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In 1963 Juan opened the Peruvian embassy in Canberra on September 14.
While ambassador Gallagher left Canberra after his eight-year term, Roberto stayed behind, “for all the wrong reasons” he says, with a cheeky wink at his wife, Jenny.
“After being at school here for so long, all my friends, my everything was here,” says Roberto, 73.
“I remember my father was excited to open the embassy, but it was an interesting story, because when he took the phone call from the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, they said he got a posting in, well he thought they said Austria, but they said Australia.
“So then he got here and he wondered about what he was going to do, because in those days Australia wasn’t all that well known around the world, but in the end he really loved it.”
Roberto couldn’t speak a word of English when he arrived in Canberra, alongside two of his seven brothers and sisters.
His family surname, Gallagher, was originally O’Gallagher.
“The O’Gallagher’s arrived in Peru, I think, in 1803,” says Jenny.
“John Patrick O’Gallagher was a
doctor on a British ship. He married the captain’s daughter and they stayed
was president in Peru later in the 1800s. But, Roberto’s family is Gal lagher Iglesias, he’s got the Irish and Foreign Affairs to become a diplomat like his father, and his first posting
years, I met lots of Roberto’s cousins and his siblings and it was fabulous,” says Jenny.
ed to Bangkok, and then Argentina.
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of ambassador caught speeding,’ and he finally stopped his speeding.
“But he used to come and pick me up from school at lunchtime. He was this charismatic, entertaining man, and he’s always dressed very well, he always has to wear socks to match his outfit. Roberto was just a little bit fun
Roberto says: “What’s not to love
They’ve been married since 1972, and have four children.
Meanwhile, in saluting the 60 years of diplomatic relations, Peruvian ambassador Vitaliano Gaspar Gallardo Valencia says the anniversary highlights the personal and family ties that for six decades have been strengthening and intensifying.
He says Peru exports to Australia products such as coffee, cocoa and pisco, and maintains an important trade in mining investments and min-
“All of them are committed to better care for the environment, zero greenhouse gas emissions, promoting an energy transition, access for women to leadership positions in the mining sector, and respect for indigenous communities, local communities and a transition to clean energy,” he says.
“It is also satisfying to see the presence of Peruvian gastronomy and Peruvian chefs contributing to a multicultural culinary offer in Australia.”
composition, functions, powers and procedures.
AUSTRALIANS will go to the polls on October 14 to vote in a referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. We have not voted in a federal referendum since 1999. So what do you need to know?
How is a referendum run?
A referendum is run by the Australian Electoral Commission in the same way as they do elections. That means most people will vote in a polling booth on Saturday, October 14, at a local school or community centre. There will probably be a barbecue, with a democracy sausage or two, and a cake stall if you are lucky.
But there will also be pre-poll voting and postal voting, just like in an ordinary election. Voting in a referendum, like an election, is compulsory.
One difference will be that there will only be one ballot paper, and it will be short and easy to fill out. So the queues at polling booths should move quickly.
What will I be voting on?
A referendum is used to ask the Australian people whether they
approve of a change being made to the Commonwealth Constitution, which is Australia’s ultimate law.
In this case, the amendment doesn’t change existing words, but instead adds new words to the Constitution. If passed, the amendment would insert a new Chapter IX at the end of the Constitution, saying:
Chapter IX — Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
(i) there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
(ii) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
(iii) the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its
Despite the rather confusing public debate about other issues, all that voters are being asked to do in a referendum is decide whether or not the above words should be inserted in the Constitution.
The ballot paper does not contain the words of the amendment you will be voting on, as in many cases the amendment would be far too long. Instead, voters are asked to approve the amendment as set out in the proposed law that has been already passed by parliament. That proposed law is identified by its “long title”, which gives a brief description of its nature. In this case, voters will be asked:
A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
A single box is then provided, and you fill in your ballot paper by either writing “yes” or “no” in that box. While there are some “savings provisions” that allow votes in other forms to be counted if the voter’s intention is clear, it is best not to risk it. Just follow the directions and vote “yes” or
“no” to ensure your vote counts.
If you want to see a copy of the amendment when you are voting, you could bring with you the pamphlet outlining the “yes” and “no” cases that the Australian Electoral Commission is currently sending to each household. It sets out the amendment and the arguments either way.
Giving an informed vote is important. The people who wrote the Constitution entrusted us with the final say about changes to Australia’s most important law, in the expectation that we would perform our constitutional duty responsibly. We shouldn’t betray that trust. How will we know the result?
All the votes given in polling booths will be counted by hand on the night, so the results should come in pretty quickly, as it is a single ballot paper with a simple “yes” or “no” choice. Pre-poll votes and those postal votes that have already been received will also be counted on the night.
That means we should get a good idea of the result on the night, but if it is very close, we would have to wait some days until the rest of the postal votes arrive and are counted.
All votes go through two counts to double-check results and the counting process can be watched by scrutineers.
Unlike an election, there is a
special double majority that has to be met for a referendum to pass.
First, a majority of formal votes across the country (including in the territories) would need to be “yes” votes.
Second, there would have to be a majority of “yes” votes in at least four out of six states (for which territory votes do not count). This means, for example, that 60 per cent of voters in the country could vote “yes”, but the referendum could still fail if a majority of voters in three of the less populous states voted “no”.
If the referendum passes?
If the referendum passes, it is then sent to the governor-general, who gives assent to it. Once that happens, the amendment to the Constitution is made.
The amendment says “there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”. But it also says legislation is needed to determine the composition of the Voice and how it operates. The next step would be consultation about such matters before legislation is enacted to give effect to the Voice.
If the referendum fails, no change to the Constitution is made.
Anne Twomey, Professor emerita, University of Sydney. This article is republished from The Conversation.
Australians will vote in a referendum on October 14. ANNE TWOMEY explains what you’ll need to know.
AT the end of June, I took time out from writing about local urban political matters.
I was worried that maybe there was a detrimental effect on my way of thinking from focusing almost daily on the atrocious behaviour of this ACT Greenslabor government, its well-trained bureaucracy and compliant support of social and community associations.
Canberra matters have occupied a significant part of my life for over a decade. It was time for a rethink and to return to creative and more pleasant matters. It was time to consider where we would like to spend the next decade as well to be closer to family in Melbourne.
In early August we agreed that there was much to be gained from living in the outer suburbs of metropolitan Melbourne. We have decided to move to Melbourne as soon as possible.
We are now putting energy into decluttering and vacating our home. In theory this could be done before Christmas. This may be overly optimistic – but we are exhausting ourselves giving it a go.
This dramatic decision has come as a bit of a shock to both of us let alone to people close to us.
Several months ago, such a drastic change of life was not a reality for the two of us given our comfortable home
and beautiful gardens here in middle Dickson.
Our focus now is to make our house ready for a sale, to move into a Melbourne rental and to be monitoring the market to buy a smaller house in a suburb we have been researching.
It has occurred to us that for a generation that lived reasonably well for decades, we have not exactly set up easily accessible processes and assistance to see people retire, downsize and move house. As a society, our generation forgot to set up peoplefriendly systems to make this huge change easy for our own generation. There are no handbooks on this.
The home and the urban areas we will leave behind are a product of wise heads of former urban, social and town planners and designers who
areas of this city.
These visionaries knew that this was a city not like others and they built an urban, social and community infrastructure that others could only envy. The ship of fools that is now the ACT government and its pretend planners have missed the point about the fundamentals that formed the thinking behind this city’s creation. Thanks to those former urban thinkers, the home we will leave behind for someone else remains well connected and ideally a great place to live. It is a pleasant walk to two shopping centres, chemists, a library, optometrists, doctors, dentists, hairdresser, bakeries, butchers, cafes and restaurants, several schools, green spaces, fabulous trees and the
Dickson wetlands. Having written that list, why are we leaving! Someone taking away a load of ex-furniture asked that same question.
Logically, it makes sense to stay put and enjoy our surroundings and to carry on having coffee and catch-ups at our favourite cafes. Having lived here for decades we have largely embraced the changes and infills that are now a constant fact of life in a maturing city.
But the Canberra I know and have loved for many decades is now under the influence of self-interested financial forces that have found will-
ing allies and puppets in both Andrew Barr’s neo-liberal Labor-light party and Shane Rattenbury’s greenwash keep-me-in-a-job collective.
I am leaving this city on a high. It still has an urban character that is envied internationally and is fantastic. A special thanks therefore goes out to the city’s former designers and planners. If only their replacements had just a little of the former’s intelligence and humanity and did not denigrate residents who seek good design, biodiversity, greenery and climate readiness as key elements for developments in established and in the new suburbs. Now it is back to working out what to do next, what stays, what goes and sleepless nights trying to predict what happens next. Then there is the worry that maybe we have been too optimistic and the departure for Melbourne may be delayed till early next year. Finally, I’m yet to answer the question being asked whether there are to be more opinion pieces by me before we depart. Maybe a couple more!
The Canberra I know and have loved for many decades is now under the influence of self-interested financial forces that have found willing allies and puppets in both Andrew Barr’s neo-liberal Laborlight party and Shane Rattenbury’s greenwash keep-me-in-a-job collective.Goodbye to beautiful Dickson. Photo: Paul Costigan
RECENT debate in the community, and within the pages of “CityNews”, has highlighted the challenges of current generations compared to Boomers, Millennials, Generation X and so on.
The comments are invariably loaded with ageism. In 2021, the Human Rights Commission reported that ageism was the most accepted form of prejudice in Australia.
Grouping a particular cohort of people into an amorphous cluster facilitates generalised and discrimi natory statements and accusations.
The challenge with all prejudice is that there are some from a cohort whose behaviour may be criticised, and the behaviour is then generalised. Labelling a group often allows people to feel good about criticising others. However, it makes those criticised feel bad. Using a common description for such groups of people distorts the inequalities that were part and parcel of each of the cohorts.
According to Beverley Searle in “The Conversation”, Generation X was identified by British journalists Charles Hamblett and Jane Deverson. Millennials were identified by American authors William Strauss and Neil Howe as those graduating high school
as being the first person to use the term “baby boomer”.
Each generation has had opportunities and challenges that are associated with events and the times in which they lived. However, lumping them simply as a cohort, implying the same experiences, the same support, and the same ambitions feeds into prejudice.
However, differences between generations can effectively hide “even greater divides based on gender, ethnicity, disability, housing tenure and class”.
There were common factors. The
so-called “silent generation” grew up between the two world wars with the impact of post-World War I trauma, the Great Depression and being involved in World War II. According to Searle, this generation saw the “needy older generation as a burden on the tax-paying younger generation”.
From the ‘50s, she argues “older people were blocking hospital beds when they should have been in their own homes”.
Criticising previous generations has been a stable ploy, the bread and butter of those who are not willing to understand the inequalities within different generations. The different challenges and opportunities that were available then, are available now and will be available in the future. It is a lazy way to address issues.
Stephen Jones, Australia’s Assistant Treasurer, on the ABC’s “Q&A”, in response to the benefits of being a “Boomer” pointed out “the current generation is not being conscripted to
fight in Vietnam”, nor does “a woman have to retire from the workforce if they get married”. He added: “We do have big challenges, but they are not going to be resolved by pitting one group against another”.
The response to the minister included broad generalisations that simply were not accurate. “Previous generations went to university for free”. Not true. It is notable that the number of people able to attend university in Australia has increased exponentially since the ‘60s.
There was not even HECS available to support those who were born in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. The only free education came with winning a scholarship. Free tertiary education was introduced by the Whitlam government and eventually wound back under the Hawke government 15 years later.
Similarly, “me and my friends can’t even think about buying a house for another 10 years – this is not something that any other generation has faced” The Great Depression not only ensured people could not buy houses –often families had their houses taken away from them and were not able to find enough money to rent.
Such broad generalisations feed prejudice. Ironically, the person presenting these views was described by the ABC as a human rights advocate. What she and Stephen Jones did agree on was the need to work together on this and that generations should strive to understand each other.
As Searle pointed out, social and political conflict between generations often boils down to the seemingly unfair consumption of resources by the old.
Understanding, tolerance and forbearance are really the keys to resisting ageism. It is time to step away from the “them and us” in intergenerational debate and try to “walk a mile in the shoes” of the other. But as the saying goes: “Take your own off first”.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
Criticising previous generations has been a stable ploy of those unwilling to understand the inequalities within different generations… it’s a lazy way to address issues.Children queue for free soup and a slice of bread during the Depression in 1934. Photo: State Library of NSW
ECOLOGIST Dr Michael Doherty will lead a “wattle walk” to mark the start of spring for the Friends of Black Mountain, 9.30am-11.30am on September 9. The walk is on rough, uneven ground with some steep sections.
There’s a gold-coin donation and participants should meet at Frith Road, Acton (near the stile). Book by leaving a name and phone number to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com, or call 0437 298711.
RELAY for Life Team, the Bold Bandannas, are holding a fundraising stall at the Fyshwick Markets (within Ziggy’s shop), 8.30am4.30pm on September 16. On sale will be their “trademark” preserves, pickles, chutneys, lemon butter and a range of sugar-reduced items. Proceeds go to cancer research.
ST Ninian’s Uniting Church at Lyneham is holding an open day, 10am-1pm on September 16. There will be a blessing of the garden, food from around the world plus music and entertainment, including children’s activities and church history tours.
I WAS recently invited by the ACT Lawyers Alliance to speak at a symposium on the status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents of Canberra.
In my speech I looked at the ACT government’s response, as well as our collective response as a community, to the needs of our indigenous fellow citizens.
I have included a brief summary of current data relevant to the status or circumstances of Aboriginal people in Canberra.
Before that, it would be instructive to reflect on the fact that Canberra is not just our home, but also the proud capital of Australia and, on a per capita basis, the nation’s wealthiest city with the largest relative cohort of upper/middle-class citizens. It boasts regularly it is the most progressive and welcoming city in Australia.
