The GEM - 8 Sept 2023 - Edition 83

LOCAL HERO INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

THE Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF) Legends Hall of Fame honours the leaders, ground breakers and visionaries from within Victoria’s food and wine industry.

Since launching in 1993, more than 150 Legends have been acknowledged for their significant contribution over the course of their careers, and this year, East Gippsland local and co-owner of Gippsland Jersey, Sallie Jones, was named 2023 Local Hero, in the prestigious 2023 MFWF Legends Awards. The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival described Sallie as:

‘…an advocate for better dairy, but perhaps more importantly, an advocate for better, fairer dairy farming.

When food processing companies dropped the price paid for milk, Jones responded with her own dairy line, Gippsland Jersey, a local business that would bypass larger milk processors to work directly with smaller family-owned dairy farms, paying them a fair price for the choicest Jersey milk.

Gippsland Jersey has enjoyed a rapid rise to the top, and today you’ll find it stocked in major supermarkets. But despite its rapid success, the

pillars of the business remain: fair pay for farmers; mental health advocacy in the regions; and kindness above all.’

In 2016, Sallie lost her farming father to suicide, which served as a catalyst for the creation of Gippsland Jersey. Seven years on and their unique approach continues to set them apart.

“We work with smaller family-owned dairy farms that have exceptional dairy farmers, and we pay them a fair price for their top-quality local jersey milk. This enables them to bypass large milk processors and create valueadded products.”

“I don't think we set out with any major expectations of what the business would or could be,” Sallie says. “But I think to have our milk range available in the two major supermarkets; to have our butter sold out with a waitlist with high-end restaurants using it to produce incredible dishes; it all definitely suggests we’re doing well. But there's still so much more we can do. I do feel like we're just getting started.”

“I'm very grateful to a man by the name of Simon Friend from Friend & Burrell, who supplies the world’s finest luxury food products

to many hatted fine dining restaurants, bistros, wine bars, cafés, caterers and keen home cooks. “Simon grew up with my dad and his brothers on our farm, and in the last couple of years, he’s really helped me get Gippsland Jersey brand out there. His connections and introductions to the best eating establishments have just been incredible, and I'm very grateful.”

“In my acceptance speech, I also had to give props the founder of the Melbourne Farmers’ Markets, Miranda Sharp. Miranda gave me my start in Melbourne with a

stall to sell dairy products, so I could pay rent as a uni student. Years later, she encouraged me to start a farmers’ market in Warragul years.”

Sallie says, “The room was full of Melbourne’s most legendary and hard-working chefs, and people that put Melbourne on the map for incredible food and culture. So, to be honest, when I walked in I felt very out of place being surrounded by so many well-known and influential people; especially because I’m not one to recognise all of them!”

“Miranda actually helped

me recognise the massive disconnect between farmers and consumers. Intuitively, I understood that's where I belong — as that middle piece of the puzzle who can bring the produce that links the two together.”

“Giorgio Linguanti from That’s Amore Cheese said to me, ‘I don't know any other brands that can bring a region to Melbourne and bring it to life so authentically.’ And I think that's exactly what I’m doing. So many brands out there are made up in a marketing agency, but we are the real deal. We’re doing it all ourselves and it’s freaking hard work but, we are based in the region — and there’s a cost to doing business being so far east in the region as we

are; but it is who we are. And we're I think we're just really proud of where we’ve come from and what we do. And, of course, the product stands for itself.”

“My dad and my pop are really the true Legends though, because they paved the way for me to get to where I am today. They took an absolute crack at it, and dad really showed me what it was all about from a young age. So, I accepted this award on behalf of dad because I'm so grateful for this opportunity, which would never have been possible if he hadn’t put in so much hard work and laid all the groundwork for me to continue on with.”

The 2023 Legends and Trailblazers inductees to the

Hall of Fame are:

• Sallie Jones – Local Hero

• John Dench – Producer, Advocate, Retailer

• Roslyn Grundy –Communicator, Educator

• Boeing Cho – Chef, Restaurateur, Hospitality Professional

• Tash Conte – Drinks Retailer, Producer, Advocate

• Ian and Simone Carson –Sustainability Champion

• Thi Le – Hostplus Trailblazer.

The 2023 judging panel included food writer Larissa Dubecki; Broadsheet’s editorial director Katya Wachtel; drinks writer Max Allen; broadcaster Matt Preston; and from MFWF, industry lead Kim Danks and creative director, Pat Nourse.

“BY KEEPING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS REGIONAL, WE SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON RURAL MENTAL HEALTH BY PRIORITISING EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, AND PROMOTING SUICIDE PREVENTION AMONG DAIRY FARMERS WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING.”

Gippsland Jersey has been going from strength to strength.

Sallie pictured with Simon Friend, who has been integral in the expansion of Gippsland Jersey into the Melbourne food scene.

Rewarding and recognised for helping out the community

LAST week Wayne and Rose from Hire a Hubby Bairnsdale made the trek to Lorne, on the Great Ocean Road, for the annual Hire a Hubby National conference.

It was five days of information lectures, trade shows, new products, key note speakers culminating in a black tie gala event.

One of the key note speakers was former tennis champion, Jelena Dokic. Wow, wow, wow. We were blown away by this courageous young woman. She has written two biographies — we recommend you read her story and have a box of tissues handy.

Hire a Hubby Bairnsdale have brought back a wealth of information and new products. During the upcoming weeks I will explain these in detail — roof sheeting, insulation, wall cladding, battens, flashings, fascia, gutters. These are just a few of the products to receive a makeover.

One of the ‘team building’ events was a seek and find hunt, and at the end all the Hubbies (over 350) met at an oval with 28 large cardboard boxes containing children’s bikes. The bikes were assembled and then 28 children from a local primary school who did not own a bike (some did not even know how to ride a bike) were given a bike, helmet and training wheels. We later found out that many kids missed out and over the next 2 days The ‘hubbies’ donated another $7,000 dollars for bikes for those that missed out.

Hire a Hubby cares about all communities from Cairns to Bairnsdale.

The gala night including the awards night, was one which Hire a Hubby Bairnsdale was very nervous about.

We were a finalist in the Franchise of the Year award. We were in a field of proven blue ribbon businesses, and against the odds WE WON!

This award is truly prestigious.

The main reason we won this award is because of our excellent service, our commitment to our community, our can-do attitude, and the belief and trust of our customers.

Our clients are our family — when you are happy then we are happy, when you are sad and grieving then we grieve with you.

hot cold and in east gippsland

What is being said on the socials

To the person that found my card and handed it in and the United Petrol Station. Thank you.

Expansion of the Lakes Entrance Woolworths carpark — it’s going to be so much easier in the upcoming holiday period.

To the person that found my necklace in the Coles carpark. Thank you for handing it in. Students showcasing their talents at Nagle’s Got Talent was very impressive.

Upgrading our local Woolworths shows great investment in our town.

Potholes on the roads driving to Maffra are out of control!

The number of empty shops in town is very worrying.

No public toilets being available at the new Kmart.

Contact us via our Facebook page to submit your hot or not in 30 words or less

Labor killing school camps by stealth

SCHOOLS are struggling to pay for school camps, and camp operators are suffering due to lack of support from the State Government.

Gippsland East Nationals

MP, Tim Bull, said the outcome of the recent teachers’ pay agreement means teachers must now be paid for their time on school camps, or given time off in lieu and, with minimal additional funding being provided, this was extremely problematic.

“No one would deny fair pay for hours worked, but what has happened is schools cannot afford to give teachers time off in lieu due to the teacher shortage, and then the paltry amount the government is offering for payment goes nowhere near

covering the costs to schools.

“They are then left with the predicament of having to find funds they don’t have, or cut down on school camps. Some are choosing the latter and then that is impacting the viability of our school camp operators.

“I think almost every adult remembers the great experiences they had on school camps, which are an important part of the curriculum, and it should not be jeopardised by lack of government support,” said Mr Bull.

“It is completely unfair for government to have created this mess and left the financial burden on school budgets and school camp operators are suffering.

“To their credit, some schools are carrying the

burden in the short term, but it is not sustainable long term, while others have already made the hard decision to cut down on camps.”

Mr Bull said it was particularly disadvantaging country schools.

“What we are finding is that instead of travelling long distances for camps, metropolitan schools are doing day excursions within school hours so they do not blow their budget. However, if country schools want to take their students to the city, there is no way around the problem.

“I have called on the Minister to revisit this and ensure schools, students and school camp operators are not disadvantaged by her decision.”

Congrats to our junior public speakers

Coonawarra Camp Managers Krystal and Lewis Ciaglia with Tim Bull.

Winners: William Gray and Sienna Matthews

GEOFF and Vonnie

Nicol run a DEECAauthorised shelter for wildlife called Treehouse Wildlife Refuge. Through this non-profit voluntary service, Geoff and Vonnie are on a mission to raise the public interest and knowledge about wildlife, and to rescue and rehabilitate any sick or injured animals or birds.

One of the common callouts Geoff and Vonnie receive, is in response to sightings of wombats suffering from mange.

“If you live in East Gippsland you’ve probably seen a poor old wombat who looks as though it’s been through a shredder!” explains Geoff.

“This appearance is often the result of mange, which is caused by a tiny parasitic mite that probably came over from Europe as a colonist on the back of fox!”

Similar parasitic mites have been the scourge of civilisation for thousands of years, often the source of scabies and “the itch” in humans, as well as in many domestic and wild animals.

“Wombats are particularly susceptible to mange because they live in burrows. Burrows create perfect conditions for the

mite

Sarcoptes scabiei to thrive in, because they love to burrow in the soil and wait for a wombat host to infect.”

When the parasitic mite burrows into the skin of a wombat, it causes severe itching, which prompts scratching that can lead to subsequent open wounds. The mite infection is not designed to kill the host animal, as it is not in the best interest of the parasite for its host to die. But, if the open wounds incur subsequent infections — which they often do — then this is what creates that terrible mange appearance. Wombats suffering from mange also commonly become blind and deaf, which results in them losing sense of their surroundings. This, in turn, can lead to extreme distress, significant pain, and even death.

The good news is that this pesky mite can be killed by

squirting a dose of common chemicals, which is typically used to treat parasites in farm animals and domestic pets, on the back of the wombat’s neck. Often this is done by hanging a flap across the entrance to the wombat’s burrow, which dispenses a treatment each time the wombat goes in and out through the flap.

Once the medicine gets into the wombat’s bloodstream the mites die and drop off. This treatment does not kill the mites in the burrow soil though, so other wombats can still become infected. For this reason, the burrow may also require treating and/or further treatment applications to the back of their neck may be required.

There is a network of local wildlife carers across East Gippsland, who are available to treat wombats with mange. For support,

advice or to report a sighting, contact your local wildlife rescue group or Mange Management on 0431 600 125 or online via mangemanagement.org.

au.

