Wide Bay, November 2019

November, 2019 FREE

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INSIDE PROFILE EX-POLICE COMMISSIONER CHRISTINE NIXON FINDS NEW WORLDS OF GIVING IN RETIREMENT

ENVIRONMENT ELECTRIC CAR, SOLAR PANELS, PROTESTS: MEET ONE LADY WHO HAS GONE GREEN

Focus ON FRIENDS We’re all social animals and we need to belong A VALENTINES

AFTERNOON AT THE

ADVENTURE LEGENDARY ANTARCTIC EXPLORER: SYD KIRKBY’S FEARS AND TRIUMPHS SOCIAL TRAVEL, HEALTH, WEALTH AND HAPPINESS

A U S T R A L I A N G L O B A L E N T E R TA I N M E N T P R E S E N T S

A MUSICAL SPECTACULAR

PROMS

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WELCOME

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INDEX 3 News - Walk your way to better health 4 Profile Story - Christine Nixon 6 News - The green behind the grey 8 News - Doing dying differently 10 What’s on 12 Feature Story - Syd Kirkby 15 Wanderlust 20 Living 21 Wellbeing 25 Classifieds 26 Community group guide 27 Puzzles

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Community news and local events

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Wellbeing and tips for good health

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Pioneering legends Gail Forrer Seniors Group Editor THIS month we feature explorers and pioneers of land, mind and electric cars!

Besides the great youthful achievements of our featured profiles, these people have also moved into mature age and transformed their skills to suit the times.

In my books, this part of our lives offers fresh opportunities to re-assess our lifestyle and what really matters, to speak up or change our minds or indeed, just settle down.

For me, it’s remaining curious besides recognising and happily remaining open to change.

Margaret McDonald is certainly driven by future environmental concerns for her children and grandchildren.

Journalist Alison Houston spoke to Margaret about how she fared during an extensive trip in her new Hyundai Kona.

While many of us pay lip service to climate change, among other things, Margaret has installed solar panels on her home, moved to a vegetarian diet three days a week and uses her ‘keep’ cup for coffee in order to reduce her carbon footprint.

Tracey Johnstone speaks

to another trailblazer, Christine Nixon, the first woman to be appointed a police commissioner, about her life after work. Frankly, in her community service endeavours, she seems as energetic as ever.

The story of legendary Antarctica surveyor Syd Kirkby and his Antarctic adventures, including great pictures, is published across a two-page spread.His explanations and insights describing his pioneering explorations in this wild and beautiful part of the world are awe-inspiring.

In our Living section, Tracey Johnstone has taken an in-depth look at something many of us suffer from — loneliness. Her feature tackles the subject head-on and talks about how we can reach out, change directions and, if necessary, find medical support.

I hope you enjoy the read.

CONTACT US General Manager Geoff Crockett – 07 5430 1006 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 07 5435 3203 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Mark Smith - 07 3327 3327 mark.smith@newsregionalmedia.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 “Wide Bay 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.

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Responsibility for election material in this paper is taken by Gail Forrer, cnr Mayne Road & Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006.

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

NEWS

FEELING GOOD: The Heart Foundation is offering an incentive to get fit at home and on holiday.

Walk your way to better health prize

THE Heart Foundation has kicked off a national walking challenge to encourage Australians to get moving for better health, while also earning them the chance to win a holiday to Thailand.

The six-week "Put Your Foot Down" Challenge is being run by Heart Foundation Walking, Australia’s largest free walking community.

It started on November 1 and runs through until Tuesday, December 10.

For every 100,000 steps walked during the challenge period, as tracked by the Heart Foundation Walking app, participants will go into the draw to win an eight-day holiday for two to Thailand valued at more than $5000.

Other great prizes are also on offer.

Heart Foundation Group CEO, Adjunct Professor John Kelly AM, said winning a holiday was a strong incentive to participate in the challenge, but there was an even greater prize on offer.

"Heart disease is still the single leading cause of death in Australia, claiming 48 lives every day, or one every 30 minutes," Professor Kelly said.

"Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease and, sadly, more

‘‘

Participants will go into the draw to win an eight-day holiday for two to Thailand

than 50 per cent of adult Australians fail to meet physical activity guidelines," he said.

"By taking part in our challenge, you will be ‘putting your foot down’ on heart disease and improving your own heart health with every single, decisive step."

Research showed walking had many and varied health benefits, Professor Kelly said.

"A brisk walk for 30 to 60 minutes most days can improve other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and being overweight.

“It can also reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke and some cancers," he said.

"What’s good for your heart is also good for your brain - walking helps stave off the decline in memory, planning and

thinking skills that can occur with ageing, and reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

"Walking is also good for psychological health.

“Physical activity can improve self-esteem, alertness, mood and sleep quality, and reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue.

“Active people are less likely to become depressed, and staying active can help people who are depressed to recover.

"Starting slowly and gradually building up over time is the best way to safely increase fitness levels.

“It can be as easy as getting off the bus two stops early, parking further away from the office, or changing your usual walking route to explore different areas of your neighbourhood.

"If walking were a medicine, we’d all be taking it every day and reaping remarkable health benefits.

“But if that’s not incentive enough, join our walking challenge for the chance to win some amazing prizes, along with recognition for your efforts throughout your journey."

To learn more about the challenge, visit Heart Foundation Walking.

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PROFILE STORY

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Trailblazer then and now: In the line of fire for us Tracey Johnstone CHRISTINE Nixon is a woman of conviction who has stood in the line of fire in so many ways.

She’s an outstanding changemaker and leader with a deep sense of community who at age 66 is facing her own and her family’s realities of ageing.

Ms Nixon was the first woman in Australia to be appointed a police commissioner, taking on the role in Victoria in 2001 and holding it for eight years.

She climbed up through the ranks, never wavering from her belief that her gender was irrelevant in relation to her ability to be a leader... but the appointment still came as a surprise.

“I was shocked,” she said, having previously applied unsuccessfully for both the South Australia and the NSW police commissioner jobs.

“I figured I had a lot knowledge and skills, experience and exposure.

My father was the one who encouraged me to think about Victoria.

“I never thought a NSW police officer would get to be the police commissioner in Victoria.

“It was very public, very high profile; it was a tricky job.”

And the support of her father wasn’t always there. When she decided to enter the NSW police force aged 19, it was against his will.

“In those days there were very few opportunities,” she said, with the job choices for women mainly secretarial, nursing or teaching.

“University was out of the question for many reasons,” she said. “I wasn’t really taken by the options and my father was a police officer. And I was tall enough, just.”

She had to wait several months before she was accepted in October 1972. In those days the NSW police had a quota of only 130 women.

There were many highs

‘‘

... but I did know lots about people who are poor and need support. and a few low points in her outstanding career.

“Few women are in high-profile roles, so you are very likely to attract a lot of attention and a lot of heat,” Ms Nixon said.

“Until we get to a point where a woman in a senior position is not anything unusual, and I think we are a long way from there, then you know you are going to get criticised. Part of it is knowing it’s going to happen. Sometimes you have stuffed it up and sometimes you are just being blamed.”

Working Monday to Friday has finally stopped for Ms Nixon after 38 years on the police force and 15 months working as Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconciliation and Recovery Authority.

But that doesn’t mean she has stopped working per se.

She took her own advice of thinking about what was going to happen next before she made the decision to leave the force.

“I decided I wanted to be involved in some not-for-profit organisations and I thought I would sit on some boards, perhaps for companies,” Ms Nixon said. “I also decided that I knew a lot about women’s leadership, and I wanted to encourage women to think about taking up management and leadership positions.”

Most recently, she completed the role of Chair of the national organisation Good Shepherd Microfinance, which she started in 2012.

The sisters of Good

TRANSITIONS: Former Victorian police commissioner Christine Nixon reshapes her life to suit a busy retirement.

Photo: Aaron Francis

Shepherd of Australia and New Zealand wanted a much greater focus on their no-interest loans, and they asked Ms Nixon to set up the organisation and chair the board.

“I told them I didn’t know a lot about microfinance, but I did know lots about people who are poor and need support and shouldn’t be exploited,” she said, with the organisation now providing about 30,000 loans a year.

“The loans are available to anyone across Australia who are pensioners,” she said proudly.

Ms Nixon’s current roles are chair of Monash College in Melbourne and a councillor and deputy chancellor at Monash University. She also leads conversations on women’s leadership as a

result the Women Leading book she co-wrote with Professor Amanda Sinclair and presents to conferences and events on organisational change.

She has about 18 months to go on current commitments and then will turn her focus back to advocating for reducing violence against women.

“While I was in the police, I spent a lot of time working with community organisations about family violence,” she said. “I am also a patron of Family Violence Centre and I am on the university advisory group.”

Her valuable former professional will come into play in this work.

“I visited the current police commissioner recently and he said he was happy to be involved in whatever I like,” she said.

Ms Nixon’s life is anything but ordinary, yet the way she has coped with the stresses of life in the past and present is not dissimilar to many of us.

In Sydney, her ageing father of 92 is steadfastly still living at home since losing his wife to dementia three years ago.

Ms Nixon’s brother lives nearby, and she talks to her father daily and visits often.

“You have to do some thinking about the future but certainly I know a vast amount of people finish up dying in their own homes, not in a nursing home,” she said.

Her life at home in a country town outside of Melbourne is happily filled with mosaics, painting and drawing.

The backyard has two sheds: one for her

creative work and another for her husband John Becquet’s work on technology interests.

“What has driven us where we are now is a need for a community around us,” she said.

It’s giving her the chance to become reconnected to people, something she really values.

Ms Nixon recognises we are all living in a state of flux but that doesn’t mean that people like herself can’t still effect positive change.

