Arts ……………………. 35,37 Cinema ……………….. 33,34 Community ………………4 to

NSW Police Force and Crime Stoppers are calling for residents to register or surrender illegal firearms and ammuni on without being penalised for illegal possession, as part of the first ever permanent na onal amnesty. Crime Stoppers and police across the country are giving Australians a chance to surrender for destruc on unwanted or unregistered firearms, parts, and ammuni on at no cost and without penalty for illegal possession. Our ul mate aim is for safer communi es, and this starts with the safe storage of firearms, and the handing in of illegal firearms and ammuni on. Taking illegal guns out of the community can never be a bad thing. The amnesty coincides with the launch of Gun Safe – a new online portal for managing firearms transac ons in NSW. Designed with community safety top of mind, this pla orm is the first of its kind replacing manual licence applica ons with real me informa on and verifica on.

The portal will be linked to the acquisi on of firearms in NSW and disposal of firearms locally and interstate. This risk-based system no fies the registry of unusual or unverified transac ons which will reduce risk of harm in the community. Crime Stoppers CEO Peter Price AM said, “these ini a ves are moving towards a more community centric approach to firearms and safety. Previously, firearms amnes es had a defini ve me frame, but we understand that some members of the community might change their minds about handing in illegal firearms, so we want to give them the opportunity to do so any me, anywhere.” “All of us have seen the harm that is caused by the unlawful use of a firearm and the impact on community confidence that o en follows, which is why we all have a part to play in making our community safer – that’s our aim,” Mr Price said. Par cipa ng dealers can now accept and record unregistered firearms through the NSW Police Force’s new Gun Safe pla orm. Dealers using the digital pla orm can register firearms, prohibited weapons, gun parts and ammuni on under the Amnesty. “For firearm dealers, Gun Safe provides enhanced recording and repor ng func ons, and real- me informa on about firearms on the system,” said Assistant Commissioner Cook. “The new amnesty enhances the services available to dealers on Gun Safe including more transac ons, beyond buying and selling of registered firearms. For police, the system gives us more oversight, so we know when, where and how amnesty guns are being handed in.” More informa on about the amnesty and surrendering, registering or selling unwanted firearms is available from crimestoppers.com.au/firearmsamnesty Residents currently under stay-at-home orders in Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Shellharbour and Central Coast will need to monitor the government advice on the NSW Health website to ensure they are legally able to hand in their firearms. Currently, handing in firearms does not meet the criteria of a reasonable excuse.

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Gadfly 180 By Robert Macklin Those of us journalists and authors who work every day, every week, every year could hardly believe it: While it seems as though our compatriots are always on some Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 kind of day off, Australia, as revealed last week, has fewer national holidays than practically any other country in the region, if not the entire world. Cambodia, for example has 29 such days compared to our puny 13. Even the Philippines has double our lot, while the French have 25 official or ‘celebration’ days and the Americans and the Brits find all sorts of reasons to lay about quaffing drinkies instead of pounding the computer like us workaholics. While us authors will never change, maybe the time has come to thoroughly revise the way as a country we divide our time between toil and those 13 memorial days. For example, the whole idea of celebrating, say, Reconciliation Day with a single Monday off is nuts. Australia is a big place with lots of traffic. If you have a three-day weekend you usually spend two days of it travelling (by whatever mode) leaving only one day at the beach, the ski-fields or the hinterland having fun. More importantly, at a time when our tourist industry is staggering under the ravages of Covid-19, there’s no real chance for it to recover when we’re barely at the venue before we’re packing to leave. So here’s my suggestion: instead of a one-day holiday, make it two – one on each side of the weekend. That way we can really make a difference to the industry’s plight, and to the health and happiness of our workforce. It’s not as though we’d lose much in productivity. In my experience, almost no work gets done in the business world either on Monday morning or Friday afternoon. At such times, in publishers’ offices (and no doubt their equivalents in the other great CBD honeycombs) people are either lunching with the latest ‘birthday girl’ getting an early start on a weekend of jollity, or staggering in through the haze of the Monday blues. However, if every national ‘day’ was doubled, they could finish the same amount of work on Thursday and set out for the coast or the bush next day, driving home on the Monday after filling the pockets of the tourist venues during the two days in between. It’s a chance to explore our own wonderful continent and gain at least a sliver of understanding what it meant to our Aboriginal predecessors. And as the National Capital becomes the hub of a mighty regional wheel incorporating not just the coastal delights but the wondrous world of the hinterland, we’ll all discover lots of alternatives to city living. Covid-19, for all its awfulness has at least broken the of stricture of a workaday week confined to the office. The possibility of working from home – wherever it might be – and checking into HQ only when necessary – will become a genuine alternative. Sure, our 13 national holidays will become 26 days off but that’s only one more day than France, and who invented the term ‘joie de vivre’? And maybe with the prospect of a real break from the computer grind, us workaholics might be tempted to join the jollity. robert@robertmacklin.com

Dear Beagle Editor, I am wri ng in the hope that you will publish my le er as Dr Catherine Dale said that you wouldn't. I am also rather s cking my neck out, given the current, very reasonable angst against Council regarding the clearing at Broulee.

