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NEW ENGLAND

August 2014 // Issue 87

f a m i l y

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focus team.

Welcome to our special “City Change” issue. rmidale Council will be armed with this edition of FOCUS when they attend the 2014 Country NSW Expo at Rosehill Racecourse. The Expo is designed to encourage city people to move to regional cities, and Armidale has a very strong presence each year. The team is flattered that Council choose to represent the New England through FOCUS, and it does make sense considering our motto, “we love where we live”. We are so proud of the beautiful New England region, and we long to help promote its benefits to any potential city changers. Our cover this month features the Catterall family, who attended the Expo last year and relocated to Armidale in January 2014. INSIDE THIS ISSUE. Armidale welcomes another tree changer, with The Ascent Group introducing their new CEO Peter Westbrook. FOCUS finds out more about his change and the new direction of The Ascent Group. Uralla also welcomes its new General Manager, Damien Connor. We find out why he made the move back to the beautiful New England. A huge congratulations to Anthony Kelly, who has just set the Guinness World Record for “the most Coaches’ qualifications in multiple sports”. After 30 years of

attending coaching courses and spending thousands of hours studying, coaching and learning, he speaks to us about the great honour of achieving this title - amongst many others. We also learn more about Chris Durham, who is the Deputy Director (Operations & Education) at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale, finding out what projects she is currently working on outside of the museum. A team of eight Guyra Rotary Volunteers travelled to Timor Leste in May 2014 to assist the National Malaria Control Program distribute bed nets in the Maubara SubDistrict. Whilst in Timor Leste, the team also distributed school resources to eight primary schools in the Liquica and Maubara areas and assisted with several building programs. FOCUS catches up with team leader David Pearson. Finally, another amazing event for the Australian Wool Awards last month, which Liz Foster tells us all about. A MESSAGE FROM TIM BARNSLEY Sadly, this is my last FOCUS issue, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the New England community for having given me access to their lives as the FOCUS photographer. I have been lucky enough to record both fantastic stories and help promote fantastic

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

businesses in my three years in the job. I would also like to take the chance to thank Tracy (Trixie), Merry and Lynda, who have been a breeze to work with and always delivered plenty of laughs and will give me many great memories to take with me to Vietnam this week! Thanks as well to the team in Greater Port Macquarie FOCUS, who help put together a fantastic local product. Best wishes to my great friend and replacement David Elkins, who shot this month’s cover for me when I was tied up with getting ready for my departure. I will miss my staff mates and friends dearly from Uralla and Armidale. Thanks to all my clients, and best wishes for the rest of 2014 ... Tim. FINAL SAY “How lucky I am to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” ~ Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie.

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Comments and opinions of our contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinion or view of the Publishers or Editor. All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders.Information appearing in Focus is believed to be correct at the time of going to press however no liability will be held for inaccurate information approved or supplied by advertisers or contributors. While all care is taken it is recommended that readers confirm dates, times, prices and any other material including advice with individual businesses and industry professionals. New England Focus is produced and published by Creative House Publications Pty Ltd ABN: 62128786005. Material in New England Focus is Copyright © Creative House Publications Pty Ltd 2012 and may not be reproduced whole or in part, in any form, without permission of the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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Meat Matters at the Meating Place After 20 + years behind the counters of retail butcher shops, I guess you could assume that I really do enjoy what I do. When we opened The Meating Place, our plan was always to try and do things differently. We wanted meats from local farmers, to produce as much of our products in store as we could and really move away from the high volume products offered by the supermarkets. We had a vision of being able to offer a product range were we could give the discerning customer great service, locally grown meats and an unmatched product range. Our pastries are our most popular product. Hand made by my wife Jodie (the pastry queen) she has the huge task of preparing hundreds each week, as well as coming up with new flavours nearly every other week. Thankfully, she has a great palate. The filling is slow cooked on the premises and then wrapped in puff pastry and ready for a 200°C oven until golden brown. We are also known for our gourmet sausages. Some of our flavours include: Lamb and Roasted Pumpkin & Rosemary: A popular sausage with some special little

Issue 87 - August 2014

Catterall Family.

In January 2014, Armidale welcomed new residents, the Catterall family. When considering a relocation for their family, Tim and Justina did their homework. They attended last year’s Country & Regional Living Expo in Sydney, and decided to relocate to Armidale. Here, they share their personal experiences ...

flavours added to the pumpkin when roasting. Think cumin, honey and pepper! Caramelised Apple and Spiced Onion Pork: A different flavour combination that has a hint of something when you taste it that you can’t quite identify ... hint: think of a dessert spice! Smoked Garlic and Roasted Red Tomato Beef Sausage: This is a relatively new creation that is proving very popular. Beccause of the popularity of our sausages, we decided to hold our own sausage and salami making workshops. If you are interested, then call into the shop and put your name down for a class.

James Blundell.

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James Blundell on tour, performing at The Armidale city Bowling Club on Friday, August 8.

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Wool Awards. Another amazing event for the Australian Wool Awards last month Liz Foster shares the highlights ...

usual suspects.

the

16. what’s on for August 18. eat featuring local restaurants 40. star guide with Terri

No matter where you are in the world, d, read Focus for free online every month nth @

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CATTERALL

FAMILY

here were you living, and what was your lifestyle like prior to your move north? We were living in Sydney's northern suburbs. It is a lovely part of Sydney; however, our life was rather hectic. Our children attended three different schools, each in a different suburb. Tim travelled a lot for work and was away a few nights each week. We had a great church community where we had been for 10 years and the three schools provided for other points of engagement, but there was not much in our local community. It would be fair to say that it wasn't really fulfilling and we were a bit concerned about where things around us were heading and the challenges of our lifestyle. And how does your new home and lifestyle compare? By comparison, our life in Armidale is much more simple. Nothing is more than 15 minutes away, and the sense of community is great. People are welcoming, local businesses are engaging; it just seems that you can get out and about and do more things. The kids are getting involved in different activities and are more active and engaged in outdoor activities - there is a lot less cotton wool up here. Tim commutes to Sydney four days a week and yes, we do miss him; however, being in Armidale even one school day per week has 6 new england focus.

provided the opportunity for him to see some of the kids' school and sports activities, which was just not possible in Sydney. What was the catalyst for change for you and your family? We took 6 months out of our frantic Sydney routine in 2011 and camped our way around Australia. We home schooled our children and saw how much all of our horizons broadened when we were able to experience life outside our "normal" - as a family, we blossomed. Returning to Sydney, we found that the pace of things soon caught up to the same levels, and life was busy again. After trying to settle back into Sydney life, we started talking about a way we could rediscover the family qualities that we found on the road. We visited the Armidale region in mid 2013 and stayed at a wonderful B & B, "Yarralong" and enjoyed our time on the farm, in Armidale and at a local horse riding school, Harlow Park. We could see in the kids that excitement and interest which grew in them when we were travelling around Australia. Whilst there, we thought we might be able to look at a move away from Sydney. Armidale offered great educational opportunities, the airport with regular flights to Sydney and a wonderful sense of community. We started to enquire about school options, visited St Mark's UNE Church, and the seed was planted. We shared the idea with the kids who, whilst sad about leaving friends, thought it was a truly exciting new chapter. We attended

The kids are getting involved ities in different activ e tiv ac e and are mor and engaged in es outdoor activiti ss le t lo a is e er - th here .” up l cotton woo

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the Country and Regional Living Expo in Sydney and kept pestering the guys on the stand with different questions throughout the day and in the weeks following. Every interaction we had with the Armidale community following this was positive. The decision had been made! You have only been here a short time. How have you found the whole experience? We live in a house on a farm block, so whilst we don't have to do any farming activities, we can enjoy being surrounded by the fresh air and open space. We have added chickens and two sheep to our brood. Being in the country has created new challenges for the kids - limited broadband has been a bonus (we are just outside of the NBN range) in that they are proactively encouraged to be outside and creative. They play more together and around the paddocks. How have the children adapted to their new lifestyle and schools ? The children have thrived at their new schools. They are smaller and offer wonderful opportunities for the kids to shine. This in no way limits access to activities; there are many! We love the quality of teaching and smaller class sizes. As a result, the overall school communities are more intimate. PLC Armidale is a great environment for Sienna (Year 5) and Teya (Year 1), and the community has been very nurturing and

welcoming. I love being able to attend various school events and assemblies. The door is always open to parents. Hugo (Year 4) has settled into TAS; whilst he really missed his best mate, who had been at school with him since preschool, he has made an effort to join into Armidale life. He is thriving, and working around the house and paddocks has given him the opportunity to spend more active time with Tim. So many families we have met, be it school, neighbours or church, have been really conscious of our move to a new community and have been proactive and supportive along the way. I suppose that so many of them have moved into or back to the area in their own journeys. This has been great for all of us. You have all really embraced regional living. If you were to recommend Armidale to others considering a move, what would you say? Many of our friends back in Sydney have said they think we made a brave move. It happened quickly, but we did our homework. I tell them that yes, they can get off the city treadmill – it is well worth looking into. There is still so much for us to see and do. We are so happy with our decision to swap city life for the country. Thank you Tim, Justina, Sienna, Hugo and Teya, for sharing your inspirational “city-change” story.

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SIMON STUART

THE STUARTS HAD A DESIRE TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY IN A SUPPORTIVE COUNTRY ENVIRONMENT THAT HAD A REPUTATION FOR QUALITY SCHOOLING AND SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES ... AND FOUND THIS RIGHT HERE IN ARMIDALE. ow long have you lived in Armidale? We arrived from Melbourne in 2007, having lived there for three years as part of our road journey from Western Australia, which included a 12 month extended stay in South Australia. We left WA with our first daughter Tahlia, looking for a new lifestyle, added our son Liam in Victoria and completed our family with the youngest two, Aleesha and Kieran, being born in Armidale. What brought you to Armidale? An offer by the former owners Straits Resources to lead the safety and training at the Hillgrove Gold and Antinomy Mine, as well as a desire to raise our family in a supportive country environment that had a reputation for quality schooling and sporting opportunities. How have you and your family settled in? When we first moved here, it was only for a couple of years before we moved on, as I would say; however, Armidale and the people we have met have welcomed us, and we now call it home. We are currently in the process of building a new house and putting down roots for the first time in a long time. We were lucky to meet Damien and Jenny Roff (Sharon, my wife, is a teacher and met them at O’Connor Catholic College) who welcomed us into their large passionate family group; they have all be-friended us and we enjoy their company. Describe your job for us, Simon ... My Risk Management company, RBMA, works in Workplace Health and Safety in all industries,

building, implementing and auditing safe systems of work, taking clients through to Safety Certification when asked, and through to Federal Safety Certification on occasion. SKILLSTRAIN is a Federal Government registered training organisation offering Operational and Supervisory qualifications to the Resource and Infrastructure Industry. Training benefits include safer workplaces, extended equipment life and work place efficiencies. It’s the efficiencies which companies are now seeking; as in all industries, times are tough businesses are trying to survive and besides some redundancies, most are working hard to reduce their costs and boost their production. SKILLSTRAIN works closely with operational staff, raising the bar and benchmarking best practice whilst highlighting those that need further knowledge and skillsets. In an underground mine we work closely in the drill and blast cycle, reducing costs, blasting inefficiencies, poor drill use, equipment damage etc. In an open cut mine, it is working with the excavators in and around the 200 tonne dump trucks. In the mill cycle, it is ensuring all product is actually recovered and not lost to the tailings dam! How did you get started in mining and then this business? When I was 12 years old, I did a school project on mining. My great grandfather had a lease on a mine in Ecuador, and the original deed was at home. I remember doing all the research and contacting the Ecuador government, and they

sent photos of the reef and surrounds; it was What makes you remain in our community? harsh country, and the mining lease produced The people and the opportunity for education only a small amount of gold. and sport for my children. Every child should Five and a half years later, I found myself in be involved in team sport, learn to be a team Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, entering my first member, and I think it should be compulsory to mine and going underground – I never play one of the many team sports on offer looked back. in Armidale. SKILLSTRAIN takes I have spent over 25 years in pride in putting back into the the mining industry and have Armidale sporting commubeen lucky enough to work nity, sponsoring uniforms as w I n Whe I right across Australia and for ACSC Netball, the d, ol s ar ye 12 t ec oj Tasmania, and overArmidale Touch Associapr ol ho sc a did eat gr y seas in Ireland, Africa, M tion and the Junior Blues g. in in m on a lease Indonesia, Papua New Rugby Union. We have grandfather had uador, Guinea and Singapore. also provided assistance on a mine in Ec deed Safety and Trainto other community and the original was at home.” ing became prominent groups such as The Armiin my life, after a terrible dale Kidney Club, a support run of workplace fatalities, group founded by our inspirarecovering and burying several tional good friend Nicki Scholesclose friends. We needed to be better Robertson. In summer we enjoy our trained, then we needed to be safer and build new family sport of water-skiing, introduced to safer systems and finally, we required training in us by Jim Vivers from Phantom Freight, awesome those systems. family time spent camping and skiing around the I started my first qualification at 32 years old, dams of the New England, we have everything at and six years later finished my Masters; from our doorstep! there, I only needed some capital and a home What would you say to your friends considbase - enter the move to Armidale. The Hillgrove ering moving to the country? Mine going into care and maintenance providing We used to travel over on hour through Mela redundancy package and the needed capital. bourne traffic just to play a game of touch footRBMA was formed, and SKILLSTRAIN shortly ball. If you choose a town like Armidale, within a after. Every work place fatality is avoidable if the close proximity you get a beautiful environment, right systems and training are structured, and the sporting facilities, excellent education and friendly memory of some fine young men drives me and people. my business forward. Thanks Simon.

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R adiology A F T E R I N S TA L L I N G T H E R E G I O N ’ S F I R S T M R I S C A N N E R E A R L I E R T H I S Y E A R , A R M I D A L E R A D I O L O G Y WA S P R I V I L E G E D T O W E L C O M E R A D I O L O G I S T D R M U D I T G U P TA T O T H E T E A M , A S P E C I A L I S T D O C T O R W H O I N M O V I N G H I S Y O U N G FA M I LY T O A R M I DA L E H A S B ROUG H T S IG N I F IC A N T M E DIC A L E X PE RT I S E T O T H E L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y.

hat brought you and your family to Armidale? My wife, Rashmi, and I were looking for a good environment to raise our three young boys. Armidale Radiology gave me the opportunity to provide a perfect place for our family, combined with complete job satisfaction. What are your specialities? As a specialist radiologist, I report MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray, as well as performing interventional procedures. My particular area of interest is MRI and abdominal and pelvic imaging. How and when did Armidale Radiology obtain an MRI, and what does this mean for our community? Armidale Radiology successfully applied for a MRI licence from the Federal Government when they became available in 2012. The licence provides most patients with the ability to claim a Medicare rebate for MRI

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procedures. We then had to extend our clinic building to house a purpose built room fitted out for the machine, and welcomed our first patients in February 2014. Prior to that, the only MRI machines in the region were in Tamworth and Coffs Harbour, which meant that anyone in need of a scan had hours of travel and often long waiting lists. We now offer easy access, not only for Armidale, but the surrounding towns as well. We hope that, by making it easier for patients to access a MRI scan, people will be able to get the care they need sooner. What other procedures are offered at Armidale Radiology, and how do these services compare with metro areas? In addition to the new MRI, we have just installed a new 128 slice, low radiation dose, CT machine. This is capable of doing cardiac scans, a service we are looking at introducing later this year. This is a really exciting addition to our services.

By including Nuclear Medicine, MRI and the new CT machine, I believe Armidale is on par with most of the metropolitan areas. It has been our focus to try and ensure that we offer the same quality and variety of services here as people receive in the city areas. I work closely with our senior radiologist, Dr Martin Young, to ensure that we bring the full benefit, as well, of having two radiologists. This allows us to do more interventional procedures than were possible before. Tell us about the team at Armidale Radiology? Dr Martin Young and I, together with a

dedicated team of radiographers, sonographers and office personnel, work together to provide the best possible care to our patients in a harmonious atmosphere. It’s good to be able to work with people that I respect professionally and also enjoy their company. Plans for the future? Now that we have our MRI machine and the new CT, I would like to start offering new procedures and examinations that we haven’t been able to provide before. On a personal front, my eldest son is now going to kindergarten, and I look forward to the twins joining him at school.

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Icing on the cake with Susie Dunn

Icing ON

cake {The story continues ...} ne of the things that intrigue me most about living here; it’s never dull. Just when things start to settle, we have some dramatic happenings that throw everything up in the air again. It keeps us on our toes, no doubt about that! UNE is again facing challenges on many fronts. Yet somehow there’s currently a new confidence which – hopefully – will stabilise things and allow the very real achievements "up top" to lead the way in news bulletins. Apparently visiting experts once said they’d

never seen an institution more valued outside than inside the community! We should have more confidence in stating our case in all sorts of directions – and ensuring that we’re heard. At least we’ll have new ADC General Manager Glenn Wilcox in August. Let’s hope Council settles down – research says we’re not really doing too badly compared with many others – again in difficult times for Councils. Certainly no-one today can dismiss technology as a factor in everyday life. It increasingly seems to consume itself as fast as we accommodate it – out of date when it hits

the market. Realistically, we have little choice when so many things are changing. Our challenge is to ensure we are aware of the ethical implications of changes in the balance of power. (Admission of interest: both my children teach ethics). A strong ethical sense is extremely important to me – it arms us to face the world, and it’s interesting how many times the word is popping up lately. There seem to be endless new "intelligent" systems – apparently there are now infrared heating systems regulating individual temperatures, intelligent floors helping the disabled, data-collecting household appliances of all sorts (don’t mention the scary ones!) and serious reports that within 30 years we’ll absorb knowledge by taking relevant pills. Oh dear. All the more important we stay in intelligent control ourselves. Outsourcing our decisions to inanimate systems is not, at the end of the day, a smart thing to do. Who wants a drone to make its own decisions about our dependability? Our own humantity is all the more comforting – family, friends, nature, the arts … all those things that bring our human nature to the fore. Religion is personal. Our district gives us easy access to these other aspects of life, lived in a country at peace. I ran into an ex-Armidalian in the Mall the other day, who said she’d revisited just to experience the buzz she got walking down the Mall, running into the extraordinary range of totally different people. It can even look almost empty and still happen.

