Welcome to the May 2012 issue of The Village Journal online

Queen of the Night blooms for Mothers' Day   photo by Alex Wilson

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News

 

Rosebank's Growth Strategy By Sharon McGrigor Lismore City Council is currently revising its Housing Strategy and will be shortly revising its Growth Strategy. The latter will be of importance for rural areas and we can have a say. The last time the Rosebank Community was asked about its future was some 20 odd years ago and the outcome was to maintain agricultural significance. Since then legislative loopholes have opened up a can of worms for prospective developers. At RCI's last meeting it was decided that a survey would be investigated and put together. The hope being that this survey would be published in the VJ as a centre pull-out. The results could then be published in the VJ and the survey results sent to Council, thus giving us a true and transparent account of the wishes of the community of Rosebank in regard to our future growth needs. RCI will be discussing the formatting of this survey in greater detail at its next meeting, so if you want to have a say, please come along. So what will this survey mean for the Hamlet of Rosebank? Results will give Council an idea as to our major concerns with regard to future growth in our area. A survey could address such issues as whether we want rural subdivisions, detached housing, commercial developments, multiple occupancies (rural landsharing communities), large and small scale development, motels, eco-retreats, rural tourist facilities, more traffic, etc OR whether we wish to remain as we are? If you are in favour of growth then it is best guided by the wishes of us all as a Community. Add hoc development only creates division and squabbles. When considering Rosebank's growth it is of major importance to consider your neighbours as well. For example, would you want a large development going in next to you? Do you know what can be built next to you? As this is quite a controversial topic, please discuss the above issues with your family, neighbours, community and landowners in your street, so that a good result can be achieved for the future growth of Rosebank. Your input is valuable and appreciated.

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The NSW Organic Pioneer Award The NSW organic industry in conjunction with NSW Department of Primary Industries presents the NSW Organic Pioneer Award. The award highlights the achievements of those in the organic industry that have shown innovation and who are actively practicing and promoting the principles and benefits of organic food and farming systems and the award is supported by many key organic organisations. The winner of the Award will receive a travel bursary to the value of $6,000 to investigate organic enterprises or research facilities of their choosing. Nominations may be submitted by a 3rd party or through self nomination. Nominations for the Award close on Friday June 1, 2012. A range of sponsorship opportunities are also available for the 2012 Award. To obtain Award criteria and nomination forms as well as more information on the NSW Organic Pioneer Award go to: www.organicpioneers.com.au or contact: Robyn Neeson, NSW DPI (02) 6951 2735; Mobile: 0427 401462; Email: robyn.neeson@dpi.nsw.gov.au

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It was a case of spot the musical legend at the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Rosebank’s Vince Lovegrove, held in Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall on 27 April.
Zenith Virago led a warm and moving ceremony for Vince, who sadly passed away on 24 March.  Family and friends brought and wore a colourful array of flowers and hats as a tribute to Vince.  Jimmy Barnes'  penetrating voice filled the hall, as he sang "Forever Young" for his old friend. Glenn Shorrock, Brian Cadd, and many others from the music industry also paid their respects. Farewell Vince. You will be greatly missed.

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The Power of the Pen By Airdre Grant This is true story about the power of the pen. I was standing in The Book Warehouse in Lismore looking at books. I wanted something to read. Something engrossing. The woman next to me had the same look on her face. I pointed to the book Jasper Jones, by Craig Silvey and said “That is a wonderful book. Fabulous.”  She pointed to another book. “Get this,” she said, “you won’t regret it.” We both looked at the books quizzically. “Tell you what, “she said, “I will buy that one if you get the other.”  We smiled. We bought the books. And now I have to thank the unknown woman in the bookstore, as it was a wonderful book. A marvellous book. A truly impressive book. It is called, Well Done, Those Men, by Barry Heard.  It’s a memoir by an Australian Vietnam Veteran. Now this is not a new story. There are lots of books written about the Vietnam War - or the American War as the Vietnamese call it.  One of the most memorable, to my mind is the book Dispatches, by Michael Herr. But this book, it’s really got something. This is the story of a shy country boy from Victoria who gets conscripted at 19, goes to fight  in Vietnam, has horrible time, comes back to Australia an emotionally shattered, closed down man, is treated unsympathetically by the anti-war mood in Australia. Suffers. Takes years to recover.  As I said, we know this story. What makes this book so compelling is the way it is written. There are no literary embellishments, no journalistic flourishes, and no earnest philosophical inquiry into the nature of war. It’s simply his story, told in a raw, clear, unvarnished way. And the honesty makes it heartbreaking and compelling reading. This is the story of what Heard calls “an historic account of a soiled era that few people understood”.  I kept reading and reading till I had finished. And then I sat and thought for a while. And then I ordered two more copies to give to friends of mine. No wonder it’s in its 7th edition.  The afterword tells of the word of mouth groundswell of popularity of the book that has brought it into places like school curricula and university reference lists. Heard gives talks too, in schools and has been interviewed on the ABC. At a time when Australia is struggling to understand the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan a book like this is even more relevant.  The recent moving Anzac Day ceremonies serve only to remind us of the absolute folly of war. This book is an important, I would say vital, read for anyone wanting to understand how dangerous and damaging war is, on so many levels and for so many years after the actual fight and the political points have been scored. This book should be compulsory reading in schools and for politicians. The powerful honesty of the account might have some impact on those who are involved in those terrible decisions that see young men and women sent to war zones and come home irrevocably changed. Read it.  Well Done, Those men, Barry Heard - published by Scribe.

