OON 0908:OON 0608.qxd.qxd - Wollombi Valley Online

Over the Hill
Community news for Wollombi and surrounding districts
Issue 302 - Our Own News - September 2008
Have the Indian Mynas reduced in numbers? Or is it an illusion?
This week a magpie sang from a fence post and was not
molested. A pair of Peewees patrolled the lawn for slugs and
snails and, best of all, a pair of Blue-faced Honey eaters joined
the native noisy miners for a feast in the Grevilleas.
There are still some of those horrid bullies around but not in
the vast numbers we had last summer. I hope someone is
trapping or somehow getting rid of them. One of the worst
things about them is that they nest in tree hollows and there
are not enough nesting places for some of our most
spectacular birds. The parrot family including budgerigars and all
the owl group need tree hollows only found in old mature
trees. If they can’t find suitable nesting sites they do not breed
so the Indian mynas are reducing the number of parrots and
owls
Possums and snakes and feather-tailed gliders and the big
yellow- bellied glider also need tree hollows for shelter. -
“Wood man spare that tree”.
We all fear the odd dead branch that could be dangerous when
it falls. Before you destroy it think. “This is some creature’s
home”. At the Botanic Gardens they built nest boxes of timber
and fastened them high up when they had to remove old
hollow branches. They had to consider the danger to visitors.
This involved the use of a machine they called a “Cherry
Picker” and they got the Council involved – something we
ordinary conservationists cannot hope for. It is good to plant
trees but it takes a lifetime to grow a tree that drops a branch
and leaves a hollow for a nesting site.
Bette Thomas
Cleaning house
Well, after years of moving furniture and all other types of stuff
so as to be able to vacuum efficiently and get the carpet clean
and get rid of all the dust, putting the little johnson on the end
of the suction device to get into all the nooks and crannies, you
know, those inaccessible places where that thing just will not
suck out of with good result, there is another way!
I have invented it!! All you need is a compressor with hose and
a blow tool at the end of it, I did it today, far out, nothing needs
to be moved, (perhaps those full ash trays if there is a smoker
around). Man oh man, what a blow job! It takes a few goes for
the first time, anyway 120psi does wonders, after ten minutes,
go back inside. There will be a fine layer of dust over everything,
put the fan on facing out the door, then pshshhsh again, even
the dishes on the sink were safe only because they were dry,
just another blow and..... pshshshs gone. All those nooks and
crannies, gone! Spiders, cobwebs, gone. I guess that a high
pressure blow is better than a weak suck. I did this today and
my pad is now dust free and clean.
Stephen Spreckley
Laguna Public School’s P&C Association 2008
Fundraiser &
Art Exhibition
Opening Night
When: 7pm, Friday 29 August, 2008
Restaurant opens at 6pm. Exhibition opens at 7pm
Where: Laguna Community Hall, Great North Road, Laguna
Entry: $15.00 includes commemorative glass, a
complimentary glass of wine & catalogue. Due to
NSW liquor laws, no person under 18 will be admitted.
General Exhibition
When: Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 August 08, 10am to 4pm
Entry: Free. Children welcome
The exhibition showcases work by local artists and children.
Pictured: “Still Life (Lemons)” Philip Drummond
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