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A MAN WITH MUCH TO GIVE

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WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A WILL People often ask us why should I write a Will ? Is it worth the cost ? The answer to both of those questions is: “Yes, definitely.” You may have a house and bank accounts worth several hundred thousand dollars. For the sake of a few hundred dollars you can ensure that your assets can go exactly where you want them to go. Otherwise you might find your relatives are embroiled in costly court litigation after you die. Even worse your estate could end up passing to the State. Some examples from our files provide a very sound lesson about how the lack of a Will can cause disaster.

Case study 1 A client (let’s call him John) was brought up by his step-father (lets call him Frank). John had no other living relatives but he married and had a family of two sons. He was devoted to his step-dad and almost every fortnight for twenty years he would take his family to visit him. John would go ﬁshing with him and they would go to the local club together while John’s wife helped clean up Frank’s house. John would mow the lawn and maintain the residence (which was a manufactured home) in a retirement village. John occasionally asked Frank if he had written a Will but Frank would say: “I will get around to it”. Frank died without leaving a Will. John could not inherit Frank’s assets as he, as a stepson, has no rights under the laws of this State. He is not even eligible to apply for Administration of the Estate. John was not even able to apply to the Court as the estate was too small. In the end, the State will claim the assets. If Frank had written a Will the story would have been entirely different.

02NEWS

MONDAY FEBRUARY 17 2020SENIORSNEWS.COM.AU

Uplifting news for you Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor GREETINGS friends, If you are looking for some good news this month, then go no further, you have found it. Senior News journalists Tracey Johnstone and Alison Houston have gone to town to find some uplifting and interesting stories. For instance, our cover personality Reg Richardson. This is not a name that usually makes the headlines, but here he is sharing the fruits of his own success with those in need and successfully encouraging his friends to do the same. He has certainly made big things happen and Australia is a better place for it. This month our double-page spread features War Brides. Tracey Johnstone spoke to 96-year-old Jackie Mclaughlin, who was one of the 70,000 women who left Britain in the 1940s bound for Canada or Australia. Today, she is looking for any of the women left or their family, who she can chat with about their life journey. We also give you a heads-up with a

Case study 2

I trust you enjoy the read. Gail

INDEX

Jillian lived with her brother Jim. Jim had had a daughter (Rachel) to his wife but they divorced and she left him taking the child with her. Jim did not see or hear from the wife or child ever again. Jillian cared for Jim in his decline and moved into a house with him which they shared for about ten years before his death. Jillian owned three ﬁfths of the title to the house and Jim owned two ﬁfths of the title. She had cared for him and provided for him and paid for all the costs of maintaining the house. She pleaded with Jim to write a Will but he refused. When he died Jillian made application for Administration of his Estate, but this application was rejected by the Supreme Court registry on the basis that she had no eligibility (due to the possible existence of Rachel whom no-one had seen or heard from for over thirty years). A costly exercise has been undertaken to locate Rachel. Her full name has been determined but her whereabouts are unknown. Attempts to locate her have been unsuccessful. She may even be dead. What lies ahead is a costly exercise for Jillian in making application to a judge of the Supreme Court for judicial directions. Jillian can do nothing with Jim’s bank account or the house as Jim is still on title as a joint owner. If Jim had written a Will the story would have been entirely different.

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14 Partying with Edna for her 96th birthday bash.

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story on the changing nature of public transport. A new company is stepping into Australia with a transport system that intends to offer a flexible and practical alternative to our traditional type of bus scheme and I’m looking forward to seeing how this latest enterprise works for us. This month we also highlight our Stay Safe at Home feature, which profiles businesses whose aim is to advise how best to take care of yourself so you can long enjoy the familiarity of your home.

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CONTACT US General Manager Geoff Crockett – 0413 988 333 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 1300 880 265 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Sue Germany – 0408 286 539 sue.germany@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Website: www.seniorsnews.com.au Subscriptions Only $39.90 for one year (12 editions) including GST and postage anywhere in Australia. Please call our circulations services on 1300 361 604 and quote “Central Coast Seniors”. The Seniors Newspaper is published monthly and distributed free in northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland. The Seniors newspaper stable includes Toowoomba, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Northern NSW, Coffs and Clarence and Central Coast publications. Published by News Corp Australia. Printed by News Corp Australia, Yandina. Opinions expressed by contributors to Seniors Newspapers are not necessarily those of the editor or the owner/publisher and publication of advertisements implies no endorsement by the owner/publisher.

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Half-century of service the mark of a lifesaving dynamo Alison Houston

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Probably your first rescue is the one you’ll always remember. four weeks after he earned his Bronze Medallion, when a child was swept out north of the club. He remembers the line almost pulling him under a wave and struggling to keep the child’s hand, but getting him safely to shore. “To me, prevention is a lot better than having to rescue someone,” he said. After 52 years he well and truly knows where the rips are likely to be at Terrigal. He can read the movements of the sand and water to move people away from dangers early, but remains always vigilant. He said people often asked him why he still does patrols – last year racking up about 200 hours in a bid to get to know the latest members of every patrol. “They say, ‘You don’t have to, you’re already a life member’,” he laughed. But for Mark, although he knows he is getting close to the end of his patrol years, the questions are different. First, there is the annual physical test to pass – running 200m, swimming

AUSSIE HONOURS: Central Coast 2020 Australia Day Ambassador Viki Campbell, Superintendent for the Central Coast Rural Fire Service District, with Mayor Lisa Matthews and a group of the Australia Day award winners including Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club's Mark Power (far right). Picture: Contributed

200m and running another 200m in less than eight minutes. Then he considers whether he is a danger to himself, his fellow patrol members or beachgoers if he can no longer fully carry out his duties. “If I answer yes to any of those questions, it will be time to stop,” he said. As well as enjoying himself and the people he works with, Mark said he had always seen being a surf lifesaver as his community

service, and “I’d rather be on the beach than fighting fires”. The truth of that statement has been emphasised for him this season. “What our firefighters have done this summer, putting their lives on the line, is incredible,” he said. “Australia is a place that survives on its volunteers … (its lifesavers, firefighters, and sporting coaches) … if we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t survive as a

community.” He said he had expected a firefighter to receive the volunteer award this year, but was happy that the Terrigal SLSC had gained recognition. Having done just about every job at the club, including 2000-3000 hours of patrols, Mark said “there’s a lot more to it than being down at the beach, putting a cap on your head and a couple of flags in the sand”. Award winners: Other seniors honoured at this year’s Australia Day

ceremony were: Volunteer of the Year (Highly Commended) – Jenny Roberts for her work with Girl Guides Australia; Environmental Award – Cathy Gilmore (featured in the previous edition of Seniors News for her wildlife rescue services); Community Service and Activity – Deborah Warwick; and Business Connecting Communities – Sharyn Burgess, who created the Community and Business Women’s Network. 7068782an

TERRIGAL and lifesaving methods have both changed a lot over the past 52 years since Mark Power joined the surf lifesaving club. The Central Coast’s 2020 Volunteer of the Year said they were still using the belt, line and reel as their main rescue equipment when he earned his Bronze Medallion in 1968. Mouth to mouth and CPR were not yet used, never mind defibrillators and administering oxygen. Mark was just 19 when he came to the Coast for a banking job and found himself sharing a Gosford boarding house with a Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club captain, who quickly recruited him. There were just four patrols in those days, limited to Sundays, before Saturday afternoons were added in and patrols increased to eight. Now there are 12 patrols, but it is the numbers within those patrols that have really changed, with 20-30 members in each, giving the club a total of about 300 active members. Many of them have joined as a result of their kids joining Nippers or having gone through that program themselves to become full patrol members. “Probably your first rescue is the one you’ll always remember,” Mark said. His came just three or

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Medical marvel honoured Leader in obstetrics named as Senior Australian of the Year for work in curbing pre-term births MINISTER for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck has paid tribute to the 2020 Senior Australian of the Year. Professor John Newnham (AM), of Western Australia, was honoured by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a ceremony at the National Arboretum in Canberra. The award is presented to an Australian over 65 years of age who continues to achieve and contribute to the community. Prof Newnham is recognised as a world authority in preventing preterm birth. He has been described as “an intellectual leader of modern obstetrics who has changed the practice of medicine and the lives of women and infants”. “Prof Newnham’s ongoing achievements serve as an

example to all Australians,” Mr Colbeck said. “Senior Australians have an incredible amount to offer the rest of the community – their intellect, their capacity for hard work and their experience. “I would like to pay tribute to Prof Newnham and to the thousands of senior Australians who play crucial roles across the nation in professional, volunteer and community roles. “This award is a reflection of our national appreciation, admiration and thanks for your efforts.” The Australian Government has been a proud sponsor of the Senior Australian of the Year Award for more than 10 years. Mr Colbeck also congratulated each of the state and territory finalists for their endeavours across a

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range of sectors in our community. “Celebrating the accomplishments of our seniors is important not only to thank them for their work but to remind all Australians that age is just a number, not an indicator of ability,” he said. Other Senior Australian of the Year finalists this year included: • New South Wales – founder of OzGREEN, Sue Lennox from NSW, teaches people to become “citizen scientists’’ and to take action to improve the health of the waterways. • South Australia – 90year-old Sylvia McMillan has been an unstoppable community volunteer for more than 50 years after becoming treasurer of her local Legacy club in the late 1960s. • Queensland – Peter

RECOGNITION: Prime Minister Scott Morrison with 2020 Senior Australian of the Year, Professor John Newnham. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

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Pockets are as deep as Reg Richardson’s big heart WHEN it comes to choosing a philanthropic project, Reg Richardson (AM) looks to his “emotional quotient” to gauge which is the right one to support. It’s that instinct for what will and what won’t work that has led the 80-year-old to drive the establishment of outstanding organisations across a wide spectrum from indigenous health and melanoma research to the arts. Putting his hand in his pocket is his inclination. It’s been an approach he’s taken since his early business days. He was reared in what he describes as modest circumstances, growing up in Sydney’s Darlinghurst with his grandmother. “I have seen social issues as a pretty personal thing,” he said. “If you are competent enough to do something about it, I believe you should, and do in my case.” His business background centred on service industries where “you deliver a service, whatever it happens to be, efficiently, on time and at the lowest cost possible”. Since retiring, Reg has turned his hand to finding financial answers to vexing projects, coaxing millions of dollars from rich Australians. “I am good at asking people for money,

“As you go through life you do happen to know people who surprisingly have made a fair bit of money and unsurprisingly are quite willing to give some away.” particularly if they are wealthy,” he said. “As you go through life you do happen to know people who surprisingly have made a fair bit of money and unsurprisingly are quite willing to give some away.” Take, for example, Greg and Kay Poche. All right, there is the exception here: Greg is Reg’s oldest and closest friend. Greg sold Star Track Express for $750m. “I asked him what he was going to do with all that,” Reg said. “He said he was going to give a lot of it away. He also replied, ‘I have seen what you have done over the years, so I am going to get you to do it’.” With Greg suffering several stokes that inhibited his ability to walk and talk, the task of finding suitable projects was handed over to Reg. A casual introduction by a mate to melanoma surgeon Associate Professor John Stretch led Reg to ask Greg for $10 million.

“He just said ‘Yep’ like that, so I thought, ‘I can get more out of him’,” Reg said. Three months later he went back to Greg with a proposal for $30 million to build a centre for melanoma specialists. The result: 10 years down the track and $40 million later, Reg has retired as board chairman for the Melanoma Institute of Australia and the Mater Hospital owns the asset, used for critical worldrecognised melanoma research and treatment. “It’s there forever and one day there will be a cure for melanoma,” he said. Not one to rest on his laurels, Reg went back to Greg and suggested they have a “crack at indigenous health”. Through Reg, five major universities each received $10 million, which led to the establishment of the Poche Indigenous Health Network. Its focus is on closing the gap in life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through healthy teeth, hearts and children.

GENEROUS: Reg Richardson at his home in Mosman.

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Women strengthen ties Alison Houston THE word “Soroptimist” means “the best for women”, and that’s also the goal of the third Central Coast Festival of Women from March 1-22. Soroptimist International Brisbane Water president Jill Godwin has been busily organising this year’s sixth International Women’s Day Expo at its new venue, Westfield Tuggerah Shopping Centre. It’s one of a full calendar of events which over the past three years has come under the festival umbrella as Coast women’s groups unite to support each other in celebrating International Women’s Day, this year on Sunday, March 8. “The festival has grown immensely over the time we have been doing it, and really made women more aware of what is happening for them in today’s world,” Jill said. “We get a really

good reaction to the expo.’’ Jill expects there to be at least 20 stalls at the expo on Saturday, March 7. The move to a new venue is intended to give northern residents easier access after three years at Erina Fair. Live entertainment will include the Central Coast Conservatorium and Gosford Musical Society to belly dancers and beyond. This year’s program will be launched with the Women in Art exhibition at The Entrance Gallery (full story, page 15.) In keeping with this year’s Women’s Day theme of #EachforEqual, lawyer and proud Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman Teela Reid will be guest speaker at this year’s 13th SIBW Breakfast at Terrigal’s Reef Restaurant on Sunday, March 8. Teela is passionate about human rights and a greater voice for Aboriginal people, and Jill said she would reflect the belief that an

FEEDING ASPIRATIONS: Soroptimist International Brisbane Water members with last year’s International Women’s Day breakfast guest speaker, Professor of Criminology Eileen Baldry. Picture: Contributed

equal world is an enabled world. A long-time teacher, Jill is a firm believer in the part education plays in enabling, and SIBW will this year run an Aspire Forum for girls in

June focusing on well-being and career planning. The forum will feature guest speakers and workshops by women who have achieved despite the odds stacked against them.

Proceeds from a White Violet Long Lunch from 11am-3pm on March 8 at the Entertainment Grounds will go to SheStarts, a program helping young women achieve their dreams.

To book for the SIBW breakfast ($47) phone 4332 9354 by February 21, and for more details on all events go to @ccfestivalwomen on Facebook or phone 0423 198 567.

