Port Macquarie Focus i118

GREATER PORT MACQUARIE

Feature Story

London Haydn Quartet

September 2015 // issue 118

WildwoOD F E S T I V A L

editor's note.

WHAT’S HAPPENING GLASSHOUSE REGIONAL GALLERY

THE ELAINE AND JIM WOLFENSOHN GIFT

editor.

jay beaumont.

Welcome to the September issue of Greater Port Macquarie FOCUS.

O

ur September issue heralds the start of spring; the days are warming up and are a little longer, giving us all extra time to get out and enjoy the sunshine. It’s a time that nature appears in its best form across our beautiful Greater Port Macquarie region, and there certainly are some beautiful spots to enjoy a balmy spring afternoon. We even have a great outdoor living feature this month to help you make the best of the warmer weather.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volunteering is a strong point of many residents in our region. We show our support to the organisations they are involved in by bringing you information on some of the events organised by these community groups the Camden Haven Quilters Annual Exhibition, Wauchope Lions Club Antique and Collectibles Show, the Wildside Adventure Race and the Family History Fair and Conference.

This issue is also full of some great things to see and do. Our School Holiday activities feature highlights some of the fantastic adventures for young and old on offer. Why not make a day of it at Billabong Zoo - the all new cheetah exhibit will open towards the end of September - go for an Eclectic Art Tour, have a relaxing ale at Black Duck Brewery, or maybe

contacts.

Got a story idea? Looking to advertise in Focus? Contact us for more information.

ADDRESS: 4/74 Clarence Street, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 PHONE: 02 6584 7433 FAX: 02 6584 6733 WEB: www.focusmag.com.au TV: www.focustv.com.au 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. Greater Port Macquarie Focus is produced and published by Creative House Publications PTY LTD ABN: 621 287 86005 Material in Focus is Copyright © Creative House Publications PTY LTD 2009-2014 and may not be reproduced whole or in part, in any form, without permission of the Publisher. All rights reserved.

head out to Long Point Vineyard for a picnic!

There is also two not to be missed local events that deserve some real estate in your calender. The Port Macquarie Beer and Cider Festival on the 26th September and Wildwood Festival on the 4th of October. Lots of information on both these great events inside this issue; see you there!

FOCUS SIGNATURE DISH Focus is looking for the best Signature Dish in Greater Port Macquarie, as voted by you!

You can vote for your favourite dish on our Facebook page for your chance to win a $250 “Dinner for Four” voucher at the establishment of your choice. Check out page 30 to see all the amazing dishes and make sure you vote!

11 September - 14 October The Elaine and Jim Wolfensohn gift enables people from all around Australia to discover and handle treasured objects. Made possible by Jim Wolfensohn, the Australian-born former president of the World Bank, the gift comprises art-filled suitcases.

The National Gallery of Australia has been touring Wolfensohn gifts to schools, libraries, community centres, regional galleries and nursing homes across Australia since 1990.

The valuable artworks have been carefully selected to be both interesting and resilient; so that they can be handled and enjoyed by young and old for many years to come.

The Glasshouse will be the Red case and the Yellow case, exploring myths and rituals and form, space and design.

Image left: Unknown artist, Seated Ganesha, 9th–10th century, bronze, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Part of the Elaine and Jim Wolfensohn Gift, Red Case: myths and rituals. Image right: David Wallace, Stockman and horse 1997, recycled materials including wire, fabric, plastic, buttons. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Part of the Elaine and Jim Wolfensohn Gift, Yellow case: form, space, design.

A National Gallery of Australia touring exhibition The National Gallery of Australia is an Australian Government Agency

FINAL SAY “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson.

Jay Beaumont - Editor Jay Beaumont – Editor jay@focusmag.com.au

EDITOR: Jay Beaumont jay@focusmag.com.au

ART DIRECTOR: Dylan Gaul dylan@focusmag.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Joey Dable joey@focusmag.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Marchment michael@focusmag.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jeff Cowan

2007 Business of the Year 2009 Winner Professional Services 2010 Winner Professional Services 2010 Winner Business to Business Choice Award 2011 Winner Creative, IT & Communications 2012 Winner Creative, IT & Communications 2012 Finalist Excellence in Business 2013 HALL OF FAME

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Kyle Rathbone kyle@focusmag.com.au

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Louise Beaumont louise@focusmag.com.au

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT/WRITER: Chrissy Jones JP chrissy@focusmag.com.au

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT: Jasmin Johansson jasmin@focusmag.com.au

18 September - 15 November FREE ENTRY

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT: Annette Wannell annette@focusmag.com.au

SALES & ADMIN SUPPORT: Sarah Gale sarah@focusmag.com.au

COPY EDITOR/JOURNALIST: Jo Atkins

Exhibition organised and toured by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Frances Djulibing, Yukuwa (Feather string yam vine), 2013, banyan tree bark, cockatoo feathers, beeswax, Museum of Contemporary Art, purchased 2013, image courtesy and © the artist, photograph: Alex Davies

jo@focusmag.com.au

TRAVEL EDITOR: Susie Boswell sunconsulting@ozemail.com.au

FOCUS IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THESE GREAT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS.

PUBLIC WALKWAY 2-9pm Directional Signage

Temporary Fencing Closed at 2pm

Food Food

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Small Marquee

Stage

Band Marquee

12mx24m Marquee

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Temporary Structures

pathway 2-9pm Alternative

Small Marquee

3 phase from Sundowner

(or use power if available on town green)

Sun downer

Trees

02 6581 8888

glasshouse.org.au

2-9pm Alternative pathway

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focusinterview.

Washington Megan Washington, otherwise known as "Washington" , has had a colourful career to date,

kicking off her musical journey with Jazz, moving through to Pop and also writing and performing in musicals. She’s heading to Panthers this month to awe audiences with a stripped back, raw performance …

S

tart by telling me about professional musician for years. your early days. When did Over the years your style has changed and your love for music begin to progressed a lot, from those days when blossom? you were playing Jazz, to now Pop music Umm ... I’m not sure that it and you’ve dabbled in a few other genres. has! I guess I would say that How would you describe the transition it blossomed when I was in primary school, from those different genres to where you looking back on my life and realising why I like are now? the things that I like and why I do the things Well, I’d say that I sort of use genre like a that I do. visual artist uses medium - an artist will Mostly, music is what got me sculpt, and sometimes they’ll into everything. I was a dancer draw, and sometimes they’ll as a kid - I can’t remember paint and it doesn’t make I did a gig for any of the dances anymore their work any more or al Sydney Festiv - but I can still remember less authentic. I guess in 2011 on my e er all the songs that I that’s how I think about th birthday, and 00 ,0 danced to. genres, or at least how 20 t were abou n. ai m do e th I love musicals, and I try to. in people ng si to l al em I think that’s no secret, I started out as a th t I go ay hd rt bi y pp ha but I always wanted to Jazz musician but I love e m od! ” that as pretty go be in one - I think it’s just modern music, and so through this that I kept I got into that. But that going through music and I’m doesn’t mean that I love Jazz now in a place where I just write any less ... You know, I sort of my own musicals and sing them. just move with whatever I feel like Just following on from finding yourself the music wants; I try to do things that with music, how did you break into the way. music scene as such?

As you’ve mentioned your love for musical I just worked really hard. I was gigging pretty theatre, you featured with fellow Aussie much four nights a week, singing Jazz from Rocker Tim Rogers from You Am I, with the the time I was 18. When I started making Pop Thriller musical. What part did you play? music, I got unearthed by triple j, and that was It was a musical roughly based on the story great, but before then I had been working as a of Peter Pan; I played the Tinker Bell type

“

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character.

Throughout your career, you’ve obviously travelled quite extensively and had some awesome experiences. What have been some of your most memorable moments?

I did a gig for Sydney Festival in 2011 on my birthday, and there were about 20,000 people in the Domain. I got them all to sing me happy birthday - that as pretty good!

When it comes to writing music, who or where do you seek your inspiration from?

It can come from anywhere, I suppose, whether it’s a word or a phrase or a picture that I get in my head, or sometimes I hear somebody else's song and it doesn’t go the way I think it should, so I want to rewrite it. It can happen sort of anywhere.

What’s on the horizon for you after you wrap up this tour?

I’m going to do another record … I know what I want to do ... Whether or not I can actually do it is another thing.

Thanks Megan.

the plug!

Don't miss Megan Washington at Port Macquarie Panthers, Wednesday 9th September.

Door 7:30pm | Show 8pm. Pres-sale $25* | Door $30* portmacquarie.panthers.com.au

inside this

Issue 118 - September 2015

22.

british india.

After touring with the Rolling Stones, British India once again return to the FOTSUN stage, bringing their rock tunes to the Festival goers...

string theory.

56.

Thanks to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, the unique exhibition, String Theory, is currently touring and will be stopping over at the Glasshouse Regional Gallery. Glenn Barkley, the exhibition’s Curator, describes the finer points of this one of a kind installation …

84.

56.

Emma Fehon.

Local Lass Emma Fehon is taking on the world - literally! Working with high calibre tourism companies, to writing her own blog, to having one of the most popular travel instagram accounts, it’s safe to say this girl is “Completely Wanderlust”! FOCUS catches up with Emma to find out how she has turned her dreams into reality …

12. Rae Howell 16. 100th Anniversary of Frank Sinatra 46. Wildside Adventure Race

usual suspects.

the

14. what’s on for September 24. eat featuring local restaurants 33. social scene with Kate Wood-Foye 34. palate pleasures with Lou Perri 75. starguide with Terri 82. travel with Susie Boswell 89. tourism with Janette Hyde 91. port chamber update with Hadyn Oriti 104. landcare with Estelle Gough

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

www.focusmag.com.au follow us on www.facebook.com/focus.mag www.twitter.com/focusmag

www.focusmag.com.au/eat

www.focusmag.com.au/eat

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focusinterview.

INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT MESITI AND JASON CLIFTON - ORGANISERS OF THE PORT MACQUARIE BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL ...

T

ell us a bit about how the event came about ..

(Scott) It was one of those organic conversations, really. Jason and I often walk our dogs in the morning at Lighthouse Beach and always talk about the week ahead of us. With Jason being a local brewer and myself doing music and events, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together, and it didn’t take long for the idea to get us really excited. From the get go, this event had to be family friendly and all about fun ... Beer, cider, great food, live music and games ... Done.

What beers will be available during the festival?

(Jason) We’ve got a really broad range of breweries and cider houses represented, from the extremely well known such as Stone and Wood, to the lesser known Hopdog Beerworks. There are several breweries making their debut at the festival, such as Merchant Brewing Co and Wayward Brewing.

Wayward are just about to open the cellar door to their new brewery, and we are rapt to be able to host them at our festival. Normality is not generally expected at these events, and this is not the exception. We’ve got breweries concocting special brews just for the event. From Two Birds we have a Thai Spiced IPA called “Mor Lam”, as well as a “Taco Beer” for patrons to try. For a complete list of what’s coming, visit our website or like our Facebook page, where we will post regular updates.

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ed We’ ve dete rmin ree th e ar e er th that ss to ing effective way s of we’ ll ch a keg, all of whi e web th to g in ad lo up be page ok bo ce site and Fa ks ee ...” in the coming w

“

All of these fantastic creations can be sampled from your free take home festival glass, which you will receive on arrival.

The festival will also feature some gourmet food vendors. What are some of the highlights?

(Scott) For sure! We've got some great local food stalls coming down, including Burn For Yew covering smoked brisket, pulled pork etc, Fish Face Taco (the name says it all), Surfside Pizza, with a few more to come. We'll also have something sweet there for the kids.

The event is a family friendly; what activities are there for the kids?

(Jason) There'll be a jumping castle, pop up putt putt, giant checkers, and we'll think of some more between now and then.

We hear there are also some games for the big kids?

(Scott) Most definitely. We have a pretty sizeable games arena, where adults can enjoy some cruisy games such as boche, oversized jenga and giant chess. But it's not all “exhausting activities”; we want people to relax, so we encourage you to bring a blanket or a camping chair and set up a pozzy next to the water, grab a beer or cider and soak up the spring sunshine.

Tell us a bit about the keg toss; how does it work?

(Jason) The rules of the keg toss are most closely associated with the shotput.

As the name suggests, the aim is to toss a 50 L empty keg as far as you can.

The distance is measured from the point at which it first lands on the ground. Anyone wanting to volunteer for the job of measuring throws should send their details to us! We’ve determined that there are three effective ways of tossing a keg, all of which we’ll be uploading to the website and Facebook page in the coming weeks.

Please remember to pre-register and as we are an equal opportunity festival, we want the ladies to get involved also. We’ve got $600 worth of cash and prizes up for grabs. It is bound to be great fun, and we encourage everyone to get involved.

Thanks guys.

the plug!

Port Macqurie Beer and Cider Festival, Saturday 26th September at Westport Park, Port Macquarie. Gates Open 12pm.

Adults $28.60 Kids $13.30 Family Pass $66.30 portmacbeerandciderfestival.com

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focus_local recipe

Mushroom & Buffalo Mozzarella Arancini

Image of the month.

About: Fatty The Rat Rod, owned by Mitch and Anne, authors of Fatty The Rat Rod. Photo by: Buttola Images. Camera: Canon 600D, 18-55mm @48mm.

Taken a great photo of our local area? Like to see it published in FOCUS for the world to see? Just email editor@focusmag.com.au

with Eric from www.theotherchef.com.au

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) 300 g arborio rice 250 ml vegetable stock 250 ml mushroom stock 100 g wild mushrooms

WH

AT ’ S I N

MANDARINS

Whilst NSW is not a key mandarin region, we do have some plantations, with more substantial growers around Gosford and Lismore. With the spring weather beginning to warm up, we are certainly more inclined to serve a salad to accompany a meal at home. And a great way to enjoy all these mandarins is to add some to a colourful, fresh salad. Segment a few mandarins, and toss with snow pea sprouts, thinly sliced red capsicum, shallots, carrot strands and some sliced pecan nuts.

Whisk together some quality olive oil, red wine vinegar and honey to make a dressing and finish the salad by sprinkling over some toasted sesame seeds.

Look for locally grown mandarins at your local farmers’ market. or ask your friendly green grocer.

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Find out more about The Other Chef at www.theotherchef.com.au

greater port macquarie focus.

100 g panko breadcrumbs 1 egg

We were lucky enough to be handed an enormous bag of home-grown mandarins by a lovely neighbour recently.

They are perfect for the kids’ lunchboxes, being easy to peel and irresistibly sweet. Not only are mandarins packed full of Vitamin C, but they are also a good source of antioxidants, folate and fibre. Currently, there are around 4,900 hectares of mandarins planted in Australia, with a total of 2.3 million trees. Around 30% of the national crop is exported.

WHERE

50 g buffalo mozzarella

50 g plain flour

Chef Boyne Pead & Gabe Eagleson

20 g aioli

The Point Port Macquarie

1 tablespoon truffle oil 24 marinated baby figs 1 tablespoon butter

168 Settlement Point Rd, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Phone (02) 6584 2020 Web thepointportmacquarie.com

METHOD Bring vegetable stock to a simmer, add arborio rice, stir regularly until stock is absorbed into the rice. Slowly add the mushroom stock and allow to cook the rice further.

In another pan, sauté mushrooms with butter until soft. Add mushrooms to rice mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread onto a tray and place in fridge to cool.

Meanwhile, cut buffalo mozzarella into 1 cm cubes and set aside.

In a separate bowl, add a dash of water to the egg and whisk to create an egg wash.

For the crumbing station, put the flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs each into separate containers.

Once the rice mix has cooled, scoop one tablespoon and place one cube of mozzarella into the centre. Roll in one hand to create a ball. Repeat until mix is gone. Lastly, dip balls into egg wash, then crumb each ball by rolling in the breadcrumbs.

To cook, heat a pot of oil to 180°C and cook the balls until golden.

For truffle aioli, combine truffle oil with aioli until thoroughly mixed.

To serve, place a small amount of truffle aioli on a plate and set arancini on top. Garnish with marinated baby figs and fresh watercress as desired.

focusinterview.

lior

i

LIOR BURST ONTO THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE IN 2005 WITH HIS STUNNING DEBUT ALBUM - AUTUMN FLOW. RECORDED AND RELEASED ENTIRELY INDEPENDENTLY, AND SPEARHEADED BY THIS OLD LOVE AND SUBSEQUENT SINGLES DANIEL AND AUTUMN FLOW, THE ALBUM BECAME ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT DEBUTS IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY, WITH SALES SURPASSING PLATINUM.

A

swag of accolades followed, amongst them three Aria nominations (including Best Male Artist), as well as triple j’s prestigious “J Award” nomination for Album of the Year. Now is you chance to see Lior perform live at the Wildwood Festival at Cassegrain Winery on Sunday 4th October.

Where did you grow up, and at what age did you realise your musical talent?

I was born in Israel, and moved to Australia when I was 10 years old. I started playing the guitar around the age that I came to Australia. A few years into playing I became much more interested in writing songs, singing and playing in bands; my early 20s is when I set about a solo career and that led up to recording my first album, Autumn Flow, which was released 10 years ago.

How did you get involved in the music scene?

I did a lot of gigging with bands in the Sydney music scene. I was always writing the songs and bringing them to the band; it kind of got to a point where I wasn’t happy with the musical control and didn’t like the compromises that I had to make being in a band, and that’s when I set about to write songs for my first solo album. I just did it independently and had very little expectation, but connected with people in a way that was beyond what I expected.

You mentioned your debut album, Autumn Flow, which was released in 2005. Why was this a major milestone for you?

As I said, I released it independently. Everything

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about the album had a very true and direct conand celebrate an album that I suppose has both nection with the audience; there was no marketbeen successful and something that also kick ing, there was no hype around the album, so the started my music career, and I’m really happy to connection was made by the people connecting be here. with the songs, and for me that was a very true Also playing in beautiful theatres with a band and honest reaction from an audience. And that’s of my choice, I’ve selected the most wonderful all I wanted, I guess. Since then I’ve enjoyed a group of musicians; we are going to play the very loyal organic following, and I that’s the music album back to back and then play a collection career I’ve always wanted. of songs from the subsequent albums as Tell us about some of the inwell. It’s just going to be a really fluences behind the album; good musical celebration. how did it all come I suppose it will be a it d together? bit different for you di I just tly en nd pe I worked very closely this time as well, de in tle lit ry ve d with a producer by the having had the years ha and t name of Raymond Petaz; of experience in beexpectation, bu connected w ith at tween when you first he’s also worked with th people in a way I released the album ...

Gotye. I suppose it was t was beyond wha Sure, there’s a comvery much a willingness expected .” fortability on stage and a to put some of the Eastern relationship with the musiinfluences, particularly the cians as you get a bit older and song Bedouin, just to have that you get more sure of yourself. You as a flavour on the album. just remember to enjoy it and not take We wanted to also keep it very human, led by the musicians and the arrangeit so seriously, to be more free on stage, ments; there’s a lot of acoustic finger picking that’s what the audience want. They want to and different things like that, so with all those see you immersed in what you’re doing because elements of myself and my own musicality, we it’s contagious. tried to create a coherent body of work.

What can fans expect from your much anticipated performance at the Wildwood Festival With three ARIA award nominations and the in October? success of Autumn Flow, it has now been The Wildwood Festival is a bit different, re-released as a 10th anniversary edition. because it’s around the time of the tour, but What are you looking forward to with your it’s actually going to be a more intimate solo upcoming Australian tour?

It’s a great chance to enjoy a dose of nostalgia performance. It will be more of a chance for me

“

to strip the top back down and more of a lounge room gig; I get to tell stories and and there’s more audience interaction.

What have been some of the highlights of your career as an artist?

Certainly releasing the album, having sold out shows and playing at the Enmore Theatre was a big buzz at the time when the album came out.

The ARIAs were also a big thrill. Last year I did big festival collaboration, doing a national tour with all the orchestras with a composition I wrote with a beautiful composer by the name of Nigel Westlake; that was a real thrill, playing at the Sydney Opera House and playing Music Hall in Melbourne.

Something people may not know about you?

I’m pretty good on the soccer field! I grew up over the Mediterranean way and spent a lot of my time kicking a ball around.

Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

I’m looking forward to playing at Wildwood so come out and enjoy the show.

Thanks Lior.

the plug!

Catch Lior and a bunch of other amazing artists at the Wildwood Festival, Sunday 4th October.

Tickets available at Port Mac Guitars, Cassegrain Winery or online at Livetix.com.au

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focusinterview.

AN AMAZING MUSICIAN WITH A VIBRANCY AND SKILL ON THE KEYBOARD, RAE HOWELL WILL TRULY MAKE WAUCHOPE COMMUNITY ARTS’ NEW GRAND PIANO SING. SHOWCASING HER LATEST ALBUM, INVISIBLE WILDERNESS VOLUMES I AND II, RAE’S PERFORMANCE ON SEPTEMBER 26 WILL BE MAGICAL …

H

i Rae. You’re about to start touring to promote the release of your new album, Invisible Wilderness Volumes I and II. Describe the process of recording this album …

I recorded this in the States - in Minneapolis.

It was a very intense 10 days - it was very hard work - but I think that’s the way I like recording! The music spans about 10 or 15 years prior to this, so it’s a collection of my solo piano and keyboard works that I’ve been wanting to release for a long time.

And Volume I and II are both quite different to each other stylistically, so elaborate on this a little more for us please …

Volume I is probably more classical - although there are some stylistic differences across the pieces - and Volume II diverts a little bit from the usual sound in terms of textures and focuses on the hammers and the felts and the pedalling of different pianos, so you can hear the inner workings of the piano as I’m playing.

I also experimented a little bit with different recording techniques. There’s a recording technique called Binaural; I had microphones in my ears, so it meant I had a 3D listening effect … It was great! I love listening to the different textures a piano can create, so it was really good to do this.

Are you also planning to release some sheet music as an accompaniment to the album?

Yes, that’s correct. That’s what I’ve been very busy with at the moment. The whole of Volume I is accompanied by a sheet music publication, so it’s an epic editing task that’s nearly finished. It’ll be available for digital download on my website, but I’ll have physical

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books to sell as well.

I love performing in regional areas - so many You’ll be performing at the Wauchope international acts do just go to metropolitan Community Arts Hall on September 26, areas. And I love the countryside. I’m from the where you’ll be showcasing Invisible country, so I love the beach, the mountains and Wilderness. You’ll be joined in this nature, and I don’t get much of that here in performance by Meg Morley, so what’s the London. connection between you two - how do So, what are your origins? you know each other?

I grew up in country Victoria, but my family Meg is Australian, but I met her in London lives in Port Macquarie now - so I am in Port through another musician that I play with in Mac quite a lot to visit and to work. I’m my Sunwrae ensemble - they’re cousins. It’s working with a local artist, Bryony Anderson, great; Meg is fantastic, and I’m really excited on a project called Frugal Forest. to be going on tour with her. We’re very What are other projects are you different stylistically, so it’ll be a working on at the moment? good contrast.

You appear to have many Describe the concert keys to your keyboard! you’ll be presenting in I’m finishing up a The whole Wauchope … residency with a visual of Volume It’ll be solo piano. artist in London ed I is accompani Meg will perform a set I’ve just created a ic us by a sheet m for about 45 minutes, soundscape for a so n, io pu blicat ng and then I’ll perform. gallery installation. it’s an epic editi ly ar ne Meg’s working on an I’ve also just ’s at th sk ta EP at the moment, so finished some work for finished.” she’ll be promoting this, Shakespeare’s Globe, and I obviously have my writing some music for an album, so it’ll be great. upcoming production.

Not many people get to hear There are lots of different solo piano in its original format unless collaborations. I have an electronic they’re used to going to classical concerts, duo [called Rabbittsss]. We get together so it’s an intimate performance, but I’m intermittently, because Jon [Cohrs] lives in New sure it will be magical.

York, so this can be a bit tricky, but we work Apart from your performance at remotely.

Wauchope, where else will you be visiting I always have lots of bits and pieces - how extensive is your tour, and how bubbling away … familiar are you with regional Australia?

You’ve mentioned your well-known We’ll be playing in Melbourne, Sydney ensemble, Sunwrae, which you created in and Brisbane as well. I’ve toured a lot with 2001. How did it all get started?

Sunwrae; I’ve been to Port Macquarie a I created Sunwrae because I really wanted number of times - almost annually, I think, an avenue to perform my music publicly, so since about 2007.

I created an ensemble that would play it! I

“

approached it like a touring band in a way, but I guess we’re more of a chamber ensemble.

But this year’s it’s changed slightly again - the business is more a label and sheet music publisher, so I can publish my own works independently. Sunwrae’s had a few different incarnations, but the ensemble still plays. For my Melbourne performance, I have the string quartet performing with me there.

With all of your different projects, performing and recording, when do you find time to write and compose?

I prefer to take a good chunk of time out without thinking about any other projects to write, but this can be difficult to do. Sometimes I have taken two or three months out, taken a residency and really focused on writing, but sometimes I just have to fit in when I can.

Final say …

Just come along to the performance. It’s going to be a great show. Wauchope Arts have acquired a grand piano, so it’ll be wonderful.

Thanks Rae. Interview by Jo Atkins.

Photo courtesy of Anne Skilbeck.

the plug!

See Rae Howell at the Wauchope Community Arts Hall, Oxley Lane, Wauchope on September 26. Tickets at the door from 7:30; show at 8pm. $25 & $20 members.

Phone Krissa: 0429 854 733.

More details www.wauchopearts.org For more info about Rae, visit: www.raehowellmusic.com/ www.sunwrae.com www.youtube.com/sunwrae

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THE ART OF PERFORMANCE

John Patrick Prestige Cars

169 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Phone: (02) 6584 1800 Web: www.jppc.com.au greater port macquarie focus.

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A R O U N D T H E R E G I O N / / SA EU PG TU ES MT B 2E 0R 1 42 0 1 5

George Telek

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PORT MACQUARIE BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL Showcasing a spectacular mixing pot of brews with over fifty different beers and ciders represented, from local and Australiawide brewers.

When Saturday 26th September, 12pm. Where Westport Park, Port Macquarie. Ticket Packages $25 + BF. Kids’ Tickets: $10 + BF | Kids Under Two FREE. Family Pass (2 adults and 2 kids): $60 + BF. Group Pass (buy 10 adult tickets and get one FREE): $250 + BF. Tickets will be available on the day: $35.

Ticket and bus package information also available on our website www.portmacbeerandciderfestival.com

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Waucope Arts present George Mamua Telek, or Telek as he is known to his legion of fans in Papua New Guinea, who has long been at the forefront of the PNG music scene. His voice traverses many musical styles and perfectly captures the spirit of the proud cultural heritage of the Tolai people of Papua New Guinea.

When: Friday 11th September; 8pm.

Where: Wauchope Community Arts Hall, Oxley Lane (adjacent to Bain Park), Wauchope.

Ekam Yoga Festival

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Enjoy a day of Yoga, Music, Events and a Sustainable Living Expo.

Where: Glasshouse Port Macquarie.

When: Sunday 11th October 2015.

Time: 8:30am - 5:30pm.

Tickets: $98. Visit www.ekamyogafestival.org.au for more info.

Mad Hatters Tea party Proudly Supporting Bravehearts.

Tickets: $25 & $20 members at the door from 7:30pm or call Krissa: 0429 854 733.

Where: Sails Resort by Rydges.

GARDEN Village op shop

Time: 2pm - 6pm.

Garden Village Op Shop is in “Full swing for spring”, with many items for sale. Come and browse.

Open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 - 12:30 and second Saturday of every month (this month 12th September).

All are welcome.

When: Saturday 19th September.

Tickets: $39pp. Includes a teapot cocktail and adventurous afternoon tea!

For bookings, contact Rachelle Dufty on 6589 5100 or email rachelle_dufty@rydges.com

players theatre Players Theatre Port Macquarie is proud to present Cole Porter’s musical masterpiece, Anything Goes. The smash hit Broadway musical comes to the Players Theatre this October 2 - 18.

Anything Goes is an uplifting musical adventure staged on a luxury cruise liner with plenty of laughs, twists and turns on the high seas.

Reno Sweeney, the famous Manhattan cabaret singer, is performing on the cruise liner has a thing for Billy Crocker. Reno doesn’t get her kicks from champagne, mere alcohol doesn’t thrill her at all, but she gets a kick out of Billy - but he has found the love of his life, Hope Harcourt, in Manhattan. Billy is trying very hard to be a stuffed shirt stockbroker for Wall St Tycoon Elisha Whitney, A Yale Man, who is off to London on the same luxury cruise liner to the Henley regatta.

Billy drops his boss’ passport off to him on the cruise liner, and bumps into … Hope.

Hope is onboard with her mother and fiancé, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, to get married at sea and honeymoon in London. Billy is torn between going back to Wall St to sell all the boss’ shares in “Amalgamated Petroleum” or following the love of his life onto the cruise liner, for which he has no ticket or passport. Will Billy get caught? Will Hope marry Lord Evelyn? What will happen to Reno?

Will they even make it to London? Enjoy the laughs, music and the fabulous dancing. Tap your toes and hum along to well known classic songs I Get a Kick Out of You, It’s De-Lovely, You’d Be So Easy to Love and Anything Goes.

Anything Goes Musical opens October 2 and runs until October 18 at Players Theatre Port Macquarie, with performances on Friday and Saturday evening at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2pm.

Book now at playerstheatre.org.au or at the Glasshouse Box Office in Port Macquarie.

Transform your life WITH YOGA Yoga is many things to many people. Some of us do yoga to relax, others to learn about themselves, to fix pains and aches, to become more flexible, focused or to gain strength.

Increasingly, yoga is taught and practiced as a form of exercise only.

How much transition this ancient practice has undergone!

Initially involving years of dedicated daily study with one teacher, now we can walk into gyms, yoga studios and many community spaces to get our fix of yoga whenever it works out for us.

The relative dilution of the teaching has simultaneously allowed a much greater amount of people to discover yoga as a tool to improve their wellbeing. Although spreading the reach of yoga is a great outcome, much of what this practice has to offer is getting lost.

Yoga is a great way to gain some physical outcomes, but its true power lies in its ability to transform us on all levels of our being - not only the physical. The more regularly we get on our mats, and the more responsibility we take for our own practice, the deeper we go. With that, we gain perspective, balance, freedom, a profound sense of wellbeing.

Of course, most of us lead very busy lives that seem to leave very little spare time. Yet, if we don’t look after ourselves, all other aspects of our lives will suffer.

What if you took 15 minutes every morning to breathe consciously and maybe another 15 to stretch and strengthen your body? It may allow you to perform your other tasks with greater efficiency, so at the end of the day you’ve made up for the time invested.

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FRANK SINATRA WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR, BUT HIS MEMORY LIVES ON! TERRY MYERS IS THE MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRA - A BAND THAT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN LAUNCHING FRANK’S CAREER IN THE 1940S AND IS STILL GOING STRONG TODAY! COME CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF OL’ BLUE EYES AT THE GLASSHOUSE, WITH A SPECIAL CONCERT PERFORMANCE BY THE ORCHESTRA AND A TALENTED CAST OF SINGERS AND DANCERS …

Frank The 100th

Anniversary of

Sinatra

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i Terry. 2015 is a very special year, as it’s the 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s birth.

How do you personally feel, being able to celebrate this milestone?

I feel honoured to be in a position to do this. First of all, it’s a privilege for me to be the leader of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, because I was always a fan of that band and I’ve had the good fortune of playing in the band since 1986, off and on. The connection with Frank Sinatra is a very logical one, because Frank really came into his prominence as a member of this orchestra, singing with the band around 1940 - 41. It’s really what propelled him into the career he had. I think if he hadn’t experienced the success he had with Tommy’s band at that time, I’m not sure if any of the other things that took place in his career later on might have even happened.

Also, Frank was very much enamoured with the trombone playing of Tommy Dorsey - to the extent that he said many times that he really learned how to sing by singing with Tommy Dorsey and emulating Tommy’s phrasing and breathing on the trombone, and incorporating this into his vocal style … So I feel our connection with the legacy of Frank Sinatra is a very real and important one …

Frank Sinatra actually went into somewhat of a decline in the ‘40s after he left Tommy, and then resurfaced very strongly in the 1950s, dropped out of sight again and resurfaced once more in the late 1960s and on into the rest of his life. But if he hadn’t had that fame and recognition from his early days with Tommy Dorsey, I’m not sure if the rest of his career

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We have a lot of is fun presenting th ck ba ed fe show, and the from I get constantly they at th is s ce audien the love it. I go into ow, sh e lobby after th e it’s m ll te and people ’ve ey th ow sh the best ever seen … ”

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would have happened.

What does your role as Music Director of the orchestra involve?

It involves a couple of things. Number one, I’m very responsible for determining who’s in the band. The Road Manager and I work very closely in deciding the type of players we’d like to have with us … that’s one element.

But probably the most important thing I do is one of the most difficult things - with this kind of a programme, where the main emphasis is the music of Frank Sinatra, interspersed with some of the major hits of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is to finally settle on a show list, and wat to include - and what to unfortunately leave out!

There’s such a wealth of music by both the orchestra, and particularly by Frank Sinatra he recorded almost 1,000 songs and he had so many big selling records. When you do a programme like this, if you leave one of those big selling records off the programme, someone’s not going to be happy! But, there isn’t time to do them all …

I also play saxophone, clarinet and flute.

