Dancers samba to the Rio Carnival Summer starts to bite
WITH feathers, glittery costumes and fake tans in tow, a group of Canberra dancers will fly to Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro in February for the city’s iconic Carnival Parade.
Eight dancers from Phillip samba studio Kokoloko will dance front and centre on a float in the parade, as part of a two-week tour package for samba schools around the globe.
Kokoloko owner and dancer
Becky Fleming says the festival is the “absolute pinnacle of samba”.
“I think we’re eight of around 12 dancers in Australia going – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any dancer to be in Carnival and to represent your country and we’re thrilled most of us are from Canberra,” says Becky.
“Whenever anyone thinks of Carnival, they immediately think of the dancers, so we’re just amazed to be a part of it, especially as some of our girls are in their first year of
Laura Edwards reports
dancing with the studio.
This is the first time they’ve let the tour groups on the floats, so everyone’s feeling really lucky.”
Becky says the Kokoloko girls will dance for about an hour on their float, in front of as many as 850,000 tourists who descend on Rio for the five-day festival.
The dancers plan to wear “extravagant costumes”, with feathery headpieces and red and blue glittered bikinis.
“It takes dedication to get ready, you’ve got to put on the fake lashes, the glitter, the fake tan,” Becky says.
“If you see the dancers there, some wear little more than body paint – but that definitely won’t be us!”
While in Rio, the group will also take dance lessons with experienced Brazilian “samba queens”.
“They’ll teach us different styles of samba, different show moves and tricks that we can bring back and use with our dancing, to help
us better ourselves as dancers,” says Becky.
“We’re learning from the best – there’s nothing better than learning from samba queens in Brazil itself.”
Dancer Georgie Maguire, 19, has been dancing with the studio for four years and says appearing in the Carnival has “always been a dream”.
“I’ve never been to Rio, and I still can’t believe we’re going, I’m just counting down the days now,” she says.
“This will be an amazing opportunity to learn about the Brazilian culture.
“We’ll be on such a high dancing, I think we won’t even notice if our feet start hurting from our heels!”
RIGHT: Rio-bound dancers, from left, Sian Willoughby, Becky Fleming and Georgie Maguire…
“I still can’t believe we’re going, I’m just counting down the days now,” says Georgie.
Photo by Andrew Campbell
Since 1993: Volume 20, Number 1
Arts & Entertainment 16-17
Canberra Confidential 15
Exhibitions 12
Family Fun 12
Fashion 14
Gardens 19
Horoscope 20-21
Jumbo Crossword 22
Letters 9
Movies 16
News 3-13
Sport 12
Cover: Rio trio. Story above.
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THE heat is on after a slow start to summer and it’s likely to continue, according to Sean Carson from the Bureau of Meteorology’s Canberra office.
Carson says last year was the capital’s second-hottest year on record and he expects the trend to continue this year.
“Over Canberra’s history, we’ve had 11 days when the temperature has exceeded 40C and out of those, seven have occurred in the last five years.”
With January typically the hottest month of the year, it’s likely we’ll see another 40-degree day or two before the season’s out.
“In terms of rainfall over January, we’re expecting close to the average,” says Carson. “There’s no strong signals for either particularly wet or particularly dry conditions at the moment.”
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Fragile start to nun’s brave story New look, new roof
Laura Edwards reports
WHEN Mick O’Donnell stumbled across a fragile set of newspapers dating back to the 1920s, a peculiar headline struck him: “Former Nun Sues Bishop”.
“I originally found them in a drawer at a friend’s house which used to be a presbytery – they were left behind from whoever owned the place last, so they must have meant something to someone,” says Mick.
The sensationalism of the headline, together with a lingering intrigue, inspired the Canberra author to write his second book, “Betrayal: The Curse of Father Patterson”, loosely based on the 1922 trial of former nun Bridget Partridge and Bishop of Wagga Wagga Joseph Dwyer in the Supreme Court of NSW.
The self-published novel is a fictional account of what happened leading up to the trial, which in real life, saw the young Ms Partridge attempt to sue Bishop Dwyer for wrongly deeming her “insane” and issuing a notice for her arrest after she escaped from a Victorian convent.
“The elements of that time really drew my attention, I thought ‘how could this have happened?’” says Mick, who spent 18 months writing the novel, reading court transcripts
and visiting historical buildings in Sydney. “Three-quarters of the book is leading up to fictional possibilities as to why she left
the convent, and I had to change the names. I really imagined what it would be like in Sydney back then.
“It was extraordinary, some of the commentary from this trial – this was a time where women had no decision-making power, and they saw this former nun as an example of them, being suppressed and crumpled by the Catholic Church and now standing up for herself. So they packed into the Supreme Court, and it was mostly women in there supporting this girl.”
Mick “had fun” changing the ending – the real trial ended with Ms Partridge losing her case against Bishop Partridge, which “wasn’t surprising” in those days, he says.
“I grew quite attached to the nun, she’s the heroine in the story, and the last bit is how I imagine it ended – it’s my version of how it could have ended, without giving too much away,” he says.
Mick believes if transferred to today, the trial wouldn’t have been the media sensation it was back then.
“Unless you found something like those old papers, you’d say: ‘Oh that’s nice, ho hum’, because back then a young woman suing a powerful male bishop was huge,” he says.
“There’s trials now that are media sensations that perhaps people could read in 50 years and do the same thing as I did – be drawn to it and write a story years and years later.”
“Betrayal: The Curse of Father Patterson”, $25, available from Paperchain Bookstore, Manuka.
A LEAK-proof roof and new trading spaces are the New Year promises for the Old Bus Depot Markets, which opens for its 20th anniversary year on Sunday, January 12.
“We are so pleased to be kicking off the New Year with works underway for our new leak-proof roof,” said director, Diane Hinds.
“We’re receiving the roof from the ACT Government, who wish to enhance our lovely old heritagelisted building.”
The market will continue trading through the building works. Traders will also be located inside the Fitters’ Workshop as well as the new Lakeside Gallery.
“The addition of these areas will give the market a fresh appeal in 2014, and reacquaint our visitors with some stalls they may have previously overlooked,” Diane said.
More information at obdm.com.au
“I look around me at my damp rat hole the sides and roof of which are lined with sandbags … the lower bags are green with mildew and the upper ones up near the sun and air are sprouting grass … one simply notes these things, fear of death having left one.” David Harford of the 51st Battalion describes in his diary the conditions in the trenches at Pozières in mid-October 1916
The Fitters’ Workshop… part of the market.
Duffy author Mick O’Donnell with old newspaper clippings he found that led him to write his latest book.
Photo by Gary Schafer
Canberra kids get snapping!
We’re looking for the best kids’ eye views of our centenary year. We want to capture children’s perspectives on Canberra in 2013. The photographs could be of people or places in Canberra, people enjoying Centenary of Canberra events, or photos of art works you may have created at school to celebrate the centenary. The competition is open to children up to 12 years of age living in the ACT.
are now open!
Visit www.canberra100.com.au for information on how to submit your entry. Entries close 17 January 2014
Hidden glimpse of local,
JUST past Queanbeyan, where the road to the coast cuts back into the ACT for a few kilometres, a collection of historical gems remains hidden to most Canberrans behind a locked gate on the southern edge of Kowen Forest.
There are at least 12 historical sites in the little Glenburn Creek area, providing tangible links to the first British settlers of our region and insight into how much Australian society has changed since the old days.
“There certainly was quite a vibrant little community here,” explains Col McAlister, an amateur historian who leads drive-and-walk tours of the Glenburn and Burbong area a few times a year, and has agreed to show “CityNews” around.
The area flourished, he says, after the 1861 Robertson Land Acts let poorer people buy land, rather than live under the thumb of wealthy landowners such as the Campbells, the Scottish aristocrats who owned the massive Duntroon Estate.
One site Col shows us is the crumbling stone ruins of the Colliers’ Homestead, which
Stephen Easton reports
half-stands where it was built, probably by the Campbells on land they didn’t own and couldn’t buy under the Robinson Laws.
“The far room at the end has no internal access,” Col points out. “There was a tradition that if you turned up at a farmhouse, you would always be given accommodation for the night, but in some places, to protect the young children, you only had external access.”
A roughly hewn stone’s throw away is a pile of rubble that used to be Curley’s Hut and at nearby Coppins Homestead, the chimney and fireplace have survived, while only a few scattered bricks remain from the school, established in 1882.
When Kowen Forest was planted in the late 1920s, these remnants of life in the 1800s were not old or rare enough to justify saving.
“We’re lucky that this area, which was originally called Dirty Swamp, was not suitable for pines; that’s the only reason some of the things that are here are left,” says Col, who has lobbied the ACT Government to fund preservation of the area since 2005 and helped form the volunteer group Friends of Glenburn in 2010.
