community health dates to remember district ... - Platypus Country

November 2012
Next deadline: November 30th 2012
Phone: 02 64580295
E-mail: tubbutnh@bigpond.com
THE NEXT DEDDICK VALLEY ISOLATED COMMUNITY GROUP
MEETING WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 2013
See inside for news from Nov AGM
TUBBUT
NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE
is open
Monday 9.30 - 4.30
Thursday 9.30 - 4.30
Friday 9.30 - 4.30
Call in & use the computers
and have a cuppa and chat with
Deb or Bev
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
Community Health Nursing
Delegate MPS 02 6459 8000
Orbost 03 5154 6625
Social Worker
Brett Martin 03 5154 6717
Rural Outreach Counsellor
Di Robinson 0427318961
Doctor
Delegate 02 64951369
To see the Community Nurse
please phone Delegate MPS 64598000
The Government’s Health Direct line is available
any time
1800022222
DATES TO REMEMBER
Sun Nov 11th—Tubbut hall, school working bee
Wed Nov 14th—solar eclipse
Sat Nov 17th—Bombala Bike Show
Thurs Nov 22nd—Big Bonang Arvo
Thurs Nov 29th—Computers for Community
Sat Dec 1—Opening of Bundian Way Gallery
Thurs Dec 6th —Christmas card making
Thurs Dec 6—Community lunch
Thurs Dec 6—Carols by daylight
Friday Dec 7th—FEVAPitch singing workshop
DISTRICT NURSE
Tubbut: 13th November, 27th November
Bonang: 20th November, 4th December
Tubbut Neighbourhood House welcomes you to join our
events, regardless of where you live. The more the
merrier!
The Library Bus will next visit on 22nd November
& December 6th
Bendoc 9.15—10.00
Delegate River 10.30—11.00
Tubbut 1.00—2.00
Goongerah 3.15—4.00
ISSN 2200 - 5243

NOVEMBER
BIRTHDAYS
India
Deb
Will
Sarah
Katrina
Heather
Ian
David
Milking goats for sale with kids at
foot
$50 negotiable
Come and have a look by
arrangement
Contact Deb 64580399
THE
BOMBALA TIMES, SNOWY RIVER MAIL
& DELEGATE DOINGS
Tubbut Neighbourhood House purchases
these newspapers. Goongerah Grapevine is also
available
Call in and browse the current editions
Computers for Communities
Thursday November 29th
Tubbut Neighbourhood House
10.00am – 2.00pm
Sharon Buckman will be taking this workshop.
Come along with your questions/problems and
Sharon will get you sorted!
Personal tuition sessions available on request
Phone the Neighbourhood House for details.
Tea & coffee supplied.
Bring your lunch
School Cleaner Vacancy
Goongerah Campus
Approx 1 hour per night,
5 hours per week.
Closing date 30 November 2012
Inquiries to Andy Bennett
03 51540133 Fridays only
Applications in writing to the Principal
Goongerah Campus, Bonang Rd,
Goongerah 3888
Trailer for Hire
The Neighbourhood House has a trailer available for hire
$5.00 per day
For bookings phone
64580295
Email:
Melzer.mandy.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
The Tubbut Tattler is produced by the Coordinators of the Tubbut
Neighbourhood House which is funded by the Victorian Government.
Material herein is the responsibility of the authors and does not
represent the views of the DVICG or Tubbut Neighbourhood House
unless stated. We welcome material from, and of interest to, people in
the border areas of East Gippsland and NSW.

Remembering Harry Roberts
The residents on Harry's mail run -
Goongerah, Bonang, West Bonang,
Cabanandra, Tubbut, Dellicknora and Deddick
- express our sympathy to his family and
friends who are mourning his death of October
14th.
It was a rare day when Harry didn't bring his
van up the Bonang Road, no matter what the
weather was like.
Mick will continue to deliver the mail, assisted by
Andrea Jones, who has recently moved to Sardine
Creek with her family.
Farm Planning and Grazing
Management Workshop
9-3.30 Sat 24 November
Springvale
Please note the change from the previous notice
about this workshop. It is now a full day workshop
with Darren Doherty as one of the guest speakers
Guest Speakers
Darren Doherty, Regenerative Agriculture,
“Planning for productivity - How to develop
profitable, diverse, regenerative farming
enterprises”
Josh Dorrough, Plant Ecologist, “Managing native
pastures for livestock production and grassland
conservation”
Hayden Kingston, DPI agronomist, “Introduced
pastures their place in a productive enterprise”
When 9-3.30 Sat 24 November
Where: Buckajo Fire Shed, Buckajo Rd,
Springvale
Cost: Free and BBQ lunch provided
Contact: Rod Logan, Project Officer, Healthy
Soils Healthy Farms, 6491 8226 or
rodney.logan@cma.nsw.gov.au
Bookings are essential. RSVP 19/11/12. This
project is funded through the Australian
Government's Caring for our Country initiative
Community
Christmas
December 6th
Join us for a special day on Thursday
December 6th for an early celebration of
Christmas.
Make Christmas cards with Sue Collins from
10 am—all materials provided, cost $5
See our silk painting materials and other
Neighbourhood House equipment
Enjoy Christmas lunch prepared by Patrizia
at 12.45, cost $5
Visit the Library Bus and borrow a book or
DVD
Join the school children for Carols by
Daylight led by Rowena Harris at 2 pm

FOR SALE
FIRST CUT
LUCERNE
TO BE BALED IN
NOVEMBER
ANY INTEREST IN
SMALL SQUARES
OR ROUND.
PADDOCK
INSPECTION
INVITED
PHONE
02 64580253
or
02 64580296
FEVAPitch to return
Bonang Hall—Friday December 7th
While we are not yet sure when the School
Christmas Concert will be, we know it will be
good because FEVAPitch—Eva and Heather -
are returning to teach us the song they have
written for us.
Everyone is welcome—it doesn’t matter
whether you made it to the last singing
workshop.
6 pm start, bring some food to share. Cost $5
If you have some instruments, bring them too.
You never know, it might develop into a jam
afterwards.
MARINO JUNIOR MISTER SPRAY UNIT
3 POINT LINKAGE
60 LITRES
IN WORKING ORDER
IF INTERESTED
PLEASE CONTACT 64580253

Don’t forget the Big Bonang Arvo—this year
bigger than ever.
The Bundian Way
Gallery
Aboriginal and
Community Arts
Centre
Health Promotion
General
Practitioner
Dietitian
List of health services attending (as known 9th
November)
Carolyn Alkemade
Dr Elizabeth Christie
Thorsten Kasel
General
contact
General
consultations
Nutrition
Advice
exhibition of paintings
by
Cheryl Davison
Don Atkinson
Lee Cruse
Women’s Health
Nurse
Sam Osborn
Breast
checks and
pap smears
Family & Child
Health Nurses
Social worker/
counsellor
Katy Radic & Helen McCarthy
Mary McDonald
Brett Martin
Raquel Mueller
immunisatio
ns
Access to
services
Interactive
role
Diabetes educator
Katy Radic
Diabetes
education
Painting by Lee Cruse:
Detail from Whale Story My Pop Told Me
Home Based
Services
Coordinator
Dental nurse
Speech therapy
Leanne Scott
Meagan Dennis
Jessica McDade
Access to
services
Oral health
General
speech and
swallowing
information
At the gallery
Rural Transaction Centre, Delegate
From 1st December, 2012
66a Bombala Street, Delegate, 2633
(phone) 02 64588388
Physio
Ross Hart
Consults
Kilmany
Rural Outreach
Counselor
CFA
Delegate MPS
Dept of Human
Services
Renee Grant
Di Robinson
Rob Melville
Heather Scroope
Centrelink, Medicare, child support,
hearting testing
Little Green
Frog
Cheryl Davison

Tubbut Neighbourhood House
News
Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group has
a new committee
Some new faces have joined the DVICG
Committee which manages the Tubbut
Neighbourhood House.
Sue Collins (President)
Megron (Secretary)
Skye Auer (Treasurer)
Judy Edwards
Peter Adams
Ex-officio
Deb Foskey
Bev Tyler
We are looking forward to an exciting 12 months. We’d
love your ideas but, so far, we can confirm:
Completion of the McKillops Bridge book and
launch
Taste of Tubbut
McKillops Bridge calendar
Web site
Bus trips
Local history interviews
Necklace making
Meditation
Needlefelting
Cardmaking
Silkprinting
Quilting
Firewood deliveries (2 hopefully)
Working with government to improve services
Community lunches
Computer access and classes
Tubbut Tattler
Collaborating with Goongerah community,
Delegate RTC and Bendoc Resource Centre
Volunteering at Tubbut Neighbourhood
House
Just ring if you have time to spare on the days that we
are open. We can usually find something for you to do.
Get your Tattler early the paperless way
Many Tattler readers receive their copy before it goes
to press. That means that they can grab the bargains
before anyone else and what’s more, they get it in
colour! Let us know if you want to be added to the
Tattler email list.
Deb
McKillops Bridge Calendar
It is with relief that we have decided to postpone
production of the calendar until next year. Our
timelines got too short and let’s face it, most
people already have next year’s calendars and
have already purchased Christmas presents.
We have some great photographs lined up but
always happy to have more, especially unusual
and historic ones.
Launching the McKillops Bridge
Book
Helen Neven has put her hand up for the
committee to organise the launch of the
McKillops Bridge book. We will also be relying
on Patrizia’s expertise. Please contact the
Neighbourhood House or Helen direct if you
want to be involved. It is unlikely that things will
really start moving until after Christmas.
Deb
High quality photograph printing
The Neighbourhood House has purchased
glossy paper suitable for photographs. Print out
your favourite digital photographs for a small
cost.
Readers, do not take your thumbs and other
digits for granted. I had a small bicycle
accident and broke my right thumb in a
fairly convincing way. This led to me making
several trips to our regional hospital
(Canberra) and necessitated surgery, casts
and now a splint. All this has meant time
off and limited typing ability and thus your
November Tattler is late.
Bev is getting into the swing of things and
as time goes by we will be as regular as
clockwork (barring extreme weather events,
fires, illness, family crises, food poisoning
and accidents).
Deb

