Toowoomba, July 2018 by seniors

July, 2018

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WELLBEING IT’S THE FOOD YOU EAT THAT COUNTS

Author, academic and forthright thinker Susan Mitchell speaks out as SA Ambassador for older women and talks INSIDE about how to make the best of life after 50

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WELCOME

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

Enjoy our colourful read Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor

CATCH UP WITH COMMUNITY

STAYING HEALTHY AND HAPPY INDEX 3 6 8 13 21 23 25 30 31

Jumper and Jazz Fest Cover Story - Susan Mitchell Buds bloom for Charity Wanderlust Wellbeing Living Money Community Notes Puzzles

THIS month we bring you a rich and colourful range of stories inclusive of local people through to national personalities with big ideas. A trip to South Australia from our Queensland-based journalist Tracey Johnstone resulted in a story with the indomitable author, journalist and academic Dr Susan Mitchell about her latest role as SA Ambassador for Mature Women. Tracey’s story features Dr Mitchell’s powerful thoughts on the importance of changing the outdated lens contemporary, mature-aged woman are viewed through. Last month, I attended the DANscienCE program in Sydney. The program explored dance programs and its ability to contribute to wellness. As program director Liz Lea wrote, “Dance is scientifically proven to benefit health, older people are beginning dance careers at 60. Arts and companies with expert professional legacies are developing new programs for wellness, and wellness is building a new platform of awareness for dance”. Personally, I found the strong, graceful, intelligent performances – including

one with 103-year-old dancer Eileen Kramer – together with scientific and medical opinions, emotionally stirring and capable of opening a whole new dimension to ageing. I hope you enjoy the uplifting story on Dance for Parkinson’s Disease. No matter your thoughts on the digital age, it’s here to stay so I am pleased to update you with information on the latest government initiative to support your voyage into technology. But good health is ultimately what really matters and we have a host of stories with tips and hints to nudge you along the road of well-being. I’m also pleased to present our updated newspaper design and believe our articles featuring health, wealth, happiness and lots of travel sit well within the new-look. I trust you enjoy the read.

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 Brett Mauger – 07 5435 3203 brett.mauger@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Online Get your news online at www.seniorsnews.com.au Advertising, editorial and distribution enquiries Phone: 1300 880 265 or (07) 5435 3200 Email: advertising@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au 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 361 604 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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SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

LOCAL STORY

Knitting circle for men

Warwick’s annual jumper and jazz fest weaves in the males Alison Houston

FOR too long it’s been assumed the blokes are more interested in the great jazz, food and vintage cars than the craftwork at Warwick’s annual Jumpers and Jazz in July. But this year, the Criterion Hotel is setting things straight with its Real Men Knit sessions from 3-5pm on both Saturdays of the festival, which runs from July 19-29. The men’s knitting circles will be held in front of the fire, and manager Kylie Jenner encouraged the blokes to go along, grab a beer and settle in to learn how to knit or improve their skills with the ladies from Wattle-Doo Crafts. Ms Jenner said the hotel had been inspired by some of the regulars reminiscing at the bar about when their grandmothers taught them to knit as children.

“It’s hilarious to see these big, burly men discussing their knitting, and it’s a connection to times when families were happy doing things together more – it’s really lovely,” she said. The nostalgic theme works in well with this year’s Warwick Art Gallery installation, entitled Home Sweet Home, incorporating both the house and knitted and crocheted favourites such as lamingtons, patty cakes, iced vovos and lollies. “The idea is to indulge people’s nostalgic sweet tooth,” said the gallery’s Yarntopians co-ordinator Loretta Grayson. Ms Grayson said hundreds of volunteers aged from 7 to 92 took part in making the sweet treats, over 4000 “lovebombs”, cushions, blankets and about 2000 knitted and crocheted squares and rectangles to line the walls and roof of the house, which for the first time has involved

STREET ART: Yarnbombing turns the CBD into a riot of colour.

hammers and nails as well as needles, as the house is actually built with help of Bunnings and the Men’s Shed. “We do have a lot of seniors who help us, both from the Warwick district

and around Australia,” she said. “Many are people who are involved in lots of different knitting and crocheting for the community such as for premmie babies and

Photo: Izelle Behr

orphans overseas – they’re very communityminded people.” And of course there’s the traditional “yarnbombing” of about 150 trees around the CBD. Both Ms Jenner and

Ms Grayson were enthusiastic at the prospect of the festival as it enters its 15th year. To find out more and see the full program, go to jumpersandjazz.com

Updates from the Toowoomba Region

Photo:

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The next meetings of Council’s Standing Committees will be held on 10 and 11 July commencing at 9am. The next Ordinary Meeting of Council will be held on 17 July commencing at 10am. All meetings are at City Hall, 541 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba.

Disposal Of Coals

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Free computer classes are now available at Oakey and Highfields Libraries. Our friendly trainers help people learn to use mobile devices and computers gain new skills and confidence. For more information phone Oakey on 4692 0154 or Highfields Library on 4699 6519.

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Milne Bay and Highfields Aquatic and Fitness centres have plenty of options to keep you active. Join us for Aqua Aerobics, Steady Steps, Qigong for Health, Pilates, Yoga, TaiChi, Zumba Gold, Senior Citizens group (HFR only) and aquatic walking lanes. Concession rates available, contact MBAC 4688 6330 or HFR 4699 6530 for more information.

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For bookings for all events call 131 872 or visit www.tr.qld.gov.au

A range of low-cost opportunities are available in Toowoomba each week to help residents get out and active. For full details and to join visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/change Winter is here and there is nothing more comforting than a cosy fire. When disposing of ashes and coals at our waste facilities please be sure these materials have been dampened down and are fully cooled to avoid causing fires. Please declare ashes and coals to the gatehouse attendant and use the designated disposal areas. For more information visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/waste

Scheduled Maintenance

Milne Bay Aquatic Centre’s indoor pools is closed for scheduled maintenance until 23 July. The works will include draining of the indoor pools for routine maintenance, deep cleaning, re-grouting of tiled joints and cleaning of the air handling supply. The gym, group fitness and crèche will remain open throughout the maintenance works, however the centre will be open on reduced hours during this time. For more information call 131 872 or visit www.tr.qld.gov.au

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My Community Directory lists organisations that provide services that are free or subsidised, visit www.mycommunitydirectory.com.au TRC_0618_SN

TEAM WORK: Yarntopians working on a sunset sky piece.

Council Meetings

LOCAL STORY

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

Fitbit tracks friendship Research group checks out how seniors use technology

Alison Houston PARTICIPANTS didn’t realise when they signed up just how much a USQ research study into wearable trackers would influence their lives. The small group of over-50s was involved in Dr Ann Morrison’s investigation into older-adult acceptance and use of the technology. The plan was for participants to meet weekly over three months of wearing the devices and share their experiences. But when the project was over, they just kept meeting. “The results gave us an insight into how technology, in this case a Garmin VivoSmart tracker, assisted older adults to maintain their independence, feel safe in their mobility activities and keep active in their usual social networks or invigorate new ones,” Dr

‘‘

Social connection over a shared subject was a key observation of the research

Morrison said. She said the power of social connection over a shared subject was a key observation of the research, and it was found that social inclusion proved “a significant factor for self-esteem and quality of life”. Rose McGuire was part of the study and, with fellow participant Margrit Rettke, still catches up with Dr Morrison each month, and still wears her Fitbit to track her daily steps and sleep.

TRACKING WELL: Participants in a USQ wearable technology study Margrit Rettke (left) and Rose McGuire (right) with facilitator Dr Ann Morrison from USQ’s Digital Life Lab. Photo: Array

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

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COVER STORY

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

New role gives voice for mature women

Dr Susan Mitchell is speaking out to drive change in how women are seen and heard Tracey Johnstone SUSAN Mitchell’s role as South Australia’s Mature Women’s Ambassador is a national first and recognises the frightening depth of the crisis for women who have given their all and yet reach their later years with so little left. The media personality and noted author has the job of making visible the many invisible issues around mature women.

There is hope her work will have a national impact. “In the past five years the number of women over 50 facing homelessness has increased by 40 per cent,” Susan said about these women who are struggling to find work. “What we are doing with these women is throwing them on the scrap heap.” Governments must act, Susan declares. “This is a tsunami that is going to happen. There

is going to be a surge of women. With technological change, heaven knows how the employment market is going to fare. We need to have an organised approach to this or these women will be thrown on the scrap heap and just left to die. And that cannot happen.” However, she isn’t seeing a parliament that is leading the management of this change in our community, nor one that truly reflects

SPEAKING OUT: Dr Susan Mitchell, mature women’s champion, author, TV and radio presenter. Photos: Contributed Australia’s society and the needs of its significant number of over-50 women. “It’s like Sisyphus, who was notorious for rolling the boulder up the hill and then it would roll back,”

Susan said. “Then you would push it up again and you would gain a foot every time. It’s how change works, but you have to keep rolling it. But I think we are in the period where it has rolled

back on us. “In terms of women, how many of them over 50 are in parliament, for example, and yet how many women over 50 are in our society?” Susan’s ambassador

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018 role is the first of its kind in Australia. It’s been created by the South Australian Government to deal with the largest number of people over 50 on mainland Australia. In there is a “huge cohort” of women who can’t get jobs because of their age and because of discrimination. Susan is hitting the Adelaide corporate streets armed with a deeply researched booklet – Mature Women Can! – and using her high public profile as a television, radio and print commentator to spruik the message of what organisations can do to turn around the incoming tide which is going to economically challenge all of Australia. Susan is well-equipped for the task. “When I was growing up there were no role models,” Susan said. The child of the ’70s said the best-known woman then was Dame Edna Everage – and she was a bloke. “I thought, we have to start celebrating women of achievement,” she adds. So, for the past 35 years, Susan has been championing women’s issues and exceptional women’s stories through her 14 books – among them Anne Summers,

COVER STORY

‘‘

Susan Mitchell, author of Winning Women. Sallyanne Atkinson, Colleen McCullough, Robyn Archer and Margaret Whitlam. Meeting Margaret Whitlam was a moment in time for Susan that stands out from her crowded life. “Highly intelligent and very witty and full of the joy of life,” is how Susan describes her impression of Margaret as she wrote Margaret’s biography. Back in the present, Susan pines for change; a real, tangible end to mature women’s discrimination. “They have the distillation of everything that is good in us,” she said. “Look at what they have lived through, what they have done and what they have experienced. They are being treated like an old tub of yoghurt. I would like to see this change before I kick the bucket.”

