161222 citynews

SIZZLE AND THE SELL

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The clever sizzle behind the sell

By Helen Musa

“IT’S time,” a larger-than-life Gough Whitlam roars at the viewer from a poster made famous during his successful 1972 election.

“Keep the bastards honest,” a more demure-looking Democrats leader Cheryl Kernot beams.

They’re ads you can’t forget, and now, reclaimed from the capacious vaults of the National Library, they are now on show to remind us that advertising is no mere contemporary art form, as it traces how advertising has evolved through social and technological changes from the 1790s to the 1990s.

The political posters are just some of the ads on display in the National Library of Australia’s enticingly-titled summer exhibition, “The Sell”.

Elsewhere, a handsome Paul Hogan relaxes with a Marlboro, a huge Minties billboard dominates one wall and the voluptuous redhead who advertises matches for the company of the same name surfaces in several different formats.

These are ads we’re so used to that we may ignore the fact that advertising is a branch of the creative arts, but curator Susannah Helman, who has been exploring the library’s files, shows us the bones of the profession and makes us realise that advertising has been around in this country for a very long time.

Take 1796, for instance, the year the play “Jane Shore” was mounted in Sydney. There’s the handbill, so rare that it also appears in the Canberra Museum and Gallery exhibition “Memory of the World in Canberra”.

While the splashier items, including an ad for Akubra hats, posters for Robyn Archer’s show “A Star is Torn” and Bangarra’s first show, “Praying Mantis Dreaming”, speak loud and clear

WHEN IT MATTERS

ABOVE: Teasing line-up of beauties for “Towel Week” from the ‘20s.

LEFT: “It’s Time”, Labor’s successful ad campaign in 1972.

BOTTOM LEFT: Pelaco’s 1949 ad.

BOTTOM RIGHT: That redhead of matches fame.

to us, it would be a mistake to zip through this exhibition too fast, so to make a more reflective visit possible, Helman and her team have used extended captions to show us details of the ads.

Beginning in black and white with a dark insight into Australia’s past, we see ads for convict labour and posters offering rewards for the capture of runaways and bushrangers such as Ben Hall, making it clear that even then, admen played with font, style and size of print.

I suggest to Helman that sex would be the one thing that, surely, would be missing from the 18th and 19th century ads. Wrong, she says, pointing to the risqué tone of many ads for corsets, the blunt language that appears in ads for bile tablets and the delicious teasing of a line-up of beauties covered by towels in “Towel Week: Not since 1914 have such values been offered. 1920s. Crisp Bros”. Sydney. There is, as she says, something for everybody.

“The Sell: Australian Advertising, 1790s to 1990s” at the National Library of Australia until April 25. Free exhibition.

CEO: Greg Jones, 0419 418196, greg@citynews.com.au

Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au

Journalists: Kate Meikle, kate@citynews.com.au; Danielle Nohra, danielle@citynews.com.au; Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au

Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764, helen@citynews.com.au

Photographers: Andrew Finch and Maddie McGuigan

Advertising manager: Greg Jones, 0419 418196

Senior advertising account executive: David Cusack, 0435 380656

Advertising account executive: Liam Jones, 0400 092095

Sydney ad sales: Ad Sales Connect, 02 9420 1777

Production manager / graphic design: Janet Ewen Graphic designer: Paulette Leo Proof reader: Glenda Anderson Accounts manager: Bethany Freeman-Chandler accounts@citynews.com.au

/ foster care crisis

A cry for the kids who need help and a home

By Danielle Nohra

EARLY in 2016, the murder of eightyear-old Bradyn Dillon prompted an urgent review into child protection systems and, with that, something else changed in the Canberra community.

People became more aware and more conscious when reporting children in situations where the parents were unable to take care of them, says regional manager of ACT Together, Rebecca Jeffrey.

While awareness is a good thing, it has led to a foster care crisis in the ACT, with 628 young people out of care and not enough carers.

ACT Together, a consortium led by Barnardos Australia, provides services for children and young people in out-ofhome care and is urgently seeking foster carers to diminish this crisis.

Eighty new carers are needed to provide crisis care, care for babies, including permanent care, long-term care and care for teenagers to help support them in becoming independent.

Rebecca, who is also a carer of five children, and husband Paul noticed the

need for foster care 10 years ago when they were looking into starting a family.

“It’s the hardest thing we have ever done, but it is the most rewarding,” she says. “It’s one of those things that you would never change for the world.”

At ACT Together the first priority is for children to go home to their birth families when possible; because of this, a lot of people become reluctant towards foster care.

“A lot of people say that they couldn’t do it. But we’re the adults, we can handle it, it’s kids that can’t,” says Rebecca.

“There’s a natural process of grief there, but if you didn’t care you wouldn’t be a good carer.”

Rebecca believes that there are a cou-

ple of issues at the moment that are also contributing to the rise in need of foster carers.

“As a society, we don’t value family as much. We often talk about families as having to be willing and able to care for children. A lot are willing but not always able. It needs to be a combination of the two.

“I think, as a society, we can be very naive to the needs of the community.

“We’re in a crisis, we need people to ask, ‘could I be part of the solution?’”

Rebecca says that ACT Together isn’t looking for saints, they’re looking for anyone who is able to care for these children.

“Foster carers don’t even have to be a husband and a wife, they can be single, gay, married, there’s lots of different family dynamics in our society now,” she says.

“There also seems to be some myth that all foster kids are bad. But they’re not, they’re good kids and everyone has a responsibility for them.”

Rebecca’s first foster child was a fiveyear-old boy who was in her care for four months.

“At the end the boy said: ‘I’m going to go home and teach my dad how to be a parent’. We made an impact on him and his future.”

Rebecca says that was one of the most rewarding moments that she has experienced through child care.

More information at 1300 WE FOSTER

RIGHT: Carer of five children Rebecca Jeffrey… “There’s some myth that all foster kids are bad. But they’re not, they’re good kids and everyone has a responsibility for them.”

KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE THIS SUMMER.

The home swimming pool is the most common location for injury and drowning death for children under five. We can all work together to protect children in our community.

Closely supervise kids at all times

Learn how to resuscitate

Check your pool barriers meet the current safety standards

Keep your barriers clear of objects and plants that kids can use to climb into the pool area

Teach your kids to swim and be safe around pools

Ensure your pool gate is shut at all times

just staying put

SUMMER holidays are the time of massive exodus from Canberra.

