Seniors News Mid North Coast February-March 2020

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FEBRUARY, 2020//

INDEX 4-5 12 13 14-15 17-24 25 31 39

Cover Story – Reg Richardson Community Notes What’s On Feature – War Brides Feature – The Links Over 55’s Lifestyle Community Feature – Stay Safe At Home Wanderlust Puzzles

08 Master ventriloquist David Strassman is back.

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Here’s positive news Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor Greetings friends.

If you are looking for some good news this month, then look no further, you have found it.

Seniors News journalists Tracey Johnstone and Tania Phillips has gone to town to locate and write 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 doublepage 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 Jackie is looking for any of the women left or their families, to chat about their life journey.

We also give you a heads-up with a 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 transport and I’m looking forward to seeing how this latest enterprise works for us.

Additionally, we have two informative features - one is about the opening of a fabulous new lifestyle community and the other shares valuable information about what’s available to ensure you are stay safe in your home.

Enjoy the read.

SENIORS

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 or (07) 5435 3200 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 “Coffs Harbour and Clarence Seniors Newspaper”.

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.

New look at age-old ways of saying goodbye.

Government to cover fire victims’ council rates THE NSW Government has announced six months of council rates relief to ease the burden for anyone who has lost their home or small business in the recent bushfires.

Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said this was another way in which the NSW Government was doing all it could to help local communities recover and rebuild from the devastating bushfires.

“Locals who lost their

homes will not have to pay rates on a home which has been lost in the fires,” Mr Singh said.

“The last thing our community needs right now is more financial stress, which is why the NSW Government is doing everything to ease the pressure by funding council rates and picking up the bill for the clean-up, at no cost to owners.

“Our community, our emergency services, our

volunteers and our farmers have been outstanding throughout the fires, and we need to be as vigilant in recovery as they are in the face of disaster.

“The NSW Government is committed to cutting red tape and reducing the financial burden for individuals who have lost their homes.

“We stand ready to do all we can to help bushfireaffected communities so they can recover and rebuild

THE LAST THING OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW IS MORE FINANCIAL STRESS. GURMESH SINGH

as quickly as possible.”

The NSW Government will cover the full cost of council rates for the third and fourth quarters of this financial year for residents

and farmers who have lost their homes, and business owners whose properties have been destroyed beyond repair by the bushfires.

Affected residents who have lost their homes and small businesses will soon be able to take their council rates notice to a Service NSW centre and the Government will cover the cost.

Anyone who has already paid their rates will receive a

refund. Anyone needing bushfire help is encouraged to phone 13 77 88 or go to service.nsw.gov.au.

In some long-overdue good news for the state, the NSW Rural Fire Service says the Lindfield Park Road fire, which has been burning in the Port Macquarie region for the past 210 days, has been declared out.

The fire burnt through 858 hectares, 400 of which was peat soils under the surface.

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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

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

Dornan (AM) helps men with prostate cancer share experiences and seek support. He designed a program to treat

incontinence after prostate cancer treatment.

• Victoria – Dr Raymond Sheuy (APM), a former Victorian police officer and

assistant commissioner for traffic and operations, is a consultant on road safety and operational safety in Australia and worldwide.

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Pockets as deep as Reg’s big heart TRACEY JOHNSTONE

WHEN it comes to choosing a philanthropic project, Reg Richardson (AM) looks to his “emotional quotient” to gauge what 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

Coaxing millions from the nation’s wealthy to benefit our most in need 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 was 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, 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.”

I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT WHATEVER I DO. 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 $750 million.

“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 walking and talking, the task of finding suitable projects was handed over to Reg. A casual introduction by a mate to melanoma surgeon Associate Professor John Stretch, who was eagerly seeking funding for melanoma research, 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

PASSION PROJECTS: Reg Richardson at home with his art and rugby colours.

months later he went back to Greg with a proposal for $30 million to build a centre for melanoma specialists.

“Greg provided the dough, I provided the energy to get it all going because that’s who I am, and John provided the

medical advice,” Reg said.

The result: 10 years down the track and $40 million later, Reg has retired as board chairman for Melanoma Institute of Australia and the Mater Hospital owns the asset, used for critical world-

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IT’S THERE FOREVER AND ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A CURE FOR MELANOMA.

recognised 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”.

“I said (to Greg), ‘If we were Aboriginal, we’d be dead’.” Greg agreed that was a compelling reason.

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.

“I told each university the money had to be invested at a rate of 9 per cent (the rates were 15 per cent at the time) in perpetuity and the capital to remain untouched for them to invest wisely so that they increased the $10 million to a higher figure.

“In most cases it’s sitting at around 12 and they live on the $900,000 (interest) annually, then go out to get more dough.”

His passion runs deep Reg’s attachment to the arts started when he was 28.

An artist friend, who ultimately became an art critic for a Sydney newspaper, opened Reg’s eyes to this world. Reg attended many art openings and read all his friend had to write.

Reg Richardson and Shaun Ewen pictured at Reg's home in Mosman.

“I then started to buy my own works, including eight of my friend’s,” Reg said.

From there his collection grew and hasn’t stopped growing.

“One was Tracey Moffatt, an Aboriginal photographer. I have the most of any person in the world, I am told.”

By the time Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art opened, Reg was recognised as an art collector and was asked to be the president of its fundraising foundation.

“I don’t do the openings now,” he said. “I see every show but go privately.”

Healthy mind and body Keeping up with his philanthropic responsibilities means also keeping fit. The trim Reg walks every day as fast he can, but on the flat.

The hills around his Mosman home are just too hard.

He says playing golf is definitely out, but spending his free time advising the local Mosman Art Gallery is in.

“I would like to do smaller things that make a bigger impact,” he said.

The rewards for Reg are difficult to articulate. The straight-talking, switched-on man with a raucous laugh

Pictures: Attila Szilvasi

draws breath when asked what continues to drive him.

Like Greg, the big-hearted man is quietly modest about his contributions.

Red and green forever Reg might not have sporting talent, but that hasn’t stopped him from following the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Red-and-green glasses, rabbits on the side table, a red-and-green miniature scarf around the neck of a favourite sculpture. He wears his passion on his sleeve.

“I am passionate about whatever I do,” Reg said.

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Tireless servant’s top gong in Armidale and even Sydney, both when she was living in Guyra and when she moved to Coffs 12 years ago.

But it was her association with the Lions club, which she joined five years ago, that was a big part of why she was honoured on Australia Day. Living by the adage “you’re only as young as you feel”, the 83-year-old and her Lions friends, backed by donations from the public and money raised by the monthly Lions barbecue at Woolworths and other fundraisers, have been regular visitors to droughtand fire-affected towns.

Believing in a hand-up not

COMMUNITY-MINDED: The nominees for this year's Coffs Harbour Awards (from left): Citizen of the Year winner Jean Vickery with Michael Bourne, Warren Hollyman (representing Sawtell Fun Day), Olissa Onley, Kaleb Darbin, Emma Millie Serisier, Dean Evers, Nora Brooks, Teo Ross, Nathan Stary-Wynn, Heather Orme and Barbara Haigh.

Picture: Coffs Harbour City Council

a hand-out, Jean and her crew have been heading out to help others.

“We bought 20 tanks for Nymbodia,” she said, explaining one of the club’s recent projects, where they were able to replace water tanks melted in the fires and allow people to return home. Setting up a

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Jean said she was one of the first women in the Woolgoolga Lions and wasn’t sure she would fit in at first. However, she is now heading towards her second term as president and loving every minute of it. She said

the club was always looking for new members.

Twelve local nominees were recognised for their achievements and community spirit in the annual Australia Day Awards this year, with 60 people from 19 countries also receiving their Australian citizenship on the day.

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laundromat in her former home town, droughtaffected Guyra, was another project close to her heart – especially after witnessing so many people without water, including a single mother of four.

“People wanted to donate (washing) machines from here but we wanted to make

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VOLUNTEERING has proven addictive for Coffs Harbour Citizen of the Year Jean Vickery.

Jean, current Woolgoolga Lions Club president, was named Citizen of the Year at a ceremony in front of family and friends at the Botanic Gardens in Coffs on Australia Day. “I’ve been volunteering since I was 22,” she said.

“I love putting a smile on people’s faces.”

Her first volunteering job was in a school canteen but since then she has had a long association with the Red Cross and many organisations aimed at helping patients to hospitals

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Art-felt attitude to ageing Festival rich in activities aimed at feeding the mind and spirit THE Mid North Coast Creative Ageing Festival is an innovative annual event promoting the importance of engaging in the arts and creative activities to foster good health and wellbeing as people age.

The Fourth Mid North Coast Festival began across the region on February 10 and will continue through to the 28th.

