August 2011 - Carwoola Community Association
Transcription
August 2011 - Carwoola Community Association
Volume 24 : Issue 8, AUGUST 2011 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE Circulation : 550 NEWS and ADVERTISEMENTS email: gazette@carwoola.org.au telephone: 0416 703 487 or drop into the Gazette Box, top of Kearns Parade www.carwoola.org.au The "Stoney Creek Gazette" is a publication of the Carwoola Community Association Inc. distributed to mail boxes (where possible) from the Kings Highway turnoff along the Captains Flat Road and in Wanna Wanna, Green Acres, Clydesdale, Stony Creek, Radcliffe, Molonglo River Park, Widgiewa, Carwoola, Woolcara, and Primrose Valley, with limited distribution in Hoskinstown and Forbes Creek. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of its editors, the Carwoola Community Association, or of the Gazette's advertisers. STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 CARWOOLA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED Telephone No. Home Phil Kuczma President 30 Wanna Wanna Rd Lucy Costas Secretary Wanna Wanna Rd Lynton Bond Treasurer, Landcare Liaison 237 Radcliffe Circuit Elizabeth Moss Editor, Gazette Bowen Street Jacinta Durr Editor, Gazette Walga Close Sandi Johnsson Committee Member 198 Radcliffe Circuit Christine Bond Committee Member 237 Radcliffe Circuit Dee McArthur Assistant Secretary 30 Wanna Wanna Rd Lybbie Hillman QCC Area Sub-committee 149 Wanna Wanna Rd HOSKINSTOWN REGION COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED Rowan Simpkin President Tobias Downe Secretary Luke Osborne Treasurer Julienne Kamprad President - Hoskinstown Area Roads Committee Anja Meyer-Dilley Hoskinstown Hall Bookings EMERGENCY FIRE NUMBER (24 HOURS, 7 DAYS) REPORT ALL FIRES STONEY CREEK RURAL FIRE BRIGADE (c/- 161 Bowen St, CARWOOLA NSW 2620) FIRE CONTROL QUEANBEYAN 6297 1840 Not usually manned except Fire Shed during training and emergencies 6238 2569 Neil Cleary Captain, Primrose Valley 6238 2660 Senior Deputy Captain, Captains Graham Reynolds Flat Road 6238 2014 Peter Bavington Deputy Captain, Widgiewa Road 6238 2803 Deputy Captain, Molonglo River Dylan Lawrey Drive 6238 2154 Lewis Conn Deputy Captain Shirley Conn Deputy Captain, Douglas Close 6238 2622 Pauline Selmes President, Captains Flat Road 6238 2644 Lisa O'Brien Secretary, Bowen Street 6238 2996 John Bissett Treasurer, Widgiewa 6238 2059 Gary Anderson Training Officer, Bowen Street 6238 2056 Glenn Nicholson Equipment Officer 6238 2729 Work/Mobile 6297 7381 6299 1105 6238 2368 0416 703487 0416 703487 6238 2352 6238 2368 6297 7381 6297 1161 6238 2890 6238 2292 6238 2321 6238 2441 6238 2181 000 0428 330272 0407 382066 0416 060242 0410 168348 0457 537535 0414 382622 0403 807767 0411 899111 0412 620973 0418 493687 0418 805664 STATE EMERGENCY SERVICES Captains Flat Duty Officer - 24 hrs 6236 6190 132 500 POLICE 6298 0555 Queanbeyan PALERANG COUNCIL 10 Majara Street, Bungendore 2621 (PO Box 348) 6238 8111 Walter Raynolds, Mayor wraynolds@bigpond.com QUEANBEYAN CITY COUNCIL 257 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan 2620 (PO Box 90) Tim Overall, Mayor tim.overall@qcc.nsw.gov.au 6299 6000 6298 0223 JUSTICES OF THE PEACE (N.S.W.) Graeme Clifton Wanna Wanna Road Ann Burgess Powell Drive Rick Magus Hoskinstown Mary Ann Middleton Molonglo River Park 6297 4101 6297 5748 6238 2111 6238 2614 STONEY CREEK COMMUNITY CENTRE Manager & Bookings hall@carwoola.org.au 6297 7381 INJURED NATIVE ANIMALS WILDCARE Queanbeyan Page 2 1300 735 025 0407 427 127 6299 1966 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK We hope you enjoyed reading last month's edition of the Gazette. Please forgive the omissions and the mix up with the delivery numbers. We shall endeavour to ensure there are enough copies for everyone. On the delivery note, we are looking for someone to volunteer to deliver the Gazettes between 359-733 Captains Flat Rd (past Powell Dr - Kearns Pde), including Stony Creek Pl. If you would like to do this please give us a ring or send an email. In the meantime, any suggestions, particularly from the residents concerned are most welcome. You can contact us through the gazette email address or leave us a detailed message on the new telephone number 0416 703 487. Jacinta Durr and Elizabeth Moss, Production Editors ADVERTISING RATES Full page ( maximum size 180x255 ) $50.00* Half page ( maximum size 180x125 ) $25.00* Quarter page ( 90 x125 or 180x60 ) $12.50* LOCAL PART-TIME BUSINESS Quarter page $10.00* CLASSIFIEDS & CASUAL LOCAL ADS (not business) FREE!! * If ad is not supplied print-ready, there may be a one-off set-up $25 fee (subject to review) ONE-OFF ADS & ARTICLES ARE DEPENDENT ON MATERIAL RECEIVED FOR EACH ISSUE - RECEIPT DOES NOT GUARANTEE INCLUSION. PLEASE PHONE CHRISTINE TO ASCERTAIN SPACE AVAILABLE. If you are a new or one-off advertiser, please include the charge for your ad with the copy. If e-mailing advertisement, payment must be received before publication for one-off adverts. Permanent advertisers are invoiced six monthly, in March and September. There is no discount for advance payment or multiple advertisements. BUSINESS Carwoola Community Association and Stoney Creek Gazette are not registered for GST. DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT STONEY CREEK GAZETTE Monday 29 August 2011 FOR DELIVERY by FRIDAY 9th September 2011 Please send CONTRIBUTIONS or ADVERTISEMENTS CLASSIFIEDS to the Gazette via email or leave all the details at 0416 703 487 E-MAIL gazette@carwoola.org.au Receipt by the deadline date does not necessarily guarantee publication in that issue. CLASSIFIEDS can also be dropped into the Gazette box at the corner of Kearns Parade & Radcliffe Circuit Please do not just leave your name and number and ask us to ring you back. Address for payment of accounts remains 237 Radcliffe Circuit, Carwoola NSW 2620 Page 3 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 LANDSCAPE SUPPLIERS ALL TYPES OF: SOIL SAND GRANITE CONCRETE MIX For All Your Landscaping Needs 6297 2079 ALLAN 0428 296 978 BRUCE 0428 631 228 Page 4 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 CARWOOLA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION President’s Report The Carwoola Community Association Trivia Night has been rescheduled for Saturday 17th September and will start at 7.30 pm. John Gunn will be the Emcee on the night with Hilary Gunn as the Quiz Master. There will be seven categories of questions including a new category with science questions. There will be more than $1,700 value of prizes generously provided by Stoney Creek Gazette advertisers which will be up for grabs on the night. An auction for the $875 water pump donated by Taylor Made Pumps will be held on the night. Participants are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks. Please phone Christine or Lynton Bond on 6238 2368, to book your table of 6 – 8 persons. It costs $10 per person and supper is included in this. I highly commend our new production editors Jacinta Durr and Elizabeth Moss for their great work with producing their first issue of the Stoney Creek Gazette with the June edition. Thanks must also go to Kyol who collected the boxes of the gazettes from the printer and distributed these to our volunteer deliverers. Our new production editors would appreciate offers of assistance for help with assembling the new issue of the Stoney Creek Gazette before it is sent to the printers. It would be also good to have a backup person to collect the boxes of the Stoney Creek Gazette from the printer’s premises in Fyshwick and to deliver these to the homes of our volunteer deliverers around Carwoola. If you are able to provide any assistance, please contact Jacinta and Elizabeth by leaving a message on 0416 703 487 or sending an email to gazette@carwoola.org.au Some residents in the Radcliffe estate may recall that the Carwoola Community Association previously conducted a survey about the possibility of a recycling station being established. Though Palerang Council staff empty the bins at the Douglas Close