130919 citynews

Plumber Vince taps into fame

HE’S a modest plumber by day, but aspiring singer Vince Gelonese will soon swap leaky taps for a chance in the spotlight.

The 48-year-old is teaming up with Hollywood powerhouse production company Paramount, who will fly to Canberra this month to film the video clip for his debut single, “Every Dream”.

The single has been getting airplay on around 60 radio stations across America and is currently ranked number six on the “contemporary adult” chart for “Billboard”, one of the world’s most influential music media brands.

“It’s been very surreal, I don’t think it’s quite hit me at this stage, I’m still pinching myself,” Vince, of Gungahlin, says.

“It’s hard to believe that something I initially wrote sitting in my bedroom, is getting heard by people all the way on the other side of the world.”

Vince, who migrated to Canberra from Italy in 1967, has been singing and entertaining since he was 16, performing in bands and even working as an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas.

After struggling to make a name for himself in Australia he eventually hired a publicist in Los Angeles, who

managed to promote “Every Dream” to a US audience, a song Vince describes as a “pop rock ballad about

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Design and photography: Brent McDonald, brent@citynews.com.au, 0421 962 325

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Distribution: Richard Watson, circulation@citynews.com.au

Cover: Kirsty MacKinnon, Story Page 7. Photo by Daniel Spellman. Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, Level 1, 143 London Circuit, Canberra.

being happy with the person you’re with.”

Although he currently isn’t signed with a label, Vince says when his publicist set up Paramount to shoot the film clip, he was overwhelmed.

“I don’t think it’s ever too late for this sort of thing to happen, it’s better late than never, and I’ve always had a dream it would eventually happen for me,” he says.

Vince says Paramount’s producers initially wanted him to film the music video in Los Angeles, but he declined, telling them it would work better in his hometown, with Lake Burley Griffin as the backdrop.

“When I’ve visited America, not many people know that Canberra is even the capital of Australia, and it’s a place that is close to my heart, so why not do it here?” he says.

But would he give up the plumbing career and ditch Canberra for Hollywood if his success continues?

“I don’t know about the plumbing, but I’d hope to stay in Canberra for the most part as my wife and I do love it,” he laughs.

Vince is currently planning a North American tour, scheduled for January next year, and will soon launch “Every Dream” in Australia.

“Every Dream” is available on itunes.

Artistic grants

THE Canberra Potters’ Society, Craft ACT, the Multicultural Women’s Advocacy and The Street Theatre, will each receive $10,000 to support artists-in-residence programs designed to attract international and national artists to Canberra in 2014. Arts Minister Joy Burch says Craft ACT will place visual artists in Namadgi National Park and the Canberra Potters’ Society will connect with national and international ceramic artists. The Multicultural Women’s Advocacy will work with an international artist and The Street Theatre will engage an international artist to work with Canberra performers.

Information on the 2014 ACT arts residencies program at arts.act.gov.au

GG’s picnic day

The Governor-General’s Centenary Family Picnic Day will be held on her picturesque, 54 hectare property, 10am-4pm, on September 21 and is tipped to be the “largest ever event” for Government House. The program includes six hours of musical entertainment, sports workshops, market stalls, displays by an RAAF Roulette and the Australian Army’s Red Berets, a petting zoo and reptile display and equestrian mounted games, and an appearance by the controversial Skywhale. Everyone is welcome and entry is free.

New archbishop

BISHOP Christopher Prowse, of Sale, will be installed as the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn’s new Archbishop at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra on November 19.

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Lessons in power to, for and by the people

THE ACT can show the Federal Parliament a thing or two about empowering the people. Gay marriage and fair, empowering electoral systems provide just two examples.

Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, moved quickly on equitable marriage legislation. It is incomprehensible to me why some heterosexual people seem to think it will harm them when two people with a different sexual orientation who love each other wish to marry.

Michael Moore comments

The Federal Parliament can learn from the ACT about how to run empowering elections.

The major parties do not hesitate to work together when it helps to marginalise smaller parties. Together they have manipulated the electoral system for years. And now it has come back to bite them.

The advent of the so-called “micro parties” is a direct result of major parties attempting to ensure the electoral system suits themselves. The irony is that people who have been elected in a democratic manner have actually worked to ensure that more power remains in the hands of the parties than in the hands of the voters. The ingrates!

The principle that applies to the ACT legislation is simple: maximise power to the voters.

There are three major changes that work well in the ACT and should be adopted: first, optional preferential voting; second, give priority to voter intention; and, third, apply Robson rotation.

SA Senator Nick Xenophon has nailed the first, announcing legislation to provide optional preferential voting. His goal is to get rid of the stupid, arrogant preference deals that even the well-informed voters cannot hope to understand and which have been partially responsible for the rise of the “microparties”.

However, optional preferential voting should not just be limited to the Senate. To empower the voters in the House of Representatives is as important. There is not a single logical reason why someone who places three numbers in the boxes next to favoured candidates, where seven candidates are

contesting the election, should not be considered to have cast a formal vote. Under the current system there must be a number against every candidate or the ballot paper is discarded.

Xenophon’s proposal removes the above-the-line vote. It is possible to retain this easy method of voting by also applying the optional preferential system above the line. A first vote above the line would be equivalent to voting for everyone listed below the line in the order they are presented, the second preference then continuing with the next list below the line and so on. The voter would be empowered rather than the parties.

Voter intention should be paramount. The ACT Electoral Act 1992 states at Section 180: “Effect shall be given to the elector’s intention as far as that intention is clear”.

When a voter makes a mistake at their fourth or fifth preference, the ballot is not informal. The voter’s intention for the first, second and third preference is clear and that should be applied. A similar system operates in SA. The voter remains empowered. Finally, the ACT applies Robson rotation on its ballot paper so that no candidate within a party gains advantage over another. The power transfers from the party to the voter. Those casting a “party vote” have their vote distributed evenly. More informed voters then have the chance to influence which of the party members should be elected.

Labor is attempting to use a more democratic system to sort out its leadership contest between Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese. Now there is an opportunity for them, and all the elected members of the Federal Parliament, to improve our democracy. It is time to deliver a fairer and more effective electoral system.

Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health

The painful stories tattoos can tell

A local photographer is aiming to change society’s view of tattoos through

WHEN five people in her life died within the space of four years, Kirsty MacKinnon wanted to find a way to honour them.

After years of battling in silence, Kirsty decided the answer was to etch a “reminder” of each loved one on her skin – her upper left thigh to be precise – in the form of a memorial tattoo.

