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stuFFY heads, runny noses and itchy eyes are back: It’s this time of year that allergy sufferers dread – but we might be blaming the wrong culprits, MEgAN HAgg AN discovers.
Seasonal allergies: make us react to triggers that are around at certain times of year, such as grass and tree pollens.
COOTAMUNDRA wattle is often blamed for causing allergies – but most sufferers aren’t allergic to wattle at all and tend to blame it simply because it’s visible, says Peter Holder, National Asthma Council Australia director and pharmacist at Capital Chemist Hughes.
“A few people have a severe reaction to wattle, but it’s quite rare. Most people are allergic to grass and tree pollens.”
These pollens aren’t as easy to see as bright wattle flowers – so many of us don’t suspect them, says Peter.
The Canberra allergy season starts this month and can go right through till February or March, because a lot of grasses and tree pollens flower twice over that time.
August 20-26, 2009
Since 1993: Volume 15, Number 32
Arts&Entertainment 15-16
Body 18
Crossword 19
Dining 16 Horoscope 19
7
reviews 15-16 News 3-9
8
9
20-23 Shape up for summer 17
10 Sudoku 19
Tertiary Open Day 11-13
COVER: Canberra fertility specialist
Perennial allergies: make us react to triggers that are always present, such as dust mites, moulds and pet dander. Symptoms: sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, watery, itchy eyes, sometimes an itchy palate or back of the throat. Some people may get itchy skin or hives.
Treatments: Many treatments are available over the counter in pharmacies. New-generation antihistamines, such as
Telfast, Claratyne and Zyrtec, are non-sedating. Older antihistamines like Phenergan and Polaramine are also available, but frequently cause drowsiness, so can help us sleep if taken at bedtime. Intranasal corticosteroid sprays such as Beconase and Rhinocort can also be used to relieve or help prevent allergy attacks.
Frequency: The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy says that allergic disease has doubled in the last 25 years – these days, one in three of us develop at least one allergy over our lives!
Many Canberrans just put up with their allergic symptoms, even if the sneezing makes them miserable.
“They think, ‘well, I’ll get over it’. Some people are a bit put off treating allergies because they’ve taken the old sedating antihistamines in the past, and they don’t know much about the new non-sedating antihistamines that won’t put them to sleep,” he says.
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“Also, people often confuse hayfever with a persistent cold. But if your nose is dripping and irritated, there’s a good chance it’s hayfever instead.
“It can be quite debilitating, especially for people with severe symptoms – people have to miss out on work or school, and people who don’t have it don’t understand how it can feel.”
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People with asthma are more likely to have allergies than the rest of the population – and as allergy attacks can trigger asthma attacks, they need to make sure they’re treating both problems.
Kos Sclavos, president of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, says that people who suspect they’re suffering from hayfever – even if it’s not during spring – can talk to pharmacists about what could be causing the problem.
“Sometimes you might need to rule out an allergy to another medication or a drug interaction [where a person takes two medicines which should not be taken together],” he says.
There are two main types of allergy: the seasonal type and “perennial” allergies, which mean a reaction to something present all year round, such as dust mites, mould or pets.
For seasonal allergies, avoiding triggers can mean trying to stay indoors on windy days and showering after activities such as mowing the lawn.
Perennial allergies can be avoided by frequently removing dust – using a vacuum cleaner “with a proper filtration system so it doesn’t release it straight into the air again”, Peter Holder says – and mould.
WORK has started on a performance stage in Glebe Park as well as shading for the children’s play area. The $600,000 outdoor stage (as illustrated) is being funded by the Federal Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan.
F ORMER Governor-General, Maj-Gen Michael Jeffery and Mrs Marlena Jeffery were named the inaugural National Marriage Day ambassadors at the National Marriage Day breakfast in the Great Hall at Parliament House. The breakfast, sponsored by the Australian Family Association in collaboration with other pro-family organisations, aims to highlight the unique benefits of marriage and to lay the foundations for a renewed culture of marriage within Australia.
A PUBLIC survey period has begun to gauge community views on the use of plastic bags, says Environment Minister Simon Corbell. “The Government would like to see a reduction in the amount of plastic bags consumed in the Territory, but the purpose of this survey is the gauge the best way to achieve that goal.” Mr Corbell said.
Applications
The
Application forms and guidelines are available at: http://www.dhcs.act.gov.au/matsia/multicultural/services/grants/ act_multicultural_grants_program
Applications close on Monday 31 August 2009 and should be forwarded to: ACT Multicultural Grants Program
Office of Multicultural, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services PO Box 158, Canberra City ACT 2601.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY 31 August 2009 www.dhcs.act.gov.au
HEAD gardener Andrew Forster and his team are hard at work planting more than a million bulbs and annuals that will spring into life when Floriade 2009 “Mind, Body and Soul” starts blooming from Saturday, September 12.
Some of the blooms include tulips, irises, daffodils, hyacinths, violas, chrysanthemums, ranunculas and daisies.
Andrew says that it is the
rouge flowers that often provide those little surprises for those who attend.
“It’s that sly purple iris that might pop up in the middle of a sea of yellow tulips for instance that puts a smile on people’s faces,” he said.
FOLLOWING the erection of the Floriade fence around Commonwealth Park, general access will be interrupted until after the festival, and from Monday, August 24, the park will become a construction site as the Floriade team sets to work around the clock to install this year’s installations.
Access to Regatta Point, The National Capital Exhibition, Canberra Business Event Centre and the Deck restaurant will be maintained via a path through Commonwealth Park West outside the Floriade fence line.
Floriade’s one million bulbs and annuals will bloom between Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, October 11.
All fencing associated with the RG Menzies Walk construction at Regatta Point will be removed before Floriade opens.
Dr Nicci sides is a fertility specialist with a new clinic that’s achieving great results. IAN MEIkLE puts her under the microscope.
THERE’S only one side to Nicci Sides when it comes to making babies. She’s made thousands (“low thousands”) of them and she’s extremely passionate about it.
The plan is to make thousands more now that she and her minority partners have sunk $1.3 million into Canberra’s latest, state-of-the-art in vitro fertilisation clinic in Barton.
The fertility specialist’s dark eyes fire with enthusiasm when I get her started on reproduction. She talks professionally, but with blushmaking frankness, about private parts, sperm counts, ejaculation; all grist to her daily mill of bringing little miracles to potentially childless couples.
Her Isis (Greek goddess of fertility) Clinic has been seeing patients (men and women) only since late February but already has pushed itself to the top of its national affiliate Monash IVF’s benchmarked average pregnancy success rate of 30 per cent. Isis is hitting a “dazzling” 39 per cent, she says.
How is this possible, when the usual experience of new clinics is that of attracting patients who have already tried different things in other places, statistically dragging the average back?
first impression of the Isis waiting room. It’s like sitting in a lounge room; soft furnishings, a television set and unlimited access to tea and coffee.
