Seniors Toowoomba, May 2020

May, 2020

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How Gerry Zwart lived through a world at war WELLBEING

SHOPPING, EATING AND EXERCISE DURING VIRUS CRISIS

BACK AT THE CREASE FOR SECOND INNINGS In 1976 Patsy Fayne was a member of the first Australian women’s team to compete at Lord’s, now she’s mentoring a new generation

FEATURE

REMEMBER WHEN

Taken 75 years ago, on August 15, 1945, Toowoomba-ites celebrate the end of the Second World War in Ruthven St.

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MAY, 2020//

INDEX 4 10 13 16 18 21 26 28

Finding a happy place

Cover story: Patsy Fayne Feature: An extraordinary life – Gerry Zwart Old photos stir fond memories Community Notes Wanderlust Shopping in COVID-19 times Holding onto super Puzzle page

Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor

13 Trip down memory lane.

.

14

A GLANCE up into the gorgeous blue autumn skies is a beautiful reminder that nature beats on at its own rhythm regardless of how out of sync we may feel.

This wonderful sky brings on a feeling that in Danish might be referred to as ‘’Hygge” (pronounced hoo-ga).

In 2016, Meik Wiking wrote The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living (The Happiness Institute series). Now, I do like Scandi interiors, fashion and crime movies, and I know the Danish lifestyle came in at No. 1 in The Happiest People in the World Index – so I thought in these troubled times, this philosophy might give us a sense of comfort and wellbeing – a Hygge experience.

Wiking says Hygge is all about gratitude and savoring the simple pleasures in life. I hope our stories give you that.

For instance, our cover

personality, Patsy Fayne, displayed such a daring spirit in her sport – you have to love that. Also great to hear that generous Toowoombaites have ensured the success of Basement Soup Kitchen and 2nd Shot cafe (p. 12).

Additionally, I’m sure you will enjoy the pictures of an earlier Toowoomba (p. 13).

These days there’s extra time to dream and plan, so we have included a double-page Australian road trip feature for future reference.

Wiking attributed Danes’ happiness to their ability to decouple wealth and wellbeing.

“We focus on the small things that really matter,” he said.

During this period, I hope Seniors News assists you to do just that.

SENIORS

CONTACT US General Manager Geoff Crockett – 07 5430 1006 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 07 5435 3203 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Mark Smith – 07 3327 3327 mark.smith@newsregionalmedia.com.au Online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution inquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 or (07) 5435 3200 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Location: 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore 4558 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 361604 and quote “Brisbane Seniors Newspaper”.

The Seniors Newspaper is published monthly and distributed free in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.

The Seniors newspaper stable includes Toowoomba, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Northern NSW, Coffs and Clarence and Central Coast publications.

Published by News Corp Australia.

Printed by News Corp Australia, Yandina.

Opinions expressed by contributors to Seniors Newspapers are not necessarily those of the editor or the owner/publisher and publication of advertisements implies no endorsement by the owner/publisher.

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SOLID GROUNDING: Carinity Brownesholme village manager Garry Silk and resident Kay Clement at the site of the new aged care development at Highfields.

New Highfields aged care community taking shape Carinity project set to house 84 villas A NEW aged care development at Highfields is starting to take shape.

A 96-suite aged care building is being built adjacent to the existing Carinity Brownesholme retirement village.

Earthworks at the $27 million development have been completed.

Civil works and site infrastructure works are continuing at the semi-rural location, 13km north of the Toowoomba CBD. The aged care site is stage one of a $67 million expansion of the Carinity Brownesholme seniors’ community.

In the future, some 84 retirement villas will be built to complement the 61 existing independent retirement units already at the Highfields site.

Carinity Aged Care regional manager Kathy Nicholls said older residents “want to stay connected to their loved ones, families and friends”.

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more supportive residential aged care accommodation and care services,” Kathy said.

“When it is time for the additional support of aged care living, residents don’t have to move away from established relationships and can maintain their close networks.”

Carinity’s commitment to seniors in Toowoomba and surrounding districts also includes the new Carinity Home Care Toowoomba service, which supports seniors to continue living independently in their own homes and local community.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020, Brownesholme is one of six retirement villages operated

by Carinity.

Carinity, a Brisbane-based not-for-profit organisation, also operates 11 residential aged care communities between Townsville and the Gold Coast.

“We are committed to enhancing the wellbeing of Queensland seniors. We believe in creating communities where people feel respected, are heard and feel a true sense of

belonging,” Kathy said.

Queensland firm Paynters is building the new Highfields aged care community, the company’s fourth major collaboration with Carinity in five years following construction of the Fairfield Grange, Cedarbrook and Brookfield Green aged care sites.

“This will be our fourth project alongside Carinity, after completing awardwinning projects in Townsville, the Gold Coast and more recently, Brookfield in Brisbane,” Paynters director John McCafferty said.

“The team at Carinity have always been a reliable partner that we can confidently delve into the buildability with, to deliver well beyond the aesthetics.

“We are creating a beautiful community here in Highfields and we want to make sure we provide confidence and allow residents to feel welcome.”

It is expected that 96 staff members will work at the new aged care community, which is scheduled to open in mid2021.

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COVER STORY

MAY, 2020//

SENIORS

Bowled over Humble ex-Aussie rep guides rookies Tracey Johnstone

GROUND-BREAKER: Ex-cricketer Patsy Fayne broke gender barriers in the 1970s when she represented Australia in England. Now she’s passing on her skills to Noosa players.

WITH the summer of cricket over, the women’s team at Noosa have kicked up their heels to celebrate their friendship with mentor Patsy Fayne.

The Tewantin Noosa Cricket Club team has just played its second year of the eight-team Coast competition with Patsy’s strong support.

She gently led the lively group out of the first-year blues and through a second season, with plans for the next campaign already on the table.

At first glance, the 72year-old may have seemed an unlikely mentor for this fledgling, youthful team – until Patsy’s cricketing heritage was revealed.

Patsy was a member of the first Australian women’s team to compete at Lord’s.

This was the first time women had competed at the famed venue. And bowler Patsy was also the first to take an Australian women’s wicket at Lord’s.

Sadly, that year England trounced Australia.

Patsy started playing backyard cricket as a child.

Her older brother – who was bigger and stronger than her – owned the bat but he needed a bowler.

“He took his little sister (Patsy) and bashed her up,” Patsy reminisces. “I used to practise at One Tree or one stump just to get my brother out. I didn’t plan to play for Australia.”

Once at university, Patsy rediscovered her love for cricket, playing for her tertiary institution, then for NSW and then Australia.

But by 1976 Patsy decided to give up cricket.

She was broke. Everything she did had to be paid out of

her own pocket. Then in 2018 a news piece in the local paper caught Patsy’s eye and she showed the story to her proud husband, Michael.

“I hadn’t been around cricket for 40 years, but then I thought maybe I can just go visit them and see if I can help, just while they get started,” Patsy said.

“A week or two. Teach them to run between wickets. Just the basics of the game.”

When Patsy walked into the come-and-try day for the newly formed Tewantin Noosa Cricket Club women’s team, no one there had any idea who this sprightly older woman was and why she had turned up.

“I told them I had played a bit of cricket and I was happy to help out as I lived in the area,” the understated Patsy said.

One of the women trying

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by history-making mentor ‘‘ The impact Patsy has had from the getgo has been incredible.

out on the first day mentioned her aunt was Miriam Knee, the captain of the Australian women’s team that competed at Lord’s in 1976. Patsy piped up: “She was my captain.’’

The team’s co-founder and now captain Paula McKie said when she found out about Patsy’s history, “it was like a celebrity coming in”.

Patsy has consciously stayed in the background as much as possible, allowing the women to manage the team’s development.

Paula said Patsy had attended the training and

PITCHING IN: Patsy with Noosa team members Kirsty Patten, Trina Feuerherdt and captain Paula McKie. The side has been inspired by Patsy’s expert input.

meetings and helped iron out some of the intricacies of a women’s cricket team.

“Her contribution has been huge,” Paula said.

Fellow team member Trina Feuerherdt said: “The

impact Patsy has had from the get-go has been incredible.

“What she has brought with her to the girls has been empowering. To think this woman played for Australia

and she wants to come and help us. For me, that was huge.”

Both Paula and Trina acknowledged the team probably wouldn’t have made it through to the

second season without Patsy’s unwavering belief in their abilities and her willingness to share both her cricket knowledge and life experiences.

“We want to make her proud of us,” Paula said.

Just not cricket “They wouldn’t be allowed to print a photo like that now,” Patsy said of the above front-page story, which ran in a Sydney newspaper in 1976. “That was our first time at Lord’s.

We were just practising.

They took photos of people

playing cricket, but that’s what hit the paper. They broke into our changeroom – ran in, took a photo and ran out.”

Patsy remembers being almost shouldered as the photographer burst in.

“If I was smarter, I would have shouldered them back,” she said.

“I think we were so desperate for publicity that we just appreciated the publicity. But it was the wrong publicity we were getting. I felt violated, a little bit really; how dare they?”

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MAY, 2020//

SENIORS

Blooms help lift the gloom More people saying it with flowers while home-bound Alison Houston FLOWERS are substituting for hugs, showing love and sharing celebrations in the time of COVID-19.

“People are quite distressed and quite emotional at the moment, and sending flowers calms and makes them feel they can still connect with the people they care about,” said Westridge Florist Toowoomba owner Karon Cumner.

“It’s important not just for the recipient, but for the sender as well.”

Messages were ranging from a quick “love from ….” sign-off to a half-page of writing because people needed to convey their feelings, Karon said.

From 21sts to 95th birthdays, she said, flowers were helping to brighten celebrations that had to be cancelled.

They have also found a new market in people just letting others know they are thinking of them.

