Eylandt Echo 1 February 2012 by Regional and Remote Newspapers

February 1st 2011

Vol 16.8

Eylandt Echo

Fourtnighly news for the Groote Eylandt community proudly produced by GEMCO

Groote Eylandt celebrates Australia Day ... island style Alyangula residents woke up to grey skies on Australia Day but even the weather couldn’t dampen the Aussie spirit. Celebrations kicked off at seven am with a fun run and continued on at the Alyangula oval with a BBQ breakfast, face painting, lamingtoneating contests, wheelie bin and lawn mower races, coconut soccer and an awards ceremony. The Australia Day Citizen of the Year award went to Suzie Cullen for her tireless work in the community. Suzie just qualified for the award, becoming an Australian citizen on Australia Day year.

The Youth Ambassador of the Year award was scooped up by 14 year- old Alyangula School student, Emma Nowak. Emma raised over $200 last year for the library and is a regular weekend volunteer there. Chris Achbold accepted the Event of the Year award for the popular Trivia Night at the Golf Club. The GEMCO Volunteer of the Year award recipient was Peter O’Farrell for his long-standing contribution to the community through sports. Peter has taught Jujitsu on Groote Eylandt for over 15years at the local ASEC hall.

IN S ID E TH IS I SSU E:

Pictures: Top left, Charli Grove has fun with facepainting. Top right down: The race is on in the men’s lamington eating competition. Rachel and her new baby, Angus, celebrate his first Australia Day. Chris accepts her award from Scott Perkins for Event of the Year. A dedicated lamington-eater sinks his teeth in.

NEWS FLASH Barramundi fishing competition details announced. Championship trophy, vouchers & fishing gear up for grabs. Check out page eight for further details.

Eylandt Echo

Editorial

Township news

Interview of the week

Environmental news

Schools news

Health and Wellbeing

Fishing & Outdoors

Classifieds

Pets

Puzzles

Sports

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From the editor Hello and welcome back to the Echo. We are very happy to be up and running again, keeping the Groote Eylandt community up to date with news and events on island and off. As you will see, we are looking for as much input as possible from you, our readers. Please feel free to contribute with any letters to the editor, comments on articles, suggestions, recipes and news tips. We are also kicking off a classifieds page and are happy to publish free of charge, so send in any advertisements you have to eylandtecho.gemco@bhpbilliton.com. Please include the word classifieds as the subject line.

Groote Eylandt a stand-out in state liquor control laws The success of Groote Eylandt liquor laws are in stark contrast to the rest of the state with Member for Katherine last week saying restrictions on alcohol in his constituency have been a monumental failure. Willem Westra Van Holthe said that the latest round of laws were “simply not working.” “Nothing has changed in terms of how people are viewing the latest round of laws including the banned drinkers register,” he said.

Happy reading Sarah Dixon

Mr Van Holthe’s comment came after Nothern Territory police disposed of over 200 litres of liquor during a blitz in Katherine.

Phone: (08) 8987 4137 Postal: Eylandt Echo, Alyangula NT 0885 The Eylandt Echo newsletter is produced each fortnight for the benefit of everyone on Groote Eylandt. The Eylandt Echo is sponsored by GEMCO as a community service. The contributions and advertisements contained within the Eylandt Echo are not necessarily the views and opinions shared by either the Editor or GEMCO, but are presented for the community’s interest at large.

According to acting Officer in Charge, Shane Warden o f Alyangula Police Department, the alcohol management

system on Groote Eylandt has been very successful. “Of course we still do have some alcohol-related crime, but nothing like it has been in the past.” “The situation here is a lot lot better and crime has significantly decreased since the laws were passed.” The alcohol management plan which was passed into law in 2005, requires residents of the Eylandt to obtain a liquor permit and become a member of a club before purchasing alcohol to drink in specified areas. Visitors to the Eylandt may still consume alcohol as guests within the ARC or Golf Club or in the home of a permit holder. For more information on liquor permits and how to obtain them please contact the Alyangula Police Station on (08)8987 6122

Quote of the week: "Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them"-Albert Einstein

Township Notices New Property Manager After more than four years on Eylandt, LJ Hooker Office / Property Manager, Glen McGrath, has resigned and is moving to the ‘big smoke’ in Gove. Please join us in thanking Glen for his efforts towards his tenants and clients. We have no doubt that Glen will bring the same enthusiasm and determination to his new role in Gove and we wish him every success. Many of you will by now, have met our new Property Manager, Peter McLaurin. Peter is a Licensed Real Estate Agent and has extensive residential and commercial property management experience in Qld and the NT. Peter is a keen sportsman and a former ACT Brumbies player in the Super 14 Rugby. He is committed to providing outstanding client service and is excited by the opportunity in front of him. Please do not hesitate to contact Peter on 8987-6400 if there is anything you need to discuss about your home or tenancy agreement.