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Savour full Monty genius Alison Houston MONTY Python’s Spamalot is “anarchic, fun, irreverent, rule-breaking and silly” and the Central Coast is invited to join in the madness at the Art House Wyong from March 26-28. The description comes from director Richard Carroll, who grew up watching Python in England and says his production is “a completely joyous, inclusive party where we all tell this story together”. That includes some audience seating on stage. Spamalot is based on 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which went against every accepted convention of film and society to become a shock hit and, over the next 45 years, a cult classic. The story is very loosely based on the legend of King Arthur and his quest to find the grail – the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last

Supper and in which his blood was collected at crucifixion. Richard said Spamalot included Holy Grail’s most famous (or infamous) quotes, while wrapping in elements of the other movies including Life of Brian’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, and “taking the mickey out of musical conventions”. Richard said his production, which had a sellout run in Sydney last year, is on “a more intimate scale”, with a cast of just eight taking on numerous roles in the fashion of the original Monty Python team. That band of John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Michael Palin last month lost the fifth member, Terry Jones, to dementia, and Richard said he was considering how to honour him within the show. In his tribute, British comedian Stephen Fry said: “Farewell, Terry Jones: the

great foot has come down to stamp on you … My god what pleasure you gave, what untrammelled joy and delight.’’ Richard said this production of Spamalot was “really bringing it back to its Monty Python roots, so it’s very silly in terms of both design and performance, with a homemade spirit, crazy wigs and accents’’. However, at not even 40 himself, Richard is a clear example that Python comedy transcends the generations, which he puts down to its rule-breaking, over-the-top absurdity. As for those 38 audience members on stage each night, Richard said there was nothing to fear. “It’s the best experience of the show, no one who has those seats regrets it,” he encouraged. The show’s stars include Marty Alix (In The Heights), Blake Appelqvist (Dorian Gray, American Psycho), and

THE HOLY GRAIL: Spamalot breaks down many barriers.

Cramer Cain (ABC’s The Straits) but careful viewing of the promotional material also includes a special thanks to Magda Szubanski. “She won’t be at the

theatre, but she does make an appearance,” Richard said, giving nothing away. Tickets to Spamalot at The Art House are $72 adults, $65 concession, $55

Picture: Contributed

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SENIORS

Where

LOOKING BACK: Jackie McLaughlin was a war bride who came to Australia from England in 1946. Picture: Tracey Johnstone

TRACEY JOHNSTONE

Jackie declares, when sh ed in Australia with no id worry of what the future Christened Daphne, s away from her country h Surrey and travelled s London to sign up for force at age 17 and a ha war had started two ye fore. She had listened brother talk about his ing” time in the air force bored young lady reflec her future. “It was either go into the forces or the land a be called up for a mu factory, and I wasn’t an girl. “That’s the sole re signed up and I am so did.” Her mother threw he up in horror, but her said, “You really want this, don’t you?” “I said, ‘Yes, I do’,” says. “He then said, ‘This the making you, my girl’ “I didn’t live up to th like name of Daphne at a After the first week i ing camp, her fellow t decided they needed to less ladylike name for th

JACKIE McLaughlin wonders if there are still women like her who came to Australia by ship at the end of World War II. They were the war brides. About 70,000 of these women left Britain in the 1940s bound for Canada or America. Some of them came to Australia. “I never kept in contact with any of them,” Jackie says sadly. But now, at age 96, and as she peruses the regular Veteran Affairs magazine, Jackie has started to wonder if there are any of those women left, or their family members, who she can chat with about their life journey. The spritely Englishwoman lives in the forest just west of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. She’s buried her husband of 64 years and her only child, but Jackie still has the company of her second husband, 80-yearold Colin. The memories of her time during World War II and how she came to live in Australia are still vivid and heart-wrenching. It was a sheet wiped clean,

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Jackie McLaughlin when she entered the air force at age 18. Picture: Contributed

boy. “They came up with Jackie, and it stuck.” Unfortunately, Jackie says, she spent most of the war working in an office. It took five months from first setting eyes on each other after an “inane” meeting outside the local pub at Bridlington in Yorkshire in 1944 to walking down the aisle for

Jackie with her first husband, Doug, an Australian Air Force navigator and bomb-aimer. She was 20 and he was 21. Soon after the war ended, Doug returned to Australia while Jackie stayed in England until May 1946. She then joined 360 English women and children on board the former hospital ship Atlantis. Some of the women had been visiting England when the war broke out, others had married Australian personnel. “One or two of them were going for the trip only and they weren’t going to stay here, even though they were married to an Australian,” Jackie recalls. The ship first stopped in Fremantle before docking in Melbourne on June 29. From there she travelled by train to Sydney and on to Brisbane, where Doug was waiting to start their life together in the city. Jackie remembers on the voyage meeting Una and her two-year-old son. Una hadn’t heard from her husband for quite some time. When they got to Sydney,

Jackie accompanied Una to the army office where she was informed the address the husband had provided to the army was a vacant block. Una and her son, left with nothing to live on in Sydney, soon stowed away in a lifeboat on a ship heading for England. They were discovered after only a few days and after she shared her story, the passengers gathered enough money to pay their fare. Jackie’s other poignant memory of the voyage to Australia is of a very young boy who became sick and died during the voyage. “We were two or three days out from Fremantle and the funeral came,” Jackie says. “They stopped the boat and we all stood on the deck.” As the swaddled body was lowered over the side, his mother was in shock. “She was torn to pieces and said as soon as she hit land she would go straight back to England as her husband will say she had killed her little boy. “They got in touch with her husband (in Sydney) and they flew him to Perth and he was on the dock at Fremantle.

“He came on board. “She was shell-shocked, not knowing what to say or do. “He just walked up and put his arms around her.” She looks back now with some sadness, but also a lot of joy of the life she came to live in Australia. Before she left England, Jackie bumped into an old school friend who was to marry an Australian from Goondiwindi. The fare was being paid for by the Australian government as long as she was married within three months. Both were excited they would be living near each other. “Just imagine, in England you walk from this place to that,” Jackie says. The two girls looked at a map of Queensland and got the tape measure out to work out the distance between Brisbane and Goondiwindi. “We thought, ‘That’s not that far away, we can have afternoon tea together’,” Jackie adds with peals of laughter. Jackie’s not been back to England: “It’s too cold,” she says.

Jackie McLaughlin with Cathy Meyer from Caloundra Family History Group and (above) an image of the ship Atlantis on which Jackie travelled to Australia. Picture: Tracey Johnstone

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An exciting Ecovillage founders settling in Alison Houston

HOME AT LAST: Founder Lyndall Parris and her husband Dave have moved into their new home at Narara Ecovillage after more than 20 years of planning. Picture: Contributed

IT WAS the ultimate Christmas present, more than 20 years in the making, as Narara Ecovillage founder Lyndall Parris and her husband Dave moved into their completed house. They are part of a community of about 30 people now living on-site across a dozen houses, with approximately 25 other houses under construction as part of Stage One’s planned 60 homes. “It was joyful – everything about it was a joy, even the cleaning and moving was not a chore at all,” Lyndall said of sleeping Christmas night in the village they have dreamt, planned and worked so hard for. “I’m in after 20 years, six months and 27 days – and it’s so sweet,” she said. The open and airy

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hempcrete home which, like all houses in the village faces north for energy reasons, also uses 100-year-old recycled wood from the house (demolished for an aged care development) where Lyndall grew up. Dave oversaw construction as ownerbuilder, with interested villagers helping to create the hempcrete, and natural renders and paints used “so the house actually breathes, almost like a living thing”. But Lyndall said that it was already knowing her neighbours that meant she immediately felt at home. All signed up their interest in the village “concept” with its community and environment focus well before it became a reality and have seen it through any number of hurdles. That includes almost losing the Narara property when it was taken off the

market in 2008 due to the global financial crisis, and Lyndall said it was “a real tribute to everyone’s resilience and positivity” that they had made the dream a reality. From day one as new residents, the couple were greeted by name with wellwishes and offers of help, as well as house-warming gifts of Epsom salts, plants, biscuits and more. By the end of the year, Lyndall believes there will be 100-110 residents living on site, with another 22 already signed up for Stage Two when it is released. “It’s obviously a project whose time has come,” Lyndall said. “What’s really important to me is we have the full age demographic, which means it is sustainable, with our oldest resident being 79 and our youngest just three months old.”

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move 20 years in making ‘‘

It was joyful – everything about it was a joy, even the cleaning and moving. Lyndall’s is the first threegeneration family in the village, with herself and Dave about 70, and her daughter and family including grandchildren, six and eight, living nearby. She said she had already seen the benefit of the generations working together. That includes younger, stronger men carrying heavy loads, neighbours getting supermarket goods for mums with sick kids, children invited in to plant vegetables, and older neighbours acting as

EXTENDED FAMILY: Many of the Narara Ecovillage community came together in early December for a Christmas celebration. Picture: @thenararaecovillage

surrogate grandparents. Residents also swap goods, with mums having established a store of toys and clothing. And with council rejecting plans for a cafe, a coffee cart has been

established, giving residents a meeting place. It all sounds reminiscent of idyllic village life of old – except Lyndall said in this case they have the benefits of technology, with two

village Whatsapp groups. One, she describes as like the traditional tolling of the bell in the village centre, dealing with serious matters, while the other is for that borrowed cup of sugar or

ginger. The setting is stunning, surrounded on three sides by forest, close to beaches and the train. With the aim of reducing their impact on nature, homes are built from strawbale, rammed-earth and solid-earth bricks, to more everyday materials used in an environmental way. Village decisions are made on a sociocratic basis, so everyone has their say until a common agreement that everyone can live with is found, minimising conflict. But Lyndall is quick to dismiss suggestions that the village is “hippy”, saying that with her background in accounting she is very pragmatic. Rather, the village is an “intentional community” set up to provide community connection, support and contribution as well as supporting the planet by reducing consumption. “When people meet me at

the monthly open days, they quickly come to the dawning – these are people just like me,” Lyndall said. One year on from having been recognised with Central Coast Council’s Australia Day Environmental Award, Lyndall’s one regret is that with land about $300,000, the cost of becoming a resident is too high for many. However, she said some residents have joined forces with friends to purchase land and build together. She is hopeful that in future they can “think cleverly and creatively” to make this possible for others as well as creating rental opportunities. To find out more about the Narara Ecovillage, including options to help out without being a resident, go to https://nararaecovillage .com/, phone 4328 1588 or attend their next open day on Saturday, February 22, at 25 Research Rd, Narara.

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HIPPY BIRTHDAY! Liz Locke, Lesley Stone, birthday girl Dame Edna Fowler, daughter Hellen Meaney and Shirley Chapman with Ava De Zeeuw in the background, and in the Kombi, Suzanne Evans, Valerie Boyton, Yvonne Walsh and Dale Burrows. Picture: Contributed

A real gem of the party scene Alison Houston THE Central Coast’s Roving Rubies lay claim to two records – having the most senior Australian Red Hatter in their group and the most group members to have done the Hokey Pokey on Sydney Harbour at one time. The group celebrated “Dame Edna” Fowler’s 96th birthday in Age of Aquarius style on January 31, complete with giant Kombi banner with window cutouts. They even supplied their eldest stateswoman with a butterfly kaftan for the occasion. Declaring Edna an icon, group founder Marlene Klintworth, known affectionately as Queen Lilimarlene, has made it her mission to make each birthday since Edna’s 90th special. Her 90th involved a bikini party, her 95th a formal do with long dresses and tiaras

more to Edna’s taste, and Edna declared at the time: “We’ll see what they do for my 100th!” But she didn’t have to wait that long, with a fun Flower Power gathering at Daley’s Point Kitchen this year’s marker. The ladies aren’t afraid of a good time and even made their own fake (or so we are told) joints for the occasion! The only hurdle was that no one was game to make the birthday cake for the former multi-award-winning cake decorator, with Marlene finally talking a newer member who was blissfully unaware of Edna’s credentials into doing so. But Edna’s birthday is just one of many reasons the group finds to celebrate, with members’ birthdays marked on the first Thursday of each month at Gosford Leagues Club. They will also be celebrating the group’s 15th birthday this year, heading

Sharing the peace and love at Edna Fowler's Age of Aquarius-themed 96th birthday are Marlene Klintworth, Betty Lloyd and Kate Barber. Picture: Contributed

This "grass" is definitely greener and a whole lot more fun for Shirley Pullin, Yvonne Walsh, Dayle Burrows and Lesley Stone as they relive the psychedelic influences of the 1960s. Picture: Contributed

back to the Rhythm boat to cruise Sydney Harbour with Red Hatters from six other branches. Last year they created a veritable conga line of 73 red and purple-bedecked ladies, as Marlene said, “trying to remember their right from their left” and doing the Hokey Pokey as they boarded. And with last year’s guest

us … they are really touching,” Marlene said. But, with Marlene in the picture, even these were not your ordinary boxes. “They loved the whoopee cushions and fun little games we put in as well as the Tim Tams, of course,” she said. The Red Hatters are a social group of women from 50-96 years of age who always welcome new

being country music legend Frank Ifield, Marlene said they had big shoes to fill in 2020. But amidst the fun, the group also does its bit for others, including fundraising for victims of the bushfires and preparing and sending 70 Christmas boxes to Australian troops. “To date I have 48 wonderful letters and cards sent from overseas thanking

members. You can do as much or as little as you want with the group, the object is simply to have fun, and Marlene said they had a few mothers and daughters like Edna and daughter Hellen Meaney who found it a great way to connect. To find out more, call Marlene on 0412 760 725 or email rovingrubies@optus net.com.au. SECE01Z01MA - V1

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Art at heart of female forum Alison Houston THERE will be a distinct feminine touch at The Entrance Gallery from March 1-22 when the Women in Art exhibition takes over its walls. “It’s a beautiful gallery – beautifully appointed, with a garden and children’s play areas – it’s absolutely stunning,” enthused Rasheeda Flight, the president of Tuggerah Lakes Art Society, which is running the exhibition for the second year. Rasheeda said surprisingly few people knew of the gallery and community complex despite it being near The Entrance Town Centre, but that’s about to change. Last year’s inaugural Women in Art at the Entrance Lake House was such a success that organisers had to find larger accommodation for 2020, and are limiting entries to two pieces per artist. However, the new venue

also provides additional scope, including a full artisans’ market on the first and last days of the exhibition and two artist-run workshops. Tammy Briggs will host the first workshop, Trash to Art, on Saturday, March 7, and Pat Edwards will share watercolour skills in Serendipity the following week. Denise Ferrie, also a CWA member, is one local artist looking forward to the display, part of the Central Coast Festival of Women. “It’s fantastic to have everything focused on women for a couple of weeks,” she said. Having retired to the Coast about two and a half years ago, Denise’s own work has already found admirers. She sold a painting at last year’s exhibition and took first prize at TLAS’s Carnevale in its first year. Denise sold her first piece in Sydney about 20 years ago, having only sought out an art tutor in her 40s.