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Working Bee at Repentance Creek Hall Saturday May 26th from 10.30am. Free BBQ to follow.

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Federal Church Fundraising The beehive of activity continues for Save the Heart of the Village in Federal. Our book fair was a huge success and thank you to all those people who came and selected their reading for the next twelve months. We met so many new people all keen to see that the church stays in the community. We have had a wonderful response to the morning tea with Belinda Jeffrey. We are so fortunate to have so many talented people in our region, from cooking, arts, music, theatre and the list goes on. These local icons have generously given their time to help us in this campaign. However it is an enormous struggle. We have raised around $90000 to date, but still need $120000. We have a corporate package together and we are now asking business to consider supporting us. We have charity status, which enables business to offer sponsorship. The big event to put on your calendar is the Fiesta Weekend. This will be held over two days on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May. Saturday night join us for The Club Fiesta at the Federal Hall. This is a Black Tie affair, with cocktails, canapés, licensed bar live music dancing and Art Auction. It’s $60 a ticket, and not to be missed. The Editors will provide entertainment with Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Miles Davis, plus The Veralucions, a jazz trio with traditional South American music. Sunday is the Fiesta Fun Day. This will be a special day to celebrate the history of the church, as well as our local history. It will be a magical day full of fun for everyone with lots of activities, stalls, auctions and good food. Scrap Metal Drive For The Heart of The Village We have been able to negotiate a great outcome with Sims Metal to collect and pay for our scrap metal. A community in Mountain Lagoon raised $40000 for their fire service over several months via this avenue. This project has unlimited potential if all of us clear out our scrap metal and drop it off. The Fire Brigade at Federal is generously allowing us to drop off our scrap at the Fire Shed in Lizray Road. Sims will deliver a semi-trailer sized skip for us to fill. We can deposit any scrap metal, cars, washing machines old fence posts, steel building material, anything metal. We envisage running it for one month only from May 2nd to June 2nd. Don’t put it off, act as soon as possible. From little things big things grow, and this is a win win for us all Clear out your rubbish and we’ll all have a windfall at the end, with a cheque for the church fund. It is important that metal is placed in the skip. It is imperative that we do not obstruct access to the Fire Shed. Keep it as tidy as scrap metal can be and let’s see how many skips we can fill! More information: Rhonda 6688 4217 bintuone@gmail.com

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CSG Meeting at Dorroughby Hall By Helen White The meeting, organised by George and Georgina Whaley of Dorroughby, was held at Dorroughby Hall on Sat 28th April and was supported by Annie Kia. The aim was to continue the fight against coal seam gas mining, using the same successful model of The Channon, to lock up our roads and communities to the miners. About 50 people attended, on a particularly wet afternoon, from all around the area.  This process also has great social value, as many people get to meet each other for the first time.  Local geologist, Peter Toedter, gave a very informative talk on the process of extracting the gas and the damage caused.  Some people from Numulgi were particularly fearful of this devastating csg process, as it could now soon be happening in their backyard. We viewed the wonderful short film (available on youtube) on the success of the Channon campaign, as well as a snippet of the film being delivered to all households throughout our communities about the real cost to our planet of this dreadful process.   Volunteers readily agreed to be co-ordinators of their roads to handout the DVD and survey forms to each household, and those people will meet up at Dorroughby Hall next Saturday to collate the findings.

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Whian Whian Community Hall presents ‘A Variety Show’ A night of fabulous fun & entertainment. Saturday 23rd June 2012 6.30PM arrival for 7.00PM start Get Your Act Together The only thing missing is you! This is your chance to show off your hidden talents. We need an array of Performers Young and Old to captivate the audience. Are you a Singer? Dancer? Storyteller/Poet? Instrumentalist? Acrobat? Stand-Up Comedian? Group Performers? Or have you talents still yet to be discovered.. WE WANT YOU! So book a spot NOW and get ready for the night of your life. Prize Money: Seniors $200 Teens $100 Juniors $50 Entry Fee : Seniors $ 15 Teens $ 10 Juniors $ 5 Please contact Blair on 0432 331 633 to register or for more details.

