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Living treasures take centre stage
Feature – Coronavirus Community Notes What’s On Wanderlust Wellbeing Living Money Puzzles
03 Reel good time – cinema memories flood back.
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of dedication to his craft, Geoff Crockett and his body of work will Seniors Guest Editor live on forever. On the travel front, Erle WELCOME to the March Levey spent time in edition of Seniors News. Hobart and came back Our intrepid editor Gail with some great tips for Forrer is away on a anyone else looking to month’s leave, which visit the thriving city in the means I have the chance future, and intrepid to guest edit and try not to traveller Shirley Sinclair break anything while she’s shines a spotlight on the gone. wonders of the Tweed Luckily for me our Valley region in Northern writers have been busy New South Wales. and there are plenty of If you’re looking for great stories to share. ways to connect with your Tracey Johnstone had fellow seniors in the the opportunity to chat to region, be sure to turn to Kevin Coombs (AO) about our community notes his remarkable journey pages where you’ll find a through life and his wide array of groups and ongoing passion for activities planned for the education and month ahead where reconciliation between anyone is welcome to Australia’s first people and come along. the broader community. Also, check out the She also caught up with Wellbeing, Living and national treasure, Money sections this playwright David month for great tips on Williamson (AO), who has topics including eye announced he is retiring health, boosting your from the theatre after 50 superannuation and how years to spend more time to avoid scammers. with his family, including I hope you enjoy this five children and 14 month’s read. grandchildren. His is an amazing story Geoff
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CONTACT US General Manager Geoff Crockett – 0413 988 333 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 1300 880 265 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Sue Germany – 0408 286 539 sue.germany@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 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. Responsibility for election material in this paper is taken by Gail Forrer, cnr Mayne Road & Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006.
Make a great escape to the Cape.
CHATS team takes on the might of Shakespeare Beckley Vincent CHATS Productions is a Coffs Harbour-based amateur comedy theatre group. It was established in 1982, and has been performing regularly ever since. My involvement over the years has been as both an actor and a director. I have performed in plays such as Noises Off, Arsenic and Old Lace and Hamlet (in
which I played the title role) and recently I directed a well received production of Terry Prattchet’s Wyrd Sisters. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career, and was taken from source material that was (allegedly) based upon a true story. It was among Shakespeare’s most popular plays during his lifetime, and along with Hamlet is still one
of his most frequently performed. Unlike the last Shakespeare play I directed (Macbeth, 2015) I’m keeping it in a more classical theme – puffy shirts, bright colours and sword fights. No specific time period, but with a strong Renaissance flavour. I have managed to assemble an amazing cast, made up of some familiar faces on the Coffs Harbour
stage as well as a few new ones. All are putting such wonderful energy and enthusiasm into the show. I have been lucky to cast two young local actors in the lead roles – Regan Arnold (who last year played the lead JD in CHATS production of the musical Heathers, and Sgt Trotter in The Mousetrap, also by CHATS) as Romeo, and Amy Hancock (who I previously
worked with as Daddy Warbucks opposite her Annie in the show of the same name, and as Leisl alongside my Captain Von Trapp in Coffs Harbour Musical Comedy Company’s production of The Sound of Music) is playing the tragic heroine Juliet. In conjunction, I also have a fabulous production and creative team, who are delivering some wonderful bits and pieces, and are
stalwartly putting up with my demands and perfectionistic tendencies. The show will be performed from Friday, April 3 to Sunday, April 12. Ticket prices $30 adult, $25 for under 16, concession or groups of 10 or more. Special price of $22 for Wednesday night . For more information on the show and ticket sales, see jetty.theatre@ chcc.nsw.gov.au.
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A lifetime of smiles on show Tania Phillips STROLLING through the Tasma Theatre – Coffs Harbour’s Jewel exhibition at Coffs Harbour Museum is like strolling through the early years of her life for Norma McConnell. Now 88, Norma started at the Tasma as an usherette and jill of all trades at just 16 but then, she had an in with management. Norma is the daughter of owner Jack Gerard, who played a major role in cinema in Coffs Harbour, running and owning the Tasma, first in partnership and then on his own. While Norma didn’t stay in cinema she had an impact on making the people of the region happy. Since the 1960s, Norma has made costumes and run a costume shop in the city. She once had five but now has one left, behind her home. “I share my house with 4000 costumes. I don’t
LEGACY: Norma McConnell, daughter of Australian cinema pioneer Jack Gerard, in front of the Coffs Harbour Museum Tasma Cinema exhibition. Picture courtesy of Jamie Williams Photography and Coffs Harbour Regional Museum.
make them anymore – but I have been doing this for 54 years,” she said. “My shop is a happy place. My dad was a showman and I suppose I’ve been doing what he was doing in a different area. He made people happy by putting on movies and I have done it with costumes.
“But my first job was as an usherette. I started there when I was 16 and before heading into nursing at 18, I was working as an usherette and selling tickets and working in the office – whatever was needed.” Norma started her costumes in the ’60s while raising her four children,
operating the business and making costumes for local productions as well. Some of those costumes have been donated to the museum over the years, as have a lot of artefacts from her father’s time. “He was an amazing man ... he was way ahead of his time – mentally and in every
way,” Norma said fondly. The Tasma, opening in March 1937 on the corner of Castle and High streets (as Harbour Drive was known then), was the pride and joy of Norma’s dad and his business partner Lawrence Penn. Penn was the original “Picture Show Man”, an oldtime showman who toured the countryside exhibiting films. In 1924, Jack Gerard became Penn’s trainee and they toured Queensland and New South Wales. After showing films in temporary Coffs Harbour locations, they realised their ambitions to open their own cinema when they formed Penn and Gerard Pty Ltd in 1932. As well as managing the Tasma Theatre, Jack, who died in 1985, was a councillor, car dealer, service station owner, amateur geologist, radio operator and innovator, advocate for surf lifesaving, projectionist and newsreel cameraman. Born in 1907, Jack was a natural showman. In 1953 he
painted “Australia’s largest” Union Jack on the facade of the Tasma, to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Hundreds flocked to see A Queen Is Crowned the 1953 technicolor story of Queen Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne. Paid admission reached 7785, which was 1785 more viewings than Coffs Harbour’s population at the time. Jack received a letter of congratulations from the Queen herself. For 31 years, Jack filmed newsreels for Cinesound Review and Fox Movietone News. With the advent of television and the decline in cinema, he produced features for television for a while before retirement. His most popular newsreel was the 1953 coverage of five lions, escaped from the circus, who roamed the streets of Coffs Harbour. The museum, at 215 Coffs Harbour Drive, is open Tues, Weds, Thurs, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.
PAT’S MOBILE OFFICE Getting out to meet you • Monday 20 April Kempsey 10am-5pm
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• Friday 1 May Taylors Arm 9.30am-4.30pm
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Mobile office appointments are conducted in accordance with the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Coronavirus. Authorised by P. Conaghan MP, National Party of Australia, 39 Little Street, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450. Printed by News Corp Australia.
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Masterful Williamson takes curtain call on high Tracey Johnstone
COASTING IN COMFORT: Retiring Australian playwright David Williamson relaxing at his Sunshine Beach home with his wife, Kristin. Picture: Paul Smith
FOR 50 years playwright David Williamson (AO) has had his hand on the pulse of Australian society, crafting a plethora of memorable creative memories. Remember Don’s Party? What about The Removalists, The Club, the film Gallipoli or the Phar Lap screenplay? Even now he has a burst of plays happening, including Family Values, playing in Sydney. In celebration of Williamson’s 50 years in Australian theatre, a revival of the hit 1987 play Emerald City is jointly being produced by the Melbourne Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre. At another Sydney venue is his latest work, Crunch Time, which is on until early April, when it moves north
to its Queensland premiere in Noosa in mid-April. But now the writing pen lies dormant on his desk. No more plays. No more films. No more television miniseries. The time has come for Williamson, 78, to pack away his shingle and travel a different journey. There is still plenty of Australian life that he could showcase, but Williamson is adamant it won’t happen through his pen. Since 1970 Williamson has pursued his dream to introduce to audiences his flawed characters through his stories, which, as former Ensemble Theatre artistic director Sandra Bates writes, can through their actions achieve his dream of “ … a desire for a better society, a more tolerant society …” As one lanky leg crosses over the other, Williamson
relaxes in a Sydney coffee shop at the base of the tower that houses his second home, and says: “Thankfully there is a whole generation of new writers who are tackling these issues. They can take it on. “I care about the future of the world, but I will have to leave it to others.’’ His first-performed play was The Coming of Stork in 1970 at La Mama in Melbourne. The journey to that point was convoluted. In his early teens Williamson’s father, who for 47 years worked in a job he hated, told the young fellow he should make sure he worked in something he really wanted to do. Williamson’s mechanical engineering degree at Monash University certainly didn’t captivate him. But what did catch his interest was writing the “pretty
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playwright signing off rough” engineering and university student reviews. He went back to university for another stint, this time doing a psychology degree. “I could have gone down that career path and quite happily been a social psychology researcher, but at the same time my writing took off,” Williamson said. His final year of studying social psychology prepared him for taking his keen interest in human behaviour and turning it into a valuable tool in his creative future. “I couldn’t have cared less why a car worked; I was much more interested in how a human worked,” he said. Williamson became hooked on theatre. He took himself to see many different plays and found himself completely enfolded in drama. And as they say, the rest is history. His last work, the play
Crunch Time, has just had its Sydney premiere at the Griffin Theatre, where his first play was performed all those years ago. Crunch Time is due to have its Queensland premiere in Noosa in midApril. In this play Williamson has created Steve, a typical Aussie bloke with a not so unusual dilemma. He’s just retired, handing over the reins of his business to one son. Is this a sign of favouritism? Could this action drive deeper the sense of sibling rivalry between his two sons? His other son hasn’t spoken to Steve for almost eight years. What follows is rivalry, illness, a father’s dream, the chance to repair broken relationships, and jealousy. “These issues do come to mind when you get older,” said Williamson, who looked closely at what is happening to the people around him.
“It’s about family and a father who is approaching death. This family, driven apart by sibling rivalry, comes from observing friends. Luckily there’s been no such thing in our family, at least to date,” he adds with something of a smile. “It’s a stressful business but one I have loved being in. Writing, getting the script right, and then right through to opening night. I could do without that. “It’s been thoroughly enjoyable. I have had 50 terrific years in the theatre. All the plays that I wanted to have done have been done and usually done very well so it’s been a dream run.” The three plays being performed now are all booking well so “getting out now while people are still coming” seems to be a good idea to Williamson. That quiet smile returns when he continues: “I don’t want to be wandering around at 98 wondering
Williamson with The Advertiser journalist Stan James and TV presenter Jan Beasley in December 1992. Picture: Contributed
why there is no one in the theatre.’’ So, what will he do? Well, he says there are plenty of things to do to fill in his retirement. There are five children and 14 grandchildren to keep him and his wife, Kristin, busy. Williamson will continue
to split his time between the family home at Sunshine Beach on the Sunshine Coast and the apartment in Sydney, which is close to two of his children. Then there is lots of reading to catch up on and enjoying watching other people’s work on the stage
and in film. A memoir, perhaps? It’s a strong possibility. On summing up his incredible 50 years in Australian theatre, Williamson casts his mind to Albert Facey’s book A Fortunate Life. “I can say I have had a fortunate life.”