The group was thanked for their countless hours of labour over the last few years by Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury, who joined them recently to plant two pine trees at Glenburn Homestead, an amazing brick-and-wood cottage that sits beside another made of pise de terre, or “rammed earth”.
Another site is a tumbledown shearing shed: built in the 1860s, extended over the years and still in occasional use, despite looking ready to collapse at any moment.
Then there is the tiny graveyard where sixyear-old Elizabeth Colverwell and her five-yearold sister Margaret were buried in 1837 after both tragically drowned.
“There’s a lot of stories about where they drowned,” says Col. “People say either here or in the swamp or even down at the Molonglo River, which is about four clicks away, but I’m convinced they drowned here, and their home would have been about 20, 25 metres over there.”
Col believes their parents Luke and Mary – the Kowen area’s first settlers in 1831 – lie beside them in unmarked graves, along with their sister Eliza, who was born in 1835 and died in her early twenties.
The graves are what sparked McAlister’s advocacy for the heritage area.
Amateur historian Col McAlister at the ruin of the Colliers’ homestead… “We’re lucky that this area, which was originally called Dirty Swamp, was not suitable for pines; that’s the only reason some of the things that are here are left.”
Photos by Brent McDonald
colonial history
A tumbledown shearing shed built in the 1860s and still in occasional use, despite looking ready to collapse at any moment.
In March 2005, he wrote in the “Canberra Historical Journal” of “The Case for Urgent Action” to look after them, pointing out that the oldest marked European burial sites in the ACT – older than most in the region including any in Queanbeyan’s Riverside Cemetery – were lying face-down, neglected.
“The ‘Queanbeyan Age’ took up the challenge,” says Col, explaining that the newspaper’s mini-campaign added to his persistent letter writing until eventually, meetings were held and budgets rearranged.
“Since then, it really has been a fantastic effort and they have found some money,” he says.
“The Parks Service in the last five years has done an absolutely magnificent job, with the help of the Friends of Glenburn and the National Parks Association, and we’ve also had the horticultural school from CIT involved, and the Surveyor-General of the ACT helping us with historical maps and surveys. It’s a real group effort that’s done a lot in the last five years.”
Access to Kowen Forest can be arranged through Canberra Connect.
Col McAlister’s drive-and-walk tours are arranged semi-regularly. For more information, email cvmac@grapevine.com.au
first aid
How to get through road shock
HERE are some helpful tips about assisting at a road accident from the Red Cross, which says every family and car should have a basic first aid kit.
SHOCK is one of the most common conditions associated with road accident trauma, says Red Cross National First Aid, Health and Safety adviser, Dan Coad.
“When approaching the scene of an accident, always remember the basic life support process,” he says.
D – check for danger
R – check for response
S – send for help (000)
A – open the airway
B – check for normal breathing
C – Start CPR
D – attach an automatic external defibrillator as soon as possible and follow the prompts
“It is common to find one or more people involved in an accident to be suffering from shock. To determine if someone is in shock, look for restlessness or irritability, nausea or vomiting, drowsiness, confusion or loss of consciousness; or pale, cool or moist skin. If you believe someone is in shock call for help immediately” says Dan.
“Dial 000 and provide the operator with as much information as you can including your exact location.
“As you wait for help to arrive leave the injured person lying flat, control any external bleeding, try to prevent them getting chilled or overheated, and do not give them anything to eat or drink. The most important thing you can do is to provide comfort and keep them safe until assistance arrives.
“If you find someone with a head injury, call 000. Ask them to rest and apply a cold compress to the injury if you have one. Common signs of concussion include blurred vision, loss of consciousness, headache, confusion, no memory of the incident and dizziness.
“Also check for any clear fluid or blood coming from the ears or nose as this will indicate a serious head injury.
“If the person starts to become confused or drowsy, or vomits, move them into the recovery position, wait for the emergency services to arrive and continue to observe them. Always make sure that the person’s airway is clear and they are breathing normally.
“A first aid kit should be an essential item in every car.”
The tiny graveyard where six-year-old Elizabeth Colverwell and her five-year-old sister Margaret were buried in 1837 after both tragically drowned.
Located in O’Connor, Chelsea Village is a boutique development designed to encapsulate what it means to live in the heart of the inner north. Featuring recycled Canberra red bricks, a communal vegie patch for residents, a 12,000L water tank and all just minutes from Braddon’s Londsdale Street.
• 23 apartments
• 1 & 2 bedroom apartments
• Located on Macarthur Avenue in O’Connor
• Communal vegie patch for residents to share
• Walking distance to O’Connor & Lyneham shops
• Minutes to the Braddon and the Canberra city
OUR local daily rag seems to have ignored any substantive comment from the community regarding the recent remuneration tribunal recommendation on giving MLA’s a substantial pay rise.
The recommendation shows just how out of touch the tribunal is when making its recommendations in the face of the small pay rises under CPI, AWE and military and superannuation pensions.
A murder most fowl Tribunal is out of touch
MIKE WELSH is counting his chickens and avoiding lawyers
SEVERAL months ago my backyard chookhouse had a midnight visit from nasty Mr Fox.
Daybreak revealed this heinous henhome invasion had wiped out 50 per cent of my flock. I was left with two seriously traumatised and unproductive chooks who, after a couple of months, had yet to yield a single egg between them. So I purchased four more birds and put the non-producing pair on notice.
Anticipating I may have to lop the head off one or both in the near future, I needed a practical method of separating them from the flock without isolating them. It’s impossible to buy plastic leg rings in Canberra, so I delicately dabbed a small dot of nail polish on one leg of one chicken and on both legs of the other. Without the expertise in tinting and tone of a nail technician, I’d flamboyantly chosen OPI’s Passion Pink.
The new chickens began producing sooner than expected. Each day we gathered four small eggs and about every five to seven, a fifth and much larger goog appeared in the box.
At this point I wasn’t sure if the larger weekly offering was from one of the “painted ladies” or both. With no time to observe the nesting routine, I tossed a coin.
The old chook with both legs painted lost the toss and was now “dead chook scratching”.
Unable to bear the thought of a chook losing its head for not doing what most chooks do, lay eggs, a friend offered to adopt my middle-aged hen and retire her to the peaceful sanctuary in her vast backyard. However, this is where things began to unravel. Within 20 minutes of arriving at her new home the non laying hen, laid an egg!
Then came the texts:
Her: Matilda killed Pom Pom and now Matilda is depressed.
Me: Who is Pom Pom?
Her: My chicken.
Me: Okay, who’s Matilda?
Her: Your chicken.
Me: Now I’m depressed.
Pom Pom had been with the family for a long time. My haughty hen just struts in, takes over and slays the incumbent. Will there be litigation? Was I negligent in knowingly giving custody, to an unqualified person, of an undiagnosed “non-laying” hen.
Had I mitigated Pom Pom’s murder by failing to fully prepare Matilda for early retirement and pushing her over the edge?
I have no legal training but “actionable” is one legal term which may yet interrupt my sleep. By recklessly “retiring” the wrong chook had I willfully (getting used to this legal jargon) exposed the tranquil harmony of a retirement backyard to a murderous fowl? I simply don’t know. Nor do I need to know the forensic detail of the method by which Matilda did Pom Pom in.
The fate of the other “painted lady”, the now confirmed non-layer? Due to legal advice I am unable to answer. The astute among you would have noted the almost total absence, in this yarn about chooks, of corny poultry puns, apart from the headline. There is a reason for this rare discipline. A serious and sensitive treatment of this tragic tale may be my saving grace should this case get to a court of law.
This is an edited version from Mike Welsh’s blog “Mockery of Shockjockery, thoughts of an ex radio shockjock”.
summer buzz / advertising message
Genelle finds her willpower
GENELLE Carter, pictured, says she lost 17 kilograms in only seven months through the holistic Curves Complete Program.
“I joined Curves on May 4, 2013, after making the decision to lose weight and improve my fitness,” says Genelle. “In the past, I had lacked the willpower and motivation to accomplish this goal on my own, but I found a lot of good support tools in my first coaching session.”
Genelle says Curves appealed to her because she could easily incorporate the 30-minute workouts in her daily routine, and enjoyed the delicious recipes in
her personalised menu plan.
“I quickly found my new routine of four workouts a week together with the meal plan boosted my energy levels and overall wellbeing, and I saw results immediately, which inspired me even more,” she adds.
“I love feeling healthy and fit with increased energy levels. ”
Call 6251 1111 or go to curves.com.au
These so-called “independent” remuneration tribunals always recommend rises which are orders of magnitude above those awarded to ordinary people and, to add insult to injury, recommend them to those who waste huge amounts of taxpayer’s money on pet causes like same-sex marriages which fall within Federal responsibilities.
The proposed pay rises start at around 11-12 per cent, which is in the same order of magnitude as those proposed for British parliamentarians that same week and which British Prime Minister, David Cameron, said was “simply unacceptable”.
