Brighton Community News April/May 2023

VOL 14 NO 2 APRIL/MAY 2023

www.brightoncommunitynews.com.au

Kutalayna Collective hosts national ChangeFest23

celebration are at the heart of changing our systems and our culture. Local communities lead this process with a strong emphasis on empowering First Nations people (ChangeFest 2023).’

The event celebrates placebased change and offers attendees the opportunity to be inspired by projects and people that puts community at the centre of decision making at all levels of government.

a part of this amazing strong community that is Kutalayna/ Jordan River. Barb learned a lot about Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, made many connections, and loved having the opportunity to share her experiences as a community leader through the Inspiring Future Leaders program facilitated by Centacare Evolve Housing.

On 1 - 3 March, the Kutalayna Collective, a Connected Beginnings lutruwita/Tasmania program, hosted the national gathering, ChangeFest23. They welcomed over 500 attendees from across Australia to celebrate place-based change in the Brighton municipality. ChangeFest23 was a sold out event and included over sixty speakers, with interactive workshops, field trips and cultural activities.

Raylene Foster, a proud palawa woman, director of Connected Beginnings lutruwita/Tasmania and chief operations officer

with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, hoped each attendee walked away with a deeper understanding and experience of how to embed place-based change within the community and was thrilled to showcase the amazing community led initiatives within the Kutalayna/Jordan River community to a national audience on the big stage. Raylene Foster stated, “The Kutalayna Collective was proud to host ChangeFest23, a celebration of place-based change in Australia. This gathering is an opportunity to showcase the positive impact of community-led initiatives,

highlighting the importance of deepening our connection to place as we celebrate and showcase the fantastic work of communities driving change across the country.”

“The Kutalayna Collective was honoured to be part of ChangeFest, a growing movement for positive change, to share our knowledge and learnings while celebrating our community champions leading this vital work. We sincerely thank our local community and partner, Material Institute, for bringing this festival to life.”

The Kutalayna Collective with local partner Material Institute also hosted a River Party at the Bridgewater Park Foreshore. The event was free and welcome for all of the Brighton Municipality to attend. The River Party was a great success with community coming along to enjoy First Nations Artists and performers, which featured the unique talents of Emily Wurramara, Marlon x Rulla, Warren Mason, Dewayne Everettsmith, and the pakana kanapilia dancers.

The vision of ChangeFest is ‘A festival of change, recognising that creativity, surprise and

Barb Daly, local resident and community services student at Brighton Council shared some of her reflections, stating after the festival, she knew she wouldn’t be the only one waking up with “Ya Pulingina” on the tip of her tongue, which is “Hello welcome” in the palawa kani language. As a first-time attendee to ChangeFest, Barb said she has never felt more proud and empowered to be

ChangeFest23 came to Kutalayna/Jordan River at an exciting time as it builds on the growing momentum for all of the community to get behind placebased community development initiatives.

To keep up to date with more free community events, go to Facebook – Kutalayna Collective to keep updated with information.

If you would like to learn more about ChangeFest, head to www.changefest.com.au.

Published by the Brighton Council. It is distributed to households and businesses throughout the municipality. Circulation: In excess of 9,000.

Managing Editor: Angela Turvey

Editorial and Advertising: Steph Williams

Email: communitynews@brighton.tas.gov.au

Published by: Brighton Council 1 Tivoli Road, Old Beach TAS 7017

2023 edition deadlines: June/July edition

Stories and contributions: Friday 5 May

Advertising material: Friday 12 May

BRIGHTON COUNCIL

Brighton Council Meetings

Meetings held at Council Offices, 1 Tivoli Rd, Old Beach

Ordinary Council

18 April 2023 and 16 May 2023

Planning Authority

12 April 2023 and 9 May 2023

Finance Committee

12 April 2023 and 9 May 2023

Agendas can be viewed online four days prior to the meetings at: www.brighton.tas.gov.au

admin@brighton.tas.gov.au www.brighton.tas.gov.au

General Enquiries

Email Website

admin@brighton.tas.gov.au www.brighton.tas.gov.au

General Manager James Dryburgh

Community Development Officer

Environmental & Development Services

General Enquiries

Bridgewater hosts African-Australian Communities talks with Federal Minister

All correspondence should be addressed to the General Manager, Brighton Council, 1 Tivoli Road, Old Beach 7017.

Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Andrew Giles MP, met in early February with members of Tasmania’s growing community of African -Australians, including Tasmanian of the

Year John Kamara.

This was a very positive and engaging meeting where Mr Kamara and other community members were able to discuss issues facing fellow residents directly with Minister Giles.

Discussion included dealing with visas more efficiently, along with training more young Tasmanians via TAFE and other educational pathways to help with skills shortages in the wider Brighton community.

Ode to a Local Legend

We don’t often think of the people who drive our highways day and night to ensure our goods get from A to B. However, Oatlands local, Shane Grabham, has - quite literally - put pen to paper to pay homage to local freight courier, Bruce Livingston, in honour of his recent retirement at the age of seventy-four.

If I Can I Will

By Shane Grabham, Oatlands

Bruce Livingston is his name. He travelled up and down the highway in the cold and snow and rain. He worked the usual times and other times as well.

It wasn’t very often he ever had a spell.

He often worked at weekends and often worked at night and encountered the sort of challenges a freight courier might.

He was diagnosed with diabetes which was another challenge too as he had to live and work with it as many people do.

He was always very efficient and always very prompt and didn’t charge a fortune like many businesses want.

Sometimes savage dogs were present when he delivered to a home but he said “They wouldn’t get a feed” as he was only skin and bone. He liked to have a laugh and also have a chat but he was always in a hurry and couldn’t spare much time for that.

He has an easygoing nature and he’s a gentleman as well and also very friendly as anyone can tell. But it is difficult to describe him as there aren’t many characters like him. Now that he’s retired we won’t see him very much but considering his personality he will probably stay in touch.

