abn 58 129 541 706 december • january 2018 issue 75 john …€¦ · 50 years of the potter’s...

Yackity Yak Dec • Jan 2018 1

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ABN 58 129 541 706 December • January 2018 Issue 75

Visit Yackandandah’s visitor information website, call in at the Old Post Office, and make sure you take your visitors there.

There are some great people there to help youwww.exploreyackandandah.com.au

By Chris HortonFifty years at the wheel has not quelled Yackandandah potter

John Dermer’s sense of expectation and nervousness when his kiln has cooled enough to open and reveal the beautiful yet unpredictable outcomes of his craft. “I try to harbour only positive thoughts but I know only too well the pain of disappointment or utter devastation when months of work can be reduced to worthless vessels... But then, there are the times when small miracles emerge, and it’s almost difficult to believe that I have been responsible for their creation.”

So John describes the culmination of the potter’s patient creativity in his recently published book John Dermer – Celebrating the Journey. His commitment to experimentation and improvement is a feature of his approach, working with different clays and glazes to see what will emerge. And what does emerge are pots that place John at the pinnacle of his craft, with his work represented in Federal Parliament in Canberra, as well as many Australian embassies and major corporate headquarters. And of course in homes around the country, but especially in Yackandandah.

His passion and creativity was on display at his annual 2-day exhibition, held this year at Gordon Dickson’s Spiritus Gallery at 2 High Street in Yackandandah on the weekend of 25 – 26 November. The exhibition was formally opened by Emeritus Professor Barbara van Ernst AM. The gallery was crowded for the special occasion, and John spoke of his journey, and his delight in reaching this milestone. The pottery on exhibition was superb – diversity of shape, colour and glaze – and every piece was sold!

At the conclusion of his autobiographical journey John acknowledges how he became a potter. “It wasn’t a hobby that developed in later life. It grew out of a fascination for the process, a passion to create, and a respect and admiration for the people who inspired me.” And he speaks compellingly of what it means to make his home in Yackandandah – a home he built himself and has had to protect and defend from fires, floods and tornados. “The village of Yackandandah is a uniquely proud community and still retains its historical identity while also embracing environmental responsibility. It is a peaceful and welcoming place to live.”

John Dermer celebrates 50 years of the potter’s craft

Above: John Dermer at the studio. RIght:

At the wheel and below, the wonderful fruits

of John’s labour.

2 Dec • Jan 2018 Yackity Yak

YACKITY YAKYackity Yak is a free bi-monthly publication aimed at providing news, entertainment and information to the people of Yackandandah.

Yackity Yak is published by YCDCo (Yackity Yak) Pty Ltd. and 1,500 copies of Yackity Yak are printed with each release with a minimum of 900 copies distributed free of charge to homes in the Yackandandah and surrounding area via Australia Post.

Submissions are welcome, encouraged and valued, although the editor reserves the right to edit reports for the purposes of space. Submissions should be approx 300 words.

CONTACT DETAILS 2018:Editor / Advertising / Printing / AccountsRebecca BusbyYackity Yak, C/- Yackandandah Post Office,High Street,Yackandandah VIC 3749Phone: 0435 131 330Email: [email protected]

Yackity Yak wishes to advise that the views and or remarks expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of Yackity Yak editorial or production staff, and no endorsement or service is implied by the listing of advertisers or contributors. Although every effort is taken in reproducing and printing advertisements correctly, we take no responsibility for errors. 2018 DEADLINES: Feb / March Edition No. 76 5pm Monday, 8 JanApril / May Edition No. 77 5pm Monday, 12 Mar

* Please note that all advertising must be paid in full prior to that issue deadline. We can make no exceptions. All new advertisements or alterations to current advertisements must be submitted one business week (5 days) before the deadline. As per media law requirements, no advertisements can be printed without a current, completed and signed booking slip. Please contact the editor for the booking slip.

Feeling festive

December is upon us and it really is hard to believe another year has flown by. And what a year it’s been! It’s been a privilege see so much that the community has to offer and the incredible achievements so many have made, both as individuals and as a community.

From Totally Renewable Yackandandah’s rather extraordinary success in bring the country’s first mini grid to life, to magnificent 20th anniversary Folk Festival, to ABC’s Back Roads returning, it’s been a wonderful year to be in Yack. We’ve seen milestone birthdays and lots of births, farewelled some beloved elders and watched our children grow as they move through their rights of passage.

All this has been enjoyed, shared and celebrated in Yack with the usual enthusiasm the commitment to community we have all come to enjoy and appreciate.

It’s been a busy year here at the Yackity Yak and the new year will see a new editor with Rebecca Busby taking the reins. Bec has extensive newspaper experience and great ideas, so watch this space...

Thank you for the continued enthusiastic support from all our contributors. It really is a community newspaper and without your submissions and support we would never get to print, so thanks all for your great work!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. Stay safe on your travels, whether near or far.

All the best, Michelle

A Ramble with the Editor

ApologyRecently an email was sent to a limited number of YCDCo shareholders which showed the sender as ‘Bronwyn Nolan’, our past Finance Officer. At the time the email was sent Bronwyn was not an employee of YCDCo. We apologise to Bronwyn for that error

Further, the email contained content which would likely be interpreted as the YCDCo Board as taking a particular position on a contentious community issue. In reality this was not the case. The YCDCo Board holds the trust of shareholders and the community dearly and respects the many and varied views present in our community.

We have reviewed our processes regarding shareholder communications with the intention such an incident will not reoccur.

Phillip NewmanChairman of the BoardYackandandah Community Development Companyemail: [email protected] Web: https://ycdco.com.au/

Yackandandah Church Services Christmas 2017

St. James Uniting Church Christmas Eve 7.30pm

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Christmas Eve 8.30am

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Christmas Day 8.30am

St. Matthew’s Catholic Church Christmas Eve 10.30am Christmas Eve 7.00pm in Grounds

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Christmas Eve 9.00pm

Christmas Day 8.30am Beechworth

The Discovery Church Christmas Eve 10.00am

Back Ck – Yackandandah Christmas Day 9.00am

Holy Trinity Anglican Parish Christmas Eve 10.30am Yack

Christmas Eve 5.00pm Kiewa 7.00pm Dederang Christmas Day 8.45am Allans Flat 10.30am Yack

May your heart be lifted in praise this Christmas for the wonderful gift of Jesus and

the joy He brings to our lives.Have a wonderful ChristmasAnd a Blessed New Year


By Bev LelloAn audience of 170 enjoyed the

recent performance of Letters from Tchaikovsky performed by the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in the Yackandandah Public Hall. The music of Arensky, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky was intimate, at times passionate and always beautifully performed.

A highlight was the soloist, Shane Chen, performing Souvenir d’un lieu cher and a crowd pleaser was Tchaikovsky’s Album for the Young Op 39. Who says classical music has to be serious?

The orchestra will return in on Friday May 18, 2018 and will feature the world-renowned soprano, Greta Bradman.

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Performs

Letters from Tchaikovsky in Yackandandah

Above: Saint Monday barista/owner Chris McGorlick (left) and barista Nik Hazeleger (right) with some of the cups from the cafe’s “mug library”.

Cups away!by Lauren Salathiel

Disposable takeaway coffee cups will be disappearing from the menu at Yackandandah eatery, Saint Monday, as of next week, as the cafe strives to reduce its waste.

During the past three weeks, Saint Monday staff have been working towards eliminating the use of disposable cups for takeaway drinks, encouraging customers to instead either bring their own reusable takeaway cups, or borrow a cup from the cafe’s “mug library”.

Cafe owner, Chris McGorlick, said the move stemmed from knowledge that the composting facility used by Indigo Shire Council could not compost the “compostable” takeaway cups the cafe had been using.

“Knowing this, we just can’t continue to offer the cups in good conscience,” he said.

“We actually feel it is kind of inevitable that disposable cups will disappear from cafes in the not-too-distant future - in the same way that supermarkets are increasingly embracing plastic bag-free policies.

“We want to give our customers as much time as possible to get used to this sort of thing being second nature.”

Chris said the effort was in line with the cafe’s bid to eventually be completely waste-free.

“Since we opened almost two years ago, we have had a small ‘reusable cup library’ that takeaway customers have been welcome to borrow from, and we have run a monthly competition for those who have brought their cup from home,” he said.

“However, we are now stepping it up a notch, and doing away with takeaway cups completely by

enlarging that library to include ceramic mugs we have sourced from op shops in the area.”

Fortunately, uptake of the reusable cups in the cafe’s “mug library” has been strong, with around 40 per cent of takeaway coffees during the first weeks of the new scheme served in either borrowed cups or reusable cups customers brought in.

“Some people have been a little confronted by the offer of a reusable ‘borrow and bring back’ cup, especially if they are taking their coffee in the car with them,” Chris said.

