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In this edition

Cover Story: Sue Pieters-Hawke ...........................Page 3 Money ......................................................................Page 12 What’s on ................................................................Page 14 Travel ...............................................................Pages 15-17

Contact us General Manager Geoff Crockett – 07 5430 1006 geoff.crockett@news.com.au Editor Gail Forrer – 07 5435 3203 gail.forrer@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Media Sales Executive Brett Mauger – 07 3623 1657 brett.mauger@seniorsnewspaper.com.au Now 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.

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

Welcome

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Finding friends in a neighbourhood AN Australian first initiative could change the face of ageing and give world peace a nudge and as the inventor says: “The answer is on your doorstep.”

This month nursing practitioner Mathui Bush claimed first prize in the Senior Living Innovation Challenge, with a project that seriously represents the “Act local, think Global.”

The challenge, thought to be an Australian first, initiated by QUT in partnership with retirement industry organisations, offered a first prize of $20,000 for a concept that aims to reframe ageing in Australian.

Mathieu’s winning project was One Good Street.

Using a combination of simplicity, thoughtfulness and use of new technology, he worked up a grassroots concept of meeting, sharing and caring with the people in your street (and perhaps even a few blocks away), that seeks to enhance,

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER

Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

and perhaps inform, the whole idea of staying in your own home.

The idea that the neighbourhood street is a community within a community is an old one.

It might begin with playing with neighbourhood kids, sharing a neighbourhood barbecue, gradually growing familiar enough to borrow a cup of milk, and then perhaps accepting an invite to milestone birthdays and so it goes on.

In the best world, the street stays the same and people come and go, but the traditional sense of community survives.

However today, modern mobility, new work life balances has changed a lot of those customs – but not all of them. Recently I moved and came home to find a pot-plant and

welcome note on my doorstep, it was warm introduction to my new abode.

This summer Mathiu told me his street introduced the air-con club, an initiative that saw neighbours with air-conditioning open up their home to neighbours.

You see generosity can prevail but it’s up to you.

Sure the One Good Street model works as an

❝

In the best world, the street stays the same and people come and go, but the traditional sense of community survives. online platform, where residents register what they’re doing in their street and are awarded with accreditation.

These accreditations will show up in the street and then, perhaps throughout a whole

suburb.

Mathui said it created a culture of participation, which tackled social isolation, a major issue for people over 65-years.

Physiotherapist Meg Lowry was runner-up with her concept focused on the practicalities of gaining fitness and reducing falls.

Certainly, another great idea for older people.

(For more news visit seniorsnews.com.au).

This issue our cover story features Sue Pieters Hawke. Sue’s life took on another dimension when her mother, Hazel Hawke was diagnosed with Alzheimers.

At this point she began her journey into reframing the stereotypical treatment of dementia, since then she has expanded her advocacy into ageism in all forms.

She is not alone, Men’s Shed (Aust) has also acknowledges the prevalence of elder abuse and is tackling this with a strategy of informal conversation.

Enjoy the read.

Deal with pain in the Zen way against pain but to name and claim it and, in doing so, strip away fear, anger, defeat and a multitude of negative emotions we attach to pain.

The meditation seeks to give space for you and the pain alone, without all the associated drama that can make things worse.

Barry’s life studies are wide including spiritual studies in Buddhism and meditation since 1976 together with academic qualifications including Bachelor of Social Science, a Masters

Degree in Applied Science.

It is this knowledge that led him to work as a consultant counsellor in palliative and cancer care and consider meditation as way of enhancing quality of life. He has also designed a stress management program.

These days, 73-year-old Barry is retired but his desire to do service for others is satisfied in the new and ongoing meditation classes.

With his wife Marie, he is a daily meditator but

has made a few concessions to accommodate the general aches and pains that can accompany ageing.

“There’s no sitting on the floor these days,” he laughs.

“We’re all on chairs.”

He also indicates the once very early rises are not quite so early and the long hours of meditation have been shortened.

But his commitment to teaching the benefits of meditation remains as steadfast as ever. Info at forestwayzen.com.

Join Us Online Get online to find your news, your way.

Visit us at seniorsnews.com.au

CR115679AH-6

MINDFULNESS: Zen Buddhist teacher Barry Farrin.

PHOTO: GEOFF POTTER/NOOSA NEWS

CHRONIC pain is just that, an illness that lasts a long time and is constantly recurring.

All you want to do is to get rid of it, to push it way, to fight against it and finally to be the victor in the battle against this pain.

But Zen Buddhist Master and retired academic Barry Farrin offers another way of dealing with pain.

He is teaching a form of “mindfulness” meditation for chronic pain sufferers that asks us not to fight

Cover Story: Sue Pieters-Hawke

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Wide Bay

Seniors 3

Dementia advocate calls for elder rights and respect ONCE referred to as the ‘accidental advocate’, Dementia Australia ambassador Sue Pieters-Hawke these days doesn’t miss a chance to help argue for elder respect and against ageism.

The daughter of Hazel Hawke, who had Alzheimer’s disease, and the author of two books on her mother’s journey, Sue holds lead

B U C C A NE E R D R I VE

Abuse Conference to contribute to improving the understanding of her peers of the links between dementia and elder abuse.

“It’s important to not make the mistake in thinking all older people are vulnerable to abuse or that all older people get dementia,” Sue said.

“A minority of them do.

“But, age is a risk factor for various things which are risk factors for abuse.”

She lists being female as one risk factor and the other, when age leads to social isolation.

The National Ageing Research Institute reports

DOW N BY T H E MA R I N A

at least five per cent, or 180,000, of older people in Australia are reported as sufferers of elder abuse and women are 2.5 times more likely to be victims.

Almost 67 per cent of that abuse is inflicted by their children.

“Other risks are different forms of disability, one of which is cognitive disability which is caused by dementia or other things,” Sue said.

“Others are impaired mobility and increased dependency on other people.”

Sue wants the public to understand that dementia is a set of diseases, but people still have capacities as well as impairments.

“They need to be treated with dignity and respect as people with individual needs, wishes and preferences rather than stripped of

personhood,” the passionate advocate added.

Human rights are often what is forgotten in the dementia journey.

The right to dignity, safety, respect and personal choice are not always remembered those around older people.

“Violation of those human rights – anything which causes harm or damage to a person, whether it be financial, social, sexual, physical, psychological, neglect – we see these as an abuse of a person’s right to be treated decently,” Sue said.

She reiterates the importance of older people not waiting until it’s too late to get good advice and ensure written agreements containing specific requests are in place with their supporters.

“For a long time as an advocate for a greater understanding of dementia and greater support for people for people who care for and about them, we have been working to help people remove stigma and understand dementia as a cognitive disablement of a chronic disease and to argue for the rights of people with any sort of impairment to be supported and protected,” Sue said.

“That’s one of the reasons I work in the areas of positive ageing and anti-ageism.

“Human rights of people with dementia are abused every day by our failures of care and

understanding, by our lack of respect, by our stigmatised understanding, by the demonisation and isolation of people with dementia.

“People with dementia don’t have social structure to support their rights and that’s something that we are working and fighting for.”

The first steps she says to finding a solution to this problem is getting the public to better understand dementia and to maintain respect for a sufferer rather than be dismissive, and which may overlap elder abuse, but still needs to stand on its own.

“We need to unravel it and see what different ways it can occur and then what we are the different things we can put in place,” Sue said.

“If we don’t do anything about it, by the middle of this century there is going to be 500,000 elders in Australia experience some form of abuse – and that’s pretty disturbing.”

She also reminds us that dismissing the issues with ‘that’s not me’, isn’t a valid argument.

“If we don’t die young, we will get old and the issues around dementia and elder abuse will be part of our broader community and possibly our own lives as we age,” Sue said.

“Combating ageism and putting in place strategies that can protect our older community members against elder abuse can’t remain somebody else’s problem.

“A lot of these issues we can deal with. We just need the will to do it.”

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JOURNALIST TRACEY JOHNSTONE

roles with government, private sector, consumer and advocacy groups that tap into her deep understanding of the many issues around dementia and ageing.

She also uses that experience to consult to and educate aged care industry members on re-framing dementia to reflect the rights and choices of people living with dementia.

Recently Sue used her role of ambassador for the 2018 National Elder

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seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Elder abuse: Helping our men have the conversation Shoulder to shoulder, men are learning and opening up TRACEY JOHNSTONE

The sheds offer a conduit for a lot of organisations who can offer knowledge and support on a variety of men’s health issues.

Reaching out to this demographic has a limited success rate when using electronic communication Mr Helmers said.

The critical elements of a health message are often lost as many of the shedders are not regular users of email and the internet.

It’s the “shoulder to shoulder” conversation that works.

“When we create these environments, they will talk about problems,” Mr Helmers said.

“I have been working in men’s sheds for 10 years and some of the conversations I have heard – elder abuse and domestic violence – have been quite eye opening.”

He hopes that through the men’s sheds that are appearing in aged care facilities and through its other sheds, the association may be able to take more obvious role in the elder abuse awareness campaign.

“Many organisations have looked at how we have addressed a problem and come up with a very practical solution,” Mr

MEN’S SHEDS: Taking a stand against elder abuse.

Helmers said.

The old way of approaching a problem was to get a group of men together with a facilitator and say “let’s talk about it” and then listen to the silence.

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“That’s where we can be a conduit for this conversation that needs to be had.”

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THE Men’s Sheds approach to informal conversations over a cuppa or a handyman project is helping the shed members open up about elder abuse concerns.

Across Australia there are 980 registered men’s sheds which provide a perfect platform for information on elder abuse awareness to be disseminated to what Australian Men’s Shed Association executive officer David Helmers describes as a “notoriously difficult demographic of Australia to reach”.

