Your Time Magazine Brisbane - March 2026

James BallProperty is his business

Community is WHO HE IS.

At HME Property Group, real estate is what we do — but community is who we are.

For many decades, James has proudly supported the people and organisations that make our regions stronger. From supporting/sponsoring National Seniors, Mater Hospital Neo-Natal unit, QLD RSPCA, Small Steps for Hannah (to help halt domestic and family violence) and the Methyr Bowls Club, to being a committed, active member his local Rotary Club, James believes it’s his responsibility to give back.

This year, JAMES IS THE PROUD SPONSOR of the inaugural Hamilton Rotary Shelterbags Sleepout June 6th St Augustin’s Church at Racecourse Road Hamilton, a powerful community event raising vital funds and awareness for those experiencing homelessness.

Because while James has sold homes for decades, he knows that not everyone has one.

Every property or home James sells helps him continue to support initiatives that provide shelter, dignity and hope. He believe success should be shared — and used to create meaningful change.

Exceptional Results. Proven Experience.

For over 20 years, James and HME Property Group has sold homes as far north as the Sunshine Coast and as far south as the Gold Coast and across Brisbane delivering outstanding results.

We combine strategic marketing, a deep understanding of our local market and skilled negotiation to maximise your sale price — while making the process seamless and stress-free. Our results speak for themselves.

WE’VE SOLD THEIRS; CAN WE SELL YOURS?

If you’re considering selling, now is the time to have a conversation about what your home is truly worth — and how we will position it to achieve an exceptional result.

CALL JAMES TODAY TO ARRANGE A MEETING AND DISCOVER THE HME DIFFERENCE.

We sell real estate We help the homeless

James Ball Director - Sales and Marketing

Why should we give up doing what we love, just because of our age?

If we are physically and mentally able, we should allow ourselves to keep on doing whatever we enjoy.

Once upon a time, I loved nothing more than hitting the dancefloor at trendy Brisbane venues: Apples in the National Hotel, New York New York, City Plaza and Mayne or Windsor-Zillmere Aussie rules football clubs’ Sunday night cabarets.

By the time I stepped back in the shadows for a drink, I’d be sweaty, out of breath and with carefully coiffured hairstyle gone with the wind after bopping to The Knack’s My Sharona, Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough or even Mike Brady’s Up There Cazaly

Wedding dancefloors are few and far between these days. But, really, there’s nothing stopping me from putting on YouTube for video clips of ‘Eighties Rock Hits’ or turning up my Shazam playlist on Spotify ‘to 11’ and busting out my moves while doing the housework each week.

There’s even the occasional silent disco advertised where I could get lost in my own music world, surrounded by like-minded

fans of all ages. Let’s just say there’s nothing stopping me except me.

As we age, we tend to put limitations on our own pleasure and entertainment.

Maybe we’re embarrassed to do these things “at my age”. Perhaps we’ve slowed down a little and can’t do that Dancing Queen routine anymore. Or we might worry what the neighbours/grandchildren would think.

But not Pauline Clayton. For this month’s feature, the octogenarian has written from the heart about her love of scuba diving – something she has been doing for more than 60 years.

A breast cancer survivor, her body may be telling her to ‘act her age’, but she refuses to give in to a sedentary lifestyle. She tries to eat well and takes the necessary steps to ensure a good degree of movement, brain power and socialising for her physical and mental wellbeing. Pauline is an inspiration to us all. She reminds us we can make adjustments and find another path to keep doing what we love, living life to the full.

On the travel front, Marian McGuinness transports us to Ireland for a day trip along the Wild Atlantic Way on the Emerald Isle’s rugged west coast. There, she finds music and mirth, castles and history … and weather – lots of weather.

Enjoy this month’s edition!

Shirley Sinclair Editor

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Do not go gentle into that good night

which keep me strong, I’m still losing power. Recovery takes longer. In fact, everything takes longer.

My bridge game has levelled out and when I make a mistake, it is one that comes with mental fatigue.

At 85, PAULINE CLAYTON is a fine example of the Dylan Thomas poem urging defiance against death and celebrating the vitality of life: squeezing every drop of enjoyment out of her day and refusing to let age define her.

There I was, stepping cautiously in a gently rocking dive boat. It’s more a canoe because this is Gizo, in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands.

I’m 85 years old, a great-greatgrandmother and haven’t been scuba diving for a decade.

The big question is: will I be able to get back up the ladder into the boat?

But like riding a bicycle, it fell into place on the first dive.

A gentle drop down onto the infamous Toa MaruNo.2 (the wreck of a sunken World War II Japanese patrol boat) and yes, slowly and cautiously, I could climb up the narrow, three-step ladder.

Raul Fernandes, the 23-year-old dive instructor, takes time during our first dives to take the photos I’ve asked for this article.

I look like any other diver ... until I see the pictures of me out of the water, and there is a little old, grey-haired lady.

Why return to the islands to go scuba diving?

Firstly, because my time is fast running out.

Secondly, because I’ve been diving with my hosts Danny and Kerry Kennedy for 40 years.

Finally, because I had to decide where to be and what to do on Christmas Day.

My daughter, granddaughters (and two

great-grandchildren), now living out of close range and busy with their own lives, meant Nan P had to do her own thing.

Kerrie suggested, “Why not come up to Gizo?”

But can I cope with the flight, carting luggage through endless airport corridors?

Kerrie replies, “Yes – you now fly into Munda and the new airconditioned terminal.”

Friends advised to pack light, take emergency medication, wear comfy shoes and drink a lot of water.

And, so I did.

Despite my twice-weekly gym sessions (myofascial, all-body workouts)

Same with the weekly backgammon group games.

My regime for staying upright includes an hour in a hyperbaric chamber every fortnight.

This became routine after I spent a year (2014) on chemotherapy/radiation after breast cancer surgery.

Plus I need some laser treatment on my ‘numbish’ feet: peripheral neuropathy, also caused by the chemo.

Walking is out, and as I am not a sporty person, I swim as body maintenance.

To avoid stacking on the pounds, I’ve been spending time with a friend who is teaching me how to make sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and beetroot.

My morning cocktail is an ice cube (melting in a fine crystal glass) of mashed turmeric and ginger root with a touch of

apple cider vinegar. Life has changed lanes, and now is the time to make the most of what is left ... and what friends are still around.

In the nearby Solomon Islands, Danny and Kerry are long-time friends.

We met on my first visit in 1986, one year after they opened Dive Gizo.

We have aged together.

But there was a subtle difference from the last trip a decade ago.

Same local islander dive team, underwater sites, glorious clear and turquoise waters (with a temperature of 30 degrees Celcius), but everyone was treating me with a respect that was more than kindness: it was genuine caring.

I felt loved – like Old Deuteronomy in Cats the musical.

On the third day, I meet a family of teenagers, fresh out of dive school with just four logged dives.

Young, fit and fearless, they are none-the-less being guided by their parents and are far from reckless.

They are brilliant in the water. Natural divers.

James Black, the 17- year-old, tells me the title of this story should be: ‘Diving not dying’.

Between dives and lunch on Njari Island, he takes photos of me with local children the same age as my great-grandkidlets Maya, 7, and Matthew, 4.

They make houses with grand floor plans from shells, coral, berries and driftwood.

Solomon time means no rush on any day, and I was also cautious and didn’t pretend to be otherwise.

At the risk of looking like someone away with the fairies, I took time to consider each stair, every handhold, or anything I could hit that would tear a piece of my skin (now like tissue paper) before I stepped up or down, in or out.

Deciding to dive one day and rest the

next meant lazing in a hammock, drinking bush-lime Fatboys in one of my favourite places in the world.

There’s no doubt going to the gym, twice a week, for the past 15 years has kept me upright.

I have not fallen, although recently came close. When standing on the loo seat to reach the top shelf of a cupboard, I slipped backwards and landed heavily, bruising my heel.

A lesson learnt. And now, no more ‘stuff’ on high shelves; no more standing on anything more than a one-step stool.

So how did I end up a scuba diver?

I learned to dive illegally.

In 1961, aged 21, I met two Australian Navy clearance divers.

Scuba was not yet a sport.

I’d read of Jacques Cousteau and Hans Hass and this was a world I wanted to explore.

(I later interviewed Hans Hass when he came to Cheviot Beach, Victoria, to the site where former prime minister Harold Holt vanished in the rocky surf.)

My Navy lieutenant clearance diver smuggled me aboard the boat he took out

into Port Phillip Bay to train reservists.

Years later, married with a daughter, I went back into the water doing the then necessary training course with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) in December 1988.

I’d lied about my age throughout most of my working life.

With my NAUI card, I took off five years.

Doing several advanced courses with Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) in the Nineties, I dropped a good eight years.

Even when standing for local government in 2000, when I was asked if I had turned 50 years of age, I said “yes”, when in fact I had turned 60.

Obviously, I’ve always looked a little younger – probably due to genes, as my paternal grandmother was still living alone well into her nineties.

Why disguise age?

Because way back then, most women I worked with did, too.

Being even a moment older than the boss was to be avoided, and I always seem to be befriended by younger people.

I was relieved when the then prime minister John Howard moved legislation which no longer mandated having the year of birth on any application, with exceptions being passports and driver’s licences.

My only medication is Symbicort, the asthma preventative, caused by 50 years of smoking which, of course, I now regret.

Since breast cancer, I’ve worked consistently on rebuilding my immune system, reminding myself that you are what you eat, drink and breathe.

My GP is great.

He says: “Put turmeric on everything”, while ensuring I do regular blood tests.

This, my last dive trip to the islands of the Solomons, was amazing and remarkable in so many ways.

People cared and there was always someone there, holding out their hand, just in case.

Knowing what used to come naturally now doesn’t means prioritising and planning, which includes rest and recovery time.

Life is not only getting faster, I’m moving slower. But so are friends. There are still so many things to see and do.

So, it pays to follow the ones with the grey hair.

What’s hip

No, not the replacement surgery type of ‘hip’. It’s a selection of on-trend snippets that could include places to dine, travel destinations, where to shop, what to see and visit, as well as what to watch, read and listen to, so you can stay up to date with family, friends and neighbours of all ages.

Back in the day …

WE MAY take it for granted, to some extent, but it’s impossible to look out from Circular Quay,

The Rocks or other parts of our most famous harbour and not feel a sense of pride in seeing the Sydney Opera House. A worldwide competition for the design of the project was won by Danish architect Jorn Utzon. His ingenious design envisaged soaring roofs reminiscent of the sails that dot the harbour, making the most of its prominent Bennelong Point position. On March 2, 1959, a crowd gathered under umbrellas in the rain for the ceremony marking the start of construction. After welldocumented problems, Sydney Opera House was completed in 1973 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It is among Australia’s top tourist drawcards – an architectural triumph of the 20th century.

What to watch

What to book

WE FIRST met the then Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe) and Scottish Highlander Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in our lounge rooms in 2014. Now it is time to say goodbye to their epic love story, that has literally spanned centuries, when Outlander Season 8 launches this month. The historical fantasy romance series, based on the series of books by Diana Gabaldon, was brought to the small screen by Ronald D Moore. It began with the English former World War II military nurse being transported back in time to 1743 through standing stones near Inverness, Scotland, while visiting with her husband Frank. Since then, we’ve been on a roller-coaster of emotions, and have welcomed history lessons from Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites to the American War of Independence. In the final season, Claire and Jamie are back in Fraser’s Ridge, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, amid a still raging Revolutionary War, with new issues to face and a future still to be determined. The first of 10 episodes will premiere on March 7 on Binge and Foxtel.

