Melbourne Observer. February 24, 2016

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GIRLS FROM OZ

● Preparing to go to Rio in The Boy From Oz: Teagan Hart (back row left), Jess Rawlins, Sonyta Trahar, Crysten Daniels and Amber Morrissey. Seated from left, Rochelle Brown, Shelby Brooks, Samantha Cardinali and Stephanie Haigh.

Photo: Lee Geraghty

■ The Cardinia Performing Arts Company (CPAC) presents The Boy From Oz from February 27 to March 11 at the Cardinia Cultural Centre Pakenham.

The most successful Australian musical ever, and the first to make it to Broadway, The Boy From Oz is a musical biography/tribute to the late great Peter Allen.

Born in the outback Australian town of Tenterfield in 1944, Peter Allen made his entertainment debut at the age of five, impersonating Al Jolson.

As a teenager he became a pop star and toured Asia, where he met Judy Garland who took him to London.

There he met and became engaged to her daughter, Liza Minnelli In the US, Peter enjoyed the highs of success by winning an Oscar, selling out performances in Radio City Music Hall, and receiving adulation when he returned to Australia.

CPAC’s production of The Boy From Oz is directed by Lee Geraghty, with musical direction by Kent Ross and choreography by Robert Mulholland.

Performance Season: February 27 – March 11 Venue: Cardinia Cultural Centre Pakenham Bookings: www.cardinia performingarts.com Enquiries: 0407 090354 - Cheryl Threadgold

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Page 2 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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Travel Planner

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 3

Page 4 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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Country People

● Steve Bennett and Sheena Smith at the ea Winery, Cidery and Brewery in Station St, Yea, with a personalised label for the Rodders who exhibit in March.

Our roving photographer captured a day in Yea

● Lisa Jacobsen and Kay Granter, at the Yea Pool, welcomed visitors to the Hume Upper Goulburn District Amateur Swimming Assoc. pennant meeting

● Robyn Hood and Sue Hood volunteer at the St Luke’s Op Shop, Yea.

● Heidi Neicho and Elizabeth McQueen at the ‘Nice’ shop, 38 High St, Yea

● Grant Cocks at ‘Just Good Coffee’, open 6am-1pm, at 38 High St, Yea

● Elaine Harriden enjoys a coffee at the Yea Emporium

● Peg O’Connor and Ruth Hatty make preparations at Yea Bowls Club

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 5

Court Roundsman

It’s All About You!

Melbourne

Leading Aboriginal elder Observer wins work-with-kids permit In This 92-Page Edition

Country Observer: Day In Yea ...................... Page 4 Long Shots: The Editor’s Column ................. Page 6 News: Queen of Broken Hearts ................... Page 7 Yvonne Lawrence: Life and Style ................. Page 8 Melb. Confidential: David Opat ................... Page 9 Freemasons Victoria: Amazing place ........ Page 10 West Hollywood: Gavin Wood reports ........ Page 11 Kevin Trask: Ingrid Bergman ..................... Page 12 Nick Le Souef: Outback Legend ................ Page 12 Travel and Wine: Osborne and Ellis ........... Page 22 Radio Confidential: Grubby, Dee Dee ........ Page 26 ‘Understudied’ Top 10 Lists Country Music Canterbury Tales

Richard and Doreen: a true pair of Allstars

Observer Showbiz Showbiz

● Doreen and Richard Sargentson on their wedding day in 2011.

■ Doreen Jamieson-Sargentson’s singing, mas Splash at Crown. dancing and acting talents are a familiar treat Doreen had a double by-pass operation in for Heidelberg Allstars audiences, while her 2009 and thought “I had better cut down on husband Richard has been a highly valued my activities.” behind-the-scenes worker.

An inspiration to all, Doreen still enjoys A dancing school teacher for many years, singing and dancing every Monday from Doreen has performed in community theatre 9.30am to 3.30pm at rehearsals with the productions for CLOC Musical Productions, Heidelberg Allstars, and performs in the ana variety group called Gaiety, which enter- nual variety show at the Banyule Theatre. tained at various venues including RSL and A bookkeeper all her life, Doreen still works Bowling Clubs, and the St Matthew’s Musi- part-time. cal Society.

Richard has carried over his love of music In 2000 Doreen joined the Slater and Coyne as a young boy soprano in the Parade choir Performing Arts School and played principal and competing in Eisteddfods to organising roles, including Miss Hannigan in Annie twice. the sound and music for shows today.

She also performed with MLOC ProducHe also studied Irish Dancing, learnt to play tions, Babirra Music Theatre and the Dia- the saxophone and clarinet and formed a band mond Valley Singers. with friends, performing around the city and Doreen joined Isabel Ryan’s Golden Tap- at various prisons around Melbourne, and in pers in 1998 and danced in many fund-raising the country. performances, including at the Melbourne Music was put on hold when Richard marConcert Hall and on the Denise Drysdale TV ried and raised a family, but when retiring, he Show. became interested in sound management and Doreen was also a member of The Tap joined the Eltham Little Theatre.

Diamonds, which raised funds for the Peter He also joined the Heidelberg Allstars, MacCallum Cancer Centre. organised the sound and music for concerts, In 2002, Doreen joined the Heidelberg and was stage manager for many years.

Allstars and the group entertains at various Nowadays Richard organises music for venues during the year and presents a big end- the Gowanbrae Singers every Monday of-year show. evening and lives a happy and contented life Appearing in the Todd McKenney Show with “my darling wife Doreen”.

Live at The Palms at Crown in 2005 for 10 Doreen says “I live in beautiful Gowanbrae performances was a highlight for Doreen.

Village with my wonderful husband Richard She also appeared on Dancing with the who, by the way, I met at Heidelberg Allstars.”

Stars, and performed with Todd at the Christ- Cheryl Threadgold

■ Lionel Charles Bamblett , a leading Aboriginal uncle and elder, has been granted a working-with-children permit, despite a serious prior seven-year jail term for attempted rape.

Bamblett had applied last year to the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Regulation for an assessment notice under the Working with Children Act, but because of the nature of the office, was refused a permit/ “The offence occurred more than 45 years ago, when Mr Bamblett was aged 19, and the victim was in her 20s,” said Mark Dwyer, Deputy President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Trubunal.

“The offence was not directly childrelated. The offence has not been decriminalised.

“The evidence is that, since the offence, Mr Bamblett’s life has taken a positive trajectory, including leadership roles within the Aboriginal community sector.

“He has been married for over 20 years with children and grandchildren, and is now seen as a role model and respected Uncle and Elder within his extended family.

“The evidence is that Mr Bamblett has been successful in his rehabilitation, and now contributes positively to society.

“Through his work within the Aboriginal community, Mr Bamblett has had considerable access to, and interaction with, children and vulnerable people over many years, without any concern as to his behaviour.

“I agree with the Secretary that the evidence points to the risk of re-offending being negligible, and that Mr Bamblett poses a very low risk of a future threat to a child.

“This is corroborated by several character references in Mr Bamblett’s favour,” Mr Dwyer said.

“I also agree with the Secretary that a reasonable person would have little cause to be concerned about his or her child having direct unsupervised contact with Mr Bamblett in any child–related work.”

Latest News Flashes Around Victoria

Fire bug anxiety

■ Accelerant has been used to set fire to a car in Bell Post Hill, further fuelling fears of a lone fire bug or copy cat arsonist in the city’s west, reports the Geelong Advertiser.

Not easy being green

■ VicRoads will remove more than 12,000 saplings and small plants from a median section of the Western Hwy between Beaufort and Burrumbeet, reports the Ballarat Courier.

In time, the trees would have become hazardous to road users.

Set for life

■ A couple that bought a four set entry inTatts’ Set for Life competition from Irymple Post Office, Newsagency and TattsLotto centre has won $20,000 every month for 20 years – or $4.8 million, reports the Sunraysia Daily.

ABC coverage risk

■ The Gippsland Times says local communities are at risk if the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reduces its focus on rural areas, according to Wellington Shire Council.

20c litre dearer

■ Mansfield residents are calling on the Federal Government to intervene in the pricing of local fuel, citing differences of more than 20 cents per litre between local and metropolitan Melbourne, says the Mansfield Courier.

Weather Forecast ■ ■ ■ ■

Today (Wed.). Partly cloudy. 19°-31° Thurs. Partly cloudy. 14°-29° Fri. Partly cloudy. 14°-25° Sat. Partly cloudy. 14°-25°

Mike McColl Jones

Top 5

THE TOP 5 COMMENTS HEARD WHEN TW O NEW ZEALANDERS URINA TED TWO URINATED FROM THEIR MO VING C AR MOVING CAR 5. "You idiot I said show us your Tiki."

4. "Mummy, is that a fire engine?"

3. "To hell with the Qs ... I'm watching the Ps." 2. "I peed on a Jeep."

1. "Yes children ... he's going 'wee wee’ all the way home."

Page 6 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

✄

2016 FIREWOOD

✄

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Dave’s Dirt Works

Ash

Time for firewood

■ For all your garden needs, feel free to call in and see the team at Dave’s Dirt Works.

So much is available including, an array of mulches, soils, sands, toppings, concrete mix, roadbase, river rocks, ornamental/decorative rocks, railway sleepers, treated pine sleepers, pebbles, raised garden beds, concrete ornaments, plants and ever changing rustic garden ornamentation.

Items for the man cave or the garden area are well covered, with delivery available across the region.

Enjoy all that is on view in a relaxed, comfortable outdoor area.

The kettle is always on if you would like to have a cuppa as you wander around getting answers to your gardening needs.

Dave’s Dirt Works is a major supplier of firewood in the region.

With a reputation for top quality redgum, they supply both retail and wholesale wood across a large section of Victoria and NSW. Recently, the owner, Angela Warren, introduced a “layby for wood” system which has allowed the community to ease the strain of the winter heating bill.

Bagged wood is also available wholesale and

Phone 5784 3330

✄

✄

BULK LOADS AVAILABLE! $130 per metre pick-up Pick-up available at Dave’s Dirt Works 209 High St, Broadford Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm. Sat. 9am-2pm

retail, only $9.90 for a 15kg bag picked up at the yard.

Call in to discuss your small or bulk loads.

Trade enquiries are always welcome.

Many people in the region will know David Warren for his reputation in the earthmoving industry.

With more than 30 years on a machine David offers expertise solutions to earthmoving problems with his Possi Track, Excavators, Graders and Trucks.

David is also a qualified tree faller taking on many of the dangerous trees across the region when required.

We are a small family business employing other local families.

The yard is open six days a week, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm, Saturdays 9am-2pm or by appointment Feel free to call in and have a wander around or call on 5784 3330 to discuss anything for your garden.

Conveniently located for easy access at 209 High St, Broadford (next to the Paper Mill).

Pick-up and delivery available, small or large loads.

- Staff Writer

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 7

Showbiz News

Queen of broken hearts Briefs Wanted

■ Police have released an image of a man they wish to speak to after an incident in Cheltenham last week where a person masturbated in front of a child and his mother.

Investigators have been told that a woman took her two-year-old boy to the Stanley Avenue Reserve to play on Thursday (Feb. 18).

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppers vic.com.au

Blown it

■ A man said to have never held a driver’s licence has been charged with drink driving in Keysborough.

Dandenong Safe Suburbs Task Force members intercepted an unregistered 1994 BMW sedan in Kirkham Rd West on Monday night. The driver is alleged to have blown .186.

■ It seemed appropriate to see this show at the Butterfly Club on Valentine’s Day. Rosie Roulette was duly dressed in her regalia, topped with a small crown of hearts.

Her character, the Queen of (Broken) Hearts, assured the audience with great aplomb that she would endeavor to mend all broken hearts. The scene was set for a witty repartee.

She jokingly referred to other people saying she was mad with her rendition of one of her many original songs, Sweet Madness.

After an impromptu song about one of the members of the audience who volunteered to come on stage, we were regaled with another song about how ‘people say I’m crazy’.

The tunes were well constructed and Rosie’s strong vocals did justice to her character.

Rosie has such an expressive face and she used it well throughout. Her burlesque dance was energised and her flexibility amazed.

She followed this with a powerful rendition of the song Poison.

The song Would You Believe Me led to a darker and more poignant scene, which led to her shedding her character voice and speaking from the heart about mental illness.

She makes the point that people need to talk about this more openly and positively.

It is something that needs to be addressed and people with this type of illness should be helped at every opportunity. Not shunned by society and locked away in the too hard basket.

She explains that her way of dealing with her mental illness problems is to escape into a fantasy world, a creative world where she can feel safe.

Rosie Roulette is a delightful performer, engaging well with her audience.

Her original songs show off her piano skills and wonderful musical theatre vocals.

She articulates her story through song with great self-confidence.

The help of her stage hand/fellow performer was well choreographed and worked extremely well.

- Lyn Laister

Melbourne Observations

with Matt Bissett-Johnson

‘Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.’

ASIC bans adviser

● Rosie Roulette

Godspell returns

■ Theatre favourite Godspell is back in Melbourne for one last event on March 13.

Presented by Room 8 and Australian Shakespeare Company, Godspell in the Garden sold out its February shows.

This version of Godspell has been reimagined and incorporates a plethora of contemporary additions: street dance, urban acrobatics and modern musical composition.

Godspell first appeared as an off-Broadway production in 1971.

Picnic at Hanging Rock ■ Picnic at Hanging Rock is a piece of Australian mythology that has cemented itself in the national psyche.

But never before has it been adapted for the stage – until now.

Joan Lindsay’s haunting tale has had such an impact that it has established itself as a piece of faux-Australian history, helped in large part by the celebrated film adaptation directed by Peter Weir.

Now, for the first time, the looming rock will cast its shadow across the stage in this world premiere the-

THE BARREL

atrical adaptation from playwright Tom Wright and Malthouse Theatre’s own Artistic Director Matthew Lutton.

One summer’s day in 1900, three schoolgirls and a teacher inexplicably vanished, never to be seen again.

In this adaptation, five performers will struggle to solve the mystery, and in the process find that the potential for history to repeat itself is nightmarishly real.

Picnic At Hanging Rock is a story that defies explanation, a story

that proves that horror is a warm, sunny day.

Performance Season: February 29-March 17.

Venue: Malthouse Theatre, Southbank.

Tickets: Full $65/Senior $60/ Concession $50/Tertiary Student and Under 30s $35.

For full details of performance dates and times visit: malthouse theatre.com.au/whats-on/picnic-athanging-rock - Cheryl Threadgold

No returns for 3 years

■ The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has accepted an enforceable undertaking from Australian financial services licensee Sino Investment Services Pty Ltd and its sole director Richard Li, following an ASIC investigation into concerns about compliance with financial services laws.

Sino Investment Services is a Melbourne based company that has held an AFS licence since 2004. Mr Li is the responsible manager of the financial services business of SIS and an authorised representative of SIS' AFS licence.

ASIC says no returns had been lodged for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 years.

■ The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has permanently banned Victorian man, Andrew Moroney, from providing financial services after it was found that he provided advice that prioritised his own interests ahead of his clients.

ASIC found that Moroney failed to comply with financial services laws in relation to a number of his clients.

Moroney was an authorised representative of Guardian Advice from March 2006 toApril 2014.

Moroney's business model for his advice practice involved annually recommending his clients replace one insurance policy with another.

This meant Moroney received a high up-front commission payment each year for each replaced insurance policy.

Clients who entered into a new life insurance policy annually were put at risk of exclusionary periods or revised terms.

ASIC decided to ban Moroney permanently after finding that he: ■ failed to make reasonable enquiries into the circumstances of the clients before providing advice to them to enter into a new life insurance policy; ■ failed to conduct reasonable enquiries into insurance policies, both those already held by clients and alternative policies; ■ incorrectly stated he had undertaken research on alternative life insurance policies, when this was not done; ■ failed to demonstrate that the advice he provided to the clients was appropriate and in the best interests of the clients, based on their circumstances; and ■ prioritised his own commercial interests ahead of the interests of the clients.

ASIC Deputy Chairman Peter Kell said: “Conduct by advisers aimed at maximising commission by replacing insurance policies, without valid reason, is unacceptable.

“It puts clients' coverage at risk and drives costs in the sector, which are ultimately borne by consumers.

“ASIC will remove advisers whose conduct breaches financial services laws and falls short of the standards expected of the industry.”

■ Moroney has the right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC's decision.

580,000 in the City

■ Some 580,000 people visited the city and marvelled, danced, celebrated and delighted in the fourth White Night Melbourne, Australia’s most celebrated cultural event according to Kerry O’Brien Publicity.

“Melbourne turned on a crisp and clear evening for the local, interstate and international visitors who navigated their way through the White Night Melbourne five cultural precincts which featured more than 130 free events.

Artistic Director Andrew Walsh said: “Melbourne turned out with joy in their heart. White Night again exceeded expectations with an increase in numbers and across the board Melbourne’s creative community delivered a spectacular night of art and culture.”

Page 8 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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Teachers should not be lunchbox police

Yvonne’s Column

■ I absolutely adored school. Chalk and the sight of a blackboard would send me into raptures from the “bubs” grade to tertiary education.

Mum didn’t have to drag me to my first day at school – I’d been ready for what seemed like forever.

My first school was a small rural school, and kids from the “littlies” to grade six would sit, two to a desk in rows, depending on your grade.

We all came to love and respect the young man who taught us. If Mr. Levins told us something, we knew it to be true.

If he told us to be quiet, we would hardly breathe; such was our respect and devotion to this man.

A bit like a To Sir With Love kind of thing.

with Yvonne Lawrence

Expectations

■ If you had finished your work, and your mind drifted a bit, you would listen to what was being taught to the grade six kids a few rows down.

And so our knowledge grew.

We walked to school down a long dirt road – we even had fun walking to school, It was always with great expectations of what Mr Levins would have for us that day when we arrived at the gate of our one room school.

He was such a terrific teacher. He sorted out many problems for some students that went way beyond anything on the curriculum.

Lunchtime was always special.

We would take our lunch and all grades would gather under this huge peppercorn tree and eat our sandwiches, talk and laugh. Mr Levins would patrol the grounds to make sure that we put our rubbish in the bins.

Joined for a game

■ He sometimes joined in a game we would play. Some of the boys told us that he was watching out for snakes. He laughed when we told him, although he did tell us not to go into any long grass.

I will have to be forgiven for becoming a bit cranky when I read that Point Cook College has urged parents to avoid sending bananas, watermelon (we used to eat this by the bucket load) soy, wheat, eggs, dairy and nuts in lunches.

yvonne.lawrence@bigpond.com In the light of school children not being able to spell and read, I would have thought that Point Cook should stick to the 3 R’s instead of being lunchbox police.

And that goes for all the other schools that are neglecting teaching and becoming diet experts.

Even in boarding school we had end of term days when we sold cakes and lollies to add to the school funds.

The older girls would be baking cakes and making toffee apples for days during domestic science so that we had enough merchandise to sell. Toffee apples were a penny each, and were our best sellers.

Allergies ■ Most children know if they have an allergy because their parents, from experience, would have drummed it into them the things they shouldn’t eat.

I also think that this obsession by teachers with the fear of obesity with children is going right over the top.

There is so much that is forbidden such as running around the oval because of health and safety. Skippy is out –even hoppy is a no,no.

The latest is that lunches are to be super-

vised by teachers to stop any swapping of food by the children. That was half the fun at our communal lunch under the spreading peppercorn tree.

Good reading ■ After lunch we’d play or gather Emperor Gum Caterpillars and/or peppercorns for blowing through a hollow reed.

Meantime, kids are leaving school not being able to read or communicate effectively. And with the most appalling speech.

It seems that I could always read, and I owe that pleasure to a terrific teacher from a little rural school.

I’ll give my caring mum some credit because she always read me stories.

Why aren’t teachers making that a top priority, instead of worrying about kids becoming obese, or eating the wrong food?

Why aren’t they telling girls and boys how to behave using role models? The teachers may be surprised at the attention they receive from their pupils.

Mr Bean ■ Why did teachers permit the letter “T” to

slip from our language, and be replaced by the letter “D”?.

Actually, there was not much to make me laugh when I read the papers this week. I became crankier as the week wore on.