Mr Cameron even went so far as to imply abolishing the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, something we should also consider seriously for our own State, Territory and Federal tribunals if they do not couch their recommendations to suit prevailing community norms rather than the excessive remuneration packages of many of our bankers and captains of industry.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
The rolling pins unite!
IN response to the Canberra Confidential column item “Branch off to hospital” (CN December 12), we want to tell your readers that recently the Canberra Branch and the Canberra Evening Branch members, as volunteers giving our time to help the community, brought their rolling pins to the same table for a charity bake-off.
Over the years, the two branches have come together at the CWA Barry Drive clubroom and enjoyed each other’s company while cooking for a local charity event.
All four Canberra-based CWA branches, including our northern branches at Belconnen and at Gungahlin, combine on many occasions, to provide service to our community.
Ria Webb, secretary, Canberra Evening Branch and Terry Vaughan, secretary, Canberra Branch
Write to us
Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at GPO Box 2448, Canberra 2601.
Ainslie Pilates & Yoga Centre
JANUARY
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS IN
• Introduction to Pilates Circuit Classes
• Introduction to Stretch & Mobility Classes
• Mat classes to suit all levels of experience
Private & Semi Private Equipment Pilates
Phone: 0414 496 015 or Email: ba-jenkins@hotmail.com Level 1, 1 Wakefield Gardens Ainslie ACT
Filipino Language School of Canberra
• Children Classes in Gungahlin and Erindale
• Adult Conversational Classes in Civic
• Adult One-on-One Tutorial for any dialect available upon request
T: 0450 263 468 E: canberra.filipino@gmail.com
W: www.filipinolanguageschool.org.au
Supported by the ACT
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The top hits and clicks news
“The case for keeping Julia” – May COLUMNIST
Robert Macklin’s argument for keeping ill-fated Prime Minister Julia Gillard in power was our clear frontrunner for most popular article of 2013.
At the time,
whispers about a leadership spill were becoming louder and a month later, Kevin Rudd regained Labor leadership. Some commenters were vocal in their disagreement with Macklin, while others were grateful for a pro-Gillard article in the face of the media’s overwhelming criticism of the then-PM.
“Movie returns to the scene of the crime” – February
THE 1997 murder of ANU student Joe Cinque at the hands of his girlfriend Anu Singh still continues to intrigue Canberrans and a film, set in the capital, is due to start production early this year. In February reporter Laura Edwards sat down for an exclusive interview with its director, Sotiris Dounoukos, who chatted about his fascination with this compelling case.
“Coffee comes with a warm glow” – May
WHEN it re-opened in 2013, the Civic bookshop, bar and venue
Smith’s Alternative created a stir, even more so when it started “suspended coffee” – where
Tattoos, political warfare and suspended coffee were among our most popular news stories for 2013, says LAURA EDWARDS, who’s been looking back on last year
customers elect to pay for two coffees and receive only one in return, so another customer short on change can have their free caffeine-fix. Reporter Kathryn Vukovljak discovered Canberrans are a pretty generous bunch, and after readers warmed to this story, other local cafes quickly followed suit.
“How Rudd will win the election” – July
THE Federal Election was no doubt one of the most talked about Australian news events of 2013, and in the lead-up, political columnist Michael Moore caught readers’ attention by going against favourite Tony Abbott, instead tipping dark-horse Kevin Rudd to continue leadership. Believing Abbott’s negative politics would backfire at the election, Moore obviously got it wrong in the end, but it proved a polarising piece for readers.
“The painful stories tattoos can tell” – September TATTOOS are known to divide opinion, but our September cover story by Laura Edwards uncovered a deeper meaning behind Canberrans and their ink, thanks to photographer Daniel Spellman, who shot more than 12
summer buzz / advertising messages
inked-up locals, including our cover girl Kirsty MacKinnon, who had a memorial tattoo etched on her thigh to reflect on the deaths of people close to her.
“CityNews” columnist Wendy Johnson’s food reviews were also among the most popular stories, with reviews of new Braddon eateries 86 and Autolyse creating the most buzz.
MEANWHILE, here are the top five articles published only on citynews. com.au
Men wanted after string of Civic assaults – November
After a string of violent attacks in Civic, a group of young men caught the public’s attention when police released photos of the alleged culprits.
CCTV footage of Woden bag snatch – March
Described as a “low act” by police, this article showed a woman snatching a bag from an elderly lady, which was made more popular when the public continued to share the footage on social media.
Police concerned for teenage runaway – July
The public were clearly concerned for this 15-year-old runaway, who was luckily reunited with her family.
Police search for missing boy – August
Another popular article that showed the concern of the community was that of a missing 12-yearold autistic boy, who was also later found safe and well.
Community CPS rebrands – July
Reporter Stephen Easton’s story on Community CPS’ move to rebrand as Beyond Bank Australia proved popular online; and was the only noncrime related story in the top five.
Special dance workshops Help with New Year goals
THE latin and hip-hop specialists at Subsdance are running summer workshops from January 13 to 18, featuring a special guest who has danced for international touring stars and worked as a choreographer on all three seasons of “So You Think You Can Dance Australia”, after previously working on “The X Factor” and “Australia’s Got Talent”.
“Her name is Tiana Canterbury, and she’s a dancehall and afro style dancer, but she’s also an expert in funk and latin styles like salsa,” says Subsdance director Kate Ticehurst, who has been dancing in Canberra
for more than 15 years and set up Subsdance about three years ago, helping to introduce Brazilian samba locally.
“The workshops are open to everyone, and then shortly after that the Multicultural Festival will be on,” says Kate.
Subsdance is also running special samba classes at Merici College in January for anyone involved in the Multicultural Festival’s Carnivale parade. No experience is required.
Call 0404 687806 or go to subsdance.com.au
IF it’s your New Year’s resolution to get fit, start by setting a realistic goal and then when you achieve it, keep setting the bar a little higher. That’s the advice of pilates instructor, martial arts expert and massage therapist Brett Jenkins, from Ainslie Pilates and Yoga Centre.
“People often say they want to lose a certain amount of weight in the next 12 months, then they get three weeks in and see they won’t get there, and they lose a lot of motivation,” he says.
Ainslie Pilates and Yoga Centre
runs group classes from beginner to advanced level, as well as private and small-group sessions tailored the meet each person’s specific needs.
“You get up one morning and try to do something you remember doing in your 20s and you can’t, or you end up with an injury because the body has lost its ability. One of the things we do is help people recover that ability,” says Brett.
Ainslie Pilates and Yoga Centre, Ainslie Shops. Call 0414 496015 or email ba-jenkins@hotmail.com
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STEPHEN EASTON has compiled a guide to boredom busters in Canberra over the summer holidays…
FAMILY FUN
The National Dinosaur Museum at Gold Creek has 30-minute guided tours between 11am and 2pm during the school holidays.
From January 13-17 and 20-24, the National Museum of Australia is holding “Young Masters”, where children can create their own collage masterpiece, inspired by the “Old Masters” of bark painting whose work is currently on display at the museum.
EXHIBITIONS
The Old Bus Depot Markets has a Christmas focus on the weekend of December 21 and 22, and antiques and collectibles take over on January 12 for the first “Portobello Road” special event of 2014.
All summer long at Questacon there’s “Measure Island”, an adventure through a jungle-themed world with Archy and his dog Cubit, which aims to get kids aged 8-14 thinking about the science of measurement.
SPORT
THERE’S always a lot on over summer for sports fans, including plenty of live action in Canberra featuring national and international stars.
On January 16 our champion baseballers the Canberra Cavalry begin a four-day clash with the Perth Heat at Narrabundah Ballpark. The match-up involves four separate games (normal in baseball) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm, and on Sunday at 12pm.
In basketball, the Canberra Capitals have three home games early in the New Year. The Caps take on the Adelaide Lightning on January 11 at the AIS Arena, followed by a showdown with the West Coast Waves at Southern Cross Stadium in Tuggeranong on January 18.
January 14 sees the Prime Minister’s XI play the old foe England in a day-night match at Manuka Oval, and our local women’s soccer team Canberra United will be doing all they can to find the net when Adelaide United come to McKellar Park on January 19.
ON STAGE
EVO Health Club director Jason Barry says nothing is left to chance at the high-tech gym, which is based at the Hotel Realm in Barton.
“Using the results from your body composition, strength and aerobic assessments, we create a customised workout program that ensures you get maximum results for your effort, builds on your strengths and addresses your weaknesses,” Jason says, explaining that the customised workout pro -
gram is then downloaded on to a personalised “TGS key”.
“You insert the key to start the training equipment and it guides you through your session, providing feedback on your technique and execution, just like a personal trainer,” he says. “In addition, a special reporting function gives your instructor all the information they’ll need to evolve your workout.
