Swan magazine feb2014ec

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2014 programme

MARLOO THEATREMarloo Road, Greenmount

www.marlootheatre.com

Directed by: Douglas Sutherland-Bruce Directed by: Lucy Eyre

OthelloGarrick Theatre

PresentsKalamunda Dramatic Society Presents

The Shakespeare Anniversary Festival 1564 ~ 2014

April 1 ~ 26 2014 (see website for details - www.marlootheatre.com)

BOOKINGS: www.trybooking.com/CUJWADULT $23 CONC/CHILD $21

AMidsummer

Night’sDream

Directed by: Peter Clark

Darlington Theatre Players Presents

July 4 ~ 19 2014

BOOKINGS: 9255 1783ADULT $20 CONC/CHILD $18

MEMBERS $16

The Darlington Theatre Players at



directed byGail Palmer

a community theatre production by special arrangement with Origin Theatrical

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild

Dramatic Society’s Production of

Macbeth

July Wed Fri Sat Sun 4 5 6* 9 11 12 13* 16 18 19

Curtain up 8:00pm, *Matinees 2:00pm

by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr

NOVEMBER 21 ~ DECEMBER 13 2014

BOOKINGS: 9255 1783ADULT $25 CONC/CHILD $22

MEMBERS $18

The Darlington Theatre Players at



directed by Neroli Burton

a community theatre production by special arrangement with Tams Whitmark Music Library Inc

KISS ME, KATE

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

Book by Bella & Samuel Spewack

November Wed Fri Sat Sun 21 22 23* 26 28 29 30* 3 5 6 7* 10 12 13

Curtain up 8:00pm, *Matinees 2:00pm

December

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Gardening Chlorine 17 Two Versus Four 17Guildford Grammar School News 23 Health Matters Resolution, Schmesolution 3 Clean, Balanced Water 2

MCC 21

Networking With Lesley 8Night Sky 7Notes From Parliament 11

PC Surgeon 20Poetry Little One 20Pets Pets and the Hills Fire 25 Dogs Die In Hot Cars 25

Rotary 9

SAFE 24

The Idler 19The Voice of Swan Hills 10

What’s On 26

Printed in Western Australia by Vanguard Press using petroleum free inks and green electricity on plantation sourced paper. Both paper manufacturer and printer are certified to ISO14001, the highest environmental standard.

in this issue PAGE

Art and Artists Art in the Valley 18 2014 at MAC 18 Business Card Board 27,28

Community Marloo’s Bushfire Benefit 4 Ellenbrook Community Weight Loss Club 5 Valley & Vines Festival 2014 6 Observatory Lecture 7 Government Schools Encouraged to Independence 9 City of Swan Acts on Bushfire Zones Safety 22 Youth Summit in July 26

Dining Out 16

Entertainment Just a Song at Twilight 12 Joe’s a Tyrant 13 Kookaburra Outdoor Cinema 12

Finance 21

FEATURES PAGE

Cover PiCture:Young Love

Photo by Leslie Herbert

(Courtesy of PhotoFit)

Swan Magazine Published by:

Synhawk Publications Pty Ltd

weBSiTe: www.swanmagazine.com.au

editor: Jan [email protected]

Office: 14 Ridge Road, Glen Forrest, Western Australia

Phone: 9298 8495 E-mail: [email protected]

Sales: Linda Davey 0433 380 745

Postal address: P.O. Box 554, MundaringWestern Australia 6073

MaRCH DeaDLineS: advertisements: 24th February

editorial: 20th February

Copyright: Synhawk Publications Pty Ltd 2014

in this issue

DiSCLaiMeRThe information in this publication is of a general nature. The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and or issues canvassed. Synhawk Publications Pty Ltd does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

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Clean, balanCed, Waterhealth matters

try noW

Free Sampleavailable

We have seen previously how vital good clean drinking water is, such as may be

obtained from a mountain stream, splashing down an Alpine range. Unfortunately, very little of Australia has access to the Alps, so the question remains, ‘How do we get the best possible drinking water?’ This is not a new question and one that been solved some twenty years ago by Roland Plocher in Germany. The technology of information transfer, developed by Plocher and as used by Penergetic today, is based on the quantification of information of original substances. This technology can in many respects be compared to classic homeopathy. If we take, for example, the active substances of chamomile: within both alternative and conventional medicine it is known, beyond doubt, that chamomile has useful health-promoting properties. A realistic example might illustrate this: If 15% of the population in Europe suffered from acute influenza and if just twenty percent of those people made use of the tried and tested household remedy camomile, then supply shortages could arise. This is where the exceptional method of vitalisation agents comes into play. It is not the original substances themselves which are processed specifically to their area of use and then applied, but rather so-called “information carriers” (IC) or carrier substances. These ICs are always available in sufficient quantities and consistent quality without having to touch the supply of the original substances. “Information“ in this instance means the entirety of active parameters of the original substances. What is truly remarkable is not this phenomenon but the process technology that brings about such a transfer of active processes from the original substance

to the information carrier. Strictly speaking, the principle of modulation in electronics or radio technology is applied in this case. Penergetic has selected a number of substances in order to make systematic use of their known active parameters. Some of these substances are vital trace elements (the earth’s crust contains, for example, 64 such elements), some are chemical elements (like oxygen). These original substances are modulated onto carrier materials such as calcium carbonate or AquaKat tubes. The tubes are simply attached to the main water pipe somewhere after the water meter. In this way their frequency patterns of oxygen and other original substances are transferred onto the water pipe. The water flowing past gets into resonance and changes its molecular behaviour and its properties to those typical of spring water. We may for the sake of simplicity say that the information for clean, fresh water, is imprinted onto a metal which in turn passes the information onto the water passing over, or near to it. Now this sounds incredible, but it is no more incredible than any homeopathic remedy, and the AquaKat is homeopathy for water.

Free triAL SAMPLe To give the readers of Swan Magazine the chance to try out this remarkable technology yourselves Penergetic Australia

have made a number of samples available to try for yourselves. Just send your name and a mailing address to [email protected].

au or ring 9298 8495 during business hours and we will send you a ‘NoDrop’ leave of metal imprinted with the information to use and test for yourselves. Pour two glasses of water from the same tap and in exactly similar glasses and put one on the AquaKat coaster. Put the other at least three feet (one metre) away. Wait ten minutes and then taste both glasses of water and see the amazing differences

between the two. This works for wine as well. If you roll

the AquaKat into a hollow tube and use it as a pourer.

You will find that it re-vitalises wine

that is past it’s best

or a trifle old. I have performed this test myself and the difference between the untreated, slightly stale wine and the treated wine is remarkable. The wine was as crisp and fresh as if the bottle had just been opened. There are no catches to this, no hidden agendas or secret mailing list sales. It is simply that we know what a surprising claim is being made for the AquaKat and that ‘seeing is believing’ so Penergetic Australia Pty Ltd are giving you the opportunity to try for yourself. Once you have tried this for yourself and seen that the AquaKat works there are options to try this technology further. A larger thicker disk is available for a modest fee for putting inside kettles to keep them free of scale and to improve the water. This I have also done and the kettle went from grubby and caked with scale to absolutely clean within three weeks. So do yourself a favour and try AquaKat today - free of charge and with no obligation. Ring Swan Magazine or e-mail: [email protected].

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16 Craig Street, Mundaring(formerly Verissima House)

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interview ad 120 x 60 V1.pdf 1 27/02/12 7:22 AM

health mattersreSolution ... SChmeSolution

eddie enever - HealtH Mentor, naturopatH

Each year Australians everywhere make a New Year's resolution... I'm going to lose weight this

year, stop smoking, stop drinking, get fit, enjoy life more and get out of debt. Unfortunately only twelve percent of these people will be successful, leaving the other eighty-eight percent back doing what they always did - stuck in their same old habits. Dr Anthony Grant of the University of Sydney also reported that most people would revert back to the old habits between five and seven times! So why is this? Why is it so hard to change our ways even when the benefit of these changes is so great? Many of the self-help books on the market reveal that to make a new habit stick it takes twenty-one to twenty-eight days of consistent daily effort. A study conducted by the University College of London's psychologist Philippa Lally and her colleagues set out to investigate the truth about habit-changing and determined on average that her subjects who were trying to learn new habits took not twenty-one to twenty-eight days but a depressing sixty-six days before reporting that the behaviour had become unchangingly automatic. The individuals on this study ranged widely - some took eighteen days, others two hundred and forty-five! So how to do we go about making a lasting change? I believe one of the most important factors to whether or not you will succeed is asking yourself the questions - Who am I doing this for? What does this really mean to me? - Why am I doing it? - For what purpose? Am I going to lose weight because my GP told me to, stop smoking because the ciggies are getting too expensive, stop drinking because my wife keeps harassing me to? These are pretty poor reasons to change and no wonder people fail. What do your new goals really mean to YOU?? Some examples of better reasons - I am going to lose weight so I feel better about myself and so I can wake up early to play with my two year old son and not be out of breath and because it also decreases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes which will take me away from my beautiful family earlier than I should - nothing is going to take me away from

seeing my son grow up, getting married and having children. Is that not a more powerful reason for change? Do you think when you have that mindset that your new year's resolution will be easy to achieve? Of course it will! My advice when coming up with any type of goal is to look for the higher meaning or the real reason that you want to make the change. Dr John F Demartini is a human behavioural

expert whose work with goal setting and the reason why we fail is nothing

short of inspiring (I highly recommend his books/DVDs

etc). Dr Demartini believes it all comes

down to our values. He states that every individual lives by a set of unique priorities or values. This means that we all uniquely have things we perceive are most important in our life. All our perceptions and decisions are based on those values. So the reason why we don’t succeed in achieving our goals is that

they are not aligned with these most important values. Whatever is highest on our values is where we have our discipline, focus, order and dedication, whatever is lowest on our list of priorities is where we have disorder, chaos and where we procrastinate. Demartini believes that the secret to achieving your goals and transforming your life (and this could be in any area of life such as family, work, making money or spending time with others), is to set them congruent to your highest priorities or values. You will be rewarded with more energy, vitality, confidence, certainty and purpose. You’ll be doing what you love, you’ll be inspired by your life and work more efficiently towards creating what you intend. He uses an example, if you say you want to exercise and you find out that physical empowerment is right at the bottom of your hierarchy of values, then you are basically setting a goal that doesn’t match who you are. It is a fantasy and a delusion and it is guaranteed to create a self-sabotaging feeling inside of you because although you will consciously say that you want to exercise, you will unconsciously keep going back to what is truly more important to you. The key to making a lasting change is to see the higher purpose for your change and how this change is going to benefit the things in life you most cherish - make this connection and you will succeed. Health is a very important part of life for without it you cannot enjoy the rest of your life to the extent you were born to. Remember health isn't merely just physical health. Health is the balance of the physical, mental, emotional, social, sexual and financial aspects that make you healthy and well. I wish you all the very best for 2014.Courtesy of Mundaring Wellness Centre

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Communitymarloo’S buShFire beneFit baSh

JAMeS SutherLAnd-BruCe

We who live and work in the Hills co-exist with the ever-present danger of bushfires.

