summer: 13€¦ · about a theme-a-day op shop restyle challenge. it is amazing what you can do...

Edit ion 66 ISSN 1445-7210

Also in this issuE

1 Maybe it runs in the family

2 A story that needs to be told

3 Always a WA girl

Going places

YOURSTO KEEP

summer: 13

Government of Western AustraliaDepartment of Regional Development

From the ChairinsidE this issuE

From the Chair ......................................2

Bush fashionista ...................................3

Yerecoin wives ......................................4

Across my desk ....................................6

Hidden gold ..........................................7

Maybe it runs in the family ....................8

A story that needs to be told ............... 10

In my backyard ...................................12

An uplifting way to give ....................... 14

Baby wearing in the Wheatbelt ............15

Volunteer experience ..........................16

Always a WA girl .................................18

Bridgetown joins the conversation .......20

Words and stories ...............................21

Great support for women’s day ...........22

All things woollen ................................23

from thE chAir

Leonie Noble

Hello and welcome to this edition of the Network News.

What an amazing crop of women we have read about throughout the year. It just goes to show that it is the fantastic women and their partners in the regions that make Western Australia the amazing state that it is.

I can’t believe that it is December already, but what a year it has been for the RRR Network.

We have moved to the Department of Regional Development who have been fantastic and have provided many opportunities to grow the Network.

We have seen our reference group members provide advice to Ministers on current and developing issues in the rural, remote and regional areas of the state.

The RRR Satellite Sundowner for International Day of Rural Women was again a huge success and continues to grow in strength.

These really are only a few of the highlights of the year.

One of the reasons the RRR Network continues to grow, and provide access to information, communication avenues, and of course our flagship the Network News highlights the amazing women of WA, is through the truly inspirational reference group membership.

One of the hardest parts of my job is saying goodbye to our out-going members. During the year we said farewell to two reference group members and on 31 December three reference group members will be leaving us.

These amazing dedicated women have, during their terms, provided the stories highlighting the women in their regions that we all enjoy reading in every issue. They have given their immense knowledge and imparted their passion for their communities, and willingly dedicating huge amounts of personal time to ensure the success of the RRR Network and will be sorely missed.

So I would like to personally, and on behalf of the RRR Network, thank Jenifer Collins from Northam, Irene Mills AM from Pithara, Lola Jones from Broome, Sally Thompson from Woodanilling and Margaret Bertling from Karratha for their passion and friendship during their terms. I wish them all the best in the future and we will certainly be hearing their names making a difference in the future.

I would also like to wish you all a sensational and safe festive season and look forward to your company in 2014.

Yours in RRR

Leonie N obleChair RRR Network

Yerecoin, a tiny town in the Wheatbelt, is thriving thanks to international travellers finding love with a local.

2 nEtwork nEws SUMMER 13

Bush fashionistarenee manning

GoinG Pl AcEs

mErrEdin

Kirsty Mackenzie’s journey has taken her from being born in Merredin, to Perth, to Albany, to Mount Barker and back to Merredin.

Kirsty’s recent return to her place of birth has meant she is much closer to her family, with baby sitters close by to care for her youngest child while she pursues her creative dreams.

In her own words, she is a “farm living wife and mum obsessively creating original designs from recycled clothing and fabric”. This is the reason she calls her business “Obsessive Creative Designs”.

It has taken a while, but the Merredin community has gotten used to Kirsty’s penchant for all things quirky and original. It can be a confronting sight to see a blonde haired, blue eyed grown woman walking down the main street in a wearable art pieces.

Whether it is an award winning wearable art hessian sack dress, a full blown up-cycled princess style wedding dress, to formal cocktail wear, you can be assured there are some heads turning.

Recently, this attention seeking has all been in the interest of charity, with her recent “Frocktober” experience seeing her raise $1700 for ovarian cancer. Kirsty likes to ensure she supports and acknowledges those local businesses that have supported her along the way.

Kirsty is inspired by her surroundings, her community and her family, as well as a widening network of fashion forward people with whom she collaborates and networks over the internet.

Though challenging living in a regional area, Kirsty is aiming to fill a niche market for tailor made clothing in the Wheatbelt and beyond. Her amazing determination will ensure she is on the fashion map.

Networks are important, and Kirsty’s sister Adelle Cousins is helping her expand her own network. Also an ex Merredin girl, Adelle moved to Perth in 2007 to follow her creative dream. Six years of hard work has seen Adelle establish herself as a force to be reckoned with (or followed on Twitter at least) in the fashion and photography world.

