Bella magazine (Issue 16) 2018

Edition 16 — October 2018

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Contents

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Edition 16, October 2018

On the cover

8

Why I had to sack myself

12

Inside

7 Welcome 12

The fire of change burns brightly in Jennifer

15

Suddenly Single

19

Amy’s aiming to bring Beam to Echuca-Moama to shine a light on inclusion

22

Blue cheese and fresh fig tart

24

Holiday of a lifetime was part pilgrimage

30

Riverboats: A one, two; a one, two, three, four…

32

Girls just wanna have fun

33

Community concept started with a friendly coffee

35

Sometimes it really helps if you are a lightweight

39

Thirty Something

41

Women’s fashion

Contact us

bella editor Tyla Harrington tyla.harrington@riverineherald.com.au 5482 1111

19 24

32 bella advertising Stuart Addicott stuart.addicott@riverineherald.com.au 5482 1111

Want more bella? facebook.com/bellamagazineechuca Instagram — @bellamagazineechuca riverineherald.com.au/@bella

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Photography: Luke Hemer Editorial design: Jacqui Maskell, Brendan Cain Advertising design: Bella Considine, Brendan Cain, Tanya Main Words: Sophie Baldwin, Andrew Mole, Tyla Harrington, Ivy Jensen, Charmayne Allison, David Chapman, Vivienne Duck, Kimberley Price Model: April Whiston

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A well nourished soul

S

tepping into the Well Soul Studio, an instant calming sensation fills you.

Maybe it’s the DoTerra Essence in the air, or the whimsical music from the yoga class or the peaceful nature of the float tanks.

Whatever it is, Ellen and her team at Well Soul Studio want you to leave their world feeling tranquil and re-energised for your life.

There are numerous services on offer at the Murray Valley Highway address which range from baby to adult chiropractic treatments, yoga classes for all levels of expertise, Baxter Blue glasses to block blue lighting from screens, DoTerra essence to set the right mood in your rooms and the Float sessions.

The Float pods hold over 500 kg of magnesium diluted in water to help you lose the stress in your life.

By floating in magnesium, you will be refueling your body with the adequate magnesium to help you maintain the excitability of your nervous system to limit stress levels.

So far, Float sessions have left customers feeling re-evaluated, organised and calm to continue on with their busy lives. Floatation Therapy is essentially a way of achieving deep relaxation by spending an hour or more lying quietly in darkness (or with light on) suspended in a warm solution of Epsom salt and diluting the magnesium through your skin. The tank creates an environment where you can achieve pure sensory relaxation and helps with: • Stress reduction • Anxiety relief • Sports recovery • Pain relief • Relaxing • Reducing headaches

• Increasing circulation • More restful sleep • Learning to meditate Ellen and her team are on hand to ensure you find the right balance in your life.

Their years of expertise in many facets of alternative and holistic health services, the girls always seem to know exactly what you need.

Step into the Well Soul Studio and find yourself finding tranquility with their yoga classes, chiropractic services and floatation therapies.

The studio is open fron 9 am – 6 pm, but be sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for their pre-open and after-hours classes on offer.

Call (03) 4411 7821 for more information and to book your appointment today.

YOGA | CHIROPRACTIC | FLOAT

13 Murray Valley Hwy, Echuca

(03) 4411 7821

www.wellsoulstudio.com.au

6

S

O IT TURNS out Bella has a long lost brother — and his name is Beau.

Editor Tyla Harrington.

This month we’ve hit a milestone, or perhaps we’ve discovered one.

Because this month we launch our first men’s magazine — the equivalent of Bella but, you guessed it, about men instead of women.

The inaugural issue takes a behind-thescenes look at one of the more high-profile figures around town.

A lot of people think they know him pretty well but after reading this story might be in for a surprise.

Beau also caught up with an amazing individual who has done everything from working in an abattoir to being a truckie — and now he is one of the most sought-after masseurs in the twin towns.

And not just for people.

Beau also introduces a column asking the awkward questions in the world of men — from boxers to briefs, Holden or Ford and icky things such as the state of your internal plumbing and the link between your diet and your derriere.

But that’s not the only new and exciting difference for Bella this month.

We’re also launching Bella online.

It is the Bella you know and love — the difference is it’s accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

So instead of waiting months to get your hands on our magazine, you only need jump on your phone or computer and there she is.

Ready to entertain.

So be sure to check it out at bella.riverineherald.com.au or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

I can assure you, it won’t disappoint.

If you have any content you think would shine on our website, email bella@riverineherald.com.au 

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7

Why I had to sack myself Call her what you will — human dynamo, workaholic, business success, lifesaver, coach, parent, cyberspace pioneer and ideas machine — and they are all very apt when it comes to April Whiston.

IVY JENSEN tries to keep up with this woman on the go to discover what she offers the rest of us

A

PRIL WHISTON HAS crammed more into the past decade than many people would in a lifetime.

As a holiday park owner, nurse, professional coach, mother and wife, she spends her days working to balance a multi-million dollar business, patients, staff, children and life in general.

“I have often referred to myself as a juggler, all I am simply trying to do is keep all the balls in the air at the one time,” she said.

It can be overwhelming, isolating and confronting, but the 33-year-old wouldn’t have it any other way.

Because April is a go-getter and throws herself into everything she does.

From nursing burns victims who have suffered horrific injuries in bushfires, accidents and suicide attempts to empowering staff to upskill themselves.

By the time emergency services were able to access the devastated house everyone except the woman and a five-year-old boy were dead.

looked because, compared to what they looked like when they came in, they looked amazing. But to the outside world, they looked very different.

“She was left in the dam on the property, with this little kid she had only known for five hours, and they had to wait there until they were found,” April said.

“So their identity when they were on the ward was a lot more positive and upbeat and very embraced because we were telling them ‘you’ve done so well and you’re amazing’.

The only way April was able to cope dealing with daily trauma was thanks to the “fantas- “You’re coaching these people over a long tic” team with which she worked. time. But when they go out into the big world, they don’t have that and there’s “That was incredibly grounding and I loved no-one like them. On the ward, there’s it because it served my need for mental another 20 patients like them. health nursing, as well as surgical and medical nursing,” she said.

“So a lot of them came back because they wanted to see us and feel normal. A lot of “Many patients either come in with a mental them came with mental health issues.

“The patients who had self-ignited had been going through major struggles before they did that, so you’ve effectively got to nurse and coach them through the fact that they tried to take their own life and failed.”

She also mentors women in business.

And when she has some ‘me’ time most of its goes to raising a family of three.

April said that was when their recovery journey started.

In a way, she has spent those past 10 years of her life coaching people to get the best out of their lives.

“Once patients reach the ward, the coaching starts,” April said.

Her passion for helping others started when April worked as a nurse in the burns unit at The Alfred hospital.

“I’ve been coaching for a really long time. Because it’s about ‘You’re doing great, come on get out of bed, you can do this, brush your teeth yourself, get dressed yourself, put your clothes on, this is how you do your wound dressing.”

“We used to look after patients who had self-ignited, patients who had been in boat explosions — I looked after a schizophrenic patient who had a seizure in the shower and hit the hot tap on the way down,” she said.

During that time, April was commuting to Melbourne from Moama after meeting husband Trent the year before.

“And we looked after patients who tried to take their own lives.

“It was an incredibly busy ward, incredibly dynamic, high stress, very acute patients so we worked one-on-one a lot.”

April was confronted with the horrific physical and emotional effects of bushfire, nursing through Black Saturday in 2009.

One patient from that disaster will remain part of April forever.

The 35-year-old woman was caught in the Kinglake fire.

The woman had never been to the town before; was only there that day because she was on a day trip with her first boyfriend to visit a group of friends.

8

After marrying nine months later, the couple moved to Moama so Trent could run his family’s holiday park — Merool. illness or they leave with a mental illness.”

That was when she learned how crucial positivity and identity were when it came to improving mental health.

“Having a strong identity of self is more important than the medication you’re on,” she said.

