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make it happen
I believe<br />
All you need to know about<br />
Emerald’s Local Emergency Plan<br />
By Wayne Collins, Principal Echo Inc Ministries<br />
Emerald is one<br />
of the best prepared<br />
communities in Victoria<br />
when it comes to the ability to<br />
respond to and recover from<br />
natural disasters.<br />
This is a bold statement;<br />
let me give you the history that<br />
forged what I believe is one of<br />
the best Local Emergency Plans<br />
in the state.<br />
Emerald’s first Local<br />
Emergency Plan was drawn up<br />
by Garry Huntington the then<br />
Police sergeant at Emerald<br />
after the Ash Wednesday<br />
fires in 1983. Garry saw<br />
the desperate need for local<br />
emergency services, medical<br />
practitioners and recovery<br />
agencies like St. Mark’s to<br />
get together and work out<br />
how they were going to<br />
respond as a team during<br />
an emergency, immediately<br />
after an emergency and<br />
then long term in aiding<br />
recovery.<br />
In those days the<br />
value of local plans was<br />
underestimated and in fact<br />
frowned upon by most<br />
authorities. So, for years<br />
the plan only saw the light<br />
Locals gathered at Emerald<br />
Community Hall to take<br />
part in an open forum Bushfire<br />
Awareness Week program<br />
with 774 ABC Melbourne’s<br />
commentator Jon Faine.<br />
Among others, Faine<br />
interviewed Premier John<br />
of day at the annual unofficial<br />
meeting of local emergency<br />
services heads, local medical staff<br />
and St. Mark’s.<br />
Thank goodness times have<br />
changed and along with the<br />
horrific experiences of Black<br />
Saturday <strong>2009</strong>, have convinced<br />
authorities that local response<br />
plans are not just beneficial but<br />
critical. The research is clear;<br />
communities that respond quickly<br />
in an organised, grass roots, well<br />
led way, during and after an<br />
Jon Faine with local school children at Emerald<br />
Brumby and CFA Chief Officer<br />
Russell Rees.<br />
In the hot seat Minister for<br />
Sport, Recreation, Youth Affairs<br />
and Minister Assisting the Premier<br />
on Multicultural Affairs Member<br />
for Monbulk James Merlino<br />
fielded questions from the floor.<br />
emergency, recover much faster<br />
than those who aren’t collectively<br />
prepared.<br />
What is Emerald’s<br />
Local Emergency plan?<br />
This is the way the plan is<br />
designed to operate when a local<br />
emergency arises.<br />
An Incident Control Centre<br />
(ICC) is established when a major<br />
incident occurs. This centre is<br />
based at Belgrave CFA for our<br />
region (Region 13) and would be<br />
activated.<br />
The St. Mark’s Relief Centre<br />
coordinator (St. Mark’s is the<br />
designated relief center for this<br />
area), will then send the Relief<br />
Centre liaison officer to join the<br />
ICC team.<br />
Various sections of<br />
the community including<br />
Neighbourhood Houses spoke<br />
of the potential roles they played<br />
both pre and post bushfire and<br />
residents had the opportunity to<br />
express their concerns.<br />
Director of the youth agency<br />
ECHO Inc in Emerald Wayne<br />
At this stage the Cardinia Shire<br />
Municipal Emergency Response<br />
Officer (MERO) would also be<br />
notified and the MECC opened.<br />
The Relief Centre at St.<br />
Mark’s would then begin to<br />
mobilise volunteer teams who<br />
will be required for recovery and<br />
assistance during and after the<br />
emergency.<br />
The relief centre will also<br />
activate the Emerald Medical<br />
Centre as an emergency<br />
medical centre and maintain<br />
communications<br />
with staff.<br />
During school<br />
days Emerald<br />
Secondary College,<br />
Emerald Primary<br />
School and Emerald<br />
Pre School will<br />
be kept updated<br />
on developments<br />
by the St. Mark’s<br />
relief centre as well<br />
as the Education<br />
Department.<br />
Places like<br />
Fernlea House, The<br />
Glades and Emerald<br />
C o m m u n i t y<br />
House will also<br />
be notified about<br />
the emergency,<br />
with places like<br />
the Community<br />
House getting<br />
ready for their<br />
role in the recovery phase.<br />
St. Mark’s relief centre<br />
becomes a clearing house<br />
for information about the<br />
emergency. The mobile phone<br />
system and ABC radio are the<br />
official and preferred ways that the<br />
...continued Page 5<br />
Collins said a post bushfire plan<br />
formulated for the town 25 years<br />
ago had recently been updated<br />
and was ready to be activated if<br />
and when needed.<br />
In the New Year St. Mark’s will<br />
open the church every Monday<br />
evening for people who want to<br />
pray for bushfire safety. ♦<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 3
Cover Photo: Little Gem Nursery, 40 Livio<br />
Drive Gembrook.<br />
Photos courtesy Jean Hayne.<br />
Layout Ash Jamieson.<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> Office:<br />
1-3 Church Street, Emerald VIC 3782<br />
P: 5968 2855 F: 5968 2854<br />
E: editor@signpostmagazine.org.au<br />
www.signpostmagazine.org.au<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> Production Team:<br />
Editor in Chief Peter Crawford; Editor/Writer<br />
Jean Hayne; Desktop Publishing Ash Jamieson;<br />
Proof Readers Diana McMahon.<br />
Contributors:<br />
Wayne Collins, Ash jamieson, Genseric Parker,<br />
Melisa Hepworth, Trish Bull, Mark Davidson,<br />
Graeme Legge, Peter Haddow, Yesha McKenzie,<br />
Lynne Coombs, Jan Cheshire, Bill Clohesy, Dennis<br />
Dawson, Owen Dempler, Suzanne Scott, Robyn<br />
Lobbe.<br />
Published by:<br />
St. Mark's Church, Emerald<br />
Printed by:<br />
Roda Graphics Australia Pty Ltd,<br />
Shop 4/1 Victoria Rd, Kinglake 3763.<br />
P: 03 5786 2178 M: 0411 231 302<br />
E: rodagraphics@bigpond.com<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> is distributed to:<br />
Clematis, Emerald, Avonsleigh, Macclesfield,<br />
Cockatoo, Beaconsfield Upper and Gembrook.<br />
Advertising/Subscriptions:<br />
Contact Jean Hayne or Rosanne Asling<br />
on 5968 2855<br />
Disclaimer:<br />
Views and comments expressed in this magazine<br />
are not necessarily those of any members of<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> (SCM) unless<br />
acknowledged as such. Products or services<br />
listed in the magazine should not be considered<br />
endorsements. While every effort is made to<br />
ensure accuracy of editorial content, SCM takes<br />
no responsibility for errors.<br />
4 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
remember the first time I I went overseas it deepened<br />
my appreciation of Emerald.<br />
Having seen countries and places<br />
that were of great beauty I<br />
returned to look at the hills with<br />
the eyes of a tourist. The beauty<br />
was fantastic, and caused me<br />
to say there is nothing better<br />
anywhere; how lucky we are to<br />
live here.<br />
This spring has driven<br />
home the same reaction. It is<br />
a magnificent time with such<br />
It seems that everywhere I<br />
go lately people are talking<br />
bushfire. This is understandable as,<br />
highlighted by Bushfire Awareness<br />
Week; the Dandenongs are<br />
Peter's Pen<br />
good rain. The colour of new<br />
oak leaves, the perfumes, the<br />
birdsong, the blossoms. One<br />
of my favourite flowers is the<br />
waratah; I took a bunch to my<br />
Dad, who is 95 and living in a<br />
retirement home – they created<br />
a sensation amongst the poor<br />
suburbanites who don’t see<br />
what we do.<br />
Last week I had a<br />
small bonfire as part of<br />
bushfire preparation and<br />
Thoughts from<br />
tipped to be under particular<br />
threat this summer. Of course, we<br />
all have to be bushfire ready. But<br />
living under the constant media<br />
bombardment is getting me<br />
down.<br />
At home we are doing what<br />
we can to clean up around the<br />
place and we will maintain that,<br />
but it doesn’t alter the fact that<br />
we live in a leafy street and there<br />
when I went back to the fire<br />
there was a young male koala<br />
sitting there with his back to<br />
the fire warming himself.<br />
We live in a wonderful place<br />
in good communities – I hope<br />
we don’t take it for granted but<br />
say thank you each day. ♦<br />
are several huge trees on, and<br />
neighbouring our property.<br />
I have now come to the point<br />
that having prepared our home<br />
and personal effects the best<br />
way we can, I am going to do my<br />
best to let the threat of bushfire<br />
take a back seat and not become<br />
a victim of it before time. ♦<br />
SIGNPOST DEADLINE 15th of the Month<br />
Ph: 5968 2855 Fax: 5968 2854<br />
email: editor@signpostmagazine.org.au<br />
Great Christmas ‘Stocking Stuffer’<br />
‘Everything is out of control; smoke, heat, the threat<br />
of bushfire and the internal struggle to<br />
stay or go. Then the decision is made...’<br />
Written by local author Jean Hayne, this novel is<br />
recommended reading by CFA Victoria and Cardinia<br />
Shire Council for its unique and positive outlook in the<br />
face of danger and bushfire recovery.<br />
Pick up your copy at:<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> office, 1 Church Street, Emerald<br />
(next to Emerald Op Shop),<br />
Concept Books, Main Road, Monbulk,<br />
Internet at bumpyroadbooks@hotmail.com<br />
or order over the phone (03) 5968 6857.<br />
The Rev<br />
Dr Peter Crawford<br />
the Dungeon with Jean Hayne
fire threat situation and updates will<br />
be communicated to the public, but<br />
the relief centre will also be able to<br />
provide local updates.<br />
The Relief Centre<br />
Liaison Officer at the ICC<br />
will keep the Relief Centre<br />
Coordinator updated on<br />
developments during the<br />
emergency.<br />
The Relief Centre<br />
Coordinator will communicate<br />
the town’s needs to the ICC<br />
who will organise the dispatch<br />
to Emerald of critical items<br />
like generators, tents, bedding,<br />
etc.<br />
What about after the<br />
fires?<br />
Once the emergency has passed,<br />
Emerald Junior Football Oval is the<br />
most likely place where the main<br />
recovery activities will take place<br />
including Red Cross registration,<br />
food and clothing distribution,<br />
insurance claims etc.<br />
St. Mark’s Relief Centre<br />
will operate as a respite base for<br />
counsellors, chaplains, recovery teams<br />
and emergency services personnel,<br />
Victorian Council of Churches staff<br />
and volunteers (DHS approved<br />
recovery organisation teams) to<br />
spend some of their down time, as<br />
well as a place where information<br />
can be gathered by locals.<br />
Our experience in Whittlesea<br />
after Black Saturday highlighted the<br />
need for a community centre for<br />
locals that was isolated from the<br />
hectic pace and activity of a large<br />
relief effort. The larger centre rightly<br />
focuses on much needed bulk items<br />
like food etc and the vital support<br />
services like insurance advisors, Red<br />
Cross, DHS, etc. However, locals<br />
need to access locals who can just<br />
talk them through an update of what<br />
is happening in their community as<br />
well as how they can help with the<br />
recovery process.<br />
How can the Local<br />
Emergency Plan and<br />
St. Mark’s Relief<br />
Centre help the<br />
people of Emerald?<br />
The centre will be able to<br />
provide information concerning the<br />
emergency in terms of its effects on<br />
the local area.<br />
If you lose your house in a<br />
fire or can’t return to your house<br />
after the fire has passed. We may<br />
be providing short term overnight<br />
accommodation and food until<br />
Emergency Service volunteers enjoy the BBQ after the service of appreciation held at<br />
St. Mark's Church in Emerald<br />
longer term accommodation can be<br />
found.<br />
We will have staff available<br />
straight after the threat has passed<br />
to talk to anyone affected by the<br />
emergency.<br />
We will begin a register as soon<br />
as people arrive that will in time be<br />
passed on to Red Cross volunteers<br />
for use in locating people.<br />
We will be helping to feed<br />
emergency services volunteers.<br />