Folk head interstate and overseas to see family and friends, or just head down to the south coast to laze around on beaches while avoiding the worst of the summer heat.

I don’t know just how many Canberrans head out of town at this time of year, but sometimes it seems like half the population has departed for the better part of January, only to trickle back around Australia Day.

I’m not a migratory species. Over the past 20 summers I’ve stayed put more often than not. Summer holidays in Canberra are our routine and the gentle rhythms of life in the national capital have long been our preference. More than anything, it’s a time to relax, rejuvenate, regroup, and catch up with friends and sleep! Yep, I pretty much hang out all year for January in Canberra.

I know others may have a different view. It is hot and usually dry and sleeping at night can be a problem but still, January in our nation’s capital is a delight!

Canberra is pretty quiet through January, but that’s a big part of the attraction. A few things are shut between Christmas and New Year’s Day, but soon enough things come to life. Canberra’s cafes are quickly back in business and you can get a coffee and a leisurely brunch without queues or crowds.

For those of us with children to entertain, Canberra in January offers a smörgåsbord

of fun places to go and things to do. For us, there’s the lovely old Manuka pool for a swim; cool, air-conditioned movie theatres featuring holiday blockbusters, our annual tours of the big cultural institutions – National Gallery, National Museum, Portrait Gallery and the War Memorial, where there’s always something new to see. If it’s not too hot, there’s the National Zoo and Aquarium and trampolining. If it really is scorching, it’s hard to beat the ice rink at Phillip for some extra cool.

In the cool of the evening we take our dogs for a walk around part of Lake Burley Griffin or let them romp with other puppies among the trees of the Yarralumla dog park.

Of course, one doesn’t have to stay in Canberra for the whole summer. The national capital does have great advantages of location. This month we’ll pay a quick visit to Sydney to see family and friends and we might head south to enjoy the cool mountain air around Jindabyne. The south coast arguably has less attraction because that’s where most Canberrans seem to be!

However, perhaps the best thing about a Canberra summer is just lazing around doing very little at all.

At the end of a frantic, work crazy year that’s the biggest attraction of all.

SONYA FLADUN

Heather’s pathway

By Danielle Nohra

RESTRICTED by an overgrowth of weeds and plants, a Melba resident couldn’t even open her back gate that “supposedly” unlatched on to a public pathway.

The pathway off Goldner Circuit looked like wild bush land, with tall grass creeping over Heather Powell’s fence, stopping the gate from opening.

“It was totally neglected, I hardly knew there was a gate in the fence,” she says.

Frustrated that she couldn’t use the pathway Heather says she cursed and swore at it for two years and then thought about moving houses.

Now, after just turning 73 over Christmas, making it her seventh birthday in that house, Heather walks freely out of the back gate every day to water an assortment of plants.

It all changed four years ago when she forced open the gate and started clipping the grass herself and using a pickaxe on the “hard as cement” ground.

She says in the country she was born, Ireland, “we get things done”.

Heather didn’t want to wait any longer for someone responsible for the pathway to fix it, so she took matters into her own hands.

As the days went by and Heather continued to hack away at the grass and dirt people would stop by and say: “Oh, is that you doing this?”

“One afternoon outside the gate was a whole bag of Pig’s Ear and a note,” says Heather.

Heather’s gardening project on the public

path spread as quickly as the Pig’s Ear and soon enough many people were helping out in their own way.

“The lady over the fence gave me some strawberries,” she says.

“Another person saw I love purple and brought down a lavender plant.

“And Jerry, my wonderful Italian neighbour, planted fig trees and rose cuttings.”

With the help of others the pathway was really coming along, but Heather had to overcome a few issues first.

“Because of the slope I had to do something to stop the water from washing the plants down to the bottom of the path, which has happened before,” she says.

“Then I saw my neighbour with all these wooden palings and I marched up to him and asked: ‘Do you need those palings?’”

Heather says another neighbour gave her some roof tiles and, with the tiles and the palings, she created a channel to protect the plants from being washed away by the rain.

Heather has been delighted because more people are using the path now that it’s been cleaned up.

“The response has been really positive,” she says.

“I think people enjoy it, some people say: ‘I came down this way to see the changes you’ve made’.

“I’m not even a gardener. I just love working with gardens.”

Before Christmas Heather and her neighbour Jerry planned a neighbourhood block party to

celebrate

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Swimming in Canberra in 1945 oblivious of “a large, amphibian dog-like creature”.

Beware of creepy creatures

IT’S that time of year when families flock to frolic in the capital region’s various popular swimming holes, as they have done since first they set foot in the valley that thousands of millennia ago was the bottom of an ocean.

Given the local tales that continue to circulate of an unidentified critter lurking within though, perhaps it’s not safe to go back in the water after all?

Lads from the ‘hood have long talked of an unseen (though much-heard) beastie that would pursue them, growling and snorting, if they wandered as dusk descended near the junction where the Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers merge.

Then there’s the “Burley Beast”, believed by some to be resident in Canberra’s beautiful – though artificial – lake, and described by witnesses as “eel-like” and up to two metres long.

Just some jokers having a lend of us, right?

Well, curiously, there have been any number of reports of a strange creature with allegedly no known nomenclature regularly spotted in our plentiful regional waterways and reaching even further back than when Nessie, of that now famous Scottish loch, first garnered worldwide attention in 1933.

The traditional owners of this area, whose name for Lake George, Weereewa, is thought to translate to “bad waters”, shared with early arriving Europeans stories of the Dreamtime creature the Bunyip or “devil, devil”, that had made that on-again-off-again body of water home. White men accounts began to arise in the 1830s, detailing a mysterious inhabitant “resembling a seal” – and they weren’t limited to Lake George.

There have been any number of reports of a strange creature spotted in our regional waterways and reaching even further back than when Nessie first garnered worldwide attention in 1933.

They also didn’t come from crackpot, tin-foil-hat-wearing conspiracy theorists either (and I’m not being unkind to Tim the Yowie Man here!). Highly credible sources include no less than the “Father of Canberra”, Methodist minister, journalist, politician, coroner, Masonic Grand Master – and teetotaller – John Gale.

In his 1927 book, “Canberra Myths and Legends”, Gale wrote of having personally encountered an apparent biological anomaly along a stretch of the nearby Murrumbidgee River, the sight leaving him bamboozled.

