Ty brisbane dec 2016

Your Time Your premier 55+ magazine

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PUSH RESTART RETREAT A PERFECT GIFT FROM THE KIDS

HERE’S TO US! THE GENERATION WHO ENJOYS A TIPPLE

BRISBANE EDITION 21, DECEMBER 2016 1.indd 1

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Editor’s note

W

hen our reporter Angela Bensted began casting about for contacts for this month’s cover story, she didn’t have to look too far.

Almost my entire circle of friends, myself included, would fall into the category of the Baby Boozers, the generation who likes to have a drink.

My parents, born around the first World War, grew up during the Depression and barely touched a drop. A cold beer on a hot day for Dad and for Mum, an occasional sip of the ghastly McWilliam’s Fruit Cocktail. That fancy shaped bottle would last a whole year.

Similarly, my sister born during World War II only has the occasional tipple but for me, the Baby Boomer, it has been a lifetime of wine with dinner, a chilled G&T after a busy day, drinks with friends,

Brisbane

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Contents drinks on the balcony, drinks at a picnic, drinks when it’s hot and drinks when it’s cold, no matter where I am in the world.

So what happened in there? Angela comes up with some thought-provoking answers on the influences that entered Australian drinking habits. Remember the Barossa Pearl? Ben Ean? (easily the biggest selling wine of 1975) Blue Nun? Cold Duck? Starwine? Bodega?

It brings to mind the lyrics of the lament by Eric Burdon and The Animals, “When I think of all the good time that’s been wasted having good times. When I was drinkin’ I should’ve been thinkin’.”

And now it’s the Christmas season, another great excuse for a quaff or two.

Never mind, the new year brings a clean slate to do better and for inspiration, look no further than Garry Maher who at 64, took up karate, earned a black belt and almost a decade later is teaching others of a similar vintage. His health has never been better.

And on that note, I would like to wish all readers a healthy, happy and safe holiday season with family and friends.

We look forward to bringing you more good reads next year.

Dorothy Whittington, Editor

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CONSUMER WATCH GOOD ONE, GRANDPA WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE READER’S STORY OUR PEOPLE GARDENING FASHION FINANCE HISTORY MOTORING SUMMER READING CHRISTMAS COOKING WELLBEING BOOK REVIEW HEALTH WHAT’S ON TRAVEL TRIVIA QUIZ PUZZLES

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COVER STORY

Meet the Baby Boozers, a generation who likes a drink From Depression-era parents who rarely touched a drop, came a post-war generation who took to having a regular tipple, writes ANGELA BENSTED.

I

f you’re reading this with a chardonnay in your hand or a nip of scotch doing duty before dinner then you’re a typical Baby Boomer.

You love a drink and you have one nearly every day, a legacy of how you grew up in the booze-soaked 1960s and ’70s.

By comparison, Australians are actually drinking less alcohol now than at any point in the past 50 years.

The most recent numbers (2013) published by the

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show daily drinking is at its lowest level since 1991.

Fewer young people are drinking alcohol and people under 40 are less likely to drink alcohol in risky quantities.

But, before you pour yourself another shandy to celebrate Australia’s newfound sobriety, let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

The picture for 60-69 year-olds is not so rosy, with short-term risky drinkers

increasing by nearly one-third and lifetime risky drinkers increasing by 20 per cent since 2001.

People aged 70 and over are the most likely to drink daily, although they are also the least likely to consume alcohol in amounts considered “risky”.

These figures are probably conservative, with Australian researchers reporting older people pour alcoholic drinks 16-32 per cent larger than a standard drink, and older men over-pouring spirits by more than a half-nip.

So why does alcohol feature so prominently in the lives of Baby Boomers born between 1945 and 1963 in a post-war era of relative peace and prosperity?

From the 1950s, Australians steadily increased their alcohol consumption, peaking in 1974-75 at 13.1 litres of pure alcohol a person.

There are many theories about why this has happened.

People had more money after World War II. We started to produce beer in bulk, thanks to refrigeration and better production methods.

A surge in European migration led to greater wine production.

As more households came to own a television and mass media infiltrated the living room, alcohol came to be associated with high profile sporting and cultural events.

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Who remembers feeling like a Tooheys or two? Or being made to smile by Dr Lindeman?

And women could join the party at the public bar thanks to anti-discrimination laws introduced in the 1970s.

Dr David Ellis, himself a Baby Boomer, has run a busy general practice for 35 years.

“I think that generation, born around the ’50s, were a different generation in a lot of ways,” he says, recalling his own adolescence with a post-war father he suspects suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

“Who remembers feeling like a Tooheys or two?

Or being made by to smile by Dr Lindeman?”

“He kept to himself a lot and probably drank more than he should. He was a very bright man, very intelligent man and held a good job but there were a lot of issues there and it caused a lot of relationship problems within the family.”

He says a lot of young people now might go out on the weekend and drink a lot but they don’t drink during the week at all.

“Our generation would have

had a drink every day of the week. It was part of our recreation,” he says.

“And we all drank and drove.

Back in the day we used to have to walk in a straight line and that was about it. It was almost like a comical thing that a person was a bit drunk.”

Author of The Rum State, Milton Lewis, traces our boozy habits to Australia’s colonial roots when spirits were used in barter and convicts were part-paid in rum.

The 20th century brought mateship rituals of a “shout”, with groups taking turns to buy each other drinks at the pub and “work and bust” cycles, where long periods away working in the bush were followed by prolonged binge drinking at home.

In the 1960s, Australians invented the wine cask, bringing cheap, boxed wine to suburban kitchens and making a daily moselle or claret commonplace.

Since then, public health campaigns, random breath testing and changes to alcohol taxes have helped curb consumption.

“People my age see what happens with alcohol because it’s so much more publicised these days,” Dr Ellis says.

“There’s a bit of a feeling – I don’t know whether it’s revulsion or guilt – about drinking.”

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COVER STORY But for many Baby Boomers there is still an underlying misconception about how much is too much.

There’s little research on safe limits for older people’s use of alcohol.

For the general population, the National Health and Medical Research Council recommends no more than two standard drinks on any one day and no more than four in a session.

Dr Ellis agrees many people growing up through the ’50s and ’60s are surprised at the suggestion their average alcohol consumption, while it might be less than it was, is still a lot.

“I have guys who still drink eight stubbies a night,” he says.

“Often they’re hard workers who think they’re entitled to come home and sit down to watch TV and consume a whole lot of grog.”

The list of health hazards associated with heavy drinking is long and ugly.

In addition to falls and heart problems, older drinkers are more likely to develop liver diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and incontinence, obesity, sexual dysfunction and of course, cancer – particularly of the mouth, oesophagus, throat, liver and breast.

Older bodies are less able to process alcohol so a few drinks will hit Baby Boomers harder and affect them for a longer time.

If you go drink-for-drink with your grandchild you will likely register the higher blood-alcohol level.

It also means the two generous glasses of wine you

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might have enjoyed every night for the past 40 years won’t be broken down as easily in your system, often resulting in higher blood pressure and abnormal liver function.

There are links between heavy, prolonged alcohol use and Alzheimer’s disease.

It can also affect the brain indirectly by decreasing the absorption of thiamine, resulting in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which impacts on learning and memory.

Some affected by this condition become permanently disabled and need long-term institutional care.

Those few daily drinks also compete with a growing number of other chemicals which have crept into the baby boomer’s daily regime, as many older Australians are regular users of prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

Are you washing down your arthritis tablets with a “medicinal” red wine? That could lead to stomach inflammation, gastrointestinal bleeding and liver damage.

Still having a tipple at cocktail hour while taking a course of antibiotics? That puts you at greater risk of vomiting, headache and convulsions.

There is also a toll on the economy, with the number of older people who received public treatment for alcohol and other drug problems increasing during the past decade.

People aged 60-69 recorded a 79 per cent increase in alcoholrelated treatment episodes, most commonly for falls, abnormal

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For more, search “alcohol” at nhmrc.gov.au

heart rhythm or alcohol dependence.

Despite the numbers, Dr Ellis remains optimistic, believing health risks are better understood by Baby Boomers these days and their attitude towards alcohol has changed.

“It’s like a light has been turned on with a lot of them,” he says.

His theory will be tested when the latest figures on drinking habits and attitudes towards alcohol are published next year, after households were surveyed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare again last month.

“Baby Boomers see the stories about people falling over and fighting in The Valley, about people getting king hit.

Their attitude towards alcohol has changed a lot,” Dr Ellis says.

“The last thing you want as you get older is not to be in control.”

MORE INFORMATION National Health and Medical Research Council’s 2009 Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol nhmrc.gov.au Alcohol related dementia fightdementia.org.au/ about-dementia/types-ofdementia/alcohol-relateddementia Alcoholics Anonymous aa.org.au Call 1300 222 222

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23/11/2016 2:10:07 PM

CONSUMER WATCH

KNEE REPLACEMENT ALERT

BEWARE THE BARBECUE GAS BOTTLE

ALLEGRA Orthopaedics, in consultation with the TGA, is issuing a hazard alert regarding a higher than expected revision rate for its Active Total Knee Replacement System.

This appears to be related to a lack of patella resurfacing.

Knee implants are made up of various components which can be used in a variety of configurations. One option is to use a button to resurface the back of the patient’s patella and keep it from potentially rubbing against the implant as the knee bends.

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AIRLINES FLY HIGH ON TRAVEL INSURANCE

BEWARE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFERS

AVOIDING add-on travel insurance when booking a flight can save families hundreds of dollars.

A review of airlines travel insurance policies found a family of four could save $445-$871 by purchasing a standalone policy and avoiding the insurance offered

by Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar in their online checkouts.

Consumer group Choice says don’t buy travel insurance through an airline’s online checkout and compare policies, as purchasing directly from an insurer can save you hundreds of dollars.

THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has reviewed extended warranty selling practices over concerns that some had the potential to mislead consumers about their true value beyond the rights and remedies already available under consumer Law. Virginia Surety Company (VSC) is incorporated in the US and underwrites and procures marketing and administration services for a range of extended warranty plans (Product Protection Plans) sold to consumers by retailers of electronics, domestic appliances and white goods.

CONSUMER group Choice is urging consumers to check their barbecue gas bottles after a spate of backyard blazes left at least one person in hospital.

A man was treated at Westmead Hospital after a gas bottle exploded at a Sydney home.

“With the weather warming up, running a few safety checks on your gas bottle could stop more than your snags from getting burnt,” says Tom Godfrey of Choice.

“We don’t want to see any more people injured by exploding gas bottles so make sure your barbecue is in safe working order before you turn up the heat.”

It has undertaken to engage with retailers to revise extended warranty brochures to include additional information to assist in comparing features of the extended warranty being sold with existing remedies available.

VSC is the second underwriter in the industry to commit to these steps.

The measures will improve extended warranty selling practices and allow consumers to make a more informed decision. Misleading representations made by large retailers about extended warranties are a priority enforcement area for the ACCC.

This means replacing your gas bottles if they appear damaged or rusty, checking them for leaks TIPS ON BARBECUE SAFETY: • Replace your gas bottles if they appear damaged or rusty • Spray the hose and connections with soapy water; if bubbles form, then gas is leaking and the gas bottle hose and canister should be replaced • Don’t store gas bottles indoors • Don’t leave gas bottles in the car • Check connections are snug and clean • Replace the gas hose every five years • Never use the wrong type of gas; the data plate on the side of the barbecue will tell you if it takes LPG or natural.

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Victoria Barracks.

Urgent support of Built in 1864, Victoria organisations and individuals is Barracks are characteristic of needed to save the Victoria 19th century British military Barracks precinct from high-rise barracks. residential, retail and It has remained an commercial activities. important part of Queensland’s history, with a link to Please forward your protest Queensland’s military from the before December 2 to: Urban colonial era through two world Renewal Brisbane, Brisbane wars and the Vietnam conflict.

City Council, GPO Box 1434, Visitors can see buildings Brisbane 4001.

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WEATHER WATCH HEATS UP AUSTRALIA is experiencing more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons, according to the biennial CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology State of the Climate report.

CSIRO senior scientist and leader of the NESP Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub, Helen Cleugh said the changes were due to an increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which act like a blanket by keeping heat in the Earth’s lower atmosphere.

“Carbon dioxide is measured in parts per million,” Dr Cleugh said. “Before around 1750, the level of CO2 was 278ppm. This year the Earth will record a global annual average of over 400ppm, the highest level in the past two million years.”

She said Australian temperatures would almost certainly continue to increase over the coming decades.

Temperature projections suggest more extremely hot days and fewer extremely cool days.

“As land temperatures increase, so do ocean

temperatures and the report shows that the deep ocean is also impacted, with warming now recorded at least 2000m below the sea surface,” Dr Cleugh said.

The weather bureau’s climate monitoring manager Karl Braganza said Australia was already experiencing the effects of climate change with record-breaking heat now becoming commonplace across the country.

“Australia experienced its three warmest springs on record in 2013, ’14 and ’15,” he said.

“We’ve already seen an increase in fire weather and a longer fire season across southern and eastern Australia since the 1970s. In these regions the number of days with weather conducive to fire is likely to increase.”

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23/11/2016 2:11:17 PM

NEWS

BRITISH FILM CAPTURES PIECE OF HISTORY

Words fail me GOOD ONE, GRANDPA – With Peter Richardson IN these monthly ramblings, I have related and bemoaned the ways in which short-term memory loss (STML) has inconvenienced, embarrassed and even enraged me, but now I find myself battling it on a different front.

It’s good to know, therefore, that there are still lots of precious recollections in my long-term memory retention (LTMR) files.

So here’s just a little memoir I have treasured for a lifetime – the day I was judging an essay competition for primary school students.

Their task was to tell what they did during the Christmas holidays.

Most of the entries were totally predictable and equally boring, but one youngster delighted me with his report on a fishing trip with his Dad. Here’s what he wrote about sitting up in the bow and looking down: “Ulp, said I, the water’s infected with sharks”.

Yes, I should have marked him down

on several counts but happily gave him a big tick, and I often wonder whether he went on to greater things in the uninhibited use of our lovely language.

But back to the problem I have when words fail me. As a wordsmith of sorts for some three score years and 10, I have always relied on a reasonably copious vocabulary but increasingly, I find that thanks to STML, this stock in trade is under threat.

Until recently, I have had trouble only with the whereabouts of things like specs, phone, keys and, yes, even hats, but now I find that, to put it bluntly, words fail me.

Whether I’m chatting, writing or just cogitating, the word I want suddenly disappears without trace. Then, of course, at some ridiculously small hour when sleep deserts me, up it pops.

I know I am far from being alone with this problem and I’ve been assured that STML does not necessarily mean that Mr A. Zeimer is lurking in the background, but just in case, I’ll persevere with the “Use it or lose it” drill and do battle with Scrabble and the occasional crossword.

I can’t help it though, when I let loose with a few very cross words when yet another one fails me.

BASED on the inspirational true-life romance between Botswanan King Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) and his British wife, Ruth Williams Khama (Rosamund Pike), A United Kingdom is a British period piece set in the 1940s.

He was an Oxford-educated African king, while she was a white Englishwoman working as a clerk at Lloyd’s of London.

Their interracial union in 1948, in the face of fierce opposition from their families, the British government, the tribal elders of the British protectorate of Bechuanaland (later Botswana) and the apartheid government of South Africa was a scandal.

Seretse Khama in 1965 became independent Botswana’s first president.

He was also kgosi (king) of the Bamangwato people, having been crowned at the age of four in 1925.

Ruth Williams went on to become first lady of Botswana between 1966 and 1980.

Director Amma Asante captures this defiant and enduring love story while shining a light on a complex and painful chapter in British history.

Khamas’ son, Ian Khama, is currently the democratically elected president of Botswana and the family cooperated in the making of the film. It will be released in cinemas on December 26.

WIN A FREE DOUBLE PASS Your Time has five double passes to be won to see A United Kingdom when it opens in cinemas later this month.

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Winners will be announced in the January edition.

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www.svphb.org.au Brisbane

23/11/2016 2:11:57 PM

WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE

The first days of Christmas What is it about the end of December that brings out the best and worst in people? DAVID PARMITER takes a look at Christmas Past.

S

ome of us become like St Nicholas, wanting to spread love and goodwill, and perhaps give comfort and food to the less fortunate; others become like Scrooge and proclaim, “Bah, humbug!”

Many forget or ignore the poor Cratchit family and their crippled son, Tiny Tim. Christmas began as the Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus; but he was not born on December 25.

