something that really suits their lifestyle and them, something they’re proud of and really enjoy using is the most rewarding thing,” she says.
“We are only a small team, so client meetings are by appointment.”
For almost two years, Canberra BBQ and Outdoors has been helping locals elevate the way they cook, entertain and enjoy their outdoor spaces. What started as a specialist Weber store has quickly become a go-to destination for anyone wanting to build their ultimate backyard experience.
Family owned and operated, store owner Mi chael Halewicz says they’re proud to be Canberra’s only Weber Premium Specialists – and it shows in the passion and expertise that customers experi ence the moment they walk through the door.
Recently recognised at the 2025 Weber Confer ence in Adelaide, Michael and his team took out top honours in Outstanding Customer Experience and Outstanding Marketing Initiative the coveted High Achiever Award
“It’s the little things we do that make the biggest difference,” Michael says.
“We run regular food demonstrations and host in-house cooking classes, giving customers the chance to test the gear, taste the results and discover what setup suits their lifestyle.
Michael says the store has grown well beyond barbecues, now earning a reputation for transforming outdoor spaces with a curated range of premium gear — including standout Osmen furniture built for comfort and style.
Complimenting with sleek Rinnai electric fireplaces for instant cosy vibes and the absolute show-stopper: the sculptural RB73 outdoor fireplaces from the Netherlands that double as outdoor art known for their exceptional craftsmanship and striking corten-steel designs..
“It’s all about creating incredible living spaces,” he says. “Whether it’s the perfect barbecue, beautiful furniture or a feature fireplace, we want
Canberra BBQ and Outdoors store owner Michael Halewicz.
to help people build outdoor areas they absolutely love spending time in.”
And with the new Weber Genesis and Weber Spirit models, Canberra BBQ and Outdoors is gearing up for another big year.
As the warmer months arrive, many Canberrans turn their attention to refreshing their homes—brightening rooms, reorganising spaces or finally upgrading wellworn furniture. For those wanting quality pieces without stretching the budget, Ex-Government Furniture remains one of the city’s most reliable treasure troves.
Drawing on more than 30 years of industry experi ence, co-owner James Fullerton says the team specialises in sourcing durable, stylish second-hand furniture from commercial and government stock. “We’ve got more than 30 years of experience in picking out furniture and have lots of advice to give,” he says. Their range covers everything from practical home office essentials to commercial-grade lounge room pieces, ensuring options for every style and price point.
Stock turns over quickly, with new items arriving almost daily. “We travel at least once a week to pick up furniture,” James says. “There’s always something new to see.” Recently, the warehouse has seen a surge in home office supplies, designer pieces, cabinets, storage solutions, lounges and soft furnishings—ideal for anyone planning a summer spruce-up.
One emerging trend is colour. “We’ve received a large amount of quirky coloured items,” James says. “We’ve got bright red couches, electric blu chairs, and everything from purple to green and bright yellow. You don’t have to play it safe.”
With styles ranging from mid-century to modern and plenty in between, Ex-Government Furniture offers inspiration for anyone looking to refresh their home with unique, affordable finds this summer.
Ex-Government Furniture Call 6280 6490.
Visit exgovfurniture.com
26/105 Newcastle Street, Fyshwick
IN STORE NOW
Ex-Government Furniture co-owners Taylor Radnell, left, with Tilly, and James Fullerton.
Home Improvements
Whether you’re moving home or simply trying to declutter and prepare for Christmas, House to Home’s pre-pack to move services deliver an organised, stress-free solution at a time of year when life is busiest, says co-owner Renee Le Grand.
“With meticulous planning and years of expertise in the moving industry, House to Home takes the stress out of relocation by handling every aspect of the move,” says Renee.
The process begins with a comprehensive assessment of the client’s needs. From there, a skilled team carefully packs and labels belongings using high-quality materials, ensuring the safety of fragile and valuable items during transit.
“This service is ideal for people with busy schedules, or those wanting a hands-off approach to moving,” she says.
“By entrusting the packing to experienced
professionals, clients can focus on important tasks such as settling paperwork, managing address changes, or simply preparing their home and family for Christmas.”
Renee says their support doesn’t stop at moving day. “Our service also extends to unpacking at the new destination, allowing clients to immediately feel at home without the overwhelming chore of sorting boxes.”
Whether you’re relocating, decluttering, or preparing your home for the festive season, House to Home’s commitment to efficiency, professionalism and personalised attention ensures a seamless transition into the next chapter.
House to Home Call 0457 456767 or visit house-to-home.com.au
DOWNSIZING AND DECLUTTERING
Whether you are preparing for sale, renovations, or making your home safe our expert packing specialists can pack and clear rooms or whole houses quickly and efficiently.
We can organise and provide all packing materials to complete these clearing tasks for those who are busy and unable to complete these tasks in a short time frame. house-to-home.com.au info@house-to-home.com.au
Upgrading a home shouldn’t be expensive, says John
be an expensive adventure, says store-owner John Rivers. “At Handyman’s Trading Post, people can find a great range of new, factory used and used parts and pieces at half the price,” he says.
Currently overstocked with many second-hand materials, including windows, glass sliding doors and timber panel (swinging) doors, John says CityNews readers can get a further 10 per cent off the prices of all second-hand items by mentioning this article. This excludes never-used, factory-seconds and items that have already been discounted by more than 10 per cent.
A leading supplier of factory-second and used windows and doors, John says they are also the experts in delivering purchased windows and doors safely to homes or job sites.
Offering to take “want lists” from customers,
from their list have arrived in store. John says customers can save hundreds, or even thousands, by buying second hand windows and doors. Items he says are often the key feature of renovations.
“For more than 42 years, Handyman’s Trading Post has supplied Canberrans with quality and affordable home and commercial building materials,” says John.