In the past five years the number of women over 50 facing homelessness has increased by 40 per cent. What we are doing with these women is throwing them on the scrap heap. I’m not exactly sure of Susan’s age. I did ask. “Do you think women should tell their age?” Susan asks me back. Susan made a powerful case for women not revealing their age. Instead of going on the attack against ageism, Susan said you should stand proud as a mature woman and detail why it is so important that you are employed as a mature and capable person. List your strengths, be proud and loud about them. “Kiss my assets,” is her call to arms. “When you get that in your head, it’s a way to deal with it, because as soon as I say I am actually 78 or 75 or 68, they have

Margaret Whitlam, wife of former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, with her biography author Susan Mitchell. Photo: Brodie Campbell a picture or an immediate almost visceral reaction,” Susan said. “The women I have interviewed said things have been said to them like ‘oh, you are much older than you sound on the phone, your voice is very young’. Well, yes, so

is my mind. It’s a bit like when women were defined by marriage. You had to be Mrs and take the man’s name. How ludicrous is that? “It’s kind of nobody’s business how old you are.” Susan’s 16th non-fiction

book is starting to get its legs. She simply can’t let this women’s “tsunami” become part of Australia’s social and economic history without an intense insight from this outstanding social commentator. “I will write until I drop.”

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Dr Susan Mitchell continues to support women struggling to get jobs in their 50s.

Photo: Calum Robertson

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Buds bloom for charity Alison Houston THE annual Toowoomba Camellia Show and Garden Expo on July 21-22 is this year looking to both history and the future. Show president Kevin Cotterell said the event had moved onto the TAFE quadrangle, with the bigger area allowing non-stop entertainment and speakers across two stages, more room than ever for the 3500 people who attend each year, including additional seating and improved access for those with mobility issues, as well as future expansion. In a coup for the show, this year’s special guest is the renowned Dr Stephen Utick, BSc Dip Hort Sc MScSoc MLitt MA PhD, an Australian director for the International Camellia Society, inaugural chair of the ICS Committee of Historic Camellia Conservation, Camellias Australia secretary and founder of Camellia Ark Australia, dedicated to tracing and preserving the country’s rarest camellias.

Lynette Shailer, one of the show co-ordinators, urged people to take advantage of Dr Utick’s presence to bring in camellia samples (30cm long, including leaves and buds if possible) for identification. Lynette had just one camellia in her garden when she moved to Toowoomba in 1977, an Aspasia Macarthur, the origins of which date back to the 1840s, and which she believes to be about 60 years old. But it didn’t take long before she was hooked, and she now boasts about 200 camellias, including at least 80 larger varieties. So, what is the attraction of the camellia? Lynette said it was a combination of the beauty of the flowers, the fact there were thousands of varieties, that after a little TLC in the first five years or so, they were very hardy, were a manageable size and flowered annually in winter when there was often little garden colour. Lynette paid tribute to the origins of the show, originally run by the St Andrew’s Hospital Ladies

BIG NEWS: Lynette Shailer, one of the show co-ordinators, spreads the word about the Toowoomba Camellia Show and Garden Expo’s history and growth in 2018. Photo: Contributed Auxiliary, and passed on through Sr Frances Flint to Joan Falvey as a fundraiser for Toowoomba Hospice, to which funds still go.

“You can’t grow something unless someone has planted the seed in the first place,” said Lynette, who has been closely involved with

the show since 2004. The show opens both days at 9am, with the Lovett’s garden open from 10am-4pm. Show entry is

$8, the winter garden $5, or see both for $10. toowoombacamellia show.com. For the full story, go to seniorsnews.com.au.

The future looks bright with solar AUSTRALIA’S household electricity bills have doubled in the last five years, so it’s no secret that more and more Australians are making the switch to solar in a bid to drastically reduce their electricity bills. In fact, one in four homes are now drawing some of their power needs free from the sun. The latest Renewable Energy Index figures report more than 8,500 homes across Qld and NSW installed solar in the month of February, delivering cumulative savings of $100 million dollars in power bill reduction over the next ten years. Isn’t it time you got on board? SAE Group have yet another compelling offer that will make the switch easy for you. This 5.5kW solar bundle comprised of the 5kW X1 Boost Solax inverter, and 20 x 275watt Luxen panels, is a highly efficient system designed to drastically reduce your household electricity bill for many years to come. The Solax X1 is a reliable, efficient inverter featuring fanless technology ensuring the inverter is quietly converting your solar energy to DC power for your home, and is backed by a 5-year product warranty. The Solax inverter also has the option to add smart plug and play, enabling remote control operation and monitoring, giving users even more control over their energy consumption. Complementing the Solax inverter are 20 x 275-watt Luxen panels, backed by a 10-year product warranty rounding out a high-quality system that is designed to withstand the harshest of Australian climates. The team at SAE Group are Master Electricians first and foremost, and also a Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer, so you can rest easy knowing you’re dealing with highly experienced, qualified staff. From consultation, to quality installation, and after sales service, they are with you the whole way, and offer a 12-year workmanship warranty with every installation. If you’re interested in securing your energy future, or looking for a solution that will protect you from crippling electricity prices, call SAE Group 1300 18 20 50 or jump on their website www.saegroup.com.au, to take advantage of this offer before it runs out.

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Avoiding online scams THESE are phishing for information on you. The ‘ph’ comes from ‘phone’ but they can also come by text or email. Most seem to be from a business you trust; banks, energy or phone companies warning something might happen to your finances or services if you don’t confirm your personal or account details. If you give details, you’re actually giving them to the scammer. ●Never provide your personal info or account details if you are contacted out of the blue by someone claiming to be from a reputable company. ●If you’re unsure about a telephone message or email you receive, contact the business directly. ●Be sure to use your own contact information for the organisation – don’t trust any details given in an email or phone call. Go to: scamwatch.gov.au.

MONEY SCAMS

These usually involve an email promising a lot of money for a small upfront fee or your account details and often seem too good to be true. Types include: The inheritance scam: Someone pretending to be a lawyer or banker saying that you’ve inherited money but you either need to give them your details to place the money in your account or pay an expert to free up the money. Ignore and delete. The lottery scam: Saying you’ve won a lottery or competition that you automatically entered by visiting a website. You just need to pay an admin fee to collect your money. Ignore and delete. Go to: beconnected. esafety.gov.au.

TECH TALK

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Learn online or face-to-face, the program is very user-friendly

STAYING CONNECTED: The Be Connected program helps seniors keep in touch safely with family, friends and community in an increasingly digital age. Photo: vadimguzhva

Be Connected safely

Alison Houston A NEW online and community program, Be Connected, aims to take away the fear factor that is stopping many older Australians from either using the internet at all or using it as much as they could. According to research from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, about 2.7 million Australians aged 50 years and older have little or no engagement with the online world. They have low digital literacy, find technology intimidating and lack confidence to ask for help or knowledge of where to get help, and are often taken advantage of online. “We know anecdotally that older Australians can

be a more trusting generation – our research bears this out, with 40 per cent of those aged 50 and over experiencing a computer virus or being the victim of a scam, credit card or personal information theft,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said. With the world becoming increasingly digital, those with low internet skills can often feel isolated from their community and family at a time in their lives when feeling connected is increasingly important. Even online shopping can make a huge difference to people’s lives, taking away the hassles of driving to the mall, finding a park, manoeuvring the trolley, reaching up and down for groceries and carrying heavy bags.

While the research shows about four million older Australians are keen to improve their digital literacy, they also want help addressing online safety and security concerns. Hardly surprisingly considering their vulnerability online, 72 per cent prefer face-to-face, one-on-one coaching over online learning. As part of the Be Connected program, a national network of community groups is delivering free face-toface coaching supported by the Good Things Foundation Australia. “We’re excited to have over 1200 community organisations across the country in the Be Connected Network, from libraries to retirement villages, community

centres to Men’s Sheds, all supporting older Australians to get online,” Good Things Foundation national director Jess Wilson said. Whether you choose to learn online or face to face, the program is very user-friendly and easy to follow, starting from the basics – and I do mean absolute basics - with questions like what is a computer, a laptop, a tablet and a smartphone? Getting to Know Your Device teaches the basic functions of a keyboard, a mouse, a computer and managing files, while Getting Started Online helps you with internet search engines, using email and online forms. The More Online Skills unit takes you that step further into online shopping, connecting

with family and friends through social networks, using a digital camera and watching TV online. And, of course, there’s the all-important section on internet safety and how to avoid scams and tricks, and the golden rules of: ■ Never provide personal information or account details unless you are 100 per cent sure exactly who you are dealing with, and if in doubt, delete! Each module is small, taking about five minutes to complete, and is as simple as clicking the Start and then Next buttons and reading the simple-to-understand information, with no high-tech talk involved. Go to: beconnected. esafety.gov.au or phone 1300 795 897.

Early release of superannuation to ATO

SUPERANNUATION: Rules of early release have changed.