and advise dates and times. Please contact Barb Holland in our office to make your bookings. Reminder - Cyclone Preparations We note that there are a number of properties that still have unsecured items lying around. The main cause of damage and injury during cyclonic winds is from loose objects being blown by the wind. All tenants can assist in reducing the risk. "The tenant is responsible for maintaining, at all times, all external items such as garden implements, furniture, equipment, building materials etc in a safe and tidy manner. In the event that a cyclone watch is activated, the tenant is responsible for reviewing all such items external to the building and immediately securing and making safe any loose or unsecured items around the property."

The LJ Hooker team will continue to conduct inspections around Alyangula to assess potential cyclone hazards and we will be reminding tenants who still need to do some cyclone clean up work around their homes. Garden Maintenance Driving around town it’s obvious from the lush gardens and lawns that that the wet season is fully upon us and all the vegetation is thriving. The higher growth rates that come with the wet season also mean that lawns need to be mowed and shrubs trimmed. Maintenance is also considerably higher than in the dry season. We remind tenants that it is their responsibility to keep their lawns and gardens in a neat and tidy condition.

Apart from looking unsightly, long grass and garden waste attract snakes, mosquitoes and other pests so please assist us to reduce the risks posed. We notice that there are quite a Loss of power is one of the main prob- few homes with lawns that are in need of a lems when experiencing cyclonic winds, mow and would greatly appreciate it if this and one of the main causes is trees falcould be attended to. ling on power lines. All residents can Public Facilities Bookings assist in reducing this risk by reporting Please be advised that all existing L.J. Hooker Groote Eylandt bookings for public facilities (ASEC, trees that overhang or are within 5 meters of power lines (including the serpool, oval, public BBQ areas, tennis Township Office Yarrandena courts etc.) have not been carried over vice line to your home). If you do have Rd. Ph: 08 8987 6400 into 2012. Any person or organisation a tree that’s close to or overhanging power lines, please contact our office wishing to use the Public Facilities in so we can schedule its pruning. 2012 will need to contact our office Eylandt Echo

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AIMS research vessel visits the top end Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) research vessel, the RV Solander, was anchored off Milner Bay in December as part of the GEMCO Marine Environmental Survey. The state-of-the-art 35mt vessel carried out fieldwork from the 9th-19th of December to assess the impact of the port loading facility on the surrounding marine environment. The RV Solander has an on-board laboratory and aquaria allowing scientists to spend up to three weeks at a time at sea

Interview of the week:

collecting data and conducting experiments. GEMCO Environmental Advisor, Jeremy Barnett said the field work involved sampling sediment, oysters, fish, groundwater, seagrass and corals for potential contaminants like manganese and hydrocarbons. “We also carried out a large amount of underwater photography to compare the current status of the reefs and seagrass beds with previous surveys that first commenced in 1996,” Jeremy said. “There are several months of laboratory

AIMS Research Vessel, the RV Solander anchored off Milner bay late last year.

work before the results can be analysed so we hope to have a summery of findings later this year.”

