Swan Magazine October 2018

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IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES

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Books and Writing

Death in Burgundy Death in the Sea of Grass Just Out Literature Lover’s Dream The Idler Business

Business Card Board

Finance with Steve Networking Community

Front Page Photograph: Trick or Treat.

Photograph courtesy of 123Rf

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Federal Notes 9 Notes From Parliament 11 SAFE 52 Seafaring Robots 8 Standing Up for Swan Hills 10 SVRN

$106 Million for Aged 46 Community Citizen of the Year 47 Guildford Historic Town 44 New Facility for the WGBFB 46 The Tribe 47 The Compassionate Friends 51 What’s On 12

Corridors College

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Introducing Betty Food

Douglas Wineries & Dineries Han’s Phoever Help Save Slate Cafe Entertainment

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30 From 30 32 A View From The Bridge at Grads 30 Black Swan in 2019 40 Blockbusters on the Horizon 34 Footnote People in History 49 Forgotten Treasures 35 Looking for Love at Kads 38 Luna Top Cinema 31 Reviews 38 Time Lady Arrives 35 Theatre Reviews ‘Night Mother 41 Theatre with Gordon 37 TV with Chris 36 Leisure

House and Garden Digging for Veggies

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DISCLAIMER The information in this publication is of a general nature. The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and or issues canvassed. Swan Magazine does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

SWAN MAGAZINE WEBSITE:

www.swanmagazine.com.au

Email: editor@swanmagazine.com.au Registered Address: 18 Tokay Lane, The Vines, Western Australia 6069 OCTOBER DEADLINES: Advertisements: 1st October Editorial: 1st October Copyright: Swan Magazine 2018 2

BOOKS AND WRITING JUST OUT Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

The book shares the exciting, heartwarming and bittersweet story of Ella, a spritely, delightful, six-week-old Labrador retriever puppy who would return to Guide Dogs Queensland for extensive training to become a working guide dog. Content in his well planned, semi-reclusive retirement, Ken reluctantly agrees to become a puppy raising family.

However, he is not prepared for the consequences as he fights to keep his daily routine. As both Jessie and Ken quickly realize the seriousness of their commitment, they learn to break their routine and enjoy a wonderful new lifestyle. Ella would even help their grandchildren grow up within the discipline of raising a guide dog puppy, being proud to walk by Ella’s side when out and about, and sharing in the joy, the laughter and the care.

“Majority of the population love dogs, and to read about this story is a unique narrative,” Garth says. “It also informs the public that a puppy brought up in a kennel wouldn’t be socially well adjusted.”

“I hope they will realize that a puppy born into the program will be well cared for and guided on their way to become a working guide dog. This will happen if they have the right temperament and pass the rigid requirement into becoming a working guide, and it just doesn’t happen overnight.”

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Escaping the Emotional Roller Coaster Dr Patricia Zurita Ona Exisle Publishing

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f you have ever been told that you’re ‘too sensitive’; if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions — as if they’re controlling you and you can’t seem to dial them back; if you’ve ever reacted in a way that you’ve later regretted, but you simply couldn’t stop yourself at the time; or if you simply struggle to understand why you’re feeling the way you are, then this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

Drawing on her years of experience as a clinical psychologist, Dr Zurita Ona, Dr. Z, provides a clear and simple roadmap for every ‘superfeeler’ on how to avoid being hijacked by your emotions. Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and affective neuro-science, you will learn how to distinguish between emotion-based behaviour and values-based behaviour so that you can tame your emotion machinery and get off the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it.

You will learn seven specific ACT skills that applied into your daily life will help you to realize that you’re more than your emotions. No matter how intense the situation, you can learn to choose to act in a way that is consistent with your personal values.

There is nothing wrong with being a super-feeler, it’s a great thing; you’re just wired to feel too much, too quick, and act too soon.

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Westbow Press.

About the Author

Jessie Garth is a grandmother to twelve grandchildren, (four grandsons were born after Ella) and step grandchildren and great-step-grandmother to Ken’s family.

She raised seven puppies for Guide Dogs Queensland and bordered many more on a short term basis. After retiring to the Sunshine Coast they decided to live Ken’s dream on a five-acre property at Nanango. But due to Ken’s declining health they relocated to Redcliffe. ~oOo~

About the Author

Dr Patricia Zurita Ona , or Dr Z, is a clinical psychologist who specialises in anxiety and emotion dysregulation problems.

In addition to private practice, Dr Z is a clinical faculty member for the Wright Institute, and regularly attends both national and international conferences. ~oOo~ Title:

Author: Publisher: ISBN:

Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

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In Love with a Stranger: Testimony of the Heart Marija Matic Xlibris AU 9781 9845 0061 8

arija Matic marks her debut in the publishing scene with the release of In Love with a Stranger: Testimony of the Heart . The poetry collection expresses pure love — the love to a stranger “you have never met yet you know and feel the truth inside you as the truest truth of all.”

Love, according to Matic, is the divine purity of all existence, and feeling and living love are the most precious gift and ingredient of a person’s identity that no one can touch or defeat. “The truth of love may hurt but

The Lady at the End of the Leash: Raising Ella, a Guide Dog Puppy Jessie Garth Balboa Press AU 9781 5043 0947 9

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hen Jessie Garth was able to raise more puppies for Guide Dogs Queensland, she realized the impact of her first guide dog Ella’s unique personality made to their lives and how she entwined the Garth family into her exuberance for life.

She wanted to share those phenomenal ten months to encourage families and individuals to raise a puppy for Guide Dogs Queensland and International Guide Dogs. To help people to understand the work and dedication that goes into raising a guide dog puppy and how people can contribute to their training and prompted her to write The Lady at the End of the Leash: Raising Ella, a Guide Dog Puppy.

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BOOKS AND WRITING only momentarily, never eternally!”

Sharing her own experiences through rhythm and rhyme, Matic inspires readers to answer the call of their soul “as the soul knows what is exciting, meaningful and beautiful.” She stresses how avoiding the “silent call of the spirit” causes all unhappiness and fear.

“The more you dream, the more you will find within. The more you listen to the sounds of your soul, the more will be revealed to you,” Matic says. “The beauty of life is right here, in eyes that can see, in hearts that can feel, in minds that can care and dare for the truth. Love is the beauty I see and feel everywhere. It is a gift of God, and that is the topic that my book is all about.”

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Peer support involves training people with their own lived experience of a mental health issue to support and guide others who have further to go on their recovery journeys. It’s often the case that people in need of help will relate with and learn from peers who have ‘walked the walk’ of mental health recovery.

Peer support is now seen as a pillar of mental health recovery, a reliable and cost-effective way of guiding people with mental health issues to meaningful and independent community living. Too often people with mental health issues feel isolated and struggle through cycles of stigma, unemployment, drug abuse, hospitalisation and incarceration.

The book features a panoramic review of peer work in Australia by foremost consumer rights advocates Janet Meagher AM, Anthony Stratford, Erandathie Jayakody, Fay Jackson and Tim Fong from Mind Australia and Flourish Australia. Other contributors include NDIA mental health advisor Dr Gerry Naughtin and other advocates, service providers, academics, funding agents and policy makers.

Mind and Flourish Australia’s lived experience teams detail their organisations’ struggles and achievements in pioneering and realising the mental health care paradigm shift from institutionalisation and paternalism to recovery and independent living.

The book is an invaluable guide to anyone with an interest in recovery-orientated mental health support. It will be available through Booktopia.

Professor Larry Davidson, Director, Program for Recovery and Community Health Yale University School of Medicine notes in the Foreword:

Peer workers can decrease the use of costly acute services like emergency room visits and hospitalisations, while increasing the use of outpatient care; and… reduce the use of alcohol and demoralisation, while increasing hope, empowerment, and selfcare.

This evidence has been important in establishing the credibility and effectiveness of peer work, but it does not tell people how to do it, how it works, or what it looks like in practice.

This book will begin to fill that important gap in the literature, enabling others to transform their own pain and suffering into a constructive tool to alleviate the pain and suffering of others.

About the Author

Marija Matic lives in Melbourne. In Love with a Stranger: Testimony of the Heart is her first published book. ~oOo~

NEW BOOK REFLECTS AUSTRALIA’S LEADERSHIP IN MENTAL HEALTH

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landmark book called Peer Work in Australia sets a new global standard for recognising the importance of people living with mental health issues helping ‘peers’ on their recovery journeys.

Launched by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt at Parliament House, Peer Work in Australia has been applauded by mental health sector leaders as a ground-breaking road map of the peer work concept.

The book has been created by two of Australia’s leading community mental health support agencies, Mind Australia Limited and Flourish Australia.

One of the most comprehensive overviews of peer work ever produced, the book covers Australia’s pioneering role and how peer work has been embraced by mainstream mental health services locally and abroad over the past twenty years.

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BOOKS AND WRITING LITERATURE LOVERS DREAM CHRIS MCRAE

60. “We will have indie, traditional and some young adult authors as well as a focus on romance and women’s fiction” Sasha said. “The Romance Readers Association of Australia has paid attention so hopefully events like this in Western Australia will become more common” she continued.

The festival itself is all being run for a great cause and 100% of the proceeds from the event will go directly to ‘Share The Dignity’. The charity works directly with women in crisis and makes an ‘on the ground difference to homeless women and victims of domestic violence.

Festival attendees are encouraged to bring sanitary items for donation to the Share the Dignity Project.

The West Coast Fiction Festival will feature more than just book signings with plenty to keep literary lovers occupied throughout the day. There will be entertainment, artisan markets and the famous ‘Blind Date With a Book’ in which festival goers can participate for a $2 donation. There will also be pop up Dymocks outlets from the Morley, Karinyup and Joondalup stores, generously supporting and sponsoring the event as well as publisher stalls and giveaways.

Following the event, VIP ticket holders will get the chance to celebrate with a cocktail party featuring a live band and disco to wrap up the event.

The hard work of the volunteer committee has paid off with the event set to be a huge success and a wonderful addition to the literary scene in Perth. The team of eight volunteers which include authors, readers and bloggers are, in their own words “passionate about books, helping those less fortunate and our gorgeous city of Perth”.

The West Coast Fiction Festival will be held at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough on Saturday 3rd November 2018 from 9am-5pm. VIP entry opens from 9am and Day Pass entry from 10am.

Limited tickets remain for the festival and can be purchased online at www. wcfictionfestival.com.au.

More information can be found on the website or Facebook group including special offers for staying at the Rendezvous on the evening of the festival.

The festival is set to bring authors and readers together to celebrate a love of fiction and books and will be a great event for readers, authors and literary lovers alike.

West Coast Fiction Festival Set For Perth n Australia, we are lucky to have such talented authors who produce some amazing literature in fiction, non fiction, poetry and more. What better way to share and celebrate local and national literary talent than with a full day fiction festival.

That is exactly what the West Coast Fiction Festival, the first event of its kind in Western Australia, will do, as it gets set to promote all things fiction whilst raising much needed funds for Share the Dignity, a charity which focuses on improving the living conditions of homeless women living in Perth.

The major, all day event will feature signings with 60 best selling Australian authors including iconic Australian personality and author Judy Nunn and New York Times Best Selling Author Nalini Singh. There will also be a host of well known Western Australian and Australian authors present, covering everything from romance to mystery, thriller to drama and everything in between.

Communications Coordinator Sasha Wasley says that it will be the first event of its kind in WA. “The East Coast has hosted festivals like this for a while and we felt that WA was missing out” she said. “Our inaugural event will give WA readers the chance to meet their favourite authors, get their books signed as well as give local and international authors some great exposure” she continued.

The festival was overwhelmed with approximately 130 author applications from which the committee then selected

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HOUSE AND GARDEN DIGGING FOR VEGGIES

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f you’ve got a home and a backyard, why not start a veggie patch? Growing an edible garden is a great way to not only boost the amount of fruits and veggies in the garden, but get the whole family spending more time outdoors. As an added bonus, it helps you live more sustainably while reducing your carbon footprint. What’s not to love?

everything But be careful not to get excited and plant things too soon because if the soil’s too cold your plants will really struggle.

You really need to wait until the soil temperatures rise, so spring planting is best to begin in October.

Plant: The earliest of the spring things are all the herbs, asparagus and artichokes. Then you can move onto your early spring crops – cucumbers, zucchinis, as well as pumpkin and squash. Then it’s time for tomatoes, beans and chilies and eggplant.

GET STARTED WITH GREENS First, it’s important to “grow what you know”. When choosing what’s going into your garden, plant vegetables you already eat regularly and that are easy to grow. Leafy greens and herbs are ideal in this respect, because they’re commonly used, easy and fast growing. Most herbs are also perennial, which means they stay in season year in, year out.

That means if you plant parsley and tend it well, it should grow year round. Lettuces, on the other hand, only have a short life and will need to be replaced every few months, but can also be grown all year round. Although most greens can be grown anytime, there are some that prefer the heat while others prefer a cooler climate. It’s worth asking for advice from your gardening centre.

If you’re new to growing veggies, avoid planting artichokes and asparagus because they’re hard to grow and take a long time to produce any kind of harvest. But if there’s something you really want to grow give it a shot! The tomato plant is one of the hardest things to grow, but every beginner wants one, so they’re one of the most sought after plants.

Once you’ve picked what to grow, decide whether you’ll use seedlings or seeds. There are advantages to both, but there’s a clear winner for beginners: seedlings. Herbs are very easy to grow from seedling, which is an adolescent plant, seeds on the other hand are really tricky, particularly when growing herbs.

Watch out for: White fly, aphids and flying insects. Spring is the best breeding time for pests so you have to be vigilant – keep your patch neat and tidy with lots of airflow so you don’t congest your plants. Remember that pests are seasonal so don’t launch chemical warfare on the patch just because you see a few flies.

Summer: Summer is the glory time of gardening – all your spring, summer plants are beginning to fruit – but watering can be a bit of an issue. It’s almost impossible to over-water a garden in summer but it’s very easy to under water it, particularly if you’re growing in pots. Watering twice a day is really important.

Plant: Chilies, eggplants and capsicums as the primary fruiting crops. Throw in any sort of herb other than coriander and dill (which get heat stress), and any sort of leafy green like rocket, cos or iceberg lettuce, chicory, radicchio and most root vegetables.

Continued on page 50 ...

TIMING Although lettuce and herbs can be grown yearround, other fruit and veg are more suited to particular climates. Australia’s a large land with numerous climate zones but there are general rules to follow to achieve success.

Spring: The optimism of spring is great, you get an explosion of

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CORRIDORS COLLEGE INTRODUCING BETTY

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SARAH HICKEY

f you are a local to Midland you may have heard of Corridors College, you may also have heard that Corridors is a CARE School.

By definition that is a “Curriculum and Reengagement in Education” School.

The prime purpose is to provide education to secondary aged students who have been unable to access or have significant difficulty in accessing mainstream education. By Corridors definition it is a safe place young people can go to access a team of professionals who will support personal growth through education.

For Corridors, the goal is not just assisting a young person to finish Year 12, it is also about reengaging them in communities, growing self confidence and installing healthy lifestyle & hygiene choices however as a Not For Profit achieving all of these goals can be difficult if not nearing impossible without building lasting, meaningful and reciprocal relationships with other organisations, businesses and charity groups.

Less than twelve months ago Corridors College met the “sheroes” (lady heroes) at Share The Dignity who are a

fellow Australian Charity bringing dignity to women who are homeless, at-risk and those experiencing domestic violence through the distribution of sanitary items and funding of funerals.

Since then the female students at Corridors have been overwhelmed with the support and generosity from Share The Dignity as they have donated sanitary and related items to stop a growing issue we had which was girls missing days of school because they couldn’t afford pads and tampons. This was a sad reality on our campus and one that needed urgent attention.

Most recently thanks again to Share The Dignity and with the additional funding support from Rotary of Elizabeth Quay the Midland campus was fitted with a PinkBox named Betty.

The PinkBox is a vending machine which dispenses period packs for free and as Betty is located within the female toilet block it means if a student was struggling to access these items or knows someone who is they can take a pack for free and in a private environment where they don’t need to feel embarrassed or ashamed of the situation.

Corridors is so grateful to both Share The Dignity and the Rotary of Elizabeth Quay as you have enabled us to support our girls in one more way that will assist in increasing their self confidence & comfort levels both at school and away from campus.

To find out more about this initiative or to support other projects that are underway you can reach out to Sarah by way of email - sarah.hickey@corridors.wa.edu.au - or you can simply follow the Corridors Group on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.

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COMMUNITY SEAFARING ROBOTS BREAK NEW GROUND EMMA CHADWICK

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esearchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science have broken new ground while trialling aerial and underwater robots at sea, which would allow greater monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science’ technology development and engineering team have spent two weeks at sea trialling a seafaring robot which can lock-on to an underwater flight path via semi-autonomous navigation.

The modified Blue ‘ROV2 (Remotely Operated Vehicle) has the potential to lock-on and follow a transect line across a reef, which is usually done by a team of divers, to monitor the health of a reef.

AIMS Technology Transformation leader Melanie Olsen said her team put a hyperspectral camera onto a Blue ROV2 with a dive capability of 100m.

The hyperspectral camera captures more than 270 bands of colour information too complex to visualise by the naked eye and gives us the capability to survey the reef at richer multifaceted levels including mapping of the ocean floor, depth of the water, identifying bleached corals, and more.

“This is the first time a hyperspectral camera has been trialled underwater on our ROVs,” Ms Olsen said.

“We did some revolutionary stuff during this trial, we

also flew the 900gm hyperspectral camera under our large aerial drone off our research vessel RV Cape Ferguson, over a coral transect on John Brewer Reef, which is one of our Long Term monitoring sites.

“This is also the first time we have flown ROVs and drones simultaneously during night-time missions.

“We want to remain globally competitive and so we are boosting our technological capabilities. Robotics helps us to monitor larger and new sections of the reef in areas that would otherwise be dangerous to divers.

“These robots will soon be helping to free up our marine science researchers to do the important work of looking at how to help support these reefs.

“It will allow for the acceleration of data collection and processing. This two-week trial showed we can perform missions at night, and we can go deeper.

“We can monitor aspects of coral reefs we have not been able to before.”

Ms Olsen said these robots meant the reef could also be monitored when it is unsafe to put a diver in the water because of crocodiles, marine stingers or sharks. AIMS is working in partnership with the Queensland University of Technology to leverage Australian expertise in shallow water marine robotics.

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FEDERAL NOTES HON KEN WYATT AM, MP Member for Hasluck , Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health

AGED CARE ROYAL COMMISSION

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s most of you will know by now, a Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in the Aged Care Sector will be held, to help ensure every senior Australian receiving aged care is given the care, dignity, certainty and respect they deserve.

As the Prime Minister has said, there are thousands of operators, facilities, care providers, nursing and other clinical staff, volunteers, cleaners, cooks and therapists here in Hasluck and across the nation who are out there improving the lives of senior Australians every day. This is something we should all be proud of.

However, following intensified policing and inspections of the aged sector over the past year, information has come to light through the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Department of Health that makes the case for a Royal Commission into the sector compelling.

The final terms of reference will be determined in consultation with the community, including residents and their families and aged care providers. However, it is expected the inquiry will cover: • The quality of care provided to older Australians, and the extent of substandard care; • The challenge of providing care to Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care, particularly younger people with disabilities; • The challenge of supporting the increasing number of Australians suffering dementia and addressing their care needs as they age; • The future challenges and opportunities for delivering aged care services in the context of changing demographics, including in remote, rural and regional Australia; • Any other matters that the Royal Commission considers necessary.

need to do in the future to ensure these expectations can be met.

All residents of Hasluck will still be able to make a submission to the Royal Commission once it begins.

Our Government’s commitment to safe, quality, compassionate, flexible and affordable aged care services for our senior Australians is absolute.

If you or a family member have immediate concerns, please contact the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner on 1800 550 552 or you can lodge a complaint with the Commissioner online. Complaints can be made completely anonymously.

STRONGER COMMUNITIES

Both my local and Parliament offices have received many calls and emails, with some people even in tears, thanking us for the decision to establish the Royal Commission.

The Department of Health has closed almost one aged care service per month since Oakden, with an increasing number under sanction to improve their care. Incidents of older people being hurt by failures of care simply cannot be explained or excused. We must be assured about how widespread these cases are.

This Royal Commission will be about proactively determining what we

Expressions of interest now open

Does your community organisation have a project which could benefit from funding?

If you are a local sporting, community or not-for-profit organisation within the electorate of Hasluck, grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 may now be available to you.

For more information or to apply please contact my office on 9359 0322.

Expressions of interest close Tuesday, 9 October 2018.

KEN WYATT MP 9359 0322

Your Federal Member for Hasluck

ken.wyatt.mp@aph.gov.au

Authorised by Ken Wyatt MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Hawaiian’s Forrestfield, 80 Hale Road, Forrestfield WA 6058.

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kenwyatt.com.au

STANDING UP FOR SWAN HILLS SUPPORTING SWAN HILLS VOLUNTEER BUSH FIRE BRIGADE VOLUNTEERS JESSICA SHAW MLA – MEMBER FOR SWAN HILLS

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’ve lived in Swan Hills for twelve years and know only too well what a great job the West Gidgegannup Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade and the other volunteer bush fire brigades do in our community.

So it was with great excitement that the Hon Fran Logan MLA, Minister for Emergency Services, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Commissioner, Darren Klemm, ALP Candidate for Hasluck, James Martin and City of Swan Mayor, David Lucas, joined me to officially announce funding of $1.13 million for a new fire station for the West Gidgegannup Bush Fire Brigade on Sunday, 9 September 2018.