“People have adapted and instead of visiting nana they are sending flowers, and we’ve also got a lot of nanas sending flowers with unicorns, for instance, to little girls because they can’t see them,” Karon said.

Despite some very quiet days when coronavirus restrictions first came in,

Karon said they had made the decision to keep the Westridge Florist storefront open, and are now very busy, receiving twice the normal number of phone orders and delivery requests as well as personal shoppers.

“We feel we are really helping in the community at the moment when it is very important for people to be able to send something because they can’t be there in person, and flowers are always beautiful and lift people’s spirits,” she said.

She said they were very careful to make deliveries contact-free, and the store has marks on the floor to ensure safe distances are upheld.

“We are just so grateful that people are saying they chose us because they want to support local small business, and that means I can support my staff,” Karon said.

Having been established for some 20 years, Karon said the only difference in sending flowers this Mother’s Day, traditionally one of the busiest days on any florist’s calendar, was that the blooms would all be completely locally sourced.

“We have beautiful seasonal flowers and they are the freshest they have ever been, but there are no imported flowers, so that just means people need to be a little more flexible,” she

LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS: Westridge Florist Toowoomba owner Karon Cumner says there is a huge range of beautiful seasonal local flowers available for Mother's Day or those just wanting to show they care during social distancing.

said. She suggested that rather than ordering specific flowers, people might like to choose colours or shades, whether bright or pastels, so the designer can create the most beautiful, unique

arrangement possible for each mum from the flowers available.

“We have been very spoilt,” Karen said of florists’ ability in the past to meet pretty much any flower

request. However, she said “within the community people are definitely liking the idea of ‘local’ again, and that’s really exciting”.

As well as Toowoomba, Westridge Florist delivers to

Oakey, Dalby, Highfields, Cambooya, Wyreema and internationally.

For more information, phone 4687 6259 or go to https://westridgeflorist .com.au/.

Coping with loss and grief in a COVID-19 world LIFE LINES Doris Zagdanski THE COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us of the impact loss and grief can have on our daily lives – it’s all around us now as we are forced to adapt to changes we never anticipated.

Almost nothing about our lives has been untouched by change, including how we work, shop, go on holidays, schooling, socialising, exercising and even

handshaking. Where there is loss, there will always be grief.

Grief is about the way we react to loss and change – how we think about it, how we feel about it, how we then act in response to those thoughts and feelings and how our grief affects our health and wellness.

In a COVID-19 world, people are describing their reactions using words such as “lonely”, ‘’anxious”, “isolated”, “worried”, “stressed” and “angry”.

It’s important to understand that these reactions are normal.

Frustration and anxiety can be heightened because many decisions have been taken out of our hands and there is uncertainty about what the future will look like.

We are also in unfamiliar territory, and our comfort levels are being stretched to their limits.

How can you help yourself?

• The easiest way to get your grief off your chest is to

talk to someone about it.

You will probably find many people will share similar responses to your own and you are not alone in the way you are feeling.

• Writing about your thoughts and your situation can help. Keeping a diary can be like confiding in a friend because you can be authentic and say whatever is on your mind and there is no judgment or criticism.

• Limit your exposure to the constant COVID-19 reporting in the media as

this can add to the feeling of being overwhelmed, as well as filling your mind with death, fear and crisis.

Instead, you could spend a few minutes every day writing down three things you are grateful for.

• There are many helpful online resources, especially those that help you to learn mindfulness and meditation to quieten your mind and focus on self-help. These include coronavirus.beyond blue.org,mindspot.org.au/ coronavirus and smilingmind

.com.au. One of my favourite sayings at the moment is “this too shall pass”.

It may not feel like it, but things will return to normal.

For more advice on coping with the impact of loss and grief, including factsheets, book lists, videos and links to grief-related support services, go to mygriefassist.com.au.

– Doris Zagdanski is an author and educator who has been involved in the funeral industry for 30 years.

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Adding to success story Maths education dynamo powering ahead with ideas that equip students for modern challenge Tracey Johnstone MATHEMATICS innovator and former lecturer Dr Calvin Irons says everywhere we turn, across the ages, maths is in our lives.

Just look at the discussion around the coronavirus.

“I can see tons of mathematics that they are using to describe it all,” Dr Irons said.

Dr Irons’ passion is in developing tools for teachers, parents and even grandparents to educate the very young to enjoy the complexity of maths in a simplified, enjoyable way.

At age 70 and with an inquisitive mind still working at full speed, he walked out the door of the Queensland University of Technology and into his maths education business, Origo.

“I finished on a Friday and

on Saturday I was on a plane to work in the Origo office in the US,” Dr Irons said.

The international business, which he started with one of his former students, is in its 25th year.

It focuses on providing, through teachers, down-toearth maths education for primary school students.

“The material has much more visual representations,” he said.

“The definition of understanding is when you have a good picture in your brain of whatever you are talking about.

“You don’t get pictures in your brain if you are juggling mathematical symbols. You have to have objects that you can relate to those mathematical symbols.”

His wife Rosemary, 74, has worked in the Origo team since the company’s inception. The former

primary school teacher went on to study mathematics at Indiana University.

While Rosemary no longer has a hands-on role, Dr Irons said he still enjoyed brainstorming ideas with her.

Now 76, Dr Irons is rising to the new challenge of driving the evolution of the company, looking at ways to respond to forced home schooling for many parents and the changes he sees in employment opportunities in the next 20 years.

“I am working on computational thinking, which is what I think students need to be well prepared on so they can go into the digital age in terms of the thinking required to write algorithms for any kind of programming,” he said.

“Past mathematics (teaching) has been all very procedural. This (new

RESPECTED THINKERS: Veteran maths innovators Dr Calvin Irons and his wife, Rosemary,

project) has to be lateral thinking; think outside the box, think off to the side, don’t get stuck in a rut with your thinking.’’

Before Dr Irons can bed

down his current project, he needs to complete developing for Origo one-aday maths activities that parents can use with their children at home.

He suggests one of the best mathematical games for children, and for grandparents to exercise their brain, is dominoes.

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SENIORS

Courage in Dutch migrant honoured for family’s heroics in Tracey Johnstone

BRAVERY HONOURED: Gerry Zwart (OAM), 90, with the medal he accepted from Israel, on his parents’ behalf, after a woman his family saved tracked him down 75 years later.

The Righteous Among The Nations medal given posthumously to the Zwart family by Israel for providing a safe house for Jews.

LIVE

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THIS is Gerry Zwart’s story.

His parents received a prestigious award, but it really belongs to the whole family who willingly harboured Jewish children and dozens of resistance fighters.

It’s been a long time since World War II, but the defining moments of Gerry’s youth remain crystal clear.

The youngest of 12 children, Gerry was just 11 when the war started for the Netherlands, and his family’s world turned on its end.

As the 90-year-old sits in his cosy loungeroom at a retirement village in Nambour accompanied by his doting wife, Valerie, Gerry shares a haunting picture of how the war impacted on all the family, who became accidental heroes by turning their home into a “safe house’’ for

Gerry Zwart's father, Marinus.

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“I remember the first day of the war: it was May 10, 1940,” Gerry said. “All of a sudden we heard on the radio that the Germans had invaded.”

Nobody expected this news. Before then the Germans had come as far as France. But on that fatal May date the German army invaded Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Gerry said the family’s first response was to head to a neighbour’s cellar. Only a week later the Dutch army capitulated and the German occupation forces arrived in town taking over public buildings and schools.

Initially life didn’t change too much, Gerry said. The children went about their normal activities. But when the general army was joined by the SS, that’s when things did change.

Gerry, who was the

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youngest of the Zwart children, learnt very quickly to keep quiet when confronted by the Nazis.

“When the SS came, you had to make sure you didn’t say the wrong thing,” he said.

He watched as the SS rounded up any local men and women aged from 16 to 45 to move them by train to Germany to work in the factories. His artist father missed the cut; he was too old. His mother was also left alone.

Gerry remembers the Jews within the Blaricum community were hardly noticeable until early 1941, when the word came through that the Germans had started rounding them up in Amsterdam.

With that news, Gerry’s sisters came home from school and asked his parents if two of their Jewish friends, both named Bela, could hide in the house, which was already home to eight of the Zwart family. His parents readily agreed.

In the next village his much older brother Hank had also taken in a whole Jewish family.

Soon after, “as things got tougher”, Gerry said his brothers built several hiding places in the Zwart house, in the roof, under the floor and behind false walls.

They also started keeping the doors to outside locked at all times. His mother, Maria, also told everyone to use a particular knock when they came to the front door.

If the knock was different, it meant there was a German

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As the weather cooled, many of the Zwart family of 12 were relaxing inside their small house in the Dutch village of Blaricum, listening to the radio.

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fighting evil hiding Jews from murderous Nazi invaders soldier outside. Gerry was 13 when he watched Hitler youth, with rifles slung over their shoulders, raid a home nearby where they found an illicit radio.

The family was arrested.

Gerry remembers the young soldiers walking away from the house laughing.

“Next thing you know, they threw a hand grenade on the thatched roof and the house burnt down completely,” Gerry said.

“The people were taken away to a concentration camp. Of the three, only one made it back.”

The Blaricum villagers stayed strong and together, and silent about what the Zwarts were doing.

Gerry’s sisters brought their schoolwork home so the two Belas could keep up their study. The teachers were not told, nor did they share their suspicions.

Early morning was when the village was cut off and raids occurred. The villagers quickly passed the news to the Zwarts, who hid the two Belas.

About six months before the war ended, while Gerry was visiting one of his brothers, there was a raid.

His brother hid in the ceiling but sent Gerry to see what was happening.

Out on the street a German soldier called him over.

