Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen 30 October 2015 edition

Lua Lua: new act, familiar faces Page 7

Warragul & Baw Baw

Citizen

TWICE MONTHLY // FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2015

WARRAGULCITIZEN.COM

F /WARRAGULCITIZEN

FREE SOMETHING EVERYBODFYOR

L @WARRAGULCITIZEN

Sweet success

WARRAGUL // THE EASTERN Park Community Garden has celebrated its firstbirthday with a festival.

The Spring Festival featured live music, stalls, free food and gardening workshops at the garden in celebration of its successful first year.

“If you had said to me this time last year when we were giving our official opening that it would be so successful I probably would've smiled and nodded but deep down would've thought no, we would need five years to get to this point,” coordinator Donna Hallam said at the event.

“We have the garden open three days a week now, one whole day on a Tuesday, which is so busy with everyone from playgroups to retirement village, support services and people who come just to meet their neighbours, have a cup of tea and talk with others.

“This garden is never locked and we never have any problems with vandalism or any behaviour people might consider antisocial. I think it is because everyone here is so welcoming and so friendly and we want to maintain this as a part of our charter here in this garden, that people will come and always be welcome no matter their background.

“Do come, help yourself to produce, sometimes we actually find it hard to give it away, who

Story continues on Page 7

Corporate Uniforms Country Australia Style Clothing

We specialise in the country Australian look, and can supply Akubra hats, Kangaroo Leather or Solid Hide Belts and R.M.Williams elastic side boots for the complete look.

Embroidery $6 per garment expert digital logo embrodery

Top quality R.M. Williams clothing set the standard in our range of options.

Complement this with merino wool jumpers from Merino Gold and expert digital logo embroidery and you will have a winning corporate image.

L OFFodEucRts to get a SPECIA .Williams pr

M Buy any FIVE R. Discount of 30%

1a Barkly Street, Warragul 5623 4369 www.portphillipshop.com.au

'Watershed' wash up

By William Kulich Keening_Product

L

IT WAS billed as a “watershed situation for Yarragon” by councillor Murray Cook, but his forced approval of a new development on the town's main street did not go how he planned.

Shire officers had recommend councillors refuse the planning permit application for a two storey development at 83 Princes Way – a corner block which presently has a house on it – due to concerns about parking availability.

At Wednesday's council meeting Cr Cook moved an alternative motion to approve the development, but

requiring 12 public parking spaces be made available on the site.

“This application... will have long term ramifications into the future of the town,” Cr Cook said at the meeting.

“The success of Yarragon has been noted widely by myself and others. Parking for shops in the western end of the town was initially underutilised, but the forward planning back then has stood us in good stead.

“If there is no parking people do not stop, and if people do not stop there are no customers. That is the bottom line.

Story continues on Page 4

Girl Guides Jasmine Elliott and Zara McNair offer lemonade to community garden visitors.

WBBC's verdict: 10/10.

Photo: William PJ Kulich. PRN:01058

All safe after fire demolishes house, spreads to Warragul Child Care Centre + how you can help Page 2

2 · NEWS ·

All safe after fire demolishes house, spreads to Warragul Child Care Centre WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN · 30 OCTOBER 201 5

WARRAGUL // FIRE demolished a house and damaged neighbouring buildings, including the Warragul Child Care Centre, in Warragul's CBD onTuesday.

Warragul Police senior constable Paula Fowler said emergency services arrived on the scene at 11:30 to find the house "totally engulfed with flames."

"There has been no loss of life or injury and we've had all the services here," Constable Fowler told media at 12:30.

"Fire has affected other buildings but we are working on thatatthe moment.

"At the moment there's still fire in the roof of the child care centre, which has been evacuated.

"When the fire started there were people in the house but they had evacuated by the time police gotthere."

"There were some issues with the power so we had to get the power, and gas companies here."

A CFA spokesperson said a mother and two children were home at the time butwere able to escape.

"The mother smelled smoke and saw flames, and then managed to get everyone safely outside," they said in a media release.

"The fire is believed to have begun underneath the home."

Power lines from the building were sparking after falling and power was not switched off until some time after the house was largely destroyed.

Warragul Child Care Centre spokesperson Danielle Blackney told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen all children and staff were safe. Around 20 children and five staff were evacuated from the site.

