Manning-Great Lakes Focus i151

Ty Judson

September 2019. issue 151

KELLY McCARREN

2 Manning-Great Lakes focus

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team From the

H

Welcome to the September issue of Manning-Great Lakes FOCUS.

APPY SPRING! September is here, and with it brings excitement, warm afternoons, spring racing events and delicious new spring menus at all our wonderful restaurants and cafés. This edition is a BIG one, 72 pages full of local people and businesses doing their thing, kicking goals and being amazing - and we can’t wait for you to take a moment or two to read all about it.

On the Cover May we introduce you to the absolutely gorgeous Kelly McCarren. Kelly has built an

amazing career, landing the plum role of Digital PR Manager for Australia’s biggest online fashion retailer - Showpo. You can read all about Kelly and what her role entails on pages 8 and 9.

The Business Women’s Network #barringtoncoast About three weeks ago, the owner of FOCUS and I were talking about all the wonderful women who own and run businesses in the local area. We decided we would try to start a group, so that the knowledge and power of all these amazing women could be shared and celebrated ... well, three weeks later, and we have over

500 members; the amount of inspirational women in this group is overwhelming!

From small home based to corporate business, our region has it all, and over the next few editions we look forward to introducing you to these wonderful women.

MidCoast Business Awards Congratulations to the committee of the MidCoast Business awards. Another fabulous night was had by all, with lots of businesses mixing and mingling.

Congratulations to Sunrise Supported Living, who picked up the big one “Business of the Year”.

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Manning-Great Lakes focus 3

contents Issue 151 - September 2019

focusinterviews

12

Sea Spray 17.

feature a special

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

34

Sarah Baker speaks with Pacific Palms local Kian Bates of Raw Edge Photography about the upcoming collaborative release of his first book with award winning Queensland author Dannika Patterson.

17

Blake O’Connor.

Wauchope Singer Songwriter and winner of the 2019 Toyota Star Maker, Blake O’Connor will be taking the stage at the Wingham Akoostik Music Festival in October amongst a great lineup of bands, who’ll perform a mix of Roots, Blues, Country, Rock and Alternative music ...

54

Valley View Farm.

Ingrid Bayer interviews Karina and Adam Gersbach from Valley View Farm about their increasing success growing quality garlic, which they produce on their property at Rainbow Flat ...

the Usual

Suspects

10. WHAT’S ON for September 16. TOURISM with Sharon Bultitude 20. EAT local restaurants 26. WHAT’S IN SEASON with Neville Donovan 27. SOCIAL SCENE with Donna Carrier 28. WINE TIME with Robyn Piper 48. STARS with Terri 51. MONEY MATTERS with Alan Tickle 52. REAL ESTATE UPDATE with Amanda Tate 55. BUSINESS VOICE with Gary Gersbach

56

Packed with Love.

Shirley Greber smiles as she works small stitches into elastic to finish a waistband in shorts for a young child. It is a labour of love for the 80-yearold Wingham woman, who is inspiring others to join her support of Operation Christmas Child.

4 Manning-Great Lakes focus

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focusinterview.

SUPRACING

SUP racing is so much more than just a race, and therein lies its appeal. IT’S PART-RACE, PART-ADVENTURE AND IT ALL TAKES PLACE IN SOME OF THE MOST BREATHTAKING PARTS OF THE WORLD. LOCAL TY JUDSON HAS BEEN COMPETING IN THESE SUP RACES representing our region. We sat down to find out a little more about him.

H

ow did you get into racing paddle boards, and how long have you been competing?

I’ve been a surfer for as long as I can remember, getting pushed on waves by my father. As I progressed, I found SUP surfing and loved the aspects of not only a newfound fitness, but loving the ocean once again. I then began to paddle a race board in Wallis Lake just for fitness, and that’s when I fell in love. That was almost four years ago now, and I haven’t looked back! Competing in my first international race, I paddled in the Molokai 2 Oahu World Championships in 2017, and since then I've experienced a whole heap more!

You’ve recently competed overseas in the USA and Europe. How did you go?

It was an amazing 13 week journey travelling to many places of the world that I never would thought to have seen. First stop was North Carolina for the 13 mile (21 km) Carolina Cup, paddling around an intercostal island where you come across many conditions in the ocean and river, with a huge international field of paddlers.

From there, the destination was Europe, where I would spend the next three months competing, travelling and winning my first high profile international race on The Euro Tour. This was in Spain, where I got my first win at the World SUP Festival. This was a 17 km course of upwind and downwind legs that started from an island, paddling back to the mainland in Costa Blanca. The time I spent overseas, I mainly achieved top five placings in races in France, Spain, Greece and the Czech Republic.

What conditions and environments do you race in?

In SUP racing, there is no specific condition; that’s what I love about the sport - it is so versatile. We compete in everything from island to island ocean crossings with massive swell and wind, through to dead flat rivers in the

middle of big cities. southerly wind, one of my favourite paddles is starting at How amazing to be travelling to such fantastic One Mile, all the way to Black Head. It’s 17 km of ocean destinations. Which was your favourite? bumps that you surf. Otherwise, my regular training It's so unbelievable that I have had the opportunity ground is in Wallis Lake. to see such phenomenal places in the world. Not only What are your other interests outside of paddling? is the Euro Tour a professional There are many things that interest me tour taking you to the best outside of paddling - too much really. destinations, it’s more than the Surfing, hydrofoiling, snowboarding, destination - it’s like travelling fishing, eating, surf life saving, cycling, In SUP racing, there is no specific with a huge family. On the water, sleeping, music and travelling, just to condition; that’s what I love about we’re all fierce competitors, but name a few. the sport - it is so versatile. We once you cross that line you What's next for you? compete in everything become good friends. Making In the coming few months I have a from island to island this all possible, I have to send a relatively busy schedule. First up, I will be ocean crossings with huge thanks to NSP and Mobys heading to Osaka, Japan for the Japan massive swell and wind, Retreat.

Cup, where I will be battling it out with through to dead flat rivers Paddle boarding is physically the world's best once again. After that in the middle of big cities. demanding; do you keep up a I go down to Phillip Island to compete good training routine? for my first Australian title. During The thought of racing a Stand December, there is a Downwind Week in Up Paddle board is foreign to Western Australia, where we get some many. To race we use specialised race boards that optimise of the best paddling conditions around for the biggest speed and allow you to paddle with a fluid motion. The international event in Australia. And that’s all before the sport of SUP is among the most physically demanding end of the year! sports there is, mainly because you are using 100% of Thanks Ty. your body - from your fingers to your toes and everything in between. The level of SUP athletes has increased dramatically over the past years and even competing, let alone contend for the top spot, you need to train as a professional athlete, in the gym, on the water and cross training.

Where do you love to spend time on the water at home?

Almost anywhere! In the Great Lakes we have such breathtaking bodies of water. It may seem a little biased, but our coastline really has everything. In a strong

Manning-Great Lakes focus 5

focusinterview.

Dr Hodgson Humanitarian of the Year

Dr Ray Hodgson has been recognised as Humanitarian of the Year by Rotary Zone 8 Australia and New Zealand, for his work with women and children in Nepal.

dr ray h

H

i Dr Ray. How did you feel when you heard about the award?

I was blown away - I had no idea this was coming.

Even though our energy is focused in Nepal, our work takes us to a number of trouble spots around the world, where we work alongside some wonderfully compassionate people. I feel delighted to be given this award, but part of me thinks a number of others deserve just as much recognition.

When we last spoke, you were about to launch your book - Heartbreak in the Himalayas. How has the book been received ... and are there copies still available to purchase?

I’m thrilled to say that Heartbreak in the Himalayas is selling exceptionally well. It’s now on to its fourth printing run, and it’s just made it to Number One on the Amazon Bestseller List.

Copies of the book are available at Bookface in Port Macquarie, or on our website at www.A4WH.org The first part has also just been released as an eBook.

It’s great for Heartbreak to be doing so well, because all profits from the sales fund the construction of our Mothers and Babies Hospital in Nepal. But there’s another plus to the success of the book: we’re getting the word out there of the appalling state of health in women and their babies in Nepal. These desperate people don’t have any means to fix their problems, and they don’t have a voice. We have both of these. And the more of us who learn of the plight of these people, the greater the chance we can end their suffering.

How's the Mothers and Babies Hospital you're involved with constructing in Dolakha, Nepal progressing?

We’re not far away from the start of construction of our Mothers and Babies Hospital. As we speak, the road into the hospital is being excavated. Tenders for the hospital construction will be announced in October, and we expect work on the hospital itself will begin later this year.

6 Greater Port Macquarie focus

We’ve trained up local Nepalese our work. The whole top floor of doctors and nurses and midwives. our hospital will be entirely devoted These desperate people don’t We’ve got pathology staff, to teaching. Our aim is to create a have any means to fix technicians, hospital cleaning staff hospital that can eventually work their problems, and they and administrators. We’re all ready independently, without regular input don’t have a voice. We to go with the hospital - it’s just from us. Ultimately, when we discuss have both of these. And the that we don’t have a building to our hospital project, we want to more of us who learn of the plight put them in yet. be able to say that our work has of these people, the greater the We need $500,000 to build been so successful, that we’ve done chance we can end their suffering. the hospital. To date, we’ve ourselves out of a job! raised just over $380,000. And, How can FOCUS readers assist we’re pushing on as hard as we you with the vital work you're can to raise the last $120,000. doing ... are we able to make a Once we’ve done this and the hospital is built, Rotary donation, and do you need volunteers to help on the International has pledged to fully fit out the hospital ground in Nepal? with all equipment. Our own club here in Port Macquarie We still need lots of support for our Mothers and Rotary has been magnificent in their support for our Babies Hospital. It’s a competitive world out there, project. the charity world - we understand that. And there’s a What plans do you have for the rest of this year healthy cynicism about donations and where your money especially related to your humanitarian work? actually goes. With our organisation, AUSTRALIANS FOR It’s going to be a very full rest of the year. Later this WOMEN’S HEALTH, every single cent that’s donated goes month I’ll be off to New Zealand and United States to directly to Nepal and our hospital project - donations do promote the book in those two countries. Soon after not contribute to administrative or any other overhead that, it’s back to Nepal for another surgical camp, where costs. (These expenses are all covered from profits from we’ll be training more Nepalese doctors and nurses in the Port Macquarie Ultrasound.) treatment of severe genital prolapse. On this trip we’ll be Visiting www.A4WH.org will let you know how you can taking with us some of the techniques we use to train help, either with a donation or as a potential volunteer. our own medical students at our Clinical School in Port Buying a book will help us achieve our dream. And even Macquarie. the smallest donation will help us even more.

Training local medical staff in Nepal is a major focus of Thanks Dr Ray.

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o p w o h S KELLY McCARREN

Hailing from the Manning-Great Lakes, KELLY MCCARREN HAS BUILT AN AMAZING CAREER, LANDING THE PLUM ROLE OF DIGITAL PR MANAGER FOR AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST ONLINE FASHION RETAILER SHOWPO. We caught up with Kelly recently, to find out more about her amazing career …

8 Manning-Great Lakes focus

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hat’s your connection with the area, Kelly?

I was born in Sydney but moved to the Forster-Tuncurry area when I was five, as my parents decided they didn't want to bring kids up in the city. My dad is the station officer at the Ambulance branch and mum is a TAFE teacher; so they've both been working locally since we moved 25 years ago!

I went to Tuncurry Public School (and literally can still recite that school song word for word) but due to some pretty horrendous bullying,

moved to a private school 40 minutes away for high school, as my parents wanted me to have a fresh start.

You’re in Sydney now, so how often do you make it back to the area?

Every year, without fail, I come home for Christmas, and it's honestly just the best. The area is so chill and I love the beach, so being able to access it so easily (without paying for parking, parking a 15 minute walk away, dealing with hordes of people etc.) is phenom.

Throughout the year, I try to come up for a weekend every few months. I’d like to come home more, as I love it, but can’t get away as

focusinterview.

IG H T SHOWPO M T A N R E T A N IN G, BUT D IN B U Y IN E T S E R E T B E IN E S IG N G R A P H IC D E IS L A E R THEN AND JAM. LEARN IR E H T E R IS M O LS. R S E L F S K IL TEACH YOU

often as I like. I’m actually getting married locally in November, so will be back more as that date moves closer.

How did you end up working with Showpo?

After completing a Bachelor of Communications, and being employed briefly as a Marketing Assistant, I began working in the marketing department of the international skincare brand - L’Occitane. I loved this job, the brand and was sent all over the country, which at 23 years of age - was a great opportunity and gave me a much stronger work ethic.

After a stint living in the USA, where I took some time out from work (mainly due to the fact I couldn’t work, as I didn’t have a work visa), I came back to Australia and started working in online publishing again, and although the job wasn't exactly what I wanted to be doing, the skills I learnt and the people I met were exactly what I needed after not working while being in the USA. A bit over three years ago, I was feeling super bored and started putting feelers out about getting a new job. A friend put me in touch with her friend, who was a recruiter who mentioned a role I might be interested in at Showpo (for those who don’t know - Showpo is Australia's biggest online fashion retailer. We sell to over 100 countries, are on an $85 million run rate, and have a social media following of over four million).

I hadn't really heard much about Showpo, but knew my sister had bought me a few dresses from there over the years. So I started researching more into the company and was so impressed and decided I DESPERATELY wanted a job with them. I put together a 10-page PowerPoint presentation, with ideas of how to improve current marketing processes and new strategies I wanted to execute.

When Jane Lu (Showpo CEO) and I met, it was the working/friend equivalent of love at first sight, and the pair of us just laughed our way through the interview - and yes, she liked my nerdy presentation! This eventually resulted in me landing the role of Digital PR Manager for Showpo (I was the 14th hire in a small penthouse office space in the CBD). As it was just me and the Chief Marketing Officer in the marketing

team, I got to learn about and work in every channel, including influencers, social, styling, shoots, video, PR, and events, which was fab.

Because of my background in publishing, I decided to start a "Showpo blog" as a free and easy way to organically reach new audiences, while also offering more than "just shopping" to our current WHEN JANE LU (SHOWPO audience. The blog is CEO) AND I MET, IT WAS now a hub of content, THE WORKING/ reaching over half a million FRIEND EQUIVALENT people each month and OF LOVE AT FIRST contributing a big chunk of SIGHT, AND THE PAIR OF lunch is generally when traffic.

US JUST LAUGHED OUR WAY I work on projects, I also got more involved THROUGH THE INTERVIEW so I might be at my with video and after - AND YES, SHE LIKED MY desk, headphones on producing a few that went NERDY PRESENTATION! and concentrating, or viral, realised I had a knack upstairs in our studio for that channel too. So, filming or shooting three years later, I head product. up our social, content and Later in the arvo is when I work on the team's video team, and we now have more than 150 task list, plan for the next week, respond to team members spread between a giant office their queries etc. If I don't have another event space in the CBD and an even bigger warehouse after work, I might meet up with friends for in Chullora. a drink and dinner, or I go to the gym and go What does a typical work day look like for home to work more (like I said, it's not 9 - 5). you?

I'm also planning a wedding, do podcasting, and If you want to work online, you need to freelance work, so this is generally when I work completely get rid of the notion of a 9 - 5 job. I on these projects too. need to be contactable all the time, and a typical What do you love most about your work? day reflects that! I check emails, social stats, The people and the opportunities and never internal company messages, and Google analytics knowing what’s next. This time last year I had no as soon as I wake up and respond to anything idea what was going to happen this year and so urgent. As an example of something that needs far in 2019, I’ve spent five weeks in New York to be answered urgently, I have offshore agents and two weeks in California for Coachella; I’ve who work during the night, so they might have a starred in our bridal shoot and rolled out nine customer complaint about a photo or meme we campaigns; I’ve recorded 43 podcast episodes posted, and I need to sign off on a response. and an article about my mood went viral - I hate I get in about 9:30 and catch up with the the idea of doing the same thing all the time, so team, very casually discussing what everyone if you’re the same, you probably belong online! is working on that day. The morning is for High points so far? meetings, so I might have internal meetings Working with Showpo on extending our size about upcoming campaigns and projects, or range from 6 - 14 to 4 - 20, including using I might have an external meeting - anything women of all shapes and sizes consistently from a strategy session at Google (yes, they through the campaign imagery and messaging. really do have the best snacks), to a preview Our bridal launch this year was also pretty showing of upcoming Sephora launches. After

damn amazing and next year, people might also be able to buy the dress I wear on my wedding day! Being recognised in the industry and given opportunities externally to Showpo has also been great; I currently co-host a Mamamia podcast (soon to be two) and also host/MC events, which is so fun!

Advice for anyone with aspirations of working in an industry such as fashion?

Learn, absorb as much information as possible, and work your a@#e off. Apply for jobs in smaller companies, as they're more likely to take on people with limited experience and once you're there, you'll be able to work in many different departments, which will teach you skills and also help you figure out what you're actually interested in.

As an example, an intern at Showpo might be interested in buying, but then realise graphic design is more their jam. Learn and teach yourself skills. If you're interested in the design side of fashion, start a sketch pad and pin all the designs you like to a Pinterest mood board, immersing yourself in trends. If you want to be a buyer, learn Excel - and I mean advanced Excel skills!

If social is more your thing, start a side Instagram and test different things out, read articles, look for trends in the algorithm and look at what accounts with high engagement are doing. All of these things can be taught via YouTube tutorials - or enrol in a TAFE course! You might even get my mum as your teacher!

Thanks Kelly.

Interview: Ingrid Bayer.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 9

focus_What’s On Manning-Great Lakes

S E P T E M B E R

2 0 1 9

5

Spring Spectacular Valley Nature’s Care Nursery

22

Family fun day. BBQ and jumping castle.

Heaps of great offers!

When September 5th, 10am - 4pm.

Where Nature’s Care Nursery, 70 Whitbread St, Taree.

What Family and community.

Contact (02) 6552 8848.

5

Night At The Museum

Tiny House Open Day presented by The Secret Weekly Farmers Market.

Come along and be inspired by a locally made tiny house. Created using mostly up-cycled materials by Dan Barry from DBBD Designs, who will give you a personal tour and answer your tiny house questions.

When Thursday, September 5th from 8am - 1pm.

Where Taree Park, 127 Macquarie St, Taree.

8

Cundletown Motor Show

Run in conjunction with the Cundletown Spring Market, the 2019 Motor Show is looking bigger and better, with enquiries from as far afield as Coffs Harbour and Sydney.

Proceeds from both events go to the work of the Manning Uniting Church Taree welfare.

When 8:30am - 12:30pm.

What Family and community, sport - free event.

Contact Chris Goodsell 0414 945 393.

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13

New stories have been researched, so come and listen to some colourful local history and enjoy the atmosphere of the museum after dark on Friday 13th!

You must book soon, as last time we were turning people away.

When September 13th, 6pm - 8:30pm.

Where Wingham Museum, 12 Farqhuar St, Wingham.

What Art and music, family and community.

Contact To book, phone 6553 5823 or email mvhsmuseum@outlook.com - alternatively, you can enquire at the Wingham Museum.

Cost Adults $5, children $1.

Great Lakes Band Fundraiser

Come and support your community band and enjoy an afternoon full of concert band and Swing style music.

Entry $2 donation.

When September 22nd, 2pm - 5pm.

Where Club Forster.

Contact (02) 6591 6591.

28 14

Spring Ball Sporties Tuncurry

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Spring Ball at Sporties Tuncurry. Raffles, auction, great entertainment on the night. Champagne and canapés on arrival, followed by a two course meal. Limited tickets available. Tables of 10 - $60 per head.

When September 14th, 5:30pm - 9pm.

Where Sporties Tuncurry.

Bookings via Sporties Tuncurry - 6554 9270.

Dress Semi-formal.

Wallis Lake Oyster & Craft Beer Festival

Wallis Lake Oyster and Craft Beer Festival 2019 is to be held over the weekend of Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September 2019.

The event will be held from 12pm - 5pm on both days and will see the return of the popular oyster eating competition, live music all weekend, kids’ entertainment and a larger than ever selection of craft beers to choose from.

When 12pm - 5pm.

Where Hamilton’s Oyster Bar. Contact 6554 8245 or visit www.hamiltonsoysters.com.au

focusinterview.