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Be positive Gail Forrer CONFLICTING reports have our monarch and her husband being chauffeured out of Buckingham Palace and dropped off at Windsor Castle with ideas of moving even further north if the virus outbreak worsens. On the other hand she is said to be emulating her father’s actions in World War II and staying put in the palace close to her people. Like many others, the Queen has a job to do and she would probably prefer to stay at home and do it with as little fuss as possible. At 93, she is among the “atrisk’ group, which means she is in the firing line with this virus – the highest rate of fatalities is among older people, particularly those with underlying medical conditions. Yet, there is no evidence yet that older people are significantly more likely to acquire the coronavirus than younger people. In Australia,
SOCIAL STRATEGIES: Global Centre for Modern Ageing CEO Julianne Parkinson offers valuable tips about staying connected despite the need to curb physical contact.
Heed experts’ advice to cope an assortment of agencies – the government, various businesses and associations – are providing advice and services to enable seniors to cope with virus conditions in the best way possible. Global Centre for Modern
‘‘
The weekly catch-up at the local cafe can be replaced with an online video chat.
Ageing CEO Julianne Parkinson said recent research had highlighted the importance of seven needs for older people: choice, safety, comfort, access, independence, connection, happiness. Despite the current
challenge of achieving these outcomes, Ms Parkinson said people who did not feel comfortable continuing with their usual activities – or who might need to stay home if unwell – could still connect online. “The weekly catch-up at the local cafe can be replaced with an online video chat using one of the many readily available platforms such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, some medical appointments can be conducted using telehealth and people can also learn new skills through online learning if they are enabled,” she said. In other areas, medical director of Advance Care Planning Australia, Dr Karen Deterring, and Dr Chris Moy, chair of the AMA Ethics and Medico-Legal Committee and advance care planning ambassador, are urging people to prepare now for the months ahead. “Families need to prepare
Marian Grove
Hello from Sawtell Catholic Care
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Dear Friends, The Coronavirus and Royal Commission continue to dominate the headlines. Regarding COVID-19, our team is well prepared and we up to date. We have stressed to our community the importance of good self-protection, especially with hand washing, and also the importance of protecting others, and self-isolation if required. The Royal Commission has turned its focus on the aged care system re-design, gathering together the evidence it has heard over the past twelve months, including submissions from numerous peak bodies and experts. A list of proposals has been developed which can be viewed on their website. However, it is clear that significant changes are coming to improve the aged care sector. At Sawtell Catholic Care we recognise the importance of these issues, and actively engage our staff in ongoing staff development programs, including research involvement with several Universities. We have just commenced a new PhD research partnership with SCU examining the therapeutic benefit of music and dance. With the USQ and Meaningful Ageing Australia we are researching the impact of spirituality on wellbeing; and, with UOW our nurses are undertaking a new clinical leadership program. Please stay healthy through Easter. Kind regards, Michael Darragh CEO, Sawtell Catholic Care
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in testing times with unimagined life under coronavirus cloud for a time where they may be called upon to make decisions for their loved one who may become suddenly ill with coronavirus,’’ Dr Moy said. “There is an opportunity to act now. Advance care planning is important for everyone, but it’s especially important for older Australians, particularly those with existing conditions such as lung and heart disease, cancer and diabetes. “We recommend they start a conversation with people close to them and potentially choose a substitute decisionmaker they can trust to make
decisions for them if needed.’’ In terms of everyday living, don’t count on online shopping and delivery – some supermarkets have already closed this down. On the other hand, Coles and Woolworths have dedicated certain shopping hours to allow seniors and vulnerable people to beat the crowds and buy from restocked shelves in a freshly cleaned environment. But not everyone agreed with the PM’s sentiment that called the dedicated shopping hours “common sense”. Readers’ comments on the Seniors News Facebook pages
have included: “My issue is that people are lining up for an 8am opening. Very concerned that seniors who are high risk have to get in that line-up. “I’d have to be desperate to go to Woolies between 7-8am. This time is not suitable for me as a senior person. I’d rather go shopping later in the day.” Out of the Federal Government’s $2.4 billion funding package, specific services for seniors have been allocated $101.2 million in response to the pandemic. The moneys will go to upskill aged-care workers in
infection control; enable residential and home agedcare providers to hire extra nurses and aged-care workers; increase aged-care staff and training to facilities during an outbreak; provide onsite pathology services for residents and support the quality regulator to work with providers on improving infection control. * Please note: If elderly or vulnerable people are unable to get to a supermarket to buy essential items, they can log on to Foodbank’s website (www .foodbank.org.au/homepage/ who-we-help/individuals) to find a local charity.
Simple guidelines help you to breathe easier STEPS to help seniors ward off the virus: 1. The same as everyone else, we must wash our hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice)
or clean them with alcoholbased hand gel; avoid handshakes; stay away from large gatherings; clean and disinfect objects that are touched frequently; and avoid public transport. Stock up on supplies.
2. Be honest with yourself about your health. Diabetic? Heart condition? Asthma? Any other underlying conditions? If so, the smart thing to do is to stay away from attending your groups and clubs.
3. Cruises are out, as is non-essential travel. 4. Speak with your family before seeing grandchildren. 5. Continue to exercise – it goes a long way to staying healthy. If the gym is risky, go for a walk.
Practising constant hand hygiene with a sanitiser is a crucial measure everyone needs to take in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus. Picture: The Decatur Daily via AP
Key points to digest • What is a coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crown-like spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses, from the common cold to lung lesions and pneumonia. • How contagious is it? It seems to spread very easily from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can travel through the air, enveloped in tiny respiratory droplets.
• What symptoms should I look out for? Symptoms, which can take between two and 14 days to appear, include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Milder cases may resemble the flu or a bad cold, but people may be able to pass on the virus even before they develop symptoms. • How can I deal with the outbreak? Keep a 30-day supply of essential medicines. Get a flu shot. Have essential household items on hand.
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Music perfect tonic A STATE Government grant is proving music to the ears of hospital patients while also boosting performers’ careers. State Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said the Musicians in HospitalsMusic and Medicine pilot project, which attracted $39,240 in funding, was making an important difference for patients, staff and visitors at Coffs Harbour Health Campus. “This exciting initiative is sponsored by Arts Mid North Coast and funded by the My Community Project program, where projects were put forward and voted on by the local community,” Mr Singh said. “From bedsides to communal spaces, the Musicians in Hospitals performers are delivering music-making activities to improve the quality of patients’ hospital experiences. “The use of the arts in
IN ACCORD: Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh with (from left) entertainer Giri Mazzella, music therapist Bonnie Nilsson and coordinator Stephanie Sims at Coffs Harbour Hospital.
health to aid recovery is well established, and this program is certainly of benefit to some of the most vulnerable patients in our
community. It is also creating further employment opportunities for some of our extremely talented local musicians.”
The program is being delivered at Coffs Harbour Health Campus over the next six months. Working in small teams,
musicians visit the hospital twice a week for performances and activities that are appropriate to each health need.
SENIORS
IN BRIEF Deeming disappoints NATIONAL Seniors Australia has welcomed the recent announcement by the Prime Minister that the upper deeming rate for pensioners will be cut by 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, but says it is still too high. National Seniors’ chief advocate Ian Henschke said: “While any cut in the deeming rate is welcome, the government is still deeming pensioners to be earning 2.5 per cent on investments in excess of $51,800. No bank is offering anywhere near 2.5 per cent on their term deposits.’’ Bushfire summit a first EMERGENCY Leaders for Climate Action has decided to postpone its planned National Bushfire Emergency Summit event until next year. In the meantime, ELCA will hold Australia’s first virtual bushfire and climate change conference later this year. ELCA is developing an online series of events that will bring together people from bushfire-affected communities, officers from fire and emergency services, governments and others.
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Community notes
Community group guide TO ALLOW for readers’ requests for the publication of more neighbourhood news, please keep notices short (100 word max). If you would like to submit a photo ensure it is at least 180dpi or 500kb to 1mb in size and of faces. Email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au.
PROBUS CLUBS Coffs City Inc. THE April meeting of the Probus Club of Coffs City will be held on Wednesday, April 22, at the Cavanbah Centre, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour, at 9.45am for 10am. The guest speaker will be Terry Tweedie, who will
speak on an Anzac topic. Morning tea will follow the guest speaker. This club is a mixed-gender group and visitors and new members are always welcome. For further information contact Brian on 0413 854 106.
GRAFTON SENIOR CITIZENS OUR next bus trip is to Glen Innes and Emmaville mine museum on March 27 and seats are still available. A barbecue on May 11 and a bus trip to Coffs Harbour attractions on May 22 are
MUSIC THERAPY: The Parkinson’s Voice program encourages participants to sing in a group situation which increases conversation, social and emotional connection and bonding. Pictured are Music Therapist Bonnie Nilsson, Parkinson’s Clinical Nurse Consultant Vince Carroll, members of the Coffs Harbour Rotary Daybreak and program participants.
just on sale. An eight-day coach tour to St George, Charleville, Roma, Miles, Toowoomba, in August, is virtually full, but reserves will be noted. Housie, carpet bowls, mahjong and euchre activities will always welcome more numbers. Memberships for current members are due and should be paid as soon as possible. New members
STEP INSIDE A COMPACT ELEGANCE
Open Door, Enter Lift
Lift moves through floor
The Compact Elegance Home Lift range. Specially designed to fit easily into your home.
COFFS HARBOUR PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP WE INVITE men (& partners) diagnosed with prostate cancer to our monthly meeting at 5pm on the third Thursday of each month at Park Beach Bowls Club.
Join others who have “been there’’ in seeking treatment options and “Survivorship when living with Prostate Cancer” and its after effects. Be updated with Awareness through PCFA literature, and genuine ongoing support from others who travel the same path and are happy to share their experience. (An affiliated
support group with Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.) Contact Peter on 0403 340174 for more.
THE AGEING RAVERS WHEN you hear funky music do you get itchy feet and start moving to the beat? Well we`re a group who feel the same, so come dance with us and become an ageing raver.
SOME OF COMPACT LIFTS STANDARD FEATURES ARE: • Lifts installed in 1-2 Days • Option to use our professional building services • Fully electric lift, that plugs into a standard 10A power outlet. • Battery back-up system, in case mains power ever fails • Concealed mobile phone • Half height gate with monitored electric lock for passenger safety when moving between floor levels • Motion sensor light rays, protecting full lift entrance opening • Showrooms in VIC, NSW & QLD
HOME LIFT
A DISCREET AND PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE TO USING THE STAIRS
welcome. Phone publicity officer Sandra on 02 6642 7720.
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NOTE: As many events are being cancelled due to the coronavirus situation, please check directly with the club/group organiser to ensure the following details are still current.
Close door, press up button to start lift
Arrive upstairs
Taking up minimal floor space with a small footprint of 0.62m2 for the Elegance & 1.5m2 for the Elegance Plus.The Elegance Plus range gives you the convenience of a larger lift car size if you need to travel in a wheelchair - either now or in the future.
CALL 1899 498 168 or email info@compactlifts.com.au or visit www.compactlifts.com.au for a FREE no obligation survey or for a FREE brochure.
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CENTENARIAN: The Mater Christi Community Room was filled with well-wishers at a morning tea for resident Clive Moon, who turned 100 on Tuesday, March 17. Clive was joined by family and friends for his celebration along with Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh, who presented him with a letter to mark the occasion.
For more, phone Jackie Carstairs in South Grafton on 02 6642 2284 (9am-5pm).
