August 2016 Edition 91 Everlasting Daisy’s in full bloom in the Gascoyne and Murchison Area. Photo By: Anna Ullrich PROUDLY PUBLISHED AND PRINTED BY Council News August 2016 Dear Readers As usual the past month has been very busy and I think the months ahead will only get busier with the construction of the two Bridges over the Gascoyne River. I attended Local Government week on the 3rd of August 2016. From our Shire’s perspective it was a chance for four of our Councillors to be recognised by their peers for the contribution that they have made to Local Government. Councillors Locky McTaggart, Don Hammarquist and former Councillors Ross Collins and David Robinson were presented with awards for ‘Long and Loyal Service – Locky has put in 38 years, Don 26, Ross 35 and Wadi 26 years, giving a combined total of 125 years of service to their community. This is a remarkable effort by these four individuals and it provides a very stable environment for people such as me, it cannot be under estimated the value of a consistent and stable leadership. Unfortunately Ross could not make the presentation as he was away; however, his son Jox received the award on behalf of his father, very fitting in my opinion as Jox is the fourth generation of the Collins family to represent our community on Council. A big thanks goes out to Margaret for organising the event as everything went to plan without a single hiccup. Early on the morning of the 3rd, we held a Special Meeting of Council to decide on the successful tenderer for the construction of the bridges. In this case the successful tenderer was a company called Marine and Civil. It is their intention to be onsite in late August and with a possible completion date of late November, early December. Due to the nature of the construction there will not be a lot of work available for local residents; however, there may be some casual vacancies, please contact the HR Manager Shanelle Zanazzi on Direct Line : 08 9256 5913 | Fax: 08 9256 5901 or via Email: [email protected] . 2 Council News Later that morning the Shire President, the Deputy President and I had a meeting with the Minister for Water, Hon Mia Davies, where we identified problems with our current water supply arrangements and we offered a solution to the problem. This will require a significant investment by the Department of Water; however the return on investment will only take 2 years. Mia has taken our proposal on notice and will instruct her Department to undertake further investigations. It appears that the Doctors service will recommence in the near future. The new practice manager for the Aboriginal Health Service will be coming out soon to fine tune how we are going to operate going forward. This is a great outcome as I believe that this service is essential for a remote community such as ours and it will assist those of us who struggle to make the trip into Carnarvon for minor ailments. At the time of writing I have only received three (3) submissions regarding the naming of the Bridge (s), it was my intention to take these to the next Council Meeting; however, if we don’t receive a greater number of submissions I may have to defer this until the September Meeting. So PLEASE, if you have an idea for a name and the reason why you chose this name please make a submission, if you are not comfortable putting it in writing see either Margaret or Blanche and they can articulate your submission. Looking forward, I am excited about the Junction Races, this will be first for me, and from all accounts it is a great weekend. I would like to acknowledge the contribution that my staff members have made towards getting the track and surrounds in order. With the commencement of the works on the crossing I would urge all road users to follow the signs and be patient, please remember that people are on or adjacent to the crossing and we have an absolute imperative to provide a safe work place. The small pain the disruptions will cause will be far outweighed by the provision of the Bridge (s) now and for future generations. As always, if you wish to see me pop into the office, come around home or give me a call on 99430988 or 0417107446 or via email – [email protected]. Kindest regards John Mc Cleary CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 3 Local Government Elected Members and Chief Executive Officers who received a Local Government Honours Award. Left to Right: Cr Ross Collins, President Lachlan McTaggart, WALGA President Lynne Craigie, Cr Don Hammarquist and David Robinson ex-councillor. 