Coming to grips with reptiles

Snake handler, Sean McCarthy was on Groote Eylandt in January to present a snake-handling course to 10 GEMCO employees. We caught up with Sean to find out a little more about these fascinating and feared reptiles and what it takes to work with them … make them more aware of them as ani- small crocodiles though. mals, that don't have to be that scary. Echo: How many pets do you have at Echo: Do many people die each year home? from snakebites in Australia? Sean: We have about 300 reptiles at home including five crocodiles (four salties and Sean: Did you know we only have a couple of deaths per year in Australia due one freshie). I have a massive reptile room to snakebites? We have eight of the top about half the size of your ASEC Hall. ten most deadly snakes in the world, but Echo: What does we also have really good hospitals and are well equipped to deal with incidents. your wife think? Also Australian snakes have short fangs Sean: She works with a groove in them, mainly cobra related. So if they bite us the venom is with me as a snake more likely to end up on our clothes or handler. not penetrate. In other countries, many snakes have longer, hollow fangs which Echo: Lucky. can penetrate deeper, like vipers. What do you think Echo: How does anti-venom work? of Groote Eylandt? Sean: Firstly, I have to say that antivenom is not a cure. It’s nasty stuff and Sean: Beautiful. I’d like to spend should only be used as a last resort. Many people can have reactions to it and some more time here looking around in the experience dramatic drops in bloodbush. I also think it’s great that BHP Billipressure and other side effects. Simply ton is encouraging employees to take this Echo: How long have you been hanput, anti-venom enables the body to pro- training. It’s really showing a positive dling snakes? duce its own anti-bodies and supports the proactive approach towards the environSean: I’ve been handling reptiles my body while doing so to fight the venom. ment and our native reptiles. whole life but running this business, Echo: What is the most dangerous Snake Handler, for six years now. We situation you have ever found yourself What to do if you find a snake in your have trained over 2000 people as snake in? handlers in the last five years. garden or home Sean: A two-by-two two meter confined pit Echo: How did you get into this Stay clear of the snake and don't try to with a Taipan in it. They are flighty unique line of work? snakes and it was a very scary situation. pick it up. Clear the area of children and Sean: I come from an environmental It only took around 5 minutes to get the pets. Remain calm and call emergency scientist background and worked as a Taipan out of the pipeline in the pit, but services on 000. Try to keep track of the teacher also. It became really apparent snake had much better maneuverabil- snake’s location until a snake handler arto me that one of the biggest problems in the ity than I did. rives. Australia is lack of education about reptiles. There is a huge amount of missEcho: Have you ever been bitten? What to do if you are bitten by a snake information out there about these creaSean: Not by a venomous snake. I’ve tures and also how to deal with them. I Don’t wash the bite as it may remove been bitten by pythons, goannas and wanted to educate people about snakes, venom required to identify the type of Top right: Snake hansnake. Call emergency services on 000. dler, Sean McCarthy Apply a compression bandage and try to with an Eastern Brown stay calm. Sit in an upright position if possnake. Left: King sible, keeping the head above heart level. Brown snake. Top Never suck the venom from the wound as right: Stuart Gay comes this can make identification difficult and to grips with how to there is a possibility of the venom entering the blood stream via the mouth. handle a black snake. Eylandt Echo

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Queensland scientists make dengue fever break through sor Scott O’Neil, the Elimiante Dengue Program could pave the way for a sustainable approach to dengue control, benefiting an estimated 2.5 billion people currently living in dengue transmission areas. He said the program will hopefully expend overseas to countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil and Indonesia. The field trial involved the release of a stronger than previously used strain of The bacteria, Wolbachia, occur natuWolbachia carrying mosquitoes into the rally in up to 70 percent of all insect communities of Machans Beach and species and acts as a ‘vaccine’ for mos- Babinda. quitoes, making them resistant to dengue and therefore unable to pass the Results from earlier tests in the Cairns disease onto humans. region 2011 have yielded a 100percent According to Program Leader, Profes- transmission rate to wild mosquito A field trial begun in far north Queensland in January could drastically reduce the transmission of dengue fever from mosquitoes to humans. The study, conducted by the Eliminate Dengue program, involves the introduction of a bacterium to the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, the insect responsible for commonly transmitting the virus.

populations, effectively breeding out dengue fever. Dengue fever was discovered on Groote Eylandt in 2005 after mosquito eggs carrying the virus were unintentionally shipped in by an illegal fishing vessel. The virus was successfully eradicated and Groote Eylandt has remained dengue fever free since 2008 . For more information on the Eliminate Dengue Program, visit www.eliminatedengue.com

Mosquito Awareness on Groote Eylandt About Mosquitoes: Adult female mosquitoes lay eggs on stagnant water bodies. These eggs take between five and ten days to develop through four larval stages and a pupa stage. Once they hatch they only live for about two weeks but within that time, each female lays up to 600 eggs. Males feed only on plant juices while females need to feed on blood in order to develop eggs. They find their way to prey by detecting and following CO2 in the air. Why are mosquitoes a concern? Mosquitoes penetrate human skin when they bite and can infect us with a number of diseases. Australia has more than 275 species of mosquitoes but remains free from exotic species that can carry diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. What is GEMCO doing about mosquitoes? GEMCO’s Environment team conduct fortnightly monitoring for eggs, larva and adult mosquitoes. They look for any dangerous species which may have arrived on Eylandt. GEMCO also provides workers with mosquito repellent and loose fitting, long-sleaved work clothes. What can YOU do to protect yourself? Drain … water from all bowls in your yard regularly to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Dress … in loose fitting, long sleaved clothing to prevent bites. Defend … yourself using personal insect repellent, citronella scented candles or mozzie coils. For further information on our mosquito monitoring and management plan please contact the Environment team on (08) 89 874 172, Health team (08) 8987 4402.

