Toowoomba, September 2019 by seniors

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News - Choir is singing for peace Cover Story - Jack Charles Farnsy makes music for the flowers Community group guide What’s on Wanderlust Living Puzzles

Phil’s living well with dementia

What’s on in your community

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Big life, big adventures Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor AFTER I read Seniors News Toowoomba and district reporter Alison Houston’s first paragraph in our page 3 story, I knew I was reading something very special. Alison begins: “If you are looking for an antidote to the political threats, counter-threats and prejudices that have become just about daily fodder, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace could be just the thing.” She goes onto to explain that the music is based around the framework of a Catholic mass, “with the lyrics drawn from different countries, religions and cultures, including a traditional Muslim call to prayer sung in Arabic by a member of the local Islamic community.” I trust this wonderful initiative for peace will produce ripple effects around the world. Our cover story this month is about Jack Charles, a man who has overcome extreme adversity to finally come to peace with himself. What a hero – no wonder he was named Victoria’s Senior Australian of the Year (2016). We also follow up with Ricci Bartels – the lady who spoke up on national TV about the

difficulties of older-age unemployment and the fact Newstart has not risen in 25 years. Have you ever thought of living with the family? Tracey Johnstone speaks to families who actually have, and in our regular two-page news feature she gives us a first-hand account of their experiences. In terms of travel, the man in charge of Seniors News online, Graeme Wilson, gets off the screen and into print with a story on the National Trust’s Great Walks of Qld. Our Wellbeing section presents a wide range of practical advice for keeping in good health with a number of accounts from people sharing authentic tales of finding their own way to live their best life – in this case I’m referring to Phil Hazell, who is tackling his dementia diagnosis his own way. What an inspiration.

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 3623 1657 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 “Toowoomba 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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UNITING FOR PEACE: Toowoomba Choral Society Choir will present The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace at Fairholme College Assembly Hall with the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra.

Choir is singing for peace

IF you are looking for an antidote to the political threats, counter-threats and prejudices that have become just about daily fodder, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace could be just the thing. Presented by the combined talents of the Toowoomba Choral Society Choir and Toowoomba Concert Orchestra, it is the work of Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins. Long-time choir member Leona Carter explained the Mass for Peace was commissioned by the Royal Armouries to mark the start of the new millennium in London. It is said to reflect on “the most war-torn and destructive century in human history” and look in hope to a more peaceful future. While it is dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo conflict which was unfolding at the time, Leona said its message of unity, harmony and peace was just as relevant today. “But it is lovely to sing

and sounds wonderful as well,” she said. Leona said it was a project that choir conductor Elizabeth Egan and orchestra conductor Matthew Henry had wanted to do for some time. Friends since primary school days at Gabbinbar State School, high school at Concordia Lutheran College and having attended the University of Southern Queensland together, they previously collaborated on the society’s presentation of Miss Saigon in 2015. They have also convinced fellow USQ graduate and regular soloist with Opera Queensland, mezzo soprano Hayley Sugars to perform as guest artist. “The Armed Man will take audience members on a captivating and emotional journey,” Elizabeth said. The music is based around the framework of a Catholic mass, with the lyrics drawn from different countries, religions and

cultures, including a traditional Muslim call to prayer sung in Arabic by a member of the local Islamic community. It is definitely something out of the ordinary for the TCS choir, Leona said, being much more serious than their usual more cabaret-style presentations, but they have loved the challenge. And it is another little piece of history for the Toowoomba Choral Society, which has been around since 1933 and grown to about 240 members overall. That includes the Contemporary Choral and Youth Choirs as well as the 60 predominantly over-55s in the original TCS choir which will perform The Armed Man. Other historic moments for TCS include in 1955 staging the first musical (The Vagabond King) in the City Hall, while their production of My Fair Lady became the first musical by an amateur group in the newly revamped

Empire Theatre in 1997. Coincidentally, the TCS is presenting My Fair Lady again from Friday, September 13-Sunday, September 15 at the

Empire Theatre, with tickets $48 adults, $40 concession atempiretheatre.com.au.

Friday, September 27 at the Fairholme College Assembly Hall. For tickets ($25 adult) , go to toowoombatickets. com.au.

The Armed Man is on

Updates from the Toowoomba Region Target 170L

HIGH LEVEL WATER RESTRICTIONS

Cecil Plains, Vale View, Yarraman GARDEN WATERING ONLY (NOT LAWNS) M BUCKETING Outdoor watering – gardens only (not lawns).

PER PERSON PER DAY

Before 8am & after 4pm

Washing vehicles, general cleaning, washing buildings HOSING with Odd numbered homes trigger or twist nozzle ﬁtted or Even or unnumbered homes IRRIGATING*

Any time 4.30pm – 5.30pm

MEDIUM LEVEL WATER RESTRICTIONS Target 200L

PER PERSON PER DAY

Brookstead, Cambooya, Clifton, Greenmount, Hodgsonvale, Pittsworth, Southbrook M

GARDEN WATERING ONLY (NOT LAWNS) BUCKETING all properties HOSING with trigger or twist nozzle ﬁtted or IRRIGATING*

Before 8am & after 4pm

Odd numbered homes Even or unnumbered homes

LOW LEVEL WATER RESTRICTIONS

4.30pm – 5.30pm

Target 200L

PER PERSON PER DAY

Permanent Conservation Measures Crows Nest, Goombungee, Gowrie Junction, Haden, Hampton, Highﬁelds, Jondaryan, Kingsthorpe, Kulpi, Meringandan, Millmerran, Nobby, Oakey, Toowoomba City, Westbrook, Wyreema M T W T F S S WATERING OF GARDENS & LAWNS Bucket or watering can Hand held hose ﬁtted with trigger or twist nozzle Efficient sprinkler with 30 minute timer* Efficient irrigation system with two hour timer*

Before 10am & after 4pm

Conductors Elizabeth Egan and Matthew Henry have known each other since childhood.

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

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*Conditions apply - please see our website for more info.

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SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Living with no excuses, Tracey Johnstone

TWO ARTISTS: Anh Do chatted with Australian actor Jack Charles while painting his portrait on an episode of Anh's Brush with Fame. Photo: ABC

THE stage is set, the lights are dimmed and the audience is anticipating an enlightening encounter with renowned Australian actor Jack Charles. He doesn’t disappoint. The Aboriginal elder, who has spent his life searching for his stolen identity, has offered a glimpse of his extraordinary life, revealing the lows and highs of his journey, in his book, Jack Charles: Born-again Blakfella. In this memoir, Charles is brutally honest about where the fault lies, while retaining his cheeky take on many encounters. Removed from his mother’s arms at four months under the White Australia Policy and taken to the Salvation Army’s Box Hill Boys Home, in 70-odd years Charles has done more damage and good in life than almost imaginable in his quest to answer the question of where he came from. “I was confounded by my heritage right from the get-go at the Box Hill Boys

Home,” he said. Charles was a bright student who learned to read and write, memorise and recite works, and mimic radio voices, which helped him develop his acting voice. He also experienced ongoing sexual abuse, like many of the other boys in the home. There was a brief moment when Charles thought he met one of his siblings, Artie, but the brothers put a stop to him finding out more. Denied the right to connect with “blood kin” and turfed out on the streets in his mid-teens, Charles gained work skills, both legal and illegal. “I believe that I was easily conned as a young fellow by my fellow comrades from the Box Hill Boys Home who were living around Auburn at the same time,” he said. “They were in a Salvation Army hostel.” He remembers his boss bailing him out of Turana reception centre to get him back to work, and putting him in a gentlemen’s residence in

Glenferrie. “So, I was mixing with the crowd from the home and many of them were already on a life of crime,” Charles said. “One of them convinced me to go with him and we robbed a supermarket in Hawthorne. That was my first crime. I was easily led; a young, impressionable child, not knowing anything. “They were my first and foremost siblings I thought,” he added. “I ran amok with them, while at the same time staying on this journey of discovering who I was.” Homelessness, burglaries and drugs became an integral part of his life. And so did acting. He has appeared in many plays and Australian movies including The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Bedevil, Blackfellas and the international film Pan. But throughout all that, Charles still searched for his family connections. He was delighted to finally find out his mother was still alive and living in a humpie in a “blakfella camp” in NSW, and that

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no regrets he had several living siblings. “She was well respected and even called a sergeant,” he said. But, there was also a dark story around her that has stayed with him well after his mother died. Charles is unapologetic about the crimes he committed, leading to 22 incarcerations, and for his heroin addiction. “I have outed myself and admitted to my crimes,” he said. “I remember clearing up the police books and they did suggest: ‘Jack, I think you are admitting to too many more crimes than we envisaged. Instead of 700 we will charge you for 75. Is that okay?’.” Undertaking the *Marumali Program at Loddon Prison, near the completion of his last prison sentence in 2008, proved a final turning point for Charles. “Those weeks of undertaking that journey of discovering the missing link in our lives, the missing denied heritage, really got many of us at those sessions pretty

upset,” he said. “It was the catalyst that relit the burning embers of my life: my drugged up, grogged up, mucked up dreamings.” Some of his confronting story has already been shared through the film Bastardy and in the play

‘‘

I have outed myself and admitted to my crimes

Jack Charles vs The Crown. He used the play as a chance to apologise to all from whom he had stolen and who he had disappointed. Has he finally found himself? “I am pretty happy now,” Charles said. “Through the Koorie Heritage Trust and Link-Up, I have discovered who I am now. “I won’t be around forever so the idea was to write a memoir, my ideas and to share it with

Australians. “I am 76 this year and I have been leaving a number of legacies in one form or another. The book just tops it off. I do intend to write further insights, sharing the journey of jumping off the methadone for instance.” Now an Aboriginal elder, Victorian Senior of the Year and recipient of the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement, Charles is using his “fine sense of com-artistry” to drive changes in the future of the younger generations as he enthusiastically continues his volunteer community leadership work. He’s still on stage, recently completing the last of the ABC’s Black Comedy series, and is booked for the Te Rehia Theatre play Black Ties. Charles plans to keep acting as long as he keeps getting asked. “I never audition; I am too far up myself to audition and I fear rejection. I am only a little fellow,” he said cheekily. Jack Charles: Born-again Blakfella is in bookshops now.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE: Jack Charles battled long and hard to find himself.

Photo: James Henry

A program of healing *WINANGALI Marumali has been working since 2000 to increase the quality of support available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survivors of removal policies through delivery of its Marumali Program. The program is based on the unparalleled Marumali Journey of Healing Model

developed and delivered by Aunty Lorraine Peeters, a survivor of the removal policies herself. She suffered forcible removal from her family and institutionalised at the age four. The Program supports service providers to realise the widespread impact of forcible removal.

And to understand the potential paths for recovery, recognise the signs and symptoms of trauma associated with forcible removal in clients, families and others involved with their service and to avoid re-traumatising members of the Stolen Generations. Info: marumali.com.au.

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Genuine sense of respect as veterans embrace future Alison Houston NORMAN Fry walked away from the Vietnam Veterans Day ceremony on August 18 “feeling really good about the respect being shown to veterans and their future”. Council, state and federal government, Legacy and returned service group representatives laid wreaths, and the words of Year 11 St Ursula’s College student Grace Bowman touched hearts. But the presence for the first time of members of the Vietnamese Community in Australia Queensland branch was particularly special to veterans, according to the Toowoomba Vietnam Veterans Association president. “Having that group involved, being there in their national dress, was outstanding and added an extra level of sincerity,” Mr Fry said. “I know from experience that like Australians, they hold their veterans in great respect.” The three-striped red and yellow flag of South Vietnam, which more than 40 years after the war continues to be a symbol of freedom and heritage, flew beside the Australian

Year 11 student Grace Bowman speaks up. flag at the ceremony, attended by about 150 people. With the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War having often been played out against veterans in the past, Mr Fry said it was good to hear Grace Bowman genuinely recognise their service, suffering and sacrifice on behalf of young people. “As the future of this country, we are obliged to protect the legacy and memory that has been given to us,” she told the crowd. In a deliberate move to embrace the future, this was the third year that the sub-branch had asked the school’s Rising Daughters group to provide a speaker. “Giving them the floor to have their say with a

SHOWING RESPECT: Toowoomba Vietnam Veterans Association president Norman Fry with members of the local Vietnamese community at the Vietnam Veterans Day service. Photo: Bev Lacey modern perspective is a way to recognise their efforts and stay relevant,” Mr Fry said. However, he said, veterans continued to be haunted by the past, what they saw and experienced, and faced ongoing health and mental health challenges. “Sometimes, it’s just good to know there’s

someone there for you,” Mr Fry said. That was the thinking behind the establishment of the Toowoomba Vietnam Veterans Drop-in Centre. Opened in 2017, Mr Fry said the number of people dropping in had confirmed the need for the centre, which acts as a one-stop shop with information on available

services, DVA advice and a place to “chew the fat” with other veterans. “We’ve been able to help a good number of people to resolve their problems and get back on their feet,” Mr Fry said. He hopes that with ongoing talks between Toowoomba Regional Council and RSL president Roland Thompson,

Toowoomba United RSL will next year gain its long-sought refurbishment, which will also give the Vietnam veterans group a permanent home. Info on Vietnam Veterans’ sub-branch, contact Mr Fry 07 4630 9815 or drop in at its separate entrance to RSL, 549 Ruthven St.

