Otway life winter14

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connecting communities across the ranges winter 2014 issue 3

INSIDE

Focus on Forrest • Arts & Books • Women in sport

Living and visiting... ...the Otways

Winchelsea

Geelong Melbourne

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Birregurra

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Deans Marsh

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Barwon Downs

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Centre Road

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Beech Forest Kennet River

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Lavers Hill

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To Birregurra and Princes Highway

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Colac - Forrest Road

...the inspiring environment Camp out, take a hike or ride the world class mountain bike tracks through towering eucalypts, prehistoric grass trees and secluded fern gullies. Wander the history walk and discover a rich timber heritage. Hire a bike, join an Eco tour and paddle with the platypus at Lake Elizabeth or camp at nearby Stevensons Falls. Marvel at the prolific wildlife, flora and fungi, ever changing with the seasons.

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Visit Forrest Cape Otway & district and enjoy...

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Football ground

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Hordon Vale

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Princetown

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Cemeter

Gellibrand

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Kaanglang Road

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...cosy country atmosphere Plenty of great places to stay and eat including a range of accommodation to suit, so you can just sit back and take in the peace and quiet.

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West Barwon Reservoir

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Editor’s Note

Welcome to our Winter issue!

Welcome to our Winter Issue! Whether you are a visitor or resident, hopefully you are tucked up comfortably somewhere with a warm drink and the time to take in all that this issue has to offer. We are proud of our little publication and very pleased with all the positive feedback and support – thank you dear readers advertisers and contributers.

Rural communities such as ours are known for their strength and resilience. From the days of hardship eking out a living on the farm and in the timber towns, to the now of economic and environmental challenges, the people of the hills continue to demonstrate the capacity and will, not only to survive, but also to thrive.

Resilience is built through strong connections.

The Neighbourhood House Programs, of which there are nine in the Surf Coast and Colac Otway Shires, are key players in maintaining the health & wellbeing of our communities. People lending a helping hand where needed. And each township has its own printed local newssheet and active social media groups.

We also have dynamic service clubs, Men’s Sheds and sporting clubs of many varieties.

Resilience is built by embracing diversity.

Our communities are very welcoming of visitors and newcomers. People of many different backgrounds, abilities and lifestyle choices live harmoniously throughout the ranges and surrounding area.

Resilience is built through pride of place.

We are proud to live in a part of the world that is still filled with natural beauty and we want to keep it that way for the generations who will follow us.

It is the intention of the team at Otway Life Magazine to help celebrate the resilience of these ranges and keep our connection, diversity and pride alive. We hope you can feel the vibrancy of our communities as your read through the pages…

Contributers: Nettie Hulme, Suzanne Frydman, Ami Hileage, Rebecca Brown, Ken Widdowson, Mary Dracup

The Team

Contents

Editor Nettie Hulme Design Gillian Brew Sales Joyce Howcroft

Focus on Forrest ���������������������������� 4-5

Published May 2014

by Forrest & District Neighbourhood House 14 Grant Street Forrest Victoria 3236 P 03 5236 6591 E otwaylifemagazine@gmail.com F www.facebook.com/otwaylifemagazine B otwaylifemagazine.wordpress.com T twitter.com/otwaylifemag View Online issuu.com/otwaylife.magazine Aucpiced by Otway Health ABN 30 426 290 469 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine and the advertisements supplied do not necessarily represent those of Otway Health.

Cover image by Jessica Brew Next issue (Spring) deadline 10 August 2014

Aboriginal Heritage ����������������������� 6-7 Early Days �������������������������������� 8 Growing up in Forrest ����������������������� 9 Jess Douglas ��������������������������� 10-11 Lake Elizabeth ������������������������������ 12 The Platypus ������������������������������� 13 Shizu Broomfield ���������������������������� 14 A Walking Meditation ������������������������ 15 Otway Soup Festival ������������������������� 17 Otway Derby Dolls ��������������������������� 19 OCR FM ����������������������������������� 20 The Good Life ������������������������������ 21 Artist Profile - Merryn Hergstrom ���������������� 22

Otway Life Magazine acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters.

Arts �������������������������������������� 24

Printed by: !mpact Digital on 100% recycled stock

Around the Houses �������������������������� 34

Books and Writing ��������������������������� 30 Environment ������������������������������� 32 Ethical consumer choice ���������������������� 33

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Forrest & District Community Profile

Many of the communities that populate The Otways are in the midst of transition and the hamlets of Barwon Downs, Forrest and Gerangamete are no exception.

Driving from Birregurra or Colac you pass through the verdant, gentle, undulating farm lands of Barwon Downs or Gerangamete with the treed hills of The Otway Ranges beckoning from the horizon. There is a real sense of entering through a gateway to the forest when you reach the town of…….Forrest.

The combined population of this area, according to the 2011 census is 600.

Since European settlement in the late 19th century to the present day, there have been many shifts and changes in the industry and lifestyle of the inhabitants of these hills and plains. Populations have come and gone as the towns swelled when work was plentiful, then diminished when it dried up due to changes in government policies and global economic demands.

At one stage there were 150 students attending the Forrest Primary School!

In less than 150 years, the area has gone from the mainstays of agriculture and forestry to the emerging and growing economy of eco-tourism and related service industries.

Back in the day, central to the development of the timber industry was the extension of the railway to the town of Forrest, previously named Yaugher, which was opened in 1891, as a branch line from Birregurra.

The railway serviced the townships of Deans Marsh, Maroon, Barwon Downs, Yaugher and Forrest. At Forrest numerous tramways ran off into the nearby bush.

These lines were used to bring the freshly cut timber to the railhead, and the associated sawmills, of which there were four in Forrest.

The Victorian Labor Government established the 102,000 hectare Great Otway National Park in 2005. Logging was banned from the Otway Ranges in 2008 and 40,000 hectare Otways Forest Park was created. At the time, the timber industry employed seventy people.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

There were many reasons that logging needed to cease in The Otways. About half of the Otway State Forest is the domestic water supply for over 250,000 people in South West Victoria, including the major regional cities of Geelong and Warrnambool. Scientific research had demonstrated that clearfell logging was reducing both the water yield and quality from the Otway water supply catchments.

One of the government’s strategies to replace the logging economy in The Otways with eco-tourism initiatives was to make funds available for the creation of dedicated mountain bike trails in the Yaugher area.

With over 60 kilometres sign posted as “single track”, Forrest is now seen as one of Australia’s best mountain biking destinations.

There are three cafes to complement the pub and micro- brewery and there is a definite ‘buzz’ about the place. People are moving to the township and smaller holdings on the outskirts, looking for respite from the hurly-burly of the city. The challenge is to be able to create a regular income while living in a rural, and sometimes remote, area. Many people commute to Geelong, and even Melbourne, spending part of their

Focus on Forrest

5

Image: West Barwon Dam by Jessica Brew

weeks in both places. With the advent of the world wide web and improved internet services, and yes it could be better (where’s our National Broadband Network?), some people have the option of working from home.

“Necessity is the mother of invention” and residents are having to think creatively in order to make their life in The Otways comfortable and sustainable over the longer term.

Water Matters The West Barwon Dam, also known as the Barwon Resevoir, is the result of the damming of the west branch of the Barwon River and is the main water supply for Geelong. It is also a great spot for walks, picnics and fishing.

Sporting Pursuits The Forrest Football Club was established in 1891, and is still going strong to this day, competing in the Colac & District Football League. The local tennis club has had a recent revival and taken out this years A grade tournament. The Forrest Trail Riding club holds well attended annual event which attracts horse riders from across the state.

Forrest is now also home to the following annual Mountain Bike Events: Forrest Festival - 2 day multi stage event Otway Odyssey - 100k event Forrest 6 Hour - 6 Hour event by teams and individuals A new edition to the growing list of sporting events is the Run Forrest marathon on the Queens Birthday.

Arty Things The Forrest Art Group has been going strong since the first art course started in 2008 and operates form the Forrest Public Hall every Friday. The group is hopeful of one day establishing a permanent gallery and studio space in the town, which would be operated on a cooperative basis by the local artists who are growing in number every year as accommodation in this part of The Otways is still affordable.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest,_Victoria http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/ census/2011/quickstat http://www.greatoceanroad.com/things-to-do/412-forrest-mountainbiking-trails http://www.habitatadvocate.com.au http://www.oren.org.au/campaign/threatareas/lakeliz.htm

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Forrest’s Aboriginal Heritage - past and continuing

The Aboriginal heritage of the Forrest area is not well known, even among long-term residents.

However, people attending a recent Indigenous history event in Forrest learned how Aboriginal people have retained contact with the country and knowledge of traditional culture in this region.

Many assume the original inhabitants of this region were completely wiped out with European settlement in the 1830s and 40s. There are many records of massacres, murders and disease reducing numbers drastically in these years, and Aboriginal people were certainly displaced from their traditional homelands and hunting grounds.

Despite this, researchers and family historians are finding that some local Aboriginal family groups go back multiple generations in this district.

Initially, hundreds of local Aboriginal people sought protection at ‘missions’. Eventually, some worked and lived on the farms of the growing communities. The Bunting Dale Aboriginal Mission located between Birregurra and Forrest from 1839 to 1951 was the first of these. Colac author Heather le Griffon’s book Campfires at the Cross tells the story of the mission in these difficult and often tragic times for Aboriginals.