Despite her first Isis patient being 43 and trying for a first baby, Dr Sides typically treats patients 37-years-old and under.
“We do not resort automatically to IVF. Some of our clients are able to achieve pregnancy without using high-tech invasive solutions,” she says.
And it’s not all about the female. The clinic also offers a range of fertility treatment options to assist couples with male-related fertility problems. But it comes at a price. Any aspiring father-to-be who is able to successfully inseminate his partner in the first month of the doctor’s coaching has to cough up a bar of Toblerone! Happily, this is a regular treat for the lively, talented Dr Sides, herself a mother of three.
I wanted to do it the c anberra way.
“I wanted to do it the Canberra way; people here are more educated and fitter and involved in the treatment. I wanted it to be a more holistic experience and I am open to natural, alternative practices,” she says.
That and she has a well-drilled, small and close team of fertility care nurses, a laboratory and scientists working tightly and cohesively to give everyone – the patient and the doctor – the best-possible experience and outcome.
Beyond the peerless equipment of the pristine laboratory, Dr Sides has positively resisted the temptation of making the process cold and technical.
“People usually think we’re going to torture them!” she jokes. “I wanted a homely approach; soft, with a hotel appearance,” she says of the
A specialist in gynaecology and human reproduction for 13 years, she has been practising in Canberra for around eight years, including six with another clinic.
She was born in the far west of NSW into a farming family on the Hay plains. But hers was not a typical cocky kid’s childhood. Her farmer father had itchy feet and wanted to see Australia. Their property was leased and the family moved from farm to farm for seven years until, at age 11, boarding school ended the tomboy days and the succession of primary schools, new towns and new friends. The journey to medicine had begun and led her ultimately to Sydney University.
But the ethos of her country “fair play” upbringing is never far away. “A hard day’s work equals reward,” she says.
And she is often rewarded for her hard work when former patients, who once pregnant are referred on, return to the clinic and she meets their babies for the first time. It brings out another side to Dr Nicci: Pride.
The Australian Government is pleased to announce funding opportunities are available under the Volunteer Grants 2009 initiative, which provides funds to eligible organisations whose volunteers are actively working in the community. Eligible non-profit organisations are invited to apply for funding ranging between $1,000 and $5,000 to support the work of their volunteers. This funding will enable organisations to purchase small practical and tangible equipment items and to contribute to their volunteers’ fuel costs.
The Volunteer Grants 2009 Application Form and Application Guidelines are available at www.fahcsia.gov.au. Organisations are encouraged to read the Guidelines then complete and submit the electronic application online. Further information is available on the Department’s website at www.fahcsia.gov.au or by phoning the Volunteer Grants 2009 toll-free hotline on 1800 183 374.
A TTY service for people who have hearing or speech impairment is available on 1800 555 677. Applications close on Friday 25 September 2009 at 5pm AEST. Applications submitted or postmarked after the closing date may not be included in the selection process.
IRT is holding CAREER INFORMATION SESSIONS at:
Kangara Waters Community Centre
Thu RS dAy 20 Augu ST AT 6.00pM &
S AT u R dAy 22 Augu ST FROM 11.00 AM
IRT is Australia’s largest not-for-profit, community
For further information on the Career information sessions and to rsVP please contact: Linda Woods on 02 4475 3355 or email: kangaraemployment@irt.org.au or visit www.irt.org.au
THE National Library has been indefinitely lent four rare Dutch navigational charts, circa 1725-1740, by businessman Kerry Stokes.
Women having difficulty falling pregnant may feel they’re in a race for time in fulfilling their dream of having a child. Many turn to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but for some this, too, dashes hope.
So what’s the answer?
“Modern research concludes that acupuncture increases women’s chances of falling pregnant while undergoing IVF, in some studies by up to 65 per cent,” says Dr Alex Perry, director of Blue Sky Clinic, which specialises in women’s health issues, including fertility and pregnancy.
“It’s not surprising that more and more women are coming to Blue Sky wanting natural help through acupuncture. The evidence is compelling that acupuncture increases the fertility rates of women undergoing IVF and those seeking natural conception. We’ve helped many fall pregnant,” says Dr Perry, a registered doctor of Chinese medicine. “Treatment can also help prevent miscarriage.”
How does acupuncture increase fertility? It stimulates blood flow, reduces stress and increases ovarian response. When your body is in a state of balance, the sky’s the limit.
Some research concludes that acupuncture increases the chances of falling pregnant … by up to 65% ‘ ’
“Nothing makes us happier than seeing a ‘Blue Sky baby’ visit the clinic and we’re meeting more and more of these little bundles of joy,” says Dr Perry.
Blue Sky Clinic also treats other women’s health issues, including menopause, as well as general wellbeing issues and sports injuries.
Member AACMA, Registered CMRBV
At the presentation, Mr Stokes spoke of his long and happy association with Canberra and how, along with gifts he has made to the Australian War Memorial, which he describes as the capital’s most “spiritual and important place”, he has always admired the tireless work of those at the National Library.
IF Gary Humphries really wants to make an impact (“Hot-to-trot, Gary hits the hustings”, CN, August 13), all he needs to do is achieve some success in getting superannuate and defence force pensions indexed to average weekly earnings rather than the CPI. Superannuants are missing out big time despite the fact there have been three Senate inquiries and the Matthew Review recommending a fairer means of indexing pensions. Despite being around for many years, Gary does not appear to have achieved anything in relation to this important issue for older Canberrans.
Hingee, Duffy
THE wattle trees throughout the suburbs, parks and reserves in Canberra, and on the highway to Sydney, are looking great at this time of the year, but it’s a pity that the most spectacular – the Cootamundra wattle – has been declared a weed and that some in the community would prefer to see bare ground than them.
J McDonald, Hackett
The charts were issued with other charts and instruments to voyages bound for the East Indies. This is the only document in Australia with an original plotted course of the Dutch to these waters and its survival is significant given the charts were mostly wiped clean after each voyage, to be used for the return journey. The charts were created by the the Dutch United East India Company that, from 1602, sent ships to Asia to buy spices for Europe.
are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to ed@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at GPO Box 2448, Canberra 2601. Letters of 200 words or less stand a better chance of publication.
I ENJOYED reading Michael Moore’s “The disastrous whiff of corruption” (CN August 13).
Michael identified the distraction value to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, but missed one critical issue with reform at this time. The Labor Party has a huge investment base, outside of the unions (who could back up Labor campaigns anyway) and under its own control, not just the Labor Club, but tens of millions of dollars of investments. This is a huge head start for campaign funds. The Labor Party would be happy to cap donations, as they would be streets ahead already.
Stephen Mayne of [the website] Crikey might be able to put a value on it, but it’s a huge advantage to Labor and disadvantage to every other party.
M. Gordon, Flynn
The all new Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan possesses safety features born from nine generations of technological innovation.