Awaken the Inner

GODDESS WO MEN’S RETRE AT - J ENNY ASH TON

With a passion for healing, Jenny Ashton has brought together some diverse and amazing local women to run the “Awaken the Inner Goddess” Women’s Retreat from September 13 to 15 at Kings Creek. In the final stages of preparation, Jenny spent some time explaining what it’s all about!

W

hat’s the background, inspiration or motivation for coordinating and holding this

women’s retreat?

The inspiration to hold the retreat developed from assisting mostly women with healing. As a medium, medical intuitive, clairvoyant, energy healer and a student of Astrology, I feel and see so many people who have lost their inner wisdom and spirit without knowing the cause, and they feel disconnected. Our inner-self, soul, spirit whatever name you want to call that part of ourselves - remembers that we are all connected and continues to search for meaning and guidance.

Some of the issues that women struggle to heal or resolve within themselves are trauma, healthy relationships and establishing boundaries.

Trauma has many faces, and everyone responds differently. Whatever the trauma, we all hold the shadow of the event in our physical body, often on a deep cellular level that is difficult to shift without the help of a therapist. There is no one single fix; it should involve a multi-level approach. Astrology gives me keys to the individual and their likely responses.

At times we all struggle with relationships, and when the relationship we have with

ourselves is out of balance, our relationships suffer. When we can heal our feeling of disconnection, then we can connect with others and establish healthy boundaries.

Back to your question ... it’s the collective energy of a group all seeking meaning and purpose in their lives … the power in the collective energy. Holding a retreat such as this one gives time for healing, gives time to reset in a safe environment. Holding a retreat is a time to invest in yourself, to step outside your comfort zone … to shine and heal body, mind, heart and spirit.

Who are the instructors, and what do they each specialise in?

Healing often needs a multi-discipline approach. I feel fortunate to have in my life a circle of amazing women who will bring their special talents and teachings to assist during the weekend.

Beverly McCulloch has been a practitioner of Yoga for over 20 years, and a teacher of Yoga for over 10 years. She is also the owner of Healing Heart Yoga in Taree, which is a dedicated centre for learning, living well and thriving.

Karen Jenkins is a qualified holistic therapist with more than 25 years’ experience in remedial body work, psychophysical healing, vibrational medicine and is a mental health peer worker.

Deb Scarfe is from Viva Kinect. Deb is an occupational therapist and a dance movement therapist. Dance movement therapy is a fun,

creative, expressive medium to explore who we are, how we move in our world, how we relate to others and to our environment.

And I’m the host and instructor for the women’s retreat. I have had a lifetime of lived experience as an intuitive, medium and energy healer. Assisting women in their process of healing is a passion. It gives me joy to hear the response from a client after a session that they feel “lighter”. I believe that healing starts with your need to be whole and to understand that your soul needs you to live your life without suffering. Although I have studied Reflexology, CranioSacral Therapy and Reiki, my best results are when I work intuitively.

Tell us about the venue - it sounds amazing … and perfectly suited to an event like this!

Kings Creek is a venue that I’ve been fortunate to have visited in my capacity as an Authorised Celebrant, where I’ve conducted weddings over the years. It was an easy choice, as I really did feel that this venue would be the ideal “unique” place to hold our women’s retreat at!

What is on the agenda for the participants?

The activities start on Friday evening with the Native American tradition of prayer ties, followed by a guided meditation.

Saturday 7 - 8am Yoga; after breakfast Beverley will give a 30 minute talk - Yoga Teachings. The morning session is Creative Journal Work, where we focus on the highs

and lows of your life. After lunch session therapist Karen Jenkins will lead Earthing, Rhythm and Movement. After dinner session will be with OT and dance and movement therapist Debbie Scarfe, closing the night with a full moon medication.

Sunday 7 - 8am Yoga - Beverley will give another 30 minute talk.

Sunday morning is Healing Medicine Wheel - incorporating Astrology. After lunch we will return to the Creative Journal - “What Now”.

We will be closing with a drumming and fire ceremony.

What do you hope participants will get out of the retreat?

I know it is often an overused word, but I would like everyone who attends to feel empowered, lighter, and stronger, ready to rise and shine their special light.

Is there a larger vision you have when it comes to events such as these for women in our area?

Ideally, I would like to offer women’s retreats in different areas on the Barrington Coast, holding two or three annually, with activities to suit the needs of participants.

Where do our readers go to find out more, or purchase tickets?

To find out more information on the women’s retreat, call 0409 605 4147 and I can answer your questions or email more details.

Thanks Jenny.

Interview: Ingrid Bayer.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 11

focusinterview.

Sarah Baker speaks with Pacific Palms local KIAN BATES OF RAW EDGE PHOTOGRAPHY ABOUT THE UPCOMING COLLABORATIVE RELEASE OF HIS FIRST BOOK with award winning Queensland author Dannika Patterson.

i Kian. Congratulations on this creative work; it's very inspiring. Please tell us about the reasoning behind creating Seaspray17: Ocean Photography & Haiku Poetry.

Hi Sarah; thank you. The initial idea of an ocean-inspired photo book for all ages to enjoy came about back in October last year. I was sitting in our Raw Edge Gallery with my wife, Ashley, our two children and my mother, looking at my Foam Dancing images. We were all playing a game, telling each other what shapes, animals or things we saw in these photos of sea foam hitting the shore, letting our imaginations run wild - three generations, all captivated by interpreting these ocean art forms differently. We thought there was something very special in that.

So, I contacted Dannika Patterson - a writer and award-winning children’s book author - and asked if she would be interested in a joint project together. Dannika and I grew up in the same street in Queensland’s Redland’s City, right beside Moreton Bay, so although we hadn’t seen each other in years, I already knew she had a love of the ocean and hoped she might be keen to collaborate.

After a month or so of playing around with different story forms and literary devices, Dannika decided that Haiku would be a great fit with ocean images and seascapes.

People will no doubt recognise your distinct ocean photography on each page.

How did you find the development process working with Dannika?

My task was to put forward my favourite images - those that I thought were particularly unique, powerful and emotive. Dannika sent me the collection of Haiku she had written to 12 Manning-Great Lakes focus

17

Spray

pair with each image, and I was blown away by her creativity, style and - to my amazement - some Haiku with themes almost exactly matching the titles I had previously given the images. It all came together with wonderful synergy, and the process has been very smooth.

It helps that we shared a strong vision from the CAPTURING A BRIEF start of the project and MOMENT IN TIME ... that we both have similar A SUDDEN SENSE OF views about our oceans ILLUMINATION, THE and wildlife and want to ABILITY TO APPRECIATE pattern - have routinely share a message about EACH RESPECTIVE been broken. Because respecting and protecting ART FORM IN A SINGLE it is such a distilled what we have for ourselves, GLANCE OR BREATH, BUT form of poetry and our children and future ALSO THE POSSIBILITY storytelling, there is generations.

OF LINGERING LAYERS OF as much power in the The decision to immerse MEANING OR FEELING. words that make the Haiku poetry with final poem, as those ocean art photography that don’t. is certainly unique.

What would you like How does utilising this readers to take away from this book, and literary device add another element to the who is the target audience? meaning of the subject matter, Dannika?

This is a book for everyone who loves the The philosophies behind taking a photograph ocean. For kids four to 104 - there’s something and writing a Haiku poem are perfectly aligned; in here for everyone to appreciate and there is the focus on capturing a brief moment enjoy, individually or together as a family. In in time ... a sudden sense of illumination, the schools, teachers and librarians will find links ability to appreciate each respective art form in a single glance or breath, but also the possibility to Australian Curriculum to support student learning across multiple year levels in Science, of lingering layers of meaning or feeling.

Arts and English - free downloadable Teachers’ Haiku is a three-line, beautifully descriptive Notes for SeaSpray17 are available online, and form of poetry, intended to be read in one Dannika and I are available to teach crossbreath and often related to the natural world. curriculum student workshops in schools and All 17 Haiku poems in SeaSpray17 follow the libraries around Australia. Our hope is that this traditional five - seven - five syllable pattern book will bring people joy, inside and out. (dating back to the invention of this form of We hope it inspires curiosity and encourages poetry in 9th Century Japan), although as the people to get out and explore the natural western form of Haiku has evolved, many of wonders of our watery world and to enjoy, the "rules" - including the five - seven - five

respect and protect our beaches and oceans.

I know you have some launches coming up, as the book releases on October 1st.

What do have scheduled?

SeaSpray17 will officially be released on October 1, 2019, and we have two major book launches scheduled, one in NSW and one in QLD, as well as a host of smaller book signing events. In NSW we’ll be launching the book on Saturday 5th October, between 10am - noon at the Raw Edge Photography Gallery, 61 Boomerang Drive, Boomerang Beach. In QLD, Manly Harbour Gallery will host our launch event on Sunday, October 27th between 9am 2:30pm. As well as launching SeaSpray17 into Queensland on this day, I’ll also be exhibiting a selection of my ocean artworks in Queensland for the first time.

For people wanting to purchase a copy for their coffee table or classroom or find out more about yourself or Dannika’s work, how can they get in touch?

I can be contacted via rawedgephotography@outloook.com or www. rawedgephotography.com.au and Dannika via dannikapatterson@gmail.com or www. dannikapatterson.com Thanks Kian.

Get Ready For A New View SE NO LL W IN G !

....to start your day in Forster Tuncurry

www.rockpoolapartments.com.au

To: Tuncurry Golf Course Forster Tuncurry Racecourse Great Lakes College

Tuncurry Sporti & Leagues Club

www.rockpoolapartments.com.au Tuncurry Public Shcool

Tuncurry Tuncurry Sporti Refl & Leagues Club Bowling Club Holi

To: Tuncurry Golf Course Forster Tuncurry Racecourse Great Lakes College

Cinema

Museum

Visit our onsite display suite or contact our friendly team Visit our onsite display suite or contact our friendly team

PH: 6555 6555 PH: 6555 6555

Tuncurry Australia Public Onsite Shcool Post Cinema display suite now openMuseum Australia Onsite Post in Kent St Woolworths display suite now open (opposite Display in Kent St Woolworths Woolworths) Suite (opposite

Woolworths)

Tuncurry Bellevue Bowling Club Hotel

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Display Suite

Wallis La

TUNCURRY TUNCURRY

Manning-Great Lakes focus 13

Tuncurry

focusinterview.

WE CHAT TO ABBIE WHITE AS SHE VENTURES OFF TO UGANDA TO HELP EDUCATE CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY.

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A b b i e

an you tell us a bit about the School for Life Foundation?

School for Life Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation working in rural Uganda. They empower communities to help themselves and create their own opportunities. To do that, they build schools to provide communities with a quality education, including primary and secondary schooling, vocational training and other services - such as employment and healthcare solutions.

With both donations and volunteers' help, their aim is to transform developing communities in emerging countries to become educated, productive, sustainable and profitable places - where people can enjoy a healthy, happy and more prosperous future.

How important is education in overcoming poverty?

Every child deserves access to quality education. Knowledge is indestructible and education is transformative. School for Life’s goal is to make sure that as many children as possible in developing countries have access to a high quality education.

In Uganda, only 27% of school-age children in Mpigi district are enrolled in primary school.

The student teacher ratio is a high 52:1 in rural areas, teacher absenteeism is high because of low or non-existent government wages, and children often stay at home and help with chores. If School for Life didn’t exist, instead of starting their first day at school, their students would be heading to work - most likely working in the fields, herding animals or digging for food, and this is what the rest of their life would consist of and be limited too.

In September you're off to Uganda. Explain to us your involvement with the program and what exactly you will be doing there.

With build for impact, I will be rolling my 14 Manning-Great Lakes focus

W h i t e sleeves up and get hands-on in a group setting with my fellow travellers and the School for Life team in Uganda. I will be aiding in the construction process of the SFLF houses from start to finish, meeting and interacting with the local students and teachers of the schools within the local villages and gaining knowledge and engaging in culture and lifestyle in Uganda.

Not only will there be a lot of fun, making new friends and deepening bonds with the people I’ll be travelling with, developing and strengthening skills, and making memories that will be stuck for the rest of my life, but I’ll be changing the lives of hundreds of children and helping to end the cycle of poverty for entire communities.

Can you tell us how this project will enhance the community?

Teachers are the backbone of the School for Life Foundation. Their focus is on providing quality education, and they can only do this by hiring, developing and retaining the best teachers in Uganda. As their schools are based in remote rural villages, they offer comfortable on-site accommodation to help attract the best teachers for our students.

The Build for Impact Project is a way to gain insight on how these houses are made while also getting hands on in the experience; this project enhances the community by having that permanent, safe and comfortable accomodation available, so that teachers have somewhere to stay and the satisfaction of education can maintain being fulfilled in order to open more opportunities for both the students and teachers for their future.

Health care is also incredibly important.

What services has School for Life provided, and what effect is this having on Uganda's children?

We know that improved health and nutrition plays an integral part in the alleviation of

poverty. If children are to allow me insight on how IT IS QUITE AN ADVENTURE, learn and perform well at much people in Uganda BUT ALSO A VERY EXCITING school, they need to be have to work for the ONE! TRAVELLING AND properly nourished. things we have instantly HELPING PEOPLE ARE School for Life’s available to us in AusTWO OF MY MAJOR healthcare and nutrition tralia. My one personal PASSIONS AND WITH programs are designed goal that I’m hoping to THE BUILD FOR IMPACT to improve the health of achieve while overseas is PROJECT, I GET TO DO students, staff and the to put a smile on at least BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. communities they work in. one child’s or teacher's School for Life opened face a day, and by the its first on-site clinic at end of the experience my Katuuso Primary and Vocateam will have changed tional School. With a full-time registered nurse, their lives forever with Build for Impact. Making this clinic offers much needed primary healtha true and noticeable positive difference in care services to students and staff. In addition someone’s life is a feeling above and beyond to providing first aid, basic check-ups, malaria satisfaction. testing and medication, the school nurse coorYou're currently trying to raise $5,000; how dinates health promotion campaigns and workcan people donate? shops for the entire community. Additionally, Yes, I have a fundraising target to meet that they: integrate general hygiene practices into sits at $5,000 that goes straight to providing the the school curriculum, include sex education materials used to build the teacher's residence and family planning in the curriculum, teach and the Ugandan construction team that will students about the risk of HIV and Aids, provide be mentoring us through the whole building three nutritious meals a day for all staff and process. People can donate through the link students, ensure clean and safe drinking water provided below or through my Facebook page; is provided to all students and staff. all donations big or small are greatly appreciatAs health care education continues to develed. Alone we can do so little, but together we op in the Ugandan schools, there has been a can do so much. persistent increase in wellbeing and a decrease https://buildforimpact2019.raisely.com/abin ill health lasting a longer period of time. biewhite?fbclid=IwAR2Efj_1evb_A2ufR0RIW6dIt's quite the adventure for a 19 year old. lYcL6i8CViq5lO9DJ17oR9lCsMzi4GoMinlk What are you hoping to experience and Where can we find out more information learn from your trip to Uganda? about School for Life and all the great work It is quite an adventure, but also a very that they do? exciting one! Travelling and helping people are More information about School for Life can two of my major passions and with the Build be found at schoolforlife.org.au or follow their for Impact Project, I get to do both at the same Facebook page to stay updated with the excittime. I’m hoping this experience brings home ing news and achievements continually taking a newfound love for the lives we sometimes place. take for granted. Volunteering in a developing Thanks Abbie. country is definitely going to open my eyes and Interview: Bronwyn Davis.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 15

t days n a i l l i r 3b focus_contributor

S H A R O N B U LT I T U D E , M I D C O A S T C O U N C I L

of Music

advertising.

Bryan Smith, an award winning filmmaker, According to Think With Google: 83% believes that if destinations want people to feel of people turn to social media sites for their the culture, place and soul of their location, travel inspiration and the reason they do this they have to look at getting people immersed is because of this issue of trust and credibility. in the place and create a sense of exploration.

People trust the opinions of their friend and The challenge for a destination is to tell the relatives above any other. It’s about what’s the real stories in a way that overcomes the best experience for YOU - and this is what preconceived ideas that are typically a surface we expect the people on our social media layer of a destination. networks to tell us. And we TRUST them.

We therefore need to make the development This means that today, destination storyof stories that engage our customers our UPDATE telling is not about a special hotel offer or our primary vehicle for creating inspiration and newest attraction. It’s about activating and activating conversations about our destination. enriching an ongoing marketplace conversation Motivating others to tell stories, while with content and perspective, rather than enabling and encouraging them to do so, just trying to control it. like we’ve been working with travel writers and Authenticity is another concept that is often journalists, is more important now than ever talked about in the context of storytelling and before. So people might be more likely to get destination marketing. Increasingly travellers inspiration and information from other sources tust seems - from of our storytellinginonline, and the ofway, are looking for authentic local experiences in - BUT we can help enable this. like that manyeveryone businesses at this of stakeholders a coherent andamount intuitive corporate marketers to non-profit stories thatour now exist has exploded.

It’s an incredible shift to consider. It turns time of year, the Barrington Coast to ensure experiences are authentic and tell the destinations and communities they visit, Location: The Manning Valley. campaigners are talking about how For a destination, storytelling is critical.

Not and this naturally translates to the type of the entire traditional marketing approach on tourism team has been busily our local “story” in a way that resonates with Photo by: David Johnson. important storytelling is nowadays. long ago there were only two destination story stories that resonate with those travellers. its head.

A brand cannot be built the way it reviewing and developing its our target markets.

Instagram: instagram.com/hinterland_images From a marketing perspective, tellers - the destination itself and journalists.

Good stories can help people feel as though used to be.

It would be too expensive, too business and marketing plans for On one end of the experience scale is the we’ve been telling stories for a long Now the bank of storytellers include our they’re sharing your experience in person, and ineffective and too limiting. But by activating the next financial year. During this big idea that becomes a game-changer for the Taken a great photo or video of our local area? Like to see it published in FOCUS for the world to time. A traditional ad tells a story. A TV spot residents, visitors, industry partners, staff, this offers a destination an exciting opportunity the right storytellers, we can reach more process, what really struck me was how much destination, like a Great Walk. At the other end see? Just email annette@focusmag.com.au tells a story. Newspaper articles tell a story. journalists, influencers, third parties, niche to differentiate their stories from other people, hit the right targets and showcase the tourism environment has changed in a it can be something as simple as finding the A Facebook post tells a story. A word of communities and many others. These groups destinations.

We need stories that go beyond more authentic stories. relatively short period of time. micro moments that can make the difference mouth recommendation is a story. A good are now seen as being more credible, more just a list of must-do highlights; we need to “The Destination Brand is the sum of all Many of today’s leading destinations to someone’s experience.

DONOVAN - GREENPATCH ORGANIC SEEDS _contributor story connects emotionally - it’s the story that persuasive, more creative and can have a sharefocus emotions and feelings HORTICULTURALIST to help visitors NEVILLE experiences during a trip, plus the sum of all are recognising the reality that a focus on Experience development also doesn’t persuades us to take action. reach so much larger than we, as destination build deeper connections with our people and the stories somebody hears” promotion is not enough to succeed. A shift always mean from it might In the last decade we’ve moved so much marketers, canstarting ever hope to scratch; buy through - Destination Think. places. toward destination just require some management and creative thinking. The experience development opportunity to leverage AT’S IN is no longer up for existing experiences WH debate. to create new news Ultimately, as a destination Just like destinations is often overlooked. we can’t separate developaround the world, we Collaboration between ment from promotion.