Arts Mid North Coast executive director Kevin Williams said the events on the program included exhibitions, workshops, film screenings, performance and literature.

Still to come is a performance by the Wednesday Morning Group – consisting mostly of spritely seniors – from 6pm at the South West Roxy Cinema on February 21.

The Port Macquarie

museum is hosting Out Of Frame, featuring artworks

by Manning Support Service clients, Port Macquarie U3A textile and fibre artists and Port Macquarie U3A acrylic artists. Entry is free for all seniors.

The festival has been inspired by the creative ageing festivals in Ireland, Wales and Scotland and is being promoted during the NSW Seniors Festival.

It is designed to provide something for all tastes no matter which region you’re in.

For details on all of the other activities during the festival, head to https:// artsmidnorthcoast.com/ creative-ageing-festival/.

Special mention The Mid North Coast Creative Ageing Festival has been recognised in a book

SPRITELY SINGERS: The Wednesday Morning Group (Kempsey) will perform at South West Rocks this week as part of the Mid North Coast Creative Ageing Festival.

Picture: Contributed

published by London’s Baring Foundation, an independent group looking to advance human rights and promote inclusion for older people.

The book, Around the World in 80 Creative Ageing Projects, showcases 80

projects around the world, offering all forms of creative arts activities for older people from Europe and Asia through to the US, Australia and New Zealand.

The local festival is one of only six Australian projects mentioned in the book, a

fact not lost on Kevin Williams.

“To be showcased along with projects from major bodies such as the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art and the Queensland Ballet highlights how community-based programs

can still make a major contribution to innovation in creative ageing,” Kevin enthused.

The book can be found online at https://artsmid north coast.com/smart-art/ around-the-world-in-80creative-ageing-projects/.

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The honorary Aussie returns Ventriloquist has things to say about chocolate Tania Phillips

SWEET SPOT: Veteran American ventriloquist David Strassman’s latest show looks at our love of chocolate.

Picture: Contributed

HE IS arguably the most famous working ventriloquist in the world but hitting his 60s doesn’t mean that American David Strassman is slowing down.

Strassman is heading to Australia with his show The Chocolate Diet, which will take in North Coast venues from Port Macquarie to the Tweed. It’s far from his first visit – in fact, some might suggest that he’s been here so often in the past two decades that he has a share in the place.

“I love Straya, it’s my second home,” he said.

“Shares? Yeah, in coal.

(Just kidding). Yes, it’s great to be back, and especially to Port Macquarie. The

Glasshouse theatre is one of the most modern venues in all of Australia and I’m honoured to return.”

Has he seen a lot of changes in that time?

“Big changes? So many wonderful things have happened in Australia since my arrival to your Fatal Shore 18 years ago, so many that are too numerous to mention,” he said.

“The increase in chocolate consumption has me worried, but you’ll have to see what Ted E. Bare says about you Aussies and your sweets addiction in my latest show, The Chocolate Diet.”

For many Australians their first glimpse of Strassman was back on Hey Hey It’s Saturday – a show that Strassman still mourns.

“Hey Hey, It’s Saturday

was iconic in Australian television and I owe my success in Oz to that show.’’

Despite the loss of platforms like Hey Hey, Strassman is still doing well and still marvelling at how a trip to Disneyland when he was a kid saw him head towards first magic and then ventriloquism, and at 62 he is still touring the world and coming up with new shows.

“In my wildest dreams, I thought I’d be on stage playing with dolls when I entered my sixth decade. Oh wait...,” he laughed.

From March 31-April 4, Strassman will be at Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Lismore and Tweed Heads. See https://www .davidstrassman.com/seeme-live/nsw-northernmarch.

Marian Grove

Hello from Sawtell Catholic Care

LIFESTYLE

AY DISPL W NO UNIT N OPE

Dear Friends, February brings us the NSW Seniors Festival, the largest festival for people over 60 in the Southern Hemisphere. Seniors festival celebrates the role of our seniors and their contributions to their communities.

This Seniors Festival we have been invited to participate in two very special events.

The first is a wonderful intergenerational exchange at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery- a tour of the current exhibition with curator Cecile Knight, followed by art making with artist Terri Butterworth.

We will also be hosting a technological event with Younger.co, welcoming five young people who will share their digital literacy skills with our residents at the same time as they discover the stories and life experiences of the senior group.

Here at Sawtell Catholic Care, we are fortunate to have many community minded residents who work tirelessly all year round contributing their time, energy, skills talents and abilities to create the rich and meaningful lifestyle “Marian Grove” is renowned for. We rely as much on the involvement and support of our residents as we do of staff teams to maintain the connection and wellbeing of our inclusive community of Christian care.

Wishing you a great Seniors Festival Michael Darragh CEO, Sawtell Catholic Care

L C A T H OLI

C

(02) 6653 1241 mgreception@scca.net.au

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT mariangrovelifestyle.com.au

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FOR DISPLAY UNIT BOOKINGS SAW

Michael Darragh CEO Sawtell Catholic Care

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Empowered for farewell DIY funerals offer simpler, cheaper way to say goodbye

Facebook page or email comcommnsw@gmail.com.

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.”

MORTALITY MISSION: Mimi Zenzmaier, funeral director at Sacred Earth Funerals, says her job is to empower and support the community in reclaiming ownership of death and dying.

Picture: Contributed

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.”

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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

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.

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 souls touch lives at time of need 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 endof-life issues after their professional experience led them to see how so many people

were inadequately prepared for death – their own and 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 and the group wel-

comes news members.

The group’s website explains a compassionate community as one that: • Provides care and support.

• Provides services and connects them to people.

• Raises awareness of endof-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.

To add your support, or for more information about the Ballina group, see https://

www.facebook.com/CompassionateCommunitiesNorthern NSW/.

Philosophy defined “A city is not merely a place to work and access services but equally a place to enjoy support in the safety and protection of each other’s company, in schools, workplaces, places of worship and recreation, in cultural forums and social networks anywhere within the city’s influence, even to the end of our days.’’

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True-blue icon flags changes 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.

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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/.

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

Picture: Contributed

Are you comfortable living in your own home but require a little extra help?

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NVC In-Home Support provides a range of practical, flexible services designed to keep you living independently in your own home for as long as possible.

We take the time to understand what is important to you, and what your exact needs are for you to feel comfortable and supported in your own home.

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Alison Houston

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SENIORS

Community notes

Community group guide WE welcome your community news and pictures to share with a wider audience.

If you would like to submit a photo and your notes, please email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au.

We look forward to publishing in our next edition.

IT’S being billed as the largest seniors festival in the southern hemisphere and the Coffs Coast’s own seniors are being invited to enjoy the free, fun and fascinating activities in this year’s NSW Seniors Festival.

Themed Love to Celebrate, the festival will deliver hundreds of free or heavily discounted events, workshops and performances.

In the Coffs area, there is a massive range of interesting events – from learning to write your autobiography, taking part in balance training, free movie showings, a special celebratory market day and an art tour.

The festival began on Wednesday, February 12, and runs until Sunday, February 23.

With the diverse range of experiences on offer, seniors will be inspired to be active, socialise and share their skills and wisdom all while connecting with their community.

NSW Seniors Festival is a NSW Government initiative, with Coffs Harbour City Council and community

Independent Family Owned

partners providing a diverse range of activities to suit all tastes.

To find an event or offer, or to view the full calendar of events, go to coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/ Seniorsfestival.

Follow NSW Seniors Festival on Facebook and Twitter for statewide events.

PROBUS CLUBS î Coffs City OUR next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 26, at the Cavanbah Centre on Harbour Dr, Coffs Harbour, at 9.45am for 10am.

The guest speakers will be Pat and Val Nally, who will talk about bushfires.

Morning tea will follow the guest speakers.

This club is a mixedgender group and visitors and new members are always welcome.

For further information, phone Brian on 02 5619 2484.

COFFS BRIDGE CLUB COFFS Harbour Bridge Club members are privileged to have Helen (Ann) Thompson as a playing member at our club.

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SHARE THE LOVE OF CELEBRATION

CENTENARIAN CELEBRATES: Coffs Harbour Bridge Club members are privileged to have Helen (Ann) Thompson as a playing member at their club. Ann celebrated her 100th birthday on January 12.

Ann celebrated her 100th birthday on January 12 in her home with family and friends and the bridge club celebrated with Ann on the following day.

Ann was escorted into the club with a bagpiper playing and with all members seated to greet her.

A number of bridge players who are choir singers then sang a number of Scottish songs.

This was followed by a presentation and the cutting of the cake.

Bridge playing then got under way and was paused for afternoon tea and cake.

Ann was born in Auchperless, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She joined the Women’s Royal English Navy in 1940, and came out to Australia in 1946 on an English navy ship called Dominion Monarch.

She married Tom in 1947.