Handyman’ Trading Post will be closing as normal on Friday 19 December, for Christmas, and reopening Monday 5 January 2026.
The Handyman’s Trading Post 167 Newcastle Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 4036.
On facebook.com/p/Handymans-Trading-Post or Instagram.com/htpcanberra
Graham leads excellence in local leak repair
For more than 20 years, Megasealed has been a “Today, Megasealed has evolved into a national entity, offering unparalleled local expertise,” he says.
Megasealed director Graham
“Our mission from day one has been to offer a service that feels local, no matter where you are in
“Megasealed is renowned for its revolutionary approach to repairing leaking showers without the need for tile removal.”
The company also specialises in comprehensive waterproofing solutions for projects big and small, along with offering repair services for leaking balconies, complete bathroom renovations, and tiling services, Graham says.
Graham says Megasealed Canberra has experienced significant growth, prompting a recent move to larger premises in Queanbeyan to accommodate its expanding operations.
“Having been a satisfied customer during my time in real estate, I was compelled by the quality and efficiency of Megasealed’s solutions. It was this confidence that led us to acquire the Canberra franchise last year, and we’re proud to now employ a team of 12 locals,” he says.
Looking ahead, Graham says he is optimistic about the future, with plans to extend Megasealed’s trusted services across regional areas.
“Our expansion is driven by the strong word-ofmouth recommendations we’ve received, signalling a bright future for us,” he says.
“Megasealed stands committed to delivering fast, efficient, and cost-effective results, ensuring that your home or business is in safe hands.
With a focus on care, professionalism, reliability and efficiency, JWS Removals is Canberra’s removalist of choice, says owner Jack Stafford.
Jack, who’s been specialising in furniture removals, logistics, as well as fine arts and antique relocations, for more than 10 years, established JWS Removals to fill a gap in the industry, offering a more personalised removalist service.
Being a small, privately-owned and operated business, Jack says he works with clients personally, from the quote all the way through to the unload.
“We pride ourselves on our professionalism and that’s why we don’t use labour hire, only quality, experienced removalists who know how to get the job done right,” Jack says.
“We leave nothing to risk, using specialised furniture blankets, boxes, plastic furniture protective covers, trolleys, carpeted truck floors, felt pads for in-home floor protection and much more to ensure a risk and stress-free move.”
And, so there’s no hidden costs, JWS Removals offers in-person, no-obligation, free quotes. This also allows Jack to see the furniture and valuables in advance so he knows exactly what protective materials are needed to make the move as quick and safe as possible, he says.
This Christmas holidays there’s a great opportunity for local teens to get outside, learn new skills, and make friends.
“My best thing (about Red Shed’s school holiday program) was learning to row,” said Sophie, “Mine was making new friends!” said Nikki. “I loved improving my rowing skills for the rest of the season,” said Mark. “My favourite thing was capsizing!, said Bella. “It taught me a good lesson about being able to bounce back and get back in and I was more confident in myself because everyone around me supported me.”
Red Shed opened in 2024 and is a not-for-profit community rowing organisation located on Black Mountain Peninsula. Their school holiday program has been very popular with teens who have been rowing at school and also for those who have never rowed. With a focus on personal development, resilience and overall wellness, it is a structured training program with mentoring and community-building activities to nurture teens and instil valuable life skills.
And it is lots of fun to be out on the lake on a hot day!
The 5-week holiday program will run on weekdays from 8:45am to 12:00pm, including on-water and land sessions. It is designed for high school aged children (year 7-12).
Red Shed
Black Mountain Peninsula, Lake Burley Griffin
45 John Cardiff Close, Acton ACT www.redshed.org.au
Weglarz.
“We show the history of corrections in Australia starting from the First Fleet, up until today,” he says.
“On November 1 2023, we celebrated our 150th anniversary, we’re the oldest working jail in Australia.”
Andrew says people should think of them as a big-city museum in a rural setting.
“We have a working gallows, people can use a real trap-door, but we also have fire trucks and tractors from history,” he says.
“We also have a show of Aboriginal history.”
Andrew says they have serving, minimumsecurity prisoners working as guides.
“We have done risk assessments with them, and they are coming to the end of serving their
2024, and has previously received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, alongside some fantastic reviews.
Andrew has been doing this work for eight years, having previously worked as a senior prison officer in the UK and in Canberra.
“My passion is the privilege I have been given to tell Australia’s history,” he says.
“I also set up displays in the reception areas of some other correctional facilities, too.”
Cooma Correctional Museum
2 Vagg Street, Cooma. Open every day, 8.30am-3.15pm. Call 6452 5974. correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au
Discover summer adventure at the Temora Aviation Museum
Summer holidays are the perfect time to take flight at the Temora Aviation Museum, just a short drive from Canberra. Located on the site of No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School, the Museum preserves Australia’s rich military aviation history through world-class displays, flying aircraft and immersive visitor experiences.
This season, families can step into the cockpit of our state-of-the-art flight simulators, offering 30-minute and 1-hour sessions in some of Australia’s most iconic warbirds.
“Our simulators give visitors the chance to feel the thrill of flight in a safe, accessible way,” says CEO Peter Harper.
Visitors can enjoy a volunteer lead or self-guided audio tour, bringing stories of pilots, engineers and aircraft
to life. After exploring, relax at the Guardhouse Café, serving fresh meals, sweet treats and great coffee.
The Museum now features EV chargers, making it easier than ever to plan a sustainable day trip.
“These holidays are the perfect opportunity to reconnect with history,” Peter adds.
“There’s something for every age, from aviation enthusiasts to families looking for a memorable day out.”
Take off into summer at the Temora Aviation Museum! Open 7 days a week from 10am-4pm (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day).
