around point cook 37
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Community Newspaper Issue 37, February 2013TRANSCRIPT
Nearly two kilometres of earth and rock will be examined by the construction industry as part of geotechnical investigations for the East West Link tunnel, Minister for Roads Terry Mulder said initial indications showed suitable conditions for tunnelling under Melbourne’s inner north.
“We’ve drilled at 43 locations along Alexandra Parade as well as within areas of Carlton, Parkville and Royal Park since May, and it may be that more drilling will be necessary after we receive feedback from the construction industry.
“The results so far are favourable and confirm that an East West Link tunnel would most likely be constructed through high strength basalt from the Hoddle Street end of the project, before transitioning to Melbourne formation comprising mudstone, sandstone and siltstone around Lygon Street,” he said.
Mr Mulder said the core samples were showcased to the construction industry. “It
is important we share this information with the engineering and construction industries so they can understand the key issues on the project, as well as provide feedback about any additional drilling that should be done.
“We expect to continue drilling based on analysis of the cores and feedback from the industry. This will ultimately help us to understand the design and
Issue 37, February 2013
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ABN 78 809 543 573
Advertising: [email protected] Contributions: [email protected]
0403 117 628
PUDDLING WITH THE PUBLISHER
FROM THE EDITORS
Welcome to our new editorial volunteer Jasmine, assistant Janet, and Cliff in Sales,
Your support is much appreciated as is that of our early volunteers, Daniel, Mya, Louise, Branko, Will, our delivery team, and even I help a bit.
We had a great 2012 enabling us to financially assist the growth of the Mens Shed movement and in the creation of some employment in the West.
Our thanks go to our printer, BLS Printers in Laverton, without whom we may not have been as successful
Our recent survey of a group of readers indicated Around Point Cook is well read and appreciated by members of the community and with your help we will be able to continue this ‘Community Conversation. Your support of our advertisers is the key to our continuity.
Hi,
It has been lovely to have a new editor on the scene who has been involving herself in writing and managing content for the paper.
I have asked Jasmine to contribute to the Editor's column now as well so we will both get a few words to speak in relation to the current issue.
This month is quite slow with the content for the paper as many places were only just firing up after the Christmas and New Year break.
I hope that 2013 has started off on the right foot for everyone. I must admit that I am looking forward to the upcoming Airshow in Avalon!
Please remember to send in your stories and photos, or artwork or writing. We really do need to have community input to make this an effective voice locally.
Until next month. Dan.
I will now hand you over to Jasmine.
Hi there,
I hope you have had a good start to the New Year, and have been successful working towards your New Year resolution(s) if you made some. It's a real pleasure to be given this opportunity to serve the community, and to be able to work with the lovely team.
Entering February marks the romantic season for those who celebrate Valentine's Day. It does seem this special day is often over-commercialised. It’s not all about chocolate and roses.
In some countries like Finland and Canada, it is not just for lovers, it’s also for friends. As the poet said, a friendship that like love is warm; a love like friendship, steady. May Cupid shoot lots of his arrows around Point Cook this month.
On the other hand, Feb the 10th also kicks off the start of the year of the Snake in the Chinese calendar this year. For those who celebrate, we wish you a very happy and prosperous year, Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Jasmine
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construction challenges associated with the project in order to reduce costs.”
Mr Mulder said the East West Link would transform
the way people travelled around the city. “Our city is growing at a rapid rate and there is more demand for travel across the north of the city than our road network can manage,” Mr Mulder said.
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OPEN DAY AT HOBSONS BAY COMMUNITY WORKSHOP DAY
SATURDAY, 16TH FEBRUARY 2013, 10AM TO 4PM
The Hobsons Bay Community Workshop incorporates three separate entities, the Hobsons Bay Men’s Shed Inc, Williamstown Muscial Theatre Company Inc and Altona Theatre Company. We have the privilege of using the facilities at the site of the old EPA Testing Station in Queen Street Altona. Hobsons Bay City Council manages these facilities on behalf of the State Government and supports us in our endeavours to provide a ‘meeting place’ for the wider community.
Hobsons Bay Men’s Shed occupy a large area and
offer a wide variety of interests. The Shed can now boast over 170 members and growing at a steady rate.
Williamstown Musical Theatre Company uses the facilities for stage prop building, while the Altona Theatre Company conduct rehearsals and rehearsals.
Come along on Open Day and see for yourself what is on offer.
Mens Shed
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POINT COOK EVENING VIEW CLUB
What is it about? Point Cook Evening View Club formed in 2008 and now has many members,of all ages and stages of life.For over 50 years VIEW (Voice Interests and Education of Women)women have enjoyed getting together with friends, hearing an informative guest speaker and exchanging interesting ideas. View brings women together-women who live in over 400 metropolitan, regional, and rural communities. Nearly 20000 View women tap into a wide range of activities and outings each month, between monthly meetings. View has no religious or political affiliation. View women are just like you- they are working outside the home, or at home during the day. They have time to share, or little time to spare. Whichever applies to you, you’ll find a friendly welcome at VIEW.Who is your target audience? Women of all ages and stages of life.Many women joined VIEW to meet new people. Many
join to do good things. View women, as part of The Smith Family, are committed to providing educational opportunities for Australian children.Being a VIEW woman enables you to make new friends in a vast Australia wide Network roaden your horizons develop new skills try new things and develop new interests ravel with friends to events, conferences, and national convention have a lot of funInitial visit- We just ask for a $5 donation for supper, so you can see what it is all about, and if it interests you. After that it is a once off joining fee of$20 and an annual subscription of $15 Each meeting $5 donation. All funds raised go to The Smith FamilyEnrolment and contact details? (phone number and email is best)Catherine Cronin 2013 Club President [email protected] 0407 726 852
Meets on the First Wednesday of the Month at 7pm (7.30pm start)
Featherbrook Community Centre33-35 Windorah Drive, Point Cook 3030
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ROTARY CLUB OF LAVERTON POINT COOK
No one can say that Rotarians don‘t know how to have a good time. After a very busy year in 2012 Rotarians at the Rotary Club of Laverton Point Cook took time out over Christmas New Year to recharge their batteries and enjoy them in a Lawn Bowls Tournament with the Rotary Club of Wyndham. Both clubs fielded six teams each and there were lots of fun and laughs as both experienced and novice players participated in a spirit of friendship.