The recent devastating fire that destroyed homes has resulted in the community pulling together in a remarkable way to help raise funds for those who have lost property, the courageous and dedicated volunteers of the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades and the professional fire and emergency services. The Darlington Theatre Players have always been staunch supporters of people in need and good causes and following the news of fifty-five, possibly more, houses d e s t r o y e d and many, many more damaged in the Parkerville Bushfire of 12th January they tried to think of a way they could help. Although some of their members are Volunteer Fire Brigade members, and some are carpenters and tradespeople of all kinds, what they do

best is entertain, so the club decided holding a concert for the benefit of those who have suffered from the widespread damage inflicted by the fire would probably be the best option. The most pressing need is money. Food, pet food, blankets and clothing was rushed into those centres asking for them and now the long process of re-establishing begins. And for that money is needed in large amounts. Coles Supermarkets have offered and are honouring donations of cash 'dollar for dollar' so if the DTP raise $3,000, which is their aim, they will donate a further $3,000, making a total of

$6,000. The Bushfire Benefit Bash featured some extraordinary local and international performers in modern and classical singing, dance, cabaret, stand-up and comedy of all kinds. Before the concert President Robert Warner said: 'We have been humbled and appreciative of the actors, singers, bands and performers of all kinds who have

offered their skills to

entertain. Some have performed

previously at Marloo, some have friends at

Marloo, some will be traveling a long way to

p e r f o r m on the 1st February.’ T i c k e t s went on sale and

sold fast so the performers had a full, and very appreciative house, to work before. The MC for the night was Iain Martin, no stranger to the duty, having been MC for many previous Marloo concerts and one of the team that produced the ‘Pub Nights’ for the Darlington Club. The line up of performers included a variety of acts:

The first was Emma Davis who, in the character of an usher, welcomed the audience and sang, an act later to be seen at the Perth Festival. She was followed by Robert Warner the President of Darlington Theatre Players

welcoming everyone followed by local band Morozko (Nate Wood, Alex Jones and Jack Jenkins). Then Arianne King took the stage singing Nothing Can Stop Me Now (from The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Smell of the Crowd) and You Could Drive A Person Crazy (from Company). Two younger performers then - twelve year old Stephanie Shaw singing Quiet (from Matilda)

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Community

ellenbrooK CommunityWeiGht loSS Club

ShirLey SArdeLiCh

Last year the club lost 279 kilos, this was a great achievement from club members. Come join our members who have lost 45 kilos, 27 kilos, 20

kilos and more. We can help. Dont let another year pass you by. Join now and be apart of our friendly group of Men and Women of all ages and pregnant mums. Be encouraged by our Graduates. Throughout the year we have Guest Speakers to help motivate club members. We award incentives to help members lose weight andmaintain their goal weight. We hail and encourage our members to live a healthy lifestyle and stay active. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 6.45pm-8.00pm at the Woodlake Community Hall, meeting room 1. Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook,We invite New & Past members to join. For more information contact Shirley 9276 7938 or email [email protected]

and her older sister Maddie Shaw singing Tale of the Latte Boy. Rosemary Mowbray then gave us The Kings Breakfast, a poem by Christopher Robin’s dad A.A. Milne. Stacey Gay sang Nothing (from A Chorus Line) and then Gemma Sharpe and Rodney Worth as a duet sang The Song That Goes Like This (from Spamalot). They were followed by another duet - Tania Morrow and Jashub O’brien singing Bop To The Top and What I’ve Been Looking For (from High School Musical). In one of the few comedy spots Alex Sutton then performed Abed’s Story. International opera star Elisa Wilson sang a deeply moving The Prayer before being joined by her husband, John Kessey, singing the aria Brindisi (from La Traviata). The interval ended with an auction of donated goods conducted by Douglas Sutherland-Bruce which raised over a thousand dollars from the generous audience. The second half commenced with A Kappella Munda performing Human, Baba Waian and May You Never … followed by Donna Williams (shortly to be seen as First Witch in Macbeth) singing Only In New York most beautifully. Douglas Sutherland-Bruce then attempted to recite the poem The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God in spite of scripted interruptions from audience member Richard Coleman. Back to classical singing with Shania Eliassen singing the aria Poor Wanderin’ One (from The Pirates of Penzance). Peter Nettleton followed singing to his own accompaniment on guitar and then Joe Isaia and Jude Bridge performed a piece written by Jude Bridge which is on later this month at the Blue Room as part of the Fringe. Singer and musican Timothy Nelson performed entertainingly followed by Caitlyn Hughes and Sarah Woolhouse singing What is This Feeling while dancing a vigorous choreography designed by Stacey Gay. Then Hills Dance Group Burlesque Girls, Alice Williamson, Amanda Beattie, Fiona Waring, Stacey Gay, Racheal Williams and Angelica La Cunza performed to Big Spender and Mein Herr before everyone joined in with the audience singing I Still Call Australia Home. A thoroughly enjoyable evening was had and the total raised for the Bushfire victims was just short of $3,300.

This brief on-line course will provide you with all those missing bits that you would have learned by 9th grade if it weren’t for that broken leg, the cute girl or boy in the next seat, the after school job, the boring teacher or the complete lack of interest on your part. By the end of the six lessons you will be able to avoid many of the most common grammatical, spelling, and syntactical problems.

ONLINE GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION

An Online Workshop with Author

KAREN TREANOR has worked on numerous publications across three continents, including publishing books based on local folk tales for the Ministry of Education in Swaziland, and writing radio scripts for the Ministry of Education in Lesotho. She has written both a cookery column and a popular true-to-life rural humour column, “Life in the Country”, for several newspapers. Karen started Quenda Books in 2003, which publishes the “Scoot, Scoot, Bandicoot®” series. Her non-fiction wildlife stories for older readers have appeared in various magazines.

Karen also writes mystery stories, speaks to book clubs and school groups, and offers writing, editing and proof-reading services to individuals and businesses. She is passionate about the correct use of the English language and all its oddities.

Full 6 weeks $100 for KSP-members and $150 for non-members. See KSP website for payment details.

Booking and payment in advance is essential.

Karen Treanor A 6 week online course from Monday 17 February 2014

Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre 11 Old York Road, Greenmount WA 6056

Telephone: (08) 9294 1872 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://kspf.iinet.net.au

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Ailsa Piper is based in Victoria and has worked as a writer, theatre director, actor, speaker, teacher and pate-wrapper, completing her MA at the University of Melbourne whilst acting in Neighbours. Just after this, she won the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award for her play ‘Small Mercies’, and was nominated for Green Room Awards as both actor and director. She is a passionate – some would say obsessive – walker, and her travel book, Sinning Across Spain, reflects that. Ailsa is director of LuminoUS, an ongoing collaboration with designer Hugh Colman and lighting designer Rachel Burke, in which they invigorate text using actors and light. Whilst at KSP Ailsa will be working on completing her first manuscript, a one-part fiction, one-part memoir called Certainty, which ‘grew out of the red earth of WA’s Gascoyne’ where Ailsa spent her childhood.

Ailsa Piper KSP Emerging Writer-in-Residence 2014

Meet Ailsa at these events:

Writing Workshop: Curator Versus Creator. Saturday 22 Feb, 1pm-4pm

KSP Writing Groups between 10 Feb-10 Mar, various times

3-Course Literary Dinner with Readings by Ailsa. Tuesday 25 February, 7-9pm For costs and details on each event, please phone 9294 1872

or visit http://kspf.iinet.net.au/events.html#feb

Ailsa will be staying in Aldridge from 10 Feb to 10 Mar 2014

This three-hour workshop deals with the twin demons of authenticity and self-criticism, particularly when writing from the 'I' voice, but in any genre. Locating character through bodywork is both easy and pleasurable. Shutting down the curator-voice frees the creator. This workshop is particularly effective for generating new scenarios or characters, and is also tremendously helpful for breaking out of stylistic patterns. It is beneficial for both beginners and experienced writers.

CURATOR VERSUS CREATOR

A Workshop with Emerging Writer-in-Residence

AILSA PIPER is based in Victoria and has worked as a writer, theatre director, actor, speaker, teacher and pate-wrapper. She completed her MA at the University of Melbourne whilst acting in Neighbours. Ailsa won the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award for her play ‘Small Mercies’, and was nominated for Green Room Awards as both actor and director. She is a passionate – some would say obsessive – walker, and her travel book, Sinning Across Spain, reflects that. Ailsa is the director of LuminoUS, where she helps invigorate text using actors and light.

$30 for KSP-members and $45 for non-members. See KSP website for payment details.

Booking and payment in advance is essential.

Ailsa Piper Saturday 22 February 2014, 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre 11 Old York Road, Greenmount WA 6056

Telephone: (08) 9294 1872 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://kspf.iinet.net.au

It’s back for it’s second year in the Swan Valley…. the Valley & Vines Festival for 2014.

2013 was the beginning of a brand new wine festival in the Swan Valley – Valley & Vines Festival – and it’s going to be bigger and better in 2014. Many Perth locals enjoyed the wine at last year’s inaugural event across six locations in the Valley on the Labour Day long weekend in March and this year will be no different. The event was the first of it’s kind since Springin the Valley wound up in 2010 and it was a muchneeded addition for tourism to the region. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday April 5th across just four locations in the Swan Valley with over 1000 people expected to indulge in the region’s wine produce. Valley & Vines Festival will see wine lovers choose from four participating boutique venues with festival goers setting their own itinerary depending on their desire, tastes and interests. Ticket holders will select three venues from the four available with an hour and a half ‘session’ at each location with a thirty minute break between each to travel. Each venue will offer their local produce of wine or beer and have a variety of food available with live entertainment.

Communityvalley & vineS FeStival 2014

CArLey odgerS

People can arrange their own bus, jump on a pre- booked Valley & Vines transport (from three locations in Perth – South Perth, Guildford or Stirling) or drive themselves to enjoy the festival on Saturday 5th April from 11am – 4.30pm. Valley & Vines directors, Mel Metcalf & Carly Odgers said that they were very happy with the last year’s festival and had some very positive feedback from all festival guests. “Many of them mentioned how it was great tosee a return to an actual wine festival that is about the locally produced wine and of course the picturesque region,” Mel said. “We also made some slight tweaks to the 2014

festival based on feedback received last year to make the event more audience friendly. We were very proud of what we achieved in 2013 with the first festival and we are striving to improve Valley & Vines even more this year.” Tickets are now available for only $30 per person from www.valleyandvines.com.au and includes entry into three sessions, a branded V & V lanyard with a copy of the day’s selected itinerary, a branded wine glass, a glass of wine and entertainment at the three selected venues across the day. There will be NO gate sales and must be pre- booked from the V & V website.