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Funding boost for Mullumbimby Civic Hall The Mullumbimby Civic Hall will receive a much needed boost in funding this year, with the NSW Electoral Commission using it as part of this year’s local government elections. Byron Shire Council resolved last week to hire the Civic Hall to the Commission’s Returning Officer from June 25 to September 24. Chairperson of the Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall Board of Management (BoM), Peter Westheimer, said the use of the Civic Hall by the Commission would provide a useful and timely injection of funds for the Hall. “While the Civic Hall will be unavailable during that period, the Commission will pay a fee of $1,750 plus GST per week for its use,” he said.“This means the Commission’s use of the hall for 13 weeks before and after this year’s local government elections on September 8th will provide $22,750 for the Civic Hall’s budget. “The money will be used to make much needed improvements and additions to the Civic Hall, which will benefit the wider community in the long term,” Mr Westheimer said. Assistance will be given to any prior bookings to relocate to another venue. We apologise for any inconvenience.

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Anti-Coal Seam Gas youtube clip is a must-see According to a local anti-CSG group a high quality Youtube clip depicting the unique CSG-Free declaration by two communities in northern NSW is providing inspiration for similar actions across the nation and internationally. The ceremony, held at The Channon Oval on Saturday April 14, celebrated the declaration by over 99% of the local community that they wanted their properties and roads CSG free.   "The clip, which can be found on Youtube by searching “Channon CSG”, attracted almost 6,000 hits within just six days of its release, and this is expected to increase rapidly in the coming weeks,” said John McPherson from the Lismore Group Against Gas.  “Responses to the five-minute clip have come from countries as disparate as Ireland, the United States, Bulgaria and New Zealand and have shown us that the local community’s reaction to unconventional gas drilling is shared by people across the world, including our Kiwi neighbours. In New Zealand the Christchurch and Kaikoura communities have declared their places ‘Frack Free’, with a mass rally and concert to beheld in Auckland on April 28,” McPherson said. “The model for the project has also been placed online at www.csgfreenorthernrivers.org to assist other communities  in declaring themselves CSG-free.  Already there are other communities in the region, including Dunoon, Whian Whian, Rock Valley, Nimbin, Ewingar and Kyogle that are starting to survey their  local residents, door to door, after public meetings have overwhelmingly rejected CSG mining. It is expected that many of the newly declared roads will be presenting their declarations to the local mayor at the upcoming rally for a CSG-free Northern Rivers on May 12th in Lismore, “ said Mr. McPherson. “This rally will see communities from across the Northern Rivers gathering in Lismore to send a strong message to  government and gas companies that they are not prepared to let this iconic region be turned into an industrial zone.,” McPherson stated. Channon CSG Free Celebration  Youtube clip:-    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7C4ousqB4E John McPherson         02 6621 6965 0447 458 012

