Beagle Weekender Vol 280 October 14th 2022

Welcome to this week’s editorial,

Happy sixth birthday to The Beagle. Since I first launched your free on-line newsfeed in October 2016 the readership has grown to such an extent that The Beagle has become the primary news source for the Eurobodalla.

To date there have been 20,885 ar cles published. That equates to nearly 10 ar cles per day of local content that informs, includes and celebrates our region and our community.

I remember long ago being told that nothing happened in Eurobodalla and that The Beagle would fail for want of having anything to report. It didn’t take long to discover that the community had been wai ng for an outlet to celebrate the warp and we of who we are. Publicity officers sent in reports of monthly mee ngs, spor ng teams found their reports were published, local community markets and events were promoted, larger events were listed, accomplishments big and small were celebrated and the community enjoyed the fact that they had a voice and a spotlight on Council ma ers. Within reason, if it was an ar cle that was important to somebody then it was published. That way small groups, photographic, Men’s, community associa ons, arts, and so many more that we have in our incredibly rich and diverse community, could all be showcased.

The Beagle belongs to all those who celebrate who they are by way of the ar cles and stories submi ed. It is your insight into the local news that ma ers, from Federal, State and Local Government announcements to what’s on.

While the website has been running strong the Beagle Weekender is also widely enjoyed. At 280 volumes it hopefully delivers an accessible and enjoyable weekend read. Thanks again to all those who contribute.

A special thanks goes to the thousands and thousands of Beagle readers who

editorial

make my efforts feel so worthwhile. The numbers of readers, and the reach of readership, is quite extraordinary and way beyond my expecta ons.

I recently came to realise how much The Beagle is enjoyed when I had an “absence from the keyboard”. The messages that came in via text and email were very warming and I thank each and all of you for your kind words. I am healing.. Slowly.

The Beagle runs on the smell of a rag in pursuit of some oil. But it gets by. I ensure that I have enough to cover the legal and func onal overheads by corralling adver sing, support and dona ons. As always I extend my apprecia on to the local businesses that support The Beagle. Many needn’t, but they chose to from Day 1 as a way of showing their support of my providing free online independent news for their community.

In the six years of The Beagle I have witnessed a change in our community. We have become more engaged, more informed, more cohesive and certainly more aware of the incredible corner of the planet we call home. Our community is diverse, in age and culture. It has a passion that rises to safeguard its natural beauty yet the understanding that growth, if managed, is required in order to deliver the services we require, from health to educa on and beyond.

We started out as a small, forgo en corner where few knew where Eurobodalla was. That might s ll be the case for those on the outside, but for us on the inside we know who we are, we know where we are going and we know what we need to get there. And hopefully The Beagle might help in that journey.

Un l next lei

Eurobodalla libraries host sensoryfriendly hour

Eurobodalla’s libraries are offering an extra level of comfort for people with heightened sensory needs. Once a month, library staff dim the lights, turn off their scanner “beeps” and minimise noise and distrac ons throughout the library.

Resident Leo Degraaf has a diagnosis of au sm spectrum disorder and visited Moruya Library during sensory-friendly hour recently. Leo’s dad, Mar n, loved the ini a ve and said a visit to the library was another ac vity they can engage and take part in.

“Services like this make it a lot easier for us,” he said. “It also creates awareness for other people in the community to be pa ent and understanding.”

Local occupa onal therapist Gabbie Johnson said neurodevelopment condi ons like Au sm, can vary in different people.

“People have differences in their sensory processing capaci es and can face a lot of challenges,” Ms Johnson said.

“For example, lights can be extremely overwhelming, bright, and painful for some people’s eyes. There’s also people like Leo who are sensi ve to noise, which is why he wears headphones all the me.”

Walking into a busy room of people can be very uncomfortable for people on the au sm spectrum, Ms Johnson says.

“They have trouble deciphering noise and listening in busy environments. It’s less overwhelming; people with chronic anxiety appreciate coming into a space that’s less busy. It’s nice to know there’s a guaranteed safe me to visit without any ruckus.”

Eurobodalla Libraries coordinator Samantha Fenton said the shire’s libraries should be safe and welcoming spaces for all members of the community.

“We are pleased to offer regular sensory hours where people can visit, borrow, use our sensory-friendly equipment, or just relax in the library space,” Ms Fenton said.

“There’s lots of different events happening at the libraries and it can get busy, especially around children’s story me,” she said.

“By offering these designated quieter mes, we ensure our spaces are calm and catering to a range of customer needs.”

Sensory-friendly hours at each of the libraries are:



Narooma Library – from 4-5pm on the second Tuesday of each month.

 Moruya Library – from 9-10am on the first Wednesday of each month.

 Batemans Bay – from 9-10am on the third Thursday of each month.

Sensory-friendly hour was adopted in line with Council’s Disability Inclusion Ac on Plan.

If you have feedback or ideas to share in making the Eurobodalla shire more inclusive, contact Samantha Fenton:

Coastal management program, community comment sought

From South Durras Beach in the north to the Wallaga Lake shoreline in the south, Eurobodalla has more than 140 kilometres of coastline. Eurobodalla Council manages about 60 per cent of the shire’s coast and is seeking community feedback on how to protect and manage these beaches, headlands and shorelines.

The dra Open Coast Coastal Management Program is on public exhibi on un l Wednesday 9 November and outlines a 10-year strategy to protect the ecological, social and economic value of Eurobodalla’s coastline and managing coastal hazards and the poten al impacts of climate change.

Council’s coastal planner Cameron Whi ng said Council recognised and shared the community’s high regard for a beau ful, clean and healthy coast.

“Storms and sea-level rise, public access to sensi ve habitats, and mul -agency responsibili es are just some of the challenges to managing our coast into the future,” Mr Whi ng said.

“This dra program has been developed from feedback we have been collec ng since early 2021. It looks to balance environmental interests with our community’s aspira ons for access and protec ons of our beaches – all the while maintaining the natural quality of our coast. We all have important roles to play and this CMP can become an agreed strategy between the community, Council, Tradi onal Owners and state agencies.” In addi on to public display, Council will hold three drop-in sessions where community members can meet with Council staff and specialist consultants to discuss the dra program:



Bay Pavilions, Thursday 3 November, 10am to 1pm

 Narooma Golf Club, Friday 4 November, 10am to 1pm

 Basil Sellers Exhibi on Centre, Moruya, Saturday 5 November, 10am to 1pm.

Mr Whi ng said the dra program included proposed priority ac ons such as a revetment to protect Long Beach’s Bay Road, and inunda on berm to protect Surfside, and rock-wall upgrades at Wharf Road and Caseys Beach to address current and future coastal hazards at these sites.

“The CMP allows us to access valuable financial support from the NSW Government to protect and enhance our coast,” he said.

To view the dra Open Coast Coastal Management Program, visit www.esc.nsw.gov/haveyoursay

The CMP was prepared with financial and technical support from the NSW Government. For more informa on or to register for a drop-in session, contact Cameron Whi ng on 4474 1000 or cameron.whi ng@esc.nsw.gov.au

Pothole repairs priori sed

Eurobodalla Council has diverted its seven road maintenance crews to pothole repairs a er heavy rain and long weekend traffic made a mess of local roads.

The shire’s busiest local roads will be priori sed, like South Head Road and North Head Road in Moruya, George Bass Drive and Cullendulla Drive, and Dalmeny Drive in the shire’s south.

The Council says repairs will be temporary and won’t last long, but the aim is to reduce the risk of vehicle damage and poten al for crashes in the short term.

More permanent repairs will be made once the roads dry out and equipment becomes available.