Mange management Chester backs priority projects

Wildlife Victoria also provides a wildlife support group that offers 24/7 telephone support (ph: 03 8400 7300) for the whole of Victoria, to address all wildlife welfare issues including injuries and mange.

In many instances it is most practical for a local resident to work with a wildlife carer, who can supply the treatment materials and advise on the most appropriate method of application.

“The treatment is safe and easy to accomplish, and it’s rewarding to see the improvement in individual wombats who have been treated,” Geoff says. “If you see a wombat out in broad daylight, it’s probable that it is partially blind from mange, and will benefit from treatment.”

“Even though the wombat may not be aware that you have helped them survive, you will feel enriched by your contribution to their improved wellbeing,” Geoff adds.

FEDERAL Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is working with Lakes Entrance Action and Development Association on the next stage of priority projects for the town.

Mr Chester met with LEADA Infrastructure sub-committee members this week to discuss the pipeline of projects needed for Lakes Entrance.

“We’ve had a great deal of success in recent years securing Federal Government funding for major projects which are transforming Lakes Entrance,” Mr Chester said.

“By working together to identify local priorities, and then lobbying all levels of government to get on board, we have seen projects underway like the Esplanade redevelopment, Bullock Island bridge and master plan, the Old Slipway, Kalimna lookout and Krauatungalung Walk.

“Now we need to develop a

pipeline of future projects to keep making Lakes Entrance a great place to live, work and visit.”

Mr Chester said the number one priority in LEADA’s recent survey of locals was a new indoor sports stadium to replace the existing outdated facilities.

“I agree entirely that a new indoor sports centre is required for a town the size of Lakes Entrance,” Mr Chester said.

“I will be working with LEADA and the sports community to secure funding from all levels of government if necessary, once the design work is completed.

“The existing stadium doesn’t comply with modern standards and is inadequate for the needs of the various user groups.”

LEADA representatives met with Federal MP Darren Chester to discuss a pipeline of future infrastructure projects.

Peter Sindrey, Terrence Hoffmann, Darren Chester, Bruce Hurley, Carilynn Mackay and Ted Hare.

GIPPSLAND East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, has called on the State Government to reject the findings of what he called a biased inquiry into duck hunting, which recommended an end to the practice.

“What we saw today was not surprising at all with the Greens, Animal Justice Party and Labor MP’s opposed to duck hunting, coming up with a finding in the majority report we all knew was coming but, in my view, common sense findings are in the minority report.

“What’s interesting, is there were two minority reports — the first from the Liberals and Nationals who supported its continuation, and another from a sole Labor MP who broke ranks and opposed multiple elements of the major report.

“The ‘Inquiry into Victoria’s Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements’ main report has ignored science and based its call to end duck hunting on ideology alone,” said Mr Bull.

After hearing overwhelming evidence from scientists showing hunters do not adversely impact the population of water birds, the Liberals and Nationals were unable to support the Inquiry committee’s majority report and Mr Bull commended his colleague Melina Bath for the work she undertook as a member of the committee.

The extensive Liberals and Nationals minority report recommends the continuation

of bird harvesting in Victoria in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.

Mr Bull raised the point that opponents of duck season say it is either unsustainable or cruel.

“On the first point, the scientific evidence showed it is sustainable and, on the second point, the report says it should continue to be allowed for Aboriginal Victorians due to cultural reasons. So it poses the question — is cruelty based on who is holding the gun?

“Country people have hunted for food for generations and duck season is important to our local economy.

“Quite frankly, I’ve had enough of predominantly city people telling us what jobs we can and can’t have (eg. timber industry) and what pastimes we can and can’t partake in.

“In 2022, there were almost 28,000 licences to hunt game birds (ducks and quails) in Victoria and many of these were younger men and women. Whether it be fishing or duck season, I support the right to hunt for food.”

TWENTY-THREE years ago, a 45-year-old Mick Lees was driving trucks in the Northern Territory for a living. An unfortunate work accident resulted in a truck falling on him, which left him as a below knee amputee.

“My partner David was born in Orbost and raised in Traralgon. He was a chef, and we moved to East Gippsland from Melbourne to retire, because he had throat cancer. We really enjoyed fishing around the lakes; that was part of the reason we came here.”

“Back then, I used to work for transport companies,” Mick adds. “After the accident I went to university and became a health and safety professional. But there was no local work in that field when we moved to East Gippsland, so I became a support/care worker for people with disabilities.”

In June last year, David’s condition worsened and in September he passed away. “We'd been together for about 45 years,” says Mick.

When David passed away, Mick donated an automated external defibrillator (AED) to his local Metung community in Tambo Bay. “A simple risk assessment told me that if someone needs a defibrillator, it’s too far to go to Metung or Swan Reach — it’s about eight minutes either way.”

The AED is now situated around the middle of the Tambo Bay community, and signs have been posted around the beach area to inform visitors of its location.

“I registered it with the ambulance service too, so it will pop up if anyone nearby is searching for one in an emergency.”

“Locals were invited to do the online course, so

they know how to use it. Fortunately, we haven’t had to use it in the almost year we’ve had it, so that’s a good thing,” Mick says.

With David gone, Mick has been trying to do new things to keep himself occupied and active. “I’ve taken up reading and I’m walking around the local area a lot now — usually 5-10km at a time. It’s a great way to meet the neighbours and enjoy the birdlife. It’s a fun place to walk.”

Mick originally thought I’d sell up and move on after David’s passing. “Most of my family live over the other side of the Hume Highway,” he says. “But we did a lot to the house to make it more ‘disabled-friendly’, so that’s why I decided to stay.”

Recently, Mick has volunteered to participate in a clinical trial that will explore an innovative new approach to treating phantom limb pain.

‘Phantom limb pain’ refers to the painful sensation that an amputee can feel in the part of the limb that’s no longer there. The pain is real; the ‘phantom’ part refers to the location of the pain: the missing limb — in Mick’s case, his lower right leg.

“I actually started as a below knee amputee, but I couldn’t sustain a gait that was practical. Of course, if the world was flat, it would be easier to walk (damn Christopher Columbus!); the camber in the footpaths and roads affects most lower limb amputees, and even wheelchairs have problems with this issue too sometimes.” So, in 2001 further surgery left Mick as a through knee amputee. “This just means that my stump (end of the femur) needs two articulation points for walking (i.e.,

knee component and foot component).”

Phantom limb pain can range from mild to severe, and it can last for seconds, hours, days or longer. It may occur after a medical amputation (removing part of a limb with surgery), or it can occur after accidental amputation (e.g., if you unexpectedly lose a finger, toe or other body part).

Neuroscience Research Australia estimates that around 1 in 4,000 and up to 80 per cent of people with limb loss are affected by phantom limb pain.

Over the past two decades, Mick has learned to live with his phantom pain.

“Occasionally, I still spend time in the wheelchair, if I’ve walked or done too much. But I've learned to live with it.”

“I've volunteered for phantom pain research before, but this is my first clinical trial,” explains Mick. “There are risks, of course. But I mean, I've had a good life. I've seen parts of the world and enjoyed travelling Australia, many times. And I'm a great believer that people should volunteer for these sorts of things because, at the end of the day, how do they learn if someone doesn't do it?”

We wish Mick the best of luck for positive outcomes from his clinical trial.

Exercise vs Mental Enrichment

feel balanced.

• Reduces anxiety and depression

• Strengthens relationship with their people

• Promotes relaxation

Metung, take your marks...

JUST like us, dogs need a balance of exercise and enrichment — this includes social, nutritional, sensory, occupational and physical enrichment. A balance between the two is necessary to develop a wellrounded and happy dog. Let’s break these down a bit further.

EXERCISE

• Releases endorphins, which help your dog feel good and relaxed

• Reduces frustration by expelling excess energy

• Helps build muscle and bone density — so keeps them healthy.

Types of exercise you can do with your dog:

• Walking

• Running (please discuss with your local vet as to when if this is appropriate, and never for dogs under 18 months as their bones are still developing)

• Hiking

• Play dates with their doggy friends

• Swimming

• Agility courses

• Go to the beach

• Daycare.

ENRICHMENT

This lets your dog use their thinking skills and help them

• Alleviates boredom

• Maintains mental health — creates resilience by providing control in their environment.

Types of Enrichment:

• Play dates with friends

• Sniffari (walk purely for investigating the environment)

• Food based activities — treat dispensing toys, frozen popsicles, scatter feeding

• Training — using clicker training to develop confidence to learn new tricks and skills

• Environmental — changing your dog’s environment — moving things in the backyard, bringing new things into the environment (branches or sand etc), having new sniffs in the yard!

• Rotate their toys, so they always seem new! Too much of one and not enough of the other could lead to frustration and behavioural problems. A balance is required. For example, if we have had to think — say sitting an exam, we are mentally tired, but physically have energy and if we have gone for a long run, we are physically tired, but mentally still bouncing!

TICKETS are now on sale for the annual Metung Fun Run, which is being held on Sunday 12 November.

As per previous years, this fundraising event for Metung Primary School and the Lions Club of Metung, is powered by The HIIT Factory Bairnsdale and offers four different events:

• 10km Run

• 5km Run

• 5km Walk

• 1km Kids' Colour Dash.

“We are very grateful for the ongoing support of our local businesses,” says Metung Primary Principal Jim Allen. “Our key sponsors this year include the Metung Hot Springs, Metung Country Club and the Metung Business & Tourism Association, and it is because of them, as well as all our

other sponsors that this event is possible.”

“We also acknowledge our team of volunteers who generously donate their time and expertise, to organise and deliver this annual event.”

New to the 2023 event is the opportunity for participants to buy souvenir merchandise. “We’re trialling this offer for the first time in many years,” says event organiser Analee Gale.

“People who buy their fun run tickets during our PreSale and Early Bird periods (i.e., before 6 October) can also purchase souvenir caps, or t-shirts (which are available in three designs and two colours). This is the only way you can buy the souvenirs though — there won’t be any available for sale on the day so we encourage everyone to get their event

tickets and order online while they can.”

Mhairi ‘Vee’ McShane from The HIIT Factory Bairnsdale is, again, organising the Kid’s Colour Dash and delivering the warm up for runners. “I love the Metung Fun Run,” she says.

“The kids absolutely love

the Colour Dash, and it’s surely one of the prettiest courses to run. Even with the damp roads last year, it was still such a great event and so much fun! I can’t wait for November 12!”

Tickets and souvenir merchandise are now on sale at www.metungfunrun.com.au.

Playful Paws

Megs Hopman

Pictures courtesy Jamie Bennett

New Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer is establishing a strong rapport with the community

East Gippsland

Local Area Commander

Acting Inspector

James Wearne

Bairnsdale Police Station

Bench Seat

We are honoured to receive a chair (right) that was made by the staff and participants of the Yoowinna Wurnalung Aboriginal Healing Service.

