Feature Story Stormriders
NEW ENGLAND
September 2014 // Issue 88
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Welcome to the September edition of New England FOCUS. nce again we have made it through another New England winter, with signs of spring starting to show.
Up until recently, the Rowing Club has been the best kept secret in Armidale, so last year following some new members joining, we decided to explore the reinvigorated and reinvented club. President John Grant invites FOCUS readers to get involved.
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As we brave through this last part of the cold season, don’t let that stop you from getting out and about, enjoying all the fantastic things that are happening in our community. The FOCUS team is also proud to introduce our new photographer, David Elkin. Welcome aboard!
Lifestyle 2350, developed by Armidale Dumaresq Council, tackles local food, air quality, biodiversity, and energy and water efficiency. FOCUS finds out more about this great local initiative.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Our cover this month is Tim Marshall, a writer and trainer in organic growing, environmental and biodiversity management. Armidale welcomes him and learns about his amazing journey.
In July, the Year 3 and 4 students from Sandon Public School had the privilege of visiting the Museum of Education, the Museum of Printing, the Railway Museum and the Armidale Folk Museum, so now FOCUS highlights the
contacts. Looking to advertise in FOCUS? Contact us for more information. ADDRESS: 5/164 Beardy Street, Armidale PHONE: 02 6771 5551 FAX: 02 6772 5551 WEB: www.focusmag.com.au FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ne.focus TV: www.focustv.com.au
importance of these museums to our local community. Uralla lady Lel Banks began manufacturing organic skin care products in her own home 20 years ago ... she shares her story in this issue. FINAL SAY: “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world” Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society, 1989.
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GRASS FED, GRAIN FED, ORGANIC ... WHAT'S IT ALL MEAN? I seem to be constantly talking to my customers about where their meats come from: if it's grass fed or whether it's been grain fed? Is it organic? Is it biodynamic even?
Issue 88 - September 2014
To many of our customers, these are legitimate questions, and they're interested in the answer. We purchase about 40% of our lambs from local markets, and the balance comes from our own farm. We especially like to supply our own lambs direct, as this gives us the best chance of controlling the quality as it progresses through to our customers. Our beef comes from three main sources: firstly, carcases that we buy from a local abattoir, which source their product locally; secondly from our own farm ... although with the record breaking dry season of late, it has been particularly difficult; we also purchase our cry vac meats from the Wingham meatworks, who source all their meats from farmers in the New England. We are also constantly talking to our customers about grass fed or grain fed meats. Grass fed beef will generally appear darker in colour, and the fat will have more of a yellow tinge ... grain fed beef can be quite light in colour, almost crimson, and the fat can be very white. As a generalisation, grass will give flavour, where grain will give tenderness.
As for organic meats, organically produced beef must come from a farm that keeps the history of every animal, including its breed history, veterinary care, and feed. Also, to be certified as organic, all cattle should meet the following criteria:
Lifestyle 2350.
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Lifestyle 2350, developed by Armidale Dumaresq Council, tackles local food, air quality, biodiversity, and energy and water efficiency. FOCUS finds out more about this great local initiative ...
• Born and raised on certified organic pasture • Never receive antibiotics • Never receive growth-promoting hormones • Are fed only certified organic grains and grasses and are free to roam. I hope this helps and if you want to know about the particulars of the meat you are purchasing, then just ask the friendly staff at The Meating Place! Also, just a quick reminder about our next sausage and salami workshop, that is happening on 30th August. Positions are filling fast so if you would like to attend or put your name down for a future class, just call into the shop and leave your details.
David Elkins.
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New England FOCUS is proud to welcome professional photographer David Elkins to our team. David shares his passion for photography and the New England ...
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Trindle Brennan. FOCUS had the pleasure of catching up with Trindle and Lachlan Brennan, as they shared their Camp Quality experiences ...
usual suspects.
the
16. what’s on for September 18. eat featuring local restaurants 38. star guide with Terri
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focusinterview.
Introducing
Stormriders armidale
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he team behind Wilson retail are stoked to be introducing Stormriders to Armidale's fashion scene. Stormriders is a family owned business that was developed by Port Macquarie based owner Anthony Wilson. The store was developed to cater for an increasing demand of products that targeted a youth market with a focus on the skating lifestyle. “The Stormriders brand and product mix remains fresh and on point by constantly looking to introduce new brands and categories,” said Wilson. “Our focus on stocking a diverse collection of brands allows us to quickly adjust to changing fashion trends,” he said. One of the benefits of shopping with Stormriders is the experienced staff they have working for them. “Our staff live and breathe our brand,” Wilson said. “They make a point of getting to know our customers, and we make sure that we stock an awesome range of brands that we know our customers are going to love. "When it comes to fashion, our customers want to stay ahead of the pack. With a customer service team that totally understands our industry, we know we'll keep them there.” Here we talk to some of the store's staff to gain an insight into some of this summer’s hottest products. YOUR GUIDE TO SUMMER STYLE WITH HEAD BUYER FOR WILSON RETAIL EMMA O’BRIEN AND MEN’S BUYER MATT COX As the key buyers for Stormriders stores throughout NSW, please describe the 6 new england focus.
"Stormies" style? Our Stormriders product offering is all about street fashion and skate. What fashion trends can we expect to see coming in this summer to Stormriders? For guys, there is a big focus on tie dye and bucket hats. There’s also a new product line which will hit stores called “submersibles”. These take the best elements of a board short and walk short and fuse them together into a brand new style. Short sleeve party shirts and button up shirts with crazy colours and quirky prints will also be huge. For all the savvy fashion forward girls out there, maxi skirts will still be a wardrobe must have. We are seeing a real swing back to the more feminine, girly styling of years past! The season’s hottest look will be all about beachy hair, maxi kaftans and flirty printed playsuits and dresses. These styles will all be taking centre stage in our stores. Another trend will be "moody blues" and denim everything! The return of the denim shirt, newly shaped denim skirts and denim shorts will be staples. We are seeing more classic washes and a cleaner finish on all denim. What will be this summer’s essential pieces for girls? For our Stormriders girl, the Urban Original travel wallet will be essential, as well as the freshest Mink Pink Shades and a Stussy logo tee. A pair of White Converse Chuck Taylors will top the look off perfectly. And for boys? The Stormriders guy will be after a Santa Cruz muscle tee, Rusty elastic cuffed pants and the Oakley Frogskin sunnies.
You guys stock an awesome range of sunOn the other hand, if you've been skating nies. Which brands and styles should we for years, there can be a few more things to be looking out for this summer? consider. Depending on your individual skating We stock a range of shades from Oakstyle and your personal preferences, we have a ley, Dragon and Arnette. These brands are bunch of different ingredients for you to build constantly pushing the boundaries with your dream set up from scratch. product innovation, releasing So what are your top selling pieces such as the "Oakley skate boards at the moHolbrook" and "Dragon ment? Mansfield". We also Right now the "DGK" When it comes have the must have and "ANTIHERO" are to fashion, our eye wear accessories ay st selling fast. to t an w s er custom from Mink Pink and . With ck pa What other skate e th of d ahea Le Specs, which are ice team rv se er products do you om st cu a worn by the likes es lives and breath stock at Stormriders? at th of Rihanna and ow e industry, we kn e.” th We have everything Beyoncé. These sunther we’ ll keep them you need when it comes nies will keep you up to skating. We stock a with current trends at range of completes, decks, an affordable price. trucks, wheels, bearings, bolts, YOUR GUIDE TO BUYING A grip, risers, bushings and skate SKATEBOARD WITH DAVE GROTH tools. Best of all, we have the experi– STORMRIDERS SKATE BUYER. enced staff to give you the right advice when it comes to selecting the best fit out for you. So Dave, what are the key things Do skateboard decks have warranties? that customers should be looking for Some skateboards will have a small warranty when they are thinking of buying a skateof a month or so which will cover you in the board? case of de-lamination (separation of the ply). Skateboards cop more abuse than your average sports equipment, so first and foremost we However, due to the nature of skateboarding, that's about all that will be covered by warranty. recommend you invest in a high quality board, Boards won’t break just rolling along. If you or it won’t be long until you are replacing it. scrape it along the ground, it will wear the If you're just getting started and want a material away, if your board hits a wall at top great quality set up without breaking the speed it can chip, if you jump off something bank, then the best thing to go for would be a complete board which includes deck, wheels, high and land in the middle, it can snap. trucks, bearings and is fully constructed and All of that is considered normal wear and tear ready to skate. Ours complete boards start for a skateboard and will not be covered. from $99.95. Thanks everyone.
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AFENDS
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lifestyle 2350 air • food • biodiversity • energy • waste
Lifestyle Lif t l 2350 2350, d developed l db by A Armidale id l D Dumaresq C Council, il tackles local food, food air quality, quality biodiversity, biodiversity and energy and water efficiency. FOCUS talks to Carol Davies to find out more about some great local iniatives...
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hat is Lifestyle These projects make sense for everyone who 2350? lives here. And they’re not just good ideas: Lifestyle 2350 they’re happening right now, and Lifestyle is a fun, inclusive 2350 is the best way to hear about them and non-ideological and get involved. platform develWho makes up the group? oped by Armidale Dumaresq Council for A whole bunch of community leaders – involving the community in all the amazing people like Phil Wheaton from the Armidale projects that are shaping the future City Bowling Club and Jo Leoni from we want here in Armidale. the Community Garden – various These projects are about Councillors and staff from the environment and Council. t sustainability, but they Beyond that core os Alm le op pe are also about the logroup, on the actual 0 50 r ou in ed at ip cal economy, health, Sustainability Commitic part , and education, culture tee, hundreds more local food survey te d an 95% said they w and quality of life. people are involved in e or m se ha to purc What does that our various projects. at local food but th mean for people What aspects of the was a lack of labelling living and working New England lifestyle barrier.” in Armidale? are you focusing on? For example, the more We’re all about enhanclocal food we buy, the ing the uniqueness of the more growers we need, which New England. We have four means more jobs and more money distinct seasons, we’re surrounded by remaining in the town – but it also World Heritage wilderness areas, we’re a means less oil burned, less greenhouse stone’s throw from a sub tropical coastline, gases produced and less trucks on the road, and we have a highly motivated, educated because we're not shipping in as much food. and multicultural population. Improving air quality by operating our With all that in mind, we’re tackling local wood heaters smarter means our kids and food, air quality, biodiversity, and energy and the elderly are breathing cleaner air, but water efficiency. we're also improving our city's image, which One example of our projects is developing will help us attract more people and cona community wide labelling system to quantinue to grow. tify food miles (how far food travels from This is what we mean by non-ideological. where it’s grown). Almost 500 people partici-
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survey and 95% said pated in our local food survey, they wanted to purchase more local food but that lack of labelling was a barrier. So, we’re developing a range of labels so that everyone in our community can make their own decision about what’s local for them. If you took the survey, thanks. If you didn’t come across it, we’ll have more on the way, so please keep an eye out for the Lifestyle 2350 logo. It’s critical for us that we hear from the community. What are the current goals? Our community has got a lot on the boil – there’s a lot that we all care about. Check out the following and if any of them interest you, look us up and get involved: • Increase our production of local food. • Restore and connect patches of native bushland to increase biodiversity in the region. • Improve energy efficiency. • Increase the use of renewable energy. • Improve air quality in Armidale’s urban area. • Get the community talking and working together on our future in a changed climate. • Improve water quality and the health of our rivers and river banks by better managing the land that water flows off. Interested? Inspired to join in? Call Carol Davies at Council on 6770 3686. What does “getting involved” actually mean? It means taking whatever you enjoy doing, whatever you’re good at, and applying that passion and those skills to improving the
lifestyle Some examples: Armidale lifestyle. • If you’re a teacher at a local school, think about getting your students to make a video for our YouTube channel. We have an online video on how to do that. • If you’re a local business person, come to our local energy forum on September 12 and find out more about carbon accounting for your business. • If you love photography, share your local images with us. • If you love gardening, the Community Garden is a terrific place to hang out. • If you’re a dog walker who loves the creeklands, get involved in one of our planting projects there. • If you’re considering a new career related to any of our projects, talk to us about how you might volunteer and get some valuable experience. • If you’re a researcher, could your work help ours? The lifestyle we want here will be created by the people who live here, by everyone’s generosity and willingness to take part. How do readers find out more? However you like. You can phone us, email us, check us out on Facebook and/ or look us up on the web. And we’ve got a YouTube channel. Here are some of our details: Search for “Lifestyle2350” and like us. www.lifestyle2350.com Carol Davies at Council on 6770 3686 cdavies@armidale.nsw.gov.au
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URALLA LADY LEL BANKS BEGAN MANUFACTURING ORGANIC SKIN CARE PRODUCTS IN HER OWN HOME 20 YEARS AGO. SHE SHARES HER STORY WITH FOCUS ...
