Manning-Great Lakes Focus i109 by Focus

Feature Story Archibald Prize 2015

March 2016 // issue 109

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Welcome to the March issue of Manning Great Lakes FOCUS.

he New Year and all its celebrations are now long behind us, and we’ve ripped the page of the calendar away to reveal March - the gorgeous first month of autumn. Interestingly, some historians believe March was the first month of the year on the Ancient Romans’ calendar - a month where all war and hostilities ceased and celebrations ensued, and the word “March” is possibly derived from Mars, the Roman God of War. Of course, it was also Chinese New Year last month … So perhaps it’s time for reflection. How has 2016 treated you so far? Have you been able to keep any of your New Year’s resolutions? However your 2016 is shaping up, at least we have the privilege of living in one of the most beautiful areas in New South Wales, with amazingly talented people, fantastic businesses and services, and a wonderful climate.

Here at FOCUS, we’ve done our best once again this month to showcase how fortunate we are in the pages of this publication. ON THE COVER Our Women In Business grace our cover this month. A big thank you to our lovely cover models, along with Club Taree, Occasions Jewellers and Margo’s Fashions Taree for helping us put together another fantastic cover. Our 2016 Women In Business feature starts on page 26; be sure to pop over and meet all our Women In Business. IN THIS ISSUE Apart from our annual Women in Business feature, which introduces us to many of our area’s dedicated and enterprising women, we also have a comprehensive Senior Living and Retirement feature this month, which highlights the array of facilities available locally for the older

members of our community. Our interviews cover a gamut of talent, such as watercolour artist Sandi Lear, creative photographer Mel Nunn, skilled editor-in-chief and business owner Amy Heague from Travel Play Live, and former professional surfer Layne Beachley. Lots of entertaining reading! TEAM PICTURE This month’s team picture came from Manning Valley Tourism - a beautiful shot! FINAL SAY “Somewhere along the way, I realised that the new year doesn’t begin for me in January. The new and fresh has always come for me in the Fall. Ironically, as leaves are falling like rain, crunching beneath my feet with finality, I am vibrating with the excitement of birth and new beginnings ... My year begins in autumn.” - Betsy Cañas Garmon.

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focusinterview. Anne Ryan: photo courtesy of Felicity Jenkins, AGNSW. Michael Caton by Bruno Grasswill - 2015 Oil on canvas - 177.8 x 121.7 x 3.6 cm - © the artist

Judo House pt 6 (the white bird) by Nigel Milsom - 2015 Oil on Linen - 232.3 x 190.2 cm canvas - © the artist

ARCHIBALD Prize 2015

THE ARCHIBALD PRIZE ATTRACTS A WIDE ARRAY OF ENTRIES EVERY YEAR, FEATURING PORTRAITS OF AUSTRALIANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. THE 2015 ARCHIBALD PRIZE IS NO EXCEPTION – BUT YOU CAN VIEW THE FINALISTS IN THIS EXHIBITION FOR YOURSELF AT THE MANNING REGIONAL ART GALLERY. CURATOR ANNE RYAN, FROM THE ART GALLERY OF NSW, TELLS US MORE …

i Anne. Please introduce yourself to our readers … I’m a curator with the Art Gallery of NSW. The area I’m responsible for is Australian works on paper - prints, drawings and watercolours. Last year I was the curator of the Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes. Most of us have probably heard the term “curator”, but what does a curator actually do - especially in your case? We wear a whole number of different hats! In terms of being a museum curator, we do everything from build, interpret to presenting a collection. We organise exhibitions, we acquire works, we interpret them through talks, writing and exhibitions. In terms of a “Prize”, we have a very specific job. With the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, we’re responsible for making sense of the final selection on the wall. The Prizes are judged either by our Trustees or by a guest judge (in the case of the Sulman), and we are there to attend to this, but don’t have any say in which works are selected. Once the works have been selected, we need to display them on the wall in a way that has visual and thematic meaning, to help the viewers make sense of what can be a very diverse collection of works. The curator is the resident expert - we speak to members of the public, gallery supporters, tour groups, benefactors and corporate sponsors and do a lot liaison with the artists - so we’re basically facilitators of communication for the Prizes. The Archibald Prize always attracts works of the highest calibre. Could you tell us more

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about the exhibition that’s travelling this open to the curators and the volunteers who’ll be year? Were there any surprises amongst the organising the show - they’ll each put their own works presented? stamp on the exhibition. The Archibald is always a combination of the The winner of the Archibald Prize 2015 is Nifamiliar and the surprising. We know gel Milsom’s piece, Judo house pt 6 (the we’re going to get portraits of white bird). Describe this piece Australian people, but the - it’s certainly a very striking surprise each year is how work … artists choose to present It was the largest portrait d be ri sc I’ve de these - the people they ld in the Archibald last year. It’s ba hi rc A the a choose to paint, and visually very striking - very of nd ki as Prize year e th the way they choose dark. The main features of of ot sh ap sn of to paint them. It feels the portrait focus on the through the eyes somewhat familiar each head, the hands, and the artists ...” year, but it’s also comneck cloth a Barrister wears. pletely new each time. The subject is a well-known The Archibald is a comSydney Barrister, Charles Waterpletely open Prize - anyone street. It’s a very direct portrait, so can enter - from the most seasoned the focus on the subject’s eyes coming professional portrait painters through to out and looking at you full frontal is very amateurs. That said, it’s about portraiture, powerful. The subject’s hands also seem to have it’s about Australian people and it’s about a slightly out of proportion quality to them; painting, so this is the consistency that runs they’re very large, so they’re being used as a throughout the Archibald Prize each year. symbolic feature in the picture. I’ve described the Archibald Prize as kind of a The artist, Nigel Milsom, was represented by snapshot of the year through the eyes of artists: Charles Waterstreet in a criminal case; he was in a very serious situation and saw in his Barrister a what’s captured their attention, what has really nurturing helping hand. He really felt as if his life come to the fore in terms of what they want was in Charles Waterstreet’s hands. to communicate through their work about our We must also mention the winner of the society and our culture. People’s Choice award, the portrait of MiThe thing that’s interesting for me when the chael Caton by Bruno Jean Grasswill. Such “Archie” tours, is that every venue is different. a contrast to the winner of the Archibald The hang we had in Sydney may not be repliPrize, but a beautiful painting of an Austracated in other venues, because of the way the lian icon … venue is built - there may be different size rooms It’s also quite a large painting, in that the suband walls, so it’s very much open to re-interpreject’s head almost completely fills the canvas - so tation every time. This is quite invigorating and it’s larger than life. This painting won the Packing adds local flavour to the exhibition, because it’s

“

Room Prize and the People’s Choice, which are two of the awards associated with the Archibald. The Packing Room Prize is awarded by the packing room staff at the Gallery of NSW, who see every single piece of work that is submitted. This is the work they chose this year … And coincidentally, it also won the People’s Choice, which is possibly also very much about the subject matter. Michael Caton is a well-known and muchliked Australian actor, who’s often played the part of the “everyman” … the regular, ordinary bloke. I think a lot of people relate to that. It’s also a picture where he has a smiling expression on his face, and I think people find this very approachable and friendly. The Archibald Prize has been in existence for some time now - since 1921. Why do you think it’s still so popular? I think it’s a number of things. Australians are interested in other Australians; you can see this in magazines, newspapers and on TV, and this translates to art as well. Portraiture is a very accessible subject in art; people feel they can understand what portraiture is about. And because it’s a Prize and there’s a winner, people are curious to see whether they agree with the prize winning decision. The Archibald has always attracted audiences to the gallery and on the regional tour, so people can decide if the judges got it right or not! Thanks Anne. See the Archibald Prize 2015 at the Manning Regional Gallery from March 5 to April 17. Private viewing: 4th March, 2pm - 4pm. (Pre-booked tickets only.) Gala opening: 5th March, 5pm - 8pm. For tickets to the private viewing, gala opening or to view the exhibition on other dates, please visit: manningregionalartgallery.com.au

OPERA BY THE LAKE.

Rotary Great Lakes and the Great Lakes Creative Network have combined their talents to stage a cultural event by the shores of Wallis Lake on March 19. This event will be an opera gala to celebrate some of the world’s most beautiful music, with pieces presented from operas such as Carmen, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and more!

issue I S S U E

10. 26. 43.

LAYNE BEACHLEY. Six time world surfing champion and the quintessence of an iconic Australian woman, Layne Beachley has succeeded in the pursuit of her goals and dreams. Layne will be visiting Club Taree on March 15.

SANDI LEAR.

Sandi is a well-travelled, articulate and passionate watercolour artist, who alternates her time between two homes - one in far north Queensland and the other in Diamond Beach. Sandi will be conducting a special workshop at Hallidays Point Library this month.

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WHAT’S ON FOR MARCH WOMEN IN BUSINESS FOCUS FEATURE

M A R C H 46. 47.

2 0 1 6

TOURISM UPDATE SHARON BULTITUDE SENIOR LIVING FOCUS FEATURE

STAR GUIDE WITH TERRI HALL

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manning-great lakes focus.

focusinterview. Photo courtesy of Bridget Elliot.

Photo courtesy of Michele Mossop.

OPERA B Y

T H E

L A K E

Rotary Great Lakes and the Great Lakes Creative Network have combined their talents to stage a cultural event by the shores of Wallis Lake on March 19. This event will be an opera

gala to celebrate some of the world’s most beautiful music, with pieces presented from operas such as Carmen, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and more! Peter-John Layton is one of the members of Opera Bites, the extremely gifted and popular opera company based in Sydney, that will be performing at the event. Peter-John grew up in the Manning-Great Lakes, and he’s very excited to be performing back on his home turf!

Photo courtesy of Michele Mossop.

i Peter-John. Tell us about you background and where you grew up … I was born in Taree. I lived in Cundletown, then moved to Forster and started school at Forster Primary. My family moved to Firefly, so then I attended Nabiac Primary. Years 7 to 12 were completed at Chatham High School. I moved to Sydney straight after high school, where I completed a science degree at Macquarie University (but worked at Ton-O-Fun initially in the holidays, before I left, and also BiLo in Tuncurry - where I returned every uni holidays for the entire three years of studying for my degree to pack shelves and work on the checkouts). At the end of uni I started working in Sydney and also completed a Masters in Communication at UTS. I still live in Sydney, but the majority of my family are all still up around Taree and Forster, and my parents are still in Firefly. How did you become involved with opera? My grandfather, Ken Cause, was a well-known local musician. I started learning classical piano when I was about eight from one of Pop's old teachers, Mrs Dyball. In high school I studied music with Val Audet (I

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remember in Year 8, two mates and I composed I was more interested in musical theatre, but a song, Mother Audet, in Val's honour). very quickly learnt my first opera aria, which I continued studying piano throughout was from Cavalleria Rusticana (from which a school, but my secret passion was for couple of pieces will appear in the singing. Opera by the Lake repertoire). I tinkered around with From then on, I was Finally I am singing a bit at school and hooked on opera, and ck singing ba also at university while I I continued to study home turf ! I y m on was living on campus, singing. n he w t gh never thou performing in a couple I did my first audition y m on ed rk I emba er all re of musicals. in 2009, and at that ca ce an m or perf I would o ag I started working fi rst audition I landed a s ar ye e os th under the straight after uni, and minor principal role. end up singing right one of the first things I From that point on bridge in John W ” . did with my new cash was I have been performing Park , Tuncurry get singing lessons. I followed consistently in a range Val's advice, which I remembered principal roles - there are almost from early high school - and that was too many to remember. to find an Italian singing teacher - preferably How and when did you establish female. Opera Bites? I was living in Newtown, and started From connections through performing with flicking through the Yellow Pages. The closest several opera companies in Sydney, I met some singing teacher to me, who was only 500 m up fellow performers and now very dear friends, the road, was Mrs Nitta Caruso. Female - and with whom I established Opera Bites in late definitely Italian - so all boxes ticked! 2009. The company's first performance took I started training with Nitta Caruso in 1993 place in January 2010. at which point I claimed I was not interested in We have been growing stronger and stronger opera - just following my Year 8 school teacher's ever since and have performed around Australia advice to be classically trained - by an Italian and New Zealand over the past six years. female. How much are you looking forward to

“

singing at the Opera by the Lake event? Finally I am singing back on my home turf! I never thought when I embarked on my performance career all those years ago I would end up singing under the bridge in John Wright Park, Tuncurry. I can only hope the kids out on boats and dinghies on the Lake on Saturday 19th March might hear some of the sublime pieces Opera Bites will be performing - and go look up Val Audet's details and get singing lessons! It is an absolute pleasure and honour to be singing at an event like Opera by the Lakes and let's hope this is the start of many annual events to bring the local community together to listen to all their favourite opera classics - and all beside what is arguably one of the most beautiful lakes in the world! Thanks Peter-John.

the plug! Opera by the Lake - John Wright Park, Tuncurry on 19th March 2016. Gates open at 1pm; See Sinfonia MNC from 2pm and Opera Bites from 3pm. Adults; $45.00; conc $40.00; child under 16 $30. *Booking fees apply. Visit: www.operabythelake.com

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manning-great lakes focus.

focusinterview.

Six time world surfing champion and the quintessence of an iconic Australian woman, Layne Beachley has succeeded in the pursuit of her goals and dreams. Now is her time to give back and inspire others to do the same; and her foundation, “Aim for the Stars”, is her platform. Layne will be a keynote speaker at a special Aim for the Stars Women’s Forum at Club Taree on March 15 ...

i Layne. Please give us some background on the Aim for the Stars Foundation; how and why was it founded? I founded the foundation in 2003; it was at a time when I had written the history books and become a six time world champion. I started to reflect on my career, and a friend of mine from Macquarie Bank suggested I start my own foundation, because as you know, when you become successful people want you to represent their initiatives and their causes to help raise their awareness and profile and opportunity. He said: “Why don’t you start your own?” I thought, “Well, why would I do that?” And he said, “Because no other surfer has”. So I thought, “That’s a good enough reason for me!” I love being a female pioneer, and I decided to start “Aim for the Stars” to provide financial and moral support for young girls to invest in their future and fulfill their potential, all based on the challenges - especially the financial hardship - that I experienced in the early years of my career. I was number two in the world back in the mid ‘90s, and I was working several jobs, up to 60 hours a week while I was competing, training, surfing and touring, and it just made it incredibly difficult for me to achieve my goals. I reflected on this one particular moment in time when a boss at one of the places I was working at - it was a pretty salubrious establishment call the Old Manly Boatshed. He saw how hard I was working and how committed I was to achieving my goal and basically said, “I believe in you; here’s $3,000”- and

It’s a matter of inspiring en wom to fulfil the motto of the ch foundation, whi , am re D to is ‘Dare and n io ss pa a pursue .” e’ aspire to achiev

“

that paid for my next around the world air ticket. That was a catalyst moment for me, that really changed my life to a point where someone outside of me saw how hard I was

e n y La y e l h c a e B

working and had the belief in me to invest in me - which increased my belief in myself and made me want to work harder to achieve my goals. It took another couple of years for me to get out of my own way and then go on and achieve my goals, but, if it wasn’t for people like him and other mentors in my life, then there’s no way I would have gone on to do it. It was all just too hard at the best of times. You’re coming to Taree for the Aim for the Stars Women’s Forum on March 15. Introduce us to some other keynote speakers who will be joining you at this leadership forum ... I can introduce you to a couple. One of them of course is me, but there’s also a terrific scientist - a chief scientist at the CSIRO - Dr Cathy Foley, who’s an absolute go-getter. She’s full of energy and enthusiasm and life; she will amaze you with the amount of knowledge, business statistics and analytics and graphs that she has to share in regards to things that she’s done in her career and the choices that women make that prevent them

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focusinterview.

Aim for the Stars is a really ing inclusive, inspir g in er and empow e on t en environm le op pe es at ev that el s, towards succes t to because we wan d. ” ee cc su le see peop

“ from achieving their goals. She’s not a believer in

for this lack of belief in

the glass ceiling, neither of us are; it’s a matter

ourselves by being over

of inspiring women to fulfill the motto of the

qualified to perform a

foundation, which is:”‘Dare to dream, pursue a

particular role.

passion and aspire to achieve”. She is the epitome

These events aren’t

of that, she is hilarious and loads of fun and an

exclusive to just women -

incredible role model for women - especially in the

men can come along too?

science and technology sector.

forum for both men and women …

will they experience on the day?

Not only are you holding a leadership

A lot of life lessons to be shared. There’s an immense amount of vulnerability and honesty; our speakers have basically redefined what it means

one that elevates people towards success, because

focus on Business and

we want to see people succeed. I wasn’t born a

Leadership, Community

word champion and I certainly wasn’t born with

and Culture, Environment

the ability to become one, but I was so invested in

and Sustainability, Science

my goal of becoming a world champion ... Then

and Technology, and the Arts,

there were times when it was too hard and I had

Music, and Education. Then criteria involves the applicant

No, they’re not; they’re an open

For those who are attending the event, what

but we don’t - we

the courage to put my hand up and ask for help. We like to award people who have the

selling us why we need to give them a

courage to say, “I can’t do it today” or, “I need

grant, we ask a variety of questions, we ask

help”, “I need the financial means”, or “I need

forum, you’re also going to be inspiring

for them to demonstrate the need, their goal,

the mentoring and support”. We’re rewarding

youth on your visit. Tell us about this ...

what they’ve done to towards achieving the

courage, we’re rewarding vulnerability, and we

goal, demonstrate how the grant will influence

accept that you may not go on and achieve your

We are visiting a Taree high school and doing

to succeed in a male dominated environment and

a vitality workshop with the kids, where we will

or hugely impact their capacity to do so, and

goal - and that’s OK too. But, at least you had a

they’ve made it OK for other women to follow

take them through a bit of exercise and speak to

then show what they’re doing to give back to the

good crack at it, and we were there to support

in their footsteps. They’re great role models,

them about health, wellbeing and how work- life

community.

you. These scholarships don’t come layered with

they’re great mentors, they’re full of life lessons

balance doesn’t exist - it’s more about work-life

and knowledge that they’re wiling to share with

alignment, and the way you can achieve that is by

that, we want these people to realise that once

want to be there to support and encourage and

everybody, and that’s the difference between being

prioritising yourself first. We’re going to be sharing

they become successful, they’re now a role model

believe in women - especially at times when they

a woman who’s creating a legacy as opposed to a

some life lessons with these kids, giving them

and responsible for inspiring others to do it too.

don’t believe in themselves.

woman who’s going through the motions.

a sense of clarity and direction and eliminating

Giving back to the community demonstrates

Thanks Layne.

the pressure that seems to be on teenagers that

that full circle requirement we expect from our

potential and creating a framework and a platform

they’re meant to know exactly who they are and

ambassadors once they become a scholarship

for other women to do it too. I have this belief

what they want and where they’re going. I think

winner.

in my mind that there are few female pioneers,

that’s unrealistic.

because women tend to believe that can’t achieve

This year the foundation awarded 40

against other women and put themselves down

something unless they see another woman do it

applicants scholarships across a number of

and believe they’re not capable, just because

first. Because of this imposter syndrome mentality

categories. Who is eligible to apply?