The phoenix bird, she says, is a “reminder every day, they are with me, I will rise up every time something ‘bad’ happens, and it’s time for me to live on for them.”

Kirsty is one of 12 Canberrans sharing the stories behind their tattoos through a photographic project by local photographer Daniel Spellman.

Often thought of as something done on a whim only to be regretted later, Daniel says stories like Kirsty’s show tattoos can, in fact, be treasured statements, memories or art.

“I’ve often heard words like ‘bogan’ and ‘disgusting’ thrown around when people look at tattoos, and many of my friends have them,” Daniel says.

“People think everyone just gets them to be cool. I wanted to show there’s more to it, that some people put consideration into their ink. The way our appearances alter how we are perceived to the outside world has always fascinated me, so it’s inevitable that I would eventually turn my lens on tattooed people.”

Daniel, 23, started the project as a third year photography student at the ANU two years ago, finding his subjects through social media or friends and shooting them in a studio at the university.

He says he was surprised at some of his subjects’ stories.

“Kirsty, in particular. At first glance some people might look at her and write her off as just a pretty blonde girl who didn’t care what tattoo she got, but she’s got this amazing, thoughtful story behind her ink,” he says.

Another subject is Dale, whose tattoo of a man with his head in his hands on his upper arm is “about overcoming psychological issues”.

Daniel says while most people who have seen the photos so far have been positive, there’s been a few grumbles.

“Some people said ‘why did you do that? Tattoos are so ugly!’ I think there’s a deep-rooted conservativeness that won’t shift in some people,” Daniel says.

“But I do hope as more people see the photos, and read the stories, it will change perceptions.”

Ironically, Daniel doesn’t have a tattoo – “I’d like to get one, but I’m just deciding on the right one,” he smiles.

Daniel’s photos will eventually be presented in an exhibition, with

a date to be announced soon, and published in a book.

More information at danielspellman.com

Let’s give Ricky a go

Let the haters from out of town mouth off, let the detractors detract, but here in Raider town, let’s give Ricky Stuart a chance, says MARK PARTON

CAN someone please explain why there are so many Ricky Stuart haters among the Raiders’ fanbase?

On second thoughts, don’t bother because the reasons that you hate this bloke are completely irrelevant now. Stuart, the legendary half back and not-so-legendary coach, is now your coach – signed, sealed and delivered.

I, for one, am pleased to see Stuart home, back in the place where he first stormed to Rugby League prominence.

In the late ‘80s-early ‘90s, the Canberra Raiders were more a fairytale than a football team. Many in Sydney saw the side as “just making up the numbers” in the NSW league in the ‘80s. But this band of young warriors took on the best and beat them; not just once, but three times. At half back, Stuart was one of the main architects of the Raiders’ golden era.

Sure, it all soured at the end and Stuart ended up with the Bulldogs, before coaching the Roosters, NSW and then the Sharks. His detractors say that he inherited a premiership with the Roosters. He’s had no such luck with Cronulla and Parramatta.

So why will it be any different coaching his old side in his home town?

I don’t know, but I believe, perhaps foolishly, it will happen. So let the haters from out of town mouth off, let the detractors detract, but here in Raider town, let’s give him a chance.

I’m happy to crucify him if we’re sitting last on the ladder at Round 19, but right now, I stand 100 per cent behind him!

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC

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For many years the Association has given cash grants to people with a disability to enable them to pursue their sport or recreational interests.

Our next round of grants are now open and we are calling for applications for grants of between $500 and $1000. Up to $5,000 will be given away in total.

Application forms and information on our grants can be obtained via our website: www.actaads.org

Completed applications or enquiries can be sent to the Secretary by email to: dca@netspeed.com.au (cc: jeff.house@veritel.com.au) or to ACTAADS, c/- 17 Gilruth Street Hackett ACT 2602

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see the models, because some of them are absolutely fantastic.”

by Brent McDonald

Full steam ahead to model ship show

By Andrew Nardi

PARADING their beautifully crafted small-scale ships, model ship enthusiasts are building excitement for their annual expo.

The Canberra Model Shipwrights Society will be kicking off the 25th annual Scale Model Ship Exhibition at the Belconnen Arts Centre over the September 21-22 weekend.

The society’s secretary, Ray Osmotherly, believes that the event will be an exciting opportunity to showcase the work of talented boat modellers from around the ACT, and all over Australia.

“We’re trying to bring the event to the public, to let them see the models, because some of them are absolutely fantastic”, he says.

A number of models have been crafted at the hands of hobbyists in the Canberra community, from groups such as ACT Scale Modellers Society, ACT Model Boats and Task Force 72. Ray believes that the expo also marks an important occasion to bring Australia’s boat modellers together.

“It really is a showpiece for the society, and the members, and to let each other see what we’re all making”, says Ray.

The exhibition showcases nearly 150 model ships, ranging from historic vessels

such as James Cook’s HMS “Endeavour” and Lord Nelson’s flagship, the HMS “Victory”, to modern Australian war vessels.

The HMS “Supply”, the oldest and smallest ship in the First Fleet, will be displayed at the expo as part of Ray’s works.

“That was the only ship that had ended up in Sydney after the first six months of the First Fleet. All of the other ships had gone back because they had been paid to do a job, to deliver convicts. That left this little thing to be the only contact Australia had with the rest of the world”, Ray explains.

He says he has been into crafting models since a young age, and his passion was sparked during his days as a schoolboy, when a caravan carrying model ships visited his primary school.

“He opened up the side of the van, and he had painted all of the background, the sea and everything, it was beautiful. After that, I started making a few models”, says Ray.

If the weather permits, some of the remote-controlled models will set sail on the high seas of Lake Ginninderra, adjacent to the centre.

The Scale Model Ship Exhibition, Belconnen Arts Centre, Saturday, September 21st from 9am-5pm, and on Sunday, September 22, 10am-4pm.

Red tape ties up choices

THERE is a lack of diverse and affordable housing in Canberra, yet the Government’s commitment to a quota of affordable homes has been thwarted by a planning regime that restricts realistic and reasonable options for renewal in established suburbs.

If we don’t improve housing choice, many older Canberrans will not be able to age within their communities when the family home becomes difficult to manage or less desirable.

The Government’s policy to increase urban infill looked poised to address this issue, but has not been matched by easily accessible planning rules to facilitate suitably designed new homes in older suburbs.

Instead, options for “right sizing” have been severely limited – forcing people out of their neighbourhoods or up into apartments.

Changes to unit titling laws and new lease variation charges, coupled with the Garden City Amendment, have limited redevelopment within existing neighbourhoods to two-storey townhouses plus basement, and have destroyed the rational dual occupancies of the past. Dual occupancy gave us low-impact housing, mostly single storey, which was financially viable and great for ageing in the community.