SINGING HELPS THOSE WITH PARKINSON’S THE sound of song is reverberating across Coffs Harbour each Thursday as people with Parkinson’s Disease and their carers participate in a specialised singing program. Led by Music Therapist Bonnie Nilsson, the ‘Parkinson’s Voice Program’
2020 COMMITTEE: (L-R): National Councillor Elizabeth Birch, Helen E Smith, Helen Cashel, Betty Caldwell, President Faye Stone, Suzanne Gibson, Sandra Simpson, new Assistant Treasurer Norma Merlino and Vorna Cooper from Grafton VIEW club. Absent was Jeanette Calvi, Publicity Officer.
is funded by the Coffs Harbour Rotary Daybreak in a partnership between Parkinson’s NSW, the Younger Person’s Parkinson’s Support Group, University of Newcastle and the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) to improve the quality of life of participants. Communication impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, significantly affecting quality of life. Singing shares many
of the neural networks and structural mechanisms used during speech and, thus, has potential for therapeutic application to address speech disorders. MNCLHD Parkinson’s Clinical Nurse Consultant Vince Carroll said up to 90 per cent of people living with Parkinson’s experience speech and communication disorders yet few seek help. Contact Vince Carroll, Parkinson’s Clinical Nurse Consultant, Mid North Coast Local Health District on
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02 6659 2300.
VIEW CLUBS Grafton WE started the VIEW year with 22 members attending a social luncheon at the Grafton District Services Club. A time to catch up with friends and reminisce over the Christmas break. National Councillor Elizabeth Birch conducted our AGM in February, with all positions being refilled by the standing member and a
welcome back to Norma Merlino as Assistant Treasurer. President Faye welcomed Pauline Delaforce back to the Grafton club. Twenty-two members and friends joined 170 ladies at the recent International Womens Day in Yamba. We were entertained by local ladies, with U3A choir, SkyeMcKinney and Iluka ladies dance group. For more information, phone Vorna on 02 6642 4719.
COCKTAILS AND CANDLES COME out for a morning of cocktails and candles. At this event participants will hand pour large soy candle and sip craft beer cocktails that inspire the scents while grazing on delicious food at Sanctus Brewing Co. Includes all materials to make the large soy candle and cocktails as well as yummy food. Craft beer, Cocktails & Candles workshop, 10am-noon on April 18.
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Unwavering Work for indigenous causes inspires Tracey Johnstone
The Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt (AM) announced on February 6 that the Government “is committed to recognising indigenous Australians in the Constitution and will hold a referendum should a consensus be reached, and should it be likely to succeed”. Previously he had signalled wanting a national vote by mid-2021. Only a few days later, on February 12, at the tabling to Parliament of the 12th Closing the Gap Report, Prime Minister Scott Morrison signalled his unwillingness to lock in a specific time commitment, saying: “I am not going to allow any timetables to prevent the successful achievement of this result.’’ So, where does that leave indigenous Australians? On May 26, 2017, The Uluru Statement from the Heart was made. Turning to the Federal Government, it stated: “We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.’’ While the conversation continues at the federal level, alongside Victoria, which is recognised as the leader in the charge forward to reconciliation, Queensland and the Northern Territory are pressing ahead on their journey towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
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AGENT OF CHANGE: Kevin Coombs (OAM) has been speaking up for the rights of disabled Aboriginal people since the early 1980s. Picture: Contributed
WHEN a journalist described indigenous paraplegic Kevin Coombs’s childhood accident as fortunate, the initial reaction was a fiery slapdown, but then he started to look back. The Wotjobaluk elder’s voice for indigenous recognition wouldn’t have been sought out. “The late Charlie Perkins wanted a disabled bloke who could talk a bit,” Uncle Kevin said. “He said, ‘I understand there is a bloke in Melbourne by the name of Kevin Coombs; I want him’. This was when he was secretary of Aboriginal Affairs in Canberra.” Uncle Kevin was appointed in 1981 as the Aboriginal representative on a committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons. There were 14 people on the committee, all representing different groups. As a result of that working group Uncle Kevin said: “I wanted to get the message through to Aboriginal people what they were entitled to, including grants (under the disability scheme).’’ Speaking to the then minister for health in Victoria, Bill Borthwick, Uncle Kevin also articulated the need for Aboriginal people to be involved in decision-making around the wellbeing of the Aboriginal communities. Mr Borthwick
subsequently opened the door for Uncle Kevin to move from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to the Department of Health. “I was there for 21 years,” he said. “My job was to get hospitals, where there was a lot of Aboriginal people coming in, to have a liaison person working there. We started off with eight for the whole of Victoria.” For his family He might not have been in the Pink Pussycat pub in Melbourne that night more than 50 years ago when he saw and fell in love at first sight with his wife, Linda. They had two daughters – one is a magistrate and the other a vocal advocate for a Victorian Treaty. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria held its first meeting last December. The assembly will decide, alongside the Victorian Government, the ground rules for the treaty negotiations. “I support it,” Uncle Kevin said. “It’s not about me, it’s for our kids and grandkids. “I would like to see a treaty here in Victoria. I would like to see being recognised by the federal government in the Constitution.” Will anything change? As to a change at the federal level within his lifetime and actionable outcomes from Closing the Gap, Uncle Kevin doesn’t think anything will happen unless there is a “radical PM”.
PHONE 02 6653 1577 EMAIL: info@sawtellrsl.com.au ADDRESS: 38-40 First Avenue Sawtell
Waves Café:
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voice of Kevin Coombs ‘‘
I wanted to get the message through about what Aboriginal people were entitled to.
PROUD MOMENT: Wheelchair basketballer Kevin Coombs at the opening ceremony of the 1960 Paralympic Games. Picture: Contributed
the mind is sharp. At age 79, Uncle Kevin hasn’t quite retired. He’s left behind his 17-year role as an elder with the Koori courts, but he remains on the Melbourne University Murumbarak Committee, which supports Aboriginal
students, the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health committee, and at the Broadmeadows TAFE where he brings a voice of reason and understanding as an elder, watching over the indigenous students. “You get to see kids go
through and come out successful,” he said. Changing the way older non-indigenous Australians see the First Peoples is something Uncle Kevin thinks can be achieved through knowledge. As Mr Morrison said in his
Closing the Gap speech to Parliament in February: “We must see the gap we wish to close not from our viewpoints, but from the viewpoint of indigenous Australians before we can hope to close it and make a real difference.’’
Uncle Kevin believes that by sitting down and talking to Aboriginal people, seniors can help to lead a change in the Closing the Gap conversation in Australia. “Talking is a wonderful thing,” he enthused. “You get to know people better.”
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As for the other states, there appear to be mixed commitments to turning the conversation around statebased treaties into action. “One treaty for the state?” Uncle Kevin said. “It won’t change me, but it will be good for my grandkids and great-grandkids.” Sporting chance At 18 the wheelchair basketball athlete headed to Rome to compete in his first Paralympic Games. Uncle Kevin was representing Australia, but had to travel on an honorary British passport. “We weren’t recognised as we didn’t get our rights until 1967; it’s not that long ago.” It was not until 1973 that Gough Whitlam’s Labor government actively assumed responsibility for Aboriginal affairs. Uncle Kevin remembers missing the 1964 Games as he was “chasing women” at the time, but then went on to compete for Australia in the 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1984 Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in 1974 and at two world championships. Hopeful future The body is weary, but
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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stRassman: the ChoColate diet
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Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
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friday 12th June 2020 matinee show 2pm
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NEWS
MARCH, 2020// finish with the opportunity to attend the current exhibition An Artist’s Garden at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery. Location: Meet at the Coffs Harbour Regional Botanic Gardens. Location may change, so please keep updated by checking your email. For more information, email madeleine.leigh@chcc.nsw. gov.au. For tickets, go to eventbrite.com.au/e/coffsby-nature-nature-journalingtickets-94338949337.
What’s on
NB. As many events are being cancelled due to the coronavirus situation, please check directly with the event organiser to ensure the following details are still current.
Forest. Old Bottlebutt is located near Port Macquarie and Wauchope on the NSW mid-north coast. The runs are held Saturday, April 18. 6am to noon. Bottlebutt Bash Trail Run, corner Burrawan Forrest Drive and Aintree Close, Herons Creek. Phone 0434 048 688.
AUTHOR TALK
HOMESTEAD EVENT
Tania Phillips
COFFS-based author Jenn J McLeod will hold an author talk at the Harry Bailey Memorial Library from 6-8pm on March 24. Phone 02 6648 4905. Come and be inspired by her latest novel.
RUN TRAIL THE Bottle Butt Bash Trail Run offers runners three different distances to experience this beautiful area. It has a distance for all abilities. This year they are adding the Marathon experience, two laps of the 21 kilometre magical course through the Burrawan State
DOUGLAS Vale Historic Homestead and Vineyard will hold a Heritage Open Day on Saturday, April 18 from 9.30am-2.30pm. There will be a variety of stalls incorporating craft demonstrations, community and historical displays, sweets, craft, art, flowers and books by local authors. Devonshire teas, tasty barbecue, volunteer-led homestead and grounds tours and an opportunity to taste their unique wines will complement the day. Douglas Vale Historic Homestead and Vineyard,
HARMONY FESTIVAL 2020 LOCAL TALK: Jenn J McLeod will give an author's talk at Coffs Harbour Library.
235 Oxley Highway, Port Macquarie. Phone 02 6584 3792 or email events@douglasvale.com.au
locally grown, made or baked, farm fresh produce and fine food products.
ARTIST MARKETS
NATURE JOURNALING
THE Artist Market is staged on the fourth Sunday of each month in the grounds of The Maritime Museum at Port Macquarie from 9am to 1pm. It is an eclectic market bringing together a vibrant and colourful collection of works by local artisans and artists. It will showcase their talents and will be supported by stalls featuring
NATURE Journaling is simply writing, drawing, collaging or painting in response to what you see around you. In this session at the Coffs Botanic Gardens, from 9am to 11am, participants will be guided through a series of exercises and prompts that will introduce them to the practice of Nature Journaling. The event will
IT’S back – bigger, bolder and tastier than ever. Celebrating everyone’s journey to calling Coffs home, experience Coffs Coast’s most culturally exotic, action-packed, and soul nourishing familyfriendly fiesta as the lush and leafy surroundings of Coffs Botanic Gardens erupt in a kaleidoscope of colour, delectable aromas and hands-on fun. Featuring the cream of local cultural performers and some very special guests, the main stage ramps the excitement factor up to 11 with over 20 authentic and amazing acts from around the globe and
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just down the road. Sunday, March 29 from 9.30am 2.30pm, North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, Gold coin entry.
A MUSICAL FEAST AT THE CATHEDRAL HEAD to A Musical Feast on Saturday, April 18 for a black-tie charity event in Grafton’s heritage-listed Horbury Hunt Christ Church Cathedral. Enjoy a fine dining experience with exquisite regional cuisine prepared by local chef Erin Brown, with fine wines from the Barossa Valley and Western Australia and Boutique Beer from Byron Bay. Dance the night away with fabulous entertainment from the acclaimed Clarence Valley Orchestra. This charity event is in support of the Christ Church Cathedral Organ Restoration Project and the BackTrack Youth Works. The BackTrack Youth Works program has helped many troubled kids from the Clarence Valley and New England regions get their lives back on track. For more information phone 0409 046 390, email cvocmusic@gmail.com or go to eventbrite.com.au.