It has been my pleasure to support the West Gidgegannup Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade to get this project underway. They have waited for this facility for more than three years.

Female Firefighters WA, Jessica Shaw, Fran Logan, Darren Klemm and James Martin

It represents the single largest investment ever, by any state government into a volunteer bush fire brigade station.

The project is the result of a collaboration between the West Gidgegannup Bush Fire Brigade, DFES and the City of Swan.

These volunteers currently store appliances on their own private property and share facilities with other brigades, so it is fantastic to know that they will soon have a proper base, purpose built for their needs.

A huge thanks to Minister Logan, DFES and the City of Swan for helping to make this happen.

I can’t wait to see the station finished next year!

The Minister, Commissioner, James and I then visited the Mount Helena Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade Station to meet with Swan Hills Bush Fire Captains and members to discuss the recent state government reforms aimed at improving rural fire management, including the rural fire division, bush fire mitigation, the Bushfire Centre of Excellence, as well as discuss issues facing volunteer brigades.

The day was capped off with a meeting with the Female Firefighters WA Network. We had a great chat with the group about how to grow this organisation and encourage more women to become volunteer fire fighters. We discussed female recruitment and retention, enhancing female support within the brigades and the importance of female leadership and networking.

I’m so pleased to support Female Firefighters WA. In a matter of months, they’ve grown into an amazing group, providing leadership and support for women around WA. You can find out more about how to get involved with FFWA at www. femalefirefighterswa.org More than 19,600 bush fire service volunteers across WA dedicate their time and service to protect our communities from the threat of bushfire.

Bush fire volunteers do an amazing job in our community, they plan such an integral role in keeping our communities safe.

Thank you to all the bush fire brigades of Swan Hills and throughout WA!

Jessica Shaw MLA LOCAL MEMBER FOR SWAN HILLS

@JessicaShawMLA Jessica.Shaw@mp.wa.gov.au 9296 7688 HERE TO HELP Aveley, Bailup, Belhus, Brigadoon, Bullsbrook, Chidlow, Ellenbrook, Gidgegannup, Melaleuca, Mount Helena, Sawyers Valley, The Vines, Upper Swan, and Wooroloo.

Office Address 8/31 Egerton Drive Aveley WA 6069

Postal Address PO Box 2265 Ellenbrook WA 6069

Standing up for Swan Hills Authorised by Jessica Shaw, 8/31 Egerton Drive, Aveley, WA 6069

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NOTES FROM PARLIAMENT HIGH TEA FOR A GOOD CAUSE Hon Donna Faragher JP MLC Member for East Metropolitan Region

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the community but to also donate items for care and school packs that are given to children who enter the charity’s care.

The generosity shown by everyone who attended the High Tea or who dropped off donations to my office over the past few weeks was amazing. In total, we delivered three full car loads of donations to Parkerville from soft toys to back packs, blankets, toiletries, pyjamas, school stationery and books.

We also raised $1,150 which has been donated directly to Parkerville.

All children deserve to grow up in a safe environment and this wonderful organisation has long provided critical support and care to children, young people and their families who have experienced trauma through child abuse.

Parkerville Children and Youth Care delivers a ADVERTISEMENT range of primary, secondary and tertiary services in metropolitan and regional locations across the State. Recently, the organisation has commenced construction of its second Child Advocacy Centre in Midland, the first being based in Armadale.

The new Centre is expected to open in the second half of 2019 and will form part of jp mlc the growing health and education precinct developing around the Midland Public Hospital Member for East Metropolitan Region and the old workshops site.

Shadow Minister for Education; Parkerville Children and Youth Care always Training; Women’s Interests welcomes support from the community. If you would like to find out more information or support this charity please visit - www.parkerville.org.au.

If you would like assistance on any State Ground Floor, 108 Swan Street Guildford 6055 related issue, please do not hesitate to contact my 9379 0840 | Faragher.eastmetro@mp.wa.gov.au office on 9379 0840.

uring September I hosted a successful High Tea at the Guildford Mechanics Institute in support of Parkerville Children and Youth Care during National Child Protection Awareness Week.

I have been a strong supporter of Parkerville Children and Youth Care for many years and I was delighted to host a community event in support of their invaluable work.

When a child enters care, Parkerville Children and Youth Care provide a care pack to give them something to call their own. The High Tea not only provided an opportunity for guests to learn more about the services that Parkerville provides across

Donna

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

FARAGHER Here to help!

Authorised by D.Faragher, 108 Swan Street, Guildford WA 6055.

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WHAT’S ON IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN EVENT LISTED IN THIS COLUMN RING our office on 0418 934 850 Entries for non-profit entities are free.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - Glen Forrest Group Every Monday evening We meet at 7.00pm at the Glen Forrest Uniting Church, Mc Glew Rd, Glen Forrest. Call Dermot 0488 905 211 or John 0448 074 536 or the Perth Office (all hours) 9325 3566.

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE

Monday Mornings The Art Group meets at Baskerville Hall from 9am – 12pm for just $5.00 per session.

Group leader Gilly can help and advise with most media. Feel free to come and have a look and meet our local artists – they are a very friendly lot, new members welcome!

For more information call 9296 1976 or enquiries@swanvalleycommunitycentre.com www.swanvalleycommunitycentre.com

AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEEDING ASSOC. Discussion groups, guest speakers, morning tea. Free breastfeeding counselling. Expectant mothers, mothers, babies and children welcome. National Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 2686 is a 24 hour 7 days a week service.

SWAN HARMONY SINGERS

Wednesdays Come and sing with us! Swan Harmony Singers is a community choir that meets, 7-9pm, to sing music ranging from jazz to pop, plus the occasional classic. No auditions. Join us at the Salvation Army Church Hall, 371 Morrison Rd, (opposite Swan View Primary School), Swan View. Enquiries: call Anna on 9299 7249, or Chris on 9298 9529 or 0435 062 728.

Swan/Mundaring Group meets every Monday, 9:30-11:30am at the Gumnuts Family Centre, 8 Mudalla Way, Koongamia. A qualified ABA counsellor is present at each meeting to give confidential information and support on breastfeeding issues.

Contact Natalie 9572 4971.

Kalamunda Group meets fortnighly on a Thursday, 9:30-11:30am at the Maida Vale Baptist Church, Edney Road, High Wycombe.

Contact Jenny 9252 1996.

Northam Group meets each second Tuesday of the month at the Bridgeley Community Centre, Wellington Street, Northam 10am to Noon.

Fourth Tuesday each month at Toodyay Playgroup, Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. Noon to 2pm. Please phone Louisa 9574 0229.

COMBINED MIDLAND PROBUS CLUB

3rd Wednesday of the month Are you 55 or over and wish to join a non-fundraising club and meet new friends, explore new places and discover new interests in the company of fellow retirees then Midland Probus is the club for you.

Meetings are held at: Bellevue RSL Club, 2 Purton Way Bellevue from 12:30pm -to 3:00pm. Interesting Guest Speaker every month.

Our basic purpose is to advance intellectual and cultural interests among adult persons. Probus offers many member benefits and a chance to enjoy your retirement with likeminded people

THE HILLS CHOIR

Monday Evenings Do you enjoy singing and joining with others to make beautiful music? Come and join the Hills Choir. We meet from 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Uniting Church on Stoneville Road, Mundaring.

Contact Margie on 9295 6103 for further information.

ELLENBROOK COMMUNITY WEIGHT LOSS CLUB

Every Tuesday evening We meet from 6.45pm to 8.00pm at the Woodlake Community Hall, Meeting room 1 Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly support group at low cost. Male and females of all ages welcome.

Contact Shirley 9276 7938 shirleysardelich@aapt.net.au.

HILLS CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP

1st Wednesday of each month Hilltop Grove Estate, 1645 Jacoby Street, Mahogany Creek.

Morning tea provided, between 10.30 - 12.00 noon.

Enquiries Terina 9572 1655.

. . . ?

N E H W R E B M E M RE

MORRIS DANCING

All welcome. It’s like bush dancing, with sticks and bells. It’s aerobic exercise and great fun!

Tuesdays 7-9pm practice, Guildford Town Hall, cnr James St and Meadow St, Guildford. And drinks later at the Woodbridge Hotel with live Irish music For more information please contact: Christine Hogan: 9279 8778 Email: madtattersmorris@iinet.Net.Au Website: madtattersmorris.myclub.org.au

LY CART FESTIVAL THE INAUGURAL HILLS BIL

Sunday 28th October

Keane Street East, Mount Helena

www.hillsbillycartfestival.com

SWAN WOODTURNERS GROUP

The group meets in the rear hall of The Senior Citizens’ Centre, The Avenue, Midland, at 1-00pm. on 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Tuesday, and at 7-00pm. on 2nd Tuesday of each month. A demonstration and cuppa are the norm. Men and Women are welcome. Enquiries to Ted 9295 4438.

visit our website to become a competitor, register your interest or become a sponsor.

Printing proudly funded by customers of Mundaring Community Bank® Branch

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Bigger than a bank.

WHAT’S ON For Fun, Friendship and Fellowship contact John on: 9297 2219, 0419 962 872 or Email: jayveegee@iinet.net.au

ELLENBROOK AND DISTRICT MENS SHED INC.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday We are open at 4 Transit Way Ellenbrook from 10.00am to 3.00pm. Potential members can turn up on those days and there will be someone to explain what we do and give membership details.

Annual fees are low and members can do their own thing, participate in projects for the community or simply just come in for a chat and a cuppa.

We are considering extending our days to include Saturdays or evenings if there is enough interest.

MUSTARD SEED - DISCOVERING COMPUTERS

Mustard Seed is a fifteen year old non-profit organisation and teaches all aspects of everyday computing. Ability levels from beginners onwards. Want help with Windows 10? In need of instruction with your Mac computer? Have an iPad or Android tablet and don’t know what it will do? We can help. Cost is $3 per session. Classes are heldat 56 McGlew Road, Glen Forrest. To gain a place enrol now.

Phone 9299 7236 or 0478 604 163 or E: mustardcomputers@gmail.com W: noodlebytes.com

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE MUSIC CLASSES

Tuesday mornings Learn to play tunes on piano or keyboard immediately – the SIMPLY MUSIC method. Play songs, chords, blues and classical in small groups at a reasonable price. Call Heather 9296 4181.

MIDLAND MEN’S SHED

Every Tuesday morning We meet socially every Tuesday morning from 9.30am to 11.30am in the Bellevue Baptist Church Hall and our usual attendance is around fifty-five. At least once a month we have a guest speaker on a range of topics.

We also go on excursions to various places of interest (e.g.

HMAS Stirling, Aviation Museum, Fremantle Ports, ALCOA, etc.).

Our workshop with wood working and metal working is in Midvale and for the opening hours and further details please contact Rob Cutter on 0419 967 873. Also in operation is our music group – the Rockin’ Shedders which is going from strength to strength and their repertoire of songs increases each week.

For more information on the Shed please contact Kevin Buckland on 0417 961 971 or by email to kebinsv@tpg.com.au.

EASTERN DISTRICTS MACHINE KNITTERS

Friday - second and fourth We meet from 9:00am to noon at 10 Brockman Road, Midland.

Feel welcome to join us for morning tea and see how easy it is to make your own garments.

For more information contact Pat 9309 3260; Liz 9572 7074 or Pat 9295 2793.

turns twenty-one. The program includes Beach Boys’ hit Kokomo, Feelin’ Good, the lovely ballad I Wish you Love, and the traditional spiritual Wade in the Water. For this special occasion, the choir will also be reprising a few numbers that have become firm favourites over the years, songs like Fields of Gold, the Yesterday Once More, Adele’s Skyfall, and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

The concert starts at 3pm in Darlington Hall. Tickets (including afternoon tea) are: Adults $20, Concessions $15, groups of 10 or more $150. Children under 10 are free. More details: call Anna Wright 9299 7249. Advance bookings: Mundaring Community Bank 9295 6411.

SWAN VALLEY CHILDREN’S WEEK FUN DAY

Thursday, October 25 Free event for children aged 0-5 years from 9am - 12.30pm at Baskerville Hall, 129 Memorial Drive Baskerville Music Classes with Munchkinsmuzic Forty minute music class with Munchkinsmuzic - 3 time slots available 9.30-10.10, 10.30-11.10 or 11.30-12.10. Please arrive ready for music class 5 minutes before class start time.

Booking must be made at www.trybooking.com/YPBI as numbers are limited.

No booking required for other activities Go For 2 and 5 (2 Fruit, 5 Veggies) with Vegetable Seedling Planting & Vegetable and Fruit Platters for Morning Tea. Art and Craft Activities, Have a Play in our Children’s Room and explore what we have on offer at Swan Valley Community Centre.

SWAN HARMONY SINGERS’ REMEMBRANCE DAY CONCERT

Sunday, November 11 Swan Harmony Singers will honour all those who served and sacrificed during the Great War with a Remembrance Day Concert in the Salvation Army Citadel in Swan View at 3:00pm.

The concert is the brainchild of longstanding choir member Chris Durrant, whose relatives served in the conflict. His father was a young officer in Mesopotamia and Palestine, and two of his uncles lost their lives – one in German East Africa, the other in the battlecruiser Queen Mary at the Battle of Jutland.

The program devised by Chris combines songs reflecting this special anniversary with readings of war poetry from poets like Rupert Brooke and Robert Graves. In a lighter vein, the choir will revive memories of the war years through popular ditties of the period. The concert will be followed by afternoon tea.

Tickets (including afternoon tea): Adults $20, Concessions $15, groups of 10 or more $150. Children under 10 free.

More info and bookings: call Anna Wright 9299 7249.

Advance b o o k i n g s : Mundaring Community Bank 9295 6411, or get your ticket at the door.

TALKING HORSES

Wednesday evenings 6:00pm The WA Horse Council equestrian radio program is now in its seventh year. The programme is broadcast on the Community Radio Station 91.3 SportFM. To ensure that your club, event, breed or business gets coverage, call Diane Bennit 0409 083 617.

SWAN HARMONY SINGERS’ 21ST ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Sunday October 14 This concert marks a significant anniversary, as the choir 13

DOUGLAS’ WINERIES AND DINERIES

These are the restaurants and eateries, casual and formal, and wineries that I personally reccommend and eat at for pleasure.

The hidden gem of a bar in Bassendean 77 Old Perth Road

OPEN Wednesday - Thursday 5-10ish Friday 5 - 10:30ish Saturday - Sunday 12 - 10:30ish HAVING A FUNCTION? - FULLY CATERED & NO HIRE FEE

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FOOD HAN’S PHOEVER

R

estaurant owner Tram Hoang Han is excited to announce the opening of a new café in Midland: Han’s PHOever Opening in October, Han’s PHOever is an exciting step forward for Vietnamese refugee Tram Hoang Han, who has experienced more highs and lows than most of us.

In 2015, Mrs Han suddenly found herself at the helm of the struggling Han’s Café franchise group, after her controlling ex-husband fled Australia with a new partner. As a single mother with two young children, she was faced with struggling restaurants, a huge amount of debt, tax audits and a Fair Work investigation.

But instead of selling up and walking away, Ms Han vowed to rebuild the once popular brand.

She sold her home to repay the debt, addressed the issues raised by the tax audit and fair work ombudsman and looked to her own heritage to find a way forward.

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese dish, combining rice noodles in a tasty broth of meat, fresh vegetables and herbs. Ms Han’s brother, Leo Hoang established the

successful PHOever restaurants in Perth, offering a variety of Pho dishes along with other Vietnamese specialities.

By combining the most popular dishes from the old Han’s menu, along with a combination of Pho noodles dishes from her home land of Vietnam, Ms Han has developed a new menu for the opening of her first Han’s PHOever restaurant.

Located at 274 Great Eastern Highway, Han’s PHOever will have a fresh modern look and will be open for lunch and dinner.

Once established, Ms Han would like to open for breakfast too, offering a traditional noodle breakfast and fresh juices, not easily found in Perth.

The new Han’s PHOever menu will include gluten free and vegetarian options, along with the familiar favourites such as Pad Thai and Green Chicken Curry.

For more information about the opening of the new restaurant Han’s PHOever please contact Tram on mobile 0459 312 984 or via email tram@hansinvestments.com.au

ANOTHER BLOW FOR SLATE CAFE

A

DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

s all of you know by now, portion of Marshall Road in Bennett Springs and Dayton Boulevard in Dayton was been temporarily closed from May 1, for a period of sixteen weeks.

This ‘temporary’ closure has had a devastating effect of this charming café’s business - hours have had to be reduced and staff laid off.

Naturally they have been longing for the 1st of September when the works were scheduled to finish.

The reason given for the full closure given by the contractor was:

‘• As the work is to be carried out in winter, as such the requested duration was for sixteen weeks with confidence that the works would be finished before the requested closure duration.

• The full road closure would enable the works to be completed in a shorter period of time.’

However, despite this assurance the contractor has now been given, without any public consultation at all, a further thirteen weeks to complete this project - and of course,

15

no assurance that even this extra time of more than three months will see the project completed.

This means that the already stricken Cafe will now not be given full access until shortly before Christmas and with absolutely no guarantee even then.

What can we do to help, firstly Slate need you to keep going with your family, kids and pets to this charming café - do yourself and them a favour and keep going.

Secondly, the Slate Cafe have begun a petition for compensation from the City of Swan, which seems only reasonable, since their business should not be penalised for CBP Contractor’s mis-management of its works. Their finances are limited, and the business cannot afford to continue operating at a loss.

If you agree, please go to www.change.org and sign the electronic petition and if you can, please share it with your friends.

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FICTION DEATH IN THE SEA OF GRASS KAREN R W TREANOR

TSHANILAND, 1935

W

CHAPTER FOUR - CONTINUED

hen he was sure she had gone to her own room and closed her door, Harcourt let out the groan he’d been suppressing.

He swallowed the tablets with the water and lay back on the bed for a moment.

When he woke up it was morning, and someone had spread a blanket over him. Whether it was the kindly Rivka or the sharptongued doctor checking on her patient he didn’t know and wouldn’t ask.

He closed his eyes just for a moment, and didn’t open them again until he smelled coffee and saw Rivka smiling down at him.

“The doctor’s got an emergency, so I’m deputising. Here’s some coffee. Can you make it to the kitchen? We usually eat there in the morning; it’s warmer. How do you feel?”

“Like a herd of wildebeest ran over me,” he groaned, wrestling his body upright.

“Want some more pills?”

“Hell, no; those are lethal. I lay down for a second last night and next thing I knew it was morning. But thank you, I doubt I’d have slept well without them.” Harcourt made an effort to be polite.

“Once Claire’s sewed up the little boy, she’ll take you to the hospital for that X-ray,” Rivka said.”

“If I can get a message to my house, Obed can come and get me in the truck. I think I’ve probably used up the doctor’s supply of goodwill.”

Harcourt staggered to his feet and followed Rivka, the cane allowing him to take most of the pressure off the injured foot.

“Nonsense, you can’t go back to work like that.”

“I can sit on a stool and make sketches.”

“Oh, you’re an artist as well as an archaeologist?”

“No, I’m a sort of amateur draftsman. The budget didn’t run to a site artist.” Harcourt winced as his foot hit the threshold.

“Well, maybe I could help. I’m doing a portrait of the Queen, and there’s likely to be a lot of time between sittings. I could do a few drawings for you if you like.”

“Forgive me if this sounds churlish, but we’ve got enough amateurs on site as it is,” Harcourt said, falling into a chair in the kitchen.

“Churlish describes you to a ‘T’, but I didn’t think you were stupid,” said Claire, coming down the hall into the kitchen. “I doubt Max Mallowan would turn down a chance to have Rivka Lerner draw his site for him. But no doubt you know best.

Come along before there’s another emergency. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“Claire, why don’t I take him for you? I’m not busy, and it would give you a chance to catch up on your notes,” Rivka suggested. “I’ve got a license and I’ve never had an accident, so your car will be in safe hands.”

“Fine, good idea; I really can’t spare the time anyway. I’ll give you a note for Dr. Shongway. Perhaps you can take the Professor back to his dig afterwards. I’m sure he’s not going to listen to my advice to rest the ankle for a few days.” Tossing the car keys on the table, Claire went down the hall and shut the door behind her.

“Doesn’t look like a good night’s sleep did her much good,” Harcourt said. “I’m sorry for not knowing you by reputation. If you remember, nobody got introduced properly last night.”

“Well, I wouldn’t expect you to know my name anyway,” Rivka said.

“I would have if you’d said you were Rivka Lerner. I saw two of your paintings at the Greenhill Gallery several years ago in London. One was an old woman with a goat and one was a back street somewhere, with a scrawny cat under a lamppost.”

“Imagine that. It is indeed a small world, as the cliché has it.”

“Clichés are often true; that’s why they’re clichés.”

“I never thought of that. Well, here’s another cliché for you: the dedicated doctor. The reason Claire hasn’t profited from a good night’s sleep is she didn’t get one—she was up three times checking on you, in case you were concussed.”

“But I wasn’t.”

“No, but she’s not the sort to leave that to chance. You had a bad fall, so she’d check up on you until she was sure you were all right. You were so out of it you don’t remember, but she was there.”

“Protecting herself from the malpractice suit, eh?”

Harcourt meant it to be a humorous observation but saw at once from Rivka’s expression he’d overstepped the bounds. “Sorry, poor attempt at a joke.”

“Medicine is no joking matter to Claire. You should remember that. Not that you’ll likely be consulting her again, but if you do, try to act like an adult. Now we’d better be going. You go to the car and I’ll be out in a minute.” Rivka disappeared up the hall and shut the door behind her. Harcourt hobbled through the living room and foyer to the front gate, and waited for Rivka to come out and help him into the car.