Dealing with and understanding childhood trauma

Q: Dear Emma, can you please advise? Recently my sister came to me and said she is suffering from childhood trauma. But I don’t understand why. We lived in the same house; same parents, same memories and I don’t feel like I was traumatised. I am trying to understand her, but I just don’t see it. I don’t know how to talk to her about it, but I want to be the supportive brother she says I am. What should I do? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

life, and it is not uncommon for people to encounter trauma across different life phases. The effects of trauma can influence us both immediately and subsequently. Without appropriate support, trauma can persistently influence us throughout our lives.

been quite stressed lately. Are you doing okay?" It’s also okay during your conversation to stick to the broader issues and steer away from distressing details to prevent either of you from becoming too overwhelmed.

Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer

Thomas Hood is our new Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) for Victoria Police.

Thomas is a proud GunaiKurnai man and grew up in Bairnsdale and Bruthen. He has established a great relationship with not only the Indigenous community but also the wider community.

“I am the new Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) for ED6. I have been working here at Bairnsdale police station for 3 months now and I really enjoy it.

“I have established a great relationship with the local police and yet still creating those positive relationships every day. This plays a huge part in my role as an ACLO as it is important to have strong relationships with both police and the Aboriginal community.

“I am well respected in the Aboriginal community, and

this is a huge advantage for me to enable me to do my job as an ACLO.

“I work day-to-day trying to build that connection between police and community to ensure there are positive and safer outcome when community are dealing with police. I encourage police to engage me as much as possible to ensure they get what they need from community in a culturally safe manner.

“This may include consulting with me to try and locate community members, I often bring community members in to self-present to the station for their matter, rather than police going to their house and arresting them in front of their kids and families. This is a better outcome for both police and the community member.

“Whenever we have someone in the cells from community, I will visit them and we look at referral options if they are not already engaged

in any services.”

Operation Scoreboard

Over the AFL Grand Final long weekend, a state-wide road policing operation to be conducted from Thursday 28 September to Sunday 1 October 2023.

The major focus for the operation will be on impaired driving, speed, fatigue, distraction offences and seatbelt compliance.

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. It’s up to all of us to ensure we reach our destination safely.

Property Damage

Police are appealing for information regarding property damage in Bairnsdale. Its believed signage and fencing on the Gippsland Rail Trail on McEchharn Street was damaged between Thursday 1 June and Saturday 10 June.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A: Thank you for writing in. From your letter, I can hear your compassion and tell you are trying to support your sister. Gaining knowledge is a great place to start. Trauma can be a complicated subject, so let’s start by clearly defining what it means so we begin on the same page. Trauma refers to events and encounters of such intensity that they become overwhelming sources of stress for our minds and bodies. This prompts a biological stress reaction known as the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn response. This stress response in humans is finely tuned, signifying that both our brains and bodies are inherently designed to react to various situations as though they are potentially life-threatening.

Traumatic experiences can occur singularly or repeatedly. Instances of trauma are widespread and originate from various sources. Trauma can impact individuals at any stage of

Childhood trauma refers to experiences of trauma that take place before the age of 18. The consequences of childhood trauma are frequently more pronounced and varied compared to trauma experienced in adulthood. This is primarily due to the ongoing development of a child's brain. Children are also reliant on adults both physically and psychologically, and they are at distinct stages of development compared to adults. Consequently, they process information about the world, other individuals, and themselves in a distinct manner. This is in part why you perceive your childhood differently from your sister’s.

When it comes to talking to her about her experience, begin with offering your sister a safe space, both physically and emotionally, respecting her choices about where and when to talk to ensure the conversation is as comfortable as possible. Approach her with empathy and genuine concern, leaving aside any judgments. This is not the time to argue with her and counter her memory with yours. Take your time and give her plenty of chances to talk. Listen actively, provide reassurance, and avoid talking over them. Keep things casual and easy-going in your manner and tone to avoid making it too serious. Express your concern in a sensitive and straightforward manner, like saying, "I've noticed you've

Now, it’s of equal importance that you find yourself a trusted friend or professional support to speak about your version with. You will need to process this turn of events too and will be attempting to understand the differences in your memories. That is very natural. Make sure you allow yourself space and time to do so. Knowing you have this time and person to speak with also helps you manage your responses with your sister.

The final thing to remember is that your sister is speaking to you because of the good connection you have. Try not to fall into fixing or problem-solving mode, instead offer empathy and validation. Validation does not mean you agree but offers your sister acceptance.

You are helping her know that while life can be confusing and difficult, what she is thinking and feeling is understandable even if it differs from yours. You are offering her a sense of belonging even if her version of childhood is different, and that will help her along her way to her healing.

Hope that helps, Emma.

‘Ask Emma’ is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, mental-health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have. By submitting a question, you are agreeing to let The Great Eastern Mail use it and we may edit it for length and/or clarity. You can find Emma on Instagram @emmawoodcockcounsellor and Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/emmawoodcockcounselling

Emma Woodcock is a Registered Counsellor working with adolescents and adults with a broad range of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, self-esteem difficulties, amongst many others. With experience in several evidence-based therapy modalities, Emma utilises skills from CBT, ACT, DBT, motivational interviewing, polyvagal therapy and more. Emma offers a practical approach to therapy, helping clients develop a personal 'toolkit’ of strategies and skills, so that they feel empowered to deal with life’s challenges everyday.

Emma Woodcock Counsellor

INGimage

Nailing it

Gippsland Centre — the ideal location for much sort-after nail care services

FOR 14 years, Mr Lee and his wife Cathy have been providing professional nail care services through their business, International Nails.

Located at Shop 6A (near Woolworths) in the Gippsland Centre in Sale, International Nails offers spa treatments such as manicures, pedicures, as well as nail buffing, cutting, shaping and polishing. They also offer nail services including shellac and SNS (the ‘signature nail system’ that involves powder dipping), as well as an extensive menu of waxing services.

Prior to International Nails, Lee and Cathy ran a successful business in Brisbane.

“My sister-in-law has a similar shop to this one, in

Traralgon. She told us about International Nails being for sale, and so we bought it and that’s how we ended up here in East Gippsland.”

“Being located inside the Gippsland Centre is great because of all the walk-through customers we get. I don’t think we would get as many walk-ins if we were located outside on the street,” Lee says.

Lee and Cathy would like to thank the Sale community for all their support in the last 14 years. “We are fortunate to have many long-term customers — some have been coming to us for more than a decade,” Lee adds. “It is always very busy because it’s just me and my wife who work in the shop, but we are always happy to welcome new and returning customers.”

Woolies launches new-look store

DISCOVER the fresh new-look Woolworths Gippsland Centre. The team at Woolies are excited to showcase their fresh food market, full of abundant fruit and veg, including their ‘Odd Bunch’ range that looks different, but is just as beautiful on the inside and still great value.

The fruit and veg department at the new look Woolworths Gippsland Centre is bringing you the best local produce from around the country.

From crusty loaves, sliced white to wholemeal rolls, explore the delicious range at the new bakery at the newlook Woolworths Gippsland Centre. Follow the moreish smell of baked bread to the new in-store bakery and explore the new artisan bread, beautiful loaves and rolls.

The bakery also has a mouth-watering selection of cakes and pastries, find a sweet treat for any day of the week!

The new continental style deli at the new-look Woolworths Gippsland Centre has delicious sliced deli meats just for you. With cured meats sliced to order and a range of delicious local and international cheeses, Woolies has everything you need for a perfect platter. Plus there's a great variety of fresh seafood, perfect for a light dinner or an indulgent family feast. Another new feature is the ‘Direct to Boot’ service at the new look Woolworths Gippsland Centre. Simply order your shopping online via www. woolworths.com.au and one of the Woolworths' personal shoppers will hand pick your order with care. Confirm your pick up time and the Woolies

woolies has fresh new features

team member will place it straight in your boot when you arrive in the designated car park spots .

Head and shop with Today's Fresh Food People at the new look Woolworths Gippsland Centre.

MAKES 40

food & wine

For the love of wine

Ian Hollick Wine Maker

HAVING just installed my new Vintec wine fridge after the 10 year old model died, I pondered a question many people have asked me over the years.

Greek Meatballs

on the cooler side of the house, in a well-insulated room, or somewhere where the temperature does not fluctuate so much.

It is better that the wine is out of the sunlight, because UV rays do have a small influence on the ageing of wine.

I read an article recently which stated that if a wine is sealed with a screw cap, it is not worthy of cellaring.

• 500g lamb mince

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 small cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

• 1 bunch mint, finely chopped

• ½ cup bunch parsley, chopped

ingredients method

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• salt & freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup self raising flour

• plain flour, for dusting

• vegetable oil for shallow frying

• tomato chutney or tzatziki to serve

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using your hands, make sure mixture is thoroughly combined.

2. Roll tablespoons of the lamb mixture into balls, flatten each slightly and dust with plain flour.

3. Heat vegetable oil in frying pan over medium heat. Shallow fry meatballs in batches until both sides are golden (about 4-5 minutes on each side). Place meatballs on paper towel to drain.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature with tomato chutney or tzatziki.

It is not so much the temperature, but the range of temperature the stored wine experiences, which is important. If you remember your basic physics lessons, all liquids expand in volume with an increase in temperature.

So, if your wine is warm one minute and cold the next, imagine what the cork must experience to accommodate the expansion and contraction due to temperature fluctuations. The bottle will certainly not expand and contract at the same rate.

If you store it under the bed, make sure the bedroom is downstairs,

It is also ideal to have humidity controlled as well, to prevent corks from drying out. 70 per cent is ideal.

The ideal temperature for storage is between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius. If you have invested in some seriously expensive wines, you probably need to do what I have done and invest in a purpose built wine cabinet or a good cellar. If you wish to one day sell the wine on the secondary market, good cellaring credentials are a must. On the other hand if you wish to drink the stuff, and appreciate the wine at its best some time the future, then good cellaring will also pay dividends.

Not all wine is meant to be cellared for the long term.

Let’s debunk that myth immediately, because it is nothing but propaganda from the cork industry. However, ageing of Screwcapped wine does not require such serious environmental controls, because of the seal.

The same variations in temperature will hasten the ageing process, but there is no danger of the seal drying out as with cork. Screwcapped wines do age, but at a slower pace and in a slightly different way.

This probably gives rise to another article, but ageing of wine is a very gradual and hopefully controlled, oxidation process. So primary fruit characters are gradually oxidised to the stage where there is none left and the wine has completely “dried” out. The trick is to drink them before this happens. Santé.

A new chapter in Council’s circular economy journey

WELLINGTON

Shire Council has awarded a new 10 year contract to Cleanaway in Gippsland to collect general household waste and recycling, effective Monday 4 September 2023.

Operating from a local depot in Sale, Cleanaway will be Wellington residents’ first port of call for reporting missed, damaged or stolen bins.