Festival is lifeblood of community doing it tough NORMA O’Hara Murphy admits she is “supposed to be retired”, but that won’t stop her releasing her 15th album, Bloodlines, at her annual Bony Mountain Music Festival this September 20-22. “In a year like this, I think it will be a real morale-booster because people are doing it tough,” the songstress said of the festival she started nine years ago. Best known for her country music, including duets with Aussie icon Slim Dusty, and netting five Golden Guitar awards, Norma remains “a folkie at heart”. While this year’s festival continues to embrace an array of music genres and other performers, it has a distinct Celtic flavour, in keeping with her new album. It traces her Celtic origins, including a cousin

who survived the Titanic on the same lifeboat as “the unsinkable Molly Brown”, and comprises her own songs as well as classics like Galway Bay and Loch Lomond. The feature band is String Loaded, an award-winning family group, which Norma said “features two amazing fiddlers” and presents a blend of Scottish and Irish music. Also returning are Pixie Jenkins, the Warwick Thistle Pipe Band and the Cape Byron Celtic Dancers. Hillbilly Goats are the other big draw this year with their blue grass mountain music, alongside an array of country, dance, comedy, poetry and storytelling performers. Among additions this year is the chance for “walk-ups” to perform on stage each night in the

lead-up to the big weekend. “I give a spot every year to two performers in their 80s, Dubbo Turner and Eunice Payne, who are mates of mine who sing and play,” Norma said. “It’s a way of paying tribute to our older generation … which I am fast becoming part of! “But the walk-ups give a lot of older people who love music and the bush a wonderful platform to perform and share their talents.” Ukulele guru Mick Angeles also runs a school over the week culminating in a performance by his pupils on Sunday. Other highlights include league legend Shane Webcke at the annual charity auction, return of the Slim Dusty exhibition, a heritage display including blacksmith forge and broad axe display, a

dog show and a festival-ending camp oven cook-out. Norma said the festival had exceeded all her expectations over the years, not just in its crowd numbers, which are regularly around 2000. “It started off as just a bit of fun, but it has ended up much more than that; it’s a critical community event,” she said. Each year community groups use the festival as a fundraising platform, and businesses – all of whom “pitch in at some point and in some way” – gain from the influx of concert-goers. The Salvos, Young Care and Blush Cancer Care are the major beneficiaries this year, but rural fire brigades, the CWA, schools and more will also play a part. “We do rely a lot on the Grey Nomads,” Norma said.

CELTIC BLOODLINES: Norma O'Hara Murphy on stage with the Warwick Thistle Pipe Band at last year's Bony Mountain Music Festival. Photo: Andris Zalite “There are people who have been coming back every year since we kicked off in 2011. “We’ve got 50 acres, so we have lots of room for everyone and last year we had nearly 400 vans.” Just 20 minutes from Toowoomba, the festival gates are at 1107 Upper

Wheat Vale Rd, Bony Mountain, with tickets starting from $30 for a day pass or $50 across the three-day weekend. For details, go to bonymountainfolkfestival. com or phone Norma on 0490 415 699 or 07 4667 4604.

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Farnsy makes music for the flowers 70th birthday fun at festival Alison Houston BRINGING two Aussie icons together by signing John Farnham to perform alongside Dragon in the year of his 70th birthday has been quite a coup for Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers event co-ordinator Kate Scott. “We are thrilled to have John Farnham perform with his band; it will be very memorable,” Kate said. It is her fifth year putting music to our floral memories, and Kate said while the Heritage Bank Festival of Food and Wine was celebrating 15 years of attracting national headline acts to its Queen’s Park stage, music had been integral to the carnival since day one. “There were marching bands in the first parade back in October 1950,” she said. “Music is really important; it can set the ambience and mood straight away.” Farnham has at least one past link with the

carnival, with Toowoomba Chronicle photographer Bev Lacey having uncovered a photo of the then fresh-faced Johnny Farnham at just 19 signing a girl’s arm at the carnival as his career took off back in 1968. With the carnival having attracted national attention over recent years, acts these days often approach organisers, eager for the chance to play. “They are always really keen to experience the ambiance and interaction with a crowd that can come right up to the stage and show the artist how much they are enjoying the performance,” Kate said. “All the acts are really great to work with, even performing concerts through a couple of years of rain, and others with really high winds … “I was really touched a couple of years ago when Daryl Braithwaite called me after the event to say thanks and let me know he had had a great time. “I am a big fan, so

HE'S THE VOICE: John Farnham will appear as headliner at this year's Carnival of Flowers Heritage Bank Festival of Food and Wine Festival. Photo: David Anderson nearly dropped the phone when I heard who it was!” Kate described the line-up at the Heritage Bank Festival of Food and Wine as “pretty special this year”, including theming Saturday as a tribute night, with Queen Forever and Bjorn Again starring. “I hope everyone will join me on the dance floor,” she said. Topping that off on Sunday, Dragon and John Farnham perform. And while there are lots of acts to attract younger visitors as well, Kate said she had been told by “a few lovely ladies in their mid-70s that they are attending this year just because of Bjorn Again and John Farnham on the line-up!” “Hearing this feedback is great; we try really hard to have a little bit for everyone,” she said. “We need events for

Johnny Farnham at the carnival back when his career was kicking off in 1968. Photo: Toowoomba Chronicle young and young at heart; everything from relaxed to adventurous and active … all with a good dose of nature and the things that make Toowoomba famous – our flowering public spaces, our country hospitality and our amazing four seasons.” That includes giving local talents their chance to shine alongside the big names, with an extensive

program of free morning and afternoon Parkland Entertainment. “It’s a great opportunity to bring a chair or picnic blanket and relax in the spring displays,” Kate said. She is particularly excited this year to witness on Sunday afternoon the first Carnival Choir, which it is hoped will number about

800 voices and, after just one practice on the Wednesday, deliver two rock anthems. “We are asking the community to join our free choir and help celebrate the 70th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. “Buy your ticket for Sunday at the festival and then join the choir (www.tcof.com.au/choir) … to wow the crowd – it is going to be one great experience!” For those wanting a glimpse back over the past 70 years, Kate also recommended the memorabilia display being curated in the City Hall Annex for the 10 days of the carnival. The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is from September 20 to 29, and with a record 77 events, go to tcof.com.au to find out more and buy your tickets to festival events.

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PETER Mackie was born on Melbourne Cup Day in 1932 so his parents named him after the winning horse, Peter Pan, beginning a lifetime love of horse racing. It is just one of the anecdotes that Mr Mackie shares in a new book, Wise Humans of the Downs, that chronicles the life experiences of 30 Seniors from across the Darling Downs. The book, which was launched during Queensland Seniors Week, is a special project

by not-for-profit organisation YellowBridge QLD in partnership with St Mary’s College to uncover, record and celebrates the lived experiences and stories of people aged over 60 years. “Everyone has something interesting, meaningful, heart-breaking or inspiring to say,” YellowBridge acting chief executive officer Adrian Bonica said. “Especially older members of our community with their intriguing tales from a

time and place that is very different to now.” “It is fascinating to hear other people’s experiences,” Mr Bonica said. “We believe that everyone has a story to tell. The ordinary is just as important as the extraordinary and they help us to have more compassion, empathy and appreciation for others.” Copies of the book are available from YellowBridge QLD at 2a Station St.

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Ricci Bartels raises her voice on unemployment Tracey Johnstone

LOUD AND CLEAR: Ricci Bartels speaks about her experience Newstart allowance.

SPEAKING out on national television about the devastating experience of being forced on to Newstart has been a surreal experience for senior Ricci Bartels. Ms Bartels was in the audience of the ABC television show Q&A where she spoke up about her experience of being caught in a downward spiral of unemployment and welfare, when all she really wanted to do was to get a job and pay her own way. It was particularly disconcerting for Ms Bartels, who had spent a good deal of her life

employed in positions where it was her job to empower people. “All my life I have been a social justice activist,” Ms Bartels said. The opportunity to speak out came about by accident. Members of the Q&A audience were invited to submit questions for panel to consider but Ms Bartel’s was the first to be read out. The now 66-year-old asked: “What would you or how would you suggest people like me have a go to get a go?” “Put in a nutshell, it was the worst time of life. “The loss of dignity. The loss of friends because you can’t go out, you can’t socialise.

“Not eating proper foods even though I suffer various ailments,” she said. The story was posted on the Seniors News Facebook page, prompting a deluge of responses from people who were in similar position. It has touched a very raw nerve within the Seniors community. Ms Bartels believes an increase of $75 a week, which is what the Raise the Rate campaign is calling for, is needed. “The other side of the campaign is to raise the rent subsidy,” she added. Even though Ms Bartels is now on an aged pension, she plans to continue actively

supporting the work of Raise the Rate as she sees the current situation with Newstart as wrong. It’s now 25 years since Newstart, previously called the dole, was increased by the Federal Government. Dr Kirsty Nowlan, a Benevolent Society executive director and a leading voice in the Raise the Rate campaign, said Newstart had only been indexed. “It moves with the level of CPI but it doesn’t move at the level of wages,” she said. “It has declined relative to both the pension and minimum wage.” “I have spent my whole life empowering people,” she said.

Focus on helping others A can-do attitude has meant big adventures for Danielle Gail Forrer WHAT does it take to win one of Australia’s most prestigious journalism awards? One person who can give you an answer is photo journalist Danielle Lancaster. Her video titled Healing Cambodia’s Wounds highlighting the role of the White-Robed Nuns after the devastation of the Pol Pot regime, was awarded the Nikon-Walkley Queensland Slide Show Award in 2013. In this short video, she portrays an aspect of healing and rebuilding that took place in Cambodia after the years of genocide (1975-1979) led by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge government. During that time, between 1.5 to two million people lost their lives as the government sought to bring about a classless, communist society and in the process eliminated intellectuals, city residents, ethnic Vietnamese, civil servants and religious leaders. In gentle and moving terms, the essay video documents the work of the Don Chee, the women left without husbands or sons, who shaved their heads, donned white and went to work sweeping temples and doing basic work to show a way out of the despair and into a better future. Danielle’s own Cambodian journey began

Danielle Lancaster.