Where to play

IF YOU’VE ever camped under clear skies, you’ll appreciate how lucky we are in Southeast Queensland to enjoy minimal air and light pollution –especially in our hinterland and country areas. The more than 100 billion stars of our Milky Way Galaxy really know how to put on a show. Sunshine Coast Council has proposed a 900sqkm Dark Sky Reserve. And now Mystic Mountain Tours has a special astronomy tour that allows us to learn more about stargazing. The business recently launched a regular Night Sky Journeys (weather permitting) with local experts which takes guests to the best Sunshine Coast hinterland vantage points to soak up the shimmering skies, with included guided live viewing through state-of-theart telescopes. The Night Sky Journeys run from May to October – prime stargazing times in the region. Visit mysticmountaintours.com.au

THEY are four of Australia’s most popular artists, coming together on the one stage to present timeless classics from beloved musicals and opera. Marina Prior, David Hobson, Silvie Paladino and Michael Cormick have captured hearts with voices that have been heard from the Sydney Opera House, to the world’s most popular musicals and Carols by Candlelight. Their show, Ovation, will relive hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Cats, Mamma Mia! and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, as well as operatic masterpieces including La bohème Ovation tour dates include: Saturday, March 28, at 3pm at The Events Centre, Caloundra; Saturday, May 9, at 2.30pm at QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane; and Sunday, May 10, at 2.30pm at Twin Towns, Gold Coast. For tickets, go to ovation.net.au

What to devour

IF YOU’RE a lover of oysters, here’s an unforgettable farm-to-plate experience on our doorsteps. In the spirit of the original Sydney oyster farm tours, Brisbane Oyster Farm Tours invites you to visit a newly established, working oyster farm on Moreton Island. For the 3.5-hour Immerse Yourself tour, the adventure begins with a scenic boat ride across Moreton Bay to the oyster farm leases. Take part in a behind-the-scenes look at how oysters are farmed before learning to shuck 18 fresh oysters per person. In waterproof waders, you’ll be guided to your own private, in-water tasting table to enjoy the freshly opened oysters. Book at brisbaneoystertours.com

SENIORS ARE DOWNSIZING AND SHARING THE LOVE

ONCE upon a time, the great Australian dream was a quarter-acre block, a Hills hoist and a house big enough to host Christmas lunch for three generations.

But older Australians are reinventing what ‘home’ looks like.

Downsizing once sounded like defeat. But I live in a one-bedroom villa and I don’t feel defeated. If anything, I’m free to broaden my life with new exploits.

I’m far from alone. Many seniors are swapping their four-bedder for a breezy unit near the beach. Nobody misses cleaning the spare room that only ever hosted the ironing board.

But the real revolution is happening in the shared housing space. Modern households, just like The Golden Girls TV series (pictured), are popping up, with friends pooling resources, sharing meals and keeping an eye on each other without sacrificing independence. Loneliness doesn’t stand a chance when someone’s down the hall, asking if you want a cuppa.

Adult children are moving back home, or parents are moving in with them, and suddenly the house is full of life, noise and the occasional debate about who used all the hot water. It’s reshaping family life in nostalgic and refreshingly modern ways.

What’s driving all this? Rising costs, shrinking super balances and the realisation that many of us simply don’t need as much space anymore.

There’s a shift toward connection, flexibility and living on our own terms.

Seniors are choosing community over isolation, sanity over stress, and lifestyle over lawn maintenance.

Southeast Queensland is the ideal place for this reinvention. With walkable towns, strong community networks and a culture that values living well rather than living large, locals are proving that ageing isn’t about shrinking your world: it’s about reshaping it so it fits better.

In the end, home isn’t defined by square metres. It’s defined by comfort, connection and the freedom to live the next chapter with confidence.

• It relieves stress on your family

• You take the financial responsibility

• You have it done your way

• You are in control of your affairs right to the end Contact us today for obligation free information and to make an appointment

DISCOVER MORE ON YOUR DOORSTEP WITH PLANNING GUIDE

THERE’S so much more to the Sunshine Coast than beaches and cafes.

And it’s all waiting to be uncovered in the Sunshine Coast Discovery Guide

This free guide brings together the region’s museums, heritage places, historic walks and cultural sites, making it easy to explore something new close to home.

From coastal landmarks and pioneer cottages to hinterland museums and First Nations places of significance, the guide

unlocks stories that shape who we are today – often at little or no cost.

Among the highlights is the Queensland Air Museum in Caloundra, home to one of Australia’s largest collections of historic military and civilian aircraft.

The museum recently hosted its popular Helicopters Open Day, giving visitors the chance to get up close to rotorcraft, meet aviation experts and take part in immersive experiences.

The guide also encourages people to get active while learning about local history.

The walk to the Dularcha Railway

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Tunnel near Landsborough takes visitors through bushland to one of Queensland’s oldest surviving train tunnels, blending light exercise with a fascinating glimpse into the region’s rail past.

For deeper cultural understanding, the guide highlights important First Nations sites, including bora rings and axe-grinding grooves, which provide insight into the long and continuing connection of Traditional Custodians to this land.

Whether you’re planning an educational outing, a relaxed weekend walk or a day discovering local stories, the Sunshine Coast Discovery Guide helps you reconnect with your region in healthy, interesting and meaningful ways.

IMPORTANT STEP FOR DEMENTIA ACTION PLAN

THE release of the Collective Priority Framework for the National Dementia Action Plan has been welcomed by patients and carers alike.

But Dementia Australia says further investment is urgently needed to address the growing impact of cognitive decline in Australia.

The Commonwealth and all state and territory health ministers have agreed the urgent priorities for action are:

1. Empowering individuals and communities to minimise risk where they can, and delay onset and progression.

2. Improving dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic care and support.

3. Improving dementia data, maximising the impact of dementia research and promoting innovation.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan says the release of the framework is a positive development and an important next step in addressing the growing impact of dementia now and into the future.

“We support the action areas that have been identified,” Professor Buchanan says.

“We are also pleased that all governments will report annually on their

Explore the guide on Sunshine Coast Council’s heritage website: heritage. sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/museumsand-places/heritage-discover-guide

dementia-related activity and that people living with dementia will be involved in implementation. However, the National Dementia Action Plan was released in 2024 after extensive consultation.

“Since then, dementia has become the leading cause of death in Australia and there are now an estimated 446,500 people living with dementia – a figure projected to more than double to more than one million people by 2065 without significant intervention.

“People living with dementia, their families and carers have been patient and were expecting to see firmer commitments and new investment to address the growing human and economic cost of dementia. Without that, there is a danger services will not keep pace with demand and we will go backwards.”

Professor Buchanan says urgent needs are:

• a brain health campaign to help people minimise their risk of developing dementia

• support to help people navigate the fragmented dementia service system

• improved access to diagnostic and post-diagnostic services, such as respite, particularly in rural and regional areas.

Read more at dementia.org.au/ pre-budget. Call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.

A burning issue led to capital city’s first crematorium site

To commemorate State Library’s new, free exhibition Dearly Departed: death in life, CHRIS CURRIE investigates our early cremationist movement.

Brisbane’s interest in cremation –a long-held practice in many cultures – only sharpened after the 1900 plague outbreak, which underscored the need for sanitary reform.

This momentum contributed to the Public Health Act 1902 and, eventually (after many newspaper column inches) to Dr William Taylor’s successful Cremation Bill of 1912, which became law a year later.

Even so, an actual crematorium did not immediately follow, delayed by World War I and the significant cost of construction.

Another hurdle to overcome was public sentiment, shaped strongly by religious and cultural traditions, along with general squeamishness around the not widely understood practice.

A dedicated Brisbane cremationist movement – The Brisbane Cremation Association (later the Brisbane Cremation Society) – emerged in 1915, uniting politicians, physicians, engineers and members of theosophical,

rationalist and modernist groups. Brisbane City Council approved the establishment of a crematorium for the city in 1925.

But public resistance prevented three proposed sites in Toowong, Balmoral and Lutwyche.

Eventually, the newly-formed Brisbane Crematorium Limited (formed by members of earlier cremation advocacy groups) was approved in 1933 for a site at Mount Thompson in Holland Park.

An information handbook produced by the company in 1934 outlined plans for the site – one that blended practicality with artistic ambition.

By the time construction was completed on September 7, 1934, early newspaper reports depict the site as “a landmark of the district”.

The central building was a spacious brick chapel, lined and inset with Queensland marble, with a large mural by Brisbane artist William Bustard hanging above the catafalque.

Leadlight doors opened to the

columbarium garden, overlooking a lily pond and a figure by Brisbane sculptor Daphne Mayo (who would also provide two stone reliefs flanking the crematorium entrance).

Brisbane Crematorium opened on September 9, 1934.

At 10.30am on September 11, Neil Richmond Rose, of Wynnum, became the first person to be cremated in Queensland.

In the first year of the company’s operations, there were 261 cremations, which were claimed “to constitute a world record for the first year at any crematorium”.

As Brisbane’s inaugural – and, indeed, only interwar – crematorium, the site marked the culmination of decades of advocacy and established cremation as a viable and dignified funerary option in Queensland.

Now known as Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens, the crematorium is still in operation today.

Brisbane Crematorium’s 1934 handbook will be on display as part of State Library of Queensland’s new, free exhibition Dearly Departed: death in life, running from March 14 to August 23 this year. Find out more at slq.qld.gov.au/dearlydeparted

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Life in the slow lane

By Mocco Wollert

NOW autumn has arrived with its wonderful colours in the southern states, it is time to look at warmer clothes, jumpers, slacks and jackets.

It has been a while since I wore a woollen skirt.

It’s time to look in my wardrobe for more substantial garments to wear.

I greet them like long-lost friends.

I think I will start the cooler season with one of my favourites: a grey, light-woollen skirt, mid-calf length.

I put it on, look in the mirror and can’t believe my eyes. My mid-calf length skirt has grown to full length, finishing around my ankles.

My male readers might have found that their trouser legs have grown in length.

I hot-foot it back to the wardrobe. Maybe I have two grey skirts – I just forgot about the second one?

No, only one grey skirt. As it is an inane object, it could not have grown in length by itself. I have to face the fact: I have shrunk!

I have never been a short or tall

person, as my height of 163cm was regarded as average. Recently, as part of a general check-up by my GP, I found my height was down to 158cm. Where had those centimetres gone?

I did not see them fall off or out. They must have gone somewhere.

Alas, I think I know where they went. They gathered all around my stomach, which has expanded as mysteriously over the years as my height has shrunk ... probably at the same ratio.

I went back to my wardrobe and searched through my other skirts and dresses.

The once mid-calf ones had become full length. I stood in front of my mirror but could not spot where those centimetres (for we really old people, inches) had gone.

I looked again. Well, I did maybe

look just a bit shorter, even to the naked eye. Other strange things are happening. The top shelves in cupboards and wardrobes have grown in height. I can’t reach them anymore.

Even hanging up dresses has become difficult. I now stand on my toes to reach the rail.

And the washing line has somehow been raised.

The availability of facilities is also ‘shrinking’: post offices, bank branches, dressmakers. When buying goods packaged in boxes such as cereal, somehow the contents have shrunk, although the box might still look the same size.

Many things shrink in an older person’s life: appetite, sleep capacity, attention span – not to forget tolerance. I don’t put up with falseness or rude behaviour anymore.

Our desires to do, and to have, are shrinking, too.

Our world, in general, is shrinking.

The more we learn about the universe, the smaller and more insignificant appears this little blue planet called Earth.

Despite all those ‘shrinking’ negatives, I still have my zest for life and hopefully you have, too.

May you keep your adult height as long as possible.

Email mocco.wollert@bigpond.com

an adventure

By Cheryl Lockwood

YEARS ago, I remember hearing the term: “I’m all at sixes and sevens”.

My mother-in-law sometimes said it when feeling confused or just not feeling her usual self.

The origin of the saying is sketchy, but it most likely came from a medieval dice game called Hazard. The phrase: “To set on cinque and sice” was used and indicated that those particular numbers were risky to bet on.

Now, those numbers actually translate from Old French to ‘five and six’, but somehow shifted across to six and seven. As is often the case, language evolved and the term eventually referred to any state of havoc.

Trying to keep up with changes to the English language is enough to create confusion in itself.

The reason I was pondering this was the onslaught of young people using the words “six/ seven”. The term was so well-used on social media that it was announced as Dictionary.com’s word of the year for 2025. In my opinion, it’s two words (unless it’s hyphenated).

I’m not a fan of social media and avoid using it for several reasons – one being that I’m not interested in videos of a bunch of young people randomly chanting “six/seven” as though it’s the greatest joke in the world. I’m not alone. Other adults

have had enough, with some schools trying to ban its use.

Even more confusing is its meaning and origin. It appears to have originated from a 2024 rap song by some artist I’ve never heard of. But, to be fair, I don’t listen to much of that genre.