Temora Aviation Museum 1-9 Tom Moon Avenue, Temora. Call 6977 1088. Visit aviationmuseum.com.au
Inspiring young artists this school holidays
At Lavender Art Studios, director Elita Mackay is excited to welcome young creatives into a summer of colour, imagination and hands-on learning. Bookings are now open for the studio’s Festive Art Workshops, January School Holiday Program, and January Teenage Art Workshops, each designed to nurture confidence, build skills and spark joy in every young artist.
In the lead-up to Christmas, the Festive Art Workshops for ages 5 to 13 offer a warm and playful introduction to artmaking. Children explore drawing, painting, watercolour pencil techniques and mixed-media festive creations, all within a supportive environment that celebrates the magic of the season.
For older students aged 13 to 17, the January Teenage Program is a two-day intensive course that encourages artistic growth. Using professional materials and guided by structured teaching, teens delve into watercolour, acrylic painting, Posca techniques and advanced drawing. It’s an inspiring opportunity for young people to refine their skills and create artworks they can truly be proud of.
The January School Holiday Workshops for children aged 5 to 13 take young artists on an imaginative journey with this year’s theme, Planet Earth & Beyond. Children design rockets, landscapes, galaxies, creatures and colourful worlds using watercolours, acrylics, Posca pens, sculpture and printmaking across two vibrant weeks of morning and afternoon sessions.
With an emphasis on quality materials, thoughtful instruction and a nurturing atmosphere, Lavender Art Studios provides a meaningful creative experience for every child. Families are encouraged to book early, as holiday programs fill quickly.
With warmer weather, most fruit trees will begin to ripen in the next few months and will need protection from
Netting stone and pome fruit trees after the fruit has formed ensures it is not eaten by wildlife.
Netting needs to be above the tree, leaving space between the tree and the netting for airflow and to stop branches breaking through the netting with natural growth.
All netting should be tight knit and nothing a finger can poke
through – and bright white for the birds to see.
Summer pruning of fruit trees is just as important and winter pruning and can be done now. Growth on all trees can be shortened to where fruit is growing on the branches, Clean out any crossing branches to keep the air flow through the tree and, importantly, keep enough foliage on the trees to shade the fruit from the sun. This will reduce the amount of pruning in winter. Keep watering all fruit trees and mulch with straw or compost.
Apple trees like a little boron in the soil, which can be applied now. It adds crunch to the apple at harvest time. It also acts throughout the year as a macronutrient for pollination as well as bud development.
Thin any small fruits left on the trees to encourage big, fat, quality
fruit at the expense of lots of small fruit.
Planting pest-deterrent plants around apple trees can help with insect issues. The best companion plants to grow are, nasturtiums, chives, lavender and parsley.
MEXICAN orange blossom (Choisya Ternata), a tough, fragrant, evergreen shrub, is in flower now and through the summer.
The most common foliage colour is deep green and there is a goldtipped variety called Gold Fingers that’s really striking in shade.
But the new variety I’m keen to try this year is White Dazzler. The foliage is more linear with a profusion of long-lasting, bright-white flowers through summer.
While it grows only to a metre high, it’s terrific for a small hedge or individual planting. A little clip after flowering will keep it in shape.
THE holiday season is around the corner and now’s the time to ensure the irrigation system is in working order and batteries are refreshed in hose timers.
An automated irrigation system is the backbone of any successful and healthy garden.
The garden will survive better with consistency in watering. Keep on it, even if it rains. All irrigation should have long soakings to get the soil and roots moist and short waterings for pots and turf. In summer our clay soils dry out quickly and any organic matter added will keep the moisture around the roots of the plants. Morning hand watering is recommended, which allows foliage to dry during the day – a sure way of keeping fungal diseases at bay.
Fertilising of garden beds can be done now before the heat of summer, but ensure the soil is wet before and after application to prevent burning of soft growth roots just below the soil. A foliar feed can be done in the cool of the day and is a quicker way plants can take up nutrients under stress.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
Jottings…
• Get the dahlias into the ground.
• Leave water bowls out for wildlife.
• Deadhead and fertilise roses.
Apple trees like a little boron in the soil. It adds a crunch to the apple at harvest time.
Photos: Jackie Warburton
Choisya White Dazzler… provides a profusion of bright-white flowers through summer.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Museum goes Gangnam style with K-pop show
By Helen MUSA
If you’ve never heard of Korean singer PSY’s global video hit Gangnam Style, people ask where you’ve been since 2012, which is when it became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views.
It marked a turning point in what has become known as Hallyu – the Korean Wave – a global fascination with Korean TV dramas, literature, film and, of course, K-pop.
The National Museum has picked up on this sensation with an exhibition coming exclusively to Canberra from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, with more than 250 objects relating to the rise of K-pop and its spinoffs – K-Drama, K-Cinema, K-Fashion and K-Beauty.
Globally recognised, Gangnam Style – named after Seoul’s Gangnam district –satirises the wealthy residents of that posh suburb.
Its quirky dance moves (many derived from horse-riding gestures) and sheer energy attracted millions of fans who didn’t understand a word of Korean, as seen when a professor friend of mine in Braidwood asked
her hairdresser what Gangnam Style was – all the girls in the salon whipped out their phones to show her.
But Hallyu reaches well beyond pop music: novelist Han Kang, author of The Vegetarian, won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, while the film Parasite won the 2020 Academy Award – the first foreign-language film ever to do so. And there’s the super girl group Aespa and Netflix series Squid Game.
Exhibition curator Kate Morschel, who came to the NMA six or seven years ago
from the Australian War Memorial, jokes that although she’s a millennial, she’s “the least cool of the curators”.
Be that as it may, she’s a huge fan of the performative style behind the K in K-pop, and of the cultural phenomena surrounding it –including the national Korean love of karaoke (noraebang). Opera singer Sumi Jo once told me she credits Korea’s operatic excellence to noraebang, which gives people confidence.