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this month’s galaxy poll says Nsw drivers are the worst in the country. Not true, says MARk pAR toN: c anberrans are the worst drivers in the nation and that status is more evident on the gungahlin Drive Extension than on any other road in town.
I GET a little annoyed whenever I consider the stupidity of building the Gungahlin Drive Extension with only one lane each way; the waste of time and money gets me down.
As I drive along pondering past mistakes, I’ll cast an eye in the rear view mirror and, nearly without fail, I see the driver behind me way too close.
The fact that there’s no passing option never stops the motorist behind from letting me know that I’m slowing his passage. Of course, my sitting right on the speed limit, also never curbs the aggressiveness either. It seems everyone is always running late in this town and speed limits only matter if you get caught.
in the plumbing van. William Slim and Gundaroo Drives are also places that aggression comes to fore. How crazy is it when you’ve got a long line of cars making their way along the single-lane sections of that road and the “idiot” tries to overtake three cars when you get to the roundabout? Why must so many Canberrans drive like it’s one big game of “Gran Turismo” on PS3?
GOWRIE’S Holy Family Primary School students handed in 16kg of old mobile phones and accessories to become the top ACT school in the 2009 MobileMuster “Old Phones, New Fence Posts” schools recycling challenge. For every 5kg of old mobiles handed in for recycling by schools from May 1 and until World Environment Day, June 5, MobileMuster and Australia Composite Technology donated one Plasmar plastic fence post to communities affected by the Victorian bushfires.
WORK has begun on the $1.8 million Eddison Park youth plaza in Woden. The Rudd Government’s Economic Stimulus Plan has provided $1.4 million for the project with the balance funded by the ACT Government. The plaza, which features play equipment and a half basketball court, will be completed later this year.
I think it’s a combination of arrogance, a lack of time management and the fact that our city is relatively small and wonderfully planned. We get so spoilt by the Parkway and the Monaro Highway, roads upon which we can just enter and drive.
MULTIMILLION- DOLLAR restoration works to Albert Hall, including roof repairs and exterior painting, have begun. The works are being jointly funded by the ACT Government ($2.7m) and the Federal Government ($500,000). The external works are expected to be completed by February and the internal works by mid year. Albert Hall will be closed for safety reasons from January to February and from April to June 2010.
I’ve lost count of the number of times that impatient drivers have flipped me the “Ron Heffernan” or sounded their horn as I finally turned left on to an off ramp and allowed them get back into F1 mode on the GDE. I’d like to make special mention of the clown in the blue Subaru, the idiot in the red Commodore ute and the “Mark Webber drive-alike”
It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that speed camera revenues continue to escalate. Despite the fact that there’s a sign to warn you that a fixed speed camera is in place, over $14 million went to territory coffers from fixed speed cameras last year.
Wake up, Canberra!
ECONOMIC indicators suggest the ACT economy is stabilising, but recovery won’t be a speedy process, with the unemployment rate continuing to creep up, says ACT Treasurer, Katy Gallagher. Unemployment in Canberra increased to 3.8 per cent in July.
THERE is something sad about a quadriplegic having to go to court to stop others force-feeding him. Former Speaker of the ACT Assembly Greg Cornwell recently wrote to “The Canberra Times” supporting the right to die with the question: “Who are we to deny that right?” It is a shame that he was not as strident when he had the opportunity in 1997.
In the WA Supreme Court on August 14, Chief Justice Wayne Martin said it would be unlawful for the nursing home to continue to feed and hydrate Christian Rossiter through a tube to his stomach against his wishes. The judge also added that anyone who was providing palliative care for Mr Rossiter would not be criminally liable if his death was from painkillers provided they were not used deliberately to hasten the death. In debates on euthanasia this argument is identified as “the doctrine of double effect”. This is an argument used by those who often oppose voluntary active euthanasia such as the Roman Catholic Church. It is about intent. They argue that painkillers given with the intention of treating pain – even though they might also result in death – do not fit the definition of euthanasia because there is not an intention to bring about death.
Mr Rossiter, 49, was hit by a car in 2004 and after falls in 2008 developed spastic quadriplegia. He argued that he was of sound mind, but could not “undertake basic human functions”.
Judge Martin emphasised that this was not about euthanasia as Mr Rossiter was not terminally ill or dying. He emphasised that he was simply addressing the question about what should be forced on Mr Rossiter and his legal rights in the circumstances.
The legislation I introduced into the ACT Assembly a decade ago, like the NT legislation that was in effect for a short time, would not have covered Mr Rossiter. Both those pieces of legislation were restricted to people who were terminally ill, in great pain and were able to receive medical assistance.
By Michael Moore
When the Federal Parliament overrode the right of Territories to make laws of this kind they not only interfered inappropriately with self-government, but they also took away the basic right of individuals to determine their own treatment in this narrow set of circumstances. Even so, the doctrine of double effect still applies in the ACT and is set out in legislation.
The case of Mr Rossiter, who is not terminally ill, may be different in some ways from those who are terminally ill and suffering great pain. People in these circumstances have an even greater claim to end their own suffering.
It is a shame that Greg Cornwell’s new-found stridency to support the right to die was not driving him in 1997 when a single vote of support was needed for the success of the Medical Treatment Amendment Bill (1997). Cornwell did not step from the Speaker’s podium to support the Bill. Instead, it was adjourned by newly appointed member Louise Littlewood, the other person who had not spoken and would never come back for a vote thanks to Kevin Andrew’s Federal legislation.
As with the Andrews legislation to remove the right of Territories to legislate on euthanasia, there was the pretence of a conscience vote within the Liberal Party. However, the political reality was that pressure on the ACT Liberals was extreme. Not one was prepared to stand up against it.
Mr Rossiter now has the right to determine his own demise. It is a shame that political shenanigans means that people in great pain who are terminally ill do not have the same right.
Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health. He was responsible for introducing a series of euthanasia bills.
THE community will be asked to contribute to new master plans for Kingston and Dickson and public consultation begins with a Dickson workshop on Tuesday, August 25.
“In particular, the master plans will examine how to improve access to supermarkets in these areas with a view to ensuring greater competition amongst retailers and greater choice for consumers,” said Planning Minister Andrew Barr.
“They will also guide land release and redevelopment to ensure Kingston and Dickson remain safe, accessible, attractive, culturally rich, economically viable and ecologically sustainable into the future.”
He said consultation would include workshops in Dickson and Kingston.
First drafts were expected for public comment in late November.
Tertiary Open Day, August 29
Forget the tarot cards, tea leaves and crystal balls; for people considering tertiary education, their future career success can be revealed all in the space of one important, totally free day – toD.
TOD stands for “Tertiary Open Day”, the common open day for the MAJOR tertiary education providers in the ACT. This year, it’s being held on Saturday, August 29. The event allows prospective students to shop around for education opportunities principally with the University of Canberra, the Australian Catholic University, the Canberra Institute of Technology, the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Australian National University.
