3004 News SUMMER 2011 Issue 44

S U M M E R 2 0 11 44

Australian Pops Orchestra Philharmonic PHIREWORKS New Years Eve NGV Exhibition ‘British Watercolours’ Sculptures on St Kilda Road

your guide to the st kilda road precinct

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CONTENTS

Publisher’s note

Publisher Susan Riley susan@melbournemedia.com.au M 0412 045 993

Our summer issue of the magazine is brimming with stories and news from St Kilda Road as we count down the last few weeks of another wonderful year for the 3004 precinct, and head into the festive season.

Editor Emily Rolfe emily@melbournemedia.com.au

In these pages Helen Kent reveals some of the fascinating stories from the boulevard in the 1980s, when it was known as ‘Advertising Alley’ - the birthplace of many legendary ad campaigns; Costa Rolfe discusses 50 years of the Australian Ballet; Chelsea Arnold showcases some hidden watercolour treasures at the National Gallery of Victoria; and Viktoria Rother shares with us some of the quirky and beautiful public art of the precinct.

Advertising Enquiries Lyndall Tennant lyndall@melbournemedia.com.au M 0422 857 939 Feature writers Emily Rolfe, Tom Elliott, Nerrida Pohl, William So, Costa Rolfe, Anita Roper, Chelsea Arnold, Viktoria Rother and Helen Kent

Design Magmedia art@smithandrowe.com.au P 8506 9908

If you’ve ever wondered where our streets get their names from, head to page 15, while George Christopoulos discusses the wonderful changes afoot at the Belgian Beer Café on page 17. There are tips for surviving the silly season, a wish list for apartment living in 3004, and our readers have the chance to win a double pass to the New Year’s Eve Philharmonic Phireworks concert series.

Printing Almar Press, Brunswick Phone 9380 4228

Enjoy your summer, and have a safe and wonderful Christmas from all of us at 3004 News.

This magazine has a distribution of 10,000 - connecting residences and businesses in the St Kilda Rd & Queens Rd Precinct.

Susan Riley Publisher 3004 News

Photography Lucia Ondrusova info@luciaondrusova.com

3004 News is published by: Melbourne Media Pty Ltd The Foundry Suite 305 / 399 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 PO Box 107, Collins St West, Melbourne VIC 8007 No part of this publication may be recorded, stored in a retrieval system, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of The Publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this publication. The opinions in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of The Editor or The Publisher. © Melbourne Media Pty Ltd.

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Celebrate the New Year with the top of the Pops

COVER STORY

8

Hidden watercolour treasures unveiled

HAPPENING

9

The Urban Art of 3004

HAPPENING

14

Super Stops and Pit Stops

COMMUNITY

17

George Christopoulos

COMMUNITY

21

Surviving the Silly Season

HEALTH

24

Road to Rio

TRAVEL

We invite our readers to submit ideas, stories, happenings and other material relevant to the St Kilda Road precinct. Email us at: editor@melbournemedia.com.au or retro mail to: PO Box 107, Collins St West, Melbourne 8007 S U M M E R 2 0 11 44

Australian Pops Orchestra Philharmonic PHIREWORKS New Years Eve NGV Exhibition ‘British Watercolours’ Sculptures on St Kilda Road

your guide to the st kilda road precinct

Front cover photography by Daniel Sponiar

For advertising enquiries contact Lyndall Tennant: 0422 857 939 ISSUE 44

3

HAPPENING

Precinct Message

Big Moves on St Kilda Road

The move by two major companies to base their headquarters in St Kilda Road and the $68 million sale of a landmark building has thrown our World famous boulevard into the commercial spotlight again.

Transfield Services, a leading global provider of operations, maintenance, asset and project management services will move its Victorian headquarters

to the corner of Commercial Road early next year.

At the same time, but just a little further along St Kilda Road, Asciano Services, Australia’s leading rail freight and port operator will move into 476, known until recently as the Sun Microsystems house.

Transfield and Asciano will consolidate staff from several Melbourne locations into their new HQ’s.

In recent weeks 488 St Kilda Road changed hands for $68 million

following a transaction between Abacus Property Group (with joint venture partner Heitman LLC) and the Perron Group.

The 15-storey building is home to Symbion Pharmacy Services, Hewlett Packard, Glencore Grain, Australand and Ivanhoe Australia.

While residential is booming along the boulevard the commercial scene is also looking very strong.

William H. Deague President, St Kilda Road Precinct & Promotions Committee

The Australian Ballet - 50 Years

By Costa Rolfe The Australian Ballet marks 50 years in 2012. And the delicate footprint impressed upon this nation’s culture by an always innovative, internationally revered institution is not to be underestimated.

In the wake of the Borovansky Ballet’s retreat from the Australian stage in 1961 after over two decades of performances, auditions for soloists and corps de ballet were held under the discerning eye of Peggy van Praagh, the Australian Ballet’s founding Artistic Director.

The Australian Ballet’s inaugural production was van Praagh’s Swan Lake, performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney, with the company’s earliest stars including Kathleen Gorham, Marilyn Jones and Garth Welch, each appropriated from the Borovanksy Ballet’s disbanded talent pool.

Van Praagh would prove an inspired appointment as Artistic Director, maneuvering from her earliest days in charge to shore up not only the long term future of The Australian Ballet, but of ballet in Australia.

As the company took its first tentative steps in a dance that would span generations,

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3004NEWS

van Praagh was insistent on two points: that the company must have its own school, and that dancers must be afforded the financial comfort of guaranteed (and rare) year-long contracts. The Australian Ballet School was subsequently opened in March of 1964, to the eternal benefit of dancers and audiences alike.

International Festival of Dance at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

A world tour would reinforce Australian credentials on the global stage the very next year, with 67 performances in cities including Baalbek, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin and Los Angeles appreciated by over 170,000 people.

The Australian Ballet quickly flexed its finely sculpted muscle abroad, too. Van Praagh’s juggernaut was the toast of Europe by just 1965, with van Praagh awarded the Grand Prix of the City of Paris for Giselle, performed as part of the third

As it grew in stature, The Australian Ballet continued to take risks and test boundaries. Othello, choreographed by Garth Welch in 1971, appropriated the film score from Planet of the Apes.

Welch’s farewell performance would be The Sleeping Beauty in 1973, bowing out having danced the leading male role of every classical work the company had ever staged.

The Australian Ballet has continued to excel in the decades since, acclaimed both domestically and internationally for bringing a power, verve and optimism rarely matched on stage.

Out of tribute to its beginnings, 2012 will see The Australian Ballet revive some of its most important masterworks from decades past.

Sir Robert Helpmann’s The Display, Glen Tetley’s Gemini and Graeme Murphy’s Beyond Twelve form next years Icons triple bill, representing the 60s, 70s and 80s respectively. But whilst determined to pay tribute to choreographers past, The Australian Ballet is, as ever, looking forward.

The Infinity program, in conjunction with Bangarra Art Theatre, paves the way for a series of all new commissions that celebrate indigenous culture. And under the guidance of Artistic Director David McAllister - at the helm since 2001 and with an impeccable dancing pedigree - the Australian Ballet appears certain to glissade into 50 more years of ballet excellence.

Popular, classical or contemporary - no matter your musical preference the Australian Pops and Philharmonic orchestras’ (APO) New Year’s Eve celebrations will be music to your ears.

Frock up, suit up, enjoy a glass of bubbles and ring in the New Year with some of the finest performers this country has to offer with the Philharmonic Phireworks concert series this December. The APO will play three concerts at Melbourne’s State Theatre on December 30 and 31, guaranteed to have audiences swinging in their seats.

For 30 years, the APO has been entertaining audiences Australia-wide with its own blend of music and fun.

It is this mix that seasoned concert artist Donald Cant said had ensured the APO’s popularity year after year.

“The APO was created after Kel McMillan identified there was something missing from the format of Australian orchestral concerts,” Cant said. “He brought a fresh approach to his concerts. He brought the fun.”

Cant, who will compere Philharmonic Phireworks, is one of the country’s leading musical theatre performers, starring as the lead in Phantom of the Opera for an amazing 500 shows.

He has performed for the likes of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and the Pope, but said he had always enjoyed performing with the APO, since he first joined them on stage in the early 1990s.

“I just love it. It’s a real friendly environment singing with the Pops orchestra. Everyone involved enjoys it and it’s reflected in the performances,” he said. “We perform all varieties of music and operetta. The APO gives singers and musicians the chance to perform in fun, informal concerts. And we do produce a really amazing sound.

Every concert is a special event.”

Cant said the APO concerts have been a New Year’s Eve tradition for many years.

This year, he will join singers Melinda Schneider, Lucy Maunder, James Egglestone, and for the first time, Denis Walter, in a two-hour musical spectacular. The five soloists will be joined on stage with the 70-strong Ashton-Smith Singers and a 75-piece orchestra. Gavin Sutherland will conduct the show.

Highlights will include songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, West Side Story, The King and I, Jesus Christ Superstar, Secret Garden, Bernstein, ABBA, Best of British, Strauss, Puccini, Neil Diamond, Vienna With Love, and a touch of jazz.

In addition to the concerts, another highlight of the APO’s 30th anniversary celebrations will be the release of a tribute CD to the late Dame Joan Sutherland. Cant said Sutherland’s last Melbourne performance was with the APO. “Her last Melbourne orchestral concert with the APO was recorded at Melbourne Concert Hall in July 1989. So the APO has decided that it is fitting on its 30th anniversary to re-release the recording of the concert,” he said.

Win tickets!

For your chance to win a double pass to the New Year’s Eve Philharmonic Phireworks concert series, tell us in 25 words or less your favourite way to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Send entries with your name, address and phone number to enquiries@

club3004.com.au. Competition closes midnight Friday, December 16. Winner will be notified by email and published in the next edition of 3004 News.

COVER STORY

Celebrate the New Year with the top of the Pops

Book now!

Don’t miss your chance to see the Australian Pops Orchestra at the State Theatre Melbourne.

Philharmonics Phireworks is playing at 8pm December 30, 2pm and 8pm December 31.

Gala packages are also available.

For more information or to book tickets, contact The Arts Centre on 1300 182 183 or visit www. theartscentre.com.au on the Internet.

Ticket prices range from $70 to $130.

The CD will feature some of Sutherland’s finest performances from the concert including the Nun’s Chorus and I’ll follow my secret heart.

“People who are phenomenally great have something that makes them unique. There are a lot of performers with amazing voices out there but they are not household names. With Joan it was her phenomenal range and flexibility. She has been named the voice of the century but she was also such a down-to-earth lady,” Cant said.

The CD will be available at the APO’s concerts and through mail order.

The APO will make a donation to the Joan Sutherland Society from sales of the CD.

ISSUE 44

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HAPPENING

Shakespeare Under Carols by the Stars Candlelight

Don’t let the Channel 9 cricket commentators pour poison in your ear with their inane ramblings this summer (Richie and Bill excluded, of course). Instead, immerse yourself in this year’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Behind the Scenes. This isn’t a Shakespeare journey so much as a Shakespeare party. For remember, all the world’s a stage, and as the Thane of Cawdor doth protest too much and methought I was enamoured of an ass, the green-eyed monster turned rotten in the state of Denmark.