FROM July 1, 2018, responsibility for the administration of the early release of superannuation benefits on compassionate grounds will be transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The ATO is responsible for most of an individual’s interactions with the superannuation system. This change will enable the ATO to build on these existing relationships

and provide a more streamlined service to members. A key improvement under the new process is the ATO providing electronic copies of approval letters to superannuation funds at the same time as to the applicant. This will mitigate fraud risk and negate the need for superannuation funds to independently verify the letter with the Regulator. Individuals will also upload accompanying

documentation simultaneously with their application, rather than the current ‘two-step process’. DHS will accept early release applications up until June 30. There will be a short transition period where DHS will continue to process those existing applications and complete any necessary reviews. From July 1, the ATO will process all new applications. This transfer of function is one of a range

of measures the government is progressing to ensure that the rules governing superannuation serve the interests of members. It complements the review under way on the rules governing the early release of superannuation benefits on compassionate grounds and in cases of financial hardship. Treasury will report to the government based on the review findings later this year.

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

ESCAPE TO

island paradise Six tropical isles to keep your spirits warm PAGES 24 & 25

Join the Festivities Queensland Seniors Week 2018

From August 18 to 26, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Queensland Seniors Week! For all the ins and outs of the many exciting events taking place throughout our great state, be sure to check out Seniors in print or online for coverage - so you can get the most out of your Seniors Week experience.

Grab our August edition or visit seniorsnews.com.au

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

Real deal in southern Italian area Discover Bari, a refreshingly non-touristy city Phil Hawkes THERE’S nothing quite like sitting dozily in the sun at an al fresco European cafe. And there’s nowhere quite like an Italian piazza for that most cost-effective of all sports, people-watching. In big tourist cities like Florence or Rome, however, it can be a tad annoying when you’re inspected, dissected and often neglected by snooty waiters. Worse, a cappuccino can cost as much as 10 euros in the “best” places like San Marco in Venice. Bari, the capital of the southern province of Puglia, is not like that. It’s refreshingly non-touristy and authentic, but it doesn’t always get a good rap from the guide books. “Watch your pockets, handbag, your wife, anything that’s easily removed,” we were told. I’m not sure about the wife bit, but you get the point. In fact, the same comment could be made about almost any city in Europe, or even the world, these days. But fears about Bari were totally unfounded. The Bariese, whether in hotels, cafes or shops are invariably kind and courteous, and most speak English to some degree. Bari is the gateway to

Puglia for most tourists. You can fly there from various cities in Italy, or London, but better still, take the train from Rome or Milan and avoid airports. With any luck, your train won’t be delayed as ours was (three hours late) but again, it’s Italy and a sense of humour coupled with a “que sera sera” attitude will get you through any situation. If you’re heading for the rustic delights of Puglia with its beautiful ancient villages and agriturismo lifestyle, a few days spent in Bari is a perfect introduction to the south. We decided we needed to learn more about the area, so a tour seemed the answer. Giovanna, manager of our lovely hotel Villa Romanazzi Carducci, recommended a private guide and we were very glad we adopted her suggestion. Giovanni (no relation) turned up in a BMW and drove us to the Old City not far away. Until about 10 years ago this was a no-go area at night, where nefarious characters were said to roam and get up to all sorts of mischief. Best not to ask questions. Today it’s a benign scene, with families strolling together and the churches doing brisk business, especially at festival times like Easter when street parades are

common, bands are competing for attention and the children dash hither and yon. Small shops selling religious icons, souvenirs, shirts and footwear abound and an interesting sight is groups of women making orecchiette (little ears) pasta, a Puglian speciality which requires deft fingers to master. We later tried to emulate their skill, but concluded that we couldn’t afford to hang around for several months of learning. Giovanni spoke impeccable English, no surprise given his academic background. He was a goldmine of information about Puglia’s history, culture and even different dialects that can be found from village to village. Not unusual, he said, because this region has been populated over centuries by ancient tribes, Greeks, Romans, Normans,Turks, Arabs and other invaders. Puglia was prized for its agricultural bounty (and still is), chiefly olives, fruit and wine. What else does Bari have to offer the peripatetic tourist anxious to rent a car and head for the beaches and backblocks of Puglia? For more information, go to: pugliaturismo.com, villaromanazzi.com/en, or ayn-allyouneed.com.

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Orecchiette (little ears) pasta left to dry.

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SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

To Switzerland with love

10 top reasons to love Lake Geneva region in Switzerland

Ann Rickard Journalist Ann Rickard has returned to Switzerland, a country she loves, this time to Lake Geneva. She has 100 reasons to love this region but has room for just 10 here. 1. PLACID lakes, majestic mountains, green fields, alpine houses…it’s fairy-tale stuff at every turn. How one small region in such a gorgeous country should contain so much natural beauty seems unfair to the rest of us. 2. EVERYTHING works in Switzerland. You can be guaranteed your transport will arrive and depart exactly on time. A survey of locals revealed they considered punctuality of vital importance and if a train dared to be three minutes late, it was a mighty inconvenience, worthy of the blackest of marks. 3. LAKE Geneva in the canton of Vaud is surrounded by nature. It’s the perfect base to explore, hike or walk, and with 2500 marked trails there is something to suit everyone. The air is fresher, lighter and purer in Switzerland. All ails and aches are quickly forgotten in this country. 4. CUTE cogwheel trains will get you up to mountain summits in comfort with the bonus of breath-taking scenery and the thrill of the train

stopping almost vertically at tiny villages. Beautiful Belle-Epoque steam boats will glide you over Lake Geneva in luxe style with all the romance of a bygone era. For an elegant experience, take lunch on board in one of the boat’s stylish lounges and look out over the lake to the omnipresent mountains. 5. THE vineyards of Lavaux in this region are ancient and UNESCO listed. They produce some of the finest white wines in the world. Even if you don’t take a drop (and you’d be crazy not to), just being among the vines on the terraced slopes with views down to the lake will have you giddy with pleasure. 6. CHARLIE Chaplin. The comic genius, filmmaker and composer lived in the region for the last 25 years of his productive life and came to love Switzerland for its lush countryside and peace and quiet. His home overlooking Lake Geneva is now a museum, Chaplin’s World. Memorabilia, movies and interactive displays give you the full and insightful story of his life as a boy living in poverty in London through his remarkable career and finally his death in Switzerland in 1977. 7. MONTREUX Jazz Festival. It’s held in July on Lake Geneva’s shoreline and is the second biggest jazz festival in the world. When the legendary Freddie Mercury performed there, he loved the town so much, he decided to stay, and it is

PICTURESQUE: Vines, mountains and lakes, this region has it all. BOTTOM LEFT: Castles and history in this region, and don’t be shy, indulge in a fondue (bottom right). where he found peace in Montreux’s quiet and restful solitude. A bronze statue of him stands on the shores of the lake and attracts fans from all over the world. 8. CHEESE and chocolate. Yes, they are the best in the world, but Switzerland’s cuisine is not just about these two luxuries. Breads, pastries and

meats are so delicious you could live on these alone. Don’t be shy about indulging in a fondue, it’s not retro here, very de rigueur. Then there is raclette, cheese melted over a fire pit until gooey and scraped over steamed potatoes, pickles, onions and salad. 9. CASTLES and history.

Chillon Castle is king in this region and one of the most visited castles in Europe. Sprawling over its own massive rock on the shore of Lake Geneva, it seems to float on the water. A self-guided tour will take you back in time. And then you step outside the castle grounds into modern-day Swiss life.

10. THE Olympic Museum and Olympic Park with its sculpture garden overlooking Lake Geneva houses myriad artefacts, displays and exhibits. You’ll need a full day here to explore, and then you’ll want to return for more. For more information, go to myswitzerland.com and myswitzerland.com/ rail or region-du-leman.ch.

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Lake Geneva in the canton of Vaud is surrounded by nature.

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

‘‘

Take time out to breath in the pure air of a pristine tropical island and totally rejuvenate

WINTER WARMTH: Kempinski Seychelles Resort, a tranquil winter hideaway in the Seychelles.

Photo: Tomas Alonso Salvado

Travel: Be dazzled by RUGGED adventure, soft beds, peaceful evenings, lively experiences: the choice is yours to make from any one of these islands in the sun that are waiting for you to discover.

BEDARRA ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

Your island delights may include moonlit meals, free diving, fishing, a view of dolphins and turtles or simply just star-gazing

IT’S the most perfect place to hide away from all the stresses of life, to chill out in warmth and warm up in luxury. Located 10km off Mission Beach in tropical north Queensland, access to the island is via the daily fast boat or by helicopter from Cairns. On the island are 10 villas in among the 45ha of tropical rainforest with a front yard view of the sublime views over the turquoise waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The open terrace restaurant, bar and lounge are the heart and soul of Bedarra, where the maximum of 20 guests meet to indulge in a delicious and ever-changing menu which changes daily, or at the open bar. A candlelit dinner for two on your own private beach, a gourmet hamper

and your own dinghy for a romantic picnic on one of the nearby deserted islands or the entire resort with a group of friends, all is possible. For the more active guests there are sea kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, snorkelling, fishing, tennis and self-guided interactive walks through the verdant rainforest. For adventurers there is outer Great Barrier Reef snorkelling or SCUBA trips as well as deep sea fishing charters.

For more information, go to: bedarra.com.au.