Up for grabs was a very impressive trophy donated by the Rotary club of Laverton Point Cook after being the inaugural winners of the trophy last year. However, Wyndham Rotary members went delirious with excitement when they took out the trophy this year.
Once again the Rotary club of Laverton Point Cook held its annual Australia Day Event at Seabrook Primary. Australia Day Ambassadorial Speaker Leigh Mathews (Victorian Young Australian of the Year in 2009) was a real hit and the Laverton Choir entertained the public with a beautiful
Max Coster and Chris Woods respective Rotary Club presidents with the Bowls trophy
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series of songs. Afterwards a free community breakfast was served.
To find out more about our club please go to www.rotarylpc.org.au or www.facebook.com/RotaryLPC. Come along and join us as Rotary provides fun, fulfilment and many opportunities for personal growth.
Rotarian Verena and Gordon enjoy the fun of lawn bowls
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“That a man can change himself….and master his own destiny is the conclusion of every mind who is wide awake to the power of the right thought.”
Christian D larson.
This is often the time that we assess what is it about our lives that is not working, what is not making us happy and what may be creating a restlessness within that just can`t be settled by a purchase, a beer or a smile. We often sit in a holding pattern of expectation, and hope and feel powerless to create, mould and design what it is we truly want. We are told as children that we shouldn`t “want” but be grateful for what we are given. As adults we tread the fine line between materialistic greed and spiritual and religious vacancy and feel despondency toward the day to day demands of life. New Year offers a time of reflection and dreaming. We spend more time with family and friends, more time communicating and connecting, more time laughing and enjoying what we have in the present.
We greet the New Year in with celebrations, parties and fireworks because we want to celebrate new possibilities, the birth of new dreams and the hope that all our friends and families will be safe and well for the coming year. Within days of this momentous occasion we tune into the news and hear about loss, violence, heartache and mans` unkindness to each other. Our dreams start to fade and become entwined with the day to day rituals of work and financial need. Then one day you ask yourself; how did I get here, why am I restless, overeating, drinking, and sad, flustered and on a short fuse? Why is the clock more important than me? And it may take another year before we once again reflect and reassess the importance of “I”; of me.
We may but it all down to stress, the umbrella of all things that make us feel small in this big, big world. Determining the origin of our stress can be a complex and difficult path, but it has value because
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS; WHAT POWER DO YOU
HAVE TO CHANGE?
Black&White
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you have value; because you are worth it. All those million, trillion tiny decisions, some so small you can`t remember, slowly became the definitions, descriptions and criticisms of your daily life. They formatted into sentences and paragraphs and were turned outwards creating a reality that became you.
It is possible to trust yourself. You know more than you think you do; more than anyone else knows about you. Henry Ford (1863-1947) once said; “Whether you think you can or think you can`t, either way you are right.” In the past you may have underestimated your brilliance, your absolute genius. Your ability to love, share, inspire and build castles and climb mountains. It is possible to achieve and do anything you truly want because you have no limits and no ceiling to your capabilities.
So, become more aware of the moments and the breath in between that parts them. Take a moment and sit still and focus on what motivates you, inspires you, and leaves your heart racing with joy and love. All you really have to do is be happy now, feel good now and choose whether you want to take it and use it. So Happy New Year to all; the freedom of choice is yours!
Mya Ashley
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VISIT HOME FOR A SCHOOL REUNION
I’ve made many trips home to the family farm since I moved to Australia but never returned to the district for a school reunion. A family tradition amongst the menfolk has evolved where first my father and then my brother (the eldest son) have been chairman of the Mayfield School reunion committees. There have been three reunions that I can recall - 75 years in 1962, the centennial in 1987 and in 2012, the school celebrated 125 years. The Mayfield district in the Ashburton county of New Zealand was first settled by farmers on runs from 1865-1878. (Runs - large blocks of rural land). The Mayfield School continues to provide schooling for families in the district despite changes in farming, transport and family size, while five schools in the district have closed in the past 25 years due to low enrolments.