When: 20 December 2011 - 12 March 2012; Dec/Jan Tues to Sun at 8pm, Feb/Mar Tue to Sat at 8pm Where: Royal Botanic Gardens Tickets: shakespeareaustralia.com.au or phone 1300 122 344

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3004NEWS

Many years ago I blew the chance to buy Picasso’s Guernica for a song. Luckily, that song was ‘White Christmas,’ and by hanging onto it I made billions... Other famous Christmas carols that will no doubt be belted out with gusto at this year’s rendition of Carols By Candlelight include ‘Away in a Manger’, ‘Ding Dong Merrily On High’, and my own personal favourite, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’. Carols by Candlelight is a tradition adored by Australian families and harbinger of presents, turkey-filled bellies and arguments.

All proceeds go to Vision Australia in their ongoing support of blind and visually impaired children.

When: 24 December, 8pm (pre-show entertainment commences 5.30pm) Where: Sidney Myer Music Bowl Tickets: Adult $50, child (under 16) $25, family $110. Phone: 1300 182 183

New Year’s Eve “Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!

Four! Three! Two! One! …HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!” What happens in the immediate aftermath of this oncea-year chant is up to you, but hopefully it involves a passionate (reciprocal) embrace with an attractive stranger.

Watch the sun set on 2011 in Fed Square to the sound of an eclectic free backing track, with Brazilian percussion, indigenous folk songs and a full pipe band - as well as instantly recognisable party tracks (‘Hamster Dance’, please DJ) - amongst the musical highlights.

When: 31 December 2011 Where: Main Square, Federation Square

Star Voyager: Space on Screen

Just as a John F. Kennedy-inspired America fearlessly tossed its proverbial cap over the wall of space, ACMI boldly ventures where a select few creatives have gone before. This major exhibition articulates the history of space exploration through the lens of the moving image, telling the story of man’s relationship with the final frontier. Film and documentary footage aside, sci-fi fans can marvel at genuine NASA artifacts, Star Trek and Total Recall costumes (this alone may be enough to entice considerable traffic) and a new 3D work that replicates the surface of Mars.

When: Now until 29 January 2012; open daily 10am-6pm Where: ACMI, Federation Square Tickets: Adult $16.50, concession $12, ACMI Member $11

With charmingly-titled offerings such as ‘I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato’, ‘I’ve Won, No I’ve Won, No I’ve Won’ and ‘My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out’ amongst Lauren Child’s original children’s book series, it comes as no surprise that there is never a dull moment here, with seven-year-old Charlie and his little sister Lola managing to turn even the most mundane tasks - like getting ready for bed - into a riotous exploration of imagination (complete with tigers, ogres and dancing dogs).

When: 20 - 21, 29 Dec 2011 and 1 Jan 2012, 12pm & 3pm 22 - 24, 28, 30 31 Dec 2011, 10am & 12pm Where: Playhouse, 100 St Kilda Road Tickets: 1300 182 183, from $29.90 to $35

Beirut

HAPPENING

Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play

Melbourne Bridal & Gospel Honeymoon Expo Shakedown

Zach Condon’s Beirut, on tour promoting their latest album The Rip Tide, looms large as the must see/hear gig at Hi-Fi Bar this summer. Melodic yet precise, global audiences first fell in love with Beirut’s uniquely engaging sound after the release of their ukulelerich 2006 debut Gulag Orkestar, a record initially pieced together in Condon’s bedroom as a solo venture.

The band’s latest LP offering is but a frugal one, so change-resistant fans of Beirut’s previous work are virtually guaranteed set-list fulfillment.

Brides and grooms to be, there is only one way of ensuring that everything goes to plan on your special day: don’t get married (zing!). If you do truly love each other, however, and insist on expressing your adoration in public, then the Melbourne Bridal and Honeymoon Expo is essential.

The first 500 brides through the door get a free pamper bag, so get there early when there’s still plenty of room to practice throwing your bouquet.

Voted the number one bridal expo by the blushing brides of Melbourne.

When: 9 January, 7pm Where: Hi-Fi Bar, 125 Swanston Street Tickets: $55

When: 22 January, 9.30am-4.30pm Where: Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, 2 Clarendon St, Southbank Tickets: $25

Book a booth at the Famous Spiegeltent and not only will you get free admission to Gospel Shakedown, but a few drinks to get you singing ‘Hallelujah!’ and shaking your moneymaker. Lose yourself in the Congolese gospel vocals of the Jerusalem Gospel Band, before enjoying the layered harmonies and booming bass lines of Gospel Sundays, a rollicking seven-piece (including four vocalists) inspired by the likes of Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp and Cece Winans. A praiseworthy way indeed to spend a Saturday afternoon...

When: Saturday 11 February, 2pm Where: The Famous Spiegeltent Tickets: $10-$15

ISSUE 44

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HAPPENING

Hidden watercolour treasures unveiled at the NGV

By Chelsea Arnold So, you want to beat the summer heat, but you’ve seen the latest movies, taken the kids to the beach, the playground, seen the penguin parade at Phillip Island and still you’ve got spare time on your hands.

Well, why not get a cultural fix at the National Gallery of Victoria? Better still, entry is free.

This summer, British Watercolours 1700-1900: The Age of Splendour is on display at the NGV. A once in a lifetime opportunity, the exhibition is an opportunity to see the works of Britain’s most celebrated eighteenth century artists, not seen by the public in more than 50 years.

The emergence of watercolour as a medium is recognised as an influential factor in changing attitudes to landscape painting during this period from being a precise draftsman’s record of information to an artistic expression and personal reflection of nature.

British Watercolours 1700-1900: The Age of Splendour will be on display at the NGV, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 10am to 5pm, Wednesday to Monday, until 19 February, 2012. Entry is free.

The latest acquisition to the NGV’s Prints and Drawings Collection, The Stepping Stones on the Wharfe, above Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire (1801) by Thomas Girtin, will be unveiled for the first time in this exhibition. The piece is considered the highlight of the collection.

Outgoing NGV Director Dr Gerard Vaughan said the piece from the artist’s late Romantic period is one of acquisition highlights of the NGV’s 150th anniversary.

“The NGV boasts one of the greatest collections of British watercolours from this period in the world. This exquisite collection, comprising more than 200 works, is bursting with NGV hidden treasures,” Dr Vaughan said.

“Only one artist pivotal to the development of the watercolour medium remained inadequately represented in this collection and we are delighted to unveil this major work in British watercolours,” he said.

Girtin’s masterpiece is just one of more than 60 major works from the NGV collection by artists including JMW Turner, William Blake, Paul Sandby and Peter de Wint to be showcased.

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3004NEWS

For more information about what’s on at the NGV, visit www.ngv.vic.gov.au on the Internet.

Left: Edward Robert HUGHES English 1851-1914 The princess out of school c.1901 gouache and watercolour with some scratching out 52.0 x 95.3 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, 1901 Right: Paul SANDBY English 1730–1809 Windsor Castle: The Round Tower, Royal Court and Devil’s Tower from the Black Rod c.1767 watercolour and gouache over traces of pencil 29.7 x 43.7 cm Felton Bequest, 1922 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Felton Bequest, 1922

Now showing at the NGV • Tjukurrtjanu: Origins of Western Desert Art Featuring 200 of the first paintings produced at Papunya in 1971-72 by the founding artists of the Western Desert art movement.

• Ten ways to look at the past Works by 10 contemporary

Australian artists depicting the passing of time.

• Ranjani Shettar: Dewdrops and Sunshine Contemporary sculptures crafted based on Indian traditions using everyday materials.

By Viktoria Rother

Listed and classified by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) as a significant work of art, it is made from Port Fairy bluestone and white Carrara marble.

St Kilda Road is like an outdoor gallery, and admission is free, 365 days a year.

Our tour of the boulevard’s many commissioned sculptures and adornments begins at Domain Interchange, and finishes at High Street, near St Kilda Junction.

HAPPENING

The Urban Art of 3004

Our first piece stands outside the Domain, 1 Albert Road, where it intersects with St Kilda Road. Rising Chords, by Australian artist Robert Jacks, was commissioned by the tenants of The Domain.

A few strides away are a pair of stylised heraldic lions, guarding 434 St Kilda Road. Again, the artist is unknown.

Keep strolling along the south side of St Kilda Road until you get to 414418, a series of apartment buildings.

Marching next to the footpath is a series of silver structures which could be either stylised flowers or leaves.

Artist unknown. But they are quite striking.

Now, for a change of scene, cross St Kilda Road, and find your way to 499. Here you’ll see a metal sculpture of what looks like Hermes, the messenger god of the ancient Greeks, and guide to the Underworld.

He was the patron of many things, including commerce. Perhaps that is why he stands, poised to fly, outside a building on St Kilda Road, one of the major commercial centres of Melbourne.

If you continue to walk along the south side of St Kilda Road towards St Kilda Junction, you’ll notice, at 454, a series of metal ovoids amongst the greenery. An unacknowledged artist yet again. But again, a striking piece of art.

Keep wandering along this side of St Kilda Road until you reach a trio of structures outside 509. This is Under The Obelisk, by Akio Makigawa.

The Domain, 1 Albert Street Rising Chords - Robert Jacks, 2000 Commissioned by the tenants of The Domain

After crossing Kings Way, we arrive at Orion, outside 430 St Kilda Road.

Another silver structure, made from stainless steel by Geoffrey Bartlett, a Melbourne sculptor.

Continue along this side of St Kilda Road until you get to number 480.

Here you’ll see a magnificent water feature, certainly one of the biggest I’ve seen. Quite fascinating, watching it in action, the enormous stone sphere seemingly balancing on the water as it rotates.

414-418 St Kilda Road Stylised leaves, unknown, 1999 Lucient, 430 St Kilda Road Orion - Geoffrey Barlett, 2008 Asia Pacific House, 434 St Kilda Road Stylised heraldic lions, unknown Balencea, 454 St Kilda Road Stylised ovals, unknown

Cross Commercial Road, and continue walking until you reach 553, where you will see what appears to be twin sculptures, waiting. These are The Performers, by Anthony Pryor, commissioned by the builders of 553.

Constructed of brass, bronze and marble in 1989. And they do seem to be just about ready to walk onto the stage.

Finally, return to the south side of St Kilda Road. Our final piece is at 568, a lovely sinuous greyish piece which looks like stylised trees and leaves.

Metropolis, 480 St Kilda Road Water feature, unknown Fawkner Centre, 499 St Kilda Road Stylised Hermes, unknown Aviva House, 509 St Kilda Road Under The Obelisk - Akio Makigawa AIA Australia House 553 St Kilda Road The Performers - Anthony Pryor, 1990 Commissioned by the developers of 553 St Kilda Road.

ISSUE 44

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COMMUNITY

precinctround-up Park-arazzi

Parks Victoria is encouraging anyone who has taken a winning photo while out and about in Victoria’s parks to enter its photo competition on Facebook. Great prizes on offer include the Anaconda Grand Prize of a $2,000 voucher, and four category prizes of two nights’ accommodation in Wilderness Retreats in a park. The categories include Scenery, People, Best Animal or Plant, and Best Comment.

The competition is valid for photos taken in any Parks Victoria managed parks including: Port Phillip and Western Port (including piers, South Channel Fort, South Channel Pile Light), Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries, ex-HMAS Canberra Dive Site, Albert Park, Werribee Park, Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park, Yarra, Maribyrnong and Patterson Rivers, French Island National Park and many other parks.

where the atmosphere is lively and friendly with excellence in customer service, they are dedicated to offering you an exceptional men’s haircut, now celebrating 10 years in business. Their men’s salon will offer you latest up to date styles for a modern professional, fresh neck shave, refreshing towel and scalp massage and a boutique beer for an after work wind down. There is a plasma TV to watch the latest in news and sport, and even offer same-day dry cleaning by staypress dry cleaners. Kyla’s exclusive corporate summer haircuts are just $39. A great way to pamper yourself, or a gift idea for the man who has everything.

views, in one of the most stunning Melbourne locations.