She has chosen not to go down the politics pathway, but instead use her leadership skills and community awareness to look at what’s happening and at the evidence to help create positive change elsewhere during what she calls the next phase of her life.

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NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

The green behind the grey Alison Houston MARGARET McDonald is a pioneer of sorts — one of a relative handful of Australians who own fully electric cars.

An RMIT ABC Fact Check report in June found just 0.2 per cent of new cars sold in Australia are electric and we have the lowest sale rates of any developed OECD country.

Concerned about the environmental future for her children and grandchildren, and inspired by attending last year’s Sydney’s Antidote festival of ideas, action and change, Margaret, from Erina on NSW’s Central Coast, took delivery of her new Hyundai Kona in August.

She has also installed solar panels in her home and moved to a vegetarian diet three days a week in order to reduce her carbon footprint.

The 74-year-old also demonstrated at the school climate change protest in The Domain, has reduced her plane travel and become more aware of recycling.

That includes never buying bottled water and rejecting takeaway coffee unless she has her ‘keep cup’ with her.

“I just think about my grandchildren and what an awful thing we are leaving for them,” Margaret said.

With too many politicians having ignored the environmental consequences of fossil fuel reliance and the need to invest in alternatives, she said she believed it was up to every individual to do what they could.

Recognising the prudence of waiting until the cost of electric cars came down and there was greater infrastructure available, Margaret

CHARGING AHEAD: Margaret McDonald recharges her Hyundai Kona at Euroa, Victoria, where a different system to NSW requires you to download and use an app to recharge.

Photo: Alison Houston nevertheless decided that with limited driving years ahead, and change unlikely until more people purchase the cars, she would take the step to electric.

“I feel a little glow when I go out, knowing I am not causing any pollution,” Margaret said.

And she allows herself the occasional snigger as she watches the rising petrol prices to which she is now completely immune.

Margaret also is electricity bill-free, with the 20 solar panels she has installed in her home providing three times more electricity than she

uses, and contributing back to the grid.

But she admits, the initial outlay for both the panels and the car were significant, and a lot more planning is required to travel long distances to ensure a suitable recharging stop is available.

Margaret said her SUV-style Kona was about $65,000, but has a far greater range (450km) than the smaller alternative Ioniq (230km).

With a charger installed in her garage, she has not had a problem getting around the Coast — recharging only twice in five weeks — but decided

in September to test out a longer distance, driving to Bacchus Marsh in Victoria to visit her sister, a round trip of 2288km.

She discovered the Plugshare app which allowed her to type in the vehicle make and her destination and showed all suitable charging stations along the route.

Much like mobile phones, she said, not all chargers suit all cars, with many aimed at the more expensive Tesla brand.

She explained there were three ways to charge an electric car: a DC fast-charger takes 30-60

minutes depending on how low the battery is; an AC charger takes nine hours to fully charge; and the portable charger (suitable for any household socket) takes 24 hours to recharge.

The NRMA has installed free DC fast-charging stations near parks and tourist information centres in country areas, and the RACV at highway service stations (requiring a ChargeFox App to use).

However, Margaret said she was surprised to find large towns like Wagga Wagga and Goulburn did not have chargers to suit her car, while in Canberra you had to apply for a

swipe card which can take 5-10 days.

Another issue which Margaret hadn’t counted on was that the car’s range changes with the environment, so travelling at high speed and climbing the escarpment from Nowra to Jugiong drained her battery far faster than general driving.

“I was panic-stricken for a while,” she said, but remembered an article she had read and slowed her speed sufficiently to get to the charge point with about 50km to spare.

“As I had drained the battery to such a low point, it took 60 minutes to re-charge so I took the opportunity to have a cup of coffee and lunch,” she said.

She reflected that this was another bonus of the electric car, forcing her to take rest stops rather than continuing driving tired as she might otherwise have done.

She did run into other problems on the way, including using the Victorian app, but said the return journey was uneventful as she had become accustomed to the process.

“It was quite an adventure and a bit stressful at times but that is mostly to do with the lack of infrastructure,” Margaret said, with ranges of 170-265km between chargers.

For everyday driving around the Coast, she said the electric car was comfortable, easy to use, so quiet she sometimes forgot it was running, and had no exhaust or heat from the engine.

She has no regrets about her purchase, and says for the sake of a little extra planning and keeping an eye on the range, it is a positive step for the future.

Woolies zero-waste containers WOOWORTHS is introducing a zero-wastage food delivery system that delivers grocery essentials in reusable packaging.

From mid-2021 grocery shoppers will be able to receive products from their favourite brands in reusable containers, delivered right to their doors.

The system will allow customers to sustainably consume a variety of commonly used products such as washing detergent, shampoo, juice

or ice cream in customised, brand-specific, durable packaging that is delivered in a specially designed reusable shipping tote.

How Loop works Once they shop in-store or place an order online, Woolworths customers will receive their durable products, offered in upgraded reusable packaging, in Loop’s shipping tote which has been designed to be durable enough to safely transport shopping.

When finished with the product, consumers place the empty food containers into the Loop totes and go online to schedule a pickup from their home or drop it off at a nearby Woolworths store.

Loop will clean the packaging so that each product may be safely reused and replenished as needed at the consumer’s request.

Woolworths general manager of Quality, Health and Sustainability, Alex Holt said store customers were increasingly telling

them they wanted products that were good for them, and good for the planet.

“We are pleased to be working with innovative partners like TerraCycle to lead the way in offering new and cutting-edge solutions to cut down on plastic waste.”

To register interest to be involved in the initial Loop trial go to: woolworths.com.au/ shop/discover/ sustainability/loop.

LESS WASTE: The fight to reduce waste has taken a step forward with Woolworths introducing a new packaging system for shoppers.

Photo: Woolworths

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

NEWS

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NEWS

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Facts of retiring into rental stress Jacqueline Nielsen and Fatima Amershi UNIVERSITY OF QLD, MASTER OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENTS AUSTRALIA enjoys one of the highest life expectancies in the world with one in seven individuals aged 65 and over.

However, recent studies have found that a growing number of Australians are facing an uncertain housing future owing to fractured communication between government policies, particularly the

Age Pension and Commonwealth Rental Assistance Programs (CRA). As a result, the “golden years” lacks lustre for many older adults, with 24 per cent of Australians aged 65 and over living below the poverty line, having an annual income of $22,300 per year.

Beth, 94, has recently been forced to uproot her life and move from her house in Sydney to a small unit in Brisbane following the passing of her husband as she could not afford her house without her husband’s pension. She currently

receives $933 a fortnight on the Widow’s Pension, however, this is still not sufficient to cover her rent of $1158 a fortnight. As a result, she is having to spend $300-400 a month out of her savings, forcing her to sell her car and take public transport, impacting her ability to access the community.

“I couldn’t afford the car anymore so I had to take the bus … carrying groceries on there was far too hard for me so sometimes I went without.”

Unfortunately, Beth’s story is not an uncommon one faced by today’s

pensioners.

DECREASE IN SOCIAL HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP The Australian Housing Report cited that the social housing stock is not keeping pace with the demands of low-income renters, forcing many to rent privately. The rising cost of private rentals is unaccounted for within the Age Pension and CRA payments, resulting in 48 per cent of pensioners experiencing rental stress. On average, rental costs across major states is $330/week. Given the natural physical changes that come with age,

finding suitable options with longer term tenancy and home modifications is challenging to come across at an affordable price. This perpetual insecurity combined with the stress housing costs are the source of anxiety, depression and stress for many pensioners.

AGE PENSION AND CRA IS INADEQUATE A recent report by the Benevolent Society found that living on the age pension whilst living in private rental accommodation is the biggest indicator of poverty among older Australians.

■ At a glance, when considering the 2019 Age Pension and CRA rates published by the Department of Human Services, the maximum available payments are: • Maximum Age Pension rates of $460/week for singles and $698/week for a couple • Maximum CRA of $68/week for singles and $64/week for a couple According to a 2019 Annual Superannuation Report Australia, these numbers are not adequate to support a comfortable lifestyle.

Doing dying differently

A world-wide movement seeks change for the better WITH Australia’s ageing population set to double by 2050, The GroundSwell Project is advocating for local communities to bind together and become more involved in helping each other deal with the end-of-life stages of community members and their loved ones.

“Death is often over-medicalised and revolves around institutions; leaving out the resources families and friends offer and the value they add to the process,” said Holly Rankin-Smith, GroundSwell Project’s Compassionate Communities national lead.

Compassionate Communities (ComCom) is a global initiative started in the 1990s by Professor Allan Kellehear.

The approach champions community involvement around the social issues that surround end of life and helps minimise the stigma attached to the conversation about death.

‘‘

Death is often over medicalised and revolves around institutions The GroundSwell Project initiated the National Compassionate Communities Forum and the www.comcomhub.com website, in an attempt to further the growth potential for the movement in Australia.

“Too many Australians lack the choice, knowledge and decision-making power around their end of life and for those they care about,” CEO Jessie Williams said.

“Too often we hear of negative repercussions for people when they don’t feel empowered.”

The GroundSwell

Groundswell's Blue Mountains Willing Villagers.

Project is currently integrating the Compassionate Communities framework with nine communities around Australia.

One of these projects is The Blue Mountains’ Willing Villagers initiative.

This initiative aims to promote the idea that end of life is not the sole responsibility of healthcare professionals and providers but could be, and often is, a community mission.

The Villagers (“neighbours” in the Blue Mountains) have the support to reach out to their own networks to heighten the care for those who are less connected and need the extra compassion.