“Our primary objective is the prevention of poor health of men and social isolation,” Mr Helmers said.

“In doing that we have created a very comfortable space for men to talk to each other and some of these issues do come up quite regularly in the sheds.”

Those sheds support about 200,000 “shedders” with an average age of 72. Many come from an unskilled working backgrounds.

Shedders usually meet at least weekly. Some sheds will be open three or four days a week, while others are open all seven days.

Wide Bay

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

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6 Seniors Wide Bay

Profile Story: Jacqui Lambie

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Jacqui jumps The story of an unplanned life that succeeded with common sense Ann Rickard

PHOTO: ED JONES PHOTOGRAPHY

SHE jumps in boots first and then uses her gut instinct and relentless passion to make things work.

This is the thread throughout Jacqui Lambie’s recently released memoir, Rebel with A Cause, and it gives insight into the workings of an active and ferociously honest mind that at first bewildered and then amused the Australian political scene, and finally made it sit up and listen.

“Yes, I do tend to jump in,” Lambie said from her home in Burnie, Tasmania, on the eve of the state election.

“I wouldn’t advise everybody to do that though.

“I do it because I don’t have certain skills and the only way for me is to jump in if I need to be there and work it out from there.”

Lambie has never been the norm in Australian politics.

During her time in Parliament she was the most genuine but spontaneous voice in the Senate, something disquieting but refreshing and something she admits to easily.

“When I first got up there I was a wrecking ball,” she said.

“But I changed things.

Normal people like me belong in the Senate. We have a place there.”

Lambie has always stood out, even in childhood and adolescence.

The no-nonsense working-class Tassie girl left school in Year 11 and joined the Australian Army at just 17.

The Army wasn’t planned, just happened when she and a few girlfriends spotted an Army recruitment van in the carpark of their local Centrelink.

They made a girly pact to join up together but when Lambie had completed and signed her forms, she discovered her

friends had bolted.

The recruitment officer would not let her back down and so as a naïve teenager she found herself in the Australian Army, at first in the transport corps and then in the military police.

For the first few months during drills, exercise and parades, she threw herself into hard work ... without knowing she was pregnant.

After that shock, she then spent two years in the Army as unmarried mother and, in typical Lambie form, had many a run-in with Army hierarchy (throwing a punch at an officer) before she fell in love with a sergeant who fathered her second son, Dylan and treated her first son, Brentyn, as his own.

Their relationship lasted five years.

It was on a military skills competition that Lambie suffered a horrendous back injury which eventually caused her to be discharged from the Army as unfit with

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Profile Story: Jacqui Lambie

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for half an hour.

“That was structure.”

Surprisingly, Lambie still has a soft spot for Clive Palmer who she says saved her after the Liberal Party had rejected her and she had used all her savings to run for the Senate in 2013.

A phone call from him resulted in her joining (briefly) the Palmer United Party.

“He gave me a lot of opportunity, I will be grateful to him,” she said.

“But his advice is not always right.

His way of dealing with things is different, he is used to throwing money out there.

“I don’t have that, I walk on integrity.”

Her shock resignation from the Senate late last year, after discovering her Scottish-born father had not renounced his citizenship and she too had become a victim of the dual citizenship saga, was just one more devastating blow in a life filled with traumatic setbacks.

However, despite being almost penniless now, she sees this as just a blip, and she is determined to come back.

“I’ve sold my house before and I’ll do it again if I have to,” she said.

“I don’t care about material stuff.

“I know what it is like to be broke.

I’m doing a lot of (unpaid) work with the state election. The dual

citizenship came out of left field.

“You can harden up and get on with it or not.

“I’ll worry about money after the election, it doesn’t need to be dealt with now.

“This is where I put my faith in God, although I could be swearing at Him later.”

Lambie’s memoir is not a political book, it is the story of her life as an ordinary working-class girl from Tasmania, her journey through the Army, her enforced medical retirement, her fight to get adequate treatment and compensation, her battles with addiction and depression, her struggles to raise two boys as a single mother, the slow rebuilding of her life, and finally, her roller-coaster ride as a politician.

Throughout the chapters in her book one thing is clear, Lambie has retained her spirit and sense of humour.

“I feel there is a fondness for me now around the country,” she said.

“In the beginning I might not have had the right advisors.

I had not worked for 13 years (before entering politics) and I was still taking some of the anger out on Veteran Affairs.”

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spinal neuralgia.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) refused to believe the military skills competition was the cause of her back injury and declined to pay for her treatment.

This led to a bitter 10-year battle with the DVA which left Lambie depressed, addicted to pharmaceuticals and alcohol, which finally led to an attempted suicide.

“Pharmaceuticals only cover the pain, they don’t get rid of it,” she said.

“They don’t help, they lead to other health ailments, and you can explode like a bomb. If you can avoid them, stay away.

I went cold turkey off everything but that knocked my system around and I ended up with chronic fatigue.”

For a painful decade Lambie stumbled in a fog from doctor to hypnotherapist to psychiatrist to chiropractor, but never found permanent relief.

She eventually took the DVA to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and was finally paid compensation.

It is this fighting and never-give-up spirit that eventually led to Lambie entering politics, mostly, she admits, with vengeance in her heart to get back at the DVA, but also with a determination to prevent others experiencing the bureaucracy-inflicted torment she was forced to survive.

“It was a long fight with DVA,” she said.

“If they had done the right thing earlier on, we could have had this fixed within a couple of years.”

Lambie has been a tireless and effective campaigner for the things she passionately believes in, including the scourge of ice addiction which affected her son Brentyn (now rehabilitated.)

“When you’ve been through your own life experiences, you should use them as strengths and try and do everything you can,” she said.

“The ice (scourge) is about kids.

I am worried about where they are going, worried about the new batch of kids aged about 25.

There is not the discipline today that we had.

When we came home from school we were told to take off our uniforms, go out and play until dinner and then, after that, we did our homework

Wide Bay

8 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Talk’n’thoughts Hurdles, highjumps and solutions

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I REFER to page 36 of the current SC Seniors newspaper, where Tony Kaye writes “having higher ... savings may actually generate less tax-free income than the Age Pension. In other words, having more can equal receiving less”.

My wife and I are two of the 90,000 who lost their part-pension in 2017.

We not only lost the cash but also a number of privileges accorded to pensioners, such as bulk-billing by our GP. The new taper rate is very poorly designed, especially in a time of low bank interest rates. This means that to make up for the loss of pension, savings have to made in more risky investments such as the share market, at an age when taking risks is not part of our retirement plan!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

ASSETS TEST: Can having higher savings generate less tax-free income than the age pension?

PHOTO: SQUAREDPIXELS

The current assets test regime is an encouragement to spend up on cruises etc so as to reduce our assets and get back on the pension.

Mr Kaye is correct in saying that having more

savings results in less income. A large part of our “excess” assets arose from downsizing our home and moving to a retirement village.

We are penalised for what is in most other

respects is something the government should be facilitating. We hope the 2018 Federal Budget will address this crass inequity.

— Ted Webber, Buderim

Subject: Housing for single people.

I was very interested in your article about homelessness.

Because of the high divorce/separation rate in Australia we have a lot of single people needing accommodation.

Developers build these units by the thousands, but singles cannot afford them.

Why do they not build a percentage of these units as bedsits?

Very basic one room accommodation with share basin, toilet and kitchen.

These should be able to be sold for under $300,000 possibly closer to $250,000.

These units are close

❝

Caravan parks are now not available and there is a crying need for cheap accommodation. to transport shops, etc, so car space would be provided.

Working singles would be happy to have place of their own to start again after a break up and this would give them a start to move on later if they chose to.

Caravan parks are now not available and there is a crying need for cheap accommodation.

I think bedsits are the answer.

— Gwenda

HAVE YOUR SAY: Email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or go online to www.seniorsnews.com.au.

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Talk ‘n’ thoughts

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Wide Bay

Seniors 9

Don’t retire at age 65 ❝

It’s the perfect time to start a your own business FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK GAIL FORRER Group editor Seniors Newspapers network

INSTEAD of retiring at 65, older Australians should be starting their own business, making money and contributing to the economy.

That’s the view of the outgoing chairman of the Sunshine Coast branch of Regional Development Australia, Tony Riddle, who believes “retirement” is an obsolete notion.

Mr Riddle, an entrepreneur himself, said that stopping work at 60 or 65 and doing nothing for the rest of your life was not good for a person’s health, wealth or wellbeing, and catastrophic for the national economy.

He said not only was there no reason why older people could not be successful in business,

many mature age entrepreneurs had already shown the way.

“KFC, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s were started by men aged over 50,” he said.

“Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals at 76.

Dame Judi Dench won an Oscar at 64.”

Mr Riddle said older people had many advantages when starting business ventures.

“The kids will probably have left home and started their own lives,” he said.

“We’ve often paid off the family home, built up a network of useful contacts and developed experience, knowledge and wisdom.

“The only serious disadvantage I can see is societal perception that entrepreneurship is for wide-eyed twentysomethings. That is wrong – entrepreneurs are as diverse as the population, and there is nothing to say you can’t become one in your later years.”

KFC, CocaCola and McDonald’s were started by men aged over 50 — Tony Riddle, chairman Sunshine Coast branch of Regional Development Australia

BACK IN BUSINESS: Retiring at 60 or 65 and doing nothing for the rest of your life, might not be ideal for everyone.

PHOTO: AJ_WATT

Mr Riddle said older Australians were living longer because they ate better, adopted healthier lifestyles and benefited from advances in medical science.