After leaving Sydney in 1983, they settled in the Nambucca Valley.

Ann began playing bridge and directing at Nambucca Valley Bridge Club and is one of the longest-surviving members still playing bridge at that club.

Ann became a grandmother for the first time at the age of 97 years and eight months, some two years and five months older than the present official world record of first-time grandmother.

Themed Love to Celebrate, the 2020 NSW Seniors Festival will deliver hundreds of free or heavily discounted events, workshops and performances.

Despite Ann having Scottish heritage, she is proud to call Australia home.

NBN TV shot an article and Denise Knight paid a visit during the afternoon.

Ann received telegrams from the Queen, the Prime Minister, NSW Premier and our regional and local members.

MIINDALA HELPS COPE WITH GRIEF MIINDALA volunteer community service offers compassionate support to people experiencing grief and loss, and to people facing a life-threatening situation, as well as their family and carers.

Miindala operates in the

Bellingen and Coffs Harbour shires as a free service. We give one-on-one support and also run educational events.

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every second month from 23.30pm.

Miindala is part of the National Association for Loss and Grief (NALAG) NSW Inc. Visit our website, go to nalag.org.au, for more information about NALAG Miindala.

Phone Anna Bloemhard on 0448 084 792 or email Miindala2013@gmail.com.

Mid Coast Communities head office is at Shop 21, 20 Gordon St, Coffs Harbour (at the back of the Max Murray

Mall, behind Office Choice).

Phone: 02 6651 1788 or email contact@midcc.org.au.

HARBOURSIDE MARKETS COME along and enjoy the thrill of discovery at an authentic outdoor market bursting at the seams with a great range of fresh local produce, tasty foods and delicious coffee as well as unique art and craft offerings.

The markets are held every Sunday from 8am2pm at Marina Dr, Jetty Foreshores, Coffs Harbour.

Phone 0407 661 990 or go to harboursidemarkets.com .au for more information.

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HASTINGS BONSAI IT is that time of year again with the Hastings Bonsai Group holding its annual Port Macquarie exhibition at Port Panthers, 9.30am to 5pm from February 21-23.

More than 100 magnificent bonsai and Penjing (Chinese bonsai) will be on display at the event, which will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of Port’s sister city arrangement with Japan’s Handa. For more information head to www.facebook.com/ hastingsbonsaigroup/.

What’s on ST JOHN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH CHAMBER PHILHARMONIA

PORT BEER AND CIDER FESTIVAL

RUNNING FESTIVAL

Runningfestival.com.au or head to www.portmacquarie runningfestival.com.au/.

TWILIGHT TASTING Hastings Co-op will run the fifth annual Twilight Tasting on March 20 at the Wauchope Showground. It is set to be the biggest event yet, with a record number of exhibitors and some new entertainment for the popular annual celebration, which brings together quality beer, wine, spirits and food, with a focus on showcasing local producers.

The event is held from 5pm to 9pm. Contact: 0457 766 965, timw@hastingscoop .com.au or head to www.hastingscoop.com.au for more information.

GLENREAGH CEDAR AND STEAM EXHIBITION The annual exhibition will be held from March 27 through

to April 4, with the official opening being held from Friday, March 29, from 6pm at the Glenreagh Memorial Museum. Art entries are accepted in any medium including photography, painting, drawing, fibre arts, and sculpture.

CONFERENCE FOR CARERS The What About Me Carers Conference will be held at Opal Cove on Thursday, February 20. The conference will focus on disability and ageing and facilitated by MC Lily Isobella. A Service Providers Expo is available to showcase services, information and referral pathways. This conference is for unpaid carers to attend and registration to this event through joylandcaresretreat @gmail.com. Opal Cove Resort provides disability access and toilet facilities.

SENIORS FESTIVAL ART TOUR Coffs Regional Gallery presents an intergenerational tour for the Seniors Festival, hosted by our curator, Cecile Knight. on February 22.

This art tour takes place during the first exhibition of our 2020 program: An Artist’s Garden.

Participants young and old will be able to question and respond to each other and the works, as well as participate in art activities run by exhibiting artist Terri Butterworth.

This event will be both playful and informative.

Contact the gallery for further information.

Woolgoolga Red Cross branch’s friendship afternoon tea, provided by Coffs Harbour City Council.

The cost is $2. Be entertained by local artists, school choirs, dancers and a sing-a-long.

SIMPLE & SINCERE FUNERALS

ALLIED FUNERAL HOME and Lady Cameo Funerals affordable and dignified funerals secure funeral plans available a large variety of timber and environmentally friendly cardboard coffins

FRIENDSHIP AFTERNOON TEA Held at the Woolgoolga Senior Citizen Centre every fourth Friday from February to November at 2-4pm is the

We welcome your community news and photographs. Please send them to editor@seniors newspaper.com.au.

6651 2363 or 6651 4155

124 West High Street, Coffs Harbour

7108722ai

Now in its ninth year, the Port Macquarie Running Festival will be held in the town centre.The success from previous years has seen numbers grow to more than 1000 competitors since the inaugural event.

Whether you are an elite athlete, jogger or walker, there is an event. Runners will have the opportunity to run down the iconic Port Macquarie breakwall in all events. The event will be staged from the Port Macquarie Town Green area, with courses spanning from Town Beach to Settlement Point areas. It will be held from 7am until noon, March 7-8. For further information contact: 0418 608 150, info@PortMacquarie

BONSAI BEAUTY: Hastings Bonsai Group is holding its annual Port Macquarie exhibition at Port Panthers from 9.30am to 5pm from February 21-23.

Picture: Contributed

Live events staged at 1000 seat historic heritage theatre with wonderfuL acoustics, air conditioning, comfortabLe seating and superb Line of sight.

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After being postponed late last year, the Port Macquarie Beer and Cider Festival is set to be held at Westport Park on Saturday, February 22, from 1pm to 7pm. The festival is aimed at celebrating beer, cider, food, games and music and will be held at the park in Buller Street. For further information go to www.portmacbeerandcider festival.com.

After successful European tours, the Chamber Philharmonia Cologne (Germany) is returning to Australia in 2020 with a powerful new program and playing at St John’s Anglican Church, Coffs Harbour, on February 21. The musicians love to share classical music the world over. Whether playing in a little village church or the open air, from Cologne Cathedral to the Sydney Opera House, their enthusiasm is the same every time. Address: 2 McLean Street, Coffs Harbour. Venue website: coffsharbour anglicanchurch .org. Email: stjohnscoffs@ bigpond.com.

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FEATURE

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War bride reaches out to others

SENIORS

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

TRACEY JOHNSTONE 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, Jackie declares, when she landed in Australia with no idea nor worry of what the future held.

Christened Daphne, she ran away from her country home in Surrey and travelled solo to London to sign up for the air force at age 17 and a half. The war had started two years before.

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

Picture: Contributed

She had listened to her brother talk about his “exciting” time in the air force as the bored young lady reflected on her future.

“It was either go into one of the forces or the land army or be called up for a munitions factory, and I wasn’t an indoor girl.

“That’s the sole reason I signed up and I am so glad I did.”

Her mother threw he hands up in horror, but her father said, ‘You really want to do this, don’t you?’.

“I said, ‘Yes I do’,” Jackie

says. “He then said, ‘This will be the making you, my girl’.

“I didn’t live up to the ladylike name of Daphne at all.”

After the first week in training camp, her fellow trainees decided they needed to find a less ladylike name for the tomboy.

“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 Bridling-

ton 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 Aus-

‘Kick start your day with Damo’ 7070622ah

FM 103’s Breakfast Show, Monday to Friday 6 am to 9 am SEFE01Z01MA - V1

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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 mar-

ried 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

7097500aa

tralia 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 Australia as her husband will say she had killed her little boy.

“They got in touch with her husband (in Sydney) and they

15

PHONE 02 6653 1577 EMAIL: info@sawtellrsl.com.au ADDRESS: 38-40 First Avenue Sawtell

Waves Café:

Open from 10am till late each day V1 - SEFE01Z01MA

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SENIORS

Festival offers write stuff Even better line-up booked for special event’s latest chapter Tania Philips THINGS are great the second time around, as Wendy Haynes of Port Writers Inc is discovering.

Wendy is vice-president of the writers’ group and coordinator of this year’s Grassroots Writers Weekend being held at Port Panthers from Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29.

It is the second time that Port Writers, formed in December 2014, have hosted the event, which began its life in Dorrigo six years ago and is shared around the region’s writers’ groups.

“We hosted and I coordinated the event in 2017 – I’m finding it a lot easier this time around because I’ve done it all before,” she said.

She said with a strong

committee of six other writers’ group members, everything is on track for the event to be a success.

“The last time we held this event, more than 90 participants attended 15-16 workshops, discussion panels and book launches.”