It also has a low real and pro rata Aboriginal population compared to the states and territories. The obvious question that Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah, raises repeatedly with me, is why the appalling life outcomes experienced by many Aboriginal residents of Canberra are greeted by the ACT government and non-Aboriginal Canberrans with either deafening silence or complete indifference.
The detailed data is, in the main, from the Productivity Commission. While it provides some insight into the status of Aboriginal peoples in Canberra it also reveals much, whether we like it or not, about the non-Aboriginal residents of Canberra and of the community.
The crude rate of imprisonment of Aboriginal men in the ACT in 2022 was 24.3 compared to a non-indigenous rate of 152.4. The ratio of Aboriginal to nonAboriginal men incarcerated in the ACT was, therefore, 19.8 which is the highest in Australia. An Aboriginal woman in Canberra is 17.8 times more likely to be sent to prison than a non-Aboriginal woman.
The Productivity Commission reported in January that the ACT has the highest rate ratio of Aboriginal peoples, male and female combined, in prison in Australia with a ratio of 21, the highest in Australia, compared to a national average of 15.
Aboriginal people, while constituting 1.9 per cent of the ACT population currently constitute 26 per cent of the detainee population at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC).
The recidivism rate of Aboriginal detainees at the AMC is 92 per cent, the highest rate in Australia. The nonindigenous rate is 73 per cent.
Eighty-one per cent of Aboriginal
people in Canberra have one or more long-term health conditions, which is the highest rate in Australia, across which the average rate is 67 per cent.
Fifty-seven per cent of Aboriginal people in Canberra have one or more selected chronic conditions, the second highest rate in Australia, across which the average is 46 per cent.
Twenty-one per cent of Aboriginal people in the ACT have ear/hearing problems, the highest rate in Australia –almost double the national average.
Forty per cent have mental health/ behavioural problems, the highest rate in Australia and 60 per cent higher than the national average.
A baby born in Canberra to an Aboriginal woman is on average about 2.5 times more likely to be of low birth weight compared to a baby born to a non-indigenous woman.
The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) measures children’s development at the time they begin full-time schooling across five domains, namely: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; and communication skills and general knowledge.
The latest figures reveal that, over the last decade, the ACT has suffered by far the largest increase in developmental vulnerability in Australia with the proportion of Aboriginal children in Canberra
declining from just over 80 per cent in 2009 (the highest in Australia) to under 60 per cent in 2021 (the third lowest).
The mean scores achieved by Aboriginal children at school in Canberra are significantly lower than the mean scores for non-indigenous students across all year levels and all domains. The “gap” between Indigenous and non-indigenous students’ mean scores represents more than two years – that is, the average mean scores for indigenous students in Year 7 are lower than those of non-indigenous students in year 5.
The number of Aboriginal children in Canberra under a care and protection order last year was 279 while the number of non-indigenous children under an order was 636. The rate per 1000 children aged 0 to 17 was therefore, 91.4 for Aboriginal children (the third highest in Australia) and 6.8 for non-indigenous children.
The latest Productivity Commission report also reveals that the rate of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care per 1000 children is 70.8 while that of nonindigenous children is 5. An Aboriginal child in Canberra is roughly 14 times more
likely to be in out-of-home care than a non-Aboriginal child.
The Productivity Commission also reports that the ACT has the lowest level of funding, by a country mile, of intensive family support services in Australia.
This is but a brief summary of relevant data. However, it raises profound questions about the role which the Voice will play, when incorporated following what I hope and expect will be a successful referendum.
At the heart of my concern is that the appalling outcomes listed above are not a consequence of the ACT government not knowing what to do or having not received detailed advice from the ACT Aboriginal community, including the ACT Voice (namely the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body) about addressing disadvantage in Canberra, but rather that it consistently chooses to either ignore the advice it regularly receives and/or routinely fails to fund its implementation.
Jon Stanhope was ACT chief minister from 2001 to 2011.
The affected ESS Home Batteries may overheat and catch on fire and cause injury or death and/ or damage to property. Incidents have occurred and caused damage to property.
bed or taking a heat pack to bed with you. In summer, you might consider air conditioning or a fan to make your bedroom comfortable for sleeping.
AFTER a long day, you flop on to the sofa and find yourself dozing off while watching TV. The room is nice and warm, the sofa is comfortable, and the background noise of the TV lulls you to sleep.
Then a loved one nudges you awake and reminds you to go sleep –in bed. But when you get there, you find to your frustration that you’re wide awake.
Why does sleep come so easily on the sofa but not always in bed?
Sleep pressure is one reason why you fall asleep on the sofa. This refers to the strength of the biological drive for sleep. The longer you’ve been awake, the greater the sleep pressure.
Your body clock or circadian rhythm is another factor. This tells you to be awake during the day and to sleep at night.
Your environment will also impact how likely it is you fall asleep. You might have just eaten a meal, your very comfortable sofa is in a warm room, with dim lighting and maybe a TV program in the background. For many people, this environment is perfect for falling asleep.
So by the end of the day, sleep pressure is strong, your circadian rhythm is telling you it’s time for sleep and your environment is cosy and comfortable.
What happens after a nap on the sofa?
If you’ve had a nap on the sofa before heading to bed, your sleep pressure is likely much lower than it was before your nap. Instead of having more than 16 hours of wakefulness behind you, you’ve just woken up and therefore have less sleep pressure. This can make it much harder to fall asleep in bed.
If you just fell asleep on the sofa for five minutes, you might not have too much trouble getting to sleep in bed. This is because a nap that short is unlikely to reduce your sleep pressure very much. But if you were asleep for an hour, it might be a different story.
Your sleep cycles might also be working against you. Most sleep cycles are about 90 minutes long. They start with light sleep, progress to deep sleep, and then end with light sleep again. If you wake up during deep sleep, you’re probably going to feel groggy – and it might be easy to get back to sleep when you go to bed. But if you wake up
The activities you might do when you get up from the sofa – such as turning on bright lights or brushing your teeth – can also make you feel more alert and make it harder to sleep when you get to bed.
Why can’t I fall asleep in my own bed?
There are other reasons why falling asleep in your bed could be challenging. Many people experience anxiety about falling asleep. They worry about getting enough sleep or falling asleep fast enough.
In such cases, getting into bed can be associated with feelings of stress and apprehension, which make it even harder to sleep. It might be easier to
It might also be harder to fall asleep in bed because of poor sleep hygiene. This refers to your pre-sleep behaviours and sleep environment.
Good sleep hygiene, or healthy sleep habits, include having a regular routine before bed, a dark, quiet room to sleep in, and not using your mobile phone in bed. For many people who don’t have good sleep hygiene, their behaviours before bed and their bedroom environment might not be conducive to sleep.
How can I make it easier to fall asleep in bed? First, make sure your room is dark, quiet and comfortable. In winter this might mean putting a heater on 20 minutes before you go to
If you find it easy to fall asleep with the TV on, you might like to play “white noise” in your bedroom as you fall asleep. Some evidence suggests this may make it easier to fall asleep by masking other disruptive noises. Your behaviour before bed also impacts how easy it is to fall asleep. Making sure you follow the same bedtime routine every night (including going to bed at the same time) can help.
Also, even though it’s hard, try not to look at your phone while you’re in bed. Scrolling on your phone before bed can make it harder to sleep due to both exposure to blue light and the potentially stressful or alerting effect of the content you interact with.
The best way to make it easier to fall asleep in your bed is to avoid falling asleep on the sofa in the first place.
This will ensure all the sleep pressure you build up during the day will be directed towards a deep sleep in your bed.
Madeline Sprajcer, Lecturer in Psychology, CQUniversity Australia and Sally Ferguson, Director, Appleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia. This article is republished from The Conversation.
Why do people who fall asleep on the sofa find they’re wide awake when they get to bed? MADELINE SPRAJCER and SALLY FERGUSON know why.
IT began with what seemed a pretty silly decision by the ABC to elevate the story of the Spanish football president Luis Rubiales kissing their soccer captain Jenni Hermoso on the lips to item number three on the 7 o’clock news.
“Goodness me,” I mumbled to my wife Wendy. “Seems a bit over the top.”
She was only slightly more sympathetic to the captain who seemed perfectly happy with the gesture at the time as she moved on to the next hug.
“She didn’t look too offended,” Wendy said. And we were both surprised to hear that the whole team was now going on strike in support of Jenni. “What next?”
Well, next was the newsreader drawing attention to Mr Rubiales touching the general area of his genitals “while the members of the Spanish Royal family were only two or three rows away”.
“Oh dear,” I said. “It’s their me too moment.”
And there it might have ended. But very soon the Spanish kiss returned to the TV agenda via the SBS series, “Forest of the Missing”. We’d been following the first season as the French and German cops tracked down a serial killer in the Black Forest,
thought to be a young woman who had been gang-raped some 15 years previously.
Now, however, the plot changed completely. The young woman was shot dead by the cops in the climactic episode of the season, but that was no more than an introduction to the real story.
Suddenly, the female doctor who had been treating the rape victim (and a female French judge) revealed herself as the leader of a vigilante group of women who had taken up arms to fight the men who had been accused of violence against their female partners.
What’s more, they were proud of their actions and it looks as though
It turns out that the violence against women partners – and the lack of action in the courts so prevalent in Australia – is just as bad in Europe.
In fact, their statistics seemed an even greater injustice than the one-in-five violence against Australian girls and women. But either way, it’s completely unacceptable; and the women have a damn good point: if the system won’t respond, then vigilante action is the only way to get society’s attention.
That puts the Spanish kiss by Mr Rubiales in an entirely different
context. And while he’s a horrible chauvinist, it’s a conundrum I find particularly challenging.
Our family was divided into mum’s people who were great huggers and kissers at the drop of a hat, and dad’s emotionally repressed English folk who blanched at the very thought of such physical expressions of pleasurable embrace.
I inherited Mum’s tendencies, but I have discovered that these days the tide has turned, and spontaneous hugs (let alone cheek kisses) are not
necessarily all that welcome. In fact, they can be seen as “power imbalances” and “non-consensual” actions from a white male oppressor. And I guess there is a kind of truth in the reaction.
I wish it were not so. I would much rather share an affectionate hug with a human than a pet animal, but other people have a different view, which deserves respect.
I wish there was another way. I remember as a teenager thinking we’re stuck with a dilemma – our bodies are ready for procreation, but our ever-rising longevity means there’s many years of frustration before society’s rules permit us the “natural” sexual outlet of marriage or partnership.
The result, too often, is an emotional crippling that finds expression in violence. It used to be called (with a chuckle) “the war of the sexes”, but now it seems, we’re on the brink of a Spanish civil war. And we know where that leads.
robert@ robertmacklin.com
TERRY BROS CARPET COURT - FYSHWICK 76 Barrier St, Fyshwick ACT 2609 P 6280 5703 TERRY BROS CARPET COURT - PHILLIP Hindmarsh Dr, Phillip ACT 2606 P 6285 1888
I would much rather share an affectionate hug with a human than a pet animal, but other people have a different view, which deserves respect.Protesters in Madrid demand the resignation of the president of the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation Luis Rubiales. Photo: EPA That kiss… president of the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation Luis Rubiales plants a congratulatory kiss on the lips of soccer captain Jenni Hermoso. Photo: Twitter
AS a teenager, my cousin Sylvia was always terribly hopeful of getting straight hair and fitting into the tightest jeans on sale at the markets in our town.
“It’s the hope that kills you” is a line quoted from the ancient Greeks right through the ages to the modern Wallabies fan. It applied to her, too. Every Friday night before she went out, her sisters would iron her hair while I translated the lyrics to the American pop songs on the radio, from ELO to the Bee Gees. Then commenced a process that confirmed Einstein’s views that the laws of physics were not immutable and that light could bend. All three girls finished school at the end of year 4 but knew enough about solid objects and the sub-atomic particle equations of cotton molecules that teenager E (Sylvia) lying on the bed with size 8 fake Levis at her knees, with teenagers C (Maria-Teresa) and M (Loredana) on either side of her pulling at different angles and Loredana being younger but twice as strong, could get those slinky things over Sylvia’s hips without the need for surgery. This was our family’s personal E=MC squared and led me to the knowledge that I would never understand either physics or teenage girls, a situation still in play today.
In some European countries the people who are waiting for the local bureaucracies to approve the applications for their families to join them often describe, as the form-filling months pass, the “gradual grinding down of hope”. Dad was here for four years waiting for mum to join him – he had to save up – the loneliness, even in a beautiful country that loved and welcomed him, was tough.
Woody Allen’s autobiography was entitled “Without Feathers”, a direct response to the poet Emily Dickinson, who famously said, “hope is the thing with feathers”. Hope is
the rising dawn, the thing at the end of the rainbow, the driver that keeps us going. Interesting how it permeates so much of our language and, consequently, our thoughts. Every day a zillion people fill in a K10 questionnaire from a health professional like me, and one of the 10 questions is “how often do you feel without hope?” Every day, we hear about “hopes” on morning TV for the weather, the stock market, the sports team du jour, and every night they reflect it back to us in their evening edition.
But the coolest thing about hope
is that it is our own. When we decide that the Raiders have a chance at the finals this year, it is our decision to think that, and, in turn, creates our own disappointment if we don’t. It is our decision how to interpret success.
It’s also our decision how we react to those hopes being disappointed – how much will we let these things hurt us? And finally, it’s our collective decisions that determine the narrative of hope – what occurred in society.
I’m pleased to report that Sylvia is in her 50s and requires no complex apparatus to fit into her jeans, although to be fair, I’m not sure what size they are. I do know she’s happy.
I’m delighted that St George has avoided its first wooden spoon since 1935 by finally coming second last this year – hopes don’t need to be high!
I’ve read my Viktor Frankl and know that even in the worst, most appalling situations from Nazi camps to situations we all can find ourselves in – it is the hope that can save us and the hope that can devastate us – and it is entirely our choice – it’s our choice what we hope for, and our choice how to think and how to behave when the results come in.