“If I can I will” is the Livingston family motto, which may have inspired Bruce’s ancestor Doctor Livingston of African fame, but it certainly inspired Bruce throughout his long working life as he would often say “If I can I will.”

LEIGH GRAY (Mayor)

Brighton 7030

Tel: 6268 0704 / 0488 390 115 cr.gray@brighton.tas.gov.au

BARBARA CURRAN (Deputy Mayor) Brighton 7030

Tel: 0417 612 868 cr.curran@brighton.tas.gov.au

AARON DE LA TORRE Brighton 7030

Tel: 0427 813 821 cr.delatorre@brighton.tas.gov.au

PETER GEARD

Brighton 7030

Tel: 6268 1143 / 0418 515 649 cr.geard@brighton.tas.gov.au

GREG IRONS

Brighton 7030 Tel: 0424 333 360 cr.irons@brighton.tas.gov.au

JOHN MCMASTER Bridgewater 7030 Tel: 0408 543 772 cr.mcmaster@brighton.tas.gov.au

TENNILLE MURTAGH

Bridgewater 7030 Tel: 0434 618 316 cr.murtagh@brighton.tas.gov.au

PHILIP OWEN Old Beach 7017

Tel: 6249 8575 / 0419 333 252 cr.owen@brighton.tas.gov.au

MICHAEL WHELAN Brighton 7030 Tel: 0409 416 353 cr.whelan@brighton.tas.gov.au

Immunisation Clinics 2023

Brighton Council provides FREE monthly immunisation clinics at the Brighton Civic Centre, 25 Green Point Road, Bridgewater from 2–3pm on these dates:

Tuesday 4 April

Tuesday 2 May

Tuesday 6 June

Tuesday 4 July

Tuesday 1 August

For inquiries please call Brighton Council’s Environmental Health Officer (03) 6268 7029

admin@brighton.tas.gov.au www.brighton.tas.gov.au

Interpretive signage launch for Brighton historical site

Interpretive signage for the Old Army Camp was officially launched in Brighton recently, creating a new life for a valuable historic site.

Brighton Council was approached by the Rotary Club of Brighton in 2020 with the idea of installing the interpretation panels to tell the history and stories of the site. As the site is an important part of the wider Brighton community, Council agreed to provide $10,000 in funding toward the project.

The project was led by Neil Stewart from the Rotary Club of Brighton and Derek Hall-Jones

Bridgewater Community House reno update

Work is ongoing at the Bridgewater Community House, which is on track to be finished by the middle of 2023. Renovations on the house started in February and involve extensions to the kitchen and dining room, with a movable wall, and a reconfiguration of the front room.

The house is a project run by the Jordan River Service to provide a safe place for people within our community to grow and share their skills and knowledge. Due to the works, changes have been made to the services and programs:

• Community Lunch has moved to the Gagebrook

who designed and meticulously researched the content for the panels. Derek took a leading role in overseeing the production of the panels and together with the Brighton Council works crew, he aided the installation of the panels on site.

At the launch event in March, Brighton Mayor Leigh Gray shared, “A sincere thank you to you both Stewart and Derek for ensuring the quality and engaging nature of this work that is now here for all to discover and enjoy.” The mayor also thanked Scott Percey, Works Manager at Brighton Council, and his team for the fine job of installing

Community House.

• NILS appointments has moved to Gagebrook Community House.

• Games Group has moved to Gagebrook Community House.

• Arts & Crafts Group has moved to the Jordan River Community Workshed.

• ‘A Few Good Men’ has moved to the Jordan River Community Workshed

• The Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is operating as normal, but only via the car park entrance. The front entrance will not be accessible.

• The Top Gear program is operating as normal, but by appointment only. Please contact the Top Gear Coordinator, Darlene Carver, at topgear@jrsinc. org.au for more info.

• Integrated Family Support Service (IFSS) are now in-office visits by prior arrangement with your IFSS worker at Gagebrook Community House only.

the corten steel bases for the panels. The interpretive signage was unveiled by Mr Michael Cooke and the mayor.

The interpretive signage panels tell the history and stories of the site at every stage from palawa culture and the Tasmanian Aboriginal nations that passed through and inhabited the Kutalayna/Jordan River region.

They also showcase the site’s time as an airport, army hospital, army training camp and in more recent times, housing for refugees from Kosovar. The army camp was closed in 2006 but as many are aware, the site

Outreach is operating as normal.

• The Community Garden will operate in a limited capacity at this stage.

• Food Assistance continues to operate, however this will be bread and veggies outside on a table. If you need pantry items, ring the doorbell and staff will assist with what you need.

Please note that these service arrangements are subject to change depending on health and safety advice from the builders, and that there will be no public entry to the house itself during the building works.

Bridgewater Community House wishes to thank everyone in our community for their ongoing patience and support, and are looking forward to sharing the new and improved community house with you once renovations are finished. Bridgewater Community House is at 6 Bowden Drive, Bridgewater.

is historically and culturally significant for the Brighton municipal area. This important project ensures that those who are new to the area or just passing by can learn the history and stories surrounding this site as they are a valuable part of our history as Tasmanians and local Brighton residents.

“We are extremely grateful to

the Rotary Club of Brighton for the hard work that has been put into making sure these stories and the history are here for all to see and understand,” Mayor Gray said.

If you’d like to check out the Old Army Camp site and the new informative panels, head to Menin Drive, Brighton.

Brighton Council Easter Opening Hours and Services

COUNCIL OFFICES OLD BEACH

Closed Good Friday 7 April 2023 until 8.15am on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

WASTE TRANSFER STATION

Closed Good Friday. Open Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

WASTE COLLECTION

Recycling and FOGO collections are normal. General Waste will be collected on Saturday 8 April 2023.