“We’re staying fit and well and the percentage of older people in our population is growing,” he said.

“So why do we continue to stop work at 60 or 65?

“And, more importantly, why does the community expect this of us?”

Mr Riddle said it was time society changed its view of older people.

“Bureaucrats, politicians and, indeed, the whole community need to understand that

the future of Australia depends on this change,” he said.

“It makes no sense that we eliminate from the workforce fit, talented, intelligent men and women simply because they have reached at a certain age.”

Mr Riddle said he was not suggesting older

people should remain in jobs they hated.

“I believe we should consider reaching the age of 60 or 65 as presenting an opportunity to do what we want,” he said.

Mr Riddle is a founder of the Spark Bureau, a not-for-profit organisation that fosters innovation and collaboration on the Sunshine Coast.

He said this year the Spark Bureau woulld launch a range of activities and opportunities to make it easier for older Australians to remain employed, and to make a difference.

Contact Tony Riddle at tony@sancus.property or on 0418 188 969.

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10 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Community TO ALLOW for readers’ requests for the publication of more neighbourhood news, please keep notices short and to the point (100 word maximum). If you would like to submit a photo please ensure it is at least 180dpi or 500kb to 1mb in size and of faces, in a nice bright setting. The deadline for our April issue is April 4.

Email editor@seniors newspaper.com.au

VIEW CLUBS

(Voice, Interest, and Education of Woman)

●FRASER COAST

WALK into a luncheon meeting at our club and you will find yourself in a different world for just a couple of hours. It will be the world that reflects our theme for the month, with related fun activities, entertainment or guest speakers.

The 2018 themes promise to be especially interesting and fun for all

at the same time: April Fraser Coast VIEW Club birthday and Commonwealth Games; May “Who Am I”? Dress as a favourite character and try your friends’ perceptive ability!; June Dragon Boat Racing; July “All Things Roman”; August Derby Day; September Story Books; October Casual and Comfy; November Elections; December Christmas. Come along dressed to suit the theme, or simply dress as you normally do. A calendar of social outings is being planned for monthly activities.

Visitors are always welcome to join us and enjoy VIEW friendship and hospitality. Dinner meetings are held at the Clubhouse, corner of Old Maryborough Road and Tooth Street, Pialba, on the first Thursday of the month starting at 11.30am. Give Ros a call on 4128 0993 if you would like to come as a

Enjoyable morning tea on a hot summer’s day

GRATITUDE: Hervey Bay VIEW Club's Thanksgiving Service was held in the old Methodist Church at the Hervey Bay Historical Museum.

guest, or for more.

●HERVEY BAY

OUR meetings and luncheon are always the second Monday of each month at the Club House,

CPAP BUNDABERG We know how beneficial CPAP therapy can be in improving the quality of your sleep and helping you lead a healthier and more active life.

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Tooth Street, Pialba from 10.30am and usually includes a guest speaker.

Monthly socials are on the fourth Monday at various venues from 9.30am. Our club has made a successful start to the year with a full committee elected and focused on providing an interesting year for our members. Our annual Thanksgiving Service in the 108-year-old church at the Hervey Bay Historical Museum was well attended. A lovely service with hymns made for an enjoyable morning on a very hot summer’s day. We will continue to raise funds for The Smith Family with our monthly trading table that is well supported by our members thus helping our Learning for Life student Cohen with his education.

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

Phone Mary on 4128 3908 or email herveybay.viewclub95 @gmail.com.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

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THE Hervey Bay and Maryborough Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meet on the first Friday of each month on the Deck at the Hervey Bay RSL at 10am for a coffee and a chat. Our monthly attendance remains strong and we welcomed a new member Andrew, a teacher who was diagnosed with MS last August aged 36 and his career has been put on hold because of his MS symptoms. We as a group and his MS family will

support and offer assistance to Andrew and his wife as he comes to terms with his MS. The sharing, talking and listening as a support group is very therapeutic for us all to know we are not alone and also helps our partners and carers understand that no two people with MS have the same symptoms, we are all different. We are always welcoming of anyone with MS and newly diagnosed are most welcome to sit in on a meeting to discuss their own situation and ask questions. Phone Bev on 4128 2692 or email bev_cornwell@ hotmail.com.

BUNDABERG PCYC

WE HOLD a monthly market with the next to be held on Sunday, April 8.

The market is held at the PCYC in the Multiplex Centre, 1 Civic Avenue.

Market runs from 8am with the canteen open from 7.30am for refreshments. There is also a sausage sizzle operating. With new stalls each month there are

always different bargains to see and buy. If you would like to book a site or for information, phone Irene 0437 645 941 or email irene.petretic @pcyc.org.au.

MIXED PROBUS CLUB OF HERVEY BAY INC

WE WILL next meet on Thursday, March 22 at 9.15am for a 9.30am start at the new venue – upstairs at the Boat Club.

There is a lift for those who prefer and friendly greeters to make you feel welcome. Come along and meet new friends; the venue is superb, the view unsurpassed and the company is all you could wish for. The AGM will follow the General Meeting and you are welcome to stay on.

Please phone Sue for details and cost of lunch.

Regular general meetings will recommence on Thursday, April 26 at 9.15am for 9.30am start.

Cost of morning tea is $3 (complimentary on your first visit). Inquiries Sue on 0413 202 448.

Dianne and new Hervey Bay MS group member Andrew indulge in a nice iced coffee, while Gary enjoys a regular coffee.

Wide Bay

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 11

Argyle Gardens is easy living.

Discover Bundaberg’s premier retirement lifestyle

“We have everything we need at Argyle Gardens with shopping across the road, clubs and the hospital nearby and the bus stops right out the front.”

Maree, Village Resident

feels like home.

You will feel right at home in affordable, spacious and beautifully appointed two-bedroom and threebedroom homes and a choice of apartments surrounded by resort style facilities and picturesque garden settings.

Privacy and practicality combine here, with spacious homes set around a large community and leisure precinct, allowing you to enjoy the best years of your life where everything you will ever need is right at your doorstep.

close to everything.

Just minutes from one of Bundaberg’s biggest retail hubs, sporting clubs and city centre, at Argyle Gardens, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to shopping and entertainment with low maintenance living, friendly neighbours and a sought after lifestyle. easy living.

If you appreciate fun, friendship and first-class amenities, Argyle Gardens Bundaberg is an oasis where your ideal lifestyle abounds.

An enticing Community Centre with space to meet up with your family, friends and neighbours, or a ‘secret garden’ to sit down and relax, combine to offer you a wonderful stress-free lifestyle with the magnificent Coral Coast

and southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef nearby and ready for you to explore.

Resort style facilities at Argyle Gardens Bundaberg include: • • • • • • • • •

Auditorium Bar and billiard tables Dining facilities Swimming pool and BBQ area Indoor bowls Craft and hobby room Hairdressing salon/ barber Consulting rooms for physicians RV, caravan and boat parking

Also on offer at Argyle Gardens Bundaberg is access to support services including home care services, personal care services, respite care, 24 hour emergency call and meals.

retirementlivingbundaberg.com.au

Experience the retirement lifestyle you’ve always wanted surrounded by friendly neighbours and amazing facilities in a safe, secure and stress free community within easy reach of major shopping, doctors and hospitals.

Argyle Gardens Bundaberg is the perfect home for your retirement.

Homes from $305,000* *Price valid for typical 3 bedroom home, February 2018

Apartments from $85,000* *Price valid for typical 1 bedroom apartment, February 2018

OPEN FOR INSPECTION Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm or by appointment VISIT 90 Twyford Street Avoca QLD 4670 PHONE 07 4191 9115

12 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Money

Annuities: what to know Take a moment to consider facts before making decisions

FINANCE TONY KAYE WHEN it comes to the development of a robust framework for lifetime retirement income stream products, it seems there is still a fair way to go.

In everyday language, what we’re talking about here are annuities, products especially designed for retirees that deliver a guaranteed set income for life.

In the finance industry, they’re often being referred to as Comprehensive Income Products for Retirement – and there is a strong push being led by the Federal Government to make them a more attractive investment option.

Indeed, the Turnbull Government used its 2016-17 Budget to announce it planned to remove many of the tax and other legislative obstacles standing in the way of the development of better retirement income products.

On the surface that announcement was a step in the right direction, and retirement product providers have been working closely with the government ever since to develop a preferred structure and rules that will encourage individuals into lifetime income

products in retirement.

In January the Department of Social Services released a position paper setting out proposed new social security means test rules for pooled lifetime retirement income stream products.

But it hasn’t drawn favourable reviews.

A follow-up report from the Actuaries Institute that reviewed the DSS paper has found the department lacking.

For one thing, it notes that the DSS has not recognised the obvious fact that retirees who invest in a lifestyle retirement income product (annuity) will generally lose access to some or all of their capital.

This carries a liquidity cost, because an annuity prevents individuals from accessing their funds as a lump sum.

The institute also notes that the modelled scenarios by the DSS assume that retirees draw down from account-based income streams at minimum drawdown rates.

But the reality is different, because those with lower assets, who are more likely to be impacted by means testing, actually tend to draw down at higher rates.

The list goes on.

The DSS analysis has made no allowance for the impacts of risk, with only central estimate outcomes being considered.

ANNUITIES: Do they offer you the best benefits?

Most importantly, when the DSS total outcomes are considered, including bequests, the proposals result in a significant disincentive to lifetime retirement income streams.

For example, a single homeowner with $300,000 in superannuation and no other assessable assets will have their total outcome reduced by around $40,000, or 6 per cent of total outcome, under a lifetime annuity or group self-annuity product compared to an account-based income stream.