“It inspires increased tolerance and wider conversations in schools, businesses, community services, local government and social groups to normalise end of life instead of shying away from it and treating it like a forbidden topic,” Compassionate

INTRODUCTIONS: Groundswell CEO Jessie Williams meets with a community member.

Communities local lead Niki Read said.

The Willing Villagers program identifies and enables people who tend to naturally build strong connections, create and solidify relationships, and are in the know about local community events

and supports.

The program is closely linked to the one-on-one work taking place with GPs and small group initiatives that help with social connectedness, expanded choice and awareness about death and dying and end of life

practices.

The program’s activity has been funded by Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) and is the first of its kind in Australia.

Info: thegroundswel lproject.com

Blue Mountains Willing Villagers talking about Groundswell mission.

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

NEWS

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NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

What's on

STARRY NIGHT: Food n Grove Fridays is held in Pialba and has a licensed bar, so adults can enjoy a wine or beer with their dinner under the stars. There’s also stalls that offer a range of regional crafts, gifts and homewares.

Photo: gpointstudio

KILLER QUEEN

ENGLISH musical group Queen are one of the world’s most loved and most iconic rock bands.

Their legacy spans decades and generations, and their music brings joy to millions of people in hundreds of countries to this day.

Quite simply, the world loves Queen. Killer Queen are the 21st Century standard bearers and keepers of the flame for the memory and spirit of Queen.

It's safe to assure that Killer Queen are guaranteed to blow your mind. Book your tickets today, either online or at RSL reception. 18+ Show.

Tickets: Member $27; Non-Member $32.

Doors Open: 7pm for 8pm at the Hervey Bay RSL, Hervey House 11 Torquay Road, Pialba on November 23.

Phone 07 4197 7444 for more or Courtesy Bus 1300 775 287.

FOOD N GROOVE FRIDAYS

THIS event is set to bring City Park, adjacent to the Fraser Coast Cultural Centre in Pialba alive. Come and celebrate the Fraser Coast’s diversity and vibrant lifestyle through food and entertainment under the stars.

Don't miss this summer event that was launched in 2018 for locals and holiday-makers alike to enjoy, you can leave your kitchens behind each Friday and let someone else do the cooking for you.

Some stallholders will be offering tasting plates so you can try a variety of international dishes.

The event also includes a licensed bar, so adults

can enjoy a wine or beer with their dinner under the stars.

There will be stalls that will offer a range regional crafts, gifts and homewares. City Park, 166 Old Maryborough Road, Pialba from 4pm-9pm on Friday, December 6 then first for 2020 is Friday, January 3.

Email events@ fcte.com.au or phone 07 4196 9600 for more.

FRASER COAST POETS

HEAD along on the third Wednesday of the month from 1pm-3pm at the Hervey Bay Library (media room), 161 Old Maryborough Road, Hervey Bay. A place to meet other poets who love to write and share.

Learn tips and techniques to make your words come to life.

Prompts, brainstorming, discussion, feedback and fun with like-minded writers. No bookings required. All are welcome.

Phone 0401 767 127 or just come along.

Look up Facebook Fraser Coast Writers and Poets.

LOCAL MARKETS

MARKET lovers are spoilt for choice, with markets to visit every Thursday to Sunday.

Bauple Markets on fourth Saturday 7am-12noon, Band Hall, Bauple.

Burrum Heads Markets on second Saturday, Burrum Heads Community Hall, Burrum Heads.

Almost 50 stalls offer a variety of arts, crafts, gifts and foods to suit everyone.

Howard Country Markets on first Saturday 7am-noon, Steley Street,

Howard.

Fresh produce, local arts and crafts, plants, home made delights and clothing. Breakfast available from 7am.

Koala Markets on second, fourth and fifth Sunday 6am-noon, Kruger Court, Hervey Bay. Over 250 stalls of trash and treasure, antiques, books, arts and crafts, cakes and jams and local delights.

Marina Twilight Markets on every Friday 2.30pm-7.30pm, Boat Harbour, Urangan, Hervey Bay, Clothing, jewellery, and more.

Maryborough Heritage City Market on Thursdays 8am-1.30pm, Adelaide and Ellena Streets. Every Thursday, Maryborough's city centre transforms into a colourful, outdoor heritage bazaar. Meet a cast of characters in historical dress, including

the Town Crier, and hear the firing of the historic time cannon at 1pm.

Entertainers, unique wares, original hand-made craft, homemade treats, artwork, jewellery, clothes, natural beauty products and more.

Nikenbah Markets on first and third Sunday 6am-12noon, Nikenbah-Dundowran Road, Hervey Bay. Raising funds for the Hervey Bay Animal Refuge. Arts and crafts, fresh produce, trash and treasure, cakes and jams and much more.

Poona Markets on second Saturday 7am-2pm, Poona Community Hall, Poona.

Tiaro Markets on second Saturday 7am-12noon, Community Hall, Tiaro.

Torquay Beachside Markets on second and fourth Saturday 8am-2pm, Aquavue, Esplanade, Hervey Bay.

The diary designed to save life WITH National Breast Cancer Awareness Month coming to an end, now is the time to help save lives by supporting the 2020 Australian Women’s Health Diary.

The diary has become a much-loved addition to the lives of many thousands of women and last year raised $950,000.

All proceeds support breast cancer trials research that is identifying new treatments and prevention strategies research that could one

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SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

NEWS

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12

FEATURE STORY

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

‘Yes’ to a life of huge challenges

IMMENSITY: The vastness of the Antarctic made Syd Kirkby feel small as he set out with his dogs, sledges and two comrades. Photo:

Courtesy of Syd Kirkby.

Legendary surveyor’s awesome achievements Alison Houston

THE universal reaction to first experiencing Antarctica is “awe and wonder”, according to one of the country’s trailblazers, Syd Kirkby AO MBE. The 86-year-old retired surveyor, recognised by the Australian Museum as one of our 50 greatest explorers and by The Australian newspaper as one of our 10 greatest adventurers, said he had seen people “actually incapacitated by awe, they were just so overwhelmed by the grandeur, scale and magnificence”.

And despite wintering (1956-57, 1960-61 and 1979-81) and summering there (1961-62, 1962-63 and 1964-65 and 1979-80) as part of Australia’s Antarctic program, undertaking extensive sledging journeys for exploration and mapping, and returning in later years with tourists, he said Antarctica remained fascinating and incomparable.

Syd is recorded as having explored and mapped more of the Australian Antarctic Territory than anyone else – much of it by dogsled in temperatures to minus 70 degrees Celsius.

He established the most easterly, westerly and southerly astrofixes in the Australian Antarctic

Territory and with two comrades became the first and only people to explore the Prince Charles Mountains on the ground more than 60 years ago.

While he has not personally noticed any climate-related environmental changes over the years in Antarctica, he said “it behoves us to treat the planet with complete circumspection and care because that is the right thing to do” rather than continuing with our “profligate and careless use of resources”.

Living on the edge Syd said he had never felt any enmity or opposition from the continent, as some people articulated, but it was certainly not an environment to be taken lightly.

He recalled winds so strong they had picked up and blown a cable-tied DC3 plane over 12km, and spending months in a 2m x 1.5m tent, hundreds of miles from Mawson station, with just a handful of dogs and two comrades, knowing that a simple tear in the fabric could mean they perished.

“Knowing there is no salvation except as a result of your efforts and those of your two comrades is a very privileged feeling,” he said, comparing it to the bond of fellow soldiers or those united by natural disaster.

He said he had learnt a

lot “as a 22-year-old kid” working with former Second World War servicemen including Battle of Britain veterans during his first winter in Antarctica.

“They knew themselves, and they knew about bravery and honour and comradeship,” he said.

“To run like billy-oh trying to keep up with those men and then realise after a few months that they treated you just like one of them was pretty heady stuff … mind you, you’re not like them at all.”

However, Syd had fought his own battles to be there. He overcame childhood polio and being told he would never walk again through his own determination and his father’s dedication and gruelling exercise regime.

Syd described the comradeship between sledgers as “probably closer than most family relationships”, because so much time was spent in complete dependence on each other, traversing terrain knowing that “no feet have ever been where your feet are”.

Working with the sledge dogs, which he described as “wonderful and beautiful animals”, he said was also a privilege, although “a fairly sweaty and hardworking privilege”.

However, he admitted it was also a gruesome

Syd Kirkby in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Photo: Courtesy of USC activity.

“It was dirty, filthy, brutal, and often a death sentence for the dogs, but it worked at a time and place when nothing else would,” he said.

Although in his earliest expeditions about 85 per

Award-winning portrait of Syd Kirkby by Tom Macbeth.

Photo: Courtesy of

cent of Antarctica was unexplored, Syd does not see himself as an adventurer, with the label “explorer” sitting more comfortably with him.

“An adventurer is someone who does things for the gratification of the

Tom Macbeth

thrill; I and the people I worked with are some of the most rational people on Earth – you have to be to survive,” he said.

But having worked in both Antarctica and, at the other extreme, in the Great Sandy Desert with

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SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

FEATURE STORY

13

A long sea voyage on very rough seas in a small ship meant not being sick was a major preoccupation for about 10 days journeying to Antarctica, Syd Kirkby said.

Photo:

Courtesy of Syd Kirkby.

“I have practically never seen anyone not ennobled

by Antarctica and Antarctic service,” Syd said.

“It demands a great deal of you and you step up to that – you look at your comrades as giants,

Syd Kirkby said he did not see himself as an adventurer but an explorer.

Photo: Courtesy of Australian Museum territory covers nearly 5.9 million sq km, about 42 per cent of Antarctica and 80 per cent of the total area of Australia itself – as Syd said, “a serious bit of real estate”.

However, what he marvels at is that Australia gained this land at a time when we still only existed as a colony.