This time around there will be more events, including 21 workshops, spread over the three days, and Wendy and her fellow organisers are expecting more people to come along.

“Part of the excitement for this weekend full or writing workshops is the affordability: it’s only $35 for the whole weekend, not including dinners,” she said.

“We were able to secure a grant with Panthers and secure the room hire free.”

As a Grassroots festival most of the presenters are local to the Mid North Coast and Hastings Valley, and are

POPULARITY GROWS: The Grassroots Writers Weekend’s emblem; and (inset) Hayley Lawrence.

self- or traditionally published. Keynote speaker is former lawyer and youngadult writer Hayley Lawrence. She said the event attracted a high

number of older people.

“I suppose they have more time to write and more life experiences to write about.” Wendy has now published her first book –

which she self-published through her own company.

Hayden’s Bedtime is dedicated to her young grandson. Tickets are now on sale for the 2020

Pictures: Contributed

Grassroots Writers Weekend. See https://www .trybooking .com/book/ event?eid= 578084&.

Phone Wendy on 0427 240 464.

Meet the dentists at Brad Pearce dental Dr Brad Pearce and his experienced team are on hand to help you with all your dental needs they are gentle and caring.

You are not doomed to just having dentures new technologies can improve looks and restore lost function.

We offer Senior Discounts and payment plans to approved patients

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We are here to help you have the retirement of your dreams, offering seniors discounts and payment plans are available.

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THE LINKS OVER 55’s LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY IT'S OFFICIAL: The Links Lifestyle Resort is open.

Pictured, left to right, Jesse Rodrigues, Paul Bainbridge, Wendy Hobson, Mayor Liz Campbell and Paul Jack.

Doors open at The Links Lifestyle Resort BASED in NSW, Sea Spirit Lifestyle is an over 55’s lifestyle community developer.

Specialising in 5-star facilities, including a 25m outdoor pool and 15m indoor pool with spa and a $4M clubhouse for the residents to enjoy.

Putting and chipping greens, professional size bowling green, caravan storage area, community building

shed, café, cinema, professional billiards and much more.

With environmentally sustainable construction, Sea Spirit Lifestyle is the first developer in Australia to develop land lease communities under SEPP Senior Living, putting them in a whole new category.

Instead of developing manufactured homes that are trans-

ported and installed onto each lot, the houses are built on site just like a normal home. This then allows the company to construct beautiful dwellings on concrete foundations.

Each home is constructed with steel frames to adhere to SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy) Senior Living requirements and has Gold Standard Modifications inside

and out.

These include, wider doorways and hallways for wheelchair access, 360 turn spaces for wheel chairs in all rooms, higher power points and removable shower screens.

The facilities developed within Sea Spirit Lifestyle Community are environmentally sustainable with a 5-star luxury rating. Each home

comes with free 6Kw Solar Power System, that is connected to an onsite battery for off the grid storage. Making the community energy conscious through green energy.

All other facilities with roofs will also be fitted with solar panels for maximum green energy storage and use.

Focusing on living and not ageing, is our main agenda

within our communities.

Holding social events weekly, entertainment, fitness classes, yoga, meditation and pilates.

Our residents will be staying fit and healthy throughout their time with us.

That is the Sea Spirit Lifestyle difference. For more, phone 0436 024 129 or go to seaspiritlifestyle.com.au.

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Bathroom, Laundry and splash back tiles Carpets and Vinyl Planks Patio Tiles OUR SERVICES INCLUDE TILES, BATHROOM RENOVATIONS, FLOORING WATERPROOFING & POLISHED CONCRETE

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Life is grand Hampton style luxury and elegance

• Alfresco Kitchens • Home Office Fit Outs • Robe Shelving • Storage Cabinets • Laundry Cabinets • Entertainment Units

The display home has been fitted with two adjacent sky lights, one fixed with an automatic blind and the other, which is motorised to open and close with an automatic blind. This is a personal touch we added to keep the house cool during those hot days and to further brighten up your living space. The Fairway has also been fitted with a 6Kw Solar System that will come free with each home purchased in The Links Lifestyle Resort. The large multi-space room features our upgraded Hampton style kitchen with stone benchtops, Smeg appliances and Hampton style cabinetry. The vanities and internal laundry all share the same style cabinetry as the

kitchen, so your living in style every room you’re in.

Finally, our beautiful multispace looks out over the alfresco area where you will entertain friend’s day in, day out, with sliding door access.

Our display home was constructed using local trades and suppliers from as far as Coffs Harbour to Forster/Tuncurry. We endeavoured to create this home with as many local businesses in NSW as we could.

Sharing our resources with local businesses is how we plan on continuing with this development and it means a lot to us, as locals ourselves, to keep the economy fortified. It was great to see our contractors at the grand opening. It’s a

Proudly Part of the Links Project

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STYLISH AND FUNCTIONAL: Cooking is a dream with the kitchen designs on offer at The Links Lifestyle Resort at South West Rocks.

OUR brand-new display home, the Fairway is the largest home in The Links Lifestyle Resort, South West Rocks. It combines functionality with elegance and modern sophistication.

Constructed from steel frames and finished with our Hampton Style render, the Fairway is nothing short of magnificent.

The home boasts 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a double garage spanning over 164.5m2. The display home has been fitted with an array of optional extra’s to show what Sea Spirit Lifestyle can offer you, from Hampton style cabinetry, textured wall tiles and the epoxy garage floor, there is a little something for everyone.

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with the Fairway

A touch of the interior styling found in the accommodation at The Links Lifestyle Resort in South West Rocks.

pretty special thing when the trade community come together to appreciate the work everyone has put in to make this happen.

This display home will be one of many to be featured within the community. With 199 homes being

LUXURY: An ensuited bedroom design at The Links Lifestyle Resort.

constructed, all house types in The Links collection will be featured throughout the development. This includes our house types the Fairway,

Albatross, Eagle and Birdie.

House construction will start early 2020. With four to six homes being built every month until the develop-

ment is completed. You can view our other house designs and overall development layout by coming down to the display home.

A beautiful dining area ensures entertaining is easy for new residents at their guests.

Reece Plumbing Kempsey, Designing Forever Bathrooms at Links Lifestyle Resort 111 Smith Street, Kempsey. (02) 6566 4910.

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An exciting Community and business to benefit

LOCAL LEGENDS: Greg and Michelle Brazel from South West Rocks Timber Supplies at the launch of The Links Lifestyle Resort.

AS the much-needed rain falls, The Links Over 55’s Lifestyle Resort Grand Opening Flourishes in South West Rocks.

South West Rocks is seeing some beneficial growth to the town with Sea Spirit Lifestyle Communities developing their environmentally sustainable Lifestyle Resort, The Links.

The team at The Links had their first display home grand opening over the weekend and was met with open arms. ‘It was great seeing the community come together to support what Sea Spirit Lifestyle is constructing in South West Rocks’ says Jesse Rodrigues The Marketing Manager for Sea Spirit Lifestyle.

Developing a fully

inclusive resort for over 55’s that brings the community together is our main focus and we will continue to uphold that focus even after the entire development has been completed.

It was all smiles at the grand opening, with buyers and future residents getting their first look at their new home. The beautifully designed Hampton Style home, left a big impression with everyone that attended, including the trades and suppliers who contributed to the construction. Local business owners Michelle and Greg helped supply materials throughout construction and have also purchased in The Links. Michelle and Greg both agreed that it is

fantastic to be involved with this development for both the community and their business.

‘We can’t wait to move in because our friends are going to move in as well and we are going to have so much fun’ says Michelle and Greg. Even with the torrential downpour for majority of the grand opening, people from all over the country still made the trip to see the display home. We had the honour of having Mayor Liz Campbell there to cut the ribbon for the official opening and give a wonderful speech to our future residents outlining the importance of this development and how beneficial it will be to the local community.

Peter McNally’s Plumbing Service BSA 114 2891

6566 7000

Proudly plumbing for the Links Project

• Gasfitting • Plumbing • Roofing • Guttering • Blocked Drains • Water Jetting • Hot Water System Installation • Maintenance & Repair Contact Peter for a free quote 0419 345 939

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Congratulations Sea Spirit Lifestyle on the Grand Opening of The Links over 55 Lifestyle Community.

As the only LOCAL TIMBER AND BUILDING & HARDWARE SUPPLIER IN SOUTH WEST ROCKS WE ARE PROUD TO BE A SUPPLIER FOR ' THE LINKS' AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE ONGOING ASSOCIATION

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industrial area.... South West Rocks

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THE LINKS OVER 55’s LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY

opening experience

ABOVE: George Harris, from Tile Power Taree, took a look around the estate at the launch of The Links.