I hope new people to town are finding groups that interest them – it’s here in one form or another; you just have to seek things out. As in life generally, the more you give, the more you get. Participate. Membership of the Armidale Chamber of Commerce is a great opportunity for business people to network and hear news of other enterprises. The last "Pub Chat" I attended was with Guyra "boy" Roger Jackson, Executive Chairman of Hillgrove Mines. The same morning the "Women’s Breakfast" heard Professor Annabelle Duncan, Acting VC of UNE, share the path that led her here. All fascinating. Entries for this year’s Chamber Awards are open now. NECOM’s Heritage Concerts are a special joy, beautiful music in heritage locations – all very civilised! Watch for the next one in the "iconic" Deeargee Woolshed on October 19. And please don’t forget The Magic Flute with Opera Australia on August 28 at Lazenby. Art openings – for Ned McDowell at Gallery 126 and the NE Art Society’s Daphne Young Watercolours Awards in their Mall gallery – both fun with lots of people. Oh – so hard! As soon as I mention specific things, I’m conscious of all the myriad other dates for other interests and feel guilty for not mentioning them all. Sorry to have missed Jesus Christ Superstar and The Armidale Club’s bands. Watch the media, please. Something for everyone. And au revoir to photographer Tim and the Barnsley family. Enjoy Vietnam – and then come home ... Susie Dunn.

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PETER WESTBROOK PETER WESTBROOK HAS MADE THE ULTIMATE CITY CHANGE TO ARMIDALE, TAKING UP THE CEO ROLE AT THE ASCENT GROUP.

ell us about your family and what brought you to Armidale? My lovely wife, Wendy, and I have been enjoying regular visits and holiday stays in the New England area for near on 10 years now through our interest in horse riding and experiencing the natural beauty and history of the region. We have many new and old friends in the area, met mostly through our involvement in the outstanding music and equestrian events held in the region. Our desire to relocate to the region has been a strong one over the last few years but was not possible, until recently, due to family commitments. So with our love of all that is country, when presented with the opportunity to take up the Position of CEO with The Ascent Group, the decision was really very easy. I have 5 children, now all above 20 years old, which has brought a range of experiences in both my work life and in my family life. We have been extremely fortunate with the directions in life the kids have taken and feel very proud seeing their own self-confidence, independence and focus on life develop. Prue, my eldest, resides on the Northern Beaches with her partner, Neil, a former Tamworth boy, and set in a Global Marketing firm and loving every minute. Nicholas and Jennifer are “the twins”; Jennifer has returned to Orange after seeing the world while working as a Travel Team Leader over the last three years; it will be interesting to see where she now takes her career to, having completed a marketing degree around four 10

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years ago while working in the international hospitality industry in Sydney. Nick is a “Tradie” working in the building industry in North Western Sydney and has now settled with his lovely lady, Emma, and children, Lily-Rose and Imogen in the Hawkesbury area. Rachael comes next settling down, also in the Hawkesbury with her fiancé, Adam. Rachael is in her second year of nursing, having graduated in 2012. Then comes Joanna, our youngest. Joanna is currently studying nutrition at UWS Hawkesbury, looking in the direction of becoming a Dietician Specialist. All of our children have been achievers and have always had a passion to develop their own independence while maintaining a fiercely strong family bond. We are proud to say they have a great community conscience and involvement in causes that will make a positive difference to the lives of others. Congratulations on being appointed the new CEO of The Ascent Group. Tell us more about this role ... The role of CEO of the Ascent Group has always been very critical to the support and lives of people with disability and their families who live in the Armidale Region. The great reputation The Ascent Group has maintained over many years and the high regard in which it is currently held, both locally and within the Disability Sector, can be attributed to the strong and passionate leadership of the former CEO Kevin Mead, who sadly passed away in December of last year. With the major changes currently occurring in Australia to the future of support for people with disability, namely the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the leadership of

With the maj or tly changes curren to ia al tr occurring in Aus r fo t or pp the future of su y, lit bi sa di people with ional namely the Nat nce ra su In ty ili Disab e th ), Scheme (NDIS Ascent e Th of leadership itical ...” Group will be cr

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The Ascent Group will be critical to the development and future of the organisation. The NDIS is best described as a new way of providing community linking and individualised support for people with permanent and significant disability, their families and carers. What has been your involvement in this industry before this point? I have been involved in the industry both indirectly and directly all my working life. In 1987 I ended an earlier career in Public Administration with the then Commonwealth Funding Department to join the Disability Sector. Since that time I have held Executive Management positions with several large disability organisations. More recently: Chief Operating Officer Civic Disability Services Ltd January 2011 – June 2014 Group Manager Business Services Disability Services Australia (DSA) October 2008 – December 2010 Executive Manager Employment Operations Australian Foundation For Disability AFFORD April 1995 – September 2008 My interests and successes for those organisations were in driving and delivering strategic change with project outcomes that ensured service users and customers’ requirements were satisfied. As the new CEO, what do you hope to bring to this organisation? A bright future for The Ascent Group by embracing the change that is inevitable for

the longevity of a regional disability organisation. Particular emphasis will be on the development of a strong customer service focus in the areas of a person centred approach to support, and response to the ever changing needs and choices for people with disability as greater opportunity for self-management of support packages evolves. Where are we at so far in regards to the new disability scheme? The new scheme was introduced a little over twelve months ago, with several “launch sites” being trialled nationally. Closest to Armidale is the Hunter launch site, from which we are benchmarking and learning. The Ascent Group is currently working with support from National Disability Services (NDS), Australia's peak body for nongovernment disability service organisations, to implement changes that are required to become “NDIS ready”. Plans for the future? At this point we will be very focused on the journey, with the “Destination” in sight. While the future is very important, we are still committed to continue providing the best “here and now” outcomes and meeting the needs of all the people with disability we currently support. In the three weeks since I took up the position, I have been overwhelmed by the engagement and interest in The Ascent Group by the people of Armidale who have wanted to meet me. Thanks Peter.

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MUSEUM A CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS DURHAM, WHO IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (OPERATIONS & EDUCATION) AT THE NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL ART MUSEUM IN ARMIDALE ...

hat current projects are you working on that engage people with art outside of the museum? I’m currently working with Drummond Public School on Project iD, to create a multicultural artwork that represents all the different cultural groups in the school. The students from Years 4/5 are now experts in public art, as over the past month we have visited Uralla and Walcha, TAFE and Civic Park, BackTrack Boys, UNE campus and Antiquities Museum, NERAM and the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place to see a range of public art and meet several artists. The students have decided they want to make an artwork that is interactive to sit in the school’s new sensory garden, so with the support of three local artists they will very soon be starting to make their own public art piece. How do you engage people who say art is not for them, not their thing? Growing up, my mother always took us to natural history museums but never to art museums, so I get that art is not everyone’s thing. And in the museum world there is something called “threshold fear” to refer to people who feel uncomfortable or unwelcome walking into a museum. The answer then is if they won’t, or can’t, come to the art, take the art to them. With this in mind, I developed the ArtPlay Project with St. Peters Preschool, Early Childhood Educators and artists. It took the children on a journey of discovery about museums, art and the role of artists over a period of several weeks. They saw big museums, round museums, the world’s smallest museum in a closet, hair museums and many more projected onto the walls of the preschool. They got the opportunity to touch a range of museum objects, from brass Firemen’s helmets, to Indonesian carved masks, paintings, and their favourite, a platypus skeleton. Much to their disappointment, I had to tell them the

dinosaur skeleton wouldn’t fit in my car! The children made their own museum at the preschool and after a series of visits to NERAM, and working with artists back at the preschool, they became artists in their own right, their own artwork in the first ever exhibition by preschoolers at NERAM. Do you ever find you can’t convince some people about the value of art? Art is transformative in so many ways. I have been privileged to be involved in an intergenerational project called Creating Memories, working with Laszlo Szabo, a community artist. Teenagers from Armidale High School and O’Connor Catholic College have connected with older residents at Autumn Lodge and Ken Thompson Lodge Aged Care facilities. Over several months art has become the starting point for deeper engagement and the exchange of memories, while at the same time new memories and unexpected friendships between the students and the older people are creating life changing and life enhancing experiences for everyone involved. What have been some of your most recent accomplishments? One of the biggest but most exciting challenges in my job is building the arts back into our community - finding ways to integrate art into the lives of those in our community who may have few opportunities or access into the arts. This can include the elderly, the under privileged, the disabled or the socially marginalised or isolated groups in our region. In conjunction with Seniors Week this year, I ran a fun hands-on creative day called Ageing Artfully. With the generous support of many people in the community, we had drumming, pop-up choirs, yarn bombing, talking heads, musical cocktails and fabulous fashionistas. It was a crazy, colourful day to give something back to older people in our community and create opportunities to participate at whatever level they wanted to. I can see this turning into an annual event and getting bigger

with each year. see it projected onto the wall with over 500 other Where do you get your ideas from? faces, growing our Face to Face exhibition beyond I see art in many things, not just what hangs in our wildest expectations. So yes, there is a whole a museum, and I am drawn to projects that can lot more going on at NERAM lately and if you take art out of the frame and off the wall to places haven’t visited for a while, or have never visited, where it intersects with our daily lives. come in and see what’s happening. The welcome Last year Felt Tip Theatre Company brought mat is out, no matter what your background, age some of the characters from our artworks to life or level of interest is. in a hilarious night of comic improvisational What are the challenges to theatre, taking their inspiration widening community directly from the art. We also engagement? have plans to take art into I am constantly rethe streets and shopping energised by the value us With the genero centres in town, and I have of the work that I do y support of man , my sights on connecting in connecting people ity mmun people in the co hairdressers, medical to art and creativity, ppo ing, we had drumm mbing , students and bike riders and that can make a bo up choirs, yarn al ic to art ... not all at the real difference in our us m s, talking head us lo bu same time, but you never community. We are fa d an cocktails knowknow and I’m working a small staff, but our .” as st ni fashio on how toto connect art community impact can be to animals, my other great huge. The biggest challenge passion! NERAM faces is funding these For those who prefer a quieter art types of programs and projects on experience, this year Slow Art Day was an an ongoing basis to create real change. One opportunity to take an hour out of our busy lives of the most moving experiences for me was in a to enjoy a very intimate experience with a work of session of Remembering with Art. Seeing a man art, giving it time to reveal itself and see the artist’s living with dementia, who hadn't spoken a word hand in the work. Art takes a long time to create, in over a year, speaking in complete sentences and we should make time to observe it properly. and starting a conversation with a stranger next Those who participated this year are all keen to to him, after only thirty minutes of looking at art, come back next year, and we look forward to was something very special to witness. If that others joining them. doesn't speak volumes about the power of art to It sounds like there is whole lot more going make a difference in people’s lives, than I don't on at NERAM lately? know what does. When art goes up on the wall, I see this as the We juggle many different audience beginning, not the end, of a conversation. We expectations, but through the support and have been adding interactive elements into our encouragement of our volunteers, artists and exhibitions to allow them to grow in exciting and the generosity of people aware of the powerful often unpredictable ways. All of a sudden, we contribution art can make in people's lives, we have a more open and flexible space where new are making NERAM a place where everyone can voices and new conversations enrich our work. become involved with art. interFACE encourages visitors to take a selfie and Thanks Chris.

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General Manager with Uralla Shire Council, Damien Connor, tells FOCUS that the move back to the beautiful New England, the

area where he and his wife originally called home, was one that had been planed for a quite a while ...

Damien Connor. ell us about your family and what brought you to Uralla... My wife, Melanie, is a special needs educator and has most recently been working in Early Intervention, which focuses on identifying children with special needs prior to school age. Melanie and I recently relocated with our two young children, Scarlett (4) and Finnan (2) from the North Coast of NSW. The primary reason for the move was for me to take up the role as General Manager with Uralla Shire Council; however, a move back into the beautiful New England, the area from which both my wife and I originate, was one that we had been planning for a quite a while. Having followed our professions around the country and overseas for quite some time, we decided that we would like to settle in an area that had the quality of facilities and services we desired to raise our family. The beautiful New England is blessed with enviable facilities (particularly education, the quality and range of which is unrivalled outside of the metro areas in Australia), it has beautiful natural surrounds including four distinct seasons and is only a stone’s throw away from the holiday locations of the North Coast and a short plane flight to Sydney for anything not already covered. More specifically, Uralla offered a boutique lifestyle that was so tranquil and crime free with its café culture, arts and history, affordable lifestyle properties and food and wine scene. The quality of facilities and the rec-

reation and cultural choices are exceptional for a town of this size and for anything we don’t have, the airport and Armidale are just a short drive away. Congratulations on being appointed the new GM at the Uralla Shire Council. Tell us more about this role ... Thank you. My role as General Manager is to provide leadership and direction to the organisation of Council as a whole, as well as to coordinate professional advice given to Council’s elected representatives to assist them in the development of Council’s community strategies, policy settings and to aide decision making in the interests of our broad community. I am also overall responsible for the delivery of Council’s services and projects and the custodian of Council’s assets, be they financial or infrastructure. What has been your involvement in this industry before this point? I have worked in local government for a considerable time now, and I have been fortunate enough to have worked in a number of different Councils of varying size and location throughout NSW. This has afforded me the opportunity to work with a range of very talented and passionate people and learn a lot along the way. I started out in local government many moons ago as the Revenue Coordinator at Forbes Council in the Central West of NSW, and most recently I was employed as the Executive – Performance, Strategy & Governance at Clarence Valley Council, a large Council located between Coffs Harbour and Ballina Councils on the NSW North Coast.

The quality of e facilities and th l ra ltu cu recreation and l na io pt choices are exce ze and si is th for a town of don’ t for anything we t and have , the airpor a short st Armidale are ju drive away.”

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What do you love most about Uralla so far? Where do you start? The people, the “real” community spirit, the natural beauty, the distinct seasons, the peace and quiet, the culture and arts ... oh, and I can’t forget the cafés, wineries and brewery! What are the upcoming events for Uralla? We have a couple of our big events on the horizon currently; the famous Thunderbolts Festival is scheduled for late October and the relatively young Seasons of the New England – Food, Wine and Artisans Festival scheduled to take place in early November. This is a beautiful time of year in Uralla and accordingly, both of these festivals are again expected to attract 3,000 to 5,000 people each. As Council ourselves, we are having a huge “Open Day” on Friday 8th August as part of Local Government Week, and we’d like to see as many people as possible come along. On the day we will also be announcing our “Mayor for a Day” competition winner selected from entrants aged 13-17. Outside of the major events there are a number of cultural pursuits that people can experience at any time of the year; the McCrossins Precinct in particular is an exceptional facility, and did I mention the cafés, wineries and brewery! Plans for the future?

It may sound a little unromantic to some, but Council is predominantly focused on continuing to provide quality core services and to replace and renew our essential infrastructure on-time. The financial strength and discipline of Uralla Shire Council is something that Council prides itself on and something that they won’t compromise for the pursuit of “ribbon-cutting”. Having said all of that, Council is delivering an unprecedented capital works budget this year, which is headlined by the construction of the $3.5 million Emu Crossing Bridge and over $2.2 million renewing and upgrading the road network, and all of this has been able to be achieved whilst keeping Council’s budget in surplus. Additionally, we will be developing an Open Space Strategy shortly, which when finished will provide the future plans for all parks, sporting fields, public open spaces and facilities etc. in the Shire, including a blue-print for future development and expansion. We will also be investing heavily in our people in the near future, as we endeavour to be an employer of choice in the region; we are also acutely aware that it is our people that are our greatest asset and it is them who will innovate and bring efficiencies to our practices and ultimately allow us to provide more in our community. Thanks Damien.

focusinterview.

JAMES BLUNDELL ON TOUR PERFORMING AT THE ARMIDALE CITY BOWLING CLUB ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

JAMES B L U N D E L L

emind us how you first became involved in the music industry ... Music was always a big part of my life, but getting run over by a Brahman Bull while managing a cattle station in Papua New Guinea 1985 made it my career, as opposed to my recreation. In May this year you teamed up with some other Aussie performers to raise money for our troops; tell us more about this project ... Yeah, a great project - and totally committed to it. “Doing it for the Troops” is a fundraising and awareness campaign for our returned service personnel dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a real killer and insidious side effect of a tremendously difficult, important, and at times horrendous job. Our troops are the best in the world, and all of us who have been fortunate enough to see them at work around the world, do anything we can to support them, and welcome them home. Where do you call home, and what else have you been up to? A grazing property between Stanthorpe and Texas in South Eastern Queensland. Our family have been there since 1936, mostly sheep, sometimes cattle, always dogs and horses. Rough mountain country, demanding but addictive! Between raising two young children and two teenagers, working on the place leaves no time for playing up! Tell us about your up and coming tour? The second half of 2014 will be mostly on the road.

I’m recording at the same Our troops are time for Karen Waters the best in the us who at Red Rebel Records. world, and all of e at un rt Great project with a have been fo at em th e se enough to working title of Come ld, or w e th nd ou ar work On In, so the tour is n ca e do anything w a combination of nine , and will be recorded a couple of to support them studio albums, and me. ” ho em th tracks at a time, and release as elcome w trying out some of the singles over the next six months. I’ve new material. Expect songs recently started work with a fantastic called Casurina and Hills of new agent, Graeme McKee from Westside Brisbane to be in the set, as they Talent, and together with Red Rebel, we’re are currently with a producer in Montreal, putting a program together that will take about Canada, being worked up. two years to see through. I’m also working on a series What can we expect from your shows? of Live Stream concerts filmed on the property with It’s a trio with Vic Pascoe, and Jesse Curran. my favourite artists from the last 10 years on the road. No bass and drums most of the time, but plenty Thanks James. of harmonies and basic percussion. I’ve found that not only is it a very versatile format, it also breathes the plug! new life into the older songs, and we’re consistently hearing from concert goers that it’s a really refreshing James Blundell Live @ Armidale City way to hear the music of the last 25 years. Bowling Club. Friday 8th August at 8pm. What other kinds of music are you listening to at Doors open at 7:30pm. the moment? Mostly unrecorded younger artists in a songwriting $25 pre-ticket. Purchase from the Club, collaboration scenario, but always the stalwarts: or online at Springsteen, The Band, Little Feat, Dylan, and recently www.stickytickets.com.au/18062 the mid catalogue of The Beatles ... being a child of For more info contact the events team the ‘60s, I never get tired of that stuff! on 6772 5666 or Plans for the future? events@armidalebowl.com.au A combination of touring and recording. The album

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focusinterview.