"We saw smoke coming alongside the centre. As soon as we saw the smoke we just went into evacuation mode and

gotthe kids out," Ms Blackney said.

"Everyone’s outsafe.

"They got evacuated over to Warragul Primary School where the school assists us and supply a room for us in case of emergency, and they're all overthere happy."

The Victoria Street/Albert Street intersection was closed while eleven fire crews worked to contain the blaze.

Community comes together to help out

LOCALS have banded together after the fire to help out the young family whichlosteverythingintheblaze.

For much of the week the Warragul Newsagency accepted donations for the family and a staff member told WBBC the business' store room is now full of donations.

The staff member said the business was now only accepting money and gift cards to be passed on to the family.

A public Facebook group called Help the Crawford Family has been set up to coordinate the relief effort and local musicians will hold a benefit gig next week.

Organiser Angelo Saridis said the Gippsland music community would be putting on an event at BANK Warragul on Saturday 7 November from 14:00 to 18:00.

"There will be live local bands, sausage sizzle, raffle/silent auction, bandaoke competition and anything else we can fit in to raise some cash," he said on social media.

"It will be a family friendly event so bring everyone along."

Councillors plan VLGA exit

30 OCTOBER 201 5 · WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN

BAW Baw councillors will decide on the future of the shire's membership of the Victorian Local GovernmentAssociationincomingweeks.

In a general business motion at Wednesday's meeting, Mount Worth ward councillor Murray Cook called for the council to immediately quit the peak body in response to the financial pressure ofrate capping.

“We have to consider things very carefully, and after nearly three years on this council I've observed a lot of duplication between the VLGA and (similar group) the Municipal Association of Victoria,” Cr Cook told councillors.

“I think we could probably work enough through the MAV without being at pain for yet another organisation membership.”

A council spokesperson told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen the

council spends around $14,000 per year on its membership to the VLGA. Warragul ward councillor Mikaela Power was first to object to Cr Cook's motion, pointing out the VLGA had arranged a meeting with councillors to discuss the issue.

“The reasons we have been given for supporting this motion is we have rate capping, that there's duplication and that they're talk fests (a point raised by Drouin ward councillor Terry Williamson),” Cr Power said.

“We do need to cut costs. This is not a good reason.

“The VLGA has agreed to come and speak to us and I would like to hear what they say.

“Looking at the differences, the VLGA was streets ahead ofthe MAV on providing information on rate capping. While the MAV has used its usual channels, it has not stretched

itself.

“Action does count. As a female councillor and first time councillor they have provided a lot ofadvice.

“If we are to have a look at discontinuing our membership of one or the other, I personally think we should have a look at the MAV.” Drouin ward councillor Tricia Jones said she was concerned the councillors might not be well enough informed to make a decision at the meeting.

“It's true we have two peak bodies and I'm not 100 per cent sure of the differences,” Cr Jones said.

“I'm not sure about letting either go.

I do feel I need to be very well informed before making a decision either way.”

Cr Cook latched onto Cr Jones' comment while summing up.

“It's interesting that Cr Jones wasn't aware of any differences between the

· NEWS · 3

two, and that's just my point,” he said.

“This has been on the table for a while. I've seen what they can and can't do. The proof is always in the pudding and how you find something, not people coming to justify things in hindsight.

“I'm not happy with the way things are going which is why I put this motion.”

Cr Cook's motion did not pass as written. An amendment from Warragul ward councillor Gerard Murphy saw the decision postponed to a future meeting.

“If this motion does not get up then I move we postpone this review to after the VLGA meeting, so long as they meet with us soon,” he said during discussions on Cr Cook's original motion.

“As long as we deal with the review within six weeks.”

Baw Baw rate rises above 10-year state average BAW Baw Shire's rates have increased by an average of 6.79 per cent per year over the past decade, 0.8 per centabovetheVictorianaverage.

Last week the state government released statistics showing the statewide average annual increase for the past decade to be 5.99 per cent.

Baw Baw's latest increase of 3.6 per cent was the lowest increase in the last decade, while a string of unexpected costs saw an 11 per cent increase in 2012/13's rates.

The state government has used the statewide data as justification for its new rate capping policy, which will tie rates to CPI from next financial year onwards. Councils wanting to raise rates further will have to apply to the state government for permission.

