The Croaker Vol 9 No 5 July 2016 · creating a business/home in an existing rural community was...

Page �1WOODLEIGH BOARDING KENNELS - DEANS MARSHVol. 9 No. 5

! The Croaker

Volume 9. No. 5 - July 2016 Editor: Renee Wigley

TheCroakerisanotforprofit,monthly,voluntarypublicationandisforgeneralinformationpurposesonly.Alternativepointsofviewtothoseexpressedinopinionarticlesareencouragedandwelcomed.Pleasesendnews,commentsandqueriestoRenee-email:deansmarshartstudio@bigpond.comoron-linehttps://www.facebook.com/thecroaker/

pennyroyal otways retreat: PennyroyalOtwaysRetreatisabeautifulrusticguestretreatthatsleepsupto29people.Wehavethreecottagesonthepropertyandenjoyadiverserangeofpeoplestayingatanyonetime.TheperimeterofthepropertyisborderedbythePennyroyalCreekofwhichweareproudtohaveregeneratedanativecorridorforthewildlifealongourborder-ourguestsmanagetoenjoyseeingamenagerieofanimalsandbirds.Ourlakeandalpacasarebyfarafavourite,kidscatchingyabbiesortakingtheboatforarowoutonthelake.Ouralpacasfascinateanddrawinpeoplewhohavemosttimesneverseenone.Thesegentlecreaturesaremothernature’slawnmowersandjustastheymakeguestshappytheyproveinvaluableinthegrassgrowingmonthsofspring.WelookforwardtomanymorehappyyearsinthePennyroyalcommunitywithretreatguests,alpacasandtheoddhappyplatypusforcompany.

SaraandJasonCartmellPh:0402074073www.otwaysretreat.com.au info@otwaysretreat.com.au

FacebookandInstagram#pennyroyalotwaysretreat

PennyroyalOtwaysRetreatwas‘pieinthesky’foranEnglishboylivinginacongestedLondonsemidetachedhousebackinthe70’s.ToLindapieceofrurallandinAustraliawasjustapipedreamforthefast-talking,street-smartLondonboywhomadeAustraliahishomeattheageof25.Yearslater,withacitylifeinMelbourneandhappilymarriedwith2beautifulchildrenthedreambecameahardworkingreality.JasondiscoveredPennyroyaltenyearsagopurelybyaccident,whiledrivingthebackroadsoftheLornehinterland.ThisuniquepieceoflandsouthofLornewasinitiallyarundownproperty,strewnwithrubbish,400tyres,ringbarkedtreesandablackberrymauledhillside-allcombiningtohidethemagicandbeautyofthelandunderneath.Twoyearsofconstantgrind,mechanicalbreakdownsandbeerinjectedworkingbeesleadtotheopeningofPennyroyalOtwaysRetreat.Thatyearwasoneofthemostintriguingandlessonlearningyearsofourlives.Theideaofcitypeoplecreatingabusiness/homeinanexistingruralcommunitywasslightlydauntingandatadintimidating.Wouldwebelookedatasoutsidersoraccepted?Isthecommunityopentocityfolk?Thosethoughtslastedallofaminute-embracewasimmediate…

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Pennyroyal Otways Retreat - cont

Kindnessandfriendshipfollowed,withanauthenticsharingofideas,adviceandlandcaremaintenance.ItwaswelcomedandabsorbedbybothJasonandmyselfwithmuchgratitudeandinterest.Thissmallhamletrichinsomanyways,notjustfarmingprovedtobecreative,musical,sportingandfullofsomanyinterestingdiversepeople.Ourliveshavechangedduetothelocalgeniusthatisasmallruralcommunity.PeoplelikeUdiandLisa,PeterandSandraDempsey,Sam,Lovie,RonandAshleyhavebeenjustafewofthemanywonderfullocalswhohavehelpeduslearn,discover,createandgrowourbusiness/homeinPennyroyal.

Youcanhaveabusinessanywherebutthejoyultimatelycomesfrombeingapartofsomethingbigger,makingacontributionandLindingfriendshipalongtheway.

SaraCartmellPennyroyalOtwaysRetreat

Deans Marsh Sports Report: Wheretoomuchsportisnotenoughitmayseemtosomethattherehasbeenabsolutelynosporttoreportofatall,noleatheronwillow,noponkoncatgut.Thiscorrespondentalthoughinhismissiontosatisfyhasbeenoutandabout.

Mymemoriesofpingpongwasreachingthelasttwoina'roundthetable’competition,wettingmyselfinhystericswhilereturningtheball,doingthedoe-c-doeandattemptingareturnwiththeoppositehand.I’minformedbyadependablesourcethatTuesdaynightsfrom7.30atthelocalhallafarmoreseriousgameoftabletenniscanbeappreciated.