That sheer energy is part of the Hallyu phenomenon. Storytelling, Morschel says, is
central to Korean culture and translates directly into K-pop, which is dynamic, polished and marked by dazzling costumes.
“Everything is so intentional,” she says, even the positioning of dancers’ shoulders. Thousands of hours of practice lie behind every performance.
Undoubtedly, Morschel says, Gangnam Style was the turning point – “Most people have heard of it. It’s a testament to the power of Hallyu.”
But she also stresses that Korea already had a strong film tradition long before its global breakout – even in the North – full of powerful storytelling and sharp social critique.
Like Gangnam Style, the films are culturally specific but the themes – social inequality, aspiration, resilience – are universal.
We both wonder what draws people across borders in such unexpected ways.
Morschel has never been to Korea (though she’d like to), but notes that Hallyu has had an enormous impact on tourism, with people flying to Seoul to visit K-pop sites – much as tourists flock to Paris for The Da Vinci Code locations. There’s also been a big rise in Korean language study, and K-pop fans everywhere try their hand at translating lyrics.
But we shouldn’t forget, she says, that Australia has a very large Korean diaspora, many of whom have been working with the Korean Cultural Centre and community groups.
Among them is artist Sophi Odling, adopted by an Australian family, now one of
Australia’s most admired street artists and muralists – adding an Australian expression to the show.
Also featured is Andrew Undi Lee, a queer Korean-Australian writer, director and producer, who has loaned the exhibition a traditional hanbok he wore as a child.
So what will we see?
The main design thrust is to evoke the neon glow of Seoul, with bold lighting installations highlighting art, technology and fashion.
No surprise that, as you enter, you’ll be greeted by none other than PSY of Gangnam Style, symbolising the emergence of Hallyu. The exhibition then tracks the history of modern Korea through Japanese occupation to its late 20th-century democratic transformation.
Yes, the exhibition is about K-pop, but, Morschel says, it’s also about resilience and how culture moves across the world today.
There will be a reconstruction of the bathroom from Parasite, the scary giant doll Young-hee from Squid Game and K-pop outfits before the final section focuses on Korean beauty – an enormous global industry sometimes drawing on traditional products such as green tea and ginseng.
The Hallyu experience finishes with a catwalk of high-end contemporary Korean fashion – and you can’t get more up-to-date than that.
Hallyu: The Korean Wave, National Museum of Australia, December 10 to May.
Gangnam Style… PSY symbolises the emergence of Hallyu, the Korean Wave.
Harper’s slow-burn story of tragedy and secrets
Jane Harper is credited with creating a new sub-genre of crime fiction, Australian rural noir, with the publication of her first novel, The Dry in 2016.
All of her novels since have been inter national best-sellers and won prestigious awards. Last One Out (Macmillan) is Harper’s latest novel and, again, it explores both a tragedy and a country town hiding secrets in its past.
To Ro Crowley, Carallon had once been an idyllic country town. She had lived there with her family until five years ago when, on his 21st birthday, her son Sam disappeared, his footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses the only clue. As a result, her marriage has broken down and she has left to live in Sydney.
Five years later Ro returns for the annual memorial for her son, knowing this might be the last one. Although from a distance Carralon “looks delicate and beautiful…
Bathed in the evening light, Carralon glowed peaceful and inviting”, the town is dying, its shops closed and most of its inhabitants have moved away.
Carralon is being destroyed by the Lenzer coalmine, which operates 24/7, is fully self-contained and staffed by Lenzer’s specialised and vetted workforce who are brought in from elsewhere on rotation.
Before his disappearance Sam had been researching the mine and its demographic consequences for his thesis. Ro still has
townspeople. It is a slow burn of a novel only increasing in pace towards the end, as the truth is finally revealed.
HOWEVER, Garry Disher preempted Harper in rural noirwith the publication of Bitter Wash Road in 2013, introducing Senior Constable Paul
Hirshhausen (Hirsch), a lone policeman protecting his community, set against the backdrop of the dangers of the South Australian outback. Now he returns in the sixth novel in the series Mischance Creek (Text).
Photo: Mrs Smart Photography
his notes from his interviews with the townspeople and is convinced the truth of his disappearance can be found within them.
Last One Out is a story of grief and lost lives. Harper uses the sorrow of Ro and her family to reflect the collective grief of the
Unlike many of the novels in the new wave of Australian rural noir, Disher doesn’t begin his novels with acts of violence or terror. The Hirsch novels begin with Hirsch patrolling vast areas of farmland in his Toyota four-wheel drive and Mischance Creek is no exception. It’s mid November and Hirsch is undertaking a firearms audit, checking gun safes and ammunition storage on the remote farms and properties of his beat in northern SA. The country and its farmers are suffering from drought, “worse than
1967, according to the old-timers whose fathers had almost walked off the land back then, or 2008, or 2024 according to later generations, who were thinking of pulling their kids out of boarding school in Adelaide and sending them to Redruth High”.
As a result tensions are high, teachers at the primary school are being threatened by angry parents; the local council meetings are fractious with accusations of corruption, particularly against the mayor, Clarissa Stanyer, married to the wealthiest grazier in the district.
A number of angry farmers have joined a group called My Place that “at a simple level seemed to be about covid-era antilockdown, anti-vaccination and freedomof-movement ideas, but mostly it argued local councils were corporate entities set on undermining property rights”.
When Hirsch breaks up an angry dispute between farmers and bankers trying to issue a foreclosure notice he thinks: “This could be a Trump rally… taking in faces everlastingly stunned, angry, fearful, unsophisticated and suspicious of the mainstream”. A number claim to be sovereign citizens.
And then Hirsch is called out to Mischance Creek to help a distressed motorist who has driven into a ditch. But Annika Nordrum is not a foolish tourist.