17

pad. Returning to the kitchen, she asked, “Sipo, may I make a drawing of you?”

There was a bit of conversation in Sitshana with Koko before Sipo agreed. Apparently the old lady had vouched for her bona fides, Rivka thought, sketching rapidly. When she was done, she displayed the likeness to a chorus of “hau, hau!” and other exclamations of amazement.

“I will do another one for you to give to your mother, or perhaps you have a sweetheart?” Rivka suggested. There was much giggling from Koko as Sipo backed out of the kitchen protesting he had work to do.

“Did I say the wrong thing?” Rivka asked the old woman.

Koko picked up the hatchet and went out to the kindling box, still giggling, leaving Rivka somewhat puzzled.

When Claire came into the kitchen, looking worn, Rivka gave her a cup of fresh coffee and set the lunch platter before her. “I think I put my foot in it with Sipo. I asked if he had a sweetheart,” she said, passing the bread plate.

Claire gave a tired smile. “That’s because you don’t know the custom here: a young man may want a young woman for his wife, but until she asks him, there’s nothing he can do about it.

Some girls are awful teases and hold off asking for months after it’s obvious that they’re being courted.”

“How do they know?” Rivka asked, fascinated.

“The usual sort of things, flowers on the doorstep, a dead gazelle left by the fire ring, that sort of sentimental stuff. Not to mention the boy mooning around on the fringes of any group the girl happens to be in. Usually the girl’s grandmother or mother will bring things to a head by telling her enough’s enough, time to get down to the bargaining. Then the dickering starts about how many animals and what sort of hard goods the boy will bring to the family.” Claire speared a hardboiled egg slice and dunked it in a puddle of mayonnaise.

“It sounds like a bribe,” Rivka said.

“Not really—after all, they’re doing him a big favor by inviting him into the family. A typical settlement would be a cow or three goats, plus a hatchet, cooking pot and some blankets. A big inducement would be a china tea set; they are highly prized.”

“Amazing. Perhaps I could set up a bridal shop—tea sets and blankets in front, goats out the back!” Rivka laughed.

“The Pataks would give you a run for your money. They run the Agra Emporium and pretty well have the kitchenware and soft furnishing market sewn up.” Claire drank her coffee and sat back with a satisfied sigh. “That was lovely, I really needed a meal. So, did you get the crabby professor home safely?”

“Yes, unbroken leg and all. I told him to keep the cane for a few days until he was walking easily. I hope that was what you wanted. He’s certainly a good-looking man, when he isn’t frowning, that is.”

“I can’t say as I noticed,” said Claire, yawning elaborately.

“Sorry, I’m short of sleep. Back to the trenches; I’ve still got a full waiting room.”

“Leave supper to me, then. I’ll surprise you.”

When Claire had gone, Rivka put the leftovers in the icebox and clapped on a hat. “Koko, I’m going to town, I’ll be back in an hour or so,” she called as she went down the back stairs, picking up a wicker basket on the way.

“I will come with you, Madam,” Sipo said.

“No, I’m not getting anything too heavy for me to carry.

Better that you stay here, guarding the Doctor.” Rivka couldn’t see herself traipsing in and out of shops with a large brown shadow.

Half an hour later, Rivka was bargaining for a large fish.

“We don’t get many fresh fish, so I will not have any trouble selling him to someone else,” the shopkeeper said. “This one is fresh this morning, all the way from Durban, and he’s the last one.”

“If this is the last one, you must have sold all the better ones first,” said a voice behind Rivka. “Therefore this one should be less, not more, than the others.”

Rivka looked around and saw the District Commissioner.

“Here, this is your X-ray form, it should enable you to get seen quickly. When you’re done I’ll run you down to the work site.” Rivka gave him an envelope, let in the clutch, signalled, and drove off smartly before Harcourt could say anything.

He spent the short ride protecting his ankle from knocks. At the hospital, Rivka motioned for a porter and told him to take the patient to the X-ray department.

“I’ll be back for you in an hour or so,” she said, driving away.

“Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” Harcourt said halfaloud.

“Pardon, sir?” the porter asked, and got a growl for an answer. Well used to rude Europeans, he paid no attention, but managed to run the wheelchair into a doorpost by accident on the way to the X-ray department.

An hour later Harcourt sat alone on a bench in the front lobby, certified free of broken bones and therefore no longer entitled to the luxury of a wheelchair. When Rivka arrived and he told her nothing was broken, she just smiled and said, “I knew that without having to see any pictures. Claire’s assessment would be good enough for me.”

“It was good enough for me, too—she was the one who told me I had to get the X-ray,” Harcourt protested, feeling hard done by.

“There’s a beautiful view of the Misty Ranges around the next corner,” Rivka said, changing the subject. “I love the way the clouds cling to the upper slopes, like an angora shawl.”

“I’ve been too busy to do much sight-seeing. The Queen seems to think now she’s allowed someone to survey the Place of Stone that some pretty grand results had better be forthcoming.

That’s how I fell, really, trying to get just another few minutes of work in before the light went.”

“Poor you. And here I thought it was the snake that pushed you.”

Harcourt had the sense to realise he wouldn’t get the better of this exchange, and bit his tongue for the rest of the ride home.

“There’s Obed on the porch, he’ll be able to help you indoors,” Rivka said, coming to a stop in front of a rather rundown bungalow set in the ruins of what must have once been a decent garden.

“Hello, Obed, here’s your employer almost in one piece.”

“Thank you, Miss Lerner,” said Harcourt, levering himself out of the Austin. “I’d best leave the cane in the car in case the doctor needs it.”

“No, keep it until you’re healed up. I’m sure she wouldn’t expect you to do without it just yet. You can drop it off one day when you’re in town. Take care, Professor.” With a wave, Rivka swept around the semi-circular driveway and headed back to town.

Harcourt stood staring after her, leaning on Obed’s shoulder until brought back to sense by a loudly cleared throat.

“Sorry, Obed, I was thinking,” Harcourt apologized. “Well, let’s get me inside and see what we can figure out about how I can do some useful work over the next few days.”

Back at the house, Rivka looked into the waiting room and found it full. Claire would be late to lunch; perhaps it would be a good idea to have something ready. In the kitchen, Koko and Sipo were enjoying a pot of tea and jam sandwiches.

Wellington was in his usual place on the kitchen windowsill, paws tucked under his brisket. He seemed to have settled in permanently, and looked considerably better now that his eye had healed.

He no longer wore the battered splint on his tail, and Claire had recently removed the sutures from his haunch, on which the fur was growing back.

Finding some eggs in the larder, Rivka set them to boil while she sliced some cold beef. Koko had brought in some late tomatoes from the garden, and there were a few carrots that could be julienned as garnish. A decent lunch could be constructed from these ingredients, Rivka thought.

She put the nicely arranged platter under a damp cloth in the bottom of the icebox and went to her room to get a drawing 18

“Good afternoon. Were you perhaps wanting the fish yourself?”

“No, although it tempts me. I’m not much of a cook, and this fish is too big.”

“Then I will buy the fish and you will come to share it with Claire and me,” Rivka said, surprising herself with her boldness.

“Unless you have other demands on your time, of course.”

“Is anyone going to buy this fish? He is not getting any younger.” The shopkeeper felt he was being left out of the conversation, and although there were no other customers in the store, he liked to put up a show of being overworked. A price was finally struck and the fish stowed in the basket under the fruit and vegetables.

“Perhaps you’d have tea with me, that is, if you don’t have to hurry back,” the DC suggested.

“My scaly friend won’t want to be out in the sun too long,” Rivka demurred. “But a quick cup would be nice.”

The quick cup stretched to a second cup and a plate of pastries while Rivka and the DC caught up with each other’s news. Rivka told about the professor and his accident and the DC told about a gang of goat rustlers he’d apprehended. Over an hour had gone by before Rivka gasped, “That poor fish, I must get him home. Or her, as the case may be.”

“I’ll drive you, that will be quicker,” Trevelyan said, snapping his fingers for the check.

Scanning it quickly, he left a half-crown coin for the admiration of the little waitress, and ushered Rivka down the block to where his official vehicle was parked behind the Commission building.

“Really, it’s not necessary. I can be home in ten minutes,” Rivka said.

“Ten minutes that might be just what the ptomaine germs have been wanting,” chuckled the big man. “Khaba, I’ll be back shortly,” he called to his assistant, who had come to the door to see what was happening.

Rivka felt quite grand in this impressive vehicle, with its real leather seats and walnut dashboard. It certainly moved more smoothly than Claire’s car.

“Claire won’t mind you bringing in a last minute guest?”

Trevelyan asked, coming to a stop outside the house on Roberts Street.

“No, she left supper to me, so I guess I can invite someone if I want to. Shall we say seven for seven-thirty?” Rivka took her basket and stood watching as the big car drove off. What a nice man, she thought, wondering why he wasn’t married.

Indoors she washed the fish well and set it to soak in the enamel dishpan in a marinade of vinegar, carrot, onion, lemon, peppercorns, and fennel seeds as Koko exclaimed over the size of the creature. Rummaging in the deep cupboards, Rivka found a covered roasting pan with a liftout rack, whose festoons of dust and cobwebs indicated Claire had never used, and probably never even seen, this treasure.

Koko carried the dusty pan off to the scullery where she scrubbed it to an acceptable shine.

Rivka thought that with care the roaster could be used as a fish steamer. Now what to serve with it? In the pantry, Rivka found an odd assortment of supplies. There was the inevitable huge sack of corn meal, there were several tins of pineapple, there was a half bag of potatoes, a chunk of cheese in a waxed cloth, and a few odd tins of this and that.

“We really have to do some serious shopping,” Rivka said half-aloud.

“I know, it’s pitiful, isn’t it? I told you I was no sort of cook,” sighed Claire, leaning against the doorpost.

“Never mind; you’re a very good doctor, that’s more important. I hope you don’t mind, but when I met the Commissioner he mentioned he liked fish and I sort of invited him for supper.”

“Sort of? How can you ‘sort of’ invite someone?” Claire raised an eyebrow. “Anyway, he’s welcome. I planned to see him and this saves me a trip. I want to know what he’s found out about the gunman who may or may not be taking pot shots at

drivers. I’ve been thinking about it, and it might be some boy with his father’s gun, just larking about. There’s really no proof it was someone after me.”

“Maybe not, but there’s no proof it wasn’t, either.” Rivka was worried that Claire didn’t seem to take the gunman seriously, but she knew better than to push the subject further. She turned her attention to the fish.

“OK, now for Moby Dick.”

“You’ve read Melville?” Claire asked, surprised.

“I told you I spent two years in Pittsburgh with my cousins.

Moby Dick was required reading in high school. It was a lot of work. My English wasn’t all that good in those days.”

“Melville is heavy going even if English is your native tongue,” Claire said. “I will leave you with your piscine friend. I’ve got notes to finish, and Duchess will scold if I don’t get them done today.”

The fish was another culinary success for Rivka, stuffed and baked and served with a slice of lemon over its eye. She made potato latkes and a cucumber salad, and Trevelyan praised the cooking to the skies. Claire made an excuse to go to bed early and left the two talking animatedly about Graham Greene, some writer Claire had never heard of. She drifted off to sleep to the sound of their voices, while Wellington purred at her feet.

The next day Claire and Rivka were having an early lunch when Duchess came down the hall with an envelope.

“For you, Miss Lerner, from the Palace.”

Claire said, “That will be a demand to bring your sketchpad and get started on the portrait. You’ll be lucky to get half an hour with her.” Rivka scanned the note and said, “You’re probably right. This commands me to appear at one thirty. I’d better get moving.”

“Take the car,” Claire said. “Duchess, tell the messenger she can ride back to Enkalovu with Miss Lerner if she can wait ten minutes. See you later, Rivka. Don’t let her beat you down on the price; remember, it’s already agreed.”

Back in her office, Claire took advantage of a brief lull to attend to a small matter that had been set aside due to Harcourt’s accident. Taking her big syringe from her medical 19

bag, she injected the small amount of vitamin solution into an ampoule that had held only sterile water. Wrapping it in cotton batting and then in a sheet of paper, she put it into a small cardboard box along with a letter, and taped it up with adhesive tape. She addressed it to Dr. Koos van de Merwe in Capetown and took it out to Duchess.

“On your way home, will you take this to the post office? It’s important, and I don’t want to leave it to a small boy. Take some money from petty cash.”

It would have been much easier to use one of the small boys, informal messengers who frequented street corners in hopes of being paid to run an errand, but Duchess knew if Claire said the parcel was important she’d have to post it herself. The little boys were generally reliable, but had been known to lose things, or, worse, play football with parcels.

In her room, Rivka re-braided her hair and stabbed a few pins to hold it, and pulled on some stockings and respectable shoes. Taking her artist’s bag to the car, she found a young woman sitting in the front seat expectantly. The girl giggled all the way to Enkalovu, delighted with the unexpected ride, but steadfastly rebuffed Rivka’s attempts at conversation.

In the Queen’s reception room, Rivka was given a stool by the secretary and told the Queen would see her shortly. After ten minutes, the secretary came back and escorted her to the throne room. There Malaila stood in her silverygrey silk suit, a leopard skin over one shoulder, face in three-quarter profile.

“Well, Royal Artist, will this do?”

“Stunning, Your Majesty. But what about the background?”

“I’m sure you’re clever enough to do the two things separately. You don’t bring mountains home to your studio, do you? I can give you half an hour now and perhaps an hour the day after tomorrow. You can visit the Place of Stone and find the site you think best. I will be guided by you in that.”

The Queen managed to fix Rivka with a hard stare despite holding the pose she had chosen. Gritting her teeth and determined to make a go of this no matter what obstacles arrested her progress, Rivka began sketching.

“Your Majesty, I had thought that we might save you some boring posing time by having your sister stand in, if that is acceptable. She is of similar stature….”

“But she is not me. Out of the question.” Malaila’s tone left no discussion space. Then she added in a milder tone, “It is kind of you to think of saving me trouble.”

Rivka concentrated on getting the angle of the jaw, the slope of the almond eyes, the highlights on the cheekbones, and the relationship of the neck to the shoulders. The half-hour raced by and it was all Rivka could do to choke off the “Oh, no!” when the secretary came back and took the Queen away to other duties.

Carefully stowing her sketches, Rivka thought to herself that she’d be earning every one of the hundred pounds twice over by the time the job was done. At the door, she met Mr. Moleponi, the historian.

“I have been instructed to introduce you to the royal emblems, if you have the time, Miss Lerner,” he said. Intrigued, Rivka nodded and said, “Please, I’d like that.”

Expecting to see more gold or monkey fur decorations, she was somewhat taken aback to be escorted into a barn-like structure and shown two live leopards. “They will not hurt you,” the old man said, “not when I explain you are a servant of the Queen like myself.”

He walked up to what Rivka thought a most inadequate barrier and rattled off a—statement? Introduction? Magic spell?

Rivka hadn’t a clue what to call it. It was enough that at the end of the talk, the larger leopard came up to the fence and sniffed Rivka’s hand, then rubbed his large head on the wooden slats.

“You should scratch behind his ears, he likes that,” Moleponi instructed. Tentatively, Rivka put her hand through the slats and did as she was told, wondering as she did so what sort of career there could be for a one-handed artist. The leopard pushed his head against her hand. She rubbed the ears, then scratched them.

“Ow-uigh” said the leopard softly.

“You see? He likes this. You could stay here all day and he would let you scratch his ears,” Mr. Moleponi beamed.

“Well, he might like it, but the Great She-leopard probably would not. She expects me to complete the portrait in a reasonable time. What I really need to do is get this big cat to pose for me. Does he have a handler, or a keeper, or a trainer of some sort?”

The old man clapped his hands, which brought a hiss from the recumbent female leopard.

“Thandi, come out!” he called. Prepared for a six anda-half-foot leopard trainer with chair and whip, Rivka was surprised to see a plump middle-aged woman come from somewhere in the back of the enclosure. Both leopards bounded up to her like housedogs, pushing their heads against her plump thighs.

“She raised them from kittens,” Mr. Moleponi explained.

“You should have seen her teaching them how to hunt gazelles.

It was very entertaining.”

“Live gazelles?” Rivka asked.

“Yes, the young men caught them and we let them loose in the fenced area at the back of the building. Thandi had to run after the gazelles to teach the leopards how to do it. She was not fast enough to catch them, so the lesson rather lost its point.

Eventually Sindi and Shaka got the idea.

“Now they mostly feed on goats, but they must kill them for themselves; it is the Queen’s wish.”

Introduced to Thandi, Rivka explained about needing to have a picture of a leopard in the portrait.

“I think you must use Shaka. He is very lazy and will sit for a long time.

Sindi is likely to wander off, or want to eat your shoes. She is very fond of leather,” Thandi explained. She took the big leopard and the nervous artist to a smaller room at the back, which smelled very strongly of cat.

“I will get him up here, on this table.

Will that do?” Thandi asked, giving the leopard a gory tidbit from a dish on a shelf. “As long as he gets a treat now and then, he will do as you want.”

Seated on a rickety kitchen chair, Rivka took out her sketchpad again and drew several studies of the big cat, noting how his shoulders and front limbs knit together when he sat upright, and what his paws looked like at rest. She 20

then asked for him to lie on the table, as if it were a cliff edge, and sketched him in that pose, which he seemed quite happy to maintain after another bloody bribe. She noted the rosettes of his coat, and how they formed the pattern that enabled him to disappear in plain view on a sun-dappled tree branch.

“That’s wonderful, Thandi; he is a lovely subject. I may have to come again, but this will help me get started,” Rivka said, earning a broad smile from Shaka’s foster mother.

Driving slowly out of the royal compound, Rivka thought there was enough daylight left to enable her to do some preliminary sketches at the Place of Stone. With great care, she threaded the lumps and dips of the dirt road until she came to the clearing where Harcourt had been the previous night.

She had barely gotten out of the car when a large man with a spear appeared out of nowhere to challenge her right to be in this place. He wore a khaki cloth skirt and crossed bandoleers, which had porcupine quill decorations on them—in black, white and red—rather than cartridges. He had a military look, and Rivka assumed he was probably one of the Queen’s guards.

“I am the one who is making the picture for the Great She-leopard,” Rivka quavered, hastily bringing her sketchpad out and showing the man her afternoon’s work.

“Ah, you are the one who stays with the tshadola.

It is all right then.” With a smile he set his spear in what seemed a more relaxed position and let Rivka pass.

Glad she had worn low-heeled sandals, she made her way to a tree stump, took out a new pencil and made some sketches of the close-fitted stones.

She noticed they had a pattern: every third row was different in size from the two above and below. The overall effect was of a giant basket woven of stone.

The tall soldier marched quietly back and forth, managing to get a peek of Rivka’s work at each pass. At length he said, “This is very good. It is like a photograph, but different.”

“Have there been photographs taken of this place?” Rivka asked.

“Yes, Mr. Moleponi made them. No one else was allowed to do it, but he is the keeper of the history of the Batshani, so he was given the task. He said, ‘What if the earth shakes and the stones fall down? Who will believe us when we tell them what the Old Ones built here?’ The Council considered this and said that photographs should be made. And so they told him to do it.”

Rivka smiled to herself, thinking of Mr. Moleponi crawling about the stones on a hot day lugging a heavy camera and tripod, and wondered about the quality of the photos.

“I would like to walk into the Place of Stone further. Is that all right?” Rivka asked.

“Yes, but take care you do not fall. Just yesterday someone was injured here,” the guard said.

“I know. I’ll be careful.” Rivka tucked her sketchpad and pencil away and walked into what seemed to be a corridor or hall. It rose slightly as it curved upwards. Every few yards there was a stone step. She thought that when it rained, this must form a sort of waterfall. The corridor curved back on itself but continued to rise. Here and there were niches in the stonework.

Perhaps places for guards in the days when the longforgotten builders had been here? Rivka wondered if Professor Harcourt would be able to learn anything about these people, known only as “the Old Ones” to the Batshani.

Slightly out of breath, she came out onto a wide stone plaza of sorts, about forty feet square. What could have been the purpose of this place? A tall standing stone marked each corner.

Mindful of the Queen’s suggestion that the portrait show the royal car, Rivka paced around trying to find an arrangement that would let her include it at a distance, and also allow for Shaka to be included. He could sit at the Queen’s feet, or… what

about having him lie here, on this altar-like horizontal stone?

She pulled out the sketchpad and flipped back to the sketches of Shaka. Yes, it could all be worked in, with a bit of geographical juggling.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the rumble of thunder overhead. A storm was rolling up out of the east with the rapidity only the African weather system could muster. The cool wind began to finger Rivka’s skirt as she hurried back to the car.

The tall guard stood unconcerned at the approaching storm, and Rivka wondered if he had a place of shelter, or would stand out in the rain like one of the grey stones, impervious.

“Thank you. I’ll come back another day,” she called, struggling with the convertible top and wishing she’d paid more attention to how Claire got the wretched thing fastened.

“Here, let me give you a hand. I may be a temporary cripple, but my hands still work,” said a voice behind her.

“Well, hello, Dr. Harcourt. Aren’t you supposed to be resting the ankle?”

“I have been taking it easy. Obed got me over here on a donkey, and I suppose will find a way to get me back.”

“Just come right out and ask, and I’ll be glad to give you a lift home,” she grinned. “It’s the least I can do for someone who saved me from a drenching.”

He snapped the last of the locks in place that held the canvas top to the Austin and said, “Thank you, I think the donkey has fleas and I wouldn’t mind missing the return journey.”