Eylandt Echo

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OFF THE ROCK

Vol 16.8

Groote Eylandt welcomes new teachers

What’s making headlines around the globe...

Left: Fresh faces at Angurugu School.

 Researchers in Texas have ‘cloaked’ a three-dimensional object, making it invisible for the first time ever.

Amber Hall, Kiara Cerutti, Kate Prebble and Sarah Watson join the team .

 Fiji declared a state of disaster over flooding and landslides that killed at least six people and displaced thousands.  A woman in northern Afghanistan gave birth to sextuplets, three boys and three girls last week, despite being unaware she was carrying more than one child  Scientists have discovered up to 46 never-before discovered species on a three week expedition into the tropical forests of Suriname, South America  US company Apple reported a record breaking quarterly net profit of $13.06 billion  A US man did not realise he had shot a 3.2inch nail into his brain until the following day when he began feeling nauseous. Doctors successfully removed the nail  Australian actor, Geoffrey Rush has been named Australian of the Year 2012

Below: Alyangula new-comer, Kaye Liedtke joins in the fun at the Australia Day celebrations. Groote Eylandt welcomed a host of new talent with four new teachers starting at Angurugu School this week. Pictured above, the four are all new-comers to the Northern Territory and are excited about the challenges that lay ahead. “We have had such a wonderful welcome here and everyone has shown such kindness and generosity,” said Ms Prebble. “I’m excited and of course, a little apprehensive about starting, but can’t wait to get this ball rolling.”

It is the first time for all four to teach in the top end. They arrive on Groote Eylandt from New South Wales, Victoria and New Zealand. We wish them all a very warm welcome In other schools on Groote Eylandt, Kaye Leidtke joins the Alyangula School team and Umbakumba School is excited to welcome their new principal, Robyne Beauchamp.

Hey Kids! Color me in!

(BBC world news)

Ultimate Frisbee

If the Fonz can do it so can you … Wednesday evenings 6-7pm at the oval

Contact Ian 0407945167 Eylandt Echo

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Territory Organ Donation Rates Double in 2011 Organ donor rates in the Northern Territory doubled last year, putting the NT third in the country behind South Australia and Victoria with 17.5 donors per million people. Four families consented for their loved ones to be organ donors in 2011. Their donations resulted in 12 people across Australia on the transplant waiting list receiving life-saving transplants. NT Medical Director for Organ and Tissue Donation Associate Professor Dianne Stephens said the decision to agree to organ donation while grieving the loss of a family member is a remarkable act of kindness that changes the lives of other families in a positive way. She thanked the donor families for their gift of life and encouraged all Territorians to talk with their own families about their organ donation wishes in 2012. "While we wish that no families were placed in the situation of losing a family member, we hope that those families who find themselves in this situation consider consenting to organ donation so more people on the transplant waiting list receive the gift of life in 2012," Associate Professor Stephens said."It can be a tough decision for a family to make but it really is a life-changing experience for not only those who are able to receive a transplant but also for the donor's family knowing they have helped to save several lives." February 19-26 is DonateLife Week, a national awareness week for organ and tissue donation. For information about DonateLife Week and how you can be involved phone 8922 6190. Source: NT Govt Health Dept

Yoga Pose of the Week Downward facing dog 1. Begin on all fours, lining up your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tuck your toes under . 2. Spread your palms, fingers facing forward. 3. Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor, pushing the sit bones up towards the ceiling. Keep your knees soft and your heels just off the ground. 4. Soften the shoulders and neck and press the chest towards the earth. 5. Engage the thighs and press the heels towards the floor.