What an interesting journey back in time. At the morning tea and registration I looked around and recognised faces from 50 years ago. Children that were in my classroom then, now resembled their
parents in looks. I left the school at standard six and went by bus to Ashburton High School, but I was meeting girls (now women) who were a class ahead of me but whom I had not met since they went off to boarding school in Timaru or Christchurch. Some of these girls had attended the Centennial celebration 25 years previously. It was heartening to recall that of the thirteen girls in the classroom photo of 1953, six were present at this school reunion. Several of the boys still lived in the district – two from farming families dating back to the 1880’s. Recollections from primary school days become hazy, but with a stroll around the grounds I discover the shelter shed where we had our lunches, the tennis court/ netball court still in place and the overgrown trees and shrubs on the school boundary where we climbed and played hide and seek, Cowboys and Indians during recess. During my years the school classes were divided into the “big room” and “little room” with about 25 pupils in each room. Found the building which is still in use and my young 7-year-old nephew now attends class in room 3 with the latest in technology to assist with lessons such as an eReader notebook. Since I was the first in my family to attend school, I was the only one who had to cross over the Hinds river bed on my way. I started school in the summer, aged 5.5 years old and would ride my bicycle 2.4km from the farm to school and often struggle against the nor’westers on my way home in the afternoon.
Sailor Ann (third row from the front, second from the right) and her classmates in 1953
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Sometimes the river flooded which then required a journey 4-5 times the distance to get to school by car, often taking the neighbour’s children with us. My father eventually bought another farm closer to the school about 1.7km away, an easy biking distance with no river crossings. The road my siblings and I used to ride on our bikes to school is now a major inland highway (route 72) and considered unsafe for primary school children to ride on bicycles, due to the volume of heavy transport trucks and tourist traffic.
This was my first visit back to school days, my brother organising the reunion encouraged me to attend. Some of the people I was meeting after several decades, had travelled with my siblings and me on the school bus to Ashburton when we moved onto secondary schooling. What I had forgotten and caught me by surprise was meeting face to face with an old boyfriend, well someone I went out with once. I can see now why my father disapproved of him as a date. On the other hand, I was looking forward to meeting up with a girl from a class above in primary school. Someone I had seen a couple of times in Christchurch and Perth over the years, and had exchanged Christmas cards with for years. Face to face we exchanged pleasantries but then became lost for words searching for something in common to chat about. Our mothers had been friends. It was close to 20 years since we last met and both our lives had changed even though we were both residing in Australia. The link our mothers provided no longer existed. No Christmas card from her this year. Every school has a student who does well and becomes famous. The open mike session offered past pupils the opportunity to “brag” about students who made a success of their adult life. One is a professor in animal genetics at the Edinburgh University in Scotland. Another at Canterbury University was instrumental in organising the student bucket and spade brigade to clean the liquefaction off the streets after the Christchurch earthquake. The open mike gave people a chance to talk about how school was
then compared to now. The oldest past student told stories of riding to school by horse with his sisters. Another recalled the school concert where the stage collapsed during proceedings. Concerts and annual school picnics and pet days continue however school sports have gone beyond rugby and netball, today they include korfball and skiing. There is a Kapa Haka group part of the Maori language and cultural studies, and a Drug Abuse Resistance Education course set up in 1996 as a special curriculum event with the police input which continues.
The teachers I remember from my school days can be seen in the photos taken at the school reunion in 1962, but only some of the younger teachers from that time were present on the day. We chat about my younger siblings who were in their charge, discuss the socio-cultural changes in education and life in general and reflect on the past. The school reunion was a journey back to the country roots and a respite from the urbanised hustle of city life now.
Ann Goodwin (aka Sailor Ann)
Sailor Ann (front row third from left) and her ex-school mates, 2012
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ROBBERY INCREASE IN POINT COOK?
Home burglaries seem to be on the increase in Point Cook with residents feeling vulnerable and unsure what further precautions are needed to ensure personal and property security.
Werribee Police are reportedly investigating a group of thieves targeting homes without alarms, with reported property damage, burglary and theft on the increase and car thefts and graffiti in the area on the rise.
Local sources say that residents in some areas have been door knocked by local police advising families to increase property protection by installing alarms and increasing vigilance of neighbourhoods. There also seems to be concern by many that hoons have free run of suburban streets with residents often woken in the middle of the night with drivers doing burnouts and racing around streets. Some residents live in constant fear that they will miss a corner and drive straight into their home.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au
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CAREERS ADVICEEnid Stein from CAREERSAdvice is a career professional who has worked as a secondary teacher for many years and trained as a Careers Practitioner. She is available to assist people wanting to make a career move, return to work and to secondary and tertiary students needing career direction.
Recently while in the United Kingdom Enid visited the Morrisby Organisation and had the opportunity to see and learn first hand the application and intricacies of the Morrisby Report vocational testing. This quality Careers and Employment tool is a leader in the UK. Clients of CAREERSAdvice will know that Enid has already brought this product to individuals and schools in the Western Suburbs. She looks forward to making this test accessible to many more people at a time where making good choices for future study, career changes and career advancement is becoming more and more difficult.
Enid can be contacted on 0413512617 and at www.careersadvice.com.au
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Dust f lew up all around us, tinting the once emerald sky into an angry, hideous shade of burgundy. I knew these roads. These pathways lead straight back to the center of hell, my hellish youth. Yet, a sense of calm came over me. My father perished recently and the paper he scrawled on in his very last days gave me the house, the car, and everything else in his possession. The old coot had no sense of what was what anymore and the relationship we contained just before his demise was unfavourable to say the least.
Nevertheless, my wife and I decided to make the long, arduous journey up into the cascading mountains where my parents had an acreage. Whatever compelled them to get a place up here where the wind and atmosphere constricted you like a snake was now lost in time. Even when I was young, I still didn’t understand it. The all day drives into town didn’t help either. My wife, Linda, stretched her feet out and complained of how cold it was.
“Are we almost there?” She groaned, clearly worn. Being a husband and father still took its toll on me since I got married last year. She took me by surprise at a Christmas party five years ago and about four months ago (Just after my father died), we got married. Of course, father didn’t approve of me marrying some common girl but I didn’t care. She was beautiful, inside and out.