Because of the Julian calendar, imposed by Julius Caesar in 46BC, he was probably born in late September.

The Romans celebrated the Saturnalia in late December and when they adopted the religion of the Christians they moved Christ’s birthday to coincide with the feasting and celebrations of the Saturnalia.

It was their way of trying to be inclusive of the two religions.

The key days in the Roman calendar were the Kalends (1st), the Nones (7-9th) and the Ides (11-13th).

“Beware the Ides of March” said the soothsayer in Shakespeare’s play. But Caesar didn’t, did he? He turned his back and got stabbed in the Senate. “Et tu, Brute?” (dies). Watch out in Canberra ...

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII, on the advice of the astronomers of the Renaissance, introduced the Gregorian Calendar of 365 days, with 12 months and a leap year every four years. In other words, the calendar we use to this day (kalends = calendar).

According to the Macquarie dictionary, Jesus was born in about 6BC and was crucified in AD29. So yes, he was 35 but no, he was not born in the year 0.

In England, the Druids worshipped the sun and held their rituals and feasts at stone circles such as Stonehenge.

Mistletoe formed part of these rituals and was absorbed into the Christian rituals at Christmas. I don’t know where the kissing came from!

Feasting, parading through the town and carolling also formed part of the community joy and religious expression which was embraced by the monks and monasteries in the Middle Ages.

Some of the carols were religious (O Little Town of Bethlehem) and some of them were secular (The Holly and the Ivy).

Miracle and mystery plays were also performed on top of empty hay wagons for the entertainment and religious education of the common people.

rly UT! 00 a Ne D O 0,0 L 31 SO $ m fro

Again, the secular and the spiritual.

This medieval celebration of the Christmas season began on Michaelmas Day (September 29, the Feast Day of the Archangel Michael) which merged into advent for the religious component, and then into the 12 days of Christmas for the social/secular/amorous part of the season.

“A partridge in a pear tree” – and all that my true love gave to me over the 12 days.

Christmas really took off during the reign of Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, who imported what we call Christmas from his culture in Germany.

They introduced the Christmas tree, the baubles, the sending of Christmas cards to impress one’s friends, and the practice of giving small gifts in boxes to the servants on Boxing Day. All of these are German traditions which have been absorbed into the British way of life.

These were noted by writers such as Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. And didn’t the merchants and the admass corporations love it.

Christmas has been taken over by the

“must have it” mentality. Today the decorations are up in October.

“If you love your family, rush out and spend” is the merchandising message.

For the true meaning of Christmas you should read Under The Greenwood Tree, the short story by Thomas Hardy.

The villagers of Wessex go out a-wassailing and carolling. Wassail was the spiced ale that was given to the carollers as a thankyou for their neighbourly contribution to the spirit of the season. These days they might be arrested for disturbing the peace.

The other must-read to your grandchildren is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and To Come appear and give Scrooge a hard time. But at the end, when the Ghost of Christmas Present leaves Scrooge with two homeless mites clutching at his coat-tails, the tale is bound to bring tears to the eyes.

The homeless little boy is called Ignorance; and the homeless little girl is called Poverty. Both are still a blight upon our society today amid the affluence of Australia in 2016.

So Tiny Tim shall have the last word: “God bless us every one.”

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23/11/2016 2:12:19 PM

NEWS

Living history in Queensland’s oldest woman Last month, Phyllis Lee celebrated her 109th birthday, which makes her Queensland’s oldest woman. At least, that’s the claim. Her family have yet to hear from anyone who can go a year or two better.

P

hyllis was born in Yorkshire in England on November 3, 1907 and was still a toddler when she left England with her parents and three siblings for Australia.

They boarded the Oswestry Grange at Tilbury Docks on July 28, 1909, and travelled through the Suez Canal, then via Colombo, Torres Strait, Townsville and Rockhampton to arrive in Brisbane on October 10 – a 10-week voyage on a steamship.

They had paid 4 pounds for their passage and arrived with 100 pounds of capital.

Her father, Robert John Naylor, was listed as a merchant and general dealer with considerable experience in farm work.

Phyllis is also likely to be the immigrant who has lived longest in Australia – 107 years, the last 97 of them in Stanthorpe.

The family lived in various places – Brisbane, Gympie, Mitchell, Mungallala and Toowoomba, where her younger brother was born – before purchasing an orchard, Trentholme at Applethorpe in 1919. Phyllis lived there until 1932, when her parents moved to Indooroopilly in Brisbane.

At Mungallala the family lived in a

corrugated iron shed, shared at one time with a large black snake hanging from the rafters.

Phyllis’s education began in Mungallala where an itinerant teacher called in once a month.

She was a pupil at Milton State School then attended Applethorpe school until she turned 14 and left to help her father and brother in the orchard.

Phyllis recalled using a horse and dray with 44-gallon drums to get water from a waterhole to water the trees.

Fruit was picked during the day and graded and packed by hand in the shed at night, lit by kerosene hurricane lamps.

She later found work in Stanthorpe but returned home each weekend to help the family, and remembers handing over her weekly pay packet and receiving a small amount of pocket money in return.

One of her regular weekend jobs was to clean the steel cutlery, was a tedious job. There were no stainless steel knives and forks in the house at that time.

There was a tennis court close to the house and Phyllis enjoyed lots of games there. Another lifelong interest was table tennis and she was still challenging others to a game when she was 102 and living at Carramar.

In 1933, Phyllis married Wesley Lee in the Stanthorpe Methodist Church.

Wesley was a printer by trade who was carrying on the business begun by his father in 1920, which also included selling good books and fine china imported directly from the potteries of England.

There were eight children in the family. One son died at six weeks and there were two older step-children. They were brought up by their Lee grandmother but Phyllis always regarded them and their families as part of the wider Lee family.

For the first 14 years, Phyllis and Wesley lived in what had been the dormitory of a boy’s boarding school.

Phyllis Lee celebrates her 109th birthday with great, great granddaughter Harriet.

It was a large “open plan” house, built on high concrete stumps with a laundry under the house. It was surrounded by vineyards.

In winter, the westerly wind whistled under the house raising the linoleum inches from the floor boards.

During these years grocery shopping was easy. A worker from the local “supermarket” arrived on his bicycle to take the order which arrived next day, carried into the house and placed on the kitchen table.

Just after World War II, early in 1947, they bought a house at a time when restrictions still applied to house building and renovations. It was carefully demolished and rebuilt into a much more comfortable home on another block of land which was also closer to the town.

Phyllis lived through two world wars and the Depression and so became adept at “making do”.

Thriftily recycling everything from string to brown paper, was always a way of life for her.

Phyllis was a great cook and made good use of her large four oven coke

burning aga stove, its warmth always welcome in winter but not so much in summer.

Phyllis would often have the whole family around the table peeling, cutting and chopping some of the Granite Belt’s beautiful stone fruit and packing them into Fowlers Vacola bottles, and filling the large jam pan with ingredients for jam and pickles.

Many of the vegetables would come from Wesley’s large garden.

The jars would then fill the pantry shelves with fruit and vegetables for delicious meals during winter. Some found their way to the Stanthorpe Show.

Phyllis was skilled at and loved doing lots of craftwork, so many winter evenings were spent in front of the fire crocheting rugs, and creating items in cross-stitch, tapestry and patchwork.

In 1974, Phyllis finally returned to visit the land of her birth.

Her dynasty is now made up of five children, 17 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild as she heads to five score years and 10.

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Brisbane

23/11/2016 2:13:38 PM

NEWS

CALLING ALL WOMEN WRITERS

Fighting fit and loving it

From left, Garry Maher in action on the mat, a proud medallist and Garry is awarded his blackbelt in karate at age 68.

“Anything is possible in life, the impossible just takes a little longer,” says Garry Maher who is living proof that it’s never too late to change bad old habits and take a new lease on life.

At 73, Garry couldn’t be fitter, healthier or happier and means it quite literally when he says karate is a lifesaver.

It’s a long way from that dark place of almost a decade ago when the retired police detective senior sergeant received an ominous warning from his doctor that he wasn’t travelling too well.

He was 64 and all his blood readings were elevated to an unacceptable level,

he weighed 103kg and had already suffered two heart attacks necessitating a quintuple coronary by-pass operation.

That was followed by a total right knee replacement because of his arthritis.

He would joke that if he was a horse, even the glue factory would reject him.

But Garry wasn’t ready to sign out and decided that things had to change.

With the cautious agreement of his doctor, he took up karate.

“I chose karate as it also offered increased confidence and the skills to avoid or reduce harm as I wasn’t getting any younger and was acutely aware of the potential for violence in the

community,” he says.

Karate training, he learned, gave him increased awareness of his surroundings, greater alertness and a keen sensitivity to his gut feeling or intuition.

It was time to pursue his boyhood dream of becoming a black belt in karate.

On December 11, 2011, Garry became a 1st Dan Black Belt in karate, a Shodan.

He was 68.

Today, Garry weighs 90kg, his blood test readings are normal, one of his medications has now been halved and his right knee is performing pain-free and beyond expectation.

At 73, life has never looked so good.

Not every retired person wants to play Sudoku to keep their brains active – you may be interested in writing instead.

Joining a friendly society of women writers can provide motivation, support and encouragement for those who already write or who want to start writing.

The Society of Women Writers Queensland (SWWQ) consists mostly of retired women, with meetings held on the second Tuesday of each month.

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There is even a playwright but there are also members who have not yet been published.

The SWWQ is seeking over-55s to join them, so if you have written for years and left it in a desk drawer, or have words whizzing around in your head and would like some help in getting them on to paper or a screen, consider joining.

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Visit womenwritersqld.org.au

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December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 11

24/11/2016 9:02:59 AM

READER’S STORY

Dogs – they’re all about you To some they’re man’s best friend, but to others they can make life hell. JAY FIELD explains why a puppy for Christmas is a bad idea.

W

ild dogs cost Australia at least $48.5 million a year in livestock losses and disease spread and control, says a report by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

Of course, your dog is nothing to do with this, is it? Your dog is safely tucked away in your backyard, causing no problems to anyone.

Perhaps not … while wild or feral dogs tear the guts out of sheep and lambs, your dog may be tearing the guts out of someone’s life, whether you know it or not.

We tend to think of the owners of bad dogs as being a certain type of person – a bit rough around the edges – but some of the dogs making a retiree’s life a misery have owners as well-dressed and middle-class as you could find, often high income, too, as both partners go out to work.

Here are a few scenarios: Scenario 1: You go to work. You feel happy and secure because your dog barks (or yaps if it’s a little dog) at anyone passing by. You know that this lasts only as long as the person is walking past your gate or fence. It doesn’t last long.

However, imagine being the retired person living next to the house with the dog that may have barking sessions 30 or 40 times a day. Hell.

Scenario 2: Your dog is quiet when you tell it to be quiet. “Shaddup” and it’s silent so it must be OK for the neighbours.

Here’s news: when you are not there to yell “shaddup”, it doesn’t. When some small stimulus – a leaf falling from a tree, a bird landing on the path – sets off one of its barking sessions, it does not stop for a long, long time because there’s nobody there to tell it to stop.

Scenario 3: One of the main reasons that dogs bark is what’s called separation anxiety. That’s really nice for you. It gives you a buzz when you come home and your dog goes crazy that you are there, at last. How pleasing that you are so special in this creature’s life.

Unfortunately, this has a dark side.

This crazy love means that your dog is not merely glad but insanely, relieved to see you. It almost certainly means that during the day, while the owner is away, the dog has been barking constantly and obsessively to relieve its anxiety.

Imagine the anxious, cigarette-puffing father who paces the maternity ward

corridor in the old movies (when smoking was allowed!) waiting for news the baby has arrived. Your dog can’t chain-smoke, so it chain-barks instead, while it anxiously waits to make you feel special and loved.

Speaking of the gratification of dogs and how pets can make you feel special, I have a particular bone to pick with those tear-jerking TV advertisements by the RSPCA. There are pictures of dogs that have been badly treated and traumatised by human cruelty. They suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), a complex condition that takes many forms such as obsessive behaviour, outbursts of violence, moodiness and other hard-todeal-with symptoms.

The ads promote the idea that you can be special because you can make such a traumatised dog happy – just by loving it and feeding it. Oh, and paying the vet bills that such a dog will need. And being woken at night because a mountain of a dog cannot sleep anywhere except with you.

Or it pees relentlessly on your carpet because it was chained to a tree in the backyard of the previous cruel owner

and always peed where it stood.

These ads, in my opinion, smack of that “you can be special” trend that so many advertisements have these days.

They promote a subtle form of narcissism – “I am truly wonderful because I made this poor dog’s life fantastic”.

You may pay dearly, financially and otherwise, for that occasional lick of your hand that makes you feel so special. That is, if you are not too sleep-deprived to feel special.

Yes, there will be some success stories, but I remind you that these dogs are traumatised and you are probably not an animal psychologist.

If you can afford to pay for several animal psych sessions for a traumatised dog, fine – go right ahead and succumb to the advertising.

And while you’re at it, why don’t you buy someone a puppy for Christmas, so they can be bored with it by March and it can become everyone else’s noisy problem?

Or – you could think it through and act thoughtfully and responsibly.

Now, there’s a breakthrough for the neighbours.

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With 15 retirement villages in Queensland, Lendlease has a place for everyone.

CALL 1800 550 550 AND TAKE A PERSONAALISED TO OUR TODAYY! retirementbylendlease.com.au Information about the services and facilities provided in the village is correct at the time of printing but may change as the needs of residents change. Photographs are for illustrative purposes. Some images may depict items not provided by Lendlease within the units such as furniture and other decorative items. October 2016. Published by Lendlease RL Realty (QLD) Pty Ltd ABN 25 138 535 814.

13.indd 3

24/11/2016 9:20:14 AM

OUR PEOPLE

Right royal reply becomes a crowning achievement

W

HEN Mark Riordan sent a copy of his latest book of poetry and a 90th birthday poem he had written for the Queen, he could only hope it would find its way to Buckingham Palace in London.

Weeks went by and he heard nothing – until more than four months later, a heavy Air Mail envelope embossed with ERII, arrived.

“I had been looking hopefully in my mailbox every day and then one day, there it was, with the crest on the back,” he says. “It was a real surprise.”

Inside, was a thank-you card, complete with a photo, from Her Majesty.

“I was so honoured to receive the Queen’s response in the mail and thrilled to know a copy of The Poetry of Queensland is now located in Buckingham Palace,” he says. “I had almost give up hope and then one day, there it was.”

The Brisbane poet says his work represents the aspects of

Mark Riordan with his book and letter Queensland which make it one of the world’s most liveable cities, “a passionate collection of illustrated poems revealing the

city’s beauty and magic”.

The beautifully bound and illustrated book is a collection of 20 short, descriptive poems and is the latest of eight books Mark has published. He hopes to release another 16 volumes by the end of 2018.

The hospitality industry worker hopes that his poetry will one day set him free to pursue the craft that has been a hobby for more than 30 years.

“My poems describe emotions and special events that

are dear to people’s hearts,” he says.

Mark is also the poet in residence for the Silver Memories segment at 4MBS Classic FM radio where he composes poems for special occasions.

“If someone at a nursing home is having a birthday or celebrating another milestone, I will write a poem especially for them,” he says.

Mark is also poet in residence at Sono Japanese restaurant and the Cat Whisperer at the Lucky Cat Café and his children’s poetry, Byron Bunny and Associates, is held at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.

The Poetry of Queensland can be found at the State Library and online at Amazon. Follow on Facebook at Mark Riordan (Poetic Avenger)

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23/11/2016 1:32:30 PM

TECHNOLOGY

GARDENING

Your little helper is here

Climbers enhance small gardens

The internet has come a long way in 20 years and, explains the iPadman COLIN DUNKERLEY, it is empowering seniors.

Climbing plants are ideal for small gardens even the tiniest apartment balcony can look a lot brighter with a single flowering climber, writes GARDENEZI. All you need is a pot and some sort of support.

W

hether you are stimulating your brain playing games, looking at photos to bring back memories or buying something for Christmas (yes, purchasing online is safe and will save you money) technology is helping make your life easier.

You can do things on the internet with devices you never thought possible.

Think about this, especially around Christmas time.

Need your weekly groceries? Drive to the shops, try and find a parking spot, walk around loading up a trolley, wait in a queue, unload the trolley at the register, load trolley back up, go back to your vehicle and unload the trolley again then drive home and unload the groceries again.

