Bella magazine by McPherson Media Group

7 — February Edition 6 — December2017 2016

the cornell

kaleidoscope

AGONY IN ANOREXIA PAGE 16

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Contents

Issue 7, February 2017

On the cover 10

The Cornell Kaleidoscope

Agony in anorexia

Inside 7

Welcome to Bella

Jean is part of Echuca’s fabric

Larna finally got some order, but not orders, in her life

I want it all

A story of shear determination

Sit down, lie down and love the experience

I see a red car and I want it painted black

Lollypop lady has got the problems licked

Never mind just dipping your toe into the water

An important massage about Murray College

It didn’t feel like fun— at first

New-age experience ton historic paddlesteamer

Oh Lord, won’t you find me some time for myself

We are family

Sophie’s Single

Zali’s first love had to be herself

When chaos theory actually works

Thirty Something

Bella editor Tyla Harrington tyla.harrington@riverineherald.com.au 5483 0509

48 Bella advertising 5482 1111

Want more Bella? facebook.com/bellamagazineechuca Instagram — @bellamagazineechuca bella.riverineherald.com.au Photography: Luke Hemer and Sitthixay Ditthavong Editorial design: Brendan Cain Advertising design: Bella Considine, Brendan Cain, Jacqui Maskell and Adele Dhillon

COVER: Glenda Cornell’s Camellia Pink was painted for a solo exhibition at East Bank Shepparton in 2013. The exhibition was opened by former Federal Member for Murray Sharman Stone, who bought the painting. Camellia Pink was painted with a pallet knife on oil canvas.

Looking Beautiful Locally Looking beautiful doesn’t mean you have to be what everyone thinks is beautiful… Our four girls are all of different ages, sizes, heights and personalities. They are mums, they are married, they are single, they have confidence, they are shy, they have their own flaws… but they are all gorgeous. This photo shoot was not just about displaying our beautiful clothes it was about an industry working together to create these individual looks on four very different girls. At Sage we like to think we have something for everyone, we don’t expect everyone to love everything we have, we only hope that you can find at least one thing, whether you are in your 20s or 70s, size 6 or 16… just one thing you love and feel gorgeous wearing. Jasmin, Olivia and Rhiannon are all wearing the one label in three different designs. Molly is in another with a similar colour effect. The outfits were chosen to showcase the differences in their bodies and a look that anyone can have, they can be worn to any special occasion whether that be a wedding, engagement party, special birthday or on a night out. All of the girls had their hair styled by Jourdy & Chloe from Hakkas Hair Design, the girls each had something different done to create their individual look. Jourdy & Chloe were shown what the girls were wearing and with their experience and love of hair they created a uniqueness for each model.

Olivia Rhiannon Molly Jasmin Jasmin and Rhiannon had their makeup done by Gemma at Beauty Secrets Echuca who created two very different looks. From the subtle natural look for Jas to Rhi looking fierce and edgy. Molly being a makeup artist at Willow Tree Beauty Lounge did her own. Her love for applying makeup shone through, she looked stunning. Sam, owner at Willow Tree Beauty Lounge, applied Olivia’s makeup and from her years of experience gave Liv a timeless look.

This shoot was created here… locally in Echuca, and put together by the very talented girls that you may or may not know, or that you only see around town. They are girls doing what they love to make you feel special. We have our boutiques, hair salons and beauty lounges so that you can have the opportunity to look and feel fabulous whenever you need to whether it’s for an occasion or you want to spoil yourself. We will always be here for our customers to remind you, you are beautiful.

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Welcome to Bella I

T’S BEEN A year since we first inserted Bella into the Riverine Herald.

I still remember the smell of those first pages hot off the press, the shine from the cover that was Cassidy McGill, and the excitement I had holding our first magazine. “Have you read Bella magazine? You have to check it out. You won’t regret it. It’s in today’s paper …. I don’t care that it’s only 7 am, go and read it now,” was close to what I said to anyone who would listen the day Bella slipped into our paper. Today, more than 150 stories later, stories about the amazing women of EchucaMoama, Bella has already become something of an institution in the twin towns. We literally put our toes into the water to start this remarkable journey, with our photographer shooting model Cassidy McGill with his camera dipped into a swimming pool. We’ve written about Australian netballer Caitlyn Nevins, Foxtel Sport’s Sarah Jones, Jo Shoesmith, the Moama girl who is now a major player in the US advertising market, dog trainers, horse trainers, makeup and hair artists, artists too, musicians, an author, a paramedic, politicians, life models and a high-profile local police officer. We spoke to Mel Micalizzi and her battle with depression and Rhiannon Campbell and her gut wrenching tale of loss and courage, and covered the soaring domestic violence issue in Echuca-Moama.

We’ve ventured into salt caves, had tarot readings and splashed paint from either side of a young cyclist in the hope it would create a spectacular photo.

And it did. We’ve exclusively released the Riverboats Music Festival line-up, met the face behind the voice of local radio and jumped behind a ski boat with speed fiend Jess Pearse. Then there’s our regular columnists (Sophie Baldwin and Thirty Something) as well as our recipes and our sometimes features of ‘how-to’s’. We even (thanks to Bella journalist Sophie Baldwin) managed to get Embrace — the documentary encouraging healthy body image — to Echuca-Moama, pushing almost 1000 women to be more comfortable with their bodies. And now — in this issue — we speak to a woman who shouldn’t be here after battling anorexia for more than 30 years. We’ve done everything and yet we’ve done nothing because we’ve only just started. Christmas has come and gone and so has another new year — we’ve come full circle and we’re ready to tackle another 150 stories (or more). So stay tuned. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Tyla Harrington Bella editor

Advertising executive Carly Richardson with editor Tyla Harrington.

The Cornell Kaleidoscope W

HATEVER YOUR PERCEPTION of art there is a good chance Glenda Cornell has done it. If she hasn’t she is almost certainly about to try it.

Glenda lives and breathes it. It is, in every sense, her raison d’être and is there to see and to touch in her Murray Esplanade gallery (Glenda Cornell’s WhistleStop Studio

Gallery) and at her Nathalia home studio. Naturally Glenda is surrounded by art, in every corner, every niche. And when she has needed it most — such as the death of her husband — Glenda has been able to immerse herself in her art, even lose herself within its creative spell. “If you need therapy for any reason — do art,” Glenda said. >>>

>>> “It is relaxing and you can lose yourself in it. You can’t think of any of your problems while painting. “I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs therapy. “When I lost my husband I could only live with it because of art — I do art every day. I never, ever get tired of it.” Glenda even admits to frustration when she can’t get to a piece she has been working on because life has the temerity to get in the way. “It’s not just something I want to do, it’s something I’ve got to do.” Art and Glenda have travelled together since her schooldays in Daylesford. “I remember seeing a piece and needing to look at it, and work out how it was done, so I could do it myself,” Glenda said. “Art has always fascinated me, from an early age. I would put my hand up to draw on the board but not for arithmetic. ’I’ll just draw whatever you want me to’, I would say.” Glenda has been an artist most of her life but only decided to take it up professionally about 20 years ago. “I’ve always been passionate about art but I think it’s hard to chase your passion early on in life,” she said. “I use all mediums and styles, from murals to sculptures — anything related to art.

“My favourite style or medium depends on what I’m working on at the time. That becomes my favourite but I love all of it. “You could call me a jack of all trades, master of none.” Glenda said her favourite colours were blue, purple or mauve, from which she tends to get lots of energy. Her favourite artists include Arthur Streeton, William Dobell and Fred Williams, while her favourite subject is wildlife.

“I love to watch it and see how I can transform it to art,” Glenda said. “Sometimes I need to look at a photo to help me along. Other times I get the image from my head and I won’t need photographs. “Over the years I’ve developed so I can draw from my head.” Ironically Glenda started taking her art more seriously when she started drawing caricatures for people in Kyabram and surrounding areas. >>>

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>>> “They became quite popular anniversary presents. I was just giving them away at the time. It was all for the love of it so no payment was involved,” Glenda said, who was living in Kyabram at the time. “That was in the early ’70s. Then I started entering in Rotary art shows and joining art groups in Echuca as well as Kyabram and Shepparton. “So I became pretty well-known in the area as the years went by.” Eventually Glenda tucked a diploma in visual arts under her belt and then decided to teach art. “I got myself a van and carried my art supplies to all different places to teach, including Hay, Echuca, Deniliquin, Swan Hill, Rushworth,

Robinvale, Bendigo and Wangaratta,” she said. “That was 10 years ago right up until two years ago.”

She’s not kidding either. Glenda’s taken on a life-size concrete donkey and is responsible for the original cow sculptures in Shepparton. She’s even responsible for the mural at Echuca’s Discovery Centre.

As for her studio in Murray Esplanade, it’s open from 9 am until 4 pm (unless it is Tuesday or Wednesday, when it’s closed) with prices ranging from $5 to $1200.

And has a swagger of awards under her belt from a huge range of pieces over the years.

“At the moment we have about 60 pieces, and that’s in a range of forms from several artists,” Glenda said.

“The most unusual would have to be the hanging water tower murals in Hay that were 80 ft long and 14 ft wide,” Glenda said.

“My studio at home is quite messy. It’s really an artwork in itself,” Glenda said with a laugh.

“That was hard work,” she said with a laugh.

“I do a lot of commission work. Whatever someone wants I am happy to do it. I love a challenge and nothing is ever too big of a job.”

But nothing is ever really too hard for Glenda. If there’s art involved, so is she. She has fallen in love with the art of life and, of course, of art. ¾

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Agony in anorexia SOPHIE BALDWIN talked to a woman who shouldn’t be here after battling anorexia for more than 30 years. But despite the odds she continues to fight for her life because she wants to get better.

VERY SINGLE DAY for the past 33 years she has been fighting a war — with herself.

Because every single day she has to fight the urge to starve herself. And on every one of those days she deals with the damage and pain her eating disorder has inflicted on her body.

Why would you want to deprive yourself of anything decent, be cold all the time, sensitive to the sun, reliant on medication and be in constant pain?” At her worst she could — and would — go days without eating, and sometimes the only thing that would pass her lips would be barley sugar.

But every single day she battles on. And therein lies her strength, because despite all the odds she continues to fight for her life because she wants to get better. She is reduced to tears as she tells her story; you can see the pain and sadness in her eyes as she talks in detail about the effect anorexia has had on her, and on her family.

But she did, and as besieged as she has been, has still been a fierce mother, determined to raise her now adult daughter as best as she could, shielded from her an eating disorder. She is telling her story through her tears because if she can help just one person, if she can stop them from going through what her life has been through then the pain of dragging it all up will be worth it. Her spiral into anorexia began as an 18 year old. With hindsight she admits not eating was a way she could punish herself, when she felt things were getting out of control. “It has taken me a very long time to realise that,” she said. “Anorexia became a way of taking the focus off the things that were bothering me. It twists your mind and things begin to get out of control. “An eating disorder is not something you choose and it is certainly not a lifestyle.