Photo: Sheryn Ellis

in 1998 when she was on assignment as a photographer. The country’s social and economic wreckage made a huge impression on her and she arrived back in Australia with a vision of setting up schools for children. Today, after years of fundraising and negotiations, she counts the building of four schools among the things she was able to contribute to the betterment of this ravaged country. Perhaps it was Danielle’s start on a cattle and later wheat station in the Goondiwindi area that gave her the solid grounding she used to make her dreams a reality. “I think I was in a pack saddle at six days old,” Danielle laughs. (These days trucks or helicopters are used to muster cattle, but more than 50 years ago, when people had long days in the saddle, they took their supplies in the “pack saddle”). As with many station children, Danielle went off

GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE: Danielle Lancaster with Cambodian school children. to boarding school, and although she doesn’t have a lot of fond memories of the time, she does appreciate the high standard of education she received there. Indeed, she went on to train and work as a registered nurse specialising in the care of young children. However, all through her years of studying she continued her hobby which began on the station. Danielle’s mother was a keen amateur photographer and she had a daughter who watched her every move. “We used to get the “National Geographic”

delivered and I couldn’t wait to run out and get it every month,” she recalled. Danielle’s passion for photography and nursing aligned when she was employed as a Charge Nurse at Mackay Base Hospital. Management knew of her photographic experience and when she was offered the position of medical photographer, she accepted without hesitation. It was this experience which later landed her a job as a Courier-Mail photographer. Danielle took to it like a duck to water and covered every category of news, but her

first work was as a sports photographer. “I was the first official female photographer to cover the Bathurst Hardie 1000,” she said. “I met Dick Johnson there and he took me under his wing and gave me some great opportunities.” By the time Danielle hit Cambodia, her combined media and nursing experience had supplied her with the skills to help the local people move forward. Ultimately, she come up with funds, connections and support to build the first basic institutions of learning. “There were no schools

left, or teachers, but I knew education was the only way forward for these people,” she said. So she went to work building the schools which today are self-sufficient. Now, aged 57,Danielle specialises in two areas: social documentation and tourism photo journalism. She also designs and leads tours nationally and overseas. You can see Danielle’s video on YouTube at: youtube.com/watch? v=uOWbzQE3ijY. For more on Danielle’s tours/photography, go to bleu-dog.com.au or email info@blue-dog.com.au.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

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SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Can you live in a multi-

FAMILY LIVING: Judy Gordon (back left) with the three generations, and one large dog, who live in the family home. TRACEY Johnstone asked four families what it was like living in their multifamily household. PRACTICAL SOLUTION JUDY Gordon, a 66-year-old retiree, lives in southwest Sydney house with her adult son, daughter-in-law and their two young children. “We talked about doing something together for ages,” she said. Two years ago they found the perfect two-storey house that needed just a few renovations. “I wanted a separate space and they also have a 50kg dog and three cats,” she added. The house is owned jointly. “It’s been done legally,” Judy said. “I own 50 per cent and they own 25 per cent each. If anything happens to me, my share would go to Scott, my only child, as per my will.” If the couple splits, Judy says “it won’t work”. “I have told them they can never get divorced.” She pays half of the rates and mortgage, and one-third of the household bills. She also keeps a record of what she has spent and what is owed to her. Judy has her own self-contained area which

is adjacent to the garage and laundry. “You need to have enough space of your own,” Judy recommended. She has an internal, lockable door so her grandchildren can visit at any time. “I mind them two days, so I see a lot of them. Now we have joined a gym so I go off there with my son. “The kids love it when I eat with them so they always want me to come upstairs or I do a baked dinner and they all come down here.” The blended family doesn’t have structured times where it gets together. “As I get older, it will be good for me to have them close,” Judy said. “I’m not planning on going to a retirement village. We look at this as long-term.” The downside would be if there was more than one child or you didn’t get on, Judy said. “We don’t have cross words. We have worked this out cooperatively. “They don’t take advantage of me.” ALL ABOUT FAMILY IN the hinterland of northern NSW, 65-year-old retiree Maria* can have up to five generations,

and a few friends, living in her house at any time. It started with her ailing father-in-law and has grown from there. Luckily the house is large and surrounded by acreage. “Basically, they can’t get on their own feet out there with the cost of everything and give the children a good life,” Maria said. “The house is built with the intention that everyone has their own private domain. It works lovely; we are a family. They are independent of me even though they are so close. “Each has their own dwelling. They have their privacy and the kids have stability.” It’s all about family, said Maria, who has a Maltese

background. “We were raised knowing it’s our responsibility to care for the elders.” Maria and her husband, who bought the house 20 years ago, retain full ownership. “They contribute to the upkeep of the mortgage,” she said. “They have taken their inheritance while I am still kicking.” When it comes to looking after the property, Maria said the rule was two hours a week from everybody who could stand. “They choose what work needs be done; if you see it, do it,” she said. “Many hands make light work. When you are reliant on it being your home, you

have a tendency to care for it.” Having family around has meant Maria and her husband have the freedom to travel while their home is looked after. “You are supported in every way whether you are present or absent,” she said. “We’re family. You’ve got to get on. “We’ve grown up together so we are used to each other,” she added. “You don’t have the difficulty of trying to share your home with strangers or long-term friends.” When it comes to family conflict, Maria said the trick was to “keep a lid on people’s privacy” and not get involved too much. “What I have learnt in the long run is, if you give enough time for the

Win a double pass to see RIDE LIKE A GIRL at Event Cinemas on October 2 See the amazing true story ‘RIDE LIKE A GIRL’ at the Seniors Morning Tea and screening on Wednesday 2 October at BCC and Event Cinemas. As a little girl, Michelle Payne dreams of the impossible: winning the Melbourne Cup – horse-racing’s toughest two-mile race. starring Teresa Palmer, Sam Neill,

Sullivan Stapleton and directed by Rachel Griffiths. Book tickets at the box office or eventcinemas.com.au Thanks to Event Cinemas we have 5 double passes to give away to this exciting screening. To be in the draw just fill in our form online at seniorsnews.com.au/ competitions 6947124gk

THE number of Australians living in multi-generational households is creeping upwards. The 2019 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey reports the number of people living in multiple-family households has risen by 1.2 percentage points to be the household type for 3.7 per cent of Australians in 2017. The reasons for this are predominantly finance (55 per cent) and the provision of care (28 per cent) according to the University of NSW’s City Futures 2015 research report Living Together: The Rise of Multi-generational Households in Australian Cities. The senior research fellow Dr Edgar Liu said: “If it involves older people, there is the assumption that they are an endless source of free child care, without considering that they also have their own lives that they may want to live; it also costs money to house and feed the older people, so it’s never really ‘free’. “There is still that stigma where you should only live with your parents/in-laws if there is a genuine need rather than just because you want to. This is especially the case when people found the company being the most valued aspect of multi-generational living, rather than physical and emotional care.”

Visit seniorsnews.com.au/competitionterms for full competition terms and conditions.The Promoter is ARM Specialist Media Pty Ltd (‘the Promoter’) of 28 Maynes Road, Bowen Hills Queensland 4006.ABN 73 064 061 794. The competition commences on Monday, September 2, 2019 at 08:00am and closes on Friday September 20, 2019 at 11:59pm AEST. Competition drawn 2pm 23/09/19 at Cnr Mayne Rd and Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006.Winners announced in Seniors November Editions, 2019.Total prize value $200.00 (including GST). Entry is open to all permanent residents of Queensland, residing in the Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Toowoomba Seniors distribution areas and NSW in the Northern NSW, Central Coast and Coffs & Clarence Seniors distribution areas.Authorised under NSW Permit LTPM/19/04797

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

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generational household?

MULTIGENERATIONAL LIVING: Colleen Robinson and her daughter Belinda Uhlmann. pressure to release, the parties usually find a way.” It’s not a fairytale existence but, Maria said, living in this household meant she didn’t miss out on important family moments. EXPECTED SOLUTION? MARY* lives in Sydney with her husband and three daughters aged 23 to 27 and 86-year-old mother Esme*. Mary, 59, is the only sibling living in Australia; the others live in Singapore. Her parents came to live with Mary when her father had a heart attack and the arrangement has continued. It has meant Mary could continue working full-time. “It’s mutual support,” Mary said. “She was

supportive of me when I had my children and I am now supportive of her while she is ageing and so are my children.” While Mary ensures Esme’s medical appointments are done, home help looks after the personal care. The home has a separate area downstairs with an ensuite for Esme but the living area is upstairs where the family eats together on weekends. Mary and her husband own the house. “She has very much given me everything she has,” Mary said. If Mary’s family and Esme were still living in Singapore they probably would have the same arrangement.

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“It may be partially cultural but I haven’t taken to it as a cultural thing,” Mary said. She found it beneficial for her children to spend time with their grandmother learning about their Singaporean heritage. The limitation is, as Esme ages, Mary has started to make arrangements which ensure Esme has someone looking after her when the family goes away. Sandwiched between her daughters and her mother, Mary admits: “I do have responsibilities”. “I think it has advantages and disadvantages. “I don’t think I would do the same with my children. It’s not

necessarily because it hasn’t worked but because we all live in a fast-paced environment. “I am an independent person so I wouldn’t want to feel I am dependent on them or that they are responsible for me. “Having said that, this has worked reasonably for me.” HIT THE JACKPOT BELINDA Uhlmann, 47, and her mother, Colleen Robinson, 83, are tight and happy. They live in a Brisbane home with Belinda’s husband Paul and their two young daughters. Belinda said her sister, Del, would have done the same for her mum “in a heartbeat”. Del and her husband already had the

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experience of living with her father-in-law, but it didn’t work for them. “It disintegrated; they couldn’t sustain living all together,” Belinda explained. “Unfortunately, there were too many personality clashes.” After Colleen’s husband died in 2002, she struggled to live alone for six years in their townhouse. “I was finding the stairs were a bit of a problem,” Colleen said. Over several years, Belinda, Paul and Colleen discussed living together. “I am lucky as my husband grew up with his grandfather in exactly the same situation,” Belinda said. “We had lots of discussions (before Colleen moved in) about the future and the plan for Mum to be here forever,” Belinda added. It took them quite some time to find an affordable and suitable house. Finally they found a two-storey house with what Colleen needed to stay independent and private, including an outdoor sun area. The family lives upstairs and Colleen has the downstairs area. Ownership of the house is split equally three ways. “I went to the solicitor when we were getting organised,” Colleen said. “There’s a statutory declaration we made as the bank wouldn’t let Mum go onto the loan because of her age,” Belinda said. “Mum is very adamant about paying her way. She felt she didn’t want to mooch.” Colleen does her shopping and has someone come in to clean for her. Sometimes she eats

with the family upstairs, but not always. The plan is for Colleen to live there forever. “If Mum needs that money to go into a facility where she needs more care, then that is her money,” Belinda said. “It wouldn’t be just the third she has put in because we have been here about nine years, it would be what the third of the house would be concurrent to the price.” The former aged care nurse fiercely retains her independence wherever possible but, if personal care is needed down the track, the women are adamant neither wants Belinda to take on that role. Instead they will get in a carer. “I want to be honest about this, I would not be comfortable toileting Mum,” Belinda said. “Mum and I are very good communicators and we are very honest with each other so I would love Mum to be here for the long run and we will find ways around that when the time comes,” Belinda added. “I consider all my children my friends now,” Colleen added. “But we’re still her children, don’t you worry; she tells us what to do,” Belinda joked. Colleen said she had thrived as a result of actively engaging with her family. “I don’t feel as old as my age,” she said. “It’s been wonderful for my girls,” Belinda added. She thinks the same arrangement could work with her daughters and herself when she is much older.

*Names changed at the request of interviewees.

Heritage Care and Support

Judith McGrath-Colquhoun Director

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Community notes

Community group guide

We welcome your community notes and pictures. 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@seniorsnewspaper.com.au.

TOOWOOMBA & DISTRICTS BROMELIAD SOCIETY INC. SPRING SHOW & SALE

OUR club has grown quickly with a 33% increase of membership this year. The club holds monthly meetings, we visit other members gardens for ideas, growing hints and an afternoon of fellowship. At the end of the year we will be having a bus trip to visit the Bromeliad Society of Queensland Show and Sale. We hold one show and two sales a year as well as having stands at the Crows Nest Show, Goombungee Jacaranda Day and a display at the Toowoomba Royal Show. The first week in December we will be having a pop-up shop at the CUA Bank Community Space. At all these events, members freely give advice on the growing of Bromeliads. Once again the club was successful with its application for funding through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. This has enabled the club to purchase 30 more tables, upgrade the PA system, have more signs made for the Spring Show and the April Sale, as well as a few other items. 2019 is the fifth year for the Toowoomba Bromeliad Society to hold its show and sale on the September 21-23 at Sacred Heart Primary

School hall. We will be opening at 8am daily and closing at 4pm Saturday and Sunday, with closing at 2pm on Monday. The hall is fully booked out with the show section, the members sale tables and five specialty stalls. At this stage we look like having 47 tables for the competition plants, 46 tables for the sale plants. Our specialty stalls are Talbot Lodge Bromeliads, Simply Succulents Australia, Cactus Anonymous, Cut Above Tools and our newest addition, Mi Plant Pots from Bundaberg. We always welcome visitors at meetings and other events. If you would like more information, phone Robert and Sue on 0412 263 332 or via our website, go to bromeliads toowoomba.com.au.