ANOTHER AMAZING EVENT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN WOOL AWARDS LAST MONTH ... LIZ FOSTER SHARES THE HIGHLIGHTS ...

ell us how many entrants nicely. It was nice to still keep Armidale in the there were overall this year. loop. We were delighted to receive Our judges this year were Akira Isogawa, more entries this year than in one of Australian’s leading fashion designthe previous couple ers. We were delighted to have of years. One him, his industry knowledge, hundred entrants and 125 design and construction , ok garments went to the techniques; his input was Sophie Co er ag an M al catwalk in what was an invaluable. He is a most G ener id av D r ea W ’s action-packed parade. delightful man. We all Women a judge. The judging was felt we had known JJones was also mercial held here in Arhim for years; he Her valued com t ea opinion was a gr midale. What was made us feel very . team addition to the special about the comfortable in his al ci er m Her eye for com d judges this year? presence - not to an il potential, deta When Akira Isogawa mention his infectious a r fo e ad m s styling tip accepted our invitation giggle. We all ended team .” very harmonious to be a judge for the 2014 up giggling with him, Wool Awards, he asked if it and he loved it! was possible to change the date Sophie Cook, General Manof judging to suit his diary. This was ager Women’s Wear David Jones done in a flash, just one week later. The was also a judge. Her valued comQuality Hotel Powerhouse Tamworth was mercial opinion was a great addition to the to have been our judging venue, the week team. Her eye for commercial potential, detail later was unavailable, so they suggested their and styling tips made for a very harmonious Armidale Hotel. This proved much easier, as team. It was Sophie who commented that many of the garments had arrived in Armiall three judges were on the same page. this dale, our models were all from Armidale and made the day run extremely smoothly, with of course, Julie Harris and myself live near decisions made quickly between the team. Armidale as well. We took over the Quality Susan Thompson, our own local although she Hotel Powerhouse Armidale board room and is in retirement and has made the move to a one bedroom apartment, and it all worked Port Macquarie, was the third judge. Susan,

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focusinterview. Photos by Aaron Hofman

as many know, was a textiles teacher for most of her working life, mostly spent in Armidale. Susan was part of the Wool Awards team in earlier days, then took up entering. It took a few years, but in 2012 she finally took out the Supreme Award with a gorgeous evening gown and lace jacket. With teaching qualifications, Susan’s contribution to the team was from a different angle, making sure garments had been constructed correctly. The event was held in Tamworth for the first time. How successful was it compared to previous years? All Wool Awards parades are successful: it doesn’t matter where they are located. For Tamworth it was a first, with many local Tamworth guests attending for the first time leaving the night quite blown away with what they had just witnessed. After two previous years held under the stars, it was a nice change to be in the magnificent Tamworth Town Hall; the décor suited our Gatsby theme beautifully. Share some highlights with us. The first highlight was the very first Wool Edition of Country Living Magazine. Bek Clark graced the cover and many pages, with local identities making appearances also. The evening kicked off with judges arriving in Gatsby-style vintage cars. They did look grand as they pulled up next to the red carpet

The evening kicked off with in es judg arriving age nt vi e yl st ysb at G ok lo d di cars . They lled up grand as they pu et rp next to the red ca e th of ce at the entran l.” Town Hal

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at the entrance of the Town Hall. The parade itself had a few surprises for the audience. After much rehearsing, the opening segment which had all the Gatsby themed secondary school student entries started with models dancing the Charleston. During the parade our own gymnast, Alice Rummery, dressed in a leotard with scarves that had been entered in the accessory category wrapped around her, did cartwheels down the runway to gasps and claps from surprised guests. Three tartan cocktail dresses hit the runway to Rod Stewart’s Rhythm of my Heart, with the models doing little twirls. But most definitely the highlight of the night was the closing segment, all black dresses parading to Young & Beautiful sung by 2013 Miss World Australia Erin Holland, frocked in a red evening gown entered by Jane Frazer from Deniliquin. Erin was also the MC for the evening; her presence on the night sure added a special touch. And the winners ... The 2014 Supreme Award winner was Cordelia Gibbs, a student at Curtin University,

Perth, WA. Her collection, titled “A Life in Wool” won her the Young Designer Award, then on to the big one. Her work was outstanding. She had rust dyed fabrics using old machinery from the farm, waxed wool fabric to make it oilskin, and tubular knitted dresses, tops and skirts with fine merino wool. Even the jewellery she made from wool shed supplies - springs from shearing harnesses, cutters welded together, forks from shearer’s handpieces all turned into fashion pieces. At the end of the evening Akira Isogawa offered her work experience with him later in the year when she has completed her Masters in fashion. Laurel Judd from Napier in New Zealand won four awards. Our own O’Connor Catholic College student Penny Smith won a Whitehouse Institute of Design drawing scholarship, along with Kate Bartlett from Monivae College Hamilton, Victoria. Phoebe Hanau from All Saints Anglican College, Merrimac, Queensland, won the Academy of Design scholarship, while Erica Coffey, also from All Saints Anglican School, won the Raffles half fee three-year degree scholarship to study fashion valued at $27,720.

An event this size must take so much planning and organising. Who would you like to thank? There are so many people who contributed to the smooth running of the event. It is always dangerous to start naming. But without our wonderful models, the night would not have been carried off with such success. We did have five new models from Tamworth joining the 15 from Armidale who have been with us a number of years. Julie Harris, my assistant behind the scene, even found time to make me a jacket at the last minute. Jason Farr and wife Renee worked damned hard front of house and helping caterer Serina, who provided a delicious dinner. Hair and makeup was done by Jess & James, followed our Gatsby theme and looked wonderful very ‘20s. Leonnee Pinchen-Martin supported me with graphics, printing, letters, Facebook, media -nothing was an effort for her, all done with a lovely smile. Plans for the future … At this stage next year is a long way away, so short term we get some rest and recreation, eventually pack most of the garments and send them back to the entrants. We do keep a few to be in our travelling collection – they travel to all parts of Australia attending field days, shows and conferences. Thanks Liz. new england focus

AROUND THE REGION //AUGUST 2014

Little things that run the world

First Saturday Chats

James Blundell Live

Our next First Saturday chats will be hosted by Christopher Serow, Principal Solicitor, from 10am to 1pm at our offices on Saturday 2 August 2014. As this is a popular program, bookings are essential on (02) 6788 1100.

@ Armidale City Bowling Club.

When Saturday 2nd August 2014. Where Legal Minds Office, 157 Beardy St Mall. Contact 1300 642 166.

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Where Armidale City Bowling Club. When Friday 8th August at 8pm. Tickets $25 pre-ticket. Purchase from the Club, or online at www.stickytickets.com.au/18062 More info contact the events team on 6772 5666 or events@armidalebowl.com.au

Little things that run the world, a “Science Meets Art” community event. Imagine life as an ant; explore a giant sculptural ant nest, control workers and grow a colony. Take an ant walk to an insect hotel, join AntBlitz and do some science, and more! When Opening 16th August, activities throughout August, September and until 19th October. Where NERAM, Kentucky St, Armidale. Contact NERAM (02) 6772 5255.

The 2014 Westpac Rescue Helicopter Ball Where Armidale SerVies Club. When August 30th, 2014. Entertainment by Terra Firma Tickets $60 per person. BOOK NOW -Tania - 0427 728 332.

A Streetcar Named Desire Marlon Brando shot to fame in A Streetcar Named Desire with his famous cry of despair: “Stella baby!” Which still resonates today, nearly 75 years after Tennessee Williams wrote his scorching masterpiece.

Yoga + Creativity = Balance Going on retreat is about taking time out from the hurly burly of daily life. This retreat will provide you with an opportunity to relax your mind, body and spirit with its mix of yoga and creative activity. The yoga classes are Hatha-based, multi-level and include physical movement, breathing techniques and guided meditation. Whether you’re experiencing yoga for the first time, re-connecting after a break, or practice on a regular basis, this retreat will help you build mind-body awareness while stretching and strengthening your body. The use of creative art as an activity in the form of "mindful meditation" will be explored under the guidance of Creative Artist Deb Grigg-Hawkes. Deb brings a wealth of experience in both meditation and the arts to this retreat. This will add a further dimension to the retreat. You don’t need special “yoga clothes” - just comfortable clothing that won’t inhibit your movement, and layers are a good idea. You may want a book to read, or a journal for your reflections, and comfortable walking shoes and a lightweight jacket, as a “mindful” walk is highly likely. Finally, I encourage you to have an “e-free” weekend – leave your mobile phone, iPad, etc. at home! I look forward to being your retreat facilitator – Jan Strom.

Brando, as the roughneck Stanley Kowalski, has just bashed his wife, Stella, and now waits, remorseful and despondent, for his girl to come out from her upstairs refuge and forgive him. Which she always does. They fight, they argue, but they are inexorably bound to each other.

Quality Hotel Powerhouse Caroline Wright has over 50 years’ experience in wedding styling, and Monty Maguire is the General Mananger at QHP Armidale.

Streetcar is a drama of great passions, pathos and ironic humour. It tells the story of Blanche, an ageing Southern belle, who goes to stay with her sister, Stella, in New Orleans and is tormented by Stanley, her brutish brother-in-law, while her illusory reality crumbles around her.

QHP Armidale will be hosting a Bridal Fair on Sunday,

Audiences now have a chance to see Streetcar in Armidale. The recently formed High Country Theatre Company is staging a new production at the Hoskins Theatre from Nov 21 to Dec 6 this year.

information.

Directed by Gordon Cope, Streetcar features Barbara Albury, Jan Wyles, Mark Lawless, Serena Weatherall and Jack Bedson, with Phoebe Maroulis, Brendan Mooney, Allan Wilkinson, Mari Grantun and Adam Williams. Set design is by Lenore Crocker, costumes by Patricia Neild, lighting by Christopher Snape, the creative consultant is Bernard Kusch, and Alex Taylor is producer.

August 10. How did did this come about? After participating in two recent bridal expos in Tamworth, we found we had a lot of enquiry from Armidale brides to be. We saw a definite need in the market when brides travel to Tamworth for Tell us about the exhibitors attending ... We have 13 exhibitors, including locals and some who have never been to Armidale with their products before. Exhibitors will be showcasing the latest products, services and designs, from chair covers through to vintage china. What can prospective brides expect to gain from the Bridal Fair? Far more knowledge on planning their wedding.

Ten performances over three weeks. Info at www.highcountrytheatre.com or Carr’s newsagency – Central Mall. Enq Barbara: 0427 729 529.

In addition to our exhibitors we have an interactive workshop

Evenings (at 7:30pm). Friday 21 Nov, Saturday 22 Nov (Opening Night), Friday 28 Nov, Saturday 29 Nov, Friday 5 Dec, Saturday 6 Dec. Matinees. Midweek matinee (time to be advised), Saturday 29 Nov 2pm, Sunday 30 Nov 4pm,Saturday 6 Dec 2pm.

a bowtie. The Quality Hotel Powerhouse has over 50 years of

where brides can take away information on everything for planning a wedding from beginning to end - even how to tie extensive knowledge in weddings and the Powerhouse brand has always been a market leader and set the standards that others aspire to for innovation and styling.

presents

A contemporary classic drama Raw, violent and ﬁlled with love

M^gg^ll^^ PbeebZfl

A STREETCAR

NAMED

DESIRE BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ORIGINTM ON BEHALF OF SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD.

NOV 21- DEC 6 Hoskins Theatre, Armidale more info at www.highcountrytheatre.com

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New England

Crispy Skin Salmon w/ Roasted Chats, Beetroot, Semi-Dried Tomato, Spinach, Fetta, Olives & Mint Yoghurt from 1879 Bistro.

eat. Dining Guide is available for iPhone & Android mobiles. www.focusmag.com.au/eat 18 new england focus.

eat.

1879 Bistro

Prue & Olive

Railway Hotel Armidale

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.

Bar Bistro Bottleshop. Open for lunch Monday - Saturday from midday.

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.

Open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 6pm. Great lunches from just $8, with pub classics and winter warmers. Nightly blackboard specials; great steaks; great value. Restaurant quality food at pub prices. Check out bistro 1879 on Facebook, or call us on 6772 3109.

Head Chef Steve Welbourn.

222 Rusden Street, Armidale t 6772 3109

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!

Shop 2/ 14 Moore St, Armidale t 6772 6262 fb www.fb.com/prueandolive Twitter + Instagram @prueandolive

open Lunch Monday - Saturday from midday. Dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 6pm.

open Mon - Fri: 8am - 5pm. Sat: 8am - 4pm. Prue & Olive are happy to provide high tea and catering for special occasions.

The Mill Bistro

The Wicklow

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.

Open 7 days; The Wicklow Hotel provides a warm, casual dining atmosphere with delicious bistro style meals served lunch and diner. Daily chalkboard specials include $10 lunches and a large selection of our chef's favorites to be enjoyed indoors or alfresco in our sunny beer garden.

Great, tasty family dining Enjoy some of the new dishes out, including the mixed grill pictured above; we encourage you to bring the whole family in for lunch or dinner soon. $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.

As the weekend winds down, come and join our friendly crew for a classic Sunday afternoon session with live music, good food and good times from 4pm.

Head Chef Chris Kershaw.

Book your next birthday or function at The Wicklow and take advantage of our spacious function room complete with private bar capable of catering for groups of all sizes. For bookings and inquires please call 6772 2421.

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.

Corner Marsh and Dumaresq Sts, Armidale t 6772 2421 w www.wicklow.com.au open 7 Days. Dinner: 6 - 9pm. Lunch: noon - 2pm. new england focus

G e e k • Merilba Estate •

Merilba Estate – one of the finest wineries in the New England – would certainly give any vineyard in the more notable wine region of NSW, the Hunter Valley, a run for its money. o a fairytale is supposed to be great night. fun, right? Correct! So how does Tickets are available from Café Affamato a Fairytale called Once Upon A (02 6771 4052) as well as online. The link for Wine sound? online ticket bookings is posted on Forget the exclusive wine our Facebook and Twitter page. club; the Once Upon A Tickets are $85 per head and Wine series is a new include a 5 course degustaSo for the very first concept to the New Engtion, tasting wine with ine, Once Upon A W land. So typically people each course and a small we’re heading to will drink what they gift for you to take home Café Affamato know, whether it be the with you. Enjoy one of to e in Armidal a winery or the variety. the wines? Awesome; ilb er M se showca .” These events will give es you'll also be able to purin w ’s te Esta them the opportunity to chase Merilba wine, along try something different, and with other drinks to enjoy on taste exactly what the region the night from Affamato. Want has to offer! Each time, a different to buy some Merilba wine for your winery will be showcasing their wines in a wine rack or cellar? No problems; you'll fun setting over a cracking meal. have the opportunity to order wine from So for the very first Once Upon A Merilba then and there on the night. Wine, we're heading to Café Affamato on ABOUT THE VINO GEEK: Sam Watson writes August 16th in Armidale to showcase Merilba a wine blog called The Vino Geek and loves his Estate's wines. This winery is certainly one of wine, especially New England Wine! Providing the leaders in the New England region and is the nation with reviews, interviews and winery renowned for consistently producing preprofiles from all around Australia, Sam’s blog mium cool climate wines. These wines paired continues to gain support from wineries and delicately with unbelievable dishes from Café critics across Australia. Check out the Vino Affamato are going to make for a top night! Geek blog - thevinogeek.com.au and follow Don't think of this as an event that you need Sam on Facebook (facebook.com/thevinogeek) to be a wine nerd to go to. Each wine and and Twitter (@thevinogeek) to keep up with all course will be explained by the winemaker things #OnceUponAWine and chef, so you'll learn a bit as well as have a

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20 new england focus.

armidale

Armidale Cit y Bowling Club. We have had a busy year here at the Armidale City Bowling Club. Not only have we begun the celebrations for our 100 Year Anniversary, but we are also in the midst of renovating our event rooms.

ow the time has come for our annual Spring @ the Bowlo event, and this year we are going bigger and better and making it our 100 Year Gala Ball. Our event team is already planning the styling of the event and is excited to dress up the newly renovated Auditorium for the night. To keep everyone dancing, we have lined up some of Armidale’s best local talent with Fabio Tolli, Sidetracked and Terra Firma all performing, plus a surprise international act. Tickets are $70 each and include dinner and some drinks and can be purchased now from the Club. Bookings for tables will only be taken once the first tickets are paid, so get your table of ten together and come and see us today. To help celebrate our 100 years, we have also booked some great ticketed acts starting with James Blundell on Friday 8 August and Phil Emmanuel on Friday 28 November, as well as a Johnny

nd a Cash Tribute Show in October and ember. Tribute to the Stars show in September. coming For more information on our upcoming re to headline entertainment and where buy tickets, go to our website at www. armidalebowl.com.au Our main celebratory week forr our Centenary will start with Spring @ the Bowlo Gala Ball, followed on Sunday 12 October with our annual “Kids with Cancer Day”. “Kids with Cancer Day” is a charity bowls and auction day that we hold once a year on a Sunday afternoon. It’s a great way to have some fun with friends and make some money that is donated to kids in our community who are in need of assistance. This year, to help celebrate our Centenary we are having a “Gold” theme, and there will be prizes for best dressed, so come dressed in your idea of gold, or even just wear a gold hat to be part of the fun. To play the charity bowls, we ask that you nominate yourself or your group of friends by 12pm on the day and pay $10

eaach ch. h. Even Even if Ev if you you have havee never ha nev nev ever er played pl played la each. bowls before, the idea is for everyone to have some fun and support a great cause. For those of you who don’t wish to play bowls, the Club still has its monster Sunday raffles as well as other promotions throughout the day, finishing with a massive auction after the bowls have finished. Throughout this week in October, the Club has also arranged many small events, including a 100 Year Birthday Cake cutting on Friday 17 October during our regular Friday raffles, and President’s Day on Sunday 19 October. So come and join in the fun, games, promotions and events to help celebrate the 100 year anniversary of your award winning club, the Armidale City Bowling Club.