"Victorians expect greater value, mo-

re of a say, and a better understanding of the work their councils are doing – and it’s something the Andrews Labor government expects too," local government minister Natalie Hutchins said in a media release.

"Our Fair Go Rates cap won’t cut existing budgets and it won’t stop councils providing much-needed services and facilities. What it will deliver is greater value for money and councils that listen and respond to the needs of their community."

Baw Baw CEO Helen Anstis listed rate capping as one of a number of financial pressures which prompted the council's massive restructure earlier this year. Councillors have often mentioned rates are one of very few ways regional councils can make money to deliver services to large areas.

WBBC on social media Twitter, Instagram and Minds @WarragulCitizen

Facebook

search 'The Warragul Citizen'

Snapchat

warragulcitizen

Find more stories online atwarragulcitizen.com

4 · NEWS ·

WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN · 30 OCTOBER 201 5

'Watershed' decision wash up Continued from Page 1

“This council should not create a parking problem for future councils to solve, which future ratepayers instead of present developers will have to pay for.

“We need to remember how important it is to set precedents, and it's true we have today's residents to care for and tomorrow's to plan for.”

Cook was supported by fellow ward councillor Peter Kostos, who responded to suggestions made by developers there was presently no parking problem in Yarragon's east.

“There may be spaces today, but if this is successful and other developers are successful someone will be screaming 'there's not enough parking,'” Cr Kostos said.

Cook and Kostos were the only

two to vote for the motion, but Warragul ward councillor Gerard Murphy moved a second alternative – the exact same motion as Cook's, but with the parking requirement reduced to six spaces.

“While I appreciate Cr Cook's motion of 12 car parks, I'm looking at the idea of six being the closest recommendation made by the officers,” Cr Murphy said.

“It's a great development. It's going to set the future tone and I commend it going forward.”

Drouin ward's Terry Williamson said future councils should deal with parking issues as they arise.

“The east end does need a bit of a shake-up and it's far better to have a parking problem,” he told councillors.

“If we've got a problem to solve in the future, future councils will solve it.”

Williamson's words fired up Cr Cook, who said “I strongly disagree it's better to have a parking problem when we can fix it now.”

“I think six is just not enough and is setting a [bad] precedent.”

In a report to councillors planning officers said the site was suitably zoned for the development, but concerns were raised about no on-site public parking being provided and the project being an over-development of the site.

According to plans, the ground floor will include a café while a three bedroom dwelling is planned for the top floor.

A spokesperson for the developers said the site and parking availability were appropriate for the development and the community response had been largely positive.

Trafstation revived TRAFALGAR // AT THE age of 104, Trafalgar's railway station building hasanewleaseonlife.

GREAT PRICING IN PRINT AND ONLINE NEXT PRINT EDITIONS

Friday 1 3 November 201 5 Friday 27 November 201 5 Friday 11 December 201 5 Friday 1 8 December 201 5

ADVERTISING RATES

Prices below include GST. Discounts available when booking multiple editions.

Eighth: B&W: $80 Colour: +50% Quarter: B&W: $1 38 Colour: +50% Half: B&W: $275 Colour: +50% Full: B&W: $550 Colour: +50% Front page top: Colour: +50% Front page bottom: Colour: +50% Basic ad design is free.

Printing 5,800 copies. Distributed across Baw Baw. Promote your business to an audience of thousands. Email admin@warragulcitizen.com.

ABOUT

Formerly The Warragul Citizen

Edition number: 34

Editor, designer, owner: William PJ Kulich editor@warragulcitizen.com PO Box 1111 Warragul, VIC, 3820 The editor takes responsibility for political comment in this paper.

Articles, graphics and photos without author credits are by the editor.

Please support advertisers who support WBBC. Email tip-offs to the editor.

Had your picture taken?

You can now purchase high quality digital copies of many photos taken by the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.

Just email the five digit photo reference number or a description and page number of the photo or photos you want to admin@warragulcitizen.com and we will get back to you.

Unused and in a bad state of disrepair until earlier this year, the building has been restored and reopened as an art creation, exhibition and performance space for the Baw BawArts Alliance The official reopening was held on Saturday with community members overflowing from one of the largest rooms in the building to watch proceedings. (And to grab a slice of cake.)

"It has lost some of its charm in how the ceiling was falling down, that was great," BBAA president Anita George joked atthe opening.