The contract is the result of partnering with neighbouring Gippsland Councils to get the best possible value for residents’ waste and recycling charges, and aims to allow for the processing of recyclables in Gippsland in future.

In welcoming the contract, Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said Cleanaway shared Council’s commitment to community engagement and environmental stewardship, and was perfectly positioned to join Council in supporting a circular economy.

“Together, we will aim to reduce the total amount of waste going to landfill by providing ongoing education across the community, focussed on increasing materials recovery and reducing overall waste generation,” Cr Bye said.

Over the next few years, Council will team up with Cleanaway to introduce important changes to its current waste service, including the separation of glass and a third bin for food and garden organics for all residential properties that currently receive a kerbside collection service.

While there is no immediate change to scheduled bin days, individual collection times may vary as Cleanaway determines the best routes to service Wellington Shire.

If you have a missed, damaged or stolen bin, phone Cleanaway in Gippsland on (03) 5133 6872 or email gippsland@cleanaway.com.au

Context: The Victorian Government has introduced the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021, which includes a new four-stream waste and recycling system to be introduced state-wide between now and 2030.

When will I get a green bin?

We understand — it’s been a slow-moving process. It’s been in the works for quite a few years, and we're aiming to roll out a FOGO bin (food organics and garden organics) as soon as possible, depending on processing capabilities within Gippsland. Frustratingly, it takes time to ensure local infrastructure for processing organics is in place.

Wellington Shire Council has been part of a joint

procurement process, working with Bass Coast Shire, Baw Baw Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Latrobe City and South Gippsland Shire Councils to secure contracts for the collection, transport, processing and recycling of kerbside waste. This ‘Gippswide Kerbside’ tender evaluation panel is still finalising contract details with the preferred tenderer for FOGO processing. It is possible infrastructure will still need to be built once the contract is finalised.

Currently, green waste is collected at our Transfer Stations and is processed by Council’s contractor, who turns it into mulch and dirt. Once food is added to the mix, it needs to be processed differently to be safely turned into compost and soil conditioner without becoming a bio hazard. This can involve the need for contractors to build specialised processing infrastructure, such as invessel composting silos.

At this stage, we’re expecting FOGO to be rolled out to residents in mid-2025.

Everyone who currently gets a kerbside collection will get an organics bin, which will be collected weekly.

The state government has legislated all households have access to services for glass recycling by 2027, and to food organics and garden organics by 2030. According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, currently only about 32 per cent of Australians have access to FOGO. The infrastructure needed to process triple the volume currently generated by Australians is simply not there yet, but we are hopeful the state government’s timeline will bring forward some innovation and investment in the FOGO space.

As for a glass bin, we are waiting to see the impacts the state government’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) has on the glass waste stream to determine what glass recycling will look like in Wellington Shire, in order to ensure the best value for residents. The CDS will come into play November 2023.

It is exciting to hear there’s such strong community support for FOGO and glass recycling. The waste and sustainability team are counting down the days!

Sale, get ready to Detox your Home in November

WELLINGTON Shire Council will host a Detox your Home event in Sale this November, helping residents to safely dispose of common household chemicals without harming the environment.

Help in partnership with Sustainability Victoria, Detox your Home is a safe, free and easy-to-use service that encourages residents to dispose of their everyday household chemicals such as solvents, cleaning products, weedkillers, pesticides, cosmetics and cooking oil.

Each Detox your Home event collects approximately four tonnes of hazardous chemicals, keeping them out of landfill and waterways and making homes safer.

Detox your Home will take place at the Gippsland Regional Livestock Exchange, located on Saleyards Road in Sale, between 9am and midday on Saturday 11

November 2023.

The event will be staffed by expert chemists who will identify and sort the chemicals for safe transport back to a licenced facility in Melbourne, where they will be processed for reuse or safe disposal.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Ian Bye encourages Wellington residents to take part in the free Detox your Home event in Sale later this year.

“Highly toxic household chemicals can be dangerous and should never be put in your rubbish bins or poured down the drain. Taking your chemicals to this event, guarantees that all items will be recycled or safely disposed of, which reduces the risk of poisoning, keeping your family, pets and the environment safe” Cr Bye said.

With community safety in mind, Detox your Home will be a drive through and

contactless event with no walk in’s accepted.

To register for the Sale event, visit the Sustainability Victoria’s website at www. sustainability.vic.gov.au/ detoxyourhome or visit Eventbrite and search for ‘Detox your Home — Sale’.

Common chemicals collected at Detox your Home events include:

• Fuels and flammable liquids

— turpentine, methylated spirits, petrol, kerosene,

diesel, paint thinners Garden — herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, pool chemicals, poisons.

• Household — cleaners, bleach, ammonia, oven cleaner, solvents, cooking oil, cosmetics, fire extinguishers.

• Car — wax, transmission fluid, body filler, brake fluid. A full list of items accepts and not accepted can be found at www.sustainability. vic.gov.au

Meals build social connection

NATIONAL Meals on Wheels Day last week proved an ideal time to celebrate Meals on Wheels volunteers and recognise their integral role in providing nourishing meals and helping older people maintain their connection to the community.

So far this year, Gippsland Lakes Complete Health’s 287 registered MOW volunteers have delivered 8552 meals locally – that’s an average of 259 meals a week taken to older people’s homes in 2023

alone.

But Meals on Wheels is more than just a meal – it’s a vital social connection for people who may not see anyone else that day, or even that week.

GLCH chief executive Anne-Maree Kaser says that, in effect, GLCH’s volunteers are combating social isolation one meal at a time.

“Meals on Wheels is about connecting people and building relationships,” she said.

“It’s a daily welfare check and a chance for clients

to socialise and take a few moments to have a chat with our caring volunteers.”

The delivery visits may be short, but over time a sense of safety, comfort and reassurance grows out of the relationships formed between clients and volunteers, the latter consistently claiming they get more than they give.

Recent research shows that MOW volunteers have 10 per cent more self-rated overall wellbeing than other Australians and four per cent higher self-rated

overall wellbeing than other volunteers.

GLCH is always on the lookout for individuals or businesses willing to give up just a few hours of their time, grab an esky and help deliver meals.

You can volunteer as much or as little time as you want – once a week, once a fortnight, a month –whatever suits you.

To learn more about volunteering opportunities at GLCH, visit the website or contact their volunteer coordinator to get involved.

Lakes Entrance Meals on Wheels client Shirley (far right) accepts her meal daily delivery from volunteer Barbara with the help of Gippsland Lakes Complete Health’s chief executive Anne-Maree Kaser (second from left) and GLCH’s volunteers coordinator Janet (far left).

Harris Scarfe comes to Town

word find - Coffee Connoisseur

HARRIS Scarfe coming to Bairnsdale at the old Dahlsen Department Store site in Nicholson Street, Bairnsdale is great news for East Gippslanders. Harris Scarfe is a value, discount department store chain with 56 sites across Eastern Australia. It was acquired by the Spotlight Group in 2021.

Spotlight with over 135 sites across Australia is owned by the Fried family. The chain has been built in a relatively short time and has a very successful and ever-growing property portfolio some of it relating to Spotlight stores and some to other activities.

Harris Scarfe was losing its way until taken over by Spotlight in 2021. With an effective overseas purchasing program both the Harris Scarfe and Spotlight chains are bringing great value to Australian shoppers.

Harris Scarfe will satisfy a very important part of the purchasing needs of East Gippsland shoppers and will take away from Kmart shoppers looking for higher quality items with good value. Harris Scarfe merchandise categories

will be moulded to the local market and provide great value in homewares and clothing.

Harris Scarfe is within 200 metres of Woolworths, Aldi and Coles so this will give Harris Scarfe access to 100 per cent of the local shoppers. For many purchases it will not be necessary to go some distance out of town to Kmart, Kmart is on the very busy Princes Hwy and sits alongside houses and industrial businesses which have made a mockery of the East Gippsland Planning Scheme. The panel disagreed with the view of the locals and the East Gippsland Shire Council given the availability for the site in the CBD.

The Government appointed panel aborted the East Gippsland Planning Scheme to allow an inappropriate development instead of Kmart staying in the CBD where it would have picked up the business that Harris Scarfe will now obtain. Had Kmart stayed in the CBD Harris Scarfe may not have come to Bairnsdale.

Other operators like Harvey Norman, Officeworks and maybe Coles might want to relocate on the highway, but it will not be as simple as with the Kmart done deal because of the challenge of amenity, traffic size and the

availability of suitable land but no doubt the local agents will be on the case.

The Nicholson Street site has a great history. It was formally owned by the Dahlsen family who very successfully traded on the site for over 100 years. With the Dahlsen family seeking to concentrate on the trade business it was sold to J B Young who in turned was ultimately acquired by Myer.

For Myer it was a very successful business, and, on a percentage, basis was the most successful in the Myer chain. John Fraser the store general manager and other executives were often called to the Myer support office to explain how Bairnsdale achieved such success. There was no magic it was simply all about people. Myer subsequently admitted through a former CEO that they made a mistake in closing the site it partly justified because of its size.

This all augers well for Harris Scarfe and Harris Scarfe will just be as successful as the old Dahlsen department store. Spotlight and Harris Scarfe have all the skills and attributes to make this very successful. It will be profitable with good returns. It will also suit small businesses in the CBD because of the retention of traffic and the removal of some traffic from Kmart.

John Dahlsen

What’s in store for Australia’s bushfire season? A national outlook

After three wet years, Australia has hot, dry and fuel-rich conditions to take it into the upcoming bushfire season

Julia Bergin

MUCH of Australia will dodge a black summer this year, but large swaths of the country will still burn, new analysis reveals.

“If you have fuel, fire, wind speeds and warm temperatures, you will get bushfires,” Rob Webb, CEO of the National Council for fire and emergency services (AFAC), told Crikey.

Today AFAC released its seasonal bushfire outlook for spring. The state-by-state and territory-by-territory forecasts, based on intel from local fire authorities, are expected to set the tone for the nation’s 202324 summer season of fires.

Webb said the nation’s coming bushfire season will be worse than the three wet summers past, but not on a par with the catastrophic 2019-20 summer that devastated south-east states. In short: above-average rainfall has stimulated grass and groundcover growth, but a rapid swing into hot and dry conditions is making all this excess fuel ripe to burn.

“We’ve had three years of wet conditions, and while that’s dampened the earth, it’s also led to grass growth that’s fast drying out,” he said. “That means we’re mindful of fastmoving grassfires.”

Nominated high-risk areas include the Northern Territory, Queensland, NSW and smaller regions in Victoria and South Australia.

Earlier this month, NT authorities projected that 80 per cent of the territory would burn by the end of March 2024. CEO of the Central Land Council (CLC) Les

Viv Forbes

The Salt Bush Club

Turner said it was unlikely the scale of burning would eventuate, but he credits this year’s fire-friendly conditions to excessive rainfall that’s shortened the prescribed burning season and encouraged growth of the invasive and highly flammable weed buffel grass.