NATIONAL SENIORS

Garden City WE WILL hold our monthly meeting on Monday, September 16 at Drayton Bowls Club, cnr Ball and Gipps Streets at 9.30am. Cost of $7 includes morning tea. Visitors welcome. There will be a bring and buy stall and raffle. Guest speaker will be Ann Hopper, Home Support Manager with Lutheran Services. Her topic will be ‘Navigating My Aged Care’. Bus trip for this month is to the Texas Rabbit Works. For more information, phone Hazel on (07) 4635 4519.

SPRING SHOW: Paul Kennedy (back) and Robert Janetzki check out some of Paul's bromeliads for the upcoming Bromeliad Spring Show and Sale on September 21-23 at the Sacred Heart Primary School hall. Toowoomba WE HOLD our meetings on the first Thursday of each month at All Seasons Function Centre, cnr. North & Tor streets. Wilsonton commencing 9.30am. The next is on October 3. Visitors welcome. Lucky door and raffles can be won. For information, phone Desma on (07) 4613 6750 or Yvonne 0419 220 073.

PRENZLAU STATE SCHOOL 125TH CELEBRATIONS

THE Prenzlau State School 125th Celebration will be on September 14 from 10am-2pm. For more information, go to Facebook ‘Back to Prenzlau’ or contact Prenzlau State School on 0475 813 878. Prenzlau SS, 357 Prenzlau Road, Prenzlau. Student roll call, games and activities, memorabilia and more! It is sure to be a great day.

MYSTERY QUILT WORKSHOP

TWENTY Toowoomba Quilters Club members willingly joined the Mystery Quilt Workshop held recently. With only the fabric requirements to begin with, Workshop leader ,Genell, revealed

only one step at a time over 4 Workshop days with a few weeks between each workshop to allow all to complete their sewing ‘homework’. At the last workshop the entire quilt was revealed. It is quite amazing how different each quilt can look depending on the chosen fabrics. Some of the mystery quilts will be on display at the Club’s annual Quilt Exhibition at the Salo Centre, Rome Street, Toowoomba from Saturday, September 21 to Friday September 27. The Quilt Exhibition is part of the Quilts, Stitches and Textiles Trail held during Carnival of Flowers week. Visit Facebook pages or go to tcof.com.au/Arts & Crafts or phone Janice 0409 634 272.

CAR BOOT SALE

SAVE the date - October 12. Rain, hail or shine at 264 Stenner St, Toowoomba from 7am-11.30am. Book a site for $15. Phone Sandra on 07 4636 9814, or come and have a sausage sizzle and browse the variety of items available. Proceeds to support folk along the Uniting Church Cunnamulla Patrol. On behalf of the St

Stephens and Middle Ridge Uniting Church Combined Mission Committee.

month. Cost $30. Phone 07 4634 3751 or 0418 878 867 for further details.

TOOWOOMBA FXFJ HOLDEN CAR CLUB

TOOWOOMBA CLIVIA SOCIETY

WE WILL hold our 34th Annual All Holden Day Car Show Supporting Local Charities on Sunday, September 29. The All Holden Day car show is recognized as a high-quality event and is one of the largest Holden Only Car Shows held in Queensland. Entry for vehicles for the All Holden Day Car Show is $25 per vehicle before the day or $35 at gate. Public Admission is $5 Under 12 free. This year Car Boot Sale will be trialed also Live Band, Jumping Castle and Multi Draw Raffle. Swap Meet will be held on Saturday, September 28 from 6am -12pm $10 p/site Admission $2. Both Swap Meet and Car Show will be held at the Valleys Rugby League Grounds in Pillar Street Toowoomba. Go to toowoombafxfj holdens.org.au or phone 0439 109 070 for more details.

TOOWOOMBA HOSPICE

JAZZ Breakfast at the DownsSteam Railway on Sunday, October 27. Check out our website and facebook for more information on other events as they arise, go to toowoomba hospice. org.au or phone 07 4659 8500. If you would like to run an event for the Toowoomba Hospice, email events@toowoomba hospice.org.au.

DAY BUS TRIP Some Toowoomba Quilters at work on their mystery quilts at a recent Workshop Day. Their annual Quilt Exhibition is on September 21-27 at the Salo Centre.

Visiting the 2018 Annual Clivia Show of the Toowoomba Clivia Society was Annastacia Palaszczuk Premier of Qld together with (right) TCS President Kerry Robinson.

BUS leaves Toowoomba for Dolphins Leagues Club, Redcliffe on the third Tuesday of the

WE WILL hold our annual show during the Carnival of Flowers. A range of many coloured plants will be on display along with plants, seedlings and seeds for sale. Admission is by gold coin donation to our nominated charity, Diabetes Queensland. The show is held at the Toowoomba TAFE Horticultural Pavilion from Friday, September 20 to Wednesday, September 25 between 9am-5pm.

39TH TOOWOOMBA GEMFEST – GEMS AND JEWELLERY

COME and see a wide range of cut and uncut gemstones, jewellery, semi-precious gemstones, beads, pearls and opals. See crystal and mineral specimens from all over the world. Carvings from precious and semi-precious stones are great for gifts, including Christmas presents. All items are for sale. Inside the hall, some 28 gem traders come from Central Queensland in the north, to Sydney in the south and put together this two-day spectacle. Centenary Heights State High School, Cnr Ramsay & South Streets, Toowoomba. Saturday, October 19 from 8.30am-5pm and Sunday, October 20 from 8.30am-3pm. Contact: Riki (Chairperson) 0458 728 649 or Dave 0417 611 820. Admission: $5 adults (13 and over); Children under 13 years are free. Go to toowoomba lapidaryclub.org.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

NEWS

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

What's on

Alison Houston

LAIDLEY SPRING FESTIVAL

AUSTRALIA’S flora and fauna are the focus of this year’s Laidley Spring Festival from Thursday, September 12-Saturday, September 14, with spectacular window displays and of course the parade on Saturday. From Thursday enjoy the Quilt and Craft Expo, the Spring Orchid Show, Laidley Garden Club displays at the Botanical Café, and the Laidley Anglican Church presents an open house with floral displays. There are markets at Laidley Lutheran Church which also houses the Lockyer Valley Artists Exhibition. Laidley Pioneer Village & Museum has displays, demonstrations and activities and Das Neumann Haus offers free museum entry. On Friday, the markets roll into town and Saturday is free family fun day. Phone 1300 005 872 or go to luvyalockyer.com.au.

DISABILITY ACTION FESTIVAL

AS PART of Disability Action Week, this festival from 10am-3pm on Saturday, September 14 will include community panel discussions and guest speaker Dr Dinesh

Palipana in the City Annex. Entertainment and stall holders are available outside from 11am in the Civic Precinct, with disability awareness activities from 2-3pm in the multi-purpose room at Toowoomba City Library. Emerge will provide catering, including a free sausage sizzle from 12-2pm. Phone Toowoomba Regional Council on 13 18 72.

ST LUKE’S FLOWERS AND MUSIC

ST LUKE’S Anglican Church in Herries St, Toowoomba, showcases floral displays by the Toowoomba Floral Art Group from 9am-4pm, with music concerts daily at 12.30pm from Friday, September 20 to Wednesday, September 25 as part of the Carnival of Flowers. Drop into the hall to see a range of arts and crafts by local artisans and enjoy St Luke’s beautiful gardens. It’s all for just a gold coin donation. Phone 07 4639 1910 or go to stluke.tmba @bigpond.com.

MY WORLD OF GARDENS

ARTIST Di Elsden will give a talk at the official opening of her exhibition My World of Gardens at

the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery on Sunday, September 15 from 1.30-3.30pm. For more than 20 years, Di has been capturing the unique character of gardens she has grown and visited within Australia and internationally, including Monet’s iconic waterlily ponds at Giverny. This is a free event, but you are asked to RSVP by Wednesday, September 11. The exhibition continues until October 6.

WOODCRAFT COMPETITION

WOODWORKERS from across the Darling Downs and surrounds will compete in a wide variety of skills such as carving, woodturning, cabinetmaking, box making and pyrography in Toowoomba and District Woodcrafters Inc’s Golden Gouge Woodcraft Competition. With open and novice sections, entries on display promise to be impressive and there will be daily demonstrations. It’s on at Toowoomba Showgrounds from 9am-4pm Friday, September 20-Sunday, September 22. For details, phone 0418 196 712.

SPRING ORCHID SHOW

THERE are hundreds of orchids on display – the largest display in south-east Queensland – plant sales, potting demonstrations and speakers at the Toowoomba Orchid Society annual Spring

GARDEN GLORY: Di Elsden's new exhibition My World of Gardens at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, is now open and continues until October 6 with an artist talk at the Official Opening on Sunday, September 15 from 1.30-3.30pm. Show from 8.30am-4pm on Friday, September 20-Tuesday, September 24. It is at St Paul’s Church Hall, Cnr Phillip and James Sts and entry is $4. To find out more, go to toowoombaorchid society.org.au.

BIG BAND

AT SPRING Bluff Railway Station, the Jim Miller Band is back from 10am-3pm on Sunday, September 22. This event annually brings hundreds of people to enjoy the spectacular gardens and views, with food and drink available from the onsite café. For more, phone 07 4688 6883.

BOYCE GARDENS

BOYCE Gardens are named after Leslie and Margaret Boyce who established them in 1930 and left them to the University of Queensland Trust to preserve. There is a breathtaking rainforest on the north-eastern corner, a pine forest along the eastern side, plus an avocado orchard and Australian flowering shrubs and, on the southern side, rose gardens, native orchids, camellias and manicured lawns. See it all at 6 Range St, Toowoomba from 9am-4pm, September 20-29.

QUILTS, STITCHES AND TEXTILES TRAIL

THE Quilts, Stitches and Textiles Trail consists of six events across various venues during the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers from Friday, September 20-Saturday, September 28. They include Toowoomba Quilters Club, Toowoomba Spinners, Weavers and Dyers Group, Darling Downs Textile Art Group, Toowomba Embroiderers’ Guild, the Airing of the Quilts and Kat Adams’ Open Studio. Fore more, phone 0409 634 272 or go to Facebook.

Donating blood now easier IF you thought you were too old to be a life-saver, think again, because the rules for donating blood have changed. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, with supplies of O-negative blood having reached critically low levels – less than two days’ supply – just last month, and winter flu taking its toll on overall donor numbers. New donors of all blood types are now welcome until their 76th birthday (up from 69). The upper age limit of 80 years for donation has also been removed for repeat and regular donors. That’s great news for Toowoomba Blood Service spokesperson Sandee Thompson, with 56% of Toowoomba’s 6311 active donors aged 40-69 years old. “The winter months

TOO BLOODY EASY: Blood donor Donald Carson and Toowoomba donor services team member Cassie Clothier show just how easy it is to give blood. Photo: Contributed always present a particular challenge for Toowoomba Blood Donor Centre, as we experience a high number of daily appointment cancellations,” Sandee

said. “Many of our regular donors fall ill due to winter colds and flu which means we need more Toowoomba locals who haven’t donated in a

while, or first-time donors, to step-up and help fill these donation gaps.” Donors have to wait at least two weeks after they are well to donate, with a particularly bad flu

season meaning up to 1300 donors a day have cancelled appointments Australia-wide. In good news for would-be local donors, however, the Toowoomba donor centre is now open seven days a week, including Sundays 8am-12pm, with extended hours on some week days from 7.30am-7.30pm. Sandee said demand for plasma in particular, used in 18 life-giving treatments, was increasing 10-12% each year, meaning new volunteer donors were continually needed. One in every three Australians will need blood or blood products during their lifetime for everything from accidents to cancer treatment to brain and immune conditions, but only one in 30 donates. And Sandee said the donations received in

Toowoomba did not cover local demand. “All blood, plasma and platelet donations have a limited shelf life … which means regular donations from our local community are really important,” Sandee said. The donation process takes about one hour, of which the donation time itself is only about 15 minutes, with a pre-donation interview and post-donation drink and snack. You don’t have to know your blood group; in fact finding this out can be an added bonus for you. Most importantly, each donation potentially saves three lives. Go to donateblood.com.au, phone 13 14 95 or talk to the team at 661 Ruthven Street to learn more about how you can help.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

NEWS

HOW EXCITED WAS THE GARDENER ABOUT SPRING?

SO EXCITED, HE WET HIS PLANTS! The flowers bloom bright at Living Gems Toowoomba over 50s Lifestyle Resort. Come check us out!

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

Walking on the wild side

Take Queensland in your stride

PAGE 25

The Carnarvon Gorge is a feature of the Carnarvon Great Walk.