A fishing aficionado, one day while engaging in the solitary pursuit, Gale claimed there emerged in front of him, “a large, amphibian dog-like creature” that looked him straight in the eye for around 90 seconds before re-submerging into the depths.

And that’s not all, folks. Between the 1870s and the turn of the century, from the Murrumbidgee to Ginninderra Creek and “both above and below” Queanbeyan, witnesses recounted “a big nondescript amphibious animal”, one particularly creepy description suggesting it possessed a “face that resembled that of a child… with extended arms or long fins”.

Another account declared: “It was of an

ash-coloured grey, without hair, and very smooth; it... appeared like the largest porpoise I ever saw. I should say there were nine feet of its body exposed.”

Other attempts at explanation extended to an otter, a fox – even a bear. The “Sydney Morning Herald” relayed that one had allegedly been captured at Tharwa but it escaped before it could be sent to Sydney for analysis.

A theory that continues to do the rounds is that if such a thing exists, it’s an oversized carp or Murray cod. However, John Gale would have known a huge fish when he saw it and therefore, it seems unlikely this was the explanation for his experience.

So, does any of it hold water?

My final word on the matter comes from influential 20th century horror author HP Lovecraft: “After all, the strangest and maddest of myths are often ... based upon truth.”

Nichole Overall is a Queanbeyan-based journalist and social historian.

NICHOLE OVERALL

letters

Off with the blinkers, Andrew

SUSAN Helyar’s article (“Why Barr can do more for Canberra”, CN December 8) was well directed.

However, I think with Andrew Barr it is not so much a question of how he can do better but how he can direct his efforts better.

In the view of many who think like Susan Helyar, he should change tack and prioritise decentralisation and, most importantly, affordable housing. Centralisation is already clogging Civic and light rail will not solve that.

Providing more infrastructure such as government offices, courts and any other infrastructure he has planned to the town centres would remove the necessity for light rail.

Affordable housing is essential. One reason is unemployment opportunities for youth, the other is no prospect of ever owning a home.

Andrew Barr should take off his blinkers and try to act like the leader of a Labor Party.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Experts should agree

I REJECT the ugly patch which has spread through the quilt of our justice system whereby appeals are consistently lodged on the grounds of mental disorder, many involving self-choice drug use.

At least in more serious cases, including murder, the core consideration must be whether the accused could discern right from wrong at the time of the offence. Consequently, to safeguard justice, and before any appeal is determined, a majority of two out of three specialists should be required to agree that an accused could not do this.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

of dorin

Comfort turns to chaos

“CityNews” cartoonist PAUL DORIN

used to think the toilet was a place of sanctuary… until he had kids.

I REMEMBER the many stories from family and friends saying that you absolutely won’t have any privacy in the bathroom once you have kids. Never has a truer word been spoken.

I don’t think l know anyone who would get an uninterrupted minute to themselves on the toilet having young kids in the house.

It all starts with multi-tasking and having the toilet door open to keep an eye on a wandering toddler.

Then comes the toilet training, with the potty on standby, while sitting there yourself when the door barges open to a desperate little face busting to be on the adjacent potty.

Then having them manage the toilet-paper distribution, where they ration you to two pieces or, worse still, hand over half a crunched up, unwound roll leaving you to try to roll it back on with the toilet door wide open.

Why is it, when nature calls and you think surely the kids can do without you, the kids start yelling for you?

I start by staying quiet, then it’s like the world needs saving and things get louder with: “Dad! Dad! Where are you?”

Ignoring them is a losing battle, so you reply with an “l am in here!”

Kids seem to know exactly where “in here” is and the toilet door bangs open and the urgency of joining pieces of Lego together becomes apparent.

More often than not, it’s kids barging in all upset and wanting you to mediate a sibling disagreement while you’re confined to the loo. They seem to know that you can’t physically move and, believe me, having to try and mete out punishment to fighting children is hard work from this position.

Tell you what, though, if you ever have trouble looking for your kids, head off to the toilet; it won’t be long and they’ll soon find you!

day of the year 10am to 5pm – except Christmas Day (Last admission 4.30pm)

Saying goodbye to a loved one can be a daunting and emotional time and no-one understands this better than Tobin Brothers Funerals

Whatever your needs, the caring team from Tobin Brothers will help you plan a service that is heartfelt, memorable and tailored to the life of your loved one.

funeral choices

Why it’s best to plan

“IF you die without a will, there are some automatic provisions which determine how your estate is divided and these may not be in accordance with your wishes,” warns Capon and Hubert solicitor Lee Usher-Clarke.

“It may even be possible that if you have no family your estate could be forfeited to the Crown!

IT can be an uncomfortable reality, but planning your will and funeral arrangements is an important part of life.

Pre-planning can give you and your loved ones peace of mind and in this special feature “CityNews” showcases compassionate professionals who can help arrange the details and minimise the burden to help make these difficult decisions easier.

“Making a will provides for those you care about and enables you to include people who would not otherwise receive anything from your estate. It also means you can appoint someone you trust as your executor, whose job it is to put your wishes into effect.”

Lee says there are some technical requirements for a will to be valid. “Sometimes these can be fixed but this can increase costs and cause difficulties for your executor, she says.

“Wills can also be challenged and so it is better and safer to have your will completed by a solicitor.

“In addition to a will, everyone should have an enduring Power of Attorney. This is a document that allows a person you have selected to look after your interests and make important decisions (financial, lifestyle and medical) on your behalf if you become unable to do so due to accident, illness or advancing age.

“You should always obtain legal advice and guidance if you propose to make a will or Power of Attorney,” she says.

Call 6286 1977 to make an appointment with Lee UsherClarke. Capon & Hubert, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip.

When saying goodbye can be daunting

TOBIN Brothers Funerals Canberra understands that saying goodbye to a loved one at a funeral can be daunting.

Armed with 75 years of experience, Tobin Brothers has funeral homes in Belconnen, Kingston, Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan.

Acting regional manager Craig Morrison says: “We’ve been meeting families for many years on the worst day of their lives and our job is to make their grief easier.

“We can’t take away their pain totally, but if we can make it a little bit easier then we have done our job and done it well.

“This isn’t a job, this is a calling. When we interview people who want to work for Tobin Brothers we are looking for people who are caring.

“I can teach people about the industry, but I can’t teach them to care.”