Forrest is near the line drawn between the Otways-coastal Gadubanud (koala to king parrot) language area and the inland Gulidjan country, which stretches from Gellibrand to Colac and Birregurra (place where kangaroo rests). Four known clans lived in the Gulidjan country, each with differing languages.

However, boundaries are artificial as the groups intermarried and moved along traditional trading routes and story lines at particular times of the year.

The Otway National and Forest Parks contain more than 100 registered Aboriginal heritage places, but this is likely a small percentage of the cultural sites that exist in the region.

Richard Collopy, a member of the Kirrae Whurrong men’s group, says Aboriginal people still visit cultural sites and observe tradition, though generally they would not attract attention. He and others are working hard to educate people in languages and customs to ensure these continue.

Written by Mary Dracup in consultation with local Aboriginal representatives and reprinted with kind permission from the Forrest Post

CAFE OPEN DAILY 10AM - 4PM Tea, Coffee, Lunches & Sweets DINNER - Thursday, Friday & Saturday Showcasing local fare with a share menu influenced by the seasons

www.forrestaccommodation.com.au

Phone +61 3 5236 6446

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

Focus on Forrest

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor Congratulations on your magazine, I am thoroughly enjoying it. However I would like to raise an issue. In the Autumn edition article about the Deans Marsh area you referred to the local aboriginals as having been “rounded up” and sent to the Bunting Dale Mission. The mission was a place of open invitation and sanctuary. It is a very important distinction to make and I believe should be corrected. Local tribes came to the mission primarily in response to their traditional food sources becoming unavailable, this also increased inter-tribal tensions and conflict. The collision between the settlers and the original inhabitants also had a devastating impact, especially on the smaller tribes, such as the Gulidjan. The mission became a vital sanctuary and a shining light in early cross-cultural management. There exists a marvellous account of the history of Bunting Dale titled “Campfires at the Cross”, by Heather Le Griffon. It would make an excellent subject for an article as it is a story of national significance. Thank you for your time, Andrew Allen.

Dear Andrew Thank you for taking the time to write to us and for your feedback.

We are intending to publish a feature article on the Bunting Dale Aboriginal Mission in our Spring Issue (focus on Colac/Birregurra) and certainly take your comments on board. The issues at the time were indeed complex and the Bunting Dale Mission was established on humanitarian grounds to save the local tribes from extinction at the same time as helping them to become self-determining. In this context, being ”rounded up” is indeed a poor use of words and is misleading.

“The Wesleyan missionaries had demonstrated their bravery, compassion, faith and fortitude in attempting to save the Guliidjan people from virtual extermination, and their humanity illuminated another wise somber era.”

Campfires at the Cross: An Account of the Bunting Dale Aboriginal Mission 1839-1951 at Birregurra, Near Colac, Victoria: with a Biography of Francis Tuckfield Australian Scholarly Publishing, North Melbourne 2006 RRP $39.95.

Photo caption: Gunditjmara and KirraeWhurrong dance group, courtesy of Richard Collopy

This book by Heather le Griffon (Colac resident and author) is available at Blanes Newsagency & Bookstore in Colac and is highly recommended reading for people interested to learn more about history of human life in The Otways.

Kind Regards from the Otway Life Magazine Team

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Early Days The Pub The Terminus Hotel was established in 1892 by William Pengilley, son of Thomas Pengilley, the founder of the Birregurra Hotel.

Its location was convenient to the railway station and travellers. It also operated as a store and post office initially. It had two bars a dining room and nine bedrooms. The original timber hotel was rebuilt in the 1920’s. It burnt down in 1996 at which time the present structure was built. During the era of six o’clock closing locals can remember an after hours drinking area for favoured guests called ‘The Cupboard’. The hotel served for many years as the after game venue for the local football and cricket teams.

Frizon’s Mill Forrest developed into a major sawmilling centre a few years after its foundation in the early 1890’s.

At first the mills were located in the bush to the south but after the devastating bush fire of 1939 were removed to the town. There were three town mills in Forrest and two others nearby at Yaugher and Barramunga.

In 1946, Alf Frizon bought a small sawmill plant from Daylesford, and set it up in Frizon St (Site 1, Forrest History Walk). Alf and his sons, Frank, and later Cliff, operated this mill until 1972, when they took over Henry’s sawmill in Station Street (Site 7).

Annual Sports Day Sport has always played an important part in the community life of Forrest. By mid 1890’s an annual sports day was organised in the paddock ahead, originally called Bartlett’s paddock but later it became known as Hurley’s. Hundreds of people arrived by special train to take part and observe the events which included foot running, wood chopping, sawing and tug of war.

But the ground was never provided with facilities and by 1926 sports events were moved to the present Yaugher Recreation Reserve.

To the right was the Pub Paddock where a Mr White charged 1 shilling per week for townspeople to graze their cows. Others simply roamed the streets. Cows were rounded up arou nd 4pm, often by the children after school, and taken home to be milked. They were kept in the house yard overnight. Behind the cow paddock was the popular township swimming hole.

Ref: Forrest Historical Society

At its peak this mill was producing around 7000 super feet (16 cubic metres) of sawn timber a day.

The mill used a Blackstone 135hp marine diesel engine to run a twin saw breaking down bench, two ripping benches and a docking bench.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

Frizons mill at Frizon St (some buildings remain at Site 1 on the History Walk)

Focus on Forrest

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Growing Up in Forrest Rebecca Brown Bec grew up in the Forrest Country Guesthouse next to the public hall. She is currently travelling the world and wrote these recollections while volunteering with refugees on the Thai/Burma border.

I remember going though the ‘Myspace’ phase. In the ‘about me’ section, my brother had the line: “love me or hate me, you’ll never forget me.” Hilarious...

These day’s we’ve all got Facebook, and if you don’t, then you simply don’t get invited to parties! You also might miss out on the odd raging status, ‘keeping up with the times’ and a whole range of amateur to sophisticated shots.

Bec with some of her students

Parties in Geelong are fun, and Melbourne is absolutely off the hook! But at the end of the day, I’d sell my last slice of cake to hang out with mates. One friend and you’re a dynamic duo, two and you’ve got yourself a love triangle, three means perfect balance and harmony... Five people plus is a gathering, and that is a good term!

I can clearly and vividly recall “growing up like weeds” with my Forrest gum-nut buddies. Despite having the highest antenna in town, my home didn’t have a working television and so rather than watching ads, me and my friends were usually outdoors. Mind you, I wasn’t against my girlfriends’ 6pm ‘Neighbours’ sesh or even cracking out the old Gold Member video.

We’d sing, dance or just do nothing. I used to love scabbing 2 bucks off Dad and annoying Jim at Rose’s general store by carefully selecting lollies. I would choose anything sweet, excluding milk bottles, and Zoe would pick peppermint leaves or perhaps a Big Boss...

The choice was ours but whatever we bought, we’d always share.

I can proudly say that Forrest Primary School was an organic environment. It sits quietly, in yellow and blue, right next to the Forrest Hall.

We weren’t a particularly sharp looking bunch, I believe the word ‘ratty’ was thrown about... but we thought we looked good! And there was always the lost and found box, which was particularly useful on school photo days, as most of us didn’t own a full school uniform. Yes, that place was awesome and I can only hope that the teachers there now are as wonderful as the ones who taught me!

However, I always found it much more interesting to be backyarding it, lost in the bush or romping around one of the 13 streets in Forrest.

Ian and wife Noelene drop in for a catch up with old mates at the Corner Store.

Now living in Queensland, Ian Muir was born in Colac and grew up in Forrest where his father Arch ran a general store on the site of the current Corner Store. The general store closed in1961 after an economic downturn hit Forrest and timber became harder to source. Ian now has a passion for sustainable forest management and is a keen mountain bike rider. Here are some of his recollections.

Life was a bit tougher in those days. One bloke walked miles from a bush mill to Forrest by himself after cutting his arm off below the elbow in an accident.

No one was allowed to stop work to go with him. The nurse in Forrest was furious!

You weren’t game to sneeze or cough or else Dr Easedown would whip out your tonsils or appendix.

Pretty much everyone had their tonsils out as kids.

The roads were terrible. Mirrors were regularly knocked off the school bus by log trucks because the roads were so narrow. I broke my arm at school and had to wait for the one bloke in town who owned a car to finish his tea before being driven to hospital in Colac along a very corrugated road - it was agony and took over an hour to get there.

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Jessica Douglas

three times world 24 hour solo champion mountain bike rider - and she calls Forrest in The Otways home When I was three my dad taught me to ride and I have been hooked ever since. But I started riding for real... like I want to be a good mountain biker and train and actually integrate it into my life... since January 2006.

My first “for real” mountain bike was an Avanti $500 fully rigid thingy, then moved onto a Scott Reflex with front suspension..wooo!

In 1987 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin ’s disease and underwent 10 months of chemotherapy. I was in year 9. What a great piece of adversity to come my way, it gave me the opportunity to start growing into who I am today.

My first crack at mountain biking was at Nerang State Forest with my brother in law Rick back in early 1993. I got myself a second hand Shogun Trailbreaker in a pastel light green colour, but my favourite colour is blue.

I needed to know how to reach my goals of becoming a competent mountain biker, and through being taught I found I had a knack to teach. Thus evolved MTBSkills.com.au. What I love most about being a MTBSkills instructor is showing confident male riders true technique over just muscling their way along.