recycling station twice each week, these facilities are well used and frequently overflowing. Palerang Council is planning to survey residents about a trial to be conducted with kerbside collections of materials which can be recycled. Palerang Council has conducted two previous trials which cost residents an annual fee of $102. The Palerang Council Section 355 Carwoola (Stoney Creek) Hall and Reserve Management Committee will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 30th August at 7.30 pm. I will be vacating all of the roles as Chair, acting Secretary, Treasurer and Hall Manager. Nominations are invited to fill all of these roles. If one is unable to attend this Annual General Meeting, please contact me to supply a Nomination for Committee Member form at hall@carwoola.org.au or on 6297 7381. The next monthly meeting of the Carwoola Community Association will be held on Tuesday 16th August, starting at 7.30 pm. All are welcome to attend. PHIL KUCZMA, President STONEY CREEK COMMUNITY HALL HIRING FEES Community Groups ..................................................... $20 Fund raising functions.................................................. $110 Private hiring ............................................................... $110 + $250 bond Heating (between 1 April and 31 October) ................... $5/hr to a maximum of $110 Cleaning fee (if hall is not cleaned) ............................... $35/hr To hire the Community Hall, telephone the Management Committee Treasurer on 6297 7381 or email: hall@carwoola.org.au Page 5 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 ACTQ SEPTIC SERVICES Pty Ltd ACN 065 804 999 CONVENTIONAL & ENVIRO CYCLES SEPTIC TANK CLEANING SERVICES (and grease trap pump outs) Our No1 business is your No.2 business. 10 FOSTER STREET, QUEANBEYAN Phone: 6299 2808 A/H: 6238 2272 Mobile: 0429 109 341 Fax: 6299 2908 R.F.G. MOWER SERVICES Pty Ltd. Service of all Brands of Ride-ons, Mowers, Chainsaws & Small Engines Sales & Spares for Ride-ons, Mowers, Brushcutters, Chainsaws & more RIDE-ON MOWERS from $2695 MTD YARDMAN CUB CADET MURRAY VICTA MASPORT ROVER Specials: Chainsaws NOW $299 2 yr Warranty 4 Stroke Brushcutters NOW $399 HIRE Dingo Mini Diggers 77 Uriarra Road Queanbeyan Ph: 6297 2439 OPEN: MON - FRI - 8AM - 5.30PM Page 6 SAT - 9AM - 1PM STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 CARWOOLA LANDCARE GROUP There was lots of interest in the rabbit control workshop last month; so much so that we put on a second one. Landholders from a 35 local properties attended the workshops, and added to the more than 20 landholders from Carwoola who attended the workshops at Royalla, before releasing calicivirus, this should mean a large part of Carwoola should have rabbit numbers significantly reduced in the coming months. Thanks to all those who attended and to Phil McGrath from the South East Livestock Health and Pest Authority, and to the Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee who provided the funding to hold the workshops. The reduction in rabbit numbers gives the rest of us an opportunity to take advantage of others’ effort by getting out and removing rabbit warrens and rabbits harbour such briars and blackberry, to slow the build-up of rabbits again. Think about destroying rabbit warrens by ripping and fumigating those that you can’t easily collapse. The local rural supply stores will be able to advise how to go about fumigating. Council’s weed Officers will advise on the appropriate ways to remove blackberry and sweet briar. Be aware though, that the reduction in rabbit numbers and the disturbed ground around warrens will most likely spring forth with weeds in spring if you don’t sow the areas with grass seed, and even then vigilance will be required to keep on top of the weeds coming through. Subject to the availability of funding, we plan on holding another round of rabbit control next year to continue reducing the rabbit numbers in the area. To keep informed about Landcare happening locally here is a Landcare Group email list for discussion and notification of Landcare events. To join the list, send an email to landcarerequest@carwoola.org.au with the subject “subscribe” (without the quotes). The Molonglo Catchment Group website is a great source of information for what’s happening in our catchment and what funding is available - see www.molonglocatchment.org.au. Don’t forget to tune in to Radio Landcare from 8-9am Sunday mornings on QBN-FM 96.7 and on 2XX Community Radio FM 98.3 from 9-10am Tuesdays. LYNTON BOND, Secretary Page 7 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 LOCAL ELECTRICIAN LOCAL CARPENTER CLINT DIXON ELECTRICS TRENT DIXON Licensed ACT & NSW Commercial – Domestic – Rural Qualified Small jobs a specialty Light & power Wire in: General maintenance Tastics Off-peak HWS Decks Bore Pumps Septic Systems New Homes Pergolas Fences Extensions Internal Walls Sheds We’ll even run a light to the chookhouse! Contact Clint Mobile: 0438 382 139 Home: 6238 2139 Fax: 6238 2830 I’ll even build the chookhouse! Contact Trent Mobile: 0407 106 634 Home: 6238 2139 Fax: 6238 2830 Quality, value and creative designs for every occasion SINGLE & MULTI COLOUR OFFSET PRINTING, DIGITAL BLACK & COLOUR PHOTOCOPYING. For fast, reliable, affordable service contact: 6280 5265 Fax 6280 0999 FYSHWICK 28 PIRIE STREET Jan Logan 6292 2462 6291 1074 ph/fax 6238 2371 a/h Page 8 Email sales@bspg.com.au www.bspg.com.au STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 FLAME TIPS www.stoneycreek-rfs.org.au www.rfs.nsw.gov.au IN AN EMERGENCY CALL TRIPLE ZERO (000) PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE BUSH FIRE INFORMATION LINE | 1800 679 737 The brigade had a busier month during July, with a number of call-outs despite the cold weather, to pile burns, grass fires, and a motor vehicle accident. In fact July saw a significant number of grass fires across the entire zone, prompting Queanbeyan Fire Control Centre to issue a special media release highlighting the grass fire risk resulting from the good growing season earlier in the year and the drying effect of heavy frosts. Grass fires can be caused by a variety of reasons, but often they are started by grass cutting equipment, such as slashers and sometimes at this time of year, from hot coals and ash being emptied from fire–places. Do be careful if you need to do either of these tasks around the home. Our new Cat 7 fire-truck that I mentioned in last month’s gazette has been delivered to Stoney Creek. Brigade members have been busy getting it organised to match our other two trucks, and also getting familiar with its pump and other equipment. Stoney Creek 7A has already been in use in our area, and we think it will prove to be a valuable addition to the brigade’s capability. Finally, the Lake George Zone fire season has been brought forward one month to start at the beginning of September. All pile burns and hazard reduction burns from the 1st September 2011 onwards will require an RFS issued permit to burn. Contact either the Stoney Creek Senior Deputy Captain or myself if you require a permit. IN AN EMERGENCY CALL TRIPLE ZERO (000) PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE | BUSH FIRE INFORMATION LINE | 1800 679 737 NEIL CLEARY, Captain, Stoney Creek Rural Fire Brigade LAST MONTH’S WEATHER WATCH (RAINFALL AVERAGED OVER LAST 27 YEARS) JULY 2011 WEATHER WATCH (RAINFALL AVERAGED OVER LAST 27 YEARS) MONTHLY RAINFALL AVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL FOR 2011 32.1mm falling over 10 days 51.4mm 339.8mm (TEMPERATURE IN BRACKETS APPLIES TO THE LAST 18 YEARS) MAXIMUM DAYTIME TEMPERATURE MINIMUM OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE AVERAGE DAYTIME TEMPERATURE AVERAGE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE Page 9 15.9 -5.2 11.1 -0.5 (18.0) (-9.0) (10.7) (-1.8) STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 CLEAN WATER TANK SERVICES Tanks cleaned with minimal water loss Crack repairs - flexible reinforced membrane Metal covers supplied and fitted Water treatment - tank & house lines Filters supplied and fitted RING JOHN on 0428 489 291 Mobile Pet Care Are you planning to go away? Are you concerned about the welfare of your family pets or farm animals while you're away? Whether you're away for one night or many, we offer a reliable and caring service that comes to your home to care for your animals and do a variety of essential daily tasks. • • • • • • • Animal feeding & watering Putting chickens to bed Watering indoor plants Watering vegetable garden Mail collection Emergency visit to your local vet if required Email updates on your pet's progress For more information and rates, call Carol on 0427 970 613 Before you go away, we come to your home to meet your animals and get those last minute instructions! Page 10 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 LOCAL PLANTS IN FLOWER Ros Cornish, Widgiewa Road The following list is what should be flowering, based on lists from previous years. Don’t forget to check out the website to see photos of many of these plants – and some not described here www.flickr.com/photos/carwoolaplants/ WHITE/CREAM FLOWERS Acacia genistifolia (Early Wattle) – medium shrub with long dark-green needle-like foliage and cream pompom flowers. Kings Highway on the approach to Queanbeyan, a few remaining in the Carwoola industrial subdivision; Cuumbeun Nature Reserve. Acacia gunnii (Ploughshare Wattle) – a low growing shrub with prickly, triangular-shaped leaves and pale flowers. Acacia ulicifolia (Prickly Moses) - medium shrub, pale cream pom-pom flowers, prickly gorse-like foliage but needles not as large as that of A. genistifolia. Scattered in bushland from Wanna Wanna Road to the Kings Highway but not obvious from the road. Brachyloma daphnoides (Daphne Heath) - an upright, branched, small shrub with oval leaves; buds are pink opening to small, white, tubular flowers with a strong sweet perfume. It is common in woodland and dry forest habitats. Cryptandra amara (Bitter Cryptandra) – most local plants seem to be var. longiflora. Low, spindly shrub with small leaves, white tube-flowers less than 6mm long, clustered along the branches. Leucopogon attenuatus – small shrub with purplish foliage and small, white, densely furry flowers in rows along the branches. Cuumbeun Nature Reserve and possibly on some properties on Wanna Wanna Road. Leucopogon fletcheri ssp. brevisepalus (Beard Heath) - small shrub with linear leaves sharply pointed; small white/cream tubular flowers hang down. Common in dry forest habitats and occurs frequently locally in remnant vegetation as well as in Cuumbeun Nature Reserve. Melichrus urceolatus (Urn Heath) - small (to about 60cm) shrub with cream, tube flowers and prickly green leaves; widespread in open woodland and grassland; Cuumbeun Nature Reserve. YELLOW/ORANGE FLOWERS Acacia baileyana (Cootamundra Wattle) – introduced to this area but has become naturalised in some places – large bushy shrub, fern-like grey-green foliage, bright yellow pom-pom flowers. On Kings Highway (southern side) just before Captains Flat Road. Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) - tall shrub/small tree with golden-yellow sprays of pom-pom flowers, silvery fern-like foliage. It is the most abundant wattle in the area and is common along the roadsides. The yellowtailed black cockatoos tear bark and wood away to get at grubs in the trunk. Acacia rubida (Redstem Wattle) – large shrub/small tree; large single veined phyllodes to 20cm long, often retains some bipinnate juvenile foliage; flower heads globular and golden in clusters. Many plants along the Captains Flat Road, particularly from Powell Drive to the Kings Highway and from Widgiewa Road to Briars Sharrow Road. Dillwynia sieberi (formerly referred to by me as D. juniperina) – medium sized prickly plant with apparent orange pea flowers (but really yellow with red markings); Captains Flat Road between Wanna Wanna Road and the Kings Highway and Cuumbeun Nature Reserve. BLUE/PURPLE/MAUVE FLOWERS Hardenbergia violacea (False Sarsparilla) – prostrate ground cover/scrambler with sprays of purple pea flowers, dark green lance-shaped leaves. Hovea heterophylla (formerly referred to by me as H. linearis) – small plant with purple pea flowers along erect stems with dark green leaves, often growing in among taller shrubs or tussock for protection. Dark brown/black rounded seed pods. Widespread in woodland but hardly noticeable until it flowers. Page 11 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 REAL ESTATE SALES AND RENTALS FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS MELINDA McCALLUM is your local salesperson Melinda has more than 20 years experience selling rural real estate Melinda is Rural Manager of Hodgkinson Real Estate, specialising in sales and Property Management Obligation-free appraisals Available 7 days a week to assist you at your convenience Phone 0429 122 700 or 6293 1033 B/H Park Watch To advise any illegal activity in a Nature reserve Provide information on the location (which reserve/road/trail) Date, time and type of activity Description of people involved (number/age/appearance) Description of vehicle (make/colour/numberplate) NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service 6229 7166 Queanbeyan Police 6298 0599 BAYLDON AGRICULTURAL SUPPLIES 10 Bayldon Road, QUEANBEYAN ABN 67003696517 Telephone 6297 2833 Daedong Tractors - CK20 up to DK90 John Berends implements - slashers, mowers, rippers, post hole diggers, ploughs, grader blades, carryalls, coil tine cultivators, crumblers, etc. Garrison agricultural supplies - PTO driveshafts, linch pins, generators, water pumps, shackle components, hitch pins, mounting pins. Monza tools, water pumps. Generators, wheelbarrows, transmission jack, engine stands, air brad nailers, air compressors, racket tie downs, jet pumps, fire pumps, trailer coupling locks, etc. Page 12 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 THE WEED PATCH Diary of a dedicated non-poisoning weeder: Rose-Marie Johnson The last few months have been drier than the same time last year and the groundcover is good after the good wet year, so conditions have been less favourable for the germination and establishment of weed seedlings over Winter. There are fewer annual weeds now, there is still a growing burden of perennial weeds that became established while the groundcover was poor during the drought, then proliferated with the year of good rainfall. And the prolific year will have left a seed bank that will be ready to spring to life when conditions are once again more favourable to those weeds, so it’s still important to suppress the ones that do germinate. August is an important month to finish clearing up Serrated Tussock before it starts flowering and producing seed in Spring. The advantage of doing it now, reduces the risk of adding to the seed bank and the plants can be left to break down in the paddock or, even better, used to cover patches of bare ground. At this time of year the Serrated Tussock stands out paler amongst the other grasses. An excellent brochure about the identification and control of Serrated Tussock can be found at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/weeds/profiles/serrated-tussock. African Lovegrass is already going to seed, so is best bagged for solarizing to prevent adding to its seed bank. Blackberries are currently consuming most of weeding efforts, and are clearly a growing problem throughout the local area. A big problem with Blackberries is how their spread by runners can rapidly result in impenetrable thickets, reducing access and amenity, especially along watercourses. Hilary, my horse riding companion, and I have been working to clear some overgrown tracks where we ride. Because there were so many new Blackberries to deal with, there’s not a lot of time left for me to work on the established plants before the Spring annuals become a high priority, but I still hope to be able to at least dig up the surface roots of all the plants to prevent their spread by suckering. Where possible I then ringbark the deeper