ARTS IN THE CITY
She’s looking for the body of her mother.
Her parents had owned a gem shop in Adelaide and liked to go fossicking three or four times a year – “poking around the outback for gold, opals and semi-precious stones”. They were experienced and well prepared.
Her father’s body had been found at the bottom of a mineshaft seven years ago but her mother had disappeared. Hirsch is intrigued and opens a cold case investigation.
Mischance Creek with its complex plot and empathetic policeman, is crime fiction at its best. Disher’s delaying and withholding tactics create suspense and the urge to keep reading. And at the end, he ties up all the loose ends and order is restored.
Collage celebrates, skewers fame
A whirlwind of Hollywood glamour and pop-culture collage, Marco Brambilla’s video installation Heaven’s Gate spins fragments of Beyoncé, Audrey Hepburn, Leonardo DiCaprio and others into a dreamscape that both celebrates and skewers fame. After astounding audiences in New York, Miami, Montreal, London and Las Vegas, it now makes its Australian debut in a Canberra-exclusive showing at the National Film and Sound Archive from December 10.
Canberra Museum and Gallery is opening a pair of exhibitions exploring queer love, identity and resilience. LOVING: Photographs of Men in Love 1850s to 1950s unveils intimate historical images from the private archive of Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell, while A Loving City: Queerberra Revisited returns to the 2015-17 Queerberra portrait series, reuniting more than 90 LGBTQIA+ Canberrans eight years after the marriage equality campaign. Canberra Museum and Gallery, from December 6.
Fresh Funk, directed by co-founder Leena Wall, marks its 25th birthday with a celebratory showcase at Erindale Theatre, revisiting some of the high-energy youth hip-hop program’s greatest hits. Erindale Theatre, December 6.
Pinchgut Opera artistic director Erin Helyard will take the baton for a program drawn from Handel’s operas, oratorios, odes and anthems. Canberra Choral Society’s grand Come and Sing performance will also feature French soprano Myriam Arbouz, a 160-voice choir, guest singers and a professional local orchestra. A Handel Celebration, Llewellyn Hall, December 13.
Canberra Mandolin Orchestra and the Canberra Recorder Orchestra, conducted by Michael Hardy and Margaret Wright, will present The Gift. The program
includes Vivaldi’s Mandolin Concerto featuring Benji Moss in his solo debut, and Soren Sieg’s Uxolo –inspired by African melodies and centred on the theme of forgiveness. All Saints Church, Ainslie, December 6.
Manning Clark Singers and friends celebrate the history of vocal chamber music, with works by Monteverdi, Leonard Cohen, Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, duets and solos from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, and carols for all to sing. Canberra Baptist Church, Kingston, December 9.
Jane Harper… her latest novel, again, explores a tragedy and a country town hiding secrets in its past.
Jane Harper’s Last One Out.
Fresh Funk… Erindale Theatre, December 6.
Garry Disher’s Mischance Creek.
STREAMING
Creepy, crackling chemistry of The Beast in Me
Flying to the top of Netflix’s charts is this year’s umpteenth murder mystery series, The Beast in Me.
But is it a cut above the rest?
This new eight-parter features Homeland star Claire Danes as Annie Wiggs, a once successful author who is plunged into a cat and mouse game worthy of a novel itself.
Unable to write after the unexpected death of her young son, a macabre new form of inspiration strikes Annie when a strange man moves in next door.
Real estate mogul Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) has gained notoriety for being a prime suspect in the disappearance of his ex-wife.
Initially unnerved, Annie slowly becomes obsessed with this enigmatic figure who now lives one door down, eventually agreeing to write his biography.
But as she dives deeper into his life, her own quickly becomes more endangered.
How does a murder mystery even set itself apart these days?
Type the two words into Google, or any streaming platform, and hundreds of shows will roll out in the results eager for viewer attention.
For those who aren’t absolutely obsessed with the genre, it takes a special story indeed to get its hooks in and I’m happy to report The Beast in Me does that pretty well.
It’s the interplay between the two main characters which delivers here.
There’s a creepy and crackling chemistry
between them and how each transforms the other is what keeps the plot kicking along.
As an extra bit of incentive, this one is produced by Silence of the Lambs star Jodie Foster.
If she took away any lessons in tension from that masterpiece, the learning is more than applied here.
HBO Max is spicing things up this month with a steamy new French series aiming to amuse and titillate in equal measure.
The Seduction is yet another modern show inspired by the famous 18th century novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
English-speaking audiences might know
THEATRE / Hand to God
it better as Dangerous Liaisons or even Cruel Intentions, the name of the 1999 teenage romp that also adapted it.
The Seduction follows Marquise de Merteuil (Anamaria Vartolomei) a cunning courtesan in the Paris aristocracy eager to become the most coveted presence at court.
While some of her male company wield swords and violence as their main weapon in a fight to the top, Merteuil knows seduction is the ultimate tool when it comes to climbing the ladder and getting revenge on the man who dumped her.
The Seduction is stunningly shot and recreates its era in impressive detail, musing
Comedy, chaos and blasphemy
Given the religious impetus of the coming season, it seems more than coincidental that, two weeks running, we’ve covered plays with the word “God” in the title.
The director of Hand to God, Jarrad West, goes some way toward explaining its appeal when he tells why they’ve revived this 2022 hit with a new cast of sinners: “This show is equal parts comedy, chaos, and blasphemy… The Exorcist meets Sesame Street, with more swearing. Perfect for December.”
Set in the American Bible Belt, where fundamentalist congregations sometimes use puppets in their religious teaching, Robert Askins’ decade-old play follows Jason, an awkward teenager whose hand puppet, Tyrone, goes rogue and takes on a life of its own, announcing that it is Satan.