“If only it was that simple,” she said. “I spent two weeks locked away in that room and it was just horrendous. I ended up seeing some pretty shocking things over the years and had some pretty horrible things said to me. Some of the medical staff haven’t been very understanding over the years, but things are getting better and there is more compassion.”

As her descent into the illness continued she was hospitalised off and on for many years.

She has lost count of the number of times she has been hospitalised, sometimes for months, stranded on a bed, her debilitated body simply too weak to move.

Certainly she should never have been able to conceive and become a mother.

She was treated with disdain and scorn by staff because they thought her recovery should be just as simple as eating again.

Her early treatment scarred her and prevented her from reaching out for help for a very long time and certainly contributed to her ongoing struggle.

In all honesty she shouldn’t be here.

She has been fed through a tube; doctors have repeatedly told her she wouldn’t make it to 40.

she had to stay there until she put on weight.

“

ANOREXIA BECAME A WAY OF TAKING THE FOCUS OFF THE THINGS THAT WERE BOTHERING ME. IT TWISTS YOUR MIND AND THINGS BEGIN TO GET OUT OF CONTROL.

”

Back in the 1980s the medical profession had no real idea how to treat someone such as her. It wasn’t talked about and there was certainly no acceptance. Treatment consisted of admittance to a psychiatric centre. She managed to escape the straight jacket and electro-convulsive therapy, others like her were not so lucky. In her early 20s, this girl from a small country town was locked away in a white room with a bed, a small window with bars on it and no personal belongings. Away from family and friends she was told

Many times she was weak and bed ridden and it took many months for her to recover. “I didn’t talk to anyone and I used to try and hide it because I felt so ashamed. I always cooked for my family and I continued to be involved in the family business, I tried to keep things as normal as I could.” She takes pride in the small things she has achieved during the past couple of years, things you and I would most certainly take for granted. “I can now drink a cup of tea that someone else has made me and I don’t ask what sort of milk is in it anymore. I can eat a small meal at a restaurant and as difficult as it is for me I can make the effort and go. “It has taken me 30 years to be able to eat around somebody.” Her mindset began to change after a friend showed faith and belief in her, that she could help herself. She just needed to take things one day at a time and while this has been hard, she is certainly in a better place than she has been. “My eating has got a bit better and I am much more flexible than I used to be. I used to have to eat certain things at certain times but I have learnt to accept things for how they are and it is up to me to help myself or I will die, it’s that simple.

“I am now choosing to look toward my recovery.” Eating Disorders Victoria estimates around one million Australians are affected by an eating disorder. They can take many different forms and interfere with a person’s day to day life. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) recognises four eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders. Early intervention is the best way to assist with a successful recovery and it is important to be aware of warning signs that may indicate someone is developing or experiencing an eating disorder and for more detailed information visit www.eatingdisorders.org.au ¾

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Jean is part of Echuca’s fabric LANA MURPHY got a lesson in good old-fashioned dressmaking when she sat down to hear Jean Pedretti’s story of the fabrics she has known, the clothes she has made and her successful link with live theatre and magical costumes.

T WAS 1967 when Jean Pedretti’s sister begged her to sew a pair of culottes for a friend.

It was a time when everyone looked forward to the dance on Saturday nights – and when Jean would race down to Carters, grab some fabric and race home in time to whip up something special for the big night on the dancefloor. While she had sewn countless items of clothing in her time (her mother was a tailoress in Toorak after all), Jean had never sewn for somebody else. The fabric sat on the bed next to a pattern for three nights, untouched. She was frozen with self-doubt. "I didn’t think I could do it," she said. "What if I did it wrong?" One night her truck driving partner Bill told her "we’re not leaving the house until this gets done". So she did it.

"I gave it my best shot at least," she said. Since that day, Jean’s created clothes for hundreds of men and women and been part of every milestone possible — wedding dresses, ballgowns, dancing costumes and baby swaddles are regulars on the list. She’s dressed dozens of theatre productions, her own daughters and friends and of course with 14 years at Echuca’s Bridal Classics under her belt she’s lost count of the number of brides she had dressed. But after nearly 50 years, Jean is hanging up the needle and thread to spend time with her beloved husband Bill. "I know it’s time, I would love to continue but I have others to consider," she said. "I have had such a wonderful experience and now I am passing the baton to others." When it comes to costumes, that’s largely to Maureen Huthnance, who helped Jean create the underwater magic in EchucaMoama Theatre Company’s recent The Little

Mermaid Jr production. In November, the pair took the inaugural gong for costuming at the region’s most prestigious theatre awards — the Georgy Awards. Ever humble Jean was at home caring for Bill when she got the news. "I feel like I don’t deserve it," she said. "I don’t like attention, it shouldn’t be about me, I don’t think I am any more deserving than others." But those who have worked with her know there was no-one more deserving; they don’t come better than Jean Pedretti. It’s why she’s costumed almost every EMTC show since 2001. "I suppose I enjoy the challenge," the 75-year-old said. "I did step back for a while but I keep coming back. I find it hard to delegate because I often don’t work with patterns and I know what I have to do so it’s easier to do it myself.

"So I guess I end up taking on a bit, it’s a huge job. I couldn’t tell you the hours that go into it, there were a few nights I would find myself fixing hems at 3.45 am. "The Ariel costume tested me a little, it was much harder than a wedding dress it had steel in the tail but that’s one of the challenges that comes with the job." A challenge she enjoys in what is now a "throw away society" according to Jean. "I suppose it is a dying art, a lot of the young ones don’t want to sew but we learned it in school and worked to keep our skills," she said. "It is sad but that’s life, things are changing, people have different interests. "With companies like Target and Kmart making mass-produced clothes even for children cheaply sometimes you can understand why people just go there and buy something." Largely self-taught, her seamstress mother taught her a thing or two as well. "She was always supportive, working fulltime while living on the farm in Bamawm," Jean said. "I moved to Echuca when I was 16 years old while mum and dad stayed on the farm, I had bigger fish to fry. "When I had my three daughters and married Bill I told him I thought I would like to go to work but he thought I had enough to do with three girls. "I did night work at the drive in so it could fit in with our lives while Bill was driving trucks and whenever I could I would make use of my time and sew." It wasn’t until 1997 when Jean found her dream job at Bridal Classics with Carol McFarlane. "Oh I loved that, too much," she said. "Every day was different, I acquired so many skills and Carol was just fantastic, we had a great time." One thing she realised? "Ninety nine per cent of people are really good so you can’t dwell on the one per cent who are difficult," she said. During that time she entered a fashion competition for gown of the year. "I had a model and everything, we went down to Frankston to watch. I did no good but it was a thrill to enter," Jean said. But Jean doesn’t need awards. "I just love creating, I love seeing the end product and I love the people you meet along the way," she said. "I will still be around the shed (of EMTC) but I had to do my last official show. "It’s something I’ll always enjoy doing and at the end of the day that’s all I am, a person who really likes to sew. "I am not too sure what all the fuss is about.” ¾

Sale Sale Sale Saleends ends ends ends12th 12th 12th 12thMarch March March March2017 2017 2017 2017

Larna finally got some order, but not orders, in her life While never openly admitting her parents might just have been right, lawyer Larna Tarrant told IVY WISE the delay in her preferred career might have had something to do with her rebellious streak.

HE DIDN’T LIKE taking orders, even advice, from her parents so when they kept pushing her to study law, Larna Tarrant joined the Royal Australian Air Force. Where, not surprisingly, everything was all about taking orders — so after three years she knew she had taken enough. And went to law school. Actually, Larna always knew she wanted to be a lawyer, but with her parents pushing her that way the rebellious Rochester Secondary College Year 12 graduate upped stumps and headed to Darwin.

“I was sick of studying. And I’m that kind of personality that if I’m told to do something I generally try to push in the other direction,” she said. “It hasn’t always worked out for me but my parents were saying ‘go and study law, go and study law’ so I joined the Air Force.” At 18, she was working as a communications and information systems controller at Tindal Air Force Base just outside Katherine in the Northern Territory — just in time to provide military support during the Katherine floods. “When most people were being told to vacate and go home, we were there sandbagging,” she said. “There were people being rescued from the tops of houses, so it was all pretty exciting. “Living on base and the camaraderie that goes with that was pretty amazing.” But again she worked out pretty quickly that being told what to do wasn’t for her. After three years’ service, Larna finally turned her attention back to the law — her choice this time, not someone else’s. She has wanted to be a lawyer for as long as she can remember. “When other people at school were saying they wanted to be a fireman or a princess, I just remember saying ‘I want to be a lawyer’,” she said.

“I don’t remember ever wanting to be something else.

bodies and being hospitalised for injuries, for brutal rapes,” she said.

“I wanted to be able to earn a lot of money and buy my parents a house.”

“It seems the more severely these people have been abused, the less they’re able to remember about it, the less specific they are.

Although her goals have changed since then and she took a detour along the way, Larna is finally living the dream — although there has been the occasional nightmare along the way. Family Court is often a highly emotionally charged arena and there is the occasional risk someone is going to be seriously unhappy with outcomes — and it might be your client as much as the person at the opposite table. Larna knows that firsthand but it is not something on which she cares to dwell. A lawyer now for 13 years she worked as a barrister between 2006 and 2012 before becoming a solicitor again — her six years as a solicitor have all been spent in Echuca. The mother-of-three joined Morrison and Sawers Lawyers as a director on January 1, 2016 where her major area of practice remains family law.

“It makes it really difficult to get the full details about the actual level of violence they’ve experienced.” Their stories are also emotionally draining, so difficult to sit through, but Larna has developed a combination of tough skin and genuine compassion. “They get the emotional support they need from their counsellors and various other professionals so I try to be matter-of-fact about it and be supportive in an appropriate way, but my job is to get the information out,” she said. “Sometimes it can be a really harrowing experience for some people to relive it and sometimes we find it can be quite cathartic for people … it’s like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders to be able to talk about it at that level.”

She’s also a realist. So she spends a lot of time drafting documents or affidavits for former couples who “I tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear,” she said. can’t resolve property or child custody matters and court intervention is required. “I don’t sugar coat anything. I’m upfront, no nonsense, this is how it is.” The disturbing thing is 80 per cent of her case load contains some allegations of family violence.