Tobin Brothers. 101 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen, 6251 2344. Unit 8A Tuggeranong Square, 6293 3177.

91 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan, 6297 1546. Visit tobinscanberrafunerals.com.au

advertising feature

ahead for peace of mind

Personalised and family run

GRANTLEY Perry & Sons has been around for 25 years and one of its owners, Clayton Perry, says it’s one of Canberra’s oldest family businesses.

He says one thing that people get a great deal of benefit from is pre-planning.

“With a pre-paid funeral plan, people come in and tell us what they want, we itemise everything for them and give them an exact cost, at today’s prices,” explains Clayton.

“If they decide they want to pre-pay it, then that service is guaranteed regardless of how much funerals go up in the future.”

This takes the financial burden away from family, but also the difficulty of deciding on details such as flowers or music.

“There are still some options available to the family,” says Clayton, “and a lot of the time when people pre-pay, they leave some parts blank for the family to choose.”

He says that, by law, the money cannot be held by the funeral directors, but is kept safe until needed by a regulated financial institution: Funeral Plan Management in the case of Grantley Perry and Sons.

The business offers extra services such as video recording and remote viewing over the internet for distant relatives, and happily organises special touches such as bagpipers or violinists, a release of doves or perhaps the scattering of ashes in a special place.

Clayton says his family does its best to accommodate even the most unusual of requests, adding that there is no wrong time to call or wrong question to ask.

Grantley Perry & Sons, 12 Sandford Street, Mitchell. Call 6241 4101 or visit perryfunerals.com

CARING, professional and committed to offering simple choices, dignified care and with an honest approach to funeral service, Toscan Dinn Funerals has been in Weston Creek since 2005.

Starting off as a small, family-owned business, Toscan Dinn has grown in the last 12 years.

Funeral consultant Ian Clout says that being family run allows Toscan Dinn to offer a more personalised service.

“We get to know all of our families very well and establish relationships with them,” says Ian.

When it comes to the stress of funeral payments, which can be added to an already hard time, Toscan Dinn has it sorted.

“Some of the larger funeral homes ask for money up front,” says Ian.

“At Toscan Dinn the family doesn’t have to worry about finding the money during someone’s time of grief.

“We pay the people who need to be paid, then send the family a single invoice after the funeral.”

It’s hard to think about funeral planning and the best advice Ian says he can give is to try and organise the ceremony beforehand, when possible.

Toscan Dinn Funerals, 10 Liardet Street, Weston. Call 6287 3466 or visit toscandinn.com.au

‘Crazy’ Drew’s flying leap

By Helen Musa

ONE of Canberra’s quieter achievers is about to take a flying leap into the international world of ballet.

Drew Hedditch, 22, who recently drew rave reviews playing the role of Stanislav Nijinsky for the Australian Ballet’s “Nijinsky” production at the Sydney Opera House, was busy finishing a pre-Christmas production of “Coppelia” when “CityNews” caught up with him before taking off on a 30-day whirlwind tour of the great ballet houses of the world.

He’s well and truly ready for the Kelvin Coe Travelling Scholarship, which he was awarded by the Ballet, and although his mum in Isabella Plains is a bit disappointed that he won’t be here for Christmas, he’s been able to reassure her that “because the dance world is very closeknit, everyone tends to help people out, they take you under their wing”.

The planned trip is a logical progression for the young artist who, after training at the Lisa Clark School of Ballet in the ACT, took off at age 16 for the Australian Ballet School, became a finalist in the Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Scholarship in 2010, went on to graduate from the school in 2014 then immediately took up a contract with the flagship national ballet company.

Fast-maturing as a dancer, he has made a name for himself for his gripping characterisations. “Hedditch’s performance as the troubled Stanislav Nijinsky is nothing short of riveting. He quivers and shakes and crawls along the ground… and with Hedditch the instability seems so heartbreakingly innocent and sad,” one reviewer wrote.

Nonetheless, when we talk to him he’s enjoying the fun of “Coppelia,” saying: “It’s nice for us to be able to put a smile on our faces”.

He says the Kelvin Coe scholarship is a hundred per cent beneficial, but it’s made him independent, as he had to plan it by himself. He considers himself lucky to have been taken to an international dance meet in Toronto where he met fellow dancers from 18 countries and picked up a lot of tips that ultimately helped in this planning.

“My aim is to go overseas and broaden my horizons, to take classes, to see performances and to get an insight on what goes on around the dance world. We are really so fortunate to have that opportunity as we are so far away.”

First up is a stint at the Royal Ballet with some classes and a couple of appearances. Then it’s off to the Paris Opera and Ballet for more of the same, followed by the Berlin Ballet. In Amsterdam at Het Nationale Ballet he’ll have more classes, likewise at the Royal Danish Ballet.

Things, he predicts, will really hot up when he arrives at the Hamburg Ballet, whose artistic director John Neumeier choreographed the Nijinsky ballet in which he recently performed.

“It’ll be really interesting to see how that compares to ours,” he says.

Hedditch does not slacken from this point with visits to the Vienna and Munich State Operas and a flying visit to Moscow to catch a glimpse of the Bolshoi before finishing up at the New York City Ballet, with a few classes on the side at the American Ballet Theatre, returning to Australia on January 21.

“People are saying I’m crazy, but why not? I’m young and I can do it,” Hedditch asserts.

*Parent/Carer & Child class. Classes will run subject to sufficent enrolment. Enrolments 6241 7800 or classes@canberrapotters.com.au

Katrina snares a plum opera prize

KATRINA Wiseman, of Hackett, is one of four young singers who have won the 2017 Opera Australia Regional Student Scholarships. The four teenagers, shortlisted by children’s chorus master Joshua van Konkelenberg from more than 50 finalists who auditioned during the 2016 tour of “The Marriage of Figaro”, will receive professional training from artistic, music, language and drama coaches and spend time backstage at the Sydney Opera House.

AMONG the delectable treats being cooked up by the National Film and Sound Archive for the summer season are “Ratatouille” (in which a rat’s passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious rat race through Paris), the tragic outlaw film “The Legend of Ben Hall” and a Friday the 13th horror double of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Pet Sematary”. Bookings to nfsa.gov.au

“ARTEFACTS” is a mixed-media exhibition of buried treasure and found artworks from “The Tower”, Belconnen Community Service’s Communications and Community Development office. It includes objects unearthed from the time capsule in Margaret Timpson Park, Belco 50 memorabilia; tiny Plasticine objects created for BCS publications and rarely seen photos from BCS programs. In gallery@bcs, Belconnen Community Centre (not Belconnen Arts Centre) Swanson Court, Belconnen, Monday to Friday

9am-5pm until January 13.