She worked at The Alfred eight days on and six days off for about 18 months, until she was 31 weeks’ pregnant with their first child, daughter Ziva, 7.

“I loved it because I was really passionate about what I did,” she said.

“We found the patients loved being on the ward. Some of them were there for six to eight months.

April was also commuting to Shepparton as a wound care nurse for a few months, and she continues to do this in Echuca once a fortnight for her brother in-law surgeon Manny Cao.

“We would tell them how fabulous they

“When you work as a wound care nurse, you

work as a coach,” she said.

“You coach them along the journey and they get better.”

But while her work as a nurse was thriving, things at Merool were going downhill.

By 2012, the park was struggling and a staff member had stolen a large amount of money from the business.

nursing her uncle until his death from brain cancer.

“We were very close. When I went through that I went through the realisation of do what you love because you don’t know how much time you’ve got left,” she said.

That was enough for her to complete a leadership course and just months into a threeyear professional coaching course, Boss Lady Brain was born.

“The culture within the business in terms of the staff and customers was really toxic,” “It is empowerment coaching for women she said. and mentoring for women in business,” “We made some huge changes and, as she said. normal, we got a lot of knives in the back Launched on April 2, Boss and we were the worst people in the world, Lady Brain is not only a but it was either make changes or the busibusiness but a mindset ness suffered.”

April lives by.

April resigned as a wound care nurse and, “It is the notion of despite never having worked in the hospia positive mind, tality industry before, stepped into the role self-belief and knowof general manager at Merool. ing that hard work “I changed the culture within the business will eventually pay majorly just by empowering staff, upskilling off,” she said. my team, giving clear job descriptions, clear “It is not being KPIs, setting key standards of how people scared to rumble are to communicate with each other within with the big guys, the team and also with the customers,” she to have confidence said. in your knowledge Not surprisingly, the business started and to believe that improving. women are equal to “We managed to get through the GFC with men.” an increase in profits which was fantastic

And her best piece of advice for women, whether it be those in business or who want some guidance in their life, is to do what she did — follow your heart.

“Don’t let others sway you from what you’re really passionate about. A lot of times I’ve talked to women and they say ‘I’m going to be a hairdresser and when I have kids I’m going to work from home’ and I’ll say do you really want that? And they say ‘no, but that’s what’s expected of me’,” she said.

“So don’t do just what’s expected of you. Do what you really want to do.” 

and then continued on that journey,” she said.

By the end of 2016, April determined to make herself redundant — and by 2017 had put herself on the employment scrapheap.

“I love helping people. And as much as you are helping people in so much as you’re providing holidays for people, it’s not the same as helping somebody from the soul,” she said.

Her achievements in the business, as well as founding web-based real estate platform Cabin Connect in 2015 and her contribution to the tourism industry, saw April win the prestigious Future Leaders Award for the Australian Caravan Industry in 2017.

That year was the best year of business in her life. But it was also the most lonely and isolating, which, according to April, were the biggest challenges facing women in business today.

“It’s the whole people in glasshouses and tall poppy syndrome and people think you are different. But everyone has the same feelings and emotions and experiences the same things,” she said.

“A lot of people look at business owners like they’re up on a pedestal and they have broad shoulders and can laugh it off and move on, but a lot of business owners are carrying a huge amount of stress.”

Which she was at the time — April and her family had just spent 18 months

9

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EWMAC What’s in it for you?

We’ve asked two of our long term members why the joined and why they keep coming back.

Chris Lee

Length of membership? I joined EWMAC in July 1997, 21 years ago when we first moved to Echuca.

Why did you start exercising? We moved to Echuca from Bendigo and I had a gym membership there, but hadn’t always been committed to my fitness. I was about 25 when I first made my fitness a priority, I had never been a sporty kid. The first thing I did was joined EWMAC. I needed a reason to get out of the house and an avenue to meet people in my new town.

What parts of the centre do you use?

Currently I am using the pool and going to group fitness classes. I am having swimming lessons to improve my stroke technique. I can swim, but only had a few lessons as a kid. We have four kids who all had swimming lessons from water babies right up until the end of Grade 6. They are all beautiful and competent swimmers, and I am not! Now it is my turn!

Our adult swim group is awesome. We all are there for different reasons, but the class well caters for all our needs. During my 21 years I have used all the different areas of the centre.

Initially, I was very committed to the gym, then I became a group fitness user.

What are the biggest changes that you have seen at EWMAC? The pool was already indoor when I first joined, I think that development happened early in 1997, before I was a member. There have been many changes to the centre, the gym has been extended. There used to be a spa where the steam room is. The group fitness room used to have the stage on the north wall and I am pretty sure there were no mirrors in the room at all. There have been the usual maintenance things too, like a coat of paint. Of course, there was the big upgrade of the change room facilities too. There has been lots of staff who have come and gone, and amazingly, some are still there. One thing that hasn’t changed is the friendliness, both the staff and the other users.

What’s your favourite group fitness class?

That’s an easy one. It has got to be Les Mills Pump. I have done all the classes over the years. I remember when Body Balance was first introduced in 1999 and there were so many participants that it was held in the Moama Sporting complex with classes of 50+.

A few years ago, I was doing a lot of running, CX and Body Balance really complimented where I was at. I now take my own children to pump from time to time, it has become a family affair.

Mike Bruty

Length of membership? Since 1997 (21 years continuous), joining a few months after the centre opened.

is using an incorrect technique and assist them .An instructor is usually not far away if you need help.

Personal benefit from Precor equipment?

Good equipment certainly assists making for an interesting all around balanced program of exercises. The instructors have plenty of options to produce changing programs on the cardio equipment. The modern Precor equipment has great data collecting facility and program setting . Measurement of exercise is important to get feedback on performance, setting goals and keeping historical records.

What are biggest changes you have noticed in the fitness industry? My history in fitness extends back about 55 years to secondary school days. I was a jogger back in the early 1970s where I would go out close on dark to avoid people seeing you and calling you “Ron Clarke” because only serious athletes (which I wasn’t) went for a run like that back then.

Then, in the late 1970s jogging and marathon running became a craze. That extends through to today, particularly through the popularity of triathlons. Then about 25 years ago more people started to join gyms and known as “gym junkies”. There were only a couple gyms in Echuca-Moama in the 1990s but that has grown to several today. I think people today are more conscious of their all-round health and the gym is the best place to get strength, flexibility, plus a cardio workout.

This has resulted in better trained instructors, smarter equipment, more affordable fees and a supportive culture in the gyms. Gyms have become mainstream.

Does family exercise with you? My wife Kate also is a member and does programs alongside me ,although she is not as regular as myself.

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What’s the best advice you have learnt from a EWMAC gym instructor? Learn to use the equipment as it is designed to be used. The equipment is cleverly designed to be used in varying ways depending on the muscle area being targeted and will maximise its benefit provided the intended technique is correctly followed. The instructors observe if someone

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The fire of change burns brightly in Jennifer First exposed to violence against women as a 15-year-old Jennifer Savage has travelled a diverse path on her way to helping launch the Campaspe Family Violence Action Group and continue her crusade to create a better and safer world for women. CHARMAYNE ALLISON reports

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OBODY HAS HAD to belt Jennifer Savage for her to fear the extent of violence against women.

room — every one of them looking at the floor, at the wall — anywhere besides the girl on the floor in front of them.

Although as a 15-year-old who knew even then someone had to do something, she came perilously close to a serious, alcohol and rage driven attack.

Jen only hesitated for a moment, running forward to wedge herself between the two, yelling fiercely at the man to leave the girl alone.

It happened while the then schoolgirl was on a volunteer trip and one night could hear a man screaming in the room next door, then the sounds of a young woman whimpering quietly.

He immediately turned his rage on her, shouting back.

Jennifer recalled the hairs standing up on the back of her neck as the tirade actually grew worse.

She couldn’t just sit by and listen. “I’ve got to stop him,” she said to a boy her age sitting in the room with her.