We are being challenged a number of businesses need to walk the talk with to ask ourselves “are that offer different a holistic approach that we equipped to create services in different includes all branding and experiences?” Without locations could result in marketing activities. a unique story told a bundling of offers that consistently and by together can create a now peas are a popular If available, the addition of compost or all, a destination and whole new experience. vegetable to grow in the aged manure to your soil will promote its products become Ultimately, as a cooler months and a must for strong, healthy growth. Ensure soil ph is in simply a commodity, with price as the only destination we can’t separate development gardeners looking for an easy the ideal zone of 6 - 7. battlefield. This becomes a slippery slope to from promotion. We need to walk the talk with to plant vegetable that is a Sow seeds from March through to early increasing irrelevance in what is a very dynamic a holistic approach that includes all branding prolific bearer over a long period. Not only August for a late crop producing well marketplace. and marketing activities. Since a brand is the will snow peas put a smile on your face, into spring. Sow direct into prepared soil So as a destination management team, sum of all stories that are told by and about but children absolutely love them! It is an below your trellis. Ensure soil is moist for how are we making this shift to the visitor our destination, the experiences we provide excellent way to get children involved in at least one week for good germination, experience, in order to deliver the right must match our words. gardening, as they just love picking and but do not over water, as they are prone destination experience that creates brand If we’re making promises and appeals in eating the fresh pods. to rotting. Varieties such as Yakumo are advocacy from visitors and locals alike? our marketing communications, we need to Climbing snow peas take up a minimal perfect for sowing now because of their Well, we ensure that we clearly emphasise be able to keep those when people arrive amount of space in the garden and can increased disease resistance later on in the experiences a visitor has in our destination, in our region. To overpromise while not grow well in the corner of the veggie spring. rather than purely the product found here. delivering on the experience isn’t the right patch or along a garden edge. All you During harvest, check plants twice More fundamentally, we are starting to help thing to do ... remembering too that our visitor need is a strong structure for snow pea weekly, picking pods at the flat stage shape and build these positive and inspiring perceptions of our destination are almost tendrils to twine on to. This can be a wire for maximum sweetness, as they will get experiences. But, this shift has demanded exclusively shaped by the opinions of millions trellis, plastic mesh or miniature tepee to stringy any older then this. that we step outside of our historic role of of individuals, communicated through word at least 1.5 m high. Ensure your trellis/ Snow peas are best eaten fresh, steamed marketing and promotion. of mouth, primarily today via digital and social structure is built with strong stakes, to or sautéed lightly. Pods can be cool stored Our role has become absolutely one of channels. Just like the adage “you don’t have provide ample support for the plants. for up two weeks in a small sealed up bag, “management”. It’s about development, a brand until your customers say you have Snow peas enjoy a mostly sunny position or frozen for up to six months. bringing the whole experience together and a brand” - “an experience that is not talked with fertile, moist soil and good drainage.

Happy Growing! guiding collaboration across a wide spectrum about might as well be invisible”.

tourism

“Destination Management organisations can no longerthen hide behind “Travelling it leaves you speechless, the tired old line that roleaisstoryteller”just promotion’. Ibn Those days are over” Battuta. turns you‘our into William Baker, 2019.

JI

photo of the month.

season

S

Music Festival

Snow Pea

Music Festival

October 18, 19

Diesel Lloyd Spiegel Hat Fitz & CarA TURNER BROWN BAND 19-twenty Hussy Hicks Mason Rack Blues Arcadia Andrew Swift Kris Morris & Josh Dufficy Afro Moses Blake O’Connor Fat Picnic Leanne Paris Montgomery Church

Beating Hearts Club Angus Gill Waang Djarri Dancers Mark Oats & Matt Zarb Sofiella Watt & the Handsome Husbands Josh Needs

Colin Lillie James Bennett Miniq Vena KLYMO Then Jolene Hudson Rose Trapps The Southern Hold Ruby Blunt Wingsong

October 18, 19 20

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WAUCHOPE SINGER SONGWRITER AND WINNER OF THE 2019 TOYOTA STAR MAKER, BLAKE O’CONNOR WILL BE TAKING THE STAGE AT THE WINGHAM AKOOSTIK MUSIC FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER AMONGST A GREAT LINEUP OF BANDS, WHO’LL PERFORM A MIX OF ROOTS, BLUES, COUNTRY, ROCK AND ALTERNATIVE MUSIC. WE SAT DOWN WITH BLAKE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE WE LAST SPOKE.

H

i Blake. What's been There are so many great artists there this happening since year. winning the Toyota Star Talk us through your music. How Maker? would you describe your style, I've been all over the and what is the content of your shop. I've been overseas a songwriting about? couple of times playing at festivals in the My style I would say is a bit of a Country United Kingdom and America, and I’ve Blues songwriter vibe, or probably played at nearly all of the major Country Americana. I think it could sit there if we Music Festivals in Australia since then. It are talking genre-wise. Most of my lyrics, hasn’t really stopped, or all of my lyrics to be honest. It’s been rather, come from great. I've just come personal experiences back from the Gympie that I've gone through Music Muster, and that or someone really It's awesome just to have such a went great. I got to close to me has gone cool festival local to where I live. play a few gigs on the through, and I try to They have always got a main stage there and connect the songs Lloyd Spiegel good lineup. a couple on the other that I write as much is going to be there, and he is stages too, which was as I can with myself. I one of my favourites of all time, awesome. I just got feel like if it connects so to catch up with him will be back home late last with me, then it's awesome. night from a long 10 bound to connect with hour drive. somebody else out You will be there. That's how I like performing at the to roll with writing.

Wingham Akoostik Music Festival in Whats next for Blake O’Connor Music?

October. What do you love most about I'll be playing at the Deni Ute Muster performing locally? and the Country Cruisin just before That there’s no travel involved ... that's Wingham Akoostik Festival.

But for now, a great thing … No, travel doesn't bother I'll be chilling around playing as much as me; it's awesome just to have such a cool I can to as many people as possible, and I festival local to where I live. They have just want to keep doing that. always got a good lineup. Lloyd Spiegel I'm absolutely loving it, so if I can just is going to be there, and he is one of my keep doing what I’ve been doing the last favourites of all time, so to catch up with few months, then I’ll be very, very happy. him will be awesome.

Where can we hear your music?

Who are you most excited to be It's on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, playing alongside at the festival?

YouTube, and you can also buy my album Definitely Lloyd Spiegel and Diesel; he from blakeoconnormusic.com is on the lineup too, so that will be great.

Thanks Blake.

Just those two alone I will be stoked with.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 17

focus_interview.

art

Ken Strong Gallery Kew O P E N S

new I N

T H E

R E G I O N

Sarah Baker speaks with Ken Strong about all things art, community and the latest exhibitors at the Kew gallery.

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i Ken. Congratulations on opening your gallery. Please tell us a little about your vision for the newly opened space, housing the works of selected artists.

We are looking to provide a venue for the display and sale of contemporary and traditional art, with the ability to represent local artists and a range of other established artists from around Australia. My wife, Jocelyn and I have lived on the Mid North Coast for over thirty years. We have been involved in the art world for over forty years and have developed a sound knowledge of the industry and its evolution. There is a huge variability that occurs within the art forms, and we hope to be able to explore some of these at the gallery.

You are an esteemed local artist yourself, with a unique style for landscapes. How would you describe your latest pieces and the techniques you use?

Over my painting career, I have explored a whole range of different approaches. Every approach has some unique technique or characteristic to be applied, all of which provide a learning experience; however, I have always endeavoured to develop a unique and recognisable style.

I have always enjoyed the use of colour and contrast in the creation of composition, and the works in the gallery demonstrate this.

Perhaps the most prominent feature of the current range of works is the strong use of light as one of the key elements of the composition. It could almost be said that light becomes the subject of many of

18 Manning-Great Lakes focus

my paintings on display. story".

My current subjects represent Why do you think the expression of Australian themes, incorporating the art and having a creative outlet is so human influence on the landscape. enriching for a person?

I have been painting and drawing Artistic expression for me provides an for as long as I can remember and have outlet where I am driven by an obsession rarely left the house without an easel and to be creative. For many pursuits, the paints in some form. outcomes can be calculated and the I have been fortunate to have been benefits and pleasures gained easy to able to display my works extensively quantify. both in Australia Art is not so and overseas, readily tangible; having held over expression can vary sixty exhibitions, infinitely, affecting Art and painting is such a including thirtyyour emotional diverse and variable passion. seven solo. and physical status.

Inspiration continues to Interestingly, my I have often said mutate and develop with initial exhibition was when I first viewed exposure to new art and held at the Kendall the works of Joseph artists as time proceeds.

Green Gallery in Turner at the London Inspiration for artwork relates 1988, hosted by the National Gallery, I not only to chosen subjects and late Peter Gross and was transfixed and techniques, but also in ďŹ nding his wife, Bar, which moved somewhere the best way to 'tell the story'.

I remember fondly. been tears and Could you tell exultation. Any form our readers a of expression as a little about the creative outlet that development of your craft and where can have this affect on the emotions you draw your inspiration? is worth exploring and provides a new I have been painting the landscape for platform of existence. over forty years. I grew up in Sydney and For people wanting to reach out and on the Central Coast, surrounded by the find out more information about Ken Australian eucalypt bush and waterways Strong Gallery Kew, how can they of the Hawkesbury and Brisbane Waters. best get in touch?

This certainly had an impact on my love The gallery is open at Kew from of the Australian landscape.

Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Art and painting is such a diverse and The address is 148 Nancy Bird Walton variable passion. Inspiration continues Drive, Kew, formerly the Kew Popup to mutate and develop with exposure to Gallery. new art and artists as time proceeds.

Jocelyn and I can be contacted on Inspiration for artwork relates not only 0408 445 958 or 0412 778 608, or via to chosen subjects and techniques, but email at studio24@bigpond.com also in finding the best way to "tell the Thanks Ken.

focusinterview.

beach Festival o l d

b a r

Old Bar is the place to be on the October long weekend, as the village comes alive with the Old Bar Beach Festival!

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i Mark. What is your role with Old Bar Beach Festival, how long have you had the role for, and what do you love the most about it?

I’m the Event Director. I’ve managed the event for eight years now. I love how the festival brings Old Bar to life every October long weekend.

How long has this festival been running, and how did it get started?

The Old Bar Beach Festival started as a humble celebration of beach culture, with the Kombi as an iconic emblem of that.

2019 marks our 15th annual festival, and it has come a long way from just a handful of Kombis and marquees! We’ve grown into a larger embodiment of what it means to be by the beach, to be in Old Bar. What does this year have in store for ev-

eryone?

The festival is a calendar staple for many families across the state. They come back every year, because they know they’re going to get what they love! We’ll have all the usual attractions - mega markets, Kombi and classic displays, allday live music, carnival rides and kids’ entertainment. We’ve also got a few special surprises in store to celebrate our 15th birthday!

The Kombi parade is a huge drawcard; why do you think this is?

What’s great about the Kombi parade is that it brings together the entire festival! Our Kombi owners, some of whom travel quite far to be part of this, get to show off their work to the crowds that line the main street. There’s cheering and tooting, waves and peace signs - it really is the liveliest part of the festival.

For those who have never been to the festival, why should they come along?

Old Bar is worth visiting year-round, but most

out their hard work and of all on the days of the festival. It’s the perfect dedication, we couldn’t It’s the perfect family bring this festival to life! family day out! Find day out! Find boutique boutique treasures at our They are responsible for the treasures at our market 30,000 smiles we put on market stalls, snack on ice stalls, snack on ice creams faces every year. If people creams whilst browsing whilst browsing Kombis, are looking to get involved Kombis, sit back with a sit back with a drink and in the fun, they can register drink and listen to a live listen to a live band ... band, or get the adrenato volunteer on the day at line pumping on a carnival our website.

For further info: ride. https://oldbarbeachfestival.com.au/ Is there anyone you would like to mention and thank for this year’s event? www.facebook.com/VisitOldBarBeachFestival/ Our festival is majority volunteer run and withThanks Mark.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 19

House Smoked Brisket from The Waterfront Pavilion.

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The Kranky Goat Café. Restaurant. Bar Restaurant food, with a café vibe. Open from 7am every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Kranky Goat is the place for meeting and eating!

Located at Tallwoods Golf Club in the beautiful coastal village of Halliday’s Point, The Kranky Goat is perfect for casual dining any time of the day. With a relaxed, informal atmosphere and a passionate team, we create a unique food experience that you’ll love.

So whether you join us for an early morning coffee, lazy breakfast, working lunch, a perfectly crafted cocktail in our bar or gather a group of friends for dinner to feast on our beautiful sharing plates - we look forward to welcoming you to our place.

If you’re planning a function, wedding or event, we offer a fantastic flexible space. With a large restaurant and bar (100+ seating capacity), separate café & bar (30+) and two peaceful outdoor areas overlooking the golf course, we can cater for groups large or small.

So come on down and say hello!

To book: (02) 6593 3256 - open seven days.

Breakfast 7am to 11am, Lunch 11am to 2pm, Dinner 6pm to 9pm*, Coffee & Cake all day, Bar open from 11am. thekrankygoat.com.au facebook.com/thekrankygoat *Winter hours - open for dinner Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun only.

Kenny’s Thai If you’ve travelled and discovered the tastes of Thailand, you’ll love “Kenny’s THAI Kitchen”, located on the top floor at the rear of Club Forster overlooking Forster Golf Course.

Revisit your memories with the fragrance of jasmine rice, the richness and colours of Thai curries, visit satays, coconut and pad Thai, journey through tom yum and linger with the tantalising spices of lemongrass, coriander, chilli and kaffir lime.

Kenny’s THAI Kitchen is a multi-award-winning restaurant, having received the highly sought after “Certificate of Excellence” from Trip Advisor for the past four years in succession!

Along with a wide and varied main menu to suit all tastes, Kenny offers a very special lunch menu that offers a mixed entrée and the choice of 12 main dishes for only $12.

Lakes and Ocean Hotel So much delicious food, you could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner here every day and with spring now here, the view from our deck is better than ever. Breakfast is available from the café Wednesday to Sunday, 7:30am to 11am, and a continental breakfast is now available seven days, 7:30am - 10:30am.

Tuesdays - $15 ribs night! Treat yourself to our mouthwatering ribs served with chips; we have various portion sizes to suit your hunger levels!

Wednesdays - $15 steak night.

Kenny welcomes you to Kenny’s THAI Kitchen BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!

Thursdays - $15 schnitty plus a tap beer, house wine or soft drink.

Takeaway is also available by simply calling the club.

Fridays - $15 drink plus beef, chicken or steak burger deal.

Phone 6591 6591 to book a table today.

Open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.

(Sorry, online bookings are not accepted.)

Make sure you keep an eye on our Facebook page for what we have in store for the October long weekend and the NRL Grand Final.

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focus

DISHES of the month

KRANKY GOAT 61 THE BOULEVARD, TALLWOODS COUNTRY CLUB, HALLIDAYS POINT 6593 3256 WWW.THEKRANKYGOAT.COM.AU

WATERFRONT PAVILION EXCHANGE HOTEL, 154 VICTORIA ST, TAREE 6552 1160 WWW.EXCHANGEHOTELTAREE.COM.AU/WATERFRONT-PAVILION

KENNY’S THAI 19 STRAND ST, FORSTER 2428 6591 6591 WWW.CLUBFORSTER.COM.AU/DINING-BARS/KENNYS-THAI

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LAKES AND OCEAN HOTEL 10 LITTLE ST, FORSTER (02) 6554 6005 WWW.LAKESANDOCEANHOTEL.COM.AU

THE SICILIAN 1 WEST ST, FORSTER & 139 VICTORIA ST, TAREE (02) 6555 2261 & (02) 6557 8689 WWW.THESICILIANRESTAURANT.COM.AU

CLUB OLD BAR 1 BELFORD ST, OLD BAR 6553 7224 WWW.CLUBOLDBAR.COM.AU

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waterfront pav

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watch

Taree Film Society

Movie:

Ága (PG)

T

Taree Film Society screens the spectacular Ága (PG) at 7pm Monday 9th September at Fay’s Twin Cinema ($16).

In a yurt on the snow-covered fields of the north, Nanook and Sedna live following the traditions of their Inuit ancestors.

Alone in the wilderness, they look like the last people on Earth. Nanook and Sedna’s

focus_contributor

WH

traditional way of life starts changing - slowly, but inevitably. Hunting becomes more and more difficult, the animals around them die from inexplicable deaths, and the ice has been melting earlier every year.

Their daughter, Ága, has left the icy tundra a long time ago due to family feud. When Sedna’s health deteriorates, Nanook decides to fulfil her wish, and he embarks on a long journey in order to find Ága.

HORTICULTURALIST NEVILLE DONOVAN - GREENPATCH ORGANIC SEEDS

AT’S IN

season PAW PAW

T

he paw paw, also known as papaya, is a fast growing perennial that produces delicious fruit within two years from planting. It has a tall habit of up to 3 m high and a 1.5 m wide canopy.

There are two main types, with one having red fruit and the other being orange fleshed, with both of them having medicinal values.

The paw paw tree is not commonly grown in our region due to the cold winters, although there are a number of well grown specimens in our region that have been planted in a protected micro climate, facing mostly north and sheltered from the cold south westerlies and protected by buildings or large shrubs. With a little effort and the right position, fruit can be produced very successfully.

26 Manning-Great Lakes focus

The plant enjoys a mostly sunny frost free location with fertile soil and good drainage.

If available, the addition of compost is beneficial. In dry periods provide extra moisture without over watering, as they are prone to root rot. Paw Paw plants take up a minimal amount of space in the garden, as smaller ground cover plants can be grown underneath, utilising the area.

The fruit generally starts to ripen from late winter and throughout the warmer weather and is ready for picking when the skin changes from green to a pale yellow colour, while ripening will continue indoors. Paw Paw can be eaten green in savoury salads or ripe with a delicious flavour. Fruit blends well in a fruit salad with other fruits such as apple, grapes, rockmelon, and citrus.

Happy Growing!

focus_contributor

WITH DONNA CARRIER FROM BENT ON FOOD

social scene.

Springtime, which normally means time to plant out our gardens and get ready for the warmer weather ... it means spring lamb, baby animals and blooms. The thing is, we are already feeling the warmth, unfortunately without any rain. I do love spring, almost as much as I love autumn - I enjoy it more when the weather is in between hot and cold.

W

e have lots to celebrate in the region, beginning with two winning MidCoast businesses at the North Coast Tourism Awards on August 1st. Barrington Coast Tourism operators and members of MidCoast Council joined stakeholders from as far south as Tea Gardens and as far north as Tweed Heads at beautiful South West Rocks, where North Coast Destination Network held an informative Tourism Symposium and a fabulous awards night, delivered perfectly by the fabulous folk at Kempsey Council.

Reflections Holiday Park at Seal Rocks took out the Gold award in their category, with Big 4 Great Lakes winning Silver. Reflections gains immediate entry into the NSW Tourism Awards to be held in November, and I am sure Big 4 will also put in an application.

Congratulations and best of luck at state to both of these fabulous tourism businesses.

The 2019 MidCoast Business Awards were held on August 17 at the Tuncurry Bowling Club, with more than 240 local business owners, operators and their staff all coming together to celebrate some of the fabulous local businesses that we have in our large region.

John Mansour from Manning Shoes has dedicated many years to business and the

local community; he was left speechless as he was announced the 2019 Hall of Fame inductee. A well-deserved award for one of the region’s long standing business successes.

The top accolade, Business of the Year, went to seniors accommodation provider, Sunrise Supported Living, who also achieved a highly commended in the Excellence in Business category, with manager Nicole McMullen named Outstanding Business Leader.

New business, Stacey Lee’s Centre Stage, was named Best Start-up and Runner-up Business of the Year.

Notorious local graffiti buster, Ted Bickford from Forster received a standing ovation when he was presented with a Community Service Award. Kinetic Medicine Forster, Taree, Gloucester, Wingham, Harrington, won both the Excellence in Business and the Health and Wellness award. A huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists and to the awards committee and sponsors.

A full list of winners below.

Best start up: • Stacey Lee’s Centre Stage, Taree - First; • Admire Skincare and Beauty, Taree, highly commended (HC); Health and wellness: • Kinetic Medicine, Forster, Taree, Gloucester, Wingham, Harrington; Trade • Admire Skincare and Beauty, Taree;

Tourism and hospitality: • Sea Horse Diamond Beach - First • Big 4 Great Lakes, Tuncurry, HC Retail services: • Jungle Surf, Tuncurry - First • Admire Skincare and Beauty, Taree, HC; Professional services: • Allied Health Admin Services, Forster First • Heath and Hoff, Forster, HC; Customer service: • R and R Property Services, Bulahdelah/ Stroud - First • Admire Skincare and Beauty, Taree, HC; Excellence in business: • Kinetic Medicine, Forster, Taree, Gloucester, Wingham, Harrington, first; • Sunrise Supported Living, Tuncurry, HC; Outstanding business leader: • Nicole McMullen, Sunrise Supported Living, Tuncurry - First • Denise Haynes, R and R Property, Bulahdelah/Stroud, HC; People’s choice: • Blue Water Gifts, Forster - First • Ashlea Road Boutique, Wingham -Runner up • Smart Choice Conveyancing, Tuncurry, HC; Business of the year: • Sunrise Supported Living, Tuncurry - First • Stacey Lee’s Centre Stage, Taree - runner-

up; Hall of fame: • John Mansour, Manning Shoes, Taree, Forster Stockland and Forster Wharf Street Community Service Award: • Ted Bickford, graffiti buster, Forster Tuncurry.