It spread, was used by a popular cartoon show and a very tall basketballer and is now classed as internet brain rot – meaning mindless, low-quality online content.

“Brain rot” was Oxford Dictionary’s 2024 word of the year. Again, two words. Can’t people count?

What really leaves me at sixes and sevens is that the individuals using the words – along with some sort of palms-up hand gesture – is that they also don’t know what it means.

It is believed that members of generation alpha are blindly following a fad for the sake of it and part of the appeal is to confuse and annoy adults. I guess that’s working!

Like most parents, I consider my children, who are in their 30s, as young,

but even they are rolling their eyes at this numerical fad.

We were all young once and can probably recall something that was the in-thing to say in our day. Maybe you were proclaiming things to be cool in the ’50s and ’60s. Perhaps the 1970s was groovy or the ’80s radical and gnarly.

Whatever the era, at least we knew that these words were all generally slang for something good. Of course, the speaker was probably trying to fit in with peers and likely succeeded in annoying an adult somewhere.

There’s a good chance that as I have my little rant about this, the whipper-snappers involved will have seen sense and moved on to the next craze (does anyone even say whipper-snappers anymore?).

It’s hard to keep up with progress in the online world. I’ve barely wrapped my brain around all the acronyms that became popular a few years back: YOLO (You Only Live Once), LOL (Laugh Out Loud), BRB (Be Right Back).

I’m a granny who uses correct spelling and grammar, even in a message. I’m the classic one-finger texter who has never mastered the two-thumb style. I blame my fat thumbs.

As technology and fads change, I can only hope my grandchildren will update me on the latest and keep my sixes and sevens at bay.

Visit lockwoodfreelance.com

Snap up this four-door

ute that’s capable and comfortable

Bruce McMahon says plenty of work was done in Australia in the lead-up to Kia’s first ute – and it shows, making a very tempting proposition.

Motor writing’s biggest danger –leaving aside errant autobahn drivers at 200kmh, desert sand traps and righteous, jealous tyre kickers – is falling for the test machine.

Some temptations can be soothed with second-hand vehicles – such as used Range Rovers. But through the years, test affairs have led to a new Jeep XJ Cherokee, Nissan D40, Mazda BT50, Yamaha Wolverine side-by-side and a John Deere tractor.

The latest deep attraction and purchase? A Kia Tasman X-Pro.

The Korean ute, heralded by that marketing campaign with a paddock of Australian sports stars, has polarised some with its chunky style.

Spend time with the X-Pro, top of the tree, and the Kia’s engineering, ergonomics, refinement and treats swamp any argument about exterior design.

This is a very capable, very comfortable, four-door ute, on or off the road. And it sits right handsome in Cityscape Green.

A deal of work on Kia’s first ute was done in Australia.

That shows in the four-wheel drive Tasman’s ride, handling and off-road ability.

It shows in the cabin – a tad wider than rivals – with window sills big enough to rest an arm, knurled control knobs and door handles good enough for Euro sedans.

There’s premium comfort and convenience features galore – from weather forecasts to wireless phone chargers, heated and ventilated front seats to Apple CarPlay to sensible air-conditioning controls and 240-volt power outlets.

Warning monitors for speed, lane drifting and driver attention are generally more polite than found elsewhere. A couple can be further turned down, or off, by steering wheel controls.

It’s not just the accoutrements (such as the Harman Kardon stereo). It’s the

Home delivery from your phone made easy for bargain hunters

EDIN READ shows how the convenient and safe ordering of items from groceries to gadgets is in your hands.

There was a time when online shopping felt like something other people did.

You can also choose Click & Collect, if you’d prefer to pick up the bags without walking the aisles.

spacious and quiet cabin. To make the most of space, X-Pro and X-Line Tasmans use a wand on the steering wheel for starting and gear selection.

The Kia, with generous cargo tub, is that little wider, taller and longer than some mid-sized utes, yet an excellent turning circle, plus fantastic cameras, make town parking and tree dodging easy.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine pushes 154kW and 440Nm through an eightspeed transmission with a default 4-Auto starting point. This allows the driveline to engage front wheels on sloppyslippy surfaces. It can be switched back to two-wheel drive or through to 4L and 4H for serious tracks.

Some believe the engine-transmission combination is under-done, yet there are no complaints here (though, we don’t tow).

Early days see highway drives costing around 8.5 litres per 100km, running to 10 litres for town, country and paddock work.

It’s quick and smooth for open-road overtaking, plus a sophisticated performer in four-wheel-drive.

Helping with four-wheeling are good ground clearance, off-road cruise control, paddle shifters and four terrain modes. This technology is well packaged for confident back track work.

On highway and country roads, the Kia turns in well (if not quite as sharply as a Ford Ranger) and can be pushed along with confidence.

Ford’s low-speed ride composure’s probably a tad better, too. But overall, the Kia – while there’s no disguising this is a body-on-frame vehicle – feels and drives more like an upmarket tourer than the Ranger.

At up to $80,000 (with lots of deals around), Kia’s Tasman X-Pro isn’t the cheapest of utes.

It is, however, a very good one with a premium outlook.

But now, it’s quietly becoming one of the easiest ways to lighten your week.

Whether it’s groceries, vitamins or toilet paper, you can now have what you need delivered right to your door, often for less than the cost of petrol or a cab.

And the best part? You can do it all from your phone or iPad, without leaving the house or carrying a single bag.

Let’s start with Amazon. It’s an enormous online shop that works with trusted brands and suppliers, selling just about everything from batteries and shampoo to bed linen and kitchen appliances.

The standout feature is how fast it is. Most orders arrive within a day or two.

If you sign up to Amazon Prime for $9.99/month (or $79 a year), you receive free express delivery on most items, access to its movie and TV streaming service (Prime Video), plus exclusive discounts on everyday goods.

The app is simple to use and keeps a record of your previous purchases. So, reordering your basics is as easy as tapping a button, and you can set up recurring orders.

Then there’s Coles and Woolies, which both offer full grocery delivery.

No need to worry about pushing a trolley, juggling a shopping list or carrying bags from the car.

Their mobile apps let you browse everything, just like you would in the shop: meat, milk, fresh produce and pantry staples.

Then, you can choose a delivery window that suits you.

Prices are the same as in store, and delivery usually costs between $2 and $15, depending on how much you spend and when you’d like it delivered.

For many, this means the weekly shop becomes a five-minute job from the couch. It’s especially helpful during hot weather, busy periods or if you’re not feeling 100 per cent.

Now here’s something not everyone knows: Priceline Pharmacy also offers home delivery through its mobile app. You can order vitamins, health essentials, skincare and even refill prescriptions (where eligible).

And it gets better: Priceline is part of a service called OnePass. This gives you free delivery and faster Click & Collect across several major retailers including Kmart, Target, Bunnings and Priceline itself.

OnePass costs $4/month or $40/year and, for regular shoppers, it pays for itself quickly.

You can link it to your Flybuys card, too, to earn rewards while you shop. It’s a great way to get all your essentials, including medications, delivered without paying a fortune for postage each time. If you’ve never tried home delivery before, it’s easier than you might expect.

The trick is to start with one app –Amazon, Coles, Woolies or Priceline – and give it a go with a small order.

Once your details are set up and your favourites saved, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

And if you need help getting started, Greyology can give you a hand setting it all up safely.

You don’t have to leave the house. You don’t have to carry a thing. And you don’t have to pay much to enjoy the convenience.

It’s one of the small joys of modern tech – and once it’s working for you, life gets just that little bit easier.

Edin Read is founder and chief technician at Greyology Tech Support for Seniors. Visit greyology.com.au

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How to avoid 3 key risk factors for stroke

CAITLYN HUTH explains how modifying your lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of danger.

Stroke is a serious health concern, but the good news is that many of the risk factors are modifiable with lifestyle changes – especially when it comes to exercise.

Here is how you can help to mitigate them.

1. High blood pressure (hypertension)

High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke. It damages blood vessels over time, increasing the likelihood of a blockage or rupture in the brain. And uncontrolled hypertension puts significant strain on the heart and arteries, making a stroke more likely to occur.

Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling and swimming, helps lower blood pressure by improving cardiovascular health. Studies show that moderate-intensity exercise can reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 5 to 10 mmHg. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to see the benefits.

2. Physical inactivity

A sedentary lifestyle is closely linked to a variety of stroke risk factors, including obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Physical inactivity leads to poor circulation, muscle atrophy and inefficient heart function – all of which increase the risk of stroke. Regular exercise improves circulation, strengthens the heart and helps maintain healthy weight and cholesterol levels. It also reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes: a major risk factor for stroke. Resistance training (including weightlifting or bodyweight exercises), combined with aerobic activity, improves overall metabolic health. The goal is to aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or

75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly, along with two days of strength training.

3. Obesity and poor diet

Obesity contributes to a range of stroke risk factors, including high cholesterol, diabetes and elevated blood pressure. Excess weight, particularly around the abdomen, can lead to insulin resistance and increased inflammation, which makes the blood vessels more prone to damage.

Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to manage weight and reduce abdominal fat. Cardiovascular exercises such as running or cycling help burn energy, while strength training boosts metabolism and builds muscle (which burns more energy at rest). Pairing exercise with a balanced, antiinflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats can further enhance stroke-prevention efforts.

Caitlyn Huth is an exercise physiologist at Full Circle Wellness. Call 5456 1599 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au

FIT HAPPENS with Tom Law

IF YOU have ever stumbled, tripped or fallen, like I have, perhaps you, too, may benefit from the following advice.

Most Fridays at 5am at Redcliffe, a group of walking and jogging enthusiasts gather at Chemist Warehouse on Redcliffe Parade to enjoy a social outing.

The joggers do a gentle 4km and the walkers follow the same route, if not the same distance, and we meet back at the start location for a coffee under what we lightheartedly call ‘The Tree of Knowledge’.

We discuss all things at this shoreside location and recently we talked about how we noticed some of us are scuffing our feet as we walk and jog.

I mentioned how my parents would always tell me to lift my feet up as a child and I now find I have to give myself a reminder to do the same.

Paula, one of our attendees who is approaching retirement age, mentioned that she also is finding that she scuffs her feet more than she used to.

We both decided it was a combination of being tired and not concentrating on actually lifting our feet.

So, next time, I tried to take my own advice, as passed on by my parents. Firstly, I made sure that I had plenty of sleep. Then, I had an early start to my jog. I can report that I had a scuff-free journey.

Although I am in my 71st year, I can make adjustments to how I walk and run. Maybe you can, also. No doubt, if I am lucky enough to be able to enjoy some more birthdays, I will eventually stop jogging and my walk will turn to a shuffle and plenty of scuffing of the feet.

In the meantime, I will concentrate on lifting my feet when walking and jogging. Are you a scuffer? If you would like a copy of my new book, Prime Movers – exercisememorise-socialise, message me or give me a call.

Tom Law is the author of health and exercise-related books. Visit facebook.com/tomslawtraining or call 0409 274 502.

FATHER AND SON REUNITED IN ONE RETIREMENT VILLAGE

A STANDING order for lunch every Sunday would see Paul Andersen travel by car to his son Ian’s house.

Now, if they want to visit each other, all they need to do is walk a couple of minutes to the other’s home.

The Andersens are the only father-son combination living in a Carinity retirement village, after Ian recently joined Paul in the Carinity Brownesholme seniors’ community in Highfields.

Ian is no stranger to Brownesholme – his father has lived there for 20 years. He now lives so close to Paul that he can see his dad’s place from his new backyard.

Ian’s expectations of living at “a place I’m really familiar with” have been met since his “very seamless transition” to the retirement village.

“In my mind, there was always the potential that I might end up at Brownesholme, and I’m very comfortable and very happy to be here,” he says.

“From my perspective, it’s affordable and it’s always been a place that I thought would work for me.

“I still have lots of interests outside of Brownesholme. I bowl two or three times a week and I’m on the board of directors of a college, which keeps me busy.

“Dad probably comes by my place every

so often but I’m not in.”

Paul, 95, has lived at Carinity Brownesholme since 2005, having moved in with his late wife Joyce. The Andersens have been the sole residents of their unit.

“Our cul-de-sac was in the process of being established and they were about ready to start building houses when we were interested in coming here,” Paul recalls.