You know what else we can choose? We can talk to others about their hopes, their dreams, their desires. We can save the people we love millions of kilowatts of sadness by helping them define, refine and fiddle with their hopes, remove the dumb ones, encourage the realistic ones, help them get there, and never step on their dreams.
And if we can’t help them drag on their jeans, we can laugh ourselves stupid and have fun – I have available the translations of every Abba song upon request!
Antonio Di Dio is a local GP, medical leader, and nerd. There is more of his “Kindness” on citynews.com.au
Every day, we hear about ‘hopes’ on morning TV for the weather, the stock market, the sports team du jour, and every night they reflect it back to us in their evening edition.
“We can talk to others about their hopes, their dreams, their desires… we can laugh ourselves stupid and have fun – I have the translations of every Abba song upon request!”
THE recent “Inquiry into Fostering and Promoting the Significance of Australia’s National Capital” by the Joint Select Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, has done a good job in eliciting the opinions of a broad range of the Canberra community. However, the committee has appeared more concerned to look for new ideas and inspiration than to analyse the reasons for a recent decline in that significance.
Look no further than the federal triangle, linking the three hills – Russell Hill, City Hill (the symbol of local government) and Capital Hill (the symbol and seat of the national government). The political symbolism of that triangle has long been respected by Canberrans and Australian and overseas visitors alike.
But now, the ACT government, with the presumed consent of the National Capital Authority, is treating City Hill as just another piece of real estate, to be repurposed and remodelled according to political and economic whim.
Likewise, it is treating the majestic sweep of Commonwealth Avenue to Parliament House as a replaceable track that can be modified and sprout new trees at will.
Hack down the great avenue of cedars that have taken decades to mature, for a tram to Woden! And ignore the huge loss of the vista to the Brindabellas from Commonwealth Avenue that this tram will also entail.
We have not only lost the plot but are in danger of losing our compass, our sense of national self-respect and our history. The rabbits grazing freely on City Hill tell us that.
Let us hope that, in its final report, the parliamentary committee will not only produce some new ideas, but also help confirm and strengthen the original vision and plan for the national capital of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, a vision that hundreds of Canberrans over decades have worked so hard to maintain.
Ann Kent, ForrestON a quiet through street in Evatt, a massive new multi-storey building is being built on a single corner block.
This block previously contained a singlelevel house. The adjacent corner property
from the local Evatt shops, it would appear that it has an RZ 2 zoning, otherwise one would think that multi-unit developments would not currently be permitted in this locale.
Unlike the adjacent unit development, whose built form is generally sympathetic to the surrounding streetscape, the new building totally ignores this requirement in favour of maximising floor space.
It is understood that residents had to fight very hard to achieve the final built form of this adjacent unit development. On-street resident and visitor parking appears to be the only issue with this development.
However, the new building will overshadow the existing single-level residences with its fence-to-fence bulk with no room for planting trees for shade purposes. The plot ratio and setback requirements also may have been compromised.
While this specific building design is problematic, my biggest concern is that it is a harbinger of what is to come for every homeowner in existing older outer-lying developed suburbs, such as Evatt.
Under the proposed new ACT planning framework, it is understood that most existing RZ1 zoned lots can be subject to higher development thresholds, which no doubt most developers will be more than eager to take advantage of.
These comments are not a case of Nimbyism. In terms of meeting the need for increased housing, there is a strong case to be made for enhanced development thresholds in the existing town centres, group centres, around local shops and on major transport routes.
These new developments would blend in with existing multi-storey buildings and be consistent with surrounding streetscapes. However, it is entirely inappropriate for higher development thresholds to be foisted on to middle and outer-ring developed suburbs, which ultimately end up looking like how Braddon, Reid etcetera, are now fast evolving into.
Any proposed developments in these former suburbs must only be granted approval if they are sympathetic to the existing streetscape. Otherwise, the character and appeal of these suburbs, which are quintessential to Canberra’s design, will be lost forever.
Ron Edgecombe, Evatt
THE clutch of stuck-in-the-mud, right-wing federal opposition politicians, ACT Liberal Party MLAs and party members who are reportedly pushing for and getting excited by a possible Zed Seselja Senate candidature rerun should listen to the speech made on August 29 by the incoming RBA governor about climate change and climate risks. While doing so they should try to imagine how Zed would digest, let alone discuss and actively help tackle such major matters that are guaranteed to affect our future quality of life and economic security. Earlier on that day, on the ABC’s “Afternoon Briefing”, Senator David Pocock addressed these and other pressing “big issues” that the main parties are still poorly committed to acting on in deep and enduring ways.
Zed’s over-excitable current and potential backers should also query if and how Zed would ever listen to ACT voter views, and initiate straight talk and greater federal parliamentary action on key matters of voter concern and national need.
Times have changed. Raised voter expectations at the last election are being met in new, more active, progressive and transparent ways by our hard-working independent senator.
Sue Dyer, DownerKEN Murtagh (Letters, CN August 31) wrote: “(coal) ash disposal could be managed the way nuclear (waste) can be stored in Synroc, as developed by the CSIRO”. This may be a minor point, but Synroc was first developed by famous scientists David
Green and Ted Ringwood at the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences in the late ‘60s.
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
MEDIA reports imply that the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will allow on ballot papers, ticks instead of the word “yes” but will invalidate crosses used instead of the word “no”. How sinister and deceitful, if not unlawful, is that?
The official AEC booklet provides only for the words “yes” or “no” to be used by voters and does not mention anywhere therein the use of ticks or crosses. I understand that that is consistent with the law governing referendums.
So, if this misleading information about ticks and crosses is true, there should be an immediate legal challenge to what the AEC and Labor government are intending. It would be a very sad day if the required, absolute impartiality of such a body as the AEC is compromised in favour of a government policy. The AEC should immediately clarify its position on this matter or, thus, remain tainted and compromised, not to be trusted ever again.
Max Flint, ErindaleTHAT the Uluru Statement is 26 pages of land rights, reparations, rent etcetera is absolutely false.
There were thousands of pages of notes taken at numerous meetings that have occurred across the country over the last six years. During these meetings individuals were asked to voice their experiences and family histories, both good and bad.
This venting process was encouraged so that others could witness how the pain of racism and the frustration of never being heard has affected many of our indigenous people.
These discussions allowed indigenous leaders to establish a starting point so that the laws of our democracy could be refined to enable positive change to begin.
The meetings were minuted and what the other 25 pages contain are excerpts taken from some of those minutes. The process took a long time and many opinions shared were angry and bitter.
Misinformation being generated by the “No” camp is divisive, spreads erroneous
rumours and negative attitudes. The Voice (one page only) summarises the best way to affect some changes that can address the most important issues, which are keeping the gap between non-indigenous and indigenous communities from closing.
Carole Ford, via email
LIKE Douglas Mackenzie, I also feel compelled to respond to his description (Letters, CN August 24) of my letter in CN on August 10 as “bizarre”.
Any logically thinking person can see the folly of Energy Minister Bowen’s policy in wanting to cover the landscape with renewables. I would describe this as bizarre! It is a recipe for disaster.
Witness the widespread demonstrations by farmers resisting the desecration of their lands with solar panels and wind turbines. I reckon the Murdoch media have completely nailed it.
Bob McDonald, Weetangera
KEN Murtagh (Letters, CN August 24) links the “AUKUS pledge to develop a nuclear industry” with our domestic energy policy. This was not part of Labor’s pledge to the Australian people when the government was voted into office. Minister for Energy and Climate Chris Bowen recently stated that he was “not interested in more years of distraction by a debate on an energy source that clearly doesn’t stack up for our country”. In any case, the storage of nuclear waste remains problematic. The investment in renewable energy projects seems daunting, but the impact of a heating planet is already costing Australia billions. The CSIRO and AEMO’s Gencost Report has confirmed that large-scale wind and solar projects are our most economic and practical option. Nuclear reactors are more expensive than renewables and they need huge amounts of water to operate long-term. Not only that, they take the best part of a decade to build.
Our Australian geography and weather are ideal for wind and solar power. The $368 billion allocated for the AUKUS deal, would be better spent on developing renewables projects.
Anne O’Hara, via email
THE National Capital Authority (NCA) acknowledges Mr Michael Calcoviks’ fervour for our national floral emblem, the iconic golden wattle (acacia pycnantha), as featured in a paid advertising feature (CN August 24).
His enthusiasm is commendable and shared by us at the NCA.
However, considering initiatives taken by the NCA, we find it important to address any misunderstanding regarding golden wattle plantings in the national capital.
Contrary to the notion of their absence, we take pride in our recent introduction of 70 golden wattles into the landscape.
These vibrant additions include a garden bed near Rond Terrace, where 20 golden wattles were planted in March 2022. Over the coming years, these wattles are expected to grace the area with their blossoms. Additionally, we have strategically placed 50 golden wattles, along with many other wattle species, in two locations along the end of Commonwealth Avenue, creating a striking visual near Capital Circle and Parliament House.
Central to this endeavour has been our partnership with the Wattle Day Association, which has played an important role in our collective success. This collaboration has culminated in the planting of over 1300 wattles throughout the expanse of the NCA estate.
The NCA’s partnership with the Wattle Day Association serves to enhance awareness and appreciation for the golden wattles. NCA staff are preparing to plant wattles in Commonwealth Park.
We extend an invitation to Mr Calcoviks for a tour of our recent golden wattle plantings. We believe this firsthand experience will highlight the flourishing presence of these emblematic blooms within the national capital.
Peter Hay, NCA senior horticultural project officerCONSTRAINING migration to take the pressure off housing (Mike Quirk, Letters, CN August 24) does little to address the big problem of ageing that we have been making for ourselves over recent decades.
Strangely, we are investing hugely in combating climate change, even though it is out of our control, yet we are not prepared to even discuss the solution to ageing, something largely within our control.
Our only response to ageing is to take engineers, doctors and nurses from developing countries where they are desperately needed, while the few children we bear are too often without a family, poorly educated and unskilled.
Unless addressed now, ageing could lead to national extinction or at least economic ruin. The problem is that the culture of personal autonomy is anti-family.
“The family is the institution that has made Western civilisation possible. It requires two people to set aside their pleasures, their opportunities and their ambitions, in order to provide for their children. It requires fidelity, self-discipline, economy and faith in the future”
(Roger Scruton). Therein lies the solution to ageing.
John L Smith, FarrerLAND is the key to affordable (and better) housing. New house plots are kept scarce, and are shockingly over-priced (typically, more than $650,000 for a miniscule block).
Contrary to concerns about sustainability and the environment, plenty of suitable land is available, in the right places, for on-going supply – with readily accommodated on-plot trees and gardens, able to restore characteristics of the original environment.
Responsible reforms in the delivery and pricing of such land are clearly needed. The correction would have healthy flow-on affordability effects through most housing typologies and locations. Existing mortgage holders may need protection for a time.
Overturning the current divisive “neo-liberal” approach to an essential commodity will also precipitate better, more appropriate houses, encourage building price competition, and enable a more sustainable and diverse economy.
Jack Kershaw, KambahI THOROUGHLY enjoyed Clive Williams’ parade of Irish jokes. I had feared that the PC mob had forever deprived us of this pleasure.
Come along and view the annual CMSS display of model ships
Saturday 16 September – 10am to 4pm
Sunday 17 September – 10am to 3pm
Mt Rogers Public School, Alfred Hill Drive, Melba
For more information ring: Elizabeth 0457 153 871, Peter 0418 604 830 or Bob 0418 437 793
AFTER reading Messrs Stanhope and Khalid’s opinion piece on the ACT Budget (CN August 24) and their accurate and worrying assessment over our current debt, I am prompted to offer my own opinion.
It’s time pollies’ salaries were tied to economic and other verifiable outcomes. Our rejection and fear of self government when put to us at referendum all those years ago seems to be well founded.
The Legislative Assembly needs to be reclassified as a centre of excellence with entry only being approved to persons demonstrating exceptional ability.
Dribblers need to stay away and stop thinking of it as a soft entry. I am disgusted with the deterioration of our wonderful city and feel a state of emergency exists demanding an immediate return to the polls.
John Lawrence via email
MICHAEL DRAGE, founder of Reimagined Habitat says: “Thank you to all who contacted me regarding last month’s topic on Passive House. It is not a building standard here in Australia yet, but using the science behind it provides the key to building for the future. Keep your questions coming in, we love helping people upgrade or build better homes!”
please follow this link to find out if you are eligible to participate in the study: tinyurl.com/Lifetrack3
The ethical aspects of this research have been approved by the ANU Human Research Ethics Committee (Protocol 2022/851).
With the move to 7 star ratings next month, many builders, designers and home owners are seeking answers to make their homes more efficient to meet the new compliance. The quickest and simplest way is to upgrade your windows.
Windows and airtightness are the two key drivers in the performance of a home. Why? Airtightness will determine the volume of air that needs to be thermally maintained, and the windows and doors are the weakest points of the building from an insulation point of view. A house is only as good as the weakest points. The best way I can illustrate this is a recent comparison of window quotes for a new home. We were able to get triple glazed windows at more than twice the energy efficiency compared to the specified thermally broken aluminium windows. The prices were virtually identical.
The modelling shows that the house will use around HALF OF THE ENERGY for heating and cooling throughout the year. We were stunned that we were able to source this at virtually the same price.
Triple Glazed Windows for the Price of Double. An amazing outcome for the clients for ongoing cost, health and energy usage.
Our windows can be retrofitted to existing properties or used in new builds. Our expert team of installers will not only install the windows but help ensure they are air sealed properly. They foam and double tape the windows in to maximise the performance for years to come. Do it once, do it properly
We have aluminium, timber and UPVC with U values starting from as low as 0.74 in UPVC and 0.9 in thermally broken aluminium.
For more details on the triple glazed windows go to the Net Zero Plus website: netzeroplus.com.au or contact Douglas 0439 924 660 or Michael on 0419 391 282 if you would like to discuss.