We will provide an alternative<br />
to people going to emergency<br />
service bases like the CFA station<br />
for information, thereby freeing up<br />
emergency services personnel from<br />
answering questions and allowing<br />
them to focus on their job.<br />
How can the people<br />
of Emerald help<br />
the centre and be<br />
involved in the local<br />
plan?<br />
You can put your name forward<br />
as a volunteer; we will organise a<br />
police check for you and try to place<br />
you in an appropriate team.<br />
You can notify us if you have<br />
specialist equipment you would be<br />
willing to let us use like generators, etc<br />
so we can add them to our register.<br />
You can let neighbours and<br />
friends know about the Local<br />
Emergency Plan.<br />
If you represent a community<br />
organisation and want to offer your<br />
group’s services, contact us and we will<br />
discuss your group being registered as<br />
an official support group.<br />
My prayer has been that we will<br />
never have to activate this plan. I<br />
hope your summer is a safe one; be<br />
prepared with your own personal plan<br />
and keep an eye on elderly neighbours<br />
who may not have anyone to support<br />
them. ♦<br />
You can contact me on<br />
59684460 during business hours<br />
or via email at wayne.collins@<br />
echo.org.au<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 5
Getting the best from<br />
your telephoto lens<br />
By Ash Jamieson, Vizzisign Digital<br />
Though telephoto lenses<br />
are all the rage with<br />
digital camera users,<br />
it seems many don’t really<br />
get the best results from their<br />
equipment.<br />
A few easy to apply rules can<br />
make the difference between<br />
good and terrific shots.<br />
Of course the most advised<br />
precaution when using a lens<br />
6 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
with a long focal length (greater<br />
than 100mm) is to mount the<br />
camera on a tripod or rest it on<br />
a firm surface when taking the<br />
shot. Very sound advice indeed.<br />
There is a key aspect in the<br />
behavior of telephoto lenses<br />
which once understood can be<br />
adjusted quite easily with various<br />
settings and features of the<br />
camera itself. It is the ‘speed’ of<br />
This galah was taken using a 300mm Canon lens fixed on a 5D Mk1 camera<br />
the lens (telephoto lenses are<br />
much slower than a standard<br />
lens).<br />
Lens speed is expressed with a<br />
ratio number something like 1:1.4<br />
which essentially denotes how<br />
much light the lens will allow to<br />
pass through it at its optimum.<br />
The lower the second number<br />
the greater amount of light can<br />
pass and so the ‘faster’ the lens.<br />
A good quality 100mm<br />
telephoto lens will be typically<br />
rated at 1:2.8, a 200mm at 1:4.<br />
(Zoom lenses complicate this<br />
somewhat as the speed of the<br />
lens varies according to the<br />
amount of zoom being applied at<br />
the time – the greater the zoom<br />
being used, the ‘slower’ the lens)<br />
Lens speed (slower) causes<br />
one of the most common issues<br />
experienced; loss of depth<br />
of field*, usually caused by<br />
operating the camera in AUTO<br />
or PROGRAM mode.<br />
These modes are designed<br />
to capture the ‘best’ image<br />
every time by compensating for<br />
camera movement. The camera<br />
automatically sets the highest<br />
possible shutter speed / aperture<br />
combination for each shot which<br />
usually results in a shallow depth<br />
of field. Retaining a greater depth<br />
of field in your images can be<br />
accomplished in two ways:<br />
Increase the ISO setting<br />
of the camera – ISO400 will<br />
still yield very good images and<br />
enable use of a higher shutter<br />
speed/aperture combination.<br />
Change to MANUAL mode<br />
and set the aperture to f8 or<br />
higher and adjust the shutter<br />
speed to accommodate.<br />
* Depth of field is exhibited as<br />
loss of focus beyond the subject and is<br />
governed by the size of aperture used<br />
– the lower the ‘f’ setting the shallower<br />
the depth of field. The challenge is to<br />
balance shutter speed and aperture<br />
for the desired effect. Any increase in<br />
aperture number has to be compensated<br />
with a slower shutter. ♦
Upwey & District<br />
Community Finance<br />
Limited resolved<br />
to change the Company<br />
name to Dandenong Ranges<br />
Community Finance Limited<br />
at its 11th Annual General<br />
Meeting recently.<br />
Chairman Peter Marke<br />
said the change will help<br />
clearly identify and be more<br />
representative of the business<br />
catchment.<br />
“As we now own and operate<br />
branches in Upwey, Belgrave<br />
and Cockatoo, have connections<br />
to the Emerald Agency and are<br />
soon to open a sub branch in<br />
Olinda, it is<br />
appropriate<br />
that our<br />
name reflect<br />
this area.<br />
Mr Marke<br />
a l s o<br />
highlighted<br />
it has been<br />
exactly 11<br />
years since<br />
the opening<br />
of the Upwey Community<br />
Bank® branch.<br />
“Upwey was the first<br />
metropolitan Community Bank®<br />
branch to open its doors and we<br />
are proud to say that with the<br />
support of our communities,<br />
we have gone from strength to<br />
strength and the future looks<br />
bright,” he said.<br />
“We have now joined with<br />
the Emerald agency and hope<br />
to further develop relationships<br />
with Emerald residents and<br />
community groups.<br />
“Significant grant, sponsorship<br />
and scholarship monies have<br />
Senior Group Manager Mike Flemming, Alison Burr our Bendigo<br />
Bank Regional Manager and Peter Marke the Chairman of<br />
Dandenong Ranges Community Finance Limited cutting the cake!<br />
Cockatoo<br />
Post Office<br />
Bill Pay, Bank@Post<br />
Recharge Vouchers<br />
Mobile Phones<br />
Haberdashery, Cards, Gifts<br />
Passport Interviews<br />
Passport Photos<br />
Australiana and much more<br />
Ph: 5968 8109<br />
Fax: 5968 9812<br />
Fax and Photocopying Available<br />
Community Bank®<br />
Company expands and<br />
changes name<br />
By Melisa Hepworth<br />
A001035<br />
already been distributed to the<br />
schools and community groups<br />
in the Emerald area and we<br />
look forward to increasing this<br />
amount as our business volumes<br />
increase.<br />
“Branch Manager of<br />
Cockatoo/Gembrook<br />
Community Bank® branch,<br />
Cory Sullivan is looking forward<br />
to meeting and assisting new<br />
and existing customers from the<br />
Emerald area.”<br />
Cory is available for<br />
appointments by contacting<br />
the Cockatoo/Gembrook<br />
Branch on 5968 8831 or<br />
Emerald Agency on 5968<br />
4222, and is happy to meet<br />
customers at the Emerald<br />
Agency, Cockatoo/Gembrook<br />
branch, their place of business<br />
or home.♦<br />
The Apple Pot<br />
NOW<br />
New Owners<br />
Exciting New<br />
Stock<br />
Aordable<br />
Prices<br />
Shop 7/5 - 7 Kilvington Drive<br />
Emerald 5968 5666<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 7
World War 11: To the Middle East on the Queen Mary<br />
Leaving Puckapunyal, we<br />
caught the train to Seymour<br />
for Sydney, to go to the<br />
Middle East on the Queen Mary.<br />
For the train journey I was given<br />
a rifle and told to guard a chap by<br />
the name of O’Brien. Apparently<br />
O’Brien had dodged two drafts.<br />
Although now that I am in my<br />
96 th year I have shrunk four inches,<br />
at that time I was five foot and eight<br />
inches and weighed 12 stone and had<br />
done quite a bit of boxing (and daily<br />
farm work for 13 years!) so the army<br />
must have thought I was a suitable<br />
person to guard him.<br />
I told him to ‘behave himself’<br />
and we got along quite well, though<br />
I couldn’t have a sleep of course!<br />
When we got to Sydney I handed<br />
him over to the Military Police.<br />
We had to be ferried out to the<br />
Queen Mary well out in the harbour,<br />
as, requiring a depth of 34 feet; she<br />
could not draw up the wharf. Hobart<br />
was the only Australian<br />
wharf which could have<br />
accommodated her.<br />
We boarded at 2am<br />
and along with the Queen<br />
Elizabeth and HMAS<br />
Sydney as our escort, we<br />
left Sydney later that day.<br />
The HMAS Sydney<br />
led the way a mile ahead<br />
of the two troop carrying<br />
ships. There was also a mile between<br />
the Queen Mary and the Queen<br />
Elizabeth to the right and left of the<br />
Sydney.<br />
We proceeded at a good speed<br />
until we got to the Great Australian<br />
Bight where rough seas reduced the<br />
Sydney to 11 knots. The weather<br />
even washed a lifeboat overboard.<br />
Imagine how our progress was<br />
restricted when we were capable of<br />
doing 34 knots. We anchored off<br />
Freemantle to do some refuelling<br />
and the HMS Gloucester became<br />
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8 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
A001056<br />
By Genseric Parker OAM<br />
our escort.<br />
Our next stop was Trincomalee,<br />
off Colombo, and from where we<br />
continued to the mouth of the Red<br />
Sea, where our escort left us. Our<br />
two ships sped at their full pace of<br />
34 knots up the Red Sea, too fast for<br />
any submarines to catch us.<br />
There were lots of duties to be<br />
done on the ship, so my mate Wal<br />
Dawson and I volunteered for fire<br />
patrol, which meant we could go<br />
all over the ship except the nurses’<br />
quarters!!!<br />
We enjoyed our good look over<br />
the ship and eventually ended up on<br />
the engine room where we met the<br />
engineer; a very approachable man.<br />
He must of liked us as he invited<br />
us to stay for dinner so he could tell<br />
us a lot more about the ship.<br />
The engineer explained to us the<br />
working of the engine, which was<br />
capable of driving the 81,000 ton<br />
Queen Mary at 34 knots per hour.<br />
We only had 6000 troops on board,<br />
but the Queen Elizabeth, of 84,000<br />
tons, was carrying 8000 troops. It<br />
had actually not been completely<br />
furnished at the time war broke out,<br />
so it had more room.<br />
At night the ‘smell of socks’ was<br />
so great that each night Wal and I<br />
would take our blankets and sleep up<br />
on the promenade deck! We would<br />
then take our walk of four times<br />
round the deck before breakfast.<br />
This distance was one mile.<br />
One fine day, when going<br />
through the Red Sea, I was up on<br />
deck, when heading right across our<br />
pathway was a local boat called a<br />
dhow. It showed no sign of deviating,<br />
so when it was too close for comfort<br />
the captain must have ‘put his foot<br />
down’ as the Queen Mary nearly<br />
jumped out of the water with its<br />
rush of speed.<br />
I was at the rear of the ship<br />
eating an apple and the dhow passed<br />
so close that I could have thrown<br />
the apple core on its deck. It was<br />
believed that the dhow was loaded<br />
with explosives.<br />
We continued on, and finished<br />
our glorious 17 day journey in Egypt<br />
at Port Tufek. We were taken ashore<br />
on barges, as, like in Sydney, there<br />
was not 34 feet depth of water to<br />
accommodate the mooring.<br />
Two days later I was on guard at<br />
the guard-house where the prisoners<br />
were kept. Outside, the prisoners<br />
were being tried by the Military<br />
Court. One of them was O’Brien<br />
who had tried to escape in Eygpt.<br />
It makes me wonder why the army<br />
ever sent him over. ♦
Emerald Tennis Club Marcia Barber<br />
Sportsmanship and Endeavour Award<br />
By Sue Farr<br />
Two junior players at<br />
Emerald Tennis Club<br />
have been awarded the<br />
‘Marcia Barber Sportsmanship<br />
and Endeavour Award’, named<br />
after a life member of the club.<br />
Steven Shankly has only been<br />
playing tennis for some three<br />
years, but has rapidly improved<br />
and now plays in Boys 6. He<br />
is a very willing participant in<br />
competition, always available<br />
to step in when needed, and<br />
is a pleasant young man<br />
to have around the club.<br />
Hayley Farr has played for<br />
Steven Shankly and Hayley Farr receiving their trophies<br />
many seasons, commencing<br />
at the age of nine, and has<br />
progressed through to now<br />