This means she is often at Echuca Magistrates Court applying for intervention orders. So she was not surprised to learn Campaspe Shire has the highest rates of domestic violence in regional Victoria. “That takes up a lot of my time,” she said. Having to take countless statements from victims, Larna has shared some horrific stories. “Parents stabbing their partners, seeing photos of women with bruising all over their

It’s a high stress job so Larna makes sure she has enough “me time”. “What I used to do was take it home. It would really affect me and it made me a little bit cranky, a little bit awful to live with. But I just had to learn to shake it off,” she said. “Just going to shake it off is really important, but I have also learnt to develop a pretty macabre sense of humour so things other people wouldn’t find funny we as family lawyers do. There is a bit of a dark, black sense of humour

going on as well because it’s the only way you can deal with it.” Outside of work she also keeps busy, teaching group fitness classes at FitMob and the Echuca aquatic centre. She is also a member of Echuca Regional Health’s board of directors and is actively involved in her children’s school community. The fact she has two sons and a daughter means Larna also has to be a role model at home as well as work. “It’s so super important that we’re teaching our kids the right way to communicate and express themselves because if we don’t the problems we’re all seeing now are going to perpetuate,” she said. Despite seeing the ugly side of life more often than not, Larna loves what she does. “When you’ve got the right result for your client and you can sleep at night knowing that person’s life is better because of the job I’ve done, that’s pretty rewarding,” she said. But the best part? “Winning,” she laughed, with absolutely no hesitation. ¾

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Melinda Dullard Century 21 128 Hare St, Echuca. www.century21.com.au/echuca

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I want it all Lauren Dehne was a runner and a rider and JESS GLEDHILL found it only took a small shove to add swimming to her repertoire and turn into a triathlete. But wait, there’s more and she will be trying it all.

had in making the move quickly dispersed after meeting amazing people.

OR LAUREN DEHNE life is all about keeping fit and healthy, which probably explains her growing obsession with triathlons.

A lot of those friendships have grown out of her involvement with the triathlon club and the family-friendly nature has kept her around.

She had always enjoyed bike riding and running before pursuing any interest in the sport but it didn’t take much encour- “It’s a really challenging sport,” Lauren said. agement to see her sign up with Echuca“There’s always new events to try and I love Moama Triathlon Club five years ago. the feeling of competing and being fit and A commitment she made mostly to chal- healthy. lenge herself. “The sport really promotes that and there are And now she not only competes in triath- plenty of like-minded people around you.” lons — she dominates, having won consecThe combination of three sports in one drew utive club championships in 2012–13 and her to triathlon and she hopes to go inter2013–14. national by tackling events in New Zealand, She’s also hoping for her third when the which are run through some of the most next club championships are held in March. picturesque scenery in the world. “I thought I’d give triathlons a go to get a bit fitter,” Lauren said. “For me, any type of activity is all about the fun, fitness and friendship that comes with it.” Although she lives in Cohuna, Lauren spends most her time in Echuca and when she isn’t teaching physical education at Echuca College, she’s cycling with friends, going to the gym, playing team sport or practicing with club members. “It’s a fantastic way to meet new people, any sport is really,” Lauren said. On top of her triathlon commitments Lauren also plays netball for LeitchvilleGunbower and basketball on a Thursday night at Echuca Basketball Association. She moved to Echuca from Doncaster eight years ago when she met her husband Shannon and said any fear she may have

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“I love that there’s always new challenges and improvements to be made and I can keep pushing myself to try and get better,” she said.

in November she went on to finish sixth in her age category at the Snowy Mountains course. And the challenges don’t stop there as Lauren already has her sights set on qualifying for the next international event in Canada. “It’s important for women to push themselves,” she said. “We should always be looking to challenge ourselves in whatever it is we’re interested in to try and get the best in ourselves. “There’s such a huge push for females in professional sport at the moment with the women’s Big Bash and women’s AFL league — it’s a fantastic time for women in sport.” Lauren believed triathlon was a sport for everyone, all you need are swimming goggles, a pair of bathers, runners and a bike.

“I started just doing triathlons on a Wednesday night with the club and was soon hooked and wanting to explore what was next.”

“The past race I did there were kids from as young as 17 right up to veterans at 77,” she said.

Before she knew it she had completed her first full iron man in 2014 which consisted of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42 km run.

“It’s a sport which caters for everyone and at Echuca-Moama Triathlon Club we always run off a handicap so we all finish around the same time.”

At 32 Lauren is constantly finding new ways to test herself, even taking up off-road competition in the past season. The demanding courses and added difficulty of different terrain, lake swims, mountain-biking and trail runs pulled her in — with the extra push of some close friends. After qualifying for this year’s International Triathlon Union world cross championships

The club also runs a junior program to get young people involved in triathlons and with any luck they will see just as much success and enjoyment from the sport as Lauren has. But they will have to work hard to match her achievements — and her unlimited enthusiasm and determination. ¾

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Achieve your dreams in 2017 An actionable guide to achieve your biggest goals this New Year — whatever they may be! At Echuca Travel Centre we often hear the sentence “I wish I could travel more” so we have put together a guide to help you achieve your dreams in 2017.

 Decide on your goals — make them measurable and actionable. (eg. “I want to travel to 30 countries before I turn 40”).

 Get inspired each morning and take time to think about your goals each day. (eg. Make an inspiration board of where you want to go, put your goal in the middle).

 Make one small action for the future. (eg. Make an appointment with your friends in travel at Echuca Travel Centre).

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there’s no turning back now! (eg. Pay a deposit).

 Enjoy the process and celebrate when you succeed!

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A story of shear determination Since Australia’s economy first rode on the sheep’s back, the shearing shed has been a man’s world — from the shearers and the roustabouts to the classers. But NATALIE DURRANT reveals the story of one young woman’s grit and drive to make a name for herself treading the shearing boards.

SHEARING SHED is no place for the faint-hearted.

Given Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s propensity for heat, the shed is more than likely hot, stifling hot, and the smell of wool, sweat and sheep manure thickens the very air you breathe. Shearers, roustabouts, wool pressers and wool classers move about like well-drilled ants in their colonies, each a cog in the wheel of a successful shearing day. Above the smell and the dirt is the noise. There are sheep bleating and shoving against the fences, dogs barking and men barking orders, gates slamming, shearers sharing a joke, the wool press groaning, the shears whining and the obligatory boom box blaring. It is truly back-breaking work. Particularly for the shearers. They get paid by how many sheep they shear a day. So a slow day means less money in their pocket on pay day. Ten years ago, walk into any shearing shed in Australia and there was no doubt you were stepping into a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world. Women had no place treading the boards.

>>>

Looking for somewhere to display those beautiful Christmas photos? Call in to Echuca Newsagency and check out our huge range of photo frames! What do you buy the person who has everything? Come and look at our great range of 2017 diaries and calendars or we can organise magazine subscriptions, newspaper delivery, tatts scratchy packs, i-tunes vouchers and much much more. We are open 7 days a week for all your needs. Pop in and see us we are always happy to help!

161 Hare St, Echuca | Phone 5482 1337

>>> But Bunnaloo’s Andrea Froon breaks the mould. Not only did she prove herself as a shearer, she is now making a name for herself as a wool classer. After leaving secondary school, Andrea did a gap year before starting a teaching degree in Bendigo — which lasted just four weeks before she switched to veterinary science. Before a week’s roustabout work at the late Bob and Irene Caldwell’s Bunnaloo property saw local shearer Graeme Dick ask Andrea to have a crack at shearing. She was hooked — his shearing protégée was born and university was forgotten. Shearing school at Wagga Wagga refined Andrea’s skills before almost 11 years of working in sheds across Australia and overseas. Not that it was all smooth sailing. Breaking down decades of the ‘stereotypical shearer’ is easier said than done. Andrea is speaking to me from Graeme’s property, a weekend away from the grind of the shearing shed and she is swinging a butcher’s knife, apron slung on, deftly welding the knife as she carves up one of Graeme’s recently slaughtered lambs. She pauses, the knife frozen in mid-air, dripping blood, as she recalls her first years as a shearer. “One farmer wouldn’t let me shear because I was a girl and he didn’t want me suing him because I couldn’t have babies or something,” she shrugs, bemused. “So I roused for him and then the following year Graeme had broken some ribs so I basically did the whole mob for him, 1000 sheep. It was a bit ironic.” Finding a good boss and team to work for can also be a dilemma, with the shearing fraternity’s reputation for drunken, drug-affected workers. “There are still areas where it’s pretty rugged,” Andrea says. “And the image of the old drunken shearer is still there, but my boss is strict on drugs and drinks. Most shearers try to look after themselves now. Most of them are on protein shakes which helps their body recover. And they drink hydrolytes and energy drinks in summer.” Learning to shear among a shed of males is one thing, but for female shearers and shed hands, proper facilities are one of the biggest issues. “When we camp at properties, it’s fine because they’ve got to have camping facilities,” she said. “Toilets will be an issue for a while in the cockies’ sheds. I knew a girl who was working in a shed and there were no toilets so she headed for the cockie’s house. He came roaring up in his ute and said ’what are you doing?’ When she told him, he drove off and

came back with a bucket and told her to use that. She probably should have told him to stuff it. “I mean, I can go behind a tree but that’s not the point. They want me to shear properly, but can’t be bothered providing something. It’s not the 1800s anymore. It’s definitely an issue.” But Andrea is quick to point out there are good sheds too. One Kerang property hires cabins at a nearby caravan park for the shearing team to use and following this year’s blue-green algae outbreak even brought in water every day for hand washing. “It’s my favourite shed,” she laughs. A highlight of her time shearing was working in Ireland and England in 2009. “It’s very different to shearing in Australia,” again that laugh as the knife swiftly moves. “Over here you have shearing sheds and you try to make it as simple as possible.

“Over there, you shear outside. They throw together some pallets as a catching pen, put some boards down and everyone catches from the same pen. When you’ve finished shearing, you just let them go and flick the wool aside. “They have these big pillows they stuff the wool in, there’s no wool presses. Most of their sheep have poor wool, like the blackfaced Suffolk, and it’s not worth much. They also leave the tails on, so some of them had 5 kg of green shit hanging off their arses,” she laughs. “But shearing in the direct sunlight really knocks you about. You sweat like you wouldn’t believe; you have to change your singlets every hour and you can wring them out. “It was really funny in Ireland because the farmers were trying to keep the sheep up to us and it was so hot they had their shirts off. Their skin was almost blue because they are so white. They were complaining that it was

so hot, it must have been about 27°C, and maybe we should stop but they were just not used to it.”

shearing, thinking it could be something to fall back on and it’s worked out to be pretty handy.”

The size of the landholdings was another obvious difference, with many farmers leasing the land.

Andrea recently completed her masters’ class, an invitation-only course based on the number of clips per year completed and the ability of the wool classer.

“One thousand sheep was a massive number. Most properties might have a couple of hundred but during lambing they have someone watching them during the day and at night. They mother them up straight away, writing a number of the ewe and lamb.