YOU’LL have to be quick to get a seat at Aarwun Gallery’s black-tie dinner and fine-art auction to raise funds for Geraldine Cox’s “Sunrise Cambodia” project. Senator Derryn Hinch will chair the event and Cox, famous for giving a safe and loving home to orphaned, disabled and trafficked children in Cambodia over 21 years, will be present. Abbey Function Centre, Nicholls, 6pm, February 4, 2017. Bookings to aarwuncanberra@bigpond.com or 6230 2055.

THE Rancho Mirage High School “Singing Rattlers” singers, who come from a specialised performing arts high school in California, will join singers from the Woden Valley Youth Choir in a concert at Wesley Uniting Church, 6.30pm, on Friday, January 6. Free admission. No bookings required.

At home with his past

By Helen Musa

NEWS has arrived from artist Michael Winters of close encounters with his past on the Greek island of Leros.

We last reported on Winters in connection with an exhibition at Strathnairn in July by 30 of his students from the ANU Centre of Continuing Education’s visual arts access program, where the bright colours and unusual perceptions gave us a glimpse into the warmer months.

At the time, he reported that he was heading for Leros, of which he is an honorary citizen having spent many of his formative years as an artist living and working there.

In 1982 a Leros restaurant commissioned him to paint a mural. The restaurant only lasted a short time, he thinks, but on arriving in Leros,

he peered through the windows and all the junk, and saw that “on the wall, there was my mural, as fresh as the day I finished it. A joy.”

His appetite thus whetted, Winters remembered that, around the same time, the island’s first disco was about to open and he was commissioned to paint a mural on the theme of the Goddess, Artemis or Diana, archaic protectress of the island.

The “Diana Disco” closed long ago, but undeterred, he found the present owner.

“Not having any power, he guided me into the disco and, shining his torch on to the wall, there was the mural I painted in 1979, I have not seen it for some 25 years,” writes Winters.

“Now both my Leros murals can see the light of day,” the happy artist says. “CityNews” is happy to provide that light.

what’s on where

The “CityNews” holiday guide to happenings and attractions around Canberra as compiled by DANIELLE NOHRA

KIDS

DURING the summer holidays Questacon will be challenging the world of maths and computational thinking through hands-on experiences for the whole family. “Mathamazing” uncovers maths that underlies the world we live in and “Byte Wise” explores how computational thinking rules the modern world.

FREE over the school holidays, families can drop by the National Archives of Australia and play board games, complete puzzles or read books from the selection of Australian stories, until January 25.

“EXPLORE and Cook Archival Recipes with Kids Pantry”, Canberra’s only cooking school and kitchen garden that’s just for kids. It provides an introduction to gardening, cooking and healthy eating for children aged between 8-12 years. On January 16 at the National Archives of Australia. Bookings necessary.

THE National Library will host a daily family activity space called “Wordplay” until January 29. Children over the age of four and their carers can drop in and read, write, illustrate and imagine.

MARKETS

“THE Old Bus Depot Markets” brings Portobello Road to Canberra in its first market of 2017 on January 8. The Portobello Road theme will bring old suitcases, lamp shades, antique jewellery and more.

EXHIBITIONS

THE National Museum continues to explore the history of humanity through its major international exhibition “A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum”. It questions, through two million years of human history, how people have shaped the world and how the world has shaped people. The exhibition runs until January 29.

A FREE exhibition at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Old Parliament House, titled “Ajit Ninan: Cartoonist to the World’s Largest Democracy”, features provoking and influential political cartoons. Ajit Ninan is one of India’s best known cartoonists for his “Centrestage” series in India Today magazine and “Ninan’s World” in “The Times of India”.

THE National Gallery illustrates the horrors of World War I through the exhibition “Artists of the Great War”. It explores wartime propaganda, front-line experiences and remembrance through paintings, drawings and

prints by war artists, with a special focus on Will Dyson. Free entry.

FOR the first time, a collection of more than 130 treasures from the Palace of Versailles is featured in the National Gallery of Australia. “Versailles: Treasures from the Palace” is on display until April.

“ATHOL Shmith Fashion Photographs” is on display at the National Library. Melbourne photographer Shmith was best-known for his elegant and bold, black and white prints.

AUTHOR-artist Jeannie Baker’s original works from her book “Circle” will be on display at Canberra Museum and Gallery until February 12. The book follows the migratory route of the Godwit from Alaska to Australia and NZ. Baker is well known for addressing a diverse range of issues in her work, such as sustainability and environment.

DAILY, the National Portrait Gallery will be running a free 30-minute tour of its collection from 11.30am. The tour explores the building and reveals background information on specific works and artists.

THE National Film and Sound Archive is in conversation with the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s “UNESCO Memory of the World” exhibition by reflecting on it with a daily screening of films. Each film has national and international significance, such as, “The Story of the Kelly Gang” or documentaries on Eddie Mabo, James Cook and NZ’s Treaty of Waitangi.

AT the “Velocity: Vintage racing bikes” exhibition postman and cycling enthusiast, Peter Taylor, shares his large collection of vintage racing bikes. It ranges from rare post-World War II European bikes to an Australian bike used at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The exhibition is at Canberra Museum and Gallery.

SPORT

FOUR days of high-octane action can be experienced at this year’s “Summernats”. The annual car festival will be at Exhibition Park from January 5-8.

THE “Canberra Challenger” tennis event returns to the ACT again after attracting 54 players from 20 countries and 3000 spectators in 2016. At Canberra Tennis Centre, January 7-14.

IN the Women’s National Basketball League, the University of Canberra Capitals is set to play Townsville Fire at Southern Cross Stadium on January 14.

FOR baseball fans, Canberra Cavalry will be competing against Melbourne Aces at Narrabundah Ballpark, January 12-15.

summer buzz sponsored content

All kinds of pottery classes

THERE’S a wide range of classes for adults and children at the Canberra Potters’ Society during the January holidays.

A Canberra Potters’ Society member says the three-hour kids’ classes allow students to embrace their creativity by bringing their own ideas or following a range of projects provided.