playing in Girls 1. She has a<br />
very happy disposition around<br />
the club and fits in easily and<br />
willingly to any club activities.<br />
Upon receipt of her trophy,<br />
she very happily pointed out<br />
that although she had never<br />
won a premiership but had won<br />
several runners-up, she was very<br />
excited to finally have an award<br />
for her many seasons of tennis.<br />
Both of these juniors have already<br />
played in the senior night tennis<br />
competition, and their good<br />
sportsmanship is deserving of<br />
recognition for this club award.<br />
Trophies have also been<br />
awarded to junior Club<br />
Champions - Will Jenkins/<br />
Jay Anile, Ashlee Whitworth/<br />
Ashlea Sinclair and Emily<br />
Prato/Alexandra Skendzik..♦<br />
Inspiration for<br />
Living<br />
With Helen Steiner Rice<br />
Love works in ways<br />
That are wondrous and<br />
strange.<br />
There’s nothing in life<br />
That love cannot change.<br />
“A soft answer turns away<br />
wrath,<br />
But a harsh word stirs up<br />
anger.”<br />
Proverbs 15:1<br />
Today be an example of<br />
agape love.<br />
Be patient, kind, forgiving<br />
and humble.<br />
We want YOUR<br />
tales!<br />
Just as you enjoy reading<br />
other people's stories and<br />
experiences in <strong>Signpost</strong>,<br />
there is a whole readership<br />
out there that will enjoy<br />
yours. Don't be shy!<br />
email, post or drop in a<br />
story today.<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 9
Blossoms in<br />
the Blood...<br />
From Trish Bull, Little Gem Nursery & Landscaping<br />
I w a s<br />
born in Ferntree<br />
Gully and grew up<br />
in Emerald. Nursery work was<br />
born in my blood.<br />
When I was five I would<br />
holiday at Kallista with my<br />
gran and grandpa and they ran<br />
a wholesale tree nursery and I<br />
watered the big trees in pots and<br />
helped with the weeding.<br />
Grandpa then started his own<br />
retail nursery at Montrose and<br />
Dad worked for him. I would go<br />
over on weekends and sell cut<br />
ROSES ALL<br />
THE WAY<br />
By Mark Davidson<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember, and roses<br />
blooms are bursting<br />
out everywhere.<br />
Wonderful to see them,<br />
and surprising how resilient<br />
they are. If you really want<br />
gorgeous blooms, delicious<br />
fragrance and plants that<br />
f l o w e r s<br />
that Mum and Dad grew. We sat<br />
on the edge of the road outside<br />
the nursery and had a lot of<br />
lovely, regular customers.<br />
Mum and Gran ran a florist<br />
business from home. Mum, Pat<br />
Lucas, started a retail nursery<br />
‘Mountain Dew’ where Mitre<br />
10 Garden Supplies now is in<br />
Emerald. I helped Mum after<br />
school and on weekends.<br />
I moved to Mansfield, married<br />
are incredibly tough and<br />
water wise, then do yourself a<br />
favour and plant some roses;<br />
lots of potted ones are about<br />
in garden centres.<br />
Of course, with roses come<br />
the aphids, drat them! They<br />
reproduce with astonishing<br />
speed, rivaling weeds, but there<br />
is an upside to the aphid plague<br />
and that’s the fun demolishing<br />
them. No need to reach for<br />
insecticides, when a good round<br />
K&D Firewood<br />
FREE DELIVERY FREE DELIVERY<br />
Red Gum 2 cubic metres $250.00<br />
1 cubic metre $130.00<br />
Dry local wood per cubic metre $100.00<br />
Bagged kindling 8Kg $8.00<br />
15Kg $20.00<br />
call David Vernon on<br />
5968 1624 A001043<br />
10 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
and had two children. Here I<br />
had the pleasure of restoring an<br />
overgrown, old Edna Walling<br />
garden to its former glory. It<br />
was planted in the early 1920s<br />
and had lovely established trees,<br />
dry-stone walls and paths, many<br />
of which were covered with<br />
inches of composted leaves and<br />
suckering undergrowth.<br />
The garden was three acres<br />
and we opened it to the public<br />
and it was also open to the ABC<br />
garden scheme.<br />
I have had the pleasure of<br />
working with many nurseries<br />
and over 10 years ago moved to<br />
Gembrook and started my own<br />
wholesale nursery Little Gem<br />
Nursery & Landscaping. We<br />
now have combined landscaping<br />
with the nursery offering clients<br />
an affordable garden make-over<br />
with plants at wholesale prices.<br />
My daughter Caitlyn has been<br />
working in the business since<br />
of squishing with your fingers is<br />
all that’s needed. Greenish yellow<br />
fingers are very ‘in’ this year!<br />
You could use a mild, less<br />
toxic product like pyrethrum<br />
that kills only what it touches,<br />
and has no residual properties<br />
on the plants, but pyrethrum is<br />
toxic to bees, and we all need<br />
those. Without bees, there can<br />
be no food crops. So<br />
squish and enjoy!<br />
Soon there will be<br />
Breakfast all day on weekends.<br />
Live entertainment Friday & Saturday nights<br />
Karaoke every Thursday nights from 8pm<br />
Jazz, Blues and Folk Sundays<br />
Open:<br />
Mon - Wed 11.30am to 10pm.<br />
Thur 11.30am to 11.00pm.<br />
Friday 11.30am to 12.00am.<br />
Saturday 8.00am. to 1.00am.<br />
Sunday 10.00am to 10.00pm.<br />
I started it. She worked after<br />
school and on weekends like I<br />
used to. She now works fulltime.<br />
It was born in her blood too!<br />
We open to the public on the<br />
first Saturday of every month.<br />
My partner Jed works with us<br />
along with Rose, Michael and<br />
Tom my son. ♦<br />
Little Gem Nursery &<br />
Landscaping are located at<br />
40 Livio Drive, Gembrook.<br />
For more<br />
information call<br />
Trish on<br />
0417 113 772 or<br />
Caity on<br />
0428 113 772.<br />
katydids about too; big ugly<br />
green, arrogant insects that chew<br />
great lumps out of rose buds.<br />
They get the stomp method, as<br />
do snails. Maybe time hardens<br />
my resolve with these pests, but<br />
I refuse any use of insecticides<br />
in the garden, while I’m perfectly<br />
able to prowl about in the<br />
roses, squishing<br />
and stomping<br />
d e l i g h t e d l y.<br />
Besides, I need<br />
Coming up in <strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
6th - Matt Alexander no cc<br />
13th - Friday 13th dress up<br />
party/karaoke-prizes<br />
21st - Jimi Hocking $8 cc<br />
27th - Sally Robbins<br />
We can cater for functions<br />
369-371 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald<br />
www.emeraldgreenroom.com info@emeraldgreenroom.com<br />
A001062
Summer Gardening<br />
ladybirds, praying mantis and<br />
hoverflies and will not endanger<br />
them.<br />
And yes, roses can suffer from<br />
fungus ailments; but no more so<br />
than many other plants. (You just<br />
notice these more on roses.) But if<br />
roses get a minimum of six hours<br />
of sunlight daily, are well fed and<br />
growing strongly, they’re less liable<br />
to fall prey to black spot.<br />
It isn’t possible to cure black<br />
spot, but it is preventable, by<br />
If you are considering some planting<br />
to survive the summer, then plan<br />
carefully, and select only those plants<br />
that will survive with their heads held<br />
high.<br />
1. Think Mediterranean/ South<br />
African/ Australian: rosemary, lavenders,<br />
lantanas and citrus in the sun, and<br />
plectranthus and correas are happy in<br />
shade. Most daisies and geraniums will<br />
do well too and give lots of colour.<br />
2. Think narrow or small leafed plants:<br />
These don’t lose as much moisture from<br />
their leaves as plants with bigger leaves:<br />
catmint and peppermint grass, as well as<br />
a myriad other grasses and many<br />
natives.<br />
3. Look for grey leaves:<br />
recommended plants in this<br />
category could be arctotis and<br />
gazanias with their bright, sunny,<br />
open flowers.<br />
4. Think fleshy leaves:<br />
succulents of all sorts like sedums<br />
hold moisture in their leaves and<br />
flower profusely in the heat.<br />
5. Think hairy leaves: the<br />
hairs protect the leaves from<br />
evaporation of moisture. Lambs’<br />
ears, is a great ground cover.<br />
Remember to always…<br />
1. Soak plants in their pots, in<br />
a bucket of water until the mix is<br />
thoroughly wet right through.<br />
spraying with a copper spray a few<br />
times a year. Cupric hydroxide is<br />
the choice and should be directed<br />
up and under the leaves, especially<br />
on lower branches, where the<br />
problem starts.<br />
The secret is to keep lower<br />
leaves dry. If that means stripping<br />
the lower leaves off from time<br />
to time, then just do it. You can<br />
combine that with aphid squishing,<br />
and and cutting blooms for vases.<br />
Avoid ‘multi use’ sprays that<br />
Gardening advice for the<br />
weather to come… By Mark Davidson<br />
2. Plant in the early evening and water<br />
deeply to reduce transplant shock.<br />
3. Mulch heavily after planting, so that<br />
moisture stays with the roots and doesn’t<br />
simply evaporate away.<br />
4. Small plants will always establish<br />
faster and better than larger ones.<br />
A visit to the Cranbourne Botanic<br />
Gardens, where there is a very large<br />
display of drought tolerant plants can be<br />
inspiring.<br />
** Local retailers and growers<br />
are always happy to help with other<br />
suggested plants. Don’t be shy. Ask<br />
them! ♦<br />
kill everything in<br />
sight, fungus and<br />
everything that<br />
creeps or flies.<br />
Keep vegies<br />
well watered now.<br />
They need to grow very fast, so feed<br />
lightly now and every couple of<br />
weeks for a glorious crop<br />
of tomatoes, lettuce and<br />
other summer delights.<br />
Right now, plant<br />
beans, cucumbers<br />
and melons of all<br />
sorts; sow carrot<br />
seed, beetroot,<br />
turnips and keep these<br />
Emerald Gardens Nursery<br />
‘NOW OPEN’<br />
Huge range of plants available at<br />
every day low prices<br />
seeds moist to germinate fast.<br />
Question time:<br />
‘Jenny’ asked about codling<br />
moth on apple trees. The most<br />
effective ‘Grandpa’ method is to<br />
wrap strips of old sheeting low<br />
down around the trunks of the<br />
trees. Tie tightly, and the<br />
insects will use it as a<br />
safe place to reside.<br />
After a few weeks,<br />
remove the sheeting<br />
and dispose of the<br />
insects you’ll find inside.<br />
Repeat several times.<br />
Works a treat! ♦<br />
**Bring in this advert for 10% discount off your next purchase**<br />
77 Emerald-Monbulk Rd, Emerald, 3782<br />
P: 03 5968 5745 F: 03 5968 5249 M: 0438 684 408<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 11<br />
A001060
12 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong>
Does your back yard swimming<br />
pool or spa have a safety fence?<br />
By Paul Dunlop Cardinia Council Communications<br />
Summer is the time of the<br />
year for many families<br />
to enjoy those long hot<br />
days wading in a back yard<br />
swimming pool or spa … but<br />
tragedy may not be far away<br />
if you do not have a complying<br />
safety fence around your pool<br />
or spa that restricts entry by<br />
young children.<br />
According to the <strong>2009</strong> Royal<br />
Life Saving Report, drowning<br />
claimed 302 Australian lives,<br />
raising the total number of<br />
drowning deaths by 16 per cent<br />
on last year’s figures.<br />
Random site inspections<br />
are being carried out to check<br />
properties that have a swimming<br />
pool or spa comply with the<br />
regulations.<br />
The building regulations<br />
require all owners of properties<br />
with a pool or spa to restrict<br />
access by young children to<br />
their pool or spa by installing<br />
barriers in accordance with the<br />
Australian Standard AS1926,<br />
and the gate must be fitted with<br />
a self-locking or self-latching<br />
device at least 1500mm above<br />
ground level.<br />
These requirements apply<br />
to all pools and spas that are<br />
capable of holding 300mm or<br />
more of water and regardless<br />
of when the pool or spa was<br />
installed.<br />
A $200 ‘on-the-spot’ Building<br />
Infringement Notice will be<br />
served for non compliance.<br />
Also the court fine for non<br />
compliance with pool or spa<br />
safety requirements has increased<br />
five-fold from $1,000 to a hefty<br />