“I said, ‘I’m not 16 yet, I’m only 15’. He said, ‘You look old enough’,” Gerry said. He was sent down the road, past other soldiers, to the assembly place with 30 other boys. They were

marched off to the next village, where the boys were locked in the schoolyard.

“It came to dinnertime and half the Germans went off for a dinner break. It was winter and dark. We knew the area very well.

“I said to my mate, ‘When we get the chance we can leap over the fence and go into the apple orchard’.

“When half the staff were gone, we jumped the fence and ran. I never ran so fast in my life.

“The Germans were yelling for us to come back and then they started shooting. You could hear the bullets hitting the trees around you.”

Gerry figured the Germans didn’t know where he lived so he headed for home. If Gerry hadn’t escaped, he knew he would have ended up working in a Germany factory.

Between the raids, village life continued almost normally. There was no electricity, gas or fuel for stoves, so improvisation was a must. Food, when available, was rationed.

“There was one stage where you couldn’t buy food,” Gerry said.

“You walked around with a pocket full of money, but it wasn’t worth a cracker.”

Valuables became currency for food.

When the war ended in 1945, the two Belas finally emerged as the 16-year-old Gerry joined the villagers dancing in the streets.

By his early 20s, Gerry said he had “had enough of Europe” and wanted to get

out. He headed to Australia, following one of his brothers, met his wife and settled into a rural working life.

It was only recently that one of the girls, Bela van Praag, who now lives in Israel, decided the Zwart family should be honoured.

After an extensive search through Holland, she and her son Lex turned to Facebook to track down Gerry in Australia. It was the secretary of the Horticultural Media Association of Queensland, of which Gerry and Valerie are life members, who saw the post and then helped Bela to make contact with Gerry.

“One day the telephone rang,” Valerie said. When she cautiously answered, the male voice at the other said, “Please don’t hang up. This is Israel calling.‘’ Lex went on to explain his story and how the then 92year-old Bela had nagged him to find the Zwart family.

Seventy-eight years later, Gerry last year accepted Israel’s posthumous gift of the Righteous Among The Nations award on behalf of his parents, Marinus and Maria Josepha Zwart.

It is Israel’s highest honour, which pays tribute to non-Jews who risked their lives to help Jewish people during the Holocaust when six million lives were lost.

Gerry acknowledges it is an award for his whole family, who in their various ways were all champions of protecting and saving many lives.

Gerry and his older Zwart siblings in the garden at home in the Netherlands.

Bela van Praag tracked Gerry.

The Righteous Among The Nations declaration.

Share the Good News

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

Visit seniorsnews.com.au today!

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WARM-HEARTED: Thanks to a community drive by Chris Liebke, Base Services' Tiffany Spary (second from left) welcomes a van-load of beanies, gloves, socks and blankets for the homeless and those doing it tough.

Picture: Facebook

Charity rapt with appeal result Alison Houston

Donations pour in to help battlers hurt by coronavirus job losses

THE “thank yous” just keep coming, as Toowoomba rallies around Base Services.

The team behind The Basement Soup Kitchen and 2nd Shot social enterprise cafe and food truck revealed in mid-March they were struggling to cope with increasing demand as revenue dropped by about 70 per cent.

Founders Nat and Tiffany Spary said Base had seen dozens of new faces of all ages asking for help for the

first time as a result of coronavirus-related job losses.

They were serving lunch to about 100 people a day at the same time as fundraising events were being cancelled or postponed, and clubs and other charities were forced to close their doors.

As well as general restrictions on gathering, many volunteer services were seniors-based, posing greater risks to them from

coronavirus. On top of providing weekday lunchtime meals – which they had to change to takeaway – Base Services also offers swags, clothing, and hygiene and food packs to homeless people.

Fitzy’s was one of the first to lend a hand, donating a van-load of vegetables and other perishables to the cause when it was forced to close its own doors.

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Tyres filled their work van with donated socks, beanies, gloves and blankets, which they had collected for the homeless and those doing it tough.

“Our incredible community is again setting the bar very high with their generosity,” Base’s Nat and Tiffany posted on Facebook on April 20.

Chris Liebke said his clothing drive had been prompted by speaking to

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donated 19kg of meat, and Wild Duck Suspension and Enza Zaden dropped off bulk fruit and vegetables.

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation has organised a variety of donations over the weeks, including milk, bread, sausages and, for Easter, hot cross buns.

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group has donated a trailer-load of food, Hub Assist provided pumpkins galore, and Liebke

Nat about the difficulties people were likely to face to keep warm with winter coming on.

“Everyone’s got spare socks, gloves or even beanies … anything that will keep people warm,” he said.

Seniors can help with donations of vouchers, nonperishable goods, toiletries and blankets to the centre at 10 Neil St from 8.30am– 4.30pm weekdays, and by grabbing a coffee at 2nd Shot to help keep the funds coming in.

Base is not currently accepting volunteers.

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Climbing to the top of the rocket at Lions Park, Picnic Point, is a childhood blast from the past for many.

Picture: Cora Grundy

TRUCKLOAD OF NOSTALGIA: The Carnival of Flowers parade passes Butler’s Hotel Carlton circa 1960. Desley Harm’s photo features a Western Transport truck.

Pictures: Remember Toowoomba When Facebook page

Facebook flashbacks a big hit Thousands join nostalgic trip Alison Houston THE pull of nostalgia is strong, as Remember Toowoomba When Facebook page’s more than 27,000 followers can attests.

Tony Paul, who started the page in 2014 and continues to post a photo a day, admitted he was surprised just how popular the page had become.

He believed it provided the “rush of warm feelings from memories” that many needed at this time of uncertainty and a way for those who moved away to stay connected.

“There’s been plenty of academic research which shows that remembering the past makes people feel better about the future,” Tony said.

“The whole page only exists because of the generosity of other people who share their photos.”

Tony believes the page is more important than many people might think, preserving our history, starting up conversations between the generations, and making us feel good V1 - SETE01Z01MA

about ourselves. He received multiple emails and letters every week, he said.

A home-care nurse recently thanked him, saying the page had “made a big difference” to the life of one of her elderly patients, with whom she shared and discussed the photos each Friday.

“It’s also about trying to grab those photos before they disappear, because often as each generation passes, those photos are lost and there’s real gold there that often people don’t realise,” Tony said.

A “child of the ’70s” and a third-generation Toowoomba-ite, Tony moved to NSW for work, but it seems memory has only made the heart grow fonder.

And he’s not alone – just 12,000 of the page’s followers currently live in Toowoomba, with others scattered across all corners of the world, and about onethird are over 50.

“I’m sure every person thinks their home town is special, but Toowoomba’s the place that’s special to me because it’s where I grew up and I have so many happy memories there,” Tony said.

Taken in Ruthven St on August 15, 1945, this image shows Toowoomba-ites celebrating the end of World War II.

Of the more than 2000 photos now posted, he said it was interesting that the most popular were not the big events but quite humble things.

“The old steamroller in Queens Park, for example ... generations of kids played on that, so multiple generations can interact over it,” Tony said.

The steep ramp to the rooftop carpark at the old Myer store, which challenged many an old car, and past restaurants and food experiences, such as green frog cakes at Ma’s Bakery, bring memories rushing back.

Photos from the 1970s’90s, he said, gained the most comments, probably because they appealed to such a wide cross-section, from those who were kids to adults of that time.

Posts of street scenes then and now also “give people a real kick”, as do photos of memorabilia such as the old canned mountain air, which ran from the 1960s-’80s, and Perkins Brewery’s XXX beer, the forerunner of XXXX. Tony said gems still to be found included a photo of the cafeteria in the old Pigott’s department store, the interior of Michael’s

Many people remember the cockatoo that said “Scratch cocky’’ at the old aviaries in Queens Park. Julie Crisp unearthed this pic from her grandpa’s album.

Lennon’s Hotel brings back memories of people seeing Normie Rowe (pre-Vietnam), Ronnie Burns, Billy Thorpe and even Johnny O’Keefe, as well as times when you put on your suit and best dress to go out.

emporium, and Big Al’s Diner. Go to www.facebook .com/remembertoowoomba

when or email Tony at remembertoowoomba@ gmail.com.

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Zoo is fertile ground for garden gurus Help needed to beautify drought-ravaged site Alison Houston FINDING someone with gardening ideas isn’t a tall order in Toowoomba, but what about ideas for an easily maintained zoo garden or two?

Having been forced to close the gates to the public due to coronavirus, Darling Downs Zoo’s Steve Robinson was in the fight of his life to keep his animals fed when Seniors News spoke to him in late April.

But the man who by 9.30am told us “my day is already five hours old” and calls a 14-hour work day “a really good day” isn’t about to give up on his animals or his plans for the future.

The zoo is due to celebrate its 15th anniversary in June, and Steve has his fingers crossed that not only will gathering restrictions have lifted, but people will have the confidence to travel and spend money later this year.

Despite being in his mid70s, Steve describes himself as “in the first flush of youth” and couldn’t imagine slowing down or retiring, seeing this time as just one more hurdle to be overcome.

With no income through the gates, he has cut his outgoings by half, including

slashing staff to a minimum seven keepers, but still faces monthly bills of $60,000.

Steve was hoping for good news from a special session of parliament the next day, but said to this point, his industry had been

‘‘

We can’t just hibernate as some businesses can. overlooked for government funding, despite contributing so much to conservation, education and tourism.

“It’s not only us, from an industry perspective we have all reached the end of our contingency reserves,” Steve said, pointing to the impact of prior drought, fire and flood.

“We can’t just hibernate as some businesses can and close up shop, we’ve got 400 animals that expect to be fed.”

And the closure came at the worst possible time, with Easter holidays one of the year’s biggest earners to help see the zoo through the quieter winter months.

