R U OK?
Five years ago locals joined together as part of the Blue Tree Project which aims to raise awareness of mental health issues, spreading the message ‘it’s OK to not be OK’. One tree painted blue is located on Kenilworth Rd however over time the letters on the tree have become tattered by the wind. Rotarians for Mental Health (R4MH) member Tex Pipke recently decided to refurbish these letters with the assistance of the dairy tenant on the property, Greg Poppelwell, who couldn’t do enough to help. Tex and Greg accessed the site, cut out new corflute letters and affixed them to the tree with the message R U OK? once again clearly visible along Kenilworth Rd.
Amrita Park Meadery
Congratulations to Amrita Park Meadery in Pinbarren which recently won the Champion Mead of Show at Ekka for the fourth year in a row. Their winning entry was Wattle and Bumble Box Semi-sweet Traditional Mead. Amrita Park Meadery is at 417 Pomona Kin Kin Rd and open to the public on Saturdays. Visit: amritaparkmeadery.com.au.
Ancient Mexico in Eumundi
A new exhibition at Eumundi Museum is so unique you will not find anything else like it in Qld. It is called Ancient Mexico and features artefacts from the ancient city of Teotihuacán which was the biggest city in the Americas around 1,500 years ago. The objects span from this time to the Aztec era.
So how did this amazing exhibition end up in Eumundi? The museum’s director Joe Hextall studied archaeology as an undergraduate and had a particular interest in what is known as Mesoamerica, including the cultures of the Aztecs and the Maya. In 2018 colleagues of his wife arrived at a work Christmas party with artefacts in a box and asked Joe if he knew anything about them. They knew they were from Mexico but that was all. Joe investigated the origins of the pieces and determined they all came from the one site – Teotihuacán – however they were made in three different time periods by three different ethnic groups, the Classic Teotihuacán, Mazapán and Aztec.
• Not on any chronic medication.
• No history of receiving previous blood or blood product transfusions.
• Good temperament.
Dogs on their blood donor list will be blood -typed and receive a free, comprehensive annual check-up valued at $350 which includes a vet check, full blood screen and heartworm test. If your dog is called to duty you will be given your choice of a free vaccination or a bag of dog food. Dogs will also get a certificate and a steak to help replenish their iron levels. For more information contact Eumundi Vet clinic on 07 5442 7803.
DELIVERY HEROES
been delivering Eumundi Voice for three years to Laguna Grove, Stewart Crt and Lily Crt in Doonan. Bronwyn says Harley “knows that it’s a special walk and really enjoys the challenge”. Another delivery hero!
To become a Eumundi Voice delivery hero email: hello@EumundiVoice.com.au or phone Les on 0411 877 346.
Rafter country
Reef (13yo) and Kamii (11yo) have been delivering Eumundi Voice since the first issue. They take turnabout – one walking, the other on a bike – up and down one of the big hills of Rafter country with a bundle of magazines. “This regular fortnightly job is vital to imparting the importance of community service within our family,” said their Mum, Michelle. Thank you for supporting Eumundi Voice.
The dog that delivers
Enjoying his regular fortnightly ‘special delivery’ work, Harley the Great Dane cross rescue together with help from Bronwyn Innes, has
King’s birthday
King Charles’ birthday will be celebrated in Qld on Monday 2 October as a public holiday. In WA it was celebrated on 25 September and in other Australian states on 12 June.
Don’t feel bad for King Charles as none of those days are his actual birthday, which is 14 November. The King’s birthday holiday is the same date as that of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, even though her real birthday was 21 April. Why don’t we celebrate a monarch’s birthday on the actual day of birth?
It seems the answer has to do with the UK weather. The sovereign’s birthday is celebrated in the UK with a birthday parade known as the Trooping of the Colour and no one liked a parade in the middle of winter. Even King Edward VII didn’t get a holiday on his actual birthday which fell in November but was celebrated in May or June.
Australian state and territory governments are responsible for declaring public holidays but unlike some public holidays, the King’s birthday is not a restricted trading day with many stores operating as usual – although some will choose to close or reduce their opening hours.
Rhonda Piggott
Thoughts of independence
The Rotary Club of Eumundi is one of many clubs in our Rotary District. Rotary clubs in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are also in our district and one reason Eumundi Rotary supports PNG projects and initiatives.