Well perhaps there was one thing that brought a chuckle to my lips.

A friend who lives in South Australia told me that Premier DanielAndrews is called Mr Bean in that State.

I’d say, more like “Has Bean”, or soon could be.

Not my business

■ However, I’ve refrained from entering into the debate about the falling out of Garry Lyon and Billy Brownless.

I know nothing about football, and nor is it any of my business, but I do counsel many who are suffering from depression.

The pages of the newspaper are full of messages from fans that have taken sides and showing sympathy for one or the other. I’ve even seen letters telling Lyon to get over it.

Get over what, and what does the scribe know about it all anyway.

It’s always devastating when a couple break up for whatever reason, but it doesn’t help when Facebook is full of people taking sides who really know nothing about their private life, Sam Newman, for whom I have the greatest respect said it all, “ mind your own business” And to the Herald Sun, it is to your shame that the story is blazoned across every spare inch of space between your advertisements.

Surely with what is going on close to home there is more to write about than the break up of a friendship and the sadness that has followed.

When I was on radio I always refused to have any advertising about the circus coming to town. I would be sent tickets for ringside seats.

I always returned them.

But now, oh joy of joys Melbourne will join other councils around Australia banning exotic animals such as elephants, lions, tigers, and I hope monkeys from performing.

That’s my grump and my happiness for the week.

In the words of the song “Ciao baby, let’s call it a day”, and let’s make it a happy one.

Editor at odds with OK columnist Photos from the Fifties

■ Here's an answer to keep up your sleeve when next playing Pub Trivia.

Q: What year, and which newspaper was the first to print in full colour?

A: The Melbourne Argus, in 1952 and the picture was of the winner of that years Melbourne Cup. (Editor Ash Long: I disagree. The Evening Star of the 1930s, owned by The Argus had some magnificent colour work.)

Dad jokes ■ Cornball quotes and Dad type play-on words are often the domain of voice- over presenters on TV news.

Our favourite, over the 'hols was: 'Dick Smith Unplugged' Boom. Boom.

● Brynne Edelsten also for being the happiest place on earth. Apple got a gong for being the world's most valuable brand.

Happy returns

Say cheese

■ Brynne Edelsten - No 3 of the Doc's four wives - is soon to return to the small screen in a role in the new Daryl Somers hypnotism show on Channel 7. Brynne recently celebrated her 33rd birthday.

For the record the Doc is 72 and his birthday is May 2.

Disney does it ● Nostalgic photo: East Preston Tram Terminus, 1959.

■ Disney has been selected as the most powerful brand in the world according to the Brand Finance Global 500 Report.

Disney scored bonus points for its work with the Star Wars franchise and

■ Brooklyn Beckham is the 16-yearold son of Posh and David Beckham.

Apart from playing soccer his other passion is photography.

Burberry chose him over all other, more experienced snappers to shoot their latest fashion spread for their fragrances.

UK professional photographers went ballistic saying gig was rigged, and how could a 'kid with little experience tackle such an assignment.

Looks like Brooklyn has some bridges to mend - but he does have nearly six million follower friends on Instagram.

- John O’Keefe

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 9

Melbourne

Confidential Talk is cheap, gossip is priceless

Underpaid by $90,000

■ Operators of a retail outlet in Melbourne are facing Court for allegedly short-changing three employees, including two overseas workers, a total of more than $90,000.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal proceedings against Something Aussie Pty Ltd and company director and part-owner Kuan Kok Kan. Three female shop assistants at the company’s retail outlet on Victoria St, North Melbourne, were allegedly paid flat rates as low as $16 and $17 an hour.

The employer allegedly contravened his obligations under the General Retail Industry Award, including minimum hourly rates, casual loadings, annual leave entitlements and weekend and public holiday penalty rates.

Award obligations to minimum engagement periods and provision of meal breaks were also allegedly breached.

Two of the employees were visa-holders from Thailand when they commenced work with Something Aussie and spoke little English.

Each of the three employees was allegedly underpaid just over $30,000 over a five-year period between 2010 and 2015, resulting in a collective underpayment of $91,238.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says a decision was made to commence litigation because of the seriousness of the alleged contraventions and because Kan had previously been educated about his workplace obligations in 2012.

Kan faces maximum penalties of up to $10,200 per contravention and Something Aussie Pty Ltd faces penalties of up to $51,000 per contravention.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is seeking an injunction restraining Kan and Something Aussiefrom contravening workplace laws in future.

A directions hearing is listed for March 16 in the Federal Circuit Court in Melbourne.

Review: The Boys

■ Theatre can be educational, a tool displaying a part of life we don’t often see, a catalyst for thought.

I am assuming most ‘theatre goers’ would not live a life like the Spragues. They are an unhappy family living in anger.

An absent father who definitely did not have a ‘heart of gold’, a mother in denial believing that her sons have been brought up to respect women (and just like to let off a ‘bit of steam’) , brothers who have zero respect for women believing they have all the rights in the world to do whatever they want , and three women who believe they can do no better than these men, occasionally trying to stick up for themselves, with words not action.

A piece of life inclusive of physical violence, sex, swearing, emotional abuse alcohol and power play, we see it all in Gordon Graham’s play The Boys.

Nice Productions performed in the intimate studio space at the Gasworks Arts Park.

Luci Klendo’s direction was physical. From the facial expressions, mannerisms, costume choices and overt sexual behavior each character was interesting to observe.

There was a very naturalistic style with the actors almost whispering at times, yelling only when necessary.

Michael Shanahan’s portrayal of Brett was outstanding. He plays a strong character with such conviction I was hesitant to meet him in ‘real life’.

Linda Cookson also gave a great performance, completely embodying the lack of life of Sandra.

Whilst this play is thought provoking it does not have any positive role models or a happy ending.

More could have been done on stage to convey a sense of hope for this family’s future and a less helpless feeling for the audience as they leave the theatre.

- Review by Elizabeth Semmel

David Opat started with $2, became Melb. philanthropist

■ David Opat's story is a classic rags to riches tale of the kind that postWorld War II migration brought many times to Australia.

Mr Opat, born David Opoczynski in Lodz, Poland, was a former resistance fighter, prisoner of war and Holocaust survivor whose entire immediate family perished during the War: his older sister died fighting for the Polish Resistance, and his younger sister and their parents were gassed in the infamous Black Maria mobile killing vans.

Mr Opat himself endured five gruelling years of being starved and mistreated in Russian forced labour camps during World War II, however he refused to be overtaken by bitter memories.

Instead, he regaled friends with humorous yarns from that time -- of prison exploits and stories describing clever antics of survival and cunning; making chess pieces out of stale bread, sewing needles out of fish bones and stealing flour from hidden caches right under the guards' noses.

After liberation in 1945, Mr Opat worked in postWar Paris for two years before leaving Europe altogether to seek a new beginning.

When he landed in Melbourne in May, 1949 he had just $2 in his pocket - but loads of the other currencies needed to succeed: affability, intelligence, dedication, determination, and optimism.

Before the War, Mr Opat's father and grandfather had both been pro-

February 26, 1921 - January 9, 2016 ● David Opat fessional decorators, so Around this time, he the son who had learned formally changed his painting skills at his family name from father's knee soon picked Opoczynski to one that the up a job in booming post- Aussie ear could better war Melbourne. manage and ‘Opat’ beHowever, after three came his official surname. months working for someOver the years, Mr one else, he set up his Opat's reputation grew own outfit, Opat Decorat- and with the support of his ing, operating on what he second wife, Miriam, the knew to be levels of cus- company became a tomer service and profes- prominent player in the sionalism that were new realm of commercial painting, with contracts for the city at that time.

Opat Decorating's Eu- rolling in and tenders won ropean-quality crafts- to refurbish large buildings manship was in high de- all over the country, inmand and his first four cluding the Melbourne years in business saw him Arts Centre, Nauru working virtually solo, ten House and the Royal hours a day, seven days a Melbourne Hospital.. week painting hundreds of Away from business, both shops and houses round Mr and Mrs Opat were devoted philanthrothe city and suburbs.

pists deeply involved in Melbourne’s rich cultural, social and political landscape, being patrons of the Victorian Opera, founders of The Jewish Museum and supporters of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

As accomplished artists themselves, Mr and Mrs Opat also delighted in support for and encouragement of the Art world -- establishing the Miriam Opat Gallery and School ofArt and building friendships with many prominent artists, including the late Guy Boyd, Frank Werther, Bouchard, Charles Billich, James Farrell, Val Wenzel and Adam Kriegel.

Throughout their business and social lives, the couple moved within Melbourne’s high society associating with State Premiers, government members, business leaders and many of Melbourne’s leading families.

Also, thanks to his wife's involvement in media, including a stint as social columnist for the Truth newspaper, Mr and Mrs Opat created lasting friendships with many well-known figures in media.

One year after the death of his beloved wife Miriam in 2013, then-93 year-old Mr Opat finally retired from their business.

David Opat is survived by two sons, and by his second family of two daughters, four grandchildren and two great grand children.

- Lili Hampel

Whispers

Grand!

● Patti Newton ■ TV-radio personalities Patti and Bert Newton are grandparents again. They have welcomed Monty, son of Matt and Lauren Welsh.

Favour

● Ian Meldrum ■ More than 1.9 million viewers tuned into the TV special on Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, produced by Paige McGinley for the Seven Network.

Opening

● Linda Dessau ■ State Governor Linda Dessau will open a senior years’ and science facility at Ivanhoe Grammar School’s Plenty campus on March 22.

Jungle

● Miriam and David Opat on their wedding day

E-Mail: Confidential@MelbourneObserver.com.au

■ Nova Radio’s Fitzy and Wippa are the latest personalities to head to the African jungle.

The men will broadcast a week of shows live from the set of the Te n Network’s entertainment show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! from Monday (Feb. 29) says publicist Jane Elliott.

Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Scouts thank Numurkah Freemasons SEAVIC Lodge at South East Asia Festival

■ Freemasons Victoria's SEAVic Lodge members will be showcasing Freemasonry at the South East Asia Festival on the weekend of March 12-13.

The SEAVic Lodge stand will include information about Freemasonry, how to join and members will be there to provide face-to-face answers to those tricky questions.

Hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the collaboration of City of Melbourne, the event will be held in Argyle Square, Carlton.

This year's event is held in conjunction with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and offers a vibrant cultural festival showcasing the rich and diverse traditions, customs and cuisines of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

All are welcome to this free event. Over the two-days, enjoy a jam-packed program of family-friendly entertainment, live music and dance performances and bustling food stalls serving up authentic dishes prepared by Melbourne's best restaurants and street food delights.

Highlights of the event program include traditional games at the 'ASEAN Playground', the exciting 'ASEAN Pageant' and the interactive 'ASEAN Photo Booth', which is sure to delight the whole family.

For more information and register your attendance, visit the South East Asia Festival 2016 FaceBook page at: www.facebook.com/events/854488734610368/

New Taskforce trailer for Bellarine Otway District

● Eddie Rodgers of the Freemasons Victoria Taskforce (left) presenting the bright blue trailer to Bellarine Otway District Co-Ordinator, Trevor Somerville.

■ Eddie Rodgers, a long-time active member of the Freemasons Victoria Taskforce, has donated a fully-equipped trailer, complete with portable generator to the Bellarine Otway District.

Equipment in the trailer will enable volunteers to deal with the aftermath of fire or flood as well as being a fantastic marketing tool for the district.

Eddie is known affectionately in the Geelong area as ‘Eddie Everywhere’ because of his readiness to accept any task asked of him within the task force.

He sourced the trailer, then set about fitting it out with all of the necessary equipment needed to cope with taskforce duties.

The District is extremely grateful to Eddie for this generous donation and it will be faithfully applied whenever the need arises in the future.

■ Scouts Tristan and Oliver Grinter were in attendance at the annual Rupertswood-Numurkah Lodge Breakfast to personally thank members for their $5000 contribution towards their attendance at the 23rd World Jamboree at 'Yamaguchi' in Japan.

They were part of a party of 10 Scouts from Moira Shire who attended and expressed how much it meant to them not just to be able to go on the trip, but as Scouts and as members of the Moira community.

They informed everyone that 110 Scouts had attended from Victoria ensuring Moira was well represented.

There were 33,628 people from 155 countries and territories at the event in total.

The Scouts have a strong partnership with the Rupertswood Numurkah Lodge and act as waiters at many of its events each year.

The Lodge was strongly supported by the Freemasons Foundation in making this worthy contribution.

For more information about the 23rd World Jamboree in Japan, visit: ● Scouts Tristan and Oliver Grinter with Denis Kroezen (cenmtre) www.23wsj.jp/ of Rupertswood-Numurkah Lodge.

Foundation Supports Law Enforcement Torch Run ■ Director of the Freemasons Foundation, Frank Fordyce, was proud to hand over a $10,000 cheque towards the Victoria Police's Law Enforcement Torch Run. The funds will be used to support Special Olympics programs in the Southern Region in 2016.

Torch Run Committee members and Special Olympics Athlete Leadership representative Stuart Sutton were present for the cheque presentation.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a partnership between Special Olympics Victoria and Victoria Police to develop awareness, support and fundraising activities to assist people with intellectual disabilities to participate in sport.

It also seeks to raise awareness throughout the police, law enforcement agencies and the greater community about the nature of the Special Olympics movement and the work it does.

The first Law Enforcement Torch Run took place prior to the 2002 Special Olympics National Games, when in a prelude to the Opening Ceremony, police from Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales participated in a torch run from Hobart, Tasmania to Sydney, New South Wales visiting a number of Victorian towns on the way.

Following this, the LETR committee was formed by a number of serving and retired police officers. The LETR continues to raise awareness and spread the word about Special Olympics throughout Victoria.

For more information about Special Olympics and the Law Enforcement Torch Run visit: www.specialolympics.com.au/ index.php/letr/vic

● From left: Snr Sergeant Jacqi Robertson, LETR Board; Stuart Sutton, Special Olympics for the Disabled Board; Graham Ashton Chief Commissioner Victoria Police - Patron; Frank Fordyce, Freemasons Foundation Victoria Ltd.; Acting Snr Sergeant Nicole Williams, Vice President LETR Board.

● Victoria Police Law Enforcement Torch Run

To find out more about Freemasonry, how to become a member, or attend upcoming public events, please visit www.freemasonsvic.net.au Or ‘like’ our FaceBook page www.facebook.com/freemasonsvic for the most up to date information.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 11

West Hollywood

Aussie star keeps flying the Pacific

■ Hi everybody from my suite at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites comes this week's news.

Magical: West Hollywood

Starlet moves back

■ From Neighbours to Hollywood and back, the Aussie star, Krista Vendy is very comfortable flying over the Pacific many times to keep her career active.

"You have to go were the work is," said Krista. "Australia is booming with lots of television and film productions and there are plenty of opportunities to be had."

"I still keep connected to Hollywood and if the role appears I will be on the first plane to get there."

It is such an exciting time for the girl from Ballarat.

Pictured is Alan Johnson, Managing Director, Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, presenting Krista Vendy with the American/ Australian award for her acting work in both countries.

Pinocchio rumour ■ Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard is attached to direct Warner Bros.' Pinocchio.

Sources have confirmed, a project that has been climbing the rungs of the development ladder over the past few years.

Howard replaces Paul Thomas Anderson, who was previously attached to write and direct the project, before he stepped away last autumn.

Howard, his producing partner Brian Grazer, and their Imagine banner will join forces with producer Dan Jinks of The Dan Jinks Company and Team Downey's Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey.

Downey Jr. is also attached to star in the role of Geppetto.

The family-oriented film has been on Downey Jr.'s radar for some time, and now that Howard is involved, things are expected to move quickly.

Jane Goldman, Michael Mitnick, and most recently, Bryan Fuller, have penned previous drafts of the script based on the classic book by Carlo Collodi, and while there's been no word on a new writer just yet, you can expect Howard to have his say on the project's next screenwriter.

The story details are being kept under wraps, but the broad strokes follow Geppetto as he sets out to find Pinocchio when he goes missing.

Live-action adaptations of Pinocchio have been done before - Roberto Benigni had a take on the story in 2002 - but this latest version is expected to follow the trend of recent liveaction adaptations of popular children stories like Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, and Cinderella, all of which have found enormous commercial success by tweaking the details of familiar narratives to suit a broader audience.

Jon Berg, Chantal Nong, and Cate Adams will serve as the executives on the project for Warner Bros while Nick Nantell will oversee for The Dan Jinks Company.

Howard recently directed the Moby Dick-inspired epic, In the Heart of the Sea. His next movie, Inferno, is the third installment of The DaVinci Code franchise and will once again star Tom Hanks opposite Felicity Jones.

● Alan Johnson and Krista Vendy

● Bruno Mars ■ Los Angeles most colorful city attracts late-night revellers from every corner of the globe.

A town famous for its bold personality and tight-knit community, the selection of bars, dance clubs and fine restaurants has made the area a must see for decades.

As long as you come with an open mind and comfortable shoes, West Hollywood is a guaranteed good time.

Unique, diverse and unapologetic, West Hollywood is a city with a life of its own.

Don't be thrown off by the spirited locals and one-of-kind shops, bars and restaurants, this town takes partying seriously.

Wedged between the luxury of Beverly Hills and the trendiness of Hollywood, West Hollywood offers a come one, come all atmosphere, with a nightlife portfolio that appeals to LA's mix of live music lovers, groove seeking club hoppers and laidback loungers.

West Hollywood knows how to reel in patrons, with several nightclubs catering to the city's broad clientele.

A blast from the past, Revolver, a video bar that made a splash in the 1980s, is back for a second round, complete with nightly variety shows and the sexiest staff serving the best drinks at any gay bar in the area direct competition for neighborhood favourite Micky's.

With over the top glitz and old school Hollywood glamour, Greystone Manor Supperclub is the ultimate celebrity playground where you might spot Rihanna or Bruno Mars swaying to one of their tunes on any given night.

For those who would prefer live music over a DJ, the legendary venue The Troubadour continues to showcase both up-and-coming and established singer-songwriters.

And winding down in West Hollywood is surprisingly simple with the help of relaxed bars like The Surly Goat and Barney's Beanery.

Whether you're up for non-stop dancing or endless karaoke, however you decide to spend your night is completely up to you. That's the beauty of West Hollywood.

50 film funding deal

■ Universal Pictures and China-based Perfect World Pictures have made official their multi-year financing agreement that includes films across the entire Universal slate.

It comes after word of the deal first surfaced last month, and it marks the first time a Chinese non-SOE (state-owned enterprise) entertainment company will be working directly with a major US studio. Additionally, this will be the first time a Chinese company will invest in a multi-year slate deal with a major studio.

The partnership will begin this year and last five years or for the co-financing of 50 pictures. Specific films covered by the pact will be announced at a later date. Legendary Entertainment will continue to finance select Universal titles.

"We are delighted to be partnering with Perfect World and appreciate the confidence it has in our film slates going forward after a record-breaking 2015," said Jeff Shell, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment. "With Perfect World's history of success in the Chinese market, we look forward to exploring other opportunities to work together."

Michael Chi, Chairman of Perfect World, added, "Building out our film business and expanding into international markets are two of the most important initiatives for Perfect World. Universal has had a stellar last few years, and with a slate that boasts many titles that we know will thrive in the marketplace, we are confident our partnership with them is a solid step in the right direction. Our partnership with Universal is not just about making movies together, but also about the opportunities that exist in the synergy across our multiple business lines to maximize strategic value for all involved."

GavinWood

From my Suite at the Ramada Plaza Complex on Santa Monica Blvd

Absolutely Fabulous ■ Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London's trendiest hot spots.

Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi.

Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the superrich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forever more!

There is no release date yet.

www.gavinwood.us

● Rhianna

Come for a holiday

■ If you are considering a move to Los Angeles or just coming over for a holiday to see the sights in Magical West Hollywood then I have got a special deal for you.

We would love to see you at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, 8585 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood.

I have secured a terrific holiday deal for readers of the Melbourne Observer.

Please mention 'Melbourne Observer' when you book and you will receive the 'Special Rate of the Day'.

Please contact: Joanna at info@ramadaweho.com Happy Holidays, Gavin Wood

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

■ Ingrid Bergman was born in 1915 in Stockholm, Sweden, and had a sad childhood.