roots, which appears to be killing plants already done. In ground too rocky to dig, I cut the plants back and smother them with newspaper covered by boxes held down by rocks or by tying on black bags. New canes that grow out past the covering need to be periodically pushed under or cut back. From a distance St John’s Wort may look dead, but if you go up close and look at the base of the plants you can expect to see plenty of new green growth. Even sprayed patches of St John’s Wort need to be checked as the spray often fails to kill all the roots and it doesn’t take much to regrow. Also, unless you’ve been spraying early enough to prevent seeding for many years, there will be new seedlings. It’s best to dig out the new plants as soon as you can, while they’re still easy to get out before their roots go deep. For the plants that already have deep roots, ringbarking the roots now, deep enough to prevent suckering, should kill the plants before they flower. August is also the best month to hoe dense infestations of annuals before they get to big. If you’re planning to suppress Paterson’s Curse by slashing, it’s best to keep stock off it from about now, so the flowers develop high enough for the slashing to be most effective. The “Glove box guide to Waterplants of the ACT region” is well worth a look and can be downloaded from http://www.act.waterwatch.org.au/freebies_&_downloads%5B1%5D.htm . It helps identification of moisture loving weeds worth suppressing, as well as the desirable natives. The listed weeds that I’ve noticed in this area include Purpletop, Drain or Umbrella Sedge, Mustard Weed, Fleabane (both Common and Canadian), Spiny Lettuce and Skeleton Weed. The lengthening days and warming weather make this a great time to get a good start on all those weeds, so I hope you can find the time to do so. Page 13 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 . ABN 41 063 145 794 INTERIOR EXTERIOR ADVICE & TIPS Spring Sale Decking oils from $170 for 20L Great prices - Colour matching available Formulas for most Brands - Equipment Hire 10 Years experience - Colour consulting advice Now Supplying Rainwater Tanks: Coloured Paint Supplies Unit 10/18 Whyalla St FYSHWICK ACT Phone: Fax: Page 14 6280 7028 6280 7036 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 BIRDS OF CARWOOLA Martin Butterfield Thanks to John and Julienne for covering my absence. In July 78 species of birds were recorded in the catchment area of the Gazette. This is 13 more than in June this year and one more than July 2010. Thanks to several observers in: the Molonglo Valley, Hoskinstown, Radcliffe and Widgiewa Road. There have been a number of notable sightings in the month. 4 female King Parrots were sighted in Radcliffe – the first at that site. They are very rarely reported in the area generally. Scarlet Robins have appeared again in my site and a property overlooking the Hoskinstown Plain. I suspect they are moving through, as normal in preparation for Spring in the higher country. A huge flock of at least 50 immature/female Satin Bowerbirds was seen in the Plain on 31 July following a similar earlier sighting in Hoskinstown: extraordinary records. Migrants are shown in italics below and species for which breeding (broadly defined) has been observed this month are underlined. 1 Waterbirds: Musk Duck; Black Swan; Australian Wood Duck; Grey Teal; Pacific Black Duck; Australasian Grebe; Little Pied Cormorant; White-faced Heron; Australian White Ibis; Purple Swamphen; Eurasian Coot; Masked Lapwing 2 Birds of Prey: Black-shouldered Kite; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Little Eagle; Nankeen Kestrel; Brown Falcon; Australian Hobby 3 Parrots and Relatives: Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo; Gang-gang Cockatoo; Galah; Sulphur-crested Cockatoo; Australian King-parrot; Crimson Rosella; Eastern Rosella 4 Kingfishers and other non-songbirds: Brown quail; Common Bronzewing; Crested Pigeon; Tawny Frogmouth; Fan-tailed Cuckoo; Laughing Kookaburra; 5 Honeyeaters: Eastern Spinebill; White-eared Honeyeater; Noisy Miner; Red Wattlebird; Brown-headed Honeyeater 6 Flycatchers and similar species: Golden Whistler; Grey Shrike-thrush; Grey Fantail; Willie Wagtail; Magpie-lark; Scarlet Robin; Flame Robin; Eastern Yellow Robin; Welcome Swallow; 7 Thornbills, Finches and similar species: Superb Fairy-wren; White-browed Scrubwren; Speckled warbler; Weebill; Striated Thornbill; Yellow-rumped Thornbill; Buff-rumped Thornbill; Brown Thornbill; Southern Whiteface; Striated Pardalote; Silvereye; Double-barred Finch; Red-browed Finch; Diamond Firetail; House Sparrow; 8 Other, smaller birds: White-throated Treecreeper; Varied Sitella; Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike; Common Blackbird; Common Starling; Mistletoebird; Australasian Pipit; 9 Other, larger birds: Satin Bowerbird; Grey Butcherbird; Australian Magpie; Pied Currawong; Grey Currawong; Australian Raven; Little Raven; White-winged Chough Breeding Records There have been very few breeding records in recent months (as expected). However August is the month when some of the locally resident species begin their breeding activity. These initial stages will typically comprise observations of Breeding Displays: usually males strutting their stuff to impress females, which can be impressive flights by raptors or intricate ‘song and dance routines’ by the smaller birds; or Nest Building: in many cases this will be indicated by seeing the birds flying about with beaks full of nesting material. I’d welcome any observations of such activities (or more flagrant breeding activity). Page 15 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 Peter Hewitt Phone: 0418 496 725 Fax: 6280 7036 Email: peter.hewitt7@gmail.com Rubbish removals Gutter cleaning Weeding Hedging Gardening Lawn mowing Page 16 Pruning General cleaning Mulching Edging Small landscaping Slashing STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 WOMEN’S GROUP MEETING We normally meet every second Wednesday at 10.30am for morning tea in members homes. For information about this friendly informal group for adults, phone any numbers below: 10th August at Margaret Day, Hillview Nursery 154 Bowen Street 6238 2474 24th August at Heli Jackson, 19 Pankhurst Crescent, Chisholm, 6291 8669 7th September at Narelle Heywood, 36 Stony Creek Place, 6238 2528 CARWOOLA BOOKCLUB The Carwoola Bookclub meets once a month at the Stoney Creek Community Hall on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. Our book for August is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and for September its Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Enjoy the read! For further information call Therese on 6238 2324. BUNGENDORE BRIDGE CLUB MEETS EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 7pm - 10pm at the COMMUNITY CENTRE, TURALLO TERRACE, BUNGENDORE Please contact Brenda on 4849 4471 or Nonie on 0422 704092 QUEANBEYAN & DISTRICT DOG TRAINING CLUB Puppies from 3 months of age are accepted, but dogs of all ages benefit from regular training. All classes are taken by qualified instructors Sundays from 9-11am at the club grounds on Hoover Reserve. For more information call Kathy on 0422 729 162 or visit www.queanbeyandogs.org.au. JU-JITSU AT THE STONEY CREEK COMMUNITY HALL WEDNESDAY NIGHTS 6.30pm-7.30pm JUNIORS 7.30pm-9.00pm SENIORS For further information, call DAVID ROWLEY on 6238 2343 BOOTCAMP AT CARWOOLA Mondays 6:45 pm Stoney Creek Community Hall Pay just $10 per session and get winter off to a flying start. Burn calories fast - work your whole body - be challenged everytime For more information, call Heidi on 0421 878 879;email L2MFitness @bigpond.com CAPTAINS FLAT MARKETS FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH (except January) from 10am to 2pm CAPTAINS FLAT COMMUNITY HALL, FOXLOW STREET Trash & Treasure - Plants - Handmade items - honey & jams - homewares Sausage sizzle and café No entry fee - $10 for stallholders For further details contact 6236 6094 or 0428 597 227. . Page 17 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 