As a special introductory offer to coincide with the launch SWME is offering organisers the chance to win 1 million Hilton Honors points which can be redeemed for hotel rooms, flights, meals and more. Simply book and contract a meeting for up to 250 people before 30 June 2012.

Royal Tram

Melbourne’s new Royal Tram will remain in public operation for the next year in honour of Her Majesty The Queen. The Royal Tram made its inaugural journey carrying Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh down Melbourne’s St Kilda Road from Federation Square to Government House on 26 October 2011. Yarra Trams organised the Royal Tram - a specially wrapped Z Class tram - in honour of the Royal Couple’s visit to Melbourne.

Named after the gypsy travellers of Europe, Gitan is the cuisine of a contemporary French bistro that takes influence from the surrounding European countries. Set in an old Victorian building and located in Melbourne’s South Yarra right opposite Fawkner park, chef Jacques Reymond’s menu offers traditional French bistro fare with Spanish and Italian influences.

Moving St Kilda Road

An extra 28 Sunday morning tram services have been added to six St Kilda Road services from Sunday, 6 November 2011. The extra services will run between 9am and 10.30am, meaning most routes will have a tram approximately every 20 minutes (instead of every 30 minutes).

Business Rooms to impress

Celebrating 10 years in business

The Grooming Room, St Kilda Road’s original modern barber is passionate about one thing - men’s haircutting.

The Grooming Room, a real alternative

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3004NEWS

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and Hilton Melbourne South Wharf have designed South Wharf Meetings & Events (SWME), a unique offering for small to medium sized meetings and events that perfectly combines the two venues’ facilities.

SWME offers an intimate setting for meeting and events from 10 to 250 people, flexible and tailored menu choices, state-of-the-art technology and rooms with spectacular Yarra River

SLAM in St Kilda

SLAM is centred around an amateur and elite summer beach volleyball competition at the best beaches around Australia. The competition will be hot at St Kilda Beach on Saturday 17 December as SLAM nurture the sport of beach volleyball as well as discovering and supporting the best and brightest emerging DJ and Aussie band talent around the country.

Zumba fun

Genesis St Kilda Road are offering some great discounts for getting fit this Summer. Recommending only 20 minute workouts per day – it’s too easy to do it in your lunch break! Genesis have a 2 for 1 Zumba class pass, and a free 3 day trial’s available for you to try out at their fitness centre. So run in now...

Where is the best place to have lunch in the precinct? Where do you take clients or team members for a special celebration? Do you grab a quick bite or purchase lunch and eat at your desk? With Spring here, will you take your lunch to the Botanical Gardens and read a book enjoying the sunshine? Tell us what you get up to in that time away from the office, email: editor@melbournemedia.com.au Do you have news snippets information, rumors, photos, or just something interesting to share with precinct 3004? Email: editor@melbournemedia.com.au

Royal Freemasons reaffirmed its position as an industry leader in the provision of aged care and retirement living options when the Victorian Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon. David Davis opened the Royal Freemasons’ new $29M state‐of‐the‐art facility at the Coppin Centre (Moubray Street) on Sunday 6 November 2011.

The opening of the latest addition to the Coppin Centre is a major coup for all Victorians and comes at a time when there are significant changes in the aged care sector.

Royal Freemasons has evolved to meet the changing needs of the community, and today operates a state‐wide network of accommodation, services and facilities in retirement living, community care and aged care.

Founded on the corner of Moubray Street and Punt Road in 1867, the former Freemasons’ Homes of Victoria was one of Australia’s first not‐for‐profit aged care providers. The organisation officially changed its name to ‘Royal Freemasons’ to align with the Trustees decision to grow its service offerings

beyond ‘nursing homes’ and into community care and retirement living.

Royal Freemasons’ Chief Executive, Felix Pintado said, “Our organisation’s commitment, ‘For You For Life’ is an invitation to all Victorians. It echoes our service culture of care that offers independent living and wellness for the elderly with security, dignified living and a rewarding life. It is a commitment that we make everyday to address the growing needs of ageing Victorians and their families.”

The Coppin Centre, comprising the new facility, Day Therapy, Transition Care, and soon‐to‐be renovated residences at Moubray House and Colbran Lodge - a total of nearly 200 aged care residents on the one site ‐ will uniquely position Royal Freemasons in state‐of‐the‐art aged care provision.

The development will also enable new research and innovative programs to develop in collaboration with health professionals from across the health sector and the community as a whole.

Recent innovations include:

Above: Resident bedroom in new addition to the Coppin Centre

• A telemedicine program that provides remote clients with professional access to the specialist services of the Skin and Cancer Foundation and clinical support for advance practice trainees in dermatology

COMMUNITY

Royal Freemasons opens the doors ‘For You For Life’

• Pain and medication programs developed with the National Ageing Research Institute.

• Increased Transition Care services, funded by the Victorian Government, that provide goal‐ oriented, time‐limited and therapy‐ focused care to help older people at the conclusion of a hospital stay.

With a total of 56 places across its network, Royal Freemasons is one of the larger Transition Care service providers in the country.

“We are particularly grateful that the Victorian Health Minister, The Hon. David Davis could be part of our Open Day and declare open the new facility on this historic site and to welcome all Victorians to the future of aged care provision.”

For more information 1300 1 ROYAL or www.royalfreemasons.org.au

ISSUE 44

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COMMUNITY

On Being Mature

I wish I was a cheese. Or a red wine.

Then everyone would want me. Being a 48-year-old woman trying to find a job, no-one seems interested; it’s as though I’m invisible.

FYI, I’m educated, dress well, speak well, have about 25 years work experience (and 48 years life experience), am industrious, and am unafraid of technology. There aren’t too many office machines I can’t learn to drive. Including computers, which seem to be our new best friends. I still have the archaic kind: you know, the ones you meet for lunch. Or dinner.

Or to speak with. Or hang out with.

I get the rules of trying to find myself a job. Even though these seem to change with every human resources expert I consult. You know, modify your resume to suit the position. Sell yourself in your letter of application.

Stay positive. Network. Ask my friends and family if they know anyone who needs my kind of wage slave.

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Problem: I spend hours of my life writing applications, sending them, then silence. Yes, nothing. All that hard work disappears into cyberspace, never to be seen again! Wow! Wish I could make my bills disappear like that.

Why do people ignore me?

Maybe they are rude barbarians?

Perhaps they don’t realise that I wait patiently next to my laptop, hoping to hear that sweet little ‘ping’ that tells me that me that, yes, there are people in cyberspace and they are literate.

Hooray! Someone has read my resume. Someone might be desperate to meet me and tell me, yes, Viktoria, there is a Santa Claus….no, I mean, a job for you with us! I’m still waiting, nearly two years later...

Oh, all those positions on all those sites tempt me! I am so happy to see them listed down my screen. But then, crestfallen, I click excitedly on the link to find that, no, Viktoria,

you need a Certificate 87 File Creation and Design to work here.

Damn, my Bachelor of Science can’t compare with the mysteries of filing management! It seems that it can’t, especially as I gained my degrees about 20 years ago. They seem to have acquired a use-by date. The university didn’t tell me that when I graduated.

In fact, one needs a bullet list of experience and qualifications to work just about anywhere it seems. Even to perform quite easy tasks. OK, no problem, I’ll complete the training.

But, wait there’s more! I need about $2,000 to do that. How the hell am I supposed to afford to eat and pay my rates when I have spent my dwindling savings on trying to survive since being made redundant? I know, I’ll apply for the dole. But wait! There’s yet more: I can’t get the dole because I’ve got too much money in the bank, courtesy of my former employer.

Re-training for a new career: great idea, if you’ve got spare cash under the mattress.

by Viktoria Rother

So, what’s a girl supposed to do?

Where are all you employers who long for someone like me: mature, educated, with substantial life experience and initiative? I would love to meet you. I haven’t just confined myself to one career, I’ve had three already. In wildly divergent fields: education, government, retail.

I’m tired of being told what to do to get a job: how about one of you giving me a job? Giving me a chance?

I’m 48, not 88! And even if I were, isn’t the content of my character more important than the number of years I’ve lived?

It seems that discrimination is alive and well in Australia: 45 and under, welcome to the workforce! Forty-fiveplus: please go away somewhere and be... invisible.

Yes, I think I would like to be a cheese or a red wine.

Beats being an unemployed 48-year-old woman trying to find a job right now.

David Holden and Wayne Banks-Smith

Samantha and Noel from the Think Pink Living Centre

some insights into their businesses before we turned the microphone to our members and guests for their opinions on different aspects of local, international and world views.

What makes you different?

Karen Baynes, Mandy Nguyen and Josh Vagg

Sue Davis and Chris McDonald

Club 3004 is a social networking group for those who live and or work in the precinct. Our aim is to bring the community together to exchange business ideas, discuss market trends and strategies with each other, in a relaxed atmosphere with open-minded colleagues. Our membership groups is truly diverse, drawn from both the residential and business sector along St Kilda Road.

Some of our new members include: Ikon Images, Melbourne Citymission, Mariner Travel, Aron Katona Designs, Blue Central, GreenBizCheck, Seeed, Commonwealth Bank, Denise’s Bookkeeping Services, Alleasing, Menz Den and Facility Management Vic. Rodney Ferro, Ian Patterson and Dr Lynne Reader

Annette Freeman, Leonie and Romina Izzo

Grace Lipinski and Andrew Tywanek

So in September, we opened the microphone to our members. We heard from some of our long-standing members, Chris McDonald from StayCentral Serviced Apartments, Mia De Rose from Aim Your Promos and Matthew Devenish from Melbourne Business Golf Group, as they shared

COMMUNITY

Club 3004 In October, Club 3004 came alive in a sea of pink with Breast Cancer Awareness Month showing our support to the amazing Think Pink Living Centre on St Kilda Road that helps support women and men on the breast cancer journey. The Think Pink Living Centre launched their new project - Think Pink It’s Friday - where-by simply adding a touch of Pink to your wardrobe every Friday, you are supporting cancer awareness and empowering those, on any and every stage of their journey.

Club 3004 invites you to come along on the first Thursday of each month to get to know your business and residential neighbours. To rsvp, simply e-mail enquiries@club3004.com.au.

Lyndall Tennant Manager - Club 3004 Email: enquiries@club3004.com.au

Laura Paton, Bianca Festa and Nick Little

Gayle King and Alan Cooper

Degan Agnew, Rachael Powers and Ross Turetsky

Greg Quirke, Les Pamensky and David Lambert

Samantha from the Think Pink Living Centre with Peter Jago Jones Lang LaSalle brand standards Signature and strapline

3.5

May 2008

Color usage Clubbackground 3004 Sponsors The signature and the strapline lockup must always appear clear and legible.

Following a few basic guidelines ensures that these two elements are always displayed to their best potential.

The one-color black signature and the strapline lockup may be used on the following backgrounds: White background The one-color black signature and the strapline lockup may be used on a white background.

Light-colored background The one-color black signature and the strapline lockup may be used on a lightcolored background (refer to the primary color palette on page 4.2).

The one-color white signature and the strapline lockup may be reversed out of the following backgrounds:

www.club3004.com.au

Black background The one-color white signature and the strapline lockup may be used on a black background.

