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ISSUE #10 //APRIL 2016WWW.INTOUCHMAGAZINE.COM.AU

CATHERINE BRITTANZAC DAY 2016Lest We Forget

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In recent years, more and more families are participating in ANZAC Day dawn services across Australia, and Newcastle is no exception. In addition to the city's well-attended Dawn Service at Nobbys, Novocastrians are fortunate to have access to a wide variety of ANZAC Day commemorative events.

Continuing with the Centenary of the ANZAC's 1915 to 1918, this year ANZAC Day commemorations will focus on the Western Front, the principal theatre of operations for British and Dominion forces for the duration of the First World War. The Western Front stretching 750 kilometres from the Belgian coast, through France to the Swiss border, was bogged down in trenches and mud. More than 295,000 Australians served here.

1916 campaigns included the Battle of the Somme or the Somme offensive, a series of battles fought between 1 July and 18 November 1916. The initial day of the offensive, 1 July 1916, remains the most costly day in the history of the British army which suffered almost 60,000 casualties, a third of whom were killed.

These battles and others will be remembered at a series of services across the city starting on Friday 22 April 2016 and continuing through until ANZAC Day, Monday 25 April 2016. There are also ANZAC themed events and activities happening throughout April 2016, visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au

Newcastle Memorial Walk sunset ceremony - Friday 22 April 2016, 5pm - 6pm This year, Australian Army Band, Newcastle under the command of Captain Michael Fitzpatrick will combine with The City of Newcastle RSL Pipe Band under the command of Drum Major David Harvey to present the inaugural sunset ceremony on the Newcastle Memorial Walk. The walk will be closed during the ceremony, best viewing for the ceremony will be from Memorial Drive.

Lighting of the ANZAC Memorial Flame - Saturday 23 April 2016, 6pm - 7pm Camp Shortland, Newcastle Foreshore - The flame represents life and maintaining a flame continually alight represents eternal life because a flame has no "body”. Its use symbolises the spirit of those who have died.

The Newcastle ANZAC Memorial Flame will be lit from the ANZAC Torch, one of only 22 in Australia. The Flame will burn

from 6pm on Saturday night until 12noon on ANZAC Day. Members of the public are invited to attend and if they wish, lay a tribute in memory of family or friends past. The flame will be lit by Aaron Kearney.

War Memorial Grove Candlelight Vigil - Sunday 24 April 2016, 5pm - 7pm Memorial Grove Civic Park - The Newcastle Civic Park War Memorial Grove Preservation Group will be holding a candlelight vigil in the Memorial Grove Civic Park, corner of Laman and Darby Streets (South Eastern Corner of Civic Park opposite the Newcastle Art Gallery). We are asking that all to be in attendance by 5pm to light and place candles. The service will commence at 5.30pm.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service - Monday 25 April 2016, 5am - 6am Camp Shortland, Newcastle Foreshore - The Dawn Service will begin at 5am and will include a band, choir, bugler and bagpiper. The service will conclude at approximately 6am with a four-gun Salute to the Fallen by the guns at Fort Scratchley. In keeping with tradition, there will be a controlled blackout of the site prior to the Dawn Service. Attendees are advised to bring a torch, warm clothing and wet weather protection.

ANZAC Day March - Monday 25 April 2016, 9am - 10am Hunter Street Mall, Scott Street, Darby Street and King Street - Marchers are to form up in the Hunter Street Mall and side streets between Perkins and Newcomen Streets, Newcastle. Under Police control, the March will step-off at 9:15am and proceed west along Hunter Street, turn left into Darby Street, right into King Street and finish in Civic Park.

United Commemoration Service - Monday 25 April 2016, 10am - 11am Civic Park - The Newcastle ANZAC Day United Commemoration Service will be held at the cenotaph in Civic Park commencing at 10am. The wet weather venue for this service will be in the Concert Hall at City Hall.

Fort Scratchley Firing of the Guns and Open Day - Monday 25 April 2016, 12noon - 4pm, Fort Scratchley Gun firing: 1pm and 3pm Fort Scratchley - A four-gun Salute to the Fallen by the Mark 7 Guns at Fort Scratchley will be conducted at the conclusion of the Dawn Service at approximately 6am, this represents the Navy, Army, Air Force and ANZAC. At 1pm and 3pm the firing by the historic Mark 7 Guns that had fired on the Japanese submarine on the 8 June 1942, the firing will be supported by the fully restored World War II 25 Pound Field Gun.

Aaron Kearney – What ANZAC Day means to me (Aaron will light the ANZAC Flame at this years Ceremony at Camp Shortland)

World War II was the best and worst thing that ever happened to my late Grandfather and dear friend Jack Kearney. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to him because it took him from a butcher’s shop in Morpeth to places that were beyond imagination from Papua New Guinea to Japan and across the Middle East.

It also forged friendships that are only possible during wartime. Those friendships and memories were treasured until the day he died just a couple of years ago, well into his 90's. Jack Kearney was no fan of war, though.

He could harbour no bitterness for the Japanese, even as they tried to kill him. He would say to me: "I’d see one of their boys, lying there dead and all I could think about was the broken-hearted mother who suckled him at her breast getting the news her boy was gone."