In this special feature “CityNews” previews what’s on offer and where during terrific TOD.
the c anberra Institute of technology has more than 400 courses on offer, ranging from certificate level to associate degrees and postgraduate studies.
FOR students interested in vocational and trade training, the Canberra Institute of Technology has a variety of courses and career-path options.
From childcare and nursing to vehicle trades and forensics, CIT has more than 400 courses on offer, ranging from certificate level to associate degrees and postgraduate studies.
Surprisingly, the average age of a CIT student is 26, which busts the myth that studying at a technical institute is only for school students or teenagers fresh out of school.
While CIT does offer pre-vocational studies for school students as part of its Higher School Certificate studies, the majority of students are people with life experiences obtained after leaving school.
Many people study at CIT because they have discovered that having
formal skills can lead to a more fulfilling working life. Others want to progress in their chosen career, come to grips with new technology or even start a whole new career.
Another myth is the notion that most TAFE students are full-time students. The opposite is the reality. Many CIT students are juggling a job, mortgage and family and are unable to commit to full-time studies. Fortunately, CIT offers a range of flexible learning solutions to fit busy schedules. People who think they can’t afford to study will be pleasantly surprised at the cost of public education, and the introduction of an extra 1000 ACT Government scholarships at CIT will allow even more people to access life-changing education.
Drop into CIT’s Reid Campus on TOD, or call CIT’s Student Hub on 6207 3188.
Saturday 29 August I 9am - 4pm
Australian Catholic University invites you to the Canberra Campus Open Day. At Open Day you can:
Discuss your study options with our academic staff.
Hear about the Early Achievers’ Program.
Talk to current students about university life. Take a tour of the campus.
www.acu.edu.au/openday
Canberra Campus: 127 Phillip Avenue, Watson.
the Australian c atholic university is recognised for its excellence in education, nursing, social work and theology – at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
OPEN Day activities at Australian Catholic University’s (ACU National) Canberra campus provide the opportunity for prospective students to meet graduates, academic staff and current students and discuss the array of study options available at this award-winning, internationally recognised national university.
There will also be a chance for visitors to view interactive course displays, learn about student support services and attend information sessions specifically for parents.
More than 750 students are enrolled at the
university’s Canberra campus, which is recognised for its excellence in education, nursing, social work and theology – at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
ACU graduates rate their educational experience highly with one of the best rates of employment in Australia and the institution prides itself on its teaching and on the quality of the interaction between staff and students. Many of its courses involve practical components in which students demonstrate skills and knowledge in real-life settings.
Students at ACU National are treated as individuals and, thanks to small class sizes, can easily access teaching staff, support services and a friendly atmosphere, in which they feel encouraged to achieve their full potential and to become active members of society.
Open Day is from 9am-4pm on Saturday, August 29. For more information and a program of events visit www.acu.edu.au/openday.
the ANu is home to fewer students and more academics, which means it offers learning opportunities that other educational institutions can’t provide.
THE Australian National University is consistently placed among the best universities in the world by a whole range of international ranking systems and in 2008 was ranked first in Australia and 16th internationally by the well-respected “Times Higher Education Supplement”.
The ANU campus is leafy and beautiful and is home to fewer students and more academics, which means it offers learning opportunities that other educational institutions can’t provide.
The Australian Government recently placed the ANU in the top band for teaching excellence across its entire undergraduate teaching profile and the university was rated in the “A1” band in three discipline groups – science, computing, engineering, architecture and agriculture; business, law and economics; and humanities, arts and education. The 2009 edition of the “Good Universities Guide” in Australia gives ANU five star ratings on the graduate satisfaction index.
the university of c anberra has facilities and services including television and radio studios, specialised science laboratories, education centres and an e-moot law court.
THE University of Canberra is part of TOD and it’s the opportunity to find out about the extensive range of courses available that UC specialises in – professionally preparing graduates for rewarding careers in the real world.
At open day, prospective students, their friends and family are encouraged to come along to find detailed information about the university, but also experience the uni lifestyle.
Academics, course advisors, current students and support staff will be there to talk to prospective students and give them a realistic picture of what studying at the UC is like.
Visitors can explore the campus and discover the facilities and services UC students enjoy,
including television and radio studios, specialised science laboratories, education centres and an e-moot law court. Guests can take a general campus tour or choose a tour more specific to their area of interest.
Entertainment will also be provided with performances from local ACT schools and organisations, a jumping castle and face painting for the children, market stalls, a paper-plane demonstration and competition from the “Paper Pilots” plus many other activities.
Open day details from www.canberra.edu. au/openday.
ADFA will be showcasing military displays while visitors learn about life at the academy.
OPEN Day will allow school students, parents and the local community to see military displays while learning about life at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
This will include watching ADFA midshipmen and cadets completing obstacle courses, undergoing physical training, abseiling and rock
climbing, and practicing military self-defence.
ADFA bands will perform live music throughout the day, and staff will provide course and careers information to potential candidates and their families.
Postgraduate opportunities will also be explored, with current Defence employees and the general public able to get information on further study and research opportunities.
For more information visit www.unsw.adfa. edu.au or call 6268 6000.
A FAMILY-friendly workplace creates a win-win situation for both employers and their staff, says Laurie McDonald, who has just been named “Business Woman of the Year” by the ACT Chamber of Women in Business.
Laurie created Canberra Furnished Accommodation in 2003, with only one residential property and a credit card.
Today, she owns or manages 37 properties in Canberra’s inner north and south, offering short or long-term stays to corporate travellers and holidaymakers.
“I wanted to create jobs for women who have kids in school – it’s a very familyfriendly workplace, and kids are welcome here,” Laurie told “CityNews”.
“I find that if you can create a win-win situation, it’s a better workplace: People enjoy their jobs, as an employer you attract more loyal and hardworking staff, and if they can
then pick up their kids from school on time they feel like they can tick all of life’s boxes.
“I have young children – Connor is six and Bailey, four – so for me this was a natural extension to create a familyfriendly business. I also have a very supportive husband!”
The chamber presented Laurie with the award for demonstrating leadership, tenacity, compassion, encouragement and the pursuit of excellence.
For more information, visit www.canberrafurnished.com. au or call 6295 0975.
Connelly, Papercut.
ADAPTABILITY and creativity are the keys to Kylie Watson’s business, says the owner of La Bella Creations, which was named “Best New Business”.
“It’s not just a new idea – it’s a new idea that works,” says Kylie, who designs toddler-proof but fashionable bangles and necklaces.
“The primary goal was to provide a product for mums, but I can’t be blind to the fact that no woman wants her jewellery to break easily!”
For more information visit www.labellacreations.com.au or call 6162 1121.
WOMEN in business need to be guided by their intuition and passion, says Danielle Neale, of Sybil’s Closet by Danielle, Kingston, who spoke at the Chamber of Women in Business Awards.
