Eumundi Voice - Issue 62, 16 February 2023

david berns REAL ESTATE

LOCAL ISSUES

over 500,000 by 2041 and Council anticipates needing 90,000 more dwellings by then. Just over half of new residents are expected to choose to live in Kawana, Caloundra South, Sippy Downs, Palmview and Beerwah East.

Housing shortfall

Sunshine Coast housing supply is a core issue –so what is happening at local council level?

The shortage of housing and rising cost of rental accommodation on the Sunshine Coast are affecting worker availability and pushing lowincome renters out of the Noosa Council and SCC areas.

Responding to these issues is complex and requires policy fixes across all levels of government. In the Noosa region 5,200 selfcontained dwellings are used for short-term visitor accommodation. Mayor Clare Stewart recently wrote to owners of short-term rental and vacant properties asking them to consider placing their properties on the long-term market.

Noosa Council is looking at partnerships with developers and community housing projects to make use of under-utilised council land. Talks with churches and charities to provide more social housing options are part of the Noosa Housing Strategy endorsed by council in November 2022. Visit: noosa.qld.gov.au/ housing-strategies.

SCC's Environment and Livability Strategy is addressing how to meet future housing needs. The Sunshine Coast population will grow to

Council’s view is that the current mix of housing matches neither household types seeking accommodation nor the needs of an ageing population. In Eumundi dwellings are expected to grow from 1,789 in 2021 to 2,940 in 2041. Of those the majority are detached homes however attached dwellings are projected to grow significantly from 218 in 2021 to 886 in 2041. Visit: tinyurl.com/msac7car.

Pavilion Off-Grid Homes

SCC's recent change to building codes permit granny flats to be used as dwellings for permanent rentals. Eumundi designer and builder Anthony Wynne-Hoelscher from Pavilion Off-Grid Homes has designed a range of codecompliant small homes/granny flats and micro homes.

The new range of relocatable micro homes provide a dignified lifestyle alternative to tiny homes, which are relocatable small dwellings usually on wheels and the size of a caravan. Tiny homes are often not code-compliant and illegal to rent-out.

All Pavilion Off-Grid Homes can be connected to the grid but have been designed to be fully independent with built-in solar capture, battery, back-up generator, rainwater harvest, grey water management and even an incinerating toilet. They are sustainably built with passive climate management integral to each design for comfort, cost savings and happy, healthy hinterland living. Information visit: pavilionoffgridhomes. com.au.

The cost of addiction

A joint report released in November 2022 between professional services firm KPMG and Rethink Addiction has revealed the cost of addiction in Australia was an estimated $80.3 billion in 2021. In addition to this the value of lost life was reported at a staggering $173.8 billion. With one in four Australians struggling with alcohol, other drugs, or gambling in their lifetime and one in 10 currently smoking tobacco daily, it means Australia has one of the highestrated addiction health burdens in the world.

To put it in perspective, the cost to the economy due to addiction is similar to the government’s largest spending program JobKeeper which cost $90 billion.

• Tobacco was the highest at 44% or $35.8 billion

• Alcohol was second highest at 28% or $22.6 billion

• Prescription and illicit drugs recorded 16% or $12.9 billion

• Gambling was 13% or $10.7 billion.

Rethink Addiction campaign spokesperson, Professor Dan Lubman said, “We know that for every dollar spent on addiction treatment we save up to $7 and that for every dollar spent on harm reduction we save up to $27. Yet we aren’t investing in treatment and harm reduction anywhere near as much as we should”.

Service gaps impact isolated rural and regional communities the hardest. Investing in treatment alone however is not enough to reduce the harm caused by addiction. Efforts to improve prevention, early intervention and harm reduction have significant social, health and economic benefits.

To ensure real change, the stigma associated with addiction must also be addressed to promote help-seeking and ensure treatment and responses to addiction are effective. The effects of stigma are damaging and can delay help-seeking by years and even decades. In Australia the median time to first treat someone experiencing an addiction to alcohol is 18 years.

Information: rethinkaddiction.org.au.

Tania Watson

Men’s health

Women’s health

Accident clinic

Antenatal care

ATSI health

Chronic disease management

Employment & workers’ comp

Minor procedures & surgery

Sexual health

Skin cancer medicine & surgery

Vaccinations

Weight loss & lifestyle medicine

Practice (Creative Writing) from USC and a MA in Behavioural Psychology from Macquarie University. Black Randall is available at the launch, bookshops and at: jobraithwaite.com.

au. Eileen Walder

ON THIS DAY

Australian history re-written

Australian history was re-written following the discovery of human remains on 26 February 1974 at Lake Mungo in western NSW by geomorphologist Jim Bowler. They became known as Mungo Man and are considered to be around 40,000 years old.

That made Mungo Man the second oldest modern human fossil east of India and the oldest human remains found on the Australian continent. Mungo Man provided evidence that Aboriginal people had lived here much longer than the generally accepted timeframe of 20,000 years.

In 1969 Bowler discovered another set of human remains at Lake Mungo, known as Mungo Lady. She had been cremated which constrained

scientific analysis. Originally Mungo Lady was dated at around 20,000 years old but is now thought to be around 30,000 years old. Her remains are one of the world’s oldest-known cremations.