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night skyFebruary

greg LoWe

Poor February, sandwiched between the two bigger months of January and March: even

when it has a big year, it can't match their 31 days apiece. Noting that even ABC presenters pronounce it as Feb-u-ary these days, I consulted Wikipedia and found that there are at least two good reasons for doing so. Firstly, it's right next to Jan-u-ary. Secondly, it's easy to say. When enough people use it, it becomes "correct". Looks like we'll never return to the ancient Roman pronunciation Februarius. Februa was a Roman purification ritual held at the full moon every February 15th, but that was back when they used a lunar calendar. The lunar calendar got so out of whack with the seasons that Julius Caesar turfed it out and instituted his Julian calendar, the forerunner of our present Gregorian calendar. The lunar cycle, from full moon to full moon (or new moon to new moon) is about 29.53 days. At best, February can only muster 29 days. So it's possible for February to have no full moon, if there's a full moon late on January 31st. It's just a quirk of the calendar, with no cosmic significance. This February actually has no new moon, as new moon was on January 31st and the next will be on March 1st. By February 2nd the thin waxing crescent moon is visible low in the western sky at nightfall. First quarter's on the 7th and full moon's on the 15th (Februa?!); that's the end of the waxing half of the lunar cycle. Then the moon's on the wane, with last quarter on the 23rd and the waning crescent phases following. Jupiter continues as the dominant planet. At the start of the month it stands out in the NE sky at dusk, passes due north around 10:20pm, and sets in the WNW around 3:10am. Mid-month it starts in the NNE, is due north around 9:30pm, and sets at about 2:15am. By month's end it's almost due north at nightfall and sets in the WNW around 1:15am. Mars comes next, rising just to the south of east at about 11pm. By dawn it's very high in the north. Its orange colour is a giveaway. By mid-February it's rising around 10:15pm and is high up in the NNW at daybreak. At the end of the month it's rising at about 9:25pm and dawn finds it high in the NW. Saturn follows Mars. It rises in the ESE just after midnight in early February and is very high in the ENE at daybreak. Mid-month it rises around 11:30pm and is virtually overhead in the NE at dawn. At month's end it rises around 10:40pm and is overhead at dawn. Venus is back in view as the brilliant "morning star" standing out in the eastern sky at dawn. It comes up in the ESE, with the rising time going from 3:50am in early February to 3:10am mid-month and 3am at the end of the month.Courtesy of tH pertH observatory.

CommunityobServatory leCture

verA SMith

Mars, commonly known as ‘The Red Planet’ is named after the Roman god of war. It is the

fourth planet from our Sun. The atmosphere on Mars is thin and cold, its terrain is dominated by large mountains and deep canyons. The geology of Mars is the scientific study of not only the surface of Mars, but also of it’s interior. What is the composition of its crust? What were the physical and climatic processes that occurred on Mars that made it what it is today? Would you like to know why the northern and southern hemispheres are different? Would you like to learn what is new about Mars and its geology? Dr Gretchen Bendix-Bland applies the sciences of chemistry, spectroscopy, mineralogy and petrology to look for answers in her study of the formation and evolution of planets and asteroids with particular attention to Mars. Don’t miss Dr Benedix-Bland’s lecture ‘Mars today and its Geology’ is the Perth Observarory’s Summer Lecture for 2014. Dr Gretchen Benedix-Bland is a cosmic mineralogist / astro-geologist applying the chemistry, mineralogy, spectroscopy and petrology of meteorites to understand the formation and evolution of asteroids and other planets. She got her PhD at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 1997, working on unraveling the geologic history of a rare group of meteorites that are a snapshot of the differentiation process. After this, she had a number of post-doctoral positions that broadened her knowledge base, from determining the surface composition of Saturn’s moons to looking at how water/ice

interacts with silicates on small bodies. She worked at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and The Natural History Museum in London as a researcher. She joined Curtin in 2012 as a Senior Lecturer.

Western Australia's oldest observatory is located 25km east of Perth in Bickley. The Observatory has served the state of WA for over a hundred years and remains actively involved in the service of public education. In recognition of its scientific, cultural and historical significance,

the Observatory was entered on the state's Heritage Register in 2005. The Perth Observatory is part of the Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Dr Gretchen Benedix-Bland

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networking with lesleyiS your pC aCtually a zombie?

LeSLey deWer

Nothing is less welcome than spam! Finding your email boxes filled with junk mail, which

distract your attention from what needs doing, to get your business revved up again for the next business cycle, is more than annoying. It is a waste of time and resources, which affects both efficiency and profitability. In the original sense of the word, “spam” was using electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited emails, usually advertising products with doubtful credentials, such as Viagra, to hundreds of thousands of email addresses, at the same time. Before that, a Perth man, Wayne Mansfield, became infamous for using fax addresses in a similar manner. Today, because email spam filters are much more effective at ISP level or by you using online filters, up to 95% of email spam has dropped off and is now much less of a problem. Those filters have moved spammers and their spambots away from direct email and into social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, and others, where the spam filters are not nearly so robust. Blogging attracts a huge amount of spam and that is an article for a separate topic, because blogging is so important for your online business presence. Automated spambots, programmes designed to send millions of messages out across the internet in a variety of formats, create most of the spam experienced today. This includes first creating the fake account on the platform in question and then distributing the message. Facebook has admitted almost 9% of its accounts are fake, and it is estimated up to 40% of all social user accounts can be fake, depending on the site in question. Those fake accounts are now driving Social Media Spam. Pinterest, in particular, is being plagued with fake accounts, where the images “pinned” actually take the viewer to a site where malware (a malicious link) installs itself on the viewer’s PC or creates a link to an unsolicited, unwanted website. (I am sure you get my drift) Because using the internet is not free, spammers are always on the lookout for unused capacity on vulnerable servers or PC’s where access is not too hard to gain through a back door, thus saving themselves the cost of their own hosting and paying an ISP. During the holiday period, I received a warning from Telstra/BigPond that a couple of my emails were “suspect” – and may have had malware attached to them, or it was already embedded in my PC. In spite of having professional IT backup, off line support and regularly doing scans of the both the server and the PC, I took their warning seriously and flicked it across to my IT guys. Over a period of days, running deep scanning software, we found both the PC and the Server were infected with malware, with scripts running in the background which were almost impossible to stop, allowing others to use my equipment and bandwidth to distribute their spam at my expense.Even worse, we found someone was hosting their own eBay shop on my server! The damn cheek of it!

The only genuine satisfaction I got from that was being able to shut down their very busy little eBay shop, a week before Christmas. I felt a bit sorry for any customers who lost their money or did not get their desired Christmas gifts, but we had a lot a fun in pulling the plug! With the latest in technology to find and remove these intruders, my IT guys found it was a very time consuming, laborious job, because some of the scripts were written so they could recreate themselves, if action was taken to remove them. I also decided to remove all remote access to my server, except my IT guys – even though it somewhat restricts my ability to work from alternative locations. A thumb drive and a drop box will have to be my friends. Effectively, it meant my PC and my server had become zombies, and operating as part of a “botnet”. As my reading has revealed, the key point of my machines becoming zombies is for it to be done stealthily, so it is unlikely the infections are found and removed. This gives the “bot master” access to the internet, while using my bandwidth and my account. One major activity for “botnets” is to provide access for “click fraud” trojans, where they download genuine online advertisements and then generate artificial clicks, triggering massive payouts by the advertisers who have to Pay-Per-Click (PPC). Some fraud operations can generate up to 42 clicks per hour, generating millions of dollars a year in payments from those who are using the internet to advertise a genuine business or product. Not only do the “bot masters” make a lot of money, others are paying for their nefarious activities. Another key use for “botnets” is to launch a “distributed denial of service” (DDoS) on a specific target. This may be to bring down the website, block the access to the site by other users or even hold the website owner to ransom. DDoS attacks are usually, but not always, done to highlight vulnerabilities in the system of large sites. As recently as Jan 25, 2014 (13.11 WST) Google+, Gmail and the US Supreme Court were all subject to a DDoS attack. The attack on the judiciary was reported as happening Friday afternoon, shortly after Gmail and Google+ went down. “a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack took down internet systems for the US courts.” Quote: “Internet services for the US Court system were taken down Friday afternoon for several hours by a Distributed Denial of Service attack.” At the time of writing, there was no published reason for the attacks. It is essential we maintain deep safeguards on our own PC’s and servers. While we may fancy we are not an attractive prospect for a bot, the truth is millions of small fish like us make a mighty big school, out of which botnets can wreak untold damage on others – with us as unwitting partners in crime.

poetrythiS year’S valentine

WAyne PAntALL

Me current wife’s a beauty, so she’s this year’s Valentine.

With elevated status, she’s no middy – she’s a Stein.This sheila’s up there with ‘em, so she’s got me vote this year.The clip-clop of her wooden leg, is music to me ear.

She’ll proudly walk behind me, with the Esky and me kids.And roll me fags before I yell – I wouldn’t swap for quids.I love the way she smiles at me – her glass eye even glows.And when she gives that toothless grin, I love her sweet flat nose.

Some tarts I’ve had, got uppity, and tried to run the show.I would’ve been a drongo not to tell ‘em where to go.This sheila doesn’t try to lead - she knows to stay behind.She’s noticed that it’s clever, when you’re nearly deaf and blind.

Me secrets are all safe with her, cos this bird’s not a talker.Me record’s in the bottle now – she’s a bloomin’ corker.She never whinges in the morning when she loads the ute,before she brings me brekky in – so cute and beaut (and mute).

She mixes concrete expertly - and without a mixer,lays a thousand bricks a day, then helps the ceiling fixer.You don’t find many like her, and she won’t stop till I’ve said.She’ll only pause to wipe the sweat away from her bald head.

Because she’s ‘This Year’s Valentine’, I’ll knock off some flowers,And give her breakfast in her bed, and let her sleep for hours.We‘ll share the day together, and I won’t send her to work.We’ll bask in love and harmony - together we will shirk.

Between us we’ve a pair of legs, ‘cos I’ve got one leg too.So Darling, you can lean on me, and I’ll hang on to you.Today you are my Valentine – let us both get blotto.And celebrate the million bucks, you just won on Lotto.

9

Communityrotaryrotary team

ChallenGegeoFF FrAnCiS

A recent speaker at the Rotary club of Mundaring, Brian Hancock of Osborne Park Club threw

out a challenge to the Mundaring Rotarians. Could we help in the Osborne Park Club "Rotary Team Challenge". This is a Walk, Run or Ride from Bakers Hill to Swanview (50km). Bike riders can also start at Northam, making the journey 75km. This is to be a fund raiser for their club to assist the Multiple Sclerosis Society of W.A. Well, Brian got somewhat more than he had expected. Not only will the Mundaring Rotarians be assisting on the day, but three nominated for the bike ride - Lorna Allen, a keen rider, Geoff Francis, if he can get fit enough and make his "Dickie Knee" work, plus Les Storer from the Mundaring Sporting Club. They have joined forces to tackle the 50 km from Bakers to Swanview. Walkers and runners can start at Chidlow to cover 22km. Start times at the three location vary to try and ensure all finish around the same time. Our team, now tagged the "Mundaring Maddies" is in training already so watch out for the blue flash of a Rotarian on his/her bike on the various bush tracks around Mundaring. Should you be interested in taking up this challenge, get two friends together and have some fun in raising money for M.S. research.