“Normally, you’re the only classer in the shed and you just hope you’re doing a good job. There were 18 other classers at this course so it was really good to be able to talk to them.”

“They do this because their animals are worth so much. In England you can import two lambs from New Zealand for the same cost as one of theirs.

Andrea’s shearing experience has also earned the respect of her boss, Jason Baldwin from Baldwin Shearing in Tocumwal, and the rest of the team.

“They also shed their animals during the winter. There is a big pit under the sheds and it forms a crust on top, with the liquid underneath. When they bust the crust, they have to get the sheep out or the smell of the ammonia with kill them. They spread the stuff on their paddocks.” Andrea’s time in the UK meant she was also free to visit relatives in Holland. But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, with Andrea hanging up her shears in February 2015. “I only intended shearing for 10 years. My body was getting a bit sore and I knew it was time. I didn’t want to be stuck doing it. “I started wool classing while I was still

been great. It’s also good, quick money. As a shearer you can earn well over $100,000 a year. Unfortunately shearing is a young person’s game and you see a lot of shearers who get into the game too early and don’t have that mental maturity and it’s sad to see them gamble and drink away all their money.” Her timing could also not be better given the increasing size of the average animal. She holds out her hands. “I’m not very big and it was an issue I had. There are some monster sheep out there. I shore in South Australia for a few years and some of their Merino ewes weighed 130 kg. “There are 200 kg Dorset rams out there too.

She is his main wool classer and was recently “At one farm I said to the farmer could he granted a Supreme Clip of the Month nomi- turn that ram over. He couldn’t do it and nation from Elders for one of her bales from asked me to help him and yet he had been Netallie at Wilcannia. Some days she is in happy for me to do it on my own. charge of a crew of 22, running the shed as “Given all the rain and feed around I’m well as classing. glad I’m not shearing sheep in the next 12 “Because I’ve shorn for a while I can say to months!” the boys you’re not cleaning them up propAndrea carefully covers the lamb pieces, her erly and this is how we’re going to do it and work done. they accept that. Heck, when I first started We walk out of the slaughter room bound shearing if a young female wool classer had for the house before Andrea has to head for told me how to do something I probably home. But smoko first; Graeme’s daughter would have ignored her too!” has been kind enough to knock up a batch So what was the best part of shearing? of pancakes and if there’s one thing about “Ending it,” she laughs. “No, getting to meet the shearing fraternity, they’re sticklers for punctuality. ¾ so many different people has definitely

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Sit down, lie down and love the experience

The team at Willow Tree Beauty Lounge — Holly Hughes, Samantha Morgan, Courtney Perry and Molly Rushe.

Willow Tree Beauty Lounge is a team effort, at every stage of every treatment and the New Year brings with it promise of a new range of products and treatments.

HE SEARCH FOR that relaxing and stress-free beauty experience begins and ends with Willow Tree Beauty Lounge.

“I also encourage my staff to come to me with any new ideas on what we can provide our clients,” she said.

Where owner-operator Samantha Morgan, and all her team, not only love what they are doing, they are exceptional at doing it.

“I believe we all need to enjoy our jobs and part of that is being passionate about what you do. If that means learning something new, or studying, then I’m 110 per cent behind my staff.

This team of qualified beauty therapists is there to offer you cutting-edge treatments in beauty, wellness and the medi-spa. Willow Tree is all about empowered staff and the commitment they have for clients — from the moment you step through its front door into its signature bohemian setting and are greeted by the smiling faces of the staff. Samantha has been determined to make Willow Tree a local success story — the success of her staff makes her and the business successful. And not only does she have an emphasis on local staff, she said by extension she cannot say how much she values the support Willow Tree is receiving from the people of Echuca-Moama. “Willow Tree Beauty Lounge is run by a team of local girls who take beauty therapy very seriously,” Samantha said. “We want to provide our local clientele with all the treatments they need when it comes to beauty, wellness and medi-spa, to make it so good they don’t have to look outside the twin towns for anything else,” she said.

“When you visit us at Willow Tree Beauty Lounge you will notice even though all the staff are qualified they also all have their passions and excel in different areas. “Which is why you will often find yourself being referred to different therapists, who specialise in particular treatments, when you book in.” Samantha said Willow Tree Beauty Lounge would not be where it is without the support, not just of locals, but also regulars from out of town. She said locals are the ones who keep their doors open all year but that “it’s also really lovely during the summer months to see our annuals return, those with cabins at a few of the parks as well as holiday homes”. “A highlight for us at this time of year is to be able to work with the spike in weddings and help brides — local and from out of town,” Samantha said.

“We offer a mobile makeup business as part of Willow Tree Beauty Lounge, and that enables us to travel offsite to our brides “There really is something here for everyfor makeup on their wedding day, which is one — Willow Tree Beauty Lounge also often a stress-free and time-saving option works hard to source as many of its product for them,” she said. ranges from Australian businesses where So what can you look forward to this year at possible. Willow Tree Beauty Lounge? “Just as we believe in employing locals, we believe it is equally important to support “Lots, no question,” Samantha added. Australian businesses. “It is our plan to keep evolving and growing, “Doing that also allows us the opportunity to know what ingredients are going into the products we use, how they are sourced and what impact they make on the environment. “That’s why when you visit you will find most of our products are from Australian brands such as Skin Juice, Curtis Collection by Victoria, ECO COCO, Sunescape, Bondi Sands, Yogi Peace Club, Kaf.tanned, The Beauty Chef and Skinstitut. We also stock Youngblood mineral cosmetics.”

like a willow tree itself,” she said. “You can keep up with what we are doing through Bella, on social media or on our website. “You never really know what treatment or products we might introduce next. “And that range will be developed as much by our team of therapists as by me, they are just as enthusiastic about their role in evolving the beauty and wellness industry in the twin towns.

Samantha also believes a cornerstone of the Willow Tree story is the ongoing commit- “Because, at the end of the day, we are a team ment to staff training. and the team is the glue to any business.” ¾

SUMMER HEAT, EXERCISE AND YOUR HEALTH Summer is the perfect time to go outside and have exercise whether you are training for match day, pre-season training or for just general fitness. But the summer heat can be a problem if you’re not careful, especially in Echuca / Moama’s climate with long periods of dry unrelenting heat.

Dehydration

For many, the biggest problem is staying hydrated and maintaining the body’s electrolytes and salt. When you sweat, your body loses not only water, but electrolytes and salt, too. This delicate balance of water and electrolytes is crucial to keep your body functioning properly. Stay hydrated. Before you go out, drink a glass or two of water. Carry a bottle of water or even a hydration pack. Take a drink every 15 minutes, even when you’re not thirsty. When you’re done with your workout, have a few more glasses of water.

The correct mixture of water, salt and electrolytes can vary on the individual and their rate of sweat. Consult a GP or sports dietitian if you are having dizziness, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea regularly after exercise for a hydration plan. In extreme or prolonged cases immediate medical treatment may be required.

When to exercise

The time of day is important. Unless you are training for an event that takes place in the daytime heat, avoid exercising from 10 am to 5 pm, it’s the hottest part of the day. Generally, the early morning is the best time to work out outside, especially if it’s going to be a scorcher that day. Indoor activities can replace your normal routine with group fitness classes, gym sessions and swimming at air conditioned facilities.

Clothing to stay cool

Wear loose, light-coloured clothing. The lighter colours will help reflect heat and also deter insects during early evening exercise. Cotton material will help the evaporation of sweat. You may also want to try specially designed, "hi-tech"

running shirts and shorts. They are often made from material meant to keep you cool. And don’t forget glare can be damaging to your eyes so a good rated pair of sunglasses and hat is also required.

Where to exercise

If you can, choose shaded trails or pathways that keep you out of the sun. Try to stay in areas that are not dense with vegetation or crowded buildings that can block cooling breezes and reflect heat. Sunscreen is also a must as early as seven in the morning as the UV rates can be high even then.

TOO HOT TO RUN? TRY SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVES Step Start with regular ‘garden variety’ step ups, do 3 sets with a 2–5 minutes break between, start with 30 right leg and then 30 left leg, at a steady pace this should take about 2 minutes. Take the time to place your whole foot on the step, rising to your full height when on top and making

sure you do a nice high knee lift with each step. Repeat 2–3 times. To add intensity by increasing the step height, add a jump on the top of the step or a lunge off the step. 15 on each leg will take about 1 minute, repeat 3 times. If you want to work the intensity higher still take it up to a jogging pace, your comfortable running pace. Increase repetitions on each leg to start, making sure you have the whole foot on the step with a nice high knee lift to step on.

Squat Grab a weight that you are able to lift above your head.

Most importantly,

listen to your body. 're Stop immediately if you or t fain zy, diz ling fee nauseous.

Hold the weight and squat. Remember to keep your weight in your heals and push bottom back and down. Start with a nice and controlled pace and with a big range of movement. A minimum block of 20 repetitions should take about 30 seconds, take a 5 second rest and repeat 3–4 times. Add to workout by holding the weight

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ECHUCA WAR MEMORIAL AND AQUATIC CENTRE (03) 5480 2994

up to your chin. As you rise from the squat push towards the sky reaching as high as you can in the standing position, concentrate on keeping your belly drawn in and the back nice and straight. Adding the press should slow you down slightly and shorten the block of work. Try blocks of 15 repetitions 3–4 times. Holding for extra counts at the bottom of the squat, will make your legs get the extra work.

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Beginner – Intermediate classes. Strength and flexibility fitness through low impact cross training methods. 55 mins, Ideal for people of all fitness levels.

This moderate to high intensity workout will challenge all of your major muscle groups with weighted exercise and gain fitness fast.

Water Aerobics A well balanced workout to improve Physical fitness, endurance, strength, flexibility, mobility and balance Gentle Aqua – Lower impact water aerobics suitable for senior, pregnant or rehab patients. Water Deep Fit – Conducted in deep water for a full body workout (buoyancy belt provided).

A class to suit all fitness levels for you and your friends With six classes and five specialty class formats to suit all levels of fitness. Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre can offer you even more.

Contact EWMAC or visit our website for more information: Corner of High and Service Streets, Echuca, 3564 Phone: (03) 5480 2994 Website: www.campaspeaquatics.com.au

I see a red car and I want it painted black Jacqui Cronyn is making some serious statements when it comes to being one of the boys down in the workshop. She took time out from her hectic schedule to sit down with TYLA HARRINGTON and provide a few details about the work she is doing.

HEN YOU ARE taking on the boys in a seriously blokey business it pays if you are just that little bit better.

Or you could be Jacqui Cronyn and prove that you are a lot better — year after year, car after car, job after job. So what’s the benchmark for better in the vehicle refinishing business?