“But the vast majority of people recognise that this project requires just a small change in behaviour that is definitely for the better, when you consider that these disposable cups end up in landfill, where they emit greenhouse gases as they decompose, or - worst case scenario - end up as litter in our streets and waterways.

“We don’t want to make it difficult or confronting for people, and we’ll bend over backwards to ensure people still feel that buying a takeaway from us is as convenient as it always has been - just minus the environmental impact.”

The cafe will, for the foreseeable future, continue to have a small “back-up” of disposable cups on hand for customers who still require them, however as of this week (Wednesday, December 13), these cups will attract a surcharge of 50 cents, 30 cents of which will be donated to Clean Up Australia Day.

“Our next step will be to remove disposable cups from the cafe entirely,” Chris said.

Have a laugh with Reg...Reg once tried to eat a clock...

but he found it too time consuming!

Garages & Sheds

Patios & Carports

Factories

Farmsheds

Kit homes

02 6024 3333 Terri Manderson

Working with you, supporting our local community

Licensed and insured builders


A Local Community Energy Retailer

Craft Brew Crew up and running

Yackandandah Wasp Busters

Totally Renewable Yackandandah

by Ben McGowanTotally Renewable

Yackandandah (TRY) has begun work on the development of a community energy retailer. Just like the Yackandandah Community Development Company (YCDCo) the retailer will offer the chance for the local community to own a business that delivers an important local service, in this case the provision of electricity.

The retailer will seek to provide a number of local benefits. It would aim to provide local economic benefit by offering local employment, and redistributing profits to the community. It would seek to provide environmental benefit by purchasing electricity from local renewable energy

projects and providing a trading platform for solar households to share solar electricity. It would also seek to provide a strong electricity retail service, with local customer service and good prices. The retailer would seek to sell electricity to all households, whether they had solar panels or not.

One of the most important factors in the planning for the retailer is the number of customers the retailer might expect in its first few years. In the coming months I’ll be collecting information on this question. At this early stage of the project all we’d like to know is whether you would join a local community energy retailer if it offered a comparable price to your current electricity provider. This will not oblige you to join the retailer when it launches.

Keep your eye out for expression of interest forms

across the town, and for the online survey. If you’d like to see a community energy retailer in Yack, fill one out. The more expressions of interest we get, the more likely the retailer becomes.

What is it? The Community Energy Retailer is just like the YCDCo. It will be a community owned and managed business able to sell electricity to local customers.

Why? The community energy retailer will create local jobs, keep energy profits in the community, support local renewable energy projects, and provide information and assistance on household electricity generation and use.

What’s in it for me? Reliable, local, and accessible customer service; competitive prices and cost savings; environmental benefits; and a healthy local economy.

Craft Brew Crew

by Scott ReebA few craft beer enthusiasts

have gotten together and created the “Yackandandah Craft Brewers” club (YCB). YCB is open to anyone that is interested in craft beer, this is not only for people that like the taste of craft beer but also for people who would enjoy learning the science behind it. The idea for YCB, came from a few residents to get like mined people together to share knowledge about the brewing process and to taste other people’s craft beer. The more experienced members are more than willing to help you start the process of your first brew!

During the early stages of development, the local residents had an expression of interest meeting to which 20 people attended. Shortly after in following meetings the YCB appointed a committee of seven beer enthusiast locals.

The role of YCB, is not only to share knowledge of craft beer alongside the processes involved but to organise social and educational events within the community in relation to the local breweries. In October the YCB had their first social event with help from Brendan Kellaway, Two Pot Brewery’s owner. This consisted of Brendan speaking to members about the different grains he uses and the process that is involved. The group then proceeded to the Star Hotel where we got to taste the beers that are on tap while Brendan further discussed the grains & hops

involved, how the idea started and the process behind each beer. It was a great afternoon for our first social event, with a great turn out with great support from our local businesses.

With the assistance from many people the YCB now have the facilities for members to start brewing their very own beer! Great effort to Graham Groth being the first member of the YCB to brew his very own beer with a little help from some of the more experienced members.

Finally, YCB are calling out to any possible members that may be interested! Members must be 18 years of age.

NO EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED!!!

If you have any questions or want to enquire about membership, please contact myself or our Membership Coordinator, Barry Maginness

by Phillip NewmanLast year several locals, with

funding contributed by YCDCo, rolled out a wasp control project before the Yackandandah Folk Festival, greatly reducing wasp numbers at the festival. This year those locals have been working with Indigo Shire to establish a community wasp control program in Yackandandah which will be used as a model across Indigo Shire communities.

We know once the weather

warms up wasp numbers are likely to increase, negatively impacting visitor experiences, outdoor eating and creating a public nuisance issue. By placing one of these wasp bait stations on your property, you can destroy nests up to 200 metres away. In particular, residents in the central area of Yackandandah can play an important role in managing wasp numbers and ensuring positive visitor experiences. Indigo Shire has produced wasp control information sheets which will be

available with each purchase along with information on managing the bait station. Get on board and help keep wasp numbers down in Yack this summer!

If you do purchase a bait station you can also assist with the management of this project by recording the location of your bait station at https://goo.gl/UYTnkQ Information collected will not be made public or used for any purpose other than this project.

MUSCLE MATTERS MYOTHERAPY

“Relief for your aching muscles”Deep Soft Tissue Massage specialising in the

assessment, treatment and management of muscular conditions – i.e. headaches, tension, back aches, RSI,

tight muscles & more. Treatments are tailored to your specific needs and likes, and may be corrective,

preventative or rehabilitative.

Contact Karlie Hodgkin for appointment0488 224 481

29 Hammond Street, Yackandandah VIC 3749 Website: musclemattersmyotherapy.com.au

YACKANDANDAH POST OFFICE

Plus:Postal services Banking services Post Office BillPay PO boxes for leaseEco-friendly papers, envelopes and wrapping solutions

Open till 5.30 weekdays Also Saturday mornings

15 High St, Yackandandah

Foreign currency purchase – fast and affordable


Our historic map finds a homeYackandandah Museum

During the week of December 4 to 8, a team of 5 Conservators from the Grimwade Centre for the Conservation of Cultural Materials at Melbourne University, worked in Yackandandah on the restoration and re-insatement of the large Yackandandah Shire Map which had been held in storage since 2013 when it was removed for the rebuilding of new Shire Office in Yackandandah. Hosted and assisted by members of the Yackandandah and District Historical Society and helpers, the work was done in the

gallery foyer of the Public Hall, where the completed map is now displayed. It was viewed by many who came by to see the work in progress, with memories shared of its creation and use in the old offices. Lots of interest was in evidence and it will remain on permanent display in that space. It is hoped that the map will be a treasured item within the community for many years. Thanks are owed to both the Grimwade Centre Conservators who willingly shared their skills and knowledge, and to the members of the community who were involved in so many different roles both in the organisation, and during the week.

Flying Fruit Flies in Yack!“Circus in Yackandandah” is

thrilled to announce it’s upcoming partnership with Albury’s “Flying Fruit Fly Circus”. Through joining forces the two circus schools will collaborate to enhance and refine the recreational arts programs being offered in both venues in the areas of Circus, Dance and Drama. With the common goal of making arts accessible to all ages.

Yackandandah is excited to welcome more circus trainers to town along with their unique specialist skills to coach beside Zoe and Xavier Pinard. Zoe says “We will continue to offer circus classes for all ages above 3 years, and I’m eager to open a few extra

class options on Saturdays”. Chelsea Skilton’s dance classes

will be supported to grow from pre school aged children up to 12 year olds and we are proud to welcome Brendan Hogan to the team with his fun drama classes for children aged 9 to 12 years.

The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is Australia’s National Youth Circus with an international reputation for excellence in training, creating and touring contemporary circus shows. In 2019 it will celebrate 40 years.

Richard Hull, Executive Director said “This partnership with Zoe and Circus in Yackandandah is an exciting new

innovation for us, growing our community reach and increasing participation in our programs. Zoe and Xav have built a beautiful business in Yack and we look forward to supporting them to achieve further success in the community.”

Zoe, said “In recognising that circus training allows for improved concentration in school, greater teamwork skills and a sense of belonging - a key area of focus will be creating programs which are accessible for schools in the North East. I’m grateful to have the support of the amazing FFFC staff to offer more arts programs in our community!”

For more information or to enrol for 2018 please contact Zoe - [email protected]

Below: The team From the Grimwade Centre with Glenn Colwell from Indigo Shire (centre) and Susan Reynolds from Yack Museum (second from right). Below - Left: Glenn Colwell who put the map together many years ago. Centre: hanging the map. Right: conservation in progress. Images: Frank Connell


YOU NEED

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What is CERTECH GELS and why should I use it?

Every engine gradually wears out as a result of friction during normal operation. Friction

wear creates compression loss. Your engine has less power, rougher idle and sluggish

acceleration. It can also increase oil burning and exhaust smoke, and reduce fuel economy.