Ken Wyatt MP is encouraging local Hasluck public schools to consider participating in

the Coalition Government’s new $70 million Independent Public School initiative. Ken Wyatt MP said the Independent Public School initiative will help local government schools to become more independent by increasing their own local governance and community and parental engagement. “I encourage all of Hasluck’s local public schools to express their interest in this fantastic opportunity to become more independent and involve their local school community in making decisions that will benefit their school and their students,” Ken Wyatt MP said.

“As a personal supporter of Independent Public Schools, and previously a teacher, I can attest to the fact that this initiative is good for our education system and for the future education of our children.” Ken Wyatt MP has already shown his personal support of the initiative by being a Board Member of Yule Brook College in Maddington, after they became an Independent Public School through the Western Australian Education system. Minister for Education, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP said the Coalition Government’s for Students First education reforms, includes a goal of 25 per cent – or approximately 1500 – existing public schools to become Independent Public Schools by 2017. “We are working closely with state and territory education authorities to increase school diversity and give all Australian students choice for a high-quality education,” Mr Pyne said. “We know that principals, parents and school communities are best placed to make decisions on how their schools should be run.” Research on school autonomy has helped develop five objectives for the Independent Public School initiative including:1. Increased local governance and parental involvement;

2. Greater accountability to parents and the local community;3. Implementing streamlined or one-line budgets;4. Increased local management of school facilities and infrastructure; and5. Increased delegation over staffing for school principals to maximise student learning outcomes and student support services. Under the Students First approach, the Australian Government will work with the states and territories, teachers and parents to focus on four key areas that will make a difference, including teacher quality, principal autonomy, engaging parents in education and strengthening the curriculum.

To complement the Independent Public Schools initiative, the Coalition Government has also released a Guide for Parents on School Boards and School Councils. “The guide is designed to help explain how school boards and councils work in different school systems in the states and territories and the ways parents can get involved in the governance of their child’s school.” Further information on the Government’s Independent Public Schools policy, including the Guide for parents on school boards and school councils can be found at www.studentsfirst.gov.au.

Government SChoolS enCouraGed to beCome independent

JArrod LoMAS

Ken Wyatt MP and Hilary Saunders, Principal – Yule Brook College, outside of Yule Brook College in Maddington

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the voiCe of swan hillsthe beSt oF belhuS

FrAnk ALBAn MLA

This month we highlight the existence of possibly the last unspoilt area in the Swan

Valley, its heritage and potential tourism value generally unrecognized. In terms of history, it could easily be described as the area’s best kept secret, and could, with some planning, easily be showcased in the same manner as All Saint’s Church in nearby Henley Brook. Belhus, located next to both Aveley and The Vines, was named in 1897 after the English family estate owned by Edmund Barrett-Lennard, a pioneer of the table grape industry so important in the Swan Valley. Relatives of Barrett-Lennard still live in the community to this day, and there are streets named after him, and other significant contributors to the Valley’s establishment, throughout Herne Hill, Aveley and other surrounding suburbs. The story of the Barrett-Lennards and other Swan Valley pioneers makes for an interesting read if you are intrigued by the area’s history. This particular part of the valley is absolutely beautiful. Besides the flourishing flora and fauna, Belhus’ historical value is cemented by the existence of Bull’s Cottage, the adjoining grape-picker’s huts, a lime kiln, Cruse’s mill, the dam to supply water to the mill, and a timber bridge built by early convict labour. Bull’s Cottage, also known as Mill House or Millhouse Cottage (depending on your source), is a two-storied brick building constructed in 1831 by Lieutenant Henry Bull (a name that is carried through the suburbs of both Bullsbrook and Bull Creek). It is possibly the oldest existing private dwelling in the State, later becoming the home of the Barrett-Lennard family.

The adjoining grape-pickers’ huts of that era are a great example of how the vineyard workers were accommodated. Believed to have been built

in the latter half of the 1800s, they provide a tangible example and context to the Swan Valley’s history of viticulture and viniculture. The Lime Kiln likely dates back to the 1830s and was used to produce Lime required for the Mortar needed for the construction of Bull’s Cottage. It is believed the required bricks were

handmade and fired locally at a nearby clay pit. While the mill was possibly the first flour mill in the State, it u n f o r t u n a t e l y burned down in the late 1800s. Then-owner, Mr John Roberts, rebuilt the mill in the 1980s. The dam, built to supply water to the mill probably dates back to 1837, still exists, and is accessible from

Corona Way Park via footpath. The bridge, built nearby in the mid-1800s by convicts and aboriginal prisoners would have

served as a major crossing across Ellen’s Brook, allowing people from the northern districts to the mill, Guildford, and surrounding areas, being a somewhat significant access route in its day. It is interesting to note how the i n f r a s t r u c t u r e worked together; the kiln to build the bricks for the cottage, the dam to supply the mill, in order to form a cohesive whole. The property

listed as 30 Corona Way was purchased in 1987 by John Roberts, of Multiplex Constructions, a man who spent a considerable amount of money restoring the house, the grape pickers’ huts, and rebuilt the ruins of the mill. While Mr Roberts passed away in 2006, his commitment to Belhus’ history will live on. Both the dam and the bridge are on public land, and the bridge currently requires work to restore it to a safe condition. There are significant benefits in terms of historical tourism to be found in Belhus, and it is something I would like to see discussed in the future. While subdivision of adjoining land is generally accepted, there is concern in the local community that the impact of the residential development nearby has the potential to affect this last remaining unspoilt historic precinct. The Belhus community is campaigning to retain as much of the historic infrastructure as possible for future generations to enjoy, by voicing their support for the provision of an adequate buffer zone between the historic sites. and the residential development, and I join them in hoping for a positive outcome in this matter.

The grape-pickers’ huts (left) and the cottage (right)

The timber bridge

The rebuilt mill

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Office: 28 Main St,

Ellenbrook, WA9296 7688

Your local Liberal East Metropolitan

Members of Parliament

Hon Helen Morton MLC

Ph: (08) 9452 8311Fax: (08) 9452 [email protected]

Hon Donna Faragher MLC


Hon Alyssa Hayden MLC


WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Here to help!

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HON aLyssa HaydeN MLCMeMber for east Metropolitan region

FinanCial relieF For buShFire viCtimS

notes from parliament

The focus last month was to assist residents in the fire damaged communities of Parkerville,

Stoneville and Mount Helena following January’s devastating fire. At the height of the blaze, almost 400 fire fighters and eight helitacs were deployed to combat the fire. It is very sad that fifty-six homes were lost in the blaze, but we can be thankful there were no lives lost. With over 450 houses in the area, this toll could have been much more had it not been for the efficient response of our emergency services.

Indeed my own parent’s house in Mount Helena was in the line of fire and although damaged, the firefighters were able to save it. They were allowed back into the area as soon as it was safe and have already met with insurance assessors. It is reassuring to hear of the swift recovery processes being put in place and the overwhelming community support being extended to families who have lost all possessions. We can be very proud of our dedicated emergency services personnel and volunteers who work tirelessly under very challenging and dangerous conditions. The State Government provided immediate assistance to affected residents with payments of $3,000 to householders who lost their homes and $1,000 to people whose houses were damaged but not destroyed. These payments were facilitated

through the Shire of Mundaring and most households promptly received this emergency payment. My thanks go to the Shire of Mundaring for processing these payments so quickly. The State Government also donated $1million to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund that was activated to raise and coordinate donations to support the fire affected residents. The Member for Pearce, Hon Christian Porter advised of the Federal

G o v e r n m e n t ’ s Australian Disaster Recovery Payment for those eligible people adversely affected by the fire. Assistance of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child are available. Claims can be made online at www.humanservices.gov.au or by calling the Australian Government information Hotline on 180 22 66. As the demolition of burnt-out buildings is a major task, the State and Federal Government

are making additional funds available to meet the cost of cleaning up the sites to ensure the process is as swift as possible. The priority is to support residents in dealing with some of the financial consequences of the fire, help speed-up the recovery process for the community and to ensure the work is carried out safely to reduce public health risks from potential asbestos or poison contamination. Residents wishing to access this assistance can register an interest with the Shire of Mundaring. Western Power crews have done an outstanding job of replacing all power poles damaged or destroyed by the fire. Synergy has announced relief measures for customers who have lost their homes and will waive outstanding debts of customers whose homes were destroyed. It will waive the account establishment fee for customers who are required to relocate to alternative accommodation as a result of the bushfires. The Account Establishment Fee will also be waived for customers who lost their home and subsequently rebuild, when they move back in. Further relief may be available through the Office of State Revenue that will consider all requests for hardship relief. The following contact details may be helpful to pass on to affected friends and family: • Land tax – 9262 1200 • Motor vehicle duties – 9262 1100 • First home owner grant and associated transfer duty concession – 9262 1299, and • Pensioner concessions on local government and water rates – 9262 1373 The Department of Transport will replace

drivers licence cards, district, state and optional plates, skipper’s tickets and boat registration papers damaged or destroyed in the Parkerville fire at no charge. In addition it will waive the fee for certified copies of vehicle licence (registration papers) for vehicles destroyed in the fires. With the hot summer weather continuing, it is a timely reminder of how important it is that our communities are aware of the risks of living in bushfire prone areas. I would encourage you to visit www.areyouready.wa.gov.au to learn how to prepare, act and survive a bushfire. Please contact Alyssa Hayden on 9274-8484 or email at [email protected] at any time to share your issues and views on how we can work together to ensure the East Metropolitan Region continues to be a great place to live.

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Wherever you see this symbol

you will be able to get more information by scanning it with your smartphone, laptop or iPad. The relevant can be downloaded free from your app store.

entertainment

Hyde Park On Hudson(M) USA. Historical Drama. Screens: Fri 7th, Sat 8th & Sun 9th Feb. Director: Roger Michell. Stars: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Samuel West and Olivia Colman. The story of the affair between President F D Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin Daisy Stuckley (Laura Linney) over a weekend in 1939. They host the King and Queen of England (King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) on their mission to forge an alliance with the US against Nazi Germany in WWII. The King’s potential to stutter erodes his self assurance but his very confident Queen guides him through the diplomacy. Meanwhile Roosevelt appears to relish the time away from the White House and continue his philandering with gusto. A complete change of persona for Bill Murray from his usual comedy roles but he carries off this role of FDR brilliantly.

proGramme

The Great Gatsby (M) Aust/USA. Romantic Comedy/Drama.Especially for Valentines Weeekend. Screens: Fri 14th, Sat 15th and Sun 16th February.Director: Baz Luhrman. Stars: Leonardo Di Caprio, Corey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton. New York after WWI during 1922 sees an era of loosening morals, sizzling jazz, crazy bootleggers and rising share prices. Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) and her philandering husband Tom (Edgerton) move in adjacent to the mansion owned by the mysterious party throwing millionaire Jay Gatsby (Di Caprio) and they along with others are drawn into the lavish hectic world of the neighbor. Daisy, a partner in an unhappy marriage, soon finds herself strongly attracted to Gatsby and his lavish world and ways. Light hearted entertainment at its best.