“We’re going up the drive right now.” I smiled. Even though it was October the sun still was out but up here on top of the world, the chill ripped through unprotected layers of skin. Linda foolishly donned a T-shirt and jeans since she wasn’t meeting anyone. The estate came and removed my father’s corpse, still stiff and repugnant from his passing. The car hit a small patch of gravel and jerked to the right.
“What was that?” Linda looked at me, terrified.
“Gravel.” I grinned.
Soon we made our way up the drive intact with the tires finding some purchase on the ground. They recently hired a landscaper to take care of the place but as soon as the money ran out the young fellow (Ronaldo, I think) decided he wasn’t going to be very charitable. Therefore, the place had fallen into a bit of disrepair but otherwise still looked presentable. Understandable since my father was in his seventies.
I parked the car and got out, nearly sliding on gravel while Linda nearly took a dive. We were here
to officially remove some items from the premises. Linda was going to drive the old Valiant back with more stuff in that car. To be honest I didn’t see much that I would want.
“We could see some of it at an auction or something, make some money.” She suggested.
The lawyer that my father dealt with gave me the key about a week ago and said go anytime. The problem is that the house was about 800 miles from where I live so popping in for a couple days didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“Peter, I’m not staying in this house overnight.” My wife decided.
“Go check the gas in the car, please.” I gave her the key. She took it and headed back to our vehicle.
“Not that one, the Valiant in the back.” She made a face like a little kid and went to the back.
The lock was surprisingly easy to open but the door needed a bit of oil on the ol’ hinges. More dust settled
TRAILSShort Story by Christian Bewell
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in my nasal passages and eyes, momentarily blinding me and causing me to cough ferociously. Ronaldo sure didn’t do much to the inside.
The main room was just as I remembered it; Faint doilies, books on just about every subject stashed in a cupboard in the back of the parlour, the smells of mothballs f loating in the air. I suddenly felt sick with nostalgia. This place was my home for years.
My father had a fondness for the strap. If the slightest thing set him off, all my brothers and sisters would get the strap. At school I would make up elaborate stories in order to fool the teachers.
He also drank heavily. My mother explained it was to “keep the kids happy”. I didn’t know what she actually meant by this nor did she clarify.
I removed a couple books from the table and discovered my baby book, still bound in leather and containing an inscription.
MY SWEET BOY, LOVE MOMMY
I realized my face was wet as the fat tears rolled down.
I knew why I came here.
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VASILI’S WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH
Bird Netting
To apply netting over grape vines, vegetable and flower crops and even fish farms, build a flat canopy over the entire area using round steel poles and wire across the top to hold the netting up.
If steel isn’t your choice of material then build it out of timber, but remember to sand out any splinters in the wood and leave no extruding nail heads as this will only cause the netting to snag and rip.
Good quality netting can last up to 10-15 years and the frames up to 50-60 years, and very little maintenance is required, except in cases of severe storm or hail, which can cause some minor damage.
Watering
Bottomless pots allow water to be directed to the roots of plants. They encourage minimal water loss,
enabling water levels to remain constant for long periods of time.
• Dig a hole approximately 300mm to 400mm deep in prepared soil.
• Place the seedling in the hole and cover the root ball with soil.
• Sink the bottomless pot in the ground over the plant and compact the soil up to the rim of the pot.
• One litre of water will last at least three days in summer. In winter you will only need to water plants every three to four weeks.
• Apply light organic matter to the plant but make sure it is not in direct contact with the seedling or stem.
Point Cook Gardens
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Compost
A “must do and have” in every garden, making your own compost is the beginning to establishing long and successful garden. Recycling all your green waste and kitchen scraps, along with some paper and cardboard and add it to your compost. You can buy a compost bin or you can build your own.
Pick a location in the garden where the excess moisture from the compost is able to drain away into the soil.
Start your compost by layering the different mediums that you are going to place in you compost heap.
Start with a layer of composted soil at the base, then some green waste, add some kitchen scraps then shredded paper or cardboard then cover over with some more composted soil.
Allow it to start breaking down over the next 2 to 3 weeks occasionally turning it over using a garden fork.
Snails
Snails can be quite destructive in a garden, these slimy slithering creatures that seem to move too slowly to worry about can quite easily devour your plants before your eyes.
Instead of snail pellets, sprinkle broken egg shells around the plants, or apply coconut coir around the plants; this too makes it difficult for the snails to travel over as the tiny fibres from the coir stick to the snail, which they hate.
Use barriers like chicken wire around the plants, the holes are too small for the snails to get through and they will never be able to crawl over the wire.
Place small amounts of beer in a saucer and position flat on the surface near the plants. Snails love to
drink and when they have a taste of this they’ll be in beer heaven.
Vasili’s Garden & Café
21-25 Munro St, Coburg
Ph: (03) 9386 0491 or 1300 627 374 (7 days a week 8am-5pm)
Café/ Restaurant: (03) 9948 4056 (Café 8am-4pm)
Email: [email protected]
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POINT COOK SENIORS SOCIAL
GROUP
(Still in formation)Fridays 1.00pm – 3.00pm
Point Cook Community Centre, Point Cook.
For all tentative inquiries, Please contact Bev on
9395 1953
COFFEE & SENIORS GROUPEvery 2nd Friday 10.00-1.00am at the Coffee Club, Point Cook Town Centre
CHAT, COFFEE AND CRAFT GROUPA social and interactive
group of women who share craft skills,
conversation and laughter.