Using a unique nano technology, CERTECH GELS Engine Treatment repairs worn out areas in the cylinder walls to regain compression and

improve engine performance. For more information, and to purchase, see the

website - certechgels.com.au

Or call Dan, your Yack local (and Australia-wide distributor)

on 0478 389 470

Tired engine?Loss of compression & power?

The Evolution of MarriageBy Angela Bishop

The legalisation of same sex marriage has finally passed into law on the 7th of December 2017 following the postal survey’s positive outcome last month. The definition of who can marry will no longer be “a man and a woman” but will now be “two people” to the exclusion of all others.

Local support for the yes campaign was above the national average, with over 63% of Indi residents voting for a change to the marriage act.

While this change to the marriage law is in the spotlight, it is interesting to reflect on the laws and rules governing ‘marriage’ that have changed often over the years, revealing the changing lifestyles and values of the peoples of those times.

In a speech for marriage equality last year, Penny Wong said; ‘Marriage is an enduring institution, but it has never been frozen in time. Earlier generations have sought greater equality, and with each change (to marriage) came warnings that the institution would be irreparably damaged and that the

fabric of society would unravel.’These warnings have proven unfounded. Marriage

has endured because it has evolved, adapted and embraced change. These changes have been accepted by society and previous discriminatory practices are now unthinkable.

The origins of the word “marriage” come from ‘maritus’ which is from Latin, meaning ‘husband’, “partner’ or ‘lover‘. The act of marrying was to become a person’s legally recognised husband, partner or lover. The word ‘Wedd’originated from an Old Saxon word to pledge oneself. The original meaning of these words is no less suitable in the context of same sex marriage.

Despite biblical scripture detailing marriage rules in both the old and new testaments, the church has not always been required in the marriage process.

Not until 1076 did the Council of Westminster decree that ‘no man can give a female relative to a prospective groom without the blessing of a priest’. By 1600, European laws decreed that a priest is required to conduct all wedding ceremonies.

For the next few hundred years, the church had very definite ideas about who could be married, ideas that would seem strange to us today.

You could not marry a spouse with a different faith, people of different races could not marry, people with a disability or those could not produce children could not marry.

Different classes of people have been excluded from the institution of marriage based on their social or legal status, such as slaves or prisoners. Our indigenous people were not allowed to marry without permission from the state, a practice that persisted until the 1950s in some areas of Australia.

The idea of marrying for love, or to choose your

own spouse is a relatively recent idea. Traditionally, a wedding or union was a financial arrangement between families and individuals with dowries, land and money involving many years of negotiations. Women were usually traded in these arranged marriages, to increase her families’ status, wealth or landholdings. Although this still occurs in

some parts of the world, young couples getting married do not have such great problems as their forbearers.

Until November 1942, the legal age for girls to marry in Australia was 12 and for boys it was 14. Tasmania was the first state to raise the ages to marry to 16 and 18 respectively with other states following suit later.

Even the person conducting marriage ceremonies has evolved. Until the 1970s, it was overwhelmingly the role of men of religion who were able to conduct a legal marriage. Today, male and female religious ministers, male and female civil celebrants or the registry offices can legally marry a couple.

In fact, around 75% of all marriage ceremonies are now performed outside of a church. This change reflects the way that marriage is viewed in Australia, and how the concept of marriage is evolving to reflect this.

And so, this is just another change to the structure of the institution of marriage which reflects the world that we live in. Recognising that all people in love, regardless of their gender, would be able to have that love recognised in a legally binding marriage ceremony. While this might be one more progressive change in the history of ‘marriage’, for many it is life changing and long overdue.

Weddings – now including Same Sex Wedding Ceremonies! Naming Ceremonies, Renewal of Vows

Phone; 0416 17 14 88

Website; www.magicalceremonies.com.au

Above: A jubilant Shakira and Don Spargo after their recent wedding


Living Memoryby Brendan Hogan

In early November, Arts Yackandandah, Yackandandah Theatre Company and Yackandandah Health teamed up to produce and present the unique theatrical performance of ‘Living Memory’.

Performed in the carpark of the Yackandandah Health, this space was transformed into an atmospheric night-time theatre, complete with a stage, seating, lighting and live music. When guests arrived, they were treated to an immersive experience as they were ushered into the Yackandandah Health building. As they walked through the facility, the audience enjoyed pre-show performances from The Rickety-Ramblers (Yackandandah Health choir), Yackandandah Primary School choir, Vivox, and Uke-n-dandah. For many in the audience this was their first time at Yackandandah Health, and for the residents, an opportunity to warmly welcome the community into their home.

Once in their seats, the theatre-goers enjoyed a pre-show set from Carma and the Consequences (Carm Hogan, Gordon Dickson, Chloe Wood and Jack Woodman). The band also served as a Greek chorus, weaving together and commenting on the seven ‘living memories’ that followed. As the sun set, the show was ready to begin.

The seven monologues were inspired by seven Yamaroo residents: David Nelson (written and performed by Brendan Hogan); Pepita Hodgetts (written by Beverley Lello, performed by Nina Edwards); Isabella Robinson (written by Lisa Mason, performed by Sophie Coleshill); Edie Dryden (written by Kate Rotherham, performed by Lisa Mason); Harold McQuilton (written by Brendan Hogan, performed

by Matt Lane); Hazel Fox (written by Kate Rotherham, performed by Bridget Doyle); and Erle Peatt (written by Brendan Hogan, performed by Trevor Matthews).

The stories covered many universal themes: love, loss, happiness, resilience and longevity. All the stories were told with care and in a way that not only held the audience’s attention, but honoured the lives of the residents themselves, many of whom came out to watch the show with the audience and family members. It was a thrill for the audience to give them a rousing round of applause at the end of their story. Sarah McAlister did an outstanding job with the costuming, complementing the simple set and letting the stories be the star of each monologue. Seguing between each story was an uplifting tune, ‘Up the Road’, written by Carm Hogan and Jason McDaniel, which spoke both to the resident and the audience.

This kind of project is a rare thing indeed and was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and the Victorian Bushfire appeal. In so many ways, the production was a showcase of what Yackandandah does best – bring its community together through authentic experiences. Hopefully, in some small way, it has helped us to connect with our elders and return them to an honoured place in our community.

The feedback from many of the 450 locals who got to see the show has been wonderful. For those of you who missed it, a book of the stories is available for purchase from the Yackandandah Newsagency. Also, our friends at Indigo FM recorded the audio of the show and this is available as a podcast from their website.

Above left: Whole cast performing to the residents at Yackandandah Health.Clockwise from top left: Brendan Hogan as David Nelson, Nina Edwards as Pepita Hodgetts, Sophie Coleshill as Isabella Robinson, Lisa Mason as Edie Dryden, Matt Lane as Harold McQuilton, Bridget Doyle as Hazel Fox, Trevor Matthews as Erle Peatt. Images: Bev Lello

\\Diskstation\documents\CEYC Marketing\2017\Indigo Shire\Yackandandah\Yackity Yack Article.doc

62 Twist Creek Road Operating: Monday to Friday

7:30am to 6:00pm At CEYEC–Yackandandah we offer quality Education and

Care sessions for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years. We provide

rich and nurturing environments and work with families and communities to support children in learning through play. We provide an

aged staged infant, toddler and Kindergarten Program.

Please phone our centre on: (02) 6027 0801 for further information, enrolment packages

& bookings.

YACKANDANDAH WRITERS GROUP

2018 meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of each month, 2:00pm,

in the Court House.

First meeting will be on Wed 7th February.Each month, a series of discussions will be led by Bev

Lello, which members actively participate in on the road to honing their writing skills.

All welcome.


Summer Reading Club at Yackandandah Library

Summer Reading Club runs during December and January to encourage children to keep reading in the school holidays and to make it fun.

When you register for SRC you will receive a small prize for every 5 books you read and go into the prize draw for a Book Voucher.

This year’s theme is “Game on!” - here are some ways to be involved

• Visit the Summer Reading Club website, www.summerreadingclub.org.au/theclub/ for online competitions , games and author information.

• Visit the Indigo Shire Libraries website, www.indigoshirelibraries.co.au to play some Internet based games and to reserve more books to read.

• Come into Yackandandah Library as there will be fun paper based activities to pick up and take home as well as board games to play in the library.

• Join Storytime which is aimed at pre-schoolers every Thursday at 9.30am in Yackandandah Library

• Take part in the two holiday activities for school aged children which will be held at Yackandandah Library during January:

Minute to win it fun games that last only one minute Tuesday 9 January 1.30 – 2.30 pm

Lego games – get creative with Lego Wednesday 17 January 10.30-11.30 am

Bookings essential 02 6028 1180

Transforming the Yackandandah Electricity Grid

Totally Renewable Yackandandah

By Matt Grogan, Totally Renewable Yackandandah Co-chair

At the start of this year approximately 30% of the households in Yack had solar systems installed. By the time the Mondo bulk buy is completely installed, at the end of this year (2017), it will be 40% or above. This is something like three times the state average. Over the past few years there have also been very large installations across the town, including the water treatment plant, the hospital, and Foodworks. Last Friday we launched what we think is the first commercially operating mini grid in Australia, the Yackandandah Heights Mini Grid. Yack’s taken some huge renewable energy steps in the last year, each step bringing us closer to our goal of 100% renewable.