It was possible for people to stay in their neighbourhood and remain close to friends, shops and amenities. Dual occupancies also encouraged the replacement of outdated and oversized houses with smaller, more energy efficient contemporary homes – true sustainable and responsible development.

Add to this mix the new prescriptive requirements of Variation 306 – the latest change to the Territory Plan ostensibly framed to protect suburban character and solar access. The reality is a significant restriction on development in existing suburbs with negative flow-on effects for ageing in place and urban revitalisation.

Variation 306 has made single-level, multi-unit developments in RZ2 zones almost impossible to achieve.

Instead, two-storey buildings with basements are favoured that are much less suitable or attractive to older residents.

If the Government is serious about housing diversity and affordability it cannot ignore the storm these changes have created for our ageing community. By blindly preserving big blocks we are simply burying our heads in the backyard sandpit.

Catherine Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia

Science wonders for holiday kids Kristie’s

By Andrew Nardi

FROM the wonders of 3D printing to mechanical art, kids will have the chance to invent scientific wonders these coming school holidays at Questacon Technology Learning Centre in Deakin.

The team at the centre believes that their school holiday workshops will provide kids with a fun environment to build on their problem-solving skills, while fostering creative thinking.

“We’re trying to get kids to extend their creativity and to encompass all of the materials that they’ve got access to, from glitter, to balloons, to wood and paper cups”, says Aidan Muirhead, facilitator of the QTLC maker team.

Among the more complex creations, kids will be provided with materials to produce a Rube Goldberg machine, an activity in chain reactions. Think dominos knocking over, which activate a small robot, which then rolls a ball down a ramp, which then puts out a candle’s flame.

“It’s an idea to create an incredibly complicated contraption to complete a simple task, and we often end up with contraptions all around the room”, Aidan said as she demonstrated the outcome of a multi-stage Rube Gold-

berg, a small robot turning on a 3D printer.

Aidan says the QTLC team will be helping kids along, and providing helpful feedback to refine their ideas and creations.

“It’s completely up to the kids. We just say, ‘you can use any materials we provide’. If they’re unfamiliar with drills or saws, we’re here to give them those skills, so they can keep working”, she says.

The school holiday workshops will

run in half-day, “byte-sized” workshops from October 1 to 4, and in a four-day intensive workshop beginning on October 8. They are aimed at young people aged 10 to 15, however parents are more than welcome to join in.

The Questacon Technology Learning Centre is located in Deakin. Bookings and information from 1800 889995 or email qtlc.bookings@questacon. edu.au.

to fight world hunger

By Stephen Easton

AT the end of September a group of 16 Canberrans plan to walk up Mount Kosciuszko, which would be a fairly mundane exercise, except that they’re starting from the centre of Canberra.

So instead of a few cheerful hours trundling up the short and mostly flat path from the top of a chairlift at Thredbo, or a much longer day’s hike up one of the steeper routes, this will be an eight-day, 240km odyssey.

“We only camp two nights,” says busy mother of two Kristie Szabo, a public servant who is doing the same walk for the third year in a row. When she set off in 2011, it was her first overnight bushwalking experience.

“There are farm stays all along the way,” Kristie explains. “We have a support vehicle as well so we don’t have to carry a full pack; we have daypacks, and the support vehicle goes from place to place.”

The Canberra to Kosciuszko hike is part of an international charity event, hike4hunger, which is run by an NGO called The Hunger Project to attract donations and remind us about the mind-blowing extent of hunger in the world.

The latest estimate by the UN World Food Programme put the number of hungry people at 870 million, down slightly from 1.023 billion in 2009.

The human consequences are staggering as well. Somewhere around 25,000 people

die from hunger every day, about 15,000 of them children, and about half of all the deaths of children under five, worldwide, are caused by inadequate nutrition.

“The biggest reason why I do this charity is because they actually empower women,” says Kristie, who met the founder of the hike4hunger, Simon Lewis, on the 2011 walk.

“So, they look at educating and empowering women in these countries and they believe that women are the key to helping resolve [the problem of] hunger, so it’s not that they’re going in and just giving them the money to feed them. We’re giving them the resources to empower themselves.”

For more information about the hike4hunger, and to sponsor participants such as Kristie, go to hike4hunger. com.au

State Super Financial Services

Heading south, for

STATE Super Financial Services (SSFS) celebrated the official opening of its second local office in Woden this week, following a period of expansion in the financial advisory firm’s local customer base.

By extending its reach southwards, SSFS now has the capacity to deliver expert financial advice – particularly in its specialty field of superannuation – to more of Canberra’s current and former public servants than ever before.

Tamara Cutcliffe, executive director of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, ACT Division, was there to offer congratulations at the new office in Corinna Street on Monday afternoon, as SSFS managing director Michael Monaghan did the honours.

“We have been established in Braddon for over a decade and the office opening in Woden is about increasing our commitment to the Australian Public Service and the level of service to our existing clients, while extending our capacity to serve new clients,” Mr Monaghan said. SSFS specialises in providing retirement advice

for members of public sector “defined benefit” super schemes, and as of July this year was responsible for managing more than $12 billion for over 53,000 clients nationwide.

“Our aim is to share our expertise in advice for defined benefit scheme members, supporting our members through the decision-making process during events such as retirement or redundancy and maximising their entitlements,” the managing director explained, adding that local demand had increased over the past year, leading to a recruitment drive.

“We’ve gone from 21 to 32 staff in Canberra and many of our new recruits are Canberra locals,” Mr Monaghan said.

“We remain committed to expanding our network of offices throughout Australia as part of our goal to ensure people in local communities have access to specialised financial advice.”

SSFS regional manager Judy Brown said she was excited to be overseeing the operations of the new office.

“I am delighted to be working with a client-centric, thriving and dynamic company here in Canberra,” Ms Brown said.

Haurat,

“The opening of a local office reflects the importance that SSFS places on providing accessible and quality financial planning advice to current and former defined benefit scheme members.”

State Super Financial Services is located on Level 1, 10 Corinna Street, Phillip and at 86-88 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon. Call 1800 502 100 for Woden, 1800 028 918 for Braddon or go to ssfs.com.au

Nichole picks her Mark

CELEBRATED Formula One motor racing legend Mark Webber will be

as guest of honour for the launch of author Nichole Overall’s glossy new book “Queanbeyan – City of Champions” to mark the town’s 175th anniversary.

Mark Webber… guest of honour.