Hundreds of low-lying and roadside drains will also be cleared of leaf ma er and debris to prevent poten al flooding.

While a strong weather warning is forecast again this week, crews will work in the rain to make the necessary road repairs and unblock drains.

Mayor Mathew Hatcher says the state of the highway con nues to be an issue, with the Transport for NSW work at Turlinjah, north of Bodalla, especially problema c.

The Mayor said Council staff will be in touch with Transport for NSW to request urgent repairs to potholes on the highway in the Eurobodalla. Drivers are asked to slow down and take extra care on the roads, and to watch out for workers.

Get Online Week October 21

What is Get Online Week?

1 in 4 Australians are digitally excluded. Less than 40% of Aussies are confident that they can keep up with the rapid pace of tech changes. For seniors, this rate is even higher.

Being digitally included means having affordable access to the internet and the skills and confidence to use it safely. If the last two years have taught us anything, it's how vital this is for work, school, staying connected with loved ones, and for our health and wellbeing.

Get Online Week is a week-long annual campaign suppor ng people to improve their digital skills and close the digital divide.

Free GOLW Event at nbn Community Hub Batemans Bay

Topic: Digital Skills Assessment with links to Targeted Online lessons

We will guide learners to access and complete the OSCAR online survey designed to assess their digital skills. We will help them follow links to suitable online learning modules and learn to improve their skills.

When: October 21 10am -12noon. Where: nbn Community Hub 3 Clyde St Batemans Bay No Booking Necessary. Bring your device or use one of ours. For more Informa on ring 0409753808 or email admin @livingconnected.org.au

The Narooma VIEW Club

Everyone Welcome

Next Narooma VIEW Club Mee ng Friday October 28 11am for 11:30am Narooma Golf Club

Guest Speaker: Jenny Bowles Country Heath Instructor for Tai Chi & Qigong. Contact: Carline

community South Coast Community Colleges has Summer Skills funding available for these skill sets:

of A ainment in Individual Support

on and Empowerment of Older Power)

Statement of A ainment in First Aid

Statement of A ainment in Individual Support

- Introduc on to Disability Skill Set

Individual Support - Ageing Support Skill Set

To receive these courses fee free, you must meet this criteria: aged 16-24 not enrolled into school an Australian ci zen, permanent resident, Australian humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand ci zen Currently living in NSW

If you are interested in more informa on about these courses, please enquire with our administra on on 02 4472 9202 or visit the website www.southcoastcolleges.edu.au

The Shed welcomes males over eighteen with the aim to provide a safe place to be involved in joint projects, snooker, photography, cards, table tennis etc or just have a cuppa and a yarn.

Our general open me is Monday and Thursday 8.00-12.00 am We also open Tuesday 2.00-4.00pm for cards (euchre)

Wednesday 2.00-4.00pm for snooker and the camera group meet Thursday 2.00-4.00pm.

For informa on contact brocky1967@outlook.com or ptuross@bigpond.com

What

an effec ve

Narooma Historical Society guest speaker this Sunday (16 October) is historian Dr Eleanor Robin. Her topic is ‘In for the Long Haul: what makes an effec ve representa ve of the people?’. Everyone is welcome.

The Society will meet this Sunday in the School of Arts’ Studios (red co age behind BP and the Kinema) at 2pm. A ernoon tea provided. Dr Robin recently launched her latest book THE QUEST FOR EDENMONARO - A Core Sample of Australian Democracy (Australian Scholarly Publishing 2022) It focuses on two extraordinary Federal representa ves who each held this prized and discerning electorate for a quarter-of-a-century or more.

Aus n Chapman was the first incumbent, a ‘Deakinite liberal’, Member from Federa on in 1901 un l his death in office in 1926; the second was journalist and declared socialist Allan Duncan Fraser who served over two terms, 1943‒1966 and 1969‒72.

Copies of her book will be available at Sunday’s mee ng.

Above: Historian Dr Eleanor Robin, guest speaker at this Sunday’s Narooma Historical Society mee ng, will talk on what makes an effec ve representa ve of the people.

community

Australian Bird Count starts Oct 17th

The Aussie Bird Count starts on Monday 17 October.

By giving 20 minutes of your me, you can make a difference to bird conserva on in the Bega Valley by coun ng the birds that are coun ng on you.

Download the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app to get involved and learn more on their website: h ps://aussiebirdcount.org.au/

Visit the Bega Valley Council website to see what birds were recorded in the Bega Valley last year: h ps://begavalley.nsw.gov.au/services/ biodiversity

First steps towards the Tilba District becoming a Biosphere Reserve

The Tilba District is renowned as one of the most beau ful parts of Australia with Na onal Parks, beaches and rocky coves, plen ful birds, animals and plant life, produc ve agricultural land and rich Indigenous and modern history.

As a result, it is a popular place to live, work and play with tourists visi ng the area each year to join local residents in the villages of Central Tilba, Tilba Tilba and Mystery Bay who enjoy the region year-round.

When the Tilba District Chamber of Commerce undertook community consulta on last year as part of a Strategic Plan for the area, there was strong community concern for the protec on and enhancement of the natural environment of the Tilba District whilst balancing the need to be able to live, work and play in the area in a sustainable way, for the benefit of current and future genera ons.

That Strategic Plan is now being implemented and one key idea is to discuss how best to achieve the community’s goal, including considering whether having the area declared as a Biosphere Reserve would be a valuable step in that direc on. This idea was introduced into the Strategic Plan by Tilba Environment Landcarers.

Biosphere Reserves are UNESCO-endorsed areas of terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems managed with the aim of balancing biodiversity, conserva on and the sustainable use of natural resources.

The aim of a Biosphere Reserve is to safeguard natural ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as to improve human livelihoods and protect ecosystems managed for human use. The reserves promote environmentally sustainable economic development which is socially and culturally appropriate.

Biosphere Reserves are not another layer of bureaucracy – quite the opposite. The decision to become and then abide by the ethos of a Biosphere Reserve is a community-driven process.

There are many Biosphere Reserves across the world. The latest Australian Biosphere Reserve, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, was declared in June this year where it joins two neighbouring Reserves in Noosa and the Fraser Island area.

To start the conversa on about Biosphere Reserves and to discuss the possible future direc on for the Tilba District, a forum will be held at the Central Tilba Hall on Monday 17 October 2022 from 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm following a free lunch from 12.45pm.

Speakers will include leading expert in the area Professor Peter Bridgewater from the ANU, who has years of experience working with UNESCO and engaging with other Australian accredited Biosphere Reserves, and Mr David Moore from Sunshine Coast Regional Council who will explain the process and their reasons for becoming an accredited Biosphere Reserve.

Bird boffins seek gang gang sigh ngs

Arguably the shire’s best loved bird, gang gangs are back and ready to nest. And wherever you find gang gangs, you also find gang gang researchers.

Eurobodalla Council is working with scien sts, government agencies, community groups and ci zen scien sts to be er understand the breeding behaviour of gang gangs since the 2019-20 bushfires, to improve conserva on outcomes for this iconic and endangered parrot.

Eurobodalla gang gang project research lead Dr Susan Rhind said gang gangs had declined by nearly 70 per cent in the last 20 years and their presence in Eurobodalla was pre y special.

Above: Gang gang numbers have declined by nearly 70 per cent in the last 20 years. Photo credit Giovanna Hounsell.

“Right now, the birds are gearing up for the breeding season and busy checking out hollows. So our focus is on finding the trees and hollows they decide to use,” Dr Rhind said.

“In addi on, we want to see if they are interested in the special cockatubes – nest boxes for cockatoos – that we installed last year around gang gang hotspots at Long Beach, Broulee, Mogendoura, Bingie, Meringo and Tilba.