“[Buffel] has accumulated with the past three years of high summer rainfall and will grow back very quickly after it’s burnt. This means that native plants don’t have a chance to recover and go to seed before the next fire, leading to a slow decline in the number of large trees,” he said.

“Rivers and creeks used to be good firebreaks because they didn’t have grasses that burnt easily. Now, with buffel, they’re full of fuel and carry fires further instead of stopping them.”

Turner said wet conditions, often preceded by hot weather, have dramatically reduced the window of opportunity for Indigenous peoples to

properly burn country: “They know the right time to burn to protect natural and cultural assets and prevent large fires. A lack of people on country in remote central Australia means that the country’s not being managed as it always has, leading to hot landscapescale fires.”

In the years since the devastating 2011-12 bushfires that wiped out 80 per cent of the territory, Turner said land management had improved, particularly with the use of prescribed aerial burning in the cool season. In June this year and last year, Warlpiri, North Tanami and Tennant Creek CLC rangers, in partnership with the Indigenous Desert Alliance, used planes to burn more than 6000 square kilometres.

A spokesperson for the NT Environment, Parks and

Water Security Department told Crikey the department had also conducted fuelreduction burns and clearing, particularly around assets, but excess fuel loads had been difficult to manage due to high moisture levels in soil.

Despite the 3000-plus bushfires between June and August in urban and periurban areas of the Northern Savanna, Arnhem and Top End regions, it’s business as usual for these parts going into spring and summer. The AFAC report said that was due to fire scars and carbon abatement programs that mimic “mosaicstyle fire scar coverage”.

The problem areas for the NT (and regions most at risk across Australia) are the Barkly, Lassiter, Simpson and Alice Springs districts.

“Every time there’s been an extended period of high rainfall in the past, such as 1974, 2000, 2011, there have been fires throughout central Australia,” Turner said.

In South Australia, deputy

Power not Poverty opinion

IF you believe in the tooth fairy, or vote Green, you probably believe that hydrogen is the magic rainbow gas that will banish global warming, replace wicked hydro-carbons in electricity generation, fuel tomorrow’s trucks, planes and heavy equipment, and earn unlimited export income. There is one big problem — unlike coal, oil and gas, there are very few hidden pools of hydrogen we can tap. Why? Because hydrogen is very reactive combining with many other elements

and compounds to form new compounds. Therefore every bit of hydrogen has to be manufactured from water or hydrocarbons using huge amounts of energy.

The energy content of liquid hydrogen is about 70 per cent of the energy required to produce it. Burn it in a combined cycle gas turbine (energy efficiency 50 per cent) and see that energy return drop to around 35 per cent. Use it as vehicle fuel and see energy efficiency fall even further.

The density of liquefied

hydrogen is much lower than that of natural gas — thus the transportation costs will be higher. And because the tiny hydrogen atom finds any small leak, the safety risks are very high — imagine a road accident involving flammable lithium batteries plus explosive hydrogen gas.

Most hydrogen is made directly from coal, oil or natural gas and the main process produces hydrogen and... more of the dreaded CO2.

But hydrogen is loved by Big Greens and little children

chief officer Georgie Cornish said her state had also seen considerable drying out of fuel above ground and under the soil, particularly in the Nullarbor (south-west) and Mallee Heath areas (southeast approaching the Victorian border).

“We’ve seen the ground really dry out and what that means is the soil simply won’t have moisture in it,” Cornish told Crikey. “That means those areas catch really easily.”

Cornish said that unlike NSW and Queensland where fire scars pose a reburn risk, SA’s burn cycle was approximately seven years due to the oil content of the low-lying shrub mallee heath, which burnt on masse during SA’s 2019-20 season.

However, SA is facing an increased risk of grassfires compared with other states due to the excess plantation of wheat crops. Cornish said the Ukrainian-induced wheat crisis has prompted farmers to boost their yields as prices were up. The result was “more continuous crops” that were more susceptible to fastmoving grassfires.

In the eastern states, fuel loads were ripe for fires, but none were expected to tip into extreme territory this bushfire season.

NSW Rural Fire service inspector Ben Shepherd said his state would also be on high alert in regions with excessive grass growth (particularly west of the divide and throughout the Hunter). Other priority regions were areas that had not recently burnt, where fuel loads are high (including the central coast, in and around Sydney, down through the Illawarra, and parts of the Shoalhaven) and “fire scars” from 2019-20 where regrowth had altered vegetation and increased fire susceptibility

(mid, north, and south coasts).

Already the state had seen a dramatic rise in bush, grass and scrub fires — this July registered 1300 fires compared with 300 in the same period last year.

“There’s a lot of scrub and heath that has grown back, while the canopy and treetops haven’t repaired themselves,” Shepherd said. “Given the right conditions on a hot, windy day, we could see some very turbo fires, although not necessarily long-lived.”

It’s a similar story in Queensland, where superintendent James Hague said fires were starting to pop up — particularly in the southern half of the state — due to below-average rainfall and a westerly wind that lowers humidity: “Westerly winds herald more fire weather.”

Hague said significant rainfall in central and northern parts of the state throughout the winter months had kept fires at bay, however, if these areas began to dry out, the risk of wildfire would increase.

Victoria was one of the few states bracing for forest fires, particularly in unburnt bushland surrounding coastal communities.

Authorities were also closely watching agricultural zones in the central, western and northern parts of the state for early-onset burns. Overall, Webb said the 2023-24 fire season wouldn’t be “record-breaking” — with fire agencies anticipating 2024-25 to be much worse — but he reiterated that a high likelihood of El Niño meant the “dial is flipping back away from widespread flooding”.

Julia Bergin Crikey Northern Territory Correspondant, Alice Springs.

because it has been named in a rainbow of pretty colours: grey, brown, black, green and blue.

Grey hydrogen comes from natural gas, brown from lignite (brown coal), and black hydrogen is made from black coal (no surprises there).

Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using intermittent green energy like solar or wind power. It requires heaps of fresh water and electricity neither of which can ever be fully recovered. Every tonne of hydrogen uses nine tonnes

of fresh water. Eight tonnes of oxygen is produced as a bye product.

Blue hydrogen is any of

the

above but the CO2 by-product is stored in carbon cemeteries, making blue hydrogen stupidly expensive.

Love your lymphatic system

THE lymphatic system is essential for wellbeing, which is why it’s important to pay attention to it in our own body.

With over 700 lymph nodes and its main function being waste removal of bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, cellular waste, proteins and toxins, the lymphatic system is one of your body’s most important systems — it’s kind of the sewage system of your human house!

Much like a clogged drain in your house, if the lymphatic system is not draining or flushing the body properly, then it can fill with waste. And if the body is filled with toxins and other waste products, they can start to block the pathway that leads the good nutrients to your cells. The result of this can be severe pain or even disease.

We can try to stay healthy by eating fresh and clean food, using supplements and by exercising, but if the pathway is blocked, then all that good stuff is basically useless. In order to nurture our body, we need to remove the waste first, so as to clear that pathway for all the goodness to do its magic. This is why, a lot of people visit therapists for lymphatic drainage; they understand the importance. However, even more effective is to alter the cause of the problem and not only address the symptoms.

It's for this very reason that Julia Wolfram works with people who are willing to put the effort in to change their habits and regularly do the required practices.

“The lymphatic system needs three things to function well,” Julia explains.

“Movement, breath, and

fluids. When you are aware of this, it becomes easy to stimulate your lymphatic system with simple practices that take just two to five minutes a day. These little exercises will have a massive effect on your body, your mental wellbeing and your emotional state.”

“Working with clients in this self-healing modality of stimulating your lymphatic

system has demonstrated how great the outcomes can be. Clients have experienced reduced swellings in the body, less bloating, better sleep, weight loss, decreased pain and fewer headaches. One mother reported that she experienced numbness in her tummy after having a caesarean section and by doing the lymphatic exercises for a few weeks, her

Labor’s roadside fuel loads labelled “habitat”

PILES of debris pushed up against private property fence lines after roadside clearing has been labelled “habitat” by the State Labor Government, which refuses to remove the obvious fire risk. Having campaigned for the roadside debris to be cleared, Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said he was initially pleased to see work had started, but is appalled by this element of the outcome.

“What they have done is made the vertical fuel load a horizontal one and to state this is in line with the ‘Wildlife Management Plan relating to fauna habitat protection’.

“We have some property owners who were hit hard by the 2019/20 fires and have now had massive piles of flammable debris pushed up against their fence line. Did this government learn nothing from the last fire event, where these roadsides acted as wicks?

“In the Minister’s response she said ‘I am advised from a bushfire perspective, the primary contributors to bushfire behaviour and the main drivers of bushfire forward rates of spread and radiant heat output are fine fuels, which are fuels

less than 6mm in diameter. At least 50 per cent of the larger branches and logs — those greater than 10cm in diameter — at this location were required to be retained and positioned into non-impacted habitat near the clearance site. The placement of these logs and debris was done in conjunction with the zoologist onsite, is away from residential properties, and abuts the state forest.’

“I simply make two points. The debris is in very close proximity to private freehold and the Minister seems to show no

understanding that a fire in these large logs will not only increase its intensity but can burn for weeks and then be the cause of reignition in the right conditions.

“I have no doubt that in a perfect world it may be good habitat for animals, but human life and wellbeing must be the priority in every decision and this has not occurred here.

“It should not matter what a zoologist thinks is good habitat, the bottom line is it has created a fuel load near private residences that should be removed — end of story.”

sensory awareness within this area came back! The role of the lymphatic system is often underestimated, but it makes sense to look at it as the first point of attack when we don´t feel well.”

“When people start working with me, they may experience detoxification symptoms, and this is totally normal.”

“I work with clients in this

modality in-person or online, and I support them all the way. My guidance usually extends for two to three weeks depending on the client’s situation. After that, the person can do it all by themselves at home.” For more information visit Julia Wolfram´s website: www.juliawolfram.com or visit the Breathing Space in Lakes Entrance.

Simple core strengtheners for every day of the week

YOU should do a core workout at least two or three times per week. There are so many kinds that you can do a different one every day of the week, and it doesn’t have to be fancy. Variety keeps it interesting. And it’s safe to work the core every day for about 10 to 30 minutes, as long as you don’t have intense muscle fatigue. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Sunday: Marching Lift your knees high, and move your arms to the music. March around your house or even your neighbourhood. If you need more stability, try one of these approaches.

Monday: A resistance band workout

Get some inexpensive resistance bands and follow a resistance band workout. You can find resistance band workout videos on YouTube.

Tuesday: A water workout

Swim some laps or walk in the shallow end of a pool. Both activities work the core muscles in the back and abdomen. It’s especially helpful for people with arthritis. Working against the resistance of the water is

good for your bones.