Photography by Lucia Ondrusova www.luciaondrusova.com.au and George Haig

Medium- to dark-colored background The one-color white signature and the strapline lockup may be used on either red or dark gray backgrounds (refer to the primary color palette on page 4.2).

NOTE Do not use the signature or the strapline lockup on backgrounds other than those

Club Dates Thursday 1 September Thursday 6 October Thursday 3 November Webpage sponsored by Rodney www.pn.com.au

ISSUE 44

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COMMUNITY

Breakfast on St Kilda Road Do you live in the 3004 precinct?

Perhaps you work here?

Looking for somewhere to eat breakfast?

Here’s a list of eateries at which you can start your day the civilised way: by sitting down and eating something delicious while reading the papers, conversing with companions, or if you prefer, watching the passing parade on St Kilda Road. (Morning traffic is so very entertaining. So many people in a hurry, so many cars racing each other to the next set of lights, so many trams stuffed with passengers, so many pedestrians who just have to cross the road now.)

Venues range from historic hotels to a sushi restaurant. Yes, you heard correctly: a sushi restaurant that serves breakfast!

If you’re a weekday working person, you have quite a selection for your next breakfast. Most of these eateries serve breakfast five days a week.

For those of us who live on SKR (as I heard a tram driver call it), well, we may not have as many from which to choose on weekends, but they are certainly worth investigating.

Dish @ The Royce Hotel, Hotel Charsfield (built in 1889), Lime Cafe Bar Restaurant, Purple Cafe/ Bar, Cafe Vue @ 410, the CBD Cafe and Foodery and Rosco’s @ Chevron are all available for your palate to try.

Balencea Bar & Restaurant serves breakfast on Saturdays only.

So, fellow 3004 residents and workers, what are you waiting for?

Go on, wrap your laughing gear around the offerings on SKR. And start your day the right way!

Cafe Promenade 437 St Kilda Road 9866 4775 Commodity Cafe 441 St Kilda Road 9867 5541 The Deck On St Kilda Road 479 St Kilda Road 9820 2626 Rok’s Cafe 499 St Kilda Road 9820 3144 Bite 505 St Kilda Road 9866 6116

Dish @ The Royce Hotel 379 St Kilda Road 9677 9933 Open weekends

Rosco’s @ Chevron Shop 14, 519 St Kilda Road 9525 2679 Open weekends

iSushi 391 St Kilda Road 9866 1888

Citro Bar & Restaurant 348 St Kilda Road 9685 2900

Cafe Vue @ 410 St Kilda Road 401 St Kilda Road 9866 8055 Open weekends CBD Cafe & Foodery 403A St Kilda Road 9866 4958 Open weekends Cafe 409 409 St Kilda Road 9866 2666 Aromatic Espresso 417 St Kilda Road 9866 9111

Royal Domain Cafe Shop 11, 360 St Kilda Road 9682 1166 Degani Café Bakery 432 St Kilda Road 9867 5155 Café 434 434 St Kilda Road 9866 3355 The Blue Moose Café 436 St Kilda Road 9804 5605 Café Equesta 448 St Kilda Road 9821 4088

by Viktoria Rother Balencea Bar & Restaurant 454 St Kilda Road 9867 4466 Saturdays only Aroma On St Kilda 456 St Kilda Road 9820 2448 Get Layered 476 St Kilda Road 9820 2800 Hotel Charsfield 478 St Kilda Road 9866 5511 Open weekends Café Safi 484 St Kilda Road 90770633 Modoz Café 492 St Kilda Road 9866 2618 Lime Cafe Bar Restaurant 562 St Kilda Road 9924 8160 Open weekends Times Café 566 St Kilda Road 9521 7480 Open weekends Citro Heritage Bar & Restaurant 572 St Kilda Road 8506 8808 Open weekends Café Allegra 574 St Kilda Road 9510 0256 Purple Café/Bar 604 St Kilda Road 8530 1800 Open weekends

Super Stops and Pit Stops For 4 days exclusively, people south of Toorak Rd. from the east to the west were united, for the cost of a Grand Prix ticket.

Residents. pedestrians, cyclists, office workers, as well as those using the seven St.Kilda Rd. tram routes that run by this Super-stop, could all cross over to enjoy the lake, its black swans and little dinghy’s. But there were screeching cars in the way.

By Nerrida Pohl Thanks to the Grand Prix, for the first time since it was built, the Tram Super-Stop at the corner of Commercial Rd and St. Kilda Rd. was really busy.

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The bridge over Queens Rd brought people to the very under-utilized Albert Park Lake in their thousands.

What a pity that the bridge will be dismantled again. It should be a feature and sport a ‘Welcome to Melbourne’ sign.

The St. Kilda and Sth.Yarra traders would benefit all year round if a permanent overpass linked the Albert Park cricket ground to the Albert Park golf-course.

In fact, there could be a really enjoyable and really long walk (almost car-free) with informative botanical and historical signage, which attracts tourists all year round. The ‘Black

Swans Walk’ would go between the lakes in the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Albert Park Lake via The Shrine of Remembrance and Fawkner Park.

The biggest obstacle is that the bridge on Queens Rd is only there during t he Grand Prix.

This part of Melbourne has several overlapping electorates and includes City of Melbourne ratepayers through to High St. Prahran. So far, they have not produced any plans for it. Whose responsibility is it?

A grand and informative citysurrounding park-walk will attract tourists just as the popular inner-city lane-walks do. It begins with a bridge that lasts more than 4 days.

By Viktoria Rother

Names fascinate me. Why are things named as they are? From where do these names originate? I thought it might interest you to know how some of the streets in our neck of the woods got their names. Let’s start with the name of the biggest street: St Kilda Road...

St Kilda Road Named after an archipelago of the Outer Hebrides off the north west coast of Scotland. There is no saint of the name Kilda; the name is posited to be derived from a series of cartographical and typographical errors from the Old Icelandic ‘Skildir’ (shields), which subsequently appeared in maps as ‘Skildar’, eventually losing the final ‘r’. The boulevard was first known as Baxter’s Track, after Melbourne’s first postmaster.

Southbank Boulevard Formerly known as Nolan Street.

After Patrick J Nolan, surveyor for the South Melbourne City Council 1887-96.

Grant Street Named after James Grant, nineteenthcentury Scottish immigrant, who became Commissioner of Crown Lands. His Lands Acts were influential in the subsequent development of Victoria.

Wadey Street Named after Councillor Charles Wadey, 1892-96.

Coventry Street Name chosen by the government; probably after the Earl of Coventry.

Dorcas Street Named after a society originally founded on the Isle of Man in 1834, the Dorcas Society, formed after the community there was spared from an outbreak of cholera. The Dorcas Society in Melbourne, usually a group of local people associated with a church, was affiliated with the Melbourne Protestant Orphan Asylum. The society is named after Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, in the Acts of the Apostles.

Park Street So named because it overlooked Albert Park.

Albert Street Named for Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband

Bowen Lane Named after Sir George Bowen, nineteenth-century Irish immigrant, a colonial governor.

Bowen Crescent As above.

Arthur Street Named after Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, third son of Queen Victoria.

Leopold Street Named after Leopold, Duke of Albany, Queen Victoria’s fourth son.

Louise Street Named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Duchess of Argyll, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.

Hanna Street Named for Patrick Hanna, engineer,

Irish immigrant, councillor of the South Melbourne City Council, later MLA, then MLC. Roy Street Named for Charles Roy, a solicitor, who emigrated to Australia from Scotland. Councillor.

Beatrice Street Named after Princess Beatrice, fifth daughter of Queen Victoria.

Lorne Street Named after John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, then Duke of Argyll. Husband of Princess Louise, after whom Louise Street is named.

Queens Road Named after Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV. Anzac Avenue Named after the ANZACs, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Government House Drive Named after Government House.

Domain Road Named after King’s Domain.

Bromby Street Named after English immigrant, John Edward Bromby, first headmaster of Melbourne Grammar.

Toorak Road Named after Toorak House, which was used as Melbourne’s first Government House. Derived from the Woiwurrung language, believed to mean either “black crow” or “reedy swamp”.

A timely gift to the people of Melbourne

By Chelsea Arnold

This summer as you set a cracking pace around the Tan Track, take the time to admire two digital clocks which now grace Melbourne’s most popular running track.

The two four-metre high digital clocks installed strategically around the Royal Botanic Gardens are set to become much relied on timekeepers for amateur and professional athletes alike.

The timepieces have been installed at the start/finish line at the Pillars of Wisdom on Alexandra Avenue and at the half-way mark on Birdwood Avenue.

They provide an accurate, digital timekeeping function and are clearly visible to runners on their approach.

The clocks feature the history of the Tan Track and also record the top 10 fastest lap times recorded by male and female runners.

prepare the groundwork for the installation.

The Bennelong Foundation funded the construction and installation of the clocks following a design and approval process with the City of Melbourne which began in July 2009.

The original idea came to Mr Chapman while he was running on the track almost a decade ago.

The clocks were set to be officially unveiled in December by the City of Melbourne.

The clocks have been constructed from materials that are in keeping with the amenity and character of the gardens and infrastructure already in place.

Participants in Mission Australia’s Urban Renewal Program helped

The idea for the clocks was the brainchild of Bennelong Foundation chairman Jeff Chapman, a local resident and regular jogger around the Tan Track.

“(The clocks) recognise the history and tradition of Melbourne’s much loved Tan Track in the beautiful Botanic Gardens, Yarra and Kings Domain precincts and it is a practical encouragement to all Melbournians and visitors to Melbourne to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle,” Mr Chapman said.

Armadale Street Possibly named after James Munro, fifteenth Premier of Victoria, who was born in Armadale, Sutherland, in Scotland.

Commercial Road Formerly known as Nelson Street.

Possibly named after the Commercial Hotel, which in the 1870s became the Prince Maximilian Hotel, then again the Commercial Hotel, which is now again the Prince Maximilian.

May have also been so named because it was – and is – part of the busy Prahran/South Yarra trading precinct.

COMMUNITY

What’s in a name?

Moubray Street Named after nineteenth-century Irish immigrant Thomas Moubray, Melbourne City Councillor and Mayor.

High Street Formerly known as High Holborn Road, presumably after the street of the same name in London.

Punt Road Named for the punt that was used to traverse the Yarra River. ...and finally, some of you may have noticed that there are three street names missing from this list: Slater Street, Henry Street and Union Street.

Despite my persistence and research, I wasn’t able to discover how these three got their names. Anyone who can help me with this, please contact The Editor, 3004News.

“In addition, the clocks will enhance Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s pre-eminent lifestyle and sportsoriented city.”

The Tan Track was established in 1901.

It was affectionately named after the tan bark surface of the original 1.6 kilometre track.

Over the years it has been resurfaced and in 1965, it was lengthened to 2.42 kilometres before again being extended in 1974.

Today, the Tan Track is 3.8 kilometres long and features a number of exercise stations along the route.

It is suitable for all ages and abilities and is enjoyed daily by professional athletes, amateur running clubs, joggers, parents with children, babies in prams and pets.

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COMMUNITY

On the boulevard...

by Emily Rolfe

Living on St Kilda Road ...Russell Mortimer As an engineer and CEO of QA Software, St Kilda Road resident Russell Mortimer is in good company, as the boulevard is now home to several companies in related fields, including Abi Group and Australand.

For a man who created his own software company with global reach – QA Software, one of the leading suppliers of software solutions to the construction and engineering industries - access to computers was for Russell Mortimer once a distant reality.