To cut to the chase...as a person, as an instructor, as an elite athlete, as a mum, wife, daughter and friend I really try to exude and inspire in people that life is not to be feared. Your fears are often unfounded and amazing things CAN happen to ordinary people if you just face your fears, one step at a time.

“Do today what others won’t so you can do tomorrow what others can’t” Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

What is like being a woman in a male dominated sport?

At the start of every race I can feel that every male there is actually hoping that they will beat me and not be what we call “chicked” (beated by a woman).

So I feel like a lamb to the slaughter and fight with all my might to own my space, to own my race and not be dictated by their egos. Generally though, they really are quite nice, just devastated when a woman is better than them.

To be competitive in this sport, you need to be tough skinned and have determination beyond your capabilities. Many women feel threatened or intimidated in doing this and choose not to race or if they do race, they act like they dont “own it”. This trend is changing however, and I am proud to be a role model.

How do you mentally prepare for competitions?

I intenalise the process, I plan and prepare my mind for everything.

The start of a race, what will I feel like, how will I deal with the hurt and what are some things I will tell myself if things are not going too well so I don’t go all negative.

I give myself phrases to repeat, like “Pain only hurts”, “tomorrow will be here soon enough, have no regrets!”, “If you can race 1hr hard, then you can do it for 24, its only pain...and pain only hurts...” and so on and so on....

I have to convince myself that the hurt is only my mind wanting to sit down on a couch and relax and, in fact, if I get that comfortable feeling out of my head, and focus on what I am doing now, then I will not desire it and have a comparable feeling to enforce the pain feeling.

In Forrest with Jessica Douglas

I like to follow process and break things down too.

I find this takes some of the emotion out of it, i dont do well being angry or anxious. i prefer to be in a happy state when racing, even if I am in pain. I smile knowing I have chosen to be here and that no other competitor can be me, know me or execute my plan like me. This gives me peace and contentment whilst racing.

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- spend time &/or money getting your bike set up properly. If you have a hand me down from your 6’ husband and you are 5’6” then you are not going to be comfortable - ever!

If you want to enjoy cycling, the bike must fit, you must feel comfy, and in control.

Got any advice for female bike riders?

YES, you can feel comfy on a bike, and if you dont, then there is something wrong with your set up.

- get a damn good saddle. Less is more. No you dont need half a sofa saddle, you need something where your sit bones can settle into and relieve pressure on the ‘soft bits’ and you will also get more power out of your pedal stroke this way too. Oh and less rubbage!

- have fun, if you dont enjoy it then why are you riding.

I race and ride my bike because it is good for my soul. i connect with nature and feel in touch with my purpose. If you cant feel this then perhaps try running or bushwalking. There is a connection out there for all of us.

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Image: Raymond Blake

Lake Elizabeth With its stand of dead trees and surrounding forest, Lake Elizabeth has a beguiling and eerie attraction. Now a mecca for photographers, walkers, bikers and campers, the lake is easily accessible from the township of Forrest.

On the 17 June 1952 a landslide, that was most probably caused by a combination of the effects of extreme rainfall and land clearing practices, occurred in the headwaters of the East Barwon River that resulted in the blocking the river and the creation Lake Elizabeth. The original lake extended 1.6 km above the landslip. By the 8th August 1952 water began to spill over the landslip back down the river again. However on the 5th August 1953, following heavy rain, the top

26 metres of the landslide broke and sent a wall of water down the East Barwon Valley carrying boulders and gravel. It was thought at the time that the town of Birregurra could be threatened by flooding. Today the remaining lake is what was left over after the top part of the landslide broke.

For more info on how to get there and what to do go to: http://www.forrestvictoria.com/lake-elizabeth References: http://www.oren.org.au/campaign/threatareas/lakeliz.htm http://www.ccma.vic.gov.au/soilhealth/documents/cshs_report/ AppendixA.pdf

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We take small groups at a relaxed pace to maximize your experience and minimise our impact on the environment.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

To book a tour call 0419 670 985 or visit www.platypustours.com.au

Environment

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The Platypus unofficial emblem of Forrest

Image: Faye Bedford Source: LandLearn NSW

Traditional Aboriginal people from all parts of Australia regarded the platypus as very special. It was taboo, and therefore not hunted for food as most animals were.

This Dreamtime legend explains why. It comes from the folklore of the Wiradjuri people, who lived in traditional times in the area known as Central New South Wales and who are known as the first people to describe the paradoxical animal we know as the platypus.

In the Dreamtime, the Creator made three different types of animal. First, he created Mammals. He told the Mammals they were to live on the land, and he gave them fur to keep them warm.

Next, he created Fish. He told the Fish they were to live in the water, and he gave them gills to help them breathe.

Then he created Birds. He told the Birds they were to live in the sky; he gave them wings to enable them to fly, and he gave the mother birds the ability to reproduce by laying eggs. When the Creator had made these three different types of animal, he found there were a lot of bits and pieces Ieft over. So he joined these bits and pieces together, and created Platypus.

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth. It is the sole living representative of its family and genus though a number of related species have been found in the fossil record.

The unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, with some considering it an elaborate hoax. It is one of the few venomous mammals, the male platypus having a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans.

Until the early 20th century, it was hunted for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. Although captive breeding programs have had only limited success and the platypus is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat.

We are so lucky to have a colony of platypus living in Lake Elizabeth and many more in the creek systems in The Otways. Precious, shy and eccentric, like frogs, the presence of platypus are a good sign of a healthy ecosystem. Let’s keep it that way.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus http://www.platypus.asn.au/historical_background.html http://www.tablelandsway.com.au/news.asp?id=7&pid=21

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Shizu Broomfield at home in Forrest From Tokyo (pop.13m) to Forrest (pop.160) is a quantum leap in anyone’s book. But for Shizu Broomfield it is a leap into a life full of hope for the future, love, light and laughter. After meeting her future husband, Andrew, in Japan, there followed several years of a long distance relationship while Shizu continued to pursue her career as a London recording coordinator in Tokyo (travelling between the two cities regularly) and at the same time competing as a freestyle snowboarder, with her own sponsors, on the weekends.

Travelling to Australia to meet up with Andrew, she fell in love with The Otways where he was living at the time.

I thought: this is a great place to bring up kids.

Making the transition from the harried world of a densely populated country like Japan, to the sparse, wide land of Australia was a challenge Shizu was more than ready for.

After living in different places in the Otways including Barwon Downs and Barongarook, the Broomfields decided to build their cob house and clinic in the township of Forrest.

Forrest is a wonderful place, school is fabulous, surrounded by beautiful bush for walks and bike rides, some amazing places to swim and dive, and beautiful beaches to surf are less than an hour away.

Life is now still just as busy, with two active sons, Kai (10 yrs) and Joe (7yrs), a Chinese Medicine Practice, bee keeping, building a home and being a valued member of the roller derby team, Otway Derby Dolls, (her team name is “B Sting”), but Shizu wouldn’t trade places with anyone.

Throughout the struggle of living and raising children in an isolated and inconvenient place, I have faced so many difficult times. But I have met some people giving me help or supporting me, doesn’t matter who I am, that is treasure to me. In a small community things change by dynamics of each single resident, it’s not someone else but it is about me, or you that complete the picture of puzzle.

Shizu has a found a community where there is always a helping hand should you need it, where people work together to help achieve each other’s goals such as the fortnightly working bees whereby three households take turns working on each other’s home builder projects.

And best thing is whether you have car trouble in the middle of nowhere or you’re struggling having babies in isolated place, and this has happened to me, I have been amazed that people have turned up, sometimes strangers, and offer help and support. I am hoping I can contribute to this little community too. I believe a community is made by the people in it.

Otways Accommodation

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www.otwaysaccommodation.com.au Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

otway businesses - contact us to be part of the buzz

Health and Wellbeing

A Walking Meditation

Looping around Forrest Engaging with nature can encourage meditation by providing enhanced opportunities to follow the breath, body, mind and senses. Meditating in a supermarket, on a train, or any other noisy place is also possible if certain practices are developed, but a forest can provide props that fast-track this experience. And what a forest floor there is in Forrest! Perhaps one can’t help but meditate when entering it.

Finding rainforest: A good pathway to quiet meditative walks is to continue south from Forrest for four hundred metres and then turn off left towards the West Barwon Reservoir. One hundred metres towards the reservoir look out for a sign on the left for the Fern Gully Walk. This takes you through untouched rainforest, around grassy banks, and over narrow ferncovered bridges that cross over a trickling creek. The rich mix of undergrowth and trees are in contrast to the well-ordered forestry trees on the other side (west side) of the Forrest-Apollo Bay Road.

Taking one slow step after another, nature releases you from the busyness of the outside world. Twenty minutes delivers you to the reservoir picnic grounds and surrounding tree tops. From there your walk can extend to an exploration of the weir and the shimmering, still lake. Following the river and heading north will bring you back to the Forrest township where there are gardens, hand-made structures and historical reminders to admire.

Forrest is indeed an ideal place to unwind. Meditation is a process where there is always something new to emerge or release. Walking slowly, deliberately and establishing a rhythm creates a break from our more regular unconscious physical movements. Walking in silence allows for even more awareness. By doing things meditatively we can interrupt or slow down the adrenal system enough so that we are not in fight or flight mode. When then brain and the body relax enough or in new ways, the whole body system calms down and begins to repair itself. New insights can arise and we can physically feel changes taking place.

system, is through following the natural breath.