There’s also an hour-and-a-half class for younger kids, where parents and carers can enrol as well.

Over three Tuesdays, a puppetry class with puppeteer, Marianne Mettes is available, too.

jumbo solution

“Children will make puppets, learn some puppetry/performance skills and develop their story”, the society says. “On the last week, there will be a short performance.

“If you’ve always wanted to explore pottery, enrol in our introductory intensive course on January 23, 24 and 25; it’s a great way to prepare for classes in Term 1.”

Worlds of the Botanic Gardens

ONE of Canberra’s underrated attractions is the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

It’s a great experience for visitors and a good place to start is by collecting the information sheet “What is in Flower this Week” from the visitors’ centre.

The plant trail is a popular attraction for children, taking in the rock garden and pools, where the water dragons bask on the rocks and dive into the water.

Wandering the Red Centre Garden is like being in the bush, out from Alice Springs, in Central Australia, with spinifex grasslands, ghost gum woodlands and saltbush scrub.

The unique Sturt’s Desert Pea

grows in the microclimate of the Botanic Gardens, but will not survive in an ordinary Canberra garden.

Still one of the most exciting attractions is the Rainforest Gully with its boardwalks and “dinosaurs”.

One of the most exciting developments due to begin this year is the construction of the 15-metre-high Ian Potter National Conservatory, a $6 million project due for completion in 2018.

Funded by $4.5 million from the Commonwealth government and $1.5 million from the Ian Potter Foundation, it will house many rare tropical plants not normally able to be grown in Canberra.

ON the South Coast is the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic

Gardens, seven kilometres south of Batemans Bay on the Princes Highway, which features a wonderful range of native plants from the Shoalhaven region from Ulladulla to Eden.

One of the features is the Rock Garden replicating the Shoalhaven River. Paths wander in a series of walks with signs and animals to keep children occupied.

The gardens are open every day during school holidays and the kangaroos there would have to be some of the friendliest in Australia. Also look out for the giant goannas.

FINALLY, consider a visit to the National Arboretum with its collection of 100 forests of rare and endangered trees from around the world.

While very much in its early stages, one can imagine how it will look in a few years’ time. Also on display at the arboretum is the National Bonsai Collection with

many specimens on loan from around Australia.

Jottings…

• Lightly trim native plants that have finished flowering.

• Learn more about native plants from the Australian Native Plants Society Canberra Region. Details at nativeplants-canberra.asn.au

• Mulch with organic mulch to reduce evaporation during the hot, dry

summer jumbo crossword

NEW YEAR HOROSCOPE 2017

Astrologer JOANNE MADELINE MOORE

looks at the year ahead

JUPITER (planet of good luck, expansion and prosperity) moves through Libra (sign of partnerships, beauty, fashion and justice) until October 10.

This is fabulous news for businesses involving love and marriage, as dating sites flourish and weddings become larger and more lavish. The beauty and fashion industries will benefit during this period and it’s also a good sign that same-sex marriage will be legalised in more countries around the world.

ARIES

(March 21-April 20)

LOVE & LUST

Attached Aries – February is the month to pamper your partner. Plan something deliciously dramatic and super romantic. It will be tricky to get the balance right between invigorating independence and cosy companionship from March 4 until April 2, when Venus reverses through your sign. Single Rams – Cupid is most likely to strike in August or September, when the Solar Eclipse and Venus stimulate your romance zone. Avoid being impatient and settling for second-best in the meantime.

LOOT & LUCK

Energy and motivation are high in February, when Mars (your patron planet) powers through your sign. March and April look somewhat stressful for business matters, as retrograde Venus and retrograde Mercury cause chaos in your personal and financial zones. Avoid initiating major projects during this period. Instead, be patient and use the time to revise, review and prepare. May and November are marvellous months to tap into your entrepreneurial side and turn an abstract, innovative idea into a practical, productive venture.

LIFESTYLE

Saturn is moving through your education zone until December 20. It’s very important that you channel serious and focused energy into learning something new in the coming year. The more complex and challenging it is, the better. With a supportive teacher, coach or mentor on board, you can achieve great things. If you travel this year it is likely to be for work, business or study purposes, rather than just for frivolous fun.

FAMOUS ARIES

Reese Witherspoon, Keira Knightley, Emma Watson.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“With the right kind of coaching and determination, you can accomplish anything.” (Reese Witherspoon)

LOVE & LUST

TAURUS

(April 21-May 21)

Expect the first part of 2017 to be rather slow romantically. A long-term partnership may become a bit boring and, if you’re single, suitable dates will be difficult to find. Be patient. Jupiter jumps into your partnership zone on October 10 (where it stays until November 2018) and during this period you’ll experience your luckiest love cycle for the last 12 years. It’s the perfect time to go on a heavenly holiday with your partner or start a hot romance with a sexy foreigner, as love and travel are connected

LOOT & LUCK

You could be thrust into the professional spotlight in August, when the Lunar Eclipse lights up your career zone. Be very careful when borrowing or lending money in the coming year, as Saturn moves through your “money-from-others” zone. Do your homework thoroughly before making any important financial decisions. Be extra diligent when doing your tax return and filling out government forms. In uncertain economic times, concentrate on smart saving and sustainable living.

LIFESTYLE

The Solar Eclipse and Neptune highlight your humanitarian zone, so 2017 is the year when you will turn your attention to assisting those who are less fortunate. You have so many Taurean talents to offer! Being idealistic and productive will help you make a real difference. Your confidence and energy levels will be low in March and April, so be extra kind and gentle with yourself during this period.

FAMOUS TAUREANS

Audrey Hepburn, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” (Audrey Hepburn)

GEMINI

(May 22-June 21)

LOVE & LUST

Existing one-to-one partnerships (whether romantic, platonic or business) will have a karmic quality to them over the coming year. Attached Twins – when it comes to your relationship you will certainly reap what you sow. Singles – you could meet someone for the first time where you feel a strong attraction and experience a distinct feeling of deja vu. The best months to start a romance, celebrate an engagement, get married or renew your wedding vows are July and November.

LOOT & LUCK

When it comes to finances it will be one step forward and two steps back. Pluto reverses through your “moneyfrom-others” zone (from April 20 until September 28) when you may experience cashflow problems or budget blow-outs. Separating your wants from your needs is a must during this period, as you learn to get by on less. Things improve after October 10 when Jupiter jumps through your work zone and you expand your business,

get a promotion or land a better job.