LEL bANKS • O R G A N I C
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ow long have you lived in the area? Tell us about your family ... We arrived in December 2001 from Western Queensland to a property south of Uralla, where we currently raise dairy heifers. My husband, Cam, is a farmer and we have two gorgeous daughters, who both attended school in Armidale. Claire is an Account Manager at VML Sydney, and Penelope is studying Accounting at UNE and works at Crowe Horwath in Armidale. How did you first become involved in the manufacturing of organic skin care products? elly b began over 20 years ago as a soap and natural skin care range. Living on a certified organic farm at the time allowed firsthand experience of both seeing and understanding the tremendous benefits of certified organic produce. This was not only in the crops we grew, but also in the healthy soils and ecosystems as well. As certified organic plant oils and other natural ingredients became available, the entire range was reformulated and elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE began. Continued learning, research, experimentation and product formulation have become a great passion (and an absolute necessity to keep up in this fast moving industry). What is the manufacturing process, and where does it take place? elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE products are manufactured from start (raw ingredients) to finish (product) in a special purpose built laboratory at our farm. To create a new 10
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cream, the process starts with development, formulating and testing. Each ingredient is specifically selected for its beneficial effect on skin, and for the type of cream being made. Once a Living on a c cream has been tested, it's certified organi ed w lo al e "recipe" can then be added farm at the tim ce en ri pe ex to the range. I spend, on firsthand d of both seeing an average, one delightful day just to name a e th g in nd ta rs unde a week immersed in "making few. s fit ne be tremendous creams"! All products in the How are c ni ga or of certified elly b range are handmade in your products ” e. prod uc small batches with the upmost different to care – that way the products are others available? always fresh and the ingredients It’s all about active. elly b is sold online (ellyb.com. the richness of au) and also in selected retail stores and beauty the ingredients – the variety and salons in Australia, as well as my own Armidale quality! elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE products are salon – Botanica Beauty Studio. formulated with certified organic ingredients Where do your source the ingredients? grown without the use of pesticides or other I source from a number of companies who potentially harmful chemicals. They are are able to supply the raw ingredients with guaranteed free from parabens or synthetic the necessary paperwork to prove that the preservatives, petroleum products, mineral ingredients are from certified organic sources. oils, animal products/testing, artificial colours Certified organic ingredients have to pass a and fragrances. Organic ingredients are rigorous certification process by an accredited richer in antioxidants and essential nutrients organisation, and they are sustainable for both and are more compatible with our skin, as they farmers and the environment. This guarantees work in synergy to improve skin health and the quality, purity and integrity of elly b vitality. They are of nutritional value that ORANGANIC SKINCARE products. actually supports the skin’s process of repairing, elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE products include rejuvenating and refining itself. some of the most beautiful ingredients Tell us about your salon? available - certified organic oils of rosehip, I opened Botanica Beauty Studio in avocado, argan, evening primrose, coconut, Armidale in October, 2013. I wanted sweet almond, jojoba, macadamia together to create a private and boutique salon with pure essential oils – mandarin, rose, environment offering personalised and bergamot, geranium, cedarwood, tangerine, tailored treatments, including elly b ORGANIC lavender, jasmine, lemongrass and rosemary – SKINCARE signature facials. All
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beauty treatments are available, with specialisation (not surprisingly!) in facials and microdermabrasion. In addition to elly b, Botanica stocks other brands, including Australian ASAP skincare and Issada mineral foundations. I've thoroughly enjoyed meeting my clients over this time, and was overjoyed to have recently discovered Botanica Beauty Studio is a finalist in the Chamber of Commerce Business Awards for Excellence in Customer Service. What do you love most about living in the New England, and what are your plans for the future? I feel very fortunate and grateful to live and work in such a pristine and natural environment. An easy commute to work and not having the pressures of living in a big city, the New England offers a gentle and healthy lifestyle that parallels the organic beauty and wellness lifestyle that elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE and Botanica Beauty Studio promotes. Plans for the future are to just enjoy this busy and fulfilling life! elly b ORGANIC SKINCARE products are available from Botanica Beauty Studio, Shop 6 The Mall Arcade, 165 Beardy Street, Armidale. 0456 116 911 or www.ellyb.com.au
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tim marshall o r g a n i c
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ARMIDALE WELCOMES TIM MARSHALL, A WRITER AND TRAINER IN ORGANIC GROWING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT.
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i Tim. Where are you from, and what brought you to Armidale? I have previously lived in the Mount Lofty Ranges near Adelaide. I moved to Armidale last year with my partner, Dr Anne-Marie Morgan, who took up an academic position at UNE. You are a writer and trainer in organic growing, environmental and biodiversity management. Tell us more about this ... I have a long career in catchment and biodiversity management, large scale revegetation, production and amenity horticulture and organic growing. My organic growing involvement started in the 1970s, when I became the Secretary of the Soil Association of South Australia, and my writing career started with contributions to the SASA newsletter. In the 1980s I became a co-founder and the first Chairperson of the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA), which shortly afterwards became the first Australian certification organisation for organic farming. In 1988 I was a co-founder of Acres Australia: The Journal of Sustainable Agriculture. Acres was later sold to Lindsay Bock (a newspaper publisher from Queensland, who still owns it), but I continued to write for Acres and have produced more than 400 stories for the paper. In the 1990s I was the most active organic
farm inspector (for certification) in the Australasian region, and conducted inspections in every state of Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Samoa, USA and UK. I continued to write for many different organic newsletters and magazines and general gardening press, and contributed chapters to books on the subject. In 2000, I started work with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) where I managed various aspects of their organic standard setting and certification business. In this role I visited many countries and participated in many international forums. When I returned to Australia in 2004, I established a partnership, then a company called TM Organics, with my business partner Doug Adamson (who has a business management and coaching background). TMO is the main organic training, publishing and consulting company in the region. We do a wide range of work, but our specialty is helping certified operators with certification problems and documentation and “conversion to organic”. We have trained hundreds of farmers in our conversion courses and assisted more than a hundred consulting clients (family farmers and companies) to change to organic production methods. In most years we work in about four states and one or two overseas companies. We publish magazine articles, books, training manuals, reports and websites. TMO is unique because of our long experience and knowledge of the field of organic production and marketing, but also because we
combine my production knowledge with Doug’s gardening book and another co-written book on business focus. the Albrecht method for soil testing and fertility I have four solo books, and this year I pubmanagement. I have plans for many more books. lished a book on using dung beetles on farms Additional comments … Dung Down Under, with Dr Bernard Please look at my Facebook page Doube, who is one of the world “Ultimate Organic Guides”. The experts in dung beetles. “ultimate organic guide” conWe have trained Can you tell us more cept appears as the subtitle hundreds of about your time with of three of my books and nversion farmers in our co ed the ABC? will be a theme for more st courses and assi ABC Gardening Ausgardening books in the ndred more than a hu (family tralia has published my future. s consulting client nies) four solo books (they are In my various roles as pa m farmers and co now published by Harper organic inspector, journalc ni ga or to change to .” Collins under the ABC imds ist and consultant (and ho et m n productio print). I have also appeared keen field day attendee) on ABC Gardening Australia I have visited at least 1,500 TV programs, write for ABC certified organic operations in Organic Gardener Magazine and am Australia and at least 1,500 certified a frequent talkback gardening guest on ABC organic operations in 30 other countries and commercial radio around Australia. – I don’t think anyone else in the world can What is your current involvement with make that claim! Note this refers only to certified The Armidale Tree Group? operations; I have also visited thousands of other I have already presented several gardening (non-certified) farms and gardens. classes with the Tree Group, and we will deliver I think the unique approach of my “ultimate several more in the spring of 2014. Of course guide” concept is to combine years of experience as a professional revegetator and biodiversity of organic growing knowledge, gained from the manager, I am a strong supporter of all their literature of the field and farm visits, with up-toactivities. date science research. I contrast this with some Plans for the future? of the “old school” literature which is largely I am about to start a crowd funding cambased on anecdote and sometimes does not paign to self-publish a book on growing organic keep up with modern knowledge. tomatoes, and am already working on my next Thanks Tim.
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DINOSAURS
ALIVE
C A R O L I N E
B L E E C H M O R E
CAROLINE BLEECHMORE FROM PARK BEACH PLAZA TELLS US THE SHOPPING CENTRE WILL BE HOSTING DINOSAURS ALIVE! – A UNIQUE EXHIBITION FEATURING SOME AMAZINGLY LIFELIKE, HUGE ROBOTIC DINOSAURS! READ ON TO FIND HOW YOU CAN ALSO WIN AN AWESOME ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE ON THE COFFS COAST FROM NOVOTEL PACIFIC BAY RESORT …
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i Caroline. What’s your role at Park Beach Plaza? I’m the Marketing Manager for Park Beach Plaza and Park Beach HomeBase in Coffs Harbour. I look after all the marking, advertising and promotions for both shopping centres. I love my role, as no two days are ever the same! I think this is one of the unique aspects of working in a shopping centre environment - it’s a living entity that brings new challenges along with the opportunity to meet new and interesting people. I’m lucky that I get to be creative and organise so many different activities, events, promotions, assist businesses grow and work in partnership with our local media. I feel fortunate that I am able to do something I love, which makes a normal day in the office pretty “awesome” - as my kids would say! Describe the exciting display, Dinosaurs Alive! that Park Beach Plaza will be hosting. The exhibition is an exciting and educative exhibition featuring nine robotic dinosaurs that takes visitors along the 165 million year journey of the Age of Dinosaurs! It consists of 5 fully landscaped displays located throughout Park Beach Plaza, plus an interactive activity area where kids can get hands on with dinosaur related educational activities. Visitors can marvel and learn about the nine dinosaurs on display as they walk through the exhibition. By seeing the life-like dinosaurs move in front of them, visitors can imagine how the magnificent creatures once roamed the Earth. The exhibition will include the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Mother Triceratops with baby and egg nest, Apatosaurus, the vicious Velociraptor, Ornithomimus, Stegosaurus, and the flying Pteranodon. The exhibition will educate
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the public with the latest known facts about the prehistoric era. There will also be dinosaur facts throughout the shopping centre linking the displays, and kids will have the opportunity to complete a Dinosaur Fact scavenger hunt to win some fabulous prizes. StageWorks Corporate, a Perth based company, is a producer and operator of themed attractions, special events and exhibitions in the cultural-tourism and leisure industries. StageWorks researches and develops new projects independently and in partnership with the public and private sector. They work around the globe including Australia and New Zealand, SEA, China PRC, India and Africa. They produced Dinosaurs Alive, which has been touring both internationally and in Australia. Why was it decided to bring Dinosaurs Alive! to Park Beach Plaza – it sounds amazing, but it’s not the usual type of exhibition you’d see in a major retail centre? Many families find it difficult to visit capital cities to experience exhibitions of this quality due to costs associated with travelling to major cities. Park Beach Plaza actually hosted a similar event 17 years ago, and we felt it was time to bring the new version back to a whole new generation of children. We are thrilled to have been able to secure and host a world class educational exhibition for the benefit of families living in regional New South Wales. The event has been secured for families to enjoy over the October School Holiday period. There are not many venues that can actually house an exhibition of this size, which makes Park Beach Plaza unique. What dates/times will people be able to view the display? “Dinosaurs Alive!” will open for a limited fiveweek season at Park Beach Plaza Coffs Harbour
from Wednesday 10 September until Sunday 13 October. It is open 7 days a week during shopping hours. Will there be any costs involved for people to view Dinosaurs Alive!? Entry is FREE, as the event is fully funded by Park Beach Plaza, with landscaping supplied by TG Jung Quarries and Total Gardens Landscaping Supplies, media support from StarFM and of course Focus Magazine plus accommodation packages from Novotel Pacific Bay Resort. Yes it’s FREE; it’s incredible, but true. For those who don’t live on the Coffs Coast, but maybe a couple of hours’ drive away, why do you feel Dinosaurs Alive! is worth the trip to visit? Dinosaurs Alive! gets a huge reception wherever it goes, but the venues it’s visited are usually only major cities. After a four-year tour of Australia and the Philippines, Park Beach Plaza, Coffs Harbour is thrilled to be bringing Dinosaurs Alive! to regional New South Wales. The entry cost would usually be over $50 for a family of four to see if you were to visit this exhibition in a major city! What other facilities does Park beach Plaza offer the out of town visitor? Park Beach Plaza is the largest shopping centre between Newcastle and the Gold Coast, located on the Coffs Coast. The centre has the largest and most diverse variety of specialty stores on the Coffs Coast, with over 120 stores together with Target, Big W, Woolworths, Ritchies Supa IGA, Aldi and JB Hi-Fi. Coffs Coast is the regional tourism destination taking in the Coffs Harbour and Bellingen areas on the North Coast of NSW, approximately halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. The heart of the Coffs Coast, Coffs Harbour, is well-known for its friendly, relaxed
atmosphere, its spectacular coastline, and its many attractions and events. There is plenty to see and do for all visitors, including art with a number of thriving galleries, markets, a wealth of shopping experiences and popular theatre and cinemas. Novotel are providing an exciting opportunity for FOCUS readers too, with a chance to win an accommodation package. What prizes are on offer? Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour are generously offering FOCUS readers the opportunity to win 2 nights’ accommodation in a 1 bedroom spa suite for 2 adults and 2 kids, including full buffet breakfast daily. Where can people find out more info about Park Beach Plaza and the Dinosaurs Alive! display? Information is available on our website www. parkbeachplaza.com.au or at www.dinosaursalive.tv. If readers are wanting information on accommodation or other exciting things to do on the Coffs Coast during their visit, they can contact www.novotelpacificbayresort.com.au or www. coffscoast.com.au Thanks Caroline.
win2 nights at
Novotel Pacific Bay Resort
2 nights’ accommodation in a 1 bedroom spa suite for 2 adults and 2 kids including full buffet breakfast daily at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour. To enter this competition, visit www.focusmag.com.au/giveaways/ Closes midnight September 18 2014. LTPM/14/00922.
focusinterview. PHOTOS BY ANDY HADCROFT
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rowing club Up until recently, the Rowing Club has been the best kept secret in Armidale, so last year following some new members joining, we decided to reinvigorate and reinvent the club. President John Grant invites FOCUS readers to get involved.