“We checked all the cockatubes recently and one third had been occupied by various mammal species. So we know the tubes are a rac ve – we just need to see if the gang gangs think so too.

Council’s natural resources supervisor Courtney Fink-Downes said cameras had been installed at ten of the tubes, with researchers receiving a daily photo from each camera.

Meanwhile, the gang gang project team are again seeking public involvement; report any sigh ngs of gang gangs at tree hollow by email to ganggangfarsouthcoast@gmail.com or log your observa on on iNaturalist

Moruya pool opens on Monday with reduced hours

Moruya War Memorial Swimming Pool is ready for swimmers a er hiberna ng over the winter months.

The seasonal pool reopens to the public on Monday 17 October, with reduced hours for now.

Council’s aqua cs coordinator Mathew Neason said a decision was made to open the pool a week later than previous years to support a recruitment drive.

“With the poor weather it has turned out to be a posi ve outcome for the community and the pool season will be extended by a week in May,” Mr Neason said.

“It will be great to have all three Eurobodalla pools in opera on.”

Un l more staff come on board, Mr Neason said Moruya pool will be closed on Tuesdays.

Mr Neason said Council was working with the pools’ management company, Aligned Leisure, to grow a workforce.

“We an cipate the pool will be closed on Tuesdays un l the end of November,” Mr Neason said.

“By then, new lifeguards and swim teachers have finished their courses and staff availability will increase as year 12 students finish school.”

Mr Neason said the Swim and Survive program has been more popular than ever before.

“The interest around swimming lessons as we head to summer has been immense,” Mr Neason said.

“The demand for swim programs outweighs the current staff capacity - which is a great problem to have.

“Council con nues to work with Aligned Leisure and Training Services NSW to grow the local leisure and aqua cs workforce and deliver funded training opportuni es.”

For anyone interested in a ending free lifeguard and swim teacher training to work at one of the shire’s pools, contact Lachlan Knight for more informa on:

lachlan.knight@alignedleisure.com.au

Moruya War Memorial Swimming Pool opening hours:

Monday: 6am-6pm

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: 6am-6pm

Thursday: 6am-6pm

6am-4pm

Saturday: 8am-2pm

Sunday: 10am-2pm

SHASA joins the state-wide Picnic for Nature 2022

The Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance is organising a public picnic on Sunday, October 16, to celebrate the great Australian outdoors.

The Picnic for Nature 2022 is a state-wide event led by the Nature Conserva on Council to give people a fun way to get together in nature. and to an easy “Many of us feel we don’t get into nature as much as we would like,” Kathryn Maxwell said.

“Our lives are over-scheduled, with work, school, shopping and dashing about to kid’s sport. Some mes, it feels like if you don’t schedule me for nature, it just doesn’t happen. That’s why we are organising a local Picnic for Nature, to give people the excuse they need to get outdoors to reconnect with nature, family, friends and the neighbours they probably should get to know.”

“Taking me out to sit in the shade of a tree, share food, and appreciate the natural beauty of our surroundings is something we don’t do o en enough. We thought ‘why not take advantage of the warmer weather and unroll your picnic blanket to spend some quality me with family, friends and neighbours at your local park, beach or beauty spot” said Kathryn Maxwell.

The Family Place next Love Hope Renewal Community Art Event will be "Moruya Mosaic" on Sunday 23 October 2022, 10am – 3pm at The SAGE Garden, 110 Queen Street Moruya. Everyone that calls Moruya home is invited to be part of this community celebra on day. Bring along your stories to share and join in a fun community art installa on, or just come along and enjoy the free local food and live local music.

This event will go ahead rain or shine. Any enquiries or ques ons, send us a message or get in touch with Sam directly on 0499 410 197.

Eurobodalla

Mul cultural

Group would like to invite you, your family and friends to our family event Diversity Night on 22 October 2022, 5.30 pm at RSL Memorial Hall, Moruya.

Food will be provided but we don't know how many people will turn up so please bring food, good mood and dancing shoes.

BYO alcohol, so drinks for sale.

Door dona on towards the hall hire and general expenses would be greatly appreciated.

RSVP by sending SMS to 0413 404156, no phone calls please.

DOG FOR REHOMING

Ski les could be your best mate! Male, 18 months old. Australian ca le dog, mix breed.

This blue merle boy is a looker, but needs to learn some manners He is young and will respond well to training. Ski les would be a great mate to take to work and would suit an energe c owner who lives on larger property.

Ski les was recently hit by a car, but the tough nut is already bouncing around on the mend. He was handed over to our rangers a er his owner fell ill.

If you're keen to adopt Ski les, give our rangers a call on 4474 1019. Rehoming number: R251000133

community

Council urges owner responsibility a er dog a acks on livestock

A er a recent spate of dog a acks on livestock, Eurobodalla Council is urging animal owners to be more responsible.

Council’s environmental health and compliance coordinator Noel Fuller said it has been emo onally distressing for farmers to wake up and see their livestock dead.

“Whether it’s sheep or calves, pet alpacas or prized animals, the loss of livestock from dog a acks is detrimental to their lives and income,” Mr Fuller said.

Mr Fuller urged rural property owners to make sure their dogs were contained within a yard.

“Any dog has the capacity to a ack, even though they are domes cated, they’re s ll wild animals,” he said.

Mr Fuller has known dogs to roam from their property at night to go on “killing sprees” or “thrill kills” with their owners unaware.

“Dogs have an ins nctual drive and get an adrenaline rush when killing animals.

“They also get more confidence when supported in packs of two or more dogs.”

Mr Fuller said dogs will amass as they travel through rural proper es.

“It begins with neighbouring dogs playing together as mates - one night they might chase livestock, the next night becomes a chase and grab and the following night a chase and kill,” Mr Fuller said.

Mr Fuller said Council will act against any dog a acks on livestock or people.

“In the event of a dog a ack, Council rangers can prosecute, and livestock owners can take ac on against the dog owner to recover the cost of lost animals,” Mr Fuller said.

“Council enforces legisla on under the Animal Companion Act.”

Mr Fuller said dog a acks can increase come the warmer months and urged owners to be responsible.

What can be done to prevent your dog a acking livestock:



Don’t allow your dog to roam, especially with other dogs

 Make sure fences are in good order and keep dogs within a yard

 Ensure your dog is well cared for and fed – bored, hungry dogs go looking for fun and food

 Make sure your dog is desexed as it will be less likely to roam



Don’t allow your dog to chase other animals such as birds for fun

 Train your dog to be obedient and to socialise with other animals in a controlled environment.

For more informa on on pet ownership and responsibili es, visit Council’s website.

Moruya RSL Sub Branch news

Beagle readers, you may well wonder why you're looking at a large polished piece of granite & a brass plaque.

The members of Moruya RSL Sub -Branch early in 2021 decided to erect a monument at the RSL Memorial Hall to recognise & commemorate Australian members of our armed forces who have served our na on since Federa on.

The Sub-Branch then arranged for metal plaques to be manufactured iden fying the major conflicts our na on has been involved in. It was decided that instead of the plaques being a ached to the front wall they could be set into granite & a suitable memorial made. It was not possible to get a piece of our local granite for the memorial so it was ordered from Mt. Granite Quarries in Harcourt Victoria which is where this polished piece came from.

There are 2 further pieces not shown here also polished and etched in gold ready for the plaques to be a ached. The large, heavy pallet was transported to Canberra then Camerons H Hardware arranged to pick up & store the pallet & deliver it to the RSL Memorial Hall for which our members are very grateful,so "thank you" Camerons.