I won’t be bringing my flute to Australia though… At one time or another, I’ve played in every chair in the sax section of this orchestra - and there are five of them (lead alto, second alto, first and second tenor and baritone sax).

The show sounds like a massive production, with not only the orchestra, but singers, dancers, but you also have the fabulous Bryan Anthony touring with you?

Bryan Anthony is a wonderful singer; I’ve been working with him now for almost four years … We’re very lucky to have Bryan; he sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and he’s a high quality singer and a wonderful guy, and he’s always been in love with the music of Frank Sinatra. He’s accumulated so many of the transcriptions of Frank’s arrangements … yet the thing I like about Bryan is that he has his own twist on these songs; he doesn’t go out on stage and try to imitate Frank, but he does do the music justice.

We also have a female vocalist, Michelle Amato, and she’s also a wonderful vocalist in her own right. She travelled for two or three years as a feature vocalist with Yanni. She’s a great big band singer, and we love having her with us.

We also have some great swing dancers who’ll be doing three or four songs during the course of the show - they’ll get out in front of the band and dance, and they’re really terrific. We then have five saxophones, three trombones, four trumpets, piano, bass and drums and me. It’s an ambitious programme, but it comes together very easily because all the people are very experienced.

This is the orchestra’s first visit to Australia. How much are you looking forward to it?

It’s been on my bucket list for years and years! I’ve known some people from Australia for quite a few years - they’re fascinating folk and they’ve told me so much about Australia. I

can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it, but I’m going to stay away from the snakes and spiders! I’m looking forward to seeing some koalas and kangaroos though!

Australia gets a bit of a bad rap about all the dangerous animals, but I’m sure you’ll have a good time ...

I’m sure I will! My problem is I’m addicted to the National Geographic Channel, so I get to see all of those things. We won’t get to spend much time in the outback, but what I’m really excited about is we’re going to go from coast to coast and see so much of the country, because we’ll be there for over four weeks. We get to travel by bus about 90 per cent of the time, so we’ll really get to see the country.

Final say …

We have a lot of fun presenting this show, and the feedback I get constantly from audiences is that they love it. I go into the lobby after the show, and people tell me it’s the best show they’ve ever seen … I’ve been told by some people that they’ve never had two hours go by so fast! We provide people with a good time and great music from start to finish.

Thanks Terry. Interview by Jo Atkins.

the plug!

See The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra celebrating 100 years of Frank Sinatra at the Glasshouse on 15th September, at 7:30pm.

Tickets: $89.90 adult, $84.90 concession, $79.90 group 8+ Call the Box Office 6581 8888 or visit www.glasshouse.org.au

AN AFTERNOON AT THE PROMS Australian Global Entertainment presents: “An afternoon At The Proms - A Musical Spectacular”. The ACE Award winning “Best Production Show” in Australia. Australia’s most acclaimed international violinist Ian Cooper is joined by opera stars, prima ballerinas, Australia’s current champion Pipe Band, world famous piano maestro and the Blue Danube Orchestra to evoke the sheer exuberance of An Afternoon At The Proms - A Musical Spectacular. Uplifting and moving, this spectacular brings history’s most loved music to life from the masterpieces of the Viennese court, to the works of Brahms, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Along with haunting renditions of Irish favourites, a touch of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the romance of the Hungarian Gypsy Orchestras, this musical & visual spectacular is set to raise the roof! Mr. Cooper was honoured with being commissioned to compose and perform for the

Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Olympics.

What a spectacle! Watched around the world by an estimated 2.85 billion viewers, that’s as big as any Australian performer gets. The show’s performance repertoire includes “Ave Maria”, “Time to Say Goodbye” made famous

by Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman, “Amigos Para Siempre” (Friends for Life) from the Barcelona Olympics, Ravel’s “Bolero” & “The Blue Danube Waltz” with the ballet, a little something from “Fiddler on the Roof” and of course Strauss’ famous “Radetzky March”.

Also “Scotland the Brave” with the Pipe Band, “Amazing Grace” and others - a little piece of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo!! The producers have a fabulous team of performers who have all worked tirelessly to bring this production to Australian audiences.

5 Golden Fiddle Awards – 2 Mo Awards – 3 Ace Awards – 1 Platinum Aria Award.

OCTEC new Employment service OUR SUCCESS In the Manning we have been given a 5 star rating by the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations within the Disability Employment Services Program.

This is great news especially for the large amount of people with Disabilities that now have sustainable employment. As a testament to our great staff, OCTEC have received another contract for the Hastings and Macleay regions.

OUR SECRET There is no secret to this success! We do what we say we are going to do and we do it well. Building trusting relationships with employers and the community is what is important. OCTEC Limited employ dedicated staff, that truly believe everyone benefits from employment.

ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYERS Our Post Placement Support is tailored to

the employers needs; this can be on the job mentoring from one of our experienced staff or any training the employee or the employer may need. OCTEC Limited has wonderful business support packages to offer to the employers. We can also assist through Workplace Modifications at no cost to the Employer.

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS The benefit to the employer is a keen and positive employee. People with barriers to employment are less likely to have sick days and increase morale in any work place. This makes for better overall productivity and isn’t that what we all want in business.

THE FUTURE FOR OCTEC Our vision for the Hastings and Macleay region is to see people within local business gain sustainable rewarding employees to work within our local community. We at OCTEC can make that happen for you.

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ITH MASON RVIEW W ROSE

HOME GROWN LOCAL MASON ROSE NOW SPENDS HIS DAYS IN BEAUTIFUL HAWAII, WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE HAVE CREATED A VIBRANT, COLOURFUL AND VERY COOL FASHION LABEL FOR KIDS - OOPSY DAZE. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MASON’S ENTREPRENEURIAL VISION, CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS AND FUTURE PLANS …

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H

i Mason. What’s your connection to the Port Macquarie area ... How long did you live here?

I lived in Port my whole life ’til about my 20s, where I started travelling a lot for work. Most of my family have now moved from there, but it will always hold a special place in my heart - so it won't stop me from visiting!

Please introduce us to your family and explain how you came to be living in Hawaii?

I met my wife (Dixie) in Hawaii initially. She claims I hit on her, but I'm claiming she hit on me ha ha! I was only visiting there, so nothing came of it at the time, ’til two years later we bumped into each other at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi while she was travelling. We like to believe there was a force connecting us! We've been inseparable since then.

Phoenix came into the picture rather quickly, and when my wife was pregnant with him, we moved to Hawaii.

I did see myself living in Hawaii. It was like a second home to me, so the transition was pretty easy. In Hawaii, you have to really prove yourself, as it is pretty "clique-y" and any work or friends you make take a while, but I have

been here for almost five years now and I feel like I've paid my dues, and we are surrounded by a great creative group of friends. Getting to raise my son by the ocean all year long is everything to me.

Describe where you live now - which part of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands do you call home?

We live in Oahu, the busiest central island. We live in Hawaii Kai near Sandy Beach. I have a studio in town, so I commute to work.

How did the concept for your children’s fashion label, Oopsy Daze, come about; what was the inspiration?

Our inspiration was definitely Phoenix coming into the picture. My wife and I both love fashion, so dressing him was always fun. We quickly took note that there was a gap in the market for cool children's wear. We always said how we wished there was a cool Aloha Shirt our there for kids that's not cheesy and "ABC store-ish", and we were able to design one for this latest range - that was a really proud moment for us. Seeing Phe (Phoenix) wear it every Friday and him hand picking it makes us feel like we are on the right track.

My sisters are in fashion and they paved some ways for us in the beginning, so we

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Our motto is ‘For you to have yo ur s one way with clothe e’, so tim a at e ur advent anna we ultimately w are at th s make clothe and ol co d comfy an ay of w e th in t don’ t ge e.” ur a child’s advent

“

were very lucky. It just really was a no brainer, since I could do all the campaigns and Phe is always down to shoot with me. There is a lot that goes into starting a fashion label that people do not see, and it wasn't easy, but we love doing it.

What’s the mission statement or promise behind the label ... what’s Oopsy Daze’s vision?

We want to inspire children around the world to stay creative through colour and art and also to be hugely inspired by easy living beach culture.

Our motto is: "For you to have your way with clothes one adventure at a time", so we ultimately wanna make clothes that are comfy and cool and don't get in the way of a child's adventure, but really just become a part of them.

We recently threw an event called "3 Daze of Art", where we held a big party with a kids’ DJ and art workshops that were taught by Museum Art Teachers, where the children made a Van Gogh Style brush painted wave.

The energy was incredible, and seeing the kids have fun and be inspired and leaving with a whole new perspective and confidence in themselves was just PRICELESS. It fulfilled us in so many ways and to us, it's not about the money. It's the adventure.

Tell us a bit about your latest campaign, LE GANG ...

We tend to go back to late ’80's and ’90s inspiration for prints and designs, so the little off the shoulder top for girls and the aloha shirt for the boys ... it reminded us of the last scene in True Romance, where they finally escaped right before Patricia Arquette says her famous line: "You're so cool, you're so cool, you're so

cool ..." So, we got an old convertible and went with a Honeymoon theme.

It really did turn out to be a Rock 'n' Roll romance story island style.

What are Oopsy Daze’s most popular selling items?

Most definitely our slogan tees. We do big wholesale with the Crazy Coconut and We Run This Beach Tees. Our Palmy Daze Jumper for the babies is a huge hit this season! It's been on kids all over the world, and nothing makes us happier.

What’s on the agenda for the business over the next year or so? Any exciting news or big plans?

Well, this year we are wholesaling to select boutiques in Australia, Japan, NY and California, as well as great stores all over Hawaii, so we are starting to really grow and expand. We hope to be available in more countries, and for our clothes be seen on more kids around the globe.

We have an amazing collaboration in the works with a really established Australian adults boutique label, and this is going to be really exciting and it will incorporate my love for dance and music culture, so it's going to be my most favourite range yet!

How can readers purchase your items or find out more info about your business?

We have an online store www.oopsydazekids.com and you can find stores that carry us through our stockists page.

You can follow us @oopsydaze on Instagram, where we post colourful inspiration and kids in our threads daily and also Facebook and our blog on our site.

Thanks Mason.

Interview by Jo Atkins. greater port macquarie focus. 19

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A T E A M O F L O C A L C R E AT I V E S H AV E C O M B I N E D F O RC E S, B R I N G I N G T H E P E O P L E O F O U R

R E G I O N A RT I S T I C E V E N T S A N D E N G AG I N G A RT I S T S O F A VA R I E T Y O F S T Y L E S A N D M E D I U M S. T H I S I S D RO P K I C K A RT S ’ S T O RY . . .

arts

At the moment o we can’ t give to , er ev w much away; ho le op pe e we encourag to keep an ey e on s ge our Facebook pa r fo te si eb w d an .” announcements

“ ntroduce us to yourselves… why the name Drop Kick Arts.

Who makes up the team, and what roles do you all play?

Hi there. The crew consists of Chris Bradley, Nathan Healey, Simon Luxton and Louise Turner.

As backward as it may sound, the name “Drop Kick” happened well after we were originally established.

As Squiggle off #1 was being organised, we realised that we should really have a name for our group.

Sitting around a table at Social Grounds, we brainstormed for about 30 seconds until the name “Drop Kick” was put forward.

We all agreed that the name pretty much summed us up in a quirky kind of way. The type of art that we represent is somewhat low-brow, so we saw it fitting. Hence forth, we have been known as drop kick arts ... ha ha!

We all come from creative backgrounds: Chris, an art teacher, artist and graphic designer, Nathan a DJ, Sigh an illustrator and street artist, and Louise a web designer/developer.

At the moment we have a very cohesive and trusting relationship that translates well into the way we work.

We consider ourselves privileged in that we are all extremely like-minded and are driven by the same creative and ethical persuasions.

While we all operate with equal coordination, the roles we do, however, identify the particular skills of individuals and allocate sub standing roles as required. Nathan - music and PR, Chris - graphic design and art direction, Sigh - artist 20

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liason and art direction and Louise - marketing and online presence.

For those who didn’t attend your first event, what is the concept behind the “Squiggle Off”, and who were the first cabs off the rank?

Ok, so the concept is very much based on the old children’s television show, Mr Squiggle.

As a reward for students or a filler at the end of lessons, Chris for a long time has played Mr Squiggle with his students. Working with students from primary school to adults in vocational education, he soon realised that everybody loves Mr Squiggle.

For those too young or if you lived under a rock from the ‘60s through to the ‘90s, Mr Squiggle was a puppet from the moon who made awesome/ quirky artworks from random shapes and lines sent in by children from around Australia. He had a pencil for a nose and crazy skills.

While we couldn’t work the whole “pencils for noses” deal into our set up, we did figure that this format would work well as a live art battle, where two artists at a time compete against each other after being dealt a unique squiggle.

We were right … It was heaps of fun!

We had three local artists and one visiting artist from Sydney competing in the first event. From that event one overall winner was announced and will go on to compete in a final event after event two, where we will be presented with another overall finalist.

Melinda Casey went up against our own Sigh in the first round, and Adam Murray faced off with visiting artists Gerard Brown (aka Grizz) in round two. The finalists were Sigh and Muz, with Muz taking out the golden posca pen on the night!

All artists were amazing, and we can’t thank them enough for their participation.

When is the next event, and what have you got lined up?

The next event will be held at Zebu again, on the 19th September.

Zebu were amazing hosts last time, so we just couldn’t go past them for a second event.

True to supporting local art and artists, we have arranged another two local artists to compete, as well as two well known and respected Sydney based street artists.

At the moment we can't give too much away; however, we encourage people to keep an eye on our Facebook pages and website for announcements.

Facebook.com/squiggleoff dropkickarts.com facebook.com/dropkickarts We hear a rumour you may be taking off in other parts of the Mid North Coast; what can you tell us about that?

Absolutely, Mid North Coast ... entire East Coast ... all of Aus ... the entire world ... maybe even the moon to meet up with the man himself!

No, seriously, we would like to take it on the road, and we have already received a number of enquiries from interested establishments in

PHOTO BY KYLE CRISP

Coffs and from as far away as Wollongong. At the moment, our calendar is pretty full with a number of various local events, including partnering with local music festivals, so this is all looking at taking place early next year.

For now, our main focus is “Squiggle off #2” and the grand final shortly after. We will also be announcing details in the near future.

In terms of artist selection for these events, what is the process?

We have been lucky enough to call upon local artists that we know and who love to participate and also used personal connections to make contact with and attract artists from out of town.

We do, however, love to hear from any artist that may be interested and encourage them to get in contact with us and flick us some of their art in an email (dropkickarts@gmail.com) It’s a great way for emerging artists to get out and be noticed, without undertaking the very daunting and arduous process of putting together a solo show.

We also make sure that we promote our artists as much as possible, with regular media plugs and even selling artists merch and work at our shows.

How can our readers find out more and follow the upcoming events and shenanigans of Drop Kick Arts?

Hit us up at dropkickarts@gmail.com Or send us a message on facebook.com/ dropkickarts Or come and say hello at the next event. We will be the ones wearing Squiggle Off shirts and running around like mad people!!

Yewww!

Thanks everyone.

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A F T E R T O U R I N G W I T H T H E R O L L I N G S T O N E S , B R I T I S H I N D I A O N C E AG A I N R E T U R N T O T H E F O T S U N S TAG E , B R I N G I N G T H E I R R O C K T U N E S T O T H E F E S T I VA L G O E R S . F O C U S C H AT S T O N I C W I L S O N F R O M T H E B A N D. . . ou guys were here at FOTSUN 2014. What excites you about coming back to our music festival this time?

To put it simply, we just love rocking out! Doesn’t matter where we do it; it’s always a pleasure to jump on the stage and play to people, so we are really excited about it.

Back in 2010 you guys were a relatively fresh band. Over the past five years, how have you shaped the band, and what’s been your focus?

We’re always focused on writing basically that’s how we progress the most. Putting out albums ... We are back writing now for a new album.

What will the audience be hearing at your FOTSUN set? Will it be a collection of both old and new material?

It’ll be a nice mix; we don’t like cramming too much new stuff down people’s throats, so it’ll be a greatest hits package with a few newies chucked in there for good measure.

And you guys have toured with the Rolling Stones. What was that experience 22

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like, and what did you learn from it?

What are you excited most about with It was surreal, to say the least - it’s a band your upcoming tours both locally and that we all collectively really love and learned internationally? a lot from, so being able to share a stage with Getting back out on the road in general them was incredible. will be fun - the pay off of being in a band is The thing that we learnt from them ... Mick to be able to get out and tour. It’s a bit of a Jagger’s a fist pumper; he doesn’t party! So yeah, we are just looking like shaking hands. forward to getting out there Do you have any other and playing some tunes ce vi big name bands that with each other again. ad st be The ve gi you’d like to play Will you get some d ul co I is s nd ba g with? downtime after the un to yo rite . It Most of mine are tour? definitely ju st w mple, sounds really si dead or broken up, so This one’s a long the key to ’s at th t bu through some miracle one - one sort of rolls is everything in th if the Beatles ever get into the other. We’re ep ke st industry, ju back together, I think supporting Imagine writing ....” that’s the only one that’s Dragons, then we’re going to be able to top the heading to the States, and Stones. then we’re doing our own You’ve got a big tour coming tour, which takes us through to up in the USA. What do you hope will the end of the year. come out of that?

I’m sure there will be stuff earlier next I dunno; it’s going to be a great little year as well - hopefully some downtime next holiday, really. Playing to the audiences year, so we can start focusing on recording. overseas is always good; it’s going to be fun How do you like to spend your time off? to get away and rock out.

Try to detox! Try to get all the nasty stuff

“

out of my system and get ready for the next tour.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Loving the new Apple thingamajig, this new Apple music thing that I’ve just signed up for … the suggested play list is where I’m at the moment; it’s all over the shop.

Do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers?

The best advice I could give to young bands is definitely just write. It sounds really simple, but that’s the key to everything in this industry, just keep writing ... You’ve gotta write sh*t songs to write great songs; just never stop. That’s the secret, I think!

Thanks Nic.

the plug!

Catch British India at FOTSUN. 11th - 12th December For full line up and tickets head to www.fotsun.com For enquiries email info@fotsun.com

PRESENTED BY TRIPLE J, THE MUSIC, SOUTHERN CROSS TEN, FOCUS & SAND EVENTS

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Thai beef salad from salty’s bar & grill

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

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Duck liver, pancetta, garlic and parsley

zebu bar+grill Celebrate the return of spring with a sunset cocktail in Zebu Bar, then wander through to Zebu Grill to enjoy a candlelit dinner with fine food and wine from our award winning list, recognised with Two Wine Glasses by Gourmet Traveller. Treat yourself to some stunning dishes from our Executive Chef Adam Tait’s new grill menu, including the return of the handmade Lobster Ravioli, followed by the glazed Duck breast.

Finish it all off with a wickedly decadent dessert of pomegranate ice-cream, dark chocolate cream, hazelnut praline and fudge. Literally to die for!

Diary Date: Friday 16 October 2015, 7:00pm Six Degrees of Degustation Dinner - Six Chefs, Six Wines, Six Courses - one night only! Enjoy the divine creations from six of the top chefs in the Hastings. $129pp includes 6 courses and six matching wines.

Tickets available at reception or by contacting (02) 6589 2888 or email kate_woodfoye@rydges.com

Maple glazed Spatchcock, spiced cous cous, roasted pumpkin, broccoli & toasted almond.

restaurant synergy Where food and service work in harmony.

Synergy Restaurant & Bar, located at the Mercure Centro Hotel in the heart of town.

For an intimate dining experience, offering modern Australian cuisine at its best.

Intimate private dining rooms available on request, for bookings of 10 or more guests. Also consider our unique rooftop banquet room, with amazing ocean views, for that spectacular event.

Save the date: This Father’s Day “BIG DADDY BREAKFAST”.

Dad eats free Sunday 6th September: 7am to 11am .

Executive Chef Adam Tait.

Hay Street Foreshore, Port Macquarie 6589 2822 www.zebu.com.au 7 days, from 6:30am - late. Bar open noon daily. Bookings recommended.

right: Executive Chef Jay Snelgar left: Sous Chef Shivaneel Nath.

Bookings essential: for reservations, Ph. (02) 6583 0830. Offer subject to one full paying adult per complimentary breakfast; no further discounts apply to offer.

Cnr Hay & William Streets, Port Macquarie 6583 0830 www.centrohotel.com.au 7 days, 6:30am - 10am for breakfast; 5pm - late for dinner. Bookings essential.

Seared Florida Bay scallop, Jerusalem artichoke puree, roasted tomato caramel, basil oil and baby sorrel.

aqua the westport club

the bar restaurant and cafÉ

Embark on a unique dining experience at The Westport Club’s Chef’s Table

Here at The Bar Restaurant and Café at Flynns Beach, Mitchall and the team would like to welcome you to come in and enjoy yourself with friends and family during September.

this Spring whilst relaxing in our stunning, fully refurbished surrounds.

Each season our team of skilled chefs design, prepare and present a 7 course culinary journey of flavours, textures, techniques and above all enjoyment for

• Our entrée menu is now available as a Tapas style menu for a lighter meal and social night with friends

you and your guests. As always, guests may opt for our wine pairing service to enhance this unique dining experience.

Bookings for The Chef’s Table are essential and require 48hours notice.

For the Spring Menu please view it on our website or contact our Member

• FRESH DAILY SEAFOOD SPECIALS Chefs de Cuisine Chris & Luke

Relations Desk on 6583 1499.

• 10% DISCOUNT FOR ALL FOCUS READERS! Just mention this ad and enjoy.

Head Chef Mitchall and his family

Diary Date: 17th September DIVA Drag Dinner and Show Featuring our local Queens to keep you entertained. Bookings essential.

Limited spaces available.

7 courses - $80 Members, $88 Non-Members Optional Wine Pairing - $40 Members, $44 Non-Members Chef’s The Westport Club's

25 Buller Street, Port Macquarie 6583 1499 thewestportclub.com.au 7 days. Lunch 11:30am 2:30pm. Dinner 5pm - 8:30pm.

TABLE SPRING Sensations

4 Flynn Street, Port Macquarie 6583 5477 www.thebarrestaurantandcafe.com.au 5pm Monday to Saturday. Booking essential.

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off the hook

mi casa cafÉ & restaurant

Off the Hook is owned and operated by Paul and Narelle Walsh.

Enjoy the rustic atmosphere and Spanish vibe at Mi Casa Spanish Café, Restaurant and Tapas Bar. With great views overlooking the Town Green, the wide menu range boasts an array of tapas, seafood dishes and traditional Spanish favourites.

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a table outside at Mi Casa while soaking up the blue skies and balmy weather. Choose from the Chicken Maryland “Pollo de Sidra” with a glass of the Penfolds Cellar Reserve Pinot Gris. Or, the flavoursome Mixed Seafood Paella (pictured above.)

Premium selection wine menu is available, including the popular Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva 2005, Penfolds and Spanish favourites.

• Group functions and parties • Bookings preferred

We offer a great variety of choice: tasty old style hamburgers, snacks, salads, and of course, fish and chips.

We have added a larger selection of fish to our menu, including our favourite, the Flathead fillets.

The friendly staff.

Located along Port Macquarie’s Town Green.

6584 1146

Owners Brendan & Jennis Field.

3/2 Horton Street (Located on Town Green), Port Macquarie.

6584 4559 Lunch / Tapas: Wed - Sat from 11:30am - 2pm. Dinner: Tues - Sun from 6pm.

7 days, from 11am - late.

EFTPOS available; phone orders welcome.

$12 lunches!

quaylime restaurant+Bar Quaylime would like to welcome their new Sous Chef, Benn Grieves.

Introducing: $12 lunches all through winter.

Featuring fresh golden crumbed chicken schnitzel with chips and salad.

Chargrilled Byron Bay Angus sirloin with chips and roast gravy.

Grilled Barramundi with chips, salad and homemade tartare.

salty's bar and grill Spring has sprung, and that means holidays, summer sun and good times enjoying the outdoors.

Here at Salty’s we offer the perfect surrounds for your work function or birthday party. Come in and talk to us about how we can make your next function just how you imagined it. Don’t leave your Christmas party until the last minute; book today to make sure you get the day/night that works for everyone.

Licensed Family friendly Indoor / outdoor dining

9 McInherney Close, Port Macquarie 6584 0841 Wednesday - Saturday, dinner from 6pm.

Wednesday - Sunday, lunch from 12pm.

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The team at Salty’s.

Head Chef Tim Grieves & Sous Chef Benn Grieves

The Marina Port Macquarie 6584 4039 Wed - Fri, 11:30am - late Sat, 8am - late, Sun, 8am - 8pm.

Bago Tavern’s stickey pork BBQ ribs with wedges and vegetables.

Bago Tavern

the point Restaurant & Café

Welcome to The Bago Tavern Choose from one of our $12 lunch special any day of the week.

Enjoy your meal, or even a cool drink in our outdoor beer garden whilst the little ones play on the fully enclosed children’s playground.

Book now for Christmas parties - variety of menu options, with platters being our most preferred.

Live music every Saturday night.

Ask about our courtesy bus pick up on Saturday nights (pick up/drop off for Port groups of 15 +).

The Point is happy to announce the launch of our new menu!

Featuring exciting new lunch dishes such as our Texas BBQ Bacon Burger (pictured above) and Southern Fried Chicken Burger, alongside favourites such as our premium steaks, salads and fresh fish options. And that is just the start; be sure to check out some of the exciting new additions to our breakfast and dinner menus as well! Fully licensed, BYO wine available.

Head Chef Grant Smart

Now serving Ducale Coffee, specialty coffee roasters from Melbourne.

Dairy free Cold Brew, soy by Bonsoy, and organic coconut milk options also available. Come in and try our new brew!

Owners Gabriel & Boyne.

Open seven days for breakfast and lunch with alfresco seating and waterfront views. Candlelit dinners available Wednesday to Saturday evenings with fireplaces to keep you warm and cozy.

168 Settlement Point Rd, Port Macquarie 6584 2020 www.thepointportmacquarie.com

235 High Street Wauchope 65864722

Breakfast and lunch 7 Days, weekdays from 9am-3pm, Weekends from 8am3pm. Dinner Wed - Sat from 5:30pm. Bookings recommended.

Wednesday - Saturday, dinner from 6pm.

Wednesday - Sunday, lunch from 12pm.

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Cnr. Clarence & Hay St, Port Macquarie • OPEN 7 DAYS • Ph: 6583 4544 • www.pancakeplace.com.au

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focusinterview.

Out to Lunch

with Susie Boswell

tim jackson GREY NOMADS AND OTHER O L D E R T R AV E L L E R S O F T E N S AY T H E Y ’ R E W O R K I N G O N T H E I R “ B U C K E T L I S T ”, A T E R M POPU L A R I SE D BY T H E JAC K NICHOLSON-MORGAN FREEMAN MOV I E A BOU T PU R SU I NG T H E JOYS I N L I F E . SUSI E M E E TS A Y O U N G B U C K E T- L I S T E R .

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t’s said when we’re asleep and dream we’re flying it signifies a desire to rise above the burdens of worldly life. Dreams aside, even in his waking moments over the past 10 years 21-year-old Tim Jackson has dreamt of becoming a pilot. He did an aviation course in the run-up to his HSC, but the Air Force was out, on medical grounds.

Medical reasons, though, are behind the desire to fly that’s gripped Jackson ever since he first boarded a little four-seater aircraft owned by a Walcha grazier ... on an emergency mercy flight to Sydney when, aged not quite 11, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Jackson, who lived in Walcha until he was 18, before moving to Port, knows the date well: “April 14, 2005, 4.30pm. I’d felt unwell, fluey, tired. I’d had about three weeks of school in Year 5 and then I had a massive nose bleed ...

“I spent eight months in Sydney Children’s Hospital, living between there and Ronald McDonald House, on the campus at Randwick.”

He had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare disease known as ALL. (Reading its treatment at the Leukaemia Foundation’s website is shocking.) “I had to grow up pretty quickly.”

He’s indeed grown up with it. The episode was merely the first of four extended bouts: a second, at 14, saw him miss nearly another year of school; a third, at 18, put him in hospital yet again, a bone marrow transplant marking his 19th birthday. The fourth? He’s living it now.

Just before last Christmas, another relapse: a tumour found in his groin. “I had the mass removed and was told then there wasn’t much

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more they could do for me because they think it’s going to keep coming back. I’m becoming resistant to chemo and having not responded to all those treatments, and the bone marrow transplant, over the years, the haematologist doesn’t think they can cure it. Now it’s basically keeping me comfortable and thinking positive.”

A month or two ago, another development. “It felt like a torn muscle in my back.” To Sydney for the umpteenth time. “An MRI showed a mass pushing on my spinal cord. They gave me five lots of radiation, to save my legs, they said.”

Jackson is not volunteering these details so much as responding to my questions. He’s not matter-of-fact, yet seems calm, dispassionate.

Of course, there are many effects we’ll never know: nor the internal despair, the depth of physical, mental and emotional pain and the long assault on his family’s social and financial wellbeing. He shows immense courage. “I guess I’ve just become immune to it; it’s become part of my life.” Do you find it hard to believe? “Yes I do. I don’t know how to act. It doesn’t shock me as much as it first did, because I’ve been doing it for so many years. I just try to take one day at a time, pretend it’s not there, live my life, put it out of my mind and do fun things like this ...”

The fun thing Jackson’s doing is realising his dream of learning to fly, aiming soon to qualify solo at the controls and gain his “wings”. It’s been made possible by some generous local businessmen – all pilots themselves – donating use of their own private planes and funds for

aviation fuel, and a flying instructor’s giving him practical lessons in the air and theory on the ground. Gentlemen, take a bow.

“It’s my dream to fly. I couldn’t be more grateful, more thankful to the guys here,” Jackson tells me repeatedly, peppering our chat in a hangar at the airport with heartfelt thanks to many others, just a random few of them: Angel Flight pilots; the Leukaemia Foundation (for Sydney accommodation for him, mother Sue and sister Adrienne, 18, when he became too old for the McDonald’s house); Camp Quality; Jackie and Brad Jones of McDonald’s here, who kept his McCafe job open while he went for treatments. (He’s surrendered it, now).

An anonymous group of Sydney professionals, through his cancer physician, have given a grant for him to visit the Barrier Reef and Uluru with girlfriend Emily Buchtmann.

A week before I met him this past month, he’d turned 21. He’d scrambled back from radiation in Sydney, drained, to be here for his birthday party, his dad Brad down from Walcha among more than 100 family and friends. “I felt a bit tired but I was determined to have a good time: all my favourite people in the room, it was really special.” This brave young man - who ordinarily should have stars in his eyes for the future - seems stoic as he outlines the probable limits of his horizon. “I don’t know how else to be,” he explains. He’s distressed for his mother’s and sister’s feelings as they stood beside his bed so often during treatments over the years: “It’s really taken a toll on my family; it’s hard watching other people

watch me go through it. I can’t do anything for them. That’s definitely the most difficult.” What about another transplant? His Sydney doctor, an eminent specialist, “doesn’t think it’d make any difference.” So what’s the prognosis? “[He] thinks I’m going to die of the leukaemia. That it’ll get into the blood again and shut things down. He’s thinking months rather than years.

Once it gets into your blood it’s going to affect the organs and take over things pretty quickly.

They have good palliative care; they say I won’t know much about it when it happens, I’ll just go downhill, feel tired, be more and more bedridden and just go to sleep one day I guess.

“But a bunch of factors can affect that timeframe - like keeping feeling well. Maybe I’ve got years left. No one really knows. I can walk, I can drive, I can laugh. Why not hold onto that as long as I can? I tend to be ... I’m OK with it. I’ve done it for so long I’m sick of all the treatments now. I don’t know if I’ve the energy to do something unless I know it’s really going to work. But I haven’t looked into other things” – complementary therapies – “and I guess now’s the time I could look at other, natural, things. It’s the unknown: what if it doesn’t come back? What if it does? But meeting Emily and getting onto flying lessons is starting to change my attitude, and I want to fight [it] still.

“I’m trying to live each day as well as I can and make the most of it.”

If you see a black Suzuki with number plate TIM, give him a honk. Visit campaigns in his name at gofundme.com

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VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE DISH ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A $250 “DINNER FOR FOUR” VOUCHER AT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF YOUR CHOICE, SELECTED FROM RESTAURANTS BELOW!

ASPIRE AT PORT MACQUARIE GOLF CLUB Szechuan pepper crusted kangaroo rump with caramelised beetroot, eschallots, baby carrots, macadamia crumb and jus.

THE BAR RESTAURANT AND CAFÉ

LV’S ON CLARENCE

Roasted pork belly: slow roasted six hours and basted with rosemary infused pan juices, served with roasted cauliflower puree, beetroot air, confit garlic oil dust.

Pasture raised poached eggs, house smoked salmon, pickled beetroot and potato and feta hash cake.

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THE POINT PORT MACQUARIE

THE STUNNED MULLET

Chilli caramel glazed spatchcock stuffed with mushroom and bacon risotto.

Grilled Lobster Tail (de-shelled) chermoula, parsnip puree, radish, mild jalapeno dressing, pangrattato.

greater port macquarie focus.

ZEBU BAR + GRILL

SYNERGY

Rabbit ballantine and pithivier, carrot puree, goats cheese tortellini, seeded mustard and chive jus.

Crispy pork belly, sea scallop, shimeji mushroom, radish, horseradish foam, pickled cucumber, flying fish roe and ponzu.