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ow long has the Armidale Rowing Club been established? The rowing club was established in 1988 by John Sypkens and Tim Rogers and initially was quite strong during the ‘90s, with participation from TAS and NEGS. However, this ceased during the ‘00s, with a few dedicated master rowers as main members. Up until recently, the rowing club has been the best kept secret in Armidale, so last year following some new members joining, we decided to reinvigorate and reinvent the club. We established an awareness campaign at the Sunday market to recruit new members through Learn to Row programs and getting people who had rowed in the past to reconnect with the sport. We also established a web page and changed our colours and logo. What do you love most about rowing? There is a lot to love about rowing. People of all ages, sizes and physical limitations can row, and it offers a full body workout which is both physically and mentally rewarding. As it is not demanding on knees or ankles, you have less injuries as the body ages - unlike jogging or other physical team pursuits. You also get to enjoy the freshness of outdoor activity. Not many people from Armidale get to experience the spectacular views and
ambience offered at Malpas Dam in the early mornings as the fog lifts off glassy flat water. It really is a fun way to keep fit and once you get the rowing bug, you are hooked for life. Recreational rowing is cool but if you have a competitive spirit, racing at regattas really gets the adrenalin rushing. It requires a lot of training and effort to get “racing fit” and as you spend a lot of time on the water with your crew, you quickly become good mates and get to know each other’s limits, but there is no better sensation than competing, racing and winning as a team to make all that endeavour worthwhile - not to mention the extra kilos you lose in the process. Where and when does the club meet? We row on Malpas Dam at Black Mountain, but as there is restricted access to the dam (gates are locked) we normally meet at Tony Williams Machinery corner (New England Hwy and Stoney Ridge Rd just past roundabout to Guyra) on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 7am and car pool out the 30 km to the dam. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other and organise the row before we get to the dam. We are normally on the water for an hour and then back in Armidale by 9.30, unless of course we decide to stop at the Black Mountain servo for a coffee and analyse the morning row. In the warmer months we row
mid-week in both mornings and afternoon. can row with each other or with their kids. What are the basic essentials to start We frequently have mixed crews (gender rowing? and ages) which adds variety to the rowing You need to be able to swim 100 experience. metres fully clothed (not that What events have you got you fall in that often) and coming up? we insist that all new Last year we held three We established rowers who have never Learn to Row proan awareness rowed before attend grams that were very Sunday campaign at the a five week Learn to successful, and seats w t ne market to recrui Learn Row program that fi lled quickly. We h members throug d an s we run through the have scheduled two m to Row progra ho w le warmer months. programs in before getting peop e past Cost is $100, but it is Christmas, with the had rowed in th the ith w t ec nn essential that everyone fi rst one commencco to re t.” is aware of good boat ing on Sunday 21st or sp handling technique; rowing September and the other is a very technical sport and one on 9th November. Proalthough you can learn the basics grams normally go for five weeks, in a day, like golf you can spend the rest but this is very much dependant on of your life trying to perfect your stroke. weather conditions, with high wind our Can anyone join the rowing club? biggest obstacle. Yes, anyone can join; we have a varied We are also very keen to attract current membership. Our oldest member is in his 80s or ex rowers, particularly if they have had and regularly rows his single scull; our youngsome coaching experience or are interested in est is around 11 and helps cox (or steer) the coaching and we will have our season opener boats. Normally we prefer junior rowers to be on Saturday 13th September at the dam. over 14 (so they can lift the boats) but most Details of upcoming events can normally of our recent members have been in their 20s be found on our web page at www.armidaleto 50s, both male and female, and we have rowing.org.au a number of families rowing where couples Thanks John.
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E l k i n s p h o t o g r a p h e r
NEW ENGLAND FOCUS IS PROUD TO WELCOME PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID ELKINS TO OUR TEAM. DAVID SHARES HIS PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE NEW ENGLAND ...
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ow long have you lived in in 1968. I began as a trainee in the darkroom, the area? Tell us about your washing and drying 10 x 8 prints by the thousand. family ... In 1969 Redifusion Television then became London Lyn and I have lived in Weekend Television, and the workload intensified Armidale since October 1989, tremendously. It was a great place to work. There when we moved here from was always something interesting happening Sydney. We have four sons, none of whom - seeing People like David Frost, Melvin Bragg, have chosen to live here. Lyn works for the people from programs like Please Sir, Aquarius, Community Mutual Group and has enjoyed On the Buses and Doctor in the House, Upstairs working there for over ten years now. Having Downstairs etc. each day. I went to Harrow built our house in the east of Armidale, School of Arts to attend their course in we intend to stay and enjoy the photography. This was one of the weather and the area. most intimidating places I had UNE chief photographer ever been - so many different I began as a John Fields was the people doing incredible things trainee in the agent in my move to with photography. From darkroom, washing and Armidale; if not for him television in England, I went drying 10 x 8 prints by and his enthusiasm for the thousand. In 1969 to science in Australia. I Redifusion Television photography, I would moved from London to then became London not have come here. Sydney and took up a Weekend Television, and How did you first position in the Photographic the workload intensified become involved in Unit in the Atomic Energy tremendously.” photography, and where Commission (now ANSTO) did you study? where I met my wife, Lyn, and Photography was a natural for many great lifelong friends. After me. My uncle Bert shared our house 17 years, I then moved to Armidale to in London; he was a photographer for “Pathe take up a position in the UNE Media Resource Unit Films” in the UK and had photographed movies (MRU) with four other photographers, moving to all over the UK and North Africa - he had built Marketing and Public Affairs in 1997. I left UNE in a small darkroom in our garden. My father also 2012. worked at the same place, now called Redifusion How has photography changed over the Television, and through him I got a job there years?
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photographed in 1964
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I moved from London to Sydney and took up a position at the Atomic Energy Commission (now ANSTO) in the photographic unit, where I met my wife, Lyn, and many great lifelong friends.�
Massively, from expensive film cameras with outboard metering to TTL metering and film to digital. The whole process is widely accessible and designed for creativity. The software being used today allows the photographer to have a limitless suite of creative devices without the problems of chemistry and physics. Fumes and by products from some of the chemicals used in processing images were quite harmful, selenium sulphide in sepia toners and formaldehyde in the E-6 chemistry for the colour slide film stabiliser ... and many others. Where does your main passion in photography exist? In all areas, really; there is nothing I rule out. I enjoy all the elements of photography: portraiture; scientific; micro and macro; landscape; weddings are a challenge and hard work, but all the more rewarding. Fashion photography is great if you have control over the lighting and set, and time consuming, but most of all you need to control the Art Directors. Architectural photography and aerial work are extremely rewarding; the satisfaction of producing images for publication, whatever they are, is probably the best. Which photographers do you look to for inspiration? Yousuf Karsh, the Armenian-Canadian phototographer for portraiture and Alex Boyd, the landscape photographer from Scotland are great - but the photographers around me are the ones who inspire me and encourage me. There are so many here in Armidale taking great photographs, and they do have an effect on my work. But also more and more these days I look to the graphic designers, to see what they are into. I think all graphic designers deserve recognition for their work in the publication of images, a good graphic designer can make a photograph even more outstanding, and their work is largely taken for granted. What do you love most about living in the New England, and what are your plans for the future? Armidale has to be the best place I have ever lived. I have lived longer here than in any other place; it’s great to bring up a family here. The weather may be cold in the New England, but that I find is a great positive. The light here is always changing and can range from bright and airy to moody and dramatic. Thanks David. new england focus
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AROUND THE REGION //SEPTEMBER 2014
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MY Future MY Choice Community Links Expo An expo for people with disability, their families and carers, support network, local and regional service providers. Display of products and services aimed at increasing independence and quality of life. The day includes: information sessions, guest speakers, Inspirational Stories: Living Life My Way, sausage sizzle, prizes and giveaways. ptember 2014; 9:30am to 4:30pm. When Wednesday 17 September wling Club. Where Armidale City Bowling More info. Lloyd Gris - 6773 2130 or Sue Bannon - 6770 3804.
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Camp Quality Giggle Ball 2014
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When Saturday 20th September 2014. Where Armidale Bowling Club. Tickets $75. Call 6772 5666.
KENTUCKY PROGRESS ASSOCIATION’S
First Saturday Chats Our next First Saturday chats will be hosted by a Principal Solicitor, from 10am to 1pm at our offices on Saturday 6 September 2014. As this is a popular program, bookings are essential on (02) 6788 1100. When Saturday 6 September 2014. Where Legal Minds Office, 157 Beardy St Mall. Contact (02) 6788 1100.
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Spring Craft & Produce Market
Go Create New England
So let all your friends know and make it another big day! This is market run by the Kentucky Progress Association & Kids of Kentucky Group.
Come and experience local teas and cheese in the creative atmosphere. There will be artworks for sale and tutors to talk to about upcoming workshops
When Sunday, 14th September 2014. Where Kentucky Memorial Hall. Time 9am to 1pm.
When 27th September from 1 - 5pm. Contact Kath on 0412 351 792 or visit www.gocreatenewengland.com
Tara Toomey Seasons of New England
Dave Mailer Thunderbolt Rodeo
Bev Stubberfield Thunderbolts Festival
THUNDERBOLTS FESTIVAL
Thunderbolt Rough Stock Rodeo, Saturday 18th October! When it started, they said it was not possible. Well, the Uralla “Top Pub” will host the third annual Uralla Thunderbolt
Rough Stock Rodeo. It is guaranteed to be an entertaining afternoon of thrills and spills, with local champions up against the best rough stock going around. The natural amphitheatre has spectators up close and personal to the action; this creates an atmosphere that makes the show. The four hours of bucking action in aid of Friends of McMaugh is for a good cause and a lot of fun. Seasons of New England returns on Saturday 8th November to the Uralla Showground Arena from 8am with a diverse market line up of home grown and handmade stalls, loaded with New England products and produce. Aptly subtitled “Food, Wine and Artisans”, dinner in the Arena is a new addition with 5 New England cooks, chefs and bakers providing a delicious array of hearty, handmade dining options, kicking off at 4pm with plenty of choice for even the youngest diner. www.seasonsofnewengland.com.au
Azka Restaurant, Wine & Tapas Bar Visit the Quality Hotel Powerhouse, Armidale and discover an exciting dining experience at Azka Restaurant, Wine & Tapas Bar.
Azka Restaurant, adjacent to the wine bar, is
Azka brings together an intimate wine bar serving beautiful shared dishes and a stunning restaurant showcasing local New England produce with Mediterranean influences.
David Hill is passionate about creating a dining
Enter the stylish and inviting Azka Wine & Tapas Bar and sit in one of the coveted leather lounges, slip into a comfy nook or enjoy the welcoming open fire. An excellent wine list has drops from all corners of the globe, and there is an impressive selection of 25 wines by the glass. Match your wine with a tempting selection of tapas from a lively menu perfect for social dining.
Street is located downstairs at the Quality Hotel
adorned with bright Moroccan hanging lanterns and features an exquisite menu inspired by fresh, seasonal local produce. Azka Executive Chef destination for Armidale that combines the good things in life - beautiful food, wine and company. Azka Restaurant, Wine & Tapas Bar, at 31 Marsh Powerhouse. Azka Wine & Tapas Bar is open every day from 11am, and the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee 7 days. Visit www.qualityhotelpowerhouse.com.au for more information or to view Christmas Party Packages.
QHP0 QHP Q QH HP0 H HP P0 P 00 033 03 33 3 3
Saturday 25th October, Thunderbolts Festival kicks off with street parade at 10:30am, Hemlock acrobatics, markets, Al Heeneys Rhythm and Blues, Paws Up display, Billycart Derby and $2 a wristband for Rock Climb Wall, Gladiator, Giant Slide and Jumping Castles - big and small! Thunderbolts Festival will be held in conjunction with Oxley Riders “Poker Run”. Oxley Riders are a not for profit social club based in Walcha, with members in Uralla, Armidale, the Hunter valley and Southern QLD. In conjunction with Thunderbolts Festival, they will be holding the Bail Up poker run, bike and custom car show. There will be an auction, raffles, prizes, and surprises through the day. www.thunderboltsfestival.com.au
Azka Restaurant Wine & Tapas Bar
Armidale’s hidden
gem Open 7 Days Azka Restaurant Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
6772 7788 31 Marsh Street, Armidale
qualityhotelpowerhouse.com.au
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New England
Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Vegetable Curry and Naan Bread from R&H Curry House.
eat. Dining Guide is available for iPhone & Android mobiles. www.focusmag.com.au/eat 18 new england focus.
eat.
The Mill Bistro
Prue & Olive
The Mill Bistro - Armidale SerVies The Mill Bistro’s new head chef, Chris Kershaw, has introduced a new quality and freshness to the menu, so come and taste the difference.
The team at Prue & Olive is committed to providing a unique and specialised café experience for its customers. From the moment you walk into the Moore Street café, customers are made to feel welcome by the friendly staff, including Jules, Prudence and Sarah.
Great tasty family dining Enjoy some of the new dishes out, including Moroccan Spiced Lamb topped with Mint Yoghurt pictured above; we encourage you to bring the whole family in for lunch or dinner soon.
The menu at Prue & Olive is seasonal, with local and fresh produce utilised by chef, Oscar the Magnificent, to create delicious meals. Prue & Olive is dedicated to creating a distinctive café atmosphere through the presentation of food and drinks, staff uniforms and the overall ambience of the café.
$9 Daily Special Every day there’s a new special on for just $9. So for a budget-friendly, tasty bite to eat, lunch or dinner, pop into The Mill Bistro.
Head Chef Chris Kershaw.
The café is also happy to provide high tea and catering for special occasions and private functions. Come into Prue & Olive and make your next café experience an enjoyable one!
Open 7 days a week - lunch 12pm - 2.30pm and dinner 6pm - 9pm
Armidale Memorial Ex-Services Club, Dumaresq St t 6776 0800 open 7 days a week - lunch noon - 2.30pm and dinner 6pm - 9pm.
Shop 2/ 14 Moore St, Armidale t 6772 6262 fb www.fb.com/prueandolive Twitter + Instagram @prueandolive open Mon - Fri: 8am - 5pm. Sat: 8am - 4pm. Prue & Olive are happy to provide high tea and catering for special occasions.
R&H Curry House
1879 Bistro
Chicken, beef, lamb, seafood and vegetable curry available.
Railway Hotel Armidale
Who said Indian food is HOT? Try our large selection of sweet, mild and spicy curries; dine in or takeaway, Gluten free meals available.
Bar Bistro Bottleshop.
We are available for catering - you need to place your order two days in advance.
Open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 6pm.
Open for lunch Monday - Saturday from midday. Great lunches from just $8, with pub classics and winter warmers. Nightly blackboard specials; great steaks; great value. Check out bistro 1879 on Facebook or call us on 6772 3109. Head Chef Steve Welbourne.
Shop 23 K-Mart Plaza, 124 Dumaresq Street, Armidale t 0421 287 485 open Mon - Sat, 11am - 9pm (summer), Mon - Sat 11am 8pm (winter), and Sun 11am - 8pm.
222 Rusden Street, Armidale t 6772 3109 open Lunch Monday - Saturday from midday. Dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 6pm. new england focus
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ELDERS INSURANCE CAMP QUALITY Get your dancing shoes ready and prepare for a great night at the annual Giggle Ball at the Armidale City Bowling Club, Saturday 20th September! Now in its fourth year, this fun-tastic event raises much needed funds for Camp Quality the children’s cancer charity, whose purpose is to create a better life for every child living with cancer. Tickets for this great night of fun and fundraising are just $75 and include a delicious 3 course meal and wine, plus you’ll be entertained by “Oldscool”. Grab your tickets NOW from the Armidale City Bowling Club to ensure you don’t miss out. Phone the club on 6772 5666, or call in today! The services provided for children (0 - 13 years) living with cancer and their families help create a better life by building optimism and resilience, with specialised programs devised to meet the identified needs of the whole family. Camp Quality connects children and their families living with cancer through interactive education and resources and creates opportunities for all families to embrace normality and celebrate life in a supportive environment. Please note * Tickets are on sale now until 17th September only – unfortunately no last minute purchases are available.