Out and about
Delegate's Woodwork Room
Behind the Delegate School of Arts there is a space
that could be called a men's shed except for the fact
that it is used by women too. The Woodwork Room
has been going for several years now and some
stunning pieces have emerged made from new and
recycled timber. On Sunday November 4th, Barry
Reed was recycling cedar into a cutlery drawer and
Alma Reed was making a bathroom cabinet. Instructor
Neil Currie was standing by to advise and assist.
Alma Reed puts her bathroom cabinet together
Creative juices flowed
On Sunday Nov 4th, the Delegate School of Arts
provided the setting for a unique literary event, as the
Borderliners writers' group was joined by a couple of
Canberrans for a writing workshop. Kathy Kituai, poet
and writing teacher, kept us busy all day, and she sure
got our imaginations working.
The Borderliners invited Kathy to Delegate to give us
some ideas for how we might proceed in our own
meetings. The answer was: write, read, reflect. That's
what we did. Most of the exercises had us responding to
stimulus words like "I remember', 'I don't remember'
and 'what if?'. We amazed ourselves with the results of
our writing efforts.
Not all of us are creative writers. Some have been
writing scientifically or academically and needed to free
up our creative juices. Others are writing local histories
and wanted to know how to create fictional stories out
of past events. We all came away feeling that we had
learned something about writing and ourselves as
writers.
Kathy enjoyed her visit to Delegate and the hospitality of
the Borderliners members, particularly Penny and John
Judge and Olga Benham who opened their homes to the
group and Canberra visitors. Thanks to them and to
Tubbut Neighbourhood House which supported the
workshop.
Borderliners is always open to new members who want
to explore and extend their writing abilities. For more
information, contact Tubbut Neighbourhood House on
64580295.
Kathy Kituai
While Kathy ‘s focus is on poetry she is an excellent
teacher of all things related to writing. We hope that we
will be able to invite her back next year.
Deb

This and that
L A M B G R O W S L E G O U T O F I T S H E A D
By Sophie McInnerney
Thursday, 18/10/2012
A South Australian farmer has made a bizarre
discovery amongst his flock of his sheep.
Neville McCallum, from Melrose in the Southern
Flinders Ranges, has bred a lamb with a fifth leg
coming out of its head.
He says the leg is fully developed with bone and
muscle and is by far the strangest thing he's ever
seen.
"Oh, when I first noticed it was when I started to
bring them down the road ready for tailing and a
lamb walked out the gate and I thought 'oh
what's that got tangled up around its neck?'," he
said.
"So I had a bit of a closer look and suddenly
realised it was another leg."
What is a grandparent?
Taken from papers written by a class of 8 year olds
Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no
little children of their own. They like other
peoples’.
Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie
your shoes.
They wear glasses and funny underwear.
They can take their teeth and gums out.
Grandparents don’t have to be smart.
They have to answer questions like “Why isn’t
God married?” and “How come dogs chase
cats?”
Everybody should try to have a grandmother,
especially if you don’t have television because
they are the only grownups who like to spend
time with us.
Its funny when they bend over; you hear gas
leaks, and they blame their dog.
My grandmother lives at the airport and when we
want her, we just go get her. Then when we’re
done having her visit, we take her back to the
airport.
Deb’s scone recipe
Recipes
3 cups self raising flour
1 teasp caster sugar
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup milk
Combine all ingredients.
Roll out and cut.
Bake 15-20 mins in oven 200 degrees.
Simple Goat Curry
Recipe taken from the Cook's Companion
published by the Sporting Shooters Association
Australia.
Serves: 2 to 3 people
I N G R E D I E N T S
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 chopped hot chilli - optional
1 onion - chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder - to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 stick cinnamon ir 1 teaspoon sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
750g goat pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon dessicated coconut - optional
M E T H O D
1. Heat the oil in a frypan or camp oven. Fry the
garlic, ginger, chilli and onion until golden brown.
2. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper, cinnamon/
sugar and lemon and fry gently until caramelised.
3. Add the meat; you can throw the bone in as
well. Stir well until the meat is thoroughly coated
and brown, boil off any excess liquid if you like it
that way.
4. Add the coconut milk, cover and simmer for 45
minutes or until the meat is tender. I try to give it
about 2 hours for 1.5kg of meat.
5. Stir in the dessicated coconut for the last 15
minutes to thicken the mix.
6. Serve the curry with boiled rice.

WWOOFing with Vera
Vera Di Campli has become a familiar face in our
district over the last few months. She came and
helped out at the Neighbourhood House one day
when the power was off so I took the opportunity to
find out more about her.
Vera: I visited the Auers’ first, as well as several times in
between staying at other places, and was treated more as
a member of the family than as a WWOOFer. Staying at
Skye and John’s was a good way to settle into the area
and ease myself into WWOOFing. From there I went to Jill
Redwood’s in Goongerah, then to Josh Willoughby &
Jeannie Holker’s in Goongerah, and from there to the
Nevens’ in Tubbut, followed by some time with the
Sykes’s at Karoonda Park in Gelantipy, and finally at Deb
Foskey’s place in Cabanandra for a few days, before
heading back to Melbourne.
I’ve done different things at each place I’ve visited, and
some things I’d never imagined doing, such as cultivating
land with heavy horses; being a rouseabout; hitching up
girls and boys for rides on a long, high flying fox; camping
and rafting on the Snowy River; collecting honeycomb
from beehives in the bush; horse riding (including some
bareback) in the most spectacular country; leading
Hereford bulls around a yard… I’ve done more gardening
than I’ve ever done in my life. Also, everything from
washing dishes and babysitting, to general farm
maintenance and animal feeding.
Deb: Low points?
Vera: Losing control of my car on a gravel road and taking
the right headlight out against a tree. Getting stung on my
face by bees. Pins and needles in my hands and arms.
Deb: High points?
Deb: How did you first hear about this area and what made you want
to come here?
Vera: Skye Auer’s brother, Finn, first introduced me to Skye in
Melbourne a few years ago. Although I was born and bred in
Melbourne, I had never visited this part of the state and was pleased
to meet one of its inhabitants. It sounded to me like a wonderfully wild
and remote place. I’d long wanted to see the Snowy River country in
Victoria, having walked and skied around Thredbo in the mid-1980s.
The initial inspiration for these travels came from reading Eyne
Mitchell’s Silver Brumby books when I was a girl.
Deb: What were you doing before you left Melbourne?
I was house-sitting/sub-letting a house in East Brunswick, having
been made redundant at Melbourne University Bookshop where I’d
worked as a bookseller for the past nine years, and wishing I could
leave Melbourne to go WWOOFing.
Deb: When did you arrive – and why was working through WOOF
appealing to you?
Vera: I first visited Tubbut via Gelantipy over Easter this year. This
time around, I arrived in mid-August. WWOOFing was something I
first heard about in 2000 when I was living in London. I remember an
acquaintance talking about how much she loved WWOOFing in
Spain. I’d never heard of WOOF before then. Back in Australia, one
of my old friends who lived in Glenmaggie turned out to be a WOOF
host, and another friend of mine wrote a feature article about mature
age WWOOFers. It was something I’d been wanting to try for ages:
experiencing country life by working in exchange for food and board,
assessing my fantasies of living and working outside Melbourne,
meeting new people and expanding my network of contacts.
Deb: What places have you WWOOFed at and what did you do at
each?
Vera: Meeting some of the locals and living/working/
eating/hanging out with them and learning lots of different
things. That’s been a privilege. All my hosts have been
kind, generous, helpful and hospitable. Special thanks to
the Auers & their family. The local wildlife, as well as all
the domestic creatures I’ve made friends with. Meeting up
with Finn, who came to visit his family.
Deb: After 2½ months in the area, how have your
perceptions of it changed?
Vera: It’s all I expected it to be and more. I’m still
processing all the new experiences I’ve had. I knew “living
on the land” involved much hard work. Participating in that
has grounded my knowledge of the specifics to some
extent. The learning curve never stops and the variety of
skills people have out here amazes me; things one need
never know in Melbourne, most of it to do with the
production of food. I’ve been thinking of my experiences
out here as “consciousness raising”.
Deb: To anyone considering visiting this area for an
extended period, what would your advice be?
That would depend on the purpose of their visit, but my
advice to anyone in general would be to take it easy on
the roads!
Deb: Will you be back?
Vera: Oh, yes. I certainly hope so. Soon.
WWOOF—Willing Workers on Organic Farms—a
good way to experience rural life. See
http://www.wwoof.com.au/

