Your Time Brisbane - January 2023

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Wnew year than with a stroll down memory lane to 1973, revisiting the big events, and recalling the hopes and dreams of 50 years ago.

I was in my last year of high school and dating the boyfriend who would become my husband. I was earning 60cents an hour at my Saturday morning job. That was enough to buy the important things like lipstick, a new mini skirt and a stash of Violet Crumbles to taunt my younger brother.

Monty Python had caught my imagination much to my father’s disgust: “turn that rubbish off”. And once a week there was a dash to the record shop to pick up the latest list of what had hit the Top 40.

It really felt that the world was my oyster. I was a powerful teenager who had the world at her feet. All fun, little responsibility and blissfully unaware of the real world that was waiting.

Julie Lake this month covers the full ambit of what we were doing and what was going on around us in 1973.

The Sydney Opera House opened to great fanfare, giving Australia one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century. Gough Whitlam was prime minister and the last troops were withdrawn from Vietnam.

Music came from transistor radios and record turntables still had a choice of playing 33, 45 or 78. The magical cassette tape was changing that — no more scratched LPs to worry about.

White bread ruled, televisions were black and white, and most households had only one phone. But if you got stuck away from home you could always make a reverse charge call from the red public phone box.

It seems a lifetime ago — oh that’s right, it was a lifetime ago.

The observation: “1973 was a great time to be young but 2023 is a great time to be old” sums it up nicely.

Dorothy Whittington Editor

is a great nicely

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1973 - it was a great time to be young

It was the time of our life, living on the cusp of change in 1973. JULIE LAKE turns the clock back 50 years and explores the world that shaped our lives.

“Fifty years ago!” exclaims Carole Brennan. “It seems like yesterday. I’d just got married and moved to Brisbane, which was a boring city back then. But safe, and friendly. Was life better in those days? In some ways, yes … but then we were young, and everything was on a roll!”

For Carole, as with other Baby Boomers, to be young and living in Queensland in 1973 was to be living the good life in every possible way.

The state had its own robust free health system but private medical insurance was cheap. So was petrol, despite the oil crisis. Owning your own home was easy for most young couples though limits on borrowing, with banks and building societies the only mortgage lenders, were strict – enforcing modest first home expectations.

Food was simple and mostly unpackaged, with seafood and steak always affordable but bread mostly white and sliced and high in carbs.

Most young people got married and de facto relationships had little social or official recognition but divorce rates were higher, 4.4 per 1000 compared to about 1.9 per 1000 today.

To live in 1973 was to live on the cusp of change. “It’s Time” Gough Whitlam told us all in 1972 when the election of his Labor government ended 23 years of continuous conservative rule.

Most young Queenslanders embraced the new idealism and though Whitlam didn’t last long the scrapping of long-held policies had an impact upon life in Queensland today.

These include the end of the alreadyfaltering White Australia policy and

opening the way for further changes such as abolition of the death penalty for federal crimes. There was a general sense of social liberalisation as hitherto “voiceless” minorities began to make themselves heard.

One of them was the environmental lobby but despite the daily dose of climate change and other environmental issues in the media today, lifelong activists Mike and Elizabeth Russell say that people in the main ae still surprisingly unaware of environmental threats.

Back then there were some major (and ultimately successful) conservation battles being fought; for example to stop sand mining on Fraser Island and to have Cooloola, north of Noosa, declared a national park.

Despite these modest successes, natural habitat in our region, including vulnerable foreshore, continues to be sacrificed to development and global warming has become the dominant issue. At the same the education and employment of environmental specialists, unknown in 1973, is common practice today as government attempts to balance the built and natural environments.

When it comes to entertainment, older Queenslanders are in common agreement – popular music in 1973 was a lot better than it is today.

Over a glass or two of wine Renee, Patti, Jan and Gill reminisce about the music of their youth, when the songs were more varied and the artists more distinctive.

“Not like all this synthesized studio stuff today,”says Gill. “And as for rap –yuk!”. One of the others says it’s not just

Seems

really that much cheaper. Average income was about $7000 a year.

an age thing. “I try listening to today’s “young” music but I can’t connect; it has no heart.”

So what were we listening to back then? The biggest selling single was Tony Orlando and Dawn with Tie a Yellow Ribbon and Carly Simon’s iconic You’re So Vain. Elton John came to our attention with Crocodile Rock, Suzi Quatro canned the can – hey, a hard-core, leather-clad female rocker!

Aussie Helen Reddy had two hit singles with I am Woman and Delta Dawn, The Carpenters were On Top of the World, the Rolling Stones gave us Angie and the teenage Michael Jackson and Ben lost the Oscar to Maureen McGovern and The Morning After from the hit film of that year, The Poseidon Adventure.

Michael and his brothers toured Australia, and so did the Stones

And what have our grandchildren and great-grandchildren been listening to this past year? Ed Sheeran had two hits that aren’t so very different to songs of yesteryear, although Bad Habits tips over into weirdness.

Adele’s Easy on Me has an ‘80s vibe, and in Old Town Road by Lil Nas, we have a sort of rap meets country mix.

It’s not bad to ageing ears, but it does indeed seem to lack that special something that makes music memorable through several generations.

We enjoyed pop concerts in the old Festival Hall boxing stadium and dutifully visited the state art gallery in City Hall where Godfrey Rivers’ iconic Under the Jacaranda Tree was the best-known painting.

But the times they were a-changing and down in Canberra they had just purchased, amid great controversy, abstract-expressionist Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles for $1.3 million.

Not to be outdone, the Queensland Government recognised the need for a new state art gallery, performance centre and museum which was soon to be built on what was formerly a scruffy area of light industry, godowns and dubious pubs.

Today, crowds flock to both the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art for exhibitions as “out there” as any in the world.

In sport, John Newcombe won the Ausralian and US Open without being covered in advertising or smashing his racket or swearing at the umpire. The Socceroos made Australian sport history

in Hong Kong but soccer was still a poor fourth in popularity behind the three other codes. And interestingly, it still ranks third in terms of attendance and media coverage.

Which is strange, says Stevo, one of four mates who have worked, surfed and fished together since the mid-1970s.

We met on his patio with Jeff, Garry, Jimmy and Ron, and discussed the changes to football over the past five decades.

They are all strong Maroons supporters who don’t think the game is as good as it was in Wally Lewis’ time, mainly because “every player today thinks himself a superstar”.

Stevo, the child of Hungarian immigrants, is also a strong soccer fan and says it should rank number one in this country over AFL “a Victorian game that nobody else in the world plays”.

Jeff passes round a picture of himself taken in 1973 wearing long hair, thick beard and bell-bottom pants. He points out that he was skinny back then and ruefully pats his midriff.

The talk switches to food and Garry remembers that his father ate chops or steak for breakfast every day, generally a cheese or devon sausage white bread sandwich for lunch and roast, chops, sausages or steak in the evening until he

died at 59 of heart complications.

“We lived at Redcliffe and a health food shop opened up there in about 1972. First we’d ever seen. My new wife and I got into it in a big way and although I still eat most things, I only have red meat a couple of times a week, eat wholemeal bread, unsweetened cereal and yoghurt, lots of fresh fruit and veg.”

All the men agreed that today’s diet is healthier and with a far greater variety of foods available in every season.

Food is just one area in which 2023 consumers have so much more choice than we did half a century ago – also fashion, sporting goods, health products, cars and household goods.

Not only is the choice of building and home décor items such as tiles, blinds and bathroom fittings much wider and of higher quality but retailers have sophisticated digital gadgets to help us make the right choice.

But it’s not all induction ovens and glass splashbacks! Today we have to put up with trade shortages, long builds and equally long delivery times compared to when I first built a house in 1973.

There is a common assumption among Baby Boomers that the cost of living was much cheaper 50 years ago but

research shows that yesteryear’s prices were much the same when compared to income.

For example, in 1973 you might buy instant coffee for 30 cents a 100g jar, lamb chops for $1.30 a kilogram and a 420g can of baked beans for 15 cents. A cup of coffee and a cake might cost $1.15.

And you could buy a house for under $20,000, compared to an average $782,000 today – though it would have been a much more modest home.

But the average income was about $7000 a year back then. Today the average income is $85,000 a year (though many earn much more) and you can buy a can of beans for less than$1. In fact, a Reserve Bank inflation calculator shows that something costing $1 in 1973 is roughly the same as about $10 today.

By the beginning of the 1970s big shopping malls were already established in Brisbane and few today would argue that these have made retail therapy a lot more comfortable and convenient.

However they, and of course today’s supermarket food palaces have also led to the demise of the corner convenience store along with suburban butchers and greengrocers.

Now, mall retailers themselves are under threat from online shopping which has developed into such a fast, cheap, convenient, safe alternative that, since Covid, many older people have embraced it.

“I even buy some clothes online now,” says Heather Drewes who is in her early 70s. “It’s so much less stressful than going into shops with poky little changing rooms and blaring music”.

In 1973, the last Australian forces left Vietnam and the boys came home to a less than heroic welcome due to the war’s increasing unpopularity.

Since then, our military has been engaged in peacekeeping missions or as part of multi-lateral forces in the Middle East, East Timor, Africa and Afghanistan. Today, our overseas engagement is minimal and limited mostly to training.

There are actually fewer wars in the world today than in 1973 but according to surveys many of us think that society has become more violent, with drugs and lack of discipline for young people cited as the major reasons.

Statistics show there were 82 cases of

continued over>

John Newcombe starred on the tennis court.

Devon, tomato sauce and sliced white.

The last Australian forces left Saigon in June 1973, ending our Vietnam War involvement.

IMAGES:

homicide and related offences in Queensland in 2021 – down 13 victims from the previous year. Most of them were male and at home, while reported sexual assault and robbery showed an increase.

By comparison, although the annual murder rate – and the population – was lower in the 1970s, there was a spate of particularly violent crimes against women/girls.

In 1973, the highest profile homicide was the deliberate torching of the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in Brisbane which killed 15 people.

“I never bother with statistics”, says Barbara Hepburn, a retired nurse. “In ’73 you could come off night shift at the Royal Brisbane and walk to your car without a thought. I wouldn’t do it today”.

Barbara looks doubtful when told that the murder clear-up rate is much better today than it was 50 years ago. “It’s not much use if you’re dead, is it?”

Today trade union power is considerably less confrontational than it was in the 1970s, mainly due to the introduction of enterprise bargaining and the Fair Work Act of 2009.

Queensland was mostly free of strikes in 1973 but in Victoria the Broadmeadows Ford factory strike

exploded into violence and in New South Wales the powerful Builders Labourers’ Federation conducted a whopping 53 strikes.

Several of these were so-called “Green Bans” led by union leader Jack Mundey, with a stated aim of preserving parkland, green space, architectural heritage and working class neighbourhoods from destruction by developers. Even Kings Cross strippers went on strike!