Finally, Chloe Hargreaves is a young artist with an entrepreneurial spirit. She has been painting murals all over the region and is in demand for her work. Her brand Elusive Art is getting known in the arts scene. On 24th August, a successful opening was held at her new pop up store, next to Bent on Life in Wingham, where around 60 guests enjoyed one of my grazing tables, followed by live music at the café, with Chloe’s equally entrepreneurial partner, Jake Davey banging out some tunes. Jake invited special guests Chelsea Berman and Harrison Hoven up to the mic, and even Chloe sang a tune with Jake.

I wish Chloe all the very best and welcome you all to come and visit her new store. It is great to be able to support young artists.

Hopefully this will grow into something even bigger.

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 Manning-Great Lakes focus 27

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R O B Y N P I P E R F R O M G R E AT L A K E S PA D D O C K S

focus_interview.

Belinda O’Neill C H E F

F R O M

Forster Private Hospital With an absolute love of cooking, chef Belinda O'Neill believes that "food is medicine". She and her team are passionate about ensuring Forster Private Hospital patients' dietary needs are completely met - and what's more, that they thoroughly enjoy what's on the menu!

Wine Trends in 2019 Some of these trends have been talked about for some time, but haven't broken through to the mainstream wine drinking market.

L

ike most innovations, it takes time for the market to absorb the concept, accept the possibility and then finally participate. I'm yet to get my head around a couple of these trends but if you resist change, you'll be left behind - particularly as younger generations become more powerful in the marketplace and willingly embrace and demand change.

The Millennial market have priorities that are driving change. Their priorities include low or no alcohol, environmental sustainability and convenience. The expectations of this influential market are strongly impacting business decisions.

It looks like we might need to get accustomed to drinking wine from a can.

Similar to the beer industry, which has fully embraced the resurgence of the beer can and is moving away from glass bottles, the wine industry is also slowly shifting. The appeal of wine in a can comes down to the convenience of a single measure and the recyclability of cans over glass bottles.

The growth of veganism is also influencing the practice of "fining" in the winemaking process. Fining is the process of removing impurities in wine, which is sometimes achieved with the use of egg and/or milk products. The vegan alternative, which is already broadly adopted, is the use of a clay called bentonite. Wines made using bentonite as the fining agent can be labelled as vegan wine.

A new one to me is cannabis infused wine.

With many countries experiencing changing attitudes towards to the use of cannabis, combined with the potential health benefits, plus the plant-based industry exploding, we 28 Manning-Great Lakes focus

can look forward to interesting times ahead, with many industries adopting the use of this intriguing plant with its amazing properties.

In an effort to jump onto the "next big thing", there are some wine companies producing "cannibas" infused wine. My knowledge is limited, but apparently the psychoactive ingredient (THD) is not present.

The extract known as cannabidoil is infused in the wine. Cannabis-infused wine is promoted as offering instant relaxation with minimum alcohol. It will be interesting to see how the laws around cannabis use evolve and how soon these types of products will be available in Australia.

In all food and beverage product categories, the move to environment friendly decision making is no longer a marketing strategy, but is now demanded. In response, wine companies are adopting renewable energy; increasingly, vineyards are applying biodynamic and organic growing principles, and winemakers are more thoughtful with waste management/minimalisation strategies.

Before long we will be seeing improved packaging options, such as a recent European innovation of a slimline plastic wine bottle produced from 100% recycled PET that is fully recyclable.

As the beverage market changes significantly, the lines between beverage types are becoming blurred, as the market seeks out innovative, healthy, low alcohol and increasingly creative thirst quenchers.

With low and no alcohol beers and wines, packaging changing the aesthetic of drinking, the environment and ethics being significant factors of choice, plus the addition of plant based infusions, when is beer no longer beer, and wine no longer wine?

C

an you introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Belinda O’Neill; I’m the Chef at Forster Private Hospital. I’m a local to the area, growing up and going to school in Wingham. I have always worked in hospitality, completing my chef qualifications locally when I moved to Forster. I have been at Forster Private Hospital going on eight years.

Hospital food has a reputation that isn’t really positive; how have you changed this at Forster Private?

It’s a shame hospital food has that stigma; it can be so much more, and lucky here at Forster Private it is! I have been able to introduce new menus with items that supported what the patients need nutritionally - processed food is not healthy. We do our best avoid it as much as possible, as it’s not the ideal way to recover from an illness or surgery. We want to provide a fresh, new, appetising menu that is well balanced and meets all the required food groups for our patients.

My team is so lucky to cook everything right here on the premises, fresh and locally sourced.

Food is medicine too after all, and it only makes sense to extend the care of our patients through the meals they get to eat while they are here. Our demographics are on the higher side for elderly; therefore, we accommodate the kind of food they like with a modern style menu.

As part of our ongoing dedication to patient care, we have a Consumer Focus Group that visits patients in their rooms to get feedback on their stay. This allows the hospital to maintain high standards across the board for patient stays. Nutrition and meals are high on the list, and we are really proud that our patients have nothing but positive feedback for us on our meals for nutritional value, taste and presentation.

I think a recent comment from a patient was that she specifically requested to be transferred to Forster, because she heard the meals were so

good. This makes our team really happy to hear.

Tell us about some of the meals you provide at the hospital.

Balance is important in all diets, so we make sure we hit all food groups and all dietary needs for all patients. What most people won’t expect on a hospital menu are things like Atlantic Salmon, eggs Benedict with sourdough, banana bread with natural yoghurt and berries. Treats like pancakes with maple syrup are available for breakfast too. Homemade lasagna, chicken and mushroom pot pies, frittatas and quiche with variety of seasonal salad’s and vegetables.

Proteins are covered well, with fish, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, Scotch fillet steak - used in our Thai Beef salad and Chicken Caesar, to name just two.

There are lots of vegetarian and gluten free options, such as roast vegetable quinoa salad, Mediterranean Risoni Pasta Salad, as well as catering for a variety of dietary conditions such as lactose intolerance, coeliac and diabetic diets, amongst many other modified textured foods and allergies. Hearty bone broths, stews and casseroles - soups are a staple for assisting in health recovery.

It’s all very possible to provide our patients with nourishing meals, and we are really glad we can do that here.

What do you love the most about your role?

It would have to be the team I get to work with every day. We work so well together as a team, providing high quality customer service to our patients.

And, I just love to cook! Knowing we are making great food for great people who appreciate it is just so rewarding. Getting to create menus that inspire and make you feel like you’re ordering high end room service is pretty great in our hospital.

Our team in the kitchen are amazing and just another extension to the care our patients deserve, in a way that tastes good and hopefully, makes them feel good.

Thanks Belinda.

NORFOLK ISLAND

3600

$

9 DAYS PACKAGE ALL INCLUSIVE

29 March to 6 April 2020

Immerse yourself in this fully guided tour of Norfolk Island.

Experience the history, culture and majestic scenery of our South Pacific paradise.

INCLUDES Free Airport Transfers, Sydney / Norfolk / Sydney Flights, 8 Nights 4 & 5 Star Accom., All Meals, Excursions & Tours, Full Guided

SILO MURAL ART TRAIL

3149

$

OUTBACK VIC & NSW

10 DAYS PACKAGE ALL INCLUSIVE

30 April to 9 May 2020

Highlights of this outback coach tour are endless.

Silo Mural Art Trail, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Spanner Man, Lake Tyrell, Wagga Canola Trail and so much more.

INCLUDES 9 Nights 4 & 5 Star Accom., Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Daily, All Coach Transport, All Entries, Experiences & Tours

969

$

4 DAYS

ALL INCLUSIVE

DUBBO ZOOFARI Mudgee Honey Haven, Mudgee Sculptures, Wellington Caves Dubbo Zoo Accom 16 - 19 September 2019

$

388

$

2 DAYS

2 DAYS

ALL INCLUSIVE

DAME EDNA Darling Harbour Theatre Parkroyal Accom 5 - 6 October 2019

388

ALL INCLUSIVE

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL Moore Park Sydney Parkroyal Accom 5 - 6 October 2019

$

728

3 DAYS

ALL INCLUSIVE

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL Jenolan Caves Blue Mountains.

Norman Lindsay Gallery Parkroyal Parramatta Accom Jenolan House Accom 23 - 25 November 2019

1349

$

3 DAYS

ALL INCLUSIVE

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Puffing Billy Dandenong Ranges Pan Pacific Melbourne Accom Newcastle / Melbourne / Newcastle Flights Free Airport Transfers 5 - 7 December 2019

WWW.TRAVELWISE.NET.AU PHONE 0411 568 022

PICK-UP & DROP-OFF HARRINGTON - CLUB TAREE - TALLWOODS - HALLIDAYS POINT TUNCURRY - FORSTER - GOLDEN PONDS - NEWCASTLE - CENTRAL COAST

Manning-Great Lakes focus 29

focusinterview.

Art Gallery Manning Regional

The Manning Regional Art Gallery is currently preparing the biennial “Naked & Nude Art Prize”. WE CAUGHT UP WITH MANNING REGIONAL ART GALLERY DIRECTOR RACHEL PIERCY about this unique art award, which is opening to the public on September 7.

T

he Naked & Nude Art Prize is quite unique, isn’t it? Can you tell FOCUS readers about the background behind this Art Prize?

Naked & Nude Art Prize is the only art award of its kind in Australia and attracts entries from across Australia from artists at all stages of their careers, working in all mediums. The theme “Naked & Nude” is an evocative platform for creative inspiration, and artists delve into representations of the human form.

With a history dating back to ancient times across many cultures, the exposed human figure is one the most enduring themes in the visual arts, and remains relevant to artists across all disciplines. The prize was originally called the Manning Art Prize, which commenced in 1990, with entries open to Australasian artists. Special thanks are extended to Dr Philip Walkom and Mrs Dusty Walkom OAM, Gallery Patrons and major sponsors Wendy is one of Australia’s of the prize since its inception. most awarded artists; she Who won the last Naked & Nude Art lives and works in Prize - and what was their art work?

Sydney and Paris. She The 2017 Naked & Nude Art Prize was has been awarded won by Melbourne artist Dagmar Cyrulla, the Sulman Prize, with her oil on linen work titled, The Phone the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Archibald Call IV. Prize and many others.

What can we expect this time around?

The lucrative event this year carries a Bushell, Daniel Butterworth, $30,000 Acquisitive Prize, with the winning Jodi Clark, Robbie Crane, entry acquired by the Friends of the Gemma Cross, Cam Crossley, Dagmar Cyrulla, Ryan Gallery and donated to the Manning Regional Art Gallery William Daffurn, Jackson Davies, Beverley Davies, Jesse permanent collection. A special people’s choice award Dayan, Tamara Dean, Jesse Dolman, Ken Done, Olivier of $1,000 will be awarded by the visiting public at the Duhamel, Rory Fink, Stefano Flonta, Todd Fuller, Caroline conclusion of the exhibition.

Gibbes, Jessica Guthrie, Rachel Hannan, Lyn Harrison, What about past winners of the Art Prize?

Geoff Harvey, Michelle Hawkins, Sally Hook, Vanessa Previous winners of the prize include Robert Malherbe, Howells, Julie Hutchings, Zai Kuang, Elena Larkin, Kim Dagmar Cyrulla and Wendy Sharpe. Wendy is one of Leutwyler, Laura Matthews, Jocelyn Maughan, Freyja Australia’s most awarded artists; she lives and works in Moon, Joanne Mulcahy-Zubani, Nathan Paddison, Alice Sydney and Paris. She has been awarded the Sulman Prize, Palmer, Tom Phillips, Anton Piche, Jenny Pollak, James the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Archibald Prize Price, Kate Rae, Jenny Rodgerson, Bruce Rowland, Ben and many others.

Ryan, Michael Simms, Roger Skinner, Gary Smith, Mark So, who are the finalists in the Art Prize this year?

Thompson, John van der Kolk, Jan Hendrik (Hans) van There are 58 finalists in the prize this year from all over Weerd, Peter Wegner, Nicole Welch, Leigha White, Ainslie Australia, with one artist coming from New Zealand: Laura Badertscher, Eva Beltran, Matteo Bernasconi, Satu Wright, Caroline Zilinsky.

30 Manning-Great Lakes focus

Who is judging the Art Prize - what’s their background?

This year’s judge is Denise Mimmochi, Senior Curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of NSW. When can the general public go and view the Art Prize for themselves?

The exhibition is open from September 7 to October 13.

Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and Sundays, 1pm to 4pm.

The popular People’s Choice voting will take place from September 7, 2019, until October 13, 2019, giving locals the chance to vote for their favourite artwork. The People’s Choice Award of $1,000 will be announced on 15th October 2019.

Thanks Rachel.

Interview: Ingrid Bayer.

Tuncurry Coaches DAY TRIPS Thursday 28th November 2019 - Newcastle Shopping trip.

Get your Xmas shopping sorted as we enjoy the morning at Charlestown with 240 specialty stores. After lunch (own cost) we will travel to the recently expanded East Maitland Shopping centre Stockland Green Hills, which includes a David Jones.

After our shopping, we will head to East Maitland Bowling Club for dinner, before heading home. Price includes dinner. Cost $60.00 per person.

LIVE SHOWS Wednesday 30th October 2019 - Billy Elliott Returns. Billy Elliot the Musical is a funny, gritty, heart-warming and feel-good celebration. Billy’s journey takes him out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family, the whole community and changes his life forever. Day trip includes ticket to show and dinner on the way home from Lyric Theatre, Sydney. Cost $150 per person.

Saturday 2nd November 2019 - Mamma Mia. Set on a colourful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding, without telling her mother.

This is a totally different show to the one recently in Sydney.

Includes lunch and show. Civic Theatre Newcastle. Cost $150 per person.

The Secret Weekly Farmers Markets The Secret Weekly Farmers Markets is currently brimming with beautiful local fresh produce and artisan products. We always strive for quality of stalls, not quantity, and despite the lack of rain, our vendors are currently providing us with top shelf goods.

This spring we have sprung into gear, with all our fresh products being seasonally grown chemical free or certified organic fruit and veg; we also have pasture raised free range chook and duck eggs, raw honey and bees wax, holistically grown pork, tasty king oysters, brown and white oyster mushrooms and tasty succulent micro-greens.

If you like your condiments and traditional preserves, come and have a taste; there’s plenty to choose from, including jams, pickles, chutneys, curds, chilli sauces, and healthy fermented veg, along with handmade wholesome products such as muesli, sourdough, rye, wholemeal breads, pasta, curry packs, vegan stock paste and spice rubs, and plenty more!

Our weekly produce updates can be viewed on our Facebook and Instagram pages, or come and see for yourself! Grab some friends, enjoy a lovely tea, coffee, cold pressed juice, or fruity gelato, and why not order a beautifully perfected Italian pizza, or get a tasty veggie dhal with rice and greens into you whilst sitting in the fun outdoor atmosphere!

This month we are also holding a Tiny House Open Day on September the 5th from 8am - 1pm, with an actual tiny house created by Dan Barry from DBBD Designs, who will give you a tour and answer your tiny house questions.

Greenpatch Organic Seeds It’s time to think about your spring vegetable gardens.

Greenpatch Organic Seeds plant nursery and seed range is extensive, to say the least. With seasonal vegetable seedling punnets available year round to complement our ever expanding perennial plant range, we are a must see for your spring garden.

Greenpatch has a big range of seedlings available, including tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, lettuce, spinach, coriander, kale and much more!

Getting into the garden now with your first batch of seedlings then consecutive follow on plantings four - six weeks apart provides a continual harvest to the kitchen. September through to October is the best time to get all your annuals established, before the summer heat arrives.

We also have an extensive range of perennial plants available, including herbs, edibles, flowering cottage, succulents and fruiting plants.

Join us for our FREE Open Day Sunday 13th October 2019 - 10am - 2pm - see where we grow over 200 varieties of seeds and 500 varieties of nursery plants propagated on site. Take advantage of over 70 years’ horticultural experience on the day. Self guided tour. An excellent experience, plus an opportunity to take a rest and enjoy the gardens we have developed. Itinerary to be announced.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 31

28 Manning-Great Lakes focus

Tuncurry Jockey Club 2019 Cup Day Friday 13th will be the date for this year’s Tuncurry Forster Cup. Always a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, whether you’re a member or a visitor to the club, you can be assured a great day at the races! There are a few things to remember when attending an event at the Tuncurry-Forster Jockey Club, to ensure that everyone can enjoy the day: • No alcohol can be brought through the gates • Bags and eskies are inspected upon entry • Punters purchasing alcohol will need proof of age • We have a zero tolerance of incorrect behaviour Why not become a member?

How much does it cost?

Membership to the Tuncurry-Forster Jockey Club costs $10 per year and runs from 1st July - 20th June each year. We also provide the option to take out a three year, five year or perpetual memberships. The membership fee

entitles you to discounted entry to the track on race day and a discount on the hire of our Pavilion VIP space.

Catering for Members Members can bring food and non-alcoholic beverages to the track. No alcohol will be permitted; eskies and bags are checked upon entry by security. Pavillion rentals are available at a discounted rate for members. More information about our hire spaces can be found on our club facilities pages.

Find out more To find out more about becoming a member of Tuncurry-Forster Jockey club or for more membership information, simply call us on 0490 427 239 or email us on info@ tuncurryforsterjockeyclub.com.au To become a member, complete our online membership form, and we will process your membership application.

Club Forster The Great Lakes Band gives people in our local community the opportunity to play with other musicians and develop their music skills.

In past years, the Great Lakes Council have financially supported us; however, as the amalgamation of our Council takes place, our future is becoming uncertain.

The band plays every ANZAC Day, Vietnam Veterans’ Day and Remembrance Day to honour the men and women who served and fought for our country.

We want to share our music with you - and your kind donation will help our own town band so that we can continue promoting and playing music in this area.

The Great Lakes Band incorporates concert and swing style band music, featuring songs from Beach Boys, Sesame Street, movie themes and rock classics.

Entry to the concert is by way of a $2 donation (or more) payable at the door.

Our group of volunteers range in age from 10 - 90 years old, and new players are always welcome to join us.

Rehearsals are 5pm Mondays at Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus music room.

Our local young people need this opportunity to grow and enjoy a healthy interest in music and community service.

So come along and support the Great Lakes Band and enjoy a great afternoon of concert band music. Concert starts at 2pm unreserved seating available.

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34 Manning-Great Lakes focus

professionals

Tracy-Ann Cerff

Common W H E N

Counsellor/Teacher “Serene Care Counselling”

C H O O S I N G

Tracy’s counselling practice, Serene Care, is set in the peaceful Diamond Beach area. Working professionally in relationship, couple and family therapy is one of her main fields of expertise; however, Tracy has experience, skills and qualifications in assisting clients presenting with mental illness (particularly anxiety disorders and depression) as well as grief and loss and drug use issues in a non-judgemental, calm environment.

A

DENTIST 1. Don’t let pain rush your decision - Waiting until you are in pain to ring a dentist is not ideal, because it sets an unrealistic time line in finding a dentist to look after your dental health long term.

2. Choosing the first practice with an available appointment just because they have time on the day to fit you, doesn’t necessarily make them the right dental practice to help you maintain your smile for life.

3. Choosing your closest dentist - just because they are local and you’ll save travel time doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right dentist for you or your family's needs.

4. Credentials and specialised training are important, so understand your dentist's training - not all dentists are created equal; you wouldn’t ask your tire repairman to rebuild your engine, would you?

It’s important to inquire about the dentist’s clinical experience and training when booking, so you understand their area of expertise or specialised training.

5. If it isn’t done right, you’ll probably pay to do it again choose a practice with a good, long standing reputation, because they will pride themselves on what their patients say about them and they have built a reputation on that feedback and lasting results.

6. Choosing a dentist based on

a really low advertised price is not a good idea - if you plan on keeping your teeth, you shouldn’t trust your dental health and smile to a dentist whose only redeeming quality is a discount bargain! Don’t buy into cheap offers; if a practice is advertising a cheap offer, it is usually indicative of a cut price approach to treatment, training their team or the equipment they use. Low price often equals the bare minimum care, and it’s likely that you’ll receive poor care from an inexperienced and untrained dental team.