She watched the blood drain from his face as he clutched her arm.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, frozen to his seat.

Jen knew there were several people in the room next door — and yet she couldn’t hear any other voices, just the endless volley of screams.

“Look, I’m going in there,” she said firmly. “I promise I won’t get involved unless no one’s doing anything.”

Before he could protest, Jen shook off her companion and strode into the room next door — and into a scene from her worst nightmare.

A girl was curled in a ball on the floor, quivering as a man stood over her, shouting.

There were 10 people scattered around the

At the moment he threatened to harm Jen, the group’s leader rushed in, grabbing the young man by the arm and marching him out of the room — before his threats turned into actions.

Jen’s first brush with violence against women would spark a lifelong mission to see an end to family violence.

Culminating with the formation of the Campaspe Family Violence Action Group — a community group dedicated to reducing the alarming rates of family violence within the shire.

But that landmark achievement was still years down the track.

Jen was born and raised in Melbourne.

After school, she’d catch the tram to the family business — Dobsons, a fourth-generation uniform shop.

Time and again, her parents would wait for Jen to arrive home from school, only to have her not appear.

After far too many frantic phone calls, they gradually learnt where to find her — out the back of the shop, buried among the boxes, quietly sorting stock.

Eventually they made a deal with her — if she did her homework, she could help in the shop.

“We all loved the business. Our dad involved us all in running it. He’d come home from work and would, even when we were kids, ask our advice,” Jen said.

“At the time, I didn’t realise how much it shaped me. But when I was at uni I realised I had a deep-set knowledge of economics and market forces — because I had lived with them.”

It’s hard to believe now as

12

Jen speaks with rapid energy — but she was a painfully shy little girl.

timber and he still got to sell it all,” she laughed.

just a band-aid solution and went to see a psychologist. From there, she began to heal.

A perfectionist at heart, Jen’s deep-set fear of messing up kept her from saying a word.

People often thought she was arrogant because she wouldn’t talk to them.

It was a strange first meeting, but sparked a romance that eventually brought the couple to a farm in Kyabram, where they still live — now with sons Tom, 9, and Will, 12 — plus an assortment of cattle, sheep and, of course, fish.

“I just want people to know nobody’s perfect,” she said.

In actual fact, she was just really scared.

But when she was in her late teens, something life-changing happened. Jen made a mistake so big, embarrassed herself so completely — but the sky didn’t fall in.

As she says now (a frequent Jen-ism): “The earth kept spinning, life went on”.

From there, she began emerging from her shell.

While Jen would never recommend being painfully shy for 16 years, she said those years of silence later helped her as a leader.

And although she may not have spoken much, she definitely listened (and learnt).

“As a child who hated mistakes, I’d learn from watching others make them instead,” she said.

“There are plenty of mistakes we as chief executives can make being innovative and trialling new ideas — let’s not repeat the mistakes others have made; there are too many new ones to explore.”

While Jen may have initially had trouble voicing her opinions, she’d never been indecisive.

And once her confidence started to grow, people began to take notice of her leadership abilities.

Finishing school at 17, she was offered a position coaching rowing in England and a year later she was in Tasmania working on a fisheries degree for three years.

After which she researched fish species, writing for scientific journals and providing fish breeding training (while completing her Masters and kicking off a PhD).

Then in 2001, she started working on a fish farm in Pakenham.

Where she met her husband, Nic (albeit in less-than-ideal circumstances).

“I turned on the tap one day to fill up a fish tank and totally forgot about it,” she said.

“Nic’s timber factory was next door. He’d just made a whole load of Christmas stock and laid it out on the floor.

“Of course, the fish tank overflowed and flooded his factory, destroying his Christmas stock,” she said.

“But the fish were fine.”

Feeling horribly guilty, Jen lay low for a couple of hours until her boss pushed her to go next door and help tidy Nic’s shed.

“I spent the day cleaning up the shed with Nic. He was fantastic, he told me not to worry about it,” she said.

“The joke now is that I actually doubled his sales because my boss paid to replace the

It was at this time Jen’s evident leadership abilities began to blossom.

And her resume grew longer — and longer.

She was one of two Victorians selected for the Rural Women’s Award from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

She then completed a business diploma (governance) at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

As the fish farm was largely automated, she joined the local preschool management committee, managing three preschools.

“Go for help. I acknowledge how hard it is.

It’s terrifying. I was so scared people would see me walking into the psych’s office. But you just need to make that first step.”

Around this time, Jen left the preschool committee, becoming co-ordinator at Girgarre Neighbourhood House.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, she also joined the GMW water services committee and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority SIRPPIC committee, spending time as deputy chair of both groups.

Despite this impressive resume, people still doubted Jen’s leadership abilities.

“I was told by people it was a shame I didn’t have the ability to be a strong leader. I sat on that for a long time,” she said.

It was at this time, in 2012, when a near-trag- “People often told me I needed to harden up and be more like a man — it wasn’t maliedy proved the final straw for this human cious, they just wanted me to proceed in campaigner. my career. But people need to understand Her son Will, then six, was on the bus home women manage differently.” from school when it collided with a petrol In 2016, she was offered the Sampson tanker.

Leadership Scholarship to attend the Fairley Leadership program in Shepparton.

“

GO FOR HELP. I ACKNOWLEDGE HOW HARD IT IS. IT’S TERRIFYING. I WAS SO SCARED PEOPLE WOULD SEE ME WALKING INTO THE PSYCH’S OFFICE. BUT YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE THAT FIRST STEP.

”

Jen and Tom were standing at the bus stop, watching in horror as the two vehicles crashed.

Miraculously, everyone survived and, eventually, healed — but it plunged Jen into the depths of what would be diagnosed as PTSD. “The stress of the crash sparked it,” she said.

“It was caused by my deep-set desire to be perfect. I wasn’t angry at the drivers, I was frustrated at myself for all the things I didn’t do after the crash, or could have done better.

“I’ve taken all this time to acknowledge what I did do. I called triple zero, I called the families, I used fabric to make bandages. But I still thought; why didn’t I sit with the kids and try to calm them down?”

After the crash, Jen threw herself into her work, endeavouring to keep her mind off what had happened. They were some of her most productive times.

But 12 months later she realised it was

“That year was invaluable. Through Fairley I realised people lead differently — and those different styles work,” she said.

During the course, Jen applied for the position of chief executive at the Kyabram Community and Learning Centre (KCLC) — the position she currently holds.

Then, finally, in 2017, Jen co-founded the Campaspe Family Violence Action Group.

The group aimed to set up a family violence support hub in Campaspe and increase access to accommodation within the shire.

While also doing whatever it could to alter the deep-rooted mindsets which lead to family violence situations.

“I haven’t personally experienced domestic violence, but I have seen it in communities, spoken to too many victims,” she said.

While Jen acknowledged men can also be in abusive relationships, she said violence against women was the primary issue.

“Women are dying; women are ending up with severe brain damage. And it’s not that we don’t care about the abuse of men, but let’s stop dying first and then go from there,” she said.

“We also need to stop what gets people to the point they’re abusing. We need to stop the language, stop the behaviour, and promote equality. So it’s as foreign to our kids as smoking or not wearing a seatbelt is now.

“True change may take a generation.

“But we want to make sure we do not let what we cannot change, stop us from changing what we can.” 

13

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Suddenly Single

I am me, hear me roar When Suddenly Single SOPHIE BALDWIN set herself a goal she chose one of the most painful possible — turning herself from a brisk walker (if it rained) into an Ironman after 226.2 km non-stop in one day

S

O NOW I am an Ironman.

Yippee, go me!

Has my life changed?

Ah, I got to say, honestly, no, not really.

I still haven’t managed to win Tattslotto, I still have to turn up to work, I still have bills to pay and yes, I am still a single mum.

But I am also an Ironman and only .1 per cent of the population can be described that way.

So I can hear you all sigh and say it is only a really long swim, ride and run, what is the big deal?

Well, to me it has always been so much more than a race. It was never about a time it was always, always, always about crossing that line for no-one else but me.