The work she’s talking about can take up to 12 months. The actual painting side of it might only take a week. It’s the preparation that takes the longest time. When it comes to crunch time — spray painting — Jacqui said she doesn’t like colour all that much. Except one.

Well Echuca Service Centre manager Shane Casey has been in the car business for the past 30 years and he said not only is she good, she is also the only female he has seen in the business.

“I love black,” she said. “Every colour is different, they all have their faults. White is the most popular but it’s hard to paint because you can’t see it.”

Jacqui might be too modest to tell you about her progress in a man’s world, but her boss will.

Jacqui has worked at Echuca Service Centre for the past 12 months after making the shift from Kyabram, where she still lives.

Because not only has the 20-year-old just completed a four-year apprenticeship in vehicle refinishing at Echuca Service Centre, she was so good she completed it a year early.

She said she found spray painting at a young age.

“Her attention to detail is so much better than a boy,” Shane said. “You’ll see a lot of the guys working so they can knock off whereas Jacqui is fixed on the moment,” he said. “I think it’s a tough industry for a girl to be in but she’s fantastic. I’ve never seen another woman in the trade in my time and I have been doing it for 30 years. “I have seen other girls start apprenticeships but never finish them but Jacqui has a bright future ahead of her. “She will have a go at anything. If we say ’Jacqui come give us a lift’, she’s there. “She doesn’t act like a girl; she’s one of the boys.” With a laugh the self-deprecating Jacqui describes herself as being “pretty much just a bloke with long hair”. Jacqui’s standard day runs from 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and when pushed she admits she would rather work on a restoration vehicle than anything else. “You just get more enjoyment out of it,” she said. “It can be hard some days but I do love it.”

“I used to work in a fish and chip shop in Kyabram (when I was about 14) and a bloke there is a spray painter and I used to help him out in the shed on weekends and go to car shows with him. So that’s really how I got into it,” Jacqui said. And while there aren’t too many women spray painters, she said she would encourage more to give it a go. “Any industry that is predominantly male is hard … but it’s a lot of fun,” she said. “And I think it seems to be the smaller the workshop the easier it is.” Although her boss is quick to chime in to say it’s Jacqui’s personality which goes a long way. “She is really easy to work with and fits in with everyone,” Shane said. So what does Jacqui get up to outside of work? A triplet to Nathan and Nikita, you’d likely find Jacqui punching her 4WD Triton down some off-road track, fishing or camping. “I always liked cars and tractors and bikes and everything,” she said. So given the chance to complete the dream, what would this restoration rising star choose as her favourite? “A ’59 (Chevrolet) El Camino,” she said.

Which is about as much time as Jacqui is prepared to spare — she’s got to get back to work and there’s lots to be done. And yes, of course, there’s those boys to show up along the way. ¾

NO Jab No Play — what you need to know about Childhood immunisation Millions of deaths every year have been prevented by the introduction and routine use of vaccines.

Current Schedule for childhood immunisations

Vaccines are developed with the strictest processes in place to ensure they are safe to give to ourselves and our children. Childhood Vaccination rates in Victoria are currently very high at over 92% however to provide the community with “heard immunity” a 95% vaccination rates need to be achieved for some of the most contagious illnesses such as measles. The New No Jab No Pay laws came into effect on the 1st of January 2016, and were introduced to help increase the immunisation rates in children who are enrolled in early childhood education and services such as kinder, day care, family day care, occasional care. This requires that your child be up-to-date with their vaccinations or on an approved catch-up schedule to be able to enrol in these services. Those who are not able to be immunised for medical reasons can be exempt from these conditions. Conscientious objection to vaccination will not be considered as an exemption and you child will not be able to be enrolled in these services. Often this will require you to provide your day care/kindergarten an immunisation status certificate that shows what immunisations your child has had. You can get one of these from your local GP or at Medicare either online/in-person or by contacting Medicare on the phone 1800 653 809 or via email acir@medicareaustralia.gov.au

If you need a catch up schedule organised, or if your child is due for their immunisation, please book in to see one of our lovey GPs or Nurse Immunisers here at EMFMP. For further information please check the Health.vic, website at: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/ public-health/immunisation/vaccination-children/no-jab-no-play/frequently-asked-questions

References: State of Victoria; Department of Health and Human Services (2016) Frequently asked questions: No jab, no play, Victorian Government, Melbourne, viewed 19th January 2017, https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/immunisation/vaccination-children/no-jab-no-play/frequently-asked-questions. State of Victoria; Department of health and Human Services (2016) Immunisation schedule Victoria From November 2016, Victorian Government, Melbourne, viewed 19th January 2017, https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/immunisation/immunisation-schedule-vaccine-eligibility-criteria/immunisation-schedule-victoria.

Echuca Moa ma Fa mily Medical Practice helping fa milies live healthy lives. 1 Martin St, Moama 179–183 Annesley St, Echuca

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A reason to smile Introducing… Shara Wall BOHSc (La Trobe) Oral Health Therapist (Hygienist/Therapist) Shara grew up in Rushworth, Victoria. She has been working/volunteering in the dental field since 2005. After graduating from La Trobe University in 2013, Shara relocated to Perth for work. She returned to Victoria in early 2016 and joined the Campaspe Dental Care team. Shara is passionate about improving all aspects of her patients’ oral health and overall well-being. She remains up to date with the latest techniques and endeavours to build upon her knowledge by attending continuing education courses. Her attention to detail, focus on preventative dentistry and knowledge base allows her to provide the highest standard of dental care to patients.

Our range of services include:

• General exams • Fillings • Implants • Crowns & bridges • Whitening • Hygiene • Dentures • Root canal treatments • Children’s dentistry Contact the clinic on 5482 1217 to make an appointment. www.campaspedentalcare.com.au 525 High Street, Echuca

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calmbirth.com.au calmbirth.com.au 45

Lollypop lady has got the problems licked Over the years hundreds of thousands of cars have driven past the lady in yellow, her eyes glued on the approach of small school children and her unshakeable determination to make sure they safely get from point A to point B.

IRST IT WAS children, including her own.

she is not showing any signs of slowing down.

Then it was the children of those children.

Which is just as well, because she is concerned our increasing traffic flow is also showing few signs of wanting to slow down.

And now Heather Bradley would not have to scratch too deeply to find a few of their grandchildren in her care. In her 40 years (and counting) as EchucaMoama’s most recognised lollypop lady Heather has literally guided generations of young locals across Echuca’s busiest, and most dangerous, peak-hour road. And yes, the job has consumed a large part of the upbeat senior citizen’s life but at 73

Her life in yellow began after she helped lead a campaign for an Ogilvie Ave crossing way back in the days when it was one lane each way with a service road. The then principal of the school did not see that as a priority but the next one, fortunately, did. So the safety campaigner helped lead

the charge on the government of the day, VicRoads and Campaspe Shire, and not only got what she wanted but a whole lot more into the bargain. “I got the call from principal (to come) and he said we have the crossing,” Heather said; the pride still obvious in her voice. “Then he told me to go and get measured for my outfit, and I have been in the job ever since,” she laughed. Heather Bradley had been hoist on her own petard. And has never regretted a moment of

it — although there have been too many moments where the job has got her blood boiling. Like the time a driver with a more important schedule than getting children safely across E C H U C A the road tried to squeeze between Heather and the footpath.

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“I stopped her in her tracks,” Heather bridled. “I put my hand up and made her wait, it’s just amazing how some people can do things like that,” she said.

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Another driver pulled right into the safety zone, snapping off the sticks holding the warning flags. “It was incredible,” Heather said. “He parked there and wouldn’t move, so I took his number, spoke to my manager at the shire and we gave all the information to the police.” From time to time she also has a few smaller problems on her hands — students who want to do things their way instead of the veteran controller’s.

FRESH, QUALITY Since INGREDIENTS. her first crossing on Ogilvie, near the

But they soon find themselves in front of the principal and on their best behaviour from there on.

FRESH, QUALITY INGREDIENTS.

motel, Heather said she had been moved three times. Her most recent crossing, with its safety area on the island in the middle of Ogilvie Ave, is gone. Research showed most students were using the traffic lights at the Haverfield St intersection. But Heather has not enjoyed the relocation. “It is actually more dangerous because people actually want to run the red lights,” she said. Life on the crossing has had its lighter moments too, such as when people decorated her safety area in the middle of Ogilvie with balloons and streamers for her 50th birthday.

NO MORE COOKING.

Heather’s future is also under the cloud of progress as the school is now slated for merger in a different part of town. “That’s just a case of wait and see, I can’t do much about that,” she added.

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But rain, hail or shine (and lightning) Heather was still on duty that morning and again that afternoon. ¾

Never mind just dipping your toe into the water Jill Archer is prepared to go the distance when it comes to getting the job done right. But she told BEN CARTER she believed there were many things still to be done when it comes to water safety.

IVING AT PICOLA, which is at least an hour from Echuca as the car drives, says it all when it comes to Jill Archer and her determination to teach children how to swim.

And when it comes to teaching Jill clearly knows a thing or two — she’s almost racked up 20 years on the job (and God knows how many kilometres getting there and back) at Echuca’s War Memorial Aquatic Centre. She said she loved making the journey down to the EWMAC to pass on her knowledge and passion for swimming. After her first 10 years in the job, Jill had a five-year break before being called back into the fold by EWMAC’s Learn to Swim leader Shirley Milgate. “She said ’Jill, do you want a job’?” Jill said — and back in 2012 it was that simple. “They had a few (other teachers) standing down at the time and she spotted me at the pool and asked me on the spot,” she said. “I think I might have been set up by my daughter. I didn’t have any intention of coming back. But I said OK and then I only had a few weeks to renew my Austswim accreditation.” Four years after that rather informal recruitment she’s still making the “nice drive” from Picola. Well, nice in the warmer months, anyway. “Not so much in the winter, when it’s cold and dark — and there are kangaroos out,” Jill said. But back to the pool, where for Jill the real rewards are found in the achievements of her students. Not worrying about Olympic standard, but the sheer joy of achievement for children taking their first strokes, or completing their first 50 m swim.

“Usually primary school and early high school (students),” Jill says. “But we get the littlies, from prep, too, from our pre-school program. I can teach infants, access and inclusion groups and Austswim qualification. And competitive strokes as well if they want to go on to junior development or swim club. I like to be able to take classes for everybody and lead them along.” She leads for up to an hour and that’s a fair slice of time in which to make everyone feel included. “I go at my lessons full steam and get things done,” Jill says of her approach. “The tough part is with a child who may not be as good as the others, so you’ve got to be careful not to over-teach them and make them feel inadequate (either). All children have to have fun and learn skills as well. It’s about being aware that everyone’s needs are being met.” Aside from the swimming strokes, there’s a huge emphasis on water safety as Jill is determined her children need to be able to react to situations around the water, whether fun, dangerous or risky. “They need to be able to float if they fall in, or rescue somebody. It’s not just being able to swim, it’s also being aware around the water and making the right decisions.” That all adds up to what Jill called life experience — and life-long experience. “Swimming itself is a gift for life,” she added. “If you can swim you can survive and if you pass that on to other people — that’s the gift of life.” Jill wants every class to be taught well, no matter what her own situation is on any given day. That’s the level of dedication she puts into her work — and she sees it as a way of being a positive role model for not only her students but also other women in the community, particularly teachers.