This initially involves not slowing or lengthening the breath in any way, but simply observing what our breath is doing in any moment. It is amazingly simple yet regularly forgotten. And just by watching our breath, it tends to slow down, regulate itself and restore our cells. What better place to do this than in a forest full of natural energy.

The Senses: Engaging with our senses can mean disengaging from our thoughts, worries and plans long enough to be in the moment. Placing ourselves in a context bigger than our own thoughts is perhaps a necessity. The Fern Gully path lives up to its name.

Here endless varieties of green, light, and patterns hold our attention. In this setting our eyes can both rest and remain curious with each step. Research has revealed how stimulus from our senses can either soothe or over-stimulate our body systems. The rainforest is not a place to be bored, unappreciative or negative. Simply, it is bigger than us and the whole body intuits this message.

The Mind: After we have walked for a while with a focus on our breath and/or senses, we might notice that some of our thoughts have lost their grip. Or not.

Honestly observing whatever is in the mind is one of the ways to loosen our thoughts’ grip on us. Often, when we are still enough to watch thoughts float past the screen of our minds, some lose their power and float away. In this way, new insights can arise. At the reservoir lake, water is a great element to meditate on – it can be calm, choppy, narrow or deep – just like our minds. A forest meditation can also continue long after the walk has ended as the pictures and qualities of nature remain in our mind’s eye.

Forrest has so many beautiful pockets such as this loop walk, or Lake Elizabeth and/or other trails.

Choosing to walk any of them is a privilege for each walking moment is unique, like each of us. If completing a walk with others, it is fascinating to ask them what took their attention? We are or become what our attention is.

The Breath: With no phones to check (hopefully) we can set off with the company of our breath.

One of the quickest ways to connect with deeper parts of ourselves, and slow down that adrenal

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Suzanne Frydman www.relaxcommunications.com.au

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Otway Soup Fest 2014 This is the ninth warming, winter festival in the Otways hinterland township of Forrest. What started out as a “brag session around a couple of beers about who makes the best pumpkin soup” has turned into a full day of competitions, activities and entertainment that raises not only community spirits, but also money for good causes. As life along the coast begins to slow in the cooler months, the hills become alive with activity. With over two thousand people attending and consuming 300 litres of soup, this is a festival not to be missed.

There is a homemade soup competition and categories of other homemade goodies, the largest vegetable grown locally, also home brewed beer and wines. Market and craft stalls, soup for lunch, BBQ, Pizza, coffee and Devonshire Tea. A variety of free activities make it a fun day for all the family and in previous years these have included a shuttle bus service to walk the Tiger Rail Trail, visit West Barwon Dam and the town history sites; free children’s entertainment with Picco the Clown, animal nursery, jumping castles, music and more. Together with the market and craft stalls it is a fun day for all the family.

The Festival event also includes a free bus ride taking in visits of local interest featuring the beauty of the Otways and the history of Forrest.

The Otway Soup Fest is a successful collaboration by a number of local groups and is very professionally

managed by the Forrest Lions Club. Funds raised go towards local, national and international community and humanitarian projects. If you are a local group looking for opportunities to fundraise, you are welcome to join in the next Otway Soup Fest in 2015 – the 10th Anniversary!

Contact: Delwyn Seebeck Phone: 5231 5055 Email: lionsforrest@gmail.com Attendance at the Soup Fest has swelled in the last year with the introduction of the Run Forrest marathon, also held on the Queens Birthday weekend.

Competitors and their support teams enjoy the family friendly atmosphere and a warming cup of soup after pounding the paths through the magnificent environment surrounding Forrest.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

Sport

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Otway Derby Dolls Raynin Fire, KTNT, Nancenator & Bee Sting are some of the tongue in cheek monikers of the Otway Derby Dolls…..

Roller derby is an extreme sport, but this does not put off a group of intrepid roller skating women from The Otways. Established only 2 years ago in 2012, based on an idea by Katie (Catherine) Wilkins aka “ KTNT “, the team has grown into a successful, dedicated bunch of 28 women.

They were thrown into the Victoria/Tassie tournament in 2013 and haven’t looked back since. And they have to train hard to keep up the skills required to compete at tournament level. At the moment this happens in Winchelsea twice a week where here is an appropriately floored stadium to withstand the energy output of those hard rollers.

These women are up to the challenge even though they feel nervous before a bout – ‘just do it” strategies get them through and each attempt raises their self esteem and commitment. They also take part in community events and have appeared at the Apollo Bay and Birregurra Festivals also the Colac Kana.Their team colours are black and green and their mascot is the Otway Panther. New members, “fresh meat”, are welcome and the membership fee covers insurance!

he t n i o j d n a e ng i w o Com r g t s e t t r s o p fa s ’s women world! in the This fast paced sport brings together fun, athleticism and camaraderie amongst women (and guys are welcome too).

For more information:

If you don’t want to get on the skates and compete but still want to be a part of our exciting sport please contact us, we are always looking for Referees and Non Skating Officials.

Please email us at otwayderbydolls@gmail.com or call KT.N.T on 0407 041 723

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OCR FM OCR FM is a community radio station that was formed in 1991 as Colac Public Radio by a small but enthusiastic group of individuals from around Colac and surrounding district. Over the years there have a number of changes, including the number of presenters, the location of the studio, name of the station and the size of the area covered by the frequency. Originally a small test site broadcasting around Colac, the station has evolved from Otway FM to OCR FM (Otway’s Community Radio) with a licence to broadcast across Colac and District on 98.3FM, encompassing a number of regional surrounding towns towards Ballarat, Warrnambool and Waurn Ponds, and along the Coast on 88.7FM. Completely staffed by volunteers as presenters and administration, OCR FM prides itself on providing listening opportunities not available elsewhere. This includes a vast range of music from across the decades and multiple genres: from country, folk and jazz, through to classical, world, metal and dance music. As a community radio station, they also have programs that assist the print handicapped, engage with youth and encourage community participation.

Community radio is self-funded and relies on membership subscription from listeners, donations and financial support from businesses as sponsorship.

On the second Saturday of each month OCR FM runs an Open Mic afternoon at the Red Rock Regional Theatre and Gallery, giving local performers the opportunity to share their talents with a small audience. It is open to musicians, bands and spoken word including poetry and comedy. The Open Mic is a great way for the community to support local talent in a family friendly environment.

More information can be found at www.ocrfm.org.au or on the OCR FM Facebook page.

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It is a great base from which to explore the beautiful Otway Ranges. We offer a variety of private, self-contained cottages to suit a range of needs and budgets.

Comfortable and spacious, you and your pet will never want to leave!

e: bookings@pennyroyalfarminfo.com t: (03) 5236 3249 w: pennyroyalfarminfo.com Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

where tranquility finds you...

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The Good Life A regular column by Ami Hillege

As the days get shorter and colder, we are relieved that our obsession with collecting firewood over the summer months is paying off. Weeks have been spent sawing fallen trees, chopping the heavy branches and then splitting the logs. Trailer loads have been carted around the farm and carefully stacked woodpiles have been allowed to dry in the sun and wind. We drive around the district admiring wood stacks, sometimes engaging in a serious case of ‘firewood envy’.

We have been gathering firewood to keep us warm and to light the Rayburn wood stove that will cook our hearty winter meals. The first lighting of the stove is a celebration of the beginning of winter. Slow food never tasted this good. Keeping the fire going all winter in the stove is a lot like caring for a child. Before the family retires every evening, the fire is loaded up and damped down. Sometime during the night, Frans gets up and checks the fire, adding another log if necessary. On waking up, the fire is stoked and a pot of porridge is put on to cook. We keep a kettle simmering gently on the edge of the stove during the day. A quick splash of hot water into the sink and a handful of

dishes are taken care of without needing to run the icy tank water through frigid water pipes, thereby wasting water and using electricity unnecessarily. Isn’t this what ‘homesteading’ is all about? We practice being frugal, develop rituals that connect us with the essence of living on the land. We aim to keep the stove lit all winter as the regular electric wall oven gets a rest.

Not only are we focused on fires inside the house, the wood stacks around the farm that have been piling up during summer, are finally lit and debris and garden rubbish is burned. All summer we add to the burn pile. As with most farmers around the district, we’re also waiting for the end of the fire season. As if on queue, the day after the fire season ends, the air is thick with the smoke of burning woodpiles scattered for miles around.

These farm fires are more than just a housekeeping chore. They become an event, one where friends and families gather with glasses of red wine and fold up chairs whilst the flames warm chilled faces. A little opera piped through the speakers of the 4X4 in the paddock is all that is needed to complete the spectacular winter burn. Cheers!

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Artist Profile

Merryn Hergstrom

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

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Merryn has been attending art classes at Forrest Hall every Friday for the past five years. Under the nurturing guidance of art teacher Salvia Conti, Merryn has learned new techniques and gained confidence in her art expression. Her bright and vibrant work has sold well at her solo and group exhibitions from Aireys Inlet, Red Rock to Apollo Bay.

What and who inspires you as an artist?