WARM WELCOME: Guests to the Links Lifestyle Resort launch at South West Rocks in January 2020 were treated to complimentary coffee and tea.

Felicity and Jason Forinton, of Macleay Air, at the Links Lifestyle Resort launch at South West Rocks.

LEFT: It wouldn't be a launch without a free merchandise bag.

EXTERIOR TRANSFORMATIONS

EXTERIOR TRANSFORMATIONS HOME RENDERING & RECLADDING Complete exterior building service New builds & repairs Exterior touch ups to sell your home Refresh your home with a new look and contemporary appearance Cladding for ultimate protection Repair/replace exterior damage to structure

• SUPPLY • SALES • SERVICE - Domestic and Commercial Air Conditioner - Commercial Refrigeration - Caravan Air Conditioner Across the Mid North Coast Proudly creating a comfortable climate all year round for the Links development

Contact Don Sutherland 0407 442 734 www.auscape.net V1 - SEFE01Z01MA

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THE COMPLETE SERVICE Proudly supplying quality exterior works to the Links Display Home

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The Rocks is the place to be BRAND INSIGHTS SOUTH West Rocks is located on the Mid North Coast between Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie NSW. Soft sandy beaches, cliffs over hanging the water and some of the best coffee in Australia, South West Rocks is the place to be. It is a mesmerizing place to visit, and even better to live in.

The wide variety of activities that this small town provides are second to none.

It hosts NSW most popular inclusive country club, that boasts their own 18-hole golf course, bowling greens, indoor bowling alley, tennis courts, swimming pool, restaurant, café, pokies and bar. The Country Club is a one stop shop for all of your sporting and recreational needs.

Spend a day immersed in the regions convict past at the 100+ year old Trial bay Gaol, which reopened to become one of the Mid North Coast’s

Throw in a line at South West Rocks on the NSW mid north coast.

Picture credit: Amanda Wynne-Williams

SIMPLY STUNNING: Laggers Point beach at the mouth of Trial Bay. Picture credit: Belinda Seeney

most popular attractions.

Arakoon National park is a great place to do some bushwalking. Take a stroll over Monument Hill to little bay picnic area, or enjoy a half day

walk to historic Smoky Cape Lighthouse. The lighthouse, in Hat Head National Park, overlooks the stunning views of the NSW coastline.

South West Rocks also has

some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spots in Australia. There are two dive schools in SWR, so take your pick and witness the NSW coastline in all its beauty.

South West Rocks is a true fishing destination and renowned for its variety of species. Anglers will find plenty of fishing charters and boat ramps.

South West Rocks is the perfect holiday spot, but living here is just something else.

The locals love visitors and welcome new settlers alike.

Growth is a very important topic within the Macleay Valley and the community in South West Rocks are getting right behind it.

South West Rocks and Jerseyville’s population is expected to grow by 44 per cent from 5,310 in 2016 to 7,660 by 2036.

With the increase in population, creates more infrastructure, including the potential for a South West Rocks high school, performance center and increasing the size of our local shopping center.

These are all potential opportunities if we continue growing into a unified community through residential infrastructure.

Eastland truss & timbEr has bEEn supplying framEs, trussEs and EnginEErEd flooring systEms on thE mid north Coast sinCE 1988 Products Timber Frames & Trusses Steel Frames & Trusses Structural Steel Timber Floor Systems

Proudly building steel frames for the Links Over 55s community at South West Rocks

Posi Struts Flooring & Roofing Cassette Flooring Steel Floor Systems Decking, Posts, Floor Boards Truss Screws & Stud Screws

4 Blackbutt Road Port Macquarie • 02 6581 1133 www.eastlandtruss.com.au

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TAKE A TOUR: The Links Lifestyle Resort at South West Rocks can give you a tour in comfort aboard their bus.

Book tour of The Links golf putting, competing in a game of bowls, having a swim before breakfast, or inviting your friends to join you for coffee in the café overlooking the greens…. The Links has all of your needs covered!

Wendy knows all the hot spots and places to visit in South West Rocks, including restaurants and cafés, popular beaches and walking trails.

Soon you will be completely in love with this coastal gem called South West Rocks, and the friendly locals that are extremely proud of their town.

Enjoy a walk through our display home, the amazing “Fairway” featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and double garage. Wendy will be happy to answer any questions

you may have and you will find out how you can join our fantastic community. Wendy will talk you through owning your home without the cost of buying the land, or paying council rates. No more spending time and money on maintenance and gardening. How does selling your home, freeing up capital and having time to enjoy your life sound? There is no need to book a tour just follow the blue branding and turn right onto Belle O’Connor St. Wendy’s professionalism, knowledge and experience about our development and the entire process when purchasing in a land lease community, will put you at ease.

Go to seaspiritlifestyle.com.au or phone 0436 024 129.

Darren roach

Tiling

Happy to be involved in the Sea Spirit Project Come & see us at Lear Smith Port Macquarie 209 Lake Road Port Macquarie 02 6581 1505

Proudly tiling The Links Display Home in South West Rocks “A beautiful place to retire”

WWW.LEARSMITH.COM.AU

Phone: 0413 084 340

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Darren is available for commercial and residential tiling

He welcomes calls from Seniors and the aged care sector

Thinking Electrical, Lighting or Ceiling Fans?

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MAKING a trip to South West Rocks to meet Wendy Hobson should be on your checklist.

Wendy is the Project Sales Manager for The Links Lifestyle Resort.

A local woman, Wendy has over 5 years’ experience in Land Lease, over 55’s communities and happily states; “she has found her niche in the world”. “I love helping people to downsize, free up capital and join a community that changes their lives”.

As an advocate for bringing the community together, she believes in being social and having fun. Going through life with a smile is the best way to be and, in our lifestyle resort you’ll be doing just that.

Whether it is practicing your

Project Sales Manager for The Links Lifestyle Resort, Wendy Hanlon at The Links Lifestyle Resort launch at South West Rocks.

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Dynamic duo excel on design BRAND INSIGHTS

LAND Dynamics Australia has had a long association with The Links South West Rocks since the original Saltwater Precinct development approval in 2011, right through to today where they work side-by-side with Sea Spirit Lifestyle Communities in developing this wonderful estate.

Land Dynamics, based in Port Macquarie, as the prime consultant, has undertaken the master planning, civil engineering design, construction management, surveying and landscape architecture on the Links Lifestyle development.

Directors Michael Summers and Graham Burns have more than 70 years’ combined experience in land development consul-

tancy and were able to use all their expertise in planning and designing to deliver the Links Over 55’s development.

Graham has 45 years’ experience in surveying, furthered by extensive development management experience in land and property development both in Australia and Asia Pacific.

His particular interests are in master planning, builtform product and the sales and marketing component of land development.

Additionally, Michael has 25 years’ experience in civil engineering design, consulting and project management including design of roads, stormwater and sewer management on Greenfield subdivisions and infrastructure.

Michael said: “The Links development precinct offered a unique opportunity

to plan and design an over 55’s community that is beautifully located in South West Rocks, as well as working in with the natural surroundings of adjacent wetlands and Saltwater Lagoon. Well-thought-out planning has provided an open and permeable layout that provides active spaces and green corridors, which creates open-style living and engagement of the surrounding topography.

“Creative engineering design was carefully considered and undertaken so as to match with the existing surrounds and work in with the natural topography of the site. Rather than provide masses of bulk fill and stormwater pipes, which would have presented an artificial-type development, we used innovative stormwater designs to reduce fill and engage stormwater on

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE: The team from Land Dynamics look over the masterplan for The Links Lifestyle Resort at South West Rocks.

the surface to interact with the development as a whole.’’ Land Dynamics are

proud to be partnered with the South West Rocks Links development and look for-

ward to their continued association with the Sea Spirit group of companies.

Established in Port Macquarie for over 40 Years Providing a comprehensive range of services

Town planning Civil engineering Surveying

Project management Contract administration Landscape architecture

Recent and current projects

The Links Over 55's Lifestyle Community

Ascot Park, Port Macquarie Brierley Hill, Port Macquarie Crestwood Heights, Port Macquarie Elanora, Rainbow Beach

Manufactured Housing Estate, Cessnock Manufactured Housing Estate, Kendall Peregian Springs, Sunshine Coast Seascape Village, Hallidays Point

Delivering innovative, environmentally sustainable, financially viable and practical outcomes 77 Lord Street Port Macquarie Phone 6583 2677 www.ldynamics.com.au

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Simple moves help stretch your vitality BRAND INSIGHTS A SCAN of myriad health reports makes it pretty clear that for a majority of seniors, staying in their own home for as long as they can is a goal they aim for.

Keeping themselves healthy, eating well, exercising and staying social are recurring themes around happiness for seniors, and luckily there is now a vast array of services and products to help make staying at home as safe as possible.