$5,000. ♦<br />
For more information contact<br />
Council’s Municipal Building<br />
Surveyor on 1300 787 624.<br />
JL<br />
Auto<br />
Matics<br />
03 5968 5052<br />
Heroes Avenue, Emerald<br />
. Service & Tune<br />
. 60 point Safety Check<br />
. New Car Servicing<br />
. EFI Tunes<br />
. Automatic Repairs<br />
. Manual Gearbox Repairs<br />
. Power Steering<br />
. Air-conditioning Re-gas<br />
. Roadworthy Inspections<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 13<br />
A000947
Cardinia Council gets ready for the fire season<br />
In <strong>Nov</strong>ember, Council starts<br />
its annual inspection of<br />
vacant and unimproved<br />
properties and issues notices<br />
to property owners to address<br />
A10055<br />
fire hazards. If owners do not<br />
address fire hazards within the<br />
time limit, Council may arrange<br />
for contractors to perform the<br />
necessary work and invoice<br />
Rain Water Tanks<br />
. Australian Made . UV Stabiliser<br />
. Wide Range of Colours<br />
Round Tanks<br />
1,650 Lt - $500<br />
2,100 Lt - $590<br />
3,000 Lt - $750<br />
3,400 Lt - $800<br />
4,500 Lt - $950<br />
6,000 Lt - $1250<br />
a Division of Gembrook & Emerald Smash Repairs<br />
the property owner.<br />
As part of its regular<br />
maintenance program Council<br />
also identifies and addresses fire<br />
hazards in parks and reserves.<br />
NEWS<br />
- Scott Whitbourn has recently joined our team.<br />
- FREE car wash when you mention this advert!<br />
- From 1st <strong>Nov</strong>ember see us for:<br />
tyres, wheel balances & alignments<br />
14 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
Pumps<br />
HOT<br />
Price<br />
$300<br />
. 10 Year Warranty<br />
. Installation also available<br />
Slimline Tanks<br />
width 880mm<br />
1,400 Lt - $750<br />
2,100 Lt - $890<br />
2,800 Lt - $1280<br />
3,150 Lt - $1275<br />
4,200 Lt - $1700<br />
Vic Water Plumbing<br />
Call Andrew 0418 379 536<br />
In the lead up to the fire season,<br />
Council and its contractors aim<br />
to slash every road in the Shire –<br />
where possible five metres either<br />
side of the road – more than<br />
1300 kilometres of roads. ♦<br />
WORD OF<br />
THE MONTH<br />
'Mettle'<br />
Meaning:<br />
quality or strength<br />
of character, spirit,<br />
courage.<br />
For example<br />
'In the situation they<br />
found themself in<br />
they had to be on<br />
their mettle'<br />
A001058
Snippets of Emerald History<br />
by Graeme Legge<br />
A Little of Emerald Lake<br />
With the advent of<br />
a local swimming<br />
pool in the 1930s,<br />
residents had ready access<br />
to the refreshing coolness<br />
of water in the summer heat<br />
as well as having a facility<br />
in which to swim. And even<br />
many who couldn’t swim were<br />
not too self-conscious to simply<br />
walk into the water and splash<br />
around.<br />
In all honesty, in the<br />
days of rainwater tanks<br />
and when water-levels<br />
ran low, some were seen<br />
at the Lake cooling and<br />
refreshing themselves<br />
with the benefit of a<br />
block of soap!<br />
So it was that the<br />
younger generation of<br />
the time were often the<br />
first in families to be<br />
able to swim.<br />
Swimming lessons<br />
for local school children<br />
were conducted before<br />
World War 2 in the<br />
1930s. Miss May Aisbett<br />
was one teacher who<br />
conducted these lessons.<br />
Then there was Arthur<br />
Bolton, propagator at<br />
Nobelius Nursery who also gave<br />
lessons. Swimming lessons became<br />
part of the school curriculum in the<br />
late 1940s.<br />
Head teacher, Phil Skelton of<br />
Emerald Township State School<br />
(now Emerald Primary School)<br />
taught swimming to the older pupils<br />
in the Lake.<br />
At afternoon recess (play time)<br />
on Friday afternoons, those going<br />
swimming would leave the school,<br />
run down the road and along the<br />
tracks to the Lake and quickly<br />
change into their bathers and be<br />
FALCONE & ADAMS<br />
LAW YERS<br />
Practising in all areas of law including:<br />
FAMILY LAW<br />
Defacto property<br />
Financial issues<br />
Children’s issues<br />
Intervention Orders<br />
Child support issues<br />
CIVIL MATTERS<br />
Building issues<br />
Employment issues<br />
Planning issues<br />
Litigation<br />
Debt recovery<br />
Our Local Community Health Centre<br />
(Next to the Nell Mitchell Opportunity Shop and Opposite Food Works McBride Street, Cockatoo)<br />
Drop in and see Jane or Brigitte or call 5968 7000 they can organise<br />
appointments at the Cockatoo site for:<br />
Counselling Financial Counselling Physiotherapy<br />
Diabetes Education Occupational Therapy Pap tests and women’s health<br />
Podiatry Nail Care Clinic Cockatoo and Hills No Interest<br />
Loan Scheme (NILS)<br />
CRIMINAL LAW<br />
Police charges<br />
Traffi c offences<br />
Victims of Crime matters<br />
Trials<br />
Appearing at all courts<br />
PERSONAL<br />
Conveyancing<br />
Business<br />
Leases<br />
Wills<br />
Estates<br />
offi ce@falconeadams.com.au<br />
ready for Mr Skelton’s arrival by car.<br />
The children’s pool was used<br />
for instruction in leg-kicking<br />
and arm-stroke practice. Upon<br />
swimming one length of the<br />
children’s pool a swimmer<br />
qualified for the ‘Herald<br />
Certificate’; two lengths earned<br />
the ‘Junior Certificate’.<br />
Diving instruction saw<br />
children lined up, standing on<br />
one end of a stone wall at the<br />
end of the children’s pool. In<br />
turn, each stood at the end of<br />
the wall, feet together; arms<br />
raised above the head followed<br />
by the instruction ‘Go in head<br />
first’.<br />
For any who seemed likely<br />
to jump instead, Mr Skelton<br />
was not beyond thrusting out<br />
his arm in front of the wouldbe<br />
diver’s ankles thus ensuring<br />
that ‘head first’ it was.<br />
Children were dismissed<br />
from swimming lessons at the<br />
lake to make their own ways home.<br />
This was often an adventure in<br />
Free or low cost No referrals needed Confidential<br />
Other services such as Dental Optometry Speech Pathology 0-5 Rehabilitation<br />
Chronic Disease Management Massage Aged and Disability Services<br />
Drug and Alcohol and Gambling counselling are available at Pakenham or other sites<br />
Needle Syringe Program available<br />
Maybe you would like to join the following programs at Cockatoo:<br />
Strength Training Song and Rhyme time for children (0-2)<br />
Hills Community Garden Cockatoo Men’s Shed<br />
Kiddley Gym-Pre School Hatha Yoga classes (private fee applies)<br />
Come in and say hello we are always happy to see you<br />
Talk to us about how to book rooms for local meetings and individual business. (eg. Massage/Bowen etc)<br />
Provided by Cardinia-Casey Community Health Services-Southern Health<br />
A001012<br />
A000737<br />
EMERALD<br />
323A Main Street<br />
Tel. 5968 3666<br />
PAKENHAM<br />
Suite 1, 25 John Street<br />
Tel. 5941 8841<br />
itself – passing fruit trees with<br />
delicious but ‘green’ apples to feast<br />
upon and playing games. It was<br />
usually a leisurely trip walking up the<br />
hill from the lake.<br />
Later, with ‘safety’ in mind,<br />
school children were ‘bussed’ to the<br />
lake and returned for one shilling a<br />
week. Ray Lockyer, Jack Eudey and<br />
Hilda Van Den Dungen were among<br />
the volunteer, trained instructors<br />
who led the program.<br />
An anchored ‘raft’ floated in the<br />
centre of the lake as a safety measure<br />
upon which tired swimmers could<br />
rest.<br />
The distance across the lake was<br />
underestimated by some swimmers,<br />
so the raft provided relief. But it<br />
was also a great source of play as a<br />
floating platform.<br />
The raft was made of eight<br />
‘forty-four gallon’ drums with<br />
sturdy timber decking. A number<br />
of lifebuoys were also strategically<br />
located around the lake ready for<br />
immediate assistance.<br />
There came a time when<br />
Emerald Life Saving Club was<br />
formed and went into action when<br />
swimmers ‘got into trouble’. In<br />
February, 1960 the club rooms<br />
were officially opened and a grand<br />
occasion it was.<br />
Sir John Latham was escorted by<br />
the bagpipes of the Victorian Police<br />
Pipe Band to the grounds of the<br />
club house. Sir John said in his<br />
gracious remarks that ‘Emerald<br />
is no less a jewel than the stone<br />
after which it was named, and<br />
that the lake is its highest facet.’<br />
Residents continue to<br />
cherish the lake and its beautiful<br />
surroundings with all its walks,<br />
parklands and playgrounds far<br />
beyond the swimming season. ♦<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 15
3MDR Sounds Like This...<br />
By Peter Haddow<br />
(The Maestro)<br />
Big Gig<br />
The 3MDR BiG GiG is<br />
back, helping to raise<br />
funds and the profile<br />
of your local radio station.<br />
Mark it down in your diary or<br />
calendar as a must see, must<br />
do!<br />
You won’t want to miss the<br />
16 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
opportunity to see some great<br />
artists, meet presenters from<br />
3MDR who will be only too<br />
happy to speak to you about<br />
their programs, have the chance<br />
to win some great door prizes<br />
and take part in the raffle.<br />
Times for each artist are<br />
as follows:<br />
1pm: Banjo (acoustic roots),<br />
2pm: Jaimi Faulkner (solo<br />
blues), 3pm: Kerri Simpson<br />
(Blues, alt country and gospel),<br />
4pm: Louis King and the Liars Club (Rockabilly),<br />
5pm: Lloyd Spiegel<br />
(Guitar heaven), 6pm:<br />
The Morning After (Indie<br />
Rock), 7pm: Fats Wah<br />
Wah (Blues/reggae/<br />
and other necessities<br />
funk fusion) Local, 8pm:<br />
Spectrum (Legends of<br />
Australian groove), 9pm:<br />
Afro Sunday (Funk/<br />
reggae/pop) Local, 10pm:<br />
Cold Snap (Electric<br />
Chicago blues).<br />
Check out the<br />
www.3mdr.com<br />
website. All programs<br />
stream live via the internet.<br />
Tune in the fm band at<br />
97.1fm. ♦<br />
Entry<br />
Adult $20<br />
Kids FREE<br />
Artists<br />
Banjo<br />
Jaimi Faulkner<br />
Kerri Simpson<br />
Louis King &<br />
The Liars Club<br />
Lloyd Spiegel<br />
Morning After<br />
Fats Wah Wah<br />
Spectrum<br />
Afro Sunday<br />
Cold Snap<br />
A001058<br />
Photograph: Kerri Simpson performing in Emerald in<br />
April this year<br />
W<br />
@ Emerald<br />
*<br />
Final Little Rippers<br />
Meeting <strong>2009</strong>!<br />
I t’s<br />
party time at the library!<br />
Celebrate the last Little<br />
Rippers meeting for <strong>2009</strong><br />
on Thursday 19 <strong>Nov</strong>ember,<br />
4.00-5.00pm. Bring a plate<br />
to share and enjoy Christmas<br />
activities and heaps of fun. All<br />
Little Rippers welcome.<br />
*Caravanning Around OZ!<br />
Wednesday 25th <strong>Nov</strong>ember,<br />
7.00-8.30pm. Free, but Bookings<br />
essential.<br />
Popular travel writer and
Hard and green<br />
waste collections<br />
coming up<br />
With summer and<br />
another fire season<br />
approaching, Cardinia Shire<br />
Council is urging residents<br />
to start preparing now for<br />
the green and hard waste<br />
collections in <strong>Nov</strong>ember.<br />
Trucks will not return for<br />
material put out late, but will<br />
return for missed collections<br />
if residents contact WM Waste<br />
Management by the Monday<br />
after the scheduled collection<br />
dates.<br />
For detailed information<br />
about what can be placed out<br />
for collection and scheduled<br />
collection dates visits www.<br />
cardinia.vic.gov.au or telephone<br />
1300 787 624. ♦<br />
If your rubbish bin is<br />
emptied:<br />
Monday Morning (bin<br />
out Sunday night)<br />
Tuesday Morning (bin<br />
out Monday night)<br />
Wednesday Morning<br />
(Bin out Tuesday night)<br />
B-SCeNE<br />
hat's Happening<br />
Library in <strong>Nov</strong>ember?<br />
By Lynne Coombs<br />
photographer Lionel Mussell<br />
will talk about caravanning<br />
and demonstrate how to plan<br />
for your around Australia<br />
caravanning or around Victoria<br />
trip. See www.caravanningoz.com<br />
for more information<br />
about Lionel!<br />
*Colour Printing and<br />
Photocopying Now Available<br />
Emerald Library has installed<br />
a new photocopier/printer<br />
which produces black and white<br />