On 1 December 1973 PNG achieved selfgovernment and on 16 September 1975, full independence. It was a time of great anticipation and, in many cases, apprehension. What would an independent PNG look like? Could it manage on its own? Would there be plenty of jobs for everyone?
I was fortunate to have been there during that time and helped prepare those going into positions of management and decision-making that were previously held by Australian public servants. Schools ran programs to inform students what an independent PNG might look like.
Having just passed the 50-year anniversary of self-government I thought it appropriate to share a poem written in 1973 by a senior student at Sogeri High School.
Call of the Conch
It is just like the old days. We live in fear in a new age. What are our fears?
Not bad magic? Or cannibals.
Those died out yesterday, however, Like the dying of burning embers, They have scorched our minds. With fear and hatred.
Like in the past we live in fear, Not of magic, But of what lies ahead.
Like a boy before his initiation ceremony. We are about to venture into the unknown.
Are we going to make the dream come true?
Is there going to be happiness, unity and peace?
Or bloodshed, violence and misery? Let's keep our fears to ourselves. And answer the call.
As our ancestors answered their call, The call of the conch.
Let us do the same.
In aid of our new nation.
And fulfil her dreams of happiness and unity, Peace and prosperity.
Greg Ison
FEELING UNSTEADY ON YOUR FEET?
Check out the friendly group at
Weekly dance classes programmed for people with mobility issues.
Enjoy a mix of seated and standing movements. Improve your balance, coordination and memory.
Thursdays at 10.30am
Freemasons Hall, North St. Yandina
ENQUIRIES: PHILIPPA. 0417 780 016
exhilaration of our own courage and strength is waiting for us, just out of sight, in each and every moment.”
Another song from the EP performed at Sunshine Sounds Festival was Kind Heart where Layla expressed her appreciation and admiration for her mentor Katie. “I’m yet to find a way to thank you for all you do. You are special and I strive to be just like you.” Visit: laylahavana.com.
Layla's next performance will be from 2-3pm on 1 October at Eudlo Hall. Tickets $10-35. Visit: events.humanitix.com/song-secrets-or-longlisten.
Lego building workshops
For a great outing join the Lego building workshops organised by Pomona and District Community House from 10am-2pm on 8 October. Andrew and Damian from Clicking Bricks – Season 2 Lego Masters and Season 5 Grand Masters – will show you how it’s done, delivering free one-hour workshops across the day at the Pomona Memorial School of Arts Hall. Visit: pomonacommunityhouse.org.au.
Bushfires and leaf litter
The effects of bushfires can be horrific on people, infrastructure and flora and fauna and the recovery process usually long and challenging. It’s easy to forget the ecological disaster caused by bushfires on tiny creatures that live in moist leaf litter, soil and logs in gardens and forests. Because they are small and out of sight, we underestimate their significance in ecosystems and their contribution to Australia’s biodiversity.
These macroinvertebrates – any animal lacking a backbone and large enough to see without the aid of a microscope – include worms, beetles and other soil-dwelling insects such as isopods, slaters, millipedes, weevils and hoppers. There are also mesoinvertebrates – tiny springtails and mites.
Gardeners know the role of earthworms as ‘ecosystem engineers’ where they turn over soil and redistribute nutrients. Soil macroinvertebrates have a role as tiny predators, consuming other macroinvertebrates and small organisms. As well as hunters they are also food prey for amphibians, reptiles, aquatic birds and mammals.
When fire destroys the leaf litter layer it puts a stop to their role as ‘primary consumers’ when they process live organic material and their job as ‘detritivores’, consuming decomposing organic matter. This year with the El Niño effect we are looking at a worrying fire season. It’s not so long ago that Eumundi Voice reported on the Peregian fires and loss of coastal habitat.
The forests of SE Australia suffered immensely in the 2019-20 Black Summer fires which were unusually intense and burnt more than 10 million hectares. Researchers Heloise Gibb and Nick Porch studied SE Australian warm temperate rainforests and “found every hectare of unburnt rainforest had a 2.5 million litter macroinvertebrates, while severely burnt
forests had a quarter as many”. When mites and springtails – which account for around 95% of individual invertebrates – were included, they estimated the total loss at 120 trillion creatures. While we think of whales and elephants as ‘big’, it’s the tiny invertebrates account for 99% of all animal species and most of the weight of animals on the planet. After a fire it takes time to replace these crucial components to rebuild a healthy ecosystem. Gibb and Porch found that intense fires — where most or all of the canopy
tolerant eucalypts often do well after a fire and are responsible for depositing even more leaf litter which, unless it’s reduced, hampers post-fire recovery of invertebrates. Recovery efforts can best focus on preserving those areas with intact or minimally affected macro- and mesoinvertebrate populations and providing moist environments to encourage them to recolonise leaf litter and soil.
is burned — kill off three to four times as many invertebrates as fires where only half the canopy burned.