All that time lost when you could spend 10 minutes placing your order online from Coles or Woolworths and they will deliver your groceries right into your kitchen, often for free or

BEFORE

as little as $4! Avoid parking hassles and the time saved could be used to spend time with your friends or family.

Come to think of it, aren’t some shopping centres getting ready to charge us $4 for parking?

Technology can also help deal with problems of loneliness and depression. Seniors face changing social circles as close family or friends move away or perhaps it was you who moved away in retirement.

While family and friends may live in other parts of the country you can use technology to bring them closer by holding them in the palm of your hand as you talk to them via FaceTime or Skype.

Your grandkids want to “see” you as you want to “see” them this Christmas, so if your family and friends are not close, pick up a device and make a face to face call which is usually free. What are you waiting for?

Ask The iPad Man at Facebook.com/theipadman

S

ome climbers such as the popular but too vigorous Orange Trumpet Vine (Pyrosteiga venusta) are just too rampant for pot culture and won’t be found on my list of the Top 10 climbers for small gardens.

I’ve also excluded environmental weeds such as common jasmine and honeysuckle.

Those listed are chosen for long flowering and ease of cultivation. All do best in a humus-enriched soil with regular feeding and watering.

1. Dipladenia/Mandevilla are closely related pink, red or white-flowering vines that produce blooms for most of the year. Ideal for tubs, hanging baskets and light trellises.

2. Allamanda – An oldie but a goody that comes in a couple of other colours besides the traditional yellow. Longflowering and very tough.

3. Star Jasmine

Tecomanthe on light support (Trachelospermum jasminoides) – Very pretty white starlike flowers in spring, with delicious perfume. Only flowers for a short time but the attractive, small, shiny leaves make an attractive cover for fences and trellises all year.

4. Cardinal Creeper– Lovely deep crimson flowers appear throughout summer. Needs a strong support.

5. Pandoreas – The springflowering Wonga vine (Pandorea pandorana) with

Want a squeaky clean oven?

blotched creamy white flowers and the Bower of Beauty (Pandorea jasiminoides) with pink or white flowers from spring – late Autumn have long, tough canes and are rather rampant so cut back regularly.

Not for pots or very small spaces.

6. Stephanotis – Pretty white flowers and dainty growing habit.

7. Orange Trumpet Vine (Campsis grandiflora) – The OTHER and less rampant trumpet vine with open-faced pale orange summer flowers.

8. Snail vine – Delicately shaped pale mauve blossoms.

9. Fraser Island Creeper (Tecomanthe hillii) - Ideal for small spaces and supports. Deep pink bellflowers in spring.

10. Bougainvillea – Modern small-growing varieties come in all colours. Will grow in sandy or rocky soils – or pots. Don’t over-water.

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OVER55PALMLAKE.COM.AU All illustrations are artist impressions only. Images may depict fixtures, finishes and features such as furniture, homewares, refrigerators, window coverings and decorative lighting which are not supplied by Palm Lake Resort. Whilst every endeavour has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, Palm Lake Resort Beachmere cannot be held responsible for any consequences resulting from misdescription or inadvertent errors contained herein.

17.indd 3

23/11/2016 1:34:01 PM

Palm Lake Resort

puts residents’ health and wellbeing first

P

alm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa residents will be among the first in the Southern Hemisphere to experience the health benefits of one of the most technologically advanced electronic fitness training systems in the world.

Positioning Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa as the stand-out market leader in luxury health and wellness lifestyle resorts, Palm Lake Group has this month signed a multi-year deal with ‘milon’ to become the German brand’s exclusive client in the retirement sector in Australia. The milon strength and endurance circuit will be the centerpiece of Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa’s opulent Recreational and Wellness Centre, to be unveiled at the resort’s official opening on November 26.

The milon system consists of 12 separate electronically controlled strength and cardio machines. Residents will simply insert their personalised

smart card into each piece of equipment as they progress around the milon circuit and the card will instantly and automatically adjust the equipment to each user’s individual anatomy and training program requirement.

Training is straightforward, safe and effective. Residents will be encouraged to complete the 17.5-minute circuit three times per week for a balanced, total body training regime. Their workout information and statistics are collected by cloud-based software so residents can track their health improvements online and the information can also be analysed by the resort’s PT and residents’ healthcare providers, if required.

Palm Lake Resort national sales and marketing manager Marlene Cumming says she is very excited about the exclusive multi-year deal with milon, ensuring Palm Lake Resort stays at the forefront of health and wellness for its residents.

The unique smart-card operated milon

equipment is manufactured in Germany under the strictest requirements for quality and precision. The German brand itself dates back to the late 1960s and is credited with the invention of the first automatic tennis ball-serving machine.

As well as the milon strength and endurance circuit, Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa’s luxury clubhouse will feature a two-lane ten pin bowling alley, indoor and outdoor lounges, movie cinema, commercial kitchen, dining room, café area, dance floor, stage, art and craft room, library, billiard tables, games area, bar, outdoor barbecue and entertaining areas.

Greater resort facilities include a tropical resort-style swimming pool and spa, indoor heated lap pool and spa, sauna, tennis court, golf simulator, covered eight-rink

lawn bowling green, hair salon and workshop.

When complete, Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa will offer 220 architecturally designed two-bedroom-plus-study homes, some featuring specially designed RV garages and storage for those other ‘toys’ that make the retirement years such an adventure. A planned $25 million aged care facility will complete the Cooroy development.

The Palm Lake Group is a family-owned company with over 40 years’ experience in property development.

Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa is at 19 Trading Post Rd, Cooroy.

It’s Moving-In Day at Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa !

P

alm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa is delighted to announce the arrival of their first residents Geoff and Barb Cowan, together with Jim and Carol Walsh.

There was much jubilation last Monday when both couples opened their front doors and dusted off packing boxes to begin their new life in this wonderful resort. Celebration drinks and a shared dinner began this new friendship, which is just one of the many friendships that this resort will see blossom over the years to come.

“This is what a lifestyle resort is all about.”

Geoff and Barb Cowan were the resort’s very first unconditional buyers at Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa and prior to settlement of their

18 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

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home, they had made contact with Jim and Carol Walsh from the next street over, exchanging phone numbers so that while they were both travelling Australia and awaiting the completion of their new homes they could keep in touch. The couples are thrilled that they not only have a beautiful new home to live in, but also a pre-made friendship to enjoy their wonderful new resort lifestyle together. In their words “This is what a lifestyle resort is all about.”

Palm Lake Resort Cooroy-Noosa is now selling stage 2 homes with a few homes still available in Stage 1. Please contact our Sales Office on 1800 885 851 for more information or to make an appointment to view our display homes and country clubhouse.

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Keep it simple, keep it lightweight and keep it loose, so you can enjoy the extra party food and holiday cheer.

Happy holidays.

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FINANCES

Age pensioners face new set of rules Things are about to change for age pensioners. KAREN CALDWELL explains what it’s likely to mean when the Government’s rules change next month.

C

ontrary to what many people believe, the age pension is not viewed by the Government as an entitlement in your old age after your years of paying income tax.

It is a safety net for those who do not have the means to support a basic lifestyle at a time in life when it would be difficult to obtain income from employment.

With the combination of people living longer and less younger taxpayers per pensioner, the Government has clamped down once again on the rules to force more people to fund their retirement from their own resources when they can afford to.

When applying for the age pension, a form is completed per single or couple, and both an assets test and income test are assessed against current thresholds, which may change quarterly.

It usually results in your receiving a

lower level of age pension being applied.

The changes on January 1, impact the assets test, but as your situation and interest rates change in the future, you

“There are some who will benefit from the upcoming asset test changes, but most will not” could start to be assessed under the income test instead.

There are many people who only receive a part age pension now because their assessed assets are higher than the lower threshold.

For example, for a couple who own their home, this threshold will rise from January 1, from the current $296,500 to $375,000.

Also, the taper rate that is used to calculate the pension amount above this threshold will double from $1.50 to $3.

If the assessed assets of a homeowner couple exceed the upper threshold of $816,000 from January 2, they will no longer receive any age pension. This has reduced from the current level of $1,178,500.

To help those no longer entitled to any pension due to this change, the Government will automatically provide a health care card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card without the usual income test.

This provides discounted prescriptions and some other benefits.

There are some who will benefit from the asset test changes, but most will not.

To see how your situation will be affected, refer to the Government website humanservices.gov.au or ask a financial planner.

There are not many assets exempt from the asset test, but some pensioners could benefit from strategies their planner can suggest.

Karen Caldwell is a Certified Financial Planner and director of CQ Advice Pty Ltd. CQ Advice Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 439888) of Capstone Financial Planning Pty Ltd. ABN 24 093 733 969. Australian Financial Services Licence No. 223135.

Disclaimer: This is general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation. We strongly recommend you seek advice from your financial adviser as to whether this information is appropriate to your needs, financial situation and investment objectives. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this article, CQ Advice Pty Ltd and its directors expressly disclaim all and any form of liability to any person in respect of this information and any consequences arising from its use by any person in reliance upon the whole or any part of this article.

Baby Boomers who bankroll their kids Slicing into inheritance, “giving while living”, seems to be the done thing but how do we know what the future holds for Baby Boomers heading towards retirement and is it sound thinking to build a generation of dependent adults, writes LORRAINE PIRIHI.

H

ow can we possibly know how much we will need to live a comfortable life in the future?

These are questions that should be running over in our heads before digging into the wallet/purse.

We know business is unpredictable and so is life.

As parents we want to ensure our kids do not suffer or miss out, as we perhaps once did. We want our children to avoid hardship and to prosper but sometimes in life, hardship is one of the driving mechanisms to a better and more fruitful future.

Whether it is staying at home rent-free to save money for a deposit on a house or borrowing when out of cash, children can treat Baby Boomer parents as an easy option – an endless flow of money instilling no sense of responsibility or work ethic.

It is only natural, as a parent, to want to help financially but there are so many demands financially to help our children.

They leave high school, go to university for an undergraduate degree, travel for a year or two, then consider another degree and finally, a low-paid internship.

Harsh lending requirements and increased rent makes it difficult to move into the housing market.

We might buy groceries, a car, clothes or pay the deposit on rented

Brisbane

21.indd 3

accommodation – the list is endless. But is it necessary? What problems are we potentially creating?

Being the easy option for children

puts our own future financial security at risk without even knowing.

This, in turn, can put strain on relationships too. It can also cause rift and

jealousy between siblings and also set a precedence.

What child one receives, child two, three or four will expect the same treatment, leaving the bank balance looking unhealthy but also, most importantly it will not teach your children how to be self-sufficient.

The more baby boomers give away the less we have for ourselves when it matters. And, although every parent on this planet will see right by their child, it is about finding the right balance and the fine line between helping out when it is needed and not when expected.

It does not teach children money management. They will not learn to be self-sufficient, to look after themselves and stand on their own two feet.

When you are in your 50s and 60s, you are starting to think about winding down but you can’t do that if you know you have to support your adult children.

Many feel they have spent their life providing and now they have to keep going.

We have created a Peter Pan generation – young adults who know they have a fall back. That does not mean all baby boomer children are like this but in my work coaching baby boomers in business, it is a real concern.

Lorraine Pirihi is a specialist Baby Boomer coach December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 21

24/11/2016 9:06:48 AM

FINANCE

Honour your promises

Quest for a perfect townhouse

Partnership and business arrangements are formalised but, writes ALEXANDER HAWKINS, that’s not always the case wth the family farm.

Getting ready to downsize? MICHAEL MATUSIK has some tips to consider when the house is too big and an apartment is too small.

I

n business, terms are clearly outlined and agreed between parties, and any agreements recorded in writing, but in relationships between friends or family where a certain level of trust exists, the parties are willing to make significant commitments on the basis of an informal or unwritten agreement.

If someone goes back on such a promise the other party may be able to bring a claim in equity.

Equity supplements the common law, providing a separate and distinct body of principles which serve to mitigate the rigours of common law. Where the common law creates strict legal rights, equity will provide relief against the insistence on these rights where such insistence is unconscionable.

A recent decision in the UK illustrates the increasing application of estoppel as a remedy against unconscionable insistence on strict legal right.

The property in issue was a family farm. The proprietor’s son had worked the farm from an early age and had been promised that it would belong to him one day. As a result of the father’s declining health, his son assumed the day-to-day running of the operation.

During the father’s decline, his wife, on occasion, expressed concern that the proposed devolution of the farm was unfair to other family members.

Consequent to these discussions and the involvement of the wife, the relationship between family members deteriorated and the breakdown gave rise to litigation.

The Judge found that the evidence pointed to an over-arching plan that the son would inherit the whole farm. The evidence established that promises were made to the son and were relied upon.

The commitment to devote his entire working life to the operation of the farm precluded the son from pursuing alternative careers. The Judge ultimately considered that it would be unconscionable for the son not to receive the farm.

For everyone’s sake it’s best to formalise partnerships and business arrangements where possible before incapacity or death forces the hand, or relationships break down.

Alexander Hawkins is a lawyer at de Groots wills and estate lawyers specialising in estate litigation.

Visit degroots.com.au

M

y first property purchase was a townhouse.

We made a mistake buying a two-bedroom place rather than three.

Well, it wasn’t that big a mistake really, except on resale we would have got a bit more capital gain if we had shelled out for a larger townhouse and one with a slightly better internal layout.

Townhouses are a great alternative to the more traditional detached house or a much smaller apartment.

For mine, we aren’t building enough townhouses in our middle and even outer suburbs. But like all housing products and investment in general, there are some which do better, potential price growth and rental return-wise, than others.

We stress we are not financial advisers, but we do have an opinion and have worked on almost 120 new townhouse projects during the past 20 years, so we have done some homework.

Here are some rules for better buying: Location • Stick to middle-ring locations, typically 5km-20km from the GPO. • Stay close to major transport routes – rail, major roads, busways.

• Best if within a 10-minute commute to major employment nodes – hospitals, universities and major retail.

• Good if adjacent to regional open space, with some destination/lifestyle facilities.

• In general, target suburbs with aging demographics and declining household size.

• Look for elevated sites in locations with external grid patterned streets.

• Pay about 10 per cent less than the price of a traditional older detached house in the immediate area.

Site layout • Stick to smaller projects, less than 50 within the complex • Limit facilities – low body corporate fees are important.

• Duplex arrangements are better than long rows of townhouses.

• Secure letter boxes and garbage corrals at the complex entrance.

• Visitor car parking in small clusters • Combination of old school and modern technology ie brick based ground floor and quality lighter material on top.

Michael Matusik is a property analyst at Matusik Property Insights.

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23/11/2016 1:37:43 PM

HISTORY

The small Scottish village that was home to Brisbane Many residents have probably never heard of Largs and yet, writes DOT WHITTINGTON, this small coastal village in Scotland has inextricable ties with the city.

A

charming little seaside resort town on the Firth of Clyde 55km west of Glasgow, Largs was the scene of the last battle between the Scots and the Vikings in 1263.

It is also the home of Thomas Makdougall Brisbane who, although his time in Australia as Governor of the Colony of New South Wales was brief, left a significant footprint.

Apart from the city which bears his name, he established Australia’s first observatory at Parramatta and during his brief tenure, 1821-25, encouraged scientific and agricultural training and set up the first agricultural training college in NSW. Major-General Sir Thomas Brisbane was born at Largs in Ayrshire on July 23, 1773 and died there almost 87 years later on January 27, 1860.

He studied astronomy and mathematics at Edinburgh University before joining the British Army in 1789, and going on to a distinguished career in Flanders, the West Indies, Spain and North America.

Brisbane served under the Duke of Wellington who recommended his appointment as Governor of NSW. Soon after his arrival in Sydney on December 1, 1821, he began the first of many reforms such as improving the land

Brisbane’s meridian pillars, are hidden in bush on the knoll above Largs.

24 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

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The Largs Museum is adjacent to the cemetery where Brisbane is buried grants system, the currency, freedom of the press, and streamlining the tickets of leave and pardons.

He had brought his astronomical instruments, books, clocks and two assistants, Ludwig Rumker and James Dunlop, with him to NSW and they opened the first properly equipped Australian observatory at Parramatta in 1822. It remained in use until 1855.

Ever the scientist, he was the first patron of science in Australia and became first president of the Philosophical Society of Australasia, later the Royal Society of NSW, the oldest learned institution in the southern hemisphere.

He conducted experiments in growing tobacco, cotton, coffee and flax in the colony and encouraged agriculture on government land.