Turning to a tent set up under some low trees, he called, “Obed, Miss Lerner will take me home. You and your shaggy friend had better get going, too.”

Getting into the car with care not to further damage the strapped ankle, Harcourt said, “Where’s your stern landlady?

Not with you today?”

“She’s tending her patients, and I’ve been looking for portrait sites. You’ll probably find me here quite a lot for the next few weeks.”

“Perhaps you’d let us use some of your discards to illustrate our report when it’s finally done,” Harcourt said hopefully. “I know I was dismissive before I knew you were a real artist, but 21

I’ll happily eat humble pie—that was made of deer innards, did you know that?—if you’d agree.”

“We’ll see,” Rivka said, easing the car back onto the main track and getting it into first gear with the usual trouble.

“What idiot designed a gear shift with only a half-inch play?

I’m never sure what gear I’m in.”

“The same idiot who didn’t put better brakes on the car for fear it would encourage speeding,” Harcourt said. “Herbert Austin had some very definite ideas about car design, but you can’t fault his success in developing an affordable car. And it sure beats a donkey.”

Rivka had to laugh at that. Pulling onto the main tarred road carefully, she asked, “How is your survey coming? Have you got any idea who these Old Ones were who built that amazing structure, and what they used it for?”

“It’s very early yet; we have literally barely scratched the surface. I’m having to train a dig team from the ground up, no pun intended—there are no experienced people here as you’d find in, say, the Valley of the Kings. However, Obed knows how to organise people, and he’s found me some young men who are keen and willing to learn, so that’s half the battle. Jeziah Mobo will be the site clerk. He’s had lots of experience in detail work in his usual job.”

Rivka signalled and passed a hay wagon pulled by a pair of tired oxen. Looking to the east, she said, “I hope I make it home before that weather does, it looks very serious.” Thunder tumbled across the sky as she spoke.

“Oh, dear.”

“Don’t worry; you can stay at my place until it’s over. Storms never last long here, I’m told.”

At Harcourt’s house, Rivka helped the invalid up the steps

despite his protests that he was perfectly able to cope, and decided to accept the offer of shelter. Over a pot of tea, they talked of world news, Tshani customs and Harcourt’s hopes for the survey, and the storm was long past when Rivka jumped up and said, “I must be going, Claire’s bound to think I ran into a ditch or something. Good luck with the work.”

Back on Roberts Street, Rivka parked carefully and let herself into the house.

“Well, I’d begun to think of sending out a Saint Bernard or something. Not that I have a Saint Bernard, but no doubt Miss Culthorpe would be able to oblige,” said Claire.

“Sorry, there was no way I could let you know. I ran into your professor at the Place of Stone and gave him a lift home to save him from another donkey ride—or perhaps to save the donkey.

The storm was just breaking and he offered me shelter, and rather than run your car off the road in the bad weather, I accepted. He’s really quite nice, Claire, once he drops the sarcastic act.”

“I’m sure,” said Claire, with a look that belied the words.

“Someone’s brought me a bouquet of bunnies. Do you have any idea what to do with them?”

“I can probably come up with something. Let’s have a look.”

In the kitchen, Claire waved a hand at three small furry corpses tied up with braided grass rope.

“This happens all the time. Patients either can’t pay cash, or feel the need to augment payments with a gift. Half the time I end up giving them to Koko or burying them. Just before you moved in I got an owl as a thank-you gift. Luckily it was still alive, so as soon as the giver departed, I let it go. I can’t imagine eating an owl.”

“You could probably stew it in wine, almost anything is edible cooked that way,” said Rivka, picking up the kitchen knife and taking the corpses to the sink. She had the rabbits skinned and jointed in the time it took Claire to brew up a pot of tea.

“A heavy pot that goes in the oven would be useful,” Rivka said, rummaging in the dark cupboards. “Aha, a treasure!” She backed out with a cast iron Dutch oven and a cobweb.

Scrubbing the pot at the sink, she said, “I managed to get a bit of work done with the Queen before her minion carried her off. I think the portrait could be really good.”

“Of course it will be good, how could it not be?”

“Are you making any progress with the Queen’s problem?”

“No. What I think I need to do is try to backtrack from where Khonzi was found to where he started. And since I don’t know where that is, I’m stumped.”

“No clues at all?” Rivka began to stir the floured rabbit pieces in a bit of butter in the heavy pot.

“Well, other than the grudging information I got from Malaila that the diamond I found at the autopsy probably came from a particular stream. More by what she didn’t say I figured out it has to be up in the hills, somewhere near the Cave of the Winds. That’s sacred territory. Needless to say, none of what I just said is for public discussion.”

Flattered to have been taken into her friend’s confidence,

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For many years she was a frequent visitor at Western Australian schools and libraries, talking about bandicoots and book publishing.

Karen worked for Swan Publishing for several years, and her book reviews, poems and short stories have appeared often in the Swan Magazine.

She lived in Mundaring with many visiting bandicoots, possums, bobtail lizards, and magpies; plus some resident chickens, cats and a very tolerant husband until 2014, when she packed up the cats and husband, and moved to Tasmania where she spends her time wallaby wrangling, making sourdough bread, and writing.

22

Rivka said, “Perhaps you could get Themba to help. Has he found his mother yet?”

“Not that I’ve heard. As one of the Queen’s guards, he’d be allowed to go up to the Cave—not in it, but near it. That’s a good idea, Rivka. Maybe we can kill two birds: search for Elspeth and see if there’s any evidence of where Khonzi started from the day that he died.”

Claire looked thoughtful, wondering how to arrange this.

Rivka diced an onion, a carrot and a couple of celery sticks.

“You could peel two potatoes if you like.”

“Sorry, I’ve left all the work to you, haven’t I? It’s because I’m such a hopeless cook.” Claire took up the paring knife and began scraping potatoes.

“So, you’ve taken a fancy to our professor, have you? Or is it the other way around?”

“I think he figures if he makes friends with me he might get closer to you,” Rivka said with a smile. “He kept sneaking in questions about you, in between discussing Tshani customs and his work.”

“Hah!” Claire attacked the potato’s eyes as if she had a grudge against them.

“Why don’t you like him, Claire?” Rivka stirred the pot once more and then put on the lid.

“Oh, no reason, other than he’s an arrogant, supercilious know-it-all. Why do you ask?” Claire sucked the side of her finger where the paring knife had skipped off the potato.

Rivka sighed. “Here, give me that. You go and make some drinks; that should be easy enough. I put a bottle of whisky in the bar in case you wanted a change from gin.”

Wrapping her pocket hanky around the injured finger, Claire hacked some ice chunks off the big block in the icebox and took them away in a bowl. Rivka dumped the well-stewed tea down the sink, then cut some cheese, put a few crackers on a plate, and brought it into the living room.

“The stew will take a while, so I thought we could just nibble on these as a first course.”

“You’re very nice to an old crab,” Claire said with a smile, handing over a drink.

“You’re not a crab, you’re just overworked. And lonely, perhaps.” Rivka took the drink and settled on the couch next to Wellington, who rolled over and offered his substantial stomach for the scratching.

“That seems to be the lot of women doctors. When I was in my first year at med school, Doctor Moffitt took Beck and me out one afternoon. After filling us up with muffins and coffee she said, ‘Make no mistake, you’ll have to work twice as hard to be thought half as good as your male colleagues, and you’ll most likely die single. Don’t go any further with this unless you think you’ve got the strength, because it’s a wicked waste of your teachers’ time to train you only to have you drop out later on.’ ”

“That would have scared me off right then and there,” Rivka said, feeding a crumb of cheese to Wellington.

“It almost did. But somehow we took it as a challenge, and both Beck and I graduated well. She came third in the class and I was fifth, so we didn’t do too badly.”

“I should say not. Whatever brought you out here? Why aren’t you in partnership with your friend?”

“It’s a long story, but it started with meeting the Queen when she was a student at Commonwealth University, before she succeeded to the throne. When she returned to Tshaniland and her mother died unexpectedly, largely due to the lack of medical care, Malaila more or less commanded me to come here.

“The next thing I knew, I was on a boat. It’s been a fascinating experience, and I’ve had to learn fast. I’d never have seen so many different diseases and injuries in Boston.

How many American GPs get to stitch up someone who’s been savaged by a leopard? Or see a case of plague?”

“I can see the attraction,” Rivka said. “But don’t you get lonely?”

“Not often. No time for it, really. Before you came, most nights I just fell into bed and hoped no one would turn up with a

broken leg before dawn.” Claire took a long gulp of her drink.

“Ah, whisky, rightly called ‘the water of life’.”

“Speaking of people turning up with broken legs, there’s someone knocking at the door now. You see who it is and I’ll check the bunnies.”

When Rivka had stirred the stew and put in the rest of the vegetables, she went in search of Claire. Raised voices drew her to the surgery, where Professor Harcourt was saying, “I thought it would go away by itself.”

“I wouldn’t have thought a Harvard graduate would need to be told that a blood blister this size needs attention. But, as they say, ‘you can always tell a Harvard man, but you can’t—”

“—tell him much.’ I know, I know. Ow! do you have to do that?”

Rivka came to the door and said, “What’s wrong? Do you need help to hold him down, Claire?”

“Probably. The big baby has a blood blister and I need to drain it. He didn’t see fit to mention it to you this afternoon, but he dropped a rock on his thumb, and now the pressure has built up and is causing pain.” Claire picked up a lancet. “Hold still!”

“What about a bit of medicinal whisky?” Rivka suggested.

“Anything to keep him quiet,” Claire said, swabbing the purple thumbnail and wrapping a gauze pad around it.

Rivka fetched a healthy drink and gave it to Harcourt with a sympathetic smile. He looked rather pale and was trying not to watch what Claire was doing.

“This will hurt, but try not to jump. One good poke and the pressure will be released, and you’ll feel a great deal better,” Claire explained.

“Rivka, can you hold the wrist firmly?” With a practiced motion, Claire punctured the sac of blood trapped under the thumbnail and folded the gauze pad over the wound while it drained.

“There. I’ll keep a bit of pressure on it for a few minutes, and with any luck, it will heal itself with no further trouble. I’ll give you some antiseptic to soak in twice a day, just to keep it clean.

What were you thinking of, driving yourself up here with your injured ankle? You’ve probably put back your recovery by several days.”

“If I’d thought I could survive until Obed returned in the morning, I’d have done so, but it hurt so damned much, and I couldn’t bring myself to poke something under the nail. I’m not even good at taking splinters out of myself.” Harcourt took a long swallow of his drink, shuddered, and said, “That’s better.”

“Well, what a lucky thing the Queen has appointed a medical officer to look after you. I’ll put a loose bandage on for now and we’ll keep an eye on it. You’d better stay here for a bit and have some of Rivka’s stew, then if the blister has drained thoroughly, I’ll bandage the thumb up properly.”

“That’s very kind of you, Doctor,” Harcourt said, almost humbly.

“None of this would have been necessary if you’d done as I advised and taken it easy while the sprain healed,” said Claire.

“Like you took it easy after your accident?” grinned Harcourt.

“Not the same thing at all,” snapped Claire.

“Well, I have a limited time to get through a lot of work and I didn’t think it would do any harm to go out to the work site and keep an eye on things.”

“And now you know better.”

“Children, children, make nice. What do you say we sit in the living room while the stew finishes cooking?” Rivka suggested.

Settled on the couch beside Wellington, who sniffed him, hissed, and then settled down with his head on Harcourt’s knee, the patient was given another drink and Rivka directed the conversation to the safe area of Tshani history.

When she came back from checking on the stew one last time before serving it, Rivka found Claire and the professor arguing about anthropology. Settling herself on a stool with her sketchpad, she began a drawing of Harcourt, with an eye to giving it to him as a joke one day.

“There are clear indications of Nilo-hamitic influences in 23

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the Batshani,” Claire was insisting, while Harcourt countered with the theory that Arab traders had come inland from Mozambique and mingled with the local bushman stock, producing a hybrid race.

“Fascinating though this is, perhaps we could continue at the table,” Rivka said, waving toward the dining room. Still arguing, Claire tried to help Harcourt to the table, but he insisted on limping in under his own power with the aid of the cane. Rivka shook her head; her attempts at peacemaking seemed doomed.

Over dinner, she entertained the others with the story of meeting Shaka and Sindi. “They’re beautiful, and they’re quite friendly. I was amused to see how much like Wellington they are—they lick their paws the same way, and lash their tails just like he does.”

“Yes, they’re lovely animals,” Claire said.

“I’ve been called to Enkalovu on a couple of occasions to act as leopard doctor when the vet wasn’t available. Shaka gets stomach aches, and once Sindi cut her footpad, so the Queen sent for me. It was a bit scary the first time, but they really are gentle with people that Thandi tells them are friends. I wouldn’t want to try sneaking into the compound without having been introduced. I’m sure they’d dismantle an intruder in short order.”

Comfortably full of excellent rabbit stew, and with his thumb securely bandaged, Harcourt turned down the offer of a bed for the night and left shortly after coffee was served.

Listening to him clashing gears down the street, Claire said, “That’s the stubbornest man I’ve ever met.”

“Good looking, though,” Rivka observed,

“and intelligent.”

“Intelligence without common sense is useless,” Claire snorted, snapping the bolt on the front door and switching off the porch light. Rivka didn’t push the point. She simply asked, “When do you think we could start looking for Khonzi’s mysterious diamond site?”

“We? You mean you want to help?”

“Well, I’m not letting you go off into the hills on your own.

I can

bring my sketchbook and get some work done while you’re scrabbling around in the rocks. I want to draw some of the local flowers.”

Claire looked uncertain, but agreed it could be helpful to have another pair of eyes. “That might be a good idea—you can mind my medical bag while you’re drawing. If we find Elspeth while we’re looking for the diamond source, I might need the bag. I can hardly scrabble in the rocks, as you put it, with twenty pounds of medical gear.

“To answer your question, I’ll send a message to the Queen first thing in the morning and if she agrees, we can get started tomorrow afternoon. Well, I’m ready for bed. Goodnight, Rivka, thanks for cooking.”

Scooping up Wellington, Claire went to her room and got ready for bed. Later, lying in the dark and trying to map out a search pattern, Claire found Harcourt’s sardonic grin coming and going like a Cheshire cat in her thoughts. Sending a mild curse in his direction, she put the pillow over her head and eventually fell asleep.

Chapter Five next month ...

Death in the Sea of Grass With Karen Treanor’s kind permission, Swan Magazine will be serialising Death in the Sea of Grass over the coming year - but if you can’t wait to find out who dunnit or why they didit, you can buy the whole book as a downloadable ebook from Fido Publishing for the bargain price of only $4.99 from their website on www.fidopublishing.com.

While there you might like to browse her other books which are all available through Barnes and Noble (www. barnesandnoble.com.) or Amazon on www.amazon.com.

25

FICTION

DEATH IN BURGUNDY JAMES FORTE

I

out at the sky. It had the texture of old porridge. It was snowing again. “He told me his story.”

No matter how committed an explorer you may be, there comes a time when the heat, insects, diseases and sheer inhospitality of the Amazon jungle tells you it is time to go home.

For Henri Fournier, that time was now. Home was a small village among the vineyards of Burgundy in central France.

Henri and his colleagues had been making good progress studying the local Indians and documenting their culture. Thus each time he had made preparations to depart, there had been pleas from the others to stay a little longer. Then two events had decided the matter for him.

In 1925 it took a long time for messages to reach so far up the tributaries of the great river.

He did not hear about the deaths of his parents until three weeks after their funeral, but there was now a need for him to go and tidy up family affairs.

This coincided with his discovery of some taboo aspects of the Indian culture. He had a conversation with an elder while the latter was under the influence of some strange liquids.

This had revealed a sacred curse; one which might be called down upon your enemies. A curse which no white man was supposed to hear, let alone understand. That night Henri and an assistant packed a canoe. They headed down the tributary, towards Manaus, as fast as they could go.

Henri’s only remaining relation was a brother, Jules, who was one year younger. Throughout their school years they had been extremely competitive over the fair Estelle. She never seemed able to make up her mind between them. They were of much the same height, equally handsome, athletic and great

t stopped snowing as we pulled into Saint-Jean-de-Losne and the platform was an unblemished white until we crunched across it. In the car park, buses were neatly lined up, ready to fan out through the villages along the Saône.

I found mine and thanked the driver for having kept his engine running. I remembered how bitterly cold it could get in Burgundy.

The sky was a uniform lead colour – exactly the same as that morning the agent de police and I found the body.

So many years ago. Madame Estelle Fournier and I were now the only two still alive – or so she had said in her letter – and I believed her. She, her husband, his brother and I were all born in 1902 or 03. We boys were too young to serve in that army that was destroyed at Verdun.

The Fourniers had grown up together. I was an étranger – born three villages away and in 1925 that was only slightly closer than China. A month before the murder, I had been posted there for more forestry training. A fortnight after, I departed for Provence and the Mediterranean, but Madame had kept in touch.

Now we were 84 and did not travel well.

Only Madame could get me back here – particularly in the middle of winter. She had been staying in a superior level of nursing home for some years and was sitting up in bed with a bowl of hot broth when I arrived. Her illness and age could not hide her beauty. And at twenty-two she had been the most handsome creature I had ever met.

She pushed her bowl away as I removed coat, scarf and gloves. I leaned over the bed for an awkward embrace and three kisses in true Burgundy style. She asked if I had eaten and when I mentioned a croque-monsieur on the train she tutted, rang a bell and demanded some bread, soup and a glass of red wine for her visitor.

She smiled. “You must make yourself comfortable. We have stories to compare and – perhaps – to complete.”

“But Madame, what more is there to say? I heard your statement to the police. You heard mine. It is a mystery.”

“My husband died five years ago. There were a few things he told me. Things which I will tell you. Then perhaps we can work it out.”

I nodded. “I would like that very much.”

“I run out of breath so quickly. Tell me what you remember. Tell me about Henri.”

“D’accord. I only talked to him once. It was a winter night and we shared a bottle of very good Burgundy in his lodge. He was well off. He’d just got back from South America. And his parents had left him a good inheritance.” I looked 26

company. Eventually their animosity had reached such a level that their father made it clear the village was not big enough to keep them apart.

Henri had joined an expedition to the remote parts of Brazil while Jules had signed-on to a small cargo ship trading around French Polynesia.

Sadly for Henri, telegraphic communication to Papeete was much better than to the headwaters of the Amazon and news of the loss of their parents reached Jules while his ship was in port. He beat Henri home by a whole month. Within days he had moved into the family home and proposed to Estelle.

With several years of savings to spend on gifts, he was accepted and they were married ten days later. This was all something of a shock to Henri when the Marseille train reached Dijon and he bumped into an old friend with a car. On the ride to the village he was seething but the greeting and conversation with his brother was icily formal.

Estelle gave Henri three kisses on the cheeks as befitted a new sister-in-law. The two brothers visited the church and the graves together.

Henri would not stay in the family home with the newlyweds. That would be quite impossible. There was a small cabin, once used as a lodge for hunters, three kilometres away in the forest. Henri rented it, acquired a wolfhound called Lobo for company, and moved in.

It had a telephone, plenty of shelving for books and a large desk beneath a window where Henri could write. Within a few days, the first snow of winter arrived. Henri started to consider another exploration – perhaps to Africa. Life in the forest was cold. However the invitation to spend Christmas Day at the family home was warm.

Jules engaged a cook and servant for the dinner and made sure that at no time were Henri and Estelle alone together.

In fact everyone’s behaviour was entirely proper. After the exchange of kisses, Henri made no attempt to engage in any form of intimate conversation with Madame Fournier. The talk over dinner (and several bottles of a good vintage) was happy and covered the history of the village while the men had been away. In turn, the brothers told of adventures in the South Seas and the strange customs of the Amazonian Indians.

Estelle devoured the stories of the two brothers and begged for more. Eventually Henri confessed his discovery of the Indian secret and the need to leave the jungle in a hurry.

“You mean you have a curse which could kill us?” Estelle gasped.

“It’s a superstition,” her husband insisted.

“Correct,” Henri confirmed. “The victim would have to believe in it, for it to work.”

The conversation moved on to happier topics and the dinner broke up at one in the morning.

Lobo, who had been feasting in the snug kitchen, was not happy at walking home to the cabin through the snow.

In January, the French legal system made progress with the division of the parents’ estate. Both brothers should be able to live comfortably. As the older, Henri was awarded the family home in the village. They would have to come to some agreement. For a couple of weeks, Jules and Estelle could stay in the house. Henri was happy in the cabin. ~o0o~ I had arrived in the village just after Christmas and had met Jules and Estelle at church but did not know them well.

Henri was there too but sitting several pews away. I took up my duties as the local forester. One evening as I was passing Henri’s lodge he invited me in and told me his story. He had a

particularly fine single malt whisky. It was the first time I had ever drunk whisky and soda – and I still think of him whenever I have one.

It was clear to me that he was still in love with Estelle and hated his brother. It was two days later that he died.

I had gone out on an early morning patrol, looking for traces of wild boars. On my way back, I saw him returning from the village with a small bag of groceries and a baguette. It had just stopped snowing but was too cold for conversation - so we waved our bonjours and kept going.

Half an hour later I was at my office making notes on the wildlife when the local policeman rushed in. I was to get my rifle and accompany him to Henri’s lodge where something sinister had happened.

The path through the snow was too poorly defined for bicycles so we ploughed along as fast as we could walk. As we went, I was told that Marie at the village switchboard had handled three phone calls. The first was from Henri to Estelle sounding very agitated and talking of a trap.