SALTY’S BAR + GRILL

MI CASA SPANISH RESTAURANT

Moroccan spiced spring lamb cutlets on a Greek salad with balsamic glaze.

Mixed seafood paella.

BAGO TAVERN

AQUA - WESPORT CLUB

Twice cooked pork belly, served with mash and greens, finished with an Asian hoisin sauce.

Chocolate fondant, candied orange and crème fraiche.

focus

COMPETITION

vote to win VOTING OPEN FROM 28TH AUGUST TO 18TH SEPTEMBER; WINNER ANNOUNCED 25TH SEPTEMBER 5PM.

1. SELECT THE DISH OF YOUR CHOICE FROM ABOVE. 2. JUMP ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PORTMACQUARIEFOCUS 3. CLICK ON THE “SIGNATURE DISH” ALBUM. 4. CLICK ON YOUR CHOSEN “SIGNATURE DISH”.

5. LIKE AND COMMENT IN 25 WORDS OR LESS WHY IT’S YOUR FAVOURITE DISH! greater port macquarie focus.

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s o c i a l s c e n e with Kate Wood-Foye from Below. Ladies of Port Macquarie Rydges Port Macquarie.

Below. Daniel Steinbeck, Jessica Genders & Dane Rickwood of the Student Heart Project.

Photo Credit Fab Photos

Orthodontics at Rydges Masquerade Ball.

Photo Credit Fab Photos

Photo Credit NashysPix

Above. Tania Gilbert, Fiona Hawkins and Leanne Prussing at the Rydges Masquerade Ball.

Right. Kyle Rathbone and Emily Robinson.

Above. Sue and Roger Munro at the Rydges Masquerade Ball.

J

S P R I N G I S L E G I T I M AT E LY H E R E , A N D T H A N K G O D F O R T H AT ! W E C A N A L L D E F RO S T A N D G E T BAC K T O T H E B U S I N E S S O F F U N I N T H E S U N.

ust when you thought you had forgotten what your pasty white legs looked like and that you couldn’t take another gloomy day or stuffy long sleeved top, the sun pops back and gives us a hint of the injection of Vitamin D we all need to make it through the season. All first world problems of course, easily fixed by a day at the beach and a spring fling. Buckle up people, because this season is promising to be a big one, with the rumblings of fabulous times ahead for food, fun and fashion.

Fashion show + me + champagne = dangerously enticing combination of fabulous new wardrobe and slightly empty bank account. Who could resist the stunning new season treats from the first drop of spring/summer from the talented Justine Gyot at the recent fashion show and new season spring fling coordinated by the lovely Lisa McNaughton.

Quite simply irresistible - 50 guests enjoyed a twilight catwalk sneak peek, with the new season designs celebrating beautiful blue hues and bold statement pieces. Guests, including Abbie English, Amy Riddle, Lisa Gregory, Lauren Schneider, Amanda Perrin-Sumner, Meredy Bates-Lacey and Necia Waghorn were all front and centre to enjoy the exclusive show, with many of the guests wearing beautiful vintage Shanti Butterfly pieces as they sampled the new season creations. Congrats to the Shanti Butterfly lovelies, who kept up the dangerous demand to sample the spring/summer collection.

Congrats to the amazing team at the Student Heart Project, whose first event, the Red and Blue Ball, was a sell-out success at Panthers for 420 guests, raising $7,500. Organisers Daniel Steinbeck, Jessica Genders and Dane Rickwood were overwhelmed by the community support of equipment and cash, which will go towards purchasing life saving Automated External Defibrillator Units for the Hastings community.

Congrats to all involved!

Glitz and glamour was on the menu, as 160 guests arrived at the 9th annual Masquerade Charity Ball at Rydges in honour of the HopeShop. Over $15,000 was raised for this local charity, offering hope and support to those in our community. The Port Macquarie business community shone again, supplying a huge amount of prizes for auctions and silent auctions, with top prize going to Zebu Chef at Home, raising $2k for the charity - congrats to the eight lucky bidders!

Specials thanks to Michael Crossland MC, Carole Beros of Le Dãin Designs for her ongoing sponsorship and supply of gorgeous jewellery for our best dressed guests. Thanks also to Steve Harris of Fab Photos for his event photography, and Matthew Jorgensen of Pose It Photo Booths sponsored by Colourworks. Thanks to Angove Wines and Amanda and Natasha from Port TAFE for their makeup artistry, and to the talented cast of Anything Goes from Players Theatre, who put on a performance for the lucky guests and to Pam Hata and Lyrical Soul for the tunes. Special mention

to Hope Shop CEO Roger Munro and wife Sue, Astra O'Brien, Tane Holcroft, Sally Turnbull, Paul Holcroft and the voluntary Masquerade Ball team who work with us to pull this event together.

Congrats to gorgeous couple Kyle Rathbone and Emily Robinson on their recent engagement, that was celebrated with 50 friends and family at Zebu. This gorgeous pair met four years ago in Port Macquarie through FOCUS. Kyle, a graphic designer with TwoMinds Creative, and Emily, a teacher at Cowarra Park Preschool have shared some amazing adventures in their four years together, including moving to Newcastle, studying, developing their careers, and travelling to 20 different countries over just two months. It was on this jam packed trip that they decided to begin their newest and most exciting adventure so far.

Kyle proposed to Emily at sunset in picturesque Dubrovnik, Croatia, amongst the old town architecture, history and beautiful coastal cliff tops - luckily for Kyle, Emily said yes - and the rest is history! Congrats and all the best to you both!

If you are what you eat, be delicious! Six talented local chefs will flex their culinary muscles to design six delicious courses matched with six wines for the annual Six Degrees of Degustation Dinner at Rydges on Friday October 16. It will get hot in the kitchen, as these gents cook it out for over 150 guests for one night only, as we celebrate local food and talent from across the Hastings.

Each chef is charged with creating a dish from at least three local ingredients, capturing the

signature style of their venue for the hungry crowd.

This year we will be tasting the culinary creations from Anthony Martin of Social Grounds, Brendon Lynch of Oasis by The River, Adam Tait of Zebu Bar + Grill, Matthew Collier of Rydges, Michael Schubert of Sails Resort and Mitchell Bromfield of Scampis. All of the courses will be matched with wines by Justin Cave, the award winning co-creator of Zebu’s Two Glass Winning Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year. Who will be your favourite chef? What will be your favourite dish? Book the babysitter, the taxi and your stretchy pants; it’s going to be a feast for the senses!

Internationally acclaimed performed Lior is set to hit the stage at Cassegrain on the October Long Weekend for another fabulous instalment in the Wildwood series - a stunning venue amongst the trees and the vines at this iconic winery for an afternoon of local wine, beer, food and sensational sounds. This will be the second time this super talented performer has graced the Cassegrain stage after his first performance at the winery for the Day on The Green. I have already booked my patch of grass and glass of sparkling blanc de blanc for a superb session of local and imported talent, where the only option is to sit back with family and friends and soak up all that is good about spring in this beautiful patch of paradise. It’s a tough life, but someone’s gotta do it! 'til next month, Kate.

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focuseditorial.

louperri. port macquarie GOLF CLUB It's almost footy grand final time! Dress in your favourite team colours and join us to cheer on the NRL GRAND FINAL on Sunday 3rd October.

Bring a group of friends and relax with sweeps on the day for man of the match, first tryscorer and last tryscorer. Free finger food at halftime will keep your appetite at bay and the Aspire restaurant is open for lunch and dinner if the snacks don’t hit the spot.

Our usual free courtesy bus will be running on the day so you can get safely to and from the Club. Throughout September all the NRL finals matches will also be shown to see who makes it to the big day.

Have you tried Aspire….

If you haven’t yet experienced the award winning dining at Aspire Restaurant then make a booking and come try us. Talented chefs Alex Hallam and Keiran English have a new menu now on offer, with a variety of choices to suit all tastes.

The dining area overlooks the picturesque golf course with fresh local seafood and succulent steaks featuring. Open seven days, lunch and dinner.

Don’t forget to vote for Aspire in the FOCUS Signature Dish Competition for your chance to win a dinner for four at Aspire.

O

from The Stunned Mullet

tech heads

nce upon a time, there was a fire. A parts and accessories, for which many cooks slab of meat was impaled on a stick had long abandoned the idea of hauling out and dangled over the open flame. the crepe maker and scrambling around to Long ago - this was how cooking find the instruction book - when in fact it was happened. The 18th Century heralded advances far easier to heat up a garden variety frypan in plumbing and the invention of the stove and throw some batter on to that. So in some that signalled the emergence of a room which ways, it was back to basics, but in others there started to more closely resemble our modern seemed to be an even more relentless quest to day kitchen, as opposed to an area of the house invent the gadget that would replace all the where an open fire could be lit and serve the other gadgets … First, the Kitchenaid. Then, of dual function of heating the house, as well as course, the Thermomix. Not wanting to engage preparing food. in debate about the pros and cons of these By the turn of the 20th Century, we were appliances and the almost religious hysteria that literally "cooking with gas" and/or electricity.

Thermomix devotees display (that is a whole Another couple of decades later, and the new column and somewhat reminiscent of installation of a refrigerator in the the microwave fervour of the early kitchen became standard.

1980s), I will go as far as to These elements formed say that this particular item the basis of the can be found in most Other wizardry of m al re e kitchens we know commercial kitchens remains in th my in the no today. Throw in ro now - such is its st ga ar ul ec mol umenthal Bl n a few cupboards sto usefulness. Initially He of ld wor e of liquid us e th for storage, and rejected by chefs ilk s hi d an e freezing, you have a fully who were far too nitrogen for intens rifuges … functional room "capable" to use dehydrators, cent ture hold What does the fu that encompasses such a basic machine, s after the - or what happen numerous cooking they now grudgingly Thermomix? ” methods. But of admit its timesaving course, human nature power and versatility. had to get involved and the The never ending diet quest for perfection, invention of cooking shows has brought and convenience began with the various other gadgets out of emergence of gadgetry in the realm of the commercial kitchens and into the domestic kitchen. Blenders, toasters, kettles - the list sphere, such as sous vide baths (for precisely goes on; all became the coveted items of temperature controlled water baths), cryovac the 1950s housewife. machine for vacuum sealing - invaluable for Later on in the 1980s, the microwave oven increasing shelf life, optimising food storage was the must have culinary gadget. Needless and forming a seal for cooking in water. Other to say, this miracle appliance was lauded as wizardry remains in the realm of molecular being able to perform any cooking procedure gastronomy in the world of Heston Blumenthal - roast chicken in the microwave anyone? and his ilk - the use of liquid nitrogen for Hmmm, might give that one a miss, I think. As intense freezing, dehydrators, centrifuges … culinary desires expanded and internationalised, What does the future hold - or what happens gadgetry became more specific - pasta after the Thermomix? machines, rice cookers, slow cookers, spice Human nature will, of course, dictate that grinders, waffle makers. Indeed, there seemed a more amazingly useful apparatus will spring to be a machine for any specific dish - marketed forth. Or of course, there’s the chance that that as essential for perfecting the item, of course. there will be a back to basics style rebellion Over the years it seemed that home kitchens (never to last long though!) What kitchen item everywhere were accumulating all manner of is indispensible in your home? We’ve all got appliances - entire cupboards filling up with one - at least!

“

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curry • CELEBRATING

10 YEARS •

JUST TWO HOURS NORTH, ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST COMMUNITY CULTURAL EVENTS IS HEATING UP. WOOLGOOLGA – A SMALL COASTAL TOWN ON THE NORTHERN REACHES OF THE COFFS COAST – IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE A DECADE OF THEIR MUCH-LOVED AND INCREASINGLY POPULAR CURRYFEST.

I

n 2015 the Destination NSW’s Flagship event, Curryfest, celebrates its 10th anniversary and organisers have promised this will be the best event yet with more than 15,000 people expected to attend.

Just a short drive up the coastline, yet a whole world away, the town of Woolgoolga is home to the biggest Australian Punjabi Sikh population outside of capital cities.

Woolgoolga’s population is only 5,000, but the town boasts two Sikh temples and hundreds of citizens for whom Punjabi is their first language. On September 26, the whole town celebrates its unique heritage with Curryfest, a

food and cultural festival that has grown into a flagship event.

Curryfest features curries from all over the world, ethnic foods, Punjabi music, dancing and other cultural displays … a feast for the eyes, ears and for the stomach.

This year the fun begins with the “Tastes of Woolgoolga” restaurant experiences, starting with a banquet on September 5, followed by a Moroccan night on September 12. Woolgoolga The Bollywood Musical will wow audiences on September 24, and the warm up for Festival Day on September 26 is the much-loved Bollywood on the Beach outdoor movies on the evening of September 25.

On the big day, Saturday, September 26, the festival begins at 9am. Entry is only $4 per adult; kids are free. There are more than 100 stalls, two stages with lots of cultural and traditional entertainment, cooking demonstrations, mindfulness and meditation workshops, kids’ activities, henna tattoos, market stalls and lots of opportunities to try and buy curries and spice products for you to take away and experiment with in your own kitchen. There will also be lots of other ethnic food for those whose tastes lie elsewhere.

Buy a Curryfest raffle ticket, and you might win a return flight to India compliments of Air India. Tickets are only $2.

The festival also coincides this year with Woolgoolga’s renowned Lillipilli Art Exhibition, celebrating regional artists in a number of formats.

Locals could make a day trip to Woolgoolga, but why not make a long weekend of it and enjoy the wonderful beaches of the Coffs Coast! It’s the start of the school holidays, and don’t forget the festival has a kids’ zone, plus all the usual Coffs Coast kids’ attractions - the big Banana, Dolphin Marine Magic, The Butterfly House - are only minutes away.

Head to www.curryfest.com.au for accommodation and further festival information.

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LONDON Haydn Quartet I N T E R V I E W W I T H S E C O N D V I O L I N I S T, M I C H A E L G U R E V I C H

H

i Michael. You play second violin with the London Haydn Quartet. Explain to us how the quartet was originally formed …

About 15 years ago, Catherine and James, our first violinist and violist, were playing through all of Haydn's quartets.

Working through that incredible body of work and coming face to face with some of the greatest invention in all of art, they realised that immersing themselves and performing all of these 58 masterpieces would be an incredible thing to do. I can now testify to the fact that they were totally right!

In the process of figuring out what Haydn actually wrote, it was logical to apply the equipment he would have known, so we all play on gut strings, use bows from that era and play from original editions which Catherine and James have collected over the years.

About six years ago, I had the opportunity to join the group when the original 2nd violinist left, and it has been an immense privilege sharing in this obsession of Haydn and his contemporaries.

Please introduce us to each of the quartet’s members and the instruments they play ...

Catherine Manson is our first violinist.She is originally from Scotland but now lives in England and travels all over the world to perform and teach, amongst other things, in her capacity as leader of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra.

She also runs a series of fantastic chamber music courses for young musicians called MusicWorks together with James Boyd, our violist.

James is from England and also travels the world over as a teacher and chamber musician in particular, performing in a variety of places and with many different people.

Jonathan Manson, our cellist, is Catherine's brother and is both a cellist and a fabulous Viola da Gamba player. He is a member of viol consort,

It’s very temptin

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g

Phantasm and plays being the op. 50 set, due to call Haydn’s ng ri both instruments all for release any day now. st s hi achievement in t bu s, over the world. He The great thing is we ou ul ac ir quartets m ing sh ni to also teaches at the get to play these complete as e th s really it’ rs cu oc ch hi Royal Academy of masterpieces all day and w n io invent has truly ne eo Music in London. m we have even more space so n he w g string I'm the 2nd violinist than usual to really take mastered writin in the group and some big risks and trying lots quartets . ” am originally from the of different things. So actually, Netherlands, but moved in a way, we try to do the same to the UK 12 years ago. I play as what we might do on stage, but as much chamber music as I can and we just have more versions to try and see love teaching, which I do at Chetham’s if they work. I try not to think of the recording School of Music in Manchester. process as being more challenging though. It Why does the group specialise in can get awfully tedious if it turns into something Haydn’s work? uncreative where one might try only to patch It's very tempting to call Haydn's achievement things together. in his string quartets miraculous, but really it's Tough question: but if you had to narrow the astonishing invention which occurs when down which of Haydn’s pieces you most someone has truly mastered writing string enjoy playing, which ones would you choose quartets. Every single one is a completely new - and why? exploration of what is possible with these The thing about Haydn quartets is that four instruments. The shocking thing is that you're totally convinced that the greatest one Haydn's voice is so clear in every piece, despite amongst them is whichever one you're playing the reinvention, and the music is so incredibly at any given time! So I must be careful with this profound and sincere every time, whether it's question. One of the things I love is a certain devastating or hilarious. type of slow movement Haydn does, where Furthermore, he simply doesn't make any he dangles a really good natured theme and mistakes! Virtually every technical aspect of variations movement in front of you and when composition is flawless, which is even more you think you can predict what's next, he just incredible when you consider he had no time shows off and gives it a little twist with so much to write the pieces. Essentially, it might be the humour; I confess it actually makes me giddy greatest demonstration of fluency in all of music. thinking about it!

The quartet has released four recordings of Give us a bit of a teaser about what we can Haydn’s work to date, the latest being the expect from your upcoming performance in six quartets op 33 on the Hyperion label.

Port Macquarie …

Given you perform live frequently, how The first piece in our programme is the F major much do you enjoy the recording process? quartet from Haydn's op. 17 set. Sometimes What challenges does recording present that this is referred to an early set, though it's worth you wouldn’t normally experience on stage? noting Haydn was nearly 40 when he wrote We've now recorded five sets of Haydn these, and this quartet does in no way feel like an quartets, each a double disc with the latest one early attempt. It already has everything you look

for with the incredibly beautiful slow movement and excellent humour in the last.

The next two pieces were both written in the late 1780s, when Haydn was working with his flashy court violinist, Johann Tost. Both works are full of virtuosity and what seems like all sorts of inside jokes between Haydn and Tost. A particular highlight is the slow movement of the C major quartet op. 50 no. 2, which is the most breathtaking serenade-like character piece.

After you wrap up this current tour, what’s next on the agenda?

Almost immediately after our tour we'll be heading back into the recording studio for our next installment of Haydn quartets for the Hyperion label. This time, we will record the op.

54, of which we are performing the E major at the Glasshouse, and op. 55 quartets.

Then in January we have a very exciting tour to Canada playing in many different places with the spectacular classical clarinettist, Eric Hoeprich.

Later in 2016 we'll return to the Wigmore Hall in London and various other places in the UK, as well as concerts all over Europe.

Where can readers find out more information?

All the information about the quartet and where we play can be found on our website, where there are also links to our recordings: www.londonhaydnquartet.co.uk Thanks Michael. Interview by Jo Atkins.

the plug!

Don't miss the London Haydn Quartet at the Glasshouse on Wednesday 7th October at 7:30pm. $59 general, $49 member, $40 under 21.

Call the Box Office 6581 8888 or www.glasshouse.org.au

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port macquarie Antique Fair GROWERS MARKET Growers Market has the freshest produce in town and has been a family owned and run business for 35 years.

We source our produce locally and fresh from farms in places like Dorrigo, Richmond, Crookwell, Griffith, Gatton and Stanthorpe. We sell more locally grown produce than almost any other business in the district. As well as fresh fruit and vege, we have a vast range of nuts, oils, olives and locally made products.

August is the time of year for winter mandarins. Also, a huge range of apples fresh from the farm include Pink Ladies, Granny Smith, Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Sundowners.

The Sydney market is a major supplier of the fresh produce in store. Mike Cusato is in the market at 2am loading trucks with the best product he can find for the Growers Market customers.

Online shopping is also available on growersmarket.net.au with same day delivery five days a week. The new website is under construction and will be launched soon. The Growers Market is proud to be locally owned and run and has great service with plenty of parking. Open seven days, Growers is a one stop shop for all your fresh food needs.

Port Macquarie will host an Antique Collectable Fair over three days in the Iona Centre Port Macquarie from September 25th to 27th, 2015.

Visitors to the Fair will step back in history as they view or purchase items ranging from old toys and old china to rare bottles, coins, cards, books and antique furniture.

Stall holders from many parts of Australia will have some rare memorabilia items for sale, to allow the public an opportunity to add to their collection, or to start off in this fast growing hobby.

The free admission for children under 14 years will give them an opportunity to learn more about Australia’s early pioneering days and for the parents to recognise many items from their childhood.

The Fair will be open to the public from 9am to 4pm Friday 25th and Saturday 26th and 9am to 2pm Sunday 27th. This popular Fair, previously held at Panthers Leagues Club, will be like shopping at an old style Department Store of the last Century.

Catering for the public provided by Port Macquarie High School. Admission cost will be $8 adults. Children under 14 years free.

Further information: contact Allan Lawson 0448 197 167 www.aussiefairs.com

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WILLIAMS COMEDY CLUB

DAVE WILLIAMS WILL BE HOSTING MID-NORTH SOCIAL’S DEBUT OF THE COMEDY CLUB ALONGSIDE GARY ECK AND CAM KNIGHT ON 30 SEP AND 1ST OCT. WE SPEAK TO DAVE ABOUT HIS LONGSTANDING CAREER IN COMEDY AND A PEEK INTO THE MANY LAUGHS TO BE HAD AT THE UPCOMING COMEDY CLUB!

H

ow did you establish yourself in the comedy business?

I assassinated all of my immediate competitors. My preferred method was poison; it was very effective, because no comedian can resist a free lunch. I just rang a dinner bell, and they all came running to their doom. Other than that, I started small in Adelaide, then once I had enough stage time and decent material, I tried my luck in the big smoke of Melbourne and Sydney. A couple of years later I won a comedy competition that took me to Edinburgh to represent Australia at the Fringe Festival over there. I didn’t win, but I scored a sweet agent - and the rest is history… Oh, loads of blackmail and strong-arming too.

What is your background, and how did you master your profession?

My background is currently the ocean. I’m at the beach, but I started out trying to be an actor, then when I graduated from acting college I had a realisation that I had put myself through college with the money I earned from comedy, so I decided to specialise. Also, comics are way less pretentious than actors.

I mastered my profession by snatching a pebble from Carl Barron’s hand; it’s the final test.

That’s when I got my black belt in comedy, but you gotta make sure your timing is spot on before you go using it in a streefight. That’s why I always carry a microphone; you never know when you’re gonna need to do stand-up to save your life. I don’t think you can ever really master this profession; just when you think you’ve got it all worked out, an audience will remind you that you have a lot to learn. Even the best comics in the world still have dud gigs occasionally ...

Having performed alongside some of the world’s best, including Carl Barron and Jimeoin, what have been some highlights?

Without doubt the highlight of my career was opening for Michael Bublé at Adelaide Festival Theatre and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. It was

like a decade ago, but I still get corporate work to this day because of it. In the States it’s not uncommon for a comic to open for a big musical act ... I have no idea why his touring company chose me for the gig, but I’m eternally grateful.

A regular performer at MICF, what do you enjoy most about making people laugh?

The money and the huge amounts of off-thecharts sex with loose women I have on a regular basis. Definitely that for sure, but otherwise, doing stand-up just never gets boring. Every new show is a new experience with new people, new undiscovered laughs and new risks to keep you on your toes. Certainly some of the biggest roof-lifting laughs I’ve gotten have come from interacting with audience members. The key is to not make fun of them, but kinda celebrate them and their oddities.

What should we expect from Mid-North Social’s launch of The Comedy Club?

I’ve been a big fan of both of these guys for a long time now and we seldom get to work together; that’s why I’m really looking forward to this show in Port Macquarie - we all are. A lot of the time when you’re a headline act you work with loads of good up-and-comers, but rarely other headliners; it’s usually only on the big galas or as part of festivals that we get to share a stage, and they are always epic nights. You should expect three professionals at the top of their game who are in a very good mood. Gary does masterful impressions, and he is really gentle in his delivery, Cam’s characters are brilliant and he’s more energetic, and I just like to spin some A-grade quality s#*t.

How would you describe your sense of humour?

Relatable. Just like you, I put my pants on one leg at a time ... If I’m wearing pants at all. We’ll see how the mood takes me on the night - either way, should get a laugh.

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•CAMD

E N H AV E N •

QUILTERS

WAUCHOPE LIONS CLUB

AND COLLECTABLES FAIR

WAUCHOPE LIONS CLUB IS AGAIN HOSTING ITS ANNUAL ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES FAIR ON SAT 12TH AND SUN 13TH SEPTEMBER 2015 AT WAUCHOPE SHOWGROUND. CHRISSY JONES CHATTED WITH ONE OF THE ORGANISERS GREG CAVANAGH.

The Camden Haven Quilters will be holding their tri-annual quilting exhibition from 3rd - 5th October this year. Lee Whant (President) Trish Campbell (Treasurer) Judy Rhodes (Publicity Officer) and Anne Holley (Exhibition Coordinator) tell us more about the quilting group, and the exhibition - which raises money for many worthwhile charities …

P

lease tell us a bit about 10am, Saturday morning.

Camden Haven Quilters Inc ...

What is the entry cost for attending the The Camden Haven Quilters exhibition? meet in the Laurieton School of Entry fee is $5 for adults and free for Arts each Wednesday, 9am - 1pm accompanied children under twelve. and Thursday 9am - 2pm, with a five week Where will funds raised from the event break over the Christmas/New Year holidays. go?

Our club has been established for over We raise money for charities, and this year 27 years, and currently 60 members attend the proceeds will be shared between Lake over the two days. Our group includes many Cathie Public School (for music instruments), experienced quilters, as well as those who are Legacy, and the Hastings Education Fund. learning. In-house classes are held by tutors What types of quilts are you expecting showing new and old techniques. to have on display? Will quilts be Sewing machines, cutting for sale? equipment and a wellOn display will be the wall stocked library are quilt depicting the Port g in m available to all McQuarrie/Hastings local co Our up n tio bi hi members. government area, that Ex Quilt ay rd tu Sa Our tri-annual our group made for the e: dates ar h 4t ay nd Su d quilt exhibition raises Mayor's office in 2014. an 3rd 4pm , m 9a , er ob money for local There will be a wide ct O h and Monday 5t m .” charities, and many ranging display of the 2p O ctober, 9am thousands of dollars work of our members have been donated over the last three years. over the years. Each This includes quilts, wall year the Ronald McDonald hangings, patchwork to wear Holiday Homes in Forster and cushions, bags and smaller receive donations of quilts for the items. There will be a splendidly residents to take home with them. stocked trading table, with beautiful Another way that our club helps local handmade gifts, so there will be an early charities is by donating quilts to raffle. opportunity for some Christmas shopping.

You’re holding a raffle of a very special If you enjoy hand or machine sewing and quilt as well. Describe this work for us … are looking for an outlet for your particular We also have a raffle quilt, which is a creativity, come and join our lively and friendly beautiful English paper pieced work made group any Wednesday or Thursday or indulge by more than 25 talented women as a group yourself and come on both days you will be project. The professional quilting was done welcome.

by Maree Cini. This quilt was exhibited in the Yearly membership is $15 and contribution Sydney Quilt Exhibition. to hall hire and morning tea is only $4 per day.

Camden Haven Quilters will be holding Tickets will be on sale at the exhibition its tri-annual quilt exhibition in October. and at various venues in the area before the What is the venue/date of this exhibition? show.

Our upcoming Quilt Exhibition dates are: Where can readers find out more info?

Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October, 9am Contact us: Camden Haven Quilters at 4pm, and Monday 5th October, 9am - 2pm.

Laurieton School of Arts on Wednesday/ It is to be held in the School of Arts building, Thursday, which are our meeting days or corner of Bold and Laurie Streets, Laurieton. email: camdenhavenquilters@gmail.com The Mayor will be opening the exhibition at Thanks everyone. Interview by Jo Atkins.

“

hat can visitors expect to see at this year’s Fair?

As in past years, the Club expects many exhibitors and traders to present an amazing and wide range of Collectables and Antiques. We will also have displays of antique vehicles and other displays to add colour to the day.

There are over 100 classes of items that may be on display, including tin toys, antique telephones, bottles, Depression glassware, fine china, old tool, silverware and coins. Past Fairs have attracted outstanding displays both in relation to quality and content, and current listings mean this trend will continue. Traders, as well as exhibitors, will operate at the Fair. The saying that “one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure“ will be well and truly on display at the Fair.

Any special displays this year?

To create more interest there will be a special junior collectable section for children under 15 to display their favourite collectables, which may be cards, figurines, super hero characters plus more.

As a special feature this year, Lions members, at set times during the Fair, will use original separators and churns to make butter, something that will bring back memories to the more senior

visitors and will be a new experience to many young visitors.

The Fair will be held at Wauchope Showground. Tell us more …

There is plenty of parking, level walkways to displays and nearby toilets. Entry is $5 and the Fair will be open from 9am on both days, 12th and 13th September. Wauchope Lions will provide a sausage sizzle, and tea/coffee and light refreshments are available in the main hall for a small fee.

Wauchope Lions Club invite all to come along and enjoy the beautiful and intriguing items that will be displayed for your pleasure and maybe pick up a bargain from the many traders. Many people comment on seeing displays that they had many of the items in their lifetime and some are sorry that they threw out something that was in everyday use but has now become a collectable item.

More info: For further details, contact Gordon on 0418 232 905 or 6585 1079, Greg on 6585 1393. All monies raised will be donated by Lions to local projects, national medical research and major disaster relief.

Funds raised at last year’s Fair formed part of the $26,000 donated by Wauchope Lions to local and national projects during 2014 - 2015.

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douglas DC3

PORT

MOTOR MANIA

MILITARY WORKHORSE AND CIVILIAN AIRLINER. GENERAL DOUGLASS MCARTHUR ONCE NAMED THE DC3 AS ONE OF THE THREE WEAPONS THAT WON WWII.

12TH AND 13TH SEPTEMBER

T

o millions of civilian travellers around the world, the DC3 was their introduction to modern air travel.

IT’S ON AGAIN. PORT MOTOR MANIA - THE PORT FESTIVAL, THE WEEKEND OF 12TH AND 13TH OF SEPTEMBER.

P

ort Macquarie ‘s Westport park will come alive, with four live bands, a Miss Port Macquarie - Port Motor Mania pin up girl quest, a car stereo sound off comp, a display of cars, bikes and from around the country, kids’ rides and amusements.

Saturday morning, Steve “ELVIS” Head will be performing in the Glasshouse forecourt from 9:30 until 11am. Then at 11:30 an observation rally (like a treasure hunt, but in your cars) will depart the Food for Less car park in Short St to travel around the Hastings, answering questions and collecting a few things, then returning to Hibbard Sports Club for the judging and live music by Cheryl Day. This is a lot of fun, and it’s open to all cars, so come along

and have a great time - it costs only $20 a car to enter.

Sunday will host the biggest car show the Mid North Coast has ever had: cars, bikes, all types of vehicles welcome. There’ll be a skydiving display by Coastal Skydivers, a jet car display and more music all day. ELVIS (Steven Head) will appear again, and The Bounty Hunters will wrap up the afternoon. It’s non-stop entertainment!

The fun starts at 9:30am Saturday and finishes at 3pm Sunday. Entry is a donation of $5 and $10 for a family - all profits go to the Give me 5 4 Kids appeal and the Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. For more info and enquires, Ph Mick: 0416 809 533 or visit www.portmotormania.net

and modernised, fully operational DC3 (VHTMQ). This example has served a number of roles, starting life with the RAAF in 1946 and working in that role until 1955, even carrying Travellers now in their autumn years royal luggage on Princess Alexandra of Kent’s would remember her well. One special North trip to Australia in the 1950s. She Coast resident, who is now in her underwent a full restoration 80s, was a hostess on the in recent years to bring the Ansett-ANA DC3s in the history, nostalgia and 1950s and is taking a trip This DC3 will be ts romance of this era to a down memory lane with running joy fligh in whole new generation. ie ar a specially arranged qu ac M rt

“

flight; why not join her aboard and experience the magic and luxury of a bygone era.

in Po ts – two special visi t and us Friday 28 Aug nday Su d an 5 Saturday inci de co to r, be em 6 Sept nd with Fathers (a ay.”

Grandfathers!) D

However you look at her, the DC3 (also named the Dakota and the C47) was a remarkable aircraft and a talisman of the post-war modern world. Some 11,000 were built and only 800 survive seven decades later - a record never likely to be broken.

Nostalgia Air in Essendon, Victoria, are fortunate enough to have a fully-restored

This DC3 will be running joy flights in Port Macquarie in two special visits - Friday 28 August and Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, to coincide with Father’s (and Grandfather’s!) Day. Numbers are limited, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

To book your seat: Search online for “Port DC3” in your Google search engine or call into Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Information.

AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS WE ARE FINALLY MAKING PROGRESS ON GAOL POINT REDEVELOPMENT.

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The sandstone wall depicting the gaol that used to stand on this spot has been finished.

It looks spectacular. The gardens have been started, and the pandanus and swamp lilies are settling in. The pathway has also been concreted and is ready for the pavers to be laid. The first batch of family and commemorative pavers have been ordered and should be arriving soon. They will be laid soon inside the wall. We still have a few commemorative and family pavers available to the public. For enquiries, ring 6581 1156. In the next month the gardens will be finished, the new lions will be installed guarding the entrance to the park, pavers will be laid and the plans for the

spectacular new lookout should be completed.

The combined Lions Clubs of Port Macquarie would like to thank Council, ETC Training and Employment Services for their grants and support. We wish also to acknowledge the many businesses and tradespeople in Port Macquarie who have offered assistance, without whose help the project would not be possible.