From looking after their health to getting their affairs in order, these Canberra businesses know the importance of helping the older community. This expertise allows seniors to balance their priorities with ease, making time for both the necessary and the fun. Here “CityNews” speaks with the people and services passionate about improving the lives of Canberra’s seniors.
“This year it’s running on September 21, from 9.30am to 3pm at EPIC, and we are looking at more than 130 stall holders, offering a range of services and interest groups,” she says.
“The Expo started from humble beginnings at the Ainslie Arts Centre and the Hughes Community Centre Hall, with only 10 stall holders.”
Catherine has been involved since 2016, and says it’s really great to see the range they are offering now.
“We also have a full entertainment program, with Leisa Keen, and a display of classic and antique cars, and even electric vehicles, as well as giveaways and competitions run by our individual stallholders,” she says.
are heading to the Expo.”
Catherine says the COTA Seniors Expo is a welcoming environment, where people don’t feel like they are being forced to lock into or buy anything.
“We just want to empower people, to help them find the best support and services available for them,” she says.
“We offer everything, from people looking into aged-care living, to those who are wanting to find a new hobby as they near their retirement, through activities or volunteering.”
COTA Seniors Expo, September 21 at EPIC. Call 6282 3777, or visit contact.org.au
KJB Law principal Jo Twible says she is fond of the COTA expo, and is look ing forward to their stall this year.
“The more people who are aware of their options, and the more options on display at the expo, the more likely it is that people are able to find something that suits their needs best,” she says.
“We know people who will attend the expo will be of a certain age and may be looking at downsizing their home, which we can talk people through and answer questions about.”
Or, for a more in-depth look, Jo says KJB is running a free seminar on November 8.
“It’s called ‘Moving in Retirement, Options, Considerations and Tips’, and is being held at the Hellenic Club, from 10am to 12.30pm,” she says.
“We’ll be looking at moving from the big family home to a smaller home/townhouse/apartment, availability of stamp duty concessions and the $300,000 downsizing super contribution; intergenerational arrangements such as granny flat interests and co-ownership arrangements; and retirement village entry.”
Jo says it’s a ticketed, but free seminar.
“At KJB Law we try to make things as smooth sailing as possible for our clients,” she says.
“Especially in what can be a complex time, the idea is to make sure people’s expectations are matched with the facts and met.”
KJB Law, 10 Corinna Street, Woden. Call 6281 0999, or visit kjblaw.com.au
“Unfortunately, as we get older the pancreas produces less insulin meaning there’s a higher risk, especially for type 2 diabetes,” she says.
“That’s why it’s so important for us to continue raising awareness, for people to have a conversation with their GP or health-care provider and get screened every year.”
Natalie says that the earlier diabetes is detected, the faster treatment and lifestyle changes can begin to stop or delay complications such as heart disease and amputations.
“There is support out there, and I am seeing more and more stories of people who are diagnosed early that are going into remission,” she says.
She says Diabetes Australia has an online risk calculator where people can measure how much risk they’re at of the chronic illness.
“It calculates cultural, genetic and lifestyle factors that contribute, and we encourage everyone to do it,” says Natalie.
It’s just one of the many services the organisation offers to help people living with the condition.
“If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, don’t panic, come and talk with us at this year’s COTA Seniors Expo, we’re here to help,” says Natalie.
Diabetes Australia. Call 1800 177055, or visit diabetesaustralia.com.au
Retirement village contracts are often difficult to navigate. Jo Twible will simplify the process, explaining the details of your contract, to help you with a smooth transition.
Jo Twible’s services include:
• Retirement village entry & exit
• Aged care entry
GETTING help with hearing loss is all about improving communication and gaining clarity, says Dr Vass Hearing Clinic principal Dr William Vass.
Offering professional, independent advice and treatment, Dr Vass says taking the first step with a hearing test can be life-changing.
“We know hearing loss can be linked to anxiety, isolation, anger, relationship issues, work issues and miscommunication in general,” he says.
“After treatment or rehabilitation patients can find it a lot easier to get along with people, don’t have to guess so much and are much more confident in their communication skills, especially with their partner.”
While hearing loss can come with ageing, Dr Vass says it can also often affect young people too.
“Those exposed to loud noises in military and construction fields can experience hearing loss. Some
people might be genetically exposed to hearing loss or there could be viral infections,” he says.
“It’s very important to act early. Waiting too long can start to see a disconnect between the brain and the ear.
“We find that those people who put off getting help with their hearing loss for long periods don’t have as successful outcomes as those who seek help earlier.”
Dr Vass says patients have the certainty that they’ll be seeing him when they visit the clinic and that he will provide one-on-one, tailored care and advice.
“It’s rewarding to help people not be so isolated, and help improve their communication with others, especially their loved ones,” he says.
Dr Vass Hearing Clinic, suite 14, John James Medical Centre, 175 Strickland Crescent, Deakin. Visit drvasshearing.com.au or call 6282 2717.
ADRIA Care combines access to important facilities with a feel of privacy, making it the perfect place for retirement, says CEO Stephanie Tyrrell.
“There’s close access to Cooleman Court and Woden Westfield, but we are surrounded by reserves and parklands making it a very peaceful atmosphere for residents,” she says.
Located in the heart of Weston Creek, Adria Care , which has two dedicated respite rooms and a special care unit, offers residential care for 42
“We have an active residents’ committee who organise lots of get-togethers. Residents can play cards, go to morning teas and happy hours, enjoy exercise, and much more,” she says.
Established in 1994 by volunteers of the Croatian community of Canberra and Queanbeyan, Stephanie also says the village is home to a greatly multicultural group of people.
“We have residents [from] Australia, Croatia, China, France, Macedonia, Hungary and more,” she says.
Set amongst landscaped grounds, Adria Care in Stirling is a warm and welcoming community of people from all around the world. We pride ourselves on cultural diversity and celebration, and offer a wide range of activities to cater for all interests. We provide care for Croatian and all other nationalities.
Adria Care fosters individuality and independence, providing support and assistance to enable residents to live in a comfortable and secure environment. It offers residential care for 42 residents, incorporating 2 respite rooms and special care. All rooms are single rooms with ensuite.
The village also contains 36 independent living villas. All villas have 2 bedrooms, a courtyard and a garden, and residents enjoy a peaceful and welcoming community lifestyle.
Our aim is to provide a caring, safe, home-like atmosphere, reflecting your rights to dignity, respect, privacy, safety and the best quality of life.
Contact our friendly staff today to arrange a personal tour.
Email:
Address:
An elderly woman with hearing loss came to my clinic for a second opinion, after she had recently been to a hearing aid sales person. I found the cause of her hearing loss was simply the fact that she had build-up of wax in her ears, the salesperson had failed to inspect them. You might be surprised how often this happens!
Here are some things to do to avoid getting ripped off:
1. A visit to the GP may save you from being ‘sold’ something when your only problem is wax in your ears.
2. Look for someone who is independent and can offer you unbiased advice, not just give you a sales pitch.
3. There are a range of hearing aid prices. Finding the right hearing aid might save you money and it will also give you the best chance of success.
4. Hearing aids can be expensive.
Recently I was told by two different patients that they were quoted $16,000 for a pair of hearing aids. This seems a ridiculous amount of money to pay and is most likely not appropriate for the majority of people (or possibly anyone).
5. If you are a pensioner or partpensioner, or a DVA gold or white card holder, you should carefully consider if you want to use the free-to-client government hearing aids or if you’d like to top-up to a different hearing aid.
The free-to-client hearing aids are appropriate for many people, however if you have great difficulty hearing background noise (for example in restaurants) then you might trial the top-up hearing aids, but only if you can afford them. There are a range of top up options and prices, if you are disappointed after a trial, you should return them and trial the free-toclient hearing aids.
If you get the feeling the person you’re dealing with is just trying to sell you something, then take a step back and get a second opinion.
“In an unregulated market there is a lot of opportunity to take advantage of people. Yes you have read correctly, there is no licensing of people who sell hearing aids.”
– Dr Vass
– you need professional advice, not a sales pitch
A NEW service to support older citizens navigate the aged-care system has launched, and Northside Community Service is one of the organisations providing the new Care Finder program in Canberra, says aged-care manager Pema Sherpa.
“Care Finder supports older people who would not be able to arrange aged-care services without intensive support and do not have a family member or friends who can help,” she says.
“We’ve been providing aged-care services in-home for a long time.
“One of the things that we’ve noticed is that Australia’s aged-care system is complicated, and for many older people out there it can be a huge challenge to even know what services they can receive.
“Care Finder is funded by the government through the Capital Health Network to help. The northside team can help people understand what aged-care services are available, set up an assessment and find and choose services.”
Pema says they also help people with access to other supports in the community, and they can help with both accessing services for the first time and changing or finding new services and supports.
“Having someone to actually meet with you, work with you, and help see what support you can get is so important for many older people,” says registered nurse and Northside’s care coordinator Doris Ekwegwo.
“As Care Finders, we are really here to help.” Northside Community Service, 2 Rosevear Place, Dickson. Call 6171 8000, or visit northside.asn.au
A wonderful community spirit with so much to do
A modern sustainable home in a picturesque heritage town offering an unbelievable lifestyle
Large spacious 3 bed 2 bath 2 car villasaverage 187 sqm (20 square)
Freehold - no exit fees - can sell when you wish with no deductions
Excellent common facilities - club house, heated pool, arts and crafts all built Beautiful large enclosed balcony
Large master bedroom big enough for a day bed and a desk as well as a king bed
Walk through wardrobe to a large spacious master bathroom all disability compliant
Large workable designer kitchen - ample cupboard space
Light filled living and dining area - large windows
Plush
WITH only two villas left to sell, director and developer Tim Wright says it’s proof Summerfield is a great place to live for over 55s, and testimony to their tagline “not just a place to live but a place to love”.
“We kept the last two villas, a Sandalwood and a Mayfield, to the end and have now released them with construction coming to a close,” he says.
“All other villas in this pristine 56 villa development are sold. Being freehold title, no entry or exit fees, with excellent community facilities, you can understand why there’s been such demand.”
Tim says these last two villas are three-bedroom, two-bath and two-car, “oozing” magnificence, space and luxury.
“The views from the Sandalwood villa, being perched high, are sensational with a beautiful sunroom
for the buyer to enjoy,” he says.
“Most importantly, these villas represent outstanding value when compared to Canberra, and unbelievable value when compared to Sydney.
“Located right beside the new hospital, Summerfield residents not only enjoy the lifestyle, but a plethora of local Braidwood activities.”
Tim says Braidwood is renowned for its arts and crafts, cafes and restaurants, clubs and activities and of course its nearby pies at Trapper’s Bakery.
“So, if you want to be the lucky owner in a beautiful villa and enjoy a quality lifestyle living each day to the fullest, visit Summerfield and have a look.”
Summerfield Braidwood, 70 Little River Road, Braidwood. Call 1300 737970 or visit summerfield.com.au
Surrounded by heritage listed countryside on three sides with a brand-new hospital on the other.
Summerfield has all facilities you would want in retirement.
Here are a few reasons why it works for you:
1 Freehold title - experience over 55’s independent living.
2 Exceptional value for these exclusive 3 bedroom 3 bath 2 car villas.
3 Exceptional amenities in a pristine, clear air, country environment - including club house, pool, arts and crafts area, already built.
4 Range of optional resident activities for great community involvement.
5 Strategically located between Canberra and the coast with an easy drive to Sydney.
COLLEENE Sheridan and her husband, Bryan, had never really thought about retirement villages, but a friend got them thinking, she says.
“We went to Marigal Gardens just to have a look and we really liked the idea of it,” she says.
“Before we moved, we heard a lot of concerns around the financial costs of a village. But we’re doing our kids a favour because they’re not going to have to worry about us.”
Colleen says one of the most important benefits of Marigal Gardens at Kambah is the sense of safety and security.
“But also we love the freedom to live life to the full, without the demands of household maintenance,” she says.
“I take full advantage of the amenities, and I’m so excited
about the new pool,” – due in the second half of 2024. Her advice to anyone thinking of a retirement village move? Don’t wait. “It’s the best thing we ever did,” she says. Sales manager Michaela Howard says they’d like to share the Marigal opportunity with other Canberrans at their Health and Wellbeing Expo on September 14, 10am-2pm.
“Come and meet the experts who can offer advice and services on the day, including free hearing and blood pressure checks, home meal delivery service and tasting, downsizing experts, selling and moving experts, services to support seniors living with pets, local physiotherapy services, travel and tour information, and a local over 55s community group.”
Marigal Gardens, 21 Snodgrass Crescent, Kambah. Call 1300 884784, or visit marigalgardens.com.au
DDCS Lawyers was established in 2007, specialising in family law and estate law, says partner Phil Davey.
“We are supported by a team of highly qualified and dedicated lawyers, who bring a powerful blend of experience and academic credentials,” he says.
“We offer a range of services to seniors, particularly in the estates area, where increasingly we are seeing a need for specialised advice.”
Phil says this includes estate planning, enduring powers of attorney, guardianship and financial management, retirement living and aged care, elder abuse, estate disputes and relationship breakdown.
“The work in these areas has been steadily increasing as a result of a number of factors, includ ing an ageing population, who have accumulated significantly greater wealth than previous genera tions and more complex family arrangements,” he says.
“The partners at DDCS have significant expertise and experience. Each of us has been practising as lawyers for between 10 and 40 years. Six of our partners are Accredited Specialists in Family Law; two partners hold Masters of Law degrees majoring in Dispute Resolution; and one of our partners holds a Masters of Law majoring in Estate Law.
“The work that we do requires not only legal skills but also the ability to deal with, and navigate, the complexities of family dynamics.”
Phil says DDCS prides itself on being able to deliver the best outcomes for clients who are more often than not dealing with some of life’s greater challenges.