It might have taken me 14 hours and 14 minutes to swim 4 km, ride 180 km and run 42.2 km but at the end of the day I did it.

Me, on my own, and even though it hurt I just kept moving forward (in some ways it sort of sums up my marriage breakup really).

My journey to Ironman has been empowering and healing and, above all else, it has shown me that with hard work, dedication and a lot of swearing, I can do whatever I put my mind too.

It has shown me sometimes strength can

come from your darkest days — if, and it’s a big if, you just have the courage or in my case stubbornness, to find it.

And I should add it doesn’t have to be something as physically demanding as an Ironman — it can be learning to play an instrument, taking an overseas holiday or running 5 km, it just has to be relevant to you and something about which you feel passionate.

It does take a bit to keep this rig together though — so far this week I have been to the physio and chiro and it’s only Tuesday — I still have three more days of the working week left to go so god knows what will happen by then.

After two years of working your butt off, to achieve the dream is awesome.

I think my mum was hoping to hear me tell her I had decided to hang up my gear but I am not quite ready for that yet. I have another year left in me at least because I have discovered achieving my own personal goals is actually quite rewarding.

Many people will go yep I have ticked that one off — unfortunately I am not one of those.

People often say to me do you get lonely but in all honesty I don’t have time to be lonely.

Now I simply can’t wait for one — and I want to do it faster.

I have a dog that looks at me with absolute adoration the minute I walk in the front door and an 18-year-old daughter living at home who keeps the house untidy and me on my toes.

another

In fact, based on my current time, I might be able to crack a podium finish when I am 70.

Family and friends think I am crazy (which is probably true) but did I mention triathlon is a very addictive sport?

And did I mention expensive?

Don’t even start unless you would consider selling your children to fund your sports gear purchases or sneaker collection.

I am already planning my next Half Ironman in November and I am hoping I can drag this nearly 44-year-old human tortoise around the calendar for yet another year.

I have dated a couple of nice guys (yes, there are still some out there) but it hasn’t worked out for me and I am fine with that.

I mean I am sure there is someone out there who will compliment me, but until he comes along, I won’t be spending my life waiting on the couch.

I have a life to live and things to do.

And I have learnt that my feelings and my goals are important and I won’t be giving up on them anytime in the near future. 

15

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Escape

Share your snaps with bella HAVE YOU TRAVELLED recently?

Maybe it was for your honeymoon or a quick getaway.

Or maybe it was for something more, a trip planned for months certain to alleviate all that built up stress.

Whatever the reason, we’d love to see your pics and feature them in the next magazine. Email them to editorial@riverineherald.com.au

’

Sue and Russell Pearson, Stephen & Liz Dye, Peter & Jenny Brereton, Rob & Kerr ie Canning and Sally Garner at Royal Ascot Races June 2018

Eiffel Tower by Narelle & Maddy Taylor Cardiff Castle by Narelle & Maddy Taylor

Want your snaps to be featured in the next edition of bella?

Send your snaps to editorial@riverineherald.com.au

17

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Amy’s aiming to bring Beam to Echuca-Moama to

shine a light

on inclusion

Amy Whitten is the co-director of a not-for-profit organisation called Beam which is an all abilities, all-inclusive movement to music program. But as VIVIENNE DUCK writes, Amy and her program are about so much more than just that. And she’s hoping to bring it all to our doorstep later this year

A

MY WHITTEN KNOWS the power of music.

She knows the power of movement.

And her love of dance has her students beaming.

The Echuca woman is empowering people of all ages and all abilities to feel confident and have fun.

Amy is the co-director of a not-for-profit organisation aptly named BEAM.

“I had worked in dance schools and the like where it was very structured and you had to have a certain disability to be involved and it just didn’t sit right with me.

But at the end of high school Amy had a big decision to make.

“I just thought ‘Why does it have to be so segregated, why can’t everyone be involved?’

“My mum was actually the one who said ‘If you don’t audition for dance academies now you will regret it’ so off I went down to Melbourne and danced at two different academies and basically spent my gap year dancing,” Amy said.

“We wanted to start something that was completely inclusive for everyone.

“And now I have about 50 students aged Beam is an all abilities, all-inclusive move- from 18 months to 55 years old.” ment to music program that aims to Dance has been part of Amy’s life for the provide a safe and inclusive environment for better part of 21 years. students to learn.

“I started dancing here in Echuca at It is run out of the Long Gully Community Suzanne’s School of Ballet when I was three Centre but Amy has plans to bring it to her and did that right up until year 12,” Amy said. home town.

“That is where my love of movement came “I was at university when two mothers came from and where I saw the power of music. to me and encouraged me to start the program after we saw a gap in what was “I think that is where I first learnt how important movement was for our physical and offered for people with disabilities,” Amy said. mental health.”

Does she pursue a career in dance? Or does she further her studies at university?

“I loved it and I think my passion for movement really grew while I was down there.

“But it cemented in my mind that I wanted to go off to university and pursue a career in the health sector.

“I am a rural girl at heart so I deferred my uni courses and once the 12 months was up I went to La Trobe University in Bendigo to do occupational therapy.

“The Bendigo course is a bit different because it is included in the Rural Health School so there is a real focus >>>

19

>>> of rural health which is what I am really passionate about.”

operational and word of mouth was their best advertisement.

It was in her fourth and final year of uni when BEAM was born.

“The two mums who are my co-directors have disabled children so they were my first two students and from there it was just word of mouth,” Amy said.

Juggling uni subjects and trying to get the not-for-profit organisation off the ground kept Amy busy.

“

I JUST THOUGHT ‘WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO SEGREGATED, WHY CAN’T EVERYONE BE INVOLVED?

”

“I work better when I am busy so it was good to get time to do something other than uni work during that year,” Amy said.

“So I would really work out my time and make sure I got things done when I needed to because if they weren’t there was no hope of finding any more time to get them done.”

After a cash injection from the Down Syndrome Advisory Group BEAM was

20

“I think if we were a dance school operating as a business I would say we were successful but I think because we are not-for-profit we are always striving for more.

and after their classes.

“Often we have students come in and they are feeling a bit down or sluggish and when they walk out of the class they are a completely different person.

“And looking into what makes them feel that way I think would be really interesting.”

There is one thing Amy can promise the people of Echuca — BEAM is coming.

“We are definitely on our way,” she said.

“The goal would be to cut down a few days working as an OT and do BEAM on a full- “I am hoping to get it up and running maybe time basis. one night a week by the end of the year.

“But I think I would always have to be work- “I am getting more and more OT work in ing as an OT because I think the clinical side Echuca so if we can lock in a night a week of things really helps me at BEAM. when we know I will be here then it makes it much more doable.”

“And vice versa. Sometimes I see a student react to a certain thing really well and I think wow that would help a client of mine in the exact same way. It is a beautiful thing, really.”

Amy works for Scope disability support services and services clients in and around Echuca three days a week.

In typical Amy fashion, she is already look- “I am in Bendigo for the other two days and ing ahead to bigger and better things. that allows me to teach and direct at BEAM down there,” Amy said.

“I am hoping to get some fourth year OT students in to do some different projects with BEAM students,” she said.

“I really want to get some of them to look into how my students are feeling before

“I know there are a lot of people in Echuca who would benefit from BEAM and I am hoping we can bring it to them very soon.

Stay tuned.” 

cheese l e Blue and fresh fig tart f d for the of

I

T’S THE TASTE of summer in one mouthful — the blue cheese and fresh fig tart.

MICHELLE THEODORE CATERING, PROVIDING HOME COOKED SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT FUNCTION.

Michelle Theodore said it was an ideal dish with friends and an easy dish to re-create.

“For me, it’s all about getting together with friends and celebrating life with good food,” she said.

“The blue cheese and fresh fig tart is a delicious dish that can be presented for afternoon tea, a dessert, a canape or an entrée and is really delicious with a glass of rose or chilled bubbles.”