At the same time, the rapid uptake of solar systems in Yack has begun to cause a strain on the electricity grid. The grid is currently not well suited to two way flows of electricity. Problems can be created when many solar systems are feeding electricity back into the grid all at once. In the middle of a sunny day, for instance. Solar systems can shut down or can export below their optimal level. These are caused by problems with high voltage.

The Yack community has come across these problems first as it is such a long way advanced down a path towards a renewable energy future. This was one of the reasons Mondo and AusNet decided to work in Yack. They knew that our local grid would be facing these problems as we moved towards our 100% renewable target, and that the community would be supportive through the necessary transformation.

Part of the solution is to upgrade certain elements of the electricity grid. Another part of the is the mini grid technology currently being deployed in Yack. Batteries and Mondo’s Ubi technology will both help. In the meantime the grid operator, AusNet Services, is working on solutions on a case by case basis. As we undertake the necessary transformation of our local electricity grid over the coming months we will be creating a resilient, local electricity system able to take Yack the rest of the way towards its 100% target.

TRY will attempt to keep the community up to date on these changes, but in the meantime you can contact myself, Matt Grogan, on 0428 529 705. I’m happy to answer questions about what’s happening with the electricity system in Yack at a general level, and to talk to Mondo on behalf of community members.


Above: Chris Summons helps Mary Nolan after her run.

Storms hit the North EastYackandandah SES

By Jackie Ashman, Yackandandah Controller

At the start of this year approximately 30 STORMS HIT THE NORTH EAST

The Yackandandah SES Unit have been very busy over the last few months with some very significant storm events.

Trees have been one of the main contributors to the Yackandandah members going out on jobs. Please be aware of any trees that look hazardous. They can fall at any time even without the wind blowing.

Also please remember when you see flashing lights to slow down. The current law in Victoria is that all drivers are to slow to 40km’s when passing any emergency vehicle with their emergency lights flashing. This is solely to preserve life. SES, Police, Council workers and Ambulance officers etc do not need the worry of fast vehicles going past them and making it dangerous for all involved. It is very dangerous to all at an accident so please slow down.

At one of the Yackandandah tree jobs recently there was a police vehicle present and the police had the radar out.

The North East was also hit with some heavy rain. Even though Yackandandah was not hit too badly we still had a lot of rain fall over the weekend. Everyone in the community

did a fantastic job preparing and this is a great sign that SES are getting the message out to prepare before disaster hits. Well Done.

Unfortunately the Circus school in the main Street was flooded from the heavy rain. SES was called and sandbagged the inside at the rear of the building. This stopped the water from entering the building and luckily after some clean up the circus was back up and running again.

The Yackandandah SES Members would like to wish everyone a very safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Call 000 for emergenciesCall 132500 for SES – Storm &

Floods

Speedsters return to YackBy Bronwyn Nolan

13th Great Yackandandah Billy Cart Race has now been run and won.

We came, we rode we kicked Railway Street’s backside (and for a few it kicked our backside).

Our Senior Champion for 2017 was Russell Harrison driving Cobra and our Junior Champion was John Nolan driving Sound Beast.

Competition was fierce in all age categories with Oliver Paull taking out line honours in Foundation/year 1 category, Zoe Stamp romping home in the 10 year and under category, John Nolan stealing the 14 and under and Russell Harrison (our Melbourne entrant) streaking home to win the Senior Category.

Lots of smiling faces, lots of talk of “woah did you see me come down that time....how fast was I Luke??”

Thank you to all involved, too many to mention so I will just say a HUGE BILLY CARTY THANK YOU!!!

To those who raced, to those who

cooked, to our local policeman Luke for doing Radar speed checks all day, to those who cut onions, baked, loaded carts, drove carts up and down hills, to those who did box cart, to those who administered First Aid, to those who donated Raffle Prizes, to those who donated food, to those who collected straw, to those who purchased straw, to those who came to watch, timed carts, to those who did the MC role, hooked carts on, rebuilt straw barriers and all the other numerous jobs I have forgotten to mention THANK YOU from all of The Great Yackandandah Billy Cart Race Crew and Yackandandah Primary School.

We are hoping to introduce a new event in 2018 so we can also cater to our traditional Billy Cart builders – stay tuned for more details.

For now it is time to put the carts back under the tarps until the 2nd Sunday in November 2018 so they can rest their weary brake pads.

Thank youBron Nolan

Kiewa local’s fascinating first book...

Andrea Palmer never set out to be an author, but the extraordinary life of Plum Rutherford Haet was a tale that just had to be told.

Plum was the daughter of a spoiled Australian socialite and an up and coming Scot in the Indian Civil Service during the last years of the British Raj. Conceived in Madras and born in Melbourne, Plum was a child her mother did not want.

At barely 5 years old, Plum was sent to a strict boarding school in England and then to Clyde Girls’ School on the other side of the world in the Victorian hills of Australia. Her early years away from her family helped Plum develop a stoic strength that flourished throughout her teens and early twenties.

Plum’s father, Sir Thomas Rutherford, was appointed Governor of Bihar one of the largest and poorest states in India. The family dined with Maharajas and went tiger hunting in Nepal.

After a whirlwind romance, Plum married Martin “Muddy” Haet, a

Jewish American doctor, in Las Vegas in the early 1960’s and shortly after gave birth to two children. Following a volunteer posting to American Samoa, Muddy’s life was cut short in tragic circumstances – changing the course for the rest of Plum’s life and setting her on the path as a trail blazer in the study of the sexual revolution of the 1960’s.

Andrea, a resident of the Kiewa Valley, took seven years to write and research the book. “It is a biography, so I had to make sure that all the events I covered, such as Plum’s job as Ava Gardner’s factotum, and her arrest in Franco’s Spain, were factual, even though sometimes unbelievable!” said Andrea. This is her first book and another is on its way.

Plum, From Bihar to Berkeley, The Extraordinary Life of Plum Rutherford Haet is a fascinating true story of a woman of wealth and privilege forgoing her heritage and challenging the Establishment’s constricting values. It is available at Ausmentos Yackandandah, Dymocks Albury, Collins Shepparton and numerous Melbourne bookstores.


Yackandandah Fishing Club

Presidents Report Cod season is upon us, Yackandandah was

represented at this year Cod Classic by 3 Keen Anglers prepared to take on the weather and the cod. With 12 cod caught by Team Yack a very respectful outcome, considering the 750 odd legal size cad caught over the weekend. Weather conditions were average possibly the worst seen in the classics 18 year history but Team Yack saw it through.

Yack was represented at the November Myrtleford and District Sports Fishing Club Comp at Lake Buffalo. With 9 Members represented. No grand prizes won but plenty of fun was had by all including 5 keen Juniors.

Looking forward to the upcoming Mallacoota trip in early February with dates to be confirmed soon.

From the Yackandandah Fishing Club President have a Safe and Happy Christmas.

Tight Lines and Happy FishingMick Ellis

Yackandandah Football & Netball Club

By Andrew Lawson, PresidentAfter a successful 2017 season,

the Yackandandah Football and Netball Club is well into planning for season 2018.

A new committee has taken the reins following the recent Annual General Meeting, with some new faces coming to the table alongside some of the ‘old’ ones.

As the new president of the club, I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the previous committee, led by

Brendan Johnson. Brendan and his family have moved away from Yack, but the legacy of his tireless work, along with that of his committee, is evident throughout the club. Thank you to Brendan and his team.

The committee for 2018 is as follows:

Over the coming few months, we will be working to get all our ducks in a row for the coming season.

On the football side, Brent Lillis returns to the role of senior coach, taking over from Jay and Lee Dale. Brent, or ‘Gecko’ to his friends, coached Yack to its most recent grand final in 2010, and it’s terrific to have him and his family back with the club. All of our football coaches have been appointed and are busy planning for the season ahead.

In netball, we are still on the

hunt for a senior coach after Chlorissa Johnstone stepped down from the role. If you are interested in a netball coaching role at senior or junior level, please contact Netball Operations Manager, Carla Jenkins.

We are working on streamlining our club registration processes, and hope to have an online registration platform up and running on the club website early in the new year. Watch this space. In the meantime, please direct any registration enquiries to [email protected].

Until then, stay tuned for more news from our club by following us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yackfnc/.

One more thing: we will be holding our first Working Bee on Sunday January 21 from 9am, and, as they say, many hands make light work. Please feel free to contact Jason Cox to register your interest in assisting to get the clubrooms and change rooms up and ready for the new season.