L I V E E X P O R T R E S T R I C T I O N S
I N C R E A S E L A M B P R I C E P R E S S U R E
By Caitlyn Gribbin
Wednesday, 07/11/2012
A Victorian livestock agent says domestic lamb and
mutton prices will fall even further with a restriction of live
exports.
Wellard Rural Exports has voluntarily suspended live
sheep exports to Pakistan and Bahrain, and there a fears
more restrictions could follow after Four Corners program
showed the inhumane culling of Australian animals.
Michael Kerr has been a livestock agent for 54 years and
says prices halved in Victoria when live exports out
Portland slowed.
He says no live exports will lead to a flooding of the
market and that could have dire consequences.
"It's all very well to say 'ban live exports' but we've got
communities to look after.
The more sheep are worth, the better they're looked after;
we want to be very, very careful that we don't get to that
situation that they're not worth anything.
Back in 1973-4, we shot hundreds of thousands of cattle
and put them in pits; we don't want to see all that sort of
situation again."
W I L D D O G S H E L P R A N G E R S K I L L
W I L D P I G S
By Michael Cavanagh
Friday, 02/11/2012
Aerial pig baiting has resumed in the Whitsundays, on
Queensland's central coast, as dry conditions enable
better targeting of the feral animals.
As the ground becomes drier, the pigs move to
waterholes, making it easier to drop meat laced with the
poison 1080 and a commercially-produced bait
impregnated with a 1080 capsule.
Whitsundays pest management officer Bren Fuller says
the commercial bait is dropped in areas around national
parks, because wild dogs are not attracted to it.
"The idea is that the wild dogs keep the pig numbers in
check. The wild dogs eat some of the piglets, so if we can
kill the pigs and not kill some of the wild dogs the dogs can
assist us."
W E A T H E R B U R E A U D I T C H E S E L
N I N O F O R E C A S T
By Libby Price
Wednesday, 24/10/2012
After dire predictions Australia was settling in for another
El Nino weather pattern, and possibly drought, the
Weather Bureau is now predicting an average summer for
most of the country.
All areas are still looking to have a warmer summer, but
northern, central and south-western Australia are also now
more likely to have a wetter than average season.
Manager of climate predictions with the Bureau, Andrew
Watkins, says it's mainly due to a fall in sea temperatures.
"Those temperatures were quite warm right up around the
El Nino threshold through much of the winter and typically
they'd stabilise and pop us finally into an El Nino event in
September/October, but instead they did the reverse," he
said.
"They dropped down, they cooled away, and so now we're
seeing patterns that are a bit more distant from El Nino
than we had only say six weeks ago."
Farmers and growers
G I L L A R D P R O M I S E S R E G I S T E R O F
F O R E I G N - O W N E D F A R M L A N D
By Anna Vidot
Tuesday, 23/10/2012
Agriculture has taken centre stage in Canberra today
with both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader
addressing the National Farmers Federation Congress.
While highlighting the value of foreign investment, Prime
Minister Julia Gillard announced the government would
create a register of all foreign-owned agricultural land.
NFF President Jock Laurie welcomed that, and the
announcement was greeted with a smattering of
applause.
The PM emphasised booming demand from Asia is a
once in a generation opportunity and says her
government is committed to putting the right policies in
place to make it happen.
S T A T E S B A C K C O M M O N W E A L T H O N
N E W D R O U G H T S T R A T E G Y
By Anna Vidot
Monday, 29/10/2012
The Commonwealth, state and territory governments
have agreed on a new framework to help Australian
farmers prepare for and manage drought.
The agreement that preparedness, rather than crisis
management, should be at the centre of drought policy
is the next step in developing a national strategy to
replace the Exceptional Circumstances system.
National Rural Advisory Council chairman Mick Keogh
says it's significant that the states have agreed to cooperate
with the Commonwealth on delivering the
policy.
"Exceptional circumstances declarations were initiated
by the states," he said.
"So it's quite important that people understand that
henceforth, based on this agreement, there won't be
declarations of Exceptional Circumstances drought over
particular regions and that will mean that access to
interest rate subsidies will no longer be available."
The National Rural Advisory Council and the National
Farmers Federation both welcome the new framework's
intent to give farmers support based on their individual
circumstances and not lines on maps.
One of the most common criticisms of Exceptional
Circumstances was that its 'lines on maps' approach
meant farmers received inequitable treatment.
NFF president Jock Laurie says the experience of the
last drought proves that good preparation will help some
farms get through the dry years.
But he still sees a role for some kind of crisis support
too, and that element of the new policy is yet to be
determined.
"The interest rate subsidies were very good, but there
were many people who didn't get any access to that at
all and still managed to get through [the last drought], so
there are lessons that we need to learn out of that," he
said.
"But [we] also need to make sure that we've got
sensible in drought programs to make sure that people
are being looked after through that period of time and
that may not necessarily be financial assistance.
"I don't think anybody's been able to find out exactly
what that assistance package should be."

R E D U C E D W O O L S H E E P N U M B E R S
By Olivia Garnett
Monday, 22/10/2012
The biggest factor holding back the future growth on the
wool industry is production, according to Chris Wilcox,
from the International Wool Textile Organisation.
The world-wide supply of wool is currently at a 70-year low
and although it will rise in the next decade, experts say it
won't be by much.
Mr Wilcox says the growing trend to produce sheep for
meat is making it hard to build demand, and could
jeopardise higher prices.
"We're seeing an increase in sheep numbers, both here in
Australia and elsewhere around the world, but there's a
shift to dual purpose and meat sheep, and as a result wool
production won't be increasing by much," he said.
"That will be a big constraint, but it's an opportunity."
Mr Wilcox also acknowledges drivers at the retail end
which will affect the demand for wool.
"Consumer incomes and population growth, both in
aggregate but also which countries will see growth, so the
combination will drive wool and fibre demand," he said.
"It is very difficult because things change, as we've seen in
the past ten years, things that you totally don't expect
happen.
"We've seen terrorist attacks, financial crises of various
natures, we've had natural disasters. All of them have
ultimately affected the demand for wool.
"What we can look at is what's happened in the last 20
years, in terms of production levels, in terms of processing
levels, in terms of income and population growth and then
look forward for the next ten years and see where it will
take us, and that's the best we can do."
At the consumer end, Mr Wilcox says there are real
growth opportunities in China, as long as the industry can
grow the demand per person.
"As well there are growth opportunities in Turkey, in
Russia and the central European countries of Czech
Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, all of which have
that same European sensitivity to wool and fashion
sensibilities."
P R O F E S S O R S A Y S S O I L S A R E
S U F F E R I N G A S F A R M E R S T R Y T O
P R O D U C E M O R E F O O D
By Jessica Swann
Tuesday, 02/10/2012
The chair of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of
Sydney says practices by farmers to produce quantity over
quality is degrading soils.
Professor John Crawford says there's a direct link with
poor soil health and rising levels of illness and disease in
Australia.
He says that's because it leads to less nutrition in the food
we eat.
"If you think about it, all of the incentives for our farmers to
produce food are not directed towards producing healthy
food, they're directed towards high volumes of food," he
said.
"Modern varieties of grains and fruit, for example, have
been shown to be lower in their nutritional density than
older varieties, primarilyy because the breeding targets
Farmers and growers
haven't focused at all on the ability of these plants to
extract nutrients from the soil."
Professor Crawford says Australian soils are more
acidified than they used to be.
"Australia's big soil problem is a steady decline in soil
PH, in other words, the soils that are being more acid.
"Soils that are more are more acid don't give up
(provide) many of the important micro-nutrients which
are essential for a healthy immune system and
preventing disease.
"These are essential to our health, so if they (micronutrients)
are not in our soil, they're not in our food and
they're not in us."
GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE O N T H E
RISE
By Flint Duxfield
Wednesday, 31/10/2012
Resistance to one of Australia's most important
herbicides is on the rise, due to overuse of
chemicals outside farms.
Research by the University of Adelaide shows poor
use of the chemical glyphosate on roadsides and
railway lines is increasing herbicide resistance
across the country.
Associate Professor Christopher Preston says
glyphosate resistance is highest in South Australia
and southern NSW.
"The concern we have is that the non-agricultural
areas are intermixed with farming areas, so if
resistance turns up on a roadside, the chances of it
getting onto farms are quite high."
The Weed's Network is passionate about a
sustainable, viable and creative future in our
relationship with weeds.
Through a spirit of willing exploration we foster
ways to better understand weeds so they become
a resource we can use with environment and
future generations in mind. The Weed’s Network
provides evidence-based information for
innovative ways of thinking about, engaging with
and managing weeds sustainably with the wellbeing
of our beautiful planet in mind.
"Knowledge is not divided in the sharing but
multiplied" - Herman E. Daley
To have a weekly digest delivered direct to your
email address, contact david.low@monash.edu or
just regularly check the web site at
http://invasivespecies.org.au/rs/::WeedsNews%
20newspage