He regards the 1959

Antarctic Treaty as “remarkable”, its essence contained in a few short lines in Clause 4, which states that no unilateral action by any power will affect existing territorial claims.

That ensures there can be no “territorial ructions” or power plays, as feared in the Cold War days and just as likely during

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some of the last Aborigines living completely traditional tribal lifestyles in the 1950s, he said: “I have certainly been blessed to work in wondrous places”.

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6904985ae

‘‘

I have practically never seen anyone not ennobled by Antarctica and Antarctic service

and they are tough as goats’ knees yet as concerned as any mother.”

He recalled his team running beside or behind the sledge typically 20 nautical miles (38km) a day – on one memorable occasion covering 67 nautical miles (123km) because they were heading home.

■ The Antarctic Treaty and Honours Syd spoke to Seniors newspapers prior to a lecture on The Getting of Australian Antarctica at the University of the Sunshine Coast in association with Royal Geographical Society of Queensland.

Australia’s Antarctic

today’s political turmoil, to put the land or the scientific work carried out there in peril.

And for Syd, that is paramount.

“I’m intensely aware of my good fortune … It’s been a great life,” he said, adding a salute to the wives and families who had made it possible for all those who worked in Antarctica “doing these hair-brained and immensely dangerous things” at a time when it was very unusual for women to have to cope with raising a family on their own.

“And the majority did it bloody brilliantly,” he said.

They and all his fellow comrades and mentors, he said, stand beside him every time he talks about or accepts an award for his work in Antarctica.

Syd has been honoured with a number of Antarctic landmarks in his name – Mount Kirkby, Kirkby Glacier, Kirkby Shoal and Kirkby Head – and following the Polar Medal (1958) and his MBE (1966), was awarded in 2018 both an Order of Australia Medal and the Australian Geographic Society’s highest honour.

14

NEWS

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

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SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

Going Dutch pays off Riding high in Amsterdam

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

Head online to seniorsnews.com.au today!

16

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Great days of rail travel

A train lover buys and renovates unused trains Tania Phillips THERE is something romantic and nostalgic about overnight train journeys – the chance to unpack once and just sit back and enjoy the sound of the train and the sights out the window.

For many of us over 50 it takes us back to the days of summer holidays and school trips when getting anywhere without being crammed into the back of the Holden station wagon meant getting on the train.

And for those growing up in the southern states, that meant taking the glorious old Southern Aurora – something you can do again thanks to the Vintage Rail Journeys company.

According to company CEO and self-confessed train lover Simon Mitchell, the Southern Aurora sleeping carriages have been restored to their sparkling 1960s condition and reinstated back into service under the new name of Aurora Australis.

“We have kept the carriages in as close to original condition as we could,” Simon said.

“Mid-century vintage is very ‘on trend’ right now and as custodians we are proud to be able to maintain the heritage of these carriages.”

While the company has, where possible, kept the vinyl wallpaper along with features such as the original light fittings, there has been some modernisation.

“However, we have updated the share bathrooms in the single compartment carriages, removed ashtrays and added modern

TRAVEL BRIEFS

SPLIT YOUR GHAN JOURNEY

GUESTS travelling on the three-night, four-day Ghan Expedition from Darwin to Adelaide can split their journey in Alice Springs, giving them the chance to explore further afield. From June to August, expedition guests can spend three days in Alice Springs before re-joining The Ghan and continuing south to Adelaide. The new nine-night Territory Tour package has been curated that highlights the best of the Northern

conveniences such as USB sockets,” Simon said.

The Southern Aurora provided an overnight shuttle service from Sydney to Melbourne (and return) until the mid-1980s. Considered first class in its day, the Southern Aurora provided air-conditioned luxury to its passengers.

Simon himself had been a passenger in the carriages in the past, joining train trips run by the Canberra Railway Museum, so when the Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT) went into receivership he knew he had to do something to return them to service.

“I have always been interested in trains and rail heritage,” he said, “and I felt strongly that we needed to put the Southern Aurora train back together and allow people to enjoy travelling on her again.”

The trains are now back on the tracks, with the company developing a Golden West Trail Tour which does a loop that transports passengers from Sydney and takes in the Hunter, Dubbo, Orange, Werris Creek and the Blue Mountains, mainly aimed at those of us who still remember what it was like to ride this iconic train or wished we had.

“We have found that the over-55s have a real nostalgia for train travel,” Simon said. “In the 1960s, the Southern Aurora was a first-class train used by travellers to go from Sydney to Melbourne and back.

“At the time, travelling on the train was aspirational and in talking with passengers for our Territory. In includes three nights on The Ghan Expedition and three nights in Alice Springs.

It features a sunset tour with Darwin Harbour Cruises, a day trip to Litchfield National Park and a guided tour of Alice Springs. Prices start from $3999 per person Gold Service twin share. Info: journeybeyondrail.com. au/territorytour or phone 132 147.

BRING YOUR IRISH NAME HOME A NEW exhibition at EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, is celebrating Irish family names and paying tribute

VINTAGE RESTORATION: A chance to enjoy the nostalgia of train-travel.

Photo: RailGallery.com.au (C)

‘‘

Mid-century vintage is very ‘on trend’ right now The Southern Aurora - now renamed Aurora Australis.

Photo: RailGallery.com.au (C)

rail tours, the train is still held in high regard.”

The first Golden West Trail Tour set for April 1-5 next year sold out within three months and tickets for September 9-13 are

now selling well.

“We have developed the Golden West Rail Tour mainly for the over-55s – it is an iconic five-day and four-night itinerary over 1500km that we think

everyone will enjoy,” Simon said.

“Starting in the heart of Sydney, we have off-train experiences that include the always popular Riverboat Postman and

to Irish people who emigrated. The Power of the Name exhibition is adding the names to an interactive exhibition in the museum, showing the spread of Irish emigrant names throughout the world. By collating the names of people who moved from Ireland, EPIC is giving millions of people of Irish descent an opportunity to reconnect their ancestor’s name with their homeland.

The experience in 20 galleries, is located on the banks of the River Liffey. It features stories of love, triumph, adventure and adversity, the museum tells the

story of the Irish diaspora across the globe, the impact they have had, the contributions they have made and the influence they have had globally.

People can add their name to the exhibition via the EPIC website (epicchq.com/names).

As well as their names, the exhibition will include where they emigrated from and the year they left.

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17

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

Facts about airline points

TRAVEL TIPS: Savvy travellers should check on rewards credit card deals, airline cabin upgrades and new airport lounges.

Photo: Wavebreakmedia Ltd

THE point hackers are behind one of Australia’s largest independent platform of airline rewards experts, Point Hacks (pointhacks.com.au).

Here are some points around earning and redeeming airline rewards points .

Point Hacks reveals some fallacies around airline rewards programs: 1. You can earn points when you buy flights with points.

Unfortunately, purchasing most reward flights with your points will not earn you points. This applies to every frequent flyer program. Flights purchased using frequent flyer points, otherwise known as Classic Flight Rewards on Qantas and Reward Seats on Virgin Australia, will not earn you any points.

2. Points Plus Pay is good value.

Through Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia, you can purchase award flights outright with your Qantas Frequent Flyer

points, or you can purchase flights using a mix of points and cash (called ‘Points Plus Pay’).

There is more seat availability when you use Points Plus Pay to purchase a flight, but this kind of redemption hugely devalues your points and is considered poor value: at a rate of around 0.7 cents per point. For a good value redemption, you should be looking between 1.5-14 cents per point, depending on your class of travel.

3. You can upgrade most ‘cheap tier’ flights with points.

This is false as you can generally only upgrade on certain tickets. For instance, Qantas’ discount economy — the cheapest Economy fare, also known as Red e-Deal or Sale fares — will only let you use points to upgrade on domestic flights, not international.

Meanwhile, Virgin Australia offers upgrades on all domestic Economy fares but for Business

upgrades on international flights, this is only available to Velocity Gold or Platinum members who have purchased the more expensive ‘Freedom’ fare.

A saver upgrade from Sydney to Brisbane would be 10,000 points, while an outright Business redemption would be 13,800 points. Short-haul international flights from Australia (Fiji, Samoa, Bali or New Zealand) only allow upgrades from flexi fares.

4. Frequent flyer points will never expire. Not so.

Points do expire. Some frequent flyer programs, such as Qantas and Velocity, have a ‘soft’ expiry for points (the points expire if they haven’t had any activity within a specific timeframe), whereas others such as KrisFlyer and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles have a ‘hard’ expiry (the points expire after a set time, regardless of whether points have been earned or used in the account).

14 reasons to visit Lord Howe the species that the conservation projects are safeguarding.

4. Visit Ball's Pyramid: 23kms to the south of the island is a spectacular 550-metre spearhead of grey basalt that seemingly explodes from the ocean.

The world's largest sea stack is home to extraordinary bird life and the waters are teeming with marine life.

5. Big-game fishing: It’s a top destination for big-game fishing for yellowfin tuna, wahoo, marlin and more.

6. Experience your own private rainforest: The Island is home to the incredible five-star Arajilla Retreat. For guests seeking the ultimate immersive experience, stay in the Arajilla Suite and soak up the serenity.

7. Bird watching: With 14 species of seabird breeding on the island, Lord Howe is Australia's premier bird-watching destination.

8. Feed the marine life: Ned’s Beach is known for the colourful fish and occasional turtles that inhabit the crystal-clear waters. Just wade in and hand-feed mullet, butterfly fish and stingrays, or snorkel the shallow reef to see giant clams and corals.

9. Board a wave at Blinky Beach: The unspoilt, white sand beach known to locals as “Blinky's” has some of the best breaks on the island.