Champions indeed, Nichole has inveigled some of the city’s great names – including squash legend Heather McKay, Rugby League’s David Furner, former Wallabies David Grimmond and Peter Ryan ; diplomat and scholar Allan Hawke ; playwright Tommy Murphy and the Australian Ballet’s Dimity Azoury – to be at the VIP launch at the Airport International Hotel on Thursday, September 26.

Whale of a time at Gunning festival Dorin draws comfort from the past

CC’s heart leapt at Sabine Friedrich’s splendid photo of what first looked like the hated Skywhale on fire.

Alas, no. The multi-breasted Centenary hot-air balloon was making a static appearance at the amazing Gunning Fireworks Festival on Saturday night for a display reckoned to be second only

THERE are more than the obvious victims when it comes to political turmoil and a change of government. Pity our poor cartoonist Paul Dorin , who

to Sydney’s New Year’s Eve. Thousands gravitated to the local showgrounds, amid a carnival atmosphere of food, music, rides and children’s entertainment, to watch two hours of intermittent “trade demo” fireworks from Gunning-based pyrotechnician Martin Brady before an awesome 20-minute finale.

resorted to what he does best, to lament the loss of a couple of his best subjects, former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard

Scary scarecrow

THE Enviro Expo attracted many colourful and strange creatures over its two days at the Queanbeyan Showground, but none stranger than Queanbeyan East Public School’s Class 3B scarecrow named “Out of this World”, which was the winner of the schools’ scarecrow competition. The class was judged to have demonstrated the best use of recycled materials, including the use of old trampoline springs, rubber gloves, a rusty old stand, an old broom and egg cartons.

I’m home!

JUST what Canberra’s battered public service needs – a Go Home on Time Day, on November 20.

Described as a light-hearted way to start a serious conversation about work-life balance, the annual national initiative of The Australia Institute and beyondblue presupposes one has a job from which to return on time from.

The working classes can register by uploading their workplace logos at gohomeontimeday.org. au to get a resource kit. Like we need a kit to knock off on time!

‘Goner’ rises

AN indestructible Scottish friend of CC was rushed to Canberra hospital in the throes of a heart attack early the other morning. On being wheeled from the ambulance and awaiting attention, he closed his eyes only to overhear one of the paramedics grotesquely tell another: “Looks like he’s a goner!” The medical view begged to differ and he is now back home.

Playhouse premiere

OUR humble Playhouse is the venue for the east coast premiere of acclaimed WA author Tim Winton’s latest work “Shrine”, starring TV actor John Howard , best known to the couch classes for “Packed to the Rafters” and “All Saints”. Needless to say the world premiere was in hometown Perth. The Playhouse season is September 26-29.

Bec’s sustainable skills of living thriftily

THIS year Floriade has a bit of a radical streak, with a lot of “home and garden” ideas presented as ways to take action at a local level in response to big global challenges, such as cutting pollution and taking food production back from the hands of big business.

People all over Australia are rejecting the fast-paced, disposable way of life, where convenience conquers common sense, especially in terms of what they eat, where it comes from and how much food they waste.

Among them is Bec Pollock, who will be teaching Floriade visitors all about a relatively new social movement she is a part of called “urban homesteading”, a kind of renaissance for thrifty ideas that were commonplace in Australian homes only a couple of generations ago.

“It’s about doing things for yourself and your family to provide essential elements like food, or maybe crocheting your own dishcloths, making your own beer or sewing, and then sharing it in the community,” she explains, as she shows “CityNews” her extensive backyard food crop, chicken run and beehive.

“It’s a hobby, really,” she says. “I think more and more people are doing it because they are dissatisfied with the food industry or they feel like they’ve been sitting at a computer all day, and they want to go home and do something real.

“I used to call it ‘old lady skills’ until I heard the term ‘urban homesteading’; a lot of it’s stuff my grandma used to do.”

Once you have your own backyard minifarm like Bec’s, you have to do something with all the food that’s produced, or your effort is literally wasted. The answer is preserving, a key skill for any urban homestead that Bec will be explaining at her Floriade presentation called “Preserving the Harvest”.

Stephen Easton

reports

“It’s an introduction, so it covers some basic techniques like dehydrating, bottling, pressure canning and lacto-fermenting, which is becoming a bit more popular these days.”

Lacto-fermenting, she explains, is the process used to make sauerkraut, sourdough bread and the Korean condiment kimchi, using lactobacilli, the same good bacteria found in yoghurt.

Bottling is the simplest, but only works for naturally acidic foods such as tomatoes and most types of fruit, resulting in things such as pasta sauce, chutney or jam. All you need is a big pot of boiling water and some empty jars.

“If you want to do other vegetables and meats like I do, you have to use a pressure canner,” says Bec.

“It is a pretty big piece of equipment and it’s got gauges and clamps and that sort of thing all over it, and it’s not super cheap yet, either. I did the regular bottling for about three years before I graduated to the pressure canner, not that you have to do it that way.”

Bec is well aware that not everyone can put as much time and effort into urban homesteading as she does, and that not everyone finds it as much fun, and says she’s got a range of tips for people who lead busy lifestyles, too.

As for Bec and her husband, who has been practising with a bow-and-arrow and plans to soon try hunting feral animals for meat, she says it’s mainly about a feeling of “resilience”.

“If my husband lost his job or one of us got sick and couldn’t work, or the food prices went up, we’d be okay. Those sorts of things are important to us.”

Floriade runs until October 13 in Commonwealth Park. More information at floriadeaustralia.com

Individual tutoring programs for specific needs – new centre in Weston

The Apps Learning Centre (TALC) helps children with learning difficulties at the appropriate developmental level.  Individual programs are developed with both parents and students to set goals and work towards achieving positive and realistic outcomes.

TALC specialises in helping children with dyslexia, ASD, ADHD, mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours.

TALC also can design Behavioural Intervention Plans to help accommodate children in mainstream classrooms.

TALC now offers both North Side and South Side locations

For Weston email: mapps@theappslearningcentre.com For Ainslie email: Nicole@theappslearningcentre.com 0412 544 173 www.theappslearningcentre.com

What if there was a bank that believed in prosperity for the many, not just the few. A bank that used its profits to benefit customers and their communities, not share market investors. That offered you a competitive alternative for your banking. A bank that you owned, just by being a customer.

At Beyond Bank Australia, there is another way to bank.

If you want more from your bank and more for your community, simply

or visit beyondbank.com.au

arts & entertainment arts in the city Stranger, stronger than fiction

By Helen Musa

DIRECTING documentary films, it seems, requires a subtle mix of diplomacy and hard-nosed investigation.