Steve has been overwhelmed by the

support of Toowoomba district residents bringing in loads of hay, chaff, pumpkins and other feed for the 130 species of animals, as well as cash donations and even Tim Tams for the staff.

A GoFundMe page set up for the zoo by a friend and former employee had so far raised about one-third of its $60,000 goal.

“It’s amazing that people do this … I’m staggered that, having given to drought and fire aid, people still have money to donate,” Steve said. “Toowoomba’s a marvellous place with really good family values – that’s one of the reasons we chose it, because it’s a wellestablished, family-oriented community that really supports other people.”

That support was needed in the zoo’s early days, when existing large-scale animal operations and political red tape threatened their existence, and the community rallied 10,000 signatures in their support.

“That support’s being replicated now; it’s just the sort of people they are here,” Steve said.

But the zoo certainly works for the community too, including among its current conservation projects 11 targeting critically endangered Australian and

ANIMAL MAGIC: Darling Downs Zoo's Steve Robinson can't imagine doing anything else despite current struggles to keep his animals fed due to coronavirus restrictions, with moments like this with the meerkats making it all worthwhile.

exotic animals and 20 for endangered animals, including breeding bilbies and bush stone-curlews for eventual release to the wild.

The zoo is also one of just two in Australia recently accepted for a global breeding program for the endangered Sri Lankan leopard.

With a large contingent of the zoo’s visitation coming from retirees sharing their love of animals with

grandkids, Steve is keen to hear from volunteers with the time and knowledge to help develop and maintain low-maintenance, droughtresistant gardens.

“We lost thousands of dollars worth of plants in the drought and we have to be very cautious with our use of water, but I believe the gardens are an essential part of the visiting experience,” Steve said.

“I’d love to hear from

someone with the enthusiasm to create something that could be their own little garden empire.”

Darling Downs Zoo is at Pilton, about 40 minutes south of Toowoomba, and, once restrictions are lifted, will again be open daily from 9am-4pm. Go to www.darlingdownszoo .com.au, email admin@ darlingdownszoo.com.au or phone 4696 4107.

Older Australians see a silver lining to COVID-19 pandemic DESPITE the restrictions and changes brought about by COVID-19, more than half of older Australians (51 per cent) believe some positive changes have emerged from the outbreak, new research shows.

A national survey of more than 1350 people has found nearly one in five Australians (19 per cent) aged over 60 believes that social cohesion

and wellbeing are likely positive outcomes from COVID-19 in Australia.

The research, conducted by the Global Centre for Modern Ageing, highlighted that while many older people faced significant challenges – including limited contact with their grandchildren – they also felt that there had been improved community spirit,

and that people were increasingly keeping in touch with others and being more neighbourly.

“Interestingly, introspection was commonly cited as a positive,” said the chief executive of the Global Centre for Modern Ageing, Julianne Parkinson. “Older Australians reported there is an increased appreciation

for what we have and that more people have been evaluating what is important.”

In further positive news, 80 per cent of older Australians surveyed were able to provide examples of support they had received from others.

When it came to interacting with businesses, nearly one in five older

Australians (19 per cent) called for improved delivery of products and online services.

Older people’s use of technology has further grown during this period — 21 per cent of older Australians have used a new technology for the first time during the pandemic, and 29 per cent of older Australians have increased their social

media use to stay connected. The research aimed to better understand how people are coping and adapting during this unique time in history.

It revealed that older Australians expressed less concern with the potential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak than adults aged under 60 (46 per cent versus 52 per cent).

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Printers ease shield scarcity FRONTLINE healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 have been thrown a lifeline by the region’s 3D-printing community, which is producing thousands of face shields for at-risk medical staff.

Led by experts from the University of Southern Queensland, the Toowoomba-based group plans to make 300 shields within the next few weeks.

It comes after more than 70 per cent of Queensland doctors reported having insufficient personal protection equipment (PPE) in a survey released by the Australian Medical Association Queensland this month.

The statewide shortage prompted local 3D-printing business owners to rally together to tackle the issue.

USQ 3D-printing expert

Stephanie Piper said ensuring the shields could be used multiple times was vital.

“It’s more economical, quicker and safer for medical staff if we make the PPE reusable,” Ms Piper said.

“It means we have less waste, and fewer people going without.”

Each shield takes about 1.5 hours to print and comprises two main parts: a headband and an A4-sized plastic sheet that attaches to the headpiece.

“Face shields are different from face masks because they cover the mouth and nose as well as the eyes, making them more resistant to sprays,” Ms Piper said.

“As soon as we received the approved face shield prototype it was all systems go. So far, we’ve had help from the Australian Defence

Force, Tick Tock Toowoomba Escape Room, Reality 3D Printing, Vital Image Graphics, RDH Integration Services and more.”

Darling Downs PPE, as the group has come to be known, is working around the clock to supply the equipment. Dr John Lamb, a general practitioner at Toowoomba’s 7 Springs Medical Centre, said the additional PPE would be gratefully received by frontline staff.

“An overwhelming number of patients are turning to medical centres every day, which is having a significant impact on our supplies,” Dr Lamb said.

If you would like to submit a need for PPE in primary or allied health, or have local manufacturing capacity, go to ddppe.net.

FRONTLINE BOOST: 3D-printing expert Stephanie Piper and GP Dr John Lamb with the face shields being produced locally for healthcare workers fighting COVID-19.

Embrace the Internet!

It’s time to jump on the social media bandwagon!

Let Seniors ease you into the exciting world of online. Get every news story - big or small, the latest exclusive offers, plus a whole heap more when you connect with Seniors on social media.

Opening Doors to the Seniors Lifestyle

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

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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.

WITH the coronavirus preventing clubs from meeting, we welcome any submission that promotes your club’s aims, history and achievements.

Member profiles and photos are also most welcome. Please email your submissions to editor@seniors newspaper.com.au.

CARING FOR ELDERLY FAMILY MEMBERS A MATURE-age student at the University of Southern Queensland is undertaking a research project exploring the values associated with caring for elderly family members. Rosemary is especially interested in carers who live in regional or rural areas and would love to hear from any carers who would be prepared to talk with her about what motivates carers to care for others and their experience of being a carer. All that is needed is about one hour of your time. The interview can be conducted on the phone and any information you give her will be confidential.

If you would like to

participate, please phone Rosemary on 0437 327 600 or email rosemaryt8 @gmail.com and a time will be arranged to have a chat.

MILLION PAWS WALK IN RESPONSE to ongoing developments of COVID-19, RSPCA will no longer be able to hold their public event on Sunday, May 17, but the new event will see dog owners hit the pavement in May in their own neighbourhoods and backyards, and responsibly walking to fight animal cruelty. Those who have already purchased tickets are encouraged to have their ticket cost transferred to a taxdeductible donation.

Individuals can go online to keep up-to-date with the latest information, sign up for Million Paws Walk: Walk This May, and start walking and fundraising today.

Details are on the website at millionpawswalk.com.au.

TOOWOOMBA PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP WE ARE one of 30 similar voluntary groups in

CARING ABOUT CARERS: A mature-age university student would like to hear from any carers who would be prepared to talk about what motivates them to care for others and their experience as a carer.

Queensland and 130 groups across Australia. We are affiliated with the national body, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA), and we work closely with Cancer Council Queensland. The Toowoomba Support Group is one of the largest inland/ regional groups, with 110 members. Our role is support and education – we do not give medical advice.

Meetings are attended by men coping with diagnosis, those who have had various forms of treatment, and men living with prostate cancer. Partners and family members are encouraged to attend meetings. There is no formal membership and no obligation to attend every meeting. Members enjoy the social side of the group,

giving a vision of life and hope after treatment. Please confirm if meetings are currently occurring. The venue is 137 Herries Street, Toowoomba. Phone 07 4690 5800.

ROTARY CLUB Toowoomba East We are a community service club operating in and around Toowoomba. We raise funds for worthy community facilities and charities through a socially active group of businessoriented members. For more, phone 0403 257 414.

MILLMERRAN COMMUNITY SUPPORT MCSS is funded by the State Government through the Department of

Communities. The service is overseen by Toowoomba Regional Council. All members of the community have the right to access our services and have services delivered in an equitable manner, regardless of their circumstances. For more, phone 07 4695 1829.

LIONS CLUBS Pittsworth LIONS members work to make their community a better place. Projects include working with young people; assisting the aged; public awareness of health issues such as diabetes, children’s cancer and eye health; and drug awareness.

Money raised by the club goes back into supporting groups and individuals in the community. Phone

07 4693 3308 for details.

Toowoomba West Inc. OUR club was formed in 1963 and is one of four clubs in the Garden City. Being a member of a Lions club provides the opportunity to give freely of yourself to improve the life and circumstance of those less fortunate than ourselves.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things – supporting people with a disability, community greening, fundraising for worthwhile causes.

Membership of a Lions club gives you the opportunity to create new and lasting friendships, made not only at a club level but also within the greater Lions community. Be a part of the change. Join the Lions club.

Phone 07 4635 7200.

Love is in the air as balloons reflect virtual hugs

VIRTUAL HUGS: White balloons in the chapel symbolise love.

WHITE balloons carrying mourners’ messages of love and support are a new way for people to show they care when they cannot attend funerals in person due to coronavirus restrictions.

Burstows Funerals has introduced Hugs from Home to the Toowoomba district as a way for family, friends and colleagues to share their feelings, honour someone they love and care about, and let others who are

grieving know they are not alone. A personal message and/or image sent via the Burstows Funerals website will be professionally typeset onto a personalised card.

Each card is tied to a white balloon, signifying hope, filling the chapel with the emotional support needed on the day of the service, as well as being a precious keepsake for the family.