Other water activities that engage the core include treading water (even if you’re holding a pool noodle), swimming while holding a kickboard, and water aerobics.

Wednesday: Yard or housework

Turn yard work or housework into a core workout: tighten your abdominal muscles as you lift a basket of laundry, carry groceries, climb stairs, push a vacuum back and forth, or rake leaves. Those activities engage the core muscles. Tightening them while you work protects them against injury. It’s important to maintain good posture and be kind to your knees while you work.

Thursday: Body-weight workout

You can use your own body weight to strengthen your core muscles. Try a series of lunges, squats, and modified planks (lean toward a desk or benchtop, prop yourself up on your elbows, and hold the position).

The key to maximizing core benefits and staying safe is keeping your back straight and tightening your abdominal muscles. But ease into a body-weight

routine.

Friday: A hipswivelling workout

Get out of your comfort zone and try something different, like a hipswivelling workout. This could be hula hooping, or belly dancing. Search YouTube for hipswivelling workout videos and see what appeals to you. And it’s okay if you’re not as limber as you once were.

Saturday: Yoga

Do some yoga, which strengthens your core muscles and also stretches them. Yoga has many other benefits, too: it helps improve your balance, flexibility, overall strength, mobility, mood, range of motion, reflexes, focus, and quality of life. The exercise works by combining breathing techniques with mostly static (still) postures. Warm-up and cool-down With any corestrengthening exercise, you need to get your blood flowing to the core muscles first. To warm up, walk around for a few minutes and move your arms around. After exercising, cool down by stretching your core muscles; this will help lengthen them and keep them flexible.

Doing just a few minutes of activity per day helps boost core strength so you can stay active and independent

Tim Bull next to vegetation felled from the GAR roadside, pushed into the bush.

Gippsland bushfire risk must be mitigated

Arecent report issued by Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFM) and Country Fire Authority (CFA) has detailed that forest fuel levels are at alarming levels across much of central, south and west Gippsland.

The 2022/20232024/2025 Joint Fuel Management Program (JFMP) report was issued as part a program which aims to manage fuel loads on public and private land and identifies an 84 per cent residual bushfire risk for the Latrobe district. The target across the Gippsland region is 71 per cent.

Residual risk is the risk, on average, that bushfires will impact on life and property, expressed as the percentage of the risk that remains after bushfire history and fuel reduction activities. A higher figure represents a higher level of risk.

The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny

O’Brien says the State Government must take action to ensure the safety of Gippslanders.

“The Latrobe district includes South Gippsland Shire, Latrobe City, Baw Baw Shire and small parts of Wellington Shire,” Mr O’Brien said.

“With Labor’s own policy dictating that residual risk should not be above 71 percent, it is concerning that the Latrobe District is not only currently sitting at 83 per cent but is predicted to remain at 79 per cent by 2025 even if all planned reduction activities take place.”

Mr O’Brien said he had little confidence that all planned fuel reduction burns would proceed under the Andrews Labor Government, highlighting that analysis of Labor’s ‘Safer Together’ program reveals only 43 per cent of Victoria’s planned fuel reduction burn targets have been met in the past six years.

“Indeed, my upper house colleague The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath has raised these concerns with the Minister for Environment in Parliament only to be brushed off and told the statewide residual risk target is being met.”

Mr O’Brien said it was concerning that Labor Government thinks meeting a statewide target while leaving the Latrobe District at high risk was “good enough”.

“Our local CFA volunteers and FFM firefighters are invaluable and place themselves in danger to save our lives and property year after year — the least the state government can do is ensure proper management to meet their own policy so that our communities aren’t left to face unnecessary risk.

“By failing to reduce forest fuel levels, the Andrews Labor Government is playing fast and loose with the safety of Gippslanders.”

Governments must lift game on bushfire preparation

FEDERAL Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is urging the Commonwealth to get more involved in bushfire prevention measures after the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) released its updated forecasts for the 2023-24 summer period.

The AFAC Seasonal Bushfire Outlook has identified parts of Gippsland as having “a higher than normal potential for forests to carry fire” after below average rainfall for winter.

Mr Chester said he was not surprised by the outlook and had received feedback from residents across the eastern half of his electorate regarding the need for increased fuel reduction burning and mechanical clearing around critical assets.

“After some excellent seasons since the Black Summer bushfires, there is a lot of regrowth on public land and the warmer, drier winter has certainly added to community concerns of an early start to the fire risk period,” Mr Chester said. “I have written to the Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt to highlight concerns among local residents that we are simply not seeing enough work on the ground to reduce the bushfire risk.”

Mr Chester said the management of public land was primarily a State Government responsibility, but the Federal Government need to take a more active role

Getting charged for Green waste

FROM 1 September, the green waste charge came into effect at our waste sites. It will cost $12 to drop off one cubic metre of green waste (approximately a 6 x 4 trailer load). Over 80 per cent of the green waste we process is from green waste dropped off at our waste sites — not from kerbside collection. The cost of processing green waste continues to rise and is

expected to be as much as $700,000 this year.

Introducing this new charge means people who dispose of green waste will contribute to its processing cost. This is consistent with the principle of ‘user pays’. Without this new fee, Council would have needed to increase household kerbside waste fees — thereby continuing to subsidised customers who drop off green waste.

A free green waste amnesty will be held for the whole month in November to allow residents to prepare their properties for bushfire season. All ratepayers will also be offered one green waste voucher per year allowing them to dispose of up to 1.5 cubic metre of green waste for free every year. The green waste voucher will be included in the annual Rates and Valuation Notice sent to all rateable properties.

due to the failure to protect local communities and the impending loss of skilled timber workers.

“Regional people in communities like Gippsland are the custodians of our nation’s massive public land estate and many of us live alongside poorly managed parks and reserves,” Mr Chester wrote.

“At the same time, those of us who live outside the capital cities are the most exposed to bushfires, flooding, and extreme weather events.

“Following the State Government’s illogical and reckless decision to ban the native hardwood timber industry there is growing concern in my community regarding bushfire safety.

“All of the Black Summer bushfires started on public land that had incredibly high fuel loads after decades of mismanagement due to a chronic lack of staff, resources, and commitment to protecting our communities.

“There have been countless examples of the timber industry workforce being utilised to protect life and property in my region over the years and we fear the loss of those skills will endanger locals and visitors during the peak holiday period.

“The skills of the timber industry workers should be utilised further to maintain forest access roads and strategic fire breaks around critical assets, like water catchments, towns and highways, with the timber harvested for the benefit of

everyone.”

Mr Chester said the Federal Minister should be seeking agreements with the states on minimum levels of activities to protect communities, including staffing levels on the ground in regional areas.

“We need more boots and less suits. That’s more boots on the ground doing fuel reduction and other practical environmental work, and less suits in Melbourne and Canberra making excuses, and stupid politically-motivated decisions which endanger the lives of locals and visitors,” Mr Chester said.

“I believe the Federal Government should be making disaster payments contingent upon states signing up for a bigger regional workforce undertaking natural resource management and disaster resilience. Setting minimum national standards for public land management to reduce the severity of future disasters would deliver social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits.

“While I understand that many of the issues I am raising are traditionally the responsibility of the State Government, they are nationally important considerations.

“It’s often the states which refuse to prioritise these initiatives and communities are left exposed to the next natural disaster, and then expect the Federal Government to come to the rescue with troops and cash to support burnt out regions.”

Email shows the Government disarray over timber decision

THE level of disarray the State Government is in over its decision to end the native timber industry is outlined in an email received by VicForests staff this week.

“Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said four months after the announcement was made, the message to staff this week stated:

• The government has made no decisions about the future of VicForests, with a determination about the organisation’s future expected ‘later this year’.

• The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is undertaking a review of VicForests functions and activities

before it makes this decision.

• The review is considering how the skills and functions of VicForests staff can be utilised.

• The current Board of VicForests now consists of only the Chair and one member.

“This hardly looks like the decision to end the timber industry was well planned and thought out and reeks of a policy on the run if, after four months, they have absolutely no idea what they are doing with their own staff.

“It is alarming that a Government department has to undertake a ‘review’ into the functions and activities of another arm of government

and its staff. Did they not know the work they did?

What a waste of time and taxpayer money.

“While many have been working hard to get answers for the mill workers, contractors and those businesses involved in the industry, we should also not forget about the VicForests employees, who are also part of our community, know this is a sustainable industry and are facing similar uncertainty.

“This is what happens when you have Ministers in charge of portfolios they know nothing about and they refuse to come out and talk to workers in these sectors,” said Mr Bull.

Movie Reviewer Jason Cherry

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MUTANT MAYHEM

IN CINEMAS NOW

IN a world where crime and chaos seem to lurk around every corner, it's reassuring to know that our favourite pizza-loving heroes are back in action. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, those iconic green defenders of justice, return to the big screen in their latest adventure, and they're as fun, fearless, and fantastic as ever.

The plot follows the familiar origin story of our four reptilian heroes: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael.

Trained in the ways of the ninja by their wise sensei, Splinter, these brothers in shells must revolt against the evil doers. While the story may tread on familiar ground for long-time fans, it's a straightforward tale of heroism, camaraderie, and doing what's right.

What truly sets this latest Ninja Turtles adventure apart is the strong characterisation and performances. Each Turtle has a distinct personality

TURTLE POWER IS BACK

Movie Reviewer Jason Cherry

THE HAUNTED MANSION

IN CINEMAS NOW

THE Haunted Mansion, a film inspired by Disney's iconic theme park attraction, takes audiences on a supernatural journey through a centuriesold mansion teeming with restless spirits. While it doesn't quite replicate the thrills of the ride, it offers an entertaining and often light-hearted experience that combines spooky chills with

that fans will recognise and love. Their voice actors and motion-capture performances bring these CGI characters to life, showcasing their humour, camaraderie, and, of course,

their ninja skills. Visually, the Turtles look better than ever. Their designs are impressive, combining a sense of realism with the familiar look from the comic books

and animated series. The action sequences, when they're on point, are a thrill to watch. The Turtles' martial arts prowess is showcased brilliantly, making each fight scene a dynamic and engaging spectacle. However, there are moments when the abundance of CGI can feel overwhelming and detract from the immersion. The film pays homage to its roots with nods and references to the original comics and animated series. These moments are a nostalgic treat for long-

time fans, reminding us why we fell in love with these characters in the first place. The humour is sprinkled throughout, with witty oneliners and playful banter among the Turtles. While some jokes may be aimed at younger audiences, there's enough here to keep fans of all ages entertained.

The soundtrack combines contemporary tracks with updated versions of the classic TMNT theme music. It adds energy and excitement to the film, complementing the action

A DISNEY RIDE TO A BIT OF FUN

sequences and capturing the spirit of the Turtles.