Spring @ the Bowlo 100 Year Gala Ball 11.10.14

tables of 10 only - table bookings will only be confirmed once money has been paid. If tables are not completely paid for after 14 days from date of booking, the club reserves the right to complete the table.

saturday october eleven twenty fourteen $70 per ticket for dinner, drinks & international & local entertainment provided dress: black tie doors open: 6pm TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE SATURDAY 27.9.14 spaces are limited so get in fast to avoid disappointment events team | 02 6772 5666 |events@armidalebowl.com.au

new england focus 21

This is our backyard... Spectacular waterfalls, gorges, and World-Heritage National Parks. As an Evocity, Armidale offers the upsides of a major city, with none of the downsides. First-class education, the National Broadband Network and a diverse economy. Experience a cosmopolitan city with a fabulous culture, stunning environment, ﬁne food and great coffee.

info@armidaleregion.com.au

armidaleregion.com.au

22 new england focus.

L I V I N G I N ARMIDALE Living in Armidale is easy to imagine. Imagine the beautiful home that you would buy for a fraction of the cost of a home in Sydney. magine getting to work in 5 minutes, with no traffic jams to contend with. Think about your children walking to school, just around the corner from your home and not feeling worried. Imagine working in an environment where you have the time to see your child receive an award at school. Imagine not having to worry about water restrictions and think how your garden will blossom. Living in Armidale is not a figment of your imagination; it is an everyday reality for thousands of people. Armidale differs from most inland regional centres because it has a long established university, transforming it from a rural town to a sophisticated and cosmopolitan small city. Through the university, TAFE, private and fine public schools, the city has become a significant education centre, creating a wider range of jobs and business opportunities than usually found in the country. It has a well educated and diverse population who stimulate change and demand a high standard of living. There are 96 direct flights between Armidale and Sydney each week with Qantas and REX servicing the route, as well as a daily train service. Armidale is serviced by all major

coach companies each day enroute to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The coast is only two hours away along one of the most beautiful scenic drives in Australia, the Waterfall Way. Armidale has one of the best regional art Armidale differs galleries in NSW with from most major collections centres inland regional ng valued at over lo a Theatre Studies perform s ha it because ty, si er iv $40 million, un d regularly during the year. he is establ om fr it g in including the m or The University of New sf tran recent acquisition a rural town to a England has established a d sophisticated an l of The Yellow Rural Medical School with al sm n ita ol op cosm Room, a major an intake of 60 students each city.” work by the late year. As a result, the local health Margaret Olley. The service has attracted more medical city has a twin cinema specialists than ever before and the which shows mainstream and local hospital has been upgraded for tertiary art house movies. There is the New England teaching purposes with the opening of the Conservatorium of Music, a Symphony Tablelands Clinical School and General Practice Orchestra, a Youth Orchestra, a biennial Training Facility. A private hospital is also located Bach Festival and several choral groups. The in the grounds of the public hospital. Armidale Playhouse Theatre, Armidale Musical The city has first class sporting facilities. For Society, Stage One Theatre for Children and those who like the outdoors, there are hobby the University of New England Department of farms on the outskirts of the city to follow rural

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pursuits, bushwalking in nearby world heritage national parks, trout fishing, white water rafting, sailing on Malpas Dam, heli-fishing and abseiling. As for business, Armidale is the first fully NBN enabled city in mainland Australia. There are many successful business enterprises in Armidale utilising the NBN, with some involved in thriving global ventures. Key industry sectors include university research and education, farming and grazing, professional services, retail, manufacturing and information technology. We welcome your interest and enquiries and encourage you to come to Armidale and witness the lifestyle that awaits those who choose to make Armidale their home.

fb.com/newenglandhighcountry @NEhighcountry

armidaletourism.com.au

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focuseditorial.

Hector Burton, Troy Hughes, Elisa Walker, Shane Burton, Michael Bruno, Anumara Tjukurpa. Manta-Earth.

I N DIG E NOUS A RT AT N E R A M

NERAM AM has a focuss on Central Australian indigenous art, with two exhibitions opening on 8 August.

Glory Gnale Honey Grevillea 1995 (detail) batik and tjap, silk.

topia Silk Batiks and I hold my father’s story. I hold my mother’s story take quite different mediums and approaches to the art making, but both still are very much within the same tradition. Being able to see them both at the same time creates a fascinating artistic dialogue.

I hold my father’s story. I hold my mother’s story. (Ngayulu witini ngayuku mamaku tjukurpa. Ngayulu witini ngayuku ngunytjuku tjukurpa.) comes from the Geoffrey Hassall collection. The works were initiated by Hector Burton to honour the memory of Kunmanara Raymond, a young man of the Amata The results Community. The ly The Utopia are stunning project initially at th gs Silk Batiks beautiful paintin ly brought re pu come from work both in ch hi w t bu s together old rm te the Tamworth aesthetic ies or st e th y ra and young rt also po Art Gallery Amata e th in rp de un men to paint that collection. unity’s culture.” m m Co their traditional A group of stories, then a Utopia women, group of women from the Petyarre, joined in project with Perle, Gnale, Kemarre their stories. As Hector and Stirling families, have Burton said of the project: adopted the Indonesian art “We have painted our country and technique of batik, but have used our story, which we shared with this it to create works that reflect and young man.” develop from traditional art practice.

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The result is a shimmering coruscation of colour that beguiles the viewer. 24

new england focus.

The results are stunningly beautiful paintings that work both in purely

aesthetic terms but which also portray the stories that underpin the Amata Community’s culture. These exhibitions will be officially opened on Friday 8 August at 6pm by Geoffrey Hassall. June Ross, Adjunct Professor of Archaeology at University New England, will also be giving a talk “Painting the Lands” before the opening at 5pm. June entered rock art archaeology from a background in art and teaching, and completed her Ph.D at UNE under Professor Mike Morwood and Professor Iain Davidson. She has researched, taught and published extensively on Aboriginal art works, and has undertaken fieldwork throughout central and northern Australia.

the plug! NERAM Opening Hours: Tue - Fri 10am - 5pm Sat - Sun 10am-4pm For more information: www.neram.com.au

focuseditorial.

IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? ART OR SCIENCE?

ART OR SCIENCE YO U B E

That’s the question that will be posed to debaters at an upcoming NERAM-UNE debate, to be held at TAS Hoskins Centre on Saturday 9 August. Styled as a fun, fascinating and lively “Great Debate”, it’s an opportunity to step away from the armchair and enjoy something different, as two teams entertain

the proposition "Without art there would be no science". As NERAM’s event organiser Tanya Robinson says: “From paleo-art to botanical artworks, pigments in paint to the physics of sculpture, science is everywhere present in art. Equally science draws on qualities of creativity and imagination that are more often

attributed to artists. Perhaps it’s not possible to separate two disciplines that are often seen as opposites. But I’m looking forward to seeing how the two teams take up the challenge”. Be prepared to have fun and bring your own spirit of enquiry and creativity, because traversing these questions and more threatens to be divisive and will be the making of an entertaining evening. Chaired by Adam Marshall MP, the NERAM Art Team will be Dr David Curtis, musician, art theorist and ecologist; Jim Belshaw, historian, blogger and regular gallery visitor; and Dr Jane Kreis, actor-director, arts and cultural development expert. For the UNE Science Team: Professor Annabelle Duncan, Vice Chancellor; Professor Aron

WONDERLAND LEND-A-HAND

e’re planting local, specialised natives to restore the Black Gully Reserve (also known as the Mike O’Keefe Woodland).

We’d like you to join us to: • improve habitat for local wildlife • restore and preserve native vegetation • enhance visitors’ enjoyment of picnics, rambles, birdwatching • contribute to our community • support the Armidale Tree Group’s commitment to sustaining New England with native plants How you could be

Murphy, Head, School of Science and Technology; and Professor Iain Young, Head, School of Environmental and Rural Science. NERAM's Great Debate: Art or Science?

the plug! NERAM’s Great Debate: Art or Science? Tickets: $28, including refreshments. Book online: www.neram. com.au/greatdebate Venue: 6pm, Saturday 9 August 2014, TAS Hoskins Theatre. Image: Ashley Taylor, 1983, Still life, oil on canvas, NERAM Collection. Email: rsvp@neram.com.au for any enquiries.

Armidale’s six hectares of threatened urban White Gum woodland.

involved: • we invite public and corporate sponsors to help us sustain this valuable ecosystem • donate $2 or more for the purchase and maintenance of the trees (all donations are tax deductible) • turn up anytime between 11am and 2:30pm for the planting, with a free BBQ lunch provided.

register & donate now Saturday 7th March 2015 11am - 2:30pm, 80 Mann Street. Phone: 6771 1620 www.armidaletreegroup. org.au new england focus 25

focusinterview.

volunteers to

EAST TIMOR A team of eight local Rotary Volunteers travelled to Timor Leste in May 2014 to assist the National Malaria Control Program distribute bed nets in the Maubara Sub-District. Whilst in Timor Leste, the team also distributed school resources to eight primary schools in the Liquica and Maubara areas and assisted with several building programs. FOCUS catches up with team leader David Pearson.

i David. Fill us in about the project ... A team of local Rotary volunteers recently journeyed to Timor Leste to assist in the eradication of Malaria. The team was formed to participate in the distribution of 7,500 insecticidal bed nets (LLINs), purchased and shipped to Dili by Rotary on behalf of the Timor Leste National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), to protect people living in the Maubara sub-district 30 km west of Dili. Malaria is a debilitating and at times deadly disease, which can severely restrict the economic potential of endemic areas. Since 2006, the national malaria infection rate in Timor Leste has been reduced from one case in every four people to one in 1,000 today. The program is now moving into the elimination phase in 5 of the 13 districts and hopefully, in the near future, cross border cooperation with Indonesia for work in West Timor will see malaria eliminated from the whole island. Rotary has been assisting with this work since 2010 and currently has 27 other projects underway in this very poor new nation. Who made up the team? The team included: Wendy Mulligan, Ian Klien, Hugh Raadgever, Peter Rheinberger, Rod Browne, Ian Dyball, Ruth Little and myself. Tell us more about the distribution of bed nets ... We stayed in Dili on the first night, as 26 new england focus.

guests of the Carmelite Some donated ght Convent, where previous items were brou t os m t bu , ia al Rotary teams had built a from Austr A Dili . dormitory. This enabled were bought in xes were bo t gh ei of total us to get our bearings stri buted di compiled and and organise supplies allocation of nets. ntaining co x with each bo and vehicles. We then Due to previous ol scho US$125 worth of ly travelled east to the poor access to ul ef items, very grat town of Liquica, where education, some received .” we camped in modern tents people signed with an beside the beach, close to the inked finger print, but all Maubara area where we would were delighted to receive the be working. nets - many having walked for Following a briefing at the local Health half a day to get to the distribution point. Department office, our team observed the We delighted in handing over the nets, after training of local village volunteers to deliver all the checking, and we were invited into education sessions at distribution points on several homes and an orphanage to observe care and maintenance of the bed nets, as well the old nets (four and a half years old) being as basic malaria disease information. replaced by the new nets. The team was also In the field we observed the village given a thorough briefing on the progress and volunteers collecting up-to-date census tactics of the NMCP by the Program Manager, information for several localities, the Maria Mota. conversion of this information to distribution On several days after the busy hands on lists and schedules, and the creation of work at the distribution posts, we explored individual entitlement chits for each household. further into the mountains and met some Rigorous checking is important to make sure fascinating people - such as 84 year old that the precious nets get to the right people Portuguese coffee grower Jose Estaves, who and there is no waste. invited us into his home for some of his coffee On the distribution days, in village locations and tropical fruit. ranging from steep mountainous ridges to We looked down on the coastline from beachside, team members participated in the same lookouts that were used by the receiving the chits, reconciling them to the Australian commandos during 1942, when distribution list and having the representative they tied up an entire division of Japanese for each household sign for and receive their soldiers that would otherwise have been

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deployed to Kokoda or the Solomons. Someone said that Rotary, which at its core is simply a friendship club, takes ordinary people and gives them extraordinary experiences and standing in the mountains of Timor, doing something to help others, we knew that was spot on. What were some of your side projects? As a side project, the team carried out the distribution of basic resources such as pens, coloured pencils, work books, scissors, rulers etc. to eight poorly resourced primary schools in the Licquisa and Maubara areas. Some donated items were brought from Australia, but most were bought in Dili. A total of eight boxes were compiled and distributed, with each box containing US$125 worth of school items, very gratefully received. Team members also brought soccer balls and a frisbee, which were joyfully put to use by the kids. In addition, the team members enthusiastically assisted for about half a day on construction jobs, including the building of a dormitory for the Dominican Orphanage at Hera, 20 km east of Dili, which is being undertaken by the Rotary Club of Inverell and re-surfacing of a basketball court for wheelchair athletes, which is a project of the Rotary Club of Dili. Thanks David.

Surgery O F

T H E

Eyelids The eyes, "the windows to the soul", reflect emotions and are often the best features of the face.

Droopy Eyelids Ageing and its attendant problems and effects, causes slackness and a resultant drooping of eyelid skin. This is seen early in eyelid skin, due to its thinness, as well as the effects of gravity, and results in a puffy, droopy appearance. Those affected are aware of the problem and are not helped by frequent, solicitous remarks by many around them about the 'tired, lack of sleep' look and advice "to sleep and rest more".

The treatment The emphasis of treatment is on restoration and a natural but bright eyed and fresh appearance. Upper lid surgery involves the removal of stretched skin and muscle and, when appropriate, the reduction of eyelid fat. Lower eyelid surgery is focused more on surgically tightening the lid and improving skin quality with the use of a carbon dioxide laser. Excess fat is often removed

thru a transconjunctival approach (from within the eyelid) and with no visible external scar. Skin removal is hardly done, in order to avoid long-term problems with downward displacement of the eyelid. The surgery is done under sedation and local anaesthesia ('twilight' anaesthesia) and is a day procedure. Recovery is rapid and involves mainlyrest and cold compresses. The surgery is intrinsically safe and has very few risks involved.

new england focus 27

Armidale Private Hospital

integratedliving

Tell us about the services provided by the

patients with or without private cover

Armidale Private Hospital? Armidale Private

should know when accessing your ser-

Hospital is part of the Ramsay Health Care

vices? In a majority of circumstances, you can

group and is a 30 bed, acute care surgical and

transfer to the private hospital from the public

medical hospital. We have been providing a

hospital. Contact our reception staff at the

range of surgical and medical services since

private hospital, who will be able to advise you

1998. Some of these services include Anaes-

if it can be arranged.

thetics, Dental Surgery, Ear Nose & Throat,

Plans for the future?

Endoscopy, General Surgery, Gynaecology,

Armidale Private Hospital works closely with

Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Urology, Gen-

the medical community and the public hospital

eral Medicine, Palliative Care and Respiratory

in the recruitment and retention of medical

Failure & Sleep Disorders Unit.

specialists. Since opening in 1998, we have

We have our own operating suite which

been able to attract and support a number of

consists of two operating theatres, a four bay

doctors who provide outstanding care and ser-

recovery room and sterilising department.

vice to the people of Armidale and surround-

Our Respiratory Failure & Sleep Disorders Unit

ing areas. We hope that we can continue to

provides sleep studies four nights per week

attract other specialists to the area to provide

using the latest in technology.

a broader range of specialties so that everyone

What is some important information that

will benefit.

NAIDOC Week in Armidale commenced with a church service on Sunday 6th July to honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who fought in defence of country. Shannon Smith, Aboriginal Community Arts Project Officer reported that, “Other activities included a flag raising ceremony at Booloominbah, morning tea at Oorala Aboriginal Centre, family fun day, luncheon, golf day, and a dance organised by the NAIDOC Committee and community organisations including integratedliving.” Since May 2013, integratedliving has been delivering their Staying Strong with Telehealth service, which monitors the vital health signs of older Aboriginal people in Armidale, Walcha and Inverell. Staying Strong started as a pilot project to showcase how the broadband and digital economy can deliver effective health and aged care solutions to older people living in rural and regional locations. Indra Arunachalam, Stay-

ing Strong Project Manager said, “Following the success of the Staying Strong pilot project, integratedliving now has ongoing funding to deliver Telehealth Monitoring to Home and Community Care (HACC) eligible people in all of New England. We commenced operating in the New England region in October 2011 with an office in Armidale. We now have a second office in Tamworth and provide services to clients from Walcha to Armidale, and Tamworth to Ashford,” said Rose Dora, New England Case Manager. integratedliving is an innovative, not-for-profit, non-denominational organisation with a vision to enrich communities and support individuals through delivery of quality aged and disability care services. integratedliving operates across regional Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania ensuring people in rural and remote areas have equitable access to services.

integratedliving Australia Ltd is an innovative, not-for-profit, non-denominational organisation supporting frail older people, younger people with a disability and their carers to achieve and maintain health, wellbeing and independence within their regional and rural communities. Services in the New England region include: x Home Care Packages

x Meal Services

x Telehealth Monitoring

For further information phone

1300 782 896 Or drop into one of our office locations: ARMIDALE – 1/240 Beardy Street, Armidale NSW 2350 TAMWORTH – 2/56 Dowe Street, Tamworth NSW 2340

www.integratedliving.org.au 28 new england focus.