But it was in 1823, when he sent Lieutenant John Oxley to find a new site for convicts who were repeat offenders that he secured his place in history.

Oxley discovered a large river flowing in Moreton Bay and the first convicts arrived a year later. Governor Brisbane paid a visit in December 1824.

The settlement was declared a town in 1834, and opened to free settlers in 1839 and at Oxley’s suggestion both the river and the settlement were named after the governor.

Brisbane left Sydney in December

1825, never to return to Australia. He settled on the family estate in Largs to continue his astronomical research and pursue his interest in his regiment and his estate.

In 1808 he built an observatory at his ancestral home and in 1835, published The Brisbane Catalogue of 7385 stars of the Southern Hemisphere.

In The Observatory in Brisbane Glen, Largs writer John Bonsor notes that “the name of this soldier, colonial governor and astronomer is now associated more with Australia than his native Scotland, where the Largs observatory is a forlorn reminder of his pioneering work.”

“The ruins of an old observatory can still be seen in Brisbane Glen marking the spot where Sir Thomas Brisbane studied astronomy,” he writes.

“The three main meridian pillars still stand on their knoll. Substantially intact, overlooking Waterside Street in Largs, these massive square pillars are known locally as the Three Sisters and the knoll upon which they stand has the unofficial name of Astronomer’s Hill.

“The most visible structure in Largs is the Three Sisters, great pillars which once bore lamps used to align the telescopes in the observatory about a mile and a half to the north, precisely along the northsouth meridian.

“The observatory also contained a fireplace and a bed so that Sir Thomas could keep warm and rest when, as sometimes happens in Largs, the clouds came over. “Upon leaving to become Governor of NSW in 1821, he packed up his telescopes and took them along.

“As soon as possible he set them up again in a similar building in Parramatta and employed skilled assistants to operate them under his direction.

“He did, after all, have to spend some time running the colony. Sir Thomas Brisbane’s legacy to Australia was a functioning observatory which continued his work. Indeed some of the

A plaque on the Largs museum in Scotland tells its own story. instruments he brought from Largs are on display today in Sydney Observatory.

There is also a memorial to his founding of the Parramatta Observatory in the form of an obelisk standing on the site of his original transit telescope there.

“The city of Brisbane even boasts the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium.

Clearly his scientific work is better remembered in Australia than in his home town.

“The Three Sisters meridian pillars are the most substantial remnant of Sir Thomas Brisbane’s four observatories.

They stand today as a splendid monument to the man himself, and to a past age of astronomical endeavor and achievement without which today’s deeper exploration of the universe would not be possible.”

Sir Thomas Brisbane is buried in the family vault in the small Largs kirkyard.

The Brisbane Bridge in Largs

Brisbane

24/11/2016 10:58:30 AM

MOTORING

Style and substance measures up in the people’s wagon The Tiguan is an important car for Volkswagen because, as BRUCE McMAHON explains, there’s a swag of expectation riding on this latest SUV.

I

t’s a premium product for the people at an affordable price, says VW Australia’s boss Michael Bartsch. A wagon for the people.

It’s also, he says, a wagon designed to attract a new line-up of customers to the Tiguan and stablemates on showroom floors.

And this second version of the Tiguan, all new in style and substance, does measure up as a competitive player in the ever-growing SUV segment.

It’s also testament to a fresh approach for a company that’s had some engineering issues in the recent past.

Here there’s elegance to this VW’s two-box style, excellent accommodation plus a wellconsidered range of drivetrains.

Prices run from $31,990 to $49,990 for a range of petrol, diesel, two and four-wheel drive machines.

VW sees the 2016 Tiguan sitting between the Japanese

There’s a six-speed manual or auto transmission for front-drive models, a sevenspeed auto for the rest.

All arrive with a long list of driver aids and safety gear from

“The 2016 Tiguan sits between the Japanese and Korean rivals and the BMW.” and Korean rivals and SUVs such as BMW’s X1 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA. This Tiguan fits that bill with some panache.

It’s wider and longer than its predecessor, moving it from the small to the medium SUV segment and better suited to take on the likes of the popular Mazda CX-5.

The Tiguan range motors off with front-drive versions in base Trendline or Comfortline

trim – some 50 per cent of SUV sales are now two-wheel drive.

From here, as prices and equipment levels rise, there’s the choice of three petrol and two diesel engines with power outputs ranging from 110kW to 162kW. All engines, aside from the 110kW petrol, can be mated with VW’s excellent 4Motion all-wheel drive and its dial-up selection for varying road surfaces.

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Driver Fatigue Detection and clever rear view camera to rain-sensing wipers and Lane Assist.

Standard too, is a great driving position with a commanding view of the road ahead for drivers of all sizes.

The entry level car with 110kW petrol motor, mated to the auto and front-wheel drive is a practical machine for a suburbanites, young or old.

Despite lacking some extras found up the line and being the least powerful of the mob, the Trendline’s ride on 17-inch alloy wheels plus its accommodation and practicalities (with 615 litres or cargo space over a space saver tyre) are up there with best.

As with all these Tiguans there’s that premium feel – doors thunk shut as well as any prestige car and the cabin’s fit and finish is top class.

The other highlight is the 132kW Comfortline Tiguan with 4Motion. This arrives with very driveable petrol motor and great drive system which slips imperceptibly from front drive to all-wheel drive.

At $41,490 it’s tipped to be the big seller among these Tiguans.

The 2 litre petrol motor and its 320Nm of torque are always keen to get on with the job, it’s a most sporting outfit and the best showcase for this new Tiguan’s wide-spread appeal.

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Sales Centre Open Monday to Friday · 9:30am to 4:00pm

Call Karen

1800 674 266

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 25

23/11/2016 2:43:51 PM

RETIREMENT LIVING

Palm Lake opens in Cooroy

P

alm Lake Resort unveiled its $100 million property at Cooroy last month.

The project has not only injected funds into the greater Cooroy economy and employed more than 50 local tradespeople during construction, but it also has world class facilities and state of the art home designs.

It’s putting the Sunshine Coast on the map for national investors seeking a vibrant and inclusive lifestyle community resort setting.

Palm Lake national sales and marketing manager Marlene Cumming said retirement itself was a concept that was changing dramatically, a change that Palm Lake is embracing and fostering.

“People aren’t looking to downsize as they get older, they want to ‘right size’,” she said.

“They are used to large living spaces but don’t want the maintenance of a large garden or lawn. They like to entertain and have family stay – they don’t want to be cramped up in

small dwellings.” She said many of these people were slowing down or retiring either.

“They come into our lifestyle community resorts and the number of dates in their diary increases due to the variety of onsite activity and entertainment options and the all-round social nature of the resorts,” she said.

The Cooroy-Noosa area has a small town feel with amenities close by and suits the highquality, value for money, relaxing pre-retirement and retirement options.

Jewel of the resort will be the Pavilion recreational and wellness centre, a first among the dozens of Palm Lake properties on the eastern seaboard.

It will be home to a state of the art gymnasium, a smart gym circuit from Germany that makes training and wellness a breeze.

Visit palmlakeresort.com.au or call 1800 885 851.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS AT SHINE ANYONE who has been involved in the transition to retirement living knows how overwhelming and complex the process and options can be.

Retirement living specialist Emma Plasier is being recognised for her innovation in this field, having been named a finalist in both the 2016 Sunshine Coast Business Awards and the Property Council Retirement Living Rising Generation Awards in Melbourne.

Last year Emma realised her dream to work for herself in a field she is passionate about, and independently established Shine Retirement on the Sunshine Coast.

Shine Retirement is a free service assisting retirees find their dream retirement home.

“I basically set up the company to help people search for their retirement home and support them throughout the whole journey by coordinating

the sale of their home, removalists, packers, lawyers and financial planners,” Emma says.

Although founded on the Sunshine Coast, Shine Retirement is quickly growing to be a state-wide operation. Emma’s aim is to eventually take the concept Australia-wide.

Her experience working in the aged care and retirement living sector coupled with a large network of industry professionals and a passion for helping others, gives her a distinct edge as a retirement village specialist.

She has consulted on recommendations to the Retirement Village Act and Manufactured Home Park Acts, been a company director for an housing advocacy body and was

previously employed as business development manager for the Sunshine Coast’s largest aged care and retirement village provider.

Through Emma’s hard work and determination this year, Shine Retirement has established itself as a key player in the retirement sector, already assisting many retirees in the transition to retirement living.

“It’s a very exciting time for me professionally and for the growth of my business,” she said.

Call 5474 9572 or email info@shineretirement.com.au

RECREATION PRECINCT A WINNER THE record run of sales continues at Halcyon Glades over 50s lifestyle community in Caboolture North, following the opening of the community’s multi-million dollar 5-Star Lifestyle and Recreational Precinct.

Project Director Marie Cone said the community’s expansive recreational facilities and lifestyle amenities were the icing on the cake for purchasers looking to upgrade their lifestyle opportunities.

“Caravan and boat storage, gated security and CCTV cameras allows for lock and go living which appeals to over 50s downsizers who love to travel,” she said.

The jewel in the crown of

the Lifestyle and Recreational Precinct is the architecturally stunning Recreation Club that features an indoor gym, library and cinema, craft room, fireplace, dance floor, kitchen with bar, function space and additional barbecue and outdoor gathering spaces.

The Lifestyle and Recreational Precinct has flood-lit tennis and pickleball courts, a 25m heated swimming

Centre, close to the new RV/ boat storage area and set among natural vegetation.

Nature’s Edge Buderim is perfectly situated, handy to the best of the Sunshine Coast and a five-minute walk from the popular Kunara Organic Marketplace, Fresh holistic health centre, doctors, chemist, veterinary services, food outlets, liquor store, butchery, bakery, hairdressing salons, newsagent and pet store.

The fourth over 50s village

by the developers, Nature’s Edge Buderim is in demand not only due to the quality of the modern contemporary homes but also the lifestyle on offer with the construction of the 5 star multimillion dollar Leisure Centre.

It will include a heated pool, bowling green, 30-seat cinema, gymnasium, library and dance floor.

Visit naturesedgebuderim. com.au or call 1800 218 898 to organise a tour.

pool and heated spa, championship sized bowling green, communal vegetable and herb gardens and a fire-pit.

With more than 150 home owners now living in the community, special interest groups are rapidly being formed.

Priced from $355,000 $525,000, the latest release of superior energy-rated homes, showcases a range of Halcyon’s favourite designs and introduces the affordable double car garage home, the Allara.

It brings to life the best of architectural and design principles with a focus on value and premium living.

Call 1800 814 567 or visit lifebeginsathalcyon.com.au

LIFE BOOMING AT NATURE’S EDGE CONSTRUCTION at Natures Edge Buderim has moved into top gear with 17 new homeowners moving in to the over 50s rainforest community during November.

The $100 million development is unique, the only over 50s village in the country that is framed by natural, lush rainforest.

It’s also in one of the best locations in Australia for retirees. The Sunshine Coast has long been considered a mecca 26 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

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for the enthusiastic and discerning retiree, with beautiful beaches, top restaurants, sporting facilities and lifestyle options on the doorstep.

Stage two is in high demand with the introduction of RV homesites that provide easy access to the highway for RV and caravan owners.

Due to high demand, the developers are releasing Stage 3 in the New Year. It will be adjacent to the new Leisure

Brisbane

23/11/2016 2:44:16 PM

NEWS

A gift that gives goosebumps

GOLD STAR WINNERS – TIMES FOUR

Mourning the loss of someone dear to you? LEIGH CUSACK explains her idea to send loved ones a message from beyond the grave.

M

any years ago, a friend passed away late in the year and then, at Christmas there was a knock at my door.

Her husband was standing there holding a beautiful vase. He said my friend had bought it for me earlier in the year and had put it away in the gift cupboard at their home. To receive something chosen especially for me by someone I missed every day, gave me goosebumps. And still does.

Fast forward a few years and I came up with the idea that if someone died, it could be healing and special for those who survive them to receive a handwritten letter, card or gift, after their death.

Many years ago a mother wrote a “life journal” for each of her three young children as she knew she would not be around for so many important moments in their lives.

She wrote insights on how to navigate puberty, what to say when they meet their first love, how important family is through all these moments and into adulthood, and how much she loved them. The mum died a few years later but her children, now adults, have never received the journal.

Things change after someone dies, which is one of the reasons I started

Goosebump Gifts. Sometimes people forget what they were asked to do.

Sometimes it’s too hard. And sometimes life gets busy.

Goosebump Gifts promises to deliver messages and gifts when your loved ones are meant to receive them.

There is a huge element of trust in leaving Goosebump Gifts with your important messages of love.

I know firsthand what it means to receive a gift from a loved one I am missing so I want to help do something special which is a help to both parties; to give the opportunity to leave a message and the opportunity to receive it.

If there’s anyone who would get goosebumps when they receive a note or gift from you when you are not here to deliver it, I can help organise it.

Imagine at Christmas the grandchildren receiving a card from their beloved grandpa or grandma who can’t be with them and they never expected to hear from again.

Or the widow whose husband of 50 years sends a letter for their anniversary, written in his own hand.

It’s the Goosebump Gifts promise to pass on messages when you are not here to do it yourself. Your loved ones are sure to get Goosebumps.

Visit goosebumpgifts.com.au

HIGH-BROW IMPROVEMENTS The world of cosmetic tattooing has changed significantly during the past decade – feathery, natural- looking eyebrow tattoos have replaced the old block eyebrow tattoo with the introduction of microprocessor controlled digital cosmetic tattooing equipment.

MicroBlading is a form of cosmetic tattooing, similar to feather-stroke eyebrow tattooing.

It involves the use of a manual hand tool similar to that used before digital

cosmetic tattooing equipment. The difference is that the blades used are fine needles usually set at a slope.

In the hands of a trained technician, super fine tattoo lines may be created, making it ideal for simulating hairstrokes.

MicroBlading by an experienced technician be an ideal solution for diminishing eyebrows.

Give yourself a treat this Christmas.

Contact Esmeraldas Cosmetic Designs 1300 376 372

Family-owned southeast Queensland pie maker Beefy’s has won four gold medals in the Official Great Aussie Pie competition.

Their pies were judged by an elite team of judges from the baking industry in Melbourne.

The Official Great Aussie Pie competition is the industry’s most highly regarded event.

Beefy’s brought home gold for its gluten-free Signature Steak pie; Signature steak pie; gluten-free steak, bacon and cheese pie and Pie Flavoured Pie (Pie in a Pie).

It is the eighth gold medal for Beefy’s Signature Steak Pie in the history of the Official Great Aussie Pie competition, and

a back-to-back win for its gluten-free pie.

Beefy’s Pie Flavoured Pie is new –a party-size sweet chilli, cheese and bacon pie inside a Signature steak pie.

It was made as a limited edition pie and will now be available for a limited time.

Beefy’s opened its first store at Aussie World in 1997 and now has nine stores in southeast Queensland, and an online shop that home delivers Australia-wide.

“To take home four gold at this year’s Official Great Aussie Pie Competition is a real honour,” says Beefy’s Mark Hobbs.

“However, what’s more important to us is to win customers. This is what drives us to produce consistent first-class quality pies – every batch, every day.”

cial a spe fter e v a le ea ike to loved on l u o dy for a ?

Woul r gift e o e g hese a e gon you’r pass on t pass mess you e to after romis re to We p s of love, es are su on age mess our loved bumps!

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YOUR TIME Readers will recieve their first Goosebumps Gift for Free...

goosebumpgifts.com.au b if leigh@goosebumpgifts.com.au 0438 194 881

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Then call Margaret at Inspired Outcomes for some answers.

One stop shop for Seniors moving forward Brisbane

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0448 201 884 December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 27

23/11/2016 2:44:50 PM

SUPERSTAR GRANDMAS READY TO SHAKE THE STEREOTYPES

g Lookin y lida for a ho a r read? O with as gift m t s i r Ch ? Here e c n e r e a diff ideas e m o s are cal from lo s author

THE GIRL WHO SCREAMED IN THE CATHEDRAL

By Norma Leven

Norma Longland was eight when she saw a ghost in the cathedral.

It was St John’s Anglican in Brisbane, the best example of Gothic architecture in the Southern Hemisphere.

Of course what she saw was not a ghost, but a beautiful, caring woman often described in newspaper jargon then, as one of the most beautiful women in Queensland.