A fickle place to find a niche, Adelle recently launched her own label, “Where the Styled Things Are”, which was recently selected for a coveted place in the “Restyle” Perth Fashion Festival.

Her assignment has been blogging about a theme-a-day op shop restyle challenge. It is amazing what you can do with $10 from Good Sammy. This fantastic competition is about supporting charity as much as being fashionable.

Adelle has also been named as the Gen Y blogger of the year for the website www.women.com.au. She is also thinking of applying for Big Brother.

Kirsty says that living in Merredin is fantastic, but it has its challenges, including contending with a backyard full of lambs she cannot bear to turn away, and some degree of isolation.

She is building her networks through linking up with the Wheatbelt Business Networks, Professional and Business Women’s Group, and also collaborating very closely with her sister in developing her online presence.

[email protected]

The Merredin community has gotten used to seeing Kirsty stroll down the street in wearable art pieces.

Kirsty has a penchant for all things quirky and original.

It started in Merredin. After moving around the south west, Kirsty Mackenzie is back and, along with sister Adelle, is pursuing her creative dream.

nEtwork nEws SUMMER 13 3

http://www.women.com.au

mailto:[email protected]

Yerecoin wives

GoinG Pl AcEs

YErEcoin

A tiny town in the Wheatbelt is thriving thanks to international travellers finding love with a local.

They hail from all corners of the earth and from the other side of the country too.

Yerecoin, in the Shire of Victoria Plains, is blessed with women who came for a job and stayed for a life full of adventure.

What began for many as a chance to work and travel the countryside quickly turned into romance and settling into the WA rural scene.

These women gave up their old lives back home for a new beginning with an Aussie partner.

After some months travelling the wide brown land, the girls found work at the Yerecoin Tavern, 150 kilometres from Perth.

While many did their stint, earning money to keep travelling, others found the gravitational pull of a blossoming romance irresistible and stayed.

These talented women from Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland and a couple hailing from interstate also brought some amazing skills sets: from science and technology, agronomy, geology, investment banking, marketing and hospitality.

The locals may not have realised but the women serving drinks behind the bar were brimming with abilities and new ideas.

After many a tale of courtship stretching across the world and back, they all have families of their own and help run local farm and rural businesses.

They enrich the community by taking up volunteer roles in every possible field including managing local facilities such as the halls and gardens, the tennis club, kinder-gym and playgroup.

They are strong players and supporters of the local netball, hockey and tennis teams and love to help organise vital social events to keep everybody sustained year in and year out.

For the international wives, there is also a healthy sense of rivalry when their home country takes on the Aussies: be it cricket, rugby or at the Olympics.

They have even organised a few international wives social events where husbands, partners and children get together to celebrate the joys and trials of moving countries, all in the name of love.

From across the globe and the country, these talented women came for a short work stint and stayed for a life full of adventure.

Yerecoin, in the Shire of Victoria Plains, is blessed with women who came for a job and stayed for a life full of adventure.

There must be something special about Yerecoin. Talented women arrive for a short work stint and some end up staying to become locals.


GoinG Pl AcEs

For Scottish national Tracy Sievewright, moving to Yerecoin was an adventure that largely started out of necessity.

Having travelled parts of Australia for ten months in 2009, she wound up in Carnarvon looking for bar work to fund the next leg of her tour.

“I searched a local job website looking for work from Carnarvon down to Perth and everywhere in between and up came a barmaid’s job at the Yerecoin Tavern,” she said.

“Within three days of starting I had invitations to come for dinner, go to social tennis, go on a farm visit; people were very friendly.”

“Everybody just wanted to include you even though I had not planned to stay.”

It was at a Melbourne Cup function at the hall where Tracy first met many local women, some of whom had been in her position not long before.

“A couple of the girls took me aside and jokingly said ‘don’t get too settled or the next thing you know you’ll catch a local’s eye and be staying forever because that’s what happened to us’!”

It wasn’t long before a certain local, Kyle Manning was asking Tracy to tour the farm and taking her out for dinner.

“Our initial date was in fact to the tip to drop off some rubbish but things certainly improved from there,” she laughed, adding that the next proper invitation was much better.

“He picked me up from town and we drove out to Lancelin for dinner. After a lovely night we then drove back and little did I know but he went on and did a full night of header driving.”