Kylie Watson, La Bella Creations; highly commended: Claire Connelly, Papercut. Oustanding Community Spirit: Bobbi Cook, Bobbi Cook Behaviour Management. Caring for the Environment: Claire Connelly, Papercut.
Connelly… “It doesn’t reduce the quality of the material.”
Danielle told the audience to set their sights on what they wanted to achieve: “I am a big fan of leaping and growing your wings on the way down,” she said.
“You simply have to take risks. Yes, you will make mistakes, experience hurdles and rejection – and these will wise you up.”
PAPER products can still be environmentally friendly, says Claire Connelly, from graphic design studio Papercut, who won the “Caring for the Environment” award, and was also highly commended for “Best New Business” and “Business Woman of the Year”.
“We have an edge as far as
design studios go, because we’re a sustainable business: We’re aware of what we’re doing environmentally, and that feels good,” she says. Papercut works with like-minded printers who can offer environmentally friendlier printing, including vegetable ink and on-screen proofreading.
For more information, visit www. papercut.com or call 6162 4045.
the sydney Dance company production "sid’s waltzing Masquerade" has audiences and critics alike in a state of baffled admiration. HELEN MUSA finds out why.
“D ON ' T go looking for any obvious story lines or themes because you will drive yourself into a frenzy,” one appreciative observer has said.
Others have focused on Gerard Manion’s set and Australian fashion designer Michelle Jank's costumes, while some have noted that the Canadian choreographer Aszure Barton, now artist-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City, has based her dance on the celebrated Russian dancer's everyday movements.
Bradley Chatfield, dance director for the company, plays the central figure in the SDC production "Sid's Waltzing Masquerade", coming to The Playhouse soon. "I'm Sid," Chatfield says. "I participate a lot, I drive the dance a lot, but sometimes I'm just a passenger."
He’s been with the company for 18 years, since arriving from the Hong Kong Ballet at age 20, but now at the age of 38, it's time for Chatfield to move on. And while he's tight-lipped about the circumstances under which he leaves the company, now in the throes of a major organisa -
tional change under its new director Rafael Bonachela, he's going out in style.
Nobody who has ever seen Chatfield perform can ever forget him. A muscular physical type ("from all of the lifting that you do in contemporary dance," he says), his uniqueness has never stood in his way with choreographers such as Graeme Murphy and Meryl Tankard, who do "narrative work where the development of character is very important... in that case, distinctiveness of type and is a good thing."
In Chatfield's view, it’s simply not true that "Sid's Waltzing Masquerade" is without narrative.
"There is a story in the music and a strong element of fantasy that has audiences putting in their own interpretations," he says. "The music is very strong, and even has an excerpt from ‘Waltzing Matilda’. But the music also takes off in all sorts of different directions – Broadway, classical – it's got everything."
When Barton arrived in May last year for a two-day developmental workshop, there was indeed no nar -
“Sids
rative, but Chatfield describes how she looked into Australian history, went back to the US, then returned for the six weeks of intensive rehearsals that preceded the premiere of the work in Sydney.
"I thought she would be a taskdriven choreographer," Chatfield says. But once she knew the individual dancers' differences, she was quite
MUCH has been written about the killing on October 16, 1975 of five Australian TV reporters and cameramen in the East Timor town of Balibo. Robert Connolly’s film presents that story’s surface with more impact than printed words can hope to match.
David Williamson’s lean, powerful screenplay begins after the killings. Jose Ramos Horta (Oscar Isaac) persuaded journalist Roger East (a great performance from Anthony LaPaglia, also one of the film’s producers) to leave the Darwin Reconstruction Commission to provide unfettered reporting of Indonesia’s military activities in newly independent East Timor. Roger’s personal objective was to uncover what really happened to the journalists.
“Balibo” ends early in December on the wharf at Dili, where Indonesian troops killed Roger, along with many East Timorese. It tells a brutal, tough story in locations where its actual events occurred and with a supporting cast of East Timorese who may have witnessed its events as children or are descended from the 183,000 who died at Indonesian hands.
As a war film, “Balibo” is a colossus of verity despite having only a small named cast
By Dougal Macdonald
and physical scope. Some may deplore its failure to delve deeper into the Whitlam Government’s failure to react more vigorously, but Ramos Horta says it accurately depicts the events. Some may find its to-ing and fro-ing in time disconcerting. I defy anybody to walk away unaffected by “Balibo”. Nobody has been charged with the
killings. Very likely, nobody ever will be. And in these days of international terrorism, Australia is good buddies with Indonesia. At Dendy and Greater Union THE first thing to hit the screen in
“DISTRICT 9” (MA)
Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi actioner is “ A Peter Jackson Production”, telling filmgoers to expect that whatever else “District 9” may offer, the special effects should be world beaters. And they are.
continued Page 16
By Jorian Gardner
VISUALLY stunning and musically rich, this critically acclaimed production of “Amadeus” had audiences in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane standing and cheering at every performance. Peter Shaffer's thrilling, and often wickedly funny play is a dark fantasy about music, genius, jealousy, madness and murder. It’s playing at The Playhouse. September 8-9. Bookings on 6275 2700.
“AVENUE Q” is a hilarious, feel-good musical performed by a mix of puppets and humans – think “Sesame Street” meets “The Muppets” with an X rating; there is puppet nudity! Winner of three major Tony Awards, “Avenue Q” is one of the longestrunning shows on Broadway and is still a hit on London’s West End. However, it’s not for kids. It plays at The Canberra Theatre. October 23-November 8. More details from canberratheatrecentre.org.au.
quick in creating the work she knew what she wanted."
Barton won’t be back in Australia for the Canberra performance, but then again, her stated task, “to bring a positive experience for these dancers,” is done.
"Sid's Waltzing Masquerade", The Playhouse, September 2-5. Bookings 6275 2700.
THE BELCONNEN Arts and Cultural Program is inviting emerging film makers to participate in “Belconnen Flicks”, a fun night of locally made films on the October 29. If you have made a comedy, drama, documentary or a music video, then you can have your film screened at the Belconnen Theatre. It’s also a chance to meet and mingle with other film makers. Contact 6264 0235 or simone.penkethman@bcsact. com.au for more information.
yumcha
CHINA Plate has two specialty chefs (who happen to be brothers) creating a huge range of beautiful-looking and amazing tasting tiny morsels that celebrate Hong Kong-style cuisine.
c ontinued from Page 14
The contractor providing the Seth Efriken* Republic with lawenforcement services designates Wikus (Sharlto Copley), a gentle, dorky bureaucrat committed to getting the paperwork right, to manage relocating the beings from the spaceship that 20 years earlier got stalled over Johannesburg’s District 9 where a shanty-town has arisen to house them.
In the Melbourne Building (Northbourne side), China Plate serves yumcha Saturdays and Sundays (11am to 3pm). If you’re in the city for weekend shopping, take time to stop by. Even if you’re nowhere near the city, the quality of the yumcha owner Amy Lo and her team serve up is well worth a trip.
wrapping was thin – almost translucent – and the fillings bursting with flavour.