Photo: Robert Ashdown © Qld Govt

Freecall: 1800 072 535 DOWN UNDER COACH TOURS Ph: 07 4123 1733

7 Day Jacaranda Festival & 10 Day Christmas & New Year Celebrations O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat Departs: 31/10/19

14 Day Ballarat Begonia Festival

6 Day Waterfall Way Easter 14 Day Bright Autumn Festival, 5% Early Bird Discount Silo Art Trail & Great Ocean Road Book your 2020 tour on our Escape

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• 3 Nights Grafton & O’Reilly’s • Jacaranda Festival & Fireworks • Glen Ian Ostrich & Emu Farm • Schaffer House • O’Reilly’s Vineyard & Alpacas • Full Activities Package at O’Reilly’s • Scenic Rim Robotic Dairy • Kooroomba Vineyard & Lavender

• 4 Nights Coffs Harbour • 3 Nights Hunter Valley • Nambucca Heads Seafood Cruiseq • Dorrigo Rainforest Centre & Skywalk • Moonshadow Cruise, Nelson Bay • Fighter World • Hunter Valley Christmas Light Spectacular & New Year’s Eve Fireworks

• 2 Nights Ballarat • 3 Nights Melbourne • Dubbo Zoo • Puffing Billy Steam & Cuisine Lunch • Ballarat Begonia Festival & Grand Parade • Old Gippstown • Gippsland Lake Cruise • Omeo & Great Alpine Road

• 4 Nights Coffs Harbour • Waterfall Way Sightseeing • Dorrigo Rainforest Centre & Skywalk • Trail Bay Gaol, South West Rocks • Bowraville Folk Museum • Harbourside Markets • Butterfly House • Clog Barn

• 3 Nights Albury • Bright Autumn Festival • Benalla Wall Art • Heartbeat of the Murray Laser Show • Silo Art Trail • Grampians Sightseeing • Twelve Apostles • Great Ocean Road • National Wool Museum, Geelong

Adult: $2836 Single Supplement: $476

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FULLY ACCOMMODATED TOURS

Prices quoted are per person twin share

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Travel Briefs BARGE CRUISE IN UK

JOIN Magna Carta, a unique floating hotel, for a six-night journey from London. Bypassing traffic, it meanders through past and present, stopping off at the historic cities, old-world villages and stately homes that line the Thames River. Departing from May to September 2020 from $11,595 per person. Book before November 30 for a Fly Free Superdeal offer of a return economy airfare per person. Info: phone 1300 196 420 or go to www.aptouring. com.au/travel-styles/ barge-cruising.

MILITARY HISTORY CRUISE

CRUISE and Maritime Voyages new five-night Military History Cruise departs Sydney on Sunday, December 1, on board the 1220guest Vasco da Gama which includes 40 cabins for solo travellers. Info: cmvaustralia. com/cruise/v002/ east-coast-discovery.

FAN ABOUT KAKADU

EXPLORE Bamurru Plains, a region of natural beauty and unique biodiversity, on an airboat a 4x4 safari or walking safari. The region is on the edge of the Mary River floodplains just a short distance from the coast and the western boundary of the Kakadu National Park and reached via a three hour drive from Darwin. classicsafaricompany .com.au/activity/ bamurru-plains.

ON THE GO SPECIALS

GET a great discount with On the Go tours for solo travellers and over 50s, departing within the next two months. Choose your preferred destination and check out the last minute deals. Info: onthegotours.com/LastMinute-Deals or phone 1300 855 684.

FIND TOUR SPECIALS

CHECK out this website – tourradar.com – for tour and travel specials worldwide. The site provides travellers with

everything they need to plan and book their next great escape in one place. From thoughtfully crafted tours and their itineraries, videos and photos, to how-to guides and travel experts available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

NEW BUNNIK EUROPE TOURS

BUNNIK has released four new small group 2020 tours. Combine the ancient wonders of Greece and Egypt with experiencing the old-fashioned hospitality in England, Scotland and Wales. Book now to secure your spot and saving of $500 per person. Info: bunniktours. com.au.

HAWAII RULES: Waikiki Beach known as the birthplace of surfing.

Stay and play Waikiki way

STEAMBOAT THROUGH U.S. NORTHWEST

THE American Queen Steamboat Company is offering savings of up to US$1000 per couple on its eight-night cruise packages along North America’s historic Columbia River. Info: phone 1800 507 777 or go to www.cruisetraveller. com.au.

Kerry Heaney

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Cook Island ExplorEr - nEw tour

Cook Islands

$3,995

per person share twin ex Brisbane.

$3,695

* per person twin share Ex BnE, single supplement $770

per person twin share Ex BnE, single supplement $890

From

$4,125* EnglIsh Blossom tour Is Fully EsCortEd Ex BrIsBanE

$6,495*

per person twin share

$2,085*

28 aprIl – 2 may 2020

Join celebrity host, Jenny Liu, one of Australia’s premier Sopranos, on this wonderful tour to Singapore. Jenny is an award-winning Opera and Musical Theatre performer, best known for her roles in The King and I and The Marriage of Figaro: “When her cut-glass cords echoed around that supersonic theatre no one dared to breathe lest they break the magic spell.” You will delight in her 3 special recitals as well as exploring all the must-see attractions of this amazing City. Singapore is a melting pot of culture with fabulous shopping, delicious food, and a fascinating history.

13 - 25 may 2020 Highlights include Great Dixter House, Sissinghurst Castle, Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Bath, Cotswolds, Abbey House Malmesbury & much more! Includes return airfares, 10 nights quality hotels, 10 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 6 dinners, all touring & entry fees.

norFolk Island pétanquE From

Resort, 1-night Sydney, Daily tours, Daily Breakfast & Dinner and 3 lunches. Spaces are strictly limited.

Join us on this escorted Tassie Croquet Devils 9 day tour and visit beautiful Tasmania where you can indulge in history, visit stunning wilderness areas and enjoy some delicious food and wines. Combine the fun and friendship of hitting through the hoops with some wonderful touring when we travel to Tasmania in 2020. Why not join the fun!

sIngaporE rECItIal wIth JEnny lIu

From

entertaining & cultural tour to the magical Cook Islands. Includes return ﬂights, 6 nights Edgewater

14 – 22 marCh 2020

tassIE CroquEt dEvIls tour From

Join Country Music celebrity Graeme Hugo for an

per person twin share Ex BnE, single supplement $470

9 – 16 may 2020

Join us for Pétanque under the pines! We’ll play, we’ll dine, we’ll tour and we’ll make new friends when we spend the week on Norfolk. This beautiful island only a couple of hours ﬂying time from Sydney or Brisbane offers relaxation, culture, indulgence and history and in May 2020 will also ring once again with the sound of Pétanque boules. We’ll play on a beautiful private clifftop property, plus plenty of time to enjoy the best that Norfolk has to offer. Book now to secure your spot!

Coming very soon our exciting launch of more 2020 touring. TERMS & CONDITIONS *Price is per person Twin Share. Single Supplement applies. Credit card surcharges apply. Deposit of AUD $500-$800 per person is required to secure tour. Tour requires a minimum number of passengers to depart. Prices may ﬂuctuate if surcharges, fee, taxes or currency change. Prices current as at 2nd September 2019. Go See Touring in conjunction with Norfolk Select Marketing ABN: 93 367 366 822 ATAS Accreditation A10619

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HOME to Hawaii’s rulers for centuries, Waikiki’s gently curved, reefprotected beach offers ample room to pull up a canoe but is more famous for surfboards today. Known as the birthplace of surfing, Waikiki has a rich history, great shopping and plenty of dining choices. With Diamond Head in the background, it’s famous surf break is dotted by regulars every morning. Visitors can hire their own board under the 2.7m-high bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku (1890–1968). The Duke was Hawaii’s first Olympian who is credited with bringing Hawaii’s ancient sport of surfing to the world. From the beach, you can see Diamond Head, and if you are feeling energetic, it’s a great walk to the top. The 2.5km summit trail takes around 30 minutes and is rated “very easy” and suitable for nonhikers, although there are some stairs and tunnels. Rent an audio headset from the ticket booth, and you can have a guided tour as well. On Saturdays, there is a Farmers Market near the tunnel entrance. Just on the edge of Waikiki are Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium and Kapi’olani Regional Park. Head to the zoo to see komodo dragons and 905 different animals or the aquarium to view some of Hawaii’s beautiful sea life. It’s a half-hour drive but

you won’t want to miss the chance to see Pearl Harbour where an aerial attack in 1941 left thousands dead and hundreds wounded. Start at the Visitors’ Centre with a walk through the USS Arizona Memorial Museum. The USS Arizona Memorial has been closed since May 2018 for repairs but is expected to reopen later this year. You’ll be amazed by the size of the guns on the 60,000-ton USS Battleship Missouri. Walk around the ship and see where the documents ending WWII were signed. Each location can take up to two hours to explore so allow plenty of time. Just remember, no bags are permitted inside the Pearl Harbour Historic Sites unless they are wallet-sized. Bag storage is available. The Bishop Museum is where you’ll find Hawaii’s most extensive collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian artefacts. It’s a fascinating look at the rich history of the islands. There’s much more to discover about Hawaiian royalty at Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the United States. Completed in 1882, this grand house looks as though the residents have just stepped out for a moment. Take a guided or self-led audio tour. Hawaii’s history from the 20th century is just as fascinating, and the Liljestrand House will take you back to the 1950s and Hawaii’s Tropical Modernism style.

Designed for doctor and nurse Howard and Betty Liljestrand by Vladimir Ossipoff, It has the sort of cool vibe that makes you think of Dean Martin and Natalie Wood. This well-preserved house is a treasure trove of memory prompters. There’s one souvenir you must bring home from Honolulu, even if it is just for yourself. Pop into the Honolulu Cookie Company and taste before you buy their Hawaiian inspired cookie flavours. The signature pineappleshaped biscuits are memorable. Where should you stay in Waikiki? It’s hotel central along this famous stretch of beach, so your options are many. The Royal Hawaiian, known as the Pink Palace, holds a highly coveted beach spot dotted with cabanas. The luxury hotel has heritage rooms dating filled with 1920s glamour. Almost next door is another luxe resort Moana Surfrider. Known as the First Lady of Waikiki, it opened its doors in 1901 and offers beachfront views with a historic banyan tree courtyard. Just one block back from the beach, The Laylow, combines mid-century modern style with Hawaiian charm. Fly with Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu and your experience starts at the airport with miles of smiles and a taste of Hawaii from executive chef LeeAnne Wong. The writer was a guest of Hawaiian Airlines.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

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2020 Tours Taking Bookings noW!!! BLOOMING BEAUTIFUL: Floriade is Australia's premier festival of flowers and the largest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

BRAND INSIGHTS TRAVEL to the national capital and experience Floriade, Australia’s premier festival of flowers and largest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Coastal Variety Tours offers a 10-day Floriade Tour which begins on October 1. The tour will take you to Canberra via the magnificent Hunter Valley Gardens, the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains including the

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House and the Royal Mint, to name a few. The tour of Canberra is not complete without a visit to Tulip Top Gardens, a 10-acre garden of magnificent tulips and other spring flowers providing a spectacular pathway to a cascading waterfall and watercourse. There’s more to this tour than is written here and it is well worth discovering for yourself. For more information, phone Coastal Variety Tours on 07 3343 6722 for a detailed itinerary.

Summer holiday in New Zealand GRAND Pacific Tours are offering a 17-day Festive Season Tour that departs on December 19 and covers both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It includes four cruises, two speciality dinners and

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NEw ENGLAND HISTORICAL TRAIL *4 Days* – Depart Brisbane. Enjoy Historical Armidale, Glen Innes and Tenterﬁeld, Booloominbah & Saumarez Historical Homesteads, Standing Stones*, *Lunch at Abby of the Roses Manor 4 Days - $799 *PP Twin Share, Single add $195 *Departure Dates 2020: 10th March*

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SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

‘‘

There seems to be a spirit under the surface that would take a little time to appreciate.

ARMENIAN SUMMER: The rustic charm of an old church at Lake Sevan, Armenia

All Photos: Paul Coffey

Armenia and the end

Paul Coffey reports on his stay in Armenia – the last city to visit before the end of his tour through the Caucasus.