Both her parents died before she was 13 and Ingrid went to live with relatives.

Her father had wanted her to become an opera singer but Ingrid was determined to be an actress.

At the age of 17 she auditioned and was accepted at the Government-sponsored Royal Dramatic School.

Ingrid made her first film in 1932 and appeared in 11 Swedish films.

She married her first husband Dr Petter Lindstrom and they had a child together.

In 1938 director David O. Selznick saw her performance in the Swedish film Intermezzo and signed her to star in his Hollywood remake.

Ingrid went to the US and had to learn to speak English whilst filming Intermezzo: A Love Story.

Ingrid made several films in Hollywood before she was cast opposite Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca.

The role of ‘Ilsa Lund’ is probably the character for which Ingrid Bergman is most remembered.

She had a reputation of being totally devoted to her film projects and would spend many hours at the studio working on her characters.

The following year she starred in For Whom The Bell Tolls with Gary Cooper and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Whatever Happened To ...

Ingrid Bergman

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM Ingrid won her firstAcademy Award as Best Actress in 1944 for Gaslight.

She was a very popular actress and her portrayal of ‘Sister Benedict’ opposite Bing Crosby in The Bells of St Mary's earned her another Oscar nomination.

Two films with famous director Alfred Hitchcock, Spellbound and Notorious, made her one of the biggest film stars in the world.

She earned another Academy Award nomination for Joan of Arc in 1949.

In 1950 Ingrid went to Italy to star in the film Stromboli which was directed by Roberto Rossellini and a scandal erupted when she fell in love with Roberto and became pregnant with their son Renato.

● Ingrid Bergman Following her divorce Ingrid married Roberto and in 1952 they had twin daughters.

In 1956 Ingrid made a triumphant return to the screen in Anastasia and won her second Academy Award for Best Actress.

The award was accepted on her behalf by her friend Cary Grant.

Ingrid married for a third time in 1958 and the union to Lars Schmidt lasted almost 20 years.

She starred on London's West End working with such stage stars as Michael Redgrave in A Month In The Country, Sir John Gielgud in The Constant Wifeand Dame Wendy Hiller in Waters Of The Moon. In 1978 David Miller, my

fellow presenter at 96.5FM, went to see Ingrid in Waters of the Moon and left a box of chocolates with a card for her at the stage door.

After the play David went back to the stage door in the hope of catching a glance of Ingrid.

He was shocked when the stage manager came out and asked the throng of waiting fans, “Is Mr David Miller Here?”

David was shown to Ingrid's dressing room where she signed his program and chatted to him about her career.

She then arranged for David to meet Dame Wendy Hiller. Wow, what a great thrill - but sadly David did not get any photos.

Ingrid's final role was as Prime Minister Golda Meir in A Woman Called Golda.

Ingrid Bergman died in London in 1982 at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer only months after filming was completed.

Her daughter Pia accepted the EmmyAward for Outstanding Lead Actress in a television mini- series for her performance as Golda.

Ingrid Bergman - what a legend from the ‘Golden Days’ of Hollywood.

Kevin Trask The Time Tunnel - with Bruce and Phil Sundays at 9.20pm on 3AW That's Entertainment - 96.5FM Sundays at 12Noon 96.5FM is streaming on the internet.

To listen, go to www.innerfm.org.au and follow the prompts.

New headquarters for Outback Legend ■ "I don't think that's dust," Amber opined, "it's smoke!"

Over the decades I've opened up dozens of opal shops. The first one was in my garage in Nirvana Ave., East Malvern, selling opals to Aussies travelling overseas to in turn sell to pay for their trip.

I soon branched out into Bourke St, concentrating on incoming over-

seas visitors. Then there have been brief one-day stands at travel and tourism expos.

One stressful occasion was a twoweek stint at the Benalla World Gliding Championships, years ago.

The local gliding club had set aside a hangar at the airfield for some tourist-related industries - Aussie souvenirs and wine and clothes and Aborigi-

nal art. And of course my opals to flog off to the many well-heeled international glider pilots.

I hired a van, packed it with my showcases and cutting machine and even a snake cage with a couple of friendly tigers. Plus a huge roll of carpet.

All went well, with steady sales, but most customers were planning to purchase on the last day, a Sunday.

■ There was a farewell function on the Saturday night, which I attended, along with my two mates from Lightning Ridge, who had been managing the stand while the I drove back and forth occasionally from Melbourne.

Of course imbibement got the better of them, and they couldn't be awakened when Sunday dawned.

So, on the busiest day of the whole event, I was rushing around in a panic dispensing my trinkets.

Sunday avo was pack-up. It was one of those blistering hot northerly February days where the bitumen on the tarmac was even melting, and I stacked up my carpet and my cages and my cutters in the midday sun.

And then tried to avoid the raging bush fires as I tentatively drove back to Melbourne.

Further, the beginnings of my establishment at Alice Springs.

This started off with the smell of an oil rag. I had the premises organised, but no money, so purchased some sea-grass matting from the Trading Post, and my mate Immy knocked together some basic showcases, and I bought a heap of Handy Angle from my mate Chris, on 90 days, a few dozen desk lamps from Woolies, and loaded up my trailer, and off I went into the sunset. Somehow the chaos all came together.

There were further shops in Alice Springs, and half-a-dozen venues in Melbourne. Then Lightning Ridge and Coober Pedy, and two weeks in Bern, Switzerland.

■ And now the latest. Our location of 15 years in Flinders Lane has just been required by the landlord for a restaurant.

So off we have just gone.

Fifteen years of accumulation, with about a tonne of raw opal in buckets, and a deep freeze full of frozen mice for the snakes, mealworms for the spiders, and cat food for the lizards.

The Outback Legend

with Nick Le Souef Lightning Ridge Opals Elizabeth Street, Melbourne Phone 9654 4444 www.opals.net.au So last Sunday Jonas, who with my daughter Atheka now runs the joint, summoned a heap of his concierge mates, and a moving van, and off and off we went to our new Elizabeth St. basement.

Monday morning dawned with everything approximately in place, and almost ready for business.

However, a few of the bright lights needed to be repositioned above the cabinets.

Now back to Amber. There was some work and banging going on in the business above us, and there was something snaking its way about these lights, which could have been dust from the banging upstairs. But no one of the lights had caught fire.

Amber and I and Atheka and Leila pondered upon this, and quickly called Nathan, the carpenter, who was fixing some showcases.

So he grabbed his ladder and scaled up. He couldn't do much except blow on the flames to try to extinguish them.

Of course unsuccessfully. "I knew I was pushing the proverbial uphill."

So Cherie and Christabel, who had been painting the new snake cages,

came over, and luckily Christabel had the presence of mind to rush upstairs to the tradies above and grab a fire extinguisher.

Luckily they had disconnected the automatic fire alarm system. So even though we had a room full of smoke, we weren't drowned by the sprinkler system. That would have been a great start for the first day of business!

■ Leila is back!

A few months ago I reported that she and Eric had moved up to Coober Pedy.

I met them there and we re-pegged my old claim.

Whilst they unearthed some opal fossils and ancient sea shells, there was unfortunately no bonanza - I was always awaiting the call: "We've struck it." Alas, no.

Eric eventually hooked up with another miner with some substantial mining machinery, and he's being helping him out to get it operational, and start digging.

Of course now it's ready to go he doesn't want to miss out on the opportunity of a possible big strike, so he's staying up there for a while.

This miner has apparently struck a few substantial pockets of opal in the past, so Eric's hoping that there will soon be another one.

■ I was talking to an old mate, John Pasquarelli, in Coober Pedy a while ago.

He had been a miner there in the sixties, when there was one particular Greek family who struck it rich on one field.

The family, two fathers and two sons, had come out in Australia on the £10 scheme, then gone to Coober Pedy because they had some mates there.

They landed on a huge seam in their first mine, and were pulling out opals the size of kerosene tins, so the story goes, and selling them for about 80,000 quid each. They made millions.

John had a claim around this area and he reckons that there's still some virgin ground around there, so we're planning on having a bit of a scratch ourselves to see if we can replicate the Greek fortune.

I don't have a spare bulldozer around at the moment, so that may be a bit of a problem though.

- Nick Le Souef ‘The Outback Legend’

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 13

Observer Classic Books

‘The Uncommercial Traveller’ by Charles Dickens

Continued From Last Week When one layer of pots was completely filled, it was carefully covered in with planks, and those were carefully covered with tan again, and then another layer of pots was begun above; sufficient means of ventilation being preserved through wooden tubes. Going down into the cockloft then filling, I found the heat of the tan to be surprisingly great, and also the odour of the lead and acid to be not absolutely exquisite, though I believe not noxious at that stage. In other cocklofts, where the pots were being exhumed, the heat of the steaming tan was much greater, and the smell was penetrating and peculiar. There were cocklofts in all stages; full and empty, half filled and half emptied; strong, active women were clambering about them busily; and the whole thing had rather the air of the upper part of the house of some immensely rich old Turk, whose faithful seraglio were hiding his money because the sultan or the pasha was coming.

As is the case with most pulps or pigments, so in the instance of this white-lead, processes of stirring, separating, washing, grinding, rolling, and pressing succeed. Some of these are unquestionably inimical to health, the danger arising from inhalation of particles of lead, or from contact between the lead and the touch, or both.

Against these dangers, I found good respirators provided (simply made of flannel and muslin, so as to be inexpensively renewed, and in some instances washed with scented soap), and gauntlet gloves, and loose gowns. Everywhere, there was as much fresh air as windows, well placed and opened, could possibly admit. And it was explained that the precaution of frequently changing the women employed in the worst parts of the work (a precaution originating in their own experience or apprehension of its ill effects) was found salutary. They had a mysterious and singular appearance, with the mouth and nose covered, and the loose gown on, and yet bore out the simile of the old Turk and the seraglio all the better for the disguise.

At last this vexed white-lead, having been buried and resuscitated, and heated and cooled and stirred, and separated and washed and ground, and rolled and pressed, is subjected to the action of intense fiery heat. A row of women, dressed as above described, stood, let us say, in a large stone bakehouse, passing on the baking-dishes as they were given out by the cooks, from hand to hand, into the ovens. The oven, or stove, cold as yet, looked as high as an ordinary house, and was full of men and women on temporary footholds, briskly passing up and stowing away the dishes. The door of another oven, or stove, about to be cooled and emptied, was opened from above, for the uncommercial countenance to peer down into. The uncommercial countenance withdrew itself, with expedition and a sense of suffocation, from the dull-glowing heat and the overpowering smell. On the whole, perhaps the going into these stoves to work, when they are freshly opened, may be the worst part of the occupation.

But I made it out to be indubitable that the owners of these lead-mills honestly and sedulously try to reduce the dangers of the occupation to the lowest point.

A washing-place is provided for the women (I thought there might have been more towels), and a room in which they hang their clothes, and take their meals, and where they have a good fire-range and fire, and a female attendant to help them, and to watch that they do not neglect the cleansing of their hands before touching their food. An experienced medical attendant is provided for them, and any premonitory symptoms of lead-poisoning are carefully treated. Their teapots and such things were set out on tables ready for their afternoon meal, when I saw their room; and it had a homely look. It is found that they bear the work much better than men: some few of them have been at it for years, and the great majority of those I observed were strong and active. On the other hand, it should be remembered that most of them are very capricious and irregular in their attendance.

American inventiveness would seem to indicate that before very long white-lead may be made

Charles Dickens entirely by machinery. The sooner, the better.

In the meantime, I parted from my two frank conductors over the mills, by telling them that they had nothing there to be concealed, and nothing to be blamed for. As to the rest, the philosophy of the matter of lead-poisoning and workpeople seems to me to have been pretty fairly summed up by the Irishwoman whom I quoted in my former paper: ‘Some of them gets lead-pisoned soon, and some of them gets leadpisoned later, and some, but not many, niver; and ’tis all according to the constitooshun, sur; and some constitooshuns is strong and some is weak.’ Retracing my footsteps over my beat, I went off duty.

CHAPTER XXXVI—AFLY-LEAFINALIFE Once upon a time (no matter when), I was engaged in a pursuit (no matter what), which could be transacted by myself alone; in which I could have no help; which imposed a constant strain on the attention, memory, observation, and physical powers; and which involved an almost fabulous amount of change of place and rapid railway travelling. I had followed this pursuit through an exceptionally trying winter in an always trying climate, and had resumed it in England after but a brief repose. Thus it came to be prolonged until, at length — and, as it seemed, all of a sudden — it so wore me out that I could not rely, with my usual cheerful confidence, upon myself to achieve the constantly recurring task, and began to feel (for the first time in my life) giddy, jarred, shaken, faint, uncertain of voice and sight and tread and touch, and dull of spirit. The medical advice I sought within a few hours, was given in two words: ‘instant rest.’ Being accustomed to observe

myself as curiously as if I were another man, and knowing the advice to meet my only need, I instantly halted in the pursuit of which I speak, and rested.

My intention was, to interpose, as it were, a flyleaf in the book of my life, in which nothing should be written from without for a brief season of a few weeks. But some very singular experiences recorded themselves on this same fly-leaf, and I am going to relate them literally. I repeat the word: literally.

My first odd experience was of the remarkable coincidence between my case, in the general mind, and one Mr. Merdle’s as I find it recorded in a work of fiction called LITTLE DORRIT. To be sure, Mr. Merdle was a swindler, forger, and thief, and my calling had been of a less harmful (and less remunerative) nature; but it was all one for that.

Here is Mr. Merdle’s case: ‘At first, he was dead of all the diseases that ever were known, and of several bran-new maladies invented with the speed of Light to meet the demand of the occasion. He had concealed a dropsy from infancy, he had inherited a large estate of water on the chest from his grandfather, he had had an operation performed upon him every morning of his life for eighteen years, he had been subject to the explosion of important veins in his body after the manner of fireworks, he had had something the matter with his lungs, he had had something the matter with his heart, he had had something the matter with his brain. Five hundred people who sat down to breakfast entirely uninformed on the whole subject, believed before they had done breakfast, that they privately and personally knew Physician to have said to Mr. Merdle, “You must ex-

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pect to go out, some day, like the snuff of a candle;” and that they knew Mr. Merdle to have said to Physician, “A man can die but once.” By about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, something the matter with the brain, became the favourite theory against the field; and by twelve the something had been distinctly ascertained to be “Pressure.”

‘Pressure was so entirely satisfactory to the public mind, and seemed to make every one so comfortable, that it might have lasted all day but for Bar’s having taken the real state of the case into Court at half-past nine. Pressure, however, so far from being overthrown by the discovery, became a greater favourite than ever. There was a general moralising upon Pressure, in every street. All the people who had tried to make money and had not been able to do it, said, There you were! You no sooner began to devote yourself to the pursuit of wealth, than you got Pressure. The idle people improved the occasion in a similar manner. See, said they, what you brought yourself to by work, work, work! You persisted in working, you overdid it, Pressure came on, and you were done for! This consideration was very potent in many quarters, but nowhere more so than among the young clerks and partners who had never been in the slightest danger of overdoing it. These, one and all declared, quite piously, that they hoped they would never forget the warning as long as they lived, and that their conduct might be so regulated as to keep off Pressure, and preserve them, a comfort to their friends, for many years.’

Just my case — if I had only known it — when I was quietly basking in the sunshine in my Kentish meadow!

But while I so rested, thankfully recovering every hour, I had experiences more odd than this.

I had experiences of spiritual conceit, for which, as giving me a new warning against that curse of mankind, I shall always feel grateful to the supposition that I was too far gone to protest against playing sick lion to any stray donkey with an itching hoof. All sorts of people seemed to become vicariously religious at my expense.

I received the most uncompromising warning that I was a Heathen: on the conclusive authority of a field preacher, who, like the most of his ignorant and vain and daring class, could not construct a tolerable sentence in his native tongue or pen a fair letter. This inspired individual called me to order roundly, and knew in the freest and easiest way where I was going to, and what would become of me if I failed to fashion myself on his bright example, and was on terms of blasphemous confidence with the Heavenly Host. He was in the secrets of my heart, and in the lowest soundings of my soul — he! — and could read the depths of my nature better than his A B C, and could turn me inside out, like his own clammy glove. But what is far more extraordinary than this — for such dirty water as this could alone be drawn from such a shallow and muddy source — I found from the information of a beneficed clergyman, of whom I never heard and whom I never saw, that I had not, as I rather supposed I had, lived a life of some reading, contemplation, and inquiry; that I had not studied, as I rather supposed I had, to inculcate some Christian lessons in books; that I had never tried, as I rather supposed I had, to turn a child or two tenderly towards the knowledge and love of our Saviour; that I had never had, as I rather supposed I had had, departed friends, or stood beside open graves; but that I had lived a life of ‘uninterrupted prosperity,’ and that I needed this ‘check, overmuch,’ and that the way to turn it to account was to read these sermons and these poems, enclosed, and written and issued by my correspondent! I beg it may be understood that I relate facts of my own uncommercial experience, and no vain imaginings. The documents in proof lie near my hand.

Another odd entry on the fly-leaf, of a more entertaining character, was the wonderful persistency with which kind sympathisers assumed that I had injuriously coupled with the so suddenly relinquished pursuit, those personal habits of mine most obviously incompatible with it, and most plainly impossible of being maintained, along with it. As, all that exercise, all that cold

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Observer Classic Books From Page 13 bathing, all that wind and weather, all that uphill training — all that everything else, say, which is usually carried about by express trains in a portmanteau and hat-box, and partaken of under a flaming row of gas-lights in the company of two thousand people. This assuming of a whole case against all fact and likelihood, struck me as particularly droll, and was an oddity of which I certainly had had no adequate experience in life until I turned that curious fly-leaf.

My old acquaintances the begging-letter writers came out on the fly-leaf, very piously indeed.

They were glad, at such a serious crisis, to afford me another opportunity of sending that Postoffice order. I needn’t make it a pound, as previously insisted on; ten shillings might ease my mind. And Heaven forbid that they should refuse, at such an insignificant figure, to take a weight off the memory of an erring fellow-creature! One gentleman, of an artistic turn (and copiously illustrating the books of the Mendicity Society), thought it might soothe my conscience, in the tender respect of gifts misused, if I would immediately cash up in aid of his lowly talent for original design — as a specimen of which he enclosed me a work of art which I recognized as a tracing from a woodcut originally published in the late Mrs. Trollope’s book on America, forty or fifty years ago. The number of people who were prepared to live long years after me, untiring benefactors to their species, for fifty pounds apiece down, was astonishing. Also, of those who wanted bank-notes for stiff penitential amounts, to give away:— not to keep, on any account.

Divers wonderful medicines and machines insinuated recommendations of themselves into the fly-leaf that was to have been so blank. It was specially observable that every prescriber, whether in a moral or physical direction, knew me thoroughly — knew me from head to heel, in and out, through and through, upside down. I was a glass piece of general property, and everybody was on the most surprisingly intimate terms with me. A few public institutions had complimentary perceptions of corners in my mind, of which, after considerable self-examination, I have not discovered any indication. Neat little printed forms were addressed to those corners, beginning with the words: ‘I give and bequeath.’

Will it seem exaggerative to state my belief that the most honest, the most modest, and the least vain-glorious of all the records upon this strange fly-leaf, was a letter from the self-deceived discoverer of the recondite secret ‘how to live four or five hundred years’? Doubtless it will seem so, yet the statement is not exaggerative by any means, but is made in my serious and sincere conviction. With this, and with a laugh at the rest that shall not be cynical, I turn the Fly-leaf, and go on again.