Jack’s war stories never glorified what happened. In fact, war made him an avowed pacifist, something he passed on to me. But his stories gave me a great appreciation of those who lived and died in the great theatres of war and the debt we owe them.

I have marched in Sydney in his place and I have been to the Dawn Service at Bomana in PNG at the foot of the Kokoda Track. Lighting the flame in my home town and the town that Jack so loved, will be one of the great honours of my life.

In my mind will be the war veterans I got to know and who live among us now, but also those who never had the chance to have children and grandchildren and great grandchildren because of their sacrifice.

The flame is truly for them.

Aaron Kearney.

Lest We Forget: A Multitude of Services to Commemorate ANZAC Day 2016

WORDS: Dana Fishcetti (Newcastle City Council)

ANZAC Day 2015 Images courtesy of Newcastle City Council /Photolook

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Features3 Lest we Forget: Anzac Day 2016 6 Jack of Hearts 8 Cover Story - Getting on with Life: Catherine Britt 12 New Lambton Village Courtyard16 Ships Ahoy! 23 Get to Know Your Immune System25 Wickham to Foreshore Special Feature25 Wickham - From Street Fights to Trendsville26 Carrington - A Diamond in the Rough31 The Exotic Wonders of South East Asia43 Fee Free Courses at Hunter TAFE44 The Road to Rio

Regulars5 Top Five on Five10 What’s on Guide18 Fashion + Beauty22 Health + Wellbeing30 Travel32 Eat//Sip//Savour39 On Your Doorstep43 Family + Community46 Home GET MOBILE!

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If you’re looking for a little inspiration this month, then you’ll love our cover story… Catherine Britt. Since facing a diagnosis of Stage 2 Breast Cancer midway through 2015, you wouldn’t

blame Catherine for slowing down a little - taking each day one step at a time. This was never going to be the case for the Novocastrian singer/songwriter, whose version of “one-step-at-a-time” is somewhat similar to a gallop! Catherine shares her

story with us and tells us what’s in store for fans with her upcoming FU Cancer concert series.

In recent years, more and more families are participating in ANZAC Day dawn services across Australia and Newcastle is no exception. In addition to the city's well-attended Dawn Service

at Nobbys, Novocastrians are fortunate to have access to a broad range of ANZAC Day commemorative events, you can find details within as well as a personal note from Aaron Kearney -

who will be lighting our ANZAC flame in 2016.

It’s an Olympic year, so dust off the green and gold beanie and tune up your “Oi Oi Oi”! This month (and every month leading up

to Rio 2016) we’ve teamed up with the Hunter Academy of Sport, who will delve into their archives to find us some

locally trained talent we can all get behind on the Road to Rio (which is hopefully paved with Gold).

We continue our focus on some of the region's most recognised areas this month when we get intouch with Wickham to

Foreshore. It's an area of our city that is quietly transforming and reinventing itself to become one of our trendiest pockets, shedding its chequered history (which we also delve into) and

providing hip homes to both residents and small business alike.

New Lambton has no shortage of boutiques, restaurants and cafes, but if you love fashion, have a flair for style and enjoy

shopping for homewares, jewellery, designer shoes and clothing labels that are not typically available in shopping centres then make a trip to the New Lambton Village Courtyard. This month

we visited the owners of each of these little gems to find out what makes the “Courtyard” so special.

Enjoy!

Stay intouch at getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au Quentin and Di von Essen | Publishers

On the CoverThis month’s cover brings together both our cover story and our special feature when the team got together to create these beautiful images of Catherine Britt under the historic Knowledge Tree at Wickham. Thanks to Amy Butterworth from Dunn & Dusted (makeup), Des Dunn from The Fox Den (Hair) and of course Brent Leggett for the gorgeous images (visit www.ignitemarketing.com.au) and many thanks to Catherine for sharing her story with us.

Regular ContributorsCarla Elkin Michelle Meehan Megan O'Sullivan Jess Codrington Di von Essen Quentin von Essen Therese Ferry Claire Edwards Melinda Smith Dana Fishcetti Sonya Todd-Jones Sonya McNaughton Melissa Gearing Emily Gallagher Scott Webster Andrea Ciotti Sarah Saffo Lisa Simmonds-WebbDeborah Bartlett

Contents// ISSUE #10 APRIL 16

Got a great story to tell? Know someone who does? Budding writer or sensational photographer? We love contributions, so drop us a line at getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au

ContactsPublisher & Editors Two Tribes Media Quentin von Essen: quentin@intouchmagazine.com.au Di von Essen: di@intouchmagazine.com.au

Phone (02) 4943 0888 Address Suite 4, 2 Smith Street, Charlestown NSW 2290 Web www.intouchmagazine.com.au Email getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au Advertising Sales Quentin von Essen & Dan Hawkins

Marketing & Account Management Di von Essen & Carla Elkin Graphic Design Jess Codrington © Copyright 2016 Two Tribes Media. Published monthly by Two Tribes Media. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpt granted by written request only. While every attempt has been made, Two Tribes Media cannot guarantee the legality, completeness or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

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INSIDE INTOUCH

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From the Editors...