MERGUI ISLANDS, MYANMAR

THE Andaman Sea archipelago, which is located off the far south coast of Myanmar, is comprised of 800 hundred islands that have coral reefs and beaches. It offers opportunities for exploration and diving among spectacular marine life and untouched coral reefs. Access to the area is usually with a tour group. It’s not just the scenery which makes the Myeik

Archipelago such a fascinating place to visit: its indigenous inhabitants, the Moken people, also known as the Salone or sea gypsies, are one of the most distinct of Myanmar’s many ethnic groups, living a nomadic, seabased life here. They are the masters of free diving, being able to focus their vision underwater and hold their breath far longer than most other humans can. There are three places to choose from that have good accommodation – MacLeod Island with its 22 bungalow Myanmar Andaman Resort which boasts outdoor activities including CMAS certified dive centre, snorkelling, island hopping tours, sea kayaking, hiking the island’s peak, swimming in the bay and traditional massage to bring an adventurous day to a close; the nearby Nyaung Oo Phee Resort, with luxury tent-style lodging; and the further out, the Boulder Bay Eco Resort on Boulder Island. They are open October to the end of April. It is also possible to do day trips to the archipela-

go from Kawthaung and from the town of Myeik as well as multi-day trips with overnight camping on the islands. For more information, go to: go-myanmar.com/ the-myeik-archipelago.

MACKEREL ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA

This is the place to reconnect with your true nature at the stunning Mackerel Islands which are a two-hour flight and boat transfer from Perth. Only two of the 10 pristine islands and atolls scattered across 22 miles off the coast of Onslow welcome guests – Direction Island and Thevenard Island. You can go completely wilderness and rent the sole beach shack on Direction Island, or stay connected on Thevenard Island in a choice of beachfront cabins and club village accommodation. If you are already in Onslow in the Pilbara region, you can take a 20 minute boat ride day trip out to the islands. Soak up the fishing,

diving, snorkelling, swimming, boating, nature watching and relaxation in protected, calm waters and watch sea turtles haul themselves up the beach to lay eggs, glimpse dolphins and whales playing in the bluegreen waters, admire the kaleidoscope of colourful fish, crabs and stingrays among the coral reefs while you snorkel, or wrestle in the catch of your life from the Pilbara’s fishiest waters. As the sun goes down and the night sky lights up with a dusting of silver, you can simply stargaze in awe and breathe in the quietness. This is the amazing, off the beaten track experience. For more information, go to: mackerelislands.com.au.

COCOS KEELING ISLANDS

They are Australia’s last unspoilt paradise, lying in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and offering spectacular snorkelling, world-class diving, excellent fishing and the adrenalin-rush of kitesurfing.

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

Myanmar Andaman Resort on MacLeod Island.

Lombok, Indonesia.

Boulder Bay Eco Resort, Myanmar.

Cocos Keeling Islands.

Mackerel Islands, West Australia.

beauty of tropical isles You can relax on empty beaches, visit uninhabited islands by canoe, watch spectacular birdlife or catch the ferry to Home Island to stay at the original Clunies-Ross residence and discover the culture and traditions of the Cocos Malay people. Located 2750km northwest of Perth, the Cocos Keeling Islands are a group of 27 coral islands that form two atolls. Only two of are inhabited. Virgin Australia flies twice weekly to the CKI from Perth. There are eight accommodation places to chose from between West Island and CKI. Hire a car and go adventuring, play golf, learn Malay cooking, practice your wildlife photography with a local expert, experience a motorised canoe tour and a whole lot more while you drift along enjoying year-long warm days and balmy nights. For more information, go to: cocoskeeling islands.com.au.

SEYCHELLES

Located in the western Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, the Seychelles are made up of 115 granite and coral islands which extend from between four and 10 degrees south of the equator. The climate is always warm with the temperature rarely dropping below 24°C or rising above 32°C. Fifteen of these islands, each with its own particular geography, character and history, have some form of accommodation. There are affordable, new and refurbished hotels, self-catering and charming Creole guesthouses joining the ranks of existing five-star hotels and exclusive resorts. There are four main islands – Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette – with ferry services, domestic flights and helicopter transfers available on a daily basis. The capital Victoria on Mahé has the National History Museum which is tiny, but full of information on music, local customs and superstitions and, of

SUN ISLANDS: The giant tortoises of the Seychelles Islands.

Photo: Torsten Dickmann / Facebook

course, the prized national plant coco de mer. The Seychelles are renowned for their diversity: for their multi-ethnicity, culture, flora and fauna. They offer lots of experiences – fishing, sailing and cruising, diving and snorkelling, spa retreats, island-hopping, golf and trekking. The islands’ geography includes lofty, cloud-covered, mist forests that are home to ferns and other moisture-loving species,

through lower woodlands with their variety of palms, right down to a shoreline fringed in some places by mangroves and their associated ecosystems. For more information, go to: seychelles.travel/en.

LOMBOK, INDONESIA

The 80km wide island is located between Bali and Sumbawa in eastern Indonesia. Its capital is Mataram.

Lying just eight degrees below the equator, the climate is a very pleasant 21°C to 33°C. The best time to travel there is during its dry season of May to October. Lombok is dominated by 3762m Mount Rinjani. The island centre has rich alluvial plains and fields irrigated by water flowing from the mountains. There are various vegetation and animals that are found in Australia because this Island is like

a line that divides Asian and Australian flora and fauna. The natural beauty of the island is beguiling. You can stretch the legs on amazing walks and mountain hikes, surf, dive, snorkel, horse cart riding, cooking classes, cycling, learn to weave, immerse yourself in the many cultures of the islands, and shop for stunning pearls. Some of the attractions that should be on your list are Senggigi beach, Gili Air, Cakranegara, Mount Rinjani, Gili Trawangan, Lombok Kuta Beach, Narmada Park and Mayura Park. The diving is not to be missed with the underwater life of Lombok incredibly beautiful. Surfers also come to Lombok, especially South Lombok. There are simply numerous choices of resort, luxurious and affordable hotels dotted across the island. You can choose from several airlines that fly Australia to Lombok with one stop on the way. For more details, go to: lombok-tourism.com.

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

Wine, dine across Victoria HERE’S a mouth-watering opportunity too delicious to miss. You are invited to join in a delectable tour to experience the sight, sounds and cuisine of Australia’s food capital on Go See Touring’s escorted tour to Melbourne. Christine Perkin, a long-time local and wine and food aficionado, will host the tour and take you to her favourite restaurants and wineries in and around Melbourne for eight deliciously decadent days. You will experience Neil Perry’s Spice Temple for dinner at the Crown Casino, lunch at Shannon Bennet’s Jardin Tan in the stunning Royal Botanical Gardens, take a Le Cucina di Sandra cooking class and enjoy an Italian cooking and eating experience, see the magnificent old-world Windsor Hotel for afternoon tea and the amazing Tram Car Restaurant, and visit the iconic Queen Victoria Market. The trip takes in the picturesque Yarra Valley where you will experience quality food and wine and

TANTALISING TOUR: Enjoy some bubbles at the beautiful Chandon winery in Victoria’s famed Yarra Valley. breathtaking scenery. Visit the Yarra Chocolaterie for chocolate and ice cream tastings and the beautiful Chandon winery where a tour and bubbles tasting is a must.

Guests will also visit Yering Station for a fabulous modern French lunch and indulge in a wine tasting session at the historic Coombe Yarra Valley Estate, once owned by Dame Nellie Melba.

You will also get the chance to explore the beautiful seaside area of the Mornington Peninsula where you will experience more gourmet delights and boutique wineries. Next is the Montalto

Winery and Olive Grove for lunch and a wander through the sculpture garden. Tuck into breakfast and bubbles at the Woodman Estate, experience Arthurs Seat gondola and

fly over the state forest and take in the breathtaking views of the peninsula, then visit a Main Ridge goat farm. The tour would not be complete without a classic paddock to plate experience at the Linenderry Winery’s famed Linden Tree Restaurant for a delicious dinner with paired wines. On the last day, you will visit Cruden Farm, the much-loved home of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, for morning tea. All these amazing food and wine experiences, including accommodation, return economy airfares from Brisbane, coach and coach captain, seven breakfasts, one morning tea, one afternoon tea, three lunches, four dinners, all touring and meals admissions as per the itinerary is only $3480 per person, twin share (single supplement $698). For more information on this Mouth-Watering Melbourne Tour, phone 1300 551 997 or 3868 4760, or email info@goseetouring.com or go to: goseetouring.com.

Spread the Word With Seniors Think you’ve got news and information that needs to be shared? Whether an upcoming community event, heart-warming tale or an update on anything local we want to tell your story!

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Head online to seniorsnews.com.au today!

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

Nature escape with luxury Yvonne Gardiner FOR anyone who loves to be surrounded by nature and open spaces on a trip away, while enjoying the comforts of home, ‘glamping’ is the way to go. Sydneysiders escaping the hustle and bustle of city living have found the perfect getaway in the Mudgee region, about four hours’ drive northwest of the metropolis. Cam and Tasch D’Arcy discovered the beauty of Mudgee more than four years ago and invested for the first time in the tourism industry. “We love going to wine regions, so we went and checked it out,” Cam said. “It’s got a lot of wineries, cafes and restaurants, and is kind of a farming township. “It is a beautiful region, the people are so warm and friendly. “We got married out here and thought it’d be great to own property here.” Initially they bought Abingdon House, a well-appointed four bedroom holiday home on a scenic 10ha property only nine minutes’ drive to the centre of Mudgee, which they still own. Then 18 months ago

they ventured into ‘glamping’ on a 113ha property, a mixture of bush and farmland, with one luxury tent as tourist accommodation. “There’s plenty of room to explore,” Cam said. “It’s for those people who normally wouldn’t go camping but want to be with nature. “The business is going great and we’re still very heavily booked. “Most of the people are from Sydney and 90 per cent of our guests are Australians.” Activities on offer at Sierra Escape include bush tucker tasting and cooking, helicopter charter flights around the region, wine tours, plenty of walks and, less energetically, building a campfire and sitting on the deck enjoying the views. The D’Arcys have recently added two new ‘eco-lodgings’ at Sierra Escape, which are solar powered and take the idyllic glamping experience up a level. Each tent is positioned discreetly away from the other, perched high on the rolling hills of Sierra with large beds, inviting panoramic views and large windows – perfect for watching sunrises, sunsets and starry nights.