“That was when I knew it must be getting serious,” Tracy said.

With a career in agronomy in Scotland, Tracy found she loved the farming life that surrounds the town.

“My family has always been farming and lived on farms so I thought it was fantastic as everything around me was agricultural,” although she admits it was not easy to acclimatise to the soaring temperatures.

“In Scotland when I first left it was minus 4 degrees and here I was in 38 to 40 degree heat.”

The flies and mosquitoes were another adjustment. “I used to go for a walk in the evenings and found myself chewing half the wildlife.”

None of that prevented Kyle and Tracy from moving in together and several years later baby Aaron, now 18 months, came along. Baby number two is due in late February.

Tracy says while it’s harder to go out for coffee or meet up with friends in the country she’s realised you can always invite people or organise a play date with other young mums in the area.

Tracy has taken Kyle to Scotland to meet family and friends and will ensure their children appreciate both sides of their heritage.

“We have more customs back home such as Burns Night where we celebrate our history with pipes and dancing and haggis. It is a lot of fun,” she said. “I’d love to see more of that here and we put Aaron in a kilt for celebrations such as weddings.”

She feels a strong allegiance to anything Scottish but she doesn’t mind seeing England lose to Australia.

“When it comes to tennis I support Andy Murray all the way, but if it’s cricket, I’m happy to see the Poms getting beaten!”

Within three days of starting I had invitations to come for dinner, go to social tennis, go on a farm visit; people were very friendly.

Neither the soaring summer temperatures nor insect life prevented Tracy and Kyle from moving in together.


Katrina Hayes

Across my desk

RRR NETWORK NEWSNetwork News is published quarterly by the RRR Network to share stories and photographs from and about women living in rural, remote and regional Western Australia.

The RRR Network was established in 1996 to bring together women in rural, remote and regional Western Australia to recognise, promote and expand on the contribution they make to their communities. The Network is a State Government project funded by the Department of Regional Development.

Circulation for this edition is 9757. The magazine is distributed free to regional subscribers throughout Western Australia and organisations in Australia.

Editorial material in RRR Network News is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission from the Editor. Views expressed in Network News are not necessarily those of the RRR Network.

DISCLAIMER: Inclusion of an advertisement or sponsor’s symbol in the RRR Network publications does not imply endorsement of the product or sponsor by the RRR Network and the Department of Regional Development.

RRR NETWORK EXECUTIVE OFFICERKatrina Hayes

EDITORKatrina Hayes

RRR NETWORK OFFICERRR Network NewsTel: (08) 6552 1849Fax: (08) 6552 1850Email: [email protected]: www.rrr.wa.gov.au

REGIONAL EDITORIAL COMMITTEEJo Fulwood, Lola Jones, Leonie Noble

RURAL, REMOTE AND REGIONAL WOMEN’S REFERENCE GROUPLeonie Noble – Geraldton (Chair), Michelle Barrett – Munglinup, Margaret Bertling – Karratha, Paula Bray – Derby, Jo Fulwood – Cunderdin, Jackie Jarvis – Margaret River, Lola Jones – Broome, Renee Manning – Merredin, Jodie Mortadza – Bindoon, Janine Phillips – Peaceful Bay, Sally Thomson – Woodanilling and Monica Treasure – Wandering.

DESIGNLinkletters

PRINTINGQuality Press

NEXT EDITIONTheme: Many Hats

This edition is due in March 2014.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBESee the subscription form on the back page or contact the RRR Network office.

ISSN 1445-7210

Welcome to the Summer 2013 edition of Network News and thank you to all our readers who provided articles. The main theme is Going Places.

Whether it’s moving around the state, around Australia, or going overseas, the new experiences and opportunities of our contributors going places provide inspiration in the stories we share with you in this edition. Enjoy your summer reading.

The 2013 RRR Satellite Sundowner was again successful across the state, with events from Kununurra to Esperance. You can watch the In My Backyard video anytime from the RRR website.

Have you been inspired after reading a story in Network News? Or has sharing your story made a difference for you? We’d love to hear from you.

Your copy of the 2014 RRR Network Family Organiser is included with this issue of Network News. This is the sixth year we have published the organiser and we are pleased to share images of rural, remote and regional life from around Western Australia.

We welcome images throughout the year for the next Family Organiser and the My Backyard section of the Network News magazine.

I wish you and your family a relaxing Christmas break and a prosperous New Year.