“I strive for excellence every time I teach,” she said. “I have time for our clients who have special needs of any sort. I’m qualified for all that. Each time I teach I make sure “It’s important that I stay positive and I can everyone’s integrated into class and they put on a good class, every time, no matter feel like it. As a teacher I have to be vigilant, what the situation when I walk in off the aware and make sure everybody is capable, street,” Jill says. and get the best out of the swimmers.” “I should be eager to help the kids so they So who are these swimmers? can go home and say they enjoyed their

lesson for whatever reason, whether they learned a new skill or helped another student out.” The swim teacher and their class really meld into a kind of team, according to Jill. More awareness of the importance of the role swim teachers play is something Jill would like to see in the community. “I feel special in the role,” she says. “The swim teacher is important, not just school teachers. They’re just as highly skilled, the same as lifeguards. They’re a qualified person and they should be looked upon highly. Not only do they teach swimming, but they have to be conscious of every aspect of each student’s ability and relevant social aspects. It’s not just swimming.” And every point of progress along the way in a swim teacher’s career, like any other industry, will make you a better person all round, Jill declared. The future of the EWMAC swim program is for further incorporation of activities for people with special needs Jill reckoned. “Definitely I’d like to explore perhaps the possibility of learning Auslan (sign language), so we can get a class in for hearing impaired people,” she says. “With swim teaching, a lot of it is done with actions and trying to get people to follow your movements to improve your stroke, so it’d be good to be able to do that. “We’re building up our programs all the time, with the grey nomads and so on, but I think a hearing impaired one would be good.” Nothing has so far impaired Jill’s vision for swim teaching — and she doubted it ever would. “Absolutely I want to teach swimming as long as I can,” she said. “No-one knows how long they’ve got in their workplace but I’d like to stay as long as possible. I say to people (at the pool) I’d like to end as one of the oldest people going around.” Or up and down the lanes. An admirable ambition from a woman who is enabling — and protecting — so many of our young people. ¾

An important massage about Murray College A

T MURRAY COLLEGE of Vocational Education it’s the curriculum and faculty that sets it apart.

The Anstruther St facility specialises in teaching massage but is now set to expand to other areas, while continuing to offer a range of treatments on site. Office administrator Brooke Trevascus said her courses were both challenging and progressive, and featured a blend of theory and practical hands-on experience. “While understanding the science of our work is imperative, this knowledge is of little use if administered without sensitivity and compassion,” she said. “At the Murray College of Vocational Education we explore all aspects of touch and how, through science and art, we can change people’s lives.” She’s not kidding.

The staff are dedicated to developing a student’s learning — and having customers walk out the door all the better for it. “Among our distinguished faculty are experienced massage therapists,” Brooke said. “Our representatives share three qualities; they are all professionals who have a passion for teaching, are committed to advancing our profession and they are exceptional individuals who care about our students as people.” The college is open 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday. And is now taking enrolments with government funding available in the following courses: • Certificate IV in massage therapy. • Diploma of remedial massage. For more information, phone 5482 5107. ¾

Gymnastics for all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities

It didn’t feel like fun — at first SOPHIE BALDWIN is a 40 something fitness fanatic, but even she was mightily impressed when she bumped into soon-tobe septuagenarian Jenny McLean, who is not planning to let age slow her down.

ENNY MACLEAN IS not your typical older woman.

While most people approaching 70 are slowing down, she is just cranking up. Her fitness timetable would surely rival a person half her age — running three times a week including a long run on Sunday, golf, Zumba (she is an instructor) and visits to the gym.

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She is happy, healthy, energetic, bounds out of bed every day — and she has no intention of slowing down. Oh, and did I mention she also competes in 12 fun runs a year? Jenny took up running, quite by accident really, at the young age of 62. She was out walking in the bush and used to pass another lady (Barb Gray) who was also running, although Jenny says at that stage she was really only running in 100 m bursts (and whenever this particular lady passed her). Jenny later bumped into her at a party and was invited to join Barb in a fun run and said yes. Then discovered it was going to be a not so fun 15 km and she had just 12 weeks to train. So Jenny did what most people do, she got online and found a running coach named Mad Dog from Mexico who trained people to run across the Sahara Dessert. He took her on, she took it all on and that first 15 km turned into a very short taste of what was to come. “I was ashamed about my running ability at the start but I followed him to the letter and I finished,” Jenny said. “After I crossed the line all I could think to myself was when would my next race be on — and I have been running ever since,” Jenny said. “I now do 12 runs a year and I love it. I will run until my body tells me to stop, that old chick you see running in a race will be me

one day,” she laughed. Over the years she has had some pretty good finishing times too. In Run Melbourne last year she was the 16th over 60 across the line. Her best run was back in 2012 at the City to Bay in Adelaide, where she came second in her age group.

a kidney problem. She was also feeling ordinary within herself and definitely not bounding out of bed. A visit to the doctor was never a pleasant experience as she found herself on different medications for her ailments as her health began to deteriorate.

Next year she will move up a class into the 70 and over category but she has no plans on slowing down yet.

Thankfully now though that part of her life has gone and it is something Jenny attributes to her fit lifestyle today.

Jenny judges her running fitness on her Sydney City to Surf times, that’s a race she runs every year.

“Since I began running my bone density has increased, cholesterol has gone down, there is no pain in my hand and I jump out of bed, I am amazed by how good I feel.

Her first attempt saw her complete the race in 1 hour 48 minutes — her best time has been 1 hour 36 — and these days she usually ranges somewhere in the middle. “I would love to beat 1.36 but I don’t know if that will ever happen again. These days I love to finish a race knowing I have done my best and have tried, that’s all that matters. “Running is a bit like anything in life, you have just got to give it a crack.” Jenny always led an active life. She used to ballroom dance and yes, she was into aerobics in a big way in the ’90s (including those jazzy leotards that were part of the image). But as she got older life got in the way and her commitment to her own personal fitness began to slip as she worked her way through different business ventures. In her early 60s Jenny was like a lot of aging women. She was battling health issues including a low active thyroid, high cholesterol, low bone density, osteo-arthritis and

“I am proud to be turning 70 for my next birthday and I love going to the doctor now because he is cutting back my medications — not adding to them.” Jenny is pretty keen to promote the benefits of an active lifestyle and while running may not be everyone’s choice, she would urge anyone to take up something that they love and just get moving. “I have seen people come to my Zumba classes (not necessarily older people either) and I have watched them blossom as their overall health has improved. Sometimes we just get stuck in a rut and a bit of exercise might be all it takes to start some change.” Life is never kind and Jenny has certainly had her shares of ups and downs, but those times have only made her strive harder to achieve her goals. She is unwavering and driven and treats life like every single run she competes in, she is determined to get over that finishing line as best as she can. ¾

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New-age experience on historic paddlesteamer I

F YOU THINK an afternoon afloat on one of our historic paddlesteamers is the formula for unwinding, think what twoand-a-half days aboard the Emmylou with access from yoga to a salt cave will do for you. Plus every other form of wellness treatment in between.

Jo Walsh from Earth and Spirit Energies said this trip has been three years in the planning and in March it will become a reality. Meditation, yoga, tarot reading, campfire sessions, aroma healing and salt cave visits are all on the agenda for a weekend of bliss on March 26–28. “It’s so important for people to look after themselves,” Jo said. >>>

Earth and Spirit Energies’ Jo Walsh with yoga teacher Allison Connelly.

“

LUCKILY WELLNESS IS NOW A POSITIVE TREND AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO HOW THEY FEEL, WHICH IS WHY I KNOW NOW IS THE TIME TO LAUNCH THIS RETREAT.

”

>>> “The silly season can be a little overwhelming so this gives people the opportunity to step back and look internally to heal. “Everyone has stuff going on, but if you support yourself you can support those around you. “Luckily wellness is now a positive trend and people are paying more attention to how they feel, which is why I know now is the time to launch this retreat.” Amongst her diverse background, Jo spent seven years working on the Emmylou and knows the benefit of the boat — and the river. “Water is incredibly healing, it’s a place of peace,” she said. She’s recruited some of the best in their fields to coach program participants, including Echuca-Moama yoga teacher Allison Connelly who will guide guests through a series of poses and breathing techniques to return body and soul to rhythm.

Life coach Damien Munro will echo the yoga training on day three but not before he takes residents through an inspiring workshop. “Damien is a friend of mine and an incredible speaker who knows what he is talking about. He will address wellness, healthy living and positive life relationships,” Jo said. Karen Verrall is also on board to offer AromaTouch treatment, which is a hand and foot massage technique meant to provide effective, multi-purpose and quick solutions for many of life’s every day discomforts and stresses.

“Early rises, healthy breakfasts, riverbank yoga classes are just the beginning. “We will take a bus to Barmah Lakes and have a picnic and explore, we’ll bond around the campfire and meditate and it all finishes with a visit to the beautiful salt cave.” One hour in a salt cave is the equivalent to four days at the beach, studies show. By grinding therapeutic grade salt into fine particles and dispersing them throughout the room it can reduce inflammation and blockages and acts as an antibacterial. “It’s about relaxing, renewing and revitalising,” Jo said.

Jo herself will guide residents through medi- “That’s what the retreat comes down to really, taking care and healing.” tation sessions (including a singing bowl around the campfire) and do tarot readings. Prices start at $1000 for the 2.5-day cruise. “It really is set to be a unique, mind-opening experience,” she said.

Accommodation is on board and alcohol costs extra.

“We start with a three-course healthy meal and then we travel down the river to Cape Horn Vineyard and where we will be based.

Contact Earth and Spirit Energies on 5480 0050 or Murray River Paddlesteamers on 5482 5244 to book. ¾

Murray River Paddlesteamers and Earth & Spirit Energies Sit, Relax, Breathe and enjoy the tranquilities of inner healing on the mighty Murray with

Echuca’s Mind, Body & Spirit Wellness Retreat All aboard the P.S Emmylou for this unique two-night JOURNEY...sail away with us and enjoy the ultimate pamper and wellness retreat… • Meditation

• Salt Cave Session

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• Guest speaker

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564–566 High St, Echuca | Ph 5480 0050 | ese564@yahoo.com.au www.facebook.com/EarthSpiritEnergies

EARTH & SPIRIT

ENERGIES 57

Oh Lord, won’t you find me some time for myself BEN CARTER breaks bread with the woman behind the man running Echuca’s Christ Church Anglican and discovers that when it comes to casual conversations she has limited time available and a lot of work to get done.