Call 6162 0808 or go to evohealthclub.com.au
YOU have until January 27 to check out “Roy Lichtenstein: Pop Remix” at the National Gallery of Australia, and until 16 February to see “25 Treasures from the Parliament House Art Collection” exhibited right where they belong, at Parliament House. Arc Cinema at the Film and Sound Archive has lined up a highly unusual collection of movies that passed Australia by for the “Blink and You’ll Miss Them” film festival, which runs until February 28.
The National Portrait Gallery’s photographic exhibition “Elvis at 21” ends on March 10 and so does “Mapping Our World: Terra Incognita to Australia” at the National Library, which brings together historical charts, atlases, globes and the like from around the world.
The National Gallery of Australia has treasures from the people who lived in Peru before Spanish colonisation on display until April 21 in “Gold and the Incas”, and “I’ve Been Working On The Railway” tells the stories of the Torres Strait Islanders, South Sea Islanders and Aborigines who laid Australia’s train tracks in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s at the National Archives until May 5.
Two exhibitions at the National Museum of Australia offer rare insights into Aboriginal culture until July 20: “On Country: Connect, Work, Celebrate”, which explains how traditional knowledge about land and sea management is blended with modern technology and research, and “Old Masters: Australia’s Great Bark Artists”, which shows off the museum’s large collection of bark paintings, one of the world’s oldest continuing art traditions.
TWO mega concerts featuring female vocalists both come to town on January 18. Celtic Woman is on at the Royal Theatre, featuring Irish singers Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe and Susan McFadden accompanied by violinist Máiréad Nesbitt, and Jessica Mauboy brings her “End of the Earth” tour to the AIS Arena. If the silly season wasn’t quite silly enough, comedian and best-selling author David Sedaris will be wise cracking live on stage at the Canberra Theatre on January 22, for one night only.
THERE are sure to be a few bargains around when Lellow Kids, the boutique store for babies and young children, holds its own “Secondhand Sunday” on February 2. There’ll be all kinds of clothes and shoes from the world’s highest quality brands that other kids have grown out of, along with face-painting to keep the little ones happy as their parents peruse the
fun fashions. For those who can’t find what they’re looking for in the secondhand section, Lellow is also holding a sale at the same time, with new spring and summer stock at up to 50 per cent off the normal price, including a fantastic range of toys.
129/24 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6162 1272 or go to lellow.com.au
The callous start to our Centenary story
The Commonwealth Government took no prisoners when it resumed private land to create the Federal Capital Territory, writes STEPHEN EASTON
IN the celebration of local history that was Canberra’s centennial year, little was said about the callous treatment of the rural folk whose homes were swallowed up by the Federal Capital Territory.
“Canberrans tend to assume that this city came without a human cost,” write Greg Wood and Brian Maher in the “Canberra Historical Journal” (October, 2009) but, as their article explains, the creation of the new capital caused “profound economic, social and family dislocation” for the ACT region’s pioneers.
At first, local people assumed only good things would come from the new capital, but they soon saw the Federal Government’s policy on dealing with the Territory’s future residents would be “you get what you’re given”.
The problem was the inconsiderate way the new Australian Commonwealth acquired private land, taking decades to complete the process and paying far less than the properties were worth.
Of course, the policy made sense on paper but its implementation proved very unfair on the landholders, who included some of the battlers who’d been helped into land ownership by the NSW Government’s 1861 Robertson Land Acts.
Then there was the fact that nobody living inside the Territory would be represented in local, State or Federal government (in fact, despite living at the political centre of a democracy, it actually took until 1948 for ACT residents to get a voice in the House of Representatives, with “full representation” in 1965 and a senator in 1975).
Nevertheless, the early settlers stood up for themselves, forming the Federal Territory Vigilance Association in 1911 and taking their concerns straight to the Federal Government in Melbourne.
The Association petitioned and lobbied for years, meeting with two Prime Ministers, one Treasurer and two Home Affairs Ministers, including a very unsympathetic King O’Malley.
They eventually won a few minor concessions and some sympathy from top bureaucrats and politicians, but in the end they just had to get over it.
In the “Historical Journal”, Wood and Maher quote a young Master Shumack, who noted bitterly that “one law for the big man [and] another for the small man now operated”, with larger landholders able to negotiate higher prices, often using threats of legal action.
Wood and Maher conclude that the com -
munity of about 1500 people was “fractured and disbanded”, just as the Aboriginal community had been 80 years before that.
“They all got a raw deal,” says Maher, a retired Catholic priest whose historical and religious contributions earned him an Order of Australia Medal, and who just so happens to be the grandson of the Vigilance Associa -
tion’s plucky president, Jeremiah Keeffe.
“I never knew him; he died in 1932 and I was born in ‘36,” he explains, immediately dashing our hopes of hearing grandpa’s stories about standing up to “The Man”.
“He hobnobbed with all the big guns – the Campbells, the Craces – but he was just an ordinary small farmer who’d had an educa -
tion,” says Maher. “He’d had two years in high school at St Joseph’s College in Sydney, so he was a capable man; he was a smart cookie, apparently.”
He points out that the poorly handled land acquisition process did not affect enough people to become a big issue.
“They were voices in the wilderness, really. [World War I], I think, would have taken over a fair bit of the public interest in them.”
Their experience of the uncaring Commonwealth having left a sour taste, most chose to give up and move on rather than buy a new 99-year lease on their former land.
“You see, the feeling was they didn’t want to be under the Government’s thumb,” says Maher.
“They all wanted to get outside the new Territory.”
ACT Shadow Heritage Minister Alistair Coe says he learned of the Vigilance Association a few years ago, doing research for his maiden speech, and notes how little has changed in the relationship between citizens and government.
“These pastoralists were understandably cautious about the Commonwealth Government potentially nationalising their land and they were strategic in their efforts to ensure that the process was managed properly,” says Coe.
“The challenges of how governments consult, provide information and appropriately compensate people adversely affected by their decisions are still relevant today.”
Author Brian Maher… “They all got a raw deal”. Photo by Gary Schafer
fashion
EVER buy a dress, wear it a few times then banish it to the back of the closet after getting a hankering for something new?
Introducing the versatile “loop” dress, designed by Canberra’s Gemma Jameson and Francesca Altenburg of label 4 minutes 33, which can be transformed five different ways in seconds with a slight adjustment. Fashion writer LAURA EDWARDS gives it a test run.
Look 1:
Laid-back and loose
WITH its loose fit, this look has a more casual feel than the rest. Extremely comfortable, I’d throw it on for a lazy Sunday barbeque or the beach. To accessorise, I’d cinch the waist with a thin black belt, and complement the laid-back tone with a pair of flats.
Look 2:
An LBD with a twist
THIS is an interesting take on the Little Black Dress, with the draped detail showing off the animalesque print. This look would be perfect to wear to a social occasion for something a little bit different. You could even wear it to the office, with a form-fitting blazer and black pumps.
Curves Jamison
Address: 8 Bowman St, Jamison ACT 2614
Phone: (02) 6251 1111 Curves Weston
Address: Brierly St, Coolemon Court Shopping Centre ACT 2611 Phone: (02) 6288 8333
Look 3:
Soft and flowing
THIS look highlights the middle of the frame, while the side panels flow softly to hide any lumps and bumps. Although it was billowy, I didn’t feel swamped. To balance out the draping, I’d wear with sky-high heels and colourful accessories.
Look 4:
Subdued versatility
THIS look shows a hint of the pattern beneath, coming through to the bottom of the dress in graceful drapes. Because of its dark colours, this look could transcend to winter worn with black tights and ankle boots.
Look 5:
Effortlessly chic
THIS was probably my favourite way to wear the dress, as it had an effortless elegance to it, as if you’ve just thrown it on. Wear to create the perfect “in-between” look when the invite says “lounge suit.”
LOSING WEIGHT EASY
Curves Gungahlin
Address: 92 Phyllis Ashton Crt, Gungahlin ACT 2912
Phone: (02) 6255 5916
Curves Queanbeyan
Address: 4/183 Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW 2620
Phone: (02) 6299 0344
Curves Wanniassa
Address: 25 Sangster Pl, Wanniassa ACT 2903
Phone: (02) 6296 7415
Loop Dress, 4 Minutes 33, $240, from Assemblage, Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Hair by Elvira Tanfara at Antons, Civic.
Canberra Confidential
In search of the secret sling...
CC has just experienced first hand the bureauractic doughnut, in which a simple enquiry goes the full circle without ever being answered.
See if you can follow this: TAMS puts out an effusive press release extolling the virtues of New Year’s Eve at the National Arboretum.
So we send them a gentle enquiry wondering why the department’s media resources and implied endorsement of the ACT Government are available to a contract caterer staging a profit-driven event on New Year’s Eve.
Amid the blah-blah response is the revelation that the arboretum “will receive revenue” from the event.
Well, that is interesting; so back we go to ask what’s the revenue-sharing arrangement, how much will they get from the NYE knees-up and what is the arboretum, given it is publicly owned, budgeting to receive over the year from this arrangement?