Go Roos in 2018!

Indigo Valley Speakers

Come and find your voice at our friendly

meetings!We can help you develop confidence for

your presentations or speeches!Meetings are held at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

on 1st and 3rd Wednesday’s - Wooragee Centenerary Hall and Yackandandah

Community Centre.Details at: http://indigovalley.easy-speak.org/

We welcome visitors and new members!.

Contact President Andrea Palmer [email protected]

Mobile 0409 209 230

Contact VP Membership Carole McCulloch [email protected]

Mobile 0423 532 785

New team takes the reins

Classic cod...

Position Member Email PhonePresident Andrew Lawson [email protected] 0417 687 070Vice-President Justin Maybury [email protected] 0400 297 969Treasurer Shaz Phillips [email protected] 0418 271 192Secretary Leah Jones-Davies [email protected] 0429 942 407Building & Surrounds Jason Cox [email protected] 0411 752 385Communications, Marketing & Merchandise

Matt Lane [email protected] 0438 582 719

Football Operations Sam Pan [email protected] 0408 658 250Fundraising & Events Alyce Pritchard [email protected] 0439 430 658Membership & Admin Raelene Young [email protected] 0448 911 081Netball Operations Carla Jenkins [email protected] 0437 130 102


Where is the spookiness in Yack?

by Colin BarnardWhen she was much younger, a

30-odd-year-old I know loved walking the Isaacs Park - (now) Stone Bridge Park pathway, through giant, almost forbidding pines which then enclosed the gully. Really high they were, way above; and, near the ground, undergrowth so dense and dark. Anything could have been in there. Defying - without admitting - the

spookiness, even scariness, she felt quite bravely adventurous.

The walkway remains, basically sound, if a little sadder, but, apart from the upper section, the pines have gone; the mystic mood has vanished.

Rehabilitation followed. Excellent and extensive, it changed the gully. For over two decades from 1985, old unstable pines and willows were replaced by thousands of native plants

selected to attract fauna and filter water, a few of them identified by signage along the creatively-designed walkway, bridges and steps. But time has diminished the Victorian 150th/Australian Bicentennial Walkway’s freshness: some signs are now headstones, or scarcely identify plants that remain, woodwork has faded, the path requests attention.

Could additional native species recapture some of the trail’s early character? Even more, could the track become integral in merging the heritage and environmental values of Stone Bridge Park with the family activity orientation of Isaacs Park? From the small stone quarry to the first crossing at its lower end, the walkway shows how it all could be, were melaleuca, t-tree, blackwood, callistemon, and suitable eucalypts - the kind of mix already there - to accompany the wattles and reeds further up, with signage revamped. A fresh coat for woodwork, and minor repair and drainage would restore the track for village walkers, or complete a circuit for those going via the easier roadside. Extension up to the site of Sergeant Vallance’s ashes could access a vista over village and landscape.Isaacs Park commemorates Sir Isaac and some national and state events. It identifies nearby heritage and environmental features. Facilities there speak for themselves - play and outdoor activity equipment, shelter, barbecues, rotunda with power supply, toilets, and tables and seats set among areas shaded or otherwise. Adjacent, Stone Bridge Park offers much potential in a quieter way, with Commissioners Creek, the bridge, courthouse, quarry, and environmental attractiveness to enhance its local heritage offerings. As gully erosion from railway station runoff was turned to advantage, so could Stone Bridge Park’s history and setting, revealed

and enhanced, better promote appeal of the entire area.

An information board accurately dates the stone bridge, on the then main Melbourne-Sydney Road, to 1859-60, though a footbridge has obscured its arch since 1970. Other boards near the courthouse mention Sergeant Vallance (but not his 12 years of Yackandandah service from 1896, not his correct place of death), establishment of the police and law buildings, local gold discovery in 1852, and a timber replica miner’s hut, the size of ‘a tent and a bark hut’ accommodation used by diggers, commemorating Yackandandah’s gold era. Unstated, here, is this second courthouse being erected during 1864 (completed 1865).

Thus, scope exists to improve signage at Stone Bridge Park, and to contribute brief references to Yackandandah’s first administrators in Senior/Sub Inspector William Jackson (when the police camp and paddock were established) and resident Goldfields Commissioner John Stephen Morphy, whose daughter, Florence, began great sporting heritage by handing ‘The Ashes’ to English cricket captain Ivo Bligh in late 1882. Others having strong claims to fame or infamy - Arthur L. M. Steele and Redmond Barry, Patrick Sheehan, Alfred Howitt - are candidates too, perhaps also a long-gone brewery; and Yackandandah Tennis Club, based as it was beside the stone bridge for 99 years. All this would complement Isaacs Park.

In envisaged unity, the two parks suggest an impressive, varied recreational area for the future, and an enlightening glimpse into Yackandandah’s past.

Can some of the spookiness be revived?

Getting arty... Yack Station open dayYack Station

by Miriam PoynerWhat a fantastic day it was at Yack Station Arts

Open Day on 2nd December.Despite the rain there was a steady stream of

visitors to the “Arts Hub” to view the artists working in their studios and to “have a go” at various art activities such as silk painting, clay work and mosaics.

Cathy McGowan was a very welcome visitor who dropped in to view all the activity and to try her hand at silk painting. The crowd was wonderfully entertained over the course of the day by Gordon Mullen’s vocals accompanied on keyboard.

Along with the Station artists own artwork and giftware, the new Yack Station Arts Gallery shop was also open showcasing local artists work from outside Yackandandah, including indigenous glassware by Albury’s Summer Matthews of Ngatji Glass and local Staghorn Flat wood turner Harry Dennis.

Overall it was a day of fun and celebration enjoyed by all who participated.Right: Local MP Cathy McGown getting arty at the open day.


Living Memory podcasts now on

at Indigo FMIndigo FM

Our Yackandandah site would like to welcome our new Local Site Co-ordinator Bron Howlett. Bron’s role is to engage with community and businesses and also co-ordinate presenters and help them develop their programs. Bron is well known within Yackandandah and an active participator in many community and arts related groups and we’re confident she will make a wonderful contribution. To contact Bron her mobile is 0400 150 540 or you can email her on [email protected].

Bron and her team, including Doug Wallen and Denis Ginnivan, recently did a fabulous job organising our Music Trivia Night at the Public Hall. The winners were Ole Ole headed up by Jeremy Smith - see pics attached. Our host - Indigo FM presenter Greg Morrison - did a brilliant job. Thanks too to Brian Lannen and the Yack Golf Club for doing the bar and Saint Monday for providing the catering. And everyone for swinging into gear Yack-style and doing a quick and easy clean-up at the end of the night.

Indigo FM has now launched a new

on-line Membership module. You can provide your basic Membership contact details and pay via a credit card. Scroll to the bottom of the page at this link for further detail https://indigofmradio.com/get-involved/membership/. Indigo FM is 100% volunteer run, so our memberships matter a lot! We’d love your support.

We have a couple of new shows too with Nik’s Digging Deep (Thursdays fortnightly 8-10pm) and Karen’s Indigo Stories on Mondays. The full run-down on Yack shows can be found here http://indigofmradio.com/listen/program-guide/yackandandah/

We were thrilled to recently be able to partner with Brendan Hogan and the team at Yack Theatre Company and Yack Health to capture and record the audio of the Living Memory project. Not only do we have an 84 minute podcast of the project available to hear but we also have each of the 7 individual 10-12 minute monologues that are randomly popping up on our playlist and also available on podcast. To find the podcasts go to the Listen menu on our website and select Podcast.

Thanks for your support and keep tuning in to 88.0 FM.

Support our wildlife warriorsMake a donation to Kangaloola Wildlife Shelter, and help local volunteers

care for injured native wildlife.To make a donation visit

http://www.kangaloolawildlifeshelter.org.au/donations-page

Radio powered by local people

MonTuesWed

Sat

Sun

7.30am to 8.30am The Exit Strategy with Aaron*

12 noon to 2pm Musical Mash with Spencer

10am to 12 noon Music with Phil with Phil

4pm to 5pm Yack PS School News: Archer, Emily, Eve and Logan

8am to 10am* Everyone Deserves Music with Scott

12pm to 2pm Musical Mash with Spencer

4pm to 5pm HJ The DJ with Henry *

*Program broadcast fortnightly. All programs are subject to change without notice.

Indigo FM also broadcasts from other Indigo Shire towns - Beechworth and Chiltern - and from time to time includes recorded programs from these sites as part of our playlist, along with repeat

shows from Yackandandah, just in case you missed them!

88.0 FM

Cut me out and put me on your fridge!

Become a radio presenter - email [email protected] to find out how!

4pm to 6pm The Mixed Bag with Ian*

Stuart Rudolph Plumbing & The Water Tank Cleaning Company

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machine with camera Water Tank Cleaning Water Tank Repairs

In Yackandandah since 1989


Yack Theatre Company’s production “Living Memory” a great success!