STYLE AND COMFORT: One of the two new luxury tents on the Sierra Escape property near Mudgee, central-west New South Wales.

Experiencing Mudgee in luxury, while still being close to nature.

Fabulous views and a level of comfort that’s perfect for a getaway from the city.

The so-called Dulili tent sleeps up to seven, while a perfect romantic getaway can be had in the Uralla tent, which features an outdoor freestanding bathtub. “Both Tasch and I work in the hectic commercial world. I run a film company, which means long hours and there’s always a lot going on, so Mudgee provides the opportunity to relax, unplug and enjoy the best of what life has to offer,” Cam says.

land. “Our Australian-made eco-tents use solar power, each has a fireplace and the high-quality material that has been used for the exterior insulates for warmth in winter, while the floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the cooling summer breeze. Even those who hate the idea of camping love this unique, off-the-grid experience.” To find out more about Sierra Escape, go to sierraescape.com.au.

Their property offers solitude with undulating hills, wildlife, creeks and spectacular views, situated just 20 minutes from town and in the heart of the central-west wine region of NSW. “We wanted people, in particular city-dwellers, to experience Mudgee in luxury while still being close to nature,” Tasch said. “Importantly, we wanted to do something with a minimal footprint out of our respect for the

What’s at Mudgee The countryside has dozens of wineries. The Colonial Inn Museum displays domestic and agricultural items from the 19th and 20th centuries. Northeast of town, Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve has abundant birdlife and is crossed by the Castle Rocks walk. Northeast, Goulburn River National Park is home to emus and red-necked wallabies. Hundreds of significant Aboriginal sites dot the park.

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The joy of giving

Wellbeing

Alison Houston JUST $15 to mark 15 years of service to the community. That’s what Toowoomba Hospice hopes every resident who can will give as a special 15th birthday “present” to the hospice as it aims to reach $15,000 by July 31. The hospice counts July 1 – the date it welcomed its first client – as its official birthday, and administration and fundraising manager Mark Munro started as the first staff member just before that date. Mr Munro said the budget for the six-bed palliative care facility had risen from $700,000 for 12 months in that first year to almost $1.7 million this year, with more than half of that still coming from the community. “The Toowoomba community is really supportive of fair dinkum local charities where the money raised locally stays local,” he said, explaining that 95 per cent of the hospice’s needs (the exception being medical equipment) were bought locally. One of the best fundraisers, he said, had been this year’s Hang the Boss Out to Dry, which alone raised $52,000. Without the public’s support, he said, the hospice would not exist, pointing also to the foresight and dedication of the late Sister Frances Flint OAM and management committee chairman Graham Barron OAM. Mr Barron is undeniably passionate about the hospice, which he became involved in initially in his role as a councillor, hosting the inaugural meeting

A BIG JOURNEY: Mark Munro and Graham Barron have been involved in Toowoomba Hospice since before it opened its doors 15 years ago, and hope everyone will give $15 to mark the milestone. Photo: Contributed requested by Sr Frances in October 1997. He admits that he didn’t have much idea what a hospice was before talking to Sr Frances but, having lost his mother to cancer two years earlier, could immediately see what a valuable asset it would be to the community. He recalls the initial exaltation of the fundraising launch at the Toowoomba Regional Gallery in May 1998, when Pro Hart did a painting which was auctioned for $5400. They had no idea that the project would eventually cost $1.2 million. “It was a good start... It was a big journey, but we

battled on,” Mr Barron said. While he said the hospice had been Sr Frances’s dream, “her vision”, she had often said to him, “God chose you and I to deliver this hospice”. Mr Barron paid tribute to “the team” behind the hospice, including fellow management committee members Bob Goldsworthy, also at that inaugural meeting, and Janice Swannell and Steve Davis, who followed closely behind, as well as other committee members, the 30 staff and 120 volunteers. “To be on the management committee, on the staff or a volunteer,

you’ve got to be here for the right reasons, and it’s all about the six people in those beds,” he said. He also acknowledged the huge contribution of the then-Heritage Building Society, which initially pledged $100,000 to the hospice once it had raised $500,000 but, realising the committee’s struggle to reach that target, offered to match community donations dollar for dollar to an additional $100,000. “I remember Brian Carter (Heritage chairman) said ‘take the offer to your next board meeting’ and I said ‘I’ll call one now – motion carried!’” he laughed. “We had eight weeks,

and in that time we generated $209,000 in community money.” It wasn’t just a case of raising money but educating people, many of whom, like himself, had no idea what a hospice was. On July 8, 2002 the first sod was turned, and the building officially opened on June 7, 2003, with the doors opening to the first client on July 1. Since that time the hospice has cared for more than 1300 clients and their families. “People don’t die at the hospice – they spend their last days with love, care and dignity,” Mr Barron said. And it’s not just the

clients but their families and friends for whom the hospice cares, offering pastoral care for 12 months after someone is lost to help deal with the grieving process, as well as regular remembrance services. And while he has given much, Mr Barron said he had also benefited. “It’s been a major part of my life, and it’s made me a stronger, better person in myself,” he said. To donate, or lend some time as a volunteer, go to toowoombahospice. org.au or phone 4659 8500. For the full story, go to seniorsnews.com.au

Win Tickets to Book Club Thanks to Event Cinemas, we’re giving away 10 double passes for readers to attend the seniors morning tea screening of ‘Book Club’, from 10am on Wednesday 29th August.^ Tickets $10* for Cinebuzz for Seniors Members. Sign up to be a member for free online at eventcinemas.com.au Tickets for this screening go on sale on 25th July.

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*Online booking fees apply. ^Visit seniorsnews.com.au/competitionterms for full competition terms and conditions. Promoter is ARM Specialist Media Pty Ltd of 2 Newspaper Place, Maroochydore Qld 4558. Promotional period 02/07/18-03/08/18. Competition drawn 2pm 06/08/18 at Cnr Mayne Rd and Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Winners announced in Seniors September Editions 2018. Total prize value $400.00 (including GST). Entry is open to all permanent residents of Queensland, residing in the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Toowoomba Seniors distribution areas and NSW in the Northern NSW, Central Coast and Coffs & Clarence Seniors distribution areas. NSW Permit Number LTPM/18/03133

WELLBEING

JULY, 2018// SENIORS

Ride a fundraising bike

MEMORABLE: Glee Young has paired up with Barry McKeown for five years on what she says is an unforgeCttable ride in Toowoomba’s Cruise for Cancer. Photo: Contributed

experience. “If someone has never been for a ride on a Harley previously, I think it’s an experience most people would enjoy,” he said. “Some may have reservations, but there’s no skill required as a

pillion, you just enjoy the scenery, enjoy the moment and enjoy taking part.” Last year 128 bikes and 96 pillions did just that, and Barry said part of the joy was knowing that what you were doing was

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helping a good cause. “You can get on your bike and go for a ride any time, and it’s great, but it’s a different experience to take part in a ride with a large number of people who you know are all there for the same reason,” he said. Over the past 16 years, the event has raised more than $250,000, with the first $10,000 each year going to sponsor a room at the Cancer Council’s Olive McMahon Lodge, and the rest to cancer

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“IF I live to 100, I’ll still enjoy the ride with Barry and his Harley Davidson motorbike.” It’s a ringing endorsement from one of the regular pillion passengers on the annual Cruise for Cancer, Glee Young, penned to the Toowoomba Chronicle after her ride a couple of years ago. ‘Chauffeur’ Barry McKeown will be taking Glee on-board again for this year’s 200km ride on Sunday, August 26, as he has for five previous years. Barry said Glee, in her 80s, used to ride herself in her younger days. “She’s a real goer, a lovely lady and she looks forward to it with a passion,” Barry said. Barry, who has owned different bikes since his teens, bought his current Harley Fat Boy in 2010, and has been helping others to enjoy the feeling of freedom and the wind in their face as part of the Cruise for Cancer ever since. This year’s event – featuring highway riding as well as twists and turns down the backroads – will include a country morning tea before returning to Queens Park for a barbecue lunch courtesy of Toowoomba Rotary Club. Your $125 registration also includes a commemorative ride T-shirt and photo. A member of the Darling Downs Harley Owners Group which runs the Cruise, Barry said he had never met anyone who hadn’t relished the

memorable occasion” which she said would be tucked away in her “treasure box of memories”. A number of seniors were interested in taking part after reading our article last year, but missed the cut-off date, so get in by July 30 to get your shirt on the day, or by August 17 to get it later. To find out more, go to cruiseforcancer.net.au or phone Dianne Hubbard on 4630 7074.