We also appreciate the many members of the public and visitors who have offered encouragement and support for the work that is being done and the difference it has made to the iconic and historical lookout.

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IF YOU LIKE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE, HIKE, KAYAK AND WORK AS PART OF A TEAM, SET ASIDE THE WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 3 AND 4 FOR SOME TOP NOTCH ACTION AND EXCITEMENT.

R

ichard Old from Fully Rad Adventures explains the upcoming Wildside Adventure Race, which will take place in and around Wauchope.

All you need is your own mountain bike, trekking gear, and some teammates … although a sense of adventure and the ability to read maps wouldn’t go astray either!

Hi Richard. Introduce us to Fully Rad Adventures, your business …

Fully Rad Adventures is a small outdoor events company based in Forster that is creating a whole new market for outdoor events. Founded in 2012 by my wife, Danielle Donnelly, and I, our events span adventure racing and exploration, a kids obstacle course, a night obstacle race with spooky Hollywood theatrics, even something for man’s best friend. Diverse as they are, every Fully Rad adventure delivers an outdoor experience that is fun, rewarding and memorable.

The main goal with Full Rad Adventures is to get people outside and active. We see this as critical for people’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. But for every reason to get

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this year. When and where will this event outside, there is another to stay inside. There’s be held, and what time will it kick off every type of media distraction imaginable. each day?

But there’s also something else - a growing This year’s Wildside Adventure Race is a number of people who are craving to be active 12/24 hour adventure race for in a fun way and create memories teams of two or four. Teams that are as rich as holidays. will navigate on mountain Our events are designed ill bike, on foot and by kayak for that emerging w se ur The co 0 15 . ox across a course they wave, with a focus pr ap r cove ity or aj m only get the maps for on opportunity and e th ith km , w ors tit pe m hours before race start. completion - not Co . ad ro off h the They will encounter competition. Our aim will move throug g tin challenges as they is to delight through course by naviga foot , on traverse demanding unexpected surprises to checkpoints and mountain bike landscapes in all and enabling people kayak. ” weather conditions, day to do their best - at and night, moving through whatever level that may be. the course from checkpoint to Every event we do is checkpoint. different, but with Fully Rad you The race will be based in Wauchope, can count on an experience that: which is a beautiful part of Greater Port - is novel and fun Macquarie, starting on Saturday 3rd October - gets you outside enjoying the outdoors at 12pm. The 12 hour teams will then have - challenges you until midnight to finish and the 24 hour teams - fosters personal growth in surprising ways until noon the next day. Most 24 hour teams - gives back to the community or a charity. will race through the night with no sleep!

You’re organising an exciting event, the It has been great exploring the local region, Wildside Adventure Race in our local area

“

finding new places and secret spots and then using them to create an exciting course. We have some fun stuff planned for the teams, and locals will get a chance to see first hand what adventure racing is all about.

What’s the aim of the Wildside Adventure Race ... what do you hope competitors will take away from the experience?

The Wildside Adventure Race is about the journey - discovering that adventure is everywhere. It is about challenging yourself, taking you to new places and out of your comfort zone. It is about showcasing incredible landscapes and providing regions an opportunity to connect people with places.

Racers will get to see a lot of the area around Wauchope and some parts in a whole new light (and dark!) Some will know the areas around Wauchope better than some of the locals.

WildsideAR will take racers to the wilds.

Teams will navigate through spaces rarely visited. They will not only learn about where they are racing but also more about themselves. This is one of the underlying goals of the event. The journey that WildsideAR will take racers on will be life changing, expanding

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their physical and mental capabilities - this growth, in turn, impacting not only their sporting life but also their personal and work life. Once you have finished an adventure race, other challenges and obstacles in day-to-day life start to have less effect.

Describe the course and the action ...

The course makes the race. It is, however, secret until race morning. At the early briefing teams will be given maps, a series of checkpoints and transition area (TA) locations.

Using this information, they plot their own course based on their ability and map reading skills, prepare their equipment and create their race strategy. What I can divulge is that WildsideAR is about discovery and will capture the unique personality of Wauchope and surrounds, but from a completely different perspective.

The course will cover approx 150 km, with the majority off road. Competitors will move through the course by navigating to checkpoints on foot, mountain bike and kayak. They can expect to be pushed to the limit.

What level of skill/fitness is required of competitors?

WildsideAR 12/24hr has been designed to A key part of this sport is the teamwork cater for all levels of fitness. If you can ride a aspect. Teams will have to work together to bike, paddle a kayak and walk, then you can find checkpoints and successfully finish. Most complete the race. The course, CP placement of these events cater for teams of four, which and TA locations will be designed with is why we created the 2-person team options. For places and prizes, category. It shouldn’t be too a team will have to secure hard to find at least one all CPs; however, slower other person to get a dose teams may elect to drop of adventure. All you We are still l looking for loca particular CPs in the need is a mountain bike would interests of finishing the supporters and and trekking gear. We any love to hear from ld leg/race within the time can provide everything wou businesses that cut offs. This will keep else. with like to connect the race “moving” and If adventure racing om fr rs adventure race teams closer together. isn’t your thing, how .” ia al across Austr There will be some else can you become tough sections though, involved in WildsideAR? and this is where the team’s Are you looking for part of adventure racing kicks volunteers ... and are there in, as team mates rally together to any good vantage points where overcome a challenge. people can spectate along the Is there an age limit for competitors? course?

The race is open to anyone over the age One of Fully Rad’s key aims is participation. of 16; however, if a racer is under 18, then This does not have to be racing, though. We they will need to have an adult in the team. are always after volunteers for TAs or race WildsideAR is a teams event, so individual HQ and would love to work in with local entries aren’t accepted. community groups.

“

If you are keen to get a glimpse into the world of adventure racing, visiting a TA is the best way to get into the action. These are a hive of activity, with teams coming and going throughout the day and night. The course and TA locations will be available on the website once the course has been released to racers. www.wildsideadventurerace.com.au Who would you like to thank for supporting Wildside AR? This year’s event has had some great support from the Timbertown Resort & Motel, the Forestry Corporation and Port MacquarieHasting Council. We are still looking for local supporters and would love to hear from any businesses that would like to connect with adventure racers from across Australia.

Where can people register for the event or find out more info?

Entries for WildsideAR are open until mid September. Information on the race and how to enter can be found on the race website: www.wildsideadventurerace.com.au We can also help people find teammates. So if you are interested in getting involved, drop us a line or connect through Facebook.

Thanks Richard.

greater port macquarie focus. 47

by Michelle Newman from Newman Communications

The “Day in the Life” series gives us a glimpse into the working lives of the people we don’t often see or think about, but who play an important role in keeping our community running.

Jill EAGLETON WILDLIFE CARER - FAWNA

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housands of native animals come into strife and several enclosures with possums sleeping sounding each year for a variety of reasons on the and wallabies skipping happily about.

Mid North Coast. And they need human Jill’s days are busy attending rescues, taking animals help. to the vet for assessments, feeding and caring for the That’s where FAWNA (For Australian animals, and preparing them for release back into the Wildlife Needing Aid) volunteers like Jill wild.

Eagleton come in.

For Jill, it’s a delight to do the rounds of the aviaries and Jill is trained to rescue, rehabilitate yards in the morning and have all the little creatures and release injured, orphaned and in her charge come up to greet her. disadvantaged native animals. Her “I also love watching the little joeys role with FAWNA is vast and varied. come out of their pouches for the first She is an animal foster carer, time, as they learn to run, leap and I H AV E LOV ED fundraiser, phone duty operator, play, always with little accidents A N IM A LS A LL committee member, catering along the way.”

T H ER E M Y LI FE . W H EN IN officer and possum coordinator.

At the moment Jill is looking after R ES W ER E BU SH FI 25 She looks after wildlife from a little joey she’s named Benny.

T SY D N EY A BO U EW her beautiful bushland property “Benny was brought into a home N K I , O G A Y EA R S in quiet Kendall - a world by someone’s family dog. The dog P EL H I WA N T ED TO away from her previous career had been very gentle with Benny A N IM A LS.” working with her husband as an and left not a single mark on his international acrobatic adagio duo! little body. I was worried about Benny, “I have loved animals all my life. as he was very dehydrated and wasn’t When there were bushfires in Sydney interested in drinking his milk. A visit to the about 25 years ago, I knew I wanted to vet gave him the all clear, so now I will persevere help animals. I first joined WIRES and then Sydney with his feeding so he can grow big and strong.”

Wildlife before moving to the Mid North Coast There are around 160 FAWNA volunteers on the Mid three years ago and joining FAWNA,” Jill said.

North Coast. They all work from their homes, and most Jill’s home is a sanctuary for injured animals. The are on call for rescues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. verandah is lined with injured Cockatiels recuperating The organisation receives no formal funding to carry in cages, and there is a baby Plover recovering from a out its vital work, and they are always in need of more Kookaburra attack in a warm box in the spare bedroom. volunteers. Visit www.fawna.org.au or call 6581 4141 to Outside there are large aviaries with Galahs and Parrots, find out how you can help.

“

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my day 6:00am Feed any small babies their first meal 7:00am Feed all the other animals in care. Wash feeding dishes, bottles, pouches and blankets 10:00am Second feed for small babies 10:30am Collect an injured animal from someone’s home 12:00pm Mix milk for animals and fill all bottles 1:00pm More feedings for small babies and middle sized animals 3:00pm Collect, browse and find flowers for any possums in care 5:00pm Feed possums and gliders; feeds continue for small babies and larger animals until 10pm 2.00am Last feed of the day for small baby animals

in Greater Port Macquarie

visit

Get out there! www.52things2do.com.au + Family Fun

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Abundance Lifestyle and Garden Bago Vineyards Black Duck Brewery Cassegrain Winery Laurieton United Services Club Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery Rose’s Vineyard The Little Brewing Company World Par Tea

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Camden Haven Golf Club Port Macquarie Golf Club Emerald Downs Golf Course Port Macquarie Golf Driving Range Wauchope Country Club Port Macquarie Tennis Club

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■ Discovery tours ■ Spirit of the Land Exhibition ■ Gift Shop ■ Rainforest Cafe ■ Entry fee applies for boardwalk

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Address 159 Pacific Drive, Port Macquarie.

Phone 6582 3355 Web: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Open 7 days, 9am - 4:30pm.

Cafe Open 9am - 4pm.

“Take the wonder walk”

Movies Come Alive in Port Macquarie ■ New Screens ■ New Foyer ■ New Candy Bar Join the Movie Club for great discounts!

Majestic Cinema's Select Series showcases a range of high quality content to engage the discerning audience. Hand picked for excellence.

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Phone: 6583 8400 Web: majesticcinemas.com.au

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greater port macquarie focus 55

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TRAIL RIDES AND TREKS

We’re open 7 DAYS; bookings essential.

Phone 6587 5227 web: www.bellrowanvalley.com.au ■ Take to the hills and explore the hinterland, a great Aussie bush experience ■ Daily 1hr & 2hr Trail Rides, 2 Day Pub Ride, Overnight Packages, 3 Day Trek ■ Beginners to experienced riders from 5yrs+ ■ Small groups with experienced & friendly guides ■ Shady, picturesque forest trails, abundant wildlife ■ Easy scenic 30 min drive from Port Macquarie ■ Happy, quiet, healthy horses; the best!

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Billabong Zoo

The Cruise Terminal New Owners Rebecca & Michael Chrissy Jones had the pleasure of meeting with the new owners of The Cruise Terminal, Rebecca and Michael, to chat about the future of the ever popular local cruise company.

A

s new owners of The Cruise Terminal, what do you bring to the business?

Michael and I have been together 17 years. Mick comes from a printing and green keeper background, and I come from a chef and media marketing sales background - nothing close to cruises, but we have had staff under us and we are both business savvy. We look at this business as a great opportunity and The Cruise Terminal (Junk and Port Venture ) have such a great reputation around Port and afar. We have met all the staff and gelled straight away; with nothing like the business in Port Macquarie at all, it was a no brainer to buy.

What prompted you to make the move from Sydney to Port Macquarie?

We have three children, and Sydney was just getting busy. We have loved Port for a long time - I say it’s the best of both worlds, with beaches and river all round, the real estate market is still affordable, and the schools are great.

It’s a funny story about how we came to buy the business; my friends had come up from Sydney, and we were sitting around talking about work. I showed them the ad that was in the paper - what got me was the liquor license ha ha, so I rang Mark from Port Marine Brokers and started the ball rolling. I think my words to him were, “Do not sell it on me; I want this business!” True to his word, he sold the business to us. Brian and Alison (former owners) are great people, and I’m sure we will make them proud in making the business bigger and better than it already is.

Some of the cruises you will be offering?

We are going to open for lunch and dinner on Christmas Day, with a buffet of fresh seafood. This will be served on the boat and both will be a two and a half hour cruise. I have asked a few people around town, and they have all said it’s a great idea.

Both Michael and I love the idea of the fish and chips cruise. Everyone who books has either been and are coming back, or have heard how good it is and book. I mean, who doesn’t like a good fish and chips!

We plan to do a lot more functions, weddings, corporate meetings, etc. I would love to offer a discount to families and start a Sunday family fun day cruise on the Princess with the boom net for the kids and live music for the adults while they enjoy a cold beer and a glass of bubbly.

We are in a league of our own with how unique the boats are, and I think in business stick to the things you’re good at and make your customers happy.

That’s our main goal - for our customers to get off the boat with a smile and to come back again and again.

The morning and afternoon tea cruises will stay, our BBQ cruise and of course the famous sunset cruise on the Junk, which is an icon in Port Macquarie.

If you ask anyone around town to name something that is iconic in Port Macquarie, on the list would have to be the Chinese Junk; people just love going on it.

Whenever you have a free day to yourself and you’re looking for something to do, come down and see us at The Cruise Terminal at the Clarence Street Wharf.

We think just being on the water is good for your soul. We would love to meet you.

Billabong Zoo is delighted to announce the much anticipated arrival of our two cheetah brothers, Warrior and Vongani (the name means “to give thanks”). These brothers have travelled all the way from Cheetah Outreach in Cape Town, South Africa, and they’ve come with an important message. The cheetah is well known for being the fastest land mammal, capable of reaching speeds of 100 km per hour - but they are losing their greatest race of all - the race of survival.

Since the turn of the century, their population numbers have dramatically declined from 100,000 animals down to as few as 10,000 today. They are rapidly losing their habitat and natural food sources, and this leads to regular conflict with farmers as the cheetahs are forced to hunt domestic prey. Warrior and Vongani are here to raise awareness and support for the conservation efforts being undertaken by Cheetah Outreach and their livestock guardian programme. A special thank you to our

friends at Mogo Zoo, who quarantined our boys in Australia. Arrival and official opening date (hopefully sept school holidays) will be posted on our Facebook and Website.

Billabong Zoo is a great day out for the whole family, from our monster croc Shrek to our mischievous meerkats. We have animal presentations happening almost every half hour that are sure to keep the kids on their toes. For that truly unforgettable experience, why not book one of our personal animal encounters - feed a snow leopard, koala, meerkat or red panda, perhaps cuddle a penguin or a python; full details on our website. Hungry! Why not grab a bite to eat at the zoo café, try our chef’s porterhouse steak, homemade scones, biscuits and burgers, or a fresh ground coffee. Don’t forget our huge gift shop for that special memento. Check out our website, join us on face book, and remember, Billabong Zoo is the place for you!

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TOURS & WORKSHOPS.

B L A C K D U C K B R E W E RY. The Hastings and Camden Haven are our home, and as we reach more people in our area, the more we enjoy being here. Black Duck Brewery is five years old and since we opened the cellar door in Acacia Ave in 2012, there has been an ever increasing amount of local support.

To keep our locals interested, we are offering a range of new experiences like monthly pizza and music nights and pizza every weekend from 11 ‘til 4. We have also loaded our Ploughman’s platters with even more local produce.

The beer line up has been the same for quite a while now, and we are mixing that up too. The names are the same, but you will start to see some new hop profiles delivering an array of creative flavours over the coming months. There are also some fun new product concepts bubbling away in the background, so follow Black Duck Brewery on Facebook or check the website regularly to keep up to date.

The website also lists the great venues near you that stock our beers; if you support them, you are supporting local businesses that care about local people. Come and visit us at the brewery soon - Murphy needs a pat!

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If you want a friendly, local tour or workshop, then we can help you out. We are a family owned and operated tour and workshop business, based out of local art gallery Sunset Gallery in Murray St. We have some amazing Eclectic, Tasty, Artful, Photographic, winery and foodie tours and workshops for you.

The Hastings has a large variety of amazing local produce in the food and beverage areas, our iconic sights are some of the best on the East Coast, and our local artists and personalities are something to be proud of. Our creative community is vast and varied, and we want to show it all to locals and visitors alike.

We offer a great variety of tour types, some specific to those wanting to take photos of our iconic places, tours to get your taste buds going, tours to some of our amazing, eclectic markets, workshops with local artists, tours to see local artwork in a variety of locations, tours to catch the sunrise in magical places, tours to taste our local wines and so much more.

We love our local small businesses, and we want to work in with as many as possible to show them off to our visitors - in the hope of helping them grow. Our business is all about building a positive experience for visitors to the area and to help locals enjoy what we have, while broadening the tourism experience and our local economy. We are big on supporting local as much as possible. Please check out the website: www. eclectictastyarttours.com.au or Facebook page for details on what’s coming up, or call Cherie on 0403 681 669.

KEN LITTLE’S IN SEPTEMBER Spring has arrived! “You beauty” - winter has gone. Now is the time to start looking at the summer ahead, with mangoes starting to come from the Northern Territory. Yes! Yes! I hear you say. They remain a firm favourite with just about everyone. We all look forward to the start of the mango season. By the end of September we might start to see some other stone fruit arriving mainly peaches and nectarines.

Navel oranges are still sweet and juicy. Mandarins will start to disappear, but the apple will still be around. It is always a stable fruit.

In the vegetable department, we have beautiful local lettuce, which is grown at Beechwood. The local broccoli is just about finished, but the local cauliflowers are still in good supply. We have some lovely local Asian vegies available. Local baby bok choy, choy sum and some very nice herbs are always in stock.

We should all be looking to embrace September as the stepping stone to summer. Local kale, which is in plentiful supply, is a great way to get started with lots of beaut juices to put you in healthy shape for the coming hot weather.

My staff and I look forward to saying hello when you next visit our shop. Ken.

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L O N G P O I N T V I N E YA R D & A R T G A L L E RY. Long Point Vineyard and Art Gallery will be presenting a “Meet the Artists” event, showcasing talented local artists Gwen Roberts and Yvonne Kiely on Saturday 3rd October starting at 11:00am.

Gwen’s artwork is a ‘Photorealistic Style’ incredibly made using graphite which is what makes it so striking. Gwen will be available throughout the day for a chat or to answer any questions.

11:30am - Live music kicks off 12:00pm - Live demonstration and talk with Gwen Roberts 2:00pm - Doodling workshop with local artist Yvonne Kiely Join Yvonne for the chance to have a fun laid back dabble at drawing. Yvonne will have samples of her work displayed on our brand new deck outside in the beautiful grounds of Long Point Vineyard, which gives visitors an idea of the unique work that she will be showcasing in the Gallery in February and March 2016.

There will be great grub available from MJ’s Street Food, so fill up on a pulled pork roll, have a tipple of the vineyard’s stunning wine at the cellar door, soak up the fruits of our forest whilst gazing at the incredible art in action.

Find us on Facebook! Long Point Vineyard and Art Gallery Facebook - Yvonne Kiely Facebook - Gwen Roberts Artist MJ’s Street Food www.mjsstreetfood.com

BRAD’S DRIVING SCHOOL. Brad Cameron has been a driving instructor in the Port Macquarie/Hastings area since 2013, originally being trained by the NRMA Driving School. With a great rapport with the young drivers of the community, Brad wanted to continue his own business as a driving instructor, which is now known as Brad’s Driving School. Through Brad’s experience with the NRMA Driving School he has gained the best professional training available in NSW, and he is fully accredited by the RTA. Brad’s driving lessons are just $40 per hour, which is up to 50% less than other driving schools! Brad’s calm and patient manner ensures positive feedback from his pupils (and their parents). What Brad wishes to deliver is the cheapest, most affordable and professional driving lessons in the Hastings.

Driving lessons help to make things easier for parents, and Brad excels in going the “extra mile” to make driving a hassle free, enjoyable experience and to help his students achieve the big step of gaining their drivers licence.

“From the bottom of my heart thank you Brad for giving me inspiration and determination and confidence while driving.

You have a unique way of teaching with your kindness and understanding and gave me the very best experience in getting my license first try. Thank you for going the extra mile in helping me work out how to be a car owner too!”

- Khairul D.

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V I S I T C A M D E N H AV E N .

The Camden Haven district, on the NSW Mid North Coast, offers a great range of accommodation from tent sites in our great holiday parks to luxury tree houses and B & Bs. There are also motels, self-catering apartments and holiday houses.

The beautiful Camden Haven is located thirty minutes south of Port Macquarie and forty minutes north of Taree. This “Valley of Villages” hugs the Camden Haven River as it makes its way from the lush Comboyne Plateau to the blue Pacific Ocean.

As the river meanders through this magnificent valley, it passes through the villages of Lorne, Kendall, Kew, Laurieton, Dunbogan, entering the sea between North Haven and Camden Head.

Bonny Hills lies to the north overlooking Grants and Rainbow Beaches. Just a further five minutes north is Lake Cathie (pronounced Cat-eye) with its beautiful lake, lagoon and beaches. Further

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afield you will find Port Macquarie, the region’s “capital”, with its great shopping, beaches, history, and attractions. Wauchope lies to the west of Port and is a beautiful town with a range of attractions and activities in a magnificent rural setting.

A key drawcard to the district is the myriad of waterways which make up the Camden Haven Inlet. Watson Taylors Lake, Queens Lake, Pilot Beach and Gogleys Lagoon are some of the natural features which are home to an abundance of marine and bird life. These waterways offer something for all lovers of water sports, with fishing, boating, surfing, swimming and kayaking on offer. One of the best ways to experience the Camden Haven is aboard Camden Haven Cruises’ vessel Far-Lap; its shallow draft and low profile allow it to navigate a large area of the district’s beautiful waters.

Be sure to call into the iKew Visitor Information Centre at Kew, when you Visit Camden Haven.

CHANGE NEAL JOHNS’ BLACKFEATHER NEALE JOHNS’ BLACKFEATHER RETURN TO THE ROAD AND EPITOMISE HOW GREAT MUSICIANSHIP AND PERFORMANCE TRANSCENDS THE MEDIOCRE. TOGETHER THEY ARE BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO ALL THE CLASSIC BLACKFEATHER SONGS.

N

eale Johns (vocals/songwriting/guitar) Neale is the face and voice of Blackfeather, from its inception in 1970 to the present 2015 version. A musical history that includes two of Australia’s top classic songs Seasons of Change and Boppin’ the Blues. Besides fronting exT-Rex band Fingerprint in London, Neale has toured with some of the biggest acts in the world. He is considered by his peers to be one of the best vocalists this country has produced.

Harry Brus (bass) A legendary bass player with over forty years of experience in the Australian music scene, Harry Brus has established himself as a truly seasoned professional. His dynamic and soulful style on bass has ensured his longevity as a highly respected and sought after musician, and he has shared the stage with countless Australian artists from Blackfeather, Billy Thorpe, Jimmy Barnes, Renee Geyer, Russell Morris and Kevin Borich to Leo Sayer, Marcia Hines and Ross Wilson. A master of his craft.

Stuart “Chet” Fraser (guitar) Has been playing the guitar professionally since the age of 15, when he joined Blackfeather. In 1992 he and Jon Stevens formed the band Noiseworks, who went on to record three multi-platinum albums. Outside of Noiseworks, Stuart has been at the forefront of guitar session playing in Australia, and has performed with the best in the industry. He was a member of the Jesus Christ Superstar band in 1993, and in 1994 joined the John Farnham Band, where he played until John's retirement in 2004. Stuart has also worked with Tom

Jones, Ray Charles, Boz Scaggs, Kylie Minogue, Joe Camilleri, Tommy Emmanuel, Tina Arena, Olivia Newton-John, Nick Barker, Diesel, Daryl Braithwaite and David Hirschfelder.

Paul Wheeler (drums) Paul’s professional career began when he was discovered by Iva Davies and at age 19 asked to join the band Icehouse. Paul has proven his versatility, recording and playing with many Australian and international artists.

Bands including: Anthony Callea, Doc Neeson's Angels, Swanee, Max Sharam, Marcia Hines, Jenny Morris, Vincent Stone, Richard Clapton, Brian Cadd, Maybe Dolls, Nikka Costa, John Oates (Hall & Oates), Primary, Ian Moss, Choirboys, Machinations, Russell Morris, Jimmy Keays, Darryl Cotton, The Whitlams, and Sneaky Sound System, to name a few.

Gary Steele (keyboards) Whilst not as much a household name as the other members of the band, Gary’s playing brings the kind of artistry that is expected in a legendary line-up like this. He too is highly respected and sought after, both live and in the studio. A very versatile player who is always up to the challenge. His unique style and stage presence adds to any performance.

Together all these players bring with them the kind of musicianship that has been expected and delivered by Blackfeather performances through the years.

the plug!

Port Macquarie Panthers Friday 9th October Door 7:30pm | Show 8pm | Tickets $40

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THANKS TO THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART AUSTRALIA, THE UNIQUE EXHIBITION, STRING THEORY, IS CURRENTLY TOURING AND WILL BE STOPPING OVER AT THE GLASSHOUSE REGIONAL GALLERY. GLENN BARKLEY, THE EXHIBITION’S CURATOR, DESCRIBES THE FINER POINTS OF THIS ONE OF A KIND INSTALLATION …

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string theory

STRING T

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i Glenn. Describe your association with the Museum of Contemporary Art and your role as a Curator …

I’m an independent Curator.

I work with an organisation called The Curators’ Department, but I used to be Senior Curator with the Museum of Contemporary Art. String Theory was a show I was working on before I left - and we’ve been quite lucky, because we received some funding, which has allowed it to tour ...

How did the idea for String Theory as an exhibition evolve?

It was one of those shows I had in my head for a long time. I wanted to work with Indigenous artists who were working with fibre. I worked in a university that was quite active in working with Indigenous artists working with fibre, so for a long time I had been working with this kind of material and these makers … So I waited for the opportunity to come up, which luckily it did. That was about three years ago now.

The show was actually part of a series of exhibitions the museum would do; the museum would do surveys of what artists were up to across Australia, and this one was very specific in that it was about artists working with textiles and fibres.

And the name “String Theory” is very clever, because not only does it relate to textiles, but in the Physics world “String Theory” also means pretty well the theory behind everything … So how does this relate to the exhibition? What themes does the

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exhibition explore?

It is a catchy title. It One of the re ally does suggest the idea of great pieces is a theory of everything ing,

by Frances Djulib g - which I think is bi a is k and her wor vi ne quite interesting, m ya ng ri st feather comes because the show is [Yukuwa] which d lle quite porous in what it from a place ca ” . and younger women sit ng considers to be fibre art.

Ramingini down and work together.

So quite often, it could be So, it’s as much about the an artist making something conversation between the with photography, but which women, as it is about the dolls that is about baskets … Or it might are the outcome of the conversation. be someone making paintings, which are This exhibition encompasses over 30 about nets. I wanted to take that approach artists - so we won’t have the space to … so it wasn’t just necessarily about using discuss all of their work … But could we material objects that use fibre, but it could be touch on just one or two pieces in more other artforms looking at fibre in different ways. detail?

You mentioned photos, as well as textile art One of the really great pieces is by Frances … but is it also a multimedia/audiovisual Djulibing, and her work is a big feather string exhibition? yam vine [Yukuwa] which comes from a place Yes, there is a bit of that. This exhibition has called Ramingining. It’s a vine which is quite a bit of everything. The other important thing is often used in ceremonies - it’s not used so this exhibition is about people and connections often now, and one hadn’t been made for between people, as much as it’s about the quite a while. But when this show came up, I artworks and objects themselves. So, the art went to the art centre and asked if some of the objects are the end result of a long ongoing artists could make one, and Frances was really process where people are communicating with keen to do so; she wanted to show one of her one another in some way - whether that’s granddaughters how to make one. This work through the transfer of knowledge, ideas, or is a really fantastic thing - it’s a representation quite often it could just be about people sitting of a yam vine made out of Cockatoo feathers down and talking to each other. (representing the yams) and the string or vine There’s a series of dolls that come from that connects it all together has been made from Narrogin in Western Australia that are made by a Fig tree [Banyan tree]. This work has ended up Indigenous women in a workshop, where older

“

in the Museum of Contemporary Art’s collection, which is great ...

Final say: I think it’s a really good show - there’s something in it for everybody. I was in Tamworth last week and I noticed that there are so many people in the community making things at the moment: art, craft, patchwork quilts … and I think this show would appeal to people who like to make things in different ways. I also think that the skill level of some of the work is quite extraordinary, and there are just some really beautiful objects in this exhibition that people will respond to.

Thanks Glenn. Interview by Jo Atkins.

See String Theory: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art at the Glasshouse Regional Gallery from September 18 - November 15.

Main photo: Frances Djulibing. Yukuwa feather string yam vine 2013. Museum of Contemporary Art, purchased 2013. Image courtesy and © the artist.

Photograph: Alex Davies.

Photo (right): Yarrenyty Arltere Artists. Little Dingi (still) 2012. DVD. Photograph: Adrian Warburton.

Inset photo: Senema Kickett. The Lady from the Mango Tree 2011. Recycled clothing, knitting, cotton.

Image courtesy the Noongar Doll Makers and CAN WA © the Noongar Doll Makers.

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SWAN LAKE

Thursday 10 September, 8pm Friday 11 September, 8pm

The Imperial Russian Ballet Company return to Australia with Swan Lake... the most loved classical ballet of them all.

This masterpiece ballet is presented in two acts and follows the original storyline.

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D E S T I N AT I O N G L E N I N N E S .

When you get tired of the heat and humidity this summer, remember that Glen Innes is so close, but worlds away.

Glen Innes is 1,062 metres above sea level.

With an average high temperature of 26 degrees in January, Glen Innes is the place to go when it is just too hot. If you can’t beat the heat, come to Glen Innes!

You will cool down as soon as you get to Glen Innes. With our alpine climate, we refer to our summer as being air-conditioned. You will notice the change in temperature as soon as you arrive.

Some of the wonderful reasons to come to Glen Innes in the summer include our National Parks. Within the National Parks there is ample opportunity for swimming, bird watching, experiencing beautiful waterfalls,

bush walking, mountain bike riding and more - you can do all of this in a world devoid of humidity!

Another wonderful activity to enjoy in summer is fishing. Fabulous fun for the whole family, and no-one will complain about being hot and bothered! Pack a picnic and find a cool, shady place by Rocky Ponds Creek or enjoy a drive through our stunning countryside. Soak up the history and do a historic walk through town and visit the Land of the Beardies and History House Museum.

Glen Innes - so close, yet worlds away. For information or to become a Destination Glen Innes Club Member and be always up to date, email us: destinationgleninnes@yahoo.com.au or send us a message via Facebook.

how Second s LE! SA now O N

A CELEBRATION OF THE LEGENDARY FRANK SINATRA

Swan Lake crosses the world of magic and mystical creatures with that of the real world. It is a story where the virtues of love and forgiveness in the end conquer evil and betrayal.

Tuesday 15 September, 7.30pm

ATA All Star Artists proudly presents the ultimate concert event of the year, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the legendary Frank Sinatra. 2015 marks a special year as the most loved entertainer of all time Frank Sinatra will be celebrated worldwide with a series of commemorative centennial concert events.

Friday 16 October, 8pm

JON ENGLISH – TRILOGY OF ROCK The best of Jon English’s sell out tours – ‘Rock Show’, ‘Rock Show More’, and ‘Rock Revolution’ – all in one fantastic concert. Classic rock hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, from such legendary bands as; The Beatles, The Who, Queen, Joplin, Dylan, The Stones, Alice Cooper, Eagles, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel, AC/DC, Tina Turner, The Kinks, The Mamas and the Papas, Easybeats... AND MANY MORE!!

And, of course, Mr JON ENGLISH himself.

02 6581 8888

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Gino Venturi • COLONIAL COBBLER Phone 6583 3525

Myrtle & Moss.

MEG & ME BOUTIQUE Phone 6583 7773

Ping Pong dress • HASTINGS CO-OP DEPARTMENT STORE • Phone 6585 2299

Elk • MEG & ME BOUTIQUE • Phone 6583 7773 58

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THE Colonial Cobbler The new spring/summer Rieker range is now in store at Colonial Cobbler. We are seeing neutral and earthy tones throughout the Rieker sandal range, embellishments and use of multi-tonal textures to match any outfit. Rieker footwear is unique, with the brand having won numerous awards in the footwear industry over the years. Rieker has been handcrafting fashionable European footwear since 1874, so they know comfort! High quality material and design are found in every area of a Rieker shoe.

You'll find that their shoes are remarkably lightweight and feature Antistress soles that gently cushion and flex to create a truly superb comfort experience.

Durability - Rieker shoes are extremely durable.

They can handle all manner of misuse and changes in environment without their stitching fraying and colour fading. These extremely comfortable shoes retain their usability for years; this has created a very strong following and an

endless list of satisfied customers.