Nearly 500 people attended the production of the Yackandandah Theatre Company’s latest block-buster Living Memory, making it the largest for any performance by the Company.Performed outdoors, the production told the life stories of seven of our residents, walking through the cycle of life, from birth to old age. In addition to the monologues, those who attended were treated to a musical feast including the Yack Health Residents’ Choir and the Yack Primary School Choir, acapella, ukuleles and Carma Rose and the Consequences. We are delighted that the amazing and quite remarkable stories of some of our resident elders was showcased by this talented group of local playwrights, directors, actors and musicians. With over 657 years between the seven residents, some amazing experiences and memories were shared with the audience. Special thanks to Brendan Hogan for including us all in such a rewarding experience. Each of the seven Living Memory monologues have now been added to the Indigo FM playlist to pop up at random. They run for 10-12 min each and really are quite fascinating. Each has a short intro from Brendan Hogan. They will stay on the playlist until the end of January. Currently a podcast of the show is available at https://www.podomatic.com/.../2017-11-19T02_54_48-08_00Resident Choir Joins with Yack Primary StudentsOur resident choir meets every Friday for a 45-minute practise session, singing a mix of old and new songs, led by Geraldine Hall and Chris Zerbst, both members of our volunteer program. Our group of singers have once again joined up with the Yackandandah Primary School choir as part of our Intergenerational Program. This program strengthens our ties with our community, providing residents and students the opportunity of working together, and offers both groups the opportunity to explore different styles of music they would not normally experience. The most recent practise sessions culminated in the combined choirs performing a special song, “Let us Grow Old Together” as part of the entertainment at the recent “Living Memory” production. Thanks to all involved - it was an uplifting performance!2017 Doris Croucher Recipient - Geraldine MilesCongratulations to Geraldine Miles who is the 2017 recipient of the Doris Croucher Scholarship. Geraldine accepted the award from Peter Croucher, a cousin of Doris at last night’s AGM. Doris was 17 years old when she began working for Yack

Bush Nursing Hospital in 1949. Yackandandah Health received a substantial donation from her estate which established the Doris Croucher Scholarship in her honour. Geraldine was able to utilise the scholarship to complete a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment at Wodonga TAFE. With this certificate, she is able to co-ordinate and supervise the many students we have come through YH.Stage 1 Building works update:

Stage 1 of our expansion project continues to move along on schedule, with major stormwater infrastructure, gas piping and ring road shaping continuing at the rear with concrete retaining walls the next major task ahead. The car park levelling at the front of the facility is complete, and we are glad to say that no great impact was experienced during the recent heavy rainfalls. Our residents continue to enjoy watching the comings and goings from several vantage points around the complex. If you cannot access a car park directly at the front of the complex, parking is available along Isaacs Avenue on both sides, down Railway Avenue, or on Turntable Lane (behind the service station). Car spaces in the car park at the front of the old hospital building will be reserved for disabled/pick-up/drop-off of residents only, and spaces in front of the medical centre reserved for medical centre patients on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We are extremely appreciative of the patience being exercised by all visitors as we progress through this stage of the

building project. Stage 2: Community Hub – Community Priorities SurveyStage 2 is the development of a Community Hub that can host a variety of health and wellbeing services and activities. In March we consulted the community and received many ideas about the types of health and wellbeing services you would like to see offered locally. The top priorities, as rated by the community, will be used by the Committee of Management to shape the initial concept plan. We are offering YCD Co $50 vouchers to 3 lucky survey participants. The survey closed on 5th December and winners will be drawn at random very shortly and contacted directly. We thank all those who took part. Need a Doctor?The Yackandandah Health Medical Centre has appointments with Dr Tess Goodwin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Our aim is to build the practice to 5 days a week. Please call 02 6028 0130 if you have any questions, or wish to make an appointment.Do you have questions regarding entering aged care? Or our Retirement Units?We understand this can be a challenging time for anyone contemplating entering aged care, for potential residents and family members. We are happy to help you with plans for this transition and answer any queries you may have regarding fees and charges. We also offer Respite for short term stays – this is a great opportunity for carers to take a break from their duties and those booking respite to experience the aged care environment and have a holiday. If you would like to take a look around our wonderful facility, discuss our new units, respite options or permanent placement, please contact us on 6028 0100 to arrange an appointment. Find us at www.yackandandahhealth.com.au. We hope you find our updated website informative, bright and easy to navigate The staff and residents of Yackandandah Health wish you and your families a safe and healthy Christmas. We thank you for your support during the last 12 months and look forward to an exciting 2018.

Indigo Myotherapy and Massage

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point release, cupping and corrective exercises.

For appointments or enquiries phone Susannah Schmidt on 0428 719 298.

www.classicalconstructions.com.au


RING JOHN TODAY... 0419 133 046Check out ‘YACK MOWER SHED’ Face Book page!

End to a big year at the Golf Club...

Yackandandah Golf Club

2017 has been a big year for YGC and its members, the ladies have been very busy raising money through raffles, garage sales and applying for grants to help fund the re-development of the toilet facilities at the reserve. Their efforts have had a big boost last month when we received notification of successful grants applications. The state of the toilet amenity block was so poor we required urgent plumbing work to be completed in October to keep them in a usable condition. Yackandandah Community Centre has very kindly provided funding valued at $3,000. At the same time Yackandandah Community Development Co. have also provided funding valued at $2,000. Combined with a very generous donation from Dave McAuliffe with his plumbing skills, this will enable us to continue the improvement works in the New Year, thank you to Yackandndah Community Centre, YCDCo & David Mcauliffe Plumbing.

YGC is a non-for-profit club ran by volunteers on the behalf of its members, our volunteers keep the grounds maintained to a high standard for the whole community to enjoy. We do ask that if people are using the grounds they respect the amount of work that is put in by these volunteers by paying a small fee at the clubhouse before playing and replacing divots with sand provided. Or if you are walking dogs on the grounds please clean up after them and try not to leave stick on the fairways as this can damage mowing equipment.NEWS

We are now on Facebook! Just search Yackanandah Golf Club and you will find us. This is a terrific way to keep up to date on what’s happening at the club, as well as sharing some great golf posts. We are also using Teamapp to help everyone stay aware of all our coming golfing events, if you have a smart phone simply install the app, enter your details then search for Yack Golf Club to keep in touch with all golfing event’s happening at YCG and other competitions we support around the North East region.

Last week we held our AGM with the following positions passed for 2018:

• President: Terry Glass• Vice President: Peter Townsend• Club Captain: Leo Glass• Treasurer: Andrew Lawson• Committee members: Michael

Rogers[GM2] , Marian Barnard, Kelvin Schultz, Glenda Stacey, Andrew Robinson, Brendan[GM3] Jones & Pam Crosthwaite

The committee also determined to hold the current membership fees as they stand for 2018. MEN’S GOLF

The men have been busy over the past few months with golf each Sunday plus major events held locally including our Annual Stroke Tournament which was won by Beechworth’s Nathan Schneider, two shots clear of Trevor Britton.

The Hillside Classic was taken out by The Ox & Smithy from Mitta Mitta – well done boys.

Our matchplay event – The Pip Beatty Shield – culminated in a final between

Ben Glass and Duane Washington, with victory going to Duane on the 18th Hole

Club Championships were decided with Joe Finn taking out his first title. Well done also to Brendan Jones & Geoff Manton for taking out B&C grades respectively.YACKANDANDAH LADIES’ GOLF

58 ladies attended the Annual ladies tournament on 8th November.

The winner of the Permezel Trophy was Commercial Albury team - Ros Kerr, Lyn Vildovas, Carla Weldon and Val Hayes

Gail Smith from Beechworth won the A Grade scratch with a score of 90.

The A grade nett was won by Joylene Nicholls from Thurgoona with a nett score of 70

The B grade winner was Carla Weldon from Commercial Albury, and the C Grade winner was Lyn McPherson from Tumbarumba.

The weather was perfect and we enjoyed lunch on the deck. Delicious pies were generously donated by our local ‘ Gum Tree Pies’We congratulate our championship winners for 2017

They are - A Grade - Robyn Davies, B Grade- Glenda Stacey and C Grade- Marg ScanlonIn 2018 our Ladies competition series starts in March, social lady golfers of all levels will be teeing off at 7:30am on Wednesdays & Fridays beginner and new golfers are very welcome to attend with lessons offered if interested.OTHER EVENTS

Several mixed events were held through the second half of 2017 with terrific turnouts. These include;

The Indigo Challenge was held in Yackandandah this year with a tremendous turnout (64 players) from each of the clubs within the Indigo Shire; Beechworth, Chiltern, Rutherglen and Yack. The honour on the day went to the home team.

Our mixed 4BBB was held on Saturday 4th November.