CHAPTER XXXVII—APLEAFORTOTAL ABSTINENCE One day this last Whitsuntide, at precisely eleven o’clock in the forenoon, there suddenly rode into the field of view commanded by the windows of my lodging an equestrian phenomenon. It was a

fellow-creature on horseback, dressed in the absurdest manner. The fellow-creature wore high boots; some other (and much larger) fellow-creature’s breeches, of a slack-baked doughy colour and a baggy form; a blue shirt, whereof the skirt, or tail, was puffily tucked into the waist-band of the said breeches; no coat; a red shoulder-belt; and a demi-semi-military scarlet hat, with a feathered ornament in front, which, to the uninstructed human vision, had the appearance of a moulting shuttlecock. I laid down the newspaper with which I had been occupied, and surveyed the fellow-man in question with astonishment. Whether he had been sitting to any painter as a frontispiece for a new edition of ‘Sartor Resartus;’ whether ‘the husk or shell of him,’as the esteemed Herr Teufelsdroch might put it, were founded on a jockey, on a circus, on General Garibaldi, on cheap porcelain, on a toy shop, on Guy Fawkes, on waxwork, on golddigging, on Bedlam, or on all, — were doubts that greatly exercised my mind. Meanwhile, my fellow-man stumbled and slided, excessively against his will, on the slippery stones of my Covent-garden street, and elicited shrieks from several sympathetic females, by convulsively restraining himself from pitching over his horse’s head. In the very crisis of these evolutions, and indeed at the trying moment when his charger’s tail was in a tobacconist’s shop, and his head anywhere about town, this cavalier was joined by two similar portents, who, likewise stumbling and sliding, caused him to stumble and slide the more distressingly. At length this Gilpinian triumvirate effected a halt, and, looking northward, waved their three right hands as commanding unseen troops, to ‘Up, guards! and at ’em.’ Hereupon a brazen band burst forth, which caused them to be instantly bolted with to some remote spot of earth in the direction of the Surrey Hills.

Judging from these appearances that a procession was under way, I threw up my window, and, craning out, had the satisfaction of beholding it advancing along the streets. It was a Teetotal procession, as I learnt from its banners, and was long enough to consume twenty minutes in passing. There were a great number of children in it, some of them so very young in their mothers’ arms as to be in the act of practically exemplifying their abstinence from fermented liquors, and attachment to an unintoxicating drink, while the procession defiled. The display was, on the whole, pleasant to see, as any good-humoured holiday assemblage of clean, cheerful, and well-conducted people should be. It was bright with ribbons, tinsel, and shoulder-belts, and abounded in flowers, as if those latter trophies had come up in profusion under much watering. The day being breezy, the insubordination of the large banners was very reprehensible. Each of these being borne aloft on two poles and stayed with some half-dozen lines, was carried, as polite books in the last century used to be written, by ‘various hands,’ and the anxiety expressed in the upturned faces of those officers, — something between the anxiety attendant on the balancing art, and that inseparable from the pastime of kite-flying, with

a touch of the angler’s quality in landing his scaly prey, — much impressed me. Suddenly, too, a banner would shiver in the wind, and go about in the most inconvenient manner. This always happened oftenest with such gorgeous standards as those representing a gentleman in black, corpulent with tea and water, in the laudable act of summarily reforming a family, feeble and pinched with beer. The gentleman in black distended by wind would then conduct himself with the most unbecoming levity, while the beery family, growing beerier, would frantically try to tear themselves away from his ministration.

Some of the inscriptions accompanying the banners were of a highly determined character, as ‘We never, never will give up the temperance cause,’ with similar sound resolutions rather suggestive to the profane mind of Mrs. Micawber’s ‘I never will desert Mr. Micawber,’ and of Mr. Micawber’s retort, ‘Really, my dear, I am not aware that you were ever required by any human being to do anything of the sort.’

At intervals, a gloom would fall on the passing members of the procession, for which I was at first unable to account. But this I discovered, after a little observation, to be occasioned by the coming on of the executioners, — the terrible official beings who were to make the speeches by-and-by, — who were distributed in open carriages at various points of the cavalcade. A dark cloud and a sensation of dampness, as from many wet blankets, invariably preceded the rolling on of the dreadful cars containing these headsmen; and I noticed that the wretched people who closely followed them, and who were in a manner forced to contemplate their folded arms, complacent countenances, and threatening lips, were more overshadowed by the cloud and damp than those in front. Indeed, I perceived in some of these so moody an implacability towards the magnates of the scaffold, and so plain a desire to tear them limb from limb, that I would respectfully suggest to the managers the expediency of conveying the executioners to the scene of their dismal labours by unfrequented ways, and in closelytilted carts, next Whitsuntide.

The procession was composed of a series of smaller processions, which had come together, each from its own metropolitan district. An infusion of allegory became perceptible when patriotic Peckham advanced. So I judged, from the circumstance of Peckham’s unfurling a silken banner that fanned heaven and earth with the words, ‘The Peckham Lifeboat.’ No boat being in attendance, though life, in the likeness of ‘a gallant, gallant crew,’in nautical uniform, followed the flag, I was led to meditate on the fact that Peckham is described by geographers as an inland settlement, with no larger or nearer shore-line than the towing-path of the Surrey Canal, on which stormy station I had been given to understand no lifeboat exists. Thus I deduced an allegorical meaning, and came to the conclusion, that if patriotic Peckham picked a peck of pickled poetry, this WAS the peck of pickled poetry which patriotic Peckham picked.

I have observed that the aggregate procession was on the whole pleasant to see. I made use of

that qualified expression with a direct meaning, which I will now explain. It involves the title of this paper, and a little fair trying of teetotalism by its own tests. There were many people on foot, and many people in vehicles of various kinds. The former were pleasant to see, and the latter were not pleasant to see; for the reason that I never, on any occasion or under any cir cumstances, have beheld heavier overloading of horses than in this public show. Unless the imposition of a great van laden with from ten to twenty people on a single horse be a moderate tasking of the poor creature, then the temperate use of horses was immoderate and cruel. From the smallest and lightest horse to the largest and heaviest, there were many instances in which the beast of burden was so shamefully overladen, that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have frequently interposed in less gross cases.

Now, I have always held that there may be, and that there unquestionably is, such a thing as use without abuse, and that therefore the total abolitionists are irrational and wrong-headed. But the procession completely converted me. For so large a number of the people using draughthorses in it were so clearly unable to use them without abusing them, that I perceived total abstinence from horseflesh to be the only remedy of which the case admitted. As it is all one to teetotalers whether you take half a pint of beer or half a gallon, so it was all one here whether the beast of burden were a pony or a cart-horse.

Indeed, my case had the special strength that the half-pint quadruped underwent as much suffering as the half-gallon quadruped. Moral: total abstinence from horseflesh through the whole length and breadth of the scale. This pledge will be in course of administration to all teetotal processionists, not pedestrians, at the publishing office of ‘All the Year Round,’ on the 1st day of April, 1870.

Observe a point for consideration. This procession comprised many persons in their gigs, broughams, tax-carts, barouches, chaises, and what not, who were merciful to the dumb beasts that drew them, and did not overcharge their strength. What is to be done with those unoffending persons? I will not run amuck and vilify and defame them, as teetotal tracts and platforms would most assuredly do, if the question were one of drinking instead of driving: I merely ask what is to be done with them! The reply admits of no dispute whatever. Manifestly, in strict accordance with teetotal doctrines, THEY must come in too, and take the total abstinence from horseflesh pledge. It is not pretended that those members of the procession misused certain auxiliaries which in most countries and all ages have been bestowed upon man for his use, but it is undeniable that other members of the procession did. Teetotal mathematics demonstrate that the less includes the greater; that the guilty include the innocent, the blind the seeing, the deaf the hearing, the dumb the speaking, the drunken the sober. If any of the moderate users of draught-cattle in question should deem that there is any gentle violence done to their reason by these elements of logic, they are invited to come out of the procession next Whitsuntide, and look at it from my window.

‘The Invisble Man’ by H.G. Wells Chapter 1 The Strange Man’sArrival The stranger came early in February, one wintry day, through a biting wind and a driving snow, the last snowfall of the year, over the down, walking from Bramblehurst railway station, and carrying a little black portmanteau in his thickly gloved hand.

He was wrapped up from head to foot, and the brim of his soft felt hat hid every inch of his face but the shiny tip of his nose; the snow had piled itself against his shoulders and chest, and added a white crest to the burden he carried. He staggered into the “Coach and Horses” more dead than alive, and flung his portmanteau down. “A fire,” he cried, “in the name of human charity! Aroom and a fire!” He stamped and shook the snow from off himself in the bar, and followed Mrs. Hall into her guest parlour to strike his bargain. And with that much introduction, that and a couple of sovereigns flung upon the table, he took up his quarters in the inn.

Mrs. Hall lit the fire and left him there while she went to prepare him a meal with her own hands. A

heard-of piece of luck, let alone a guest who was no “haggler,” and she was resolved to show herself worthy of her good fortune. As soon as the bacon was well under way, and Millie, her lymphatic aid, had been brisked up a bit by a few deftly chosen expressions of contempt, she carried the cloth, plates, and glasses into the parlour and began to lay them with the utmost eclat. Although the fire was burning up briskly, she was surprised to see that her visitor still wore his hat and coat, standing with his back to her and staring out of the window at the falling snow in the yard. His gloved hands were clasped behind him, and he seemed to be lost in thought. She noticed that the melting snow that still sprinkled his shoulders dripped upon her carpet.

“Can I take your hat and coat, sir?” she said, “and give them a good dry in the kitchen?”

“No,” he said without turning.

She was not sure she had heard him, and was about to repeat her question.

He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. “I prefer to keep them on,” he said with em-

tacles with sidelights, and had a bush side-whisker over his coat-collar that completely hid his cheeks and face.

“Very well, sir,” she said. “As you like. In a bit the room will be warmer.”

He made no answer, and had turned his face away from her again, and Mrs. Hall, feeling that her conversational advances were ill-timed, laid the rest of the table things in a quick staccato and whisked out of the room. When she returned he was still standing there, like a man of stone, his back hunched, his collar turned up, his dripping hat-brim turned down, hiding his face and ears completely. She put down the eggs and bacon with considerable emphasis, and called rather than said to him, “Your lunch is served, sir.”

“Thank you,” he said at the same time, and did not stir until she was closing the door. Then he swung round and approached the table with a certain eager quickness.

As she went behind the bar to the kitchen she heard a sound repeated at regular intervals. Chirk, chirk, chirk, it went, the sound of a spoon being rapidly

whisked round a basin. “That girl!” she said.

“There! I clean forgot it. It’s her being so long!”

And while she herself finished mixing the mustard, she gave Millie a few verbal stabs for her excessive slowness. She had cooked the ham and eggs, laid the table, and done everything, while Millie (help indeed!) had only succeeded in delaying the mustard. And him a new guest and wanting to stay!

Then she filled the mustard pot, and, putting it with a certain stateliness upon a gold and black tea-tray, carried it into the parlour.

She rapped and entered promptly. As she did so her visitor moved quickly, so that she got but a glimpse of a white object disappearing behind the table. It would seem he was picking something from the floor. She rapped down the mustard pot on the table, and then she noticed the overcoat and hat had been taken off and put over a chair in front of the fire, and a pair of wet boots threatened rust to her steel fender. She went to these things resolutely. “I suppose I may have them to dry now,” she said in a voice that brooked no denial.

Continued on Page 23

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More names to be added in next issue

Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 17, 2016

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TRAVEL IN STYLE

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 17

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Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Places To Go

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 19

Places To Go

ST PATS RACES YEA Sunday, February 28 Great racing. Great family day out.

Beautiful country setting, wonderful relaxed atmosphere, fabulous crowd.

Entertainment for the whole family.

Fashions on the Field, Vintage Cars, lots of children's activities.

Treat yourself to Fine Dining in the air conditioned Club House, or a three course cold buffet or bring your own picnic lunch.

Marquees and tables under the shady trees for hire

Bookings Ph 5797 3233 or www.countryracing.com.au/yeastpats Come and enjoy racing with a point of difference Picnic Racing at St Pats Yea on February 28

Page 20 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 21

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Page g 22 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y, February y 24,, 2016

Melbourne

Observer

Travellers’Good Buys

with Michael Osborne

Where exactly is Bowen?

■ Most of us have been to the Whitsundays and have found that there is enough going on to keep your holiday time as busy as you want.

So when we received an invitation to once again visit Airlie Beach and catch up with many recent developments, we naturally accepted.

But there was also mention of a visit to Bowen!

Quick research (Google Maps), made us realise that it is very close to Airlie Beach and just to the north of Proserpine Airport.

I might be a very mature traveller, but I still have a keen sense of adventure, so to have the chance to visit somewhere I have never been before was too good an offer.

So exactly where is it?

Bowen is situated in the northern section of the Whitsundays and is approximately 90km from Airlie Beach.

(Airlie Beach Location - The Whitsundays is located in Australia, on Queensland's central coast, approximately 1120km north of Brisbane and 630km south of Cairns. More specifically, Airlie Beach is situated on the Whitsunday Coast, approximately 149km North of Mackay, 272km South of Townsville.)

Famous for: Mango farms, beautiful beaches and snorkelling.

Bowen is one of the many charming towns on the Whitsunday Coast, with eight award winning; palm fringed

● Kings Beach, Bowen

Melbourne

Observer Wines & Liqueurs

with David Ellis

Semillon first for Canberra ■ Graeme Shaw believes he’s created a first both for his Shaw Vineyard Estate and possibly for the Canberra Wine District as well, with a Reserve Semillon from the cracker 2015 vintage.

Because he was able to produce his first-ever 100 per centSemillon since establishing his vineyard and winery ten years ago, and what he believes is the first-ever 100 per cent Semillon out of the Canberra District – a District in which Semillon is more normally blended into a Semillon/ Sauvignon Blanc, or with other wines to make a bubbly.

Graeme Shaw has some 11 acres (around 4.5ha) under Semillon, and interestingly that’s more Semillon than the whole of the Canberra District combined.

“2015 was an absolute standout year,” Graeme says, “with good winter and spring rain and a reasonably dry summer. It’s what warranted the production of our first ‘Reserve’ Semillon, a range that’s designed to showcase the best fruit from our best vintages.”

With a bouquet of lime juice, kaffir lime and mineral tones, this is a delightful drop whose upfront fruit flavours of lime and lime leaf and a juicy plumpness, also have a nice slaty acidity. And whilst great buying at $35 for enjoyment today with seafood (shellfish in particular,) pork or veal it’s got all signs of a good 15 years

One to note ■ South Australia’s Shottesbrooke used the best premium fruit from selected sites around its home McLaren Vale and also the Adelaide Hills for a now-available 2014 GSM that’s rewarding buying at just $20.

With 56 per cent Grenache, 26 per cent Shiraz and 18 per cent Mataro, this is drop that actually came out of a vintage that rattled the nerves of local winemakers with a couple of major heatwaves in January, but which thankfully were followed by good rain that tempered any potential damage.

With a ripe and juicy palate of upfront dark berries and aniseed, plus a hint of savoury, earthy spice, it’s a great drop to enjoy with a wild mushroom risotto.

Pictured ■ Outstanding vintage gave Shaw Vineyard, and possibly the Canberra District too, its first-ever 100% Semillon that’s a great match with seafood.

■ Rewarding GSM out of a vintage that rattled some McLaren Vale nerves – enjoy this one with a wild mushroom risotto.

beaches, beautiful bays and a warm tropical climate. Situated in the northern region of the Whitsundays on the shores of Edgecumbe Bay, it is a picturesque seaside town that offers a beachcomber's paradise.

The Bruce Highway leads us towards Bowen and the road is good.

On the edge of town, we arrive at the Big Mango, which is also the Bowen Visitor Information Centre, the first port of call for all visitors.

While enjoying a sensational Mango Sorbet, the wonderful staff are explaining all I need to know, to make my stay as informative as possible.

First impression - Not a high-rise in sight, older style buildings and shops that have been well maintained, wide streets and plenty of parking. I know I am going to like this place!

My accommodation is at Coral Cove Apartments, situated on the edge of the Coral Sea, with unbelievable views across the dancing waters.

These fully self-contained, luxury apartments are equal to the best of any I have stayed in.

Another surprise was the in-house restaurant, not only was the food wonderful, but the sunset views across the pool and Grey's Bay were an absolute delight.

Even if playing golf is not your go, you still should visit this par 70 course.

I didn't have the chance to play, but I took the opportunity to shoot around most of the course in a hire buggy.

I think I would have found the views across Queens Beach and the bay very distracting.

Bowen Yacht Club, well actually it is really called North Queensland Cruising Yacht Club offers visitors the chance to go sailing, a chance I wasn't going to miss.

Colin Tait took us out in his racing yacht 'Deception'. We sailed across the bay to Stone Island and as the wind picked up, we all got a good soaking, but who cared. This was so exhilarating.

Want to but the absolute freshest of local seafood; go to the Bowen Fisherman's Seafood Co. You pick the catch and they will cook it for you, if you wish.

This is what we did and we took it to a picnic area and devoured it while we watched another sunset. Do I have to go back home?

The historic Summergarden Theatre A fascinating building steeped in local history. Styled on the classic movie houses of California, it was built by a local grazier in 1948.

It was used as the set for the Slim Dusty Movie and for all the prescreening and launch of the noted film Australia by Baz Luhrmann, staring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

Australia was filmed in Bowen.

The Larrikin Hotel. Situated at 69 Herbert Street in Bowen is the ideal venue for a cold beer and sensational counter lunches and evening dining.

The pub’s history is well presented, with historic photos lining the walls.

360 Café on Flagstaff. If it's food with a view that takes your fancy, then this is the place.

Run by the local indigenous company of Girudala. 360 is well known for their breakfast, lunch and takeaway menus.

But be warned, the servings might be known as very generous.

Please check out their web site for full information. www.tourismbowen.com.au

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 23

Observer Classic Books From Page 33 Leave the hat,” said her visitor, in a muffled voice, and turning she saw he had raised his head and was sitting and looking at her.

For a moment she stood gaping at him, too surprised to speak.

He held a white cloth — it was a serviette he had brought with him — over the lower part of his face, so that his mouth and jaws were completely hidden, and that was the reason of his muffled voice.

But it was not that which startled Mrs. Hall. It was the fact that all his forehead above his blue glasses was covered by a white bandage, and that another covered his ears, leaving not a scrap of his face exposed excepting only his pink, peaked nose. It was bright, pink, and shiny just as it had been at first. He wore a dark-brown velvet jacket with a high, black, linen-lined collar turned up about his neck. The thick black hair, escaping as it could below and between the cross bandages, projected in curious tails and horns, giving him the strangest appearance conceivable. This muffled and bandaged head was so unlike what she had anticipated, that for a moment she was rigid.

He did not remove the serviette, but remained holding it, as she saw now, with a brown gloved hand, and regarding her with his inscrutable blue glasses.

“Leave the hat,” he said, speaking very distinctly through the white cloth.

Her nerves began to recover from the shock they had received. She placed the hat on the chair again by the fire. “I didn’t know, sir,” she began, “that — ” and she stopped embarrassed.

“Thank you,” he said drily, glancing from her to the door and then at her again.

“I’ll have them nicely dried, sir, at once,” she said, and carried his clothes out of the room. She glanced at his white-swathed head and blue goggles again as she was going out of the door; but his napkin was still in front of his face. She shivered a little as she closed the door behind her, and her face was eloquent of her surprise and perplexity. “I never,” she whispered. “There!” She went quite softly to the kitchen, and was too preoccupied to ask Millie what she was messing about with now, when she got there.

The visitor sat and listened to her retreating feet.

He glanced inquiringly at the window before he removed his serviette, and resumed his meal. He took a mouthful, glanced suspiciously at the window, took another mouthful, then rose and, taking

Melbourne

the serviette in his hand, walked across the room and pulled the blind down to the top of the white muslin that obscured the lower panes. This left the room in a twilight. This done, he returned with an easier air to the table and his meal.

“The poor soul’s had an accident or an op’ration or somethin’,” said Mrs. Hall. “What a turn them bandages did give me, to be sure!”

She put on some more coal, unfolded the clotheshorse, and extended the traveller’s coat upon this.

“And they goggles! Why, he looked more like a divin’ helmet than a human man!” She hung his muffler on a corner of the horse. “And holding that handkercheif over his mouth all the time. Talkin’ through it! . . . Perhaps his mouth was hurt too — maybe.”

She turned round, as one who suddenly remembers. “Bless my soul alive!” she said, going off at a tangent; “ain’t you done them taters yet, Millie?”