Our Eurobodalla Shire Council has this week very kindly prepared & reinforced the area where the granite is to be fi ed . Peter McMahon ,one of our local stonemasons, will be se ng up the plaques & se ng up the monument for us.

It is proposed that the monument will be dedicated & unveiled on Saturday 19th November at 2pm. Rear Admiral Mark Campbell (RTD) AM will be official guest at the ceremony. All veterans & members of the public are invited to a end. Our normal RSL Sub-Branch mee ng takes place next Tuesday,18th October at 2pm in the RSL Memorial Hall 11 Page St Moruya when this among other ma ers will be discussed.

The Branches of the Country Women's Associa on of NSW from Batemans Bay to Eden have been very busy with Branch elec ons this October. Now we have our Far South Coast Group of the CWA of NSW Conference & AGM taking place on Monday 17th October at Bodalla Bowling Club Potato Pt Rd Bodalla from 9.30am for a 10.00am start.

The Bodalla Branch are hos ng this year's Conference & AGM so we are all looking forward to catching up with members from other Branches & seeing what changes have taken place for office bearers to Group.

We discuss & decide what mo ons are sent from our Group to the CWA of NSW State Conference & AGM to be held in Bathurst in May 2023. Then a er Branch sugges ons are voted on our choices for Interna onal Country Of Study, Woman of Note, Primary Product & Medical Research are sent to State Office for the associated commi ees to decide on. The Guest Speaker is Aunty Lore a Parsley who will be telling us stories about the First Na ons people. It is always a very busy day as there is a lot to discuss from the year just passed & the one to come

Oct 15th - Keith Armitage at Tomakin Social Club

Oct 15th - Ricky Bloomfield at Club Tuross

Oct 15th - Gedupndanz at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Oct 16th - Eurobodalla Live at the Moruya Golf Club

Oct 16th - Rick Bamford at The Patch, Tomakin Social Club

Oct 16th - Suede Cats are Rockin Club Catalina

Oct 21st - Stephen Jackson at Batemans Bay Soldiers Club

Oct 21st - Tyler Hauptberger @One Tree In Tuross Head

Oct 22nd - Raven Duo at Tomakin Social Club

Oct 22nd - Rick Bamford – Tuross Club (6.30pm)

Oct 22nd - Totum are Rockin Club Catalina

Oct 22nd - Don't miss out on the Swamp Stompers

FINAL EVER show in the Eurobodalla. They can't wait to rock out at the Moruya Waterfront Hotel Motel on Saturday 22nd October with The Spindri Saga

What’s on Luminesence Chamber

Singers, the full complement, will be performing at St Andrews Anglican Church, Braidwood this coming Saturday 15 October from 5pm

They will launch their new program, Drawing Breath, in Braidwood exploring first breaths, last breaths and the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi to Pink Floyd and new works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D'Ne o and Dan Walker.

The ensemble includes AJ America (Mezzosoprano), Veronica Milroy (Soprano), Rachel Mink (Soprano), Dan Walker (Tenor) and Jack Stephens (Bass).

Tickets: $45 adults, $40 concessions, $30 under 30s.

Available online HERE and on sale on the day at the door.

Venue: St Andrews Anglican Church, 47 Elrington St Braidwood

Gadfly 257 By Robert Macklin

It was the figure that finally did me in. Seventy-two thousand, or if you prefer 72,000. Either way, it was unbearable, for it was the number of children, women and men slaughtered by the British invaders of Aboriginal Australia. It came towards the end of Rachel Perkins’ forensic, scarifying three-part series, The Australian Wars on SBS. And it was delivered, not from some outraged Aboriginal activists but from a group of white, peer reviewed academics who had spent years uncovering the reports of the day as the white settlers spread across the Australian landscape.

I had watched the series with growing horror as the killing began at the first arrival around Sydney Harbour under Arthur Phillip; spread to Parramatta and the southern highlands under a declaration of war by Lachlan Macquarie; to the whole of Tasmania under George Arthur where nothing less than genocide would do.

Then came the western plains, northern NSW and Queensland where the whitefella officers of the Aboriginal Mounted Police coopted by the government carved a murderous path up the Northern State before crossing the Barkley Tableland and the Northern Territory to the top of Western Australia, and then down to meet the killers of the Noongar folk in the southwest.

By then, the estimated 800,000 Aboriginal population of the continent in 1788 had been halved and halved again by the wars, the imported diseases, social destruction and the oppression of the whitefellas.

Us.

We lost 60,000 men from a population of five million in the First World War, fighting for the British Empire in Europe. I’m not sure that the sacrifice was worth it, but others might, and I’d be fascinated to hear their reasoning. However, when the academics, one after the other, reported that toll of 72,000 Aboriginal people murdered, my heart sank.

The Aboriginal people were not perfect. They had some wacky ideas about the night sky and rainbow serpents; their ancestors probably wiped out most of the megafauna, and the non-eucalyptus forests. They constantly squabbled between their mini-nations and they treated their womenfolk almost as badly as we did (and still do). But by 1788 they lived in harmony with the land and its creatures.

This same land of my birth began its white history with an attempt to exterminate an entire people. And here was I in my big, comfortable chair watching it all revealed through the magic of television and the courage and expertise of Rachel Perkins. It was insupportable…heartbreaking…

It’s no consolation but I can’t help feeling there’s a kind of karma at work. Our rape of the environment is rebounding in a change to the climate itself, one that already seems beyond our grasp to contain, let alone reverse. And as the temperature rises, so too, it seems, does the sense of desperation and delusion feed into the international politics of Putin, Trump, Pretend Emperor Xi Jinping and the other control freaks. Self-destruction beckons.

Sure, our new Prime Minister has begun to draw a line under the colonial horrors with his commitment to the Uluru Statement and a final break with the British overlords. But is it too little too late? As I discovered in my research for the biography of Donald Thomson, the whitefella who carried the Aboriginal struggle into the heart of government until it killed him, The Australian Wars is only half the story.

What followed in the 20th century as we oppressed the survivors is almost as bad, and it’s ours alone to bear… and if possible, in these uncertain days, to repair

Reading—Book reviews

Nimblefoot, by Robert Drewe. Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Books, rrp $32.99

Jesustown, by Paul Daley, Allen @ Unwin, rrp $32.99

By Robert Macklin

Novelists have been mixing fact with fic on ever since Daniel Defoe picked up the story of the castaway Alexander Selkirk in the grog shops of London’s seafarers and gave the world Robinson Crusoe some three hundred years ago.

A venerable tradi on indeed, but rarely has it been so deliciously realized than in Robert Drewe’s romp among the possibili es of the life and mes of Johnny Day, the jockey who rode the five-year-old gelding Nimblefoot to victory in the 1870 Melbourne Cup.

By then, the young Day had already achieved world fame as a compe tor in the pedestrian feats that drew massive crowds to contests with characters as outlandish as the World Series Wrestlers of the 20th century.

As Drewe says, he was a racted to the story through a photograph discovered in Canberra’s Na onal Portrait Gallery of ‘The Pedestrian Child Wonder’ who, a er swapping spor ng obsessions, rode the Cup winner at only fourteen, then disappeared from sight. ‘How strange, I thought, that the famous walker and rider had le no cultural footprint…Johnny Day dropped out of sight. People wondered what had happened to hm. Wild stories started up…’

None, I suspect, were quite as wild, or as detailed, as those the novelist invents as Johnny traces an adventurous trail among the worthies of the day – from the visi ng Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh to Lola Montez, from Adam Lindsay Gordon to Anthony Trollope.

Johnny is on the run from the law in the person of the corrupt and bibulous Victorian Police Commissioner, Captain Standish a er a double murder in which the Prince is implicated. It is this headlong dash around much of Victoria and Western Australia that engages us thoroughly for the rest of the book.