Our annual Cops ‘n’ Robbers of which entry goes to charity was held in November with another great turnout of mixed players. This year’s proceeds went to Parkinsons Beechworth/Yackandandah Support Group. Special mention must go to Pam Crosthwaite who did a fantastic job or organizing the day.

A reminder every Wednesday is chook run so come on up at 5.30 for 9 holes, a cold beer and a hot snag. All for just $10 – members - $15 – non members.CHADFEST

Get your team together for Chadfest – Sunday 7th January – no need for a handicap. Follow our facebook page for updates.WANT TO TRY GOLF?

Everyone is welcome to come along and give golf a try. We hold multiple events throughout the week/weekend and there is no need for a handicap; there isn’t even a need to have clubs! We have got spare clubs - so contact Mick Rogers to find a time that suits you.

Media Liaison - Mick Rogers – 0413 632 468


Grants giving back...Yackandandah

Community Centre

YCC’s Committee of Management has great pleasure in welcoming David Thorpe to the Centre as the new Manager. David will pick up the baton from Ali Pockley who is heading overseas in 2018, and we look forward to seeing new and inspiring changes at the Community Centre. Carolyn Conlan continues to hold the fort as Admin Officer and brings to her role all the experience that 10 years plus in the organisation brings. She is the font of all knowledge in the Centre and has been great support for the managers that she has worked with.Courses – plans are already afoot for 2018 with a number of courses in the planning mode including welding workshops with the Yack Shack (Men’s Shed); Macramé and polymer jewellery; Ag Vet Chemical Users course will be held in Autumn, Recycling pallet workshops (again with the Yack Shack).Philosophy continues to run from YCC and we have a very active group who meeting weekly in the Board Room. Music lessons with Vanessa Delaine have been exceptionally popular and she will have a few vacancies for 2018

from Term 1 onwards. Please contact the Community Centre for further details in January.The front garden at YCC continues to take shape albeit very slowly due to various reasons. Hopefully this will be finished well before the next Yack Folk Festival and it will be a much used space. Ben Gilbert is designing a beautiful water bubbler which will fit in nicely with the piece he is designing for the Museum. We look forward to seeing a finished product! It seems to have been a long time in the making…GRANT FUNDING We are delighted to be able to be putting monies back into the community via our community supported venture – Yack Community Op Shop, and listed below are details of who got grants in 2017.

2018 Grants – grants will be available for community groups in September/October 2018, so make a diary date and make sure you don’t miss them! Contact the Centre to make sure you get an application form.Our AGM will be held in April 2018, date to be confirmed, so watch out for that. It will be advertised on the Yack Facebook page, and please consider nominating yourself as a committee member!

Yack Community Centre29 High Street Tel: 6027 1743

Email: [email protected]

Office open Tues/Wed 9-5, Thurs 9-4

The Community Op Shop is open Mon-Friday 10-4

Name of Applicant Title of Initiative/Project Grant Amount

Yack Pistol Club Purchase of solar photo voltaic system for clubhouse

$3,000

Yack Fire Brigade Purchase of defibrillator for Tanker One $2,495Yack RSL Three year funding for professional

sound technician to supply PA system for the ANZAC and Remembrance Day services in Yack

$1,500

Totally Renewable Yack

Funding towards the Yack “Festival of Dangerous Ideas” 1/12/17

$2,000

Yack Bush Nursing Hospital Auxiliary

Purchase of 2 gazebos $600

Yack Golf Club Renovation of Amenities Building $3,000

Christmas at the station

Festive greetings and a happy new year to all. Very little to report on the crime side of things in Yackandandah which is always pleasing. I am still catching people drink driving which is disappointing, after the number of local fatal and serious injury crashes I attended last year I was hoping there would be a changing of attitudes. You are putting yours, your loved ones and innocent road uses at risk if you choose to drink then drive.

I’m happy to report that the Great Yackandandah Billy Cart race was its usual awesome self. There were a few massive spills, luckily no serious injuries. I recorded the best speed at 52km/h which is the highest I have ever recorded.

My chainsaw has copped a smashing with all the trees over the road in the Spring/Summer storms. I love that this community always helps out, every time I have to pull the saw out, I always have locals rolling up their sleeves helping out. It is greatly appreciated by me and other Emergency Services.

On a serious note, the Yackandandah Community Bowls Comp (or alternatively the Beer and Thong Bowls) is starting at the end of January on Thursday nights. I have a spare position in my team this year and will be publishing a Position Description along with some Key Selection Criteria for those interested in joining a winning team. All applicants are welcome, so long as your surname isn’t RUSSELL or LAWSON. It will be a performance based contract and pay will be commensurate with skill level. Applicants should note that if you are successful, but on the night bowl with the bias the wrong way, you will be buying a round!!!

Luke

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There FOR You – Care and Support

There for You Assisting older people stay independent and in their homes and

communities longer.

I am offering practical services within the local community for you or someone you know that could do with some assistance to navigate the maze of services and supports available. Things I can assist with:

• Respite in the home.• Transport to health related

appointments or outings• Shopping support• Meal preparation.• Information on aged care services

and advocacy.

I come with an extensive background in Aged Care Nursing/Carer Support/Respite Co-Ordination and Case Management. Completed Div 2 Nursing in Aged Care and a Graduate Diploma in Gerontology.

If you would be interested or know of someone else that might be,

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0400 150 540

I would be happy to discuss further.Can provide a police check and referees.

Yackandandah Scouts

By Bambi QuigleyThe Joeys, Cubs and scouts continue to have heaps

of adventures and fun in the great outdoors as well as in the club rooms down at the sports park.

The last month or so has seen lots of team development as the different groups work together to build and negotiate various games and structures. Some of the older Scouts have been to the rifle range to help with the spotting (placing stickers on hole in targets) and then they were rewarded by a session at the rifle range where they learned about the safe use of smaller fire arms Great fun! ...and they all did an excellent job.

There was also a longer hike in the bush with the older team members showing their responsibility as they guided the younger members on a hike on some of the Stanley tracks.

Scouts make great buddies...


Yack PS says thank you

As the year comes to a close it is a good time to reflect on a great year’s learning at Yackandandah Primary School. Students, teachers and parents have been working hard together and have kept up a strong work ethic right up to the final days of the school year. Well done everybody on your work this year.

Yackandandah Primary School students, under the tutelage of Jenny Cope-Williams, Chloe Wood and Bob Haanstra performed at the Yackandandah Community Hall in early December. Jenny, Chloe and Bob teach private lessons in piano, guitar, ukulele, violin and vocals. We are very fortunate to have their

skills available for our students who showed proud parents and friends just how much they have learned. It was pleasing to see just how much the children loved performing.

Over the summer school holidays we are aiming to have the basketball court at the front of the school resurfaced. The old surface is a little uneven in places and has been in place for a very long time. Our fundraising efforts – along with support from YCDCO has given us the opportunity to renew the surface of the court and surrounding area. We welcome the community making use of the court when school is not in and beg your patience while the works are underway. We would like to thank YCDCO for their support – yet another reminder why it is important to support our local

businesses.Next year we will be

welcoming a number of new families to the school. We hope that the entire Yackandandah community will join us in helping families new to the school and area feel at home.

Finally, we would like to thank the Yackandandah community for their support throughout the year. There have been numerous ways that our students have been supported by the wider community and we certainly appreciate it. One of the most valuable lessons young people can learn is how good communities work together and support each other. Our young people are fortunate to have that example so close at hand on a daily basis.

Yackandandah Primary School

Yack Kinder NewsCHRISTMAS CONCERT & ART

EXHIBITION HELD ON 24TH NOVEMBERThe crazy lead-up to our Christmas Concert

and Art Display culminated in a wonderful evening and a visit from Santa via fire truck. We sincerely thank our parent helpers who assisted with setting up, transporting and packing up the Hall – so many helpers made the jobs more enjoyable and quick. Our MC on the night, Paul Anderson kept the program moving and parents informed of the achievements this year. This year’s concert was focussed around recycling and featured songs and props produced in keeping with this theme. Special thanks to the following parents who truly embodied the 3 Rs; Jacqui Bayne for making the amazing sheep (comprising cardboard, paper and shorn fleece) and Sarah McAlister for her cleverly constructed quirky milk bottle lanterns which adorned the stage and doors.

Didn’t the children’s artworks just light up the hall foyer area!! Despite the rain, nothing could dull the colour and beauty of their paintings, sculptures, mobiles and weaving. Our sincere thanks to our parents who painted the large display boxes – all 20 of them! The staff’s creativity in the display of the pieces had great impact – particularly the twisted willow artwork tree and the fabric loom. Not to mention the creative lit-log Christmas tree in the garden bed of the forecourt.

The large boxes which displayed the children’s artworks were distributed amongst Yackandandah businesses so that families and the wider community could appreciate them. We thank the Indigo Shire Library, the Yackandandah Primary School, Yack Newsagency, Java Café, Rhiannon Edwards Hairdressing, 7th Pocket and Sue-Ellen Drapery for hosting the artwork and encourage our families to support our local businesses, as they support us.