The Actuaries Institute notes that the DSS

proposals have a great adverse impact on those with lower means. A single homeowner with $600,000 in superannuation and no other assessable assets has around the same outcome between an account-based income stream and a lifetime annuity compared to the 6 per cent detriment for the single homeowner with $300,000 in assets.

“This is particularly important for the future development of CIPRS considering the current (and future medium term) average balances at retirement are below $300,000,” the Actuaries Institute says.

PHOTO: SHAPECHARGE

There are other potential problems with the DSS position paper.

The DSS has suggested that 70 per cent of the purchase price of an annuity product be counted towards the age pension assets test, dropping to 35 per cent once the retiree has passed their life expectancy, as calculated at the time of purchasing the product.

But the Actuaries Institute believes that the income test will likely be used more often if annuity products are adopted widely, and 70 per cent of all pension payments from annuity products will be counted in the means

testing of the pension.

It recommends changes to both the assets test and the income test to cater for the growing use of annuity products, which will help level the playing field with those choosing to stick with other conventional retirement products.

The lesson for retirees?

Watch the CIPRS space.

There is a lot more work to do by the Government and industry to create a system that will make annuities more attractive.

Tony Kaye is the editor of Eureka Report, which is owned by financial services group InvestSMART. www.investsmart.com.au.

Reverse mortgages may make life easier for the cash-poor retirees

THINK MONEY PAUL CLITHEROE RETIREMENT is a time to tap into every available financial resource and, if you’re a home owner who falls into the “asset rich, cash poor” category, a reverse mortgage can hold appeal.

In the next 40 years an estimated seven million Australians are expected to start living off their

super savings. Many won’t have enough to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

The benefit of a reverse mortgage is that you can access money to live on without having to sell your home.

A reverse mortgage is a loan that lets you draw down the equity in your home. It’s a product that is typically available once you reach age 60 and, while no monthly repayments are required, full loan repayment falls due when you sell your home or pass away.

Limits do apply to the

amount you can borrow with a reverse mortgage.

You won’t be able to borrow the full value of your home – but rather a percentage, and the older you are, the more you can borrow.

As a guide, a 60-year old can often borrow 15–20 per cent of the value of their home.

An 80-year-old may be able to borrow 35 per cent of their home equity.

Turning to the family home to supplement your retirement income can make financial sense.

The payments from a

reverse mortgage can be taken as a lump sum (though this can impact age pension entitlements) or as a series of regular payments or a line of credit, providing extra money to live on.

On the downside, loan interest is charged from day one and the mounting cost can outpace the growth in your home’s value. By law, you can’t end up with “negative equity” – where you owe more than your home is worth.

Nonetheless, for many Australians, a key

stumbling block of reverse mortgages can be the impact on your estate.

No, you won’t be able to bequeath the full value of your home to your adult children or other family members but I’m sure your loved ones wouldn’t want you to live a lean retirement just so you can provide a generous legacy.

The key to managing a reverse mortgage is not to over-borrow. This type of product works best when you draw down small annual amounts, and a few thousand dollars each year in the kitty can make

for a much better lifestyle.

I still believe super is a great way to save for retirement but, if you’re a home owner, the availability of reverse mortgages means you shouldn’t have to live a meagre existence once you exit the workforce.

Talk to your solicitor about the possible implications of using a reverse mortgage.

Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board.

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Local Story

Wide Bay

Seniors 13

And the beat goes on Neuroplasticity reveals that new pathways can be created through various brain activities RECOMMENDATIONS to reduce the risk of dementia that we can control include leading a healthy lifestyle, engaging with others and stimulating the brain.

We can do this in several ways by taking up a new hobby, joining a group, doing regular exercise, eating healthy food and lowering our stress levels.

Seniors in Bundaberg are learning the rhythm of the Djembe drum and are finding there are benefits to their wellbeing.

Drumming, although a primal activity which is played in many cultures, brings people together in harmony and allows them to be in the moment by focusing on their drum beats.

Facilitator Cynthia Hoogstraten, who has a Diploma in Dementia Care, recognises the satisfaction people receive by joining a drum circle.

It allows people to enjoy

Seniors drumming while giving their brain exercise and stimulation.

the outdoors giving them a reason to be involved in learning a new skill and meeting others.

Drumming is a form of brain exercise which stimulates the connections in the brain as one focuses on the rhythm and being in the moment.

A simple rhythm can be learnt in one easy lesson, so it is not a difficult instrument to learn.

All ages and abilities are welcomed into the drum circles.

The saying, “if you don’t use it, you lose it”, rings

true when we learn how the brain works and we come to realise that the brain can repair itself to a certain degree through neuroplasticity.

Keeping active both in the mind and the body is vital. Research continues into the working of the brain and at this stage, there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, a form of Dementia.

What is known is there are risk factors and ways of reducing those risks.

For further information, contact Cynthia on 0431 933 817.

BRAIN EXERCISE: Cynthia Hoogstraten the drum facilitator.

Make money while the sun shines

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MAKING the switch to solar just makes good sense. Right now, investing in solar delivers serious and immediate returns. How so you might ask? We understand it can seem complicated to understand the real returns on a solar system, so we thought we’d break it down for you.

According to the Clean Energy Council the average hours of sunlight a day across the year is 4.2 hours, so we will use this as the base to calculate the solar generation. Based on 4.2 hours a day, a 5kW system will generate 21kW of clean energy every day.

Now let’s say you self-consume 50%, or 11kW your total solar generation each day.

Based on today’s average electricity charges of 28c/kW, by cutting your reliance on the grid by 50%, you stand to make a saving of $3.08 each day. That might not seem much but over the course of a year that’s $1124 back in your pocket. Then there’s the other 50% of your solar production that you can export back to the grid. Based on today’s average solar feed in tariffs you’re looking at anywhere from 8 cents to 15 cents, depending on your electricity retailer. Let’s base our calculations somewhere in the middle… if you are exporting the remaining 50% at 12 cents per kW, that’s another saving of $1.32 cents per day, or a further $481 a year you’ll save in electricity costs. That’s a whopping total of $1605 per year in savings straight from the get go.

Now let’s say you want to finance your solar system. The cost of a good quality 5kW system will set you back approximately $6000 (less than a third of the cost just five years ago). Based on a 5-year payback, with a $0 deposit, you’re looking at monthly repayments of just over $100, or $1200.00 per annum. So right now, you’re in front, with immediate electricity savings delivered of $1605 per year and the system cost of $1200 on payback, you’re $405 in front. That’s a win.

We are genuinely passionate about the benefits of a good quality solar system designed to deliver you real savings. If you’re ready to take control of your energy future, and you’re looking for honest, trustworthy advice from your local energy contractor, call SAE Group today on 1300 18 20 50. To find out more visit www.saegroup.com.au

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14 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

What’s on TEA WITH MARY

YOUR very own Mary Poppins inspired character will guide you on a personalised tour of Maryborough. You’ll discover serendipitous links with the novels and Maryborough of old, as well as fascinating snippets about the old ports city. Contact Bond Store Museum on 4190 5722 or email portside@frasercoast. qld.gov.au. Wharf Street, Maryborough, every Thursday and Friday 9.30am (on request, bookings essential). Cost is $20 per person.

BAUPLE MARKETS

BAUPLE Markets are held on the fourth Saturday of every month from 7am at the Bauple Band Hall Green. Stalls have fresh local produce, arts and crafts, books and lots of tasty treats. Main Street, Bauple. Phone 0401 830 756.

MUSIC IN THE GALLERY

FRANK Marsh on piano, playing your old time favourite tunes. Visit the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery and listen to toe tapping tunes from the past. Complimentary tea and coffee. Contact Hervey Bay Regional Gallery on 4197 4206 or email regionalgallery@ frasercoast.qld.gov.au.

166 Old Maryborough Road, Pialba, every Wednesday 1.30-3.30pm, weekly from March 23.

BROOWEENA MUSEUM MARKET DAY

THE museum is open during market times for a wonder through yesteryear, pick up a bargain, gift or treasure at one of our many stalls, a drink and sausage sizzle.

We are a short drive away, located just 30 minutes from Biggenden, 40

1300 307 800 for more information.

MARYBOROUGH CITY HEART MARKETS

FRESH IS BEST: Local markets have fresh produce, arts and crafts, books and lots of tasty treats.

Go exploring this weekend and see what your region has to offer.

minutes from Maryborough, 60 minutes from Hervey Bay, 90 minutes from Bundaberg or Gympie. Brooweena Historical Village and Museum, Brooweena on Sunday, March 25 from 8am-noon. Phone Sharah Garland on 0400 993 099 or email brooweenamkt@

yahoo.com.

GOURMET AND GROOVES ON SMITHFIELD

COUNCIL’S monthly Gourmet and Grooves event will fill Smithfield Street with food trucks, live music, and children’s activities, including free

face painting and jumping castle. It supports the arts and cultural scene in Gympie every month, showcasing different local musicians and street talent. Gympie Town Centre, Smithfield Street, Gympie, on the last Friday of every month. Next will be on Friday, March 30 at 5-9pm. Phone

EVERY Thursday, Maryborough’s city centre undergoes an amazing transformation into a colourful outdoor heritage bazaar. Wander around over 120 stalls with an amazing array of farm fresh produce and unique wares. Original hand-made craft, homemade treats, artwork, jewellery, clothes, natural beauty products and gorgeous cut flowers. Meet a cast of characters in historical dress, including the Town Crier, and hear the firing of the historic time cannon at 1pm. Soak up the atmosphere of music and entertainers. Adelaide and Ellena Street, Maryborough. Phone 4120 5630 or email events@fcte.com.au.

