✦ Welcome one and all to October’s edition of Brilliant Online.
Spring is in the air. Thank you Jorga Breust for gracing our cover as we celebrate the Melbourne Cup.
We shine a spotlight on the Mid North Coast NSW Business Awards which recognises growth, entrepreneurship and business success, from Woolgoolga in the North to the Hunter in the South. Congratulations to Meg BarndenHyde for winning the Outstanding Business Leader Award. Pathfinders deserves to win the award for Outstanding Community Organisation as they expand their work to support disadvantaged communities in the Mid North Coast. Well done and all the best of luck next month at the State Business Awards in Sydney in November!
As usual, John Clarke and Liz Jarvis share their expertise on finances. Elsewhere, we catch up with Dr Blanks about taking responsibility in family planning, learn more about the fantastic yoga and surfing classes Soul Surfing specialise in and have a chat with the team at Grazed & Grown Farm, who share their healthy farming practices and highlight the importance of sound nutritional intake to confirm the age-old saying ‘we are what we eat’ is absolutely true!
Chantelle Doyle shares her tale of a potentially fatal encounter with a shark that prompted her life-affirming attitude towards the creatures and
Brilliant-Online makes people and businesses famous. It is an empowering read for progressive individuals and dynamic businesses pushing for a better world in the digital era. Born witty, Brilliant unveils an online magazine featuring a variety of digital interactive content that makes it similar to the magical Daily Prophet newspaper from Harry Potter.
her work towards protecting them and our oceans and we profile the Neami Community Cup, back after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus to carry on raising awareness of mental health.
October is Dyslexia Awareness month and also when Walktober occurs so we peel the curtain back to learn more and also preview The Beechwood Billycart Classic, a funfilled day for all the family. There is also a glowing tribute to Jim Frazier whose pioneering work was held in high regard with such luminaries as Sir David Attenborough, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron.
There’s so much more to enjoy this month and we hope you do exactly that!
Golden rays of the morning’s sun begin to throw sparkles across the ocean
Children's Happy Meals - Chicken Burgers with Lemon Myrtle Recipe
Why do Grazed and Grown farm the way they do?
Their body! Their rules! Their choice!
Importance of Health In A Community Burlesque is more than an art form
Debunking stigmas and breaking barriers during Dyslexia Awareness Month
A LOOK at a BOOK
Dr. Blanks - A vasectomy means taking leadership in family planning
A thing of beauty is a joy forever, just like Jorja Breust
Brilliant November 2022 Themes
Malaysians and Singaporeans Celebrate 185 years of Migration History
A Tribute to Dr Jim Frazier, OAM ACS DSC.hc by Christine Calabria Prost to Oktoberfest!
Headspace and Out Loud and Proud are partnering to bring you Port Macquarie’s first ever Queer Prom!
Polmear's Writing Group launched their first book, "Stories Around the
Table"
Pilates Instructor Training launched at My Body My Pilates
The Cup is Back to support Mental Health!
Helicopter Golf Day
Putting your best foot forward for Walktober!
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The Melbourne Cup needs absolutely no introduction to anyone with a passing interest in anything Australia related. The “race that stops a nation” does exactly that at 3pm on the first Tuesday in November each year. Central Business Districts in major cities become spookily quiet as offices empty and people flock to the pub to catch the race, sleepy backwater towns and dusty outback mines are all shrouded in hush as all eyes turn to the special occasion. The day is even a national holiday in the state
of Victoria. In a country that loves its sports, it’s fair to say that the Melbourne Cup is the biggest and most popular of all. Regarded more than just an institution, it is now followed by horse racing enthusiasts globally and not just in its native Australia, where over 120,000 flock to the course each year.
There are, of course, a multitude of famed horse races around the world each year that have become etched in the sporting calendar and common folklore; The Kentucky Derby in the
United States, The Grand National and the Epsom Derby in the UK, the Dubai World Cup in the Middle East and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, held in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower at Longchamp in Paris. Prestigious and renowned races all of them, but none quite matches the appeal of the Melbourne Cup.
The occasion does indeed stop the nation, as schools, factories, businesses, even the government
✦ Spring is in the air and that means one thing – time to drop everything and tune in as it is Melbourne Cup time!Melbourne Cup Photo: Scott Barbour, getty images
take pause to watch the race. It truly unites a nation via camaraderie and the provision of a sporting spectacle founded on a uniquely level playing field as the race is a handicap, meaning each horse is allocated a weight, according to its ability, in an attempt to equalise every horse’s chance of winning. The occasion also inextricably links two of Australia’s favourite past times: drinking and betting. In 2020 in Australia alone, despite no spectators present due to COVID-19 restrictions, $221.6 million was bet on the famous race, up more than 17% on 2019 figures, and a total of $667.3 million was invested over the four days of the Melbourne Cup carnival, according to justhorseracing.com.au. It is a widely known quip that if all the
bottles of champagne drunk during the carnival were placed end-to-end, they would easily line the track!
First held in 1861, the prestigious race sees the world’s fastest, blueblooded thoroughbreds aged three and over thunder two-miles around Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, with $8million in prize money up for grabs and the winner claiming the the 18-karat gold trophy, estimated to be worth around $150,000.
It has grown significantly in stature since that inaugural race that saw just 4,000 people attend and winner Archer receive a gold pocket watch as opposed to the now revered trophy.
vAcclaimed American writer Mark Twain attended in 1895 and was enthused with what he saw first hand, writing: “The champagne flows, everybody is vivacious, excited, happy... Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me.”
No doubt at the time Twain’s glowing testimony helped grow awareness and subsequently popularity of the occasion. It was first filmed the following year in 1896 and first broadcast on radio in 1925. Nowadays over 700 million viewers across 120 countries switch on their TVs each year for the three-and-a-half minute race. Whereas it is widely known as the “race that stops a nation”, one could be forgiven for extending that to two nations because as many people in New Zealand as in Australia pause to watch the race.
There have been many epic races and tales over the years, such as the horse called Phar Lap, affectionately known as “Big Red”, who captured the public’s attention and brought much needed joy and excitement during the bleak times of the Great Depression in the 1920s and 1930s. Damien Oliver won a Media Puzzle in 2002 after tragically losing his brother weeks earlier to a riding incident, a tale of triumph over adversity. The legendary Makybe Diva who completed a hat-trick of Melbourne Cups between 2003 and 2005, creating history in the process.
Complementing its popularity and reach, in addition to avid race fans who tune in from all over the world, is the fact that so many horses entering the race are now bred and trained at stables overseas. Horses from New Zealand have been commonplace for many, many years but since Irish-trained Vintage Crop won the race in 1993 in his first start down under, thoroughbreds from renowned stables in Ireland, the UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, France, the Middle East and the United States have also become prevalent, thus expanding the race’s global appeal and footprint. Likewise trainers and jockeys –in 2018 there were 11 European trainers and six jockeys from Italy, Britain and Hong Kong.
This year’s Melbourne Cup promises to be an extra special occasion due to the interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which saw spectators banned in 2020 and only 10,000 people allowed to attend last year. This year it’s back to business as usual and you can guarantee Flemington Racecourse will be raucous with celebration.
Elsewhere, fans will flock to pubs, RSLs and friend’s houses all across the country. Expect particularly fervent fans on the other side of the world to be setting their alarm clocks in anticipation of the event. Overseas venues will bulge with keen spectators, such as the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Singapore Turf Club. The Lion City is also hosting the Melbourne Cup Day Luncheon at Hotel Fort Canning and popular expat hang outs such as Boomerang Bar, Fern & Kiwi, The Prince of Wales pub and The Exchange will be buzzing with punters.
Whereas it is a proud Aussie institution, the Melbourne Cup nowadays truly has a global appeal. Wherever you are, you can be sure this year’s race will be an event not to be missed!
✦ The Mid North Coast NSW Business Awards recognises growth, entrepreneurship and celebrates business success from Woolgoolga in the North to the Hunter in the South.
The high standard of entries in 2022 was unprecedented with several highly commended awards given out for the first time, as the scores were so close.
Welcome Dental from Urunga was named Mid North Coast 2022 Business of the Year and Taree's Rock
Solid Fitness won the Outstanding Start Up award.
Winners go on to represent the region at the State Business Awards in Sydney in November
This award is awarded to a Business that has been judged to be an outstanding business, that has provided an entry that demonstrates achievements and excellence over and above all other entrants.
Welcome Dental team comprises of a number of enthusiastic and caring personalities, committed to providing high quality dentistry and exceptional
patient care in a place where people feel safe, welcome and at peace. The team is social, innovative and inspired by people who are passionate about oral health and happy smiles.
Welcome Dental wants to help you turn that frown upside down and provide you with a pathway to a sensational happy smile. All patients are encouraged to maintain their oral health through preventive care both at home by attending for regular oral health reviews, cleans and remineralising treatments.
recognises a start-up business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the potential to achieve future success
Rock Solid Fitness began with 2 trainers who wanted to create a space unlike mainstream gyms, where people could come and work on their strength and fitness without feeling intimidated or uncomfortable. Starting in a small shed in the
industrial area running classes and personal training, the space was outgrown within a few months.
An opportunity came up to move into a 3 split level building right on the riverbank in Taree, so the 24/7 gym of Rock Solid Fitness began in early 2021.
With a focus on mental health and building friendships and community, the gym hit the ground running day one. It seems there was a need in the community for a safe space like this, a gym that isn’t intimidating, as it has thrived.
During covid lockdowns the community stayed connected through
a private members facebook group as well as some fun challenges along the riverbank that kept the community active and having fun, like a chalk walk challenge.
"Being awarded the Outstanding Startup award at the regional business awards, and now heading off to the NSW business awards is such an exciting time for us, as a small family owned business and it’s just such an honour to have this recognition." said Linda Bryant.
recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.
Brows by Willow is unique to other beauty salons as the main focus and the drive were built purely around cosmetic tattooing. Whilst specialising in cosmetic tattooing, they also offer many other beauty services.
Customers can receive a holistic beauty experience, leaving the studio feeling beautiful and confident in their own skin - that is what the passion and drive is all about at Brows by Willow.
The vision at the studio is to have an inviting and inspiring place where they can help empower women to look and feel beautiful. Willow’s passion for beauty and particular semi permanent makeup has inspired her to bring to life Brows by Willow, Beauty and Cosmetic Studio and more recently her academy.
She told us. “I absolutely love what I do so I keep up to date with evolving new ideas and regularly training in the newest techniques, constantly updating staff and my knowledge and improving on our skills keeping us motivated and focussed. A priority in my business is not to keep up with the market, but to be a leader in it.”
This year 2022 has been a crazy and exciting year for Brows by Willow. Not only has the business opened an academy, allowing others to follow their dreams locally, but they have been nominated for many prestigious awards, including making the finalist in the Australian Beauty and Cosmetic Tattoo awards for best combination brow artist in Australia, best make up and rising star. Also winning the Mid North Coast Micro Business Award and now heading off to Sydney to represent our region.
Willow said. “At the age of 22 I am excited to be in such a privileged position to be a leader in my field. We will continue to deliver high standards of beauty and cosmetic care, while seeking to improve and look forward
to working in the Port Macquarie community as a young business woman keen to succeed. I was honoured to win such a prestigious award and hope to make the Mid North Coast proud.”
recognises an inspirational employee who has demonstrated a passion for their role and a commitment to their workplace and the community.
Hastings Physio and Health are recognized leaders in physiotherapy and allied health services on the Mid North Coast. Over the past years they have collected multiple awards including Excellence in Small Business, Outstanding Young Business Leader and most recently Erin Freeman, Exercise Physiologist, was the winner of the Mid North Coast Outstanding Employee of the year.
Hastings Physio and Health strive to be the leaders in healthcare. Their motto is “Treating you like family” and this
is exactly what they do. Not only do they ensure you get great clinical outcomes, but they make sure you enjoy your treatment journey.
Hastings Physio and Health offer a wide range of services including:
• Physiotherapy
• Exercise Physiology
Massage Therapy
Men’s Health Physiotherapy
Pilates and Exercise Classes
• Post Operative Rehabilitation
Fracture management, casting and splinting
Pre-employment assessments
recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create stimulating and supportive workplace environments for its employees.
All Disability Plan Management were delighted to win the Employer of Choice award at the recent Mid North Coast Regional Business Awards.
Plan Managers are registered NDIS providers who assist NIDS participants with the financial side of managing their funding. Plan Management is of no cost to the participant and is covered by the NDIA. All Disability provide a personalised service, giving their members and their representatives direct access to their own Budget Buddies who keep a careful eye on their funding ensuring they alert participants to potential over or under spending.
Jo Hollis, Founder, Owner and CEO (pictured next to Rod in the sequinned jacket), was also over the moon with receiving a highly commended award for the Excellence in large business category.
Jo started the business in 2017 from her kitchen table in King Creek and now has an ever-expanding team of 43. She is totally committed to making life easier for those living with disability and assisting to maximise the benefits, participants achieve from their plans.
recognises the achievements of a Local Chamber of Commerce in supporting its members to maximise their business potential.
Business Port Macquarie is a member based not-for-profit industry association and that
works to grow local business by creating opportunities to benefit the region's business and professional community.
They aim to:
• Advocate for business and industry in all areas that affect or enhance opportunities for enterprise.
• Deliver quality events that provide value to members and highlight the significance of the local business community.
• Provide a networking platform for our members to collaborate, contribute and collect ideas, knowledge and allegiance.
• Be the voice of our members and work closely with local and State governments in representing them on issues of importance.
recognises an organisation that works to improve the social, cultural or environmental wellbeing of the community.
Pathfinders Ltd is a not-for-profit company operating across the New
England North West and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales. They empower people to live with hope and equal opportunity to achieve their potential.
Pathfinders plays an important ongoing role in supporting families, individuals and children to overcome various social issues. By taking risks to help those at risk, they are making sure no one is left behind.
✦ Brilliant-Online was a finalist in the Outstanding Start-up on the Mid North Coast and we were simply thrilled to be a part of the celebrations of so many amazing businesses!
Brilliant-Online was among the finalists for Outstanding Start-Up and we were looking forward to being at the event to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all these businesses we love and know so well.
The Business Awards was an important event for us, because the evening felt like a recognition of
the work we do at Brilliant, and a reminder to ourselves to be proud of what we do for these businessesmaking them sparkle and be famous!
Our September edition proudly featured the long-awaited 2022 Wauchope Business Awards winners. It was packed full of celebrations and recognition of the hard work of so many people in our community.
Every day we dream and let our imagination fly about how to make Brilliant-Online even more magical so that our stories can become a focal point of interaction and engagement for readers, advertisers and communities. We have more than 35,000 Brilliant readers now and as our community and businesses grow, so do we.
vBrilliant-Online is here to support our communities and create opportunities for businesses to engage easily with their communities.
As we support businesses around us, our communities will also thrive. In our modern age of competition, it is even more important to us to uphold our Brilliant values - there is plenty to go around and we want to celebrate everyone's win!
How Brilliant helps businesses look good, feel good, do good!
We wouldn't be able to celebrate others if we're not able to celebrate ourselves too! We as a Brilliant Team, are proud of every single day's work we put in, since our conception during the pandemic.
We continue to be passionate and bold in paving modern pathways making a positive difference to everyone who comes into contact with us. We own every action and believe one can never have too much kindness to give. Everyone and everything is worthy of respect in our Brilliant world.