or colour, in A4 or A3 sizes.<br />
The cost of a standard black<br />
Kids Fun Run with “Thomas the Tank Engine”<br />
– Great Fun For All The Family<br />
The 8th annual running of the Kids Fun Run with “Thomas the Tank Engine” is the only event of its<br />
type in the world starring “Thomas” and is taking place at Puffing Billy’s Railway Station located in<br />
Gembrook on Sunday <strong>Nov</strong>ember 15, <strong>2009</strong> with all proceeds going to the Children’s Cancer Ward at<br />
Monash Medical Centre.<br />
Kids have the opportunity to run in one of six (6) Fun Runs with age categories and distances<br />
from 150 – 1650m.<br />
All runners receive a show bag and an “I Ran with Thomas” certificate and for those kids under 9 an<br />
exciting ‘Thomas’ hunt will be taking place.<br />
“What is really special is that proceeds from this event will provide a new educational facility<br />
Classroom to Bedside Programme in the Children’s Cancer Ward at Monash Medical Centre to help<br />
change the lives of some very special children…….a way of “Kids helping Kids”.<br />
Entry is easy, go to www.kidsfunrunwiththomas.org.au<br />
or phone 0402 751 173 for full details.<br />
(Melways 312 K10)<br />
Justice of the Peace<br />
in attendance at the library each Tuesday between 1.00pm & 3.00pm<br />
Your green waste / hard<br />
waste must be out by:<br />
Your green waste / hard<br />
waste will be collected<br />
Contact WM Waste (ph<br />
9721 1915) on this date if<br />
your green waste / hard<br />
waste has been missed<br />
Monday 23 <strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
Sunday 15 <strong>Nov</strong>ember between 16 – 20<br />
Sunday 22 <strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
between 23 – 27 Monday 30 <strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
between 30 <strong>Nov</strong> – 4 Dec Monday 7 December<br />
and white copy remains 20 cents<br />
per A4 page, while the larger<br />
A3 is available for 30 cents per<br />
page. Colour copies cost $1.00<br />
for A4 and $1.50 for A3. Ask<br />
staff to guide you through the<br />
new procedure.<br />
For more information<br />
phone: 5968 3925.<br />
Opening Hours:<br />
Monday: 1pm-6pm, Tuesday:<br />
1pm-8pm, Wednesday: 1pm-<br />
8pm, Thursday: 11am-6pm,<br />
Friday: 11am-6pm, Saturday:<br />
10am-2.30pm. ♦<br />
INVITATION TO:<br />
COCKATOO<br />
NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE<br />
ANNUAL GENERAL<br />
MEETING<br />
MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER <strong>2009</strong> 1.30pm<br />
Guest Speaker: DIANE BAIN<br />
From the COMMUNITY HOUSE NETWORK<br />
Guest Chair Person: BIANCA BADDOCK<br />
Community Strengthening Officer at<br />
Cardinia Shire Council<br />
Fingerfood and drinks provided.<br />
Phone: 59 689 031<br />
E-mail:cnh@netspace.com.au<br />
23 Bailey Road,<br />
corner Station Street (Kinder Building)<br />
Cockatoo 3781<br />
Please R.S.V.P. by Thursday 20 <strong>Nov</strong>ember 2007.<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 17<br />
A001050<br />
A001051
SCHooLIES<br />
18 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
Go for Gold!<br />
Good luck from <strong>Signpost</strong><br />
to all students sitting<br />
exams in <strong>Nov</strong>ember, whether<br />
VCE or mature age! The hard<br />
yakka you’ve put in is sure to<br />
pay off.<br />
A good tip for the after<br />
exam celebrations is to always<br />
keep $20 and a phone card or<br />
mobile phone tucked away in<br />
the hip pocket. Planned lifts can<br />
fall through, but at least if that<br />
happens you’ll be able to make<br />
a phone call to whomever you<br />
need to and have the price of<br />
public transport to somewhere<br />
safe.♦<br />
SAVE TIME & PETROL - SHOP LOCAL Concept Books<br />
sBring this ad into the<br />
store for a free<br />
back to school<br />
gift with<br />
your<br />
order!<br />
Talking Teens<br />
Do you ever wonder why<br />
your teenagers aren’t<br />
listening to you or how to deal<br />
with their anger?<br />
Do you want to maintain a<br />
connection with them?<br />
How do we talk so they<br />
listen?<br />
This is an opportunity to<br />
call in, ask questions, meet<br />
other parents and share ideas<br />
that work!<br />
Who: Dads, mums and<br />
carers of teenagers 12 to 17<br />
years<br />
When: 7.00 to 9.00 pm,<br />
Wednesday, <strong>Nov</strong>ember 11<br />
Where: Emerald<br />
Neighbourhood House, 354<br />
Main Street, Emerald<br />
Cost: Free but bookings<br />
essential. ♦<br />
Contact: Helena at<br />
Parentzone on 5991 2225<br />
or mobile 0488 550 490<br />
School Text & Supplies<br />
We can supply school texts for any school. Just leave your order with<br />
us, as early as possible, and pick up before school goes back.<br />
Home delivery can be arranged. Give us a call for more information.<br />
We also have a good range of books for Christmas.<br />
Gift vouchers available.<br />
Concept Books, 114 Main Road, Monbulk, 3793.<br />
Phone: 03 9756 6233 Fax: 03 9756 7821 email: conceptbooks@hotmail.com<br />
Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm Saturday 9.00am to 12.30pm A001057
Smooch... a children's serial<br />
Following on from 'Paint and Poop'<br />
‘Smooch the Smoochy’ By Jackie Pinkster<br />
All<br />
I ever<br />
see Smooch do these days is<br />
sleep. I suppose at 16 years<br />
a cat doesn’t want do much<br />
else. She has progressed<br />
from sleeping on newspaper<br />
on the counter, to sleeping<br />
on a heated (yes heated!)<br />
cushion during the renovations,<br />
to sleeping on her current<br />
favourite cushion anywhere<br />
in the shop. Apparently the<br />
cushion doesn’t have to be<br />
heated anymore because the<br />
whole shop is now heated.<br />
I often take my two very<br />
small children into Mitre 10,<br />
‘Smooch’s Shop’<br />
they call it, and we love<br />
playing ‘where in the shop is<br />
Smooch’? I hold each of them<br />
up so they can give Smooch a pat<br />
while she sleeps on her cushion.<br />
My 2 year old pats her fur<br />
the wrong way and grabs at her<br />
ears and yet she doesn’t flinch.<br />
What a lovely temperament,<br />
I think to myself. Although I<br />
now know it wasn’t always that<br />
way. It was love that changed<br />
her, and what a transformation<br />
it was.<br />
THE END ♦<br />
Emerald City<br />
Toy Store<br />
NOW WITH<br />
Party Supplies<br />
~ Pinatas<br />
Helium & Foil Balloons<br />
Party Favors<br />
Streamers & Banners<br />
& Lots More<br />
Shop 9, 5-7 Kilvington Drive, Emerald,<br />
Ph: 5968 2039<br />
Open 6 days a week<br />
ECHO Inc. presents the<br />
‘<strong>2009</strong> LINKZ GRADUATION’ By Karen Crawford<br />
The annual graduation of participants in the <strong>2009</strong> Linkz program was attended by<br />
over 75 people. How amazing to see the growth in confidence and achievement in the<br />
10 students from Emerald Secondary College over the year.<br />
Mentors who give their time, talents and skills to assist teens as they settle into<br />
secondary education were able to show us just how much their young charges had<br />
learnt and what they had produced.<br />
A diverse range of carpentry pieces and art works, cooking skills<br />
and model-building skills were demonstrated.<br />
Guest speakers from the ANZ Bank Emerald, and Ms Tammy<br />
Lobato were able to present certificates to each participant and<br />
encourage these teenagers to continue to learn and strive to reach<br />
their potential.<br />
Sincere thanks to all involved from students to parents, teachers and mentors for all the time<br />
spent with this program.<br />
The ANZ Staff Foundation has chosen Linkz as one of 12 programs<br />
to feature in their national campaign to support the fundraising and<br />
granting of financial assistance to programs such as this.<br />
Thank you to all involved in making Linkz a nationally successful<br />
program connecting teenagers with their community.<br />
New mentors are always welcome.<br />
Please contact Karen Crawford 0430160886.<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 19<br />
A001044
Brown Coal – Lignite by Peter Hadwen<br />
A001019 Fifty three billion tons<br />
– that’s the estimated<br />
volume of Victoria’s<br />
brown coal deposits, one of<br />
A001033<br />
K & J Automotive P/L<br />
Specialising in the repair & service of:<br />
. Cars & 4WDs<br />
. Motorbikes<br />
. Ride on Mowers<br />
. Garden Equipement<br />
also<br />
. Spare parts and oils available<br />
. Business services available<br />
. Pick up and delivery services available<br />
100 Station Road,Gembrook 3783<br />
(Corner of Main Road, Near Puffing Billy Station)<br />
Contact us on<br />
5968 1700 or 0433 934 134<br />
email kjautomotive@aapt.net.au<br />
Bike Servicing<br />
& Repairs<br />
70 David Hill Road<br />
(cnr. Kenny Lane)<br />
Monbulk 3793<br />
Peter & Joan Warren Phone: 9756 7069<br />
20 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
the cornerstones of the state’s<br />
economy. These days, it is<br />
fashionable to play down their<br />
importance because of the<br />
perceived notion that burning<br />
brown coal is one of the key<br />
sources of greenhouse gas<br />
emissions. About 70 million<br />
tons/year are mined to feed<br />
four large power stations that<br />
supply 85 percent of the state’s<br />
power needs.<br />
Peat, the first stage in the<br />
metamorphosis of vegetable<br />
matter to coal, is mainly of<br />
carbon (60-75 percent and<br />
oxygen 20-35 percent). As it has<br />
been for millions of years, peat<br />
is still being formed in swampy<br />
areas where mild temperatures<br />
favour luxurious plant life.<br />
Accumulating at the rate of<br />
about one metre/1000 years,<br />
peat contains 90 percent water.<br />
Through a process of deep<br />
burial under deltaic conditions,<br />
peat gradually changes to lignite<br />
having only 30-40 percent water.<br />
It is crumbly, liable to<br />
spontaneous combustion, and<br />
cheaply obtained by opencast<br />
mining. It burns quite slowly and<br />
generates less than 8300 btu*. In<br />
comparison, bituminous coal (the<br />
next highest rank in coalification)<br />
generates 11,000 to 14,000+ btu,<br />
is black and compact and contains<br />
little or no moisture.<br />
The Weekend Australian<br />
reported (June 6-7, <strong>2009</strong>) that the<br />
state<br />
government allocated $12 million<br />
this year to establish an agency,<br />
Clean Coal Victoria, to consult<br />
and advise on the future of the<br />
giant coalfields.<br />
A project has been devised<br />
to build a new mine, a drying<br />
and gasification plant, a gas-toliquids<br />
plant, and a system to<br />
capture carbon emissions for<br />
disposal deeply underground in<br />
Bass Strait. Conversion to diesel<br />
fuel in substantial quantities is<br />
considered likely to be economic.<br />
Such disposal of carbon<br />
dioxide (it is called carbon<br />
sequestration) is considered<br />
safe based on known thickness<br />
(exceeding six kilometres) of the<br />
oil and gas-bearing rocks.<br />
Petroleum deposits are trapped<br />
beneath tightly compacted gastight<br />
shale that prevents escape<br />
to the surface. After extraction,<br />
voids in these host rocks and<br />
other porous strata would be<br />
filled with the unwanted carbon<br />
dioxide.<br />
There is a lot riding on success<br />
of this project at the local, state<br />
and national interest level. What<br />
has not yet been fully established<br />
is the importance or otherwise<br />
of carbon dioxide in the global<br />
warming argument.<br />
For instance, the roles of<br />
microscopic particulate matter<br />
and water vapour in climate<br />
change have not been fully<br />
assessed; indeed, past climate<br />
changes have been extreme and<br />
rapid, and we do not yet know<br />
what has driven them, as there<br />
are so many variables.<br />
Bearing in mind that carbon<br />
dioxide in the atmosphere has<br />
been much higher in the past<br />
than at present, the exploitation<br />
of brown coal reserves is likely<br />
to continue unabated, but<br />
simultaneously pursuing research<br />
into cleaner ways of using the<br />
resource. As one writer recently<br />
put it, the climate ball is up in the<br />
air! ♦<br />
*1 British thermal unit is the heat<br />
needed to raise the temperature of<br />
water by 1 degree F.