"We're take grateful for everyone who has had faith in us. We're a group of artists, we're supposed to be a bit nutty."

The alliance has run the successful and popular Yarragon Station Gallery for over a year now and Ms George told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen the Trafalgar Art Space will compliment the neighbouring town's gallery.

"It won't be the primary source, that will still be Yarragon, but we've been so popular the workspace needs to be bigger and this building is a fantastic workspace," she said. "[The big windows here are] great. It makes it look more like a home

BBAA members and supporters cut the cake at the Trafalgar Art Space opening.

More photos, including before shots, available at warragulcitizen.com building, poor old Yarragon still has the wires on [its windows]. It lets in so much more light."

Ms George said the restoration project, which was supported by VicTrack and the Trafalgar Community Bank and cost $435,000, was driven by the community and the space would be used as a drawcard for Melbourne artists.

"It's a community thing and we're all running ragged but something like this can invigorate us again," she said.

"Our big art May event already has some funding to promote in Melbourne and bring [artists] down. "[We have to] get the name into the other art groups in Melbourne, and [when you have a] high profile teacher it

goes into all the notices down there.

The Trafalgar site will be more activity-based than the Yarragon gallery, with planned uses including largerworkshops and live music.

"When they asked us for ideas we tried to make it as broad as possible so we didn't cut ourselves into certain little areas all the time," Ms George said. "[Regarding using the site for live music,] I'm actually saying anyone who wants to approach us. The main committee sort of does what they do and then you need someone who's into music, and young as well, to get involved and invigorate us with ideas.

"We can't continually keep coming up with them, we need other people and we need youngsters!"

The centrality of the site lends itself to community use, according to Ms George.

"The community has been pushing for it, and no wonder – look where it is!

Walk down the main street and there you've got this thing straight in front of you!"

The BBAA is now eyeing a neighbouring brick building for storage ofmosaics.

Trafalgar's station building was the tenth in the state to be restored for community use in recent years. Its restoration included the replacement of flooring, internal doors, windows, restumping and more.

New park named

WARRAGUL // A PREVIOUSLY unnamed and yet-to-be-built reserve in the Waterford Rise estate west of Warragulhasbeengivenatitle.

Earlier this month Baw Baw councillors approved the name Kestle Park for the site, after former land owner Ethel Maude Kestle.

The parkland is presently under construction as part of the estate's development. It is expected the park and stages 15 and 16 will be completed by the end ofnextyear.

The park's area will cover a small valley bordered by Silverwood Drive, part of the old display home area, a small section of Crole Drive and the underconstruction Limestone Court.

Baw Baw Developments, the group in charge of the estate's development, requested the name which was supported by the council's Place Names Advisory Committee.

No submissions were received during community consultation on the naming.

Kestle Park is one of six reserves under development at Waterford Rise.

Central wetland area Penaluna Park was the first to be named, with an official opening in March this year.

"Penaluna Park is the first of six reserve areas within the estate that we hope through naming will recognise those families that have had a strong ownership connection to the Waterford Rise land over the years," Gary Tomasetti of Baw Baw Developments said in a media release atthe time.

"Names such as Penaluna, Marrabel, Kestle, Hamilton, Harkness and Strachan are synonymous with this area and it will be great to have them recognised in this way.

"William Henry Penaluna migrated from Cornwall in England in 1853 and settled in Boolarra around 1878, establishing the first hotel in the area, known as the Settlors Arms.

"In 1924 he acquired the property at Warragul from John Arnold Holden and held ituntil his death in 1943.

"William Penaluna was also an uncle to members of the Kestle family who purchased the adjoining property at the same time."

This story and many others firstbroke at warragulcitizen.com

Fun run's fitness message SPORT // FAMILY fitness was the focus of last weekend's Geoff Watt memorial fun run in Warragul.

Now in its 44th year, the fun run features a wide range of competition levels, ranging from 2.5km to a half marathon.

This year's half marathon winner was Peter Cutler with a time of 1:18:30, his second win in the category in as many years. Trish Yates won the Women's half marathon with a time of 1:43:15. (Photographed: right.)

You can find full results at the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen website, warragulcitizen.com.

The event is named after prolific marathon runner Geoff Watt, who died while training, and is now run by his daughter and Olympic gold medallist Kathy Watt.

“He started the Warragul Athletics Club and died on a training run up Mount Erica,” Ms Watt told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.