“they’re not like me” or I’m not “just like her”.

All of these women are living to their full

that woman have, we tend to put our hands

Scholarships for 2017 will be open for

We’re creating future leaders and by doing

Women tend to compare or measure themselves

Whoever they’re measuring themselves against, I

down before we put our hands up; whereas,

application in the middle of July this year, and

like to say that comparison always leads to a sense

men - whether they’re under equipped or not truly

they’re open until November. We have seven

of inadequacy; to compare yourself to someone

capable - they’ll still have that confidence to put

particular pillars that we’re focusing on. We have

even better or worse than you, you’re never going

themselves forward, because they’re willing to

Sport obviously - a misconception about “Aim for

feel good enough. Aim for the Stars is a really

learn on the job. Women have to overcompensate

the Stars” is that we primarily focus on athletes,

inclusive, inspiring and empowering environment -

an enormous amount of expectations; we just

the plug! Join Layne Beachley and some of Australia’s most accomplished female leaders, plus enjoy a delicious two course lunch at the “Aim for the Stars Women’s Forum” on Tues 15th March, Club Taree. Book a seat, $85pp at www.aimforthestars.com.au Book a table or become a table captain: Amanda Tate: atate.admiral@ljh.com.au

manning-great lakes focus.

focus_What’s On Manning Great Lakes

March 2016

WINGHAM SHOW When Friday, March 4th, 9am - Sunday, March 6th, 4pm. Where Wingham Showground. Cost Gate entry, Friday 5pm to Saturday 8pm - adults $12, pensioners $6, 12 - 17 $6, 5 - 11 $2 and under 5 free. All other times, no charge. More info Raelene: www.winghamshowground.com.au Email: winghamshowsociety@hotmail.com.au Ph: 0408 458 879.

“BRICK MANSIONS” FAMILY HISTORY FAIR Come along and research your family history further. When Sunday, March 6th, 10am - 4pm. Where Club Taree Auditorium. Cost $5 per adult. Children free. More info Contact Taree Family History Inc. Website: tareefamilyhistoryinc.com or email tareefamilyhistoryinc@ yahoo.com.au Phone (02) 6550 1440.

Legends of the 48-215 by Joel Wakely. Join local author Joel Wakely as he launches his new book, Legends of the 48-215. The book shares the history of the unique FX Holden model cars. Copies of the book will be for sale at the event. To reserve your spot, phone 6592 5290. When Friday, Mar 4th 2pm 3pm. Where Taree Library, 242 Victoria Street, Taree.

Great art - 200 new paintings from local and interstate artists, with $5,800 in prize money awarded to the best works in oils, acrylics, drawing and pastels. All works are for sale, at a wide range of artists’ prices. Where: Lake Street Gallery, 34 Lake St, Forster. When Open every day, March 20 ‘til April 3; 10am - 4pm. Cost Free entry; all welcome. Contact Vicki Bullard 6554 5855 or vickibullard@hotmail.com

PATTERSON APPEAL BENEFIT NIGHT Come and support the Patterson Family, who recently lost everything in a house fire. Tickets are just $15 or $20 (which will include bus pickup from Tinonee). Lots of prizes to be won. Great live entertainment. When Sat 19 Mar 2016, 6pm. Where Club Old Bar. More info www.facebook.com/ Pattersonappeal or email pattersonappeal@gmail.com

6. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BREAKFAST

OCEAN RHYTHMS

Presented by the Rotary Club of Wingham. Lucy HobgoodBrown, recipient of the Global Women of Action award from Rotary International, one of six women worldwide, recognised for her work in improving the lives of women in developed and developing countries (and a part-time resident of Wingham). Where Wingham Services Club. When Sunday 6 March at 8am for an 8:30am start. Cost is $25 per person. More info Ian Herd 6557 1639 or Carolyn Wiseman 6557 0550 by Wednesday 2nd March for bookings.

An all day live music event proudly brought to you by the Old Bar Beach Festival Committee. Performers include Kim Churchill, Christine Anu, Alyse Gray, bands include Caravana Sun, Chase the Sun, The Swamp Stompers and heaps more. Food and bar facilities available throughout the event. Children under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult. When Saturday, Mar 12th 11am - 9pm. Where Old Bar Beach, Old Bar. Tickets $20 per person; under 16s free. More info www.moshtix.com. Email coordinator@oldbeachfestival.com.au Phone 0413 691 609.

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20.

19.

AUTHOR TALK

ART EXHIBITION

EASTER POWERBOAT SPECTACULAR When Friday, Mar 25th - Monday, Mar 28th Where Manning River Foreshore & Endeavour Place. Cost Free. More info www.tareepowerboatclub.org.au Ph: 0412 605 953.

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GREAT-LAKES

Challenge It’s on again … the fast paced, thrilling display of six-a-side soccer matches - the Great Lakes Viking Challenge. GET DOWN TO BORONIA PARK, FORSTER ON THE WEEKEND OF 12TH - 13TH MARCH FOR SOME TOP-NOTCH ACTION! Jerrad Allen, event organiser, says this year the Challenge is even bigger than in previous years …

i Jerrad. You’ve been involved with organising the Great Lakes Viking Challenge for some years now. How has the event changed over this period

of time? Over the last 14 years the Viking Challenge has grown from 56 teams to well over 100 teams, so that we now have around 30 teams on a waiting list. This year I have turned back close to 60 teams, just to keep our numbers down to a manageable size at our current venue. The Viking Challenge has become one of, if not the largest event in the Great Lakes area, and for this we have been in discussion with the Council to move venues for the event. This year the Challenge will be held on 12th and 13th March. Where will matches be played, and what time will action kick off each day? Yes, 12th - 13th March. Every year we are on the second weekend of March, and this year the event will be held at Boronia Park, Forster. The starting whistle will be at 8am on Saturday, end whistle at 6pm, then we all go to the Lakeside Tavern to listen to the relaxing band called “Gotcha Good” and for the release of the Sunday Draw. The Sunday starting whistle will be blown

at 8am, and the Men’s A Division Final will be over 90% visiting teams. around 4pm Sunday afternoon. It will be great to What divisions (age groups) will be playing see if our local side can make this for their over the course of the event? third time in four years. The divisions are: Open Men’s, How many teams are you Open Women’s, Over 35s Men, expecting to take part Over 30s Women. this year, and from how The event is open to all en This has be t es gg far afield will they be players over the ages of bi e one of th t; en ev travelling to compete? 15 in the men’s, and 14 e th changes to as w tio ra e How many teams in the women’s. th o years ag visitors , … well, we can only What prizes/trophies largely locals to pped fli w no s ha is fit around 130 teams are on offer for the th t bu 90% on Boronia Park in the challenge? around to over visiting teams. ” current format, which There is over $11,000 works really well, and we in prize money given away are working at keeping the over the weekend, with the numbers below that number. Open Men’s Champion receiving $4,000 and the Open Women’s This is why we are in discussion with Champion $2,000, the Viking Challenge Council, so we can accept all entries if we shield and the title of Viking Challenge Chammove venues. pions. Teams will be travelling from as far south Six-a-side soccer matches offer a fast-paced, as Nowra, out past Goulbourn, Dubbo, this year exciting game for spectators, and no doubt they’re coming from Quirindi, past Armidale you’ll have some crowds to contend with then up to South East Queensland, with lots of on the day. What facilities/amenities will teams from the Sydney, Central Coast and Hunter areas. We have players coming from all over be available for spectators on site at the Australia for this one weekend in Forster. Challenge? This has been one of the biggest changes to Yes, this is fast-paced football - the skill level the event; years ago the ratio was largely locals is what a lot of the kids in our area cannot see to visitors, but this has now flipped around to around here. It’s great to watch in an enclosed

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area; there are former Matilda and Socceroo players, and to see that they can still move around and their finesse with the ball is a great sight - all at ground level. There is a canteen open whilst all games are playing, to supply you with breakfast, smoko, lunch and cold drinks, and there’s a coffee van and Tooheys van (for the over 18s). What sponsors/support people would you like to thank for their assistance this year? We would like to thank the following for their support: Lakeside Tavern, Thomas Scaffolding, Tooheys, JR Richards Waste Removal, Roberts Meats, Coke, and Great Lakes Tourism. The Challenge is hosted by the Great Lakes United Football Club (the Vikings) each year. Registrations to play for the club’s 2016 season are now open - what age do you need to be if you want to register, and what are the best ways to get in touch with the club? Yes, Winter Rego is open, and Great Lakes will accept rego from five year olds and above. We have teams from the under 6s right through to our First and Reserve Grade Premier League teams. Both males and females are welcome in any teams. If you are a coach and you’re looking for a team this year, we could find a team for you. Thanks Jerrad. Visit: thevikings.org.au for more information. manning-great lakes focus.

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CAPTURING NEWBORNS’ FIRST FEW PRECIOUS WEEKS OF LIFE IS JUST ONE OF THE CREATIVE MEL NUNN’S PASSIONS. MEL IS ALSO A TALENTED WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO

FOLLOW A FEW STORMS AROUND SO SHE CAN TAKE THAT ELUSIVE STUNNING LIGHTNING SHOT! MEL IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FIVE YEARS SHE’S EXPERIENCED IN THE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC WORLD SO FAR, AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WILL BRING …

PHOTOGRAPHER

i Mel. What originally brought foundation in the technical aspect of my learning. you to the Great Lakes area to I learnt very quickly that there was much more to live? photography then just pressing the shutter. So not only At the age of 14 I moved to the did I have to master taking amazing shots, I also had to Mid North Coast from the Centrallearn the post production aspect, which can be very time west of NSW. This is where I have consuming, yet very rewarding to see the end result. met my husband, Andrew, and we have settled in the I really feel that I have grown as a photographer in my beautiful Hallidays Point community with our three five shorts years as being a professional, and I can't wait beautiful girls. to keep evolving as a photographer. How did you become interested in What are some of the courses/training photography? you’ve completed to help hone your At the age of 10 I received my first skill behind the lens? camera, and I remember making I was lucky that Shane took I started my my siblings pose for photos me under his wing and shared profession in all over the family farm. My his many years of knowledge r, to men 2011 under my grandfather was also interested and skills with me. I attended e H Shane Chalker. in photography, and he gave numerous weddings and photo lid so has been my e me my first manual film camera shoots with him, which is th in n foundatio y m of ct - that was a Minolta XG1, training money can't buy. He pe as l technica which I still have today. also critiqued my images and .” ng ni lear On my 30th birthday, my gave me guidance on how to husband, Andrew, gave me a digital improve my skills. camera and said to follow my dreams, I have attended newborn workshops so I did. in Sydney, where I learned so much, plus Describe your photography career to date ... it was great to get to know other like-minded Who’s helped you along the way, and how do photographers. you feel you’ve grown as a photographer since Online training has also been very helpful; there is a you first picked up a camera? lot available once you start looking. There are also online I had a real passion for photography, which was photography groups that you can join to bounce tips luckily noticed by Shane and Rhonda from Shane and techniques off each other. Chalker Photography. I started my profession in 2011 One of your fields of expertise is newborn under my mentor, Shane Chalker. He has been my solid photography. What skills do you feel are needed to

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ensure a successful newborn shoot - I don’t imagine these are always easy! Yes, newborn photography is my passion, and I have photographed well over 150 babies. You need to be extremely patient, gentle, soft and respectful. Safety is paramount when it comes to capturing every newborn image. Each baby has its own personality, even at the age of 10 days old. Every session is totally different, and you never know what to expect, so you have to be prepared for all that can happen during a session. There is nothing more rewarding then being able to capture that once in a lifetime image, as newborn babies are so precious and the first weeks of their life goes so quickly. Being a mother of three girls, I understand the importance of freezing a moment in time. Weddings are a different field of photography altogether, yet you also shoot these special occasions. How much do you enjoy being able to catch a bride and groom’s precious moments? Weddings can be very stressful, but extremely rewarding. I do love being a part of a couple’s special day. It is amazing to watch it unfold through the camera. From the girls getting ready to the nervous groom waiting, the first kiss through to the celebrations. Capturing their journey is truly an honour, which gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside. When my couples get to see their images and relive their day through my photography story telling is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. What’s your idea of photographic “nirvana” - what types of situations really ensure you enjoy having a camera in hand? I love landscapes and lightning; this is something I find hard to make the time for with my very busy life, but when I see a storm brewing, I love nothing more than to get out in the elements to capture nature in its true beauty.

I also find nothing more rewarding than a beautiful sunset at the end of the day as a backdrop for my wedding couples. What’s your favourite photographic tool (apart from your camera and lenses) ... and why is it so important? Well, it's different depending on which environment I am in. Say for instance when I'm in the studio, I love being able to control the lighting with multiple studio lights. But when I'm outside on location, my off the camera flash is a must, as I love the result it produces for me. Photoshop is very important, and I can't be without my music while I edit. Where would you like to see yourself professionally five years from now? I would like to see myself to continue to grow as a photographer. I can't believe how far I have come in the past five years and am excited to see what can happen next. I'd love to be part of the AIPP and go on to winning awards in the APPA's (Australian Professional Photography Awards). I have won a few awards internationally. I would also love to be able to mentor in newborn photography. Where can readers view more of your work or book you for a photo shoot? You can follow my photography on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ shanechalkerphotography Visit our website at: www.shanechalkerphotography.com and follow the links to newborn photography and Weddings by Mel. To book me for a shoot or get some information on our newborn and wedding packages, just email or phone our lovely Rhonda. Email: info@shanechalkerphotography.com Phone: (02) 6555 6004. Thanks Mel.

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I do love being a part of a couple’s special day. It is amazing to watch it unfold through the camera. From the girls getting ready to the nervous groom waiting, the first kiss through to the celebrations.”

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with Steve Attkins from Great Lakes Paddocks

watch.

The Bélier Family (M) Monday 7th March, 6:50pm.

t 6:50pm Monday 7th March Taree Film Society screens THE BÉLIER FAMILY (M), Eric Lartigau’s much awarded comedy about a young girl whose close bond to her hearing-impaired family is challenged by the discovery of an extraordinary talent for music. Sixteen-yearold Paula (Louane Emera) acts as an indispensable interpreter for her parents and younger brother, especially in the running of the family dairy farm.

END OF SUMMER AS SUMMER APPROACHES EACH YEAR, THE FAMILIAR FEELING OF ANGST ARISES AS WE ANTICIPATE THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE IN THE UPCOMING SEASON.

It is constantly on your mind when the foreA few of them are never satisfied and are on casts warn you of the weather ahead. Even the constant lookout for a “fresh pick”. Despite when the summer deluge comes, it doesn’t being knee deep in a lush green paddock, they take much for it to dry out and the fire threat spotted the “back paddock” - where we hold our returns. So now we are moving into Autumn, the music days - and couldn’t resist the temptation to fire threat eases ... But it is never far away, and it come sneaking down their secret paths to have is foolish not to always be aware of the possibility a munch on the precious back paddock lawn, - it is always a relief to get to this time of year providing some unexpected entertainment for without major incident. a group of party goers celebrating a For us down in Wootton, the birthday ... Or was it me chasing summer season has surpristhem away that provided the ingly delivered goodness entertainment! all round. By that, I mean In the cellar door we In the cellar door we have welthe vineyard, the cattle have welcomed many cals and the events have all locals and repeat comed many lo omers, st and repeat cu thrived. The biggest customers, who drop ar y ye who drop in ever eir surprise to us was the in every year while they th while they are on s.” vineyard, as this season are on their Christmas ay Christmas holid really threw everything at holidays. Plus, there have it - from extreme heat and been a growing number of humidity, a hail event, powerinternational visitors driving ful winds and a deluge that saw the Sydney to Brisbane journey our rivers rise to the highest we have taking the time to explore the many seen it in our 16 years on the property. hidden gems along the way. The diversity And to top it off, the night before we of visitors makes every day interesting in the planned to harvest the rain gods obviously cellar door. didn’t pay attention to the weather forecast Our summer season “Back Paddock Music” and decided to dump its load on us, causing us events have enjoyed great weather, with clear to reschedule the harvest and risk massive bird skies at each event. Xmas Party in the Paddock damage while we waited for the fruit to dry out. with The Trapps, Back Paddock Music days with Within 48 hours we decided to bring the fruit in, CARAVANA SUN and BIG FINS plus the Taree as the bird damage became a serious threat. We PCYC fundraiser were all fabulous days of family were surprised at the quality of fruit and yes, we fun in the chilled out “Back Paddock”, with no had lost a row or two to the birds, but everything weather interfering with barefoot dancing on the considere - we got lucky. lawn. We’ve welcomed many new faces to these Meanwhile, it has been a relatively low events and are looking forward to the upcoming maintenance season for the cattle, as the grasses music days planned for the year ahead. have been plentiful and the cows and calves have UPCOMING BACK PADDOCK MUSIC been happily grazing without much complaint. Sunday, March 27th ... EASTER SUNDAY.

Though her salt-of-the-earth father (François Damiens) has decided to run for mayor, Paula’s attentions are very much elsewhere. She’s witnessed the handsome new boy at school sign up for the choir, and impulsively joined too. It’s not long before her music teacher (Éric Elmosnino) discovers

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her talent … THE BÉLIER FAMILY is a triumph, becoming France’s most popular film of 2015. Then at 6:50pm Monday 21st March, LOOKING FOR GRACE (M) is an intimate, wry and profoundly moving story about chance, fate and the complexities of family life from Sue Brooks. When rebellious 16-year-old Grace (rising star Odessa Young) takes off, her exasperated mum and dad enlist the help of a close-to-retirement detective, and begin the long drive from Perth out to the West Australian wheatbelt to try to find her. Visit www.tareefilmsociety.org.au or phone 6552 3476. Both screenings are at Fay’s Twin Cinema.

with Horticulturalist Neville Donovan - Greenpatch Organic Seeds

Garlic

AT ’ S I N

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WHERE WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT GARLIC? Garlic was introduced to Australia from a multitude of cultures and cuisines. Today, the cloves are a popular and commonly used ingredient in many dishes. There are over 300 varieties of garlic, used for centuries to powerfully flavour and garnish food. It has health and medicinal benefits and can be used as an effective natural pest control. Many gardeners now plant garlic each year, as it’s relatively easy to grow and pest free. Garlic grows best during the cooler weather, with planting carried out from late March until June. Select a mostly sunny position, fertile and well drained soil similar to what winter vegetables enjoy. To plant garlic: select plump bulbs and gently separate cloves from the bulb. Plant direct into the soil with the top point facing upright; push clove downwards so it’s covered with 1 - 2 cm of soil. Cloves can be spaced 10 - 12 cm apart. Provide compost and a complete organic fertilizer as required.