Not long after this in the 1940s, Norma Longland’s three older brothers went to war. George, the oldest, was a pilot, a hero, killed over Norway in the mission to destroy Nazi atomic water plants.

She married another war hero, Jim Leven, who as a young architect had been involved in drawing up plans for the United Nations building in New York. They had a happy marriage, first living in Brisbane and later Buderim.

Jim later developed Lewy Body disease, a form of dementia, the result of war trauma suffered in New Guinea . This story characterises a part of Australia’s history from 1933 to the present and encompasses a vital part of our participation in World War II. It’s also a personal story that is an indictment on divorce and custody of children in the 1940s.

Norma, now 83, lives in a retirement village in Buderim.

Available from Books of Buderim, $15

28 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

28.indd 2

By Andrea Gallagher and illustrated by David Clare A posse of outgoing grandmas from around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast have become real-life stars in this new read-aloud children’s picture book.

The rhyming book, “an A-Z of seriously cool seniors”, introduces an alphabet full of grandma characters doing a range of different things – all based on the faces and stories of real people, capturing the energy they invest in their grandkids and the wider community.

When her own mother stepped into the new role of “Grandma” after her children were born, Andrea saw her

transform and start doing new things, like personal training with a group of friends, who now star in the book.

“I saw a dated stereotype of seniors that was repeated in far too many children’s books,” she says. “This generation of kids just can’t relate to the idea that grandparents are slow and retiring when the seniors in our community are much more fun-loving and outgoing. I didn’t have to look far for inspiration.”

Once the Grandmas was complete she turned to the alphabet of equally dynamic grandads and wrote the follow-up, Mega-rad Grandads which is about to go to print.

David Clare, who works as a graphic artist during the day, joined the project as a first-time illustrator.

He found the idea of painting the real-life grandma characters for the book daunting at first because it meant going from oil to acrylics and he was fearful of getting a likeness that the real people would be happy with.

“Some of Andrea’s characters were specific people she had been observing

THE SECRET STALKER OF THE PROSTATE

By Dr Judith O’Malley-Ford

and others were based on blends of different people, either way, we needed real faces for me to base my artwork on,” he says.

“I’ve now spent hundreds of hours painting our gang of seniors that star in both books and while it’s been challenging at times, it has been inspirational to be around them.”

Join the growing Superstar Grandmas and Mega-rad Grandads communities on Facebook.

Superstar Grandmas is available now in soft cover $16.95 (plus postage and handling). Order online at andreagallagher.com.au or instore at K and K Creative Toys in Enoggera, Brisbane.

Readers of Your Time are invited to bring grandchildren to the book launch, “Grandma’s Garden Tea Party, at the Caloundra QCWA Hall, 17 Kalinga Place, Caloundra, on December 10, 9.30am.

RSVP andrea@penelopeandpeter.com

TRAIN TO AUSTRALIA

By Lidia Kardos

Author Gordon Smith

THE MINISTRY COMMUNICATIONS UNIT

By Gordon Smith This is the latest of Gordon’s four books since his retirement as a traffic project manager two years ago.

Based on a fictitious movie company set up by the Government during World War II, it is a story of adventure, romance, glory and personal sacrifice.

After the bombing of Darwin and the submarine attack in Sydney, the Australian government sets up a specialist public relations unit to create reassurance movies and newspaper articles to show the civilian population that defences that were in place to make any invasion difficult, if not impossible. Being a civilian group they could not be hindered by the military in their task. On completion of the initial task, the ministry kept the group to produce propaganda. Gordon’s story has received strong reviews.

Visit the-ministrycommunications-unit.com

Until recently, it was a relatively rare event for a man to bring a problem with the functioning of his urogenital system to medical attention without prompting.

Men who are in the process of taking the difficult step of presenting prostate problems to their doctors, including those unfortunate enough to be facing investigation for prostate cancer, this book is for you.

While it especially addresses the need for information and guidance during the process of coming to terms with prostate cancer, it also looks at other medical conditions which affect the prostate, including benign prostate hypertrophy, prostate infections and prostate pain.

The bigger picture relating to prostate cancer also includes the associated risk of breast cancer for women in a family where the men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Dr Judith O’Malley-Ford, a GP and award-winning, internationally published author, has written this book for a general reading audience.

Visit morrispublishingaustralia. com or Amazon.com.au $9.99

This is the first of two books following Lidia through her life and across continents. I Do, her second in this rollercoaster story, is due for release soon.

Hers is a familiar migrant story that tells the tale of the force of war in a young girl’s life and her growing into an adult and assimilating into a culture not her own. Lidia recounts her experiences growing up in Australia after escaping war-torn Italy in the early 1950s Harsh conditions in Australia, especially in the Outback refugee camps, were challenging. Through hard work and determination, they came to embrace the language and the culture.

“Ending the story in 1987 at the time of the America’s Cup Challenge in Fremantle seemed appropriate as that was our first sighting of Australian soil,” Lidia says. “I Do now continues the journey.”

She draws strength from her past, back with the basics of life in a new country, a new society, a new Australia.

Visit lidiakardos.com

Brisbane

23/11/2016 2:45:18 PM

CHRISTMAS

The team from 4 Ingredients can make your Christmas cooking schedule easy. Here are some of the treats for an impressive feast on just four ingredients.

RUBY JEWELLED SEAFOOD SALAD

CITRUS GLAZED HAM

Serves 8

Serves 8

• 1 large fennel bulb • 2 pomegranates • 8 bug tails, shelled and cleaned • 4 oranges, peeled and segmented

• 4kg bone in, cured and smoked ham, skin on • 4 oranges, cut into thin round slices • 1 cup (320g) marmalade • ½ cup (110g) brown sugar Preheat oven 180C and put the oven shelf to the lowest position. Peel the skin away from the ham using a sharp knife, leaving a thin layer of fat on the surface. Transfer the ham into a large roasting pan, or if too big on to a large baking tray.

In a small saucepan over low heat cook the marmalade and sugar until combined. Glaze the ham. Arrange the orange slices, overlapping, on top.

Secure each slice with a toothpick if needed. Brush with a little more glaze. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Brush occasionally with remaining glaze. Serve hot or cold.

Optional: Use lobster or prawn meat as a substitute to bugs!

Finely slice or shave fennel, discarding the harder green ends.

Collect the ruby seeds from the pomegranates by chopping them open and scooping them out. Combine in a bowl with bug tails and orange segments. Squeeze any remaining juice from your oranges over the salad. Toss gently, season and serve.

This recipe made Oprah’s Top 12 list of Christmas treats in 2013

MARZIPAN MARBLES Serves 40

CHRISTMAS CAKE ICE-CREAM TERRINE Serves 8 • 500g Christmas cake, cut into 1cm slices • 3 tbs. (45ml) Cointreau • 1 tbs. finely grated orange rind • 2 litres vanilla ice-cream, softened Line a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin with cling wrap. Brush cake slices with Cointreau. Stir rind into softened ice-cream. Spread half the ice-cream mixture into the tin; top with cake slices then remaining ice-cream.

Cover completely with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. When ready to serve, use a hot knife to cut the terrine into eight delicious slices.

Brisbane

29.indd 3

• 500g almond icing, softened • 4 cups (500g) icing sugar • 100ml light corn syrup • 40 pecan halves Place half the almond icing and icing sugar in a blender until combined.

Add half the corn syrup and continue to blend until well combined. Turn out on to a flat surface. Repeat with remaining ingredients and blend until combined. Knead both lots of mixture until a smooth dough forms.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and pop onto the tray.

Firmly press a pecan into the centre of each round. Set aside for 4 hours or until firm.

Hint: Light corn syrup is found in most supermarkets.

ENTERTAINER’S TIMBALE Serves 8 • 500g smoked chicken • 250g seedless red grapes • 3 ripe avocados • 100g toasted pine nuts Thinly slice the smoked chicken. Cut grapes in half. Scoop the flesh from avocados and slice. Stack all ingredients into a mould to make 8 petite salad timbales. Top with toasted pine nuts, and gently remove the mould.

This dish can also be served as one large salad if you are preparing more of a shared Christmas banquet.

Optional: Drizzle with your favourite flavoured oil or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Hint: A timbale is a dish of meat or fish cooked with other ingredients in a pastry shell or in a mould. The moulds can be bought at any kitchenware shop and are really easy to use. This recipe looks so much more complicated than it was to prepare; easy entertaining.

CHRISTMAS CAKE Serves 8 – 10 • 1kg dried mixed fruit • 3 cups (750ml) fruit juice • 3 cups (525g) self raising flour Soak fruits in juice overnight.

Preheat oven to 125 C. Stir flour into soaked fruit and mix well. Spoon mixture into a 22cm lined cake tin.

Bake for 2 ½ hours in the bottom of the oven or until cooked through.

Remove and leave to cool.

Wrap in alfoil or place in an air tight container where this cake will keep nicely for 3–4 weeks.

Optional: Add a shot of your favourite tipple, sherry, brandy, rum or Grand Marnier.

Serving Suggestion: Decorate as you wish; cherries, nuts, ginger or with a rich chocolate ganache, by warming a cup of cream and adding a 250g block of dark chocolate to it.

Enter and win a copy of the beautiful 4 Ingredients cookbook Chocolates, Cakes and Cute Things, filled with sweet and savoury foods ideal for year-round entertaining, gatherings and light lunches.

It’s simple. All you have to do is email editorial@yourtimemagazine. com.au and tell us in one sentence why you would like to know more about cooking with just four ingredients.

Four winners will be selected and notified on December 16, to receive a copy of the cookbook before Christmas.

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 29

23/11/2016 2:45:45 PM

WELLBEING

Mozart is music to the brain When you feel good, focus easily and have no trouble learning and memorising, you are most probably experiencing a dopamine hit, writes MICHELLE LOCH.

D

opamine is a neurotransmitter – that is, it has a role in controlling communication in your brain. It can tell a neuron whether to fire off a signal or not.

Humans have more dopamine in the brain compared with other primates, meaning we are much smarter, able to plan ahead, and resist impulses when we have to.

Dopamine is a key ingredient in what makes us human.

Music has been proven in studies to assist with ‘dopaminergic neurotransmission’. It can cause giant dopamine releases in your brain.

Exposure to music also increases blood which may cause a reduction in blood pressure and increased blood flow to the brain.

Harmonious sounds can affect you in a positive way.

A 1993 study showed that students who listened to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major improved their scores on a spatial-reasoning test (performing 3D manipulations on mental images), while those who sat in silence or listened

to New Age music, showed no improvement.

The so-called Mozart Effect has spawned many informal studies suggesting that plants grow better when exposed to continuous loops of Mozart’s music, dairy cows produce more milk (dubbed the Moozart Effect) and that hospital patient recovery rates and staff happiness improve when they listen to Mozart and other classical music.

Recent studies have confirmed there is a measurable, though short-lived effect, and analysis shows that it is something to do with the way Mozart (and Bach) periodically repeat cycles of notes, and reverse the same notes within the cycles.

What we know, then, is that playing harmonious sounds, particularly classical music, and specifically Mozart or Bach, can be most beneficial for your brain and your ability to think, focus, learn and be uniquely human.

For a long-term brain boost, however, learning how to play an instrument is the way to go. It’s the “learning” and “new” that are important. If you already play the piano, great, but learning to play the guitar will bring more benefits.

How can you boost dopamine hits through music?

Maybe start by listening in the background while you go about your daily routine. Enjoy!

Michelle Loch is an expert in the neuroscience of human motivation, author and director of Rewired Leadership. Visit michelleloch.com or email michelle@michelleloch.com

The ‘F’ word – tackling the obesity crisis Approaching the topic of weight loss with sensitivity, compassion and understanding will avoid a knee-jerk reaction and ultimately reap the best results, says clinical psychologist KATHRYN SMITH. ccording to the Australian Bureau of Statistics of 2011-12, 62.8 per cent of Australians aged 18 years and over were overweight or obese.

And according to Australian Doctor, 80 per cent of adults and almost onethird of children are expected to be overweight or obese by 2025.

The associated health risks and impact on the Australian economy is significant, but knowing how to sensitively approach a person’s weight is reportedly a real issue even for many health professionals.

Using sensitive language and avoiding harsh words such as “fat” and “obese” while focusing on the positive outcome of weight loss and the patient’s health goals is the best practice.

Aside from it being the second highest contributor to burden of disease, understanding the psycho-social reasons for the obesity should also rank as a health professionals’ primary concern.

Once the topic of the person’s weight has been sensitively broached, perhaps as part of a broader discussion about physical and mental health, supporting the person with external resources and

A

care is integral to the success of the intervention.

Addressing the underlying issues surrounding weight can be difficult to ascertain and considering a holistic and collaborative approach can be beneficial for the person in managing and maintaining long-term weight loss goals.

Despite being experts in behavioural change, psychologists seem to be overlooked as a resource for weight loss management.

However, by using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a psychologist can help patients address their thoughts and behaviours surrounding eating, while addressing any underlying causes, such as self-esteem issues or depressive disorders.

According to Kylie Ball, Research Fellow at the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University, some of the most effective strategies for encouraging healthy living, exercise and positive eating habits come from CBT. Clinical psychologists at Psychology Consultants have specialised knowledge and experience in weight management.

Visit psychologyconsultants.com.au

increases demand on battery life and performance, making rechargeable hearing aids and batteries a more popular and smarter option for consumers.

Falls of Sound is excited to be one of the first suppliers of the new Cellion primax, a discreet inductive charging lithium-ion hearing aid.

Advantages include greater comfort and ease of use and no need to regularly change small hearing aid batteries.

Non-rechargeable digital hearing aids

use an average of more than 300 disposable batteries. An average of only two lithium-ion rechargeable batteries would be used under the same conditions.

The user will never have to purchase fiddly hearing aid batteries again and there’s the peace of mind knowing that there are up to two days of use on a single charge.

BATTERY BREAKTHROUGH FOR HEARING AIDS In Australia, one in six people suffer from hearing loss and for many hearing aid wearers, there is a constant fear that their battery could die at any moment, often creating a stressful experience.

Now, with the release of the new Cellion primax rechargeable hearing aid, wearers can enjoy effortless listening throughout their day without a worry.

Why is it important to think about hearing aid batteries? Well, batteries are the most practical solution when it comes 30 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

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to powering any small electronic device.

With the constant advances in technology, rechargeable batteries have found their way into our daily life for almost every device, including hearing aids.

Modern digital hearing aids offer a huge variety of technology, features and benefits that allow for individual hearing solutions.

However, the more technology and features packed into the hearing aid

Call Falls of Sound 3378 5999 Brisbane

23/11/2016 2:46:11 PM

BOOK REVIEW

ELIZABETH PASCOE

This is a heart-warming and imaginative story told through the sensory perception and feelings of Enzo, a bitzer dog whose owner is Denny, a mechanic who enjoys tinkering and racing cars. Their love for each other is total and as the family grows, takes in his wife Eve and then their daughter Zoe. I learnt much about car racing, especially competitive high-speed racing, the techniques and all-round discipline required of the driver.

A wonderful book on so many levels, it’s poignant at times but will make you laugh and cry while it wholeheartedly confirms what people who love dogs already know – they really are your best friend. Five stars from me.

TONY HARRINGTON

I loved this book. The themes of anthropomorphism, motor racing, love, family, loyalty, growing old, death and reincarnation are blended into a beautifully written story.

I always wonder what a dog is thinking about. This book goes a long way to answering that question.

I read this book on a wet and windy day curled up in bed with my best mate, Hamish, a West Highland white terrier. It created an even closer bond between us.

Do yourself a favour but buy a box of tissues before you read this book. 9/10

BOOK review JOHN KLEINSCHMIDT If Gareth Stein had not written this story through the voice of a very likeable dog it could have been just another novel about love, tragedy, challenge and triumph.

It is easy to forgive some of the dramas that unfold in quick succession as being incredulous or over-the-top when told by Enzo, a misunderstood dog that has unconditional love for Denny, his master.

A common belief that dogs perceive the ills of humans and generally have a better understanding of their needs than given credit for, underpins the wisdom imparted by Enzo through analogies between car racing and life.

This is a good read especially for those of us who love our dog/s.

SHEILA BRYDEN

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

By Garth Stein

Told from a dog’s point of view, the novel became a New York Times bestseller. Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul, he has educated himself by watching TV and listening closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, a racing car driver.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight and sees that life, like racing, isn’t simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have suffered.

A heart-wrenching but funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, it takes a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life as only a dog could tell it.