Thursday 1.00-3.00pm Contact Bev on 9395 1953
Point Cook Market3rd March 9am – 2pm
Catch THE COLOUR of the Point Cook Market held at the Jamieson Way
Community CentreNEW STALLHOLDERS WELCOME
59 Jamieson Way Point Cook 3030Tel: 9395 3777 Fax: 9395 7791
Mob: 0432 213 306 Website: www.jamiesonwaycc.org.au
Community Board
LAVERTON COMMUNITY CHOIR
The Laverton Community Choir invites you to attend a rehearsal as a guest
before you decide if you would like to join.
Experienced conductor, different and fun musical arrangements. No experience is
necessary just a love of singing. The choir rehearses every Thursday 7pm
– 9pm at P-12 College, Bladin Street, Laverton.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRE
INFORMATION ADVICE
AND
REFERRAL SERVICE
MONDAY TO FRIDAY 10AM – 3PM
LEGAL SERVICE
THURSDAY FORTNIGHTLY
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
PHONE NO: 9398 5207
JAMIESON WAY COMMUNITY CENTRE
Photography classes,
Sewing classes,
Karate, Bollytone, Playgroup, Scouts,
Cookie Kids 3+ Activity group, Tai Chi,
French/English conversation group, drawing classes,
Camera Club, Footy Tackers, Yoga, Learningland, Martial
Arts, Performing arts,
Kindy dance, card making workshops and more.
Contact 9395 3777 email: [email protected]
www.jamiesonwaycc.org.au
What’s on at the Centre
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TAI CHI
FREE CLASSES
Jamieson Way
Community Centre
Every Thurs:
3.00-4.00pm
POINT COOK
WRITERS CLUB
Are you a solitary writer who would like
to meet likeminded people to share your
work with?
We live in Point Cook and have set up a
small and informal writing group.
We’re always looking for new members
to join us. Open to writers of all levels
and styles, we meet on Saturdays
(fortnightly or monthly) to read our
work and share ideas.
Contact us at PointCookWriters@gmail.
com or Karen on 0415273887
Learn to Fly at Point Cook Flying Club
Phone 9395 1735www.pointcook.org
Help support you local community
group and join as a member at
www.pointcookactiongroup.org.au
Community Board
FOR SALE carpet tiles, 20sq meters
***Emmanuel College boys uniform
***corner spa indoor plus motor
$200 as new***
Mackillop girls uniform for sale size 10
call Louise on 0403 191 084
Point Cook Tennis ClubPlay competition for the club. Get coaching at the club from world class experienced professionals.
Become a member. All welcome!
Please contact [email protected]
or 0404 017 291
WALKING GROUP
Women and Men of all Ages Welcome.
• Discover Point Cook
• Meet New Friends
• Keep Fit and Healthy
• Friendly and Relaxed
Mon, Tues & Wed at 9.00am
Leaving from Point Cook Town Centre at the Dry
Cleaners- Coles Precinct.
Thurs & Fri at 9.00am
Leaving Jamieson Way Community Centre,
59 Jamieson Way, Point Cook.
ALTONA U3AWe area located at the Senior Citizens Centre in Sargood Street, Altona
We would be very happy to welcome you as a new member.U3A means a Community of people sharing
knowledge in the 3rd part of their lives. It is for all active, retired people.
Our activities are varied and new ideas are welcome – perhaps you have a skill to share
with? We also have social outings and are a happy, supportive group.All for a low cost.The office is open Mon-Fri 10am - 12.30pm. Ph: 9398 1346 or email [email protected].
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JAMIESON WAY COMMUNITY CENTRE
Point Cook MarketNext market day is the 3rd March 9am – 2pmIt is the annual ‘Create a Cake’ competitionLooking for all the local creative people out there who would like to enter the competition!Last year was a fabulous day for all and we can’t wait for this one!Contact the Jamieson Way Community Centre for more informationAlso looking for new stallholdersNew goods only – stalls inside, outside, and marquee sites available.Ph: [email protected] us on Facebook
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Looking for local groups or people for the Point Cook MarketIs there a Community Group/Singing/Performing/Sports group out there within the Community that would like to have a display at the Point Cook Market?Is there someone who is a talented singer/song writer/in a band in the Community Centre who would like to perform at the Market?Great opportunity to practice performing/getting your name out there…We would love to hear from you, so drop us a line or call in and have a chat.Ph: [email protected] us on Facebook
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What’s on at the Jamieson Way Community Centre for 2013!
We are planning some fun and exciting programs for 2013 which include; • French Tutoring classes for children and adults• Self-defence workshops for girls and women of all ages - this will be held by a qualified female karate expert and will be at a very small cost• Sewing classes for beginners• Fun with Photography – Digital photography made easy for beginners• Create a Cake Competition at our Point Cook Market in March – this is now an annual event• Our Cookie Kids 3+ Activity program – enrolments are open for 2013• Jamieson Way Jotters – creative writing group – free• Tai Chi for Seniors – free• Jamieson Way Camera Club We would love to hear from the community to let us know what they would like to see at the centre – give us a call or drop in and have a chat
Contact details9395 377759 Jamieson Way Point [email protected] us on Facebook
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FEBRUARY READING Hello Mya,
I have lived in Melbourne for 2 years and I am confused about what to choose as my life direction and career. I feel I have had so many blocks in discovering what would be a rewarding and free flowing career for me. I've studied classical music, graphic design, art, psychology and counselling, yet for some reason, I'm unable to find employment. Maybe the universe doesn’t support my choices, hence the blockage? Do I need to change fields, so I can settle down and have earthly assets like a normal 33 year old?