“I always loved art and would have loved to go to art school, but I married at 18, so I was always too busy to get the chance to do it,” Denise said. Happily, her tutor Linda Simonis has also moved to the Coast, so Denise said she was still constantly learning new skills. Her first love remains painting flowers in a photographic style, because “flowers look so beautiful on canvas”. There will be seven “best of all’’ awards of $300 and seven $50 awards of highly commended announced at the official opening from 5.30pm on Sunday, March 1. A People’s Choice award will also be presented at the end of the exhibition. Entries are only open until February 21, so you will need to hurry if you want to show what you can do ($20 first piece, $5 for the second). Attendance is free, and the gallery at Norberta St is open 10am-4pm daily. Workshop bookings can be made at corinne@tlas. org.au, or on 0411 062 895.

LATE BLOOMER: Denise Ferrie only began painting in her 40s, but more than 20 years on is making her name in the Central Coast art world. She is entering Calm and Peaceful (above) and her award-winning Lotus in this year’s Women in Art exhibition. Entries for the exhibition close on February 21. Picture: Rasheeda Flight

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IN THE MOOD: David Price (right) and members of Tempo Terrific perform at the Salvation Army's Woodport Aged Care. Picture: Contributed

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TEMPO Terrific is a community concert band with a difference, untroubled by playing at times to audiences they outnumber. They know what their music means to the members of those audiences in their primary venues – retirement and nursing homes – arguably more than to audiences numbering in their hundreds. Long-time member, clarinettist David Price, said he had questioned a supervisor at a preChristmas concert how much difference the band really made to residents. The carer told him they had been trying to get a certain woman to speak for weeks and hadn’t heard a word out of her, “now she’s sitting here singing Christmas carols with you”. He believes music forms a valuable link between the past and present, reminding the audience of their younger years and reaching them as nothing else does, even if it is just shown in a hand movement or a smile. “It’s incredibly satisfying,” he said. David has been with Tempo Terrific almost since its inception more than 20

years ago. Like many members, he plays in other bands as well – in his case the Central Coast Concert Band and a woodwind ensemble. But he didn’t start playing until he was 52. “I couldn’t even read music … according to some I still can’t,” he laughed. “I grew up in wartime England and I think only one of my friends ever had music lessons, but I loved listening to the Armed Forces network and musicians like Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. “I never thought one day I’d be playing the music they were playing … perhaps not quite as well.” One day while in Sydney he decided to stop by the Conservatorium of Music to ask about learning to play “something”. As serendipity would have it, the woodwind principal was walking past at the time, and two hours later David walked out with a $200 clarinet. Forty years later, he is still playing. Tempo Terrific’s members, mostly retirees with an average age in the 70s, have a wide range of experience from professional musicians to those returning to music post-work, and “late-

comers” like David. They rehearse some of their 100-150-strong repertoire weekly and have performed at council events, festivals and commemorations, Laycock Theatre and carols concerts, as well as nursing homes. The range of music, David said, was huge, everything from 1920s jazz and swing, to Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and the music of the 1940s and ‘50s, big band to light classical and musicals as contemporary as Hamilton. Their next booking is St Patrick’s Day at Lisarow’s The Orchards retirement village. That’s another benefit of the 30 or more members generally being retired and the band comprising multiple musicians and conductors: it can play any day of the week, with one or two missing members unlikely to affect the overall sound. New adult players are welcome, but David cautioned that beginners would find it too difficult and you do have to be able to read music. To find out more go to www.tempoterrific.com, phone secretary Del Matheson on 4341 4160, or pop in at rehearsals 5-7pm Mondays at The Uniting Church, cnr Avoca Dr and Killuna Rd, Kincumber. SECE01Z01MA - V1

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Achievers’ time to shine Gongs honour impressive efforts across range of fields FLYING ace Matt Hall has been named Lake Macquarie’s Sports Star of the Year for his outstanding performance on the world stage. The veteran pilot, who took out the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in September, was among the high achievers recognised at the recent 2020 Lake Mac Awards. “My passion for aviation started here in Lake Macquarie, and now, all these years later, this award has made it all worthwhile to represent the City doing something I’m still passionate about,” Hall said. Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said the awards highlighted the deeds, dedication and tireless work

RARE AIR: Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser with Sports Star of the Year Matt Hall, who won the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in September. Picture: Contributed

of people in the community. This year’s awards were expanded to include 11 categories, including two new awards recognising

achievements in arts and creative production. Rhonda Finlay, who has dedicated countless hours to initiatives assisting

Aboriginal welfare and education, as well as Wangi Lions Club, received the 2020 Ambassador Award. Fishing Point

contemporary abstract and impressionist artist Tracy Thomas took the Lake Mac Artist and Creator Award following ongoing success in Australia and overseas. Cerebral Palsy Alliance volunteer Amelia Coleman took out the Young Citizen of the Year Award for her work with children with and without disability. Judges couldn’t separate rising athletics star Ashlyn Blackstock and soccer prodigy Riley Pockett, who shared this year’s Rising Sports Star Award. Northern NSW Football CEO David Eland was among the other winners, with his work growing his sport and its profile earning him the Sports Leader Award. The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Eduardo Leon. Aka Eddie, the passionate volunteer for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance has worked for many years with children with cerebral palsy. The speech pathologist

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Empowered for final farewell Sjonelle Hodgins WITH home renovation shows flickering across our screens most weeks, do-ityourself projects are as popular as ever. Kitchens, weddings and even skincare products are being created in homes across the country each day. But there’s another DIY project just starting to take hold. DIY and at home funerals are a healthy and empowering way to say goodbye to a loved one, according to Mimi Zenzmaier, an end-of-life consultant, death doula and funeral director at Sacred Earth Funerals. Mimi said DIY funerals were an option for anyone wanting to return to the simpler, cheaper and age-old tradition of family care after death. “My job is to empower and support our community in reclaiming ownership of death and dying,” she said. “These days people battle with death phobias like never before in history. The pursuit of youth and beauty is so rife because of our current culture of death denial. We need to return to fostering relationship with our mortality, a humility that comes from respecting that life is a gift and does not come with any guarantee of longevity.” Mimi said the beauty of a home funeral was time and space. While death is always devastating, there is some joy in doing it your own way. “A DIY funeral is empowering, healing and transformational for the family, providing a final gift of love to their deceased,” she said. “Historically, the dead have been kept in the presence of loved ones for a very significant reason. We need time and space to adjust to death and when we

provide a means for family to have unhindered access to the body, healing occurs.” To start thinking about the realities of death, Compassionate Communities Northern NSW, in collaboration with the Groundswell Project, has held the workshop 10 Things to Know Before You Go throughout NSW Senior Week Festivals. It’s aimed at inviting all residents to start thinking about the realities of death and will feature Mimi as one of its speakers. CCNNSW is a group of volunteers who support end of life care through compassion, empathy and practical advice. Group member Bronwyn Hodgins said it was important for all community members to put plans in place for the end of life. She said there was no need to fear death, but there was a great need to plan for it. “We will all die eventually, but many will die without a plan. This leads to increased distress for the dying and their relatives. CCNNSW aims to support and educate our community during dying, death, grief and loss,” she said. Bronwyn said less than 5 per cent of people have a plan for their end of life, but those who do are more comfortable with the concept. “Doctors usually die differently because they are well informed and see the benefits of making end of life wishes known to others. They tend to have fewer interventions and die at home,” she said. Compassionate Communities Northern NSW is working on a range of projects, including regular support meetings, threshold choir, walking in nature activities and doula training. Visit the Compassionate

Communities Northern NSW Facebook page or email comcommnsw@gmail.com. 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 1. Less than 5 per cent of people have a plan for their End of Life. 2. Forty-five per cent of us will die without a will. 3. Of those who know they are dying, only 25 per cent will have spoken to their families about their wishes. 4. Seventy per cent of deaths are expected. 5. Doctors die differently. 6. Early referral to palliative care means living longer with better quality of life. 7. Almost half of us would like to know more about DIY funerals. 8. Sixty per cent of Australians choose cremation. Have you considered the alternatives? 9. We don’t grieve in stages, and only about 10 per cent of us need professional support after death. 10. Sixty per cent think we don’t talk about death enough. INTRODUCTION TO COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES Compassionate communities are a core part of public health approaches to palliative care, end of life care and bereavement. The term was coined by Allan Kellehear in the mid-2000s to describe communities that play a much stronger role in the care of people at end of life and their families and carers through illness, dying, death and bereavement. Compassionate communities draw from the Compassionate City Charter, which describes 13 social changes to the key institutions and activities of

SUPPORTIVE: Compassionate Communities Northern NSW is a group of volunteers who support end-of-life care through compassion, empathy and advice. Picture: Contributed

cities to create a city which “publicly encourages, facilitates, supports and celebrates care for one another during life’s most testing moments and experiences, especially those pertaining to lifethreatening and life-limiting illness, chronic disability, frail ageing and dementia, grief and bereavement, and the trials and burdens of long term care.” Historically, the role of caring for people at end of life and their families was located in the community. Medical advances have

been accompanied by a reduction in community skills and activity in this area. While families continue to provide the vast majority of care for people at end of life, they often do so with limited or no support from their local community. People at end of life and their families and carers often experience isolation and fear of dying, and have low awareness of death and dying. Public health approaches to palliative care, end of life care and bereavement, including compassionate communities, address these

challenges. They draw from the World Health Organisation’s Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion to focus on early intervention and social approaches to the problems and experiences of dying. Source: Report. Compassionate communities: an implementation guide for community approaches to end of life care. (July, 2018). https://palliativecare.org.au/ wp-content/uploads/ dlm_uploads/2018/09/Animplementation-guide-forcommunity.pdf.

Dedicated volunteers reach out to those facing death, grief COMPASSIONATE communities. It’s the highest ideal of any community to hold qualities of love, care and compassion. But it needs real people to make it happen in real life. One group, consisting of four core members, has volunteered to create its

own compassionate community in the Northern NSW areas. All women with backgrounds in health and care, they were driven to combine and focus their skills into end-of-life issues after their professional experience led them to see how so many people were

inadequately prepared for death – their own and that of others. The group started in Ballina in September 2018 with a shared philosophy of the need to bring communities together compassionately to continue to support and care for each

other during dying, death, grief and loss. From there they formed an action group that continues to meet to work towards the people’s vision. People from all walks of life are needed to make this vision a reality. Their website explains a compassionate

community as one that: • Provides care and support. • Provides and connects people to services. • Raises awareness of end-of-life issues. • Develops the capacity of the community to meet the needs of those needing care

and support. • Advocates for those who are dying, caring or grieving. See https://www .facebook.com/Compassion ateCommunitiesNorthern NSW/.

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Community group guide WYONG WRITERS LOCAL writers meet monthly to encourage and develop their writing skills. Their meetings are on the fourth Saturday of each month. Arrive by 1.15pm for a 1.30pm start. Next meeting is on Saturday, February 22, at Woodbury Park Community Centre, 1 Woolmers Crescent, Mardi. Inquiries with president Mei-Ling Venning on 02 4333 7489. You can also email meilingvenning@hotmail .com or go to wyongwriters.org.

DYING WITH DIGNITY, CENTRAL COAST OUR first meeting of the year is at 10am on Friday, February 19, in Meeting Room 3, Gosford Library, The Hive, Erina Fair. Topic: The end-of-life doula (non-medical support for the end of life). The speaker will be Renee Adair,

Community notes

of the Australian Doula College, Edgecliffe. Non-members welcome. The meeting includes a refreshment break. Phone 02 4369 8053 or email centralcoast@dwdnsw .org.au.

VIEW CLUBS VIEW stands for Voice, Interests and Education of Women and is a valued part of The Smith Family. î Bateau Bay WORKING for The Smith Family, we will hold our next lunch meeting at The Entrance Leagues Club (Tigers), 3 Bay Village Road, Bateau Bay, on the first Tuesday of the month from at 10.30am. Lunch, guest speakers, raffles, outings and meeting new friends are all on offer while helping educate underprivileged children. New members and visitors are most welcome. Phone Lynne on 02 4362

FUN AND FRIENDSHIPS: Enjoy lunch, guest speakers, raffles, outings and meeting new friends at many local clubs and community groups throughout your region. Picture: Contributed

6170 or Heather on 02 4362 8405. î Brisbane Water Evening MONTHLY dinner meetings are held at the Function Room at the Grange Hotel, Renwick St, Wyoming, on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6.30pm for 7pm. New members and visitors

welcome. Phone Valda on 02 4325 1688 or Lynne on 02 4332 9354. î Toukley NEWLY retired/looking to make new friends? We meet on the second Friday of the month at Club Toukley RSL at 10.30am. We have lucky door prizes, raffles and a

two-course lunch for $25, followed by guest speakers or members’ participation and interesting discussions. We also have outings, and friendship morning teas with raffles and lucky door prizes. Joining our VIEW club is a perfect opportunity to meet with other like-minded

women and establish new friendships. Phone Kathie on 02 439 30647 or 0413 424 949. We welcome your community news and photographs. Please send them to editor@seniors newspaper.com.au.

Making aged care simple. POINT CLARE With years of local knowledge from one of the largest care providers, we are here to help. Get the right aged care advice. 1300 275 227 | baptistcare.org.au V1 - SECE01Z01MA

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COMMUNITY NEWS

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BLUES & BARBECUE Girakool Blues Festival and Barbecue is on from March 6-8 at Mount Penang Parklands Kariong. There is an international and Aussie Blues line-up, starting with #guitarfriday, music all day Saturday, and Family Funday Sunday. Go for one day or all three for fantastic barbecue and soul food, market stalls and displays of indigenous culture. Bands include Russell Morris, The Turner Brown Band (US/Aus), Tyrone Vaughan (US), 19 Twenty, Rambal, Cass Eager and lots more. Go to https:// girrakoolblues.com.au.