To put these timelines in the context of world history, the Roman Empire ended 1,500 years ago and Troy fell 3,200 years ago.

After the discoveries the remains were taken to the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra for research. Dating varied as new scientific technologies became available and ranged up to 60,000 years for Mungo Man. Lake Mungo was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.

Controversy existed around whether the remains should be repatriated to the three traditional tribal groups of the area – the Paakantji, Ngyiampaa and the Mutthi Mutthi. ANU returned Mungo Lady to Lake Mungo in 1992 and Mungo Man in 2017. Their remains were kept in a vault at the Lake Mungo National Park. In May 2022 both were re-buried at a site known only to a few.

A reader has sent in an opinion on the placemaking process. Was there really community consultation?

There has been some talk in the community lately about SCC’s plans for investing $1.77m into town. Council is responsible to our community to listen and respect our ideas so it is important to understand if they have in fact done this. On further investigation it would seem they have.

Cr David Law said, “During the election in 2020 the lack of streetscaping was raised as an issue and promises had been made previously but not followed through. After being elected I secured funding for this in the budget”.

The Eumundi placemaking project has been in various stages of consultation and design since then. Initially council went to the community to find out what our town’s vision and values were. There were market stalls, a business night, a sausage sizzle in the park, online surveys, individual meetings with six prominent local community organisations, design workshops and business walk arounds.

Based on the information and feedback a draft was designed which then had further consultation through two display sessions held

in town at different times and days to allow a cross-section of the community to attend and via an online survey. There were advertisements in the windows of local businesses, online and in print.

As a result more than 200 community members provided feedback on the draft of which 71% believed “the community values and vision are reflected in the design”. Not all the community were in favour – with parking and traffic management/safety the issues of most concern.

Council has stated: “The design’s approach focuses on safety by adding two pedestrian crossings. These crossings are designed to provide improved accessibility on both market and non-market days, in balance with traffic and parking needs. The space for an estimated 11 lost carparks (net) will be converted into areas to accommodate pedestrian crossings, street trees and seating areas. The project also aims to better connect Memorial Dr to more than 400 free onstreet carparks within a four-minute walk of Memorial Dr.”

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As a teenager in Southern California, Eumundi resident Rex Halverson was passionate about the natural environment. He became disillusioned as endless strip malls, condos and tourism developments sprang up. After an early career in hi-fi and computer retail Rex and his family moved to various parts of the USA running retail stores and then to the UK where they lived for six years. Rex was responsible for the European and Asian operations of a number of tech companies including in Russia and China. Ever on the move the Halversons relocated to the Sunshine Coast 10 years ago. They immediately became activists to preserve our incredible wildlife and environment. With a small group passionate about koala protection, Rex and his wife Meghan founded Queensland Koala Crusaders to raise awareness of the dire situation.

They lobbied politicians and businesses and spoke to public groups, media and at clubs and schools. Then there was fundraising, planting vital food trees, supporting volunteer carers of

sick and orphaned joeys, transporting injured koalas to Australia Zoo or Wacol, supporting the koala tracker dogs' program and encouraging others to join the group. Rex also became actively involved in four not-for-profit organisations including the Noosa Biosphere Foundation where he was Chair until 2022.

With his extensive business experience and commitment to a clean environment, Rex and another Noosa local, Jon Rowe, recently put their efforts into promoting an atmospheric water generator or humidifier called Airqua. It filters air and at the press of a button produces purified water, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. Rex believes the Airqua has a wide application from homes to offices, restaurants, resorts and wherever pure water is needed.

“We must all become caretakers not consumers if we are to improve our lives and our country,” said Rex. Eileen Walder

GARDENING

White Passion Flower

White Passion Flower is an amorous name for a bush villain. A native of Brazil this thin stemmed, climbing vine with broad, pale green, threelobed leaves and large, pretty white flowers is one of three passion fruit vines that have become pests across Qld.

“

Caretakers not consumers

The games of life

Conkers, knucklebones, marbles, ciggy cards, British Bulldog – oh what memories when we played outside, kids talking, laughing, squabbling and competing with no worries about safety or getting hurt. Life was too much fun until it grew dark and Mums screeched orders to get home “Now!”.

Games were almost always competitive and required conversation, cooperation and group decisions. They were often led by the biggest kid, the policeman’s kid or the bossy girl from the local shop. Me!

Post-war Coventry bombsites were a wonderful playground to hide and pelt stones at the “Micks” from St Osburg’s. That ended when my father angrily reminded me of our Irish surname and

that his family were devout Catholics. I told the gang it was a dumb game.

One Guy Fawkes bonfire night on 5 November I suggested instead of a stuffed effigy we could dress my little brother in old rags as the “Guy” and wheel him around the streets, collecting money to buy fireworks. Mum heard. I painfully recall her punishment.