ARAH HEMMINGS PRAYS hard — and first and foremost she prays for husband George.

Because she is concerned his role as the one-man band running Christ Church Anglican in Hare St is a demanding load. And Sarah really understands demanding. She is the mother of four boys under six. That alone would be enough for most people. But Sarah doesn’t actually have time to be most people because she is one of the people to whom many of her husband’s congregation turn for a variety of reasons (even demands). When you are helping run a major church time comes at a premium, and has to be managed around the time needed to run your home. Whether it’s out the front on Sundays, leading songs; or in the function room leading Sunday School, there’s always something to do. So what, exactly, does she do? “I encourage George — and because he’s the only staff member at the church he tends to bounce ideas off me as well, so I spend time listening and giving feedback on different ideas,” Sarah said. “Then there’s the more practical things; such as preparing resources for him or cooking (for morning tea) or crafts (for Sunday School),” she said. During the regular working week Sarah is part of a ladies’ evening Bible study (once a fortnight), and as of January has been taking on Mainly Music, the weekly program that introduces music to predominantly pre-school children.

The long hours. “I’ve always been someone who likes to do a bit of everything. And because my backThe benefit of being the minister’s partner? ground is in teaching, and schools are very Also the long hours. busy places, then I feel very comfortable when I’m busy too.” “I tend to be at home with the kids a lot of Sarah said she considered it a “great priv- the time, so on a typical Saturday when others have their husband or partner around, ilege” to share life’s journey with others in George is busy working,” Sarah said. the congregation and wider community. “But on the flipside he has a lot of flexibility,” she said.

“

GEORGE AND I SEE THAT WE’RE CALLED TO BE HERE LONG-TERM. I THINK WE WANT TO SEE GOD REALLY GROWING THE CHURCH AND USING OUR GIFTS BUT TO DO THAT YOU NEED TO INVEST TIME IN THE CHURCH AND THE TOWN.

”

“He can come to things the kids are doing and mix up his time a little bit which is really nice. So there are benefits as well. I can also get involved at kinder and school and swimming and all those sorts of things.” Given her leadership role in the congregation and community as a member of a local church, Sarah said the best way to raise the profile of faith in the twin towns would be to combine traditional Sunday morning services with wider action and activity around Echuca-Moama. “I think as a church on a Sunday morning we need to be welcoming and loving and provide teaching and opportunity for people to gather together and worship,” she adds.

“George and I always think there’s room for us to expand what we’re doing. That people want to come along and feel a part of something bigger, feel connected. That’s really “Coming to Echuca, we didn’t really know important. That people who come to Mainly anyone but because we’re part of a church Music or the op shop feel welcomed and we get an instant community when we arrive, which is amazing and encouraging,” loved for who they are.” she said. Sarah says new presentation styles were “Whether through really great things or difficult things,” Sarah says.

“Our kids are pretty outgoing and confident and they have other significant adults in their lives to teach them.

also important — and they needed to meet the needs of both ends of the age spectrum.

“I think we need to connect with fami“And (we have) an opportunity to get along- lies — not just people with young kids but also elderly people, across all aspects of the side people, pray for and encourage them community who need care,” she adds. and support them, whether it be dropping a “Even before I was married and had chilmeal around or other practical support.” dren I was very involved in my church (in “We need to provide just as many opportuMelbourne) and I think God’s created me to nities for people in their 60s, 70s and 80s The toughest aspect of being the wife of a enjoy being busy!” Sarah conceded. as ages six, seven or eight. I think we do church minister?

that well with all different ages, stages and genders.”

beyond that. “George and I see that we’re called to be

And it looks like Sarah, George and family — who haven’t been here two years yet — will continue for some time yet.

“That’s why we built a house — to show our

“We feel like it’s home; and it’s great,” she said of Echuca-Moama so far.

“We’re not here to quickly come for a year or

At present, the Anglican church in Australia usually assigns ministers a five-year term in charge of a particular local church, before reviewing how things are going both up the front and in the pews. Sarah sounded hopeful of a time even

here long-term,” she said. commitment to the town and community. two and then go and relocate somewhere else. “I think we want to see God really growing the church and using our gifts but to do that you need to invest time in the church and the town.”

And time is that one intangible Sarah has to run with military precision before she is run ragged with her boys and runs out of it for her many roles. But with the power of prayer (and her ability to be happily busy) she might find time for it all — and time for the progress of which she and the Reverend George Hemmings (inducted as priest in charge of the Parish of Christ Church Echuca on April 17 in 2015 and appointed its Rector on January 14 last year) dream. Now there’s something worth praying for. ¾

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We are family When it comes to developing property having a real understanding of what families are looking for — and need— comes as second nature to the female team behind much of what Villawood has been able to achieve around Echuca-Moama.

ARKETING WHAT WAS an empty paddock and is now being developed into a residential community is not the easiest gig in town.

You’re not a real estate agent, you aren’t selling bricks and mortar, where someone can walk up and — literally — kick the wall and get an indelible impression of what they are about to invest in.

for developing residential communities in harmony with their surroundings. “What we are doing at Perricoota Rd is a signature project which we believe will not just provide homes to new generations of locals but also take into account the need for community with breathing space, and addressing many of the issues we all face in our changing world, not unlike what we saw in America,” they said.

No, when it comes to property development you are selling a lot more than just a “And that’s why we rely so much on our frontline team of Vanessa, Andrea and home, you are actually selling a dream. Jenny, working with Julian, to help us deliver A dream more and more people are chasing that message long before the houses start as the rising price of established property going up. makes the house and land packages available in Villawood Properties Communities all “All three of them have their own families so they understand better than most exactly the more attractive. what it is people are looking for in a family And Villawood knows one of the best ways environment.” to complete the dream experience is to Chief financial controller — “the figures make sure the people behind the product girl” — Vanessa started with Villawood 17 know what they are talking about. years ago when the company was launched Enter marketing manager Jenny Turner, in Bendigo. It was just her and Rory. development manager Andrea Smith and The well-travelled Vanessa grew up holidaychief financial officer Vanessa Shotton. ing on the Murray, she loves caravanning This power trio combines with general and camping with her family. manager Julian Perez to work on a range Vanessa has consolidated her link with the of projects — and one of the hottest in the future wellbeing of the country as a direccatalogue is Moama’s Lakeview Estate and tor of Enviro Offset Trading, which trades in its 174 allotments (including a landscaped native vegetation credits. lake and waterfront properties) from 750 square metres to a sprawling 2500 square metres. After 14 years with Villawood, Jenny Turner said the biggest appeal for her has been the company’s commitment to being a community-conscious developer, focused on building happy, healthy and interactive communities. Based around a visit by Villawood executive directors Rory Costelloe and Tony Johnson to a planned, ecologically-sensitive community in the US, which ignited their passion

Andrea started with Villawood in 2013 after spending five years at home with her daughters. Always on the go she loves trail running, her weekly game of netball and being active with her family. With a little more freedom in her life now as the mother of three adult children, Jenny keeps extremely busy outside of working hours instructing fitness classes, teaching dance and creating costumes for her dancers’ showcase performances. ¾

Villawoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing team of Andrea Smith, Vanessa Shotton and Jenny Turner.

Sophie’s Single

Any New Year’s got to be a better one Suddenly single in 2016, SOPHIE BALDWIN is less suddenly, but increasingly, rebuilding her life on her terms and while the bike rides are hard yakka and the grey hairs hard on the self esteem, it’s looking a whole lot better.

My biggest bubba completed Year 12 and got her P’s.

I started the New Year refreshed from a great Christmas with my family and my annual beach holiday in Nelson Bay with my brother.

I was always looking forward to her getting her licence but I have to say that little bit of extra freedom does come at a cost — and unfortunately more grey hair as she heads out into the big wide world on her own.

OOD RIDDANCE TO 2016 and hello to 2017 — aren’t you going to be a great year!

This time of the year I am always grateful for my family and as we sit down around the table for the annual eating festival that is Christmas-New Year and I thank my lucky stars for each and every person in it. The sledging, the competitiveness, the love and the laughter is what Christmas is about and while the gifts are nice, it is always, always, the catching up with family that means the most to me. At this time of the year it is customary to reflect on the past 12 months and if my grey hair growth is anything to go by, it has been a pretty big one. I have completed my first calendar year as a single mum and all things considered I think I have done a pretty good job — and I made it through the year without committing a serious felony. Go me!

in November with a dear friend. For the first time in 18 years I had a holiday without my girls. New Zealand is a truly beautiful country — magnificent scenery, lush green countryside, no litter and the clearest lakes and rivers I have ever seen.

Do we ever stop worrying about our kids? I am starting to think the answer to that is a big fat no!

My bum survived the days on the bike and I can see more of that type of holiday in my future.

Letting go of your babies is a frightening thing but I guess it is also an unavoidable part of life.

Hopefully my next destination will be a little less windy and the ’wee’ undulations I tackle a little less mountainous.

My littlest bubba completed Year 10 and got her L’s, which means another year of sitting in the passenger seat, trying not to scream, yell or press the imaginary brake every car needs when you have an L plater driving.

I have never been one to set resolutions but I have decided to participate in another half Ironman next month and there is also a 180km bike ride in the southern highlands later in the year that I might have a crack at.

The odometer in my car tells me I travelled 38,000 km which indicates a lot of 2016 was spent roaming the countryside and with only two speeding fines, both in the same spot on the same day (coming and going) I think that is a pretty good effort.

I will continue to work on being a better person and practice the art of forgiveness, if not for anyone other than myself.

I did take a step toward my own personal independence too when I spent 10 days travelling the south island of New Zealand

Life is short and as time goes by I have learnt out of adversity comes opportunity and it is important to grab that whenever you can. So happy 2017 everyone (even if it was last month). ¾

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Zali’s first love had to be herself Schoolgirl Zali McKee has proudly taken centre stage in showing other girls — and women — they have every right to be who they are. Taking IVY WISE through her hurtful journey Zali has demonstrated wisdom beyond her years.

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E C H U C A

diagnosed with anxiety and social and panic disorder, so that was really tough,” she said.

Starting with the hurtful first time someone called the teenager fat.

It was during a performance of EchucaMoama Theatre Company’s production of Hairspray in 2015 that she suffered one of her worst panic attacks.

IFE HAS TAUGHT Zali McKee an incredibly valuable but very tough lesson — and one she has learnt in a painful hurry.