7. Request a written quote or an itemised list of services with prices included before agreeing to any treatment - and observe if the staff and dentist show pride in their quote and estimate accuracy.

8. Asking a friend and then basing your decision upon their dental needs - not every patient's dental needs are the same, and the dentist that suits one patient may not be able to offer the right solutions for another. So instead, ask many of your friends for recommendations and ask what kind of work they have had done before you book.

Do your research, and choose several well established practices that have a good reputation. Call and enquire with each about becoming a patient, or maybe call and enquire, then visit the practice. Choose

a practice that is clean, friendly, hygienic and makes you feel at ease - a practice you feel you can trust your dental health to. Make sure the entire team, including the dentist, demonstrate good communication skills. Make sure it’s a team you would you feel comfortable asking questions

Tracy is very passionate about guiding and empowering her clients and students using an eclectic approach for individuals and couples who require assistance. Tracy resigned from her role as Head of Academic Studies in Sydney to return to counselling and teaching in the local community. Tracy has facilitated workshops throughout Australia on Stress and Anger Management, Person-Centred Care and Domestic Family Violence, particularly its effect on children, sharing strategies for safety and recovery of those impacted.

If you would like further information or to make an appointment, please call 0488serene (0488 73 73 63).

Appointments are available evenings and Saturday afternoon to accommodate those working business hours.

of, and not just the dentist.

Choose a practice that invests in their technology, their team and community. Do they use digital technology such as digital X ray or 3D dental imagery? Do they have an oral health therapist or a hygienist working with them? Do they sponsor local community events or children’s sports?

When you book a consultation, bring your questions and evaluate the team's answers and decide if this is the team that you are confident in to look after your smile! Do they guarantee reliable service and promote optimum health, as opposed to treating you like just another customer that comes and goes?

Finally, does the practice accept your health fund and can you process the Hicaps in the practice at the point of payment, so that you only pay the gap? For more information, or to book an appointment, call the caring team at Sundial Dental Taree 6551 1005 or Laurieton 6559 9276 Manning-Great Lakes focus 35

HealthHUB

WITH GOOD HEALTH

S

imon and Helen, you are the owners of Albert Street Medical and have been proud members of our community for quite some time. You have recently opened HealthHub Taree, can you tell us the reason for this?

Locals find it really hard to get necessary health care, let alone get to know and trust their carer. Like most of rural Australia we have less doctors per head of population than the cities. Those doctors we have frequently stay only short-term. Our long-term workforce is aging and most new Australian graduates or their spouses develop commitments in the cities, and so stay there. So round here we can only recruit from certain groups. GP registrars (trainees) come for a couple of years but must change training practices every 6-12 months.

Overseas graduates also make up a large proportion of the workforce especially in rural areas. As a condition of Australian registration, these doctors must work in hospitals or away from the affluent city areas for ten years.

With our shortage of doctors and our underresourced hospital, our area needs better access to health care. The Lyne electorate is the oldest in Australia and has the dubious honour of having the highest rate of strokes and chronic pain in the whole country. The area also rates extremely high for conditions such as diabetes and both pharmaceutical opioid dosing and overdosing.

So locals tend to have multiple problems that cannot be managed by one clinician specialising in diseases of one organ. For example, someone may have

SIMON AND HELEN 36 Manning-Great Lakes focus

obesity and depression, drink too much on weekends and be on a long waiting list for a joint replacement for their severe arthritis. We cannot just rely on specialists or emergency departments as such complex cases need holistic or multi-faceted care. The doctors at the HealthHub certainly won’t fix these problems, but we will aim to improve primary care in the bush.

Health is something you are very passionate about, how long have you been in the industry for?

You use the word “industry”. There is always a tension between health as a service and health as an industry. Medicare pays GPs to spend 5 minutes with patients. This means spending longer with people sees a GP’s hourly income plummet. So commercial pressures in a Health Industry often work against the patients’ interests. This can be even more pronounced when share-market-listed corporations takeover practices; yet successive governments find it easier to put it all in the “Too-Hard” basket.

At the HealthHub, appointments are made for 15 minutes with new patients being allocated 30.

I would rather say I have been practicing medicine since graduating in 1984. I say practicing for the same reason the legendary golfer Garry Player said, “The harder you practice, the luckier you get.” The last 23 years, I’ve practiced serving in the Manning Valley.

Helen has been a Registered Nurse since 1987, working in the hospitals and practices wherever we have been.

The role of a rural GP is diverse often thought as spanning from cradle to grave. But it is even more open-ended than that. We may look after the contraception, the pregnancy, then deliver the baby (less often these days). Then we look after the toddler and the teen, the parent, the grand-parent and the end-of-life care with the family’s subsequent grief and recovery. The whole cycle spinning over some generations as we GPs age together with our patients.

What will the HealthHub bring to the community?

We hope to do all the usual things well.

Additionally, we hope to practice what we preach and have a healthy work environment where staff and doctors feel respected and nurtured.

Humans are social animals and so isolation

and fractured relationships cause illness.

Just consider when one spouse of a long-term marriage dies, how often the other follows over the next year or two. The African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child was talking about the same thing. Those at the HealthHub hope to look at improving the health of our community. At Albert St Medical Centre we had provided donations to schools, sporting groups and to visual and performing arts. We are commissioning four indigenous students to paint some murals for the waiting room. Helen and I are negotiating an annual indigenous art award for a St Clare's High School student, to encourage respect for our common racial and cultural history.

We recognise that our area struggles financially as many of our local jobs have gone overseas. For this reason, where permitted, we will provide bulk-billing for the more disadvantaged, despite that now only constituting half the recommended rate.

The name HealthHub, why did you choose this?

Reconnecting is a key concept.

We would like to see patients reconnect with good health.

This means many things: dealing with thinking habits that cause them harm, being less depressed and anxious, improving their relationships both within the family and without. People need to sit less and move more, especially social movement with sports such as the ParkRun. We believe people need to be comfortable with their inner energy whether this be via writing, painting, community service, song-lines or reflective religious practice. We want to see excellent connections between clinicians, both those working at the HealthHub and others. Rather

OUR WONDERFUL TEAM

THE FLOORPLAN OF OUR NEW SPACE

than competition in our area, perhaps we can see better communication and cooperation whether for clinical care or for advocacy or research. We would like to see local health providers comfortable collaborating there for our patient’s best outcomes. Finally, we hope the HealthHub, will look at the role health services can play in community to improve Public Health.

What services will be available?

This year, the main services will be GP services.

We are delighted that our Doctors from the Albert St and Harrington Medical Centres are continuing with us at the HealthHub and these include Drs: Shakthi Premarathne, Kevin Aung, Zia Hoque, Enayet Karim, Raj Ramlall and Shawkat Islam. We would also like to welcome Dr Lawrie Nguyen and from Forster, Dr Sujeewa Dissanayake and Dr Anne Jolly. We are honoured to also host Jeanette Pfeiffer, both an excellent clinical psychologist and a wonderful colleague.

How do you see the HealthHub growing?

The team at the HealthHub will be committed to supporting education for undergraduates and post-graduates. We do have plans, Council willing, to construct a space to house a multi-disciplinary team able to address the complexities of the health problems found in the Manning. We will also seek a grant to research whether such a model is a viable and effective way of providing

health care for rural and less advantaged communities.

It has a beautiful, welcoming and impressive design and layout how was that decided upon?

We are so lucky to have identified highly skilled locals to work together on this project. I have so appreciated the energy and inspiration of the many people who have contributed to get us to the starting point.

There have been lots off coffee-fuelled brainstorming sessions including a meeting of all the staff. Rather than seek city consultants, we utilised the experience and insights of the administrative, nursing and medical staff of all the practices involved, some of whom had been working in Manning practices over thirty years. The groups work-shopped how we could better address the needs of the locals, how we could help private health businesses to do this and how we could make the workplace more attractive and supportive to doctors, nurses and admin staff. My wife, Helen, and I need to pay tribute to a few standout contributors. Vicki Phillips, our practice manager, and Jenni Scott, our project manager, have gone the extra mile far too many times over. Anna Godfrey, of The Switcher was brilliant at organising our many ideas into a coherent strategy and branding. Amanda Evans, of Gather and Place, collaborated closely with Helen to design a home-like waiting room that will allow for conversations and connections within a calming environment. Jeff Tener and Matt Yeark the builders have toiled after-hours and weekends so that one general practice there could close on Friday and the HealthHub could open Monday. We thank Dr Lawrie Nguyen and Trish Richardson,

of the previous practice, for getting on board so enthusiastically and for allowing the builders access even before the legalities were finalised. Chris Fagerstrom, of Helm Graphic Design, showed with simple colours and lines, how a picture can paint a thousand words.

We would like also to blame Chris for the wordplay of our logo: “For Every Body”.

How can patients make an appointment or find out more information?

Harrington Medical Centre is becoming HealthHub Harrington but otherwise the contracts and services are unchanged. Albert St Medical Centre has closed and relocated into the Butterworth Place carpark, next to the Telstra tower in downtown Taree.

Feel free to pop in for a peep or to make a booking. Bookings will be able to be made online for both sites at www.manninghealthhub. com.au Otherwise please phone 6552 5533 for HealthHub Taree and 6556 1855 for HealthHub Harrington. New and returning patients are welcome.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 37

Access H E A L T H

professionals

C A R E

Dr Aaron Rahmati chats with Sarah Baker about some of the services Access Health Care in Tuncurry offers, including speciality treatments by allied health professionals ...

A

t Access Health Care Tuncurry, we have an array of experienced General Practitioners ready to meet with you, and a team of qualified nurses on-staff.

We also offer additional health services all under one roof for added patient convenience, including pathology (for blood tests), a dietitian, a podiatrist and an audiologist.

We are also able to conduct skin checks and treatments for skin cancer.

Access Health Care Tuncurry also currently provides GP training for up and coming GPs of the future and is affiliated with the mentorship of medical students. We pride ourselves on this commitment to assist our training doctors and their studies for the future.

With a number of staff comprising the health team, there is a wealth of knowledge and experience within the practice. Why is Access Heath Care a great

38 Manning-Great Lakes focus

option for people needing support and advice with their health needs?

Our practice meets the medical standards for safe and quality care set by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

We also pride ourselves on delivering optimum health care for our patients. Our professional team provides additional health related services when treating a health condition and aims to promote overall wellness in our area.

We provide general family medical care for all ranges of age groups, from children and young families to seniors.

As a practicing GP for a number of years, what are your key areas of interest within the field?

As I have been in General Practice for many years, my special interests include aged care and seniors' health, men's health and skin cancer management. I am also an accredited GP trainer and actively engaged in teaching of GP trainees and medical students locally. I

am passionate about assisting doctors of the future and their training needs.

As we move into the spring season, what measures can we take to keep well?

I cannot recommend highly enough for all of our patients to have their flu shot.

Secondly, as we enjoy the great Australian lifestyle, largely living and working outdoors on the Mid North Coast, always protect your skin from the sun with a high-grade sunscreen applied liberally.

Other general health measures that will go a long way in a person’s health as they age

is to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly. Keeping active is one of the best ways to protect both your physical and mental health.

For people wanting to book their next appointment, either as a new or existing patient, how can they best get in touch?

We look forward to welcoming all new patients. You can call our friendly staff on (02) 6555 5464 for an appointment.

All our existing patients can also book online via our website.

Thanks Dr Rahmati.

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Manning-Great Lakes focus 35

professionals

FAQ:

I’ve already tried exercise; it didn’t work for me. Why should I bother?

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had this conversation with someone, I probably would have raised enough money to fund a cure for cancer.

Ultimately, it all comes back to only knowing about the things we’ve had experience with and how logical and reasonable something feels.

I

f something doesn’t feel right, you’ll be hard pressed to convince someone to do it. So, we have dozens of people walk into our clinics every week because they trust their doctor who sent them, but all the while thinking, “I have no idea how this is going to help”.

Very often, for someone who might benefit most from exercise as a medical or therapeutic intervention, exercise has been something to be wary of. So, what do we make of this feeling to protect ourselves? More importantly, if you’re someone who’s tried the “exercise thing” for your arthritis, back pain, weight loss and more, why should you bother trying again?

Firstly, if you’ve tried exercise for some kind

of health benefit but you’ve never actually gotten any specific advice, you’ve likely not actually really tried exercise at all. It’s a little like saying you’ve tried and failed using medication to treat your blood pressure, when you’ve never actually got a prescription.

If you want to treat your blood pressure with exercise, that’s a completely different prescription from treating Type II Diabetes, or cancer, or Parkinson’s Disease - and there are, in fact, specific prescriptions for all of the above. Ultimately, if you think you’ve tried exercise but you haven’t gotten good advice, I’d be thinking again.

Secondly, if exercise is something you’ve tried as a treatment for a painful condition like osteoarthritis or a tendon or joint issue - you

might be someone who’s time, sometimes a good response would be, “I’ve approach that isn’t right Whilst getting help is tried getting help; it just for you. If you’ve tried better than the do-ithurt more”. Whilst getting a therapy for a lengthy yourself approach, I would help is better than the period without progress, be being dishonest if I was do-it-yourself approach, I a second opinion never to tell you that getting help would be being dishonest always led to people doing goes astray. the right thing. if I was to tell you that So, if this strikes getting help always led a chord with you, or to people doing the right you’ve witnessed this thing. Whilst pain is my happen to a loved one specific area of interest, it sadly cannot be encourage them. In many cases a movement said of all of us in this line of healthcare. I see based approach is as effective as medication many people come in after having tried other and safer than surgery, and even when used professionals, often having spent an extensive in conjunction with both leads to life altering period of time trying to get better. Often times outcomes. This is one treatment that deserves the wrong approach is given at the wrong a second (or third or fourth) chance.

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40 Manning-Great Lakes focus

professionals W I T H S H A N N O N L A W R E N C E F R O M H E A LT H F U L W I S D O M

medicines

for

can be AFFECTED by a range of things ...

There are several different groups of medicines used to treat depression. There are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and other antidepressants that don’t fall in to these groups.

S

SRIs are the most commonly problem with the SSRIs. The combination can used group of antidepressant cause anxiety, difficulty sleeping and feeling medicines. Examples of these jittery. medicines include paroxetine, Food fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram Some antidepressants can cause weight and escitalopram. gain. Eating a healthy diet will help to TCA examples include amitriptyline, prevent this, as well as help with feelings of doxepin, clomipramine and nortriptyline. depression and anxiety.

As well as St John’s Wort treating depression, St John’s Wort is taken antidepressants are by some people as a used for anxiety, panic natural antidepressant. attacks, incontinence The way this works is WHETHER CAFFEINE and hot flushes, by increasing serotonin IS CONSUMED FROM amongst other uses. levels. This is a problem, COFFEE, TEA, SOFT Alcohol because prescription DRINK OR EVEN The antidepressants antidepressants also CHOCOLATE (WHICH that interfere most increase serotonin levels.

HAS A BIT OF CAFFEINE) with alcohol are Having serotonin levels IT CAN BE A PROBLEM mirtazepine and the that are too high can cause WITH THE SSRIS. TCAs, due to the fact severe side effects. these medicines cause Codeine and other a lot of drowsiness. opioids Combining these Strong pain medications medicines with alcohol like codeine and other makes the drowsiness much more likely. opioids are a problem with antidepressants, There can also be difficulty breathing with because they too increase serotonin levels, the TCAs. which can be very dangerous. The dose Caffeine of pain medicines needs to be monitored Whether caffeine is consumed from by your doctor, to make sure serotonin coffee, tea, soft drink or even chocolate syndrome doesn’t occur from levels that are (which has a bit of caffeine) it can be a too high.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 41

Katie Tuck, Katrina Mason, Melissa Brodie

Great Lakes Physio - Keeping you moving!

At Great Lakes Physio, we are pain and movement experts. Our team of physiotherapists has over 120 years of combined experience in finding the source of your pain or discomfort, resolving the issue, and helping to get you moving and doing all the things you enjoy.

Our highly experienced physiotherapists use proven techniques and innovative technology to successfully assess, diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions and injuries. We listen to your needs to tailor a treatment specific to your condition. We are experts in musculoskeletal physiotherapy (sports injuries, back/neck pain, osteoarthritis), women’s, men’s and pelvic health, and neurological and vestibular rehabilitation.

Treatments include: • Manual therapy and acupuncture/dry needling to reduce pain and stiffness.

• Individualised exercise programs for continence and pelvic health problems, and post-

42 Manning-Great Lakes focus

surgical rehabilitation.

• Group exercise programs - GLA:D (knee and hip arthritis), Man Plan (Prostate Cancer), and Dynamic Strength and Stability (clinical Pilates plus strength and conditioning).

• Neurological and vestibular rehabilitation techniques for dizziness and balance problems.

At Great Lakes Physio, we are dedicated to life-long learning. Our team regularly attends continuing education events to ensure that you are receiving the most up-to-date, evidencebased care for your problem.

Our team will help you get the most out of life and as first contact practitioners, you don’t need a doctor's referral to see us.

When you need expert treatment, our professional team at Great Lakes Physio are here to offer the care, support and expertise that’s needed to get you moving again.

Forster Rehabilitation Services Accredited Exercise Physiologists are the most qualified allied health professionals to prescribe exercise for those living with chronic or complex medical conditions.

We provide one-on-one assessments and treatment, group classes, home visits, and nursing home visits. We treat all ages, ranging from school aged children, with our eldest client being 95 years of age - who is an absolute inspiration.

We treat an array of conditions, ranging from but not limited to: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, Parkinson's Disease, arthritis, osteopenia, mental health, pre and post reconstructive and joint

replacement, chronic back pain, as well as general injuries.

We offer 100% bulk-billing and do not charge in excess of the rebate. We are registered with Medicare, Departments of Veterans' Affairs, Workcover, NDIS and private health insurance.

There are many benefits from coming to see us: decreases the risk of disease, strengthens the heart and cardiovascular system, decreases blood pressure, improves control of diabetes, lowers cholesterol levels, weight control, improves sleep, decreases levels of depression and anxiety, improves balance and mobility, overall quality of life and wellbeing.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 41

professionals

Ageing at HOME forum C L U B

F O R S T E R

Sarah Baker speaks with Health Service Manager Louise Saville of Forster Community Health about the inaugural 2019 Ageing at Home Forum.

T

his is certainly a fantastic initiative remain socially engaged. Local pharmacies and various for the Mid North Coast community. health professionals will be in attendance and available to Please tell us a little about what answer questions about specific needs for yourself or ageing the forum will involve and who the parents. We often see some families are unprepared for target audience is. the ageing process. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain Thank you, Sarah. Most people would some information on the possibilities. be aware that our Great Lakes region The Manning-Great Lakes region is certainly a mecca has the oldest population in the state. The Forster Local for older people who enjoy the relaxed, coastal Health Committee wants to share lifestyle we all love. With this is with the community the support mind, why is it important to hold services available to enable healthy community events such as this for ageing at home. our residents?

I understand the focus of the Most people have a desire to remain event will be for stall holders in their familiar environments as We hope the community to display their large number will become more aware they age, or if they feel the need to of the available resources of services available to assist downsize, many options will be available in this area, including independent living at home as to them for consideration, such as equipment availability; we age. What are the five key independent living facilities where they the importance of exercise steps the forum program aims to can live comfortably with essential and healthy eating; highlight? supports close by. financial planning; and The committee considered This forum is aimed at focusing on support services if and a number of things which can how people can remain safe in their when they are required. contribute to ageing well in your home and where to get assistance if own home, and these include: required.

1. Keep moving The committee wants to show the 2. Eat well importance of having a sound support 3. Exercise your brain network of friends and family to enable this to happen.

4. Keep socially engaged For people wanting to find out more about the event 5. Accept help at Club Forster, how can they best get in touch?

This is only the beginning of what is available, and we Please phone Louise Saville on 6539 6300 at Forster hope the people attending will be inspired to try something Community Health. new or encourage their ageing parents and family members Thanks Louise. to remain involved in their favourite activities.

The interactive event will also include lucky door prizes, the opportunity to hear from allied health professionals in the field and is free entry to all. What are some of the key benefits people will take away from the forum?