The Forrest Art Group has been a great source of inspiration for me. We all get together and talk about art, our favourite artists and techniques. Also it’s great to get feedback and suggestions. I often come away feeling that there is a ‘point’ to the work I am doing. I started out copying other artists but now I ‘know’ my own strengths and focus on creating and developing something original. My favourite artists have been Joy Hester, Paul Klee, Brett Whitely and Yvonne Audette, last year. This year I want to study the movement and the technique of expressionists. Salvina Conti is a flexible teacher and I’ve always been able to incorporate what I would be doing anyway and also make it the focus for the year. Last year it was fiftie’s style abstracts.

What is your favourite medium?

Last year it was print and mixed medium such as the transfer technique. I love the flow of water-colour and anything that’s non toxic smelling. I hate gritty clay or sandstone and have to keep washing my hands. I have previously dabbled in glass fusing and lead lighting. Also I have done a fair bit with screen-printing. The chemicals for screen-printing are fairly toxic as is the soldering for lead lighting, so have preferred other media.

How do you like to work?

I am not a fine, delicate worker (probably the exact opposite!). I am really prolific so turn out a lot of work.

I think this style will suit the German expressionist

subject I’ll be getting ‘obsessed with’ this year. I do however admire fine/delicate artwork. I know my strengths now. I have a lot of imagination and love colour and movement.

As someone who has grown up in the Otways, how has this influenced you as an artist?

Being a part of the Forrest Art Group has kept me sane, as art has always been a comfortable, safe place for me.

The Arts Inc Gallery in Apollo Bay provided me with a place to have a solo show. I wouldn’t been able to do this in Geelong or Melbourne and don’t know anywhere in Torquay that is affordable and welcoming to emerging artists. I grew up in Colac and often travelled through the Otways with my head out the window. The roads were bumpy and really winding then. Now it’s a smooth exhilarating drive. We used to stay in the huts at Blanket Bay. It took all day to get there.

What is coming up for you?

I am exhibiting in the Red Rock Gallery at the end of the month in a group show of Abstract Art. Also working on Creative Otways/ Wish You Were Here canvas with a coastal theme. Another thing I’m planning is a triptych with three long skinny fifties retro frames. It will be an abstract mixed media and the pattern will carry from one frame to another.

I never run out of ideas so at this late stage feel I’m doing the thing that makes me happy.

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Arts

- a celebration of textile and fibre art MANY hundreds of servants bonnets, embroidered with empathy and love, to remember the ‘mothers of our nation’ will be a major focus of this winter’s CrossXpollinatioN - a celebration of textile and fibre art.

Tasmanian conceptual artist Christina Henri is on a mission to have 25,566 bonnets made for every woman transported to Australia between 1788 and 1853 and she is looking forward to getting closer to her target in Colac where she will receive new bonnets made by Colac Otway women.

Dr Henri will bring boxes of bonnets with her from Hobart to create an installation at Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre for the second annual CrossXpollinatioN. With more than 23,500 bonnets made by women in more than a dozen countries, Dr Henri’s Roses from the Heart project has inspired the descendants of convict women and others who have happily adopted a convict.

On track to reach her target Dr Henri’s ultimate aim is to ‘take the girls home’ and have every bonnet blessed in London next year before finding them a permanent home in Australia.

An ecumenical Blessing of the Bonnets made by Colac Otway women will be held at COPACC prior to the opening of CrossXpollinatioN on June 28.

“It will be fabulous to come to Colac - my passion is to tell the story; remember that these women existed Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

and were of value; and connect with people whether they’re descendants of convicts or have just made a bonnet,” Dr Henri said.

The two week CrossXpollinatioN programme will include more than 16 workshops and master classes, a series of exhibitions, artist talks, and a wearable art market. There are prize categories for works at COPACC and at Red Rock Regional Theatre & Gallery at Cororooke.

The theme for the art prize at COPACC is Love, Loss and What I Wore, while work submitted for the the curated fibre and mixed media art prize exhibition at RRRTAG must be Made with Love. There’s $500 prize money offered for the winning entry at each venue.

CrossXpollinatioN artistic director Carole Redlich said fibre fans from near, and as far away as the Dandenongs, attended last year’s workshops and exhibitions, and she expected this year’s programme including more than 16 workshops would draw greater numbers.

“The blend of workshops we’re offering are by high level artists and they are exciting in terms of their variety and how they connect with the theme of Love, Loss and What I Wore,” Mrs Redlich said.

Among the highlights would be the 1900s corset making and bullet-bra workshops by the lavish costumery specialist Zoe Felice, eco-printed felt clothing, contemporary jewellery design and a fiveday thinking and building in 3D textiles led by Ilka White, Mrs Redlich added.

For information on CrossXpollinatioN go to www.copacc.com.au

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TEXTILE & FIBRE ART Exhibitions, installations, wearable art and more June 28 - July 13 • www.copacc.com.au • call 5232 9418 Workshops

Make a traveller’s rug • sculptural crochet • design a 1900s corset • innovative jewellery • thind & build in 3D textiles • weave saori-style • make a 1950s bullet bra • spin art yarn • boro style handstitching ... and more

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COPACC

The Magic Hour As a girl the ‘magic hour’ was a time for stories, books, fairy tales, fables and folklore for Australian playwright Vanessa Bates.

As a grown-up she wondered what happened to the stories of the poor and disenfranchised.

Her musings have become a tantalising, provocative, laugh-out-loud remix of many familiar tales repackaged with an enthralling contemporary Australian twist, which the Grimm brothers may well have delighted in.

The Magic Hour, starring the Helpmann Award actor Ursula Yovich from TV’s Redfern Now and The Gods of Wheat Street, is playing at Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre’s main stage on Tuesday, July 15.

In this delicious and wicked one woman show Yovich, who appeared in the films Jindabyne and Australia, expertly takes familiar aspects of Grimm’s tales and characters, from stories of Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and others, cleverly manipulating them into the thoroughly modern settings envisaged by Bates.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

They’re not saccharine versions of children’s stories but gritty vignettes cloaked in dark comedy.

Director Chris Bendall said Yovich, a member of The Black Arm Band, was a performer at the top of her game who boldly celebrated the essential craft of storytelling in The Magic Hour.

“The sensational Urusla Yovich is a wonderful and generous collaborator and an extraordinarily skilful performer whose mighty musical and acting talents are nightly stretched to the limits as she brings to life and to the stage seven original, complex and utterly compelling women,” he said.

Speaking about her comedy with song, Vanessa Bates adds: “The Magic Hour is my way of celebrating the silent women - the mothers, stepmothers, the grandmothers the sisters and daughters and their imaginary, missing or suppressed counterparts in those fairy tales from so long ago.”

Call the box office on 5232 2077 or see www.copacc.com.au. The Magic Hour is sponsored by Colac’s Midcity Motor Inn.

Swamp Juice

LD SO UT O

Bach by Candlelight

1984

Switch off the telly and switch on to a vibrant winter of drama, fairy tales, classical music, comedy & puppetry

1984

Wed, June 11, 8pm Tickets: $24-$40

Big brother is back! Strap yourself in for this incredibly engrossing theatrical event set against a towering wall of plasma screens. A big scale production that completely absorbs you in this Orwell classic. A shake & stir production sponsored by Shelton Timbers. Warning: strong language & adult themes.

ow

Roadsh y d e m co Friday, June 13, 8pm - Tickets $29

It’s that time of year again – the ultimate comedy roadtrip returns. The superstars of Australia’s biggest comedy festival are off the leash and on the road. Be prepared for the cast of comic travellers to have you belly-laughing. Warning: performances man contain coarse language and sexual themes. SOLD OUT

Juice p m a Sw Wednesday,

The

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Magic HouTuesday,

Pete the

ght

y Candleli b h c Ba Saturday,

Pete the Sheep is a brand new music, based on Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s quirky and quintessentially Aussie picture book. A hilarious comedy by Monkey Baa Theatre Company with four performers who play shearers, dogs and sheep. See what happens when a new shearer arrives at the shearing shed with a sheep-sheep instead of a sheep-dog! Suitable to 3-9-year-olds and their families. Sponsored by Colac’s Cow Lick Bookshop.

July 15, 8pm - Tickets $20 - $30

Thrill to the first and third solo Cello Suites of JS Bach in a recital lit by a single candle place at the foot of the cello.

International touring cellist Chris Howlett creates a night of sensory deprivation in visual terms which collides with the sensory overload of aural perfection.

Sponsored by the COPACC Trust.

7 207 u 2 3 Swamp Juice: a shadow puppet comedy, about one man’s e: 52ic.gov.a k c romp through a swamp. Canadian puppeteer Jeff Achtem ffi creates stunning puppets before your eyes in this comedy ox o tway.v aceboo u b e F h .a that kids and adults love – set to live music. co t Call c@cola w us onacc.com A playful, immersive experience for ac Follo .cop all ages with a 3D finale. cop : l ww i a w m e June 25, 8pm - Tickets $20

Sheep

Thursday, July 24 10am & 1pm - Tickets $20

July 15, 8pm Tickets $24 - $40

Think you know Grimm’s fairy tales? Think again!

Helpmann Award winner Ursula Yovich (from Jindabyne and Redfern Now) performs a gutsy, one-woman comedy told with dark humour and soulful song. A night of stories told at twilight with werewolves and a touch of magic – for grown-ups. Warning: Unsuitable for people under 14.

Sponsored by Colac’s Midcity Motor Inn.