Health News
Honey, I killed the superbug
BY:JOHN STAPLETON
The Australian June 18, 2009 12:00AM
AUSTRALIAN researchers have been astonished to
discover a cure-all right under their noses -- a honey
sold in health food shops as a natural medicine.
Far from being an obscure health food with dubious healing
qualities, new research has shown the honey kills every
type of bacteria scientists have thrown at it, including the
antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" plaguing hospitals and
killing patients around the world.
Some bacteria have become resistant to every commonly
prescribed antibacterial drug. But scientists found that
Manuka honey, as it is known in New Zealand, or jelly bush
honey, as it is known in Australia, killed every bacteria or
pathogen it was tested on.
It is applied externally and acts on skin infections, bites and
cuts.
The honey is distinctive in that it comes only from bees
feeding off tea trees native to Australia and New Zealand,
said Dee Carter, from the University of Sydney's School of
Molecular and Microbial Biosciences.
The findings are likely to have a major impact on modern
medicine and could lead to a range of honey-based
products to replace antibiotic and antiseptic creams.
Professor Carter's two sons, Marty, 8 and Nicky, 6, think it's
funny the way their mother puts honey on their sores. But
she swears by it, telling stories of how quickly it cures any
infection.
"Honey sounds very homey and unscientific, which is why
we needed the science to validate the claims made for it,"
she said.
The curative properties of various types of honey have
been known to indigenous cultures for thousands of years,
and dressing wounds with honey was common before the
advent of antibiotics.
"Most bacteria that cause infections in hospitals are
resistant to at least one antibiotic, and there is an urgent
need for new ways to treat and control surface infections,"
Professor Carter said.
"New antibiotics tend to have short shelf lives, as the
bacteria they attack quickly become resistant. Many large
pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic
production because of the difficulty of recovering costs.
Developing effective alternatives could therefore save many
lives."
Professor Carter said the fascinating thing was that none of
the bacteria researchers used to test the honey, including
superbugs such as flesh-eating bacteria, built up any
immunity.
She said a compound in the honey called methylglyoxal --
toxic on its own -- combined in unknown ways with other
unidentified compounds in the honey to cause "multisystem
failure" in the bacteria.
The results of the research project are published in this
month's European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and
Infectious Diseases.
G L Y P H O S A T E R E S I S T A N C E O N T H E R I S E
By Flint Duxfield 31/10/2012
Resistance to one of Australia's most important herbicides is
on the rise, due to overuse of chemicals outside farms.
chemical glyphosate on roadsides and railway lines is
increasing herbicide resistance across the country.
R U R A L D O C T O R S P U S H F O R
C H A N G E S T O I N C E N T I V E S C H E M E
By Neroli Roocke
Friday, 02/11/2012
Rural doctors hope a $35 million blowout in a scheme
that pays them incentives, based on where they work,
will force changes to it.
Under the distance-from-capital-city classification, a
doctor in Cairns in Queensland gets the same bonus as
one in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
The new president of the Rural Doctors Association, Dr
Sheilagh Cronin, says the system is illogial, and needs
to be re-written so money is better targeted to get
doctors to remote and small rural towns.
"It does require a bit more complexity. It can be linked
to things like services, population, even climate, and
there has been academic work done on this and some
alternative models put to the government, but so far
they have declined to take up the suggestions."
Dr Cronin hopes for progress on the Australian
Standard Geographical Classification system when she
meets with the Federal Health Minister Tanya
Plibersek.
T E N P E R C E N T O F C H I L D R E N N O W
B O R N W I T H N E U R O L O G I C A L
P R O B L E M S : P E S T I C I D E S B L A M E D B Y
R E P O R T F O R I L L N E S S E S
By Stephanie M. Lee San Francisco Chronicle,
October 9, 2012
Pesticides pervade the environment, from the air we
breathe to the food we eat, and they are making
children sicker than they were a generation ago, a new
report warns.
More than 1 billion pounds of pesticides used annually
nationwide have contributed to an array of health
problems in youth, including autism, cancer, birth
defects, early puberty, obesity, diabetes and asthma,
the Pesticide Action Network North America, an
environmental group in Oakland, said in a report
released Tuesday.
The authors' conclusions were based on dozens of
recent scientific studies that have tied chemicals to
children's health, and their report sought to bring
collective meaning to those findings.
"One of the things that is also really clear from science
is that children are just much more vulnerable to
pesticide exposure," said co-author Kristin Schafer,
senior policy strategist at Pesticide Action Network
North America.
"In terms of how their bodies work and defense
mechanisms work, how much (pesticides) they're taking
in pound for pound, they're eating more, drinking more,
breathing more than an adult, and are much more
susceptible to harms that pesticides can pose."
Associate Professor Christopher Preston says
glyphosate resistance is highest in South Australia and
southern NSW.
"The concern we have is that the non-agricultural areas
are intermixed with farming areas, so if resistance turns
up on a roadside, the chance of it getting onto farms is
quite high."

Carolyn organises the Big Bonang Arvo so it is interesting to
know what she found when she researched the topic related to
just that: delivering health services to rural and remote
communities. Below are the summary and conclusions of her
article— the complete document is available at the
Neighbourhood House.
Health News
What key factors are crucial for the sustainability
of an outreach program in rural and remote
Australia?
Carolyn Alkemade
Summary
One third of all Australians reside outside of its main cities.
(Wakerman et al. 2008) The health of Australians in rural
and remote areas is poorer than that of people who live in
metropolitan areas for a number of reasons. People who
live in “hard to reach” parts of Australia access health
services and professionals less often and consequently
have poorer health. One approach that addresses these
health inequities is the "outreach service". The delivery of
such a program can take on many forms in response to the
needs of the community. Identifying what factors promote a
sustainable outreach service is the focus of this literature
review; however a search has identified the lack of
available material on this subject and highlights the need
for future research. This is concerning, particularly
considering that in 2005 45% of Australian rural and
remote communities with populations less than 1000
residents are losing population. (Humphreys, JS,
Wakerman & Wells 2006) How can health services expect
to receive the same amount of funding for outreach
programs knowing there are declining numbers of people
in rural and remote areas? However, if a reduction or
cessation of health care results, does that mean that the
people who stay in the community should experience
diminished access to health care? Where is the equity in
that scenario? What is the key to solving this conundrum?
Could research open the door to better health outcomes for
rural and remote communities?
Conclusion
Where is the equity when a health service simply turns up
on an “ad hoc” basis and calls itself an outreach program?
Does the rural and remote community deserve more? Can
they rightfully expect to have a regular service delivered
that responds to their needs? Is it too much to expect that
they can receive some follow up that will be meaningful for
them; and one that will lead to the improvement of their
health? Outreach in rural and remote Australia is justified
purely on the basis of equity of access, but these
disadvantaged communities deserve to receive a
sustainable, quality service that responds adequately to
their health needs and tax payers also deserve to have
their money well spent. Outreach programs have already
made inroads to this "difficult to reach and engage"
community, and we need to build on this potential. Rural
outreach can be viewed as being a critical lifeline that can
have an immense impact on improving the health and
wellbeing of individuals. Good monitoring, evaluation and
research practices may be the “set of keys” required to
attain this goal for outreach provision. The challenge is out
there for outreach programs to keep up with the champions
in this field; to follow in their footsteps on the journey to
improving health outcomes of people living in rural and
remote areas and keeping these unique communities alive
and well.
M E N T A L H E A L T H C A R E S T I L L
L A G G I N G B E H I N D I N R U R A L A R E A S
By Sally Dakis
Wednesday, 03/10/2012
The Greens say Australia's mental health care is
becoming crisis driven, and more investment is needed
in preventative care.
Senator Penny Wright, the Greens spokesperson on
mental health, is part-way through a national
consultative tour on mental health care services in
regional Australia.
She says while the Federal Government has increased
funding of mental health care, the feedback is that not
enough is being invested in preventative care, and not
enough in rural and regional areas.
"One really difficult statistic that we are aware of is that
90 per cent of psychiatrists live in urban areas, but
about a third of Australians live in the bush," she said.
"So there is a real problem with workforce, for instance,
and we need better policies to make sure that we've
got the mental health professionals available in the
rural, regional and remote areas to meet the needs of
people living there."
ABC Rural News
Scholarships available
The Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Health and
Medicine H522 aims to address the drought of
agricultural health knowledge and improve service
delivery and professional understanding for farming
communities – your communities.
By studying Agricultural Health and Medicine (as a
post graduate course or a single unit) you will become
part of the next generation of agricultural and health
leaders (nurses, doctors, veterinarians, farmers and
agricultural professionals) who understand crosssector
collaboration and can make a difference in rural
communities.
Farm men, women, agricultural workers and their
families are slowly gaining an awareness of the
health, wellbeing and safety issues, but we can’t do
it without YOU being part of the change!
In February 2013, the core unit of Agricultural Health
and Medicine HMF701 will be offered as a five-day
intensive in Hamilton, Victoria (Feb 25 - March 1). The
unit is offered at a postgraduate level through Deakin
University, School of Medicine and provides
continuing education points for nurses, doctors, vets
and social workers. It can also be taken as a
standalone subject. HMF701 is also the prerequisite
for eligible health professionals wishing to become
AgriSafe clinicians.
Scholarships are now available and are aimed to
financially assist people who do not have access to
financial support from either their workplace or other
funding agencies. One scholarship is reserved for a
suitable agriprofessional or farmer. Scholarships will
be open to applicants who enrol in the Graduate
Certificate of Agricultural Health and Medicine H522.
Scholarship applications close November 18, 2012.
For more information on Agricultural Health and
Medicine and scholarships go to
www.farmerhealth.org.au or contact: Unit Chair,
Clinical Associate Professor Susan Brumby 03 5551
8533