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Elders Insurance New England is a family owned and operated company that has been servicing the New England region for over 14 years. In July of this year, company directors Ben and Trudy Page celebrated 10 years’ ownership of the business. At Elders Insurance we take great pride in the quality of our staff and the professional local service we provide to our customers. All of our staff live locally and are active members of the community. As a result, we understand the needs of our customers, and we take great pride working with our clients to provide tailored insurance solutions to suit their individual needs. Local claims management is a feature of the service we offer. This means that not only can our clients lodge their claims with our office, in most cases we are the ones authorising the claims, resulting in a faster turnaround. Front end claims not only encourages our customers to use local retailers and service providers, but it also allows us to support local business by referring our customers to them. At Elders Insurance, we believe in actively supporting the community that supports us. For a number of years now, we have been the major sponsor of the Armidale Camp Quality “Giggle Ball”. Most of our staff have young families, and they therefore are supportive of Camp Quality and the wonderful work it does within our community. We are very proud of our association with Camp Quality, and we are looking forward to supporting this year’s ball on September 20th at the Armidale Bowling Club.
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Development on Schedule “ The development is on schedule” is not a phrase heard often, but Armidale’s newest retirement village is not being built by your average operator. The community focused village is owned by national retirement operators Oak Tree Group, who have considerable development experience with fifteen villages already constructed or under construction along Australia’s east coast.
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he newest retirement village in Armidale, Oak Tree Village Armidale, will consist of 86 villas, a well-appointed village community centre for hosting social activities and special events, beautiful landscaped gardens and a bowling green. Within the construction schedule is a completion date for the first Display Villa, which Oak Tree is planning to unveil in late October with an exclusive access event. Attendance numbers for the on-site sneak peek event will be limited and following
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strong local representation at recent preview events, Regional Manager Melissa Luck is anticipating the event will book out quickly. “Residents of Armidale have been very supportive in attending our preview events, and we believe having a finished villa for them to see will consolidate the quality and experience that Oak Tree offers,” said Mrs Luck. The Display Villa will be a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom villa featuring an L shaped kitchen with breakfast bar, under roof rear patio for entertaining neighbours, family
and friends, and carport with internal access. The villa will have recycle air conditioning and be completed with quality fixtures and finishings. Part of the Oak Tree experience is the community atmosphere and the low maintenance lifestyle. To achieve this, Oak Tree provides a Village Manager to oversee the day to day village activities and service maintenance of external premises, gardens and community facilities, and to co-ordinate social activities. A village bus for residents to take regular trips to town or attend social
activities will also be included at Oak Tree Village Armidale. Pricing of Oak Tree villas is very affordable, with 2 bedroom villas starting at $260,000 and 3 bedroom villas from $300,000. With their intentional regional focus, Oak Tree is helping to keep seniors at home in the areas they’ve grown up in, lived in and loved. Register your interest for the Display Villa sneak peek today on 1300 367 155 or visit www.oaktreegroup.com.au.
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NEGS FRAMED Once again the NEGS Multi-Purpose Centre will be transformed into an art lovers’ paradise for the annual Framed Art Show and Sale. This exciting event will kick off with an Opening Night Cocktail Function on Friday evening, 5th September 2014 and will continue over the weekend in conjunction with the NEGS Spring Fair. This year's opening is set to be a truly special evening, with a display of works by some of New South Wales' leading artists, including Archibald Prize finalist Barry McCann, Lucy McCann, Francois Jaggi, James White and David Mackay. Art lovers and those looking for an evening out can enjoy a glass of champagne, supper and live entertainment, whilst taking in the talents of incredible artists. You could also be in the running to win an original oil painting by renowned Bowral artist, Gillian Hook. There will be the Framed SerVies Primary Student Visual Art Prizes and the New England Mutual Secondary Student Visual Art Prizes. Prizes will be awarded under two categories – Me myself and I, and Seasons, and have been judged by renowned local artist, Pat Elkin. Winners will be announced at the cocktail party. Be part of the judging process and nominate your favourite artwork for the Oracle Insurance Solutions People’s Choice Award voted by the public and awarded to the most popular exhibit. Saturday’s visitors can also enjoy the fun and festivities of the NEGS Spring Fair. We welcome art lovers and enthusiasts and anybody interested in a fun outing in a relaxed and aesthetically appealing atmosphere.
ANTS IN THE ART MUSEUM!
ART meets SCIENCE at NERAM - celebrating National Science Week
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nts are taking over at NERAM this month! Explore the giant sculptural ants’ nest dominating the foyer and contribute to the growing colony. Artists Jonathon Larsen and Benjamin Thorn, and digital media specialist Iain Mackay, have constructed the large-scale interactive ants’ nest so that we might take the opportunity to imagine life as an ant. The installation is the focal point for the North Western Regional Science Hub’s "Art meets Science" project celebrating National Science Week 2014 - and beyond! This initiative was supported by Inspiring Australia and the NSW Government as part of National Science Week. The New England North West Regional Science Hub was formed in 2013. The Hub is a partnership between NERAM, Armidale Tree Group, School of Ants at University of New England, the
Catalyst Club, Department of Education and Southern New England Landcare. Its inaugural event, which marked National Science Week 2013, engaged the community with the SMART Tree Project. Remember walking inside the giant sculptural tree and listening to the sounds it made?
celebrations in July.
From 16 August to 19 October, Little Things that Run the World introduces the community to the School of Ants Project. Visitors can contribute to the activity in and around the sculptural nest. They can make their own ants, larvae or other life stages and add them to tunnels and chambers in order to grow the colony. Take time to walk outside and peek into the "Ant Hotels" along Black Gully behind NERAM. The Hotels were constructed by school children working with Southern New England Landcare during the organisation’s 25th birthday
Photography by: David Doyle and Laszlo Szabo
The science focus of the nine week event will be an AntBlitz at Black Gully. Over 24 hours, ants will be collected, sorted and identified. Anyone can participate. Work with a team of University of New England Scientists, led by Dr Kirsti Abbott, to learn about local ants.
the plug! NERAM Opening Hours: Tue - Fri, 10am - 5pm; Sat - Sun,10am - 4pm. Little Things that Run the World is at NERAM until 19 October. For more information: www.neram.com.au/ants
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Healthy soil = Healthy lawn
Good soil provides all the needs of your lawn. Some ways to improve soils include: • pH Testing. Lawns require a soil pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 in order to thrive. Altering soil pH is relatively simple and inexpensive. • Top Dressing Lawns involves applying a rich organic soil or compost mixture to the top of the lawn and watering in. This is particularly beneficial for sandy soils. • Organic Fertilisers are usually based on manure products or other naturally occurring substances
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such as seaweed. Twice yearly applications will help improve the organic richness of the soil. Chemical lawn fertilisers will give your lawn a lift but won’t improve the health of the soil. • Lawn Aeration or coring will greatly help to break up compacted lawn soils and clay soils. Aeration increases the flow of oxygen, water and nutrients to the lawn roots. • Wetting Agents - many soil types will naturally repel water and others can become water repelling when dried out over time.
• Apply a wetting agent along with an organic fertiliser after coring for best results. Clay soils will benefit from a gypsum application after coring in place of a wetting agent.
contact us LGHM 6772 0716 0408 720 719 www.lghm.com.au Find us on Facebook LawnGardenHomeMaintenance
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EXPO OF CHOICE
he New England Disability Interagency will provide an opportunity for students, people with disability, family members and carers to attend the My Future My Choice Community Links Expo, Wednesday 17 September 2014 at the Armidale City Bowling Club. The theme “My Future My Choice” embraces the ideals of a person centred system - the ability and the belief that anything is possible in enabling people to achieve an independent and fulfilled life. The Expo will showcase a wide range of New England local and regional exhibitors displaying an extensive variety of products and services that support independence for people with disability. Individuals, parents and carers can access up to 40 sites at the Expo that provide person centred programs, employment, training, education, lifestyle
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and leisure, respite, advocacy, health and wellbeing, equipment and assistive technology. The Expo is free to enter, with giveaways and prizes on the day. All participants will be given a free sample bag, an exhibitor booklet with contact details and a passport to encourage engagement with stall holders. Refreshments will be available on site and the NENW Special Olympics Committee will be running a fundraising sausage sizzle over lunch. Come and support the local athletes competing in the National Games. Local transport can be arranged by contacting Tableland Community Transport, and regional transport can be coordinated by contacting your local HACC transport providers. Visitors are encouraged from surrounding areas such as Guyra, Uralla, Glen Innes and Walcha. The Expo will be officially opened at
9:30am at The Armidale City Bowling Club and will conclude at 4:30pm to give visitors ample time to speak to service providers and for the exhibitors to showcase local and regional services. There will be a program of information sessions, with presentations and opportunities to ask questions. Topics will include: My Choice Matters - Getting the Most out of the Changing Disability System, Person Centred Planning & the NDIS, Centrelink, ACT Now & Living Life My Way stories, Ability Technology iPad workshop, and Acquired Brain Injury Association. This year there will also be a focus on hidden disabilities, such as Mental Health. For further information, please contact Lloyd Gris 6773 0130 or Sue Bannon 6770 3804. sbannon@armidale.nsw.gov.au www.armidale.nsw.gov.au
and the Altitude coffee caravan - closes at 10pm. Another group of talented New England artists will be performing throughout the day, including Fabio Tolli, The Jug Addicts, WirriCow and finishing with Al Heeney Rhythm and Blues from 7pm. All situated under and around a giant marquee in the arena, there will be plenty of seating and shade for people to enjoy the atmosphere.
you can drag them away from the music to choose something.
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• O F
N E W
E N G L A N D •
Seasons of New England returns on Saturday 8th November to the Uralla Showground Arena with a diverse line up of home grown and handmade stalls, loaded with New England products and produce.
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ptly subtitled “Food, Wine & Artisans”, you can find something for the garden, the home, the children - and there are, of course, plenty of goodies for the pantry and the cellar. Enjoying some freshly prepared New England produce on the day is a special feature of the event, and there is a great line up of local cooks, bakers, butchers and chefs getting involved in preparing tasty dishes for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, aperitivo, dinner, dessert, something after dessert ... The music starts at 9am and goes right through until the bar -
The Market + Fair Day also includes some great fun for children, with pony rides, face painting, a jumping castle and games and of course, plenty of hearty, handmade dining options - if
A huge thanks to Rex Airlines, who have put their hand in their pocket to support the event, donating two tickets from Sydney - Armidale return for people to come and enjoy the weekend in Uralla, just a 15 minute drive from the airport. For details of the Rex Tickets Competition, head to the Seasons of New England Facebook page and be ready to share your favourite picnic snaps – www.seasonsofnewengland.com.au www.facebook.com/asonsofnewengland new england focus 25
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SANDON PUBLIC SCHOOL
MUSEUM OF EDUCATION ON JULY 22ND, 2014, THE YEAR 3 AND 4 STUDENTS FROM SANDON PUBLIC SCHOOL HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF VISITING THE MUSEUM OF EDUCATION, THE MUSEUM OF PRINTING, THE RAILWAY MUSEUM AND THE ARMIDALE FOLK MUSEUM. TEACHER DARLENE ERIEAU TELLS US MORE ...
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i Darlene. Tell us more about these museums? The Armidale Folk Museum is full of historical items and artefacts particular to Armidale and the surrounding community. Peter Chambers, the curator of the Armidale Folk Museum, was excellent in piquing the students’ interest with bits of historical information. There is a range of items, from toys to guns to photographs to telephone equipment and old shop items. There are rooms set up depicting a typical house in the 20th Century. The museum has a terrific range of photos chronologically showing the changes and growth of Armidale. The photographs showing the progression of Armidale as a city were of genuine interest to the students at Sandon - in particular the photographs depicting the main street as mud, and a slab timber hut. The museum contains a variety of photographical equipment used by past residents of Armidale. The students were fascinated by the camera that was almost as big as themselves! The Museum of Printing at NERAM has a wonderful collection of old printing machines and other items related to the printing industry. Most of the items relate to early last century and give a fascinating perspective on how the printing industry used to function. It was great to see actual printing and the different machines and processes that were used. How fascinating to discover that your operation of some machines could lead to your eventual death, due to the substances used to print with! The interactive 26 new england focus.
d Alongside the ol ed us s machine es that on the railway lin view, d ul co ts en the stud posed ex so al e er w they s used m ite to a variety of the de si in ay on the railw museum.”
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way in which the curator, Benjamin Thorn, engaged the students by involving them in real printing was wonderful for developing their interest. The Museum of Education is near the Museum of Printing. The curator of this museum, Ian Stephenson, involved the students immediately by giving them an identity of a student from the past. After saluting the flag and completing a morning exercise routine, the students entered the Museum of Education, where they were able to experience what a classroom used to be like. The students were able to experience writing on a slate as well as receiving the cane (pretend, of course) for the variety of discretions that the student they were representing had committed in their school life. How very different it was from today! The Railway Museum is housed at the Armidale Railway Station. Alongside the old machines used on the railway lines that the students could view, they were also exposed to a variety of items used on the railway inside the museum. The students were amazed at how hard the work would have been building railway tracks. The students viewed the tools the railway workers would have needed to use to saw and bend the track and drill the holes. Why is it important for the children to be aware of the local museums? All of these local museums give the students the chance to think about history and how our
society has changed. Things they take for granted used to be incredibly time consuming, for instance. Museums help the past come alive for them and help their understanding, which links into aspects of their Human Society and its Environment school work. What are the major benefits of this excursion? The students were given the opportunity to enhance their learning through linking the past with the present. An excursion such as this benefits the students in a variety of ways. It has provided them with an interest in their community and its history by walking through the history themselves, rather than the representations found in books alone. This, I hope, would in turn develop in them a desire to be involved with and protect their community as they grow and develop into adults. In discussions with the students since the excursion, I have discovered a genuine appreciation in the students for how different life would have been if they had grown up then. They now understand that the introduction of technology has vastly changed the world and that the one they are growing up in is vastly different to the one their ancestors grew up in. The excursion also aligns wonderfully with our Human Society and its Environment syllabus. Our topic for this term is entitled Places: Then,
Now and Tomorrow. Why would we not want to expose the students to the resources so readily available in Armidale? The students have been excited by what they have seen. It has exposed them to information they previously did not know was available to them. Since the excursion, students have taken their family members to some of the museums where possible, as it sparked such genuine interest in them. The students have also seen how the Armidale Community has embraced them and their excursion. Not only were the curators of these museums willing to work with our schedule, but the Community Mutual Group provided a grant to cover the cost of the bus. This allowed us to provide an inclusive excursion accessible to all students, and we would like to publicly thank the Community Mutual Group. How do our readers find out more? Information about the Museum of Printing is available on the NERAM website: www.neram. com.au/explore/mop/ and it is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:30am - 3:30pm. The Folk Museum is open daily from 1 - 4pm, and information can be found on the Armidale Dumaresq Council’s website. The Museum of Education is by appointment, and readers can contact Ian Stephenson at The UNE Heritage Centre on the Newling Campus of UNE Mondays - Fridays, 9am - 5pm or call on 6773 6555. The curator of The Railway Museum is Peter Chambers, and he can be contacted through the Armidale Folk Museum. Thanks Darlene.