THE landscape has dried out as we travelled further south through Georgia, ie. away from the Caucasus mountains, and Armenia seems drier still. The land is more undulating with high hills scattered about, but only the valleys are the least bit green, although it is summer after all. Together with a slightly more basic housing stock here in the rural areas, the impression is that Armenia is poorer than Georgia. The GNI per head is not greatly less, however. Modern Armenia is a small landlocked country of only about 30,000km sq (less than half the size of Tasmania), with a population of about three million, similar to Georgia’s. The lack of a port of its own, and of any oil, are major disadvantages; we’re told that the main industries are tourism (which is still nascent), agriculture and surprisingly IT. Chess is taught in the schools. Earlier Armenian civilisations and populations covered far

greater areas even as they waxed and waned, primarily further to the south in eastern Anatolia, and to the west in northern Persia including the current-day Azerbaijan. There are only around 50,000 Armenians in Turkey today, down from well over one million prior to the Armenian Genocide, and very few in Azerbaijan other than in the Armenian-controlled, disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabach. The area that has become modern Armenia was variously controlled by Hellenistic kings, Persian satrapies, Muslim khanates, the Ottomans, and of course the Russians. Wars and treaties between empires over the centuries, and especially after WW1, left Armenia in its present reduced state, something over which Armenians are resentful. Armenia proudly lays claim to being the first Christian nation, a king having converted and declared the kingdom Christian in 301AD. The Roman (or Byzantine)

Dancing in the square, Armenia. Empire was declared Christian in 380AD, some time after Constantine converted in c.312AD. The Armenian Apostolic Church was an important vehicle for a sense of cultural identity under Muslim rule, and remains central to Armenian identity today. Armenian Churches are very spartan, with none of the rich icons and ageing frescoes that feature in Georgian churches. En route to the capital, Yerevan, we stop at the gorgeous Lake Sevan, one of the world’s largest high-altitude and freshwater lakes, c.70km long. At 1900m of

altitude, it freezes over from time to time. When we were there it was a brilliant greeny aquamarine colour, quite beautiful. Invariably, there’s a church involved. Our first glimpse of Yerevan is of armies of dull apartment blocks in the distance. Unfortunately the whole city turns out to lack colour: grey to dun-brown is the limit of the colour range, and there are almost no buildings that distinguish themselves. The better inner-city buildings have facades of local stone, which varies from a grey through to a range of browns, some

attractive as individual stones, including tones of orange and even rose among them. But on the larger scale, the whole is less than the sum of the parts. The very dry hills surrounding the city don’t add to the city’s visual appeal. It would be very different in the winter, with snow on the hills and mountains all around. However the city grows on us all, as people appear on the streets in the balmy, temperate evenings and nights. On the Friday night we are lucky to witness local people in their hundreds doing their traditional dancing to that marvellous high-pitched middle-Eastern flute music that I love, in a main square. The next night provides a free water music show in another square, again with hundreds present. The streets are alive in a very European way. In fact, despite another a very different script here, there is a European feel to the look of the people as well as the way of life. All seems familiar.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

of the Caucasus tour

We had only one full day here; it’s a city that one could easily live in for a time. There seems to be a spirit under the surface that would take a little time to appreciate. I gave a visit to another carpet factory a miss and instead wandered the local streets nearby. They featured several depressing Soviet-era apartment blocks, of about 15 storeys: grey, drab and unornamented. They had bitumen surrounds except for a couple of tiny parklets. As so often in such countries, I thought: Where do the children play? The Genocide Museum was largely what was to be expected, in terrible detail. Such a contrast with the version I heard when in Turkey in 1981. The Museum has an emphasis on eye-witness accounts, as if to deliberately counter Turkey’s decades-long denial. Only 31 countries officially recognise the Genocide: Australia, the UK and the US do not, while Canada, France and Germany are among those

Lake Sevan in Armenia. who do. Politics usually determine countries’ positions on it. As to the eternal question of why, there’s a long and complex history, with periods of tolerance and periods of oppression of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks. My quick conclusion was that politics ultimately played the primary role, although that story is also a complex one. And on reflection, it probably is politics that triggers and/or sustains the worst examples of large-scale ethnic or religious massacres, not merely

the human flaws that underlie the frictions between peoples. To the south of Yerevan lies the famed Mt Ararat, situated in Turkey but very visible at 5,165 metres at the summit. The summer haze makes it difficult to see well, but I got a shot from the airport on leaving, with its cap of ice visible adjacent to a small cloud. We’ve felt safe and seen absolutely no cause for concern on this whole trip. We had only one warning here in Armenia at a tourist site to watch out for boys selling

Water Music show, Armenia candles that the church won’t allow to be lit (that’s a church monopoly of course!), but saw none. Hardly life-threatening! It’s striking how often we assume that places that we know little about are

dangerous. But it’s a very human trait – valuable for survival in the long run. On my last morning my plane leaves too early to have breakfast at the hotel, but while waiting for my airport transfer I was

spontaneously offered a tea and some dried fruits, which are ubiquitous here. They are plumper and less desiccated than our dried fruits and quite delicious. A simple thing but an enduring memory.

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

‘‘

Bob and Robyn have dabbled in port, and now produce a Frenchstyle rose

NEW CAREER: Bob and Robyn Holland's Crows Nest winery, started after retirement, offers both wine tastings and the largest collection of Arnott's biscuit tins on public view.

Quirky trip to find fine wines and vintage tins BOB Holland knew he couldn’t just sit still when he retired … and his thoughts turned to winemaking. Having bought their Crows Nest, Queensland property as a weekender in 1996, he and wife Robyn decided creating a vineyard and making their own wine “on a hobby basis to fill in a bit of time” was a good idea. The hobby has since become a new full-time career, and includes cellar door wine tasting and sales, attending markets, running a gift shop, and providing morning and afternoon teas and finger food in the gardens. But Bob admits it has been a steep learning curve. Having planted vines from 1998-2000, the couple discovered lorikeets were enjoying more of the grapes than they were. The grapes they did manage to salvage were

never sweet enough to produce a good taste. Having invested in netting, in 2005 they notched their first full vintage. “That created a new problem, because now we had too much for me to handle myself … so I had to pay someone else to make the wine for me,” Bob said. Having done that and completed their first goal of “producing a wine that was drinkable”, they found they had a new problem on their hands. “One tonne of grapes makes about 800 bottles of wine, so even if we drank two bottles a day we couldn’t drink that in a year and we had a storage issue, so I had to build a cellar,” Bob laughed. By 2007, they had further fine-tuned the taste of their wine, but realised they couldn’t just keep producing and storing bottles, so Bob began taking his Holland

Wines to the district markets. Still there was more to learn, including that people wanted a wider choice than shiraz and chardonnay. Bob and Robyn have since dabbled in port, and now produce their own French-style rose, a light merlot called Ravishing Red, medium and heavy reds including a sweet red, an unwooded chardonnay and a sweet pink moscato. They’ve developed a good following of return customers. However, Bob said it was still difficult to get word out about the local winery and to encourage people to try its produce rather than buying interstate and overseas wine from the chain stores. At generally $15 a bottle, he said, Holland Wines were a comparable price for a good quality wine.

“I know when you start a new business you’ve got to be patient, but I’ve got a good product, I just need people to try it,” he said. Under the new banner of High Country Hamlets, he believes the area is going to grow significantly in terms of tourism, and sees the winery as having an integral place in this food, art, accommodation and rural attractions destination. And, Bob has another string to the Holland Wines bow which is attracting visitors in its own right. The cellar boasts the largest display of Arnott’s biscuit tins on public view in Australia – over 400 – some dating back more than 100 years. “People are amazed by the designs and shapes,” Bob said. “A lot of people identify tins from when they were kids and it becomes a real talking point.”

None of their success to date has come easily, and Bob said the drought had made things that much harder on both a production and sales basis. “People are very money-conscious at the moment and they see buying wines as a bit of a luxury,” Bob said. “We didn’t get enough rain this year to make a product … the dam just has enough water in the bottom to be sure it doesn’t crack, but that’s all … “It’s a critical situation for everyone with the water.” However, in good Aussie farming tradition, Bob remains upbeat. “Things are going to pick up … you’ve got to be positive,” he said. The cellar door is generally open from 9am-5pm, but with weekend markets – including Toowoomba’s Cobb+Co and Queen’s

Park, Nanango and Murphy’s Creek markets – the rule is “if the gate is open, so is the cellar door”. To avoid disappointment, or if your group is interested in wine tasting and finger food, phone 07 4698 2277 or 0408 172 387 before visiting to confirm, or go to hollandwines.com.au.

Crows Nest is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the New England Highway, 158 kilometres (98 mi) from the state capital, Brisbane and 43 kilometres (27 mi) from the nearby city of Toowoomba. It is within the Toowoomba Region local government area. At the 2016 Census, Crows Nest had a population of 2160.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

There are views forever at Lake Wabby on Fraser Island.

‘‘

It’s just made me so proud to be a Queenslander now

LIQUID REFRESHMENT: Lisa Marshall takes a dip at the Zoe Falls on the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island.

Photo: Contributed

The amazing Carnarvon Gorge amphitheatre.

next year to highlight the state’s offering. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Great Walks are suggested as ideal starting points. Each provides the option to extract yourself at points along the way and stay with accommodation providers rather than being committed to camping. “So you’ve got the ability to create your own version of the walk with different start and end points,” Luke said. “With other walks, the further inland you go the more remote you are, so you need to be fully self-sufficient.” While most walks offer multi-day experiences with set start/finish points, Lisa said there was always the option to do day walks. “At Hinchinbrook, it’s just like being in a dreamworld for a day,” she said. “Carnarvon Gorge and Fraser Island also have spectacular day walks.” Lisa said the aim was to get as many people as possible out on the walks, but it was crucial they were well prepared. Hikers needed to do their homework, pack the right gear and train properly.

“We will be encouraging them to take their time, stop at all the beautiful towns along the way, and be realistic about what they can achieve in the time they have available,” she said. Lisa has written an online e-guide on how to get trek-ready, covering everything you need to know when you’re actually out walking, plus a 16-week training guide (visit trekcoach.com.au). NTA (Queensland) CEO Jonathan Fisher said the National Trust had always been committed to conserving and celebrating natural heritage, and was proud to be partnering with the Queensland Government in promoting the Q10 Great Walks. “We are really about promoting active lifestyles and getting people to celebrate the diversity of Queensland’s stunning landscapes,” Mr Fisher said. Environment and Science Minister Leeanne Enoch said Queensland was unlike anywhere else. “All of these places are incredibly valuable to our state, and help provide unique environmental experiences to visitors,” Ms Enoch said.