COUNCIL DEPOT, BRIDGEWATER

Closed Good Friday 7 April 2023 until 7.30am on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

For emergencies during this period, phone the Standby Officer (03) 6268 7000

Signed: James Dryburgh GENERAL MANAGER

admin@brighton.tas.gov.au

www.brighton.tas.gov.au

Our future as a society has perhaps never been so uncertain as we navigate seemingly insurmountable obstacles: cost of living crisis, inflation, housing shortages plus social, cultural and gender equity struggles that continue to dominate our lives.

As Mayor, I am reassured and incredibly proud of how our community is responding to these turbulent times. I have seen our community come alive through the challenges and opportunities we are faced with. We have seen a rise in grassroots leadership in the face of ongoing uncertainty. People willing to not wait for someone else to act but step up and have a go themselves. This is

Stepping up during times of uncertainty and change

what caring for each other and resilience is all about.

This April/May issue of the Brighton Community News is full of just some of these stories, highlighting our local triumphs as a community, a few of which I’d like to mention here.

• Out of respect for our First Nations people, Brighton Council moved the celebration of our Australia Day Awards from 26 January to 22 February 2023. These awards highlighted local volunteers and residents who are doing selfless work in our community, including the Volunteer of the Year which deservedly went to the amazing volunteers leading the Brighton Community Food Hub Inc., providing affordable food and groceries in a time when the need has never been so great.

• Kutalayna Collective in partnership with Mona’s Material Institute held an incredibly successful ChangeFest23 right here in the Brighton Municipality. ChangeFest is a national

Brighton Youth Action Group in full swing

BYAG stands for ‘Brighton Youth Action Group’ and in November 2022, Council endorsed this group, demonstrating their commitment to having a youth voice in our municipality.

From the two meetings held so far, the group has attracted 15 local young people from across the municipality to come together and start sharing their thoughts on what is important for youth living and working in

the Brighton municipality. Key issues that have been discussed include a lack of access to local mental health support and no fun things to do after school or on weekends.

The group, with support from Council’s community development officer and PCYC, are currently planning an event for Youth Week 2023 which is held from 1-7 May 2023.

movement for place-based change that is held annually in Australia, and this year was in lutruwita/Tasmania, with the Brighton Civic Centre in Bridgewater one of the main gathering places within the kutalayna area. ChangeFest showcases creativity and celebration of communities leading change in ways that care for country and all people, along with stories of changemakers working to change the system at local, regional and national levels. Congratulations to all involved in making this such a success. Brighton Council was incredibly proud to be an official supporter of ChangeFest23.

• Council has launched the Brighton Youth Action Group (BYAG). Council was unanimous in feeling it was time that we do all that we can to activate young people’s voices in our community and bring the ideas of some of our young people and leaders to the table. We have been heartened by the number of young people coming along to have their voice

heard. If you know a young person aged between 12 and 24 years who you think might want to contribute in this way, make sure they get along to the next BYAG catch-up.

• Some of the best in the field of sustainability were able to share their knowledge and expertise at the Big Weekend of Sustainable Living Ideas held in Bridgewater by Sustainable Living Tasmania at the end of March, with forums on sustainable food, energy and waste management.

Brighton Council was a major sponsor of this event. This comes at a time when I couldn’t be prouder of us as a Council taking leadership in the area of climate action. Brighton Council has officially set a reduction in emissions target (an 85% emissions reduction by 2030), with more on this to come soon.

• I would like to thank The Friends of Old Beach Foreshore group for the recent Clean Up Australia event they held at Old

Beach supported by Brighton Council and the Derwent Catchment Project, who assist with teaching weed management skills to the group. This group throughout the year show leadership in wanting to make our environment a better place for everyone to share.

• Finally, in recognition of all our dedicated volunteers, Brighton Council is working with Volunteering Tasmania to co-design with our community a Volunteering Strategy that sets in place goals, activities and actions to ensure the capability and effectiveness of our volunteer numbers into the future. This strategy is currently being developed and will be brought to Council in draft form by the middle of this year.

I hope you read the stories in this latest edition with the same amount of pride and admiration for who we are as a community as I do, and feel heartened by how many of our local leaders are stepping up in these times of uncertainty and change.

Brighton graduates to become future community leaders

Four local residents have graduated from the Tasmanian Community Fund’s (TCF) fifth Emerging Community Leaders (ECL) program, gaining invaluable experience across a range of areas. For the past year, twenty Tasmanians participated in the fifth ECL program, which aimed to increase their communication, finance, governance, leadership and project management skills.

The participants designed and implemented various community projects as part of the program, which teaches them to use their strengths to achieve positive community-focussed outcomes.

The four successful Brighton graduates have come out of the program with a better understanding of the needs of the Brighton community and will now have the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice.

TCF chairperson, Sally Darke,

believes leadership is a vital ingredient in making positive change within the community.

“The diverse group of participants in the 2022 program shows that leadership comes in many guises, with participants coming from around the state and bringing various skills to the table,” she said.

Through the Emerging Community Leaders program, each graduate learnt more about themselves and how to better shape their future as leaders in Tasmania. Anyone interested in growing personally and with a genuine interest in serving the community would benefit greatly from the program.

Brighton Mayor Leigh Gray

New gardening club for local greenthumbs

Local gardening enthusiast, Louise Bennett, has created the Brighton & Surrounds Gardening Club for the passionate greenthumbs in our area. The club holds meetings once a month and provides the community the chance to learn, share and explore all things plants, nature and gardening.

Why did you start the Brighton & Surrounds Gardening Club? I was looking for a garden club in my area (one this side of the Bridge) and very quickly realised that Brighton didn’t have one. We are a rapidly growing community and there are so many people passionate about their gardens,

but also people who just don’t know where to start on their patch. What a great way to get people to know one another in our community, help each other and showcase our beautiful part of Tassie.