D SLE HEALTHY CHILDHOO

EP FOR HEALTHY MINDS

When most of us think about healthy minds for our children, we think about taking care with the television they are exposed to or the best educational start to their lives. But research is now showing a clear link between problems in brain development and Sleep +PZVYKLYLK )YLH[OPUN :+) PU `V\UN JOPSKYLU 9LHK VU [V ÄUK V\[ TVYL HIV\[ [OL YPZRZ treatment and, most importantly, prevention of this surprisingly common condition. What could be more important than the full and healthy development of your child’s mind? Dr Rob Dewhurst has, in the course of many years of dental practice, had a growing interest in Sleep Disordered Breathing, especially in children. He has been aware for some time that SDB can lead to underdevelopment of the facial complex, dental crowding and eventually the need for orthodontic

Research published in Pediatrics (2012) is startling. Dr Karen Brodbeck followed 11,000 children for six years and found that children with SDB are prone to KL]LSVWPUN ILOH]PV\YHS KPɉJ\S[PLZ such as hyperactivity, inattention and aggressive behaviour as well as emotional problems such as HU_PL[` HUK KPɉJ\S[` ^P[O WLLY relationships. Children with SDB were also found to be more likely

If you notice these, however, caution must be exercised before reaching any conclusions: a team approach is required for proper diagnosis and treatment. This may include the services of a myofunctional therapist, ENT (ear, nose & throat) specialist, sleep physician and dentist. History and examination are probably more important in deciding whether or not to institute treatment than an

is better than cure’ is a central feature of the philosophy of care at Dewhurst Dental. What preventive measures can you take to reduce the risk of SDB in your child?

intervention. What has emerged more recently however is a fuller understanding of the neurological LɈLJ[Z VU JOPSKYLU ^OV NL[ inadequate oxygen to the brain during sleep.

[V Z\ɈLY MYVT KH`[PTL ZSLLWPULZZ (85%) and decreased school performance (20%).

x-ray. For example, home videos of your child sleeping can be a very helpful diagnostic aid (see YouTube for some examples).

going to bed at the same time, no TV or compuer in the hour before going to bed etc.

You may think this is rare but the research now suggests that there are possibly 80,000 Australian children in the two-to eight-years HNL YHUNL Z\ɈLYPUN MYVT :SLLW Disordered Breathing. Without intervention, these children are unlikely to reach their full potential. SDB can have much more farreaching consequences than the same condition in adults: in children disorders associated with SDB are likely to be neurological, evident as cognitive and behavioural problems and possibly growth delay.

In more general terms: • memory, verbal and non-verbal JVTT\UPJH[PVU HYL HɈLJ[LK • triple the incidence of ADHD • growth inhibition due to increased expenditure of energy while sleeping.

Diagnosis So, what are some of the signs of SDB? • snoring, laboured or mouth breathing • choking sounds and respiratory pauses while sleeping • tiredness • bed wetting

Treatment The most common treatment for SDB is adenotonsillectomy (the removal of both the adenoids and tonsils) but it is only completely successful in about 40% of cases. About 30% are partially successful and for the other 30% the procedure seems to make little KPɈLYLUJL ;OL MY\Z[YH[PVU PZ [OH[ H[ present, there is no way to identify those children for whom it will THRL H KPɈLYLUJL

Prevention The old saying that ‘prevention

Suite 4, 175 Rusden Street Armidale 2350 Not Your Ordinary Dental Practice

6772 3522

1. Check frenums (e.g. tongue ties) at birth and have them released. 2. Favour breast feeding if at all possible for at least 12 months. 3. Practice good sleep hygiene eg

4. Avoid dummies and sippy/trainer cups. 5. Eliminate unhelpful oral habits early such as tongue thrust,open mouth posture etc. 6. Teach the child to chew unprocessed foods very early. 7. Intervene early to correct breathing/ chewing/ swallowing problems. If your child snores or shows other signs of sleep disordered breathing, we can help! For more information go to www.orofacial.com.au or just come by and visit us.

30 new england focus.

Mount View Pharmacy Greg Cotterell celebrates a year since taking over Mount View Pharmacy. He tells FOCUS readers about the new services on offer ... It has been a year since you took over Mount View Pharmacy. What have you been doing in that time? Since taking over the pharmacy in late August, the team and I have worked through a very busy Christmas and New Year period, and then instead of slowing down, we installed a completely new pharmacy management software system. This system allows for better tracking of stock, thus improving our customer service. Listening to our customers’ feedback, we created a counselling space for private consultations in the pharmacy. This space allows for one to one counselling between pharmacist and patient. We also use this room for wound management and dressings, as well as a fitting room for surgical stockings. We have also opened up the space in the pharmacy and changed some of our stock

range in response to our customers’ feedback. I have heard that you also offer a new pharmacy service? Pharmacy is really about servicing patient needs, and sometimes the commercially made product may not be suitable for the patient. In February 2014 I completed an advanced compounding course, providing me with the knowledge and training to help solve some of these problems. Some people may have heard about compounding pharmacies making up hormone supplements specifically for each patient; however, it is more than that. As a compounding pharmacist, my trained team and I can prepare products that are preservative free, products that have been discontinued, individualised medicines for a patient, change tablets into syrups or

suspensions, make a medication in a form or strength that is not commercially available and make a medication taste better. In keeping with our rural setting, my team and I have also made medications for our animal patients as well. What do you love most about your professional practice in Armidale? I love being able to give back to the community, and I am proud to be able to continue the tradition of service provided by Greg Hannon for over 30 years. At Mount View Pharmacy my team of highly trained staff includes one locally trained intern pharmacist and three pharmacy students currently studying at UNE. I continue to be involved with both the pharmacy and medical programs at UNE as a guest lecturer. The two most enjoyable aspects of taking over the

pharmacy are my wonderful staff and my many loyal customers. With the ongoing support and teamwork from my staff, the business is going from strength the strength, and we will continue to provide the best service to our wonderful customers. So what are your plans for the future? Pharmacy practice, like many other businesses, is a changing landscape, with many external pressures placed up on it. I envision that in the next few years the current pharmacy will have evolved into a more comprehensive health service provider, and I am preparing for that change. My big passion is the compounding services and a large portion of my focus will be on that. Mount View Pharmacy. Your Medicines; Your Way.

new england focus

TAS Co-Educational Junior School Transition - Year 2 Open Day Wednesday 20 August 10am - 12pm All welcome Explore our excellent facilities, chat with specialist teachers and discover the advantage of a TAS education. For more information call 6776 5823

www.as.edu.au 32 new england focus.

focusinterview.

JAC K MCC AW

Jack McCaw began collecting Australian Vintage Electric Jugs because of a strong emotional link between them and his parents' kitchen … ow long have you lived in sponges, making every one of them unique. Armidale? I continue to add the odd find to my I have lived in Armidale since collection, not for their monetary value, but 2008. I was originally posted here because I love the history that goes with them with 12/16th HRL Army Reserve; however, I – putting the jug on in Australia kitchens still have moved on and am now working brings us together. at UNE. Is your collection growing, When and why did and where do you find you start collecting your items? Australian Vintage The variety of the of nt ve With the ad lians ra st Electric Jugs? designs I have range Au , ty ci tri elec that was ng hi et Australia had a from 19th Century m so d te wan display thriving pottery milk jugs retrofitted solid, but also a ving item. Initially, ha industry at the with a lid bolted on, as a status w l al at electricity end of the 19th all the way to ornate gs ju c tri symbol. The elec “just Century, turning frog mouthed d an is, th reflected " became a on g ju out rugged designs. My favourite e th ng tti pu ors, a crisis pottery pieces that piece is one that response to visit or celebration.” were long wearing, hailed from Tamworth reflecting a practical in the early 1900s. ethos. I discovered that the I found after my parents Australia electric jugs had a died, one of the items I really group of collectors who were saving identified with was the still functional art deco these items from being relegated to the styled jug that had held pride of place in the rubbish tip. The most valuable were a novelty kitchen for my entire life. The sentimental series of face jugs, fetching prices in the attachment to it led me to pick up some other vicinity of $1,000! examples. After two or three, the bug had Have you ever showcased your collection? firmly bit … I haven’t showcased my collection yet, as I With the advent of electricity, Australians thought this sort of Australiana had fallen out wanted something that was solid but also a of “fashion”. I am just happy helping hold on display item. Initially, having electricity at all to some of Australia's history. was a status symbol. The electric jugs reflected this, and “just putting the jug on" became a are you a collector? response to visitors, a crisis or celebration. We want to know about you! Let us Things were built to last – and it turns know what you collect, and you might out that last they did. Bakelite lids may just be our next Collectors Corner guest! have cracked a little, but many are still in e. tracy@focusmag.com.au surprisingly good shape. During the war years, ph. (02) 6771 5551. mass produced jugs were hand mottled with

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new england focus 33

90,000 reasons to run

$90,000 IS A CONSIDERABLE SUM. THIS FIGURE REPRESENTS THE AMOUNT THE COFFS HARBOUR RUNNING FESTIVAL HAS RAISED FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2011. Last year’s Festival attracted over 1,500 participants taking part in the half marathon (21.1 km), 10k m fun run, 5 km run/walk and the 3 km family run/ walk, and organisers are expecting record numbers again this year. The success of Coffs Harbour's Bendigo Bank Running Festival has been recognised by Destination NSW, selecting it as one of their Regional Flagship Events

34 new england focus.

for 2014. Organisers were thrilled to receive the Flagship funding and are aiming to attract even more participants from across NSW to experience the unique Running Festival course and all that is on offer on the Coffs Coast. “We get runners and walkers from all over coming to the Coffs Coast for the Running Festival,” said race director Mick Maley. “This year, 7 out of the first 10 entrants were from outside of Coffs, which demonstrates what a quality event this is. We love hearing about all the fun things people have planned before and after the event,” he added. Held on a bush trail on the beautiful Coffs Creek Walkway, all events start and finish at the Coffs Harbour Showground and meander along the south and north banks of the Coffs Creek. The 3 km and 21.1 km events also take runners through the scenic Botanic Gardens. Event ambassador Steve Moneghetti is thrilled to be part of the event again for the fourth year running. After taking out the 10 km event in 2013, Moneghetti went on to run the 21.1 km in the third fastest time of the day. He then completed the 5 km fun run with his son and finished his morning with the 3 km event, which he ran with his daughters. He said after the race, “This is one of the best courses in the world and I love it so much, I decided to run it four times.” Steve Moneghetti, 51, was appointed

a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia as part of this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list for “significant service to athletics as a marathon runner, administrator and mentor to young athletes”. Moneghetti said the key to running is just hard work and persistence and for those who haven’t quite fallen in love with the sport yet, his advice is to, “Start slowly. If you’re not enjoying it, you’re probably going too fast.” Race Director Mick Maley said everyone who participates has their own reason for taking part. “From the parent trying to set a good example for their kids, or the new runner gearing up to race for the first time, to the corporate team builders and elite athletes ... the great thing about this event is that age and ability is irrelevant. As long as you come along, enjoy the experience and go home with a smile on your face, that‘s what it’s all about.” Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour and local children’s charities: Life Education, Coffs Coast Autism, Camp Quality and the Early Childhood Intervention Program. The Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival is on Sunday 7th September. To register, or for more information, go to www.villagesports.com.au

focusinterview.

QUADRA

NT AUSTRALIA

ALEX HUNTER

Alex Hunter shares her love of New England and Australian agriculture with FOCUS. hat got you interested in agriculture? Tell us about your studies and career ... My family moved to Armidale in 1977 when we purchased Gara Station. As children, my brother and I were always very hands-on with our beef and lamb enterprises, helping out with mustering, drenching, lamb marking and so on. I attended NEGS during my senior school years. With a strong passion for agriculture, I went on to complete a Degree in Agriculture at Hawkesbury Agriculture College. Following time working in rural NSW, I moved to Sydney in 1999, where I spent the next 13 years. This included five years with the Royal Agricultural Society (RASNSW), six years in rural property real estate and two years managing the Australian Year of the Farmer Roadshow. Why did you decide on a tree change? What was the catalyst? As they say, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl”. It’s been a long-held dream to one day return to some land of my own. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with Quadrant Australia when they offered me my current position last year, after being away from Armidale for 20 years. I first started working with Quadrant’s General Manager, Graeme Mitchell, in 1991, where he became a mentor and friend - forming the connection for me to return to Armidale and work for Quadrant. My move from Sydney was also a chance for me to return to a more relaxed country lifestyle, and Armidale ticked all the boxes. When did you move to Armidale, and what has been your role with Quadrant Australia? I met my partner Bob Moylan, from New York, 2½ years ago in Sydney. Together we made the move back to my home town of

Armidale in August last year. I began my role as Inbound Program Manager as soon as I touched down in Armidale. I can honestly say I have the world’s best job, showcasing the best of Australian agriculture to international visitors. Tell us about your family and your life back on the farm. My mum currently resides in Uralla, and my brother and his family live in Guyra on their own property, so it was important for me to be closer to family again. Although Bob has spent most of his time in Sydney, he has transitioned seamlessly - fully embracing life on the land and our menagerie of animals. Bob has recently started a new business called “Full Potential Business Realisation”. An independent advisory service for businesses and individuals, he provides personalised support to maximise clients’ business efficiency. Bob is also a member of the Armidale Business Chamber. In his spare time he coaches children in swimming and advanced stroke correction and is involved in a local New England wine group. Do you have any passions or interests in the local region? I would like to become involved with the Armidale Show Society, putting my RAS experience and event management to use and perhaps become involved with local Landcare. Anything else you’d like to add? For anyone interested in seeing the world, I would highly recommend travelling with Quadrant Australia. It is a fantastic business that truly thinks outside the square with Agtours, Journeys and leisure travel. Quadrant Australia: 1300 301 128 www.quadrantaustralia.com Full Potential Business Realisation: www.fpbusiness.com.au new england focus 35

36 new england focus.

focusinterview.

Locals 4 Locals is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated solely to promoting community support for local business. Local businesses provide most jobs. Unlike big business,

we consciously build the local economy by recirculating our revenue many times within the community, rather than sending it back to a distant head office.

the logo. A f fit As a smallll not-for-profi organisation benefi ting from By supporting a substantial voluntary input u local business yo from many members, it provide not only help us our costs little to be a Locals r fo jobs, especially lp 4 Locals member - just a he u yo , young people re ltu dollar a day and a small cu ch ri sustain the e th s joining fee that covers in rp de that un es of our lu va d initial administration and an le ty lifes .” ity un m m a start-up kit of logos and co l ca lo other information. Pro-rata The obvious need annual fees are available to new for this approach is seen in members in quarters, two, three and published data showing that for four. For instance, a business joining in every $100 spent at a locally-owned August receives membership until December business, $73 stays in the community. By 31, including the one-off joining fee, for only contrast, and factoring in wages, only $320. $43 stays local when you buy from a chain store. Activities The worst scenario is shopping online from a There are no surprise levies imposed on distant supplier, where nothing stays in the local members, and there are opportunities for economy. voluntary participation in a range of community Membership activities including Christmas in the Mall, and Our in-house Members 4 Members program beginning 2015, Easter in the Mall. In June we is developing strongly, with local businesses launched our Rolling Raffle involving a monthly increasingly supporting fellow members, and a draw of vouchers redeemable at any member’s real sense of camaraderie is emerging that can business. The $500 monthly program is free to only help the Armidale economy. members and their customers and is funded by Surprisingly, there are about 500 Armidale Locals 4 Locals. businesses eligible to join Locals 4 Locals, and Membership comes with other free extras, we generally receive a request for membership including a hyperlink from the Locals 4 Locals information on a daily basis. Basically, if your website to your website, a soon-to-be-launched business is privately owned and based within members’ secure database for conducting 85 kilometres of Armidale, you can apply for individual promotional activities, and substantial membership. Additionally, if you are a not-forFacebook, radio, television, and printed media profit company limited by guarantee and have an advertising and promotional campaigns. Armidale office, you are eligible for Community As part of an initiative to “liven-up” the City Membership. Centre, several Locals 4 Locals members have The community is becoming more aware that re-located to the Mall. Take a walk through the Locals 4 Locals Brand has real meaning and Armidale’s Central Mall, and you will find many was earned by the business. The logo is a “stamp businesses displaying the highly prized logo! of approval”, embracing the organisation’s With currently around 100 members, Locals community-building ideals and providing good 4 Locals is potentially a powerful lobby group reasons to support that business. In fact, several capable of creating future opportunities for have seen sales increase soon after displaying its members and the Armidale community. A prosper.