What’s on WOMEN IN FOCUS Gosford Regional Community Services is recognising some of the “worthy women in your life” for International Women’s Day. It is asking for nominations for women who work, live or volunteer in its service areas of Wyoming, North Gosford and Gosford as well as West Brisbane Water, from Koolewong to West Gosford. You can nominate until March 3 at www.gosfordcommunity .org.au, via Facebook or phone Kathy on 4323 7483.

WATERCOLOUR DIARIES Taking you from the Central Coast to Europe, Noeline Millar and Cheryl Bruce have each created a pictorial diary of sketches and paintings during their recent travels abroad and captured memories of their favourite places in watercolour and pencil. They are on display from February 21-26 in the

FEED YOUR SOUL: The Turner Brown Band will feature at the Girakool Blues Festival and Barbecue from March 6-8 at Mount Penang Parklands Kariong. Picture: Contributed

Community Gallery at Gosford Regional Gallery. Join the artists for their opening celebration on Saturday, February 22, at 2pm. Phone Cheryl on 0411 175 405 for details.

FAMILY HISTORY If you are interested in researching your family history but not sure where to start, Toukley Library has a beginners’ session on Tuesday, February 25, from 1.30-3pm. Computer skills

are assumed. Then on Tuesday, March 3, from 10.30am-12pm at Tuggerah Library find out how to use Trove in your research. Bookings for both sessions are essential, but it is free. Phone 4350 1540.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE SHOPPING Decided if you can’t beat them join them? Erina Library has an introduction to social media on Thursday, March 5, from 10am to

12.30pm. The afternoon session is on online shopping and banking. It’s free. Register on 4304 7650.

MAMMA MIA Gosford Musical Society is presenting Mamma Mia the musical from March 6-21. This feel-good production is based on Abba’s music. Tickets are from $48 and it’s on at Laycock St Theatre. Book at www.central coast.nsw.gov.au/theatres or phone 4323 3233.

MORNING MELODIES Carole King’s Tapestry: The Concert celebrates the American singersongwriter’s best-known album, released in 1971. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time. The show is on Wednesday, March 11, at 11am at Laycock St Theatre. Tickets are $20 including morning tea prior. Go to www.centralcoast .nsw.gov.au/theatres or phone 4323 3233 for more information.

WORKSHOP ON EXTREME WEATHER

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On Wednesday, March 11, from 10am-12.30pm, this workshop for over 50s will help attendees prepare more quickly for flood, storm, bushfire etc through greater planning. To book, phone 4304 7650 or email anni.griffiths@centralcoast. nsw.gov.au.

AUTHOR EVENT Author Peter Fox is a former detective chief inspector with the NSW police responsible for investigating sexual abuse in the Hunter regionwho helped prompt the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. He will speak about his book Walking Towards Thunder, which details the backlash he met in coming forward with his story. It’s at Kincumber Library on March 11 from 6-8pm.

REGIONAL FLAVOURS The Central Coast Council will celebrate Harmony Day with a live multicultural event, Flavours by the Sea, on Saturday, March 21. It celebrates the region’s diversity through food, music and art at Memorial Park, The Entrance. See www.centralcoast.nsw.gov. au/events.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS ONE FREE CHILDRENS MEAL WITH EVERY ADULT MEAL $15 AND OVER *12 years and under

15 Anzac Ave, Wyong NSW 2259 Phone: (02) 4359 7444 www.clubwyong.com.au

$16

LUNCH AND DINNER STEAK N SCHOONER $16 (MEMBERS ONLY)

*Purchase a steak to receive a schooner of draught beer, or a glass of house wine or soft drink For any enquires please contact us on (02) 4359 7444

Starts Wednesday February 12

FRIDAY REEF AND BEEF RAFFLE

DRAWN EVERY FRIDAY AT 6.30PM Tickets on Sale from 5.30pm

Not a Member? Join today to be part of the excitement! Ask us how!

club bINGO/cash hOusIe SATURDAYS 1.30pm ONLY $12 TO pLAY

10 Club games, 10 Cash games, BSG Rewards and a Jackport sheet

$10 MEals

EvEry TuEsday, lunch and dinnEr $12.00 for non members Terms and Conditions apply

YOU COULD WIN

Bingo PETs available*

House-hold items, Vouchers, Fuel Vouchers, Spinners Vouchers PLUS Bonus Wild Wheel Spin Tickets On Sale from 5:30pm Every Wednesday and Drawn at 6:30pm

Come & play! Bring a friend and join the fun!

Sunday Raffles

Tickets on sale from 12.00pm drawn at 1.30pm

Courtesy Bus available. (New Bus and New timetable)

Crn Margaret st and Anzac ave, Wyong 02 4359 7444 • www.clubwyong.com.au SECE01Z01MA - V1

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Beguiled by great Dane Copenhagen’s cultural riches a fascinating step back in time PAGES 26 AND 27

Share the Good News

If you’ve got big news, a heart-warming story or community event coming up, spread the word and share it online with Seniors!

Visit seniorsnews.com.au today!

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Bike ride on top of the world

ADRENALINE HITS: Explore the lesser-known northeastern part of India on the back of a motorbike with Nomadic Knights.

IN BRIEF

RIDE along the roof of India on a breathtaking Himalayan

motorbike tour. Adrenaline junkies can open throttle on the roof of the world on a motorbike tour that offers breathtaking

views of the Indian Himalayas and the world’s most hair-raising roads. Nomadic Knights is offering a $US500 discount on its

Looking for Australian Holidays with a diﬀerence Take a look at Telephone: 0418 456 835 Thursday 30th April: 13 Day Outback NSW Station Life

On this holiday we will visit 3 amazing stations to see how they work, play and operate their properties, spending 2 nights on each station. Travelling to Gilgandra, then onto Bourke for 2 nights before arriving on Trilby Station, a merino sheep Station. Then onto Eldee Station a sheep and cattle station. 2 night stay in Broken Hill then onto Lake Paika Station, a bird watchers paradise. Tour Price: $3968.00 pp t/s Monday 15th June: 17 Day Oodnadatta & Beyond plus Old Ghan Line Travel the Oodnadatta Track to the edge of the Simpson Desert, visiting Nyngan, Broken Hill, Quorn then onto Marree. View Lake Eyre and visit William Creek for a couple of nights. View the old rail sidings such as Curdimurka and spend overnight in Oodnadatta. Mt Dare Station for 2 nights to visit Dalhousie Springs before crossing very remote country to Finke. Stand in the geographical centre of Australia, spend 2 nights in Coober Pedy, visit Port Augusta, Renmark and Hay on our return home. Tour Price: $4997.00 pp t/s

Roof of India tour in July if booked by February 15. The journey will see travellers ride Royal Enfield motorbikes along some of the highest roads in the world. The 14-night Roof of India ride begins on July 11 and is available for $US4480 for riders, including the $US500 discount if booked by February 15. Use the code JULYROI500 when booking. Includes accommodation, bike hire, breakfasts, dinners and mechanical and logistical support. Flights to India are extra. Info: www.nomadicknights.com.

SOUTHERN GREECE WALKING TOUR On Foot Holidays has announced a new selfguided walk for 2020. Travellers will explore the remote mountain villages and natural beauty of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The six-night route is the newest of the operator’s 32 inn-to-inn walks throughout Europe, which aim to immerse travellers in a destination as they enjoy “the art of slow travel’’. The walk begins in the stonemasons’ village of Lagadia, and highlights of the journey include beautiful fir forests, panoramic

mountain views, working monasteries, jewellers’ workshops, watermills and the remote and pretty village of Elati in its forest clearing. The final day of the self-guided tour will see guests journey into the wooded Lousios Gorge, where ancient monasteries cling to the cliffs, before climbing up towards the hilltop town of Dimitsana. Including six nights’ accommodation, all breakfasts, four picnic lunches and all luggage transfers, the walk costs from £720 a person, twinshare (about $1382). Info: www.onfootholidays co.uk.

Saturday 11th July: 20 Day Savannah Way—Coast to Kununurra A great adventure across the top of Australia, from the Central Coast you will travel to Roma, Longreach and Hughenden, once home to many terrestrial dinosaurs. Explore Porcupine Gorge and Undara Lava Tubes. Visit Karumba and Burketown before travelling on to Hells Gate. Travelling the Savannah Way to Booroloola and Lorella Springs Wilderness Park. Stay at the Heartbreak Hotel and go in search of the Lost City before crossing into Arnhem Land for 2 nights at Ngukurr. Travel through Roper Bar to Katherine then on to Kununurra. This tour covers areas not always visited. Tour Price: $7650.00 pp t/s plus your flight home from Kununurra. Or stay on board to discover the Kimberley. Friday 31st July: 18 Day Kimberley Discovery—Gibb River Road One of the most picturesque parts of Australia is the Kimberley and especially along the Gibb River Road. Starting in Kununurra exploring Lake Argyle and the Ord River system . View Five Rivers Lookout at Wyndham and cruise Chamberlain Gorge at El Questro. Spend 2 nights at Home Valley Station and Drysdale River Station. Visit the many gaps and gorges and take in the most magnificent sunsets. 2 nights at Mt Elizabeth Station and overnight at Bells Gorge Camp, then onto Fitzroy Crossing and Derby before arriving in Broome. Tour Price: $7145.00 pp t/s plus airfares. Or stay on board to explore the Coral Coast.

For informa�on and brochures please telephone: 0418 456 835 Email: oﬃce@echidnatravel.com.au WEB: www.echidnatravel.com.au

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Echidna Travel is locally owned and operated, all our tours travel on board our purpose built 4WD with reclining seatbelted coach seats for your comfort and safety. Tours include breakfast and dinners daily and most lunches, all sightseeing, a�rac�ons, cruises and entry fees as per each i�nerary, courtesy home transfers. Accommoda�on varies from shearers quarters, cabins to luxury motels, always a comfy bed—no camping.

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Getaways grand for bonding WHILE not a new concept, families are finding grandparent-grandchild holidays are increasingly beneficial to modern family life, with research suggesting these kinds of experiences shape healthy, resilient and wellrounded kids. For the past nine years, grandparents Lorraine and Ken Martin have “hit the road’’ in their caravan, making the annual journey from Sydney to Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut, where they meet their eldest grandchildren for some holiday fun and quality one-on-one time. Keen ‘’gramper’’ Lorraine said the opportunity to go caravanning and camping with her grandchildren – Hamish, 14 and Phillipa, 11 – allowed them to share experiences, build relationships and create memories for life. “Holidaying together gives us an opportunity to have that extra bonding experience with the children – it’s a very special time, and

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Ken and Lorraine Martin with grandchildren Hamish and Phillipa at Cairns Aquarium (above) and ready to explore the reef. Pictures: Contributed

we’ve got to know them even better,” Ms Martin said. “We think as they get older, they’ll have special childhood memories of coming up here and spending

time with us.” Ms Martin said the annual trip to Cairns gave the kids the opportunity to have new adventures, meet new people and get outside their

comfort zone, but it also gave their parents the chance to reconnect – a luxury for many busy working families. “It’s a really nice break for their parents, too – when our daughter and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last year, they thought it was pretty amazing that the kids

were up here enjoying themselves and having a wonderful time while they were able to go out and celebrate together,” she said. The Martins know that with teen and tween grandchildren these kinds of holidays won’t last forever, but for now they’re enjoying every moment. “We’re lucky to have such

15 Day Kangaroo Island, Bendigo & Adelaide Departing: Sunday 26th April 2020

*Central Deborah Mine * Fleurieu Peninsula *Murray River Cruise Plus SO much more!

$4450 pp twin share

March: 13th —St Patricks Day Celebrations $105

April: $2720 pp twin share

*Plus More!

1st– BINGO AFLOAT $100 4th—Sydney Royal Easter Show from $80 21st— Vaucluse House $85

May:

16 Day Outback To The Sea

13th—Cockatoo Island $105

27th- Rathmines Catalina Memorial $85

Departing: 9th July 2020

*Moree & Artesian Pools *Paddock to the plate dining experience *Airlie Beach *Whitsunday Island’s Cruise *Hervey Bay Whale Watch Cruise

Call Now for a FREE holiday book with plenty of holidays & day tours to choose from!

18th - Camden Country Tour $90

Departing: 2nd June 2020

*Bourke *White Cliffs *Broken Hill

February: 12th - Nepean Belle Paddle Wheeler $90

11 Day Cameron’s Corner & Opal Country

*Warrumbungle Mountain Range

day tours

close relationships with our grandchildren, even as they’re getting older,” Ms Martin said. “And they still love the holidays just as much as we do – the first thing they said to their parents when they got back to Sydney last time was, ‘Can we go again next year?’, so we’re gearing up for the next adventure.”

30th— VIVID Dinner Cruise $135

$4400 pp twin share

Mul ple pickup loca ons across the Central Coast.

Our 2020 Day Tour brochure is available!

Telephone: 02 4325 8000 Under New Management Shop 5A Gosford Central Plaza 153 Mann Street GOSFORD 2250 www.itseasytours.com.au

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Holiday inclusions:

Home pick-up for Central Coast on 3 day or more holidays, 5 star coach travel with professional and informative coach captain / guide. Quality motel accommodation, 2 course dinners, full cooked breakfast and all entry fees, attractions and cruises as per each itinerary.

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Clifford's Honey Farm goodies.

‘‘

Food on KI is artisan, seasonal and boutique, bringing joy to food lovers.

SENSUAL FEAST: Savour a sunset dining experience that only Kangaroo Island can serve up.

Pictures: Contributed

Watching Seal Bay residents frolic is a highlight.

Join island’s wave of support Call our friendly, experienced team to book your next touring holiday or to join one of our Uplift Tours special group departures.

1300 484 510 or (07) 5513 1086 E: groups@uplifttours.com I www.uplifttoursandtravel.com

Innovative. Inspiring. Unique.

Service is our Strength. Travel is our Passion.