Whynotgoandsupportourlocalfootyteam.TheDeansMarshintelligentsiacanbefoundontheouterwingsippingteaandnippingtheirhipLlasksshouting‘rara,gosainters'.Strollaroundtotheclubroomsatthreequartertimeforsomebackslappingwiththelads,'wherehaveyabeen'and'rememberbackin…weren’tweabloodygoodteam'.The‘BirregurraSaints’,playingsomeentertainingandthrillingfootballleadthetableandiswellworththecontributionatthegate.

Somelocalshaveheadednorthforawalk.LizBashfordrecentlycompletedthePennineWay,inthenorthofEngland-500km'sand12000mofverticalclimbs.Lizwasgreetedatthe‘BorderHotel'inScotlandwiththeofLicialcertiLicationandapintofthelocalbrew.‘Neybother,greatcrack'Lizremarked…(what?).LizwillbesoonconductingaPowerPointpresentationonpeat,bog,heath,smellysocksandtheconstructionmethodologyofthe‘kissing'gate.

DEANS MARSH COMMUNITY COTTAGE NEWS:

Overthelastcoupleofmonthsourmainfocushasbeenonrecruitinganewco-ordinator.Ouradvertisingeffortssawusreceiveanumberofoutstandingapplicantsandwebegininterviewingoverthenextcoupleofweeks.Wehopetointroduceournewco-ordinatortothecommunityandTheCroakerreadersthen.

Intheinterimthewheelshaven'tstoppedturninglargelyduetoJaneWhitehead'sworkastheinterimco-ordinator.WethinksheisastarandwearethrilledtheSolsticeeventwasacommunitysuccess.

TheCottagesubmittedgrantapplicationsforGWUL(GiveWhereYouLive)andFRRR(FoundationforRuralandRegionalRenewal).WehaverewrittenadraftofourStrategicPlanandweplantosharethiswiththecommunityforfeedbackandcommentinthecomingweeks.InthemonthsaheadwewillfocusonsupportforSheepDogTrials,MusicintheMarshandCommunityChildcareServices(includingOHSC,outofhoursschoolcare).Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketochattothecottageabout,pleasedropinandsayhiorgetintouch.

LachieStevens,Chair:DMCCCommitteeofManagement

DEANS MARSH PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS: DEANSMARSHPRIMARYSCHOOL-Providingawell-roundededucationtocreateresilient,21stcenturylearners

inahappyandsafeenvironment.

ENROLMENTWEEK:EnrolmentWeekwillbeheldfromMonday1sttoFriday4thAugustandwewarmlyinviteallcommunitymemberstovisittheschoolduringthisweek.OnTuesday2ndAugust,weparticularlyinvite2017prepstudentsandothernewenrolments,forat9:30amthePrincipalandthePrepteacherwillhostaParentInformationSessionwhichwillincludeinformationabouttheschool.

TERM3MUSICPROGRAM:WehaveplannedanexcitingTerm3MusicProgramutilisingtheservicesoflocalmusicteacher,LouiseBrown.LouisewillvisittheschooleachTuesdaytoconductlessonswithallstudentstopreparethemfortwosigniLicantperformances.TheLirstistheGeelongMusicandMovementFestivaltobeheldatCostaHallinGeelongonTuesday16thAugust.ThesecondeventistheBirregurraFestivalonSunday9thOctoberat12noon.

COLACSCHOOLSWINTERLIGHTNINGPREMIERSHIP:OnFriday10thJuneourNetballteamandFootballteam(withBirregurraPS)competedatthisevent.TheNetballteamwonfouroftheirsixgames,atremendousachievement.Thefootballteamwonthreeoftheirfourgames,meaningtheyqualiLiedforthesemi-Linalunfortunatelytheylost.Congratulationstobothteamsfordoingsowellontheday!

MurraySurkitt,Principal

DeansMarshPS:Greatstaff,greatstudents,greatcommunity=greatschool!

WINTER SOLSTICE REPORT: ThankyoutoallthebravesoulsthatventuredouttotheDeansMarshWinterSolsticeonSaturday25th

June.Itwaswonderfultoseesomanyfacesfromnearandfar.

EveryonewaskeptwarmbyTomrtoeDesignsfantasticsculpturalLirepits,entertainedbytheentrancingdrummersandamazingLiretwirlers.

Thefoodwashot,winespicy,beercoldandatmospherewelcoming.

FeetweretappingthenshufLlingthenthumpingaswelistenedtotheDMPrimarySchoolsGleeClub-soadorable,DeansMarshSingers,NoahFaganandTheNightWalkerswithlocallegendCamelmakingaguestappearance.ThankstoCamelandalltheotherperformers,withoutyourmusicthenightwould

havebeenincomplete.

ManywerereminiscingoftheMusic@theMarshdayswitharevivaldiscussed…Ifyouarekeentojoina'workinggroup'pleasecontacttheDeansMarshCommunityCottageon(03)52363338.