1GB data Unlimited talk & text Keep your number
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Good times shore thing Discover cultural mix making Hobart such a buoyant hub PAGES 20 AND 21
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On track for love BRAND INSIGHTS IT’S BEEN a tumultuous start to the year, with fire, floods and now the coronavirus. If anything, it’s given us a great appreciation of Australia, and fuelled a desire to get back out and see the places we remember, the places we’ve heard about, and some that we haven’t. This has encouraged local businesses to design new holidays to encourage Australians to “Holiday here this year’’. One such company, Vintage Rail Journeys, is conducting five-day/fournight regional rail tours to help you get out and really enjoy some of the best that regional and rural NSW has to offer. “Our short rail tours are designed to take our guests out of the city and into the bush,” owner Simon Mitchell said. “Guests have really taken
to heart the ‘buy from the bush’ message in the wake of the drought and the bushfires, and are seeking a relaxed way that they can do this. “Our newly restored 1960s ex-Southern Aurora sleeping train is really striking a chord. “We have developed a northern loop (The Golden West Rail Tour) and southern loop (The Riverina Rail Tour), with both tours starting in Sydney. “We are lucky to have some of the best rail journeys in the world here in Australia and you’ll be hard pressed to find a better piece of railway line than that along the Hawkesbury. “And what better way to experience the beauty and wonder of the river than on the Riverboat Postman?” Next, they have designed a special hop-on, hop-off bus circuit just for Vintage Rail Journeys guests, with the second day focusing on the specialities of the Hunter
‘‘
We are lucky to have some of the best rail journeys in the world here. Valley. As a point of difference, the tour also stops in Orange, which provides a stark contrast to the Hunter Valley in terms of wine, food and elevation. Where the Golden West goes north, the Riverina Rail Tour heads south, once again starting the trip along some of the most spectacular railway in Australia. “The Illawarra Line is truly breathtaking,” Mr Mitchell said. “We travel along the water and then up the escarpment to Moss Vale and on to Goulburn, where we spend the first night.
“We love getting our guests out to regional NSW, where people might have heard of towns but might not have had a reason to stop and spend time before.’’ The Riverina Tour is designed to showcase the “food bowl’’ of NSW, with passengers spending time in Coolamon and Griffith. “We love stopping in towns, and where we remain on the train, our guests don’t miss out as our chefs have sourced produce and wine from the regions we travel through,’’ Mr Mitchell said. The Blue Mountains Villages have suffered a massive drop in visitors in the wake of the bushfires. Both trips stop for a day in the Blue Mountains villages, giving guests a chance to make a real difference, before returning to Sydney. For further information, a full copy of the itinerary or to book, go to vintagerailjourneys.com.au.
GET ON BOARD: Simon Mitchell aboard one of the trains used in his Vintage Rail Journeys regional tours.
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Get away to the Tweed Valley Shirley Sinclair
and around our mountain road, then a few bends further on to the west. Cabarita Beach – where we came from yesterday – lies only half an hour east. A flatscreen TV, Wi-Fi and great mobile phone coverage are waiting for you – if you can’t do without them. So are boutique shopping and restaurants in Murwillumbah (and I highly recommend Bacaro Restaurant Bar for authentic Italian). And you could spend hours playing board games and chess or reading a host of books and tourism information. It’s so much nicer putting down the remote control, leaving the phone in the handbag and tuning in to the wildlife, which can range from “growling” male koalas looking for mates to mountain brushtail possums to shy wallabies, cheeky goannas and water dragons, plus birdlife including owls on lamp posts, exotic parrots and tiny kingfishers.
LUXURY ON TAP: Soak up the lushness from the Waterfall View villa’s spa bath.
The Urliup villas – Mountain View, Fountain View and Waterfall View – previously were known as Wychwood but were totally cosmetically renovated to officially open on Remembrance Day (November 11) in 2017. While Fountain View and Waterfall View sit by the perch-filled dam, Mountain View has a beautiful outlook to Wollumbin Mt Warning. After breakfast, we
decide to take a stroll on the Zodiac Trail to find our Year of the Water Tiger. It’s one of two pleasant walks that are filled with sculptures and oddities, flowering plants and massive trees. We take our time reconnecting with nature – and each other. And in less than 24 hours, I’m ready to face the real world again. AT A GLANCE: What: Regal Retreats’ Mistere Spa and Retreat.
Where: 1110 Urliup Rd, Urliup, NSW. The villas can be occupied by one couple for the ultimate in privacy or by groups and families. Breakfast baskets and barbecue packs are available to buy before check-in. Regal Retreats prides itself on unique Australian accommodation. Info: Visit www.mistere spaandretreat.com or call 0411 052 759 to book. 7140941aa
IT IS so quiet. Quiet as only the Australian bush can be. The unmistakable laugh of far-off kookaburras breaks the prolonged silence. Then a whipbird. Quickly, tranquillity returns, leaving only the slight rustling of leaves around us. From our comfy chairs on the undercover veranda, the break in the eucalypts reveals a herd of dairy cows on their morning graze and a smattering of farmhouses amid grand sprawling trees below, climbing past cleared grasslands and forests to the prized vista: the summit of Wollumbin Mount Warning. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Our arrival the previous afternoon in this rainforest canopy had been met with cloud cover and a smoky haze from distant bushfires over the border in Queensland. But the morning breeze has cleared the air and
uncovered the reason behind the name of our villa: Mountain View. But we’re certainly not roughing it in the bush. We’re sampling the hospitality of Mistere Spa and Retreat, Urliup, in northern NSW – three spacious, luxury selfcontained villas that offer the privacy and downtime we’ve been craving. This very Australian getaway (pronounced, aptly, like “mist” and air”) has all the creature comforts you need to unwind – from the soft sophistication of the modern four-poster bed, electric fireplace and airconditioning to the bespoke timber coffee table and warm embrace of the spa bath. This is how to get away from it all … without being away from it all. The “secret” retreat in the stunning Tweed Valley is hidden amid 52ha of idyllic, pristine rainforest. Yet Murwillumbah is only 10 minutes (8km) away, down
EUROPEAN WATERWAYS AMSTERDAM TO BERLIN $6,375 16 Day Tour Dep. Aug 2
Flying emirates into Amsterdam & out of Prague, 11 night river cruise from Amsterdam to Berlin aboard the MS Victor Hugo, 2 night post cruise stopover in Prague, Czech Republic.
INSIDE VIETNAM
$3,985 20 Day Tour Dep. Aug 10 & Nov 6 Flying Singapore Airlines into Saigon and out of Hanoi, coach & air tour of Vietnam from south to north including Halong Bay and the hilltribe area of Sapa. No extra charge for anyone who would like a single room.
MAGNIFICENT CITIES OF EASTERN EUROPE $6,795 18 Day Tour Dep. Aug 14
Flying Qantas & Finnair into Berlin and out of Warsaw, overland tour with 2 night stays in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow & Warsaw, quality accommodation.
EAST AFRICA KENYA & TANZANIA INDIA $9,995 – 15 Day Safari Tour Dep. Oct 1 Flying Emirates return to Kenya, 12 day quality safari, with game park viewing in Amboseli, Tarangire, Serengeti, Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Parks. African themed lodges, Dubai stopover.
$5,565 – 19 Day Tour Dep. Nov 5 Flying Singapore Airlines into Delhi & out of Mumbai, including Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Luxury desert camp & Singapore stopover. Small group tour. Great accommodation.
EGYPT – LAND OF THE PHARAOHS MEXICO & CUBA $6,195 20 Day Tour Dep. Oct 11
Flying Emirates return to Cairo, 15 wonderful days in Egypt including 4 night Nile River cruise, Great Pyramids of Giza, Egyptian Museum, Abu Simbel, Aswan, Alexandria and more. 3 night Dubai stopover including Dubai World Expo.
SINGAPORE TO PENANG WITH THE CAMERON HIGHLANDS
$7,495 15 Day Tour Dep. Nov 5 Flying Qantas & America Airlines into Mexico City, three nights in Mexico, one week touring Cuba and a 2 day stopover in Los Angeles. Tipping included.
JAPAN AUTUMN LEAVES $6,975 13 Day Tour Dep. Nov 11
Flying Singapore Airlines, overland tour from Singapore to Penang, Malaysia. Small group tour.
Flying Qantas into Tokyo & out of Osaka, overland tour of Japan by coach and bullet train, including nearly all meals, quality accommodation, Maiko dance performance and Sushi making class.
$4,875 17 Day Tour Dep. Oct 25
$4,795 – 16 Day Tour Dep. Nov 17
$2,995 10 Day Tour Dep. Oct 13
AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS & TREASURES OF ANCIENT TURKEY SRI LANKA (CEYLON) CANYON COUNTRY
$5,475 17 Day Tour Dep. Sep 14
Flying Qantas and United Airlines return to Las Vegas, including Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Yellowstone National Park, Black Hills of South Dakota, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon and the wild west town of Jackson The prices listed mainly include return air fares from Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane, airport taxes & fuel levies, tipping, good twin share accom., many meals, all transfers, Australian tour leader & local tour guides.
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Flying Singapore Airlines return to Istanbul, 15 coach & air tour of Turkey including Troy, Ephesus, Cappadocia, Mt Nemrut, Gallipoli & ANZAC Cove. Small group tour.
Flying Singapore Airlines into Colombo, 14 day coach & rail tour of Sri Lanka including Yala National Park Safari. No additional charge for anyone who requires a single room. Australian Federation of Travel Agents Travel Accreditation Number: A1038
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Keep Outback front of mind BRAND INSIGHTS
WITH the wrath of Mother Nature sending fires, drought and floods, 20192020 has possibly been the hardest year in history for Outback Australians. Seniors News would like to encourage our readers to book a holiday within Australia. Think about choosing a destination where tourism needs a financial boost. Each issue we will be bringing you ideas on places to visit that rely on tourism. Our first recommendation is “The Silver City”. At Broken Hill you’ll truly discover the world of yesteryear with its historic mines, captivating landscapes, grand old pubs and simple miner’s cottages. Every sight has a tale to tell. And few can tell them better than Silver City Tours. As the longest-serving tour operator in the Far West of NSW, its philosophy
of sit back, relax and enjoy best sums up the most compelling reason for booking an organised tour. In 2015 Broken Hill became the first Australian city to be included on the National Heritage List. Located 935km northwest of Sydney, 725km northwest of Melbourne and 420km northeast of Adelaide as the crow flies, Broken Hill is significant for its unique mix of architecture and mining infrastructure, set amid a dramatic desert landscape. Drive five minutes in any direction and you are in the Outback. Its vast open spaces and rich red earth leave everlasting images with you that are so hard to describe you have to visit to understand. After rain, the perennial wildflowers bloom and in spring the rich blossoms of mulga trees attract myriad birds. This is the land of the raptor, hawks and wedgetail
DRAMATIC DESERT: Broken Hill is a fascinating destination with its unique history and attractions.
eagles. The hills are the home of the sure-footed rock wallaby, while on the plains the emus strut and the big reds boom. Broken Hill is one of the nation’s most exciting art centres and has enabled
5 Day Packages 8 Day Packages Departure Dates: 2020
April 6th & 27th May 11th & 25th June 15th
visitors to see the region’s spectacular scenery through the eyes of its artists. Take a look: clear light, glorious views, expansive vistas and dazzling skies, at times interrupted by billowing clouds, are all captured by
the region’s artists. Meet the artists in their studios; watch them work on a piece that you would love to take away. Silver City Tours is the expert for Broken Hill and Outback NSW and all its
packages are designed around rail travel on NSW Trains services. Rex Regional Express (REX) has daily flights from Sydney. Info: silvercitytours.com .au. For booking advice, phone 1300 723 583.