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Submit your photos, stories, events and notices online.

Look for the ‘share your event or story’ box on our home page. Visit us at seniorsnews.com.au

Wide Bay

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 15

Travel

10

Great reasons to visit Melbourne in the autumn

Ann Rickard

MELBOURNE is famous for its unpredictable and crazy weather, but during the autumn months it seems to settle into a more consistent pattern.

The days can be warm and sunny, the nights cool enough to throw on a jacket.

Those hideous hot days have passed and the chill of winter is yet to arrive.

Autumn in Melbourne is marvellous. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit.

■ A FIX makes you know you are alive. While Paris, New York or London would be nice, Melbourne is within distance and budget and it definitely has a big city flavour.

All the city-life you want is there, from restaurants to theatre to museums and galleries, to shopping … it never stops.

■ THE autumn landscape in Melbourne is gorgeous and the transformation from parched and baked, to a haze of burnished reds, golds and yellows as the trees shed their leaves, is worth a visit alone.

A walk along tree-lined St Kilda Rd, or a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens will make you wish autumn was a permanent season.

■ TRAMS. What’s not to love? They’re synonymous

2018 TOURS

SIMPLY STUNNING: Melbourne in autumn is beautiful.

with Melbourne, and the City Circle Tram is free. It’s a very Melbourne way to get around the CBD, and these free maroon and green trams look spiffy with their yellow and gold trimmings.

■ ACCOMMODATION in the heart of the city will have you within walking distance of everything Melbourne has to offer.

We love Double Tree by Hilton, opposite the historic Flinders St Station. Its location is perfect, then there are the warm chocolate chip cookies brandished at you on arrival, and the Sweet Dreams bedding and

Verbena and Lavender by Crabtree and Evelyn bathroom products.

■ ANY cuisine you want is available in the city from hundreds of bistros, cafes, restaurants and bars that exude style and city flair. We can never go past MoVida in Hosier Lane with its Spanish wines and the best croquettes outside Madrid.

Another favourite is Lucy Liu in Oliver Lane (you’ll have to search for it as it’s very hidden) where the Asian share plates will have you giddy for choice.

We swooned over the crispy pork buns with

spicy kimchi, and the tempura prawn betel leaves.

■ OKAY, more favourite foodie spots. Osteria in Little Bourke St, for its long bar and open kitchen where the chargrilled octopus swept us away.

Then there is Longsong, little sister to the wildly popular Longrain. We could barely take our eyes off the decor in the voluminous dining space, kept looking up to the bevy of glowing lanterns, a nod to Thailand’s floating lantern tradition.

■ THE National Gallery of Victoria, or NGV as it is fondly called, is at your

doorstep. Until April 15, the speculator Triennial is showing, and entry is free.

Four floors of art, installations, sculpture and everything and anything technological is on display. Do not leave Melbourne without visiting. NGV is a quick 10-minute walk from Flinders St Station.

■ THE laneways; oh, the lanes. Melbourne has embraced lane culture like no other city and what were once dowdy back lanes used to service shops, business and workshops are now jam-packed, bustling lanes filled with shops,

DOWN UNDER COACH TOURS

bars, eateries, all against a backdrop of dazzling street art. Put on good walking shoes, pick up a laneway map from the friendly people at the information centre in Federation Square, set off on a self-guided tour and lose yourself in the giddy excitement of the iconic lanes.

■ SHOPPING. Myer and David Jones are still there in the Bourke St Mall as reassuring and reliable as ever. Enter their glittering spaces and everything you desire is yours for the buying. And when you tire of so much temptation, both department stores have stylish eateries.

Then there is Block Arcade, so glamorous and 19th century and heritage listed with its mosaic floors and glass canopy.

Wander, admire, love, and then go into Haigh’s Chocolates and let yourself loose.

■ IF YOU have time after your city-fix, all of Victoria is lovelier in the autumn.

Hire a car, take to the beaches and restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula or head to the Great Ocean Road, or enjoy a wine break in the Yarra Valley and then find out about the luxury retreats at Daylesford, or the historic charms of Bendigo.

Just go, before it gets too cold.

1800 072 535

13 DAY LEGENDS, WINE & BRIGHT AUTUMN FESTIVAL

6 DAY 1770 CAPTAIN COOK FESTIVAL

20 DAY CORNER COUNTRY, BIRDSVILLE, PAINTED DESERT, GREAT OCEAN ROAD

6 DAY NEPEAN BELLE CHRISTMAS IN JULY

33 DAY GREAT NORTH WESTERN ADVENTURE

17 DAY CAIRNS, KARUMBA , LAWN HILL & KAKADU Coach/Fly

17 DAY KIMBERLEY, TANAMI TRACK & RED CENTRE Fly/Coach

15 DAY OPALS, SILVER CITY & PROUD MARY

11 DAY FLORIADE & BEAUTIFUL BATEMANS BAY

9 DAY FABULOUS FORSTER & MANNING VALLEY

10 DAY MUDGEE CHRISMAS CAPERS

9 DAY CANBERRA BALLOON FESTIVAL

Departs: 26/04/18

Departs: 24/05/18

Departs: 05/06/18

Departs: 19/07/18

Departs: 19/07/18

Departs: 02/07/18 Highlights: • Kuranda Train & Skyrail • Birdsville Pub & Track • Kuranda Train & Skyrail • Henry Lawson Centre • 5 Nights Albury • 4 Nights 1770 • Undara Lava Tubes • Arckaringa Station • Undara Lava Tubes • Blue Mt Sightseeing • Blue Mt Sightseeing • LARC Cruise & Ground Tour • Lawn Hill Gorge & Karumba • Coober Pedy • Lawn Hill Gorge & Karumba • Museum of Fire • Canberra Sightseeing • Lady Musgrave Is. Cruise • Kakadu NP • Kangaroo Island • Kakadu NP • Nepean Belle Xmas Lunch • Beechworth Historic Precinct • Bundaberg Rum Distillery • Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise • Twelve Apostles • Wolfe Ck Crater & Red Centre • New Italy Museum • High Country Sightseeing • Flying High Bird Sanctuary Adult: $4098 Single Supplement: $1104 Adults $2578 Single Supplement: $551 Adult: $6796 Single Supplement: $1292 Adult: $2345 Single Supplement: $425 Adult: $13997 Single Supplement: $4067 Adult: $6730 Single Supplement: $1812

Departs: 04/08/18

Departs: 07/09/18

Departs: 01/10/18

Departs: 10/11/18

Departs: 18/12/18

• Lightning Ridge • 4 Nights Mudgee • Lake Argyle & Ord River • 3 Nights Canberra • Bunna Bunoo Olive Grove • Trilby Station & White Cliffs • Poppa’s Fudge & Jam Factory • Tunnel Ck & Windjana Gorge • Canberra Sightseeing • Whale Watching Cruise • Back O’Bourke Exhibition Cnt • Bluestill Distillery • Willie Pearl Farm • Braidwood Guided Tour • Great Lakes Scenic Tour • Silverton & Broken Hill • Mudgee Winery Tour • Mimbi Cave Indigenous Tour • Mogo Zoo • National Motorcycle Museum • Two Nights Proud Mary • Mudgee Yabbi Farm Tour • Wolfe Ck Crater & Red Centre • Lorne Valley Macadamia Farm • Batemans Bay Cruise Adult: $7498 Single Supplement: $2256 Adult: $5398 Single Supplement: $1417 Adult: $3798 Single Supplement: $965 Adult: $3197 Single Supplement: $661 Adult: $3698 Single Supplement: $642 Adult: $tba

Departs: 10/03/19

• Pillaga Pottery • Western Plains Zoo • Canberra Sightseeing • Lake Burley Griffin Cruise • Darling Harbour Lunch Cruise Single Supplement: $tba

SPECIALISING IN SENIOR’S TRAVEL  COMPLIMENTARY DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE (Area Conditions Apply)  FULLY ACCOMMODATED TOURS

16 Seniors Wide Bay

Travel

It’s time to explore the quiet beauty of Bohemia

Bohemia - Village of Hrubá Skála.

Call our frie endly, expe erienced team to book your next crui uise or touring ho oliday or to join one of Go See ee Touring’s special gro roup departures.

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Exciting garden designs and exquisite floral creations from over 50 designers and 19 countries. Flights, accommodation, meals and touring. Fully escorted ex Brisbane.

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per person Twin Share ex BNE & SYD, Single supplement $4,069

AFRICAN WILDLIFE SAFAR ARI

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$10,5 500 SOCIAL CROQUET HOLIDAY TOUR

6 - 14 OCTOBER 2018

$3,625

per person Twin Share ex BNE, Single supplement $730

per person p Twin Sh hare ex BNE, S SYD,& MEL Single supplement $1,070

INTRIGUING NORTH INDIA 6 - 21 OCTOBER 2018

$4,79 795

9 Days of willdlife game, drivess in privat ate 4x4 vehicles, 12 nigh hts of luxury Sopa pa, Lo Lodge accom, Opportuniity to visit Masai aii M Mara villages, Boat ride on n Lake Naivvasha, FFully escorted by a Go See, Park fe fees & taxes.

Beautiful Tasmania - food, wine and the hospitality of some of the state’s friendly croquet clubs when we visit them for an afternoon’s social croquet. Combine the fun and friendship of hitting through the hoops with some wonderful touring and dining.

ESC SCORTED TOUR FROM

7 Nights No orfolk Island - fligh hts, accommodati tio ti on fabulous tourin ing and meals. PLUSS Two big “Little Bit Country” showss with your host plus Lucky Starr, Rodn ney Vincent and Graeme Hugo.