LIFESTYLE

You’ll be extra restless in 2017, as three Lunar Eclipses stir up your Gemini gypsy gene and you’re keen to explore local landmarks, travel internationally or move (especially interstate). The best times to take a trip are February and August. However you may discover that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side! Some Geminis will resolve a long-standing problem with a child, lover or friend that sees the relationship progress in a positive new direction.

FAMOUS GEMINIS

Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Stevie Nicks.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is.”

(Angelina Jolie)

CANCER

(June 22-July 23)

LOVE & LUST

Keep professional projects and passionate desires separate in March, when Venus reverses through your career zone. It’s a month when love and work are a messy mix, and a workplace romance will struggle to survive. Singles – from April 20 until September 28 you may have to kiss a few frogs before you find your soulmate. Attached Crabs – August is the prime month to plan an erotic weekend escape with your lover, as the Lunar Eclipse kick-starts your mojo and your libido goes into overdrive.

LOOT & LUCK

The solar eclipse in August signals the start of a fresh fiscal cycle as you reboot your budget, negotiate a pay deal, liquidate assets, buy property or enter into a business partnership. Expect ongoing professional challenges and increased pressure, as Saturn continues transitting through your job zone. The more nimble and persistent you are, the better your work situation will be.

LIFESTYLE

With Jupiter in your domestic zone the best time to redecorate, renovate, build an extension, sell property, buy a new home, house-sit or relocate is between now and October 9. With Neptune and a Solar Eclipse activating your aspirations zone, it’s also a year when your wildest wishes really can take flight. January and May are the best months to tap into your inner muse, set ambitious goals, dream big dreams and visualise a fabulous future

FAMOUS CANCERIANS

Nelson Mandela, Meryl Streep, Princess Diana.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” (Nelson Mandela)

prime months to go looking for love, as lucky Jupiter boosts your chances of finding your soulmate on an online dating site. However, if you settle for a superficial, second-best kind of love then you’ll be selling yourself short. Have the confidence (and patience) to wait for the right person to come along. Attached Cats – in February and August passion peaks and the romantic sparks fly, so plan something special.

LOOT & LUCK

During the first nine months of 2017 some social-media savvy Lions will make a mark online communicating a powerful message to a burgeoning audience. Saturn also helps you stick with a creative project and work diligently to bring it to a successful conclusion. August and September are especially lucky months when long hours of hard work could finally translate into substantial financial reward. Do not lose heart and give up. Keep on keeping on!

LIFESTYLE

Leos love to receive plenty of attention, appreciation, applause and accolades. In 2017 the three eclipses compel you to get the balance right between giving and taking. Don’t just sit back and expect others to come to you, tend to your needs, and celebrate your innate wonderfulness. Jupiter encourages you to contribute your substantial talents to a worthy cause within your local community. August is the best month to give back in a big, bold and humanitarian way.

FAMOUS LEOS

Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger, Jennifer Lawrence.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“You get what you give. What you put into things is what you get out of them.” (Jennifer Lopez)

VIRGO

(Aug 24-Sep 23)

LOVE & LUST

If you are sick and tired of being single, February is the best month to go looking for love (especially online). Frustration sets in from March 4 until April 15, when Venus reverses through your romance and lust zones and a new relationship seems to stall. With plenty of patience things improve from May onwards. Attached Virgos –February is the time to start an exciting joint project, whereas June is a marvellous month to go on a romantic holiday together.

LOOT & LUCK

Lady Luck is on your side for the first nine months of 2017 as Jupiter (planet of prosperity) jumps through your money zone, enhancing your business acumen and boosting your ability to generate extra income. Resist the urge to overspend in March, when indulgent Venus reverses through your income zone. Your luckiest days are August 26, 27 and 28, when you could benefit from a property sale, financial deal or family connection.

LIFESTYLE

24-Aug 23)

Here are the dates when Mercury (your ruling planet) is retrograde in the coming year … January 1-8, April 9-May 3, August 13-September 5 and December 3-23. Be extra careful with communication, correspondence, contracts, computers, cars and travel during these periods. Planning, patience and due diligence are essential.

– YOUR YEAR IN THE STARS

Many Virgos will become more socially responsible and involved in volunteer work in 2017, as you reach out to help the old, sick or disadvantaged within your local community.

FAMOUS VIRGOS

Mother Teresa, Beyonce Knowles, Prince Harry.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” (Mother Teresa)

LIBRA

(Sep 24-Oct 23)

LOVE & LUST

2017 is the year to review your major relationships. Make sure you choose your company wisely because a false friend, dubious date or unreliable lover will just lead you up the primrose path to trouble and strife! Attached Librans – expect relationship rumbles in March, when Venus (your power planet) reverses through your partnership zone. Calm co-operation is the key to ongoing domestic harmony. Singles – if you rush things in March, then a promising romance could run off the rails.

LOOT & LUCK

You can look forward to a fortuitous year (personally and financially) as Jupiter transits through your sign and then shifts into your money zone on October 10. However, if you fritter money away on frivolous self-indulgences, then you’ll waste a golden opportunity to get ahead. Saturn aspects Uranus in May and November when you’ll benefit from joint ventures involving social media, the internet, travel, education or new technology. You’ll find the more entrepreneurial you are, the more your business will prosper and grow.

LIFESTYLE

February and August are fabulous months to give birth to a new work goal or personal dream. The more ambitious your aspirations are, the better the outcomes will be. Aim for the stars! With Jupiter moving through your sign (until October 10) don’t worry about what other people think of you, your appearance or how you live your life. Have the inner and outer confidence to be the real you!

FAMOUS LIBRANS

John Lennon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!” (John Lennon)

SCORPIO

(Oct 24-Nov 22)

LOVE & LUST

2017 promises to be a romantic year for singles, as Neptune and a Solar Eclipse stimulate your love zone. February is the prime month for romantic fireworks, candlelit dinners and erotic escapes, as you road test a potential partner. Attached Scorpios – May is the sexiest month of the year. However, expect some conflict between your partnership and your professional responsibilities in August when the Lunar Eclipse

disturbs domestic harmony. Some deft diplomacy (and skilful juggling) will help settle things down.

