Ranges Trader
Personal touch to Anzac tributes
Paying respects to fallen police
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Tuesday, 28 April, 2020
Mail Sharing words of wisdom PAGE 7
A Star News Group Publication
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Bird book is top class By Romy Stephens A local photographer is offering families the chance to observe and learn about birds in their backyards while in isolation. Selby’s Kathie Thomas has lived in the Dandenong Ranges for over 10 years and is a keen nature photographer. She released Words on Birds earlier this year and said it would be a great book to help educate children and entertain families stuck at home. “Initially I thought it might be for my grandchildren but when I shared photos of the first print copy on the Hills and Dandenongs Facebook group, many people were interested and wanted to order copies for their children or grandchildren,” she said. “With our current restrictions it is good to hear and see that families are learning together about our local birdlife in their own gardens and reserves close by.
Kathie Thomas with her book, Words on Birds.
“At the back of the book is a table so that the children can record what bird they’ve seen, where and when.” Mrs Thomas said she began creating the book in February while unwell (not Covid-19 related) and needing to keep her mind focused on something else. “I must have been thinking on birds and my grandchildren when the thought came to me to write a book for children,” she said. “I gradually went through my photos and started sorting them into alphabetical order by bird’s name - started with over 50 birds but knocked it down to just 40 and began writing what I knew about them, and researching to confirm my thoughts were factual.” It’s been over 10 years since the grandmother of eight has published a book and this is her first aimed towards children. To find out more, visit www.dandenong-ranges-photography.com. au/wordsonbirds.
Wine will be fine By Romy Stephens A Yarra Valley wine body is confident the region’s industry will remain strong, despite concerns a large percentage of Australia’s wineries could be lost due to Covid-19. In an ABC report on 17 April, the wine industry’s peak national body, Australian Grape and Wine, warned coronavirus could wipe out about 30 per cent of wineries across the country. Wine Yarra Valley president and Hoddles Creek Estate owner Franco D’Anna said that figure was “highly speculative”. “There might be an impact where people
can’t go forward or don’t have the income,” he said. “We’re lucky with government support, with JobKeeper, it will help a lot of small businesses survive. “To put a figure on how many businesses are going to go broke, we don’t know what their financial position is so it’s really hard to say.” Mr D’Anna acknowledged that local wineries were suffering as a result of the pandemic, but said he was confident the industry would bounce back. “What people don’t understand is, going on reports, wine retail is up between 30 and
40 per cent,” he said. “In one way, one door shuts but it’s an opportunity for some of our businesses to look at other ways to get more penetration into the market. “I think we’re in a great position to get over this. “I wouldn’t call our industry fragile, it’s been thriving over the past five years.” Numerous wineries across the Yarra Valley have been forced to close their cellar doors, rely on online sales and think of new ways to do business since the Covid-19 outbreak began.
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Rochford Wines has opened up a grocer in its cellar door and Rob Dolan Wines has created a Cellar Boot to Car Door initiative for easy wine access during Covid-19. Australian Grape and Wine is Australia’s national association of winegrape and wine producers. The organisation provides leadership, strategy, advocacy and support for more than 2,500 winemakers and 5,000 winegrape growers. Wine Yarra Valley is a non-profit industry association the helps further the development of viticulture, winemaking and tourism in the Yarra Valley.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain. #weareinthistogether