Armidale Community Of Schools
Public schools are the schools of choice building citizens for the future of their communities
ARMIDALE COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS - PROVIDING QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION. Our wonderful public schools in the Armidale district make up your Armidale
Students benefit from the latest technologies and resources. Disciplined, caring
Community of Schools.
environments and leadership programs encourage respect, tolerance, care and
These schools, large and small, work together to offer the children of our city the
citizenship.
quality education that develops articulate, responsible and successful adults.
Both of our excellent high schools offer an outstanding selection of traditional
Our highly qualified and dedicated teachers provide challenging and stimulating
vocational and extended HSC curriculum choices and have a record of excellent
learning environments to nurture the individual talents of our children.
academic achievement.
We invite you to contact your local school principal to arrange a personal tour & discuss your child’s education Armidale City Public School
Armidale High School
Ben Venue Public School
Black Mountain Public School
Chandler Public School
Drummond Memorial Public School
Duval High School
Ebor Public School
Waterfall Way, EBOR Phone: 6775 9136 ebor-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Guyra Public School
Crest Road, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 1266 duval-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Kellys Plains Public School
Kingstown Public School
Kelly’s Plains School Road, ARMIDALE Phone: 6775 1253 kellysplan-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Bundarra-Bendemeer Road, KINGSTOWN Phone: 6778 9131 kingstown-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Martins Gully Public School
Newling Public School
Rocky River Public School
Chapel Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 1488 newling-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Bundarra Road, URALLA Phone: 6778 4122 rockyriver-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Thalgarrah Environmental Education Centre
Uralla Central School
Faulkner Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 3420 armidalec-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Black Mountain Road, BLACK MOUNTAIN Phone: 6775 0192 blackmountain-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Rockvale Road, ARMIDALE Phone: 6775 1736 thalgarrah-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Butler Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6776 7466 armidale-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Waterfall Way, WOLLOMOMBI Phone: 6778 1335 chandler-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Erskine Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 4263 benvenue-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Rusden Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 3736 drummondm-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Marne Street, GUYRA Phone: 6779 0844 guyra-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Bona Vista Road, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 3314 martinsgul-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Sandon Public School
Erskine Street, ARMIDALE Phone: 6772 3349 sandon-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Park Street, URALLA Phone: 6778 4204 uralla-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au new england focus 27
NEWLING PUBLIC SCHOOL OUR COMMUNITY IS THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL, AND THEIR SUPPORT ENSURES THAT EVERY STUDENT AT NEWLING PUBLIC SCHOOL IS GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
T
he special relationship between the Armidale community and Newling is evident on a daily basis; which ranges from sporting, artist and author visits, helpers in the classroom to nurture a love of reading, BBQ weekends, breakfast clubs and after school clubs. The school supports local ventures such as welcoming community organisations into our wonderful facilities and participating in Armidale’s sporting and cultural events. Every day, evening and even weekends, the students at Newling benefit from community support.
“Newling has always been important in the local community, and we have established many distinctive partnerships with various community groups for the benefit of our students,” says Newling Principal, Murray Cox. “The amount of community involvement and support for our school is quite astounding." Three mornings a week a team of volunteers make an early start at Newling preparing and serving a breakfast for the students. Team leader Janice Chapman approached the school three years ago to start a breakfast service and now leads a large team who give freely to benefit the students: “I knew of people wanting to give back their community and spoke to the Principal about
28 new england focus.
doing something positive for the students. We created a Breakfast Club for the students who arrived early to school. Now many students come to sit at the tables to chat with the volunteers and friends while they enjoy a hot Milo, fruit or a cooked breakfast. The mornings have become a really successful social event for the children, and our members take great pride in giving back to the community and enjoy friendships with the Newling students and staff.” The program is mutually beneficial, allowing for students to socialise, create new friendships and learn from the caring volunteers. “The students enjoy talking with the volunteers from St Peter's and St Mark’s churches who provide the service, and the generosity of those people who give freely back to the community is noticed by the students and much appreciated.” Having seen the benefits of community involvement, a number of other initiatives developed from the Breakfast Club. “As we got to know the children at Newling and great work being done at the school, we felt compelled to do as much as we could to support the successes of the school and children,” says supporter Janice Chapman. ”We receive great support from a school that does remarkable things for the
benefit of its students.” Volunteers now assist students' achievements in many ways, including providing golf lessons at lunch breaks, in-class tuition and mentoring, involvement in P and C and attendance at all school events to show their support. “Having such a supportive community gives our students many opportunities and experiences most schools could not offer. Having golf lessons at lunchtimes and the chance to use those skills at a golf course, all organised and provided by generous supporters, is wonderful for our students,” says Newling Principal Murray Cox. “Our school, in return, does all it can to support our community.” Among regular community groups enjoying the
community support at Newling are Armidale Scouts, CWA, Armidale Family Playgroups, Armidale Church of Christ and Youth Group, who all have established mutual community partnerships with the Newling school. “We are appreciative at Newling with the level of support from community groups, and our students realise the importance of citizenship and live our school motto of ‘Learning Together’ each day,” says Mr Cox. ”Schools should be at the heart of their community and foster community involvement.” Newling students are well prepared to become responsible and productive citizens in the Armidale community given the great start and role-models they are provided at Newling Public School.
new england focus 29
HEALTH
JO NEILSON’S BI K R A M
Ella Bache CELEBRATES 60 YEARS
Acupuncturist Jo Neilson was introduced to Bikram Yoga by her husband Scott some years ago and since then has become one of its strongest advocates, regarding it as the best health promoting exercise for people of all ages. ractitioner celebrities like Lady Ga Ga, Jennifer Anniston, George Clooney, David Beckham, Beyoncé, Madonna and many top sporting stars agree with her. Jo is opening a studio at 82 Rusden Street, near the corner at Taylor Street, where she will offer the 90 minute Bikram Yoga sessions nine times a week. “Bikram is based on traditional Hatha Yoga positions but takes it further to become a work out for every part of the body and also calms the mind as a form of meditation,” she said. “Sessions are conducted in a heated room which promotes extra benefits and the postures are designed especially to help people living the western lifestyle which has become very sedentary.” Jo’s enthusiasm for Bikram took her to Los Angeles for ten weeks intensive training that included 10 hours of lectures and two 90 minute training sessions a day. She followed that up with further training at nine different Bikram schools in Sydney. “I have developed a real love for it,” she says. “Bikram has been designed in consultation with doctors and scientists to deliver total health through balancing and strengthening of every system in the human body.” “It heals and prevents illness and injury, promotes weight loss and limits the effects of ageing. It is suitable for people of all ages and is as challenging as you want it to be. People can work at their own pace and the health benefits are just fantastic.”
Ella Baché’s Australian story started in the late 1930s when Edith Hallas, a newlywed Hungarian 20-yearold who had studied Beauty Therapy in Vienna, was emigrating to Australia.
P
30 new england focus.
The 26 Bikram Yoga postures are sequentially designed to isolate portions of the body a section at a time by closing off circulation to a group of muscles, organs and glands for a few seconds. Once released from the posture oxygen-rich blood returns at high speed to the closed part of the body sending in nutrients and flushing out waste. By this method of stretching and contracting, circulation is adjusted and blocked areas of the body are opened up. “By the end of the 90 minutes session you’ve had a full body workout, every cell has been revitalized, the spine is strengthened and all systems are restored to their intended one hundred percent working order, giving you an energized body and relaxed mind,” Jo says. At the Rusden Street studio Jo will continue to offer acupuncture services in conjunction with the Bikram Yoga. She uses a highly effective shallow needling technique and receives referrals from a variety of health professionals including GPs, physiotherapists, chiropractors and clinical psychologists in Armidale. For further information and details about her foundation memberships, check out the website www.bikramyoganewengland.com. au or email her jo@bikramyoganewengland. com.au or phone 0425 222 317.
dith and her husband, George, into the most fashionable retailer in town, stopped over in Paris and wound up David Jones. The successful encounter helped unable to leave for several weeks. establish the Ella Baché brand and forged a World War II had broken out and, relationship with the retailer that still exists along with it, chaos and uncertainty. Amid today. the panic, Edith was given the opportunity Once established in Australia, Edith to live with George’s cousin, Ella Baché. Ella and Ella set about formulating a range of introduced Edith to her range of expertly products that effectively treated Australians’ handcrafted skincare products and her skin. Edith identified the unique Australian unique approach to formulating using climate and the impact it had on the the highest quality ingredients, skin. Her skincare philosophy both of which were well of “know your products, ahead of their time. The but first know your experience cemented a skin,” meant that she They hydrate ir lifelong commitment pa valued the importance re , in sk e th e th en to skin health and of individualised th ng re st and barrier al m er id the pair proved to skincare above all. ep ’s in sk e be a match made She understood that and contain activ t ea ingredients to tr in heaven. Edith products formulated ncerns. specific skin co remarked that, despite for European skin the background of would not necessarily unrest, her time with Ella meet the needs of in Paris “would turn out to Australian women. She be the best wedding present”. charged Ella with identifying A metamorphosis took place for the ingredients and treatments that Edith during her time in Paris. Her could aid the problems that arose from appreciation and understanding of the exposure to harsh UV radiation, wind and a skin developed into a passion that led her to dry environment. Together, the pair crafted a ultimately establish one of Australia’s most range of solutions to prevent and protect the enduring and respected skincare companies. skin from sundamage. Ella Baché has become a uniquely Sixty years on, Ella Baché is constantly Australian story with a 60-year history evolving, creating new and innovative thanks to Edith’s inspiration. Nearly 30 years products, ideas and techniques due to the after she first met Ella, Edith imported her pioneering values Edith wove into the fabric products to Australia from Paris. In 1954, of the brand. In a competitive and fastarmed with nothing more than cold epil wax moving industry that can often get caught (the first of its kind) and a unyielding belief up in fads and quick fixes, we think that’s in Ella’s skills and techniques, she walked something to really celebrate.
SEASONS CHANGE BUT A SMILE LASTS A LIFETIME Spring is a time to start thinking about summer and being outside enjoying yourself after the shorter days of winter. The motto at Dewhurst Dental is Seasons change but a smile lasts a lifetime, so now as spring is upon us it is a great time to invest in your smile, making sure P[ SVVRZ NYLH[ HUK NP]LZ `V\ [OL JVUÄKLUJL `V\ ULLK [V MLLS `V\Y ILZ[
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STEP UP TO SPRING As the days become longer and warmer, we start heading outdoors and becoming more active. The team at SportUNE talk about their plans for spring.
SPORTUNE
HEALTH
32 new england focus.
Mally McCormack, Gym & Group Fitness Coordinator: Without a doubt, Armidale is a seasonal town, whether you're cleaning the ice off your car windshield at 8am or noticing that first hint of green on the tree and thinking, “Finally!”. What’s also noticeable as we start to shed the layers is the effect that a long, perhaps sluggish, winter can have on your body. Getting yourself physically and emotionally ready for the warmer season can be a real effort. Our new 4 week program, "Step Up", is specifically designed for beginners or those returning to routine. People like you, maybe? "Step Up" will run twice a week on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6pm in a small group training fitness format. You will be able to work at your own pace, supported by fully trained fitness professionals, who will carefully guide you through the first steps to feeling better. The instructors will focus on your mind/body awareness, functional movement, and reinforce the importance of good form to help you build fitness and strength. You will also receive an 8 pack pass to SportUNE, enabling you to trial our gym, pool or group fitness classes. It’s a great opportunity to start being active and meet new friends.
Dave Schmude, Director UNE Life: SportUNE, with the support of the community, has built a reputation as a centre that attracts a range of internationally recognised sporting icons. We’re thrilled to be able to continue this reputation in September, when legendary Rugby League coach Laurie Daley will be the guest speaker at the 64th Annual UNE Sports Awards. In partnership with New England Mutual (NEM), the Armidale community will have the opportunity to meet Laurie at the NEM Business Breakfast on September 25th, at the Armidale City Bowling Club. It has been an enormously successful year for Laurie, being the first coach in eight years to claim the State of Origin title. I have no doubt that those attending will gain great insight from this highly celebrated man. Tickets are $25 each and enquiries can be directed to events@communitymutual.com.au Also fast approaching is the Annual UNE Golf Day, which will be held at the Armidale Golf Club on Friday 17th October. Those who have attended in the past will know that this day always sees some fierce rivalry, a lot of laughter and is a terrific opportunity to network with other local businesses in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. If you are a keen golfer, gather a team together and join us for a great day out.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Well known local actor Jan Wyles joins UNE drama student Serena Weatherall to bring to the stage A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams. One of the great plays of the 20th century, Streetcar tells the story of Blanche, an aging Southern belle, who moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her. Streetcar has become an icon of modern theatre and popular culture. It is best remembered for the famous shout, "Stella" by Marlon Brando in the 1951 film version. The play was also the inspiration for Cate Blanchett's recent film Blue Jasmine. VENUE: Hoskins Theatre, Chapel St, Armidale DATES: 21 November - 6 December 2014 10 performances over three weeks. Evenings at 7.30pm: Fri 21, Sat 22, Fri 28, Sat 29 Nov and Fri 5, Sat 6 Dec. Matinees: Wed 26 Nov at 11am; Sat 29 Nov at 2 pm; Sun 30 Nov at 4pm; Sat 6 Dec 2pm. Ticket Prices: $25, $20, $15, $10 for students. Bookings: Carr's newsagency 6772 3534 vwww.highcountrythreatre.com Tennes Ten ne see ee Wi Willi lliams ams ms’’
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE TM BY A BY ARRA ARRAN RRA R GEMEN EME EMEN ME M ENTT WIT WITH H ORIGI ORIG RIG RIGI R IG GIINTM G ON B ON BEHAL ALLF O OF F SAMUA AMUA AMUA AM AL FRENC AL RENC R REN NCH, LTD TTD D.