In spring, the plants will develop quickly as the bulb begins to form. It’s vital to maintain soil moisture and not allow plants to dry out. Harvest & Store: from October - December, when the green tops turn yellow and start to die back. Dig up bulbs, tie stems and hang under cover away from direct sunlight, plus provide good air flow. Garlic stores well up to six months, or until shoots begin to show. Homemade Garlic Spray: effective against aphids, slugs, snails and caterpillars. 85 g chopped garlic 500 ml water 3 tablespoons Mineral Oil 10 g soapy solution Soak garlic in mineral oil for 24 hours. Add water and soapy solution. Strain and store liquid in a glass container. To use: dilute 1 part concentrate to 8 parts water. Spray late in the day for best results.

AM SHOW SOCIETY WINGH

131st wingham Annual Show

TIMBER &4thWORKING WITH WOOD , 5th, 6th March 2016

• Rodeo • Bands • Fireworks Secretary - 0408 458 879 • Ph: 6553 4083. • Demo Derby • Sideshow Alley • Dog Show Email. winghamshowsociety@hotmail.com.au Find us on Facebook Showground Gloucester Rd, Wingham • Campdrafting • Cattle and Poultry A TRUE COUNTRY EXPERIENCE www.winghamshowground.com.au • Arts & Craft displays • Wood chopping

Timber & Working With Wood Show comes to Newcastle Experience the power and the passion like never before … Roll up your sleeves and get ready for an action-packed weekend, 18 - 20 March at the Newcastle Timber & Working With Wood Show, Newcastle Entertainment Centre! The Timber & Working With Wood Show comes to Newcastle with more demonstrations and more products and more tips from the experts than ever before. If the buzz of tools and the smell of sawdust get you excited, there’s no place better to be.

The Wingham Show showcases the best of country living, with traditions respected by the local community. The action starts on Friday, March 4th from 9am, Saturday 5th from 8am, and Sunday 6th from 7am. Friday 4th - 9am showjumping, 5pm amusement rides, 7pm bull ride, 9:30pm live band “The Trapps”, and event closes 11pm. Food available all day, and the bar will operate from 4pm to 11pm. Saturday 5th is Big Family Day Out - from 8am, competitions for horses, beef cattle, poultry, sheep, art and craft.

Whether you’re a hobbyist, renovator or tradesman, join internationally acclaimed experts for state of the art demonstrations. Road test the latest and also the traditional tools, marvel at the raw beauty of Australia’s finest timbers and share in this wonderfully creative and functional art form.

9am team penning event, 10am chainsaw competitions,

There is so much to do! From the serious wood expert to the uninitiated novice, participate in the Come Try Learn and Buy FREE workshops, interactive displays and lessons for all ages and levels of expertise. Try your hand at something new, or perfect your craft under the guidance of the experts.

Musuem, Men’s Shed and the Wool Shed, Tea Rooms, bar

The Timber & Working With Wood Show is Australasia’s largest consumer showcase of products and services for the woodworking and timber industries, running successfully around the country for the past 21 years.

types come together to win titles.

Sharp prices, expert advice and plenty of fun for all!

11am woodchop competitions, and Grand Parade/Official Opening at 2:30pm. Don’t miss the Demo Derby at 5pm, followed by the fireworks display at 7:45pm. Also open will be the Rock

the reptiles, roving characters, balloon sculpturess, free face painting and puppet shows.

Visit our website: www.winghamshowground.com.au/show_society Contact the Secretary, Raelene Marshall: Phone: 0408 458 879 or

www.timbershows.com.au

18 - 20 March 2016, 10 - 4pm All Days Newcastle Entertainment Centre

Your Ticket includes: • Come Try Learn and Buy interactive workshops • Box making demonstations • Expert advice from the professionals • Traditional woodwork • Do IT Yourself Demonstrations • Beautiful timber on sale

5 March – 17 April 2016 Archibald Prize 2015 at the Manning Regional Art Gallery

Avoid queues, book your ticket now!

Sunday 5th - 7am campdraft, 9am dog show - breeds of all

email: winghamshowsociety@hotmail.com.au

NEWCASTLE

THE ART AUSTRALIA’S TALKING ABOUT

and food stalls. Amusement rides and sideshows all day. See

PRE PURCHASE YOUR TICKET ONLINE TODAY AT:

Mark your diary now!

TA1790880

SINGLE ENTRY TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE OR AT THE GALLERY Adult $10 Concession $7 Children (under 16) FREE

Special Events Private View - Friday 4 March 2pm - 4pm Book now. Limited Tickets $25

(pre-event bookings only) Gala Opening - Saturday 5 March 5pm - 8pm Book now. Limited Tickets $50 (pre-event bookings only)

Opening by the Mayor, Paul Hogan, with special guest, Bruno Jean Grasswill, AGNSW Packer’s Prize and People’s Choice winner.

For all tickets, please go to

www.manningregionalartgallery.com.au/ whats-on/archibald-prize-2015/ Bus and school groups bookings, call the Gallery

Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 4pm, Sunday 1pm - 4pm

12 Macquarie Street Taree

ph 6592 5455

image: Carla Fletcher Jenny Kee (detail) mixed media on linen 203 x 153.5 cm © the artist Photo: © AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins

Buy your ticket online and save www.timbershows.com.au. Tickets also available at the gate all days of the Show

E: info@iexh.com.au | W: www.timbershows.com.au M: 0418 230 652

An Art Gallery of New South Wales touring exhibition

Principal Sponsor

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Atilla Sautov PHENOMENAL VIOLINIST

MANNING

ORGANIC

Gardening GROUP

ATTILLA SAUTOV IS A PHENOMENAL VIOLINIST, HAVING PERFORMED AS CONCERT MASTER AND SOLOIST IN OVER FORTY COUNTRIES. ORIGINALLY FROM TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN, HE HAS RESIDED IN AUSTRALIA FOR TEN YEARS AND BECAME AN AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN IN 2015.

aving just returned from Italy (with a new 1705 Stradivari model violin from Cremona), Attilla is embarking on a tour of New South Wales, performing solo works by Paganini and Bach. This will be the first time he will tour without a chamber orchestra or pianist. However, there is no compromise on entertainment, as Attilla’s style of playing demonstrates the incredible acrobatics that, in the right hands, can be achieved on the violin - techniques which are inherent in Paganini’s compositions. In contrast, Bach’s music, although not as technically challenging, is extremely moving, and his solo violin works allow the audience to focus completely on the

rich and versatile sound of the instrument. Attilla performs with great passion and warmth, and with breathtaking technique. However, he also has a trademark rapport with his audience (who are often left speechless by his talents) and enjoys bringing his musical gifts to regional communities. “The people in smaller towns are always so welcoming,” he said. Attilla will be performing at St John’s Anglican Church, Taree, on Friday 11 March at 7pm, and the Tuncurry Memorial Hall on Saturday 12 March at 3pm. TICKETS Adult: $30, Concession: $25. Book at www.attillasautov.com or phone 0417 619 915.

MANNING ORGANIC GARDENING GROUP (MOGG) WILL PRESENT A ONE-DAY WORKSHOP ON “CREATING HEALTHY SOIL” ON 9TH APRIL 2016 AT KILLABAKH HALL, KILLABAKH.

he event has been made possible through a Community Education Grant, provided by Hunter Local Land Services, with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

MOGG would like to thank the Australian

The event will feature two renowned speakers, Jeremy Bradley and Jack Waterman. Knowledge gained in the workshop will help gardeners, growers and landholders to inexpensively build and improve soil, increase livestock health, performance and profitability, and improve nutrient uptake from soil. The technique, based on Bokashi/Ekihi EM technology originally developed in Japan, is a time-tested and proven method of DIY low-cost soil building and creation of natural organic liquid fertiliser.

and visitors learn how to grow their own food

Government and Hunter Local Land Services for the opportunity to present this workshop. Established in 1978, MOGG is a friendly group of people with a common interest in gardening. We strive to help our members without using harmful chemicals, to look after the environment, and to live more sustainably. For more information about joining MOGG or about the upcoming workshop, phone Blanca (0468 350 897) or Jo (0401 601 162) or email manningogg@gmail.com, or if you prefer, write to us at Manning Organic Gardening Group, PO Box 82, Wingham NSW 2429. MOGG display at the 2015 Envirofair (photo: Rodger Marchant)

MELANOMA March COMES TO FORSTER TUNCURRY

REGISTERING FOR THIS YEAR’S MELANOMA MARCH IS GREAT EXCUSE FOR SOME HEALTHY WEEKEND FAMILY TIME THAT ALSO HELPS FUND VITAL RESEARCH INTO MELANOMA, A DISEASE WHICH TAKES THE LIFE OF ONE AUSTRALIAN EVERY SIX HOURS.

egister today and let your small steps make a BIG difference.

With the highest rates of melanoma in the world - around 30 individuals are diagnosed with the disease every day. Melanoma March is focused on raising money to change the future for the thousands of people who are fighting this deadly disease. An initiative of non-profit organisation Melanoma Institute Australia, Melanoma March is now in its fifth year, with marches held in 24 locations across Australia. This year will be the first time Melanoma March has been hosted in Forster Tuncurry.

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Melanoma March Forster-Tuncurry will be an action packed family day where participants walk or run a 4 km course before enjoying food, entertainment, market stalls and activities for the kids such as face painting. What: Melanoma March Forster Tuncurry. Where: John Wright Park, Tuncurry. When: Sunday 20 March | 9am (register from 8am). Who: All ages. Cost: Adult - $30, Child (6 - 17 years old) $15, child under 5 years old - FREE, family (2 adults, 2 children) - $80. Register or make a donation today: WWW.MELANOMAMARCH.ORG.AU

Matters. [ w ith Ala n Tickle ]

The The Legal Legal Light Light W I T H

Dear Alan, I have recently gone through a divorce and now have a mortgage that will see me still working to age 70 to repay the mortgage and hopefully have some superannuation to retire on.

annuation.

My children will attend university, and I should be clear of any responsibility in about five years.

In this case, the level of cover accepted did not affect cash flow beyond what was affordable, there was still capacity for superannuation to grow in value but comfort in knowing that in the event of sickness or disability, the mortgage could be covered or paid out, sufficient money available as security and 75% of current salary indexed to inflation paid to age 70.

I have enough life cover to clear the mortgage, but my income insurance and disability cover is just the default cover attached to my industry super fund. I can’t afford much in premiums, but I’m concerned how I can survive if I can’t work. JO In this case we found that the cover in place for income protection was underinsured and only provided cover to age 60, with a wait period that was too long. The disability cover also was next to nothing, which meant that in the event of long term sickness, accident or disability, there was the real risk of losing the house to the lender and no chance of surviving financially. The solution to cover affordability, was to utilise the existing industry fund life insurance, which had a decreasing cover based on age but also establishing additional insurance. In the new fund, life, disability and income cover that was more adequate was written with a premium structure that gave the flexibility to reduce cover as circumstances changed, but contained adequate cover on level premiums to avoid cost escalation in later years. The premiums were drawn annually from the superannuation fund. There was also trauma and critical illness cover written that was affordable outside of super-

Own occupation cover was attached, to prevent a potential inaccessible claim for total and permanent disability that most often is the case with superannuation funds for certain occupation types.

It has to be understood that 15% tax applies to payment of concessional superannuation benefits and that includes attached life cover, to a non-financial dependant such as adult children. So holding cover outside of superannuation is preferable, but not always affordable. Effective estate planning can reduce that impact and should form part of the strategy discussion. Jonathon and Alan Tickle are skilled in risk insurance. Getting specialist advice rather than relying on the standard cover offered by the superannuation fund can avoid costly mistakes. Seminar Reminder: it’s your last chance to book attendance to the seminar being held at Club Taree on 3rd March at 3pm. Ph. 6551 2333. Hint to Pensioners In situations where the asset test is determining the amount of part pension, informing Centrelink of the reduced value increases the pension entitlement by $1.50 per $1,000 dollar reduction in assets. Increases may also result if assessed under the income test due to lower assessed income on the value of investments.

J U S T I N

S T A C K

Justin Stack COURT RULING ON WILL SHOWS IMPORTANCE OF EXPERT ADVICE

hen two adult children were upset their mother had left the bulk of her $1.1 million estate to a healing guru, they decided to challenge her Will in court. This bequest was on top of $800,000 she had given the self-proclaimed healer of “esoteric medicine” before she died. Joshua Crowther, Law Society Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates at Stacks Law Firm, says the children faced several options in challenging their mother’s Will. “They could try to convince the court that their mother lacked capacity when she wrote her Will. To establish this, they’d need medical confirmation of dementia or some other incapacitating condition,” Mr Crowther said. The children didn’t have this medical evidence, so the next option was to prove their mother did not know or understand what she was signing. However, before her death, the mother had made a video explaining clearly why she was leaving the bulk of her money to the healer, saying he had done so much for her wellbeing and she wanted him to go on to help others. “The video was an excellent way for the mother to establish her clear intentions. It also effectively blocked the challengers’ option of proving coercion or duress by the main beneficiary.” The mother also said in the video she had

explained to her children why she was leaving money to the healer and sought their assurance they would respect her wishes and not challenge the Will. This left family provision proceedings as the only avenue available to the children. However, the mother had left each child $250,000. The court found this was a “sizeable deposit” and didn’t accept the argument the Will didn’t provide adequately for the children, who were seeking $400,000 each. The court ruled against the challengers. “Generally, the court does not like to change a Will, as it views testamentary freedom as very important,” Mr Crowther said. “If the mother hadn’t left anything to the children and if evidence, including video footage, wasn’t available, then the court would probably have given the children something. But it held that the children had received a reasonable portion which satisfied the mother’s intention. “This case proves that it is very important to get specialist legal advice when deciding to not divide your estate equally among the children. Often ancillary statements that are only to be opened if a claim is brought by a child are important to include with Will papers, because it gives the court evidence of the testator’s intentions. The video was also good use of evidence and clinched the case for the deceased.”

This information and advice is of a general nature only and no reliance should be placed on the information before seeking individual advice from a Financial Planner and Taxation Adviser to ensure the appropriateness to individual circumstances. Alan Tickle and Your Heritage Financial Planning are both authorised representatives of Securitor Financial Group AFSL 240687 ABN 48009189495.

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BBQ Scotch; 13 hour Slow Roasted Scotch Fillet with Smokey BBQ Sticky Sauce Served with Sweet Potato & Coleslaw from CHANNELS FAMILY RESTaurant

download our eat. dining guide for iPhone & Android www.focusmag.com.au/eat

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Dasher’s

Channels - Family Restaurant

Have a meal with Dasher’s.

Daily promo meals - 7 days a week MONDAY - $12 southern fried chicken night

Dasher’s is quickly becoming Forster’s favourite restaurant. With meals that the whole family can enjoy, from burgers to hot dogs, onion rings to cheesey fries - and don’t forget about the famous Dasher’s shakes.

TUESDAY - $10 steak night with complimentary middy of James Squire 150 Lashes. WEDNESDAY - $12 chicken schnitzel night.

Located across from the water along Memorial Drive, Dasher’s is the perfect spot for that after swim cocktail or get together with friends and family. Licensed.

THURSDAY - $10 - $12 raffle - menu raffles 1pm and 7pm. Head Chef John Kaukasi

Eat in or take away.

FRIDAY - $10 seafood plate OR Italiano chicken. SUNDAY - $12 - 2 COURSE ROAST - PLUS $5 JUGS SOFT DRINK ALL DAY. Plus all other menus.

Channels Family Restaurant Manning River Hotel, 20 Oxley St, Taree (main road heading north) 6552 3116

24 - 30 Memorial Drive, Forster 6555 7352 Closed Mondays only. Tuesdays 11am - 3pm, Wednesday - Sunday Lunch from 11 - 3pm and dinner from 5pm.

Bistro open for lunch 7 days, 11:30am - 2pm; dinner Sunday - Tuesday 6pm 8:30pm, Wednesday - Saturday 6pm - 9pm. Barista bar open 7 days from 11am.

Bowers CafÉ restaurant

Jashan Lounge Indian Restaurant

Bowers is for lovers of good honest and original food in a laid back setting overlooking Kolodong Valley. Come and join chefs Mark, Kelly and staff for a friendly relaxed morning tea or lunch. Bowers is the perfect family friendly place set on a tranquil parcel of land; there is plenty of space for the kids to run. Chefs Mark & Kelly Davis

461 Kolodong Road, Taree 6550 1230 Tues-Sat 9am - 3pm for morning tea and lunch.

Head Chef Scott Hyde.

Jashan Lounge Indian restaurant is fine dining experience at its best. The enthralling ambience and sensational mouth watering flavours will keep you asking for more. There is something for everyone, including kids. Not all spices are hot, so talk to us on your visit and let us help you to enjoy your visit with friends and family. Our menu is extensive, with a few additions from the chef, and we are a fully licensed restaurant with bar. Our motto is to serve quality food with great customer service. We cater for fine dining, takeaway and delivery (surrounding areas, please call to check minimum price) and outdoor catering. Our restaurant can comfortably seat up to 100 people. We can organise all your small and large party groups. We are well equipped for corporate events; please call us to discuss your event.

Head Chef Harinder (Harry)

103 Victoria St, Taree 6551 5927 7 days lunch and dinner. Mon - Sat: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 10pm and Sun: 5pm - 10pm. manning-great lakes focus.

focusinterview.

Audio vixen Tribute to family legends

Mark Davis B O W E R S

C A F É

BOWERS CAFÉ RESTAURANT IS THE PLACE FOR LOVERS OF REAL FOOD. THE PERFECT FAMILY FRIENDLY CAFÉ FOR A QUICK BITE, OR A RELAXING LUNCH. SOURCING LOCAL INGREDIENTS DIRECT FROM FARMERS WHERE POSSIBLE, YOU ARE ENSURED OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND FRESHNESS WHEN YOU DINE.

hen did you first become and why? interested in cookery as a Our prawn handmade pasta - you just can’t career? get any fresher. I have always loved When it comes to special events and cooking, but my true passion emerged after functions, what range of food and watching chefs work during my first job as a services can you offer? dish hand. We have a wide range of sit down menus What training did you undertake, and finger food options available for and where was your first special events and functions. job? Readers are best to contact is My first job was at us to discuss the various Consideration Birkenhead Point options available for always given to d ce ur so Tavern in Sydney, their next special be n ca t wha keep before I started an function. locally, so as to ality apprenticeship at Outside of work, freshness and qu anges ch high . Our menu Lennons restaurant what do you enjoy cting seasonally, refle under the watchful cooking? our use of locally eye of Head Chef Scott Stirfries; I absolutely al sourced season McFadyen. love to cook and eat produce. ” When it comes to stirfries. They are quick, creating a seasonal easy and tasty! menu, what do you take into Do you have a favourite consideration - and how often is the ingredient to work with? menu changed at Bowers Café? Mushrooms are top of my list! Their Consideration is always given to versatility and earthy flavour is hard to beat, in what can be sourced locally, so as to keep my opinion. freshness and quality high. Our menu changes What plans do you have for the future of seasonally, reflecting our use of locally sourced the café? seasonal produce. A liquor licence is at the forefront of What local produce features on the menu? our plans for Bowers Café; this will help to We have a lot of local produce on the enhance the dining experience for our patrons. Bowers Café menu, including Mooral Creek If you could cook just one thing, what mushrooms, Binnorie cheeses, East Coast would it be? Gourmet produce, Holy Goat coffee and It would have to be a curry. I just love a vegetables from Jonathons. good curry. Your favourite dish on the menu currently Thanks Mark.