10. Challenge yourself: For experienced hikers who enjoy a challenge, join The Seven Peaks Walk by Pinetrees. Explore the variety of this island paradise with pristine beaches, exposed coral platforms, subtropical palm forests and freshwater creeks.

11. Kayak into the sunset: Rent a local kayak and take to the water to witness the phenomenal sunset.

12. Cycle through lush forests: Rent or borrow a bike from your accommodation and explore the island at your leisure.

13. Discover the history: Learn more about this incredible island by visiting the Lord Howe Island Museum. A treasure chest of natural history.

14. Play a round of golf: Originating from a market garden in 1969 the course has been developed and expanded into one of the most picturesque and challenging courses in Australia.

Info: visitnsw.com.

1300 551 997 | (07) 5513 1086 E: info@goseetouring.com www.goseetouring.com

TASSIE CROQUET DEvILS TOUR From

$3,695* ENgLISh BLOSSOM TOUR IS FULLY ESCORTED EX BRISBANE From

$7,035*

per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement $1,385

* per person Twin Share Ex BNE, Single supplement $770

13 - 25 MAY 2020 Highlights include Great Dixter House, Sissinghurst Castle, Chelsea Flower Show, 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 CROQUET From

$2,225* ChRISTMAS IN JULY NORFOLK ISLAND From

$2,080*

per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement From $390

$2,995

*

per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement $340

SENSATIONAL SINgAPORE WITh SINgAPORE gARDEN FESTIvAL ESCORTED EX BRISBANE

$4,745*

Go See Touring invites players & spectators to join us on Norfolk Island in June 2020 for the 6th Convict’s Cup Social Croquet event. This is a social golf croquet doubles event and it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an expert - it’s all about having fun. You’ll play on the oldest sporting pitch in the Southern hemisphere that is still in use. With stunning Norfolk Island as the backdrop to this week of friendly competition, there will be sightseeing, lots of fun and laughter! We hope you can join us!

11 - 18 JULY 2020

NORFOLK ISLAND A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY ESCORTED EX BRISBANE

From

20 - 27 JUNE 2020

Want to enjoy the festive season twice this year? Spend a week on Norfolk Island with its stunning scenery, sandy beaches and jagged cliffs. There is so much to see and do – and all at your own pace. We’ve included some great accommodation options, a hire car so you can explore, some fabulous tours that you won’t want to miss, plus plenty more to do on the Island. Enjoy a festive delicious Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, fun trivia and Carols at Paradise Hotel & Resort. Chase away those winter blues and have some fun. Call us now to secure your accommodation.

per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement From $485

From

14 - 22 MARCh 2020

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!

per person Twin Share Ex BNE Single supplement $1,380

18 - 25 JULY 2020

Join Fortunato Isgro or Lindsay (Waddo) Waddington for a fantastic week on Norfolk Island of Songs and laughter! A Little Bit Country on Norfolk Island 2020 sees a great line-up of performers taking to the stage.

Graeme Hugo, Fortunato Isgro, Wayne Horsburgh and Lindsay (Waddo) Waddington will all perform at 3 big shows during the week. Plus plenty of time for you to enjoy beautiful Norfolk Island with its colourful history, lush greenery, stunning scenery and friendly locals. Enjoy delicious cuisine, tours, time to shop and explore and plenty of laughs along the way. Call us for more information!

20 - 27 JULY 2020

Join us when we visit the bi-annual world premier tropical garden and flower show - the 2020 Singapore Garden Festival. The festival showcases colourful and exciting garden designs with exquisite floral displays from over 50 designers and 19 countries.

During the tour you’ll also visit the Botanic Gardens, National Orchid Gardens, have breakfast at the zoo, high tea at the iconic Raffles Hotel, visit the National Museum plus experience the exciting sights and sounds of Sentosa Island. Leisure time to explore further afield, shop ‘til you drop or lay by the pool. We’d love to have you with us when we travel to this beautiful multicultural city and its fabulous gardens. Space is limited.

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 1 October 2019. Go See Touring in conjunction with Norfolk Select Marketing ABN: 93 367 366 822 ATAS Accreditation A10619

6885061aw

IT’S pure paradise, the crescent shaped, UNESCO World Heritage-listed little island of Lord Howe. With the world's most southerly coral reef on its doorstep, its spectacular twin peaks and peaceful lush forest walks, and only 400 visitors allowed at any one time, the island is a magnificent getaway destination which you can explore in many ways, some of which are: 1. Hike world-class mountains: It's not for the faint-hearted, but the one-day hike to Mt Gower (875m) is considered one of the world's best climbs. The guided, eight-hour return, class 5 walk provides some of the island's most rewarding experience.

2. Dive right in: Tropical and cooler waters collide in the ocean, resulting in a reef of 90 coral species, green and hawksbill turtles and 500 species of fish – perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling.

More than 60 dive sites lure divers of all skill levels.

3. Get involved in the Conservation Program: Experience nature like nowhere else and be part of sustaining this amazing environment while experiencing first hand

18

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Rare view... Rembrandt is among the famous Dutch painters whose work is on display at Museum Square.

Bikes, bikes and more bikes. Special storage areas are available to the thousands of commuters.

BLOOMING LOVELY: The canals are pretty enough in their own right, but the frequent floral touches just add another level of beauty to Amsterdam.

It’s time to get on your bike to start exploring Graeme Wilson BIKES and bongs…these are my lasting impressions of Amsterdam.

Oh, and windmills. And canals. And art.

It’s taken me 60 years to navigate my way to the city of tulips, but it was well worth the wait.

As a regular recreational cyclist, this city is made for me.

Everywhere you go you’re surrounded by bikes of all shapes and sizes, and their proliferation seems to mean power to the pedallers.

So none of the road rage associated with venturing out on Australian roads, where so often it’s an angry car v bike showdown.

Live and let live seems to be the Dutch motto, and that suits me just fine.

A leisurely pedal out to the historic windmill

Water features everywhere around Amsterdam... here it leaps skywards outside the Rijksmuseum.

The traditional wooden shoes (clogs/klompen) are an important part of Dutch heritage and are still worn in rural areas today.

village of Zaanse Schans (see Wanderlust cover) was a highlight of my three-night Amsterdam adventure.

No helmet required, so it was a ride on the wild side with the wind in what

All your senses are alive in Amsterdam, but your nasal passages in particular certainly get a workout as you wander along the winding canals and alluring laneways.

I’m not one to partake

little remains of my hair.

My normally dormant arty side also came alive in Amsterdam, with a visit to the Van Gogh museum providing a great insight into this master of the easel.

in such things, but the distinctive aroma of cannabis is a regular reminder of the relaxed drug laws here.

Perhaps fortunately, these accompanying pictures aren’t scratch

and smell, but hopefully they paint many thousand words of praise.

If you ever get the chance to visit this unique city, pack your padded bike shorts and get ready for the ride of your life.

19

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

‘‘

Activities range from a Segway Safari along bush tracks to a flying fox zip line

STILL GREEN: O'Reilly's Mountain Villa survived the recent bushfires and open for business.

O’Reilly’s is ready for you Phil Hawkes IT’S late October on a beautiful clear mountain-fresh day at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Lamington National Park, the traditional land of the Yugambeh people. In the lobby I overhear a conversation between a couple from Brisbane and the receptionist. “We’re lucky to be here,” says the wife. “This morning my mother told us we should cancel our booking as the place had been burnt down in the recent bushfires, so we made a phone call and found that wasn’t true. So here we are.”

Yanina and Apoorva at the desk say they’ve

heard this comment from a number of guests, and there’s been much confusion caused by dramatic scenes on TV. Later, at the manager’s daily guest briefing over afternoon tea (where appropriately, lamingtons are served), Brendan Long explains that in its 93 years of existence, O’Reilly’s has not been damaged by bushfires because it’s in the Gondwana subtropical rainforest area dating back millions of years, unscathed.

Tragically, the Binna Burra lodge and other properties across the range were destroyed, the difference being those sites also contain eucalypt and sclerophyll forest which is prone to bushfire events. The

Lost World Spa Couples Treatment Room.

village of Canungra (the jumping off point for the road into O’Reilly’s) was not damaged although it was used as a base for fire-fighting authorities.

Still, the false perception exists that the whole Scenic Rim area was burnt out; local businesses are just getting back on their feet and visitation is very welcome.

Back at O’Reilly’s, an Advanced Eco-Tourism resort, there’s much to enjoy in the clean air nearly 1000 metres above sea level, away from the coastal humidity. Ideal weather for walking, so I set off with another couple on a leisurely two-hour return hike to pretty Moran’s Falls where there’s a picnic area, good for a BYO lunch. There’s

historic interest there too, being the site of a bark hut where the O’Reilly brothers first lived when they moved here to establish a dairy farm in 1911… but that’s another story.

Apart from a number of different walks up to seven hours (a bit too much for me, I’d admit) there’s plenty to do at the resort, ranging from a Segway Safari along bush tracks, highly recommended, to a flying fox zip line experience down a valley which certainly gets the adrenalin moving. Less strenuous is a billy tea tour to a lookout by 4WD, with damper and a few yarns to accompany the magnificent views over the green mountains. No fire damage here.

Sunset from the summit of Moran Falls.

Photo: Ryan Fowler Photography

The highlight for me is the 6.45am bird walk.

Armed with a camera and bird seed, we stroll quietly along the Booyong track where many different rainforest species including king parrots, Regent bower birds and the inevitable bush turkeys appear on cue, posing for happy snaps and a bit of birdsong. Our knowledgeable guide Sylva even seems to know many of them by name; she’s obviously a dedicated bird whisperer.