Normally, the pain and sadness of someone’s

passing was cushioned to some extent by having others around who bolstered us, provided a shoulder to cry on, a hug, shared a memory and perhaps a laugh, Burstows Funerals co-director Don Burstow said.

Hugs from Home is like a virtual hug – providing a physical presence in the chapel at a time when only 10 people are permitted to gather.

This allows mourners to

view a specific funeral from the Burstows Chapel online as it happens through a secure password and internet link.

For information on how to deal with grief associated with coronavirus itself and with the loss of a loved one, go to burstows.com.au/ support-and-resources. For more details about Hugs from Home go to burstows.com.au/hugsfrom-home or phone 07 4636 9600.

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Daredevil heiress a wartime lifesaver THE heroism of a daredevil Brisbane heiress who saved a former Russian president from Stalin and the Nazis is the rollicking tale shared by Australian biographer Susanna de Vries (pictured) in her latest book.

Destined to be 83-yearold de Vries’ last book about Australian women, the colourful story of Nell Tritton is her swansong, she says.

She stumbled across the story while valuing paintings at Nell’s childhood home, Elderslie, now at Pullenvale.

Nell, an heiress to the Brisbane Tritton furniture fortune, married ex-Russian prime minister Alexander Kerensky in 1939. In 1940.

She courageously saved him from Stalin and the Nazis using her champion rally car driver skills during a harrowing journey on a cross-country escape.

“Nell lived an amazing life in Paris,” de Vries says.

“She was in danger of assassination by Stalin, along with Kerensky, but died on April 11, 1946, aged 49 in Brisbane. She is buried at Dutton Park Cemetery in South Brisbane.”

Nell drove the couple away from Paris as the Germans invaded, with Kerensky on Stalin’s hit list.

They eventually reached safety in the US, but with Nell’s life shortened by kidney failure aggravated by poor drinking water on their journey, they returned to Brisbane and Elderslie in 1945.

Tragically, Nell’s kidney

Diagnosis rips apart family ties

Poignant journey surprises

damage started in childhood after drinking water from the lead-lined tank at their previous home.

In 1946, as Nell lay dying tended by her mother at Elderslie, Kerensky would stalk the verandas with a revolver to protect himself and Nell from Stalin’s

assassins. “After Nell’s death, Kerensky spent eight more months at Elderslie as he could not get a passage back to America,” de Vries says.

Kerensky eventually returned to the US and was made a professor of Russian history at Stamford

University. He died in New York in 1970. Nell, The Australian Heiress who Saved her Husband from Stalin & the Nazis will be available from Amazon, Book Depository and Kobo.

Published by Pirgos Press, the illustrated book retails for $34.95.

17

IF you think Lisa Ireland’s novel The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a bit banal, keep reading; deep into the entertaining read are surprises.

The Australian author has based her book both on a newspaper story about an elderly couple running away from a nursing home and on a collection of letters written between her parents, and their photos.

The story swings between the couple’s life during the 1960s and the present, when Shirley walks her husband, Frank, out of his aged care home.

They embark on an adventure down memory lane and back to their marital home in Victoria.

Along the way she encounters the challenges of looking after a person with dementia; the humour and the sadness.

Shirley’s use of technology, her skilful management of relationships, and her deep love of Frank and her friend Rita, turn the adventure on its head several times.

WHAT do you do when you’re told you have terminal cancer at 50?

Ruby has always been the generous mediator among her friends, family and colleagues, which is why they have all turned up to celebrate her 50th birthday.

But after a few too many glasses of champers, Ruby’s speech doesn’t exactly go to plan. Instead of delivering the witty and warm words her guests are expecting, Ruby reveals what she really thinks of every one of them.

She also accuses her husband, Harry, of having an affair. Saving the best till last, Ruby lambasts her mother for playing her three daughters against each other. It’s blisteringly brutal.

The birthday girl concludes with the throwaway comment that she has terminal cancer.

Courageous? Or ruthlessly selfish? She has cashed in her life savings and plans on taking her two sisters cruising into the sunset for a dose of husband replacement therapy.

– HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy, by Kathy Lette.

Vantage, RRP $32.99

– Published by Penguin.

RRP $32.99. Also available in eBook and audio.

Insight into lingering price of injustice DURING the Great War, law was used in everyday life as a tool to discriminate, oppress, censor and deprive many Australians of property, liberty and basic human rights.

A nation often amends its laws during war, not least to regulate life at home.

Yet few historians have considered the impact of the law on Australians during World War I. In this original book, Catherine Bond breathes life into the laws that were V2 - SETE01Z01MA

central to the way people were managed in Australia from 1914–18.

Engaging and revelatory, Law in War holds those who wrote the laws to account, exposing the sheer breadth and impact of this wartime legal regimen, the injustices of which linger to this day.

More than anything, it illuminates how ordinary people were caught up in – and sometimes destroyed by – these laws created in the name of victory.

“Law in War gives us

insights into the law and Australia’s Great War that Charles Bean declined to publish ninety-odd years ago,’’ Professor Peter Stanley said. “Pioneering, full of wonderful life and energy, the result has been worth waiting for.”

An associate professor at UNSW Sydney, Catherine Bond researches in intellectual property law, specifically copyright history; the relationship between law and war in Australia; and Australian

legal history. She has published widely in leading Australian and international law journals on topics ranging from Crown copyright to plain packaging of tobacco products, to the introduction of a patent system in the Game of Thrones world of Westeros.

Her first book, Anzac: The Landing, The Legend, The Law, was published in 2016.

– Law in War by Catherine Bond. New South Publishing.

RRP $34.99.

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Scenic spell on wheels mapped out

SENIORS

Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills.

Picture: SATC/Michael Waterhouse Local Roaming, Escape, Dilvin

Hit the road to help ravaged towns rebuild Vicki Fletcher AFTER the fires, floods and storms at the start of the year, Tourism Australia’s campaign to Holiday Here This Year had us all filling our calendars with good oldfashioned Aussie road trips.

Now all those plans are on hold, we’ve unfolded the map and are instead busy marking tiny towns with the best bakeries and lookouts from which to watch the sunrise, and calculating the most scenic route from A to B. We’ve enlisted the help of our Flight Centre Australia travel experts, seeking tips about which areas affected by the fires and floods to visit... when we’re all free to travel again, of course.

Remember to keep an eye on national initiatives like Roadtrip For Good, which has pulled together a host of places to eat, drink and visit in fire-affected areas.

For now, stay home and stay safe. We’ll be travelling again soon.

NSW SOUTH COAST All the regions that were hit by fires rely on the tourist trade and the South Coast of NSW is no different.

It is flanked by the Great Dividing Range on one side and ocean on the other.

The fires burned through a lot of bushland, including national parks and state forests, cutting many communities off for days.

Now the roads are open again, there are many hidden towns and coves to explore on a trip south through the Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla area.

Ulladulla local and Flight Centre Ulladulla team leader Janice O’Neill is passionate about getting people back into the area.

From Sydney

Just over three hours’ drive south, the hilltop town of Milton is a charming introduction to the picturesque region. Janice suggests stopping at Pilgrims, a delicious vegetarian cafe, and wholefoods store, or the Milton Farm Shop for local produce and specialties.

There are also some great boutiques to check out, including Spaces 2538 and AKWA Surf.

In Ulladulla, Janice suggests dining at Native Cafe overlooking the harbour, Rapt Bratz to pick up cool kidswear, Sol Sisters Artisan Collective for clothes, homewares and jewellery, plus Dwell 35 South and Coyote Boutique.

Don’t miss Cupitt’s Estate, a winery-cum-brewery-cumfromagerie on the edge of town, which Janice recommends for a long lunch.

In Burrill Lake, you can’t go past The Fish Shop for fish and chips, and Holiday Haven at Burrill Lake hosts live music by the lake each Saturday during summer.

BATEMANS BAY TO EDEN Once you hit Batemans Bay you’re in the real heart of the South Coast. Nicole suggests stopping in for a spot of shopping at local boutiques Forever Fashion, Brooke’s Place, Sirens, Journey Style and Homewares, and many more.

The Princes Highway south from Batemans Bay all the way to Eden winds through many quaint towns, making up a huge stretch of coastline that’s been affected by the fires.

Worthwhile stops along this route include: Mogo, a tiny town with a main street lined with boutique stores and cafes, plus the award-winning

Mogo Zoo, which supports a range of endangered animal species.

Bega, famous for its cheese brand, is another regional hub worth stopping at for the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre and the Bega Valley Regional Gallery, home to one of Australia’s richest portraiture awards.

BLUE MOUNTAINS, NSW From Sydney, head northwest through Richmond to the Bells Line of Road, which will take you on a loop of the Blue Mountains.

While it’s possible to do some of these spots in a day, a long weekend will really allow you to make the most of the mountains’ beautiful towns and grand valleys.

The first half of the journey takes you along one ridgeline through Bilpin, Mount Wilson and along to Lithgow. From Lithgow you loop back east along a more southern ridgeline.

You can also take the train from Sydney all the way to Mount Victoria. Buses are currently replacing trains between Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst due to fire damage on the tracks.

Where to stop: Bilpin to Lithgow Bilpin is known for its orchards, and while there won’t be as much fruit to pick this year given the damage to trees, you can still feast on a famous apple pie from the Bilpin Fruit Bowl, drink cider from Hillbilly Cider or Bilpin Cider Co, and buy local products like apple cider vinegar at Wirraninna Ridge.

Just past Bilpin you’ll find Blue Mountains Glow Worm Tours at Berambang.

In Lithgow, dive into the region’s history at Esbank House and Museum and the Lithgow State Mine

Museum.

For a dose of nature, head to Hassans Walls Lookout, the highest in the Blue Mountains, easily accessible just a few minutes’ drive from Lithgow.