4 Left to Right: Dot Hammarquist from Mt Augustus Station, Cr Alys Mc Keough, Cr Ross Collins, Genevieve and David Robinson. Left to Right: Genevieve Robinson from Doorawarrah Station Carnarvon, Shire of Ashburton President Kerry White, David Robinson ex- councillor, Shire of Upper Gascoyne, Cr Glen Dellar Shire of Ashburton and Cr Ross Collins Shire of Upper Gascoyne. 5 6 The Jeans for Genes day in the Shire office was a full success, the Kids got awarded for the colourful pictures they have done which was celebrated with lots of blue Lemonade and delicious food made by the Shire Staff. The amount raised will go towards Families affected by Genetic disorders. A big Thank you goes out to the Gascoyne Junction Remote Community School. 7 Bridie, Cooper and Barney from Gascoyne Junction Remote School. Have you ever wanted to name a bridge? Have you ever wanted to name a bridge? Here is your chance. The soon to be built bridge located at the Gascoyne Junction crossing will be in need of a name and we are calling on all people from our local community to send their ideas into our CEO John McCleary. Bridge names are important in times of emergency or natural disasters. Names also reflect culture and heritage aspects of local communities. Naming ideas should be relevant to the local community or commemorate a local event, person, group of people, or place and should not be deemed offensive. You will need to provide your bridge name and also a reason why you chose this name. Ideas will need to be submitted by 19th August 2016 and will then be presented to the council who will make a final decision. Please email ideas to [email protected] or drop into the Shire office and speak to John. 8 State your full name: Margaret Rowe A nickname you have been known as: Maggie Your current place of residence: Gascoyne Junction Your current Occupation: Administration Manager If you could do anything you wanted: Win Lotto and Retire. Name three people famous people you would invite to dinner (Dead or Alive): Martin Luther King, Princes Dianna and Robin Williams. Name two things that most people don’t know about you: I have a teddy bear collection, currently 125. My first job was in a Florist doing flower arrangements. Your first car, Make, Model and Year: Mini Think 1961. In twenty years time I would like to: Be just sitting on a beach Your best advice to a room full of 10 year old children would be: Be honest and Learn as much as you can. Select the one which best describes you or you associate yourself with: 1. Cat or Dog: Dog 2. Beer or Wine: - Beer 3. Red or Blue: - Red 9 10 GASCOYNE JUNCTION FASHIONS ON THE FIELD Dress yourself and the family up for a stylish day of fashion and sensational racing at the Gascoyne Junction Race Club on Saturday 20th August 2016. There will be prizes for Best Dressed Lady, Best Dressed Gent runner up Ladies and Gent, Best Dressed Girl and Boy and runner up Boy and Girl. Dress appropriately for the location and remember it’s ‘A Must in the Dust’. Registrations are free and will be available on the day. They will need to be filled in and returned by the end of race 2 and the fashions will start directly after the horses are off the track after race 3. Winners will be announced at the presentation after race 5. Ladies 1st prize - Leon Bakers ladies Starfish and Abrolhos Coral Bay pendant $255, Stirling silver with yellow gold shell Coral Bay ring $340, Everywhere Travel voucher $200 and Norwest Surf Store gift bag Ladies runner up prize - Norwest Surf Store gift bag and $50 Bottlemart voucher. Gents 1st prize - Leon Bakers men’s Batavia leather bracelet with charms $460 a $100 voucher from Carnarvon Menswear and $150 voucher from Autopro Gents runner up prize - $50 voucher from Bottlemart Girls 1st prize - Leon Bakers girls cactus watch, Toyworld voucher and a snorkel and goggle set from IGA Girls runner up prize - Toyworld voucher and a snorkel and goggle set from IGA Boys 1st prize - Leon Bakers boys cactus watch, Toyworld voucher and snorkel and goggle set from IGA Boys runner up prize - Toyworld voucher and a snorkel and goggle set from IGA Proudly Sponsored by 11 12 An interview with volunteer Campground Hosts Debbie and Andy Crook: by Gavan Mullan (Parks and Wildlife - Carnarvon) Debbie and Andy Crook were Campground Hosts at Temple Gorge campground at Kennedy Range National Park for eight weeks this year during May and June. I had a chat with them just before they headed off and asked about their experience and their reason for volunteering. This is a bit about Debbie and Andy and what they had to say. “Originally both from country WA, we love the natural environment and love to share our enthusiasm for the environment with national park visitors. In this role, we have met a great