The second was shortly after as Estelle tried to call Henri back. They could get no answer. The last was from Estelle to the police demanding an immediate check on the Lodge. She and her husband were concerned about their brother.

As we went, I noticed that there was only a single set of tracks - Henri’s, as he returned from the village. They led straight to the Lodge’s door. In the still air, I could see a thin plume of smoke rising from the chimney. Surely all was well?

Nevertheless I kept a ready grip on my rifle as the policeman knocked on the door. There was no answer although I thought I could hear something moving inside. We both tried the handle and pounded on the door but it was securely locked or barred or bolted.

We walked around the cabin to the windows and peered in through the frost-covered glass. The windows were also locked. There was some heap of an object, near the fire, which might have been a body. The policeman found an axe from near the woodpile and attacked the door.

I continued walking around. The nearest trees to the cabin were at least thirty metres away. All around the snow lay totally undisturbed. There were no tracks other than Henri’s and ours. As we finally chopped the door down and plunged in, Lobo was leaving with equal speed. The wolfhound had clearly had a need to relieve itself for sometime. There was no one there apart from the body. Everything was in its place as I remembered it. There were no signs of any fight.

The body had slumped forward from a chair next to the telephone. Its face was sovcontorted with terror and pain that it was barely recognizable. Its right hand gripped anvunfired revolver. It was clearly futile to take a pulse but I did so anyway.

It was then that I discovered the cause of death. There was a wooden dart in his neck. I had seen pictures of such darts and blowpipes in use by primitive Indians.

I still had my rifle at the ready as we searched the place. The village policeman was quite out of his depth as to procedures for murder scenes. I was not to touch anything in case of fingerprints. Then he picked up the phone and asked to be connected to the Dijon Police. The cabin was quite deserted.

Henri appeared to have been terrified and had bolted the door and all the windows. Such winter cabins are snug. There were no holes which might give a draught. The fire was dying but there was too little room for anything to have entered or exited through the chimney. And I checked for any tracks on the roof.

Most puzzling of all was the lack of a tube, catapult or anything which might have been used to fire a dart.

“At least we have the time of death,” grunted my 27

companion. “It must have been in the ten minutes between that call from Henri and Estelle’s calling back. Not suicide. Not an accident. Who did it?”

“Jules or Amazon Indians?”

“Jules is with his wife. And I don’t believe in voodoo or whatever.”

“So what do we do now?” I asked.

“I will guard the place and continue searching. You will go back to the village and break the news to his brother.”

Lobo lollopped back in out of the snow having completed his mission. I found a piece of rope for a lead and took him with me back to the village. I met Jules and Estelle waiting at the end of the track for news. I shook my head.

“I’m sorry. He’s dead.”

Lobo seemed content to go with them. It remembered the warm kitchen. Next stop was the post office - which also housed the village switchboard. Marie got the Dijon police again and I explained the situation in detail. After hanging up, I guessed that she had probably been listening in to the calls for the Lodge.

Marie shrugged. “He sounded terrified. Talked about being in a trap. Madame Fournier calmed him down. Told him to lock the door and windows and get his gun.”

“Can you remember the exact words?”

“Go and talk to her. And her husband. They can tell you.

They told him to sit tight near the phone while they called the police.”

“Did you hear Monsieur Jules or just Madame?”

Marie thought a moment. “Madame had the phone… but Monsieur was there alright. When she called me back – to connect her to the Lodge, he was giving her a squeeze. She told him to stop it.”

I pondered this as I started back to the cabin. Jules was the obvious suspect – his brother wanted his wife and was getting the family home. But apparently Jules was with Estelle. He certainly was not at the cabin at the time of the murder. And why would he use a dart? And how did anyone get into and out of that cabin with a blowpipe?

The policemen was glad to see me. Said he’d not touched anything but was desperate for a drink.

He’d found Henri’s whisky. No soda so he’d put some snow in it.

I walked around the building again. Trying to check everything. I simply could not find any way of firing a dart into that room. Then, because I had nothing else to do, I did a wide circle of the lodge, just inside the trees. And found the tracks. Someone – a man I was sure – had come from the opposite direction to the village, through the trees.

He had stopped behind bushes in a position where he could watch the cabin. It was too far away to be able to shoot a blowpipe or even see what was happening inside. Then I noticed disturbed snow on the lowest branch of an oak. Just the right height for steadying a telescope - to see through a cabin window.

Soon after that the men from Dijon arrived. I told them all I knew and was dismissed.

Five days later, we were all called to the Mairie at Saint-Jean-de-Losne where our statements were checked. Death had been quick. The dart was tipped with some substance used by Amazon Indians. Whoever had been

watching the cabin had made absolutely sure he left nothing behind but vague footprints in the snow.

The Fourniers had made a statement which agreed with Marie’s story. They had had a terrified call from Henri. What had caused this terror they could not say. They had told him to get his gun and barricade himself in. The dog would bark if anyone approached the cabin. Just sit tight while they called the police.

According to the telephonist’s log there was then a tenminute gap before they tried to call him back. Apparently Jules had stalled any action which might help Henri, but then Estelle had become insistent and had called him.

The police investigated the matter in an efficient manner. No Indians from Brazil had entered the country or been seen around the area. Revenge for Henri discovering the curse was ruled out. Perhaps he had made the dart to shoot at Jules and someone had killed him with it first. But who?

Jules was at home with his wife and there was no way into or out of the locked cabin. Could he have accidentally stabbed himself with it? In the back of his neck? And why the terrified phone call? Over the next two months the resources on the case were reduced until it was eventually put in a filing cabinet marked ‘still open’.

I did not see Estelle or Jules again – they were not at church the next Sunday and a week after that I was posted to Provence. ~o0o~ I smiled at Madame Fournier in her room at the nursing home. “There – that is the whole story as I know it. The mystery remains.” She returned my smile.

“I loved them both. They were such wonderful brothers.

Tall, adventurous, tanned from a life in the tropics. Perhaps Henri a little more. Young girls love to have boys fighting over them. But Jules came home first and I married him. And we had a wonderful life together.”

“I’m glad.”

“The policeman died during the war.

In the Resistance. Marie died five years ago. My husband left me a couple of weeks later. He was seventy-nine. I buried him next to Henri’s grave.

Maybe they are still gently sparring over me. In heaven.”

“So we really are the only two left.

As you said in your letter. And you hinted that you had a story to compare with mine.”

I did not think that eighty-four yearold invalids could become coquettish. But Estelle could. Her eyes really did twinkle when she said: “I know who was at the oak tree with the telescope.”

“Your husband told you before he died?”

“Oh, no. I knew long before then.”

“Who? I always thought it might be Jules. But he was with you.”

Estelle took her time before answering. “Your suspicions were correct. I gave him a false alibi. He was not with me when I phoned Marie. I was acting as if Jules was squeezing me.”

I stared at her in surprise.

“I could not betray my husband,” she said.

“So it was Jules in the forest with the telescope!”

Estelle shook her head.

“Henri.”

28

“Henri? He was observing his own cabin from the trees?

And then walked back through the forest, to the main road, into the village and bought his baguette – before I saw him?

Impossible.”

She just smiled.

“Madame,” I said, “I’m an expert at tracking. Whoever was at the oak tree was there when the murder was committed.

Henri could not kill himself.”

“But he did. He sacrificed his own identity. Henri ceased to exist.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Henri brought that special poison back from South America. He was going to study its properties. Only he knew how to make that poison dart. And he used it.”

“On himself?”

“On Jules. That body was Jules. The face was contorted.

Everyone assumed it was Henri because it was his cabin.”

I sat, thinking hard. There were many issues to rearrange in my head. Then Estelle told me her story. ~o0o~ She had loved them both. After the death of their parents, the two brothers had hastened home. But Jules arrived first. No one knew if Henri was still alive. He had disappeared into the Amazon jungle ages ago. So Estelle married Jules. Then Henri had turned up and everyone became very formal. They could stay in the house while he took the old hunting lodge in the forest. Until the parents’ estate was settled and then he might move on – perhaps to Africa.

It was at the Christmas dinner that she realized she loved Henri more. She managed to pass him a note as he was leaving with Lobo. More notes were left in pews at the church on Sundays. They hatched a plan – although Estelle never quite believed they would go through with it. And there were certain details that Henri did not reveal.

Henri wrote a letter to Jules inviting him to a meeting at the Lodge. It stated that he was going away again – but would like to make peace with his brother before he went. He wanted to draft something legal to ensure that Estelle would always be looked after. She could have Henri’s share of the estate. Jules was suspicious, but Estelle urged him to go. To take some bread, cheese and wine to the cabin and to talk things through.

It was Jules that I saw wrapped up warm and trudging through the snow that morning. Henri had already bought himself provisions and was waiting at the oak tree to observe.

When Jules reached the cabin he found a fire burning and the dog dozing in front of it. But no Henri. He was now convinced it was a trap. He rang Estelle.

As per the plan, she told him to barricade himself in, get the gun and stay near the phone while she called the police.

She waited ten minutes then called back. No answer. She called the village switchboard and asked for the police. And acted as if Jules was there and getting amorous.

Soon after, Henri arrived and told her that Jules was

dead. He started wearing Jules’ clothes and took over his identity. They were similar in looks and height. Most of all they were both heavily suntanned in a village of white faces. Henri was warmly dressed with a scarf around his face when I arrived with the bad news. And Lobo was happy to see his owner.

Jules was buried as if he were Henri. Henri took over Jules’ life. Estelle had the husband she wanted. She had been complicit in a murder. She did not know the details of how it had been done. The Fourniers lived a good life. They did not have children so they founded an orphanage – the largest in the district. And they never revealed their secret. ~o0o~ Estelle and I sat quietly in her room pondering the stories. Finally I spoke.

“We still do not know how Henri killed Jules. He had set it all up. He was watching the cabin with the telescope through the trees. But the cabin was locked on the inside. Jules was alone. He had a gun. The dog would have barked. There was no way of firing a poison dart into the Lodge. It’s quite impossible.”

“I hoped – with the extra information – we could work it out.”

Suddenly I sat up. “Something I just said… it’s not true.

Jules was not alone. There was the dog. The dart could not have been fired outside the lodge. It was locked and sealed.

Therefore it must have been from inside. Either Jules triggered some form of booby trap or it was the dog!”

Estelle nodded slowly. “Just before he died… Henri became very sentimental – remembering Lobo. He always said that that hound was so easy to train. To entertain the children, the orphans, he made an apparatus with a pedal.”

“What sort of apparatus?”

“When Henri blew a hunting horn, Lobo would wake up and press on the pedal which would release a stick with a pin which would burst a balloon. The children loved it. Then Lobo would pick the stick up in its mouth – like playing ‘fetch’ – and take it over to Henri.”

I never thought people actually ‘smote their brow’ - as one reads in novels. But that is what I did.

“When we chopped the door down…” I tried so hard to visualize the scene. We had been concentrating on getting to the body. The dog had been trying to get out. “Lobo had something in its mouth.”

“Could it have been a blowpipe?” Estelle asked.

“I know how it was done. So clever.”

“Handsome and clever,” Estelle nodded.

Henri knew all about blowpipes and poison darts. But you need something to blow. He would have converted his soda siphon cartridge. Remember how the policeman could not find any soda for his whisky? A bit of carpentry. A pedal for the dog to press – fires the blowpipe. But dogs can’t aim blowpipes. So it had to be fixed. Pointing at something. And you told Jules to sit next to the telephone and wait.”

“Mon Dieu! I made him the target. My husband. I killed him.”

“Non, Madame. You were just carrying out Henri’s instructions. You did not tell the dog to shoot. Henri was watching through his telescope. He waited until Jules sat down with his back to a small tube. He blew a hunting horn. The dog awoke, pressed the pedal and then carried the pipe outside when we broke in.”

“Clever and so handsome,” Estelle whispered.

Silently I gave a small bow, leaned over to embrace Madame for the last time, picked up my coat, scarf and gloves and left.

The End 29

ENTERTAINMENT A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE AT GRADS JENNY HOWARD

B

arry Park’s inspired production of Arthur Miller’s dark and passionate classic drama set on the Brooklyn waterfront will soon be the hottest play in Perth.

Presented by the Graduate Dramatic Society, the great American classic A View from the Bridge will be playing for a very short season this October at UWA’s Dolphin Theatre.

This passionate drama of desire, jealousy and betrayal recently thrilled audiences in London and Broadway revivals.

Hard working Brooklyn longshoreman Eddie Carbone provides sanctuary for his wife Beatrice’s desperate Sicilian cousins who enter the country illegally.

When Rodopho embarks on a romance with his wife’s niece, Catherine, Eddie’s touching devotion to her becomes terrifying jealousy.

His delusion and progress towards self-discovery

play out with devastating consequences and his cataclysmic downfall is shattering.

Barry Park who is renowned for his skilful productions directs the play.

“This is a rare opportunity to see this transfixing American tragedy,” Park says. “A View from the Bridge is a superbly crafted play and every moment is riveting.

“It will appeal to all theatre lovers, students too, particularly those who love fascinating adaptations of great American plays.

“It’s as relevant today as when it was written, as it’s an intense family drama that concerns the hot topic of illegal immigration.

“It’s clear from the opening scene that something awful is going to happen and the audience watches helplessly as the cataclysmic events unfold. It’s like a modern Greek tragedy.

He quotes New York Times reporter Ben Brantley: "Without your being entirely aware of it, you have been ushered to exactly where Miller wants you to be: the realm of classical tragedy… you realize that these characters not only belong in this world at this moment, but that on some level they always have."

Acting and directing since the 1970s, Park has performed in a plethora of plays, musicals, pantomimes, minstrel shows, films, radio plays and television in Salisbury, Cape Town, Edinburgh, London and Perth.

He is equally at home performing as a pantomime Dame and in comedies such as Black Comedy, A Laughing Matter and She Stoops to Conquer as he is in Shakespearean tragedies such as Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice and Othello.

Several plays Park has directed have won awards, including his production of M. Butterfly, which won gongs for Best Director and Best Play at WA’s annual Finley Awards in 2012.

Concluded on page 50 ...

30

ENTERTAINMENT LUNA LEEDERVILLE BEST METRO LOOKING FOR LOVE AT KADS DAVID GRIBBLE INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN AUSTRALIA

L

una Leederville was awarded the Australian International Movie Convention’s Best Metro Independent Cinema Award at the Australian International Movie Convention in the Gold Coast as voted by the Australian Independent Distributors Association.

“I am really chuffed," said Luna Place Cinema's Managing Director, Ingrid van den Berghe. "I'd like to thank the AIDA members that voted and a big, big thanks to all of the incredible Luna Palace staff that have contributed to this award.

"We are a unique little beast and we continue to strive to punch above our weight, I am really grateful.”

Luna Palace Cinemas is thrilled by the results of its recent expansion project that has seen its Leederville location increase its capacity from four screens to eight (nine in the summer months with the addition of Luna Outdoor).

The investment in this new state-of-the-art environment next to the existing four screens on Oxford Street, Leederville has demonstrated the leading independent arthouse cinemas’ commitment to Leederville. “Luxurious comfort added to a premium aural and visual experience is what we strived to achieve and I am delighted that the renovation achieved all of those elements."

Although the bold design aesthetic is something entirely different, it works beautifully. Wildly talented local designer, Gary Chard again stepped up to the plate seamlessly tying in his work to the two other areas to architecturally depict the evolution of Luna’s success story.

Luna prides itself in its commitment to community values extending from Leederville to its other sites: Windsor Cinema, Nedlands, Luna on SX, Fremantle and Camelot in Mosman Park. No other cinema comes close to the focus on special events to augment the cinema experience, whether it be a visiting director’s Q&A session, an expert panel discussion or other offers like morning teas, soirees or immersive experiences – they’re all designed to go that one step further to offer its patrons a value-added experience.

A

fter twenty-one years of marriage, James Beale walks out on his wife, Molly. She is devastated and after four months of being alone, she has reached rock bottom. Her best friend, Fiona, persuades her to try the “six-step miracle cure” for abandoned wives. The idea being that on completion she will be guaranteed to get her life back together.

Molly agrees and finds that it works. Not only does her husband want to come back, but she has two other suitors vying for her affection. The twists and turns, the intrigues and the misunderstandings on her road to recovery, all add up to a hilarious evening’s entertainment.

This is Raymond Hopkins’ charming and hilarious comedy Looking for Love, directed by Ken Harris and Kalamunda Dramatic Socieyt’s next production.

Looking for Love runs from the 16th November to the 1st December at the Town Centre Theatre, Central Mall, Kalamunda. Curtain up at 8pm (2pm for matinees)

Tickets start from just $12 for Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinee performances.

Saturday the 24th of November is fish 'n chip night! The $30 ticket price includes a delicious fish and chips supper (one night only). Every seat in the intimate Town Square Theatre has an excellent view of the stage.

Free parking on Mead Street and Barber Street or in the Kalamunda Central Shopping Centre Car Park

Call Linda on 0448 779 891 for any booking enquiries or book online on the Kads website: www.kadstheatre.com.au/ whats-on.

Screenwest’s Seph McKenna accepting the award for Luna 31

ENTERTAINMENT 30 FROM 30 CHRIS MCRAE

and quite possibly one of modern cinema’s most memorable villains in Christoph Walz’s Col. Hans Landa, Inglorious Basterds had moments of loud, brash action and riveting, edge of your seat drama. The opening scene in which Landa interrogates a local suspected of concealing Jews is one of the great film openers!

Chris McRae’s favourite movies from his thirty years:

A

PART 3 (2008-2017)

s I reach the third and final part of my ’30 From 30’, I can now officially reflect on thirty years of great filmmaking having turned the big 3-0 only one week ago. This final part breaks down some of the modern masterpieces and those films that are destined to be classics ten, twenty and even fifty years into the future.

2010: INCEPTION Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page

The king of multi-layered storytelling pretty well matches the grandeur of The Dark Knight with the intricately complex and absolutely superb Inception. Perfectly cast and driven by DiCaprio, Hardy, Gordon Levitt and Page, the scienceinspired thrill ride which explores the planting of ideas, the science of dreams and the concept of recursion occuring within layers of dream-states is simply enthralling and Nolan and his cast navigates this intelligent thrill ride with ease. If not already, Nolan has established himself as one of the great modern day filmmakers with this one.

2008: THE DARK KNIGHT Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart

The definitive movie of the decade which turned the superhero genre on its head. Not only a darkly, layered masterpiece but an innovative and superbly crafted exploration of the human psyche with a legacy like no other left by the late Heath Ledger with his manical, unrivalled turn as the Joker. The reason the Oscar Best Picture category was expanded in 2009.

Quite simply, a masterclass from Nolan and all involved.

2009: Director: Starring: Eli Roth

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS Quentin Tarantino Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger and 2011: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 Director: David Yates Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Alan Rickman

The master of bloodlust returned with arguably his most intelligent and terrifyingly calculated script yet. The tale of the Jewish, Nazi-killing gang led by Brad Pitt’s Lt Aldo Raine was a thrill ride like no others. With classic Tarantino ultra violence 32

I, like many my age considered this the official end of my childhood years. The Potter franchise came to a fitting end after seven books and eight films spanning nearly fifteen years.

The Battle of Hogwarts was played out in all its glory with each beloved character getting their chance to shine. There were cheers and tears as the stories and characters that a generation found comfort in graced their screens for the final time. As the Hogwarts express disappeared from Kings Cross with a new generation on board, many found themselves with wands raised whispering…. ‘always’.

2012: PRISONERS Director: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis and Melissa Leo

With Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal at the wheel in this darkly atmospheric drama, the terrifyingly real concept of child abduction is explored with incredible effect. When Keller Dover’s (Jackman) six year old daughter goes missing, he becomes frustrated with the apparent lack of effort from the authorities led by Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal). At his wits end, he takes matters into his own hands, heading down a dark path of violence and an insatiable need for revenge. Stunningly shot, visercal and starkly realistic, this is an incredible achievement

by Denis Villeneuve.

2013: DJANGO UNCHAINED Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson

Tararantino takes to the wild west with the gunslinging, all star thrill ride Django Unchained. It follows the exploits of former slave Django (Jamie Foxx) after he is rescued from chains

by German bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) and goes on a blood soaked revenge seeking mission to rescue his wife from the brutal plantation owner Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).

A perfect blend of the classic Tarantino-esque revenge story coupled with the iconic western genre conventions and backdrop. Django is wild in nature and wildly entertaining. The climactic showdown is not for the faint hearted but boy this is a fun ride!

2014: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie and Matthew McConaughey

The iconic Martin Scorese returns to the directors chair and once again teams up with Leonardo DiCaprio (their fifth feature film collaboration) for a wild tale inspired by the life of Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort. DiCaprio gives a frenetic performance as the sex, drug and money fuelled Belfort who lives the high life amidst debauchery, scamming and corruption, reaping the benefits all the while. The film does not hold back with every lewd, crude detail played out and the key cast of DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie lapping it up. An insanely entertaining and incredbily eye opening biopic which leaves you wondering…just how is Belfort still alive!!?

2015: Director: Starring: Paul Reiser

WHIPLASH Damien Chazelle Miles Teller, JK Simmons, Melissa Benoist and

When Whiplash first hit the headlines, it was marketed as a thriller about Jazz Drumming. For many film goers and critics these were two concepts which just didn’t match up. Boy were they proven wrong. Director Damien Chazelle produces an

intense, thrill laced, musical feast which explores the dark side of musicianship and ambition. J.K Simmons plays the terrifying jazz tutor Fletcher in an Oscar winning performance.