A THOUGHT FOR TODAY with Marilyn Leake The Father . will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever." John 14:16 (RSV) WORDS OF COMFORT (2).From John 14:1-14 we noted the comforting words of Jesus to "Let not your hearts be troubled." From vs15-26 we find that the comfort and strength to obey that command is given by the Holy Spirit while in vs27-31 we learn of the comfort and blessing of yielding to the Holy Spirit's teaching and guidance. "If you love me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15. This is the starting point for all of Jesus' disciples -obedience to Him. It becomes such a joy to obey Him because we then experience the truth of v16 "And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Counsellor, to be with you forever, v17 even the Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. As we progress in the Christian life we become more conscious of His presence within and His help as we seek it. Think again of the comfort of these words in v18"I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you." The disciples could not understand what Jesus was saying concerning Nis death, resurrection and ascension but He gave them this promise before that occurred. He came to them again in the form of the Holy Spirit - just as He comes to us today through the Holy Spirit. In v19 Jesus says "...because I live you will live also." His resurrection life guarantees that all His disciples will also receive eternal life. V20 "In that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you. V21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to Him." These verses speak of the unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit that Jesus makes Himself known to us and the Father is revealed through Jesus. V 22-24 further explain this. Again Jesus refers to His departure in John 14:25-26. "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. V26 But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." This is part of the Spirit's work to prompt us with God's word as He counsels us. "But when the Counsellor comes, Whom 1shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me." John 15:26. Then in John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." Notice that Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as a Person - not just a power but a Person of the Godhead. Then He describes more of the Spirit's work. Apart from being the Spirit of Truth, witnessing to Jesus and bringing to our remembrance all that Jesus taught and said He says in v18 "And when He comes He will convince the world of sin and righteousness and of judgement. V19 Of sin because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness because I go to the Father and you will see Me no more; v10 of judgement because the ruler of this world is judged." Here is another important point. John 16:13-14 "When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but what He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you all things that are to come. V14 He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you." Again we see the unity of the Godhead as the Spirit speaks what the Father tells Him, just as Jesus did. We know that Christ's promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled as on the day of Pentecost Peter declared in Acts 2:33 "(Jesus) Being exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you see and hear." We all have need of the counsel of someone at some stage in our lives. As disciples of Jesus we have the wonderful indwelling Counsellor available at any moment to give us help as we need it. May you be conscious of His presence more and more. Enjoy your day. Page 18 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 TAYLOR MADE PUMPS YOUR PUMPS NOT PUMPING? PUMP REPAIRS TO ALL MAKES OF PUMPS New Pumps Supplied and Installed Home Pressure Systems Bore and Irrigation Pumps Bore, pump and power packages Water Bore Drilling Rig in local area - on site surveys Fire Fighting Pumps - Sales and Repairs Windmill Service, Repairs and New Sales Water Softener Repairs and Water Quality Analysis Premium Quality Water Softener Salt at Rural Prices Don't run out of water - call a Local Bloke for mobile Sales & Repairs Mark Taylor ALL HOURS 0428 486 460 (Mobile) 6238 2357 (Home) 6238 2351 (Fax) THE SMALL ACREAGE SPECIALISTS CARWOOLA BASED Do you need to hire farm machinery to do jobs around your property? NEW EQUIPMENT READY TO HIRE FOR SPRING: Hydraulic Rotary Hoe Hydraulic single person post hole digger with a range of auger sizes Hydraulic log splitter with log lifting table to save you lifting logs and straining your back Pneumatic star picket driver and air compressors Portable inverter generators DON’T FORGET OUR GROUND EQUIPMENT RANGE: 35HP Tractors with slasher plus other attachments available Ride-on mowers Large chippers and mulchers Brush-cutters, line-trimmers and chainsaws Spray tanks ranging from 15Lt backpack to 200Lt with 12v pumps Contact: - David Check out all of our equipment at www.ruralhire.com.au Daily and weekly rates. Pick up or delivery available info@ruralhire.com.au Ph: 0428 652 662 Page 19 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 Queanbeyan Update Welcome to my regular column which aims to keep you abreast of initiatives and issues being dealt with by Council. In early July Council held a function to officially open the Heather McKay Indoor Sports Centre. It was great to see Heather at the ceremony and assisting Dr Mike Kelly with the unveiling of the plaque to commemorate the opening. Council agreed to name the centre in Heather’s honour in February and I must say there is no one more deserving of such a tribute. Heather is one of the greatest sportspeople this country has ever produced and her dominance of international squash during the 1960s and 70s is unprecedented. In fact, Heather only lost two matches during her career and won an amazing 16 consecutive British Open titles. She also excelled in both field hockey and racquet ball. The Indoor Sports Centre has been operational for a while now and both team and individual nominations are being accepted. To nominate visit www.niccweb.com or phone 0405 425 662. Crawford St works underway Many of you would have already noticed that construction has commenced on the Crawford St Lifestyle Precinct. This project is the most significant undertaken on Queanbeyan CBD in history and will turn what is currently a tired and under used section of the CBD into a thriving lifestyle precinct. When complete the Lifestyle Precinct will be a pedestrian friendly area where alfresco dining and a new mix of retail will be encouraged. To assist with this traffic flow will be reduced to a single lane in both directions and the footpaths will be significantly widened and levelled to create a much more pleasant place to enjoy a meal or entertainment or just shop. Existing parking spaces will be retained when construction is complete. Construction commenced in mid July and by the time you read this the contractors should be well and truly into stage one of the project. Stage one is expected to be finished around December and during that time some significant traffic changes will be implemented. As you travel through the CBD there will be plenty of signs alerting you to the traffic changes which will see only one lane of Crawford St open to motorists heading in the northbound direction. During stage one there will be no parking available on the eastern side (Woolworth Petrol) side of the street, however temporary parking will be available via Fallick Lane on the site of the former Queanbeyan Age building. Throughout the entire construction pedestrian access will be available along both sides of Crawford St meaning you can still gain access to all of the great businesses along the street. As the project moves along Council will be providing regular updates through our website (www.qcc.nsw.gov.au), Facebook (www.facebook.com/qbncity) and Twitter (@Queanbeyancity). Eight athletes inducted into Gallery As part of the function at the