“He started it and inspired a lot of people. He was heavily involved in the community.

“His motto was to take part and he got 10th in the Boston Marathon and fourth in the London to Brighton, but he was more of an adventurer and just enjoyed it.

“He would love all the community spirit and people just showing up.”

It was the community participation which was key for fellow former

Olympians Steve Ovett and Carolyn Schuwalow, who both oversaw the race.

“If you're involved in the sport you want to see the sport continuing and obviously progressing,” Mr Ovett told WBBC. “It's not all about the stars we see on TV, it is about this sort of thing that's really what sport's about; the young kids, mums, dads, and the community getting behind it and enjoying themselves.”

Ms Schuwalow encouraged families to take part in sporting activities and said the Geoff Watt run was a great example.

“Having a family, you want to encourage your children to come out and have a family day here and do some physical activities,” Ms Schuwalow told WBBC. “A lot of kids these days are on the iPhones and iPads and I don't think that's really the way to go if you want to have a long and healthy life.

“I think it is a great memorial for Geoff Watt, who was one of the area's greatest running philanthropists.”

Many families took part in the races, which stretched along roads south of the railway line and freeway, including one family which ran with a sleeping baby in a pram and happy dog on a leash.

More photos at warragulcitizen.com

LIFE

BAW BAW

Citizen

W Waarrrraagguull & & BBaaw w BBaaw w

No Holden back

LLiiffeessttyyllee A Arrttss D Deessiiggnn FFeeaattuurreess C Coom mm meenntt

BAW BAW'S LIFE & LIFESTYLE PAGES // FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2015

SPONSORED IT COLUMN

People ask me where the instruction manual for Windows is all the time.

It's far too big to be printed here, but this handy cheat sheet will get you a long way. Cut it out and tape it to

your PC for quick reference.

When buying a new PC, ask the salesperson if they can include a one hour training session in the purchase price.

Trafalgar Holden Museum volunteers gathered around the popular and rare FJ station wagon. Photos: William PJ Kulich. PRN:01060 TRAFALGAR'S Holden Museum celebrated its firstbirthday on the weekend. The unmissable white and red building on Waterloo Road has been a popular stop for tourists and the volunteer group behind it has much more to come.

Spokesperson Peter McCabe talked to WBBC on Saturday: One year in, how's itgoing?

Fantastic, we've had pretty good weekends most of the year. We're only open weekends and public holidays and the cold weather kept a few people away, but now we're getting a few people who've had their cars put away for the winter coming out and we've had a few other attractions coming in. We've had a change over of Holdens in general, like, local people who own cars [have allowed us] to display them here.

We've got the Monaro collection at the moment, they're... a big thing at the moment. We have the Hurricane (a futuristic concept car built in 1969) on loan from Holden for a month so that's a big drawcard, and we've got a T Model Ford built in 1923 being restored.

So Holden builta Ford?

Holden built Fords, that's right. In fact, Holden was bodying something like 93 different car bodies at one stage. It's really incredible what else they made – from guns to aeroplane engines. Fridges, stoves, washing machines – who would've thought Holden would've built them! It just goes on and on, and we're learning all the time; older people may come in and say 'oh, they built this' and we look into it... and chase it up.

Your display is rotational. Will people who came for your opening see something differentifthey return?

Yes, and we're going to build a shed out the back so we can take everything out of the building, put it in the shed and have a compete change over. We were thinking of featuring [just individual models] at a time.

How do you find cars to display?

We're all enthusiasts here. We're in car clubs, we know people and it's very easy to source vehicles. Because we're a museum and getting known [well], we're having people come from far and wide. From every state

Mick Brennan with the Model T Ford he and George Tagliabue are restoring at the museum. The restoration has involved sourcing components from several vehciles. in Australia.

You can always tell when you're open because there's probably aboutas many classic cars outside as there are inside...

The real car show is out in the street most of the time. I have a camera, I go out and photograph as many visitors' cars as I can, and we will have those photos flashing over the big screen soon.

Is itjustHolden fans turning up?

No, it's not. And I ask myself 'if this was a Ford museum, would I be going to have a look?' And I would be very disappointed with myself if I never did. It's not just about cars, the stuff here, manufactured by an Australian company, is real history.