Macro- and mesoinvertebrates cycle nutrients through our forests by breaking down organic matter. They turn leaf litter into soil, and by turning it over or shredding it, make it small enough for microbes to get to work decomposing the organic matter.
If it’s not cycled, leaf litter builds up and contributes to more and fiercer fires. Fire-
“One method is to make their habitats better connected wherever possible. Another is to rewild with minibeasts, seeding severely burnt sites with healthy litter invertebrates from nearby unburnt rainforests,” suggest Gibb and Porch.
So, next time you are in the bush look down instead of up and consider the enormous numbers of tiny creatures that are essential to the health of our bush and forests. Visit: t.ly/ g2Yr1.
Ruth Hickey
ISSUE 79 DATES:
Advertising booking deadline: WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2023
SEPTEMBER 2023
Dec Ancient Mexico, Eumundi Museum, �� eumundimuseum.org
Copy & advert artwork deadline: THURSDAY 5 OCTOBER 2023
Available from: THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER 2023
PUBLISHER: Eumundi Rotary Initiatives Ltd trading as Eumundi Voice. ACN 628 234 891
EDITOR: Narelle Schuh - One dog, two ducks communications
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Heidi Jenkins - The Creative Frog
PRINTER: SunPrint
DISTRIBUTION: Rotary volunteers and supporters deliver up to 5000 complimentary copies fortnightly to mail boxes and outlets in Eumundi, Doonan, Verrierdale, North Arm, Eerwah Vale, Belli Park, Yandina, Kenilworth, Cooroy and Noosa Info Centre.
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All advertisements and submissions will be published at the discretion of Eumundi Voice and may be subject to editorial changes. Eumundi Voice does not accept responsibility for claims published in Eumundi Voice. Factual errors in material submitted are the responsibility of the contributor. All submissions received, including photographs, are deemed to be authorised for publication by the contributor who has gained any required permissions to publish. All editorial and advertising in Eumundi Voice is published in good faith based on material provided by contributors and advertisers. All care is taken by the publisher Eumundi Voice however responsibility is not accepted for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher of Eumundi Voice.
29 Pocket Pieces, Oct Yandina, �� stevensstreetgallery.com.au
28-30 Spamalot, The J, Noosa, �� thej.com.au
29 Sam Buckingham, Cooroy Memorial Hall, �� events.humanitix.com
30 The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper, Eumundi, �� imperialhoteleumundi.com.au
30 Verrierdale Full Moon Dance, Verrierdale Hall, �� oztix.com.au
30-2 Great Noosa Trail Walk, Oct Noosa Hinterland, �� greatnoosatrailwalk.com
30-2 Caloundra Music Festival, Oct Kings Beach, , �� caloundramusicfestival.com
OCTOBER 2023
1 Music in the Gardens, Lake Macdonald, �� noosabotanicgardensfriends.com
6-8 Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival, Gympie, �� heartofgold.com.au
6-15 Noosa Open Studios, Various locations, �� noosaopenstudios.com.au
7 Mary Valley Rattler’s 5th Birthday, Gympie to Amamoor, �� maryvalleyrattler.com.au
8 Lego Building Workshop, Pomona, �� pomonacommunityhouse.org.au
10 The Power of Plant Propagation, Cooroy, �� libraryevents.noosa.qld.gov.au
10 Celebrating Seniors, Pomona, �� pomonacommunityhouse.org.au
10 Scone Time, Cooroy, �� trybooking.com/CKUBD
Wanted: F1 Trucks and other cars
Ring for parts requirements
Open Mon - Fri, 9am-1pm
Call Ivan 0418 723 080
To book, please scan here: 17 Whalley Creek Close
Burnside Q 4560
12 Eumundi Voice, Issue 79
12
13
Teen Movie Night – Labyrinth, Cooroy Library, �� libraryevents.noosa.qld.gov.au
Tubular Bells for Two, The J, Noosa, �� thej.com.au
13-14 Cooroora Woodcraft Show, Cooroy, �� cooroorawoodworkersclub.com
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