‘‘

Some may have reservations, but there’s no skill required as a pillion, you just enjoy the scenery, enjoy the moment and enjoy taking part. — Barry McKeown

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

Join world of fun

Living

Celebrate the diversity of the region at the local festival Alison Houston THE Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival on Sunday, August 12 is your chance to enjoy a different world – or many different worlds. The theme is One World, Many Faces and the festival aims to celebrate the diversity of languages and cultures within the region and encourage community understanding and harmony. Festival co-ordinator Cassandra Hunter said more than 22,000 people had attended last year’s event which she described as a fantastic day out for all ages and interests, this year featuring over 100 performances across three stages, more than 30 different food stalls, arts and craft markets and information stalls, a Health and Wellbeing Expo, and rides and attractions for the grandkids. “My dad loves coming along and seeing all the things you just don’t see on a daily basis,” Cassandra said. “Watching the performances is the real highlight of the day, and this year we have the Mad Mariachis (Mexican music) and Bustamento playing Caribbean style music.” Cassandra said the Bollywood and indigenous dancers always attracted a lot of attention, but there would be everything from local dance schools showing off their talents to African drumming to

DANCE OF LIFE: The Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival on Sunday, August 12 encourages everyone to learn and understand the many different people that make up our community. jazz. “My dad also loves the food, and he tries a little bit of everything he can,” she said. Plates cost from $5 for a small plate to $10 for a meal, with a number of community groups including Eritrean, Syrian and Malaysian societies cooking up authentic home-style meals, as well as the more commercial offerings. This year there will also be cooking demonstrations by 2013 MasterChef Australia contestant Neha Sen, who has since developed

her own range of Indian-style chutneys and ice creams. The focus of this year’s festival is Multicultural Development Australia (MDA) which marks 20 years of settlement services, helping new arrivals overcome the everyday challenges of settling in a new country; finding schools, healthcare, work and social groups, learn the language and culture and build a future. There will be information available about settlement and refugees, the services

available and how the public can help – particularly seniors who may have a little extra time on their hands. The festival, which brings together over 100 community groups, service organisations, businesses and partners, runs from 10am-4pm at Queens Park, Toowoomba. Entry is just $10 for adults, $5 concession and children free (rides $2). For more information, go to tlcfestival.com.au or phone Cassandra on 0491 071 512.

There’s music, dance, food and information for all at the Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival.

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Now you can get the power BRAND INSIGHTS YOU’VE been offered a discount off your electricity supply but from what rate is that discount taken off? Looking at the electricity rate and customer service standards, not at distracting discount offers, is what LPE marketing manager Emily Gouge advises customers to do. “A lot of people look at the discount as a saving, but they don’t know that the discount could be off a high initial rate,” Emily said. As you review what can be a complicated looking bill, with little knowledge about what you are getting out of your current electricity supply, the LPE team are happy to help educate you on what it all means by breaking down your bill. “We are in the business of making electricity simple.”

LOCAL BUSINESS: Talk to local electricity supplier LPE about your supply needs. The southeast Queensland electricity supplier offers the best possible rates upfront and doesn’t attach any conditions to those rates. LPE looks after southeast Queenslanders’ needs and budgets, and in return, trusts that the customer will pay their account on time. Staying loyal to a company you have been with for a long time, doesn’t mean you are getting the best service or the best price. All` electricity retailers buy their electricity from the same place and the cost difference between

them is relatively small, where they differ is in the treatment of their customers. Changing to a new supplier is easy. “If you call LPE you will get through to our small, local team,” Emily said. “If you call LPE more than once you are likely to speak to the same person whereas the current foreign-owned market leaders utilise overseas call-centres.” “We know that people appreciate good service from local people.” To find out more, go to localityenergy.com.au.

SUPPORT: Assistive technology enables an easier life.

What is Assistive Technology? ASSISTIVE technology is any device, system or design, that allows an individual to perform a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increase the ease and safety with which a task can be performed, or anything that assists individuals to carry-out daily activities. Other common terms you may be familiar with include aids and equipment or home healthcare. Assistive technology can include simple products such as those

that assist you to open a jar or bottle, or turn a tap or open a door. Complex technologies can include specialised computers, powerdrive wheelchair controllers, home automation and environmental control systems. They can also include environmental design and home modifications or a different technique or way of doing a task. Who uses assistive technology? Every person uses assistive technology in their daily lives.

A person may use a modified vehicle, a wheelchair, a bathboard, or a knife with a built-up handle. There are a wide range of assistive technology options available. As each person is different, a multiple of factors should be considered. If you require advice or assistance in choosing relevant AT products for your needs, please call our national ILC Infoline 1300 885 886.

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Tony Kaye

FRANKING CREDITS: Worry over potential future changes in government policy on franking credits hasn't disappeared. Photo: Martin Prescott

Franking credits on radar

UNTIL a couple of months ago, dividend franking tax credits were not on the radar screens of most investors. For some, they still probably aren’t. But those relying on dividend franking credits to supplement their income in retirement were definitely jolted to attention after the Australian Labor Party announced its plan to overhaul current tax breaks. The ALP’s plan to abolish cash refunds on excess dividend imputation credits, announced in March, has created great consternation among many seniors. Dividend imputation was introduced some 30 years ago to avoid the double taxation of company income. Because most Australian companies are taxed at 30 per cent these days, when a fully franked dividend is paid it comes with a tax credit attached for that 30 per cent of tax already paid by the company.

Currently, if you are in pension mode and paying no tax on your income, all franking credits are returned to you as a cash rebate. The ALP plans to abolish them for good but has now stated it would create a “Pensioner Guarantee” if elected to exempt people on the Age Pension who also receive these tax credits. This will do little if anything for close to one million Australians who are members of selfmanaged superannuation funds and other selffunded retirees who fall outside of the Age Pension safety net. What that means is that many people who had created a retirement strategy around stocks paying out fully franked dividends, whose share prices had effectively been inflated as a result of investor demand for their tax credits, could be looking further afield if the ALP is elected. A new research report by Macquarie Wealth Management points to a likely major shift in Australian equity asset allocations by retirees and others should the ALP’s contentious policy be passed at some stage in the future. Despite the ALP’s recent backflip on who its

franking credits crackdown would apply to, Macquarie notes that those in the firing line, including self-managed superannuation fund trustees in retirement receiving dividend tax credits, will likely shift capital into higher-yielding stocks paying unfranked dividends. A Treasury review of the proposal, conducted over the past two months, has found that the expected $10.7 billion in additional tax revenue the ALP had calculated it would receive from the policy in the first two years would not eventuate because many retirees will likely move into other assets paying better returns, including foreign stocks. In an update based on franking credits data to the end of December last year, Macquarie says that another outcome of the ALP’s plan could be an acceleration of capital management initiatives by companies with large franking account balances, including special dividend payouts. But the investment has added that given the relatively small proportion of investors overall that would be impacted, it was unlikely companies would be incentivised to alter their dividend policies.

Money Australia’s second-largest company, BHP, holds more than $14 billion in franking credits, followed by Rio Tinto ($4.7 billion), Woodside ($2.6 billion), Woolworths ($2.6 billion), and Commonwealth Bank ($1.1 billion). Westpac also holds around $1.1 billion. The response, therefore, is more likely to be on the investor side, potentially with a rotation out of stocks paying 100 per cent franked dividends (where there would no longer be cash refunds available) into high-quality companies paying attractive yields. Macquarie’s research suggests there could be a rotation into companies currently paying unfranked yields of between four per cent and seven per cent from those currently paying higher, grossed-up, fully franked dividends. Tony Kaye is the editor of Eureka Report, which is owned by financial services group InvestSMART.

Find your free tax help just around the corner Tracey Johnstone IF YOU need help to complete your annual tax return, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has a free, face-to-face service, available in 600 locations across Australia. With the help of trained volunteers, the process of lodging your return or an amendment, and claiming a refund of franking credits, can be done through the ATO’s myTax online lodgement

process. The service is available if your income is around $60,000 or less for the income year, and you did not – work as a contractor, for example a contract cleaner or taxi driver; run a business, including as a sole trader; have partnership or trust matters; sell shares or an investment property; own a rental property; have capital gains tax (CGT); receive royalties; receive distributions from a trust, other than a managed fund; receive foreign

income, other than a foreign pension or annuity. Volunteers are available from mid-July through to October. They won’t offer you tax advice, but they will help you navigate the online lodgement system including setting up your myGov account. The first step is to phone 132 861. You will then be matched with the nearest available community centre designated as a Tax Help Centre. For more information,

go to www.ato.gov.au/ Individuals/Lodgingyour-tax-return/ Tax-Help-program. Volunteers needed ATO assistant commissioner Kathryn Anderson said the ATO is looking for more Tax Help volunteers. They are recruited each year during March and April, but for anyone interested in volunteering, they can start the process now for next year’s intake. “We have people from a variety of backgrounds including bookkeepers

and accountants,” Ms Anderson said. “The technology is easy to use. You just need to not be scared of operating a computer. “The volunteers help remove the mystique around doing your own tax return and you to get to talk to a real person, face-to-face.” All volunteers go through an online and in-person training program, and security clearance process. Any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses,

such as travel and phone calls, are reimbursed. To be a volunteer, email SBITtaxhelp@ato.gov.au. Tax Help centres needed More Tax Help centres are needed to “house volunteers” Ms Anderson said. If a community centre or similar type venue is interested in volunteering space in their centre for the ATO recruited volunteers to operate the Tax Help service, they should email the ATO at SBITtaxhelp@ato.gov.au.

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Some bequest guidelines

Learn options and tips for leaving a bequest Tracey Johnstone

THIS month, wills and estate planning lawyer Dylan Heffernan of the Sydney law firm McCabes outlines what can be in a bequest and what are the rules around them. What can I bequest? You can give any personal property away that you own – cash, investments, property, even loans owed to you. “Clients with family trusts will often have loaned money to the trust but may not have realised that the loan will remain owing to them when they die,” Mr Heffernan said. “That’s an asset which will form part of their estate, and it should not be overlooked when the client is implementing their estate management plan.” Like other assets, the right to be repaid money under a loan can generally be given to beneficiaries under a will. Loans can also be forgiven under a will, which is yet another form of a bequest.

BEQUEST NEWS: Private ancillary funds are a great way of teaching younger generations about gifting to charitable organisations.