Where to stop: Lithgow to Leura The first stop is Mount Victoria, a historical centre in the mountains, with the historical society museum.

In Blackheath, book in for a meal at the one-hatted Fumo, serving up modern Japanese.

In Katoomba, you can’t miss the iconic Three Sisters, or a day at Scenic World exploring the beautiful bushland via the Scenic Railway, Skyway or Walkway.

For bushwalking, head to Wentworth Falls, which escaped the blazes and where so many trails remain open.

Always check local council and national park websites for the latest closures.

GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA The vast Gippsland region, east of Melbourne, is a rich farming area home to dairies, wineries and hundreds of small producers – the kind of businesses that rely heavily on tourist traffic and local visitors.

On a road trip from Melbourne you can head north to the Alpine High

Grand Ridge Rd, Gippsland, Victoria.

Picture: Josie Withers/Visit Victoria Local roaming, Escape, Dilvin Yasa

Country and Snowy River Country regions, or east to the Gippsland Lakes Region and the Coastal Wilderness Region.

Things to do in Northern Victoria: Visit King Valley at Whitfield, home to a range of wineries and breweries such as La Cantina Winery, King River Brewery, Dal Zotto Wines and more.

Stop off to pick up goods from local producers around Milawa, such as the Milawa Cheese Factory and Milawa Mustards, and head further north for the Tolpuddle Goat Cheese Farm in Tarrawingee.

Head to Bright for country hospitality and a range of boutiques, breweries, coffee roasters and cafes, including Bright Brewery, Sixpence Coffee, and Gingerbaker.

Beechworth, further north, is a quintessential

country town with gorgeous architecture, museums, mountain biking and bushwalking.

Things to do in Eastern Victoria: Make your first stop in Paynesville, home to plenty of eateries such as Bullant Brewery and The Old Pub Paynesville.

From here you can head to 90 Mile Beach or Raymond Island – home to the Koala Trail.

The Lakes region is home to a network of lakes and lagoons, and to wildlife including lake dolphins and pelicans. The Mitchell River Silt Jetties are also a highlight, being the longest silt jetties in the world.

ADELAIDE HILLS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA A stone’s throw from South Australia’s capital, the Adelaide Hills offer the perfect day or weekend trip SETE01Z01MA - V1

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It’s about getting out and supporting the community as much as we can. There is so much to see and do.

out of the city. Alyx Cauchi, team leader of Flight Centre Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills, says there is plenty to see and do.

“There are so many wineries still open. New Era Vineyards in Woodside is open, though it was almost destroyed, and next door, Bird in Hand was hardly touched. Shaw + Smith is also great – there are heaps (of wineries) open and they need your business,” Alyx says.

The region is also known for its food, so why not turn your mini break into an epicurean adventure.

Be sure to check out: The Adelaide Hills Wine Region Facebook page has updates on wineries as well as events, such as the annual Crush Festival in January.

Cleland Wildlife Park, home to rescued native animals, is great for families.

“The park wasn’t affected V1 - SETE01Z01MA

by the fires, but the vet and keepers have been doing amazing work helping with emergency wildlife cases from the fires,” Alyx says.

Big Rocking Horse in Gumerancha is also worth a visit with kids, as is Melba’s Chocolates in Woodside for a sweet treat.

“It’s about getting out and supporting the community as much as we can. There is so much to see and do, and the Adelaide Hills will welcome you with open arms,” Alyx says.

KANGAROO ISLAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA Long lauded for its natural beauty and unique and varied wildlife, Kangaroo Island is the gem in South Australia’s crown of tourist hotspots.

The fires here were devastating, particularly in the southwest, affecting much of the island’s unique wildlife. However, Sameer

Roopawalla, Flight Centre South Australia Kangaroo Island expert, says the fires affected less than half of the island’s total area, which means there is plenty that remains open for business.

From Adelaide, it’s just over 90 minutes’ drive south to Cape Jervis. From here you can hop aboard the Kangaroo Island car and passenger ferry.

What to do on a day trip: Upon arrival at the island you’ll land in Penneshaw, a quaint village filled with charming pubs and restaurants.

For a day trip, Sameer recommends exploring the most eastern part of the island.

In Penneshaw, visit the Maritime and Folk Museum and see the little penguin colony, best viewed at sundown.

Head east along the coast for wine tasting at Dudley Wines.

Further east you’ll find Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, South Australia’s first lighthouse.

There are guided tours of the lightstation, bushwalks for all levels of fitness, and whale watching between May and October.

For more great Australian road trips, check out self-drive holidays: go to flightcentre.com.au.

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Scenic views of the Jamison Valley and Blue Mountains National Park from Wentworth Falls.

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• Great Value Holidays is a 100% QLD family operated tour company specializing in Seniors Travel • In these uncertain times, we wanted to reach out to advise of the current situation with our tours.

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Ensuring dignity in final days

Wellbeing

Palliative care a team approach PALLIATIVE care is personand family-centred care provided for a person with an active, progressive, advanced disease, who has little or no prospect of being cured and who is expected to die. The primary goal is to optimise the quality of their life.

End-of-life care is provided in the last few weeks of life, when a patient with a life-limiting illness is rapidly approaching death.

The needs of patients and their carers are higher at this time. This phase of palliative care is recognised as one in which increased services and support are essential to ensure quality, co-ordinated care from the healthcare team is being delivered.

This takes into account the terminal phase, or when the patient is recognised as imminently dying, death and extends to bereavement care. Palliative care helps people live as fully and as comfortably as possible when living with a lifelimiting or terminal illness.

Palliative care identifies and treats symptoms, which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social.

Because palliative care is based on individual needs, the services offered will differ but may include: • Relief of pain and other symptoms, such as vomiting and shortness of breath.

• Resources such as equipment needed to aid care at home.

COMFORTING: Palliative care needs change as the final stage of life unfolds, but the constant focus of healthcare professionals and others is on easing symptoms.

• Assistance for families to come together to talk about sensitive issues.

• Links to other services such as home help and financial support.

• Support for people to meet cultural obligations.

• Support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns.

• Counselling and grief

support.

• Referrals to respite care services.

Who is palliative care for?

Palliative care is for people of any age who have been told they have a serious illness that cannot be cured. Such care helps people who have illnesses

like cancer, motor neurone disease or end-stage kidney or lung disease to manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.

For some people, palliative care may be beneficial from the time of diagnosis with a serious lifelimiting illness.

This care can be given

SENIORS

alongside the treatments provided by other doctors.

Who is in the palliative care team?

Palliative care can be provided by a wide range of people, including your GP, aged care worker, cardiologist and any other healthcare provider, as well as family and other carers.

They are supported by specialist palliative care services if symptoms become difficult to manage.

Where is palliative care provided?

Palliative care is provided where the person and their family want, where possible.

This may include at home, in hospital, in a hospice or in a residential aged care facility.

Many people indicate a preference to die at home, and making this possible often depends on several factors: • The nature of the illness and amount of care the person needs.

• How much support is available from the person’s family and community.

• Whether the person has someone at home who can provide physical care and support.

For more information, contact the palliative care peak body in your state. Go to https://palliativecare .org.au/what-is-palliativecare.

End-of-life carers emphasise ability to protect most vulnerable AUSTRALIA is pulling out all stops to try to prevent a surge in coronavirus cases, while also rapidly preparing for the possibility that these efforts may not be successful.

As part of that preparation, decisions are being made about ensuring that appropriate health professionals are available

where they are needed most.

Palliative care will be an essential component of the frontline response as the number of Australians dying from COVID-19 increases.

Palliative care can help manage severe shortness of breath, other physical symptoms and distress, and provides personal support

for people who are seriously ill or dying and their families.

It can assist in prevention and reduction of clinical problems in the community and residential aged care, and help to ensure that vulnerable people can avoid unnecessary emergency department presentations and hospitalisation.

The president of the

European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), Prof Christoph Ostgathe, has pointed out that during the disordered emergence of this pandemic, many people may not have considered why palliative care is an essential service. However, he warns, palliative care is key.

In a recent EAPC

statement, he wrote: “During this crisis, in palliative care we need to step up and ensure that we are proactive; that we fully utilise our well-honed skills and competencies and prove that we are an important part of our hospitals and our services’ crisis plans.

“We need to make it clear

that in a pandemic like this, palliative care is not a luxury, it is a human right!”

– Extract from Palliative Care Australia.

More information about the Australian COVID-19 Palliative Care Working Group and regular COVID-19 updates are available at palliativecare.org.au/covid19-updates.

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Take shopping to heart Planning can protect your health while saving money GOING out for groceries?

Here’s how to keep your weekly shop cheap and healthy.

A trip to the supermarket is one of the few reasons we’re leaving the house these days – and for households on a tight budget, there are ways to stock up that won’t hurt your heart or hip pocket.

The Heart Foundation is reminding Australians that heart-healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive, and urging shoppers to stay safe as the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis are felt around the country.

Heart Foundation director of health strategy Julie Anne Mitchell says a healthy diet is a key ingredient for protecting your heart throughout this pandemic and beyond.

“There are some tips you can follow when doing your weekly shop to choose heart-healthy foods that will save money and avoid wasting food,’’ Ms Mitchell said.

“Frozen vegetables, brown rice, chickpeas and tinned fish are just a few staples you can keep on hand for healthy and

BENEFITS IN STORE: By shopping when it’s quiet, sticking to a budget and choosing the right groceries, you can curb your health risks, save money and have a healthier lifestyle during the COVID-19 restrictions.

Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

budget-friendly meals at home (see list below).

“It’s also essential to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 infection when you go to your local supermarket or grocery store to grab provisions.

“Australians who are selfisolating or in quarantine are also advised to look out for healthier options when doing their grocery shopping online.”