LOOT & LUCK

If you follow your financial instincts it will lead to good fortune in 2017. The Saturn/Uranus trines in May and November bode well for making a major business move, as you turn an innovative idea into an exciting entrepreneurial endeavour. But resist the temptation to take unscrupulous short-cuts (or over-extend yourself) in late March and early August. Make sure you get all major money matters completed before December, when Mercury reverses through your cash zone

LIFESTYLE

Are you preoccupied with outer appearances? It’s time to throw superficialities out the window and instead look a lot deeper. With Saturn transitting through your self-esteem zone, 2017 is the year to learn to love and celebrate yourself just the way you are – flaws and all. Activities such as meditation, contemplation, yoga and journalling are favoured from January 1 until October 9, when Jupiter journeys through your spiritual zone and you tap into the wealth of wisdom within.

FAMOUS SCORPIOS

Julia Roberts, Keith Urban, Katy Perry.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“You never stop pursuing greater understanding of yourself. A constant sense of gratitude is the spiritual foundation of my daily life.” (Julia Roberts)

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov 23-Dec 21)

LOVE & LUST

Attached Archers – in order for your union to survive in the long term, you need to experience a sense of adventure within the parameters of a committed relationship. One way to do this is to combine travel and togetherness, as you go on an exotic escapade with your partner (February and August are the best months to travel). Singles – with Venus reversing through your romance zone, March will be a messy month for love. Have a rest before you jump back into the dating pool again in April.

LOOT & LUCK

Uranus pushes your impulsive button in March and September. If you are too hasty, hot-headed or extravagant, then you could find yourself slap-bang in the middle of a financial fiasco. Pace yourself. If a business proposal looks too good to be true then walk away – quickly! Also if a colleague or acquaintance makes a business offer (or suggestion) in August, then research it meticulously and get a second opinion before you make a final decision.

LIFESTYLE

Your restless wanderlust nature intensifies in March, August and September, when Jupiter (your power planet) links up with Uranus and Pluto, and your energy and timing are all over the place. Taskmaster Saturn is still transitting through your sign (until December 20) so strive to be reasonable and responsible, rather than impetuous and impossible! While Saturn will send many challenges your way, it will also teach you to celebrate your strengths and learn from your mistakes.

FAMOUS SAGITTARIANS

Jane Fonda, Brad Pitt, Taylor Swift.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“You don’t learn from successes… you only learn from wounds and scars and mistakes and failures. (Jane Fonda)

CAPRICORN

(Dec 22-Jan 20)

LOVE & LUST

June is a super romantic month for singles, when there’ll be a plethora of potential suitors and for some lucky Capricorns it’s when Cupid finally comes calling. If you are attached, expect some emotional or intimacy issues to crop up in February, when the Lunar Eclipse lights up your lust zone. Are you experiencing ongoing problems with your partner? August is the prime month to be positive and proactive, as you lead the way and set new ground rules in the relationship.

LOOT & LUCK

Work and luck are indelibly linked in 2017. May, August and November are particularly fortunate months to look for a job, hit your boss for a raise, apply for a loan or start a business. Start preparing and strategising ASAP! From October 10 onwards, look for promising opportunities opening up in areas involving the internet, online sales, social networking, new technology and telecommunications. You need to keep up-to-date with the latest innovations in finance and business.

LIFESTYLE

This is the year when you can dazzle the doubters and make a strong impression in the public sphere. However, there’s a fine line between blowing others away (with your discipline and dedication) and turning them away (with your calculating approach). Aim to combine professional success with the personal touch. It’s also a wonderful year to work on your inner development (and get to know yourself better) as Saturn transits through your solitude and spiritual zone.

FAMOUS CAPRICORNS

Dolly Parton, Nigella Lawson, Kate Middleton.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” (Dolly Parton)

AQUARIUS

(Jan 21-Feb 19)

LOVE & LUST

With two powerful eclipses rocking your love boat (in February and August), your romantic life is set for some dramatic changes in 2017. Attached Aquarians – do all you can to reboot a stale relationship or fix a frustrating problem. If you allow boredom and complacency to set in then one of you will soon be heading out the door. Singles – expect a passionate attraction in February or March, but it could take until August for things to really get going. If it’s true love, it will be worth the wait.

LOOT & LUCK

From January through until September, there’s money to be made via publishing, education, travel, business

trips, international contacts, imports or exports. Late February is the best time to revise your budget, boost your personal savings or update your share portfolio, when the Solar Eclipse stimulates your financial zone. In May or November a cherished dream could finally come true… as long as you have put in the hard work required in the months before.

LIFESTYLE

The Jupiter/Uranus opposition (in March and September) will increase your restless (and reckless) side, and could cause problems involving travel, communication or social media. Slow down and pace yourself during these months. With Saturn stimulating your peer group zone, is it time to finally give a fair-weather friend the flick? In 2017, make it a major priority to fill your social circle with positive people who encourage your talents and support your dreams.

FAMOUS AQUARIANS

Oprah Winfrey, Bob Marley, Yoko Ono.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“Surround yourself with only the people who are going to lift you higher.” (Oprah Winfrey)

PISCES

(Feb 20-March 20)

LOVE

& LUST

Attached Pisces – love and lust are on the menu until October 9, when (courtesy of Jupiter) your sex drive regularly soars. Then, the period between October 10 and December 31 is the perfect time to travel with your partner, hopefully to a heavenly foreign destination. Singles – don’t sit around waiting for Cupid’s arrow to strike. June and July are fabulous months to flirt up a storm and circulate in style (in person and online) when proactive Mars moves through your romance zone.

LOOT & LUCK

Be very careful about money matters in March, August and September. When it comes to making a major financial decision have the courage to listen to your inner voice. It will point you in the right direction. The luckiest month of the year is December 2017, when prosperity planet, Jupiter, activates your personal and international zones. Make sure you are ready, willing and able to capitalise on good luck when it finally comes along.

LIFESTYLE

The Solar Eclipse (in February) helps you reboot your appearance or head off in a brand new direction, as you approach life with extra passion and panache. Don’t be dismayed if you make a professional blunder between April and August, when Saturn reverses through your career zone. If you learn from your mistakes, then you’ll transform a short-term failure into a long-term success. Don’t waste the opportunity to do something dazzling in November when you could turn an abstract idea into a concrete reality.

FAMOUS PISCEANS

Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Taylor, Drew Barrymore.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown your own inner voice.” (Steve Jobs) Distributed by Auspac