And it cannot be said enough - a big Thank You to our Bright and Brilliant team!
Brilliant walks side by side businesses through the pandemic
• Chrissy Jones (Commercial Executive) who is there to hear the voices of businesses in our communities,
• Ben Tirebuck (Editor) who makes sure our stories pack a punch and engages readers,
• Yann Tyng (Writer) who helps each business' story shine,
• Adan (Graphic Designer) for making our visuals sparkle, and
• Selena Hata (Marketing Assistant) for having so many hats on and helping everything run smoothly!
Join our Brilliant-Online world where businesses sell without selling across the planet. From reaching new audiences to engaging with existing stakeholders, we help make sure your stories get heard, and your business continues to grow thanks to our online multi-dimensional advertorial platform. It is truly a magical publication in the global marketplace. Simply Brilliant!
✦ At any given moment of any day, a Pathfinders staff member is at work, providing emergency accommodation, helping women and children escaping from domestic violence, or supporting a young person struggling with their mental wellbeing.
Pathfinders' mission is to empower people to live with hope and equal opportunity➸
Thousands of people in New South Wales who are living with disadvantage, or who are at risk, rely, trust and depend on the Pathfinders team to deliver a high level of services to improve their circumstances.
Pathfinders is an organisation at the forefront of providing
advocacy, support and services for disadvantaged communities. They have operated in the North-West and Northern Tablelands regions of NSW for over 30 years and have recently expanded their reach to the Mid North Coast.
Pathfinders' mission is to empower people to live with hope and equal opportunity to reach their potential by providing hope through purpose and passion; generously sharing their expertise, knowledge and resources to make a transformative difference.
Pathfinders understood that communities' needs have changed over the years, so in 2020, a strategic plan was mapped out to focus on:
• A deeper commitment to grow and engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culture Diverse staff and community by introducing programs like Pathfinders National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Birth Certificate;
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment.
• Homelessness for individuals and families seeking alternative accommodation for a host of reasons including family violence, financial insecurity and shortages of affordable housing. Keep Them Safe action plan improves the safety and well-being of children in NSW.
• Mental and physical health with circumstances impacting communities economically and socially.
Pathfinders have facilitated foster care, out-of-home care, homelessness services, family referral services and support independent living for young people.
Ultimately, Pathfinders hope to develop thriving communities in which all people can fully participate and develop freely through mutual trust and acceptance. This is being achieved through collaborative
strategies and best practices, a strong and respectful workforce, and advancing bold and progressive ideas and policies.
In doing so, equal opportunity is created by facilitating access to education, employment and safe housing; breaking down barriers that are obstacles to growth and independence.
Pathfinders is fortunate to have a robust frontline staff network, backed by an experienced board and strong leadership team. Together, they have an unwavering commitment to being the agents of change and improving the lives of people they work with.
This success has been recognised on many levels and has resulted in numerous awards for excellence, including the Mid North Coast Business Award, Outstanding Community Organisation.
v“We are proud of the work we do, the partnerships we have created and the results we achieve for people within our care," said Pathfinders CEO. "We are stronger because of our collaborations and our willingness to challenge the status quo through action."
A wide range of services are offered from Foster care and out-of-home care, specialist homelessness advocacy, including a women and children’s refuge and supported accommodation services for young people to ensure people are safe and well.
Child protection and family referral services, parenting and family strengthening workshops, family preservation services, supervised contact, therapeutic activities and after care services the support is all encompassing. NDIS support services, such as “Support Your Path”, the Pathfinders’ National Aboriginal Birth Certificate Program and Aboriginal Early Years Program are all delivered in a thoughtful and compassionate manner.
The Marie Delaine Training Centre in Armidale provides vocational skills development, education and accreditation as well as field placements and training for TAFE and university students.
the award for Outstanding Community Organisation at the MNC Business Awards
Through an initial consultation, the team gets to know the clients and their individual circumstances, needs and builds on their strengths, identifying the support the family needs to make positive change in their lives.
Clients are provided with information and advice and help to connect them to the services in their area. The service is free. FCS is funded by the NSW Government, as a part of the Keep Them Safe action plan to improve the safety and well-being of children in NSW.
Pathfinders FCS operates Monday to Friday during business hours. Phone 1800 327 679.
In Australia there are currently 46,000 children living in foster care. With carers working to provide loving homes for short and long-term stays, respite, and emergency care to children and young people who are unable to live with their own families.
But more carers are needed to provide loving homes to children in need.
If you have considered becoming a foster carer, now is the time to give it a go, even if you are only able to provide a night every few months, it takes the pressure off the fulltime carers or providing temporary emergency accommodation to keep a child from spending the night in a motel room.
enrolling in schools and in accessing mainstream services, such as opening bank accounts, joining sporting clubs, voting, and applying for a job, a driver’s licence or a passport. They cannot be selected for jury duty or open their own business.
The Pathfinders Program aims to redress this issue by conducting sign-up days in towns and areas where there are significant numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who don’t have birth certificates. Since the program’s inception more than 13,000 people have gained access to their birth certificates.
For more information and to enquire about being a foster carer, visit or 1800 314 199.
An estimated 200,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples do not have a birth certificate. As a consequence, they struggle to fully participate in Australian society without this simple but vital document. They experience difficulty
For Pathfinders to continue providing this service to communities they have launched a campaign to crowdfund the Pathfinders National Aboriginal Birth Certificate Program. If you would like to provide your support you can find out more and to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people get their birth certificates.
Donate here
✦ Way to go Meg!! Brilliant-Online has shared her stories so we know her journey through her years at TG's Child Care. A more than deserving recognition of an amazing leader.
Lucky are the ones who have found their vocation or calling from an early age. Meg is one of those. She had always known she would be working in the Early Childhood environment. She believes that if children have passionate, supportive and loving educators to teach them the foundations, they will be set up to succeed in whatever they do in life.
Meg went from being a parent at TG's to becoming TG's State Manager. That is quite a journey if you think about it! She has been with the TG's Family for the past 13 years. From Preschool Teacher she went on to become an Educational Leader, Centre Manager to her current role now as NSW Manager.
We wanted to find out more from Meg what it is that makes her who she is today - an Outstanding Business Leader.
If you are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles and this gives you the possibility to open your frames to reach your fullest potential”. - Meg BarndenHyde, NSW State Manager, TG's Child Care
I give all my team players the confidence to reach their fullest potential. I do this by role-modelling, supporting, feedback guiding and sharing the tools to gain knowledge, self-confidence and the tools to succeed. It's a common saying at TG's, that every opportunity is a gift, to learn, to grow. I allow my team to see their opportunities to learn. There are no negative experiences, only experiences that allow us to grow and develop.
I have learnt a lot over the years, and from the very beginning when I first started, it was Gayle who was a great role model for me. A lot of what I do I've developed based on this amazing foundation she gave me.
Learn more about Gayle Kee
It's important for me to get to know each person on my team. We are here to build a connection based on love, respect, compassion and honesty. This is the foundation and once you get this up and running, you can move forward with the next part. I have 7 Leadership Skills in my resource toolkit that I use to help grow and develop my team.
1. Delegation – As a leader, you need to know and understand the knowledge and resources you have in your team. When you understand each person's individual gifts, you can tap into them and achieve outcomes with a team focus.
2. Decision making – It's really important to allow your team to be part of the decision making processes at work. This allows them to feel acknowledged, respected and valued when they have input into decisions.
3. Effective communication – I cannot stress enough what an important tool this is to deliver and understand your team. Difficult conversations are needed within the workforce to keep the team accountable.
4. Time management – You need to set time frames to achieve your objectives and to go beyond your goals even.
5. Problem solving – More heads are indeed better than one. Be open to hearing new ideas. Other people's views may open up different views you have never thought of before. This has allowed me to grow and develop, not just as a leader, but also in my personal life.
6. Accountability – I use accountability to show my team how their actions affect others and the dynamics they are accountable for within the team. At the end of the day, we are all interdependent, and part of a whole.
7. Vision – Every leader needs a vision. I share this vision with my team, and I share the steps to complete this vision. I also ask for support to reach this vision and allow everyone to have input. At TG's, we paddle the canoe together!
What has worked really well for me with these 7 Leadership Skills is it creates trust and really grows the team. Leadership roles also emerge naturally and I have created several such as WHS Officer, Sustainability Officer, IIT reporter, Reconciliation Officer and these have filtered through across all of our campuses.
I mentor Educators to reach their fullest potential by encouraging them and giving them opportunities to
take on more challenging leadership positions. You don't want to stay a trainee forever. You want to move up to a room leader position, and those who already have their diploma and more experience would want to go for management roles.
✦ What is the hidden sector of the economy? Obviously, it’s not the government sector and it’s not the private sector. What’s left?
What is this mysterious Third Sector? How big is it (for a hint look at the heading)? Does it matter? What does it do?
The Third Sector is also called amongst other things the Not-forProfit Sector (NFP). It employs around 1.3 million people and over 3 million people volunteer in the Not-for-Profit Sector.
Organisations range from very small turnovers to hundreds of millions of dollars. He wants to see people achieve their dreams. He loves helping individuals, working with small business, large business and not for profit groups.
For a start it doesn’t mean it’s making losses. What it means is that any surplus the organisation makes is not divided amongst its members, but that the surplus is reinvested in the organisation’s activities.
Often government funding is subject to conditions on what it can or cannot be spent on.
Boards have a responsibility to ensure the organisation complies both with its constitution and with the terms of any grants or donations it receives.
Traditional economic theory says that the role of the private sector is to maximise profits. However, NFPs need to maximise benefit to their stakeholders particularly clients and their families. Often the choice of which NFP provides you with services has a much higher emotional commitment than simply buying a product.
vOften, we are looking to work with an NFP that shares our values.
If someone is on the board of a NFP then they need to have good processes to prevent problems and manage money responsibly. Not everyone is going to be an accountant, but you need to understand what the financial statements mean. A board member is also responsible for not allowing a NFP to operate when it cannot pay its debts as they fall due.
vUnspent money the NFP received from the government in grants can be recovered by the government.
Monthly reports can be prepared to indicate what aspects the Directors should be concerned about eg. by using emoticons
The first five not-for-profits that contact Success Tax Professionals Port Macquarie before 31 October 2022 can get a 90-minute analysis of their financial reporting at no cost to that organisation.
As always, the advice in this article is general and you should seek advice from a professional advisor on your circumstances.
Talk to John Clarke about financial accounting for Non-Profit Organisations.
✦ With the fantastic weather that has been on offer our amazing customers have been filling the nursery with their wonderful smiles and stories. Many are letting us know just how well their garden areas are performing with the onset of the new season.
There certainly seems to be more weather consistency this spring than we have had in the last two or three. Vegetable seedlings are again all the rage with 3 out of 4 people leaving the nursery with at least a punnet of some sort of vegetable. It's also been good to see a lot of younger clientele coming through the yard. Many have young families and are keen to engage with their children in their gardens.
Coming into the warmer months of the year there are few plants that colour up the garden quicker than the Petunia. The Petunia has come a long way in recent years with the breeders producing amazing hybrids that have new and fantastic colours with the ability to have regulated growth patterns.
The original seed grown Petunias will always have their place in our annual colour beds as they are quite inexpensive and grow quite rapidly, however with the new hybrids that last longer in the garden, grow in a more even and controlled manner and produce brand new mixed colours, we can now use them together to create the ultimate Petunia garden bed.
One of the new hybrids in particular is Night Sky. I can only imagine the joy the breeder would have had when the first few flowers of this particular variety appeared in their research igloos. The plant has an amazingly rich purple which represents the night
sky, it is complemented with flashes of iridescent white spots that truly do look like a starry universe painted onto a flower.
One of the keys with this particular hybrid is its nice, neat and compact growth. It has a short nodal distance on its branching structure which keeps the plant nice and uniform. As with a lot of the new hybrids you
can treat it like a perennial plant in the warmer zones and also when grown in protected garden positions. Like all Petunias these new hybrids like fertile, well drained soils. They like a bit of extra water on hot days and grow well and flower regularly when they receive low doses of liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks. Create a fantastic display with one of the many Petunia hybrids.
Petunias can be grown in the garden or in containers including hanging baskets ➸
The soft blue tones provided by the leaves of the sage plant offer more than just a culinary addition to cooking. The flowers of the plant are remarkable at attracting bees to your garden and the oils produced by the roots of the plant can help reduce the negative insects that come into our
gardens. The plant itself thrives on the warm weather and lots of sun. It does best in rich loamy soils with good drainage. Fertilise regularly with a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser and lightly prune from time to time to encourage the plant to stop getting too ‘leggy’.
Alternatively, you can grow the plant in a slightly tall pot and allow the weight of the small branches to pull the plant over the edges and lightly cascade. One important tip when transplanting your small
punnet of sage is to water it well prior to removing it from the punnet. Sage can be quite a sensitive plant at this stage and by doing this you will be protecting the root system of the plant and preventing it from drying out. Culinary wise the herb is used in a host of European cuisines. It has a very strong flavour, hence it is best used in small amounts to not overpower the dish. No herb garden is complete until you have the subtle colour and texture of sage in amongst your other plants.
If you have a little bit of space to grow a small tree, the white mulberry is worth considering. Unlike its cousin the black mulberry, this particular variety won’t stain your clothes or the clothesline. While I personally have great memories as a child throwing the red staining berries at my brothers and sisters across the backyard, I do now see the beauty of the non-staining variety. The white variety also has a much sweeter flavour compared to the tangy acid flavour of its counterpart. The tree itself has the potential to reach 10 metres, however being a deciduous tree it is quite easy to manage with pruning in the winter. You can keep the plant consistently around the 4 to 5 metre mark for the majority of its lifespan.
While the tree does best in full sun (it creates shade!), it is surprising how it will adapt and perform well in a part shade area. It is a plant that is very tolerant in a range of soils. The only soil type that it will not do well in is a full sedge area. This is an area that is constantly wet all the time. The young trees will require monthly fertiliser to get them established, once established they will only require a good all-purpose fertiliser once a year. The leaves are of course the diet for silkworms, so these trees are great if you have kids who are doing the whole ‘grubs and shoebox’ thing.
White Mulberry (Morus alba)➸The fruit is used in cooking as many berries are but their best flavour can be found when they are eaten fresh off the tree. Track one down at your local nursery and enjoy their sweet flavour.
Looking forward to seeing as many of you as I can in the nursery over the
next month. The weather is looking good and the plants are looking even better. So, come on into Greenbourne Nursery for some good advice or just a friendly chat.
Happy Gardening - Daniel “Chook” Fowler
✦ Global materials science company Avery Dennison has moved its office and warehouse to a newer and larger facility in Moorabbin, Victoria.
vThe facility has a 152kW solar system installed on-site, a rainwater collection system for reuse in toilets and irrigation, and LED lighting throughout the office and warehouse. Additionally, during the construction of the distribution centre, low volatile organic compounds (VOC) paint, carpets and sealants were used.
ur new distribution centre in Melbourne demonstrates our commitment to creating
a more sustainable world,” said Jordan Leach, Business Director, Graphics Solutions, Australia and New Zealand and ASEAN, Avery Dennison.
“This facility is not only built to empower us to be more responsive to changing customer needs, but it is also purposebuilt for sustainability. As we grow, we shall continue to be a force for good to our industry, stakeholders, and local communities.”