Have you been a gardener for long? I have been a gardener for as long as I can remember. I took it very seriously when we moved to Brighton fifteen years ago when our neighbor saw us trying to dig a hole and offered us his crowbar! We didn’t realise how rocky our property was! Some years ago, the Tasmanian Royal Botanical Garden offered courses in horticulture. I was very lucky to gain a position to

Council cuts gas emissions by 70%

Reducing the impact of waste emissions has resulted in significant greenhouse gas emission reductions. Greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 70% across Council operations in 2021-22.

Brighton Council has worked to reduce the environmental impact of its operations - buildings, parks, community halls, sporting facilities, streetlights, waste services (including community waste) and the vehicle fleet. Brighton Council has invested in 25 measures over the last decade that have saved

money on bills, which has flow on impacts for better service delivery.

Brighton Council has recognised the need to urgently and significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to human induced climate change.

The corporate greenhouse gas emissions footprint was over 13,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2-e) in 2020-21 and reduced to 4,000 tCO2-e in 202122. Current emissions are equivalent to the emissions

do this wonderful course, which changed my working career. I started my own gardening business which took me to some of Tasmania’s beautiful heritage homes and gardens where I was their regular gardener. I felt very privileged, pinching myself regularly. I have now retired from everyone’s gardens and only work on ours.

What’s your favorite plant that works well in this area? I used to be a member of the Heritage Roses Society of Tasmania. As our property is rocky and full of minerals, I planted many heritage roses. We put in so many roses, my stepson named our property

from 862 passenger vehicles driven for one year.

The rapid fall in emissions is largely a result of community waste being sent to the Copping facility, managed by Southern Waste Solutions, that captures, flares methane gas, and generates electricity from biogas, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions from landfill waste significantly.

In addition, the introduction of a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste service diverted organic matter away from landfill, saving further emissions. In the initial year of FOGO waste service provision over 1,300 tonnes of organic matter has been removed from landfill and recycled into compost.

Other significant measures Brighton Council has undertaken to reduce its environmental impact include:

• Switching over 1000 streetlights to energy efficient LED’s

• Converting heating, lighting, and hot water systems to better performing systems

• Installing four rooftop solar systems

• Purchasing two hybrid electric vehicles and procuring an all-electric vehicle

• Investing in biodiversity and habitat restoration through street tree planting and Natural Resource Management

For further information visit www.brighton.tas.gov.au/ community/environment.

‘Roseville’. Over the years, we have removed some of these and have planted out with Tasmanian natives. The plants we have planted are native to the Brighton area due to harsh winter frosts, missed rains and winds that go around us.

How can readers get in volved? The Brighton & Sur rounds Gardening Club meets at the Pontville Memorial Hall on the fourth Monday in the month at 7pm. Upcoming meet ings will be held 27 March and 24 April, 2023. Memberships to the Brighton & Surrounds Gardening Club are $50 per person and $30 for concession and seniors card holders.

Hard and Green Waste Collection

Week beginning Monday 24 April, 2023

Brighton Council offers a FREE Green and Hard Waste collection service to help residents dispose of unwanted items and green waste. Waste must be placed on the nature strip the night before the collection date and must be able to be listed safely by two men. All hard waste items must not exceed two metres in length.

• All items such as tree branches and cuttings must be tied in 20kg or less bundles and a maximum of 1.5m in length and 20cm in diameter.

• Loose materials must be bagged.

• Items such as rubble, soil, rocks and concrete will not be collected.

• Vehicle tyres, fridges, freezers and mattresses are no longer accepted as part of these collections. All these items can be taken to the Waste Transfer Station for a fee.

HARD WASTE AND GREEN WASTE ARE TO BE KEPT SEPARATE

Please do not endanger Council Staff by leaving out broken glass, asbestos and chemicals. This service is only available to residents who currently receive kerbside collection.

For more information, please contact the Brighton Council on (03) 6268 7000 or www.brighton.tas.gov.au/property/waste/

admin@brighton.tas.gov.au www.brighton.tas.gov.au

Ken Midson paying good fortune forward

In 1977, Ken Midson and his wife Pamela moved to Brighton to live in a small cottage near Polonia Bridge. This was the beginning of Ken’s life and times in Brighton, raising a family and running successful businesses.

His hard working approach to life continues until this day. Ken is a carpenter/joiner by trade and started his own business at the age of 19 years. Ken started Brighton Block and Pavers in 1984 and has had a lifetime of building housing developments in the Brighton area, as well as several of his own homes along the way. Ken was attracted to the semi-rural nature of Brighton, a place of open space and full of opportunities. In the 70s, he saw that Brighton was ripe for developing and needed developers.

Ken loves the relative quietness of Brighton and believes it is a great place to bring up kids. Ken and Pamela raised their three children in Brighton, where they felt safe walking

anywhere they wanted to go. They attended the local primary school and have gone on to run their own successful businesses and careers.

Ken strikes you as a man who will never slow down despite already being ‘retired’ for quite a few years now. He likes working hard and has dedicated much time and resources to working as a volunteer with Need for Feed Australia as one way of living his philosophy of ‘paying it forward’.

Need for Feed was established back in 2006/7 by Graham Cockerell, a Lions Club Member in Victoria, who had lost his father years before to farm-related suicide. He didn’t want to see other farmers and their families go through the same heartbreak during times of natural disaster such as drought, flood and fires. Graham had given away one small truckload of his own hay to a group of farmers burnt out in East Gippsland back in 2006/7.

When he saw the scale of the destruction and spoke to those affected, Graham returned home determined to do something about it. He talked to his Lions Club, got them on board and rounded up a group of mates to get involved with the fundraising and finding more hay. The rest is history, now in the 17th year, Need for Feed takes great pride not only in being managed 100% by volunteers, but also two years ago being adopted as a national project of Lions Australia.