The pastry that formed our baked barbeque pork pies was slightly sweet and as light as a feather. The round pastry tarts filled with a curry seafood mixture featuring crab and sweet corn also melt in the mouth.
For dessert, we fell in love with the light, but not-too-sweet mango pudding in the shape of a heart, to match the shape of the teacups China Plate has carefully sourced from Hong Kong. And, to top off our feast, sesame balls.
Problem is, the intelligent, friendly extra-terrestrials, nick-named prawns despite more resembling Davy Jones from “Pirates of the Caribbean” than any crustacean I have ever peeled, don’t want to move. By the time things get sorted out, spectacular property destruction has occurred and Wikus has endured profound physical abuse.
Yumcha means “drinking tea” and certainly Chinese tea is a perfect accompaniment because it aids digestion.
China Plate’s yumcha is quality through and through. We began with three types of steamed dumplings: the “King” of dim sum, the prawn dumplings; the “Queen”, the pork dumplings or Sui Mai; and one with scallops. In each case, the dumpling
It is no surprise that two of China Plate’s most popular dim sum (dim means “touch” and sum “heart”, with many believing the translation is “touch the heart”) are the lobster dumplings and the famous Shanghai pork buns, which you dip into special ruby coloured vinegar with ultra-thin slices of ginger. I’ve often found pork bun dough heavy and dry. China Plate’s was perfect.
I’ve no doubt that everyone who visits China Plate, for yum cha or regular lunch or dinner, immediately becomes a big fan and a regular customer. The service is excellent, the décor beautiful, the wine list carefully chosen and the wine glasses elegant. It may look expensive when you first peek through the window, but it certainly is not.
China Plate, 41-43 Northbourne Avenue, Melbourne Building call 6162 3838.
Sometimes resembling a documentary, with a screenplay intelligently and perceptively canvassing real issues such as terrorism, racial prejudice, genetic manipulation and commercialisation of public services, “District 9” uses lots of handheld camera to record boundless energy and convincingly staged violence and para-military derring-do. It’s great fun that quite exceeded my expectations.
(* To my ears, the accent of English-speaking white Seth Efrikens is quite delightful.)
At Dendy and Hoyts
NOW’S the time of year to stop thinking about exercise and start doing it, say Canberra’s personal trainers and gym operators – it’s time to get in shape for summer!
As the weather starts to improve, it’s easier to get motivated and get moving, and start improving our nutrition (no more stodgy comfort food!)…
A PERSONAL training program for brides, grooms and bridesmaids can not only help them look great as they walk down the aisle, they’re a natural de-stressor, says Tina Barac, of Insight Nutrition and Fitness.
“Most girls in bridal parties have fitted dresses and want to show their figures off,” says Tina, adding that toned arms are also a musthave for modern brides.
“Exercise also has a big effect on the skin – most of how you look depends on what goes into your mouth.”
It’s the perfect time of year to embark on an exercise program, as we’re just about to head into bridal season, says Tina – for stress relief as much as for looking good!
“When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. It’s a domino effect: When you don’t exercise, you feel sluggish and are more likely to eat bad foods.
“But when you see the results of a program and even straight after a good workout, you feel happy and good about yourself because you’re changing the way you look for the better.”
THERE are three main groups of non-exercisers who can benefit from Shapemaster power-assisted exercise, says Natasha Lukin, of Feel Good Studios: people who are lazy, busy or who have physical limitations.
“Lazy people can enjoy lowimpact, pre-calculated gentle movements without sweating and torturing their bodies; and busy people can come in and have a workout in just 30 minutes at lunch time, and still have their lunch – or between meetings, and leave the studio de-stressed and relaxed, with no sweat, no changing clothing and no showers required.
some health conditions, such as post-operative, injuries or if they are recuperating.”
Natasha says Shapemaster is a safer way to keep fit than strenuous exercise – developed by a team of physiologists, sports doctors, Pilates practitioners and engineers in the UK.
“The last group are people with physical limitations due to
For more information call 0438 690175.
Tina Barac… “Exercise also has a big effect on the skin – most of how you look depends on what goes into your mouth.”
BODY Basics in Curtin exclusively uses the Body Plus Fitness Health and Rehab system, developed by Canberra fitness specialist trainer Jason Ritchie for its Boot Camp program.
The Boot Camp involves bodyweight challenges, boxing and kick-boxing as well as hiking training methods.
Body Basics was a finalist for the 2008 Fitness ACT personal training business of the year.
The personal training service focuses on fun and rewarding training.
For more information visit www.bodybasics.net.au or call 6282 8344.
MORE than nine in 10 of us don’t have a gym membership – but we still want guidance in getting and staying fit, says Scott Williams, managing director of Succeed Personal Development.
The company just been named the 2009 Australian Telstra Micro Business of the Year for the ACT, as well as the Australian Personal Training Business of the Year 2009 in April – it also took out the ACT title in this award in 2008 and 2007.
“People are beginning to realise that having a trainer to assist and guide them with some sensible training methods and food choices
For more information visit www.shapemastercanberra.com. au or call 6247 6267.
can really make a difference to their lives,” Scott says.
“Our baby boomers are living longer, and having a trainer can help to get more out of our lives on a day-to-day basis.
“Also, people are realising that having a personal trainer is not that expensive – especially if they join a group of like-minded people!”
Mobile personal trainers also make it easier for busy people to exercise, as a session can be more easily slotted into their schedule. For more information visit www. succeed.com.au or call 6162 4272.
Bring this ad along with your ambition to lose weight and receive 3 FREE Shapemaster Body Toning sessions. Valid only for the rst 12 callers so be quick! Bookings are essential so please CALL NATASHA ON 6247 6267 NOW!
Sonya Fladun
Jay Gomboso with her son, Lachlan Vearing.
MOTORBIKES and kids with cancer sound like an unlikely mix – but Bungendore local Dr Jay Gomboso has found a way to combine both her passions by raising funds for the Steven Walter Foundation.
Jay plans to raise $100,000 by raffling a $20,000 Honda CBF1000RR Repsol Replica Fireblade for the Foundation, to help the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia in its quest to cure childhood cancers.
“Steven Walter was a competitive motorcyclist who died of leukaemia – he developed it at 10, went into remission at 14 and died at 19 years of age,” Jay says.
“He was a very strong, positive character who would race in pain, but not tell anyone because he didn’t want any sympathy – and often, straight after a race he’d head off for chemotherapy.”
After his death, Steven’s family set up the foundation – but Jay, who never met him, has only recently become involved, becoming inspired to help
IT wouldn’t be wise to leave my six-year-old son to his own devices at the moment. I fear that if I turn my back he’ll sell the car, the house, maybe even his baby sister. I’m so not joking.
after attending a fund-raising ride to the Snowy Mountains.