Broken Hill & Outback NSW
July 20th August 17th September 7th & 21st
Silver City Tours
October 5th & 19th November 2nd & 16th
For more information, contact: SilveryCity Tours Ph: 1300 723 583 Email: sctbhq@iinet.net.au Web: www.silvercitytours.com.au
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Luxury coach travel in style A locally owned and operated family business BRAND INSIGHTS
STRIKE A CHORD: The Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth, NSW. Picture: Barry O’Brien
PORT Bus can take the hassle out of your tour. Port Bus Charters, Tours and Rentals is owned and run by the local McGrady family. The friendly, reliable and experienced staff take pride in providing customers with the highest quality service and support. It’s an ideal time to visit Dubbo – Lightning Ridge with Port Bus. The seven-day, sixnight tour is from May 25. Day 1. May 25: Home – Hollydene Estate – Dubbo, lunch and dinner. Day 2. May 26: Dubbo – Coonabarabran breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day 3. May 27: Coonabarabran – Lightning
Ridge breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day 4. May 28: Lightning Ridge breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day 5. May 29: Grawin – Glengarry breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day 6. May 30: Lightning Ridge – Narrabri – Tamworth breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day 7. May 31: Tamworth – Walcha – Port Macquarie breakfast and lunch. Tour highlights: Hollydene Estate Vines Restaurant; Taronga Western Plains Zoo; Siding Spring Observatory; Australian Museum Diprotodon Exhibition; Milroy Observatory; Crystal Kingdom Museum; Coonamble Nickname Hall of Fame; Global Village Cafe; full-day opal tour – Fred
Bodel’s Hut, Three Mile Flat, Lunatic Hill Open-Cut Mine, Simm’s Hill Opal Fields and Miners’ Camp, Astronomers’ Monument, Amigo’s Castle, Bevan’s Opal Cactus Garden and Chambers of the Black Hand; Grawin, Glengarry and the Sheepyard Opal Fields. Tour price includes: • Luxury coach travel – (below price excludes coach). • Six nights’ quality accommodation. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner as per itinerary. • All entry fees, cruise and guides. Net tour cost: $1995 a person, twin-share (single supplement $399). Info: Contact Graheme Kirkman at Port Bus on 02 6583 8774 or email admin@portbus.com.au.
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Warming to hip Hobart’s culture club
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STUNNING: The view of Hobart from Mount Nelson. Pictures: Erle Levey
Art, music add to southern belle’s core appeal Erle Levey THERE’S more to Tasmania than apples, wine and seafood. The island state to the south of the Australian mainland is full of cultural surprises, whether it be art, music or architecture. And as well as the worldfamous Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, there is another link to an even greater journey … a link to man’s landing on the moon. It’s something I quickly discovered after an earlymorning mystery flight from Brisbane in late November. Just pack a jumper, walking shoes and an iPhone, I was told. No need for a passport. That narrowed the destination down to Victoria, South Australia or Tasmania. Arriving at Gate 38, departures were either Melbourne or Hobart. Hobart it was. In a little more than two hours we were off the east coast of this southernmost part of Australia and starting the approach to Hobart International Airport. Even though it’s virtually the start of summer there is a chill in the air on leaving the terminal. And I’m glad there is a woollen beanie to pull on. After all, next landfall is Antarctica. Everything feels fresh. Friendly. After the novel greeting of life-size replicas of the native wildlife at the luggage collection area in the airport terminal, the drive into Hobart is mostly through bushland or rolling farming country. The approach to the Derwent River Bridge opens up the beautiful view of the city on both sides of the glacial-formed river and deep harbour. The backdrop is the majestic Mount Wellington, known as kunanyi by the first people, the Muwinina. Hobart is easy
to love. And to get around in. It’s such a walkable city for the most part. You only need a car for day trips to such locations as the wineries of the Coal Valley, historic Port Arthur Convict Settlement, the wooden boats centre in the Huon Valley or to the summit of Mount Wellington. There is the magnificent Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) to explore, the coastline of Bruny Island and so many walks. You don’t expect it to snow on the first night in summer. You don’t expect to stumble upon an art exhibition opening on your way to dinner. You don’t expect to experience the strings section of a symphony
orchestra playing to a packed house at a brewery. There’s a lot to Hobart you don’t expect … and that’s part of its charm. Hobart is easy to love … even when the weather turns cold and grey. To see the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at Hobart Brewing’s Red Shed at Mac Point was something to warm the soul. It was simply an 800m walk from the Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel, near Victoria Dock.
Despite the soft rain and chill wind the atmosphere was warm at the brewery. Flannelette shirts and Blundstone boots were the order of the night as the sold-out crowd readily warmed to the unusual blending of an exceptional orchestra in such an industrial setting. Pot-belly stoves inside, open fires in the courtyard and the talk from the bar area added to the sense of occasion. The TSO is based right in the heart of Hobart. It is widely travelled throughout Australia and the most played on ABC Classic FM. Tonight the strings section will be playing everything from Elgar to Lady Gaga. On Saturday night is another sold-out event with the orchestra’s brass section performing at St David’s Anglican Cathedral, about another 800m up the hill in Murray Street. The TSO reaches a broad cross-section of listeners with free outdoor concerts in Hobart and Launceston, and performs in regional Tasmania, schools and community centres as well as these events that started three years ago to reach out to new audiences. As marketing director Sam Cairnduff says, they are looking at different ways to take music out there. “We are going through our most successful period in 71 years. While subscriptions around the country are challenging, ours are going up year on year. “We are pretty much getting right around the state, and around Australia. “A specialty is Australian composers. We have recorded more than any other orchestra. “We have championed a lot of composers. Our
The Cascades Female Factory, a former Australian workhouse for female convicts.
Australian conductors’ workshop is a pipeline for aspiring conductors to build skills.’’ Tasmania’s food and wine are celebrated for their quality, especially its seafood. And there are so many good places to eat in the city. Walking back from the brewery, we stop at the Drunken Admiral, right on Victoria Dock. I had wondered about it, being in such a convenient position. Would it be a tourist place? Friends had all talked about it, including those who had lived in Hobart. Yet fears of it being impersonal were quickly dismissed as soon as we walked through the door. It was a step back in time … to the inside of an old sailing ship with bowsprits, figureheads, heavy timber tables, all sorts of nautical bits and pieces such as
Tasmania Symphony Orchestra Strings at the Red Shed, Hobart Brewing Company.
shackles, ropes and chains, old sails, and gimballed navigation lights. Everywhere you looked was like being in an antiques shop. It was busy … and despite it being a cold night the welcoming was warm. We were happy to sit up at the bar and grab a drink while ordering. The rum barrel behind the bar reminded you of what it must have been like in the time of sail. Bruny Island oysters are arguably the best you will taste, then there’s the scallops, the seafood chowder, crusty bread … and a Tasmanian red. To finish we walked around the waterfront to the floating Van Diemens Land Creamery. The city fronts the River Derwent, so it has not just a nautical past but it is still part of its seafaring culture.
Constitution Dock, famous for the finish of the SydneyHobart Yacht Race, is also home to sailing ships from Tasmania’s past. The sailing vessel May Queen, Australia’s oldest sail trading vessel, is one of only a handful of wooden vessels of her era still afloat in the world. Westward is a fishing vessel that was converted to a racing yacht and claimed handicap victories in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Races of both 1947 and 1948. Recently, the SydneyHobart pioneer Mistral II has joined the fleet, in preparation for a major restoration to take several years. Being able to virtually walk everywhere in Hobart adds to the intimacy of the city. Such as enjoying the Salamanca Markets of a Saturday morning, on the western side of the
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It’s well worth the walk up to Battery Point for the stunning surrounds and gorgeous views.
‘‘
There’s a lot to Hobart you don’t expect … and that’s part of its charm.
The Jackman and McRoss Bakery is a Battery Point highlight – one of the rewards for visiting the area.
waterfront. And then to walk up to Battery Point and places such as Jackman and McRoss Bakery, or on to the Shipwright’s Arms Hotel for a counter meal, particularly of a Thursday for the jazz night. Shippies, as it is known, was established in 1846 and remains a traditional oldschool pub complete with nautical mementos and pictures to celebrate its history. Yet Hobart also has a host of interesting places within easy reach, whether it be by car, tour or ferry. Mt Wellington, the dramatic backdrop to the city, is 1270 metres high, and climbed in 1798 by surgeon and explorer George Bass. You can drive up, walk up or take a bike tour. Yet the weather can change quickly … from sunshine to cloud and scotch mist in minutes. But the view is enormous. Stop at the convict
women’s factory in South Hobart to get a glimpse of the harsh conditions the prisoners found themselves in during the 1800s. Catch the ferry out to MONA, a remarkable art gallery cut into the sandstone cliffs and privately funded by Tasmanian David Walsh. Allow time to discover what’s there as there is a remarkable backstory about how it came about. Although it is not publicly funded it has earned such a name that virtually everyone who goes to Hobart probably experiences it … 400,000 visitors a year. Set in the grounds of Moorilla Winery, the oldest in Tasmania, and on the banks of the Derwent, MONA has made a giant difference to the Tasmanian economy. Art and wine … both need even temperatures and controlled
light to preserve them at their best. MONA was built in 2011 with the philosophy that arts and culture should always be accessible. A bit further out is Richmond in the Coal Valley, the perfect place to wander through the wineries, try the food and sketch the secondmost photographed bridge in Australia. Standing among the rows of grapevines at Frogmore Creek Winery, the shape of the Mount Pleasant radio telescope provides a juxtaposition. Something from the future in such an old landscape. Now run by the University of Tasmania, it had been part of the deep-space research program of the 1960s. It had been the Orroral Valley radio telescope to the south of Canberra and was the first deep-space tracking station. That was before
nearby Honeysuckle Creek and then Parkes, in the central west of New South Wales, became forever etched in history as the sites to relay the first televised pictures of the moon landing … the “one step for man, one giant step for mankind’’. Between mountain and sea, Australia’s southernmost state capital is wrapped up in history, culture, adventure and the natural environment. Hobart is timeless. Such clean air, good food and interesting landscapes. Even the story of Tasmania is somewhat of an adventure. The first reported sighting of Tasmania by a European was on November 24, 1642, by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who named the island Anthoonij van Diemenslandt, later shortened to Van Diemen’s Land.
The square-rigged sailing ship Yukon at Franklin in the Huon Valley.
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Stay local and holiday here BRAND INSIGHTS
DISCOVER OUR UNSPOILT NORTH
WITH so much uncertainty around Australia and the world, what better reason to look at our own backyard as the perfect alternative to overseas travel? There’s never been a better time to book your next holiday here in Australia, boosting the economy and making magical memories that will last a lifetime. Holiday Coast Tours has some seats left on a 13-day Cape York adventure departing Tuesday, June 30. But you’lll have to be quick, as seats are limited. Cape York is one of the last remaining unspoilt regions in Australia and the journey to the Cape is a great adventure, with open roads, diverse scenery and beautiful wildlife at close range. This amazing Top End journey is designed with seniors’ comfort and
WHAT: CAPE YORK ADVENTURE. WHEN: DEPARTS JUNE 30. HIGHLIGHTS: KURANDA SCENIC RAILWAY; TOUR OF COOKTOWN; THURSDAY ISLAND; PORT DOUGLAS.
GREAT ADVENTURE: Spectacular Cape York is one of the last remaining unspoilt regions in Australia.
enjoyment as the priority. Bookings are closing soon for this once in a lifetime trip so don’t think about it too hard, just pick up the phone and start your Australian journey of a lifetime.
To name a few of the inclusions: economy flights to Cairns, 12 nights’ motel accommodation, cooked motel breakfasts, catered dinners, the world famous Kuranda Scenic Railway
Heritage Class from Cairns to Kuranda (one-way journey), guided tour of Cooktown, James Cook Historical Museum, morning tea at Cooktown Botanical Gardens, cruise with
Western Cape Eco Tours at Weipa, lunch at Cape York Peninsula Lodge (day eight), ferry from Seisia to Thursday Island and Thursday Island bus tour with Peddells Tours, ferry from Thursday
Island to Horn Island and airport transfer with McDonald Charter Boats Ferry and Bus Service, flight from Horn Island to Cairns, transfer with Down Under Tours Cairns (24-seater coach) and a stunning sunset cruise with Lady Douglas Cruises at Port Douglas. For more information, contact Holiday Coast Tours on 02 6583 8669 or go to holidaycoasttours.com.au.