You can almost smell the spit firing from his mouth as his obscenity laden, chair throwing antics bring about mental breakdowns and bloody hands in young jazz hopeful Andrew (Miles Teller), all the while pushing him through pain to greatness. The stunning fifteen minute finale remains my favourite ending to a film.

A jaw droppper!

2016: THE REVENANT Director: Alejandro Inirritu Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson

Leonardo DiCaprio finally nabs that elusive Oscar with his jaw dropping performance as 19th Century frontiersman Hugh Glass. After a horriffic bear attack, Glass sustains life threataning injuries and is left to die by his hunting party.

However, his strength, resourcefulness and grit push him to make his way home under threat from natives and his deteriorating body under immensly harsh conditions in order to seek revenge on former confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy).

Part survival epic, part revenge tale, this stunningly aesthetic and largely dialogue free film is a love letter to the setting of the native reservations and a stunning character study led by the Oscar worthy powerhouse performance by DiCaprio. A film that will not be forgotten for quite some time.

2017: DUNKIRK Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh

Without a doubt my favourite director returns, three years after his last feature, Interstellar, with this epic war piece, exploring the famous evacuations from Dunkirk beach during WWII in 1940. In typical Nolan-esque fashion, paralell storylines on separate timelines are established with focuses on young soldiers on land over one week, civilian boats at sea over one day and a pilot in the air over one hour.

Remarkably, the storylines converge and the qualities of humanity, bravery and ultimate sacrifice are interwoven into what is destined to become one of the great war epics. An achievement like no other.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Although not taking top spot for any of the years, the following films would be number two and proved to be just as entralling, stunning, funny or creative. Here are my 30 from 30 Honourable Mentions:

Big (1988), Batman (1989), Home Alone (1990), Father of the Bride (1991), Sister Act (1992), Mrs Doubtfire (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Toy Story (1995), Jerry Maguire (1996), LA Confidential (1997), Armageddon (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Brokeback Mountain (2005), The Departed (2006), Hot Fuzz (2007), Once (2008), Slumdog Millionaire (2009), The King’s Speech (2010), The Social Network (2011), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Great Gatsby (2013), Interstellar (2014), Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), La La Land (2016) and The Greatest Showman (2017).

I look forward to many more films, many more memories and many more moments which inspire, uplift, thrill and excite through the magic of the movies. I thank you for reading my 30 from 30 over the past three issues and hope you may have discovered something new to watch for your next movie night!

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ENTERTAINMENT BLOCKBUSTERS ON THE HORIZON

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CHRIS MCRAE

ith spring in the air and summer beckoning, the blockbuster movie season is upon us with the release slate for the coming months looking very enticing indeed. With October

A STAR IS BORN (18th October)

The premise of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in a musical themed romance is one which you would not think of straight away. However, the pair join forces in A Star Is Born, the story of an ageing musician (Cooper) who helps young artist Ally (Gaga) find her place in the world by drawing her into the spotlight. The singing is top notch from both and this could well be the surprise of the year and a sleeper hit!

Also Watch For: Bad Times At The El Royale and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (1st November)

After a shaky start to production, this long awaited Freddie Mercury biopic finally blasts off with Rami Malek donning the famous moustache and strut of the late Queen frontman. Malek could well be Mercury’s twin with the look absolutely uncanny. The music is big, the scale is bigger and the performances look to be out of this world. Do not miss what is set to be one of the cinema events of the year!

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD (15th November)

After a nostalgic return to the Wizarding World in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, the magical world continues to grow in this highly anticipated sequel.

The wizarding universe expands even further as Jude Law is introduced as a young Albus Dumbledore and Johnny Depp brings the wicked Gellert Grindelwald to life. This is set to be bigger, better and even more magical than the first and both new and old Potter fans are excited as to what it will bring.

through to January often producing some top notch films and awards season looming, we take a look at some of the most anticipated films of the blockbuster season to get excited about!

VENOM (4th October)

Promoted by the tagline ‘the world has enough superheroes’, this visceral anti-hero spectacle driven by Tom Hardy is set to be ferocious and unlike any Marvel film before it. It follows Eddie Brock (Hardy) who is taken over from the inside out by a symbiote, transforming him into the terrifying alter-ego Venom. With arresting visuals and intense action, Venom is set to turn the excitement up to eleven.

FIRST MAN (11th October)

Following up from his award winning La La Land, director Damien Chazelle turns his attention to the world of true story, chronicling the journey of astronaut Neil Armstrong in his quest to be the first man on the moon. Regular leading man Ryan Gosling steps into Armstrong’s shoes and the story is one of dreams, desire and humanity. An incredible combo and set to be a stunning film.

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ENTERTAINMENT TIME LADY ARRIVES

LONG LOST TREASURES

THE ROCKET POST (2007)

DOCTOR WHO SEASON 11 PREVIEW

CHRIS MCRAE

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t was July 2017 and an entire fandom (quite possibly one of the most passionate of all) sat with bated breaths by computer screens for what was set to be one of the most anticipated television reveals in history. Just who would play the 13th regeneration of the iconic time lord known simply as ‘The Doctor’.

The internet went into meltdown as Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker was revealed as the 13th Doctor, heralding a new and historic era for the beloved sci fi classic. The first female to ever play the character, Whittaker is set to bring a fresh energy and whole new following to the series and will inspire young women around the world.

The casting choice and revamp of the series by new show-runner and writer Chris Chibnall was met with praise by many but was not without its reactions of hesitation and disappointment from many die hard fans. Some classic ‘Whovians’ were not impressed by the choice and many thought the casting of a female doctor was a socially motivated choice.

In an era where equality in the media and filmmaking is consistently in the public eye (the ‘Me Too’ movement at the 2018 Academy Awards was an example), the choice to cast Whittaker in the role simply comes down to the fact that she is the best for the job. As a relatively new (and completely obsessed) Whovian, I am excited about the choice and am looking forward to Whittaker’s take on the character as she follows the legacy left by Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston in the modern era and the iconic regenerations of Doctors from the Classic era. So here is what to expect from Doctor Who Season 11.

Recent interviews with Whittaker and Chibnall suggest that things will be done differently in this series of ‘Who’. The latest official trailer features Macklemore’s ‘Glorious’ in replacement of the classic themes and the updated theme tune will not be heard until Episode 2.

Whittaker’s Doctor is also joined by not one companion but three and will be more focused on a team approach to the perils and excitement the Doctor is thrust into on her travels. Playing her companions are Tosin Cole as Ryan, Mandip Gil as Yasmin and Bradley Walsh as Graham. Finally, the tag line ‘it’s about time’ may be a nod to the new gender of the Doctor but hints at the fact that it is time for change and the series is getting a jolt of that in large doses.

F rom what has been seen thus far, Jodie Whittaker’s approach to the character draws on the past whilst also bringing her own energy and vitality to the character. In the 2017 Christmas special, her one and only line of ‘Oh Brilliant’ gave a child-like sense of wonder reminiscent of Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. From footage seen, this energetic sense of wonder and adventure will drive Whittaker’s Doctor along with a sense of empathy and care for others.

Set to be an absolute rollercoaster and brilliant fun, Doctor Who Season 11 will throw viewers headfirst into the unknown and I for one can’t wait. Doctor Who Season 11 premiered on the 7th October and airs weekly on ABC.

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CHRIS MCRAE

ery much a film that flew under the radar having been produced by the independent Lionsgate Company, the 1930’s British Romantic Drama The Rocket Post is well worth your time.

Set in the mid 1930’s, just before the commencement of WWII, the story follows young German rocket scientist Gerhard Zucher (Ulrich Thompson), a man with ambition and scientific skill. He arrives on a small Scottish island in order to test a rocket system designed to be used for mail delivery between the island and the mainland.

Whilst there, he meets the lovely Catriona Mackay (Shauna Macdonald), a young local and love soon blossoms. The locals do not trust Zucher at first and both he and his technology are met with hesitation by the islanders. With WWII looming and Zucher due to join the ranks, Zucher must soon make a choice and the power of love is tested.

Firstly, the scenery in this film is spectacular with the Scottish coastline providing natural wonder to the film’s cinematography and providing a metaphor for the relationship challenges faced by Gerhard and Catriona. It is beautifully set and both the plot and acting match the nature of the location.

It is a tender film which tackles the reality of war and the heartbreaking effect that it had on love and connection.

The fact that the film was based on a true story makes it even more poignant and director Stephen Whittaker creates and brings to life a highly believable story with moments of joy, empathy and heartbreak.

Ulrich Thompson and Shauna MacDonald are excellent as Gerhard and Catriona respectively and bring a tenderness and believable chemistry to their roles. The supporting cast includes Billy Elliott’s Gary Lewis, Grey’s Anatomy’s Kevin McKidd and British acting chameleon Eddie Marsan are also terrific.

The Rocket Post will make you laugh, cry and make your heart soar. It will make you believe in the power of love and connection, even when all seems lost.

The Rocket Post is available on DVD online.

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TV WITH CHRIS laughs do come every now and then. However, I found myself cringing more than chuckling and left disappointed after what seemed to be a promising set up and some laugh out loud promotional trailers.

Paradise PD Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

PARADISE PD Season 1

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here was a time when adult-oriented animated comedies ruled the small screen.

With cult offerings such as South Park, The Simpsons and (early) Family Guy, the wit, combined with some lewd, crude and quite often socially-charged laughs proved a match made in heaven.

With Family Guy on it’s last legs and the Simpsons now proving to be the veteran of the bunch, a new wave of adult comedies are arriving via channels such as Adult Swim and Comedy Central. Some are in fact still in the league of pure gold. Rick and Morty and Archer are not only two of the best adult animations around but are regarded as two of the best comedies on TV. However, the latest Netflix bound offering from Comedy Central and the creators of cult sleeper Brickleberry have created a comedy which more often misses its target than nails the bullseye. Paradise PD follows a bunch of inept police officers, labelled ‘the worst responders’.

Young Kevin Crawford (voiced by David Herman) follows in the footsteps of father Chief Randall Crawford (Tom Kenny) by joining the police force. What follows is one embarrassing turn after the other with often disastrous results including an all-toopainful to watch gun mishap.

Paradise PD tries to build on the legacy created by juggernauts such as South Park and Family Guy by allowing its laughtrack-free, tongue-in-cheek humour to do the talking.

There are some chuckles early on but the series soon descends into one toilet joke after another and the line becomes a blur with some seriously questionable scenarios involving police squad cars and sexually frustrated animals.

Paradise PD is not without some merit however.

The character stereotypes are well handled and at times relatable and the

MANIAC From the creative mind behind the critically acclaimed True Detective and Beasts of No Nation comes the latest from Cary Joji Kukanaga.

Maniac, which possesses the star power of Emma Stone and Jonah Hill as its leads, is a limited Netflix miniseries and is unlike anything the platform has ever seen before.

Hill plays Owen Milgrim, an outsider and black sheep of his family. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Owen does not know where to turn next. Stone is Annie Landsberg, a pill dependent young woman who is drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical drug trial and talks her way into the trial as a subject.

Owen also finds his way into the trial and as the two strangers make choices about which drugs to take, their worlds are turned upside down as the walls between reality and fantasy begin to blur and their lives take an unexpected turn into the unknown.

Very little about this series was revealed in the lead up to its release other than some short promos and visually arresting stills. The look of the show is stunning with a neon 80’s feel and some truly unique aesthetics.

Hill and Stone’s characters shift in time, place and action and the plot moves effortlessly in-between time and historical periods as each episode sees the subject thrust into different situations depending on their choices and progress in the trial. Jonah Hill brings out his dramatic acting chops and Emma Stone is an utter chameleon, moving between starkly different characters from one episode to the next.

Maniac is highly unique and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. However it is scintillatingly original, incredibly acted and one of the year’s best.

Maniac is now streaming on Netflix.

Emma Stone in Maniac 36

COMMUNITY THEATRE THEATRE WITH GORDON

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.

- Helen Keller

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LET ME FINISH

et Me Finish is a delightful, hilarious play for adults, written and presented by WA’s Charlotte Otton; not the 92-year old, Illinois born playwright, Charlotte Fennema Otton.

This one-hour Emily Stokoe production can be seen at the Blue Room Theatre Studio in Northbridge, each night at 7.00 pm until Saturday 20th October. Emily who is a WAAPA stage management graduate has shown a great deal of justified faith in her friends by producing this fine show.

The highly original set design was created with the advice of consultant, Olivia Tartaglia. Using 15 cms diameter, white plastic reticulation piping a cuboid framework has been made. It is 2 metres high, with a 5 by 4 metre base. This creates a versatile active area, with stage wings outside of the shape.

Props: There are five, white leather, padded, seat-sized 40 cms cubes. The back wall was formed by colourful ‘shower curtain’ drapes Lighting designer, Phoebe Pilcher is one of those modest talents that only came to my notice around two years ago, when she produced exceptional lighting for Tilt – 2. Phoebe has quietly created something new, interesting and of quality for each show that she has tackled since.

The sound designer, Rebecca Riggs-Bennett has successfully brought her DJ skills to the theatre stage.

Stage manager Jessie Atkins ensured the show flowed smoothly. Two dedicated and much appreciated Auslan interpreters were present at the show I saw.

The colourful lights throb in time to the nightclub music.

A group of five girlfriends all seem to interpret the beat in their own way. One girl screamed an obscenity at someone who had just made an unwanted or bigoted comment. When things become rough on the dancefloor, then the toilet is the best retreat.

The lights rise to show the girls in a line, sitting on ‘toilets’ chatting through the cubicle walls, and doing what one does in a toilet cubicle. They gather in front of the washbasin mirror, and discuss that night’s ‘talent’ along with the odd ‘undesirable’.

Next we learn about their very different love lives, and then, with a flashback we are taken to the privacy of their childhood. With actual family photos, we see the group develop from infants to teenagers, gathering on the way, details of their highs and lows.

The group divulges all, from the joys of youth to the strange love affairs experienced whilst blossoming into adulthood.

The actors bravely, and with no-frills, lay open their lives, sexual emotions, sufferings and obsessions. At times the experiences are horrifying, but mostly we get to share the happy occasions.

WAAPA graduate, writer Charlotte Otton, who now works at the Blue Room, has produced a vibrant idea, filled with controversy.

The director, Phoebe Sullivan, who was assisted by Simone Detourbet, has chosen a strong and proven, cast and crew, all of whom have been connected with numerous key productions.

Delightful Ana Ika was seen recently at Curtin’s Hayman Theatre in major show. Angela Mahlatjie, who has appeared with the Actors’ Hub on several occasions, just radiates her character.

Wonderful Izzy McDonald appeared in one of Murdoch’s ‘presentations of the year’ as Lady Frankenstein.

Since her first week in university theatre studies, Jess Moyle has been extremely busy as both a talented actor and a musician.

In a couple of scenes, the cast sang in five-part harmony. The result was outstandingly beautiful, they should form a group!

Although highly recommended, tickets may be impossible to obtain as this show was a sell-out from its opening night. ~oOo~

THE NOTORIOUS

The Notorious is a romantic, comedy mystery – yes, three plays for the price of one! – and it is having its world premiere here in Perth.

The play was written by Timothy Brain, the playwright of last year’s controversial, Fringeworld thriller The Hostage and the 2016 acclaimed Nexus hit of the year, The Mummy Rises.

Tim is a Fremantle lad who studied theatre at Murdoch a ‘few’ years ago, and now manages their theatres.

This play is co-presented by The Nexus Theatre and ‘From the Hip Productions’. The Notorious is showing for four nights only, at Studio 411 in the grounds of Murdoch University, (opposite car park 4 – free parking) off South Street in Murdoch.

The curtain rises on this 45-minute play at 7.00 on Friday and Saturday evenings until 13th October.

The scene: is a police interrogation room in the New York City Department of Correction.

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The set: was designed by theatre designer and artist, Allison Snell. The walls of the stark room are matt black. The room lighting consisted of three, black coolie-hat metal lamps, with a safety grid fitted beneath.

Timothy Brain has, with both his dialogue writing and inventive direction, created a fast moving and thoroughly enjoyable piece. As the clever storyline unfolded, the three actors were in perfect tune with each other. An impressive cast.

This play, with its small troupe and wonderful script is ideal for the smaller community theatre that is looking for a challenge or something a little different. Great fun, very well presented. ~oOo~

A great deal of care had been taken to give authenticity to situation. The police files and badges were marked with a department logo. The officers carried a pistol on their belt, and a brass police ID. The prisoner was wearing a pair of bright orange, detention overalls.

The lighting came from dim LCD filament globes. The night club was illuminated by multi-coloured spotlights. The sound was crisp with a couple of unusual sound effects required, such as a solenoid door lock. The best sound I have heard in Studio 411.

The stage management was by Sabrina Wyatt. Excellent work by all of the crew.

BLACKROCK

Blackrock was written by Australian playwright Nick Enright in 1992. It was inspired and loosely based on the rape and murder of Leigh, a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl in Stockton NSW. This play started life as A Property of the Clan, written as a practice piece for Enright’s Newcastle Uni students. Soon it was picked up by NIDA and developed into Blackrock.

Because of its wonderful character studies, in 1996 the full version of Blackrock won Enright an AWGIE Award for ‘Best Play’.

It now appears regularly in the final year’s schools’ set book list.

This Theatre Arts at Curtin co-production with the Hayman Theatre Company are presenting the Curtin Theatre students in this heavy-duty play to audiences of all age groups.

The seventy minute play was performed at the Hayman Theatre, in Building 302, Curtin University, Bentley.

A handcuffed female prisoner, Jennifer Bryant (Ella Ewart) is slouched over a table, when the door opens and two police officers enter. One, Detective Wren (Jason Tolj) is cool, and calmly introduces himself, before starting to interrogate the woman. The other, Detective Nolan (Declan Scott Atkinson) however, thinks he is suave, sitting astride the chair he tries the heavy approach.

Even when accused of murder, the female prisoner boldly challenges them back.

What exactly did happen on the previous night?

The scene: is a fictional, Australian working-class, suburban beach in November 1989.

The set: was designed by Rhiannon Walker, and assisted in its creation by John Congear.

The rear wall of the stage is totally black.

Sand is painted onto the black floor. The word ‘Blackrock SLSC’ is emblazoned on side of the proscenium arch. Well-weathered driftwood formed broken fences and steps leading onto the old wooden jetty. A huge grey ‘rock’ (difficult to create but convincing) is in the foreground, centre stage.

The props varied from the sublime radios and beer cans, to the ridiculous fun prop for Rocko.

Well done Tim Lorian and Natasha Weir.

The sound was designed and operated by Isaac Willis. The lighting was designed by Claire Cockell and operated by Nelson Fannon. By clever use of the spotlights, specific areas were picked out, thus keeping the action intimate and eliminating the need for scene shifters.

The stage manager, Rebecca Penn was ably assisted by her ASM, Gabriella Munro. The production manager was Ellis Kinnear.

It is late in the evening, and as Jared Kirby (Sam Addison – powerful) is looking out to sea, his cousin Cherie (Amber Gilmour), who has managed to escape from her overbearing Mum, Glenys (Kiri Siva), walks down to the sand to join him. As they discuss next Saturday’s birthday party for their introverted friend, Toby Ackland (Jaron Herren), Toby’s caring sister, Rachel (Ashlyn Burley – touching) appears on the scene.

The night of the party arrives, and as Jared is leaving home, he gets some maternal ‘be careful’ advice from his sick, divorced mother, Dianne Kirby (Molly Earnshaw). At the beach club, a loud-mouthed surfing star and bully, Brett, generally known as Ricko (Max Gipson – very good) immediately tries to pick on Toby, but sensing that those present want Toby to have a pleasant birthday, he eases 38

off. Ricko is followed closely by his beautiful, starry-eyed love, Shana (Shona Schütz).

Another girl, Tiffany (Pauline Rosman) is mingling and trying to join in with the various groups, but seems to be rejected by most.

As the young teenagers get into the grog and cones, the unsupervised fun turns to debauchery. Toby has sex with a young virgin, Tracy, in the sand dunes. His lovemaking was rapidly followed by violence at the hands of a couple of local yobs, Davo (Taylor ‘Mutta’ Beilby) and Scotty (Liam Borbas) looking for ‘easy meat’.

When Tracy was found dead on the sand, many questions arose. Was Tracy repeatedly raped? Or was she at any point consenting? However, Jared saw the whole incident and having done nothing to save the young victim, is filled with guilt and keen to tell the police. His mother and overbearing father, boxing trainer, Mr Kirby (Calum Christie) are far more worried about the family’s reputation and being dragged into the investigation.

Likewise, when the detective (Thomas Bach) arrives to interview Toby, his protective parents, Mr Ackland (Callan Hodge) and Mrs Ackland (Emily Semple) are far more worried about Toby being dragged into the turmoil than the poor dead girl.

The ensemble included Roy (Travis Koch) and Gary (Tim Lorian).

Even though the above synopsis contains ‘spoilers’, the storyline for this play is fairly obvious from the start, but it is Max Gipson who plays Ricko in Blackrock

Molly Earnshaw as Diane Kirby in Blackrock

mainly concerned with demonstrating the numerous attitudes, morals and behaviour to be found in any small community.

Costumes designer was Kiri Siva and the wardrobe assistants, Kailea Porter and Imogen Rabbitte.

The most realistic stage combat was supervised by WA’s best fight instructor, Andy Fraser.

The drama called for plenty of pace, and with such a prominent, and award winning Western Australian director, Emily McLean at the helm, the play rocked. At times there were several, simultaneous points of action, and so the director fully employed the four entrance / exit points on the stage, and the two auditorium aisles. With such an intimate theatre setting, the tension built very effectively, and with the audience ‘in the round’ they soon became part of the surfing crowd and the party.