“I like the fact that you’re not hand-tohand out the window beside your neighbour. You have a bit of room, it’s pretty relaxed and you feel secure. It’s great that Ian’s there. I can go to him, or he can come to visit me any time. It’s very reassuring that there’s someone close.”

Paul also takes comfort in the fact that, should he require higher care in the future, the Carinity Brownesholme residential aged care home is located next to his retirement village.

“I know that if I get to the stage where I can’t reasonably look after myself due to mobility or whatever other issue, I can go down there and stay,” he says.

“That was also an influence in us coming here to Brownesholme.”

COLIN REVEALS SECRET TO A LONG, HAPPY LIFE

EAT fish. That is one of new centenarian Colin Fuller’s tips to living a long and healthy life.

The Carinity Brookfield Green aged care resident turned 100 on February 4.

He was born Lionel Colin Fuller in Brisbane in 1926 to British parents who immigrated to Australia before World War I.

In Colin’s early childhood amid the Great Depression, his carpenter father found stable employment as a lightkeeper with the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service. This resulted in much of Colin’s early life being spent at maritime locations along Queensland’s coastline, including Lady Elliot Island, Double Island Point, Caloundra and North Reef lighthouses.

Colin has many fond memories of this time spent by the sea. Fishing was naturally a common activity and an interest he retained over ensuing decades.

“I recall on many occasions my father’s stories of how fish was such an important part of his family’s diet then, and his belief that it has contributed much to his long healthy life,” Colin’s son Stephen says.

“Colin shared this early childhood experience with his older sister Joyce, who has also celebrated her 100th birthday.

“So, perhaps there is some merit to Colin’s beliefs about fish.”

Colin’s working life started during World War II when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force. He qualified as an aircraft engineer and worked at Oakey Air Base on a range of fighter aircraft.

After the war, he worked in civil aviation and then moved into sales and marketing, before progressing to his last, long-held position of sales manager with appliance manufacturer Westinghouse.

Colin married his wife Lex in 1955 and built their lifetime home at The Gap in Brisbane. They had two children: Stephen and Angela. Colin retired in 1986.

“He is a keen fisherman and regularly camped on Fraser Island. He made his last visit there when he was 90,” Stephen says.

“He shared a love of gardening with Lex. They were renowned in their street for the colourful displays of azaleas and petunias.”

Supported decision making in aged care

The new Aged Care Act starts from a presumption of capacity: that every older person has the ability to make decisions about their life, care and services.

But some older people may want and need support to make these decisions. This is known as supported decision making, which is now recognised in the Statement of Rights.

What does this mean? Under the new Aged Care Act, aged care providers should ask older people if they want anyone to support them to make decisions, and who their preferred person is, before they involve them.

Supporters can be formally registered with My Aged Care. These are called ‘registered supporters’. Note that older people do not need to have someone support them and have the right to make decisions on their own and should not be pressured or coerced into registering a supporter.

Or older people who feel supported enough by their networks of family, friends, carers and other significant people in their life may decide not to register them as supporters with My Aged Care, and support is provided on an informal basis.

So, if you are a registered supporter for a loved one or are helping on an informal basis, here are some key principles to follow when undertaking supported decision making.

Prepare for the decision. Get all of the information that you will both need.

Consider the best situation for making a decision. The best time for and wellness of the person. Don’t rush and allow the person to take their time.

Communication. How can you provide the information in a way they can understand to get their views. Ask questions. It might need to be a repeated conversation breaking it down into small pieces over time.

Facilitate the decision. Provide the implications of all options and avoid applying your own bias.

Uphold the decision. Keep the person updated and seek feedback.

For older people who have people supporting them with decisions, it’s important to understand your rights.

• Everyone has the right to make or participate in decisions about the things that affect them.

Firstly, it can be a mindset shift. We know people usually want to make decisions for others from a place of well-meaning and what they think is the best thing to do. But the person’s views and wishes must be kept at the forefront. It’s about not making decisions for the people you care for and loved ones, it’s about enabling them to make choices about their own life.

• Your capacity to make decisions must be assumed.

• Every effort should be made to support you to make your decisions.

• You have the right to make decisions that have risks and to learn from experience.

• You have the right to change your mind.

Here are some key principles to follow: What is the decision to be made. Assume the person can make decisions with assistance. Make sure the older person is included in the conversation.

• You have the right to make decisions others may not agree with.

ADA Australia advocacy and community legal services

Our aged care advocacy and community legal services are dedicated to supporting older Queenslanders to accessing and getting the most from quality aged care services and supports –whether at home, or in an aged care facility, and to maintaining your rights to make decisions and have agency over your life.

On a practical level, an advocate is someone who works alongside you to give you a voice and help you navigate and resolve a range of issues impacting your rights in aged care.

Whether it’s not knowing where to start, not getting the right support, not receiving the quality of care you would expect, difficulties dealing with your service provider or decision makers, or more worryingly, being subject to abuse and neglect –having an advocate by your side can give you the guidance, confidence and support to speak up.

Importantly, advocacy is free, and an advocate

works for you. They are on your side and are directed by you. They won’t do or say anything without your permission, and their focus is solely on a positive outcome for you.

No issue is too big or too small when it comes to your life or the lives of your older loved ones. Call ADA Australia today on the Aged Care Advocacy Line 1800 700 600.

At ADA Australia we can assist with:

• Accessing or getting the most from your aged care services

• Understanding aged care provider services or fees

• Having a say in your care and the things that impact you

• Recognising your rights and expressing your wishes when your ability to make decisions is questioned or you are unhappy with the decisions being made on your behalf.

Your aged care support service

Your side, your say

Do you get or do you need government aged care services, either in your own home

We support you to access or get the most from your aged care services, understand service charges and fees and have a say in the things that impact you.

Our service is free, and our focus is on a

We are grateful for small victories

CHARLIE GRIFFITHS is celebrating his wife’s journey towards a healthier body and savouring her new ‘nutritional mindset’.

My wife Barb is ‘on a diet’. I know what you’re thinking: “Poor bugger! How do you put up with her while she’s enduring this horrible torture?”

Here’s the thing: she’s enjoying a positive body transformation.

Up front, we ditched the term ‘diet’ for ‘nutritional mindset’. Diets conjure up tortuous self-discipline with punitive measures to arrive at a resented destination paved with regrets and fears.

Life’s too short. Why do that?

We are great believers in savouring simple pleasures. So, after eliminating and reducing certain foods, we focused on converting the surprisingly vast array of acceptable ingredients into pleasurable meals. We’re not chefs but we know a bit about enhancing flavours. Herbs and spices are superheroes in our pantry.

A little goes a long way, which is essentially what this journey is all about.

Fresh produce is key for the simple reason that we know what’s in it: no preservatives, flavour enhancers or those nasties that whet the appetite and make you want more.

As with any goal, the key to achieving a

BRAIN MATTERS

great outcome is to enjoy the journey. Every meal that meets the criteria of no culinary culprits and flurries of flavour is a treat.

We celebrate every positive aspect of Barb’s quest. We look forward to weigh-ins because we know there will be a gold nugget eager to reveal itself in the scales dial.

Some nuggets are bigger and brighter and generate raucous excitement. Specks summon smiles and veins embedded in quartz get the challenge juices flowing.

There’s a progress graph on the kitchen whiteboard with smiley faces all over it.

During the first stage of Barb’s nutritional mindset, we endured a prolonged heatwave that necessitated major fluid intake and very little exercise.

Despite the neutral scales speculation, her workmates complimented changes they had observed. Every compliment is a trophy and is celebrated accordingly.

I regularly commute across the Hay Plain between Balranald and Griffith – a pilgrimage with very little going for it in the way of visual relief.

My first trip was fine because everything was new. Subsequent treks became tedious.

Why we need to change the narrative on ageing

KAILAS ROBERTS has gained a better perspective on life and how to best enjoy it into our twilight years after a family holiday in Japan.

Iwrite this with the good fortune of being in a Japanese ski resort – the first time my family and I have visited the ‘Land of The Rising Sun’.

I have been aware of many cultural differences between our countries and contemplating how these may promote Japan’s status as one of the longest-lived populations on Earth.

For those interested in the numbers, Japan’s overall life expectancy is about 85 years, compared with Australia’s 83. Australia, itself, has impressive rates: the life expectancy in the US by comparison is between 75 and 78.

Then there is Okinawa, a famed ‘Blue Zone’, which boasts an extraordinary number of centenarians. There may be genetic underpinnings, but I suspect the way that the Japanese approach life also contributes to a healthy lifespan. So, what can we learn from our northern cousins? Firstly, there is a higher-than-average per capita consumption of fish, which we know often has considerable health benefits – with

Now, I look forward to tiny discoveries that evoke rhetorical commentary such as: “That burnt-out SUV wasn’t there last time”; “They’ve ploughed in their corn crop.

I wonder how the harvest went?”; “Here comes that bridge work that’s been slowing traffic down for six months. Still no perceptible progress”; “A brand new centre pivot! I hope it’s irrigating on my way back”.

Each wee wonder inspires just enough enthusiasm to get me to the next checkpoint and eventually arrive at my destination reasonably fresh.

If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.

I smile when I hear victorious athletes talking about the hard work they put in, because I know they actually love it.

Many professional footballers say that

the hardest part of retiring is stopping training. Some don’t stop: they’re just unavailable for selection.

Originally, we joked about the chocolate cake lathered in whipped cream and decorated with smarties that would be our celebration feast when the final goal is reached. Now, six weeks in, the thought of an over-the-top sweet is losing its appeal.

We’re living in the moment, toasting all our small gains or, in this case, losses, and greeting milestones as a matter of course. It’s not a challenge, it’s simply establishing a positive, fun mindset – health and happiness, without the heroics.

Charlie Griffiths is a certified life coach and Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner. See charliegriffithscoaching.com

brain-protective omega 3 fatty acids, and acting as a great source of lean protein.

There is a heavy emphasis otherwise on plant-based diets, which have been consistently linked to good health outcomes – full of nutrients, polyphenols and antioxidants that dampen chronic inflammation: a process that accelerates biological ageing.

And perhaps it is not only what they eat, with an old Confucian teaching promoting the principle of Hara Hachi Bu: eating only until you are 80 per cent full.

Obesity rates tend to be lower in Japan, perhaps in part related to this approach (though these are rising, in tandem with most developed nations).

I have written previously of the benefits of sauna and heat therapy. Though the main research has been done on Scandinavian populations, the Japanese are also enthusiasts. One of my favourite ways to end my days snowboarding has been to use the local onsen: a natural hot spring.

I suspect part of the benefit is the relaxing and meditative nature of the

experience, but we do also know that heat confers benefits, creating among other things the heat-shock proteins that help with cellular maintenance and repair.

Then, there is something more fundamental: how the fabric of society in Japan (and many Eastern countries) does a better job at making the elderly feel more valued. Their annual Respect for the Aged Day exemplifies this.

Ageing poses many challenges, often interlinked and some unavoidable, but ageism and a (sometimes unconscious) sidelining of the individual after they reach a certain age is something that we have full control in avoiding.

The Western narrative of ageing is one of increasing obsolescence, and this is harmful not only to the psyche but also to the physical health of the individual.

By reframing ageing in such a way as to make those in their later years feel more included and valued, we can go a long way to slowing down its associated decline.

But what does this look like? Well, it may mean actively involving the elderly in our everyday lives, providing them with roles and a sense of purpose. It may also mean highlighting what only years of experience can provide: wisdom, and seeking and overtly appreciating the opinions of those who have them.

Encouraging autonomy and independence is also important because it focuses on strengths rather than weakness.

Kailas Roberts is a psychogeriatrician and author of Mind Your Brain: The Essential Australian Guide to Dementia, available at bookstores and online. Visit yourbraininmind.com or uqp.com.au

Buying Now

Mike and Nate Cornish will be travelling to the Redlands and Bayside areas for 5 days only from day th, to day . We want to buyyour unwanteditemsas listed. Please visit us at one of the venues shown below. These events are often compared to the ‘Antiques Roadshow’ on TV, but without the long queues. Don’t miss this opportunity! If you live outside the area, have too many items to bring in, or would like a home visit, phone Nate on 0426 820 646 NOW to arrange a time.

Fully Licensed Antique, Numismatic, and Precious Metal Buyers with over 45 years Industry Experience. Security Supplied by Security International Limited.