Indoor Sports Centre, the new-look Queanbeyan Sporting Gallery was unveiled and eight athletes were inducted making a total of 110 state and national representatives. The Gallery has been moved from the Queanbeyan Conference Centre to the Indoor Sports Centre and was jointly opened by Canberra Raiders coach, former Australian league representative and Sporting Gallery member David Furner and the man who gave life to the Gallery, Jim Woods. A new electronic terminal is also at the Centre and includes the profiles of all athletes. The athletes inducted were: • Damien Bowen – Australian representative in javelin at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. • Terry Campese – Australian and NSW rugby league representative. • Robbie Coleman – Australian Sevens (rugby union) representative at 2010 Commonwealth Games and ACT Brumbies player. • Bob Harrow – Coach of Australian men’s and women’s softball teams • Sepi Langi – Samoan representative in netball at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2012 World Championships. • Anthony and Saia Faingaa – Australian rugby union representatives and members of Queensland’s 2011 Super Rugby championship-winning team. • Andrew Blair – Australian representative at World Cross Country (mountain biking) Championships. I congratulate these eight athletes and welcome them to the Sporting Gallery which includes some of this country’s best sports people. Dog behaviour owner’s responsibility Some disturbing figures were recently released showing the number of dog attacks in Queanbeyan had increased over the past 12 months. Over the past 12 months there were 39 dog attacks investigated in Queanbeyan. From those attacks there were 26 human victims which resulted in two needed hospitalisation and three requiring medical surgery. Also 42 animals were injured with about 10 dying as a result of injuries. These statistics are very concerning for Queanbeyan and it is a figure I am hoping will head down over the next 12 months. The behaviour of a dog, or any pet, is the owner’s responsibility and under the Companion Animals Act owners can be given serious fines. Unfortunately there have been a number of incidents in our rural areas where livestock has been attacked. When such attacks occur it is very difficult for Council’s Rangers to identify the dogs involved as the attacks generally happen at night and are long gone before the Rangers arrive. There are a number of methods owners can use to limit the chance of their dog being involved in an attack and for more information just email council@qcc.nsw.gov.au Attracting people to the River The Queanbeyan River runs through the heart of Queanbeyan, but presently the area is under used by the community. To help attract more people to the eastern side of the Queanbeyan River, Council constructed the Riverside Cafe which is located next to the Queanbeyan Art Gallery. The Cafe, which has been built in two specially designed shipping containers, will be opened in early September and will provide the ideal place for residents and visitors to enjoy a coffee or a bite to eat. Earlier this year Council appointed Brett and Elaine Richter to operate the Cafe. Brett and Elaine are very experience operators and some of you may have visited their other cafe - the Yarralumla Nursery Cafe in the ACT. Due to the location of the Cafe, Council has developed a flood evacuation plan for the building. In the event of rising water in the area the containers will be simply lifted on to the back of a truck by a crane and transported to higher ground. Working with our neighbours Ensuring Queanbeyan has a strong relationship with the ACT is important to the growth of our city. For the past two years I have held regular meetings with the ACT Chief Minister and they continued in late July when I met with Katy Gallagher to discuss cross-border issues. We discussed the need for bus lanes on Canberra Avenue, the Queanbeyan Sewerage Treatment Plant, the proposed Ellerton Drive Ring Road Extension and Queanbeyan’s 175th birthday, which coincides with Canberra’s centenary celebrations. This was an important meeting to confirm the agenda of cooperation between our cities and discuss how we can work most effectively together to address the overlapping needs of our communities. Cr Tim Overall Mayor Heather on hand to open Indoor Sports Centre Page 20 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN IN AUGUST Rose pruning (except of spring-flowering climbers and old-fashioned roses) is best carried out in August in frost-prone areas. Burn prunings to kill disease spores. Top-dress with well-composted manure. Grapes can also be pruned in late August. Citrus trees should be fertilised, using 1/3 cup of citrus food/square metre spread beyond the tree's foliage line. Apply potash lightly and liquid fertiliser fortnightly to spring-flowering bulbs. Camellias that have finished flowering should be fertilised. If plants have been damaged by frost, do not cut them back until the danger of frosts has passed (mid-late September) as the frosted ends will protect the plant from further damage. Summer and autumn flowering bulbs such as liliums (Asiatic and the scented Orientals), nerines, belladonna, tuberoses, hippeastrum and gladioli can be planted in winter. Remove dead foliage from irises and apply superphosphate plus a little potash. Spray peaches and nectarines for leaf curl with Copper Fungicide. This should be done at bud swell, when the blossom tips first show colour. Berry plants, currants, rhubarb and asparagus crowns can be planted. Remove old strawberry leaves and runners, mulch with pine needles, straw or similar. Growth of indoor plants will be slow, so they will need less water, but make sure they don't dehydrate with house heating. Don't feed until spring. Frost tender vegetables (such as tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, capsicum and sweet corn) can be sown in punnets and kept in a warm sheltered position. Service the lawn mower in preparation for the long mowing season ahead. Page 21 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 MUSIC REVIEW with Paul Conn This month, I thought I’d start looking back at a number of my favourite albums over the years, which I’ll do every so often. You’ll pretty soon guess (if you haven’t already) where my musical influences lie, but as many of these are now being re-released as “legacy” or “heritage” artists, it’s time to look at their history. To get started, the final 1970 album by Simon and Garfunkel, Bridge Over Trouble Water, is a great example of 60s style, early 70s technology and timeless music. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were two New York boys who started in Brill Building pop, but found their calling in the folk music movement of the early 60s. This album, recorded during 1969, built on a very successful career but really stretched them. Their long time engineer Roy Halee used overdubbing and reverb studio tricks to create depth and a haunting quality to the songs that was distinctive. In the documentary that accompanies the 2011 re-release of this album (that has never been out of print), Halee describes how the first song recorded for the album, The Boxer, was transformed from three verses and a chorus to an epic, complete with a complex opening guitar piece and a lengthy fade-out partly recorded in a New York church. Paul Simon’s lyrics were cryptically autobiographical and contained remarkably adult themes. Art Garfunkel’s harmonies created a sound that no one else was producing and the song itself ran for over 5 minutes. It was immediately recognised by Simon and Garfunkel and their label, CBS Records, as something very different and exciting. The album’s title track Bridge Over Troubled Water started as a sall gospel song, influenced by Paul Simon’s repeated listenings to the Swan Silvertones. He gave the lead vocals to Garfunkel who delivered his strongest effort to date, and who convinced Simon to write a third verse (which he did in the studio) and use heavy orchestration to transform the