Back at the dining room, a substantial breakfast awaits and having given the birds just small handfuls of seed, everyone is overcompensating by diving into the hot and cold buffets with abandon, fuelling up for

Shane O'Reilly.

another day’s activities.

Just down the hill there are a number of separate villas and the Lost World Spa with an infinity pool, an excellent place to soothe tired muscles after all that walking. And good news for campers: according to Shane O’Reilly of the retreat’s owning family, the Green Mountains camp ground is being completely redeveloped adjacent to the resort with new facilities, giving visitors another option for accommodation in one of Queensland’s most beautiful mountain rainforests.

For more info, go to oreillys.com.au * Phil Hawkes was a guest of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Resort

20

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Living

A solution for seniors

Phone solves internet problem for seniors BRAND INSIGHTS

AWARD WINNER: (from left) Communications Alliance Chief Executive Officer, John Stanton and Southern Phone Company Managing Director, David Joss.

SOUTHERN Phone’s phone-only solution for seniors is making waves in the industry.

Next Home Phone took out the Innovation-SME category at this year’s Australian Communication Industry Awards — ACOMMS — which were held in August.

Next Home Phone is the leading solution for seniors who just want to keep their home phone and their existing number in an NBN world that wants them to change.

It allows them to keep their existing home phone without needing an internet connection.

This not only saves them the complexity of switching to NBN but also saves them money.

“We are so proud to have won this industry

innovation award,” said Southern Phone managing director David Joss.

‘‘

Next Home Phone is the leading solution for seniors.

“The migration to NBN can be confronting for many and the change from a traditional home phone service to Voice over IP even more so.

“Next Home Phone serves a need in the market by providing a solution for those who just want a home phone that is activated in minutes, is simple and well-priced.”

Since 2002, Southern

Phone has deliberately placed a strong business and service focus on older Australians who don’t want or need super-fast internet packages but are very keen to maintain simple, affordable and reliable communications.

Next Home Phone was developed not to win awards, but to solve a specific problem being faced by Australian seniors, which is having to implement a broadband connection just to maintain their home phone experience.

“Southern Phone has a strong history of servicing the needs of Australian seniors,” Mr Joss said.

“We’re very proud of this simple solution targeted at addressing such a clear need across Australian communities.”

For more about the Next Home Phone, go to southernphone.com.au or phone 13 14 64.

Embrace the Internet!

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

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

Opening Doors to the Seniors Lifestyle

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

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

21

Wellbeing

GOOD BONE HEALTH THE basic rule is eat and drink plenty of calcium.

Unless you have broken a bone, most of us will never have our bones examined closely. The fact is, with 206 bones in the adult body that help with everything from movement to protection, bone health is crucial and shouldn’t be overlooked, especially as we get older.

Understanding bone health The bones that make up the skeleton are living, growing tissue and as a result new bone is constantly being made. As we get older, our bone mass decreases and bones become weaker.

As we age, bone diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis become more common; it’s estimated that 3.8 per cent of the population are living with osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a disease where the bone thickness decreases and bone quality is compromised, resulting in brittle bones.

These bones become prone to breaks and fractures, even from the most minor bumps.

While osteoporosis is more likely to occur in women aged over 50, it can strike anyone at any age.

Risk Factors These are: age; previous broken/fractured bones — from only a minor fall/bump; being underweight; and family history.

Screening – Bone Density Scan “It’s important for people with increased risk factors to ensure they ask their GP for a bone health assessment, especially given there are typically no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss,” Dr Uday Ahluwalia from PRP Imaging explained. “A bone density scan is recommended to provide an insight into the overall health of the bones.”

The test will reveal whether the bone density is normal, whether there is bone loss and if further action needs to be taken to prevent worsening or whether the patient’s fracture risk is high and osteoporosis medication is required.

PREVENTION TIPS Diet: Ensure you are consuming enough calcium — three to four servings daily are recommended Aside from diary, good sources of calcium include almonds, green leafy vegetables, salmon, sardines and tofu.

Exercise: Daily physical activity is important for the health and function of your bones.

Increase Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium into the body. Good sources of vitamin D include vegetables and oily fish.

Quit smoking: Tobacco can affect hormone levels, which can impact how much calcium is absorbed.

Limit alcohol intake: Excessive drinking can decrease bone density.

Ultimately, early detection is vital. Bone conditions that aren’t detected and treated effectively can severely impact a person’s mobility and quality of life.

ADVOCATE: National Osteoporosis advocate Ita Buttrose (centre) with osteoporosis patients Elaine and Carol.

Osteoporosis national action plan under way Seniors News

OSTEOPOROSIS Australia and the Federal Government have launched the National Strategic Action Plan for Osteoporosis.

The $4 million plan provides critical support to the 4.7 million Australians aged over 50 who live with poor bone health, and embarks on a preventative approach to reduce future bone fractures and the impact of osteoporosis on the Australian healthcare system.

Just ask NSW Central Coast resident Carole.

Her world was turned on its head when she

celebrated her 50th birthday with a bone density scan at the request of her GP. Some 10 years before, Carole had sustained multiple bone fractures. What followed was intense treatment but also further fractures.

Her healthy lifestyle and good diet weren’t enough.

After being properly diagnosed with osteoporosis, Carole’s endocrinologist started her on medication, various forms of which she has since tried.

“You just don’t realise, or recognise, the damage that fractures can cause before they occur,” Carole, now 65, said.

“It’s time that people

took their bone health very seriously, and recognised that by taking action sooner rather than later, painful fractures may be avoided.”

The National Strategic Action Plan on Osteoporosis has three key priorities — increasing osteoporosis awareness and education with a focus on prevention; improving osteoporosis diagnosis, management and care; and data collection, monitoring and strategic research.

The evidence-based plan provides a roadmap to improve the prevention, diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. The plan

aims to reduce the personal and economic burden that osteoporosis and related fractures have on the community, and in particular, on older Australians.

Currently, 66 per cent of Australians aged over 50 are estimated to have poor bone health. Hip fractures remain the costliest type of fracture related to osteoporosis.

Other types of fractures remain widespread — wrist, spinal, arm and leg fractures. While osteoporosis mainly affects women, men also need to check their bone health, with 25 per cent of cases occurring in men.

Info: osteoporosis.org.au

Facts about the make-up of bones TO UNDERSTAND osteoporosis, it is important to learn about bone. Made mostly of collagen, bone is living, growing tissue. Collagen is a protein that provides a soft framework, and calcium phosphate is a mineral that adds strength and hardens the framework.

This combination of collagen and calcium makes bone strong and flexible enough to withstand stress. More than 99 percent of the body's calcium is contained in the bones and teeth. The remaining one percent is found in the blood. Two types of bone are found in the body cortical and

trabecular. Cortical bone is dense and compact. It forms the outer layer.

Trabecular bone makes up the inner layer of the bone and has a spongy, honeycomb-like structure.

■ The bone bank account: Think of bone as a bank account where you deposit and withdraw bone tissue.

During childhood and the teenage years, new bone is added to the skeleton faster than old bone is removed. As a result, bones become larger, heavier and denser. For most people, bone formation continues at a faster pace than removal until bone mass peaks during the third decade of life.

22

WELLBEING

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Friends are important Tracey Johnstone AN OLD friend mentioned in a recent email to another school friend that I had just moved to town and was feeling lonely so could I be included in a reunion lunch. Turns out, the email wasn’t supposed to have me copied in.

When I read it, I felt quite miffed that I was seen as being lonely. It might have been true, but the public labelling of me in this way without me ever saying that as such left me feeling lousy.

There is a strong stigma associated with admitting you are lonely, Dr Barbara Neves, a senior sociology lecturer at Monash University, has found.

“Particularly in later life,’’ she said. “This is because some older people already feel so stigmatised, so patronised because they are old and frail, and so loneliness adds another layer to a comprised sense of personhood and dignity, particularly in a society obsessed with being young.”

But, is it that I am just alone rather than lonely?

Al: “I never allow myself to (be) LONELY! Occupy your mind with activity that you’ve always wanted to do while you can. I love being on my own (not lonely).”

Being alone is often when we choose to be by our self. Loneliness is something quite different.

It’s not something that we can see; it’s a feeling, and it’s subjective.

It comes from a lack of companionship, a sense of neglect, feeling as though you don’t belong.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare puts it simply: “Having a lower level of social

contact than desired.”

According to the AIHW, older Australians are at an increased risk of social isolation due to a number of environmental factors, primarily the loss of physical or mental capacity or the loss of friends and family members.

It estimates that about one in five (19 per cent) of us are socially isolated.

The highest rates occur in the largest urban regions and in sparsely populated states and territories.

Margaret: “Groups are fine for some people…thankfully I don’t need them.”

But what about Al and Margaret’s natural social needs?

Humans are social animals and we need to belong. By forming meaningful relationships, we can stave off many major and costly health issues including depression, anxiety and possibly the onset of dementia.

“Loneliness increases the risk of dementia by more than 40 per cent for older people,” Dr Neves said. ❚ Reach out Queensland University’s Professor Alex Haslam argues that we all need groups in our lives, but there is one very important component to groups that can make them work for you, and that is meaningfulness.

“The critical thing that gets people out of loneliness, or drives them into it, is loss or gaining valued group memberships,” he said.

Just spending time around other people isn’t necessarily the answer. If the people you are with aren’t valued by you, it can make things worse.

“The critical thing is

GET-TOGETHERS: Being part of something is a good feeling. being a member of meaningful groups.

“It’s not just about not having anyone to talk to; it’s about not being part of these groups that take you out of yourself or individuality.”

Let’s face it, how often does some bright spark suggest you join this group or that group while not fully understanding what type of connection you really need?