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Elders in Our Community - Bev & Bruce Stewart By Sharon McGrigor Bev & Bruce Stewart are long term residents of Rosebank, living on their idyllic Repentance Creek farm bordering Coopers Creek,They met as teenagers and where introduced to each other by a mutual friend on their regular visits to Lismore. Bev's family lived at Larnook while Bruce's family where dairying at Emerson Rd. Bruce's family were early settlers and owned three Rosebank properties that were originally worked as dairies.  They moved to Rosebank when Bruce was 18 months old. Later they raised beef cattle and farmed small crops such as beans, peas, pineapples, peanuts and bananas. Bruce was used to getting up early each day to help work the family farm. The first chore of the day was milking followed by paddock work. Bruce recalls that chemicals had not been invented and weeds needed to be hand pulled and camphors chopped by axe. There were no chainsaws in those days. “Dolly” the old draft horse was used for plough work before the Stewart family purchased their first tractor. It was all hard work, which kept Bruce very fit. After their initial teenage meetings Bev moved to Glen Innes for four years to pursue her nursing career. The two kept in touch through phone calls and Bev often travelled home to attend the Lismore dances, where Bruce would be waiting for her. Bev completed her nursing finals and they married in 1969, and moved to the 230 acre family farm at Repentance Creek. They have lived there ever since and enjoy the beautiful scenery from their home perched high upon a grassy knoll overlooking Repentance and Coopers Creeks, and they continued to farm beef cattle and raise small crops. Bev went back to nursing at Byron Hospital until their 2 children came along. Vicki was born in 1971 then Ian in 1973. Bruce & Bev also fostered a state ward child for 8yrs while their kids were little. The children grew up and moved to the Gold Coast but return on regular visits with their three grandchildren. Bev returned to nursing in 1974, this time at Ballina Hospital where she stayed for 6 years until work became available at a doctors surgery in Ballina. In 1994 Bev obtained closer work at the Maranoa Nursing Home in Lismore until she retired in 2007. “Only due to ill health”, Bev adds. During this time along with working the farm, Bruce began working with Darrell Quirk mowing the tourist roads on the Nightcap Range.  He loved the job, as he used to admire the numerous running creeks, bowerbirds and large gums, especially those along Blue Fig Road. Bruce's favourite tree is the huge old Flooded Gum on Rummery Road. Bruce then won a contract with Lismore City Council in 1989 where he worked for 20 years until he retired in 2009. This job involved manicuring the Shire's roadside reserves and many of you will remember seeing Bruce on one of his two Lamborghini fleet tractors. One of them is still his pride and joy. Bruce recalls when he and his tractors were often called out as the unofficial recovery vehicles for many road and farm accidents around the area. Forty years ago Bev and Bruce joined the Rosebank Bushfire Brigade. In those days women were not recognised as active members, so the ladies joined unofficially. Bev recalled that the first time women were recognised was when the meetings where held at Bruce Lewis's original old farmhouse on Repentance Creek Rd (where the Byrnes family now reside). The ladies of the Brigade were responsible for the fundraising tasks such as holding cake stalls in Lismore. Bev recalls one such fundraiser when Darrell Quirk drove all the families to Seaworld and Dreamworld. Bruce helped build the new Rosebank Fire shed in 1986 on Rosebank Road where it stands today. This was funded by Lismore City Council but built by volunteer labour. Bruce rose through the ranks to become the well respected Fire Captain but remembers the days of their first fire truck, the bright yellow truck they named “Paw Paw”. Bruce is still an active member of the Brigade while Bev retired from the RFS only two years ago. They also became early members and charity aid workers with the Rosebank MUIOF- Manchester United Independent Odd Fellows Lodge, which held its meetings at Rosebank Hall. The main aim of the group was to fundraise for various charities. Some 48 years later for Bruce and 43 years for Bev, they are both still active members of the group, which now meet regularly in Lismore. Bev & Bruce were also very active members with Repentance Creek Hall. Bruce became a member when he was 24 years old and Bev when she was 20, in 1969.  They helped set up the “Country Kitchen”.  This monthly dinner event drew large crowds and packed the hall once a month on a Friday night. They also helped set up the monthly markets at the hall. “Fun days where the whole of the Community knew each other”. Bev & Bruce recall, in the good old days, when all their neighbours would help each other with such farm chores as “stooking the peanuts.” This involved piling up the peanuts in large stacks to dry. No one could afford professional tradesmen in those days so it was quite common for 5-6 families to all help each other when needed.  Bruce also remembers the days of the bullock teams when he was 5-6 years old, while Bev fondly remembers playing on her Grandfathers draft horse and slide at Barkersvale. Bev's father, Fred Harris, was a 'Tickie' at Larnook where he supervised cattle dipping. In those days Bev recalled that cattle dips where everywhere, located approximately three miles apart. They have now been married for 43 years and are very happy living on their beautiful Repentance Creek farm where it is peaceful and quiet. They have been hard workers and active community volunteers. When asked what they loved best about Rosebank, Bruce replied, "They just couldn't live without the sound of the running creeks”. They still farm cattle and enjoy sharing the farm with their beloved dogs, a cluster of breeding koalas and flocks of birds, including their favourite galahs, white cockies, lorikeets, magpies, rainforest pigeons and a little family of plovers. Some 1100 trees, which Bruce and Bev planted many years ago, make this an ideal haven for wildlife. Sitting on their wrap around verandah, large flocks of birds are commonplace every afternoon, and you really can hear the babbling creeks. How perfect.

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Planting by the Moon in May By Georgina Whaley Disclosure:  I didn’t expect it to be THIS wet.  Weather in May:  May is predicted to have extreme weather.    In May, we have the annual “proxigee”, where the moon is the closest to the earth for the year.  This will occur on the 5th –the full moon.  What the extreme weather will turn out to be is not recorded but it can be anything from extreme heat to an earthquake or more rain.  In week 3 there is a solar eclipse. The Moon Phases: Week one:  The moon is “waxing gibbous”. That means the moon is more than halfway towards full. This is seen as a time when you should not plant. 1st to 2nd is a barren time - take a break or clean up 3rd to 4th is available time for planting “fruiting annuals”.  These are your cabbages, broccoli & other brassicas and a good time to put in flowers 5th is full moon “proxigee”,  a time of extremes. Week 2: The moon is waning gibbous that is from 99% to 53% full but becoming smaller 6th to 7th, plant your carrots and other roots crops 8th to 9th, don’t plant. Get on with a life. 10th to 11th is more time for root crop planting. Week 3:  Waning Crescent: last quarter This is the time to tidy, kill pests and weeds and prepare.  Some recommend transplanting. Week 4:  The time of the new moon.  This is the time to begin planting & transplanting annuals, perennials, trees, leafy vegetables, and parsley, coriander, dill, fennel as well as grain crops. 24th to 25th are the best planting days for above suggestions 26th to 29th, barren period. Good time to kill off those weeds and cultivate. Week 5:  good for grain crops and planting flowers. Have fun in the garden.  Remember that nothing will grow well if you haven’t taken in to account the direction of the sun, the condition of the soil and general garden care.