Comfort - Another added benefit of wearing Rieker shoes is comfort. You won't have to carry an extra pair of shoes to change into during the day, as is the case with most designer shoes.

These shoes are designed with the wearer’s foot in mind. They fit around your foot and are made of material that expands and contracts as the situation demands. The soles are made of shock absorbing rubber that prevents you from feeling bumps when walking on uneven surfaces.

Fashion style - It is important for most people to have stylish, good looking footwear. Rieker shoes do not disappoint in this respect. The range of sandals are very stylish and are bound to get you noticed every time you wear them.

Rieker shoes are designed to keep your feet happy all day long! Let us help you choose the perfect style and fit for spring at Colonial Cobbler today.

greater port macquarie focus. 59

SUBLIME & BLOSSOM Sublime & Blossom has just opened its doors in Port Macquarie … Where do we find you? Sublime & Blossom is located across from Town Beach, underneath the Observatory building.

A bit about your background ... I grew up in the Port Macquarie area with my family.

I have always had a love of fashion and the desire to own my very own boutique. At the beginning of the year, I pitched the idea to my partner, who has been so supportive throughout this adventure. I still cannot believe that I have made my dream a reality at such a young age of 21; however, I never pass up an opportunity, no matter when it arises!

Customers can also expect to be invited to our monthly VIP events that happen at the end of every month! We provide drinks and nibbles, give away vouchers, a lucky door prize and a sale that happens storewide!

Elk necklace RAW SPICE Phone 6566 7669

How is Sublime & Blossom a little different from the norm? LISSLOUISE is a local clothing label, that features unique, handmade, one of a kind pieces. She also encourages custom made pieces - anywhere from everyday wear to formals or weddings!

DAVID AND ADELE is a local jewellery label which specialises in organic handmade pieces using metalsmith techniques with a collision of raw materials and precious metals.

David & Adele jewellery SUBLIME & BLOSSOM Phone 0411 260 140

Keep an eye on us, as there is talk that another local label is to join Sublime & Blossom soon.

Elk bangle • RAW SPICE • Phone 6566 7669

What do you offer customers? We have a little saying in store: “Once they go, they go!

We do not replenish; we replace with new styles”. Being a local, I know there isn’t a lot available to the people of Port Macquarie, so

Mojo Beach Strapless Palazzo Pantsuit MOJO STYLING Phone 0409 661002

this helps to limit the same style being spotted around town!

Island Luxe • ELEMENTS OF DESIGN • Phone 6586 0900 60 greater port macquarie focus.

Your Mind, Your Body, Your Home Mojo Styling will be the exclusive supplier of The Mojo Beach Label as well as other beautiful and unique clothing.

The brand new store is now open at Shop 2 /84 - 86 Horton Street in Port Macquarie and will carry beautiful home decor, gifts, jewellery and fashion accessories, as well as furniture at very affordable prices.

The complete Mojo Beach range will also be available mid September to purchase in store, as well as online, at www.mojobeach.com.au with a separate website for Mojo styling, www.mojostyling.com.au which will be up and running very soon.

Mojo Styling is something new and exciting for Port Macquarie, providing a totally unique experience to anything ever seen before in our town.

At Mojo Styling we are inspired by the coastal lifestyle of the Mid North Coast, and we hand pick fabulous and affordable pieces to complement you and your home. Call in and see for yourself, and like our Facebook page, Mojo Styling, for regular updates of what is in store.

Unique … Exclusive … Affordable … fashion, home decor and furniture. www.mojostyling.com.au

Justine 0409 661 002

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WELLBEING East Coast Laser

By Adrian Cornale from Eyecare Plus

FLAWLESS

SKIN East Coast Laser’s Beauty tips for flawless skin Keep clean - wash hands regularly, try not to touch your face, change face washers/ pillowslips and towels regularly, use spatulas not fingers when dipping into your face creams, wash make up brushes every three weeks with a gentle shampoo. Always wash your face at night.

Stop smoking Smoking causes wrinkles, broken capillaries and deteriorates the skin. Every decade of smoking results in a perceived extra 2.5 years of age.

Moderate alcohol intake Alcohol increases the level of inflammatory agents in our blood stream “which can hasten skin sagging over time”.

No popping zits This pushes bacteria deeper into our pores, causing inflammation, infection and possible scarring. We suggest using a spot treatment instead. Our pick: ASAP clear skin gel.

No junk food High Glycemic foods cause blood sugars to rise, triggering a surge of insulin - insulin in turn stimulates oil producing hormones androgens,

which actively creates pimples.

Don’t waste your money on a toner. A good cleanser should do the job that a toner is supposed to do.

Stay away from scrubs, particularly from the age of 30+. Scrubs are too abrasive. This constant physical trauma over stimulates the sebaceous glands, causing blockages in the pores, drying out the skin surface. They often worsen breakouts by breaking the skin barrier and spreading bacteria. Exfoliation is best achieved by a good retinoyl cream. My number one choice for anti-ageing anti acne treatments for all ages (except pregnant mums + breastfeeding) For extra needed exfoliation, a glycolic peel and medical microdermabrasion is our favourite in house treatment.

Be sun smart - definitely prevention is your best chance to reduce the appearance of ageing and reduce the risk of melanoma/ skin cancers. A 15 - 30 + broad spectrum moisturiser with sunscreen is best.

Sleeping with a luxurious silk pillowslip helps to prevent wrinkles while we sleep!

EYE HEALTH

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Early detection is the key to eye health!

he major causes of permanent vision loss in Australia are Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma and Diabetic Eye Disease. All are more common in people over 40, although Diabetic eye disease can occur at a younger age dependent on when the disease developed.

More than 70 per cent of Australians with Diabetes will develop changes to their eyes within 15 years of diagnosis. The younger Diabetes develops, the earlier retinopathy is likely to develop.

Poor control of blood sugar levels will also increase the risk of retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when tiny blood vessels in the retina are damaged and can cause permanent loss of vision.

At Eyecare Plus, we routinely check for eye disease using high resolution retinal scanning. Early detection and referral for appropriate treatment can prevent up to 98 per cent of severe vision loss.

Facts and Tips: an eye examination every two years is necessary for early detection and treatment of eye disease.

Digital retinal scanning, available at Eyecare Plus, is recommended to monitor diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Early diagnosis and appropriate referral for treatment can prevent severe vision loss.

A comprehensive eye examination at Eyecare Plus will assure your eyes are in good health.

PROSTATE

CANCER What is your number? Is it rising? Do you know why?

Your health is your responsibility; see your doctor.

T

he Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia reports that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. There are 120,000 men and their families living with prostate cancer, 20,000 men will be diagnosed this year, and 3,000 men will die from prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is an age-dependent disease, which means the chance of developing it increases with age. The risk of getting prostate cancer by the age of 75 is 66

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1 in 7. By the age of 85, this increases to 1 in 5.

A prostate cancer diagnosis is least common in men under 50 years old (less than 3%). However, compared with other cancers, prostate cancer has one of the highest 5-year survival rates after diagnosis (92%). Men over age 50, or 40 with a family history of prostate cancer, should talk to their doctor about testing for prostate cancer as part of their annual health check-up.

WELLBEING

beginner tai chi Tai Chi has been around for many years and is a way of maintaining physical and mental health. It is an art form strengthening bodily functions, developing one’s intellect and elevating one’s centre of feeling. Based on the theory of Yin and Yang, in ancient Chinese philosophy, it helps promote self esteem and physical health.

“Is it difficult to learn Tai Chi?” That is a question often asked by beginners. The answer is NO. With gentle movements, Tai Chi is easier to learn than other sports for everyone, male or female.

There is only one way to practice Tai Chi. That is to learn gradually, one movement at a time, and to develop a stringent practice routine which requires patience and perseverance to gradually “master” each form. There are 40 or 50 forms or movements in Tai Chi. These forms are simply choreographed into hand and step patterns involving handwork, footwork and legwork. For beginners, we must start with the basics. One must lay a good foundation at the very beginning to give the student confidence.

The emphasis on the practice of Tai Chi are gentleness and continuity. The shift from one movement to the next should be done in a circular motion, evenly and continuously.

After learning the art of Tai Chi, the student may like to move on to using weapons such as a Double Sided Sword, a Broad Sword or even a Fan. The use of weapons in Tai Chi will further enhance the student’s desire and ability to achieve fulfilment within the art.

Tai Chi for beginners will be available in Port Macquarie commencing Wednesday 16th September. For further information and times, contact Robert Newton on 6583 3886. Be quick, as places are limited.

UV and eye disease UV exposure causes serious eye diseases, including Cataract, Pterygium, Macular Degeneration as well as skin cancers around the eye.

Dr. Bobby Kumar COSMETIC SURGEON

All sunglasses DO NOT provide equal protection from UV radiation. Sunglasses rated 100% UV absorption were once thought to provide maximum eye protection. Research, however, indicates the “peripheral light effect” and “reflections off the back surface of the lenses” cause the most damage. These effects are also worse when the sun is lower in the sky. The most damage to our skin from UV exposure is in the middle of the day, when the sun is high in the sky. But damaging exposure to the eyes is greatest between 9 - 11am and 4 - 6pm.

Why Consider Tummy Tuck & Liposuction Surgery...

• Tried diet & exercise but frustrated by that last bit of fat & skin that won’t budge?

• Or are you a Mum wanting to restore the flatness & firmness of your pre pregnancy tummy?

• Have you lost weight but are left with excess hanging skin?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then Tummy Tuck Surgery & Liposuction might be for you.

Tummy Tuck Surgery achieves a flat, tight tummy by removing residual excess tissue & skin, & tightening the underlying tummy muscles. Liposuction creates a natural, sculptured and contoured result.

Dr. Bobby Kumar, Cosmetic Surgeon, Surgical Fellow of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and International Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery with advanced training in: TUMMY TUCK SURGERY BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY BREAST REDUCTION & LIFT SURGERY FACIAL, NECK & NOSE SURGERY All Surgical Procedures performed in accredited Hospitals with a qualified Anaesthetist • NON-SURGICAL FACIAL REJUVENATION • Anti wrinkle & Dermal Filler Treatments For the effective & natural results you deserve, call Wendy on 1300 676 003 or 0430 491 009 or email bobby@ bareaesthetics.com.au for an appointment.

Many people wear the wrong type of sunglasses, because they have not had the correct advice in frame and lens selection.

This explains why many still suffer eye diseases from the effects of UV, despite regularly wearing their sunglasses.

The best eye protection is a pair of wrap-around sunglasses that block 100% UVA and UVB radiation, as well as blocking peripheral UV light. Unfortunately, wrap frames are not always appropriate due to face shape, personal taste or prescription requirements. In these cases, alternatives such as the exclusive back surface UV Anti-Reflection coating - Crizal UV and custom fitted frames with wider side arms can maximise UV protection.

These factors are taken into account when you have sunglasses recommended by our staff at Eyecare Plus. We offer customised prescription sunglasses that provide you with perfect vision and complete eye protection, which are available in a wide range of fashion brands.

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WELLBEING

BEACHSIDE DENTAL Good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Here are some tips to maintain healthy teeth and gums Brush at least twice a day. The best time to brush teeth at least half an hour after meals.

Choose a toothbrush with a small head for better access to back teeth. Soft bristles are kinder on your gums and teeth.

Use a fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride helps to harden tooth enamel and reduces your risk of decay.

Floss your teeth daily to prevent gum disease.

Limit acidic drinks like soft drinks, cordials and fruit juices. Food acids soften tooth material and dissolve the minerals in tooth enamel, causing holes (cavities or caries). In severe cases, teeth may be ‘eaten’ right down to the gum.

Limit sugary foods. Bacteria in dental plaque change sugars into acids.

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Protect your teeth from injury. Wear a mouthguard when playing sports.

Try to save a knocked out tooth. If possible, hold the tooth back in place while you seek immediate dental advice. If this is not possible, wrap the tooth in plastic or place it in milk and seek dental advice immediately.

Avoid using your teeth for anything other than chewing food. If you use them to crack nuts, remove bottle tops or rip open packaging, you risk chipping or even breaking your teeth.

Checking your teeth for tooth decay is just one part of a thorough dental examination.

During your checkup appointment, your dentist (or dental hygienist) will evaluate the health of your gums and examine your mouth for any indications of oral cancer, diabetes or vitamin deficiencies.

Your friendly team at Beachside Dental are ready to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Call today to book your appiontment.

& WELLBEING

K E L L E E M O RGA N

Kellee Morgan is using the month of September to promote “Liptember - Kiss Away the Blues” - a fundraiser that aims to not only raise money, but awareness of women’s mental health issues. Throughout September you may see Kellee around town wearing some very bright, quirky or unique lipsticks … so don’t be shy! Make sure you stop and chat to her about Liptember.

H

i Kellee. Tell us a bit about yourself ... whereabouts in the Hastings area do you call home, and what’s your work/family background?

I live in Port Macquarie, having moved from Armidale in 2010 after finishing a Business/ Marketing degree at uni. I’m a mum to two boys aged two and four years old and work part-time in a local business in the CBD. Describe “Liptember” - Kiss Away the Blues - for our readers ... What’s involved with raising money for this fundraiser, and where do funds raised actually go?

Liptember is a month-long fundraiser and awareness campaign for women’s mental health. Throughout September, supporters can wear bright and colourful lipstick, either the special release Liptember colours or one of your favourite lippies, as a way to “Kiss Away the Blues”. You register online as an individual or team and raise funds via donations to your profile. Proceeds raised go towards the Centre for Women’s Mental Health and Lifeline.

You’ll be busy throughout the month of September wearing striking and bold lipstick shades each day. What are some of the more unusual shades you have planned?

Since I started doing Liptember, I have challenged myself to wear something different every day. I’ve mixed it up with everything from bright colours, to wearing different tones on the top and bottom, to even wearing black lipstick for a bold statement.

However, I have a collection of “lip transfers”, which are like temporary tattoos (similar to kids’ tattoos), that I can wear on my lips. These are printed designs that are bright and unusual; I love trying to coordinate these with my outfit for something truly different.

Why did you decide to become involved

with Liptember - what’s your motivation?

When I first heard of Liptember in 2013, I was seven months pregnant with my second child and feeling a bit heavy and uncomfortable. I set my daily challenge as a way to pass the month and make an effort in my appearance and have some fun, and it really helped lift my spirits.

I was also starting to feel despair about the lack of support for mental health, from anxiety to post-natal depression, having seen it affect people I love. I wanted to contribute and show support for everyone I knew who struggled with mental health issues, who once felt like they had nowhere to turn to for support, or were too scared to speak up for fear of being judged.

Mental health has a bit of a negative stigma which we need to overcome - we need to speak up and make it OK for people to feel comfortable to share without fear of judgement when they are feeling lost.

Bright lips and a bold statement to me is the perfect way to say “speak up” and show support, because it’s OK to admit you need help.

How can people donate/support you, or find out more information about Liptember?

Collection tins are available at the Humble Sandwich on Clarence St, and Zocalo just next to the St George Bank on Horton St. You can follow my Liptember progress on instagram at @30ShadesOfLiptember, and donate at www.liptember.com.au/kelleemorgan.

You can also register as an individual or team at www.liptember.com.au.

I also have some limited merchandise available; you can email me at kelleemorgan@ gmail.com to purchase. If you see me around town during September, feel free to say hi.

Thanks Kellee. Interview by Jo Atkins. greater port macquarie focus.

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& WELLBEING

MUSIC & Meditation P R A B H U

O S O N I Q S

Prabhu is an energy musician and founder of OSONIQS music & meditation technique. The

purpose of his musical journey is to connect with silence of the soul and to celebrate this beautiful gift of life. Prabhu calls this musical journey OSONIQS.

W

hat is the story of your musical journey?

Music for Prabhu OSONIQS is like a painting on the canvas of SHUNYA (silence). He lets the sound of the HANG, Sansula, Flute and other acoustic instruments create a sonic visual of natural phenomena and the mysteries of life in their fullest.

The “O” in OSONIQS represents the emptiness (nothingness) like Shunya (zero), and also “O” as a circle holds the complete dance of universal energies. And “SONIQS” stands for sound and energy vibration.

Prabhu’s musical journey started from his early childhood playing rhythm for KIRTAN (Indian devotional music). His love for rhythm and dance kept him dedicated to celebration drumming for devotional and folk music. On his musical path, the Dholak (Indian Folk Drum) was his first love. Without any formal training, Prabhu kept on playing Dholak at various devotional and folk gatherings, embodying the rhythm to its fullest, almost to the stage of divine bliss.

Later in his life, Prabhu moved to an international spiritual community of OSHO lovers. Here he played rhythm for Kirtan devotional music, meditation, dance, east-west fusion and even for death celebrations, which gave him new exposure to music from around the world and the ability to play in various musical genres. This made him a musical genre nomad.

In early 2006 Prabhu had a life-changing encounter with a UFO looking Swiss instrument, HANG. Later in 2007 Prabhu received the gift of a HANG from the creator Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer.

This was a new opening, and his musical

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journey has expanded his mother Bhagvati chanting Later in his life to new levels. Never “Shri Krishna Saranam Prabhu moved in his wildest dreams Mamah” (I surrender nal to an internatio ity of did Prabhu think he to divine) while doing un spiritual comm he re would play melody. house work. Though he OSHO lovers , w s ar ye Now for the first she was not a singer, 15 t lived almos of th pa e th time in Prabhu's Prabhu received the gift ed w and follo ion at br le ce n, life, music became a devotion.

Those Mantras tio medita ” n. tio vo unification of rhythm are still ringing in his heart. de d an and melody. All his This later made him realise experience in meditation you can offer prayer anywhere, and devotional music started anytime. crystallising into compositions. Nature His father, Anant, was a devotional provided him with an abundant source soul. He would sing Kirtan and love songs of inspiration. The rivers, the ocean, the anytime and anywhere. He would dance to moon, the birds, the bamboo … AHA the Kirtan or Sufi Songs with full totality. Prabhu source is there; the only thing he needed was received the gift of totality and not to fear to to tune in. Slowly, slowly he evolved a new be himself in his life. way to play HANG, with qualities of softness, What are the benefits of connecting sound wildness, flowing, subtle sound, vibration with meditation and activities such as ripples and overtone waves. yoga?

What is your cultural background?

One of the focuses of OSONIQS music and Prabhu was blessed to be born in India meditation technique is to use sound vibration in a devotional family, where many seekers as tonic for our energy body. Prabhu feels in from different paths came and shared their modern life acoustic sound and music can experiences. Here he received the art of trust, really benefit us to de-stress the physical body, devotion and surrender to existential flow of relax the mind and revitalise our energy body. It life from his father and mother. helps us balance our daily intake of noise from Later in his life Prabhu moved to an morning to night, starting with alarm clock, international spiritual community of OSHO train, bus, air-conditioning, TV and many more, lovers, where he lived almost 15 years and plus micro noise and electro-magnetic radiation followed the path of meditation, celebration intake from computers and other electronic and devotion. devices. All of this has a negative effect on our How has this influenced your musical own energy body (magnetic field). style?

As our minds are very busy, it is hard to Living in an open house where seekers from switch off, and meditation to the right gentle many religions and many paths came was a acoustic music can softly bring the mind to great playground for him to realise the oneness stillness. of divinity in early age. He experienced the While doing Yoga practice, music can help same devotion in singing Indian Kirtan or Sufi better flow in Yoga Asana. If Yoga practice is songs-Qawwalli. soft, it helps deeper centering; with soft music, He remembers from the early age of 3 or 4, it can also help the breathing cycle. If Yoga

“

practice is active, dynamic music can help us be in flow with the Yoga Asana cycle.

Also in Prabhu’s experience, when acoustic music is played close to the physical body while doing Yoga, it helps release tension in the body, and Yogi find it easy to enter into Yoga posture.

Playing at festivals and cultural events around the world, where has your music taken you?

It has been a wonderful musical mystical journey for Prabhu. HANG music has opened many hearts and doors for him, including at the Ekam Yoga Festival. Prabhu OSONIQS has offered HANG music at many festivals, schools, concert halls, cultural events, corporate events, temples, yoga centres, dance studios and soirees, in Australia, Japan, India and Europe.

What can visitors expect from your workshop at the Ekam Yoga Festival in October?

Prabhu Feels in his OSONIQS celebration at Ekam Yoga Festival, one can journey to deep silence of the soul. One can experience that we can receive sound vibration through our cellular body, which can take us into deep relaxation. Prabhu OSONIQS' music is a unique fusion of hypnotic rhythms, smooth melodies, overflowing overtones and ethereal vibrations.

Thanks Prabhu.

For more information about Prabhu and his music, visit his website: www.osoniqs.com

the plug!

Tickets are $98 and available online now. Sessions are booking out quickly, so head to ekamyogafestival.org.au for more information and tickets soon.

Connect to the Ekam community on Facebook /ekamyogafestival.

& WELLBEING

STYLE AT EVERY

The world’s oldest professional fashion model, Daphne Selfe, is fronting an inspirational campaign for eyewear and eye care retailer OPSM to celebrate the people that have both seen remarkable things and continue to lead dynamic and fulfilling lives.

AGE S

CHIC AT ANY AGE AUSTRALIANS EMBRACING STYLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE Inspirational new OPSM campaign proves style is ageless

tyle At Every Age represents timeless style: a collection of images and short videos that features UK model Selfe, aged 86, alongside Australian fashion and culture icons, including journalist, TV personality and author Ita Buttrose, fashion designer Jenny Kee, photographer Gary Heery and surfing filmmaker and photographer Alby Falzon. All of these icons have been captured in a way that reflects on the amazing things that they have seen, as well as their great plans for the future.

Selfe is the ultimate proof that, when it comes to style, age is only a number. Even more successful now than she was as a model in her twenties, Selfe has been shot by Mario Testino for Dolce and Gabbana and has graced the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair, just to name a few.

“Things have changed so much for the older generation. Now people are much fitter, more fashionable and have more wealth to do the things

they wish as they advance in years.

I believe that taking great care of myself has enabled me to continue with my career and be as successful as I have, and I believe that’s why so many people past ‘retirement age’ are living their lives with such great grace and gusto,” comments Selfe.

Style At Every Age comes at a time where our ageing Australian population is increasingly embracing their style, but this change is rarely reflected in the fashion industry.

Stewart Walton, Senior Buying Director for OPSM, explains: “In the past five years, there has been a 21 per cent increase in older customers choosing more fashion-forward frames* from brands such as Versace and Bvlgari for women and Armani and Ray-Ban for men.”

“Traditionally, fashion campaigns are focused on the young, but as we’re seeing a trend where older customers are choosing more stylish frames, we wanted to create something that reflects this and inspires older Aussies that they can be chic at any age,” he continues.

Kee comments: “Glasses are something you wear every day, yet they can be the ultimate style statement and tool to communicate your personality. I’ve always been known for my daring fashion choices, and hope this campaign encourages other mature Australians to embrace their own unique look.”

The campaign’s still imagery captures the essence of each individual personality; the video pieces reveal more about their enduring careers and change they’ve seen over the years. Ita Buttrose’s experience with changing technology in the media world, Jenny Kee’s growing confidence and attitude towards style with age, Gary Heery’s first days as a photographer in Los Angeles and Alby Falzon’s special appreciation of the gift of sight are all documented.

Style At Every Age is available in OPSM stores now. Head to www.OPSM.com.au for Daphne Selfe, Ita Buttrose, Jenny Kee, Gary Heery and Alby Falzon’s full stories.

ULTRA WIDE DIGITAL RETINAL SCAN 45o

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200o

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OPSM recommends that you schedule regular visits with your optometrist based on your eye health needs.

Port Macquarie Clarence Street, Settlement City Ph: 6583 1377 Shopping, Ph: 6583 4271

Laurieton Laurie Street, Ph: 6559 9007

Kempsey Belgrave Street, Ph: 6562 5886

COMMIT TO CHECKING YOUR EYE HEALTH, VISIT OPSM TODAY. Taree Taree City Centre Ph: 6552 2391 OPSM9356 0715 255x156

greater port macquarie focus. 71

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& WELLBEING

Everyday

Health & Fitness EH&F IS A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT CONSISTS OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND FITNESS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE GREATER PORT MACQUARIE REGION.

E

H&F can help if you have any Your therapist is with you for the entire aches and pains, excess weight, consultation. We do not skip between neurological or cardiorespiratory two to three patients at once. conditions, digestive problems, We are based at Your Life Fitness or if you are simply in need of specialist Centre and have full access to all gym instructions to start an exercise equipment. There is also plenty of programme. Whatever your health parking. concerns, EH&F is here to help.

We run group exercise classes which Can you please introduce yourself involves supervised, individual exercise and the team at Everyday programmes. No matter what your Health and Fitness? physical condition, we know the Mitchell Lenkic exercises.

Physiotherapist and We support our Exercise Physiologist. community by Ebru Holman EH&F is the sponsoring the most affordable Dietitian and Hastings River District Exercise Physiotherapy, Nutritionist.

Cricket Association titian Physiology, Die sage Jason Delaforce and the Port as and Remedial M Remedial Massage Macquarie Boxing business in Port and Oncology Club.

Macquarie . ” Massage Therapist.

How can our readers Jessica Tarrant get in touch with Practice Manager.

Everyday Health and Why choose Everyday Fitness?

Health and Fitness?

EH&F can be contacted by calling EH&F is the most affordable (02) 6581 4445. You can check out our Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, website at everydayhf.com.au Dietitian and Remedial Massage business We are also on Facebook, Twitter and in Port Macquarie.

Instagram. Each month we offer new The staff at EH&F are up to date promotions and discounts via social media with the latest research and treatment so follow us and you’ll be sure to grab a techniques. bargain!

“

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with Clairvoyant Terri Hall Phone. 0424 818 343

SEPTEMBER 2015

with Terri

AQUARIUS. January 21 - February 19

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. Enjoy! Ruby is very effective for personal power.

PISCES.

February 20 - March 20 If life still isn’t satisfying you, perhaps your focus is a little too material. Try connecting with the essence of your childhood joy, and allow new adventure into your life. Your intellect will soon be satisfied, as study is a likely influence soon. Citrine brings an abundance of creative energy.

ARIES.

March 21 - April 20 Be patient a little longer; you’re about to step into some happier times, but your attitude is critical. If you can step into the unknown fearless, there will be nothing to worry about. Moldavite brings forward change and higher personal qualities.

TA U R U S .

April 21 - May 21

New beginnings surround you at the moment. Dreaming of birth often represents new beginnings too, so don’t be worried if you have dreamt these themes. This year is likely to host a myriad of activities for your social calendar. New acquaintances are entering the picture, so enjoy their company.

Mangano Calcite is wonderful for removing potential negative thought patterns and eliminating self-sabotage.

GEMINI. May 22 - June 22

You have recently triumphed over personal challenges and may have begun to recognise new strengths. Now just bring back your laughter and lighten up your energy.

New romance, fun and adventure can be expected. Make a wish and see what happens. Rose Quartz brings out our passion for living and our joy.

CANCER.

June 23 - July 23

You are about to tumble into “the adventure of a lifetime”. Enjoy your talents and the wonder of developing them, as this year will present many opportunities to explore them through. Reconnect through your inner child with a personal relationship and enjoy some playful energy.

Aquamarine gives us enormous self courage to confidently walk through any situation.

LEO.

July 24 - August 23

This month your awareness is being called towards your usual happy way of processing life. The reason why you are so fearful at present, is because you are currently taking life far too seriously; lighten up and bring back your laughter and watch your fears disappear. Pyrite will bring back courage.

VIRGO.

August 24 - September 23 Congratulations: you have created the way for your success through letting go of anxiety and bringing forth self-confidence.

Now rehash what is important to you and why it is, to attract even more reward. Real estate dealings should prove very rewarding.

Orange Calcite heals, restores and rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit.

LIBRA.

September 24 - October 23 Stand strong in your own light; someone close to you is trying to grow through their weaknesses, and their insecurities are playing with them.

They are learning by your example, so don’t give up. Remember we all react to truths we aren’t prepared for. Blue lace agate lightens the mind and clears thoughts.

SCORPIO.

October 24 - November 22 Total change can be expected to your binding circumstance, as your wish has been heard. Validate one talent today by using it, and watch the wonderful difference this makes to your attitudes.

Try a little goal setting. Carnelian is a wonderful motivating crystal.

S A G I T TA R I U S .

November 23 - December 21

Now is a really good time to debate your own rules and regulations for life. Your judgement prohibits you from enjoying life to its fullest, so be kinder to yourself. Plan a holiday for yourself and get out of your current circumstance to try a little new goal setting. Citrine will shatter negative thoughts and attract an abundance of positive ones.

CAPRICORN. December 22 - January 20

Congratulations: you are about to receive a beautiful reward. Your faith is one of your strongest gifts, and even though you have been through rough times, you were still able to be true to yourself and remained yourself. You may now be showing others how to do the same.

Turquoise enables us to receive our rewards effortlessly.

greater port macquarie focus. 75

& WELLBEING

Sugar Free Protein Balls These sugar free protein balls are so easy to make.

I usually make a batch for the week and find they keep me super satisfied when I need a quick energy boost - or have a sugar craving! Because they’re free from processed sugar, you won’t experience the same blood sugar roller coaster.

Try whipping up a batch this weekend - you’ll be prepped with healthy snacks before the work week even starts. And get creative! You can try a variety of different nuts and mix-ins to make each bite uniquely delicious. I’ve loved using chocolate protein powder in mine.

Ingredients (serves 10) 4 tbsp LSA or 4 tbsp chocolate protein powder

1 tbsp chia seeds/psyllium husk - for the fibre hit

2 tbsp mixed seeds (I like pumpkin and sunflower seeds)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cacao

¼- ½ cup warm filtered water - start small and add more as needed

2 heaped tbsp almond butter

2 tsp stevia powder/drops

Method 1. In a high-powered blender or food processor, add all the ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth. Tip: If the mixture is too wet, add more LSA mix; if the mixture is too dry, add a splash of warm water.

2. Roll into balls of your desired size and refrigerate.

3. These can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to seven days.

HANG JUICE This juice is perfect to give you a kickstart the morning after a big night, or if you’re just feeling a little sluggish, bloated or tired; the refreshing and energising effect of this super juice blend is amazing.

Freshly squeezed orange Juice Freshly squeezed pineapple juice Freshly squeezed lemon Small piece of ginger Blend all together with crushed ice for a delicious, nutritious beverage. It can help settle stomach pains and discomfort and is nourishing to your digestive system. Also energises and refreshes.

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focusinterview.

EDUCATION HASTINGS

T

FUND

Photo credit: Lindsay Moller

H A ST I NG S E DUCAT ION F U N D H A S B E E N PROMOT I NG G R A N TS A N D S U PP ORT TO ST U DE N TS FOR F I V E Y E A R S NOW, H E L PI NG DR E A M S T U R N I N TO R E A L I T Y. T I M T R E G L OW N I S ON E OF T HOS E ST U DE N TS W HO H A S B E E N A B L E TO AC H I EV E H I S DR E A M CA R E E R T H A N K S TO T H E F U N D …

ell us a bit about yourself.

What were your interests through school, and how long have you called Port Macquarie home?

Originally from Campbelltown, my family moved to Port Macquarie to enjoy the peaceful lifestyle along the coast. I have always called Port Macquarie home and believe there is a lot to offer. I enjoy going to the beach and cooking dinner for family and friends.

I attended Port Macquarie High School and graduated in 2011. I have a passion for knowledge and am always interested in improving my strengths. In school I wanted to learn the financial aspects of business and develop my understanding to increase wealth.

I undertook an accounting TVET course as part of my HSC and achieved high results.

It didn’t take much to know that this would be the career for me. I also have an interest in embracing technology in the workplace to improve the user experience and finding methods to increase business efficiency.

When did you first hear about the Hastings Education Fund?

I first heard about the Hastings Education Fund (HEF) in 2011. My grandparents handed me an application that they received from HEF in the shopping centre. This was ideal as I prepared for the next stage after high school trying to get into university. I also did more research to see ways in which HEF could assist me and was eager to apply.

What was the process like when applying

for your grant, and what was the assistance you received for your studies?

It was a very easy process to apply. I had to complete a form and attend a meeting to further discuss my situation. The board of HEF are understanding of personal circumstances and are willing to help where they can. I received both monetary and non-monetary assistance. I was able to buy a laptop and books for university, as well as pay for ongoing expenses. They assisted me to find the best pathway to achieve my goals and complete my degree. They were always available to have a chat and ensure I was progressing to my best.

Congratulations on the exciting position you were appointed to! Tell us about your journey and how the Hastings Education Fund helped you progress to where you are now?

HEF helped me transition from high school to university, thus achieving my goal to be an accountant. Charles Sturt University alongside North Coast TAFE offers a pathway to obtain an Advanced Diploma and one and a half year’s credit towards a Bachelor of Accounting.

HEF helped me enter into this pathway and ensured that I had all the appropriate materials. I have finally completed my degree as of June this year with a grade point average of 6 (Distinction) and was offered a job at Macquarie Business Accounts as a graduate accountant late last year.

I really enjoy my role as an accountant and would like to further my study by completing the Charted Accountant Programme (CA).

HEF also introduced me to RYLA (Rotary Youth

Leadership Award) which I completed early travel, accommodation, tools of the trade for this year. I’m also part of Rotaract in Port apprenticeships, uniforms, laptops and other Macquarie (which is currently in the making) costs associated with study. which is a social youth group to help raise WHERE CAN I APPLY? money for much needed charities.