Return economy airfares, 1 Night Anchorage, 2 Nights Denali Princess, Wilderness Lodge, 2 Nights Mt McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, 7 Night Cruise from Wittier to Vancouver, Glasss-domed Wilderness, Rail from Deenali to Witti ittier, Breakfast daily.

PR PRIVATE VEHICLE TOURING

TAKE OFF TO TASSIE

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

per person Twin Share ex BNE, MEL, SYD& PER, Single supplement $1,000

13 nights quality 4star acco omodation, co ooked breakfast daily, 3 x lunches & 12 x di dinners.

All touring & admissions as perr itin tinerary.

Services of local guide, Gratuiti ties and visas.

Visit Old & New Delhi, Udaip pur - City of Lakes, Jeep Excursions in R Rajasthan, Train ride in Aravalli Ranges, aand so much more.

TERMS & CONDITIONS *Price is per person Twin Share fully in nclusive. Single Supplement applies. Credit card sur urcharges apply. Deposit of AUD$500-$800 per person is required to secure tour. Tour requires a minimum number n of passengers to depart. Prices may fl fluctuate if surcharges, fee, taxes or currency change. Prices current as at 18 February 2018. Go SeeTouring Pty Ltd T/A A Go G See Touring Member of Helloworld ABN:: 7 72 122 522 276 ATAS Accreditation A11320

THIS is the year of festivities for the Czech Republic, with the landlocked, European country celebrating 100 years since the Republic of Czechoslovakia was formed and 25 years since Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the countries of Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The past 25 years have seen the former communist country blossom into one of Europe’s most popular destinations, welcoming a record 16 million tourists last year – a six per cent increase on 2016.

Tourism is expected to rise further thanks to the country starring as the filming location for the epic new TV drama, Britannia, now showing in Australia on Foxtel.

The year of celebrations is the perfect time to visit, and a six-night, selfguided Bohemian Paradise walking tour offered by On Foot Holidays provides an ideal way to explore the meadows, pine forests, fairytale castles and soaring rock towers of the Czech countryside.

Located in the northern edge of the Czech Republic, the inn-to-inn hike will see walkers trek through natural labyrinths of rock towers and visit medieval and gothic castles as well as historic farmhouses and quaint villages.

Last year the Czech Republic welcomed 16 million visitors The trail also boasts tranquil lakes and meadows and offers walkers the chance to sample local wines, herbal liqueur and beer, for which the republic is famed.

Walkers will see huge sandstone boulders, tall cliffs and mystical views, recently made famous by the new TV period drama, Britannia, which has proved a major hit in the UK. Along the way, guests will stay in friendly family-run hotels and a Baroque chateau, beautifully situated in the Bohemian mountains.

On Foot Holidays also recommends guests spend a few nights in Prague – recently named Europe’s most affordable capital city for a cultural experience – where they can explore some of the anniversary celebrations taking place in the beautiful historic city, including an international music festival, special exhibits, a fringe festival, and see some of Prague’s most famous sites refurbished for the centenary.

The walk is easy to medium in difficulty, with four to seven hours of walking each day.

Shorter options are also available and nights

in Prague can be added when booking. The route can be walked from April to July, as well as in September and October.

Including six nights’ accommodation, all breakfasts, and all luggage transfers – meaning travellers simply carry a day pack – the Bohemian Paradise walk costs from £510 per person, twin-share (about $A895 depending on exchange rates).

Payments can be made by via Earthport FX transfer, a system which offers Australians the convenience of paying for walks in Australian dollars at a local bank, saving transfer charges and credit card fees.

Rated one of Europe’s leading self-guided walking tour operators, On Foot Holidays offers 32 self-guided walking tours across Europe.

Accommodation and information packs are provided for all the routes and optional guides are available on select itineraries.

Walkers select their departure dates, luggage is transferred between inns each day and all routes are designed by locals and tested by staff from On Foot Holidays.

Go to: onfootholidays. co.uk.

Travel

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Wide Bay

Mouth-watering Melbourne tour An exploration of beautiful locations

GO SEE Touring is pleased to announce a brand new escorted tour to Mouth-watering Melbourne, the food capital of Australia, in November.

Christine Perkin will be hosting the tour and taking you to her favourite restaurants and wineries in Melbourne including the Yarra Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula over eight delicious decadent days.

You will experience Neil Perry’s Spice Temple for dinner at the Crown Casino, lunch at Shannon Bennet’s Jardin Tan in the stunning Royal Botanical Gardens, take a Le Cucina di Sandra cooking class and enjoy a Italian cooking and eating experience, the magnificent old world Windsor Hotel for

Seniors 17

The beautiful Yarra Valley, Chandon Winery, Yering Station and the Melba Estate.

DELIGHTFUL: High Tea at the Windsor Hotel will be one of the highlights of the tour.

afternoon tea and the amazing Tram Car Restaurant and, not to forget, a visit to the Iconic Queen Victoria Market.

We will venture off to the picturesque Yarra Valley where you will experience quality food and wine and breathtaking scenery.

Then it’s a visit to the

Yarra Chocolaterie for chocolate and ice cream tasting, and the beautiful Chandon winery with a tour and bubbles tasting.

We visit Yering Station for a fabulous modern French lunch, a wine tasting at historic Coombe Yarra Valley Estate, once owned by Dame Nellie Melba.

AIRFARES INCLUDED* ®

Enjoy your holiday knowing you have an expert with you every step of the way.

PREMIUM AIRLINES

VISAS, TIPPING & TRANSFERS INCLUDED* NO HIDDEN FEES

The beautiful seaside area of the Mornington Peninsula is next where you will experience gourmet delights and boutique wineries.

We visit Montalto winery and olive grove for lunch, a wander through the sculpture garden, and breakfast and bubbles at the Woodman Estate,

FULLY ESCORTED HOLIDAYS* HOSTED FROM AUSTRALIA

SMALL GROUPS* MAXIMUM 20 PEOPLE

experience Arthurs Seat gondola and fly over the state forest and take in the breathtaking views of the peninsula, then visit a Main Ridge Goat farm and dairy for a tasting and the Bass and Flinders Distillery for a quick tipple.

We will also enjoy a classic paddock to plate experience at the Linenderry Winery famed Linden Tree Restaurant for a delicious dinner with paired wines.

On our last day we will enjoy Cruden Farm the much-loved home of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch for morning tea.

This tour promises to be a wonderful exploration of beautiful locations, wonderful restaurants and

AFRICAN ADVENTURE

wineries in Melbourne.

All of this including accommodation, return economy airfares from Brisbane, our own coach and coach captain, seven breakfasts, one morning tea, one afternoon tea, three lunches, four dinners, all touring, meals admissions as per itinerary, for $3480 a person twin share.

The single supplement is $698.

If you would like to join Christine on her Mouth-Watering Melbourne tour, phone 1300 551 997 or (07) 3868 4760 or email info@gooseetouring.com or go to www.gosee touring.com for more information and a detailed itinerary.

30 DAYS

Departs: 7 Sep 2018 + View Victoria Falls on your included ‘Flight of the Angels’ + Visit Chobe National Park and watch elephants and hippos in their natural environment + Search for the ‘Big 5’ on game drives throughout Etosha National Park + Explore the Okavango Delta in a traditional mokoro (canoe) + View the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei + Enjoy the spectacular city of Cape Town, with tours to Table Mountain and Cape Peninsula + Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 18 dinners from solo traveller from

ESSENCE OF SOUTH AMERICA

$13,995* $15,995*

21 DAYS

Departs: 5 Sep 2018 + Enjoy a traditional tango show and dinner in Buenos Aires + Get up close with the wildlife of the Peruvian Amazon + Explore the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage site of Machu Picchu and ride the luxurious Vistadome train + See the magnificent Inca ruins at Cuzco and the Sacred Valley + Walk the lower circuit through Devil’s Gorge at Iguazú Falls + View Rio’s stunning beaches and cityscape from the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain + Breakfast daily, 6 lunches and 9 dinners from solo traveller from

$11,995* $13,995*

EXCLUSIVE TO ESCAPE TRAVEL

HERVEY BAY

1300 732 697

escortedescapes.com.au *Travel restrictions & conditions apply. For further details refer to escortedescapes.com.au. Prices are correct as at 19 Jan 18 & are subject to change. Prices are per person, twin share and subject to availability. Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store and are fully inclusive of taxes, levies, government charges and other applicable fees. Payments made by credit card incur a surcharge. FROM BRISBANE. Flight Centre Travel Group Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Escape Travel. ATAS Accreditation No. A10412. ATAS Accreditation No. A10412.

ETHBF80370

18 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Wellbeing

Melanoma survivor learnt the hard way John’s cancer wake-up call has given him a new lease on life Tracey Johnstone

LIVING a carefree life outdoors with not a care in world almost cost John Middleton his life when at age 52, a suspicious mole started to develop on his back.

Luckily, John and his wife Sue, went straight to the doctor to have it checked.

“She told me it wasn’t a good-looking thing,” John said.

“It was changing shape and colour.

“I certainly knew my years in the sun could be an issue. That’s why I went early on to have it looked at.”

He was diagnosed with an advanced or Stage IV melanoma and quickly admitted for surgery.

As a child John loved his surfing, hiking, water skiing and lots of motorbiking.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Australians hit the outdoors as much as possible with no concern about what damage could be happening to their skin.

John wasn’t any different.

Even in his 30s and 40s nothing changed.

❝

He now keeps to a rule of full skin coverage while outdoors except for the occasional moments in the sun to soak in the Vitamin D when he will allow some of his skin exposure to UV. “Once you grow up in that environment, that becomes the norm; it’s very hard to readjust and change your outlook,” John said.