We hope the community will become more aware of the available resources in this area, including equipment availability; the importance of exercise and healthy eating; financial planning; and support services if and when they are required. A number of community groups will be represented, who will be able to highlight the value of volunteering and other activities to encourage people to

44 Manning-Great Lakes focus

professionals

Work beyond 2020 the future of healthcare FOCUS speaks with Maree Bernoth, Associate Professor of Nursing at Charles Sturt University, to explore the nature of these changes and how healthcare provision is responding to them.

W

here is healthcare headed?

The coming decades will present the healthcare industry with unique challenges. These challenges will need innovative solutions to ensure patient care remains effective, equitable and economically viable.

How do we meet the needs of a changing and ageing population?

The demographic profile of Australia is changing like never before. Immigration is one factor, but the biggest structural shift is that Australia is, in terms of the people who live here, getting older. Often this shift in demographics is presented as a negative thing.

You may read of a “time bomb” or a “looming crisis”. Of course, an ageing population presents challenges socially, economically and in terms of healthcare provision, but it also presents opportunity. Associate Professor Bernoth feels that the changing demographic means unique

possibilities for healthcare workers.

“The growing number of older people means that healthcare workers can work with people from preconception right through the lifespan, so that patients have quality of life throughout their lives. That’s exciting for healthcare workers. More people living longer is a sign of a successful society. However, we want people to age so they don’t have co-morbidities and chronic health problems that some of our current older members of society have.”

“And, as we understand more about the ageing process and effects on it through research, frontline healthcare staff like nurses can help people apply this knowledge to ensure their quality of life. That means things like health promotion about lifestyle choices as we age,” says Professor Bernoth.

Meeting the needs of an ageing population who make more demands on healthcare services will require growth in dynamic services, delivered by agile workers able to respond to change positively. Growth in the industry will

mean opportunities for shortage of nurses in those looking to work in our regions by studying the field. Just in terms of nursing in your region? nursing, in the medium Charles Sturt University GROWTH IN to long term Australia’s delivers the Bachelor of THE INDUSTRY demand for nurses will Nursing across most of WILL MEAN significantly exceed their campuses, making it OPPORTUNITIES supply. It is thought as convenient as possible FOR THOSE the shortfall will be for its students. From 2020 LOOKING TO approximately 85,000 onwards, the degree will BUILD A CAREER nurses by 2025 and be offered at the Port IN HEALTHCARE. 123,000 nurses by Macquarie campus. Get 2030. (Dept of Health, ready to make a difference Australia’s Future Health to the future of healthcare Workforce - Nurses). and study by the beach!

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Manning-Great Lakes focus 45

professionals

Forster & Mayo Private Hospital

Healthe Care is “people first, people always” and here at Forster and Mayo Private Hospitals, we take pride in our motto and strive to deliver the best in health care to the Barrington Coast communities.

A

fter taking time to talk to patients and learn more about their needs for health care in our community, it was determined that most people still had a large concern that they would need to travel outside of their area for quality specialty care. The mindset is that all major surgeries and procedures need to be done in major cities.

Thankfully, this is changing, and the quality of skilled doctors that are here and interested in coming to the area is increasing.

CEO Forster Private, Deanne Portelli said, “We have so many great doctors available to us within the Healthe Care hospitals locally and in the group. They are all very keen to visit regional areas, so they can treat patients closer to home, reducing the need to travel - it just makes sense to bring the specialists to Forster and Taree, which are areas of need.”

Some of the areas of specialty that are available locally are: • Healthe Heart - Cardiology • Cardiac Sonography (Cardiac Echo, Stress Tests, Stress Echo) • Dermatology

46 Manning-Great Lakes focus

• Ear Nose Throat (ENT) • Endocrinology • Forster Allied Health Network (FAHN) • Gastroenterology • General Surgery • Geriatrics • Gynaecology • Mental Health • Neurology • Oncology - eight chairs • Ophthalmology • Oral Maxillo Faciliary Surgery • Orthopaedics • Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery • Respiratory • Sleep Dynamics - three beds • Rehabilitation (Inpatient and Day Programs) • Renal “Our main goal is to continually progress with bringing specialists in a variety of services to Forster and Mayo Hospitals, so that all patients can be treated close to the comfort of their own home in a timely manner. Both of our local hospitals offer extensive end to end services, from surgery through to recovery with their rehabilitation programs,” says CEO Ben

Uprichard of Mayo Private.

As the population grows, so do the health needs in the area. More and more people are becoming increasingly conscious of their health and the importance of preventative health care, which is also reinforced in the media. It is important for our community to be mindful of what is available locally for preventative health care.

Specialists who come to Forster and Taree regularly say they are seeing patients from our region in their rooms in Newcastle or Port Macquarie. It’s unnecessary time and travel. We need to change any mindsets out there that people can get better health care by travelling to Sydney and bigger metropolitan centres when we have high quality specialists in town. At times the requirement will be to go to a large tertiary hospital for complex work; however, the majority of surgery and medical treatment is being provided right here on the Barrington Coast.

Forster Private Hospital has a public health contract, so if you are a public or private patient

and need hospitalisation for a medical condition, please ask your GP to come directly to Forster Private Hospital. If your GP does not have admitting rights, there is a list of physicians on the hospital website that would accept the admission if appropriate.

Breast and skin cancer checks, prostate checks, colonoscopies, bowel screening etc. These are things we tend to put off for various reasons and all know we shouldn’t. Your local GP is your best resource for maintaining your healthy lifestyle and referring you to a specialist locally.

So what is your next step to ensure you have the opportunity to take full advantage of the specialists provide by Forster Private and Mayo Private?

“It’s really simple; stop putting off the important things such as bowel screening and ask your GP for a referral to the specialists consulting right here in town,” says Deanne Portelli.

Forster - forsterprivate.com.au Mayo - mayoprivate.com.au

professionals

the TRUTH about GOING BLONDE. Going from brunette to blonde is not an easy process. A lot of clients think it can just be done in one visit, by putting one colour all over the hair - simple as that! But, that's not the case.

I

t takes skill, patience, confidence, experience, a colourist who knows her stuff, and a client who is cool, calm and collected through the many stages of blonding. Lauren from Living Doll will talk about whether you're the right candidate for becoming a blonde!

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? First things first.

You need to ask yourself if you're ready to be a part of a blonde entourage. Let’s talk about what it entails to become a blonde.

Damage - going lighter calls for some type of damage to your hair. If you have box colour, or any type of colour at all on your hair when

going blonde, your stylist will HAVE to use bleach. There is no other way to lighten hair with colour on it. Colour does not lift colour out of hair. End of story. Therefore, it's important to gradually lighten your hair when going from one extreme to the other.

If your hair is already severely damaged, you need to ask yourself, and your stylist, if it’s in your best interest to go lighter. I've had to ask clients several times, would you rather have healthy, shiny hair or dull, damaged hair? If your stylist (or several stylists) tells you it's not in your best interest to go lighter, PLEASE trust them. You will find some stylist out there who

TWICE THE SATISFACTION! Receive $125 OFF your second pair*

WE’VE NOW WON CANSTAR BLUE TWICE! TO SAY THANKS, WE’RE GIVING YOU $125 OFF YOUR SECOND PAIR. *For a limited time only. Conditions apply.

patient with your stylist when going lighter and WILL lighten your hair; however, it will probably cause damage or in worst cases, break off. I'm understand that you might have to live with a not saying that you can't ever go light. If your colour that is "in between" what you're hoping hair is healthy, and the lightening process is done to achieve for a few weeks. Dark hair is naturally correctly and slowly, you can safely go lighter going to lift to warmer tones, especially if it has with your hair over time. But even then, there will old box colour on it, so you are most likely not most likely be some sort of minimal damage to going to be an "ash” blonde until you're closer your hair. to the lightest blonde shade. However, it should Time - going from dark still be a pretty colour in to light takes several the process. appointments, and Money - being blonde normally several hours isn't cheap. It’s a higher There is no other way to at a time. Plan to be in maintenance lifestyle, not lighten hair with colour on the salon every four - six suited for everyone. If it. Colour does not lift weeks to start with, and you’re going from brunette colour out of hair. End plan to spend several to blonde, you will need of story. Therefore, it's hours in the salon with several appointments for important to gradually lighten each visit. No stylist full highlights about every your hair when going from should try to take your four - six weeks, until your one extreme to the other. hair from a very dark desired colour is achieved. colour to light in one Once you've reached session. In fact, I have your desired colour, you turned clients away who will need to come in for would just not listen touch ups or a base break every five - 10 weeks, to me when I said I couldn't take them from depending on the contrast in your natural colour dark brown to blonde in one session. If you're vs. your blonde. At this point, you can get by planning on going light, make sure you tell your with just doing a partial highlight, and a full salon beforehand, so they can schedule enough every few times, which is less expensive. You time for you. If you're a new client, go in for a will also need to invest in good products to keep consultation first. your blonde looking healthy! Something to think Patience - like I stated above, it takes time to about, dolls. get to the desired blonde of your choice. Be

Receive $125 OFF your second pair!* Hurry, this is a limited time offer.

Eyecare Plus Forster 1/12 Wharf Street Forster NSW 2428 02 6554 7817

Eyecare Plus Tuncurry 2/62 Manning Street Tuncurry NSW 2428 02 6555 8233

Eyecare Plus Taree 181 Victoria Street, Taree NSW 2430 (02) 6552 5044

Eyecare Plus Forster Stockland Shop 105, Stockland Forster, Breese Parade Forster NSW 2428 02 6555 7000

Eyecare Plus Tea Gardens 3/197 Myall Street Tea Gardens NSW 2324 02 4997 0288

Eyecare Plus Gloucester 68 Church Street, Gloucester NSW 2422 (02) 6558 1800

Online bookings: eyecareplus.com.au Manning-Great Lakes focus 47

with Clairvoyant Terri Hall Phone. 0424 818 343

September 2019

Forster Yoga Studio: Beginners Workshops Get set for Spring 2019 with a series of beginners workshops for those looking to learn some tools to cope with the stresses of modern-day life. Whether pumping weights hasn’t worked for you, you’re looking to get fit for summer, or you are yearning for some me-time, these in-depth two and a half hour workshops will be packed with useful tools and knowledge to set you up for a safe and prosperous Yoga routine.

Develop a solid understanding of your posture and healthy movement, and watch your practice quantum leap to higher levels!

The workshops will be structured with approximately one hour's movement practice; however, flexibility will be offered by the teacher, to ensure every student is gaining solid new understanding and experience of the postures before moving forward. Some partner work may be offered.

After each workshop you will gain a broader perspective of modern Yoga. Each workshop will unlock jewels for your personal growth, as well as give you the confidence to join regular Yoga classes safely. Cost is $35 per class per student for members, and $45 per person for non-members of Forster Yoga Studio.

AQUARIUS.

GEMINI.

LIBRA.

JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

MAY 22 - JUNE 22

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23

The ending of feeling suspended is on the way. Reflect on the past 12 months, and release any undigested emotions. These are the only things holding you suspended, as you can't take them into the future. It is time to let them go.

Ruby helps us release our fears and hurts.

Love and romance will be high on the agenda this month. Reflect yourselves in each other, and you will discover a lot about yourself. Don’t end your day without solving any conflict when you put your head on your pillow; do it with a clear mind.

Rose Quartz is the crystal of love.

PISCES.

CANCER.

SCORPIO.

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

JUNE 23 - JULY 23

OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22

Know you deserve the best of the best. Let this be a motto for a few weeks, and see the difference life makes to you. Release any beliefs of bad luck or misfortune, and give yourself permission to succeed.

Citrine attracts an abundance of good.

To balance your moods, try spending more time near the water. Allow your negative thoughts to leave your mind and see them washing out to sea. The next wave in carries the answer to what you just released; see it wash over you.

Selenite is great for an abundance of crystalclear energy.

You have recently been recognising cycles that have repeated in the past. However, now they aren't affecting you the way they used to. This is because you have healed.

Identify the change you made to have this shift, and thank yourself.

Apophyllite tip placed on the third eye helps us to see clearly.

ARIES.

LEO.

SAGITTARIUS.

MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 21

Your patience is being tested currently.

Don’t get frustrated by delays; use your inner sight to see the answer you will be living, then everything will fall into harmony.

Try to be a little more aware of your thoughts and remain positive.

Moldavite brings forward change and higher personal qualities.

You’ve recently stepped out of emotional turbulence. Don’t look back; just focus ahead and let go of recently triggered future fears, as they are only FEARS. Concentrate your thoughts into the things that matter most to your heart.

Pyrite will bring back courage.

Better times are coming into clarity. Set some awesome fresh goals, give yourself permission to achieve them, and go and live life. You can expect new friends with social activities, and restless energy is likely to be satisfied by travel or commitment to adventure.

Jade brings a feeling of peace and wellbeing.

TAURUS.

VIRGO.

CAPRICORN.

APRIL 21 - MAY 21

AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23

DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20

Justice is coming into play to balance any injustices from the last 12 month cycle. Don’t allow any negative experience to pass by without gaining your reward for it. Ask your higher self what you have to gain from it.

Danburite connects us to our higher consciousness.

48 Manning-Great Lakes focus

Reflect yourself in your loved ones.

If someone is displaying behaviour you disapprove of, find out why you disapprove, instead of asking them to stop it.

Relationships are mirroring you presently; don’t judge - just observe.

Rose Quartz is the crystal of love.

You are a natural born leader and the master of your own destiny. Your word is your honour; this is why people trust in what you say. Your arbitration skills are going to be useful over the next few months; you're a natural peace keeper.

Clear Quartz amplifies strength.

Justice is coming into play. You can expect all kinds of change! Focus your attentions to the task at hand, to avoid a dazed, wandering mind. Your clever Capricorn brain will greatly benefit from some fresh goals or intention.

Carnelian is a terrific stone for focus and productivity.

FOCUS ON

BUSINESS

Manning-Great Lakes focus 49

focus_contributor.

Business Minds with Bronwyn Davis of Clui Creative

greens GUYUNG FARM

THEY MAY BE SMALL, BUT THEY’RE PACKED FULL OF FLAVOUR AND NUTRITION.

H

ow did your business in microgreens begin?

The idea to start a microgreens business spawned from a suggestion from my good friend Zoe Laing, who is the co-creator of the delicious fermented foods at Warinyan Farm/Bottled Culture. I have been aiming towards a transition from a backyard gardener to growing produce for the local community for a few years now, and microgreens offered a niche opportunity in the local farmers' market scene that I was able to fill. It’s a great starting point for us, as we build up our garden beds and soil for growing a larger, more varied organic market garden.

What exactly is a microgreen?

Microgreens are essentially vegetable/ herb shoots that are harvested just after the cotyledons (seed leaves) appear. Some microgreens go from seed to harvest as fast as seven days, and others can take up to three weeks from seed to harvest. They are extremely rich in nutrients and minerals and are a great additive to a healthy diet. They are also extremely popular with chefs for their varied, bold flavours and colours and are often used to garnish dishes in cafés and restaurants.

What are the best plants to grow as microgreens; is there a particular variety?

The best plants to grow are very dependent on the reason you want them for. The cost of seeds can be a contributing factor and some varieties are just not economically viable to produce for a business, as no-one would be willing to pay such a premium price for such a micro amount of greens - sorry about the pun. For me, it is the nutritional value that guides my choices of

50 Manning-Great Lakes focus

varieties to grow. It’s hard to go past varieties like broccoli, snowpea and radish, which are my three favourites at the moment.

Do microgreens have special nutritional value?

Microgreens have been a hot topic of research and discussion amongst health professionals, nutritionists and scientists in the past few years.

They have exploded in popularity - and for good reason. Varieties like broccoli are weighing in at around 40 times the nutrient density than that of their mature counterpart. This means that eating a teaspoon of broccoli shoots is nearly the equivalent to eating a small head of broccoli, and I must add they taste much better too. It’s no wonder that so many mums and dads are buying them to feed their kids.

My personal favourite is Red Rambo Radish.

It’s a beautiful vibrant deep red colour and has a strong mustard/radish warmth about it. It is also high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Beta-carotene and Vitamin E. Snowpea shoots are made up of 31% protein and contain high levels of vitamin A, B, C, E and K, folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and chlorophyll. Plus, they taste superb!

What area and or climate are best suited to growing microgreens?

Our microgreens are grown year round under the power of the sun. We use shade cloth in summer and a hothouse/greenhouse for the winter months. I believe we are blessed with the ideal climate for year round production of microgreens here on the Mid North Coast.

We grow our microgreens on a mix of river sand, coco peat and worm castings (from Islands in the Stream Vermiculture). We are growing chemical and spray free produce for maximum health benefits. Commercially, microgreens are

often grown hydroponically and with the use of temperature controlled grow rooms and grow lights. I believe soil-grown greens are healthier for the planet, people and the farmer.

Microgreens have become increasingly popular in our cafés and restaurants; what type of dishes are they best suited for?

We put microgreens on top of absolutely anything in our house! They make any meal taste and look incredible. For us they go on top of pizzas, casseroles, soups, salads, eggs, mushrooms, stir-fries, seafood, roast vegetables.

One of our customers loves her sunflower shoots on yoghurt and muesli. They are very versatile and great for sneaking a little extra nutrition into just about any meal. Our two-year-old daughter eats snowpea shoots by the handful.

Are they easy to grow?

With a little help from YouTube and some perseverance, I believe anyone can grow microgreens. They are excellent for gardeners with limited space or time. We are considering running a few workshops down the track on the ins and outs of growing microgreens, but seriously, YouTube is an amazing resource for learning how to do just about anything.

We are still very much experimenting with lots of different techniques and each variety of seed has its own characteristics, which can make getting the timing right for farmers' markets a bit of a challenge.

Is all your produce organic and sustainable?

Our small farm is a 3.5 acre property near Diamond Beach. I have recently completed a Permaculture Design Certificate with the wonderful Limestone Permaculture in Stroud.

Whilst our farm is not certified organic, everything we do here is based on permaculture principles and ethics. The main three

permaculture principles are: earth care, people care and fair share.

Under this mindset, I would like to assure our customers that any produce that comes off our farm is 100 percent organic and chemical free. It is grown with the best intentions for the ongoing health of our soils, waterways and community.

We buy all our seeds through Greenpatch Organic Seeds and Plants at Glenthorne and sell direct to local cafés and restaurants who care about supporting local small businesses, low food miles and sustainable and regenerative operations.

We are trying to close the loop by cycling café/ restaurant food waste back through our compost heaps and as it (compost) and our farm matures, we will be growing lots more varieties of fruits and vegetables for the local community.

We feel so blessed to live in an area that is fast becoming a hub for organic growers, producers, permaculture practitioners and homesteaders.

We have a bunch of great local farmers' markets in our area, and we are grateful for this wonderfully supportive community of farmers and customers that continue to help shape a resilient and sustainable future for our children.

Where can we purchase some of your delicious produce, or find out more information?

You can contact us directly on Instagram and Facebook @guyung_farm or via email guyungfarm@gmail.com Or just call Joe direct on 0428 965 088 You can find us weekly @ thesecretweeklyfarmersmarket in Taree and monthly @nabiacfarmersmarket @forsterfarmersmarket Thanks Joe.

ALAN

m ney matters. with Alan Tickle

legal

light.

with Justin Stack

R

T I C K L E F R O M Y O U R H E R I TA G E

Can I challenge a will?

ecent publicity about the children of the late Bob Hawke - the colourful former Labor prime minister challenging his will prompts the question of just who can challenge a will, and what they should do.

Joshua Crowther, Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates at Stacks Law Firm, says that while the law allows certain people to challenge a will, a lot depends on the financial needs of the claimant.

“Many people think they should be entitled to a larger share of an estate left in a will because of their relationship to the deceased, that they deserve more - or that one or more of the other recipients deserves less,” Mr Crowther said.

He said that under NSW law, if a person leaves assets as part of their estate, their will can be challenged within 12 months by certain people, as specified in section 57 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW).

“This automatically includes spouses and biological children, but also includes stepchildren, carers, former spouses or de factos, grandchildren, step-children and friends, as long as they can demonstrate they were members of the household and were dependent on the deceased,” Mr Crowther said.

“People in this last category also need to prove what the law calls ‘factors warranting’,

which means they have to show that their relationship with the deceased was so close that the deceased had an obligation to provide for them in the will.

“Often with second or blended families, there is a dispute when the deceased leaves everything to the new spouse and nothing to the children of the first marriage.

“But this provision only allows these people to commence a claim. Whether they are successful will depend on the strength of their relationship, the size of the estate, the intentions of the testator, and, importantly, the financial needs of the claimant.”