Michelle loves cooking for others and sharing food ideas.

DINNER PARTIES CORPORATE FUNCTIONS HOME BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

“It’s good for the soul and it’s great for the community,” she said.

That’s why she has decided to start a monthly gathering of women and men to talk about recipes and cook a meal together.

The relaxed event is expected to encourage confidence in women while having a laugh.

“It’s an opportunity for busy women to enter the kitchen and have a bit of fun,” Michelle said.

Interested people can email michelle@hmval.com.au

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INGREDIENTS: • • • • • • • •

3. Arrange the blue cheese and figs in the centre of the pastry.

Blue Stilton blue cheese One sheet Borg’s Puff Pastry 4–5 fresh figs, sliced 1 tbsp of honey 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper, freshly ground Fresh figs to garnish Fresh thyme to garnish

4. Combine the honey and the balsamic vinegar together and drizzle over the top of the tart.

6. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with fresh figs and thyme if desired.

7. Cut into irregular pieces and service immediately.

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METHOD: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Cut a sheet of pastry in two rectangle pieces and place on a baking tray. Score a 1.5 cm border around each rectangle so that the edges will pick up easily. Using a fork, prick the centre of the tart.

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Holiday of a lifetime was part pilgrimage

One Moama couple has made the brave decision to share their personal pain at the loss of not one, but two, babies. Stillborn sons Jonah and Hamish would not define their parents’ lives and as VIVIENNE DUCK writes they remain an integral part of the family

T

HERE IS A lingering pain evident in Tiffany McIntosh’s eyes.

The death of one child is something most women couldn’t even comprehend.

But the death of two, in the space of four years, is simply unfathomable.

Tiffany and her husband Andrew have four boys.

Two were stillborn.

But the Moama family weren’t going to let death define them and went on a trip of a lifetime to celebrate their two sons and brothers who were no longer with them.

“We spent six weeks in Europe in May and June,” Tiffany said.

“We called it our Jonah and Hamish adventure as it was a trip inspired by our two sons

24

who were stillborn — Jonah at 39 weeks in March 2013 and Hamish at 20 weeks in June 2017.

“Our boys have taught us how precious life is, and we aim to live our lives as beautifully as we can, in honour of them, with our two living sons.”

Tiffany and Andrew were married in 2012 and fell pregnant on their honeymoon with their first son Jonah.

“He was stillborn at 39 weeks and three days,” Tiffany said.

“It is hard to imagine him as a five and a half year old, like he would be now, to us he is still that little baby and always will be.

“We always talked about having two kids.

“We have four boys — two of them are just

not here.”

And this is how Tiffany and Andrew speak to Oscar and Louie about their brothers.

“They know they have two other brothers who aren’t here but are still a part of our family,” Tiffany said.

“We try and remain really happy and positive when speaking about Jonah and Hamish.

“We include them in everything we do as a family and that is why the holiday was so special to all of us.”

Tiffany said she was still carrying the scars of losing Jonah when pregnant with Oscar.

“After Jonah died we weren’t afraid of death and we didn’t live with that fear,” she said.

“But when Oscar was born it was quite overwhelming and the thoughts were there

about what could go wrong now he was actually here.”

after Hamish’s death — which really kept me focused and busy.

Both Oscar and Louie were born at 37 weeks and are now bubbly four and two year old boys who have a ferocity for life.

“Jonah was five in March and we just really didn’t want to face another first birthday of a child who is not here at home.”

“We never really spoke about not having another baby after Louie was born,” Tiffany said.

“Even though we had two babies and we always wanted two I think I secretly wanted more.

“I am a school teacher and love kids so we tried again.”

Hamish was stillborn at 20 weeks in June 2017.

The family travelled from the UK to France, Switzerland, Italy and finally Spain before returning home.

“The intention was to be together in places we never dreamed of at this stage in our lives,” Tiffany said.

“That was heartbreaking knowing he had an awareness of death that a three and a half year old normally shouldn’t have.”

“Hamish and Jonah inspired us to have time together as a family during a time that can be really tough.

For the McIntosh’s fertility wasn’t their struggle.

“We were so lucky to be able to fall pregnant quite easily.”

Despite each death having a lasting impact, Tiffany said the second stillbirth was a different pain.

“After Hamish died we couldn’t grieve the way we needed to because we had these two beautiful boys at home who needed their strong and happy parents,” she said.

“It doesn’t make it easier coming home from the hospital to two boys who are alive.”

After having five birthday anniversaries at home for Jonah, Tiffany and Andrew decided they wouldn’t do that again.

“It all stemmed from Andrew saying we should go to Scotland one day not long after Hamish died and we thought ‘why don’t we’?,” Tiffany said.

“So I picked dates and booked our flights and that was my project for the months

“It was raining and really foggy in the morning but we decided to go up the cable car anyway.

“The whole way up in this cable car you The family celebrated Hamish’s first birth- could just see raindrops and fog. day in Switzerland, fittingly upon a moun- “By the time we had lunch I went outside the tain called First. restaurant to have a look and it was around the time Hamish was born and the sun came But their journey started in London. out it cleared up and it was just stunning.

“We have friends in London so we spent a “With the green hills and little villages down week there before we picked up a motor the mountain and the snow-capped mounhome and drove to Edinburgh, Scotland,” tains we just thought yes, this is where we Tiffany said. were meant to come.”

“I remember when I came home from the hospital and the first thing Oscar said to me was ‘he isn’t coming back is he’,” Tiffany said.

“For some families fertility is really hard, but for us keeping a healthy baby was the struggle,” Tiffany said.

where we spent Hamish’s birthday.

“We are really glad we did this trip with the boys; we have already seen the growth in them.”

“

The pain Tiffany and her family have been through has encouraged her to speak out about their story and try and help other families.

CURRENTLY THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT OR FUNDING INTO RESEARCH OR PREVENTION OF STILLBIRTHS.

“I made a submission to the recent Senate enquiry into stillbirths and was asked to speak at a public hearing in August,” she said.

”

“There I spoke to a panel of five about Jonah and Hamish’s story and the care I received after their deaths.

With rolling hills, a visit to the Loch Ness monster and plenty of family time the family then flew to Paris.

“Currently there is no government involvement or funding into research or prevention of stillbirths.

“We felt really safe for the whole trip, positive experiences everywhere and people being friendly,” Tiffany said.

“Oscar became very well-rehearsed in saying we are from Moama just north of Melbourne.

“We then got a train from Paris to Switzerland

“People would think the government would care about something that affects so many families.

“I just hope Jonah and Hamish’s stories can be a part of something that helps prevent babies from being stillborn in this country.” 

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Putting learning into practice

Moama Anglican Grammar now offers regional students the opportunity to put their learning into practice by completing VET Primary Industries. And young women like Lexie Belcec are leading the way

Y

ear 11 student Lexie Belcec is forging her future in the Agriculture Industry by being part of Moama Anglican Grammar’s first cohort to study VET Primary Industries.

The predominately female class, taught by Miss Danielle Garden, are the next generation of new and passionate advocates of a strong agriculture sector. Their strengths and skills are breaking down barriers about what women can achieve in agriculture.

Lexie has strong career ambitions of studying Equine Science and working in Equine Reproduction, and VET Primary Industries has provided a great base for her studies.

“Growing up on a farm, I have always had a

strong interest in life on the land and VET Primary Industries really jumped out at me as a great subject to study as it related to things I love”.

The development of the new Technology and Applied Science (TAS) Centre, a dedicated learning facility for Agriculture, VET Primary Industries, Metal, Woodwork and the potential for Engineering has opened up a world of opportunities for our regional students. “I’m so excited to use the outdoor classroom and spaces that are dedicated to our learning and prac” said Lexie.

The new space provides students with broad hands on experiences where they build fences,

practice livestock husbandry, cropping and take enormous pride and ownership in these enterprises.

This new generation of graduates will complete their schooling with both a HSC Qualification and a Certificate II in Agriculture, a significant advantage when applying for tertiary places or the workforce.