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local business local economy ackground Locals 4 Locals originated in Armidale and celebrated its second birthday recently by proudly announcing a 100 per cent growth in membership. Incredibly, this was achieved in just six months, with further growth to around 200 locally-owned businesses predicted by December. One only needs to read local news, listen to local radio, and notice numerous businesses endorsed to display the Locals 4 Locals brand for a clear idea of how quickly membership is growing. It is common these days to listen to a full radio advertising break where five or six businesses conclude their advertisement stating “proud member of Locals 4 Locals”. This growth stems primarily from the Locals 4 Locals sound community ideals: to enrich Armidale with a strong, community-supported, and local business base by raising an awareness of the contribution by local businesses to the general community, sporting and community groups. Importantly, Locals 4 Locals also promotes a high standard of customer service and ethics and trading between fellow members. It is common knowledge that local business provides most jobs in Australia. Unlike big business, they consciously build the local economy by recirculating revenue many times rather than sending it back to a distant head office. Statistics clearly show the need for increased community support for local business if regional communities like Armidale are to

recent example was an approach from a Federal Mi i t ffor LLocals l 4 LLocals l tto llead d th Minister the local organisation of a seminar for small business. Members meet regularly for meetings and social activities, and the organisation is quickly developing into a valuable member and community support network. For example, if a member needs help, other members will generally offer it. If a sporting club needs help, they come to our members. We were instrumental in obtaining Government funding for the Catharsis Program currently addressing mental health issues via interactive Arts activities in the Armidale West Mall and were involved in the development of the University of New England’s new Procurement Policy, that gives greater access for Locals 4 Locals members to supply UNE with goods and services. In cooperation with major community stakeholders including the Armidale Dumaresq Council, Armidale Business Chamber, and UNE, we are actively cross-promoting our respective activities for the general benefit of Armidale. Demonstrating our growing reputation, communities outside of Armidale have recently contacted Locals 4 Locals to discuss crosspromotion of respective activities encouraging tourism. The future Inspired by amazing support from local businesses, Locals 4 Locals will be continuing to develop programs that provide members with skills to embrace new technology, provide excellent customer service, grow their businesses, support the general community, and to help maintain our prized and uniquely regional, multicultural lifestyle. Importantly, Locals 4 Locals will continue to provide significant support to the local community. Thanks John. Picture above (centre) Cath Richardson, Guyra, was a winner of the first Locals 4 Locals raffle, receiving $250 worth of vouchers redeemable at any member’s business. With Independent Sports Lara Wright and Locals 4 Locals business development manager John Kauter.

new england focus 37

NEWLING •PUBLIC SCHOOL•

LITTLE

Every child can achieve their dream at Newling Public School, with use of the latest technology innovations giving each child a boost into their future.

ewling Public School is constantly looking at the educational benefit of new technology, says Newling Principal Murray Cox. “We know that when we get good teaching coupled with innovative use of technology, we can multiply the impact of that good teaching and we get strong learner engagement as well.” Leading the way in technology innovation, Newling Public School was selected to be a pilot school for the Microsoft Partners in Learning program. Kindergarten teacher Mrs Elizabeth Peasley commented that: “There's a lot to be gained at looking at the technology that children are immersed in with their everyday lives and putting that with the good practice of teachers to get even further benefits.” As an innovative Partner School, Newling has a leading role in helping other participating schools and teachers throughout Australia develop best practice for

38 new england focus.

incorporating technology into their classrooms. The journey to transforming teaching and learning practice began with major investment in infrastructure and the tools to achieve improvements in students learning. The school became completely “mobile” when the last of school desktop computers were replaced with mobile technology. “Our investment in a comprehensive wireless network and mobile computer laboratories allows children to undertake research and classwork in every environment within the school grounds,” explains Mr Cox. “We have numerous fully equipped mobile computer laboratories so that the teaching staff and students can select the tools best for the learning task. While netbooks are perfect for publication, the tablet devices are more efficient for research and field work.” The school set out to provide Newling students with the most current and effective technology

possible. Every classroom and learning space was fitted with equipment to display student’s digital creations and achievements, mobile computer laboratories were established, being equipped with touch screen tablet computers and netbooks so that every class had access to appropriate technology at all times. The traditional desktop computer lab was dismantled to make way for modern furnishings to accommodate collaborative learning. The school had embraced the notion of anywhere, anytime learning. “We are entering a new phase in our development by providing an individualised computer to every child from Kindergarten to Year 2 at Newling, due to a new partnership with One Laptop Per Child foundation. This will give our students unprecedented access to learning opportunities.” Newling Public School prides itself on delivering outstanding educational programs,”

says Newling Principal Mr Murray Cox. ”The staff are committed to the idea of lifelong learning, using the most current learning technologies and programs to develop students’ skills and knowledge. While technology will never replace the expertise of the teacher, it certainly provides a lot more opportunity for the teacher to develop interesting and purposeful learning tasks.” “Newling Public School aims at nurturing every child with the opportunity and skill to prepare them for the future through extensive academic, cultural and sporting programs,” states Mr Cox. “The cheerful caring family school environment ensures all students are individually catered for.” The smiling faces of the children as they walk into their school attest that the school indeed aims for every child to achieve their individual goals and dreams at Newling.

• MOXONS •

BAKERY S I N C E 19 92

We take a look at how Moxon’s Bakery has expanded since 1992 and what drives Roger and Ann Bourke to keep up with what their customers want. ow long have Moxon’s Bakeries been in Armidale, and where did you first start? Moxon's Bakery was first established in 1954 by Arthur and Pat Moxon. Initially the bakery was located in Stewart Town, NSW with the Moxons moving to Armidale in 1980. In 1992 Roger and Ann Bourke took over the operation of the bakery, with three other staff. In 2003 it became apparent that there was a need for a wholesale bakery in Armidale and that Moxon's was in a position to meet this need. Roger and Ann worked in conjunction with staff to introduce new equipment, training processes and products so to significantly and effectively increase the wholesale distribution of the business. How have the baking equipment and systems changed over the years? The Bourkes have supported the growth of the business through purchasing the latest baking technology. Some of the most recent purchases include the Edhard RVO depositor, the Simple Simon Pie Maker Junior, Pie Marking Systems, a new Provers, a mini rex bread

roll plant and a Simple Simon Pie glossing machine. These were purchased specifically to increase outputs from the bake house, along with providing a consistent high quality product for the customer. Roger and Ann have a close working relationship with staff. They are not managers who manage from an office. Roger and Ann together work on the growth of the business. They employ Trent Rush as the overall business manager for Moxon’s, while Tracy does HR and admin along with supervising in all shops. Staff are therefore able to speak with management as they need, and Roger and Ann make it clear to staff that they are always willing to listen. An essential part of ensuring high quality products is the training systems employed by Moxon's Bakery. All staff undergo induction training specific to their job description, including training in the safe operation procedures for all equipment they will use. All staff undergo food safety training with annual updates, and all staff are supported in formal training linked with the

National Training Framework. Tell us about your team ... Currently we have eight bake staff (including a Head Baker and specialist pastry cook) along with four new apprentices, three packing staff, two distribution staff, thirteen retail staff, and two clerical staff. Moxon's Bakery is fortunate to have a stable staff, with a number of key staff having been employed with the business for over ten years. What's new in the Centre Mall? There were a number of factors which made us decide on the new location. With having the basics like the large fridge and storage, we made the decision to renovate and have a lovely new shop front called GRAB & GO, MOXON’S BAKERY. This shop has the convenience of the Mall, with people walking by all the time. It’s a real pick up and go shop, with the Nachos, Lasagne, Spaghetti Bol, Jacket Potatoes,Curried Sausages, Curried Prawns, Quiche, Chicken Burgers, Rissole Burgers, and also Bacon and Egg Rolls. Moxon's Commitment to the local

community... As business owners, Roger and Ann Bourke are generous in their supporting of local charity and school fundraising events, as they believe in supporting and upholding the local community. With great regularity they donate items as requested to assist local schools, clubs and charities. In particular, every year the bakery assists schools and clubs with fundraising through pie drives. The pie drive allows schools and clubs to sell both meat and fruit pies and use the profits to raise the funds they need. Plans for the future? Moxon’s Bakery prides itself on commitment to excellence and ensuring that the items are always produced to the highest standard. As a business we are prepared to move with the times and keep our bakeries up to date with the latest equipment, technology and systems. We continue to win awards through various competitions, and these awards reflect the commitment of both staff and management to excellence. Thanks Roger and Ann.

new england focus 39

AUGUST 2014

with Terri

AQUARIUS.

GEMINI.

January 21 - February 19

May 22 - June 22

You may have been feeling left out or abandoned lately. Don’t despair; you were just being given a perfect time out time, to regather your energy and personal power. Work opportunities will soon take you on a new journey. Give yourself permission to achieve and surprise yourself. Clear Quartz amplifies our manifesting abilities.

September 24 - October 23

Patience is the virtue you will need to connect with this month. Your reality is changing, but there will be some loose ends needing your attention first. Newfound friends may be a great reflection for you this month, as they will be likely to mirror your challenges. Turquoise and Citrine are great for self worth.

Endings may be a recurring theme for this month. Look at the bright side of this equation every step of the way to ensure you are ready for all the opportunities you are aligning yourself with. You have wanted so many changes for such a long time, but you haven’t been actively taking steps toward them, so now the universe is offering a helping hand. Moldavite will transform your energy and gives flight to new opportunities.

PISCES.

CANCER.

SCORPIO.

February 20 - March 20

June 23 - July 23

Now is a great time to wake up an old dream and play with creating change. You have recently experienced personal challenges and have gained enormous strength. Focusing on your newfound qualities will help to keep you safe from your self-doubt. Rose Quartz is a wonderful crystal for self-esteem and unconditional love.

ARIES. March 21 - April 20 Let go of money worries and avoid thinking too much on how the finances will come forth to fulfil your dreams. Let go of the stress and give it to the universe to work with. Maintain the loving vibration of your home, as this is a beautiful, healing space and you will be rewarded. Citrine enhances our intuition and connects to the solar plexus chakra.

Avoid entertaining fearful thoughts on finances. You are a good provider and have the ability to cater for rainy days. Your future can be as secure as you need it to be or it can be as worrisome as you can make it; it’s up to you and your thought patterns. Be kind to yourself. Rhodochrosite helps us find our inner child’s joy of life.

LEO. July 24 - August 23 Strength will be your major attribute that you will lean on this month. You will be likely to recognise that there is no challenge too big for you to easily remove from your reality. Your mind will benefit from some interesting information, so keep an eye out for a new book or something to learn about. Selenite is a very powerful cleanser.

October 24 - November 22 Your vulnerability at the moment is slipping into negativity by seeing the cup half empty, which will lead to sadness and depression if not changed. You have been frustrated by waiting for change to find you, instead of walking toward your change. Set some fresh goals or make some new plans. Ruby helps connect us to our passionate and creative self.

S A G I T TA R I U S . November 23 - December 21 Your genius mind is about to find an exciting new challenge. Pursue something that gives you creative satisfaction, as this will feed your drive and motivation in other areas as well. Don’t say yes to just any offer; know your worth. This is the difference between happy and sad at the end of the day. Turquoise is great for self-improvement.

TA U R U S .

VIRGO.

April 21 - May 21

August 24 - September 23

December 22 - January 20

Your attention is drawn to your beliefs and rules by which you live. As you have changed, your reality is beginning to change. Don’t be afraid of the differences life will offer; be excited. There are new friends approaching and your intellect will have stimulation, so look for that perfect class to join and enjoy new talent and associated experiences. Zincite helps creation of new ideas.

Justice is high on the agenda this month. You are likely to find yourself walking a different path with a sense of new discovery. Perhaps a new talent will reveal itself and bring with it new friends and like minded people. Be aware of your fears and see yourself caped with the opposite of them. This will give a sense of security and peace. Angle aura in quartz or Danburite aligns our highest good.

Don’t be afraid to stand your ground and express your truth; your fear may be that conflict will erupt but if you pay attention, you will notice your words carry the power to end conflict not start it. You are a very fair arbitrator, and this talent will ensure a win/win. Yellow Jade connects the heart and solar plexus charkas.

40 new england focus.

LIBRA.

CAPRICORN.

Blue and White Blue and White – a timeless colour combination for decorating. Our photo this month shows our classic linen sofa decorated with blue and white cushions from Linen & Moore and throws from St Albans and Fluorescents. After a brief time out of the designer’s eye, blue and white are back in favour, particularly the lovely shade of blue known as Indigo. Indigo is a deep, rich blue originally coming from the Indigo plant and is one of the oldest dyes to be used for textile dyeing and printing. It was used in the ancient world, and India was a primary supplier of indigo to Europe as early as the Greco-Roman era. Today, the colour is mostly made using synthetic dyes, but it has a rich history and is a

perennial favourite. The combination of blue and white has always remained popular for interior decorating. Almost all fabric houses will feature a few pages of blue and white patterns and wallpapers in their collections each year. It can be used in every room in the house, even in Armidale, as different shades of blue and white will almost always blend into a decorating scheme in some way or another. Left on its own, it is fresh and clean, timeless and elegant. It can be softened by using cream and softer blues, or you can crisp it up with real white and navy blue. So many colours can be used as a highlight – red, pink, orange, yellow, brown, green. Add some timeless colour and pattern to your home this winter.

new england focus 41

S P E C I A L

F E A T U R E

M Y F U T U R E M Y C H O I C E

42 new england focus.

MY FUTURE MY CHOICE EXPO

W H AT ' S Y O U R

DISABILITY?

LLOYD G R I S N A T I O N A L D I S A B I L I T Y C O O R D I N A T I O N O F F I C E R

At House with No Steps we believe everyone has their own unique challenges that may restrict their ability to perform particular activities. Did you know that Area Manager Denise is left handed? When Come meet us Support Manager for a chat at the Hannah hangs out oice My Future My Ch her washing, she 17th ay sd ne ed Expo, W am has to match the September, 9:30 e City al id colour of every peg rm 4:30pm, A by family, friends and a with the colour of Bowling Club.” supportive community. the clothes - and she House with No Steps works with doesn’t like wearing her different people with disabilities glasses, even though she to help them reach their dreams and needs them! goals. We can help you create your own For some people these challenges might flexible program - you can customise your be a disability. At House with No Steps we support to suit your schedule and interests. recognise that every person is different, but We are really excited about the choice and it’s our differences that make us interesting flexibility the National Disability Insurance and unique individuals. Regardless of what Scheme (NDIS) will make to people with these differences are, we should all have the a disability in Armidale and all around same human rights. This includes the right to Australia. a good, happy and fulfilling life surrounded

“

i Lloyd. What's involved with your role as National Disability Coordination Officer? As the NDCO, I work on a strategic level to target barriers that people with disability face in successfully accessing and completing post-school education and training and subsequent employment. There are 31 NDCOs nationally, and we perform a range of functions to help people with disability gain access to and successfully complete post-school education, training, and employment. NDCOs can provide practical assistance and advice to individuals with disability and their families, education and training providers, as well as employment and community support agencies. UNE is the host for the National Disability Coordination Officer program for Region 2 New England North West. September 17 (9:30am - 4:30pm) is the date for the "My Future My Choice" Disability Expo. Explain this for our readers, please ... This year the NDCO program will be working with the New England Disability Interagency to plan, coordinate, and promote the 2013 My Future My Choice Disability Expo. The expo is an annual event sponsored by Disability Service providers, Local Government, Department of Education and Communities, University of New England and Disability Employment agencies. The theme “My Future My Choice” embraces the ideals of a person centred approach, the ability and the belief that anything is possible in enabling people to achieve an independent and fulfilled life. The sky is the limit! Why is it held, and who is it for? The “My Future My Choice” expo will provide a community event to raise awareness about disability and inclusive communities. The New England Area has welcomed several new support services, which has provided greater choice and

flexibility in the delivery of those services to the community. Participants will have access to the latest products and services to enrich their daily life. Whether you know what you want or just want to see what is out there, this Expo will expand your idea of accessibility and maintain independence. Individuals can access services that provide: person centred programs, employment, training, education, lifestyle and leisure, respite, advocacy, equipment and assistive technology. The planning committee encourages students and people with disabilities, parents, carers, support staff, and all interested community members to attend. What will be different about the expo in 2014? This year the expo will be held at the Armidale City Bowling Club (previously held at the Town Hall) as we are expecting more services to attend this year. We are also putting focus on the “hidden disabilities” - those that are not seen by people, such as mental health and chronic disease, and we are encouraging more indigenous services to attend to inform the community. We will also be holding a number of “breakaway” information sessions, which will highlight the achievements of those with a disability, Centrelink, and hopefully a representative to talk about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). How do our readers find out more? Invitations to exhibit at the Expo have been sent out to organisations that support people with disability, their families, and carers in the New England Area. They can also check out the NDCO Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ NDCORegion2 or contact either myself, Lloyd Gris on 0437 315 338 or Sue Bannon on 6770 3804.

new england focus 43

44 new england focus.

MY FUTURE MY CHOICE EXPO

ABILITY L I N K S P R O G R A M

NORTHCOTT Disability service provider Northcott has launched a free website providing tailored advice on how to include children with disabilities in mainstream activities.

during the activity, common concerns about the disability and how to improve is generated.

Developed in partnership with the Department of Family and Community Services, All In! gives parents, community groups and event organisers practical advice on what to do to make a child with a disability feel included in everyday activities.

Tamworth mum Kellie Ryan, whose son Jayden has Autism Spectrum Disorder, said All In! will make it easier for her to explain Jayden’s disability to other parents, community organisations and service providers.

All In! asks the user three questions about the situation, where they will be interacting with a child with a disability, the child’s disability, and their age. Using the answers, a tailored report containing specific advice on how to prepare, what to do

The report can be printed or shared with others via email.

“The All In! reports are really handy. It’s a good starting point for people who don’t know anything or who have fears. It will be good for a lot of other parents.” Visit www.all-in.com.au to generate a tailored report or find out more about including children with disabilities.

What is the Ability Links program? Ability Links is a program designed to assist people with a disability, their families and carers to have their needs met by their local community. An additional part of the program is to promote the rights of people with disability to live inclusive lives in public, private and social spheres and be valued and equal members of their community. Ability Links “Linkers” can facilitate the inclusion of individuals in the activities offered by public, private, non-government and volunteer based services by building the skills and abilities of people with a disability. Who can access the service? Ability Links is specifically focused on people with a disability who are aged 9 - 64 years and currently don’t access specialist support services; however, those currently engaged with support services are also welcome to join the Ability Links

program. The program will assist people at major transition points or other key points in their life (e.g. transition from primary to high school); however, support may be provided whenever people need it. There are no restrictions on people seeking support from Linkers more than once. Ability Links is in no way an alternative to current specialist services. Like the name suggests, “Linkers” act as a link between individuals and services and will operate in such a way to provide assistance to all spheres of the community as needed. Linkers will work closely with local Councils to equip communities with information and resources to better support people with disability, their families and carers. Where can the service be accessed? Linkers will be located in Armidale, Tamworth, Moree and Inverell and will cover all of the New England/North West Region.