Ken noticed Need for Feed advertising for drivers on ‘good old Facebook’ eight years ago and has been volunteering with the organisation ever since, taking loads of hay and food hampers all over Australia for those farmers most in need. When asked by people why he does it, Ken replies in his usual pragmatic way ‘because I can!’, He has taken hay as far as Central West Queensland and throughout NSW, travelling in convoys of up to 40 trucks.

Kiarnah Davenport bags big win for Tasmania and for women in a male dominated industry

three years, and after realising the hair industry wasn’t for me, I wanted a big change in career and traffic control stood out to me the most. It honestly was the best decision I had ever made.

What does an average day at Traffic Dynamix look like for you? Within traffic control, every day is different. You never know what you’re in for on the day. We get to see how things operate when providing traffic control to clients.

Are there many women in the traffic controlling industry? Is that growing? Women working in the traffic control industry has grown rapidly! It is absolutely brilliant to see women joining the hi-viz army and loving the industry.

Ken admires the generosity of some of our local farmers like the Geard family of Broadmarsh who, when he puts out the call for hay, do not hesitate to donate - they have given up to 48 large bales at a time to go to the mainland for those affected by disaster such as the most recent floods of 2022. He also mentions the generosity of Toll Transport who freight the trucks loaded with hay to the mainland from Tasmania free of charge.

Ken enjoys being on the road. He and Pamela often take their campervan around Australia for 2-3 months at a time on small adventures. One such adventure led to purchasing a pub in Muttaburra in outback Queensland with a population of 85 people but a steady flow of tourists. Muttaburra

is the geographic centre of Queensland and is most famous for when local grazier, Doug Langdon, uncovered the fossilised skeleton of a dinosaur. The Muttaburrasaurus Langdoni was a land-living, plant-eating dinosaur that roamed the earth 100 million years ago.

Ken and Pamela were attracted to the town as a place that is quintessentially Australian and the way communities used to be, where everyone knows everyone and helps each other out. It is all about community spirit, exactly what attracted Ken and Pamela to Brighton all those years ago.

If you or someone you know needs assistance call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14 or text Lifeline on 0477 13 11 14.

Brighton area local, Kiarnah Davenport has claimed the title of Traffic Controller of the Year (TCOY) for Tasmania at the Traffic Management Association of Australia (TMAA) annual conference for 2023. As a female in a male dominated field, Kiarnah reflected on what the award means for her and other women in the industry.

How does it feel to win

the TMAA Traffic Controller of the Year Award for Tasmania? Being nominated for the award is still so surreal to me. I am beyond grateful to have been chosen to go up for this award, and even more grateful to have won it. It is definitely one of my most proud moments!

How did you first get into traffic controlling? I was an apprentice hairdresser for

What does traffic controlling mean to you? Traffic control means so much to me, we step foot on our Tasmanian roadways to protect our client’s safety for them to pursue their job which makes the world go round. Whether it’s a job fixing a burst water main, a power outage, or even events. Without traffic control these do not go forward, and I am proud to be a part of it.

The lifting span for the Bridgewater Bridge is now closed and will remain that way for approximately nine months as of 1 March, due to the ongoing development of the new bridge.

Boat goers with vessels that need more than 2.2 metres

Our citizens celebrated

On Wednesday 22 February Brighton Council, alongside the community, celebrated this year’s local Citizens of the Year. This annual event is usually held on 26 January as part of the Australia Day Ceremony which combines a Citizenship Ceremony and our Australia Day Awards. For 2023, Brighton Council made the decision to change the date for our Citizen of the Year celebrations, a decision that the community has endorsed and celebrated alongside Council. For the awards, our elected Councillors selected winners based on nominations that highlighted people’s leadership and outstanding contributions to our community. There were four winners on the day and some additional finalists for the categories of Young Citizen of the Year, Community Event of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Citizen of the Year.

This year’s winners included:

Elizabeth Ims: Young Citizen of the Year - Elizabeth is a resident of Old Beach and a high school student at St Michael’s Collegiate. She is an active volunteer with some of her most

recent achievements including fund raising over $1000 which she anonymously donated to a variety of local and international causes and organising clean up sessions along the Jetty Road walking track in Old Beach. Elizabeth also has a passion for sustainability which has led to her leading a ‘bottle top artwork’ project at the YMCA in Glenorchy, inspiring the Glenorchy City Council to move away from single use plastics.

Brighton Community Food Hub Inc: Volunteer of the Year - The Brighton Food Hub Inc was established in 2022 after the community identified the impact of rising cost of living on people’s food budgets and an increasing reliance on emergency relief programs. The volunteer run organisation offers people in the community a fortnightly service where they can purchase a $20 food hamper and other discounted items as well a sense of community and support. The service supports over 100 people every fortnight.

Centacare Evolve Housing, Block Party: Community Event of the Year - Centacare

Evolve Housing in collaboration with the community hosts the Block Party, an annual event that invites more than 1700 people to celebrate Christmas cheer in Bridgewater through food, art and fun family activities. The event highlights what can be achieved when organisations and community collaborate and codesign events from the ground up.

Alex Weekes: Citizen of the Year - Alex Weekes lives and works in Bridgewater as a high school teacher at Jordan River Learning Federation Senior School. Alex has two degrees, a wealth of life experiences and an unwavering passion to inspire young people at Jordan River Learning Federation to be the best versions of themselves. In addition to working fulltime as a teacher, Alex also volunteers with the Smith Family delivering programs in schools. She is a positive role model for high school students and demonstrates unwavering passion and dedication to their work and values.

If you know of someone you think should be recognised for their contributions to the Brighton municipality, consider nominating them for an award for 2024. Nominations will open in October 2023.

clearance will no longer be able to rely on the bridge opening to reach the other side of the river.

The new Bridgewater Bridge will share a height equivalent to the Bowen Bridge and will allow free traffic flow to both road and marine users.

any

WHAT’S ON IN APRIL/MAY APRIL

Good Friday.