I’m talking to filmmaker Juliet Lamont by phone from Sydney. She’ll be in Canberra to do the Q&A on the opening night of the groundbreaking documentary film festival, “Stronger than Fiction,” running at Palace Electric Cinemas from September 26-29, curated by Deborah Kingsland and Simon Weaving.

Lamont’s film, “Miss Nikki and the Tiger Girls”, traces the rise and rise of Myanmar’s (Burma) first girl-band, set against the background of a puritanical military regime. Stranger and stronger than fiction, indeed.

When her friend Nikki told her on Facebook that she’d just started a girl-band, Lamont and her photographer partner set off for romantic Burma, armed with very small hand-held camera equipment secreted into their cabin baggage.

A bigger problem was that the singers felt threatened by the military government. At that time no cleavage was allowed in the costumes and no political content in the songs.

The girls weren’t standard revolutionaries, she says, they just wanted to sing pop and R&B and “shake their stuff”. But they were revolutionary in one respect – they wrote original music that had been entirely banned under the military regime.

“It was a quantum leap forward to use their own life stories in their songs,” Lamont says.

“There was a lot of love stuff, but what was transgressive was when the girls talked about the

realities of being poor.”

Lamont’s film is strong and strange enough to bring film audiences in, but the documentary film festival gets even more alluring.

Showcasing a dozen films shot in eight countries, it will feature a documentary “pitching” contest for aspiring filmmakers, where local filmmakers have one minute to pitch ideas for documentary films to a panel of guest producers. It concludes with “Glow: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling” on Sunday, September 29.

Kingsland, a documentary-maker herself, says it takes courage to make cutting-edge feature docu -

mentaries. “For ‘The Boy Mir’, Phil Grabsky went to Afghanistan once a year for 10 years, while the crew of ‘Call Me Kuchu’ shared the life-threatening world of gay rights activism in Uganda,” she says.

And there’s a local film. “Gandhi’s Children”, by Canberra director David MacDougall, tells a story of homeless boys living in a shelter in New Delhi. He’ll also hold a Q&A after the screening of his film.

“Stronger Than Fiction” Documentary Film Festival 2013, September 26-29, Palace Electric Cinemas, bookings and program at palacecinemas. com.au/cinemas/electric

Where paintings walk out the door

THE annual spring exhibition of the venerable Artists’ Society of Canberra is on at the Albert Hall until September 22. Expect to see paintings walk out the door as eager Canberrans snaffle up a landscape or two.

JUST about as venerable is the Canberra Potters’ Society, whose 2013 Members’ Exhibition is running at Watson Arts Centre until September 30. This year’s judge is Suzanne Wolfe from the University of Hawaii, here for the ANU School of Art’s print and clay symposium.

LOCAL “J-Pop” girl group RubyIce – twin sisters Courtney and Brittany Menegon, from Queanbeyan – are all the rage. The pair were in the semi-finals of “Australia’s Got Talent” last year and you can see them at the big 175th birthday party on September 28 in Ray Morton Park, Queanbeyan, from 5pm-7pm, before the fireworks.

STRATHNAIRN Arts has a long association with the Emerging Artists Support Scheme and is showing works, until September 22, by 11 ANU graduating students from 2012. They are ceramicists Marg Alexandra, Jo Victoria and Liz Crowe; glass artist Sara Hellsing; drawing artist Amanda Herzman and sculptors Sabrina Baker, Roger Jillard, Maria Kunz, Janet Long, Stephanie Mangos and Haeli Van Veen.

THE combined Canberra Grammar Schools’ wind ensembles will perform for the fifth year in a row in a Wednesday “Lunchtime Live” concert at Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, 12.40pm1.20pm, on Wednesday, September 25. No bookings needed.

BUNGENDORE Wood Works Gallery opened in September, 1983, so is celebrating until November 6 with a speculative exhibition called “Next”, featuring work by 30 designer-makers and artists.

ISRAELI virtuoso Ilya Konovalov and his trusty Stradivarius are the next guests of Selby & Friends in the NGA‘s James O. Fairfax Theatre, 7.30pm on September 24. The program is named “The Kreutzer”, which means the highlight will be Beethoven’s Violin Sonata in A major, Op.47. Bookings to selbyandfriends.com.au or 1300 511099.

arts & entertainment cinema

Winton’s new play takes to the road

By Helen Musa

WHILE novelist Tim Winton was bumping around the back roads of WA, he was struck by that fairly recent Australian phenomenon, the roadside shrine, the scene of tragic accidents often involving speed and alcohol.

Winton’s third stage play, “Shrine”, was inspired by those increasingly common memorials to young lives tragically taken, says director Kate Cherry, from WA’s Black Swan Theatre.

Newly premiered at the Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth, it will be seen at the Playhouse soon in the first professional production of a Winton play to be performed in Canberra.

“It’s the third time I’ve collaborated with Tim on a play,” Cherry tells me by phone from Perth. “Before this we’ve done ‘Rising Water’ and ‘Signs of Life’ – it’s been truly lovely collaborating with him.”

Winton, of course, is closely associated in the minds of Australian audiences with Neil Armfield’s seminal production, adapted

by

Nick Enright and Justin Monjo from his novel “Cloudstreet”.

There is one link between all three plays, in the collaboration between Winton, Cherry and the actor John Howard (not the politician).

Winton starts from the point of view of the character Adam, the father of Jack, who wipes himself out driving back to Perth from his parents’ beach house.

Howard plays the father and Paul Ashcroft plays Jack, who is a visible character and a palpable force in the play as his family come to terms, or not, with his death,

The set, designed and lit by Trent Suidgeest, has surrealistic elements, so that parts of an old car become a living room. The floor is made of bitumen, which becomes a beach, a road, a car park and a beautiful sea.

Just as you get with some of Patrick White plays, to which she likens Winton’s play writing, “there’s a moment of transcendence, a suggestion of how people might emerge from their suffering, or at least survive”.

“Shrine” by Tim Winton, at The Playhouse, September 26-29, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Cate presses right buttons

By Dougal Macdonald

“Blue Jasmine” (M)

WERE I a betting man, I’d lay a few bob on Cate Blanchett at the 2014 Oscars for her portrayal of a New York socialite wife expelled from her comfort zones when the law terminates her wealthy property-developer husband Hal’s (Alec Baldwin) fraud and swindles.

Left penniless after his suicide in prison, Jasmine flies first-class to her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) in San Francisco. Woody Allen’s witty and perceptive screenplay focuses on Jasmine’s inability to come to terms with her changed social, emotional and financial environments. Blanchett’s performance is simply superb, pressing the right buttons of Jasmine’s character at every turning in her life.