Industrial dispute is a quieter affair

went to the drive-in on Saturday night; listened to music on portable transistor radios and cassette players.

Within a decade, desktop computers would appear and then the digital revolution took us over in an exponential storm. The question is, has it made us better communicators?

Former CEO Dick Howlett, mid-80s, thinks not. Despite being one of the early Queensland users (in the 1990s) of mobile phones, he now laments the way in which the smart phone and its apps has come to rule our lives.

He especially resents its uncontrolled use in schools and, like many others interviewed, is concerned that for all its wonders the internet makes older people much more vulnerable to scams and personal information theft than we were in the 1970s – a fear graphically underscored by the Optus and Medibank hacking scandals of the past year.

One phone, usually black, was the norm in most households. If not at home, there was the public phone box for a reverse charge call.

Nor has the digital revolution necessarily improved service, Amanda says, citing banking as an example.

today, with striking employees more subject to legal action or dismissal; a matter of concern to some union spokespeople.

The biggest social change since 1973 has been in communications. The Baby Boomers entering their 20s still lived in households where one phone, usually black, was the norm.

Satellites were a novelty and had little impact on the lives of ordinary people. We wrote letters and sent telegrams;

Amanda Dowie, early 60s and recently retired from working in a Catholic private school, agrees that the poor control of mobile phones in schools is adversely affecting educational standards. She is equally concerned about our dependence on social media and texting.

“I saw a bus go by the other day and all the passengers were glued to their screens. I ask myself whether they are plugged in or plugged out of life,” she says.

“Banks today are so unwelcoming and strange,” she says. “There never seems to be any staff. Just frustrated customers.”

Amanda does concede, though, that applications on her mobile phone such as Facetime have made it much easier – and more affordable – to communicate with her granddaughter in London. She even reads to her over the phone.

Banks are not the only institutions cited as examples of deteriorating service and communication difficulty – medical practitioners, public transport, government services (especially

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“We wrote letters and sent telegrams; went to the drive-in on Saturday night.”

Centrelink) and energy providers are on the consumer blacklist.

“Remember when our utilities were owned by the government,” sighs Carole Brennan. “Privatisation was supposed to make things cheaper and more efficient, but has it?”

Another major social change since 1973 has been the status of women – and gender identification. When former Labor prime minister Paul Keating made his first parliamentary speech in 1970, he bemoaned the fact that “husbands have been forced to send their wives to work in order to provide the necessities of life.”

No Australian politician would dare make such a statement today. Fifty years ago most married women with children were housewives. Today, few would identify as such – but that was the time when things began to change and most Baby Boomer women have juggled motherhood with paid work.

What’s more, when Keating made that speech it was to a chamber of male MPs only. Today, women politicians are plentiful, though they are still outnumbered by men.

Women? Men? Only two genders were recognised back then.

Today those who reject gender stereotyping identify as non-binary, same-sex partners can marry and raise children, and transexuals are not limited to The Rocky Horror Show. The Brads and

Janets of our youth have become tolerant with age.

“Perhaps the best thing to have happened in the past 50 years is that people are more accepting of difference in others”, says retired engineer Iain MacPhail.

A summary of other changes to our lifestyle in 50 years include credit and debit cards, safer and more efficient cars, improved health technologies such as organ transplants, joint replacements and more accurate radiology, cable TV, casinos, drug-fuelled crime, greater recognition of indigenous Australians, global shifts in economic power, CCTV and security systems, wider acceptance of profanity and pornography, cybercrime, American food and beverage franchise outlets, age-specific lifestyle communities.

And amid all this change it’s sometimes hard to remember that when we were young many of us dressed like hippies, smoked a bit of cannabis, got drunk, got divorced, disrespected our parents, danced frenetically to loud music and took to the streets in protest.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, quotes Jeff, one of the four old workmates who had a lot of fun when I asked them to enter the time warp with me for this story.

“Even the beer was colder then! The way I see it, 1973 was a great time to be young but 2023 is a great time to be old!”

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The Your Time story about forced adoptions in the 1950s-‘70s, is stomach churning.

If this were to happen now, lawyers would be lining up to offer their services in a class action, with potentially millions of dollars in compensation, from the hospitals and Government, in prospect.

In my opinion, it would be good to hear from the nursing staff involved all those years ago, to reveal how they feel about their actions now, and the tremendous pressures they were under at that time.

Three cheers to brave women who told their stories, and to the organisations now offering support services to the women of that era.

Ken Moore

LITTLE WOMAN WITH A BIG CAMERA

HILDA Geissmann-Curtis was one of early Queensland’s best-known naturalist/photographers and her studies of the birds and orchids of Tamborine Mountain during the first decades of the 20th century brought her fame around Australia.

Hilda is now the subject of a biography, Hilligei, by Your Time writer Julie Lake, who is also the author of Creating a Rainforest Garden, Gardening in a Hot Climate and A Garden in Africa as well as co-author of the world’s first camping e-book, Camping in Australia.

Julie, who has a long association with the rainforests of Tamborine Mountain , found much in common with her subject, who died in 1988, a couple of years short of her 100th birthday.

“Although I never met her, we shared a love or birdwatching, orchids, good books and gardening,” Julie says.

“I first became interested in Hilda, or Hilligei as she was known to close friends, when I realised her importance to Australian natural history. Her photographs and articles were about birds and orchid species which until then were virtually unknown.

“But while male natural historians of that era got their due recognition, Hilda and her work, are virtually unknown. This book is my way of bringing her back to life.”

Hilda Geissmann acquired a second-hand Thornton-Pickard camera in the early 1920s and taught herself how to use it, lugging its bulk through the rainforest and learning how to develop its glass plates. She corresponded with well-known naturalists in Australia and overseas and her photos and articles were published in several newspapers and journals.

“They called her the little woman with the big camera,” Julie says.

“Hilda was an ordinary woman who for a brief period of her life was extraordinary. Her exquisite photographs of orchids won her much acclaim and her articles are delightful because of the way she blended scientific observation with an obvious love for her subject.”

Visit gardenezi. com or email jrlakemedia@gmail. com

— with Penny

WELCOME to 2023.

There’s still plenty to do in the garden, including mowing which never seems to let up at this time of year. Statice, marigolds, zinnias, dahlias and roses are all in bloom. Spray Roses for black spot and aphids if required. Fertilise every six weeks for best results.

Tomatoes, corn, lettuce, radish, cucumbers, zucchini and spring onions are growing well and there’s plenty of time to plant more.

If waiting for autumn planting of winter veges, add copious amounts of animal manures and compost and cover with a thick layer of cane mulch and you’re guaranteed good crops.

Citrus are setting fruit now. Keep up the water and fertiliser for a bountiful supply.

With the cooler winter weather in my new garden, I am trialling a rhododendron I bought in Toowoomba, along with a climbing hydrangea and a clematis. Fingers crossed for good results.

Rhubarb is growing well and I also had a good crop of potatoes.

Order bulbs early before they sell out. Ranunculi, anemones and gladioli do well.

For something really hardy, you can’t go past day lilies and agapanthus.

Happy gardening.

Penny Hegarty

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What’s Love Got To Do With It? is a cross-cultural romantic comedy starring Emma Thompson that will deliver humour and heart.

How do you find lasting love in today’s world? For documentary filmmaker Zoe (Lily James), swiping right to find Mr Right has only delivered bad dates and funny anecdotes, much to her opinionated mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay.

For her childhood friend and neighbour Kazim (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an assisted marriage with a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan.

As Zoe films his hopeful journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a different approach to finding love.

by Mocco Wollert

and not to express appreciation would have been very rude.

I can’t remember how many thank-you cards I have written in my life; some with a real feeling of thanks, others because it was good manners, and some with gritted teeth if it was for another ornament I really did not like.

Like most people and certainly children, I hated to have to write a thank-you card or note. Whatever I wrote was stiff and artificial until some-one said to me “don’t write THANKS as expected, write of your feelings of joy. Write like you would tell that person on the phone.” That advice took the terror out of official thank-you notes for me.

by Cheryl Lockwood

shekels. It was more about returning borrowed farm equipment, which the owners would have needed and were probably peeved at whover held on to it.

They declared their promises before the gods in hope that those same deities would grant them favours for the new year. Good fortune probably played a big role in eking out a living.

The calendar has evolved several times since those ancient days when there were only 10 months in a year. Clearly not enough time to get everything done, so they threw in January and February.

If this was actually the case, I could do with an extra three or four months.

“THANK you, driver” the passenger called out when leaving the bus.

I always feel that this acknowledgement of the driver is such a nice thing to do. I have not seen it anywhere else in the world.

January is probably a good time to write about saying thank-you.

Christmas is a time when we receive gifts of all kinds and saying “thank you” should be a given.

We might pretend that we don’t expect a thank-you. When somebody thanks us, we will counter with “oh, don’t think anything of it, you don’t have to thank me.” But really deep down, don’t we want an acknowledgement for the effort to find a gift or to give of our time?

As this is a magazine for oldies and olders, you will remember that you would be pressured by your mother “you have to ‘say thank you’ or ‘don’t forget to say thank you’.”

Saying it person to person wasn’t too bad but doing it with a card or note, hand-written of course, was often regarded as quite a chore.

But to receive a present of any kind

Speaking of cards, today there are wonderful cards for all occasions in endless racks in shops and newsagencies. But then there is the question what to do with them when the birthday or anniversary is over?

I have a special box where I keep them but to my shame, I must confess that I never look at them again. While writing this column I took out the box and started reading the cards and notes I had received over the years.

I was soon in tears, reading all those wonderful words – from very small grandchildren and long-standing friends, and people who are no longer in my life.

There was also a small collection of hand-written little notes that my husband left for me from time to time. Quite a few were obviously written after he had had a drink or two. I did not care; I was the love of his life and he thanked me not just in words but in writing!

Gifts can come in many forms and here are a few words to maybe give thanks for those special gifts:

Thank you for being in my life – thank you for sharing good and troubled times – thank you for picking me up after a bad experience - thank you for being you.

May you receive many gifts and know how to give thanks.

NEW Year resolutions are not high on my agenda and I’m not sure when I last made a genuine one – possibly in my youth when I resolved to grow taller, which has not happened … yet.

I declared I’d give up sarcasm once, which caused much laughter from my family. That idea obviously failed due to lack of encouragement.

It’s not that there’s no improvement needed. I just don’t see the point in making promises that I will not keep.

If I need to change something about my life, I don’t see why it has to be on the 1st of January. What if I decide I’m going to be a better person on the 3rd of May? Do I start there and then or can I just run amok for another seven months?

Apparently the phrase “New Year’s Resolution” appeared in a Boston newspaper in 1813, but the idea of promising changes began earlier than that.

Historians tell us that the Babylonians were into it way back in 2000BC.

Their New Year involved a 12-day festival coinciding with the start of farming season. A time to plant crops, crown their king or reaffirm loyalty to one they liked and pledge to repay their debts.

