Gresford News February 2023

TheG resford News

Gresford Community Park Celebration

Local elder Sandra Griffin provided a welcome to country at the beginning of the Gresford Community Park celebration held in December 2022.

Sandra Griffin and Penny Kater at the Gresford Community Park celebration.

KERBSIDE BULKY WASTE & SCRAP METAL CLEAN-UP

6 to 17 February 2023

Dungog Shire Council is providing a Bulky Waste & Scrap Metal Clean-Up for all residential properties currently receiving a weekly waste collection.

Collections will commence on Monday the 6th of February. Residents are requested to put their waste out the weekend before. Clean-up material should be placed at the location of your regular waste collection. Waste material deposited in any other location will be considered to be illegally dumped and action may be taken against persons responsible.

NOTE: Collections will only consist of a single pass per property for bulky waste and a separate single pass for metal. Waste or metal placed after these passes will not be collected. Collection vehicles record the date and time of each pass. Collections may occur at any time during the allotted time period. The volume of waste collected from any one property shall not exceed two cubic metres. Bulky waste includes larger items of household waste.

Acceptable items are:

• Household appliances and whitegoods (all doors must be removed)

• Furniture, painted wooden products and fittings

• Pottery, ceramics and chinaware

• Tools, scrap metal, empty tins (lids off) and drums. (Sorted separate to other Bulky Waste)

• Other bulky household items

• Items must be able to be handled by two people

• Loose items must be bundled or contained

• Wire, must be rolled and tied securely

These materials will NOT be collected:

• Mattresses

• Building and demolition materials, concrete, bricks, tiles, fencing and plumbing fixtures

• Trade, industrial and shop waste

• Motor vehicles, engines, car parts, batteries and tyres

• Commercial and hazardous waste including asbestos, insulation batts and fibro

• Gas bottles and fire extinguishers

• Fuels, oils, paint and vessels or machinery containing liquids eg. mowers, oil heaters etc.

• Cement bags and large carpet rolls

• Windows or sliding doors that contain glass, glass table tops and broken glass.

• Green Waste including tree roots and branches

• Small loose items will not be accepted

• Material suitable for placement in the resident’s MGBs such as food scraps, recyclable material, household garbage.

• Fencing in large quantities and wire that is not rolled and tied securely

• Lengths of material longer than 1.8m (excluding lounges etc.)

• Hot water systems larger than 260 litres.

Enquiries ~ JR RICHARDS & SONS ~ 1300 343 507

Gresford Vacy Scorpions Registration

Registrations for Season 2023 are officially open, with an earlybird offer until February 28 providing a $20 discount on the usual sign-up fee.

We’re expecting more than 300 players to sign up this season and, thanks to generous sponsorship, they’ll be able to take advantage of some of the lowest registration fees in the country.

We’ve kept our season 2023 prices the same as last year and by using the Active Kids Voucher, many of our players won't be out of pocket a single cent.

Our sponsors’ efforts, combined with the Active Kids Voucher, ensure our kids have the opportunity to stay healthy, have fun and learn new skills in a supportive environment.

This season, players and supporters will also have access to the new clubhouse which includes changerooms, storage sheds and a canteen. The covered area provides another spot for watching all the on-field action and it will be the place to purchase a range of Scorps merchandise, including the new-style trackpants.

Gresford News Notices

This season we’re also introducing a select training group for promising juniors and they will be supported by coach David Oliver.

In the meantime, players can brush up on skills by joining Social Summer Sixes at Vacy Oval at 6pm every Tuesday. The free pre-season event is for all men, women, boys and girls who are enthusiastic about soccer. Teams of mixed ability, gender and age are formed on the night.

The club’s dedicated sponsors include: MicroProse, ARMA Insurance, Doyle Ag & Fabrication, Hawks Transport, Gresford Foodworks, Boydell’s, The Woodville Store, Hunter Construction Group, One Agency Sharon Hill, Battery World Maitland, AoK Building & Maintenance, Ezy-flo Fabrications, Design Anthology, Koby Group, Paterson Friendly Grocer, Merchant Excavation and Electrical, Troy Butler Roofing, David & Clare Oliver Photography, InFront Electrics, Paterson Butchery, Paterson Lodge, Stone Mountain Farms, Hunter Valley Bitumen, Peter’s Real Estate, Active Cleaning Services, Gresford Meats and Claredale. The club is always on the lookout for

Gresford News CLASSIFIEDS

Post Hearts tender

Calling for Tenders for post hearts from Post-Split competition for Gresford Show.

Tenders in writing to PO BOX 9 East Gresford , OR gresfordshow@ outlook.com, closing 28/2/22.