In summation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem is a welcome return to the big screen for these beloved heroes. While the plot may be straightforward and some visual effects occasionally overwhelming, the strong characterization, engaging action, and nostalgic touches make this a satisfying adventure for fans of all ages. Cowabunga, indeed!

family-friendly humour. The Haunted Mansion excels in creating an atmospheric and visually engaging haunted house experience. The special effects bring the mansion's ghostly inhabitants to life, and the film captures the

essence of the eerie theme park attraction. The set design and costume work evoke the gothic elegance and creepy charm that fans of the ride will appreciate.

The film's tone leans heavily towards humour, offering a family-friendly

approach to the horror genre. The casts comedic timing provides a consistent source of laughs, making it accessible to a broad audience. While the comedy occasionally feels forced, it succeeds in maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere

throughout the film. The film's musical score is serviceable but lacks the memorable and haunting melodies typically associated with the Haunted Mansion attraction. It complements the spooky atmosphere but doesn't leave a lasting

impression.

In summary, "The Haunted Mansion" is an enjoyable and family-friendly adventure that captures the spirit of the Disney theme park attraction. While it doesn't reach the heights of Disney's best live-action adaptations, it provides a quirky blend of humour and spookiness that can entertain both kids and adults.

The film's visual effects contribute to an entertaining viewing experience, even if the plot could have been more tightly woven. It's a fun and spooky diversion, perfect for a Halloween movie night or a trip down Disney's memory lane.

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY CHARLI

FOR THE 15TH OF SEPTEMBER!

GEMSKids PACE

1. WHAT POPULAR SITCOM FEATURING SIX FRIENDS AIRED THROUGHOUT THE 1990s?

• A) CHEERS

• B) SEINFELD

• C) FRIENDS

• D) THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR

2. WHICH 90S BOY BAND WAS KNOWN FOR HITS LIKE "I WANT IT THAT WAY" AND "QUIT PLAYING GAMES (WITH MY HEART)"?

• A) *NSYNC

• B) 98 DEGREES

• C) BACKSTREET BOYS

• D) NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

3. WHICH 90S VIDEO GAME CONSOLE WAS KNOWN FOR ITS 64-BIT GRAPHICS AND ICONIC TITLES LIKE SUPER MARIO 64 AND THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME?

• A) SEGA GENESIS

• B) PLAYSTATION

• C) NINTENDO 64

• D) ATARI JAGUAR

4. WHICH 90S SITCOM FEATURED A CHARACTER NAMED STEVE URKEL, KNOWN FOR HIS CATCHPHRASE "DID I DO THAT?"

• A) FULL HOUSE

• B) BOY MEETS WORLD

• C) FAMILY MATTERS

• D) HOME IMPROVEMENT

5. IN 1997, WHO BECAME THE YOUNGEST GOLFER TO WIN THE MASTERS TOURNAMENT AT THE AGE OF 21?

• A) TIGER WOODS

• B) PHIL MICKELSON

• C) JACK NICKLAUS

• D) ARNOLD PALMER

6. WHICH 90S DISNEY ANIMATED MOVIE FEATURES THE SONGS "CIRCLE OF LIFE" AND "CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT"?

• A) THE LION KING

• B) ALADDIN

• C) BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

• D) MULAN

7. WHAT 90S TOY CRAZE INVOLVED COLLECTING AND TRADING SMALL, COLOURFUL CREATURES THAT FIT IN YOUR POCKET?

• A) BEANIE BABIES

• B) TAMAGOTCHIS

• C) FURBY

• D) POKÉMON

8. WHICH 90S TV SERIES FOLLOWED THE ADVENTURES OF FBI AGENTS FOX MULDER AND DANA SCULLY AS THEY INVESTIGATED PARANORMAL PHENOMENA?

• A) THE X-FILES

• B) SUPERNATURAL

• C) FRINGE

• D) GHOST WHISPERER

9. WHAT POPULAR 90S DANCE MOVE INVOLVES HOPPING ON ONE FOOT WHILE SWINGING THE OTHER LEG IN AND OUT?

• A) MOONWALK

• B) THE MACARENA

• C) THE RUNNING MAN

• D) THE ELECTRIC SLIDE

10. WHICH 90S FASHION TREND INVOLVED WEARING BAGGY PANTS, BACKWARD CAPS, AND OVERSIZED T-SHIRTS, OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH HIP-HOP CULTURE?

• A)

Chronic stomach pain in children: What’s the most common cause?

It’s challenging to diagnose and treat the most common cause of long-term abdominal pain in children and teens

THE most common cause of chronic stomach pain in children isn’t anything you can find on a test or cure with a medicine. And that can make it very challenging to diagnose — and treat.

You may not have ever heard of functional abdominal pain. Yet it ranks as the most common cause of stomach pain lasting two months or more in children and teens.

What is functional abdominal pain?

The mind and the body are tightly connected in ways that we are still working to understand, and this is particularly true of the mind and the gastrointestinal tract. Stress — particularly chronic

stress, depression, and anxiety — can lead to pain that is very real. Sometimes the pain is the only symptom of stress, especially in children who are high-achieving or tend to hide their emotions.

Sometimes the pain doesn’t start from stress but from an infection or other illness, and stays once the illness is gone or adds additional pain to the illness while it is being treated.

Worry about the pain and its possible cause can make things worse. The nervous system of the gut can go into overdrive.

What are common symptoms of functional abdominal pain?

Children with functional abdominal pain can have

mild symptoms that just show up occasionally, or they can have more severe symptoms that interfere with daily life. Along with stomach-aches, they can have nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhoea — or some combination of all of them. They may have a poor appetite or complain of feeling full very quickly.

When should you contact your child’s doctor?

It’s important to check in with your doctor if your child is having chronic stomachaches. They should have a physical examination, and your doctor may want to do some testing, such as blood or stool tests, as there are many medical conditions that

can cause chronic stomachaches.

It’s particularly important to call your doctor if your child

• is losing weight

• has blood in their stool

• has severe pain

• has fever, rashes, sore

joints, or other signs of illness.

If your doctor finds that your child’s examination and tests are normal, and they aren’t losing weight, chances are that your child has functional abdominal pain.

Most children with

functional abdominal pain can receive care from their paediatrician. Regular visits are a good idea, to check in to see how things are going and adjust any treatments. If things aren’t getting better, a referral to a gastroenterologist can be helpful.

1. WHAT DID THE JANITOR SAY WHEN HE JUMPED OUT OF THE CLOSET? "SUPPLIES!"

2. I USED TO PLAY PIANO BY EAR, BUT NOW I USE MY HANDS.

3. WHY DID THE GOLFER

GEMSKids PACE

GEM KIDS GAME REVIEWS

September 8: 1851: Gold was discovered in Ballarat, Victoria, leading to the Australian gold rush.

September 9: 1850: The colony of New South Wales was granted responsible government, marking a significant step towards self-governance.

September 10: 1977: The last convict ship, the Hougoumont, arrived in Western Australia, marking the end of the transportation of convicts to Australia.

September 11: 2001: The September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States had a significant impact on global events, including Australia's involvement in the War on Terror.

September 12: 1843: John Rae, an explorer, discovered the final link in the Northwest Passage, which was important for trade and exploration routes in the Arctic.

September 13: 1940: The city of London in the United Kingdom was heavily bombed by German forces during World War II. This event had indirect effects on Australia's involvement in the war.

September 14: 1975: The Whitlam government was dismissed by Governor-General

Sir John Kerr, leading to a constitutional crisis in Australia.

September 15: 1981: The Australian embassy in Tehran, Iran, was seized by Iranian militants during the Iran hostage crisis.

September 16: 1975: Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia.

September 17: 1900: The Australian colonies voted in favour of Federation, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901.

September 18: 1977: The first Melbourne Fringe Festival, a major arts and cultural event, began.

September 19: 2000: The Sydney Paralympic Games opened, showcasing athletic talents of people with disabilities from around the world.

September 20: 1999: A referendum was held in Australia to determine whether the country should become a republic, but the proposal was rejected.

September 21: 1934: Qantas, Australia's national airline, operated its first international flight from Brisbane to Singapore.

THIS MONTHS GAMING SUPERSTARS

SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY [PLAYED ON NINTENDO SWITCH]

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE GAME?

I LIKE THE ADVENTURES AND HOW YOU CAN GO TO SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER AND WHY?

MARIO. HE IS THE BEST.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS GAME?

YES.

WHAT RATING WOULD YOU GIVE IT OUT OF 10?

I WOULD GIVE IT A 10 OUT OF 10.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE GAME? IT IS DIFFERENT GAME PLAY TO OTHER POKÉMON GAMES.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER AND WHY?

I LIKE BEING MY OWN TRAINER.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS GAME? YES.

WHAT RATING WOULD YOU GIVE IT OUT OF 10?

I WOULD GIVE IT A 9 OUT OF 10.

ANIMAL CROSSING [PLAYED ON NINTENDO SWITCH]

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE GAME?

I LIKE HOW CREATIVE THE GAME IS, YOU MAKE YOUR OWN PATH.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER AND WHY?

I LIKE THAT I CAN CREATE MY OWN CHARACTER.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS GAME?

YES, ITS SO DIFFERENT AND ENJOYABLE.

WHAT RATING WOULD YOU GIVE IT OUT OF 10?

I WOULD GIVE IT 9 OUT OF 10.

JORDAN AGED 15 CHARLI AGED 11

Fresh flags for National Day

TWO patriotic Orbost residents were given a surprise National Flag Day gift with new Australian flags to fly from the front yards of their homes.

Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester paid a personal visit to the homes of 98-year-old Bob Trewin and 92-year-old Ray Paten.

“Local resident Peter Morrison had contacted my office and told us the flags were a bit wind-torn and could we send some replacements?” Mr Chester said.

“It was great to visit and catch up with Bob and Ray who now have brand new flags flying proudly at their homes.”

To commemorate the day on which the Australian National Flag was first flown, September 3 of each year is officially recognised as Australian National Flag Day.

Upon federation in 1901, Australia’s first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, announced an international competition to design a flag for the new Commonwealth of Australia. There were 32,823 entries, of which five nearly identical designs were awarded equal first.

The prize money of £200 was divided among the winners: Annie Dorrington from Perth, who became quite a wellknown artist; Ivor Evans from Melbourne, a 14-year-old school boy whose father owned a flag-making business; Leslie Hawkins, a teenager from Leichhardt in New South Wales; Egbert Nuttall, from Prahran in Victoria; and William Stevens, First Officer in the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand.

The Australian Flag was flown for the first time on September 3 1901, the day on which the then Prime Minister announced

the five joint competition winners. It was flown over the dome of the Exhibition Building in Melbourne, which was the then seat of the federal government.