While still a mechanical engineering student in 1970s Sri Lanka, Russell took on a computer programming course; but where nowadays computer access is largely taken for granted, during this time, Russell’s experience of computers was entirely abstract.

“They had two computers in Sri Lanka then - one of them was in a bank, and the other at the engineers’ institution. Computers used to be locked away in climate-controlled rooms, people would remove their shoes before entering so as not to bring in dirt. As students, we would write a program, which would then be posted off so it could be run and tested. It would come back marked up ‘bug here, bug here’, and we would have to correct the code and post it off again,” said Russell.

Russell has witnessed closely the shift in focus from hardware to software over the years, and speaks of evidence of another shift shaping the way many software companies are doing business.

The phrase ‘necessity is the mother of all invention’ conjures images of devising a tool for survival in harsh terrain, or solutions to solve complex and seemingly insurmountable problems: entirely appropriate when considering the creation of QA Software, a leading provider of Software as a Service solutions (SaaS) to the construction and

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engineering industries.

The brainchild of Russell and Steven Joustra – now the company’s CEO and General Manager of International Operations respectively – QA Software was designed to address gaps in the market.

An engineer with 20 years’ industry experience, Russell found himself time and again reinventing the wheel on complicated engineering and construction problems.

“At the time there was a dearth of software solutions for engineering and construction companies. On almost every project we worked, each time we had to invent some makeshift software combined with manual methods to achieve our aims.

“We realised there would be real business in doing this properly by setting up some well thoughtthrough and tailored generic solutions that could be implemented within minutes. It was a joint idea between Steven and myself, neither one could have gone it alone,” said Russell.

With minimal start-up costs, armed with decades of engineering experience, market research and a desire to implement solutions for future engineering projects, QA Software took off on its 1994 launch.

“It was an instant hit –several projects in Melbourne adopted the solutions almost immediately,” said Russell.

Within 12 months, QA Software’s first clients were some of the biggest names in engineering and construction – namely Grocon, Transfield, Baulderstone, Hornibrook and Clough Engineering - and the company provided workable software solutions to some of Victoria’s largest construction undertakings, including Crown Casino, Etihad Stadium and Melbourne CityLink.

Russell reveals that the only real challenge to the viability of the

company in the early days was predicated on its popularity and customers’ desire for development into wider application, not on a lack of take up.

document control is only a small part of what QA Software has to offer.

When Russell speaks of ‘our industry’, he is referring to engineering, construction and software together.

“The challenge was to service clients effectively, while not indulging in taking up new clients that were knocking on our door who found out about our service through word of mouth. We decided to put our energy into what we had, then expand if we had the time and resources. It was a considered beginning,” said Russell.

“Our difference is that we came from the industry that we’re servicing – we’re not coming from a purely software background,” said Russell.

“We understand exactly what is required of them, we have worked in that industry for 20 years, we lived through their pains. That has always been our edge over the competition, both in developing the software and in talking to the client subsequently.”

Within two years, QA Software was an international company, though Russell points out, “We didn’t so much expand globally as have other companies from all over the world find us on the internet, download our products, trial and purchase them.”

What sets Russell apart from others providing a similar service is demonstrable industry experience:

Along with business partner Steven, Russell today manages an organisation of 75 staff with offices in London, Colombo, Dallas and Melbourne.

COMMUNITY

Return to the Village

...St Kilda Road’s George Christopoulos

The village was once the mainstay of human society. Before there were cities or even towns, people lived in villages - small localities made up of a handful of families who lived side-by-side. If the village didn’t have a church, it was smaller still, and known as a hamlet.

Today, villages the world-over have been all but eclipsed by the big cities that drive commerce and industry. But in an interesting contemporary twist on the relationship, the city has started looking again to the village.

St Kilda Road is in many ways the visual embodiment of Melbourne’s ambitions as a city. Expansive, attractive, and with myriad reminders

of commercial success, cultural institutions showcasing performances and exhibits of international renown, and some very impressive real estate it would seem St Kilda Road has it all.

But according to many of the growing number of St Kilda Road residents, the precinct lacks a certain something. Maybe it’s the absence of organic charm, the things that draw

city-folk out of the hustle to places like Healesville and Apollo Bay for weekend getaways, seeking qualities of ‘realness’ that we associate with the village, something authentic. But in the near future, St Kilda Road residents won’t have to venture much further than their own neighbourhood: change of the sedate, village variety is just around the corner.

Restaurateur, entrepreneur and former professional soccer player George Christopoulos is something of a mainstay himself along St Kilda Road, best-known for the Belgian Beer Café Bluestone, at 557 St Kilda Road, a site recently the subject of intense redevelopment speculation.

“Since 1997, Belgian Beer Café has been a success, and most of all, we’re proud of its heritage,” said George.

“Along with my business partner, Kevin Hunt, I’ve always taken a very long-term view about our relationship with the site, which is why we invested. It’s here to stay.”

The former Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind site in question was recently sold to developers and subdivided, giving long-term tenant George the opportunity to purchase the Café, Ormond Hall, and the former main RVIB administration building.

The swirling rumours couldn’t be further off the mark, and George’s vision for the vast site is one sure to appeal to the community. “We want to make the site more attractive, more interesting, using part of the structure for creative pursuits, such as an artists’ colony with studio spaces. We are still formalising our master-plan, but the idea is for the name and entity

to change, with Belgian Beer Café becoming a smaller component of the overall vision, which is for the site to become the village or town square of St Kilda Road,” he said.

During his long relationship with the boulevard, George has observed the changes taking place along St Kilda Road over many years.

“I am conscious of the shift from commercial to residential, and we are responding to that with a variety of spaces and projects within the land, all low-key and very much in keeping with a neighbourhood atmosphere.

We are looking at devising an organic produce market for Saturday mornings, and aim to be even more supportive of the artistic excellence of Melbourne. As a diversified site, the neighbourhood will be given an opportunity to become a unique part of Melbourne,” said George.

“It’s surely one of the best boulevards, but I still feel it needs a more specific master-plan going forward. There is certainly an awkwardness about certain issues as there are two councils involved with the precinct. What I want people to know, is that our respect for the heritage component of the site is paramount, and that will never change. Our ambition is for a community space - a space where the arts and local educational institutions can thrive, facilities to support local clubs such as the St Kilda Cycling Club, and overall, a place that will become a focal point for residents,” he said.

Perhaps the city needs the village after all.

ISSUE 44

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ENVIRONMENT

Anita Roper

How big is the computer waste problem and what can we do about it?

3004 News’ Environment Page

While many businesses make an effort to reduce paper usage, recycle kitchen products and encourage their workers to cycle to work. How many are thinking about their computers?

The Christmas spirit definitely seems to be in the air! People are smiling in the streets and looking forward to a well-deserved break over the festive season.

There are many things you can do to ensure your Christmas is a sustainable one.

• Buy a real tree instead of a plastic Christmas tree. Approximately 3kg of carbon dioxide is produced in growing, transporting and disposing of a real tree compared with the 48kg produced in an artificial tree. So you would need to re-use a plastic Christmas tree for almost two decades to keep the same environmental footprint.

• Bring your tree to life by decorating it with your own handmade Christmas decorations. If you are going to decorate your tree with fairy lights, opt for the more energy efficient, long lasting LED lights.

• Give a gift to those less fortunate.

Last year everyone in my family received a Kiva (www.kiva.org) gift.

Kiva is a non-profit organisation that works with microfinance 18

3004NEWS

institutions to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems, helping to alleviate poverty.

• Reduce paper use. Invent creative ways to wrap your presents.

Consider a reusable bag, gift basket, newspaper, a scarf or tea towel. If you need to use wrapping paper, make sure it is 100% recycled. Use Christmas cards that are made from 100% recycled paper or send an eCard. When Christmas is over, recycle or reuse your Christmas cards and paper.

• Give an experience or make something from the heart.

Skydiving? A massage? A movie ticket? Or you can always make a special gift. Bake, paint, draw or write a poem. Use a little imagination and see what is possible.

I’m sure there are many more sustainable tips out there so feel free to let me know your suggestions.

Have a wonderful and safe Christmas.

Anita

We may not think much about throwing out a computer every few years as it becomes obsolete, but we really should be encouraging businesses to buy PCs that last five to six years, as opposed to three to four.

Recent numbers published by IDC indicate that the Chinese market is about to exceed the US market with sales figures for PCs this year coming in at US73.6 million units to China’s 72.4 million. This represents just 43% of the global demand, as global annual sales are in the range of 340 million units. As these devices all have a limited life cycle, we can see that in a few years there will be 340 million PCs going to scrap.

It becomes clear that if we all spend a little more at the point of purchase to extend the life expectancy by just 12 months, there could be as many as 100 million less PCs being scrapped, recycled or going into landfill every year.

Of course, from a productivity point of view, I would never ask people to work on old, slow computers as this leads to wastages of a different kind – businesses costs. Issues with poorly running PCs include: • More expensive technology services.

• Disruption to workflow.

• Training and familiarity issues as software and systems get changed over time.

We encourage businesses to plan their IT strategy in a way that allows them to maximise the productivity benefits of buying a better PC in the first place.

Ensuring they make the right decisions at the point of purchase allows them maximum ROI both financially and environmentally.

I am pleased to say we are now seeing the world’s largest manufacturer of PCs, HP, offering four and five year warranty extensions. This should give businesses the confidence to select a slightly higher performance model and anticipate the additional useful life of the device.

So, do you have the right strategy to maximise your businesses productivity and minimise damage to the environment at the same time? Having that strategy align to your businesses plan will ensure IT is not impeding your growth.

David Markus is the founder of Combo – the IT service company that ensures IT is never an impediment to growth.

We win awards for the service we offer, so if your IT environment is slowing you down, contact Combo on 1300 726 626 to organise a complimentary consultation with David

HEALTH

A Shed for Southbank The tin shed down the back of many a garden has gained mythical proportions in the Australian psyche. More than just a corrugated, dusty box filled with half-finished DIY projects, broken gardening equipment, ancient fertilizer and about a thousand red-back spiders, the shed is a place to take stock of things, reflect and set the mind to tasks of the hands.

These days, the shed plays a diminished role in society,

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particularly with the rise of apartment living. Getting the axle grinder out or spray painting the deck chairs in the common area at The Melburnian probably contravenes about 750 body corporate regulations - so what’s a bloke to do?

The idea of a Men’s Shed was raised

by Southbank resident Peter Harkin, frustrated by the lack of space and freedom for such projects within the modern lifestyle.

After speaking with John Harris, the City of Melbourne’s community partnerships coordinator, the idea for the shed began to take shape.

Following other nearby examples, such as the Carlton Men’s Shed, a group of men - and a woman - held their first meeting at the Southbank Resident Group’s meeting room, and decided there were enough crafty like-minded souls in the precinct to warrant a shed of their very own.

Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley voiced her approval of the idea, saying “it is brilliant to see so much support for the men’s shed in Southbank, a place where men can come together around hobbies, craftsmanship and learning.”

Summer means fun in the sun for most of us. The temperature rises, suits are swapped for shorts and sunscreen, and time is spent outdoors. While it may be tempting to throw caution to the wind, relax a little too much and over-indulge this festive season, by following a few simple rules, you’ll still be able to eat, drink and be merry without any regret in the new year.