It's our heritage. We have people coming here whose fathers and great grandfathers worked for Holden, and just to think we're losing that. I just hope it can be diversified somehow or another.

Which new cars do you think will be the classics ofthe future?

I think the later model Monaro, which we have one on display.

They're not making them any more, and just the fact it's a Monaro, it's called a Monaro, I know I'm going out to buy one very soon. They finished in about 2005.

Are there any more unlikely future classics?

The younger generation comes in here and they want to see Commodores, and that's the way it's going. A VL Calais is a very collectible car, people love VL Commodores,

that's about '87, '88, they're going to become very popular. Even the 1978 model Commodore. And they tell me now vintage and veteran cars don't have the same demand, they're not bringing the money they did because the generation which was collecting them has died out. The next generation is not interested in them, which is really incredible in itself.

Whathave been the most popular exhibits you've displayed?

We have an FJ station wagon which is one of only seven or eight ever built by a mob known as the Cordell group. It's a very popular vehicle which people do go out of their way to come and admire, and Holden itself never really produced any. We have an XU-1 Torana in there, I think everyone loves an XU-1 Torana because they were the ones which knocked off the GDHO Falcons at Bathurst. Even the Ford people admire some Holdens, as some Holden people admire Fords, and I'm one of them.

Four generations 25 years serving Gippsland and now the world Still Warragul's home of Australian made

Whatelse can people expectin the nextyear?

The restored Model T will come out in a couple of months and we are in the process of securing a W class tram, which Holden manufactured parts of. We hope GMH will bring up the odd prototype. Holden loaned us the futuristic FJ and we had, I think, 1,800 people through in two days to view that. So if we can keep getting attractions like that it will certainly keep this place alive and well.

More photos at warragulcitizen.com

1a Barkly Street, Warragul 5623 4369 www.portphillipshop.com.au

WBBC on social media Twitter, Instagram and Minds @WarragulCitizen

Facebook

search 'The Warragul Citizen'

Snapchat

warragulcitizen

6 · BAW BAW LIFE ·

WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN · 30 OCTOBER 201 5

Nilma Primary students Daniel Axford, Ella Perry, Kiara Perry and Beth Axford in the school's garden last weekend with kid-grown seeds and seedlings. Photo: William PJ Kulich. PRN:01062

Learning a way oflife

LOCAL LIVING // STUDENTS and Nilma Primary have been learning how to grow, cook and live healthily.

CLASSIFIEDS Positions Vacant

Library Officer • Programs • Band 4 (24.75 hours/fortnight)

The school's garden was put on display last Saturday as part of the Gardivalia Festival of Gardens while students sold seeds they had harvested in hand made and coloured seed packets.

“The grade three/four participate in the Stepahnie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, which means every week they're either in the kitchen or in the garden,” teacher Jessie McLennan told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.

“Gardivalia is keen to get schools involved.

We were hoping other schools [would] come along and have a look at our garden, and they have; we've had a teacher from Ripplebrook and another from Toongabbie.

“Knowing that we've been involved this year, I think next year there will be more schools.”

School principal Annette Sutherland said the students drove the program.

“When we originally started, even prior to

the Stepahanie Alexander... program, the children have been a massive influence,” she told WBBC. “They're the ones who have ownership over this program, right from the design of the garden to actually getting in there and building it.

“It's not locked away, it's actually an area in our school that's quiet where you can sit in the garden, eat out of the garden at any point in time, so they're actually at one with nature.”

Students fertilise and water the garden, look after chickens and feed worms, and pick and cook with the produce they grow.

“We're a sustainable school, so we have our water, our solar panels, we compost, we have the worm farm, so it's actually trying to teach them a way of life,” Ms Sutherland said.

“Jess and I, our homes are pretty much self sustainable too. It's not [just] something healthy, it's a natural way of life.”

Ms McLennan said students involved in the program have set up gardens at home and kept her up to date with their progress.

“It's inspiring to teach,” she said.

To bookyour classified advertising email admin@warragulcitizen.com

Events Gig guide

Public Notices LUKEMATTHEWS

LUKEMATTHEWS

3FOLD

GRAHAMHAWES

Please download a position description at www.wgrlc.vic.gov.au Forward your application to carolh@wgrlc.vic.gov.au by

LUKEMATTHEWS

LUKEMATTHEWS

Applicants must be available for an interview on Wednesday 11 November.