“Northcott worked with us to make life easier.” We offer you access to:

1 Disability diagnosis advice and support 1 A range of tailored respite options 1 Life Skills and Community Participation programs 1 Siblings, parent and carer support networks 1 Family and Individual support 3N jMC NTS LNQD B@KK NTQ -DV $MFK@MC team on 6762 4902, email tamworth@northcott.com.au or visit www.northcott.com.au new england focus 45

MY FUTURE MY CHOICE EXPO

SUNNYFIELD DISABILITY SERVICES

R A C H E L’ S STORY Eighteen year old Armidale resident Rachel Horton has been accessing Challenge Community Service’s Transition to Work program since January of this year and is well and truly on the road to following her dreams. Rachel is on a quest to fulfil her goal of working with disadvantaged groups in our community and inspiring others living with a disability to pursue their dreams and goals. Rachel will begin her Certificate III in Community Services at TAFE New England this semester, and Challenge Community Service staff are thrilled to be supporting her on this journey. “We are so pleased Rachel has enough confidence in her abilities to step out and erase any doubt about her ability to succeed and act on her own life choices,” said Challenge

Supervisor Ghazala Farhan. “Rachel always encourages others to believe in themselves, embrace their potential and let no-one limit her opportunity.” Challenge Choices General Manager Chris Buckham said there are many more young people across Challenge taking charge of their lives and achieving their goals. “Challenge Choices offer many options for service delivery for people with a disability. The sky's the limit when it comes to program options; we are passionate about helping people with a disability achieve their dreams and goals. From learning new skills to obtaining a driver’s license or taking control of finances, we work hard to ensure participants are provided every opportunity to learn new skills and have fun at the same time.”

Sunnyfield’s mission is to enrich the lives of people with a disability by creating choice, opportunities and skills for life. We offer a range of programs throughout the New England region and have recently moved into new premises in Armidale. We are sharing a centrally located building in Rusden St with a couple of other organisations and run our day programs from this venue. Sunnyfield prides itself on its person centred approach and dedication to the promotion of active support to facilitate independence. We currently have a small group of low support clients in our day programs, and we provide and support a range of different activities depending on a person’s interest. Our activities include a cooking program, living skills training, community access activities including the pool, library, sports and leisure events and volunteer work, and a varied art and craft program including cultural arts. We hope to enter some of the work into various exhibitions and competi-

tions around the region. Clients also have access to computers and computer based activities. The program is flexible, and we have had interest from clients as far away as Guyra and Uralla. We are always interested in working with more clients and becoming as involved as possible in the Armidale region. The new premises are also the base for our range of independent living programs. These programs include living skills training and drop in support. For further information about our programs, please call our support office on 6760 1600.

Imagine life with

Challenge Community Services has over ﬁfty-ﬁve years’ experience providing person-centred services to people with disabilities and their families.

Our personalised services promote choice and independence to pursue your dreams and play an active role in your community.

Sunnyfield is one of the largest and most progressive service providers for people with a disability in NSW. Using a person centred approach, Sunnyfield provides services to assist and support people with disabilities to live an independent and rewarding life.

Services provided in the New England region include: Drop in Support Services are provided to support people with a disability to live in their own homes.

Self Managed Programs:

New Living New England

Supported Living Fund:

Independent Living Support Initiative This program aims to assist people with a disability with low to moderate support needs, who have ageing carers and who have the goal of community based accommodation. Support will be provided

46 new england focus.

These include Community Participation, Day Options, Attendant Care, Life Choices and Active Ageing programs. We have a centre based program in both Tamworth and Gunnedah, and community based programs throughout New England.

This service provides intensive support, training and skills development, to allow people with a disability to live independently. This program is designed to offer an alternative to group home placement for people who wish to live in alternative accommodation of their choice. It provides living skills training and ongoing support in the home as required.

www.challengecommunity.org.au | Follow us

Community Programs

Sunnyfield offers self managed community participation, day options and supported living fund programs. This model of service allows people and their families the opportunity to direct how, where and when their service is provided.

Living Linkage

1800 679 129 | info@challengecommunity.org.au

through intensive living skills development, and the development of effective support networks including a circle of support.

This is a self managed fund that provides ongoing support and resources to enable people to live independently in their community of choice. Some programs require ADHC referral while others can be entered via self referral. For any enquiries please call our Kathleen Street, Tamworth office on 6760 1600. www.sunnyfield.org.au

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT OUR KATHLEEN STREET, TAMWORTH OFFICE ON 6760 1600

AW1376619

We provide community access and skills training, daily living skills, accommodation, workplace choices and respite.

MY FUTURE MY CHOICE EXPO

TA B L E L A N D S

R E C R E AT I O N

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

ACCESS PROJECT

What is Community Transport?

Hi Suzanne. What is the Recreation Access Project? Recreation Access Project is for people aged from 16 to 65 and has something for everyone. We believe everyone has the right to community participation and to be valued as individuals. We advocate for people with disability to access services and recreation leisure activities on a non-discriminatory basis.

Community Transport offers you a way to get to essential services such as shopping, medical or social appointments, by using our Community Bus or Car, Volunteer Driver Service, Taxi

T H E N AT I O N A L D I S A B I L I T Y

COORDINATION PROGRAM How can NDCOs help? • Establish or support links between local organisations to build bridges between tertiary education institutions and job services, in order to help people with a disability transition from study to work

Voucher Scheme, or private bus contractors. Who is eligible for Community Transport? A person living independently in the community who is either: transport disadvantaged, has a permanent, moderate disability, frail aged and carers of these people. Volunteers needed Have you been thinking about ways in which you could give

• Work with educators, employers and other people in the community to identify and address barriers to participation

back to your local community? Do you consider yourself a

• Work with local stakeholders to help them implement policies that are designed to help people with disabilities

thing! Tablelands Community Transport are seeking volunteer

• Raise awareness about rights and responsibilities and services that are available.

transport passengers within their local community to various

Lloyd Gris is the NDCO for Region 2 New England North West, and is hosted by the University of New England. Phone: 61 2 6773 2130 or Mobile: 0437 315 338 Email: lgris@une.edu.au

good driver? Becoming a volunteer driver could be just the drivers in the areas of Armidale, Uralla, Guyra and Walcha to venues, such as doctor’s appointments and supermarkets. Volunteer drivers are fully reimbursed for using their own car and are required to have full comprehensive vehicle insurance. Training is provided and ongoing training opportunities are offered. Volunteers must satisfy a police check, have a safe driving record and be willing to undergo a medical assessment.

Web: http://www.une.edu.au/info-for/business-andcommunity/national-disability-coordination-ofﬁce

Please contact Karina at the Tablelands Community Transport

www.facebook.com/NDCORegion2

are transport disadvantaged in your local area.

ofﬁce on 6778 6450 to ﬁnd out how you can assist those that

We promote inclusive communities and modify activities to suit the individual. All programs and activities are wheelchair accessible, and all participants of the Recreation Access Project are valued members of the organisation. The Recreation Access Project relies on funding from NSW Family and Community Services Ageing Disability and Home Care and the continued support of a team of dedicated volunteers and the Armidale community to provide a choice of fun, safe and ﬂexible activities for individuals. What’s on offer? Short stay holidays such as Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle. Coffee and craft groups have enjoyed scrapbooking, painting ceramics, glitter art, and origami on Tuesday mornings. DanceAbility is very popular, with weekly workshops in Rock and Roll, social ballroom, and party dance classes are held Thursday evenings. Our Sportability program has included archery, Futsal, Bocce and we will be introducing a variety of additional sports activities, such as table tennis, Zumba, basketball and martial arts. Recreation Access welcomes all new participants for social group activities.

new england focus 47

focus_travel

with Vicki Kembery from Travel 195

Vicki Kembery S O, W H I C H C I T Y I S YO U R FAVO U R I T E ? ast week I was asked by a client who was heading off to London and Paris for the first time, “How long should I spend there”? Surprisingly, this is probably one of the hardest questions travel agents have to answer, because it really comes down to personal choice and what people like - but it did get me to thinking about all the fantastic, interesting and amazing cities [and also the not so amazing ones] I’ve had the opportunity to visit. So in about five minutes, I quickly jotted down as many cities as I could conjure up that I had visited and found myself looking at a list of just over 30 cities, which I realised would have to be streamlined if I was to talk about any of them at all in this month's column. I was able to pretty quickly cut the list to 20 without thinking too much about it – and no, I’m not going to mention the 10 or so that got the quick chop! But that still left me with about 10 too many to write about, and this is where it got a little more difficult to cull – so first rule employed was I couldn’t have two cities in the same country, which posed a few tough decisions, because it meant scratching Washington and St Petersburg off the list, and then the other criteria were that the cities really had to offer something unique to all the other cities, and had to be able to keep a visitor interested for at least three days (not difficult for these cities – including some I had to scratch) so I flicked Montreal, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Edinburgh and Dublin, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and finally Florence. I also thought I’d better have at least one city from each continent – except Australia, which I wasn’t including in this little project. No doubt there are going to be many readers who will scream in despair at my choice but, for what it’s worth, here’s my list of top 10 cities that I have visited – and just to let you know, I haven’t been to all the iconic cities in the world, so just because they’re not listed doesn’t mean they won’t get on the list one day! Number 10: Paris – yes that’s right the city of love only makes it in at Number 10. One reason for this may be due to the fact that I’m married to a Pom, and we all know what they

48 new england focus.

think of the French. Yes, it has some of the greatest iconic buildings in the world - Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe and I really enjoyed sitting on a coach as the driver “chucked a u-ey” on the Champs Elysees, but for my money there are 9 better cities to visit! Number 9: Hong Kong - the only Asian city that survived the culling. Every great Asian city (and there are a lot of them) offers great markets, shopping, food, hustle and bustle, but I think Hong offers something a bit more – Victoria Peak, outlying island fishing villages, Lantau Island and one of the longest cable car rides in the world, the MTR making it one of the easiest cities to get around, kitschy Macau next door, and I haven’t even mentioned Disneyland or Ocean Park making it great for kids too. Number 8: Prague. I chose this city above a lot of other European cities, mainly because of its Old Town Square and the memories I have of sitting there sharing a few drinks with an old mate from the UK while Neal squabbled for hours with a money changer he felt had ripped him off! It also has an intriguing Jewish Quarter, the astronomical clock and Prague Castle. But often a city makes your top 10 purely because of the memories of shared fun times with friends. Number 7: Moscow – this was a toughie to pick between Moscow and St Petersburg as the iconic Russian city. And again, I guess my choice came down to the memories it evoked. This is where I spent New Year’s Eve in Red Square, wandering past Lenin’s Mausoleum while watching ice-skaters skating on a fake rink with St Basil’s and the Kremlin as a back drop. Vodka never tasted so good. Number 6: Cape Town - the city of choice on the African continent. I really love this city and was lucky enough to have friends who lived there for a few years, so I was able to visit on a number of occasions. What’s not to love - the weather, the beaches, the waterfront, Robbin Island, nearby wineries and all overlooked by the impressive Table Mountain. You can’t ask for much more than that. And now I realise, I’ve run out of space! So, you’re just going to have to wait another month for my top five. In the meantime happy travelling.

new england focus 49

50 new england focus.

Thinking Mediation with h Peter Law, Solicitorr

THINKING G

MEDIATION ON Having been the former Resident Magistrate and Chair of the Family Court of Nauru, I continue to be an advocate for promoting the benefits that can be achieved through mediation as opposed to embarking on the expense, anxiety and often disappointment of protracted litigation.

or many people, engaging in litigation is very stressful and time consuming. More and more people and firms in conflict are finding mediation as a viable alternative to taking legal action. Mediation is now resolving 30% of the Supreme Court lists and obviating the need for Courts to hear evidence from the parties and make determinations. There is enormous risk for parties taking matters to Court. Firstly, there is no guarantee of winning the case, no matter how strong the circumstances might appear. Very often the outcome is 'winner take all'. The successful party may be awarded costs in addition to gaining a settlement in their favour. The losing party therefore is not only saddled with paying the settlement and their own costs but also the legal costs and disbursements of the other side. Mediation is attractive to many parties because it can be considered a 'win-win' situation in which an agreed outcome includes something for both parties. Sometimes a compromise by each of the parties can lead to satisfactory settlements. Mediations are usually subject to the following principles: The mediator does not take sides or reach any view about the position of either party. The role of the mediator is to act independently and try to bring the parties together and facilitate and agreement between them. It is up to the parties as to whether they reach an agreement or not. The mediator is there to assist in that process and to facilitate the circumstances and opportunity to achieve resolution. Confidentiality is essential and anything the parties say during the mediation cannot be used in any later Court proceedings. This allows for a party to make an admission, perhaps an apology, which often goes someway to overcoming the hurt and difficulty the other party has suffered; and, The parties usually indemnify the mediator from prosecution, meaning they agree not to

sue the mediator if the mediation does not work or breaks down. Conflict often arises when there has been a breakdown in communication and the working or personal relationship between the parties deteriorates. Parties can become entrenched in their positions and blame the other side for the problems they are experiencing. The aim of the mediator is to get the parties talking and to draw out the issues affecting them. The mediator might meet separately with the parties first of all to assist the parties to narrow the points of difference. Once undertaken it is surprising how positive the outcomes can be, provided it is approached by all parties in good faith and with a genuine desire to settle differences. If you have commenced litigation, you may be referred to a mediator by the Court as part of the proceedings. The matter may then be returned to Court for any agreement reached between the parties to be registered and the matter finalised. Alternatively, the original litigation may proceed. There are other avenues for mediation. For example, Employment matters through the Fair Work Tribunal or Family Court proceedings are often subject to Mediation Orders requiring parties to attempt mediation before proceeding with the cost and imposition that may arise from lengthy litigation. Many neighbourhood disputes and related matters are also often referred to mediation through the Community Justice Centres. This is a free service and enquiries can be answered by phoning 1800 990 777. If you are in dispute with a neighbour, employee, family member, landlord, or over a contested Will or any other dispute that could give rise to litigation, discuss the option of independent mediation with your solicitor. An early resolution may not only save you considerable time and money but also achieve peace of mind. Talk to us. You'll be inspired! Peter A. Law LLB(UTS) Solicitor & Mediator (LEADR) new england focus 51

focusinterview.

MAKING A “tree change” based on the future education opportunities of your children could be considered a risky decision, but it is a decision that has paid dividends for Rochelle Tubb and her family.

a tree change

he New England Girls’ School (NEGS) and its co-ed Junior School, St John’s won hands down when it came to choosing a regional private school in NSW. We talk to Rochelle Tubb about just what it was that made it the “perfect fit”. It has been just eight months since the family – that includes dad Nick and three daughters, Imogen (12), Bronte (10) and Arabella (8) – upped stumps and moved to Armidale from the lower Hunter Valley in search of what they described as the best education opportunities for their daughters. Originally from Sydney’s northern beaches, the family loved living in the Hunter Valley but felt the local schools were large and very impersonal, so set out in search of a school that offered a more personal approach to education and a vibrant city that they would all be happy to call home. “After we did a tour of NEGS and St John’s and the girls had participated in the school’s experience day, we were convinced we were making the right move, even though many of our friends couldn’t believe we were moving just so we could send the girls to a better school,” Rochelle said. “But in my mind, the education of your children and what school you send them to is one of the most important decisions you will make as parents. I knew we had made the 52 new england focus.

right decision when my youngest, Arabella, came home from her first day at St John’s and said it was the best day of her life. If that isn’t a strong endorsement for a school, then I don’t know what is.” Rochelle and Nick’s eldest daughter, Imogen, started Year 7 at NEGS this year. “We had a very clear vision of what we wanted for our girls, which ultimately made the decision making process a lot easier. Both St John’s and NEGS offered small class sizes, a personal approach to teaching, plus the diverse academic curriculum and the opportunity to be part of a school community. “So many schools we looked at offered an array of benefits, but once school hours finished, that was it,” Rochelle said. “At NEGS and St John’s there are just so many opportunities for children to be part of the school community and to be involved in so many different activities.” Rochelle said they were impressed with the standard of sporting excellence and that the senior girls competed on a state level and that just because they were regionally based, it was not a limitation. For example, NEGS boasts a superior profile on the hockey and netball front and in 2013 the Junior IGGSA hockey team won the IGGSA Grand Final in Sydney, and there are plans for the hockey program to be recognised as the best school based hockey program in the state within three to five years.

“After we did a tour of the school, we at the school seem to have a big impact on were very impressed with its the girls because of its intimate rich history and stunning environment.” grounds and while that As well as thriving was only a small part in academically, the girls have I knew we had made the right our decision making, been involved in playing y we just thought sports they haven’t tried decision when m , came lla youngest , Arabe what an amazingly before, representing first day home from her beautiful place to the school in athletics the best and said it was come to school every and participating in t n’ is that day of her life. If ent day – not just a big choir opportunities em a strong endors t n’ concrete jungle like that have seen them do I en for a school, th many other schools we perform at the New .” is know what looked at. And we also England Conservatory of recognised the benefits of Music. the co-ed junior school and The excellent equestrian how that meant the girls would facilities that NEGS offers were also enjoy an easy transition for when they a big drawcard for the family, as all their had to step up into the senior school. It is daughters ride. also hugely convenient having all the girls “As a person with a long history in the on one campus and all the kids know each equestrian world, there was no doubt the other and interact together no matter what NEGS Equestrian Centre was a huge attraction year they are in. for the girls and myself,” Rochelle said. “We really couldn’t be happier with our “While we all ride, Bronte has been riding at choice of school with NEGS and moving to Royals around Australia since she was eight, Armidale, as it has such a rich heritage, a as well as competing at state level and was thriving food and wine scene, and you really really excited about the opportunity to ride for can do and see anything here that you can in the NEGS equestrian team and represent the a city it is a much more relaxed and stress-free school at interschool events. environment. The benefits of educating our “There is no doubt for any child, no matter girls at a schools like NEGS and St John’s is what their interests or skills set, going to NEGS obvious every day to us, and the values taught would be a dream come true.”