Several key operational and business functions including Sales, Customer Service, Technical Support, Laboratory, and Warehousing are located in this distribution centre.
✦ No, that isn’t a typo. I’m here to tell you that joy CAN in fact be found in the clarity of your business finances.
Now, it might seem like a long bow to draw. Most of us struggle to relate to our financial facts and figures with anything higher than mild interest (frustration or outright terror is more common).
But my philosophy is quite far removed from your average accountant. Which is why this talk of ‘joy’ probably hasn’t come up for you in your regular chats with your finance team.
Think about it: why is it socially unacceptable to ask someone how much money they make?
So rather than drop kicking your Xero login at a bookkeeper as fast as possible and mentally checking out in an attempt to save your sanity, I would argue that making your numbers your personal business is the pathway forward here.
We all have something we can easily turn our expertise to - that ‘thing’ we can do with our eyes closed. Yours may likely be closely linked to the enterprise you’ve created.
Take a moment to consider the feeling that task evokes in you, when you’re in a high state of flow and results come easily to you. You can go from nothing to something with relative ease, you know the process like the back of your hand and it brings great satisfaction when it’s complete.
Similarly to the above, have you ever been struggling to surpass a hurdle and then felt that rush of relief when you hit your breakthrough?
This may have been as you were honing your professional skills, you may
experience this in the sporting arena, perhaps learning to play an instrument or even an achievement within your industry or field. We’ve all experienced the notion of rising to a challenge, knowing that what we learn in the struggle makes the success all the more sweet.
Whilst you’re probably all imagined-out by this point, take this final moment to reflect on what it would mean to feel these things in relation to your finances.
• What if you were confident in your understanding of your numbers?
• What if you believed you were capable of using them to make strong decisions?
• What if you could justify those decisions easily with data that was close at hand?
The numbers themselves don’t change. That’s one of the things I love about mathematics more broadly - it’s the truth. Yes, numbers can be manipulated, falsified, misinterpreted and messy. But the truth is still in there; it’s down to us to get our houses in order so as to see it more clearly.
Port AdVenture Cruises is the only fully licensed cruise company in Port Macquarie catering for any occasion
- family river and dolphin spotting cruises, weddings, private parties, Corporate functions and entertainment cruises.
Take in the beautiful Hastings River – from the glorious sunsets to our tranquil rural landscapes and abundant wildlife. Cruise the wonderful Hastings River with Port AdVenture Cruises anytime of the day or night.
• Includes morning tea / light lunch.
• Licensed bar on board.
The perfect way to end your day or week, with your family, friends or colleagues.
Cruise the beautiful Hastings River, with Port AdVenture Cruises and enjoy an unforgettable sunset. Cruise the canals and watch as the magic of changing colours happens as the sun slowly sets beyond the region’s hinterland.
• Includes afternoon tea / snacks.
• Licensed bar on board.
15th October, Saturday 12.00 pm
Pink cruise sailing the Hastings River! Dress to impress and follow the theme by dressing in PINK.
Since 2012, we have been privileged to host an annual Breast Cancer fundraiser on board our vessel in Sydney. Now that we are in Port Macquarie, our loyal followers from Sydney are doing the same on the Hastings.
• 4hr cruise
• yummy catering
• fun and interactive entertainment with Tom "Cruise Director"
• Raffles
28th October, Friday at 12.00pm
This new Port Macquarie cruise is great for all social groups, villages, clubs and young at hearts alike. Private charters can be provided for groups of 60 or more passengers.
Included in the cruise is a scrumptious lunch, delicious dessert and a cash bar available if you would like a cold beer, wine or soft drink. The cruise is packed with entertainment with a Port Adventure Cruises Bingo segment, Name that Tune, sing a long, Team Trivia, great prizes and lots of fun.
Our boat is very comfortable and easy to move around. You have the choice of enjoying the beautiful sun deck and taking in the sights if you are not keen to play Bingo or Trivia.
Inclusions:
• 3 hour cruise around Port Macquarie
• Hot & Cold Buffet + Dessert
• Bingo, trivia and celebrity heads
• Licenced bar on board
• Pick up and drop off from Town Wharf (end of Clarence Street)
• Departs at 11am and returns around 2pm
• Individuals and groups are most welcome but bookings are essential!
28th October, Friday at 7.30pm
Come join us and dance the night away with the latest's and greatest abroad the Port AdVenture.
There might even be a Karaoke segment with some fantastic prizes and surprises.
• Mouth-watering 3 course Buffet meal (nibbles on arrival, Buffet main meal and Buffet dessert)
• Licensed bar on board. (No BYO)
Tuesday 1st November, 12.30 pm
If you cannot be at Flemington, the Hastings River is your next best bet.
The Rhythmboat, aka Port AdVenture, is the place to be for this year's Melbourne Cup.
Dress to impress and take part in the onboard fashion show.
Tickets on sale for the Melbourne Cup Sweep and watch the race on the big screen onboard.
Heaps of fun with compere Tom, "Cruise Director " presenting his Famous Hastings River Cup race.
Be on a winner and join us on the Rhythmboat this Melbourne Cup Day.
• 3.5 hour cruise on the beautiful
Hastings River
• Lovely lunch. Nibbles on arrival, main meal and dessert
• In house DJ/background music
• Lucky door prizes
• Prizes for best dressed
Celebrate with your work mates or colleagues aboard the Rhythmboat with Port AdVenture Cruises on a Christmas Party Cruise with a twist. Enjoy 3 ½ hours of cruising, food, beverages and live entertainment that will wow your guests and get them all in the festive mood. The stunning backdrop will add to the great atmosphere and make your event feel extra special.
All Christmas party tickets include buffet lunch or dinner and a show.
Private Charter Christmas Parties can also be organised on request
Book direct from website
Book Now
Taiton Resources Limited was previously listed on the ASX (previous stock code SYS).
Taiton Resources Limited (ASX:T88) has launched an initial public offering of a minimum of 35,000,000 Shares and a maximum of 50,000,000 Shares to be issued at a price of $0.20 per Share to raise a minimum of $7,000,000 and a maximum of $10,000,000 (before costs). The minimum raise of $7,000,000 under the IPO has been underwritten.
The company has projects based in South Australia and Western Australia.
Taiton is a mineral exploration and development company focusing on discovering mineral deposits. The company strategy is to focus on uncovering Mineral Systems which have proven mineralisation.
This innovative approach has allowed Taiton to have a First Mover Advantage in securing the Highway Project in South Australia.
Their dominant land holding at the Highway Project will allow them to potentially uncover the Next Elephant Deposit in Australia.
Taiton has these projects currently:
• HIGHWAY (South Australia)
• LAKE BARLEE GOLD (Western Australia)
• CHALLENGER WEST (South Australia)
In the mining industry, the term 'elephants' refers to super large sized deposits. These deposits are not something you stumble upon on an evening walk. They exist across the planet, and for mining companies, this is their Holy Grail.
Mining companies are looking for elephant country. This is where meaningful discoveries can be found.
Taiton acquired a total of 2,930 km2 of granted tenements in South Australia, focussing on the Highway project. The Highway project has potential for polymetallic mineralisation in an environment rich with hydrochemical activities.
The concept of finding the cooking pot first (The Mineral System) will give the company a greater chance of discovery. Work completed prior to the IPO has identified prospective targets which will be priority targets at the conclusion of the fund raising process.
The Lake Barlee Gold Project is
approximately 668 sq km of exploration tenements in WA with gold prospectivity, comprising of 4 granted tenements (E77/2700, E57/1158, E77/2715 and E57/1168).
The Challenger West Gold Project is located near the Challenger Gold Mine. The Challenger Gold mine produced 1.2M ounces of gold during its time in production. Mineral exploration around the gold mine has been sparse. Recent exploration activity in the area has shown that there is a large potential for more discoveries. The enigma is that the entire area is only home to one mine and technically two holes in the ground.
Taiton has its sights set on worldclass large conceptual targets. Keep your eyes peeled because they are looking at the next wave of discovery that will be in places that have previously been neglected. We are talking about undiscovered elephants, so there's going to be exciting news ahead.
Taiton has a fully underwritten IPO of AUD 7M with projects that will be explored to prove New Concepts and Discovery of Tier 1 deposits. Just as important, its experienced mineral exploration Board and Management are also key to sustaining meaningful discovery projects.
✦ How has the Sandstone project been developing? Brad Valiukas, Managing Director of Aurumin Limited (ASX:AUN) brings updates.
Earlier this year, Mr. Valiukas had been sharing news about the company's strategies. At that time, the company had just acquired the project and their strategy was to increase drilling to build a better database. Since then, Aurumin has made good progress. They have four drilling programs with extensive intersections of gold mineralisation.
Drilling results:
• 11/07/2022 - 344.00m @ 1.29 g/t Au
• 11/08/2022 - 224.00m @ 1.50 g/t Au
• 05/09/2022 - 352.80m @ 1.50 g/t Au
• 12/09/2022 - 242.70m @ 1.20 g/t Au
"Looking at these drill holes, I see some hidden points about the grades which will be carried in the upcoming resource model. The entire length may appear to only have a slightly higher grade than the resource, but there are much better numbers within the intersection. To have an average of 1.5 g/t Au, you will definitely see much greater numbers within the length of the hole."
BEng (Mining), GradCert (Econ), Member AusIMM
Mining Engineer and experienced executive with over 20 years operational, management and executive experience covering underground and open pit operations across multiple commodities around Australia and internationally.
Brad's most recent position is that of Manager – Technical Services for Northern Star Resources. He was previously COO at Focus Minerals, COO at ABM Resources and held senior roles at Mincor Resources.
ownership of Aurumin Mt Dimer and Aurumin Mt Palmer Pty Ltd (formerly Mt Palmer Gold Pty Ltd), and has entered into a further 3 tenement acquisition agreements and applied for further tenements such that it now has an interest in 29 tenements across 4 projects.
For Noel, the positive potential of Sandstone is a matter of when and not if. The geology will create opportunities and the recent drilling results are optimistic. The potential higher grades within the holes also allows the flexibility of changing the style of mining.
What is in Aurumin's favour is also the potential lack of motivation of neighbouring deposits to go to mining. The company could consolidate their inventory and that would work perfectly for the model.
Aurumin Limited (ACN 639 427 099) (Aurumin or Company) is an Australian company incorporated on 28 February 2020 in Western Australia as a mineral exploration company to allow the reorganisation of projects held by Aurumin Mt Dimer Pty Ltd (formerly Acertim Resources Pty Ltd) (Aurumin Mt Dimer).
In particular, the Company was established to enable the restructure of the Mt Dimer, Mt Palmer and Johnson Range projects into separate project entities and further consolidate additional tenements, and to progress these gold exploration projects in the Southern Cross and Kalgoorlie regions. Since incorporation, the Company has acquired 100% legal and beneficial
✦ You’re excited, you’re ready. Dressed in a wetsuit for ultra-comfort, softboard under your arm, you can’t help but smile at the day you’re about to have. Excited, nervous, joyful feelings run through the body.
These quickly melt into the water during your surf session with Soul Surfing’s Loren and Corey. Nurtured, honoured, laughing and thrilled by the ease of quality coaching that helps you feel the natural high, the salt water cleanse, the delight of surfing. How can your day possibly improve from this? The magic of Soul Sisters or Souls Unite begins...
“Little did I know that the opportunity to join a full 11-hour Soul Sisters Retreat would strum the Soul to sing more tunefully and tangibly by day’s close, and in tune with other such beautiful Sister Souls. By glow of morning, we warmed to the powerful breath of cool ocean wave. Bodies, mind and soul nourished by evening glow; the finishing chords a gift. Thank you, Loren, a gift herself, and to all the participatory teachers and guides, inclusive of each sister there.” - Roxanne, 2020
Bringing in greater balance to adults, children and teens. Life is a series of waves, rising and falling on the ocean’s bosom. Learning to surf these waves, the peaks and the troughs, is part of Soul Surfing’s philosophy. Metaphorically and figuratively. "We love what we do, so love is what we do. At Soul Surfing you are not a number, you are a soul, about to be moved by surfing life’s waves," Corey told us.
“This was such an incredible day. Loren just has a powerfully nurturing way of creating an experience that cracks you open in all the right ways. These Soul Sisters days always lead to positive transformation. I have gone to a few now and they just get better and better. Thank you, Loren and all
the other facilitators, and all the soul sisters that shared the experience of this very special day”. Christine, 2019 Soul Surfing began as Surf and Yoga retreats in 2000, seeing Loren and Corey finally launching their dream fully in 2006 (and with child 3 on the way). Now with 4 children, they are still teaching them how to follow their dreams, pursue heart values and grow richly connected to earth, surf, community and self, just as Loren and Corey aim to do daily.
"Our parenting mission for community responsible role models that give more than they take is flowing well. They are deeply grounded, inspired children that are way more than super charging surfers in all their own ways," Loren told us.
The last 9 years evolved the original 3–5-day retreats into 1 or 2 day weekend retreats. This has allowed locals, parents, weekend workers, and
inter region or interstate visitors to all enjoy the benefits of Soul Sisters and Souls Unite.
It means you embarked on a fullday of discovery (like really full 10-12 hours). The thrills and spills of surfing, delicious, deep yoga, and hours of magic weaved through varying workshops delivered not only by Loren, but also local facilitators that share their gifts, talents and expertise.
You’re fed, transported (physically and energetically) to beautiful spaces to nurture and nourish your soul. You’ve taken time out to put yourself first, not selfishly or shallowly, but authentically to re-ignite your spark for joy, balance, love and connection. You leave empowered by all you have experienced and learnt. You shared a unique journey of self and with other women, and are now a Soul Sister.
Well ladies and gentlemen, this is a day for you both. Combined. Balanced and in harmony. Learning and growing from both the feminine and masculine aspects of life and within us. Uplifted, challenged and supported through activities all again designed for your soul nourishment and growth. Led again, by Loren and Corey and other wonderful local experts in their guidance to light. The unique all-inclusive FULL day from morning ‘til night.
“I’m feeling great after this Souls Unite experience. It’s exactly what I needed, it called to me and I’m glad I went. I’d love to send my wife with me to the next one for this amazing experience.” Bruce, 2022
Continuing surfing lessons with Soul Surfing often continues after these retreats. There have been surf students joining weekly lessons for up to 5 yrs or more. So too with Loren’s Soul Ascension Yoga classes. Some students have followed Loren since she began weekly classes 7 years ago!
Luckily you don’t have to wait very long for your chance to experience the bliss. November 5th is the next Soul Sisters; November 6th is the next Souls Unite. The program is set and looks AMAZING! Will you be one who wants to know the program in full? Or one that wants to arrive and surrender to the flow of the day? They love it no matter which way you float.
Bookings are open and being taken now. Select 1 day or both accordingly. Limited spaces available to keep the vibe alive. www.soulsurfing.com.au/ soul-sisters www.soulsurfing.com.au/ souls-unite
What if you’re a parent wanting to connect, grow and open your heart and mind with your kids? Don’t worry, Soul Connections for parents and children is coming February 2023 to join our retreat calendar. We are very excited for this Day Retreat also and you can register your interest now. Don’t want to wait for a FULL day that works to feel the stoke? Start surfing and gaining skills and thrills right now. Friendships and nature connection included at the same time. Our high-quality loved surfing programs include the original After School Surfing program, WOW (Weekends on Waves adult group), general group and private lessons, school groups, home-school and special needs groups. Holiday periods include their treasured Fab Fun Days (full day kids’ program) and 5-day intensive surf lesson sessions.