So, being forced into a group isn’t necessarily the answer for you.

You need to achieve a sense of being connected to that group and that means finding people who think the way you do.

“The key message is that you should join groups, not which groups should you join,” Prof Haslam said.

“Any group is good for you as soon as you can identify with it and it works for you.

“It’s the

meaningfulness of the group that matters, not the nature of the group,” he added.

Ted: “You can choose to be lonely or not lonely.

That said, you can be lonely in a relationship too. If I was to be lonely, I would rather be lonely on my own than in a bad relationship.”

It’s the quality of relationships that is important as well.

You need to surround yourself with people who mean something to you.

That might be many or just one or two, but the critical choice is ensuring they complement you and allow you to be who you are. ❚ Change direction The first step is to realise loneliness is not your fault Dr Neves says.

“It’s a social issue, not just an individual issue.”

Chari: When my husband passed away

eight years ago, my life went from being super hectic to nothing doing.

I learned how to keep myself busy by volunteering, watching movies, joining several groups of friends for regular lunch outings, and most importantly, I learned to do things on my own and enjoy it rather than wait for someone to do things with me. I still do feel lonely sometimes but that’s OK.” Secondly, you need to determine who you want to spend time with.

“Trying to go around negative behaviours and being more open to quality time with others is crucial,” Dr Neves said.

Her next tip is to find out what social activities are happening in your neighbourhood or retirement community, and that interest you. “It’s where you can meet people with similar interests,” she said.

Photo: Cecilie_Arcurs

Pat: Best thing ever when I joined a VIEW Club.

You can also look at where you can share your experience and knowledge within a volunteer role.

“Volunteering and helping others can help with our own feelings and can help us see the value in ourselves,” Prof Haslam said.

“Everyone has a role to play in helping to address loneliness. In our research we have found that helping other people is one of the best ways to stave it off yourself.”

He says viewing your neighbour as someone who you can share common group membership or a sense of identity with, consequently developing “us-ness’’, is a valuable “way to interact with them and the way you perceive them and the CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

The Kominsky Method of fine friendship Tracey Johnstone I HAVE just discovered the Netflix series The Kominsky Method which stars Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin and Sarah Baker. If you have Netflix, this is a must-see show. If you don’t – find a friend who does.

It’s just started Season 2, but take the time to work your way through Season 1, so you get the

background to this wonderful storyline about acting coach Sandy Kominsky and his best friend and agent Norman Newlander who keep each other laughing as they navigate the ups and downs of getting older.

And wait until you meet drinks waiter Alex – no spoiler alert here. You have to watch the show to enjoy the moment.

In his youth Sandy was a renowned actor but now

he teaches at his own acting studio known as the Kominsky Method. As for his friend Norman, his wife recently passed away and he struggles to deal with her death.

The experts call it raunchy, witty, irreverent – I call it simply a pleasure to watch. The pair have their work cut out for them handling life and men’s health issues as they progress on a hilarious and real ageing journey.

PLEASURE TO WATCH: Alan Arkin (Norman Newlander) and Michael Douglas (Sandy Kominsky) in the Netflix series, The Kominsky Method. Photo: Michael Yarish/Netflix

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

WELLBEING

part of good health

GOOD COMPANY: Pets can be a great comfort.

FROM PAGE 22 expectations you have around them”.

“Beyond joining a group, you can also look at the relationships you have and see how you can make them better for you,” Dr Neve says. “And be open to new

relationships.”

Another idea from Beyond Blue is pets, particularly dogs, who provide constant companionship and unconditional love, and need to be kept active.

They give you a purpose of getting you out of your home even when you’re

Photo: Jevtic

feeling down, forcing you to be more active and opening opportunities for you to connect with others in your community.

If you are still feeling lonely, then Dr Neves recommends you talk to a social worker or your GP. ❚ Social prescribing

The Royal College of General Practitioners reports in its 2019 General Practice: Health of the Nation that psychological issues such as depression, mood disorders and anxiety “again appear as the most common health issue managed by GPs”.

In the UK, GPs are being encouraged to connect these patients with relevant social services. “Its impact is a bit mixed precisely because you are often imposing solutions or groups on people and doing that in a not very structured way,” Prof Haslam said.

On a recent episode of the ABC show The Drum, former AMA president Kerryn Phelps explained the challenges around this type of health support approach as GPs are often only able to allocate 20 minutes for a consultation.

“I think there is an artificial divide between psychological and physical illness,” she said.

“The two almost always coexist. Somebody might present with trouble sleeping or a headache or

some other somatic condition or physical symptom, whereas the underlying or coexisting condition is one of anxiety or depression or difficulty with life circumstances.

And, of course, the GP is the first point of call and should be for someone suffering from any kind of health condition.”

The burden lies with the GP who Dr Phelps says would find it almost impossible to provide sufficient support to a patient within a 20-minute consultation, especially when a patient does not express their psychological issue until the last minutes of an appointment.

In Australia, University of Queensland’s Associate Professor Genevieve Dingle is leading The Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project research team which is testing this social prescribing concept, where patients are referred to a link worker and on to non-medical group programs in the community.

Prof Dingle’s team are examining the effects of this social prescribing project with a view to

23

developing a model that can be implemented across Australia. ❚ Tackling the conversation head-on Talking to others about being lonely is hard. Often those that matter most to you will divert the conversation away from what you are trying to voice rather than listen to what you have to say.

If this keeps happening, there are free phone services you can contact so your concerns can be heard.

“Although we are talking about strategies that people can take at the individual level, it is important to think about our social responsibility,” Dr Neves said.

“One thing that is extremely important is more initiatives to destigmatise loneliness and deconstruct the idea that loneliness is associated with a personal weakness.”

If any part of this story raises concerns, phone Lifeline 131 114, Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or Red Cross Telecross, 1300 885 698.

Mutual support and meaningful connections THE team at Lively are young, enthusiastic and energised and ready to roll out their innovative intergenerational home-care service.

The management group of four in their early 30s, led by Lively founder Anna Donaldson, are bringing to the aged-care space a new model for delivering in-home support which is a fresh, youthful approach Ms Donaldson says is sometimes lacking in the industry.

“It’s about young and older people coming together and supporting each other in an enthusiastic and energetic way on both sides, and recognising both young and older people can be lively and have a whole lot to contribute and offer,” Ms Donaldson said.

The not-for-profit organisation has been operating in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for about four years, offering technology help to 700 older Australians. Last month it expanded its operations, after running

a pilot, launching its home-care service model in Melbourne.

The service is based on the Netherlands’ Buurtzorg low-cost model which uses a local team of helpers who are established in a local community and work directly with people in that area with the autonomy to self-manage as a team, but supported by a central office.

“Teams can then pop up anywhere around Australia in the near future rather than us growing to become a huge organisation,” she said.

Ms Donaldson says the new business aims to address youth unemployment and underemployment while also tackling social isolation among older Australians, and the disconnection and ageism between the generations.

“We train and employ job seekers in the 18 to 25 age bracket to work with older people in their local communities, providing support and

NEW MODEL: Lively’s newly launched home care service is working to build reciprocal relationships.

Photo: Lively services that help older people maintain social connection and general wellbeing,” she added.

“Through the process we try to facilitate and encourage the formation of meaningful relationships and friendships between the older and younger people where they are learning from the older people’s knowledge and experience, and breaking down some of the stereotypes, attitudes

and preconceptions young people might have about older community members.”

The young workers are selected based on their attitudes, values and mindset instead of just their qualifications.

Lively put them through an introductory course which Ms Donaldson says is about establishing an empathy and awareness of the people they will be working with.

“And (we do) some foundation work around their communication and interpersonal skills, and the skills they need to manage themselves in this environment,” she said. “We give them a lot of autonomy to be connected with the older clients and work with them to self-manage how they work together and support each other.

“Through the training we impress on them the responsibility and

expectations of their role.”

This approach is an innovative way of creating a new entry point for young people moving into working in aged care. “It gives them an introduction to the sector and a sense of how rewarding it is, and build their motivation to take on more training and qualifications.”

The services provided will be basic support that doesn’t include personal care and support with mobility. The workers will be paid for doing simple tasks like gardening, shopping and jobs around the house The workers are paid through the Home Care Packages program. It’s a two-way relationship where both generations value getting to know each other, Ms Donaldson says.

“We are trying to build reciprocal relationships where there is a sense of exchange,” she said.

“The older person is contributing to the younger person rather than just receiving care and support.”

24

NEWS

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

More local news.

Now easier to read.

From next month, you’ll notice our new, easier-to-read size. Even though we’re changing the size of the paper, we’ll continue to bring you more of the local stories that matter. With our new look and feel, and more local news than ever before, we’re fitting more of the news you care about into a handier size.

We’re excited about the changes coming. It’s all part of our commitment to covering the news that matters and our mission to make your favourite papers even better.

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

CLASSIFIEDS

Call or place an ad online 13 11 13 or buysearchsell.com.au

Motoring Caravans & Motor Homes

CARAVANS WANTED All caravans wanted We come to you All areas, Cash today!

Phone 07 3812 3553 04188 76395

Cars

Fraud is the real deal If someone is requesting money to be transferred to an address or account prior to receiving the goods it may be fraudulent.

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

Pet peeved?

Find a dog trainer at Buy Search Sell.

An oasis of calm Find what you’ve been searching for at Buy Search Sell.

25

26

NOVEMBER, 2019// SENIORS

Community notes

Community group guide WE welcome your community notes. If you have news you would like to share with others, then send your news and photos to us at: Email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au.

QUOTA INTERNATIONAL OF MARYBOROUGH INC.