Even worse was the mental trauma that followed, wondering how many other people were thinking, and saying, the same thing. But this bright and talented 18-year-old has not only lived through it all, she has made a remarkable transition to someone willingly putting themselves in the spotlight. “You need to love yourself before you can love anyone else,” Zali said. That is a remarkable milestone in a life journey which often takes many women 30 or 40 years; and sadly is one in which many others will never get there. After enduring a difficult few years dealing with family and health challenges, the proud VCE graduate has truly learnt to love herself. In a time where skinny is in, and so many, too many, girls strive for the unachievable body, Zali is challenging the norm. She has curves and she is proud of them, although that wasn’t always the case. Between years eight and 10, dealing with family issues including a sick grandfather, Zali unwittingly began to eat for comfort. “While the family issues were going on, I was sort of by myself and I got to a point where I was getting to an unhealthy weight. I would have my own jar of Nutella and I’d eat it in the morning before I got out of bed, I’d eat it after school when I got home and I’d eat some before I went to bed,” she said. “I was a very unhappy girl.”

“I had a panic attack during intermission and my whole body went into complete shock. I had all my friends around me trying to keep me calm and here I am, wide eyed and I can’t move or speak,” she said.

“

IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT BEING A BETTER YOU. COMPARE YOURSELF FROM THE DAY BEFORE AND BECOME BETTER EACH DAY … WE’VE JUST GOT TO BE A BETTER VERSION OF OURSELVES — AND THAT’S UP TO US, NO-ONE ELSE.

”

“It’s a very scary experience.” Despite this, Zali went on to win a Georgy excellence award for her ensemble performance, which included a solo singing role.

because games and rehearsals fell on the same day. “That was a big step for me,” she said. “It was definitely out of my comfort zone because I’ve always been the quiet achiever and I don’t say much, so going into a big group of people was very intimidating as I didn’t know anyone. “But I came out of my shell and I’ve learnt a lot about myself being a part of EMTC. She has gone on to star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Anything Goes, and this year is set to make audiences laugh in the Monty Python musical comedy Spamalot. “Although I haven’t gotten a lead role yet, I’m still holding out for one with learning what I can do and improve to the best of my ability,” she said. It is thanks to EMTC and the friends she has made there that Zali has learnt self-acceptance, as well as a desire to go further in theatre. After taking a gap year, she plans to study sound production, performing arts and creative writing at LaTrobe Bendigo. “The dream is either to do musical theatre, be an actress or a musician,” she said. “I also love writing so an author would be great too.”

“Doing theatre helps (with anxiety),” she said.

Whatever happens, Zali is striding out into the wide world with confidence.

“It’s a different outlet for me as I get to meet new people and see people who make me happy.

“I don’t need to prove to anyone else, I just need to prove to myself that I can be happy, and that I am good enough,” she said.

“I can let my hair down and just relax and I don’t have to be someone else. I don’t have to prove myself to anyone, I can just have fun.”

“It’s always about being a better you. Compare yourself from the day before and become better each day.

It was in Year 11, stung by the fat comments, when Zali realised something wasn’t right and needed to change her lifestyle.

Always a sports fanatic, Zali landed her first role with EMTC in the production of My Son Pinocchio in 2014.

“Then I got the wake-up call when I was

However, that meant giving up basketball

“So many girls compare themselves to other girls and it shouldn’t be a competition. “We’ve just got to be a better version of ourselves — and that’s up to us, no-one else.” ¾

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When chaos theory actually works IVY WISE sits down with highly-credentialled trauma nurse Jade Jones and discovers her shift to Echuca-Moama has hardly put her on life in the slow lane as she continues to work at the frontline of emergency medicine.

ADE JONES THRIVES on chaos.

In a crowded, high-pressure emergency room, the associate nurse unit manager is in her element.

“I love it if it’s busy, when it’s heaving,” she said. “I like the adrenalin rush and things where you have to move quickly and have high priorities.” That was her life for eight years at the Alfred Hospital’s emergency and trauma centre — a tour of duty which truly covered every kind of trauma. “I’ve seen everything from 90 per cent burns to dead-on-arrival, car accidents, multiple amputations from trains, stabbings, gun shots,” she said. “I’d be in the distressed relative’s room I don’t know how many times a week talking to young mums and dads about whether they’re interested in organ donation

because their kid has been in a car accident.

“In Echuca, we see river and horse riding accidents, car and motorbike accidents, “Working at the Alfred, I’ve seen the sickburns, football accidents where they’ve had est patients, the highest acuity patients lacerations to their liver and end up quite in Victoria because they’re all flown to a sick,” she said. level one trauma centre, which is either the Alfred or Royal Melbourne.” “I’ve seen a lot of spinal trauma from riverboat accidents and mainly spectators from However, a blind date with local dairy the Southern 80 diving into the river, we’ve farmer Chris Jones would see Jade eventuhad up to 50 per cent burns in Echuca from ally marry him and move to the area. campsites, explosions from gas bottles and With three children under 10, the couple run stabbings. a 300-cow dairy farm in Patho, while Jade “We get trauma patients driven in utes from has been working as associate nurse unit camping spots. I had two guys with multimanager at the Echuca emergency departple injuries who rolled a quad bike because ment since February 2005. they were racing at night-time after being And although Echuca hospital does not intoxicated. have the same high-intensity environment “I’ve had a man gnawed by a bull at the sales.” and high acuity patients she was used to, And then there are the ice patients. she has come to love the gig. But it’s not as if the new job is without its own share of trauma.

“We’ve had a 75 kg guy actually remove our heavy duty locked cubicle door just

“

ONCE I HAD A PERSON PRESENT WITH A WEAPON, I THINK IT WAS A KNIFE, IN THE WAITING ROOM SO WE JUST CALLED THE POLICE.

Can you hear but not understand?

”

because of his inner strength,” she said. “Often they’ve come in under police custody and they’re not of sound mind. Because after days and days on the gear they often take other stuff to come down.” Jade reckons she would see one to two ice-affected patients a week on average. “Melbourne’s ice epidemic has certainly caught up to us in the country,” she said. “It’s a huge increase in our mental health problems. A lot of our mental health patients are a result of ice or the aggressive patients we deal with in the emergency department is secondary to people coming off ice who might be on a bender.” She said Echuca Regional Health did not tolerate any form of violence. “If we’re on night duty and someone’s come into the waiting room (and they’re violent) we just call the police, we don’t tolerate it, it’s even too risky to send our security guard out,” she said. “Once I had a person present with a weapon, I think it was a knife, in the waiting room so we just called the police.” It’s not something she looked forward to but being surrounded by trauma and sickness was just part of the job, Jade said. “You just have to accept it,” she said. “It’s tragic and traumatic but it’s what happens.” However, treating sick babies and children had proved more difficult since becoming a mother.

It is very common for people with hearing problems to notice that they can hear but that they can’t always understand. There are solutions to help you and it doesn’t always mean you need to use hearing aids. If you are finding you are having hearing difficulties you should call Murray Hearing Services as we offer you the following services: • Free hearing assessments, we will discuss your results and options. If required a report can be forwarded to your family doctor at no cost to you. • We are accredited providers of free hearing services to eligible pensioners, D.V.A. recipients, N.S.W. and Victorian WorkCover claimants. • We also offer free no-obligation 60-day hearing aid trials for private and self-funded retirees. If you do not receive the benefits you require then you simply return the hearing aid at no cost to you.

“I find that more upsetting,” she said. “We had a little baby here with a genetic problem to who we all got quite close, so that was hard. “That’s the only funeral I’ve ever been to in my whole nursing career because we got to meet mum and developed a rapport with her.” It would seem nursing is in Jade’s blood, but no. None of her close relatives were nurses. Nursing wasn’t even her career choice when she finished school. “When I got my Year 12 results back, I realised I wasn’t going to get into marine biology, so second preference I thought I’ll just fill in the gaps with nursing — and that was my introduction,” she said. “There’s never a day when I don’t want to get out of bed, when I feel like ’God, I’ve got to go to work’. I’m always happy to be on the job.” So Jade might have fallen into the profession by default but it turned out to be the best non-decision of her life. ¾

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Thirty Something

If they’re just boys, it explains a lot about men I

KNOW MOST of you will be most concerned that I made it safely through another festive season. In reasonable shape. Financially and physically.

Well the answer would probably have to be yes and, well, no. I sailed through the big day without once having to reach for my credit card because I singlehandedly persuaded my family to give up this ludicrous business of trying to outspend to out-give each other every year. And launched our first Kris Kringle, thereby ensuring my next two mortgage payments will be made without the annual serious conversation with my ‘private banker’. Physically, however, it has been somewhat traumatic. You see I have parted ways with my semi-serious other half after a few very on and off bouts of seriousness. But I was decent enough to do it before he had lashed out on the usual spectacular gift on December 25 despite that little voice in my head suggesting I might want to reconsider this momentous decision (for at least a week or two). It did not go well but the thing which has

most alarmed me is how I felt afterwards, which was not as well as I had planned. I might even have become, damn it, mildly morose. It’s one thing to have the run of the house, just you and your best, four-legged friend. But oddly, that has seemed to pale after a little while. To make matters worse, because I had ’free’ space at Christmas I got lumbered with the family overflow — this year it was two teenage nephews. It was like a tornado. They did not go to sleep until late, had to be almost dragged out of bed to get to assorted functions, I don’t think they washed once while they were here, although they did leave other signs of their passing in the bathroom (and I’ll be having that floor cleaned professionally). They were here for three nights, it seemed like three weeks and will possibly take three months from which to recover. My beautiful dog got so stressed he is starting to shed hair at an alarming rate, there is no food left in the house — mine or the dog’s. If it wasn’t under lock and key they ate

most of it and scattered the rest around the lounge room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, hallway and backyard. So there I was, an erstwhile emotional wreck, getting a good hands-on lesson in why I am the age I am without having things such as my two nephews in tow. Truly, if they were mine I would want to send them back. Fortunately I could, in this case. If they were mine it becomes somewhat more problematical. When I complained to my mother she chided me and said “they’re just boys”. Yes, I told her, but they JUST happen to be in my house. And I know what life was like growing up with my sisters. When I looked at it all in that light I suddenly felt a lot less morose. In fact I started feeling downright relieved. Because if I started that baby business about now, and had two sons, I might end up with a pair like these when I was almost 50 something. That thought alone keeps me awake at night. ¾

Congratulations Bella You are a celebration of all that is important to women. Every woman has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. No-one should harm or verbally abuse her. www.peterwalsh.org.au peterwalshmp peterwalshmp Peter Walsh MP 466 High St, Echuca Ph 5482 2039 or 1300 467 906 Funded from Parliament’s Electorate Office & Communications Budget.

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LAKEVIEW MOAMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

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