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Whian Whian Land Care is hosting a free workshop on plant identification and monitoring methods on the 26th of May meeting at Whian Whian Hall at 10am. Please bring sturdy boots and wet weather gear. Registrations are not required but would be appreciated. Please contact Emma Stone on emstone74@yahoo.com.au or phone 66895472

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Lower Back Care By Kimberley Garlick In today’s sagittal plane society our bodies cry out for help. The body does its utmost to accommodate poor posture until it can no longer and begins to tell us through back complaint, which can then lead to hip, knee, ankle etc, discomfort. One must take responsibility for oneself and teach the body to work in an economical and rewarding way. General lower back discomfort is often related to poor posture and lack of lower/deeper abdominal activity. The deeper unit of the abdominal often referred to as the Core, is based on the transversus abdominals and pelvic floor. The transversus abdominals are the deeper layer of abdominals that wrap themselves in a corset like manner from the lower back to the front and act as a vital support structure to avoid intra abdominal pressure, which can lead to back issues. Intra abdominal pressure is about providing even support from both the front and back of the body to support the precious spine. Crunches and sit-ups will strengthen the stomach (6 pack rectus abdominals), but most likely only add pressure to one’s core. A person with an already weak pelvic floor may harm himself or herself and could cause severe damage if they are not activating correctly through their deeper abdominal unit. Pilates has been described as the intelligent way to exercise, teaching the brain to communicate with the deeper muscles to gain optimum performance and energy. Joseph Pilates would refer to Pilates as contrology working from the inside out. Prior to all movement whether it formalised exercise, gardening or getting out of the car, initiate your movement with the pelvic floor. THINK PELVIC FLOOR prior t o m ovement e very time until it becomes an unconscious reaction in your body. Remember it takes 500 repetitions to learn a pattern but 5000 repetitions to unlearn a habit. Learn more about Pilates www.northernriverspilates.com.au

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Gardening & Natural Law

What native to plant where? A new native Species Planting Guide launched Have a backyard that needs to be revamped or some bush acres that need regeneration?  Ever wondered what native plant to plant where? The Native Species Planting Guide, newly developed by Byron and Tweed Shire Councils, is a great place to start.  Byron Shire Council’s natural environment team leader, Angus Underwood, said the interactive program can save hours of research and helps achieve the best planting outcomes. Presented in an on-line spreadsheet, the Guide allows you to select the best native plants for your project. Choose your soil type, target plant community, climate variances, plant type and/or preferred tree height. When all your parameters are set, the spreadsheet will narrow the plant selection down to the most suitable plants for your area, and also give you information about growth rates, conservation status and availability in nurseries. The program also lists any potential dangers to pets and people, and has links to other websites to gather additional plant information.” Native plants often require less water, support native animals and can help connect our fragmented landscape, contributing to biodiversity conservation.”The guide contains useful information for every level of planting, from landscape-scale restoration to suburban back garden planting, with comprehensive listings of more than 1,580 species. The planting guide was developed by Wildsite Ecological Services, Rivendell Botanical Services and Lucinda Cox Graphic Design for the NSW Environmental Trust funded Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project.  Input was also provided by local botanists, Council staff, local nursery operators, bush regenerators and ecologists. Tweed Shire Council Bush Futures project manager, John Turnbull, said the guide was designed to exist as a “living” document which will grow and evolve with contributions from users. “It is still a work-in-progress and will be regularly updated now it has been released,” Mr Turnbull said. “Our intention is to release it for public and professional use and to encourage feedback in regard to errors, omissions or any problems encountered with its use.” The guide consists of a Native Species List in an Excel spreadsheet format, a Methods Report that outlines how each field in the spreadsheet was populated and a Users Guide to assist people who are unfamiliar with using spreadsheets.  The Native Species Planting Guide and related documents are available for download from Council’s website at http://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/publications/native-species-planting-guide.

 