WE WOULD like to say thanks to The Fraser Coast and District for supporting and promoting our 16th annual Bookfest, held at the Maryborough Showgrounds, October 3-5, 2019. The donation of thousands of pre-loved books was very much appreciated. The books were snapped up quickly by avid bookworms. A big thanks to the home owners and businesses who allowed their premises to be used for advertising signage. The radio and television station, Maryborough Herald, Chronicle, and many more too numerous to mention, for their free publicity. The Maryborough Quota International Bookfest was another success story, but without the help of our volunteers, FCRC for their sponsorship, and Maryborough Undercar, for allowing us to use of their premises for marking and storing the books, this event would not have been possible.

A substantial amount of the proceeds will be donated to ovarian cancer research. The remainder will be shared with disadvantaged children and local charities and community projects.

FREE SUPPORT SERVICE FOR SENIORS

THE Seniors Legal and Support Service is a community service providing free legal advice and support for seniors 60 years and over, who are experiencing or at risk of elder abuse, mistreatment or financial exploitation. The service can provide information, advice and support including: Short term counselling/advocacy; Information on your legal rights; Advice on Enduring Power of Attorney documents; Referrals to other support, legal and consumer services; Community education.

For further information, phone 07 4124 6863 or

call into their office situated at Shop 6, 16 Torquay Road, Hervey Bay (opp RSL) – Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm.

PROBUS CLUBS

Fraser Coast-Hervey Bay Combined OKTOBERFEST Celebrations were held at the home of Libby and Ray Johnson at their home in Dundowran Beach.

Marquees were hung with the official Bavarian flags (Rautenflagge), blue and white. Table settings were also traditional blue and white, and giant pretzels were available as nibblies.

The lunch menu consisted of bratwurst and bockwurst sausages.

Bratwurst sausages were cooked in beer and onions, while the bockwurst was served with German salad, (red cabbage, pickled, cucumber and capsicum.)

We also ate German potato cakes, (kartoffelpuffer) and sauerkraut. Dessert was Black Forest Cake and Strudel.

Ray and Libby served beers imported from Germany.

There are rules regarding what beer can be served at an Oktoberfest. The beers on offer were Lowenbrau and Ottinger. For non-beer drinkers there were Australian wines and soft drinks.

Club members really excelled this year with their outfits. The men sported lederhosen (leather trousers, embroidered braces, white socks, loose shirts and hats with feathers.)

Of course we had many variations of that attire.

Ladies wore dirndls, a traditional skirt, and colourful schurze (apron) also with stockings and hat. Karen Brown won best dressed female and Jim Wonisch, best dressed male.

Even the toilet signage was in German, but for those of us challenged by foreign languages, there were pictures. We were entertained with traditional German music with Lynn on organ, while Ray led us in the

HAPPY DAYS: VIEW Zone Conference held at the Beach House, Scarness, was enjoyed by Lainie Sanders (FC), Dawn Potter (M'boro), Jean Jennings (Zone Councillor), Dennis Chapman (FC Councillor), Alan Le May (General Manager Smith Family of Queensland), Heather Ramm (HB) and Lyn Masters (View National Councillor).

Fraser Coast-Hervey Bay Combined Probus Oktoberfest hosts Ray and Libby Johnson. Ray and Libby served beers imported from Germany.

Fraser Coast-Hervey Bay Combined Probus club members Pat Harvey, Gay Ignatenka and Pam Smith joined in on the Oktoberfest Celebrations.

Malcolm Taylor and Ray Johnson take a break from the Fraser Coast-Hervey Bay Combined Probus Oktoberfest Celebrations.

Quota Maryborough held a very successful Annual Cancer Luncheon which was well supported by the local community. Proceeds were donated last week to the Cancer Council Queensland members (From left): Cancer Council members, June McLachlan, Margaret Muller, Judy Turner, Quota President Robyn Kemp, Cancer Council Local President Pat Kameric, and Quota member Val Harvey.

traditional drinking song – Ein Prosit.

We stood up with our beer mugs, sung with gusto and swayed along amid much hilarity.

VIEW CLUBS

(Voice, Interest, and Education of Woman) Hervey Bay OUR meetings and luncheon are always the second Monday of each month at the Club House, Tooth St, Pialba, from 10.30am and usually includes a guest speaker.

Monthly socials are on the fourth Monday at various venues from 9.30am.

The annual View Zone Conference was held at the Beach House Hotel with a High Tea and both the Hervey Bay and Fraser Coast View Clubs were represented plus the newly elected President of the inaugural Maryborough View Club.

Beautifully decorated tables, fine tea cups and tiered cake stands laden with delicacies, then the ladies were entertained by an interesting array of speakers including Alan Le May, General Manager of the Queensland branch of the Smith Family who gave an emotional

address re the plight of the 1,396 disadvantaged students the Smith Family supports with schooling including uniforms, shoes, books and mentoring.

Lyn Masters, National Councillor for View, elaborated on the benefits of being part of the VIEW family.

Zone Councillor Jean Jennings was the MC and Fraser Coast Chronicle editor Jessica Grewal

related her personal history from a young cadet journalist to editor.

Friendships formed through VIEW Clubs are very rewarding from sometimes a lonely, mundane lifestyle to forming strong bonds with other like-minded ladies.

New or interested ladies are always welcome to join our very friendly club.

For more information, phone Bev on 07 4128 2692.

SENIORS \\NOVEMBER, 2019

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

1

2

PUZZLES 3

7

4

5

Across 1 Which Japanese city hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics and has an annual ice and snow sculpture festival? (7) 4 What do we call the costume of a nun or monk? (5) 7 What British nobleman ranks below a marquess and above a viscount? (4) 8 What did Gene Roddenberry create? (4,4) 10 What is a colloquial expression for an amorous glance?

(3,4,3) 12 What dung-beetle was considered sacred in ancient Egypt? (6) 13 Where did Sophia Loren spend her childhood? (6) 15 Who was the author of A Spaniard in the Works? (4,6) 18 What wine bottle is about six times the size of a standard bottle? (8) 19 What is a mark left by a whip? (4) 20 Which card game was a forerunner of bridge? (5) 21 What is the white part of an egg? (7)

6

8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15

16

17 18

20

Down 1 In what sport are flying clay targets used? (5) 2 What hard, sharp-tasting cow’s milk cheese is used primarily in grated form? (8) 3 What are groups or series of eight? (6) 4 With whose band did Frank Sinatra make his first recordings? (5,5) 5 From what part of the cork oak does cork come? (4) 6 What are the proceeds from a period of selling? (7) 9 Gymnastics was given a new lease of life as a sport by which gymnast at the 1972 Olympics? (4,6) 11 Sir Winston Churchill was born at which palace? (8) 12 Colloquially in the United States, what part of a town is frequented by vagrants and alcoholics? (4,3) 14 What is the capital of Turkey? (6) 16 What material is most commonly used for brush bristles? (5) 17 Which language used to be called Siamese? (4)

27 26/10

19

21

SUDOKU

QUICK CROSSWORD

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

1

2

3

4

DOUBLECROSS

5

6

7

8 9

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

10

11 12 13

14

15 16

17

18

19 20

21

23

5x5

ALPHAGRAMS: EXALT, FEARED, GARNETS, HARDWARE, INSINUATE. GK CROSSWORD Across: 1 Sapporo, 4 Habit, 7 Earl, 8 Star Trek, 10 The glad eye, 12 Scarab, 13 Naples, 15 John Lennon, 18 Rehoboam, 19 Weal, 20 Whist, 21 Albumen.

Down: 1 Skeet, 2 Parmesan, 3 Octads, 4 Harry James, 5 Bark, 6 Takings, 9 Olga Korbut, 11 Blenheim, 12 Skid Row, 14 Ankara, 16 Nylon, 17 Thai.

QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Bars 3. Focussed 9. Reliant 10. Cried 11. Insufferable 13. Reveal 15.

Pledge 17. In the long run 20. Hindu 21. Tremble 22. Worsened 23. Alms.

Down: 1. Barriers 2. Rules 4. Outset 5. Unchallenged 6. Skilled 7. Dodo 8.

Halfway house 12. Keenness 14. Vintner 16. Blithe 18. Rebel 19. Thaw.

I

A H

C I

S E E R S

N Y

S P

E G G E D

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre letter. There is at least one nine-letter word.

No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb.

TODAY: Good 18 Very Good 25 Excellent 30

R E A V E

WORD GO ROUND

A I S L E

DOUBLECROSS

B L U E R

SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU

ALPHAGRAMS Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word anagram of the letters beside it, and the five solutions are sequential. For example, if the five-letter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.

LATEX DEAFER STRANGE HER AWARD ANNUITIES

5x5

B

R I

U

G A

L R

S

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

Note: more than one solution may be possible.

E E

E

S

All puzzles © The Puzzle Company

SOLUTION

Down 1. Obstacles (8) 2. Statutes (5) 4. Commencement (6) 5. Uncontested (12) 6. Proficient (7) 7. Extinct bird (4) 8. Midpoint in a progression (7,5) 12. Enthusiasm (8) 14. Wine seller (7) 16. Cheerful (6) 18. Dissenter (5) 19. Melt (4)

Across 1. Excludes (4) 3. Concentrated (8) 9. Dependent (7) 10. Wept (5) 11. Intolerable (12) 13. Disclose (6) 15. Promise (6) 17. Over time (2,3,4,3) 20. Indian religion (5) 21. Quiver (7) 22. Deteriorated (8) 23. Charity (4)

apish aspic chain chains chin china chins chip chips hiya inch nips pain pains panic panics phasic physic PHYSICIAN pica pinch pins piny piscina pish shin shiny ship snip spicy spin spinach spiny

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