SAMOA BOWLS CARNIVAL From

$3,259*

*per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single Supplement $695

COOK ISLANDS PACIFIC PARADISE TOUR From

$3,559*

29 MAY - 06 JUNE 2020 Join former Australian Lawn Bowls coach and Commonwealth Champion, Cameron Curtis on this incredible fully hosted tour, representing outstanding value for money that will provide you with amazing opportunities to bowl, meet the locals, see the very best sights and rejuvenate Learn from the very best on the sport with your amazing tour host, as you immerse yourself in your local surrounds. The waterfalls are breathtaking, the caves are evocative, the cuisine is to-die-for and the people are fascinating. Join Cameron, as we explore this treasured island of the South Paciﬁc for our ﬁrst ever Samoan Bowls Carnival!

12 - 20 JUNE 2020

Discover this untouched beauty, culture and charm of the Cook Island... matched only by the friendliness of her people. This fully inclusive escorted tour specially designed for the mature traveller oﬀers exceptional value for money with the most authentic experiences available in the magical Cooks!

*per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single Supplement $775

YULEFEST IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS From

$2,779* *per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single Supplement $360

06 - 10 JULY 2020

Join us on this 5-day Yulefest short break exploring the very best of this iconic region. This World Heritage Listed area oﬀers some of the most unique scenery and culture attractions in NSW. Enjoy a very special Yulefest dinner, with an atmosphere of Christmas! Relax and enjoy all this iconic Australian Wilderness has on oﬀer.

HAWAII 50TH ANNUAL 13 - 23 JULY 2020 The Hawaii Ukulele Festival this year celebrates 50 years and is the largest UKULELE FESTIVAL From

$5,414*

ukulele festival of its kind in the world. We will experience all the festivities and immerse yourself in a little Oahu sightseeing also. So, come and join us on this Ukulele Festival where the magic is in the music and the love that we share...

*per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single Supplement $1,995

GOLDEN WEST RAIL TOUR From

$3,495*

*per person Twin Share or Single Supplement Ex SYD

9 - 13 SEPTEMBER 2020

This fascinating tour takes you down a private railway, along goods only railway lines and railway branches that are normally closed, all whilst showcasing the best of regional NSW. Relive the heyday of long-distance travel with restored ex-Southern Aurora sleeping carriages on a vintage train called the “Aurora Australis”. Savour local produce and wines, enjoy sightseeing and visit some spectacular gardens, view delightful scenery and relax onboard.

TERMS & CONDITIONS *Price is per person twin share. Single Supplement applies. Credit card surcharges apply. Deposit of AUD $500-$800 per person is required to secure tour. Tour requires a minimum number of passengers to depart. Prices may ﬂuctuate if surcharges, fee, taxes or currency change. Prices current as at 20th January 2020 Uplift Tours and Travel in conjunction with Norfolk Select Marketing ABN: 93 367 366 822 ATAS Accreditations A10619 7099112az

Kerry Heaney IN JANUARY fires ravaged the picturesque western wilderness of Kangaroo Island, covering our television screens with heart-wrenching images of destruction. More than 30 per cent of the 4416 square kilometre island was affected, but there is still much to see and do on what is Australia’s third-largest island (and that includes Tasmania). While there is a long road ahead for the island’s recovery, getting visitors back onto KI, as the locals call Kangaroo Island, will help rebuild the economy as tourism and agriculture are the primary industries. Kingscote local Craig Wickham, who operates Exceptional Kangaroo Island’s wildlife and food tours, says he is optimistic about the island’s ability to recover from the bushfires, particularly if it rains. “Nature is resilient, and the animals have learned how to bounce back from fires over millions of years. Once we get some rain, things will start to green up pretty quickly,” Craig said. Where can you visit, and

what can you see? Work is under way to restore access for visitors to fire-affected areas of the island, including Flinders Chase National Park, home to the iconic Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, where the Visitor Information Centre and cafe were sadly destroyed. Iconic attractions such as Seal Bay Conservation Park, where a colony of endangered sea lions frolics on the beach, the interactive birds of prey experiences at Raptor Domain and the KI Wildlife Park, where more than 150 species of native animals live, are all open as usual. Cape Willoughby lighthouse on the eastern point of Kangaroo Island was built in 1852. There are daily tours and self-guided walking trails that give insights into life as a lighthouse keeper. Food on KI is artisan, seasonal and boutique, all words that bring joy to a food lover’s heart. The island’s first hatted restaurant, Sunset Food and Wine, focuses on South Australia’s seasonal best. Cactus Kangaroo Island is a newish cafe at Kingscote where you’ll stop for a coffee hit and find it hard to

resist the freshly baked sweets. Visit wineries in Kingscote, Cygnet River and on the Dudley Peninsula, where the clifftop Dudley Cellar Door sells awardwinning locally grown and produced wines. Emu Bay Lavender is not only a stop for lavender products, scones and ice cream, it’s also close to a favourite swimming spot. At American River, The Oyster Farm Shop farmgate sells marron, abalone, King George whiting and freshly plucked Pacific and Angasi oysters. Drop into Kangaroo Island Spirits and taste its premium gin and vodka. Mark Norek walks around KI guiding visitors on Life’s An Adventure walking tours. One of KI’s significant losses in the fires was Southern Ocean Lodge. Owners James and Hayley Baillie had an architect on the site within days and are committed to rebuilding their vision echoing the resilience of the Kangaroo Island community that has recovered from severe bushfires in the past. Locals say a helping hand is always welcome and it’s a bonus when all you have to do is visit. SECE01Z01MA - V1

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Refuge high in the Pyrenees

The Refugio Goriz is situated at a height of 2195m and attracts keen hikers from all over the world.

HIGH LIFE IN THE PYRENEES: The temptation is to just stand and stare in silent awe at the magnificence of the stunning mountains.

Pictures: Graeme Wilson

An ideal picnic spot beside one of the many waterfalls.

Graeme Wilson AS I stood and gazed in awe at the legendary Pyrenees soaring into the sky directly ahead, the soulful words of Marvin Gaye began playing in my mind. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. A year ago I tentatively dipped my toe into the water with my first overnight hike (NZ’s spectacular Kepler Track) and from there my partner and I decided there was only one way to go – onwards and upwards. So fast-forward to central Spain’s World Heritagelisted Ordesa National Park and the latest challenge – a picturesque five-hour hike along the Ordesa Valley and up the Pyrenees to a height of 2195m and our evening accommodation at the 80bunk Refugio Goriz. For many the refuge serves as base camp for the more challenging climb to the 3355m summit of Spain’s third-highest peak, Monte Perdido, but for us it was the perfect challenge in itself. It’s hard to describe the scale of the Pyrenees. You actually have to be standing there yourself, looking up at the towering wall of rock, to V1 - SECE01Z01MA

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Far West Express

Terraced waterfalls tumble serenely down to the floor of the Ordesa Valley.

fully appreciate their enormity. Hopefully the accompanying photographs give at least some idea of their ability to make mere mortals feel somewhat insignificant. The walk to Goriz gives ample opportunity to stand and stare in amazement and we found ourselves stopping regularly and doing just that. Breathtaking. The route is dotted with waterfalls and we timed our departure to ensure there was no great rush to reach the night’s lodgings. There’s too much beauty on offer to be in a hurry. The refuge is

comfortable, but its facilities aren’t quite Hilton or Hyatt, so much of the relaxation instead comes via nature’s own serene beauty. Life’s real or imagined problems simply fade away as you sit in silence, looking and listening to the water tumbling over well-worn rocks to the valley below. Yes, I could definitely get used to this hiking life. Next stop, the French Pyrenees. Getting there: The beautiful village of Torla is a 9km drive from the carpark at the Goriz walk’s departure point in the national park. Torla is a four-hour drive northwest of Barcelona.

Supporting Business in Country NSW

Includes Airfares, Transfers & Tour

Travel on one of Australia’s most iconic heritage trains,the‘Spirit of Progress’. This escorted tour features overnight stays in Orange and Broken Hill. Departing from both Sydney and Melbourne.

Sail aboard Princess Cruises newest ship, Enchanted Princess, for 22 magniﬁcent nights. This epic voyage will visit countries including Croatia, Greece, Malta, France, Spain and Italy.

9 July 2020 - 7 day package From $5,890* pp twin

11 October 2020 - 27 night package From $9,490* pp twin

Empires and The Adriatic

Russia & The Lights of Norway

Includes Airfares, Accommodation & Tours

The ﬁnest of cuisines, picturesque villages, castles and breathtaking history. Enjoy a 12 night escorted tour of Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro plus a 7 night Adriatic Coast cruise.

Starting in St Petersburg, this epic escorted journey will take you through Russia and on to Norway where you’ll also enjoy a 5 night cruise across the Arctic Circle. So much to explore!

19 May 2021 - 19 night package From $8,590* pp twin

13 February 2021 - 20 night package From $9,990* pp twin

Call or visit us today - Suite 2/26-30 Karalta Road, ERINA info@cruiseexpress.com.au

1300 766 537

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Discover the wonders of Copenhagen

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PRETTY AS A PICTURE: The Marble Church and fountain in Amalienborg Palace and Gardens. Pictures: Shirley Sinclair

More to this beautiful city than glimpsed tree Shirley Sinclair THE Hop On, Hop Off Boat guide tells us we are coming up to the most photographed tree in Denmark. Tree? OK. There are so many highlights on a canal tour around Copenhagen, this must be an impressive tree if it’s important enough to point out. Along with the other passengers, we ready our smartphones and cameras for the big moment. Then the penny drops. As the canal boats come out of the tunnel under the bridge, Our Saviour Church’s distinctive “corkscrew” tower comes into view. We only have about 30 seconds before the boat moves on. But many people miss the momentary shot, capturing the tree just above the canal instead. It’s so commonplace that the tree has its own Facebook page: Missedthegoldenchurch. Look it up. We all laughed and laughed. The good news is that you can get off the boat at the Christianshavn stop and

have a much closer look at this elegant baroque church with a black and gold helix (corkscrew) spire that reaches 90m and the external anticlockwise winding staircase that can be climbed to the top for 360degree views over central Copenhagen. You will also marvel at the melodies played by the bells of its carillon – the largest in northern Europe – which plays hourly from 8am to midnight. Nearby at the same boat stop is Christiania: a quirky “Freetown” that boasts colourful houses and sculptures, creative artists and an alternative hippy society – the equivalent of our Nimbin but on a smaller scale. In 1971, a group of hippy squatters broke down the barricades to the abandoned military base and Christiania was born. Hundreds of curious visitors daily now pass through the defined entrances to this antiestablishment commune that houses up to 1000 people on 7.7 hectares. While the community governs itself with its own rules that are independent

of the Danish government, it has still had its run-ins with police, mostly due to its reputation as an area for cannabis trade, especially in the so-called Green Light District’s Pusher Street. Many residents are actively campaigning to rid Christiania of drugs but on the day we visited last July, stalls were still in operation and we abided by a sign warning visitors that no photos are allowed inside Christiania, due to the possible sale of drugs and paraphernalia that might be captured. But there is much more to this bohemian area than meets any disapproving eye. Christiania hosts regular concerts on stage and in various venues that attract jazz, blues and contemporary music lovers from far and wide as well as those wanting to join in impromptu jam sessions. Skaters from around the world make a beeline for the ALIS Wonderland skate park with its wooden bowl that also hosts contests and demonstrations, as well as graffitied half-pipes and other equipment to test skills. Plenty of cafe seats are

An intricate 20th-century artwork in the Tapestry Room.

available for a quick caffeine hit, and visitors have an array of breakfast/brunch/ lunch takeaway choices including tasty organic vegan and vegetarian offerings, hamburgers, Thaiinspired dishes as well as Sunshine Bakery pastries. Or simply get away from the crowds and relax by the canal, surrounded by trees and good vibes. To learn more about this fascinating place, Christiania guided tours are held at 1 and 3pm daily. But there’s certainly plenty more to explore in this city, which is home to Australia’s homegrown Princess Mary and her husband Frederik, the Crown Prince of Denmark. We found even a 48-hour Hop on Hop Off Boat ticket wasn’t enough time to quench our curiosity for this enticing capital but the routes do help visitors explore the well-defined

Colourful Christiania, a “Freetown’’ founded by squatters.

neighbourhoods and their distinct vibes. One of our favourite spots for a drink overwater on the canal happened to be at this same stop, at Christianshavns Badudlejning and Cafe. Apparently the watering hole has been welcoming guests since 1898 and it’s also right opposite our favourite bakery and cafe:

Lagkagehuset, where we couldn’t resist a coffee and cinnamon roll (kanel snegle) daily. Another boat tour guide tells us that while thousands of visitors to Copenhagen all want to see the Little Mermaid at Stop D, the relatively small sculpture also regularly makes Europe’s Most Disappointing Attractions List, alongside

Colourful Nyhavn of tourist brochure fame.