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Ants Pantz Arts

Seeking Asylum

This is Ants Pantz Arts 13th original production since they began in 2002. Social justice for all beings has been common theme in many of our productions such as “Its OK To Complain” for the Disability Services Commissioner and “Animal Rights”.

We’re an all-abilities Drama Troupe of 13 actors and we rehearse at the Colac Neighbourhood House every Thursday 3.00-5.00pm. Cherise Jettner and Lorraine Henkel assist, creatively co-direct, script, stage-manage and support the dynamic Troupe. The team found the “Seeking Asylum” subject very challenging and often scary- a big learning process for all. We had all heard and seen lots of terrible, sad news stories about the “Boat People” on TV, boats sinking, people drowning at Christmas Island, trouble in detention centre’s etc but didn’t know much else.

So we started researching the play via the internet, reading books etc. and watched the fantastic SBS show “Go Back To Where You Came From” We had lots to learn about what is an asylum seeker? What are these wars and conflicts about? What is persecution? Who are ethnic minority groups, Muslims? Refugees? What is a detention centre? The actors chose their own country of origin, their characters and names from all around the world Africa: Maloomba - Robbie Farquhar, Ahmed - Jeremy Lang and Jusuf - Andrew Jansen Afghanistan: Reza - Tim Hunt & Ali - Matthew Mackay; Iran: Zara - Catherine Farrell and “Doc” - Brendan Spencely; Asia: Mylan - Salina Armistead, Hong - Greg Heinrich & Yi - Bruce Peitsch; England: Cindy - Lorraine Henkel; America: Tex- James Alsop Immigration Police & Detention Centre Guard - Cherise Jettner.

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

We wanted to make the important point that in Australia “boat people” are a small percentage of our “iIlegal immigrants”. The largest proportion are actually from wealthy counties like England and America and these people fly in on planes, stay unlimited time, have jobs and we hardly ever hear about them! These are the song lyrics, which basically tell the story of the play.

Seeking Asylum We had no choice we had to flee It was life or death we saw it all Dead bodies, friends and family The fear, the guns, the persecution Danger, danger no future just execution We ran away and walked for months Stayed at camps for a real long time Still not safe, no hope, no freedom Children sick, not enough food to eat Danger, danger no future there So desperate, we got on a rusty hulk Better to try for freedoms sake Bailing out, sick, wet and cold The open sea, waves awash, some drown Danger, danger, sinking boats turned back now Asylum seekers have rights Given by the United Nations But if they get near Australia Danger, danger no safe destination Danger, danger don’t we care This multi-media production uses footage of the actors shot at various locations - The boat people on a stormy day at Johanna Beach, The Geelong Goal as the dank Detention Centre, the Illegal Camp at Carlisle River, war scenes used a collage of relevant movies, like Hotel Rwanda. Original music and filming by Cherise Jettner.

You can view videos of parts of their performance on youtube by following the links on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/antspantz.arts

Arts 20th June - Friday Evening

Apollo Bay Rural Australians for Refugees

Festival of Hope 20th - 22nd June 2014 The Mechanics Hall Apollo Bay

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people should do nothing.

Places limited - tickets available from: Galapagos Bookshop or Bay of Apostles in Apollo Bay or call to order yours.

Ali Corke - 0418 309 205 Sylvia van der Peet - 0427 568 838 More information: www.facebook.com/ApolloBayRAR

7pm Welcome ABRAR Festival Committee Orientation & ‘housekeeping’ 7.10pm Auntie Edna (our Aboriginal elder) Welcome and a brief reflection 7.20pm Apollo Bay Choir 7.40pm Short film ‘Arrivals’- Meleesha Bardolia Highlights ‘Mary Meets Mohammad’ Heather Kirkpatrick 8.30pm Julian Burnside QC 9.00pm Close (light supper with tea and coffee)

Saturday 21st June - All Day 9.30am Apollo Bay Rock Pool Ramble* Alternative activity prepared in case of inclement weather 10.30am Film - ‘Fishing for Culture’ 11.30am Julian Burnside QC 12.00pm Kerry Murphy (‘Crazy and Arbitrary’ - Australian visas explained in an interactive session) 12.30pm Lunch break 1.30pm Discussion Panel Moderator: Ray Nichols (ABRAR) Guests: Julian Burnside, Kerry Murphy, Mark Isaacs, Aurel Dessewffy, Eve Lester 3.30pm Break for afternoon tea

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4pm Film: ‘Molly & Mobarak’ 5.15pm Awarding of prizes to Art Competition winners 5.30pm Multicultural Dinner ($10 per person, tickets purchased in advance) Including time for attendees to meet with speakers, view Art Exhibition, and visit stalls.

7.00pm Eve Lester ‘Horrible Histories Terrible Truths’ 7.30pm Ror - Hip Hop artist 8.00pm Celine Yap - Little Foot 9pm Competition finalists - performances and prizes 9.30pm Close (tea and coffee)

22nd June - Sunday Morning 10am Mark Isaacs ‘The Undesirables’ - behind the gates of Nauru Detention Centre 10.30 Cathi Lewis- Wild Dingo Press ‘The Tainted Trial of Farah Jama’ 11am Personal address from asylum seekers and refugees 11.30pm Aurel Dessewffy ‘Where to from here?’

12.00pm Thank you & Farewell * Rock Pool Ramble places limited.

Please book in advance - 0427 568 838

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Arts

Books and writing Railways of the Otway Ranges

By Nick Anchen Railways of the Otway Ranges examines the railways and timber tramways of these wild and beautiful mountains.

These include the Wensleydale, Forrest, and Timboon branch lines, along with the famous and much-loved Beech Forest narrow gauge railway, which was extraordinary in its engineering ingenuity, fascinating in character, and wonderful in scenic beauty.

With well researched text, and a magnificent array of b&w and colour photographs, many never before published, this exciting new publication is a must for anyone interested in Victorian Railway history, or the Otway Ranges.

Hop Growing at Forrest

96 pages, soft-bound.

ISBN: 978-0-9807640-0-0 RPR $34.95

Creek in 1875, reported in 1880 that even though he had lived on his land for five years before cultivation could take place, ringing the large gums, scrub clearing and log cutting, were some of the daily tasks. The adjoining land was infested with vermin.

Forrest & District Historical Society Inc., 2008 (No. 12) The district of Yaugher, and later the township, can be traced to the early 1870s when selectors took up land along the Barwon River flats at the edge of the Otway Ranges. Settlers at Gerangamete and Barwon Downs can be traced to much earlier times so the push into the harsh timbered country further south, obviously promised good land for eking out a living once the dense bush could be cleared. John Black, who selected 50 acres along Kings

The area was known by many names: Gerangamete Valley, Yaugher Valley and Hop Valley. The East and West branches of the Barwon River provided the two main valleys.

This booklet records much of the early history of the Yaugher/Forrest district during the 1880s to 1930s, where glimpses of day-to-day lives, farming conditions, community gatherings and concerns, were expressed.

From these reports we learn that farming in this remote region of the state was fraught with the dangers of bush fires, floods, physical and natural hazards, along with the fluctuations in the market place, often ruining years of hard work.

Relax Communications

Suzanne Frydman

Creative Arts Therapist & Yoga Teacher Counselling & Stress Management

using therapeutic writing, deep relaxation and other experiential approaches

Ph 0431 121 514 Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

www.relaxcommunications.com.au

Did You Know...

that there have been 100’s of reported sightings of a Panther in The Otways since the mid 19th Century?

Folklore or Fact?

Snarls from the Tea Tree: Big Cat Folklore

Historically stories of big cats roaming The Otways started up in a big way, after fragmentary sightings here and there, in the late 1960s (via newspaper reports and government records) but is part of a broader pattern of Victorian sightings that goes back to the mid 1800s. A lot of the early stories were tied up with circus, pet and menageries escapes and releases by the Acclimatisation Societies, created in order to “enrich” the fauna of a region with animals and plants from around the world, in the 1860s.

Consecutive governments, up until the second world war, dealt with the panic by presenting a big dog as the culprit to placate people. In the 1960s it took off again with a flurry of newspaper reports and sightings, and that pretty much is the situation today. Read more in this book:

By David Waldron and Simon Townsend Fantasy or fact, truly believed or doubted or manufactured, big cat scares have for generations haunted south-eastern Australia. The notion that a big cat has escaped and is at loose, or that the thylacine survives, is exciting and we may wish it to be true; it seems just possible. An ancient landscape of crags and lava cones and endless forbidding bush plays with the mind and is a dramatic backdrop for folklore. Stories of stock kills and claims of paw-prints have some kind of foundation; rumours of ‘beast’ attacks feed a persistent mythology ...

Publisher: Australian Scholarly Publishing (October 1, 2012) RRP: $34.95 http://scholarly.info/book/309/

Gellibrand River Gallery is 1 year old The new management team at the Gellibrand River Gallery is celebrating their first year of business with an exhibition of themed works featuring the traditional one year anniversary media of paper or clocks.

Beginning with the long weekend in June the Gallery’s themed room will become a ‘pop-up bookshop’, featuring works from local authors, both published and unpublished.

Events will include a book launch from a local writer, poetry readings, photobook creation workshop and more. The bookshop will be filled with artworks from a variety of local artists following the two anniversary themes.

The gallery is open on weekends and public holidays, or upon request. Visit the Gellibrand River Gallery Facebook page for up to the minute details.

