Regional Extra 100424

April

New vocalist making a splash in the music scene

By JORDAN DUURSMA

Lauren said she’s always had a passion for singing and music, but it wasn’t until she moved to the North East and formed a duo with Daine Runnalls that she started to dive into the music scene.

She had the opportunity to join Sweet Buzz after the former lead vocalist left - the band was on the hunt for a new lead singer and had no doubt that she would slot right in.

Sweet Buzz are a funky eight-piece band who play a mix of covers across the North East to get everyone on the dancefloor, bringing their jazzy flair to the atmosphere.

“I was very surprised when they asked me, but Ben Thomas, one of the founding members of the band, said there wasn’t anyone else that they wanted,” Lauren said.

“It has been a very natural progression and I’m hoping to bring a fresh feel to the band’s sound and modernise it a little bit.”

Lauren’s bread and butter has been performing familiar favourites of the acoustic or rock persuasion, but starting this new journey with Sweet Buzz has opened up exciting new opportunities to dabble in jazz.

■ Continued page 6

LAUREN Grenfell has taken up the exciting new position as lead vocalist in local band, Sweet Buzz. Lauren grew up on the Mornington Peninsula and her humble beginnings in the music industry come from hosting karaoke events at local pubs during the summer.

VET

CORNER Blue-tongue lizard

What do they look like?

Blue-tongued lizards are the largest of all the skinks.

They can grow up to 60cm long.

They are usually grey with broad brown stripes across their back and tail, and of course their most unique distinguishing feature is their blue tongue.

Where do they live?

There are six species of blue-tongues in Australia.

The most common types are:

The Eastern Blue-tongue (Tiliqua scincoides): They are found widespread in southeastern Australia.

They’re grey with dark brown stripes across its back and tail.

The Northern Blue-tongue (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia): They are at home in the savannahs of Australia’s tropical regions.

They’re orangey-yellow with darker stripes along their backs.

Blotched Blue-tongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea): They are found from the highlands of southwest NSW and down through Victoria and also in Tasmania.

They are dark brown with light coloured blotches on its back.

The Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa): They are otherwise known as the Sleepy Lizard, Bobtail, Pinecone Lizard, Boggi, Double-headed Lizard and Stumpy Lizard, lives west of the Great Dividing Range.

They’re dark brown with large, rough scales.

with FNPW - Backyard Buddies

Fast facts:

1. At just 15cm long the Pygmy Blue Tongue is the smallest blue-tongued lizard.

It is found only in a few locations in South Australia and live in holes in the ground made by Trapdoor Spiders.

2. Blue-tongue lizards can live for more than 20 years and reach over 50cm in length.

Most Shinglebacks have the same mate for their entire lives.

This Day in History, 1894

DEATH OF A GOLD SEEKER

AN accident at Wangaratta Railway Station brought to an end one young man’s dream of making his fortune in the golden west.

It was the time of the gold discoveries at Coolgardie, and a young man had boarded the train at Wodonga to join a partner already in Melbourne before taking a boat to Western Australia.

At Wangaratta Railway Station, the young man got down from the train and fell into the ash pit.

As he climbed out of the pit, he was hit by the Beechworth train.

At first, it was thought his name was Martin Walsh of Allan’s Flat, the name on the suitcase he carried.

Further investigations revealed that he was William Clapton Handley, 26 years old, a carpenter by trade.

The jury at the inquest drew attention to the lack of proper illumination near the ash pit at Wangaratta, and remarked that if there had been a light there, the accident may not have happened.

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Lake Mulwala still hot spot for Murray cod fishing

IT is the season for change, and in the fishing scene things are certainly changing in North East Victoria.

The Murray cod fishing has slowed down considerably in many areas in recent weeks, and so has the yabbying.

On the upside, the trout fishing has really fired up.

If you are wanting to go Murray cod fishing, Lake Mulwala has been by far the most consistent fishery lately.

It is fishing exceptionally well and cod of all sizes are being caught.

Some of my family members went down there last week and caught more than 10 cod, with the largest over 60cm. They caught all of their cod casting spinnerbaits near the standing timber in the shallow water.

that many people are experiencing.

I fished Lake Buffalo last Thursday evening for about 2.5 hours leading up to sunset and only caught four redfin.

While it was great to catch the reddies, this time last year I was catching them by the dozens up there.

I have no doubt that other methods are working very well too as social media is lit up with fish being caught in Lake Mulwala at the moment.