Whether it’s stairlifts, ramps, products for opening bottles in the kitchen, or regular visits and help from others for the tough tasks, staying at home is now easier than ever.

One shining example is

Graeme Reid, a Coffs Harbour man in his early 80s. He is representative of seniors living healthy and happy lives in the community.

After deciding on a sea change from the big smoke to Coffs Harbour a few years ago, Graeme and his wife bought a house on acreage so he could devote his time doing what he loves most – gardening, toolmaking and outdoor adventures.

He believes that gardening, sailing, bushwalking, being a nonsmoker and non-drinker, and simply being busy around the house, keep the usual aches and pains typical of octogenarians at bay.

Graeme has been an active participant of a number of NSW Health

programs for older adults living in the community, including Stepping On and Healthy and Active for Life.

Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) health promotion officer Maryann Anderson initially met Graeme at a Stepping On program where he was wearing his National Heart Foundation (NHF) Walking Group shirt.

As part of the Active Ageing program of the MNCLHD, Health Promotion partners with the NHF to support its communitybased Walking Program and groups. Graeme said the program introduced him to further ways to enhance his health.

“I was already feeling healthy and fit when we got here but the Stepping On

program was good for my balance,’’ he said.

Stepping On is a free seven-week program aimed at preventing falls, encouraging active living and maintaining independence in older adults. Healthy and Active for Life is a free 10-week healthy lifestyle program for adults aged 60 and over.

For more details about these programs for seniors, phone 02 6691 1892 or email MNCLHD-HP@health .nsw.gov.au.

LIVING HIS BEST LIFE: Graeme Reid of Coffs Harbour, an ambassador for seniors living healthy lives at home.

The Forum For Your Two Cents Join our exclusive online community, where you’ll find other seniors ready to socialise and share. Seniors online - connecting you to an exciting retirement.

Opening Doors to the Seniors Lifestyle

Like us on Facebook!

Visit facebook.com/seniorsnews

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Safety modifications made easy WITH a huge percentage of injuries in seniors being caused by falls in the home, Shalla from East Coast Accessibility Experts invites you to give her a call to arrange a safety check in your home.

Shalla and her team really care about the wellbeing of seniors and they are passionate about helping locals to gain independence and mobility around the home.

Whether your home needs a minor installation or a complex bathroom and/or kitchen modification, access ramps and lifts, the team can assist with making sure it becomes the most practical and stress-free solution for you. It can be as simple as a grabrail, hand-held shower, handrail, easy steps and more.

“Our core business is to assist our elders and people with disabilities to change

their living environment through planning and prescription, alongside Occupational Therapists, ensuring best outcomes and our quality construction,” Shalla said.

East Coast Accessibility Experts is registered with My Aged Care, National Disability Insurance Scheme, (NDIS). They contract to Home Care Package Providers, Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), insurance companies and others.

They can provide senior discounts and payment plans to eligible individuals.

For more information, phone the reliable and trusted team on 02 6651 2143 or go to: accessibility experts.org.au.

STRESS-FREE SOLUTIONS: Our team can assist with a minor installation, modification or access ramps and lifts to ensure you receive the most practical and convenient solution.

East Coast

aCCEssibility ExpErts ‘Easy, affordablE, high quality solutions for living at homE’

We are your local provider • Home design experts • Increasing safety and independence for our elders and young people with disabilities • Contemporary and functional products • We find the solutions for home | access modifications, from a minor installation of grab rail | handheld shower | ramp to major bathroom and | or kitchen modification • We make it affordable, senior discounts and interest FREE payment plans

• We have 30 years of building experience, modifications and retrofit are our core business, a provider of choice, responsive, trustworthy and reliable • A preferred Provider for My Aged Care | Home Care Packages | Workers Compensation and DVA

CliEnt tEstimonial

Builder licence number 1541C

East Coast Accessibility Experts have made living at home a lot easier for me.

I compliment all the staff who have helped me to maintain living in my own home.

East Coast Accessibility’s choice of contractors was brilliant.

contact us 02 6651 2143 Visit our showroom 5 Druitt Court, Coffs Harbour 2450 www.accessibilityexperts.org.au | /accessibilityexperts

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Remaining at home for longer BRAND INSIGHTS MANY older Australians want to stay in their own home for as long as possible in their retirement years and studies have shown that this is beneficial for physical and mental health. But many have concerns about safety, getting around or other daily activities.

Willaid Healthcare Solutions, has been helping Coffs Coast residents remain safe in their homes for over 24 years. Willaid delivers innovative solutions, tailored to suit people’s needs for independent living, comfort and mobility.

So, when it comes to seeking expert advice on

how to stay safe in your own home, the choice is logical.

Here are a few suggestions for changes to make life easier and safer to continue to live independently: Remove tripping hazards: A few inexpensive investments, such as sensible footwear, grab/ hand rails by stairs and rubber threshold ramps to level out uneven flooring.

Simple daily living aids: Try Willaid’s popular Handybar, One Touch products or Uccello tipper kettle.

Bathroom Safety: Grab rails and basic shower and toilet aids will assist you to able to move around the

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Personalised support and care for members of our community

SAFETY FIRST: Willaid Healthcare Solutions welcomes you to trial their new showroom equipment anytime.

bathroom safely and get up from a seated position with appropriate support.

Mobility: “Move it or lose it” is the old saying and a good one to remember. Join an activity group and stay active and maintain your mobility and function with Willaid Healthcare Solutions mobility aids.

Furniture: Chairs with arms, height adjustable seating and lift chairs will assist a safe sit to stand transition. An adjustable bed and recliner need not be without style. Willaid’s exclusive Alivio range is a

brilliant mix of style, custom comfort and modern design.

Light up your life: lighting, personal alarms and having emergency numbers handy are just a few other recommendations. Have an Occupational Therapist assess you in your home for safety recommendations.

Willaid Healthcare Solutions welcomes you to trial their showroom equipment anytime at Shop 2/9 North Boambee Rd, Coffs Harbour. Open MonFri, 8.30am-4.30pm. Phone 02 6651 7900 or go to willaid.com.au.

COMMUNITY Care Options is an innovative community organisation who undertake, planning, advocacy, risk assessment and tailored day to day support services to meet your needs and support you to stay safely in your own home.

For more than 20 years community Care Options has enabled people to achieve goals such as independent living, broaden social networks and remain connected to the community.

Servicing the Nambucca, Bellingen and Coffs Harbour local government areas, Community Care Options provides the highest quality care and support options for you or your loved one.

It may be that you or a family member requires assistance in the home for domestic tasks, shopping or errands.

In some cases more complex care is required.

Our team of Support Coordinators work directly with clients and their families to develop an individual support plan which is reviewed as often as required.

Community Care Options vision is to create a better future for the communities where we operate through leadership and service innovation.

To discuss your eligibility to receive services or to arrange for a support assessment please contact one of our intake officers on 02 6650 2000.

For more information on how Community Care Options assists our community, go to cco.net.au or email admin@cco.net.au.

HOME CARE PACKAGES ACCEPTED

WE CARE

We specialise in community care

Innovative healthcare solutions, tailored to suit your needs.

SAFETY

COMFORT

INDEPENDENCE

We provide professional, tailored, well planned and personalised supports and services to people of all ages and abilities in your home and your community.

Our vision - creating a better future for our community through leadership and innovation.

YOUR CHOICE

Local provider, local knowledge.

Aged, have a disability, a carer?

Come and talk to us about how we can assist you.

Bedroom

Bathroom

Loungeroom

Outdoors

Please call – 02 6650 2000

P: (02) 6651 7900 W: www.willaid.com.au

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2/9 North Boambee Road, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450

7108490ac

www.cco.net.au • admin@cco.net.au

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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.

Picture: Contributed

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Make a start towards fit and fabulous Baby boomers leading the charge in fitness Tracey Johnstone THE messages from the health and fitness sectors about getting moving and staying active for a much better quality of life is getting through to baby boomers.

And there is an increasing number of accredited physical trainers qualified in working with seniors.

Fitness Australiacommissioned research has revealed baby boomers are doing far more physical activity over a year than any of the younger generations.

Fitness Australia spokeswoman Chantal Brodrick said at the top of the list of activities were walking and gardening.

“From the research, we are also seeing they are doing group fitness classes and strength training,” she said.

“We know that strength training can really help osteoporosis; it helps strengthen our bones.”

Ms Brodrick said baby boomers had come to understand the importance of moving more often to help prevent chronic health conditions and alleviate

existing health issues.

“As soon as you start being active, you feel better for doing it,“ Ms Brodrick said.

Jo Hill, 73, and her husband Philip, 70, wanted to stay fit as they aged.

Jo has been active all her life, particularly as she managed the physical requirements of her severely disabled son.