I've also grappled with a sense of deep sadness and feel I am living in the past. How can I live a fulfilled life and become the graceful, kind, successful and sophisticated woman I know I'm meant to be? Thank you so much for your time Mya. I look forward to your response, and also to meeting you in person sometime in the near future.
Nicole
Hello Nicole,
Well Nicole, I feel that you are not finding external employment because you are meant to work for yourself. You have a wonderful capacity for compassion and a deep understanding of the impact emotions play on the logical brain.
Working from home or from a rented room close to where you live would be the perfect fit for you with flexibility of your work day being the highest priority.
You seem to be constantly looking over your shoulder. I see fear attached to this and a sense that you may be hiding from something; (a fear or a secret), or someone. There may be or have been recent involvement from an authoritive department. This situation is almost over with February bringing a much more peaceful and settled time.
Your child’s vocabulary is about to explode with constant chatter and he will feel a need to express himself enthusiastically and often, even when eating! Your child goes through times of high activity followed by periods of lethargy and in his quieter times, he has a need to be cuddled and held by you constantly.
His interest in food also fluctuates as he says that sometimes when you feed him, you seem uninterested. He says that you are often tired and unmotivated but he loves it when you read to him. He will grow up to be a physically tall and strong young man who has a natural gift with numbers and science. He will be completely fascinated by the stars and the universe and if he doesn’t have one already, would love a lamp that rotates and projects images of stars and the moon around the room at night. He loves playing outside and can’t wait to master the art of riding a tricycle or bike.
He seems to be a restless sleeper, so if you choose to, you could sprinkle a small amount of natural lavender oil within or just outside his door. He doesn’t like the door shut at night as he loves to hear
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the “big people” chatter. He loves his grandparent so much as they always smile and this makes him smile too. They are full of cuddles, kindness and love and do their best to look after you and your son; as much as you allow them to! They worry about you; however they have enormous faith in you to succeed for yourself and your family and to find fulfilment and peace once again.
You have an incredible bond with your child so don’t feel afraid to live life on your own terms. He is more than capable of adjusting to new routines and he does love a schedule. He only feels unsettled when you express doubt and uncertainty about who you are and what you want to achieve. He says you seem to worry the most around 5:00pm!
Your belief system has been dented, but can be adjusted back to the confident, smiling and gentle person you truly are. You seem to not value your current achievements but really, you have more than enough skill and experience to create financial independence within the next three years. However you struggle with motivation and lethargy often and are a restless sleeper, dreaming constantly of faraway places. Aladdin’s magic carpet appeals to your spirit of adventure, excitement, colour and the freedom to go where ever you please. It is also a great analogy of good winning over evil. You have a strong belief that all who harm must be brought to justice.
If your son is not in some form of child care, seek it out for him as he will really enjoy the structure and company of other people his own age. He says he can’t wait. This would also give you some time to reconnect back to yourself and find a little peace in an otherwise hectic day.
I feel that you have or do sing around the house. A local choir group would love to have you, as I feel that at times you isolate yourself from the world.
There is nothing wrong with you! You have been in a settling pattern of re-establishment and finding “home”. Sometimes I feel you wish you were far away from where you are now. Such confusion within! Time to yourself would really help you breath and reconnect with the thoughts, dreams and ambitions you once easily pictured and I see further study in a few years time as with great enthusiasm, you seek to be the best you can be in your chosen field.
Work wise, It seems to be some kind of therapeutic counselling with enfaces on trauma. Singing will also be used in your sessions as well as art, musical instruments, painting and toys, in form of role play. You will work with families, children and adults, and even though this is draining at times, your passion to create light for those that do not see it, spurs you on.
Your warmth, kindness and compassion are limitless. They have not left you, just as your smile is soon to return and naturally beam outwards toward the world again. Have faith, believe in yourself. Your path becomes so clear for you around
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March this year and so begins an incredible journey. May, June and July bring an increase of finance, with a trip to stay with a friend bringing comfort around August, September.
Nicole, these are the cards chosen for you.
Using your learnt and natural skill base is paramount to you finding fulfilment and peace within. As this card suggests, you have a natural ability to give great advice as you have a deep grasp of human nature and the ability to see right to the heart of the matter. You have a high level of compassion, the ability to keep calm in a crisis and respond appropriately to others emotional needs with clarity. You are a natural healer/ therapist with a broad view on what makes other people tick. You see every person as an unique individual and work on that basis to support growth in others.
At present you are withdrawing from involvement in the world, being passive and waiting patiently for a sign to send you in the “right” direction. Use your intuition andseek guidance from within. Understand that your answers were actually written in your question! This is the time to breathe and take the time to understand what fulfils you and in doing so, you will begin to reconnect with yourself. Begin to define what makes you happy and at peace. I ask you to look beyond the obvious when it comes to work opportunities and know that you have absolute ability to create your own unique career path.
This card suggests that you have not given up faith in achieving your goals and that even though it seems tough now; you truly believe that all will be well. Understand that the light can only be appreciated after darkness and this period of uncertainty and inaction will slowly and gently leave you and your confidence will return. A suggestion will be made to you in the next few months that will place a new idea within. Within days you will feel motivated to follow this career lead and what a wonderful and unexpected result you will find! Something, that until that moment, you could never have envisioned. Walk calmly and slowly at present. Take good care of your health and mental state. Eat well, sleep well and find some peace in the moments of the day. This is the time to pace yourself. New beginnings are on the way on 2013.