Queensland invites the world to its Great Walks Graeme Wilson QUEENSLAND believes it has hiking trails to match the best on the planet and two energetic explorers have completed a 10-day adventure gathering proof to present to the world. The National Trust of Australia (Queensland) and Queensland Government have combined to launch the Q10 Great Walks and intrepid duo Luke Edwards and Lisa Marshall accepted the challenge to complete one walk a day for a combined 400km of hiking from Currumbin to Cooktown. The Q10 Challenge had the two Queensland adventurers zig-zagging 4000km across the state. Luke, a National Trust employee, devised the idea to tackle all 10 walks in just 10 days and Noosa Trek coach Lisa Marshall was happy to join him. Both set off thinking they already had a pretty good idea of what lay ahead, but what they discovered surpassed all expectations. “I haven’t lived in Queensland that long and it’s just made me so proud to be a Queenslander now and to

realise there’s so many amazing walks for us to do,” Lisa said. “There’s some beautiful trails out there and, among the many highlights for us, the standout was Hinchinbrook Island … the Thorsborne Trail is just stunning. And Carnarvon Gorge. And Fraser Island. Everything really.” In particular, the pair loved the community spirit associated with Carnarvon Gorge. “The locals really came together to make us welcome,” Lisa said. “They’re so proud of what’s out there and so they should be. It’s just beautiful.” Unlike South Africa-raised Lisa, Luke is a born and bred Queenslander but he too was stunned by what they saw. “The exciting part is you think you know Queensland but then you go a bit off track and it’s so diverse,” he said. “We didn’t leave the state and look what we saw. At Hinchinbrook, everywhere you go you’re like ‘what, wow how can that be?’.” Publicity surrounding the challenge threw a

STEP OUT: The 10 Great Walks, from south to north, are: . Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk . Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk . K’gari (Fraser Island) Great Walk . Carnarvon Great Walk . Mackay Highlands Great Walk . Whitsunday Great Walk . Whitsunday Ngaro Sea Trail (includes kayaks) . Thorsborne Trail, Hinchinbrook Island . Goldfield Trail, Wooroonooran National Park . Gamaay Dreaming Track, from Cooktown spotlight on what will be producing a range of Queensland has to offer, informative and 2020 is targeted to get documentary-style videos on more hikers heading out on each Great Walk to help one or more of the walks. people make informed Luke’s dream is for decisions on their choices,” hikers seeking bragging Luke said. rights to mention one of the Each Great Walk has its Queensland walks in the own static page on the same way they now talk of Department of Environment New Zealand’s Milford and Science website Track, Italy’s Dolomites or (parks.des.qld.gov.au) with Tasmania’s Three Capes maps and other vital Track. information, but the idea of “At the launch we said wethe videos is to bring those wanted to find a bragging pages to life. right to throw on the table “People will be able to see and we absolutely found the beauty of each walk but that,” he said. also understand what they Part of the purpose of need to do in order to the 10-day adventure was successfully complete to gather promotional them,” Luke said, adding material for next year’s that the walks are all push to get hikers out available now, with April to exploring Queensland. October the peak season. “We have a huge amount The team is also of great footage, lots of producing a documentary interviews we did with the about the trip and plans to rangers on the trails so we head out with a road show

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Wellbeing

Phil’s living well with illness Tracey Johnstone PACK your bags and get your affairs in order was the first bit of clinical advice early onset dementia patient Phil Hazell was told. Never mind the fact that he was already doing everything he could to live with the condition within his own environment. He also had to contend with finding a GP willing to take him on as a new patient. Four phone calls later he finally found one that was open to spending time with him. Mr Hazell was diagnosed with dementia

in his mid-50s and kept working as an optical laboratory representative with the support of his Melbourne employer until he resigned three years later. “The real impact is I was diagnosed at 55 and now I am 60 and it’s only going to get worse to be perfectly honest,” Mr Hazell said. “I still have a bright outlook on life. I’m not a half glass full, but a full glass full.” He’s been doing a “s—tload” since stopping work. The frustrations of dealing with some people in the medical profession who seemed not to want

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REALITIES: Dementia advocate Phil Hazell and his assistance dog Sarah. Mr Hazell to continue living a full and engaged life has driven him to be proactive in profiling how people with dementia can in its early stages, live well and outside of care through his advocacy work. “I’m not cactus yet,” he said. “If I don’t get it done quickly in the next five or 10 years, I won’t get anything done. It’s getting quite urgent.” Mr Hazell is an advocate for Dementia Australia, chair of the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee, and advocate for assistance dogs for dementia and participating in research trials.

“In one of these I mentor people who have just been diagnosed with dementia so they can see it’s not the end of the world,” he said. “I am a living example of living well with dementia.” “With dementia, it’s not all the time that you are living with it,” he added. “Sometimes it can one day out of a fortnight or a couple of days a week.” At home Mr Hazell is responsible for keeping his home tidy while his wife, Jan, is out at full-time work. He also does some cooking. When it comes to exercise, he says he is “slack”. “I should be doing it, absolutely.”

He does get moving when he walks Sarah, his assistance dog. Sarah is with him everywhere, flying around Australia as Mr Hazell takes his living well message to all states. The specially trained labrador even has her own boarding ticket which she carries to the check-in gate. If he gets lost when he out of the house or gets confused: “Sarah comes in very tight and cuddles me. That gives me the chance to sit down for 10 minutes and get my mind back as to where I am or what I should be doing.” Sarah finds Mr Hazell’s keys, phone and wallet

before he leaves home each day. “Otherwise I would be wandering the house trying to find all these items to get out of the house,” he said. “If I can’t find these items I literally can’t get out of the house.” And that is critical to Mr Hazell as he is on the move as much as he can for as long as he can. His advice to people with dementia and those caring for them is to contact the counsellors at Dementia Australia on 1800 100 500. “I was at my wit’s end and they listened to me, and when I got off the phone, I felt a lot better,” Mr Hazell added.

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WELLBEING

Fast action saves her husband’s life

A STROKE survivor has paid tribute to his wife for knowing the F.A.S.T signs of stroke and saving his life in the lead up to National Stroke Week (September 2-8). In 2015, Rocco Giandomenico, 82, was with his wife Cecilia, 78, in their kitchen when Cecilia noticed Rocco’s speech sounded strange and she couldn’t understand what he was saying. They had sat down to eat fresh watermelon from their garden when Rocco kept touching his forehead and slurring his words. Recognising the signs of a stroke, Cecilia rushed Rocco to the near-by local hospital – five minutes away. On seeing the seriousness of Rocco’s condition, health professionals quickly organised a transfer by ambulance to the larger Tamworth Hospital for treatment in the stroke ward. Here, Rocco was given a brain scan and

treated for stroke. Rocco said he would forever be grateful Cecilia knew the F.A.S.T signs of stroke and sought medical help quickly. “Cecilia is my love and my hero,” he said. “I would never have gone to the hospital without her taking action and next year we’ll celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary, with our children and 13 grandchildren.” Using the F.A.S.T test involves asking these simple questions: ■ Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped? ■ Arms Can they lift both arms? ■ Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you? ■ Time is critical. If you see any of these signs call triple zero (000) straight away Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability. It occurs when blood supply to the brain is disrupted, either by a

blocked blood vessel or a leaking blood vessel. Treatments can stop this damage, but they must be delivered quickly. Stroke Foundation New South Wales State Manager Rhian Paton-Kelly applauded Cecilia on her quick thinking. “Cecilia‘s quick action in recognising the signs of stroke and getting Rocco to hospital meant he reached treatment quickly and is able to live well after his stroke with his family,” Ms Paton-Kelly said. “The more people who know the F.A.S.T signs of stroke message and to call an ambulance at the first sign, the better. “Share this important message with your friends, family and colleagues this Stroke Week.” For more on National Stroke Week, go to strokefoundation.org.au.

F.A.S.T signs of stroke and saving his life in the lead up to National Stroke Week (September 2-8).

Rocco Giandomenico with his wife Cecilia.

Sobering tale for your health Seven tips that can help you get off the grog Try to take up activities that do not involve drinking, such as going to the movies, enrolling in painting classes or joining book clubs. You could also think of preparing meals that do not naturally go with alcohol, such as Asian and other spicy food. ■ Identify your drinking triggers. Whether it is your way of winding down after a hectic day or a way to socialise, recognising what triggers you to drink will help you to avoid them and to stay away from alcohol. ■ Limit or avoid social situations with a big drinking scene. It is much easier to abstain from alcohol when you are not in the vicinity of other drinkers or where drinks are consistently flowing. Do not feel pressured to accept invitations to events with plenty of drinking. Instead, host a dinner party or encourage

meet-ups at restaurants and cafes, instead of bars. ■ Surround yourself with sober friends. Join groups motivated to stay sober or get friends or family to also take a few weeks off alcohol with you. This will help you avoid the pressure of having to drink. Being around people with the same goal can also improve your mental health, as you are not encountering social pressure to drink. You may also, as a group, seek sponsorship and donations to charities. ■ Choose alternatives for when you want to drink. When you would normally pop a bottle of champagne, opt for a different type of drink, such as sparkling mineral water or another alcohol-free drink. If you are still socialising regularly, take along a non-alcoholic beer and put it in a stubby holder. That

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way, the stigma of not drinking will be taken away. ■ Put your personal spend on drinks towards another goal. Get yourself financially motivated by putting aside the money you would normally spend on alcohol. A few drinks here and there won’t put a dent in your wallet but spending on alcohol daily or weekly can add up quickly. When you put pause on drinking, you may be surprised by how much you save.

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WE are risking our health by continuing to drink too much alcohol and too often. More than two standard drinks per day on a regular basis is high risk. One in five of us are at that level of consumption. Wesley Hospital’s Drug and Alcohol Program director, Professor John Saunders, has seven top tips on how to stop. ■ Identify your motivation to stay dry. Dry July allows for plenty of opportunities to raise money for alcohol-related health problems, such as heart disease and cancer, by getting sponsored by friends and family to abstain from alcohol. If staying away from alcohol is difficult, remind yourself that you are doing it primarily for yourself, but others will benefit. ■ Keep busy. Opening the wine bottle can often be the result of boredom or an easy way to de-stress.

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Living

Homes that are adapted to your needs

ON DISPLAY: “Silver Level” Adaptable Living Design at 97 Cronin Road Highfields.

Photos: Matt Edwards

A local builder stretched the boundaries to bring a home for all stages BRAND INSIGHTS BUILDER Kevin Morris has adjusted his business to include Adaptable Living Homes. Adaptable Living Homes follows the Liveable Housing Australia guidelines and is bolstered by the National Disability Insurance (NDIS) market of housing. These guidelines are about making homes easier to access, navigate and live in. By doing this as part of the building process there is provision for a more cost-effective way to adapt to changes in life and make it easier to change your home to suit,

as opposed to changing afterwards which can be a very costly experience. The business aims to build homes that assist the ageing community and to cater for people or families with disabilities. They can also meet the needs of young families with kids and people with sporting or traumatic injuries. They say that the key to a Liveable Housing Design is to build homes that meet the ever-changing needs of the occupants across their lifetime. ■ Profile: Kevin Morris I started my carpentry apprenticeship in 1977 and became a licenced builder in 2009 under my

‘‘

Easy to enter; Easy to navigate in and around; Capable of easy and cost-effective adaptation. own name and formed a company in 2014; Kev Morris Builder Pty Ltd and have been trading as a licenced builder under that name since.I am a member of the HIA & Master Builders and also a member of the Independent Builders Network, which has opened opportunities I thought I would never active as a small local builder.

The interior is designed to make it easy to navigate between areas.

The old question was, how can I compete against the bigger players in the industry? As a member of IBN and their network of builders and as a group, we could negotiate pricing with suppliers. Which in turn helped my business be competitive. ■ Why the display Home I had looked at originally building a

display home in another estate, my idea was to keep the design affordable and to suit the type of buyers in that estate & area. As the time went by (dealing with the bank) an opportunity to join the Builders Guild in The Avenues of Highfields Estate came up. At the same time Independent Builders Network saw the need in the housing market for homes that meet Liveable Housing Design Guidelines. As I had experience as a parent with a child with a disability & special needs, I knew a display home that would meet the Silver standard for Liveable Housing Design was an opportunity to be the first builder in Toowoomba to show case “Adaptable Living”. I used an existing IBN design for a 3 bedroom with a large living area and modified it to a 4 bedroom home and complies with the Silver level for Liveable Housing Design Guidelines and is certified. ■ The Display Home Features The home is orientated on the block, so the Northern sun is facing the main living rooms and outdoor area. This also helps with the solar panels on the roof to be facing the northern sun. The first feature as you approach the home is the Façade. Hampton style. Gables & Hardies cladding to the external

walls over a brick base. To add to the Hampton style, I have built a gatehouse and a front timber fence. The brick base comes up to the underside of the front windows with sill bricks to complete the look.The garage is 6500mm wide, & 6000mm deep with built in cupboards for storage. The entry level from the garage to the hall is zero as well. Benefits Of Building An Adaptable Living Home Homes are designed with comfort, safety and ease of access as core design features. These features make it easier for parents to manoeuvre prams, easier to carry the shopping into the house, easier for people with a disability or temporary injury to move around and create a more spacious environment for the ageing. These features allow key living spaces to be more easily and cost effectively adapted to meet the changing needs and abilities of home occupants such as ageing baby boomers and people who have or acquire disability. A few design aspects that best explain this: ■ Easy to enter; Easy to navigate in and around ■ Capable of easy and cost-effective adaptation ■ Responsive to the changing needs of home occupants. For more, go to kevmorrisbuilder.com.au or phone 0417 641 383.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

LIVING

BEST FRIEND: Tricia Miles with Shelly, who was surrendered to YAPS at 3.5 years-old as she was eating all the chooks on a farm.