Soul Ascension Yoga runs Mondays and Tuesdays and can accommodate any solo or special group private classes.
Have your own group for your own special retreat?
Loren and Corey love to tailor and shape your special life-changing experience with Soul Surfing. All you need is a minimum of 6, an eagerness for positive shifting, healing and expansion. Your inspiration is their aim.
Haven’t spoken to your soul essence yet? Let Theresa get you over the line. Just do it! You’ll be glad you did. 2022 or 2023. It’s time.
“I am still reeling from such a beautiful weekend with you, and
all the lovely empowering people I shared space with. Thank you for a beautiful journey – I had no expectations for the weekend but came away feeling relaxed, very blessed, and so empowered to continue to strive forward and enjoy those and the world around me. The food was absolutely delicious and very filling. Well done to be able to accommodate all our dietary needs. I would have no dramas recommending Soul Sisters or Souls Unite to anyone. It is a unique experience, and one I thoroughly appreciated being a part of. Thank you, Loren. A beautiful soul, with energy and love around and within you making it a joy to get to know that little bit more about you!” Theresa, 2021.
Re-ignite your spark for joy, balance, love and connection with a Souls Unite Experience
➸
TG's children have sustainability built into their DNA. They are Nature's trusty little guardians, taking care of the vegetables in TG's awardwinning gardens. From planting to watering to harvesting, the children see the entire process a simple vegetable goes through before it ends up on their plates as a delicious lunch. It nurtures appreciation and healthy eating. The children are learning something amazing all the time.
TG's brings in indigenous wisdom into their activities, and cooking aboriginal style is also something the children are familiar with and love. Australia has a rich source of raw ingredients and sometimes globalisation has made us forget to look at what we have here. The next time you go to the market, see how many local produce you can identify and the yummy recipes you can make with them!
Lemon myrtle is a tree native to Australia. You can find them along the coastal, sub-tropical rainforests of Queensland. Did you know that lemon myrtle is the world's richest known natural source of citral? It has 90-98% and its elegant flavour and smell is a tantalising mix of lemongrass, lime and lemon. Ooo...even just reading it is enough to make your mouth water!
• Pieces of grilled or barbecued chicken breasts
• Whole grain rolls (or bread of your choice)
• Salad ingredients (whichever ones you like)
• 1 tbsp of lemon myrtle seasoning
• 1 cup of low fat mayonnaise
1. Cook the pieces of chicken breast. You can choose whichever cooking method you prefer.
2. Assemble the burger by adding the chicken pieces and the salad ingredients and bread.
3. Mix the lemon myrtle seasoning and mayonnaise.
4. Add a tablespoon of lemon myrtle mayonnaise on the burger.
Now these cute little burgers truly make for a happy meal! Enjoy!
✦ TG's Child Care shares this aboriginal healthy culinary delight you can easily make with your children! Your family will be wanting a second helping of these yummy burgers, they're so tantalising!
Sustainability starts young at TG's ➹
Grazed & Grown Farm began with a wake up moment that many of us have had. We really are what we eat. The food we choose to eat provides the building blocks for every single cell in our body.
This light bulb moment triggered a desire to learn about health and the role food has in our lives. Bec and Pete wanted to raise their children to be as healthy as possible, so they started a quest to learn everything they could. Fast forward 15 years and they have moved from the city, changed professions, learnt how to grow a veggie garden, started a farm and are now producing some of the most nutrient dense produce on the Mid North Coast.
If we are what we eat, then our animals are what they eat, and so on. Is it really that simple? Pete answered with, “Well not quite, you see it’s our gut microbiome that breaks down the foods we eat and uses those building blocks to build our body. Our gut health also has a lot to do with our emotions, sleep quality, energy levels, etc.”
He further explained, “We get our microbiome from our Mothers when we are born, which is why people of different backgrounds are more suited to different diets.”
By eating a diverse, nutrient rich diet, we can improve our microbiome, boosting our resilience and immune system. We can also put our microbiome out of balance, which has huge effects on our physical and mental health.
Exposure to toxins, agricultural chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and antibiotics all tip the balance the wrong way. Likewise, if we don’t feed our good bacteria they die off, so eating nutrient deficient foods or heavily processed foods tips the scales even further in the wrong direction.
vPete further explained, “This is where the principles of 'Oneness' come in. We have a microbiome to look after, as do our animals, the soil, the ocean, and the sky. These are all very important when considering how to grow the most nutrient dense produce possible.
"We are all familiar with how manure on the veggie garden helps things grow. This is because the manure feeds the bacteria in the soil so they can create the building blocks for the veggies to thrive.”
The animals move around the paddocks in a controlled rotational pattern “fertilising” the paddocks as they go. By adding diversity to the types of livestock that are moved (cattle/sheep/pigs/chickens) Bec and Pete are increasing the diversity of bacteria in the soil.
They then introduce new types of plants, or “cover crops’ to increase diversity in the pastures. As the livestock are exposed to the new cover crops they increase diversity in their own microbiome and leave behind a more diverse manure, and the cycle goes on and on.
The soil and plants then interact with the sky and exchange elements, capturing sunshine and rain and increasing the availability of nutrients.
Whilst the pastures are rapidly improving, each animal has its own digestive system and dietary requirements. Grazed & Grown's cattle and sheep are herbivores and with the addition of a complete mineral supplement, they thrive on the fresh pastures.
Their heritage breed pigs, layer hens and meat chickens all need a supplemental feed. Chemical/pesticide/GMO free certified sustainable feeds are sourced from Country Heritage Feeds, prepared by an animal nutritionist to meet all of their individual dietary requirements and adding valuable nutrients and minerals to the manure trail. With no vaccinations, drenches or antibiotics Grazed & Grown animals are as healthy as nature intended.
Health isn’t all about nutrition though; just ask any of the
100+ mini farmers that visited the farm over the school holidays.
Pete told us, “Much of the joy and happiness we feel comes from the love and compassion we share with the animals. Kids and parents were able to experience and interact with animals, roll in eggs and learn a little about Regenerative farming practices. Many of the families left with a great selection of fresh and frozen produce from the Farm Gate Shop, and enjoyed our daughter's famous farmhouse Vanilla Ice cream.”
Bec continues: “It’s fantastic to see so much interest in where real food is produced, and having the opportunity to share what we do. Creating long lasting memories for these kids and their families is such a buzz.”
Grazed & Grown Farm run a range of different tours, ranging from kids mini farmers experiences, educational Regenerative farming tours, and farming workshops for people looking to start their own farming journey. Follow their socials or join their mailing list for upcoming dates.
✦ Before you read on, check out ‘Girl Power’ by the Haschak Sisters. As suggested by the song title, it is an anthem to girls; the power they have to change the world and to use their bodies however they choose.
The 11th of October 2022 is the International Day of the Girl Child. It is a day on which we give rise to issues that matter to girls (disabled and abled) and celebrate the diversity of opportunities for them to have their voices heard on the global stage and to be seen and appreciated as essential contributors in their communities.
Spend a few moments in the dizzying realms of pop-culture and social media and you will notice two things. Firstly, myriad adversities, barriers, stereotypes, exclusions, biases, boundaries, injustices and inequalities girls face every day, because... well, because they are
girls. Secondly, countless images and anecdotes of fortitude, courage, bravery, resourcefulness, creativity, fearless determination and ubiquitous resilience girls display every day, because... well, because they are girls.
Today’s girls are the world’s future pathfinders; the industry leaders who will grow and secure our economy, the sustainability warriors who will confront and combat crippling environmental emergencies that are destroying our planet, and the entrepreneurs who will defend our freedoms in a world that is currently being rocked by a prolonged pandemic, political unrest and humanitarian crises.
vGirls are the bastions of strength who will build a stronger and more secure and productive world for everyone, regardless of gender. They are also the world’s future mothers. Their potential for motherhood is part of their identify and they should be free, encouraged and supported should they choose to fulfil their most basic of human rights – to birth and grow future generations.
This, of course, includes girls with a disability. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2019) 5.7% of girls aged 0-14 have a disability and this increases to 9.5% in the 15-24 age bracket. Not surprisingly, disability prevalence increases with age, and it is estimated that 13% of women of childbearing age have a disability.
We can reinforce old inequalities; bury our heads in the sand, pretend that people with disabilities are not sexual beings and assert that they should not have children. Or, as the culture-keepers, we can gather our collective wisdom and invest in a future that embraces the agency rightly deserved of girls, and empower, enable and recourse them as they drive progress, break boundaries and create their destinies. It starts with education. All girls, regardless of ability, should be taught about sex, relationships, motherhood, and most importantly, bodily autonomy and internal authority as an organic continuum during the critical formative years. Formal sex education lessons in high school are often too irrelevant, too little and too late.
We should listen to girls and respect their points of view, plans and wishes. Put simply – Their body! Their rules! Their choice! Yes, depending on individual circumstances, capabilities and strengths, this presents its own set of challenges and conundrums, but having a disability should not dissolve a person’s right to explore their own capacity.
Ostensibly, girls are busy doing girl stuff. Regardless of age and ability, should the time come that they seek advice and guidance around motherhood, we must be ready to step up. Every woman faces challenges, apprehension and even fear as she dances with the idea of, and transitions into, motherhood, and this can be amplified for those with a disability. Family, carers, NDIS
supports, healthcare professionals and disability workers should offer collaborative, inclusive and individualised guidance in order to equip girls and women with the most appropriate decision-making tools.
Finally, ongoing support and advocacy. Whether or not motherhood eventualises, those of us who are fortunate to work with and support girls with disabilities need to avail ourselves to have important conversations, provide accurate information, and offer sincere advocacy and generous comfort as our future trailblazers choose their own adventure.
On the 11th of October, take a moment to reflect on your attitudes towards girls, disabled and abled, and their human rights. Celebrate what they bring to the world, including the possibility of motherhood.
So, how can we, the elders, prepare our young Australians as they consider if motherhood is right for them and support them in their decision making and parenting journey?
✦ With the focus of health this month, and Spring 2022 well and truly underway, now is a good time to take a moment and reflect on the importance of health in a community.
Bron Watson from Business Port Macquarie shares her thoughts.
According to the World Health Organisation, Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Health is not only something we experience individually, but the health of a person is also the product of their environment. A healthy environment aka the health of our local community, is critical to the growth and development of our region.
Let’s take a look at the three main areas outlined by the World Health Organisation.
If you take a look around our region, there are a plethora of places to go,
things to do with a real focus on being physical.
For some it may be a brisk walk along the break-wall, for others it may be a ride down Ocean Drive training for the Ironman, or perhaps taking a camp chair and watching the sun set over the Lighthouse.
Physical health can mean so many things, the point here, is that we all choose to care for our bodies in different ways. There is nothing like the smell of the surf, waves slowly breaking over your feet and sand between your toes…literally standing at one of our magical beaches watching the waves roll in.
As the team from Chess Connect say, “let’s call mental health, mental fitness”. Where we work on building resilience, learning to deal with
unpredictable adversity and challenges in life. The last few years have certainly shown us that mental ‘health’ or ‘fitness’ is something we all need, and with so many providers working in this industry, there are many to choose from.
The term mental health is bandied around a lot, and what are considered mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, are often substituted for the term mental health. Mental Health Awareness month is on right now during October, mental health is about wellness rather than illness.
Research shows that improved levels of mental health are associated with increased learning, creativity and productivity, which directly impacts physical health and improves life expectancy.
If there is one thing our region loves to do, it is to be social. From events, to cafés and restaurants, to indoor and outdoor attractions, the Hastings region provides a fantastic opportunity to be social.
Social well-being can be defined as the sharing, developing, and sustaining of meaningful relationships with others. This allows you to feel authentic and valued and provides a sense of connectedness and belonging.
A great place to start is to check out the Member Directory of Business Port Macquarie. Formally known as Port Chamber of Commerce, Business Port Macquarie aims to provide an active networking platform for their members and the greater community.
You can either search by name or by business category. This means if you are looking for help with either your physical, mental or social well-being, we have you covered.
Either call Katherine on 0422 562 300, or email admin@ businesspmq.com.au.
Katherine has been a part of the organisation for over 11years Katherine will have the answers you may be looking for.
Wishing you all a fantastic wellness month.
The team at Business Port Macquarie.
Photos: Lucy HumphriesPhotography
✦ It’s accepting, tolerant, inclusive and established in 2022 by Olivia Howlett, Pearls & Poise School of Burlesque specialises in the classic art of burlesque. We spoke with Olivia to find out more…
“We offer weekly classes as well as workshops for hens and events, specialising in the classic art of burlesque,” Olivia told us. “Classes are open to adults of all genders aged 18 and above. I currently have students ranging from age 19 and into their fifties.”
Pearls & Poise run with NSW school terms, conducting classes weekly on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm at Bourne House, Level 2/10-12 Short Street, Port Macquarie.
Burlesque challenges you both physically and mentally, assists with building and maintaining coordination, balance, memory, general toning and fitness.
Olivia said, “It is great for people who (like me) the gym doesn’t appeal to and they want a form of exercise that is fun and low-impact.”
Burlesque also supports emotional and mental health and well-being by being part of a community of like-minded people and fostering friendships. Everybody has a ’burlesque body’ regardless of age, gender identity, fitness level and dance experience Olivia told us. “Burlesque teaches women to feel at home in their skin and to feel confident about who they are and what they have to offer, embracing all parts of themselves. It encourages self-expression and self-love, whilst also giving students a sense of accomplishment and boosting self-esteem and self-confidence.”
Contrary to popular belief, burlesque is for everyone. Whatever your body shape or ability you will be able to perform and enjoy the art of burlesque. Burlesque is fun, it's a creative alternative to working out at the gym or going for a run.
Through learning and practising a burlesque routine you typically use lots of different parts of your body. From building your calf and leg muscles from dancing in heels to
strengthening core muscles throughout your body and getting a good cardio workout in.
Also, burlesque dancing is an excellent way of looking after your mental health and wellbeing. You will learn about selflove and body appreciation, a benefit to your overall health. Burlesque is a way of feeling good and moving your body.
Because burlesque dancing focuses on self-love and celebrating your body, you will become more confident in yourself. Many burlesque performers use alteregos and characters to help express themselves. Therefore your burlesque dancing instructor can help you bring this into your routine, which in turn, will help you express yourself. By learning burlesque you’ll be able to release your inner goddess.
The beauty of learning burlesque is not only will you feel more confident with your body, but many feel more confident with themselves in general which can help in many aspects of their day to day life.
✦ What do Thomas Edison, Stephen Spielberg, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Washington, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Leonardo Da Vinci all have in common?
“They’re all successful, famous men and they’re all smart!” we hear you say. Well yes, that is very much an undeniable fact although that’s not the connection we are looking for. Add to the list Richard Branson, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Muhammad Ali, Cher and JFK; Keira Knightley, John Lennon, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Ford, Agatha Christie, Robin Williams, Walt Disney and Pablo Picasso.
All are undoubtedly super-talented in their respective fields, achieving fame, acclaim and fortune as a result - plus, and something that may come as a surprise to many, all diagnosed as dyslexic.
Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling that affects up to 10% of the world’s population.
vWhereas these faculties are ones many of us very much take for granted, sufferers of dyslexia experience great difficulty when viewing a page of text as the words often become incomprehensible, swirling in appearance and merging into one another. Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn’t affected, although it certainly creates a myriad of challenges.