At Moama Anglican Grammar we believe that students learn best when they are engaged with subjects they are passionate about.

Moama Anglican Grammar is encouraging a love of life and learning and the pursuit of personal best by putting learning into practice for their students.

27

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With the latest designs in carpet, timber, bamboo, laminate, luxury vinyl, tiles and rugs we have the perfect flooring solution for every home and budget.

Visit our showroom and we can help you find the floor you’ve been searching for.

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Messy play area

Changing themed play spaces

Accredited Early Childhood Learning teachers Follow us on Facebook for events and fun offers.

258 Pakenham St, Echuca (03) 5480 1396

Coffee & Cake – Lunch menu

Riverboats

A one, two; a one, two, three, four…

The Waifs, Mark Seymour, Tex Perkins, Augie March, Deborah Conway and Benny Walker are part of the line-up for Riverboats 2019. KIMBERLEY PRICE takes a look at all the acts coming as one of the annual Echuca-Moama high points gets set to entertain

R

IVERBOATS. It’s just one word but it means so much.

But Riverboats (aka the Riverboats festival) is one of ‘the’ fixtures on the local calendar.

A guaranteed sell out, in a guaranteed location, that is without parallel on the festival circuit.

It is one of the few events upon which people wait with breathless anticipation to hear who is in the next line-up — and how quickly the tickets will be snapped up once the program goes public.

Riverboats 2019 will be headlined by folk rock band The Waifs, Tex Perkins — Far From Folsom, Mark Seymour and The Undertow and Augie March.

Supporting them across the three days of

music in February will be Don Walker, Jen Cloher, Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier, Fraser A. Gorman, Gabriella Cohen, The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Kill Devil Hills, Leah Senior and Echuca-Moama’s Benny Walker.

some of the biggest names in Australian music under the red gums at Aquatic Reserve, as well as receiving national acclaim including Gold for Best Festival at the 2017 QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards”.

And running the show once again will be “We are a little boutique festival that’s wonderfully unique. The line-up is one thing, MC Brian Nankervis — the man with the Cheshire cat grin and endless witty repar- but the town offerings are another. tee. Brian is as much a fixture as the tower- “The Riverboats festival brings people to the ing river red gums which shade the venue.

Murray.”

Festival director David Frazer said he was pumped about the 2019 program and still finds it hard to believe this will be his eighth event.

“It has been such an incredible journey so far.

From its origins as a small regional festival back in 2012, Riverboats has now presented

Formed in 1992, sisters Vikki and Donna Simpson recruited Josh Cunningham to form The Waifs. Adding Ben Franz and David Ross Macdonald for their touring and recording, the band was a regular on the Australian charts in the early 2000s.

Their 2003 album Up All Night reached the

“Empowerment” is a word we hear often, but what exactly does it mean for women and girls?

Simply put, women and girls are empowered when they are free to act in their own best interest.

No matter what your background or situation.

You can make it. You can become successful.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Cail – Gingerhouse photography

Imagine the Possibilities Conference 2018

30

www.peterwalsh.org.au peterwalshmp peterwalshmp Peter Walsh MP 466 High St, Echuca Ph 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 Funded from Parliament’s Electorate Office & Communications Budget.

RICH RIVER GOLF CLUB top five of the Australian album charts, scored four ARIA awards and went double platinum.

The band’s soft whimsical sound and Australiana accents in ‘London Still’, ‘Bridal Train’ and ‘Sun Dirt Water’ have seen The Waifs become a household name.

Enjoy our Bistro, Cafe Lounge & Kids Room ’

Mark Seymour is an Australian music icon.

Front man of Hunters and Collectors, responsible for hits such as Holy Grail and Throw Your Arms Around Me, Mark Seymour’s songs have been the soundtrack of Australian lifestyle for decades (despite any damage some of us have committed at karaoke night).

Joining him at Riverboats will be The Undertow, a band which collaborated with Seymour on their 2011 album — the first post H&C album he has credited to a band.

Seminal musician and Riverboats favourite Tex Perkins returns with his critically-acclaimed Far From Folsom — The Songs of Johnny Cash.

In a major coup for Riverboats audiences, this will be the first time Far From Folsom has been performed as part of a music festival. Featuring Tex’s legendary backing band The Tennessee Four, Far From Folsom embodies Johnny Cash’s iconic performances at Folsom and San Quentin prisons in the late 1960s.

If Augie March doesn’t make you feel like sitting against a window looking out at the rain and belting out One Crowded Hour then you’re doing something wrong.

The band formed in 1996 in Shepparton and has definitely seen the highs and lows of the music industry.

It wasn’t until their third album Moo, You Bloody Choir in 2006 that Augie found their place on the charts with their light vocals, strong bass and indie/pop sound.

Away from the mainstage, artists performing as part of Riverboats’ famous paddlesteamer sideshows are Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier, Benny Walker, Fraser A. Gorman and Leah Senior. Benny Walker will also be performing at the annual Riverboats Breakfast, to be held on the upstairs balcony of the Beechworth Bakery.

“There are so many different things you mightn’t see at other festivals,” David Frazer said.

“Families can roll out their picnic rugs and get up close and personal with the artists all appearing on the one stage.”

Riverboats Music Festival will be held on February 15–17 at the Aquatic Reserve. 

5481 3333

www.richriver.com.au Twenty Four Lane, Moama 31

Julie Dullard, Deidre Madill and Vicki Rossborough.

Girls just wanna have fun

DAVID CHAPMAN made the short trip to Tongala to discover the secret of its hugely successful, and volunteer driven, community activities centre, set up with public funding more than 40 years ago

T

ONGALA WOULD NOT be the thriving community it is today if not for the tireless work of a group of dedicated and hard working women.

In one month 250 people passed through the centre’s doors and that number continues to grow — no mean feat for a town of just 1926 people.

The group of about 15 help run a central hub in the town which offers everything from Tai Chi, patchwork classes and computers for beginners to first aid courses and to lessons in English for Korean workers at the local abattoir.

Department of Health and Human Services and Neighbourhood House Victoria fund the centre, which has a volunteer committee of management to oversee its governance.

There is also an after-school program and childcare centre on offer.

More importantly, it is also a social focus for people who may be living alone or feel isolated in their lifestyle.

The doors, it seems, are always open for anyone to drop in for just a cuppa and a chat.

The place is the Tongala Community Activities Centre and it has served the community since its humble beginnings in 1977.

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One of those volunteers is Pat McMeeken, who has been involved with the centre since 1999 when it moved from ‘The Cottage’ next door.

“Women wanted somewhere to go, someone to talk to,” Pat said of the centre’s beginnings.

“It’s like being part of a family.”

Another volunteer, Julie Dullard, is a librarian at Tongala Primary School and was approached to be the facilitator of the centre’s after-school program.

Her background knowledge on how to care

and guide children on the right path has been invaluable.

A flexible program sees schoolchildren take part in a variety of activities, from running and ball games to drawing and playdough.

“We have after-school snacks for them and always start with a positive talk about what they did on the weekend,” Julie said.

She said the centre had been overwhelmed by the gratitude of the parents who appreciated having somewhere for their children to go after school in a safe environment “We have artwork from the children on the walls and to see their faces when they walk in and see that is priceless.

“It’s a very inclusive program where everyone is treated the same,” she said.

“We have kids here who are not always asked to be the captain of a side in the school yard.

“It’s about building self-esteem and watching them grow.

“Making those small differences is rewarding.”

have nowhere to go.

the community.

“We all feel very proud. If the centre wasn’t here, there would be an enormous gap in the community.

Earlier this year a group of schoolchildren prepared a two-course meal of broccoli soup and hamburgers and invited 15 members of the community to enjoy the lunch.

“There are a lot of people who live alone and how would they stay connected with the community otherwise? Who listens to them?

But it’s not only the young who benefit from the women who staff at the centre.

“All the little jobs volunteers do benefit Tongala,” she said.

Vicki Rossborough moved to Tongala in 2014 to be close to family and grandchildren.