News from the Departments
V I C T O R I A N D P I S A Y S I T C A N ' T A F F O R D T O
F U N D F R U I T F L Y E R A D I C A T I O N
By Warwick Long
Wednesday, 19/09/2012
The Victorian Department of Primary Industries says there's
not enough room in its budget to control Queensland fruit
fly in the state.
ABC Rural has learned the DPI biosecurity budget is
between $70 million and $80 million a year.
The department has a plan to declare almost the entire
state endemic to fruit fly because of cost pressures.
Director of plant biosecurity Russell McMurray says it would
cost more than $20 million a year for three years to
eradicate fruit fly, and there are other priorities for that
money.
"Well, what would suffer, you would actually have invasive
plants and animals, dog bounties, wild dogs, pests and
diseases that come in, you've got animal livestock, you've
got the dairy industry that's spread across a whole heap of
different programs out there."
CWA conference calls for safer quad
bikes
By Sally Dakis
Friday, 31/08/2012
This weeks' national conference of the Country Womens
Association is calling on the Federal Government to
mandate roll-over protection on quad bikes.
Delegates at this week's conference in Hobart have agreed
to lobby the government for an Australian standard for rollover
protection bars, and that the devices be fitted to all
quad bikes.
Gail Commens, from the NSW branch of the CWA, says 80
per cent of the estimated 220,000 quad bikes in Australia
are being used on farms, and they need to be safer.
"We're not calling it a roll bar, we're calling it a crush
protection bar, because if the bikes roll, that's the problem
with them, they roll so easily," she said.
"A bar will hopefully prevent people being crushed."
C O N C E R N F R O M B E E K E E P E R S P R O M P T S
R E V I E W O F S O M E I N S E C T I C I D E S
By Karen Hunt
Monday, 17/09/2012
Anxious apiarists have prompted the nation's chemical
regulator to review regulations around insecticides used in
the grains, cotton and vegetable industries.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines
Authority is examining those products which contain
neonicotinoids, a relatively new class of chemicals used as
seed dressings.
European and American bee keepers are worried these
chemicals affect bees' ability to pollinate and also that they
could be linked to the phenomenon of colony collapse
disorder.
The APVMA's Dr Simon Cubit says the review will look at
assessment methodologies to see if use of the chemicals
present any more of a risk to honey bee health than
other chemicals.
"And we're also keen to determine whether the data
requirements that we require for testing of pesticides
are adequate to address any potential effects of
neonicotinoids."
B E E F P R O D U C E R S H E A R T H E B R I G H T
S I D E O F U S D R O U G H T
By Caitlyn Gribbin
Wednesday, 10/10/2012The head of New Zealand's red
meat marketing body says the United States drought
will provide huge opportunities for Australian beef
exporters.
Mike Petersen, from New Zealand Beef and Lamb, says
the US drought means cattle herds are diminished and
meat will be imported.
"If we do see America move into a herd rebuilding
phase, then we're going to see more opportunities for
beef imports, particularly from our part of the world,"
he said.
"It's going to be one to watch really closely and just how
long the effects of the drought take. That'll be the big
one."
P R O F E S S O R S A Y S S O I L S A R E
S U F F E R I N G A S F A R M E R S T R Y T O
P R O D U C E M O R E F O O D
By Jessica Swann
Tuesday, 02/10/2012The chair of Sustainable
Agriculture at the University of Sydney says practices by
farmers to produce quantity over quality is degrading
soils.
Professor John Crawford says there's a direct link with
poor soil health and rising levels of illness and disease in
Australia.
He says that's because it leads to less nutrition in the
food we eat.
"If you think about it, all of the incentives for our
farmers to produce food are not directed towards
producing healthy food, they're directed towards high
volumes of food," he said.
"Modern varieties of grains and fruit, for example, have
been shown to be lower in their nutritional density than
older varieties, primarily because the breeding targets
haven't focused at all on the ability of these plants to
extract nutrients from the soil."
Professor Crawford says Australian soils are more
acidified than they used to be.
"Australia's big soil problem is a steady decline in soil
PH, in other words, the soils that are being more acid.
"Soils that are more are more acid don't give up
(provide) many of the important micro-nutrients which
are essential for a healthy immune system and
preventing disease.
"These are essential to our health, so if they (micronutrients)
are not in our soil, they're not in our food and
they're not in us."

News from the Departments
Is HESS for you?
Are you having difficulty managing your
energy needs and bills?
Are you at risk of having your power
disconnected?
Are you on an energy retailer’s hardship
scheme?
The Home Energy Saver Scheme (HESS)
which is provided through community
organisations around Australia can help by
offering:
● Information about easy and affordable ways
to use less energy in the home;
● One-on-one budgeting assistance;
● Information on whether you are getting
the right rebates and assistance;
● Help to understand your energy bills and
the energy market;
● Advice, advocacy and support;
● Links to other services that may be able
to assist you; and
● Help to access no or low interest loans
to purchase energy efficient appliances.
How can I find out more?
You can get more information by:
1. Calling the HESS Helpline 1800 007 001
2. Going to www.fahcsia.gov.au or
3. Contacting your local HESS provider
Visit the Department of Human Services'
Mobile Servicing Unit' at the Big Bonang
Arvo
The Department of Human Services bus will be visiting
the Big Bonang Arvo on Nov 22nd. It is staffed by
Department of Human Services (Federal) staff from
Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency as
well as staff from Australian Hearing, a social worker
and the Australian Tax Office.
The MSU is a 'one stop shop' for Australian
Government Services and regularly visits remote
locations across Australia.
It is equipped with internet, private interview rooms, a
hearing testing suite, brochures galore and wonderful
staff so stop by and ask questions or just to say hi/have
a chat.
Motorcycle Tragedy on local roads
The community was saddened to hear of
another death of a motorcyclist on our local
roads this year as hundreds, if not
thousands, of bikers made their way to and
from Phillip Island via the Bonang Road.
Last year two people died in a collision with
a local motorist. It could have been any of
us, as not all motorcyclists keep to their side
of the road.
This year, there were seven accidents in the
one spot at Delegate River, where poor
design has the road’s camber at an angle
which puts bikers at risk. Sadly, one of those
accidents ended in death.
Thanks to the local resident who made up a
sign to warn riders and drivers that this is a
dangerous spot. At the least, there should
be a permanent warning sign there. In fact,
the road should be realigned.
The Neighbourhood House was sorry that
statements made last year by Minister for
Roads Terry Mulder were not honoured.
In his letter of November last year he says:
“VicRoads, in consultation with the Traffic
Accident Commission and Victoria Police,
implements annual road safety campaigns
targeting motorcycle road safety during the
lead up to the major motorcycle events at
Phillip Island. The campaigns include the
use of electronic variable message signs.
VicRoads will consider the implementation
of signs, to improve motorcycle safety along
Bonang Road, as part of the campaign.”
Signs alone do not save lives. They do,
however, put the onus on drivers and bikers
by warning them of hazards. Where they do
not exist, people new to our roads are made
vulnerable as recent events demonstrate.
The Neighbourhood House will write again
to VicRoads and the Minister in an effort to
avert tragedy next time.
Deb