Are you moving or downsizing? Are you worried about security? Unwanted coins? Any jewellery, incl damaged? Do they sit in a drawer or cupboard? Are you no longer collecting? Are the family not interested?

Would the money be more of use to you?

10:00am – 12:00pm 8 Passage St, Cleveland Wynnum RSL (Pandanus Lounge)

1:00pm – 3: 0pm 174 Tingal Rd, Wynnum

Home Visits

3: 0pm – 6:00pm Phone 0426 820 646

Visits :00pm – 6:00pm Phone 0426 820 646 For a Home Visit

Here’s some vital considerations for retirement living options

By LESA MACPHERSON

Choosing retirement living options can be an onerous task. It can also be an exciting opportunity. Here’s a checklist many of our clients have found very helpful.

1. Lifestyle choices and financial costs are important in retirement village contracts. The emotional components of your decision need careful consideration, as well as the financial aspects.

2. Visit a variety of villages and picture yourself in each of them. Talk to residents, as well as your friends and family, when making your decision.

3. How will you continue to include your loved ones in your life at the village you choose? Will you be close to friends and family? Can they stay overnight for a short visit? Are pets allowed? Does the village include bus/transport services?

4. Just repeating – an engaging lifestyle is a very important consideration. Can you keep up your favourite hobbies or learn new ones? What clubs/social groups/activities are offered?

5. Can you afford the ongoing costs – not just entry costs? Understand what they are. If a couple, could you afford the

fees if one of you is no longer there?

6. What happens with capital gain (if any) on the unit? What are the refurbishment requirements?

7. Exit fees – what are they? When are they payable?

8. If you leave the retirement village, what are your entitlements? How soon would they be paid?

9. Do you have any right to transfer your entitlements to family? And can

you put it in your will?

10. What sort of contract are you entering into? Freehold? Lease? Licence to reside?

11. What arrangements are there for ill health/hospitalisation if needed?

12. Ongoing care: for higher-level care, can you stay in the village or do you have to move elsewhere? Consider the costs of transitioning.

13. Home help and aged care are vital considerations. Plan these sooner rather than later. What options are available?

14. Do you prefer new or established accommodation? High-rise? A garden? Take time to view a variety of options. If possible, look closely at floor plans and view lived-in areas, not just a display unit.

15. Ask about the demographics of each option. Does the age range of other occupants suit you?

16. If you are still partnered, would fees be manageable if you become single (through separation or death)?

17. Can you maintain your own garden? How would the area be modified for your pet?

18. What’s covered in the general service charges? Do you pay for

electricity, gas, water, internet separately? Are these shared, or are they individual costs?

19. Can you meet the on-site manager? Do you relate well? What involvement does the residents’ committee have? How are disputes resolved in the village?

20. Is the security in the village suitable for you?

21. What arrangements are in place for maintenance of units, community facilities and grounds/common areas?

22. Are meals or a dining area available?

23. When are village staff on duty? How often is there a nurse on duty? Who responds to emergency call buttons? Are these provided?

24. Review amenities and services: for example, wheelchair access, physio, exercise and relaxation classes, gym equipment, pool, spa, hairdresser, men’s shed and library.

Consider financial advice on which option is best for your individual circumstances.

Brisbane Elder Law staff are experts in the legal aspects of retirement village contracts and purchases, having done hundreds of contracts. Call 1800 961 622 or visit brisbaneelderlaw.com.au

WHY SUPPORTING AUSSIE MATTRESS MANUFACTURING MAKES BETTER SENSE

IN AN era of globalised supply chains, the choice of where we sleep at night has never been more significant.

Choosing an Australian-made mattress is not merely a patriotic gesture. It is an investment in a superior quality, longer-lasting product and the local economy.

Buying local is a vital economic driver. Every dollar spent on a locally made products helps sustain jobs and supports our rigorous ethical standards.

Australian manufacturing adheres

JAMES ENSURES HE’S IN THE BUSINESS OF CARING

JAMES Ball is a real estate agent with a head for business and a heart for charity.

Today, he has clocked up over 20 years’ experience in real estate.

Before that, he spent many years in managerial positions in various businesses and organisations such as Wesley Mission Sydney.

Now working alongside his business partner in HME Property Group, James has sold property as far north as the Sunshine Coast and as far south as the Gold Coast and numerous Brisbane suburbs.

In recent years, he has supported many fundraising events, including Small Steps for Hannah, Olivia’s Raceday for the Mater Foundation, and Bolted –A Kinder Cup Day for the RSPCA and Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer.

James has also supported New Hope Care which provides clothing, food, counselling, emergency assistance and other assistance to the needy of central Brisbane.

For a New Hope Care Love Our City Black Tie Fundraising Dinner, James bought a total of 26 tickets for his clients, prospective clients and their partners.

The gesture helped towards the event raising more than $47,000 for the charity, as well as lifting its profile

to some of the world’s strictest environmental and safety regulations.

When you buy cheap, imported options, you don’t know the conditions they were made in or if toxic chemicals were used in the production process.

However, when you choose a mattress made here, by a company such as Makin Mattresses, you can rest assured you are choosing a product built to last.

All the company’s mattresses are double sided and designed by Australians who understand our conditions.

Buying direct from Makin Mattresses

in the community. “I admire New Hope Care – they really punch above their weight,” James says.

“They have limited funds, but they touch people’s lives.

“My hope is that the people I invite will then themselves want to support the charity, and many of them do.”

Call James on 0422 618 556 or email james@hme.group

also gives you benefits such as custom sizes for your unique bed frame, boat or caravan, plus a free reconfiguration with the Bellissimo range to extend the life of your mattress and ensure it doesn’t end up in landfill prematurely.

Makin Mattresses proudly has three Queensland factories (pictured) and Australia’s only micro-coil machine.

When you visit one of the showrooms, you can see the factory out the back, so it’s evident that you’re getting a genuine Australian product.

Visit makinmattresses.com.au

Do you get or do you need government aged care services, either in your own home

We support you to access or get the most from your aged care services, understand service charges and fees and have a say in the things that impact you.

Our service is free, and our focus is on a

MOST people think memory is created while they are awake and studying or learning new skills.

But the real magic happens after you fall asleep.

Sleep is when your brain organises, strengthens and stores everything you experienced during the day, turning short-term information into lasting memories.

Your brain relies on two key areas for memory. The hippocampus temporarily holds new information throughout the day, but its capacity is limited. So, during sleep, your brain transfers that information to the cortex, where it is stabilised and stored for the long term.

This process, known as memory consolidation, is essential for learning, focus and mental clarity. Even a short nap can improve memory retention.

However, without enough uninterrupted sleep, this transfer is incomplete, leaving you feeling forgetful or mentally sluggish.

One often-overlooked cause of disrupted sleep is obstructive sleep apnoea: a condition where

the airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep. These pauses in breathing can occur dozens of times per hour, briefly waking the brain to restore normal breathing. Over time, this leads to reduced concentration, memory difficulties, mood changes and ongoing fatigue, while also increasing the risk of other health issues, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Protecting sleep quality and addressing conditions that disrupt it are essential for maintaining mental clarity and long-term wellbeing.

It is an active biological reset that organises information, strengthens memories and restores the brain so you can think clearly and function at your best the next day.

Visit CPAP Direct at cpap.com.au

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HOME EXERCISE STUDY

IT IS known that strengthening exercises are effective for knee osteoarthritis.

However, we don’t know what the optimal content and dosage of an exercise program is to maximise clinical benefits.

We also don’t know what the ideal amount of exercise is.

Researchers from the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine at The University of Melbourne are looking for volunteers to participate in an Australiawide study which may

involve taking part in three video-conferencing consultations with a physiotherapist (using Zoom) for the prescription of an individualised strengthening exercise program.

This study aims to improve healthcare knowledge and may help improve future physiotherapy care for people with knee osteoarthritis.

In this study, researchers will compare two different home-based strengthening programs to determine which is the most effective.

To help them understand how effective the exercise programs are, they will also

compare the two programs to a control group, who will receive no prescribed exercise. Some participants in the study will receive a home-based strengthening exercise program, information booklets, and free resistance bands for exercising.

If you are aged over 45 years, have had knee pain on most days of the past three months and are not currently taking part in regular legstrengthening exercise, then you may be eligible to participate in this research trial.

For more information and study registration, visit the study website: redcap.link/ multionestudy

PATIENTS SET TO BENEFIT FROM CHEAPER PRESCRIPTIONS

MANY Australians can now factor in significant savings on prescription medicine, with the Australian government lowering the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) general patient co-payment on January 1 from $31.60 to $25 for all Medicare cardholders.

For Commonwealth concession cardholders, the PBS patient co-payment

remains $7.70 until 2030.

If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine with a brand premium, you will pay a premium on top of your PBS co-payment amount. If your prescription costs less than $25, retail pricing can vary between pharmacies.

Filling two PBS prescriptions a month would save $158.40 a year, while filling three

prescriptions a month would see annual savings of $237.60.

Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler says the patient co-payment reduction is more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, saving Australians more than $200 million a year. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist and visit health. gov.au/cheapermedicines

Detecting the hidden signs of reflux with bulk billed & non-invasive medical imaging technique

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common condition. Silent reflux affects approximately 40 to 50% of patients who have GORD. It is referred to as ‘silent reflux’ because it does not present with the classic symptoms of reflux such as: heartburn; lump in the throat and regurgitation. Symptoms of silent reflux range from chronic cough, recurrent sore throats, loss of voice, persistent throat clearing, chest pain, choking, wheezing and shortness of breath.

When diagnosis and treatment are delayed, chronic GORD can increase the risk for serious health complications.

In recent years, Imaging Queensland partnered with Professor Hans Van der Wall and introduced the Gastroesophageal Reflux Test to Brisbane and the Redcliffe Peninsula.

The first of its kind, this patented nuclear medicine imaging technique precisely identifies reflux fluid contamination throughout the head, throat, and chest.

“Many patients do not present with classic symptoms of GORD but are suffering from typical upper respiratory tract symptoms such as chronic cough, dysphonia and globus. This is due to reflux fluid contaminating the maxillary sinuses, throat, middle ears and laryngopharynx. It may also contaminate the airways and lungs causing asthma-like symptoms, breathing difficulties, chronic

cough and recurrent bronchitis or pneumonia. We frequently see patients with a diagnosis of “atypical asthma”, which often turns out to be GORD with entry of reflux into the airways”, says Professor Van der Wall.

Historically, GORD has been diagnosed using pH monitoring, fluoroscopy, or endoscopy. So how does the Gastroesophageal Reflux Test differ to these tests?

Although PH Monitoring is 50-80% sensitive and 77–100% specific in the presence of heartburn & regurgitation, it is limited to oesophageal disease only, particularly the lower oesophagus.

Endoscopy is effective as an anatomical diagnostic tool but has a poor sensitivity for GORD (less than 30%) and is limited to detecting reflux disease that is severe enough to damage the oesophagus.

Fluoroscopy or Barium Swallow is insensitive and has a high radiation burden and only demonstrates oesophageal disease.

The Gastroesophageal Reflux Test is 90% sensitive and provides an effective, inexpensive, simple, and noninvasive screening tool for reflux and lung aspiration, detecting contamination throughout the maxillary sinuses, throat, middle ears, laryngopharynx, airways and lungs. If you suspect the symptoms you are suffering from correspond with reflux, you might benefit from undergoing a Gastroesophageal Reflux Test. Ask your GP for a referral to Imaging Queensland at your next visit.

For more information visit: www.imagingqueensland.com.au

TOSSING MONEY OUT WITH THE GARBAGE

SOME of the items people are tossing into skip bins are now worth serious money, a property clearance expert warns.

Bob Morton, co-founder and CEO of The Property Clearance Company, says he regularly sees valuable assets discarded simply because families assume they are outdated and unfashionable or just sold off.

Bob and his team help people all over the country to clear out homes for loved ones who have passed or moved into care, or have decided to downsize.

He sees many families making mistakes about what to keep and what to toss and always encourages people to let the experts value and sell items to maximise return.

“Markets shift,” Bob says.