I doubt they resolved to use the chariot less often or be less frivolous with their

Fast forward to modern day and many countries still acknowledge the new year with a variety of traditions. Most have the underlying base of warding off the bad stuff and encouraging the good.

In Brazil, revellers wear white, a colour signifying luck and prosperity. White clothing for me usually means I will spill food quite soon after getting dressed.

A tradition for Columbians is to carry an empty suitcase at midnight to encourage a year of much travelling. Not sure that worked during the pandemic.

In Denmark, old plates are smashed against doors of family and friends to ward off bad spirits. Collecting the morning paper could be a dangerous mission and who cleans up the broken crockery?

Fireworks are a popular way to bring in another year. I’m not sure if they scare away evil, but they sure scare the dog.

I asked hubby what he thought about resolutions and his lack of enthusiasm matched mine. He did say that he should eat a healthier diet. He was holding a box of after-dinner mints at the time.

The upside of failed resolutions is being able to make the same one next year.

I’ll be happy if 2023 brings me continued good health and plenty of time with my grandchildren.

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They have become our sons as well ...

Ataturk’s tribute to the mothers of Anzacs killed in 1915 are comforting, but are they accurate? LYNDA SCOTT investigates the history of the Roma Street Parkland Gallipoli Memorial.

As a war rages in Europe, back home in Brisbane is a poignant reminder of how wartime enemies can become close friends.

Roma Street Parkland houses the Gallipoli Memorial with a plaque commemorating the comforting words said to have been spoken by Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk to mothers of the Anzacs killed in the 1915 Gallipoli campaign.

“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours.

“You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace after having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.”

About 8700 Australians, referred to as “Johnnies” by the Turks, lost their lives at Gallipoli.

Turkish troops, the “Mehmets” lost 10 times that number.

It was the first time Australian soldiers had fought in their own military formations, under their own officers.

Some sources say those touching words were spoken by Ataturk, the revered founder of modern Turkey on a post-war

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visit to the battlefields. Others believe they were dictated by Ataturk to his Interior Minister who delivered it in the Dardanelles in 1934.

Some historians have even questioned whether Ataturk ever wrote or spoke them.

Brisbane man, former Gallipoli veteran Alan Campbell, may hold the key to part of the mystery.

In 1977, inspired by the sentiment, he launched a campaign to raise funds for a Gallipoli memorial fountain at Brisbane’s Roma Street with a plaque bearing Ataturk’s words.

As Gallipoli Fountain of Honour Committee chairman, he wrote to Turkish authorities: “We were all very impressed by your quotation by that greatest Turk, Ataturk, by the side of Quinn’s post at Anzac, we think it a very wonderful statement and we would be anxious to have it inscribed upon a metal plaque on the Fountains.”

He wanted confirmation of the accuracy of the words.

Much of the background can be found in a tiny book tucked away in the Royal Historical Society of Queensland archives, stored at the convict-built Commissariat Store.

“Ataturk and the Anzacs” by Ulug Igdemir, chief executive of the Turkish Historical Society, details his correspondence with Campbell as they debated the wording for the plaque.

The touching line “there is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours” may have been an embellishment added during those discussions.

Interestingly, Campbell sent the Turkish historian a photo of the finished plaque with the words: “It varies slightly with the advices you have sent me. But the difference makes no difference in solemn meaning and inspiration. It is very

beautiful indeed.”

After a fundraising campaign, premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen opened the Gallipoli Fountain of Honour in Roma Street in 1978, featuring the plaque with those celebrated words honouring the special bond between the two former enemies.

Thirty years later the monument was looking a little rundown and was demolished when fountains fell out of fashion during a water shortage.

A modern memorial with a plaque carrying those famous words was opened in the redeveloped Roma Street Parkland.

Whatever the truth, the words and sentiment behind them attract visitors to pay respect at the memorial, and they are repeated in countless Anzac ceremonies around the country.

Lynda Scott is a volunteer at the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Visit queenslandhistory.org

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Did you know?

The informal term ‘dad bod’ was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in late 2021. The definition states: “a physique regarded as typical of an average father; especially one that is slightly overweight and not extremely muscular”.

By the numbers

In Ancient Rome, New Year’s was on March 1. The Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days, and the new year began at the vernal equinox. The calendar, however, became out of sync, and in 46BC, Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar, which closely resembles our modern Gregorian calendar.

Quote of the month

“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.”

– Zig Ziglar, author

ONE

The number of websites that existed in 1991.

Do you remember?

Ninety-nine-year-old actor Betty White had a long and illustrious career. Being born in 1922 meant she arrived in the world before a lot of things we tend to think have been around forever. She was 17 days short of her 100th birthday when she died on December 31, 2021 –older than microwaves, instant coffee, trampolines, ballpoint pens, traffic lights, frozen food, electric razors, garages, sunglasses, rubber tyres and sliced bread.

This month in history 1

The number of people who live in the town of Monowi, Nebraska.

LIGHTNING SPEED

It takes only one second for the MIT Media Lab camera to take one trillion pictures (it can photograph the speed of light).

1622 –The Catholic Church adopts January 1, as the beginning of the New Year, rather than March 25. 1807 – London becomes the first city in the world to be lit by gas lights.

1926 – John Logie Baird demonstrates his new television machine to members of the Royal Institution in London.

1929 – Mother Teresa arrives in India. The Albanian religious sister later received the Nobel Peace Prize.

1962 – Decca Records turns down The Beatles.

1970 – The Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet makes its first commercial passenger flight from New York to London.

1984 – The new Apple Macintosh computer goes on show during the Super Bowl.

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Hot but not bothered

It’s human nature to want to take short-cuts; to find an easier and quicker way to achieve the same result, but it isn’t a great idea for brain health. KAILAS ROBERTS finds a way around it with a pleasurable pursuit that effectively gives a brain boost.

When it comes to optimising brain health, short cuts for the most part are a fool’s errand and the unpalatable truth is that if you really want to optimise and protect your brain over the long term, you must put in the work over the long term.

This is the case for many things that we know are good for your brain – following the Mediterranean diet for instance, or optimising sleep or exercise.

When examples of “hacks” that do work emerge, then I can’t help but get excited. I have mentioned before about the use of sauna bathing, and I think this is one such example of a pleasurable pursuit that requires little effort and yet which seems an effective strategy for boosting your brain. Most of the studies that have researched the benefits of sauna come from (perhaps unsurprisingly) Finland or Japan.

The types of sauna used differs between the countries, with the Finns using the traditional coals-in-a-hot box approach and the Japanese using a type of infra-red sauna known as Waon therapy. Both seem to help the body and brain.

Before we jump into why it works, it is

good to appreciate what specific benefits sauna confers.

These include up to a 50 per cent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 40 per cent reduction in premature death from any cause. It is known to improve blood pressure and the health of your heart. It is also known to reduce inflammation –pertinent to all manner of chronic diseases, including dementia.

There is even evidence that it creates the same benefits as aerobic exercise – so you can be hot, but not bothered.

In animals at least, sauna-like conditions have also led to increased lifespan, and some of this may be due to

hormesis: putting the body under stress so that it is forced to adapt. This improves cell function, essentially revving them up.

And studies also have shown a link between regular sauna use and a substantially reduced risk of dementia, even accounting for the fact that those who use sauna may engage in other healthy lifestyle practices.

Though the link is only observational – we cannot fully conclude that sauna causes the reduced dementia risk - there is a so-called dose effect: the more you use the sauna, the lower your risk.

This supports the idea of it being causative. Indulging four times a week, for at least 20 minutes seems to be especially effective (between 80 and 90 degrees centigrade ideally).

But why does it work? Well, it is not fully understood, but in addition to the hormetic effect above, it increases pulse rate (up to 150 bpm) and blood pressure.

This over the long run conditions the vascular system and improves blood flow, including to the brain. So called heat shock proteins – produced by sauna bathing –also seem to interact with amyloid, a protein involved in Alzheimer’s disease –

to prevent it clumping in the brain and causing damage.

Sauna also increases the level of one of my favourite molecules, BDNF, which is critical for growing new nerve cells maintaining their health.

So, I am a big exponent of sauna, but of course you should discuss with your doctor whether it is safe for you personally and follow professional guidance about how to use it. Unstable angina is a contraindication as is a recent heart attack or certain heart valve abnormalities.

Lastly, I am not recommending you substitute sauna for exercise! Though the former might mimic the latter in some ways, exercise has its own independent benefits, and doing them both is better than just doing one.

Kailas Roberts is a psychogeriatrician and author of Mind your brain

The Essential Australian Guide to Dementia now available at all good bookstores and online. Visit yourbraininmind.com or uqp.com.au

Please call Jen on 0414 576 230 for a free, no obligation chat about how we can assist you.

Great debate may need to be taken with a pinch of salt

Do you worry about adding too much salt to your meals? Is salt bad for you? KENDALL MORTON takes a fresh look at the salt debate.

Roman soldiers were paid in salt. We have words that derive from salt, such as salaries, salute and salvation.

It was a highly valued commodity.

Salt is made up of two minerals, sodium and chloride, bonded together. They are listed as essential minerals for human health. Salt enhances the flavour of foods.

Let’s talk about nutrition.

It’s common for older family members to eat smaller amounts of food. Their energy output is less. They may live alone and find preparing meals a bother. It’s easy to have a sandwich instead.

Dieticians Australia estimate that about 50 per cent of older Australians in aged care and in the community are either at risk of malnutrition or are malnourished.

The Australian Medical Association’s Position Statement on Nutrition 2018 says poor diet is a factor in one in five deaths around the world, and diet is the

second highest risk factor for early death after smoking.

Salt has been a contentious issue in the medical world for over a century.

In 1904, two French doctors, Ambard and Beaujard, observed that six of their patients who had high blood pressure also ate liberal amounts of salt.

This led to the idea/ hypothesis that high salt intake increases blood pressure. No

randomised control studies were done at the time, but the idea stuck.

However other European doctors in the early 1900s argued restricted salt intake could lead to apathy, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps and vertigo.

In the older population, dizziness and vertigo can lead to falls, broken bones and hospitalisation.

In a review article in 1950,

two authors went as far as to say, “sodium and chloride being virtually the cornerstones on which the mammalian biochemical structure is built, it is hardly surprising that exclusion of these items from the diet ultimately results in undesirable, or even catastrophic, consequences.”

In another twist, in the 1970s a researcher from the USA Lewis Dahl measured the blood pressure in rats that were given a diet with 500 grams of sodium a day. (this is equivalent to eating around 1200 grams of salt a day. The average salt intake in Australia is 9 grams a day.)

The rats developed high blood pressure.

This study became the basis of the American National Heart Foundation’s recommendation for low salt diets.

More recently researchers reviewed seven studies involving 6250 people and found no strong evidence that low salt intake lowered the risk of heart attacks,

strokes or death regardless of whether or not they had normal or high blood pressure.