Natural Law with Helene Collard I acknowledge you as a self-sovereign being with responsibility to recognise your vital role in the health and wellbeing of your own self and your local community. I honour the ancestors past and present. Hallo and Welcome to the month of May. May 2-29 heralds the Serpent Moon of Liberation, which invites you to consider ‘How do I release and let go’? The serpent has long been a symbol for healing, and we are now asked to shed the skin of our old self and begin again. Remember there is no death, only cycles - working with the serpent’s message holds the key to enlightenment. Other energies to support this process include: Eagle: From May 3-15 the eagle supports us to see the bigger picture and from this ‘higher’ vantage point, comes creativity. Allow time and energy to express your own creativity, and let this opening support you to release, let go and begin again. Star: May 16-28, are the last 13 days of the 260 day Mayan Tzolkin Calendar. Key words are beauty and elegance. Live in tune with nature and the best in you will emerge. Enlightenment is not a given, it comes through transcending life’s challenges with integrity, grace and determination. Again, consider how this energy can support you to shed skin and begin again. New Spin Cycle: Day 1 of the Tzolkin Calender begins on May 29 (also known as a new spin cycle). A good time to integrate all you’ve realised, learned and experienced in the last 260 days. Where have you grown? Where is there more room to evolve? Begin this new spin cycle a-fresh and leave the past behind... remember, release and let go. New Moon, Solar Eclipse & Venus Transit: On May 21 we experience a new moon and solar eclipse – both very powerful energies in their own right, let alone together. In addition, these cosmic events also mark 16 days until the planet Venus will pass directly between the earth and the sun – also known as a Venus Transit. This rare planetary alignment will occur on June 6, 2012 – only 7 Venus Transits have occurred since 1631. This event is hugely significant for us and will facilitate a ‘turning point’ in the great changes that are with us. So here’s someinformation to prepare you... The effects of this transit will be concrete – that is, tangible. You will be able to see, hold and celebrate them. When studying past Venus Transits, the most common general theme is REVOLUTION & NEW EXPLORATIONS. With the upcoming transit we can expect this to occur in the broad areas of communications and commerce, with many suggesting these changes and new ideas will be underpinned by a significant change in worldview – ‘a spiritual revolution’. Furthermore, there appears to be particular emphasis on energy and power, where there will be monetary and commerce changes. Also, in the area of social conduct for women: in particular, how women relate with themselves; and how women relate with other women. A new dimension is beginning, GROUP THOUGHT and GROUP ACTION is very important now. The following was written by an astrologer late last year in light of the upcomingVenus Transit: ‘When the government threatens us financially, we must look at our reactions before we take action.’ Be aware and focus on what will bring you, your loved ones and your neighbours pleasure and harmony in the long run. The Venus Transit is ‘the time’...begin preparing now. Apart from incorporating what you’ve read here, also take steps now to improve and strengthen your immune system. Viva La Revolution! Love Helene

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Community BBQ at Rosebank Reserve Sunday May 20th starting around 11am.

 

 

VJ Joke Paddy was on his deathbed. He lifted his head and said to his wife,“My dear Colleen, we’ve been married for 55 years.”“ Yes Paddy.” Said Colleen.“With me through the depression, with me through the worst droughts in history.”“Yes Paddy.”“ With me when the house got burned down, with me when the bank foreclosed on our mortgage, with me when we lost the farm.”“Yes Paddy.”“And now, here you are by my side when I’m just about to die.” Colleen nodded.“ You know Colleen me darlin’, I’m beginning to think you’ve been nothing but bad luck.”

 

Animal Matters

 

Through Paula's Eyes Paula the rescue cat continues her story... As I said goodbye to my last kitten I was sad to see my family leave but content with the people who had offered the kits homes. Lucinda had made sure each new owner made several visits to their chosen kit before it left so I could see their caring attitude. Now I waited for my fate. The staff kept trying to brush me with a long handled brush but I just could not get to like it and struck out in fear. One afternoon I heard my name spoken: Poor little things, I wonder would Paula take them. Minutes later two tiny kittens were offered to me, they were wet, flea ridden and stank of mud. Someone must have tried to drown them. I still had a little milk left from my kits so quickly I cleaned the babies and nestled them against me to feed; soon they were warm and dry. All the staff kept telling me what a good girl I was; wouldn’t any cat do this for orphaned kittens? I have since found out that not all cats will take another cat kits. For the next few weeks I worked hard to make these kits fat and happy. Before long a kit was given to me that was terrified and starved, it told me that it had been put in a box with its brothers and sisters and thrown out of a moving car. Over the next two days its sister was handed in from the same area, sadly we will never know what happened to the rest of the litter. I was learning that there are more cruel people out there that pack up their love and leave than I had ever guessed. Busy looking after all these waifs the days flew by, I felt useful and happy for the first time in my life. I refused to let anyone touch me, it was just too scary but I was happy to allow my foster family to be cuddled by humans. One day I took a good look at myself and saw a sleek tabby cat, wow was the food good here, dishes piled high with fresh meat and fish and high quality cat biscuits. Maybe I had found my place in life helping the shop to care for all these abandoned kittens. Read next months copy of this mag to hear more about Paula or come in and adopt a rescue pet. DON’T FORGET TO DESEX YOUR PET BEFORE IT IS 5 MONTHS OLD.