“

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AUDIO VIXEN Tribute to Family Legends | Easter Saturday 26th March | 8pm - This exciting tribute show can only be described as pure gold entertainment. From one family to another, Australia’s premier AWARD WINNING VOCAL GROUP AUDIO VIXEN performs with unparalleled harmonies like only siblings can produce. It’s the ultimate tribute to the music of Family Legends. KINGS OF COUNTRY ROCK CCR & Eagles Tribute | Friday 1st April | 8pm - An epic musical salute to America’s number one country rock legends: THE EAGLES and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL. This two-hour stage spectacular captures the sounds and excitement of America’s country rock icons. Featuring all the timeless rock and roll classics that defined The Eagles and CCR as 1970s superstars. Part one of the highly acclaimed show takes the audience on a musical journey of THE EAGLES - the highestselling American band in U.S history, with over 120 million album sales worldwide, six Grammy

Awards, five American Music Awards and ranked by influential Rolling Stone Magazine’s 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time, whilst also ranking the band’s 1976 Hotel California album 37th in their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Masterpieces such as: Take It Easy, Witchy Woman, Already Gone, One of These Nights, Lyin’ Eyes; Take it to the Limit, New Kid in Town, Desperado, Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane - are all faithfully reproduced. COL ELLIOTT Col’s Final Farewell Tour | Friday 8th April | 8pm - Col Elliott has been pushing our belly-laugh buttons for over 40 years. He is one of Australia’s most loved and in demand performers. Col takes his audience on an incredible ride with his stand-up, his zany characters and his unique brand of story-telling and music ... He does it all. Col never fails to entertain, and his story-telling expertise allows you insights into the ups and downs along his life’s journey, as he shares a few more laughs along the way.

focusinterview.

AUDIO Award winning vocal group Audio Vixen will be delighting fans at Club Forster on 26th March with their exciting show, “A Tribute to Family Legends” . The talented trio caught up with FOCUS to share details of their history and latest venture ...

ake us back to when Audio Vixen was founded. How did you come together to share your passions? Ross: Audio Vixen was formed in 2008. Ria and Christine had already been singing from a very young age with our parents, and then started worked as a duet for a number of years. We started jamming together when I learnt how to play guitar at the age of 12, and the harmony sound of a trio just clicked with us, so we decided to make it official and we became “Audio Vixen”. Who makes up the group? Ross, Ria and Christine. You’ve received outstanding reviews and accolades over the years. What have been some of the biggest highlights? Ria: Definitely the biggest highlight for us would be when we were given the opportunity to be the opening act for Barry Gibb’s Australian Mythology Tour. It was an incredible experience, and to see his passion for music up close and personal and the reactions from his audiences motivated us even further to make music our life goal. Christine: We were lucky enough to be finalists in The X Factor in 2011, and going through that experience together was pretty special too. It exposed us to a larger audience than what we had reached by ourselves, so we’ve made the most of that and basically haven’t stopped since we came off the show. You’re touring a special tribute show to some of the most well known and respected artists in history - who are

some of the artists you’re covering in the about getting on the road? show? Ria: Taking this show out on the road and Ross: We are currently touring a show bringing it to a brand new audience keeps us called A Tribute to Family Legends, which energised. We always give it 110%, because we’re bringing to Club Forster on the 26th we want people to know that when they March, which pays homage to some of come and see our shows, they’re going to the legendary family groups in the history have a great experience. of music such as The Bee Gees, Ross: We usually do a Meet and The Beach Boys, The Everly Greet after our shows, so we Bros, The Jackson 5, The enjoy meeting new people Carpenters and more. and having a chat with We enjoy performing them. Sometimes they it ve gi s ay We alw e w such classic songs, tell us stories about e us ca be , 110% ow and people love experiences they’ve kn to le op want pe me co hearing them come had with meeting The ey th n he w that s, to life again. It’s great Bee Gees when they and see our show ve a ha music that everyone lived in Australia, or they’re going to .” knows and can’t help seeing The Beach Boys great experience singing along to. If as their first concert. anyone would like to When it comes to your see a glimpse of the show, original songs, who does they can see a quick extract all the writing and what on YouTube called Audio Vixen - A inspires you? Tribute to Family Legends. Christine: It just depends on what Who is your favourite artist to play mood everyone is in. Sometimes Ross will tribute to? write three or four songs in a row on his Christine: We all have a different own, and then Ria and I will have a listen and answer! (Laughs). For me, it’s probably give our input. Or sometimes Ria will have The Carpenters. I’ve always loved Karen lyrics and Ross will have a melody line, and Carpenter’s voice and the way she made we try to put them together. I don’t think people feel when she sang, so I relish the there’s any particular formula in how we chance to do those songs justice. write. Ria: The Bee Gees. I don’t know anyone Ross: The three of us listen to quite a who can resist such great songs. diverse range of music styles, and we’re Ross: I love playing the songs from The drawn to them for different reasons. I listen Beach Boys. They put you in such a great to anything from Coldplay and Muse, to Led mood when you hear them. Zepplin, The Doobie Bros or Bryan Adams, What are you looking forward to most etc. Ria’s influences come from the likes of

“

Shania Twain, Florence and the Machine and Robben Ford, and for Christine it’s Adele, Lady Antebellum and Richard Marx. Collectively as songwriters we’re inspired by The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay or America. So we’re a pretty mixed bag! (Laughs). What are your plans for the next two years? Christine: We’re currently in the studio recording our first album of originals, so that’s our main focus at this stage, as well as to continue touring with our tribute shows. We’d like the opportunity to take our music and the shows to a wider audience. Hopefully in two years’ time people will be singing along to our songs as well. How can our readers get hold of your music and follow your journey? Ria: We’re on Facebook, and we always communicate with our followers. They can also follow us on YouTube, and our music is available on iTunes. We also have merchandise available at our live shows, where we have a CD of 18 songs from our tribute show A Tribute to Family Legends, so people will get a chance to purchase a hard copy of the CD if they come to Club Forster on Saturday 26th March. Thanks guys.

the plug! Don’t miss Audio Vixen’s A Tribute to Family Legends at Club Forster, Saturday 26th March 2016; 8pm. www.clubforster.com.au

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focus_eat

Gabriel Darzi - Executive Director The Sicilian Bar & Restaurant

salmon or tuna, thinly sliced or pounded thin. If you’d like to try Carpaccio, next time you are at the Sicilian please try our “Salmon Carpaccio”. I guarantee you will love it, because it is my Nonna’s recipe. I find in many restaurants that pasta, vegetables, and rice have been overcooked. Thus cooked, food not only loses the taste and colour, but also loses all its nutrition. Italian pasta should not be overcooked. It is important to be “al dente”, meaning pasta, vegetables, rice or beans cooked firm to the bite. What other cuisine is popular among the world and why? The last few years in Australia, even in regional NSW, there has been a magnificent change in eatery options. One in particular is Japanese cuisine, which has been popping up all around the coast. Let’s talk about Japanese cuisine.

FASTEST GROWING CUISINE IN THE WORLD I LOVE TO EAT SOME FOOD RAW! BACK HOME WHEN I WAS KID, EVERY TIME NONNA WENT TO THE LOCAL BUTCHER, SHE BOUGHT FRESH LAMB FRIES, AND WE ALL ATE THEM RAW WITH JUST EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND SEA SALT! IT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT IS SURPRISINGLY TASTY.

hen I first came to Australia and tried this dish with my Australian friends, they didn’t like it. Eating some food raw is traditional in

Antipasto is a traditional Italian appetizer, which includes cured meats, olives, pepperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various

The traditional cuisine of Japan, “Washoku”, is based on rice with “miso” soup and other dishes, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. The side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth. Fresh fish is common in the traditional cuisine. Fish is often grilled, but it may also be served raw as sashimi or in sushi. Seafood and vegetables are also deep-fried in a light batter as tempura. Japan has many simmered dishes, such as fish products in broth.

Italy. We have many raw foods in our cuisine, e.g.

another Italian dish is “Carpaccio”, served as

Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi, has now become popular throughout the world. Some people know Japanese food more than their own culture’s cuisine.

“Antipasto”.

raw meat or fish such as beef, veal, venison,

Japanese food is popular around the world,

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cheeses, such as provolone or mozzarella, pickled meats, and vegetables in oil or vinegar. Also

because it tastes so good and is usually really healthy. A lot of people also really like the amazing presentation and detail that goes into every dish. Many ethnic foods are adapted to the particular country they’re introduced to, but Japanese food is not altered at all. Thai food, for example, is sometimes different from the traditional Thai way served when served in Australia. Japanese food is also more nutritious than other foods. It is easily recognisable, and I’d go a step further and say that because their food traditions are so carefully preserved and passed down from masters to apprentices, they take their food very seriously and have stringent codes for healthy food-handling etc. Traditionally, sushi chefs in Japan train for a long time, much longer than most chefs and cooks trained in Australia. Japanese food is based on natural foods - not a lot of processed elements are used. If you would like to try Japanese food, I know a great place to visit: Spice Monkey at Forster. I have dined there a few times and love the food. It has a fresh and funky atmosphere. Chef Brian Rout has a good knowledge of Japanese cuisine. He is creating great traditional Japanese dishes. I recommended next time when you are in Forster, drop in and order sushi and sashimi or if you would like something crispy, then order tempura or teriyaki salmon. Spice Monkey is another great local business, and I would like to say a big thanks to owners Darren and Joni for the hard work and also for bringing this great concept to our town. Great job guys! Keep up the good work!

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DONNA CARRIER

from Bent on Food

Ron Lollback’s 80th

Eric Richardson, Chris Gould, Terry Gould, Mave Richardson, Lynne Barnes.

Ron Lollback’s 80th

National Tourism Awards

Simon and Catherine at Sai Thai

SOCIAL/SCENE I FEEL LIKE MY WORLD HAS BEEN A BIT OF A ROLLERCOASTER THIS MONTH. IT IS ALWAYS THE CASE WHEN I HAVE A BIT OF A HOLIDAY.

ost of us spend the weeks leading up to our departure getting everything in place so that we can go (a bit like doing the housework before the cleaner comes), and then we spend the weeks after catching up. For me, the more work I have to do, the more productive I am, so maybe I should go away every month! I would gladly go to Melbourne more often. Whilst in Melbourne, we attended the National Tourism Awards, and although we didn’t win, we were proud to represent the region as the NSW winner and representative for the restaurant and catering category. I was already in Melbourne with my sister, so Grahame and my sister’s husband, Mark, flew in to join us. We had a wonderful time with great food, fabulous wine, great company and a surprise performance from Kate Ceberano. Naturally, at a national awards celebration, presentations are shown on the big screens of all the finalists, and we were reminded of the fabulous country we live in, along with the most amazing facilities and natural wonders that are on our doorstep. At least 2,000 people were at the event, 24 manning-great lakes focus.

and it was a privilege to be amongst some On Saturday, January 30th, local identity amazing tourism operators. Ron Lollback celebrated his 80th birthday I returned home just before Valentine’s at Wingham Bowling Club, with 60 of his Day, where we had a casual lunch at the close friends and family, who travelled from café with talented duo “Sweet Nothin” as far as Sydney, Grafton and Maclean. The playing some romantic tunes for a club served a tasty smorgasbord, very appreciative audience. and we were entertained It wasn’t your usual by some fabulous bush Valentine’s Day, with a poetry, along with a , ay On Saturd restaurant full of tables , few tales about Ron th 30 y Januar n of two, but more of and of course - a Ro y tit local iden ed at br le a family event, with few tales from Ron. ce k Lollbac at ay hd rt bi th a few large groups Our Ron loves to tell 80 his g and a truly lovely mix a story, and some Wingham Bowlin s hi Club, with 60 of of people all enjoying of them are a little d close friends an this day of love. on the tall side. His family ... ” Speaking of love, mate, Len Knight, is I have a new love! It an award winning bush doesn’t have two legs, or poet, and he performed four for that matter, but two a song that he composed for of the cutest wheels, that hold up the the occasion, aptly named Honest most beautiful little caravan named Ron. Never let the truth get in the way “Travelling Millie”. She will be around of a good story, is Ron’s motto. This is what town and sometimes out of town, with her makes him the fun bloke that we all know. first outing at the Artisans on the Hill Expo, Ron is a keen bowler and loves to go where I will be conducting Chalk Paint™ by fishing with his partner, Janet, who is my Annie Sloan demonstrations. Our Millie has partner, Grahame’s, mum. They love to many uses and loves to be photographed travel in their caravan each year and have too, already proving to be a drawcard when seen much of this glorious country. It was a parked in the main street of Wingham on lovely night with many generations of Ron the Saturday after she arrived. and Janet’s family in attendance. A family

“

brunch was held the following day at their home in Wingham. Many of the 2015 Year 12 students have now gone off to university, including our very own staff member Mathew Niksic, who moved to Wollongong with Jack Wallace, another lovely young man whom I have seen grow up over the years. I love to see our local youth growing into adults, often starting their mornings with weak hot chocolates, and developing a palate for coffee whilst making life’s big decisions about their careers. Mathew was a joy to work with, and we held a staff farewell at the lovely Sai Thai Table and Tea in Old Bar. I took far too long to get out to this restaurant, it had been on my bucket list but I hadn’t made it there, but I now find myself there regularly because it is just so good. I recommend that you go there, as it is seriously good food - fresh and innovative, with super friendly hosts. This month I would like to say happy 50th to my beautiful sister, Andre. Have a fabulous birthday, Andre - love you to bits! I would love to hear from you if you have any social events, weddings, parties anything! Send pics and info to donna@ bentonfood.com.au Cheers, Donna.

socialscene

FOCUS Fashions on the Field Winners 2016

Best Dressed Male

Most Elegant Lady

FOCUS Fashions on the Field - Best Dressed Male

FOCUS Fashions on the Field - Shelly Kurtz

XXXX Gold Tuncurry Forster Race Day

FOCUS Fashions on the Field - Young Racegoer

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w o m e n

i n

Bringing the Women’s Leadership Forum and Layne Beachley to Taree has been a few years in the making.

b u s i n e s s

Amanda Tate. LJ HOOKER TAREE

Mia Tycehurst. YMCA

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry? Truthfully, it was the poor service that we were receiving on our investment properties. Also, my husband was encouraging me, as he thought I would be good at real estate. I did apply for a job at one of our competitors, but he didn’t take me seriously and told me it was a really hard job for women and would advise me against it.

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry? It was more of a fluke; the gym I went to were looking for casual reception. It was love at first sight; the fitness industry and me. I can’t get enough of the joy it gives me to see someone grow in confidence! When your relationship towards your body changes, it changes all your relationships: from family to work. And to think that I could play a tiny part in that journey, makes me feel like a million bucks!

How do you maintain a successful work environment? Everybody knows that if you love what you do, you are usually great at it and that passion shows through in everything you do and everyone you deal with. Culture within our office is extremely important to me, and it is imperative that our staff share our vision and fit into our beliefs. I believe when you walk into our office, you can feel the energy and the passion from the team. This

cannot be bought; it is created. If you don’t love your job, it’s time to leave. Have you set yourself a business goal for 2016? What is it? Bringing the Women’s Leadership Forum and Layne Beachley to Taree has been a few years in the making. I have spent a lot of time last year refining our processes and building a good team, so this year we are letting loose and we are already seeing solid growth in both property management and sales. Our major goal is to maintain our No. 1 position whilst exceeding clients’ expectations in the services that we provide. What are your hobbies outside of work hours? When I am not working, I just love being in the moment with my family. Add a glass of a good red, and I am happy.

What can our readers expect from your business in 2016? It is important for us to keep renewing ourselves and find new exciting forms of exercise to keep the motivation up for our valued members. At Manning YMCA, the focus is on our new Precor machines, which allow you to set goals and track your progress. It’s like having

your personal trainer with the swipe of your membership card! We are also excited about the growth of family memberships. With swimming lessons included in the membership, this offers amazing value for the entire family! While your child has their swimming lesson, one parent may have a quick workout together with their teenage child. If your children are past swimming lesson age, there will be more variety of youth classes and programmes offered. Why not take advantage of our offer this month and try us out for $10 for 10 days? What are your hobbies outside of work hours? I love teaching Body Balance! I can’t call that work, because it is my passion. My time outside of the Y I spend with my daughter, renovating my house, or going to the beach.

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w o m e n

i n

b u s i n e s s

O Marlene Masters. MANNING HAIR & BEAUTY Julie Spicer. YOGA AT WALLABI

Kylie Menser. CASA LOCO

How do you create a positive environment for your team? By respecting and supporting employee engagement in all areas of the business. By modelling the organisation’s values, I have created a high performance, culture where innovation and creativity are encouraged.

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen

How do you maintain a successful work environment?

industry? My first yoga class was in Taree in the mid 1990s,

As a retailer, I find that redisplaying and moving the stock on

and from that very first class I was hooked.

a regular basis ensures that my shop always looks fresh and

I loved the way I felt after each class. It wasn’t only the

different, so my customers get to see everything with fresh

stretching and strengthening of the physical postures, it was

perspective.

What new products or services are you developing in 2016? Following the successful implementation of a fortnightly delivery van in 2015, Manning Hair and Beauty Supplies is moving forward in 2016 with a web page which will feature an online purchasing option, allowing salons quick access to their stock requirements.

also the connecting with your breath, the calming of your

What Taree expects from us this year ...

body and mind, and the people I met that kept me coming

Look for exciting new teapots and Mother’s Day mugs and teapots

back time after time.

In store during March and April. Also look for the great gifts we

How do you maintain a successful work environment?

do with our fantastic pink lady chocolates. For Easter we will have

What’s your best tip for staying on task and organised? Plan your day - using a “TO DO” list helps me keep on task and ensures I keep to the scheduled time frames. Define success … Success for me comes from working toward my own goals, making mistakes and learning from the failures, without losing the passion and enthusiasm required to reach them. How do you stay motivated? For me, the key to staying motivated is to live a balanced life. Don’t overwork yourself; it is important to enjoy life when not at work. Family, friends, hobbies and sporting activities all help to reduce life’s stresses and aid in increasing motivation and positive performance at work.

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My work environment is the yoga space that I teach in, and I

mugs, egg cups and chocolate arrangements and other exciting

want students to feel welcome when they arrive.

edible gifts for Mother’s Day.

The room is set up with mats and props, the lighting is soft,

Best business advice ...

there is gentle music in the background, candles, an oil burner

Came from my dad, and it was “always keep 10% of your

and all you have to do is arrive, lie down, close your eyes and

earnings in reserve and make sure you do it weekly, so if the

know that the next one and a half hours is time for you.

unexpected happens you have something to cover it”.

What can our readers expect from your business in

What attracted you to this industry?