In his 2017 book The Salt Fix, cardiovascular research scientist Dr DiNicolantonio, concludes there has never been any sound scientific evidence to say that salt causes high blood pressure.

When you have 1½ teaspoons of salt a day, your body produces a group of hormones called natriuretic hormones.

These nine hormones improve heart and kidney function and vascular health.

Maintaining a good appetite and eating regular meals is key to ongoing health.

An adequate diet can help maintain energy, muscle mass and mental clarity. Adding salt may make meals more palatable and increase food intake.

Kendall Morton is Director of Home Care Assistance Sunshine Coast to Wide Bay. Call 5491 6888 or email kmorton@ homecareassistance.com

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Artful senior brings joy to the world

By Garry Reynolds

Mount Goldsworthy, a former iron ore mining town in the Pilbara, seems an unlikely place for a woman who paints glorious Queensland seascapes to break into the art world teaching herself how to paint.

Chatting quietly, 86-year-old Joy O’Farrell creates a word picture of her early life in a remote outback home supporting her husband in the mining industry while raising a family just north of Marble Bar, the hottest place in Australia.

Struggling with the red dust and the isolation, many of the town’s housewives were becoming increasingly bored with life. BHP Mining took note. The big company decided to bring in a tutor to teach the women oil painting and provided each of a dozen wives with a kit to kick start the course.

However, the best laid plans unravelled at the local community hall where the course was to be held.

The big day came and the

women opened their kits revealing paints, brushes, turps and an instruction book, as they excitedly awaited the arrival of the male tutor all the way up from Perth.

Much to their dismay, the prospect of teaching novice female artists in the rugged mining town appeared too confronting and he had bailed out. When the bewildered women came together again in the hall, it was soon apparent

that Joy was the only one who had read some of the textbook and practised at home.

The rest admired her first attempts and looked to her to fill the instructor gap.

Totally inexperienced as both a teacher and a painter, Joy struggled on valiantly until the original momentum dissipated, leaving her the only one to continue painting.

Undeterred, Joy refined her skills as she ventured out into the arid red landscape with her husband to capture scenes of outback life in photos.

Between the daily chores, the young mother used the pictures for inspiration to paint at home while raising five sons and supporting her husband who drove the big iron ore trains.

Joy built on the instructions from her old faithful textbook and was adopting new techniques. She soon ventured beyond oil paints and into other mediums.

Unexpectedly, BHP decided to mount a Pilbara art

competition open to all comers from across the nation.

Much to everyone’s surprise, including her own, Joy’s painting titled End of the Drover’s Day was highly commended.

The judge from the National Gallery in Canberra was dumbfounded by the quality of her work, particularly when he learned of Joy’s story.

Entering middle age, Joy continued to dabble in art as she settled with her second husband in Redcliffe. Here she received more artistic accolades, the local council acquiring a painting to hang in its library as part of its permanent collection.

As a result of her hallmark talent and persistence bred from a tough upbringing and outback life, Joy O’Farrell’s art found its way into private galleries in Brisbane and even overseas.

Seeking stimulation and adventure, Joy returned to her rural roots as she accompanied her husband as grey nomads travelling around Australia twice in a small Mitsubishi Sigma and

living out of a four-man tent.

Along the way, Joy gained lots of artistic inspiration and took many photos as the foundation for future works to be created on their return to Brisbane. But Joy couldn’t wait. She began painting along the way; some of her work being purchased by admirers in the regions they passed through.

In her senior years, Joy has moved to the Sunshine Coast and enjoys capturing its seascapes in her artworks. Despite her years of experience, Joy is not stuck in one medium and is still willing to reinvent herself.

While Joy O’Farrell’s works range from oil paintings to water colours, acrylics and glorious pastels, she says: “I’m relishing experimenting with the latest cold wax and oils techniques. You know, I reckon you can still teach an old dog new tricks.”

Garry Reynolds is an author, who as part of his rehabilitation after three strokes, has set out to capture life stories within the seniors’ community.

Source: Sunshine Coast City Council.

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Outlander moves on up ... and out there

Once a relatively compact, cheap and honest wagon, the Mitsubishi is now bigger and plusher. BRUCE McMAHON writes that the Outlander is out there in 2023.

charging up at home, running on battery until the petrol motor needs to kick in, playing the re-gen game by braking, or coasting to re-charge on the go and, for hoots and giggles, using both powerplants for some real go-go when accelerating.

PHEV Outlanders run with a 2.4 litre petrol engine plus an 85kW electric motor on the front axle and a 100kW electric motor for the rear with a 20kWh battery pack. Mitsubishi reckons the wagon should get around 80km on a full battery and between 1.5 litres and 8.1 litres per 100km; depending of course on the power source.

Yet for the most part it is quiet, with an interior tending toward upmarket and plush seats; soft steering and, generally, a smooth ride.

This is the fourth generation Outlander, now bigger than ever with good room front and back and sporting all of today’s mod-cons and safety items.

(Trickle-down economics may be a furphy but trickle-down features have long been part of the automotive business. Remember when electric windows weren’t even an option?)

More sophisticated, especially when it comes to the wellappointed Aspire PHEV version – that’s a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle – Mitsubishi’s Outlander delivers most of the fruit.

There have been PHEV Outlanders before, machines that use both petrol and electric engines plus the ability to power the battery pack from the household mains.

Mitsubishi has long been a champion of this particular genre – where other

green offerings may be full plug-in electric or straight hybrid with two power sources – and the Outlander is reportedly world champion PHEV in terms of outright sales. And this 2023 version should keep the sales flowing.

There are obvious advantages to a PHEV in Australia where fair distances, and availability of roadside chargers, brings on serious range anxiety if out back of beyond in a full-on electric vehicle. Or even out back of Brisbane.

With a PHEV there are the options of

A week around Brisbane town, mainly on electric power, saw consumption around 4 litres per 100km.

These all-wheel drive Outlanders also offer a full gamut of driving modes, including Power and Eco, Sand and Mud/ Ruts, yet this SUV is best limited to dirt and gravel tracks. Clearance isn’t great and tyres and suspension more designed for bitumen.

On the road, the Aspire is one big lounge machine. (To a point; 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres tend to thump-crash through cracks and potholes.)

It’s a wide machine at almost 2m, big panoramic windscreen and a substantial road stance. Handsome in profile, it’s tidy around the rear end, while the current Mitsubishi family face may be a little too dramatic for some tastes.

There are four trim levels for PHEV Outlanders with prices starting at $54,990 and running through to $68,490.

The Aspire version sits toward the top of the pack at a recommended retail of $60,990.

It’s not the cheapest family wagon out there but one to handsomely showcase some green credentials, and save some fossil fuel, without vaulting into a full-on electric machine.

Moles: What’s normal and what’s suspicious?

Regardless of the number and appearance of your moles, they are common. And they do change over time. But how do you know if these changes are normal or could indicate something worse, like skin cancer?

What is normal?

It is normal for moles to emerge in childhood and adolescence, change in size and colour as we grow, and fade

as we get older. New moles may appear during pregnancy. Moles can lighten or darken in colour, become raised, or even disappear altogether! These changes can be due to environmental factors, like UV radiation from the sun, medications, or genetics.

What is suspicious?

Certain changes could be concerning, such as changes in shape, symmetry, or colour. If you notice moles that are

Types of skin cancer

Seborrhoeic Keratosis

Harmless wartlike spots usually developing by the age of 60.

Dysplastic Naevi

Benign moles which might indicate greater melanoma risk.

Between professional skin checks, you can self-monitor your skin for any new, changing or unusual lesions.

Start by examining your body in a full-length mirror, checking all skin on your front and back with your arms raised.

Next, look at your underarms, forearms and palms, then your legs, toes and the soles of your feet. Use a hand mirror or ask a loved one for help examining your neck, scalp, ears, back and buttocks.

spontaneously bleeding, itching, flaking, or crusting it could be sign that something isn’t right, and you should see your doctor.

Getting a skin cancer check in summer can give you peace of mind for the rest of the year. Summer is an ideal time for a skin cancer check, as this is when the sun’s UV levels are highest and when most sun damage occurs on the skin.

Skin cancer can affect anyone, occur anywhere on the body and come in various shapes and colours.

Solar Keratoses

Sun damage indicating increased skin cancer risk.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

A more serious form of skin cancer often on areas exposed to the sun.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Most common but least dangerous form of skin cancer.

Melanoma

The most dangerous form of skin cancer which must be treated urgently.

Keep an eye out for one or more ABC signs of melanoma:

Asymmetry: The two halves don’t match

Border: The edges are notched or uneven

Colour: There are multiple colours

Diameter: The lesion is larger than a pencil eraser

Evolving: The lesion is changing

Firm: It feels hard to the touch

Growing: It has recently gotten bigger

If anything stands out, see your doctor straight away, even if you aren’t due for your follow-up check.

Remember, skin cancer can be invisible to the naked eye.

What happens if a mole is suspicious?

During your full-body skin cancer check (recommended for all Queenslanders at least once a year), your doctor will examine any moles, freckles or bumps with a dermatoscope: a skin microscope that allows them to see beneath the skin to identify suspicious characteristics.

“Melanoma can grow very fast and may show no symptoms until an advanced stage,” says Professor David Wilkinson, Chief Medical Officer at National Skin Cancer Centres.

“Special diagnostic tools are necessary to see beneath the skin’s surface to identify suspicious changes. Skin checks are important for early detection and produce life-saving results.”

If your doctor identifies signs indicating a malignancy (skin cancer), a biopsy may be performed. The skin tissue sample is sent to a pathologist to confirm diagnosis, which will determine treatment approaches available to you, including excision or topical creams.

Early detection with total body photography

For high-risk patients, total body photography is recommended in addition to your skin check. It is the best method to detect skin cancers accurately and early by monitoring changes over time through the comparison of a series of digital images of your entire skin surface.

“With something as life-threatening as skin cancer, the earlier we detect it, the higher the chance of successful treatment,” says Prof Wilkinson.

Are

you at risk of skin cancer?

You are at especially high risk if you are over 55, have light hair or light-coloured eyes, have a fair complexion, have a family or personal history of skin

How can you protect your skin?

Most skin cancers arise anew rather than developing within existing moles. The majority of skin cancers develop because of exposure to the sun’s UV rays, so to protect yourself this summer it’s important to:

• always wear sunscreen every day, and re-apply every two hours;

• avoid going outside in the middle of the day when UV levels peak;

• cover exposed skin with a hat, sunglasses, and sleeves;

• stick to the shade whenever possible;

• never use a solarium (tanning bed);

• self-monitor your skin for any new or changing moles in between professional skin checks; and

• see a doctor once a year for a professional full-body skin cancer check using dermoscopy for a head-to-toe examination of your entire skin surface.

“It’s important to take steps from prevention to detection in summer when UV levels are highest,” says Prof Wilkinson.