It is not just Drewe’s courage in drawing in the figures of history – which Defoe was spared on his South Sea isle – but the piercing observa on and charm of his wri ng that captures the reader. Nimblefoot has Miles Franklin wri en all over it.

By Robert Macklin—con nues

Paul Daley’s Jesustown is just as courageous in drawing his characters from reality. He selects elements from such adventurous Aboriginal anthropologists as Donald Thomson, Charles Mon ord and Norman Tindale to create his own Nathaniel Renmark.

His ‘country’ is Arnhem Land among the Yolngu people where in 1935 the real Donald Thomson was sent by the Federal Government on a peace mission when the local Aboriginals had killed both Japanese and Australians over the ravaging of their women and the Northern Territory authori es were demanding a ‘puni ve’ mission.

The narrator is Renmark’s grandson Patrick who has disgraced himself in London a er scaling the literary heights (a kind of Australian Jeffrey Archer) and seeks absolu on back in the area of his grandfather’s Yolgnu domain. The se lement, Jesustown is a reference to the missionaries who played a major role in the disrup on of Aboriginal society and culture.

Daley’s courage is expressed in a very different manner from that of Drewe. While he doesn’t have to confront the immensely tes ng task of combining his crea on with well-known figures from history, he has shown no mercy to his narrator as he begins the long road back to redemp on. Patrick begins as a thoroughly unpleasant character; but Daley succeeds splendidly in carrying the reader through his journey of atonement.

Just as important, he posi ons him in that strange no-man’s-land of the whitefella coming to terms with the Aboriginal scene today, not the idealized world that his grandfather experienced and promoted.

Like Drewe and indeed, Daniel Defoe, Paul Daley has paid his dues in journalism where the quirky sidelight, the revealing moment and the humorous quip provide flashing insights that no academic trea se could hope to render.

In these days of the great movement to recognize and venerate the Aboriginal contribu on to the nurturing of the great south land, Jesustown confronts the inherent intergenera onal conflicts. It even challenges the no on of western storytelling, where we demand its disparate features be ed together into a neat bundle like a Hollywood movie, replete with a climac c ac on sequence and a happy ending.

These two Australian novelists show just how confident – and how accomplished – our best writers have become since Defoe first dipped his goose quill into that London inkpot.

Inga Simpson has

So don your

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some bubbles and fun at

Bookings are essen

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to reserve your spot. The Willowman is out October

Reading—A beer with Baz

The two schooners landed with a plonk in front of Bazza and he looked up at a red faced Mick.

“I’m bloody cranky, Bazza………bloody cranky!”

Mick took a generous sip as Bazza’s mouth half opened and his eyes widened. Mick raised his index finger.

“It’s just not on, Bazza. They reckon electricity prices will be up by thirty five percent next year, I can’t get an appointment to see the doctor for ages and to top it all off… I hit another bloody pothole this week……. and that’s cost me a fortune.”

Bazza mo oned to speak.

“Now….. don’t try and jus fy any of this, Bazza. I’ve given your mates in the government a decent go…….and……..and …..now they are also trying to sneak around these promised tax cuts….. I tell you, its just not on.”

Mick finally took a seat. A long pause.

“Opportunity cost, Mick……opportunity cost. My economics teacher at school was big on opportunity cost.”

Mick took another generous sip.

“What the bloody hell are you on about, Bazza? It’s just been an opportunity for your mates to cost me me and money.”

Bazza took a sip and rubbed his chin.

“Well…..Mick….just as there is a cost in doing something…..there is o en a greater cost in doing nothing. Take electricity prices. For decades now, we have been moving away from fossil fuels in terms of power genera on. Anyone that can afford solar panels is inves ng in the future. The major power companies won’t invest in new coal fired power sta ons and the exis ng ones are being run down. Apart from the environmental benefits, it’s really the economics of cheaper renewables driving the change. Now…..I am no expert on power genera on and supply but a whole lot of new technology and infrastructure is now needed to facilitate the transi on.”

“Yeah…..yeah…but, Bazza.”

“No bloody buts, Mick…….it seems to me the last one to come on board is the government. Such a transi on needs leadership. Instead of leading the way over the past decades and preparing for the change, we are now playing catch up. The opportunity cost of doing nothing is what we are going to pay for.”

Another long pause.

“Crikey, Bazza……..you’re stressing me out…..no wonder I need to see a Doctor……if only I could get an appointment.”

They both took sips.

“Well….Mick, on that note, the same principle applies.”

Mick screwed up his face.

“There is an opportunity cost with the promised tax cuts and government expenditure in general. Reducing taxa on and spending up big on things like submarines means less money for the very services everyone wants more of……health is a good example. And……by the way….the opportunity cost of not fixing the roads is you paying for car repairs. All pre y simple, Mick.”

Mick shook his head, finished his schooner and waved it in front of Bazza.

“Well…..Mick….there is an opportunity cost in me shou ng another beer……let me explain.”

Mick joined friends at another bar table.

Have a beer with Bazza at john.longhurst59@gmail.com

Reading

Local writer and community radio presenter on 2EAR FM, Dr. Dianne McInnes presents “Dr. Di’s Diversity” on Tuesday from 3 to 5 pm, with trivia ques ons, wacky facts and easy listening music. Dr. Dianne McInnes has another true crime novel The Singh Murders, published by New Holland Publishers. Three bodies found dead in a spa in a Brisbane suburb! What unfolded became the longest murder trial in Queensland history. Ques ons remain. Analyse the evidence!

Her previous book, Body on the Beach is available on Amazon. Using inves ga ve technical equipment, hacking skills and face recogni on, Angel demonstrates the abili es of a criminologist and a private inves gator. Who are the murderers?

Dianne lived on the Gold Coast in the fi ies; married young; and had four children, who are produc ve members of society. Moving to Papua New Guinea in the early seven es she worked at ABC radio and in Distance Educa on. In 1986 she started her own business: wri ng newsle ers and brochures, progressing to educa onal material. Dianne enjoys reading, water aerobics, ea ng dark chocolate, looking for whales and dolphins.

A widow since 1993, Dianne returned to the Gold Coast, commuted to PNG and con nued to write non-fic on material. As well as being a trainer in Cer ficate IV Training & Assessment for an Australian RTO, she wrote books and voca onal courses. All these works were commissioned or sponsored. In 2016 she a ained a PhD in Criminology

The Singh Murders is her 129th book published by various companies including a 4-volume Papua New Guinea Encyclopaedia, children’s books, teenage novels, biographies, histories, a 2-volume PNG Pictorial History and two non-fic on crime novels. Her professional focus was non-fic on and adult voca onal educa on in Australia and the school curriculum in PNG. She was the designer and co-editor of Air Niugini’s inflight magazine Paradise for eight years, and has wri en scripts for ABC and NBC radio as well as EMTV television.

Dianne is in the process of increasing her score of books to 130 by wri ng a biography of the longest serving Governor of Qld, Sir Leslie Orme Wilson. She also wants to write the second book in the criminologist series.

The Singh Murders is available from your closest book shop, at the bike shop opposite the lighthouse surgery on the flat at Narooma and online.

Council Rates - Purpose, Distor ons & Fairness

To quote Council’s recent Delivery Program “ The role of local councils has come a long way since the days of roads, rates and rubbish.

In the whirlwind three months a er the elec on new councillors were blooded and experienced the dark art of se ng the annual rate levy.

Six months on as council se les into implemen ng the 2022/23 Opera onal Plan you may have started to reflect as to how the 3 R’s roads, rates, rubbish (To which I have always add a fourth R for reserves or the Town Common) became so confusing and convoluted.