2016? I have been teaching classes at Wallabi Point for almost

Every girl dreams of a well stocked glory box, and from late teens

three years in my beautiful space at home. 2016 sees me

I used to wander places like Peters of Kensington and David Jones

expanding a little to teach in Taree at Anytime Fitness, on the

looking at homewares and the like. My first job was in the Myer

deck at Flow Café Old Bar and even a free class on the beach

crockery department. When the opportunity came up to take over

at Old Bar, just down from the surf club.

Casa Loco Manning Mall, I jumped at it.

Find Yoga at Wallabi on Facebook for all the info. Come and

Business goal for 2016?

try a class, so that I can share the special practice of yoga with

Continuing to provide competitively priced top quality kitchen and

you.

homewares to Taree.

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We intend to put all that together to abide by our mission statement of ‘working together to build a better financial future for our clients’.

O Valley Industries. THE TEAM

Jackie Burley. TJL BUSINESS ADVISORS & ACCOUNTANTS

Renee Gilbert - Human Resources Manager

do yourself.

How do you maintain a successful work

Robyn Jenkins - Senior Manager

environment? Working as a team & supporting

Governance, Day Services and NDIS

all employees and service users of Valley

What has been the best piece of advice

Industries to get the best possible outcomes.

you have been given? Always ask, “Why do

What can readers expect from your business

we do what we do and can we do it better?”

in 2016? Providing the highest quality support

What can readers expect from your

to service users.

business in 2016? A brighter future for

Wendy Grant - Day Services Manager

people with disability.

How do you maintain a successful work

Rhonda Annesley - Recreation Officer

environment? Promote a person-centred

What was it that first attracted you to

approach, maintain an open-door policy, support

your chosen industry? Family history; both

and mentor staff by passing on my skills and

my parents and grandparents worked in this

knowledge.

field.

What has been the best piece of advice you

How do you maintain a successful work

have been given? Lead by example, and never

environment? Keep the communication open

expect more of anyone than you are willing to

between departments.

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry?

we can achieve for our clients.

I get a real kick out of watching businesses succeed, and helping out along the way. I work with a fantastic team who are all passionate about helping people to not only navigate our complicated tax system, but also to improve their businesses.

your business in 2016?

How do you maintain a successful work environment? To have success in a business like ours, you have to value your team. The knowledge and skills our team has is our product, so it’s crucial that they all understand how important they are and the contribution they make to the business. This is reflected in the results

What can our readers expect from Having successfully jumped the hurdle of merging two distinct accounting firms in 2015, we expect only positive things in 2016 for both our staff and our clients. The firms have collaborated into an amazing team with a diverse range of skills and expertise. We are passionate about doing what we can to make sure our clients reach their financial and lifestyle goals and objectives, efficiently and effectively. Visit www.tjlbiz.com.au to find out more about us and how we can help you reach your financial and lifestyle goals.

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O Tracey Drayson & Janet Knot . PROFESSIONALS FORSTER What was it that first attracted you to

optimistic and positive attitude helps me

your chosen industry? Tracey - I love the

maintain a consistency in my work and

challenges, freedom and satisfaction that

balance in my personal life.

working in the real estate industry brings to

Janet - I am very lucky to work with such

your daily routine. Each day presents new

successful and motivated people. We have

contacts and new houses to work with.

a fantastic work environment within our

It is an interesting and a very satisfying,

office. We certainly work hard, but have

rewarding career.

a lot of fun as well.

Janet - I have always

It’s very important to

loved working within

me to be surrounded

Professionals Forster Tuncurry has a wonderful a people orientated work culture, and it truly is a profession. Real delight to work so closely with estate is a very diverse a fabulous group of people. industry, where I get to meet different

by positive people, and the team at the Professionals is very supportive. What has been the

clients from all walks of life and all with very

best piece of advice you have been

different reasons for why they are selling

given? Tracey - The best advice I have been

or purchasing. Helping clients achieve their

given was to “never give up”. This has

goals is satisfying, but maintaining the

helped me to keep going through the highs

friendships that I make along the way is also

and lows that this industry has, whilst still

very important to me.

achieving great results.

How do you maintain a successful work

Janet - Always be yourself and treat people

environment? Tracey - Professionals Forster

fairly. Real estate can be very challenging,

Tuncurry has a wonderful work culture,

so it’s important to maintain a professional

and it truly is a delight to work so closely

approach and do the best that I can for my

with a fabulous group of people. I find an

clients.

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Joan Parsons & Susan Cluff. PROFESSIONALS HARRINGTON What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry? Joan - The first thing that attracted me to real estate was the opportunity to not only deal with people on a one to one basis, but to be able to assist them to find the right home to suit them, their needs and their budgets and their lifestyle, whether it be a rental property, their first home or a sea change. Meeting new people and developing friendships has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this career. How do you maintain a successful work environment? Joan - In my work environment I am conscious of the fact that for most of my clients this is a major investment and not an “every day” transaction. I do my best to offer as much qualified and personal advice as possible on the locations and type of homes in the area, to find the “best fit”. I do my best to be professional, whilst trying to offer just that little bit of extra care and personal attention. It is always a balance to achieve the best outcome for my vendor, as well as the purchasers. What has been the best piece of advice you have been given? Susan - My mum was

a steadfastly honest real estate agent for 30 years. She taught me to always be honest, as this is fundamental to building successful, respectful relationships, and all clients should be treated with honesty and respect. I also have an old friend (also a retired agent) who said, “Don’t pretend to know everything, because no-one does”; in other words, don’t be embarrassed to ask the right questions and get the right information. Again, this is about being honest and respectful to all parties. What can our readers expect from your business in 2016? Susan - Making more dreams come true. I love my job, and I am passionate about our industry. I will be continuing to provide a high level of customer service (open seven days) and the delivery of expert and professional advice. I will devote my time and energy into achieving the best possible outcomes and working hard to achieve the best possible prices. I will continue to enjoy doing business in the places that I am passionate about, from the mountains to the sea - I just love it all! Joan and Susan - dedicated to serving Harrington and surrounding areas’ real estate needs.

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It’s really important to me that we gel well together as a team, respect each other and have fun.

O Nikki Thornton. Penny McDermott. INSURANCE ADVISERNET Esher Townsend. What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry? Nikki - My husband had been in insurance, both broking and underwriting and after moving back to Taree, we decided to start our own business. I love the diverse range of clients we have and that we help clients in their darkest times. We take on the stress for them, so they don’t have to worry about the claim - we do it all for them. Penny - I have always been drawn to the helping professions and after working in insurance for several years, I can honestly say, in spite of popular belief, Insurance is a “helping profession”. We work to ensure that our clients understand their risks and insure appropriately so that in the event of a disaster, they are covered and their lives can return to normal as soon as possible.

How do you maintain a successful work environment? Having the right staff helps and we are so blessed to have a wonderful team. Our philosophy is to give family flexibility to our staff, so they don’t miss important milestones in their children’s lives.

OWNER/PRINCIPAL PODIATRIST

What can our readers expect from your business in 2016? We have a new logo and branding coming out to complement what we currently do. This puts the focus on advice before price. It is important to know your risk and what cover is available, so that you can make an educated choice as to what is really important.

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen industry? I loved running (still do), but was constantly injured, no one was helping - I was working as a Sports Therapist and couldn’t fix myself either. A friend pushed me to see a podiatrist. I was so reluctant, told my friend it would be a waste of time, as "don’t they just cut nails"? So wrong! After a full assessment, I was put into a pair of orthoses, and I've never been injured since well, not from running. There have been a few horse-related incidences. I was so impressed, I applied to study Podiatry at university three months later.

We’ll continue to be big supporters of local events like the Troy Bayliss Classic, Manning Mustangs AFL, Dance groups. The more we grow means the more we can give back to the community that we love.

How do you maintain a successful work environment? One, I choose my staff well; I only have the best. It’s really important to me that we gel well together as a team, respect each other and have fun. I’ve been excited to

have Kelsey Cook join us this year; she has a special interest kids' podiatry and loves an ingrowing toenail. It’s important to me that whichever podiatrist you see in the clinic, we all deliver the same high standard of treatment and can provide specialist therapies such as dry needling or mobilisation. What can our readers expect from your business in 2016? The business has grown so much in the past year, which enables me to bring new treatment modalities into the practice. It’s vitally important to keep abreast of new research that is emerging and implement it into practice if the evidence is there to support its use. This month we are trialling a shockwave machine; there is now evidence to support its use for reducing pain in Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis; I’m looking forward to seeing what results we achieve.

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TRAVEL PLAY LIVE KERRYANN HAYES & AMY HEAGUE

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AMY HEAGUE AND KERRYANN HAYES HAVE FORMED A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT ALLOWS EACH OF THEM TO USE THEIR OWN SKILL AND TALENT IN A WAY THAT HAS POSITIVE BENEFITS FOR ALL WOMEN. STARTING UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH, TRAVEL PLAY LIVE HAS BEEN A STEEP LEARNING CURVE. HERE, AMY SHARES WITH US WHAT IT’S LIKE TO CREATE YOUR OWN MAGAZINE, FROM THE GROUND UP!

i Amy. Why did you decide to start up your own business ... What was the inspiration? I guess there were two main things that motivated me to start my own business. One - I realised that if I didn’t step out of my self-doubt and fear, I would forever be helping someone else build their dreams instead of my own and always wondering “what if?” Two - I was discussing this with my friend and now business partner Kerryann Hayes, and we both realised that we were passionate about empowering women and helping them discover their more authentic self, so we decided we should explore this further and see where it takes us … And the rest is history. Describe Travel Play Live in a bit more detail ... What are the aims of the business, and what does it encompass? There are two arms of Travel Play Live. The first one is the magazine, which is where I get to stretch my creative muscles. And the second is our travel arm, where Kerryann’s years of fitness and adventure experience come into their own. Our overarching message for the business is that: • We believe that an adventurous lifestyle is a state of mind, not just for “sexy” people. • We are about encouraging women to seize adventure today and discover their stronger, braver, happier sides. • We believe women of all body shapes, sizes, fitness levels and age can embrace her desire for adventure. • We believe she is ready to start now; there is no such thing as “the right time”. • We are here to support her to think freely

and to make informed decisions on her quality with the “big boys”, we were going to need of life. to be flexible, prepared to pivot our focus at a Your official title with the Travel Play Live moment’s notice and drop things fast if they weren’t working in our favour. magazine is Editor-in-Chief. What does We launched the first print issue in spring this role involve? 2015, one year later, and boy has that been a That may be my “official title”, but steep learning curve. anyone who has ever started a business will As a start-up, we have had to seek out know that you end up doing anything and investors - publishing costs are astronomical, everything that needs to get done to get you and I can totally understand why across the line. so many niche magazines are Kerryann and I work very moving to the online space, well as a team, as we both but time and time again bring complementing se We will showca when we spoke to our skills to the table. But, intelligent , readers we would hear as Editor-in-Chief it is informative, how they didn’t want my role to guide the t nten empowering co to spend any more direction and set the to en that inspires wom ith time as a slave to their pace of the magazine. w e lif e choose to liv it devices, so print it was. I help choose the ir sp s ou ur an advent ner in r We crowd funded type and style of he e ac br and em part of the costs of our content, ensure that ” . wild first print run. We totally our contributors are up underestimated the support to speed with the theme of we would get and probably an issue, chase up interviews, sold ourselves short, as we reached and I work very closely with our over 80% of our target in the first few awesome designer on the look and feel of days and smashed our goal. So if we do that the magazine, including the paper stock again, we will definitely up our target. (don’t underestimate the importance of the Balancing out our expectations, with the physical feel and smell of the magazine). realisation that not everyone is in as much of I liaise with the printer and distributors, a rush as we are, has also been a challenge our sales team and work very closely with in terms of getting companies on board to companies and organisations to ensure support us. The tide is slowly starting to beneficial partnerships for us and our readers. turn - we are getting our name out there, It’s the role where the buck stops. companies are starting to come to us, but the How long has Travel Play Live been up pressure is ALWAYS on. and running, and what have been some Tell us a bit more about the magazine of the biggest challenges/changes you’ve - what are some of the topics it usually had to cope with since its launch? covers, and what format does it take? We officially launched in September 2014 We are a quarterly print magazine - “The with an online magazine/blog, and we learnt heartbeat of women’s adventure lifestyle”. In very quickly that if we were going to compete

“

this day and age where people are suffering from technology overload and content fatigue, we saw an opportunity to create a magazine that pushed back against the tide of mainstream media … A place where women could discover their adventurous authentic selves and be empowered to take hold of their lives. We are not in competition with each other. We will not tell a woman what she should do. We will not support a message, programme or event that body shames participators. We will not tell a woman how to get a bikini body or change her appearance to fit into society. We will showcase intelligent, informative, empowering content that inspires women to choose to live life with an adventurous spirit and embrace her inner wild. We are body positive. We are active. We are for wellness - mind, body and spirit. We are for championing every woman, from the start line to the “back of the pack”. What would you say to anyone else who may be considering starting up their own business - especially one that involves mass communication? Any words of advice? Be authentic. There is so much bulls*^! out there online, and people are tired of it. Stand firm in your principles, and most of your decisions are already made. How do people find out more about what you do, or subscribe to your magazine? They can check out our website www. travelplaylive.com.au From there, they can subscribe to the magazine or purchase single issues. There are plenty of articles online and if you are interested, our travel calendar is there too. We are also on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks Amy. manning-great lakes focus.

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O Lynda Bryant. THE PHOTOGRAPHY HUB Can you believe it’s almost Easter already?! Wow the year is just flying by! We love our Easter shoots and the kids do too. As part of our Hub Club, our members get a full family shoot each year, as well as 2 themed shoots to choose from.

Jennifer Richardson.

Kristie Stark. JMK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

What attracted me to this industry? I grew up competing in athletics and took it to a university level. We had sports therapists working on us and I thought it would be a great career to keep my hand in the sports field and do a physical job that I could travel with, as well as helping people and working in a relaxed environment.

What was it that first attracted you to your chosen

Easter is one of the most popular themes so we’re ready to welcome lots of excited children into the studio soon.

Role model: I come from a family of disciplined, hardworking dreamers and entrepreneurs. My mother had five children, a university degree and a catering business, and she has been very inspiring to me - as well as watching my brothers create successful businesses from just an idea.

We’re making some changes to the set which will be announced soon on our facebook page.

Best piece of advice: Don’t undersell yourself. Your education, time, experience and passion is valuable.

This is a great way to give something special this Easter – not chocolate!

Business goals: To bring more natural therapies to Old Bar and create more awareness of the mind-body connection and help people to tap into the unlimited self healing potential they have through living a natural healthy lifestyle.

Or they can opt for a mini family shoot and four themed shoots!

A keepsake that will be treasured for years to come. The kids will have a ball and leave with a fun goody bag. Join the Hub Club now and book your free Easter shoot.

This is a great way to give something special this Easter – not chocolate! A keepsake that will be treasured for years to come. The kids will have a ball and leave with a fun goody bag. Join the Hub Club now and book your free Easter shoot.

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What new products or services are you developing in 2016? We have three experienced registered therapists on staff. We offer remedial massage, relaxation, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, hot stone therapy and corrective excercise therapy. We also sell some natural products, ranging from deodorant to candles. We have foam rollers and fascia balls to aid in stretching your muscles post massage. What’s your best tip for staying on task? Being organised, planning ahead and delegating jobs when things get busy.

industry? I discovered the Virtual Assistant industry almost eight years ago whilst on maternity leave, and I was instantly attracted to the thought of being able to work from home. I had a six month old baby with health issues and knew that it would be difficult to go back to what was expected of working full-time. Becoming a Virtual Assistant gave me the flexibility I needed with my family and the ability to work from home. I was able to continue doing what I loved, but with the added benefit of working with multiple businesses in different industries at the same time. How do you maintain a successful work environment? The nature of our work is so varied and changes in an instant, so I need to be realistic and really understand the number of hours’ work required for each client at any given time. To me, letting down our clients is simply not an option. Learning to say no to a timeframe is hard, but saying yes and not delivering is even harder to swallow. The key to our successful work environment is being highly fluent in the language of flexibility, while still ensuring we stay within the schedule.

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on the

COVER.

2016 COVER MODELS. Kriste from JMK Solutions, Mia from YMCA, Nikki from Insurance Advisernet and Esther from Mid North Coast Podiatry.

JEWELLERY. Our jewellery was supplied by Occasions Jewellers Forster and Taree. Products from Thomas Sabo and Pandora.

THE LOCATION Club Taree.

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focusinterview.