diversity of people and made many friends. We understand that helping visitors to quickly settle-in and appreciate the national park attractions brings great satisfaction to visitors. The positive feedback we receive from visitors is especially rewarding. Being country people, we also know that our efforts in helping visitors get the most out of their visit benefits the local Gascoyne community. Satisfied visitors usually stay longer and usually spread the word to their family, friends and colleagues about their experience – a great form of advertising for the local area. We have volunteered at Kennedy Range National Park for several years now – usually for eight weeks each year – working in and around the campground and further afield in the park. The personal rewards are far greater than our input. We now live in Perth and spend many months each year volunteering in the State’s diverse and remarkable National Parks and also for other causes.” Like the national park visitors Debbie and Andy have a diverse background also. Most recently Debbie worked for 13 years for the United States Consulate General in Perth. Before that Debbie worked for the British Embassy in Jakarta, and before that many years in State and Federal Government. In contrast, Andy worked as a specialist diesel mechanic for the Federal Government which opened doors to working around the world including all around Australia, Antarctica, and at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. Gary Hearle and Gavan Mullan from the local Parks and Wildlife office wish to express a special thank you to Debbie and Andy. Debbie and Andy Crook 13 Can the elephant in the room please stand up? Total Grazing Pressure in the rangelands The combined stocking rates of all grazing animals is known as Total Grazing Pressure (TGP), and when it’s uncontrolled, it can have a huge effect on a grazing business. This effect can be two-fold, being: reduced, and meaning the land is less productive. As part of the Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2020 (MISP 2020), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has recognised that uncontrolled TGP represents a significant risk to red meat production. To begin to address the problem, MLA recently called for preliminary project proposals for: ‘Managing feed supply and demand in extensive livestock production systems – total grazing pressure’. After consultation earlier in the year, Rangelands NRM WA has submitted a project proposal on our behalf. It is planned that demonstration sites and other initiatives will provide evidence of the benefits of TGP management. Why is TGP important? To quote from the TGP project application: ‘A recent Australian study suggests that livestock grazing is unlikely to produce ecosystem benefits in Australian rangelands and non-domestic herbivores have no effect on ecological functions and biodiversity of these regions (Eldridge et al. 2016). This suggests extensive pastoralism remains the major contributing factor to land degradation in these areas.’ This is not a very pastoral industry friendly message and government could chose to hear it. The only way we can address this as an industry is to get some runs on the board for improved ecological management. It is known that excessive TGP has caused much rangeland degradation and once country is degraded, it does not take a lot of grazing pressure to keep it in a degraded or degrading state. Evidence of this can be seen in the landscape where grasses only, or primarily, grow in the protection of shrubs or fallen branches (see Photo 1). These grasses would have tried to grow across the landscape but lack of physical protection from herbivores meant they were quickly consumed. Kangaroos can be a large part of excessive TGP. Proliferation of water points allowing grazing access across broad landscapes have led to increases in the kangaroo population. Their control is a nation-wide challenge which has a history of being an intractable problem. Solving the kangaroo issue will require the active engagement of both State and Commonwealth governments. The most effective thing that you can do to reverse rangeland degradation is to lower TGP enough to leave vegetation and ground cover in place. This is matching stocking to rate carrying capacity. It will allow more germination, especially perennial grasses, to establish which can then set you up on a virtuous cycle of improvement as your Rainfall Use Efficiency (RUE) improves. 