“Early detection through regular full-body skin cancer checks is the best defence. Our mission is to detect skin cancers in the early stages to minimise complex, and expensive treatments, and ultimately save lives.”

cancer, work outdoors or enjoy outdoor activities, or have ever been sunburnt or used a tanning bed.

“Many patients have sun-damaged skin in Queensland, so they’re at high risk of skin cancer including potentially deadly melanoma, but a lot of people underestimate that risk,” says Prof Wilkinson.

BANYO Bowls Club first opened its doors and greens to the Brisbane community on February 15, 1938, but even as its milestone 85th birthday comes up next month, it has fallen on tough times and is calling for help to get back on its feet.

The club house and greens grew from fields where dairy cows grazed and crops and pastures grew.

Over the years, the little club on Froude St has brought many generations together as it became a community hub for locals to meet and mingle.

Sleepy through the week, it comes alive each weekend with families enjoying the outdoors.

They come together to bowl, enjoy a drink at the clubhouse or on a rug by the greens.

Along with many other businesses, the bowls club took a hit during Covid lockdowns. Already struggling and trying to persevere, it has suffered significant deterioration from the storms and has few funds for maintenance.

Like many other bowls

clubs, Banyo has had to grow and transform to keep the community engaged, provide space for the ever-changing, ever-growing suburb and continue to be a meeting ground for all.

“In its 85th year, staying alive has become challenging for the little club,” fundraiser organiser Lewis Lilley said. “With some help, there’s a pathway to getting the bowlsie one foot out of the ground and back up on its feet.”

The club is seeking support and donations to help with the maintenance and repairs.

“We appreciate all that the community has done for the club thus far, and look forward to pushing on and celebrating a birthday in February with a brighter year ahead,” Mr Lilley said.

“One of the easier ways to show your support, if not by donation, is to show up and enjoy what Banyo Bowls Club has to offer in terms of sports and recreation or just to enjoy the social events.”

Visit gofund.me/1bb410eb

BRENDALE VIEW’S BIG YEAR

BRENDALE View Club

members signed off on a successful year of fundraising for The Smith Family Learning for Life program.

Members contribute significant fundraising and volunteering support to help Australian children in need to reach their full potential through education.

The Brendale View Club sponsors eight children.

View is a club for fun and to nurture friendships, meet new friends, enjoy a two-course meal, listen to an informative

guest speaker, and attend additional social activities.

Dinner meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at Aspley Hornets Football Club, 50 Graham Rd, Carseldine, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Interested women are invited to the next dinner meeting on January 17.

Coffee and Chat mornings are the first Saturday of each month at 10am at White’s Coffee Co., Bracken Ridge Tavern, 153 Barrett St. Call president Shayne 0409 991 428.

Lifestyle changes shape up as a smart resolution

Budgeting, losing weight and a healthier lifestyle are the most common New Year resolutions but, writes LESA MACPHERSON, for many it might be better to think about lifestyle.

Christmas and New Year gatherings can often be a time when caring family members notice a change in their parents or grandparents.

Over time these changes lead to recognition that the house is getting much harder to maintain, health problems are impacting more, and even a lack of community and accessible leisure activities become burdensome.

A change from a house to a retirement village may be timely and beneficial.

Retirement villages usually

involve downsizing accommodation, but upsizing community involvement is the happy result. Some refer to this as “right sizing”.

A decision to move to a retirement village is best done as a whole-of-family decision, with the involvement of those making the move and their supportive children, who are often in their 50s or beyond.

A move into a retirement village is a significant legal decision as well, as the terms of retirement village contracts are complex, lengthy, and onerous.

CURRENCY CONSEQUENCES

Global investment markets saw significant gains during October. Despite a set of disappointing earnings reports from large technology companies in the US, optimism among market participants showed signs of improvement following a slight moderation in the September CPI print, released mid-October.

Markets are still down year-to-date, but October’s rally helped ease the pain.

Technology stocks (as represented by the Nasdaq index) and emerging markets have some way to go before the position is reversed. Amid a sea of red, the US dollar stands alongside oil, coal, and the energy sector as one of only a handful of investment segments to deliver positive returns over the past year.

Year-to-date the US dollar

index has rallied 11 per cent. All major currencies have fallen against the USD over the past 12 months; the Australian dollar (AUD) is mid-pack, with a decline of 7.5 per cent.

The AUD is towards the lower end of its 50-year trading range against the USD. However, against a broader basket of currencies, the AUD has been under less pressure, with the Trade-weighted index trading at the 40-year average.

A strong USD is typically a headwind for equities and commodities.

While it has been a factor in the former’s weakness (the MSCI All World index is down 21 per cent), it hasn’t dragged down the commodity complex.

Currency movements are a function of numerous factors.

As highlighted by the

It is essential that the elderly persons, and their family, understand the ramifications of what they are signing, and what it means to them down the track. Generalist advice isn’t good enough.

The Brisbane Elder Law website lists 24 points to look for in a retirement village, and all the recent changes in the law relating to retirement villages.

Visit brisbaneelderlaw.com. au or call Lesa Macpherson 1800 382 952. Office open January 9, 2023

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), long-term drivers can include interest rate differentials, terms of trade and commodity prices, international trade, and prices and inflation. Short-term drivers are generally risk sentiment and speculation. With investment markets focused on interest rates, differentials are a key driver of demand for and supply of AUD. If the differential falls, Australian assets become less attractive for foreign investors and demand for AUD declines.

The RBA cash rate has historically been higher than the Fed Funds rate. Since the GFC the differential has narrowed. It is currently negative.

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Troy Davey is an Authorised Representative (no 473122) of Ord Minnett Ltd, AFS licence 237121. This article contains general financial advice only and does not consider personal circumstances.

New year, new intentions

Are you a person who makes new year resolutions? Or do you avoid them, knowing or suspecting, that you will not keep them? JUDY RAFFERTY examines approach and avoidance goals.

If you’re the type who avoids new year resolutions, maybe this will change your mind: Having and naming a goal is associated with overall improved wellbeing.

But there’s a catch.

There are two types of goals. One type is a positively-framed goal called an approach goal.

The other is an avoidance goal, which is negatively framed. The type you pick can influence the likelihood of achieving your goal.

The difference between an approach and avoidance goal is in the why.

Why this goal? Is it to avoid something or to gain something?

Let’s say you want to give up smoking. Listen to what you say, to yourself or others, about your motivation for having this goal.

Are you saying, “I want to give up smoking so I can get fitter and do the weekly fun run with my grandkids?”

Or is it more like “I want to give up smoking because I am worried about lung cancer.”

The first is an approach goal, about adding something and the second is an

avoidance goal, which aims to avoid a bad outcome.

What you focus on and where you put your attention guides your thoughts and behaviour.

Since avoidance goals focus on the very thing you are trying to avoid, they

can lead you away from your goal instead of toward it.

Avoidance goals are also usually experienced as less enjoyable, less motivating and less meaningful.

No wonder they are also associated with more procrastination and an increased sense of hopelessness about achieving the goal.

Simple as it sounds, it is worth rewording your motivation for any goal to be approach focused.

Think about what you might win or gain by achieving your goal and use that to reword your “why”. You will still get the benefit of avoiding that which you want to avoid but your focus will be on the positives you will be gaining.

For this year’s resolution, challenge yourself to set an approach goal and increase your chances of achieving it.

Judy Rafferty is the author of Retirement Your Way, A Practical Guide to Knowing What You Want and How to Get It, at all good bookshops and online.

AGE ON YOUR OWN TERMS

ANTI-ageing specialist Lyndal Linkin provides a practical guide to help slow the ageing process in her new book To Age or Not to Age: Strategies and Life Hacks to Turn Back the Clock.

Drawing on extensive research as well as her own anti-ageing journey, 56-year-old Lyndal shows readers how to feel strong, vibrant and passionate about every part of life – the ultimate anti-aging approach.

Exploring the connection between how we look and how we feel, she covers such topics as simple, time-efficient daily routines for dramatic anti-aging results over time; how to navigate the confusing world of creams and serums; why changing your relationship with food is vital and how to nurture your mind to delay, slow and even reverse the effects of aging.

She also looks at the dos and don’ts of injectables and non-invasive technologies and surgery options.

Lyndal is a successful entrepreneur and corporate leader in Melbourne.

To Age or Not to Age can be purchased for $29.95 at leading online retailers or visit lyndallinkin. com.au

Practical Common Sense Legal Advice for you and your loved ones

Meet the incredible tauroursodeoxycholic acid

If you have never heard of Tudca then it’s time to learn more about the benefits of this underrated bile acid. TRUDY KITHER explains that it’s a valuable remedy for many different conditions.

Tudca (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) is a particular bile acid that was originally found in bears.

They were once killed for their bile. Thankfully, the synthetic version is just as good now, which is excellent news for bears of the world today.

Tudca was used for hundreds of years throughout Asia and also by the American Indians for a variety of purposes. It is used to treat gallstones. A superconcentrated cholesterol stone can dissolve if you add more bile.

Tudca is also effective in the treatment of liver cirrhosis as it inhibits fibrosis or scarring on the liver. It also helps to thin bile.

Many people have a condition where the bile is too thick. You may not specifically have a gallstone, but you may have pain in your right-hand

side, just below your ribcage. If this is the case, you may experience a lot of bloating, congestion and pain.

This happens because bile backs up into the liver and as bile is a “detergent”, it is extremely irritating to liver tissue.

It can cause pain that shoots up your right shoulder through the right side of your neck and head, thus causing awful headaches. It also creates a

whole lot of other conditions, including pancreatitis.

Bile can also put pressure on the heart, causing palpitations and even arrhythmia.

The lungs can also feel the effect of the congested bile. If the liver is too swollen, there is insufficient space in the area surrounding the heart and lungs, affecting breathing.

Usually, the recommended dosage for Tudca treatment would be two capsules in the morning on an empty stomach and two tablets before dinner at night to help with digestion.

Bile helps break down and absorb Vitamin A, and there are many other different reasons it helps your eyes.

Much research has been conducted on the eyes and is ongoing. The main objective for the research is to improve visual acuity, Retinal Degenerative Disease, and many other eye issues.

Tudca has been shown to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease because it is neuroprotective. Due to its neuroprotective benefits, it helps the neurons in your brain.

It has also shown positive effects on ALS (an autoimmune disease) and stroke. Not only does it have a positive impact on preventing a stroke but also repairs the damage caused by a stroke.

Tudca can also reduce fevers and spasms and prevent apoptosis (programmed cell death caused by stressed mitochondria). It does this by stabilising the mitochondria. This is extremely important as mitochondria are the little powerhouses of energy and action inside every cell of the body.

Tudca has excellent anti-inflammatory effects, especially in the liver. It can decrease fibrosis and plaquing

in the brain. It supports insulin sensitivity so if you have diabetes, you will benefit from taking Tudca.