Dyslexia is a neurological condition caused by a different wiring of the brain. German neurologist
Adolf Kussmaul first identified the condition in 1877, which he termed ‘word blindness’. It was coined as the condition dyslexia in 1887 by German ophthalmologist Rudolph Berlin following a series of tests his compatriot Oswald Berkhan, another neurologist, had conducted on a young boy some six years previous. The boy was bright and physically and intellectually sound although suffered from serious challenges with both reading and writing.
Since then, a wealth of physicians from all over the world have been working on variety of different ways to help those suffering from dyslexia manage their condition. The first report on reading difficulties experienced by children in the United States was published by W.E. Bruner in 1905 and the word entered the common lexicon some years later. Ultimately, however, there is no cure for the condition meaning sufferers must learn to master and implement a range of coping strategies.
It has also generated a raft of social stigmas and misunderstandings that are attached to the condition, all of which are misguided and inaccurate and which can leave sufferers feeling self-conscious, inadequate and alienated.
Dyslexia Awareness Month is an initiative created by The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) which takes place every October with a variety of global events run throughout the month.
The purpose is to draw attention to the problem and raise awareness of the condition and of the challenges those suffering with it face in the hope others can become more understanding and sympathetic to their plight.
So what can be done exactly, we hear you ask? Well, quite simply, and as alluded to above, people can take time to try and understand the challenges and frustrations that those diagnosed with dyslexia experience on a day-to-day basis. Put simply, open yourself up to learning more
Patience and empathy go a long way.➸
about the condition and how it works. Put yourself in the shoes of a dyslexic person, try and imagine how alien a notion it would be not to be able to easily read the daily news headlines or check a message on your phone.
Adopting some patience and empathy in trying to understand is a great starting point and contributes significantly to building a more positive and inclusive environment for sufferers. It goes without saying of course, this approach shouldn’t be limited to just one month a year but the whole year round!
Those who suffer from the condition are actually encouraged to tell their stories to a broader audience, to share the challenges and frustrations, likewise remedies and systematic approaches that help cope. The IDA has several such examples and personal success stories on their website. Storytelling and sharing from a first-hand perspective is an extremely effective approach to raising awareness and fostering a notion of understanding and inclusivity.
Throughout October there are a range of events organised all over the world that highlight the plight of those suffering with dyslexia while promoting support.
Simply go online to find out what may be happening in your local area, as the chances are there will be something that you can get involved
with and support.
Alternatively, the IDA wesbite is an excellent resource to access global events, workshops and conferences run by them and their international network of support partners. Similarly, the Eventbrite website is a fantastic resource that highlights a wide range of initiatives and live events globally that support dyslexia awareness. There is social stigma attached to dyslexia which, unfortunately, adds yet another challenge for those that suffer from the condition.
The importance of dyslexia awareness month is breaking through such barriers and overcoming such misguided stigmas. Dyslexia is not a learning difficulty and those that suffer from it are not in anyway mentally impaired. Just look back to that impressive list of high achievers mentioned at the outset to see firsthand how people can rise above their condition and excel in their respective fields.
In conclusion, we turn to the words of one such person, Steven Spielberg. Arguably one of the greatest story tellers of all time, whose movies have wowed and moved audiences in equal measure over the years, he offers support and hope with his simple words: “It [dyslexia] is more common than you can imagine. You are not alone.”
Over more than two decades since Britain’s River Cottage TV series first promulgated its seasonal, local, sustainable food ethos, the philosophy has become mainstream in western nations, including Australia.
That's our homegrown River Cottage "real food" ambassador Paul West pictured here, scoffing seafood straight from the briny at the Oyster Shed at Sandstone Point, off Queensland's Moreton Bay.
And that’s me, at his right elbow, our faces bent over a coral cornucopia of crustaceans fresh-cooked by Westhe cracking crab claws for me. The feast’s accompanied by a healthy salad West picked moments ago from the Shed’s kitchen garden.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s foundation River Cottage success saw him travel here from London to select West from a keen field of local chefs to spawn and head up the original
Australian series. The adaptation featuring Aussie produce was so popular it grew over the years to four seasons – currently being revived on SBS TV. West, meanwhile, has gone on to promote the establishment of organics and natural nutrition as a way of life at food festivals, on food trails and through similar events.
HFW - as 57-year-old Old Etonian and Oxonian Hugh Christopher Edmund Fearnley-Whittingstall is more conveniently known – has helmed a couple of dozen iterations of the British TV series, published some 30 cookbooks and expanded River Cottage into a magnificent marketing franchise of multiple entities.
He holds cookery courses such as baking and preserving, hosts River Cottage events including weddings, offers B&B farm accommodation and sold-out experiences for adults and children such as mushroom foraging, gardening and bee-keeping, and has expanded to partnering to
manufacture organic food products. There are even River Cottage gifts, including a tweed picnic blanket woven from recycled wool!
Great Salads is written by River Cottage head chef Gelf Alderson who, as HFW says in his foreword, has worked alongside him for the past ten years. Vibrant, veg-focused spectacular salads, the author says, are assemblies for enjoying knockout tastes and peak nutrition in every season of the year.
A glossary of vegetables, fruits, herbs and even edible flowers, hints for growing and char-grilling and roasting prep techniques, 80 recipes including for dressings and pickles plus excellent photography and a handy index make this book an encyclopaedia that relegates online recipe-searching to dismal failure.
River Cottage Great Salads by Gelf Alderson (Bloomsbury Publishing, $39.99) is out now.
✦ Forget online recipe searches, says reviewer Susie Boswell. Nothing can substitute for a hard copy of this exceptional new cook book, ideal for Christmas.
This salad is all about the crisp crunch of the fennel and celery, and the way these big bold flavours are tamed by the creamy almond dressing. Delicious on its own, it’s also a lovely accompaniment to grilled fish. The dressing goes with almost anything and keeps in the fridge for a week so. I often make a double batch. Try dunking lettuce leaves into it… delicious.
50g almonds (skin on), roughly chopped
2 crisp eating apples, such as Gala or Cox
2 fennel bulbs
5 celery sticks
A handful of pea shoots (about 40g)
100g almonds (skin on)
150ml almond milk or water
1 orange
60ml extra virgin olive oil
30ml cider vinegar
1 small garlic clove, peeled
Sea salt and black pepper
First make the dressing, a day ahead if you can. Put the almonds into a bowl, pour on the almond milk or water, cover and leave to soak overnight. (Or put the almonds in a pan with the liquid, cover and place over a low heat for 15–20 minutes to slightly soften them then leave to cool.)
Cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of the orange then stand it
on a board and slice off the skin and white pith. Cut the orange segments out from between the membranes, remove any pips then place in a jug blender.
Add the olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic and softened almonds to the blender along with any remaining soaking liquor. Blitz to form a smooth dressing. If it’s a little too thick, add almond milk or water 1 tbsp at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the chopped almonds and heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to take on some colour and release their
nutty aroma. Tip onto a plate and allow to cool.
Quarter, core and dice the apples into very small cubes and place in a large bowl. Quarter the fennel bulbs, cut into 5mm thick slices and add to the bowl. Finely slice the celery into 5mm slices and add these too. Add half of the pea shoots to the salad, then trickle over the dressing and toss until all the veg are nicely coated.
Transfer the salad to a serving platter and scatter over the remaining pea shoots and toasted almonds to serve.
If you're making this salad, take a photo and send it to the editor@ brilliant-online.com so we can share it too!
✦ Parenting continues to evolve through the generations, and increasingly we are seeing more open conversations about taking responsibility in family planning.
The Pregnancy, Babies & Children Expo (PBC Expo) is Australia’s largest and in fact, the WORLD’s longest running early parenting event where you get the best information, the latest products and everything you need to know and buy under one roof. The event caters to all stages of parenting. Whether you are just planning, pregnant, with a newborn or a toddler, you can get everything you need at the PBC Expo on 15th and 16th October at MCEC, South Wharf, Melbourne.
Yes, it caters to all stages of parenting. But what if you wish to stop having children?
Deciding not to have children is as much a part of family planning as deciding to have one.
Dr Blanks Vasectomies will be
at the PBC Expo to clarify any doubts families may have should they decide not to have children. Vasectomy procedures at Dr. Blanks are safe, effective and simple. Their innovative No-Scalpel, No-Stitch technique is virtually painless and helps to dispel fear surrounding the process. Because there are myths and misgivings about the procedure, it is important to provide clear, professional information to help families make choices.
Families can FreeCall 1800 BLANKS to get more information.
Whenever there is a lack of knowledge or information, there is fear. Dr. Blanks wants to provide
straightforward medical information for families so they can have peace of mind to decide.
A vasectomy is an extremely effective and popular form of contraception for men. In Australia, 1 in every 4 men (over the age of 40) has had it done.
It's virtually painless, and takes 15-20 minutes. It does not involve the penis or the testicles. A small 5mm keyhole is made on the skin of the scrotum only. Through this keyhole, the doctor finds the two sperm tubes, cuts them and removes 1 cm from each one to leave a gap between the two ends. This is then closed off so the tubes do not reconnect.
Erections, ejaculations, sensations during sex, look and feel the same as what they did before the procedure. What is really interesting, and worth emphasising, is that couples report improved sex lives after the vasectomy, simply because the risk of an unplanned pregnancy has been removed. Sex is just better when you're relaxed and not stressed out!
Not really. Most men rate the pain as a 2 out of 10 (10 being the most painful). Some men have described the sensation as a pulling or tugging, or a feeling of squeezing or pressure.
It's an extremely effective form of contraception. It is 99.9% effective at stopping pregnancy and has a failure rate of 1 in a 1000.
You can either request a booking at drblanks.com.au or you can call 1800 252 657 and book directly. You do not need any referral letters.
You are advised to keep the dressing on until the next night and then remove it in the shower. It is important to keep it dry on the day you have the procedure.
You can use an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) and apply it to the dressing (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) for at least 4 hours. Ice it for that day and taking paracetamol and ibuprofen for 3 days helps with the recovery.
Your procedure with Dr Blanks will leave you with an out of pocket fee of $583.40. The procedure fee is $790 and Medicare returns $206.60 back to your bank account.
It usually takes 12 weeks AND 30 ejaculations for the vasectomy to start working.
This is because it takes time and ejaculations to flush out all the sperm from the system.
Dr. Blanks will do a sperm test to confirm the vasectomy success. 12 weeks after the procedure, the Dr. Blanks team will remind you about the test. You can complete your sample at home and drop it off within a few hours to a Dorevitch or Melbourne Pathology site.
You CANNOT consider your vasectomy successful and ready to use UNTIL YOU PASS YOUR TEST.
Dr. Blanks will call you with your results after you submit your sample.
During those 12 weeks of waiting, please continue using alternative forms of contraception (e.g. condoms, hormone pills etc) until you get the ‘green light’ of clearance from your doctor.
Yes, a vasectomy is a simple, virtually painless procedure, but it's not exactly like going to the store to get a loaf of bread. Men may feel nervous about going through this, and it's a good idea to get what Dr. Blanks call a 'Brosectomy' i.e. get a like-minded mate to be with you to
make the experience more enjoyable, memorable and light-hearted for you both.
Men who prefer to be on their own, and feel particularly nervous may request an oral diazepam tablet 60 mins before their procedure or a penthox ‘green-whistle’ during the procedure. Just make sure you have a driver to take you back home afterwards if you choose this option.
Having to wade through generations of myths and misinformation, it is already a big step for anyone to make the effort to learn more about vasectomy. Many men decide to do it because they have seen for themselves the physical side effects and sometimes extreme discomfort their female partners have had to endure with conventional hormone tablets, implants and injections. It is about taking leadership in family planning. Perhaps with time, openness and honesty, vasectomy can be regarded and respected as a normal, regular choice some families opt for.
her own unique
✦ Brilliant-Online together with the Australian Malaysian Singaporean Association Inc (AMSA) and the Australian National Maritime Museum are honouring Malaysian and Singaporean immigrants and their contributions to building our nation, Australia.
The northern promenade of the Australian National Maritime Museum facing Pyrmont Bay is a very special location. Historically, it was near a place where many migrants arrived in Sydney. So it is a very apt location for the National Monument to Migration - a huge wall that features the names of more than 31,000 migrants from 136 countries including 111 from Malaysia and 39 from Singapore.
This physical representation of the diversity of Australia used to be known as the Welcome Wall. It has recently been elevated to the National Monument to Migration by the Governor General. It is one of the Museum's flagship creations which wraps and weaves acknowledgement, commemoration, celebration and interpretation of migrant histories into an exposition of identity.
Behind each name on the wall is a story of toil, tragedy and heartbreak. And they are also collective stories of hope, of a desire for a new start.
v"Our nation is the sum of us all – all those who came here, all those who were born here, and all those who are or have been Australian."
- Former Governor-General Sir William Deane at the official opening of the Welcome Wall in 1999.
Support the museum in honouring migrants on the National Monument to Migration, either your own family or a community representative through a $500 tax deductible donation. Funds raised support the Museum's migration themed projects.
AMSA is hosting a Zoom call for Malaysians and Singaporeans living in Australia to learn more about the National Monument to Migration.
Speakers: Tina Koutsogiannis from the Museum and Thomson Ch'ng, President of AMSA
Date: Wednesday 26th October 5pm
AMSA is holding their Annual Gala Dinner at the Australian National Maritime Museum and invites everyone to journey through the past, present and future with them.
It will be a special night of Migration Stories, in honour of Malaysian and Singaporean immigrants and their contribution to building our nation.
Saturday, 10th December 2022 from 6pm
Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray St, Sydney NSW 2000 (Darling Harbour)
A special Peranakan menu has been curated for AMSA by Jackie M, an
expert that other Australian experts consult when it comes to Malaysian cooking.
If you are traveling into Sydney, these hotels are available for stay. Please contact the hotel directly and arrange your own accommodation.
• The Grace Sydney, 77 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +612 9272 6888
• The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, 1 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: +612 8223 1111
✦ James Albert Frazier, our Jim, passed away peacefully after a short illness late in the evening of Saturday September 16, 2022, just short of his 82nd birthday.
Famous world-wide for the invention of the Panavision Frazier lens system, a miracle combination of glass that gave an unlimited depth of field, he singlehandedly changed the way we see the world. I am sure that Sir David Attenborough would agree, as well as Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and many more of the world’s best film makers, who have used his lenses.
But how did this ‘boy from the bush’, a quiet country boy with a love of beasts and bugs, grow up to be a highly respected cinematographer, photographer, environmentalist, maker of wildlife documentaries and innovative inventor.
Growing up in Armidale in country New South Wales, he attended school for the minimum number of years then trained as a cabinetmaker, following in his dad’s footsteps, leading to a position at the University of New England. This was where, fortuitously, he met Densey Clyne, thus becoming a cinematographer. He first met Densey when he showed her where a threatened species of frog lived in the Armidale area. Sometime after that, he moved with his family to Sydney. Densey assisted in finding them a place to live. This is when Jim’s life changed forever.
“One day, in 1971, while I was visiting Densey at her home in Turramurra, two friends were visiting, who effectively changed the course of our lives. They were Vincent Serventy, who made Australia’s first wildlife television travel documentaries,
Shell’s Australia, and Robert Raymond, of Four Corners fame.
