THE ELECTRIC APES

The Crystal Waters Music Club presents the Electric Apes! Hailing from the vibrant world of genre-defying soundscapes, Electric Apes is an experimental trio that has been enchanting audiences with their eclectic fusion of psychedelic dance, Afro-funk rhythms, and uninhibited creative exploration.

This is a multi-talented line up featuring impassioned vocals, mesmerizing saxophone, hypnotic keys, dynamic drums, and innovative live looping. The band, featuring Hayden Hack (guitar, vocals), Mark Grey (keys), and Lee Hardisty (multi-instrumentalist), is pushing boundaries and transcending musical norms.

The stars will be bright, the fires blazing. Head to the Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, on the Deck, Kilcoy Lane, Conondale. Saturday June 24, 5pm start for$20. Bar and yummy meals available. (Accommodation available at CW Eco Park, bookings crystalwaters.org.au)

Bring your dancing shoes for the chance of a dance as Yandina welcomes guest artists WOTUGET to the ACMA concert on Sunday June 18

You’ll enjoy popular country music and other upbeat, crowdpleasing favourites from local artists backed by a great house band. This is an afternoon of guaranteed entertainment! The Yandina Country Music group look forward to seeing you at the Hall of Fame, 24 Steggalls Road, for a 12 noon start. There will be a raffle and door prizes, BYO lunch, free tea and coffee, and entry is $8. As a not-for-profit organisation, the proceeds will go towards the upkeep of the hall. Enquiries 0437 191004.

Trained in opera at the Victorian College of the Arts, Vanessa debuted internationally in Italy performing the roles of Liu in Puccini's Turandot, and Flora in Verdi's La Traviata in Florence. She later continued her love affair with Italy by performing in the 'Australian Opera Gala' at Rome's 'Festival Euro Mediterraneo' and in concerts at the 51st Puccini Festival.

Having performed many lead roles with Melbourne Opera, including Madame Butterfly, prior to taking a break to raise her young family, Vanessa says she is really looking forward to the experience of performing the role of Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana.

However, she won’t be the only singer of renown in the cast. Margaret Taylor, long-time principal with the English National Opera, and musical director of Maleny Singers, will be back on stage for this production, singing the role of Lucia.

While Mascagni’s glorious music should be enough to make this a “must see” show, the presence of two such talented voices make it impossible to miss.

Cavalleria Rusticana is on at the Maleny Community Centre for four performances on June 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 3pm. Tickets at Trybooking.com.

On the 10 March, I woke up with a raging fever and an extremely sore leg, the result of a very small break in the skin on my shin coming in contact with sea water from a crabbing expedition in Coochin Creek.

After a day spent in Maleny hospital, being closely monitored by the very professional doctors and nurses working there, I was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics and transferred by ambulance, with a doctor in attendance, to emergency at SCUH.

I was attended to immediately and received fantastic medical attention from specially trained nurses, orthopaedic surgeons, emergency doctors, ICU doctors and an anaesthetist. My wife was able to accompany me the whole time and she was allocated a social worker to be with her for the entire night.

After surgery, I spent 5 days in ICU and another 3 weeks in the wards at SCUH. I have the greatest admiration for the medical care I was given and am very fortunate to be alive as the infection that developed kills 4 out of 5 people who are infected by it.

My wife and I have the utmost gratitude and praise for the very professional care that I received from Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital staff, who recognised the seriousness of the infection and acted so quickly, and all of the staff we came in contact with in the emergency department, ICU and the infectious disease ward at SCUH.

Recovery at home is still ongoing where I am having my wound dressed by the friendly, efficient and professional nurses from RangeCare.

Colin Cunningham, Maleny

Relax, read a few letters, enjoy a crossword and cartoon, and maybe put pen to paper (finger to keyboard) yourself! We would love you to share your thoughts and experiences with us and HT readers. Email: editor@hinterlandtimes.com.au, and please include your name, email/address and location. Letters may be edited a little if space is tight. As we are a monthly, please be aware we are unable to print date-sensitive letters.

Dear Editor

I am pleased to say that with the help of more than 41,000 Australians – including your readers – we did it. We saved the Medicare Heart Health Check.

The Australian Government has heard and understood the importance of this vital Check to the heart health of Australians and is funding a twoyear extension of the Check in the 2023/24 Budget, ensuring they remain available beyond June 30 this year.

We estimate that this means a further 250,000 Australians will be able to see their GP to learn their risk of heart disease before it’s too late.

The Check is available for people aged 45 and over (30 and over for First Nations) and looks at your cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, family history, amount of exercise and what you eat, and provides you with an understanding of how likely it is you will have a heart attack or stroke in the coming years.

Thank you. Your efforts have helped improve the heart health of many Australians and we are grateful for your unwavering commitment to this cause.

And finally – now that you have fought so hard for this Check, we urge you to please take it up if eligible. For more information speak with your local GP or visit heartfoundation.org.au

Yours truly

David Lloyd CEO, National Heart Foundation of Australia

Dear Editor

This year’s theme for Reconciliation Week, May 27 to June 3, was “Be the Voice for Generations”. The week commemorated the successful 1967 referendum in which over 90 percent of voters agreed that First Australians deserved equal constitutional rights, and also the Mabo land rights decision.

After much deliberation by thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples, culminating in the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, the Uluru Statement from the Heart was presented to our government. Sadly, it was shelved by then Prime Minister Turnbull.

The Uluru Statement is a genuine offer of love, peace, and healing. A generous offer which will enhance social harmony and unify our nation. The first element of the Statement is for a Voice to Parliament, followed by a treaty and truth-telling.

Later this year, we will vote in the referendum for a Voice to Parliament, wouldn’t it be a healing step forward if we repeat the 90 percent positive vote?

A successful Voice referendum would be an incredible leap forward on the path to inclusiveness and reconciliation.

The Uluru Statement invites us all, non-Indigenous and Indigenous, to come together for a better future for all.

We cannot change the past, however, we can change the future. Vote yes.

Sunny regards,

Robyn Deane, Bli Bli

What kind of dog can jump higher than a building? All of them. Buildings can’t jump.

What’s the hardest park to find in London? Hyde Park.

If you have 13 apples in one hand and 10 oranges in the other, what do you have? Big hands.