Turning a Mountain into a Molehill

Weekly health and fitness with Rachel Van Oosten I was out running with my dogs the other morning and I took a path that I hadn’t been on before. As I was gliding over the rocks and crevices, I came across a hill which was big by Groote Eylandt standards (for the purposes of this article we’ll call it a mountain). I thought to myself – bring it on. I powered up the hill with more energy and enthusiasm than I had running on flat ground and as I ran back down the hill I was charged and took a longer route home than I had originally planned. As I was running I asked myself what was it that enabled me to turn that mountain into a molehill? It is more than just my fitness level., The major factor is my absolute certainty and belief in my ability to do it. I recently set myself a 90 day challenge to develop certainty in myself and here are some of the key steps that have worked for me: 1. Build the muscle: the more I pushed myself out of my comfort zone doing things that I hadn’t done before the easier it became. 2. Find your reference points: I used experiences from the past where I had succeeded to boost my belief in myself in new situations. 3. Educate yourself : knowledge is power. I now believe I am a learning machine. Anything I want to “I powered up that get better at, I educate myself on hill with energy and how to get better! It’s that simple. 4. Model excellence: I have found enthusiasm.” mentors who have achieved what I want and I am learning and applying their strategies to get the results I want, faster. 5. Take the action: I am now consistently making decisions and choices to things on a daily basis. Where in the past I may have procrastinated, I now bite the bullet and do what needs to be done now. There is no such thing as later! 6. Choose your self-talk with intention: my mini-me or self-talk is now working for me. Where in the past I may have criticised or doubted myself, I now boost myself forward. I believe I am doing the best I can and everyday I gain new resources which I am consistently using to do even better. 7. Turned fear into gratitude: rather than be frozen by fear, I have been grateful for every new opportunity that I have been presented with and my fear of the unknown has dissipated. While I may be living on an Eylandt with few mountains, I know that I am ready to embrace whatever new opportunities come my way in 2012. I am pumped with excitement for the year ahead and I know that with each challenge that I conquer I will become more energised and prepared to deal with the next. What about you, are you ready to face your Mt Everest and say – bring it on?!

Downward facing dog

‘adho mukha svasana’

5. Stay in the pose, breathing deeply for 1-3 minutes. Downward facing dog strengthens your upper back and arms, improving back posture and opening your chest. The legs are strengthened , hamstrings stretched and nervous system calmed with deep breathing. This gentle inversion can also help digestion.

 Eylandt Echo

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Basil welcomes new addition to his family GEMCO employee and Angurugu Tigers Captain, Basil Bara and his wife Marissa Wurramara welcomed the birth of their new son, Matthias in Darwin on the 13th January. Basil, who works as a tree lopper with Rehabilitation & Mine Services, said he didn’t know how to describe the feeling when his son was born. “You get adrenalin, and your heart pumps,” he said. “I was so happy, I couldn’t even laugh. It was a truly great morning for me.”

Proud new father, Basil Barra

Basil has worked with RMS for the past five months and said he enjoys the work. “We build a team here for our job,” he explained. “Kind of like a football team of brothers, all looking out for each other. The only problem is it gets pretty hot so you want to sit in the shade, but you got to keep cutting it down.”

Made with love This weeks recipe comes from Veena Kumari, a visitor to Groote Eylandt from another beautiful island, Fiji. Veena cooks this fragrant and aromatic rice dish with chicken as main, or vegetarian as a side dish. Chicken Palau (Serves 4) Ingredients: 3 cups jasmine rice ½ chicken or 3 chicken breasts cut into small bite size pieces (omit for vege option) 1 ½ cups frozen vegetable mix Spices: (spices are optional, 4 tblspns oil add to suit taste) 2 tblspns butter/ghee 2 cinnamon sticks 1 finely chopped onion 6-7 cloves 2 tspn salt 5-6 cardamon pods 3-4 star anise Fresh coriander to garnish 6cups of water 5-6 cloves garlic minced with 1 inch ginger Method: 1. Take a deep pot and place on medium heat 2. Heat oil and add onion. Cook until clear and tender 3. Add garlic and ginger mix and cook until golden brown 4. Add chicken and salt and fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned 5. Add rice and vegetable and thoroughly combine 6. Pour in 6 cups of water and stir 7. Add any spices desired and cook until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Once the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, mix in ghee/butter Send your own much loved recipes to 8. Garnish with coriander and enjoy eylandtecho.gemco@bhpbilliton.com Eylandt Echo

If you find injured wildlife… call Chris Love 0428436506 Parks and Wildlife Carer Permit No. 28737

Handy info on Groote Eylandt Alyangula health clinic: 8987 6255 LJHooker: 8987 6400

Alyangula Police Station: 8987 6122 ESS office: 8987 6235 Emergency services: 000 Xpressmart opening hours: Mon/Tues: 10-7 Wed:11-7

Thurs: 10-8

Fri: 8-7

Sat: 8-2 Page 7

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Groote Eylandt Game & Sports Fishing Club Eylandt Automotive

2012 Barra Competition NON LINE CLASS TOURNAMENT Saturday 4th Feb 2012 to Sunday 19th Feb 2012 - 2 consecutive days Entry fee: $30 per adult, juniors free Briefing: Friday 3rd Feb 2012 at the ARC 7-8pm unless organized with tournament committee Presentation: Friday 24th Feb 2012 at the ARC 7.30pm Pizza night PRIZE CATEGORIES: TEAM SCORES (max 2 persons             