Now You See Me (M) France/USA Action/Drama.Screens: Fri 21st,Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd February. Director: Louis Leterrier. Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eiesenberg, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Melanie Laurent & Isla Fisher. An elite FBI squad is pursuing a team of the world’s greatest illusionists (The Four Horseman) who, during their performances, pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders then funneling the millions of stolen profits into the bank accounts of their audience members. The FBI are determined to stop the group before they execute an even more daring heist they had heard the group was planning. But it seems that there must be a leak somewhere as the group decide otherwise. A brilliant “cat and mouse” story.

Turbo (G) USA. Animated Comedy. Screens: Fri 28th February, Sat 1st and Sun 2nd March.Director: David Soren. Utilising the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Maya Randolph and Samuel L Jackson. A lowly garden snail dreams of winning the Indy 500 car race… and then a freak accident sees the snail turbo charged with an amazing turn of speed. His dreams are to come true so it appears. The ideal family film for a long weekend with comedy on two levels to satisfy the young and the not so young.

The Twilight Concerts have become a regular hit at Upper Reach each year with concert goers

eager to either enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of their own picnic on the lawn or the stylish elegant dining at Broad's Restaurant @ Upper Reach enjoying the concerts from above. This is the eleventh year of these intimate concerts and this year Upper Reach Winery, chosen by Gourmet Traveller as the ‘Star Swan Valley cellar door’, is holding an expanded series of four intimate Twilight Concert performances on its beautiful grounds overlooking the vines. The Oz Big Band opened the season in style on Saturday February 1. The Oz Big Band is an amazing twenty piece band with a blend of jazz and swing that shows why you can't beat the sound of a really big band. Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys are now in demand internationally, but they started playing at Upper Reach several years ago. They make a welcome return to serenade concert goers with the music of Duke Ellington, Sinatra and swing. It will be a feast for eyes and ears on Saturday February 15, a perfect funky valentine celebration, especially with a set menu from Anthony Broad in Broad's Restaurant. The third concert is on Saturday 1st March with Stratosfunk, a high-energy soul band performing hits from the Motown era. It's all about the soul and rhythm and blues greats! Stratosfunk's dynamic, toe-tappin' rhythm section combined with blistering horns meet with powerhouse vocalists. With retro dance moves and style to match, their soulful sounds will have you up dancing from the first song. The final concert in the Twilight Season is Perth's best Jazz Divas on Saturday March 15, Sue Black, Marsena Miller and Denise Dale will play the great standards from Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone to Carol King – these three divas will rock your soul. Or indulge in life's simple pleasures, bring a picnic and sit back on the lawn while these Perth bands and Upper Reach serenade all of your senses. Tickets for the Twilight Concert Series at Upper Reach are $34 and are available at their website and on 9296 0078.

JuSt a SonG at tWiliGht

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DaRLingTOn THeaTRe PLaYeRS

inC. annUaL geneRaL

MeeTingSPeCiaL nOTiCe

DARLINGTON THEATRE PLAYERSThe Annual General meeting of

members is to be held on wednesday 26th February 2014

Doors open 7.00pm for 7:30pm meeting - Please be prompt

ALL ACTIVE FINANCIAL MEMBERS

are asked to attend:Agenda includes:

Reports of officers Election of Executive Committee

General Business

Membership renewals are due at this time so please

remember to bring your cheque

books!

entertainmentJoe’S a tyrantJAMeS SutherLAnd-BruCe









AMidsummer

Night’sDream











AMidsummer

Night’sDream



Joe Isaia has had an involvement in theatre for over twenty years,

initially as an actor and then as a director. He appears in the Marloo Theatre-hosted Shakespeare Anniversary Festival as the name role in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Joe, who has acted with director, Douglas Sutherland-Bruce at the Regal in The King and I, was originally drawn to the part by the multi-layered aspects of the part. “He’s not just one thing, Macbeth. He’s a husband, a general, a brave and loyal soldier as well as being a murderer, a traitor and a tyrant. Portraying that kind of complexity while at the same time making sense out of the Elizabeathean English presents a challenge.” Joe made his acting debut for Wanneroo Rep in an original musical House of Cards and went on to play roles in various plays and musicals including Death of a Salesman, Taming of the Shrew, Same Time Next Year, All My Sons, Breaker Morant, The Unexpected Guest, The King & I, Carousel, She Stoops to Conquer, Dad’s Army, The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband, Deathtrap, Key For Two and most recently, the title role in the critically acclaimed Blackadder Goes Forth. Joe has won an ITA Finley Award for Best Director for Nuts, Best Actor Awards at both

Joe Isaia as himself, Capt. Edmund Blackadder and the Ugly Sister, Grizzy.

Kylie Isaia, Joes wife, plays his stage wife, Lady Macbeth.

Garrick and Marloo Theatres and the Shining Star Award at KADS. Joe plays Macbeth against Kylie Isaia as Lady Macbeth.. As well as being an accomplished actor in her own right, Kylie is Joe’s wife. Director, Douglas Sutherland-Bruce says: “I was very lucky that they both auditioned, as I had at the back of my mind to cast a couple as it gives an extra layer of interest and, of course, they can rehearse their lines when at home.” “We have set the play in the fictional Game of Thrones world, which gives our costumier, Marjorie de Caux, the maximum scope but makes sourcing the swords and daggers a bit interesting and has led to quite a lot of time on eBay.” The set was designed and is being built by Richard Coleman and a group of willing helpers as an Elizabeathean stage such as Shakespeare himself might have known. Macbeth opens at Marloo on the 1st April, 2014 and runs, alternating with Othello (directed by Lucy Eyre for Kads Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (directed by Peter Clark on behalf of Garrick Theatre). Tickets may be booked on the website Trybooking. All queries may be resolved by ringing Booking Officer Gwyne on 9255 1783.’

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AMidsummer

Night’sDream



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AMidsummer

Night’sDream



16

dining out

prinCi’S

The Thoughts

of an Ageing,Balding

Foodie

In most cities of Europe, dining or taking coffee at a table on the sidewalk is one of the

attractions. Even in Fremantle and Northbridge, this harmless pleasure is available. And now in Ellenbrook we can sit in the cool of the evening, take an excellent cup of coffee or even a meal. The restaurant responsible for this charming innovation is the Italian delicatessen, take away and café Princi’s on the Main Street of Ellenbrook. We dropped by on a sudden whim last week and were greeted so pleasantly and welcoming that we immediately felt at home. We chose to sit outside on the pavement and watched as all sorts and conditions of people walked by to any of the five or six restaurants in the immediate area. Princi’s is the only Italian eatery and has a short but comprehensive menu covering the main areas of Italian cuisine. After some discussion we settled on a pizza to share as a starter, followed by a selection to taste of gnocci, cannelloni, lasagne and spaghetti Carbonara. The pizza was $14.95 for a ‘Supreme’ of leg ham, Spanish chorizo, m o z z a r e l l a c h e e s e ,

mushrooms, Kalamata olives, pineapple and capsicum. The crust was thin, crisp and delicious, the ingredients fresh and the whole had obviously been baked while we waited. Wonderful, and wonderful value for money, too. The pastas were all similarly low-priced. A serve of cannelloni costs $7.50 and comes as a large plateful complete with delicious crispy fries. The gnocci, lasagne and spaghetti (all $7.50 each) were just as generous portions and the garlic bread (a whole loafette with your actual crushed garlic) was only $3.50. The food was e x c e l l e n t , t h e

v a l u e outstanding and the

whole experience delightful. We didn’t try the calzone (a stuffed pizza dough pocket - a bread pie, if you will) or the parmigiana, but we will next time. Coffee was excellent, a large bowl full, rich and strong. As well as a take-away for wonderfully fresh food, luncheon rolls and paninis, as well as dine

in service Princi’s is an excellent deli, with a good, solid range of sausages, salamis, prosciutto, panchetta and other smoked meats as well as olive oils, teas, coffee, herbs, spices, pickles and preserves.

For the dedicated f o o d i e , Princi’s is what you imagine heaven to smell like, aromatic and redolent of good foodstuffs. In addition they sell a range of Ben and Jerry’s fantastic ice creams. (Chunky Monkey for example). Very highly recommended indeed.

17

tWo verSuS Four geoFF FrAnCiS

In last month’s article I mentioned leaf blowers that come in either two stroke or four stroke

engines. Often we receive the question.. “Why are most small engined machines two stroke?” The answer is simply that for many years two stroke technology produced far lighter engines that could be used in any position while four strokes were more cumbersome, heavier and unable to be used in any position other than vertical. The negative of a two stroke is that by their very nature they are a high polluter. i.e. the exhaust is actually forced out by the incoming fuel air mixture. Now even though modern improvements have reduced this problem, four stroke engines are far cleaner burning and give far less emissions. On the positive side, a two stroke is quicker

to respond to the throttle and generally gives quicker top end power. In recent years, the development of very light mini four stroke engines with the ability to be used at any angle has seen them appear on blowers,

hedgecutters, brushcutters pole saws and some other machines, but not yet chainsaws. Apart from less pollution, a four stroke is usually easier starting and of course doesn’t need the fuel and oil to be pre-mixed. The lubrication is done by a reservoir of oil pumped or sprayed into the motor. Stihl have used their two stroke lubrication technology in a few small four stroke engines which they call “Four Mix”. These engines are in fact four strokes that run on TWO Stroke mix. They exhibit the characteristics of a four stroke, but don’t need separate oil. They have lower emissions and can be used in any position. The leading manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to reduce weight, increase power and reduce emissions to meet European and U.S. standards.Courtesy of eastern Hills saWs and MoWers

gardening

~ Sales

~ Spares

~ Repairs

cnr Grt Est Hwy & cHippEr st, MundarinG

9295 2466SawS and MowerS

ChlorinegeoFF FrAnCiS

With summer in full swing, pool owners are regularly monitoring their pool water to

keep it healthy. It is then timely to remind us all of the dangers of incorrect mixing methods. Pools often need Acid added and Chlorine added. Both these can be very dangerous, even explosive if handled incorrectly. It is important that Chlorine be added to water, not the other way round. ie. never add water to a bucket of Chlorine, whether stabilized Chlorine or not! Read the instructions on your chlorine container. They clearly tell you the dangers of incorrect use and the risks involved in its use. Chlorine is a marvelous product to control algae and bacteria when used in the correct measurements. However it can be very explosive in the wrong circumstances. Chlorine must be stored well separated from pool acid in a cool well ventilated place. When adding a prescribed amount to your pool, make sure you add the Chlorine to water and not water to a container of Chlorine. (explosions may result) Chlorine, or correctly termed Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate is a strong oxidising agent and can be very reactive if not handled with care. To put things in perspective, the most common rapid oxidising reaction we see in our daily lives is FIRE. As we know Fire is a great servant but a terrible Master. So treat your pool chemicals with care. Courtesy of eastern Hills pool supplies