Blessings; Mya
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A WORD FROM JILL HENNESSY MP.Investing in education is one of the best investments that a government can make.Supporting a high quality education system involves funding capital works to build and maintain schools. Paying teachers properly to ensure that schools can attract and retain high quality staff is also important. Schools also need sufficient funding to be able to provide the sort of support children with different learning needs may have. Many parents are under such financial pressure that transferring the costs of school activities to parents can result in some children missing out. We need to ensure that all local students get access to a decent school and all of the support they need to learn and stay engaged in the education system.That is why I have been advocating against the State Government's cuts to the education system. Over half a billion dollars has been cut from the State education budget. These cuts will affect schools and families in different ways. They will particularly hurt local families who are already financially struggling as well as students who need extra support at school. The cuts include:- Abolishing the school start bonus for kids starting prep and year seven that helped offset the cost of uniforms and textbooks;- Abolishing education maintenance allowances paid to schools which helped ensure that kids from low income families didn't miss out on things like excursions and textbooks;
- Abolishing the young readers' program;- Cutting funding for reading recovery tutors and expecting schools to find the money to pay for this;- Funding for literacy and numeracy coaches has been affected; and- The Free Fruit Friday Program has also been abolished.These cuts come on top of the State Government abolishing funding for VCAL co-ordinators.The $300 million cuts to our TAFE system also mean that some students will not be able to continue their education and take up important training to maximise their chances of getting a decent job.These cuts will not only corrode our local education system. These cuts may mean that some children and young people will fall through the cracks that are being created in our education system. It's our job to try and make sure that every young person gets the opportunity to be the best they can be. Governments should be on their side. These cuts are wrong. Thats why I'll keep telling Mr Baillieu that our local community wants an education system that is properly funded and supports all children. But I need your help in standing up on this issue. Please support our campaign calling on the Baillieu Government to implement no more cuts to education. Visit my website www.jillhennessy.com.au or baillieusnotworking.com.au to sign our statewide petition.
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ASSET OWNERSHIPDeciding how an asset is owned is just as important as deciding which asset to buy, but quite often does not get due consideration.
• Should the asset be owned by one individual or jointly? If it is individually which individual should own the investment, the high income earner, or the one that pays less tax?
• Should they be owned as joint tenants or tenants in common?
• Should you own assets directly, or in a structure such as a trust, company or superannuation fund? Ownership structures can provide access to benefits that may be appealing to certain groups of people.
Certain structures could provide benefits you may not otherwise qualify for. You need to consider:
• What are the tax outcomes?
• Does the structure offer asset protection benefits?
• What are the estate planning outcomes? Understanding what happens to your assets if you die is extremely important too.
Sole Ownership
Sole ownership is where you own the asset in your own name. The most common example would be a bank account. Even though you may have a joint bank account with your spouse, it is likely that you also have a bank account in your personal name. The advantage of sole ownership is that it is very clear who owns the investment, i.e. you. Any income earned is taxed in your personal name, as such it
may be beneficial to hold investment assets in the name of the spouse with the lower taxable income to minimise the tax paid. Solely owned assets need to be dealt with via a Will, they will not automatically pass to another person upon your death.
Joint Assets (Non-Estate Assets)
Joint assets are those that you own jointly with another person or entity, and you each own an equal share of the asset. The most common examples of joint assets are a house purchased by a husband and wife, or a jointly held bank account. Assets jointly owned are not considered assets of an individual’s estate and cannot be disposed of via a Will. Upon the death of one owner, the asset generally passes automatically to the surviving owner.
Going back to the example of a husband and wife jointly owning their home, on the death of the husband the wife will automatically be the owner of the entire house. This will occur even if the husbands Will left his share to their children. Joint tenancy overrides a person’s Will.
Tenants-in-Common Assets (Estate Assets)
A tenancy-in-common exists where two or more persons share possession of an asset. They do not have to hold the asset in equal portions, for example you could purchase a property with a friend and you own 60% while they own 40%. When one owner dies, there is no automatic transfer of that share to the other owner(s).
Assets held under a tenancy-in-common are
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considered assets of an individual’s estate. Upon death of an owner under a tenancy-in common arrangement, the deceased’s portion of the asset is treated as a separate asset for CGT purposes. This means it is very important to ensure that you include assets held as Tenants-in-Common in your Will.
Other Options
Other options include ownership of Assets by Companies, Superannuation Funds, or a Family Trust, and these options require specialised advice to ensure they are appropriate and structured correctly.
Please contact Melinda Houghton at the office of Houghton Strategic Solutions on 9394 6344 if you would like to receive further information on Asset Ownership strategies that may assist you to make the most of your Assets and minimise risks, whilst maximising your overall financial position.
Melinda Houghton
Authorised Representative (No. 290343) of Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited
Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited | ABN 13 091 225 642 AFSL No 239183
This information may be regarded as general advice. That is, your personal objectives, needs or financial situations were not taken into account when preparing this information. Accordingly, you should consider the appropriateness of any general advice we have given you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs before acting on it. Where the information relates to a particular financial product, you should obtain and consider the relevant product disclosure statement before making any decision to purchase that financial product.
KEEPING CYBER SAFEThe internet offers fantastic educational, social and business opportunities for all Australians. From communicating with family and friends to keeping up with the latest news, the internet has changed the way we live our lives.