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It’s so commonplace that the tree has its own Facebook page: Missedthegoldenchurch. other statues such as Brussels’ Mannikin Pis. It’s still fun to tick it off the bucket list but try to pick your time (early morning or late afternoon) or you’ll be jostling for a picture with busloads of other tourists. While here, stroll along the top of the ramparts of one of the best-preserved forts in Europe at the Citadel (Kastellet), which forms the shape of a star or pentagon with bastions at its corners. The historic site, built in the 17th century to guard the approach to the harbour, these days is mostly a public park that attracts joggers and walkers around its large parade ground, barracks and various other buildings including the Citadel Church and a windmill. Christiansborg Palace (Departure Point A at Ved Stranden) is where we spent the better part of two hours, wandering the opulent, V1 - SECE01Z01MA

800-year-old seat of power. While visitors can choose to inspect The Royal Stables, The Royal Kitchen, Christiansborg Palace Chapel and the ruins under the palace, we devoted our time to The Royal Reception Rooms and The Great Hall with its 1100 years of Danish history laid out in tapestries. Queen Margrethe II carries out her official duties in these rooms: receiving guests, signing acts of Parliament into law, hosting banquets and gala dinners for state visits and other occasions. It’s an insight into a whole new world – one of parquetry floors, crystal chandeliers, and black-andgold colour schemes, magnificent antique sideboards and priceless ceramics and paintings. Among the friezes is one 35m long by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, done in

1812, of Alexandra the Great entering Babylon after his conquest of Persia. The Plate Room highlights the Flora Danica setting featuring lifesize plants in the botanical artwork (being porcelain, the plates are only used to serve dessert despite being a complete dinner set, because other courses are usually served on silver plates). The royal dining hall, where royal banquets were once a daily ritual for the court, is dominated by the massive oval mahogany table, able to seat 52 guests, but which is now seldom used. The eye-catching Tapestry Room is a pleasant surprise of history through colourful embroidery, with faces of The Beatles and Donald Duck, the Second World War and Berlin Wall among some of the 20thcentury inclusions. The Throne Room is another must-see for its gold and embossed burgundy thrones, Greek marble pilasters, with a ceiling painting by Danish artist Kraesten Iversen and walls clad in silk hangings of Danish coat of arms with three lions and nine hearts from Lyon in France. The king’s throne features two golden lions and the queen’s throne has two gilded mythical creatures called griffons. The thrones – historic relics from the time of absolute monarchy (1660 to 1848) – were nearly lost when the palace burned to the ground in 1884, but are not used by the Queen, who ascended to the throne the day after her father died in 1972. Take along an audio guide to explore on your own or join a guided tour of the palace. The Ofelia Plads Departure Point (or if we just turned left and walked from our Wakeup Copenhagen Borgergade hotel) is closest for Amalienborg Palace and Gardens and the spectacular Marble Church (Frederik’s Church) or further on to the beautiful Rosenborg Castle and The King’s Garden (which is home to the statue of Little Mermaid author and revered Dane Hans Christian Andersen). But Copenhagen’s bestknown attraction is Nyhavn (Departure Point B) – with its colourful 17th-century waterfront buildings that have been reimagined as restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels and specialty shops.

As a tourist mecca, Nyhavn is simply a fun place to be at any time of year. We happened to visit during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, which offers free and ticketed events throughout the cities at various venues including the little park surrounding Memorial Anchor at Nyhavn, where we spent a couple of hours listening to a hardworking trio play popular music hits from artists including our own Crowded House. Pull up a chair and gaze out over the passing parade of people and boats (including historic wooden ships) while downing a Carlsberg or two. But be warned: Copenhagen isn’t cheap by Aussie standards and an extended time here will cost you. We lapped up the twilight on our first night, paying just under $200 (915 Danish kroner) for a three-course meal for two. Our choices from a set menu led us to half-lobster entrees, main meals of eyefillet steak wrapped in bacon with hollandaise sauce and potatoes, and grilled salmon pasta with tomato, mushroom and basil, with crème brulees for dessert. With drinks (half-bottle of white Chilean wine and two schooners of Jacobson brown ale), the bill was worth it just once for the happy atmosphere and waterside panoramas begging to be photographed. For something a little more reasonable, cross the Inderhavnsbroen – a bridge that opened in 2016 connecting Nyhavn on the west side of the river to Christianshavn on the east – for a choice of bars and street food vendors including Gasoline Grill, Pasta Station, Sweet Treat and Fish & Chips in the Broens Skotebane food court, where it’s easy to strike up conversations with visitors from all over the globe at the picnic table seating. Other major attractions you will want to linger longer at on the boat tours are Tivoli Gardens (for its flowers, restaurants, rollercoasters and concerts), the Opera House, and the impressive waterfront Black Diamond extension to the Royal Danish Library (so nicknamed because of the polished black-granite cladding and irregular angles of the building).

Copenhagen viewed from the water gives another perspective of the city’s charms.

The eye-catching Our Saviour's Church has a distinctive “corkscrew” tower.

Four full days weren’t enough to conquer one of Europe’s oldest cities, established as a 10thcentury Viking fishing settlement. If you can avoid that tree near Our Saviour Church and any pricey tourist traps, you’ll find the city really can be like the song from my childhood: Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen Friendly old girl of a town ‘Neath her tavern light On this merry night Let us clink and drink one down To wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen Salty old queen of the sea Once I sailed away But I’m home today Singing Copenhagen, wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen for me.

DISCOVER IT COPENHAGEN Canal Tours Copenhagen, which operates open and covered boats, has been plying the Copenhagen harbour and canals since 1904. The Hop On Hop Off routes allow travellers to see old and new architecture and historic points of interest, with commentary by experienced guides. If you buy the Best Offer ticket, you can use the bus and the boat for different perspectives and sights on land and water. CONTACT Go to stromma.com/ copenhagen. ACCOMMODATION Wakeup Copenhagen Borgergade, 9 Borgergade, Copenhagen. Call (45) 44 800 000.

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WINDING BACK: Australian music icon John Williamson is set for his last big road tour.

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True-blue icon flags changes Alison Houston IT IS hard even for the man behind some of Australia’s most iconic songs to write something happy or uplifting in the face of Australia’s bushfire disaster. Instead, as John Williamson prepares for his Winding Back tour, he has penned a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a national day of mourning. “I’m devastated for the people who have lost everything, but I’m even more devastated that we have lost about 30 per cent of our koalas and other wildlife … I think that’s worthy of a day of mourning,” the long-time conservationist said. “What would Africa be without its elephants, its lions and giraffes? Our wildlife is what makes Australia Australia.” More than a billion creatures are believed to have been killed in the bushfires and scientists have warned entire species may be lost. As part of the big Australia Day Live concert

with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opera House forecourt, John planned to dedicate True Blue to the firefighters and people who have lost lives, loved ones and property, and Old Man Emu to the wildlife lost. Following on from the Tamworth Country Music Festival, it’s a big start to a year of touring that will take him from one end of the country to the other. Touring Turning 75 and celebrating 50 years since Old Man Emu brought him to prominence, John said he was not retiring but his Winding Back tour would be a final big year on the road. “I’m not ready to retire … I’ll do that if I start forgetting the words on stage … but right now I think I’m performing better than I ever have,” he said. He still plans to play festivals but is ready to take a step back from the constant touring that has seen him visit venues like Tweed Heads’ Twin Towns almost annually for decades. With more than 500 songs to his name, a two-

hour playlist isn’t easy to choose but John said there were some songs, like Cootamundra Wattle, that audiences wouldn’t let him leave the stage without singing. “I will be polishing up some of the old songs, and there will be some surprises,” he said. While the creator of some of the country’s unofficial anthems is still writing, for example about the spectre of a bushfire approaching and the Christchurch massacre, he said more sadness was not what audiences needed. That’s not to say he doesn’t have people crying to True Blue and Three Sons, but he said it was a case of balancing the tears and laughter, both of which were an expression of relief for people. “Music is always good because it’s such a positive, uplifting thing,” he said. Despite admitting it was hard to write a happy song at the moment, John said there were positive signs in global recognition at last of climate change as a reality and some of the world’s

biggest companies turning away from using fossil fuels. But he said this was one situation where the old Aussie adage of “she’ll be right” simply wasn’t enough. Themes that Endure John said writing about the ordinary and “telling it like it is” was what connected with audiences and made his music so enduring. “When you’re writing about the bush, a lot of those things don’t change that much – with farming there’s always battlers, there’s always highs and lows – the enduring character of Australia is the battler,” John said. “And it’s pretty obvious I don’t back off from being honest about Australian life.” The words of Rip Rip Woodchip are as relevant today as they were when the song was released in 1989: “What am I gonna do – what about the future? Gotta draw the line without delay Why shouldn’t I get emotional – the bush is sacred Ancient life will fade away.’’

John’s attitudes have not mellowed with age. In 2017, he wrote Pigs on the River to voice his concerns about the toll of illegal irrigation in the Murray-Darling, while Love is the Word dealt with the same-sex marriage debate and the rise of nationalism. “It just seems the world has gone a bit crazy, and the only thing that’s going to make a difference is caring for one another,” he said at the time. True Blue While using Sydney as a base, John said he constantly dreamt of getting back to his Queensland hinterland home at Springbrook, where he ultimately wants his ashes to be scattered. “I sit and watch the sun go down there every night I’m there and I pinch myself … I’m in paradise,” he said. He is looking forward to spending more time there, eating the plants he grows before the birds and bats get to them, making his chilli oil (which is “to die for”), perhaps some art, and planting as many koalafriendly trees as he can.

His interest in koalas, which saw him quietly donate $2000 to the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie when the bushfire crisis began in November, is nothing new. In 1986 he donated $300,000 in royalties from Goodbye Blinky Bill and audience collections to the hospital, which opened a John Williamson wing and made him a patron. It’s just one of his “True Blue Causes”, which also include Variety – the Children’s Charity, Life Education, Bush Heritage Australia, Wildlife Warriors, WIRES, Protect Our Coral Sea, Save the Bilby, and Landcare, while last December’s Hay Mate fundraiser with John Farnham raised $4.3 million for farmers. It is arguably because John Williamson is himself “true blue” that his songs have so accurately captured Australia and its people. The Winding Back tour includes Toowoomba on October 17 and Caloundra on October 25. The full list of concerts is at https://john williamson.com.au/tour/. SECE01Z01MA - V1

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Design blends aesthetic flair with practical ideals BRAND INSIGHTS A HOUSE showcasing everything you need for an accessible home – instead of stairs being the norm, ramps that everyone can use became the accepted everyday access, and stairs were an optional extra. It’s this sort of inclusive thinking that led Mobility 2 You owner Nicole DehringLoveridge to create a purpose-built Inclusive Technology Centre at Erina. It’s the first privately operated centre of its type in Australia – a one-bedroom house fitted out with a full range of equipment and appliances specifically for those with ageing, mobility, and disability challenges. But this is no clinical showcase; it has been

designed as a home, to be aesthetically pleasing and to show visitors what is possible. “It’s quite exciting, because it allows you to see first-hand how these products would actually look in your own home,” Nicole said. “It shows that products can be functional and practical, meet clinical needs as well as being aesthetically pleasing, so they don’t have that facility feel.” That’s important in encouraging people to actually get the products they need, rather than risking falling, for instance, or avoid having a white plastic shower chair in the bathroom. It’s also part of Mobility 2 You’s focus on recognising everyone’s unique individual requirements and ensuring

IT’S QUITE EXCITING, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO SEE FIRST-HAND HOW THESE PRODUCTS WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK IN YOUR OWN HOME. NICOLE DEHRING-LOVERIDGE

that their customers’ daily independence, dignity and comfort are paramount. Nicole said, for instance, a ceiling hoist need not be unsightly, a bed can be fully functional and adjustable like a hospital bed without looking like a hospital bed, and blinds can be fully automated. “What we want is for people to walk in and say, ‘That is such a nice room’, regardless of their needs,” she said. Included in the kitchen

are cupboards that can move down to bench level and return as required, and stone kitchen benchtops that can be lowered to suit someone in a wheelchair or raised for someone standing. In the bathroom, Caroma has a specific aged care range including sensor taps, and there are metal shower chairs that fold away attractively. Even lighting, Nicole said, could be worked remotely in the home, with no need for the constant white light of a hospital or, at the other end of the spectrum, dull light. “Some of these products you just won’t see anywhere else,” Nicole said. “We are really passionate that everyone should feel included. “It’s such a key factor for someone who

doesn’t have some of the abilities which are often taken for granted in designing a house. So whether you need to modify your existing house, are downsizing, moving into a retirement village, or building and want to be proactive in thinking about what you may need in the future, this will allow you to see what is possible.” Physiotherapists and occupational therapists are bringing clients to the centre, from 10am-2pm Monday to Friday, for individuals to visit or by appointment. The Erina home, at 247 Central Coast Hwy, is just around the corner from the Mobility 2 You shop at 2/12 Aston Rd. Phone 02 4367 5751 or go to mobility2you .com.au.

What to keep in mind when staying put is paramount GAIL FORRER

THE Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA) has released a report – Ageing in the Right Place, An Australian Perspective – which found that despite wanting to stay at home, only 17 per cent of older Australians surveyed thought they would require repairs or modifications to enable this. The result is that many people will be forced to make unwanted accommodation decisions under duress. The report identified seven needs of the “right’’ place: choice, safety, comfort, access, independence, connection, happiness. This feature offers you information on how you can address these factors to stay safe at home.

Embrace the Internet! It’s time to jump on the social media bandwagon! Let Seniors ease you into the exciting world of online. Get every news story - big or small, the latest exclusive offers, plus a whole heap more when you connect with Seniors on social media.

Opening Doors to the Seniors Lifestyle

Visit facebook.com/seniorsnews or seniorsnews.com.au

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Ideal boost to your mobility Acorn leads way with top-quality stairlift range BRAND INSIGHTS

HIGH PRAISE: Acorn Stairlifts’ products are the only ones to be awarded the prestigious Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation.

MAINTAINING dignity and independence in your lifestyle well into your twilight years is one of the best ways to age gracefully. What better way to maintain this than ensuring your home is equipped to your individual needs, providing you with a safe and accessible home life where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Adapting your home to suit your individual needs is a cost-effective and rewarding alternative to simply packing up and leaving – and it can be easier than you think. Seniors with mobility issues often find the relief of a stairlift in their home can

help alleviate joint pain and pain from arthritis, improving their quality of life. In fact, Acorn Stairlifts sell the only stairlift to be awarded the prestigious Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation. Stairlifts can be installed on a range of staircases including straight and curved staircases, indoors and outdoors, fitting to the stairs, not the wall, which typically means no structural changes to your home are required. Their quiet functionality means they are an unobtrusive way to enhance your home to fit your needs. Stairlifts can range in pricing, but cost considerations should also take into account the

financial benefits of avoiding an often costly and timeconsuming move. Simon Hughes of Acorn Stairlifts says the cost of moving may not compare to the benefits of independence and freedom that a stairlift will offer. “Acorn Stairlifts can provide a very affordable alternative to the hassle of selling up and moving home and in many cases funding is available to assist with the cost,” he says. To determine a quote for your stairlift, Acorn would send out a representative to your home to conduct a feasibility study. This is free and will also confirm requirements such as the available space for your stairlift to operate safely and comfortably.

Having Diﬃculty on the Stairs? Maintain your independence, let Acorn Stairlifts keep you safe to enjoy your freedom!