Photo: Wavebreakmedia

Registered charities You should ensure the charity is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and that your will accurately describes the charity by using its full name, registered address and even its ABN so that you leave no doubt as to who the intended recipient is. “The law is pretty

restrictive when it comes to leaving property under will on trust for a specific purpose, rather than for actual people,” Mr Heffernan said. “By checking the ACNC register, you can ensure that the charity you intend to make a gift to under your will has a recognised charitable purpose.” Private funds Private ancillary funds

are becoming a more common way for older Australians to set up charitable gifts. It’s also a way of teaching the younger generations of a family about gifting to charitable organisations. Set up while a person is still alive, funds are gifted from the private fund while the person is alive and maybe also on the

death. “The control of that fund can pass to their family under the terms of the will,” Mr Heffernan said. “It then becomes the family’s job to determine how those funds are applied for charitable purposes.” It’s not a complicated to process to set up such a fund, but a lawyer is

needed to draft the documents, a well-researched investment strategy put in place and a commitment made to meet the various regulatory requirements that go with private ancillary funds. There may be tax benefits attached to this type of gifting which an accountant would be able to advise.

A government Pension Loans Scheme that could suit you YOU may be able to apply for a payment under the Pension Loans Scheme if you meet certain requirements: You or your partner are of age pension age; own real estate in Australia that you use as security for the loan; or your partner receives a rate of payment that is less than the maximum amount or

nothing due to either the income or assets test but not both;you meet Age Pension residence rules If you get less than the maximum rate of any of the following payments you can apply for a loan: Age Pension; Bereavement Allowance; Carer Payment; Disability Support Pension; Widow B Pension; Wife Pension;

You can’t access the scheme if you get the maximum rate of payment; Claiming other payments; the Pension Loans Scheme doesn’t stop you from claiming payments under the assets hardship provisions. However you need to work out which one suits you best as you can only

Leave the legacy of a cancer-free future for children Consider leaving a gift in your will to The Kids’ Cancer Project, a charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research. Visit thekidscancerproject.org.au/giftinwill to learn more or phone Veena Singh in conﬁdence on 02 8394 7715. Complete the form to learn how your will can help the littlest cancer patients. Post to (no stamp required): The Kids’ Cancer Project REPLY PAID 6400 ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015

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get a payment under either the Pension Loans Scheme or the asset hardship provisions. You must pay any costs associated with setting up a loan under the Pension Loans Scheme. Costs can include legal fees. We’ll send you a letter once the loan has commenced.

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SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

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SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

NEWS

Making a real difference Hairdresser teaching a generation in South Africa Gail Forrer MARIETTA Millard might be thousands of miles from home, but she feels right at home in a hairdressing salon in Brisbane. This month, the vibrant 68-year-old South African discovered Alexa’s Teneriffe salon on her first Australian visit to see her brother, the legendary cricketer Kepler Wessels. With her father a vascular surgeon and her brother’s high-profile career (Kepler Wessels captained South Africa after playing 24 Tests for Australia and he was the first man to have played one-day international cricket for two countries), it would have been easy for Marietta to lead a reasonably quiet and comfortable life. Instead, in her mid-30s, after attaining degrees in teaching and acting, she travelled yet another road into hairdressing. Once she had attained her qualifications, she merged these skills with her teaching practice and some 26 years ago established what has now become the biggest hairdressing training school in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Today, most students, some 150, come from the Xhosa tribe and for students considered as disadvantaged the government allocates bursaries to pay their fees. “I love working with the learners,” Marietta said. Her joy in teaching

LEFT: A student in training (above) and (below) students work on styling. LEAD PICTURE: Marietta Millard and daughter Anny. means she harbours no thoughts of retirement. “I’m there from 7.30am to 4.30pm five days a week. It’s an adventure,” she said. “I’ll work until I drop.” In South African hairdressing, there are three areas where qualifications must be gained – caucasian hair, Afro hair and barbering. Marietta praises many of the young women for their digital dexterity, resulting in creative styles through braiding and weaving. But male students make up a significant part of the classes. Marietta described the

auspicious day a young boy’s grandmother came to Eastern Cape and asked her to admit her grandson who was deaf and dyslexic. “She told me he was passionate about learning hairdressing,” she said. At first Marietta said she wondered if his hearing impairment would affect his learning ability. But on second thoughts, she felt it wasn’t up to her to say she wouldn’t train him – rather it was up to her to give him a go. “It’s always been in my heart to give back, no matter how different the circumstances,” she said.

It turned out the young man, Sheldon Aspeling, could lip read and interpret through movements. Soon the class was communicating through sign language and after three years of training he graduated. In 2016, Sheldon joined many of the college’s alumni and opened his own successful salon in Port Elizabeth. As Marietta talks, it’s evident that this vivacious woman sees more than students, rather she sees a generation of South Africans with education and training to carve out a life for themselves.

STUDENT’S HAIR HERO

A further insight to Marietta comes from a former student, Leo Van Deventer, who nominated her for a ‘Hair Hero’ award. He wrote: “I would like to nominate Marietta Millard, director of Images 1 Hair Academy in Port Elizabeth. “Marietta is like a mother to all hairdressers in Port Elizabeth. “She not only teaches with love and patience, she also uplifts the community by training less privileged students with the skills development program.

“Marietta once planted a tiny seed in my heart... If you can dream it, you can do it. I’ve carried these words with me every day. “She’s a mentor like no other. “Need help starting your salon? Call Marietta. Need well-trained staff? Call Marietta. Need a shoulder to cry on? Call Marietta. “She’s always there, hairdressing related or not. So much love and respect for this inspiring, amazing, super awesome guru. “May she keep touching hearts for many, many years to come.”

Seniors given boost to stay at home for longer AUSTRALIAN seniors will have the chance to live independently at home for longer after the Federal Government announced a $5.5 billion investment in local services. Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said older Australians will enjoy “enormous benefits” from the two-year funding that will provide certainty for organisations delivering the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). “This is about giving them as much support and as many options as

possible to remain living at home in their communities, close to their families and friends,” Minister Wyatt said. “The CHSP funding complements the recent Federal Budget’s $5 billion aged care boost, including the More Choices For A Longer Life package to give older Australians more certainty, options and independence.” The funding boost will help seniors Australians with services such as

MAJOR BOOST: Minister Ken Wyatt said the funding was to help give “support” to older Australians. transport, house cleaning, personal care and social support. And Minister Wyatt said those services will prove

the difference between staying at home or moving into aged care. “I have seen first-hand the enormous benefits of

this program and how it helps older Australians,” he said. “Depending on their needs, people may be eligible to receive help with transport, domestic duties such as house cleaning, personal care, home maintenance and modifications, food preparation and meals on wheels, nursing, social support and respite care. “It also includes support services for prematurely aged people on low incomes who are 50 years or over and are

homeless or at risk of homelessness. “Your home support plan should be reviewed by your service provider every 12 months, to ensure you are receiving services and supports that continue to be right for you.” The CHSP is available for people aged 65 years and over, or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and can be accessed by phoning the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422.

JULY, 2018// SENIORS BUSY BEES: Kingfisher Gardens Lifestyle Village Toowoomba craft ladies have been lovingly making bears as part of a donation to the Samaritan’s Purse Australia, Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.

Community notes

Community group guide TO ALLOW for readers’ requests for the publication of more neighbourhood news, please keep notices short and to the point (100 word maximum). If you would like to submit a photo ensure it is at least 180dpi or 500kb to 1mb in size and of faces, in a nice bright setting. Email editor@seniors newspaper.com.au.

NATIONAL SENIORS AUSTRALIA

Garden City WE MEET on the third Monday of the month at Drayton Bowls Club at 9.30am. Cost $7. At the next meeting on Monday, July 16 there will be a bring and buy stall and raffle as well as a guest speaker, Liza Hood from the Young Women’s Christian Association of Australia (YWCA). Our next outing will be a tour of Downs Steam Rail in Cambooya Street, Drayton followed by lunch on the platform. Phone Hazel on 4635 4519.

SPRING FESTIVAL PARADE

IT’S time to put your thinking caps on if your group is interested in taking part in this year’s Laidley Spring Festival parade. The theme is Songs of Yesteryear, and Lockyer Valley mayor Tanya Milligan said it could embrace everything from music to the area’s agricultural history, scenery and historic drives. Entries opened on July 1 and community groups and businesses are encouraged to enter. The actual event is September 6-8, so pop that in your diaries as well. For further information, phone council on 1300 005 872 or go to the website lockyervalley.qld.gov.au.

STANTHORPE ART PRIZE

THE Stanthorpe Art Gallery Society has run the Stanthorpe Art Prize since 1972. This year’s exhibition is on show until July 19 at the Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery. Of the more than 1000 entries from around the world, the $25,000 prize went to Ipswich-based Jason McNamara for his photograph of Rat of Tobruk Clyde and wife Mary, at the kitchen table. Jason believes part of its appeal is it reminds viewers of their own

Toowoomba WE ARE holding a luncheon in the Celtic room of the Irish Club Hotel on Sunday, August 12 at noon, to celebrate with Nashos who achieve the big “80” this year. All Nashos and supporters are invited to this special day. Phone the secretary on 4633 2564 as soon as possible if you are able to attend. Meeting are held at the Irish Club on the second Tuesday night of July, September and November at 7pm and on the second Sunday of August and October at 1pm. Our Christmas party is on December 1.

Warwick OUR Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday, August 13 at 11.15am at Williams Hall, Guy Street, Warwick. A light lunch will be served and bookings open at Suncorp Warwick (July 24 to August 9). The coach trip for Thursday, August 16 is to the butterfly house at Bribie Island. Lunch will be at a local club. Bookings open at Suncorp Warwick from July 24 to August 9. Phone Carmel on 4661 3136.

COUNTRY MUSIC CONCERT

ST ANDREW’S Toowoomba Hospital Auxiliary Country Music Concert is on Saturday, July 21 at 2pm featuring Ultra Golden Country Music band at St John’s

Lutheran Church Hall, 431-433 Bridge Street, Wilsonton. Entrance fee: $10 (afternoon tea included). Door prize and raffle prizes to be won. Phone Joy Frost on 4630 7770 or June Naumann 4630 7072.