“I am exercising three times a week,” Jo said. She does a cycling class, walking, rowing and free weights.

Since her husband retired five years ago, he has joined Jo in the gym, but he does the exercises that suit him.

“We will keep doing this as long as we can,” Jo said.

“We won’t stop until we have to; it’s just part of our life.

“We feel so much better.

“We have compared ourselves to friends of the same age that walk far too slowly for us.

“It’s a mindset as you get older that people think older. We try not to do that.”

Before you start a fitness activity or introduce strength training to your activities, Ms Brodrick says it’s vital you seek guidance from a qualified trainer.

The best place to find a registered trainer who is working near you and is qualified to work with older adults is to go to Find a Personal Trainer on fitnessaustralia.com.au.

“This is important because you need to know you are in safe hands,” Ms Brodrick said.

“You need to know that if you are starting an exercise routine that you are working with someone who understands your body and goals, and why it is that you want to become more active.”

For those baby boomers who haven’t got moving yet, Ms Brodrick has some motivational tips: • If you plan your activity with friends, you are less likely to give it up and maybe they won’t either, since both of you will be relying on each other for motivation and company.

• It will be much more fun if you do an activity you really enjoy. It’s likely to feel less like a chore.

• Find a trainer so both of you can work on a program and towards your goals.

• If you are worried about the cost of a trainer, look for ones that offer small-group training or gym classes.

STRENGTH AND WISDOM: Exercise physiologist Chantal Brodrick with senior client Jo Hill.

Picture: Mark Stanley

• Know why you want and need to get moving. Is it health, maintaining independence, to meet new people, try something new or a mix of all of the above?

• Check with your GP on

what activities you are capable of doing safely.

• It’s important to start at a manageable level and gradually build up.

• Doing activities that require you to move in all

directions – such as yoga, dance, tai chi and even simple at-home moves like single-leg balancing – help hone your balance, in turn reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

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

SENIORS

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.

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.

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Beguiled by great Dane Copenhagen’s cultural riches a fascinating step back in time PAGES 34 AND 35

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SENIORS

Clifford's Honey Farm goodies.

Picture: Contributed

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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.

Picture: Contributed

Watching Seal Bay residents frolic is a highlight.

Join island’s wave of support 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 there is good rain.

“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

Excite your taste buds at Kangaroo Island Spirits.

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

Picture: Contributed

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, lavender scones and ice cream, it’s also close to a favourite swimming spot for locals.

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.

“It does not take long for fire-affected areas to regenerate, sometimes only three to six months, and it is amazing to walk through,” Mark says.

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.

How do you get to

A visit to the Oyster Farm Shop is a must.

Kangaroo Island?

Take your car to Kangaroo Island via a ferry with Sealink or KI Connect, or fly with QantasLink or Rex direct from Melbourne or Adelaide into Kingscote.

Picture: Contributed

Donate to help the recovery. You can also help recovery efforts by donating to the KI Mayoral Relief and Recovery Bushfire Fund, SA Country Fire Service or KI Wildlife Network.

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Refuge high in the Pyrenees A place to rest on the trail.

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Life’s real or imagined problems simply fade away...

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

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An ideal picnic spot beside one of the many waterfalls.

Call our friendly, experienced team to book your next touring holiday or to join one of our Uplift Tours special group departures.

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

Pictures: Graeme Wilson

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

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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.

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Discover the wonders of Copenhagen

SENIORS

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.

Rosenborg Castle and the King's Garden.

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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.

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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).

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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.

36

REAL ESTATE

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

FEBRUARY, 2020//

SENIORS

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) SEFE01Z01MA - V1

SENIORS

REVIEWS

\\FEBRUARY, 2020

Indigenous heroes’ stories celebrated THERE are few Aboriginal icons in White Australia history.

From the explorer to the pioneer, the swagman to the drover’s wife, with a few bushrangers for good measure, Europeans play all the leading roles.

A rare exception is the redoubtable tracker. With skills passed down over millennia, trackers could trace the movements of people across vast swathes of country.

Celebrated as saviours of lost children and disoriented adults, and finders of missing livestock, they were also cursed by robbers on the run. Trackers live in the collective memory as one of the few examples of Aboriginal people’s skills being sought after in colonial society.

In NSW alone, more than a thousand Aboriginal men and a smaller number of women toiled for authorities across the state after 1862.

This book tells the often unlikely stories of trackers including Billy Bogan, Jimmy Governor, Tommy Gordon, Frank Williams and Alec Riley. Through his work on native title claims, historian Michael Bennett realised that the role of trackers – and how they moved between two worlds – has been largely unacknowledged.

His important book reveals that their work grew out of traditional society and was sustained by the vast family networks that endure

Austen is moving with times

Doggone insightful look at life

to this day. Pathfinders brings the skilled and diverse work of trackers not only to the forefront of law enforcement history but to the general shared histories of black and white Australia.

Professor John Maynard said the book charted an important though largely

overlooked area of the country’s history.

“Aboriginal trackers hold a mythical yet obscure presence in the history of the continent. Bennett weaves back into the nation’s historical narrative these Aboriginal heroes and heroines,’’ he said.

Professor Maynard is a Worimi Aboriginal man from the Port Stephens region of NSW. He is a director at the Wollotuka Institute of Aboriginal Studies at the University of Newcastle and chair of indigenous history.

RRP $34.99.

37

ALREADY an international bestseller, Hans-Olav Thyvold’s Good Dogs Don’t Make it to the South Pole has now been translated into English.

It’s been touted as the wisest, funniest and most inspiring book on ageing and friendship written by a dog you’ll ever read.

The best thing you can aspire to in this world is company.

Whether it’s for pleasure or pain, a crowning or an execution: everything is better with company.

The major, a World War II veteran, breathes his last.

Watching over him are his wife and his faithful companion, Tassen, the story’s narrator, who is, by his own admission, a couch potato and a one-man dog.

“You might say it all went to hell with Mrs Thorkildsen, but you know what? It could have been worse, because Mrs Thorkildsen had me to keep her company.

“And I had her. That’s what we had in common, her and me, what bound us together. We were company.’’

TIME Traveller’s Wife meets Persuasion in this charming story of love, friendship and passion – Jane Austen timetravels to the modern day and learns that the search for true love is never simple.

Jane in Love is the debut novel from screenwriter and filmmaker Rachel Givney.

After reading Emma as a teenager, Givney became fascinated by Jane Austen.

She was shocked to find that the woman who had written such beautiful love stories had never found love herself and that this seemed to be the case for many other female writers. This later became the inspiration for Jane in Love.

When 28-year-old Jane Austen enlists the help of a matchmaker, she gets a lot more than she bargained for.

Jane accidentally timetravels to modern-day England and finds herself on the set of an adaptation of Northanger Abbey.

Jane is thrilled to learn she has become a famous author and is determined to return to her own time to fulfil her destiny, until she meets siblings Sofia and Fred Wentworth.

RRP $32.99

Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $29.99.

Books bind women in journey of discovery MEET Ros from Sydney, Adele from Adelaide, Judy from Mandurah and Simone from Hobart, who are connected by books and as they discover, also by life.

A Month of Sundays brings together these four very different women who for 10 years are now the remaining members of an online book club.

All of them are in their 60s. They are meeting for the first time in person.

Their time together helps them to peel back by layers V1 - SEFE01Z01MA

the weaknesses and strengths of each of them.

As they spend a month in a house in the Southern Highlands of NSW relaxing, talking and discovering each other through a selection of books, relationships break and heal, are discovered and cemented.

There’s no time to settle into complacency as the reader joins the women for their “holiday’’.

Byrski cleverly builds up and breaks down the reader’s perception of each

character. It’s easy to connect with each of the women. Ros is angular and gutsy, Adele is simply complicated, Judy has a future she needs help to find and gentle Simone is a surprise.

A Month of Sundays is the type of novel you have to force yourself to put down, at least for a night. It’s an enjoyable and relatable read.

It’s Australian author Liz Byrski’s 10th novel. She is a writer and broadcaster with more than 40 years’

experience in the British and Australian media. In the ’90s Byrski was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio in Perth and later an adviser to a West Australian Government minister.

She now lectures in professional and creative writing at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, and has a PhD in writing with a focus on feminist popular fiction.

Published by Pan Macmillan. RRP $32.99

38

CLASSIFIEDS

FEBRUARY, 2020//

SENIORS

MEAL PLANNER

Chocolate hazelnut fridge cake

Roast strawberry compote with waffles SERVES: 4 PREP: 2 minutes COOK: 15 minutes

Ingredients 250g punnet strawberries, hulled, halved 1½ tbsp honey 1 tbsp fresh orange juice ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped Waffles, toasted to serve Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

Method 1. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Place the strawber-

ries in a baking dish.