In a healthy person, digestion recirculates about 95 per cent of the body’s bile salts. Poor diet, impaired liver function and certain medications can negatively affect this process.

Tudca supports the gut lining and is highly beneficial for leaky gut or other gut permeability issues.

If you have either of these, it means you will have undigested food getting stuck in the leaky channels of your gut lining or the pores of your intestines. It is an excellent treatment for colon inflammation and helps protect the kidneys.

Trudy Kither is a naturopath, herbalist, and iridologist at Nature’s Temple Wellness Clinic. Visit naturestemple.net

ASTHMA DEATHS DROP

BUT WOMEN OVER 75 STILL MOST VULNERABLE

WOMEN over 75 remain most at risk of a deadly asthma attack even as numbers drop for the second consecutive year.

They represent almost half (46 per cent) of all asthma deaths, compared with only 16 per cent of men over 75 – the age group that recorded the highest deaths for males in new ABS figures released by the National Asthma Council Australia.

“We also see that deaths for women start to creep up as they age, so asthma deaths in women really art to rise from when they are in their mid-50s which is extremely concerning,” respiratory physician and National Asthma Council Australia spokesman Dr Jonathan Burdon said.

“Women over 75 could be experiencing a time of their life when there are huge changes in living circumstances, such as living alone after losing a partner, changes to routine after retirement, as well as the need to start taking other medications, so the focus on asthma risk can lessen.”

The new figures reveal that there were 351 asthma-related deaths in 2021, made up of 244 females and 107 males, down from 417 deaths in 2020 and 427 deaths in 2019.

“Despite the drop, the sad truth is that

most asthma deaths are preventable, so even 351 deaths is far too many,” Dr Burdon said.

“Asthma mortality rates in Australia are still high by international comparison, so this is not the time for complacency.”

He said that to get the asthma death rate down further and stay down, people with asthma needed to take proactive steps to reduce their risk.

In Australia, one in four children and one in 10 adults live with asthma. nationalasthma.org.au

NEW research has revealed that troubled sleep may be associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

In the first study of its kind, University of South Australia researchers found that people who reported trouble sleeping were on average more likely to have indicators of poor cardiometabolic health –inflammatory markers, cholesterol and body weight – which can contribute to type 2 diabetes.

UniSA researcher Dr Lisa Matricciani said different aspects of sleep were associated with risk factors for diabetes.

“Everyone knows that sleep is important. But when we think about sleep, we mainly focus on how many hours of sleep we get, when we should also be looking at our sleep experience as a whole,” she says.

“How soundly we sleep, when we go to bed and get up, and how regular our sleep habits are, may be just as important as sleep duration.”

The study examined the association of different aspects of sleep, and risk factors for diabetes, and found a connection between those who had troubled sleep and those who were at risk of type 2 diabetes.

It assessed more than 1000 Australian adults with a median age of

HEALTH

AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

44.8 years. Researchers examined a range of sleep characteristics: self-report trouble sleeping, duration, timing, efficiency, and day-to-day sleep length variability.

“People who reported having trouble sleeping were also more likely to have a higher body mass index, as well as blood markers of cholesterol and inflammation,” Dr Matricciani said.

“When it comes to the crunch, we know we must prioritise our sleep to help stay in good health. More research is needed, but as this study shows, it’s important to think about sleep as a whole, not just as one aspect.”

In Australia, almost one million adults have type 2 diabetes.

Now stocking more brands and the largest size range from AA to K.

Great news for the women who struggle to find a great fitting bra.

LUXURY RECREATION PRECINCT OFFICIALLY OPENS

STOCKLAND has officially opened its $17.5 million Recreation Precinct at the luxury over 50s lifestyle community B by Halcyon in the foothills of Buderim.

A large function space and bar which opens out to a wide verandah, private dining area, gold-class style cinema and a Creative Arts Pavilion are among the spaces homeowners are looking forward to using in the precinct.

Stockland Halcyon Communities project director Andrew Astorquia said the facilities would become the heart of the boutique community.

“As an over 50s lifestyle community, we’re focused on improving the health and fitness of our homeowners and these luxury facilities are the perfect way to achieve this,” he said.

“Homeowners will be able to gather to enjoy all of the social, wellness, active and creative spaces which are on offer.”

The Creative Arts Pavilion, which adjoins the precinct, features two art studios, a music studio, library, lounge and an outdoor artists’ café courtyard.

“Buderim is renowned as a haven for artists, and we wanted to able to foster that creativity within the community,” Mr Astorquia said.

The new facilities complement the Wellness Centre, the Sunshine Coast’s largest private day spa, which opened last year.

The Wellness Centre features a variety of spaces from a covered and heated magnesium salt pool to luxurious private day spa rooms and a fully equipped gym.

THE dictionary definition of “pushing the envelope” is to behave in a more extreme way or to try new things that have not been acceptable or tried before. And that perfectly sums up Suncare client Barry Pittard.

The retired schoolteacher decided to take matters into his own hands after he became ill and received a poor future health prognosis.

“Many times little equals big,” Barry says. “You need to take small steps, but regularly, in order to achieve results. Like starting with one word, adding more words and making a song . And it always needs to be fun.”

When it comes to exercise, Barry suggests you be gentle on yourself.

“Start with moving a finger. Run like a snail , but run. And use your common sense – your body will tell you what you can do next. The secret is in doing it, not overdoing it.”

Barry now attends the local gym four times a week and his health has improved substantially.

Staying active and positive, Barry loves writing poetry, and with some success - his poem Ukraine 2022, was recently published.

He has also rediscovered his singing voice and hopes to share his love of music and his poetry at retirement facilities in Mapleton and surrounds.

Barry thrives on being independent, and while he likes to walk or catch the bus, he also enjoys the social support and taxi vouchers he receives as part of his Suncare Home Care Package. Visit suncare.org.au or call 1800 786 227.

FRASER

Rolling options of exercise balls

Exercise balls are designed to loosen up tight muscles and improve back flexibility. TRISTAN HALL compares a range of options.

First up let’s talk about Yoga Wheels. These look like a fun prop to add to your home stretching routine.

The 12-inch wide wheel is hollow and is designed to massage the spine.

The idea is to start in a seated position with two feet flat on the floor. Put the wheel behind you and lean into it and roll your back over the yoga ball for a few minutes.

The Yoga Wheel does give the shoulder blades a pleasant stretch but is not recommended for the lower back as it can jam the vertebrae together. Yoga wheels can be unstable on carpet.

A similar product is the Chirp Wheel. This is promoted to improve posture and flexibility.

For your comfort the Chirp Wheel has a channel for your spine. It’s used in the same way as the Yoga Wheel.

A third and preferred option is the Fit Ball. These come in a few sizes. When you sit on the right size ball, your thighs will be straight just as in a dining chair. Fit balls are soft and pliable compared to the other options here.

With a Fit Ball, you can massage all of your back. Sit on the floor, lean against the ball and roll it under your back from the top to the bottom. This can reverse the chest constriction that comes from sitting around.

You can use the Fit Ball on carpet or any other stable surface, including grass.

For an upper back stretch, lean back over the ball and hold that position for around 30 seconds. If it’s comfortable, you can drop your arms behind you. As you work to stay stable on the ball, you will activate a range of muscles, in particular around your core.

The Fit Ball can also be used to loosen up the lower back. Sit on the ball and move your hips in small circles for a minute. Swap directions and repeat.

This exercise activates the small muscles around your hips. Core muscles benefit too.

While all of these wheels and balls can help massage areas of your back you can’t reach, in my opinion the Fit Ball is the safest option. It has a range of uses for your home exercise routine which I will go into next month.

Tristan Hall is an exercise physiologist with Full Circle Wellness. Call 0431 192 284 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au

FIT HAPPENS With Tom Law

AT this time of year, the well-worn expressions, “new year, new you” and “get your summer body now” start sprouting from gyms and personal trainers.

By our age, we have heard it all before but while the marketing may be tired, the message is still a good one. The beginning of the year is a logical time to stress the importance of health and wellness as it dovetails nicely with new year resolutions.

Another given for our age group is that we are generally well aware of the importance of good health and wellness. We may not have the same level of health we had when we were younger but it can always be improved.

Let me give you two examples of people who have drastically improved their health by adopting a sensible exercise and eating regime.

Peter is in his 70s and wanted to lose some weight, and become generally healthier, mainly to better enjoy his grandkids.

We started a program of recording what Peter consumed weekly (in detail) combined with a gentle daily exercise program that included one personal training session a week.

Benefits over the past three months include 20kg weight loss. Peter still records his daily food intake and is well on the way to being a much healthier person. His habits have changed.

Julie is around 50 and has a high-pressure job. We asked Julie to take part in a regular exercise program by herself and to keep an eye on what she was eating. She has her own method of nutrition based on a program that was recommended to her and also does one personal training session a week. This session includes high intensity.

Get some help, take some advice and speak to your doctor. Have a fantastic 2023.

Tom Law is author of Tom’s Law Fit Happens. Visit tomslaw.com.au

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EXPERIENCE

OPERA IN THE OUTBACK TICKETS ON SALE

DAZZLING night skies, glorious horizons and fine music come together in the Queensland outback from May 16-21 when Opera Queensland’s acclaimed Festival of Outback Opera returns.

The week-long celebration in Longreach and Winton brings together local artists and national opera stars for open-air concerts, intimate recitals, singalongs and gastronomic delights.

This year’s major festival concerts include Dark Sky Serenade in Winton on May 19,and Singing in the Night in Longreach on May 20.

The Festival of Outback Opera has become a signature cultural event in Queensland.

The festival will provide unique opera experiences in exciting new ways and include an expanded program in Winton and Longreach.

Opera Queensland CEO and artistic director Patrick Nolan said the events were the perfect way for people to visit Queensland’s outback towns and immerse themselves in arts and culture.

“Opera Queensland’s Festival of Outback Opera showcases a diverse program, inviting audiences to share in the wonder of opera in a profoundly beautiful setting. It is the perfect way for those new to the artform to dip their toes and will also satisfy opera die-hards,” he said.

Nolan said that ongoing funding from major stakeholders, including the Queensland Government, the University of Queensland and Haymans Electrical, highlighted the significance of the event and its capacity to activate remote and regional communities in new and exciting ways.

“The Festival of Outback Opera is not only a very special event for audiences,

but also a critical contributor to Queensland’s regional tourism economy,” he said.

“We seek to grow this in 2023 with an expanded offering, including the inaugural Long Lunch in Winton and Festival of Outback Opera Gala Ball in Longreach, highlighting Queensland’s incredibly rich and diverse cultural tourism industry.”

Acclaimed Australian conductor Vanessa Scammell brings her inimitable style and passion to the event, leading some of the world’s most incredible voices including Emma Matthews, Milijana Nikolic, Jud Arthur, Carlos E. Bárcenas Ramírez and José Carbó.