SATH AUXILIARY GROUP

WE ARE holding a monthly Euchre Card Morning Sessions at St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital. Starts at 9am on July 9 and 23. Cost: $3. Free morning tea provided. Will be held at the hospital’s Conference Room 1 (one). Phone June Naumann on 4630 7072.

QUILTS FOR ‘THE HAVEN’

THE Toowoomba Quilters Club Annual Quilt Art Union was launched

grandparents. The gallery, in Lock Street, is open 10am-4pm Tuesday to Friday and weekends 10am-1pm. Go to srag.org.au or phone 4681 1874.

ORCHID SHOW

TOOWOOMBA Orchid Society holds its winter show on the weekend of July 14-15 from 8.30am-3pm at St Paul’s Church, corner of James and Phillip Streets. There will be hundreds of orchids on display, plants for sale and speakers and demonstrations. The group meets at 7.30pm on the fourth Friday of each month except December. Phone Bernie on 0424 644 068.

JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE

JOIN award-winning country singer Daniel Thompson, Golden Guitar-winning Stuie French and The Tennessee Express for a tribute to musical legend Johnny Cash at the Empire Theatre on Friday, July 20. The ensemble is revisiting Cash’s 1968 performance at Folsom State Prison, California, which became widely regarded as one of the greatest live albums ever recorded. It’s where he first uttered his immortal words “hello, I’m Johnny Cash”. Adult tickets $65.

STILL ROCKIN’: This Time Around Tour is on September 29, raising funds for Toowoomba Hospital Foundation. Go to the website empiretheatre.com.au or phone 1300 655 299.

RICHARD GILL CANCELLATION

SAD news for those of you who had been looking forward to spending An Evening with Richard Gill on Friday, July 20 at USQ Artsworx, with the event having to be cancelled due to ill health. Ticket-holders will receive a full refund. If you have questions, phone 4631 1111.

PLAZA SUITE

QCWA Darling Downs and Toowoomba City Business Women’s branch are holding a theatre night on Tuesday, July 24 at the Repertory Theatre, 94 Margaret Street. The

production is Plaza Suite by Neil Simon. Doors open at 7pm and curtain up at 7.30pm. Tickets are $20 each and supper is provided. Phone Phoebe on 0438 064 996. Public performance nights are July 21, 27 and 28. Phone 4632 8058. Performances start on July 14 to aid various groups including Lions, St Vincent’s Cancer Care, Inner Wheel, Toowoomba West Anglican Parish, Toowoomba Photographic Society, St Luke’s and the Masonic Council. Go to toowoombarep.com.au.

CURATOR CONVERSATION

THIS month’s Cobb+Co Museum Curator Conversation at 2pm on Wednesday, August 1 is

on June 19. Nett proceeds from the Art Union will support fundraising for The Haven in 2018 with tickets available from club members, through the Yellowbridge organisation and some retail outlets. The Haven provides supported accommodation for youth at risk of homelessness in Toowoomba. The Art Union prize, titled Monticello, is a striking queen bed quilt valued at $2500. Tickets are $2 and will be available at the Quilters Club Exhibition from September 21-28 at the Salo Centre, Rome Street. Inquiries can be directed to Quilt Exhibition Convenor, Marilyn Cooper on 0408 139 075.

FEMME VOCALE

TALENTED Toowoomba born and educated young with Rob Shiels, collection manager at The Workshops Rail Museum. He will talk about the Queensland Railway Department during the First World War. The railways were one of the state’s largest employers and the war created huge demands, but at the same time drained skilled staff and revenue. Go to cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au, phone 4659 4900 or just turn up.

ROYAL BULL’S HEAD INN

THE Royal Bull’s Head Inn at Drayton is opening its doors for a special remembrance on Sunday, August 5, celebrating christenings that took place at the inn. There will be a display of old and new christening outfits and old prams, and the Toowoomba Lacemakers will display christening outfits they have worked on, and demonstrate their craft. The inn was established in 1847 by ex-convict William Horton, who extended it in 1859 to a then-luxurious two-storey hotel that even included a bathroom. The Royal Bull’s Head Inn opened to the public as a museum in 1985 and will open from 10am-4pm. Phone 4637 2278 for details.

Sopranos Georgia Carter and Nina Wildman, who are soon to graduate from the Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, will present a Classical Recital “Femme Vocale” in St Luke’s Church at 2pm on Sunday, July 29. Tickets at door. Adults $15, child/students free.

WANT A GOOD READ?

THE St Stephen’s and Middle Ridge Uniting Church Combined Mission Committee will hold their mid-year Giant Book Sale at Middle Ridge Uniting Church, 264 Stenner Street on July 28 from 7am-noon. Toowoomba branch meets for morning tea the first Thursday of each month at All Seasons Function Centre, corner of North and Tor Streets, Wilsonton from 9.30am. Our monthly bus trips are the third Thursday of the month. Phone Desma on 4613 6750 or Yvonne 4638 5252.

What's on LETTERS TO LINDY

THE story of the Chamberlain family tragedy captivated the nation and over three decades from baby Azaria’s death to the final coroner’s report, the public wrote more than 20,000 letters to Lindy. She archived these and they became the source for this play, written by the award-winning Alana Valentine and starring Jeanette Cronin. It’s at Empire Theatre on Tuesday, August 7. Adult tickets $52. Go to piretheatre.com.au or phone 1300 655 299.

THIS TIME AROUND

LITTLE Pattie joins the boys from Chapter III and Sir Jeffrey’s People for this year’s JB’s Presents This Time Around Tour on Saturday, September 29. Funds raised will again go to the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation. Tickets are on sale, and you don’t want to miss out. Go to toowoomba hospitalfoundation.org.au or phone 4616 6166.

SENIORS \\JULY, 2018

PUZZLES

N U A N A T I

N S E I M T P

A T P A R

I N N D S

S A P T I

N C E A I A L

M Y

B A K

N A D E O

D D L

I B M L P R E

L S L A

L E S E Q A U

O L A A D

L L U C

Y A W

I S T S E R Y

A N N A E R R

D U G R E D

E O T H R T

E X

R Z E A

I C T

O W R E

TRIO

13 14

19 21

SUDOKU

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

E S Q U C E A A L L L E X S E M P S T

R Y

Good 17 Very Good 25 Excellent 29+

S A L P T E I A O C E N K P E C I R I S C T A R I N Z E I A T T W I S B A K E

EQUIP RISQUE MIRACLE RIP TIDES DISSENTER

N U A L L Y N U A W A T I C O I N N L A D A D S C R O P O W I L R E F L E E N M Y A D D D L E O A D U T G R P A R E D

R R

A N N A E R R W R S P A T L E O T H R T E N E R D F I I B L M P R E

558

WORD GO ROUND

TODAY

A T

agar agate ages garret garter gate gates gaze gazer gazes gear gears gets grate grater grates graze grazer grazes great raga rage rages rags saga sage sarge stag stage stager stargaze STARGAZER tags zags

S A

E Z

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 letter. There is at least one nine-letter word. No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb, e.g. he burns with anger.

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

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.

GO ROUND WORDGO WORD ROUND

ALPHAGRAMS

QUICK CROSSWORD

W R S P A L T

Across: 6. Engine 7. Retake 10. Lookout 11. Tinge 12. Whet 13. Merry 16. First 17. Semi 20. Earns 21. Naughty 22. Kindly 23. Harden. Down: 1. Yellow streak 2. Ignores 3. Snoop 4. Texture 5. Taunt 8. Electrifying 9. Stressing 14. Missile 15. Methods 18. Front 19. Rural.

O C E K P E C

JIGGERED

E N E R D F I

Down 1. Cowardice (colloq) (6,6) 2. Shuns (7) 3. Pry (5) 4. Consistency, feel (7) 5. Jeer (5) 8. Thrilling or shocking (12) 9. Accenting (9) 14. Projectile (7) 15. Ways (7) 18. Facade (5) 19. Pastoral (5)

TRIO: LIc

R O P I L F L E

Across 6. Motor (6) 7. Repossess (6) 10. Sentry (7) 11. Tint (5) 12. Sharpen (4) 13. Cheerful (5) 16. To begin with (5) 17. Partly (4) 20. Deserves (5) 21. Badly behaved (7) 22. Benevolent (6) 23. Set (6)

SUDOKU

The challenge is to rearrange a crossword which has been broken into 25 sections. One letter has been given to get you started. Work out which 3x3 square fits in with that letter and write in the letters. You can also shade the black squares if you find it helpful. After completing the first 3x3 area, work out which square joins on to it, and continue until you have made a complete crossword.

QUICK CROSSWORD

ALPHAGRAMS

2/7

PIQUE, QUIRES, REcLAIM, SPIRITED, TIREDNESS.

JIGGERED

Zucchini and bacon fritters A HEALTHIER alternative to hash browns, these zucchini and bacon fritters with garlic yoghurt are the ideal snack to sneak in a serve of greens. METHOD Step 1 Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini. Drain on paper towel. Combine zucchini, potato, bacon, flour, egg and chives in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2 Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spoon a quarter of a cup of zucchini mixture into pan, pressing to flatten. Repeat to make three more fritters. Cook for five minutes or until golden underneath. Turn, pressing again to flatten. Cook for five minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate

lined with paper towel. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining mixture. Step 3 Meanwhile, make the garlic yoghurt. Combine garlic and yoghurt in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fritters with extra chives. Serve with garlic yoghurt. INGREDIENTS

2 medium zucchini, grated 1 medium Desiree potato, peeled, grated 4 shortcut bacon rashers, trimmed, finely chopped 1/4 cup plain flour 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Vegetable oil, for shallow frying Chopped chives, to serve Garlic yoghurt 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1/2 cup Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt.

WINTER VEGETABLES: Zucchini and bacon fritters with garlic yoghurt.

JULY, 2018// SENIORS