Download an application from the CEF What would you say to others out there (Country Education Foundation) website www. dreaming of their career, but feeling as cef.org.au via the Grant Application link, then though it is seemingly too hard to grasp? select the Hastings Education Fund link under My advice would be to break big goals NSW - or from your school, TAFE campus, into smaller targets so that they college or training centre. become easily achievable, APPLICATIONS OPEN build as many contacts as AUGUST TO 30TH n io at possible to help seek SEPTEMBER FOR uc Ed gs tin H as unity advice, do not half STUDY IN THE Fu nd is a co m m prov id es at th do something just FOLLOWING YEAR. nd fu d se ba ce an d because it seems too HEF is a communityfin anci al as si stan lo cal t to hard achieve, and based fund that enco uragemen r he e into fu rt st ud ents to m ov ch osen don’t forget to take provides financial ei r ed uc at io n, or th a break and enjoy assistance and ng ni ai tr h vo catio n th ro ug life. encouragement ith w ps hi or ap prentices Thanks Tim. to local students or othe r university , TA FE s.”

NEED FUNDS FOR to move into further er id ov pr ng trai ni STUDY OR TRAINING? education, or their chosen Funding is open to all vocation through training or students 16 - 25 years in the apprenticeships with university, Port Macquarie-Hastings area.

TAFE or other training providers.

Hastings Education Fund is a communityGrants are based on financial or circumstantial based fund that provides financial assistance need, not academic ability. The grants are nonand encouragement to local students to cash grants and are distributed in the form move into further education, or their chosen of reimbursement to cover fees, text books, vocation through training or apprenticeships travel, accommodation, tools of the trade for with university, TAFE or other training apprenticeships, uniforms, laptops and other providers. Grants are based on financial need, costs associated with study. not on academic ability.

For further information please email Grants are distributed in the form of hastingseducationfund@gmail.com reimbursement to cover fees, text books, All enquiries welcome.

“

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focuseditorial.

focuseditorial.

WE CAN’T BEGIN TO THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH FOR SPONSORING US IN OUR PEDAL FOR PAT FUNDRAISER 2014. LAST YEAR WE RAISED OVER $47,000,;THIS WAS DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN BEAR COTTAGE, LITTLE WINGS AND RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE – WESTMEAD.

P

Without the help

“

edal for Pat help families like ours. of Little Wings , d an e ag came about tt This time the Bear Co ald through the riders are going Ronald McD on d, devastating House - Westmea from Manilla to e w ay w there is no loss of our grandson Wauchope over three n could have gotte and nephew, Patrick ” days, travelling from e. through this tim Coombes, who was 23/9/2015 to 26/9/2015. diagnosed in July 2013 with There will be harder an inoperable brain tumor and challenges for them to face tragically passed away within six this year, as we are riding off road months of being diagnosed. To lose as well as on road.

Patrick was devastating to all our family We would greatly appreciate it if you and friends. would consider sponsoring the riders Without the help of Little Wings, Bear again this year.

Cottage and Ronald McDonald House BANK DETAILS ARE Westmead, there is no way we could have ACCOUNT NAME HCCU COMMUNITY gotten through this time.

APPEALS ACCOUNT They made what was already a difficult time a little easier to handle. This year we are hoping with your support and sponsorship that we can raise money for Bear Cottage and The Kids Cancer Project, so they can continue to

BSB 802-214 ACCOUNT NUMBER 100 171 044 Please provide a last name or business name as a reference.

FOR CREATIVE WRITERS WHO ARE JUST BUDDING OR FULL BLOOM, THIS RETREAT IS FOR YOU. JACQUI WINN WILL BE OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

J

a bushwalk in nature’s Gondwana landscape. acqui is a talented and charismatic presenter who travels Falls Forest is largely protected and the world giving inspires those who immerse her vivacious themselves in its pristine creeks and babbling brooks. presentations on the art l na tio Quiet your mind with an op of literary skills and We have h tc re aromatherapy, hot stone st to techniques. yoga ur yo d an or shiatsu massage - all dy your bo Geoff Collins will lls Fa ith w n io at part of the package. in imag give an entertaining yogi , se ou -h in st re Fo The meals for the shwalk presentation on Fiona. Enjoy a bu ana weekend are provided dw writing with humour, in nature’s G on by wholefood expert and Rachel Palmer will landscape. ” Jean Davy of Amber tease out the creative Healing Farm. Save these components of story dates for your diary: 25-27 writing.

September. If you dare to indulge in We have optional yoga to stretch this sumptuous weekend of creativity, your body and your imagination with relaxation and rejuvenation, phone Rachel for further details on: 6586 1080.

Falls Forest in-house yogi, Fiona. Enjoy

“

Port Macquarie Community College RTO 90315

Fee Free Scholarships for selected Qualifications and Traineeships now available for eligible students Your community, your college, your future This training is subsidised by the NSW Governmentt

Concessions also available for eligible students in selected accredited short courses including: First Aid, CPR, RSA, RCG, Food Hygiene & Safety, White Card, Manual Handling skillslinktraining.com.au 78

greater port macquarie focus.

ph: 6583 7288

77 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie

admin@skillslinktraining.com.au

J Mr Chris Delaney Director of the Innovation, Creativity and Excellence Centre

Mid North Coast da vinci Decathlon

uly of this year saw the Regional da Vinci Decathlon become accessible to Mid North Coast schools for the first time when it was hosted

by St Columba Anglican School in Port Macquarie.

Chris Delaney is the Director of the Innovation, Creativity and Excellence Centre at St Columba Anglican School, and we spoke to him about the initiative.

Chris, tell us a bit more about the da Vinci Decathlon.

Inspired by one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Leonardo da Vinci, the Decathlon is an inter-school academic gala event designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of highly capable students.

The da Vinci Decathlon was created by Knox Grammar School in 2005, and as the popularity of the event has grown, Regional da Vinci Decathlon events are now run annually across Australia.

St Columba Anglican School

A World of Opportunities

collaboratively to solve How did the Mid North Coast various challenges across a Decathlon come about? range of academic disciplines Following our appointment including Science, Philosophy, as a Chapter School by Knox Engineering, Art and Poetry, Grammar, SCAS was excited to Cartography and Code be able to offer this fantastic Breaking. The activities ranged opportunity to students across from hands-on engineering the Mid North Coast. Three projects involving gala days were the design of Vinci The da organised, wonderful an innovative a is Decathlon with teams that initiative enrichment building competing in requires students to work prototype to the Year 5 & collaboratively, problem solve some brain 6, Year 7 & 8, and engage in a variety of bending tasks, or Year 9, 10 disciplines including Science, deciphering & 11 divisions.

Maths, Philosophy, Art and codes based Considering Poetry, Creative Performance, on the Illuminati and Engineering, Cartography it was the secret society.

Breaking.

Code inaugural event, we had What were the an enthusiastic response highlights for you? with approximately 40 teams, It was a fantastic more than 350 students, opportunity to create representing fifteen schools rapport between local from Port Macquarie, Kempsey, schools from the Government, Nambucca Heads and Coffs Catholic and Independent Harbour. sectors, as well as providing What does the da Vinci very capable students the Decathlon involve? chance to extend their skills In teams of eight, students and talents in a challenging represent their school, working academic environment.

Additionally, we were pleased to be able to provide these opportunities in a regional area, allowing students access to the same great opportunities often only available in the metropolitan centres.

What are your hopes for next year’s Decathlon?

Following on from the huge success of this year’s Decathlon, we can only imagine how this event will continue to expand and grow in future years. With the enthusiastic and positive feedback received from the students and staff involved in 2015, we hope to see many new faces in 2016, making the Mid North Coast Regional da Vinci Decathlon a prominent academic event for the students in our region.

Planning is underway for the 2016 Mid North Coast Decathlon, to be held in Term 2, and schools can find more information by visiting www.bit.ly/mncdavinci

Sydney Dance Eisteddfod On Sunday 26th July, fifty dancers from St Columba Anglican School’s Dance Honours Program travelled to compete in the prestigious Sydney Eisteddfod. The Sydney Eisteddfod has been running for over eight decades, drawing talent in all sectors of the Performing Arts together in Australia’s largest dance competition.

A World of Opportunities......

This year, St Columba competed in three categories: contemporary dance, jazz dance and open dance style for school groups.

Up against 40 groups from schools across Australia, St Columba’s dancers placed in each section, attaining a minimum result of Highly Commended. The Years 1012 Honours Group took 3rd

Place with their contemporary performance “Me and My Shadow” and the Year 9 troupe took out 1st Place with their contemporary dance, “Tribes”.

“Tribes” tells the tale of two feuding families: the son of the blue tribe falls in love with the daughter of the red tribe, in a post-colonial version of “Romeo and Juliet”. At the end of the dance, the two lovers leap off the stage and escape to be together.

The winning performance has earned the school a place in the highly-sought after “Dance of the Champions” show, which will be filmed for television on Sunday 13th September and will air on Channel 10 later in the year.

02 6581 4188 • w w w.scas.nsw.edu.au • PO B ox 5358 3 Iona Avenue • Por t M acquar ie NSW 2444

St Columba Anglican School is a leading provider of dance education on the Mid North Coast, headed by Mrs Shelly Kelly and Miss Brianna Thomas.

“St Columba’s participation in the Sydney Eisteddfod was made possible through a travel grant generously offered by the eisteddfod to support our school in going the distance”, said Mrs Kelly.

“We eagerly await showcasing our work in the Sydney Eisteddfod each year and providing our students the chance to experience the remarkable talent of schools outside our local community in such a renowned competition.

Our students also love to share the wonderful work coming from their regional area as well.”

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robyn’s

spot

Robyn Butler.

Dragonfly Marketing How many messages do you think you see on a daily basis?

Marketers and researchers alike have been providing guestimates for a number of years, and tossing up numbers in the range of 3,000 and 20,000 messages per day. I’m not sure the brain (or my brain!) could take on board that volume, but there is no debating that we are inundated with messages like never before.

As a business owner/operator, you’re up against countless competition for the attention of your customer, but have you thought about whether your own messages are competing against each other?

A business that communicates a clear and cohesive message across all channels has a much better chance of cutting through the noise in the marketplace, and connecting with the right people. What can often happen is that businesses think “on the spot” for their marketing and advertising, and this can result in fragmented

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messages that just won’t stick with customers who are already overwhelmed with too many choices. Your marketing messages lose impact, which increases the cost to your business.

As a marketing agency, we look at how we can integrate your marketing into a unified strategy.

Integrated marketing is more effective. It’s that simple. And it’s more efficient.

Three simple questions will shed light on whether your current marketing is integrated: • Would a customer know that all your marketing is from the same business?

• Does your marketing communicate your brand image consistently across different channels?

• Does your various marketing work together for the same goal for your business?

If your answer is no to any of the above, you are more than likely dealing with marketing that is missing the mark. Maybe it’s time to get integrated.

Spring is in the air and the Pansies and Violas are smiling at me ... love this time of the year!

R

oses are sprouting new buds and the ocean looks inviting … What else can you ask for? For many, I think good health … What awful strains of viruses hit people this winter. Let’s hope the warmer weather puts a spring in your step and gives you a clear head - literally!

PEEWEE TEEPEES ... HOMEMADE IN PORT MACQUARIE ...

Check out these marvellous teepees - a great pressie to purchase now for Christmas for your child or grandchild. You can put them in your backyard or even take them down to the beach for protection (and fun) from the sun.

Each teepee is hand made with love by Pat and her helper, Ron, from their premises in Port Macquarie. The measurements are as follows: 120 cm from side to side/front to back, internal height 140 cm and 180 cm total pole length.

They cost $145, but can be delivered anywhere in Australia for an extra $20.

The “Bohemian Dreaming“ teepee is a beautiful luxe version of the signature teepee.

All white, you can purchase bunting (customised with names or just patterned) separately to match your child’s room.

Each teepee comes with eyelets, so you can add tent pegs if you have the teepee outdoors.

Poles are sent with each teepee and can be put up or taken down in seconds.

I have no reservations in recommending this Aussie local product. For more details, phone Pat on 0412 819 898, email: hello@PeeWeeTeePees.com or see them on Instagram.

MINI FIELD OF WOMEN ... HASTINGS BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP This wonderful group of women headed

by Judith Hutchesson, the Co-ordinator, have this special event each year to highlight the work BCNA do and to promote breast cancer awareness, also recognising the 15,000 women diagnosed each year with breast cancer and the 2,700 who die.

The function will be held at the Port Macquarie Library on the 18th September 2015, commencing at 10am. They are hoping to have Cameron Marshall (ABC Radio fame) to officiate this year, cut the ribbon and be guest speaker.

You are able to receive a pink lady cut out on arrival and put a hand written message to a

deceased loved one on the back and place it in the garden along with other dedications.

Men and woman are invited to this very memorable occasion with a special cake, along with a song from a local artist, followed by a delicious morning tea. Look forward to seeing you there!

BARNES NATURALS ... Magic!

Many of my “mature aged” readers will know of Barnes Natural Products, which have been around since 1876.

My favourite product: Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar and The Mother With Manuka Active 5+ Honey. Whew, that is a mouthful! Australian owned and made - not cheap (around $12 for 500 ml) - it is a fabulous product and available at IGA Gordon Street and no doubt from other outlets: www.barnesnaturals.com.au or a Free Call to 1800 880 808 for more information about their Wellbeing products.

“COMPLETE” AND “FINISHED” No dictionary has ever been able to define the difference between “complete” and “finished” until at a Linguistic Conference in London a gentleman gave his definition with a twist ...

He said, “When you marry the right woman, you are ‘COMPLETE’.

“When you marry the wrong woman, you are ‘FINISHED’...

“And when the right woman catches you with the wrong woman, you are ‘COMPLETELY FINISHED’.”

He received a five minute standing ovation ...

THEY BROKE WHAT? Congratulations to all the staff and participants in breaking the world record for the most number of hearing tests in one day. Over seven hundred people participated, and Australian Hearing is now in the Guinness Book of Records. Well done, everyone!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK “Friends are my Estate!”

Keep smiling, Robbie x

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with Susie Boswell.

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T R AV E L D E S T I N AT I O N :

H I LT O N WA I K I K I B E A C H

ocation, location, location: it’s the real estate maxim that guides the choice of our biggest investment, our home - and a measure that ought also apply in making the right selection of holiday accommodation.

How often are we seduced by brochure pictures of a bure on an isolated beach, only to find we’ve booked one bang next to the resort’s noisy land-locked amenities centre?

That ski-in ski-out chalet in the snow – Oh no! After dark, there’s no transport but for a steep uphill trot on Shanks’s pony. The alluring website images: so far from the awful reality on check-in. Booking the right spot to serve as our home away from home is the single most important component of a happy holiday. No matter how much we live it up, we’ll spend about a third of our time there. It’s the base that will see us bathe and rest in comfort (or not) for tomorrow’s foray, whose restaurant will (hopefully) nourish us, the make or break essential element to getting the most for our precious time and money.

And so the Hilton Waikiki Beach stands out, not only for its prominent position smackcentre of Honolulu’s famous beach, surf and ocean environment. Look at the pictures: by day, a sunny panorama of blue Hawaii, the turquoise waters off beautiful Waikiki Beach just steps away. By night, glittering fairy lights climbing palm tree trunks and traffic in a golden ribbon along Kalakaua Avenue - the main shopping, dining and entertainment strip, named for former monarch King Kalakaua mark your location at the peak of the Oahu, and Hawaiian Islands’, vibe.

Added to its ideal address the hotel offers guests the assurance of the Hilton brand: luxury appointments; immaculate rooms with a “lanai” (balcony, actually) for watching the

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fireworks displays; 24-hour dining; professional hospitality; free access to its outdoor pool and 24-hour fitness facilities, and tropical gardens.

Yet importantly, unlike many Waikiki hotels, no daily resort fee. See images at TripAdvisor. It’s the perfect spot with littlies: minimal walking, moments to zoo, aquarium, surf and sand, no need to bundle them in and out of taxis (on tap at the foyer, along with fun trolley rides and tour-bus stop). If you’re hiring a car, there’s a valet parking service. (Hilton also operates the nearby Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and adjacent Grand Vacation suites and apartments: make sure you’re booking the correct hotel).

Accommodation settled, it’s time to go sightseeing, dance a luau, play a ukulele, explore the attractions in this ever-warm climate. Honolulu, Oahu and the Hawaiian islands overall attract an average 6000 Australians every week. But I’m not alone among Aussies in observing you don’t come here for the food. The American palate has much to learn from premium Oz cuisine, not to over-think and overdo its food. (Though I love the refreshing US penchant for cilantro/ coriander garnishes, much as we use parsley). I like the terrace at Il Lupino, a trattoria near the Sheraton complex; “best restaurant 2015” Alan Wong’s, tucked anonymously in Chinatown; and Moana Surfrider beachside garden for snacks and drinks. None is cheap. But nor was Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in the Royal Hawaiian (Hotel) Arcade, where we were unimpressed.

The New York chain served disappointing oysters, prawns and steak. Yet many Japanese tourists seemed to love it: perhaps this restaurant’s cheaper than its two Tokyo outlets!

Anyhow, la di dah; I can dine well at home.

But Hawaii’s atmosphere always has me at “Aloha”. FOCUS stayed courtesy of Hilton Waikiki Beach.

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fehon

completely

WANDERLUST

LOCAL LASS EMMA FEHON IS TAKING ON THE WORLD - LITERALLY! WORKING WITH HIGH CALIBRE TOURISM COMPANIES, TO WRITING HER OWN BLOG, TO HAVING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRAVEL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THIS GIRL IS “COMPLETELY WANDERLUST”! FOCUS CATCHES UP WITH EMMA TO FIND OUT HOW SHE HAS TURNED HER DREAMS INTO REALITY …

ell us about your younger 12. I really enjoyed the marketing topics, which years back in Port ultimately helped me choose a pathway for study Macquarie … at university.

Moving from Sydney to While completing your Bachelor of Business, Port Macquarie back in 2005 you were granted an opportunity to was something that I am still work along side the project “Tastings on so grateful for. The lifestyle that comes with Hastings”. Tell us about that experience and growing up in such a beautiful place, with the what doors it opened for you … beach on our doorstep, was a huge change Working with Sonia Fingleton from Good from city life in Sydney. I grew an Company Group really gave me a appreciation for nature and huge head start with my career. I wildlife from early on, and it couldn’t have landed a better has only grown stronger company to complete It very quickly g from there. my internship with, as started gainin ge Growing up, we hu it was not only a field ith w n, tractio e Travel Th e travelled with family lik that I found a passion ts un co ac autiful a lot. We were lucky in, but I was involved Channel and Be ten enough to visit many D estinations of with some large scale ages , an d featuring my im n to exotic destinations and projects that gave me ga my following be experience things like an excellent insight into grow rapidly.” flying in a helicopter over marketing and public volcanoes in Hawaii, diving relations within the tourism coral reefs, jetskiing, parasailing and travel industry. Working and even jumping out of a plane. It on the Tastings on Hastings project was these amazing encounters that sparked was a very rewarding part of my a love for adventure travel. internship. Seeing the event form from an What was it that inspired you to pursue idea, to become the most successful by way of a career in marketing? attendance to date at the time was an extremely It all started back in school when I chose fulfilling moment. To be involved with pulling it Business Studies as an elective for Years 11 and all together was great experience for me.

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Sonia is still to this day such a strong role Favourite destination and why? model for me. She gave me such valuable That is always such a difficult question, as guidance, experience and opportunities that no two places are alike. The South of Turkey is soon formed the foundation for my career, my favourite “summer” destination, and Lake allowing me to identify my strengths and work Tekapo, New Zealand, would have to be my with them to shape my future. favourite winter getaway.

Tell us about the exciting launch of your What advice would you give to young project, “Completely Wanderlust” what’s people inspired by your story? this all about and where has this taken Find something you love doing, and turn you? it into a career. It doesn’t always happen Completely Wanderlust was established in overnight, it may be worth taking your time to early 2014, and was mostly a way to share explore the world and try new experiences first. my travel photos with friends and The discovery will let you to see what family. It very quickly started else is out there and help you gaining traction, with huge realise where your passion lies. accounts like The Travel Who or what do you Channel and Beautiful look for inspiration The South of Turkey is my Destinations often from, and what drives er ” favourite “summ featuring my images, you to succeed? destination, and and my following I grew up with the ew Lake Tekapo, N ve began to grow rapidly. mantra that you can ha Zealand, would It wasn’t until I moved achieve anything you ite to be my favour .” to New Zealand in put your mind to, and winter getaway 2014, that I started that hard work brings to see some tangible great rewards. This has results from Completely already helped get me a long Wanderlust. People were loving way in my short career. the content that was coming through, Photography is one of the key drivers and I was constantly getting enquiries for that fuels my wanderlust and creates the travel ideas and advice for people coming desire to see some amazing destinations around to visit New Zealand. This year I was appointed the world. There are some very talented travel as an Ambassador for Air New Zealand photographers out there, like Chris Burkard and grabaseat, where I’m specifically tasked to help Sean Scott - they really inspire me to develop my them develop content that will be shared across photography skills, and explore new techniques. their social media channels and mine, promoting What are your future goals? specially selected regions across New Zealand.

I’d like to continue to build my career in Some other recent achievements include marketing within the tourism industry. I’ve been collaborations with a number of luxury and quite lucky to find an industry that I am so unique accommodation providers and activity passionate about so early in life; it really makes a operators in New Zealand, as well as being day in the office so much more enjoyable. awarded the inaugural Trover Travel Scholarship In terms of Completely Wanderlust, I’d love to earlier this year. see it continue to grow as a source of inspiration This September, Completely Wanderlust will for others. I have some very exciting projects in take me to Tahiti, where I will be working on the pipeline, which I can’t wait to experience a project with Tahiti Tourism and SPM Hotels and share with my followers. Stay tuned! which I am really looking forward to!

And lastly, where can our readers follow Have you had any formal training in your journey? photography, or is this just a natural talent?

Instagram & Facebook - @ I did study a bit of photography as part of my completelywanderlust degree; however, it’s mostly self-taught through bit.ly/completely-wanderlust a lot of research, online tutorials and practice.

Thanks Emma.

fehon

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WANDERLUST

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LINDSAY MOLLER

M U L T I - A W A R D

W I N N I N G

P H O T O G R A P H E R

Business

L

indsay, you are a multi-award winning photographer who now specialises in corporate and commercial photography.

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you ended up in Port Macquarie?

I grew up in Cronulla. I was destined to be an engineer like my father, but somehow I discovered photography at school and never put the camera down again. For the majority of my 20 year career, I worked for News Limited as a photojournalist. I travelled the world with The Australian newspaper documenting amazing stories from the Tsunami in Aceh to the East Timor Riots, the federal elections, major sporting events, Fashion Week and even the odd “Pet of the Week”. Ha ha!

Three years ago, my darling wife, Bree, fell pregnant, and I knew it was time to start a new chapter of our lives together and raise a family. We figured there’s no better place than Port Macquarie! Plus, all of my wife’s family live here, so it was a bit of an easy decision. Within four weeks of arriving in Port, Lindsay Moller Photography was born, and so was a beautiful little boy named Riley.

You seem to exude a great passion for what you do. What is it that you love most about creating your art?

The challenge. Every photo is different; every subject is different. Every day I wake up and face new and different challenges. The greatest challenge is to be better than the day before.

At the heart of all my photographs is one basic principle; what message am I sending about this particular business or person? Just like photojournalism, you need to understand

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the story you are telling before capturing the image. It is so important to capture “the right image” for my client and not “the right image” for my personal portfolio. There is a big difference, and some photographers don’t understand this.

Your photographs have been featured on the front pages of nearly every newspaper in Australia. Where or what do you gain your creative inspiration from when you are capturing a scene?

I think my creative inspiration comes from my clients. Before I work with any business, I sit down and learn who they are and what their brand is all about. I see the passion they have for their business, and gain an understanding about the message they want to portray to their customers. It’s then that I realise the great responsibility I have. They trust me to visually illustrate their company brand that they have worked so hard to build with their customers over time.

The photographic industry has undergone some significant changes over the past decade. How have these changes affected the way you operate as a professional photographer?

Photography is an ever-changing industry, constantly evolving through technology. Some of it can assist you in creating new and better imagery, and some of it can strip away the core value of an image, and all you’re left with is emptiness on a page.

The challenge as a photographer is adapting these new technologies to work with your creativity - not against it. And overall, don’t be afraid of change. Embrace it. I guarantee you will learn from it.

What do you wish someone would have year. told you before embarking on your The moment I capture an image I absolutely journey as a business owner? love, I can guarantee by next week I’m sick of You will work harder and earn less. Ha ha! it and I’m now thinking how I could have made BUT, you’re going to be so happy! it better. I guess that’s just my perfectionist You’ve recently teamed up with a group nature. of like-minded professionals, to form Five I could tell you every moment I missed, or Hats, an organisation that offers website every moment I learnt from my mistakes, but solutions. Can you tell us a little bit I don’t have a favourite image ever more about this collaboration taken, as I’m still chasing that and what it offers local image every day. businesses?

There is a saying in Five Hats is a the industry: “You’re Photography is g in ng collaboration only as good as ha -c er ev an ntly evolving of passionate your last photo”. industry, consta logy. Some of professionals who through techno And finally, in creating it can assist you d have teamed up to if you could an y, er imag new and better ay aw create wow-factor invite any three rip st some of it can image an of e lu va websites. We wear business people re the co ft with is and all you’re le all the hats and take to lunch, who page .” emptiness on a care of everything would they be a client needs for a and why would modern, responsive you invite them? website - user-friendly, Richard Branson. He’s beautiful design, engaging always evolving in business content, striking visuals and IT and won’t let anyone say he can’t support. The other hats are Tim Baker from do it. I think that’s a great attitude to Baker IT, Mic Rees from ReesDigital, Robey have!

Lawrence from BeardedFriend and Michelle Film Director James Cameron. He is an Newman from Newman Communications. amazing story teller who puts so much thought We’re combining our talents to offer tailored and perfection into his craft. I could talk to him packages, so you can go with the whole for hours and hours, and it still wouldn’t be shebang or pick the bits you need. It’s a really enough. exciting venture,and the interest we’ve received The Dalai Lama. Hopefully he would help so far has been incredible. me balance out the risk taking and constant Can you describe the best image you have personal drive to ensure the end goal is all managed to capture with your camera? about happiness in life!

Not really. It changes every day, week, or Thanks for your time, Lindsay!

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THIS MONTH THE SMUG TEST DRIVES THE 2.2L DIESEL (AUTO) MAZDA MAXX SPORT AWD COURTESY OF PORT MACQUARIE MAZDA ON GORDON STREET, PORT MACQUARIE.

smug

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“The Smug”

SMUG’S REVIEW

n a little over three years of writing the Smug Test 2.2 L Diesel compared to my 2.5 L Petrol version as far as Drive, it’s interesting be in the position of test power, but I did notice that the diesel engine was much driving a newer model of a vehicle that I currently quieter than I was expecting. There was also next to no lag own. in the acceleration that can be expected with some other In 2013 when the wifey and I were diesel vehicles on the market. looking at some potential new The drive comfort of the CX-5 Maxx Sport is options for the family car, we were as tidy as you like, and I loved the simple looking for something that could updates of the 2015 model - including take a bit of a beating, as we had the push button park brake, turn dial With a towing ked capacity un-bra two loveable but quite "robust" entertainment system navigation and g isn’ t a primary-school-aged rug rats also the enhanced front grille section, at 750 kg , towin , I’d er problem; howev the to accommodate. We were which looks simply awesome. to suggest looking 2. 5 L also looking for something A key feature of the CX-5 Range is e 2. 2 L Diesel or th gh ou that would hold some value for the roomy interior, particularly in the u en Petrol to give yo eight.” w re-sale and also something that back seat as well as the overall vehicle e th ll pu to grunt looked quite sleek and modern height off the ground. The Mazda CX-5 that wouldn’t break the bank. is a mid-sized SUV, which is perfect for The CX-5 ticked all of the boxes for enhanced vision of what is around you when what we were looking for at the time. driving, whilst not being too big and bulky around We ended up purchasing the Mazda CX-5 Maxx town.

2.5 L Petrol (Auto) and it was a great choice.

The 2.2 L Auto Diesel version only churns a measly 5.7L / The family and SUV vehicle market in the $30k 100 km, which is helped by the SKYACTIV technology and to $60k range is quite competitive and is certainly where the i-stop system that turns the engine off when you come much of the wheeling and dealing is done for the majority to a complete stop in order to save fuel. of dealerships. The CX Range for Mazda has a number of With a towing capacity un-braked at 750 kg, towing isn’t quality options in this price bracket, including the CX-5. a problem; however, I’d suggest looking to the 2.2 L Diesel This month's drive, the Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport 2.2 L or the 2.5 L Petrol to give you enough grunt to pull the Diesel (Auto) was a quality variation on what I drive day in weight. and day out.

For mine, the Mazda CX-5 is one of the best value The 2.2 L Diesel 6 speed auto 129 kW engine and output offerings I’ve encountered in the SUV, mid-sized and is more than enough around town and was very capable on family car markets, and I’m almost tempted to check out a the open road. change-over price to upgrade from the 2013 model. With I didn’t notice too much of a difference between the the wifey’s permission, of course.

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SNAPSHOT ENGINE & GEARS Test Drive model 2.2L Diesel.

6 Speed Auto.

BODY SUV 5 seats.

SAFETY 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating.

FUEL Diesel (Auto version) combined 5.7litres per 100 km.

RANGE 2.0L & 2.5L Petrol engines or 2.2L Diesel.

FAST FACTS Comes in 2.0L & 2.5L Petrol engines as well as 2.2L Diesel.

Multiple optional extras for interior and exterior including black or white leather trimming, range of sports racks and cargo organization options.

An impressive 5.7L combined fuel consumption on the 2.2L Diesel model.

Performance enhanced by SKYACTIV technology.

focustourism.

Port Macquarie Tourism Association

Tou ris m

janette hyde.

It was a great night for Greater Port Macquarie at the Regional Tourism Awards at Byron Bay on 15 August. The setting was magnificent and was enjoyed by all who attended.

T

he gold winners from our Local Government Area were: Vacation Village, Port Macquarie Museum, Telegraph Retreat Luxury Cottages, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. Congratulations to these very worthy recipients.

Camden Haven once again held the annual King of the Mountain Fun Run - the winner was Harry Jones. Valuable funds were raised for

Cystic Fibrosis NSW and Camden Haven Surf Club. A great community event.

Over 50 people attended the recent Tourism Network Night hosted by Cassegrain Winery.

The speakers were very informative. Speakers on behalf of the Ulysses Conference, which will be held in Greater Port Macquarie in 2017, talked about the many opportunities for local businesses to get involved.

It was great to attend the launch of the

Hastings Gateway Project on 23 August. A recently formed not-for-public company with local directors, Hastings Gateway intends to restore the old Stationmasters Cottage at Wauchope to its former glory. The building has housed the original Wauchope Courthouse and Police station. It is planned to include in the area a collection of fine wood art and also Wauchope’s Visitors Information Centre.

Nothing beats the nostalgic and almostforgotten sensation of travelling aboard an express passenger train, racing across the hills and valleys of the countryside, with the smell of burning coal and steam whiffing past the open windows, as the steam locomotive works its way along the everlasting track. Many people took advantage of Llachlan Valley’s Steam Train visit to Wauchope.

The steam train was brought to Wauchope as part of the launch. The children especially were thrilled to be part of the ride from Wauchope to Kendall and return.

An exciting event for Kendall last weekend the opening of the new Tennis Courts. Kendall Tennis Club is one of Australia's most awarded tennis clubs. With close to 300 members for just three tennis courts, this small country town is big on tennis. Another great addition to the range of activities you can participate in whilst on holidays in our region.

Have you booked your tickets yet for the Port Macquarie Beer & Cider Festival, which will be held on Saturday, September 26? Should be a great event, with over 20 breweries involved in the Festival. This family event will feature

gourmet food market stalls, games and live music. Children of all ages will be entertained in the games area.

ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER Port Rockers Rockfest Friday 4, Saturday 5, Sunday 6 September Port Rockers Retro Fest 2015 is an action packed weekend festival of all things 1950s Rock and Roll bands, dancing, music, market stalls, pin up comps, tattoo comps, runway fashion show, food and fun. If you are into nostalgia, this is the event for you! www.portrocknroll.com.au Port Motor Mania Extravaganza Friday 11, Saturday 12, Sunday 13 September Be part of the weekend with the programme including car show, Rock and Roll, entertainment, observation trial and fashion show, with crowning of Miss Port Motor Mania. www.portmotormania.net Kendall National Violin Competition Saturday 12 September and Sunday 13 September 2015 One of the most exciting events on the Australian music calendar, attracting young violinists from around the country to compete in this event. www.kendallviolin.org.au Port Macquarie Beer & Cider Festival Saturday 26 September 2015 The inaugural Port Macquarie Beer and Cider Festival is going to be a festive atmosphere designed to celebrate all the good things in life; beer, cider, food, games and music. www.portmacbeerandciderfestival.com

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U3A PORT MACQUARIE HASTINGS

UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

Congratulations! Port Macquarie Hastings University of the Third age is 10 years old! Port Maquarie U3A has been supplying further learning, training and outdoor pursuits for the mature age sector in Port Macquarie for 10 years. Originally conceived in France, the U3A concept spread to become a worldwide movement where retired people get together to teach and learn from each other.