The program is Winton, May 16, Festival Opening at The Royal Theatre; May 17, Sing Sing Sing at North Gregory Hotel; May 18, Long Lunch; Lady Sings the Maroons at the Recreation Park; May 19, panel discussion at North Gregory Hotel and Dark Sky Serenade at Australian Age of Dinosaurs.

Longreach, May 20, Singing in the Night at Camden Park Station – Two Tree Hill; May 21, Sing Sing Sing at The Branch Café; Opera Ball at Smithy’s Camp; May 22, Lady Sings the Maroons.

Additional pop-up performances during the festival are yet to be announced.

Visit oq.com.au

IMAGE: HELEN KIDD

MUSICAL JOURNEY IN A NIGHT AT THE PROMS

IN A salute to the BBC Proms Concerts of London’s Royal Albert Hall, A Night at the Proms Spectacular is coming to Brisbane, bringing a promenade of formal special guests for an evening of magnificent entertainment.

“I’m excited to be sharing the stage with an even larger cast this year,” maestro violinist and Olympic composer Ian Cooper said.

“We have three magnificent sopranos, a principal tenor from Opera Australia, Australia’s foremost pipe band, highland dancers, our classical ballet dancing Strauss Waltzes,

Jealousy Tango and The Can-Can, all accompanied by the Blue Danube Orchestra.”

Other Proms favourites will include Rule Britannia, The March of the British Grenadiers and Edward Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory.

“The thrill of performing with a cast of this size is a feeling like no other, especially when we are all on stage together. I find the show absolutely exhilarating and I sense the overwhelming joy from the audiences as well,” Cooper said.

“I also love it when the pipers and drummers enter

from the back of the hall and march through the audience and on to the stage.”

The concert will take a musical journey across Europe, from Spain, France, popular Italian arias, music from the famous Hungarian gypsy orchestras, to selections from The Sound of Music and The Merry Widow, as well as Jerusalem, and Strauss’ Radetzky March.

RPAC Concert Hall, Cleveland. February 17, 7pm Tickets $95, concessions $89, groups 10+ $85. Bookings call RPAC Box Office 3829 8131 or visit rpac.com.au

STAR SOPRANO RETURNS FOR

HOME TOWN SHOW

INTERNATIONALLY renowned Soprano, Mirusia, is known to millions around the world as the Angel of Australia – the name given to her by famous Dutch violinist, André Rieu .

And next month, she returns from an extensive European headlining tour to debut her stunning new concert program on home turf in Redland.

Mirusia will sing songs from her illustrious career including classical favourites, Broadway musical hits, new original music and songs she has performed together with André Rieu on his global spectaculars over the years.

She will also be bringing with her some of Australia’s finest musicians, including special guest JD Smith from The Ten Tenors.

“I am so excited to return to Australia from touring in Europe, and it’s only fitting that I start my year off performing for my home crowd at Redlands,” Mirusia said. “This concert will feature my most

requested songs and also some new surprises.”

Melbourne-based singer/ songwriter, JD Smith, has been touring as a member of the international vocal group The Ten Tenors since 2015.

With an indigenous heritage, JD has shifted his focus to releasing his debut album titled Soul Searchin’ produced by Michael Cristiano (The Seekers, Gene Pitney).

Redland Performing Arts Centre, Cleveland. Saturday, February 18, 7.30pm. Tickets rpac.com.au or call the box office 3829 8131.

DESEXING is an important part of responsible pet ownership that has a role in health, safety and protection of companion animals.

It means not only fewer unwanted animals but research has found that desexed animals can live longer and healthier lives.

Cats can get pregnant as early as four months of age, so it is important to desex them early.

Desexed animals are less likely to roam, which reduces the risk of being involved in a traumatic accident such as being hit by a car, becoming lost, getting into fights, being exposed to infectious diseases and fighting with other animals.

They are also generally less likely to suffer from certain diseases and illnesses such as mammary cancer and uterine infections in females and prostate problems in males.

Desexing can also help prevent behaviours that are associated with the reproductive cycle that can be distressing, unpleasant, and challenging to deal with, such as female cats “calling” or female dogs having a discharge when they are on heat.

Desexing cats and dogs can also help reduce problem behaviours such as aggression and urine marking in males.

Visit rspca.org.au

OF THE MONTH

THE benefits of pet ownership are well recognised and there are pets who need owners too. RSPCA Queensland has more than 47,000 animals arrive each year –strays, surrendered by an owner, rescued by the Animal Ambulance, or victims of cruelty. All deserve a second chance. Meet:

Lizzo is a sweet little guinea pig hoping to find a new home. She is very affectionate and likes her female gal-pals at the RSPCA. She is looking for an owner who can keep her with a friend or two.

She is a smooth hair aged nine months.

Guinea pigs are social creatures and easy to care for, they make ideal pets if you don’t have a lot of space but would still like to enjoy their companionship.

If you can offer Lizzo a loving home, apply online to adopt her. There are dozens of guinea pigs available to adopt at the RSPCA.

She is vaccinated, and worm and flea treated. Adoption price: $40

No-fuss Nigel is all about affection. He loves head bunting you, rubbing on your legs and watching what you’re up to.

If you’re looking for a sweet companion that’s always up for a pat, and one that is very adorable with his bi-coloured eyes, Nigel is waiting.

He is a two-year-old domestic short hair and is desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, and worm and flea treated. Adoption price: $165

To adopt, apply online rspcaqld.org.au/adopt or call the RSPCA adoption line 1300 364 443

Following the jungle trail of the Sandakan death march

track is now a two-lane highway.

For us, the Sandakan-Ranau death march route begins when we are met a Kota Kinabalu airport after a flight from Kuala Lumpur. Over the next six days we will trek 80km of the 240km the original POWs marched.

We wear strong walking boots, clothes for the climate, and our load is only water as we retire to a guest house at the end of each day. It’s not hard to imagine the hell it would have been for undernourished and sick prisoners, barefoot and carrying heavy packs.

After the fall of Singapore in 1942, 1800 Australians and 750 British prisoners of war were transported to Sandakan in British North Borneo (now Sabah) to construct an airfield. By the end of 1944, more than 900 had died of ill-treatment.

With allied forces within striking distance, rations below subsistence and the airstrip unusable after repeated allied attacks, Japanese Command ordered prisoners to be moved.

On January 29, 1945, 455 of the fittest prisoners began the 240km march through thick, steamy jungle west to Ranau, where they would be used as labourers until they dropped. A second march of 532 prisoners left Sandakan on May 29.

The Diggers had no idea where they were going, couldn’t see the sky for jungle, had rations for four days on a nine-day journey, and were under the watchful eye of captors who had guns and bayonets ready if they became too weak to go on.

The track had been cut through thick growth in the mountains by pro-British locals who, thinking it was for the Japanese soldiers, had chosen the most difficult path.

The route was unknown until 1998, when the full extent of the tragedy was unearthed. It would be another eight years before the actual route was fully identified in 2006. By then, much of it had become roads, rubber and palm oil plantations, and private land. Much of the original

The trail is overgrown and steamy. It’s a challenging trek through thick jungle, much of it uphill, swamps and palm plantations. We cross rivers, streams and old bridges, and discover little villages but there is no pressure to rush. The rain belts down at night and days are clear and humid.

Guides with machetes and relying on instinct know exactly where they are going as they hack our path through the dense jungle, grass that towers above them, and savage prickling vines.

In this tropical wilderness full of leeches, it was harsh enough without the dysentery, malaria, scabies and malnutrition that the POWs had to endure.

There’s unexplored and uninhabited Taviu Valley and Taviu Hill, which gives a view of the path taken by the POWs.

The last two nights are at the Sabah Tea Garden, a plantation and homestead which was built

on the original track. Finally, we hike 12km across Marakayu Hill to visit the Ranau POW campsite, and war memorial at Kundasang.

The Sandakan death march route is raw territory, and remains little travelled, unlike the better-known 96km Kokoda Trail. There are no campsites, and the trail is not marked.

Kokoda is dotted with monuments brought in by helicopter, but there’s none of that here.

The Sandakan route is not a lot different to what it was when the Japanese withdrew in 1945.

And there are no glossy signposts or memorials, just 200 river rocks embedded in concrete honour the sacrifice and pay tribute to the courage and friendship of the local people.

The last 33 prisoners at Ranau who had survived the torturous journey carrying their heavy packs through Borneo’s jungle were massacred at Ranau on August 1, 1945.

Only six men, “skeletons with skin” survived the Sandakan death march. They escaped and were cared for by villagers until being rescued by special forces.

In 2005, trekking expert Tham Yau Kong and Australian historian Lynette Silver plotted and located the original route of the POWs.

They discovered that part of the old track passed through the area now occupied by the Sabah Tea Plantation.

TYK Adventure Tours, an educational tourism award winner, specialises in jungle trekking and offers a variety of packages.

Visit sandakandeathmarch. com or email thamyaukong@ gmail.com

A bridge that has seen better days can carry only one person at a time.

Guides hack through the grass.

It was the greatest wartime act of cruelty against Australians yet remains among stories seldom told. EDWARD SEARLES heads to the jungles of Borneo to follow the footsteps of the doomed prisoners of war on the Sandakan death march.

IF THE new year lies ahead as a blank page, it’s time to start planning some adventures.

Whether it’s a short escape or a grand tour to remote places, put the dates in the calendar and get ready to go.

“There’s a busy year ahead for travellers,” says Paul Brockhurst of CT Travel. “We have a variety of itineraries so there’s something to suit everyone.”

The first is coming up soon. A four-day escape from the Bunya Mountains to the Darling Downs, goes to lesser-known beauty spots and uncovers heritage in a region where nature and history collide.

It departs on January 18, and includes the Bunya Mountains, heritage-listed Taabinga and Jimbour homesteads, Dalby and across the Jimbour Plains to the Darling Downs.

Another four-day escape leaves on March 13 for Fraser Island, staying at the Kingfisher Bay resort.

The itinerary includes a sunset and a full day adventure around the most famous sights of the world’s largest sand island

from the air-conditioned comfort of a 4WD coach.

There’s also an ecoexperience around the Great Sandy National Park islands on the custom-built boat Osprey.

On March 20 and August 1, set off for four days to explore World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park staying in luxury at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.

For a bigger dose of adventure, the 2023 Autumn Tour departs April 3 for nine days to the Hunter Valley, Blue Mountains and Canberra via the New England Tableland.

Four days will allow plenty of time to explore the national capital before flying home.

An 11-day trip from the High Country to the Murray Delta leaves on April 13.

The tour begins in Canberra for a stunning drive through the Australian Alps to Albury on the Victorian border, and then follows the Murray all the way to Goolwa in South Australia.

Historic towns such as Echuca, Swan Hill and Mannum and major river lakes as well as local characters along the way

will bring the river and its history to life.

Feed your soul and stir your spirit in the Red Centre and majestic landscapes of the Top End over 18 days from June 1.