I dislike narrators that are animals and I care not a jot for car racing and its enthusiasts. It was with these preconceived ideas that I began reading The Art of Racing in the Rain.

After the first few pages of listening to a dog narrating his life story, my fears were confirmed.

Many of my friends will love this book – most of them are dog lovers – but there were just too many trite phrases and sloppy philosophising: “we are the creators of our own destiny” is just one example.

Without giving too much away, the actual story was less than believable and character development was almost non-existent. But who am I to criticise a book that remained on the New York Times bestseller list for almost 160 weeks!

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This book has it all – humour, drama, love.

The writer makes you really care about Denny and his young family. Denny drives racing cars on the weekends but really wants to get into the professional circuit.

He talks to his dog Enzo about his racing strategies, such as not going into the lead too early and the art of racing in the rain. Their chats are about more than racing. They are a philosophy.

Enzo is a good listener. In fact, all the key characters in the book confide in him.

This is a clever device as the reader is in on all their secrets, hopes and fears. I enjoyed this book immensely.

I found this a quaint story aimed at dog-lovers. I could take or leave the motor racing descriptions but as a true canine lover, the observation of his master’s life from a dog’s perspective tugged at my heart strings.

Enzo, the dog, not only had the statistical intelligence of a two-yearold but was more than aware of the emotional turmoil in the life of Denny, his owner.

Those of us who are dog lovers know that our pets can tune into our emotions and even comfort us when we are sad. I will be eternally grateful that my son was allowed to have his Jack Russells with him in a hospice bed during his final days.

This novel is one that will stay in my mind. Loved the ending – a story for all animal lovers.

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December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 31

24/11/2016 9:15:36 AM

HEALTH

When you’re tired of feeling tired

HOLIDAY SEASON TIPS

Many people operate daily in a constant state of fatigue, writes TRUDY KITHER, but life goes on and you just put up with it so it eventually becomes the norm.

To keep fatigue to a minimum during the festive season, ensure you are taking a high quality vitamin B complex along with vitamin B6 (found in wild tuna and salmon, bananas, grass-fed beef, sweet potatoes, turkey, hazelnuts, garlic and cooked spinach). B6 helps prevent and relieve fatigue and supports a healthy immune system.

Vitamin B12 (found in sardines, tuna, raw cheese, cottage cheese, lamb, raw milk, eggs and wild salmon) is required by the body for methylation, which is needed for the critical functions of the body – energy production, mood, detoxification, inflammation.

Magnesium will help fight fatigue and also support healthy blood sugar levels, nerve functions and blood pressure.

Potassium is responsible for a proper electrolyte balance in the body. Foods rich in potassium include avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, bananas, coconut water, dried apricots and mushrooms. Potassium-deficient symptoms can include fatigue, muscle cramps and irritability.

A regular bed-time routine, exercise, rest and avoiding stimulants, such as caffeine, cola drinks and alcohol, will go a long way to keeping you on top of fatigue, so you can enjoy the festive season.

D

id you know that 1 in 5 patients complain of fatigue on a daily basis? Of those, only 3 per cent have a diagnosed cause. There are four identifiable factors as to why most people are fatigued most of the time: Adequate nutrition – the key nutrients which are required to produce energy to maintain mitochondrial function (the powerhouse of every cell in your body) are iron, acetyl L-carnitine, lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, magnesium and all of the B vitamins.

These contribute to keeping the mitochondrial function going. A reduction in these nutrients will inevitably result in a lack of energy production.

Thyroid function – the thyroid runs the body’s metabolic rate and is closely related to energy production. Supporting normal healthy thyroid function is important to maintain optimal health and energy levels.

Many factors affect thyroid health and these all need to be checked in the fatigued person. Thyroid hormones require iodine, selenium and zinc for their activation. However, with the right

balance of nourishing herbs and supplements they will be able to support the health and function of the thyroid.

Acetyl L-carnitine and tyrosine will regulate the effects of stress and fatigue on the thyroid’s function.

Detoxification – when anyone mentions “detox”, it is common to immediately think coffee, alcohol and drugs. But there are many other external lifestyle and environmental factors that can influence the health of the cells, gut and liver and contribute to symptoms of fatigue. For example, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) causes the

flora in the small intestine to be inundated with bacteria and contribute to leaky gut and associated symptoms of fatigue.

Increased oxidative stress is caused by toxicity in household products, foods consumed and products used on the skin and hair, plus many other external environmental factors that will all affect and reduce cellular energy production.

Immune support – for people experiencing prolonged fatigue, it is important to address the immune function. Chronic or recurring infections can cause fatigue and again, this is possibly due to the inflammatory effects on the mitochondria (cell energy production). Allergies, food intolerances, irritable bowel and other gut problems are all drivers of impaired immune support. With the right balance of nourishing the nervous system, ensuring adequate nutritional support, and supporting a healthy stress response, fatigue can be effectively treated and eliminated from your life.

Trudy Kither is a qualified naturopath.

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HEALTH

Longevity, Chinese medicine and the power of fruit The emperors of China were renowned for their quest for immortality and had three goals when they took their herbal medicines, writes JARAD BIANCHI.

C

hinese herbal medicine as it is practiced in the modern world, is in fact the medicine that was prescribed in the high court for the emperor.

The first goal of the emperor was the quest for a long life. The image of an ageless emperor looking down over his kingdom was a common theme in Chinese culture.

To live past 100 was to ensure that the emperor secured his place as rightful ruler. The second goal was to be strong, healthy and never get sick, as sickness was a sign of weakness and could lead to his position as ruler being challenged by the next generation.

The third goal was to be virile so as to ensure the next generation.

In addition to the various herbal concoctions that the emperor consumed in order to ensure his longevity, diet played a huge role in preserving his health – and fruit was central to ensuring excellent nutritional balance.

With fruit available all year long, due to a multitude of trade agreements, disease and nutritional deficiency was not a problem for royalty.

On the other hand, the peasant class

including fruit and aim for a diet based on mostly protein and vegetables.

While removing refined sugars, including those found in processed grain and dairy, is of benefit to your health, not all sugars are created equal. In fact, sugar in the form of glucose is vital to the human body as it fuels the brain, nervous system and all the cells in your body.

Fruit consumed in its whole form is

“Fruit is getting a bad rap due to the sugars it contains. The fad is to avoid sugars, including fruit.” an ideal way to get the sugars the body needs to function as it comes packed with multiple disease-fighting compounds including antitumor, anticancer, antioxidants as well as essential polyphenols, bioflavonoids, disease fighting pectin, vitamins and minerals.

A point to be noted is that fruit needs to be consumed in its whole form. Fruit

and common people lived off rice and dehydrated meat and as a result were plagued by various diseases due to poor nutrition.

Today, fruit is getting a bad rap due to the sugars it contains.

The common fad is to avoid sugar

juice is not an acceptable substitute.

When you juice a fruit you release all of the sugars and remove the disease fighting compounds including pectin, which is often found in the fibre and the skin of the fruit.

Prime examples of fruits to be added to your diet include apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cucumber (it has seeds, so yes it’s a fruit), melons, peaches and plums.

It’s a tasty and colourful array at this time of year and is readily incorporated into festive platters.

Like the emperor of China, we have access to a broad range of wonderful nutritious foods that promote longevity and keep us healthy, so take advantage and use nutrition to keep your body well.

For extra support, consider adding herbal tonics and really fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to make it to 100, keeping in mind that the goal isn’t necessarily to live longer but to have full body function and health as long as possible on your journey through life.

Dr Jarad Bianchi is a qualified chiropractor, acupuncturist and herbalist. Call 0431 197 334 or visit doctorbianchi.com.au

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December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 33

23/11/2016 2:47:21 PM

WHAT’S ON

Celebrate New Year with the Pops

T

he Queensland Pops Orchestra’s famous New Year’s Eve concert is coming up, ringing in the New Year at the QPAC Concert Hall.

As the clock strikes 9.30pm, the vocal and instrumental feast begins in the leadup to midnight.

There will also be visual highlights of the famous “ball drop” at New York’s Times Square and the one million-plus Berliners who take to the streets to enjoy the fireworks at Brandenburger Tor. Maestro Patrick Pickett and the Queensland Pops Orchestra will show the

world how to party. The QPO has enjoyed exclusivity as the only musical act in Queensland to have custody of the Concert Hall for this event since the orchestra’s inception in 1984. It has been a must-see spectacular every year since.

Reasons to celebrate NYE 2016 with the Pops this year include the headline act, two of Queensland’s most internationally acclaimed artists – soprano Mirusia (pictured) and baritone Jason Barry-Smith, who return by popular demand along with 15-year-old violin virtuoso Cherin Lee. Together with a showreel of masterpieces from the orchestra’s rich and varied international repertoire, the stars are set to wow the crowd all the way through to 11.45pm … allowing time to catch the fireworks outside on the strike of 12.

Join Patrick Pickett, the Queensland Pops Orchestra and star guests for a night of first-class entertainment.

And stay posted for the new year when Pops will launch its 2017 series with Side By Side:A Musical Two’s Company, which will be a showcase of duets, both instrumental and vocal.

QPAC Concert Hall, December 31.

Bookings 136 246 or qpac.com.au

COMMUNITY CONCERT WITH A TWIST Co.As.It.’s annual community concert this year has an Italian theme.

“A Night on Broadway – With an Italian Twist!” presents the excitement, passion and intensity of Popera in a sensational showcase.

Popera Classics perform a cornucopia of Broadway blockbusters and classics from the world of opera and musical theatre.

The concert promises something for everyone with musical performances from a selection of Broadway’s biggest blockbusters including Jekyll & Hyde,

West Side Story, Wicked, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera.

The Italian Twist will lead a journey of soaring arias, classics and hits such as Libiamo Nel Caliti, La Donna e Mobile, Volare and The Prayer, culminating in a moving finale and homage to the late great Luciano Pavarotti.

Join us in celebrating the community and the festive season while enjoying a glass of spumante and a slice of panettone among friends.

Diverciti Centre/Multicultural Community Centre, 23 Foster St, Newmarket. Saturday, December 3, 2.30pm-6pm. Tickets $15 includes refreshments. Bookings Co.As.It. 3262 5755

AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA BLUE Roo Theatre Company and Opera Queensland present one of the greatest operatic love stories of all time Orpheus and Eurydice.

This thrilling collaboration reunites the Blue Roo ensemble with five of Opera Queensland’s leading singers in a new English translation of Gluck’s opera, accompanied by a live orchestra of outstanding local musicians.

The power of the opera is the emotional journey of the shows characters, Orpheus, Eurydice and Cupid,

as portrayed by Opera Queensland’s principal vocalists and the chorus of nymphs, shepherds, Furies, and Blessed Spirits, portrayed by the Blue Roo ensemble.

Cast embody the main characters in this latest work by portraying the story through gesture and physicality, heightening the effect of this deeply moving opera.

Judith Wright Centre, 420 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. December 3, 2pm Tickets $29, concessions $20.

SUNNYBANK THEATRE GROUP cnr Mains & Beenleigh Rds, Sunnybank

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DECEMBER PROMOTIONS Thursday 8th December 10.15am-12.00noon-1.30pm.

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Sunday 18th December 1.15pm-2.50pm Members Giveaway Draws 13 x $300 Trebles, 1 x $1,000 Full House, 2 x $1,500 Trebles + Bonus $5,000 in Calls.

Friday Night 30th December

By arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd London.

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Feb 3 - Feb 18 box office Jan 7 Licensed by arrangement with The Agency, Holland Park, London

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

REGINALD director DEBE DEWEY

Mar 24 - Apr 8 box office Feb 25 5 by arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical

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Jul 14 - Jul 29 box office Jun 17

34.indd 2

May y 19 - Jun 3 box office Apr 22 by arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd

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director GARY SUTHERS

34 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

ROSE

director PAM COOPER & LESLEY DAVIS

7.30pm-9.00pm-10.30pm 13 x $1,000 Trebles, 1 x $5,000 Treble, 1 x $2,000 Full House, 1x $10,000 Treble + Night Owl

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performances 8pm evening 2pm matinee

director CHRIS O’LEARY

Sep 8 - Sep 23 box office Aug 12 2

ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX it ain’t Sesame Street director JOHN JOH HN MORDACZ CZ C Z

Nov 10 - Nov 26 box offi office ce Oct 14

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online at www.stg.org.au Brisbane

24/11/2016 10:10:39 AM

WHAT’S ON

BIG NAME TRIO ARRIVE FOR GUITAR FESTIVAL BY THE WATER

Phil Emmanuel THREE of Australia’s greatest guitarists will perform at the Sunshine Coast Guitar Fest next month.

It will be a “must not miss” event that will put Kevin Borich, Phil Emmanuel and Tim Gaze on the same stage with their bands to belt out six hours of the best rock, funk and blues ever.

Special guest is Simon Gardner and The Big Sky. Borich, a blues, rock and funk performer with a 40-year live and recorded performance career has jammed with the big names of the industry, supported the big-name acts and performed at some of Australia’s biggest Rock events including the 1972 Sunbury Pop Festival and the Rockarena tours of

Brisbane

35.indd 3

the late 1970s. Emmanuel is known as one of Australia’s greatest electric guitar players and has a resume of performances with musical legends.

His versatility is well known and acknowledged, by both musicians and fans.

Gaze, a guitar prodigy of exacting technique and energy, has played on four of the most feted of all Australian progressive albums from the early 1970s and performed with rock royalty.

There will also be a question and answer with all three so guests can talk one-on-one with these music legends.

Caloundra Power Boat Club January 7, 6pm. Tickets $30 Call 5492 1444

Tim Gaze

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS CONCERTS GET into the spirit of Christmas with carols and sing-alongs at QPAC. Guest artists are Australian musical theatre stars David Harris from principal roles in Legally Blonde, Wicked and Miss Saigon and Amanda Harrison, Australia’s original green witch in Wicked; and We Will Rock You. The concerts will feature Spirit of Christmas favourites including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Kenway, the 160-voice choir comprising members of the QPAC Choir, Brisbane Chorale, Resonance of Birralee, and Brisbane Birralee Voices.

For the first time Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, will deliver the Christmas message.

Audiences will also be treated to performances by guest soprano Julia McRae and graduates from the Bachelor of Musical Theatre at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Samuel Skuthorp and Kate Yaxley.

Presented every year at QPAC for more than three decades, Spirit of Christmas concerts are a tradition for Queensland families, to celebrate the meaning of the Yuletide season. Concerts sell out quickly so booking is recommended.

QPAC Concert Hall. December 23-24, 7pm. Bookings QPAC 136 246 or qpac.com.au

LLOYD COLES’ ANTHOLOGY SONGBOOK ENGLISH singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole will return to Australia to celebrate the release of his new anthology songbook, The Retrospective, and will perform for the first time at QPAC. It will see Cole performing songs exclusively from this classic period, spanning his time as the lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions as well as his subsequent and substantial solo work.

Mostly acoustic affairs, the concerts will cover Cole’s first four solo albums and the never-released fifth album, as well as his rare and forgotten recordings and videos.

He first came to Australia as frontman for The Commotions and their stadium tour of 1986.

QPAC Concert Hall January 10. Bookings QPAC 136 246 or qpac.com.au

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 35

24/11/2016 9:09:08 AM

WHAT’S ON

Swing with the Rat Pack

F

our of Australia’s leading stage and screen stars will unite in true Rat Pack style next month for Swing on This.

In the hottest show of the summer, Michael Falzon (We Will Rock You, Rock of Ages),

Brisbane’s own Luke Kennedy (runnerup The Voice Australia 2013, The Ten Tenors), Rob Mills (Legally Blond, Grease) and Ben Mingay (Wonderland, House of Bond) will deliver a modern and audacious take on all-time

swing classics from Sinatra and Bublé, to rock and pop hits from Oasis, Farnham and The Proclaimers.

Accompanied by the 18-piece Swing on This Big Band and special guests to be announced, the four friends will bring audiences along for the fun as they perform timeless hits such as Fly me to the Moon and.

They recapture the era with liberal dashes of contemporary charm and cheeky irreverence.

QPAC Concert Hall.

January 7, 2pm and 8pm.

Bookings QPAC 136 246 or qpac.com.au

RETRO REWIND BRINGS BACK THE GREAT MUSICAL VIDEOS RETRO Rewind, a video party of the music from the 1950s to the 1990s, will bring classic music videos to the big screen.