Heading: Sandi Lear Pics: Supplied in DropBox Subheading: Sandi Lear is a well-travelled, articulate and passionate watercolour artist, who alternates her time between two homes - one in far north Queensland, and the other at Diamond Beach. Sandi’s art is garnering recognition worldwide, so if you’ve ever had a yearning to try watercolour for yourself, take the opportunity to learn from Sandi while she’s spending some time locally …

A R T I S T

Sandi Lear is a well-travelled, articulate and passionate watercolour artist, who alternates her time between two homes - one in far north Queensland, and the other at Diamond Beach. Sandi’s art is garnering recognition worldwide, so if you’ve ever had a yearning to try watercolour for yourself, take the opportunity to learn from Sandi while she’s spending some time locally …

i Sandi. Fill us in on some of your background, please ... Whereabouts do you usually call home, and what’s your connection to the Great Lakes area? I’ve been a nomad all my life, with my parents travelling for my father’s career, then leaving Australia at 19. I lived and worked all over the place from Singapore and China to the Mediterranean (sailing on our 12 m yacht), to the Caribbean and the USA. Returning to Australia 16 years later, I became a Paramedic Practitioner/ OIC for 15 years, a job I loved, culminating in my Masters of Medical Science - before discovering art. Home is a mix of two places: far north Queensland, where we have a rainforest cottage complete with Platypus at the bottom of the garden, and Diamond Beach with which my partner fell in love, and where we bought a little place about eight years ago. He then built the home we live in. I absolutely adore it - from the spectacular coastline to exploring the glorious hinterland. 36

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Describe your path navigating the artistic world so far ... When did you first pick up pencil and paint brush, and how has your work progressed over the years? Life took a right turn about six years ago when, after all the drama, I met my partner. He was determined I had artistic talent and cajoled me into drawing and painting. Later, I attended ArtEscape in Cairns 2012, learning from, oh ... everybody … But most importantly from local artist/architect Mike Ferris. My first piece won Best Emerging Artist that year and was sold internationally. Encouraged by these amazing people and falling totally and irrevocably in love with watercolour, I had no choice really but to pursue it. In 2014 I had my first exhibition at Hallidays Point Library, which was a wonderful experience. I entered and was successful in a few more competitions, then had work accepted for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai. My work has developed from just painting what I see and love representationally, to harnessing my feelings about issues and relating those feelings through allegory, whilst exploiting

the incredible facets of the medium. a little weep, she bought it, lives with it every Capturing the essence of the subject, I day, as a reminder that light always, always merely suggest, inviting the viewer to form an comes after the dark. emotional connection, imagine their own story. You’ll be presenting a watercolour To evoke emotion, memory, or a feeling is an workshop, entitled “Something Wild”, at amazing gift; it enables me to reach out and Hallidays Point Library from 18th - 20th touch people again. March. What times will the workshop I have a deeply innate connection with the run, and what materials (if any) will ocean - walking on Diamond Beach, listening, participants be required to bring? smelling, hearing its dynamic conversation, Times: 9am - 4pm. Materials list available provides me with endless inspiration - as do at the Library; alternatively email me: the lives of wild animals and birds. artistsandilear@gmail.com. It’s actually a problem deciding what to paint What topics will the workshop cover next - my brain overloads with all the images I ... Is any previous experience with would like to express through watercolour. watercolours necessary to attend? Travelling to New Mexico last year, I was No experience needed. We will explore, incredibly fortunate to strike a chord with the create and play, covering everything from owner of The Longworth Gallery, who signed drawing, composition, design, materials, to me as their newest artist. application and a finished painting using a An artist’s studio often gives an insight range of subjects. Bring your questions! into the artist themselves! On any given How much will the workshop cost, and day, what’s it like in your studio? where do people register their interest Goodness! Well, I have two in attending? studios, one in each place $250 pp for the three and both very different. days. A cash deposit can I have a deeply The Cottage studio n be paid at the Library innate connectio ng ki is tiny, in a “garret” to secure the place; - wal with the ocean h, (starving artist balance on the first day. ac on Diamond Be g, lin syndrome!) and Alternatively, email me el listening , sm ic m na dy warm, with a huge for Paypal. hearing its es id ov pr n, tio easel, overlooking the sa Looking ahead, conver s es dl en ith garden, the wild birds, what are your w me do the streams, butterflies future plans for inspiration - as als and lives of wild anim and treetops. when the workshop birds. ” The beach studio is is completed? Any about four times larger, exhibitions/upcoming light filled and cool. I have events in the pipeline? three easels going; I can glimpse the I am very excited to be guest artist ocean, hear it, smell it, be energised by it. at The Longworth Gallery’s annual Artists Both have music in common … I Exhibition and Artist in Residence in May this ALWAYS have music playing; it gets me year in New Mexico. going, forms a mood, I can dance around the I would like to be able to offer courses and room and sing as loud as I want flinging paint workshops whilst I’m here at Diamond Beach with abandon, freeing up the washes, or sit during the year. quietly to complete the finer passages of a And I will be entering various competitions painting. during the year, international and national. My work in progress is around me, living In fact, I have just been shortlisted for the with it, letting the work tell me what happens International Emerging Artist Exhibition in next. Dubai - very exciting! My photographs are on a big screen, to Where can readers view samples of your sketch my studies, show the work as I go, work or find out more about you? which helps to define the bits you know are My website features most work: http://www. “not quite right” but can’t necessarily fathom. sandilear.com Why is watercolour one of your favourite I also regularly put up current work and mediums to work with? its progression on: https://www.facebook. Watercolour is unique and not the delicate com/sandi.lear/?ref=hl, or email me at: medium people think it is. It’s vibrant and artistsandilear@gmail.com alive, incredibly light fast, and transparent, Alternatively, visit www.thelongworthgallery. so you can create layers and depth. It com, or watch a video interview on has personality… The pigments and their YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ interaction with water are inspiring and utterly watch?v=Zvs320CTqtg fascinating; some push and bully, others are Thanks Sandi. sedimentary, some insinuate softly, creeping through the water in the valleys of the paper. No two works are the same. What’s been your proudest (or most satisfying) artistic accomplishment to date? I think it was when a lovely lady shared her innermost feelings with me about one of my pieces and what it said to her. We both had

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WELLBEING W I T H I A N, E R I N & C A R R I E F RO M S A X BY ’ S P H A R M AC Y

W I T H D R P E T E R E L FA R F R O M S U N D I A L D E N TA L

DISEASE Gum disease is an inflammatory process of the gums as a result of bacteria in plaque and calculus build up. Early signs may include bleeding when brushing or flossing; severe signs include loose teeth and eventual loss of teeth.

Sprains and strains are injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments.

hey are very common sports injuries, but can also happen during normal daily activities. Correct treatment given promptly leads to the best possible recovery in the shortest possible time. Injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments are called soft tissue injuries. Below are a few examples of common soft tissue injuries: • A strain is stretching or tearing of muscle fibres causing pain, reduced movement and sometimes swelling. • Tendons join muscles to bones. Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon; it causes pain and tenderness near a joint. Tendons are surrounded by a protective sheath. • Ligaments join bones to bones to help form and stabilise joints. A sprain involves stretched

or torn ligaments, usually due to twisting or wrenching, and can cause pain, tenderness and swelling. After a soft tissue injury occurs, RICER first aid should be followed for the first 48 - 72 hours. Rest Ice (15 - 20 minutes every two hours) Compression (apply a firm bandage) Elevation (raise injured limb above heart level) Refer to a Doctor or qualified health professional for advice and ongoing care. After recovering from a soft tissue injury, gradually increase movement. Supportive strapping may assist in your recovery, which may take between 2 - 12 weeks to heal completely.

n recent years, gum disease has been associated with a number of systemic health issues such as heart disease, clogged arteries, stroke, diabetes and respiratory disease. The direct link is debated but research has indicated that patients with gum disease are at higher risk of heart disease, one theory is that the inflammation associated with gum disease can cause inflammation in the arteries of the heart. The link between periodontal disease and diabetes is goes both ways. People with diabetes are more likely to develop periodontal disease and those with periodontal disease will have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar. Gum disease shouldn’t be ignored for both local and systemic reasons. If you have been told you have gum disease or you have noticed some of the signs, treatment is required. Treatment depends on the severity of the gum disease. For mild/early cases, treatment is the removal of the plaque and calculus by a dental hygienist using specialised instruments. In

severe cases traditionally this would be treated with gum surgery, a painful procedure which will requires the gum to be cut and repositioned lower down the tooth to allow for better cleaning at home. A revolutionary procedure has recently replaced this called LANAP Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure. The special laser seeks out diseased tissue and kills the bacteria involved. This means that healthy tissue is not damaged and thus means less pain for the patient. The bone is then allowed to regenerate and the periodontal ligament that holds the tooth in place can reattach. For more information visit www.lanapaustralia. com.au or ring us at Sundial Dental 6583 3533 to book a consultation and discuss your treatment today. Lanap Australia www.lanapaustralia.com.au At LANAP Australia, we are committed to saving your teeth. As an alternative to gum surgery and possible extractions, we provide solutions for treating periodontal disease.

For this recipe you will require a juicer Ingredients 1 carrot 2 oranges - skin removed small knob ginger - skin removed handful chopped pineapple Method Feed ingredients through juicer, serve chilled with ice. * Get creative with your juicer pulp - add to meat or vegetable patties for a wholesome burger

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LINDA DADE

WELLBEING

LIVE STRONGER

LiveLonger

If you maintain good functional movement, balance, flexibility and coordination, there’s nothing stopping you from leading an active life well into old age. I don’t know how long I am going to live ... But I do know that I want to function at peak capacity throughout life, feeling great, and being able to do all the things that make life worth living. Staying alert, alive and having a lot of fun for as long as possible! A life well lived is different for all of us, but unless you are putting some energy into your health and fitness, a fall or an accident may be the first warning of poor health and the older you get, the harder it is to turn things around.

abilities and can lead to stumbling falls,

How is your balance: are you flexible in your arms, hips and legs; what is your posture like; and what about core strength? Inactivity will contribute to a loss of many of these

The solution is to get any injury sorted

declining health and of course, premature death. Once you stop moving, your body will start to degenerate. Falls are a serious problem in the community, with around 30% of adults over 65 experiencing at least one fall per year. They are physically very costly and are the leading cause of injuryrelated hospitalisation in persons aged 65 years and over and account for 40% of injury related deaths in this age group. Test yourself to predict your longevity. How well can you sit and rise from the floor? Can you squat to pick up stuff from the floor? Is a plank or a push up out of the question? quickly and keep yourself active. We offer a balanced, level headed approach to achieving better health, long term.

A Balanced Approach To YOUR Health Chiropractic Works Are you: • Sick of suffering from aching joints, loss of mobility? • Tired of feeling fatigued and lacking motivation to enjoy life? • Confused about how to get your health back on track?

Call 6557 6333 and take the first step to getting out of pain, active and enjoying YOUR LIFE again. 54 The Lakes Way, Forster NSW 2428

Ph. 6557 6333 www.banksanddadechiro.org.au Banks & Dade Focus Advert JUly 2015.indd 1

7/9/2015 2:58:42 PM

manning-great lakes focus.

WELLBEING

Welcome to NUNDLE specsavers

Nundle, 50 km from Tamworth - attracting thousands of visitors a year, which contributes to its vitality.

Welcome to Specsavers At Specsavers, you're always guaranteed expert eyecare, a great choice of glasses and outstanding value for money. We have hundreds of different frames with a style and price for everyone, with complete glasses starting from just $39. You can get twopairs of glasses from $149 or two pairs of designer glasses from just $199. Why not choose your second pair from our prescription sunglasses range? Don't forget, if you've got private health insurance, you'll get these with no or low out of pocket expense. Two year quality guarantee All of our frames and lenses are manufactured in accordance with exacting international standards, and we believe them to be of the highest quality. If within two years of purchase your glasses have any defects relating to material or production faults, we will repair or replace them for you, free of charge. 100% satisfaction guarantee We want you to be completely happy with your purchase at Specsavers Optometrists. If you have any concerns within three months of the date of your purchase, we will put it right. No worries, no fuss.

i-nutrition Located on site at iGym 24.7 Taree, 124 Manning River Drive, is the Manning Valley's top choice for Sports Supplementation. i-Nutrition is Taree's very own top brand supplement store, stocking brands such as EHP Labs, GAT, ATP Science, International Protein and many more. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle building or even just maintaining general health, we have the right products for your needs. Come on down and see Mitch Orr, i-Nutrition Manager and sponsored athlete. Mitch is a champion bodybuilder and supplement expert, so you can rest assured that you are receiving top class advice and knowledge on how to reach your goals the best way possible. Don't forget to mention FOCUS for your handy 10% off in store!

Nundle is known for its colourful community events, and it is the culture of volunteering and helpfulness among the town of 300 people that makes the events possible. With musicians Karl Broadie, Jeff Gibson, Toni Swain and John Krsulja calling Nundle home, live music is emerging as a constant throughout the year. At the 2016 Nundle Go For Gold Festival there will be more live music than ever before. Visiting musicians perform at the annual Nundle Country Picnic, there are regular shows at The Supper Room hosted by Toni Swain, and Nundle is making a name for itself during the mid-year Hats Off to Country at The DAG, and Country at The DAG and Nundle Rocks The Peel Inn during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Destination weddings at The DAG Sheep Station are another reason for the bustling vibe on weekends, with families booking out the accommodation and making a weekend celebration of the nuptials. To plan your visit to Nundle, see nundle.com.au or call Nundle Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6769 3026.

Feel the Nundle welcome this Autumn

26-27 MARCH

EAS

T ER

Nundle Go For Gold Festival

Plan your getaway now

NUN DLE .COM . AU 42

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with Clairvoyant Terri Hall Phone. 0424 818 343

MARCH 2016

with Terri

AQUARIUS. January 21 - February 19

Expect life to have no more illusion. You are seeing things very clearly at present, and what you see will be what you get. You enjoy being busy, so set some fresh goals and give yourself permission to succeed. You can expect to be busy in a peaceful manner. Selenite helps cut through illusion.

PISCES.

February 20 - March 20

Home and relationships will be big influences this month. Avoid carrying conflict forward from the day before. Instead, clear conflict from your mind and body before you put your head on your pillow at night. Try a heart chakra healing meditation exercise for a peaceful outcome. Rose Quartz is the crystal for self-love.

ARIES.

March 21 - April 20

As your sensitivity increases, it is important to release any frustrating feelings and not be tempted to bite your tongue and bottle, as this will create havoc for you. If you choose not to share your turmoil with another person, at least write it down and burn the paper it’s written on. Turquoise helps us communicate in a confident way.

TA U R U S . April 21 - May 21

If receiving love is a challenge for you, try doing a heart chakra healing meditation. This will enable you to receive and reciprocate love effortlessly. Trust in the sweetness of unconditional love to carry you until the fear has diminished. Selenite shatters fears and encourages positive energy.

GEMINI. May 22 - June 22

Avoid looking at the cup as half empty as much as possible, as this is becoming habit and will easily lead to depression. Your sensitivity is becoming more vulnerable where negativity is concerned, so try being a little more aware of your thoughts and disconnect from sad or dark thoughts ASAP. Citrine helps shatter negativity and bring light thoughts into the picture.

CANCER. June 23 - July 23

If you have been feeling suspended lately, it could be that you are holding onto undigested emotions and your higher consciousness does not approve of you taking these things into the future. Try reflecting on the past twelve months and let go of inner conflict gratefully for the enlightenment it offered. Malachite helps bring past hurts to the surface for releasing.

LEO.

July 24 - August 23

Avoid slipping into negative thought patterns, as this goes completely against your grain. You have the ability to rise above challenges and allow the experience to make you more powerful, not pitiful. This strength will carry you through tough times. Clear Quartz gives us emotional strength when needed.

VIRGO.

August 24 - September 23

Avoid stressing over finances, as this blocks your ability to draw money towards you. Instead, try planning for that special treat for yourself and see how clever you can be with budgeting and being prepared for that rainy day. Your positivity will reap some great rewards. Citrine shatters the negative and attracts an abundance of positive energy.

LIBRA.

September 24 - October 23

If your security in life is being challenged at present, you could be experiencing lower back aches and pains. This may just be a blocked root chakra. Try doing some healing by placing your hands on the area and telepathically thank yourself for being able to support your needs fearlessly. Ruby shatters fear.

SCORPIO.

October 24 - November 22

In times of turmoil, try looking inward and focus on all the qualities and attributes that you chose to incarnate with that you are approving of. This will initiate self-worth and fill your aura with a pure loving vibration, so nothing negative can enter your energy. Rose Quartz stimulates self-love.

S A G I T TA R I U S . November 23 - December 21

Set some fresh goals, prioritising your emotional satisfaction. Now is a great time for you to have contentment and bliss; however, at times you’re too hard on yourself with unrealistic expectations. By asking for emotions you wish to experience as new goals, you won’t be placing restrictions on yourself. Rose Quartz is a powerful self-loving crystal.

CAPRICORN. December 22 - January 20

Past hurts have been surfacing lately, for you to release the effects and memories of these traumas. Avoid over-analysing, as this could add further stress. Just try giving life permission to show you what needs your attention, and give powerful loving answers to yourself. Ruby is powerful for inner strength.

manning-great lakes focus.

focus_interview

Business Minds with Jeremy Thornton of Insurance Advisernet

DR JENNY BUSINESS minds

DRAPER

Every business has a story, and I’m pleased to be able to share these with you. This month we chatted to Dr Jenny Draper of Wingham Wellbeing. This fantastic local operation has a very holistic and nontraditional approach to health.

hy did you start Wingham Wellbeing? I had been a GP in Wingham since 2001 and had also worked in a skin cancer clinic, but it always felt like I was running my own race. I wanted to be able to streamline my work practices and I knew there was so much of the GP’s job which could be done better by non-GPs. That’s where I came up with the team concept. The working between rooms and triage concepts came from observation over the years of other successful medical models. I wanted to work smarter, and a little bit harder! Trying to implement radically different ideas doesn’t really sit well with your bosses when you’re an employee, so I started my own business and took the risks myself. You offer a range of other services aside from the day to day GP activities. Can you tell us a bit more about them? Our services include appointments with our nurse/midwife, Exercise Physiologist and our Nutritionist/Health Promotion Officer. Alison Ramsay, Naturopath, also consults from our rooms Monday and Fridays. Our practice also has a system of voluntary patient registration associated with an annual contract which allows subscribers to the practice to attend our popular “walk-in” clinics and make appointments to see me outside working hours for Enhanced Primary Care. The practice philosophy is to collect measurements where and whenever possible to allow disease states to be detected early and to encourage patients to self-monitor their progress and take ownership and responsibility for their wellness. You’ve branched into what you call Integrative Medicine. Can you tell us more 44

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to complete a comprehensive questionnaire about what is behind this? and then undertake specialised testing. Private General Practice is the cornerstone of the billing will apply for these consultations, so wonderful health system we have in Australia. that Medicare is not involved. Integrative However, more than 80% of our population Medicine Clinics are commencing in March regularly seek complimentary alternative on Saturdays and appointments are now therapies and medicines (CAMS). For this available for purely this service, without reason, Wingham Wellbeing embraces the needing to subscribe to Wingham Wellbeing additions to wellness promotion and disease or become a regular patient of the management that these therapies practice. can provide. This is called What was it that led you Integrative Medicine - it down this path? encompasses taking into I’m fortunate to Actually, it was consideration the patient’s have great staff a patient who existing problems and t, as who help me ou wanted to better medications, their um m le ng si a being understand how environment and dietary x, si l working eight ‘ti , her symptoms were exposures, and then ay id Monday to Fr linked to her diet. I formulating a diagnosis /7 24 ll and on ca to rd started looking into and management plan ha t bi a it makes ” e! lif pyrroluria and because that goes two ways. al ci so a d fin this is a condition The patient is an active not acknowledged by participant in an Integrative mainstream doctors, I was Medicine plan. instantly thrust into the integrative I have undertaken extra training in sphere. At the same time I have Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, experimented on myself (“Physician heal and trained in prescribing nutrient therapies thyself”), and found that nutrient therapy is a for mental illness, Autism and ADHD, as pioneered by Dr Bill Walsh and Dr Carl Pfeiffer. valuable tool for creating wellness. Unfortunately, the Medicare funding system Tell us about your views on what healthy cannot support consultations that are purely eating is and how it affects our health for this type of holistic medicine. In particular, and wellbeing. Medicare will not pay for the testing required It’s become widely accepted that brain to accurately diagnose and manage these and body function is linked to gut function, especially in disease states. Publications like conditions using nutrient therapy. Medicare Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride’s Gut and rebates are not available at all for naturopathy, Psychology Syndrome, Dr David Perlmutter’s but some private health funds may offer Grain Brain and cardiologist Dr William Davis’s rebates. Wheat Belly expose the science behind this Patients interested in seeking my opinion link. The food we eat sets the scene within on matters of mental health, gut health, food sensitivities and behavioural problems will need our gut. Unfortunately, current dietary