So, it’s hardly surprising that I get more than I had bargained for when I catch up with Michael Cooper, who reprises Jason – and his demonic alter ego, Tyrone. Cooper points out that the two beings he plays can be viewed as Jason and his other half, but also as two entirely different characters.
“If Jason were a healthy character who didn’t have to go through the trauma and isolation of his upbringing, he’d probably be much more settled and wouldn’t need to lash out through Tyrone,” he says.
In preparing for the role, Cooper, who is taking his emerging career as an actor very seriously while working by day at the Canberra Theatre box office, keeps in mind that Jason not only has a strong-minded mother, Margery (Amy Kowalczuk), but has also lost his father less than six months earlier.
With Margery deep in her own mourning, Jason needs an outlet – and puppetry becomes his way into a different world.
“I know that when the play was written, puppetry ministries were massively popular in the US, especially in the south, but I’m not sure about Australia,” Cooper says.
The play tackles big questions about family, grief and, quite literally, wrestling with your own demons. Every character, he says, gets a little eye-popping moment. Pastor Greg, played by Lachlan Ruffy, appears bright and supportive but harbours strong feelings for Margery, especially now that she’s vulnerable.
Jessica, the apparently sweet girl in Jason’s life (played by Meaghan Stewart) has a devilish streak too, though Cooper says she may be healthier than many of the others. Her puppet Jolene is part of her comingof-age journey, asking questions along the way. Jolene may or may not save the day, but no spoilers here.
Timmy, played by Ellington Allington, is the town bully, a bit older than Jason and Jessica, who’s been dumped in the puppet ministry.
Eccentricities aside, for Cooper, the heart of the story is Jason learning to stand up for himself, even against his mother. The climactic showdown between Jason and his other half, Tyrone, seals the deal.
Two things are certain. As Everyman Theatre says: “It’s definitely not for kids, but it is the perfect way to end your year.”
Hand to God, at ACT Hub Kingston, December 10-20.
on an age where sexual freedom was so much more tightly buttoned up.
There are six episodes clocking in at around an hour a piece that, unfortunately, feels just a little too long.
Thirty-minute instalments would be more than enough and would suit the pithy repartee the show is going for.
Still, it’s well worth a try especially for anyone who gets caught up in a good
period piece.
A word of warning. The production is in French so this one will require subtitles or an English dub. If that doesn’t bother you then bon appétit
IT’S around this time of year all the “best-of” lists begin rolling in to highlight the finest shows of 2025.
Well, in stark comparison, this month Disney Plus might just have served up the worst show of the year.
Kim Kardashian stars in this new series called All’s Fair.
It’s about an all-female law firm in Los Angeles with a specialty in divorce law. It can’t even be called a case of so bad it’s good. The one liners are so cringe inducing it feels like AI might have spat them out.
Naomi Watts, an actress with actual talent, stars alongside Kim K but even she seems to know this script is doomed. Its reflected in the reviews, with many major publications awarding it zero stars. In other hands perhaps the premise might have stood a chance, but All’s Fair is little more than a shallow attempt to milk star power for cheap views.
This legal drama, beyond a reasonable doubt, is one to avoid.
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in murder mystery series, The Beast in Me.
Anamaria Vartolomei as Marquise de Merteuil, a cunning courtesan in the Paris aristocracy, in The Seduction.
Michael Cooper, who reprises Jason, and his demonic alter ego, Tyrone, in Hand to God.
Photo: Janelle McMenamin and Michael Moore
DINING / Vice, Civic
Moody place, but baffling service
With a large, illuminated devil’s fork mounted on the wall behind the long bar, Vice, on Odgers Lane, Civic, is moody and mysterious.
The restaurant has no windows, dark blue walls and low lighting. Hanging throughout the space are images of nuns, each engaging in (fun) vices such as eating decadent ice cream.
Vice has taken a bold move by building its fine-dining menu around two mains only – a cheeseburger and rib eye on the bone. If nothing else, this makes ordering a snap.
We couldn’t resist the toasted bone marrow to start, with sweet-and-sour agrodolce sauce and thin slices of focaccia ($18). As with all dishes, the execution was superb.
While Vice recommends 500 grams of Stone Axe Pastoral Company Wagyu rib eye per person, we decided on the minimum table order of 600 grams ($9 per 100 grams), so we had room to share some intriguing sides.
It takes about 45 minutes for the kitchen to prepare the rib eye, reverse-searing it before char-grilling, and then resting. It’s served one way, and one way only, and that’s medium-rare. Stone Axe is multi (and I mean multi ) awardwinning and renowned for its perfectly marbled Wagyu that is high on taste and nothing short of amazing.
Want a sauce? Pay extra ($7) and choose brandy jus, peppercorn, Diane or mushroom. Keen on mustard? The $15 tasting tray includes a violet mustard and house-pickled horseradish.
We couldn’t bypass the decadent duck-fat roasted chats with rosemary and umami butter ($16). The pumpkin is roasted with Nduja and placed on stracciatella with crunchy, nutty pepita seeds sprinkled about ($16).
Gem lettuce… with candied walnuts, pecorino pepato and agrodolce.
tuce ($16) with candied walnuts, pecorino pepato and more of that tasty agrodolce.
The cheeseburger was excellent with the dry-aged beef patty cooked to perfection. Packa-punch, anchovy-loaded Gentleman’s Relish elevated the burger to new heights ($26).
Vice offers one dessert and one cheese platter. The sinful vanilla bean flan is served at the table with flair ($16). Smoked sea salt was sprinkled on top of the thick slice before Irish whiskey spritzed all over the flan. It was luxury on a plate.
Champagnes top off at $3000 a bottle, reds at $1890, roses at $240 and whites at $156. Our
WINE / McKellar Ridge
a glass or $114 a bottle.