Suddenly, the commercial-in-confidence card is played, no figures forthcoming and we have turned the full circle and none the wiser. But like rust, CC never sleeps!
Guess who I just ran into...
“CITYNEWS” snapper-at-large Silas Brown’s global odyssey has landed in India and, with characteristic nonchalance, he sent back this photo to our Civic nerve centre captioned only: “It’s a small world”, having bumped unexpectedly into holidaying ACT Property Council poobah Catherine Carter
Sad ‘Times’, for Jack
“CANBERRA Times” editor-at-large Jack Waterford’s address to the local Society of Editors’ Christmas knees-up turned the evening into something of a downer. According to a dining snout, he started well with some punctuation jokes, but fell into a morass of misery about the future of his beloved paper, revealing publicly for the first time that it is sub-edited in NZ and confirming that the classified advertising is taken by a phone room in the Philippines (so much for local jobs). He predicted the paper would outlive him, but not by much. Given Waterford is at the door of his seventh decade, CC thinks he may be being overly optimistic.
dose of dorin
Up close and personnel
AND we start the year with another dopey sign. This one is at a formerly beautiful now progressively derelict site in North Canberra that insists: “All visitors must”. We don’t disagree, so we suggest “...be able to spell better than us”.
HERE are the winning submissions from the latest annual “Washington Post” contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words:
Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.
Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.
Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.
Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up on to the roof and gets stuck there.
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Josh thrives on the evil Uncle Scar
“I WANT to play it for real,” actor Josh Quong Tart says of his role as the evil Scar in “The Lion King”, now running in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre.
He has the lion’s share of the drama in this newly-staged, “home-grown” version of the world’s most popular musical that grew from the Disney animated film, and it’s no accident.
Spare a thought for former NZ rugby player and professional singer, Nick Afoa, who plays the hunky young prince lion, Simba. He’s the nice guy, but as all theatrical pros know, audiences prefer the villain.
The mastermind of the show, the overall director Julie Taymor, knows it, and recently wrote: “Scar is a more active force in the
drama… and has a wider range of emotions.”
Associate director, John Stefaniuk, who has staged the new Australian production, says: “Josh Quong Tart came to the table with such wonderful ideas about the character.”
Quong Tart concurs modestly, also agreeing with Stefaniuk that “The Lion King” is “like a Shakespearian play” in its scope. Indeed, the very idea of the evil Uncle Scar was lifted straight from “Hamlet”.
“It’s not a carbon copy of anything… I’m approaching this like I’d approach a play, asking
Would you like to watch those old family videos once again, or listen to your favourite records on CD?
We can take your vinyl records or cassette tapes and put them onto CD and we transfer VHS tapes onto DVD.
who? What? Where? When? Why?” he says.
“That way, every night it’s fresh, and it gives the show real longevity.”
He plays the conniving, ambitious, psychologically-twisted lion that plots to take over the throne and yet delights the audience with ironical quips, just like Richard III.
But Quong Tart, familiar to Canberra audiences from his appearance in the 2012 “Wharf Revue”, refuses to play it just for laughs.
“He’s terrifying and, yes, he’s fun… that’s why, as an actor, you have to do all the psychology,” he says.
This has been a unique experience for Quong Tart – it’s a spectacular production, with colourful new costumes conjuring up the savannah and the raw ferocity of the
jungle, brilliant puppetry of many kinds, dance drawn from places as far apart as Africa and Bali and music, authentically African songs and the famous film numbers by Elton John and Tim Rice.
But to Quong Tart, the uniqueness lies in the fact that it’s just about the most multicultural cast in the world, with performers drawn from Australia, NZ, Ghana, Zimbabwe, China, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Brazil, the US and, most strikingly, South Africa.
“The Lion King”, Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Wednesday-Sunday until further notice. Bookings to 1300 558878 or lionking.com.au
summer buzz / advertising messages
New treats of the silver screen
DOUGAL MACDONALD
previews the latest summer holiday movies
Opening January 9
“The Monuments Men” – evoking “The Dirty Dozen” and “Inglorious Basterds”, a US Army team invades Europe to recover stolen art treasures before the Nazis destroy them. George Clooney directs and stars, with Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett joining in.
“Saving Mr Banks” – Emma Thompson plays Australian author P. L. Travers confronting Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) about how to film her novel “Mary Poppins”.
“The Book Thief” – an illiterate girl sent to live with a German foster family discovers books. Evocative of the Nazi book burnings (May 10, 1933) and KrystalNacht (November 9, 1938). Geoffrey Rush stars.
Opening January 16
“Grace of Monaco” – Nicole Kidman plays Grace Kelly during a crisis of marriage and identity, a political dispute and a possible French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s. Cast list looks more promising than subject content.
“Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom” – Idris Elba plays the adult Madiba on the journey from rural childhood to inauguration as South Africa’s first democratically elected president. Much to tell, 139 minutes to tell it. So very poignant in light of his death.
“47 Ronin” – Outcast Kai (Keanu Reeves) joins a company of Ronin avenging the death of their beloved master and falls for the master’s daughter. Ho hum.
Information provided by cinema chains and the International Movie Database. Classifications unavailable at time of compilation.
Holiday dance programs A swing in the step
SALSABOR Dance Company had a great 2013 and director Raquel Paez is looking forward to even bigger things ahead.
“I’d say our end-of-year ball was the biggest one we’ve had so far and I think that’s a really good sign of where the school is at; we’re still growing and we hope that in 2014 we’ll continue on the same path,” says Raquel.
“We introduced tango and belly dancing in 2013 and we’ll probably add something new this year as well.”
For the rest of January, Salsabor is running three-week holiday programs which offer an introduction to styles such as hip-hop, burlesque, zumba, bachata, zouk or Brazilian samba. There’s an extra incentive to brush up on the salsa and related latin styles this year, with Raquel planning to send the best team she can to represent Salsabor at the New York International Salsa Congress in August.
Call 0404 181862 or go to salsabor.com.au
JUMPTOWN Swing has regular classes starting late January for a casual and fun introduction to the popular social dance style.
Committee member Leonie
Casey says the nonprofit group’s mission is to grow their little community by introducing others to the styles they love: lindy hop, balboa and blues.
“Lindy hop originated in the dance halls of New York in the 1930s,” she says. “It’s a fairly energetic style you see in a lot of 1940s war movies, the one where
you often see the girl being thrown around in the air.”
Balboa is how they danced to the same kind of music in the more cramped dancehalls of California.
Jumptown Swing holds two big events each year – the Jumptown Jam in April and Canberrang in July – and Leonie says it’s definitely not for couples only.
“It’s a social event and you dance with whoever asks you,” she says.
Call 0412 127168 or go to jumptown.org
Josh Quong Tart, as Scar.
Photo by Cole Bennetts
Arts editor HELEN MUSA finds herself in the company of the villain of the piece
arts & entertainment
Duels, death and dark, dark forces
By Helen Musa
AS Sydney turns steamy, Opera Australia’s collective thoughts turn to fun.
Well, fun opera-style, with a few duels, the death of a consumptive heroine and some weird magic from the dark forces – in short, a season of popular favourites.
OA sums up the repertoire as “spectacular adventures and seaside comedies, heartbreaking tragedies, fleeting romances and a femme fatale.”
First up, and running until January 21, is Gale Edwards’ production of “La Boheme”, reset into Germany during the “wild hedonism, creative richness and poverty” of the Weimar Republic, while somehow retaining all the excitement of bohemian Paris.
Then, throughout summer until March 26, there’s “The Magic Flute”, a “for-all-the-family” production in Julie Taymor’s Metropolitan Opera version that features giant puppets including a nine-metre serpent, spectacular costumes, and a moving set.
I’ve seen this show and it’s an easy opera for the littlies to understand, a kind of “Lion King” meets “The Queen of the Night”.
A touch of “La Dolce Vita” and 1950s bikinis can be expected when Simon Phillips stages the first professional production in Australia of Rossini’s “The Turk in Italy”. It’s a totally ridiculous plot, full of disguises, adultery and mayhem and runs from January 22 to February 12.
Who doesn’t like “Carmen”? OA always bills it as the most popular opera in the world and this production by Francesco Zambello is no less seductive than most, with a historical design that takes us back to an era when women wore corsets and men rode horses. Milijana Nikolic and Nancy Fabriola Herrera share the part of the untameable gypsy, Carmen. It’s on over February and March.
The highlight and finale of the summer season will be OA’s first co-production with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, of Tchaikovsky’s romantic tragedy “Eugene Onegin”, directed by Kasper Holten and running from February 29 to March 28. It’s a tale of unrequited love, arrogance, broken friendship and a duel – there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
Opera Australia’s summer season, at Sydney Opera House, bookings and programs to opera. org.au
“The Magic Flute”... an easy
opera for the littlies to understand.