Keep your pantry healthy on a budget • To keep your pantry well

stocked without breaking the bank, follow this action plan: • Make a grocery list and stick to it. Check what you already have in your fridge and pantry and only buy what you know you will use, to avoid wasting food.

• Eat the rainbow: One of the best ways to stay healthy is to fill up on plenty of fruit and vegetables.

The more colourful the mix the better. Frozen or canned vegetables and fruits are good alternatives when

fresh produce is hard to buy or too expensive, and they keep for longer.

If you are buying canned versions, try to choose the “no added salt’’ or “low salt’’ versions. Pick fruits canned in juice, not syrup.

• Mix it up. Buy more plant-based sources of protein, in line with the Heart Foundation’s updated dietary advice. Tinned or dried beans, lentils and chickpeas are cheaper and are healthy options for your pantry, or try tofu to keep in

the fridge. Eggs or canned fish (such as tuna) are also cheaper and easy to prepare.

• Use cheaper cuts. Look for less-expensive cuts of meat to use in stews, soups and casseroles. Cut off visible fat before cooking.

• Go for wholegrains.

Brown rice, wholegrain pasta and rolled oats are budget-friendly staples for healthy cooking. Swap white bread for a wholegrain loaf and freeze some of it.

• Snack smart. Go for a

handful of unsalted nuts or a small plate of cut-up fruit to curb afternoon cravings. You could also buy popping corn and make popcorn. It’s best to either have it plain (no added salt or butter) or flavour with other herbs and spices.

• Healthy hydration: Skip the aisle of sugary soft drinks and energy drinks and make water the drink of choice. It’s healthy, hydrating and free.

Stay safe while shopping • Good timing: Buy groceries only when you need to and try to shop at quieter times to avoid crowds. Organise your list by areas of the store to limit the time you spend there.

• Go the distance: Avoid close contact with other shoppers (keep at least 1.5 metres apart), and only touch items you are going to purchase.

• Hand hygiene: Wash your hands with soap and water before going into the store and take along alcoholbased hand sanitiser. If possible, disinfect your shopping trolley with wipes.

• Contain coughs: Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue and dispose of tissues properly.

• Cards not cash: Use tap and pay if possible, to avoid handling cash.

• Keep it clean: Clean and sanitise frequently used objects such as your keys.

Five healthy heart eating tips to tuck into while self-isolating Heart Foundation 1. Prepare ahead, but don’t hoard Stocking up on a few extra staples is sensible but there is no need to hoard as supermarkets will stay open during the COVID-19 lockdown. Plan your meals ahead and shop with a list to ensure you’re getting the right ingredients for a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner meals to minimise food wastage and cost.

2. Fresh, canned or frozen – it’s about the mix Frozen vegies can be just as healthy as fresh options.

Canned vegetables, beans or fruit have an extra-long shelf V1 - SETE01Z01MA

life, so they are perfect for your pantry. When choosing canned vegetables and legumes (like beans or lentils), buy no added salt, low-salt or reduced-salt options and choose fruit canned in juice rather than syrup.

3. Choose heart-healthy proteins over red meats Heart healthy proteins like fish or seafood are an excellent source of omega3s, which our bodies need but cannot produce.

If you can’t get fresh fish, choose canned salmon or tuna in spring water rather than salty brine. Or you can opt for lean chicken or eggs, but if choosing red meat,

make sure it is lean and limit to 1–3 meals a week.

4. Set routine meal times and cut the couch snacking Now the couch and fridge are within easy reach, avoid snacking by establishing a meal time routine to keep work and play separate.

If you do snack, go for a handful of unsalted nuts, a cup of vegie sticks or a small plate of cut-up fruit to curb that afternoon craving. Opt for this instead of unhealthy foods like chips, biscuits, chocolate or flavoured sugary drinks. While these unhealthy snacks can be an occasional treat, try to avoid stocking them in your pantry

in the first place.

5. Brush up on your home cooking skills and get inspired Staying at home for long periods of time is the perfect opportunity to either learn to cook or brush up on your skills. If you’ve stocked up on pantry essentials like tinned tomatoes or lentils and need inspiration to turn them into a meal, why not try some heart healthy recipes online.

If you’re wondering what to do with all your canned beans or lentils, why not try the Heart Foundation’s kidfriendly lentil stew, Indian chicken and lentil tray bake, or spiced pumpkin and black bean patties.

HEALTHY CHOICES: When that afternoon craving hits, fill up on vegie sticks or a small plate of cut-up fruit.

Photo: File

22

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Living

MAY, 2020//

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Pawfect chance to help

WITH older Australians being urged to stay home and only leave the house for essentials, many senior pet owners are at risk of losing social connections in the community, along with the ability to easily access basic pet care and services as they self-isolate.

Knowing their loyal companions can remain happy and healthy can have a huge impact on their daily lives and the lives of their cherished pet.

Here are some tips from PETstock Assist to help seniors stay socially connected as well as advice on how people in their lives can assist with ongoing pet care during this crisis: Stay connected Keeping up with regular vet visits, accessing essential pet services and supplies and maintaining daily exercise are some of the difficulties the elderly may face. If you have a grandparent, elderly family friend or neighbour in your area with a pet, stay connected with them and assist wherever you can.

Communications that do not require any physical presence, such as FaceTime, Zoom, Skype and Facebook, are some of the convenient online options that can help family and friends stay virtually connected.

Alternatively, a friendly daily phone call is a straightforward way to check in on those not-sotech-savvy individuals, along

CREATURE COMFORTS: Pitching in with the care of a senior’s pet, perhaps taking it for a walk, is an important way anyone can support an older person during the coronavirus self-isolation.

with those who may not have access to the internet.

Provide assistance Volunteering to take a dog out for its daily walk, collecting pet food or teaching seniors how to shop online for pet supplies are just a few ways in which the community can provide ongoing support.

Emergency care plan Family, friends and neighbours should check in with their loved ones to ensure an emergency care plan is in place for their pet

in the event they are required to undergo hospitalisation or for other reasons such as financial pressures.

Short-term emergency care or fostering If a loved one has contracted COVID-19, try to have their pet cared for by another member of the family or close friends.

Foster care is an incredibly rewarding experience and the perfect way to pay it forward during the COVID-19 crisis if you are in a position to help out

seniors in need.

Vet care PETstock Vet Hospitals can assist and treat pets of patients who have been unwell, diagnosed with COVID-19 or unable to visit the vet.

Seniors can call 13 PETS for more information or alternatively video chat with a veterinarian in Australia from 6am to midnight, from the comfort of the senior’s own home, on PETstock’s Vet Chat service.

Donate

It’s also a great time to consider a donation to your local group as most rely heavily on fundraising at events that have now been cancelled or postponed.

There are hundreds of dedicated organisations and charities making a difference to the lives of seniors and their pets, such as PETstock’s charity organisation PETstock Assist or its partner charity, Cherished Pets Foundation in Victoria.

For more information or advice, visit petstock.com.au.

POWER OF PETS CHANGING LIVES PETSTOCK ASSIST HELPS ABUSED, ABANDONED AND NEGLECTED PETS THROUGH RESCUE, REHABILITATION AND REHOMING. IT ALSO RUNS COMPANION ANIMAL PROJECTS AND DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

Funding for seniors’ monitoring systems

SAFETY BOOST: Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Richard Colbeck.

Picture: File

THE Federal Government is helping more senior Australians access personal monitoring technology during self-isolation.

At the push of a button or via automated technology, the monitoring systems send an alert to a staffed centre or family member in an emergency.

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck said Commonwealth Home Support Program service providers were being given additional flexibility to fund monitoring services.

This will include

monitoring subscriptions for one year.

Older Australians in receipt of home care packages will also be able to access the technology.

“These personal monitoring systems allow a person to seek help even when they can’t use a phone,” Senator Colbeck said. “They can provide peace of mind and a sense of security to vulnerable senior people and their families and carers during self-isolation.

“Even though the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Australia has dropped to lower levels, this pandemic

is far from over.

“Ensuring vulnerable people can get help when they need it is a top priority during this difficult time.”

Service providers will be able to choose from a range of monitoring and alert services available on the market, many of which have indicated an ability to expand their operations during the COVID-19 crisis.

Senator Colbeck has also indicated that the Federal Government would continue to contribute to the South Australian Government’s Personal Alarm Rebate Scheme, which is already

available to support older Australians living in South Australia.

The Morrison Government has also announced welfare checks for people who have suspended their home support packages, and a $10 million funding injection for the Community Visitors Scheme for aged care.

In addition, senior Australians, their families and carers can now call a dedicated free call support line aimed at supporting the mental health of those impacted by COVID-19: 1800 171 866.

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SWITCHED ON: Diane Bohlen enjoys a fitness class online at Elements Retirement Living during isolation.

Feel good from head to toe Exercise, nutrition, sleep vital Kerry Heaney WHILE social distancing and self-isolation remain the new normal, it is important for seniors to keep their minds and bodies as healthy as possible.

Lifestyle factors have a significant impact on your immune system, so making small changes can ensure you are supporting your health.

Elements Retirement Living managing director Chiou See Anderson believes exercise is essential.

“Continue to move your body,” Ms Anderson says.

“There are so many YouTube videos available online to help you stay active. Depending on your current level of fitness, you can search for videos on yoga, tai chi, meditation, strengthening and more.

“Do not be overambitious in the first week.

Instead, set pragmatic goals V1 - SETE01Z01MA

and build up your fitness gradually. Before long, you will be wondering why all those people spend their money and time going to the gym!”

ATP Science’s naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist, Nicole Brown, says a diet rich in anti-inflammatory and nutrient-dense foods is essential for good health and supporting an immune system so it can respond to viruses.

“Try to include a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, high-quality proteins and a variety of wholegrains,’’ Nicole said.