“A father of a child with cancer spoke at Thredbo village, which was chock-ablock full of motorbike riders, and you could hear a pin drop. I had tears in my eyes and I certainly wasn’t the only one,” she says.
Jay went to Sydney to meet with the Steven Walters Foundation and discuss what she could do to help.
“My son, Lachlan, is healthy, but for a while I’ve wanted to do some fund-raising for a children’s charity – and I wanted it to have something to do with my business.”
Jay is the director of Redd Dog, which creates superfine merino wool motorcycling clothing.
Raffle tickets for the bike are available at selected cafes around the ACT and surrounds, as well as Canberra Motorcycle Centre Fyshwick and Mitchell, and Mobil Canberra Avenue/Dalby Street Fyshwick. Meggan Haggan
Much to my surprise, my little boy has a flair for business. His entrepreneurial exploits started at the end of last summer when he snuck out with a kitchen stool, a flask of iced water from the fridge, a supply of plastic cups and cardboard sign that said “WATER”. I found him at the front of the house selling water at $2 a glass to passers-by. He made more than $20 and since then his commercial ambitions have just grown and grown.
He has tried selling water from the tap at Holiday Program to his bemused six-year-old friends. He then established his own toy-for-hire business, but learnt the hard way that there can be a thin line of understanding between renting and owning.
Then there was the scheme to sell honey sandwiches to school friends. Lots of sticky honey and a six-year-old is a recipe for trouble so I managed to scupper that plan on the grounds that some children are seriously allergic to honey. As a compromise, he’s settled for selling celery at school from his veggie patch and he’s scouting the neighbourhood for overburdened lemon trees that might be discreetly raided to help stock his lemonade stand planned for this summer. More worryingly, I recently uncovered a plan for a garage sale in which he already price marked much of our furniture and designed advertising posters featuring happy smiling stick figures buying all our worldly goods.
I have wondered how this could happen. I’ve always thought that the whole making money business is in a person’s genes. Like blue eyes or a propensity to baldness, you either have it or you don’t. I’ve never had an entrepreneurial streak. Like my mother and her mother before her, I come from a long line of shopaholics who are into buying rather than selling.
Still, my little boy has big plans. He’s saving up to for a trip to New York, a horse, a pool and solar panels for the roof (go figure!).
1 What is childish, silly talk?
8 Name the cricketer who represented Australia from 1921-1937, Bert ...
9 To be quite confused is to be what?
10 In astronomy what are large systems of stars?
11 What is a glass bottle for water, wine etc?
12 Name a well-known western German river.
13 To legally hinder is to what?
16 Which term means piquant, sharp or the like?
19 What is a profligate or dissolute man called?
21 What is a room in, or a building attached to a church?
22 Name an office requiring little or no work.
23 Which term is implied by "lite"?
24 What supports a street light?
25 Name the human organ in which the blood undergoes certain changes.
2 What are some up-to-date pneumatic tyres known as?
3 What erupted in Krakatoa in 1883?
4 Name another word for a boarder.
5 Illicit relationships are sometimes referred to as what?
6 Name a unit of sound intensity.
7 Which term describes a long series of wanderings?
13 What is an alternative word for a letter?
14 What is a large, often destructive sea wave, caused by an underwater earthquake?
15 An injunction as to moral conduct is a what?
17 What is a repository of arms called?
18 Which sauce is often served with fish?
20 What are items in a sports program?
Solution next week
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
You’re a whirling dervish of energy as you tackle challenges and take on additional jobs but don’t come on too strong or you’ll scare others away! You have a quick wit and a sharp tongue but avoid using words as weapons. A softly-softly approach will yield the best results.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
Are you desperately holding onto a romance or friendship that you should be letting go of? (The tighter your grip, the more they slip away.) You’ll feel increasingly creative and productive as the week goes on, so it’s the perfect time to express your inner muse and get those creative juices flowing.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
Twins are masters of language and your acerbic wit can wound like an arrow and cut like a knife (think of fellow Geminis like Bob Dylan, Mike Myers and Joan Rivers). This week, try to sweeten your acid tongue or you’ll just end up dealing with petty disputes and time-wasting arguments.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
Come on Crabs! You need to make an important decision but have you been putting your head in the sand, afraid to face the facts? Stop side-stepping problems and start facing them head-on. “You cannot accept the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” (Abraham Lincoln)
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
A change of approach is what’s needed at work. Fresh ideas shift the stale energy and get you motivated again. For some, it may even lead to a new job. Your diplomatic skills will be tested, as people become more argumentative as the week wears on. Keep an open mind and try to see all points of view.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
You’re in a “take-no-prisoners” kind of mood this week Scorpio. You want things done your way and, if others don’t agree, you won’t hesitate to employ power games or subtle manipulation to achieve your aims. Perhaps charm and cooperation are a better way to go?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
With Mars moving into your intimacy zone, you’re full of ardent and romantic feelings. So make sure you spend time with someone who makes your heart sing. Keep your wacky sense of humor to yourself this week. Those around you are feeling sensitive and may take things the wrong way, so zip the lip!
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Are you still holding onto the past? It’s time to finally let go and embrace a brave new world, as you learn to live in the present. Draw inspiration from birthday great Mother Teresa: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
Sudoku is an 81, square number grid with nine blocks each containing nine cells. To solve the puzzle, all the blank cells must be filled in using numbers from 1 to 9. Each number can only appear once in each row, column and in the nine 3x3 blocks. You can successfully solve the puzzle just by using logic and the process of elimination.
Solution next
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
Voluptuous Venus sashays into your sign on Thursday (until September 20) so you’ll be at your irresistible (and irrepressible) best. If you are single, it’s the ideal time to go looking for love. Secretive or underhand tactics could backfire on you so try to be open and honest in all you do this week.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
Your natural need to help and serve others is at an all time high. Find new ways you can make a difference in your local community. Your quote for the next seven days is from fellow Virgo, Mother Teresa (born August 27): “Most of us will never do great things, but we can do small things in a great way.”
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2009.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
Aquarians are independent souls – you enjoy your own company and like to do things in your way, and your own time. Venus moves into your relationship zone on Thursday (until September 20) which favours friendship, companionship and love. “If you can’t be with the one you love … love the one you’re with.”
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
Fish can be very fickle when it comes to love. The time has to be right, you’ve got to be in the mood … and on it goes. This week the universe sends some lessons your way that will (hopefully) teach you to be more serious and committed about relationships. Stop procrastinating Pisces – it’s time to grow up.
The Green Building Blitz II
When: Tuesday 8 September 2009
Time: 8:15 to 2:30pm
Venue: Hotel Realm, Barton
Proudly sponsored by Thinc Projects
Property Council Golf Classic
When: Thursday 22 October 2009
Venue: Federal Golf Club, Red Hill
Proudly sponsored by NDH Property Services
Division Luncheon with Lindsay Tanner
When: Wednesday 28 October 2009
Time: 12:00 to 2:00pm
Venue: Hyatt Hotel Canberra
Proudly sponsored by Commonwealth Bank
POSITIONED close to Parliament House, Manuka and grammar schools, this large traditional home in Empire Circuit, Deakin, features a family room with elevated garden views.