“I don’t want realism. I want magic.”
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THEATRE CO.
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T: 6772 7089 | armidale.ellabache.Jom.au *Conditions apply, see ellabache.com.au/winatriptoparis. Open to Aust res. 18+. Start: 1/9/14 & ends in each participating store at close of business on 30/9/14, or once all e try forms available in store have been distributed. Retain original purchase receipts. Limit 1 entry per qualifying transaction. Draw: S3, Erina Plaza, 210 Central Coast Highway Erina NSW 2250 on 21/10/14 at 2pm AEDST. Major prize winner’s name published in The Australian on 27/11/14. Major prize: 1 x trip for 2 people to Paris, France valued at up to AU$9,660. Minor prizes: 59 x a 30ml Ella Baché ‘Special Eye Cream’ valued at $76. Promoter is Hallas Trading Co Pty Ltd (ABN 17 001 708 925) of 2-4 Lambs Rd, Artarmon, NSW 2065. NSW Permit No. LTPS/14/05817 VIC Permit No. 14/4737 ACT Permit No. TP14/02573 SA Permit No. T14/1346.
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34 new england focus.
focuseditorial
Icing on the cake with Susie Dunn
Icing ON
cake Maximising advantages. Making every post a winner… It seems obvious to maximise our advantages across the board.
NIGHT THIRD
EDINEG R F U L INC AST BREAK
F
was appalled years ago in New York to hear that new commercial buildings had a life expectancy of thirty years. How very stupid. With many old buildings, it is now recognised that it’s not always necessary - or desirable - to “freeze” a building in a time which has become inappropriate to any continuing usage today. Times change and good buildings need sensitive care to remain viable, but renovations can be done skilfully and economically, still honouring the original. Worthwhile buildings can be stabilised and
The lifecycle of the Southern Humpback takes them up the east coast of Australia… But it’s the calm waters of Hervey Bay where they take time out to indulge in a little people watching.
that the spirit of these college buildings by Michael Dysart be recognised for what they are, part of the fabric and ongoing traditions of UNE. These buildings, while referencing Oxbridge with their courts, celebrate an Australian ethos and social sustainability and a history that IS worth preserving into the future for us all in the context of this district. We are lucky that Michael Dysart is sharing his passion for the architectural concept for the College with his pragmatic and professional guidance in bringing it into the 21st Century. Tradition and quality are also celebrated in the news of Charles Coventry’s partnership with the Ermenogildo Zegna Group in the wool-producing property Achill. The Coventry family, with 175 years of wool-growing history in the region, and the Zegna family’s international history in luxury fashion design, are making new traditions together and all the property’s wool will go to Zegna. Charlie will manage the property, and Count Zegna will chair the board. We should all share in the multiple good news stories in our region - and make sure that they’re recognized beyond our boundaries. Firms like Zegna are very media-savvy, and there’s no reason we can’t be the same in demonstrating our confidence and conviction. Flying to and from Armidale, I have met amazing UNE students - often post-graduate - flying in for schools. One was commuting from Paris for a Masters Degree in Psychology. We have much that is worth the trip here. Susie Dunn.
CHEC FOR SEK ONLINE ASON AL
HO DEALTS
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Freecall 1800 828 757
res@kingfisherbay.com www.kingfisherbay.com *Conditions: Subject to availability, valid for travel 1 August to 31 October 2014
KBRV1136
W
e have so many advantages here, but sometimes I feel impatient with how long we take to waken Sleeping Beauty and get her out into the world. So often we don’t run with opportunities to put our messages out about this district. As well, it’s easy - but sad - to stop noticing some things that need maintenance until they become expensive problems. There is often great discussion about keeping old buildings, whether it’s easier to knock them down and start again. I
celebrated at a point where they can adapt to 21st Century duties. Consider two situations: firstly, the old Armidale Courthouse - definitely to be celebrated and used appropriately. Personally, I see it as an ideal opportunity to bring together two vital components of our past and future - the city and the university. I know that both institutions have financial constraints of their own, but surely there is room for negotiations if the City Council becomes trustee for the building. Peppercorn rent and a rational approach to securing maintenance would provide the much-needed statement of a UNE presence in town, under the supervision of the Law School. There are public lectures and ceremonial celebrations as well as practical Law School uses that would sit well within the space, at the same time as definitively knitting Town and Gown together. There is usually a commonsense way through problems, and this would give useful public advantages in a truly University City. Secondly, another site not sufficiently celebrated which now needs urgent maintenance - even suggested demolition and replacement - is the National Trust listed Robb College at UNE. Something certainly needs to be done and some money has already been allocated. Should it be to demolish and replace? Attempt full restoration as was? Or the third option: retain and refresh the main dining hall/common rooms building and strip back the three residential buildings, retrofitting with the interiors required today. Yes - this last is a form of “facadism” to retain the original design concept - but, yes, it’s important
new england focus 35
focusinterview.
HELLO FROM HANOI WITH TIM BARNSLEY
X I N C H AO, A S W E NOW SAY, OR “H E L L O” F ROM H A NOI !
I
t has been a hectic last fortnight for the Barnsley family after arriving from Uralla mid winter, to the steamy heat of Hanoi in the middle of a Vietnamese summer. We were spoilt for the first 10 days, staying at the Sheraton Hotel after flying into Noi Bai airport (The United Nations International School, where my wife Cindy works, put us up there while we house hunted). We had a fantastic young woman, Quyen, from a local real estate agency show us around an area called Tay Ho, which lies on the edge of a huge lake called Westlake, situated between downtown Hanoi City and the school where Cindy and our children will commute to. The house is very different to our single story weatherboard home back in Uralla, as most Vietnamese houses seem to go straight up at least 3 or 4 storeys high, with the only variation being the width of the front of the place. Years ago shopfronts paid taxes depending on the width of the front of the business so most buildings, while not being particularly wide, are very high. Tay Ho is a vibrant bustling sector of the city with a great array of cafés, shops, alleys and street vendors all packed into an area which run along the eastern side of Westlake (the lake is about 12 km round on the northern part of the city). Early every morning, the streets spring to life with ladies selling fresh flowers (mainly Lotus flowers - Vietnam’s national flower which grows all around the lake). The sound of motor bikes, scooters, taxis beeping their horns as a polite way of warning pedestrians and other traffic to move out of the way, and children laughing as they head off to school, makes for a vibrant start to the morning. All of this blends to become a natural alarm system and signals to anyone who 36 new england focus.
has somehow slept in that the day is underway! I have bought myself a scooter and have been getting used to the crazy traffic system again. I double Cindy to school, where she works, on the back of the scooter, which is only a seven or eight minute ride along the lake from our house. Taxis are also very cheap, and the abundance of breakfast choices in the area make for a great start to any day. Pho (pronounced FUR), a national dish of either Pho Ga (chicken) or Pho Bo (beef) is available for about $1.60 at some street stalls, or a Bahn Mi Opla (fried egg on a freshly baked baguette) is around 60 cents and a great start to the day. Hanoi is a fantastic city, and the Vietnamese people here are incredibly welcoming. You are almost always met with a smile, even if you can’t share a conversation. Our time in Saigon as a family between 2009 and 2011 was a great period in our lives and after two weeks of throwing ourselves back into a completely different culture and world from Australia, we are all very excited and pleased to be sharing this experience as a family again. I will be taking up the challenge of photography work again here and already have some work booked through the NZ Trade and Enterprise office. I will also look at the many other opportunities through the United Nation School connections, as well as start planning my annual Cultural Safari of Vietnam tour with Quadrant Australia. I have been in touch with Peter Lloyd back in Armidale, and planning for the tour is well underway and we are looking forward to hosting travellers from the New England and Australia next April in what will be another fantastic tour. My experience of living in Hanoi will be of a great help in showing the guests around this fascinating part of Vietnam.
•NOELJohnston• Armidale, meet Noel Johnston. Noel is a highly valued member of the House with No Steps (HWNS) Armidale team. He started with us as a support worker in February 2012 through OnePeople HR, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment organisation. Originally from Moree, Noel came to Armidale for a holiday and fell in love with the town and the people. Previously, Noel had worked in administrative roles and was looking for Since a new start and the February opportunity to build Noel’s role has a career with an w no grown and he se ou employer who is H represents at s ep St committed to equal o with N ...” ow N opportunities. Act As a result of his dedication to the role and willingness to learn, along with House with No Steps’ commitment to continuous learning, he has completed a Certificate III in Aged Care and Disability Services. Since February this year Noel’s role has grown, and he now represents
“
House with No Steps at Act Now, which is a “gathering” event for Aboriginal community members in New England to come together to yarn about better ways to support Aboriginal people with disability and their networks of support. Noel is passionate about creating a good life for Aboriginal people who are part of our community. “It is such a pleasure to be able to watch Noel grow professionally and to have been able to support him to complete his Certificate III. We are working with the training facilitator at the moment as Noel decides what he will study next and are all excited to support Noel to reach his goals and build skills in the Armidale team,” said Hannah Rodrigues, Support Manager New England.
“Since starting a self managed package, Jess has really blossomed and grown as a person. She is happy, confident and doing lots of different things.” Salli, Jess’s Support Manager
With over 50 years experience, House with No Steps is a leading provider of quality, flexible and innovative disability services tailored to your needs. Talk to us today about making your own choices for a good life. Call 02 5795 1887 or email daldridge@hwns.com.au www.hwns.com.au
We’ll see you at the ‘My Future My Choice Expo’ at the Armidale Bowling Club September 17th new england focus 37
the mischief and maLJhem cŽnƟnues
SEPTEMBER 2014
at the annual
PLC Armidale Junior School
OPEN AFTERNOON
them e c ien a sc
with Terri
za! avagan r t x e ed AQUARIUS.
GEMINI.
LIBRA.
January 21 - February 19
May 22 - June 22
September 24 - October 23
You may be feeling a little uprooted or unsettled lately. A new move or the discussion of moving is likely to be on the agenda. Avoid rash decisions, wait for what feels right and you will have no regret. New friends are coming into the picture, so relax and enjoy the social interactions. Herderite helps us to see our evolution thus making it less of a challenge.
join us on
Thursday 11 September 2014 3.45pm - 6.30pm To receive LJour invitaƟon piece of the Scientriĸc Periodic Table jigsaw and for more informaƟon please phone the school on 6770 1700
ĚƵĐĂƟŶŐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵů ǁŽŵĞŶ ŽĨ ƚŽŵŽƌƌŽǁ ŝŶ Ă ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ũŽŝŶ ƵƐ ŽŶ ĨĂĐĞŬ
0 2 6 770 1700 www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
38 new england focus.
Focus on your most important challenge at this time in order to achieve your hard earned success. You are too easily distracted at present, which is causing frustration. Be a little more aware of your thoughts, and eliminate negativity, self doubt and fear. You have worked for the changes trying to enter your reality so allow your-self the excitement of receiving. Turquoise and rose quartz will enhance yourself approval.
PISCES.
CANCER.
February 20 - March 20
June 23 - July 23
An ending of a situation is bringing an exciting new influence into the picture. Your task at the moment is to understand your place in the bigger scheme of things. Don’t compromise your standards to sooth your fears. Keep in touch with makes your heart sing. Rose Quartz attracts us towards loving experiences.
Be patient just a little longer. You are likely to be very busy over the next few weeks offering you some distraction from your thoughts. Relax and let go of the need to know what will be and enjoy just being in the now. Set some fresh goals and wait for their arrival. Rose Quartz is a very powerful calming crystal.
Connect with a passion you have. Your love of life needs satisfying. Change is coming forward and this is a natural challenge for the Libran. Start a project or play with your creative energies.You will soon offer your family members some profound healing advise, so don’t be afraid to speak. You would benefit from spending some quality time expressing some thoughts and feeling into poetry or words. Topaz strengthens our self- esteem and brings personal power to situations surrounding us.
SCORPIO. October 24 - November 22 Remove all self-doubt. You already know what your challenges outcome will be. You even have your answers for getting there quicker. Find out what it is that renders you powerless, so that you cannot be played with. You are gifted at thinking outside the square so allow yourself this enlightenment and treat you as you would another. Snowflake obsidian is wonderful for shattering negative thoughts.
ARIES.
LEO.
S A G I T TA R I U S .
March 21 - April 20
July 24 - August 23
November 23 - December 21
Your Leadership skills will be sought after in the work environment over the next few weeks. Allow your strengths to shine and don’t be afraid to put your hand up for a promotion. Connect with your laughter a little more as you are currently taking life too seriously. This is waking up old fears and insecurities and leaving you feeling trapped by life. Turquoise is great for communication.
Your self-opinion is at present under attack. Be kinder to your sensitivity and stop believing negative things about you. Instead wake up tomorrow with a brand new beginning attitude and watch your determination return. You have a wonderful connection with a soul mate enjoy their company without imposing any negative influences on your precious time together. Citrine connects us to our happier energy.
TA U R U S .
VIRGO.
April 21 - May 21
August 24 - September 23
You so desperately want a change in direction, but this is challenging your rules and boundaries in life. At present, your personal strength is being tested, which also may make it harder to pursue your desires. Ask yourself how badly do you want change? Let this motivate you. Set your sights and then give your-self permission to receive. Phenacite helps us to release other people’s worries from our energies.
Your focus will be clearer after you have set some new goals or direction. Get that clever Virgo mind active and satisfy your intellect. An exciting new opportunity is out there through learning something different so look for that perfect course or read an imformative book. You can anticipate new friends in this next cycle, ones that give unconditional love and support. Topaz strengthens our self esteem and brings personal power to situations surrounding us.