FOCUS chats to Kevin and Des, present and past Presidents of U3A Port Macquarie. U3a is non- profit organisation and has worked very hard to achieve our own central headquarters, with state of the art classrooms and technical support.

H

i Kevin. Introduce us to yourself; how long have you called Port Macquarie home?

My name is Kevin Pike.

My wife, Diane, and I made the “sea-change” from Armidale to Port Macquarie in 2009. We are now enjoying our “third age” here in the lovely Hastings after 50 years on the tablelands.

As the President of U3A, what does the acronym stand for? What are the services you offer and to whom?

The acronym U3A is now well known throughout the world as “the University of the Third Age”.

By way of quick explanation, “third age” refers to one’s retirement years. The word “university”, in our sense, means a place where people in retirement or semi-retirement can come together to share life experiences through providing discussion groups and mentally stimulating educational courses on a broad range of topics, as well as various exercise disciplines, creative arts and other activities.

Our organisation is a self-funded, not for profit association and is run completely by volunteers.

Our course list includes over 80 courses, with something of interest for everyone over the age of 50. Our oldest member is 96, and he visits daily!

Our method of operation is that “the teachers learn and the learners teach”. Our teachers are our own members, who select their own choice of subject to present to their fellow members, usually a two hour presentation, one day a week over an eight week term.

We are fortunate to have many marvellous convenors, all very generous with their time.

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Australian History has a very big following. inations or tests of any kind and don’t offer Other popular subjects have included a series Diplomas, so there is no pressure. We see social of lectures on the brain, written and spoken interaction as incredibly important and always English, languages such as French, Spanish and structure our sessions around morning and Italian. afternoon tea! We also have members BBQs We also have Tai Chi, Folk Dancing, choirs, and other entertaining social functions for and a strong cycling group who members’ enjoyment. enjoy the thrill of a ride with an The satisfaction that I get after-ride session of coffee and from U3A is working ly re pu e cake! with such a fine group ar s Course t Where are your headof volunteers in for fun and mosr st ou quarters? providing a great importantly assi their members to keep with Our headquarters are range of stimulatminds stimulated l ca at St Agnes Village, 2 ing and interesting pi to interesting and we don’ t 3A Lochinvar Place, Port courses for retirees U t su bjects . A or ns io at in am Macquarie. in Port Macquaex have and don’ t tests of any kindso there is rie, Laurieton and For students with offer Diplomas , Wauchope. mobility issues, how no pressure .”

What are some of do you overcome these the courses that you barriers? Do you offer have undertaken? transportation?

As frequent travellers Our premises have mobility ramps overseas, Diane and I have got for wheelchair users. We have handicapped some great practical information and parking spaces available for the less mobile knowledge doing: within a few metres of our front door. Alternatively, students can have a friend drive them • French language for travellers up to the front door. Whilst we don’t have • Medieval Europe, towns, cities and history transportation, many of our members car-share I have also enjoyed: to assist one another in getting to classes.

• Investments for retirees, stocks and shares How did you first get involved with U3A? • Exercise for Seniors on Town Beach On arriving in Port Macquarie in 2009, I atDi has also enjoyed: tended a prospective members’ morning tea. I • Yoga was hooked on the concept and was impressed • Meditation with the friendly ambience of the place.

• Exercise for Seniors You must get a great satisfaction in seeing How can our readers find out more and others participating? enrol in a course?

Definitely. Courses are purely for fun and Readers can contact our office, Ph: 6584 most importantly assist our members to keep 4192, visit our premises at St Agnes Village (2 their minds stimulated with interesting and Lochinvar Place, Port Macquarie) or access the topical subjects. At U3A we don’t have examwebsite (www.pmhu3a.org.au)

“

New members are always welcome at Port Macquarie Hastings U3A! Thanks Kevin.

Hi Des. Tell us a bit about yourself and your time as a President at U3A ...

After a career of university teaching and directing theatre, my actress wife and I retired to Port Macquarie in 2005.

I believe strongly in U3A. It is a part of the education enterprise with its emphasis on lifelong learning. The courses offered are varied and interesting. The third age generation still has contributions to make as citizens as grandparents and as community members.

U3A helps to keep brains and bodies active and informed. It also has a valuable social dimension; friends are made, like minds discovered, special events enjoyed. There is the opportunity to teach and to present, as well as to learn from others. I have convened courses in subjects which were part of my professional life, such as History, Shakespeare, Drama, as well as exploring new fields and constructing courses such as American History, and Australian Cultural Identity. I have enjoyed attending courses in Indigenous issues, in Philosophy and Film.

I enjoyed my term as President and was for a time the Regional Representative for the North Coast region, an association of 15 U3As from Gloucester to Tweed Valley. I have attended Annul Conferences of NSW U3A and organised in 2012 a very successful state conference at the Glasshouse.

Port Macquarie Hastings U3A has grown steadily since its beginning and now has upwards of 800 members and offers about 80 courses each term.

Thanks Des.

focus_business.

with the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce

Hadyn Oriti.

MINDING YOUR

business HOW WE DEAL WITH MISTAKES OR CLIENT COMPLAINTS WILL DEFINE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CUSTOMERS FAR MORE SIGNIFICANTLY THAN HOW WE DEAL WITH HAPPY CUSTOMERS.

I

n business, all of us will, from time to time, make mistakes. How we respond to those things when they happen may determine whether or not you keep your customer and what reputation your business is likely to earn in the market place.

We have all heard that a happy customer tells two people. And these days, unhappy

customers blast it all over YouTube.

Mistakes and errors are unavoidable while it is humans who are in business. However, mistakes need not leave a permanent stain on our businesses’ reputation. They may, in fact, give us an opportunity to show our customer how much they actually mean to us.

Mistakes will range from small to large.

When a mistake occurs, it has been shown that those who have made the mistake will, generally speaking, assess the downside as being more significant than they would the gains of doing a job well. If they become too self-critical, they may embark on an unproductive course of metaphorically battening down hatches, rather than taking what may be a more positive path.

In life it is much better to accept responsibility for one’s actions. It is no different with mistakes.

If a mistake has been made, it is important to first acknowledge that. If necessary, issue an apology, but then look to see what can be done to rectify the matter and to ensure the mistake doesn’t happen again.

I’ve had a recent experience as a customer of a local business. That business immediately recognised the error and notified me, attended to getting it fixed and provided me with interim solutions for my needs. There was a small inconvenience, but at the end of the day the inconvenience was too little to worry about. I was made to feel that my business was important. The end result was that the business had demonstrated exactly how important my business was to them, and the relationship was not in any way damaged.

There are some mistakes that are more difficult to rectify, especially mistakes involving a breach of trust. It makes sense that once trust has been broken, it may be impossible to

re-establish it.

Any business prepared to break the trust of their customers probably does not deserve to be in business. However, if for some reason trust is broken inadvertently, then it is critical that the business ask for forgiveness.

That may take some time, and it may never happen. In fact, the client may choose to sever the relationship.

If the client relationship is to end, then my philosophy is that the exit process should be as gracious and as painless as when it started. Only then can the door be left open to re-establishing the relationship. One day the client may again be thinking about the services you provide and recall the respectful way in which you treated them at the ending of the relationship; they may possibly contemplate re-engaging you.

To sum up: mistakes are an opportunity for which we may one day be grateful. How we respond significantly affects our customers’ experience.

Accepting responsibility and demonstrating that we will ensure the mistake does not happen again is a first step. Blaming others won’t work.

If the client decides to move on, ensure the experience is as painless as possible. One day they may want to return.

Then we can be truly grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate how important our clients are to us.

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P O R T

M A C Q U A R I E

H A S T I N G S

LEGACY With Legacy Week running from August 31 – September 4, Legatee Ken Fahey from Port Macquarie Hastings Legacy takes the time to tell us about our local branch of this hardworking organisation …

K

en, how and when did you first become involved with Port Macquarie Hastings Legacy?

I’ve known about Legacy for a long time. My father was a WW2 veteran and had always said whenever you see Legacy selling badges, make sure you buy one. He passed away in 1988 and Legacy assisted my mother until her death in 2012.

I became actively involved with Legacy in the early 1990s, joining a group called Port Macquarie Junior Legacy. The group’s main function was as a fundraising arm for Port Macquarie Hastings Legacy. This group is now in its 51st year of fundraising.

I was inducted into Port Macquarie Hastings Legacy on the 29th April 2011 to take up my responsibilities as a Legatee.

What’s your role with the organisation these days?

I am one of 35 volunteers who call themselves Legatees. In addition to having personal contact with a number of widows, I am currently the Chairman of Appeals (Fundraising) and a member of the Board.

Please give us a brief history of when Legacy was first established in Australia and in the Hastings area …

Legacy was first formed in 1923, after a group of returned WW1 soldiers got together to assist the wives and children of those men who never returned home. I’m sure we have all seen the ads during Legacy Week each year of the soldier dying in the trenches who grabs his mate and says, “Just look after the missus and the kids”.

From that start in Melbourne, Legacy has grown into 49 clubs across Australia and one in London. Our club was formed in the early 1950s as part of Taree Legacy, and in 1984 we became a club in its own right, having its own charter, constitution and by-laws. We currently look after the needs of 640 widows, six children and eight special needs persons. Our area covers from John’s River in the south to Telegraph Point in the north and to Ellenborough in the west

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and all points in between.

What are the aims of Legacy?

Legacy is a charity providing services to Australian families suffering financially and socially after the incapacitation or death of a spouse or parent, during or after their defence force service Give us some examples of how Legacy has helped our local community ...

Legacy assists those dependants in many ways. We help in getting War widows pensions by representing those ladies at pension hearings. We assist in getting home L egacy Week commences services for those who need it, like on Monday d 31st August an minor repairs, home day finishes on Fri shopping, medical badges. The thing er b 4th Septem s. appointments etc. buyers of Legacy ge ad b Sales of is We also arrange for th g Badges need to know in go n o e will b l al holidays at Legacy s te si is that all funds raised h it w , k wee .”

Holiday homes for within our area stay in our around the area those ladies who want area. a break.

A local runner, Keith We also have sent a young Robinson, is planning some Legatee ward off to a holiday camp special fundraising to show his in Melbourne last month. We have a young lady support for Legacy. Describe what he’ll be in the ballot to go to the battle fields in France doing throughout Legacy Week … in 2016. Assistance for all of these are paid for Keith came to us with a novel idea for raising by this club from the generous donations of some funds for Legacy running the streets the people of the Hastings and Camden Haven around Port Macquarie and Wauchope in a kilt valleys. wearing a Legacy shirt and cap, so if people see Legacy Week is coming up very soon. What Keith buy a badge or make a donation. are the dates, and what are some of the Keith will run between 8 - 10 km every activities that will be happening during this afternoon during Legacy Week. The runs will time to raise money for Legacy? commence at 4:30 pm and will start from the Legacy Week commences on Monday 31st Food For Less car park each day except the August and finishes on Friday 4th September.

Tuesday. The Tuesday run will be in Wauchope Sales of badges will be ongoing this week, with and start at the Wauchope RSL. sites all around the area. Many businesses assist Keith will “kilt up” one last time to run with us by allowing our sellers into their stores and a regular Saturday morning running group, centres. Settlement City, Port Central, Bunnings, meeting at 7am Saturday on the Town Green Coles Lake Innes, Commonwealth Bank and St. in front of Rydges. Anyone wishing to join George all allow us to sell.

Keith on any of these runs (or even part of There are locations in the Camden Haven them) is most welcome. A gold coin donation area and Wauchope that all help with selling appreciated.

“

Who are some of the sponsors who have come on board to help Keith with his fundraising?

There are a number of sponsors who have come on board to help Keith raise these funds for Legacy and we particularly wish to thank Morgans Financial Ltd, Oxley Insurance Brokers, Donovan Oates & Hannaford (Solicitors), Pivotal Business Systems, and Northcorp Accountants.

In what other ways can individuals and/or local businesses help support Legacy this September (and throughout the year)?

The residents of this area have always been great supporters of Port Macquarie Hastings Legacy and are very generous when it comes to donating for this cause. The other major fundraiser we have during the year is the annual Legacy Golf Day held at the Port Macquarie Golf Club where up to 150 -160 business houses donate cash, prizes and services.

Where can we find out more info about Legacy?

People can find out more about our Legacy club by contacting the office on 6583 3570, visiting the office on Level 2, Bourne House, 10-12 Short St. Port Macquarie or online on our website: www.legacypmh.org.au Thanks Ken. Interview by Jo Atkins.

greater port macquarie focus.

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GREATER PORT MACQUARIE

property guide

DISPLAY HOME NOW OPEN Wed-Sat between 1-4pm 94 greater port macquarie focus.

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Turning dreams into reality‌J & E Miller Builders Pty Ltd have been building quality custom homes in Port Macquarie and surrounds for over 35 years. Their new display home at 85 Philip Charley Drive in Ascot Park, Port Macquarie, is an excellent example of the quality and pride in workmanship provided every time by the experienced team.

hrissy Jones had the pleasure of being shown through the home ...

A showcase of innovative products and thoughtful design, the display home is a collaboration of the many years of experience in the building industry of the entire team at J & E Miller Builders. Expertly designed to suit modern tastes, the open plan living area lends itself to a relaxed, carefree lifestyle set to entertain family and friends in total comfort.

From street level the home is eye-catching, a little different from surrounding homes. A unique design, the three level contemporary

home incorporates varied angled rooflines and a mix of modern exterior finishes and textures.

Exterior finishes include timber posts, travertine tiling, glass balustrade and hardi-plank horizontal wall panelling complemented beautifully by the fully landscaped gardens.

An exposed aggregate drive leads to the double garage fitted with an auto panel lift door and veers right to the tiled, stone wall screened entry portico. Australian native plants including Kangaroo Paw, Grevillea and Grass Trees as well as succulents, add to the appeal of the exterior.

The addition of stone retaining walls framing the garden and timber step pads allowing for easy side access all blend together adding to the

modern facade.

Entry to the home is via a 1.2 m wide timber and horizontal glass panelled entrance door that is flanked either side by a bank of louvre windows to allow both light and airflow into the home when desired.

The foyer adjoins an open plan lounge, kitchen and dining area that has been cleverly sectioned by purpose built cabinetry. Underfoot from entry and throughout the living area, Indossati Oak engineered timber floor boards add grace and will give a lifetime of pleasure.

The flooring combines seamlessly with the soft, cream coloured walls and grey timber-look laminate of the purpose built cabinetry.

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g Pendant lightin es is emphas e the beauty of th nd la is s n’ kitche sa bench, which ha d an ds waterfall en le ub do houses a nk stainless steel si .” er ix m ck fli with

“ LOUNGE: Spacious and light filled, the lounge has a variety of window styles all fitted with roller block out blinds to allow for adjustment of natural light. It is a comfortable space that will be cool in summer and cozy in winter with the addition of a wall mounted, up to the minute kero heater to add warmth instantly. The heater has been incorporated into the three sided cabinetry dividing the lounge from the kitchen/dining, which also has shelving on one side and a concealed space for the refrigerator on the other.

KITCHEN: A walk through kitchen is the heart of the home. Centrally located, adjacent to the lounge, outdoor alfresco and dining, the kitchen is

96 greater port macquarie focus.

a fantastic layout any home cook would be happy to create delicious meals in, with all the mod cons at hand.

Food prep and cooking was never easier with a gas Fisher & Paykel cook-top and oven placed in a wide, bench top with both overhead and under bench soft close drawers. Pendant lighting emphasises the beauty of the kitchen’s island bench, which has waterfall ends and houses a double stainless steel sink with flick mixer. It has a bank of

under bench storage with soft close drawers and provides a space for the microwave and dishwasher.

The walk-in pantry completes the kitchen, adding to the cabinetry and storage space; all is hidden away behind a timber bi-fold door adding to the clean, sleek look of the kitchen.

DINING ROOM & HOME OFFICE: Conveniently placed alongside the kitchen, the dining room has a ceiling fan placed over the dining table and soft downlighting. Parkland views are readily available through the panel windows that also have roller

blinds fitted for privacy and light allocation. Set to the side of the dining room is a home office or study. Custom built desk and wall shelving and two corner windows provide a pleasant work area close to all amenities.

LAUNDRY: Having its own side yard access, the laundry is a compact layout, providing all that is needed for the family. Tucked away alongside the kitchen/dining space behind a wooden cavity sliding door, the laundry provides ample storage cabinetry, a tiled splash-back and a deep stainless steel tub with flick mixer.

ACTIVITY ROOM & FAMILY BEDROOMS: Step down a set of three timber stairs from the living

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You are welcomed into a sitting area fitted out with purpose built os shelving for phot d an e lik e and th e.” also a desk spac

“ area to the activity room, and you will find a wonderful relax zone for the younger members of the family and guests alike. Rear yard access is given via a sliding glass door opening onto a rear timber deck overlooking the home’s backyard and the treelined estate of Ascot Park. The activity room again boasts plenty of storage, with two built-in wall cupboards ready to store neatly away books and games etc. The perfect spot to unwind and watch TV or read a book in tranquility.

Oak timber flooring has been continued in the activity room and continues along the hallway to two of the three bedrooms on this level. The third bedroom is adjacent to the activity room and is fully carpeted, has a ceiling fan, built-in wardrobe with plenty of both hanging and shelving space and has been fitted with roller block out blinds for comfort.

The remaining two bedrooms are mirror image and of a generous size, each having their very own walk-in robe, ceiling fan and carpet underfoot, large window and roller blind, again very comfortable for their occupants.

Servicing the bedrooms along the hallway is a large linen press, separate WC and family bathroom.

FAMILY BATH & VANITY ROOM: Sectioned in two parts, the family bathroom is both practical and private. The vanity room upon entry has a wall mounted vanity cupboard, has his and hers drawers along with a set of cupboards below the rectangular, curved bottom hand basin and has a large mirror above, downlighting and a tile splash-

back. The bathroom itself is accessible via the vanity room through a wooden, cavity sliding door. It is well appointed with both shower and bath. The deep, rectangular bath is placed below an opaque window and is enclosed with large tiling that continues around the room into the shower cubicle. Glass screened, the shower cubicle is a double size with a stainless steel rope show rose and floor to ceiling tiling.

Stainless steel towel racks and headlamps finish off the family bathroom.

MASTER BEDROOM - PARENTS’ RETREAT Found on the top level of the home, after ascending the handcrafted timber and glass balustrade staircase, the parents retreat is its on private sanctuary. You are welcomed into a sitting area fitted out with purpose built shelving for photos and the

like and also a desk space. The master bedroom level is opulent, has soft carpeting, downlighting and a ceiling fan along with his and hers walk-in robes.

The master has an abundance of natural light through a landscape window placed at ceiling height above the bed and from a vertical panel window and sliding glass door on the adjacent wall. A timber balcony with frameless glass balustrade not only adds to the exterior appeal of the home, but adds a touch of serenity, providing a calm, relaxing spot to end the day in the parents’ retreat.

A luxurious en-suite complements the opulence of the master bedroom. Floor to ceiling grey toned tiling gives a contrast to the crisp, white of the timber shutters on the opaque corner windows, and wall mounted vanity and deep, rectangular bath. A glass walled corner shower cubicle, heat lamps, large vanity mirror and stainless steel towel rails add to the luxury.

ben cudmore

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OUTDOOR ALFRESCO: Last, but certainly not least, the outdoor alfresco entertaining deck area is a wonderful spot for your next family BBQ or get together. Easily accessible from the kitchen/ dining through an expanse of glass sliding doors, the tiled deck is fully under cover of the skillion roofline. Two velux skylights have been utilised, enabling loads of natural light to filter through during the day, and downlighting has been installed for night time entertaining. Encased with a timber rail and black aluminium balustrade, the tiled deck also has side courtyard access via a timber stairway - a lovely spot to relax on a sunny day or entertain family and friends.

Overall the home is ideal for a growing, active family. It awaits your inspection; drop in at your leisure at 85 Philip Charley Drive in Ascot Park, Port Macquarie or call Russell Clucas today on 0448 451 188 for more information.

ABOUT THE BUILDER: J & E Miller Builders are a locally owned and operated building company

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that always offers the THE TEAM: All associated best in workmantradesmen and subcontractors J & E Miller ship, making the are specially selected for their Builders are a finish of their professionalism. There are d locally owned an g in homes a cut several full-time carpenters operated build s ay w al at above the rest. in J & E Millers employ, many company th in st be e Priding themof whom have worked with offers th ing ak m , ip sh an selves on finish the company for many years workm r homes ei th of h is fin e and attention to and have seen it grow from its th rest .” a cut above the detail, the team initial founding stages to now. J & endeavour at all times E Miller Builders have become one to offer clients the best of the Hastings area’s most prominent quality control available. building companies.

Being specialists in unique, custom JOHN MILLER - Principal, Managing Director designed homes, renovations and dual occupancy John Miller, a builder with over 40 years in the projects, the experienced team will work with you building industry, is the Principal and Managto create a design to suit your specific needs and ing Director of this family owned and operated budget. J & E Miller Builders are committed to business. John is very much a hands on builder, providing personalised customer service, quality overseeing work both on site and in the office. developments, attention to detail, professional He has built a reputation for honesty, reliability, planning and construction. helpfulness and an ability to be able to recom-

“

mend to clients the best way to build their new home so that it meets their particular requirements.

RUSSELL CLUCAS - Sales Manager Russell has worked for many years in Sales and is able to provide the best assistance to clients from the wealth of knowledge he has acquired over the years. Russell will guide you through all of the stages of building, incorporating into your home all of the features that you would like and still come in on budget. He can turn your dream home into reality, working with you until you are happy with the final product.

DAMIAN KEEP - Draftsman/Estimator Damian is the man who brings your plans, your dreams, into reality. He is a qualified Draftsman and uses the latest computer programmes to generate photo images of your new home in all dimensions. Damian will also provide you with an accurate estimation of the cost to build your new home, and can assist you with upgrading or

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You are welcome to eptual bring your conc e team sketch along; th s to ea id will use your d to ite su e plan a hom ur yo d an ily m your fa budget . ”

“ downsizing your plan to suit your budget.

STEPHANIE CRAWSHAW - Finance Manager Stephanie has been with J & E Miller Builders since 1989 and has a wealth of information on all aspects of building, having worked with client through all stages of the construction process for many years. As Finance Manager she is in charge of paying all accounts and payroll for the firm.

GORDON FOWLER - Construction Manager Gordon is responsible for the construction of your new home. It is his job to manage teams of employees and subcontractors to ensure smooth progression from one stage to the next throughout the job. Gordon is ably assisted by senior builders, Ken Farlow and Rick De Verteuil.

WENDY O’BRIEN - Customer Liaison Assisting Damian with Project Overseeing and involved with Customer Liaison, is the newest

addition to the to the J & E Miller Builders crew.

Wendy’s job has been to assist clients with their selections and then, subject to client confirmation, to ensure suppliers’ quotes are turned into orders and to further ensure orders are placed in time to arrive on site as required.

KIM TOMPSETT - Interior Designer Kim is also part of the J & E Miller team and operates Holiday Coast Decorating by Design - a fully accredited local interior decorating company.

Kim is very happy working alongside the professional team at J & E Miller Builders. She loves creating colour schemes to suit clients’ needs and is very excited to see the display home project achieve such a terrific end result.

J & E MILLER BUILDERS’ COMMITMENT TO YOU ...

To make your building project as stress free as possible with an experienced design team. They are committed to you as the customer to ensure that you are treated with integrity and respect. They will provide an obligation free quote and free site inspection, competitive pricing and a personalised customer service.

With a proven record for attention to detail, professional planning and construction, by having a flexibility in house design, top quality tradesmen that take pride in their work and an honest and fair approach, they will work with you to build your new home, and all to your budget.

YOUR PLAN OR THEIRS? J & E Miller Builders are able to provide a custom built home to suit your needs as well as your financial requirements. Because their homes are custom-made, and not mass produced, they are more suited to providing the best advice for your particular job. No job is too big or too small: alterations, renovations, residential and commercial, they are happy to help you with an obligation free quote for the work you require.

You are welcome to bring your conceptual sketch along; the team will use your ideas to plan a home suited to your family and your budget.

If you wish to build according to an existing plan, they are very happy to provide you with an obligation free quote.

Start building your dream today ... contact Russell to discuss your design criteria and let him work with you through the whole process from concept to completion.

Phone: 0448 451 188.

Aluminium windows and doors timber windows and doors www.windowsanddoors.build

5 Merrigal Rd, Port Macquarie 02 6581 0908 info@windowsanddoors.build

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PORT MACQUARIE

FAMILY HISTORY F A I R

+

C O N F E R E N C E

PORT MACQUARIE & DISTRICTS FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY INC. MEMBERS: 2015 CONFERENCE: CONVENER - JENNIFER MULLIN, SOCIETY PRESIDENT - REX TOOMEY, SECRETARY - WENDY ANSON, TREASURER - CLIVE SMITH, AND COMMITTEE - GWEN GRIMMOND, TRYSHA HANLY, BRIAN PANISSET FORM PART OF A DECIATED AND ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP OF LOCAL FAMILY HISTORY BUFFS WHO’LL HELP HOST A FAMILY HISTORY FAIR AND CONFERENCE FROM 11TH - 13TH SEPTEMBER. IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN YOUR ANCESTRY AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE, HERE’S YOUR CHANCE!

W

hen was the Port Macquarie & Districts Family History Society Inc. established?

Our society was established in mid1985, with the first meeting being held on 24th July.

What are the aims of the society, and when/where does it usually meet?

The overriding aim of the society is to promote and assist family history. This can involve helping others with: their own research, using available records, researching local archives to collate information or publications otherwise not available, and holding family history events during Heritage Festival and Family History Month.

Monthly meetings are held at the CC Mac Adams Music Centre, situated between the swimming pool and the Players Theatre, on the second Saturday of each month, Feb - Dec. This September, however, we will be attending the Conference instead. Members can also attend special support groups.

Tuesday and Wednesdays, 10am-3pm, members are rostered on duty in the PM-Hastings Library Local Studies Room to assist anyone with their family history research.

The Society is playing host to an exciting Family History Fair and Conference from 11th – 13th September at Port Panthers. What other Family History Societies will be represented over this weekend, and why is this event such an honour for Port Macquarie?

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Around 20 Family History Societies will Around the Auditorium, there will be be represented, many of them exhibiting nearly 40 exhibitors, half being Family on the Friday to showcase their publiHistory/Historical Societies, and half discations. They will be coming from many playing research services available. These areas, including Bega, Young, Griffith, include speakers’ tables, NSW Registry Blue Mountains, Sydney, Coffs Harbour, of BDMs, Transcription Agents, Gould Inverell, Tweed Heads, and places in Books, Unlock the Past Cruises, Ryerson between.

Index, and a new photo service from It is an honour for Port Finders Café.

Macquarie to be hosting The conference (which this event, as you takes place on 12th are chosen by the - 13th September) r NSW & ACT is only open It is an honour fo to ie Association to those have Port Macquar ent, as ev is Committee, registered to th g in st ho be by the according to attend, but you are chosen iation oc your applicawhat is it all NSW & ACT Ass ing rd Committee , acco s tion’s appeal. It about? ion’ to your applicat is 20 years since The conferappeal .” we hosted this ence itself attracts event, although those wanting to we applied several learn even more from times in between. It will experts who will base bring many people to Port their talks around the theme Macquarie who will likely stay a few “Journey of Discovery”, delving days and explore our beautiful town, into a variety of lesser known resources along with their families. and repositories of information that will Describe what activities/exhibitors assist attendees to discover more about will be at the fair, which is open to their own family history. the public on September 11th, from Where can readers find out more 10am - 4pm? info?

During the FREE Friday Fair day, five You can learn about our Society half hour sessions from a variety of at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry. experts from both free and pay sites will com/~nswpmfhs/ - a link near the top cover topics such as: record matches from will take you to the Conference and Fair MyHeritage and FamilySearch; documentwebsite information. Leaflets are available ing the lives of Aboriginal People; and in the library; or Phone Wendy on 6582 finding newspaper articles in Trove. A 1742. representative from Ancestry will be there Thanks everyone. to answer questions.

Interview by Jo Atkins.

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www.percival.com.au

RESIDENTIAL SALES

Are you tired of missing out? Have you found the perfect property only to find out someone else beat you to it?

E TE NS V I CEEDIAATIO E R M FIC IMOTI N

ASK US HOW

MORE BUYERS, LESS PROPERTIES It’s no wonder buyers in this market are frustrated.

There were close to one third less properties on the market in August than there were on average each month last quarter.

If you are one of the buyers who has been consistently missing out, give yourself an advantage and register with Percival Property to ensure you know the minute a property is available to view.

Don’t rely on third party property websites to deliver this information to you in a timely manner!

Percival Property Real Estate Sales GUARANTEES you will receive IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION of new property listings, price adjustments, auction campaign updates and results.

Be the first to know! Call into the office and register your details, email info@percival.com.au with ‘First to Know’ in the subject line, or go to www.percival.com.au and register for alerts.

PERCIVAL P R O P E R T Y

98 greater port macquarie focus.

Visit us in our Sales office at

106 William Street, Port Macquarie Phone 02 6583 8606

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Neville Donovan greenpatch organic seeds

OUTDOOR

living Spring

how Clean IS YOUR POOL?

INTO

flowers

Jay Southwell, Pollard Pools and Spas

Well, what a beautiful winter we have had! But I for one am certainly excited about the upcoming warmer months!

With spring well and truly upon us, it’s a wonderful time of the year to enjoy flowers. Look out for these early spectacular colourful perennial shrubs in the spring season; Azalea in single-semi double blooms, Camellia, May Bush, Banksia and Grevillea shrubs are all long lived and display beautifully in a garden.

A succession of flowering shrubs at different times throughout the garden will also bring added enjoyment, whether it’s in a sheltered or sunny aspect.

Among the beautiful fast growing perennials are Marguerite daisies in single and doubles ranging from whites, pinks and soft yellow colours, which are a quick fill in plant plus ideal for pots. Gazania and the stunning Pigface are both low growing with brilliant colour range. Plant in a harsh, dry, sunny position and admire the flowers throughout spring. Wisteria in mauve, purple and white put on a profuse flower show and are bound to catch your eye and attract an abundance of bees.

Autumn planted strong robust annuals like Lupin, Poppy, Pansy, Viola, Calendula, Hollyhock, Primula, perfumed Stock and

Sweet Pea will flower as the days warm up and continue throughout spring.

Plant seedlings and shrubs in spring for summer colour. In areas that are sheltered-part shade, the Hydrangea with large blooms in pinks, mauve, white and blue will brighten this up. Impatiens and Balsam add a tropical summer feel with their vivid colour display, and the bees love them. They also do well in pots.

It’s a good time now to plant summer flowering annuals in a bright sunny aspect for potted colour around entertaining areas, pathways or a bright display garden.

Allysum, Aster, Carnation, Marigold, Salvia, Petunia, Celosia, Portulaca, Phlox and Zinnia.

Taller growers such as Sunflower, Cosmos, Dahlia, Gaillardia are showy and do well as backdrop plantings.

We all know how nice that feeling is to get back out in the lovely warm spring time sun and start on the “spring cleaning” around the pool and garden surrounds - always plenty to do.

We all have lawns to mow, weeds to pull and with those September, October winds coming on strong - pools to clean!

To ease up on the outdoor “chores”, I strongly recommend looking into a Dolphin Supreme Robotic Pool cleaner.

Pioneered in 1982, Dolphin robots have proven to be the World’s No.1 selling cleaners, selling over one million cleaners in 46 countries worldwide! Amazing!

The Supreme Dolphin’s built in intelligence allows the cleaner to provide a thorough clean, filter and scrub of the pool each and every time it enters the water. In fact, you would be surprised to know that the Supreme range of robotics in particular can filter 17,000 L of water per hour! (Imagine it as a moving 1.25 hP pump and filter moving through your pool as it cleans) All this, and a whopping 3 year warranty on all parts to back it up!

A Dolphin will do what it is designed to do clean your pool from top to bottom whilst you

save on water, chemicals, electricity and time - precious time you can now enjoy basking in the sun and enjoying your lovely garden.

Dolphin Supreme robots are the only Robotic Cleaners on the market with a fully serviceable motor, meaning the parts in the motor can be replaced and repaired - unlike other cleaners on the market, where an expensive complete motor replacement is required.

At Pollard Pools and Spas we have all of the diagnostic equipment and parts for the Dolphin here and ready to service. No more time spent waiting while cleaners are sent back to manufacturers for repairs.

All spring and summer stock is now in!

For the spring season we are offering $50 Instant Cashback on the World’s No.1 Robotic Cleaners, The Dolphin Supreme.

FREE Demo, delivery and set-up.

POLLARD POOLS & SPAS Open 8:30am to 5pm, Mon - Fri and 8:30am to 12 Sat. (02) 6583 3934 Email: jay@pollardpools.com.au We service all Port Macquarie, Hastings, Macleay and Camden Haven areas.

By Gareth Owen of Big Garden Furniture

“

All furniture should be made strong enough to withstand the elements.”

I0tips

styling

1. Establish an entertaining area as we spend a great of time outdoors in Australia, especially here on the Mid North Coast.

2. Ensure you add a shaded area like a pergola with a solid roof structure or a Bali hut, as they still look cool.

3. Incorporate light coloured pavers that don’t absorb the heat as much as dark pavers.

4. Include succulent plants and Mondo grasses, as they don’t need much water to survive.

5. Water features are great, though make sure they run on a stand alone solar panel to save 102 greater port macquarie focus.