Big noise from the summer camp
Helen Musa arts editor
CONDUCTOR and outspoken music advocate, Richard Gill, will be the music director for the 2014 Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camp in Canberra. This will be the largest National Music Camp ever, with performances ranging from Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” to new works by Australian composers Philip Jameson and Andrew Howes. Alongside Gill, the camp will be driven by brilliant tutors and notable conductors such as Alexandre Bloch and Geoffrey Lancaster. Public concerts will be held at Llewellyn Hall on January 11 and 15-18. Program details at ayo.com.au
RETURNING for its sixth year, the popular “Flix in the Stix” festival is back with a mix of comedy from Axis of Awesome, music by Eskimo Joe and award-winning short films. At the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Saturday, February 1, bookings to flixinthestix.com.au/
AMERICAN humorist and master of satire, David Sedaris, will be at the Canberra Theatre for an evening of reading and conversation on January 22. Bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au
BUNGENDORE Wood Works is continuing its 30th Year Anniversary celebrations into 2014 with a double-headed exhibition until January 28 of fine furniture and woodwork by master craftsman David Upfill-Brown and paintings by landscape artist Tony Richardson. Upfill-Brown ran a bespoke furniture workshop in Tharwa from 1982 to 1999 before becoming academic director of the Australian School of Fine Furniture in Tasmania.
“CELTIC Woman”, those four Irish women vocalists who have combined traditional and contemporary to take the world by storm, will be performing at the Royal Theatre at 5.30pm on Saturday, January 18. Bookings to ticketek.com.au
A GROUP of Braidwood writers led by Billie Dean and Andrew Einspruch are staging an immersive weekend for writers to be held on the weekend of January 11-12. As well there will be a VIP launch, 7pm-10pm, on Friday, January 10. The retreat will include appearances by Tim Ferguson (comic), Posie Graeme-Evans (novelist and producer, “McLeod’s Daughters”), Geoffrey Atherden (“Mother and Son”, “Grass Roots”) and Stephen Measday (young adult). Bookings to 4842 2819 or wildpureheart.com/ writersretreat
Richard Gill.
summer dining guide
Canberra’s First Turkish Restaurant
& garden
Happy new gardening time!
WELCOME to a new year in the garden and if you’re new to gardening in Canberra or starting a new garden, it’s a good idea to observe which plants grow well around your neighbourhood.
If you are unsure of a plant, just knock on the door. I’m sure most householders will only be too delighted to answer your query.
Make your list, but delay planting during the heat of summer, wait until autumn – just eight weeks away.
I have been writing local garden columns for nearly 30 years and am now getting the hang of what grows here!
I write specifically about our local climate, unlike national garden magazines or TV shows, which tend to concentrate on our major cities, all of which are on the coast.
You can always flick back to previous editions of my weekly gardening column at citynews.com. au, just click on the “Home and Garden” section.
IF you’re holidaying at home and have taken my advice not to work in the garden, except for watering, it’s a great opportunity to check out the latest offerings in gardening books. Here are three suggested titles:
• Here’s one of the best easy-to-follow books on community gardens, having seen many such books over
Cedric Bryant gardening
the last 30 years. “Community Gardens, the beginner’s guide to growing crops in a small space” (Penguin/Dorling Kindersley, hardcover, rrp $35) features step-by-step instructions illustrated clearly on every page that will have even the rankest amateur gardener producing home veggies within weeks. Recipes and tips on storing, freezing and preserving are all included.
Creating Sustainable Gardens
THE ACT has a growing termite problem and in recent weeks a major termite flight took place inside a Canberra home, with the termites determined to find a place to build a nest.
The CSIRO recommends that houses be inspected for termites at a minimum annually.
“Termites are increasingly active here,’’ says local pest inspector Bruce Cohen.
“We see them most weeks when inspecting Canberra homes, with many owners distressed to learn their house, fences or landscaping timbers are affected.
“The change in weather patterns over time in the ACT has contributed to a rise in termite activity every year since we started working
• “Australian Coastal Gardens” (Murdoch Books, hardcover, rrp $89.99) by Myles Balderwin is a book of ideas and inspiration, not only for the coast, but gardens everywhere. Sue Stubbs’ photos and accompanying text complete this book that will seduce you with its ideas.
Starting a new garden? Look for ideas around the neighbourhood.
had the opportunity to examine the work of one of the world’s greatest botanical artists, Ferdinand Bauer, and has included examples in his book. Bauer was the botanist on board Matthew Flinders’ “Investigator”, which circumnavigated Australia between 1801 and 1803.
• In “The Allure of Orchids” (National Library, rrp $34.95), author Mark A Clements shares his passion for the largest group of flowering plants on earth. Australia has 1305 species of native orchids with wonderful names such as Fringed Hare Orchid, Fire and Beak orchids or Flying Duck orchid. This truly beautiful book is illustrated by more than 25 artists and when, as a visiting scientist at Kew Gardens, London, Clements
Win a book
Cedric has a copy of “The Allure of Orchids” (National Library, rrp $34.95) to give to one lucky reader. Write your name, suburb and a contact phone number on the back of an envelope and post to “Orchid Book”, CityNews, GPO Box 2448, Civic 2601. The winner will be announced in the edition of January 30.
andcheerontheGungahlinJetsAFLSprinters!
Termites on the move in Canberra
here in 2005.”
In the recent incident, Bruce says a property manager called Surety Pest Control after being alerted by a tenant who thought they had a bunch of bugs flying in their house. It ended up being a huge flight of termites that had burst through an internal wall and had damaged the structure.
So how do you get on top of a potential termite problem?
“Termites are very hard to see and can be difficult to find, but in as little as three months they can severely damage almost all the timber in your property,” says Bruce.
“You need ongoing annual checks to keep on top of matters.”
Here are some signs of termite infestation:
• Mud leads, which are tunnels made of mud. They usually appear on the outside of a house,
subfloor, or roof void, including on brickwork or concrete. Termites travel through these tunnels.
• Timber with gaps and holes that crumbles when touched.
• Damaged wood, especially when the wood makes a dull thud when you strike it with something hard, such as a hammer or your vacuum cleaner.
• Swarms of what look like ants flying in and around your house.
“With a professional inspection, make sure you ask how the inspection will be performed and remember that it should take any quality inspector a minimum 1.5 hours to work carefully through a three-bedroom home,” says Bruce.
“This is not a process that should be rushed.”
A ten ant’s photo of a termite swarm that had burst through an internal wall and had damaged the structure of a house in Canberra.
new year horoscope
2014 YOUR YEAR IN THE STARS
“CityNews” astrologer JOANNE MADELINE MOORE looks at the year ahead
MANY romantic relationships will be tested in January, when love-planet Venus reverses through love-sign Libra. The Uranus/Pluto square continues (in April and December) plus there are four eclipses (in April and October), so these are months when there’s more likelihood of terrorist attacks, political upheaval, extreme weather events or deepening cracks in the global economy.
April will be the most volatile month of the year, with two eclipses plus a Grand Cross (involving the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto). June and September are the luckiest months, as fabulous Jupiter aspects promise travel, good fortune or expanding business opportunities for those who are willing to listen, learn and work hard. And the second half of 2014 will be beneficial for the leisure, entertainment and gambling industries, as Jupiter moves through the sign of Leo.
ARIES
(March 21-April 20)
LOVE
Expect a momentous month in April, as the Lunar Eclipse and retrograde Mars stir up your love zone. You need to reflect on what you are really looking for in a partner (and what you require from a relationship). If you are attached, it’s time to tackle problems head on – or bite the bullet and move on. Single Rams – there’ll be a few setbacks before a new romance really gets off the ground. Be patient.
LOOT
April is also an important month for finances, as the Solar Eclipse encourages you to try a fresh financial approach. If you focus on saving rather than spending, and swap online shopping and instant gratification for long-term planning, then you’ll make real progress. With Jupiter in your domestic zone (until mid-July) you may benefit from a home-based business, property sale or family trust.
LIFESTYLE
From mid-July onwards, make time for a sport or hobby that gets your Aries adrenaline pumping! September 14 to October 26 is the best time to travel, as Mars
revs up your restless side, and you’re in the mood for adventure. Career matters loom large in November, when you’re ambitious for professional success and may go searching for a more challenging job that better expresses the real you.
LUCK
A happy and settled home life leads to success in the public sphere.
FAMOUS ARIANS
Lady Gaga, Elton John, Elle Macpherson and Russell Crowe.
TAURUS
(April 21-May 21)
LOVE
If you are attached, 2014 is the year to take a long hard look at your partnership. Are you truly 100 per cent committed to your spouse? If not, then it’s time to resuscitate the relationship or extricate yourself as gracefully as possible. Single Bulls – look for lasting love with someone who is emotionally mature and ready to commit. October and November are the best months to fall in love, propose, get married or renew your wedding vows.