song. Clive Davis, the head of CBS heard the song and was immediately convinced it would be a major hit – which it was. The album also included an oblique tribute to Art Garfunkel’s early architectural studies, So Long Frank Lloyd Wright, a nod to their heroes the Everley Bothers by a version of Bye Bye Love (including audience handclaps recorded at their concerts), and the surprisingly raunchy Cecilia, based on a night of jamming around rhythm patterns with Paul Simon’s brother. What we now call “world music” was also evident in Paul Simon’s use of a 1965 recording of a peruvian folksong to create the haunting El Condor Pasa. Given their folk background, Simon and Garfunkel also rocked out a bit on Baby Driver, and Keep The Customer Satisfied. By 1969 the cracks were appearing in Simon and Garfunkel’s partnership, and the haunting song The Only Living Boy In New York was a reference to Art Garfunkel’s time away starring in the movie version of Catch-22. Although the pair split, the album was their biggest success – it went to number 1, stayed on the charts for 85 weeks and to date has sold about 25 million copies. It was a swansong – and what a way to go out. Next month, a birthday story! NEW TO THE AREA? The Carwoola Community Association has produced an Information Pack for new residents. It contains lots of information that will help you to adjust to rural life more readily, and tell you who to ring or where to go if you have a problem. If you would like a copy, please phone Christine or Lynton Bond on 6238 2368. Page 22 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 Classifieds Available Domestic Goddess for cleaning your home. Phone 0401 547 290 FOR SALE Kelvinator 320L Chest Freezer in exc con $90 o.n.o Ph 6238 2213 FOR SALE TWO OLD 2-SEATER SETTEES, CLOTH UPHOSTERED. ONE PINK THE OTHER BEIGE IN REASONABLE CONDITION. BEST OFFERS OVER $10 EACH. BILLIARD/SNOOKER TABLE - QUARTER SIZE, \ COMPETES SETS OF FULL SIZE BILLIARD AND SNOOKER BALLS SET OF CUES AND WOODED SCORE BOARD - $50 PHONE ARTHUR AT : 62382508; EMAIL purd1@bigpond.com FOR SALE Meat bandsaw with mincer attached. One horse power motor, single phase power. Excellent condition. $550.00 o.n.o. Phone 0428 382 732 ADS USUALLY APPEAR ONLY IN MONTH THEY’RE RECEIVED. IF YOU NEED AD REPEATED, LET US KNOW. PLEASE INCLUDE NAME & ADDRESS WITH AD (in case of phone problems). Section 355 Carwoola (Stoney Creek) Hall and Reserve Management Committee AGM The Palerang Council Section 355 Carwoola (Stoney Creek) Hall and Reserve Management Committee Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 30th August, Stoney Creek Community Hall, Gathering Place, Carwoola (just off Douglas Place after turning from Captains Flat Road). This meeting will begin at 7.30 pm. Nominations are invited for all the Committee roles of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Hall Manager. Nomination forms are available from the acting Secretary. All are welcome to attend Page 23 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 AAA WATER CARRYING Kentip Limousines DOMESTIC WATER 7 days Prompt Delivery Locally Chauffeured Limousines ACTEWAGL APPROVED STAINLESS STEEL WATER TANK For all your transport requirements - weddings - airport transfers - snow trips - interstate transfers Servicing your local area for over 20 years! 0428 626 838 Phone: 0428 240 224 or Fax: 6238 2327 Email: kentip@netspeed.com.au 62973648 PO Box 807, Queanbeyan, 2620 RIDGE VIEW QUEANBEYAN WINDSCREENS FOR ALL YOUR AUTOGLASS NEEDS PERSONALISED RIDING TUITION Riding Programs catered to suit your personal needs Including Dressage, Side-saddle Riding and Hacking Call Petra on 6238 2281 or 0417 068 985 23 O’Hanlon Place Radcliffe via Queanbeyan NSW 2620 ABN: 71143725750 Ridge View PRT Lessons conducted on weekends, school holidays and evenings during Daylight Savings. One on one approach with a qualified instructor (Bachelor of Arts/Diploma in Education and EFA NCAS Level 1). Riding programs catered to suit your personal needs. All ages and standards welcome. We have a fully fenced outdoor sand arena for your personal safety. Ample parking is available for those who wish to bring their own horse for the lesson. PHONE PETER ABIGAIL I’m local, mobile and professional - I’ll come to you *The only ones in the NSW/ACT area to offer side-saddle tuition. MOBILE 0418 631 052 (Available to conduct weekend/holiday clinics) Fees: 1 Hour Hacking/Dressage Lesson ¾ Hour Side-Saddle Lesson Page 24 $50 $70 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE Shoes AUGUST 2011 by Rosanne Hood "Can I help you?" "Not likely." "I'm sure we have something here that you would like, what size are you?" "Size 13 AAA" "Sorry, I'm afraid we do not have anything in that size at all." And that is the story of my life, so far as shoe shops are concerned. When I was born, the notes that the nurse wrote in my record were that I had very long fingers and very long feet. For a while this did not matter. My mother mostly sent me off to school in Roman Sandals that had open toes and open heels and if I frequently stubbed my big toe as a result of it being beyond the protection of the sandal, then she bought longer sandals until they were no longer available in any size to fit me. By that time I was at secondary school and the secondary school had a uniform which required the girls to wear red shoes with low heels. By now my mother had discovered a shoe shop in Auckland called Campbell’s Shoes which sold just one line of flat shoes in size 12, which was the size I had got to by the time I was 14. They came in black, navy blue, brown and red. I had a pair of each colour. So I wore the red ones to school. I was not impressed when the senior prefect on duty gave me a detention for wearing the wrong shoes. I was to report to the Deputy Principal’s office at lunchtime. The Deputy Principal admonished me for wearing the wrong style of shoes. There were plenty available in the local shoe shop she assured me if my mother was to take me there. I told her that we had already been there and they did not have any shoes in my size. "Nonsense," she said. "I have a selection of them here, there will certainly be a pair that fits you." After much pushing and shoving and increasing frustration on the part of the Deputy Principal at my increasing mirth at her total failure, she finally came to the conclusion that there was not a single pair of the regulation school shoes that was going to fit on my feet, so she had to agree to let me wear the shoes from Campbell's Shoe Shop. And thus I finished my education with different shoes to the rest of the school. Campbell's Shoe Shop kept me well supplied for the next few years as I embarked on a career as a teacher. I could wear all sorts of different coloured clothes with red shoes, black shoes, navy blue shoes and brown shoes, it was just a pity that apart from the colour they were all exactly the same, flat shoes with laces. After a few years of teaching in New Zealand, I found that I could triple my salary if I came to Australia. I also thought it would be much easier to buy shoes in a bigger country with more people and probably therefore more shoe shops. How wrong I was. My first visit to a shoe shop in my new location in Brisbane in 1975 drew a total blank. There was not one single shoe in the shop that would fit me. So I wrote to my mother in New Zealand and asked her to get me a few more pairs of shoes from Campbell's and post them to me. I got a card in the mailbox. It said my shoes had to be collected from customs and that there would be duty to pay. Customs was at the airport and the card had the address I had to go to. When I found it, after school one day, I had to stand in a queue until it was my turn to hand my card to the overweight and aggressive looking customs officer on the other side of the wooden desk. He took it and glared at me and stomped off, coming back with a package which he said he was now going to open. He ripped the package apart and found the shoes and looked at them in amazement. "For goodness sake, I wouldn't let