DDCS Lawyers, 18 Kendall Lane, Canberra City. Call 6212 7600, or visit ddcslawyers.com.au
Thursday 14 September 10am – 2pm
21 Snodgrass Cres, Kambah
To find out more, visit marigalgardens.com.au/events/
At Marigal Gardens our homes aim to support you to live a happy healthy lifestyle without the worries of home maintenance. Our location, visiting practitioners and activities mean Marigal Gardens residents have access to a host of local health and wellness experts at their doorstep, and we’d like to extend that opportunity to you.
Come and meet the experts who can o er advice and services on the day, including:
• Free hearing and blood pressure checks
• Home meal delivery service and tasting
• Financial Advisors and Aged Care planners
• Services to support living with pets including a mobile veterinary clinic
• Local Physio services including advice on falls prevention and nutrition
• Travel and tour information
• A local over 55’s community group.
While you’re here, wander the village grounds, visit our apartment display suite, and sip on a free barista co ee
Please note, we have limited parking reserved for those with a disability on-site due to the construction of our apartments. Instead, we have a complimentary shuttle bus running regularly from Action Indoor Sports Kambah car park, home to Aqua Harmony Swim School and Inflatable World at 6 Jenke Circuit, Kambah.
RSVP on 1300 884 784 or email tehmi.summerfield@hindmarsh.com.au
Alternatively, just turn up on the day
FOR many, ageing comes with its challenges, says Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT CEO Rebecca Davey.
“At Arthritis ACT, we have a range of programs that can assist you as you come upon challenges that can occur throughout life,” she says.
“Our occupational therapist (OT) specialises in home modifications and supporting driving into the latter years.
“If you need a driving assessment to maintain your licence, or you have had some sort of medical event that has changed your ability to manage a car in a regular way, our OT can provide both a driving assessment and, if needed, help you arrange car modifications to either keep you driving, or to at least make car travel more possible.”
Rebecca says home modifications can also be more important as we age. “Be it modifica tions to bathrooms to reduce the risk of falls, or the addition of ramps and rails to make getting in and out of your home easier, we can support you to make this happen,” she says.
“As we age we can also lose some basic functioning such as our balance. We’re no longer getting out on the sports fields and keeping our bodies as strong as in the past.
“Strength and balance programs, Tai Chi for falls prevention and programs such as pilates can have a massive impact on increasing our stability and keeping us away from accident and emergency centres with fractured bones!”
Arthritis ACT, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041, or visit arthritisact.org.au
ensuring your home suits your evolving needs,” she says.
“Our services are flexible, catering to your preferences. Some clients entrust us with their keys, returning only upon auction day, confident in our expertise.”
Kim says it’s increasingly vital
increase the sales value.
“Renovation Matters offers a unique ‘fix up, profit, and pay later’ process, allowing us to cover the upfront renovation expenses before the settlement,” she says.
“We can finance improvements until settlement, leaving no stone
Renovation Matters, where we turn your home improvement dreams into reality with professionalism and ease.”
Renovation Matters. Call Kim on 0427 696662, or visit renovationmatters.com.au
We assist you with:
Planning and design of custom builds or modification to your home
Workplace modifications to make working easier, efficient and less painful
Car modifications and driving assessments - if you have been told you need this
Applications to the NDIS and other schemes e.g Housing and Disability Support Pensions
We work closely with our team of physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, art therapy and dietetics at Build a Better Me: Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT to provide you with the best support possible!
You do not need to have any particular condition to utilise our services, just a desire to ‘Build a Better You.
RESPITE care supports carers and the people they care for, giving both a break for a short period of time, says Carers ACT CEO Lisa Kelly.
independently, or help carers attend to commitments of work or travel, by ensuring the person they care for is in good hands,” she says.
Carers ACT offer several respite services to ensure carers can continue to support their loved one longer, in a way that is positive, balanced and sustainable.
“Planned respite care can help you plan for breaks to rest and recharge,” she says.
“Two of these services are cottage respite and a frail aged care respite booking service.
“Through our cottages, we provide a home-awayfrom-home environment for the person you care
a short-term respite bed for people with an aged care respite code.
“The booking service provides you with a single point of contact for aged care facilities across Canberra and Queanbeyan. We can also connect you with support for at-home care after a respite stay.
Lisa says you can take a break knowing Carers ACT are looking after the person you care for.
Carers ACT, 2/80 Beaurepaire Crescent, Holt. Call 6296 9900, or visit carersact.org.au
FINANCE director Rhonda Hubert says the staff at Capon and Hubert take pride in knowing that respect and courtesy always takes priority.
Together, lawyers Ken Hubert, Ashilpa Khanna and Daryn Griffiths cover family law, wills and estates and conveyancing.
“Ken is experienced in all areas of family law,” says Rhonda.
“He is a mediator and has been practising in Canberra for 40 years.
“He helps people with their legal issues with confidence and compassion.”
Ashilpa joined the team six years ago, says Rhonda,
conveyancing team, buying and selling property, both residential and commercial.”
He can also help with advice regarding contracts for retirement village accommodation, says Rhonda: “He is professional, efficient and a tireless worker for his clients.
“The Capon and Hubert team has been operating for many years in Canberra and enjoys working together.
“Many of our clients have been coming to us for a long time and much of our client base comes through referral, which speaks to Capon and Hubert’s success and the confidence their clients and other profession
DIRECTOR of the Tuggeranong branch of Performance Edge Physiotherapy, Dave Wellington says as we age our bodies undergo changes that can impact our physical well-being.
“Physiotherapy is an effective way to counteract these changes allowing a good quality of life to be maintained,” he says.
“Physiotherapy is not only beneficial for the rehabilitation of injuries, it offers a multitude of health benefits for our seniors.
FOR more than two decades, Open Mobility has been a trusted name in assistive technology, says area manager, southern tablelands and central west, Brooke Waters.
“Our commitment to customer satisfaction has made us a go-to provider of mobility solutions in Canberra,” she says.
“Now, with two convenient locations in the heart of Canberra at Belconnen and Greenway (both opposite the post offices), they’re even more accessible to the community.”
Brooke says Open Mobility offers a wide range of products, from mobility scooters to lift chairs, beds, and daily living aids, designed to empower individuals to lead independent lives.
“Our expert team goes above and beyond to ensure customer needs are met, providing free and secure delivery, set-up, and demonstrations for all purchases,” she says.
“What’s more, Open Mobility offers a five per cent price guarantee, ensuring you get the best value.
“As a registered NDIS provider, Open Mobility guarantees the highest level of care and support for participants. We’ve also embraced modern convenience with an easy-to-navigate ecommerce website, allowing customers to shop from the comfort of their homes while enjoying the same quality service and delivery options as in-showroom purchases.”
And, in exciting news for spring, Brooke says Open Mobility presents the Spring Scooter Sale.
“With an incredible $500 off every scooter and a minimum $500 trade-in offer, it’s an unparalleled opportunity to access state-of-the-art mobility solutions at exceptional value.”
Open Mobility, 32 Cohen Street, Belconnen and 310 Anketell Street, Greenway. Call 6108 3899, or visit openmobility.com.au
“Firstly, physiotherapy helps seniors maintain their strength and mobility. Through targeted exercises and techniques, physiotherapists work to enhance muscle strength, improve balance and increase flexibility, this is crucial in the prevention of falls which can have devastating consequences for older adults.”
Dave says by improving mobility, physiotherapy enables seniors to continue living independently, improving their overall quality of life.
“Physiotherapy also plays a vital role in managing chronic pain, a common issue among seniors,” he says.
“Whether it’s arthritis, osteoporosis, or joint problems we use a variety of techniques including manual therapy and therapeutic exercises to reduce pain and increase mobility.
“This can reduce the need for pain medication and
At Performance Edge Physiotherapy, our focus is YOU. Our team of dedicated professionals will provide unparalleled assessment, diagnosis & treatment, tailored to your individual requirements.
We will perform a comprehensive assessment to effectively diagnose and treat your condition.
Our therapists cater for many conditions including:
• Post-operative recovery • Arthritis
• Motor vehicle accident or workplace injury
• Degenerative or neurological conditions
• Muscle and joint pain
We accept Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), Medicare (EPC) and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) referrals.
BELCONNEN
improve an individual’s ability to engage in daily activities, this contributes greatly to their mental well-being.
“At Performance Edge Physiotherapy we help our older adults maintain their independence so they can enjoy an active and fulfilling life as they age.”
Performance Edge Physiotherapy. Call 6293 4355 (Tuggeranong), 6162 0252 (Belconnen) and 6162 0252 (Brindabella Park), or visit pephysio.com.au
Homeworld Centre 150 Soward Way, Greenway
(02) 6293 4355
Canberra International Sports and Aquatic Centre, 100 Eastern Valley Way, Bruce. (02) 6162 0252
SOLO Connections specialises in small group experiences for solo travellers, says reservations manager and tour host Dannii Falsay.
“Unlike traditional, couple tours, any meals or gatherings we have are done at large tables, to encourage fun and conversation, to bring everyone together,” she says.
“We make a point, at Solo Connections, to help others make the most of their experience, and be present in the moment.”
Dannii says they do, and deal with all the little things to show travellers they’re in good hands, and help them feel special.
“We have a very high repeat client rate, with sometimes up to 80 per cent of our tour groups being previous, returning passengers,” she says.
“It’s not too late to join in our Christmas trips.
FOR nearly 30 years the ACT Deafness Resource Centre has been advis ing people on how best to manage their hearing loss, says executive officer Joe Symons.
“I have had moder ate/severe hearing loss since birth, which allows me to bring lived experience to the centre. There’s no course you can do that will teach you that,” he says.
The centre offers education, information, guidance and referrals.
BRUCE Sports Medicine deals not just with athletes but looks after people of all ages and abilities to help them with their quality of life, says owner, Dr Wilson Lo.
“My clinic is set up for a multidisciplinary approach for patients with arthritis,” he says.
“We will try and diagnose the problem to start with, then discuss all the options with you so you can decide what will suit you the best.
“Every person has a different aim in life whether that be to play golf, go on an overseas trip or just function in everyday life without pain.”
Wilson says pain relief may involve prescription medication, various injection therapies such as platelet-rich plasma, softtissue therapy, mobilisation of joints and exercise programs.
“Either in our rehabilitation gym, such as the GLA:D program, or at home,” he says.
We’re doing an Australian trip through Victoria that will run through Christmas and New Year, or a Mekong River Cruise over Christmas.
“It’s perfect for people who may not have plans or family to spend that period with. We’d love to welcome you in.”
And, Dannii says Solo Connections will be adding new itineraries for 2024, from before COVID-19.
“I’m excited, our travellers will be happy and safe, and we’re helping to give them a new lease on life,” she says.
“It is a very satisfying, feel-good job, where the holiday begins at the airport.”
Solo Connections. Call 1300 044444, or visit soloconnections.com.au
“We’re a not-for-profit so our services are free,” he says.
“One in six Australians has some form of hearing loss, and for people aged over 65 it’s one in four, so it’s important to have the necessary information.”
Joe says the ACT Deafness Resource Centre can help with alert systems too, such as fire alarms or notifications when someone is at the door.
“We also offer free talks to retirement homes, independent living villages, men’s sheds and the wider community” he says.
He says the centre is also expanding, with an online store that allows them to offer services and products Australia-wide.
ACT Deafness Resource Centre, 1b/27 Mulley Street, Holder. Call 6287 4393, or visit actdrc.org.au
“We have a team of practitioners to guide you – physiotherapists, an exercise physiologist, sports podiatrist, dietitian and sports doctors.
“We will soon have a very experienced acupuncturist on board as well.”
Wilson says they are also happy to work with your existing doctors and practitioners.
“We are also fortunate to have on our team Dr Joe Lau. He specialises in orthopedic surgery of the lower limb and uses the latest robotic-assisted technology for knee and hip replacements, including the minimally invasive direct anterior approach (DAA) hip replacement.
“And, besides Dr Lau, all our practitioners do not need a referral from your doctor.”
Bruce Sports Medicine, 9 Victoria Street, Hall. Call 6253 5386, or visit brucesportsmedicine.com.au
October
16 Days from $10,416*
Fully Hosted from Melbourne
Experience the Solo Connections difference and enjoy this A Victorian Christmas! Solo Connections tours are fully hosted, unique small group tours designed specifically for solo travellers over 50. This tour includes 15 nights in comfortable quality accommodation with your own private room, most meals including a traditional festive Christmas Lunch and tailor-made sightseeing whilst in Victoria including the Great Ocean Road!
17 Days from $12,568* per person Including Flights ex BNE/SYD/MEL/PER
Experience the Solo Connections difference when you join us on this amazing Mekong Christmas Experience! Our tour includes superior river cruise and hotel accommodation throughout this tour from Cambodia to Vietnam with your own private room/ cabin, most meals and tailor-made sightseeing. Join Solo Connections this Christmas and enjoy the festive season travelling with other solo travellers.
CURTIN Optical stocks a wide range of eyewear and accessories, says owner Corey Nicholls.
Having been a part of the Curtin community for 23 years, he says Curtin Optical has three experienced optometrists available for appointments from Mondays to Fridays.
“We cater to all tastes –from budget to well-known brands,” says Corey.
Curtin Optical also offers mobile optical dispensing services – spectacle selections and deliveries to the elderly or people unable to come into the store due to disability, he says.
“This includes spectacle repairs and adjustments, and an after-hours service,” says Corey.
“In addition, Curtin Optical offers an express service for those who have lost or broken their spectacles (Rx dependent).
“Curtin Optical’s in-store services can offer a sameday turnaround and its mobile jobs have a 24-hour turnaround.”
Corey says its independence from large chains gives customers a more personalised service.
He says they are also providers to the ACT pension
Curtin
IT’S important to get legal advice before committing to the sale or purchase of property, says Capon and Hubert property and commercial solicitor Daryn Griffiths.
Daryn says the ACT and NSW are unique in that they don’t offer cooling off periods to the same extent as other states.