EXCLUSIVE, TRANQUIL LAKESIDE LIVING DRAWS IN THE OVER-50S

STRONG demand for GemLife Moreton Bay’s exclusive Emerald Collection has seen sales accelerate, with only six of the original 35 architect-designed lakeside homes still on the market.

Positioned along the community’s peaceful waterways, the final release marks the last chance for buyers to secure a premium, north-facing lakeside residence within the award-winning, over-50s lifestyle resort.

Designed to maximise the development’s waterfront setting, each residence features expansive, wrap-around, al fresco areas that flow directly from light-filled, openplan interiors.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing captures uninterrupted water views from key living spaces, including the dining room, lounge and master suite, providing

residents with a daily connection to the surrounding landscape.

Buyers can choose between two luxury layouts: the Goodall and the Cousteau. Both offer high-end finishes such as fluted kitchen cabinetry, floating-style vanities, spacious walk-in robes with integrated shelving and premium Gaggenau appliances.

With internal areas between 253.78 and 254.64sqm, the homes combine generous proportions with refined, contemporary design.

As part of Australia’s first Green Star Communities 5-star-rated, over-50s land lease community, GemLife Moreton Bay continues to lead in sustainable, resort-style living.

Residents have access to lakeside walking paths, community gardens and the natural surrounds of the Deception Bay Conservation Park, reinforcing the development’s position as one of Southeast Queensland’s most desirable lifestyle destinations.

Call the sales team on 1800 418 605.

“What people think has no value can suddenly become highly collectible. We’re seeing strong resale demand in categories many families completely overlook.”

With vintage and retro markets booming, Bob says families should pause before they purge. Here are five categories to assess before throwing away.

Retro items – items from the 1950s through to the 1980s are back in strong demand.

Kitchenware, stereo equipment, modular shelving, vintage bar carts and original leather lounges are being snapped up by collectors and interior stylists.

“People assume brown furniture has no value,” Bob says. “That’s not always true. Quality retro pieces, can command very healthy prices. This also includes lamps and other accessories. Retro is now iconic and many items are highly collectable.”

Vintage tools and equipment – garages are often treasure troves. Old hand tools, vices, cast-iron machinery, early power tools and branded vintage tool sets are increasingly sought after.

“We regularly see sheds cleared out with items inside that collectors would pay good money for,” Bob says.

“Older tools were built to last and that craftsmanship is highly valued.”

Jewellery, watches, medals – jewellery boxes should never be emptied into a donation pile without careful inspection. Gold prices remain strong, and even broken

or unfashionable pieces can carry melt value. Vintage watches, particularly recognised brands, may be worth significantly more than expected.

War medals and military memorabilia are also highly collectible.

“We’ve seen small boxes contain thousands of dollars’ worth of value,” Bob says. “Always get jewellery and medals assessed before parting with them.”

Bob says jewellery can be deceptive. It is worth having someone with experience review items to determine value.

“We catalogue and arrange valuations so people know what they can really achieve price-wise,” Bob says.

Collectables and artwork – old comic books, vinyl records, first-edition books, stamps, coins, vintage toys, sporting memorabilia and original Australian artwork can command surprising prices.

“Even items that look worn can have strong resale value, depending on rarity and demand,” Bob says. “What feels like clutter to one generation can be highly desirable to another.”

Tupperware and melamine – one of the most surprising growth areas, Bob says, is retro kitchenware.

“Vintage Tupperware and colourful melamine sets from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s are now highly collectible,” he says.

Complete Tupperware sets, canisters, mixing bowls and pastel melamine picnicware attract strong interest from collectors and nostalgia buyers.

“People are paying for the memories,” he says. “What once filled every Australian cupboard is now part of design history.”

Bob says the biggest mistake families make is rushing the process.

Visit propertyclearance.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S biggest celebration of dogs is back and bigger than ever.

After a two-year hiatus, the Brisbane Dog Lovers Festival returns with a new venue, expanded footprint and a fresh festival format across two days.

Taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds, the 2026 festival will transform the Ekka precinct into Queensland’s ultimate dog-loving weekend, featuring indoor and outdoor zones, live entertainment, shopping, sports and plenty of puppy cuddles.

Visitors can explore a super-sized dog expo with the latest pet products, a

curated boutique Marketplace, Breed Showcase, Adoption Zone and the ever-popular Pat-A-Pooch experience.

The high-energy VitaPet Arena will host a star-studded line-up, including Dr Katrina, Kelly Gill & The Wonderdogs, Brooke Ellis from Dogly School for Dogs, Cilla Pershouse and Ash Barky from ABC’s Muster Dogs, Lara Shannon, Dances with Dogs and the crowdfavourite K9 Superwall.

With more space than ever before, the festival will feature thrilling outdoor dog sports, agility demonstrations and working dog showcases – all included in the price of admission.

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, 9.30am-5pm

WHERE: Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills.

TICKETS: Adult $36, concession $31, family $100, youth $17.50 (plus booking fees), children 12 and under free, via dogloversfestival.com.au/brisbane

THE HILLS PLAYERS THEATRE GROUP

THE Hills Players theatre group is back in action for 2026 and looking for actors to cast its next play.

A call-out for auditions will be made soon.

If you’re wanting to be a part of this community theatre group, members welcome you to join in on

Monday nights at St Matthew’s Hall in Church Road, Mitchelton, from 7pm.

Non-acting members are always needed to help backstage and front of house.

Call 3351 4496 or email hillsplayers@gmail.com

STRESS FREE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

BRENDALE VIEW CLUB

BRENDALE Evening VIEW Club started the new year off with the annual AGM dinner meeting.

If you want to make 2026 a year to meet like-minded women and you are keen to join an organisation offering a network of support, friendship and meaningful purpose, head along to the next dinner meeting on March 17. Guest speaker will be Caroline Campbell who will discuss downsizing.

Dinner meetings are held at 6.30pm for a 7pm start on the third Tuesday of the month at Aspley Hornets Football Club, 50 Graham Road, Carseldine.

A booking is required.

VIEW stands for the Voice, Interests and Education of Women. It is a national women’s volunteer organisation, exclusively supporting the education of children experiencing disadvantage through The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program. The club sponsors nine Aussie children with their educational needs through this program.

If you can’t make the next dinner meeting, head along on the first Saturday of the month for Coffee and Chat from 10am. From October-March, it is held at Aspley Hornets, 50 Graham Road, Carseldine. From April-September, it is at White’s Coffee Co., Bracken Ridge Tavern, 153 Barrett Street, Bracken Ridge. Call Suzanne on 0417022996.

FIVE like-minded, local artists have discovered their mutual tendency to see life in technicolour, find beauty in everyday moments and add a little humour. They have joined together to present an exhibition titled: ‘Daring To Be Different – Welcome to Our World of Colour’, showing from March 3-15.

Terri Vidler, Judy Frost, Karsten Thomsen, Helen Macdonald and Suzie Dennis can’t wait to show Bribie Island Community Arts Centre Matthew Flinders Gallery visitors their colourful, playful and fun collection. These artists see everyday life through coloured glasses. There’ll be beach scenes with a difference, sea creatures with personality, seagulls with hats, Queenslander houses that wink at you, cheerful magpies and cartoon kids.

Meet the artists in the gallery on Saturday, March 7, from 11am-1pm.

The arts centre opens Tuesdays to Saturdays, 9am to 4pm, and Sundays, 9am to 1pm.

OLDER WOMEN’S NETWORK

LOOKING to meet other women, enjoy guest speakers, social activities and stay active in your community?

Contact the Older Women’s Network (Qld) Inc. to find a branch near you. Call 3358 2301 or email admin@ownqld.org.au

● Fixed rate with no hidden fees

● Fully licenced Property Manager

● Regular routine inspections with photo reports

● Flexible owner payments, and same day statements

● Strict property application processes with thorough tenant checks

● Limited number of managed properties to ensure top quality service

THE REMARKABLE TRUTHS OF ALFIE BAINS

By Sarah Clutton

Contemporary fiction

Reviewed by Jan Kent

IS IT too late to add a book to my ‘Favourites for 2025’?

If not, this one tops the list. This delightful book will charm you, move you and amuse you in equal measures.

When nine-year-old Alfie and his mum Emilia land on Penny’s doorstep in a tiny Tasmanian town, after moving back from Ireland, they are swiftly enmeshed in long-held family secrets.

With his delightful curiosity and precociousness, Alfie is the star of this collection of eclectic characters. Concocting a plan to discover his father’s identity when he questions the veracity of his mother’s explanation of his inception by sperm donor, Alfie finds his new-found family reluctant to tell him the truth.

A subtle development of the intricacies of family life and its varied members is a mark of an excellent writer. Dealing sensitively with issues such as sisterly loyalty, resilience, family sacrifices and small-town judgmentalism brands Sarah Clutton as an outstanding and award-winning young Australian author.

Hopefully, like me, you will be filled with joy, laugh out loud and shed a tear along the way.

CLEOPATRA

By Saara El-Arifi,

AUSTRALIA: A HISTORY

By Tony Abbott Political history

Reviewed by John Kleinschmidt

AUTHOR and former prime minister Tony Abbott argues that Australia has an Indigenous heritage, a British foundation and an immigrant character.

This mantra provides the setting for a well-researched history that explores Aboriginal occupation at the time of settlement, the convict years and the impact free settlers and convicts who served their time had on our growth.

Abbott traces our history through the colonies, development of our Constitution and Federation, providing a good understanding as to why Australia is different from other countries. The Great Wars, the Depression, gold rushes and migration are all examined with an emphasis on how these events contributed to our development and character.

Today’s and tomorrow’s Australians need a good understanding of our past, which this book provides, to make sound decisions for our future.

Historical fiction

Reviewed by Annie Grossman, of Annie’s Books on Peregian

THIS is a book for lovers of the Greek mythological novels.

We all know a little about Cleopatra, but much of our knowledge comes from Hollywood.

In fact, she was a queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, ruling over Egypt from 51 BCE to 30 BCE, beside her brothers and then her son.

Although this new book is fictional, it is based on extensive research about one of the more mysterious women in history.

The author has chosen to use the first person, which gives the story credibility and

impact. Cleopatra was romantically involved with Julius Caesar and with Marc Antony – two heroes of Rome.

She has been historically labelled a prostitute, witch and murderer – due to her having two children by two fathers, her knowledge and passion for herbs and healing, and her great success in battle.

HOW TO MANIFEST SUCCESS: 50 LESSONS IN LIFE, LEADERSHIP AND LOVE

By Hilton Misso, Self-help

HILTON Misso is a name many Southeast Queenslanders will be familiar with. He built Trilby Misso Lawyers, one of Australia’s fastest-growing law firms. Misso is an entrepreneur, lawyer and philanthropist and can now add ‘author’ to the mix after publishing his first book.

In this self-help book, he reveals 50 practical, proven lessons for turning ambition into achievement. Part-memoir, part-masterclass, this is a blueprint for anyone who wants to transform fear into fuel, hardship into momentum, and vision into reality in the real world.

“At the age of now about to turn 80, I tell my story of how –through adversity and challenge – I was able to build an amazing life of multiple success in law, property, childcare, technology and philanthropy, having being engaged in business for over 60 years,” Misso tells Your Time

“It’s a story to inspire and empower all ages in lifetime growth for a better future through mindfulness mindset and mind power.”

Readers will learn how to:

• turn big ideas into tangible results

• create sustainable wealth through discipline, focus and smart decision making

• rewire your mindset to eliminate self-doubt and limiting beliefs

• spot and seize rare opportunities with courage and clarity

• use adversity as a springboard for reinvention and growth.

These are lessons Misso has learned over the decades of his extraordinary life – a foundation to inspire others.

This is an entertaining and compelling reimagining of Cleopatra’s story. And who knows? It may be true. Visit think2be.com.au/manifest-success/

IN A COMMON HOUR

By Sita Walker, Contemporary Australian fiction

Reviewed by Karen Weiber, of Books@Stones, Stones Corner

PARKS State High is a melting pot of misfits.

There is Oliver Fish, the teen philosopher hiding a secret relationship; Dev Desai, hopelessly in love with the brilliant Maryam Fadel; and a staffroom thick with gossip, camaraderie and burnt-out teachers. At the centre of it all is well-loved teacher Paul Bush. But when a disgruntled student makes a devastating move, one lunchtime is all it takes for Bushie’s life to change forever.