Fly into Adelaide and head to Yulara and Alice Springs via Coober Pedy. Daly Waters, Katherine, Kakadu, Litchfield National Park and the Tiwi Islands are also on the agenda before flying out of Darwin.

Carnarvon Gorge tours leave for seven days in July, August and September or try your luck finding an opal in Lightning Ridge visiting outback towns enroute.

Whale watching at Fraser Island, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, and touring the spring gardens, historic homes and castles NSW are also planned for 2023.

“It’s easy to choose destination and duration with the tempting itineraries on our website,” Mr Brockhurst said. “Start planning and look forward to setting off an adventure this year.” Visit cttravel.com.au or call 5391 1648

TWO Queensland Rail heritage 2000 class rail motors have been given a new home in Longreach.

The silver bullet rail motors were built in 1971, fitted with 12.5L Leyland engines and were housed at Queensland Rail’s Ipswich Workshop.

They originally ran services in Brisbane’s southside, the north coast line to Gympie and Bundaberg, and the CorindaYeerongpilly shuttle.

More recently they were used by Queensland Rail Heritage for special tours to Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

Since 2019, Outback Aussie Tours owners, Alan and Sue Smith have been overseeing construction of a new maintenance facility and rail siding for the rail motors in Longreach. Their new attraction will be named the Outback Rail Adventure.

“Whether you like trains or like the Outback, or both, this is going to be a new and entertaining experience in Longreach,” Alan said.

“Our new and exciting experiences will begin with the

Great Darr River Run, the Silver Tail Sunset, the historic Ilfracombe Excursion and the Old Bluey’s Flyer.”

Future phases will include Barcaldine, Emerald and Winton.

It is hoped to have the refurbished rail motors operational in Longreach by May.

The 22 tonne railmotors which are just over 17m long, were taken 1100km to Longreach on a special flatbed tilt truck.

2023 Tour Program

JANUARY 2023

South Burnett - Darling Downs Escape (4 Days)

FEBRUARY 2023

King Island (4 Days)

Murray River & Kangaroo Island (11 Days)

MARCH 2023

Fraser Island Explorer (4 Days)

O’Reillys Escape (4 Days)

APRIL 2023

Gold Coast - Northern Rivers Escape (4 days)

2023 Autumn Tour (9 Days)

High Country to Murray Delta (11 Days)

MAY 2023

Norfolk Island (9 Days)

JUNE 2023

Red Centre - Adelaide to Darwin (18 Days)

Queensland Savannah (12 Days)

JULY 2023

Xmas in July - Fraser Island inc Whale Watch (4 Days)

Carnarvon Gorge & Wallaroo (7 Days)

AUGUST 2023

O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat (4 Days)

Carnarvon Gorge & Wallaroo (7 Days)

Lightning Ridge (7 Days)

Fraser Island Whale Watch (4 Days)

SEPTEMBER 2023

Carnarvon Gorge & Wallaroo (7 Days)

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (4 Days)

Spring Gardens Tour (12 Days)

October / November / December

Relax with a good book

THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR

By Tea Cooper

In 1868, Morpeth, Theodora Breckenridge is more interested in working quietly on her art at the family’s country estate than finding a husband in Sydney society.

She seeks to emulate prestigious nature illustrators, the Scott sisters, who lived nearby, so she cannot believe her luck when she discovers a butterfly never before sighted in Australia. With the help of Clarrie, her maid, and her beautiful

illustrations, she is poised to make a natural science discovery that will make her name. Then Clarrie’s newborn son goes missing and everything changes.

Switch to 1922 Sydney when would-be correspondent Verity Binks receives an anonymous parcel containing a spectacular butterfly costume and an invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball. She lands a juicy commission to write the history of the Treadwell Foundation, an institution that supports disgraced young women and their babies. Her investigation quickly leads her to an increasingly dark and complex mystery that has been 50 years in the making.

This historical mystery from a bestselling Australian author has plenty of twists.

Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family.

EXILES

By

When it came time to hang Ned Kelly, the job fell to crap-carrier-turnedquack-doctor-turned-drunkenchicken-thief Elijah Upjohn. Such is life indeed.

Hanging Ned Kelly looks at the life and times, crimes and demise of Australia’s most famous antihero from a new perspective: that of the “rogue and vagabond” who finally put the noose around his neck. Elijah Upjohn was the latest in a long line of flogging hangmen allowed to run amok because they’d do the dirty work that let officials keep their hands clean. Despite being duly appointed “finishers of the law” Upjohn and his fellow boozing bunglers were so hated they were hunted by angry mobs. As one writer asked: ‘Who shall hang the hangman?’

Elijah Upjohn’s tale becomes the rusty scalpel that slices open the underbelly of colonial Victoria.

By

Melbourne, 1930, and the Great Depression is taking hold. Thirteenyear-old Morris Turner feels more at home gazing at the stars than spending time with his detached father Jude, a detective, and older sister, Lottie.

When a young woman is murdered in Jude’s hometown of Gemini, he is assigned to the case. With fear and polio rising in the city, he reluctantly takes Morris and Lottie to the small town he left long ago.

At the family farm, Morris meets relations who are strangers and is drawn into a community reeling from a murder and a financial crash. With no clear murder suspect, suspicions have turned to the downtrodden, huddled in camps outside town but Morris is sure there is more to the case.

With the help of new friends, he turns his attention to the people around him, confronting his fears in a town full of mysteries.

who works in the facility – someone Blake put away seven years ago.

Joining the celebrations is federal investigator Aaron Falk. But as he soaks up life in the lush valley, he begins to suspect this tight-knit group may be more fractured than it seems.

At a busy festival site on a warm spring night, a baby lies alone in her pram, her mother vanishing into the crowds.

A year on, Kim Gillespie’s absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South

Between Falk’s closest friend, a missing mother, and a woman he’s drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge.

Jane Harper is author of the international bestsellers The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man and The Survivors.

By Jack Heath

By Jane Harper HEADCASE

A Chinese astronaut is found dead in a NASA training environment in Houston, Texas. No one can explain how he got there.

Amid fears of a diplomatic catastrophe, the CIA dispatches Timothy ‘Hangman’ Blake to investigate a convicted kidnapper

Blake is deeply insane, afflicted by terrible urges he can barely control – but he’s also brilliant. Zara, his beautiful and deadly CIA handler, suspects a secret Chinese spacecraft is watching the United States, but Blake can see something much more sinister is going on. Something connected to the kidnapping seven years ago, to the technologies being developed at NASA, and to the serial killer known as the Texas Reaper.

Will Blake survive long enough to uncover the truth? And if he does, will anyone even believe him? A tense, unputdownable thriller from the author of Hangman.

HANGING NED KELLY

Michael Adams

GEMINI FALLS

Sean Wilson

The alloy called “alnico” is made of aluminium, nickel and which other metal?

What colour is a ripe loquat? 3. What major Chinese city is near the mouth of the Yangtze River? 4. In the Walt Disney cartoons, what type of creature is Goofy? 5. In what 1990 film did Richard Gere play businessman Edward Lewis? 6. “Indecisive” means to: zig zag, dilly dally, hurly burly? 7. LDL and HDL are the two most common types of what chemical found in the blood? 8. What job is an anagram of “cheater”? 9. Which Australian state was the site of the Eureka Stockade? 10. In the entertainment industry, what are “tix”?

11. Which is heaviest: two pounds, 25 ounces, one kilogram? 12. What sea is east off the coast of Cairns? 13. What item of apparel can be made in a sheath style? 14. What is the main colour of a koala’s nose? 15. What was the value of a British farthing? 16. What is the square root of 49?

17. Who was prime minister of Australia during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic?

18. In the common saying, “Two’s company…..”, how many make a crowd?

19. What relation is Prince William to King Charles III?

20. How many singers made up the group ABBA?

Morrison; 18. Three; 19. Son; 20. Four.

Answers: 1. Cobalt; 2. Orange-yellow; 3. Shanghai; 4. Dog; 5. Pretty Woman; 6. Dilly dally; 7. Cholesterol; 8. Teacher; 9. Victoria; 10. Tickets; 11. One kilogram; 12. Coral Sea; 13. Dress; 14. Black; 15. One quarter of a penny; 16. 7; 17. Scott

ACROSS

1 Member of Parliament leaving garbage bin for cleaner(6)

4 Cadet treated by hospital is free(6)

8 One’s accepted by key people favoured in the social arena(1-4)

9 Male abseiler tumbled down(9)

11 Race official organised rest at end of qualifier(7)

12 Watercourse plugged by one close to a European holiday area(7)

13 Area mostly kept separate from nearest breeding-ground(4)

14 Dispersal of gas isn’t detected outside troop’s position(10)

17 Put thin girl initially in primary school with toys(10) 18 Pressure applied to one unsettled farm labourer(4) 21 Serious attention given by bird sanctuary(7) 22 Cricketer, keeping quiet, is first to mention debut(7) 23 Cuts of meat and brie packed loosely in boxes(5-4) 24 Types of sure-fire insect controls(5)

25 Criticises good try pulled back(4,2) 26 One with external signs of sexually transmitted diseases suffers(6)

DOWN

1 Conclusion of talks held by severely watchful woman seems to take forever(5,2) 2 Splits up last reserved air canister for windy flight?(6,9) 3 Rank participants involved in contest at eisteddfod(6)

Commendable verse penned by reformed designer(9)

Over half of river, studied in detail, is flourishing(8)

Viewing service organised viable elections(5,10) 7 A strange climbing flower of Asia(4) 10 Praise new form of latex(5) 15 Faithful one’s cut of beef is consumed by youngster(9) 16 Talkers, those who are hard to understand after the start(8) 17 Supports spire undergoing renovation(5) 19 Unbeatable opponent is after bodily fluid(7) 20 Trip is arranged with enthusiasm(6) 22 Rubbish found in lower portion of a blast furnace(4)

ACROSS 1 Sibling (6) 4 One-storey house (8)

Belonging to them (5) 10 Maryland city (9)

Lassoed (5)

Painting of the countryside (9)

Water-rich vegetable (9)

Innumerable (6)

Girl’s name (6)

Hushed words (8)

Common greeting question (3,3,3)

Make a speech (5)

Brief statements (9)

Florida city (5)

Claptrap (8)

Steal (6)

Characterised by satire (7)

Slumber (5)

Domain of an earl (7)

Area of hilly land (6)

Deny (7)

Doppelganger (4-5)

Time for leisure (7)

Beauty and the Beast heroine (5)

Female cleaner (9)

17

No. 3694 No.

Aim:

5

Recount (7)

Periods of 60 minutes (5)

1 9-LETTER WORD

Complete the list by changing one letter at a time to create a new word at each step. One possible answer shown below.

He might have a carrot for a nose (7)

From Stockholm, say (7)

Song’s words (6)

Separated (5)