“Once you’ve committed yourself to the purchase of a residential property, you have a certain period of time to organise some of your affairs and finance and make requests of the seller to go investigate the property a bit more,” he says.
“During that time you have the ability to walk away from the contract, and the impost on you is only .25 per cent of the price.
“In the ACT and NSW our cooling off period is much shorter, generally seven days or five business days. We have a system here where you really can’t do much in that period of time so we need to make sure your ducks are in a row before you commit to that transaction.”
Daryn says it’s also incredibly important to pre-inspect commercial property as there are even less protections in place for a purchase.
He also says that it can be greatly beneficial for older residents looking to move into a retire ment home to get some quality advice before any commitment is made.
“Every contract is a little bit different. We can go through the contract together and if there’s things you need to take into account we can put that in place,” he says.
Capon & Hubert, first floor, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 6152 9203 or visit chsol.com.au
GRAVE Keepers’ owner Karen Doyle says she has been maintaining and restoring old grave sites for 19 years.
“On top of grave cleaning and leaving flowers, we offer gold leafing, lead lettering, black and white letter refurbishing and brass plaques,” she says.
“I did a four-year course to become a qualified stonemason, and now I’m just so passionate, I absolutely love doing this for people.
“Sometimes it’s too hard emotionally for a family to visit a grave, or sometimes they just live too far away to clean it up and regularly maintain it, so I understand when people come to me, they’re struggling.”
Karen, alongside her partner and sons, offers weekly or fortnightly services, as well as seasonal and
Our residential care will enable you to enjoy a relaxed and caring community environment with 24hr care. Located within a beautiful garden setting in Page, Villaggio Sant’ Antonio offers safe and secure living in both our Aged Care Facility and our Independent Living Retirement Villas. For all enquires please contact us on 62551794 or reception@villaggio.com.au
“They are the muscle for me,” she says.
“We make sure to take progress photos, before and after, to send to the families we help, and they really appreciate that.
“I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to travel around Australia doing this work, and I’m still considered a baby in the industry; my mentor is 83.
“I’ve been lucky enough too, that I have cleaned the only Australian pilot grave in Arlington Cemetary in Virginia USA.”
Grave Keepers. Call 0448 329200, or visit gravekeepers.com.au
THE taste of a morning coffee, loading up the car, pulling out of the driveway – it all adds to the magical feeling of heading out on a road trip. And, luckily for Canberrans, surrounding the nation’s capital are picturesque landscapes, historic communities and fascinating events. But before heading out to nearby locations (that feel a world away), make sure the car’s serviced and ready to go!
JUST further than two hours from Canberra lies the Snowy Valleys, says tourism and marketing officer Miki McPherson.
“The perfect destination for your next weekend getaway,” she says.
“If you are after an authentic experience filled with food, wine and outdoor exploration, then the Snowy Valleys is the destination for you.”
Miki says people can taste the best that nature has to offer with farm-gate experiences, alpine apples, and cool-climate wines!
“Enjoy a unique farm to plate dining experience and take advantage of the finer accommodation options, or you could camp outdoors to marvel at the stars,” she says.
“There is an abundance of picturesque touring routes in the area if you’re driving, on bike, walking or even on the water.
“Explore some of our secret gems such as Adelong Falls Gold Mill Ruins, a heritage-listed site. This place is a popular swimming spot during the warmer months, while also boasting a great hiking trail along Adelong Creek for those visiting in the colder months.”
Or, Miki says people can admire the wonderful art within the region that forms part of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail.
“Pick your own apples and enjoy other apple inspired sweet treats in Batlow, or enjoy the countryside drive to local favourite Paddy’s River Falls near Tumbarumba, or bring your bikes along to take on the very popular Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail,” she says.
“There are also multiple award-winning, cool-climate wines to sip and savour while in the area, and don’t miss a visit to the Yarrangobilly Caves and thermal pool, with eucalyptus trees towering overhead. A dip in the natural thermal pool – which stays 27°C all year round – will be an unforgettable experience.”
Snowy Valleys. Call 6941 2509, or visit www.visitsnowyvalleys.au
MORE hands-on than any zoo or park, Taralga Wildlife Park offers close-up and personal animal experiences, making it the perfect outing for the whole family, says owner John Stafford.
“Meet all our regular visitors’ favourites like Wilma the wombat,” he says.
“You’ll find Wilma wandering the grounds just waiting for a pat and some attention.
“Or get up-close with Rinnie, our super friendly dingo, or visit the friendship farm area that also features rabbits, guinea pigs and sheep.”
The park also has numerous species of kangaroos and wallabies, including two spectacular white kangaroos, more than 100 species of birds, including macaws, curlews, parrots, finches and endangered freckled ducks, as well as free-ranging peacocks.
With more than 50 exhibits featuring animals such as dingoes, deer, antelope, camels, llamas and alpacas, John says there are plenty of animals and birds to see and feed.
Visitors can make a day out of the park, too, finishing it off at its cafe, which John says serves great coffee and cake or light
lunch options until 3pm.
He says there’s also a good range of cafes and hotels in the area to enjoy a variety of food.
Taralga Wildlife Park is open 10am to 4pm, Thursday to Monday, and is open every day during school holidays.
Taralga Wildlife Park, 257 Bannaby Road, Taralga. Call 0419 014540 or search Taralga Wildlife Park on Facebook.
LOLLY Swagman has been exploring new tastes for nearly three decades, says owner Ian Richardson.
Located in the heart of the Southern Highlands, the lolly shop stocks all-time favourite treats and the latest-trending tastes from around the world.
“We’ve got American Reese’s, Hershey’s and candy corn, English bon bons and chocolates, sours and super sours, Dutch liquorice, Scottish tablet and our own Mrs Swag’s Fudge,” says Ian.
“We lost count at 1300 different treats and we know it’s more than that.”
Ian says the store is a common stop on people’s trips to Berrima.
“It’s a happy place with kids excitedly exploring new tastes, older people reminiscing and sharing in the thrill of finding a favourite and the great stories that go with them,” he says.
NESTLED in the heart of NSW, only a three-hour drive from Canberra, the Parkes region is a destination for picturesque landscapes and serene bushland, says Lisa Moon, visitor services and tourism co-ordinator.
“It’s the perfect spot to unwind, and recharge,” she says.
“Parkes region is dynamic and vibrant, full of energy and plenty of cool spots to explore. It’s the home of Australia’s iconic landmark, the CSIRO Radio Telescope, or ‘The Dish’, as it is affectionately known for its starring role in the film of the same name.
“Also, the world-renowned Parkes Elvis Festival held in January and the Trundle Abba Festival only a few weeks away in October.”
Lisa says Parkes is also centrally situated among other rural towns, making it the ultimate hub for
experiencing the many unique treasures of NSW’s central west region.
“For enthusiasts of gravel cycling, Parkes stands out as an unrivalled destination,” says Lisa, who expresses her pride in collaborating with renowned cycling heroes Two Wheel Tours, who have expertly created 14 trails that, in their own words, “feature some of the country’s most exceptional gravel roads to ride”.
Lisa says Parkes is “truly delighted to have partnered with the team at Two Wheel Tours, who have meticulously uncovered and mapped out these gems that meander through the most enchanting rural backdrops”.
Parkes Shire Council. Call 1800 624 365, or visit visitparkes.com.au
“We often see people who’d come as children now bringing in their own children and sharing their experiences, which is lovely to be allowed to join in on. It’s nice to have that history.”
Lolly Swagman, 11 Old Hume Highway, Berrima. Call 4877 1137, or visit lollyswagman.com.au
CO-DIRECTOR of Lindner Quality Socks Andrew Lindner couldn’t believe it when he discovered his family business of sock makers stretched as far back as 1730.
His research found that he’s the latest in a line of 10 generations of sock makers originally from Germany, and while the business moved to Goulburn in 1987, he says since 1997 it has proudly operated in the main street of Crookwell.
Today, he says it provides a range of quality crafted socks for a huge range of purposes.
“The range is very wide, from thin socks right through to socks for heavy work, adventure wear as well as cotton and cosy types,” says Andrew.
“Our local farmers are renowned for the quality of their merino wool and we source most of our fibres from them.”
Andrew says that when people buy quality, handcrafted socks most will immediately notice the difference.
“We take the time to ensure every pair of socks is made to our high standards, including hand finishing each pair, and our attention to detail is second to none,” he says.
“You’re assured of superior warmth, comfort and durability and it’s a way to support Australian business.”
Being on the main street of Crookwell, Andrew says they love to welcome visitors interested in visiting the historic business.
“As you’re driving through you can visit us, come through the front door and look through the window and see the machines running that may very well be making your socks,” he says.
Lindner Quality Socks, 6 Goulburn Street, Crookwell. Call 4832 0202 or visit lindnersocks.com.au
SCHOOL’S nearly finished for the year, and the spring holidays are about to get underway, bringing a great opportunity to learn new skills for life.
Whether it’s exploring a creative side, or going on an adventure, there are plenty of local businesses in Canberra who make learning fun.
“CityNews” has compiled a list of activities to keep children engaged over the school holidays.
THIS spring, take some time to relax at the Snowy Hy dro Discovery Centre in Cooma, says a spokesperson.
to Kosciuszko National Park, it is easily accessible and perfect for a behind-the-scenes exploration of one of the biggest engineering feats the world has ever seen,” they say.
“Learn more about the Snowy 2.0 mega-project, view a scale model of a tunnel boring machine and discover Snowy Hydro’s role in Australia’s renewable energy future. Immerse yourself in our national story, or take a virtual flyover of the Snowy Scheme in our state-of-the-art theatre.
“Complement these experiences with a stroll through our interpretive display area and discover great innovation and ingenuity in our proud history, leading the way for our exciting future.”
The spokesperson says people can explore the interactive diorama of the Snowy Scheme and see how pumped-hydro and the National Electricity Market
“We serve great barista-made coffee, organic teas, ‘infamous’ milkshakes and a range of iced and cold drinks. Enjoy your cafe experience inside or outdoors, where there is space for kids to run around.
“Our Discovery Centre shop has something for everyone, with a range of books, clothing, local produce and souvenirs.
“There’s plenty of free car parking, bus parking, plus additional caravan and trailer parking. There is also a Chargefox Electric Vehicle charging station onsite. Disabled parking and wheelchair access is also available.”
Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre, 1 Monaro Highway, Cooma. Call 1800 623776, or visit snowyhydro.com.au
FOR young artists between five and 13-years-old, the Lavender Art Studios September/October school holiday art workshops are now open for bookings, says owner Elita Mackay.
“We will reintroduce the popular illuminated art workshops and also offer the new posca pen, acrylic painting, printmaking, mixed media, watercolour and sculpting,” she says.
In the first week, the focus theme is fantasy and wizardry.
“The art workshops will be filled with the magical fantasy of wizardry, and other fantasy inspired art,” says Elita.
“Through the creation of art, the young budding artists, in their own way, will bring to life the characters and scenes of famous epic fantasy stories.”
And, she says, includes the magic of live harp music!
In week two, the focus theme changes to fantasy and medieval.
“In these workshops, the young
artists will explore castles, village life, colourful history, costume, valour, myths and legends of medieval art; periods and styles,” says Elita.
“Through our fine art instruction and fully resourced professional art studio, the young artists will enjoy creating pieces that represent their own interpretation of medieval fantasy art.
“Book now to secure a place for your child in the very popular, carefully designed and excellently delivered creative art workshops.”
Lavender Art Studios, 42 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 0412 649770, or visit lavenderartstudios.com.au/ school-holiday-program
THIS springtime, the National Dinosaur Museum is going green in more ways than one, says general manager Carole Arulantu.
“Our cycads are settling into their new home in Australotitan Cooper’s enclosure,” she says.
“We will be partnering with Floriade, from September 16 to October 15, at Commonwealth Park, where our Australovenator will be taking temporary residence for the entire month.
“Attendees are encouraged to take a selfie with Banjo – named for the Australian poet – in the Floriade gardens and tag @nationaldinosaurmuseum in your photos on Instagram to go into the draw to win a private Dinosaur Garden Tour for up to six people.”
Carole says every Wednesday during the festival from 12pm to 2pm they’ll be running activities, and a fossil touch and talk, in the Floriade Sprouts children’s area.
“Come by, say hi to our team, and ask them all of your burning prehistoric questions,” she says.
“We can’t wait to see you at the National Dinosaur Museum during the school holidays: we’re open from 10am to 5pm every day, with final entry at 4pm.”
National Dinosaur Museum, 6 Gold Creek Road, Nicholls. Call 6230 2655, or visit nationaldinosaurmuseum.com.au
TUFF Nutterz was started in 2019, with the idea to create an environment where families can have fun and come together, says general manager Juan Gomez.
“It’s a day filled with excitement for children, their parents and even grandparents,” he says.
“We are holding an event in Canberra every day from 9am to 4.45pm between September 23 and October 8, at Parkes Place Lawns.
“The event features Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course – 300 metres long – and two other inflatable games, which are sure to provide an exhilarating experience.”
Juan says Tuff Nutterz puts itself out there, and often rents fields or parks to sell tickets.
“We are very happy and lucky to be able to provide such an enjoyable family event,” he says.
“Tickets start at $25, with session times at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm, and group discounts are available.
“We will have coffee, ice cream and yummy food available at our events, and you may bring your own food and drinks, too. Socks with grip soles are highly recommended.
“What I love about Tuff Nutterz is it’s a whole day out for the families, and away from screens, so everyone is able to share their experience together.”
Tuff Nutterz, King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place Lawns. Visit tuffnutterz.com
MONTY Python’s “Spamalot” is without doubt one of the silliest musicals ever written.
A riff on the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, it is almost unforgettable for the coconut shells banged together to make the sound of King Arthur’s horse galloping, the characterisation of a great hero as Dennis Galahad and the notorious “Fisch Schlap ping Song”, all making mincemeat of the Arthurian legend.