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Environment

Who’s up for the Big Otway Tree Plant?

The little trees are growing and this winter will see the biggest planting effort the Otways has ever known!

Join the Conservation Ecology Centre team on a special weekend on 14th and 15th June, planting trees to restore the woodlands of Cape Otway.

Planting teams will be revegetating areas affected by habitat decline, creating healthy and biodiverse woodlands for the future.

Frank’s world famous wood fired pizzas will be served for dinner on Saturday night and the

Mountain Grey Collective are playing. Bimbi Park has generously offered planters free camping on the nights of Friday 13th and Saturday 14th June, or shared bunk rooms are also being offered at a super discounted rate.

(Please note that accommodation bookings for the weekend should be made directly with Bimbi Park: www. bimbipark.com.au)

30 Murray St, Colac Ph 03 5231 3288

The Strategic Plan for the management of

Phytophthora cinnamomi

info@colactocoast.com.au www.colactocoast.com.au

Our proven strategies work...

9 Sladen Street

Birregurra Days On Market: 135 Sold for: 99.69% of the asking price

(Reproduced with permission from DSE)

Internet: Enquiries: 9 Views: 1511

4 Aireys Street

Elliminyt Days on Market: 174 Sold for: 93.98% of the asking price

Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is a microscopic, soil borne pathogen (disease causing organism) that attacks and destroys plant root systems causing plants to die through lack of water and nutrients. Patches of dead or dying vegetation can indicate the presence of this silent killer and grass trees are particularly susceptible. It is spread through infected plants and the movement of contaminated soil and gravel, and there is no known cure.

Internet: Enquiries: 8 Views: 1592

110 Woodrowvale Road

Days on Market: 51 Sold for: 95% of the asking price Internet: Enquiries:12 Views: 787

Easily spread While the pathogen can spread locally through soil or water via tiny swimming spores, it is more commonly spread through the movement of contaminated soil and gravel carried by vehicle or foot traffic. It can also be spread through infected plant material and potting mix.

128 Hart Street

Be clean on entry and exit. Vehicles, tyres, machinery, footwear and camping gear should be free of soil, gravel and mud prior to entering or leaving any park, reserve or campsite (particularly in high risk areas). Don’t bring soil or gravel in – and don’t take any home! Stay on designated trails and tracks, avoid infected areas, obey closure signs and do not remove plant or plant materials.

For further information www.depi.vic.gov.au

Elliminyt Days on Market: 71 Sold for: 96.65% of the asking price Internet: Enquiries: 2 Views: 1161

Help stop the rot The following measures will help minimise the spread of this pathogen through both private land and our precious parks and reserves.

Elliminyt

3 Beechy Court

Elliminyt Days on Market: 66 Sold for: 95.55% of the asking price Internet: Enquiries: 5 Views: 290

Contact us today for a free appraisal!

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Ethical consumer choices: what’s stopping us? Gordon Renouf Most of us say we want to make consumer choices that advance a value or interest we care about. Commonly this is to purchase products or services that have positive impacts on issues such as the environment, fair trade and human rights and animal welfare. Other values-based or ‘socially responsible’ choices range from support for locally made goods, to choosing a product from one country rather than another because of involvement in an international conflict.

Ethical consumerism is not new; it has successfully changed producer behaviours and government policy for centuries. The 18th century English consumer boycott of sugar and rum from slave plantations in the West Indies was a significant part of the successful campaign to outlaw slavery in the UK and beyond.

In our times, industry acceptance of the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement is at least in part driven by international customers looking for certified sustainable forest products.

Traditional market research often claims the majority of consumers are solidly behind pro-environment or fair trade consumer choices. But it’s obvious that consumer behaviour falls short of what would flow from that research, and this ‘intention-behaviour gap’ calls out for explanation. Market research surveys of this sort typically ask simple questions such as whether the respondent would pay 10% more for a fair trade product . As Devinney and Augur note, there’s an obvious ‘right’ answer, and this creates a bias.

So are we out-and-out lying to market research companies? Not necessarily.

One hypotheses is that when we answer such a question, we are being the person we want to be. We provide the answer that matches our self-image. But in day-to-day life, we face a whole host of competing considerations that get in the way of our idealised self, and we make the choice we say we will less often, or not at all.

A more fruitful line of consumer research focuses on our deeper values and attitudes; these change more slowly than our opinions and behaviours. Research by Mobium using a mix of qualitative and quantitative techniques has repeatedly suggested that the vast majority of Australians hold values and attitudes consistent with ‘wanting to do the right thing’ (more than 90%). More than half hold concerns strong enough that they either regularly make consumer choices in favour of ‘community and planetary Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

health and sustainability’ (around 12%) or ‘feel highly conflicted’ when they make trade-offs in favour of their lifestyle at the expense of sustainability as they often do (about 41%).

Instead of spending time bemoaning the gap between what we say and what we do, Ethical Consumers Australia (ECA) has been set up to focus on ways to overcome the barriers that people face in making consumer choices consistent with their values. These barriers include price, convenience, perceived and actual product performance, transparency and trust in claims, and social context including positive or negative peer pressure. Our aim is that the many motivated Australians will soon face fewer trade-offs between their desire for products that meet all their other needs and desires, and their need for a sustainable future and desire to live up to their values.

ECA’s first project, Otter, is a fortnightly e-newsletter that contains tips to help consumers identify opportunities to make changes in their buying habits.

In the latter part of 2013 ECA operated Checking it Twice a service that provided gift advice for the 2013 festive season.

Future projects will use web-based technologies to leverage the collective wisdom of people whose intentions and values favour responsible consumer choices to overcome other barriers such as concerns about the in-use performance of products with ethical features, the social barriers to take-up of ethical consumer choices and the desire to link ‘doing good’ to At the time of the boycott of slave plantation sugar, information was slow to move around and there was a lot less of it. Today there’s the potential to know what is ‘really going on’ in the supply chain much more quickly, just as it’s possible to garner the wisdom of the crowd about whether an ‘ethical’ product performs as well or better than alternatives.

Gordon Renouf is Chair of Ethical Consumers Australia whose mission is to make it easier for people to make consumer choices that are consistent with their values.

Sign up to Otter, the free fortnightly newsletter that features actionable information about consumer choices that are better for the environment, fair trade and human rights, and animal welfare. Get involved at otter.org.au.

This is an edited version of an article first published by the St James Ethics Centre in Living Ethics in December 2014.

Around the Houses Term 3 Colac Neighbourhood House 23 Miller Street, Colac Vic 3250 Phone: 5232 5368 Email: brimmer@cah.vic.gov.au Opening Hours 9am-4pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am-1pm Tuesday

Colac Neighbourhood House Groups and Activities Meditation 6-7pm Thursday Community Lunches last Friday of each month (bookings essential) New Bubs Club – support for young mums and their babies Monday mornings Women on the Move – social group for women meet Mondays afternoons Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group Healthy Lifestyle Pathway’s cooking and exercise classes Colac Otway Sustainability Group Tuesday Art Colac Cancer Support Group meets Tuesday afternoons Childbirth and Parenting Classes Tuesday evenings Wednesday Painters Breathe Easy Australian Plants Society meet monthly Colac Otway Ratepayers meet monthly Thursday & Friday Playgroup Raphael Centre – PND counselling Cake Decorators Thursday Craft and Sewing Group Tax Help service Open Mon-Friday 9-4pm.

After Hours bookings available.

Coordinator 5232 5368 Reception 5232 5210 Nature Treckers – Home Schooling Group

COLAC COMMUNITY MEALS EVENINGS Come and enjoy a hot meal at the Colac Neighbourhood house each Friday night from the 30th May. Meals will be served between 5:30 and 7pm and will be prepared by the Colac Area Health kitchen.

Reserve you place by contacting Andrew Edgar on: Phone: 5232 5176 Email: aedgar@cah.vic.gov.au Colac Neighbourhood House 23 Miller St Colac 3250

Free Community Meals Program beginning Friday 30th May Streetsmartz young driver education begins 28th July Music Jam Thursday 1.30-3pm Volunteering Hub Monday Painters Free computer and internet access Printing, copying and laminating service Assistance with form filling Referrals through DHS Housing Community Garden

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Around the Houses Term 3 Laver’s Hill & District Community House

Laver’s Hill Hall Great Ocean Road Phone Julia on: 0417 948 522 Email: jmalcolm@swarh.vic.gov.au Open Thursday 10am-4pm June

21

The Edible Garden No. 3 The Cool Climate Food Forest

Food forests are a new take on an old system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables.

Learn about our local climate, how to select appropriate species, combine plants for maximum yields, maintain soil fertility and integrate animals. $45 July

27

Advanced knitting Moebius Cast On

Them: “Oooh, what an amazing scarf, where did you get it?” You: “This? I made it!”. A Moebius scarf is a continuous loop of knitting, with a 180 degree twist so that the inside becomes the outside in a geometric display of infinity. 2.30-5.30pm $36 BYO Materials Sept

6

The Edible Garden No. 4 The secrets of sensational soil

Why the lettuce is always greener on the other side? Why do their veggies flourish while your languish? The secret is in the soil. Learn about worm farms, castings and juice, how to make great compost, understanding soil pH, crop rotation strategies and the soil food web. $45 Final Edible Garden session to follow...