When Mrs. Hall went to clear away the stranger’s lunch, her idea that his mouth must also have been cut or disfigured in the accident she supposed him to have suffered, was confirmed, for he was smoking a pipe, and all the time that she was in the room he never loosened the silk muffler he had wrapped round the lower part of his face to put the mouthpiece to his lips. Yet it was not forgetfulness, for she saw he glanced at it as it smouldered out. He sat in the corner with his back to the window-blind and spoke now, having eaten and drunk and being comfortably warmed through, with less aggressive brevity than before. The reflection of the fire lent a kind of red animation to his big spectacles they had lacked hitherto.

“I have some luggage,” he said, “at Bramblehurst station,” and he asked her how he could have it sent. He bowed his bandaged head quite politely in acknowledgment of her explanation. “To-morrow?” he said. “There is no speedier delivery?” and seemed quite disappointed when she answered, “No.” Was she quite sure? No man with a trap who would go over?

Mrs. Hall, nothing loath, answered his questions and developed a conversation. “It’s a steep road by the down, sir,” she said in answer to the question about a trap; and then, snatching at an opening, said, “It was there a carriage was upsettled, a year ago and more. A gentleman killed, besides his coachman. Accidents, sir, happen in a moment, don’t they?”

But the visitor was not to be drawn so easily. “They

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do,” he said through his muffler, eyeing her quietly through his impenetrable glasses.

“But they take long enough to get well, don’t they? . . . There was my sister’s son, Tom, jest cut his arm with a scythe, tumbled on it in the ’ayfield, and, bless me! he was three months tied up sir. You’d hardly believe it. It’s regular given me a dread of a scythe, sir.”

“I can quite understand that,” said the visitor.

“He was afraid, one time, that he’d have to have an op’ration — he was that bad, sir.”

The visitor laughed abruptly, a bark of a laugh that he seemed to bite and kill in his mouth. “Was he?” he said.

“He was, sir. And no laughing matter to them as had the doing for him, as I had — my sister being took up with her little ones so much. There was bandages to do, sir, and bandages to undo. So that if I may make so bold as to say it, sir — ” “Will you get me some matches?” said the visitor, quite abruptly. “My pipe is out.”

Mrs. Hall was pulled up suddenly. It was certainly rude of him, after telling him all she had done. She gasped at him for a moment, and remembered the two sovereigns. She went for the matches.

“Thanks,” he said concisely, as she put them down, and turned his shoulder upon her and stared out of the window again. It was altogether too discouraging. Evidently he was sensitive on the topic of operations and bandages. She did not “make so bold as to say,” however, after all. But his snubbing way had irritated her, and Millie had a hot time of it that afternoon.

The visitor remained in the parlour until four o’clock, without giving the ghost of an excuse for an intrusion. For the most part he was quite still during that time; it would seem he sat in the growing darkness smoking in the firelight — perhaps dozing.

Once or twice a curious listener might have heard him at the coals, and for the space of five minutes he was audible pacing the room. He seemed to be talking to himself. Then the armchair creaked as he sat down again.

Chapter 2 Mr. Teddy Henfrey’s First Impressions At four o’clock, when it was fairly dark and Mrs. Hall was screwing up her courage to go in and ask her visitor if he would take some tea,Teddy Henfrey, the clock-jobber, came into the bar. “My sakes!

Mrs. Hall,” said he, “but this is terrible weather for

thin boots!” The snow outside was falling faster.

Mrs. Hall agreed, and then noticed he had his bag with him. “Now you’re here, Mr. Teddy,” said she “I’d be glad if you’d give th’ old clock in the parlour a bit of a look. ’Tis going, and it strikes well and hearty; but the hour-hand won’t do nuthin’ but point at six.”

And leading the way, she went across to the parlour door and rapped and entered.

Her visitor, she saw as she opened the door, was seated in the armchair before the fire, dozing it would seem, with his bandaged head drooping on one side. The only light in the room was the red glow from the fire — which lit his eyes like adverse railway signals, but left his downcast face in darkness — and the scanty vestiges of the day that came in through the open door. Everything was ruddy, shadowy, and indistinct to her, the more so since she had just been lighting the bar lamp, and her eyes were dazzled. But for a second it seemed to her that the man she looked at had an enormous mouth wide open — a vast and incredible mouth that swallowed the whole of the lower portion of his face. It was the sensation of a moment: the white-bound head, the monstrous goggle eyes, and this huge yawn below it. Then he stirred, started up in his chair, put up his hand. She opened the door wide, so that the room was lighter, and she saw him more clearly, with the muffler held up to his face just as she had seen him hold the serviette before. The shadows, she fancied, had tricked her “Would you mind, sir, this man a-coming to look at the clock, sir?” she said, recovering from the momentary shock.

“Look at the clock?” he said, staring round in a drowsy manner, and speaking over his hand, and then, getting more fully awake, “certainly.”

Mrs. Hall went away to get a lamp, and he rose and stretched himself. Then came the light, and Mr Teddy Henfrey, entering, was confronted by this bandaged person. He was, he says, “taken aback.”

“Good afternoon,” said the stranger, regarding him — as Mr. Henfrey says, with a vivid sense of the dark spectacles — “like a lobster.”

“I hope,” said Mr. Henfrey, “that it’s no intrusion.”

“None whatever,” said the stranger. “Though, I understand,” he said turning to Mrs. Hall, “that this room is really to be mine for my own private use.

To Be Continued Next Issue

Observer Crossword Solution No 11 F L OP P I E R A Z U K I N CHOR T L E S E N U D I V S H E E P S N O M H AGU R EG I ME N N D N P E B B F OR E S AW I W N R N UN S T UD I E D N N N N S L I A I S I NG O R E U VO L T AGE E U L NON D E POS E D R V MO I S E NC AMP M I L L E A P L E T SGO G A R E Y R I E ME A N T N E W B A N A L T R E L A Y S X T H A I L A PO L L O O E A R I N S P L A S T E R P R R E N I MA R T I N I I P G E N I CHO L A S T O L T A OU T S I D E R S N P I S EMB A S S Y I A R MA NG I N I T I A L N L A Y E A S H Y E N A S B A D MA T U MA RGA R E T N G N E E I D E S C E ND S

E X C A V A I GU Y RO A E L MA ND E E N N H E C T L E R L EON P W F UNG HUN I L L U S T O O H E C K L E K V R A I S E T N N OUGH T N I S AM I D I E UNCOU D U U F OS U L I L L OY D E M L F I B R E T U N ODDME V S S E NME S R E A I N T R T R H E A V L E M R E P A T M C H A B I T A A I T URNO G N S CO T S

A T E E L DOR A DO T ON E D E A F H A S T E N W NOM M V O P E S N A Z A R E T H WA R B L I NG D Y L A N N S OV E R E C G L A O I NDOOR S R P R E T T Y N Y L ON O M T A S T E L H I C L GA ND E R D H A S B E E N T E N S E S T I ORD E A L O A E E R H E A T S I N I TW I T S ME A T A X E N T C N E R I R S I N A N E T R AGE D I E S S UND A E S OR B S R F M I E E B T S E T S E EGG F L I P S P S A L M U I D U O T T E R S E A RMU F F S A I R B A S E O M D M Y T OMB T T R M I A OW O V I N E L E S S E E S I P N OWN N A NGE R L V T O T EM E DGE D E M E A D OW L E E A I D E M A N T I N K I R E L A ND MOB S G N AGGE D M V P O I R CH E E P E I P L E P A L A T I A L I P L A Z A E R A I A C U S U A L R R T A T T L E S S U I T K ME A S L Y S P I N E T S N T HOU P I P L E A T WE DGE A L E A D T O I E D R S I I M I NC E C R T RUC E N E R V E U T T E R E D I P A K T ROA R E E E N T S S T A L L I NG R E A P E R S E A V E S E N I E T L I H M P A S T E RN E NG I N E E R OP E N A I R S AGS T M C E O N R ROA S T UN S C E N T E D T E E N AGE W C L R U N E S T S L A S H T MA R A UD S R E S P E C T R E L A T E D N L S T L A S S E N T N S L A C K E N CH A F F C E P A S S E E S U E T F I A NC E E T D E S I S T T BON E L K NOA H T G E V E R O I L P A I N T MA NHO L E S R A YON E N U P S I O T MA N N EG L I GE E S P A C I OU S

Page 24 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

www.MelbourneObser ver.com.au

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Racing Briefs

Profit for pair ■ The past week has been most profitable for the Brent Lilley/Anthony Butt team which chalked up four winners including a double at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday.

Evergreen eight year old Dr Ronerail/Flipside gelding Keystone Del raced by the Hall's won his second (Group 1) Haras Des Trotteurs V.L. Dullard Cup in succession when greeting the judge in the feature event over 2240 metres In a spectacular event where Anton Golino's Arboe "took off" from the pole as the mobile pulled away in a lead time of 42.7 seconds after contacting the sulky, Keystone Del starting from the extreme draw spotted her a huge start.

Gradually making ground to be nice and handy one/one racing for the bell, Keystone Del gave chase in the back straight, before pouncing on the lead prior to the home turn, racing away on turning to register a 30.4 metre margin on the wire for a winning purse of $33,548 from Arboe who's effort was outstanding to battle on as she did. Tim Butt's Daryl Boko gave an indication of better things to come when finishing third.

In quarters of 29.3, 30.7, 29.1 and 30.1 for the final mile after the blistering early speed, Keystone Del returned a mile rate of 1-56.3, only three tenths of a second outside his track record performance set in June last year when trained by Nicole Molander.

Former Redwood winner My Arya returned to her best to land the Porter Homes Trotters Mobile for T3 or better class over 2240 metres.

In a race containing other ex-Kiwi's Uncas, Cyclone Lucky Seven, Zhenya and Lady Mackendon, Arya a 4-Y-0 daughter of Angus Hall and Belle Galleon raced by Trevor Casey was rated to perfection,hitting the post with 2.1 metres to spare over Button Brigade and Miracle in a mile rate of 201.8.

The pair were successful with 4-Y-0 Cr Commando/Lavra Miriam mare Charming Lavra at Tabcorp Park Melton on Monday February 15, taking out the Melbourne City Toyota Trotters Mobile for T0 & T1 class over 1720 metres..

Disappointing in two runs since crossing the Tasman, Charming Lavra settled well back in the field after starting solo on the second line.

Sent forward to park outside the leader Illawong Peppa racing for the bell, Charming Lavra led on turning to register a comfortable 4.4 metre victory over Stonedaselle and Desert Flyer in a rate of 201.7.

Three year old Gotta Go Cullect/Starling gelding The Sparrow Hawk toyed with his rivals in the McPhersons Printing Group Pace for C0 class over 1690 metres at Maryborough on Thursday, giving the team another winner for the week, peeling off a one/one trip to easily account for Hes Mine For Shaw and Sir Kapitar in 2-00.7.

Impressive winner

■ Injury plagued 10-Y-0 Legacy Of Power/ Muckinbar Miss gelding National Service was a most impressive winner of the fast class feature the Think Water / BOC Pace for C8 or better class over 1750 metres at Swan Hill on Wednesday.

Bred and raced by Horsham's Lane family, National Service trained and driven by Great Western's Grant Campbell starting from the extreme draw followed through at the start to settle close and handy in the running line, but became badly pocketed a lap out when both Im Alex and Wes Lewinski moved forward three wide racing for the bell.

A mile off the leaders approaching the final bend, National Service extricated to be five wide on the home turn, rattled home to record a 2.1 runaway victory over Wes Lewinski and Im Alex in a mile rate of 1-58.8 (last half 55.8 - quarter 27.1).

It was National Service's 16th victory in 84 outings over a long period of time.

Harness Review

■ Listen to Len Baker on Harness Review, 8pm10pm Mondays, on 97.9 FM, streamed in 979fm.com.au

Matty’s magic Melton moment ■ Young Werribee reinsman Matthew Horsnell would have been "over the moon" when successful aboard 4-Y-0 Courage Under Fire/Yes Please Louise mare Miss Condoleezza in the Harness Racing Training Centre Bendigo Pace for C0 class over 2240 metres at Tabcorop Park Melton on Monday February 15.

Trained at Melton by Maree Caldow, Miss Condoleezza settled four back in the running line after starting from the extreme draw, with pole marker Fianna Gael leading for Dunnstown's John Murphy.

Weaving in-between runners to follow Multiple Choice (one/one - three wide last lap) into the final bend, Miss Condoleezza despite being four wide on the final bend, dashed to the front on turning to register a 3.1 metre victory over Fiery Blue Chip along the sprint lane off the back of the leader in a mile rate of 2-00.7.

Tatiana Rosedale finished third after following the winner all through the race.

Matt also shares ownership with other family members.

3-wide ■ Ross and Greg Sugars were also winners at Melton, when 6-Y-0 Mach Three/Classical gelding Show Heeza Classic after an eye catching performance on February 8, snared the Hygain Pace for C3 & C4 class over 2240 metres in 1-58.5.

Gaining a three wide trail home from well back at the bell, Show Heeza Classic finished full of running to defeat Hi Tech Fury along the sprint lane and Cosell which did a lot of work after a bad beginning.

Smart ■ Long Forest's Andy Gath combined with Alex Ashwood to land the Carbine Chemicals Breeders Crown Pace for C1 class over 1720 metres with smart 5-Y-0 Somebeachsomewhere/Full Pleasure gelding Lagoon Beach.

Given an easy time one/one, Lagoon Beach bloused a death-seating Star Crossed by 1.6 metres, with Mister Bellisimo third off a midfield passage. The mile rate 1-59.3.

Success ■ Bacchus Marsh duo Wayne Freeman and Brad Barnes were successful in the Join The Pegasus Club Breeders Crown Pace for C1 class over 1720 metres

Baker’s Delight

Harness Racing

This Week’s Meetings

■ Wednesday - Maryborough/Mildura, Thursday - Hamilton/Shepparton, Friday - Melton, Saturday Geelong, Sunday - Charlton (Cup), Monday Cranbourne, Tuesday - Nyah @ Swan Hill.

Horses To Follow

Melbourne

Observer

len-baker@ bigpond.com

with Len Baker

at Melton with Exotic Native, a 6-Y-0 gelding by On The Attack from Poetical in a mile rate of 1-57.4.

Enjoying a cosy trip mid-field from gate two, Exotic Native ran home best to score from All Eyes And Ears and Lisandros which faced the breeze.

Double ■ At Stawell on Tuesday, Melton co-trainers Maree and John Caldow snared a stable double with a pair of four year olds - Bettors Delight/ Millwood Touche mare Millwood Brandy taking the Grampians Estate Pace for C1 class and Four Starzzz Shark/ Mother Courage gelding Threepennyopera the Hygain Feeds Pace for C0 class, both races over 2175 metres.

Millwood Brandy led all of the way from gate three, accounting for Touch Of Armbro (one/ one) and So Demanding which faced the breeze in a mile rate 2-04.1, with Threepennyopera doing the same from gate four, defeating Justalilbitgreek (three back the markers) and Presidential Grin (one/one). The mile rate 2-02.7.

Quick ■ Ex-Kiwi Sonya Smith was in the winners stall at Yarra Valley on Wednesday, when well performed 5-Y-0 Extreme Three/Facelift gelding Pantheon chalked up his first victory since August 2014 - greeting the judge in the Pryde's Easiperformance Pace for C0 class over 2150 metres with Anthony Butt in the sulky.

Crossed from the pole

by Ebonyallstarzzz (gate four) at the start, Pantheon quickly moved around her to lead and in a two horse duel all the way up the running, prevailed by a half neck in 201.1. Allys Comet was

third after following the pair.

At rear ■ Sutton Grange trainer Ross Graham combined with Bendigo freelance Todd Matthews to land the COGS Trotters Mobile for T4 or better class at Melton with smart Sundon/Sonoko 6-Y-0 gelding Sun Of Sonoko in 2-01.4.

Spending most of the race at the rear after starting from the extreme draw, Sun Of Sonoko after trailing home three wide from the bell, finished strongly out wide to prevail by 2.1 metres in advance of the pacemaker Majestic Grace and Sun Of Anarchy (one/ one) last lap.

Elated ■ Youthful Terang partowmer/trainer Patrick (Paddy) Lee was highly elated at Tabcorp Park Melton on Monday February 15, when Muscles Yankee/Dream Interest filly Keayang Yankee scored an easy victory in the Mountain View Stud 3-Y-0 Trotters Mobile over 1720 metres.

Driven by cousin Glen Craven, Keayang Yankee responsible for an eye catching performance a week earlier when second at the same track to High Gate, led throughout from the pole to register an untouched 3.5 metre margin in advance of Big Jack Hammer and Marvellous Max in a mile rate of 158.1.

Regular ■ Kerryn Manning has been a regular visitor to Swan Hill in recent times and smart 4-Y-0 Bettors Delight/Linda Grace mare Linda Lovegrace was an easy 6.4 metre victor of the Think Water Swan Hill & Echuca Pace for C3 to C5 class over 2240 metres, leading throughout from gate five.

- Len Baker

■ Conversation, Mister Hairy Maclary, Wes Lewinsky, Guggenheim, Scorchin Along, Waterboy, WesternviewJack, Majestic Grace, Miss Noelle.

Victors at Stawell ■ At Stawell's Tuesday fixture, the Western District and South East South Australia was well to the fore winning half of the eight event card.

Armstrong's Brooke Hansen combined with Kerryn Manning to take the Brian Gunnell Memorial Pace Final for C0 class over 1780 metres with Bubbaloobah, a Kiwi bred 4-Y-0 daughter of Santanna Blue Chip and Toast To Cullen raced by partner Tim O'Brien.

Leading out from the pole before taking a trail on the hot favourite Mygirljo (gate three), Bubbaloobah was too slick along the sprint lane, blousing the favourite by 1.5 metres in 2-00.2.

Macterra Hawk was third after parking in the open.

Bungalally (Horsham) trainer Wayne Lane snared the Kaye Matthews Tribute for C1 class over 1780 metres with honest 5-Y-0 Armbro Operative/Shirleysue gelding Chrissysbungalally in a rate of 1-59.5.

Driven by Bendigo based Tanya Cavallaro, Chrissysbungalally enjoyed a sweet trip one/one from gate two, with Enter The Sandman (gate three leading).

Sent forward in the back straight on the final occasion, Chrissysbungalally finished best to score by 7 metres in advance of Kiwi rage along the sprint lane after trailing the pacemaker, with Waterboy (three back the markers) third.

Mount Gambier trainer Malcolm Whitehead's more than handy 6-Y-0 Saab/Iman Lombo gelding Saab Magic broke back into the winners circle when successful in the Stawell Veterinary Clinic Pace for C2 & C3 class over 2175 metres with Greg Sugars in the sulky.

Taken back to last from gate five, Saab Magic trailed home the red-hot favourite Just Britell in the final circuit and outsprinted him to score by 2.2 metres, with Westernview Jack 7.8 metres away in third place after racing in the open from the bell.

The mile rate 2-00.8.

Horsham owner/breeders Barry and Yvonne Dunn's consistent 5-Y-0 Jeremes Jet/Rappa Scooter mare Little Lyn registered her 7th victory when greeting the judge in the Rayners Fruit & Vegetables Pace for C4 & C5 class over 2175 metres in a rate of 2-02.1.

Driven by John Caldow, Little Lyn finished on from mid-field to defeat Metrofromelle along the sprint lane off the back of the weakening leader and favourite Gotta go Henry, with Witzend (three back the markers) third.

Stepped cleanly ■ Great Western trainer Brad Hunt was successful with eight year old Christian Cullen/Chaangerr gelding Change Gear in the Nevele R Stud Pacers Handicap for M0 or better class at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday.

Driven by Glen Craven, Change Gear after stepping cleanly from barrier three enjoyed an easy time trailing the pacemaker Our Missionary Man and was always travelling smoothly.

Easing away from the markers on the finalbend, Change Gear ran home best to blouse the pacemaker by 2.1 metres in a rate of 1-59.3, with Our Bold Lustre (three back the markers) third after a bad beginning.

Sulky Snippets ■ TThere are more of Len Baker’s Sulky Snippets on Page 33.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 25

In One Voice

e urn lbo Me

Every Week in the Melbourne Observer

UNDERSTUDIED

By CHERYL THREADGOLD

● Alice Zaslavsky will present a cooking demonstration in the In One Voice Jewish Street Festival on March 20.