Champion male angler Champion female angler Champion junior angler Champion small-fry angler Longest barramundi male angler Longest barramundi female angler Longest barramundi junior angler Longest barramundi small fry angler Longest golden snapper Longest thredfin salmon Longest blue nose salmon Mystery lengths for barra Metre barra –NEW!

per team & from same boat)  Senior & senior (best 2 fish each day each angler)  Senior & junior (best 2 fish each day each angler)

Eylandt Echo

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CLASSIFIEDS POSITIONS VACANT

Social Program Manager –Head Office WANTED TO BUY The opportunity exists for a community Fishing gear– 2rods for bottom dedicated person to join the social pro- bouncing and reels. Also chasing 50lb gram team. This position is responsible braided line. Phone Ian 0407 945 167 for managing all GEBIE social programs funding with the objective of assisting Aboriginal residents and communities on ATTENTION READERS Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island to We are now taking submissions for enhance the social wellbeing of its mem- classifieds advertisements. It is free bers through social, economic or financial to post an advertisement, so send in wellbeing of the people and community. your text and pictures to: The successful applicant will need to eylandtecho.gemco@bhpbilliton.com engage well with community members, delegate funds accordingly, and manage CWA Shop is Opening Thursday high levels of community needs. Shop Manager - Milyakburra Store, Bickerton Island We are seeking an experienced Shop Manager (ideal for a couple) to relocate to the beautiful Bickerton Island and enjoy remote lifestyle at its best. The position is responsible for the daily operational management of the Milyakburra Store and its staff. The successful person will have knowledge of remote store servicing and challenges, general financial administration, and the ability to work autonomously.

Administration Officer –Job Shop An opportunity exists for a passionate person to join the GEBIE Job Shop as Administration Officer to deliver quality employment services to Job Seekers and employers. Responsible for the organization of office administration function in accordance with Gebie policies and procedures to meet the requirements of the Job Shop. Provide excellent customer services to all stakeholders. Maintain excellent Job seeker and business records with supporting documentation for audit trails. Responds promptly to all enquires, ensure security of confidenOutstation Manager –Head Office tial information and records management This position is responsible for undertak- of the Reception area. ing works in outstations located on Groote For further information and selection docuEylandt. The successful person will be mentation please contact the HR Manager responsible for all Groote Eylandt outsta- Amanda Strange on: Tel 89874010 Mob tion municipal and essential services man- 0407853401 Email astrange@alcnt.com.au agement and outstation housing management. The successful applicant will have CONGRATULATIONS knowledge of general financial adminiXpressmart recently ran a competition stration and reporting to funding bodies, with the prize being a LCD television ability to develop good community reladonated by one of their suppliers. tionships, willing to travel remote, and have experience or knowledge in munici- (Independent Grocers Darwin). pal and essential services preferably in a The winner , drawn on Christmas Eve, was Torrent “Hobbsy” Hobbs. A big conremote setting. gratulations to Hobbsy from all of us here at Xpressmart. Eylandt Echo

2nd February 2012. Every day that we are opened in February is $2 bag day. Fill a bag with anything, except electrical items, for $2. Tuesday: 9-11.30 Thursday: 9-11.30 & 18.30-20.30 Saturday 9-12

Katherine Vet Care Centre

Next visit 7th Feb for one day only Call the Katherine Clinic on 08 8972 2752 for appointment times. e-mail: kathvetcare@bigpond.com All appointments will be held in the regular ATCO no 7 Woodside

ASEC Hall yoga class schedule: Monday: 5.30-6.30pm Power yoga ** Tuesday: 6-7pm Restorative yoga* Thrusday: 5.30-6.30pm Vinyasa flow* Page 9

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Hello dog owners of Groote Eylandt! I am Chris de Aboitiz, aka the surfing dog man. I am a dog whisperer and train dogs across Australia. I am passionate about showing people how to really understand their dogs and how to get the very best relationship they can with them. I have met and am inspired by the concepts of Cesar Milan, the famous dog whisperer from America. We have a pack of our own consisting of three dogs, Lani, Murf and Rama. I shall share our adventures together with you all in the coming weeks to help you better understand your own pack... Let’s start with the fundamentals and talk about dogs and how they see life. Dogs are pack animals. Dogs don’t care who you are in the human world, whether you are a famous person or a regular jo-blow. Dogs only look at you in terms of what position you hold in the pack. From the dominant number one position down to the submissive, bottomof-the-ladder position. Next time you see dogs together, watch them play; they are forever learning, testing and establishing pack structure. They are getting exercise, discipline and learning how to behave from other dogs as well as from you. My excited new pup Rama can’t wait to get out into the garden each morning for his run. But every morning his path is blocked by my number one dog, Lani. She will tear ahead of him, block him and let out an almighty bark to show him & reinforce who is boss of the pack each and every day. Little Rama never stops trying and she continues at least a dozen times each day to challenge her position as the number one dog in the pack. Have you noticed when you are patting a dog, another dog will come in and try to get in between you and the other dog for attention? Or when visitors arrive, your dog wants to meet them first.