2. Combine the honey, orange juice and vanilla seeds and bean. Drizzle over the strawberries. Roast for 15 minutes or until strawberries are tender. Spoon over waffles.

Serve with dollops of thick Greek yoghurt.

Recipe by Katrina Woodman Photo by Al Richardson

Mini heart mud cakes SERVES: 6 PREP: 1 hour 5 minutes COOK: 50 minutes

Ingredients

SERVES: 10 PREP: 6 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients 600ml thickened cream 150g (½ cup) chocolate hazelnut spread 45g (¼ cup) icing sugar 2 x 250g pkts choc chip cookies Cocoa, sifted, to serve 2 tbsp roasted hazelnuts, chopped, to serve Ferrero Rocher chocolates, to serve Chocolate sauce, to serve

Method 1. Release the base from a 20cm springform pan. Invert the base and secure it back in the pan. Spray pan lightly with oil and line base and side with baking paper, smoothing out side as much as possible.

2. Use electric beaters to beat the cream, hazelnut spread and icing sugar until firm peaks form. Layer a quarter of the cookies in base of prepared pan (you may need to break a couple to fill the big spaces).

Spread over a quarter of the cream mixture. Repeat with the remaining

Roasted white chocolate caramel tart

cookies and cream mixture, finishing with a cream layer. Smooth the top and cover firmly with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate overnight.

3. To serve, remove side of cake pan and carefully peel away paper. Slide cake on to a serving plate, gently pulling paper out from base as you go. Use a spatula to gently smooth sides.

4. Decorate cake with a dusting of cocoa, the hazelnuts and chocolates.

Drizzle over chocolate sauce to serve.

Recipe by Kathy Knudsen Photo by Jeremy Simons

MAKES: 6 PREP: 4 hours 20 minutes COOK: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 200g white chocolate, chopped 60g butter Pinch sea salt flakes, plus extra, to serve 185ml (¾ cup) cream Creme fraiche, to serve Shaved white chocolate, to serve SHORTCRUST PASTRY: 225g (1 ½ cups) plain flour 150g butter, chilled, chopped 2 tbsp icing sugar mixture 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp chilled water

Method 1. To make the pastry, process the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and water. Process until dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until just smooth.

Shape into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

2. Grease 6 round 2.5cmdeep, 8.5cm (base measurement) fluted tart tins with removable base with oil spray.

Divide dough into 6 portions.

Gently roll each portion on a sheet of baking paper until 3mm thick. Ease into tins and

200g 70 per cent cocoa dark chocolate, chopped 200g butter, chopped 430g (2 cups) caster sugar 125ml (½ cup) strong espresso coffee 125ml (½ cup) hot water 80ml (⅓ cup) Frangelico or other liqueur 2 eggs, lightly whisked 225g (1½ cups) plain flour, sifted 40g (¼ cup) self-raising flour, sifted 30g (¼ cup) cocoa, sifted 80g (½ cup) pure icing sugar Small silver cachous, to decorate

Method 1. Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced and line a 20 x 30cm (base measurement) slice pan with baking paper.

2. Place chocolate, butter, sugar, coffee, water and Frangelico in a saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat for 8–10 press dough into sides. Trim excess. Place tarts in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

3.

Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Line pastry cases with baking paper. Place on baking tray and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights.

Bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.

4. Reduce oven to 140C/ 120C fan-forced. Place chocolate in a shallow baking dish. Bake, stirring chocolate every 10 minutes with a spatula to spread and melt on the tray, for 25-35 minutes or until the chocolate turns a rich cara-

minutes or until chocolate melts. Pour into a large bowl.

Set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly.

3. Add eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in combined flours and cocoa until smooth.

Pour mixture into lined pan.

Bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in pan for 30 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Use a 9cm heart-shaped cutter to cut out 6 mini cakes.

Dust generously with icing sugar and decorate as desired.

Recipe by Miranda Payne Photo by iStock mel colour. The chocolate may look grainy but continue to mix and it will melt and eventually become smooth.

Spoon into a heatproof bowl.

Add butter and salt.

5. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until almost to the boil. Pour the cream over chocolate mixture and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk together until mixture is well combined.

Pour into pastry cases. Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until set. Top with creme fraiche. Sprinkle with white chocolate shavings and extra salt to serve.

Recipe by Matt Preston Photo by Nigel Lough SEFE01Z01MA - V1

PUZZLES

\\FEBRUARY, 2020

JIGGERED

3/8

The challenge is to rearrange a crossword which has been broken into 25 sections. One letter has been given to get you started. Work out which 3x3 square fits in with that letter and write in the letters.

You can also shade the black squares if you find it helpful.

After completing the first 3x3 area, work out which square joins on to it, and continue until you have made a complete crossword.

A N O N I N G

B R E L A E R

A U G K S K I

P E R A D E D

R U L M

T O O A P I T

G I A S C I

P

I C U M M A N G A M P W O N

D E S O E N O D

A A R F

T R O P X

R O E D D E

N P E C E

W R I K E M H

F T E D T C

T E D E E R I N

M E N E R T

T W W I N A N E N F S E

A D O E C R

M B A N T

I E N D

R M G S

Across 1. Seem (6) 5. Fixate on something (6) 9. Piled (6) 10. Occur unexpectedly (4,2) 11. Naked (4) 12. Slaughter (8) 14. Logic (6) 16. Unsullied (6) 19. Abyss (8) 21. Ran away (4) 22. Innate (6) 23. Physician (6) 24. Break away (6) 25. Stop doing something (6)

1

Down 2. Introduction (7) 3. Put into words (7) 4. Basics (9) 6. Hurtful remarks (5) 7. Assumes (7) 8. Highest (7) 13. Triumphed (9) 14. Rebounds (7) 15. Harsh, biting (7) 17. Has an influence on (7) 18. Shakes (7) 20. Rectify (5)

2

3

4

5

9

starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.

10

11

12

14

13

15

19

16

20

22

23

Can you complete these four words, using the same three-letter sequence in each?

24

25

SUDOKU

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

F U S S E D Q C A T A R A C T

A N N U H G N I R I M O V O D

T Z E S T Y Z S C O O T E R D

E I P H O J G F E K E K H G A

S P R I G O O W D M B A S I C

O D E W E E S K H L A Q Y H R

R I F L E B H A V E B E I M E

E M I N H K E G I B P Q J N T

A Z N E R I O T A Y A M U S E

L M E B U W O D L L R T N P N

M I D P O I N T R C A N C A N

T N V T V S E J P O K Y T A Y

R A D I A N C E S K E N U R E

V N O W L V K Y A L E O R L P

C E N T X E S C O R T T E N D

BLACKOUT

Work out which squares need to be deleted to reveal a completed crossword.

Solution opposite

All puzzles ©

The Puzzle Company

D P

PRAMS, QUOTeR, ReGALIA, SMOULDeR, TOLeRANCe.

ALPHAGRAMS JIGGERED

I M P U G N

F S U N Z I P S E R S U S H I E T G D Y G O C S A R C E D T O A M O E B R T A A E S C O R G I T C

TRIO: keL

Across: 1. Appear 5. Obsess 9. Heaped 10. Crop up 11. Bare 12. Massacre 14. Reason 16. Chaste 19. Crevasse 21. Fled 22.

Inbred 23. Doctor 24. Secede 25. Desist.

Down: 2. Preface 3. express 4. Rudiments 6. Barbs 7. expects 8. Supreme 13. Succeeded 14. Recoils 15. Acerbic 17. Affects 18. Tremors 20. Amend.

QUICK CROSSWORD

E

TODAY: Good 16 Very Good 22 Excellent 27

T W A N E F S F T E D T C A N O N I N G E E R S T R O E D

R

18

21

I D E R E A I E F I N L E E K I S H O A T V I A E A P A M J U S R E T E

L M R C I N A N E E D D N P I T O V A L W I N E N E C K S T E C L O C R R A K E E T N N N C T U R E A R N N E D

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only

17

TRIO

SUDOKU

A N

8

ReARRANGe reran

RAMPS TORQUE Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram ALGERIA of the letters beside it, and the five solutions are sequential. For OLD SERUM example, if the five-letter solution NO TREACLE

WORD GO ROUND

7

T O O T N A P R O I T X N G I I A S C E N I R A D O P A E M D C R A M I A C I A R A N F W O N T E D R E E M R I N G S

I

ALPHAGRAMS

V1 - SEFE01Z01MA

6

E E R S T

U

SOLUTIONS BLACKOUT

I I

QUICK CROSSWORD

39

W R M I K E B A H T M B R E W I L A N E R E D E S P E E O N O D D E N R P E C U L M E A U G M E E K S K I R T

SENIORS

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