Photo: Contributed

Best friend fights for dogs Tracey Johnstone

TRICIA Miles is the best friend of many a dog living in Queensland. The retired foreign affairs personal secretary is a prolific letter writer and petition signatory, and woman of action. Her passion is championing the wellbeing of all animals, and dogs in particular, in Cairns and the nearby Aboriginal communities. “I have developed a social conscious in my old age,” Tricia, 75, said. “There is so much animal cruelty everywhere.” After working and travelling overseas for 28

years without a pet in sight, Tricia found her permanent home in Cairns with husband Nev. It was then she realised how much she had missed not having a pet in her adult life. With time on her hands, she found delight in being around dogs and helping make a difference to the lives of those that had been abandoned, mistreated or needing support. Tricia founded the volunteer group Animal Care for Seniors at Home (ACSAH) which brings together older community members and their pets with volunteers who help to do some of the basic tasks involved in ensuring these pets receive the necessary care in their

owners’ homes. “We try to keep them together for as long as possible,” she said. “I was seeing old dogs being surrendered to YAPS because people couldn’t care for the animal. That was heartbreaking.” Tricia set up ACSAH in 2013. “We coerced, nagged and bribed people to turn up for a meeting which ended up with 30 or 40 people,” she said. “Everybody said it sounded like a good idea. That was the impetus to keep going. “People were interested and did think there was a need to help our elderly and frail so they could stay together in their home with their pets.”

The group started with just Tricia and a few like-minded friends but has since grown to 64 volunteers working with about 55 clients. “The delight and relief when you knock on a client’s door – and Fido is even more happy to see you than the human client – that makes it worthwhile to keep them together in their own home,” she said. Tricia has since stepped back from a day-to-day role with ACSAH so she can spend more time volunteering with the Young Animals Protection Society (YAPS). “I’d rather be a foot soldier now than a general,” she said. “There are now so many more younger and more

competent people helping ACSAH.” Five days a week she is at the YAPS refuge exercising dogs and helping with fundraising. They deal with cats and dogs at the no-kill refuge. “Animals end up at YAPS for a variety of reasons – abandoned, surrendered, found – all terribly sad and bewildering for the animal,” she said. “There is a dog for everyone,” she added. “YAPS, for me, is a happy place. “There is hope for a better life for the dogs and cats.” Tricia keeps beating the drum even though at times it’s hard and she is starting to feel tired. “One of the ways that I

keep coping without being on the front line and seeing a lot of the atrocities, is by not running things any more; just being there when someone needs me,” she said. Tricia continues her ongoing bombardment of state and federal politicians, journalists and animal defenders. “A sympathetic indigenous voice is desperately needed to educate community people on the benefit to children of having a healthy pet,” Tricia said. “It would create so much love. “This is just one of the many things in my head, but I can’t put them into practise as I don’t have the capabilities.”

Aussie men are living longer AUSTRALIAN men are now living longer than any other group of males, Australian National University (ANU) researchers have found. The study introduces a new way of measuring life expectancy, accounting for the historical mortality conditions that today’s older generations lived through. By this measure, Australian men, on average, live to 74.1.

The news is good for Australian women too. The study shows they’re ranked second, behind their Swiss counterparts. ANU’s Dr Collin Payne, who co-led the study, said: “popular belief has it that Japan and the Nordic countries are doing really well in terms of health, wellbeing, and longevity. But Australia is right there”. The results have a lot to do with long term stability and the fact

Australia’s had a high standard of living for a really, really long time. Simple things like having enough to eat, and not seeing a lot of major conflict play a part.” Dr Payne said there were a number of factors which might have contributed to the new rankings. “Mortality was really high in Japan in the 30s, 40s and 50s. In Australia, mortality was really low

during that time,” Dr Payne said. “French males, for example, drop out because a lot of them died during WW2, some from direct conflict, others from childhood conditions.” Dr Payne is now hoping to get enough data to look at how rankings have changed over the last 30 or 40 years. The research was published in the journal Population Studies.

LONGER LIVES: Long term stability and a high standard of living has helped Aussie men. Photo: Purestock

MONEY

SEPTEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

‘‘

IN BRIEF INHERITANCE GREED BLOCKED

THE Australian Banking Association’s CEO Anna Bligh has renewed her call for the Federal Government to establish a national online register of Power of Attorney (POA) orders, standardise laws and legislate a designated safe place to report elder financial abuse. A new campaign launched by the ABA, Stop Elder Financial Abuse, has been launched as new research reveals almost six in 10 Australians are worried that someone they know will be the victim of this insidious abuse. The campaign calls on governments across to act and establish POA laws which are the same across the country and protect people from this kind of abuse; a National Power of Attorney register to check if documents are legitimate and current; and somewhere to report abuse in each state that can investigate and act. To get involved in the campaign: ■ Ensure your older family members have a trusted POA to protect their assets in the future. Speak to a solicitor or find out more at financiallyfit females.com.au. ■ Share your story. If you know a person who has experienced financial abuse, email mystory@ bauer-media.com.au (all stories will be treated with the strictest confidence). ■ Sign the petition to change the laws at ausbanking.org.au/ elderabuse.

FALSE TAX AGENTS

THE ATO warns taxpayers to keep an eye out for people posing as tax agents who are not registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. These preparers tend to promise refunds that sound too good to be true or provide discounted services much cheaper than legitimate registered tax agents. Unregistered preparers often use a taxpayer's personal login details to access their ATO Online account through myGov to lodge tax returns. Only registered tax agents can charge a fee to prepare and lodge tax returns. To protect yourself : check your tax agent is registered at tpb.gov.au/searchregister, protect your myGov login details and password (you should not share these details with anyone, including your tax agent and know your tax affairs). To report an unregistered tax agent, go tpb.gov.au/complaints or ato.gov.au/tipoff.

It talks about how to deal with financial advice, what questions to ask

NEW BOOK: Author and financial industry expert of 40 years, Alan Kohler offer financial advice.

Photo: Phoebe Wynne

Look after your money

Tracey Johnstone INDUSTRY expert Alan Kohler says you don’t need to be an expert to manage your money well, but you do need to know how to choose trustworthy advisers and services. Now is as good a time as any to reassess, question and reassure yourself of your financial arrangements. “It’s your money, not someone else’s,” Kohler said. “Nobody else is going to look after it for you.” “You should absolutely assess your relationship with your current financial advisor,” Kohler added. “You should understand what you are paying them for and what they are doing for you, just like any

other service you buy.” In his new book, It’s Your Money, as one of Australia’s most trusted financial experts and a first-hand observer of the industry for more than 40 years, Kohler offers unique insights into and thorough analysis of the crisis in financial services. “What I am trying to do with the book is ensure people don’t get bamboozled by saying, ‘oh well, that’s what it costs’.” What he recommends is people question the value of the service being provided and if they don’t think it is valuable, then say so. “If they won’t negotiate their fee or talk to you about it, then go somewhere else,” he adds. Kohler’s book explains how the stage was set for financial industry

corruption, breaks down the Royal Commission’s findings and unpacks what it means for you. “I think the Royal Commission showed us that there are problems in the financial advice system,” he said. “Maybe some of them will be fixed up but fundamentally they won’t be fixed up because Kenneth Hayne, the Royal Commissioner, has decided not to deal with the fundamental conflict of interests that lie at the heart of the financial advice industry which is advisors may, or may not be, employed by the wealth managers who look after the money. That is the say the financial advisors may be a doctor whose employed by the drug company; you just don’t know.”

He shares his investing philosophy and offers advice on all aspects of financial planning, including appraising financial plans, growing your superannuation, and finding ethical investments. He gives you the knowledge and insight you need to invest sensibly to

protect and grow your money. “I’m not saying people should look after their own money,” Kohler said. “Most people need to have a financial advisor. “What this book will do is arm people with the knowledge that will put them in a stronger position in dealing with financial advisors. “It talks about how to deal with financial advice, what questions to ask and how to provide one. It also provides information and knowledge that gives you enough knowledge that you know broadly speaking what the financial advisor is doing so that you are able to talk to them with a level of knowledge that protects you.” Published by Blank Inc Books, RRP$34.99.

What discounts can save you money? WHO doesn’t love a discount? There’s something rewarding about scoring something for a little bit less than what it was originally priced at. I always recommend to clients to keep their eyes peeled for discounts and I also give them these top discount tips. State government discount cards Check out the discounts that are available through your State government. Some states also offer

discounts on rates and water subsidies, electricity and gas concessions, vehicle and boat registration, transport concessions, and medical and disability concessions. Shopping services The phone-based Senior Shopper service will help you get the best price on a range of goods and services such as electrical goods, travel, motor vehicles, computers, mowers, power tools, lawn bowls gear, plus much more.

Pharmaceutical and health If you qualify for the Age Pension, you’ll automatically be able to access additional subsidies through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which offers discounted pricing for approved medication. Travel Making the most of the discounts available can help you knock a few hundred dollars off the total cost of each trip, which can free up cash for even more travel

experiences. Additionally, and this isn’t seniors specific but still a good consideration for saving money on travel, you should make the most of loyalty memberships. Airline loyalty programs, for example, are a great way to save on the cost of flights by using points to pay or you can use your points to score an upgrade. Check in to not cheque out Check in on your financial health once a

year to ensure you’re getting all the discounts that are available to you and that you’re not paying for services you no longer use. Set the date and review your finances. A lot of people do this at tax time or at the beginning of the calendar year. For the full story, go to seniorsnews.com.au. Dianne Charman of Jade Financial Group, is an Authorised Representative of AMP Financial Planning Pty Ltd, AFS Licence No. 232706.

SENIORS \\SEPTEMBER, 2019

MONEY

Be on toes with scams It pays not to drop your guard at any time of the night or day Scamwatch IMAGINE you’re sitting at home having dinner when the phone rings. You answer and the person on the line says they’re from Medicare. They know your name and address, and they tell you you’re owed a Medicare refund. All you need to do is make a small initial payment to cover administration fees, and they’ll deposit the rebate into your bank account. What would you do? “Hang up the phone,” Emma Cuthbert, from the Department of Human Services, said. “This is a scam. We’d never ask you to pay us money to issue you with a rebate. If you hand over your money you’ll be left out of pocket. “If scammers get your credit card or banking details, they can drain your accounts or rack up thousands of dollars in charges.” Telephone scams can

seem very convincing, especially when the scammer knows details about you. They might claim to be from well-known organisations, and try to get you to act quickly, or give them your personal information. How the department can help you “It’s so important to keep your personal information secure, and not to freely share it without verifying who’s asking for it and why they need it,” Emma said. “Our website has lots of great information to help you identify, report and protect yourself against scams pretending to be from us. “If you need tailored support, staff on our helpdesk can provide expert advice on how to protect your personal information, and can confirm if information you’ve received about our services is a scam. “We also support customers who responded to a scam,

SCAM WATCH: Be aware, be wise and report scams to Scamwatch. Photo: herraez which may include adding additional security measures to their records.” Emma said they get calls from people who have been contacted by someone claiming to be from the department. “They hang up and call us, so we can check to see if the call was genuine or not,” she said. “This is exactly the right action to take. “We do call, SMS or email people from time to time, and may ask questions to confirm we are speaking to the correct person. But our staff never ask you to

provide personal information or documents by email, text message or social media.” What to look out for Although text messages and emails are common ways for scammers to contact people, Delia Rickard, the deputy chairwoman at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said older Australians are still most commonly scammed over the phone. “It’s easy to get access to landline numbers, and older people are more likely to have a landline and be home to answer

the phone,” Delia said. Emma added that many people call the department’s helpdesk after noticing suspicious activity in their online accounts, or after responding to a scam. “One of the most common scams older Australians call about is the promise of an increase in their pension,” Emma said. “Scammers promise back payment of their pension, but only after they pay a small application fee using gift cards. People may also be told the application fee will be refunded later. “All this combined means these scams are more likely to be successful. “Other signs it could be a scam are when the caller tells you a debt needs to paid immediately over the phone and threatens you with legal action or fines if you don’t comply.” What to do if you think you’ve been scammed If you think your identity documents might have been compromised,

Money Emma said people should contact the department’s Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk on 1800 941 126. “People who call the helpdesk can sometimes be embarrassed to talk about their experience,” she said. “They may ring to say they want a new Medicare card, but they don’t want to say why. When we slowly unpack what has happened, it becomes clear they’ve been scammed. It’s important for people to know they’re not the only ones to fall victim to scams.” Delia also encouraged people to report scams to Scamwatch. “The easiest way to do this is using our online form at scamwatch. gov.au. “It helps the ACCC let Australians know the scams doing the rounds, how to avoid them and what to do if they see one. “Sharing your experiences of scams with friends, neighbours and relatives can help protect them in the future.”

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