You’ve always wanted to be a writer,

haven’t you?!Well now you can be!

Send your contribution to Yackity Yak by emailing

[email protected]


“Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden”...

Our children are very fortunate here at Wooragee to be surrounded by rolling hills, fruitful orchards, strawberries that you can eat on your way to play and a dynamic garden that radiates beauty and practicality. This is thanks to the love, expertise and passion of our two community gardeners (Owen Gemmill and Eric Allerdice) and our ever growing school community support. We were fortunate enough in November to travel all the way down the Hume to the big city, to attend the Victorian School Garden Awards at the Royal Botanic Gardens. We were the proud recipients of the Regional Award and a voucher of $350, which will go towards assisting us in the operation of our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. Not only was this an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and effort that goes into maintaining and

growing a garden, but a chance for the children to immerse themselves amongst the sheer magic that the gardens have to offer for the day.

Mini race-car tracks, totem poles, a creek bed, rock garden, bamboo igloo….no you have not just entered wonderland, but you have just gained a brief insight into the magic, creativity and curiosity of the Wooragee kids and their plans. We used our Botanic Gardens visit as an opportunity for some research too, as the children have been working to design a sensory garden behind our kitchen. This is a precursor for our vision of a “Nature Playground” in our creek reserve area. We have been exploring location and mapping during Mathematics and have used this opportunity to apply our skills in the form of a rich task. Children have designed their own plan for the garden over a culmination of weeks and have come up with an amazing range of ideas. They have also got out their imaginary wallets and participated in a range of activities involving a budget for

the project. Children learn best when they can make real world connections and the excitement and enthusiasm radiating from them is amazing! So watch this space for what we come up with….

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in our community a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season. This time of the year is a great time for reflection and a chance to experience gratitude for the people and opportunities we have in our lives. It really is the most wonderful time of the year. We are excited to announce that we will have two classes operating at Wooragee in 2018. I will be taking the P-2 class and the 3-6 class will be taught by Grace Panjari. As always, please feel free to contact us if you are interested in making a visit to our school. We would love the opportunity to show you what it is that we do here at Wooragee. Merry Christmas everyone, we look forward to an even bigger and brighter 2018. Take care.

Alicia Odewahn, Principal/ Teacher

Wooragee Primary School

Transfers to and from Albury Airport and Rail

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Dennis and Pauline Cook

Green miracles...

Got a story to share?

Whether you belong to a community group that wants to

provide regular updates as to its activities, or know of someone who has done something great, Yack wants to hear from you!

Email [email protected]

with your tips!


Seniors get festive...Yackandandah Senior Citizens

Our Club has had another successful year with much laughter over cards and some very interesting indoor bowls. The last function for the year will be our Xmas Luncheon held in our Club rooms on Friday 8 December 2017.

The Harry Keeble Monthly Indoor Bowling Competition is being well attended and the game played on Friday 3 November 2017 had the winning team of John Seller, Kathleen Moore and Frieda Reeb with 45 points. The player of the year for 2017 is Sue Sukroo.

The next General Meeting will be held on Friday 9 February 2018 and look forward to seeing our Club members there for a social catch up.

The last round of Inter-Town Golden Oldies Indoor Bowling Competition was hosted by Yackandandah on the 20th November 2017 and the wining team on the day was Yack 1 consisting of Ray Melbourne,

Edna Lord, Frieda Reeb and Norm Melbourne with 41 points. The competition winner for 2017 was Wodonga 1, second was Yackandandah 1 and equal third was Wangaratta 1 and Yackandandah 2. We attended our Xmas Luncheon and breakup for the year at Springhurst on Friday 1 December 2017. The AGM of Golden Oldies Indoor Bowls will be held on Friday 19 January 2018 at 2 pm at Springhurst.

The Club will have a Xmas break from 20 December 2017 and reopen on Wednesday 3 January 2018 for Card and Scrabble starting at 10:00 am. The Indoor Bowls will resume on Tuesday 23 January 2018.

We wish you all a save and Happy New Year. New members always welcome, please come and

join us at the Yackandandah Senior Citizens’ Centre at 14 Wellfords St or contact us on 02 60271500/02 60271017.

Sue SukrooSecretary6 December 2017

Good sports all round...

Coaching lessonsThank you to all of the young tennis stars who

participated in Wednesday night lessons with Paul and Aengus. These lessons will start back up again in term 1, 2018.

Please contact Anna Hession on 0438 196 937 to register your interest. Our upper primary lessons with Aengus were full, but we had vacancies in the younger age group so please ask if your 5-8 year old would like to have a go. If there is enough interest, we can target these sessions for 30 minutes with the smaller nets. 2017 Club Championships

Well done to everyone who participated in the annual Club Championships on Sunday 19th November. The weather was perfect and there were some tightly fought battles on the day.

Winners on the day included: - 11 and under doubles: Zoe Stamp and Oscar Bayne- 16 and under doubles: Liam and Lilly McPherson- Ladies doubles: Amanda Walker and Rebecca Stamp- Men’s doubles: Geoff Simmons and Ian Greenwood- Mixed doubles: Ian Greenwood and Amanda Walker.Tuesday night social tennisTuesday night casual tennis runs all year round.- Intermediate to advanced level- Male and female players- Play when you want, no need to commit to play every week- Doubles format- 7pm start - $10 per person.

Call Duane Washington to register your interest on 0418 578 860.

Looking for somewhere to take your visitors?

Call in to Yackandandah’s

Visitor Information

Centre in the historic Post Office,

High StreetThe centre is open seven days a week,

10.00 am to 4.00pm, and offers visitor information,

souvenirs and accommodation

assistance

Find out more at www.exploreyackandandah

Yackandandah Tennis Club


Yackandandah Fire Brigade

Our Summer got off to a very wet start, which has kept the country-side green for a bit longer.

But it will also increase the growth which will eventually dry off and will then present a considerable fire risk.

The real effects of ‘climate-change’, whether you believe in it or not, will be experienced in the future, if not already being experienced with the unusual conditions we are seeing.Message from the Yack brigade captain

The Fire Danger Period in Yackandandah is now in force

The Fire Danger Period this year for the Indigo Shire, spans from the 27th of November 2017 until 1am on the 1st of May 2018. This means you cannot light a fire in the open air unless you have a permit or comply with certain requirements. If you don’t obtain a permit, you could be breaking the law and may be prosecuted.

CFA in conjunction with Victoria Police, have a zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal fires. It is imperative that all residents are particularly cautious when mowing and using powered equipment outdoors. For further information regarding what you are allowed to do during the Fire Danger Period, go to the CFA website at http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/can/ .Be prepared

Your preparations for the Fire Danger Period should now be complete. Check out the information contained on the CFA website at http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/plan-and-prepare/ for suggested preparations that you can carry out. An important consideration for all landholders is to ensure that a fire truck can reach your house. For this to occur, your driveway needs to be clear of trees and branches with a minimum clearance of at least 4m in width and 4m in height.Stay informed

The Vic Emergency Hotline provides information during and after major bushfire incidents. Ring Vic Emergency Hotline on 1800 226 226. or on line at http://support.emergency.vic.gov.au

Incident information is also available on the Vic Emergency website or by listening to ABC radio or other emergency broadcasters.

Thank you to the members of our community who have supported us during 2017, and on behalf of the Yackandandah Fire Brigade, I wish you all a safe Christmas and New Year.

Yves Quaglio, Captain.OPEN DAY

Nine dogs, seventy-three children and eighty-three adults dropped in to the Open Day at the fire station on November 18th.

It was mostly the children, plus a few adults, who had a great time squirting water at the ‘pretend house fire’ at the back of the station.

The CFA community education trailer had the latest information and brochures on fire safety, including the latest guide on how to prepare your property in case of fire.

The visitors even included a travelling family from northern Western Australia.FIRST AID COURSE.

St. John’s Ambulance recently ran a well attended first-aid course at the fire station.

The CFA is keen to have its volunteers attend training courses in this discipline, for their own benefit, as fire-fighting can be fraught with health hazards, accidents and risks to life and limb.

Sixteen brigade volunteers received instruction from a St. John’s Ambulance tutor.

Keep these numbers on hand, and discuss fire safety with everyone in

your household

To report a fire 000Burn-off Notification

1800 668 511VicEmergency Hotline

1800 226 226CFA Web Site

www.cfa.vic.gov.au

Fire brigade news

2017 mm Days of rain

Jan 46.2 4

Feb 28.4 4

Mar 65.0 7

Apr 76.4 7

May 52.2 8

June 11.8 4

July 105.0 18

Aug 144.0 4

Sep 29.8 9

Oct 92.0 9

Nov 44.2 6

Total 19/11/17 709.6 92

to 24/9/1t5 700.4 80

to 24/9/16 961.8 97

Reg’s rain

report


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