The rivers have become very hit and miss which is quite normal for this time of the year.

There have been some great Murray cod fishing sessions in a number of North East Victorian rivers lately, in between all of the fishless trips

I caught my redfin on soft plastics cast from the bank.

The best one was a Strike Tiger Nymph in ‘Mint Black’ colour, rigged with a 3/32oz jighead and size four hook.

Redfin reports from elsewhere are still very few and far between.

Even redfin hot spots like Lake Hume are fishing slowly.

If trout fishing is your thing, then right now is one of the best times of the year to fish the streams.

CATHEDRAL COLLEGE WANGARATTA

DISCOVERY SERIES 2024

Thursday April 18, 2024

◆ NICE REDDIE: One of four redfin caught by the author at Lake Buffalo last week. The redfin fishing is very slow and persistence is the key to picking up a few fish.

with Rob Alexander WANGARATTA

Honey baked persimmons

WITH persimmons now in season, this recipe from Persimmons Australia makes for some lovely autumn comfort food.

Persimmons are delicious eaten fresh, like a crunchy apple, or as a flavoursome addition to autumn salads and are also perfect for cheese platters.

Sweet persimmons are an excellent source of fibre and are also a great source of vitamin C and beta carotene, making them the perfect natural immunity booster as we head into winter.

More recipes like this can be found at www.persimmonsaustralia.com.au.

Ingredients

• 4 Fuyu (crisp) persimmons

• 1 vanilla bean

• 2 tbsp of honey

• 1 cup of hot water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cut persimmons in half. Place bases cut side up in a large ceramic or glass baking dish. Cut tops into quarters and remove stem. Add to dish.

2. Scrape seeds from the vanilla pod, add to a small bowl with honey and stir seeds through. Add vanilla bean to baking dish. Dissolve honey mixture in hot water and pour over fruit.

3. Cover dish with foil, bake for 45-60 minutes, until persimmons are soft. Preheat grill till hot. Remove foil, spoon syrup over the top of the fruit. Place dish under grill for 5-10 minutes or until fruit begins to caramelise on top.

4. Serve hot or room temperature, with syrup and yoghurt or cream if desired.

◆ HEARING HYGIENE: It’s important to take care of your hearing aids to allow you to hear clearly.

Caring for hearing aids

for a hearing aid to stop working.

Wax and humidity from your canals can clog up the receiver or the tubing of your hearing aid and prevent the sound from reaching your ears.

Wiping down the hearing aids with a tissue or cloth is helpful too.

So here are the basics:

Sounds enter hearing aids through tiny microphones – each hearing aid generally has two or three of these near the top of the section behind your ear.

The hearing aid processes the sound and amplifies it based on your hearing needs.

Next sound comes out through the speaker, also known as the receiver.

There are a few maintenance things you can do to help keep this sound as clear as possible.

There are usually some basic cleaning items in your hearing aid kit, such as a small brush to get dust out of the hearing aid crevices and a hook to remove surface wax.

Brushing the microphone ports ensures that the sound comes into the hearing aid cleanly.

A completely blocked microphone port means that your hearing aid cannot make any sound, but you might still hear the aid “turn on” or hear your mobile using Bluetooth (these sounds do not use the microphones, just the speaker).

It is also important to check your earpieces to make sure they are not blocked.

This is one of the most common reasons

We generally recommend cleaning the microphones and earpieces once a week.

For people who have hearing aids with a little wax filter in the earpiece, this might need changing occasionally.

You can inspect it regularly and be ready to replace it if the hearing aid is not making any sound.

Contact your provider if you need assistance.

For some clients, it can be hard to clean the aids themselves, especially for people with arthritis or other dexterity issues.

Also, some problems need the clinic, for example debris can get into the tubing or the tubing might need replacement occasionally when it becomes stiff and brittle, yellowed or very soft.

Our reception staff are very happy to help you with your cleaning.

If you need a reminder on what to do for your hearing aids, they can go through this with you too.

If you are having trouble with your hearing aids, cleaning or otherwise, call us at Wangaratta Audiology on 03 5722 4433.

If you haven’t had a hearing test in a while and are having trouble hearing other people, why not call us to arrange a hearing assessment, because everyone deserves to communicate.