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art and artists2014 at maC

CLAre Stroud

2014 sees the Mundaring Arts Centre in its 35th year of

operation – quite a feat in this day and age! To celebrate we are refurbishing the shop – floor boards and a lick of paint for now, more to come later in the year. Our website is currently being upgraded for a new look to match the shop and we also have an amazing program of exhibitions and events lined up! To start with, the Shire of Mundaring annual art acquisition exhibition features six female artists instrumental in the development of the Mundaring Arts Centre, the Shires Art Collection, and the greater WA arts scene from the 1930s onwards. For Women of the Hills: influential artists from the 1930s to 1980s, curator Emma Mahanay Bitmead has selected works by hills artists Betsey (Currie) Linton (1905-2004), Elizabeth Blair Barber (1909-2001), Helen Grey-Smith (1916-2009), Madeleine Clear, Philippa O'Brien and Margaret Woodward. Works from prominent public collections as well as personal ephemera from the artists families and private collectors will form this survey of important works. The early 20th century saw burgeoning development in the WA art scene and the development of the Perth Hills’ popularity as a retreat for artists. The represented artists’ geographical connection during this time period forms the basis of this survey, which includes works on loan from the Cruthers and Holmes à Court Collections, known for their focus on WA women artists. These are balanced with rarely seen works and personal ephemera from the artists’ family and friends’ collections. To support this exhibition, silversmith

Bethamy Linton will set up a working exhibition of pieces synonymous with the Linton family name. As a fourth generation silversmith, Bethamy’s interest in jewellery and metal object design began as a child in the Linton family workshops. Based in the Swan Valley, Bethamy has exhibited nationally and is represented in numerous collections. There is also an extensive public program to entice people into the hills, into the exhibition and into the Shire’s art collection. Artist talks; jewellery and painting workshops; open studio’s; exhibition and collection tours for schools and the public; and a Forum with guest speakers Professor Ted Snell; Sue Starcken; and Philippa O’Brien joining curator Emma Mahanay Bitmead are just some of the events being organised. Both exhibitions are presented by Mundaring Arts Centre and are open from Saturday 8 February until 16 March at 7190 Great Eastern Hwy in the heart of Mundaring. Entry is free and the Arts Centre is open Tues-Fri 10am – 5pm; Sat/Sun 11am – 3pm (closed Mondays and P/Holidays). For further information, please contact 9295 3991 or visit www.mundaringartscentre.com.au or, find us on Facebook!

Helen Grey-Smith in action in her studio during the 1960s (husband Guy on the right hand side)

art in the valley

Art in the Valley, once again, will bring fabulous art, artists and exhibitions into the Valley for

the weekend. Select venues will be filled with works of art from many talented WA artists. Open daily from 10am – 4pm. Free entry. Wind your way around the valley, enjoy an explosion of colour and creativity as you experiencing all the valley has to offer. Chat to the artists, indulge in delicious food and wine, music events, outdoor entertainment and family fun. The Shed venue will showcase a variety of local wines and wine-tastings to celebrate 180 years of winemaking in the Swan Valley as part of the Vintage Weekend festivities. Collect your flyer and ART MAP at The Shed exhibition venue, Taylors Art and Coffee house. All Art exhibitions will be open from 10pm – 4pm each day, Friday to Sunday. Free entry. Art in the Valley is part of A Vintage Weekend in the Swan Valley event and the Autumn Festival which is supported by City of Swan and Perth Tourism.

Art exhiBition And BuShFire APPeAL Art AuCtion

In response to the recent bushfires the organisers have incorporated an Art Auction on the opening night to raise funds for the Bushfire Appeal in support of those affected by the fires. There have been generous donations of art rolling in from as far afield as Melbourne. Neridah from Bendigo Bank Mundaring will be managing the appeal funds on the night and Dr Douglas Sutherland-Bruce from the Swan Magazine and Weekend Notes will be our Auctioneer for the evening. More information online at: www.facebook.com/ArtintheValleyPerth www.swanvalleywinemakers.com.au and www.swanvalley.com.au and www.perthtourism.com.au

19

the idler

The IdleThoughts

of an Idle Mind

FeedinGthe yabbieS

Standing by the top dam at Chateau de Liswar, after the tragic fires of last month, I had a

strong sense of déjà vu. It was early Monday evening, close to the road and the driveway gate and there were no signs of the tragic Parkerville or Stoneville bushfires of the previous day. Not even the smell of smoke, as a strong sea breeze blew up from the coast to keep the temperature down. Lloyd, the Persian cat, had done a bunk - he had skipped out the back door after I put him inside, but I knew he would be back for dinner. Rather than trying to catch him, I decided to let his curiosity do it instead. He followed me to the dam the first time I went down the bank, staying cautiously back behind the bushes, out of reach. I pretended to ignore him and went back into the house. I chopped two carrots up very finely, returned and spread them around the edge of the dam. I was hoping the yabbies (small freshwater crustaceans) would come up to feed, before it got too dark to see them. Some of the goldfish I rescued last year were swimming about, their black and gold scales showing clearly under the surface of the water. We had a terrible heat wave in January last year, (2013). Warren and Lisa were away and I was recovering from breast cancer surgery of the previous month, but hadn't started my chemotherapy at the time. The drought had slowly shrunk the bottom dam until it was little more than a puddle. The clay silt covering the bottom of the dam was about six inches deep, and it could suck your boots right off your feet. It was impossible for me to reach the water, even with my long handled "rescue" fishing net. It was actually a landing net, for trout or some such fish, with a very long, light aluminium handle. Time was of the essence, if I was to rescue the goldfish before they had all died, and before my chemo began.

I had the inspiration of laying a big piece of carpet over the mud, which allowed me to wade into the dam, almost walking on water. It was quite a trick to walk into the dam without disturbing the mud and having it flow back above the carpet. I was able to get close enough to scoop and scrape the fish out of the last remaining pool, and from the silt in which they were becoming trapped. I spent days sloshing about in the mud and muck, rescuing over 100 goldfish and two yabbies, by putting them into buckets and ferrying them to the top dam. I probably made twenty trips. Maybe a few more. I didn't count them but it took me days. I carried buckets of water by hand. I put square containers on a flat bed trolley and hauled them between dams. I drove my little car down the bush track and parked on the dam wall. Then I loaded the square containers I had dragged up from the dam into the back of the car, and drove a couple of hundred meters to the top dam. There, I decanted the fish and water into a bucket, and carried it from the dam crest down the steep wall to the water's edge and released them. There were quite a few pictures posted to Facebook, including my triumph of goldfish pouring from the bucket into the dam, like a living ribbon of gold. I also found a bobtail goanna almost completely immersed and stuck in the mud. I thought it was a piece of wood and grabbed it to pull it out of the way, while I was trying to get close to the water without getting caught myself. It was still alive, but very dazed because it was suffocating in the mud. I took its picture and put it into a bucket with just enough water to wash it clean. Within a minute or so, it was rinsed and ready to go. I lifted it out. After sitting still for about a minute, it very slowly walked away into the shelter of a small bush and some leaves. It was amazing! Its colours and mottled patterns let it blend in perfectly with the leaves and the red gravel of the Perth hills. It was virtually invisible. After three or four minutes, it started to walk away. I watched it go. I have very, very good hearing. The bobtail didn't so much as rustle one of those dry gum leaves. I have heard them scurry through the bush, making so much noise in the leaves and debris on

the ground they are like a mini bulldozer. Not this chap. He quietly and imperceptibly left the scene of his almost fatal experience. I was pleased to see him go. I lost only two fish, but my mobile phone came to grief when, on the very last trip, exhausted after a long day, I slipped and fell into the dam. Water and iPhones do not mix! While I was going through my chemotherapy, after the rescue was complete, Lloyd and I would often go to the dam with minced up carrot to feed the yabbies already living there. They would appear promptly once the carrot hit the water, because they got quite used to us coming to feed them. They became less shy, too, about coming right out of the water to get their food. Later, I did come to serious grief on the treacherous granite rocks, being unsteady during my chemo treatment and that brought my yabby feeding to an abrupt stop. The top dam was evaporating rapidly and it became far too dangerous to try to access the water's edge, because the walls fall away very sharply. As the twilight darkened, I kept watching the water's edge. Over there! Was that a little dark shape sneaking up on some carrot pieces? I didn't want to move, in case I disturbed it. The sea breeze had strengthened and it was getting quite chilly outside. I shivered - which was almost unbelievable after the heat of the previous two days. YAY! A yabby was backing down into the dam from the water's edge, its prize securely held in its nippers. Then I saw another! I was happy and it was time to climb the steep bank and go inside. I have fallen into that dam too many times, to want to do it again. The four hens had put themselves to bed and a quick check with the torch showed we had two speckled hens and two Isa browns. I locked their hen house, and the chook yard gate, to find Lloyd had come home for dinner. His curiosity about what I was doing in the chook yard had brought him undone. I picked him up and we all three, Lloyd, Amber and I, headed inside for the night - where I knew Lloyd would patrol all the doors and windows in the vain hope of resuming his outdoor ramble. He’s an inside cat after dark, and his constant mumbling as he wandered about the house only made me smile. Amber was purring, curled up beside me on the couch. Déjà vu? It was as if I had never left.

www.facebook.com/StoriesMyNanaTells

DiSCLaiMeRThe information in this publication is of a general nature. The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and or issues canvassed. Synhawk Publications Pty Ltd does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

20

a ChallenGe For 2014

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Care and feeding of your pC

Unless you were emulating Rip van Winkle at the time, you might recall that towards the

end of last year the FBI shut down the infamous Silk Road, online black market. The action also threw into public awareness the concept of Bitcoins, as they were one of the means of payment to Silk Road for illicit drugs. And the recent dramatic bubble in bitcoins’ value through the activities of speculators has also raised public awareness. So let’s take a look.

So WhAt Are BitCoinS? Bitcoins are a form of decentralized, digital-cryptocurrency. That’s because cryptography is used to create and transfer them, rather than relying on central authorities. I can see your eyes glazing already. Stay with me! At the risk of oversimplifying you might find the following synopsis helpful.• Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority managing transactions, issuing new money or tracking transactions. • Bitcoin client software, or simply Bitcoin clients, allow a user to send and receive bitcoin transactions.• Issuing money is carried out collectively by the specialized bitcoin network. Bitcoins can be obtained by bitcoin-mining or in exchange for products, services, or other currencies. As a form of payment for products and services Bitcoins has grown considerably in 2013.

Bitcoins are a powerful online currency which provides security and anonymity. Bitcoins are produced mathematically – from “mining”. Bitcoin mining involves computers running complex algorithms in order to discover bitcoins. It is possible to access ‘free’ bitcoins in this manner. Once bitcoins are found, they can be stored in a bitcoin wallet. With a bitcoin wallet, you send, receive, and store bitcoins. There are two kinds of bitcoin wallets:• Application based (e.g. Bitcoin QT, Multibit, etc)• Web-based (e.g. BlockChain, EasyWallet, etc)Beginners often start with web-based wallets. Once you have your Bitcoin wallet ready, you need to obtain bitcoins. There are many websites which give you free bitcoins via mining: Google for: free bitcoins You’ll get about 29 million hits! And good luck with that. It’s not easy. And the procedure is complicated Visit freedailybitcoins.com to learn more.