Eat smart

Most of us will inevitably eat more and train less as a busy social schedule can make it difficult to stick to healthy eating plans and maintain exercise regimes. You could easily sample every Jacques Reymond-inspired morsel that comes your way at the office Christmas party, but don’t just eat just for the sake of eating. Try to limit your intake of foods laden in fat and sugar which will leave you craving more, opting for choices featuring carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables to make you feel fuller for longer. Ensure you stick to your regular healthy

eating plan on days when you’re not attending events to minimise the damage over the course of the week.

Moderation

Don’t overdo the alcohol... easier said than done. Try to stick to no more than two standard drinks on non-party days and at least one to two alcoholfree days a week.

We drink more when we’re thirsty, so why not start with a glass of water or soft drink? And don’t forget to alternate one alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic drink, that way you can help minimise a horrible hangover the next day. And if you’re going to be driving, skip the drinks altogether.

Instead, make arrangements with your partner to be picked up, carpool with colleagues or catch public transport.

Money

don’t end up the office joke this year or fodder for discussion around the water cooler by watching out for inappropriate behaviour and conversations and dressing appropriately for the occasion.

Hydrate

Drink water. Spending time outdoors on warm days can bring on dehydration quickly. Children dehydrate quicker than adults so be sure to keep a drink bottle with them at all times.

Stay active

While you may not be able to keep up with your regular daily run around The Tan, plan to squeeze in smaller shorts bursts of exercise into your busy social schedule. Even 10 mins of squats, lunges, crunches and press-ups

will help maintain your fitness and tone until you can get back into your regular routine. And if you’re going to be a little more physical than usual, getting into some hiking or bushwalking, ensure you wear appropriate shoes for your outdoor activities. Skip those stylish summer sandals and invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

HEALTH

Surviving the summer silly season Be sun smart

Cover up. Use a good sunscreen, reapply it frequently to avoid painful and unsafe sunburn. Don’t forget to take a hat and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UV rays.

One final piece of advice: Enjoy the summer break. Remember, it’s another 365 days before you get to do it all again.

Make sure you set yourself a budget for your partying. Know how much you’ve got to spend on drinks and food before you go out. Don’t feel obliged to buy expensive gifts for everyone. If your cash flow is a bit low, get creative.

Often the thoughtful, creative presents are the most well-received.

Behave

Every January, staff are still discussing someone’s antics from the office Christmas party. Make sure you

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not just band-aid solutions Benefit from our years of experience & knowledge for your long-term health and well being. Our philosophy is simple. We provide ‘Quality and Care’ to ensure our customers receive the best healthcare advice with value for money and reputable medical products. We are dedicated to providing professional pharmaceutical advice… our finger is always on the pulse for your good health..

Pharmacy 517 517 St Kilda Rd (Corner Commercial Rd) P 9866 4892 • F 9866 2133 Monday – Friday 8.30am – 6.30pm Saturday by appoinment Email pharmacy.517@nunet.com.au

• Self-Care Health Information • Prescription (Rx) • Vitamins • Passport Photos • Photocopy & Fax

At Pharmacy 517, we don’t have customers, we have friends.

It’s how we connect with our friends that allows us to make a difference in their lives.

ISSUE 44

21

HEALTH

Why is it so, William So? So, William So, What is your best advice regarding...

Sounds like Christmas Get fit for summer, fundraise for a worthy cause and celebrate the festive season by entering the Emma & Tom’s Christmas Run! Raise funds for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation by creating your very own online fundraising page through Everyday Hero. Your fundraising efforts for Peter Mac, Australia’s only public cancer hospital and research centre, will support lifesaving research and help find more cures for cancer.

Catering for both serious runners and those participating for fun, the 5km

or 10km run/walk around Albert Park Lake includes a group fitness warmup and post event activities including event presentations, spot prizes, food and drinks.

The first 1,500 people to enter the event will each receive a FREE Emma & Tom’s Christmas Run Brooks technical T-shirt!

After your run/walk in the Emma & Tom’s Christmas Run, stay at Albert Park Lake and kick off ‘the season to be jolly’ with your family and friends!

So bring a picnic rug, grab a bite to eat and lay back and enjoy the warm, summer evening.

Date: Wednesday, 7 December Location: Palms Lawns, Albert Park Distance: 5km & 10km run/walk Time: 6:30pm - 5km run/walk 6:55pm - 10km run/walk

increase in saliva; burping; nausea; and less well known, a night dry cough. Medicines used include antacids and alginates; H2 antagonists; protein pump inhibitors and prokinetic drugs. They can be obtained either with or without prescriptions.

Sex The 80/20 rule of sex: When you are in your 20s, you spend 80% of your time doing it, 20% of your time planning it.

When you are in your 80s, you spend 20% of your time doing it, 80% of your time planning it.

Tanning Tanning is the process in which the skin colour is darkened. Sun tanning is due to exposure to the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Melanin protects our body by absorbing the UV radiation, excessive UV radiation causes both darkening of the existing melanin and production of new melanin. Thus, tanning can be seen as a measure of your skin damage to UV radiation.

Sunless tanning involves the use of lotions and sprays that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA causes a browning process on the skin, but it is not a dye. The effect is temporary and gradually fades over a week. Bronzers, which are dyes, are often used for “one-day” only tan.

Only a fool would have thought sunless tanning offers any protection at all against UV rays.

St Kilda Road Medical Centre

St Kilda Rd Sports & Physiotherapy Centre

Services available:

St Kilda Rd Sports and Physiotherapy Centre hosts a team of experienced physiotherapists, massage therapists and dietitian. Their vast knowledge and experience provides a solid foundation for the effective care of a broad spectrum of clientele, from recreationally active individuals to elite level athletes in all sports including gymnastics, tennis and triathlon.

Though our therapists are capable of assessing and treating a wide range of injuries, they also have particular specialist expertise in the treatment of spinal, shoulder and hip injuries. Appointments are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Please call us to make an appointment or enquiry.

• General Practice • Men’s and Women’s Health • Family medicine • Accredited Travel Vaccination Centre • Acupuncture

• Nutritional medicine • Preventative Medicine • Dietitians • Physiotherapy – Sports and Rehabilitation • Remedial Massage

We offer: • High quality medical care • Female and Male practitioners

• Established for over 15 years • Dorevitch Collection centre on site

Phone 9869 2000 Level 1/391 St Kilda Road (Between Domain Rd & Toorak Rd) e: info@phm.org.au www.skrmc.com.au 8am – 6pm Mon – Fri, Sat 9 – 11am Consultation by appointment only

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Premature ejaculation How soon is too soon? One minute? In a Shere Hite’s survey of over 10,000 men, 20% reported ejaculation in 1 minute.

A common sense definition of the condition is the distress caused to you and/or partner, not the actual time it takes for a man to ejaculate.

Help is at hand through yourself (by hand literally sometimes), your partner, your doctor and drugs. So, let’s talk about it!

Quinine Quinine is no longer marketed for nighttime cramps. It is because the risk of using the drug outweighs its benefit. The risks include worsening of tinnitus; optic neuritis; haemolysis in people who are G6PD deficient; it increases the risk of arrhythmia; hypoglycaemia in diabetics, and many other conditions. It is now only approved as a second line treatment of malaria. So, if you are still taking it for night-time cramps, talk to your doctor about it!

Reflux Reflux occurs when the stomach acids flow back up the oesophagus, and the valve that separates the oesophagus and the stomach does not close properly. Symptoms include heartburn; regurgitation of food into the mouth; an acidic, bitter taste in the mouth; a sudden

3004NEWS

St Kilda Road Medical Centre

Phone 9869 2030 Level 1/391 St Kilda Rd (Between Domain Rd & Toorak Rd) e: physio@phm.org.au www.skrphysio.com.au Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm Consultation by appointment only

Minister for Health David Davis today urged Victorians to be aware of the risk factors of heart disease.

motivation to adopt a healthier lifestyle through long-lasting, simple and effective lifestyle changes.

Speaking at Southern Health’s MonashHeart’s celebration of World Heart Day, Mr Davis said it is estimated cardiovascular disease kills 17.1 million people world-wide every year, affecting people, of all backgrounds and all ages.

“Through addressing issues such as weight, physical activity and diet, the risk of disease is dramatically reduced.”

“Cardiovascular disease is one of our largest health problems and despite improvements over the last few decades, it remains one of the biggest burdens on our community,” Mr Davis said.

By Chelsea Arnold St Kilda Road’s Dr Christine Cui has been assisting women to fall pregnant with the assistance of Chinese herbal medicine for the past 20 years. Dr Cui, who boasts an impressive success rate, uses acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to improve a woman’s chances of conception.

Acupuncture can regulate the hormones, increase body temperature and prepare the body for ovulation and conception. “This leads to a healthier menstrual cycle and subsequently increases the chances of falling pregnant,” Dr Cui said.

Sadly, 10-25 per cent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Dr Cui uses acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to assist women in their recovery from miscarriage and increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy in future. This can be achieved through a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine which can increase circulation to the uterus, support healthy egg maturation and ensure a healthy uterine lining.

“Acupuncture is also a recognised method for managing stress and reducing anxiety,” Dr Cui said, “making pregnancy a healthier and happier time for both mother and baby.”

Dr Cui firmly believes that her holistic approach to women’s health can transform women’s lives, from the onset of puberty, through pregnancy and childbirth, to menopause and beyond.

“An Australian dies from heart disease every 23 minutes and there are concerns that as obesity levels rise, so will cardiovascular disease with more young people diagnosed.

“That’s why we are investing $22.2 million over four years for the Life!

Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program.

“The evidence-based Life! program provides Victorians at high risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes with the skills and

HEALTH

Women’s Health Clinic $22.2 million to promote awareness of - Dr Christine Ciu heart disease, diabetes

Mr Davis said risk factors for heart disease and stroke include raised blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, smoking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.

Mr Davis said the Life! program includes locally delivered group courses offered through established service providers with high quality training, reporting and quality assurance processes.

There is also telephone health coaching as an alternative for people who may find it difficult to participate in a group course. The program also uses social marketing and education campaigns to increase awareness and support for people to take action.

Since establishing the Dr Christine Cui Women’s Health Clinic in 1999, Dr Cui has successfully treated a wide range of women’s health issues with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

The Dr Christine Cui Women’s Health Clinic is at Suite 8, Level 1, 517 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

To learn more about how Dr Cui can assist you, call 9820 8651, email info@medccc.com or visit www.medccc.com

ISSUE 44

23

TRAVEL

Road to Rio – It’s Carnival Time!

By Aaron Watts

For many Australian travellers, South America was always the destination deemed ‘one day we’ll get there’, but that day never came. Flights were always expensive, political and safety situations in the region were questionable and organisation of trips was difficult.

However, that one day has well and truly arrived for many of us, with most other continents now exhausted and travel to the region easier and cheaper than ever before, South America is well and truly on the tourist map.

The only downside is that you need lots of time to see everything; the continent is vast, and brimming with nature, beauty and culture.

For this trip I only had two weeks, so I joined one of the many tours which began in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, a truly magical city and one of the best for tourists. It offers great food - famous for its steaks, shopping and nightlife. The Latin culture is well and truly entrenched here and you are guaranteed to see locals dancing the tango in the streets by day and in all the clubs by night.

Early European architecture is a feature with city streets full of cathedrals, monuments and ornate public buildings but one of the highlights and must sees is the suburb of La Boca, famous for Caminito, a one-block street of brightly coloured houses and shops which comes alive each day with vendors selling crafts and tango dancers entertaining the crowds.

You could easily spend a week in the capital but with so much more to see, we headed to the world famous Iguazu Falls in the north of the country.