Perhaps two examples could assist:-

The first was unashamedly the blunt master servant rela onship between State and Local Governments.

Neville Wran was an ar ul poli cian who in the early 1980’s garnered the pensioner vote at elec on me by promising a rebate on their council rates. Needless to say he was re-elected as NSW Premier with a very large pensioner vote.

A er the elec on, dust se led the detail was revealed, councils were told that they would fund 45% of the rebate from their own ratepayers and State government would only fund 55%.

That was it. Game set & match. Get stuffed local government, rude le er to follow.

With 4500 and growing Eurobodalla has one of the highest % of pensioner ratepayers in a local government area this almost $1million rebate impost hits the full fee paying Eurobodalla ratepayer.

The second example is more recent, cra ed during the State economic ra onalism / priva za on ideological push.

Once, Water and Sewerage Funds were “ring-fenced”, independent iden es within the council financial structure.

These Funds stood on their own feet and it was one of the first items that Council’s financial auditor would examine to ensure that no costs or surpluses in or out had occurred without a damn good reason.

A er all, farmers and rural residen al ratepayers didn’t want any of their General Fund rate money going into Water or Sewerage Funds for the urban residen al ‘townies’.

This strict legal requirement was turned on its head replete with all the jargon and weasel words of the priva sa on era.

Suddenly water and sewerage funds could declare a dividend to be transferred into the general fund.

My take on this manoeuvre was to stop local government whingeing for more state government funding or removal of rate capping.

The State move appeared successful as local government embraced it with hardly a murmur.

Similar to electricity and gas providers the best way to achieve surpluses is to increase the availability charge and also in case of water the usage charge.

Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven are very similar in which to operate water & sewerage schemes. Similar costs could be expected.

Water access charges per standard residen al connec on for each council are: Shoalhaven $84, Bega Valley $260, Eurobodalla $360.

Water usage per kilolitre: Shoalhaven $1.90, Bega Valley $3.28, Eurobodalla $3.90. Eurobodalla has consistently returned for many years about $1million plus in water and sewerage dividends to the general fund. This dividend is achieved by overcharging.

I believe there are other deep-seated structural reasons why Eurobodalla has higher charges and it has nothing to do with our water and sewerage opera ons.

It is expect that when last year’s accounts are completed a report to Council will shortly appear proclaiming a dividend has been achieved due to best prac ce management and compliance with 6 criteria none of which men on procedural fairness to all in the community.

Opera ng a monopoly and selling compulsory unavoidable life essen al products may have some bearing on this stellar result.

Each year in previous Councils Clrs. McGinlay and Mayne voted against what they saw as overcharging ratepayers. Having the temerity to point out this flawed result was only ever, if at all, countered by the administra on that it was ‘best prac ce.’

Paying higher than necessary water and sewerage rates is bad enough, however there is addi onal unfairness buried in this unprincipled prac ce contrary to Council’s Revenue Policy “to provide the fairest and most equitable distribu on of the rate levy across the LGA.”

Eurobodalla has approx. 26,000 general fund ratepayers.

Of these 5000 are rural residen al & farmland ratepayers paying general rates only. (i.e. there’re not connected to water or sewer)

Then there are the 4500 pensioners who receive rebated rates for general, water and sewerage rates.

Finally there are only 16,500 ratepayers paying the full general rate, water rate and sewerage rate.

These 16,500 are singled out to make this dividend contribu on (approx. $60 each) to the general fund.

It is clearly unfair and inequitable that 5,000 rural residen al & farmland ratepayers are not contribu ng a quid pro quo ($300,000) to the general fund yet enjoying the full benefits of the general fund.

Excluding pensioners, applying the pub test to this issue the response would be that 5,000 ratepayers are bludging on the blind-side. I don’t suggest that 5,000 rural ratepayers are bludging but currently there is no avenue to even up the imbalance.

As a regular cyclist on the rural road network within the shire I’ve been most impressed with the effec veness of the dedicated rural roads maintenance unit.

This unit is not funded from a specific alloca on in the general fund.

Stormwater is as much a problem on rural roads as urban roads. However, the stormwater levy is applied only to residen al ratepayers.

Perhaps the stormwater levy should apply not just to urban areas but rural as well. Also, maybe a rural road maintenance levy. Implemen ng a water and sewerage dividend arrangement has two components to consider.

Firstly, is it fair and equitable to all ratepayers?

Secondly, is the amount charged to water and sewerage users affordable?

Presumably if the amounts charged are below an unstated maximum IPART gives a nod of approval looks no further and council can claim “best prac se”.

IPART doesn’t comment on societal fairness, that it leaves for others. Previous councils have ignored this component.

Councillors, when you come to congratulate the previous administra on in achieving a healthy dividend in the water and sewerage funds and vote to transfer almost $1milllion to the general fund you might ask yourself, is this “the fairest and most equitable” thing to be doing.

As I said earlier se ng the rate levy is a dark art. Finding the sweet spot is even harder.

Ross Hayward, Broulee.

Reading New novel to change the game on consent. The Edge of Limits out November 1st

Is ge ng to the heart of boys the key to tackling the consent issue?

It is, says award-winning author and educa on consultant Susanne Gervay who has wri en her next novel The Edge of Limits, out November 1 through Flying Elephant Media.

This book, says Susanne, goes to the heart of boys and their emo ons and is what is needed to change the game on consent.

Says Susanne, “We need to end stories of the Bri any Higgins and Grace Tames of this world, so I persuaded my son to help me write “The Edge of Limits” which allowed me to go straight into the heart of boys and the topic of consent, about 17-year-old Sam who grapples with the decision about whether to speak up or not about a sexual assault he found out about.

“Boys feel so much, yet they rarely talk about the turbulence of their emo ons. Especially country boys, many of whom face mental health issues and suicide. It’s not good enough. It can never be good enough. While government campaigns now advocate ‘respect’, endless academic papers on gender equity proliferate, schools ck the boxes on consent programs and we have almost 7,000 tes monies of abuse by mostly teenage girls in the ‘Teach us Consent’ forum, we need to get to the heart of the issue. The Edge of Limits is the voice that will spark an important conversa on to make change. It will teach boys to think cri cally and make be er decisions, and it will teach girls the drivers for male ac on. It’s a real-life story that teen and young adult readers need to start having a conversa on. And it’s the book parents, grandparents, schools and libraries need to get into their hands to finally make a difference”.

Says Reading Time online, “This book needed to be wri en, and needs to be read”.

About the Book

The Edge of Limits (out November) is about 17-year-old Sam who must learn to deal with a range of emo ons. He is not only dealing with the school bully and his sex-obsessed best friend as they all embark on school survival camp, he is grappling with the emo ons around the death of his grandfather - the only male figure in his life - and whether or not he should stay quiet or speak up about a sexual assault that happened at his school.

About the Author

Award-winning author and educa on consultant Susanne Gervay can talk about how ge ng to the heart of boys is the key to tackling the consent issue. Susanne has also been awarded an OAM for her services to children’s literature, and is the head of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in Australia. Consent and female empowerment underpins much of her published stories. www.sgervay.com for more about Susanne and her books.

100 Years Ago 14th October 1922

THE Government’s contribu on to hospitals is to be increased by the payment of £1 for £1 subsidy, without limits.

A BIG party of tourists from Melbourne passed through Moruya on Tuesday. There were 35 in all, and they are travelling in two big char-a-bancs. They le Melbourne last Monday week, and are proceeding by easy stages to Sydney, and will return by the main southern route to Melbourne. There is a cinematograph operator with the party, and he is taking moving pictures along the way.