With a cast of unforgettable characters,

this is a smart, funny and wise novel that shows us all the ways we are connected.

Sita Walker’s description of the neighbouring bushland (where much of the story is centred) elicits a sense of foreboding. I wanted to keep reading, despite feeling on edge about the ending.

Walker is a high school literature teacher, freelance writer and awardwinning author whose first book, The God of No Good, won People’s Choice at the Queensland Literary Awards and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.

Comino, The Cove offers spacious, architect-designed apartments set directly on the Pelican Waters waterfront. The residences feature generous two and three bedroom layouts, expansive balconies, luxury finishes, secure parking, lift access, and beautifully maintained common areas designed for everyday comfort and ease. All within a private, gated precinct. Walking distance to local amenities.

Only a small number remain. This is a rare opportunity to secure northeast-facing luxury waterfront residences.

GEORGY GIRL MUSICAL

EXPERIENCE the heart, harmony and history of one of Australia’s most beloved musical acts in Georgy Girl –The Seekers Musical.

This state premiere production brings the remarkable story and songs of The Seekers to life in a vibrant, feel-good stage experience that celebrates friendship, resilience and the enduring power of music. Featuring a catalogue of unforgettable hits, the musical includes favourites such as Georgy Girl, The Carnival Is Over, I’ll Never Find Another You that helped define an era of Australian popular music.

For many audience members, these songs will evoke memories of radio singalongs, packed concert halls and a time when Australian music was finding

its confident voice on the world stage.

Formed in Melbourne in the early 1960s, The Seekers achieved extraordinary international success, becoming one of the first Australian groups to top charts in the UK and the US. Their clean harmonies, folk-pop sound and distinctive lead vocals captured global attention at a time when few Australian acts had broken through internationally.

At the centre of their success was the unforgettable voice of Judith Durham, whose clarity, warmth and musicality became synonymous with the group’s sound. The Seekers’ music continues to resonate today, bridging generations and reminding listeners of the power of honest songwriting and harmony.

Adding a special layer of authenticity to this Queensland premiere is the involvement of internationally acclaimed songstress Mirusia, who toured with The Seekers and attended the final round of auditions. She was reportedly very impressed by the calibre, professionalism and vocal strength of the cast.

WHERE and WHEN: The production opens on the Gold Coast for two special performances on May 13 and 14 at the Star Theatre, before a season from June 3-14 at Brisbane’s Twelfth Night Theatre. TICKETS: Various prices, via Ticketek (premier.ticketek.com.au/Shows/Show. aspx?sh=GEORGIRL26) or call 3252 5122.

JACARANDA GALA

THE Prince Charles Hospital Foundation is recognising 40 years of helping people live healthier for longer through funding groundbreaking research, vital equipment and patient care initiatives.

Initially established in 1986 to support The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside, the foundation has invested more than $78million into healthcare, including pioneering medical research that has shaped clinical practice in Australia and around the world.

The foundation’s support has also been directed into uniquely humancentred hospital care initiatives, including Queensland’s first Child Life Therapy program in a public hospital emergency department, Charlie’s Village – an Australian public hospital first ‘villagelike’ environment for patients impacted by dementia, and programs that enhance patient comfort and dignity such as comfort packs.

Since 2020, the foundation has been proud to stand alongside Caboolture Hospital as its foundation, serving one of the state’s fastest-growing communities.

The foundation’s chief executive officer Steve Francia emphasises that the 40-year milestone is as much about gratitude as it is about progress.

“For 40 years, the community has stood alongside The Prince Charles Hospital, helping to turn compassion into

tangible outcomes for patients and their families,” Mr Francia says.

“The year-long celebrations are designed to show our gratitude for past generosity and to inspire continued support and connection.

“This is not just reflection. It’s an invitation for our community to feel proud of what they’ve helped build and to be part of shaping the next 40 years of research, patient care and ultimately hope.”

One of the key highlights will be the Jacaranda Gala in May, inspired by the jacaranda trees that have stood alongside The Prince Charles Hospital for generations.

This special event, to be held on May 16, will be the foundation’s first major gala in more than 15 years, and the community is invited to attend.

Find out more at tcg.org.au/ jacarandagala

PlayItForwardproudlypresents ROCKCHOIRROCKSTHEREDLANDS withsongsbyINXS,AC/DC,R.E.M., PinkFloyd,BonJovi,Queen,Coldplay, Sheppard,Radiohead&more! Performedby200ofourveryown Redlandsrockstarsandledbymulti award-winningconductor&singer JONATHONWELCHAM withspecialguestsoloist ELLENREED (2016TheVoicefinalist)

ommunity Classes for dults & Seniors

Reconnect with ballet or try a gentle, guided class for the first time. eating & standing options available

The perfect Mother’s Day gift! TWO CONCERTS ONLY! ELLEN REED (2016 The Voice finalist)

TURDAY 9 MAY, 20 3pm & 7:30pm

SATURDAY9MAY,2026 3pm&7:30pm RedlandPerformingArtsCentre rpac.com.auor38298131

WEDNESDAYS

1 MAR - 1 APR 2026

edland Per forming Arts entre - Studio

rpac.com.a

ACTIVE ART SERIES: DANCE

FOR four weeks from Wednesday, March 11, the RPAC Studio will come alive with the joy of dance as part of the Active Art series.

Discover the art of movement and the benefits of an active lifestyle with Wellness Wednesdays: a celebration of dance in its many expressions.

Ballet for Adults of All Abilities: a welcoming class with standing and seated options, ideal for beginners with no prior ballet experience or those seeking supported, adapted movement (Wednesdays at 10am).

Ballet for Adults and Active Seniors: designed for those with some prior ballet experience — even if it’s been many years, this class blends artistry and fitness for a vibrant, active life (Wednesdays at 11.30am).

YOUR SONG 2026

TALES of heartbreak and hope, pain and passion, first loves and final moments weave through Elton John’s songbook in Your Song 2026: a Matilda Award-winning, smash-hit production.

Jason Arrow (Hamilton, The Lovers) and John O’Hara (Jesus Christ Superstar, Tina –The Tina Turner Musical) join original cast members Luke Kennedy and Irena Lysiuk. Your Song reimagines Elton’s biggest tunes including Candle in the Wind,

No Lights, No Lycra – Redlands Coast: the lights go out, the music goes on and you dance like nobody’s watching in this liberating freestyle experience (Wednesdays at 5.45pm).

WHERE: Redland Performing Arts Centre, 2-16 Middle Street, Cleveland.

WHEN: Wednesdays for four weeks from March 11, at various times.

TICKETS: For bookings or more information, visit rpac.com.au or call the RPAC Box Office on 3829 8131.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, I’m Still Standing, Benny and the Jets, Rocket Man and Tiny Dancer using powerful stories and personal experiences shared by real-life people.

WHERE: Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, Brisbane.

WHEN: Wednesday to Sunday, March 25-29, at various times.

TICKETS: From $79 (plus transaction fee) via brisbanepowerhouse.org/events/ your-song/

FOR many people, buying mobility equipment or daily living aids is unfamiliar territory.

The right product can support independence for years, but the wrong choice can be frustrating and costly.

Before making a purchase, it helps to slow down and ask practical questions. Will the equipment suit your home layout? Is it easy to transport? What happens if your needs change? Is local servicing available?

Technology has evolved rapidly in recent years. Today’s mobility scooters are lighter and more compact. Lift chairs offer improved support and positioning options. Adjustable beds and pressure care products are more tailored than ever before.

ROCK CHOIR

AFTER the stunning success of Play It Forward’s previous three sold-out, massed community-singing spectaculars, Rock Choir is back with an entirely new repertoire of the greatest classic-rock hits.

Rock Choir will be led by Redlands’ own ARIA, Logie and Helpmann awardwinning artistic director Jonathon Welch and will feature powerhouse rock diva and The Voice 2016 finalist Ellen Reed, plus 180 locals performing legendary songs by INXS, AC/DC, REM, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi, Queen,

Seeing equipment in person can make a significant difference. Comfort, manoeuvrability and ease of use are difficult to judge online.

Comparing options side by side and speaking directly with suppliers can help clarify what will work best for your situation.

Taking the time to explore your options can prevent unnecessary stress and ensure you choose equipment that supports your lifestyle, not restricts it.

One opportunity to explore a wide range of assistive technology in one place is the ATSA Independent Living Expo, to be held in Brisbane on May 20-21 at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Visit expo.atsa.org.au

Creedence Clearwater Revival, Robbie Williams, Fleetwood Mac and Coldplay.

“If you’ve never been to one of our massed community choir concerts before, you’ll be blown away by the sheer energy, passion and incredibly beautiful sound that our 180 singers can produce,” Welch says.

WHERE: Redland Performing Arts Centre, 2-16 Middle Street, Cleveland.

WHEN: Saturday, May 9, at 3pm and 7.30pm.

TICKETS: From $38-$50 via rpac.com.au or call the RPAC Box Office on 3829 8131 (booking fees are $6 per transaction).

The Burren

road trip

This undulating moonscape seems inhospitable, yet it sustains more arctic, alpine and Mediterranean plant species per square kilometre than anywhere else on Earth. Its wildflowers, that were Ice Age hitchhikers, bloom among crevices in the rock. This diverse ecosystem earned the Burren recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark and a Special Area of Conservation under the EU.

Unable to resist, I pull the car over, slip off my shoes and, even though it’s freezing, I walk barefoot across the stone.

It’s a sensuous thrill of skin against an ancient seabed. Fissures known as grikes and raised slabs called clints criss-cross the surface. I walk on fossils of coral, crinoids and sea urchins.

Porcelain-dainty dwarf roses and tiny purple orchids sprout from the cracks, while bees hum and grasshoppers crackle around me.

Meet Ireland’s scenic rock star

MARIAN McGUINNESS finds herself on a roller-coaster ride of emotions and a journey into history as she conquers the Emerald Isle’s rugged west coast.

The Wild Atlantic Way scribbles Ireland’s rugged west coast for 2500km – from Kinsale in the south’s County Cork to Malin Head in the north’s County Donegal.

With so many coves, hamlets and towns to explore, one standout landscape midway is the Burren.

With its name taken from the Irish ‘boíreann’, meaning ‘place of stone’, this rugged karst landscape is otherworldly, haunting and steeped in legend.

Oliver Cromwell’s lieutenant once described it as “a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him”.

Formed 350 million years ago beneath tropical seas and sculpted by the Ice Age, this extraordinary limestone geopark stretches across 350 square kilometres of County Clare – a region that also boasts the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands and

the eccentric charm of Bunratty Castle.

I’ve anchored myself for a few nights in the tiny coastal nick called Doolin: a village known for its vibrant pubs and foot-tapping, traditional Irish music.

I’m off for a day trip. Driving on the same side of the road as in Australia, I begin my 66km scenic loop by heading northeast to Lisdoonvarna, the gateway to the Burren.

Famed for its Victorian-era spas, Lisdoonvarna is better known for its matchmaking festival: a 165-year-old celebration of music, dance and speeddating romance that draws 40,000 hopefuls each September.

Driving deeper into the limestone folds, along narrow, serpentine lanes bordered by brambles, I’m struck by the paradox of the place. Though it appears barren, the Burren has been settled since the Mesolithic era, with its stone-walled fields still tracing human inhabitancy.

I head southeast to the village of Kilfenora, known in ancient manuscripts as the City of Crosses. I wander its 12th-century cathedral, now partly covered by glass to protect six high Celtic crosses, with their own stories carved in stone.

Further on stands Leamaneh Castle: once a proud, four-storey mansion with mullioned windows.

Its owner was descended from Brian Boru, one of Ireland’s last High Kings. But it’s remembered less for lineage than for

14 DAYS / 3 -16 JUNE 2026

Travel to the outback and meet the locals who call this place home! Come with us as we journey across open plains and be mesmerised by the seamlessly endless landscapes that trace along the horizons.

its 17th century, notorious, fiery-haired mistress: Red Mary.

After her second husband died, she remarried but allegedly killed her new husband by pushing him from a thirdfloor window. Legend claims she cycled through 25 husbands.

She met her own grim end, buried alive in a hollowed tree by her enemies. Standing by the roadside, gazing at the castle’s dour, grey remnants, it’s not hard to imagine Red Mary’s midnight strolls.