Some Pros Of Bitcoins… The supply of bitcoins is regulated by software and the agreement of users of the system. It can’t be manipulated by any government, bank, organization or individual.• Bitcoins are sent easily through the Internet, without needing to trust any third party. • Transactions are irreversible by design • Transactions are fast • Transaction fees are lower than those imposed by credit card processors so merchants have an incentive to accept the currency.• Funds received are available for spending within minutes. • No third-party seizure• No taxes• No tracking• No risk of charge-backs• Bitcoins cannot be stolen

…And Some Cons• VOLATILITY -- valuation can fluctuate quite widely• Bitcoins are not widely accepted

• Wallets can be lost (PC crash and so on)• No buyer protection• Risk of unknown technical flaws• Built in deflation• No physical form• No valuation guarantee• China has banned bitcoin transactions – others could follow Without a central authority governing Bitcoins, a minimum valuation can’t be guaranteed. Those with considerable wealth invested in Bitcoins (sheer madness!) will be at the mercy of a large group of merchants deciding to dump Bitcoins and leave the system. Valuation would immediately drop. Bitcoins is a minefield fraught with dangers. It’s an extremely high-risk investment vehicle ideal for those with more money than sense.

other uSeFuL BitCoin SiteS• BitcoinWiki: Hundreds of wiki articles on various Bitcoin subjects.• Bitcoin.org: Home of the original Bitcoin open-source project.• Bitcoin Charts: Real-time quotes from all major Bitcoin exchanges.• Blockchain.info: Data and statistics from the Bitcoin network. By now you’ll have realized that the decentralized nature of bitcoin is both a curse and blessing.

the reCent hiLLS Fire A sad note to end on… Our thoughts and hearts go out to all affected by the widespread devastation. We are all at risk, of course. In future fires if you have to evacuate, it’s probably a good idea to register at the appropriate centre soonest, even if you don’t intend to stay there. Why? Because later on, you might not be able to access any benefits if you’re not recorded ‘in the system’. Better safe than sorry.

little oneTARJA HETTONNEN

We wish you courage through sleepless nightsWe wish you strength in

the morning lightWe wish the three of you happiness and joyFor a beautiful new adventure for you to exploreRemember that man and woman Can only make a straight line but With your little one you will Make a circle of life.

poetry

21

Why Savvy inveStorS are optinG out oF mySuperSteve BLizArd

finanCe

Many default super fund members were surprised to find this month that yet another

super fund had been automatically established for them, without their express authority. Commencing 1 January 2014, employers are now required to pay all Super Guarantee Contributions to a MySuper compliant fund, but only where employees have not nominated their own fund, or for members of a default fund who have not made an investment choice. The new MySuper changes are an outflow of the former Rudd-Gillard government's little-known “Stronger Super” legislation. In October 2012, Coalition members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services warned of some serious issues within Labor's MySuper Bills. They found MySuper’s mandated automatic funds transfer process could result in a member who had chosen a fund being placed into a lower returning, higher fee paying or higher risk investment option. MySuper also has worrying implications for insurance cover that people have organised within their chosen superannuation fund. If automatically transferred, the amount of death and TPD insurance cover under MySuper could be far less than that currently protecting the fund member. Worse still, some people who accidentally lose their cover may not be able to qualify for replacement cover or may be forced to accept it on inferior terms should their personal circumstances have changed since their original cover was taken out. Fortunately for default fund members, the Coalition was able to secure an amendment to the Stronger Super legislation, permitting employees to opt out of MySuper. Many pro-active fund members have already investigated the alternatives available, electing other superannuation investment options that better suit their individual requirements.

AdMiniStrAtion FeeS riSe Despite the stated aim of Stronger Super in 2010 to lower default member fees by forty per cent, new data suggests not-for-profit MySuper fund fees have since increased.

In contrast many “new breed” retail super products are now ten per cent cheaper than industry funds. There was only one not-for-profit super fund that had managed to reduce its member fees over the last year.

LoSt SuPer There are additional risks for members failing to opt out of MySuper. Since May 2013, over $700 million in “lost” superannuation accounts have been transferred to Federal Government coffers. MySuper will not solve the fear of your retirement account mysteriously disappearing off to the Australian Taxation Office in the future. By opting for an active choice super fund, you are more likely to remain engaged with your retirement savings, minimising the prospect of your funds vanishing unawares. However the only sure-fire way to prevent your retirement savings being appropriated by the ATO is to establish your own family super fund, where you remain the controlling trustee.

LoWer retireMent PAyoutS MySuper could also result in Australian workers receiving lower retirement payouts, according to Chant West, a Sydney-based research house. Chant West principal, Warren Chant, said that while the MySuper concept had a certain superficial appeal, it failed to recognise that there was a difference between price and value. “In super, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for,” he said. “The better quality funds, in terms of investment performance, tend to have higher investment fees because of how they invest and what they invest in’ “But there is strong evidence that those higher investment fees pay off because they produce better returns. “In other words, the additional return is greater than the additional fee incurred to achieve it.” He said that the government’s forecast cost savings from MySuper were hugely optimistic, and likely to be eclipsed by the reduction in benefits resulting from reduced returns.

Aged BASed Fund reBALAnCing Many retail and industry MySuper funds have embraced the philosophy of the life cycle; the idea that members at different stages of their lives should also have different investment allocations. Although this argument is intellectually appealing, there is scant evidence the strategy actually works. MySuper funds using Life cycle aged-based “glide paths” can still expose investors to “sequencing” risk. This means that a person can risk experiencing the worst returns at the moment the invested balance is the largest, often when a super fund member is transitioning into retirement. In the United States, this rigid automation of rebalancing assets has led a number of pension funds that adopted these strategies to produce rather disastrous results for their members. In other words, lifecycle funds failed to protect investors from the market volatility they purport to mitigate. MySuper should therefore be regarded for what it is – a lowest common denominator – and the financial services industry should instead get back to offering investors a better range of options.Courtesy of roxburgH seCurities

looKinG baCKgeoFF FrAnCiS

mCC

The terrible fire in Parkerville/Stoneville has unfortunately caused the postponement of

the first couple of functions that the Chamber had planned for 2014. In particular, the business breakfast at which Theo the famous Pizza maker was to speak has been put off to a date yet to be decided. Various members of the chamber have provided services to those affected by the fire at heavily discounted prices, or in some cases no charge. The Chamber has worked with the Shire of Mundaring in their efforts to assist people and clean ups. In terms of coming functions, the next social event for the Mundaring Chamber of commerce is Sat 15th March .... Super Golf in the Swan Valley. This should be a fun day for socialising and getting to know your fellow business operators in the hills. For details contact Ruth Hampton (Chairperson) Mob: 0408 947 640.

22

Community

The City of Swan Council have voted to introduce a new standard for houses built in

a bushfire prone area. The amendment to the Local Planning Scheme No 17 is aimed at making homes better able to withstand a bushfire. City Mayor, Charlie Zannino, said the safety of residents was paramount and the new standard would improve the protection of lives and property. “The City reviewed its Local Planning Scheme No 17 following devastating fires in the Perth Hills in February 2011,” he said. "We have considered the recommendations in the Keelty Report into the Perth Hills fires and made changes to try to protect the lives and properties of our residents. "The amendment will require new homes in bushfire prone areas to be built to Australian Standard AS3959, which improves the ability of

buildings in designated bushfire prone areas to better withstand attack from fires. "The City of Swan has used the State Government's methodology to map all land within its jurisdiction to rate bushfire hazard on vegetation type and slope of land into categories of extreme, moderate or low. "All land that is rated extreme or moderate, or is within 100 metres of extreme or moderate rated land, will be designated bushfire prone under the City's Local Planning Scheme No 17. “We recognise this is broadscale mapping, which is the most practical over a large area, and individual properties will need to be considered on their merits. “To accommodate this, property owners planning to build on land that is designated bushfire prone will need to undertake a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment. “The BAL assessment will determine if the proposed development will need to be constructed in accordance with the new standard or not. “It is also worth noting that there will not be

a requirement to construct to the new standard if applicants can demonstrate, through the BAL assessment, the fire risk does not justify it.”

City oF SWan aCtS on buShFire zoneS SaFetyMegAn doLLing

Mayor Zannino assured residents the new requirements would not be retrospective. "People who now fall into one of these categories are able to continue living in the house they have already built without any changes," he said. "The amendment only affects the construction of new homes or additions to an existing house on land that is classified as being in a bushfire prone area. "Residents can find out if the amendment will affect their property by using the Intramaps program on the City's website, www.swan.wa.gov.au "Simply click on the Zoning Maps tab, type in your address and select Bushfire Prone from the menu on the left to see if your property has been deemed a bushfire prone area." Amendment documentation will now be forwarded to the Western Australian Planning Commission with a request that the Hon. Minster for Planning grant his final approval.pHotograpHs Courtesy of departMent of fire and eMergenCy serviCes

23

guildford grammar sChool news

Guildford GraMMar School Tour

you are invited to attend a tour of Guildford Grammar school and discover the opportunities for boys and girls at the school.Our tour covers both the senior school and the Preparatory school, covering all years from K-12.

Thursday 27 February 2014, 10.00am-1.00pm. Foundation Pavilion For further information or to book a spot on the tour, please contact the Registrar on 9377 9247 or [email protected]. Information is also available from the school’s website at: www.ggs.wa.edu.au.

follow uS on TwiTTer

and facebook Guildford Grammar school is now on Twitter and Facebook! you can follow us at https://twitter.com/GuildfordGramm for up to the minute news and information and like us on Facebook:h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m /GuildfordGrammarschool.

ScholarShipS cloSinG Soon

do you know a young man entering year 7 next year who might benefit from a Guildford Grammar school scholarship? We are now accepting applications for scholarships for year 7, 2015. Full details of the scholarships available and the application process are available from our website at www.ggs.wa.edu.au. applications close at 2.00pm on 19 February.

24

thinKinG oF GettinG a Cat?

safe

Not sure about taking that next step? SAFE has an extensive range of kittens and cats to

choose from! Thousands of cats and kittens are euthanased due to an extreme cat overpopulation. Many have been abandoned and some have been subjected to neglect or maltreatment. Many have come to SAFE as the life situation of the owners has changed so they are unable to keep their pet. SAFE is committed to rescue these cats and works tirelessly to find them permanent new homes as well as temporary homes with foster carers until a permanent home is found. These foster carers play a critical role in training, caring, loving and rehabilitating these pets to have them ready for new lives with loving new owners. There are so many cats being bred, but by selecting a SAFE cat you will have the knowledge and satisfaction of knowing that you played an important humanitarian role in giving a cat a second chance at life. Knowing too that SAFE is working diligently to end the overpopulation by

desexing all cats as soon as they are of age. SAFE has a vast range of cats and kittens of every age, breed and colour! There are all types of personalities and the SAFE volunteers work to ensure your selection is the right match for you. SAFE will always take their cats or kittens back into care if it hasn’t been a successful match. SAFE regularly flys cats and kittens to new homes in Perth and also across the state. They even fly SAFE pets across the country. At SAFE you will be given an option to undertake a ‘trial adoption’ with any pets to ensure the match is right. Cats make wonderful companions and most kittens instinctively use the litter tray. The right cat will provide you and your family with hours of entertainment and companionship and these cats know and

appreciate when they have found the right owner and home, usually make the most loyal of companions as they have an awareness of how better their situation has become (regular food is usually improvement number one!). We believe more people are discovering the joy of having a cat own them and how low maintenance they are when their human has a very busy lifestyle. Many “Dog” people are being converted to being being “Cat” people once they realize the species aren’t that different (just a lot less work!) SAFE is a not for profit organisation and part of the adoption includes a nominal fee to help SAFE continue its life saving work. Besides providing a good home the adopter must have the pet desexed if it was too young to have this done prior to adoption. SAFE has supportive vets in Perth who will keep the costs manageable. If you are considering a cat in your home, please consider a SAFE cat. To view the current felines seeking homes, please visit www.safe.asn.au or call on 9185 4634 for details. If you would like to join the SAFE team either as a foster carer or fundraiser or in any other capacity please do not hesitate to look at the website for your closest SAFE team. Look at our website www.safe.asn.au.All photographs are by Emilie Cowell, a supporter of SAFE.