MATTFRY

@BANK Warragul Fri 06 Nov, 21:00

BENSMITH

GRAHAMHAWES

SKIPPING GIRL VINEGARw/JoeMatera

We are looking for a dynamic and innovative person for this role based at our Drouin library.

Your focus will be the creation and delivery of engaging programs for all ages, in conjunction with a great team. Plus general circulation desk duties.

5pm Friday 6 November.

Public Notices

@BANK Warragul Fri 30 Oct, 21:00 @BANK Warragul Sat 31 Oct, 21:00 @BANK Warragul Mon 02 Nov, 21:00

@BANK Warragul Sat 07 Nov, 21:00

MELBOURNE CHAMBERORCHESTRA CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING NOW AVAILABLE Affordable pricing 5,800 copies distributed across Baw Baw twice monthly Well read and respected publication Email enquiries to admin@warragulcitizen.com

LOCAL NEWS ONLINE The Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen publishes breaking news, features, alerts and picture galleries online at warragulcitizen.com Subscribe for email updates and never miss a story: warragulcitizen.com/reg

@West Gipps Arts Centre 'A Little Night Music' Tue 10 Nov, 19:30 wgac.com.au

JADEHURLEY

@West Gipps Arts Centre Fri 13 Nov, 11:00 wgac.com.au

BENSMITH

@BANK Warragul Sat 13 Nov, 21:00

3FOLD

@BANK Warragul Fri 20 Nov, 21:00

GRAHAMHAWES @BANK Warragul Sat 21 Nov, 21:00

@BANK Warragul Fri 27 Nov, 21:00 @BANK Warragul Fri 04 Dec, 21:00 @BANK Warragul Sat 05 Dec, 21:00 @BANK Warragul Fri 11 Dec, 21:00

@West Gipps Arts Centre 'The Great Wave' tour Sat 12 Dec, 20:00 wgac.com.au

DOMINICFINLEY @BANK Warragul Sat 12 Dec, 21:00

GRAHAMHAWES @BANK Warragul Fri 18 Dec, 21:00

DEANRAY

@West Gipps Arts Centre Sat 19 Dec, 20:00 wgac.com.au

HAVEAGIG COMING UP?

Let the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen know. Email admin@warragulcitizen.com.

WBBC supports local live music.

30 OCTOBER 201 5 · WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN

· BAW BAW LIFE · 7

Community garden looks back on success Continued from Page 1

Covering changes MUSIC //MANYin Baw Baw are familiar with Mercury White.

The band, largely made up of musicians from the region, won an Australian band competition in 2013 and placed fourth in an international competition in Germany the following year. Things have changed since – the band is working on new material but under a (secret) new name with a slightly different line up. Band members Paul Cooper (vox/keys), originally from Warragul, and Tammy Brittaine (vox/violin/synth) played at the recently renovated Railway Hotel last Friday as cover band Lua Lua. While there they talked to WBBC.

Lua Lua is a cover band you've made to, essentially, make money outofmusic, yes?

Tammy: We're not going to deny it.

Paul: it's just another way to get money out of this industry. It's tough. You have to spread yourself out in this industry to make money, and this is just another way to do it.

Whatkind ofcovers do you play?

Tammy: We've got two shades of the set.

Because we do weddings as well we wanted to take advantage of the violin and piano, so we do a lot of classical stuff as well.

Paul: It's more improvised stuff. I guess you wouldn't say remixes, but we use a lot of drum samples and looping. (Looping is where audio is sampled live and repeated.)

Now, this is the firsttime you've really tried looping...

Paul: It was the intention to start with and is really difficult to do. We've got the hang of it a bit more and we've patched it up so I can loop keyboards and stuff so it makes it a bit easier. It frees you up to do a bit more and only on certain songs.

Tammy: It makes it a bit different, we want it to be a little bit unique and not the same as everyone else.

Paul: It's nothing ground breaking, but it makes life easier when you don't have to play.

You mentioned before this interview Mercury White is reforming. Whatcan you say?

Paul: We are doing it, but the name and a few other details [are secret.] We've just got a new bass player...

Your old bass player leftlastyear

Paul: He's fronting another band, so he wanted to pursue that and we were fine with that. We tried to do it without bass for a while

Paul and Tammy performing at the Railway Hotel.