Call our friendly, experienced team to book your next cruise or touring holiday or to join one of Go See Touring’s special group departures. 1300 551 997 | (07) 5513 1086 E: info@goseetouring.com www.goseetouring.com
NORFOLK ISLAND CROQUET
$2,335
*
per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement From $540
CHRISTMAS IN JULy NORFOLK ISLAND
11 - 18 JULy 2020
Want to enjoy the festive season twice this year? Spend a week on Norfolk Island with its stunning scenery, sandy beaches and jagged cliffs. There is so much to see and do – and all at your own pace. We’ve included some great accommodation options, a hire car so you can explore, some fabulous tours that you won’t want to miss, plus plenty more to do on the Island. Enjoy a festive delicious Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, fun trivia and Carols at Paradise Hotel & Resort. Chase away those winter blues and have some fun. Call us now to secure your accommodation.
per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement From $495
$2,095*
NORFOLK ISLAND A LITTLE BIT COUNTRy ESCORTED EX BRISBANE From
per person Twin Share Ex BNE
$2,995* Single supplement $340 BELLA ITALIA HOSTED By FORTUNATO ISGRO From
Per person Twin Share
BNE, Single $995 $10,950* exsupplement
15 SEPTEMBER - 06 OCTOBER 2020
You are invited to join entertainer Fortunato on his muchanticipated ‘Bella Italia’ tour, where you will experience 22 days of incredible history, culture, food and scenic landscapes within central and southern Italy all whilst enjoying wonderful entertainment from your renowned host. Fortunato is particularly excited to also take you to Sicily and the Aeolian Islands where his family originates, to bring you an authentic experience that you will never forget. You don’t want to miss out on this stress-free holiday with Fortunato and his family. Contact us for more fabulous details.
COLOURFUL VIETNAM ESCORTED EX BRISBANE From
$4,395*
$3,995*
13 - 24 OCTOBER 2020
Vietnam dazzles the senses, the sights, the sounds, the fragrances. Dramatic vistas and tumultuous history. Beautiful fresh foods, vibrant markets and friendly locals. Let us show you why we love this compelling country so much. This 11 day tour takes in the best of south, central and northern Vietnam and ends with a 2 night cruise on the UNESCO per person World Heritage Halong Bay. You’ll find out why everyone is drawn to Twin Share Ex BNE this fascinating country and why it should be on everyone’s travel list. Single supplement $1040 Contact us for more details.
MAGICAL COOK ISLANDS HOSTED By LyNNE & GRAEME HUGO From
18 - 25 JULy 2020
Join Fortunato Isgro or Lindsay (Waddo) Waddington for a fantastic week on Norfolk Island of Songs and laughter! A Little Bit Country on Norfolk Island 2020 sees a great line-up of performers taking to the stage. Graeme Hugo, Fortunato Isgro, Wayne Horsburgh and Lindsay (Waddo) Waddington will all perform at 3 big shows during the week. Plus plenty of time for you to enjoy beautiful Norfolk Island with its colourful history, lush greenery, stunning scenery and friendly locals. Enjoy delicious cuisine, tours, time to shop and explore and plenty of laughs along the way. Call us for more information!
30 OCTOBER - 07 NOVEMBER 2020
You are invited to join entertainer Graeme Hugo & Lynne for a trip of a lifetime to the beautiful Cook Islands. Experience the authentic colourful local culture, swim in crystal clear tropical waters, enjoy delicious local cuisine, informative and scenic tours. Located just 6 hours from Australia, we hope you can join Per person Twin Share ex BNE, us on this trip to paradise. Please call us to secure your place Single Supplement $980 or for more details.
TERMS & CONDITIONS *Price is per person Twin Share. Single Supplement applies. Credit card surcharges apply. Deposit of AUD $500-$800 per person is required to secure tour. Tour requires a minimum number of passengers to depart. Prices may fluctuate if surcharges, fee, taxes or currency change. Prices current as at 20 February 2020. Go See Touring in conjunction with Norfolk Select Marketing ABN: 93 367 366 822 ATAS Accreditation A10619
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From
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27 JUNE – 4 JULy 2020
Due to popular demand Go See Touring invites players & spectators to join us on Norfolk Island in June 2020 for a 2nd tournament of the 6th Convict’s Cup Social Croquet event. This is a social golf croquet doubles event and it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an expert - it’s all about having fun. You’ll play on the oldest sporting pitch in the Southern hemisphere that is still in use. With stunning Norfolk Island as the backdrop to this week of friendly competition, there will be sightseeing, lots of fun and laughter! We hope you can join us!
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Century for Joyce WHEN it comes to firsts, Joyce Osborne has seen a few in the 100 years since she was born in Toowoomba in 1920. From the start, Joyce was breaking new ground. She was the first child in the Jandowae district to come home in a car. Later in life she was the first woman to graduate from Pharmacy studies at The University of Queensland and to go on to manage pharmacies across Queensland and New South Wales. Now living at home on the Sunshine Coast, Joyce celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends on January 20. While the letter from the Queen was impressive, for Joyce the letter from the Bishop of the Anglican Church Grafton Dioscese was just as important as it was a reminder of the years of service her family had provided to parishioners in
the region. Joyce, who grew up with an older brother Ken (who lived to 97) and a sister Kathleen (who lived to 103), started her career as a pharmacist filling in when other pharmacists took leave. She met her future husband Brian when he came to work with her as an apprentice at a pharmacy in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. As a couple, they worked in and owned pharmacies for about 20 years before Brian became an Anglican priest (Rev’d Canon) and Joyce sold their Goonellabah pharmacy to support him with his work in various parishes across NSW including Lismore, Dorrigo, South Grafton, Mullumbimby, Kyogle and Casino. They were married for 63 years from 1953 to 2016 when Brian died, aged 84. Reflecting on a few highlights of her life, Joyce recalled a stint in the United States where the family
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Suncare's Amy Bertwistle and centenarian Joyce Osborne who turned 100 on January 20, 2020.
moved to watch over a parish in Basking Ridge, New Jersey for several years. For Joyce, whose house features many full bookshelves, a love of learning has been part of her life and helped keep her young. “I’ve had a great desire for information. I was always looking for information. I did a fair lot of studies. There’s
always something interesting to learn,” she said. Joyce celebrated her birthday over a week, spending time with her three children, Mark, Jane and Sue and a number of grandchildren. Altogether she has eight grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Joyce’s daughter Sue said while he mum did not get
out too much anymore, she was comfortable at home with regular visits from Christine from St Marks Buderim for Communion and Isabelle, a Community Visitor Scheme Volunteer from Suncare Community Services who comes every week when she’s home. Suncare’s Care Coordinator Amy Bertwistle said
Joyce was a remarkable lady and her team had loved working with her since April last year. Amy said her team was able to help out with basic chores and support for Joyce each week. Amy said it was great to help make it possible for her to stay at home, where she wants to be, for as long as possible.
Stimulus package to protect communities THE latest NSW Stimulus package is designed to help protect the community and jobs in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak over the next six months. The package has two key components — $700 million in extra health funding and $1.6 billion in tax cuts to support jobs. Key elements:
• The $700 million will assist in doubling ICU capacity, preparing for additional COVID-19 testing, purchasing additional ventilators and medical equipment, establishing acute respiratory clinics and bringing forward elective surgeries to private hospitals. • $450 million for the
waiver of payroll tax for businesses with payrolls of up to $10 million for three months (the rest of 201920). This means these businesses will save a quarter of their annual payroll tax bill in 2019-20. • $56 million to bring forward the next round of payroll tax cuts by raising the threshold limit to $1
million in 2020-21. • $80 million to waive a range of fees and charges for small businesses including bars, cafes, restaurants and tradies. • $250 million to employ additional cleaners of public infrastructure such as transport assets, schools and other public buildings. • More than $250 million
to bring forward maintenance on public assets including social housing and crown land fencing. • $500 million to bring forward capital works and maintenance. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government’s package strengthened the health system and helped to
secure jobs. “This package works hand-in-hand with the recent moves by the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Federal Government,’’ she said. “It will provide more resources to help slow the spread of this virus and boost treatment for those people in our community who need it most.”
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Look health right in the eye LONG-TERM vision disorders affected 93 per cent of people aged 55 and older in 2017-18, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Eye Health Web Report. Of course, there are many eye conditions that affect people at various stages of life and these often depend on genetic, congenital and lifestyle factors. According to Daniel Cornelius from Clearly.com.au, the most common to impact ageing Australians are: • Presbyopia, or “the ageing eye’’, the effects of which we will all experience from the age of about 40 as a normal part of growing older. This condition affects the ability of the eye to change focus from far to near. The onset may vary slightly depending on the lifestyle and environment where people grow up and spend most of their time before the age of 40. • Cataracts: Just like presbyopia, developing cataracts is a normal part of ageing and is not always classified as an eye disease. Cataracts occur when the crystalline lens of the eye
EYE-CARE TIPS • Visit you optometrist at least yearly. • Consult your optometrist as soon as you notice a difference in your vision. • Have the right ‘tool’ for the task. In today’s visually demanding world, it makes sense to optimise your vision for specific tasks. • Consider contact lenses as an alternative to wearing your prescription glasses. • Maintain A healthy weight: exercise and diet help prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.
BE WATCHFUL: Glaucoma is a silent disease that develops slowly, experts say.
starts to lose its transparency.This condition is dealt with by extraction of the opacified crystalline lens of the eye and replacing it with a clear artificial lens. • Glaucoma – a condition whereby the optic nerve of the eye progressively becomes damaged. This is often associated with high pressure in the eye. The loss
of vision typically occurs in the peripheral sight and often goes undetected. In most cases, this condition can be treated successfully. Unfortunately, glaucoma remains one of the major causes of blindness in the world. This is because the condition has no or very few symptoms in the initial stages and it is probably the
most under-diagnosed of serious eye diseases. • Age-related macular degeneration: This is among the major causes of blindness in Australia. It typically affects central vision. There are two types of age-related macular degeneration: dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration typically progresses very
slowly and does not often result in legal blindness. Unfortunately, there are currently no treatments for this condition. • Diabetic retinal disease: There has been a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes among the ageing population of the world, leading to a radical increase in diabetic retinopathy. The
risk of developing these retinal complications greatly increase with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes or poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. Managing the risk for related eye disease requires a multidisciplinary approach, with regular screening for retinal disease recommended.
Dementia drink link is targeted CLARIFYING the relationship between alcohol use and dementia is just one of 19 new projects that will share in $1.5 million in grants to conduct groundbreaking dementia research. Dr Louise Mewton from UNSW Sydney’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) was awarded a
$75,000 Dementia Australia Research Foundation Pilot Grant, sponsored by the Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, and will use the funding to clarify the relationship between low to moderate alcohol use and the risk of dementia. “This world-first study combines innovative, state-
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of the-art research methods to address two of the largest contributors to the global disease burden: dementia and alcohol use,” she said. “To date, the relationships between these two key causes of death and disability have been underresearched and overlooked. It is critical that we have a better understanding of how alcohol use is related to agerelated diseases such as dementia. “This research will uncover innovative avenues for dementia prevention through the development of age-appropriate, evidencebased recommendations on the number of standard drinks per week associated with minimal dementia risk.” The chair of the Dementia Australia Research Foundation, Professor Graeme Samuel (AC), said the grants provided support to early and mid-career researchers who wanted to
make a difference in the field of dementia. “This next generation of talented researchers will be among those tackling some of the biggest challenges in this field. These grants provide vital insights into reducing dementia risk, improving accurate and timely diagnoses and establishing treatment and care options for people who live with dementia,” he said. “With the number of people living with dementia expected to increase to almost 1.1 million by 2058, research into dementia is now more urgent than ever. “Further, the broad range of projects supported, including nanotechnology, hip-fracture prevention, enhancing cognition with exercise and personalising care through music, reflect the increased diversity and quality of research in the dementia space across Australia.’’