 

Rural Contact Forum at Repentance Creek Hall On Monday 21st May at 7pm at Repentance Creek Hall six councilors from Lismore City Council will be attending a Rural Contact Forum to take questions from local residents. Please come along on the night to meet the councilors and express any concerns you have. Light refreshments will be provided. See you there!  Lydia Kindred

 

Pademelons  (Thylogale) By Sue Ulyatt Rosebank and our surrounds has 2 kinds of Pademelons. The more common Red-necked Pademelon and the endangered Red-legged Pademelon. The latter is found at Terania Basin and Upper Coopers Creek in the denser rainforest areas. Those of us that live in close proximity to the bush must count ourselves very lucky to be living amongst these little critters, as they are not seen everywhere and prefer rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest with dense understorey. The Pademelon is much smaller than the Swamp and Red-necked Wallabies that frequent many of our farms. These are extremely shy little guys, venturing no more than 100 meters from the forest edge; they will run as soon as anything disturbs them, being so little everything is a perceived predator. They are also the watchdogs of the forest, as they will thump the ground in alarm with their hind legs warning other creatures of approaching danger. The sound can be heard for quite some distance and is often indicative that a python may be nearby. The Pademelon feeds on the fallen leaves of rainforest trees, native ferns, berries and fruits. It also eats grass, a favourite being ”Pademelon” grass often seen in our local forest, as a small leafed creeping grass. Pademelons were almost wiped out in Rosebank in the early settler days when Pademelon hunts were organised on a regular basis. This may be why the Red-legged Pademelon is so endangered today. Close to extinction their numbers have now started to increase due to the conservation of their habitat on many local farms.   Red-necked Pademelons are grey-brown above, with reddish shoulders and a light coloured underbelly. Average size for an adult is 42 – 52cm body length, with a tail 35 - 43cm long; weight is 3-4 kg for a female and up to 6-9 kg for a male with a home range varying from 5 - 30 hectares Maturity is reached at 17 months of age, although some females can reach maturity before this. Breeding takes place all year round, with a peak in spring and autumn. Mortality rates are very high at the emerging stage of the joey; the many predators include foxes, pythons, birds of prey, as well as domestic dogs, and motor vehicles which account for many deaths. Speaking about cars, Joeys can survive for days in the pouch of a dead mother. For this reason please check, even if you think it is too late as it may not be. The same goes for possums and any marsupials, including Bandicoots. Dog attacks and car accidents account for most of the Pademelon orphans coming in to WIRES care. However habitat clearing is still an ongoing problem as it is still common practise on many farms to clear the understorey and park out the large feature trees. Please remember that these tiny Pademelons need somewhere to hide. If you need advise or help with any wildlife, please feel free to call WIRES on 66281898. This phone line is operational 24 hours. If you would like to join WIRES, please give us a call or send us an email on wiresnr@wiresnr.org. Our next Rescue & Immediate Care course will be held at Southern Cross University on June 23th & 24th where you learn emergency care and how to rescue native wildlife in distress safely. You also receive a detailed wildlife identification manual.

 

 

The Big C By Richard Creed - Lismore Veterinary Clinic  ph: 66220033 Cancer is a common problem faced by our pets and is in fact the biggest killer of older dogs. 60% of dogs that live to be over 10 years of age will die of cancer. But, as in the human field, the world of cancer diagnosis and treatment is progressing and the C word is not always that bad. Cats are a lot less prone to cancer than dogs. Among the most common cancers we see in cats are skin cancers on the noses and ears of white cats and lymphoma which is often caused by infection with Feline Leukaemia Virus. If you have a white cat keep them out of the sun and all cats should be housed in a manner that prevents fighting and contact with other cats so these more common cancers are both readily preventable. In dogs we see a much wider range of cancers. One of the more common nasty ones are mast cell tumours. These usually occur on the skin and often look like a harmless lump. For this reason you should always get lumps checked by a vet, especially if they are growing. A simple test called a Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) where we collect a few cells and look at them on the microscope will tell if the lump is nasty. Mast cells tumours need to be excised with a wide margin and sent away to be graded. If they are high grade and nasty then some follow up chemotherapy is usually recommended. If you catch them early most cases of mast cell tumour will do well - but leave them alone at your peril. Of course not all lumps are evil but the main thing to remember is that you can’t tell if a lump is bad just by looking at it. Get them checked and ask your vet to do a FNA unless they are certain the lump is OK. It’s quick, cheap and readily available and that way nobody gets caught out. Lymphoma is another fairly common nasty cancer of dogs. It is rapidly progressive and fatal but can often respond well to chemotherapy. The approach to chemotherapy in pets is very different to that in humans. Anyone who has undergone chemotherapy would regale you with horror stories about how bad it is. However, in veterinary medicine we feel that quality of life is more important than life at all costs so we manage chemotherapy in a way so that pets remain well throughout treatment and do not suffer the severe adverse effects that humans have to put up with. So if your vet mentions chemotherapy to you, don’t shy away in horror, it almost certainly won’t be as bad as you think. The main thing with cancer in pets is the same as in humans - if you catch it early your chances of success are much better. For a lot of cancers, once they have spread its too late to do anything so if you find lumps and bumps, especially if they have come up quickly, get them checked!