Mr Crowther said courts are less inclined to make provision for adult children who are well established and financially secure.

The basis for challenging a will can include the mental capacity of the testator (the will maker), whether undue influence or pressure was applied to them in writing the will, that the will might be forged or that it was not the true intention of the deceased.

The claimant could argue that the testator didn’t leave them a fair share of the estate, that unreasonable conditions were imposed in the will, or that it was unjust to leave the estate to a charity or church while ignoring the family.

“Anybody thinking of challenging a will is advised to get expert legal advice before embarking on what could be a long, costly and emotional exercise,” Mr Crowther said.

I

Imputation Credit Potential Windfall

was bemused coming into the last Federal Election, over claims that only 200,000 pensioners would be impacted throughout Australia if the cash refund of imputation credits was scrapped.

To me, it just indicated how many Australians are not claiming that refund.

Just this week I roused on a man, who will read this column and think that I am talking about him, and yes, “Mr put if off to another day”, I am talking about you - when I refer to a couple of thousand dollars worth of tax credits going back 10 years sitting in a kitchen drawer!

What’s this imputation credit refund entitlement that caused a massive back lash against a now Labor opposition bench seat warmer, you might well ask?

Way back in the olden days before the recession we had to had, Mr Keating gave a very fair gift to the Australian tax payer, when he reasoned that if Australian companies were paying tax on their profits before a dividend was paid to share holders, and if the Australian Tax Office then taxed that dividend when the share holder lodged their tax return, the Australia Government was receiving tax on that profit twice.

So, Mr Keating allowed what is called an imputation credit, which is basically the amount of tax already paid on that dividend, to be offset against the tax due, when the shareholder lodged their tax return.

That worked beautifully, until some years later when the Prime Minister in waiting, and waiting and waiting, a man called Peter Costello, decided that all was well with the world and the budget surplus - which occasionally happened in the days when Australia produced things that people overseas purchased, could be returned as a cash refund to tax payers who had Imputation Credits, that exceeded their tax bill or people who didn’t

pay tax, such as pensioners.

It gave me great joy last year, when a pensioner gathered up her IAG, AMP, NIB shares, all of which she received because of membership in those organisations, lodged claims going back 10 years, which allowed her to replace her broken down refrigerator from the refund.

This week, a client told be that she claimed the refund on their shares but didn’t realise that there were credits on their joint managed investment, that entitled them to a further $900 for the past three financial years.

The Australian Tax Office is making it easier now, meaning that once you have lodged the very simple “Refund of Imputation Credit Claim” they are now moving towards data matching and automatically applying the refund without a return being required.

They are not quite there yet.

If you are lodging full tax returns, your taxation agent or accountant takes care of this process for you.

So readers, make the effort, but if unable to manage the claim yourself, gather up your dividend advices and call on a local taxation agent for assistance.

For many retirees who are on low income, this refund can be a massive help.

Estate Planning While talking about shares, if you are a couple and the shares are in one name, you might also be well advised to enquire with your tax agent or financial adviser on the appropriateness of changing to joint names.

Assuming that your partner is to be the estate beneficiary, changing shares to joint names can make it much easier and may avoid the cost of probate on those shares, should the share-holder pre-decease their partner and even allow a staged process to change ownership over multiple tax years, if capital gains tax is a consideration.

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, Jonathon Tickle and Your Heritage Financial Planning are Authorised Representatives of Alliance Wealth Pty Ltd | ABN 93 161 647 007 | AFSL 449221|

If you have a case, Stacks has the expert

Our Client’s Best Interest is Central to all our Endeavours • Income Protection & Life Insurance • Superannuation • Retirement Planning

02 6592 6592

stacklaw.com.au/taree

• Investment Portfolio Management • Centrelink and Aged Care Strategy

6551 2333

www.yhfp.com.au

Alan Tickle & Jonathon Tickle (Directors)

Your Heritage Financial Planning Pty Limited Corporate Authorised Representative of Alliance Wealth Pty Ltd ABN 93 161 647 007 | AFSL 449221 www.centrepointalliance.com.au/aw

Manning-Great Lakes focus 51

LJ Hooker.

Experienced property managers are a unique breed. Have you ever stopped to think about all the skills they need to draw on every single day? Quite often, even good property managers suffocate under the pressure of creating that happy medium between tenants and landlords.

Let’s think about the job description - you need to market the property, select a great tenant, capture the exact condition of the property before ensuring your legally binding lease is absolutely faultless, communicate with the landlord, keep the tenant happy and on track, especially with rent, regularly visit the property and have the courage to let the tenant know when it is not up to standard and report back to the landlord - and that is only the beginning of the tenancy. My ideal property managers are strong, courageous, detailed, organised,

52 Manning-Great Lakes focus

practical, empathetic, with a great sense of humour ... Let’s not forget confident and solutions focused, as most of the calls we take every day are problems waiting to be solved.

If their personal profile is right, the training is easy, especially within our experienced team.

It is imperative that property managers have plenty of life experience to understand the importance of their role. Collecting rent is easy, especially with technology, but looking after someone’s asset is huge. Our team of property managers come from all different backgrounds, but what they have in common is their strength of character, their desire to do their job to the highest standard, all the while enjoying what they do and realising the important role they play in housing our community. How does your property manager perform?

focusinterview.

TED BICKFORD Graffiti-free, thanks to Ted Bickford and his team of young volunteers.

Graffiti s Buster

C

an you tell us what drove you to start Graffiti Buster?

I moved up here from Sydney 25 years ago to retire and noticed that this beautiful holiday destination which we live in had graffiti. I have never liked Graffiti and believe that no one has the right to vandalise someone else’s property, so I started on my bike in the early hours of the morning to begin removing it voluntarily.

I had no idea how to do this, but researched it and learnt how to remove it. We have now been a graffiti free town for 25 years.

How long have you been doing this role?

I started 25 years ago after having bypass surgery, running in the morning and noticing the graffiti that was in our area. I would then come home, get on my push bike and go clean it off. It was approximately five years later when the Council approached me with the support of a vehicle. I have done all of this voluntarily.

What is the difference between graffiti and street art?

Proper professional art work like the murals that have just been done in Tuncurry and Forster are quite acceptable. The downfall of this though, is it does encourage graffiti.

Graffiti is straight out vandalism, whereas

THE EFFECT A CLEAN

street art is pre planned TOWN HAS ON ITS for a specific purpose.

COMMUNITY IS IT TEACHES Do you think graffiti is RESPECT FOR OTHER a result of boredom? If PEOPLE’S PROPERTY; IT so, what do you think ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY the young people to we as a community TOGETHERNESS AND A respect each other’s can do to eliminate SENSE OF PRIDE IN ONE’S property, it is lowering this?

COMMUNITY. the vandalism level and I can only talk from installing good morals, our town’s perspective; which continues on we have taught the through life. young people to have pride in their town and We have successfully been running programs their property. in the local schools, and our schools are We are the only town in the area with a graffiti-free. The schools are maintained by the graffiti-free skate park and if it was to be students, who undertake a training program. graffitied, I would know by morning who Many students continue to work with me the culprit was. We have successfully got the after leaving school or outside school hours. community on board and as a town will not We also do a lot of work with juvenile justice accept graffiti. and the Department of Corrective Services, What effect does a clean town have on its which is very successful. community?

Tuncurry has just undergone a bit of a The effect a clean town has on its makeover. Can you tell us how Graffiti community is it teaches respect for other Buster contributed? people’s property; it encourages community As we are a holiday destination with a togetherness and a sense of pride in one’s high influx of tourists who do not have the community. same standards, I have anti graffitied all the You have a long standing relationship new additions to the town, so if they are with the local schools. Why do you think vandalised, we can repair them easily and this is important?

Respect starts at a young age, so by teaching efficiently.

What involvement does the Council have?

The Council supply me with the vehicle and all cleaning products. Without the Council support I have, this program would be not as effective.

Interestingly enough, I recently read an article in The Daily Telegraph that states that the RTA pays out up to $750,000 a year, while RailCorp has the largest bill at $15 million to eradicate graffiti.

How can we become involved with the Graffiti Buster or find out more information?

You can get more information via our website: www.gbuster.coffeecup.com Our Facebook page is Graffiti-Buster-GLC. We have written a book, which is free of charge and has been distributed to the State Government, Education Department and various other Councils and individuals.

The truck is on the road regularly, and the phone number on the back: 0408 440 309 is a direct line to me.

Thanks Ted. Interview: Bronwyn Davis.

Manning-Great Lakes focus 53

focusinterview.

K A R I N A

H

i Karina and Adam. Tell us a bit about your background and your connection with the ManningGreat Lakes.

Adam went to high school in Forster, a few years ago now, left for around ten years and returned to run the family farm at Knorrit Flat.

I moved to the area around 20 years ago, so I'm nearly a local! When we met, Adam moved to town and we married and had two daughters that added to our already blended brood of four.

Whilst we loved living at One Mile Beach, we craved the country and our own farm to call home. After about five years of searching, we finally purchased our 96 acre property at Rainbow Flat. We’ve been here nearly three years now.

You’re both busy people with a couple of amazing business ventures … so tell us a bit about those?

We started a trial 1,000 square metre organic garlic crop in 2017 - we were both working full-time at that stage. Around a year later, Adam moved to farming fulltime and we planted (by hand with some very devoted friends!) just under an acre of garlic, six varieties in total.

We had a few challenges - obviously we were still learning (we still are!) but overall we had a successful crop. We sold this garlic at local markets and via our online store. Things got pretty crazy on the farm, as the garlic needed to be marketed, value added and we’d put our DA into Council for our Farm Gate Kitchen, so I left work to be on the farm full-time too. The wheels were in motion ...

Fast forward to April 2019, and we opened our beautiful venue that not only showcases our organic garlic and associated products and our pasture raised Brangus beef, but also the amazing local produce (much

54 Manning-Great Lakes focus

&

A D A M

G E R S B A C H

of it organic too) that is grown in this area.

Our Farm Gate Kitchen offers OUR FARM GATE an ever changing menu of real KITCHEN OFFERS AN paddock to plate, wholesome EVER CHANGING MENU food. We bake all of our cakes OF REAL PADDOCK TO in-house and serve Botero’s PLATE, WHOLESOME you have WWOOFers (World organic blend coffee. There FOOD. WE BAKE ALL OF Wide Opportunities on Organic are always gluten free and OUR CAKES IN-HOUSE Farms) from Taiwan to help with vegetarian options available in AND SERVE BOTERO’S the labour. That’s such a novel our cakes and on the menu.

ORGANIC BLEND COFFEE. idea! Tell us a bit more about it We love supporting other and how it all works? farmers, growers and artisan We were lucky enough to have producers; being able to a couple of WWOOFAs (Willing collaborate and share their Workers on Organic Farms Australia) stay with us during beautiful produce is an opportunity to really put our our planting period. Angel and Eric were such an region on the food map. In fact, our next Great Lakes awesome help for us, both in the paddock as they learnt Food Trail is coming up on 6th October 2019 … a great about garlic and organic farming, and in the Farm Gate day to discover our area's diverse food.

Kitchen. We accommodate and feed them in return for Now, let’s talk about your famous garlic … It’s five days' work on the farm a week. It was great to learn quite obviously not just your average garlic, is it? more about Taiwanese culture, some yummy recipes, Well, we entered our best two varieties in the and they were very entertaining with their stories of Australian Food Awards, never in a million years previous farming experiences in Australia! thinking we’d even rate a mention. When we won two So where to now? What’s your vision for the Silver Australian Food Awards for both varieties, we future? were ecstatic … yes, I cried! All of our hard work had Our vision for the future is to get our organic paid off. market garden up and running for spring, so we can What is the criteria that you had to meet in order produce our own fresh organic produce for the Farm to get to that level?

Gate Kitchen. But long term, we’d like our farm to be The criteria was broken into categories such as size, completely self sustainable. We are working towards this firmness, flavour raw and cooked, as well as overall every day. Our 2019 garlic crop is going strong, so we visual appearance. are looking forward to some amazing organic garlic in Our Silver Award winners, the Italian Red and the time for Christmas!

Rojo Del Pais Baza, are two of the nine varieties we’ve Thanks Karina and Adam. planted this year. Both garlics are strong and spicy!

Interview: Ingrid Bayer.

Something else really interesting is the fact that

Tuncurry has long been considered the lesser light of the twin towns at the mouth of the Great Lakes, and numerous great minds have puzzled over how to grow the north shore into a more vibrant community.

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ithin the MidCoast Council, the Economic Development team has initiated what appears to be the best chance to date to achieve this objective! They have co-opted David Engwicht, an internationally recognised “Change Coach”, to oversee a “Tuncurry Makeover” that should transform Tuncurry from a thoroughfare to a “Linger Longer” avenue for attracting people. And all of the Tuncurry business community is excited!

What is it?

The creation of a number of unique attractive sites within the business centre that will encourage people to pause, stop and/or return to this area.

When is it?

The last week of June this year, the business community, along with many volunteers, will take seven days to transform the mundane streetscape into an exceptional vista attractive to visitors and locals alike.

How will it happen?

With a lot of workers and supporters from

the local community contributing funds, materials, ideas and labour.

Why will it happen?

Because the community has worked hard, raised ideas, created visions and supplied their own funds. In doing this, the businesses are working together, appreciating other ideas, and partnering each other to form a combined front, with belief in a better outcome.

Although the MCC has initiated this project, it is the Tuncurry business community that is funding, developing and building it.

There are some more major sponsors than others, but everyone that contributes in any way, be it money, time, materials, transport, rubbish removal or food and drinks are to be commended. Further sponsorship will enable the creation of more sites and is encouraged.

To help the business community to be better involved, the Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber has assured any new member joining the Chamber during this project will have the membership fees donated to the cause, along with a further equal proportion donated by the FT Camber.

MIDCOAST BUSINESS AWARDS MORE THAN 240 MIDCOAST BUSINESS PEOPLE ATTENDED THE EVENT OF THE YEAR at Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club on Saturday evening.

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he 2019 Insurance Advisernet business and our community were spoken of, MidCoast Business Awards which left John short of words. Manning Shoes saw Sunrise Supported Living continue to innovate and work through the take out the Business of the new world of retail, with John the forefront of Year in a night showcasing this. the brightest stars of our local Platinum Sponsor Insurance Advisernet business community.

(IA) were back for a fourth year and thrilled Nicole McMullen of Sunrise Supported with the night. Representative of IA, Jeremy Living accepted on behalf of the company and Thornton said: “These nights just keep getting was shocked at the outcome. She was joined bigger and better. We first took on the by staff and a table of Platinum Sponsorship residents from the care as we believe in this facility. Nicole also took business community as out the coveted Business a collaborative group.

Leader Award for her To see businesses Congratulations to all the award work as Manager of the from across the region winners, who were selected by Tuncurry facility. take out awards, then an expert judging panel Awards were presented network and positively as the highest achieving to winners from all points engage as a “MidCoast” businesses in their of MidCoast Council community shows how respective categories.

Local Government Area. business is embracing We wish them all the best with One of the highlights the change of the past their future success. of the evening was the three - four years.” presentation of the Jeremy continued: community service award “Times are tough, but to Graffiti Buster Ted our business community Bickford. Ted was visibly overcome with the in the MidCoast are searching for innovation award, which featured a standing ovation that and sharing ideas that can draw more to our lasted for well over a minute and drowned out area. The Chamber must be applauded for the presenter of the award. Maxine Calladine their dedication to our community and how of Forster Tuncurry Business it’s working with others to drive growth and 44 Manning-Great Lakes focus Chamber spoke of the mood and positive energy in the room, and change in the area.” how this highlights Chamber’s role within the Congratulations to all the award winners, community. who were selected by an expert judging panel Manning Shoes’ John Mansour was inducted as the highest achieving businesses in their into the Hall of Fame and was speechless at respective categories. We wish them all the best the recognition. His years of dedication to the with their future success.

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focus_guest contributor Ainslee Dennis from

Packed with Shirley Greber smiles as she works small stitches into elastic to finish a waistband in shorts for a young child. It is a labour of love for the 80-year-old Wingham woman, who is inspiring others to join her support of Operation Christmas Child.

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hat is Operation Christmas Child?

Samaritan’s Purse runs Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. Gift-filled shoeboxes are packed with something to love, something for personal hygiene, something special, something to play with, something to wear and something for school, with the hope of revealing God’s love in a tangible way to children. In October the shoeboxes are sent from Australia to children in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa.

How many years have you supported Operation Christmas Child, and why have you acted to make it an integral part of your life?

I’ve been gifting shoeboxes for about 25 years, but it’s only during the last three years that I’ve become heavily involved. I felt God was laying it on my heart to do more, and so I now co-ordinate the shoeboxes at Wingham Presbyterian Church.

Last year we sent 95 shoeboxes, and this year we are aiming to send 100! We used to encourage people to create individual shoeboxes, but now we work together as a congregation to try to get more people involved and to also ease the cost.

We start buying, collecting and making things at the beginning of the year, and donations are placed in a container at the 56 Manning-Great Lakes focus

church during the year.

We have ladies who knit beanies, and some who The doctor I worked knit soft toys, and I’ve with was of the IT’S SOMETHING I AM done a lot of sewing impression that if we REALLY PASSIONATE I’m still sewing shorts weren’t prepared to ABOUT, BECAUSE THERE and dresses! go out to the people, ARE SO MANY CHILDREN I am really grateful then we couldn’t expect WHO HAVE SO LITTLE, for what this small them to come to us.

WHO NEED SO MUCH, AND community of people So, we did patrols THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL is able to do. Last year out to the villages AND PRACTICAL WAY TO when we finished that involved treating SHOW LOVE. packing the shoeboxes, medical conditions, we put them on the weighing babies, church stage, and and giving people during a service Pastor suggestions for care. I Paul Smith prayed for the shoeboxes and the loved the work and the people were just so children who would receive them. loveable, they really were, and they weaved It’s something I am really passionate about, their way into my heart. because there are so many children who have What do you remember of the living and so little, who need so much, and this is such working conditions? a beautiful and practical way to show love.

They had leaf buildings, and the room Shirley, you have an intimate knowledge I lived in was made of woven palm walls of the challenges faced by families and on the side of a house, which looked like children in underprivileged communities. a lower class house that we have here. It Please share some of the experiences had a dirt floor, and the gekkos would run that have contributed to your decision to around the rafters and serenade you. It was a support Operation Christmas Child. completely different way of life!

I spent around 14 months in Vanuatu It was a laid back lifestyle and the attitude working as a nurse in a church mission was very much - what you don’t get to hospital, Ndui Ndui Hospital, from about do today, you do tomorrow or next week 1969. I was probably about 30 years old and - and we’d go home for lunch at noon now I’m 80, so a few years have passed, but and wouldn’t go back to work until 2pm, my memories of that time and the people are because of the heat and humidity. clear.

What prompted you to work in Vanuatu?

It’s interesting when I look back at things that have happened in my life. I did my general training with two or three girls of New Hebrides descent - the country was called New Hebrides when I went there, not Vanuatu. At that stage in my life, I never knew that’s where I would end up one day.

Two nursing sisters wrote to ask me if I would be interested in going there. I thought it would be nice, but had booked in to do my Mothercraft Certificate. So I wrote and said that I really couldn’t help them, then they replied asking if I would still come after I had finished my training.

It was easy to say I couldn’t go when I had something else, but then when I was challenged, I didn’t have any peace until I said, alright God, if you want me there, I will go ... So out I went as a volunteer.

God was wonderful with how He provided, and of course by the time I came home, I didn’t want to leave. I still remember the day I left, with tears streaming down my cheeks.

That experience brought me closer to God and closer to those people who remain in my heart today.

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.org.au and to source a shoebox to fill, contact Forster Christian Life Centre on 6555 6562.

What’s new at Billabong Zoo Visit Billabong Zoo this school holiday for a fantastic day out, with 17 free keeper presentations daily.

Lots of new animals for you to see, including our three cute lion cubs, Zoraya, Nuru and Kiros - still playful and cute, but growing up quickly.

New Common Marmoset monkeys also joined us, called Miguel, Romina, Celeste and Alehandra. They are so much fun to watch.

Plus our beautiful dingoes, Ernie and Beauty, adopted a cute pup! Archer is still at that cute and cuddly stage, and you can pat him at our dingo presentations at 11:30am.