Remembering our Past
Cliff Reed remembers Tub but’s early days
My memories of Tubbut go back to 1939 when I first
went there with my father and George Reed (Jun. then) with
cattle. We took them to Mutch’s Creek where the country was
quite green with kangaroo grass although it was a dry season.
There was over 11,000 acres fenced in, round the lease we
had. It comprised of morticed posts and a split rail on top with
seven wires underneath. I think it was erected by Johnsons
many years before and some of the posts are still standing.
McKay’s of Wallendibby and Riverview had the grazing runs in
Tubbut after Johnson’s cattle left. Fred Bryant told me he was
mustering cattle for McKays in the 1923 drought and at that
time the rabbits were eating the bark off the trees and a lot of
them were nearly rung. He said most of the rabbits died of
starvation that year. They must have bred up again in good
seasons judging by the number that was there in 1929.
The population of Tubbut was very low then. The old
Tubbut homestead was there. It was owned by Ted Ingram’s
father and I remember seeing Reg and Harold Ingram. The
family owned Tellicura and lived there then.
It was in that year that the country was opened for
selection and Mr Hunter and his team of surveyors went there
and surveyed 28 blocks, ranging in area from about 1000
acres to 1800. There were no roads then, only the Gippsland
Stock Route which went from Cabanandra to the Snowy River
via Running Creek and the Copper mine. The Copper mine
was working about that time and the machinery had to be
taken in and the ore brought out. Mr Luckins from Orbost had
the contract and had to put side cuttings in down the gulfs
where it was very steep. The road was made wide enough for
a slide and 2 horses.
The main road started when the surveying was finished,
and was extended to the Snowy. The bridge was built later but
was washed away before it was to be opened. The present
one was built 16 foot higher, and so far has stood up to the
floods. The first settlers obtained their blocks in 1930. They
were Jim Neven, Don Ingram, C. Hickford, Alan Bass, Ernie
Bass, Bill Wilson, Jack Cameron, Pat Foley, and Bert Wilson.
Most of the remaining blocks were selected during the next 3
or 4 years. A man named Jones had the block near the Copper
mine, but didn’t keep it long. He had a chap by the name of
Halfhide working for him and he carried the posts on his back
to the fence line. The blocks were valued at 6/−3 and 7/−6 an
acre according to the area and quality of the country. The
netting was supplied by the Closer Settlement Board and it had
to be paid for by instalments over 40 years together with the
block.
1933 was very dry and the selectors who had bought
sheep were short of feed and some had to take them away for
agistment. However by the end of the year the drought broke
and 1934 was the best season I have known in that country in
its natural state. We had the Jingalalla and Deddick grazing
runs then and turned out a lot of cattle which we mustered in
the spring in forward condition. Bert Wilson and Jack Cameron
had the Cuttamurra run that year and held it for a few years.
The first road maintenance men from Tubbut to the
Snowy River were Tom Warne and Wally Walsh who lived at
Deddick near the Copper Mine Road. They had a horse and
cart and kept the road in good order. There wasn’t much traffic
then, though. Jack Cameron had the first mail contract and
used to ride to Dellicknora P.O. twice a week. The Amboyne
Bridge was built about the year 1936 and the road made to the
Amboyne. It was extended later to Deddick, but this took a
few years.
In 1937 my father bought J. Cameron’s property and
in the following year Harold O’Hare bought Pat Foley’s
block and later bought Harry Legge’s at Cabanandra
where McIlroys live now.
It was a problem to kill the box trees in Tubbut. They
nearly always suckered up and every time you cut them
they grew again a bit lower on the stump and after a few
years you had to grub them off the roots. We rung a lot of
country and poisoned the trees with arsenic and soda, but
didn’t have much luck as most of them suckered. You had
to boil the arsenic and soda together and the soda
dissolved the arsenic and you poured it round the ring. We
put calves there about 2 months later and lost some
through them licking the bark. They seemed to like
arsenic.
Then came the fires in 1939. We had been fighting
fires for some weeks before up the Amboyne Creek in the
bush. It seemed under control till a hot windy day came
and the fire went over most of Tubbut. That was January
13 th , 1939. A lot of sheep were lost and a lot of fencing
was ruined. Some of the cattle we had there were burned
a bit, but only one died. Most of the remaining stock had to
be taken away for grass, mainly to the Bega District. When
the drought eventually broke, which was late in the
autumn, the burnt country soon responded and we had a
good season.
We took up the Cuttamurra run that year and
stocked it with cattle which did well on the burnt country.
We mustered them in the spring and drove them to
Bairnsdale where we topped the sale for 2 year old heifers
that day. They made £8.2− or $16.20, which was a big
price then. The suckers and seedlings came up very thick
after the fire and it was a big job to grub them out, no
bulldozers then.
Reg Ingram took over the mail contract after J.
Cameron left and he ran it from Bonang where he had the
store. Tubbut was always a good place for trapping rabbits
and the settlers kept their rabbits under control by trapping
in the winter. They would get from about 3/− to 5/− a lb. for
the skins.
Several men used to go down from Delegate every
winter to trap and each had their area to cover. I
remember Bill Phillips going to Mutch’s Creek and
camping there all the winter. The camp was on the creek
just opposite Wayne Wright’s house. We often camped
there before the country was selected and fenced.
Another popular camp was at the Amboyne hut and
was used by trappers and cattle musterers. I remember
camping there and the mice were so numerous, they
would run over you and pull your hair while you slept, that
is if you could sleep!
We sold our property in 1951 to Frank Neven, who
also bought the Foley block from Harold O’Hare Estate.
We also gave up the run and it was taken by Stan Bryant
and Jim Marriott. Dr Horton came to Tubbut and bought
the other O’Hare blocks a few years later. Most of the
Tubbut blocks have changed hands several times. There
are only three which are still held by the original settlers.
Tubbut can be an unattractive place in times of
drought such as at present, but in the good season, like
the old poem says, “IT PAYS US BACK THREEFOLD.”

Nearing Home—a story by Deb Foskey
Nearing home, it happened again: the sick feeling in his
stomach and the shortness of breath. He fantasises that
the house is on fire, he can feel it in his gut. He always
feels like this, coming back after a trip to town. He calls
up his logic. Its never been true before and it won’t be
true now – but even this will not calm his fluttering heart
or slow his increasing haste.
Joe is returning from town. It’s been a long two days –
half of it was taken up with getting there and back
because he had to take the horse and cart. In between
there was the steady progress along the main street
ending up at the stock agents to chat with some blokes
around the fireplace there. The few beers at the pub
had turned into many and he couldn’t remember much
after closing time when he went to his hotel room with a
couple of fellows and a few bottles. There’d been a
dance up at the Institute and that had made the town
quite lively, not that he made it up there. Heaps of his
neighbours, some he hadn’t seen in months, were in
town. Ada would have liked it, he knew, and felt a
twinge of compunction that he hadn’t made her
welcome. But trips to town were out of the question
when you had a string of kids.
The day before, Ada had woken early, before the
baby’s first cries. She quietly got up and quickly
dressed, determined to have the stove lit and breakfast
cooked before Joe was out of bed. She had each step
of the day planned. Everything hinged on her
anticipating each need of the kids so he had no excuse
to say, “No, you and the kids can’t come, the kids are
too much trouble. I’ll go on my own.”
All their clothes were laid out on the chair in the bigger
kids’ bedroom. Best clothes rarely worn are humble, but
hers won’t be the only kids in matted woollen jumpers
and work boots. She was wearing her good skirt and
blouse; she would take her apron off just before leaving.
The old work boots would have to do until she got to
town because they were her only decent footwear at the
moment. Hanging on the doorknob was the dress she
planned to wear tonight because the Shearers’ Ball was
on and there was going to be a real band, not just the
organist from the Church of England trying to play
dance music on the piano.
The trip to town was a monthly event. Sometimes Joe
rode in but usually he took the horse and cart because
there were stockfeed and bags of flour and sugar to
bring home. In the days before the children came, she
used to go with him. But each successive child made it
more difficult even while it was more of a practical
necessity. She wanted to see the fabrics at the general
store, to buy the kids shoes that fitted instead of
sending Joe in with a tracing of their feet. She wanted
to see if there were any new products at the grocery
and call on friends and family. Mostly she wanted to
break the monotony of the days spent in the valley, to
talk to other women for a change. It would be good for
the kids too; they could catch up with their cousins and,
with a bit of luck, stay the night with them while their
parents went to the Ball.
He hadn’t yet agreed to them coming, but then again,
he hadn’t said they couldn’t.
While the kettles heated on the stove and the
porridge cooked, Ada went out to milk the cow,
enjoying the early morning freedom of having no kids
trailing after her. The chooks were waking as she
threw out a double ration of grain, knowing they
would eat it all at once and then cluck irritably
tomorrow. Surprisingly, the dogs were more
circumspect, sulking beside their full bowls; they
must have known that this early feed meant they
were to be left alone on their chains. These
mundane, daily tasks always cheered Ada, even on
those mornings when she had dragged her body
unwillingly from the warm bed. The animals were
always pleased to see her and although she knew it
was because of the food, she took pleasure from it.
The horse was already in the yard. Ada left him to
Joe, she didn’t like to get too close. He was a bit
skittish, behaving well only for the familiar man.
Back in the house, everyone was awake. The
porridge had cooked by the time she got in and the
older children were helping themselves. She
concentrated on dressing and feeding the little ones
and then scraped out the pot with a bit of milk for
herself. She didn’t dare say anything about going to
town, she thought she’d put out enough clues
already. She would just wait and see what happened.
If Joe loved her, and if he had been listening to what
she had been saying, he would understand how
important this trip was to her. Surely he, who had the
companionship of his workmates every day, didn’t
need to be told about a woman’s need for adult
conversation. On the long days alone with the kids
she looked longingly at the mountain. The peak
beckoned – in their years living below it, she had
never explored it. How could she, with a string of
kids?
Soon after Ada came in, Joe went out to attend to the
horse. As he passed the kennels, he noticed that the
dogs’ bowls were already full. “Ah”, he twigged. “Ada
must think she’s coming too.”
In fact, Joe hadn’t given a thought to Ada’s oftexpressed
wish to accompany him to town. His mind
had been running on another track altogether. He’d
decided to take a bale of wool still sitting in the shed
and sell it while the woolbrokers were in town. With
another baby on the way, the cash would be handy.
And if the cart was full of wool bale, there’d be no
room for Ada and all the children. He felt a real
twinge of regret: it was a long time since they had
travelled anywhere as a family. Besides, the
Shearer’s Ball was one of the year’s highlights. But
taking the bale had to be his priority; they needed the
money and that was that. Guilt receded with this
unarguable fact.
With the horse harnessed and the bale on the cart,
Joe went back inside. Ada and the kids were
conspicuously neatly dressed with all but their hats