“Avoid processed foods, refined sugars and excess alcohol as these can have a suppressive effect on our immune system.”

Social distancing and isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness and low moods.

Staying in touch with family and friends during

Diane doing another exercise that helps her to stay healthy and energised.

this time ensures you feel supported and connected with your community.

If you are tech-savvy, Skype or FaceTime will allow you to see your loved ones as if they were there with you. If you don’t have access to technology, try writing letters to your neighbours or even friends of the family.

“Connection is important,

even when we can no longer meet for a coffee or gather for a meal,” Ms Anderson says.

“If you previously had a regular game of bowls, or met to discuss a new book, you can continue to maintain this network by scheduling a group chat via phone or video. The number of residents at Elements

Retirement Living who are reporting an increase in phone contact with people whom they previously neglected is phenomenal.

“Somehow the time we used to spend rushing around has now been converted to purposeful time spent catching up with past acquaintances and long-lost relatives.”

Head scientist and naturopath at ATP Science, Matt Legge, said sleep was closely tied to our immunity.

“Certain disease-fighting substances are released or created while we sleep, and our bodies need these hormones, chemicals and proteins to fight off disease and infection,” Mr Legge said.

“Sleep deficiency decreases the availability of these substances, leaving us more susceptible to each new virus or bacteria we encounter.”

Mr Legge suggests going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. He recommends avoiding screen time from TV, computers and phones for the hour before bedtime as the blue light they emit can suppress melatonin production.

“Do something relaxing before bed, such as taking a bath, reading a book, listening to soft music or trying meditation,” he said.

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Don’t be a wally, exercise caution before you respond to a request. Always verify the authenticity of persons requesting your credit card or bank details prior to making any transfers. For more info from the experts visit buysearchsell.com.au/staysafe

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\\MAY, 2020

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Find a redecorator to suit your style at Buy Search Sell.

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Money

Dianne Charman AS WE begin to see the financial effects of the global pandemic, many Australians may be wondering how the changes in the stockmarket affect their super.

Most people will have at least part of their superannuation savings invested through the stockmarket, which means its ebbs and flows do affect you.

Anything from natural disaster, terror attacks such as 9/11 or pandemics like we are currently seeing will have an economic impact, which can, in turn, result in changes on the stockmarket.

However, it can be difficult to anticipate the gravity or longevity of the impact.

For example, a localised illness in one suburb, or even

MAY, 2020//

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Minimising hit to super ‘‘

in one city, would not necessarily have an impact on global markets, but with a spread such as COVID-19, we may see a broader financial impact.

The ways and degree to which fluctuations in the stockmarket affect your super will depend on your asset allocation. Those with an aggressive allocation are more likely to be impacted more heavily than those who have a safer allocation.

For example, during a boom period, an aggressive asset allocation, meaning that your super is invested in a mix of stocks for maximum return, would provide greater growth (or increased valuation) of your assets than if your super was invested in conservative options, which are safer, but usually give smaller returns.

Is my super safe?

Remember that investing is

The ways and degree to which fluctuations in the market affect your super depend on asset allocation.

a long-term game, and investing through your super is no different from actively investing through managed funds or individual investments.

Market crashes and corrections are a fact of life.

Whenever you invest, you need to ensure your risk profile is aligned with both your needs and your goals.

It’s a good idea to seek professional advice to ensure your asset allocation enables you to meet your retirement goals but also keeps your risk at a level you

are comfortable with. Don’t make any big financial decisions in the coming months without thinking through the implications.

I’m still worried …

In the coming days, weeks and months, it’s important not to make any big financial decisions based on emotion without seriously thinking through the implications.

If you’re still worried about how the stockmarket is affecting your super, the first thing you need to do is write down why you are

worried. Whatever reasons you wrote down, it’s likely the core issue is that you’re worried about your balance going down.

If you aren’t retiring for 10 or 20 years, there is time to wait for recovery, so fewer reasons to worry right now.

We invest for the long term and markets recover.

It’s a waiting game as to when the market will pick back up and you have time on your side with this one.

As you move closer to retirement, you should be speaking to a financial adviser regularly. Especially in the five years directly before you make the change. Over this time, you will most likely slowly reduce your growth assets allocation and build up your defensive assets.

The current financial climate is a timely reminder of the incredible importance

of actively managing your super, with the help of a financial professional. Your super is not something that should be left in the bottom drawer to look at later, it’s the nest egg of your retirement.

Now is the time to seek more advice, get a better understanding of the stockmarket, and learn more about your super so you understand more what the ebbs and flows of the market mean to you and your situation.

– 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.

Expo serves up smorgasbord of ways to make most of life Brand Insights FOR many people, the thought of transitioning into retirement and moving into the next phase of their life is emotional and stressful.

A great way to overcome that and embrace the journey ahead is to explore the many choices available to you.

Briese Lawyers prides itself on empowering people in this area through its annual seminar and expo, Maintaining Choice in Your Senior Years.

In the current climate, Briese Lawyers has created an online Facebook community with the same name to share great content.

The purpose of the group is to provide valuable information to anyone aged 55 and over, covering everything from transitioning to retirement, fulfilling your bucket list, leaving a legacy, writing your memoirs, options for aged care, estate planning, life, health, fun and family.

In the weeks and months ahead, the company intends to post content,

SAVOUR LIFE: Briese Lawyers’ annual expo and seminar covers all the important topics for over 55s, including transitioning to retirement.

video interviews, services and offers relevant to this community, and invites your input as to what you would like to see discussed

or showcased.

“We look forward to creating a dynamic community which empowers and values our

members and we hope you will join us,’’ the firm said.

“Find us on Facebook @ Maintaining Choice In Your Senior Years or follow us @

Briese Lawyers Toowoomba.

“In the event that you are not on Facebook but would be interested in

obtaining information and content via email, please register your interest with margaret@ brieselawyers .com.au.”

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G E N E R A L K N O W L E D G E

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Across 1 Which group of creatures have five pairs of walking legs? (8) 7 The name of a London curio shop later evolved into the name of which big oil company? (5) 8 Who created an image of a heroic frontiersman by helping write his own biography? (5,4) 9 What type of plant is a Hedera helix? (3) 10 What lively folk dance is performed in Scotland and Ireland? (4) 11 Nova Scotia was once called what? (6) 13 What does TT stand for in the Isle of Man motorcycling races? (7,6) 15 A former male pupil of a school, college, or university is called what? (3,3) 16 Which continent constitutes nearly one third of the world’s land mass? (4) 18 & 20 Which actor and director was instrumental in building the Globe Theatre replica in London? (3,9) 21 What does a cinerary urn hold? (5) 22 An airport building for passengers is called what? (7)

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Down 1 Which Scottish chemist invented the vacuum flask? (5) 2 What is a large French country house or castle called?

(7) 3 What rich, savoury paste is made from finely minced ingredients? (4) 4 What describes a brief temporary recovery in a share price after a substantial fall? (4,3,6) 5 What reddish-brown colour is associated with old photographs? (5) 6 In which magazine did the comic strip “Little Annie Fannie” first appear, in 1962? (7) 7 An arachnophobe has an irrational fear of what? (7) 12 Architecturally speaking, fenestration is the arrangement of what? (7) 13 Who was Peter Davison’s character in TV’s All Creatures Great and Small? (7) 14 Which Russian wrote Eugene Onegin, a novel in verse?

(7) 15 A huge aircraft plant operated near which city in Nebraska during WWII? (5) 17 What is “relating to the ear or hearing”? (5) 19 Who leads prayers in a mosque? (4)

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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

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DOUBLECROSS 6

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

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Down 2. Award for last place (5,5) 3. Consideration (4) 4. Allege (6) 5. Metalworkers (6) 6. Insincere praise (8) 7. Mild-mannered (4) 11. Scandalous (10) 13. Person with positive outlook (8) 16. Song text (6) 17. Accident (6) 18. Secure (4) 20. Ultimate (4)

Across 1. Assist (4) 8. Gather (10) 9. Block (8) 10. Seized (4) 12. Resist (6) 14. Afternoon nap (6) 15. Beam above a door or window (6) 17. Distress call (6) 18. Join (4) 19. Settled (8) 21. Of the highest quality (5-5) 22. Throw (4)

SOLUTIONS

5x5 E N D E D

ALPHAGRAMS: KINDS, LAMENT, MARBLES, NEEDLESS, OTHERWISE. GK CROSSWORD Across: 1 Decapods, 7 Shell, 8 Wyatt Earp, 9 Ivy, 10 Reel, 11 Acadia, 13 Tourist Trophy, 15 Old boy, 16 Asia, 18/20 Sam Wanamaker, 21 Ashes, 22 Terminal.

Down: 1 Dewar, 2 Chateau, 3 Pâté, 4 Dead cat bounce, 5 Sepia, 6 Playboy, 7 Spiders, 12 Windows, 13 Tristan, 14 Pushkin, 15 Omaha, 17 Aural, 19 Imam.

QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Abet 8. Accumulate 9. Obstruct 10. Took 12. Oppose 14. Siesta 15.

Lintel 17. Mayday 18. Seam 19. Resolved 21. First-class 22. Toss.

Down: 2. Booby prize 3. Tact 4. Accuse 5. Smiths 6. Flattery 7. Meek 11.

Outrageous 13. Optimist 16. Lyrics 17. Mishap 18. Safe 20. Last.

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TODAY: Good 10 Very Good 14 Excellent 18

A B E A M

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

C A M E O

WORD GO ROUND

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ALPHAGRAMS 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.

DINKS MANTLE AMBLERS LESSENED WHITE ROSE

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

Note: more than one solution may be possible.

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All puzzles © The Puzzle Company

TAKE A TOUR

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