Recipes

Rodney Cwa Recipes

With Tomatoes ripening, it’s time to make Chutney, and try the Beetroot relish.

BEETROOT AND APPLE RELISH

400g grated beetroot

175g grated green apple

½ diced red onion

½ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ tablespoon oil

Heat oil in large saucepan and sauté onions until transparent

Add all ingredients and cook on the lowest heat for 2 hours, until it thickens. Cool before bottling.

TOMATO CHUTNEY

3.5kg ripe tomatoes

1kg brown onions

1kg Granny Smith apples

500g sultanas

6 cups vinegar

4 ½ cups sugar

125g salt

50g ground ginger

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Peel and chop the tomatoes, onions and apples.

Place in a pan with sultanas, vinegar, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper

Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 ½ hours. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and then simmer uncovered until the desired consistency is reached.

Bottle while hot.

An Exhilarating Show

While in Swan Hill I recently went to see the sound and laser show called Heartbeat of the Murray. This is a 360-degree multi-media spectacular unlike anything I've ever seen. This state-of-the-art show is the first of its kind in the world to use a natural river environment and setting as the background and I agree it comes to life against the background of a ninemetre water screen. Apparently, it was a recent winner of the International Laser Design Association's prestigious award for multi-media shows, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I had seen photographs advertising the event, but they don’t give the feeling of experiencing it in real life. Using water, light, laser, fire, sound and special effects to tell the amazing story of the Murray, back from 30 million years ago, through time to the Murray River as we know it today. It certainly delighted me, and I recommend anyone visiting the area to make an effort to see it for themselves. I know I will remember it long after my visit.

Tatura Football Netball Club Donation

As part of the ongoing provision of an annual donation to a Tatura District volunteer group after the completion of International Dairy Week, the Tatura Football Netball Club have nominated $1000 to be provided to Tatura Blue Light Disco.

This group is a not-for-profit organisation run by dedicated volunteers which provides safe, fun, supervised events for kids aged 6 – 13 in our local community. After a two-year hiatus due to covid, discos are back up and running and the organisation is also now looking at hosting events for the older age groups.

Pictured left are TFNC IDW Coordinator Daryl Eaton, presenting the donation to the President of the group, Tracey Lowry, Vice President Acting Sergeant Peter Aitken, and Secretary Sergeant Darryl Phillips from the Tatura Police Station.

April 1 – April Fool’s Day. This day for playing practical jokes and hoaxes isn’t as popular as it once was, probably because the entire world has become one huge practical joke. So, let’s reclaim it by playing a few well thought out practical jokes on colleagues and friends. I’m sure they won’t be expecting it.

April 2 – World Pillow Fight Day. This is no ordinary pillow fight where you smack your brother over the head when he’s not looking and then laugh yourself silly. This is all about flash mobs getting together at an agreed location via the internet and then fighting it out. The record is 3,706 participants. Pillows stuffed with feathers are highly recommended as they make one hell of a mess. Apparently putting a brick in your pillow is frowned upon. Sorry bro.

April 3 – World Street Party Day. The thinking here is that the opposite of war and suffering should not be to passively observe peace. Instead, people should actively participate in the celebration of life and what better way than to throw a street party and get together with your friends and neighbours. Time’s running out so get a move on! I’ll be checking my mailbox for the invitation.

April 5 – Tartan Day. This is a celebration of everything Scottish. The Scots are well-known for their kilts, whisky, and porridge but how many of us have been game enough to try eating a haggis? You will need a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, minced with onions, oatmeal and suet (which is the raw, hard fat found around the sheep’s loins and kidneys), spices and salt and then encased in the sheep’s stomach. I’d give it a go myself but I can’t eat onions. Damn!

April 6 – International Day of Sport. This day recognises the power of sport in promoting peace and erasing cultural barriers worldwide. A fine example of this is the rampaging soccer mobs every time England or Russia play abroad.

April 7 – International Beer Day. Several countries around the world such as America, England and Iceland have decided that having a national beer day is a good idea. More enlightened countries such as Australia and Ireland have evolved to the point where every day can be considered a beer day. I’ll drink to that.