Oops! – I know; I’m<br />
a little early for<br />
Christmas, but it<br />
will be here before we know<br />
it!. I love all the traditional<br />
Christmas cookery and<br />
especially enjoy making this<br />
splendid cake which keeps for<br />
many months. Mid-<strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
is the time to get it started,<br />
so that you can spend a<br />
few weeks ‘feeding’ it with<br />
brandy!<br />
A few years ago I lost my<br />
mother’s treasured Christmas<br />
cake recipe and spent a few<br />
Christmases trying out other<br />
recipes, resulting in either<br />
underdone or overdone cake.<br />
This recipe by Delia Smith, is<br />
excellent and turns out perfectly<br />
cooked every time if you follow<br />
her advice – see below*.<br />
SEASON’S EATINGS<br />
DELIA SMITH’S<br />
CLASSIC CHRISTMAS<br />
CAKE<br />
Ingredients:<br />
450g currants<br />
175g sultanas<br />
175g raisins<br />
50g glace cherries finely<br />
chopped<br />
50g mixed peel<br />
3 tbsps brandy (cooking<br />
brandy will do)<br />
225g plain flour<br />
½ tsp salt<br />
¼ tsp fresh nutmeg<br />
½ tsp mixed spice<br />
225g butter<br />
225g soft brown sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
50g almonds chopped (with<br />
skins)<br />
1 dessertspoon black treacle<br />
rind of 1 lemon<br />
rind of 1 orange<br />
20cm round or 18cm square<br />
tin greased and lined with<br />
greaseproof paper, tie a band<br />
of brown paper round outside<br />
of tin<br />
Method:<br />
Mix fruit and peel with<br />
brandy, cover and set aside for<br />
12 hours<br />
Pre-heat oven to 140c<br />
Sift flour, salt and spices<br />
lifting sieve high to incorporate<br />
air<br />
Cream butter and sugar until<br />
pale and fluffy<br />
Beat eggs together and add to<br />
creamed mixture a tablespoonful<br />
at a time<br />
Keep mixer running until all<br />
the egg is mixed<br />
Fold in the sifted flour, do<br />
not beat<br />
Fold in fruit, peel, nuts and<br />
treacle and lastly lemon and<br />
orange rinds<br />
Transfer to the prepared tin,<br />
spread evenly and cover the top<br />
Business Sales<br />
1/321 Main St, Emerald. Ph 5968 4522<br />
By Jan Cheshire<br />
of the cake with a double square<br />
of greaseproof paper with a 50<br />
cent size hole in centre<br />
Bake on lowest shelf for 4 ½<br />
to 4 ¾ hours. It can take up to ¾<br />
hour longer; *do not look until<br />
at least 4 hours have passed.<br />
Cool cake for 30 minutes<br />
then remove to wire rack<br />
When cold ‘feed’ with<br />
brandy by poking small holes<br />
with a skewer into the base of<br />
the cake and sprinkling with<br />
cooking brandy (this can be<br />
repeated weekly) until just before<br />
Christmas Day.<br />
Wrap in double greaseproof<br />
paper secured with an elastic<br />
band, wrap again in foil or store in<br />
an airtight tin.<br />
If desired, this cake can be<br />
iced either with homemade royal<br />
icing or shop-bought icing mix. ♦<br />
Happy Christmas<br />
Baking!<br />
EMERALD $75,000 Negotiable. No reasonable offer refused.<br />
HILLBILLY PIZZA<br />
• Fantastic local business established 21 years<br />
• Walk in/Walk out basis<br />
• $5,500 + per week takings<br />
• Great clientele<br />
• Prime exposure<br />
• Friendly atmosphere<br />
• Easily staffed or husband & wife run<br />
Contact<br />
Russell Muir<br />
0408 177 413<br />
A001054<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 21
Who do You Trust<br />
There is a group in the<br />
United States that<br />
is pushing for all candidates<br />
putting themselves up for election<br />
in Public Office, to undertake a<br />
polygraph test. This, they say, will<br />
result in only honest people being<br />
elected to politics.<br />
I hear many people say<br />
what a great idea – or is it? The<br />
opposing argument is that this<br />
would lead to only the very best<br />
liars being elected because the<br />
really honest people would not<br />
pass the test. What has happened<br />
to trust?<br />
Our telephone account is in<br />
my wife’s name. Even though<br />
I have all her details including<br />
secret answers to secret<br />
questions, I am not allowed to<br />
enquire into our account details.<br />
Where is the trust?<br />
Recently I broke the law. I<br />
opened a piece of mail that was<br />
not addressed to me. I have been<br />
returning the same piece to the<br />
sender for over twelve months<br />
with the note – no longer at this<br />
address. When I opened the letter<br />
it stated – We have been sending<br />
notices to you at this address for<br />
some time and it is returned to<br />
us with the message – no longer<br />
Woorilla Word<br />
by Bill Clohesy<br />
at this address – please forward<br />
your current address as we are<br />
not permitted to obtain your<br />
address from any other person<br />
other than yourself. Even if I<br />
knew of a forwarding address,<br />
the sender would not be allowed<br />
to accept it from me.<br />
What has happened to<br />
trust? Where has our belief<br />
in the fact that all people are<br />
basically honest gone to? Once<br />
we, as a society, start to mistrust<br />
everyone, we are only left with<br />
doubt and insecurity.<br />
I would rather be wronged<br />
once, than mistrust everyone I<br />
know or meet. ♦<br />
AVONSLEIGH VETERINARY CLINIC<br />
24 Hour Animal Care<br />
Grooming Services with J. Ray<br />
441 Belgrave-Gembrook Road Avonsleigh Vic 3782<br />
For appointments call 5968 3957 (24 hours)<br />
Dr J. A. Hamilton and Associates<br />
22 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
Custom built computer systems and notebooks<br />
On-site computer & network setup<br />
Extended warranties on all desktop systems<br />
Best range of digital still and video cameras<br />
Peripherals, printers, cables and accessories<br />
Large airconditioned showroom and repair facility<br />
Professional advice and technical support support<br />
Plenty of secure, off street parking<br />
Established 22 years<br />
A000689<br />
Computer<br />
Chat<br />
By Dennis Dawson<br />
By the time you are<br />
reading this article the<br />
long awaited release<br />
of Windows 7 will have taken<br />
place. The question that has<br />
been on everyone’s mind for<br />
the past 12 months is “will it<br />
be worth the wait?”<br />
Following the somewhat<br />
luke warm reception given<br />
to Windows Vista I suspect<br />
that Microsoft have been very<br />
conscious that the computing<br />
community has been expecting<br />
great things for their latest<br />
incarnation of Windows. For<br />
many months Microsoft have<br />
been allowing computer users<br />
to download<br />
and evaluate<br />
interim versions<br />
of Windows 7<br />
and the common<br />
consensus is that<br />
A001053<br />
it does appear to<br />
address most of the<br />
criticisms that were<br />
levelled at Vista.<br />
A major part<br />
of the problem<br />
was that Windows<br />
XP was such a<br />
successful and<br />
popular operating<br />
system that many<br />
computer users<br />
have been reluctant<br />
to change. The old<br />
adage of, if it isn’t<br />
broken, why fix it certainly rings<br />
true here. This is especially true<br />
in the business sector where, in<br />
difficult financial times, owners<br />
are reluctant to spend money<br />
on major upgrades unless they<br />
can be convinced that there is a<br />
definite dividend at the end.<br />
The prospect of having to<br />
upgrade hardware and retrain<br />
staff that are already familiar<br />
and productive with the existing<br />
software, inevitably results in a<br />
large degree of inertia when faced<br />
with an impending upgrade. Of<br />
course many computer dealers<br />
have tried to muddy the waters<br />
by telling prospective purchasers<br />
that Windows XP is no longer<br />
available. This is definitely<br />
not true as XP is still freely<br />
available on both desktops and<br />
notebooks. Although Microsoft<br />
has tried hard to put it to rest,<br />
the demand from the public has<br />
guaranteed it has persevered well<br />
past its planned expiry date.<br />
Of course whenever a new<br />
operating system appears there<br />
are always some who have to line<br />
up with their credit cards to be<br />
the first with the latest. Others<br />
are more conservative and like<br />
to reserve judgment until the<br />
jury has made a decision. ♦<br />
Happy<br />
Birthday<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember<br />
folks!
Out and About<br />
with Cr Ed<br />
Chatwin<br />
The Christmas period<br />
will soon be with us<br />
and I was interested<br />
to read the new road laws.<br />
The RACV website is very<br />
informative and you should<br />
take the time to read and<br />
digest.<br />
The Cardinia Shire website<br />
has a great deal of bushfire<br />
information and this again is<br />
worth the effort to read. Both<br />
websites give you the tools to<br />
add to your safety in the coming<br />
months.<br />
I wish to thank the<br />
Ranges Ward shop owners<br />
for their cooperation with<br />
the implementation of the<br />
Disabled Discrimination Act<br />
which requires the footpaths<br />
to be kept clear for 1.5 metres<br />
from the building line and<br />
applies to both private and<br />
public property.<br />
The Council at the General<br />
Council Meeting of October 19,<br />
<strong>2009</strong> has put into motion the use<br />
of a fulltime parking officer in<br />
the CBD of the shire principal<br />
towns. The major priority for<br />
enforcement will be the no<br />
standing, disabled parking areas<br />
and the limited time parking.<br />
Parking is at a premium and the<br />
object is ensure that vehicles are<br />
constantly moving through the<br />
shopping areas. So beware if<br />
you are using restricted parking<br />
areas for all day parking.<br />
Hopefully by December I<br />
should have some good news<br />
regarding land purchases by<br />
Council in Ranges Ward. ♦<br />
We have mail...<br />
Dear Editor,<br />
Peter Crawford’s<br />
these back in our communities,<br />
yet the more people who exercise<br />
their ‘right’ not to be vaccinated,<br />
article in the September ‘09 by re-opening that window, even<br />
issue of <strong>Signpost</strong> signalled by a tiny chink, put at risk not<br />
that the free choice we appear only themselves but people with<br />
to have in our Australian life- whom they come into contact.<br />
style in some matters may need We live in a civilised, liberal<br />
to be curtailed for the common democracy, give or take. Most,<br />
good, as has been necessary in if not all, of the countries in<br />
Europe.<br />
Europe, are even more civilised<br />
In commenting on this and liberal. They would be<br />
article, Matt Steckel, in the surprised to be described as<br />
October issue, seems to be totalitarian. All the dictators have<br />
saying No Way! He is not gone. The US totalitarian? Then<br />
going to give up his right not why can’t President Obama<br />
to vaccinate, even if this means get his Health Reform package<br />
babies will die, and have died, through?<br />
in this day and age, of Please, let us not take<br />
whooping cough.<br />
on board strident ignorance<br />
Since Jenner, immunologists about advances in medical<br />
for generations have successfully achievements. If Matt’s and my<br />
developed vaccines for whooping parents had not been vaccinated,<br />
cough, tetanus and diphtheria. we may not be here to write<br />
Smallpox and polio are all but letters to the paper.<br />
eradicated. No-one would wish Elisabeth Middleton ♦<br />
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<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 23<br />
A001063
COUNCILLOR<br />
COMMENTS<br />
Cr Graeme Legge<br />
Along<br />
walking<br />
tracks at<br />
Emerald<br />
Lake Park,<br />
along the<br />
Multi-<br />
Use trail,<br />
a l o n g<br />
footpaths and in Pepi’s Paddock I’ve<br />
seen dogs. Dogs on leads! Well behaved<br />
dogs and cheerful owners. The only<br />
unpleasant aspect of this whole scene<br />
is that of dog-droppings! On footpaths<br />
and beside footpaths and on and on . .<br />
. Responsible ownership of animals<br />
includes this aspect, too. Please, dog<br />
walkers carry plastic bags with you and<br />
take home this unpleasant item.<br />
Bushfire meetings in<br />
Cockatoo, Upper Beaconsfield,<br />