The word perfect cast had obviously received clear direction and guidance as to the innate personality traits of each character; however, with a relatively inexperienced cast, and a first class director, one often finds that the talent skills polarise.

The good get much better and the odd, weaker performer – well – should we say gets weaker?

This is a very demanding play to present by requiring anger, violence, modesty, exhibitionism, shame and blatant, male machismo; but this team rose to the occasion, and gave us an admirable night’s entertainment, with plenty to think about when it comes to camaraderie versus decency.

Blackrock has become a piece that demands an explanation as to why any adolescent boy would harm a girl and the potential danger for the future. It is a critique of the limitations of Australian gender stereotypes and a snapshot of the schisms that class creates in our society.

The students asked me to acknowledge the huge amount of help from course administrator, Leigh Brennan.

In the past decade I have seen three production of this play, and this was the most impressive.

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ENTERTAINMENT BLACK SWAN IN 2019

You Know We Belong Together is the repeat and potential subscribers can check the reviews from March this year to gain an idea of what to expect.

Water is a world-premiere drama commissioned by Black Swan. It is set in WA in the near-future. Yes – it looks interesting and I will risk my time and money to see it.

At the top of my list is The Torrents by Oriel Gray.

Congratulations to Clare for including this neglected comedy. In 1955 it tied with Summer of the Seventeenth Doll for the award of Best Australian Play of the year.

It will star Celia Pacquola (Nat in the ABC TV series Utopia) as a journalist on a goldfields paper in 1890. I might go and see this one several times.

After that, the 2019 season gets a bit experimental. For those who enjoy variations on ancient Greek classics, we have Medea. Co-written by West Aussie Kate Mulvany, it focuses on two minor characters from the Euripides original. Definitely worth a look.

Black is the New White is a comedy produced by the Sydney Theatre Company which gave it its premiere in 2017.

There are good reviews on the web. Think of it as an inverted Guess Who is Coming to Dinner with a black professional family inviting the daughter’s unemployed white fiancé to the Christmas festivities. It looks promising.

Finally we have Fully Sikh - another world premiere by another Perth girl. The word play of a respected Indian culture being linked to the subject of vomit, I find rather unsettling. I will check the reviews before trying this one.

As Perth’s only main-stage theatre company, Black Swan has an unenviable task in programming a good mix of classic, of middle-of-the-road and of new experimental theatre – comedies and drama.

Overall Clare has done an excellent job and this season is worth watching. Without our support we can expect to see further belt-tightening next year.

JAMES FORTE

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he initial impression at the launch of Black Swan’s 2019 theatre season was one of quality. There are productions in the ‘must see’ category, supported by the usual ‘interesting’ shows which are designed to open your eyes to new ideas.

However, upon a careful reading and analysis of the accompanying booklet, it became obvious that there is some serious belt-tightening going on. This year has been the first arranged by Clare Watson as artistic director and she has maintained Kate Cherry’s 2017 programme of eight shows. Kate had four by international writers staged in the Heath Ledger theatre and four (labeled ‘lab productions’) in the much smaller Studio Underground. For 2019, the number has been reduced to seven with only three in the expensive Heath Ledger.

Of those seven, one is a repeat from this year and there are five collaborations with other theatre companies. Clare has copped some criticism from Equity WA for the reduction in opportunities for Perth’s professional actors. Unlike in previous years there are no plays by Black Swan’s own Emerging Writers Group.

The programme is unashamedly female-centric. The plays were written by eight contemporary women and one dead guy.

Matt Edgerton is the only male director.

So what of the plays? The theme is “Where the Heart is” and each play is a reflection on home and family.

We start with a classic, mainstream Pulitzer prize-winner: Our Town by Thornton Wilder. As I have never seen this influential drama, it is close to the top of my list.

Celia Pacquola in costume for The Torrents 40

ENTERTAINMENT - REVIEWS ‘NIGHT, MOTHER Reviesed by: Sharron Attwood

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n an isolated country road, in a small house, sitting in the kitchen/ living room, a mother busies herself looking for sweets and yelling out for her daughter.

You soon realise that Thelma intends for tonight to be just like any other night - as she gets ready for her daughter to give her a manicure.

Following her divorce, Jessie has moved in with her Mother, the widowed Thelma, and we soon realise that rather than dealing with the issues surrounding her divorce and strained relationship with her own child, Jessie has filled her time and thoughts by looking after her Mother. Thelma has been all too willing to let Jessie take on the carer role, which may well have hastened her decline into old age.

Gino Cataldo is making his directorial debut in bringing ‘night, Mother to the Old Mill Theatre stage and is to be congratulated for such a strong opening night. Suzannah Churchman, in the role of Thelma and Caroline McDonnell as her daughter Jessie maintain the tension throughout, no small feat I’m sure when given ninety minutes of dialogue and an accent to master. Great performances!

The costuming and set added to the feeling of over-whelm and clutter that has allowed the women to exist to this point – codependent and seemingly ignorant of their issues. Jessie soon shares though, that she has been considering her lot in life, her divorce, her epilepsy, feelings of uselessness and her certainty that there is only one way forward for her – one way out.

Most certainly in a depressed state, Jessie seems to be enjoying the clarity her decision provides as she readies Thelma for life without her.

This play has a long, rich history. Having premiered at the American Repertory Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1982 it went on Broadway in the March of 1983. Featuring Kathy Bates in the role of Jessie Cates it went on to receive four Tony Award nominations for Best Play, Best Actress and Best Director across it run of 380 performances.

Coming to Australia in 1984 it played at Perth’s Playhouse Theatre and was directed by Edgar Metcalf with June Salter in the role of Thelma Cates and Jill Perryman as Jessie Cates. They then went on to tour nationally.

In 1986 a film version was produced to mixed reviews, starring Anne Bancroft as Thelma and Sissy Spacek as Jessie.

The atmosphere of The Old Mill Theatre was well suited to this production as I felt such a part of the conversation – the ebb and flow of two determined women.

A Mother offering to change and be honest about her past up against a daughter so determined to finally finish something. ‘night Mother runs at the Old Mill Theatre from the 5th – 20th October.

smaller, European styled movie house.

All class – and then the movie started.

Winner of Best First Film Nastri D’Argento Awards 2018 and Official Selection Panorama Berlin International Film Festival 2018 the film is a first outing for brothers Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo as writers and directors working with cinematographer Paolo Carnera.

A crime thriller set on the outskirts of Rome, the film starts off with a hopeless, gritty feel as we meet the two central characters on what turns out to be a pivotal night for them, their families and many others who go on to cross their path.

Best friends, Mirko and Manolo deliver pizzas by night, studying during the day, and entertaining one another with their plans for a future filled with money and women. A far cry from their current situation, Manolo living with his father and Mirko with his Mother – both families struggling financially.

Driving home from work in the early hours of the morning the boys are speeding through the empty backstreets, distracted by their planning and scheming, when they hit something. Stopping in the middle of the damp, dimly lit street they look in the rear-view mirror and see a dark figure lying motionless in the middle of the road.

Consumed with panic, Manolo urges Mirko to just drive off, yelling that no one would believe it was an accident. They continue screaming in panic at each other until they end up in Manolo’s home, seeking the advice of his father – who tells them that whilst they are both stupid and cannot be sure no one saw them – it’s for the best that they drove off.

By morning light Manolo’s Father has news about the victim – an informant who was placed under protection for turning on the local mafia. Seeing this an opportunity he gets word to the mafiosa that the boys ‘took him out’ as a favour and seeks an introduction for the hapless pair.

Taking to their new-found reputation as eager killers, the boys agree to a role as mafia enforcers – though still uncomfortable and unsure of what it will feel like to follow through with their assignment.

Mirko is less sure that Manolo, but the bond between the boys sees them move forward together as they enjoy the feeling of respect and the money they now receive.

Whilst you feel for the plight of two friends yearning for a better life, the film does not ask us to be sympathetic about the way they try to get there. Murder, stand over tactics, prostitution and drugs may mean they can give money to their families, but they are ill equipped to deal with the lifestyle and you soon get the uneasy feeling it won’t last and it can’t end well.

Whilst the ending is unexpected – I felt resolute and still not sympathetic, in it being the only option.

Boys Cry runs at the Italian Film Festival until October 17th.

LIVING LA DOLCE VITA

A preview screening of Boys Cry started off with an amazing assortment of pasta dishes freshly prepared by the Cooking Professor and served in the recently renovated foyer of Northbridge institution Cinema Paradiso, which has been acquired by the Palace Cinemas group.

This screening was the first one held in the fully renovated cinema – showcasing the most comfortable seats imaginable, complete with a small table area between each seat and room to move. It’s the kind of luxe you expect from a

Twins Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo 41

FINANCE TEN YEARS ON FROM THE GFC STEVE BLIZARD

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ovember 2018 will mark the tenth anniversary of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and quantitative easing (QE) - undoubtedly the boldest policy experiment in the modern history of central banking.

The GFC storyline goes like this: funds from all over the world headed to the US, where the banks, to finance the US government incentivised housing market boom, developed unsound financial products which then brought down the global financial system.

While the GFC began in 2007, it was the collapse of Lehman Brothers on 15 September 2008 and the events around it which saw it turn into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Low interest rates prior to the GFC saw too many loans made to US homebuyers, of which about forty percent of loans went to people with a poor ability to service them - known as “sub-prime” and “low doc” borrowers.

Unlike the Australian system, many loans were nonrecourse so US home borrowers could simply hand over the keys to the house if its value slumped.

This low-quality lending was encouraged by US government policy that aimed at boosting home ownership and ending discrimination in lending.

It was made possible by a huge easing in lending standards and financial deception that packaged the sub-prime loans into securities, which were then given AAA ratings on the basis that while some loans may default but the risk was offset by the diversified exposure across many loans.

These securities were then leveraged, sold globally (often to local governments, including the City of Swan) and given fancy names like Collateralised Debt Obligations (CDOs).

But after securitisation there was no ‘bank manager’ who was responsible for managing the risk within the loan portfolio.

This lending would cease in 2006, when poor affordability, an oversupply of homes and 17 Fed interest rates hikes saw US house prices slide.

A reduction in credit availability initially caused sharp falls in share markets. Shares rebounded but peaked around late October 2007 before falling about 55 percent as the credit crunch worsened, and the global economy fell into recession.

The crisis went global as losses magnified by gearing mounted, forcing investment banks and hedge funds to sell sound investments to meet redemptions, which spread the crisis to other assets with a domino effect.

International fund Manager, Andrew Clifford, of Platinum Funds Management said that while there can be crises happening somewhere every two or three years, what

distinguished the GFC was how the financial system ground to a halt and how little visibility anyone had.

"It was such a big wipe-out in numerous different areas – whether it was Irish property, Spanish property, US mortgage lending – and the nature of the way the lending had been done, there was this complete lack of transparency,” he said.

“No one could see where the bad debts were falling, and it broke the system."

Almost nothing was immune: "There were truck markets in Europe where they normally sold 40,000, 50,000 – maybe in a bad year 30,000 a month – to three trucks, right?

“These are the stories I remember, to go back and test it is another thing, but there was this complete lack of availability of credit.”

The panic reached a crescendo in Australia on Friday, October 10, 2008 just days before the Rudd government decided to guarantee all wholesale borrowings of Australian banks as well as all retail bank deposits. At that point, Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Guy Debelle said, "global markets ground to a halt, including US Treasuries – the most liquid market in the world."

To help kick start the collapsing global financial system, the US Federal Reserve Bank unleashed unconventional QE monetary policy, untested from the start.

The Fed’s policy was to improve traction in the economy, while meeting its congressionally mandated objectives of maximum employment and price stability. On this count, the verdict on QE remains mixed.

The first tranche (QE1) was very successful in arresting a wrenching the financial crisis during 2009.

But the subsequent rounds (QE2 and QE3) were far less effective.

The anaemic recovery proved the QE payback disappointing, with roughly two percent annual growth over the past nine years, versus a 4 percent lift in in growth in earlier economic cycles.

The great irony of the 2008 financial collapse is that Wall Street, whose reckless risk-taking drove the financial system over the cliff, suffered very few consequences for its actions.

The crisis cost millions of people their jobs and their homes, devastated cities and towns around the world, destroying trillions of dollars in household wealth from the middle class. But the big banks barely skipped a beat, paying no real economic, legal or political price for their misconduct.

Former Commonwealth Bank chief executive, Ralph Norris, echoed the view of legendary US investor, Warren Buffett, that there would be another crisis “sometime”.

“You’d have to say in the best of situations that cycles have a duration of 10-12 years — not many have lasted as long as 12 years and we’re now sitting on 10 years,” Ralph Norris told The Weekend Aus­tralian.

“There’s a lot of unknowns out there and the knowns are not pretty, with trade wars and asset prices as they are, so some difficult times are probably not too far away.

However, Mr Norris downplayed the prospect of a crisis as serious as the one that struck in 2008, with banks far more “discerning” than they were in the lead-up to Lehman’s demise.

Courtesy of Roxburgh Securities Pty Ltd 42

BUSINESS - NETWORKING GET YOUR NETWORKING WORKING SHARRON ATTWOOD

The Coffee Chat – villain or victor of our time and reputation?

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hen we start out in business – or looking to build our networks – we are told that to get to know people better – meet up for a coffee. A one to one.

For some it’s their go to – regularly meeting new people for coffee and a chat. Some groups also advocate it as a necessity – to grow deeper relationships within a referral network.

And therein lies the difference – the difference between a genuine referral network and a networking consisting of anyone who agrees to meet you.

If you commit to a referral group – there is a need to know members well enough to refer them and for them to have the knowledge they need to refer you. In this case it’s often not a sales chat – you may never do business with one another – it’s about the potential to refer.

Lately though – it’s been portrayed as the enemy – of our time and of our reputation.

This column is not going to offer you a clear-cut answer and will most likely raise even more questions and doubt in your mind as to what you should be doing – but let’s agree that it’s not a bad thing. To question how we invest our time, how we grow our business and our networks is worth reviewing.

When I was new and green I’d drive all over Perth to meet with people. I thought I had the time to spend and it seemed to be the expected norm. I also found that the more events I went to, the more trainings and meetings, the more people asked me to catch up. Seemed rude to say no.

At this stage I was also working from home – so getting out and about held a certain appeal. Even now – it can be great to catch up with interesting people, challenging people, and to learn from them.

I also feel that when we are new and beyond eager – we tend to see everyone who happens to be a little better connected than us as a potential saviour. It can take a while, or just a good mentor, to point out the error in this thinking.

What we need is quality over quantity.

In my workshops we always discuss the one to one meeting – coffee may or may not be involved. I’ll emphasise that it must be of mutual benefit – otherwise it’s a sales call and needs to be prefaced as such.

Catching up with someone thinking you are going to learn more about each other in the hopes there is opportunity to refer, only to be faced with a flip chart or half filled out contract is insulting and duplicitous.

Active networking – that is building a network, requires a win/win scenario. You need to know that there is a benefit in you getting to know more about each other. You may not be ideal clients for one another – but you may encounter them.

This is the benefit of networking with active networkers. If they are already out and about meeting people, it’s a benefit for them to know about you and vice versa. It amplifies your chances of getting known.

But to the villainous side of the chat – can I pick your brain? I honestly believe this is where the issue lay.

When there is no mutual benefit, no building a referral network, just a pillaging of our product or service without payment. And to top it off – we’ve also given away our time.

Some groups build a culture around members helping members – so they may not feel it an imposition to seek your help for free – even if what they are wanting is a service you routinely charge for. I see this a lot in women’s groups – and it can make it hard for member to charge members appropriately. Yes, we want to see everyone succeed, but not by giving away our worth. I also find that people take less action when the guidance is free – they don’t value it. Yet a client investing the going rate will benefit exponentially.

So – we can be doing them a disservice by offering free information.

Allow me to reel out the normal response – would you go to a restaurant and eat the food for free just because you want to know if you’ll like it and you kind of know them? Well – no. Why then do we feel that taking the time of an accountant or coach for example – asking specific, personal questions and taking their service, it any different?

Many service based professions offer an intro chat offer – an up-front way to see if you’d be a fit to work together. It may be a short video chat or phone call but the idea is for them to see if you fit as a client as much as it offers a chance for you to size them as a fit for you. Still not a chance for free service!

Just as you pay to fill your belly, you must invest to fill your mind or keep the books in order.

Remember as well that you can ask why someone wants to chat with you – what the expected outcome is. It may offend or confuse some people, but it also shows they hadn’t given it any thought – and they should have before they asked you!

I feel that a blanket no to the face to face can limit your growth and leave your circle quite insular. At times, good karma sees us taking a meeting because we just should – to pay it forward. Not everyone wants to take advantage. Some need to be educated about the etiquette of it all and some need to hear no.

Villain or victor? Depends on who is paying………

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SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK GUILDFORD HISTORIC TOWN PROPOSAL

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he Heritage Council of WA proposes to include Guildford Historic Town in the State Register of Heritage Places.

The Heritage Council is especially keen to hear from owners in property in the Guildford Precinct.

Information is available on www. guildford.stateheritage.wa.gov.au

PROVIDING YOUR VIEW

The department recently sent the Draft Heritage Assessment of Guildford Historic Town, together with a formal request for comment, to all stakeholders. This includes owners within Guildford Historic Town, other key stakeholders and the City of Swan.

If you would like to make a submission on the proposal, this material can also be downloaded using the links below. The register entry will be based on the following three documents so please review these carefully before providing comments:

· Draft assessment documentation

· Curtilage Map – showing the area of land that is proposed to be registered

· www.guildford.stateheritage.wa.gov.au FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is the State Register?

The State Register is a statutory list of places that help tell the story of Western Australia’s history and development. Entry in the Register is reserved for places the Heritage Council has assessed as being of State cultural heritage significance. The Register’s primary focus is on places from British settlement onwards and includes places to which both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians retain a connection. The Register acknowledges the value and importance of a place, and helps promote its conservation into the future. There are currently 1,370 places in the State Register.

Who decides what should be entered in the State Register?

The Heritage Council of WA’s role is to determine the State significance of a place. The Minister for Heritage makes the final decision on whether a place is entered in the State Register.

What is the heritage significance of Guildford Historic Town?

Guildford Historic Town is an area rich in history and heritage. In its highly authentic built fabric, Guildford

illustrates at least five key periods in the State’s history, with simple Georgian buildings from the foundation of the Colony, brick public buildings of the Convict era, imposing and opulent buildings of the Gold Boom period and fine examples of residential and civic buildings of the Federation and Inter-War periods, all of which together form a cohesive precinct.

As one of three towns established in 1829 in the Swan River Colony, Guildford was central to the agricultural and horticultural development of the Colony as the first (and only) inland port in Western Australia, providing an essential transport node, firstly by river and then by rail, linking the Colony’s seaport to the hinterland. Together the places within the precinct help tell the story of the development of the State.

There are 28 places within Guildford already entered in the State Register on an individual basis.

What is a heritage precinct?

A heritage precinct is a place where the relationship between the buildings, plantings, spaces and other features create a special sense of place, which together tell a particular story.

How does Aboriginal Heritage fit in to the proposed registration of Guildford Historic Town?

The draft heritage assessment for Guildford Historic Town acknowledges the significance of the place to the Whadjuk people, both past and present.

Within the boundary of Guildford there are a number of Aboriginal sites recognised under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. The proposal to enter the whole of the 44

SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK town in the State Register will not impact on the status or administration of these Aboriginal sites. However, if a proposed development has the potential to impact any of these sites, it should be referred in the normal course of practice to the Registrar of Aboriginal Sites for advice and potentially to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee.

In addition, it will be referred to the Heritage Council for advice on the impact of the changes on the State values of the precinct as a whole.

What does entry in the State Register mean for Guildford?

Entry in the Register will recognise and celebrate the significant heritage values of Guildford and will offer protection under the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990, ensuring any major changes proposed for the place are in keeping with its cultural heritage significance.

What are the benefits of registration?

With its rich history, Guildford is already promoted as a heritage precinct. Entry in the Register will likely further enhance the area’s profile as a tourist destination.

Studies have shown that registration has a generally positive effect on property values, particularly in precincts. This is largely because it provides greater certainty for owners, and for people wanting to buy into the area.

Private owners of State Registered places are able to apply for grants of up to $100,000 to help with conservation planning or work through the Heritage Council’s annual Heritage Grants Program. Places on the State Register can also be nominated for the Western Australian Heritage Awards.

Can I still make changes to my property if Guildford is entered in the State Register?

Yes. The entry of a precinct in the State Register does not prevent an owner from making changes to their individual property. Owners will continue to apply to the City of Swan for approval for any development proposal as required under the Local Planning Scheme. The City will refer proposals to the Heritage Council for advice on the heritage aspects of the proposal in light of Guildford’s State values.

As Guildford Historic Town would be included in the Register for its values as a precinct, the Heritage Council’s advice about properties which are not already individually registered, will relate to the impact works will have on the overall values of the area, as opposed to the impact on individual elements, details or building

interiors. Referrals to the Heritage Council are usually handled within the City’s normal time frame, so as not to delay decisions on development applications.

What does the proposed registration NOT do?

The Heritage Council’s remit is quite specific and relates to the provision of advice to ensure State heritage values are not adversely impacted.

Issues that fall outside the scope of the Heritage Act, such as parking, traffic, planning and land use, will continue to be dealt with by the City of Swan.

State Registration does not mean a place or precinct cannot be developed or adapted to meet contemporary needs. It does mean that any proposed development or changes have to be sensitive to the identified heritage values of the place.

Does registration affect ownership/public access?

No. Registration does not in any way affect ownership or allow the public to access your property.