Kristian Fletcher has dug into the vault the bring more than 90 video clips that shaped popular culture, including the music of such artists as Elvis, The Beatles, ABBA, Madonna

36 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

36.indd 2

and the Spice Girls.

“The night will feature some of the most influential music videos of all time, and songs which shaped popular culture,” Fletcher said.

The six hours of non-stop hits starts at 6pm with the clips of the 1950s-’60s.

Then it’s on to the 1970s,

7.30-9pm; 1980s, 9-10.30pm; and 1990s, to midnight.

A licensed bar will be operating.

New Globe Theatre, 220 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley.

December 10, starting 6pm.

Tickets $10 or $30 for group of four or more, at the door or book at kristianfletcher.com

QUIRKY, KOOKY KRANSKY SISTERS ARE BACK CLOISTERED in the old rickety family house in their home town of Esk, the musical sisters’ traditional Christmas festivities will again be revealed.

For this special return season they lead you into their world of eggnog, pantyhose and painted chokos.

From Enya to Silent Night, Daft Punk to The Twelve Days of Christmas, these dysfunctional sisters take family get-togethers to a whole new level of entertainment.

A Very Very Kransky Christmas expands on their much loved hit show from 2016, featuring both crowd favourites and Christmas numbers from the acclaimed group.

They perform on their usual unconventional range of instruments from toilet brush and cheese grater to a kitchen pot and musical saw.

QPAC Cremorne Theatre December 20-23. Bookings QPAC 136 246 or qpac.com.au

Brisbane

24/11/2016 9:09:38 AM

The WORLD in Your Hands Travel in Your Time She’s apples – a perfect escape to the Granite Belt A mid-week break in Stanthorpe is not just about apples and wine. RAE TAYLOR discovers a whole new world to be explored in the border country

Cheesemaker Will Rodgers

M

y last visit to Stanthorpe was for the Apple and Grape Festival many moons ago, so setting off down the Cunningham Highway on a pleasant Spring day, I realised that all I knew about the area was that it had apples and wine.

It’s an easy drive for a short break just 220km from Brisbane, either over Cunningham’s Gap to Warwick and its roses or via Boonah and the scenic route past the Queen Mary Waterfalls.

The destination in Stanthorpe was the Happy Valley Retreat, about 5km from town. Accommodation is in 20 log cabins among the granite boulders and native scrub so that it’s hard to spot a neighbour.

A short walk away is the main reception with a rustic restaurant, a huge old chesterfield facing a fireplace and the retreat’s latest addition - brewery vats where drinkers can enjoy an ale while

watching the brewing process.

Owners Geoff and Dee Davenport were looking for a unique attraction and came up with the idea for a microbrewery in the middle of a wine district.

It has worked out so well, that they plan to re-name Happy Valley the Granite Belt Brewery Retreat in the new year.

On arrival, we were presented with a breakfast hamper packed with local produce and fresh bread from the kitchen to take back to the self-contained cabin where a log fire (thankfully already built and awaiting a match) was focal point.

After settling in, it was off to the restaurant and a beer tasting before dinner. There’s a blackboard menu with a description of the six beers of the house, and a seventh which changes each season, so we ordered a paddle to try them all between us. The beers have been given catchy titles taken from the

local history and surrounds such as the Granite Pils, and the Pozieres Porter named for the area of Stanthorpe opened up for settlement by soldiers returning from the battlefields of France.

Dinner is the house specialty, a Brewer’s Platter which is a culinary journey of beers to match each course.

You don’t have to be a beer drinker to enjoy this beer-supping jaunt but if you are, then you will be in seventh heaven.

Waking up to the noise of parrots feasting on grevillea, it was easy to slip into holiday mode.

Tony Hannigan of Filippo’s Tours was ready when we were and we put our day in the experienced hands of this born and bred local who loves showing his home and sharing his stories with visitors.

While a wine tasting was on the agenda, we wanted to learn more about this part of Queensland and Tony set off on a tailor-made tour of his district.

First stop was Sutton’s, a juice factory, famous for its apple pies which boast 24 apples in every pie. Then came a juice testing. Apple juice has come a long way, with combinations of apple with lime or ginger or beetroot and even a Pink Lady.

Next stop was the Granite Belt Dairy and a cheese factory that uses the creamiest milk from its herd of 31 “jersey girls”. The theory here is that if there is wine, there must be cheese and the samples lined up for tasting are worthy of a Grange. We make a mental note to return to the Jersey Girls café for one of their famous ploughman’s lunches.

For now though, it’s onwards. First a brief stop to sample the wines at Heritage Estate based in the former Catholic Church, built in 1926 at Thulimbah, before heading on to Kent Saddlery where a truly authentic Australian experience awaits.

Lyle and Helen Kent supply leather goods and saddles to remote stations

from Channel Country to the Pilbara and a tour of the saddlery is a fascinating journey from raw hides to crafted goods.

We were then treated to a breathtaking whipcracking display.

Lunch time and Tony whisked us off to the University of Southern Queensland’s College of Wine Tourism campus – “where education meets industry”. Students – horticulture, viticulture and winemaking - produce the food and wine for a perfect threecourse lunch matched with wines.

Christine and Stephanie meet us at The Jamworks which is jam-packed with relishes, pastes, chutneys and jams made from Australian products (“only the spices are not available here”).

A visit to Stanthorpe is not complete without seeing Girraween National Park, where the granite boulders meet the sky.

Tony turns south towards the border and tells us the story of the Ballandean Pyramid, in a field as we pass by.

Built in defiance by a landowner who was refused council permission to clear his land of the granite rocks, it is four storeys high and about 2500 tonnes.

We then wrap up with a cold wine at the Rumbalara winery. It has been an interesting and varied day and we marvel that it could all be so different and yet so close to home.

Rae Taylor was a guest of Happy Valley Retreat

The Ballandean Pyramid

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December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 37

23/11/2016 2:52:22 PM

TRAVEL

Don’t forget your travel insurance

E

ight per cent of Australian adults travelled without travel insurance on their last overseas trip, according to a survey commissioned by the Australian Government and the Insurance Council of Australia.

That equates to 850,000 visits by Australians overseas without insurance.

The Australian Travel Insurance Behaviour survey also found many travellers wrongly believed the Australian Government would pay their medical bills or medical evacuation costs if required.

It warns that Australians should be fully prepared for overseas travel and take responsibility for individual travel decisions.

This includes obtaining comprehensive insurance, being aware of insurance policy conditions and visiting Smartraveller to understand advice for destinations, including the laws of those countries.

In 2014, the Australian Government released the first ever Consular Strategy which guided the allocation of consular resources to where they are most needed.

It is now seeking public contributions to the second Consular Strategy for the period 2017-2019.

The Australian Government will also release the Consular State of Play 2015-16 which provides a statistical snapshot of the numbers and types of cases consular staff are managing.

State of Play outlines that in 2015-16, DFAT provided assistance to more than 1500 Australians who had been arrested overseas, up from 1256 in the previous year, and to nearly 1700 Australians hospitalised overseas, up from 1453 the previous year.

Designed for use by travel agents, the insurance industry, and the public, the State of Play lays out the data needed to optimise consular operations.

STAYING COVERED Sorting out travel insurance should be one of the first things on anyone’s list.

The handy travel insurance buying guide on the Smartraveller website helps Australians make sure they’re getting the right insurance for what they plan to do.

• Most travellers are covered: 8% of Australians travelled overseas without insurance in the last year (15% for 18–24 year olds).

• But too many travellers are willing to travel uninsured: 31% thought it was OK to travel without insurance to a developed country.

• And not enough travellers understand their policy: 27% were not covered or were not sure they were covered for medical expenses.

AUSTRALIANS LOVE TO TRAVEL IN 2015-16: 1,961,666 passports issued 10.2 million DEPARTURES (up from 9.7 million in 2014–15) 15,740 consular cases Around the same number of consular cases as in 2014–15

WATCH ATCH THE PASSPORT ASSPORT 2530 Australian passports were reported lost overseas 2403 Australian passports were reported stolen overseas

Top five countries for hospitalisations 176 Thailand 153 Indonesia 122 USA 75 New Caledonia 72 Vietnam 728 deaths were the result of illness or natural causes 214 deaths were the result of accidents 47 related to murders (13 new cases in 2015–16)

UK: 216 lost, 101 stolen France: 78 lost, 215 stolen USA: 507 lost, 250 stolen Spain: 180 stolen Italy: 258 stolen (down from 335) Thailand: 115 lost NZ: 137 lost

Visit dfat.gov.au

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BOOK WITH YOUR LOCAL TRAVELLERS CHOICE AGENT CITY Milton - SAVENIO - 3368 3733 NORTH Stafford - DISCOVER TRAVEL & CRUISE - 3356 0600 • Clayfield - CLAYFIELD TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS - 3862 1215 EAST Carindale - CREATE TRAVEL - 3736 0040 • Cleveland - LATITUDE CRUISE & TRAVEL - 3286 7900 WEST Corinda - HERMAN’S TOURS & TRAVEL - 3379 6255 Forest Lake - CREATE TRAVEL - 3279 9144 • The Gap - DISCOVER TRAVEL & CRUISE - 3300 5300

*Conditions apply: Prices per person twin share based on small group journeys during low season. Please check all prices, availability & other information before booking. Prices correct as at 01 Nov 2016 but may fluctuate if surcharges, fees, taxes or currency change. Valid for sale until 15 Dec 16, unless sold out prior. +Free upgrade to Gold available for selected small group journey tours for travel from 01 Nov 16-30 Jun 17. ^Advertised prices based on advertised departure, other departure dates available & prices may vary.

Offer available on new bookings only. Issued 01 Nov 16. Insider Journeys has the right to not upgrade bookings made within 60 days prior to departure. All offers are subject to availability. Further conditions may apply. Booking, cancellation, credit card & service fees may apply. ATAS No. A10430.

39.indd 3

23/11/2016 1:47:05 PM

TRAVEL

Keep right and the world is your highway Some Australians are nervous about driving with everything on the “wrong” side, but they miss a truckload of experiences, writes BRUCE McMAHON.

I

t’s not that hard and it gets easier every day – to shift over to a left-hand side steering wheel and power down the right-hand side of the road.

Remember the days before automatic transmissions became de rigueur? Before satellite navigation and when every country on the continent of Europe had its own customs, passport checks and currencies?

When signs in English were few and far between?

Back then, the best advice for driving on the other side of the road (for right-handed folk anyway) was to swap watches from left wrist to right – the ‘unnatural’ weight reminded drivers that’s where the gear lever was and to keep to the right kerb.

It’s far easier now. We even understand indicator wands could be either side of the steering wheel.

And there are few reasons a confident Australian driver (of any age) can’t mix it with Alfa

Romeos on the autostrada or Mustangs on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Driving holidays in strange places bring extra freedoms and fun (plus occasional fights) to getaways.

Meet more people, see more country with total independence. Like this place?

Stay a day or two.

So grab the driving licence and jump on the plane. (Note: In three decades of international drives we’ve never had to show an international driving licence, whether picking up a van in Rome or roadside meetings with Arizona highway patrolmen.)

Maybe take a day to acclimatise in the new place, shake off jet lag, take a walk and catch a cab or a bus for a bit.

Look left before leaping from footpath to roadway in lefthand drive countries.

And while out and about, buy a map, an old-fashioned paper map.

GPS systems may find a

hotel at day’s end but how do you know where you’re going without maps?

GPS systems dull the senses and display screens can’t supply the big picture; perceptions from a virtual display are not the real world.

And when that strange

woman’s voice starts spitting out exotic names from the dashboard there’s confusion if driver or navigator doesn’t have some sense of direction.

Rule One for navigators/ passengers: No screams unless there’s been body contact.

Warning shrieks can cause over-reaction from drivers.

Don’t be afraid to ask locals for directions – bung on the accent a little.

Remember in the United States that miles are that bit longer than a kilometre and gallons are smaller.

Check which side your fuel cap is and be prepared for problematic gas stations in the US – fuel pumps don’t recognise our “zip”, or postcodes, when trying to pre-pay with credit cards.

Driving in the US is easier than parts of Europe. Freeways are wide and fast in the country, can be jammed up in the cities.

In most places right turns are okay at red lights.

Some parts of busy Los Angeles, including one six-way Beverly Hills’ intersection, are controlled by Stop signs alone.

Breathe deep and take your turn.

In Europe, autoroutes and autostradas and autobahns can be fast and furious. Stay to the right unless passing, Euro folk don’t take to lane hogs.

Watch out for tolls on some of these roads.

And on the continent take extra care of turns in towns, it’s no fun stuck up a narrow one-way street in an ancient part of Italy needing to reverse past snarling gargoyles.

One thing to watch when driving right, anywhere in the world, is shopping centre/hotel/ tourist attraction car parks.

With no road markings or street “furniture” as guides there can be an urge to swing left instead of right when another vehicle approaches.

Other than that, life is a highway right across the world.

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Brisbane

24/11/2016 9:10:49 AM

TRAVEL

Health retreat a break to get back on track Sometimes we become almost robotic as we struggle through every day but JODIE THOMPSON found her stay at Living Valley Springs was just the way to press the restart button on her health and lifestyle. It’s a good time to start dropping hints to the kids for a surprise Christmas gift.

I

was feeling as though I had become programmed to perform my various roles. I was on remote control and sometimes remote controls become overloaded and occasionally you need to press the restart button.

Or you may find that suddenly the remote no longer works. That was me, a 51-year old remote that had stopped working. I was tired, stressed, starting to show signs of arthritis, a bit overweight and had hit menopause.

I was definitely ready to press the restart button and was looking for somewhere that could accommodate a holistic restoration within my available two-week timeframe.

I didn’t want to simply do a “health farm” holiday. I wanted a kick-start for lasting change and I wanted the advice of qualified professionals.

I entered my criteria into Google and was amazed to find

Between steam baths and treatments guests can relax by the pool. just such a place right here in Queensland. I decided to make the trip alone, the first extended time I have spent away from my family in 33 years. I was feeling excited but also a little alone as I waited for my pickup.

Then I spotted a friendlylooking chap holding a “Living Valley Springs” sign. I gave him a wave and climbed on the bus.

Before I knew it we had arrived in the beautiful Noosa hinterland. Kin Kin would be my home for the next fortnight.

A sumptuous lunch, predominantly sourced from the property’s own organic gardens was followed by time to settle into our comfortable accommodation.

The Queenslander-style cottages, most of them with decks, enjoy views over 58ha of treed valleys and farmland.

We were summoned to experience our first Russian steam bath that afternoon, a ritual which would be repeated daily to encourage our bodies to

MUSIC CRUISES

rid themselves of toxins. Each evening we were treated to informative sessions conducted by the Living Valley Springs naturopaths.

Every participant was provided with a personalised program and allocated their own naturopath for their stay.

The program includes a range of therapies, such as remedial massage, lymphatic drainage, colonic hydrotherapy, detox clay wraps and facials.

Between therapies and steam baths, guests can enjoy some time around the pool or a walk on one of the many tracks.

There is a well-equipped gym to use at your leisure and early morning stretch classes and Pilates to keep everyone feeling in tip top shape.

Did I mention the amazing food? An absolute feast.

All up, this is a program which really ministers to the body, the mind and the spirit.

My questions were

answered and I connected with the beauty of nature – it had been a long time since I had just sat and breathed in the clean air while enjoying the sound of nearby cattle, birds and the wind in the trees.

It was wonderful to take a leisurely tour of the gardens with a passionate organic grower – to hear his simple and helpful advice.

As for my personal stats – I managed to add a kilogram of muscle to my frame, I dropped 4kg and lost 7cm from my waist.

My sore joints improved to such an extent during my remedial massage session that I was able to walk normally for the first time in 18 months.

I had a special time and my message is gratitude to Living Valley Springs. I made new friends, not only with fellow guests but also with staff, and I hope it is not too long before I am able to return.

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41.indd 3

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on lowest available twin share accommodation as specified. Offer is valid for a limited time only, subject to availability, capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without prior notice. Single passenger must pay a single supplement. Cancellation penalties & conditions apply.

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 41

24/11/2016 9:11:21 AM

TRAVEL

Home sweet house-sitting Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do a house-sit during your travels? The Grey Nomad BEVERLEY EVERSON has learnt to prune roses and sell machinery among other jobs to keep the place running for absent owners – but still finds plenty of time to explore a new destination.