“

guidelines are out of step with the latest evidence, so most doctors and dietitians who use these to guide their patients’ choices are unwittingly (I hope) continuing to contribute to the obesity and heart disease epidemics. The only country in the world in which the death rate from heart disease and diabetes is actually declining is Sweden, where the dietary guidelines follow the Edify food pyramid: the same guidelines we follow at Wingham Wellbeing. How do you juggle such a busy practice and family life? I’m fortunate to have great staff who help me out, as being a single mum working eight ‘til six, Monday to Friday, and on call 24/7 make it a bit hard to find a social life! My kids appreciate their time with me, and I would love to see more of their school activities, but it is a constant juggling act. Where do you see Wingham Wellbeing in, say, five years from now? Five years ago I would’ve said “in a nice purpose-built medical practice”. Now we have achieved that “where”, I would love to have another integrative doctor alongside me, and I’d like to add to our team other holistic practitioners, as we have plenty of room! I will continue to train registrars, because I believe they are the future of keeping general practice alive as the cornerstone of encouraging a healthy community. What is the best part about being in business in The Manning Valley? Being able to offer employment to such fabulous people like my team, allowing them and their families to enjoy the wonderful place we live in and call home, the Manning Valley. Thank you Dr Jenny.

focus_business

with Gary Gersbach from Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber

BUSINESS

THE TOURISM SEASON BASED ON CASUAL OBSERVATIONS, THE PEAK OF THE TOURISM PERIOD HAS PASSED AND DESPITE EXPERIENCING CHANGEABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT HAS BEEN DEEMED MUCH MORE LIVELY AND PRODUCTIVE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

n general, the friendly invasion of tourists, friends and relations seemed to pass fairly seamlessly, which in itself is a tribute to the large number of locals that make every effort for this to happen. Obviously the immediate business owners and employees, whom have consistent face to face relations with the visitors, are continually being stretched to meet their demands and satisfy their own high level of customer service. Further, we should not forget the machinations of the workforce behind the scenes, such as motels, hotels, holiday properties, caravan parks and the camping grounds. It takes considerable effort to not only source the support staff of cleaners, attendants rubbish removals and ground maintenance teams, but also to have them competently trained and organised into the various times to perform their duties. Congratulations should be given to all of the above for their efforts in raising the level of service, which should guarantee the visitors’ return. One cannot let the comment on visitors pass, without reference to the result of the parking facilities within the Forster precinct during this period. While many people have differing attitudes on the newly installed electronically timed parking, it has certainly changed the parking available from the moribund situation existing previously. Certainly, the traffic through the centre seemed slower, but that resulted from cars queuing for a park, which was now possible. This wasn’t the case in previous years. Certainly, there were people upset at being booked for overstaying, but perhaps the view should be that someone else should use the

park. Remember, the parking is free. Certainly, for the first time we didn’t see business owners and employees clogging up the parking. Certainly, there may have to be some minor adjustment around the edges in relation to the set times and areas, but in the main its introduction has successfully modified the parking practices. Further, it has given a lot of food for thought in relation to further proposed parking changes in the future. The new extra car parks available in Wallis Street are now filled before business hours each morning, indicating that any reduction in parking in Memorial Drive would have a detrimental effect on business. The FTBusiness Chamber approached the Council, some time ago, to give thought to making Forster a Recreational Vehicle Friendly area. These well equipped vehicles could be an excellent source of revenue for businesses in town. The Bulahdelah approach has demonstrated the value of this policy. It has shown that the allocation of suitable sites can be beneficial to all involved. At no time since has the Council indicated they were considering this proposal. I think the Council has to be congratulated for thinking of this policy, but there are sections of the community which are not necessarily in favour of this without some degree of consultation and even education. However, the ill advised relaxation of the camping rules for the Tuncurry Rockpool during the holiday period was a disaster. The Chamber still stands by its recommendation for an RV Friendly town, but only in more suitable designated and regulated areas.

manning-great lakes focus.

focus_tourism

Sharon Bultitude Tourism and Marketing Coordinator - Great Lakes Tourism

tourism UPDATE

readak

Jimmy’s Beach, Hawks Nest Credit Simon Wilson Photography

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLANS

’ve never been much of a daily or even weekly planner. Don’t get me wrong, I very rarely miss a deadline; it’s just that I never seem to be able to kick into full committed project mode until d-day is right there in front of me in big bold blazing letters. Or at least this was the case until just recently, when I had what you could call an epiphany. I am no longer in my twenties (yes, really!) when pulling an all-nighter to get work done was the modus operandi, and I can no longer physically or mentally cope with the stress that comes with this type of daily working. And whilst I’m loathe to admit it, it’s also pretty damn inefficient. You basically either spend too much time deciding what to do next, or you take many unnecessary and unfocused steps getting to where you need to get to. It is with this new found energy and respect for the planning process that we now embark on arguably the most important “plan” that Great Lakes Tourism has undertaken for quite some time. Work will shortly commence on the development of a Destination Management Plan for the Great Lakes region. So what is a Destination Management Plan? Broadly speaking, a Destination Management Plan (DMP) is equivalent to a Strategy and Action Plan for Sustainable Tourism in a destination. Importantly, a DMP is a shared statement of intent to manage a destination over a stated period of time, articulating the roles of the different stakeholders and identifying clear actions that they will take and the apportionment of resources. So why bother to have a Destination Management Plan? Addressing fragmentation: The visitor economy involves a whole set of experiences delivered by many organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors. It is essential that they work together and in doing so, achieve a better use and management of resources. Recognising, strengthening and coordinating

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different functions: supporting the visitor economy is not just about promotion, but must cover a whole range of activities aimed at strengthening the quality of the visitor experience and the performance of businesses. Managing and monitoring impacts: tourism has a range of impacts on society and the environment and is inherently an activity that benefits from management. Prioritising and allocating resources: a key benefit of having a plan is to identify what the real needs and priorities are, so that financial and human resources can be used most effectively. Winning more support and resources: well researched, argued and presented action plans can strengthen the case for funding and help to identify projects for support. The importance of the visitor economy and its wider linkages: by strengthening the visitor economy, services enjoyed by local people, such as restaurants, attractions, arts and entertainment will benefit. Looked at the other way, actions directly aimed at making somewhere a better place to live and work will also make it a more appealing place to visit. Strengthening and promoting the image and awareness of a destination and the services available can be highly important in attracting new business and investment across all sectors. The health of tourism related businesses can be very important to other parts of the local economy who supply them, such as food producers, maintenance services etc. A DMP can play a very important role in identifying how the full range of government policies and services (in planning, transport, environmental management, recreation, culture and arts) can support the visitor economy on the one hand and be supported by it on the other. By showing these links it prevents tourism being treated in a silo, rather than as a core contributor to economic development. And I guess it’s worth remembering that great destinations are great places to live and work, as well as to visit.

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living AND RETIREMENT

manning-great lakes focus.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

Mid coast Retirement village lawyer 55 years and still in love Joan and Joe: 55 years of marriage and still in love.

Great MOBILITY SOLUTIONS Manning Mobility offers sales, service, repairs and hire on all of their mobility equipment.

Joan and Joe have loved each other for a lifetime. After 55 years of marriage, their dedication and care for one another is still growing. To them, the secret to a long marriage is “give and take; you can’t have it all one way,” as Joan explained.

Roslyn and Terry opened the doors in August 2010 to help fulfil the needs of the elderly and disabled in the area in a caring and compassionate way. Roslyn has a good understanding of most people’s needs due to living with a physical disability every day. Manning Mobility has recently opened new premises in Pulteney street, Taree, where we offer a bigger, brighter showroom and workshop and Terry is able to work his wonder on repairs and service.

These days, Joan and Joe, aged 87 and 90, reside in Calvary

We also now open Saturday from 9am - 1pm and have recently welcomed two new suppliers on board, so now we have CTM, Pride and Invacare Mobility equipment. We also stock a range of incontinence products, to which we are adding more every day. We have Kyda Leather on board, so we are able to offer a good range of assorted sheepskin products. Terry is also available to pick up and deliver any products, and we offer an in home service and drop offs to nursing homes and hospitals, for anyone who is unable to get to us.

club in Parramatta in 1960. When asked what her first impres-

To celebrate our six months in our new premises in March, we are having a 10 percent off all bathroom products in stock, until stock runs out. Call in and have a chat with Roslyn or Terry to see what is available.

“The secret is just to love each other and give and take. Noth-

manning-great lakes focus.

St Paul’s Retirement Community on the banks of the Manning River in Cundletown (north of Taree). Since meeting each other in 1960, this couple have enjoyed a loving and caring relationship, which has stood the test of time. They are still deeply in love with one another, regularly exchanging cheeky banter and laughing at one another’s jokes. It was love at first sight when they met each other at a church sion of Joe was, Joan blushed and simply said, “Oh (laughs) that was a long time ago. I knew straight away. I just knew when I first met him that I’d like to know more about him. I then found out how kind he was, and we just seemed to get on so well. We were married 12 months later, and here we are”. Joe remarked, “Ah well - if you’ve got the right one, you just know.” ing is perfect. You can’t have it all one way,” Joan said. “And that’s where I think sometimes there’s a mistake; young people want their own way on everything.”

There are more than 50 retirement villages in our area. They represent an important lifestyle and accommodation choice for a growing number of Australians over 55. There are even more aged care facilities on the Mid North Coast. If you propose to move into a retirement village, you must be very careful with the contract you sign. You must clearly understand the full price you have to pay. Most village contracts require an entry payment, plus fees while you are living there, as well as a substantial departure fee. You certainly don’t want to find that you have misunderstood the whole “deal”. Official advice from state regulators is that before signing a village contract, you should seek legal advice from a lawyer experienced in retirement village legislation. I provide detailed advice to prospective residents on their contracts, as well as advice on any matters arising while they are living in a village and on their entitlements on moving out. Many seniors (and their families) now have to consider moving into an aged care facility. There is a very complex system of fees that may be payable, although you may be partially exempt from some of these. I provide detailed advice to those entering an aged care facility to identify and explain the correct fees. When moving into a retirement village or aged care facility, you may need to make a power of attorney appointing a close relative to manage your legal and financial affairs. Consideration also needs to be given to appointing a suitable guardian who can later make vital decisions about your health care, medical treatment, and welfare, including where you are to live. Contact me on 0427 614 271 or email me at philip.goodsell@iinet.net.au to discuss how I can assist you.

manning-great lakes focus.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

the shedders Eve Grzybowski, Daniel Weinstein, Judy Hollingworth, Michael Hollingworth, Heather Bolstler and Rick Bolstler have come up with a fantastic communal living arrangement that suits them well now, and will hopefully continue to serve them well into the future. The “Shedders” had a vision … and they’ve been able to turn it into a very successful reality …

ow and when did the six “Shedders” all meet? Eve: First I met Judy in 1979, as she was completing a yoga teacher training in Bondi Junction, and I was just beginning my serious yoga training. Michael was one of my first yoga teachers in the early ‘80s. Later on Daniel shared a house with Mike and Judy. All of us, including Heather and Rick, did a personal development course called the Landmark Forum. I think the work we did in that programme gave us a kind of common language. What we learned was a way of communicating honestly and clearly that was to prove invaluable for getting along in our group. At what point did you all begin to assess your retirement options ... And how did you come up with the idea of a shared community? Eve: The idea of living together in retirement developed organically. For five years, the six of us enjoyed happy, carefree holidays together. We all knew that we wanted to move out of Sydney and either change our work or retire. So, we floated the idea of perhaps making this big change together. The vision we had was predicated on liking each other’s company and practicing mutual support and respect. Living together was a practical idea, too. Pooling our money and resources meant that we could retire relatively early and still live well. What were some of the challenges you faced along the way? Eve: The biggest challenge we faced was that the building of our “dream” home coincided with the 2008 financial crisis. I think the GFC rattled us to the point of even considering abandoning our vision. Fortunately, Heather had the insight to organise our own summit, an all-day meeting

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run by a neutral party/facilitator. By the end of with equivalent amounts of floor space. the day, we got to a, “Yes, let’s do it!” And, as Secondly, we are semi-retired or completely they say, the rest is history. retired, so have freedom to travel. Rick and Describe how architect John Basden was Heather go to Canada each year for three able to help you create your home in months during the North American summer. Mitchells Island ... What shape did this Daniel and I visit our native country, the U.S. home eventually take? Michael and Judy like to travel also, to spend Heather: We spent a year and half looking time with family and to take singing tours. for a property. In that process, we confronted When we are all together, we get to catch many differing points of view. We looked up and share the rich experiences we bring at properties of two acres and 200 into the group. acres. We looked in the hills Lastly, we’re very individual and near the ocean. We in our needs for privacy. I had to decide how far think of myself as more of from services we were an extrovert. But some The house uses l willing to be - hospiof the rest of us require materials natura has tals, entertainment more reflective time. to the area and es . Most centres, shops. Heather, you’ve writstrong clean lin s us a By the time we put ten a book (entitled important, it give acy priv nice balance of our money down on Shedders). How long e.” and shared spac a four acre property in did this work take to Mitchells Island, we’d produce - and where worked through a lot of can readers source their individual differences and own copy? preferences. Heather: I wrote Shedders about So, we’d had practice at resolving two years after we moved in together, things by the time we started building the mostly out of people’s interest in our projhouse. ect, and then serialised it online. John Basden’s style fitted ours nicely. He’s It’s available as an e-book from Amazon: interested in a small environmental footprint http://www.amazon.com.au/Shedders-Heathand solar efficiency - and isn’t afraid of a er-Bolstler-ebook/dp/B00CVJRIR6 challenging client. He managed to take a very You also have a regular blog - https:// conceptual briefing and turn it into something shedders.wordpress.com/ where you keep we loved the look and feel of. the people informed of happenings in the The house uses materials natural to the area “Shedders” world. Why did you decide to and has strong clean lines. Most important, it begin blogging, and how rewarding has gives us a nice balance of privacy and shared this process been? space. Heather: Readers who’d been following the How do you all balance privacy with combook kept asking: “So, you moved in together. munal time? Then what happened? How’s it working? How Eve: Three factors enter into the balance do you make it work day-to-day?” of privacy and communal time. One is John That’s where the blog began. Since then, it’s Basden’s brilliant design: three separate suites evolved to become a more general commenof rooms, each facing a different direction but tary on relationships and community. It’s been

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very rewarding to explore how we can make the world work, while we live our everyday lives. Why would you encourage other retirees to consider a communal living arrangement ... What do you see as both the major benefits and pitfalls? Eve: A couple of perceived pitfalls to taking on co-housing are lack of skillful communication and not having a shared vision. Part of our vision is being willing to support each other into old age - a big commitment. Whether we will be able to deliver on it is, of course, an unknown. But we’ve been willing to broach the subject of growing old together and even discuss death. In the balance, I can say that what we are doing is the best outcome I could have possibly imagined for my retirement and ageing. We “Shedders” spark off each other and support our divergent interests. In some areas, we collaborate; that is, in our communities, in teaching, in networking. We support each other in staying healthy, encouraging physical activity and good diets. We have learned so much from each other - not always easily or gracefully. But most rough edges have been smoothed out over the years, and as a result there’s gratitude and love. Final say … Heather: Eve’s comment captures the spirit of our time together and how we profit from the adventure we undertook. The one other thing I’d add is that our living arrangement works well financially. Rick and I couldn’t have set ourselves up as comfortably and elegantly as we have here, without this partnership. Don’t you love an idea that has good economics as well as delivers a great lifestyle and a rich community? Thanks everyone.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

AND RETIREMENT

OMA’s NEW HOME Iconic Oma, the much loved creative ageing koala, moves to the Manning River to settle into her new home at Whiddon Wingham.

isitors to the Hello Koalas forward to having Oma at Whiddon Wingham Sculpture Trail will need to and being able to base our creative ageing and take a slight detour to visit the leisure activities and community events around brightly coloured her, as well as having many new visitors creative to our front entrance area where ageing koala. As of mid Oma will be located,” said March, Oma will be Whiddon Wingham’s Director located at her new Visit Oma at Care Services, Leonie am home in Wingham Whiddon Wingh r Burke. 2016. Fo and will spend six from March 20, and Although Oma will be n months at Whiddon more informatio to the located at Whiddon’s go updates, please Wingham before ok bo ce Wingham home between Hello Ko alas Fa moving to Whiddon te si eb March and August 2016 w or ge pa Laurieton. Residents ” .helloko alas .com (and located at Whiddon’s w w w and staff at the aged Laurieton home for the care homes are delightfollowing six months), she will ed with Oma’s new living still be available to the public to arrangements, and plans are visit her as part of the Hello Koalas being made for Wingham’s first Sculpture Trail. Hello Koalas Picnic in autumn. Whiddon joined the Hello Koalas project “Our involvement in the Hello as Oma’s sponsor in 2014. Oma’s design was Koalas project has provided wonderful chosen by residents at Whiddon Laurieton opportunities for residents to connect with and Wingham aged care homes, and she was the wider community and be involved in such painted by artist Kerry Smith-Taughkin. an iconic project. We’re all very much looking

“

Visiting arts and dementia specialist, Chris Gage from Ladder to the Moon in the UK with Leonie Burke from Whiddon Wingham, Dale Feeney from Whiddon Laurieton and Margret Meagher, Australian Centre for Arts and Health

Spring chicken? At Whiddon we believe in caring for the whole person. It means ensuring that the older people we support can still enjoy doing the things that matter to them: gardening, art, singing, even raising chooks. It helps people stay socially engaged, active and make the most of every day. With 70 years experience, our award winning approach makes Whiddon a leader in residential and in-home aged care.

Award winning aged care services whiddon.com.au 1300 738 388 manning-great lakes focus.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

WHO IS MSS? MSS is a growing and responsive community based organisation servicing the Manning and Hastings regions for over 30 years. Since our beginnings in the early 1980s, we have developed into a leading provider of support and assessment services for children, families and older people living in our community.

hrough our three Support Service Streams, we provide assistance to more than 400 people each week. We strive to make a positive difference to our local communities and to create communities where all people feel valued, their differences are respected, and their basic needs are met, so they can live in dignity. At MSS we work within a client centred service model. This means that every person is at the centre of all we do. Our aim is to empower people to live life to the full within our community, regardless of culture, ability or age. We provide services that foster an inclusive and collaborative approach to: • Enhance individual potential • Improve social outcomes • Connect people to their communities • Explore creative options • Focus on wellbeing MSS also works in collaboration with other service providers, health professionals, local and state government agencies, businesses and the

manning-great lakes focus.

general community. These partnerships enable us to maximise the benefits for our clients and their families. Our Services We have a wide range of services for older people in our communities, families and services for the wider community. Services for older people in our communities: If you are older and live independently, you may want to access our range of supports that are focused on connecting you with others, and assisting you to live the life you want. At MSS we believe that every person should choose what is important to them, and then we will do our best to meet your needs. We cover a wide range of supports for people who are over 65 years of age, from home modifications to maintenance services. These services can assist to make your home safer; we can install grab rails and ramps, or mow your lawn. We also provide social support services where people can attend outings or one of our very popular overnight trips. You may need assistance from one of our friendly staff or

volunteers to take you shopping or help you to attend those important appointments. Other services we provide include respite and carer support groups. We are here to help you live as independently as possible, with the highest level of respect and dignity. Our My Meals Programme One of our most popular services in our My Meals programme. This service delivers restaurant quality meals to your door. The meals are cooked fresh to order within the MSS kitchen by a qualified and talented kitchen staff. The meals are delivered either on a ceramic plate, hot to your door, or snap frozen. Our menu changes with the season, and you will be spoilt for choice with the range of delicious meals to choose from. We have a range of meals and desserts that you won’t be able to resist! How to Access our Services To access any aged care services, a new

referral and assessment system is now in place. This is called the My Aged Care Gateway. You can access this service online or by phone on the freecall number 1800 200 422. You can also call MSS and one of our friendly staff will help you access this new system. Once you contact the My Aged Care Gateway, an appointment will be made with one of the assessors, who will come to your home and complete an assessment. This assessment will ask you questions to see what types of services you need. You can let the assessor know that you would like MSS to provide your supports. Then we can take it from there, and one of our friendly staff will contact you to organise your support services. It is that simple. Remember, if you are over 65 years and are seeking support and services, you will need to contact the My Aged Care Gateway on 1800 200 422 or call MSS, and we can help you to access this new system.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

Most Outstanding over 50’s Estate in Australasia 2015

Rethink your retirement lifestyle Rethink your retirement lifestyle at Taree Gardens’ Open Day, Saturday 12 March 2016. Taree Gardens’ residents are laying out the welcome mat for local seniors seeking a new retirement lifestyle, by hosting a community open day on Saturday 12 March from 10am until 2pm.

with the added benefits of a secure lease and lifestyle, convenience, and the safety aspects of belonging to a retirement community. One weekly fee covers rent, rates, water, basic maintenance, whitegoods and security, with the option to add on the cost of a meals package - which represents great value.