CRUCIAL LINK: New research is looking into how alcohol use relates to dementia.
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WATCH IT: Port Macquarie optometrist Lucy Liu (inset) recommends regular eye checks so that signs of glaucoma can be detected early.
Keep close eye on vision to avoid effects of ‘silent thief’ Tania Phillips WORLD Glaucoma Week earlier this month shone a light on the disease that most Mid North Coast residents have heard of but, according to statistics, many of us don’t know much about. Port Macquarie-based optometrist Lucy Liu (pictured) said the disease affected one in 20 Australians and yet it was estimated 50 per cent of those living with the disease were undiagnosed. “Glaucoma is one of the world’s biggest contributors to irreversible blindness, so early detection is an V1 - SEFE01Z01MA
important aspect of our business,” Ms Liu said. “While nine out of 10 Australians say that sight is their most valued sense, half of Aussies who have the condition aren’t being treated because they have not had a comprehensive eye exam.” Miss Liu said glaucoma was an eye disease that resulted in a slow, painless loss of small areas in people’s side vision. “These blind spots slowly enlarge to eliminate your peripheral vision, so often people don’t notice a deterioration until the disease has taken hold,” Ms Liu said.
“The end result is ‘tunnel vision’, which is like looking through a keyhole. “Because of the slow and
often unnoticed loss of side vision, glaucoma has been called the ‘silent thief’ of sight.” While for privacy reasons she could not disclose how many glaucoma patients she had seen in her year and a half in Port Macquarie, she said it was important to start being checked by age 35 and continue those checks as you age. “Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for glaucoma and vision cannot be regained, although early detection and adherence to treatment can halt or significantly slow progression,” she said. “The best way to protect
your sight from glaucoma is to have your eyes tested. If you have never been checked for glaucoma, then you should go to your optometrist. “Early detection, through regular and complete eye exams, is the key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma. “Family history is one of the largest indicators that a person may be predisposed to glaucoma. “Those who have a firstdegree blood relative with the disease are eight times more likely to develop glaucoma themselves.” Ms Liu said vision lost to
glaucoma was gone forever, but early detection eye screens could be coupled with several methods to slow the disease. “Your optometrist will recommend a course of treatment – eye drops are the most common form of treatment, although laser and surgery are also used,” she said. “It is important to follow your treatment plan and appointments, as recommended by your doctor. “This is because glaucoma is a lifelong, often progressive condition, and appropriate treatment can prevent vision loss.”
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Living FAMILY AFFAIR: Author Jacqueline Henry with her mother, Agnes Hough, at the launch of Ms Henry's book, The Whole Heart.
Author tackles grief with a story all about hearts Melissa Seiler WHEN author Jacqueline Henry first told a friend she had an idea to write a book about grief, she was met with a little scepticism. “She said, ‘Oh, that sounds a bit dark’– which is why you shouldn’t tell people your ideas!’,” Ms Henry said.
“But it’s not. For me it’s about accepting grief, and grief is the price of love.’’ The Whole Heart tells the endearing tale of a little girl who has lost her grandfather, and seeks help from a man at a repair shop to “fix’’ her heart. That moment of bravery unfolds into a journey exploring the very nature of the human heart, and its
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The Whole Heart, the debut work by Jacqueline Henry, explores the different ways in which people are affected by grief.
different meanings to people riding the rollercoaster of emotions that are grief and heartbreak – and the wish to feel “whole’’ again. Queenslander Ms Henry had spent the best part of 25 years working to realise her long-held dream of being an author. After originally completing a degree in sociology, she started writing articles and stories in the 1980s, turning her attention to children’s picture books and junior school readers when she had her three sons in the 1990s. “I got rejection letter after rejection letter, and that’s when I thought, I’m taking myself back to uni,” she said. A postgraduate Diploma in Journalism led to a job writing for a community newspaper – where her determination grew stronger. “Everyone I met was doing something amazing … they were artists, or releasing their first book or album, or they were 80 and
running for the environment,” Ms Henry said. “I thought, well what am I doing? So I started writing.” The light-bulb moment for The Whole Heart came on a seemingly ordinary journey four years ago. “My son and I play this game ‘what trade is that truck?’,” Ms Henry recalled. “I was driving along and I was behind this truck. It was old and it had the extension cords, a generator and power tools, things dangling off it … and I was thinking, I bet this is an old guy, I bet he could fix anything except a broken heart. “By the time I’d reached my destination, I had the whole concept in my head.” As for the very personal subject of grief, Ms Henry said it was something she by no means claimed to be an expert on. “When you tell people you’re writing a book about grief, they tell you their story. My observation is, everybody experiences it so differently.
“I know people say they’re afraid of making others cry – but I don’t think you can. If you bring up someone they’ve lost and then they cry, it’s because they’re remembering them. It’s a complicated thing. “You can lose someone in different ways – they could move away, they could leave you, they could die, they could get dementia. As someone said to me the other day, they could be there, but they’re not the person you’ve spent your whole life with.” Launching the book recently, surrounded by family and friends, Ms Henry thanked her now grown-up sons Tom, Will and Harry Husson, and her mother, Agnes Hough, 85, for their “love and light” during the long journey to publication. But perhaps the biggest fan of her book is her threeyear-old granddaughter.
“Over Christmas, I read it to her every day, and she loves it. She points to the new heart and says, ‘That’s my heart, Ma, I love that heart’. “When I wrote the book, my dream for it was that someone might hold it against their heart and it might give them a little bit of comfort, thinking ‘Yes, I would rather remember’.” The book is available for purchase at thewholeheart .com.au. SEFE01Z01MA - V1
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Carers homing in on diversity Gail Forrer
CULTURAL CONNECTION: Macedonian migrants Petar and Ristana with Bolton Clark diversity manager Jaklina Michael.
Petar, 80, lives with his wife and son but has highcare needs due to diabetesrelated health issues including vision impairment. He grew up in a small village and speaks, reads and writes Macedonian. He has everyday conversational English but requires a professional interpreter for more complex conversations such as health education. Petar and his wife, Ristana, settled and raised their family in Wollongong before moving to Melbourne to live with their son Johnny
after he had a stroke in 2000. Petar’s Macedonian heritage and Orthodox religion are important to him, but mobility issues were making it difficult to stay connected with his community and old friends. Support in accessing the nearest Macedonian Orthodox church and subscribing to broadcast Macedonian TV programs have been important in meeting his care needs and reducing his isolation. “Petar’s culture, life
experiences and health beliefs were all important considerations for his care team,” Ms Michael said. “He was experiencing barriers to accessing services, which put him at risk of premature entry to residential aged care. His Bolton Clarke wound care nurse raised her concerns and a team approach was put in place to support the family. “The team arranged a Macedonian-speaking worker, a culturally competent diabetes
Clarence Conversations
specialist nurse and a Macedonian interpreter to better understand Petar’s cultural identity and specific needs and ensure he had access to culturally safe and appropriate support. “The Macedonianspeaking worker was able to help Petar and his family access My Aged Care and undergo a Home Care Package assessment. The team also arranged an assessor and as a result of work to build rapport and trust, Petar and his wife were both assigned Home
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Ryan on Samps
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Care Packages, which gave them greater access to support.” Ms Michael said engaging with care workers in their mother tongue allowed people to better participate in their care. *If you speak a language other than English, you can call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 for support to talk to My Aged Care or with your aged care provider about your services. TIS National is available 24/7.
Mo Fri nda yt da o y f 9a r o 12 m to m no on
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WHILE the world reels from the shock of a new virus, it can be easy to forget the positive societal changes that have also changed the world – particularly for seniors. One of the many changes to be celebrated is access to aged care provisions for culturally diverse seniors. If you are an older person from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background, there are aged care services specifically for you. Many organisations now offer specific diets, activities, languages or spiritual needs, whatever your cultural, linguistic or spiritual background. Bolton Clarke diversity manager Jaklina Michael said culturally appropriate care and services were about understanding, respecting and meeting the needs and expectations of people. That included having access to care workers who are culturally competent, information they can understand and use, and support in receiving aged care services. “Bringing those things together means people can feel safe in their experience of aged care services and can share their diverse characteristics and life experiences without fear of discrimination,” she said. For Bolton Clarke athome support client Petar, who emigrated from Macedonia in 1967, creating that cultural safety has involved a multidisciplinary team working closely with his family over time.
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Turbocharge super in your retirement FOR many of us, saving for retirement isn’t something we’ve done our entire lives. However, when it comes to your 50s (and beyond), your super becomes more important to you than ever before and the key to retiring comfortably is all in the planning. Here are five easy ways you could boost your super when you’re over 50. 1. Consolidate your super Inching closer to retirement means it’s time to get serious. Now might be the time to consolidate your super into one account to minimise fees, reducing your admin time and make it easier to keep track of your balance. Before consolidating super, it’s important to check you’re not going to lose any insurance cover in an existing super fund. 2. Think about debt Typically, retirees want to enter retirement with as little financial stress as possible – which means it’s time to think about debt. There’s a wide range of options on how best to manage debt including the
option of starting to pay down debt now, or waiting until retirement – it depends on the individual circumstances. 3. Increase your super contributions As available cash flow increases – say because the mortgage has been paid off – it might be time to increase your super contributions. Whether you choose to do this through salary sacrificing or a personal taxdeductible contribution, as you come closer to retirement it could be beneficial. to turbocharge your contributions to make the most of your investments. 4) Think about your investment strategy The closer you come to retirement, the better idea you will have of how and when you might like to retire. It’s a good time to assess your investment strategy to ensure it’s working for you and will get you where you want to go. Is your current strategy too aggressive as you move closer to leaving the workforce and have less time to ride the wave of
SENIORS
Money
investing? 5) Review your insurance/beneficiaries As your financial commitments start to slow down, it’s important to reevaluate your insurance needs and any beneficiaries. For some, if the mortgage is paid off and your emergency fund is in a good place, now might be the time to lower your level of cover or extend your waiting period to drop your premiums. Whatever you choose, review your beneficiaries regularly to avoid your benefit ending up in the hands of the wrong person or attracting unnecessary tax. – Dianne Charman, of Jade Financial Group, is an authorised representative of AMP Financial Planning Pty Ltd, ABN 89 051 208 327, AFS Licence No. 232706. Any advice given is general only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of this, before acting on any advice, you should consult a financial planner to consider how appropriate the advice is to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
IT PAYS TO PLAN: Simple measures can help make the most of your superannuation.
Managing the inheritance IN AUSTRALIA, special capital gains tax (CGT) rules
Independent Family Owned
apply when dealing with assets of a deceased estate. The most common types of assets inherited by a beneficiary that could be
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Mark Digby
subject to a capital gain are property, shares and managed funds. Implications for Australian tax residents Within Australia it is only if you decide to sell the inherited asset at some point that the normal CGT rules apply. Inherited Property: CGT outcomes are an important aspect to consider when selling inherited investments. Inheriting a family home may involve CGT when it is sold. This depends on a few factors, such as when it was bought, when it was sold and whether it was used for investment purposes during the ownership period. The sale of the family home may receive the “main residence exemption’’,
which means that CGT will not apply. (If you’re a nonAustralian tax resident, CGT may be applicable.) Inherited shares and managed Funds: Generally these assets can be passed to Australian tax resident beneficiaries and not involve a CGT event; however, the beneficiary will inherit the deceased person’s liability. This means the CGT is calculated on the original purchase price – not the price when these assets were inherited. Other CGT aspects: Generally speaking, if the asset is: • A collectable asset, such as rare stamps, then CGT may apply. • Personal-use asset such as jewellery, a car or boat, CGT will typically not apply.