Conkers are the hard nuts from horse chestnut trees. Held by string through a hole in the middle, our polished weapons ferociously bashed other conkers causing many bruised hands and tears. We’d sit in gutters playing with the knucklebones from pigs, while posh kids had metal or plastic ones called “Jacks”. We’d toss five in the air, immediately trying to catch them on the back of our hands. Boys announced their approach by the rattle of their treasured glass marble bag. Winners flicked the most into the pot and kept those of the losers.

In segregated schoolyards girls enjoyed skipping games where a girl on each end turned the rope in patterns and others jumped in until another entered. We sang in rhythm, “Cinderella dressed

in yella went upstairs with a fella”. Girls loved cardboard cut-out dolls and designed paper fashions which clipped to their shoulders. I built a stage from cardboard, making characters from fairy stories.

For the boys, bouncing two balls against the wall without dropping one was skilful but whoever managed three was champion. Boys also played British Bulldog, a vicious game where everyone raced from one side to another with the Bulldog in the middle wrestling them to the ground. They then helped with catching. When Bulldogs outnumbered runners it became a massacre. You can imagine teachers’ and parents’ reactions today!

Almost everyone smoked so we collected the cigarette cards inside packets which featured footballers or film stars. We saved and swapped – a precursor of our grandchildren’s Pokémon cards. Ahhh, the games of life.

Eileen Walder

WE ARE BACK!

Noosa Eumundi Auto Wreckers

Wanted: F1 Trucks and other cars

Ring for parts requirements

Open Mon - Fri, 9am-1pm

Call Ivan 0418 723 080

17 Whalley Creek Close

Burnside Q 4560

FEBRUARY 2023

17 Pomona Bookshelf Launch, Pomona Community House, �� libraryevents.noosa.qld.gov.au

17-18 Maleny Music Festival Summer Warm Up, Maleny Showgrounds, �� events.humantix.com

18-19 Shorts on Stage, Noosaville, �� noosaartstheatre.org.au

18-19 Noosa Summer Swim, Main Beach, Noosa, �� worldseriesswims.com.au

18 Noosa VW Show, Noosa Marina, Tewantin, �� fb.me/e/3UWXNjlzP

Until New Homes for Old Art, 19 Cooroy, �� thebutterfactoryartscentre.com.au

19 Bad Ideas, Kenilworth Showgrounds, �� facebook.com/badideas.au

23 Harvest Swap, Eumundi Community Garden, �� facebook.com/groups/harvestswapeumundi

23 Eumundi Rotary, guest speaker author Judith Dun, 6pm, CWA Hall, �� eumundirotary.org.au

25 The Australian INXS Show, The J, Noosa, �� thej.com.au

25 Cool Britannia, The Bunker, Eumundi, �� imperialhoteleumundi.com.au

26 Secondhand Market, The Pavilion, Eumundi �� thepavilioneumundi.com

Until Summer Fling exhibition, 26 Yandina, �� stevensstreetgallery.com.au

MARCH 2023

1 Tai Chi introductory course, Eumundi State School Hall, 6.30pm, �� taoisttaichi.org

2 Eumundi Voice, Issue 63

3-12 Noosa Festival of Surfing, �� noosafestivalofsurfing.com

4 Ginar Dance Company, The Events Centre, Caloundra, �� ginar.co

5 Clean Up Australia Day, Various locations, �� cleanup.org.au/community

5 Music in the Gardens, Noosa Botanic Gardens, �� noosabotanicgardensfriends.com

DUAL LIVING OR INVESTMENT

$1,150,000

This stunning contemporary duplex will suit the savvy investor or live in one and rent out the other! Located in a quiet cul de sac on an elevated 1,053m2 lot, the property captures bushland views, cooling breezes and is handy to the train station, aquatic centre, school, retail hub and markets. Unit 1 has 3 beds, 2 bath, open plan living opening out onto a large verandah and a DLUG. Unit 2 has 2 beds, 1 bath, open plan living with a servery opening onto the alfresco entertaining area and a SLUG. Tenanted at $620pw (Unit 1) and $410pw (Unit 2).

EUMUNDI Carol Dolan 0412 062 882

BUSH AND BEACH LIFESTYLE ON 2,439M2

Rustic country style home, offering peace and privacy. Lowset 4 bedroom house will please everyone with pool, ample off street parking + separate granny flat or teenagers retreat. Loads of potential ideal for a big shed, home business or even a second dwelling (STCA). The open plan lounge dining features a fire place, hardwood timber floors and access to the wrap around verandah. Space for children and all the animals complete with a chook house and walking distance to town.

EUMUNDI

Adam Kuczynski 0407 596 547

SOUGHT

Private and useable 1/2 acre block featuring a practical open plan design sprawling onto the outdoor entertaining area framed in greenery and complete with a pool. With three light filled bedrooms plus study nook, the layout will entice the family on to the large patio area for blended indoor/outdoor living enjoying the year- round comfort of the Sunshine Coast climate. Oversize carport for the caravan or boat, convenient location, minutes to Eumundi town centre and 15 mins to Noosa beach.

EUMUNDI Adam Kuczynski 0407 596 547

We urgently need more Hinterland properties to satisfy strong Tenant demand. If you are considering renting your property, contact our friendly and professional team.

We offer both Let Only and Ongoing management services. Call 07 5442 8333 today to discuss your property!