on. Looked pretty good, really. How was he going to get
around this?
He decided to take the masterly approach; he was head
of the house after all. “You didn’t think you could all
come did you? Cart’s full enough as it is. No room.
Sorry. Maybe next time.” His eyes pointed out the
window but his words hit home.
He really did look sorry, Ada thought. He always looked
sorry but he usually couldn’t wait to bolt out the door
where he could shed his weighty domestic harness of
wife and kids. Although she had half-expected refusal,
Ada was shocked by the heat which rose in her belly
and suffused her entire body. Her face must be scarlet.
She couldn’t trust herself to speak. Not now. Not in front
of the children.
Luckily the kids didn’t seem to care. They were young
enough to have fun wherever they were and the older
ones were actually a little relieved; they hadn’t told their
parents that they were a bit scared of the town kids. The
Shearer’s Ball held no attractions for them. They didn’t
know they were going to miss an event that would have
coloured their dreams forever. The older ones went to
change back into their old clothes and the young ones
didn’t even notice.
Joe asked Ada if there was anything he could get her.
She mentioned work boots and provided a tracing of the
sole of her foot. He managed to leave the house without
meeting her eyes but felt bombarded by her hurt and
hostility as he crossed the yard to the loaded cart.
After he left, Ada sat. This was still a special day. All
chores had been done in preparation for the excursion.
No heaps of dirty clothes lay in piles at the bottom of
cupboards. No baskets of ironing waited in the laundry.
Even tomorrow’s – now tonight’s - dinner was cooked for
their late arrival home. If this was freedom, Ada had it.
The kids swarmed around the house and yard in their
usual way. The older ones had no lessons to do, they’d
done extra all week. She should use her newfound time
to do something special with them, give them all a treat.
Glancing at the mountain’s peak, she turned her back on
it and the town and gathered the kids together for a walk
to the river. This was about the right distance for the
littlies and she could carry the baby and the basket of
food that far without dropping either. Once there, she sat
on a rock under a tree with the baby sleeping on her lap.
The kids paddled, searching for tadpoles and making
frog houses. Everyone had a good time until the toddler
slipped on a mossy rock and hit its head. Somehow they
all got their clothes wet and muddy, putting an end to the
empty washing basket. She’d taken an old Women’s
Weekly down with her but didn’t get one story read,
there were so many interruptions. When they returned to
the house for the little ones to have their clothes
changed, the big ones obligingly lay on their beds with
books while the littlies slept, giving her a unique chance
to rest.
Although immobile in the big chair drawn up by the
stove, Ada was not at rest. Inside her, loneliness,
frustration and boredom wove a toxic knot. If this is one
of the best days, she thought, how can I bear the years
of everydays, the endless repeated tasks, the neediness
of the kids and himself. Who knew how many
more kids were yet to come – one a year was the
pattern so far. But then again, as she aged,
growing sourer and uglier, Joe would surely seek
his satisfactions elsewhere – was that why he
didn’t want to take her to town these days?
In the quiet house, once admitted, the thoughts
came thick and fast. Most of the possibilities
presented for examination were dismissed as
impractical or impossible. Only one thing was
clear to Ada: This is the moment. Its rarity makes
it so.
Rounding the bend at the top of the hill, Joe
looked down at his house, still there despite his
fears. Not burned to the ground, but different
nonetheless. No smoke coming from the
chimney, no washing flapping on the line, the
dogs’ bowls empty and the cow unmilked, waiting
near the fence.
Tidy as always, Ada had left a note. “There is
poison on the table. I took it myself and gave it to
the children.”
Years later, the house did burn to the ground. By
then, however, Joe was far away.
In the late afternoon, the mountain still shadows
the plum trees, its peak unassailed.
=====================================
This story is a work entirely of the imagination
inspired by a story Janet Cameron told me many
years ago. Recently I found two newspaper
articles about the incident on the National
Library’s TROVE site. The details differ from the
story I remembered but that isn’t important to the
story I wrote which is my attempt to understand
why a woman would commit such an act.
Deb
From The Mercury, Hobart
POISONING TRAGEDY
Mother's Frantic Act
Four Deaths
MELBOURNE, June 7.
At an inquest held late last night particulars of a
tragedy that involved the deaths of four members of
the Cullen family were given. Mary Kathleen
Cullen, aged 25 years, who resided with her
husband, William Cullen, at Dellicknora, poisoned
herself and her three children Gwendolyn Gloria,
aged 4 years, William John Roy, aged 3 years, and
Margaret Elizabeth, aged 6 months.
The father of the children was absent at Tubbut at
work. Two brothers who were in the house at 11
o'clock on Mon- day night heard screams coming
from the bedroom. They rushed to the room, and
Mrs. Cullen said: "There is poison on the table. I
took it myself and gave it to the children. She died
soon afterwards, and the death of the child
Gwendolyn followed quickly.
The brothers, procuring a motor-car, started out for
Delegate, 20 miles away, with the two youngest
children, but both children died on the journey.

What’s your Opinion?
Volcanic versus human-produced CO2
Thank you to Tattler Editor Deb for including the recent
articles about climate change by Karl Braganza and David
Hilbert. I have found them to be very informative and
presented with measured caution and clear detailing of the
uncertainties in both interpretation of the past and
prediction of the future. Unfortunately, Chet Cline’s
comments in the July Tattler on Frank Braganza’s first
article do not share those same qualities. According to the
well known quote, usually attributed to the US Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, “everyone is entitled to their own
opinion but not to their own facts”. In other words, Chet
Cline can freely express disbelief in the conclusions of the
vast majority of climate scientists and the evidence on
which their case is based but he is not entitled to make up
facts to support that disbelief.
In stark contrast to Chet Cline’s statements, overwhelming
evidence demonstrates that global average temperatures
have continued to rise since the late 1990s and the decade
2000-2010 was the hottest on record. Sea levels, as
measured, have risen and continue to rise.
Global ice is declining especially in Greenland and the
Arctic but also in most high altitude glaciers world wide,
though this is not a total trend as snowfall has increased
over some ice-fields due to increased atmospheric
moisture. Ocean mean temperatures have risen, as has
ocean acidity. Anyone can easily find the evidence that
supports these findings and I won’t attempt to take up
space in the Tattler to provide the details.
However, as a geologist who has for some 40 years studied
past climate history, I would like to set the record straight
about Chet Cline’s completely wrong statements about the
CO2 contribution made by the Mt Pinatubo volcanic
eruption in the Philippines. On the face of it, the statement
could make some sense as volcanos do emit gasses,
including CO2, and have been implicated in some
catastrophic events much earlier in the Earth’s history
when extremely large volcanic outpourings have been
associated with dramatic increases in atmospheric CO2,
drastic climate change and widespread major extinction
events for life on Earth.
However, we currently live in an era characterised by
relatively quiet volcanic activity and Terry Gerlach of the
United States Geological Survey’s Cascades Volcanic
Observatory has recently reviewed the state of knowledge
about current-day volcanic CO2 emissions. His peerreviewed
article appeared in the scientific journal Eos
published by the American Geophysical Union, one of the
largest worldwide professional bodies of geologists,
geophysicists, climate and atmospheric scientists. Gerlach
found that global estimates of the total annual CO2 output
from erupting volcanos (including those on land and under
the sea) range from 0.13 to 0.44 gigatons per year (a
gigaton is 1 billion metric tons). The 1991 eruption of Mt
Pinatubo in the Philippines, one of the three largest
eruptions in the 20th Century, had an estimated CO2
release of 0.05 gigatons. These volcanic emissions are
dwarfed by human-produced CO2, which amounted to 35
gigatons in 2010 alone. In other words, in only one year
(2010) humans put 700 times as much CO2 into the
atmosphere as the Mt Pinatubo eruption. This is in
complete contrast to Chet Cline’s claim that the Philippines
Mt Pinatabo put “more CO2 than man has produced since
the beginning”.
Also in contrast to Chet Cline’s claims that it should have
“shifted our weather completely”, the major climatic impact
of the Mt Pinatubo eruption was actually due to the
injection of sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere, not
CO2. As has happened frequently following major volcanic
eruptions, the SO2 condensed in the upper atmosphere
(stratosphere) to form sulphate aerosols that increased the
reflection of incoming solar radiation back into space,
thereby cooling the lower atmosphere (troposphere). This
cooling effect was measured for about three years after the
Mt Pinatubo eruption and during that period partially
counteracted the ongoing human-caused global warming
trend due to CO2 emissions.
When considering human-produced CO2 additions to the
atmosphere in the context of the record of past rapid and
dramatic changes of climate, one of the pioneers of my own
scientific field, US climate-scientist Wally Broeker famously
said "The climate system is an angry beast, and we're
poking it with sticks". The time for irrational denial of
human-induced global warming is long passed and we really
need to be coming up with solutions. I look forward to
informed debate flowing from more evidence-based articles
appearing in the Tattler.
John Magee, McKillops Road, Tubbut.
A huge cloud of volcanic ash and gas rises above Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, on
June 12, 1991. Three days later, the volcano exploded in the second-largest volcanic
eruption on Earth in this century.