Gresford News online link

Gresford News is available online at www.issuu.com/gresford-news. Email us to recieve a monthly reminder: gresfordnews@iinet.net.au

new sponsors to help grow and support the Scorpions community. Any businesses keen to explore sponsorship options with the club, are asked to contact club president Jim Doyle on 0407 307 800.

Players can register for the new season at www.playfootball.com.au (don’t forget to get your Active Kids Voucher first).

Some letters are magic

My name is Ric woods, I'm a resident of East Gresford. I'm an artist and commercial photographer, now retired, my daughter has taken over the business. I've resided here for about 4 months and my wife Pip and I are absolutely delighted to be here.

I'd like to place a notice on the community notice board if possible? The purpose is to arrange a regular meet up for local people interested in creating art. I believe there is a need in this

community where people can gather to exchange ideas and share examples of their drawing, painting or other forms of creative image making.

Just a bit of my background to fill you in. I practice many styles of art and photography I suspect I'm most known for my photography exhibitions and my work at the John Hunter Children's hospital. I was artist in residence there for 6 years. You might enjoy seeing some of the work I created there? I produced 22 murals whilst there (many are now

ATTENTION: FARMERS, GRAZIERS AND HOBBY FARMERS

ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR ACREAGE?

gone due to renovatiuons etc) here is a small sample of them and some of my community work. https:// hospitalmurals-ricwoods.weebly.com/ EXPRESSION OF INTEREST. Are there people interested in drawing, painting and other forms of image making that would like to meet on a regular bases to create and share their art form? Contact RIC on 0493 248 301 or email on ric2303@protonmail.com.

Thanks, Ric Woods

Round Baling: Hay and Silage Small Square Bales

Mowing and Raking

Whatever the job, get it done right and on time by your local bloke!

Ric's work at the John Hunter Hospital

Food chat with Fiona...

Is it summer yet? I remember it as being much warmer? Oh well, the garden is growing, all the pumpkins and chokos are sending out runners.

Vietnam makes a treat using the choko runner tips. Pick when they are really pushing out and delicate, just the last 10 or 15 cm to make a delicious stir-fry. Blanch the greens for 1min in boiling water, drain quickly and run cold water over them.

Take a wok or frypan, turn the heat up, splash in a bit of oil and lots of garlic, toss until garlic starts to colour, add fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar, taste for balance. Last minute stir greens through and serve with rice.

I am much better at eating Vietnamese than cooking it but it is mostly easy to cook, just a matter of having everything ready and super fresh ingredients. That stir-fry idea will easily translate to other greens and be fresh and bright.

This cooler summer means the cauliflowers are still very nice. Try this for a Meatless Monday. Slice the cauli into slices about 2cm wide. Mix some oil with garlic, paprika ( chilli if you fancy) black

pepper and a little grated parmesan, brush generously onto cauli slices.

Line a baking tray with baking paper, put a little pile of grated parmesan where the cauli slices will sit. Bake until cooked through (20mins at 180’C), when you

flip it out you will have a delicious cheese crust on the cauliflower. Warning this one is addictive.

Enjoy, if you want exact recipes drop me note fiona@creative-arts-safaris.com

Best wishes – Fiona

Firecracker chillis at Bac Ha market and morning picked greens.

Photo: Fiona Wright

Happy New Year !

Celebration at the Gresford Community Park

A meeting was held at 12 Park St on 3 December 2022 to celebrate the completion of three projects at the Community Park.

Friends of the arboretum had made a huge effort to prepare the site for this occasion. Council donated mulch was spread, lawns mowed, weeds pulled and plants watered.

Sixty guests included David Layzell, State Member for Upper Hunter, and David Gillespie, Federal Member for Lyne, who were thanked for their support. A welcome to country was given by local elder Sandra Griffin.

President of GDCG Rod Kater opened proceedings. Lisa Connors described the efforts of Peter Dreyer and others in the

completion of the community BBQ. Julia Wokes spoke of the support by Gresford district Landcare Group who provided funding for the Queens Jubilee Tree Planting.

Jane Chandler introduced our celebrated artist Christine Pike who painted the amazing murals unveiled on site which were funded by Essential Energy.

Christine Pike (kneeling) received flowers from an appreciative Gresford community for her four panel mural featuring local birds.

And Phillipa Graham spoke on behalf of Sculpture on the Farm to give us the wonderful news that the Arboretum has been chosen as the recipient of the 2023 sculpture prize. After splendid refreshments, the guests were invited to enjoy the site .