YOUR BACKYARD

on power.

6. Install good lighting, so it’s a great place to be at night. There are some great solar lights available now.

7. If you have pets, make it pet friendly, with some lawn area.

8. Use Australian native timber; it’s more durable and better for the environment.

9. All furniture should be made strong enough to withstand the elements.

10. Most of all, make the area a place that you want to be in more than inside the house.

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CAMDEN HAVEN

dragon boat • REGATTA IN OCTOBER •

THE CAMDEN HAVEN DRAGON BOAT CLUB IS HOLDING THEIR BIANNUAL REGATTA IN OCTOBER, BRINGING TOGETHER LOVERS OF THE SPORT FROM AROUND THE REGION AND BEYOND…

F

or those of us who aren’t aware, what is Dragon Boat Racing?

Dragon boating is a very old traditional sport from China and there are variations in boat styles and crew numbers around the world. In Australia it is a team sport with between 16 and 20 paddlers sitting in pairs in a long (12m) narrow boat. In a race a drummer sits on the bow and beats time on a drum while the sweep stands at the back steering with a sweep oar.

Races are either 200 m, 500 m or 2 km.

Twenty years ago a Canadian doctor began promoting dragonboating as a form of physical rehabilitation for women who had breast cancer related surgery. Many of the Australian clubs began as a support for breast cancer patients recovering from their treatment. However, dragonboat clubs are now "sporting" organisations with a strong focus on competition for those who are keen, while continuing to cater for any person who has a medical condition or just wants to paddle to keep fit.

Tell us about this exciting event you have coming up …

Camden Haven Dragonboat Club is holding its biannual regatta on Sunday 4th October. It is a hotly contested event, with three boats racing head to head. The race distance is 200 m on the river, made a bit more exciting depending on the flow of the tide and any wind on the day.

Where is the best vantage point for spectators?

The best vantage point is the wharf directly behind Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club at the corner of Seymour Street and McLennon Street.

How many teams will be participating, and how far will they travel for the event?

Not all entries have been received as yet.

However, in the past we have had teams from Newcastle and Coffs Coast. We anticipate seven or eight clubs will enter and put teams into different categories.

What is the “Celebration of Life” paddle?

The Celebration of Life is a short ceremony on the water to acknowledge those who have been diagnosed with any form of cancer and are still “getting on with life”, as well as those who have passed.

Are you always looking for new recruits to come on board?

Most definitely. The Camden Haven Dragonboat Club is very keen to welcome new members. We train and compete all throughout the year, so it's an ideal sport for those who want to develop or maintain fitness. While the Club is proud of its competition results, we welcome new paddlers regardless of their fitness, ability or sporting goals.

How can we join?

Simply contact our Secretary, Anne Ditton, on 0408 762 111 or come to the wharf (corner of Seymour Street and McLennon Street) on a Sunday morning at 7:30am. We have other training runs throughout the week - the Sunday morning is the most appropriate one for a new member to begin with. greater port macquarie focus. 103

OUTDOOR LIVING FEATURE

OUTDOOR

living

estellegough.

a weed). the dominant cover of weeds is removed. Our We’re always guided by our Council’s exgood rainfall, temperate conditions and soil perts, who also provide a “Garden Escapes and fertility also helps with the fairly rapid return of Other Weeds” booklet to help residents idenour native plants. tify plants. This is useful, because people can For us, success means establishing a self-susmistakenly think familiar plants are natives that taining native plant community that resists should stay in the bush and not be pulled out. weed attacks. We match the method by which An example is Tradescantia, a destructive weed, we reach this goal to the situation. Sometimes which is easily confused with the native ground weeds are removed by hand, and that’s enough cover Commelina. Similarly Large-leaved to help the bush recover and hold its own.

Privet looks like a rainforest plant, Sometimes we spray weeds, spread but is actually an invasive mulch and plant native seedweed. lings to help this process During regeneration along. ate in un rt fo e ar e W work, removal of Are native animals arie the Port Macqu weed plants can disrupted when this of the area that many change the outlook happens?

We work y pl e sim native plants ar from someone’s at a scale and in a ed se il waiting in the so to home significantly. pattern that tries to ce an bank for the ch rn tu re ill w d They may feel they minimise this.

We an , come back ant cover have lost privacy also monitor the once the domin .” ed ov m re is ds too. An area may native animals, with of wee look bare after weed the help of Council’s exremoval. But weeds will perts. Here’s an example. not be allowed to return, It is not unusual for koalas and over time, native plants to appear soon after we have rewill come back, and the views will moved plants, changed the bushland then look even better. Landcare has made structure - and changed the outlook. This this happen in many reserves over the is because weeds, such as Lantana and vine years. The Lily Pond is just one example weeds, impede animal movements through the of such an area. We are fortunate in the Port understorey and up into the tree canopy.

Macquarie area that many of the native plants It’s a win for nature, for the bush and for us, are simply waiting in the soil seed-bank for the lucky people who live here. the chance to come back, and will return once Contributed by Julie Ho.

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UPDATE Nature at the back door Landcare’s work is termed “bush regeneration”, and its goal is to enhance biodiversity - not only for native plants, but also the creatures that live there, and the natural systems that are operating.

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eed removal is a major part of bush regeneration, because weeds are bullies that overrun native plants, and in the process, destroy the food and shelter native animals need. Weeds can include large exotic trees, so removing them may be an issue. Cam-

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phor Laurel is one example.

It’s essential to be able to tell indigenous native plants from the non-natives or weeds.

Landcare members are good at this, having being specifically trained in the identification of weeds and “weed look-a-likes” (native plants that to the untrained eye may look like

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focusinterview.

CYCLING

OUTDOOR

living

CLUB

PORT MACQUARIE CYCLING CLUB IS AN ESTABLISHED SPORTING CLUB, BRINGING TOGETHER CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS OF ALL AGES. WE CATCH UP WITH SOME KEEN YOUNGSTERS OF THE CLUB, WHO DEDICATE MOST OF THEIR MORNINGS AND WEEKENDS TO THE SPORT…

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hat sort of activities does PMCC offer for juniors?

Junior riders have the opportunity to develop the fundamental skills relating to riding etiquette and riding in bunches/packs (pellets) and learn about road riding, time trial and handicap racing/riding.

Riders can compete in races on club days and then are encouraged to meet at the club house, where medals/trophies are received for

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place getters and it is then an opportunity to socialise with other riders.

Why should kids join PMCC and take part in racing?

Junior riders get the chance to meet other junior riders, as well as the more experienced and senior cyclists. They can compete with their co juniors in a safe and friendly environment. They will be mentored and guided by very experienced and dedicated cyclists.

Do juniors get the opportunity to partici-

D A V I E S

hat are your earliest memories of getting on a bike?

Riding on a tag a long bike behind Dad on bike paths around Canberra, where we used to live. A few times we had my little sister hooked behind me in a bike trailer, with lots of blankets and music on!

Where is your favourite place to ride in Port Macquarie and why?

I like riding along the beaches - beautiful scenery and there are good up hills and down.

How many hours do you ride a week?

Probably about 3.5 - 4 hours a week. I also do triathlon, so I have to fit in swim, run and strength training too.

What do you enjoy most about cycling?

I like that it's challenging, but that there are lots of people with the club who are willing to help me and other juniors learn skills and road safety and get faster!

What are your long term goals with cycling?

One day I want to compete in Olympic triathlon.

Obviously my cycle leg would need to be pretty good. Before I do that though, I would like to beat my dad!

What would you say to those keen to get involved in cycling?

Everyone is welcoming; you make heaps of friend. There are lots of opportunities to learn and make yourself better. I really love it and hope you do too!

Thanks Miren.

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B R A N D O N

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pate in club, interclub, state and national racing events?

Along with graded riders, juniors can participate and race on Saturdays. There is also the opportunity to compete in inter club challenges, where we often race against the Manning Valley Cycling Club.

PMCC aims to encourage and develop junior riders so that they can be competitive at both state and national levels. To date, we have a number of very talented riders who have been

C O N W A Y

hat are your earliest memories of getting on a bike?

I remember following my dad around on my BMX when I was 7 or 8. He rode his racing

bike. We would do about 13 km around South West Rocks and Arakoon.

Dad tells me I used to do mad skids on the concrete on a plastic balance bike when I was two years old, but I can’t remember that.

Where is your favourite place to ride in Port Macquarie and why?

I like riding Port Macquarie to Laurieton, then up to the top of North Brother, because it’s such a massive climb. I like the view at the top of North Brother and the animals up there. I also like trying to beat Lachie Morton’s time up North Brother on Strava. Haven’t done it yet.

How many hours do you ride a week?

About 12 to 16 hours every week, five or six days a week. I ride to school every day, rain, hail, shine or southerly sandstorm.

What do you enjoy most about cycling?

Racing competitively, or doing long solo rides. I especially love hard climbs. What are your long term goals with cycling? I want to become a rider on a professional team, and to compete in the UCI World Tour, especially the Tour de France.

What would you say to those keen to get involved in cycling?

Cycling is a very tough sport, but it is great for building fitness.

Riders can enjoy great scenery, and spending time with friends.

Cycling is also a great mode of transport and the best way to get around. Join Port Macquarie Cycle club - it’s the best!

Thanks Brandon.

associated with PMCC. How can kids find out more about PMCC? The internet is easily accessible and juniors can access the website: portmacquariecycleclub.com.au or, of course, Facebook is another option. Information can also be obtained from contacting riding stores in town, TRS, Gordon Street Cycles, Graham Seers and/or Laurieton Cycles. These stores have personnel who are experienced riders and passionate about cycling and also belong to PMCC.

W I L L I A M

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P E N D E R

hat are your earliest memories of getting on a bike?

My earliest memories of serious bike riding are on my mountain bike using the track/course at Wayne Richards Park when I was in primary school. I ride my mountain bike to school during the warmer weather these days, but I much prefer riding my road bike now. I have only had a road bike for two years.

Where is your favourite place to ride in Port Macquarie and why?

My favourite place to ride in Port Macquarie is when we ride out to the “Donut” and out to Settlement Point. This ride has some of the best roads, where you can ride without the fear of being thrown into a pot hole.

How many hours do you ride a week?

I only ride between 2 - 4 hours at the moment, as I have other commitments. I am looking forward to increasing my hours on the bike now that Rep Basketball season is over.

What do you enjoy most about cycling?

What I love best about riding is the adrenaline rush that you get when you are competing against other people and the sense of satisfaction that you feel after a long ride.

What are your long term goals with cycling?

My goal is to compete more and hopefully be successful at riding at state and even national levels. Port Macquarie has produced some great riders like Liam Poole, the Morton Brothers, Chris Jory, Liam Magennis. Hopefully I can be one too.

What would you say to those keen to get involved in cycling?

Cycling is a great sport; it is fun, exciting and very good for fitness. All ages can enjoy this sport, and everyone looks good in lycra!

Thanks William.

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OUTDOOR LIVING FEATURE

OUTDOOR

Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers Australian banks have been tightening investment lending due to recent expectations set by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).

This has further complicated the mortgage market and some might see this as a negative, arguing that Australia’s mortgage industry is already one of the most heavily regulated in the world.

APRA have set expectations with our banks and other lenders.

Over time, APRA want to see Australian banks make the following changes: owner occupied home loans should have principal and interest repayments, rather than interest only payments. Investment loan approvals to be tightened. Tighter control over foreign investment loans. These expectations aim to ensure sustainable growth in the home loan investment sector, to protect both investors and the home loan market. Every lender has adopted completely different approaches to achieve APRA’s expectations. This reinforces the reason why 51.4% of Australian borrowers now choose a mortgage broker to look after them. A declined applicant by one lender could be welcomed with open arms by another.

All time GLASS Spring is here, and with this season comes weekend BBQs out the back, doors and windows left open to invite the spring and summer breeze into your home, but we need to also be thinking how we keep unwanted guests out.

Prowler Proof is at the top of the game in security screens.

Australia’s only welded security screens, Prowler Proof screens and security doors meet or exceed all relevant Australian Standards. They are tested to withstand kicking and pulling and other simulated intruder attacks with knives, screwdrivers and pliers.

These welded screens minimise corrosion and are backed by a no-questions-asked 10-year replacement warranty. Because of interaction between metals, other screens and grilles that use screws or rivets are always at risk from corrosion.

Each lender is so different. Gone are the days when you could rely on the lenders to have similar products and credit policies.

Visiting a broker like myself is like visiting 30 branch managers in one appointment. The easiest starting point is to book an appointment with me. My service is free, and we can run through our panel of 30+ lenders for a solution that fits.

All Time Glass & Aluminium is Port Macquarie’s authorised Prowler Proof installer. We can supply a range of security screens, flyscreens and pet mesh to suit your needs. From heavy-duty stainless steel doors to a more flexible screen, our team will help you choose the right product and effortlessly fit it for you.

If you would like to discuss any future plans, please feel free to give us a call.

Contact us today for a free measure and quote for Prowler Proof products.

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DISCOVER A BETTER lifestyle Whether it be a patio awning for entertaining friends or an extra room for the home office, Port Patios can offer you solutions for all your home additions. Owned and led by a fully licensed local builder, Port Patios guarantee your new home addition will be installed with the utmost skill and professionalism.

Offering a wide range of options, from patio awnings, carports, glass enclosures and screen enclosures to decks, opening roofs and louvres, the team will build for you as though they were building the home addition for themselves.

Patio Awnings - the perfect outdoor home addition Relax outside all year round under the shade of a stylish patio awning custom designed to suit your home and your budget; your patio awning will create perfect comfort in your outdoor leisure area, while adding extra value to your home.

Choose an affordable flat roof patio and enjoy the fresh outdoors while protected from the sun. Add an attractive atrium or any combination of both, available in many styles and colours to enhance the architecture of your home.

A licensed builder will help you choose a design to suit your home, giving you the best space options available.

Call 6581 1556 for a no obligation quotation.

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focusinterview.

ROD ayres

SCIENTIST, SCHOLAR, EXPLORER, ADVENTURER, ATHLETE, KEEN PHOTOGRAPHER, NATURE ENTHUSIAST, TEACHER … THERE’S NO SINGLE LABEL THAT ENCAPSULATES ROD AYRES’ OCCUPATION AND SKILL. BUT, DESPITE ALL OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS, ROD IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL “QUIET ACHIEVER” HE’D FAR RATHER PRAISE EVERYONE ELSE FOR THEIR WORK, THAN ACKNOWLEDGE HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENTS. A TRUE LOCAL LEGEND - ROD’S STORY IS AMAZING …

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lease explain your connection to the Port Macquarie area …

My mum’s (Hazel’s) family in Port and Wauchope were the Mahers. They were Irish bullockys, bushmen and farmers who came from Tipperary, Ireland, via Taree, and bought 60 acres at Ashburners Hill, now Oxley Park, from Major Innes’ estate auction on the Town Green in around 1857 - for about £40.

I’ve visited the area since birth from Pittwater in Sydney and was taught bushmanship, riding and Port’s “special places” by some lovely old uncles and aunts, Katie, Nell, Jack and Ted and some new local friends like Albert Dick and Rex Gallagher.

Dad bought the farm in about 1970.

I’ve been based here since returning from three years overseas “gap year/backpacking” travels after graduating from UNSW in Arts and Science - except for some breaks studying eco Forestry and Zoology degrees in Canberra at ANU, and some contract work with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in Sydney as a Scientific Officer based on the Hastings.

I also taught 15 years at various schools in the central west of NSW near Condobolin, where we owned a small property on the Lachlan River.

You also trained in arctic survival. Where did this training take you?

The girl next door married an Austrian ski instructor, and he taught me skiing. I taught him surfing and water skiing. Thus, I became a Kosciuszko ski patroller at Perisher and Thredbo, and Hans became an Aussie ski instructor with Andi Krallinger and his Kitzbuhel Red Devils at Perisher. We caught

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up again later near Innsbruk, in his home picked for the Australian World Cup Biathlon town of Alpbach, when I won a gold medal team to Finland. in a giant slalom race. He had taught me The idea is that you run 30 km, shoot well. every 5 km, alternating prone and standing I travelled to Stockholm Uni, studying (off-hand) and try to get two minute of angle language and Nordic skiing with the uni (MOA) and the necessary 100% max scores, ski club; I learned winter survival and arctic to race mainly with Scandinavians, Russians exploration skills. That led to trekking and Finns, in a competitive time. adventures to the north of Kiruna in Lapland, I had become a movie-like athlete sniper! where three big national parks What was your involvement with the size of Kosciuszko the Lake Innes and other come together to form local Nature Reserves? I one of Europe’s understand you were largest remaining contracted as a Scientific I also taught 15 wildernesses. Sarek Officer at the time for years at various ntral National Park National Parks and schools in the ce ar borders two other Wildlife Service? west of NSW ne re we national parks: As a contracted Condobolin , whe erty op owned a small pr r.”

Stora Sjöfallet and scientific officer from Rive on the Lachlan Padjelanta. In the Port Macquarie with centre at three points, a family background of it’s wild enough for Lake Innes and wetlands bears and wolves to still and marine biology, I had been range free. recommended to NPWS by Mike We stayed in Lap huts and Dodkin, a local NPWS ranger and Dr. supplemented our diet with foods Hugh Veness, National Parks Association like arctic char and cloud berries, wild (NPA) Port Macquarie, a great sponsor and strawberries and cranberries. mentor to me. I had the privilege of working One of your other adventures involved and learning with Peter Hitchcock in the representing Australia in Finland in the Resources section, who later went on to World Cup for Winter Biathlon. Please develop the North QLD wet tropic reserves. describe this sport …

Together with other local conservation Like something from a James Bond movie, groups and plant and animal specialists like and like arctic hunters, a military discipline Alex Floyd, Tony Rose, Steve Phillips and Syd of Olympic skiing and marksmanship called Murphy, I got to help plan and save most of Winter Biathlon developed.

Port’s reserves and wildlife corridors, which So, later back home, while at ANU and give the town so much of its special and living near Cooma, I trained cross country in scenic character now - areas such as Roto the surrounding hills with rabbits. I did well House, Sea Acres NR, Shelly’s Lagoon marine in the first National Championships and got reserve, Miners Beach, and Lighthouse

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littoral rainforests, Christmas Bells plains NR and Aboriginal heritage sites, Lake Innes NR, Kooloonbung Ck and Lake Cathie, and Pelican Island for the migratory seabird breeding.

Also, Limeburners Creek NP, by association with Albert Dick, who taught me so much about these Port wetlands, Clybucca wetlands and middens, Werrikimbe NP and the Mt. Banda Banda and Blue Cow catchment of the upper Hastings River. These are some of the best cloud forest Antarctic Beech remnants of Gondwana habitat remaining in the country.

As a forestry graduate, I lived and worked at Doyles River, Bellangry and Nundle/ Nemingha forests. Some plans even led much later to additions like Nobbys Head to Shelley Beach and Sea Acres NR as I had wanted, but Rob Oakeshott. MP and the Council did a great job on Nobbys coastal walk recently.

Introduce us to the whale rescue and research group, ORRCA. How did this group begin - and what are its aims?

After the NPWS contract, I did some Bicentennial work for the Hastings Council and some more scuba diving with Mike Emery’s Mid Coast Divers, here at the Port marina and at Syd Murphys’ Dolphinarium, at Town Beach breakwall.

In June ’85 there was a stranding at Crowdy Head of False Killer Whales, Psuedorca crassidens. Little did we know that humans had been distressed and trying to save these creatures since ancient times!

Because I had a rural background of breeding horses, playing polocrosse and wildlife management experience, I thought it may be possible they had similar herd behaviour to horses - with the dominant mares leading and stallions herding behind.

focusinterview.

At Crowdy, we rested the transported pod in the calm waters of the harbour behind the headland for three days. We spent many hours, night and day, stabilising them, and they showed no aggression or inclination to harm, despite their size and big teeth.

When NPWS tried to release them the first time, they tried to lead with the largest male in a cargo net attached to a small boat.

He became distressed, and the pod became increasingly agitated and active. But when I jumped in and took a young one, about my size, under my arm, the pod gathered and calmed down and became more purposeful.

The big female and friends closed in around like sardines, and the baby and I led them around.

We organised tow slings for trawlers for two small ones, including my little friend (Harrington Public School kids later called her “Vegemite” in their stranding story). I was fortunate to be chosen to guide this one on tow next day. Ranger Steve Phillips NPWS. PMQ was one of the Incident Controllers, and he also asked Marilyn - my future wife and mother of my son, Cameron - who had a background in botany and marine biology, to help me.

That morning they towed us 10 km out to

Antarctic connections with ranger Steve Phillips.

I tidied the proposal and added a second “R” in the acronym ORRCA for research, to differentiate name, topic and activity, because strandings are infrequent and volunteers and managers need to be trained and involved.

Now NPWS and ORRCA train annually for entanglement exercises too, with Sea Rescue groups.

We couldn’t persuade Sydney to base ORRCA in Port, but I did get to nominate a friend, Gai Sacks from Cronulla Divers, and she steered them successfully through the early years. They adopted my proposal and formed in Sept ’85.

By fortunate coincidence, there was another stranding of Pilot Whales, a few weeks later, on the US Atlantic coast e th e of Massachusetts, lik el fe I near Woods Hole character rS te un H of sea, the pod followed as , Oceanographic zo on G ing before, and Mike Dodkin Institute. They used Thompson slid guarded us in a rescue dishevelled and our techniques and exhausted into boat close by in case of they were successful ! home base: ‘Wow shark attack, and carried so the idea went !’”

That was a ride my underwater camera. global.

As we released the pod You’re obviously and Vegemite into the deep passionate about blue, with sunbeams streaming animals, and you’ve also down like in a cathedral and a noisy sky owned many horses and full of helicopters overhead, I got the shot as dogs over the years. Tell us about your her tail waved goodbye ... and a double page beautiful Irish Setter, Baron, who became spread in the Women’s Weekly that month! a National Field Trial Champion ...

Back in Port, and with agreement of Some of my best and most loyal friends a public meeting debrief in Harrington, I and experiences have been well bred horses formed a Mid Coast Whale Rescue group, and dogs. and pitched a proposal to Hastings Council One bird dog, a German Shorthaired and Mayor Bob Woodlands for a Bicentennial Pointer named Hass, even helped us project, which they kindly accepted. The rediscover rare marsupial native “rats and Council deserves huge credit for supporting mice” like Pseudomys gracilicaudatus, not the idea and sponsoring the delegation, seen since discovery in colonial and First Fleet with Chairman and later Mayor Ray Cooper, times, which helped save Christmas Bell Plain and John Read from the Commonwealth from sand mining and to reserve the Lake Development Bank, for the formation of Innes catchment and Werrikimbe NP. ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and With zoologist Tony Rose we even Research of Cetaceans in Australia). challenged mammal trapping studies; almost The Australian NPWS Cetacean Dept. embarrassingly, we got 80% trap rates on in Canberra also supported us on the rare, threatened or “extinct” species, and recommendation and through their prior now such dogs are used in drug detection,

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enforcement, and even fire ant control. Very often, scarcity depends on how and where you look.

After a lifetime of outdoors skills, sport and marksmanship and the encouragement of my wife, Marilyn, to enter into education, the opportunity to teach out west in the big sky and grassland country led me to those wetlands and old bush crafts like gundog field trial training.

After about seven years’ apprenticeship, a rare Working Irish Setter Gamemaster Grouse called Baron came along, bred from multi Field Trial Champion lines. I think Baron was the pick of the litter - and he picked Marilyn.

He basically taught me dog body language, and with some simple commands, the right conditions and places to study and learn about quail etc. together ... it was an awesome experience!

Baron eventually rose through the ranks of interstate field trialling and with uncanny ability and a smart and beautiful nature, became the millennial Australian National Pointer and Setter Field Trial Champion in 2000, and one of the last for NSW. With all of these achievements and experiences under your belt ... what’s next for Rod Ayres?

You have inspired me!

I think I’m nearly old enough and with enough adventures now, to try and tell some stories. Or at least to read more!

I’m proud to have played a small part in the story of Port Macquarie. And I’m also proud of my beautiful, clever wife, Marilyn, my son Cameron, who is already a better man than I will ever be, and of my great good fortune to have chosen such amazing ancestors!

I feel like the character Gonzo, of Hunter S Thompson sliding dishevelled and exhausted into home base: “Wow! That was a ride!”

Thank you!

Thanks Rod. Interview by Jo Atkins.

Photo top left: Rod and Baron.

Photo top right: Rod, Marilyn and Cameron.

Photo centre: Bodyboarder Mitch Nolan photographed locally by Rod recently. greater port macquarie focus. 111

focusinterview.

THIS MONTH THE SMUG OFFERS A SPECIAL EDITION SNAPSHOT REVIEW OF THE AMAZING 2015 MERCEDES BENZ – PRECIOUS METAL ROADSHOW CURRENTLY TOURING THE NSW COUNTRYSIDE COURTESY OF PORT MACQUARIE MERCEDES BENZ - ANDREW MIEDECKE MOTORS.

“The Smug”

P R E C I O U S M E TA L M E R C E D E S

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ast year I had the thrill and privilege of driving some of the most amazing motor vehicles in history via the 2014 Mercedes Benz Precious Metal Roadshow courtesy of Port Macquarie Mercedes Benz.

This year there are some equally amazing and upgraded models touring the region during August and September as part of the 2015 Roadshow.

This year’s models showcase a hand-selected range of high qualtiy vehicles from around $80,000 list price to well over $300,000, including the A45 AMG, CLS500, E300, GL350, GLA, SL500 and E400Cabriolet.

Last year I recall being blown away by the drive quality, performance and technology, and this year is no different.

Let’s be frank, you’re into buying one of this year’s offerings because you have an infatuation with quality, prestige and the sheer love of refined engineering.

Not to mention, because you’ve saved your pennies for such a special purchase.

For those in the position to drive any one of the fine specimens on show this year, I seriously envy you.

Although, I am very happy to indulge in a test-drive to live the dream, if only for just one day.

This year’s New South Wales leg of the the Roadshow Started in late July and runs through to November 2015. There’s quite a circuit and range of regional towns being offered the opportunity to sample the amazing range of precious metal, including Port Macquarie, Taree, Coffs Harbour, Tamworth, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Orange.

From my understanding, the philosophy of the Precious Metal Roadshow is to offer potential and also existing Mercedes Benz owners in regional centres the opportunity to touch and feel the upgrades across the range in their own backyards. Also, because it’s

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For those in the e position to driv e fin e any one of th ow this specimens on sh vy you. en year, I seriously ry happy ve am I , gh ou Alth -drive to st te a to indulge in if only for live the dream , just one day. ”

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acknowledged that not all Mercedes Benz dealerships can cost-effectively hold the extensive range of variations across the range, as you may find in some of the city dealerships.

Put simply, the Roadshow is a proactive way of taking the product to where the customers are. Hats off to the manufacturer for this unique selling opportunity and great concept.

On tour is the very impressive SL 500 - which no amount of superlatives could accurately describe.

With a reported drive-away price tag of $331,669, it’s probably not the car that you’d buy first and tell your wife about afterwards. Having said that, I reckon that she too would encounter love-at-first-sight and may take charge of the purchase.

The E400 Cabriolet is another glamour model at about half the cost of the SL 500 and is a real eye-catcher as well as performance freak with its awesome 245kW V6 engine.

One of my all-time favourite vehicles is the GLA model that comes in a range of options, including the simply awesome GLA 45 AMG 4Matic. With a cracking 265 kW and capability of reaching 100 km/h in an impressive 4.8 seconds, I’m yet to find a vehicle on the road that compares with this beast for looks, speed, versatility, quality, technology and

price-point at around the $90,000 mark.

It’s not all about speed and sexy. Although, the GL350 does meet both of those criteria as well, the GL350 is a family mobile which boasts the most superior mix of quality, comfort, performance and safety.

Without trying to prejudice your thoughts any further, one of the best driving experiences I’ve ever had was undertaking the Precious Metal Roadshow challenge and if you get a spare weekend anytime soon, it would be worth travelling to a Mercedes Benz dealer near you to experience these amazing vehicles yourself.

Visit www.mercedes-benz.com.au for more specific details on a dealer in your location.

Disclaimer: All prices are indicative and for general purposes only. All pricing sourced via www.mercedes-benz.com.au and using the driveaway calculator featured on that website. Focus Magazine takes no responsibility for the pricing accuracy and it is suggested to consult with your local dealer for specific pricing and models available rather than relying on the indicative pricing generalised in this story.

Photography by Dylan Ward check him out on Instagram @dylanwardphotography

THANKS FOR MAKING US WINNERS! You can’t win an award for Outstanding Customer Service without having outstanding customers!

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efore the Laing+Simmons Annual Awards held in Sydney recently, Laing+Simmons Port Macquarie was already the most awarded office in the history of the Laing+Simmons network.

Now following the awards night, the local team has further cemented its place at the top – not only in the local market but among all the Laing+Simmons offices in the country.

Under the careful and considered guidance of Principal Chris Koch, Laing+Simmons Port Macquarie continues to go from strength to strength because of one clear and perhaps obvious reason: an uncompromising approach that always puts the customer first.

“Of all the honours our team received at the Laing+Simmons Annual Awards, the one we are most proud of is the Gold Award for Outstanding Customer Service. To win this award depends on every member of our team committing to make the customer top priority,” Chris says.

“It’s more than words, it’s the basis of our whole approach. We take the time to listen, we devise marketing strategies and solutions tailored to the individual’s specific needs, and we recognise that no two customers are the same. People, like properties, are not one-size-fits-all.”

“Our success lies simply in our refusal to compromise on service. It’s more than our specialty, it’s the reason we exist. Laing+Simmons Port

Macquarie has been the undisputed market leader with an Excellence in Property Management Service year-after-year because no-one can match our Award. expertise or our passion. We love what we do and A fixture in the local community, Laing+Simmons our clients reap the rewards.”

Port Macquarie is poised for further growth in the Laing+Simmons Port Macquarie returned from future. the annual awards in Sydney with nothing less “We have been a major player in the Port than twenty two awards, a record in the history of Macquarie real estate industry for many years the office. Being at the top of their game because we know the area, we know is something the office has become the people and we know how to accustomed to, but to continue to get results. We also have that s on m m Si g+ improve on this standing is real local understanding to recognise Lain returned from testimony to the team’s dedication what’s happening in the market ds in the Annual Awar g to their profession. at any given time, and at the thin Sydney with no The team won Gold for the moment, growth is firmly on two less than twenty the in Highest Number of Transactions in the agenda in our region,” says awards , a record e.” fic of e th the entire Laing+Simmons group, Chris. history of while Chris Koch, Naomi Hunter and “It stands to reason that, as David Evans were all recognised in the a team, we are growing with it.

Top Ten at an individual agent level.

With new salespeople set to join Also on the night, Kelly Koch was our team in the coming weeks and honoured individually with an Excellence in months, as well as our efforts to establish our Marketing Award, and in recognition of their property management service as a market leader commitment to the local area with sponsorship of in line with our sales division, Laing+Simmons Port many local charities, community groups and sporting Macquarie will remain at the top for years to come.” associations, Laing+Simmons Port Macquarie was “But as we grow we’ll remain as committed as accorded a Community Achievement Award. ever to the underlying principle that has been the Amy Hindes’ efforts in building the property backbone of our success – to prioritise our client’s management division received due recognition experience in everything we do, and to seek above when she received the Gold Award for Excellence in all else, to deliver a level of service that exceeds Property Management Growth, and was honoured expectations.”

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Expert Advice. Proven Marketing Strategies. Exemplary Service.

6583 7733 | lsre.com.au/portmacquarie

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As I write this month’s column it’s Sunday the 23rd of August and the market still appears to be going reasonably strong in Port Macquarie.

A

s I write this month’s column, Port Macquarie. Many have mentioned they it’s late August and the market are keeping a close eye on the South East is still reasonably strong in Port Queensland market place as it is being talked Macquarie. up by experts in the media – so Port Macquarie The thing that has real estate does have competition. struck me is the absolutely It’s not rocket science but there outstanding amount of buyer are plenty of investors (both attention on properties local and from outside town) under $475,000 at the out there driving the local These two open moment. For example, I homes are a market because borrowed d conducted open homes money is cheap. The great snapshot an t is tell a story of whar local for two properties on the question is: if interest rates happening in ou weekend. The first had 19 change, will the strength marketplace .” groups through (39 Savoy of the market place as well?

Street), while the other Only time will tell.

(3 Chisholm Circuit) had 21 The Australian Prudential groups inspect. These numbers Regulation Authority (APRA) has are incredible and are evidence of how stipulated to financial institutions that solid the market is at present. they are to slow down investor lending These two open homes tell a story of growth per bank to less than 10 per cent per what is happening in our local marketplace. In annum. This should decrease the investor activboth instances, the majority of those inspectity and hence control the market place rather ing were investors. Of those investors, many than allowing it to run wild. from outside Port Macquarie including a good Like always, a great market place eventually representation from Sydney and most did not corrects itself at some stage however at this have a property to sell in Port Macquarie which moment great results are being achieved here is creating a shortage in the town. in Port Macquarie.

Investors from Sydney are telling us that Until next month.

This article has been prepared in good faith with due care by David they are priced out of the Sydney market for Plews. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and readers should make an investment, the rental returns are too low and rely on their own enquiries as to the correctness of such information. and they are looking for an alternative like

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