L O C A L G O V E R N M E N T N E W S
EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE
COUNCIL
Response to community queries raised
6 September 2012
On behalf of Council, I would like to thank the communities of
Tubbut and Bonang for joining us on Thursday 6 September
to launch the Mountain Rivers Community Plan. It was a great
opportunity not only to celebrate the completion of the Plan
but also to hear about some of the day to day issues
impacting life in the far east.
As promised, the queries raised by community members have
been further investigated and a response provided below.
Road Conditions
Dellicknora Road
Dellicknora Road has been assessed in accordance with
Council’s black resheet assessment criteria against which all
roads are assessed. The criteria include considerations such
as traffic flow and safety considerations. Dellicknora Road’s
score was 5.0, which means it is a low priority in comparison
with many other roads listed for consideration. Although there
is currently no plan to extend the seal on Dellicknora Road, it
will be inspected and gravel resheeting undertaken in the
near future as required.
In addition, the roads in the Bonang area will receive 2100m3
of gravel resheeting following the June 2012 storm/flood
event. Further gravel resheeting will also be undertaken in the
area under Council’s gravel resheeting program.
Minchins Track
Council is responsible for the maintenance of Minchins Track
until it reaches the gate at 161 Minchins Track, Bonang. This
section is well maintained. The Department of Sustainability
and Environment maintains the track from the gate onwards.
Council officers have contacted the Department of
Sustainability and Environment to request that the washed out
log crossing be rectified.
Roadside Vegetation Strategy
A copy of this strategy has been mailed to the Neighbourhood
House. The Strategy is also available on Council’s web site
(www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au).
Thanks again for the wonderful hospitality shown to
Councillors and officers during the visit. We look forward to r
next visit to the far-east, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Steve Kozlowski, Chief Executive Officer
The new East Gippsland Shire Council
John Wilkin (new)
Marianne Pelz
Jeff McNeill (new)
Dick Ellis
Peter Neal
Jane Rowe
Mark Reeves (new)
Ben Buckley
Michael Freshwater
Voting was by postal ballot, which may have been a factor in
the low voter participation —75%.
The new mayor and deputy mayor will be elected on
November 13th.
BOMBALA SHIRE COUNCIL
New Bombala Shire Council
Bob Stewart (mayor)
Joe Ingram
Sue Haslingden (new)
Steve Goodyer
Diane Hampshire
Bill Bateman (new)
Brad Yelds
Note—Bombala Council voted to reduce its
members from 9 to 7 prior to the election.
From agenda October 2012
Council’s Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee has
developed a Plant Hygiene Policy for Council’s plant
operators and contractors when carrying out work in
Council’s area. This policy has been recommended
for adoption by Council. It has been developed to
assist with the control of the spread of noxious
weeds both within and from outside the Council area
and is seen as a very important component of
Council’s attempts to control the spread of noxious
weeds within the Council area.
Council’s area is under threat from a number of
noxious weeds. Serrated Tussock and African
Lovegrass from the north and west and Fireweed
from the east.
Plant hygiene policy
This procedure outlines the requirements for
machinery and plant hygiene in regard to the spread
of noxious weeds. Movement of noxious weeds due
to contaminated machinery moving from weed
infested areas to clean areas is a concern. If simple
plant hygiene wash down procedures are followed
this will significantly reduce the spread of noxious
weeds into clean areas.
All contract plant used in earthworks or vegetation
control MUST be washed down BEFORE ARRIVING
AND AFTER LEAVING EACH SITE arriving on site.
Plant found unwashed will be required to leave the
site to be washed before returning. The cost of this
process will be borne by the contractor
Copies of the Mountain Rivers Community Plan in full
colour are available from the Neighbourhood House. If
you can’t collect one in person, ring and we will mail it
to you.
Fireweed—becoming a pest in Bombala district

GARDENING
THE GARDEN IN NOVEMBER
By Susan Tocchini
The heavy frost that occurred about two weeks ago
when many plant species were in their first flush of
Spring growth caused severe damage. Particularly hard
hit were stone fruits in flower, early flowering pome fruits
as well as a number of flower garden plants such as
rhododendrons, wisteria and iris. Although the flowers
have been turned to mush and some tender foliage lost,
most species will recover well by going on to produce
vegetative growth. The good rain we have received has
been of great benefit in this regard but there is a
downside. Abundant lush growth is just what fungus,
sap suckers and leaf chewers love.
If your fruit tree has lost its crop completely (as a
number of mine have done this year) it is a good
opportunity to give it a renovating prune, secure in the
knowledge that no fruit will have to be sacrificed this
season. Pruning soon will mean that all the energy
produced this summer will go into parts of the plant that
will be present next season. In addition, reducing the
canopy will mean better air flow through the tree. This
will reduce the humidity which in turn minimises the
chance of fungal attack as well as making the canopy
environment less suited to multiplication of small insects.
The increased light penetration toughens the leaves
making them more resistant to attack. Aphids in
particular are attracted to lush growth. They are able to
sense those plants that are rich in Nitrogen and will
focus their breeding on them. This is because high
Nitrogen allows the aphids to rapidly convert sugary
plant sap into the protein they need to grow their bodies
and produce eggs.
Organic gardeners often have a high soil nitrogen (and
therefore excellent growth) due to the generous use of
compost and animal manures. The nitrogen is held in
the soil by complex interactions with organic matter and
is made available to the plant by soil organisms in a
steady supply throughout the plants’ growth cycle. It is a
necessary part of biological control to provide food and
shelter for beneficial insects such as ladybirds, spiders
and predatory wasps. This is most commonly achieved
by allowing flowering plants to mingle with the
productive plants. The predatory insects need to be
present in the garden slightly ahead of the damaging
ones. Early flowerers like poppies and Phacelia are very
useful to encourage beneficials.
By comparison, those gardeners using manufactured
fertilisers provide a cycle of feast and famine
for their plants. Rain or deep watering causes
the soluble salts to wash through the soil
almost instantly if there is not much organic
matter present to bind them. On the other hand
a cycle of shallow watering and evaporation
leads to salt accumulation that manifests as
plants with a pinched appearance if not leaves
showing dried margins. Salt will often be seen
as a white powder on the soil surface
especially in pots.
Already sawfly has been active. These small
flies lay the eggs that hatch into the cherry slug
that defoliates plums, cherries pears and a
number of related flower garden plants.
Squashing, cultivating below the trees or
dusting with lime or vacuum cleaner bag
contents gives a mechanical control. I have
found that this is not easy to action nor very
successful. I recently read that the killed
bacteria B.thuringiensis normally used to
control grubs (sold as Dipel) can effectively
control the cherry slug avoiding resorting to
heavy chemicals. I plan to try it this year as the
annual defoliation does weaken the fruit trees.
The secret is to do it as soon as slugs are
noticed to limit the number of generations that
can develop. Each generation exponentially
increases numbers of slug on the plant.
The cherry slug—an unwelcome guest.

Kids’ Capers
Goongerah and Tubbut had a visit from ghouls, ghosties and vampires last week on
the Eve of Halloween. They had heard what fun school is and decided to check us out.
Activities for the day were making and eating snake jelly in a cauldron, spooky
decorated biscuits, and various other disgusting things that children should never eat.
Tip for parents: ‘Tell your children not to eat it and like magic – it’s gone!’
Blood play dough and the spooky activity book were also a hit. Valerie Vampire was in
charge, she had put a spell on our new principal to stay away for the day. Another
dress-up day is planned before the end of year.
A host of ghoulies
Zane takes a bite.
Matsya shows us her bat wings.