“Today a massive version of the flag flies on top of Parliament House in Canberra and I always enjoy spotting it out the windows from various angles as I move around the building for work,” Mr Chester said.

boating and fishing East Gippsland Fishing Report

Lakes Entrance

There are still estuary perch to be had along the shallow sand banks. Flathead are taking soft plastics and prawn. Bullock Island for salmon and tailor on incoming tide on baits and lures and they are travelling up towards Metung. Offshore at Six Mile Reef for a mixed bag with pinkies and morwong. Water temp is at 14°.

Lake Tyers

Best spot for bream at the moment is Mill Point, the main lake and the Glasshouse. Best results are using soft plastics and worm. Give the surf beach a go for salmon and tailor on usual baits.

Mitchell River

From Shadoof Lodge and heading all the way up to Wy Yung-Lind Bridge there is bream. Best baits are soft shell cut crab and prawn.

Tambo River

Best spots for bream include Marshalls Flat, Poplars and The Power Lines and up to the Cliffs using prawn, soft shell, cut crab and drifting baits.

Nicholson

From the river mouth and up to the highway bridge, from The Poplars to the Strait Six you’ll find bream. Use soft shell, cut crab, prawn, worm and soft plastics.

Metung

Try the town jetties, Chinaman’s Creek and Box’s Creek for bream.

Best results using soft shell, drifting prawn, crab and worm is worth a shot too.

Paynesville

Bream are active around town jetties on prawn, soft plastics, worm and try cut crab too. There is salmon and tailor in the lakes system chasing metal lures.

Holland's Landing

Tom’s Creek, Cameron Point, Blonde Bay, Storm Point also try White Cliffs and Pelican Point for bream. Use prawn, soft shell and

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cut crab. Salmon and tailor are around too, chasing metal lures.

Marlo

Head to the three islands and Lake Corringle for bream on usual baits. Incoming tide and the surf beach is producing salmon and tailor chasing metal lures and usual baits.

Bemm River

The Entrance is still open with nice bream about taking worm. Salmon and tailor are chasing metal lures and usual baits on an incoming tide and at the beach.

Tamboon Inlet

Western Bay for salmon and tailor on usual baits. The Football Ground is also worth a look for bream and flatties are in the shallows taking usual baits.

Mallacoota

Top Lake for flathead which are active in and around The Narrows. Salmon and tailor are on the surf beaches on usual baits. The town jetties are seeing trevally on usual baits. For a mixed bag, give Harrisons Channel a look too.

Omeo High Country

Trout season is open and the best spots for trout are the Mitta Mitta, Gibbo River and Anglers Rest. The Cobungra is a good bet too. Try drifting baits like earth worm, metal wobblers and spinning metal lures.

Darren with Ray

Darren with Bob

boating and fishing

Latest from Metung Yacht Club

METUNG Yacht Club

held its annual general meeting recently and welcomed a new committee and a new flag officer to its ranks.

The AGM saw Jeff Rose returned as Commodore for another year, with Mary Rowe (Rear Commodore), Michael Hack (Treasurer) and Andrew Lethlean (Secretary) also reelected to their roles.

The committee welcomed Peter Kanat to the role of Vice Commodore.

This is the eighth year Michael Hack has served the club in the role of Treasurer.

New ordinary committee members are Andrew Russell and Andrew Perkins. Steve Bull, Les Clough and Bill Newcomen were re-elected to the committee.

Commodore Jeff Rose thanked the outgoing committee members — Peter Bull, Damien Daniel, Brandon Kibby and Fred van de Velde — for the contributions in committee roles. Peter Bull is the retiring Vice Commodore.

In his annual report to the

membership, Commodore Jeff Rose noted membership was continuing to grow in both senior and junior ranks at Metung Yacht Club.

The growth in junior members is, in considerable part, due to the dedicated volunteers who provide sailing skills development sessions every week during the sailing season.

At the recent presentation night, junior sailing coordinators, Rod (Eagle)

Edwards, Kim Bond, Dean Smith and Peta Smith were honoured with the club’s Volunteer Award.

The club’s 2022-2023 Cadet Club Champions are Emily Melrose and Lenora Moresi. They received their award at a pirate-themed juniors presentation event.

The 2022-2023 senior Club Championship was awarded to Steve Bull (skipper), Dean Smith and Wayne Smith, sailing Quandong.

With the new sailing season around the corner, a new adult Learn To Sail course — for beginning and returning sailors — began on Saturday, August 26. The course is being led by Dean Smith and Fred Haes and welcomed men and women to learn skills from basic through to improved standard.

The club will be hosting a number of Australian, Victorian and international regattas in the new season, as well as its club races and twilight social racing.

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The 2022-2023 senior Club Championship was awarded to Steve Bull (skipper), Dean Smith and Wayne Smith, sailing Quandong. Dean and Wayne are pictured with the trophy.

The new committee, Michael Hack, Les Clough, Peter Kanat, Andrew Russell, Steve Bull, Andrew Lethlean, Jeff Rose, Bill Newcomen. Absent were Mary Rowe and Andrew Perkins

Photos by Jeanette Severs

For their role coordinating the junior membership and providing sailing lessons, Rod (Eagle) Edwards, Kim Bond (absent), Dean and Peta Smith received Metung Yacht Club’s Volunteers Award at the recent presentations. They are pictured with the club’s Commodore, Jeff Rose.

The club’s 2022-2023 Cadet Club Champions are Emily Melrose and Lenora Moresi.

Andrew Perkins has joined the Metung Yacht Club committee this year.

Jeanette Severs www.dynamicwindows.com.au (03) 5152 8500 Complete lawn & garden care service. Bairnsdale & District Bairnsdale&District Contact Glenis 0412 539 747 admin@slatescleaning.com.au

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Are you a local expert? To become a part of our service directory online and in print contact Jason on 0428 366 651 or jason.cherry.gem@gmail.com THE GREAT EASTERN Where Community Matters

End of an era for Sheene Ride

EAST Gippsland Shire Council acknowledges and is disappointed following the announcement this week by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation that it has ended the Barry Sheene Tribute Ride, effective from this October onwards.

Acting Mayor Cr Arthur Allen said the iconic event has been an integral part of the local community events calendar since its inception almost two decades ago and

had attracted thousands of visitors to East Gippsland.

“The Barry Sheene Tribute Ride was an event that captured the attention of the motorcycling fraternity in its formative years, and the crowds of riders, and involvement of volunteers in organising the Bairnsdale departure and accompanying events was something to behold,” Cr Allen said.

“The event grew in popularity and attracted a

strong following year-on-year. It boosted the local economy every October and certainly put us on the map for our great hospitality and touring routes.

“The discontinuation of the ride will be disappointing for the many volunteers who contributed to its success across the 18 years. The event was made possible by the enthusiastic participation of numerous volunteers from our community,including

local businesses and clubs. This event not only fostered camaraderie but also brought significant economic benefits to our towns.

“Council is proud to have played an active role in working with the Bairnsdale business community to ensure the event’s success over the past 18 years, contributing both logistical support and event sponsorship.

“The event has certainly left

a great legacy.”

The concept of the Barry Sheene Tribute Ride was conceived in collaboration with the Sheene family and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation nearly two decades ago. This journey, from Bairnsdale to the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, not only celebrated Sheene’s enduring legacy but also brought together a community of riders who shared a passion for the open road.

Sheene’s illustrious career saw him secure the world championships in 1976 and 1977.After retiring from racing in 1984, he found a new home in Australia where he became a prominent property developer and motorsport commentator. He died of cancer in 2003. The Moto GP will continue to honour him annually with a new Marshal Award created in his name to be unveiled at this year’s event at Phillip Island.

Show us the money: Chester backs Falcons

FEDERAL Member for Gippsland

Darren Chester is seeking a guarantee that a redevelopment of Falcons 2000 Soccer Club will proceed, after the Victorian Government abandoned plans to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Chester said that it was his understanding that a major redevelopment would occur at Latrobe City Sports and Entertainment Stadium in Morwell, as part of the Commonwealth Games in 2026 but the plans were in limbo.

“The message to Premier Dan Andrews is simple: show us the money,” Mr Chester said.

“As a community, we must not allow the withdrawal of Victoria’s bid for the Commonwealth Games to include a withdrawal of promised funds in our region.

“There is enormous uncertainty surrounding the future plans to improve the ground and associated facilities.

“My expectation is that all levels of government will need to work in partnership with the sporting community, to achieve the centre of excellence envisaged by the soccer community.”

After an on-site visit

WORLD Sport Precinct, Bairnsdale project update

WORK on the WORLD Sporting Precinct is ongoing and involves a number of contract ‘bundles’ to deliver this significant East Gippsland Shire Council project.

Some parts of this project are complete, and others are in the planning and design phase.

The netball courts have been constructed and are nearing completion.

with Club President Tony Salvatore, Mr Chester noted the facilities were continuing to deteriorate, while the redevelopment costs were escalating the longer the community waited.

Mr Chester has written to Latrobe City Council to also seek its ongoing support for a major redevelopment of the Morwell facilities.

“Over recent years, I have had several meetings and on-site inspections with representatives from the local soccer community and the Falcons club. I remain fully supportive of their views that it needs a major facelift to restore it to its former glory and become a centre of excellence for soccer in eastern Victoria,” Mr Chester wrote.

“There’s a significant amount of work required to bring the facility up to the standard expected for men’s and women’s sport with change rooms that are out of date, and many of the other off-field amenities which are non-compliant to current regulations.

“I would be pleased to support any funding bids Latrobe City makes to secure Federal or State Government grants to commence the redevelopment of the site as matter of priority.”

While they may look complete, handrails and tactile indicators need to be installed to clearly define ground height differences between areas. Without this infrastructure, a tripping hazard exists and the courts are unsafe to open.

The site is still under the management of the contractor and will not be handed back to Council until these works are complete.

Council has kept key tenant, Bairnsdale Netball Association, up-to-date on the progress of the netball precinct throughout the project.

A key milestone for the WORLD Precinct will be connection of the power supply.

All electrical connections are in place; Council is awaiting AusNet Services to connect the facility to the grid.

Council is not immune to the delay in supply of materials for construction projects being experience nationwide. To keep the project moving ahead, Council’s contractor sourced a different type of lighting as it was able to be supplied quicker.

Once power is available to the lighting for the hockey and netball precincts, the lights will be checked and adjusted to obtain the required brightness for these playing surfaces.

The timing for completion of the works for hockey and netball depends on when AusNet Services is able to provide a date for connecting the site.

The marshall’s building is complete and awaiting electrical hook up.

Construction has started on the netball pavilion. Council anticipates this will be completed in June 2024. Under mutual agreement, Council and the original contractor for the pavilion wound up that contract with Council appointing a new contractor to build the pavilion.

The soccer fields and soccer pavilion are in design stages with construction pending vegetation removal permits.

with Commonwealth games now gone, will development still go ahead?

Falcons 2000 Soccer Club President Tony Salvatore (left) and Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester after an on-site meeting about the facilities and the future of local soccer.