14 Photo 1. Grass growing in the only place it can, under protection What can be done? TGP management activities vary from culling and harvesting undomesticated animals, water point control and management, exclusion fencing and implementing grazing management to provide strategic periods of rest. A local example of TGP control gained through exclusion fencing is the new 10,000 hectare paddock erected at Meka Station. The paddock is located on a flood plain so they have installed electric fencing because it may handle a flood better than a netting fence. It is designed to exclude both dogs and kangaroos. Cost of materials was around $2,500 per kilometre. Meka is currently de-stocked so the difference between grasses inside and outside of the paddock, of about 3,000kg of dry matter per hectare, is the result of uncontrolled kangaroo grazing on the outside. Doing some rough figures and being conservative. Say there is an extra 1,500kg/Dry Matter (DM)/Ha inside the paddock. That’s 15Million kg of additional DM feed available. If we leave 50% for ecological health (as Resource Consulting Services says; ‘The more you leave the more you grow.’) we have 7.5Mkg DM available for our livestock. Meeka are running sheep so if we give the sheep 2kg DM day over the year we can run 10,273 sheep in the paddock. Which is quite an improvement for parts of southern rangelands. 15 This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program, supported by Royalties for Regions. UG LCDC to 2. Meka Station showing grass growth inside and outside the paddock. Photo 3. Meka Station electric fence. Two stand-offs on the outside, one on the inside. 16 Upper Gascoyne pastoralists explore sieve filter structures Previously published in Rangeland NRM e-news [May-June 2016] Land managers in the Upper Gascoyne recently met to learn about a variety of techniques for controlling erosion. Six stations and representatives from the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) and the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) attended a sieve structures erosion control workshop at Carey Downs Station on 28-29 April, organised by the Upper Gascoyne LCDC and supported by Rangelands NRM through funding from the National Landcare Programme. “Ultimately, we hope pastoralists attending this workshop will go on to trial affordable technologies to manage varying erosion types and water flow and trial a variety of techniques to control erosion,” Mr Watson said. He said this workshop was to build base knowledge of the project participants and explore options as a group. The group visited priority areas identified through an ESRM (Environmentally Sustainable Rangelands Management) Plan on Carey Downs to discuss how to read the landscape and identify optimum placement of erosion filters structures. The workshop also included a group session on reading the landscape for placement as well as ideas for erosion control approach. “We need to work out how to recover from erosion and regenerate large areas at low cost,” Upper Gascoyne LCDC President Jason Hastie said when making introductions for the commencement of the workshop. “It will be interesting to see how the group takes the learnings from this workshop and develop them into the Rangelands NRM facilitated project to build sieves on their properties,” Mr Watson said. Some points on sieve construction that came out of the workshop (compiled by UG LCDC) were: ons. e.) anchor brush in place. “It was a really valuable couple of days, it made me reconsider my approach,” pastoralist Matthew Hammarquist said. “I’ve seen other possibilities and built confidence to proceed with sieve erosion works at Mt Augustus.” “We’ve been looking at some rangelands in pretty poor shape,” said Harry McKeough from Carey Downs said. “We are exploring methods to fix them up, and I’ve picked up a lot that I can now put in place. I’ve learnt aspects of reading the rangelands and identifying my problem areas.” “Hugh Pringle has a fantastic understanding of landscape processes,” David Pollock from Wooleen Station said. “It’s fabulous 17 to have someone with that depth of knowledge available”. “We need to work out how to recover from erosion and regenerate large areas at low cost,” Upper Gascoyne LCDC President Jason Hastie said when making introductions for the commencement of the workshop. “It will be interesting to see how the group takes the learnings from this workshop and develop them into the Rangelands NRM facilitated project to build sieves on their properties,” Mr Watson said. Some points on sieve construction that came out of the workshop (compiled by UG LCDC) were: rivers and high flow situations. Rehydration Field Guide.) wire can be used to anchor brush in place. too. “It was a really valuable couple of days, it made me reconsider my approach,” pastoralist Matthew