“It’s a fantastic underused.”

She helps people with photocopying and the computer novices who need assistance in applying for jobs or filling out forms.

Ruth Scown said Korean workers at the local abattoirs drop in for a class in conversational English once a week.

“We even spent a day on Aussie slang,” she said.

The centre also offers free Wi-Fi to allow the workers to stay in touch with loved ones back home.

Another volunteer, Christine Coventry, has been at the centre for more than a year, having moved back to Tongala from Bendigo.

She said seeing people drop in simply for a cup of tea, simply to talk to someone without judgement has been overwhelming.

“I’ve had that verbalised twice to me in the last couple of months,” she said.

“For someone to come and sit down opposite another person and connect.

“It felt very comfortable to talk woman to woman and they want to come back.

“It’s a beautiful thing because some people

facility

that’s

really

Sue Duggan has lived in Tonny 20 years and joined the centre this year.

“It all helps us identify needs on how best to help the community,” she said.

The centre is at risk of losing its funding for childcare and has been in constant communication with local MPs such as Damian Drum to back their cause.

“We help find pathways for people to go, whether they need counsellors or social workers," she said.

“With the computer class we charge a very nominal fee because we need the class to run, but we are applying for funding to help out.

She was approached while gardening in her front yard and asked to assist with the afterschool program

“We try to keep things affordable.

Having recently undergone a shoulder replacement, she joined to help the community “rather than sitting on my bottom”.

“It’s about talking, listening and adapting to the bigger picture.

Centre co-ordinator Deidre Madill took on her role earlier this year having spent 15 years as a PR manager at a hospital.

She said it was a constant battle to get more funding and gradually increase hours of the centre.

“There are a lot of younger families moving in because of affordable housing but while they live here they may have to work out of town,” she said.

To illustrate that fact, at the primary school, there used to be composite grades but now there are two grade fives and a separate grade one and two, so numbers are starting to come back.

Deidre said the centre regularly collected data to show how much was used within

“The demographic keeps changing and we need to change.

“The centre has such awesome people working here and they’re very approachable,” Deidre said.

The centre’s evening craft class has also grown in numbers.

“Ladies come in and sit and chat and have a great camaraderie. It’s that contact, of not feeling alone,” she said.

“There’s a quilt show coming up in October and we’re helping to organise that.”

Deidre said the centre tried to encourage the community to just drop in for a cuppa.

“It’s about instigating a conversation, getting people in the door and finding out what they need.

“And it’s infectious. Seeing people growing is one of the biggest achievements of the centre.” 

Community concept started with a

friendly coffee

T

ONGALA COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Centre had its origins during a Sunday cup of coffee in 1977.

About 70 people turned up and members of the community decided to set up a permanent centre.

Discussion centred on a need to get people to mingle and to provide a setting for creative pursuits in the Tongala area.

A small group of 10 pushed the idea and debentures of about $60 each were raised through the Tongala community — and they would be repaid in the 1980s.

A display was organised in a spare room at the primary school and in one evening community members were invited to try gemstone polishing, spinning wool, wood turning and oil painting.

There was a collection of old bottles on display, an information session on how to propagate African violets and a lesson for the card game bridge.

The centre has retained its function as a meeting place for people to drop in for a cuppa, have a chat, acquire new skills and develop a feeling of belonging in the community. 

A cottage was purchased with Lions Club funding and relocated by a Bendigo house removalist to Tongala.

By the early 1980s ‘The Cottage’ was the meeting point for 30 organisations and continued to be a hub in the town until its services were moved into the present building in 1999.

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Sometimes it really helps if you are a lightweight As the meek shall inherit the earth so the natural lightweights shall rule at the racetrack — where the less you weigh the more the trainers love you. SOPHIE BALDWIN caught up with the diminutive Mikaela Claridge to find out what she gets out of one of the world’s more dangerous sports

F

EAR IS THE last thing on Mikaela Claridge’s mind as she thunders down the straight.

A mere 47 kg stripling, often perched atop a horse more than 10 times her own weight, she knows no fear.

Most people would be horrified reaching speeds of 70 km/h while straddling more than 500 kg of highly strung nervous energy with nothing but a small helmet and padded vest as your only form of protection.

She is simply doing what she loves.

But not Mikaela, she is too busy living the dream now she is a jockey — albeit an apprentice.

“Being a jockey is an absolute dream for me and I can’t believe it is my job — it’s so exciting,” Mikaela said.

“I know it is dangerous but when you are in a pack of 16 horses at full gallop you don’t have time to think about that, you just want to do your job and ride as best as you can

and hopefully cross the finish line first.”

After recently joining the Michael Cornish/ Donna Gaskin stable in Echuca, Mikaela rode her first race at Wangaratta in August.

She is hoping this is just the start of what will be a long and successful racing career.

Growing up in Hamilton surrounded by horses and a family of equine enthusiasts, Mikaela’s first love has always been horses but it was in the eventing field rather than racing where she began. >>>

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>>> “I think I entered my first competition when I was about seven,” she laughed.

She remembers having a Shetland pony following her mother and grandfather everywhere they went. Mikaela can’t really remember any of her childhood not associated with horses or horse riding.

She had to send in riding videos and once she passed that step, coaches came out to watch her ride at the track.

had no time for nerves. I just had to put my race brain on and focus on my tactics and how to ride the race.

There is also a huge element of fitness “At 300 m I thought I had the race won but involved and she had to test things includ- the horse beside me got me on the line.

I wasn’t too disappointed though because ing her VO2 level, skin folds and mobility. it was just so amazing to be finally racing.”

And that’s just to be accepted.

“I always knew when I grew up I wanted to Mikaela rode her first winner at Echuca on Then the hard work and dedication kicks in. do something with horses but there is not King's Hand on September 6 and she is Mikaela is up early and out at the track rain, a lot of money in eventing and I knew I hoping to one day make it to ride in the big needed to look at a different avenue.” hail or shine and she returns again most meetings in the city. afternoons.

When Mikaela was at school she got a partIn the world of racing she said quite often time job at the stables of Allan Cook.

In 2015, just four months into her appren- male jockeys outweigh females but that ticeship she had a fall which forced her to certainly doesn’t worry her.

“I would be out there before school and take the rest of the year off. during the holidays doing ground and track “I was riding at Berrigan the other day and work. It was a 6 km bike ride to the stables “I decided to get my bachelor of primary there were so many female jockeys we and I would get myself there at 5 am — some- education and during that time I was also ended up in the big male change rooms and times dad would take me but most of the working in the equestrian program at the boys had to get changed in the smaller time I was on the bike,” she laughed.

Hamilton College which I really enjoyed.” female ones.”

When she finished Year 12 she applied for Racing Victoria’s apprentice jockey program.

“When I told mum and dad I wanted to be a jockey they weren’t too big on the idea because they were worried about how dangerous it would be.

“Now they love coming to the races and mum especially is right into it. She is always watching the racing and knows more about it than I do.”

At the end of 2016 Mikaela and Jamie decided to move to Echuca.

“I got a job at Mick Cornish and Donna Gaskin’s stable just as a track rider. I didn’t decide to get back into my apprenticeship until March 2017 and that’s why it seems to have taken me so long to finally achieve this goal.

“It was such a relief when I finally got accepted.”

She said race days were huge.

Mikaela’s fiancée Jamie is also very support“It is such a funny feeling watching the joy ive and jokes one day he will give up teachthat comes out of people, betting on you ing to become her full-time manager. and wanting you to win.”

Jokes aside though, it is not easy to become She managed a second place in her first a jockey. official race.

To be accepted as an apprentice Mikaela had to go through a fairly in-depth appli- “On that first day I was sitting in the barriers cation process including her riding history. shitting myself but once the gates opened I

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Mikaela said with her weight sitting at a fairly stable 47 kgs she was lucky to not have to waste or sweat before a race.

“I am lucky I just watch what I eat and I am able to feel good and fit. I am an athlete like any other in a paid sport and I have to look after myself.”