The RHH Research Foundation annual Easter Egg Hunt is on at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. The hunt begins at 10am. Bookings essential.

April Fools Day - Joke’s on you!

Q. Why was the sand wet? A. Because the sea weed!

Daylight savings ends. Remember to turn your clocks back one hour!

The Judo State Titles Tournament kicks off today. Catch the action at the Bridgewater PCYC from 9:30am.

It’s storytime at the Bridgewater Library. Join in the fun at Play & Learn and Rock & Rhyme. Call 6165 5446 to register.

Schools out for Easter. It’s time to ditch the uniform, relax and play as Term 1 for public schools ends today. College term ends on 6 April.

Hop along for a day of beer tasting, live music and food trucks at the Fresh Hop Beer Festival at New Norfolk Distillery from 3pm. Find out what is hop-penning at www. freshhop.com.au.

Celebrate Indian New Year at the Polish Hall in New Town. There will be traditional performances and an eight course vegetarian lunch from 10am - 3pm. Tickets via eventbrite.

Hedgehogs Story and Craft is on at Bridgewater Library today from 10am-2pm.

Drag your friends out for a night of fun at the Drag Quiz Night Fundraiser at Bridgewater Veterans Memorial Centre to help local teen, Kyesha, live her music academy dream in L.A. Tickets via eventbrite.

The Derwent Valley Autumn Festival is back on this year at New Norfolk Esplanade. Kicking off at 10am, enjoy the Autumn before colder weather sets in.

The Brighton & Surrounds Gardening Club monthly meeting is on tonight from 7pm at Pontville Memorial Hall.

The Veterans Memorial Hall in Bridgewater is holding an Anzac Day Dawn Service starting at 6am. This is followed by a Main Service at 11am at the Old Army Camp on Menin Drive, Brighton.

Back to school! Term 2 for public schools starts today.

The Baskerville 1000 is on today with racing, cars, entertainment and more for the whole family. More info at www.hobartsportingcarclub.org.

Head out to the Moonah Sports Centre for the Hobart Card Show, a huge day for lovers of card collecting and trading card games (TCG). Doors open at 10am and entry is $5 per person.

It’s time to spoil mums everywhere today. Pop on some pink and head to the Mother’s Day Classic Fundraiser event at Bellerive Beach Play Park to help the fight against breast cancer.

The Friends of Old Beach Foreshore are holding their monthly clean up today. Head to Old Beach Jetty car park at 10am to get involved.

Old Beach foreshore gets a spruce up

waste and dispose of litter properly, next year we may be able to enjoy a rubbish-free foreshore.

Clean Up Australia Day is an annual event that is run every year in March, and there are always ways you can get involved.

Join the fun in New Norfolk when they light up the skies for Cracker Night. Gates open at 4pm with fireworks starting at 7pm. Head to www. facebook.com/GlenDerwent for more info.

Agfest is back and promises a jam packed three-day event with something for everyone. Check out www.agfest.com. au for details.

COMING UP:

Dark Mofo is back on 8 June, marking the ten year anniversary of the festival in Tasmania.

Iconic events include

Winter Feast and The Ogoh-Ogoh parade

Catholic

St. Paul’s Catholic Church 2-4 Paice St, Bridgewater

Saturday Vigil - 6pm

Sunday - 9am and 12 noon

Fr. Leo 6263 6242

St Matthew’s Catholic Church 231 Brighton Rd, Brighton

How good would it be to walk along the water’s edge and not see rubbish? Local residents certainly thought so, turning up to the Old Beach foreshore for the Annual Clean Up Australia Day event on 5 March this year.

Everyone got stuck in, collecting a total of twelve bags worth of rubbish which included cans, chip packets, fast food packaging, straws, balls, bottle tops, various types of plastic and even a wheel from

an assembly truck! Members from the Derwent Catchment Project also got involved and helped volunteers identify invasive weeds and plants that impact the area. The team was glad to see samphire, a plant native to the area, thriving after the removal of noxious Boneseed bush eight months prior.

The group did a fantastic job and we thank them for demonstrating that if we all make an effort to reduce

Visit www.cleanup.org.au to find out more or head to the Friends of Old Beach Foreshore Facebook page to get involved with their monthly foreshore clean ups.

Sunday - 10:30am 6263 6242

Hindu

Sri Ganesha Cultural Center and Worship Place 6 Letitia Grove, Bridgewater 400 273 249

New Life Christian

Brighton Civic Centre Green Point Rd

Sunday - 10.30am

Pastor Brian Edwards 0458 505 070

Anglican St. Mark’s Church LOT 1 Kimberly St, Pontville

Learn how to use DNA results to trace your family history today at Bridgewater Library. The free two hour session starts at 10am. Register at eventbrite.

and The Burning. Then July brings the return of the Festival of Voices, an event the whole family can take part in.

Sunday - 10am

Rev. Rod. Curtain 6263 7700

Uniting Church

Claremont-Bagdad

Claremont 36 Wyndham Rd, Claremont Sunday - 10am

Glenorchy 446 Main Rd, Glenorchy

Sunday - 9.30am

On the 1st Sunday, services are combined.

Venue alternates between the two churches, starting at 10am

Rev. Sherrin Jackman 0447 507 059

Uniting Church

Bridgewater-Gagebrook

Bridgewater

Uniting Hub, Green Point Rd Sunday - 10am 0434 799 506

Festive times at the Brighton Alive Harvest Festival

In early March, Jordan River Services hosted the Harvest Fest community gathering at the Gagebrook Community House.

The event saw over fifteen stall holders offering activities such as face painting, arts and craft, waste education, juice making from local

organic apples and a delicious sausage sizzle. The Harvest Fest gave the local community a great opportunity to catch up with each other and enjoy some good food and fun activities. This event was made possible through a Brighton Council Community Grant and collaborations throughout the Brighton Alive Network.

Jordan River Services offer a wide range of support to the Brighton municipality.