"Their mission was to convince Densey to contribute to a planned series of films they were making called The Australian Ark. Vincent and Raymond were particularly interested in Densey’s expertise (regarded as an Australian expert in the field of Entomology) with spiders and insects. While Densey was an exceptional photographer, she argued with the pair that she knew nothing about cinematography and, in any case, the
equipment was too heavy for her. At that point, I intervened and said to Densey, “We could have a go together. I can handle the heavy equipment and, anyway, I would love to learn cinematography.”
"Vincent was generous enough to give us a lot of film and an old wind-up Bolex movie camera. I eagerly read and re-read the instruction manual and, with Densey’s help, started to film a few special spiders. In essence, Densey taught me the fine art of photography.”
Jim Frazier: highly respected cinematographer, photographer, environmentalist and innovative inventor
➸
That fortuitous encounter was the beginning of the working relationship that launched Mantis Wildlife Films and started a partnership that lasted for twenty-eight years. They made an award-winning film together about spiders, Aliens Among Us, which impressed the BBC and opened doors, particularly to filming for Sir David Attenborough’s three major series – Life on Earth, The Trials of Life and The Living Planet.
When Jim first heard David Attenborough’s name mentioned, his response was, “Who the hell is David Attenborough?”
He soon found out.
Mantis’s contribution to these was considerable. For instance, a thirteenth of the complete production of The Trials of Life was Mantis
Wildlife Film’s production. As Mantis Wildlife Films, they travelled the world, filming wildlife documentaries for Sir David Attenborough and many others.
An amazing coincidence, a ‘foggedup’ camera lens, whilst filming for Sir David Attenborough in Borneo, led to Jim’s eventual discovery and invention of the Panavision/Frazier Lens System that has revolutionised the international film industry. An ingenious lens, providing greatly extended depth of field and the ability to have both the foreground and background in focus. Leading filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg (every one of his films since Jurassic Park), and James Cameron continue to use this lens. Directors used the lens system on the sets of Titanic, Tomorrow Never Dies, Mission Impossible, Amistad, Alien Resurrection, Godzilla and Stuart Little 2, in addition to television commercials.
vJim won a Technical Oscar for this lens system. Over the years, he also achieved at least forty other national and international awards, including an Emmy, for his wildlife cinematography, as well as an honorary doctorate, and an OAM.
Musicians, filmmakers, journalists, inventors, and ‘movers and shakers’ in the industry. Their stories are related in his autobiography.
In his later years, his passions shifted. Through sheer coincidence, he discovered growing crystals on glass plates, using a variety of chemicals. He created crystal artworks, by manipulating the crystals with fine brushes, bamboo skewers and anything else that came to hand.
Once growth was complete, he photographed extreme closeup shots of sections of the glass plates, backlit with coloured lights that resulted in unique, ethereal, out-of-this-world, scenic art photography. People all over the world own them, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.
Jim produced a full-colour coffee table book Butterflies on my Mind, with my editorial and layout assistance, which focused on the live butterflies and moths “in flight” that he captured, first in a net then on camera in his studio. Jim produced all the effects ‘incamera’, often with lenses he created just for a specific shot.
His final and ongoing passion was the devastation of our environment. To bring this devastation of the Earth to our attention, Jim wanted to produce a global blockbuster feature film Symphony of the Earth. He was not able to see this through to fruition, but an enthusiastic and talented group of people headed up by Rachel Dunn, the Director of this production, continued the task.
"Jim came up to me many years ago and told me about a vision that he had for the Earth; to give all animals on the earth a voice. He wanted to create an incredible feature film that highlights all the voices of the world. Jim and I have been working together for many years on refining that story. Jim described what his vision for it was."
"The project involves filming animals making their musical sounds, giving those sounds to selected composers, who will then assemble and arrange them into a more acceptable and recognisable human form. The filmmaker will use the voices of the animals in two ways; firstly, by adding their calls to the various singers as backing and support for the artist’s own band. Secondly, by the creation of musical compositions made
up using only animal sounds. So, Symphony of the Earth becomes an entertaining musical spectacular, a blockbuster feature film."
The team behind Symphony of the Earth will continue developing the film as Jim’s legacy. Jim was delighted, because, just a few weeks ago, they produced a trailer for Symphony of the Earth, and it is having a promising reaction in the film production community.
For the past couple of decades, he enjoyed living with his partner, Helen, on a property called “Tanglewood”, at Bootawa, near Taree, where they created a bird and butterfly habitat. He described it in a video production by the ABC last year as a "place of peace and quiescence" where he wanted to spend his final years. Even though, in recent weeks, the property was sold, and they were due to leave in October, he still commented to me that he wanted to die at “Tanglewood”.
He was an innovative genius.
His Frazier Lens System was
revolutionary. His cinematography and photography always pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved ‘in-camera’. He never used a computer editing program. When we were collating his autobiography, he wanted me to teach him how to use Photoshop and I refused.
In 2021, I spent ten months of intense proofreading, editing, rewriting, assembling of text, book design and then adjustment of over 700 images to produce his autobiography – Through the Lens – a Macro View of Jim Frazier – Making the Possible Impossible. Working with Jim was an amazing, crazy, intense and very productive time. We became very close, and I will always treasure that.
This Aussie larrikin achieved numerous goals in his life, many of them unexpected, but all had a lasting impact on the world around him. His last goal was Symphony
of the Earth, and I think he died in peace because he felt that the project would now succeed. He knew he had achieved what he had set out to achieve. For several practical reasons, he decided it was time to sell his beloved “Tanglewood”, but, in his heart, he didn’t want to leave, and he didn’t.
His life and work will survive him and be a continuing legacy to his foresight, his innovative creations, his love for the environment, and his efforts to improve it.
All photos supplied by Christine Calabria.
The thing about Jim is he made the impossible... possible.
✦ After a two-year COVID-induced layoff, Oktoberfest is back this year. It’s time to don the lederhosen and dirndl dresses, charge your glasses and shout out the customary toast of ‘Prost’!
➸
Prost! Friends from Germanic countries don their lederhosen to celebrate the Oktoberfest
The expression “dying” or “gagging for a drink” is a well worn one that many people will have muttered after a particularly stressful or strenuous experience. There’s nothing quite like cracking a cold one or popping the cork on a nice bottle of wine to help one relax.
Imagine then having to put that indulgence on hold for two years?! That’s what devotees of the Wiesn Festival, otherwise known as Oktoberfest, in Munich have had to endure as the COVID-19 pandemic put pay to their annual celebration with the past two years’ celebrations cancelled. That’s not to say these fans and regular attendees have had to go that long without a drink, but there’s something very special about the occasion that elevates it above and
beyond the typical, regular soiree. It was, therefore, keenly received and much welcome news when Munich Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter announced at a press conference on April 29th 2022 that revellers could once again convene for the 187th edition of Oktoberfest, which will take place from September 17th to October 3rd 2022 on the Theresienwiese, the open space in the Munich borough of Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt.
But hang on a minute – looking at those dates, why is it actually called Oktoberfest and not 'Septemberfest'? It’s more than a fair question as the majority of the festival falls into the month of September! To find the answer, we need to dust off the history books...
vHowever, it was deemed that the weather was much more favourable just a few weeks earlier and so the occasion was brought forward to accommodate a more clement, and thus pleasant and enjoyable, climate.
And that’s how we got Oktoberfest, even though it’s largely held during the previous month!
Nowadays it is the world’s largest folk festival, or “Volksfest” to use its Germanic name, attracting millions of revellers from all over the world who are keen to enjoy the festivities and quench their thirst!
The last Oktoberfest attracted 6.3 million visitors who travelled to not only enjoy the renowned beer festival but a travelling funfair with amusement rides, side stalls, games and an array of stalls offering delicious local cuisine – nothing like a good old Schweinshaxe German ham hock or a plate of bratwurst with potato pancakes and sauerkraut to mop up all that beer! And make no mistake, there is A LOT of beer consumed at Oktoberfest - in 2019, 7.3 million litres were consumed across the 16 days, although, that being said, it was 7.5 million litres poured and consumed in the previous year!
A parade to inaugurate the occasion is led by the Mayor of Munich whereby all the breweries and restaurants participating in the festival take part in decorated horse carriages and floats, while the music bands from the nearby beer tents accompany the procession. Nearly all of Germany’s major brewers all sponsor large, temporary pavilions filled with long wooden benches, a raised bandstand and a raucous live Oompah band for a good old singalong!
A fully inclusive event, the contemporary festival also incorporates the “Rosa Wiesn”, also known as Gay Oktoberfest, where a series of annual LGBT events coincide with the Oktoberfest period in Munich.
Costumes are optional but a significant number of the participants adorn traditional dress which can be traced back to the 19th century when it was first worn as clothing by farmers and workers. Expect to see colourful, tight-fitting Bavarian dirndl dresses and blouses with a festive apron tied around for women and lederhosen paired with traditional shirts and jackets for the men. As alluded to, it is entirely optional
although many visitors have claimed getting into costume not only helps you blend in a lot easier but it also enhances the overall fun of the occasion!
However, it’s not just in its native Munich that Oktoberfest is big news as celebrations are now witnessed in all four corners of the globe after legions of Germans have migrated over the years, taking their culture and customs with them.
If you fancy indulging in some Oktoberfest fun Down Under
then you’d better get yourself to sunny Brisbane as that’s where it all takes place over two weekends in mid-October at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds. Blink and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been teleported back to Bavaria as a raucous celebration sees live music, carnival games, colourful costumes and lots and lots of beer! There’s a Bavarian Strongman contest for the muscleheads, an auto show for the petrolheads and a contest for best brewer for the beerheads! In true Aussie style there’s something for everyone and the kids aren’t forgotten as face painting, puppet shows, a reptile show and more are on offer. Definitely worth checking out, plus a lot closer to home than flying halfway across the world to catch the real thing!
Germans started migrating to sunnier climes such as Brazil almost 200 years ago and since then hundreds of thousands have made the move, thus establishing a very vibrant sub-culture in the land of the samba. Nowadays the southern city of Blumenau, located near the coast roughly halfway between São Paulo and Porto Alegre, is home to the second largest Oktoberfest celebration worldwide where close to a million people hit the streets around Germanic Village Park dressed in lederhosen and dirndls, eager to enjoy the occasion. The event was first conceived in 1984 when the city endured a catastrophic flood, prompting local officials to seek a way to generate funds to reinvigorate the local economy. Given the large local German community, they instinctively looked to emulate the Oktoberfest celebrations and haven’t looked back since.
Just over the border in Argentina we have the small mountain village of Villa General Belgrano which transforms into an Alpine town and hosts the country’s National Beer Festival over two weekends in
October. Argentina is also a country with a strong Germanic legacy and thousands of visitors attend dressed in traditional dress such as lederhosen and dirndls to celebrate and enjoy the sumptuous food and drink on offer.
Over in Canada the tranquil town of Kitchener hosts the country’s largest Bavarian festival with a nine-day celebration culminating on Canadian Thanksgiving Day (the second Monday in October). Kitchener was actually know as Berlin prior to the first World War and it has retained a strong Germanic presence - it therefore comes as no surprise that their heritage and traditions are honoured with close to 200,000 people attending the Oktoberfest celebrations each year.
As a country fascinated and much influenced by foreign culture, it also comes as no great surprise to learn that Japan enthusiastically embraces Oktoberfest celebrations each year - although it isn’t the neon-tinged megalopolis Tokyo that hosts the occasion but the
port city of Yokohama. That being said, Yokohama is the birthplace of Japan’s beer industry, so it makes absolute sense! The city’s Red Brick Warehouse turns into a giant beer hall for three weeks in October and truly mimics the Bavarian experience in that Japanese inimitable style. With a German orchestra playing four times a day to complement the delicious food available, this year sees over 140 varieties of beer on offer, including limited-edition Oktoberfest beers and beers on sale in Japan for the first time.
Elsewhere, there are major celebrations in Hong Kong, Singapore, Johannesburg in South Africa and Cincinnati in the United States, all of whom truly put on a great show to honour the occasion.
Seems like no matter where you are in the world, come Oktoberfest you will have no worries finding a great spot to indulge in the festivities. So what are you waiting for? Don the lederhosen and dirndl dresses, charge your glasses and shout out the customary toast of Prost!
It you are making the pilgrimage to Munich this year then everything you need to know can be found at the official Oktoberfest website.
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In a bid to create an event specifically for LGBTQ+ youth, headspace approached new local community group Out Loud and Proud for assistance. Keen to come on board, Out Loud & Proud put together a fundraiser called ‘Bubbles & Bow Ties’ that raised funds directly to support headspace’s LGBTQ+ social group ‘Rainbow Youth’.
result being Port Macquarie Queer Prom to be held at Rydges.
headspace are really excited to bring this event to the area and are welcoming interested youth from all across Australia to dress up, meet new people, have a good time and be themselves, albeit a little spooky given the theme is Halloween/ Rocky Horror Show.
Attendees also have an opportunity to take to the stage either strutting their stuff in the costume parade, or having a go at Baby Drag (those new or starting out in drag).
If you are a budding performer or lipsync artist and want to participate on the night contact Emily.Lawson@each. com.au for more details.
Rainbow Youth got together at their fortnightly catch up and workshopped the event and theme details - the
The night is set to be a hoot with an array of colourful entertainers including a Drag performances, Live DJ set from Mel, hair and make up demonstrations by Andy Pandy Hair Candy and Riley from Work of Artistry
Add an interactive photo booth with props, food, drinks and super cool decorations – it’s going to be an amazing time!
There’s heaps of prizes to be won Including a cut and colour by Andy pandy Hair Candy (value $300). Tickets are limited so if you’re keen grab your mates and
✦ Book lovers out there know Desley Polmear's name. SShe's the author of several murder mystereis like Shattered, Unlocked Secrets, Pay Back, Just Before Midnight and Fractured Souls. And Desley is ...
In 2021, a few ladies spoke to Desley about starting a workshop for budding writers. And if you know Desley well, you can guess her answer was an enthusiastic YES! and she lost no time in holding the first writers workshop right in her own home in Wauchope.
Friday, May 2021, 10am. The ladies had a strong start to their day with tea and scones for energy, and then they got down to writing. None of the
ladies had ever written a lengthy story before. But that didn't stop them. It helped that Desley was leading the workshop and her warm and supportive nature really helped to tease out the hidden writer in them.
The group carried on writing for weeks about different subjects. Desley had an idea to bring everyone's creativity together. She photocopied ten people and got
everyone to name the characters. Each week, the ladies brainstormed and buzzed together and added more details to their stories. The fictitious relationships among the characters started to grow and form. This sparked off lots of ideas and three writers told their own stories about these ten characters. The end result was beautiful. Each writer created a completely different story. It was indisputable proof that each and every person in that room has the ability to create, to imagine and to
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In the second part of the book, the ladies wrote a few short stories each and Desley couldn't be prouder of them. She made a promise to have their work published by the end of 2022 and so Desley phoned a good friend, Michael Davies the author, and asked if he would be happy to publish the book "Stories Around the Kitchen Table".
And of course, he was delighted to. For many of these ladies, this is more than just a dream come true. It's a testament to the power of belief in what we can do if we just take that first step and put pen to paper.