We are pleased to note that our Shire Council is to receive £650 out of the Commonwealth’s special grant of £96,000 and that the Councillors have wisely decided to spend £300 of that amount with another £300 added on the much-needed re-forma on of Mullenderee road. With the balance of the grant, subsidized by £1 for £1 by the Council, the MoruyaBodalla road between the 214 and 216 mile posts, as well as Nelligen-Braidwood road will receive a en on.

THROUGH the par cularly kind treatment given him when an inmate of the Moruya Hospital some me ago, and thus fully realising the benefits of these worthy ins tu ons, Mr. S. Harkus, of Nelligen, has no fied the Hon. Secretary that he will donate a ham for the ball supper on Tuesday night next.

AT a mee ng of the Moruya District Cricket Associa on the following office-bearers were elected: - Patron, Mr. R. N. Bull; President, Mr. C. de Saxe; Vice-Presidents, Messrs. W. Doyle and L. W. Jones; Secretary, Mr. C. Carter; Treasurer, Mr. F. Knight; Delegates, Messrs. F. Knight and C. Selden (Moruya) and S. Marsden and A. Smith (Bodalla). Bateman’s Bay and Narooma to be appointed. …

ON Wednesday the dredge Antleon commenced very necessary opera ons just inside the entrance to our river.

MISS Rose Murphy met with a painful accident on Saturday last. When descending the steps at the back of her residence she tripped, and falling heavily she broke a bone in her ankle. Dr. Quilter set the injured member and the pa ent is now progressing sa sfactorily.

OUR progressive townsman, Mr. A. H. Preddy is undoubtedly imbued with wonderful energy. In addi on to his many business enterprises on hand he has purchased another up-to-date cinema plant. With an Interna onal lorry, a De Dion engine, Power’s biograph, and an electric ligh ng plant, he will travel north as far as Bateman’s Bay, and south to Cobargo. …

Mrs W. Emmo and Miss Mary Emmo are on a short visit to Moruya, and are the guests of Mrs. J. Emmo , of “Eversley.”

art Moruya Red Door Theatre presents"Agatha Crusty & The Village Hall Murders"

Moruya Red Door Theatre presents"Agatha Crusty & The Village Hall Murders" by Derek Webb

A fantas c mystery comedy whodunnit with a cast of 15.

Agatha Crusty is a crime novelist. And when her sister-in-law Alice invites her to spend a few days with her in the village of Chortelby, it’s not long before she gets caught up in a series of murders which seem directed at members of the All Saints Village Hall commi ee. Packed full of wit and very funny scenes, this is also a genuine murder mystery with an ingenious plot which will tax the li le grey cells of the audience at the same me!

Table se ngs for Christmas bookings. So BYO for a great night out. Booking details out shortly.

7 shows at the #Moruya RSL Hall Fri 18 & Sat 19 Nov 7pm Fri 25 & Sat 26 7pm Sun 27 2pm Ma nee Fri 2 Dec & Sat 3 Dec 7pm

Check out the Facebook link The Moruya Red Door Theatre | Facebook. Ticket details out shortly.

‘Inter dal’Stephanie Simko and Mandy Hillson at Spiral Gallery

Stephanie Simko and Mandy Hillson, two south-coast ar sts, will be exhibi ng their

mixed media artworks at Spiral Gallery, Bega from Friday 21 October to Sunday 9 November.

The exhibi on ‘Inter dal’, contemplates the ever-changing rhythms of nature and the ebb and flow of life. The opening will be on Friday 21 October at 5pm, by Indira Carmichael, Coordinator Arts and Culture, Eurobodalla Shire Council.

In her body of work, Steph says that she has taken her daily coastal walks to ponder and explore the pa erns and rhythms of the inter dal zone, the ebb and flow of the de and its ever-changing mark on the shoreline.

With her interest in the juxtaposi on of form, light, colour and space, Steph has used different mediums to express her findings; tex les, felt, s tch, paint and found elements which are used to help create the story in both 2D and sculptural forms.

Through her hand made paper artwork, Mandy explores what ‘sense of place’ means to her.

She o en harvests local plants, par cularly Lomandra grass which grows along her walking track to the beach. She then cuts and cooks the leaves to make paper pulp and some mes dyes it. She prints images onto the paper, hand colours or adds inclusions to reveal the story intrinsic to that place.

Mandy says that she feels at home living in her coastal village of Broulee. There she likes to observe her own ebb and flow and that of the des, all of which leave their marks embedded within her and on her handmade paper.

Both Steph and Mandy are ac ve members of Eurobodalla Fibre and Tex le Ar sts’ Group and exhibit regularly.

Spiral Gallery

47 Church St, Bega

Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm

Sat 10am to 1pm

The Basil Sellers Art Prize exhibi on is now on!

This years' winning artwork is ‘An Encounter on the Path that Leads to the River’ by Michael Thomson

You can view the stunning works of all finalists and vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice Award at the Basil Sellers Exhibi on Centre, on show now un l 20 Nov 22

Opening hours: Daily, 10am to 4pm

Ar st demonstra ons: David Ramsland: Saturday 15 October 2022,12pm to 1.30pm. Gillian Wilde: Saturday 29 October 2022, 10am to 12pm.

Bookings through event lis ng

sports Club Malua Women’s Bowls Report

Bowls Organiser David Thomas welcomed 39 ladies all dressed in Pink on a lovely sunny day a er all the rain we have had recently. President Sue Beavan commented how amazing everyone looked before we all sang Happy Birthday to Robyn Butcher and Rae Fayle. Before bowling we had a group photo on the green. Good bowling on Friday for 3 Malua Bay teams who are contes ng the Triples Final in Narooma. Monday 17th Grade 2 Pennant team will playoff against Merimbula in Regionals. What a fabulous a ernoon for over 100 guests at Club Malua all present to help raise funds for research into Breast Cancer. Well done to Manuela and staff for making this event such a success. Thanks to Michael, Execu ve Chef from Cabra Bowls for the fabulous meal served. Jarred from the Cancer Council gave an inspiring talk on the role he has in this wonderful organiza on. Two of our bowling ladies Robyn and Shirley talked about their experiences a er being diagnosed with Breast Cancer how today there is so much care given to pa ents. There were lots of prizes to be won also an Auc on of a weekend at The Moorings, a beau ful pain ng and a hand made Quilt all very popular. Winner of Best dressed was our secretary extraordinaire Pat Weekes who came along as Edna Everidge dressed to the nine in Pink, Rosie Rayner was second choice . Special thanks to Club Malua and Cabra Bowls for their generous dona ons, also to all those who a ended this event, the total raised was $4,860 a fantas c effort to everyone.

Narooma Ladies Golf results

On Monday 10th October we had 20 entrants in our medley stableford compe on.

Two divisions: Div 1: 0-20, Div: 2 21-45

Winner in A grade was Sylvia Donohoe who posted a score of 34 off handicap -1

Winner in B grade was Jenny Walker who posted a score of 32 C/B off handicap of 22 Balls went to 28

Wednesday 12th October – only a small field of 22 entrants competed today in the official season close.

Two divisions: Div 1: 0-26. Div 2: 27-45

A grade winner was Julie Blessington who posted a score of 36 off handicap of 20

B grade winner was Maddie Robinson who posted a score of 32 off handicap of 29 Balls to 31 OCB

Nearest to pin: Hole 9, Div 1 Kay Lawrence, Hole 14, Div 2 Tina Wilson, Hole 17, Div 3 Trish Benne

Above: Kim, Pat Weekes, Rosie Rayner, Olga Geshwend and Gayl Vidgen

Flag Unfurling Ceremony for Triumphant Pennant 4 Players

On Tuesday the Tuross Head Pennant 4 bowlers were recognised in a tradi onal ceremony, a ended by Far South Coast District President Vicki Hermann and Vice – President Margaret Naylor. The ladies were given a guard of honour by the other Tuross women bowlers before the flag was unfurled and presented to the ladies to celebrate their recent win in the Far South Coast Pennant 4 compe on.