Mikaela might only be just finding her feet in the sport but she sure is determined to make a serious go of it.

“I might have come from an eventing background and was big on that at the start, but my love of horses has certainly grown into a love of racing and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else now. It is an absolute dream.”

Since being interviewed Mikaela has gone on to win her first race piloting King's Hand to a two length win at Echuca in September. 

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When eating healthy is mentally healthy F

IRST, and most important, it’s more than OK to say you’re not OK — it is essential.

On October 10 World Mental Health Day turns the spotlight on this trending chronic illness within every community.

But it’s successful management is a 365-days-a-year commitment.

Mental health affects about 12 per cent of our population and is increasing every year for multiple reasons (Australian Government, 2018).

And one of the contributing factors to poor mental health has been attributed to poor nutrition.

Yes; what we eat has a significant impact on our mental health (or as Hippocrates said: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”)

In a study of more than 1900 participants researchers found a direct link between mental health and poor nutritional intake.

Participants with mental health issues generally had poor diets consisting of high sugar and low intake of fruit and vegetables (Wattick, Hagedorn, & Olfert, 2018).

Adopting the Mediterranean style wholefood diet that consists of foods high in Omega 3, fresh vegetables, fruit, good quality protein and good quality fat such as extra-virgin olive oil, avocado and raw nuts (to name a few) has been found to improve mental health as well as other chronic illnesses.

Ditch the sugar, processed meats and foods to improve your health outcomes (Dog, 2010).

Relaxation: massage, magnesium float tank, watch a movie, have a coffee with a friend, do something for you.

A nutritionist can assess your diet and provide suggestions to improve overall nutrition and support.

Health professionals: doctor, mental health specialist, social worker, counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you are unable to get the food from your diet then quality supplements can be introduced that will help to correct the imbalance.

Because it is critical to say you’re not OK, the government provides access via Medicare to a mental-health plan which can be completed by your doctor and allows you 10 subsidised visits to a mental-health practitioner.

Food is by far the best source of nutrients.

There are many ways to support mental health and sometimes a team approach works better just as there are also many natural alternatives you might like to try and they are available in our community.

Exercise: walking, running (only if this is enjoyable), yoga, swimming, dance, Tai Chi, gym, Pilates, just to name a few (the aim is to find something you enjoy otherwise this can be the cause of stress and then it will defeat the purpose).

Complementary medicine: nutrition, chiropractic, osteopath, acupuncture, naturopath.

To have access to this you need to call your doctor’s surgery and inform staff that you will need a longer appointment; this gives your doctor time to write up this plan.

For anyone needing assistance contact beyondblue at beyondblue.org.au or 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

This information is general in nature and should not take the place of individual advice from your doctor or other health professional.

References: Australian Government. (2018, July 17). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Retrieved from Mental health services in Australia: www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mentalhealth-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/report-contents/summary/prevalence-and-policies. Dog, T. L. (2010). The role of nutrition in mental health. Alternative Therapies, 16(2), 42–46, ISSN: 10786791. Wattick, R. A., Hagedorn, R. L., & Olfert, M. D. (2018). Relationship between Diet and Mental Health in a Young Adult Appalachian College Population.

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Thirty Something

This can’t be happening, not to me, not to me Everything had been going so well, even the whirlwind courtship and that so unexpected ‘I will’ when the question was popped. Which of course had demanded a celebratory escape to somewhere full of the A crowd, Bora Bora perhaps. But that all vanished in a split second on the first day back in the office

S

All were in alignment; it was just 8.30 in the am.

Worst of all, it’s out of my control.

If she had been to the gym she must have been mobile by 6 am.

O MY WHOLE world has been turned upside down, inside out, and it’s all out of control.

When I innocently went on my annual holiday to yet another suitably glamorous location (with you know who) I left the team with gentle, but firm, instructions on what not to do in my absence.

But I simply don’t recognise anyone here.

My last afternoon in the office was all about cups of tea, petit cakes, chocolates, assorted other treats and that sweet, sugary sensation.

Now it has all been swept away.

God help me but it’s true.

Even the girl who sits beside me, the only one who has cracked the glass ceiling (she turned 40 last year) changed into running gear this afternoon and headed out the door after a few stretches and hit the road.

I was agog.

And aghast.

The deputy editor, who I would have trusted with the key to my secret Swiss chocolate stash, turned up all sweaty and tousled this morning and in breathless anticipation I had rolled my chair around the corner of her desk to hear the salacious details.

I could not believe what I was hearing. She had come straight to the office from the gym.

Not from Jim.

Doesn’t she know there is a law against that?

Six am.

I started to shake, just ever so slightly, and could do nothing to stop it.

I wanted to grab her and demand to know who she was, and what had she done with my friend.

The whole thing was insane, I knew I was going to wake up in a minute and discover it had all been a crazy dream.

My eyes must have been taking on a slightly crazed look because the receptionist was backing up as I stormed towards her.

“Tell me,” I pleaded. “This is a dream isn’t it?

“None of us are really here, are we?”

She kept backing away (and was glancing left and right for something heavy in case she had to defend herself) and with her arms outstretched was suggesting that perhaps I might like to sit down, I seemed a little overwrought.

I could not remember this child’s name, why would I, she was just the receptionist, my beck and call girl.

And I was starting to call her names I normally wouldn’t.

But the morning ground on and I was still trapped in this netherworld, with every passing minute more and more desperate for it to end. I even pinched myself, twice, and apart from guaranteeing a bruise on my upper arm got nothing for the effort.

“What do you know about all this exercise, and diet changes?” I demanded.

You probably won’t believe this, I know I can’t, but when lunch came around no-one wanted to go down to the wine bar for a leisurely 90 minutes or so.

“Maybe,” she said, “you are a bit jetlagged.

No, everyone had brought some kind of icky healthy repast and they all trooped to the lunchroom — I didn’t even know we had one — to discuss their resting pulse rates, their weight, training tips and whether they were running or riding home (on bikes, not in taxis).

And they all seemed so pleased with themselves, indulging in those juvenile fist bumps and high fives.

From the gym gym. The one where women don’t perspire, where they sweat.

I could not join them; I could barely stand looking at them let alone continue talking to them.

I looked at my watch, checked the clock on the wall and then my phone.

Over-the-counter medication going to calm me down here.

was

not

But she just kept stammering, and was now backed up against the wall, with nowhere to go as I hissed at her.

“Why don’t you go home for the afternoon and have a nap?”

That was the final straw. Here was this emptyheaded nonentity trying to calm me as if I was going into palliative care.

“Or it might help if you joined the girls after work, we are training for a fun run next week and you might want to join us,” she proffered.

“Did you say a fun run?” I all but screeched.

“Yes,” she smiled, thinking she must be getting through to me.

“We have even,” she added, “put your name down in case you wanted to join us.”

That’s when I fainted. 

39

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Women’s fashion

The race is on in the fashion stakes

LET’S THANK OUR lucky stars for spring — it has got fashions on the field written all over it.

From the famous fields at Flemington to the relaxed surrounds of Echuca racecourse, it’s time to come out of winter and get back into the glam wear.

Model: Emilly Atkinson Make-up: Vibe Skin & Body

World of Discovery Black slip dress: Italian star Roxy dress $122 Jewellery: Krystle Knight

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Lords Fashion Style state burgundy dress $59.95

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Lords Fashion Fate & Becker Maylou black maxi dress $149.95

Annabella

Annabella

Singlet : 365 Days Linen $99

Shirt: Imagine Italian Silk $159

Jacket: 365 Days Linen $149

Skirt: Imagine Italian Silk $189

Pants: Imagine Italian Linen $179

Belt: Made in Italian Leather $69.95

Bag: Kampanero $219

Shoes: Suede $96

Shoes: Walnut Leather Suede $189.95

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World of Discovery Jacket: Italian Star, Royals Linen $130 Skirt: Italian Star, Midi Stripe $79 Runners: Miz Mooz, Oriane $92

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