Bring out your happy self, as you are taking life far too seriously. This has left you drained lately and feeling unenthused. You just do things, you don’t need to talk about it or plan it, so remember this when you are next tempted to procrastinate. Give yourself permission to receive the things you so desperately desire. Sugilite would be of great benefit at this time as it helps us face our challenges with a joyful outlook.
CAPRICORN. December 22 - January 20 Begin something new. Soon work opportunities will keep you busy, fill your being with satisfaction and complete you. However, your enthusiasm needs to be strong when the project begins, so now is the time to feed it. Help your mind to get ready for this opportunity by writing lists, and setting goals. Rhodonite helps us to discover new talents through our creative energy.
focusinterview.
Gallery 126.
Michael Taylor Secret Merino Business
Photography is Michael Taylor’s preferred medium of expression. The images in his next exhibition are part journalistic and part fine art. Michael Taylor’s “Secret Merino Business” exhibition opens Friday, September 12. ow long have you lived in the area? I‘m a 6th generation wool grower from near Kentucky, and sometimes it feels like I’ve lived here 175 years. I moved back to this area eight years ago after living and working as an engineer and photographer in Melbourne. There I met my French wife and started a family, but it didn’t take long for us to yearn for the wide open spaces that country life offers. We have also lived briefly in France and travelled to other parts of the world, but wouldn’t want to live anywhere else with those experiences behind us. Describe the type of artwork you specialise in? Photography is my preferred medium of expression. The images in my exhibition are part journalistic and part fine art. I take care in composing images that will not only convey a story, but provide a pleasant balance of tones and structures. Just as a pencil is easy to carry and sketch ideas, I feel the same about my camera. Combining my interests with a keen observa-
H
tion for image ideas has led me naturally to photography in all its glorious portable flexibility for creating images. Other than your photography, what are your other interests? My previous exhibition on the Art of Mountain Biking was closer to my passion for adventure sports. I’ve dabbled in mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoning, caving and bushwalking, but whitewater kayaking is what I dream about most. The drought has hit me twice this time around. Once, because I cannot paddle in dry rivers and twice, because running a farm is always limited by rainfall. In both cases, photography has been a saviour and lets me step back to see the beauty around us, despite the difficulties faced. Wherever I am, it’s the subtle details in a scene that interest me. Where do you get your inspiration from? In this particular exhibition my inspiration is around me every day as a Merino producer. The wool industry in Australia is steeped in tradition and innovation but for most modern urban Australians, the industry is pretty much a mystery. The fact that Australia rode the
I take care in composing not es imag that will y, or st a only convey sant ea pl a e but provid d an s ne to of e balanc structures.”
“
sheep’s back is lost on most people today. The passion that still exists amongst many superfine Merino producers on the New England tablelands is without doubt inspiring. Once you delve into the shrouded workplaces of these hard working farmers, you can only admire their persistence. My photography style has no doubt been greatly influenced by the master street photographers such as Cartier-Bresson, Doisneau, M. Dupain, Cappa, Erwitt. I enjoy the more journalistic approach that photography as a fine art really lends itself to and how it helps me capture these secret moments in the Merino business. What can people expect to see at Gallery 126 in your exhibition?
This exhibition I feel is only a beginning and is a taste of things to come. The images presented have been gathered over the last eight years and will give you a glimpse into parts of the Merino business of some our most passionate growers from the New England. I confess the portrayal may be biased, but at the same time more intimate. Because I am sensitive to the situations and in some cases the politics, I tread lightly. Over time the images will develop as I venture further from my own business, learn more and gain trust behind the scenes of our colourful Merino industry. I hope you enjoy these crafted photographic prints and think twice about the origins of your clothes next time you slip into some superfine Merino.
new england focus 39
focusgardens.
CEDAR NURSERY + design
SPRING is UPON US Spring is upon us; Armidale comes alive with blossoms. As the days warm and daylight lengthens, it is enjoyable to be outside once again.
S
pring is a time for fruit tree before facing the cold of next winter. blossoms, ornamentals blessing us Ground covers can be used as green mulch. with colour, bulbs emerging from Some of these include arenaria montana, frozen soil and lawns coming alive. litodora grace wand and iberis winter glow. Spring begins with early colour of apricots, Liriope is great for shaded positions and has Magnolias, various bulbs, japonicas and the added bonus of fixing nitrogen in your soil. especially the sweet scent of Daphne. A comment that we are continually hearing The job that you can look to complete this is how well our roses performed during the dry spring is weeding and feeding your lawn. heat of last summer. Remember, roses are very Remember, Sir Walter is in a league of its own, dry tolerant once established; however, they with tailored products to undertake will become more disease resistant with all the necessary jobs to keep it lots of water and food. healthy and happy. Now is the Remember to cut back your time to prepare your soil ornamentals after they have for the laying of turf. Why flowered, to keep them Remember to cut back your not install a time saving compact and tidy. The ter ornamentals af automatic irrigation opposite applies to fruiting ed, to they have flower system? This will ensure varieties. These are to be pact keep them com that your lawn is healthy pruned in summer and/or and tidy.� and will not suffer through winter. future dry periods. After camellias, azaleas A common problem that and rhododendrons have finish clients are asking about is black flowering, give them their annual sooty mould. If a plant is stressed dose of iron chelates. This eradicates the through lack of water, minimum airflow and/ yellowing in the leaves that is common in these or lack of sunlight, black sooty mould will plants. take over rapidly. This is usually followed by Fertilizing your entire garden will help its companions, scale and ants. Treatment plants become dry, frost and disease tolerant. includes spraying with white oil and a good Fertilising with a combined slow and quick long deep watering. Leave the hose on a slow release fertiliser would be beneficial. A tip to drip for a couple of hours and follow this up remember is that slow release fertilisers only with a good fertilise. release once the soil temperature warms up, so Mid to late spring is a fantastic time to plant applying it in spring is ideal. tubestock for those larger hedging projects, We at Cedar Nursery hope you really enjoy whilst not hurting the bank account. Tubes will your spring. It is a great time of the year to be have all of summer and autumn to establish living in the New England.
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40 new england focus.
CHILLI DRIVING SCHOOL Keys2Drive Learning Approach - Find Your Own Way. In the time it takes to sit and pass a provisional license test - less than an hour - learner drivers move from being statistically the safest drivers on the road to the most at risk. Why? Two main reasons: • When learning, “L” drivers are protected from harm but also protected from experiencing the responsibilities that come with CHOICE. • On “Ps”, young drivers face situations ALONE they haven’t experienced, with little training in how to adapt to new difficulties. The typical approach of instructors and supervising drivers/ parents is to tell learners what they think they need to know - DO IT MY WAY, but simply being told doesn’t have the same meaning as LEARNING THROUGH SELF DISCOVERY, where learning finishes with more questions. Learners are encouraged to start thinking and TALKING about their performance before being ASKED or TOLD what they may have done incorrectly and remember MISTAKES are OKAY - we learn by them. Keys2Drive Resources: • The primary resource on the Keys2Drive site is the Supervisor’s Guide which advises: “support, not control”, and “discussion, not lectures”! • Keys2Drive FREE LESSON. • Great information and tips on the K2D wesbsite.
new england focus 41
42 new england focus.
PATHFINDERS Pathfinders Tilbuster Working Farm for Young People has a new project coordinator. We spoke to Charlie Winter, who has taken on the role. How did you get involved with the Tilbuster Project? As a youth worker for EACH, I recognised Tilbuster as a great educational resource for youth through activity based learning. Hands on working and participating in fencing, welding, planting and growing vegetables encouraged very positive outcomes from this style of learning. What is your position at Tilbuster? I have been given the opportunity to Project Manage Tilbuster as an ongoing community driven haven for disadvantaged youth. Tilbuster farm was left to the youth of Armidale; it will take support from the community to make it successful - not only becoming a sustainable working farm, but also to raise funds so that we can reinstate the old homestead to use as a shelter for homeless young people. What are your immediate visions? Install watering facilities, so that we can grow and supply more vegetables through our community partnership with Meals on Wheels. I will be reinstating the fences and getting watering points to the cattle and to erect cattle yards. I will be speaking with community organisations on how they can be involved to get projects underway and recruit volunteers to assist at the farm, so that young people can continue to benefit from Tilbuster well into the future.
new england focus 43
focuseditorial.
“Wouldn’t it if... ” Install a high quality remote rs camera at Danga e ag nt Falls at a va es a point that provid -time al commanding , re nding ou view of the surr via a le ib ss area , acce .” te si eb w pu blic
“
... Dangars Falls had a WebCam
I
dea d ea D ea Description: escription: Install a
display multiple views, it would showcase
change. Aside from being of great
high hi h quality li remote camera
h immediate and surrounding area of the
interest locally, it would also enable
at Dangars Falls at a vantage
beautiful national parkland to anyone in
potential visitors from outside the region
point that provides a
the world with an Internet connection.
to quickly check the outlook at any time,
commanding, real-time view
Community Benefits:
and plan a visit knowing whether the
of the surrounding area,
Showcasing one of the primary visitor
falls are in full flow.
accessible via a public website.
attractions in the New England, it
How can you help out?
The unit would be solar-powered
provides multiple benefits to the wider
Please log in and vote for this
and use a mobile data service for
community, who could freely monitor
project to show your support on
communications. Pre-programmed to
the natural environment as the seasons
heartofourcommunity.com.au.
be inspired...
44 new england focus.
vote / share Visit heartofourcommunity.com.au to vote for this idea and share it with your friends! Votes so far: 4 New England Mutual would like to thank FOCUS for their support of these inspiring community ideas.
The RADICAL ABDOMINOPLASTY OPERATION ‘Tummy TUCK’
T
he gradual increase in girth in pregnancy and in weight gain causes tissue-expansion and stretching.
When the above situation is reversed, i.e. after delivery of a baby or weight loss, there are different types of reversal in the various tissues affected. Muscles do best and can almost recover completely. The two large columns of muscles in the anterior abdominal wall, the right and left Rectus Abdominus muscles, which give great strength to the anterior abdominal wall as well as the back, are such examples. The fascia covering these muscles, a strong sleeve around the muscles and fused (attached) in the midline, stretch up to a point before further stretch causes irreversible damage.
When the muscle recovers, the fascia does not, and this results in a weak and stretched midline. Instead of a fused midline keeping the muscles together, the central stretched ellipse of fascia causes the muscles to be separated, weakening the anterior abdominal wall as well as the back. This ‘divarication or diastasis’ of the muscles is equivalent to a midline hernia and causes significant weakening of the anterior abdominal wall, and protrusion of the abdominal contents, especially in the standing position. The correction The radical abdominoplasty procedure described by Dr. Ivor Pitanguy, the doyen of Brazilian plasticsurgery, is an excellent operation which fixes this problem very well. The surgery results in the re-
establishment of the central fascial fusion, with the muscles back together in the midline and with recovery of strength and contour. A bonus of this operation is the removal of a good amount of skin and fat from the anterior abdominal wall. The surgery is major, needing general anaesthesia and hospitalisation as well as time for recovery, but the excellent resolution of the problem makes it all worthwhile. Recurrent abdominal wall hernias. An extension of this technique is the use in the correction of recurrent abdominal wall hernias, resulting from multiple previous operations and attempted hernia repairs. A very significant advantage of this type of repair is the avoidance of the use of synthetic mesh grafts with its many attendant problems.
new england focus 45
Thinking Criminal Law with Elizabeth Stahlut, Solicitor
THINKING
VICTIMS’ RIGHTS & SUPPORT If you have been unlucky enough to be a victim of crime, then you know that even if the offender is convicted and sent to gaol, this is not the end of story.
Y
ou may well have injuries that still need to be treated, not to mention the psychological effects that are often caused, when you have witnessed or suffered directly from a traumatic event. Having these injuries treated or getting counselling for the psychological effects of being a victim of a horrific crime may well cost you money you can’t afford. It may be possible to sue the offender in a civil claim, but this can be stressful and expensive and it won’t work if the offender doesn’t have any money. If you have been a victim of a crime involving personal violence, you may be able to claim some compensation from the state, under the provisions of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013 and Victims Rights and Support Regulation 2013 (which determines what amounts of compensation are applicable). This is a statutory scheme that allows victims to claim up to $30,000, on their own behalf as a primary victim. This award of compensation is designed to cover the costs of medical treatment and counselling, but also includes a “recognition” component, which acknowledges the trauma suffered by the victim of the crime. A “secondary” victim (e.g. one who witnesses an act of violence done to the primary victim and who suffers psychological trauma as a result) is able to access approved counselling services. A “family victim” (a member of the primary 46 new england focus.
victim’s immediate family) may be eligible for financial assistance and a payment as prescribed by the Regulation, as well as approved counselling services. The total amount of the payout would not exceed $30,000. This statutory scheme has been designed to be easy to access. To “start the ball rolling”, it is only necessary to contact the Victims Access Line on 1800 633 063. You would then be allocated a support co-ordinator, who will assist you with the claim. You would need to provide evidence of the offence and of the trauma you have suffered, as well as the costs you have paid. The support co-ordinator can assist, in gathering the evidence. This statutory scheme has also been designed to reduce the need for victims of crime to seek legal advice, however a lawyer can provide assistance where necessary, especially if your claim for compensation was lodged before June 2013. The advantages of making a claim for compensation under this scheme, is that it is a relatively simple, cheap and effective means of recovering your costs, that have resulted from being the victim of crime. It is certainly likely to be cheaper and quicker than attempting to sue the offender in a civil claim. A lawyer can still assist you with the entire process and ensure that you get the best possible outcome. Elizabeth D. Stahlut Solicitor.
focusTourism.
Tourism Katrina George The September School Holidays present a great opportunity to take the children and explore some of the unique, family friendly, experiences in the region. The National Parks offer some wonderful family friendly walks and experiences. Weeping Rock Walk in New England National Park is a “must do” experience for all locals and visitors to the region.