Address: 89 Empire Circuit, Deakin.
The richly planted garden includes rolling lawns, flowering shrubs, mature trees and outdoor entertaining areas with a large in-ground pool. On a 1640sqm block the home has five spacious bedrooms, formal lounge and dining rooms and generous kitchen.
Price: By tender. Closes 5pm, Thursday August 27.
Inspection: By appointment.
Agent: Maria Selleck, Maria Selleck Properties, 0417 258803.
4/41 DAVID STREET
Nestled high up on a large 1228m2 (approx) block in a quiet cul de sac backing reserve, this beautifully presented four bedroom residence enjoys magnificent views of the Brindabella Mountains. Generous accommodation includes sundrenched formal and informal living areas, segregated master bedroom, rumpus room and large balcony. A double garage has internal access while a large garden shed provides additional storage. Ready to enjoy and close to local amenities this great family home is a must to inspect. EER 2 Auction on site 10am Saturday 5th September
Paul Sutton 0407 099 175 or Robyn Sutton 0409 442 484
Peter Blackshaw Manuka 6295 2433
187 BICENTENNIAL DRIVE
The refurbished, 77m2 first floor apartment is located next door to the O’Connor shopping centre with its trendy cafes and bars and moments from the wetlands, parks, public transport and cycle ways. The ANU, CBD and the Dickson regional centre are close by. It offers two double bedrooms, both with built in robes, a designer kitchen and a combined bathroom/laundry complete with a washer/dryer, open plan living areas with access to the balcony and under cover parking. EER 4 $375,000
Mary Debus 0414 623 876
Peter Blackshaw Manuka 6295 2433
30 HARPUR STREET
Sitting majestically on an elevated block this double storey executive residence has great street presence and enjoys outstanding views to the Brindabella Mountains. Offering spacious formal & informal living areas, 5 double bedrooms including palatial sized master bedroom, bathroom with spa, 2 ensuites, rumpus and double garage with internal access. Entertain or relax under an enormous covered pergola which leads to a large back yard with room for the kids to play or space for a pool.
Auction on site 10am Saturday 12th September
Paul Sutton 0407 099 175 or Robyn Sutton 0409 442 484
Peter Blackshaw Manuka 6295 2433
Superb tri level residence offering an abundance of accommodation and perfectly suited for the large or extended family. Nestled in a quiet street it is in easy walking distance to local shops, schools, Red Hill nature reserve and Canberra Hospital. A flexible floor plan showcases formal and informal living areas, 4 bedrooms, ensuite, modern kitchen, family room and granny flat. A sunny rear terrace overlooks private gardens while enjoying spectacular mountain views. EER 1 Auction on site 12pm Saturday 12th September
Paul Sutton 0407 099 175 or Robyn Sutton 0409 442 484
Peter Blackshaw Manuka 6295 2433
BUYER confidence is returning to the south coast, says leading Batemans Bay agent John Haslem. He said the number of top end sales in July had risen after a little movement for most of the year. His office, Ray White Batemans Bay, had just exchanged sales at $1,500,000, $980,000 and co-joined with another agent to sell their listing at $1,127,000.
DESIGNED by architect Bert Reed as a three-family holiday retreat, this series of four interlinked bedroom/sitting/ensuite pavilions is clustered around a central living space.
With bush surrounds, filtered water views and easy access to three beaches, the property sits on 1733sqm and features decks oriented to capture the best of its north and east aspects.
Address: 48 Tranquil Bay Place, Rosedale Price: By negotiation. Inspection: By appointment. Agent: Caryl Haslem, Ray White Batemans Bay, 0418 56599.
Mr Haslem said that most years had seen at least eight properties pass the million dollar mark, so a return to sales at that level was heartening.
The top end sales were waterfront and at a level that had not been seen for almost 12 months. The Malua Bay sale at $1,500,000 equalled the best price for a single property on a standard block.
Most agents in the Batemans
Bay area say they are short of listings in the popular price range being just below to a little over $300,000. With retirees’ share portfolios recovering and consumer confidence returning, Mr Haslem predicted that the inflow of sea-changers and retirees should pick up to underpin sales in the mid range being $380,000 to as high as $540,000.
�� ELLIOTT STREET - Built in 2002, this remarkable architect designed home commands an elevated position capturing city skyline and Mt. Ainslie views. Magnificent in both proportion and appeal, impressive interiors include formal and informal living spaces plus connoisseurs wine cellar, gourmet granite kitchen and palatial master suite with deluxe ensuite. The wrap-around entertaining terrace and landscaped courtyards offer idyllic outdoor options. EER 4.
Open: Saturday 11.30-12.15pm & Monday 5.15-6pm
Auction: On Site 11am, Saturday 5th September
Details: Aniko Carey 0429 487 939 4 2 2
� NEWMAN STREET - The design brief for this 300m2(approx) two storey home was to create a quiet oasis away from the chaos of everyday life and to prepare an open and light environment. Friends are amazed at how quiet the home is. The formal lounge and dining have bay window views of Yarralumla parkland and the 5.2m atrium redefines light and airy. Together with four bedrooms, master with ensuite bathroom, plus a study and a segregated rumpus area, you have the right size to spread out. EER 4. 5 2 2
Open: Saturday 1-1.45pm & Sunday 11-11.45am
Details: Christine Shaw 0405 135 009
James Larsen grew up in south eastern Victoria. Taking an early interest in the arts with his rst short lived musical experience with the Classical guitar at age 3, this quickly developed into a love of percussion and other non-guitar related pursuits. James became interested in a much broader range of music, consequently taking up the Cello at age 13. After studying with violinist Michelle Lee-Dogger then cellist Rosemary Iverson, he then moved, in 2008, to Canberra to study with Cellist, David Pereira. Although involved and interested in the full spectrum of musical styles, his focus on chamber music has developed into the most enjoyable and frequented side of his playing. James has performed on various concert stages both as a section leader and soloist including the Melbourne Town Hall, Iwaki Auditorium, Llewellyn Hall and Hamer Hall.
Hannah Spencer was born in Cooma, New South Wales, to a family of musicians. From early infancy she acquired a dogged fanaticism with harp music, and, after becoming musically literate on the piano, she began lessons on the lever harp at the age of seven, busking and playing in local functions to nance this addiction. Acquiring a pedal harp the day before her audition at the ANU School of Music, she started tuition with Alice Giles. She participated in the 2008 Australian Harp Festival, and the 2009 International Music Festival, premiering works by Elena Kats-Chernin, F.S. Kelly and Arvo Part. She performs with the School of Music Orchestra and the Canberra Youth Orchestra, and is now completing her second year at university.