Perhaps your dogs might have a little scuffle between themselves or one dog might try and enforce its dominance by blocking, growling or humping. All these actions, numerous times each day, keep reestablishing what the pack structure is, the basis of how your dog sees the world. Dogs feed off each others energy when they get more and more excited and you have less and less control of them. When this is happening, they look and follow each other for direction and ignore or avoid you. So right there is another sign of where you stand in the pack. Have you ever been patting a dog and another dog comes in for attention and one of them starts to growl? What do you think is happening there? Multiple times each day, your dog and other dogs they meet, are reinforcing social structure and the position they hold in the pack. Your mission: Ask yourself where you stand in the pack structure, and be honest. Look for these tell-tale signs we have talked about and remember if you want to fix any issues with your dog, it must respect you first. You have to be the pack leader. Once this is established, training can begin. Until next week, Chris de Aboitiz, The surfing dog man www.naturalbalancedog.com.au

Leaving island This month, Groote Eylandt bids farewell to LJHooker manager, Glen McGrath who has been here for four and a half years. Most memorable moment? Going for my first drive out bush and getting very bogged and having no recovery equipment with us. Just standing in the rain laughing and wondering how the hell we were going to get ourselves out. What have you learned? Mostly I have learned things about myself. I have also gained great insight into how people work and what motivates them. Any standout funny moments? Too many to list – I should have kept a record of some of the amazing situations I have come across. People don’t believe me in the “real world”. Any advice to new-comers? Give it a chance and don’t think you are going to change anything in a rush, if at all. Favourite food at the mess? Been known to go for a second helping of pizza. Favourite recreation spot? Just sitting on the beach at sunset –Territory sunsets are simply awesome. Anything else to add? I could but I think that people around can tell how I feel about leaving, that’s indicative enough.

Ever wondered how your dog eats, well, pretty much anything? Dogs have far less taste buds than humans, which is an obvious reason why they can be less than picky with their food choices. Canines, like carnivores, have the ability to consume large quantities of food at one time and can rest between meals. In the wild, this is known as ‘gorging’, which is beneficial in hunting large game. The canine's teeth, sharp, jagged, blade-shaped molars, are designed for gripping, tearing and shredding, and are specifically suited for its digestive capabilities. Other mammals have flat molars, characteristic of grinding. The canine's jaws, however, are incapable of moving sideways, and instead are hinged. This allows them to open widely and ingest large chunks of meat whole. The stomachs of dogs (and humans) make industrial strength hydrochloric acid that can dissolve iron. Dogs Local dog, Kaya, hunts for fish at Naked Pools hold chewed food in their stomachs for four to eight hours after ingestion. The low pH of the gastric juices provides a barrier to bacteria. Only a little food at a time is released in to the intestine, which it passes through quickly. This gives any bacteria that may live through the repeated acid baths little time to colonize and produce gastrointestinal distress. In humans, on the other hand, the food may pass through the stomach into the intestines in as little as 30 to 60 minutes. The partially digested food may spend as long as 12 to 60 hours in the intestines before it is passed into the colon, and then defecated. This means that the intestines suffer prolonged exposure to whatever germs survive a minimal aid wash in the stomach. This is how dogs can easily digest raw meat and bones and have the ability to destroy harmful bacteria. Nature is wise in her design and provides protection for these carnivores in consuming prey, drinking pond water and eating food contaminated with bacteria. Problems such as salmonella, E Coli and other food borne pathogens are skillfully handled by the extended time in the strongly acidic environment of the stomach. (Thanks to New Hope Cattle Dogs for this information) Eylandt Echo

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February 1st 2011

Vol 16.8

The Puzzle Page

Sodoku

Crossword

 Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contain all of the digits 1-9. Good luck! Answers next week 

Clues:

Trivia Time … test your knowledge 1.

Which is the largest ocean on the globe?

How many wives did Henry the 8th have?

What is the smallest type of tree in the world?

Who wrote the famous poem containing the following “Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light”?