If this is inspiring for you, you'd want to soak up more of this magical feeling. Take note of these dates:
• Friday, 25th November, 10:30am
• Friday, 2nd December 10am
• Friday, 16th December - Saturday, 17th December
Here's what some of the writers have to say about their writing journey:
"After years of writing short stories but never telling or showing anyone, finally my dream has come true. I’m so proud of myself and the other ladies. And what a fabulous feeling to see my words in print." - Joselyn Earle.
"I met these ladies when serving them in our café. Once they were customers and now friends enjoying our new experience as writers. I feel so proud to be holding my first publication and I can’t wait for our next writing journey in in 2023."Sandy Curtin.
"From a very young child I adored books and I have always been an
avid reader. I remember once reading that everyone has a book in them, but for me the leap between reading someone else’s book to reading my own words in a book was always a leap too far, until I met local author, Desley Polmear who held the Friday morning writers’ group. It has been a wonderful year of challenge, achievement and new friendships for us all." - Carolyn Williams
You can buy this book at any of these events.
Perhaps you're thinking about picking up that pen now and letting it guide your hand. Try it! And share your experience with Desley when you meet her at these events!
Helen Zhang made her Pilates dream come true in 2017 when she set up the studio to bring quality, professional Pilates classes to an international community in Tokyo. Now she has scaled yet another peak by launching the studio's Pilates Instructor Training Course. Helen went to California to train with Nora St. John, MS NCPT, Education Program Director of Balanced Body Inc. She is now a certified Balanced Body USA Master Pilates Trainer.
Nora St. John is one of the world's leading Pilates experts, having been trained by the very people who were taught by Joseph Pilates himself. These are the Pilates Elders, or First Generation Pilates instructors such as Romana Kryzanowska, Carola Trier, Eve Gentry, Ron Fletcher, Kathleen Stanford Grant, and Lolita San Miguel.
My Body My Pilates' Pilates Instructor Training Course is based on the Balanced Body curriculum where a strong foundation in the basics is key. Exercises are gradually built on it and respectful of the body's natural way of moving. All the exercises come together leading up to a whole body movement. There is a coherence and logic to the sequencing of the exercises.
The studio has been building a strong community of Pilates enthusiasts, and many of their clients are so excited about the changes to their bodies they want to come to Pilates every day! Having set a high standard of Pilates classes for clients, Helen wants to make sure the studio's Pilates Instructor Training Course sets a high bar. That is why she has chosen an in-depth and comprehensive training programme to ensure anyone who is committed to it will be fully prepared to handle any kind of Pilates class and can respond to each client's needs.
The course includes Movement Principles, Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, Apparatus Pilates, 3D
Anatomy and Comprehensive Pilates. People who are passionate about Pilates and feel the excitement of sharing Pilates with others will find this course really exciting. The course prepares future instructors to fully understand the uses of the different Pilates apparatus and how to plan exercises that can help clients achieve their goals in an efficient and safe way. Helen also wants instructors to go deep and know the body inside out. Knowing Movement Principles and Anatomy is necessary for any instructor to guide a client's body to progress.
✦ My Body My Pilates in Tokyo, Japan is launching their world-class Pilates Instructor Training conducted in English and Chinese by their founder, Helen Zhang.
➹Sharing
This is a program that truly takes care of instructors from start to end. Helen offers private mentoring sessions with instructors-in-training during the course. It's a great opportunity for instructors to really learn from Helen, and to get the help they need as they figure out their own personal roadmaps to becoming a Pilates instructor.
Helen herself has been through so many roles. She started Pilates as a solution to her chronic pain, so she understands the relief clients feel
when they finally manage to find a pain-free way to move and live. She never stops training herself to learn as much as possible about Pilates, and this new Pilates Instructor Training Course is a testament to her commitment to sharing Pilates with people. She has set up her own studio from scratch, so she really has a 360º view of the entire Pilates industry.
One can always ask, why become a Pilates Instructor? Ask any of Helen's instructors and you'll get similar answers. It feels really good knowing that your skills, experience and
expertise can give clients the freedom to experience a pain-free way of moving, the confidence to stand taller and feel lighter and better, and at the end of the day, a healthy body allows one to live a happy, full life.
With this Pilates Instructor Training Course, instructors-to-be can feel confident, knowing that the knowledge they are receiving comes from a respected lineage of high quality instructors over the generations. And one day, they will be the ones to continue sharing their skills and knowledge with future generations to come.
✦ After a two year COVID hiatus the Neami Community Cup is back better than ever.
The Neami Community Cup began in 2018 as a way of bringing the community together during mental health month to increase understanding of the topic and support available to those experiencing mental health issues.
To be held on Wednesday 12th October at Findlay Park in Port Macquarie, the Neami Community Cup will include a round-robin soccer competition where teams made up of consumers and supporters from different organisations and
members of the public play off for the Community Cup shield.
The day also includes community stalls hosted by various local mental health-based organisations and other agencies which positively impact mental health to share information and fun activities.
A free barbeque lunch, desserts and beverages are also shared.
The target group is a mixture of members of the community: schools/ TAFE/ University, service providers in the mental health and disability sector, consumers, community mental health as well as the Indigenous and local community.
To raise awareness around mental health, overcome stigma, role model acceptance, educate people, promote health, have fun, share experiences and create community involvement.
The intention has always been for this event to be a yearly occurrence and, whilst COVID put a hold on that, organisers believe 2022 will be a great restart of this annual event. This year they have welcomed more providers to be part of this event than ever.
The Cup is broad reaching and open to all members of the community and is a great opportunity to listen and learn from others and their experience.
Through this sharing of experience organisers hope the community can come together to recognise the everyday impact of mental health and show the strength of the community. This is a formula for social inclusion, lasting wellbeing and promoting healthy communities.
So come along to play some soccer, learn about the different supports available, enjoy the free food and get to know your community.
✦ After COVID delays and previously planned washed-out events, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Business Port Macquarie organisations are again coming together to host their annual Charity Golf, Luncheon and Bowls event on Friday 28 October 2022 at the Wauchope Country Club.
The Mid-North Coast is unfortunately one of the highest areas to call on the helicopter’s services. Business Port Macquarie is honoured to be able to support such a worthy charity.
The service runs four AW139 helicopters across three bases, servicing 1.5 million people in Northern NSW, and has been saving lives since 1975.
The Community, their Business Partners, and the NSW Government through NSW Health and NSW Ambulance, provide the funds to ensure the Westpac Rescue Helicopter continues to save lives across Northern NSW.
Westpac are the naming right sponsors and we believe that it's one of the longest corporate sponsorships that's running in Australia. It started as Wales Bank, started with surplus saving and has since developed into the state-of-the-art aeromedical flying ICU units that they are today.
What you may not know is the charity is only 70% funded by the government, and events like these save us as taxpayers a total of $15 million a year, because that's what is raised in fundraising. Where every dollar raised goes into keeping this service airborne and ready to save lives at a moment’s notice.
Every time the helicopter takes off, they’re called missions. The emergency missions are tasked by NSW Ambulance in response to Triple Zero (000) calls. Every life they save and every person they assist provides a reminder of the critical role they play within the Northern NSW emergency care chain.
Events like these are not possible without the support of major sponsors. Thank you to the team at Oxley Insurance Brokers for once again partnering with Business Port Macquarie.
Oxley Insurance Brokers has been partnering with businesses to offer expert advice and a wide range of insurance solutions since 1976.
They specialise in tailoring packages to fit your personal and business circumstances, and pride themselves on personalised service at each of their five branches across the Mid North Coast including Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Taree and Forster.
This year Business Port Macquarie have partnered with Wauchope Country Club, and General Manager Claudia Buckby. The club boasts a
magnificent 18 hole championship golf course, and 2 excellent bowling greens that are available for social and competition play every day of the week.
There is something for everyone!
What a great way to get together with your colleagues and friends while supporting our local region and the Rescue Helicopter.
There will be a silent auction, raffles with fantastic prizes to win such as holidays to a tropical island and more.
�� 8 am Registration
⛳ 8.30am Shotgun tee off
�� 1.30pm Luncheon, auction, guest speaker and raffles
�� 3pm Novelty bowls
�� 4pm Prizes and presentation
Please join and support this fantastic charity by registering a team of four for the day.
✦ With the chills of winter fast disappearing in the rear view mirror, people Down Under are looking forward to milder temperatures and the warm caress of the sun on their skin as another wonderful summer beckons. It’s that time of the year to get active, to get out and about and enjoy the great outdoors in all its splendour after a period of hibernation, and what better way to do so than taking on a nice, long, brisk walk?
It’s therefore perfect timing that October is the month when ‘Walktober’ occurs!
Walktober is a global, fun, annual step challenge where you can register to participate in a variety of community focused events which encourage one and all to pull on the trainers or hiking boots and get walking – what’s better it’s totally free, gets you healthy and, as an added bonus, is good for the environment if you’re using it to replace your usual mode of transport as it cuts down on pollution!
Walktober runs for the entire duration of the month of October, thus 31 days – if you haven’t yet started and you’re reading this then you’d best get a move on! It is similar to the 10,000 step per day target that has become a popular fitness trend in recent years (interesting fun fact: The 10,000 step daily challenge has its
origins in the 1960s, when a Japanese company marketed a pedometer called a manpo-kei, which translates as ‘‘10,000-step meter’’). You can go it alone although more typically it has become a group practice within communities, schools, workplaces and so on where teams of between 3-6 members will aggregate their daily totals and enter into competition against other teams at school, work, etc.
You can track and log your daily step activity via whatever means you prefer – typically this will be via a fitness tracker such as FitBit or a health and fitness app on your smart phone. However, you will then need to set up an Active Travel Logger account in order to log your daily totals, again accessible via an app from the likes of Apple and Google.
It’s a great iniative to encourage everyone to exercise, particularly
those that aren’t especially keen gym buffs or sports enthusiasts. Walking is a relatively straight forward mode of exercise that is generally stress free on the body yet a fantastic way to build and maintain fitness, accessible for all age groups. Plus, if you have a dog then he or she will be over the moon with all those extra walks during the month of Walktober!
There are community groups all over Australia that get involved with Walktober so, if you haven’t already, it should be pretty easy to locate one and get started. Search for local walking clubs, health bodies, local councils and walk-for-a-cause events. For instance, Football Queensland has an annual Walktober themed tournament which kicks off this year at 11am at QUT Stadium in Kelvin Grove, QLD on Saturday, October 22 – a genuinely fun filled social day of walking football for the whole community!
Wellbeing South Australia has set their ‘Billion Steps Challenge’ for this year where residents of the state can track their daily step totals and contribute to achieving the ambitious, accumulative target. They have even listed 780 suggested routes, from leisurely local strolls to hikes and bush trails! “Last year we achieved one billion steps in 65 days. Can we reach our goal quicker this year?” they ask on their website, hoping to achieve the target before October 31.
On a broader, inter-state level we have the WALKtober Australia group which is focusing specifically on encouraging school children and youngsters to get involved in an effort to promoteand inspire their peers and their families to pursue an overall healthier lifestyle. In 2019 they established a Walktober Virtual Challenge walk around Australia, covering 15,598km through eight school communities in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, raising $30,000 which helped them develop more resources to expand their student leadership program into more schools across the country. COVID-19 forced a postponement of their efforts but they are back this year, eager to make up for lost time! It’s just one example of using Walktober to help raise funds for community based projects while promoting a healthier lifestyle among all ages.
According to a study and report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2019, Australia has the highest rate of obesity in the world, with two thirds of its citizens classed as overweight or obese. Our increased sedentary lifestyles, poor diet choices and low general levels of activity contribute to this worrying statistic. It is therefore essential that we encourage a more active, healthy lifestyle to combat and ultimately reverse this trend. That might not immediately mean signing up to a gym, taking on a series of spin classes or pounding the pavements on a run – but taking on something relatively gentler to begin with such as walking is a great starting point and all the more reason to get involved with Walktober!
✦ Brilliant-Online drives engagement to help improve outcomes for business and communities.
What's On at Port
AdVenture Cruises in Port Macquarie
Go cruising along the Hastings River on Rhythmboat. Check out cruise dates.
Country Rock Artiste Benn Gunn is raising funds for 100 regional charities across Australia
Saturday 15th October, Wauchope
RSL Cnr Young &, Cameron St, Wauchope NSW 2446
15th and 16th October at MCEC, South Wharf, Melbourne.
Haru Hana is at the (PBC Expo) See them in person at Booth A37.
Saturday, 19 November from 2.00pm - 6.00pm in Bain Park, Wauchope
Hosted by Wauchope Chamber of Commerce & Industry, #LoveLocal Festival is a new, exciting celebration of local businesses in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region and they are on the lookout for local businesses to be involved and have a display, food truck, demonstration or trade stall at the festival. This is
part of the Hastings Made & Grown Campaign to celebrate produce and products that are made in the Hastings area.
Businesses get register their interest if they would like a trade stall.
Friday 21st October, 8.30am to 6.00pm
Saturday 22nd October, 8.30am to 4.00pm
Artisans On The Hill, 702 Tionee Road, Mondrook 2430
Demonstrations and advice plus get your hands on some great equipment and consumables.
Woodworking equipment consumables and fine timbers by Trend Timbers.
Abrasives, brassware and more by Hardware For Creative Finishes. Resin Casting demonstrations and advice
Tips and Tricks on Bandsaw, Router lots more.
Free BBQ
Free Entry
Presented By Artisans On The Hill, Hardware For Creative Finishes and of course Trend Timbers! Phone Peter on 0418654822 for more info.
Mt Pappinbarra, at 422/424 Pappinbarra Rd, West Frazers Creek.
Sunday 23 October will see the village of Beechwood come alive. The day kicks off at 9am with market stalls and kids activities. Then the carts race down the 5km mountain course that takes in both Pappinbarra and Beechwood Road at 11am. It all starts on Mt Pappinbarra, at 422/424 Pappinbarra Rd, West Frazers Creek.
Friday 25th November, 10.30 am
Desley’s writing group sat around the kitchen table and wrote some short stories. The book will be launched at the Port Macquarie library. The mayor, Peta Pinson will be opening the launch.
Friday 28th October, Country Club, 24 King St, Wauchope NSW 2446
• 8.00am Registration
• 8.30am Shot Gun Tee Off
• 1.30pm Luncheon, Auction, Guest Speaker & Raffles
• 3.00 to 4.00pm Novelty bowls event with prizes & presentation
• 4.30pm Finish
Get together with your colleges and friends while supporting our local region and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
Tuesday 1st November at 12.00pm - Port Macquarie Golf Club, 698 Ocean Drive, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444
Port Macquarie Golf Club is hosting a Melbourne Cup VIP Luncheon at the Seabreeze Function Room. Get your Melbourne Cup VIP Lunch Tickets from Port Macquarie Golf Club or by contacting reception on 6582 0409.