Guiding the film deftly through a balanced mix of angst and humour, Allen once again confirms his standing as a master of cinematic freshness and dramatic inventiveness.

At all cinemas

“R.I.P.D.”

(M)

WRITERS Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi postulate a branch of the Boston Police Department to which cops killed in the line of duty are assigned to the task of ridding the after-world of really bad guys.

This is a different notion from the traditional heaven where good guys rest In peace and hell where bad guys suffer eternal discomfort.

When Nick (Ryan Reynolds) arrives at RIPD office after having been murdered by colleague Hayes (Kevin Bacon), the Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) teams him with Roy (Jeff Bridges) who for nearly two centuries has brought a tradition of rough and ready Western justice to the work. From there, “R.I.P.D.” is pure vanilla fantasy with visual graphics embellishing a straightforward crime action plot leading to a conclusion that will surprise nobody.

At Dendy, Hoyts and Limelight

“Mood

Indigo” (M)

FROM Boris Vian’s novel “L’Écume des jours”, writer/director Michel Gondry has devised a film blessed with charm, beauty, quirkiness, fantasy, love, existentialism, invention and surrealism.

The French title translates as “Foam of Days”. Make of that what you will, but not without first seeing the film. Gondry tells the story of playboy Colin’s (Romain Duris) love for Chloe (Audrey Tautou) whose life is threatened by a water lily growing inside her chest.

If you saw “The Intouchables”, you will remember African actor Omar Sy. In “Mood Indigo”, playing Colin’s lawyer, chef, chauffeur and good friend, he’s a delight to watch.

Presenting a gently compelling narrative of Chloe and Colin, it has unexpected power.

At Capitol 6 and Palace Electric

Fuller versions of Dougal Macdonald’s reviews are at citynews.com.au

arts & entertainment

Fine singing from opera’s rising stars

By Clinton White

WHEN interest in opera is enjoying a global resurgence, it is surprising the National Aria, this year called the Centenary Aria, attracted only a small audience to Albert Hall to enjoy some fine singing by our rising stars.

Even more unfortunate was that the field of 14 competitors dwindled to just five, thanks to the ravages of flu and laryngitis.

Warm, fuzzy and upfront

YOU know you’re in a warm and fuzzy restaurant when you read “our story” on the menu. And in the case of Santa Lucia, the story is about Caterina and Francesco Catanzariti, who came here from Calabria in 1956 intent on leading a wonderful life and sharing with Australia their passion for homemade, traditional Italian food.

The menus feature endearing family photos, covering three generations, and sweet images from “back home”.

Wendy Johnson dining

Alla Diavola” ($29.50), marinated and grilled in a classic combination of truly Italian flavours –garlic, wine, lemon and chilli sauce.

Nevertheless, we were treated to some well-known arias from operas such as “Tosca” and “La Bohème”. There even was a lovely aria, perhaps more like a folk song demanding a good deal of vocal dynamics, range and control, from a 1955 American opera, “Susannah” by Carlisle Floyd. Sydney-based singing teacher, Dr Jean Callaghan, made the adjudications and was brief but sincere in her praise of all competitors. She wasted no time to announce that the in-demand Canberra soprano, Sonia Anfiloff, had won first prize and $5000, with Brisbane soprano, Monique Latemore, taking home $2000.

Next year the Australian National Eisteddfod Society celebrates 60 years in the business.

Canberra should celebrate the part it has played in launching many a fine international performing arts career. But it’s also a good opportunity for society president, Paul Barsdell, and his committee to refresh and renew, and perhaps modernise its approach and policies in relation to these very important competitions.

Santa Lucia was in Kingston for many years before moving to Swinger Hill (where it still operates). And then the opportunity presented itself to re-open in Kingston, on the corner of Tench and Giles Streets. I’ve been several times and recently discovered that the Kingston location has live music the first Saturday of the month. A nice touch… but I have to say that my experiences at the “new Kingston” have been hit and miss, unlike my many experiences in days gone by at the “old Kingston”.

Still, I can make several recommendations, including the delicate carpaccio di salmon, thinly sliced, melt-in-your-mouth salmon marinated with garlic, salty capers, tangy lemon and quality olive oil. It’s a sensational dish ($14.50 for small, $21.50 large).

Also from the antipasto section is prawns, garlic and a kick of chilli cooked in olive oil ($17.50).

And for mains, I can vouch for the “Spatchcock

DVD winners

WINNERS of the three boxed sets of “The Thick of It” are: Heather McMillan, of Greenway; Daniel Higginbottom, O’Connor and Lindsay Hermes, Farrar.

The dishes at Santa Lucia are generous, indeed. You won’t leave hungry, although I couldn’t finish my pasta on my first visit. Sadly, it was overcooked and the peas didn’t look or taste fresh. On this recent visit, my slow-cooked meat still needed more time in the oven and the fat should have been better trimmed. The flavours were fine, but I couldn’t finish this dish, either. And the friend who sat beside me had a tortellini from the specials board, with pancetta. At first she was delighted with the flavours, but it all became too salty about half way through.

What I can say is that Santa Lucia manages customer concerns exceptionally well. There is no shying away from a potential problem (I was not charged for my meal). And I admire the restaurant for that. Too often I’ve been in establishments where the staff just say: “Thanks for your feedback” and then walk away with no resolution.

The wine list at Santa Lucia is decent enough and features an imported Italian range. Two options fall under “champagne” – Jacobs Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir and the Italian Riccadonna Asti. And although I rarely indulge, I drool at the thought of one day trying my favourite Italian dessert of all time – tiramisu.

Santa Lucia, corner of Tench and Giles Street, Kingston. Call 6295 1813.

gold creek / advertising feature

Go wild and experience Gold Creek

BIRDS, lizards and snakes all have something in common: their ancestors were dinosaurs! During a spring day out at lively Gold Creek village, you can actually meet them all face-to-face (even the dinosaurs).

Up close and personal with birds

A TRIP to Canberra Walk-in Aviary at Gold Creek involves strolling through about 1000 square metres of gardens filled with about 500 birds from over 50 different species, both natives and their beautiful cousins from overseas.

Visitors can spend a few hours in the colourful company of freeflying wrens, finches, doves, quail, pheasants and parrots, including cockatiels, budgerigars and every type of Australian lorikeet.

Owner Mick Logan says the crowd favourite is the big flock of rainbow lorikeets that flash around the spacious enclosure.