April 9 – Name Yourself Day. If you don’t like the name you were born with then this is your big opportunity to change it. It reminds me of that old joke where a man walks into the name registry office and says to the lady behind the counter, “I’d like to change my name.”

“Certainly,” replies the lady. “What is it at the moment?”

“Frank Fartbottom,” replies the man.

“Oh dear,” says the lady. “I can certainly understand why you want to change it. What would you like your new name to be?”

“Peter Fartbottom,” replies the man.

April 11 – Pet Day. Most households in Australia have a pet of some sort which happily fill a void in our lives. Here are a few facts about pets: With proper care, goldfish can live up to 40 years in a well-aerated tank, cats sleep for approximately 14 hours a day and dogs only sweat through the pads on their feet.

April 12 – Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. The grilled cheese sandwich is such a nourishing, easy and quick snack to make and is famous in many parts of the world. The best way to celebrate this day is to make one and then eat it. Even the most inept man about the house should be capable of mastering this particular recipe.

April 14 – World Dolphin Day. This day is all about focussing worldwide attention on the plight of the dolphin with the aim being to stop the barbaric Japanese dolphin hunts. After all, how much scientific research do they need that actually involves killing the dolphins year after year?

April 15 – Reach as High as You Can Day – This is all about self-belief.

Many of us don’t attempt something because we’re certain we’ll fail. Well, failure is an important part of success. Just ask JK Rowling, who was rejected by more than thirty publishers before one finally agreed to publish Harry Potter. Now she is richer than the king of England. So, try your hand at that thing you thought was impossible, so at the very least, you won’t die wondering. There’s a quote I like that says, “To be all that you can, you must dream of being more.”

April 16 – Wear Your Pyjamas to Work Day. This can be a lot of fun, but I would strongly advise that you get together with a group of your co-workers and organise this as a social event at work. If you just turn up in your pj’s by yourself then it may affect your chances of promotion.

April 17 – World Lookalike Day. Most of us have some passing resemblance to somebody famous, whether they’re a sports star, film star, pop idol or television personality. On this day you can dress up and style your hair to resemble your lookalike. Over the years, for some unfathomable reason, people have suggested I have a vague resemblance to Groucho Marx. I can’t see it myself. It’s quite obvious that George Clooney is my lookalike.

April 22 – Earth Day. The first Earth Day was held in 1970 amid fears for the future of the Earth. It was predicted that between 1980 and 1989, over 4 billion people would starve to death, including 6 million Australians. Well, in 2022, more people are dying of obesity world-wide than starvation. Now, apparently, the world is going to end in seven years’ time. It seems there’s always something, so let’s forget about scare-mongering and celebrate our planet by going for a walk in the countryside to commune with Mother Nature. Take the time to stop and smell the roses.

April 26 – Get Organised Day. Are you lost in a sea of clutter? Is your filing system actually an odds and sods dumping ground? Well, the people who know what’s good for you have arranged this day to encourage you to stop procrastinating and tackle at least one of your many junk drawers. There’s a good chance that you will utter the words, “So that’s where that got to,” in the process.

April 29 – International Dance Day. This day is used to promote dance around the world and to recognise its place in society. What I can’t work out is how some people can look so cool on the dance floor without really trying, while others, such as myself, always look so daggy and uncoordinated no matter how hard we try. Perhaps I’ll sign up for some dance lessons and give some poor dance teacher nightmares.

April 30 – International Jazz Day. Yes folks, another United Nations event to break down the barriers and foster mutual understanding and tolerance throughout the world. After all these years and countless events, you’d think we’d have finally gotten there but alas, apparently not. Perhaps we should just enjoy good jazz for the sake of enjoying the music and do away with the political correctness aspect. Be cool man!

- John Kriesfeld

Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum

Lake Boga is home to the famous Catalina Flying Boat, one of only four in Australia. Playing an integral part in the allied defence of the South Pacific during World War II, Lake Boga was an ideal stretch of water on which the mighty flying boats could alight. In all, 416 aircraft were serviced at the depot, with works carried out ranging from repair of operational damage to complete overhauls. At peak operation, 39 officers, 802 airmen and 102 WAAAF staffed the depot.