You can fly or take an overnight bus but nothing really prepares you for the massive size and beauty of the falls. Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil where the River Iguazu and the River Alto Parana meet, the water cascades over the edge of a 2.5 kilometre wide plateau in 275 separate falls.

You need two days to see the falls properly, one day each side of the border, as each offers a totally different view: the Argentinean side allows you to get up close, whilst the Brazilian side gives you amazing panoramic views. Various activities are available and I recommend

the speed boat ride up to the base of the falls. You will get wet but it’s worthwhile.

Now in Brazil, we continued by road en route to Rio. Here we stopped in Curitiba to board the famous Serra Verde Express train which weaves its way through the Atlantic rainforest offering spectacular scenery to the coastal town of Paranagua. The photo opportunities are endless on this journey so make sure you get a window seat.

Alighting at Paranagua station, this once vibrant fishing village is now a bit run down but still has that certain charm; it now serves tourists as the port for boat trips to Honey Island, which is a great place for a few days relaxation by the beach, or to party at the various bars. The island is a popular holiday destination for Brazilians and is packed during the local holiday season. If it is relaxation you’re after, you’re best to stay clear at this time.

Feeling totally relaxed, we head back to the mainland and towards the mayhem that awaits in Rio, passing through Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, there isn’t much to see and with the excitement of Carnival around the corner we continue onto Rio.

Arriving in Rio de Janeiro, the most famous city in South America, immortalised in film and song, it’s Carnival time and something you can’t really describe - I believe everyone needs to experience this firsthand. The city is abuzz with colour, music, dance and all-night celebrations that make sleeping not an option. With so much to see and so many places to go it’s a bit overwhelming, but you just go with the flow like the locals.

By day, allow yourself time to see the famous Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, then relax on the worldfamous Copacabana beach until sunset.

Once the sun goes down, it is time to get your dancing shoes on and join the various street bloc parties and master your Samba moves.

Carnival officially runs for a week from the 18th until the 25th February 2012, 24

3004NEWS

and you need to get in early to secure accommodation and the all-important tickets to the Sambodrome to view the parade.

Those more adventurous can for a fee arrive a bit earlier and participate with one of the schools in the parade; you’ll need to attend a few rehearsals and get fitted for your costume but this is an experience you will not forgot.

I braved my two left feet and joined one of the schools competing in the parade, and it lived up to everything I had thought it would be, although I don’t think I have ever been so tired.

You dance for hours in the parade behind your school’s float as it slowly makes it way down the Sambodrome, past the eagle-eyed judges. This continues into the early hours of the morning.

The next night I watched the parade up in the stands in which you can truly take in the spectacular colour and performances of the competing schools.

Once again, it’s a long night, so forget about sleep, but that’s what Carnival is all about, party all night and sleep on the beach during the day.

Before I knew it, my two weeks were up and I was heading home exhausted and wondering whether I would get my costume through customs.

Once home, I reflected on my newfound love of South America and immediately began planning my next trip... with thoughts of Peru and the Incas on my mind.

For specials to South America visit www.marinertvl.com/specials or call Mariner Travel on 1800 075 499.

by Tom Elliott

Tom Elliott Managing Director MM&E Capital Limited

In recent weeks the Victorian Government has been accused of heavy handedness in its pay negotiations with various public sector unions. Whether it’s the police, nurses, childcare workers or teachers, accusations of penny pinching and fiscal meanness have been levelled at the Baillieu administration. State Treasurer Kim Wells is correct, however, to impose considerable spending discipline on his ministerial colleagues. The reason? Victoria’s public finances are presently under great strain.

In comparison to the taxing powers of the Federal Government, state administrations lack the ability to

raise revenue easily when times are tough. In addition, because Victoria’s resource sector is decidedly small, the iron ore and coal levies imposed by their WA, Queensland and NSW counterparts are generally not available here.

Other significant sources of Victorian Government revenue include the following: Federal Government Grants as taxing powers gradually follow a centripetal path to Canberra, state governments increasingly rely upon direct grants from the Federal Treasurer. Unfortunately, the current holder of that office, Wayne Swan, has made a return to surplus by 2013 his number one priority. As a result, grants to state governments are being restricted.

Property Taxes - stamp duty and land tax are old favourites of state governments which are blissfully aware that while man businesses can be relocated to different parts of the country, land is generally immobile.

While property transaction volumes and values are rising, then state revenue increases. Recently, however, both these indicators have dropped, along with Spring Street’s revenues.

Payroll Tax - although this tax is widely viewed as an impediment to business, it remains too important to public spending commitments for it to be abolished. Payroll taxes rise when the economy is strong, businesses are growing and more employees are being hired. And while Victoria is doing okay on all these fronts, revenue flows from payroll tax are currently flat at best.

Gambling Taxes - although they’re to be implemented, Federal MP Andrew Wilkie’s plan to limit poker machine losses could also reduce the taxes that flow from this much reviled activity. No government wants to admit that problem gamblers are in reality a useful source of revenue, but any successful efforts to limit this social ill will impact the Victorian Budget.

For these important reasons, fiscal discipline at a state government level is extremely important in Victoria right now. It’s easy for detractors to chant slogans like “Pay the nurses what they deserve!”.

It’s much harder, however, to decide what areas of spending should be cut in order to accommodate the increased pay demands of various public sector unions.

BUSINESS

Why The Victorian Government Has To Be Tough On Pay

Style not just substance Phillip Fernandez of Wizard Business Consulting writes...

When we are communicating with others, we must continually pique the interest of the listener.

There is little point reeling off a series of details, as the short-term memory has the capacity to only recall just five to nine items (Psychologists George Millar 1956). Therefore, in communicating remember that the Primary Effect (points made in the first minute) and the Recency Effect (points made last or most recent things heard) will be what is remembered most.

Most people today are a combination of kiesthic/visual learners, which means that they learn best through doing, experiencing and being involved. Gen X and Y are no exception, as surveys showed 80% of students preferred this type of learning.

Any communicator or trainer to be effective today needs to be creative,

passionate and engaging. There are three points I want to touch on: 1. Structure your communication and training to staff by asking yourself three questions. What do I want them to know? What do I want them to feel? What do I want them to do?

2. Use your personal experiences to connect with them. They’ll value the transparency and insight into your own journey.

3. It is a post-literate generation. For improved communication, use real life examples, stories, metaphors, humour, role-plays, music and visual aids (photos, videos, props etc).

We also need new leadership paradigms to win them over. These young people have grown up with leaders stating one thing, but living another. This generation has seen the demise of big Australian companies due in part to character flaws in the management and lived through long

running political sagas. No wonder they have developed their own ethical and moral boundaries.

The mentors they are looking for need to be authentic and walk the talk.

They need to understand the different generations’ core values.

• Baby boomers want loyalty, respect and commitment • Gen X and Y want a workplace that they can belong, which is stress-free, social, a warm, friendly workplace which values the environment, people and socio-economic concerns, even before profit.

• To provide a workplace culture that uses ‘team’ language, develop fun traditions and tell them regularly that they are valued and supported.

A stereotype is that Gen Y and younger Gen X have no loyalty. It is true that they are brand fickle and show little or no loyalty to a company.

However, they demonstrate strong loyalty to their friends and others

whom they feel they can trust. So they are looking for leaders that can include, connect and unite. Few have an ideal family background today, and many are delaying starting a family of their own, so Gen Y and even Gen X are looking for new families in their friends, workmates and their company.

Life today is non-partitioned and more holistic. Employers need to not only assess competence, but also the culture, character and values of their company.

To read more insights like the one above, visit

www.businesswizards.com.au

ISSUE 44

25

HAPPENING

Advertising Alley – St Kilda Road in the 1980s

By Helen Kent

‘Advertising Alley’, as St Kilda Road was known in the 1980s, was a hot bed of talent, both suits and creative, Melbourne’s very own Mad Men (and women).

It was this era of unrivalled and uninhibited creativity that resulted in some extraordinary campaigns. The Melbourne Advertising & Design Club (MADC) Awards were the acknowledgement by one’s peers and much aspired to. It was the crème de la crème of the advertising creatives who formed a committee and each year these productions became bigger as agencies vied to outdo each other in the awards. Attending these was a great opportunity for networking and furthering one’s career.

Production budgets were huge and an overseas shoot was almost mandatory for any self-respecting creative director.

The competitiveness of the pitch was fierce between the agencies. One couple, Wayne Kingston and Suzie Goozee, working for competing agencies, definitely did not indulge in any ‘pillow talk’, in fact Suzie kept her work in the boot of her car so Wayne wouldn’t see it.

Working ‘round the clock was the norm and agency staff were fully aware that if they lost an account it would mean retrenchments.

This resulted in a relative transient community floating up and down Advertising Alley and a great deal of socialising between the agencies.

For some years there was the tradition of Managing Directors’ hosting board-room lunches for the winner of the most recent account move where they all dined on the

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3004NEWS

delicious catering by Rowlands and drank the best the vines had produced.

Source: Brian Longmore

Food and wine governed the industry. The television networks and production houses were extremely generous in courting the agency people and picking up the tab for lunches and dinners at the best restaurants of the day. In this era there were no notable restaurants in 3004 so South Melbourne, Albert Park, South Yarra, Toorak, St Kilda and Prahran eateries benefited from the fat expense accounts.

One luminary told me recently, ‘Lunch-time was heralded by the sound of tinkling ice cubes for the pre lunch drinks. Then we would beat a track to Tolarno, Two Faces, Jean Jaques, Glo Glo’s or Edouards for a long lunch that invariably finished with a Cointreau or two, or more.’

Perhaps it was a result of many over indulgences or sheer fatigue, but temper tantrums were common; one copywriter threw his typewriter out the window on to St Kilda Road.

A disagreement between a creative and chairman ended in fisticuffs at Fanny’s. There was a dust-up at a major client’s home when a creative director punched a “suit” from another agency and lobbed him into the pool. A fire hydrant on the roof of MDA was used to drench the guys from KSB next door.

Office romance was rife, almost compulsory, and naturally spouses at home were the last to know.

Pranks and (what we now decry today) verbal sexual innuendos and harassment were just part of the office “fun” and accepted with much hilarity. One agency had a half-day

shower-room shoot, featuring a “Penthouse Pet”. This extended to two days as it became imperative that all staff from the agency attend to supervise.

Salary packages were huge and fringe benefits endless; Early in the 1980s a new gym opened in South Yarra and staff at O & M told the MD, John Hopkins, that they would be more productive if they were healthy, so the agency paid their gym memberships.

A talented junior art director could earn up to $140k in 1988. The agency hierarchy enjoyed first class overseas travel, ski holidays, tabs at the best restaurants, wine cellars at home, box seats at sporting events, open agency bars and other unmentionables including, for one lucky MD, a red Ferrari. The catch cry at one agency was, ‘. . . just tell Leighton to put it on my package’.

Company cars were a universal perk, but for one agency, who (surprise, surprise) had the Toyota account, had a policy that stated, ‘ . . .everyone who has a company car must drive a Toyota... ’, except if Toyota didn’t

make the kind of car they drove.

Hence there were a few Porches and Alfas in the company car park.

And, where would we be if we didn’t acknowledge the 1980s fashion?

Shoulder pads galore, jacket sleeves scrunched up to the elbows, labels worn on the outside, white t-shirts and sandshoes worn with men’s designer suits and the Issey Miyake look of black, white and grey was “de rigueur”. We won’t talk about the hair.