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◆ COMFORT FOOD: These honey-baked persimmons are the perfect autumn treat.

with Emma Rayner, WANGARATTA AUDIOLOGY

New vocalist making a splash with Sweet Buzz in North East

■ From page 1 Lauren has been involved with Project 365, a local movement aimed at raising funds and awareness for mental health.

She met Pete Rourke, the founder of Project 365 in 2010, with their connection through music they quickly formed a close connection and have been mates ever since.

“Project 365 started in 2021, and I’ve been on board since day one,” Lauren said.

“Pete sent me a message the day after he had the idea asking if it would it have any merit and take off

“It was a no brainier for me to say yes and be a part of it.”

There are a number of members from Sweet Buzz involved with Project 365. Lauren said that the crossover of members from the band and Project 365 has meant there are many familiar faces which has made for a smooth transition.

“I’ve been welcomed into the band and it’s a very exciting transition,” Lauren said.

Lauren and Sweet Buzz had their first official gig together last year, performing at The Albury Club Christmas party on December 18. Lauren said despite her nerves, their first gig was a success.

“It was a no brainier to join Sweet Buzz after being

involved with the band members in Project 365 during 2022,” Lauren said.

Exciting things are on the horizon for the band with the ‘Sweet Buzz-old school night out series’ coming up in May. There will be a series of four gigs held in county halls across the North East to rekindle the community feel of old school dances.

The rural city’s Grit and Resilience Program is promoting the series, aimed at having some old school music played in old school regional country halls to improve social connection and inclusion in the community.

“You don’t see these types of gigs anymore and the live

Upcoming Features

music scene, especially regionally, is dying so I think it’s a good way to get people out and about after COVID,” Lauren said.

“Years ago, your parents would go out dancing on a Friday night and have a nice casual night out in front of some live music, we want to bring that back for the community.”

Lauren said going forward with Sweet Buzz, she is really excited to be exploring new songs and adding her own little flair to well-known songs.

For information about upcoming gigs go to sweetbuzzband.com or contact sweetbuzzband@gmail.com.

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Fantasy can take you away

FANTASY is a popular genre, even among those who don’t consider themselves regular readers.

The chance to escape to another world is one of the many benefits of reading fiction - along with the development of empathy, creativity, memory, cognition, vocabulary and general wellbeing.

While it may not be for everyone, immersion in an environment far removed from our own can be a welcome form of relaxation, and the potential for series to develop from fantasy concepts means readers can be part of that world for more than just one book.

This week, we have giveaway copies of two books rooted in the young adult fantasy genre, thanks to Allen & Unwin.

‘Dark Heir’ by CS Pacat is the second book in a trilogy which began with ‘Dark Rise’, a Children’s Book Council of Australia notable and New York Times bestseller.

In book one, the ancient world of magic’s heroes are dead, its halls in ruin, and its great battles between Light and Dark forgotten.

Only the Stewards remember, and they keep a centuries-long vigil, sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns.

Young Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother, and when an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, Will is ushered into a world of magic, where he must train to play a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.

Now, in ‘Dark Heir’, the Dark King has risen, and the Hall of Stewards is in ruins, with only a handful of heroes remaining.

Pursued by dark forces, Will and his allies must travel to the heart of the ancient world, forging new and dangerous ties, and revealing the shocking secrets of the past - but Will is carrying a dark secret of his

withSimone Kerwin NORTH EAST MEDIA

own: his true identity.

Meanwhile, ‘Never a Hero’ is also a sequel, the second book in the ‘Only a Monster’ series written by Vanessa Len.

Here, the line between monster and hero is razor-thin.

Hidden worlds dwell in the shadows, monsters with untold powers walk among humans, and secrets are the most powerful weapon of all.

In book one, Joan Chang-Hunt discovered she was part monster, and was thrust into a battle between a monster-slayer and one of the most ruthless monster families of London.

‘Never a Hero’ returns to Joan after she has reset the timeline, saved her family and destroyed the hero, but her success has come at a terrible cost: only Joan remembers that a greater and more dangerous enemy is still out there.

The second instalment of the trilogy is a thrilling journey where a secret past threatens to unravel everyone’s future, and Joan must find a way to re-gather her old allies to face down the deadliest of enemies, and to save the timeline itself.

If you would like to win a copy of ‘Never a Hero: Only a Monster 2’ by Vanessa Len (RRP $24.99) and ‘Dark Heir: Dark Rise 2’ by CS Pacat (RRP $24.99), be in the running by emailing skerwin@nemedia.com.au and telling us why you’d like to own them.