You can visit one of their three community houses at the Bridgewater Community House at 6 Bowden Drive Bridgewater, the Gagebrook Community House (incorporating the Waterbridge Food Co-op) at 191 Lamprill Circle Herdsmans Cove or the local Community Shed at 10 Sorell Street Bridgewater.

Winner, winner, Lemon Chicken dinner

Serves 4-5

This easy recipe takes about ten minutes to prep. The result is a healthy and delicious chicken dinner.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken thighs, skin on and bone in.

Zest of two lemons

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbs chopped thyme (fresh is preferred, but dried also works)

2 tbs chopped rosemary (as above)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs butter, melted

Method

Place the chicken, lemon juice, zest, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a big bowl and stir until the chicken is coated with the mix.

You can take the tip of a knife and score the meaty side two or three times. This helps the marinade seep in. Refrigerate for an hour (or more if you want – you can prepare in the morning and leave it to marinate during the day).

TAKE A BREAK

Preheat oven to 220° celsius. Take the chicken out and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicon sheet. Arrange the chicken in one layer, skin side up. Brush with the melted butter and pop in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes then brush again with any leftover marinade or pan juices. Bake for another 20 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is brown and crispy. When they come out of the oven, cover with foil and let rest for ten minutes. Pour the pan juices into a small jug and serve generously over the chicken.

The chicken goes well with salad, steamed veggies, rice or the chickpea salad from last edition!

Green Point Discovery Early Learning Centre exceeds expectations

Congratulations to Green Point Discovery Early Learning Centre who have just achieved an ‘Exceeding the National Quality Standard’ rating. Centre Director, Kellie Bruce, said “The Green Point team have worked consistently and passionately to achieve such an outstanding outcome.”

To be granted an ‘Exceeding’ rating, an early childhood service must be assessed by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), and show excellence in the seven national quality areas that make up the National Quality Standards (NQS).

Tasmania’s regulatory authority found that Green Point goes beyond the require ments of the NQS. Green Point achieved an Exceeding NQS rating in aspects of the seven areas, with a focus on family relationships and inclusive community engagement.

“We have tremendously dedicated educators working at our Green Point Service, and achieving an exceeding rating only reaffirms the value of their ongoing hard work to deliver excellence in early childhood education every day,” said Kellie.

The ACECQA Assessor said, “The service is commended on its achievements in providing quality outcomes for children. Educators demonstrated

Local producer takes a national win

meaningful and regular engagement with families and the community to promote strong connections between each child’s learning environments.

“Educators consistently included the voices and views of children and families, to develop a child-centred educational program that enhanced children’s learning and development.”

Congratulations to the Green Point team!

Local Brighton business Fehlberg’s Produce has been awarded the 2022 Best Performing Tuckers Member of the Year at the National Australian Independent Rural Retailers (AIRR) Tuckers Member Conference 2023 held in Adelaide, in February.

Owner of Fehlberg’s Produce, John Fehlberg, was delighted by the result and attributed the win to his small team - David, Brian,

Kareena and Jannenealong with the support from local customers and to the weekly stock supply from the AIRR warehouse based in Westbury.

Fehlberg’s Produce makes all of their own horse feeds, poultry mix and bird seeds, and also stock a range of products covering all livestock, family pets, irrigation, fencing, sprays, equestrian and farrier supplies.

waterbridge food co-op

HOT LUNCH trial

Waterbridge community pantry in need of funding

The Waterbridge Food Co-Op, which helps address the challenge of food security in our community by providing lowcost ready-made meals and hot lunches, is currently unfunded.

Since mid-2022, the Waterbridge Food Co-Op has produced more than 18,000 meals for the Brighton community. However they are in danger of having to close down due to a lack of funding which could see this service removed from our community at a time when many families are really doing it tough.

The pantry supports meaningful connections and reduces social isolation by reaching out to vulnerable members of our community. In addition to low cost healthy food and produce, they help the community by employing locals and training them in food handling and retail practices.

Up until recently, the Waterbridge Food Co-Op was supported by grants to keep the service going. While they are currently in talks with politicians and local services to help save Waterbridge Co-Op, they

are reaching out to all in the community to help however they can. If you have a positive experience with the pantry, or want to get involved, contact Kylie on 0487 267 375 or email orders@ waterbridgefood.com.au.

The Waterbridge Food CoOp ready-made frozen meals and produce are available for purchase via their shop, Waterbridge Pantry, located at 191 Lamprill Circle Herdsman’s Cove, or by delivery. For more details, head to their website www.waterbridgefood.com.au.

We are going to be trialling Hot Lunches!! Lunches will be available every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, commencing on Tuesday 14th March Cost is $5 00 per meal and will be served at 12 30pm

For more information contact the Waterbridge Community Pantry on 0487 267 375

More incentive for Tasmanian property owners

The Private Rental Incentives Program: pays property owners $6,600 or $9,900 when leasing an eligible property to Tasmanians on low incomes provides guaranteed rent to the owner for a two year lease provides all property and tenancy management services.

More information is available by phone on 03 6166 3625 or by emailing housing.privaterentals@homes.tas.gov.au

Local judo club kicks off a new year

including the Melbourne International Open and the Australian Judo Championships. This year, her focus is on training harder and honing her skills as she will be facing off against older and stronger competitors.

Big Turnout for Big Weekend

In late March, the Big Weekend of Sustainable Living Ideas festival was held - and turned out to be one of the largest events ever held in the Bridgewater area.

If you’re interested in judo, there are many ways you can check it out at the Bridgewater PCYC this year.

The PCYC is set to host the Tasmanian Judo Championships again this year. The major event will be held on Sunday 2 April, and the club invites anyone interested to come along and watch the athletics.