How many eyes are there in a pack of cards?

Which finger nail grows the fastest? No peeking! Answers below

Down:

Across:

2. Medulla oblongata structure

1. Traffic light colour

3. St. Louis gridder

4. Own the throne

4. Word before sheet or session

6. Bar bill

5. They help some to come out of 8. Shell purchase their shells 9. Take away 6. It’s a drag on a gown 10. ___Noir (wine) 7. One who keeps dropping things 8. Understanding

12. Guarantee 13. Wharf pest 14. Part of boy scout’s uniform

9. Unsoundness 11. Surgery is rarely recommended for it these days. 12. Certifies, as colleges 15. Fixed deeply and firmly 19. More adorable

16. Express sympathy 17. Cotton machine 18. New York state motto (ever upward) 20. Frighten 21. They’re left behind

22. Undivided

22. Positions

23. Troublemaker

24. Sea salt 25. Party’s candidates 26. Rice field

4. Dylan Thomas 5. 42 6. the middle one 1. Pacific 2. Six 3. Bonsai Trivia answers: Eylandt Echo

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February 1st 2011

Vol 16.8

Groote Eylandt BMX Club: Go Hard or Go Home by Christine Love What a fantastic year the Club had with 40 families joining up, two race days, a refurbished Club house, toilet block and a lot more in store for the coming year. During the school holidays, the track opened for some fun Art and Craft with some pretty cool reindeers and decorations being made by our crafty members. The Club currently opens Friday nights from 6.30-9.00pm with a free barbecue dinner for members. Membership is $50 a family per year from July to June. We will be looking at a second time per week to open at February’s committee meeting.

Februarys Committee meeting is Wednesday 15th February at 7.30pm at the Club House. The Club caters for families and not just BMX riding. We have a pool table, ping pong, air hockey, fooze ball, trampoline, space invaders and a section for under 7’s. Coming up in February is our Glow Racing and in April, thanks to funding from the Office of Youth Affairs, is a week of fun finishing with a race night and lots of trophies. If your thinking of joining and not sure, come down have a look and a ride on one of the Club bikes. A big thank you to our volunteers; without you the Club would not exist. Any queries please contact Kristyne Love 0428436506

Above left & right : Flying high at BMX, November. Below: Track terrors at trophy night.

Sports on Groote 

   

The Alyangula Swans FC will hold it’s annual general meeting on Friday February 10 at 7.30pm at the ARC. All past, present and future members and supporters are welcome to attend. The AFL season will kick off April 22nd. Ultimate frisbee is starting up on the oval in Alyangula. Wednesday nights 6-7pm. BMX, youth club and BBQ on Fridays at 6.30-9pm BMX club members only. Jujitsu Monday & Thursday 6.30-8pm ASEC Hall Aerobics Wednesday 6pm ASEC Hall

Yoga Mon/Thurs 5.30pm, Tues 7pm ASEC Hall Please let us know your sports event and we will list it here. Send it in to eylandtecho.gemco@bhpbilliton.com 

In a drop Weather Report Alyangula was the coolest it has been in December for the past 12years recording temperatures 1.5deg lower than average at 32.4degrees. Gove already had above average rainfall for December when the monsoon trough moved over in the last few days of the month, giving them their wettest December on record with 516.4mm falling, a huge 342.3mm more than average. The hottest place to be in our sunny state in December was Yulara, which recorded 44.3deg on Christmas Day. Tropical cyclone Grant brought rainfall to the state with Edith Falls, near Katherine recording the wettest day of the year with 385mm falling in just 24 hours. If you like rain, its time to move to Lake Evella, which recorded 3866.6mm of rain in 2011 making it the wettest place in the NT. Our average temperature in 2011 was a sweltering 31.4deg.

SRC Borneo Eagles take out the 2012 Hottest 7s in Darwin The SRC Borneo Eagles took out the Fijian side, Daveta in a 42-10 victory last month to claim their third successive win in the two day rugby sevens tournament at Darwin’s Rugby Park Marrara. The Malaysian based Eagles put in a dominant performance in the final and were never tested by a tired Daveta. The Eagles take home a $24000 first place winners cheque. Richie Ah Chong was named player of the Hottest 7’s with seven tries including two in the final. In other results, the local Mudchooks took out the Gekko Cup Final and Darwin Mosquitoes took home the Buff Trophy with a 22-17 victory over local rivals the Kombat Casuarina Cougars. The rugby sevens continue to go from strength to strength, and will be included at the Olympics for the first time in 2016. (www.hottest7s.com)

Eylandt Echo

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