Manythankstoallthathelpedsetupandpackdown,youknowwhoyouare!

Awarmingshowcaseofourwarmingcommunity.JaneW.

Deans Marsh Sport Report - cont.

Thelocalpetanqueclubthe'SwampTossers’havesentadelegationtothesouthofFrancetoexaminetheLinerpointsandrulesofthegame.Correspondencereceivedtodatehasbeenscarcewithreportsthattheyhavebeenpreoccupiedbytheepicureandelightsofthelocalmarketsandpatisserie’s.Themostrecentcommuniquedeclaredthatwe'tossers’arejustnottakingthegameseriouslyenough.

NewsjusttohandrevealstheFestivalCommitteeareseriouslyconsideringintroducing‘cabertossing’tonextyear’slistofevents.Apparentlytoomuchtossingisjustnotenough.

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WHAT’S ON: JULY 2016 OMMChoirRehearsals-DeansMarshHall EveryWednesdayevening-7pmFilmnightBlakesEstateWinery-‘NightTraintoLisbon’ Friday29thJuly-7pmMartiansCafe-‘TheWeepingWillows’ Sunday31stJuly-3pmEnrolmentWeek-DeansMarshPrimarySchool Monday1sttoFriday4thAugustEnrolmentDay-Info.for2017PrepStudents Tuesday2ndAugust-9.30amMartiansCafe-‘TheStillsons' Saturday6thAugust-7.30pm

HOMEPADDOCKFARMING-NOURISHINGCONNECTIONS:Initiatedbylandcaremembers-theconceptof‘NourishingConnections’isabringingtogetheroflocalpeoplewhosharesimilarinterestsinhomefarmskills.Thiscouldincludefruittreepruning,vegetablegardening,organicorregenerativefarms,hydroponics,poultryorpigkeepingetc.

TheEastOtwayGrouprantheLirst‘NourishingConnections’activityonBeeKeepingonalovelywinternighton4thJuneattheBambraHall.Westartedthenightwithhomebrewedhotsoupandhomemadebread(alllocallysourced!),afterwhichourresidentbeeexpertAlfredWittoschenchanteduswithhispassionandknowledgeforbees.Alfredwasveryentertaining,enlighteningusonthewonderfulworldofbees,theirbehaviour,howtheysetuptheirhives,whathappenswiththequeenbeeandthedifferentrolesthebeeshaveinthehive.It’saverycomplexsociety,whichAlfredonlytouchedon.

WewereluckyenoughtosamplesomeofAlfred’swonderfulhoneyattheendofthenightandenjoysomehomecookedhoneycakes.

AbigthankyoutoAlfredforprovidinghistimeandexpertisetoagroupof40enthusiasticpeople,alsotoWendyRobinsonKoss,JenniferMorrow,JoZybel,JudyLumbandJillStewartfortheyummysoup,bread&cakes.

Here’slookingforwardtothenext‘NourishingConnections’event!JillStewart

Youcanjointhe‘HomePaddockFarming’GrouponFacebookandkeepuptodateoneventsandinformationhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/392227137567608/

TEPEEATCOPACCVERONICAPHILLIPS:

Youmayhavenoticedatepee-shapedsculptureunderconstructionontheCOPACClawn,andbewondering

whatonearthisgoingon!

DeansMarshartistVeronicaPhillipshasbeencommissionedbytheartscentretocreatethepoplarandwillowsculptureaspartofthefourthannualCrossXpollinatioNfestivaloftextileandLibreart.

Thesculpturewillhavetwodoorwaysandwindows,andwhenitisLinishedchildrenwillbeabletoplayinside.Theshelterisdesignedtolastuptotwoyearsandatthe

endofitslifeitwillbechippedandaddedtoshiregardenbedsascompost.

TheCrossXpollinatioNfestivalopensatCOPACConSaturday,2July.Morethan1,000peopleattendedthefortnightlongexhibitionlastyearwhichisfantastic.

SPONSORS-OLDANDNEW:OnbehalfofTheCroakerteam,Iwouldreallyliketothankthelocalbusinessesthathavesponsoredourlastsixeditions:SinceregratitudetoOtwayPrime,KingParrotCottages,ChaseAustralia,OtwayGreening,RaynersFreeRangeEggsandWoodleighBoardingKennelsforsupportingtheDeansMarshcommunity,andforlettingusallgettoknowyoualittlebitbetter! BeingthebeginningofanewLinancialyear,TheCroakerisnowcallingoutfornewsponsors.Ifyouareinterestedinsponsoringournewsletterandsharingastoryaboutyourbusinesswiththecommunitypleasecontactmeviaemaildeansmarshartstudio@bigpond.comorphone0438605051.Keepwarmeveryone!ReneeWigleyEditor

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