Hammarquist said. “I’ve seen other possibilities and built confidence to proceed with sieve erosion works at Mt Augustus.” “We’ve been looking at some rangelands in pretty poor shape,” said Harry McKeough from Carey Downs said. “We are exploring methods to fix them up, and I’ve picked up a lot that I can now put in place. I’ve learnt aspects of reading the rangelands and identifying my problem areas.” “Hugh Pringle has a fantastic understanding of landscape processes,” David Pollock from Wooleen Station said. “It’s fabulous to have someone with that depth of knowledge available”. Images: Photos. (Left) Harry McKeough explaining his understanding of water flow at Carey Downs (©K.Watson). (Right) Looking over a ringlock sieve (©K.Watson) This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program, and made possible by Royalties for Regions. 18 19 The Australian Army Band Perth Irwin Barracks, KARRAKATTA, WA, 6010, ph (08) 9269 4474, 0417 474 214 The Australian Army Band Perth is made up of Army reserve musicians in the shape of a Glenn Miller style ensemble. They perform music from the 40s through to the current day tunes we hear on the airwaves. With their two very talented singers out front, they are a great band to sit back and simply enjoy or get up and boogie the night away to. The Army Band occupies a prominent position in Western Australia. This distinguished group of soldier/musicians maintains a high standard of performance at official and public performances in Perth and throughout Western Australia. As part of the tour, the band will also provide some entertainment to children from the Gascoyne school and local residents around lunchtime on the 31 August 2016. The venue will be the Gascoyne Junction Pavilion. The Australian Army Band Perth will perform a concert on the riverbank of the MooLoo Downs homestead on Thursday 01 Sep 2016 commencing just on sunset. The band conducted it’s first performance here 5 years ago as a culmination to flood recovery efforts undertaken by Australian Army and Navy personnel. This tour coincides with the five year anniversary of that Australian Defence Force contribution to assisting those Australians in need following a major disaster. Bring a chair, swag, food and some refreshments and join the folks at Mooloo Downs and let the Australian Army Band entertain you as the sun sets in the night sky over the Upper Gascoyne. 20 21 Gascoyne Junction CRC held their quiz night on the 2nd July, thank you to all the visitors and locals who came along to this fun event. We hope to see you again next year. A big thank you to Alys McKeough for her organisation of prizes for the quiz rounds, Ellen Fletcher for her fabulous job of being MC and keeping everyone in line, John for his donation towards the evening, Deb Betham and Blanche Walker for setting up and cleaning for the night and last but not least Robyn for the questions. A big thank you must go to the CRC Committee for their time and effort in making dinner and dessert and making everyone welcome while at Gascoyne Junction. Winning table – Odd bods Wooden Spooner’s – Riverside. Mystery chair prizes – Dane Wallace Carnarvon Shire Environmental Health Officer and Kathy Fletcher Carnarvon Door Prize – Nina Booken from Mooloo Downs. Winning Team - Odd Bods 22 All the Teams getting ready for questions 23 Quiggly Bears Table Shire on Fire Table Zander Capewell - Team - Happnd Visitors from Carnarvon 24 Above - Robert Fletcher and his Grandmother Elizabeth Fletcher. (Betty) Below - Team - Riverside - Robert, Betty, Ellen and Marie. 25 26 Living Hope is a 2 Day Training Program developed by The Salvation Army, with funding provided by the Department of Health and Ageing under the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. This comprehensive program covers all aspects of suicide bereavement including; practical matters to be attended to following the death of a loved one the grieving process aspects of spirituality the influence and impact of culture on grieving understanding emotions In the Living Hope Bereavement Support Training Course you will learn; the impact of the loss of a loved one by suicide on family, friends and the community grief and the grieving process the five big feelings the importance of rituals trauma and resilience qualities of a helpful carer practical concerns - funeral arrangements, the Inquest, etc. Who should attend? The course is targeted at people who may be called on to provide support to people who have been bereaved as a result of the suicide death of a loved one. This could include Chaplains, Counsellors, Health and Welfare workers, education professionals & support