John acknowledged he had seen and heard the various awareness messages put out into the community by organisations such as Melanoma Institute Australia, but it wasn’t until his melanoma diagnosis that he significantly readjusted his approach to his outdoor activities.

He now keeps to a rule of full skin coverage while outdoors except for the

LIVE AND WELL : John Middleton during his June Simpson Desert adventure. He took his hat off briefly for the photo, but the rest of his skin now remains safely protected from the harsh UV. PHOTO: RPA

occasional moments in the sun to soak in the Vitamin D when he will allow some of his skin exposure to UV. “I think it’s an important part of the message; it’s not a 100 per cent block-out as that can also have health issues,” John said.

John is still participating in an MIA

research project which is being conducted in conjunction with the USA’s John Wayne Cancer Institute.

All his lymph nodes in his left armpit have been removed while other participants have had only their infected ones removed.

While the project continues John is

receiving a full body check-up every six months.

Once it’s completed he will return to having his check-up done by his GP. John is determined to get on with life and enjoy it, and that is exactly what he is doing.

Last June the resort manager for the bushland Eagle View Resort in

northern NSW led a group of friends through the Simpson Desert, using motorcycles and 4WD vehicles.

“I have been given a bit of a lifeline and I intend enjoying it,” John said.

March is Melanoma month. For more information go to: melanomamarch.org.au to find a march near you.

Stay protected and cover up EVEN though Australia has dropped down the ranking list to second highest country reporting incidences of melanoma, there is still great concern for how we look after our skin.

WHAT YOU CAN DO It’s never too late to protect your skin even if you have sun damage from your younger years.

You should monitor and act to protect your skin by: ■ Staying out of the sun at the hottest time of the day; from 11am–3pm.

■ Use SPF 50 blocker, and apply at least

15–20 minutes before going outside.

■ Reapply the blocker every two hours.

■ Wear a broad-brimmed hat. with a brim of at least 7cm, rather than a baseball cap.

■ Seek shade wherever possible.

■ Wear UV protection clothing when in the sun.

■ Know the skin you are in by keeping a regular eye on it.

■ Look for changes, particularly if you have a lot of moles and freckles ■ Get your skin checked by your GP or a dermatologist.

■ You can prevent further damage if you use sun safety measures.

“Melanoma is one form of skin cancer,” Ms Renouf said.

“Many people don’t realise, it’s the most deadly one. It only represents two per cent of all skin cancers, but it causes 75 per cent of skin cancer deaths.

Details of the Melanoma March national awareness program and fundraising for research campaign is at: melanomamarch. org.au.

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Wide Bay

Seniors 19

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION & SELLING FAST! SECURE YOURS TODAY!

LIMITED EDITION LUXURY BEACHSIDE APARTMENTS WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LIFE. IT BEGINS HERE Bathers Beachside is the Peninsula’s newest and most prestigious waterfront development. Designed and developed by Traders in Purple with luxury living in mind, these exquisite residences deliver an unprecedented attention to detail and finishes second to none. Perfectly positioned in a premier waterfront enclave right by the beach on Margate Parade. Each apartment features three large bedrooms, two deluxe bathrooms, contemporary kitchen with Miele appliances as well as spacious living areas and large balconies that encapsulate the breathtaking never-to-be-built-out blue water Moreton Bay views.

A limited number of 3 bedroom apartments are available from $899,000. Don’t miss out! Move in Dec 2018 / Jan 2019.

CALL OUR SALES TEAM ON 0477 432 432 OR VISIT OUR DISPLAY CENTRE 10AM-4PM WED-SUN 113 LANDSBOROUGH AVENUE SCARBOROUGH OR REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ONLINE AT WWW.BATHERSBEACHSIDE.COM

20 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Living

MELANOMA AWARE: Expert recommends over 60s remain skin vigilant.

PHOTO: SATURATED

Join the march for cancer cure DID you know every five hours, one Australian will die from melanoma?

This year, 14,000 Australians will be told they have melanoma. You can let them know they’re not alone by joining in our march for a cure. Join together with thousands of people from across Australia for Melanoma March to help end melanoma. This is an initiative of Melanoma Institute Australia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and curing melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer – through ground-breaking research, treatment and education.

Melanoma March unites all Australians to support those affected by melanoma, remember

those lost to melanoma and work together to fund research to find a cure.

There are 21 Melanoma Marches being held across Australia throughout March. Visit: www.melanomamarch. org.au to find a march near you.

Doctors use a number of tools and techniques to examine skin thoroughly, beyond what the naked eye can see. And melanomas that are detected and treated early are cured in 90 per cent of cases. So, in addition to self-checking regularly you should have a professional skin check once a year. It is also important to get a professional skin check by a doctor if anything suspicious appears, in

addition to having your annual skin check.

Where to get your skin checked?

General Practitioner: They can perform a skin check and examine any lesions of concern. They are familiar with your history, can talk to you about risk factors and family history, and treat some skin cancers. They might also refer you to a dermatologist, if needed.

Skin Cancer Clinics: There are many skin cancer clinics across Australia. Skin cancer clinics are usually operated by GPs and therefore have the same level of training as a GP, but their focus is on skin cancer. Many clinics offer the latest technology for examining skin spots.

The Waterford @

Hervey Bay This Commonwealth Funded Aged Care Facility offers professional care and services, in a resort-style community.

• • • • • • •

Coral Day Spa and Beauty Salon Ruby Theatre The Emerald Bowling Green The Onyx Sports Bar Men’s Shed Zircon Fitness Centre The Diamond Private Function Room

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Short-Term & Long-Term Care 24-hour Registered Nurse coverage Medical and Allied Health Services Pain Management, Palliative and Pastoral Care Active Lifestyle Program Private Bus with Wheelchair Access Secure Memory Support Unit

Tours conducted daily at 11am. Enquire with Reception for how your fees may be subsidised.

8 Medical Place, URRAWEEN, QLD, 4655 | Phone: 07 4303 2900 | Email: reception.waterford@phc1.com.au | www.phc1.com.au

Wide Bay

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

Seniors 21

Let’s save

For the love of family and food GROWING up in the ’60s I was very lucky to have parents who were wonderfully innovative when it came to food.

My father was well before his time as he loved cooking and entertaining.

His barbecues were legendary among family and friends. Sometimes we would have up to 100 people at these shindigs; much to my mum’s horror.

Lamb on the spit was for special occasions. We used a manual spit which meant I spent many hours of my childhood turning the spit by hand, taking turns with my friend Beagle.

There are no memories of burns so it mustn’t have been too bad; just great memories.

Mum would make the salads and her special cheesecake, which she still cooks today.

We waited with our mouths watering as the dishes came out.

Dad liked to try new flavours and decided to try Indian cooking in the early ’80s.

He would spend days preparing the Indian feast, making butter chicken, vindaloo curry and naan bread plus many more dishes from scratch. It was very exciting to try new foods and I was always grateful that my parents opened my tastebuds to different cuisines and cultures.

Have a go at using Janice’s cheesecake recipe.

For more recipes, go to www.seniorsnews. com.au

JANICE’S BAKED CHEESE CAKE

Ingredients 250g packet plain sweet

HOME COOKING CHRISTINE PERKIN biscuits 125g butter, melted 3 x 250g packets cream cheese, softened 1 cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup of brandy Cinnamon sugar 4 eggs Fresh berries to serve Method Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced.

Grease a 6cm-deep, 22cm round (base) spring-form cake pan.

Process biscuits until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add butter.

Process until combined.

Press mixture over base and sides of pan, leaving

DELICIOUS: Janice’s baked cheesecake.

a 2cm gap from top.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Process cream cheese, sugar, brandy and vanilla until smooth.

Add eggs, one at a

time, processing until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until just set and centre wobbles slightly.

Allow to cool in oven for two hours, with door ajar.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Refrigerate overnight.

Serve with raspberries for a taste sensation.

Organising sugar, spice .... and everything nice all shelves and surfaces.

Make sure the pantry or cupboard space is completely dry. ●Sort and organise Sort through all the removed pantry items and divide into three groups.

Put aside any items you won’t use, haven’t used in a while and any out-of-date items. Start by binning those that are out-of-date and put aside the won’t use items for a drop site of non-perishables items for the less fortunate.

Those items that you haven’t used in a while are the main focus.

DISCOVER THE LAND

AROUND US

BE THRIFTY & THRIVE NICKY NORMAN ●Labels and storage You can group the remaining items together by using baskets or label your jars and containers.

Organise the pantry in a way that makes sense to you, such as spreads and sauces, cans and jars, condiments and spices, sugar and flour and pasta and rice.

Sugar, spice and everything nice-ly organised.

This can be a stylish and practical way to organise all of your pantry items. It’s important that simplicity is key. Try not to overcrowd the area to

ensure everything is easily found when needed. Keep items or baskets on a higher shelf if not required for everyday use and the items you use more

Introducing Seniors newest addition, Discover Australia!

Featuring all you need to know and how to make the most of travelling far and wide throughout our great country.

frequently, in an easy-to-reach position.

This creates a simple and effective way to a better stocked pantry. ●Get shopping Go shopping for any items that need replacing.

Move any already opened items into clear, glass storage containers wherever possible.

Add a label or remove the label from the item and include it with the product for future reference.

Be aware of what’s on hand so you’ll use what you have.

Launching in

apriL!

Advertising places still available

Phone 1300 136 181 to secure your place.