LOOT
Avoid starting a business partnership and making major investments or big-ticket purchases during January, when Venus (your ruling planet) is in retrograde motion. Jupiter moves through your domestic zone during the second half of 2014 so it’s the most suitable time to sell property, buy a new home, redecorate, renovate or extend your present dwelling so it’s more open and spacious.
LIFESTYLE
Health issues could come to a head in April, when the Lunar Eclipse shines a spotlight on lack of exercise and poor food choices. Smart Bulls will use it as an opportunity to become more physically active and more nutritionally aware. Your body will thank you in years to come! The best time for a heavenly holiday (where you can commune with nature) is in November, when Mars transits through your travel zone.
LUCK
Expanding your social media profile leads to lucky international connections.
FAMOUS TAUREANS
Barbra Streisand, Cher, George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
GEMINI
(May 22-June 21)
LOVE
Attached Twins – you love to do your own thing, but 2014 is the year to share more with your partner. So find sports, hobbies and leisure activities that you both enjoy, plus slot some regular date nights into your
busy schedules. Singles – Cupid’s arrow is most likely to strike in April, when the Lunar Eclipse lights up your romance zone. Expect sparks to fly with an amorous Aries, a lusty Libran or a sexy Sagittarian.
LOOT
Prosperity planet Jupiter is jumping through your money zone (until July 16) so find fun ways to boost your cash flow. Perhaps you can have a garage sale, set up a market stall, tutor students or sell things online? But avoid signing contracts or making major business and financial moves in February, June and October, when Mercury (your ruling planet) is in retrograde motion. Be patient and wait for a more appropriate time.
LIFESTYLE
Geminis can become bored and give up on things too easily. But with Saturn moving slowly through your work zone, strive to shrug off professional stresses and keep on keeping on. Show others you have the staying power to get the job done! June favours financial matters, and December is a marvellous month for a long-overdue break, as Mars hurtles through your holiday zone.
LUCK
The best months to enter a competition or buy a lottery ticket are March and April.
FAMOUS GEMINIS
Kylie Minogue, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman.
CANCER
(June 22-July 23)
LOVE
Attached Crabs – it’s time to swap sulky silences for mature communication, as you let go of old, outdated habits that are undermining your relationship. Singles – the best month to look for love (or join an online dating site) is November, when Mars powers through your partnership zone. And don’t be shy about publicising your positive qualities. If you don’t love and respect yourself, why should anyone else?
LOOT
When it comes to a child or teenager, make it a major priority to teach them how to budget, save and be financially responsible. Mid-July through to December are fortuitous months for money matters, as lucky Jupiter jumps through your $$$ zone. Big ideas could turn into big bucks – especially if you surround yourself with influential people who are professionally creative and commercially savvy.
LIFESTYLE
Confidence is the rocket fuel that will take you places in 2014. Maintaining a work/life balance will be tricky in April and October but, with some minor tweaks, you’ll get the ratio just right. Some Crabs will change jobs (or even switch vocations) as the winds of change sweep through your career zone. July and August are the best months to apply for a promotion or job, when your Crab charisma is switched to high.
LUCK
The more you promote your talents, the more your bank balance will grow.
FAMOUS CANCERIANS
The Dalai Lama, Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela and Meryl Streep.
LEO
(July 24-Aug 23)
LOVE
Already in a relationship? Lions relish receiving lots of attention, but avoid being a self-centred Cat in 2014. Find wonderful new ways to pamper your partner and keep the romance alive, especially in March (when Venus visits your marriage zone). Singles –get ready for a whole lotta love in August and September, as Venus vamps through your sign. Potential suitors will find your coquettish charms hard to resist!
LOOT
With Neptune still confusing financial matters, avoid lending money to others as you may have trouble getting it back. And don’t rely on extra cash coming your way (via an inheritance, divorce settlement or tax return) as it may be much less than you expect. Many Cats will boost their bank balance through creative endeavours like music, writing, painting, photography, dressmaking, cooking or craft work.
LIFESTYLE
The Solar Eclipse in April signals a professional reboot via a promotion, new job or change in vocation. Plus Uranus whets your appetite for avant-garde adventures in farflung places, or you can travel in your mind via books, movies, music and international friends. July through to December are the months for big, bold moves as Jupiter in Leo gives you the confidence to take some calculated risks and pursue your passions.
LUCK
If you have the courage to follow your heart, it will lead to good fortune.
FAMOUS LEOS
Helen Mirren, Mick Jagger, Barack Obama and Madonna.
VIRGO
(Aug 24-Sep 23)
LOVE
Attached Virgos – have you been taking your spouse for granted? 2014 is the year to inject some risqué romance into the marriage via candle-lit dinners, thoughtful gifts and sexy one-liners. Singles – Neptune is still influencing your love life which can scramble your relationship antennae. If you take off your rose-coloured glasses, you’ll be able to differentiate a potential partner from a disappointing dud.
LOOT
The Lunar Eclipses (in April and October) force you to focus on finances, and you may
find your present income just doesn’t cover all your living expenses. Time for a fiscal reboot, as you do all you can to balance the budget. You could augment your pay packet with a second job or, with Jupiter in your technology zone (until July 16), extra funds could come your way via a burgeoning internet business or online advertising.
LIFESTYLE
2014 is the year to streamline your life so you have extra time and energy to deal with challenges and grab opportunities when they come along. Avoid signing contracts, buying a car or travelling overseas in February, June and October, when Mercury (your ruling planet) is reversing. The best time to take a business trip or much-needed holiday is in April, when the Solar Eclipse energises your travel zone.
LUCK
If you mix with influential people, lucky opportunities will come your way.
FAMOUS VIRGOS
Sean Connery, Pink, Shane Warne and Beyonce.
LIBRA
(Sep 24-Oct 23)
LOVE
Expect some relationship rumbles in January, when Venus (planet of love) is in retrograde mode. A dream date could transform into a disaster, or a long-term union could face challenges. Then Mars reverses through your sign (from March 2-May 20) when your libido and lust for life take a dive. Things improve from June onwards, when you’re feeling fine and keen to make up for lost time!
LOOT
The New Year isn’t marvellous for money matters, as retrograde Venus puts you in the mood to overspend, overvalue and overindulge. Be aware that what you find appealing at the January sales may quickly lose its sparkle in February. April and October are the months when a responsible and revamped approach to finances (plus some professional guidance) results in less spending and much more saving.
LIFESTYLE
With mighty Mars in Libra (until July 26) and Jupiter in your career and aspirations zones, 2014 is the year to dream big dreams and go after what you want with passion and pizazz. It won’t all be smooth sailing though! With Mars reversing through your sign (in March, April and May) there’ll be plenty of hiccups and hassles along the way. But, with an adventurous attitude and a strong spirit, you’ll make pleasing progress.
LUCK
Networking with clients and colleagues propels your career to the next level.
FAMOUS LIBRANS
Christopher Reeve, Olivia Newton-John, Hugh Jackman and Naomi Watts.
SCORPIO
(Oct 24-Nov 22)
LOVE
With Saturn moving slowly through your sign, it continues to be tricky to get the balance right between personal responsibilities and relationship obligations. Attached Scorpios – 2014 is the year to learn to love yourself, faults and all. Then you’ll be more accepting of your partner and their particular peccadillos. Singles – June is a fabulous month to flirt up a storm, as you look for love with a tender Taurus or a passionate Piscean.
LOOT
March is the best month to apply for a mortgage, sell property, buy a home, move house or renovate. July 2014 through until August 2015 is the time to expand your professional interests, negotiate a pay rise, land a promotion or look for a better paying job, as Jupiter charges through your career zone. You’ll find the more positive and proactive you are, the more your bank balance will blossom.
LIFESTYLE
With Jupiter activating your adventure and education zone, the first six months of the year is the best time to take an overseas trip or add some extra qualifications to your resume. And are you up-to-date with your medical and dental checks? If you’re not disciplined about diet and fitness, then it may catch up with you in April or December, when Uranus and Pluto stir up your health zone.
LUCK
Education and travel are the keys to expanding your life in lucky ways.
FAMOUS SCORPIOS
Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, Keith Urban and Katy Perry.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov 23-Dec 21)
LOVE
In the coming year, strive to get the balance right between being an independent freespirit and having a satisfying partnership. If you are attached, alternate solo projects with joint ventures. Single Sagittarians – you’re in a super frisky mood in May, as you flirt up a storm and circulate in style. So it’s the perfect month to host a party, go on a blind date, join a singles club or look for lasting love online.
LOOT
Spontaneous Sagittarians are the binge spenders of the zodiac. With Pluto and Jupiter in your finance zones for the first six months of 2014, watch you don’t become addicted to shopping as your main form of entertainment. Look for cheaper (and more creative) ways to fill in time and have fun. If you separate your wants from your needs then you’ll save money in the short term, and your nest egg will gradually grow.