■ Following its hugely successful comeback last year, the In One Voice Jewish Street Festival on Sunday, March 20, is promising to be bigger and better this time round – and bagels are very much on the menu, along with that Jewish staple, cheesecake.

Festival Manager Judith Weizman says In One Voice is offering an impressive concert line up, an art exhibition, craft stalls, community stalls, a bagel-eating competition, a cheesecake bake-off, cooking demonstrations plus traditional entertainments such as egg-and-spoon races, a sack race and a tug-of-war which will pit Jewish politicians and school principals against youth leaders.

“The concert showcases the amazing array of talent within the Jewish community. 2015 favourites, the Bashevis Singers (including Husky Gawenda) are back to sing Yiddish tunes, but there’s a stack of brilliant new talent including Natalie Gamsu, an internationally-acclaimed singer, actor and cabaret artist, shannyn.art who specialises in contemporary Jewish-inspired music,.

“There is also Jake Fehily, a 19-year-old actor/singer/ songwriter who rated in the top five for three weeks running on Triple J’s Unearthed, and Karen Feldman, who has just released an album, Mazl – Journey in Yiddish Song.”

“We’ll also be hearing from Jewku'ladies, a group of women who have taken up the ukulele under the guidance of Karen Feldman, and many, many choirs – some from schools and others from the community.

“Dance, a popular segment last year, will be represented by the Sefra Burstin School of Dance and the Lider Sunday School Dancers from the Russian-speaking community.

Also from the Russian-speaking community is singer and guitarist, Leon Bondar, who hails from Ukraine.

Bringing it all together are comedians Josh Glanc and Sabina Bracka Berman who will compere the concert.”

In One Voice is part of Cultural Diversity Week, March 12 -20, and Weizman stresses that the festival is open to all comers.

A full festival program is available on www.inonevoice.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold

ver N ser O Ob TI C SE 3

Observer Showbiz

Radio: Johnny Young on Magic 1278 ..................... Page 26 Theatre: Banquet of Secrets............................................. Page 27 Country Music: Port Fairy Festival looms .................... Page 26 Jim and Aar on: Top 10 lists, reviews .................................... Page 28 Aaron: Cheryl Threadgold: Latest shows, non-por auditions ........ Page 29 PL US THE LLO OVATT”S MEGA CRO PLUS CROSSSWORD

● Jenny Lovell in Understudied.

■ Understudied can be seen at The Butterfly Club from February 24-28.

Set in the golden era of Hollywood, Marzipan O’Malley and her friends have been in every well-known film.

These are the ‘stars’ who have played flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz, Confederate Soldier No.2 in Gone With The Wind, and Man in Shady Lane Standing Behind Humphrey Bogart in his entire catalogue.

In the back lot of the MGM Studios, they trade their stories of standing in the shadows of Garland, Bogart and Kelly.

Understudied is the brainchild of Anna Renzenbrink and features Melbourne performers Jason Geary, Jenny Lovell and LliamAmor.

Equal parts comedy and drama, it offers a unique perspective on the Golden Era of Hollywood.

Performance dates: February 24 – 28 at 8.30pm Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne Tickets: $32-$25 Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com - Cheryl Threadgold

Grease is the word in Beaumaris

Another Other

● Erkki Veltheim, Sabina Maselli, Natasha Anderson and Anthony Pateras.

Photo: Jeff Busby ■ Mortality, loneliness, unfulfilled relationships, and loss of religious faith. These were Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s favourite topics.

Bergman said in his later years that his films made him depressed. How existential is that?

That’s not to say they lacked merit and nor does Chamber Made Opera’s Another Other, a sound and light tribute to Bergman on the 50th anniversary of his film Persona, still a benchmark in experimental filmmaking.

Created and performed by Natasha Anderson, Sabina Maselli, Anthony Pateras and Erkki Veltheim, the show opens with a montage formed from the faces of the artists, layered and blurred together in classic black-and-white, mirroring an iconic shot from the film.

The film centres on the psychological relationship between two women, a mute actor and her nurse. Gradually there is a blurring of their identities, as there is with the voices of the artists behind Another Other.

In this interpretation the audience is seated on either side of semi-transparent screens, with the performers visible through the opaque material.

Veltheim, Anderson and Pateras contribute sound while Maselli manipulates projections on the screens. Veltheim plays violin, Anderson plays contrabass and garklein recorders while Pateras uses a modular synthesizer to make sounds, manipulate pre-recorded sounds, and interact with the other players. All contribute vocals in various ways.

The layers of sound, pre-recorded and live, blend with layers of images that reference Bergman’s filmmaking until a crescendo is reached and the darkly humorous closing line from the film (“One must be infantile to be an artist in our age”) is read.

Bergman remains a highly regarded filmmaker because of his drive to produce and express a point of view. He was not the artistic opportunist waiting for someone else’s work to fall into his lap, but a trailblazer for people like Woody Allen.

The performers behind this piece are similarly driven to make original art. Like a Bergman film, this is an experimental work at once revealing and discomfiting and though the sky is dark and the landscape bleak, a shaft of light occasionally breaks through.

- Review by Martin Curtis

Media Flashes

● T-Birds in Beaumaris Theatre’s Grease: Chris Hunter, Fraser Mitchell, Ash Cooper, Stuart Anderson and Josh Pratt.

Photo: Debbie Keyt ■ Beaumaris Theatre presents the musical Grease from March 4 -19 at 82 Wells Rd, Beaumaris.

The show’s director is Debbie Keyt, musical direction is by Rhonda Vaughan and choreographer is Camilla Klesman.

For performance and booking details visit www. beaumaristheatre.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

■ Andrew Holden finishes this week as Editor-in-Chief of The Age. The newspaper’s editorial direction will ultimately be controlled by the Sydney office of Fairfax Media.

■ Katrina Yang has joined SBS World News as an Asia Correspondent.

■ Bridget Davies and Tiffany Korssen have been appointed Cadet Journalists for the Herald Sun. ■ Alissa Thomas has been appointed Editor of Shop Til You Drop.

■ Andrew Trounson has left The Australian to join The University of Melbourne’s external relations team.

Page 26 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Observer Showbiz

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Radio Confidential News from stations from around Victoria

Young Talent Time

Country Crossroads

■ As predicted late last year in the Melbourne Observer, Johnny Young has taken over the 2pm-6pm shift on Magic 1278.

The Magic network now includes the Melbourne station, 2CH in Sydney, and 4BH in Brisbane.

info@country crossroads.com.au Rob Foenander ■ The 40th annual Port Fairy Folk Festival returns from March 11-14 and is promising to be a star studded event.

Multiple genres of music will be on offer including some of Australia's A-list of country music artists.

Graeme Connors, Sara Storer, Greg Champion and Eric Bogle are just some of the big names who will take the stage in what has become one of Victoria's premier attractions.d

■ Ross Stevenson, 3AW breakfast co-host, is a father again.

He and wife Sarah are parents of Lauren, who weighed in 7lbs 1oz.

● Johnny Young

● Sarah, Lauren and Ross

■ Power FM at Ballarat is seeking a breakfast announcer.

■ Johnny Young (story above, left) is often broadcasting from studios in Perth.

■ Glenn Ridge has been transferred to the Magic 1278 morning program, displacing Andrew McLaren.

■ Larry Edmur will be presenting a one-hour wellness program on 3AW, which will include guests such as Michelle Bridges.

Briefs

This Friday at Sandown ■ The Sandown Regency Motel will play host to a country and rock-n-roll night on Friday (Feb. 26).

The band Country Cruzin will be joined by Sandra and Esric Jackson with special guest Rob Foenander. Also performing will be ‘Elvis’(aka Arnie) who'll no doubt be giving his blue suede shoes a good work out.

Limited seating available and pre bookings essential. Contact 9548 3444 for more details.

Outlaws released ■ Adam Brand and the Outlaws have released their debut CD through ABC Universal.

The all boy band that includes some of the biggest and well known performers Australian country music can muster up have been singing up a storm around the country with a national tour.

The CD features 14 tracks ranging from Jimmy Barnes’ Working Class Man to Dave Dudley'sSix Days On The Road.

- Rob Foenander

28 years as ‘best mates’

More Showbiz Briefs

■ Seven West Media has bought a third of baby boomers site Starts at 60.

■ Brisbane-based Ian Maurice will be joined by Melbourne collectables expert Rick Milne on a new Thursday radio program starting Thursday, March 10, on the Queensland station 101.1FM. ■ Paul ‘Bingo’ Shannon was responsible for inventing Ian Meldrum’s nickname of ‘Molly’, not Frank Howson, claims music veteran Bobby Johnson.

■ A high definition simulcast of the Ten Network main channel will begin on Wednesday next week (March 2).

Wednesday Thursday February 24 February 25 ■ ■ US actor James Farentino was born in New York in 1938. He died aged 71 in 2012.

Australian actor, director and producer Phil Avalon (Philip Holbrow) was born in Newcastle in 1945 (71).

English actor Dennis Waterman was born in 1948 (68).

■ Happy birthday Pim O’Brien.

Actor Zeppo (Hebert) Marx was born in New York in 1901. He died aged 78.

Ian ‘Pee Wee’ Wilson, one of the Delltones, was born in Sydney in 1940 (76).

George Harrison, one of The Beatles, was born in Liverpool in 1941. He died aged 58

Review: Where have all the flowers gone?

It’s a girl

Port Fairy next month

r Obser vbeiz On This Day Show

LOCAL THEATRE

● Peter Stubbs and Diane Dunleavy, better known as Gruby and Dee Dee, were featured by journalist Lawrence Money in Good Weekend at the weekend.

The pair spoke together about their 28-year on-air partnership, as “best mates”. Photo courtesy: Bonnie Savage

● Hadassah Wallis and Hayley Thompson in Where Have all the Flowers Gone?

■ The six dancers from Eden Dance performing at Theatreworks, St Kilda had an important story to tell in the production - Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

Choreographers, Colette MacLaren and Hayley Thompson put in over 12 months’ work researching post-natal depression and have expressed through dance, the stories of many women in this theatre piece.

Every woman has her own story to tell, her own path in life. The opening set showed each performer being stationed at their individual symbol – family shoe, a kitchen sink, a washing basket, children’s toys, in bed, in the bath.

Hearing the actual stories over the music and pulsating drone sounds was a powerful reminder that these are real stories told by real people.

It was a pity that some of those stories had distorted sound at times and some were drowned out by the droning noises.

The use of baby shoes on their shoulders showed the burden they were trying to endure.

‘Keeping it together for the sake of the kids’ is something society understands.

The scene depicting a screaming baby was particularly poignant. Showing the agony of not coping was well done.

Contemporary dancers Colette MacLaren, Anni Ha, Hayley Thompson, Hannah Rushton-Smith, Rachel Vogel and Hadassah Wallis worked well as a cohesive sisterhood and showed individual personalities and strengths.

Opening night wobbles affected most but were only fleeting.

The choreographers wanted to show that Flowers embraced the truth behind the struggle and celebrated the beauty of bringing the colour back.

The struggles were clearly depicted but it would have been good to see more celebration of colour or hope at the end of the piece.

Costuming by Hadassah Wallis and Barbra Vernon was cleverly in keeping with the dark topic showing a fleeting glance of colour hidden underneath.

The lighting design by Rodney King and Candice Annells skillfully enhanced the movement without overwhelming.

Thank you for the hand made flowers. Find Eden Dance at 3darts.com.au/edendance - Review by Lyn Laister Melbourne

Observer

Friday Saturday February 26 February 27 ■ Actor Jackie Gleason was born in New York in 1916. He died aged 71 in 1987.

Actor Tony Randall was born as Leonard Rosenberg in 1920.

US actress Betty Hutton was born in 1921. She died at 86.

Singer Fats Domino was born in New Orleans in 1928.

■ Singer Guy Mitchell (Al Cernik) was born in Yugoslavia in 1927.

He died aged 72 in 1999.

Actress Joanne Woodward was born in 1920 (85). She is the widow of Paul Newman.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932.

She died in 2011.

Sunday Monday February 28 March 1

Tuesday March 2

■ US actress Gavin MacLeod was born as Alan See in 1931 (85).

Racing driver Mario Andretti was born in Italy in 1940 (76).

Politician Mark Latham is 55.

Film director Vincente Minnelli was born in 1910. He died aged 76 in 1986. He married Judy Garland.

■ Dr Seuss (Theodore Seuss Geisel) was born in the US in 1904. He died aged 87 in 1991.

Desi Arnaz, Cuban bandleader and actor, was born in 1917. He died aged 71 in 1986.

Actress Belinda Giblin was born in Tamworth in 1950 (66).

■ American dance band leader Glenn Miller was born in 1904. He died aged 40 Scottish actor David Niven was born in 1910.

He died aged 73 in 1983.

Football identity Leigh Matthews is 64.

American actor Ron Howard was born in Oklahoma in 1954.

Thanks to GREG NEWMAN of Jocks Journal for assistance with birthday and anniversary dates.

Jocks Journal is Australia’s longest running radio industry publication.

Find out more at www.jocksjournal.com

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

ShowBiz!

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 27

Observer Showbiz

Awards for CPAC

● CPAC’s choreographer Robert Mulholland and director Lee Geraghty at the 2016 Lyrebird Awards.

■ Congratulations to the Cardinia Performing Arts Company (CPAC) for their great success at the 2016 Lyrebird Awards night Awards for the company’s production of Legally Blonde include Best Director and Best Set - Lee Geraghty, Best Choreographer - Robert Mulholland, Best Sound - Frank Scaturchio, Best Lighting Michael Bates, Best Costumes - Fiona and Emma Sparrow, and Legally Blonde won Best Production for 2015.

Nominations included Best Supporting Actress Frankie Ross, Best Musical Direction Kent Ross, Best Actor Peter Garrett, Highly Commended performance Hayley Bellis.

To top off a wonderful evening, CPAC also received nominations for their production of The Addams Family: Best Junior performer, Emily Hansford (Wednesday Addams) and Best Actor, Josh Ide (Gomez Addams).

Bravo to Lee, Robert and their hard-working team at Cardinia PerformingArts Companyfor this muchdeserved success.

- Cheryl Threadgold

10 Minute Quickies ■ The Ten Minute Quickies are back at Eltham Little Theatre from March 2 -5.

Each performance includes 11 plays that run for ten minutes each and audiences can vote for their favourite play.

On the final night the votes are counted and the winner of the People’s Choice Award is presented with a $500 cheque.

The Best Play is decided upon by the judges and the playwright awarded $1000. Lily McCarthy author of Trapped and winner of the Youth Category will be awarded her prize of $500.

The Judges: Chris Procter, Robyn Kelly, Chris Boek and Trudi Walters.

Directors: Susan Rundle, Tanya Ryder, Roderick Chappel, John Jennings, Michelle Swann, Carol Owen, Brad Buckingham, Bert Fine, Beverley Hart, Bob Bramble and Candice Brittain Tickets: $25, ( $20 concession) for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night and Saturday matinee (2pm). Saturday Gala night is $35 ( no concession) For full details of performances visit elthamlittletheatre.org.au/productions/ten-minutequickies - Cheryl Threadgold

TV, Radio, Theatre Latest Melbourne show business news - without fear or favour

Banquet of Secrets

Cirque du Soleil

● David Rogers-Smith (left), Dimity Shepherd, Antoinette Halloran and Kanen Breen in Banquet of Secrets.

Photo: Charlie Kinross ■ Steve Vizard and musician Paul Roger Hodgman returns to direct, folGrabowsky have devised a new work, lowing his Victorian Opera productions Banquet of Secrets. of Nixon In China (2013) and The FlyThe music premieres in Melbourne ing Dutchman (2015). on March 1 and runs until March 5 at the He will be reunited with Steve Vizard Arts Centre, Playhouse, before heading and Paul Grabowsky following their to Brisbane for a season at QPAC. comedy Last Man Standing for MelFour friends unite for their annual din- bourne Theatre Company. ner, and secrets are spilled in a celebraIn a city with a love of food and mution of food, friendship and life. sic theatre, Victorian Opera serves up a Presented in partnership with Arts new musical to delight Melbourne audiCentre Melbourne and as part of the ences while continuing its commitment Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, this to present new Australian work. musical will be a treat for lovers of food Banquet of Secrets marks the first new and music alike. musical commissioned by the company.

The production will feature an onPerformances: March 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at stage menu created by celebrity chef 7.30pm and 1.00pm matinee March 5 Philippe Mouchel (PM24, Déjà Vue).

Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, PlayVictorian Opera performers house Antoinette Halloran, Kanen Breen, Tickets: from $55; Age 30 and under Dimity Shepherd and David Rogers- $30.

Smith return to the stage of Arts Centre Bookings: 1300 182 183 or online at Melbourne’s Playhouse, following their artscentremelbourne.com.au box-office hit Sweeney Todd.

- Cheryl Threadgold

● Matt Beard Costumes: Photo: Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt ■ Cirque du Soleil announces the return of its trademark blue-and-yellow big top to Melbourne with an all-new production, KOOZA. A sparkling, colourful homage to the traditions of circus, KOOZAwill open on Friday, January 20, 2017 for a limited engagement at Flemington Racecourse.

Cirque du Soleil rediscovers its origins with the company’s eighth Big Top show to tour Australia.

A return to the intimate and fundamental human elements of circus, KOOZA combines thrilling acrobatic performance with the art of clowning.

We follow The Innocent as he takes a journey of self-discovery through a comic kingdom of eccentric characters, electrifying thrills and out-of-the-box surprises.

Tickets are available now to the general public at www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza or by phone on toll free 1800 036 685.

- Cheryl Threadgold

Midsummer Night ■ Under threatening grey skies, director Alan Chambers welcomed us to Sly Rat Theatre Co.’s inauguralShakespeare in Park free production on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, in the historic Pipemakers Park.

The location was ideal, and excellent use of the canopy of a large aging Cyprus tree formed the acting area that was bounded at the rear by stand-alone sheets of rusty corrugated galvanised iron.

But what of the decade’s old windowless yellow Ford 100 utility tucked neatly to side and surrounded by metal pieces of junk? We were promised a “sparkling new adaption” and that was what we got.

Excellently performed throughout in all respects.

Technically we saw some innovative costumes by Bryn Meredith and Nadine Laburada well devised and in the imagery of Athenian with a touch of Elizabethan. Set and lighting design by Benjamin Brockman gave it the sparkle that was complimented by Andy Harmsen’s dramaturg and adaption.

With a cast of 20 highlights were many with show stealers, Phil Roberts as Quince with exceptional mime and facial delivery and Brendan Ewing as the tall imposing horse hoof-shoed Puck.

Angelique St Jorre as Fairy Queen Titania made good use of the bonnet of the Ford ute as her bower, while another motorised utility drove into the play with six “clowns” aboard, with names such as Snout, Snug, Flute and Bottom.

Here we had some wonderful interplay that was highly amusing and often imaginative.

● Brendan Ewing (Puck) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Impressive was the commanding delivery of Craig Stephens as Theseus as was the choreography of Ailish Lydon for the Dance of the Fairies.

Lovers Lysander Hannah Bolt, Hermia Letitia Sutherland, Helena Katharine Innes and Demetrius Seton Pollack were all well paired and were most expressive at all times.

An adaption to be seen and heard, and with two free performances left you would not be disappointed whether you are a student or a lover of Shakespeare’s work, or just want to be entertained, it has the lot.

Dates: Friday and Saturday, February 26-27. Time: 6.30pm. Cost: Free.

Venue: Pipemakers Park, Gordon St, Maribyrnong Details: slyrattheatreco.com - Review by Graeme McCoubrie

Circus Oz

■ In 2016 Circus Oz opens its doors to a whole range of new productions and initiatives with new artistic directions and collaborations while holding true to the authenticity of live circus – this is Circus Oz straight up.

The recently announced new Guest Show Director for 2016, Anni Davey, has swung back to Circus Oz with a determination to connect with the brutal and mesmerising beauty of authentic circus.