The Giant Steps Rose – a syrah/pinot blend from Yarra Valley – was $88 a bottle. Sadly, the service didn’t match the rest of our dining experience. It was super friendly, but we were regularly forgotten and had to flag staff down several times, including for the bill. We were baffled, given that Vice was far from busy on our visit.
The dream of good wine in a top spot
The weather was from a fairytale, Goldilocks, as mate Tom and I drove out to Murrumbateman to taste the wines of McKellar Ridge.
Which reminds me of the question my children asked me when I used to read to them: “Dad, do all fairytales begin with ‘once upon a time’?”
“No,” I said, “there are a few that begin: ‘If elected, I promise...’.”
But the story of McKellar Ridge is like a fairytale: the happy-ever-after of a dream that was built from the desire to produce good wine in beautiful surroundings.
This is what winemakers and owners Marina and John Sekoranja have achieved. The McKellar Ridge property has a great view all the way back to the Brindabellas and the lines of vines frame the ridgeline in an attractive fashion. It’s a top spot.
Established in 2005 by Dr Brian Johnston and his wife Janet Johnson, they sold the property to its current owners in 2017. The two couples worked together for one season so that Marina and John would literally understand the lay of the land.
John is now invoking the memory of his family’s origins as vintners from Slovenia and Marina is using her skills from her background as a dietitian to pursue their goal of creating a range of wines they themselves would want to drink.
They have succeeded, although it’s a continuing journey, now producing 1600 cases a year, which is more than double the production of the original winery.
Tom and I tasted some of the wines on their list. I was interested to taste their riesling, as I’d
met John and Marina at the International Riesling Challenge where Marina was a judge.
The riesling was typical of the varietal from Murrumbateman: lime peel and white flowers on the nose; on taste the citrus element remained with a strong acid line, one that will ensure this wine keeps well but now, to my palate, outweighs the fruit.
I was also keen to taste their sauvignon blanc as John Ings, of Canberra Wine and Spirit Merchants, had sold me a bottle that I gave to my ex-wife for her birthday.
John Ings had recommended the McKellar Ridge sauvignon blanc as the best produced in the Canberra region. The 2023 was produced from grapes sourced in Tumbarumba to give it the benefit of cooler-climate conditions. It had
tomato plant on the nose, like many Kiwi savvy bs, and a rich tropical fruit palate that was balanced well with a touch of acidity. I can see why it won a silver medal at the Canberra and Region Wine Show in 2024.
The pinot noir 2023 had nine months in oak and showed the complexity that this treatment provides. There are complex spice notes and a lovely element of pepper and violets at the finish. Medium bodied, this wine will become even better over time.
The Estate Merlot 2024 was a graceful wine with a full mouth feel that some merlots produced in Australia don’t achieve. This wine was very easy to drink.
The star of the show though was the wine that has come to exemplify good quality wine produced in the Canberra region: the Estate Shiraz Viognier 2024. This wine has already won two gold medals and is about half the price of its much vaunted Clonakilla competitor and, in my view, of equivalent quality. The addition of only four per cent viognier gives the shiraz a different complexion, with layers of rich fruit flavours that provide an elegant wine that will please for many years to come.
“Work is love made visible.” – Khalil Gibran
Amila Park Cabernet Merlot, 2023-24, from Margaret River was $21
Photo: Wendy Johnson
McKellar Ridge winemakers and owners Marina and John Sekoranja.
HOROSCOPE PUZZLES
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Expect a frustrating and/or disappointing week, as Mars (your boss planet) squares Saturn and Neptune. Maybe you’re trying to do something, but it feels like you’re driving with the handbrake on. Or you keep coming up against resistance from other people. Or a plan may be too impractical to survive in the real world. Time to pause, be patient, reassess and then start again next week. Friday onwards is a good time to read, write, research, publish and/or travel.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
This week’s stars highlight the constant balancing act between individual needs and relationship responsibilities. Adventurous Uranus (in Taurus) emphasises the importance of maintaining your individuality and prioritising personal projects. Whereas the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Venus (your ruling planet) shine a spotlight on your partner, relatives and/or close friends. Are you meeting their needs, as well as your own? And is your trust in someone well-placed?
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
Attached Twins – this week’s stars are good for cementing your commitment to your sweetheart, as you find extra romantic ways to show affection. Singles – give superficial suitors a wide berth. Look for lasting love with a clever Libran, a stable Sagittarian or a charismatic Aquarian. And – when it comes to your wellbeing – don’t just talk about improving your fitness levels. Be proactive, jump off the comfy couch and get physical in the great outdoors!
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Lucky, plucky Jupiter is visiting your sign, plus Mercury forms positive aspects to Saturn and Neptune in your aspirations’ zone. So you need to be more proactive and focused about turning current opportunities and vague dreams into future good fortune. Where intention flows, energy goes! Inspiring motto for the moment is from birthday great, poet Emily Dickinson: “Fortune befriends the bold.” When it comes to a burgeoning friendship or romance, don’t rush.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Attention Cats… your inner muse is calling! Inspiration is high as the Sun (your ruler), Mercury, Venus and Mars activate your creativity zone. So it’s a fabulous week to express your fiery energy as you sing, dance, draw, paint, perform, write, take photos or play music. But expect some Uranian disruptions at home or work, especially midweek. Clever Lions will slow down, think before you speak and consider the possible consequences before you act.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Apart from some midweek disruptions (courtesy of Uranus), this week looks very good. Monday’s Mercury/Saturn trine is terrific for mental focus and disciplined work. Thursday’s Mercury/Neptune trine encourages creative thinking, intuitive insights and forgiveness. And then Sunday’s Mercury/Pluto link fosters deep thinking and powerful communication. Your quote is from birthday great, Sinead O’Connor: “Forgiveness is the most important thing”.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Communication, conversation, education, social media and local travel are all highlighted this week. But avoid being rash with cash and credit (especially midweek) via an expensive online purchase or a spontaneous spending spree at the local shops. Impulse buys now could lead to big regrets later. And is it time to express your humanitarian side? Think of ways you can contribute your numerous Libran talents to a worthy cause within your local community.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are all transiting through your money, values and self-worth zones. So financial matters and self-esteem issues are on your mind, as you find ways to consolidate your finances and boost your inner confidence. Do your best to show extra kindness and compassion towards a family member or close friend who’s going through a tough time. The things they are dealing with are more serious and complex than you previously thought.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
This week the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are in your sign, Mercury and Pluto fire up your imagination, plus Uranus pushes you to express your authentic self every day. So it’s time to network within your peer group and extended social circle, as you get your creative ideas out into the world. Be inspired by Sagittarian singer-songwriter-poet Jim Morrison (who was born on December 8, 1943): “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
The week starts well, as Mercury makes a terrific aspect with taskmaster Saturn (your ruling planet), which encourages and boosts your conscientious, perfectionist side. But don’t overdo it! Leave room for mistakes, stumbles and occasional sloppiness. No one can get things 100% right all the time. Wisdom for the week comes from birthday great, actress Dame Judi Dench: “I think you should take your job seriously, but not yourself – that is the best combination.”