J

ust over 18 months ago we registered with two house sitting websites and since then we have met some interesting people, stayed at beautiful homes and properties, cared for adorable pets and even had the bonus of fresh vegies from gardens, fruit from orchards and farm eggs.

Anyone can go online and have a look at what is on offer within Australia or overseas. Our favourite sites are Aussiehousesitters and Mindahome (which cover all over Australia), but there are many more available.

House sitting sites are tailored for home owners and home sitters as you will see when you research further.

To seek more information from the house owners about their properties, you will need to register and pay a small annual membership as a house sitter. It’s free to register for home owners.

The sites are user friendly and have a direct email service to the owner simply by clicking on the contact button.

Also, an owner can search the profiles of sitters in search of the perfect person for their property. House sitting positions become available, usually daily, and you

House-sitting at a property in Albury also provided a crash course in pruning roses. will receive an email notification with a link to each new advertisement.

Unlike some, who move from one place to the next, we are not professional house sitters, having completed only four assignments at Mackay and Hervey Bay in Queensland and at Albury in NSW. Our experiences though have been with exceptional home owners and we have often found common interests.

The one thing we found hard was to prepare an overview/profile of yourself giving personal information and why

you would like to house-sit. It is always hard to talk up your good qualities but it is necessary. Basically, you must convince owners that you are the one they should choose.

I recommend looking at some of the profiles online to get an idea of what to include in the details.

There are also options to add documents that support your good character, photographs, your preference for a region and times available to sit.

It is fun just looking at all the different types of places available from units, homes in the city or on acreage in rural areas and even B&Bs. House sits vary from just a few days to weeks and even months.

Some owners require you only to water plants and collect the mail or the peace of mind in the security of their home while they are away.

Others have pets to be cared for, loved and walked – cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, reptiles, horses and other members of the menagerie. In exchange for your services, the owner will usually offer for you to live rent-free but in other cases, particularly if it is for a long period of

time, the owner may wish you to contribute to electricity or even pay a minimal rent. Owners offer their homes for you to stay in or a granny flat – or even somewhere to park the caravan.

Benefits are literally both ways.

The conversation between owner and sitter is initially by email or phone and discussions are direct with the owner.

The site operates purely as a go-between to bring people together.

It is popular, as the rewards in terms of cost alone can save both owner and sitter hundreds of dollars a week.

Many house insurance policies don’t cover a house if you are absent from it too long, so the house-sitter offers ultimate protection from burglary and in case of any emergency, such as storm damage, burst pipes or a sick pet.

For our first house-sit we were shortlisted from 60 applicants, interviewed face to face, which was convenient as we were on location. With others we spoke on the phone or Skyped.

We have not yet accessed the overseas opportunities but recommend it as a way to save money, and broaden your horizons and friendships.

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Highlights Cruise through the Panama Canal in style on the luxurious Celebrity Infinity. Visit ports of call in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. Includes 3 nights in Miami and 2 nights in San Diego with included sightseeing and touring.

Plus breakfast daily, 14 lunches and 17 dinners.

Highlights Small group private tour of Kenya and Tanzania. View Mt Kilimanjaro from Amboseli National Park. Enjoy extended game drives searching for the big five and more in iconic Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Parks.

End with a relaxing stay in Zanzibar.

Plus breakfast daily, 12 lunches and 14 dinners.

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1300 722 079

escortedescapes.com.au

*Travel restrictions & conditions apply. Please ask us for further details. Prices are correct as at 1 Jul 16 & are subject to change. Quoted prices on sale until 8 weeks prior to each departure date or until sold out prior. Prices are per person twin share and subject to availability. Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store and are fully inclusive of taxes, levies, government charges and other applicable fees. Payments made by credit card incur a surcharge. Visa information based on Australian Passport holders. Where a visa is required the cost included in the trip price (Australian passport holders only). Arrival and departure transfers included up to the return value of $100 pp. If costs between your home and Brisbane airport exceed this you can either choose to pay the difference or have the $100 pp refunded and make your own arrangements to and from Brisbane airport. Participants must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Escorted Escapes product is exclusive to Qld and Nth NSW Escape Travel stores. All cruises are based on lead-in inside cabin twin share. All Escorted Escapes are subject to minimum passengers booking, paying and travelling together. Escape Travel reserves the right to cancel the tour should the numbers travelling not meet the required minimum. Should this occur a full refund will be provided. Please ask your Escape Travel consultant for further details. ^Interest Free: Approved applicants only on a Lombard 180 Visa card. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply including a $99 Annual Fee charged on the account open date and annually on the anniversary of the account open date. Minimum finance amount applies and is valid on holidays over $999. Interest, currently 22.99% p.a., is payable on any balance outstanding after the 12 month Interest Free period. Ask in store for details. Offer ends 31 Dec 16. Credit provided by Lombard Finance Pty Limited ABN 31 099 651 877, Australian Credit Licence number 247415.

Lombard® is brought to you by FlexiGroup ®. FROM BRISBANE. Flight Centre Travel Group Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Escape Travel. ATAS Accreditation No. A10412. ATAS Accreditation No. A10412.

ETEE73601

42 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

42.indd 2

Brisbane

24/11/2016 9:17:30 AM

TRAVEL

Give the gift that keeps on giving Struggling with the Christmas list? KATE DEVER recommends a travel experience and there are plenty of options available.

H

ere we are already, that magical time of year when the weather warms up, the car parks become crowded and Christmas party invitations start flowing.

Sunshirts and swimwear are the order of the day, barbecues are fired up and cold drinks are shared with family and friends.

Department stores display decorations and Christmas carols are played on repeat as we collectively sprint towards the end of another busy year.

For most of us though, it’s also around

this time our minds turn to Christmas shopping.

What to buy wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, friends and family members.

If the idea of battling the Christmas rush to bag a bargain leaves you cold, or you’re struggling to work out what to buy your friends, colleagues or family members, don’t worry. You are not alone.

At a time when consummable products can be purchased with the click of a button and arrive directly to your door, people can buy just about anything they want, whenever they want it.

So, how do you make sure your Christmas gift is something they will truly value?

Answer: Give an experience rather than a possession, a gift that is always enjoyed and remembered – the gift of travel.

While people grow out of clothes, or go through different phases and styles, the gift of travel knows no boundaries.

It’s always exciting, it’s always welcome and the memories of a trip will last a lifetime.

Many travel agencies and tourism operators are well aware of this

increasingly popular trend and gift vouchers can now cover everything from airfares and accommodation to cruises and travel insurance policies.

Travel gift vouchers are a flexible gift option. They can be purchased through your local travel agent for a set value of your choice, no matter your budget.

While we are now able to order groceries online and take our work home with us in our pocket, research shows that people have come to value holidays, time off, travel and new experiences just

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as much - if not more than - material possessions. One of the best things about gifting a travel voucher is that the recipient can choose a destination or an experience that is as unique as they are – it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Competition in the travel industry has never been hotter, which means your dollar can go further than ever before and options for using travel vouchers are almost limitless.

So if you’re pondering over what to buy that special someone this festive season, instead of buying some “thing”, consider giving the gift of warm sunny beaches, snowy mountain lodges, rainforest escapes or tropical island holidays.

There’s the gift of a girls’ weekend away, a romantic anniversary weekend, a fishing trip with the boys or a family holiday to a new destination.

Ultimately, by giving the gift of travel, you’re offering the most valuable gift of all – time away from work and everyday stress to enjoy with friends or family and the opportunity to take a trip and make memories that will last for years to come.

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43.indd 3

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 43

23/11/2016 2:53:02 PM

TRAVEL

JOIN THE GAME DRIVE IN AFRICA

MUSICAL ADVENTURES ON THE HIGH SEAS

Go See Touring has been successfully arranging specialised escorted tours around the world for over 10 years.

One of the favourite destinations is Africa for wild game viewing in Kenya and Tanzania.

Go See takes only 16 guests each year, in November, to share an amazing 17 days exploring some of the world’s top safari big game viewing in Africa.

The experience is exceptional, whether you are a first time safari traveller or consider yourself an expert.

With at least nine days of game drives through the Maasi Mara, Amobsoli and Serengeti National Parks, there is endless opportunity for wildlife spotting, with an excellent chance of getting up close and personal with the Big 5 – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino.

Each area has its own special appeal, with big cat sightings being particularly impressive in the Maasai Mara.

One of the most popular ways to experience the Mara is by a hot air balloon safari – rising at dawn over the plains is the perfect opportunity to get an idea of the vast scale of the reserve, and a real bucket list activity.

Guests stay in luxury Sopa Safari Lodges, all individually designed to complement their environment while reflecting the themes and influences of African culture and custom.

IN 2017, Cruiseco will offer four exclusive music cruises sailing from Sydney to the South Pacific aboard Radiance of the Seas.

The first music cruise of 2017 departs October 8. Cruisin’ Country 7 is all about family. Over eight fun-filled nights, passengers enjoy performances from country music artists including Lee Kernaghan, John Williamson, and Beccy Cole along with their family members.

Rock the Boat 7 is set to be Australia’s biggest rock ’n’ roll festival at sea.

Legendary UK band Status Quo and Australian rockers Baby Animals, Jon Stevens and Jack Jones are just some of

44 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / December 2016

44.indd 2

the artists who will perform during seven nights departing October 16.

The best of dance music from the ’70s to the ’90s will be featured during eight nights aboard Cruise N Groove, departing October 23. Artists including KC and the Sunshine Band, Boney M, Marcia Hines, and Go West will entertain guests.

Bravo, cruise of the performing arts departs October 31 for seven nights and will be the grand finale. It showcases 30 acts and artists including acclaimed tenor, Jose Carreras in one of his final shows.

Contact the Cruise Centre 1800 428 105 or 07 3368 2113.

CRAFTED TOURS DELIVER AUTHENTIC ASIA Go See includes almost everything in the price, including most meals and even visa fees.

With the majority of clients referred by friends or family, Go See offers a full travel agency service, being part of the national Helloworld brand.

So if you are not yet ready for an African game drive experience, or just want to travel individually, they can assist with other travel arrangements including, cruises, airfares, accommodation packages and more.

Visit goseetouring.com, email info@ goseetouring.com or call Emma on 1300 551997.

FOR more than 23 years, Insider Journeys has been helping travellers discover the real Asia by crafting unique and authentic experiences to create memories that last a lifetime.

Carefully designed small group journeys provide a perfect balance between organised and flexible time while experiencing some of the world’s most beautiful and inspiring sites.

With more than 70 curated itineraries to 11 countries, ranging from six to 21 days in duration, there are plenty of choices. Visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Bhutan or Mongolia.

All journeys consist of a maximum 16 passengers, exploring the rich tapestry of life, the destinations and culture. The small group style permits authentic engagement with locals in a way that can’t be achieved on a big bus group tour.

Insider Journeys can also tailor an adventure for independent travellers who want to experience Asia’s beautiful scenery, captivating cities, magical rivers and pristine beaches. Your experience will be designed to include the perfect mix of attractions, local experiences and free time to explore on your own.

Travellers Choice on 1300 78 78 58 or visit travellerschoice.com.au

Brisbane

24/11/2016 9:12:54 AM

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

SUDOKU (MEDIUM)

SUDOKU (EASY)

WORD FIND

CODE WORD R Z Q F S E ND U GWH T 15

2

1

16 3

17 4

18 5

19 6

20 7

21 8

22 9

23 10

24 11

25 12

26 13

PERMUTATE BLOOM, LIMBO, BLIMY, DIMLY, DAILY, DAISY

1. On a completed line of a Sudoku puzzle, what is the highest number?

2. The name of which Central American country literally means, “The Saviour”?

3. Which TV reality show is known as MKR? 4. Who was the partner of ice skating champion Christopher Dean?

5. A “bully” starts which sport?

6. “We fight for fair” is the motto of which legal firm?

7. In what decade of last century were postcodes introduced in Australia?

8. What is the singular of “paparazzi”?

9. How often does an organisation hold an AGM? 10. What is the more common name for an alligator pear?

11. Where in the human body can floaters be found?

12. What percentage of a metre is one millimetre?

13. Which two states or territories does the Barkly Tableland straddle?

14. Into what animal does a tadpole grow?

15. What is the third book of the Old Testament?

16. What natural phenomenon is measured in Angstroms?

17. What was the nationality of singer Nana Mouskouri?

18. What is emitted from a fumarole?

19. How many months end in the letter “y”?

20. According to the proverb, what fruit tastes sweetest?

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS QUICK CROSSWORD

O C X B P I L KM J Y A V

By Quizmaster Allan Blackburn

14

TRIVIA

There may be other correct answers

SCATTERWORD

1. Nine; 2. El Salvador; 3. My Kitchen Rules; 4. Jayne Torvill; 5. Hockey; 6. Maurice Blackburn; 7. 1960s – seventh decade (1967); 8. Paparazzo; 9. Once a year; 10. Avocado; 11. Eyes; 12. 0.1%; 13. Queensland and Northern Territory; 14. Frog (or toad); 15. Leviticus; 16. Wavelength of light; 17. Greek; 18. Volcanic gases; 19. Four; 20. Forbidden 45.indd 3

RETRIEVER, retrieve, reverter, reverie, terrier, riveter, eerier, revere, retire, verier, revert, eerie, reeve, evert, trier, river, rivet, tree, ever, veer, rite, tier, tire, rive.

Brisbane

December 2016 / YOUR TIME MAGAZINE 45

23/11/2016 2:53:33 PM

PUZZLES

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 6 8

9 11 12 14 16 17

Come in loud but fly out uncertainly (10) Careless lads can become involved in a disgraceful situation (7) Buying an eighteen karat engagement ring may comprise a little selfdefence (6) Handled clumsily when it rained heavily by the sound of it (5) Mail station returned a lubricant for the medical condition (5) Illegally copies loveless stories (5) Pretty hyped up, I see supporting man (5) Flicks through the pages of the book on the Mount Bush disaster (6) The pen slid off the shaft on which the thing turned (7)

No. 2520

18 This season somehow amazes everyone (10)

1

2

14

15

Z

3

4

16

17

B

No. 711

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

WORK IT OUT!

T

SUDOKU

DOWN 1

CODEWORD

Scattered pasties did become more orderly (10) 2 The way a bison studies a small shrub (6) 3 Suddenly lose one’s strength seeing the shark (5) 4 Crazy person had their nail cut off (7) 5 Mild anxiety is unseen as changes are made (10) 7 You can give me a lend seeing as you’re loaded (5) 9 Push logjams with agricultural implements (7) 10 Intricate, pretty bows surround a thousand places for unborn babies (5) 13 Instruments used in soap operas? (6) 15 A “viperish” poplar? (5)

WORDFIND

Please refer to reubenspuzzles.com.au for a cryptic solving guide.

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No. 38

acrobat admission animals applaud audience balancing balloon band banner bear bigtop cage candy cannon cape

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PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD

No. 3621

SCATTERWORD

V R

E T

E

Today’s Aim: 16 words Good 19 words Very good 21 words Excellent

Level: Easy

No. 765

E

R I

SUDOKU

No. 2957

R

Form at least one nine letter word from the given letters and as many other words as possible of four or more letters. Each word must contain the letter in the central circle. Simple plurals, formed by adding “s” are not counted as extra words. No prefixes or suffixes. Reference: The Macquarie Concise Dictionary.

PERMUTATE

ACROSS 2 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 19 21 24 26 27

Plants Affirm Pig meat Imitates Musical exercise Friendly society One practising winter sport Wound mark Feline creature (informal) Little devils Sturdy Aeroplane instrument Of highest quality Lemonade (US) Sang Christmas songs

31 Black powder used as eye make-up 32 Things that are vital (informal) 33 Former Italian currency 34 Perfect 35 Disappeared 36 Destroyed with atomic bombs (informal) 37 Bazaar 38 Old unit of twelve dozen

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5

Oriental poetry form Tubular conduits Converts into code Light wood Ghost

6 7 12 13 17 18 20 22

23 25 28 29 30

Impute Outfits (for a task) Parodies (informal) Sea-locked land mass Paintings on walls Horses (for riding) Cushioned footstools The amount (of liquid) that unintentionally is allowed to escape Scratching (one’s skin) Render charged particles Tree of the birch family Stories that are hard to believe (informal) Early anaesthetic

No. 030

WORK IT OUT!

Your aim is to change the top word one letter at a time, each time rearranging the letters to create a new word. Perform one such permutation for each blank line until you arrive at the last word. There may be more than one correct solution.

BLOOM

_____ _____ _____ _____ DAISY

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December 2016

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