workers etc. Dates: 4th and 5th October 2016 Where: Gascoyne Junction Pavilion Cost: Nil Resources and workbooks and Tea and Coffee provided both days To enrol please contact Margaret Rowe Fax: 9943 0507 Phone: 9943 0988 Email: [email protected] Enquiries about content: please ring Hennie on 0419 330 433 or [email protected] any other matters re venue etc. ring above 27 28 ONWARD DRILLING WATER BORES Local family owned and operated drilling company based in Carnarvon. We service the Gascoyne, Pilbra and Murchison drilling pastoral water bores. Site free and straight meter rate. Please contact: Bruce and Tracey Radford [email protected] 0427261522 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 PALMS FOR SALE Assorted Palms for sale various sizes and prices please call Blanche on 0439104184 or call into the Gascoyne Junction Community Resource Centre. August 1 Alys Mc Keough 6 Mick Cragan 11 Michael Emin 18 Spags Burnett 18 Harry McKeough 20 Jodie Gibson 25 Theona Mitchell Smith 8 Edna Cragan 26 Zander Capewell 13 Jodie McTaggart 30 Joseph de Pledge 15 Wendy Hoseason - Smith September 17 Raymond Hoseason - Smith October 4 Heath Funnell 17 Oscar Hammarquist 6 Colin Coffin 24 Ken Kempton 9 Stanley Hammarquist 26 Melanie Hammarquist 17 Anna McTaggart 29 John Raymond 28 Mathew Hoseason - Smith 30 Shiney 28 Leeson Dorey 30 Paula Hammarquist 29 Donald Hammarquist Got a Birthday coming up? Contact the Gassy Gossip by email at [email protected] 37 38 39 Winter Warmers Beef goulash with herb dumplings Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil Dumplings 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour 1kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, 60g reduced-fat table spread diced 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 cup skim milk 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 1/2 cups reduced-salt beef stock 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 swede (about 200g), chopped 400g can no-added-salt diced Italian tomatoes Method Step1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a heavy-based, 12-cup casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef. Step 2.Add onion to casserole dish and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add paprika and flour. Stir until well combined. Slowly add stock, stirring until well combined. Add vegetables and bring mixture to the boil. Add beef and stir well. Cover casserole and bake for 1–1 1/2 hours, until meat is tender. Step 3. Meanwhile, make dumplings: place flour into a bowl. Add spread and rub into flour using your fingers. Mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add milk and parsley and stir with a flat-bladed knife until a dough forms. Roll 2 teaspoon of dough into small balls (mixture makes about 24 dumplings). Remove casserole from oven. Drop dumplings on top of casserole. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Remove lid and bake for a further 20–30 minutes. 40 Dessert Chocolate, apple and pistachio pudding Ingredients 115g reduced-fat table spread 5 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup self-raising flour 1/3 cup sultanas 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 tablespoons reduced-fat milk 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon pistachios, crushed 4 tablespoons orange juice Serves 8 1 teaspoon icing sugar, to dust Method Step 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Place apples, sultanas, cinnamon and orange juice in a large saucepan set over medium heat; stir gently for 5–8 minutes, or until apples start to soften. Spoon fruit into a large greased baking dish or 8 small greased ramekins. Step 2 Cream table spread and brown sugar in a medium bowl with a hand mixer. Add eggs, beating, one at a time; fold in flour and cocoa powder, then stir in milk to make batter. Spoon batter over fruit in baking dish (or ramekins). Step 3 Transfer dish to oven; bake for 20–25 minutes, or until pudding is firm to the touch. Step 4 Dust pudding with icing sugar, top with pistachios and serve. 41 Henry parked his car in the city parking garage. But he can’t seem to find his way out. Can you find the shortest way out? 42 WORD SEARCH 43 AUGUST 2016 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Junction Races 22 23 24 29 30 31 25 26 27 Gymkhana 28 Council Meeting The Australian Army Band September 1st 3rd & 4th 4th 24th October The Australian Army Band - Mooloo Downs 1st - 3rd 20th - 23rd 26th Landor Races Craft Weekend Camp Quality WesCarpade School Holidays Commence KICKSTARTERS Gascoyne Dash Council Meeting 44 28th Council Meeting
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