7 minute read
Cover story
Seize the day
NOW IS THE TIME TO EXPLORE NEW PASSIONS AND REDISCOVER OLD ONES. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Allison Blundell, Halcyon Greens
AGAINST THE GRAIN
Novice woodworker Allison is handy on the tools
Allison took up woodworking a year ago after she and husband Ross downsized from their family home in Hawthorne, Brisbane and moved to Halcyon Greens in March 2019.
“I have never done woodworking before and to be honest, it was probably one of the last things I thought I would ever do among the abundant choice of activities at Halcyon Greens,” Allison said. “I am definitely not the crafty type, but I enjoy learning new things and woodwork is a great medium for this. “I was initially quite fearful of some of the machinery, especially the drop saws, but I have learnt how to use a wide variety of tools and it is definitely something you get used to with familiarity and use.” Allison learnt woodworking skills from fellow homeowner Ron Smith, who holds workshops on picture framing, lathe operation and ukulele and box making at the onsite workshed. She spends a few hours at least once a week at the workshed and her completed projects include a wooden bowl, jewellery box, an activity board for her granddaughter, ornaments and picture frames. “I love the sense of achievement upon completing a project and the feeling that I have created something useful,” Allison said. “I also love the history behind certain pieces of wood in the workshed, some of which have been donated by other homeowners.” Allison’s wooden jewellery box contains ebony from a piano that was more than 100 years old, while the bowl is crafted from a piece of timber from the original Busselton Jetty in Western Australia, which was built in the 1860s. “From a sustainability perspective, it is great to be able to repurpose timber into something creative, functional and beautiful,” she added. Allison’s workshed buddy is usually her husband, Ross, who she says is a useful companion to double-check measurements and workshop ideas. “It is a great shared experience,” Allison said. “However, if Ross is not available, I’m happy to work alongside any of the workshed group as they are laidback, very welcoming and always happy to share their knowledge.”
SEIZE THE CLAY
From first time potter to prize-winning sculptor
Studies have shown working with clay carries many benefits for all age groups.
From improved focus, better manual dexterity and strength in joints, hands and wrists, to a reduction in stress thanks to the creative process, it’s no surprise pottery is a popular choice among Halcyon homeowners. Lynne Tydeman only had a few pottery lessons under her craft belt before the COVID-19 isolation period put the community pottery room and kiln out of action. She had always wanted to try her hand at pottery, so she and a few other interested locals approached a fellow clay-savvy homeowner to teach them. While homeowners were unable to use Halcyon Lakeside’s onsite pottery room and kiln, Lynne learned some basic pottery techniques at home, which she supplemented with YouTube tutorials. “There was enough time to rush out and buy a lump of clay so we could have a play at home during the COVID-19 isolation time,” Lynne said. She perfected her technique solo and learned how to make moulds online, which she used to create a winning pottery sculpture submission, only her second finished piece, for the Halcyon Sunshine Coast Creative Showcase. Launched during the COVID-19 isolation period, the inaugural art show saw 66 Halcyon homeowners enter artworks related to the theme of ‘childhood memories’. Artworks spanned eight categories, including paintings, woodwork, mosaics, wearable art, photography, quilting and craft, with John Davis announced as the overall winner for his white wooden horse on 9 June 2020. Lynne was awarded third prize in the novice section for her clay sculptures inspired by the classic poem, The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, which she originally designed as outdoor features with fine detailing and perforations that allow light to shine through. “As a child, Edward Lear’s poem The Owl and the Pussy-Cat was something I had to learn,” Lynne said. “In my 20s, a friend of mine made an owl and a pussycat as an outdoor light and I thought: ‘I would love to make one of those’. And hey presto, I had a crack at it.” “It is easy for anyone to have a go themselves and you can find lots of ideas of what you can create from clay on the internet.” “At Lakeside, the facilities and opportunities to do things are enormous. The opportunities for crafts and seeing what other people do inspires you to do more. Where else would you find all sorts of artistic skills readily available to learn something new?”
Kim Jones, Halcyon Parks
FLYING HIGH
Kim finds freedom in the sky
Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer and the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean once said: “There’s more to life than being a passenger.”
There’s a deeper meaning to that quote which applies to all of us and how we choose to live our lives, but for Halcyon Parks homeowner Kim Jones – it has literally fuelled his passion for flying for almost half a century. “It’s a very special feeling being able to move in three dimensions with little effort and a special feeling of freedom,” he said. Enchanted by the idea of flying since he was a child, Kim had the opportunity to become a pilot when he was working in the Pilbara as an engineer in the early 1970s. “I took every opportunity I could to get up in the air, and it’s something I’ve just always done,” he said. After working as an executive with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Canberra for more than 20 years, Kim retired in 2016, moved to QLD, and came to Parks with his wife Jan Gough earlier this year. He still flies every week, keeping his plane, the second one he has built himself, at Caboolture Aerodrome. “Both aeroplanes took 14 years to build, family, moves around the country for my work and other projects such as a sports car and rocking horses for grand children in between,” he said. “I started building models when I was 10 and just progressed to something bigger over time.”
DON KEEPS ROCKING THE AIRWAVES Celebrating 50 years behind the microphone I f you’ve ever tuned in to 89.3FM while on the Gold During his career, Don also worked as an executive in radio as well as running Village Roadshow’s Home Entertainment video business for a number of years. Coast, you’ve probably heard the dulcet tones of Don Glover during one of his radio programs Don moved to Waters three years ago from the NSW Central Coast, where even though he had for community station 4CRB. retired, he was still volunteering The Halcyon Waters homeowner in community radio there. has had a lifetime of experience When he and wife Kerry made the behind the microphone, working move to Halcyon, some old radio in the medium since the early friends living on the Gold Coast 1970s across many stations in got him involved with 4CRB. Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. “I do three morning programs through the week, a rock and “I’ve always loved the immediacy roll show on Saturday afternoon of radio,” Don said. “These days and a smooth jazz program we get our information and news on Monday night,” he said. from a lot more sources, but radio was where people turned to first if they wanted to know something.” “I’ve been doing mic work since my late teens, I get a buzz every time the mic goes on but at my age, it’s just fun, something to enjoy while giving the listeners what they want.” During COVID-19, the station made the decision to keep its staff working from home, which wasn’t a problem for Don as he has his own mini-studio at his home. “I’ve been able to pre-record all of my shows, which is great, but I also make sure that I make a few blunders here and there to make it sound a bit more real,” he said. “With live radio there’s no real opportunity to have another take, so you have to avoid the temptation of making a pre-record sound too perfect,” he laughed.
Don Glover, Halcyon Waters