“They’re obviously very bright but it’s also their personalities; they’re pretty outgoing and boisterous,” he says.

You can even take a young lorikeet or cockatiel home with you for a new pet, as long as the aviary has some that are old enough.

“We give you a small plate of apple and some of the birds will come and take the food from you,”

Mick explains. “It’s an interactive experience with the birds and it’s suitable for all ages. We get people from infants right up to... well, the oldest was 101.”

Babies are fascinated by all the squeaks and squawks, bright colours and flapping of wings, and the aviary is a safe environment where slightly older kids can run around and have fun.

“It’s a rewarding and interactive experience,” Mick says. “Some of the birds will come and land on you, but others are more interested in having a taste of what you’ve got to offer than interacting with you.”

Canberra Walk-in Aviary, 13 / 26 O’Hanlon Place, Gold Creek Village, Nicholls. Call 6230 2044 or go to canberrawalkinaviary.com.au

Where the dinosaurs roar

ALONG with the birds in the Walk-in Aviary and their cousins in the Reptile Zoo, a trip to see the animals at Gold Creek is not complete without seeing their ancestors at the National Dinosaur Museum.

The museum, which celebrated its 20th birthday this year, is home to Australia’s biggest dinosaur collection and since its current board of directors took over two years ago, the group of natural history experts and enthusiasts have put a lot of work into making the place come alive, to entertain and educate like never before.

“One thing that’s changed is we’ve introduced animatronic dinosaurs that move, roar and breathe,” explains manager Richard Mancuso. “Now we’ve got more than 50 life-like models, 12 of the animatronic ones and over 50 full skeletons and skulls on display.”

Very soon, the museum is getting a new skeleton of an awesome beast called a stegodon, which looked a bit like an elephant but was much bigger and had absolutely enormous tusks.

“It’s 25 feet (7.6 metres) long and

12 feet (3.6 metres) high, and it will be part of a new ‘Ice Age’ feature,” Richard says.

The collection also includes megafauna, which are giant prehistoric animals that lived in Australia more recently than dinosaurs, and fossils of some of the earliest forms of life ever discovered.

However, fossils are not the only fascinating treasures from underground to be found at the National Dinosaur Museum.

“We’ve also got the largest collection of gems, minerals and fossils in the region, including a lot of rare specimens and museumquality material available for sale, everything from inexpensive gifts through to items for the most serious collectors,” says Richard.

The Canberra Walk-In Aviary is a huge privately owned walk-in aviary where the friendly free flying birds can be observed, photographed and fed. The Walk-in Aviary’s owners developed the aviary as a way to enjoy and share their extensive collection of feathered friends. It is our mission to allow people to interact directly with the birds. Visitors to the aviary walk amongst approximately 500 birds representing 50 different species from Australia and around the world.

• 10am to

(last

Zoo doubles reptile attractions

A LOT has changed in the past year at Canberra Reptile Zoo and it’s bigger and better than ever, according to part-owner Peter Childs.

Peter took over the zoo with Antony Pezzella and Karen Williams, who have been doing reptile shows around town for years with Reptiles Inc. at local schools and events such as Floriade.

“We already had our own animals to add to the collection, so we’ve more than doubled the number on display,” he says. “We’ve got a lot of new animals, including new types of goannas and more crocodiles.”

They’ve given the zoo itself a major facelift as well, and brought in volunteers so there are always plenty of reptile lovers around to explain all about its cold-blooded inhabitants, and introduce visitors to some of them in person.

“There’s a different feel about the place,” says Peter, explaining that the zoo has more than 60 species of reptile on display, nearly all of them Australian.

Just in time for the school holidays, the Reptile Zoo is opening a new outdoor activity area where

kids can run and play amid lifesize statues of a large saltwater crocodile, a water buffalo (crocodile food) and a komodo dragon.

According to Peter, meeting a few pythons and baby crocodiles up close is the best way to learn they aren’t as scary as most people think.

National Dinosaur Museum, on the corner of Gold Creek Road and the Barton Highway, Nicholls. Call 6230 2655 or go to nationaldinosaurmuseum. com.au

“The main function of our centre is to educate people on reptiles of Australia because we feel they’re very misunderstood,” he says.

“People fear reptiles and venomous snakes irrationally and we want to help them understand these animals are not out to kill you; if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.”

Canberra Reptile Zoo, 29 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls. Call 6253 8533 or go to canberrareptilezoo.com.au

Joanne Madeline Moore

your week in the stars / September 23-29

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

It’s Equinox week (when day and night are equal) plus the Sun shifts into the sign of Libra. So it’s time to bring more harmony into your busy world. Try to make your professional/personal life more balanced plus - in relationships –strive to get the ratio right between giving and taking. On the weekend, calm cooperation will get you a lot further than feisty fireworks!

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Your greatest asset is your Taurean tenacity, so use it to your advantage. But remember there’s a fine line between being persistent and just being plain stubborn! Friday’s Venus/Jupiter trine is fortuitous for love, work, travel, finances and friendships. If you have to make an important decision, gather as much relevant information as possible. Knowledge is power.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Twins love to chat but can you walk your talk? This week’s stars encourage you to pluck creative ideas from the thought plane, and then put them into practice in the real world. Be inspired by Bruce Springsteen (born on Sep 23) “Talk about a dream, then try to make it real.” Wednesday and Thursday are your best days as you communicate, network and multi-task to the max.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Crabs can be slow-moving and over-cautious but Jupiter gives you a fantastic energy boost on Friday, so don’t waste it. Make time to do the things you love – like cooking, gardening, craftwork, DIY projects or having a relaxing massage. On Saturday, try approaching an old problem in an innovative new way. Confidence is the key to a successful week.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Lions love to be waited on and pampered (manual labour and daily chores definitely aren’t your favourite things). But this week, if you’re not pulling your weight at home, then family members (or housemates) will be quick to point out your shortcomings. Perhaps it’s time to re-negotiate the domestic roster, as you get your hands dirty and some sweat on your brow?

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

The power of the group is on your side as you chat and collaborate; mix and mingle. But avoid being uncharacteristically hasty - if you take short-cuts, then you’ll just end up having to do everything twice. Thursday and Friday favour communication, commerce, sales, education, research and all forms of social media. With your finger on the pulse, you’ll be unstoppable!