What is the role of the City of Swan?

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, on behalf of the Heritage Council, has responsibility for engaging with stakeholders as part of the assessment process. As a key stakeholder, the Department has been liaising closely with the City of Swan, which is also providing support and assistance where appropriate.

What is the Heritage Council asking of you?

The Heritage Council is asking whether you support the proposed registration of Guildford. You are also welcome to provide comments on the draft assessment, on the area proposed for registration, and to provide other information about the place. Cont’d on page 50 ...

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SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK $106 MILLION FOR OLDER PEARCE NEW FACILITY FOR THE WGBFB RESIDENTS he Government has today announced a record $1.13

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million will be invested in a brand new facility for the West Gidgegannup Bush Fire Brigade.

The funding is the largest ever investment in a stand-alone volunteer bushfire brigade facility in Western Australia's history.

The new purpose-built facility will house four appliances and include incident control and radio rooms. It will be spread across 400 square metres and was a result of a collaboration between the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the City of Swan and the West Gidgegannup Bush Fire Brigade.

The brigade, which has been protecting its community for more than fifty years, has been storing its fire appliances on private property.

This new facility will not only increase the brigade's response times, but will also provide a first-class base to make it easier and more efficient to help build the brigade's skills and knowledge. It is expected the new base will be complete by August 2019.

Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan: "This has been a great example of collaboration by the department, the City of Swan and the West Gidgegannup volunteers.

"I want to acknowledge the tireless advocacy of the volunteers who worked hard to get this new facility. They currently store their appliances on private property, so I'm very pleased that not only will they be getting a proper base, but it will be purpose-built to meet their current and future needs.

"This is the largest funding allocation to date for a standalone volunteer bushfire brigade facility."

Swan Hills MLA Jessica Shaw: "Our firefighting volunteers do such an important role protecting the community, and it is critical that they have the resources they need to do the job.”

YOUR COMMUNITY

W A R L R E E H T BULLSBROOK E COMMUNITY CENTRE N TURNS ONE!

FREE FAMILY FUN EVENT!

10AM-5PM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19 3 MAROUBRA AVE

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE 10am

StoryWalk for kids

12-5pm Stakeholder Space 2pm

Birthday Cake and cuppa

PLUS Scavenger Hunts

Art Exhibition

Virtual Reality

Youth Centre Activities

ELLA CAHILL

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he Liberal Government will significantly boost support for older Australians with an injection of $106 million to support better facilities, better care and better standards in aged care.

Federal Member for Pearce, Christian Porter, said Australia’s tough new aged care cop – the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission – will receive a further $16 million to police quality, boost specialist response teams for complaints, audits and compliance and support consumers when failures occur.

“Older Australians deserve our respect and they should receive the very best care available,” Mr Porter said. “We are taking action today to introduce legislation into Parliament to establish the new Commission to address known failures in quality regulation for Australia’s aged care system.

“Our message is clear - any organisation or person doing the wrong thing will be found out and sub-standard care will not be tolerated.”

This funding boost builds on the $32.6 million the Liberal Government announced in May for the new Commission and means issues can be highlighted and dealt with quickly under one agency which reports directly to the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care. The $90 million will be brought forward to support aged care providers, with significant funding rolling out this financial year. “$40 million will be available from today to support aged care services in regional, rural and remote locations to improve, maintain and expand their infrastructure – ensuring older Australians in these locations receive the same support as people in the cities,” he said.

“We will fund $50 million to support residential aged care providers and their staff to improve quality and standards of care across the sector - funding will begin to flow next week.

“This will support 2,700 aged care homes and 366,000 staff in new training as they transition to the new, strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and will be enforced from 1 July 2019.”

This is the first upgrade of aged care standards in more than twenty years. The new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will bring together the functions of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner.

From 1 January 2020, the Commission will take over the aged care regulatory functions of the Department of Health including provider approvals, quality and prudential compliance, and compulsory reporting.

There will be no more silos – there will be instant and constant communication on compliance, risks and complaints.

The Commission will further ensure there is nowhere to hide on quality care, building on the Government’s introduction of unannounced reaccreditation audits of aged care homes from 1 July 2018.

There are expected to be more than 500 unannounced reaccreditation audits this financial year, along with an additional 2,700 unannounced site visits by assessment teams.

DISCLAIMER

10-year time capsule

The information in this publication is of a general nature.

The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and/or issues canvassed.

Swan Magazine does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

& MUCH MORE!

www.swan.wa.gov.au

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SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK COMMUNITY CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

NEW RETAIL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

he City of Swan is again participating in the Australia Day Awards and Council would like your assistance gathering nominations for those who are worthy Award recipients.

There are four categories for the Awards, consisting of: - Community Citizen of the Year - Community Citizen of the Year - Youth (under 25) - Community Citizen of the Year - Senior (65 years & over) - Active Citizenship Award (for a community group or event) The selection and eligibility criteria for nominees is outlined in the attached nomination form, but includes terms such as: - Makes a significant contribution to the local community - Demonstrates leadership on a community issue resulting in the enhancement of community life - Should reside or work within the City of Swan - Sitting members of State, Federal and Local Governments are not eligible - Previously successful/unsuccessful nominees can be nominated again The city will be commencing a Facebook campaign on this shortly, along with advertising it on the City's website. Given your close working relationships with community groups and residents of the City, you can also nominate anyone who you feel would be a worthy recipient and meets the criteria!

Nominations close on October 31, and nomination forms can be completed online at www.citizenshipawards.com.au or by emailing the nomination form to coty@auspire.org.au.

tr^ib : The Tribe: A group of people or community linked by social, economic or cultural ties, sharing similar values & interests. elcome The Tribe retail experience to the Swan Valley at Swan Valley Central on Great Northern Highway, Herne Hill The Tribe - Swan Valley is your one stop shopping destination. Open seven days a week Monday - Saturday 9am 4pm : Sunday 11am - 3pm.

The Tribe stock an amazing selection of gifts, homewares, candles, furniture, clothing, jewellery, shoes & handbags.

They guarantee there is something here for everyone. “At The Tribe we want to provide the “shopping experience” Offering an eclectic mix of fashion, home wares, decor, jewellery & more, teamed with wonderful customer service - evoking memories of a day out with friends & family.

The Tribe is situated in our wine growing region of the Swan Valley and next door to Little Lamonts Cafe, it’s perfect way to treat yourself.

If you can’t get in to see them pop online today at www. thetribeswanvalley.com. au and browse our pages in the comfort of your home.

SUE HURT

MATTHEW HUNT

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECOGNISING COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

KNOW SOMEONE GREAT?

Nominate an individual or a group for a 2019 Australia Day Award.

Visit citizenshipawards.com.au Entries close October 31, 2018.

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THE IDLER The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Mind

impressionable school age girls just accepted them as part of life. We simply accommodated them by checking out who was in the theatre before we ventured in, and always avoiding the dark back row seats. Similarly we knew to avoid a certain laneway near the school, but I digress.

Back on the street the task was made more difficult by the constant refrain of “Lemon Boronia $1 a bunch”, a cry rung out in a five-pack-a-day monotone voice. To this day I still hear the singsong phrase whenever I stand near the London Court clock, it was part of the city vibe, not unlike the Big Issue refrain today.

Sadly, the Liberty Theatre closed in 1997.

All of that is background to explain my enthusiasm for movies returning to the city and my delight in attending the opening of the Palace.

The opening began at the bottom of the escalator with a red carpet and elegantly dressed ticket boys. I was pleased to hear there is a lift too for those who can’t navigate escalators.

PALACE RAINE SQUARE CINEMA GLENNYS MARSDON

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his month saw the return of cinemas to the Perth CBD, and what a return it was. Palace Raine Square Cinema provides up-to-date cocoon-like facilities in a style reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour. Attending the opening left me pondering about the old city cinemas.

Some of you may remember Piccadilly Cinema, the last citybased cinema that closed in 2013, others may recall the Royal, the Plaza, the Grand or the Ambassador.

One of my lasting memories of the old city cinemas was Smell-o-Vision, where patrons we were handed a card to scratch and sniff during the film. When the actors were eating fruit salad it was fine, when they went into a disused toilet, not so great.

Another standout was when the disaster movie genre took hold and we strapped ourselves in to watch Earthquake, our seats shaking with every tremor on screen.

As a school girl one of my first jobs was for Liberty Theatre, Perth’s first art house cinema. Opening in 1954 and situated upstairs in Barrack street, it’s sole purpose was to screen foreign-language and art-house films. During my time however its main claim to fame was the eternal running of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, especially the midnight dress-up screening.

Every Saturday morning another girl and I would ascend the rickety wooden staircase to the cinemas office, where we’d pick up a bunch of A3 black and white poorly printed flyers, that outlined the monthly movie schedule.

On our way out of the office we’d check to see what film was showing at lunchtime. This would determine how quickly we’d dispose of the flyers, the quicker we were the greater the chance of seeing the movie, free of charge. Needless to say my youth was peppered with the last fifteen minutes of a lot of movies.

Once out on the Hay Street Mall we’d stand beneath the London Court Clock handing out flyers to unsuspecting passersby. The task was soul destroying, as at that time the main people interested in art house movies were old men in flasher-mac coats.

Given the current climate it’s interesting to reflect on how we dealt with this situation back then. At the time we young

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Upstairs and the glamour continued. The ticketing area has a range of seating options and at the other end of the room is the Champagne Bar. Off to one side is an innocuous looking glass sliding door, push the button and you’re outside on a rooftop bar and deck overlooking Yagan Square.

Back at the ticketing area there’s a wide range of treats including award wining olive oil popcorn, which I can highly recommend, and you can take your drinks inside the theatre.

Speaking of the theatres, each one offers up a cocoon or hug as the seats arc around the screen. There are nine traditional theatres and four Palace Platinum boutique cinemas. The handmade leather seats are roomy,

FOOTNOTE PEOPLE IN HISTORY BARNEY BARNATO - THE DIAMOND KING

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arney Barnato was born Barnet Isaacs in Aldgate, London on 21 February 1851 the son of Isaac and Leah Isaacs. He had a hard life growing up in Whitechapel, the very poor East End of London in an area that was predominantly a Jewish neighborhood. The Isaacs family lived in the area for nearly one hundred years.

Isaac Isaacs, Barney’s father, made a living from selling second hand clothing and fabric remnants. When Barney and his older brother Harry reached fourteen, they left school and entered the business.

In their teens, Barney and Harry liked to perform in the Music Halls of the area, of which there were many. For the longest time Harry was introduced as the Great Henry Isaacs.

Barney was added as “and Barnett too” so he suggested to Harry that they call themselves Bar-na-to, the Barnato Brothers. From that time onwards, they were known by that name.

Barney also had a talent for boxing. In his day winning was the all that mattered. He made money from his bouts, mainly by placing bets with the bookies. He was not scared of anyone.

The bigger they came, the better he liked it.

In 1873, Barney joined his brother Harry in the Cape Colony during the diamond rush which accompanied the discovery of diamonds at Kimberley. His brother had gone out in 1871. Barney saved up enough money to pay for his steerage passage. He left England and when he arrived in South Africa, he could not afford the coach to get to where the diamonds had been found. He ended up walking all the way with a bullock cart that was delivering supplies to the miners. It took him three months to walk there.

Barney arrived in Kimberley to find that Harry was not doing very well. In fact he wasn’t making money from diamonds at all, but from performances on stage and doing odd jobs.

Barney spent his first year learning about diamonds, buying a stone here or there and selling at a small profit and then buying more. It was a slow process and one that frustrated him. He wanted his own claim, he wanted to dig his own stones out of the ground, not purchase each stone one by one. Barney had a good head for figures and was a fast learner. He was shrewd, always able to calculate the odds.

Eventually, the opportunity to buy a claim came to Barney and Harry. In fact four adjacent claims were offered to them in Kimberley. The brothers barely had enough money to buy the claims, but somehow they managed to do it.

Barney conceived the idea of controlling the amount of diamonds entering the market. Keeping sales as close to demand as possible, or even less than demand. He postulated that it was possible to maintain diamond prices by stockpiling during the years when the world markets were down. As the markets moved upwards and demand increased, the stockpiles could be sold at higher prices. Of course it was necessary to gain control first.

Consolidation became Barney’s goal. Cecil Rhodes, working the De Beers mine, had the same idea and became a major competitor in the race to consolidate. Initially there were more than 3,600 claims being mined at Kimberley.

In time this number dropped to less than one hundred, and the Barnato Brothers were one of them. They used this name from the time Barney arrived in Kimberley, completely dropping the Isaacs name.

As the Barnato Brothers made more money, they plowed it back into buying up more claims. Barney’s goal and

obsession was the complete consolidation of the Kimberley mine.

There were plenty of other players with similar goals, so it was not an easy task.

A ‘battle royal’ ensued between Barney and Cecil Rhodes.

Barney tried to keep control of his own company, but Rhodes outsmarted him, finally gaining control of Kimberley Central DMC a few months later.

Rhodes proposed that they merge the De Beers DMC into Kimberley Central DMC, forming one new consolidated company; De Beers Consolidated Mines. The merger made sense, even though they both knew that the merger would upset some of the shareholders.

Barney emerged as the largest shareholder with 6,658 shares in the new company. The Barnato Brothers shares ultimately were bought out for the astronomical sum of £5,338,650 in 1889.

Rhodes and Barney planned to reduce the number of buyers for the rough diamonds to ten companies who would in turn sell to the diamond cutters and set up lines of distribution throughout the World. De Beers Consolidated duly carried out this plan and the ten companies became known as the syndicate. The syndicate included Barnato Brothers in London.

Only these ten companies could buy production from De Beers Consolidated Mines.

Barney turned his attention to the newly discovered gold area of the Witwatersrand or Rand as it became known.

Investing in the Rand became the Barnatos highest priority. With the help of nephews Woolf and Solly, Barney went on a buying spree spending more than a million pounds in one year. Early in 1889, Barney floated his first gold mining company on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. Barnato doubled his fortune in the boom in South African gold mining shares of 1894–95 before losing most of it in the 1896 share collapse.

Barnato died in 1897 in mysterious circumstances; records state that he was lost overboard near the island of Madeira, whilst on a passage home to England. His body was recovered from the sea and he was buried at Willesden Jewish Cemetery in London.

His will divided up his considerable fortune between his family, amongst which was his sister Sarah and her husband Abraham Rantzen, great-grandparents of TV presenter Esther Rantzen. Another beneficiary was his son, Woolf Barnato, who used part of the multimillion-pound fortune he inherited at the age of two, to become a pioneer racing driver in the 1920s, one of the so-called Bentley Boys.

Barnato's granddaughter Diana Barnato Walker died in 2008 at the age of 90. She was the first British woman to break the sound barrier.

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extremely comfortable, and well-spaced so you don’t feel like you’re sitting in a stranger’s lap.

They all come with a recliner button which could be very dangerous on a hot summers day after several nights of no sleep.

Situated in Raine Square, the Red Cat bus stops nearby and there’s a generous food hall down stairs if you want dinner before or after the show.

Alternatively, you could treat your date to dinner at the Michelin Star winning restaurant Tim Ho Wan, which has also just opened, or maybe a coffee at the cool looking Voodoo Coffee.

There’s parking nearby and a discount offered via the Box Office (e.g. first two hours free). The only thing missing is a bike rack which hopefully will be included once the rest of the development is completed.

All in all my visit to Palace Raine Square Cinema was an absolute treat and vastly different from the old Liberty days.

The cinema would be the perfect venue for a first date or special occasion. I can’t wait to see what the Palace Platinum theatre has to offer.

For more information and to join the movie club go to www.palacecinemas.com.au/cinemas/palace-raine-square.

Concluded from page 45 ...

How can I comment on the proposed registration of Guildford Historic Town?

Comments on registration can be provided by returning a submission form or by emailing guildford@stateheritage. wa.gov.au

The comments period closes Friday 19 October 2018.

What happens next?

Once the period for comments has closed the Heritage Council will consider whether to recommend registration to the Minister for Heritage.

If you have further questions, or would like to receive information about the proposed registration please contact us at guildford@stateheritage.wa.gov.au.

Concluded from page 6 ...

Harvest: In summer, your cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, chilies and eggplants, pumpkins and zucchini that you planted in spring are in production mode and will be approaching the end of their life cycle.

Watch out for: Rats – although you might get an outbreak of caterpillars as well so make sure you check your garden regularly. Watch out for root-knot nematodes – they burrow into the roots of plants from the nightshade family. These include tomatoes, capsicum or eggplant. You’ll notice when you pull the veggies up as they cause swelling on the roots of those plants. If you you have them, change the family of crop you plant in that spot next season.

Final tips 1 Buy a pot that’s the correct size. If you buy a pot that is 50cm wide and deep if you’re planting herbs, you’ll have a plant for life. If you plant that herb in a pot that’s 10cm across and 10cm deep then you’ll only get a plant for a month.

2 Choose a really good quality potting mix. Potting mix will completely affect the way your plants grow. The better the quality, the better your plants will grow so choose the best potting mix you can afford.

3 Just add water. Mulching the soil is really important to keep it from drying out.

Continued from page 30 ...

His production of Other Desert Cities and Broken Glass were also nominated for these awards, and The Real Thing and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof both had several nominations.

Park is delighted to have assembled a very strong cast for A View from the Bridge, which features Dean McAskil, David Cotgreave, Sally Barendse, Grace Edwards, Thomas Dimmick, Judd Millner, Emerson Brophy, Neale Paterson and Matti Helm.

The play runs for a very limited season at the Dolphin Theatre, UWA at 7.30 pm on 17, 18, 19, 20 October and there is a matinee at 2pm on Saturday 20 October

The Dolphin’s Box Office will be open an hour before each performance if tickets are available. Book at ticketsWA. com; www.ticketswa.com, by email info@ticketsWA.com or by phone on 6488 2440 (Call between Noon and 4pm on weekdays, but not on public holidays).

Tickets cost $35 for the standard auditorium (Concession $25) and there is very limited seating on strage for the total immersive expierience at $20.

The Dolphin Theatre is located within the University of WA with entry from Mounts Bay Road or Hackett Drive. Parking is free.

50

COMMUNITY he Compassionate Friends of Western Australia Tregardless strives to support families who have lost a child, of that child’s age throughout WA.

We are a non-profit, non-government funded charity that provide peer call support, group meetings, a drop in centre, sending out quarterly newsletters, Anniversary Cards, we hold Walk of remembrance and a candlelight service (non-religious) at Christmas.

We are run by volunteers and bereaved parents that are further along in their grief and wish to help others who have suffered this tragedy.

Although everybody’s grief is different it helps to talk to someone who has actually had this tragedy happen to them.

They WON”T say “I know how you feel” as no one can, but they will say “I don’t know exactly what you are feeling but this is how I felt when my child died”.

WALK OF REMEMBRANCE HELD IN MARCH EACH YEAR Events like these above give the bereaved some hope of a life after the death of their child. They connect with others that have been through the same tragic experience.

In doing so its helps them to feel that they are not alone in their grief, that there is a worldwide connection to other suffering the same.

DONATIONS Donations allow us to purchase stamps so we can send our booklets and other information to the newly bereaved, community groups, doctors surgeries and hospital throughout Western Australia.

They help us cover advertising cost in newspapers throughout Western Australia, pay for our office and utilities allowing us to have Peer Support Workers come in and contact to bereaved that wish to have contact.

The Compassionate Friends of WA Inc. receives no Government funding in any way.

We raise funds by holding events, charity drives and donation from our members and outside bodies.

Although this is fantastic, we still struggle with the cost of keeping our doors open so any suggestion on fundraising or donations are gratefully accepted.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are always looking for volunteers to help man Sausage Sizzles, Charity Shopping Centre Drives and other events along with peer support volunteers (bereaved parents) for telephone support and group meeting facilitation.

54 Simpson Street, Ardross 6107 6257

51

#AdoptLove

ROCKY . . .

the Cuddle King Rocky is a really sweet natured dog who absolutely loves people! His favourite thing is a cuddle and he thinks he fits on your lap even though he’s growing into a big boy.

At eight months old Rocky is still a pup who’s learning the ways of the world. He’s picking up basic commands like sit, stay and come and he’s learning how to walk well on a lead. He’ll even wait politely for his dinner and only eat once he’s been given the ‘ok’. Rocky needs a family who’s keen to keep up his training and take him on regular long walks. This boy loves his exercise and all the things he can smell when out and about.

Rocky has the playfulness of a puppy, he is very intelligent, and he is a beautifully natured dog. He will be an awesome friend for someone and their family. He is desexed, microchipped and up to date with vaccinations. Contact SAFE Metro on 0475 346 545 if you’re ready for some big Rocky cuddles.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTER PAWS

SAFE Inc. is Western Australia’s largest volunteer-based animal rescue organisation using the foster care model. Founded in 2003, we currently have 12 branches state-wide and have successfully rehomed more than 20,500 homeless animals. More than 80% of money donated goes directly to animal care. We are aligned with a wide network of Australia’s most respected welfare organisations and are the Western Australian arm of Animal Welfare League Australia (AWLA).

FOSTER CARE keeps animals out of cages and is the key difference between SAFE and other organisations that utilise shelters. Fostering ensures animals are socialised with other pets and children (where appropriate) and greatly improves an animal’s chance of adoption. To become a foster carer, the first step is to contact our Perth branch, SAFE Metro on 0475 346 545 or 0448 893 033.

VOLUNTEER: https://safe.org.au/volunteer/

DONATE: https://safe.org.au/donate 52

ADOPT: https://safe.org.au/find-a-pet/

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