N
ative wildlife, especially echidnas, are out and about and Gara Gorge is a fabulous area for spotting Platypus playing in the water. The Armidale Visitor Information Centre has a comprehensive list of bushwalks in the region detailing distance, difficulty level and expected completion time. The Dutton Trout Hatchery has aquarium displays, guided tours, fish feeding, educational tours and an audio visual show. They are located on Point Look Out Road near the New England National Park. Wayward Jerseys Farmstay is operating day tours in the holidays, where families have the opportunity to feed a variety of animals including calves, goats, sheep and horses. They also provide a farm walk and tour and an opportunity to feed hay to paddock cows. Tours are via appointment only; please contact Deborah on (02) 6778 4889 or email farmstay@waywardjerseys.com.au. Sunhill Dairy Goats is located 10 minutes from Uralla and offers farm tours, goat’s cheese tastings and an opportunity to meet the goats, chickens, ducks, and the alpaca. Tours are $5pp. Bookings are required; please contact Corinne on (02) 6778 4505 or email info@sunhillskin.com.au. Greenhill Orchard in Arding produce luscious summer fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines followed by a large harvest of apples and pears in autumn. They offer a farm gate experience with an opportunity to source the fruit directly from the grower and visit a working family orchard. The farm gate is open Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm. Fossicking for gold is a great activity for children (and adults) of all ages. Fossicking pans can be hired from the Uralla Visitor Information Centre, and from there you can visit either Rocky River or the Woolridge Recreation Reserve. Additionally, these areas
also provide natural swimming holes for children to enjoy in the warmer weather. Please drop into the Visitor Information Centre to collect any information on these activities and find out about the many other treasures in New England High Country. The Country NSW Expo was held on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd August at Sydney Olympic Park. We had a team of representatives from Armidale Tourism, TAS, UNE, PLC, Community of Schools and Community Mutual. The role of the Country NSW Expo is to provide an avenue for people looking to make a tree, sea, or city change to discuss their requirements and questions with representatives of each region. At the expo Armidale ticked a lot of boxes with job opportunities, education, real estate, childcare and lifestyle all covered. The primary role of the Visitor Information Centre is to act as an information source for visitors to Armidale; in addition, we are also a common first point of call for people who have moved to town or are looking to relocate. For many, the Visitor Information Centre is their first impression of our city and we pride ourselves on our professional customer service and knowledge of the region. The Centre also assists coach companies with their group itineraries and conferences with their planning and information packs for their attendees. Apart from all these roles, the Information Centre is often the first contact place for people who have an emergency situation, whether it is mechanical, medical, travel or accommodation. The success of the Visitor Information Centre is a result of the passion and drive of our tourism team and most importantly, the passionate volunteers who work in the Centre or guide on the Heritage Tour Bus. If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering in the Visitor Information Centre, then please contact Katrina George on (02) 6770 3906.
Vintage Charm There is no-one quite like Tricia Guild of Designers Guild to inspire us. She plays with colour, texture and patterns creating exciting designs which have become classics. One of our sewers has produced some beautiful cushions and lampshades from vintage Designers Guild fabric, which are now available in the shop. Designers Guild have been producing amazing patterns and fabrics for so many years now, but they still delight us with their imaginative designs and lush fabrics. Of all the fabrics that we work with, theirs are some of the best quality and most enjoyable to sew. Vintage is such a varied decorating style, ranging from pure and expensive ‘50s Danish modern to using wonderful old pieces of fabric and furniture from second hand stores. It can include lots of roses and other florals, or it can have no florals whatsoever, relying on plain or textured patterns. Over the years, clients have brought in beautiful pieces of fabric for us to make into new lampshades and cushions, and we have fun with them. Vintage is an
integral part of the current trend to re-use and re-cycle, making enjoyable new homes with quality or even kitsch items from old homes. To make Vintage design work for you, try to have a unifying theme or colour palette. For example, some people use all one period like the ‘60s or ‘70s, others prefer pieces from a much wider time period, but they would use all one wood, or a specific colour palette. Whatever your choice, using older pieces in a modern setting adds richness and depth to your home.
new england focus 47
IN THE
STYLE
TABLELANDS
EXCLUSIVE TO HARVEY NORMAN
EXCLUSIVE TO HARVEY NORMAN
ARMIDALE
The Harvey Norman Centre, 6 Queen Elizabeth Drive. 6771 0800 Ends 31/10/14. Mattress, bed linen and accessories shown are not included. Harvey Norman® stores are operated by independent franchisees.
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READY TO ASSEMBLE
Products on this page may require assembly.
Shop online or mobile: harveynorman.com.au Pick up in store or have it delivered.
281593_AMI
Top: ‘Radcliff’ MK2 Leather Modular Lounge. Middle: ‘Jett’ Queen Bed with Storage Drawers.‘Tyson’ Single Bed. Bottom: ‘Moss Vale’ 7-Piece Dining Suite, ‘Shelley’ 3-Piece Recliner Lounge Suite, ‘Woolshed’ 7-Piece Dining Suite.
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with Vicki Kembery from Travel 195
Vicki Kembery Ok, so it’s the final countdown of my top five favourite cities to visit. ust to recap, numbers 10 to 6 were Paris, Hong Kong, Prague, Moscow and Cape Town. I haven’t had too many people questioning my choices, but they haven’t seen the final five yet, so we shall see. For me, one of the over-riding reasons for the cities listed to be in my Top 10 comes down to who I was with at the time and what we did. In all of the following 5 cities, I was with someone I loved – either a friend or partner, and we were able to share some memorable moments. But for some people, the cities I have chosen may have completely opposite memories and may be cities they never want to visit again. So, here are my top 5 ... Number 5 – Berlin. I visited this city with Neal on a motorbike trip through Europe in 2009. The weather was fantastic, it was very late spring so the crowds were minimal (I even have a photo taken on the Sunday morning of the Brandenburg Gate and there are NO people in the photo!), we were on a motorbike so driving through Checkpoint Charlie was extra special (and we even managed that 2 or 3 times so we could get the right photo!) We stayed in a great little hotel in the suburbs, which was a 5 minute walk to the train station and 5 minutes to a little square surrounded by great cafés and pubs. And then of course, there was the history of the place. The city just ticked all the right boxes – we even sat and ate lunch and watched a cycle race come tearing through the streets of the city with minimum disruption to the traffic flow. Number 4 – Buenos Aires. I stopped here for a few nights en-route to Ushuaia to catch a boat to Antarctica with one of my best friends from the UK, whom I hadn’t seen for about three years. And it was the perfect city to do just that – catch up with an old friend. Wandering the alleyways with all their little cafés and market stalls, heading down to La Boca and then catching up on a bit of Argentinian history and always being able to stop at a café, have a quick bite to eat washed down with some great (and cheap) Argentinian wine! Again, stayed in a great hotel which was literally 50 metres from the Pink Palace. I still smile writing this, as it just has so many great memories. Number 3 – London. What can I say? I lived here for three years back in the late '80s, and got a bit blasé about it – it became just another city where I lived and worked and it wasn’t until someone visited from Australia and wanted to “do the sights” that I’d drag myself back into the city
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centre and walk around doing the “tourist” thing. I’ll admit the only time I ever went to the theatre was when friends or family visited from home. And since being back in Australia, every time I went back it was to visit friends or family all over the UK, and we spent very little time in London itself. Until last year, when I dropped in on London for a few days on my way back from Morocco and once again caught up with my friend, whom I last saw in Buenos Aires. We stayed in a hotel near Gloucester Rd and did all the “touristy” things – the hop on hop off bus, the London Eye, Harrods, Covent Garden and numerous quaint little London pubs, and it reminded me once again what a great city London is and how much it has to offer the visitor. Easy to get around, packed with history and just an amazing city to visit. Number 2 – Istanbul. Now I admit it has been a few years since I visited Istanbul with Neal and two other Aussie friends who were travelling around Europe, but I loved it and it’s on my list of cities to revisit. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, history, architecture, and being woken every morning before sunrise by the call to prayers – it’s just so different and so special. You can lose yourself here for many days and not even scratch the surface of what it has to offer. And as a gateway to the rest of Turkey ... go there soon! And now for the Number 1 – New York! I’m yet to meet anyone who didn’t like this city, and most people I know who have been there will always name it in their top few cities. As dear ol’ Blue Eyes sang, “I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps”. Again, I visited here with a girlfriend of mine and when we were planning our trip, I must admit NY wasn’t high on my list of “must sees” and I was more than happy to just have a night and get out (San Francisco was the city I was wanting to visit) but my friend persisted and insisted we stay for three nights - which looking back, was about four nights too little! It was just a great city to get around, had sooo much to see and do and even had things you could do for FREE! One of our highlights was, instead of paying a fortune and taking the tourist cruise out to the Statue of Liberty, we jumped on the free ferry to Staten Island, cruised right past the grand old lady and back again! This place has so much to do and see, I can’t even begin to do it justice. Suffice it to say, I intend to go back soon - and so should you!! Happy travels. new england focus 49
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focusinterview.
Trindle Brennan FOCUS had the pleasure of catching up with Trindle and Lachlan Brennan, as they shared their heir Camp Quality experiences ...
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an you describe for us what life was like for you and your family in the lead up to your involvement with Camp Quality? Life was dysfunctional after Lachlan (Lok) was diagnosed with cancer. Hearing that your child has cancer and that terrible wave of fear that takes over you and the thoughts of, “Is my child going to die?” Our main focus was getting him better. We were introduced to Camp Quality by Lyn Poulter. She heard about our situation and had a box of goodies sent to us at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. When Lok opened the box, his eyes lit up; he was so excited pulling out the bright T-shirts, hat, stickers, balloons, joke book and a family information booklet about Camp Quality. The time of diagnosis would have been challenging to say the least. How did the diagnosis of childhood cancer impact you all? Lachlan was diagnosed with All Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in April 2007; he was only three years old. It was devastating news. It was just before Easter, Lok had looked pale and unwell, so I had taken him to our GP. Our GP couldn’t find anything wrong, apart from a fever. She ordered some blood tests. Later that afternoon my mobile phone rang; it was our GP advising me that it was urgent and we needed to see a paediatrician in Armidale that night - Lachlan had leukaemia. The paediatrician confirmed the results and said we needed to be in Sydney the next day. We all looked at each other, couldn’t say a thing, tears streaming down our faces; he was only a little boy. As parents, you do everything in your power to protect your kids, but this was too big, even for us. We didn’t know how long we needed to stay in Sydney, where were we going to stay? We lived on a small hobby farm; who was going to look after
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our animals? We had all the usual expenses, snuggle up to him and read a story. mortgage, phone, power, fuel. Lachlan’s older How soon after starting treatment was it brother was in Year 8 at high school; he made that Lachlan was able to participate with the trip down with us. We felt that it was Camp Quality? How do you think Camp wise to stick together for support and to keep Quality helped him and the rest of your the family unit “normal”. Little did we know family get through the early days? that Lachlan and I would live in Sydney for the Lachlan was able to go to his first camp in best part of 10 months. 2008; he was then 5 years old. He was a little We arrived at Sydney Children’s nervous to begin with, but once we Hospital in Randwick; it was met his companion (carer), they truly like a roller coaster hit it off. We have become ride once we got there. very good friends and We were met at the keep in touch reguLachlan was emergency departlarly. Each child who diagnosed ment by the doctors goes to camp has a with All Acute and nurses. They companion to look Lymphoblastic il all worked tirelessly after them. Camp pr Leukaemia in A that afternoon and also has qualified ly on 2007; he was ” d. into the night to get doctors and nurses ol s three year results and a treatwho attend due to ment plan together the children’s medical to save Lachlan’s life. conditions. Lachlan was Many blood tests, bone still having chemotherapy, marrow aspirates, blood and so his medication needed to be platelet transfusions, chemotherapy, administered while at camp. antibiotics followed. Lachlan’s treatment Camp Quality is still a big part of protocol was two years in total. The first Lachlan’s life. How important has Camp 10 months was high dose IV chemotherQuality been over the years, and in what apy, then the following 14 months involved ways have they helped? tablets. During the first 10 months we were Camp Quality has helped not only Lachlan, able to come home for a week or two, but but all cancer kids over the years by allowing the best time was when his oncologist said them to just be normal kids. All their worries we could come home for Christmas ... and fears are left at the kerb when they jump Lachlan started his treatment at just three on a bus to arrive at camp, and they get on years old. How hard was this to cope with having the best time of their lives while with, for him AND the family? at camp. We miss Lok when he is at camp, Lachlan was the bravest little boy. He had but I know he is having the best time. Camp some really tough times, but he always had a provides for all children, whether they like little giggle. He enjoyed playing practical jokes face painting, dress ups, fishing or swimming on the nurses. He had a toy snake which he - no child gets bored at camp. wrapped around his IV pump, so when the Lachlan's treatment appears to have been nurses came in they would see the snake and successful, which is great! Things are jump. He had an infections laugh and became looking up ... fond of a few nurses, who would often Lachlan is now five years off treatment. He
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now has a yearly medical check up with a visiting oncologist from the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick. Lachlan enjoys riding his motorbike. He is a member of the Armidale Motorcycle Club and competes at their competition days once a month. Camp Quality is having their annual Armidale Giggle Ball on Saturday 20th September at the Armidale City Bowling Club. You have been one of the many families to benefit from the work that Camp Quality does for families in our region; what does this support mean to you and your family? The Giggle Ball helps raise needed funds for local families around the Northern New England region. Camp Quality is a non government organisation that relies on the generosity of businesses and locals to help families in need when their child has been diagnosed with cancer. Camp Quality not only organises camps for the kids, but they also help support their families through family days, support programs, school information visits (puppets) and much more. When you have been given the news that your child is gravely ill and you need to live away from home for long periods of time, all the expenses increase. What difference do you feel Camp Quality has made for your family during Lachlan’s cancer journey? Camp Quality has been a huge support for us as a family and for Lachlan individually. We have attended several family camps, which gives parents and children a chance to catch up. We have done many things that we would not normally do. We have met some absolutely amazing people through Camp Quality. Camp Quality are always needing more volunteers to help with caring for sick children, their families and fundraising to help pay for all the incredible things they can do. Thanks Trindle. new england focus 51
Every day is open day. Come and explore St John’s !
Transition to Year 6 education for boys and girls who love to learn, explore, grow and have fun. 7R ²QG RXW PRUH DERXW 6W -RKQªV YLVLW RXU ZHEVLWH RU FDOO 6W -RKQªV -XQLRU 6FKRRO _ 8UDOOD 5RDG $UPLGDOH 16: S _ VWM FRP DX