But times, they were a-changing; the dot-com crash, Keating gave us the “recession we had to have”, then the nineties arrived and many Ad-land feet hit the pavement of St Kilda Road just as technology brought us into the digital age. Budgets were slashed, agencies were swallowed up and the hot young agency people became older. But Advertising Alley witnessed an era that will never be repeated, as one renowned head of a major production house said recently, ‘ ...those days were great, full of fun and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world’.

How to get an extra hour every day Time pressure is acute and frustrations such as commuting, inflexible working hours and tedious meetings make it worse.

To get things started, here are ten sure-fire ways to get an extra hour a day.

• Do emails on the train. With an HP notebook with 3G Mobile Broadband, you can get ahead of your emails before you even get to work. (Broadband connections require separately purchased wireless data service contracts.)

• Work from home. Instead of commuting to work, why not stay at home and put the journey time to better use? Using HP technology, you can still stay in touch with your colleagues and access all your email and work files.

• Virtual meetings. The majority of office professionals reckon they could save up to six hours a week simply by not traveling to off

site meetings. Video, web (such as HP Virtual Rooms) or phone conferences can reduce the amount of time you spend traveling to meetings.

• Get up earlier. An hour before work is more productive - mainly because it is quiet - than any other time of the day. Changing sleep habits takes a bit of work but it isn’t difficult.

• Concentrate more. If you can get the same work done quicker with better concentration, it will free up time later for other things. The key concept is ‘flow’. This is a mental state in which a person is fully immersed in what they are doing.

Disruptions, such as phone calls and emails, break the flow. It can take 10-15 minutes to regain your concentration, so avoid disruptions.

Switch off email, put the phone on voice mail and consider getting noise-canceling headphones.

• Find information faster. Microsoft Windows 7 include a lightning-fast

search feature that can find files and emails anywhere on your computer.

Finding the right file quickly can save you having to rewrite it or spend hours searching manually.

You can also save searches as virtual folders for future reference. For example, you can create a virtual folder for each of your clients.

• Don’t drive to that meeting.

A survey found that people waste up to six hours a week driving to meetings that they could do over the phone just as easily. Replace some of these meetings with a phone call, or better yet a video conference call, and save the traveling time.

• Go wireless. HP Notebooks with built-in wireless networking mean you can get online and pick up your email from any location that has a suitable WiFi connection point. If you don’t need to go back to the office between meetings or you can work in cafes, trains and

airports, you can get more done in less time. With 3G Mobile Broadband (available on certain HP Notebooks) you don’t even need a connection point to get connected at broadband speeds; anywhere with cell phone reception will do.

BUSINESS

Tech Tips –

• Shorter, more efficient meetings.

Do you find yourself spending most of your time in meetings? If you could make them more efficient, with better preparation and the right technology, you could save hours every week.

• Manage your time better. Microsoft Outlook helps you time tasks more efficiently. Consolidate tasks, flag email messages for follow-up, and schedule appointments in one view.

An extra hour a day would make people happier, more fulfilled and more productive. You can make it happen.

Article sourced from HP Technology at Work newsletter

ISSUE 44

27

PROPERTY

Melbourne Design Awards – St Kilda Road A15th-floor St Kilda Road apartment with spectacular views of the botanical gardens and the city skyline has won the interior design category for the 2011 Melbourne Design Awards.

Interior designers Tania Dilizio and Nicolina Caia of caia_di_lizio were given empty spaces to transform into liveable, comfortable, beautiful spaces that would suit a family with two teenage children.

The clients wanted the apartment to be as much a home as a city pad.

The residence was to reflect its urban context yet be harmonious with the needs of an active young family. The

brief was to completely furnish and decorate the entire apartment while making sure that the result would be one of comfort and useability as well as aesthetic consideration.

This project was worked around the successful combination of apartment/ city living with the needs of a family.

Keeping in mind not to exclude elements of the urban fabric while bringing a sense of the family home into the mix. Bespoke pieces were designed, such as an art deco inspired dining table, a sliding mirror that served to conceal an open wardrobe (in the master bedroom) and a viola marble coffee table.

buy well rent well sell well Whether you’re looking for an apartment to buy, rent or sell speak to the experts at Atwell & Co. Email: info@atwellandco.com.au Ph: 9510 6203 Web: www.atwellandco.com.au.

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3004NEWS

Iconic/hero pieces such as the sky garden pendant by Marcel Wanders, Starck’s Rosy Angelis and Romeo Soft floor lamps in the dining and living rooms, were also some of the elements that contributed to the warm and intimate feel. Rather than the uniformity of neutral coloured walls often present in apartments, new paint colours throughout were used to personalise spaces.

Florence Broadhurst wallpapers were used for dramatic effect in two of the bedrooms. Creation Bauman fabrics for curtains and blinds were used extensively adding a luxurious and glamour’s feel, a New York apartment feel. Patricia Urquiola garden

furniture on the balcony/winter garden to enjoy the vista as well as the winter sun.

Working with the existing structure, no walls were removed, and the pre-existing base building was retained as it was. Low emmission paint was used. Floor lamps were used so light could be controlled, minimising the use of overall lighting. All furniture and lighting was of impecable quality making it timeless. The Florence Broadhurst wallpaper used in two of the bedrooms is made in Sydney (local, in that it did not originate overseas).

By Helen Kent

I think I should declare my bias from the outset; I am privileged to live virtually on St. Kilda Road. I claim the Botanical Gardens as my front yard and Albert Park Lake as my back garden. The real estate catch cry is “Location, location, location” and my address ticks all the boxes. I can walk to the city, theatres, restaurants, I have a spectacular sunset every night, the convenience of trams along St. Kilda Road and I can “lock up and leave” when ever the wanderlust bug bites.

St. Kilda Road was once a highly sought after address in the late 1890’s but this changed after WWII when offices and commercial enterprises took over the palatial mansions, built office towers and dominated the scene for the next forty or fifty years.

The past decade has seen an enormous influx into apartment living and new residential developments or refurbishments of commercial buildings have changed the face of our beautiful boulevard again.

There are a number of demographics who have been attracted to the 3004 postcode: empty nesters moving from spacious suburban homes, smart young professionals wanting to be close to work,

investors seeking a quality location, premium rental and capital growth and expats, still working overseas, who want to ensure they have a good address to return to and a secure investment.

Location, a quality development worthy of its address, security, a good view, undercover parking, space, light, well finished with quality appointments, open plan living is acceptable but with a separate study and a minimum of two bedrooms and two bathrooms are the basics the owner occupier is seeking.

Value added services and amenities like a concierge, pool, gym, roof top gardens and community meeting rooms are great off the plan attractions but don’t necessarily add value for a resale according to Robert Bromley, Motion Property P/L. He explained, ‘They look great on paper but in reality are often underutilised and are costly to maintain thus increasing the body corporate fees’.

Robert also believes there is a preferred “end” of St. Kilda Road and cites, ‘. . .south of the Interchange starts to become no-mans land as residents want to be able to walk into the city, the arts precinct and be close to the gardens’.

Body Corporate fees vary according to the in-house facilities but on average

they will be .7% of the value of the property pa. It is well worth investigating the management of an apartment development because experience has shown that there can be very poor managers who cause enormous problems through inept service.

There have been some truly magnificent apartments built over the past few years and the Lucient at 430 St. Kilda Road is an example targeted to the luxury end of the market. Developed by Lustig & Moar in partnership with Macquarie Real Estate Capital, it is a boutique development designed by The Buchan Group to meet a demand not met by the trend to smaller apartments. The 20-storey building comprises just 54 apartments, with no more than four dwellings per floor.

These luxury apartments range from 160 to 350m² with ceilings of approx.

3.1m. and include a fireplace in every apartment and cutting edge technology for security and internet. The glazed façade is sculptural in form and many apartments feature individual winter gardens that extend the living area. David Cole, director at Buchan Group, believes the demographic, up market owner-occupiers, the Lucient was targeted towards, are

very knowledgeable in terms of what an apartment can offer by way of improving their lifestyle. He believes the trend is for larger and less apartments within developments and most of the purchasers for Lucient apartments were experienced apartment dwellers wanting to upgrade.

PROPERTY

Wish list for apartment living in 3004

Greg Hocking, a name synonymous with selling quality real estate, states, ‘Well known architects such as Wood/ Marsh or Fender Katsalidis can add cachet creating their own “brand” on a development and the market will gravitate to these names to get into their latest you-beaut development.’

Greg also believes that some developments, such as; The Domain, St. James, Melbournian, Royal Domain and the aforementioned Lucient. are “tightly held” and an apartment in these rarely come up for re-sale.

For would be purchasers there is a great web site that shows all the apartments within 3004 and detailed information about them: www.stkildaroadproperty.com.au Good hunting, or if you like me and fortunate to live here, then I am sure I don’t have to tell you just how lucky you are.

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ISSUE 44

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PROPERTY

Property flashback – Melbourne Grammar School

By Costa Rolfe The bluestone walls of Melbourne Grammar School have stood proudly on the juncture between Domain and St Kilda Roads for over 150 years with household names like comedian Barry Humphries, historian Manning Clark, Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, artist John Brack and irrepressible Geelong Grand Final game-breaker Tom ‘Tomahawk’ Hawkins among its eclectic alumni.

The brainchild of Melbourne’s first Bishop of the Church of England, Charles Perry, the first stone of Melbourne Church of England Grammar School was laid on 30 July, 1856, at a site then considered to be isolated and remote.

Other suburbs, including Carlton, Prahran and St Kilda, had been scouted for suitable locations before the relevant 15-acre land grant was approved by Governor Charles

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Hotham. The school’s inaugural headmaster was Dr John Bromby, who boosted school numbers by smartly enrolling his four sons.

It seems quite incredible to think that in the 153 years since its doors were first flung open to its 77 short pantsporting pupils, only 14 headmasters have presided over the school.

Though such sparse leadership appointments might be suggestive of an institution resistant to change, the reality is that Melbourne Grammar is a progressive beast.

Having in earlier decades poured the lion’s share of extra-curricular resources into its football, cricket and rowing coffers, today the school’s art and music programs are flourishing, whilst the 2008 Centre for Learning and Leadership is a truly cutting-edge facility (Chris Scott’s Shinboners will probably try and muscle in on a piece of the action).

What has remained entirely unchanged, however, is the school’s commitment to quality architecture, with many magnificent building of yesteryear still serving as functional spaces today.

The senior school’s impressive bluestone Chapel of St Peter - the first of its kind in Victoria - is one such structure, built in 1892/93 in the modern British tradition of Pearson and Burges. Today, the chapel remains a critical component of the school’s day-to-day machine, and is not only used frequently by current students (those who daren’t play truant), but often to marry Old Melburnians.

It was acknowledged early on by the school’s custodians that despite being spread across 15 acres, the need for various sporting ovals and facilities to keep the lads fit and focused meant that space was at a premium. It was decided that one-storey buildings

were simply not viable, with the school determined to build up, rather than across, at every opportunity.

Wadhurst - Melbourne Grammar’s Middle School located directly on the corner of St Kilda and Domain Roads - has been the most heavily developed of all the school’s campuses.

Originally built in 1878 as a second master’s house and boarding house, the facility has undergone steady remodeling since, with assembly halls, libraries, a quadrangle and a music school amongst the additions.

And next time you see those unmistakable grey socks, resist the temptation to sledge. For Melbourne Grammar partook in the earliest ever recorded match of Australian Rules football in 1858, probably its most oft-appreciated gift to Victoria to date (this author excluded, of course).