Capital gain (or losses) on an inherited asset: Several considerations are involved in calculating a capital gain or loss. These can include: • The type of asset, and how it was used before the deceased’s passing. • The deceased’s date of death. • The date the asset was inherited. • Your ownership period, before selling the asset. • Whether you are selling the asset as an individual Australian tax resident, or not. The CGT implications of a deceased estate are complicated. A financial adviser will be able to assist you in understanding any tax implications of inheriting an asset, based on your
personal circumstances, objectives and goals. For more information, contact Mark Digby at Maher Digby Securities Pty Ltd – Financial Advisers – AFSL No. 230559 (see advert Page 3). Phone: 07 5441 1266 or visit www.maherdigby .com.au. – This article is not a substitute for specialist tax advice This document was prepared without taking into account any person’s particular objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not guaranteed as accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as such. Maher Digby Securities does not accept any responsibility for the opinions, comments, forward looking statements, and analysis contained in this document, all of which are intended to be of a general nature. Investors should, before acting on this information, consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to their personal objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend consulting a financial adviser.
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Give web fraudsters the flick CYBERSECURITY is a real threat to everyone, from millennials who are afflicted with ‘‘optimism bias’’, through to seniors who lack general cybersecurity knowledge. According to the ACCC, scammers cost Australians half a billion dollars in 2018, via various schemes including internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation, so it is important for those who didn’t grow up with technology to protect themselves from some of the most common types of online fraud. Nick FitzGerald, senior research fellow at ESET, said: “Optimism bias, loneliness, and deteriorating cognitive abilities are key leverage points that scammers use to target their victims. By understanding the potential risks and identifying the signs, those who grew up without technology can better
protect themselves in 2020.” Cybersecurity experts at ESET have outlined some tips to keep all internet users, including seniors, safe from common types of online scams. 1. Be sceptical Never assume that a stranger online is a trustworthy person. Always consider the possibility that any unexpected message may be a scam attempt, noting anything unusual about the message or sender. Additionally, caution should still be exercised if the message comes (or seems to come) from someone well known via email, instant messaging apps or social media. If in doubt, throw it out. 2. Don’t click It’s important to never automatically assume that any material received out of the blue is authentic, no matter how official it looks. One of the most pervasive
online cons, phishing, usually begins with an unsolicited email or social media message in which the fraudster impersonates a trusted entity using social engineering techniques, and attempts to persuade the victim to hand over sensitive data, such as credit card details or login credentials. 3. Say no to ‘freebies’ Fraudsters have also been known to send emails congratulating people on their “win’’ in a lottery or sweepstake that they never entered, or as the apparent only remaining relative of a y wealthy person who is genuinely deceased. Asking for personal details, requesting small payments and instilling a sense of urgency are all signs of a scam. 4. Never wire money to strangers Some $60.5 million was lost by Australians in 2018 to dating and romance fraud. Victims are tricked into
STAY ALERT: Scammers could be lurking behind your next email, so be aware of the signs and never give out your personal details. Picture: Contributed
sending money or personal information to a false admirer, making lonely seniors particularly susceptible. 5. Hang up
Tech support fraud is a common technique where the con artist advises potential victims that their computers have been compromised by malware.
Never give remote access to a device unless you called a help desk directly, even if the caller claims to represent a reputable vendor or your ISP.
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LIFE
MARCH, 2020//
SENIORS
MEAL PLANNER Scrambled tofu with turmeric, tomato and spinach
Strawberry cheesecake french toast
FOR a healthy vegan breakfast, skip the eggs and scramble some tofu. SERVES: 1 PREP: 5 minutes COOK: 5 minutes
FOR a cosy weekend breakfast, you can’t go past this creamy cheesecake french toast with sweet strawberry sauce.
Ingredients 75g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 garlic clove, crushed ¼ tsp ground turmeric 100g firm tofu, crumbled 40g baby spinach ½ lime ½ x 45g wholegrain wrap,
SERVES: 4 PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 20 minutes
Ingredients 3 eggs ¼ cup milk ½ cup pouring cream 250g strawberries, hulled, coarsely chopped ¼ cup caster sugar 200g brioche loaf 30g unsalted butter, chopped 125g spreadable cream cheese
cut into wedges
Method 1. Lightly spray a non-stick frying pan with olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add tomato, garlic and turmeric. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 2. Add tofu and spinach. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until spinach has just wilted. Season. Squeeze over the lime juice. Serve with wrap wedges. Recipe by Chrissy Freer Photo by Vanessa Levis
Method 1. Combine cream cheese, 1 tbsp caster sugar and one-third of the strawberries in a bowl. Cut brioche into 8 slices. Spread half the slices with the mixture, leaving a 1cm border around edges. Top with remaining brioche slices. 2. Combine remaining caster sugar and strawberries with 125ml (½ cup) water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until sugar has melted and strawberries break down and form a sauce. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk and cream in a large bowl. Place brioche sandwiches in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over sandwiches. Set aside for about 2 minutes to soak. Carefully turn over sandwiches and soak for a further 2 minutes or until the mixture is absorbed. 4. Melt half the butter in a large non- stick frying pan over medium heat until bubbling. Cook sandwiches, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and sandwiches. 5. Slice the sandwiches and serve with strawberry sauce and a dusting of icing sugar, if you like.
Rice salad with poached egg and chilli jam aioli
Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, trimmed, thinly sliced 200g bacon rashers, thinly sliced 110g (2⁄3 cup) frozen green peas 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 450g packet microwave jasmine rice 80g (1⁄3 cup) bought aioli 2 tbsp chilli jam, plus extra, to serve 60g baby spinach 4 eggs, poached 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
Recipe by Kathy Knudsen Photo by Brett Stevens
Bacon and sweet chilli pumpkin scrolls
Method
SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 15 minutes
MAKES: 6 large PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 50 minutes
Ingredients 450g seeded, peeled, chopped pumpkin 170g shortcut bacon, chopped 2/3 cup store-bought sweet chilli relish 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra leaves to sprinkle 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 50g butter, chilled, chopped 125ml (½ cup) milk, plus extra, to brush 160g (2 cups) coarsely grated cheddar
Method 1. Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain. Mash. Set aside to cool. 2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden. Stir through sweet chilli relish and chopped rosemary. Set aside to cool. 3. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Use fingertips to rub in butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre. Add mashed pumpkin and milk. Use a flat-bladed knife to mix
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the leek and bacon. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until leek is soft and bacon is golden. Stir through the peas, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the peas are heated through. Remove from heat. 2. Meanwhile, heat the rice following packet directions. Combine the aioli and chilli jam in a small bowl. 3. Add rice and spinach to pan. Season. Divide among serving bowls. Top each with an egg and chilli jam aioli. Sprinkle with chives and drizzle over chilli jam to serve. Recipe by Liz Macri Photo by Taste Magazine
using a cutting action until well combined. 5. Turn the dough out on to lightly floured baking paper. Pat to a 20 x 30cm rectangle. 6. Spread with bacon mixture and sprinkle with 1 and 3⁄4 cups cheese, leaving a 2cm border. Using the paper as a guide, roll up dough starting with a long side. Cut into 6 pieces. 7. Place scrolls, cut side up, on prepared tray. Brush with extra milk. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and extra rosemary. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Recipe by Alison Adams Photo by Al Richardson SEFE01Z01MA - V1
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PUZZLES
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ACROSS 6 What is a list of corrected errors attached to a book? (6) 7 What was the name of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship on his 1908-09 Antarctic expedition? (6) 10 What is a nine-sided figure called? (7) 11 What fabric is made from processed flax? (5) 12 What is improvised jazz singing with the voice imitating an instrument? (4) 13 A numismatist collects medals and what? (5) 16 Which of Puccini’s operas was his first of the 20th century? (5) 17 Which dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644? (4) 20 What was the name of the Famous Five’s dog? (5) 21 What is a person who has suddenly risen in economic status, but has not gained the accompanying social acceptance? (7) 22 What is a slang word for cheap, harmful alcoholic liquor? (6) 23 Which river rises in the Black Forest? (6)
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DOWN 1 Who wrote television’s The Singing Detective? (6,6) 2 Adjectivally, what word means “of the skull”? (7) 3 In an old song, what should Mrs Worthington keep her daughter off? (5) 4 Which instruments are most numerous in an orchestra? (7) 5 Which pipe in a set of bagpipes is tuned to produce a single, continuous tone? (5) 8 “Friday night and the lights are low” is a line from which 70s song? (7,5) 9 What medical instrument is used for viewing the internal parts of the body without open surgery? (9) 14 What liquid holder is in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat? (4,3) 15 Colloquially, what is an arsonist? (7) 18 What are small flakes of soot? (5) 19 What traditional South African village is typically surrounded by a stockade? (5)
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SUDOKU
Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
QUICK CROSSWORD 1
2
3
4
5
DOUBLECROSS 6
7
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9
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Find a finished crossword by deleting one of the two letters in each divided square.
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21 22
Down 2. Singly (3,2,1,4) 3. Resound (4) 4. Frowned (6) 5. Arrogance, pride (6) 6. Wedlock (8) 7. Border (4) 11. Link (10) 13. Abbreviates (8) 16. Marksman (6) 17. Sleazy (6) 18. Constructed (4) 20. Trial (4)
Across 1. Crater (4) 8. Worked out (10) 9. Unskilled worker (8) 10. Speed contest (4) 12. Danger (6) 14. Blemishes (6) 15. Wispy clouds (6) 17. Get very angry (3,3) 18. Blend together (4) 19. Annoy (8) 21. Thrill-seekers (10) 22. Diminutive (4)
SOLUTIONS
5x5 N E V E R
S T E R N
ALPHAGRAMS: ACHES, BIASED, CREATOR, DEFOREST, ENDOWMENT. GK CROSSWORD Across; 6 Errata, 7 Nimrod, 10 Nonagon, 11 Linen, 12 Scat, 13 Coins, 16 Tosca, 17 Ming, 20 Timmy, 21 Parvenu, 22 Rotgut, 23 Danube. Down: 1 Dennis Potter, 2 Cranial, 3 Stage, 4 Violins, 5 Drone, 8 “Dancing Queen”, 9 Endoscope, 14 Toby jug, 15 Firebug, 18 Smuts, 19 Kraal.
Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram of the letters beside it, and the five solutions are sequential. For example, if the five-letter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.
CHASE ABIDES REACTOR FOSTERED DEMON NEWT
5x5 C
DOUBLECROSS
QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Hole 8. Calculated 9. Labourer 10. Race 12. Hazard 14. Stains 15. Cirrus 17. See red 18. Meld 19. Irritate 21. Daredevils 22. Tiny. Down: 2. One at a time 3. Echo 4. Glared 5. Hubris 6. Marriage 7. Edge 11. Connection 13. Abridges 16. Sniper 17. Sordid 18. Made 20. Test.
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Note: more than one solution may be possible.
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Insert the missing letters to make ten words — five reading across the grid and five reading down.
R R
All puzzles © The Puzzle Company
TODAY: Good 12 Very Good 15 Excellent 18
dobs drab robs
R
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C O L I C
How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre
S C A T S
WORD GO ROUND
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ALPHAGRAMS
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