• The only company to supply and install our own stairlifts • For straight or curved staircases • Indoor and outdoor lifts • Free home assessment • Fast installation • Safe and reliable

1800 564 544 for your FREE Survey & Quote • www.acornstairlifts.com.au SECE01Z01MA - V1

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All about better lifestyle Relative Care can make a big difference with small changes BRAND INSIGHTS “PUTTING the Care back into Home Care” is the motto of the team at Relative Care. They are passionate about helping their clients to stay safe at home for as long as possible. Relative Care offers a comprehensive suite of home care assistance that is designed to help their clients with a wide range of daily living tasks such as health and nutrition, cooking, household chores and personal care. Their carers help out with taking clients to medical and dental appointments, shopping, paying bills as well as providing assistance with hobbies and recreational activities. The services are designed to be practical as well as engaging.

“A client we have recently started working with needed ramps in her home,’’ owners Denise Rooke and David Dunne said. “It was easy for us to make that happen. Her garden entry was a bit dangerous too, so we had it modified for her to a safe standard. “We were able to make another client’s life easier who has limited hand movement by sourcing special utensils … and a Parkinson’s client is living safer in his home now because we were able to arrange ramps to replace his steps. “We are available to chat with seniors and their family to discuss how we can assist them to happily remain safe in their own home. “Our commitment to you and your loved ones is to provide a safe and happy

CARING FOR CLIENTS: Relative Care Proprietors, David Dunne and Denise Rooke.

home environment with services provided to seniors on the basis of individual

needs while maintaining a safe space for our Carers.” • To find out more

information about how our friendly team can help you or your loved one, telephone

the Relative Care team on 02 4339 7446 or go to relativecare.com.au.

HOME CARE Do you or your loved one need some help to remain safe at home? • • • •

Personal Care Social Support Welfare Checks Domestic Assistance

• In-home Respite • Transport • Meal Preparation • Home Modifications

Contact Relative Care PHONE: (02) 4339 7446 enquiries@relativecare.com.au | www.relativecare.com.au Central Coast, NSW Aged Care & NDIS Approved

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Grandsitting benefits

Grandparents talk about why connections to grandchildren are important Tracey Johnstone FIVE days a week Margot Bain happily has her hands full, looking after her four very young grandchildren, taking them to the park, beach or just sitting reading to them. After missing out on spending a lot of time in her younger years in the company of her busy mother, Margot is determined to ensure she gives the best of her time and love to her grandchildren as she did to her four daughters. Actively engaging with the children gives Margot a great sense of connection to them and to her daughters. A recent German observation research project, published in BMJ Open, found Margot’s type of interaction with her grandchildren helps to reduce social isolation and loneliness in seniors. The researchers observed 3949 grandparents. Those who didn’t have an active caring role had higher average loneliness scores and were in regular contact with fewer people important to them. In Australia, about 40 per cent of children under the age of three are cared for by grandparents on a weekly basis, the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIF) reports. “It’s enhancing my social network,” Margot says. The researchers found caring for grandchildren could also expand the social circle of grandparents, allowing them opportunities to establish relationships with other parents or grandparents. Margot says she chats to old friends through Facebook, sharing among them grandchildren photos and stories, and she plans meet-ups at the local park with other grandparents. When her daughters were growing up, Margot met a lot of new friends through

GRAND CARING: Margot Bain (Nonna Gogo) with daughters and grandkids Annie, Henry, Matteo, Holly and Toto.

her local playgroup. Once her grandchildren are old enough, she looks forward to repeating this experience through the playgroup and then school near her northern Sydney home. Margot knows while the children are young, she needs to be available almost full time. But, after six hours each day, “It’s enough for me as I get so tired after that”, Margot, 60, admits. She promises herself Sunday off and fits in singing with the Big Sing choir and creating stunning painted ceramics. Grandparent caring often doesn’t stop once a grandchild starts school. The AIFS reports the most common type of nonparental care for children under 13 years is grandparents (18.6 per cent) followed by before - and after-school care (14.8 per cent).

As far as Ivanka Boyd, who is still working full time, is concerned, it will go on until her two grandsons have finished their schooling. Since the boys were born, Ivanka has religiously been looking after them every second weekend. “I cook them healthy food,” Ivanka said. “I am not a lolly and soft-drink grandma. I am the health food and culture grandma. “I have given them what is lacking at home – lots of special love and attention, good food and culture. “I take them out, whether they like it or not, to museums and art galleries and teach them general knowledge.” Now the boys are in their mid-teens she is enjoying their company over restaurant meals. Ivanka also attends some of their sporting matches where she actively talks to

other grandparents and parents. “I have the personality where I will interact with a telegraph pole, if necessary,” she admits. The researchers suggest

that by providing grandchild care, grandparents may boost their self-esteem and may develop positive relationships with their children and grandchildren. They also suggest that

Bryce and Phoenix with their grandmother, Ivanka Boyd.

this positive impact might wear off if grandparents are called on too often to step in and care for a grandchild, especially if this interferes with other aspects of their lives.

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Housie a perfect match Game ticks all the boxes for elderly and helicopter service BRAND INSIGHTS HOUSIE is a favourite pastime for many people of the Central Coast region but recent research is showing that it also yields great health and lifestyle benefits. Research by University of Southampton has shown that people who engage with cognitive activities achieved better results in tests of memory, speed and cognitive function than people who did not. It also showed significant improvement in hand-eye coordination arising from the speed of the game and its repetition. Enhanced thinking skills have also shown some benefits for elderly players with dementia issues including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The research also found playing Housie could

promote happier and healthier lifestyle choices including building and maintaining friendships. The community liaison officer for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Shannon Stanton, said hundreds of people attended weekly charity games across the region. “We know many people who play Housie with us choose the pastime as part of their weekly activities as a way of connecting with others. Many live alone and look forward to the opportunity to socialise and participate in mental stimulation,’’ Shannon said. “Many players believe that socialisation and cognitive stimulation can help them to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. “A new and exciting addition to modern Housie games is the use of technology such as

ON CALL: Housie games help keep the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service in the air.

electronic devices, which provide greater opportunity for people with special needs and the elderly. “It can also help expose these people to technology

that can benefit many other aspects of their lives.” Housie games are held across the region and many of them raise funds for local charities including the

DESIGNER COMFORT 4353 4144 LA

ZBOY GALLERY

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Cash Housie games are held at The Entrance Leagues Club, Mingara Recreational Club,

Picture: Contributed

Doyalson Wyee RSL Club and The Halekulani Bowling Club. For more, email enquiries@rescuehelicopter. com.au or freecall 1800 155 155.

BIG NEWS NORDIC STUDIO

(next door to planet Fitness)

Providing luxury comfort to the Central Coast V1 - SECE01Z01MA

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OpENING OUR NEW StORE th FRIDAY 18 of Feb Shop 4A pRImEWESt 356 manns Rd West Gosford

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Steps to avoid falls

Free program will help you to better stay on your feet BRAND INSIGHTS IF YOU’RE worried about falling or know someone who is, come along to the free Stepping On Falls Prevention program. The initiative of the NSW Department of Health is presented by Adssi In-home Support. The free seven-week program is designed for older people who are living independently in the community and who have fallen or are fearful of falling. Participation in Stepping On gives older people the confidence to undertake their everyday activities more safely and independently while reducing their risk of falling. If you’ve had a fall, or are you’re worried about falling, the free program will help you build skills, strength and

confidence to prevent future falls. Co-ordinator Fay Huckstepp said participants would learn exercises to improve strength and balance and practical ways to reduce the risk of falling. “The program is very practical, as well as a great way to meet new people,” Ms Huckstepp said. The next free seven-week program will commence in March: • Thursday, March 5 – Thursday, April 23 • 10.30am – 12.30pm • Wagstaffe Community Hall, 55 Wagstaffe Ave, Wagstaffe Potential participants must meet certain criteria, the main ones being: • Must be 65 years and older and living at home. • Are able to walk independently or with a walking stick.

VALUABLE TIPS: Adssi In-home Support is presenting a free program on falls prevention.

• Are fearful of falling or have fallen recently. The program is not

suitable for people with dementia or neuromuscular conditions.

Registration is essential for the free program. For registrations or to

Picture: Contributed

obtain more information, phone Adssi on 1300 578 478.

Scene set for seniors’ flicks THE APIA Young at Heart Seniors Film Festival, presented by Palace Cinemas, returns for its 15th edition from February 19 to March 4. The festival will light up cinema screens across 14 venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and, for the first time, Byron Bay. The only nationwide film festival in Australia with a specially curated cinema program for film lovers aged 60 and up, this year’s showcase will satisfy all tastes with intense dramas to charming comedies and fabulous thrillers. As a bonus, an afternoon tea event opens the festival, to present the world premiere of Never Too Late. This hilarious comedy featuring Oscar nominees Jackie Weaver and James Cromwell, and follows four war buddies who are faced with a new mission – to break out of their nursing home. Further highlights include the Australian premiere of two films: Out of Blue, the taut crime drama from acclaimed British filmmaker Carol Morley; and Repeat Attenders, an in-

sightful look into the crazy world of Broadway superfans. Additional films include: a restored retrospective of Brief Encounter, the romantic drama winning best feature film at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival; along with Australian productions The Taverna, a black comedy by award-winning Australian writer/director Alkinos Tsilimidos; and Hearts and Bones, an Australian war drama nominated for best film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019. Suspenseful and delightful, the APIA Young at Heart Seniors Film Festival will light up silver screens and imaginations this year for two weeks, only at Palace Cinemas. Whatever your favourite genre, the festival promises to have something special for you. It’s a treat for older movie lovers to savour. For a full list of films and sessions, go to youngatheart .net.au/. To follow all festival updates, visit the APIA Young at Heart Seniors Film Festival Facebook page: at face book.com/youngatheartff/. SECE01Z01MA - V1

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ON BOARD WITH CHANGE: On-demand bus collection points can be transport hubs or personal locations.

Picture: Contributed

On-demand bus hailed as next level of service TRACEY JOHNSTONE IN the US’s Arlington, where there is a population of 400,000, their fixed bus service has been fully replaced by an on-demand system. And now Australia is preparing for similar changes in regulated public transport as on-demand transport technology provider Via moves into Australia. Via, an international company, has its product in 20 countries. In Australia it’s already being used in Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Adelaide and northern and northwest Sydney. Rigid transport routes will disappear and dynamic routes that improve the efficiency of a public bus system are the future. V1 - SECE01Z01MA

Via’s Andy Ambrosius said many of Australia’s elderly were serviced by community transport. “They don’t really use any form of technology,” Mr Ambrosius said. “There is very little flexibility. Via has engaged with dozens of community transport providers who are keen to organise their operation and provide new service offerings.” Will there be fewer scheduled bus services in some areas? Via spokesman Zack Wasserman said: “I think it’s already an established pattern. “In places where fixedschedule bus services are inefficient because there isn’t a lot of passenger uptake, we are seeing agencies choosing to retire those routes and replace them with on-demand service that is more efficient in terms

PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO REQUEST A RIDE EXACTLY WHEN THEY WANT ONE RATHER THAN SCHEDULING THAT RIDE IN ADVANCE. of vehicle utilisation and provides a better quality of service for the people who demand that service.” Currently being used are small buses or vans, but the Via technology is “vehicle agnostic”, Mr Wasserman says. “People are able to request a ride exactly when they want one rather than scheduling that ride in advance,” Mr Wasserman said. “What that means is you take out your smartphone, download the app, then you

say where you are and where you want to go. The vehicle is dispatched and picks you up. “It takes you to your destination and makes short stops along the way to pick up and drop off other people.” It sounds a bit like a mashup of Uber and the regular bus service. The difference is its on-demand, with a much greater saving to users. Collection points can be transport hubs or personal locations. It really is the next generation of public transport. Take Cooee Busways in Sydney. They are a Via partner contracted by Transport NSW to transport locals within the service area to Rouse Hill and Tallawong metro stations and for those wanting to connect with trains travelling to Bella Vista, Norwest, and the Hills Showground metro stations.

It’s a “first/last mile’’ service – instead of driving their car to a transport hub, school or nonemergency medical location, travellers hail the on-demand service to travel directly to that destination. Because the service is ondemand, it replaces the fixedrun public bus, which may be moving through the suburbs when there is no demand at that time for that service. The Via app is able to be configured to suit the needs of the transport partner. For example, it can have the option of taking ride requests from people who don’t use smartphones. Instead, they can phone a call centre to make a booking. Disability and mobility equipment requirements can be noted in a user’s profile so that each time they make a booking, that physical

requirement is built into the booking. On Sydney’s northern beaches, Keolis Downer has been trialling the technology using multi-person vehicles. It was introduced when BLine was launched and operates between Palm Beach and North Narrabeen, connecting customers directly from their homes to Pittwater’s three B-Line hubs, at Mona Vale, Warriewood and Narrabeen. Coffs Harbour’s Woopi Connect trial on-demand service works across two zones, Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm. It picks travellers up at or near their home sand takes them to any destination within the zone or into the second zone. The Concession cost is between $2.10 and $3.30.