Each member of the team was presented with a badge as a memento of the win.

Following the unfurling of the flag and raising it to the flagpole, a delicious special morning tea was held, a ended by special guests Tuross Head Country Club Manager Peter Price and Club President Rodger Chappell.

The team will now play off next Tuesday morning in the Regional Playoff. If you would like to see great bowls, come along to Tuross Head Country Club to watch the games. The compe on will start with the Pennant 2 and Pennant 3 teams, from across the Region playing a Round Robin compe on, commencing on Monday a ernoon.

Tuross Head Country Club is thrilled to be holding this Regional Pennant Payoff and we know all players will enjoy playing on our wonderful greens.

Above: Council opened Coila Lake on October 14th 2022 as the level had reached 2.0m, the pping poin that requires a forced opening.

Photo: Anne Parker

RUNNER’S

12 OCTOBER 2022

Mild condi ons helped the 32 runners enjoy the event this evening. We welcomed the Norgate/Gunn family to their first run with the group. We also welcomed back the Knobel family. Two of the starters were 4-year old’s Lo e Knobel and Harvey Gunn. The event is for the very young and very senior ci zens.

A very welcome runner was Brendan Gorzalki, whose last appearance was on 12 November 2014 when he ran a me of 20.36 in the 5 kilometres. It is hoped that his next run will be sooner.

Congratula ons to Barry King, who recorded a personal best me in the 4-kilometres.

Mountain Bike Narooma Womens Come and Try Day

Mountain Bike Narooma post: Some exci ng future news! Ladies, have you been wondering what all the fuss is about mountain biking recently? Have you wanted to come and see our trails but haven't quite known where to begin?

Come out and see for yourself how fun mountain biking is and get a beginner's introduc on to mountain biking with an accredited coach. A er learning the basics, enjoy a social ride with a suppor ve group of women and start your mountain biking journey.

Already into MTB? Come along to further your knowledge about your bike and enjoy a social ride. Narooma Bicycles will be giving a demonstra on on basic bike maintenance and repairs! This will be a great opportunity to learn more about your bike and how to give it the TLC it deserves. We'll follow the demonstra on with a social ride to suit intermediate levels. Bring along a camp chair, enjoy a BBQ sausage sizzle courtesy of the Narooma MTB Club and chat to us about what the Narooma MTB club is all about.

*You do not need to be a member of the Narooma MTB Club or Auscycling for this event – we want you to see if you like it first and then we would love you to join

*You need to have a helmet

*You need to bring a bike but if you do not have access to a suitable mountain bike please send us a message or email us. We have a very limited number of spare bikes so we may be able to hook you up with a bike for the day

Tackle World Moruya Fishing Report

Moruya River.

We haven’t seen the rain that other parts of the state or Victoria have, thankfully, and fingers crossed we don’t! That being said the river is s ll looking less than ideal, with the dirty water s ll holding court.

My best recommenda on would be to fish the front end of the system on an incoming de, and concentrate on the deeper holes. This run of dirty water, as they all do, will concentrate the fish into a smaller area. It can make finding the fish, if you know where to look easier, but ge ng them to bite, can be tricky. Oily baits would be my recommenda on, with mullet fillet being the best example. It stays on the hook well and resists the pickers, un l hopefully a bigger specimen comes along. It is also my pick for parents fishing with kids, as you spend less me rebai ng hooks for the kids.

Slow rolled so plas cs or hardbody lures that generate vibra on will also work during mes of dirty water. The fish need to be able to find your offering, so the addi on of any of the many scents available added to your lure will also help.

Tuross River.

Tuross is also feeling the dirty water, with condi ons less than ideal. I have had reports that the area up around the Bodalla bridge isn’t looking so brown at the moment, fingers crossed the excess water upstream is star ng to slow. This however will be determined by the amount of rainfall we get this weekend. Once again look to the deeper holes, and try oily baits of noisy lures to find a flathead, mulloway or bream that is sheltering from the fresh.

Coila lake is looking very full, with reports that there are good bream towards the front of the lake where there is good levels of cleaner water s ll making its way through the sand dunes on a rising de. Expect to find a few flathead in these areas also.

Prawning this summer in Coila will depend on if the lake opens, or is opened, in the next week or so. An opening now will see any prawns currently in the lake flushing out, and will make it a late run towards the end of summer into autumn.

Rock and beach.

With big seas currently running, but dropping off as the weekend progresses, expect that the salmon and bream will start to bite again as the seas abate. There have been reports of good numbers of bream on the beaches, no doubt as a result of them being pushed out of the local estuaries. Concentrate your efforts on beach’s that are adjacent to any major out flows for the best chance of success. Worms, nippers, pilchards or even mullet fillet will all work. Drummer off of the rocks will be an op on, just keep an eye on the swells, as we have an easterly swell, which generally doesn’t offer much protec on on any of the ledges as it is coming straight into most rocky headlands.

Offshore.

For those who have ventured out, there have been a few good snapper lurking on the local reefs. Try in around 20m of water and work your way deeper if you can’t find a feed. With a straight easterly sweep this weekend, keep a close eye on the Moruya bar if you are contempla ng crossing it. We should be under 2m seas by the weekend, but do your research before blindly trying to cross.

We are con nuing to see new season stock hit the walls, so check our socials for the presence of new stock, or be er yet, come in and say hi and check for yourself!

Stay safe everyone and remember, “every day's a good day for fishing…” Team Tackle World Moruya.

OUT NOW—your latest Beagle Abode : Eurobodalla’s leading real estate guide

The beagle abode is an online weekly Eurobodalla real estate guide showcasing the current Eurobodalla market and our many realtors.

The beagle abode is the new addi on to the South Coast Beagle that owns The Beagle and the South Coast Travel Guide: The Nature Coast of NSW : from Durras to The Tilbas

The Beagle Abode has been established to provide that service while also providing our readers with a glossy overview of latest proper es on the market each week.

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CLICK HERE: h ps://www.beagleweekly.com.au/real-estate

Don’t Gamble or Forget Insurance

When purchasing a property, it is essen al for your own financial security that you cover the property with the appropriate level of insurance. Last month, a family in Ryde (Sydney) desperately, but unsuccessfully, a empted to put out a fire which completely destroyed the home that they had moved into only two months before. The report finished with the statement that property was not insured. It made no comment as to whether or not the owner simply forgot to insure the property or whether than made a decision not to take out insurance. Regardless of whether or not the owners were “gambling” or simply forgot, the financial outcome for them is devasta ng.

I suppose if you are not in a fire prone area such as many of us now know we are, one may be tempted to think that you could get away with not having insurance and saving a few dollars. But it can be the simplest thing that causes a fire. In this instance the fire was a result of a lithium-ion ba ery which firefighters say caused the blaze. Apparently, the ba ery had been recently purchased off the internet and was le una ended in the house while being charged.

Of course, there are other sources of fire that can damage or destroy your home with the most common being electrical fault, kitchen fires, drying clothes too close to a fire, cigare es and children “playing” with fire.

Regardless of where you live and how careful you think you are, there are lessons to be learnt from sad stories like this. Your home is, for most people, the most expensive asset that you own. Don’t gamble with it, make sure you take out insurance as soon as you become the legal owner (exchange of contracts).

The other lesson is also, make sure you buy the correct ba ery for your device/charger and don’t leave it una ended while charging.

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