Photo: William PJ Kulich. PRN:01059

and now we're just getting a bass player in and it has totally worked. The songs we're doing now are a lot different. We're not using big synthesised basses and stuff, it's more organic.

Tammy: We still have the electronic aspect here and there.

Paul: We want to go back to sounding like a band, not a big production, because I think if you're a band you need to sound like a band. If you go in the studio and it's all synthesisers and electronics you sound manufactured and we want to sound like we're playing our instruments because that's what we believe we're good at.

It's a big change to make given Mercury White's success

Tammy: We were always just trying to push the band to see where we could go. [This frees] up Coop as well because, as a frontman, leading a lot of the landscape sounds on his keys didn't give him the opportunity to lead properly. That's where the idea came from, so now we're getting those landscape sounds from the guitar more and he's having more of a feature thing with his keytar. Yeah, we're bringing the keytar back.

Paul: Don't tell anyone!

WBBC: Is that secret?

Paul: No, it's just a bit embarrassing.

Tammy: No it's not.

Paul: Everyone else loves it but I hate it because there's nothing but stigma that comes with playing the keytar.

Tammy, how do you fitin now?Your violin is the mostunique instrumentin the band

Tammy: my role has changed a few times along the way, but now it has settled as a dual vocal, dual lead position. And the violin has always been a feature role and it's going to stay that way, and me having the synth there is just support, if it's needed. I think a lot of us are thinking that way – we're only playing if it's needed, not just for the sake of playing.

This is a venue which has been revived and juststarted putting live music on again. I guess it's good to play more local acts?

Tammy: we love it when hotels, pubs appreciate live music Paul: My favourite thing about it is they destroyed a nightclub to bring in acoustic bands and food and a bar. Like, yes! Suck s--t DJs! So that's good, because this where I spent all my teens dancing. (Clarification: the night club still operates at the venue.)

Clear winner in people's choice ART // ELENA Kolotusha's captivating portrait of a dog staring at a key won the people's choice award at this year's Warragul Rotary Art Show, held in Warragul last weekend.

“The Key of Sincerity” won with a clear margin from over 300 votes cast and was also highly commended by judge Ray Wilson.

Best exhibit in show was awarded to Mary Hennekam for her piece “MT Buller,” while Aimi Edmonson won the emerging artist prize with “A Beautiful Mind.”

Full results for all categories are available at warragulcitizen.com.

Club president Richard Habgood told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen while the number of entries was down slightly on last year, “members are thinking the quality of entries is up on previous years.”

He said an unexpectedly large number of people voted in the people's choice category over the weekend and he suspected a majority of visitors were from Warragul and Drouin.

“Most people are keen to do the people's choice,” he said. “We find it gives people a focus.”

Rotarians Neville Pellitt, Richard Habgood and Ross Dawson at the art show last weekend. Photo: William PJ Kulich. PRN:01061 Mr Habgood said the Rotary club was “trying to get the broader community involved in the organising” ofthe event.

“There's a couple of goals for the club,” he said. “Firstly, it's a community service project... and it's also a fund raiser. It's one of our two big fund raisers.

Rotary worked with the Baw Baw Arts Alliance and volunteers from local businesses and the Warragul Regional College to set up the weekendlong exhibition.

Next year’s show is to be held between 17 and 20 November.

would've thought that would happen; we have too much produce sometimes! So do come in, it is free for everybody, everybody can pick, nobody needs to have done the hard work. We have enough hands here to do the work. We are always looking for more, mind you, particularly if you want to help organise events.

You're most welcome.”

Ms Hallam thanked volunteers for their efforts over the past year.

“Without the core group of at least 10 people who come every week and also all the community groups and community members who pop in and out over the week, this garden would've been too hard to maintain and wouldn't look as

lush and fantastic as it does now,” she said.

“We have a big vision. We would love to see a community orchard out there [elsewhere in Eastern Park] and community gardens pop up all over the shire. There are already community gardens in Trafalgar, Jindivick and there is one being built right now in Longwarry, so go and visit them because they look amazing as well.

“I hope that this becomes an annual spring festival to celebrate the garden and its achievements, and it would be great to have something local in Warragul that celebrates the passing of the seasons.”

8 路 BAW BAW LIFE 路 PROPERTY 路

WARRAGUL & BAW BAW CITIZEN 路 30 OCTOBER 201 5