Money

MONEYSMART.GOV.AU NO ONE wants to think about death, but it’s important to decide what will happen to your assets when you die. Find out how you can give instructions to your family about your legal and medical preferences should you fall ill or lose the capacity to make those decisions yourself. The issues to consider are: estate plans; wills; testamentary trusts; powers of attorney; your legal and financial housekeeping; and estate plans. Estate plans: An estate plan includes your will as well as any other directions on how you want your assets distributed after your death. It includes documents that govern how you will be cared for, medically and financially, if you become unable to make your own decisions in the future. You must be over 18 and mentally competent when you

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Estate planning ensures your wishes carried out draw up the legal agreements that form your estate plan. Key documents might include: a will, superannuation death nominations; testamentary trust; powers of attorney, power of guardianship, and anticipatory direction. If you have made a binding nomination in your super or insurance policies, the beneficiaries named in those policies will override anyone mentioned in your will. If you have a family trust, the trust continues and its assets will also be distributed according to the trust deed, no matter what is written in your will. Wills: A will takes effect when you die. It can cover things like how your assets will be shared, who will look after your children if they are still young, what trusts you want established, how much money you’d like donated to charities and even instructions about

your funeral. Your will can be written and updated by private trustees and solicitors, who usually charge a fee. Some Public Trustees will not charge to prepare or update your will if you nominate them to be the executor of your will. Other Public Trustees may only exempt you from charges if you are a pensioner or aged over 60. If you die intestate or your will is invalid, an administrator appointed by the court pays your bills and taxes from your assets, then distributes the remainder, based on a predetermined formula, which may not be how you intended your assets to be distributed. If you die intestate and don’t have any living relatives, your estate is paid to the state government. Testamentary trusts: A testamentary trust is a trust set out in your will that

only takes effect when you die. Testamentary trusts are usually set up to protect assets. Here are some reasons why you would create one: A. The beneficiaries are minors (under 18-21 years old). B. The beneficiaries have diminished mental capacity. C. You do not trust the beneficiaries to use their inheritance wisely. D. You do not want family assets split as part of a divorce settlement. E. You do not want family assets to become part of bankruptcy proceedings. A trust will be administered by a trustee who is usually appointed in the will. A trustee must look after the assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries until the trust expires. Powers of attorney: Appointing someone as your power of attorney gives them the legal authority to look after your affairs on your

behalf. Powers of attorney depend on which state or territory you are in: they can refer to just financial powers, or they might include broader guardianship powers. You will need to check with your local Public Trustee. The different types of power of attorney are: A. General power of attorney is where you appoint someone to make financial and legal decisions for you, usually for a specified period of time, for example if you’re overseas and unable to manage your legal affairs at home. This person’s appointment becomes invalid if you lose the capacity to make decisions for yourself. B. Enduring power of attorney is where you appoint a person to make financial and legal decisions for you if you lose the capacity to make your own decisions. C. Medical power of

attorney can make only medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so yourself. You can prepare a few other documents to help your legal appointees and family as you grow older, including an enduring power of guardianship that gives a person the right to choose where you live and make decisions about your medical care and other lifestyle choices, if you lose the capacity to make your own decisions. Anticipatory direction records your wishes about medical treatment in the future, in case you become unable to express those wishes yourself. An advance healthcare directive (or living will) documents note how you would like your body to be dealt with if you lose the capacity to make those decisions yourself.

Reverse mortgage pros, cons EVER wondered about how a reverse mortgage works? A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that allows you to borrow money using the equity in your home as security. The loan can be taken as a lump sum, a regular income stream, a line of credit or a combination of these options. Interest is charged like any other loan, except you don’t have to make repayments while you live in your home – the interest compounds over time and is added to your loan balance. You remain the owner of your house and can stay in it for as long as you want. You must repay the loan in full (including interest and fees) when you sell or move out of your home or, in most cases, if you move into aged care, or die. While no income is required to qualify, credit providers are required by law to lend you money responsibly, so not everyone will be able to obtain this

type of loan. The risks of a reverse mortgage An ASIC review of reverse-mortgage lending in Australia found that borrowers can struggle to recognise the long-term risks of their loan. By taking out a reverse mortgage, you could face financial difficulty later in life, because: 1. Interest rates and ongoing fees are generally higher than the average home loan. 2. Your debt will increase as interest rates rise on your loan. 3. The effect of compound interest means your debt can increase quickly. 4. If the value of your home does not rise, or it falls in value, you will have less money for your future needs, like aged care or medical treatment. 5. The loan may affect your pension eligibility. 6. If you have a fixed-

interest rate loan then the costs to break your agreement can be very high. Also keep in mind that if you are the sole owner of the property and someone lives with you, that person may not be able to stay when you move out or die (in some circumstances). Reverse mortgage income stream You may come across companies that offer you an income stream in return for the capital growth on your home (a property option). While the cashflow may look attractive now, the income you receive will probably be much lower than the capital appreciation of your home, which you are forgoing. These types of offers are unlikely to be covered by credit or financial services laws, meaning you will not have access to important consumer protections, such as free external dispute resolution. So make sure you research all your options

before committing. How much can you borrow with a reverse mortgage? The older you are, the more you can borrow. Different lenders may have different policies about how much they will let you borrow. As a general guide, if you are 60, the maximum amount you can borrow is likely to be 15-20 per cent of the value of your home. You can usually add 1 per cent for each year older than 60. That means if you are 70, the maximum amount you could borrow would be about 25 to 30 per cent. The minimum amount you can borrow may depend on the provider; it could be as low as $10,000. Keep in mind that if you borrow the maximum amount now, you may not have access to any more money later. How much will a reverse mortgage cost? The cost of the loan depends on the interest rate and fees. The main issue is

that as the interest compounds, the debt will grow rapidly. Negative equity protection On September 18, 2012, the government introduced statutory “negative equity protection’’ on all new reverse-mortgage contracts. This means you cannot end up owing the lender more than your home is worth (the market value or equity). When the loan contract ends and your home is sold, the lender will receive the proceeds of the sale and you cannot be held liable for any debt in excess of this (except in certain circumstances such as fraud or misrepresentation). Of course, where your home sells for more than the amount owed to the lender, you or your estate will receive the extra funds. If you entered into a reverse mortgage before September 18, 2012, check your contract to see if you are protected in

circumstances where your loan balance ends up being more than the value of your property. Questions to ask the reverse-mortgage provider Before you sign on the dotted line, check the following. 1. Reverse mortgage information statement Do you understand how a reverse mortgage works? Your credit provider or credit assistance provider (such as a broker) must give you a reverse mortgage information statement. The information statement includes: 1. Details about how a reverse mortgage works. 2. How costs are calculated. 3. What to consider before taking out a reverse mortgage. 4. Useful contacts for more information. 5. Reverse-mortgage projections. (Asic: SmartMoney site) SECE01Z01MA - V1

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FINANCIAL FITNESS: The latest National Seniors Australia report Retirement Income Worry: Who Worries and Why? is one of the largest comprehensive surveys of older Australians. The full report is available at nationalseniors.com.au/ RetirementIncomeWorry.

Picture: Contributed

How to protect your assets from expensive mistakes Check your insurances Liability insurance is a must if you want to safeguard your assets in the event that you need to pay compensation. Separate business and personal assets If you are a business owner and your family home is held in your name, it may be at risk from bankruptcy

TWO-THIRDS of retirees who have been retired five years expect to spend their savings over the next 20 years. The latest research from National Seniors Australia surveyed levels and causes of worry among Australian retirees. The survey found that most older Australians (53 per cent) are worried about outliving their savings, with women (59 per cent) more worried than men (47 per cent). People without any super reported the highest levels of worry, with 23 per cent worrying frequently. Many of these people are likely to be on the full age pension, with one in three worried about outliving their savings. National Seniors CEO Professor John McCallum said these findings illustrated the extent of the worry felt by older Australians about their financial security. “Australia has one of the best pension systems in the world, yet Australian retirees are still showing high levels of worry that they will outlive their savings,” Professor McCallum said. “This shows a need for better advice and education to help older Australians manage their savings so they can have the confidence to spend their money and enjoy retirement.” Why are women more worried than men? Not only are retired

women more worried than men, they are also more likely to be relying on the age pension as their main source of income. Women are also more likely to have less than $500,000 in retirement savings, which is below the ASFA comfortable standards. Divorced women are among the most worried about their financial situation in retirement. Challenger’s Chairman of Retirement Income Jeremy Cooper said disparities in earnings and working patterns had disadvantaged women and their potential to accumulate wealth over their lifetimes. “Super not only provides a reliable source of income, but also reduces worry for older Australians. On average, women live three years longer than men, but our super system doesn’t cater for this difference in longevity,’’ Mr Cooper said. “What this and other National Seniors research clearly highlights is that people treat the age pension and their own savings differently. They fear running out of their own money, even though the safety net of the age pension will be there for them. This sends a strong signal that people worry about being solely reliant on the age pension. “It’s therefore important that super funds explore ways of providing more lifetime income to their

members.” The research also found that having a reliable source of income that would last for life is a key factor for worrying less, with those people with a defined benefit pension or a lifetime annuity reporting the lowest levels of worry. This is consistent with previous NSA research that found 84 per cent of retirees said regular and constant income in retirement was very important to them. About the report: The latest National Seniors Australia report Retirement Income Worry: Who Worries and Why? is one of the largest comprehensive surveys of older Australians. The study surveyed 3584 Australians aged over 50 on their behaviour and views across a range of topics including lifestyle, health and wellbeing. The research is a joint partnership between National Seniors Australia, a peak body for older Australians, and Challenger Limited. The full report is available at nationalseniors.com.au/ RetirementIncomeWorry. About National Seniors Australia: National Seniors is the leading independent advocacy group for older Australians. It has more than 200,000 members, customers and supporters. It fights for a fair go for seniors on many issues.

home is to give majority ownership of the home to a person who is not an owner of the business, typically a spouse. Create a trust Trusts can be beneﬁcial asset protection strategies, as you are transferring ownership of an asset away from yourself and into a legal structure, so the asset is not yours to lose in the event you are sued. Summary Structuring your assets the right way is one of the most important things you can do to protect your hard-earned wealth. As these strategies can be complex, always seek the help of a professional such as your ﬁnancial adviser. Please contact RI Advice RetireInvest so we can help. Chase Financial Planning Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative of RI Advice Group Pty Limited (ABN 23 001 774 125), AFSL 238429. This editorial does not consider your personal circumstances and is general advice only.

Worried about the proposed changes and the “noise” in the media? Concerned about your pension going forward? Need to protect your family? Your first appointment is free, so take control, ask for professional advice!

Our Financial Planning Services include; Life Insurances Superannuation Aged Care Planning Lake Macquarie 02 4973 4699

* Glenda Chase and Nick Arkoudis are Authorised Representatives of

Investments Retirement Planning Wealth Management www.rimorisset.com.au Email: admin@chasefinancial.com.au RI Advice Group Pty Ltd ABN 23 001 774 125 AFSL 238429

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Retirees’ fears over savings

or litigation procedures. One way to protect your

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Across 1 Which ocean earned its name by giving explorer Magellan a calm crossing? (7) 4 What is a trimmed tree trunk tossed in Highland games? (5) 7 Which city was formerly named Christiania, then Kristiania? (4) 8 Which world heavyweight champion boxer successfully defended his title 25 times? (3,5) 10 What words from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew are the title of a 1948 Cole Porter musical? (4,2,4) 12 Whose 1969 drowning (__ __ Kopechne) led to senator Ted Kennedy appearing in court? (4,2) 13 What does the German word Panzer mean? (6) 15 Which ﬁlm by Wallace and Gromit’s creator is set on a 1950s farm? (7,3) 18 Who reigned over France for 72 of his almost 77 years? (5,1,1,1) 19 Which river is closest to Shakespeare’s birthplace? (4) 20 Large earthenware beer mug (5) 21 What is the capital of Uganda? (7)

8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15

17 18

Down 1 What word for cheap wine originated in Australia, probably a corruption of the word blanc? (5) 2 What is the most common manifestation of the herpes virus? (4,4) 3 What prevent an aircraft’s wheels from moving when parked? (6) 4 What describes the abrupt complete cessation of the use of an addictive drug? (4,6) 5 Which snooker ball scores five points? (4) 6 What is a stealer of livestock called? (7) 9 Who was the first British woman to be granted a ground aeroplane engineer’s licence? (3,7) 11 What is the capital of Liberia? (8) 12 Hit and span, ringtaw and moshie are variations of what game? (7) 14 Who (Jacob __) manufactured the first electric razors? (6) 16 What is a person skilled in ninjutsu called? (5) 17 What word is applied to a courier of illegal drugs? (4)

39 1/2

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

DOUBLECROSS

8 9

Find a ﬁnished crossword by deleting one of the two letters in each divided square.

12 13

20 21

Down 1. Personiﬁed (8) 2. Reveals, makes visible (5) 4. Moose (3) 5. Echoed (12) 6. Relating to wedlock (7) 7. Sketched (4) 8. Miser (5,7) 12. Unit of geological time (5) 13. Forgave (8) 15. Give off (7) 19. Subject (5) 20. As a result (4) 22. Tin (3)

Across 1. Recedes (4) 3. Thickly covered with dirt (8) 9. Frenzied, out of control (7) 10. Edge (5) 11. Break apart (12) 14. Look at (3) 16. Lying face down (5) 17. Meadow (3) 18. Timid (5-7) 21. Moor (5) 22. Devalue (7) 23. Cursing (8) 24. Move quickly (4)

SOLUTIONS

5x5 T A S T Y

ALPHAGRAMS: KILLS, LAPSED, MANURES, NEUROSIS, OUTSPOKEN. GK CROSSWORD Across: 1 Paciﬁc, 4 Caber, 7 Oslo, 8 Joe Louis, 10 Kiss Me Kate, 12 Mary Jo, 13 Armour, 15 Chicken Run, 18 Louis XIV, 19 Avon, 20 Stein, 21 Kampala. Down: 1 Plonk, 2 Cold sore, 3 Chocks, 4 Cold turkey, 5 Blue, 6 Rustler, 9 Amy Johnson, 11 Monrovia, 12 Marbles, 14 Schick, 16 Ninja, 17 Mule. QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Ebbs 3. Begrimed 9. Berserk 10. Verge 11. Disintegrate 14. Eye 16. Prone 17. Lea 18. Faint-hearted 21. Heath 22. Cheapen 23. Swearing 24. Scud. Down: 1. Embodied 2. Bares 4. Elk 5. Reverberated 6. Marital 7. Drew 8. Penny pincher 12. Epoch 13. Pardoned 15. Emanate 19. Topic 20. Thus 22. Can.

Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram of the letters beside it, and the ﬁve solutions are sequential. For example, if the ﬁve-letter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.

SKILL PLEADS SURNAME RESINOUS SOUP TOKEN

5x5 C

R P

R C

R S

Insert the missing letters to make ten words — ﬁve reading across the grid and ﬁve reading down.

Note: more than one solution may be possible.

S N

TODAY: Good 12 Very Good 15 Excellent 18

viper visor

A R E N A

E M

R E C U R

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre

A P A R T

WORD GO ROUND

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C O M B S

DOUBLECROSS

SUDOKU

ALPHAGRAMS

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