Penny Kater

Photos by Janie Stevenson and Sally Tsoutas.

top: Rod Kater with Dave Layzell MP

above: Julia Wokes

above right: Janie Chandler and Penny Kater with one of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee lacebark trees

right: Noel Jupp with Christine Pike

Phillipa Graham

back to front along diagonal: Bill Dowling, John Connors, Janie Chandler, Annabel Kater, Dave Layzell, David Gillespie, Ken Chandler, Phillipa Graham, Penny Kater

above: Sandra Griffin & Penny Kater admire Christine Pike's mural below: Annabel Kater, Sandra Griffin, Jane Richens

Good fences make for good neighbours!

We are metal livestock fencing specialists, it lasts for 40 years and we can build nearly double the length for the cost of building a traditional hardwood post and wire fence. Need to contain cattle, horses, dogs, goats, alpacas or sheep?

Then visit our website wolfrural.com.au

Free fencing advise when you get a quote with us.

Balloon Flight Fundraiser

For many, hot air ballooning is a bucket list item and with the flight going across Gresford it is even more appealing. Add the fact that this will be a one-off experience and the money raised will be used to fund murals and other public art in the area makes it exceptional.

David Oliver who recently took a test balloon flight over Gresford on the 3rd of January was amazed how different the landscape looks from a balloon. The 45 minute test flight took off from Boydell’s Vineyard and landed at Camp on Allyn. We had a huge ground crew with Kris Doyle, Dan Maroulis, Noel Brown, Scott Lawrence and Graham Murphy helping to make it a huge success.

So come float across the Gresford area in a Sunrise Balloon Flight followed by a Celebration Champagne breakfast. The flight will include a Boydell Champagne breakfast and inflight photos. The Flight will be with Balloon Aloft, Australia’s most experienced, professional, and awarded Hot Air Ballooning company with 40 years’ experience.

Dates: Thurs 20 & Fri 21 April. Ring Jim Doyle on 0407 307 800 or David Oliver on 0414 299 555 for information.

Dungog ChiropraCtiC CliniC

I treat most musculoskeletal complaints including back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches, migraines and limb pain and pins and needles.

HiCaps and eftpos facility is available so patients can claim direct from their healthfund and just pay the gap.

Located at Dungog Community Hospital on Hospital Road in Dungog phone no: 4992 3766

Shane Moss B.Sc. M.Chiro.

On the Shelves...

by Glenda Smith

Light on Snow

by Anita Shreve

Anita Shreve is a popular and prolific writer, and this novel shows her appeal very well. It is the story of a baby abandoned in the snow, and at the same time an examination of the lives of the bereaved father and daughter who find it. They had lost two members of their family in a car accident and had retreated into an out-of-the way place from their city life.

The daughter, Nicky, narrates the events in retrospect which allows a clever combination of her youth at the time and maturity of thought. As in other such novels (think Storm Boy) the intrusion of someone in need of care shakes up the narrow existence of the protagonists. Nicky’s father has allowed his own grief to circumscribe his daughter’s life, and this significant incident gives her the wherewithal to challenge his hermit-like existence.

Readers get a strong sense of the New England area of the US in winter; the loneliness and resilience of the narrator; the consequences a teenage pregnancy can have and the importance of family.

All books reviewed are from the CWA library on a separate shelf in the library so they are easy to find plus the reviews are in a folder. Also have a look in the street library.

RICHARD WELLS UPHOLSTERY

PETER EVANS & ASSOCIATES SOLICITORS

‘Looking after people is our business’

Lounges

Automotive

Antique Restoration

French Polishing

Canvas Annexes

Horse Rug Repairs

For all your upholstery needs ring Richard on 4938 9324

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& SERVICE

Pick up and delivery

assist you with all your legal needs.

We can help you with: Conveyancing, Family Law, Business Law, Criminal Law, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate and more …

Peter Evans is descended from a farming family located in the Gresford area prior to 1840 We are keen to

Local History Stories

By Ivan Skaines, Trevallyn, Gresford District Historical Society

The accompanying poem about Barrington Tops was written 100 years ago, coinciding with an extensive campaign by locals (including John Hopson and Edgar Marceau from Eccleston) and others from Dungog, Maitland, Newcastle and elsewhere who lobbied for the opening of the Barrington Tops as a mountain sanatorium and tourist resort (the phrase "the Blue Mountains of the north" was often used).

Barrington Tops

Dungog Chronicle: Durham and Gloucester Advertiser Tue 17 July

1923 Page 5

Barrington Tops

(By G. Burrows.)

The following poem was recited by Mr. Burrows at last meeting of the Barrington Tops Committee, Dungog, to illustrate his recent trip.

A little story I would tell

If you will patient be

And do not criticise too much

Or be too hard on me.

This story is about the Tops, This great Australian land So, just you come along with me And view the scenery grand.

The times is early morning, There's excitement in the air; Our party's off up to the Tops To see the country there.

So, on with your saddles and bridles, boys, And buckle your pack on tight, For it's a rough track up the ranges And we may not get back tonight.