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

The Sun shifts into your sign (until October 23) so it’s time to sparkle and shine. Work worries will (temporarily) fly out the window, as Venus and Jupiter bless employment opportunities and workplace relations. Utilise your substantial Libran charms to get where you want to go. Others are taking notice of what you’re doing so make sure you’re putting on a good show.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Saturn is sending obstacles your way (and challenging your Scorpio sanity) but hang in there! As birthday great F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote: “Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” Trying to coerce or control others could lead to confrontation on Friday, so step back and reassess the situation. Use your powerful Pluto energy to influence people in positive ways.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Your positive attitude and sunny smile make you extra popular this week. So it’s a super time to socialise, network, entertain or call in an old favour. Be inspired by Sagittarians like Bruce Lee, Walt Disney and Tina Turner, who have influenced others via their talent, energy, enthusiasm and powerful personalities. The weekend is fabulous for catching up with family and friends.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Use the power of your clever Capricorn mind to work smarter, rather than harder. But don’t believe everything a well-meaning neighbour or relative tells you – they may be way off the mark. And is it time to give a fair-weather friend the flick? It’s important to surround yourself with people who boost your confidence; promote your talents; and encourage your dreams.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Many Aquarians will receive a welcome professional boost via a promotion, bonus or new job … but you don’t get it for nothing. The pay-off is longer hours; more stressful working conditions or extra responsibilities. If you’re not in paid employment, you may be approached to do some volunteer work. Make sure it’s something you’re really passionate about.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Dynamic Mars is shining a bright spotlight on your daily routine. Are you spending too many hours sitting on your Piscean posterior? Perhaps you could do some research on stand-up desks, or slot more exercise into your schedule? It’s a wonderful weekend to spend some quality time with a child or teenager… but a financial matter may head off in an unexpected direction.

what?

12 What are the studs on the soles of football boots, etc?

14 In Scandinavian folklore, what are those entities said to inhabit subterranean dwellings?

18 In sports, what is another term for a play-off?

21 Name the art of folding paper into particular shapes

22 Which term means matter-of-fact, or prosaic?

23 Which country is poetically called the Emerald Isle?

24 Orlon is which type of fabric?

25 Name a deep red transparent gem

Down

1 Geronimo was the chief of which American Indians?

2 Which term describes no-man’s-land?

3 Which river flows by Taree NSW?

4 What is a particular building attached to a church?

5 What is the yellowish brown colour of resin?

6 To be not of the same quantity, etc, is to be what?

7 What is a large sink installed in a laundry?

13 Name the scale used to express the magnitude of an earthquake

15 What do we call one who has withdrawn from business, or active life?

16 Which team won the AFL premiership in 1966 (2,5)?

17 To play merry pranks is to do what?

18 What is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet?

19 Name an outer Sydney suburb, postcode 2158

20 What is a means of determining the presence and location of an object?

STAYING AHEAD OF THE ‘FINANCIAL’ CURVE

It’s the same story everywhere – people want to get ahead, to make their mark, to stay ahead of the curve. In business as in life, there are critical survival skills and then there are ner attributes that will enable you to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

The real winners and losers of the recent federal election won’t be known for some time and much speculation exists about what will happen to Canberra businesses under the new government. However, there is one thing we do know -- “BE READY!”.

Why? Because the e ects of changes in government policy are generally lagged and not fully felt by businesses for 12 to 18 months following the change. How do you prepare? Consider reviewing critical issues, like:

• Finances: what amounts and types of nance might you need to maintain the status quo, and/or grow responsibly?

• Insurance: do you have adequate and appropriate insurance coverage?

• Staff: who are your key staff and is your staff mix appropriate for the type of work you are generating now and into the future?

• Record keeping: is everything up to date? Are your accounts (particularly debtors) up-to-date and do you have your tax arrangements in order?

We are often asked to assist businesses that have not properly considered one or more of the above issues and have found that, had earlier action been taken, in many circumstances the problems now being faced by the business owner(s) could have been either avoided or mitigated.

At Kazar Slaven we are actively involved in business reviews, helping owners to refocus on their goals and rebuild resilient enterprises. Contact one of our experienced team to nd out how you can bene t from over 100 years of local knowledge from Canberra’s largest independent business reconstruction rm.

Creating Sustainable Gardens

Glenbog Nursery and Landscaping

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THIS month Queanbeyan marks its 175th birthday and among the celebrations is the opening of the Sensory Gardens in Ray Morton Park, near the Riverside Park, at 1.30pm on Saturday, September 28.

They are all very well maintained year round, along with an excellent city-wide tree planting and maintenance program.

The city’s birthday celebrations, all centred in and around Ray Morton Park on September 28, will include an historical transport parade led by HMAS Harman personnel in a special “Freedom of Entry Parade”.

was a partnership between the council and the Richmond Fellowship. The tiles are the work of many of the Richmond Fellowship clients, young people experiencing social and behavioural challenges and long-term unemployment.

40 Dacre Street, MITCHELL, ACT, 2911 Phone: (02) 6242-7033 Fax: (02) 6242-7040

Right now, the council’s Parks and Recreation staff are putting the finishing touches to what I understand was the idea of councillor Trudy Taylor.

The raised stone walls and wide paths provide wheelchair access to all areas of the garden. A wide variety of small trees, shrubs and perennials have been planted to enhance the senses of sight, touch and smell. These include lavenders, geraniums, rosemary and a variety of herbs.

Mayor Tim Overall said recent additions to the gardens included some amazing sculptures and hands-on musical instruments and a series of Aboriginal totems by the Ngambrii people would be included.

Two unique structures, or I should say works of art, by the council’s Alan Neal include the designer gate, in which he used old farm and garden tools to reflect the hard work of the early pioneers and his large free-standing metal design entitled “Clayton”.

A series of specially handcrafted ceramic tiles are embedded on the top of the walls. The idea

I would like to congratulate Tim Overall and the Queanbeyan City Council and, in particular, the Parks and Recreation staff. The city has more than 50 parks, the largest being Riverside Park.

Jottings…

• If you are selling your home, please don’t cover your gardening sins of neglect and weeds with a layer of mulch.

• And real estate agents take note: a “fully landscaped garden” is not a patch of lawn with a tree in the middle!

• Unless you have decided where to put new plants, stop buying them. I visit gardens with dozens of plants sitting around in pots for, sometimes, years. Then I am asked for planting ideas but by then they are totally root bound!

• As we go into spring, look out for the logo of possibly the best range of perennial plants in Australia grown by Plant Growers of Australia, the Victorian company that supplies almost every garden centre across the country. I use their plants almost exclusively in our garden because of their excellent quality. For Cedric’s and his clients’ gardens, only the best will do!

The beer war has turned into a beer crusade!

11.30am | 28th September 2013 Exhibition Park Canberra

Over 30 breweries attendinG | TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MOSHTIX