From humble beginnings, countless volunteer hours, blood, sweat and tears, the dream of a modern hangar to house the very large Lake Boga Catalina came true and was opened to the public in 2012. All types of Flying Boats that were serviced at Lake Boga are represented in the museum, with special sections dedicated to the United States of America and Netherlands aircrafts and crew who visited Lake Boga during World War II.

There are a number of interactive displays, including a map of the Pacific region, a large collection of war memorabilia, books and video accounts from the men who flew Catalinas in WWII, as well as a very informative twentyminute film in the small theatre. The collection of more than 500 items includes machinery, weapons, armoury, photographs, newspaper clippings, uniforms, engines, components, and artefacts from the region. The underground bunker showcases a range of communication devices used during WWII and visitors can also search their loved one's service history, with friendly guides on hand to answer all questions. Operated as a project of the Lake Boga Lions Club, as a commemoration to the service men and women who served at No. 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot from 1941 to 1947, the museum receives annual attendances in excess of 12,000 visitors per year. The amount of history held in the exhibits gives one an educational trip into our recent history.

- Janice Dreyer

Probus

On February 16th, 16 members travelled to Rochester, with a stop off at Colbinabbin for morning tea. We met up with some Rochester Probus members and before some of them joined us on the bus to drive around the town and explain the extent of the flooding, we had a gentleman tell us how they had to clear out the hospital on very short notice, some patients going to Shepparton together with their staff, and some to Bendigo. He explained how most services were now available again, and that work had just started on the hospital, which due to the enormous damage, will take many months. It was a real eye-opener and a moving experience as we drove around the town and saw the empty houses, many with caravans parked out the front. Back to the Rochester Hotel where once again Rochester members joined us for lunch and to swap experiences. A quick look around the town, so many empty shops still, and then back to Tatura.

Wendy Wilson

Our meeting on February 23 was very well attended. Our Member Behind the Badge was Phyll Bramley. Phyll was unable to attend, so another member read her notes. It was a lovely story, telling us of her history with nine siblings! There were seven girls and three boys, all very interested in sport, fielding a basketball team (now netball) by themselves! The boys played football. Brought up with good old-fashioned values, Phyll led a very successful life, marrying Ivan and having two girls and two boys. Ev Leahy read a very poignant email at the end of the story which brought tears to many. The Guest Speaker was Nadine Pichler, Co-Manager of the Community House, who spoke on the special festivals and celebrations she had experienced in Germany, culminating in, like here in Australia, Christmastime!! Thank you, Nadine, always entertaining!

Barb Halliwell

Tractor Trekking

We were busy in the Bulletin office last deadline day when a gentleman came in and said there were a couple of tractors towing caravans in the street near the Catholic Church. He suggested that it would be interesting to get a story on what who they were and what they were doing. This piqued our curiosity so I headed down to see if I could find out anything about them. It turned out that the two chaps driving the tractors had called in to Tatura for a coffee and to do some washing at the Laundromat and I managed to catch up with them on a seat nearby.

It turns out they are members of a WA Chamberlain 9G Tractor Club and are part of the Eastern Branch. The Club started some 20 years ago with 37 members travelling from Steep Point (Exmouth WA) to Byron Bay (NSW). Every 10 years they do a re-enactment of that first trip. They have also travelled around Australia and been trekked in New Zealand and the US. There were plans for a big trip in 2019 but COVID put a stop to that and the group ended up travelling around Australia, crossing borders when they could, in 2021.

On this trip they have been to Corowa for the Tractor Pull and are heading over to Keith in SA for another event just before Easter. They decided not to head back to Temora before going to Keith and have spent time in Tungamah, Shepparton, and Tatura before heading towards Elmore and Bendigo and going interstate.

I asked about the Flying Doctors stickers on their tractors and found out that the Club supports the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Over the past 20 or so years they have raised over $240,000 for the organisation through fundraising during their many treks around the country. Rather than have the funds absorbed into general revenue they aim to fundraise for specific items to assist the RFDS. I really enjoyed my chat with the two chaps and wish them, and their Club, all the best for their travels.

- Lois Orr