Davey’s driving passion for the circus art form and the company will see her create the next Circus Oz show – Straight Up – working on the floor in collaboration with the Circus Oz ensemble, founding member and Senior CircusArtist, Tim Coldwell, and Senior Artistic Associate, Antonella Casella.

The 2016 Circus Oz ensemble features familiar faces and some exciting new performers: Sam Aldham, Robbie Curtis, April Dawson, Sharon Gruenert, Ben Hendry, Spenser Inwood, Flip Kammerer, Kyle Raftery, Ania Reynolds (Musical Director), Matt Wilson and DaleWoodbridge-Brown.

The 2016 Circus Oz production, Straight Up, will unleash an all-human, non-stop energy and mayhem; seeing how the real world and its traditional laws bend with the performer’s physicality – musicians, acrobats and manipulators will inhabit a life unconstrained by the laws of physics.

In April Straight Up will kick off the Australian tour in Victoria before its Circus Oz Big Top premiere in Melbourne this June at Birrarung Marr and then continue with the national tour throughout South Australia, WesternAustralia, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

Bending their skills even further, Circus Oz will collaborate with Victorian Opera in the production of Laughter and Tears in August and in October will appear with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s popular children’s program Classic Kids.

Throughout the year, the Circus Oz Melba Spiegeltent will be jammed packed with vivacious programming and the Circus Oz Classes in the Circus Oz Collingwood Headquarters will continue for adults and children throughout the school terms and holidays.

Melbourne Performance Season: June 15 – July 10 at Birrarung Marr Further details: www,circusoz.com - Cheryl Threadgold

Page 28 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Observer Showbiz What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs

● Armed with her sewing machine, revenge is back in fashion for Kate Winslet in the delightfully dark and quirky Australian gem, The Dressmaker.

FILM: THE DRESSMAKER: Genre: Comedy/Drama.

Cast: Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving, Judy Davis, Kerry Fox, Rebecca Gibney, Sarah Snook, Caroline Goodall, Shane Jacobson, Barry Otto.

Details: 2015/ MA/118 Minutes.

Stars: **** Verdict: In the 1950s, the beautiful Myrtle "Tilly" Dunnage returns to her rural Australian hometown to take care of her ill mother, who sent her away as a child because of false accusations made against her. Now an expert dressmaker trained in Paris she transforms the locals with her couture creations, and in the process, finds out the truth and exacts revenge on the people who wrongly accused her all those years ago.

Described by director Jocelyn Moorhouse as "Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" with a sewing machine," this is a stylish, darkly devilish joy full of brisk energy and wonderfully quirky characters. The outstanding ensemble cast of eccentric characters all shine beginning with Kate Winslet as "Femme Fatale" "Tilly," Judy Davis as the mother, Molly, is an "off-thewall" performance that has to be seen to be believed, and Hugo Weaving's in his campest romp since "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." Based on the novel by Rosalie Ham, with a superb screenplay by director Jocelyn Moorhouse and P.J. Hogan, along with stunning cinematography by veteran Don McAlpine, this is unmissable! And destined to become an Australian classic!

FILM: CRIMSON PEAK: Genre: Romance/Drama/Fantasy/Horror.

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain.

Details: 2015/ PG/119 Minutes.

Stars: **½ Verdict: Set at the turn of the last century, in the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider, and trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a mysterious and haunted gothic house. This slow burning supernatural romantic drama from director Guillermo del Toro lacks the originality, atmosphere, the gripping edge and emotional strength which he excelled with in such other supremely executed gothic drama's as the chilling "The Devil's Backbone," the spellbinding Oscar nominated "Pan's Labyrinth" and the genuinely frightening anxiety and grief stricken reality of "The Orphanage," for which he executive produced. The cast are all in good form, but the real stars here are the eye popping costume design, period detail, set and production design, but it gives far too strong a sense of déjà along the way, having seen it all before, only better.

FILM: THE HUDSCUKER PROXY: Genre: Comedy.

Cast: Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Charles Durning.

Details: 1994/ PG/111 Minutes.

Stars: **** Verdict: Set in 1958 in New York, company president Waring Hudsucker commits suicide, the board of directors, led by the deliciously evil Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman) installs a young naive but idealistic business graduate as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam. Mixing Preston Struges, Ernst Lubitsch and Frank Capra, with a touch of John Farrow's 1948 noir classic "The Big Clock," to name a few, this delightfully extravagant (Gillian-esque) comedy from Joel and Ethan Coen is a stylish, comic, dark, romantic, perverse and ultimately a startling fable of the American dream. Meticulously intelligent, witty and bitingly cynical screenplay by Joel & Ethan Coen and Sam Raimi, pitch perfect direction and performances by Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh as a newspaper reporter, and the late great Charles Durning as the suicidal company president, Waring Hudsucker. Standout period detail, costume and production design,and a special mention must go to cinematographer Roger Deakins for his startling vision, and to the music by Carter Burwell, who brilliantly accents every emotion throughout! A gem!

Movies, DVDs

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

With Jim Sherlock and Aaron Rourke

Crimson Peak

● Director Guillermo Del Toro's latest film, the gorgeously atmospheric Crimson Peak, is about to hit DVD and Blu-Ray. ■ (MA). 119 minutes. Available on change-of-pace for director David DVD and Blu-Ray on February 25. Cronenberg, who gave us such transMore tragic romance than fright- formative nightmares as Shivers, The ful ghost story, this latest effort from Brood, Dead Ringers, and Crash. director Guillermo del Toro is cerBut as Bruce Wagner's vicious tainly lavishly mounted, but its elabo- screenplay unfolds, there are themes rate trappings eventually crush a rather dealing with psychological and physisimple tale. cal mutation that will be familiar to The story centres on Edith fans of this unique film-maker.

Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), who afThe incestuous nature of Hollyter falling for the refined charms of wood, and the malleable changing of Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), mind and flesh in order to cater for a is married and whisked away to En- ravenous, tech-crazy public, who gland, specifically the ominous want to know every lurid detail of their Sharpe estate, which is nicknamed private lives, makes this another disCrimson Peak. turbing Cronenberg experience, alAlso living at the house is Sharpe's beit with a very dark sense of humour. sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain), This would actually make a good whose behaviour appears cold and double-bill with the unsettling Antiintimidating.

Viral, directed by Cronenberg's son Soon a number of dark secrets will Brandon. be revealed. Crimson Peak unfortuPerformances are excellent, with nately offers no surprises, scares, or Moore a typical stand-out as the even a sense of eerie tension, as del growingly unstable Havana, and for Toro seems to get lost in the dazzling which she won Best Actress at last atmospherics and eye-popping set de- year's Cannes Film Festival. sign, causing the film to bog down and RATING - **** feel overly protracted.

A loving ode to Edgar Allen Poe and Mario Bava, with additional nods (MA). 118 minutes. Available Now to The Haunting (1963) and Dario Argento, Crimson Peak is not a di- on DVD. saster like some critics have stated, Effective, highly entertaining acit's just not up there with del Toro's tion/thriller from prolific director best work, such as Pan's Labyrinth, Takashi Miike (13 Assassins / LesThe Devil's Backbone, and Hellboy. son Of The Evil / As The Gods Will), RATING - *** dealing interestingly with ruthless financial gain blurring society's sense of moral responsibility.

When deranged Kiyomaru (Tatsuya Fujiwara of Death Note (MA). 111 minutes. Available Now fame) murders a seven year-old girl, the victim's billionaire grandfather on DVD and Blu-Ray. Hollywood is roasted yet again in puts a one-billion yen bounty on his the unusually nasty Maps To The head, a move which forces Kiyomaru Stars, a pungent satire that will defi- to turn himself in to police.

Needing to transport Kiyomaru nitely polarise viewers. from the suburban police station he is The story alternates between two homefronts. One is inhabited by the at to Tokyo, five officers are assigned Weiss family, made up of self-help to perform this task, headed by Mekari guru Stafford (John Cusack), agent/ (Takao Osawa).

The journey proves a dangerous wife Christina (Olivia Williams), drug-addled child-star Benjie (Evan one, as numerous citizens come out Bird), and formally institutionalised of the woodwork to try and claim the sizeable bounty.

Agatha (Mia Wasikowska).

In the other resides Havana Miike paces the film nicely, allow(Julianne Moore), an aging actress ing the characters and themes to desliding into the outer who becomes velop between the impressive action obsessed about remaking a 1960's set-pieces. film that starred her late mother.

Osawa (The Taste Of Fish / Bizan Floating between them is limo / Ichi) is again first-rate. This has Holdriver and aspiring actor/writer Jerome lywood remake written all over it, so (Robert Pattinson). see it before the US destroy it.

Given the film's surface-level RATING - ***½ premise, this initially seems like a - Aaron Rourke

Shield of Straw

Maps To The Stars

Top 10 Lists

THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. DEADPOOL. 2. HOW TO BE SINGLE. 3. RIDE ALONG 2.

4. ZOOLANDER 2.

5. BROOKLYN. 6. THE MERMAID. 7. SPOTLIGHT. 8. THREE WISE COUSINS. 9. THE REVENANT. 10. CONCUSSION.

NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: FEBRUARY 25: 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, AMERICA WILD 3D, GODS OF EGYPT, HAIL, CAESAR!, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, SON OF SAUL. MARCH 3: THE FINEST HOURS, THE LADY IN THE VAN, TRIPLE 9.

THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. THE DRESSMAKER [Drama/ Comedy/Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth].

2. BLACK MASS [Thriller/Drama/ Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch].

3. THE MARTIAN [Sci-Fi/Adventure/Drama/Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain].

4. BURNT [Comedy/Drama/Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Bruhl].

5. CRIMSON PEAK [Horror/ Thriller/Romance/Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston].

6. THE WALK [Drama/Adventure/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt].

7. MISS YOU ALREADY [Drama/ Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper].

8. LEGEND [Drama/Thriller/Tom Hardy, Christopher Eccleston].

9. THE INTERN [Comedy/Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo].

10. SICARIO [Crime/Drama/Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin].

Also: THE LAST WITCH HUNTER, MACBETH, QUEEN AND COUNTRY, MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS, SHERLOCK: The Abominable Bride, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, EVEREST, IRRATIONAL MAN, SOUTHPAW, HOLDING THE MAN. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: BRIDGE OF SPIES [Drama/Thriller/ Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda].

THE NIGHT BEFORE [Comedy/Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt].

GRANDMA [Comedy/Drama/Lily Tomlin, Marcia Gay Harden].

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION [Horror].

HOTEL TRANSYLV ANIA 2 [Animated/Comedy/Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Mel Brooks].

NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON BLURAY THIS WEEK: BRIDGE OF SPIES [Drama/Thriller/ Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda].

THE NIGHT BEFORE [Comedy/Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt].

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION [Horror].

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION 3D + BluRay [Horror].

Turn To Page 33

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 29

Observer Showbiz

Local Theatre With Cheryl Threadgold

‘Canterbury Tales’ at Emerald Bette and Joan

● Bette Davis (Marianne Collopy) and Joan Crawford (Julie Arnold) in Bette and Joan, playing in Brighton until March 5.

Photo: John Shelbourn ■ Brighton Theatre Company’s wonderful hospitality commences from the moment patrons arrive, with a cheery greeting and offer of refreshments.

The company starts 2016 with the Australian premiere season of Bette and Joan, a fascinating two-hander play by Anton Burge.

The dressing-rooms of screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford are cosily positioned side by side on the studio backlot of low budget thriller movie Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Not so chummy are the two feuding divas, whose insecure egos entertain audiences during witty exchanges of barbed insults, practical jokes and life and career reflections.

It is 1962. One thing Bette and Joan do agree on is their careers are on a downturn, but perhaps this movie will help resurrect their stardom.

Director Alan Burrows first saw this show performed in England in 2012, and envisaged actors Julie Arnold portraying Joan Crawford and Marianne Collopy as Bette Davis, if directing the show in Australia.

Fine casting, and these actors are onstage for most of the performance.

Under Burrows’s expert direction, Arnold and Collopy vividly bring Davis and Crawford to life, embodying their characters’ colourful traits, idiosyncrasies and emotions.

Amid witty, catty interchanges between Davis and Crawford, the script contains informative factual references to Hollywood’s GoldenAge. A delight for any cinephile, while baby boomers and beyond will also enjoy recognising references to famous movie stars..

However, generations X, Y and Z patrons may not.

Set design is by John Shelbourn, lighting by Martin Gray, sound by Bruce Parr and costumes designed by Catherine Christensen.

Bette Davis says: “Something good is going to come out of this picture,” and her forecast was correct.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? became a box-office hit.

One very good thing to come out of Brighton Theatre’s production is reaffirmation that Victorian local theatre has first-class actors and creative and technical teams who can present excellent shows of a professional standard.

Congratulations Brighton Theatre Company.

Performance Season: Until March 5 Venue: Brighton Arts and Cultural Centre, Cnr. Carpenter and Wilson Sts., Brighton.

Tickets: $23 full/$21 concession (incl. program and preshow, interval and post-show refreshments) Bookings: 1300 752 126 or visit www.brightontheatreco.com Footnote: Brighton Theatre Company’s charity preview night raised $2500 for Save the Children, Toorak Branch.

- Review by Cheryl Threadgold

AUDITIONS ■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG): Come Blow Your Horn (by Neil Simon) March 6 at 6.00pm and March 7 at 7.30pm at the Strathmore Community Hall, Cnr Napier and Loeman Sts., Strathmore. Director: Mark Stratford. Audition enquiries: fencemanfix@gmail.com

Melbourne

Observer REVIEW: MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS

SHOWS ■ Gemco Players: Canterbury Tales Until February 27 at 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald. Director: Ross Housham. Bookings: www.gemcoplayers.org ■ Brighton Theatre Company: Bette and Joan (by Anton Burge) Until March 5 at the Brighton Cultural Centre, Cnr Wilson and Carpenter Sts., Brighton. Director: Alan Burrows. Bookings: 1300 752 126.

■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: Moonlight and Magnolias (by Ron Hutchinson) Until March 5 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna.

Director: Bruce Akers. Bookings: 9457 4117 www.htc.org.au ■ The Basin Theatre Group: Two One Act Plays: Snowangel (by Lewis John Carlino) Director: John Putman and My Brilliant Divorce (by Geraldine Aron) Until March 12 at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin. Director: Dru Bartlett. Bookings: 1300 784 668 (7-9pm only).

■ The 1812 Theatre: Allo! Allo! February 25 - March 19 at The 1812 Theatre, 3-5 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Dexter Bourke. Bookings: 9758 3964.

■ The Mount Players: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (by Jay Presson Allan) February 26 - March 13 at The Mountview Theatre, 56 Smith St., Macedon. Director: Andrew Meldrum. Bookings: 5426 1892.

■ Malvern Theatre Company: Cash on Delivery (by Michael Cooney) February 26 - March 12 at Malvern Theatre, 29 Burke Rd., Malvern East. Director: Ewen Crockett. Bookings: 1300 131 552.

■ Altona City Theatre: Alice in Wonderland February 26 March 19 at 115 Civic Pde., Altona. All tickets $7.00. Bookings: 0425 705 550 www.altonacitytheatre.com.au ■ PEP Productons: Spring Awakening February 25 - March 5 at the Doncaster Playhouse. Director: Melanie Xavier. Bookings and performance details: www.pepproductions.org.au ■ Williamstown Little Theatre: Sweet Road (by Debra Oswald) Until February 27 at 2-4 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Peter Newling. Tickets: $25/$22. Bookings: 9885 9678.

■ Eltham Little Theatre: The Ten Minute Quickie Short Play Competition (by various writers) March 2 - 5 at the Eltham Performing Arts Centre, 1603 Main Rd., Research. Producer: Paula Armstrong. Bookings: 0411 713 095.

■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre: The Vicar of Dibley (by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter, adapted from the original TV series

by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer) March 2 - 19 at 3941 Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Loretta Bishop. Bookings: 9735 1777.

■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG): Killing Jeremy (by Bridgette Burton) March 3 - 5, 10 - 12 at 8.00pm; March 6 and 13 at 2pm at the Strathmore Community Theatre, Cnr Loeman and Napier Streets, Strathmore. Tickets: $20/$15. Bookings: 9382 6284.

■ Beaumaris Theatre: Grease March 4 -19 at 82 Wels Rd., Beaumaris. Director; Debbie Keyt; Musical Director: Rhonda Vaughan; Choreographer: Camilla Klesman. Bookings: www.beaumaristheatre.com ■ Shepparton Theatre Arts Group:Dookie (by John Head) March 18 - 19 at the Dookie Memorial Hall, Mary St., Dookie.

Bookings: 5832 9511.

■ SLAMS: Disney's The Little Mermaid March 11 - 19 at the Alan RossCentre, Billanook College, 197-199 Cardigan Rd., Mooroolbark. Bookings: 9720 3205.

AUDITIONS

● Jeremy Just (Victor Fleming), Tim Constantine (David O. Selznick) and James Antonas (Ben Hecht) in Moonlight and Magnolias. Photo: David Belton ■ Legendary producer David O. Selznick’s spacious Hollywood studio lot office with striking yellow walls, is the set for Heidelberg Theatre Company’s Moonlight and Magnolias, playing in Rosanna until March 5.

Designed by George Tranter, the scene is set for a total rewrite of the Gone With The Wind screenplay, with Selznick desperately paying writer Ben Hecht $16.000 to complete this task in five days.

Ron Hutchinson’s comedy, based on historical events, also tells of Selznick pulling director Victor Fleming off the unfinished film The Wizard of Oz to work on this project.

When discovering Hecht has only read one page of Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Selznick and Fleming frantically begin re-enacting scenes from the 1000-page blockbuster to hasten the writing process (with some good comedic moments).

The men survive the five days eating peanuts and bananas for ‘brain food’, aided by Selznick’s loyal assistant Miss Poppenghul. Phone calls are fielded from the likes of Selznick’s father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer.

BruceAkers’s masterly direction ensures a seamlessly staged, fast-paced production, which effectively transports the audience into the characters’ stressful, creative chaos.

The wonderful cast includes Tim Constantine as highly strung producer David O. Selznick, Jeremy Just as tough-guy director Victor Fleming, James Antonas as perplexed, yet talented writer Ben Hecht, and Pauline Constantine as Miss Poppenghul.

Polished performances from the cast mean confident and competent delivery of Hutchinson’s funny dialogue. Also contrasting serious moments, such as Fleming’s burst blood vessel in his eye and discussing issues of race and religion.

The chain of creative and administrative input is also interesting to hear. For example, when the writer finishes, his work is then taken over by the director. But he can’t continue unless the producer provides money, and so on …

Particular mention must be made of Michael Rowe’s atmospheric lighting design.

Moonlight and Magnolias is enjoyable, quality theatre in the suburbs. Free parking, program and a delightfully comfortable theatre.

Performance Season: Until March 5 Venue: 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna Bookings: 9457 4117 or www.htc.org.au - Review by Cheryl Threadgold

■ Wyndham Theatre Company: Legally Blonde Jr February 24 at 2 Synnot St., Werribee. (Casting for ages 13 - 18)Co-directors: Dylan Mazurek and Krystal Holzer, Choreographer: Xavier McGettigan, Musical Director:Thomas Bradford. Audition enquiries: www.legallyblondejr.com/auditions ■ Mooroolbark Theatre Group: Steel Magnolias (by Robert Harling) February 25 at 7.00pm at Red Earth Theatre, Mooroolbark Community Centre. Director: Val Campbell-Hurst.

Enquiries: 0424 007 112.

■ Frankston Theatre Group: Noises Off (by Michael Frayn) Familiarisation Night March 4 at 'The Shed', Cnr Overport and Somerset Rds., Frankston. Director: Rob Davies. Auditions: March 7-8 from 7.00pm-10.00pm at the Mechanics Hall, Cnr Nepean Highway and Plowman Place, Frankston. Enquiries: 0438 611 156.

■ Peridot Theatre: Ancient Lights (by Shelagh Stephenson) March 6 at 2.00pm at the Unicorn Theatre, Mt Waverley Secondary College, lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Bruce Cochrane. Enquiries: 0423 347 960.