In action on the day will be people like Bridgwater’s very own Rose Smith. She is a cadet member of the club and up-and-coming coach and referee. She has been training hard through the summer break after a very successful 2022. Last year she won medals in every event she entered,

To support club members like Rose, the Bridgewater PCYC Judo Club runs fundraisers to help members with travel costs to get to competitions during the year. Fundraising events include the club’s very first quiz night held last October which was a great success, and a sausage sizzle held in March at Bunnings, Glenorchy. They also hold the annual Bridgewater PCYC Open Competition, where members from all divisions can compete and spectators can watch for a gold coin donation.

The club wish to thank all of their donors and supporters, especially our local community, club parents, Brighton Council and Bridgewater PCYC who have helped grow the club to what it is today. Bridgewater PCYC Judo Club classes are up and running for new and existing members who want to have fun and learn the art of judo.

Sustainable Living Tasmania celebrated their 50th birthday at the event, held at the Brighton Civic Centre hall, lecture theatre, carpark and extended through the parkland and into the Botanical Institute down by the water. The massive weekend saw over 100 exhibitors, presenters, workshop hosts and entertainers all share their ideas, projects and initiatives which focused on more sustainable ways of living.

Highlights included a no-dig veggie garden workshop hosted by Gardening Australia’s and Goodlife Permaculture’s Hannah Moloney, as well as cooking demonstrations by Matthew Evans from Fat Pig Farm, where he used a kitchen powered by an electric vehicle. Attendees could also join in on the clothing, toy and book swap, and bring broken household items along for the Eastside Repair Cafe.

For all the foodies, growers and creatives in the community, the indigenous bushfood workshops were presented by Palawa Kipli, fermentation demonstrations from chef Vlad,

What’s happening at the Bridgewater Library

pottery classes, foreshore walks and talks presented by Landcare Tas, along with hot-composting workshops.

Electric vehicles from the Good Car Co were on site to check out as well as the electric race car from UTAS Motorsports - a real treat for any car enthusiast! Everyone was also encouraged to bring along a non-perishable food item to donate to the Jordan River Services Food pantry.

The weekend was an overwhelming success where people could come along and learn something new, have fun and, most importantly, get involved with living sustainably.

the library, all children are welcome. The first session was a great success with lots of creativity and knowledge from the children.

April School Holidays

• Autumn Nature Masks: Thursday 13 April, 2.30pm – 3.30pm

• Storytime and Craft: Autumn Leaf Hedgehogs, Tuesday 18 April, 10:30am - 11:30am

Storytime

Bridgewater Library have introduced Storytime to their children’s programs. Storytime is a free 30 minute session which includes stories, rhymes and action songs. Storytime is on Tues-

days 10.30am with sessions aimed at preschoolers aged 2-5 years.

Lego Club

The library has started a Lego club! On Monday afternoons from 3.30pm - 4.30pm in

• Ocean in a Bottle: Monday 24 April, 10:30am11:30am. For more information on the programs we run at the library please contact us. Phone 6165 5446 or email bridgewater.

library@libraries.tas.gov.au, or follow us on Facebook.

Bridgewater PCYC takes the win

The Bridgewater PCYC had a major win earlier this year when they took out the Telstra 2023 Building Communities Award for Tasmania.

The prestigious award, announced at an event held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart in January, celebrates small and medium-sized businesses and organisations that

make a positive impact in their communities.

The Bridgewater PCYC is an independent organisation that helps young people create positive change for themselves and their community. Bridgewater PCYC aims to address a range of local issues, including crime prevention, workplace readiness, educational engagement

and community connection in Bridgewater and the greater Brighton region.

Winning this award highlighted the hard work and contribution of many people and businesses across Tasmania, and showcased the incredible work that the Bridgewater PCYC does for young people across the Brighton region.

Free waste education for community groups

Do you get confused between what is rubbish, recycling and food waste? Do you know which bin to put it in? What goes in the FOGO bin?

Brighton Council has a dedicated Waste Education Officer who can help sort out the mess by providing residents with group talks and meetings, community presentations and events, and can also educate stu-

dents through interactive school visits.

To do the right thing by the environment, we need to make sure we know which rubbish goes where, so if you’re unsure about what goes in each bin, contact Waste Education Officer, Gwen Harper, at wastewise@ brighton.tas.gov.au or visit www.brighton.tas.gov.au/ property/waste.

Get your applications for Brighton community grants in now

Applications for the Brighton Council Our Community Grants are still open.

Applications close on 4 April, 2023. There are four different grants available to residents of the Brighton municipality that offer assistance for both small and large community projects.

Brighton Council advises anyone wanting to apply to read the Policy Guidelines before submitting their applications as changes have been made to the program.

To find out more, head to www.brighton.tas.gov.au/ community/commnuity-grants-program.

Ground

breaking times

for new Brighton High School

Construction has begun on the new Brighton High School. From 2025, the school will welcome up to 600 primary students from the surrounding areas of Bagdad, Brighton and Kempton. It will be a state of the art, modern learning facility for the region.

“Brighton has been lobbying for this school for many years and it is great to see it becoming a reality,” Brighton Mayor, Leigh Gray, stated when the first ground was broken recently. “We are thrilled to be able to work with the Government to assist this wonderful project and to coordinate our own strategy and works for the precinct surrounding the new high school.”

“Extensive community and stakeholder consultation has helped shape development of the new high school,” said Roger Jaensch, Minister for Education, Children and Youth. “It was an honour to visit the site and turn the first sod.”

The new Brighton High school is located at 1 Elderslie Road, Brighton, with the development team working closely with the Brighton Council to ensure the new high school is a facility that makes this region a great place to live, work, play and learn.

The development includes a

multi-purpose hall, performing arts space, and gymnasium and is a part of the $74 million commitment to support the Brighton community.

The Brighton High School development will cause traffic disruptions to the Brighton Road and Elderslie Road junction for approximately six months from February 2023. The works will include drainage and road upgrades. For any enquiries regarding the roadworks please contact 03 6268 7000.