25

SAFeSaving Animals From euthanasia (SAFE) was founded by Sue Hedley in 2003. Since then SAFE has developed branches and networks across the state. SAFE’s dedicated work has had a positive impact on people, pets and wildlife. SAFE’s innovative foster care program provides temporary care for animals until a permanent home is found. This means there are no cages or time lines on an animal’s life. Your donation or bequest can ensure SAFE can continue its life saving work. Have a look at our website: www.safe.asn.au

petspetS and the hillS Fire

John BoWSkiLL

On Sunday as the column of smoke began to loom large from the west of Mt Helena we

received an evacuation order. Natalie and I took two car loads of pets (three dogs, two cats, two rabbits, one chook and five other birds) down to Midland where we were kindly accommodated by Petvet. Late Sunday night, we were able to return to the hospital and Monday morning it was business as usual. During Monday we were inundated with offers of assistance from kind veterinarians, vet nurses and wildlife carers. People really felt for the plight of animals that may have been injured escaping the fire. Thank you to all of you who made these offers. Some people have just rocked up with loads of pet food for us to distribute to fire affected families with pets. Domestic pets are very important to people in the hills. For most people evacuating, the essential priorities loading the car are people, pets and maybe wedding albums.

Most pets were safely evacuated. Dogs were easier to locate and get into cars than cats though. There have been several reports of cats that panicked and were not able to be found or placed into a vehicle. On Monday and Tuesday most of the concern and the real need was with lost and found pets rather than injured pets. Some dogs became lost after evacuation once relocated to unfamiliar ground. But it seems that they have been quickly reunited with their owners. However, lost cats have been more difficult. If you see any cats on the loose near the fire zone please attempt to capture them if you can safely do so. If not, record the location and description and pass the information on to us. We have heard reports of many wild animals that were fatally injured. However there are few reports of injured wildlife that have been able to be captured for treatment. I have read that the RSPCA stand ready to enter the fire zone to provide assistance. In

the meantime residents with the means are distributing hay for some livestock that are wandering through the area.

roSie’S SurvivAL A family from one of the worst affected areas in Mt Helena lost both their beloved cats during the evacuation. Having evacuated, they were not permitted to return to the fire zone to look for the them. Incredibly, one of the cats, Rosie, was rescued from a tree near the remains of the family home, now completely destroyed. The rescuer had stayed within the zone to defend her own home. Rosie is a beautiful and brave cat. She has severe burns to her feet and belly and has dramatically singed whiskers and a scorched coat. We are quite amazed that she shows no sign of smoke inhalation or any lung damage. Obviously she has shown remarkable survival instincts and must have found a hidey hole to lay low in during the passing of the fire front. Once the ground became too hot, she found a

tree to escape the smouldering ashes. We are providing all the care we can for Rosie at no cost to the family. They have lost everything else. We can see how much she means to the parents and kids. But she has a long road ahead and burns victims are at risk of complications for a long time after the occurrence of the injury. She is being treated with IV fluids, bandages, antibiotics, pain relief and a lot of TLC. We would like to thank:Petvet Midland for taking our menagerie in on Sunday after the evacuation.Dr Penny Seet from Perth Veterinary Emergency for her voluntary technical assistance with Rosie.The Ruby Benjamin Foundation for offering assistance to Rosie and her family.Tania Lucas for her very generous donation for affected pets.Our supplier, Provet, for donations of pet food.All firefighters Courtesy of Mt Helena veterinary CliniC

Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them

in a parked car—even for “just a minute”—while they run an errand. Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 25oC day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 38oC and 48oC degrees in just minutes, and on a 32oC day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 70oC in less than ten minutes. Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just fifteen minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paw pads. If you see a dog left alone in a hot car, take down the car’s colour, model, make, and license plate number. Have the owner paged in the nearest buildings, or call the RSPCA or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog. Don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved. If the authorities are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back up your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal from the car, and then wait for authorities to arrive. Watch for heatstroke symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, thick saliva, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and lack of coordination. If a dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her out of the heat, preferably into an air-conditioned vehicle, and then to a veterinarian immediately. If you are unable to transport the dog yourself, take him or her into an air-conditioned building if possible and call the RSPCA: Tell them it is an emergency. Provide water to drink, and if possible spray the dog with a garden hose or immerse him or her in a tub of cool (but not iced) water for up to two minutes in order to lower the body temperature gradually. You can also place the dog in front of an electric fan. Applying cool, wet towels to the groin area, stomach, chest, and paws can also help. Be careful not to use ice or cold water, and don’t over-cool the animal.

doGS die in hot CarS

26

iF you WouLd Like An event LiSted in thiS CoLuMn ring JAn on 9298 8495

what’s on

ALCohoLiCS AnonyMouSglen Forrest groupEvery Monday evening We meet at 7.00pm at the Glen Forrest Uniting Church, Mc Glew Rd, Glen Forrest. Call Dermot 0488 905 211 or John 0448 074 536 or the Perth Office (all hours) 9325 3566.

AuStrALiAn BreAStFeeding ASSoC.Discussion groups, guest speakers, morning tea. Free breastfeeding counselling. Expectant mothers, mothers, babies and children welcome. National Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 2686 is a 24 hour 7 days a week service.

Swan/Mundaring group meets every Monday, 9:30-11:30am at the Gumnuts Family Centre, 8 Mudalla Way, Koongamia. A qualified ABA counsellor is present at each meeting to give confidential information and support on breastfeeding issues. Contact Natalie 9572 4971.

kalamunda group meets fortnighly on a Thursday, 9:30-11:30am at the Maida Vale Baptist Church, Edney Road, High Wycombe. Contact Jenny 9252 1996.

northam group meets each second Tuesday of the month at the Bridgeley Community Centre, Wellington Street, Northam 10am to Noon.Fourth Tuesday each month at Toodyay Playgroup, Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. Noon to 2pm. Please phone Louisa 9574 0229.

the hiLLS ChoirMonday EveningsDo you enjoy singing and joining with others to make beautiful music? Come and join the Hills Choir. We meet from 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Uniting Church on Stoneville Road, Mundaring. Our 2014

season commences on Monday 3 February. Contact Margie on 9295 6103 for further information.

SWAn vALLey SQuAreS – eLLenBrookEvery Friday NightModern Australian Square Dancing from 8.00 pm – 10.00 pm Woodlake Community Hall, 1 Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly, fun and low cost. No previous experience necessary. All Welcome. Contact Greg Fawell 0417 912 241 or www.swanvalleysquares.weebly.com

hiLLS ChroniC PAin SuPPort grouP1st Wednesday of each monthHilltop Grove Estate, 1645 Jacoby Street, Mahogany Creek. Morning tea provided, between 10.30 - 12.00 noon.Enquiries Terina 9572 1655.

Bingo At eLLenBrookEvery Tuesday evening Eyes down 7.00pm at Valley Bowls Club, Cnr Maffina Parade and Cashmore Ave, Ellenbrook. Lots of games and prizes. Lucky number draw. Continuous jackpot. Bars open. Tea and biscuits available. Enquiries Ray 6296 5580.

MuStArd Seed - diSCovering CoMPuterSTeaching computer skills to all ages and abilities. Monday afternoons - iPad and Android tablets and Mac computing.tuesday mornings and afternoons - Windows.Wednesday mornings - Club morning. We are fully equipped with computers, software, scanners, printers wi-fi broadband and projection equipment. Phone 9299 7236 for information. Enrol now and avoid our waiting list. $3 per session. www.glenforrestuniting.org/computers/

As part of the Australian Government’s presidency of the G20, an official Youth 20 (Y20) Summit will be hosted in Sydney in July 2014.

Applications are now open for youth across Australia to be one of five official Y20 delegates that will travel to Sydney to take part in the Summit from 12-15 July 2014. Ken Wyatt MP, Federal Member for Hasluck, said “I encourage all young people between eighteen and thirty to seriously consider applying for this most fantastic opportunity.” “The Y20 Summit is the main platform for young people to make their voices heard on pressing global economic challenges and involves policy discussions by youth from the G20 member states.” “This year, the overarching themes of the Y20 Summit are growth and jobs, and sustainable economic development. These are issues particularly important to youth within our local community,” said Ken Wyatt MP. Interested young people can find further information on the selection criteria and the Y20 Summit at www.y20australia.com or by calling the Y20 Information Line of 1300 857 536. Potential applicants can contact the Office of Ken Wyatt MP by ringing

the CALedoniAn SoCiety oF WA - Scottish Country dance Classes 1st, 2nd & 3rd Fridays of the month.Starting on 7th March at 7.30pm.Forrestfield Hall, cnr Hale & Anderson Roads.Beginners welcome. No partner required.Enquiries to Kathy 9295 0127 or 0418 988 455.

eLLenBrook CoMMunity Weight LoSS CLuBEvery Wednesday evening We meet from 6.45pm to 8.00pm at the Woodlake Community Hall, Meeting room 1. Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly support group and low cost. Male and females of all ages welcomeContact Shirley 9276 7938 [email protected].

guiLdFord MArketThird Sunday of every monthAt Guildford Town Hall, Corner of James and Meadow Streets. 9am - 3pm.Situated in the heart of Guildford, within five minutes walking distance from the Guildford Train Station, a visit to the Guildford Market is sure to please.With a diverse and unique array of locally handcrafted products and produce, there will be something of interest for all.From garden ornaments, homemade jams and relishes to handmade soy candles, cards, bags, cushions, children’s toys, bears, baby and children’s wear to individually designed and crafted glassware, jewellery and beautifully made wood products and so much more to tempt you.Sausage sizzle, live music all day.Make a day of it, stroll around the markets and then take the time to wander about the heritage listed town of Guildford. Enjoy a picturesque Heritage Walk Trail or pay a visit to the antique, art and craft shops along the cafe strip. Enquiries: Bromwyn, 6278 4252.

Community

9359 0322 for further details about the Australian Selection Requirements. Applications close on 21 February 2014 and should be sent to [email protected]

Federal MP, Ken Wyatt and local resident Kyra

apply For youth Summit in JulyJArrod LoMAS

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Documents

Swan magazine feb2014ec