my grandmother be seen dead in these shoes!" I glared at him with all the fury I could muster. "If I was your grandmother I wouldn't want to own a grandson like you!" "Well you won't be getting them until you pay the customs fee of $120." I was astonished, the shoes had almost cost that much. But until I paid the money, the officer was certainly not going to give me my shoes, and so feeling considerably poorer as a result of having paid my mother for the shoes and now paid 80% of their value to customs to get my shoes, I started researching the problem of getting shoes in a place that couldn't sell me any. Due to the fact that the government protected the local shoe industry from cheap imports, there was an import duty for any shoes that were imported and back in 1975, it was 80%. This was going to mean that buying shoes from Campbell's Shoe Shop was going to cost me practically double. It would almost be cheaper to go back regularly for holidays in New Zealand to buy my shoes and bring back a suitcase of them, all carefully worn first to make them used shoes. That plan worked fine for a few years, and then in 1986, Campbell's Shoe Page 25 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 Shop decided to sell up and the new owner did not stock any shoes beyond size 10. By this time I had discovered that I was now size 13. Suddenly I had a major problem. When my last pair of shoes from New Zealand wore out on one last trek around all the shoe shops in Brisbane, I ended up with men's runners. They were far too wide for my narrow feet and they did not look very professional for teaching, but there was nothing else I could do. It was men's runners or thongs. I felt foolish going into a men's shoe shop. I occasionally went into a ladies shoe shop to waste their time them just to make me feel better, but all in all it was a very unsatisfactory arrangement indeed. In 1991 my mother died. Back in New Zealand for her funeral I found her address book. She had a penfriend in South Carolina and so I thought that I should write to the penfriend and explain that my mother would not now be writing any more letters. The penfriend figured that as I was capable of writing, then she would continue writing to me and thus I inherited a very ancient American penfriend. At one stage I thought I would entertain her with my long sad story about my inability to get shoes. In the mail one day I got a shoe catalogue that she had sent me from her local shoe shop. They had all sorts of shoes up to size 12. But size 12 was still too short. Anyway, I got some butchers paper and a pencil and I stood on the paper and traced around my feet and cut the patterns out and sent into the shoe shop with the question of could they find any shoes in my size. I got a letter back from the shoe shop. They said that unfortunately they could not sell me any shoes but they recommended that I contact another shoe shop in Boston called Tall Gals and they gave me the address to write to. I sent my foot patterns off to Boston, and in the return mail I got a catalogue. Oh my goodness, there were 12 pairs of shoes in my size not only in length but also in the skinny width. I was amazed. I wrote to them and ordered three pairs of shoes. I had forgotten about the customs fee. By 1991 it was down to about 65%. And when the customs bill came, I began to think it was a huge injustice to penalise me because I couldn't buy shoes locally, so I started ringing up and writing furious letters to Senator Button who was the Minister for Customs in those days. He wrote ridiculous letters back that did not offer me any hope at all. I had to pay the customs in order to get my shoes. On one of my furious rants to somebody on the phone at customs, I was asked if I had an American friend who could send me the shoes as gifts. I didn't have an American friend anymore because the ancient penfriend in South Carolina had died. So the answer was no. But it gave me an idea. I wrote to Tall Gals to ask them if they would be prepared to post my shoes to me in a plain brown paper bag with no invoice and possibly include a card of some sort to indicate that it was a gift. They thought that was a fun idea, and so long as the total of the shoes was less than $200 and was declared as a gift, they would sail right through customs without attracting an import duty fee. Consequently if two pairs of shoes actually cost more than $200, then the price would be altered accordingly for the purposes of the declaration. We were breaking the law, sort of, but how else could I get my shoes at a reasonable price given that I still had to pay postage and the exchange rate was always dreadful on the day they charged the credit card. Unfortunately, in 1997 Tall Gals closed. By now I had the Internet. There was no Google but something searched for shoes in long thin sizes and I ended up with 13 possibilities, all in the USA. I wrote to the whole 13 of them asking if they could sell me shoes in my size to Australia and I got five letters back saying they wouldn't ship to Australia, no replies from seven and just one reply saying “Sure thing.” I wrote to this one and said there was another small matter, in order to get my shoes with a minimum of fuss and bother, it would be ideal if they could be sent as ‘gifts’. “Sure thing,” was the reply, “what a good idea indeed! “I immediately ordered two pairs of running shoes. And so I started buying my shoes from Carls Footwear in Iowa. The shoes came in brown paper bags and there were always little cards inside saying Happy Birthday, or Happy Easter, or Merry Christmas, or Happy American Independence Day from my cousin, brother, uncle, grandfather, best friend and so on, the creativity was amazing. In 2006, the Australian Government decided that it was a waste of time collecting customs if the value was less than $1000, so I wrote to Carls Footwear and said we didn't have to play that game anymore, and now all I do is write and order them and the credit card is charged and they arrive but always I am at the mercy of the exchange rate and postage charges. Despite having access to shoes this way, life has not got any easier. My whole wardrobe is based on colours to go with black, brown, cream and white flat shoes with laces which are still the only shoes made in my size, even in America, that will fit my long thin feet. And due to all the running I do, I have an ongoing need for running shoes. I do not import them by choice but by necessity. Every single pair of shoes I own has come from the USA. I am still awaiting the day that I can walk into a local shoe shop and they will say “Yes, we can help you with that size!” But I am not holding my breath. Page 26 STONEY CREEK GAZETTE AUGUST 2011 CARWOOLA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION TRIVIA NIGHT 7.30pm SATURDAY 17th SEPTEMBER 2011 STONEY CREEK AREA COMMUNITY HALL Gathering Place (off Douglas Close) Carwoola Form a team of 6-8 people per table $10 entry fee /person supports the Community Association Mid-evening supper provided. REGISTER YOUR TEAM NOW Telephone Christine or Lynton Bond on 6238 2368 You don’t even have to be a whiz at trivia to win! There are prizes for placegetters, for games and there will be a raffle with goods and services worth more than $1700 for: 2 hours electrical work donated by Clint Dixon Electrics a tank load of water donated by AAA Water Carrying $100 voucher for services donated by RFG Mower Services potted orchid donated by Flowers from Chisholm tank cleaning donated by Cleanwater Tank Services $50 gift voucher from Hillview Nursery $875 water pump donated by Taylor Made Pumps Plant prizes provided by Queanbeyan Nursery This event is not just the Community Association’s major fundraiser for the year: it’s a great opportunity to support your community, meet up with old friends and have some fun. Don’t miss it – register NOW! Page 27
Similar documents
Stoney Creek Gazette
Senior Deputy Captain Bowen St. Treasurer, Captains Flat Rd Secretary, Bowen Street Training Officer, Bowen St President, Bowen Street
More information