But for all its opportunities, the internet also provides great challenges. Teaching our kids about being safe in the online world is one of them.
The new bCyberwise learning module, developed by Life Education and McAfee, will help. By visiting local primary schools, this program will give students in Grade 3 and 4 the opportunity to enhance the knowledge and skills they need to be safe.
With more than 600,000 students in 3,500 schools benefiting from this program, the module is a practical and engaging way for our kids to learn about the opportunities and risks of the cyber world.
It is an initiative which will assist the broader work my government is doing to ensure all Australians stay safe online.
Last month, I announced guidelines which commit
companies like Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft to work with government to combat cyberbulling and online harrassment.
This protocol will ensure that complaints are handled promptly and in accordance with abuse policies, so that no Australians using these sites feel unsafe.
Our Cybersafety Help Button is another online resource which provides internet users, particularly children and young people, with easy access to cybersafety information.
Providing help and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the button assists users in dealing with issues like cyberbullying, unwanted contact, scams or inappropriate material.
For more information or to download the Cybersafety Help Button free of charge, visit www.dbcde.gov.au/helpbutton.
Prime Minister and Federal Member for Lalor2/36 Synnot Street, Werribee 3030
Ph: 9742 5800
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1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
* * *
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
* * *
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
* * *
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
A QUIZ FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW
EVERYTHING
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5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
* * *
6. Only three words in Standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.
* * *
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?
* * *
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
* * *
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S'.
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1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.
***
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward: Niagara Falls. (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)
***
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.
***
5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear
ANSWERS TO QUIZ:
From Page 30
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buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
***
6. Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle...
***
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
***
8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.
***
9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.
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Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have
remained a virgin..'
- Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
<><>
I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not
pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed,
but fine against a wall.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt
<><>
Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to
withdraw that statement..
- Mark Twain
<><>
The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the
two as close together as possible
- George Burns
<><>
Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.
- Victor Borge
<><>
Be careful about reading health books.
You may die of a misprint.
- Mark Twain
Famous Quotes
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Laugh Out Loud
A Joke a Day Keeps the Gloom Away
Lady: Do you drink?Man: Yes.Lady: How much a day?Man: Three 6 packs.Lady: How much per 6 pack?Man: About $10.00.Lady: And how long have you been drinking?Man: 15 years.Lady: So one 6 pack costs $10.00, and you have 3 packs a day which puts your spending each month at $900. In one year, it would be $10,800 correct?Man: Correct.Lady: If in 1 year you spend $10,800 not accounting for inflation, the past 15 years puts your spending at $162,000 correct?Man: Correct.
Lady: Do you know that if you hadn't drank, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 15 years, you could have now bought a Ferrari?Man: Do you drink?Lady: No.Man: So where's your Ferrari then?
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Is your Digital Native preparing for their first year at school, iPad in hand?
Digital Natives are those who have grown up with technology at their fingertips. I’ve met toddlers who can barely string a sentence together but can expertly navigate YouTube on any computer, tablet or smartphone to find their favourite videos! This generation won’t have known a time before mobile phones, internet enabled televisions and social media.
Australian Cyber Safety and Parenting expert Nigel Lane has some practical tips for parents navigating the technological and social generational divide:• Establish clear rules around online activity and use of technology.• Teach your children about online stranger-danger.• Have children ‘hand-in’ their technological devices at set times each evening (no taking iPads to bed!)• Restrict internet access in your home to times where you can actively supervise online activity; and• Talk to your children about issues such as cyberbullying and sexting, including what they should do if they feel uncomfortable with any online or technological interaction.
And for those of us who can remember a time before the World-Wide-Web and iEverything:
Nicole Matejic @socialmediamons
@SOCIALMEDIAMONS: YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL
MEDIA CONVERSATION
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OPSIMATH
This is the happy story of Henry,One of those late-blooming autodidacts,Prime example of opsimathy:About his success folks, these are the facts.
Henry, at school, was no good at Math;He had no head for Geometry;But at eighty, as an opsimath,He is a whiz at Trigonometry.
He started studying Maths at sixty,And found Calculus just a snack;He gobbled up Quantum and String Theory;By age seventy, no going back.
He studied Maths and Physics by day;To his bright future, Science was key;But needing a “violon d’Ingrès”,He filled his evenings with Prosody.
As a lad, Henry hated Poetry,But was top of wood-working class;His vocation would be Carpentry:As a builder, he made lots of brass.
Trochee and spondee a mystery,As was the verse called alexandrine;The former sounded like Chinese cookery;The latter like exotic fine wine.
Shakespeare’s plays, Henry would curse;English Lit. classes, he used to dread;Iambic pentameter; rhymeless free verse;A meter was what the gasman read.
Well he’s just got his Master’s DegreeFor a thesis on Mathematics;He has published an anthology;For a musical, he’s written the lyrics.
Composing odes, he finds easy as pie;And sonnets just roll off his tongue;His elegies bring tears to the eye;Much of his verse is designed to be sung.
Some say he could win the Nobel PrizeFor Mathematics or for Physics;And a literary award would not surprise;His current main interest is Optics.
Jack Nystrom,Wednesday, 16 January, 2013.
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Calling on Point Cook Schools and Parents to share photos, art, stories, writing for this page.
Email your contributions to [email protected] or post to the PO Box 1145 Altona Meadows 3028
Point Cook Kids
Hidden Proverb
Unscramble the animals
Please redistribute rather than discard.