My first thought when I saw the devasta on was, "What were they thinking?". However, I am also a great believer in the no on of credit where credit is due. So here goes. I am a 74 year old resident of Araluen Rd, living west of the original slip. Recently, I went to Council to ask if someone could cut the large logs in the slip to make it easier for me to walk through the slip. I have a car each side of the slip and at the me, I felt that the detour over forest roads was too long, too dangerous and too rough. My car was ge ng a hammering. In the course of my conversa on, I burst into tears because I was being told, "No, that can't happen." A er the fires, which came dangerously close to our home, four floods, Covid, the slip and having a husband with demen a, I was at my wit's end and on an emo onal knife-edge. Fast forward to a mee ng organised a weekend soon a er with Community Services and Bushfire Recovery. Kathy Arthur, in charge of Community Services, had the good grace to say that they should have been here (up Araluen Rd) earlier (as did Catherine Dale at a later mee ng, giving the community a detailed presenta on about the way forward with Araluen Rd). My story had obviously s rred some hearts at Council. Kathy said that they were willing to provide a vehicle and a paid driver to come over Mt Wandera once a week, pick my husband up at 9.30am, take him to town and return him at 3.30pm. While he is in town, he a ends a regular mee ng, is picked up by a Community volunteer, taken to lunch and shopping. Unless you are caring for someone with demen a and living in a difficult, isolated situa on, you probably can't really understand what a joy it is to have a whole day to yourself. So, many thanks and a bouquet to the Council staff. However, I will be working hard for us to get a new Council at the next elec on. One that puts a ght rein on Council staff and doesn't just rubber-stamp staff decisions. One that isn't in the pockets of developers. Locals need to be working hard to make sure that non-locals are registered to vote. Anne Rault Deua River Valley

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The Beagle Editor, Bike trails through our natural forest get $9.3 mil from Bushfire Recovery Grants Andrew Constance, our local Member for Bega, has announced significant funding in excess of $9.3 million for Bike Paths in Bega and Eurobodalla namely • $ 5,000,000.00 Eurobodalla Shire Council to Complete stage two of the Mogo Adventure Trails Hub and • $ 3,914,356.00 Construc on of the Narooma Mountain Bike Trails Hub PLUS • $ 461,625.00 Tathra safer pathways project to upgrade 2.5 kilometres of bike pathways in Tathra. There is not a single cent into upgrading or improving marine infrastructure like boat ramps, fishing pla orms, fish cleaning table or even expanded car parks, BBQ shelters and sites or even the CBD boardwalk and floa ng pontoons. It appears yet again the Eurobodalla Shire Council Execu ves have failed to submit any applica ons for grants under the Bushfire Recovery Funds on behalf of local and visi ng families who fish and go boa ng. However if you are young athle c person with a trail bike it looks as if you will be pampered and provided with trails and even toilets throughout our natural forests. What is it with Eurobodalla that does not appreciate that we are boarded on the east with the world’s best natural seascape to walk along, swim in, boat and fish on. Where is the money? Harry Watson Smith

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Thursday 24 June Shell Point Ringlands Track weeding, instead of a bushwalk today, annually the Dalmeny Narooma Bushwalkers with the help of ESC Landcare Co-ordinator Emma Patyus, go to Shell Point Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 at the east end of Ringlands Walk to do some weeding. Today 10 walkers met Emma, and a er gathering gloves, bags and informa on they set off. The first bit of track was fine, one lantana and some li le lantana’s were quickly delt with, then they hit the Mother of Millions and the pulling began. Some Asparagus weed, too, Cape Ivy, everyone was pleasantly surprised by the lovely tall grasses, salt bush, and na ves out at Shell Point. A er about 40 minutes, they had morning tea, sheltered from the n/w winds. Then back to the weeding. Another hour, backs started to ache, 20 bags were filled, and with the clouds moving in, all decided to call it a day, and head back to the cars. Here Emma was thanked by the walkers, we all learnt a thing or two about our vegeta on on the Ringlands Track. The walkers are hoping to go back later in the year and do a bit more. Sat 26 June, 12 walkers meet up at Noble Park and headed out to Cobra Mountain, about 30 minutes drive west of Narooma, a beau ful winters morning too, no wind. We started well, heading down Mt Long Road, now a bush track, almost overgrown with new vegeta on a er the bushfires, a er about 1km we found an old car wreck, then an old bee hive area, and to the right a cage where something was grown before the fires! Proceeding along towards a forestry trail we had morning tea, then things got a bit harder, bush bashing down a trail and the bush kept leading us south, and we needed to go east, more and more vegeta on logs, holes, rocks, but we kept going, came to a gully, eventually, climbing out of there, to an old mining area, perhaps gold was mined here. The walk leaders Amanda and Jan decided to head back up to Mt Long which would be easier instead of more bush bashing down to the creek. Lunch was had once we arrived at the top. It was decided to do Mt Misery trail at the top for views, then made our way back to the cars. A short but hard 7km, however we all arrived back safely with a grin on our faces, and Amanda and Jan were thanked for taking the walkers out to this li le known walked area.