Tally ho! Tally ho! away we go With our faces turned to the west Our goal in the top of the ranges, lads, Up where the wombats nest.

Into the brush on the winding track Into the shady glen

There's beauty here in beauty's home Away from the haunts of men.

You glorious fern of this brushy land, Your beauty, it is sublime. Let's leave you alone in your paradise And climb the hill, boys, climb!

Our guide points away to the north To one glorious towering peak. Ah! What wonderful tales you hills could tell If hills could only speak.

Yes, speak of the snow white flying clouds That cover its crest with snow. Yes, wonderful tales if yon hills could tell, Tales we will never know.

We are climbing up the Corker now, The stiffest pinch we've had; The hills look nice in their coat of blue The scenery makes one glad.

Then rounding a bend on this mountain track There's a beautiful sight to be seen, There are thousands of tree ferns growing there In their wonderful shades of green.

Oh, for the power of Milton's pen Or a touch of Shakespeare's art; I would carry this beauty right home to you And plunge it down deep in your heart.

The leaves of the trees like silver shine, As they're waving to and fro. They seem to bid us adieu, adieu, As up the track we go.

Up the track to the top of the hill, Up by the easiest way; Up where the out-lawed Governors camped Yes, camped there many a day.

Then around the bluff where the wind' blows hard, Blows hard through the horse's mane, And hit the trail for Carey's Peak, Up from the sun-kissed plain.

John Hopson and Tree Ferns Barrington Tablelands undated. Photograph from the Marceau collection courtesy Peg Moore (Singleton)

Walking and trotting and jogging along With the sunlight in our eyes, We wind along the old bush track And up the last short rise.

Now up on the great high peak at last, And we gaze as in a spell. Of the wondrous beauty of this wondrous scene, No living tongue could tell.

How stupendous! how noble and ruggedly grand, This scene that's presented to you This beauty that's calling for thousands to see, But alas, only seen by a few.

Then thoughts like these flash across your brain, Conveyed through your far-seeing eye, Of the wonderful Artist who made this scene, The Artist who lives in the sky.

Hark! I fancy I hear it now, So solemn, so grand and low, Like the hum of a busy city, Thousands of feet below.

It's the hum of the wind down the ranges. As it curls and eddies around And clutches the hills in its fury And tears up the trees from the ground.

Ye cliffs and crags and towering peaks, You have nobly stood the test, You will stand in your glory for ages to come, When we have gone to rest.

Ah, Thunderbolt; you crossed these hills, This was your natural home. Your outlaw blood called you to the bush Out on the hills to roam.

In fancy I see your flying form On your beautiful galloping steed With the Law pressing hard upon your track And to escape is your greatest need.

It's then you show your wonderful skill As down the range you sweep, And clear that fearful rocky gorge, Thunderbolt's famous leap.

Away, wild thoughts of outlaw days, Come in sweet thoughts of peace When outlaw days are gone for good And wars forever cease.

Now, out on the plain where the snow piles high High up on the tableland, Like snow white billows of fairy wool The scene is beautifully grand.

The snow grass covers the spreading plain, As if trying to keep it warm As the snow folds down like a blanket white In the teeth of the flying storm.

Cold winter, grand winter Roll on, with your glistening snow But give me a touch of your healthy hand As around the world you go.

My story is almost finished friends, If roughly cast and set, We'll boost the Tops for all we're worth And see the road through yet.

Q

The next meeting of the Gresford District Historical Society will be held at the Therese Doyle Hall on Saturday, 11 February at 5 pm (the second Saturday of each month).

The Gresford Heritage Museum, also in the Therese Doyle Hall, is open 10 am to 2 pm on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month. Other times by appointment.

Careys Peak with snow undated. Photograph from the Marceau collection courtesy Margaret Hipwell (Eccleston).

Anglican Parish of Gresford Paterson

Weekly Services 10.30am Sundays at St Annes COVID safe practices in place CONTACT

Fr Peter Rothnie 0438 413 007, email priest@gpanglican.com.au

Gresford News February Crossword

Gresford

Congregational Church

30 Durham Rd Gresford

Services Each Sunday 10.30am ALL WELCOME

Enquiries to Pastor Roy Waters Ph 02 4938 9348

St Helen’s Catholic Parish of Gresford and Sacred Heart Summer Hill

Sat Vigil Mass at St. Helen's church Sat. evening at 5:30 pm (except 2nd Sat. of month).

Weekday Mass Thur at 9.30am

Sun Morning Mass at Summer Hill on the 2nd Sun. each month at 11:30 am.

All enquiries to Fr. Derek Garner, Parish Priest, on 4992 1477.

December 2022 crossword answers

Crossword kindly provided by Russel Jessop.

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