A fully-furnished display home will be open for inspection, with the friendly Taree Gardens team on hand to answer any queries about renting in retirement, community facilities and social activities on offer.

Residents enjoy access to the home-style meal service prepared onsite by the catering team and the free Ingenia Care Assist programme that connects residents to care providers so residents can live an independent and active life.

Locals are also invited to enjoy a free sausage sizzle, with the opportunity to enter a draw to win a year’s worth of groceries, worth $2,600 and browse the residents’ market stall.

Taree Gardens is located at 60 Edinburgh Dr, Taree and provides a pet-friendly alternative to retirement living, with a focus on staying active and social well into retirement. For more information about Taree Gardens’ open home on Saturday 12 March, please call Amanda on (02) 6550 1599.

Garden Villages’ renting in retirement model has proven appealing to those looking for flexibility,

Most Outstanding over 50’s Estate in Australasia 2015

NO STAMP DUTY, NO BODY CORP FEES, NO EXIT FEES •••

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• Stunning clubhouse • 5 star amenities • Designer homes

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• Quality slab-on-ground, steel frame construction • Sublime location on Queens Lake

Rental retirement living for independent seniors

Saturday 12th March, 10 am – 2 pm at TAREE GARDENS 60 Edinburgh Drive, Taree

» » » » » »

Talk to our friendly & caring team & have your questions answered on how rental retirement villages really work Furnished display unit open for inspection FREE sausage sizzle Residents’ market stall Chat with our residents & meet new friends Enter our competition for the chance to win FREE groceries for a year* * Groceries valued at $2,600.

FAMILY FRIENDLY, ALL WELCOME! For more information, call our Village Manager Amanda today.

Ph:

6550 1599

www.gardenvillages.com.au

25 minutes to Port Macquarie Kew Country Club

Queens Lake

Dooragan National Park

Bonny Hills North Haven

11 Resort Rd, Laurieton NSW visit us online www.laurietonresort.com.au

Call today to arrange your personal sales consultation

P: 1300 55 70 75 manning-great lakes focus.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

AND RETIREMENT

New to Evermore is our Registered Nurse Graeme and current resident Margie

evermore living

t’s not uncommon to hear visitors to Evermore complimenting the luxurious resort style facilities, often surprised with how affordable the apartments are. Stage 3 commences in early March and has been overwhelmingly supported by the local community, with four apartments selling just last week. Evermore has been really successful in creating a friendly community atmosphere, which was particularly evident over the Christmas and New Year period. “It was great to see the residents celebrating together, many with their families and friends and utilising the pool, movie theatre, library, gym, restaurant, hairdresser and lounge bar all located on site,” said Evermore Sales Manager, Braden Graham. “The Stage 1 residents have now had the time to settle in and take advantage of all that Evermore has to offer, and it’s great to see some of the strong friendships that have already developed,” said Braden. The village, or as the Evermore folk refer to it as, “The Resort”, is ideally positioned

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The 5 star resort style retirement lifestyle at Evermore in Forster is really proving its popularity, with many soon-to-be residents securing their apartments in Stage 2, which is due for completion in June / July this year. in Forster, adjoining the Forster Private that her blood pressure has gone back to Hospital, around the corner from Forster’s normal after struggling with it for the past medical precinct and 150 metres 16 years. Less stress from not having to do up Bruce Street from the the lawns, gardening, cleaning and beautiful Wallis Lake and even cooking all goes well for surrounding cafés. The living the life you deserve residents are taking with like-minded, friendly 1 The Stage w full advantage people. no ve ha s resident in e of Evermore’s Evermore ttl se to e had the tim of e ag complimentary offers affordable nt va ad ke and ta has e or scooters to access independent living, m er Ev at th all great to the lake, cafés and with options of to offer, and it’s strong town centre. providing different see some of the have at th s ip sh Evermore levels of care if and friend d. ” already develope Retirement Living when required. The staff delivers a lifestyle to are always there to lend enrich body, mind and a helping hand, including an spirit. The restaurant is in on-site Registered Nurse, should high demand, with delicious chef any medical attention be required. designed meals for both lunch and As they say at Evermore, you will dinner available for residents and their be RETIRING TO LIFE, not from it. With guests. the growing demand for apartments at The Evermore team have always said Evermore, it is certainly worth getting that people buying into Evermore will in soon to select your apartments of start enhancing their lives, including their choice. Call today on 6528 0442 for an health. And it is proving itself already. appointment to view all of what Evermore Margie Milne proudly advised the team has on offer. You won’t be disappointed!

“

STAG

Affordable 5 Star Independent Retirement Living

SELL

ING F A ST

• Central location adjoining the medical precinct

• Unsurpassed facilities, activities and care

• Become part of a family of like-minded friends

• Beautifully designed and appointed apartments

• Dedicated staff to take care of your every need

• Delicious chef prepared dining for lunch & dinners

It’s the best decision we ever made - It’s like living in a 5 star resort. Bill & Kay

Come in and experience a whole new level of Supported Retirement Living. 18-30 Bruce Street, Forster

02 6528 0442

www.evermoreliving.com.au manning-great lakes focus.

focus _Travel

with Travel Editor Susie Boswell.

H AV E A C A P TA I N C O O K AT H I S I S L A N D S

ust as capital city taxis are having to make room for Uber ride-sharing services, hotels are finding their market, too, becoming more segmented. Where B&Bs once were merely a blip on the hotels’ bottom line, the internet has made house swaps and, latterly, airbnb-style apartments and rooms serious contenders for the accommodation dollar at home and abroad. It all benefits the consumer. And popular tourist locales, especially those where hotel rates traditionally sit at a premium, are profiting too. Tahiti, most desirous of destinations, has seized the opportunity to attract greater numbers of visitors by highlighting rental home offerings as an aspiring holidaymakers’ alternative. Tahiti Tourisme recommends options ranging from resort studio units for two to beachfront

holiday houses and 12-bedroom luxury villas, on offer on the main island, Tahiti - capital, Papeete - and nearby Moorea, as well as in the Tuamotu group, an archipelago of some 80 islands lying eastwards. Few first-timer Aussies are prepared for the black-sand beaches that surround the main island: most then seek out swimming pools for a dip. Moorea, meanwhile - an easy 40-minute ferry ride from Papeete - offers the golden sands we expect of the South Pacific coupled with a serene atmosphere, charming locals, easy walks, challenging rainforest-mountain hiking and a laidback atmosphere that’s not too “international”, not too quiet. The Tuamotus, an hour and a quarter by plane to the gateway, Rangiroa, offer the white sand and shallow, simply stunning, translucent waters

more often associated with the more exclusive and expensive Bora Bora and her Society islands neighbours that lie to the west of the capital. See sample rentals at www.tahiti-homes. com, an excellent portal with clear photos, comprehensive descriptions and straightforward pricing (note the menu bar at bottom-right, to switch rates from Euros to AUD). Tahiti Tourisme touts the option as good value for groups or couples wanting to enjoy their own space. While Tahiti’s best known for its overwater bungalows and luxury resorts, this is a totally different aspect of the islands for visitors seeking more flexible arrangements, such as families and friends holidaying together. Whether a rustic beach house where the lagoon’s just a few paces away, or a fully-staffed property with top-class service, there’s a rental home to suit, the tourism authority says. It notes most have a private pool, semi-private beach and good cooking facilities and that rental cars and activities can be arranged. One must-do activity is to see a Polynesian dance show under the stars and soaring palms; Tahiti’s version of the hula is way more carnal than the Hawaiian interpretation, and utterly unforgettable. For Tahiti 101ers I suggest a week or two on Moorea. You’ll no doubt want to return .. when the Tuamotus will offer a more affordable version of Bora Bora and her neighbours. Tip: do not fail to bring home your own sample of the islands’ inimitable black pearls. JAMES COOK was an intrepid traveller: between the age of 30 and his death at 50 the maritime explorer logged so many glorious locations few can match even today. Among highlights on his

Kularoo Centre Affordable, Locally Respected Care • 24/7 Registered Nurse • Friendly, modern community • Chef prepared meals • Care that works around you

manning-great lakes focus.

vast itinerary were Tahiti, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Hawaii and the Hervey Islands - this last now known as the Cook Islands. The explorer originally dubbed the islands “Hervey” in honour of the then Lord of the Admiralty. (A consummate public servant, he named several of his discoveries for his boss). In turn, the islands were re-named for Cook himself a half-century after his death. Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens and Kiwis have a close association with the Cooks. Now, with Cook Islands Tourism supporting vigorous local promotions, Australians too are discovering this sublimely beautiful destination, somewhat overlooked by us until now. See for example Muri Beach Club Hotel’s discounts of 30%, and Little Polynesian’s 45%, on 7-night stays, on sale to 31.3.16, valid to 31.3.17. www. muribeachclubhotel.com; www.littlepolynesian. com. AirNZ has a six-hour direct flight SydneyRarotonga on Saturdays and non-stop seven-hour return a week later. Virgin Australia is cheaper if you’re happy to travel via, or stop over in, Auckland. GHOST THE MUSICAL, based on the Demi Moore-Patrick Swayze Oscar-winning romantic movie, opens on Friday March 18 at Sydney’s Theatre Royal, following big West End and Broadway seasons. The special effects and illusions are said to be amazing: Molly’s departed, a ghostly Sam, passing through a solid door; spirits rising to the heavens; subway passengers hurled into the air; inanimate objects flying about the stage and characters disappearing and reappearing. Tickets from around $70 with fees. Final performance: 3pm matinee, Sunday May 1.

Discover the BaptistCare difference today 6555 1600 baptistcare.org.au/ KularooCentre

“I am very happy and content to spend my life amongst friends at Kularoo”

Maria

Cnr Kularoo Drive & Boundary St, Forster

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

forster tuncurry physio Forster Tuncurry Physiotherapy and Allied Health is a multidisciplinary facility with a large scope of clinical services specifically for seniors.

hrissy Jones spoke with Physiotherapist Rod Tyter about how the practice can provide professional, evidence based assessment and treatment with a comprehensive and holistic approach. What are some of your services? We offer both Outpatient and Rehabilitation Services, including the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, such as neck and back pain, post orthopaedic surgery, neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and head injury. We can assist in pre elective surgery exercise programmes, help with women’s incontinence programmes, plus casting and splinting. You have a reconditioning and falls prevent programme; tell us about this … Forster Tuncurry Physiotherapy provides individual assessments of a client’s functional mobility, strength and balance followed by prescription of a monitored and appropriately progressed exercise programme. Our weekly small group classes, called “Use it or Lose it”, assist in the area of fall prevention. We also have

living AND RETIREMENT

cardiac and respiratory reconditioning programmes. Tell us how hydrotherapy can help seniors … A wide variety of conditions can be improved with treatment in warm water. Hydrotherapy is beneficial for numerous conditions, especially post orthopaedic surgery, back pain, arthritis and joint pain and neurological conditions. We have daily hydrotherapy sessions, Monday to Friday, and provide individual assessments of clients which is essential to set specific treatment programmes. By offering an Occupational Therapy Service, how do you assist clients? We are very pleased to be able to offer the community a full Occupational Therapy Service, either in our clinic or in the client’s home. We have two adult treating Occupational Therapists and one Paediatric Occupational Therapist. Services specific to assisting seniors include equipment assessment and prescription to assist activities of daily living, wheel chair assessment and prescriptions, assessment and installation of home modifications, treatment of neurological conditions and hand therapy and splinting.

There is also a Mastectomy and Lymphoedema Clinic at Forster Tuncurry Physiotherapy. Tell us more… Our Australian Lymphedema Association registered Physiotherapist will assess and implement a specific programmes to manage a client’s Lymphoedema. A full garment prescription and care service is available. The clinic also supports post mastectomy patients with improving their upper limb function, post surgery and education of limb care. Do you offer your services to those in Aged Care facilities locally? Of course. Our team are able to visit any eligible clients at local aged care facilities to provide assessment and ongoing treatment. What are your opening hours, and how do readers make an appointment? Our opening hours are 8am ‘til 5pm, Monday to Friday. Our practice is located in Suite 6, 10 - 12 South Street, Forster. Readers can drop in or call 6554 5225 for more information or to make an appointment. Thanks Rod.

manning-great lakes focus.

SENIOR LIVING AND RETIREMENT

ALVENA

living AND RETIREMENT

meals on wheels

Interview with Alvena Ferguson - Meals on Wheels Mid North Coast Area Manager ...

ow long has Meals on Wheels operated in the Manning Valley? Archived records show that a meals service was operating in the Valley more than 40 years ago, when all aspects of the service were carried out by volunteers, from food preparation to administration. Of course with changes to legislation and food safety laws, it is no longer possible to conduct such a service without some paid staff. Our staff and volunteers are locals so our clients get to know the office staff and the volunteers who deliver their meals. What are the key aims of Meals on Wheels? To help older people remain living in their own homes for longer by providing affordable, nutritious, tasty meals, usually delivered to the home, according to the person's needs and desires. Difficulty with shopping or preparing food is one of the first indicators that a person needs support and one of the triggers that moves someone from their own home into supported accommodation. We have all heard our older relatives say they “don’t want to move” and indeed, moving homes is one of life’s most stressful occurrences - more so when you are older and already challenged with some of the difficulties that come with ageing. Apart from helping to keep people at home longer, our motto “More than Just a Meal” signifies the importance of having someone look in on clients according to their meal delivery schedule. Volunteers join Meals on Wheels because they want to do more than bring a meal to someone. They come to know and understand their clients and their particular concerns.

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At Meals on Wheels Mid North Coast we have a structured process for briefing volunteers as they leave to do a run, and again when they return. This way we get regular updates on how our clients are, and, where there are any concerns for their wellbeing, we have a formal system in place to act on those concerns. In fact, services like Meals on Wheels have a legal obligation to follow up a client not found at home when expected to be. Who can use the Meals on Wheels Service? The basic eligibility criteria cover is anyone over 65 who has difficulty preparing appropriate meals for themselves, as well as their registered carers. Clients pay for their meals on a cost-recovery basis only, so we are judicious in our assessment of client circumstances to ensure we remain sustainable for the people who need us. We also frequently deliver meals to people of all ages who come out of hospital and will find it hard to prepare meals for themselves or their family during their recovery period. What are the meals like, and where are they prepared? Our meals are all delicious and nutritionally balanced for the demographic we are supplying. We have a very wide selection of hot meals, salads and desserts prepared by Club Taree and delivered daily, Monday to Friday. In addition,we also provide frozen meals, soups and desserts prepared in our Great Lakes Meals on Wheels commercial kitchen for those customers who like the convenience of having meals available in the freezer for use as they need them. The meals are delivered by volunteers. How do you recruit volunteers to assist the service? We are fortunate to have a strong volunteer staff and find that most new volunteers come

to us having heard about the service from friends and neighbours. New people move into the Valley and wish to get involved in their community, or those recently retired often want to remain engaged in some daily activity. Volunteers choose how often they want to deliver, and we have a formal training and mentoring system in place until they feel confident. We’ve heard that social inclusion is an emerging focus for the MOW service across the Mid North Coast. What does this involve for the Taree branch? Many of our clients are socially isolated, sometimes due to mobility issues or lack of transport. In Taree we’ve had a vibrant social inclusion programme in the past and are looking to re-establish that now we have settled into our new offices. These activities might include taking a large group out for a meal in a local club or café, small group outings like morning tea or one-onone visits with a volunteer bringing a take-away meal to a client in their own home. It’s the client’s choice, and we have several dedicated volunteers more than happy to provide these activities. Similar programmes are in place in our other branches - the Sawtell branch recently opened its own on-site café, and special Men’s Lunches are a particular feature of the Port Macquarie branch. We are awaiting the outcome of a funding application which would enable the purchase of two buses for transporting clients to some new activities we are working on. The Taree branch is part of Meals on Wheels Mid North Coast. Can you tell us more about MOW MNC? Almost two years ago, seven of the meals services between Forster and Sawtell amalgamated to form the organisation known now as Meals

on Wheels Mid North Coast Limited. This allowed us to achieve efficiencies in the branches by centralising some of the administration, like human resources, finance, marketing etc. Now our focus is on building alliances with complementary organisations to ensure our long term sustainability. The Taree branch recently moved to new premises. Are you planning to grow the service in this region? Yes, we moved into more suitable accommodation and are sharing the Elizabeth Avenue site with Valley Industries. We already service clients from Harrington in the north and south to Koorainghat, out to Old Bar and west to Wingham. Of course, the Manning being a valley of many small towns and villages we also have clients in some more out-of-the way places like Bohnock, Cedar Party, and Lansdowne, as well as on the fringe of Taree itself like Tinonee and Purfleet. We are trying to dispel the commonly-held misconception that Meals on Wheels is a free charity service only for really old people - it's often as much about the convenience as anything else As Area Manager for three southern branches, what is the most rewarding aspect of your role? I love my job and find the satisfaction of knowing we are delivering a vital service to many people, including to some of the most vulnerable people in our community keeps me energised in what could otherwise be a sometimes sad and confronting environment. Seeing how we can improve people’s lives and help them stay living in their own homes through good nutrition and regular social contact with others is extremely rewarding. Thanks Alvena.

A lifestyle village for the young at heart

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Call Lorraine on 6554 7447 to arrange an inspection today! *Savings of up to $100,000 only applies to houses purchased through our shared equity facility. Shared equity finance is available on the purchase of new homes only.

Crystal Waters Estate www.crystalwatersestate.com.au 133 South Street, Tuncurry • 02 6554 7447 • info@crystalwatersestate.com.au

60 manning-great lakes focus.