LIFESTYLE
Whether you switch jobs, travel somewhere off the beaten track, learn another language, move house, take up a challenging sport or learn to play a musical instrument, 2014 is the year to take chances as you stretch yourself in dynamic new directions. Mid-July through to December are the best months to take a business trip, overseas holiday or weekend getaway, as Jupiter transits your travel zone.
LUCK
You could receive unexpected funds from a friend or family member.
FAMOUS SAGITTARIANS
Jane Fonda, Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt and Miley Cyrus.
CAPRICORN
(Dec 22-Jan 20)
LOVE
Relationships will be rocky in January, when love planet Venus reverses through your sign. So it’s not an ideal time to make important decisions about matters of the heart. Things improve in February when your Capricorn charm is in overdrive and romantic vibes are high. Singles – are you looking for your soul mate in all the wrong places? In March and April, true love could be as close as the boy or girl next door.
LOOT
2014 will be a good year financially, as long as you are canny with cash and cautious with investments. June is your best month, when wealth planet Jupiter forms a lucky trine with Saturn. It’s a time when hard work meets opportunity, and diligent preparation leads to prosperity. And many Capricorns will benefit from a superannuation payout, divorce settlement, inheritance or bumper tax return sometime between July and December.
LIFESTYLE
If you bend the truth in February, you’re liable to get caught, as Mercury reverses through your communication zone. When in doubt, honesty is definitely the best policy. Professional projects take precedence in April, when you may have to work overtime to keep on top of things. But resist the temptation to turn into a Capricorn workaholic. Balance is the key. October favours family celebrations and DIY projects.
LUCK
A lucky break comes via a romantic relationship or a business partnership.
FAMOUS CAPRICORNS
Dolly Parton, Nigella Lawson, David Bowie and Kate Middleton.
LOVE
Attached Aquarians – it will be hard to say the right thing in February, when Mercury reverses through your sign. In the second half of 2014, Jupiter encourages you to bring more kindness and humour into the partnership. If you can comfort each other and share a joke in tough times, then you’ll sail through any stormy seas. Singles – you could find yourself strongly attracted to someone from another country or culture.
LOOT
If you are rash with cash and careless with credit, then it will be a year full of financial ups and downs. In uncertain times, astute Aquarians choose to focus on smart saving and sustainable spending. From July through to December you could benefit from a joint business venture or receive money from a loved one (or former partner). Just make sure you manage it wisely, with a view to your long-term needs.
LIFESTYLE
With Uranus (your ruling planet) squaring Pluto (planet of transformation), 2014 is the year to keep what’s working in your life and change what isn’t. The trick is knowing which is which! If you don’t make adjustments voluntarily, then fate will step in and do it for
you. Are you planning a holiday or business trip for April, October or December? Then expect some dramas and disruptions along the way.
LUCK
If you are proactive about your health and fitness, good fortune will follow.
FAMOUS AQUARIANS
Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Marley, Yoko Ono and Oprah Winfrey.
PISCES
(Feb 20-March 20)
LOVE
Long-term partnerships get bogged down from January through to March, but hang in there because the Lunar Eclipse in April promises a romantic celebration via a birthday, anniversary, engagement or wedding. And a touch of fantasy spices up your love life in June, when your imagination runs riot. Single Fish – love, romance and travel are linked until July 16, so start planning an exotic getaway for some time soon.
LOOT
The first half of 2014 favours jobs involving
Solution to Summer jumbo crossword
children, teaching, publishing, sport and entertainment. But finances will continue to be unpredictable – especially in April, October and December – when the Lunar Eclipses and Uranus/Pluto square shake up your $$$ zone. So make sure you have the good sense to squirrel cash away in the good times, to tide you over when money is tight.
LIFESTYLE
With Neptune meandering through your sign, it’s important to have an artistic or spiritual outlet; a way you can express your creative and compassionate Piscean instincts. So find something special that you can really put your heart and soul into. And don’t let others undervalue the importance of your dreams. With Saturn in your aspirations zone, it will take patience and persistence to turn your dreams into reality. Self-belief is the key.
LUCK
Many Pisceans will welcome a muchanticipated new baby into the family.
FAMOUS PISCEANS
Steve Irwin, Liza Minnelli, Bruce Willis and Drew Barrymore.
© Joanne Madeline Moore 2013; distributed by Auspac Media
summer jumbo crossword
open in Mitchell / advertising feature
Marvels of Mitchell
Mitchell was named in honour of Maj. Sir Thomas Livingston Mitchell, surveyorgeneral and explorer of NSW and all its streets are named after industrialists. These days, as a commercial hub to the
Utes come with pride
MITCHELL Rent a Ute has provided affordable light commercial vehicles to people moving house or doing some yard work for the past four years, under the watchful eye of Rob Cunningham, owner of Premier Automotive.
“Our vehicles are extensively checked and properly serviced,” says Rob. “We take pride in the quality and reliability of our vehicles, and see your safety and comfort as extremely important, and we’ve got multiple offices open seven days a week, so you can make, amend or cancel your booking at any time.”
Rent a Ute has a wide range of vehicles available including vans and utes with cages or without, and also provides holiday rentals.
“We understand how important it is to be in good hands when you put yourself behind the wheel,” says Rob. “Our team will let you know everything you need to get you on the road with no worries. We always clearly explain all the terms and conditions before you drive away so you know exactly where you are.”
5 Winchcombe Court. Call 6242 8500.
Pure taste for all
PURE Gelato is now available in Canberra direct from the award-winning company’s new retail store in Mitchell.
Pure Gelato has been available in some Canberra restaurants, shops and cafes for more than eight years, but now Canberrans can buy any one of its 100 flavours in one-litre tubs from the new outlet.
Zoltan Tolgyesi, director of Pure Gelato ACT, says the company’s creamy treats are all made from only the finest natural ingredients, which might be why it has won more awards than any other in Australia.
“We only use hand-selected fruit, farm-fresh milk and rich, fresh cream,” says Zoltan. “There is no place for artificial colours or flavours in a Pure Gelato product, nor do our products contain gelatine.”
Pure Gelato caters to most dietary requirements with dairy free, gluten-free and diabetic-friendly options, and most flavours are between 95 and 99 per cent fat free.
“We also sell gelato accessories and gelato cakes, which are made on-site to order,” says Zoltan.
northside growth of Gungahlin, Mitchell has more to offer than ever before.
“CityNews” looks at some of the top businesses operating out of the northside’s commercial hub...
Quilts, clothes and more
FOR more than 30 years, Therma Quilts has been making high-quality feather and down products designed to last, including luxurious pillows, cushions and coverlets.
Director Jennifer Kusa says Therma Quilts now offers tailoring and alteration services too, relying on the expertise of its two seamstresses who can make, repair or alter all kinds of textile products, from the simple to the complex.
“They can tailor clothing from scratch, custom made to people’s specifications, or do alterations,” says Jennifer. “Innovation is fundamental to our product range. If you have the idea, Therma Quilts can design and make the product.”
The longstanding business also makes special clothing items such as vests, bed socks, handmuffs and capes that can be warmed up in a dryer or microwave before wearing, to provide comfort to people who spend long periods of time resting or in bed, or whose sensitivity to cold is affected by illness or age.
Therma Quilts also rejuvenates feather quilts and pillows through a careful cleaning and re-fluffing process that makes them just like new.
Unit 9, 10-12 Kemble Court. Call 6241 6859 or go to thermaquilts.com.au
Peter’s flair for tiles
TILEFLAIR has been supplying high-quality tiles to Canberra’s builders, architects, interior designers and home renovators for 10 years, and owner Peter Bonelli is working hard to bring in new lines for 2014 that aren’t available anywhere else in Canberra.
“Over that 10 years, we’ve really prided ourselves in delivering the best customer satisfaction that we could, and we’d really like to thank all our customers for their support,” says owner Peter Bonelli.
“We’re a family-owned, local business, and we have a great range of floor and wall tiles, including ceramics, porcelains, stones and glass.”
Peter has worked in the local industry for more than 20 years and deals with Canberra’s leading tilers, architects, builders, and interior designers. He says the spacious, modern showroom is also open over the weekend, so busy do-it-yourself renovators can find their own little pieces of “affordable elegance”.
Unit 4, 189 Flemington Road. Call 6299 7995 or go to act.puregelato.com.au
22 Essington Street, Mitchell. Call 6162 3080 or go to tileflair.com.au
SATURDAY 25TH JANUARY 2014
MATT CORBY
FREE CONCERT LAWNS OF PARLIAMENT HOUSE
GATES OPEN AT 3PM: SHOW STARTS AT 5PM
* Full line up to be announced 13th January
2013 AUSTRALIANS OF THE YEAR TRIBUTE WITH LIOR / 2014 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS AUSTRALIA CELEBRATES LIVE CONCERT