Keep your eyes peeled // seniorsnews.com.au

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IS YOUR pantry nicely organised or a little on the messy side? Is there some spice bottles, condiments or unused jars that are well past their use-by-date? Perhaps after the Christmas chaos and New Year celebrations, you haven’t had a chance to go through what you have buried in the clutter. Let’s get organised and give your pantry a new look with these helpful organisation ideas. ●Clean and clear Remove all items from your pantry and wipe down

22 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

Reviews

To advertise, call 1300 136 181 or visit finda.com.au Celebrations, Classes & Events

Buy & Sell

Entertainment & Events

Food & Beverage

Changes view of Alzheimer’s

Senior-SpecialiSed coach TourS Great oceaN road 11 Day Tour

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Please call one of our offices below Hervey Bay 4128 1334 or Maryborough 4121 4297 to arrange a delivery or chat about your requirements.

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Professional Services

Motoring

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BEWARE OF SCAMS

Experience the Difference

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info@aspiretravelandcruise.com.au

www.aspiretravelandcruise.com.au 184 Bazaar St Maryborough

Ph 4121 2777

Buyers should be cautious when dealing with car sellers that are overseas and should always arrange to view the vehicle prior to the transfer of any money.

Be wary if the number in the ad is disconnected.

If the buyer/seller says the number is disconnected because they are overseas, ask for a landline phone number at their current location as well as a mobile phone number.

All contact details of the person buying or selling the car should be verified to ensure they are genuine.

More information is available at scamwatch.gov.au

Trades & Services Health & Beauty

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Buyers and sellers should be cautious of possible scams when buying or selling a vehicle.

WENDY Mitchell’s book Somebody I Used to Know is compelling reading for anyone with any level of interest in the insidious disease.

Wendy’s account of her journey from being diagnosed with early onset dementia at age 58 through the slow process of brain decline is detailed and insightful.

While it’s not an easy subject to read about, Wendy has done a superb job at sharing the actions she has taken to outwit Alzheimer’s and the experience of the slow memory decline.

Independent, gutsy, fit, efficient, a mother of two girls with a successful career in non-clinical nursing and a job that entailed a huge amount of responsibility juggling staff rosters for hundreds of nurses, Wendy’s realisation that all was not well with her health has led her on a journey through developing strategies to cope, thrive and for as long as possible, survive.

The UK mother first worked with her daughters to ensure they both had an understanding of the disease and then practically dealt with the legal details of enduring guardianship and caring roles.

From there, Wendy created an amazing support structure at a

personal and public level.

The memory room, post-it note reminders, attending every kind of knowledge group and presentation, talking about the hard subjects such as euthanasia and anxiety – taking in and giving back at every stage.

There are moments of great sadness within the story, but also snapshots of the cheeky side to her warm character.

The way in which the books ends will have you airborne.

“I live for the moment. I don’t plan any more. I just enjoy each day as it come,” Wendy said.

Published by Bloomsbury, Wendy Mitchell and Anna Wharton’s Somebody I Used to Know is available from bookshops and online.

RRP $35.

The Passengers A WAR bride, Australianborn Sarah, and her granddaughter Hannah are on a cruise from San Diego to Sydney.

Sarah has not returned since 1946 when she left on the ‘bride ship’, the USS Mariposa, to start life with her new American serviceman husband after the war.

Now the same age as Sarah when she made her first journey, Hannah listens avidly to her grandmother’s life story, seeing her for the first time as a woman and a person with a past.

It’s when they arrive at their destination that

Hannah realises the immensity of Sarah’s life and what she has given up.

She gains a new perspective on the stories she has always told herself: that she will never be content with the way she looks, that the desire she feels is ugly and that she doesn't deserve happiness.

This is a story about the journeys we undertake in the name of love; the sacrifices we make and the heartache we sometimes suffer.

Eleanor Limprecht’s The Passengers is a luminous novel about love

by an acclaimed rising star of Australian literature. She is the author of What Was Left and Long Bay. Raised in the US, she now lives in Sydney.

Published by Allen & Unwin, available in book stores from this month.

RRP $29.99.

Puzzles

Monday, March 19, 2018 seniorsnews.com.au

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

1

2

3

4

6

ACROSS 6 What is the medical name for the big toe? (6) 7 What type of angel is usually portrayed as a winged child? (6) 10 What are lederhosen traditionally made of? (7) 11 “Good-night, good-night! Parting is such sweet sorrow” was said to which Shakespearean character? (5) 12 What is Homer Simpson’s favourite beer? (4) 13 What word is applied to a badly mannered unsophisticated Australian? (5) 16 What did Miss Muffet eat with whey? (5) 17 What Arab ship has one or two triangular sails?

(4) 20 What word can be preceded by cold, lonely and purple? (5) 21 What creature is a southern African kreef? (7) 22 What sea lies between Greece and Turkey? (6) 23 What instrument was Louis Armstrong given to play when he was in the Coloured Waifs’ Home in New Orleans? (6)

5

7

8

9 10

11

12

13 14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Wide Bay

DOWN 1 Where, in 1874, did the US’s first zoo open? (12) 2 What is another name for lucerne? (7) 3 What Japanese dish has rice with seafood, vegetables etc rolled in seaweed? (5) 4 What sweet effervescent powder was formerly sold in a paper sachet with a liquorice straw? (7) 5 What painful muscular contraction affects playing athletes? (5) 8 Which band did Bob Geldof form in 1974? (8,4) 9 What creature has been the logo of the French company Lacoste since the 1930s? (9) 14 What is the monetary unit of Guatemala? (7) 15 What is mixed with linseed oil to make traditional putty? (7) 18 What surname did British singer and actor Elaine Bickerstaff adopt? (5) 19 What is a version of a printed book that can be read on a computer? (1-4)

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

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

8

5

6

7

9

5x5

ALPHAGRAMS

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

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 fiveletter solution starts with J, the six-letter solution starts with K, and so on.

L L

11 12

17

18 20

19

able bach back backhoe backs bake bakes bale bales balk balks base bash bask beach beak beck belch black blah bleach bleak bloc block blocks bloke bock bolas bole bosh cable cables lobe lobs obeah sable scab SHOCKABLE slab slob

GK CROSSWORD

Across: 1. Loose change 8. Colours 9. Rages 10. Eddy 11. Economy 12. Ban 13. Plea 15. Else 17. Dud 19. Moocher 20. Bars 23. Stall 24. Vibrate 25. Derangement.

Down: 1. Lacked 2. Oiled 3. Emus 4. Hasten 5. Narrowed 6. Engross 7. Essays 12. Bachelor 14. Leopard 16. Amused 17. Driven 18. Assent 21. Agape 22. Able.

WORD GO ROUND

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 20 Very Good 29 Excellent 35+

Solution opposite

BLACKOUT

ALPHAGRAMS: kiLLS, LAPSED, MANuRES, NEuROSiS, OutSPOkEN.

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

QUICK CROSSWORD

DOUBLE CROSS

SUDOKU

5x5 E N D E D

S E

Down 1. Needed (6) 2. Lubricated (5) 3. Flightless birds (4) 4. Hurry (6) 5. Tapered (8) 6. Fascinate (7) 7. Literary works (6) 12. Unmarried man (8) 14. Spotted hunter (7) 16. Entertained (6) 17. Urged onward (6) 18. Agreement (6) 21. Wide open (5) 22. Competent (4)

Across: 6 Hallux, 7 Cherub, 10 Leather, 11 Romeo, 12 Duff, 13 Ocker, 16 Curds, 17 Dhow, 20 Heart, 21 Lobster, 22 Aegean, 23 Cornet.

Down: 1 Philadelphia, 2 Alfalfa, 3 Sushi, 4 Sherbet, 5 Cramp, 8 Boomtown Rats, 9 Crocodile, 14 Quetzal, 15 Whiting, 18 Paige, 19 E-book.

523

WORD GO ROUND

B

N

SOLUTIONS

25

K C

SKiLL PLEAdS SURNAME RESiNOUS SOUP TOKEN

E

Note: more than one solution may be possible.

24

Across 1. Coins (5,6) 8. Shades (7) 9. Rants (5) 10. Whirlpool (4) 11. Frugality (7) 12. Prohibit (3) 13. Appeal (4) 15. Otherwise (4) 17. Flop (3) 19. Scrounger (7) 20. Excludes (4) 23. Play for time (5) 24. Oscillate (7) 25. Madness (11)

D R

21

22 23

I

S

R E I G N

16

N

V

15

A N O D E

14

N

L I V E R

13

R

B L A S T

10

O L

3/3

23

SUDOKU

A H

Seniors 23

E d P U O E J d M S R M S H N

A R T N O U V E A U i A J A R

F A W S i R E A U C R G H L Q

S T A N d O F F S K U N G F U

J M B A F Z U A d E B O U N K

S T O P G O C P A R A L L E L

W H E Z d N V U Y T R i Q L L

V E R B O E S T E R d A L S O

d A Y U V Z R O R O B A B O W

S T R i C K E N R P L A i N T

Z R J L U E Q E O E S L X Q Q

W i N d E R U d O W d i E S T

F C d i M N U i S A i G M U i

d A M N N E V E R Y T H i N G

R L C G V L i T C S F T i K P

BLACKOUT

Work out which squares need to be deleted to reveal a completed crossword.

Solution opposite

DOUBLE CROSS

A S d R A T T A U N S N A O d E U R O Z V F d E A F A S U C K E U M A G N O J G H A L F N R U

S V S T H E A T O R R P B U i G C O N E K S E P U T O N A E R R O P A L L i A A L L i E L S O N L O T

d O E W d L i E S T

W d R i C A N M L d i N E E R N E V i E R A Y T G H i U N G

K T S T L G L

24 Seniors Wide Bay

seniorsnews.com.au Monday, March 19, 2018

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