Gembrook and Emerald have<br />
all had something to offer and<br />
from which to benefit.<br />
I’m in admiration of the<br />
staffing of these occasions<br />
and of all the local attendance<br />
(figures of 200 and 300<br />
24 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
residents!). Much good sharing<br />
of information and of gaining<br />
heightened understanding of<br />
related matters.<br />
‘Emergency Services<br />
Appreciation Sunday’ at<br />
Emerald (St. Mark’s) highlighted<br />
the community’s recognition of<br />
the splendid members of all four<br />
emergency services in the area.<br />
They do us proudly in tasks we<br />
wouldn’t want to do or tasks that<br />
are beyond our capacities. We<br />
salute them.<br />
Certificates of Appreciation,<br />
signed by representatives<br />
from Federal Government,<br />
State Government and Local<br />
Government, showed the<br />
breadth of that appreciation<br />
that was expressed. (PS I think<br />
they enjoyed the lunch provided<br />
for them afterwards.)<br />
I cherish the service given to<br />
the nation and to the Cockatoo<br />
community by the late Bob<br />
Simonds – member of St.<br />
Luke’s and member/president<br />
Cockatoo RSL.<br />
I also note the passing of the<br />
late Bert Bergwerf of Emerald.<br />
Bert served Emerald as fire<br />
captain (1969-72) as well as with<br />
other local groups such as the<br />
school committee.<br />
‘Linkz’ graduation at<br />
Emerald Secondary College<br />
celebrated the coming together<br />
of adults and students in a<br />
special mentoring arrangement.<br />
This wonderful program boosts<br />
students’ skills and morale and is<br />
a credit to the school and to the<br />
adult mentors.<br />
The recent Annual General<br />
Meeting of Cardinia District<br />
Scout Association featured a<br />
grandson of scouting’s founder<br />
(Lord Robert Baden-Powell)<br />
the Honourable Michael Baden-<br />
Powell. What a delight to hear<br />
Michael share anecdotes of his<br />
grandfather. At other times<br />
Michael referred to him as ‘B-P’<br />
and sometimes as the ‘Founder’.<br />
As a matter of local history<br />
some residents will remember<br />
Michael’s grandmother, Lady<br />
Olave Baden-Powell, when<br />
passing through Emerald on<br />
her way to Gilwell Park, saw an<br />
assembly of local Guides, Scouts,<br />
Brownies and Cub Scouts sitting<br />
on grass beside the road where<br />
Emerald ‘Times Square’ is located<br />
(right near the Puffing Billy<br />
crossing in Emerald). The good<br />
lady had the driver stop her car;<br />
she stepped across the road and<br />
spoke to the assembled group.<br />
And what a thrill that was!<br />
I add my personal<br />
congratulations to Jean Hayne,<br />
<strong>Signpost</strong> editor and author of<br />
NIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLY.<br />
Jean Hayne vividly experienced<br />
her own personal drama at the<br />
time of ‘Ash Wednesday’; her<br />
own family home was lost to<br />
wildfire. And then came ‘Black<br />
Saturday’ when (her) daughter,<br />
Susanne, son-in-law Brad and<br />
grandchildren, though surviving<br />
themselves, lost their home<br />
also. The book is about to be<br />
launched.<br />
In the meantime, let’s prepare<br />
most thoughtfully for the summer<br />
that’s ahead of us. ♦<br />
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A001052
What is happening in<br />
Cockatoo? By Owen Dempler<br />
Township committee<br />
is having its tenth<br />
anniversary this year.<br />
To mark the occasion there is<br />
going to be a supper dance<br />
at the Cockatoo Community<br />
Complex on the 14 th of<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember.<br />
There will be a sausage<br />
sizzle and a live band. The cost<br />
is $6.00 per single and $18.00 per<br />
family. BYO drinks and a plate<br />
of supper to share. No alcohol<br />
please. This is going to be a<br />
real family event and we will be<br />
recognising the many people and<br />
achievements of the Cockatoo<br />
Township Committee.<br />
Contact<br />
cockatooevents@gmail.<br />
com or 5968 9678<br />
The Cockatoo Lawn<br />
Bowls Club has a new green<br />
this season and have been<br />
putting in a lot of hard work<br />
Australian<br />
owned<br />
family<br />
business<br />
since 1979<br />
around the club. It is looking the<br />
better for all their efforts. I am<br />
sure that there is going to be a<br />
lot of fun had by all who use this<br />
great facility.<br />
Hills Men’s Shed is a group<br />
of men that meet to have fun,<br />
swap stories, share experiences<br />
and knowledge. They organise<br />
trips and activities that are of<br />
interest to the participants in the<br />
group. It is open to men of all<br />
ages and is held at 1:00PM every<br />
Wednesday at the Cardinia<br />
Casey Health Centre in<br />
Cockatoo and there is now a<br />
group meeting the 4 th Thursday<br />
every month at 7:30 pm at<br />
Cockatoo CFA. This<br />
venue will change as we<br />
approach the fire season.<br />
P l e a s e<br />
contact the<br />
C a r d i n i a<br />
C a s e y<br />
H e a l t h<br />
Service on<br />
5968 7000<br />
or Owen on 5968 9678.<br />
The fire danger period<br />
is fast approaching.<br />
Start cleaning up now.<br />
David W Bull<br />
Funeral Director<br />
. . .the little things make a difference<br />
PAKENHAM CHAPEL<br />
190 Princes Highway, Pakenham<br />
Ph 5941 4888<br />
CRANBOURNE CHAPEL<br />
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Ph 5996 6822<br />
BERWICK CHAPEL<br />
Ph 9707 5755<br />
Email: admin@davidwbull.com.au<br />
www.davidwbull.com.au<br />
A000838<br />
After the horrors of<br />
the last summer it was<br />
incredible to see the<br />
number of homes and<br />
private property’s that<br />
where ignoring the<br />
extreme dangers<br />
that the owners are<br />
placing themselves<br />
in. By not clearing<br />
around their homes<br />
the tree litter and<br />
dry fuel that is on<br />
their roofs and against<br />
the house they can be<br />
placing their neighbours<br />
as well as themselves in<br />
danger. ♦<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 25
Thoughts on Stress and<br />
Anxiety By Dr. Suzanne Scott<br />
A<br />
healthy level of anxiety<br />
enables us to survive.<br />
It is appropriate to<br />
be anxious about being run<br />
over, so we check each way<br />
before we cross the road. To<br />
be anxious about our children<br />
and their health and welfare,<br />
prompts us to make sure they<br />
are safe and cared for. Being<br />
anxious because we are<br />
told by the media or other<br />
that we ‘should’ worry about<br />
something, is not appropriate<br />
unless we have judged for<br />
ourselves that a risk exists.<br />
Levels of anxiety are<br />
idiosyncratic. That is, each of us<br />
experiences anxiety in our own way<br />
and at various levels according to<br />
the threats we think we are facing.<br />
Then we choose to act in ways that<br />
decrease our specific anxieties. We<br />
can choose to be anxious and do<br />
nothing, or cope in ways we have<br />
used before. More productively,<br />
we can choose to find a new<br />
behaviour.<br />
Anxiety is a ‘learned’ behaviour.<br />
An initial event which causes<br />
26 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
emotional pain creates a memory,<br />
and we become anxious or ‘worried’<br />
about the possible re-occurence of<br />
such (or similar) events, which will<br />
cause further pain. It raises general<br />
anxiety levels. Sometimes, long after<br />
the trauma, levels of anxiety remain<br />
very high. The individual may have<br />
a problem with ‘generalised anxiety.’<br />
They have become anxious and<br />
can’t get rid of that feeling. If no<br />
specific problem can be identified,<br />
then it may also be called ‘freefloating’<br />
anxiety simply because the<br />
‘blame’ cannot be attributed to any<br />
particular event. This is the most<br />
common type of anxiety. If you ask<br />
someone what they are concerned<br />
about, they may cite lists of all the<br />
things they feel they ‘must’ worry<br />
about, but not anything specific.<br />
Anxiety is a physically active<br />
behaviour with increased vigilance<br />
about possible threats from the<br />
outside world. (This is in contrast<br />
to depression, which is a slowing<br />
down of mind and body in a grey<br />
and hopeless world.) As anxiety<br />
increases we go ‘on alert.’ Because<br />
the physical body is affected,<br />
the system is<br />
geared to ‘fight<br />
or flight’ and<br />
normal body<br />
processes<br />
become less<br />
functional. The<br />
gut becomes<br />
tense and tight,<br />
and breathing becomes shallow<br />
and rapid. Therefore our digestion<br />
is impaired and oxygen take-up is<br />
less. In extreme anxiety or fear,<br />
such as a panic attack, breathing<br />
can become quite difficult. The<br />
ability to think through a problem<br />
is also less sharp. It is quite normal<br />
to ‘lose’ memories temporarily.<br />
Individuals tend to maintain a<br />
‘set-point’ of anxiety, or a familiar<br />
level of anxiety according to their<br />
self-image, somewhere between<br />
‘a person who worries a lot’ or ‘a<br />
person who is not very worried<br />
about anything.’ That self-image,<br />
reinforced by the opinions of<br />
others around them, determines<br />
how they expect themselves to<br />
react when faced with a dilemma.<br />
Someone with a history and a<br />
reputation of being hysterical in<br />
a given situation, will be hysterical<br />
in that event, because they and<br />
everyone else, expects that will be<br />
their reaction. Someone ‘known’<br />
to be level-headed, will strive to be<br />
calm because it is what they and<br />
others, expect. Take the time to<br />
consider your attitude to past events<br />
that upset you, then consider if you<br />
made your own decisions about<br />
acting, or were you influenced by<br />
others?<br />
A healthy (and skeptical?)<br />
attitude to the choices in life is also<br />
paramount. Everywhere you go,<br />
you are faced with multiple choices<br />
of every type of item that you<br />
want. You have to stop and think<br />
about every minor difference in<br />
order to make a selection. Consider<br />
the tension that this creates, then<br />
consider the ‘clutter’ this causes in<br />
your mind. These minor decisions<br />
are often so numerous that major<br />
considerations get sidelined,<br />
and something that could be an<br />
improvement in your life goes past<br />
unremarked and forgotten.<br />
We are bombarded every day<br />
by negative, anxiety-provoking<br />
messages from news services,<br />
government agencies, scientific<br />
organisations, community services,<br />
and individuals who like to spread<br />
doom and gloom. The water crisis,<br />
global warming, famine, violence,<br />
wars, and fire danger are only a<br />
few of the unwelcome, nagging<br />
messages that have appeared<br />
in every form of media and<br />
communication.<br />
These messages do serve a<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
positive function in changing our<br />
behaviours when we perceive that it<br />
is in our best interests to re-organise<br />
how we approach problems. When<br />
we re-organise our behaviours we<br />
reduce our anxiety because we are<br />
actively addressing what we think<br />
we can fix. We act in ways that calm<br />
down feelings of powerlessness,<br />
reduce negative thoughts, slow<br />
heart rates, and generally help us<br />
to focus on a problem while it is<br />
necessary, then be able to shift<br />
focus onto the next concern.<br />
Unfortunately, when we are<br />
plagued by continual negative<br />
messages anxiety increases
throughout the community. It is<br />
‘infectious’. Anxiety is the most<br />
infectious emotion of all and it<br />
can cause widespread problems.<br />
Solutions generated when everyone<br />
is anxious, tend to be inadequately<br />
considered and often negative in<br />
outcome<br />
Practical solutions are the<br />
product of a process. That process<br />
begins with information gathering,<br />
generating options or ideas from<br />
Facing Fire Fears By Robyn Lobbe<br />
To live in the shadow<br />
of fear robs our daily<br />
ability to enjoy the<br />
beautiful backyard paradise<br />
of the Dandenong Ranges.<br />
While not contemplating<br />