“

Transition & Kindergarten Orientation Days

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EXPERI (1&(DAY AUG

EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A NEGS GIRL Friday August 29, 8.30am - 3.20pm, followed by a sleepover in one of the boarding houses. To register, visit our website www.negs.nsw.edu.au/experienceday or call 02 6774 8700

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focusinterview. ANTHONY KELLY HAS JUST SET THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR "THE MOST COACHES' QUALIFICATIONS IN MULTIPLE SPORTS". AFTER 30 YEARS OF ATTENDING COACHING COURSES AND SPENDING THOUSANDS OF HOURS STUDYING, COACHING AND LEARNING, HE SPEAKS TO US ABOUT THE GREAT HONOUR OF ACHIEVING THIS TITLE AMONGST MANY OTHERS.

ANTHONY KELLY

54 new england focus.

e I sent the footag s into Guinnes and ld Wor Records I was it, before I knew orld w e th to thrust in ing ar pe ap , ht spotlig in live on Spain TV of ns io front of mill people.”

“

i Anthony. How long have you lived in record holders of the decade. What other Guinness World Armidale? Records titles do you hold? I’m a fifth generation Armidalian. My mother I have over 36 records, and some are: and father are Sam and Kitty Kelly, and I am • Most arrows caught blindfolded in two minutes (world ﬁrst) 50 years old. I am married to Christine (nee • Most arrows caught in two minutes Shing) and my son is Taylor, who is married to • Most paintballs caught in two minutes blindfolded at 300 kp/h Stephanie Thomson. • Most paintballs caught in two minutes Can you tell us about your different roles as a Stunt Star, • Most tennis balls caught blindfolded in one minute at 100 kp/h Reaction and Martial Arts Trainer? • Most tennis balls caught in one minute I started doing martial arts 36 years ago after falling in love with • Most tennis balls caught in one hour the speed and grace of Bruce Lee and the strength and confidence • Most spears caught with a spear gun under water of Muhammad Ali. After 20 years of training and coaching, I start• Most punches in one minute ed hosting local demonstrations of local and national martial arts • Most punches in one hour and demonstrating different skills myself. It was in 2000 that I did • Most chop-sticks thrown in one minute an exhibition of catching arrows after I'd seen it done on a movie. • Most targets hit with a blowgun in one minute I sent the footage into Guinness World Records and before I • Most candles extinguished with a single martial arts kick knew it, I was thrust into the world spotlight, appearing live • Most candles extinguished with a single martial arts punch on Spain TV in front of millions of people. Since then I • Most revolving targets hit with bow and arrows whilst looking have appeared before billions of people around the into a mirror world, making/breaking and smashing records. • Organised “the most people doing ﬁst bumps” Whilst trying to work out how I could be as • Organised "the largest human wheelbarrow I have mentally and physically fast as I could be, race”. completed 43 I developed reaction training. What/who has been your inspiration? s co aches’ course s You have recently set the GuinI was inspired by my grandfather George ar and after five ye ness World Record for "the most Kelly, who was a famous bushman and ce en of correspond coaches' qualifications in multiple my father and Uncle Eager, who founded s, es with Guinn to d sports". Describe your coaching Kelly’s transport. These men where known de ci they de y m e dg journey for us ... locally as being not only trail blazers in le ow ackn d an ts en em Not only did I want to gain insights their fi elds, but as true gentlemen and kind ev hi ac into ALL coaching skills from all sports hearted men. Both Dad and Uncle Eager died started this new record .” and into how coaches get the best out of at an early age, so I really want to cram as much their athletes; I decided to gain qualifications into my life as possible and live up to their great in different sports also. I have coached many major reputation. teams, such as the Australian Davis Cup team, Japanese What is next for Anthony Kelly? and NSW Rugby and coaches' conferences, as well as gifted and I will continue coaching martial arts; after 36 years I am just talented athletes. Last year I coached over 10,000 people. In the starting to really understand what it's all about and what is imnext few months I will be coaching the Victorian and South Austra- portant to teach. I will also be coaching my reaction training to as lian netball teams and their coaches. I have completed 43 coaches’ many people as I can to make more people physically and mentally, courses and after five years of correspondence with Guinness, they faster and stronger. I will also be attempting many more records. decided to acknowledge my achievements and started this new One thing I have in mind is to run for Council, as I believe that record. Armidale could be so much better and as I tell people all over the In 2010 you achieved the record for being in the top ten world, I come from the BEST city in the world.

“

new england focus 55

focusinterview.

Gallery 126.

Emersion a Joint exhibition at Gallery 126

Rowen Matthews • Margarete Ogonowski argarete, how long have you lived in the area? My partner and I have lived in the area of Armidale for about 10 years now. I love the four seasons, the landscape and most of all, the wonderful friends we have made over the time being here. My daughter has moved to Armidale now as well. She appreciates the atmosphere after a more stressful life in Sydney. Describe the kind of artworks you create? I don't think I specialise in any certain type of art, but drawing usually generates the imagery and then at some point painting takes over. Often I don't know the final result of the painting. I let "mistakes" happen and allow them to lead me to unexpected results. I have to experiment, which can be quite "painful" at times, but I love surprises. I like to work fast and spontaneously, making marks responding to the environment around me. I am working through ideas that

56 new england focus.

arise in the process of creating layers, which can take a long time to resolve. Where do you get your inspiration from? Humans have used art as a means of expressing their emotions like love, grief, anger for a long time. Last year I decided to stay with a friend who was suffering from cancer. This time meant a lot to me; the works you see in this exhibition started in my mind when caring for my friend. We always had a very strong bond but particularly shared the pain and also an immense appreciation for special moments before her life ended. I knew I wanted to dedicate my next body of art work to her. There is a strong relationship between colour and emotion - a response to feelings and mark making in these works. Why is it important to share this exhibition with Rowen? Rowen has always been a sort of mentor for me, and I am honoured to share the space at Gallery 126 with him. I find him to be an inspiring artist, being very humble about his many achievements. I

am also pleased to be able to exhibit at Anne and Stuart's Gallery again; I really appreciate their contribution to the Armidale Community through their support of the arts. Rowen, how long have you lived in the area? I have a long connection with Armidale. I lived here for nine years and I return regularly to visit my good friends, draw, paint, exhibit and also keep my connection at UNE, casual teaching in Art Education. What is your specialist area? I draw and paint the landscape. In this exhibition with Margarete, I am showing a series of ten very simple drawings. These drawings are reductive in nature, just like a reductive sculpture where stone is removed to reveal a form; I try to show the raw energy in the land. Where does the inspiration come from? I make direct and fairly unfiltered responses to being in a landscape. To make the drawings for this show, I went east of Armidale to Dangars Falls and found the spot that a few local painters know affectionately as Artists’ Point. There is a beautiful view here looking

east to a bumpy horizon. The cliffs fall sharply into a deep gorge. Most Armidalians are proud of this dramatic place. When I look out from this point, there is so much in front of me - I have the luxury of choice. I feel the age of this land: the history of water and wind and heat and cold and growth and gravity. The place is exposed and ancient. I try to pull out the essential shapes, sharp and gentle, those shapes that can all be marked by an oil pencil being pushed over paper by my arm - head and heart; my whole body gets involved in this rhythm. When is the show on at Gallery 126, and why is it important that you are sharing this show with Margarete Ogonowski? Emersion opens on Friday 1st August. I have known Margarete for over 10 years and have always been impressed by her inventive material practice. I also admire her insightful responses to life. In our work, we share an emotive response to subject, and I am excited to have this opportunity to exhibit alongside her at Gallery 126. Thanks everyone.

focuseditorial. orial.

“Wouldn’t it if... ”

e’s Due to Armidal n, hilly po sitio are a number e er th tions of suitable loca l w Bo e where th take could be built to tural na advantage of a ” e. tr amphithea

“

… Armidale had a Music Bowl Idea D Description: escription: Music Bowls are a

lookout on North Hill. This space is the loo

crowd sizes.

valuable, popular feature in many other

currently underutilised by the community

It could be used free of charge by

communities. They provide a great

and is a prime spot to be turned into

community groups to showcase their

outdoor venue for performances such as

a facility that could be further used

talents and made available for hire

music, drama and comedy.

and enjoyed.

to commercial productions. As such,

Due to Armidale’s hilly position, there are

In addition to the stage and roof, further

it would bring both revenue and top

a number of suitable locations where the

development could involve landscaped

quality entertainment to Armidale for the

Bowl could be built to take advantage of

tiering, public amenities and facilities for

benefit of the town and enjoyment of the

a natural amphitheatre, ensuring great

stalls and vendors.

community.

views and acoustic benefits.

Community Benefits: Due to the simple,

How can you help out? Please log in

A great potential location would be

open layout, a music bowl would be

and vote for this project to show your

in Drummond Memorial Park below

suitable for a wide variety of uses and

support on heartofourcommunity.com.au

vote / share Visit heartofourcommunity.com.au to vote for this idea and share it with your friends! Votes so far: 2 New England Mutual would like to thank FOCUS for their support of these inspiring p g communityy ideas.

be inspired...

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Uphill & Schaefer Uphill & Schaefer Real Estate is recognised as the leading sales and property management performers in the Armidale area. This is attributed to strong exposure, hard work, professionalism, ethical business practice and a dedicated, highly qualified team of 13 staff. hen searching for a home, whether it is in the town centre or acreage on the edge of town, the sales team (Shane Kliendienst, Julie Schaefer and Gail Schaefer) will go beyond your expectations to give you all the current market information you require to make an educated decision when selecting your dream home or property or transitioning to your next home. Our cohesive team environment provides a seamless transition when purchasing or selling your property. Over the past few years there has been a resurgence of confidence in the Armidale area, particularly with homes at the median price point and strong enquiry on investment properties in residential property. The team at Uphill & Schaefer Real Estate have an intimate knowledge of the local real estate market and are always happy and willing to share their knowledge. They have a keen

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understanding of the changing trends of the market - a very important factor when you are considering investment. If you are considering investing in Armidale, Uphill & your expectations. Moreover, Schaefer Real Estate have the staff at Uphill & Schaefer 6 highly qualified and are enthusiastic, responsive, You can benefit experienced property having om fr intelligent, have a sense of managers who have rsonal point of pe e on humour, are approachable extensive knowlntact: a qualified al co and understanding. edge of the Armision real estate profes It is the sort of service dale area. You can who is trained to ery that people tell their friends ev d benefit from having handle each an g in ag about; in fact, much of one personal point aspect of man the current business is from of contact: a qualified your property.” referrals and previous clients - a real estate professional good indicator the team is doing who is trained to handle it right! each and every aspect of A testimonial from just one of our satismanaging your property. This person fi ed clients: will get to know both you and your property “When we first decided to sell our house in personally, and offer service that will exceed

“

Armidale, we investigated which Real Estate was getting houses sold in our area. It was Uphill & Schaefer who had the sold signs on properties. We needed our house sold quickly for the right price in a difficult market. We were aware of the excellent reputation of Uphill & Schaefer (one they have had for many years) so we decided to list the house with them. Uphill & Schaefer did not disappoint! They are a group of honest, dedicated and professional people who deserve their great reputation - well done!” JT. Come and meet the team at Uphill & Schaefer Real Estate - the team that you can trust to help you along the path to a great result. Give them a call on 6772 1200 or email admin@uphillschafeer.com.au

Your Heading Here! Thinking of relocating? Or, spreading the wings? Do your research carefully. Armidale is the regional city servicing the New England Tablelands of NSW. Landmark Harcourts also services the New England Tablelands in rural and rural lifestyle real estate. Geoff Leedham has been associated with rural property in the New England for 43 years. He knows the district, and his knowledge can be most beneficial to those making the exciting change to the “bush”. Undoubtedly one of the pick addresses in the New England, Landmark Harcourts has this brilliant recreational property of 200 ha. It produces beef; research the other exciting income earning opportunities. Enjoy the 3 km frontage to the pristine Styx River. Landmark Harcourts have a Waterfall Way property with a 2.5 km river frontage. The 67 ha property is gently undulating to the north east, with wonderful home-sites. A shed is converted to very comfortable accommodation; the property is only 30 minutes’ drive to Armidale. Don’t overlook this 100 acre farm 11 km from Armidale - meticulously set up as a compact stud farm. Nothing over 10 years of age - a well-appointed cottage, large enclosed shed with stables, feed and tack room, steel cattle yards with full crush, seven paddocks and laneway with quality fencing. Regarded to be one of the best 100 acres on offer in the district. If buying or selling - hobby farms through to large rural holdings Landmark Harcourts are the specialists. Call anytime for a chat.

KENTUCKY, NSW 220ha - 543ac

1 Equine, Beef &/or Lamb • 20km Uralla, 42km Armidale, 68km Tamworth • Exceptional water, natural shelter. • Holistically managed pastures • Brick home, large sheds, stock yards • Stables, round yard, stallion pdk, barn • Fenced and laned for ease of management

Web ID: LAM2492

FOR SALE $1,400,000 Geoffrey Leedham 0428 659 549 geoffrey.leedham@landmarkharcourts.com.au ARMIDALE (02) 6772 8188, 59 Bundarra Rd

new england focus 59

focusTourism.

Tourism Katrina George Cosy B&Bs, open fires, toasted marshmallows, frosty mornings, and a dusting of snow. Living in the New England region, we take these things for granted and maybe we don’t appreciate the beauty and wonder of our winter months.

e are very enthusiastic about our amazing autumn colours, spring gardens and mild summers; additionally, our cool climate and high altitude creates an exciting and alternate Tourism Destination. Last month we launched the New England High Country Winter Moments TV Advertising Campaign. Through the success of Experience the

60 new england focus.

Highs, New England High Country has “grown legs” and now encompasses the 7 Councils of Armidale, Uralla, Guyra, Walcha, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and Inverell. Through collaboration of the region's tourism marketing dollars, we have been able to create our first TV campaign called "Winter Moments in New England High Country". The aim of this campaign is two-fold. On the one hand it is to

further promote the region as a winter destination by advertising special accommodation offers, and secondly to help establish New England High Country as a destination brand which will one day rival the Blue Mountains! The campaign will be aired from Newcastle in the south up to southern Brisbane and west to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs. Winter tourism has been a highly successful drawcard for the Southern Highlands and Blue Mountains, and the New England region is a wonderful new winter destination for people to explore. Through the use of beautiful imagery we are creating awareness of this region as an exciting new holiday destination. The TV advertisement can be viewed on YouTube: search “New England High Country”. The Experience the Highs Facebook page has been renamed New England High Country and now boasts in excess of 2380 "likes", which in itself is a great achievement. We would like to encourage all New England residents to "Like" us on Facebook to follow this Winter Campaign and other future campaigns that we use to promote this region to visitors. New England High Country also has Twitter and Instagram accounts. Please use #NEhighcountry @NEhighcountry when posting your pictures of the region. This month we hosted Nine MSN’s Travel Editor, who also writes across a wide range of publishing categories both on and off line, including publi-

cations such as Parents, Australian Geographic, DMAG, Out & About With Kids, Cruise Passenger and Spa Life. We took the opportunity to showcase the Waterfall Way, NERAM, Merilba Winery, Fleet Helicopters, Bistro on Cinders, Fresh@110, Saumarez House, Armidale Heritage Tour, NERAM Harvest, Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place and Poppy’s Cottage. A big thank you to Quality Hotel Powerhouse, who generously donated two nights' accommodation, breakfast and dinner in their fine dining Azka Restaurant. The Armidale team is ready to head to Sydney for the Country NSW Expo on the 2nd and 3rd August. This year we will be accompanied with representatives from TAS, PLC, UNE, NEGS, Community Mutual and the Community of Schools. The Country NSW Expo is an opportunity for regional Australia to meet Sydneysiders who are looking to make a “city change”. Additionally, this year they have organised a tourism trade day on Friday 1st August; travel agents have been invited to come and see what the regions have on offer. This promises to be an excellent opportunity to promote our town and region. Just a reminder: don’t forget to contact us if you are planning any event such as live music, themed dinners, plays, musicals or concerts. We would love to promote your activity through our Events Calendar and display your flyers and posters in the Visitor Information Centre. These details can be emailed to tourism@armidale.nsw.gov.au .

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Take time to Take it easy National retirement village operators Oak Tree Group understand retirement should be a time to take it easy a time to do the activities that make you smile… emember, as you headed towards 55, retirement was something you started to look forward to. You pictured time spent reading the classics on the porch, tinkering with the tools in the shed and taking the old cruiser out on road trips, but then you reached retirement and you woke up as reality set in.

Now you are standing on the back steps, looking at more household responsibilities than recreation. Whether you have a farm, quarter acre block or 600 square metres, there is always yard work to be done: mowing, trimming trees, fixing fences; it takes its toll. Then, there are the other tasks, daily chores, weekly upkeep

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and regular repair work; you have maintenance on the old weatherboard, clearing the leaves from the gutters, and carrying the washing up and down stairs. It can be quite daunting and understandably, this is not how you envisaged your retirement would be. Recognising that physically demanding maintenance can become overwhelming, Oak Tree have the solution. Oak Tree Retirement Village Armidale: a community lifestyle village for 55 years and over with an on-site Village Manager to oversee all the service maintenance projects from communal landscape gardening, external cleaning and pest control through to path clearing,

community centre jet blasting and more. “When a resident moves to Oak Tree, maintenance becomes a thing of the past,” says Oak Tree Regional Sales Manager Melissa Luck. “They no longer need to climb up a ladder to paint the house or clean the gutters. They don’t even need to be pushing a mower; our Village Manager looks after all of that.” With less heavy gardening and maintenance, as an Oak Tree Village resident you have more time for social activities. The village will have easily accessible recreational facilities, such as a bowling green, swimming pool, landscaped gardens and a function venue to entertain family and friends. There will be a number

of daily activities to keep the mind and body active: billiards, cards, movies, and even a Friday afternoon happy hour. 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. Learn more about how you can embrace a carefree retirement lifestyle at an Oak Tree Group hosted community preview event at Armidale Bowls Club on 13 August, with morning tea from 10am. To book for the preview or make enquiries, call today 1300 367 155 or visit www.oaktreegroup.com.au and make it your time to take it easy.

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