Director of Free Rain Theatre’s coming production at The Q, Jarrad West, is certain that the Monty Python brand is still a viable one and not just one for the “dad-joke” generation and judging by the extraor dinary audience in 2018 when Canberra Choral Society and the National Capital Orchestra staged “Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy)” to a packed house in Llewellyn Hall, he’s probably right. West’s connection with this brand of comedy actually predates Python, going back to his youth in Perth.
“At about age 13 or 14 some fellow theatricals put me on to the BBC radio show ‘I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again’,” he tells me.
“That’s what got me into that style of
humour. There was Bill Oddie, Tim BrookeTaylor and John Cleese before The Goodies and Monty Python and it was so ridiculous.
“One of the sketches I loved was called ‘I Love to be Alone in the Country’, just the fact that you could hear that kind of thing was incredible.”
It worked for West who says: “British humour does so well at keeping things
theatrical while things fall apart.”
One of the standard jokes in “Spamalot”, he notes, is the stiff upper lip and that really sums up the character of King Arthur, who’s trying to keep the legend together, but is undercut by absurd and ludicrous situations.
“This show straddles the generations,” says West, arguing that the popularity of podcasts means that comedy is more
accessible than ever and pointing to the cult following of “fake news” reporter Jonathan Pie (Tom Walker) on YouTube. There are younger people, he believes, who already know “Spamalot”, which became a musical in 2004. Maybe, he concedes, they didn’t see the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, but they certainly knew a couple of numbers, including “Always Look
on the Bright Side of Life”, originally written by Eric Idle for the Python film “Life of Brian”.
One of the things West loves about the show is seeing the knights of the round table in a big Broadway number like “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway”.
“The songs are a loving send-up of that Broadway show-tune feeling that is dying now,” he says.
“CityNews” music writer Ian McLean, who says he’s never conducted “Spamalot” before, will conduct.
The music, which he describes as “a bit of spoof music, real take-off of many things but mostly jazz and big-band music”, was written in collaboration between Eric Idle and John Du Prez, except for “Finland”, (the “Fisch Schlapping Song”) which was written by Michael Palin.
In order to “make it more interesting”, West will have 24 seats reserved on the stage of The Q so that select audience members can pay a bit more and get to participate. They’ll be given a “travel brief” on what to do and not to do before the show, and there’s room for the orchestra on stage as well, making McLean very happy.
As for the style of the show, West says: “I hate to use the word ‘Brechtian’, but I want to give the show an exposed-theatre feel, maybe a bit like ‘The Rocky Horror Show’.”
“Spamalot”, The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, September 12-24.
WHEN I told a friend, who is an antique and collectibles enthusiast, that she should visit the Dirty Janes Emporium in Fyshwick, she raised her eyebrows. I reassured her it wasn’t that kind of dirty!
The story behind Dirty Janes, which opened in Canberra in 2020, in the format of the Bowral multi-stall holder original, is a fascinating one.
Its background can be found in Jane Crowley’s beautifully illustrated book, “Dirty Janes Vintage Style”, and the new family memoir, “Beeswax and Tall Tales”, written by Jane with her father Athol Salter, telling the story of the family’s involvement in the antiques business. Jane has said: “Between dad and me, we’ve got nearly 90 years of experience selling antiques”.
“Beeswax and Tall Tales”, a warm, informal and accessible book, written by Jane in Athol’s voice, intertwines family history with Athol’s memories of the buying and selling of antiques and the diverse characters he met. As Jane says, Athol is a born storyteller, “painting images in the air of the people that crossed his path, and the antique furniture he has bought and sold over a career spanning 60 years”.
Athol Salter, now 84, grew up on a
struggling dairy farm in regional Victoria. After abandoning a potential career in David Jones, Athol established, with his wife Meg, The Gallery antique shop in Wagga Wagga in 1964 and expanded into the much larger Junque Shop in 1969.
The family moved to Canberra in 1971 for opportuni ties in a larger market and established Hall Antiques in the village’s old theatre cinema.
Jane, who went to school and to university in Canberra, went into business with her father. She recounts how since the age of eight she imbibed the ambience of antiques when unpacking “jewellery or beautiful china or clothing and it was like Christmas every time it happened”.
After the family sold Hall Antiques in 1985, Athol and Jane established The Shed at Mittagong, before opening the first Dirty Janes store in Bowral in 2009. A third store will open in Orange in 2024.
“Beeswax and Tall Tales” largely covers Athol’s antique business from the ‘60s to the early ‘80’s. His stories largely fall into two parts, the first the clearing of deceased or rundown rural properties around Wagga, “time capsules waiting to be cracked open”, and the second
two elderly sisters, characters almost out of Jane Austen, ask Athol to clear the contents of their deceased brother’s property, surrounded by thousands of acres of farmland. The quality of the furniture, replete with Victorian bookcases, tables dressers and crystal vases, necessitated an urgent visit by Athol for a loan to the Wagga bank manager. The ‘70s saw increasing trips by Athol to Britain, notably to Yorkshire and the Cotswolds, buying Victorian furniture, chiffoniers, balloon-back chairs, jewellery, China dinner sets, vintage gowns and even a discarded mink stole from Harrods.
In this British antiques trail, Athol was following in the footsteps of other Australian antique buyers, including the prominent Melbourne collector and dealer William Robert Johnston. Although Athol was not quite in Johnston’s league, he was clearly adept in gaining the trust of sellers, such as a young vampish widow, the second wife of a rich Irish industrialist, now alienated from his family, who had secreted away the family furniture.
It’s a long and fascinating story from Athol travelling the dusty and bumpy roads around Wagga to Dirty Janes, which now has more than 50,000 Instagram followers, an indication of the power of digital and social media to promote the enduring attraction of antiques and collectibles to each new generation.
“The story behind Dirty Janes, which opened in Canberra in 2020, in the format of the Bowral multi-stall holder original, is a fascinating one,” writes reviewer COLIN STEELE .
THE National Capital Art prize is on the up and up, fast gaining traction as a destination event on the cultural circuit.
Now in its third year, it has attracted 840 entries, 50 more than last year, getting respectably close to the Archibald Prize’s 949 entries, with the 92 finalists represent ing every state and territory, including six indigenous entries from WA.
Founded by Robert Stephens, the owner of Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek, and handsomely supported by the Minerals Council of Australia, the prize offers not just a prize pool of $47,500 (The Open Prize, First Nations Prize and Sustainability Prize each $15,000 and a People’s Choice Award $2500) but a more open entry system than some other major art awards in the country, with few restrictions on media.
Although two sections, it is mainly for paintings, in the third, “Sustainability”, entries are accepted in sculpture, textiles, photography and ceramics.
I caught up with Stephens recently just after his team of celebrity judges, Wendy Sharpe, Sasha Grishin, John Sackar and Wayne Qulliam, had left the gallery on judging day, leaving him slightly reeling at the subtle power play in the process of reaching their unanimous decisions and aware of the huge difference for the judges in shortlisting from digital images and seeing the real thing.
entries that struck him as more naturalistic, like “Bottle Tree Country Dreamtime”, by Andrew Nelson, depicting a time before colonisation and land clearing in southwestern Queensland and “Mannalargenna Day”, a charcoal drawing by Louise Daniels, depicting an annual celebration held on country in Tebrakunna, north-eastern Tasmania.
The eye-catching “Creation”, reimagined ceremonial poles by Marcia Staples surprised him with its, in one case, unexpected owls.
On one wall is a series of joyous naive paintings, “Longtaim Ti Didei” (Long Time Till Today), by Karen Rogers, embellished with captions in the Kriol language of her community.
Stephens was not sure he agreed with the judges that this year’s Open Section was the weakest of the three, pointing to works hanging by the 2022 Open winner John A Rowe and to several portraits, although those had “not been sought particularly”. But the most fascinating start of the part of the show was undoubtedly the “Sustainability” section.
This, I discovered, had involved quite a complex judging process, as aesthetic considerations had to be balanced against environmental concerns, much in the manner of the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize.
In the central space is an arresting black work, “The Things We Find In The Stars”, a sculpture by Sophie Lampert from NSW, slated to travel to Venice after the show.
Inspired by 17th century female astrono -
mer Elisabeth Catherina Koopmann, it was made using recycled items and discarded waste, upholstered and embellished with faux fur, embroidery, sequins and beading to fulfil an agenda of “gender equity, quality education, reduced inequalities as well as responsible production and consumption”.
In marked contrast is “Fruits of the Sea,” by Alyson Bell, a video installation with sound in a plywood display box containing tiny screens, video a playback device and speaker and made of aluminium sardine cans, mirror, felt and hand-made wire key openers.
One of the most caustic entries in this category is “Lapsed”, five photopolymer etchings, by SA lawyer-photographic artist Tricia Ross, of Australian coastal areas under threat, with digital text showing five protective environmental parliamentary bills proposed but never promulgated, “a triple entendre”, she said, referencing bills that have lapsed in time, lapsed for want of support, or lead to a “lapsed” environment.
Far more modest is ACT artist Lyn Davidson’s eloquent sculpture “Hope”, woven from NZ flax grown in the artist’s garden.
Setting subtlety aside, there’s no mistaking the meaning of the show’s piece de resistance, “Big Foot”, a huge papier mâché foot coated with carbon and coal dust by Ben Laycock and Rilka Laycock-Walsh. The meaning is plain and the carbon footprint is large indeed.
2023 National Capital Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, Aarwun Gallery, Gold Creek.
trigue of a total extra-terrestrial takeover has made for a sure-fire ticket seller.
Now in the age of streaming it’s the small screen that aliens are invading.
In recent years shows such as “Falling Skies”, “Childhood’s End” and even a new adaptation of HG Wells’ classic novel “War of the Worlds” have flown on to screens.
There’s no exception on Apple TV Plus, with season two of its blockbuster series “Invasion” just landing.
One of the platform’s biggest and most ambitious series, “Invasion” attempts to paint a gritty, realistic picture of how the world would react to absolute alien occupation. The series’
SINGERS Chris Cheney, Phil Jamieson, Tim Rogers and Josh Pyke will celebrate the ninth Beatles’ studio album, known as the “White Album” (because of its plain white cover) at Canberra Theatre, September 21.
CANBERRA International Music Festival has announced that its 2024 iteration will run from May 1-5. It’s a tight set of dates for the event, which will see Roland Peelman’s last outing as artistic director.
KATE Ceberano will join the Canberra Symphony Orchestra to perform personal favourites from her four-decade career in “My Life is a Symphony”. Canberra Theatre, September 15.
“HANGING by a Thread” is a terrific title for the exhibition by ACT Textile Arts Association, showing hand-crafted textile art, embroidery, crochet, knitting, felting, mixed media, dyeing, printing, sewing and dressmaking, at the Queanbeyan Art Society Gallery, Trinculo Place, September 15- 24.
BACH’S best loved choral music will be performed entirely in German by Canberra Choral Society and Luminescence Children’s Choir in “Immortal Bach”. It’s directed by Dan Walker, with Anthony Smith on the organ and Lindy Reksten on continuo. All Saints Church, Ainslie, September 16.
THE Royal Czech Ballet returns with “Sleeping Beauty”. Canberra Theatre, September 17-18.
Martians do, with a strange object falling from the sky and nearby inhabitants going to investigate.
Here it’s a desert in Arabia where the scene is set and it’s not long before an unfortunately curious explorer is vaporised.
After this the show splits off into the perspectives of five different characters and their struggle for survival in a transforming world.
One of them is our own Sam Neill, who plays a small-town sheriff in Oklahoma fighting to keep his community safe when crop circles begin to appear.
Also among the roster is a Japanese aerospace engineer investigating the mysterious explosion of a space shuttle flown by her partner, an American soldier
day off his retirement when the aliens decide to show up).
And what of these aliens? Are the little green men in flying saucers? Robots? E.T.?
Well enigmatically (and eventually irritatingly) “Invasion” keeps its cards close to its chest on this one.
In the first season viewers see more of the by-product of their arrival rather than that arrival itself. There are blackouts and nosebleeds across the world, earthquakes and economic collapse but catching a glimpse of what’s actually causing these eerie events is hard to come by. The explosive special-effect pieces take a back seat to the character work here. Those characters are interesting and “Invasion” does indeed have a great setup, but in season two the show needs to start dishing out more answers as to what’s actually going on if it’s going to keep audiences interested. The truth is out there. I just wish it would hurry up.
The titular Erin (Evin Ahmad) is a British teacher living an idyllic and picturesque life in Barcelona. While shopping with her daughter on what seems to be a normal afternoon, things take a turn when two masked crooks attempt to hold up the supermarket.
Within moments Erin has taken both down in a precisely executed flurry of combat. “It’s you” says one of the thieves with his dying breath, leaving Erin’s daughter to question her mother’s identity, past and even her name.
It might sound heavy, but “Erin Carter” certainly doesn’t take itself seriously. In many ways the show feels like it’s trying to emulate old-school action TV, complete with over-the-top choreographed fight scenes and corny banter that bounces between its protagonists.
For those in search of some casual TV fun, “Who Is Erin Carter?” provides just enough intrigue to make searching for an answer to its central question worth it.
THE Italian Film Festival will feature a retrospective on screen idol Massimo Troisi, but will open with the Australian premiere of “The Last Night of Amore” (“L’ultima notte di Amore”), a Milan-set thriller where Pierfrancesco Favino plays a police lieutenant drawn into a web of crime and corruption. Palace Electric
IT was a very indulgent week, two wine events within three days of each other at a total cost of just under $300.
The proximity of the events enabled me and mate Tom, who also went to both, to evaluate a number of big reds produced by the Barossa in SA and those from the Rutherglen region in Victoria. It was a Kurtz wines (Barossa) dinner versus a Warrabilla (Rutherglen) lunch.
I hope that I bring an objective stance to the evaluation or at least consistency in my wine prejudices. The best way to do that, I reckon, is to talk about my two favourite wines from each winery rather than create pointless conflict where none exists, as my favourite offerings were from different years and featured different varietals/blends.