29 NOV 5. D esign techniques for a fully integrated kitchen garden

Colac Bus Every Friday

departs Lavers Hill Hall 10am.

Tickets from Yatzies or phone 5237 8500

Yoga Tuesdays 9.30-11am $12

Gellibrand Community House Rex Norman Reserve Colac Lavers Hill Road Phone Julia on: 5235 8348 Email: jmalcolm@swarh.vic.gov.au Open Tuesdays 9:30am - 4pm

Beginners Tai Chi A gentle beginners class. Tai Chi offers so many wonderful benefits particularly for anyone suffering from stress or decreased mobility.

Wednesdays 2-3pm $8/session

Community Skills Directory The Gellibrand and Lavers Hill Community Houses, in partnership with the Otway Light are developing a Community Skills Directory based on the Otway Light’s enormously successful community directory. We would like to hear from local business, producers and crafts people as well as communiyt groups who would like to be included.

This director will be a reference for locals, newcomers and weekenders who want to create better community networks as well as those who just want to find a local plumber or electrician (or free range egg producer or badminton club or blueberry frower, or...) Basic listings will be free to any business, tradie, producer, artist or commuity group in the flollowing postcodes: 3237, 3238, 3239 & 3249. If you would also like to place an ad, please let us know.

Flip through the Otway Light to get the form, let us know the details that you would like published and drop it off at Gellibrand or Lavers Hill post office.

Contact Julia at Gellibrand or Lavers Hill Community House for more info.

Colac Bus proposed extra stops Half way through the three month trial for the bus service to Colac, we are looking into the feasibility of adding stops in Gellibrand & Beech Forest. Return tickets are just $5 or $2 for over 65s. Phone 5237 8500 to express your interest now. Use it or lose it!

Lavers Hill Hall. Contact Catherine on 0447 275 509

Garden Group

Tai Chi

Meets twice monthly at the Gellibrand Community gardens.

Wednesdays 9.30-10.30am Lavers Hill Hall with qualified physiotherapist Cheryl

Ukulele Group

CFA Shed Mondays from 7.30pm Contact Pam after 7pm on 5237 9235

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

Walking Group Rex Norman Park 9am Thursday mornings.

Duration 1-11/2 hours

Around the Houses Term 3

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Marrar Woorn Neighbourhood Centre 6 Pengilley Ave, Apollo Bay. Phone Rhiannon 5237 8590 Email: rcox@swarh.vic.gov.au Open Monday - Friday 9am-5pm

Exquisite Corpses ‘Exquisite Corpses’ is a piece of sequential work with its modern day roots in the Surrealist Movement at the turn of the 20th Century. A piece of paper was folded in 3 and each artist would complete a section, without seeing the previous work. The whole work was only seen when the last section was completed… the results range from the bizarre to the beautiful.

Marrar Woorn will be running workshops to participate in the creation of these artworks that will then be displayed and available for purchase in partnership with the Apollo Bay Arts Inc. Gallery from November 22 to December 7.

All proceeds raised from the sale of the artworks will be donated to Apollo Bay Arts Inc. Artists are able to purchase their own artwork as a discounted rate.

Other workshops can be run if there is sufficient interest in other locations July

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Pen, Pencil and Ink Workshop

Marrar Woorn Neighbourhood House Saturday 1pm-4pm $5.00 per person most materials supplied Aug

9

Watercolour Workshop

Marrar Woorn Neighbourhood House Saturday 1pm-4pm $5.00 per person most materials supplied Aug

20

Apply First Aid

Formerly Level two first aid, this is a one day course that includes CPR Wednesday 20 August 9am-5pm

Expressions of interest are being sought for a group to make a short film together under the instruction of filmmaker David Rose.

Apollo Bay Gardener’s Group 1st Monday of every month 2pm-4pm

Apollo Bay Weight Loss Group Thursdays 4.30pm-5pm

Book Club 1st Thursday of the month 2pm-4pm

Bushwalking Group 3rd Monday of the month

Employment Services To make an appointment, please contact the agency directly St Lawrence Employment Services 5229 3760 Western District Employment Services 5231 3411

Happy Hookers 1st Wednesday of the month 7.30pm-9.30pm

Financial Counselling Available by appointment Every 2nd Thursday 10am-3pm

Patchwork Quilting 1st Tuesday and 3rd Monday of the month

Playgroup Playgroup meets at St Aiden’s Church Hall, tea and coffee available. Please bring a piece of fresh fruit to share for morning tea. Each Wednesday 10am-12pm Cost: $5 per session casual $25 per term or $80 annual registration

Queen Victoria Market Bus Trip $20 per person last Friday of each month 8am

Spinners Thursday of the month 2.00pm-5.00pm

r ist

eig ict N hbour

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Forrest &

Around the Houses Term 3 Section ho

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Forrest & District Neighbourhood House 14-16 Grant Street, Forrest 3236 Phone: Gillian 5236 6591 Email: forrest.nh@gmail.com

Regular events First Monday of the month BINGO (1-3pm) Light afternoon tea provided. Cost $5 for 2 books.

Tuesday Councelling with Lena Collopy 1-4pm. bookings essential. Call Lena on 0487 244 310.

Member of the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors

Wednesday Tai Chi 6.30-8pm with Seona Gunn $10/8conc Thursday Gentle Exercise Class 9.30-10.30am. Followed by morning tea. Cost $2 Mind Games 11am-12noon. Cost $2 Community Lunch 12.30-2pm Cost $6 Southern Otways Food Co-op 3-6pm Yoga 6.30-8pm with Teresa $10 Every Friday Cert IV / Diploma Visual Art 9am-5pm.

Select the units you want to do or study for the Diploma with Salvina Conti. Places available for mid year intake A Huge Thank You to all our volunteers who support the Forrest Neighbourhood House. We could not do what we do without your wonderful help!

June

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CWA information session

The CWA (Country Womens Association) is enjoying something of a revival, with popularity growing for this long standing grass roots organisation that raises funds for women, children and families. Come and find out more at an information session at the Forrest Hall Wednesday from 3.30pm.

(After Hoy) Afternoon tea provided.

June

13

Forrest Youth Meeting

For parents and young people interested in devising and supporting youth projects and activities in Forrest. Families welcome! Free pizza supplied and a G rated film will be screened to entertain younger children. Friday 5.30pm.

The Forrest & District Neighbourhood House Advisory Committee

We are currently researching a new governance structure so we can develop closer partnerships with other Forrest community groups and work together to provide a more cohesive and collaborative approach to supporting our community. If you are interested in being involved in the advisory committee and help guide this transition, please contact Gillian on 5236 6591.

With

your comfort as our goal, we have created a restful retreat that you can think of as your home away from home when you’re in Colac. With three spacious bedrooms, lounge room complete with a cosy fire and your own fully equipped kitchen, you are sure to be enchanted by Inverary.

Phone: 0400 194 128 ~ Visit Stayz.com.au for bookings and information

Otway Life Magazine Winter 2014

Events Calendar

June Sun

Sunday 8th Annual Otway Soup Festival Run Forrest 21km/10km Trail run

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Tues

July

Tue June Love Winter in Aireys

1 31

Tuesday 1 July to Thu July Thursday 31 July Aireys Inlet, www.aireysinlet.org.au

Women’s Health and Wellness Evening Birregurra contact Susan Langridge Ph 5236 4000

Sat June

Sat/Sun The Big Otway Tree Plant Conservation Ecology Centre more info www. conservationecologycentre.org

Sun

17 14 15

Otway Fly Tree Top Adventures Wild Sun July Otway ~ July School Holidays Ph: 52359200

28 13 27

Otway Fly Tree Top Adventures National Tree Day Ph: 52359200

Frid

Festival of Hope Apollo Bay Contact Kate Iliopoulos Ph: 0418 457 988

20 Sun

Red Rock Regional Theatre & Gallery Presents Reg Packer’s Double A Jazz Band TIX $20 Online at - trybooking.com enquiries 0488531637

22 Thur

26 July 13

For music at Martians Cafe, check out the Gig Guide at www.martianscafe.com.au To advertise in the Otway Life Calendar, please email details of your event to: otwaylifemagazine@gmail.com

CrossXpollinatioN 2014. ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ Contact COPACC Ph: 52329418

FOUR

OUT OF

FIVE

BUSHFIRE DEATHS HAPPEN CLOSE TO HOME.

Aug

21st Warm Winter Words Dates TBC Apollo Bay Hotel - Krambruk Room Contact Jane Gross Ph: 5237 6355 Wonderful Waterfalls 7 fabulous falls in 7 days Frid

1

MS Readathon Statewide - All Suburbs Contact Brigita Litte Ph: 1300677323

Family History Workshop History Centre COPACC Contact Norma Bakker Ph: 03 52 315736 Sat

2

Fri-Sun

15 16 17

Cape Otway Lightstation International Lighthouse Weekend Ph: 03 5237 9240

Red Cross Community Wills Day Colac Community Library and Learning Centre, Have a Will prepared by a local solicitor from $75 Contact Raechel Gleeson Ph: 1800 811 700 Frid

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Don’t wait. Leave early. Pack your Emergency Kit so you’re ready to go. Listen to local radio and check the Fire Danger Rating so you know when to leave. Stop making excuses.

leave and live. visit emergency.vic.gov.au call 1800 240 667 download the FireReady app