naivety or complacency I think<br />
we need to be very careful to<br />
give ‘justified fire fears’ their<br />
correct context.<br />
Perhaps the greatest positive<br />
outcome of fear is that it propels<br />
us into pro-activity. While<br />
there has been much debate<br />
about what is required to avert<br />
last summer’s tragic loss, there<br />
is also much evidence of local<br />
practical action as families and<br />
communities work together to<br />
clear properties in readiness.<br />
It seems vital that we ensure<br />
that households of older<br />
residents or those suffering<br />
from illness or injury are given<br />
our ready assistance to prepare<br />
properly. Preventative action<br />
provides a certain element of<br />
peace that every effort has been<br />
made.<br />
Within our hills communities<br />
it is readily apparent that many<br />
folk are still struggling with<br />
the residual effects of last<br />
year’s bushfires. While the<br />
Dandenong Ranges escaped loss<br />
the threat remained constant for<br />
many weeks, and has persisted<br />
mindfully over the milder<br />
months.<br />
We need to be aware of<br />
those in our communities who<br />
are overwhelmed by this fear<br />
and show support. While ‘fire<br />
actions plans’ are highlighted on<br />
a daily basis in the media, those<br />
who are already fearful are being<br />
further reminded. And this is<br />
where the challenge lies.<br />
How do we prepare for the<br />
season ahead but balance our<br />
concerns so that we keep these<br />
fears from galloping ahead of<br />
us?<br />
Each of us has our own<br />
coping styles. Personally I have<br />
chosen to responsibly reside<br />
in a high risk area because the<br />
rich beauty of this area reflects<br />
something of wonderful value<br />
to me.<br />
I cannot seriously<br />
comprehend living in the suburbs<br />
without feeling depressed. I need<br />
the open spaces and bushland<br />
that the Dandenongs offers in<br />
glorious abundance.<br />
At the same time I can<br />
respect those that make other<br />
choices because they are not<br />
comfortable with the risk.<br />
multiple sources, a consideration<br />
of the necessary actions, plus<br />
the results likely to occur, given<br />
a specific action. Whether this<br />
process is simple (as in deciding<br />
what to buy for dinner), or complex<br />
(as in fire safety issues), the<br />
steps are the same. As ‘thinking’<br />
humans we are able to consider<br />
our options and choose what we<br />
hope will be the wisest course for<br />
us. This process lowers anxiety<br />
as it focuses on finding active<br />
solutions that are appropriate to<br />
the individual and the situation.<br />
This promotes the suitable<br />
re-organisation of behaviour.<br />
Anxiety often causes individuals<br />
to scramble about using old habits<br />
of problem-solving that don’t<br />
suit the new situation. Lowering<br />
anxiety enables<br />
clearer<br />
thinking.<br />
H a v i n g<br />
made a<br />
c o n s i d e r e d<br />
choice and<br />
p r e p a r e d<br />
appropriately,<br />
we need to<br />
move forwards,<br />
allowing fear<br />
to take a backseat<br />
to the<br />
i m p o r t a n t<br />
business of<br />
living well. ♦<br />
In everyday terms, this means<br />
that each person will cope if they<br />
consider the level of threat as it<br />
applies to them. Consider how<br />
much power each one has in that<br />
specific situation and how best to<br />
use that power, or recognise the<br />
type of help that must be sought in<br />
order to reduce the risks. Consider<br />
what can be changed, not what<br />
other people need to change.<br />
Make it personal. It is not useful to<br />
exclaim that everyone else has to<br />
change, but not you. In changing<br />
your own attitude you regain power<br />
and reduce anxiety. When we see<br />
a problem, training ourselves to<br />
‘stop’ ‘think’ and ‘do’ applies. Just<br />
as it works for children, it works for<br />
adults as well. ♦<br />
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<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 27<br />
A00883<br />
A001059
BUSINESS<br />
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28 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
ALL ALPACA<br />
services<br />
+ Sales<br />
+ Management<br />
+ Husbandry<br />
+ Breeding<br />
+ Fleeces<br />
+ Products A000900<br />
Diane & Rudy Baldé<br />
5968 3305<br />
jannariealpacas@bigpond.com.au<br />
Phone: 5968 1888 Mobile: 0422 805 299<br />
87 Main Street, Gembrook<br />
ANTENNAS<br />
www. antennatom .com<br />
TV points TV tuning<br />
Home Theatre<br />
E & A Heating & Airconditioning<br />
Evaporative Cooling & Split Systems Ducted Heating<br />
For keenest prices and a no obligation free quote:<br />
Contact your LOCAL specialist<br />
Eric 0418 536 971 or 5968 5024<br />
Lic. No. 30991 A000865<br />
A000970<br />
0412 236 592<br />
Licensed Telco Technician FAULTS ADSL DATA VOIP<br />
Safe and Responsive A000667<br />
BOOKKEEPING SERVICES<br />
● SET UP ● GST PREPARATION<br />
● END OF MONTH PAYMENTS ● INVOICING A000898<br />
Contact: JASMIN 0400 868 604<br />
COMPUTERS<br />
Computers Made Fun<br />
Trading Hours:<br />
Monday - Closed<br />
Tue - Fri 12pm - 8pm,<br />
Sat. 9am - 9pm &<br />
Sun. 1pm - 8pm<br />
Ph. 5968 8885<br />
Shop 2/6 McBride St Cockatoo<br />
www.computersmadefun.com.au<br />
info@computersmadefun.com.au<br />
New Computers, sales and<br />
service. Ink & toner cartridges<br />
PC specialist.<br />
Your Local Computer Store,<br />
LAN & Internet Gaming Centre!<br />
EARTHWORKS<br />
COMMUNICATIONS<br />
PLUMBING<br />
CONCRETING<br />
RELIABLE TRADESMAN<br />
• SHED SLABS • DRIVEWAYS • FOOTPATHS<br />
• BOB CAT • EXCAVATION WORK<br />
PLAIN - COLOUR - STENCIL - EXPOSED AGG<br />
No Job Too Big or Small<br />
Domestic & Industrial<br />
5968 6013 0408 050 938<br />
GLASS<br />
Vic<br />
Water<br />
Plumbing<br />
Andrew - Ph: 5968 1378 Mob: 0418 379 536<br />
WATER TANKS SPECIALISTS<br />
ABN: 15 361 108 976<br />
REG No.30807<br />
A000715<br />
A000949
TRULY’S<br />
GARDENING<br />
SERVICE<br />
• 4WD Tractor & Slasher<br />
• Weed Spraying & Removal<br />
• Landscaping and Paving<br />
• Firewood, Log Splitting<br />
• Small Lawn Mowing<br />
• Brush Cutting<br />
• Hedge Pruning<br />
• Saw Work<br />
• Approved Workcover<br />
Provider<br />
Complete maintenance & design.<br />
Serving the hills since 1995.<br />
PHONE TIM on<br />
5968 8575<br />
or 0429 137 662<br />
EQUINE PRODUCTS<br />
Mon - Fri: 9.30am - 5.00pm<br />
Saturday: 10.00am - 4.00pm<br />
Customised Rugs<br />
made here in<br />
Emerald by your<br />
local saddlery<br />
GARDENING<br />
Little Gem Nursery & Landscaping<br />
40 Years Horticulture Experience<br />
Garden Makeovers, Landscaping, Garden Design and Advice<br />
Ph/Fax (03) 5967 7185 - Trish 0417 113 772 - Caity 0428 113 772<br />
email: littlegemnursery@bigpond.com<br />
FINANCIAL<br />
A000755<br />
Advertise<br />
your<br />
business<br />
here<br />
for<br />
local work<br />
5968 2855<br />
UPHOLSTERY<br />
A001030<br />
RUBBISH REMOVAL<br />
SCRAP METAL<br />
TREE LOPPING<br />
STONE MASON<br />
STONEMASON<br />
All work<br />
All Stone<br />
Call Tim<br />
5968 3875 A000743<br />
TRACTOR SLASHING<br />
SLASHING<br />
Small & Large Blocks . Front End Loader & other tractor<br />
implements . General Farm Maintenance & Solutions<br />
Ph. Lucas 041 22 33 888 or 5968 1162<br />
TAI CHI<br />
Beginners Classes<br />
Tuesdays, 6pm till 7pm, Upwey Community Hall<br />
Wednesdays, 7pm till 8pm, Emerald Mechanics Institute Hall<br />
P: 5968 2746 M: 0428 887 899 E: tutigers@bigpond.com<br />
YARRA RANGES<br />
&<br />
CARDINIA TREE SERVICES<br />
TREE/LIMB REMOVAL<br />
MULCHING<br />
FULLY INSURED<br />
FREE QUOTES<br />
CALL WARREN: 0418 326 436 A/H 5968 6117<br />
on-line @<br />
www.signpostmagazine.org.au<br />
A001024<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong> - <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> 29<br />
A000909
BUSINESS<br />
CLASSIFIEDS<br />
Who’s New<br />
in Business?<br />
By Jean Hayne<br />
Draffin<br />
¦<br />
Superannuation<br />
Consulting Pty. Ltd.<br />
As the accumulation<br />
of superannuation<br />
becomes increasingly<br />
important to retirement, more<br />
and more people are deciding<br />
to take the management of<br />
their funds into their own hands.<br />
Director of Draffin<br />
Superannuation Consulting Pty<br />
Ltd Amanda Draffin said laws<br />
pertaining to superannuation<br />
are quite complex and people<br />
are often confused.<br />
“It’s a difficult area, but for<br />
me it is satisfying to help people<br />
to get where they want to be<br />
financially in retirement without<br />
falling foul of the law,” Amanda<br />
said.<br />
“Generally the choice has<br />
been to go with the big firms or<br />
overseas. But we are right here in<br />
Emerald, close to where I grew<br />
up in Avonsleigh and where my<br />
family still live.”<br />
With over eight years<br />
experience specialising in SMSFs,<br />
Amanda is an accredited SMSF<br />
Specialist Advisor with the<br />
Self Managed Superannuation<br />
Professionals Association of<br />
Australia.<br />
In addition, Amanda<br />
is a qualified CPA and has<br />
completed the Diploma of<br />
Financial Planning and worked<br />
alongside accountants and<br />
financial planners and has an<br />
excellent understanding of the<br />
30 <strong>Signpost</strong> Community <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2009</strong><br />
information required by both.<br />
Amanda offers account service<br />
for SMSFs and outsourcing<br />
services for other accountancy<br />
firms.<br />
Joining her in an<br />
administration role is Amanda’s<br />
sister Jacqueline Gill.<br />
“People appreciate that we are<br />
a small family business looking<br />
after families,” Jacqueline said.<br />
Other tax and accountancy<br />
services are available if required. ♦<br />
Draffin Superannuation<br />
Consulting Pty Ltd is located<br />
at 1/394 Belgrave-Gembrook<br />
Road, Emerald. Business hours<br />
are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday<br />
or home visits by appointment.<br />
For more information please<br />
call 5968 5822.<br />
Amanda Draffin, Director<br />
Mark Eastaugh<br />
SHEET METAL<br />
5968 4550<br />
0405 596 479<br />
¦ All General Sheetmetal Work ¦ Guillotine Work<br />
¦ All Types of Welding ¦ Folding<br />
¦ Flashings & Rainwater Goods<br />
¦ Metal Design and Fabrication<br />
¦ Custom Made Products ¦ Metal Rainwater Tanks<br />
Pizza and pasta have<br />
long been tried and<br />
true favourites as takeaway<br />
snacks or at meal time.<br />
With this in mind, new owner<br />
of Lauritos Pizza & Pasta<br />
in Emerald, Kev Watts said<br />
he had been thinking about<br />
going into business for some<br />
time and when the shop came<br />
up he “jumped in.”<br />
“Having worked as a chef<br />
for 11 years, including three<br />
years on Hayman Island where<br />
I met my wife Jessica, it seemed<br />
like an opportunity too good to<br />
pass up,” Kev said.<br />
Kev and Jessica now live in<br />
Emerald with their two small<br />
children, including a new born.<br />
Since opening, Kev said there<br />
has been a fantastic response to<br />
the menu which, as well as a wide<br />
selection of pizzas which come<br />
in small, medium, large and<br />
13 Lawsons Road, Emerald<br />
Lauritos Pizza<br />
& Pasta Cafe<br />
Kev Watt<br />
A000699<br />
family size, there<br />
is pasta, chicken<br />
parmigiana, Caesar<br />
salad, gourmet<br />
pizzas, the hot<br />
favourite dessert;<br />
sticky date pudding<br />
and much more.<br />
For those who<br />
are wheat intolerant,<br />
Kev will be serving gluten free<br />
pizza, pasta and garlic bread.<br />
Where possible Kev sources<br />
ingredients locally in support of<br />
local business.<br />
“It’s been a lot of work<br />
getting the shop up and running<br />
but it would have been harder<br />
without the help of family and<br />
friends. My thanks go to them,”<br />
Kev said.<br />
“But it’s all good. Customers<br />
are complementing us on the<br />
quality of the food and coming<br />
back for more.” ♦<br />
Lauritos Pizza & Pasta Cafe,<br />
located at shop 12/344 Main<br />
Road, Emerald, is open from<br />
Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm to<br />
10pm. Phone 0427 190 488 for<br />
more information.