■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre: Breaker Morant (by Kenneth G Ross) March 6 at 7.00pm, March 7, 8 at 7.30pm at The Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre, Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Alan Burrows. Enquiries: 0412 077 761 or www.lilydaleatc.com ■ Brighton Theatre Company: Over My Dead Body (by Derek Benfield) March 13 at 5.00pm, March 14 at 7.30pm at BTC Theatre, Bayside Cultural Centre, Cnr Carpenter and Wilson Sts., Brighton. Director: Brad Lowry. Contact: 0439 433 771.

■ Award winning choreographer Stephanie Lake’s, Double Blind presented at the Northcote Town Hall deserved a much longer season.

The simple set of a stark white square floor under a square lighting rig surrounded by black curtains belies the intricate and intense dance movements of this performance piece.

Performers Alisdair Macindoe, Alana Everett, Amber Haines and Kyle Page are nothing short of brilliant. They seemed comfortable with each other but never took anything for granted as they strived to do Stephanie Lake’s choreography true justice.

They whimsically probed and shamelessly electrified each other with cables; showed the aggression of caged-animal instinct responses; investigated invasion of personal space and physical limits. The opening night full house was invited to participate with random clapping hands that concluded with everyone being in sync.

Watching a sequence where every action has a re-action was mesmerizing, with the dancers showing amazing intricate movements with high energy and peripheral awareness of each other at all times. Being in total control while making the movement look relaxed whether standing, on the floor or in the air is some achievement. Having done this type of movement myself, I know the level of energy and strength required to get that sublime result.

Turn to Page 33

REVIEW: DOUBLE BLIND

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 24, 2016 g 30 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y, g February , Melbourne

Observer

Lovatts Crossword No 11 Across

1. More droopy 6. Dig 11. Legendary gold city (2,6) 15. Having a poor ear for pitch (4-4) 20. Relations 21. Undue speed 22. Pen name, ... de plume 23. Gleefully chuckles 24. Tent supports (3,5) 25. Jesus' home town 27. Singing with trills 28. Prima donna 29. Writer, ... Thomas 31. The O of PTO 32. A wolf in ... clothing (5'1) 36. ANC hero, Nelson ...

37. Within house 38. Lovely 41. Dutch centre of govt, The ...

44. Fishing-line fibre 45. Sample 48. Way of life 49. Very busy 52. Goose & ...

56. Out-of-vogue star (3-4) 57. Small stone 58. Most uptight 61. Arduous experience 62. Foretold 63. West African nation, Sierra ...

64. Warms 65. Fools 66. Cleaver 67. Without artifice 71. Toadstools 73. Silly 75. Catastrophes 80. Ignore 82. Ice-cream desserts 83. Globes 85. Acting as go-between 86. Treat cruelly (3-3) 88. African disease fly 90. Nourishing drinks (3,5) 91. Bible song 93. Current flow rating 94. Interjectors 95. Ski headwear accessory 96. Military flying facility (3,4) 97. No part 99. Burial vault 100. Removed from power 104. Hoist (flag) 105. Cat cry 106. Of sheep 107. Leaseholders 111. Slightly wet 113. Crab's pinch 114. Have 115. Wrath 117. Pitch tent 118. Should, ... to 121. Tribal post, ... pole 122. Moved slowly 125. Field 126. Jump high 127. The ... of Capri 129. Assistant 131. Opposed to 132. Releases grip (4,2) 135. Among 136. Emerald Isle 139. Hordes 140. Scolded 144. Eagle's nest 145. Chick's call 146. Aimed 147. Disengage (train carriages) 148. Splendid (mansion)

Across

Down

149. Public square 150. Lacking originality 152. Customary 154. Baton races 157. Flying saucers (1,1,2) 158. Blabs 162. Matching outfit 163. Meagre 166. Flag down (cab) 167. Speech defect 169. Butterfly catchers 171. Biblical you 172. US moon rocket 173. Composer, Andrew ... Webber 175. Cloth fold 176. Chock 179. Culminate in (4,2) 180. Wash lightly 182. Recline, ... down 183. Repetitive strain injury (1,1,1) 184. Grind (meat) 186. Powder, ... of Paris 189. Thread 190. Peace pact 191. Sense receptor 192. Said 196. Tenant's payment 197. Bellow 198. Vermouth cocktail 199. Remnants 201. Playing for time 202. Harvesters 203. Roof overhangs 204. Last Russian tsar 205. Entangle 208. To the rear 210. Bridge designer 211. Sector 212. Outdoors (4-3) 213. Sinks in middle 215. Unfavoured horses 219. Lead-in 221. Sunday joint 223. Not perfumed 227. Juvenile 228. Ambassador's office 230. Move with effort 231. Cut wildly 232. Pillages 233. Mutilate 234. Admire 238. Delighted 239. First 240. Meal 243. Approval 246. Loosen 247. Dough ingredient 250. Corn husks 251. Out of style 253. Laughing scavengers 256. Frequent visitor 257. Female betrothed 258. Cease 262. Spy, ... Hari 263. Steak cut (1-4) 266. Ark builder 268. WA wine-growing region, ... River 269. Business income 270. Artist's medium (3,5) 271. Sewer coverings 272. Born as 273. Man-made fabric 274. Raises (the ante) 275. Climbs down 276. London/Edinburgh express, Flying ...

277. Lacy robe 278. Roomy

1. Confronts 2. Holed atmosphere layer 3. Erect (3,2) 4. ... out a living 5. Coming up (of sun) 7. Red pepper spice 8. Brutal 9. Michael Flatley's Lord of ... (3,5) 10. Simple 11. Famous volcano 12. Inclinations 13. Continually (2,3,2) 14. Phenomenal 15. Turrets 16. Actor, ... Sharif 17. Fire fragment 18. Remove from home 19. Misty 24. Pastime 26. Multitude 30. Lounges about 33. Barn dance 34. Distinguished 35. Actor, Sam ...

38. Ringing (of bell) 39. Nudged 40. Drama venue 42. Afresh 43. Unties 46. Junkies 47. Compared to 49. Cooperative 50. Top of head 51. List down 53. Non-believer in God 54. Roman moon goddess 55. Staff schedules 59. Proximity 60. Able to be rubbed out 67. Uncared-for 68. Traffic jam (5-2) 69. Undoes (envelope) 70. Sly suggestion 72. Opening 74. Telling 76. Debatable 77. Energies 78. Copy 79. Siblings 81. Until now 84. Mattress frame 87. Paint thinners 89. Called 91. Autocue 92. Insane lady 98. Fireplace shelf 101. TV host, ... Dingo 102. Egg shapes 103. Give work to 108. Stoat 109. Colloquial language 110. Inspire 112. Inventiveness 116. Feared Mongolian ruler (7,4) 119. Inattentive 120. Grotesquely 123. Small coffee cup 124. Welcoming 128. Clinging gastropods 130. Hero-worship

Down 132. Feebler 133. Fish commercially 134. Survive (3,2) 137. Turn out 138. Disgust 141. Granny Smith fruit 142. Cogwheel set 143. Personal memoirs 151. On dry land 153. Lucky charm 155. Dismiss (from college) 156. Map book 159. Desire for food 160. Tethered (4,2) 161. Pleads 164. Swiftly 165. Fluid unit 168. Laziness 170. Glimmers 173. Unused portion 174. Public referee 177. Filth 178. Coming into view 181. Water (pasture) 185. River flows 186. Allspice 187. Orange/pink shade 188. Libya's capital 193. Afternoon break 194. Vote back into office (2-5) 195. Wanted 200. Uniformity 201. Divide 206. Not either 207. Car horns 208. Takes into custody 209. Type of spanner 211. Appoints 214. Sultan's wife 216. Sissy 217. Austere 218. Disappoints 220. Hobo 222. Conscious (of fact) 224. Held tenderly 225. Subtleties of meaning 226. Infinite 229. Famous US university 232. Army dining room 235. And so forth (2,6) 236. Greek philosopher 237. Coffee drug 241. Legal trade ban 242. Lawsuits 244. Surgical blade 245. Kissing & cuddling 248. Eases off 249. Which 251. Repressed, ... up 252. Postage stickers 253. Hot & damp 254. Gains 255. Proverb 259. Moral principle 260. Eskimo hut 261. Cricket matches 262. Fix 264. Roughage 265. Midday 267. Padlock clasp

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 33

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Page 32 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 Melbourne

Observer

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Sport Extra

The night that the dogs stopped running ■ It's hard to believe that it is 20 years this Friday since the doors were closed for the final time at Melbourne's Olympic Park greyhound track.

Several thousand people ventured to the popular venue, on Swan St in Richmond, for one last night of racing on Monday, February 26, 1996.

On that night the curtain came down after 34 years of greyhound racing on the Number 2 Oval at the multipurpose sports complex.

Olympic Park served the greyhound sport during the halcyon days for the dogs, and the complex became a racing venue fairly suddenly in the early 1960s.

The Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association had been conducting its racing at the Arden St ground in North Melbourne, however in August 1961 the venue operator, Melbourne City Council, significantly raised the annual rental charge to the Association.

While the Council felt the MGRA would be happy to pay any rental increase rather than face the inconvenience of moving house, within a week the Association instead began looking at alternate sites for their races.

Olympic Park and the Melbourne Showgrounds became two attractive sites among those inspected by members of theMGRA, with Olympic Park favoured becuase of its central location.

The Olympic Park Trust were happy to accomodate a new tenant, particularly one so popular as greyhound racing, given that their Number 2 Oval had been a "financial headache" for the Trust according to reports at the time.

Greyhounds

with Kyle Galley With the Council refusing to budge on rental, the MGRA seized the opportunity to link with the Olympic Park Trust on a more favourable deal, and greyhound racing moved across the city in time for a grand opening on August 21, 1962.

The Olympic Park dogs were an immediate hit - the MGRA had a flair for promotions and Monday nights drew thousands through the turnstiles, from all walks of life, to watch the racing action.

By the late 1970s, plans were unveiled for a massive new grandstand facility to take Olympic Park into an exciting new era.

While the massive, multi-level structure looked the part, it was less than practical for the fast paced sport of greyhound racing, with only the fittest punters able to scale the stairs from the ground floor betting ring to the covered seating area in the short time between races.

By the 1980s, although crowd sizes still held up well, the area around Olympic Park was changing rapidly and impacting on the dogs.

Development of such venues as the Glasshouse, Flinders Park and the MCG and the introduction of concerts and night sporting events to the area saw parking space become limited for greyhound customers.

Many punters turned away on race nights, unable to avoid traffic snarls and a lack of parking for dog patrons.

This era coincided with the introduction of late night TAB agencies and Sky Channel coverage of races - and the spectators left in droves.

The opening of Crown Casino in the early 1990s took the last of the regulars away from Olympic Park, despite another redevelopment of the grandstand for the remaining patrons.

By 1994, it was time for greyhound racing to say goodbye to inner Melbourne - a plan for two cross city road tunnels which would run right through the greyhound track saw the MGRA evicted as a tenant of the complex, after originally being told they could move back in once the tunnels had been built.

To their credit, the Association fought successfully for compensation that had not originally been forthcoming.

This compensation enabled the Association to inspect numerous properties across Melbourne, before selecting a parcel of land just off Sydney Road in Broadmeadows, which opened as The Meadows in 1999.

The grandstand remained until it was demolished in the early 2000s, while the club administration block was the last building to be demolished some years later, for the construction of AAMI Park, which now occupies the site.

● Ray Bartolo

Just like the Melbourne Showgrounds for trotting followers, greyhound lovers of a certain vintage all love to reminisce about the good times they had at Olympic Park, rubbing shoulders with the down-and-out and the celebrities each week, all in search of that elusive winner.

The Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association will honour the past history of the Olympic Park complex during their Australian Cup Carnival, which is currently underway.

On the board ■ Ray Bartolo has been appointed to the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association board.

Bartolo has been involved in greyhound racing for over 25 years.

“I am thrilled to be joining the committee of the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association," Bartolo said.

"I look forward to the working with the MGRA through any challenges the club faces now and into the future.”

Bartolo replaces Peita Elkhorne who has been appointed to the GRV board.

Coming Up

■ Wednesday: Wednesday: The Meadows (Day), Bendigo (Twilight), Cranbourne (Night), Ballarat (N); Thursday: Shepparton (T), Sandown Park (N), Warrnambool (N); Friday: Cranbourne (D), Bendigo (T), Geelong (N); Saturday: Traralgon (T), The Meadows (N); Sunday: Sandown Park (D), Healesville (D), Sale (T); Monday: Ballarat (D), Traralgon (T), Shepparton (N); Tuesday: Geelong (T), Sale (T), Horsham (N).

- Kyle Galley

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - Page 33

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Showbiz Extra ■ From Page 28

Top 10 Lists

It could take two to tango

■ I feel the two yearold sprint classic, the Blue Diamond Stakes, to be run at Caulfield this Saturday, is a race in two, and both from the same stable.

Top Caulfield trainer Mick Price has two outstanding colts vying for the honour, and they are the two favourites for the rich event.

Extreme Choice, who has started twice for two brilliant wins, the first in Sydney in the Inglis Classic over 1000 metres winning by two lengths in easy fashion in the very good time of 56.85 seconds.

He was then was produced at Caulfield scoring in effortless fashion by five lengths, ridden by top postillion Damien Oliver also over 1000 metres.

Oliver then piloted another of the Mick Price runners, Flying Artie, who was drawn out very wide, and was kept out there for most of the 1100 metre trip, but when Damien Oliver went for him he showed great fight and tenacity to win narrowly, but in good style.

He gave the impression that the 1200 metres of Saturday's Blue Diamond will be more to his liking than the favourite and stablemate Extreme Choice, who is yet to go beyond 1000 metres.

So much so that after much deliberation, Oliver, decided on Flying Artie Chiller, feeling he would get the distance and stronger that the brilliant front runner, Extreme Choice.

Flying Artie ran slightly slower that the fillies edition of the Blue Diamond Preludes, but showed plenty of strength.

Of the others the filly who won her division was most impressive, likewise Concealer who came from a long way back.

However it is hard to see any of the others including the fillies of troubling the top two.

It certainly is a pressure race, and with Oliver aboard Flying Artie and the powerful rider Craig Newitt now taking the mount on Extreme Choice, it will be interesting to see who will give in first.

All along I have

NEW RELEASE AND RE-RELEASE CLASSICS ON DVD THIS WEEK: None Listed for This Week.

Ted Ryan

● Extreme Choice Photo by SLICKPIX, phone 9354 5754

been very impressed with the way Extreme Choice went about his business, but his trainer, Mick Price, said that Flying Artie could be stronger over the longer 1200 metres.

There is not much between them in the markets.

I have tossed and turned and still I am not too sure, I can't split them, my advice, back both, they could run one-two.

Winx of an eye

■ Champion race mare, Winx, proved once again she will be a force to be reckoned with, whatever race her trainer, Chris Waller, decides to set her for.

She started off her new year in racing with a strong win in the Apollo Stakes over 1400 metres at Randwick beating another very good mare, Solicit.

Winx was racing for the first time since her record breaking win the Cox Plate last

October at Moonee Valley.

She will now be set for the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes.

A $230,000 purchase from the Coolmore Stud Draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Cast Yearling Sale she has now earned $ 3,781,925 in stake earnings with 10 wins and three sec- breeders, trainers, onds from her only 16 owners and international buyers coming starts. for all parts of the globe after there ever elusive champion like Black Caviar.

One particular ■ The time honoured yearling caught my Inglis Premier Year- eye from Blue Gum ling Sales will swing Farm.

Lot 66, a bay colt, into action on Sunday February 28, the next beautifully bred by top day, and finishing on sire Exceed and Excel March 2 at their mag- from the brilliant race nificent Oaklands mare, Innovation sales complex near Girl.

Innovation Girl Tullamarine Airport.

A total of 150 lots won ten races and was will, go under the ham- impeccably bred by mer from 12 noon on the great sire, RubSunday, on Monday iton, from another February 29 sees lots good race mare in 151-362 enter the sale Bright Gleam and ring and the final day throws back to the March 2nd Lots 363- champion American sire, Northern Dancer.

755.

If you are looking The sales are extremely popular with for a great day out

Inglis sale

● C Photo by SLICKPIX, phone 9354 5754

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 [Animated/Comedy/ Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Mel Brooks].

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 - 3D [Animated/ Comedy/Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Mel Brooks].

MR. ROBOT: Season 1.

NEW RELEASE TELEVISION, DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC DVD HIGHLIGHTS: THE ODD COUPLE (2015): Season 1.

MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD: Complete Collection.

TIM MINCHIN: Box Set. MOUNT EVEREST: Collector's Set. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS: Season 1.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS: Season 2.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRE: Season 8.

THE WIGGLES: Wiggle Town.

PETER RABBIT: Brave and Strong.

APOCALYPSE: STALIN. QUANTUM LEAP: Season 1.

SEAQUEST: Season 2.

THE LOOK OF SILENCE. BORN TO FISH: Collector's Set. ROSS NOBLE: Nobleism.

ROSS NOBLE: Unrealtime.

ROSS NOBLE: Things.

MR. ROBOT: Season 1.

- James Sherlock ■ From Page 28

Double Blind

● Flying Artie Photo by SLICKPIX, phone 9354 5754

Racing Observer

drop out to Oaklands and catch all the action, with eating areas and bars, to, keep you happy as you wander around the magnificent complex.

heading for the Karrakatta Plate after his rich win at Pinjarra.

Later in the evening Singapore based owner, Constance Chang, also went to $ 135,000 to secure the Snitzel■ A pair of colts Royale Harvest colt shared the top billing from Amelia Park on the opening day of Racing and Breeding. the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sales at Belmont.

The youngsters by first season sire, Your Song, and proven ■ In recent times a champion sire, number of racing perSnitzel, both sold for sonalities have passed $135,000 during a ses- on.

First Marie sion in which slight increases were re- O'Brien, the wife of corded across the the late Frank O'Brien, who was the board.

The action started course caller and on early in proceedings the ABC for many when Lot 3, the Your years.

John Baker, a long Song half-brother to recent Magic Millions serving foreman with Western Australian Greg Eurell,passed on two year-old classic and now Gavan winner, The River, Bourke, of the famous was sold to Trevor Bourke family in Pakenham.

Andrews.

All particularly The colt offered by Western Australian good friends over Breeders Alliance will many years, may they join the stable star, The rest in peace.

- Ted Ryan River, who is now

Magic

Sad news

■ The group dynamics was tight and they each brought their own personality to the piece. I found Alisdair’s speed test with the metronome particularly amusing. Amber’s final solo showed her incredible strength as a performer. Kyle and Alana added their own styles to the mix and it all worked.

Stephanie captured the subject matter with expert use of the music and sound designed by Robin Fox. I particularly loved the use of lighting in the final sequence, but Bosco Shaw’s lighting design worked well throughout. Costumes by Harriet Oxley have the dancers wearing the best-looking hospital style clothes, confirming the ‘experiment’ atmosphere.

This was a great collaboration which this reviewer would like to see more of in the future.

- Review by Lyn Laister ■ From Page 24

Sulky Snippers

■ Cudgee part-owner/breeder John Meade has for years had a handy trotter or two and may have unearthed another in 4-Y-0 Great Success/Diamond Insitu gelding Sparkling Success which produced an unbelievable performance to land the 2Construct Trotters Final for T0 & T1 class over 2240 metres at Melton on Friday.

Coming off an eye catching third at Terang a week earlier, Sparkling Success galloped away from gate two as the starter despatched the field, settled a "mile" off the leader Mister Chisholm.

Still a long way back racing for the bell, Sparkling Success gave chase in the back straight on the final occasion and despite being very wide approaching the final bend, rattled home in the straight to score a runaway 1.4 metre victory over Annies Life and the favourite Belts which assumed control mid race. The mile rate 2-02.5.

■ Ardmona's Donna Castles has a terrific record at Swan Hill and added another winner to her tally there when 6-Y-0 Our Sir Vancelot/MisTeq mare Eliska scored in the HR Products Hunter PGP Pace for C1 class over 2240 metres in 2-00.4.

Bottled up three back along the markers from gate four, Eliska rattled home along the sprint lane in the shadows of the post to register a 1.9 metre victory over One Golden Day which raced wide from the bell and Jimbaran which followed the runner-up home.

- Len Baker

Page 34 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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