Douglas Vale Historic Homestead and Vineyard, 235 Oxley Hwy, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
Free to attend. Acoustic guitar players meet up for two hours on the first and third Sunday of each month. Email Damon to register your interest: DamonWinter@email.com
Sunday 23rd October - 12pm to 2pm
Douglas Vale Historic Homestead and Vineyard
235 Oxley Hwy, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
Fourth Sunday of each month. Sample some wine, bring a picnic lunch or snack on a cheese plate, and relax listening to poets in the vines. To find out more contact : John Walker - 0417 489 281 or john. walker@ozemail.com.au
Saturday 15
2.00pm Brew Haven Bill Roberts 6.30pm The Terrace at Wave Bowl Geoff Jones
7.30pm Port City Bowling Club Leigh I'anson
Sunday 16
Wednesday 26
6.30pm Botanic Wine Garden Pam Hata
Friday 28
7.00pm The Terrace at Wavebowl
Monster Boys
8.00pm Finnians Irish Taven Freaky
Friday Brixtonalley The Terrys and Surf Trash
7.30pm Port City Bowling Club Ruby Blunt
Saturday, 29
2.00pm Brew Haven Al McCloud
5.00pm Hello Sailor Skeleton Sailors Event
6.00 pm Wicked Elf Beer Sarah Leete Single Launch Tour
6.30pm The Terrace at Wavebowl ebd duo
7.30pm Port City Bowling Club Humpdaze
8.00pm Wauchope RSL INXS Tribute Show
8.30pm Laurieton Hotel Live Music Haloween Party
November, 1
6.30pm Port Macquarie Golf Club Melbourne Cup Ticketed Event
4.00pm
Bonny Hills Beach Hotel Niki Rudge
Friday 21
6.30pm The Terrace at Wave Bowl Kyle Moore
7.30pm Port City Bowling Club Graham Howle
8.00pm Bonny Hills Beach Hotel Super Cell
Saturday 22
2.00pm Brew Haven Pepper Jack 1.00pm The Terrace at Wavebowl The Southern Hold
7.30pm Port City Bowling Club The Trapps
Sunday 23 12.30pm The Terrace at Wavebowl Elegant Bunny Duo
Ellen Briggs and Mandy Nolan are comedians smashing it at the Glasshouse, Port Macquarie on 11/11/22.
Join the markets trail this school holidays, you will discover the finest Australian made products from our regions local businesses, farmers and artisans.
Kendall Bazaar and The Meeting Place 9am to 12pm
Kendall Community Centre 19 Comboyne Street, Kendall
EVERY SUNDAY
Port Macquarie Art Society Market Bazaar 8.00am to 1.00pm
Hamilton House 198 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie http://www.pmas.org.au
Kempsey Riverside Markets 9.00am to 12.00pm
Eden St, Kempsey NSW 2440 https://macleayvalleychamber.com.au
Uniting Church Markets 8am to 11am
Uniting Church Cnr. Oxley Highway & Sherwood Rd, Port Macquarie
FIRST SUNDAY
Grown and Gathered Community Markets 9.00am to 12.00pm
1493 Pappinbarra Road, Pappinbarra https://www.facebook.com/
grownandgatheredcommunitymarket
Kendall Community Markets 9am to 12pm
Kendall Showground. Kendall
Blackhead Lions Club Car Boot Market
Hallidays Point Shopping Village Black Head 7.00am-12.00pm http://www.hallidayspointlions.org.au
The Foreshore Markets 8.00am to 1.00pm
Westport Park Cnr Buller & Park Streets, Port Macquarie www.marketplaceevents.com.au
Johns River Markets 8.00am to 12.00pm
Johns River Community Hall 54-56 Johns River Rd, John’s River www.facebook.com/ johnsrivercommunityhall
Gloucester Farmers Market 8.00am12.00pm
17 Denison St, Gloucester NSW 2422 https://www.visitnsw.com
Forster Farmers Market 8am - 12pm
7 Little St, Forster, NSW, 2428, Australia https://barringtoncoast.com.au
Forster Town Market 8am -1pm
Oyster Parade, Forster NSW 2428
https://barringtoncoast.com.au
THIRD SUNDAY
Laurieton Riverwalk Markets 8.00am to 1.00pm
Cnr. Tunis & Short Street, Laurieton www.riverwalkmarkets.com.au
Wauchope Farmers’ Markets 8.00am to 12.00pm
Wauchope Showground High Street, Wauchope
www.wauchopefarmersmarket.com. au
Tuncurry Markets 8am to 1pm
John Wright Park, Tuncurry https://barringtoncoast.com.au
FOURTH SUNDAY
The Local 8.00am -1.00pm
Maritime Museum William Street Port Macquarie www.marketplaceevents.com.au
Pacific Palms Market 9am to 1pm
Pacific Palms Community Centre, The Lakes Way
Elizabeth Beach, NSW 2428
https://barringtoncoast.com.au
Small Business Coffee Connect
Thursday 10th November from 10am
Bago Vineyard https://www.microbusinessforum. org.au/events
Inviting all home/small business owners to join our home/micro/small business owners for a cuppa and chat. Coffee Connect is a business social date to get to know other business owners better and are held on the second Thursday of every month.
Inviting small business owners to meet
Thursday 10th November from 5.30pm
Settlers Inn, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444
https://www.microbusinessforum.org. au/events
A day of friendly, fun learning from the best coaches working on your business and interacting with others and this topic is - Learn how to speak confidently in order to sell more.
Saturday 1th November, 12.00pm
12.00pm - 2.00pm also at Bain Park, High Street, Wauchope, NSW 2446
Wauchope Chamber of Commerce
Just before the festival kicks off. This free luncheon will be a chance
for local businesses to get together to network and also listen to some great guest speakers that will be in attendance.
* Advertised dates are subject to change. Contact the individual venues for further information.
Sunday 23 October will see the village of Beechwood come alive. The day kicks off at 9am with market stalls and kids activities. Then the carts race down the 5km mountain course that takes in both Pappinbarra and Beechwood Road at 11am. It all starts on Mt Pappinbarra, at 422/424 Pappinbarra Rd, West Frazers Creek.
From there, it winds through sharp bends and fast straights, before flattening out, with a couple of slight uphill stretches, before the last run down to the finish line.
This is closely followed by the kids and ACES race which is a 1km course. All races finish outside the Beechwood Hotel where there will be a sausage sizzle, crab racing at 1:30pm, a mega raffle and live entertainment from 2pm with Chris Rose at the Beechwood Hotel!
In past years the top racers exceeded 100kph and the fastest course time recorded was set by Stephen and Robert Johnson in 2012 at 5m39s beating their old time set back in 2010 of 5m48s!
Since there are a couple of small uphill sections, billy carts for the classic are unique in the world, in that they are two-person. One does the driving, whilst the co-driver needs a fit pair of legs to keep the power up when gravity’s working against them.
Children do a much shorter downhillonly course on the main street of Beechwood, but since it's only a gentle decline, they use a co-driver too!
Open carts are to have sides no higher than 500mm from the floor of the cart and no screens, four wheel carts can be open or enclosed, pro carts can be fully enclosed and have 3 or 4 wheels. Kids carts can be anything, as long as it has steering and brakes.
For spectators, there are a few good vantage points up the mountain near West Frasers Creek Road that you will need to be in prior to 11am as the road will be closed for the safety of the riders. Some good ones are found
at one of the sharp corners on the mountain or on the straight downhill slope near the Beechwood fire shed or at the finish line where the rest of the day's events are happening.
One of the organisers told us, “Fast! A few of the old carts are being cleaned up and getting ready to race with a few new carts under construction. Also, past carts are up for sale by their owners. We should have a few contenders for the honour roll this year.”
✦ Established in 1980, “The Beechwood Billycart Classic” is the biggest billy cart race on the Mid North Coast and it's on again!Billy Carts are fast - reaching speeds over 100kph!
✦ The smash hit touring show 'Women Like Us' comes to Port Macquarie’s Glasshouse Theatre on Friday 11 November.
Ellen Briggs and Mandy Nolan are comedians cognisant of the fact that ‘11/11/22’ is a significant date. Wow!
They promise to give you a night to remember!
“Our comedy just seems to resonate with women of all ages,” says Mandy Nolan, comedian and the former Greens candidate for Richmond. “They get us. We get them. It’s one of those nights when they get the girls together. Mum’s bring teenage daughters and grandmas. Dad stays at home and watches the footy. Although he’s welcome to come. Men who love women LOVE 'Women Like Us' too!"
‘Women Like Us’ was born when the two women comics decided to step away from the male dominated comedy scene into venues where women’s stories and experiences are centre stage.
“We tell everyday stories about our struggles, our failure to parent, the beauty industry, getting fatter, strange surgeries, obsessions, frustrations, and at the end of the day ‘who unpacks the dishwasher’,” says Ellen.
‘Women Like Us’ is stand up at its best, where Ellen and Mandy talk about housework, chickens, love, big undies, disappointment, resentment, sex when you’re drunk, fit bits, yoga farts and being a menopausal woman dealing with teenage angst. They’re overworked, overweight and over it…
Women Like Us at The Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie on Friday 11 November!
Show starts 8pm
Tix $45 plus bf
Saturday 15th October, hosted by the Wauchope RSL Club
Benn Gunn will be staging his Great Australian Charity Show. Money raised will go towards local projects that the Wauchope Apex Club are currently working on in the local community.
“The Great Australian Show is a musical celebration of all things Australian from the stations in the outback to every battler on the farms and the coast," says Benn. "It's a celebration of how tough Australians are and the mateship that has helped pull us all through this pandemic.”
v“It's been a tough couple of years for all of us, but especially for people in many small towns across Australia and I want this show to give people a chance to get together and celebrate being Australian while they help raise money for their local charities.”
Benn has been writing Aussie themed songs, jokes and putting together all the elements of the show for over 4 years.
His songs have a track record of success appealing to Aussies. Benn wrote and recorded the record breaking #1 country hit Only In Australia and his latest single A Bit More Aussie which charted at #6 on the Australian country charts.
Benn's rocking live shows have him in high demand as a performer playing nearly every major country festival in Australia including the Big Country Festival, The Man From Snowy River
Bush Festival, the Broadbeach Country Music Festival, The Deni Ute Muster, Tamworth Country Music Festival, The Norfolk Island Country Music Festival, The Devil Country Music Muster, The Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, the Gympie Music Muster, and many more.
The Great Australian Show takes his live performance skills to another level creating a unique experience where people can dress up in their best Aussie clobber, enjoy a beer or two with mates and make memories that will stay with them for many years to come.
✦ Country rock artist Benn Gunn is helping raise money for 100 regional charities across Australia with his Great Australian Show: a rocking tribute to Aussie “kulcha”.
✦ Chantelle Doyle's life-affirming attitude towards sharks after her encounter with one brings hope to protecting the planet.
Shark. What comes to your mind when you see this word?
You get an interesting variety of answers. Whether you think Steven Spielberg, marine life preservation or Chinese delicacy, you’ll never truly experience the power of this word until you’ve had a personal encounter with one.
In 2020, Chantelle Doyle, an environmental scientist, was attacked by a 2.5m shark at Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie. Before you start thinking you know what this story is going to be about, read on. You’d be surprised, and be motivated to act differently.
This is not a harrowing story to shock people. This is a story about why we need to help the shark that bit Chantelle.
whose objective is to bring the message of shark conservation efforts into everyday lives, into homes and offices in order to create a conversation, raise awareness and educate people.
Saturday 15th August. Chantelle and her partner Mark had left their little boy Hamilton with his grandparents to head out to the beaches for a bit of surf and fresh air.
As Chantelle was on the waves, she felt something hit her underneath the board. She then felt something grab her leg. That 'something' readjusted itself three times as it clamped its jaws tightly on her leg while Chantelle held on to the nose of her board.
Chantelle described the pains as “like being bitten by a dog - it’s painful but it’s more this intense pressure and squeezing and crushing.”
Mark saw his partner fall off her board and started paddling over to her. He had a gut feeling something was wrong. Seeing the shark, he immediately started punching it as hard as he could. He rained punches down on its head and near its eye. The flesh of a shark is actually really sturdy. It was like hitting a professional boxing bag. The shark finally let go and slipped away.
Other surfers on the beach quickly came to the couple's aid, and Chantelle managed to get to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to John Hunter Hospital. She was later moved to a hospital closer to Sydney.
Yes, it was harrowing. But being an environmental scientist, Chantelle has a much wider view and a different insight to what happened to her. She actually wants people to know why sharks are important and why our oceans need them.
Chantelle’s story is not one of injustice, anger or revenge in spite of her difficulties. Neither is it one about forgiveness. It’s about understanding, and doing the right thing.
And that is what we love about Chantelle’s story. She made the effort to get people to join in a crowdfunding campaign for the Australian Marine Conservation Society. She even had the grace and good humour to come up with a catchy hashtag #punchingforhealthyoceans.
The shark severed the nerve in Chantelle's leg below the knee. Over the next two years, Chantelle continued to face physical challenges in the form of endless rehabs, chronic pain and partial leg paralysis. During this time, she has had two major operations. A seven-hour one to repair damage to muscles, tendons, bone and nerves and gashes. And a four-hour one to do a skin graft over an orange-sized hole in her calf.
While many were initially drawn to Chantelle and Mark’s story as a shark attack, they have since been given a different angle to understand what happened.
Chantelle and Mark felt compelled to speak up about what happened. It was about finding the balance to understand the story. They did not want to promote themselves as shark evangelists but rather, to recognise and build awareness of sharks as a keystone species. They are a necessary part of the food chain and deserve to be protected.
wanted the conversation to be one that is open to people having entirely different responses. The couple has also been talking with experts on sharks and even speaking to the state’s Department of Primary Industries about its SharkSmart program.
Sharks do not simply go about biting people for no reason. There is a much higher rate of ocean recreation in Australia, which is why statistically we read about more shark bites here than in other countries.
“I’m actually proud that Australia has marine systems that are healthy and sharks are an integral part of that. Having sharks means you have higher densities of fish, and so we should be proud of that.” - Chantelle Doyle
vThere have been methods to try to avoid shark encounters. Nets on beaches or state-managed hooks in the water have proven to be ineffective because the hooks unfortunately kill the sharks and also other marine animals. One would not be surprised to know that the shark population is declining at an alarming rate.
Australia even wiped out a genetically distinct population of tiger sharks even before we knew they existed. A 2019 study found that tiger sharks have declined by 71% in just 33 years across Australia’s east coast.
Both Chantelle and Mark have been careful about how they share their interpretation of the incident. They
Chantelle wants to encourage everyone to just be the best version of themselves. The couple does not want their story to be about two humans against a shark. The true focus is on our marine life and our planet.
Chantelle and Mark have been hard at work connecting with different groups and organisations to help protect marine life.
They connected with a charity group called the Bite Club that provides support to people who have been bitten by sharks or families who have lost loved ones from shark encounters.
The Bite Club was started by Dave Pearson, who also had a shark encounter in 2011. His psychological trauma was heavier than the physical pain he endured. He got together with other shark attack survivors to help each other through their recovery, whether it was physical or emotional and to keep each other going through anything that was challenging for
them. It became an important source of support to bring together people who would understand such an experience and it is helping many find a new lease of life and move on in spite of their difficulties.
Apart from this, Chantelle is also involved in another personal challenge. She is (literally) fighting for healthy oceans, and this time, in the boxing ring! She is raising funds for the Australian Marine Conservation Society to advocate for shark conservation. She had already taken part in a fundraising two years ago just after the incident. And now, Chantelle is training hard to compete in the Sydney Contender Fight Night in October!
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Chantelle and Mark are always ready to speak to people and share their perspectives on how we can all do our part to help protect Australia's sea life. The Rotary Port Macquarie Club is organising Encounter - Shark, Human Interface on October 22nd, 5:30pm-7:30pm at Flynns Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. Here you'll get to meet Chantelle Doyle, Mark Rapley and Dave Pearson (from the Bite Club) who will be sharing their experiences.
This is a Port Macquarie Rotary Club event as part of their Environmental Program.