 

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Senior Citizen Texting Code
AD At The Doctors AFF Best Friend Fell BTW Bring The Wheelchair BYOT Bring Your Own Teeth FWIW Forgot Where I Was GGPBL Gotta Go Pacemaker Battery Low	GHA Got Heartburn Again IMHO Is My Hearing-Aid On LMDO Laughing My Dentures Out OMMR On My Massage Recliner OMSG Oh My! Sorry, Gas ROFLACGU Rolling On floor Laughing And Can’t Get Up TTYL Talk To You Louder

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VJ Classified Ads To organise a classified ad please email to advertise@villagejournal.org and direct deposit to BSB 728-728 Acc: 22209300.
Liquid worm compost for sale at Dorroughby - $10 for 2 litres Ph: 66895508	Jali Armstrong’s gardening and maintenance, weed and green waste removal. Refs, rates negotiable. Ph: 66895393 or 0421412490 email: jjlarmstrong@gmail.com	Suzuki Baleno car parts for sale: engine, reconditioned gearbox, exhaust and much more. Cheap! Call 0448 441768
Michael Whaley – Tree pruning, weed control, brush cutting. Ph: 66895959, mb: 0428 998532

 

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
30 Clunes Playgroup 10am	1 Rainbow Region Organic Market @ Showground 7.30-11AM	2 Not Quite Folk @ Eltham Hotel from 6.30PM Eureka Playgroup 9.30am Whian Whian Playgroup 9.00am	3 Lismore Farmers Market 3pm	4	5 Mullumbimby Markets Lismore Farmers Market	6 Lismore Car boot Market Byron Bay Community Market
7 Clunes Playgroup 10am	8 Rainbow Region Organic Market @ Showground 7.30-11AM	9 Eureka Playgroup 9.30am Whian Whian Playgroup 9.00am	10 Lismore Farmers Market 3PM	11 NORPA Bugalugs Bum Thief @ 10AM/12.30PM Screenworks ‘Composing for Screen’ @ SAE 10AM	12 ROCK THE GATE & CSG Rally @ 10AM Federal Films ‘Some Like It Hot’ Dinner 6.30/ Film 7.30PM Mullumbimby Markets Lismore Farmers Market	13 Mothers’ Day Brunch @ Dunoon Sports Club 10AM Lismore Car boot Market Nimbin Market
14 Clunes Playgroup 10am	15 Rainbow Region Organic Market @ Showground Clunes Playgroup 10am 7.30-11AM	16 Eureka Playgroup 9.30am Whian Whian Playgroup 9.00am	17 Lismore Farmers Market 3PM	18	19 CSG Info @ Rosebank Hall 3PM May Madness Mad Max double @ Star Court Theatre Mullumbimby Markets Lismore Farmers Market	20 Community BBQ @ Rosebank Reserve 11AM Trivia @ Dunoon Sports Club 3PM Bangalow Market
21 LCC Rural Contact Forum @ Repentance Creek Hall 7PM Clunes Playgroup 10am	22 Rainbow Region Organic Market @ Showground 7.30-11AM	23 NORPA Binjareb Pinjarra @ 7.30PM Eureka Playgroup 9.30am Whian Whian Playgroup 9am	24 Lismore Farmers Market 3PM	25 VJ Deadline Rosebank Preschool Fundraiser @ Rosebank Hall 6.30PM Thrill Billy Stomp @ Dunoon Sports Club	26 Raw Food & Magic Show Extravaganza @ 4.00PM Whian Whian Hall Free Plant ID Workshop 10AM Working Bee @Repentance Ck Hall 10.30AM Club Fiesta @ Federal Hall	27 Fiesta Fun Day @ Federal Hall Pluckers & Poets @ Dunoon Sports Club 3.30PM Federal Fiesta Weekend
28 Clunes Playgroup 10am	29 Rainbow Region Organic Market @ Showground 7.30-11AM	30 Eureka Playgroup 9.30am Whian Whian Playgroup 9.00am	31 Screenworks THRIVE ‘How to Develop a Concept’@ BCC Lismore Farmers Market 3PM	1	2 Mullumbimby Markets Lismore Farmers Market	3

 

The Village Journal

Editor: Helen White
Layout: Alex Mankiewicz
Advertising: Sharon McGrigor
Webmaster: Sue Ulyatt
Accounts: Mal Fox

We thank the following contributors to this issue:
John McPherson, Lea Wilson, Bill Priestly, Abby Green, Lydia Kindred, Garth Kindred, Jane Thomson, Miranda Jordan, Ambrose Murray, Moya Costello, Kimberley Garlick, Helene Collard, Clare McGregor, Georgina Whaley, Ellie Bird, Eric Kinchin, Rhonda Ansiewicz, Sharon Turner, Tracey Barnes, Heather Rose, Richard Creed, Dianne Horton, Airdre Grant, Lucinda Dyson, Emma Stone, Izzy, Christina Schaumann, Christina Larmer, Alex Wilson, Rohan Stewart, Jane Varcoe, Arlene Penlington

Please REMEMBER the NEW VJ DEADLINE From now on: the 25th day of VJ each month. So please have all submissions in by midnight.

 

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