Watch our Monster Croc feeding show at 12:30!

Enjoy a bite to eat from our new delicious menu in our Zoo CafĂŠ. All meals are house-made by our talented chefs and are reasonably priced, serving breakfast, lunch, and morning or afternoon tea.

For those who enjoy retail therapy, you have a wide selection of beautiful gift ideas or souvenirs to choose from.

Book your entry and personal animal encounter tickets online at billabongzoo.com.au Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Manning-Great Lakes

Waylyn Homes is the name locals choose when looking for home construction services with an emphasis on architectural design. Their team of builders are committed to making your home building experience a memorable one.

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WAYLYN HOMES

Individual Homes in Beautiful Locations

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he September FOCUS Home of the Month is an exceptional example of the team’s years of experience designing and constructing magnificent homes throughout the ManningGreat Lakes. Chrissy Jones had the absolute pleasure of being shown through the residence, which is the builder’s own home. Lyn and Wayne Munro of Waylyn Homes have built their dream home at one of the best addresses in

Seascape Estate, Redhead.

A culmination of 28 years of building executive homes in the local area, Lyn and Wayne have taken pieces that they have loved from previous builds and created their forever home.

The home definitely has the wow factor, inside and out. James Hardie worked on the design with Lyn and Wayne and their products have been incorporated extensively, including

405 Stria, EasyLap and 400 Axon claddings. The Axon has a metallic bronze coating applied; this is used around the front corner feature window of the dining room. The exterior claddings and products used are exceptional. Tasmanian Oak lining boards have been used on the eaves and the outside living area on the pool deck and also on the alfresco roof space, cement render has been applied to retaining walls for the pool deck, plus a glass balustrade, gates and pool

screening all combine seamlessly.

There are two entries to the residence. An exposed aggregate drive leads to the oversized double garage that is fitted with a B & D Icon Automatic panel lift door from Taree Garage Doors for ease of entry, plus a security gated entry, fitted with an intercom system, directs you to the stairway to the second level and living areas of the home.

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WAYLYN HOMES

Individual Homes in Beautiful Locations

GROUND FLOOR GARAGE / HOME OFFICE / STEAM ROOM P O W D E R R O O M / E L E VA T O R The fully lined garage has a clever storage area incorporated under the stairwell for the workings of the security system, air-conditioning, steam room generator and lift equipment.

All the electric boxes are tucked away but easily accessible.

Step up to the ground floor lobby, that has Italian travertine tiles from Tilepower underfoot. A powder room with WC and handbasin and a home office with built-in cabinetry from Viison Kitchens are placed in close proximity to the steam room and the lift entrance.

A handcrafted limed Tasmanian Oak timber stairway also leads to the second floor. Stainless steel handrail and porthole lighting have been installed for safety.

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LEVEL TWO LOUNGE / OPEN PLAN KITCHEN / DINING / SITTING ROOM / ALFRESCO AND POOL DECK Magnificent views are abundant in the living space on the second level, with views to Diamond Beach to the left and Redhead to the right. Wombles Reef resembles a picture postcard through the silicon joint 4 m x 2.1 m window of the formal lounge.

Limed Tasmanian Oak flooring throughout the second level has light undertones that match perfectly with the paint colours, furniture and the overall look.

As the home is north facing, it is warm all year round. Louvre windows both sides of the lounge have been fitted with block out Roman Blinds that allow for adjustment of light and cross ventilation of sea breezes. The 9 ft square set ceiling line,

downlighting, plus a 110 mm skirting all add to the modern crisp feel. A set of concertina plantation shutters can be closed, adding privacy to the formal lounge, plus exuding style and sophistication in the living area.

Mackie’s have had the pleasure of working with Waylyn Homes many times over the years and when approached by Wayne to air-condition his new property, they knew it needed to be of the highest quality. They have installed a Daikin slimline ducted system on this level and a Daikin wall mounted system in the master suite on the top level.

The heart of the home, the kitchen, is an entertainer’s dream.

Supplied and installed by Viison Kitchens, all cabinetry is

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sprayed in a Classic White two pack polyurethane, high gloss finish. The stone benchtops are Silestone Calacatta Gold, 40 mm thick on the island and 20 mm thick on other walls.

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Caroma tapware are in the island bench that not only divides the kitchen and sitting area, but acts as a breakfast bar.

The splashback and kickboards are toughened glass in a darkened mirror finish with LED strip lights. The kickboards are inset, and the mirror faces give the kitchen a floating appearance.

Behind the kitchen is a true butler’s pantry with stone bench topped custom-built cabinetry. Loads of storage nooks, including a wine rack, second fridge space and a round stainless steel sink with flick-mixer have been incorporated into the layout.

Good quality German-made appliances, including a gas cooktop, range hood that has an external motor, making it whisper quiet, and wall oven have been incorporated into the cabinetry, which also has soft close drawers and cupboard doors. A semiintegrated Bosch dishwasher and Franke sink plus

The sitting room adjoins the kitchen and looks out to magnificent ocean views through a twin set of north facing high-performance Magnum series sliding doors. Alongside is the dining room, strategically placed in a corner window taking full advantage of the home’s picturesque position.

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LEVEL TWO FA M I LY / G U E S T B E D R O O M S / B AT H R O O M / L A U N D RY Left of the living area, step out through a set of anodised aluminium Supergreen bifold glass doors, supplied by Great Lakes Windows, on to the alfresco and pool entertaining area. Egyptian limestone tiles in a French pattern are gorgeous and provide a natural look non-slip surface that doesn’t retain heat, so they are always cool underfoot.

James Hardie Axon vertical wall cladding has been used in the outdoor kitchen as a backdrop for the BBQ, and privacy screens block out the neighbours one side.

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Tasmanian Oak lining boards overhead have had downlighting and a stainless steel ceiling fan built-in.

Encased in the Egyptian tile and surrounded by glass frameless pool fencing one side so as to not block the ocean views and aluminium privacy screening the other, the mineral swimming pool is resort-style. The pool deck wraps around the home to the front balcony and stairway down to the gated entry.

The remainder of the second level comprises the family or guest bedrooms, bathroom

Cindy from Cinz 3D Designs took our ideas and created the home to fit perfectly on the block. Her input was instrumental in the successful final outcome.

She has been the designer of many quality homes we have built over the years. Contact Cindy on 0401 952 291.

and laundry. All are found along a hallway leading from the living areas.

Bedrooms are all of generous proportion, have plush carpeting, built-in robes and are serviced by the bathroom that is tucked away behind a double cavity sliding wooden door. A wall hung vanity is placed on the centrally dividing tiled wall that has a

shower recess behind one side and a WC the other.

Floor to ceiling travertine tiling, heated towel ladder and opaque glass louvre windows are features.

Further custom cabinetry

by Viision is in the laundry; including an inbuilt ironing board, soft close drawers and a deep, stainless steel tub. The laundry has easy access to the rear yard and drying area.

WAYLYN

focusAbode.

HOMES

Individual Homes in Beautiful Locations

LEVEL THREE MASTER BEDROOM SUITE Ascend another flight of carpeted stairs with stainless steel handrail to the master bedroom suite. Opulence abounds in this private oasis.

Right of entry, you find the dressing room, that has custom-built shelving, drawers, his and her shoe nooks, three levels of hanging space plus a wall mirror.

Left of the dressing room is a built-in stone bench-top dressing table that has a concealed laundry shute. Continue on through to the self-contained master bedroom suite that boasts 180-degree beach and ocean views that can never be built out. It has two verandahs, one summer south facing and the other winter north-facing; the location is taken advantage of all year round.

Tasmanian Oak has been used again as a built-in bedhead, with a feature metallic painted wall above. Split system aircon, a wall-mounted TV in the private lounge area, and downlighting add to the luxury. Adjoining is the master en-suite; having a freestanding, back to wall bath placed below an aluminium framed obscure glass window with a bank of louvres each side and a wall-mounted vanity with an oval above bench basin and chroma tapware, it too is resort-style.

Further amenities include a walk-in shower with strip drain, corner bench seat and two shower heads - both rain and handheld and travertine stone floor to ceiling, plus a heated towel ladder - the features abound.

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focusAbode.

WAYLYN HOMES

Individual Homes in Beautiful Locations

F R O M E A SY L I V I N G E L E VAT O R S

Being a three level home, an Easy Living Lift system has been installed, providing hassle-free access to all levels.

Easy Living Home Elevators has been supplying, installing and servicing elevators for 21 plus years.

combination of power, flexibility, unmatched quality and legendary performance.

The most amazing statistic is that there are 8,500 plus elevators in our maintenance system Australia wide.

Our Easy Living Advantage Lift brings a level of sleek design and performance.

Featuring all the luxury and technology Easy Living Home Elevators has become known for, as well as the latest in advanced safety technology, you’ll discover an outstanding experience. 144 standard sizes and the ability to custom design your interior home lift to specific requirements, allows our Easy Living Advantage Lifts to fit perfectly into your home, and not the other way around.

The Easy Living Advantage lift has been designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, giving you a guarantee that the product you receive is built using the latest European technology, combined with 10 year parts guarantee and industry leading warranties.

Designed and engineered to new heights, the Easy Living Advantage Lift is our two speed lift icon, representing the ultimate

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DESIGNED TO IMPRESS

COMPLETELY CUSTOMISED While all Easy Living Advantage Lifts are

custom built using a huge range of Italian designer materials, textures, colours and structures to fit in with your building requirements and decor, they also offer a compact exterior and spacious interior to minimise the space required in both new and existing homes, with custom sizing down to the millimetre. Talk about flexible!

features gentle acceleration and braking, as

The Easy Living Advantage Lift is one of the greenest home elevators available on the market, requiring only single phase power operation, ensuring optimised energy consumption, low operating costs and is also a valuable contribution towards an energyefficient future.

impressive showroom, featuring the latest

With sophisticated technology, the Easy Living Advantage two speed drive system

available offer expert guidance and discuss

well as delivering minimal vibration to the lift car to ensure smooth, jerk-free travel; all combine to ensure you will enjoy every ride in superior comfort.

STATE OF THE ART SHOWROOMS We would like to invite you to visit our and very best European quality elevators on display and operational, ready to take you to the next level at the push of a button, demonstrating the latest technological advances, whisper quiet performance, style and function. Qualified lift consultants are our range and your needs in greater detail.

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FROM GREAT LAKES WINDOWS The project at Scarborough Crt was completed using products from Great Lakes Window’s Architectural series range of products. A calculated mix of sliding, awning and louvre windows provide maximum ventilation, privacy and functionality, while large fixed panels of glazing offer uninterrupted views of the spectacular coastline.

exposed location. Bifold doors give the

GLW’s high performance Magnum series sliding door suite was used to withstand the elements and extreme wind load experienced in such an

Great Lakes Windows are proud to

home a feeling of space and provide the perfect area for entertaining.

Products in this project are fabricated in Anodised Aluminium and glazed in Supergreen Glass, which provides excellent thermal performance, as well as a beautiful outlook. be partnered with Waylyn Homes to bring this high calibre of building and design to the Mid North Coast.

Choose Waylyn Homes to create your dream home - just like they did!

Complete your dream home with the personalised, start-to-finish service from Waylyn Homes. Known for a premium service like no other, delivered on time with no hidden costs, their suppliers and sub contractors are the best on the Mid North Coast, ensuring your home is built to your, and their, expectations.

When you choose Waylyn Homes, you’re choosing a one stop building service. Your high-end

home comes with land evaluations, in-house interior design and colour assistance consultations at every stop for no extra cost.

Waylyn Homes Quality Custom Building Phone 0414 911 016 E: info@waylynhomes.com.au www.waylynhomes.com.au

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focus_contributor - Travel Editor Susie Boswell.

A BRAW BRICHT NICHT, lads ‘n’ lassies!

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ne of the world’s best must-see grand scale arena events, coming to Sydney next month, is attracting tens of thousands of eager visitors to the NSW capital from across Australia and New Zealand. Tickets are still available for the thrilling, nerve-tingling pageantry of the visiting Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, celebrating 70 years in 2020 as a unique and rare international drawcard.

Annually, over many decades, hordes of aficionados make a special trip to the Scottish capital to experience the renowned breathtaking display of the massed pipes and

bands, Highland dancers and varied cast of performers of the traditional Tattoo staged every northern summer at magnificent, historic Edinburgh Castle.

But in the new century the Tattoo began an “outreach” program of taking the spectacular touring to distant parts of the world. So popular is the event in Australia, next month’s staging at Sydney Olympic Park’s stadium marks the fourth time the Scots have come to deliver their outstanding authentic performances Down Under: in Melbourne in 2015 – and for the third time for Sydney audiences, previously in 2005 and 2010.

Set against the backdrop of a full-size replica of Edinburgh Castle spanning the width of the stadium the show will feature a 1,500 strong international and invited Australian cast including signature pipe bands, the world’s best Highland dancers, outstanding fiddlers and other military musicians, and precision drill teams, joined by Australian Defence Force bands. The Scots contingent will be revved up from having just completed its annual August season at home.

The energetic mix of music, ceremony, military tradition, theatre, dance and Celtic folklore heralded by the world’s best massed pipes and drums is attracting hordes of local “Macs” who treasure their Scottish heritage, drums students, Highland dance troupes, modern fiddle exponents, local bagpipes players, schools, clubs and assorted other fans who simply love the unmatchable burst of energy, sound and light of a massed live performance - far superior and without compare to the regular re-telecast of each year’s Edinburgh event on TV here each New Year’s Eve. The prestigious global showcase is on a par with events including Rio’s Festival, Venice’s Carnival and Biennale, Glastonbury, Oktoberfest, Oberammergau, the Running of the Bulls, La Tomatina and sports fixtures such as the Wimbledon Championships ... but achievable without the cost of international airfares.

Sydney hotels are offering accommodation at a wide range of price points: best to consult a local travel agent to find what suits individual

needs and budget, accessible seats if required, as well as for easiest access to the stadium, including time for the security check. There are strict conditions regarding food, drinks, maximum size of drinks coolers and a no-BYO alcohol policy.

The event will be staged in four performances, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday 17, 18 and 19 October at 7.30pm and on Saturday 19 October at 11am. At time of writing tickets were available via Ticketek online or on 13 2849 “from” $79 (“best available” or “restricted view”) to $255 (platinum view) plus a $6.90 fee per transaction, with some alcohol-free areas sold out. Retired and current ADF personnel should ask for a 20 per cent discount applying.

The Sydney performance boasts it will feature the Tattoo’s biggest number of performers ever organised (including at home in Scotland, were cast numbers are listed as at 1,200.) Slated for next month’s toe-tapping, hum-and-singalong shows are 320 pipes and drums, 100 Highland dancers, 865 performers in 13 military bands, 40 Scots fiddlers and a 100-strong Australian Federation Guard (Army, Navy and Air Force personnel). The Tattoo is invariably a powerful memorable sensory masterpiece including classics such as Auld Lang Syne and Scotland the Brave, contemporary tunes ... and, no doubt, Waltzing Matilda.

According to the NSW Government’s Events news: “If you think you’ve seen it all before, you’re in for the surprise of your life”.

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Let’s talk Telehealth Telehealth can be used to conduct specialist consultations with health professionals via secure transmission video conferencing. Using the internet and software similar to Skype, specialists and their patients can talk, hear and see one another via tablets, smartphones or a computer, with the patient in the comfort of their own home. Family members and GPs can even dial in from their own location if required.

The ability to access this technology is of particular benefit to not only frail elderly people living in remote communities, but also for those people living in an aged care facility or their home. For example, older people who have trouble getting out and about can use Telehealth as a means to avoid the distress, and in some cases confusion or chance of falls, associated with lengthy travel and transfers to see a specialist.

Another valuable use for this technology is when hospitals partner with aged care providers to use Telehealth as a tool to assess residents living in residential aged care homes. Rather than immediately taking unwell residents to hospital, a Telehealth consultation can take place, which has assisted in reductions in hospital admission rates and geriatric emergency department presentations. This virtual consultation has the benefit of creating less distress for the resident and their family, as residents can remain in the comfort of their own room and surroundings.

“Telehealth is a valuable visual tool for clinicians supporting residential aged care facilities to get the right care in the right place at the right time for elderly residents,” said Janean Cole, Anglican Care’s Nurse Practitioner.

Let our local team support you to

stay independent and happy at home.

Call us today if you are considering your options, unsure how to apply for a home care package or looking for a new provider. We are committed to making the process of obtaining home care as easy as possible.

GET IN TOUCH

P 1800 733 553 (Free call) www.anglicancare.com.au HOME CARE I RETIREMENT LIVING I RESIDENTIAL CARE Manning-Great Lakes focus 69

Lit t l e Things

It’s The

Bob and Marie Graham recently made the move from Queensland to Evermore to be close to their son Coyne, Managing Director of Evermore Retirement Living, and we had the chance to catch up and hear all about their experience. Here’s what Marie had to say …

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hat made you decide to be at Evermore?

Aside from being close to the kids, it’s for the support.

It’s extraordinary. Bob and I knew we needed to downsize and make life a lot easier for ourselves, and they’ve literally thought of everything for people our age. I don’t know where Coyne and his team got all their ideas from, but it And in the evening, we get just works and it’s a beautiful place room service. It’s all those to live, full of beautiful, happy nice little things. I safe and secure. The fact is, the people. don’t have to worry kids are busy living their lives How were you feeling before about getting groceries and they don’t have time to be you moved in? or looking after the house there for us all the time, and this We were getting help from and gardens. We just have to is literally the next best thing to Blue Care for cleaning and respite, concentrate on ourselves. being with your family. which was great, but it just wasn’t How has your life changed enough. We just needed more supsince moving to Evermore? port. Here at Evermore, whenever To be honest, I felt like we we’ve got a problem, we just reach were hibernating. I was at the out and someone’s there to take care of it for us, make stage that I didn’t feel like I wanted to do anything. Bob appointments for you - all the services are just there. Just wasn’t as mobile as he used to be, which put a limit on having everything together in the one place makes all how much we could do. It was just difficult. But here, the difference. I can relax at last. Having people here to everything we want is done for us. Even the cleaners assist is just incredible. We go down to the restaurant come in once a week, which is marvellous you know. once a day for the meal, and it’s just wonderful.

What’s your apartment like?

And in the evening, we get room service. It’s all those It’s lovely. Beautiful kitchen, two bedrooms, lounge nice little things. I don’t have to worry about getting and a lovely patio out the side where we can look out to groceries or looking after the house and gardens. We the wooded hills. The designers just got it right. When just have to concentrate on ourselves. And the meals are we come out of our apartment, we look down on to a awesome, beautifully cooked, the sort of meals we used beautiful treed area, so you’re not looking at concrete to make ourselves years ago. The service is just fantastic. all the time - which is a real plus. It has a really positive And the residents are really beautiful. They have entereffect on you, and there’s good music all the time. tainment. People come in and do shows. There’s always I’m so proud that Coyne built this place. And, it’s a something to do if you want to. beautiful position near the lake. What more could you What’s the atmosphere like at Evermore? ask for? It really is awesome.

Oh - it’s beautiful. Everyone says hello to everyone.

All the girls on reception feel like they’re hand picked.

You just get a sense that the people here are happy.

They really make you feel at home.

There’s something about knowing you’ve got people There’s an open day coming up on the 7th around when you need them that makes you feel really September. What would you say to people 70 Manning-Great Lakes focus

considering making a change to a retirement village?

Oh well, firstly, if there are any problems with your health, it’s a perfect place to be. It really, really is. I think some people who go into retirement villages are happy, whilst others are sad they’re moving out of their home and into a smaller living area - especially if they go in too late, because they wouldn’t get the same experience.

When you are well, you think the sky is the limit, but as you age, you need assistance. Everybody needs it. Just a little bit. It’s really reassuring.

But if you feel alone and away from people, it can drag you down, and that’s why I think Evermore is the place to be. The assistance and love you get here ... It really is a place where you can relax without worrying about anything, because there are people there to help when you need it.

You can just see how happy the residents are here, and that’s the whole point. If you don’t feel happy and safe, your world becomes really difficult. You just get your load lightened when you come here.

Oh, and the other thing is, you can still be together.

Bob and I can still relax together, and that’s so important to us.

If you’ve been thinking about retirement, come in and say hello to Bob and Marie and the other residents at the Open Day, so you can get a feel for what retirement could be for you.

Nothing but the best!

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