I like the big bold reds that these
regions produce; the shirazdominant, teeth-staining, gripping reds that are bold on the palate and thick with alcohol and complexity, that most often need to be cellared for maximum enjoyment after five to 10 years.
They match well with meat dishes and are good winter drinking. They are usually grown in our hotter climes,
just like the Barossa and Rutherglen. In contrast is the trend to lighter reds both in style and in alcohol content and the rush to purchase for immediate consumption.
Despite the trend to lighter reds, such as pinot noir (5 per cent of Australia’s wine consumption by volume in 2022), there is still a strong following for quality, bold reds, as is
evident from Warrabilla attracting more than 100 people to the lunch at the Boat House and announcing that they have people who have belonged to their wine club for more than 20 years.
The Kurtz winery has a smaller production, but Steve Kurtz sells all the wines he makes, as he told us at the dinner at Gryphons in Griffith.
My two favourite Kurtz wines were first the 2019 Boundary Row GSM, a blend of grenache, shiraz and mourvèdre.
This is a bold wine at 15 per cent alcohol by volume and it has developed wonderfully over four years with cellaring bestowing depth of flavour, still fruit forward with blackberry prevailing and the alcohol not knocking out any of the brightness of the fruit.
The second and the darling of the evening was a 2008 Lunar Block Shiraz (14.5 per cent
I’M amazed at the number of licensed restaurants (and even cafés) closed for lovely, leisurely Sunday lunches.
On our last visit to the Realm precinct, for example, Chairman and Yip, Leyla and Lilo Tang were all closed, and Buvette was, too (but being renovated).
We randomly met two business people from interstate and looking for a place to wine and dine. They asked why so much was closed. Economic decisions are obviously at play, but it can be baffling for locals and visitors alike, and this situation isn’t limited to Barton.
Musings aside, Ostani was open, and its multiple fireplaces took the edge off a rainy and cool day. Order at the front and save the Sunday surcharge or through the QR Code and pay the surcharge.
We ordered the Eden Road The Long Road Pinot Gris, one of our all-time favourite drops.
Thumbs up to Ostani for offering 150ml ($13) and 250ml ($21) glasses (bottle is $60). Thumbs up also for offering complimentary sparkling
water on tap.
While the wine was super, I ventured to the bar to get a replacement glass because mine had two chips around the rim. Staff were apologetic.
We ordered two dishes to share from the allday menu. The hummus and baba ganoush dip starter ($12) arrived without the baba ganoush, so I inquired and we were quickly brought a serve.
Our other share plate was the spiced haloumi ($19), which we enjoyed although it didn’t arrive quite like the menu described. It was missing both pomegranate and radicchio.
Matters seemed to settle with the mains. The grain-fed Angus beef rump was perfectly cooked as ordered and tender, not surprising given it had been aged for 120 days ($34 for 250 grams). Chips were light and crispy.
Ostani offers seven pizzas and the Diavola hit the spot with spicy salami, salty olives, a sprinkling of rocket and chilli ($24).
Burgers include “The Ostani” with a chargrilled, 180-gram, dry-aged beef patty ($25), which sounded delish, but was just a bit big for my friend. No matter, the cheeseburger, at 120 grams, satisfied, and the chips were light and crispy.
I adore a great prawn linguine and Ostani’s came with saffron. The prawns were smallish and I couldn’t taste the chilli. I asked for extra, which is just as well, but was surprised to be presented with a bowl of dried chilli flakes on the side. I was expecting the dish to be made with fresh chilli and not so smothered with tomato sauce ($32). Oh, well.
Ostani’s fit-out is lovely and the big circular firepit inside is attractive and heart-warming. The large outdoor area is well presented, and the place pumps many nights.
alcohol by volume) that Steve told us he had opened at five o’clock that afternoon (it was served around four hours later). It was liquid velvet, the reward of patience, the fruit flavours not dissipated, remarkably balanced and delicious. There are no more in the cellar unfortunately.
My two favourite Warrabilla wines were first the 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon at 15.5 per cent alcohol by volume.
It was well balanced with the tannins not too “grippy” but that gave the wine length. While it is drinking well now, in three to five years it will be exceptional.
Then for power was the 2021 Reserve Durif at 16 per cent alcohol by volume; a cornucopia of fruit flavours that were not dampened
by the high alcohol content. This is a keeper, too; it can only get better from cellaring.
An old Irish woman wins the lottery and decides for the first time in her life to give in to indulgence. She decides to have a milk bath and calls a dairy farm.
“I’d like to order meself some milk”
“How much will ye be needing?”
“I suppose, I’ll need enough to fill me bath tub.”
“Shouldn’t be more than 200 litres I’d guess.”
“My word! That’s more than I thought.”
“Well, tell me madame, will ye be needing the milk pasteurized?”
“Oh no! I think up to me neck will do.”
By Jackie WARBURTON
SPRING is here, but there’s still plenty of winter colour on display in the garden.
One of the most long-lasting displays to use are foliage plants that stand out and complement nearby plants and flowers.
Conifers are one of the best choices and the bluest of all the conifers is White Fir ( Abies concolor “Candicans”) . This species was found in 1929 as a selection seedling grown at the National Arboretum in France. It is a hybrid that grows well in our climate.
A medium-size, slow-growing tree, it forms a dense pyramid shape when young and, as it matures, the
layered branches start to form into an elegant shape.
It will take 10 years to reach a three-metre height. Its maximum growth is about 10-15 metres and definitely not suited to the suburban backyard. But for anyone on acreage, it makes a great choice for windbreaks and visual interest in the landscape.
Firs don’t like to be pruned as it destroys their shape. The only pruning would be to shear them into shape slightly or to remove any dead wood.
If you don’t have the space for a large tree but still want to see the rich silvery blue in the winter garden, try a Dwarf Blue Spruce (Picea pungens “Montgomery”). It is slow growing. Mine’s been in the garden for at least 15 years and is less than a metre tall. It grows well in full sun and only occasional water is needed in the peak of summer.
mulch under their favourite trees, such as apples, pears and quinces.
Codling moth larvae hatch when trees begin to bloom and air temperature is over 15C and make their way up the trunk of the trees to lay eggs on leaves, twigs and fruit.
Once the larvae gets to the top of the tree it needs the fruit to complete its metamorphic process and stays in the fruit from three to five weeks then cocoons again nearby and the second generation for the season begins.
Mechanical netting of trees when the bees have pollinated the flowers will help to stop the larvae entering the fruit. The netting needs to be very fine mesh, less than 5mm, and secured around
SPRING also brings open gardens in Canberra. Open Gardens Canberra is a non-for-profit community association run by volunteers. More from opengardencanberra.org.au
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
• Sow punnets of beetroot, cabbages, peas and leeks.
• Plant flowers in the vegetable patch.
• Fertilise orchids that are in flower with a bloom booster.
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
New Moon week is the ideal time to ditch bad daily habits and start afresh. It’s a juggle to get everything done but keep calm and don’t lose your cool! You’re unusually focused, but are you focusing on the right things? Work, health, wellbeing, diet and fitness are the main areas where you need to make some overdue changes and adjustments. But – if you are too hasty and hot-headed – you could find yourself in the middle of an argument or accident. So pace yourself.
The Sun and Uranus help you approach challenges in a proactive and adventurous way, and the New Moon encourages you to talk through issues with the people around you. Venus (your ruler) is visiting your domestic zone, so it’s time to enjoy home sweet home, as you cocoon in cosy comfort or entertain in low-key style. Your quote for the week is from Virgo philosopher Goethe: “He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.”
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
The New Moon promises a fresh start on the domestic front, as you entertain at home or tackle a DIY project. Plus, Mercury (your patron planet) finally moves forwards on Friday night. Sharing a sport or hobby with a loved one will bring mutual benefits, but don’t promise more time and effort than you can actually deliver. Attached Twins – plan a romantic rendezvous with your sweetheart. For some singles, love is waiting in your local neighbourhood.
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Thursday night’s New Moon highlights education, communication and community projects. There are opportunities for advancement via connections within your neighbourhood. But it will take creative teamwork and sustained effort to turn a lucky break into a long-term success. It’s also time to get some firm direction, as you formulate your personal goals and dreams for the future. Remember, you can’t hit a target if you haven’t got one.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Mercury and the New Moon shine a spotlight on financial matters. Lions are drawn to luxury-living, and you’re inclined to buy expensive things that you don’t really need. This week, do your best to avoid being an impulsive binge shopper. The more creatively and proactively you nurture your nest egg, the more it will gradually grow. The Sun/Uranus trine (on Friday and Saturday) encourages self-confidence, fresh ideas and professional opportunities.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
The silvery New Moon lights up your sign on Thursday night. Then Mercury (your power planet) turns direct on Friday night. So the weekend is a good time to update your wardrobe, change your appearance, launch a project, apply for a job or start a new phase of your life. Education, strategic planning, deep concentration and focused communication should gradually improve. Personal projects, creative pursuits and travel plans are also favoured.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Are you frustrated by ongoing problems? Mighty Mars is moving through Libra until October 12, so it’s time to take on challenges with a proactive approach and a courageous attitude. At the moment, fortune definitely favours the bold and the brave! It’s also a good week to tap into the well of creativity and inspiration, without and within. As Hollywood legend (and birthday great) Lauren Bacall wisely observed: “Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.”
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
Thursday night’s New Moon highlights your hopes-and-wishes zone, so be proactive about setting goals, dreaming dreams, and creating your preferred future. The weekend is a good time to fire up an old friendship or add some sizzle to a stale relationship. Most of all, enjoy yourself! Positive changes are coming, as you focus on projects that make your heart sing. Be inspired by birthday great, writer DH Lawrence: “Life is ours to be spent, not to be saved.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Have you been dragging your heels at work? Your career is set to improve, as Mercury moves forwards and the New Moon signals an exciting new chapter. So make the most of any fresh ideas, professional projects or job opportunities that come your way. Sunday’s Venus/Jupiter square increases exuberance and decreases patience. So slow down, Sagittarius, and be careful you don’t overindulge, over-exaggerate, over-promise or overcommit.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
Many Capricorns have been feeling frustrated and uninspired. This week Mercury moves forwards, plus Uranus and the New Moon activate your education and adventure zones. So start thinking about where you’d like to go travelling – physically and mentally. Don’t let anyone dim your curiosity or diminish your dreams!
Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, writer DH Lawrence: “Life is travelling to the edge of knowledge, and then going beyond.”
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Each New Moon indicates a shift of gear in a particular area of life. This week the heavens highlight a fresh start involving money, an intimate relationship or trust issues. Then Mercury finally moving forwards on Friday night, followed by a terrific Sun/Uranus trine. So the weekend is a wonderful time to travel, experiment and explore. You’ll also be extra curious as you dig up gossip, uncover a secret or start some controversial conversations!
PISCES
Close relationships and joint ventures are set to improve, as the New Moon and Mercury (moving forward) activate your partnership zone. With Saturn and Neptune both transiting through your sign, it’s also time to dream inspiring dreams and set long-term goals. Then follow them with passion, purpose and Piscean flair. Be inspired by birthday great, writer and poet DH Lawrence: “I want to live my life so that my nights are not full of regrets.”
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2023Across
3 What is a particular printing paper size? (8)
7 Name a poisonous derivative of benzene. (6)
8 Which term describes military weapons of all kinds? (8)
9 What is another name for a lapwing? (6)
10 Name a breathing medicine. (8)
11 To be very excited is to be what? (3,3)
14 Carson City is the capital of which US State? (6)
17 Which alkaloids are used to treat malaria? (8)
18 To go with short unsteady steps, is to do what? (6)
19 What do we call one who mimics? (8)
20 What is another term for revenue? (6)
21 Name a lyric poem suitable for musical setting. (8)
Solution next edition Down
1 What is a cup for the wine of the eucharist? (7)
2 To be dishonest, is to be what? (7)
3 Name a retailer of flowers, ornamental plants, etc. (7)
4 What is an alternative term for ancestry? (7)
5 Which musical composition resembles a short oratorio? (7)
6 What items are used for plucking strings of guitars, etc? (7)
11 Which mass is celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead? (7)
12 To have made a god of, is to have done what? (7)
13 Name the art of folding paper into shapes of flowers, birds, etc. (7)
14 What is one of the external openings of the nose? (7)
15 What is a bridge, for carrying a road, etc, over a valley? (7)
16 Which document states a candidate’s success in an examination? (7)
Winnunga Nimmityjah AHCS is an Aboriginal community controlled primary health care service operated by the Aboriginal community of the ACT. In Wiradjuri language, Winnunga Nimmityjah means Strong Health. The service logo is the Corroboree Frog which is significant to Aboriginal people in the ACT.
Our aim is to provide a culturally safe, holistic health care service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT and surrounding regions. The holistic health care provided by Winnunga AHCS includes not only medical care, but a range of programs to promote good health and healthy lifestyles.
Our services include:
• GP and Nursing
• Midwifery
• Immunisations
• Health Checks
• Men’s & Women’s Health
• Hearing Health
• Dental
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Dietician (Nutrition)
• Counselling
• Diabetes Clinic
• Quit Smoking Services / No More Boondah
• Needle Syringe Program
• Mental Health Support
• Healthy Weight Program
• Healthy Cooking Group
• Mums and Bubs Group / Child Health
• Optometry Service
• Psychology and Psychiatrist
• Community Events
• Groups
ALL OUR SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE • WE MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH TRANSPORT
Winnunga AHCS is a national leader in accreditation, was one of the first Aboriginal community controlled health services to achieve dual accreditation under RACGP and QIC standards. Winnunga AHCS has been at the forefront of setting a national agenda for quality improvement in Aboriginal community controlled health and continues to advocate locally and nationally for best practice standards in operational and governance areas of Aboriginal health services.
CLINIC hours | MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9am-5pm
Ph: 6284 6222 | 63 Boolimba Cres, Narrabundah www.winnunga.org.au
COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing for Winnunga Clients