A few kilometres on, I turn toward Carran and The Burren Perfumery. The road winds through limestone swales, passing cyclists and hikers on their own exploratory missions.

Ireland’s oldest perfumery is an oasis of stone cottages with eggshell-blue doors and slate roofs.

A path meanders through mossy gardens studded with snowdrops.

I wander into the herb gardens, bordered by braided vines and brimming with thyme, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, bergamot, wild marjoram and lungwort.

I stop for lunch in its rose-covered tea room.

The perfumery’s organic ingredients are drawn from the Burren’s landscape. Its fragrant scent families have evocative names: Woodland, Atlantic Coast, Herb Garden, Irish Limestone.

Shelves are filled with lotions, soaps, scents, organic skincare and teas and I relieve my credit card of many euros.

By mid-afternoon, I’m bound for my next port of call, or perhaps portal of call: The Poulnabrone Dolmen –Ireland’s oldest-dated megalithic monument –awaits.

Set on a slight rise, its twin portal stones hold aloft a massive 3.6m capstone that slopes gently backward.

From afar, it rises from the limestone like an ancient torii: a gateway between

worlds. ‘Poulnabrone’ translates as ‘Hole of the Sorrows’ and as I circle the monument, sleet needles my face. As the temperature dips to 5°C, I think of those who once stood here in ceremony and grief as they buried their dead.

When archaeologists excavated the tomb in the 1980s, along with beads, pottery shards, an axe and a carved bone pendant, they found the remains of 36 men, women and children. None were older than 30.

It’s humbling to stand where Neolithic hands once laid their loved ones, though not everyone shares the reverence as one nearby tourist mutters, “Kinda anticlimactic, don’t you think?”

I wince. Some places demand silence.

SIGNATURE DAY TOURS 2026

Thursday 12th March, 2026

MOOLOOLABA CANAL CRUISE & FREE TIME

Return via a scenic drive of Caloundra.

Morning Tea included.

Lunch is at own expense.

Tuesday 21st April, 2026

GALLERY WALK AND CEDAR CREEK WINERY, MOUNT TAMBORINE

Lunch included.

Morning Tea is at own expense.

Thursday 14th May, 2026

SUMMERLAND CAMEL FARM & DUGANDAN HOTEL

Boonah and Scenic Rim Morning Tea and Lunch included.

As the weather closes in, I drive toward the coast to Ballyvaughan, where the Tea and Garden Rooms beckon me.

Overlooking a blustery Galway Bay, I settle into the glass patio room with lemon cake and a pot of Irish tea and think of my day’s journey.

From here, it’s an hour’s drive south along the coast.

On my left, the Burren’s razor-sharp limestone terraces shelve into the sea –their glacial, granite erratics scattered like marbles along the shore.

It’s late when I roll back into Doolin, my little nick in the coast.

Gus O’Connor’s pub is pumping with fiddle, flute and bodhrán. A regular

named Matty pulls two spoons from his tweed pocket and joins in, while One-Leg Ted rises to sing a love song. The peat fire roars, the wind rattles the windows and rain lashes in wild rhythm against the glass.

I raise my dewy pint of Guinness to the musicians and the craic, and to the Burren and its haunting beauty.

* The writer travelled at her own expense.

GETTING THERE

If you don’t want to drive yourself around the Burren, day coach tours are offered from Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Doolin. Visit ireland.com/en-au/ destinations/regions/the-burren/

Tuesday 16th June, 2026

CROWS NEST AND COBB & CO MUSEUM TOOWOOMBA

Scenic drive via Esk and Perserverance Dam Morning Tea and Lunch included.

Friday 31st July, 2026

CHRISTMAS IN JULY AT MOUNT MEE

Birches Restaurant, Mount Mee. Travel via Dayboro on the return to Brisbane. Morning Tea and Lunch included.

For convenience, we offer a variety of pick-up locations primarily on the northside of Brisbane, specifically the Redcliffe and Sandgate areas. We also serve Taigum and Aspley Hypermarket Shopping Centres, making it easier for our passengers to access our services. Additionally, we provide pick-ups at the Eternal Flame in Ann Street, City, and, on tours heading south, we include Palmdale Shopping Centre for added convenience.

Dates and itineraries are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances that are out of our control.

TAKE A NOSTALGIC CRUISE ON THE MURRAY

MURRAY River Paddlesteamers is offering bonuses for bookings made for seven-night sailings in 2027 aboard Australia’s first, five-star, overnight river vessel: the PS Australian Star

Reframing the Murray River as a luxury cruise destination, the new $11million riverboat will fuse heritage and contemporary elegance as the largest wood-fired paddlesteamer in the Southern Hemisphere and the only five-star, accommodated paddlesteamer in the world.

Accommodating 38 guests in 19 deluxe, air-conditioned staterooms, PS Australian Star replicates an authentic, 19th century paddlesteamer but with modern-day luxuries. She has a plush lounge offering sweeping river vistas, a gourmet restaurant and multiple, outdoor relaxation areas. The paddlesteamer will also sport a modern, energy-efficient, hybrid diesel/

steam propulsion system featuring a 1907 wood-fired steam engine, adding a touch of nostalgia and authenticity to the journey.

PS Australian Star will offer intimate, immersive, all-inclusive journeys through history, culture and nature, with daily excursions to farm stations, wineries and heritage towns, plus riverside barbecues beside campfires under star-lit skies.

The paddlesteamer will offer yearround cruises of three, four or seven nights on the Murray River from the historic Victorian riverport of Echuca.

Book a seven-night cruise aboard Australia Star, sailing between January 1 and August 31 next year, and receive:

• a $100 saving per person

• free hotel stay for two guests before or after your cruise at either the Mercure Port of Echuca or The Savoy Melbourne, opposite Southern Cross Station where trains depart for Echuca

• automatic entry into a draw to win $1000 off your total stateroom fare –drawn April 15 this year.

The booking deadline for this offer is March 31 this year. Visit murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.au/ special-offers/ or mrps.com.au. Use code ‘Astar100’. Conditions apply and are subject to availability.

Including the $100 saving, fares for a seven-night cruise in 2027 are available from $6450 per person, twin-share. Call (03) 5482 5244 or see mrps.com.au

OUTBACK IN AIR-CONDITIONED COMFORT, UNRUSHED

HAVE you ever travelled through the great Australian Outback? Or is it one of those journeys you’ve always meant to take, just waiting for ‘the right time’?

For many, the Outback has been quietly calling for years.

It’s the Australia we grew up hearing about: vast horizons, red earth, country towns with character, and stories that stretch back thousands of years. The beauty of travelling there now is that you can experience it in comfort, at a pace that feels right.

CT Travel (Coolum Tours & Travel) has several great tours exploring the Outback this year.

Stay at the Wallaroo Outback Retreat as you escape in the Carnarvon Ranges. Visit Carnarvon Gorge, walking beneath the towering sandstone cliffs, with ancient ferns brushing the path and soft light filtering through the trees. You can’t help but slow your step.

Embark on an unforgettable adventure through the vast and aweinspiring Outback and discover the remote towns of NSW dotted along the Darling River.

As you traverse expansive open plains, let yourself be captivated by landscapes that stretch endlessly, fading

into the distant horizon. Each day promises new discoveries as you delve into the region’s rich pioneering history, explore towns (Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs) famed for their precious opals and experience the vibrant spirit of industrious communities that define this remarkable part of the world.

There’s Kununurra, perched on the edge of the Kimberley. It’s the sort of place where the landscape feels bold and untamed, yet the welcome is warm and relaxed. You might find yourself cruising along Lake Argyle, spotting freshwater crocodiles from a safe distance, or simply enjoying a sunset that turns the sky every shade of orange and pink.

And then there is The Red Centre, the spiritual heart of the country. Watching the colours shift across the desert landscape as the sun rises or sets is something that stays with you long after you return home.

The beauty of travelling through the Outback when over-55 is that you appreciate it differently. You’re not trying to cram everything into a few hurried days. You travel comfortably.

You take the time to really see the landscapes, hear the stories and enjoy the company of like-minded travellers who, like you, have decided that ‘one day’ has finally arrived.

Full details of upcoming tours are at cttravel.com.au

APRIL 2026

Alpine High Country to the Murray Delta (11 Days)

MAY 2026

O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat (4 Days)

Wallaroo Outback Retreat (7 Days)

JUNE 2026

Darling River Run (15 Days)

Red Centre & Top End (18 Days)

JULY 2026

Broome to Darwin (12 Days)

AUGUST 2026

North Queensland Savannah (11 Days)

Tropical North Queensland (12 Days)

SEPTEMBER 2026

Fraser Island (5 days)

Wallaroo Outback Retreat (7 Days)

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (4Days)

Spring Gardens & Floriade (11 Days)

OCTOBER 2026

Wild Wild West of WA (13 Days)

Fraser Coast & Lady Musgrave Island (5 Days)

NOVEMBER 2026

Tasmania (15 Days)

DECEMBER 2026

O’Reillys (4 Days)

NSW Central Coast & Blue Mountains (11 Days)

With Quizmaster Garry Reynolds

1. Which Aboriginal singer made a hit with Royal Telephone?

2. What is the term for a sea-filled, glaciated valley?

3. What is the term for an English garden feature acting as a sunk fence?

4. What is the telephone code for Australia?

5. Shane Warne was engaged to which British celebrity?

6. In TV, what does SBS stand for?

7. What three countries start with the letter J?

8. What is the term for an allegation of constitutional misconduct against a US president?

9. How many continents are there?

10. Which Australian swimmer has won most Olympic gold medals?

11. Which English city did Black Sabbath come from?

12. Which two Australians won the F1 championship?

13. What is a species that eats plants and animals called?

14. Who was deputy PM and then ambassador to the Holy See?

15. Which female tennis player was stabbed on court?

16. What is the name of the estate in Lady Chatterley’s Lover?

17. What is a long-handed tool used to reap crops?

18. What is the slang for Speedos or a swimming costume for males?

19. In cooking, what is a balsamic liquid?

20. What is the medical term for stomach and midriff?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Errors occurred in the February 2026 edition of the Trivia Quiz. In Question 1. What is the capital of Tanzania? The correct answer is Dodoma (since 1996, when it was moved from Dar es Salaam). In Question 2. Who was birth father to Peaches Geldof? The correct answer is Bob Geldof. Tiger Lily is the daughter of Michael Hutchence. Hope you picked up some extra points!

Tim Fischer. 15. Monica Seles. 16. Wragby Hall. 17. Scythe. 18. Budgie smugglers. 19. A type of vinegar. 20. Abdomen.

8. Impeachment. 9. Seven. 10. Emma McKeon (six gold). 11. Birmingham. 12. Jack Brabham and Alan Jones. 13. Omnivore.

1. Jimmy Little. 2. Fiord. 3. Ha-ha. 4. 61. 5. Liz Hurley. 6. Special Broadcasting Service. 7. Jamaica, Japan and Jordan.

QUICK CROSSWORD

9-LETTER WORD

Today’s Aim:

17 words: Good

25 words: Very good 36 words: Excellent

Every row, column and 3x3 outlined square must contain the numbers 1 to 9 once each.

1 Metal disc under nut(6)

4 Muddy(6)

10 Ape(5) 11 Not examined(9)

12 Oslo resident(9) 13 Pessimist(5)

14 Spectacles(6) 15 Nigh(4) 19 Pallid(4)

20 Drug(6)

24 Gastric woe(5)

25 Breed(9)

27 Profanity(9)

28 Common bacterium(1,4)

29 Slows(6)

30 German city(6)

1 Effeminate(8)

2 English county(8)

3 Defecate(7)

5 Second hand vehicle(4,3)

6 Beachgoer’s two-piece(6)

7 Subtract(6)

8 German automobile manufacturer(4)

9 Examined(7)

16 Broke off a small piece(7)

17 Tubular pasta(8)

18 Book of the Hebrew Bible(8)

19 Wither(7)

21 Tableland(7)

22 Restrained(6)

23 Bad writing(6)

26 Ornamental quartz(4)

Using the nine

No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

WORD STEP

Complete the list by changing one letter at a time to create a new word at each step. One possible answer shown below.

SKULL

BLINK

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