'Ariadne', Jennifer Saint's acclaimed debut novel, is a great read for fans of Madeleine Miller's 'Circe' and now has the ck of approval from the masked maidens of #moruyabooks 'Ariadne', Jennifer Saint's acclaimed debut novel, is a great read for fans of Madeleine Miller's 'Circe' and now has the ck of approval from the masked maidens of #moruyabooks #holidayreads

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In one of the most famous Greek myths, Ariadne betrayed her father, King Minos, to help Theseus defeat the Minotaur. But Theseus in turn betrayed her. This is her story. A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS. 'ARIADNE gives voice to the misused Princess of Crete who betrayed her father to save Theseus from the Minotaur. Relevant and revelatory.' - Stylist As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoo eats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their a en on can cost you everything. In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambi on? ARIADNE gives a voice to the forgo en women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beau fully wri en and completely immersive, this is an excep onal debut novel.

A FAST (?) PONY. – an amusing incident occurred during the race program at the Poultry Show on Saturday, when the rider of one of the ponies in the Lo ery Race jumped off at the last turn and beat his mount home. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 SUCCESSFUL. – Nurse Jean Lynch, (St. Vincent’s Hospital), daughter of Mrs. W. J. Lynch, of Corona on Hotel, Narooma has passed the central examina on for nurses recently held in Sydney. CHANGE OF PROPRIETORSHIP. – Mr. Arthur Cooper (late A.I.F.), and son of Mr. T. Cooper, of Araluen, is about to take over the business of the Club House Hotel from Mr. W. Ryan, who is moving into Smyth’s house in Campbell street. FOOTBALL. – A game was played on the Park on Saturday last between teams represen ng Moruya and Bodalla, and a er a closely contested struggle ended in a win for Bodalla by 10 points to 8. The game had a rather unpleasant termina on, the players going off the field before the me had expired. CENSUS RETURNS. – The census returns give the popula on of the Eden-Monaro electorate at 54,758. The Barrier and Darling are the only two electorates with a smaller popula on. Two have more than doubled the popula on. This would indicate that there will be some change in the exis ng electorate on the redistribu on. ILLNESS. – Early on Monday morning Mr. T. Kennedy, of Campbell street, was found by his neighbor, Mr. D. Buckley, on the floor of his bedroom in a semi-conscious state. Dr. Quilter was sent for, and a er examina on ordered the pa ent to the local Hospital, where he is now rapidly improving…….Mr. J. Miller, who is being cared for at Ninderra, is in a very low state of health, li le hope being held out for his recovery. DEATH. – Mrs. B. Turner, of Mullenderee, has received the sad news that her father, Mr. Somers, formerly of Silver Mine, Moruya, but now of North Sydney, had died at 2 o’clock on Monday at the age of 68 years. Up to the me of going to Press no par culars of Mr. Somers sudden demise had been received by his daughters Vulcan Street Moruya here, Mesdames T. Henry and B. Turner, for whom much sympathy is felt. PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. – Coming soon – Steele Rudd’s great Australian Comedy ‘On Our Selec on’. Watch for date. A Scotch minister once no ced a crowd of urchins clustered around a dog of doub ul pedigree. “What are you doing, my boys?” he asked, with fatherly interest. “Swappin’ lies,” volunteered one of the boys. “The fellow that tells the biggest one gets the pup.” “Shocking!” exclaimed the minister. “Why, when I was your age I never even thought of telling an untruth.” “You win,” chorused the urchins. “The dog’s yours, minister.” IMPORTANT NOTICE. – The Opossum is protected in the Broulee P. P. District. This is in answer to the numerous inquiries I have received. GEO. GORDON. Sec. FOR SALE. – FOUR-WHEELED HOODED VAN, HORSE and HARNESS. All in good condi on. Apply – A. LYNCH’S COTTAGE. Gundary. Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. h ps://www.mdhs.org.au