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Work and home life look rather chaotic, as Mercury and Uranus (your ruling planet) stir up your career and domestic zones. Expect the week to be messy and disorganised (and you might get distracted and make some frustrating mistakes) but try to keep things in perspective. Don’t let outer circumstances upset your inner equilibrium. Your motto is from Taylor Swift (who turns 36 on Saturday): “Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear.”
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
You’re full of big ideas and ambitious aspirations but stop procrastinating, Pisces! The challenge is to follow through on plans and commitments. If you make a promise – keep it. If you set a goal – work hard to achieve it. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. With patience and persistence, you can make your dreams come true. But take off your rose-coloured glasses and have your wits about you (especially on Sunday). Don’t fall for a smooth talker bearing fake news.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2025
1 Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thalia were known as the three what? (6)
8 Name the stripes of NCOs and police officers, etc. (8)
9 What is a motorless aeroplane? (6)
10 What was dammed in 1970-72 as part of a WA irrigation scheme? (3,5)
11 What relates to financial matters in general? (6)
12 Which term is the plural of locus? (4)
13 What is often referred to as the opposite of cheese? (5)
16 What nationality was Vincent Van Gogh? (5)
19 Which non-human anthropoids have no tails? (4)
21 Name British units of currency. (6)
22 What is another term for a traveller, especially on foot? (8)
23 Name a tropical South American large lizard. (6)
24 Name the English painter and sculptor 1830-96, Baron Frederick ... (8)
25 What is another name for a hot spring that sends up jets of water and steam? (6)
Solution next edition Down
2 Name a favourite of Elizabeth I, who was beheaded in 1618. (7)
3 What is a supplement to a will? (7)
4 What is a roll of parchment with writing on it? (6)
5 To tender higher than someone else is to what? (7)
6 Francis Greenway came to Australia as a what? (7)
7 Which two-toed African flightless bird is a sort of cousin to the emu? (7)
13 Name the Labor politician from 1960 to 1967 who survived an assassination attempt in 1966, Arthur ... (7)
14 What is a fabric such as orlon called? (7)
15 Name the former capital of Pakistan. (7)
17 Montevideo is the capital of which South American republic? (7)
18 Which word describes the beat of any rhythmical movement? (7)
20 Name one of the four seasons. (6)
Payday super is coming from July 1 and I highly recommend employers find out about it now because it is not as straightforward as I thought it might be.
Most payroll programs I've looked at allow you to start paying super now, so you get in the habit of it by the time it’s due.
I am emphasising that super needs to be paid on time. The system requires that employee super is paid when you pay wages. From a cash flow perspective your payroll will increase by 12 per cent each pay period from July 1.
As usual with new legislation, there are new terms that need to be understood.
The first new concept is "qualifying earnings” (QE), which consists of ordinary time earnings plus salary sacrifice amounts, plus directors’ fees plus superannuable payments made to consultants. These payments are made on a day defined in the legislation as QE day. Lump sum payments on termination are not included in the definition of QE.
Your payments must be received in the fund within seven business days of QE day. If they are received late, then a superannuation guarantee charge assessment can be issued by the ATO.
The next new concept is that super paid late will be tax deductible. This is a huge change and is most welcome by employers. General interest charge and late payment penalties are not tax deductible. The next new change affects higher income earners who take advantage of the maximum contribution base. The maximum contribution base is calculated on a salary of $250,000. It will be calculated annually going forward. You will have 30 days to apply for a shortfall exemption certificate prior to the start of the period. The ATO can issue a shortfall exemption certificate with a retrospective start date. This new process could make life easier for high-income earners.
Contributions not received by the fund within seven business days but paid within 28 days and before a superannuation guarantee charge assessment issues, will reduce the SG shortfall.
Notional earnings are applied to the shortfall, an administrative uplift factor calculated at 60 per cent of the superannuation guarantee shortfall plus notional earnings. A choice loading can also be applied. The notional earnings, the administrative uplift and the choice loading will all be tax deductible.
If you have a new employee, you have two-weeks to make their first contribution. This could be tricky as I notice when preparing payrolls that many new employees do not provide their tax file number and superannuation details in a timely manner.
The ATO will receive details of your super payments through single touch payroll so they will be aware of missing super promptly.
The small business superannuation clearing house is being phased out from July 1. Various funds have their own method of receiving payments and as we get closer to the starting date it will be clearer how you can facilitate your super payments.
All this change is a little confusing, so I recommend you start paying super with your wages as soon as possible so there is not an impost on cash flow and business administration.
If you need any information on payday super, wages, superannuation or taxation contact the expert team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on