Katrina HayesRRR Network, Executive Officer

Across mY dEsk

6 nEtwork nEws SPRING 13

National Youth Awards 2014 applications are openThe National Youth Awards celebrate, acknowledge and recognise Australia’s youth. Entries are open until 8 January 2014 in categories including Health and Wellbeing; Creating Pathways; Community Leadership; Safer Communities; Personal Courage and Cultural Awareness. Find out more at http://www.youthweek.com/nya

Women in Construction Awards 2014Nominations are open for the National Association of Women in Construction (WA) Awards for Excellence, which recognise outstanding achievements made by women in the construction industry. Nominate yourself or a colleague at www.nawic.com.au by 30 January 2014.

Horizon Scholarship 2014The Horizon Scholarship has been developed to support the next generation of agricultural leaders, who will take up the challenge of farming for the future. It is for young people who are passionate about agriculture, with a keen interest in the future of these industries and who are ready to expand their networks and learn new skills. For more information visit www.rirdc.gov.au/horizon


http://www.youthweek.com/nya

http://www.nawic.com.au

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/horizon

GoinG Pl AcEs

mAnjimuP

Twenty years ago, I was twelve years old, soon to leave the family apple farm and go to boarding school.

Out of our class of 60 Year Sevens at Manjimup Primary School, I was quite alone in my impending departure. It was goodbye Mum, Dad, and everything I knew.

Can you imagine how I felt? You might be surprised to hear that I was glad to be leaving.

While most girls battled home-sickness during first term, I was pretty happy, following in my older brother and sister’s footsteps, and enjoying the adventure of making new friends.

Just a few years later, when I was 18 and not long out of boarding school, my mum died from cancer.

Mum ran the fruit packhouse for as long as I can remember, and her vacola-preserved apricots were my favourite winter dessert.

One of the hardest things to follow was experiencing Mother’s Day. It was also very challenging when friends complained about their own mothers.

Eventually, in amongst several years travelling Australia and overseas, I learnt to accept all that, coming to see mum’s passing as a gift.

Losing her taught my heart to sing with gratitude at what I do have: the little things like hugs from my niece and nephew, delicious fresh food, and the cheery greeting I get from the Guadagnino family, our local grocers.

Tough times urge us to learn, grow, and go to new places. These days I do my best to see them as hidden gold in muddied waters.

After years of wanderlust, Manjimup was still the last place I’d ever thought I’d return to!

But Dad’s move to embrace organic farming inspired me to dream of a future on the land back home. Maybe I could create what I wanted to see...

Becoming 2012 WA runner-up in the RIRDC Rural Women’s Awards helped me found Stellar Violets Inc, a charitable non-profit organisation named after my grandmothers.

With Stellar Violets, we find healthy ways to engage in the world, and share our experiences and examples with others.

I recently travelled to Gundaroo, NSW, to attend Milkwood Permaculture and All Sun Farm’s excellent Organic Market Gardening Masterclass.

The next step for us is creating a small, diversified market garden, aiming to provide our team and friends with as much fresh organic produce as we can, year-round.

We’ll be sharing our progress on the web, in our seasonal newsletter, and with special presentations and workshops.

Collaborations and donations help us bring special events to the south west as opportunities arise, such as sustainability speaker, Nicole Foss, and homesteading or sustainable living skills workshops.

By summer Stellar Violets will also be going places in our 100% fully electronic farm ute!

To our knowledge it’ll be the first vehicle of its kind to be registered in the Southern Forests’ region.

If you want to have a look under the bonnet, book us to present to your group or help out with our projects just connect and say hi.

[email protected]

Trees planted for mums at the 2013 Mother’s Day Planting.

Making Granny Ipsen’s sauce workshop with Stellar Violets

Hidden gold lucinda Giblett

Leaving home, Lucinda went to school, travelled Australia and overseas and found herself drawn back home with a dream of a future on the land.



GoinG Pl AcEs

BroomE

How does a young woman who likes to run on the beach in Broome end up running in the New York City Marathon? Maybe it just runs in the family!

Denise Shillinglaw is planning to run in the New York City (NYC) Marathon with her mum, Loretta.

About this time last year Denise was planning to be the support team for her mum who was running in the 2012 NYC Marathon.

This year they will run together. The NYC Marathon is 42.195km or 26.219 miles long and one of the largest marathons in the world.

Denise said that the idea of running a marathon herself had been lurking around since her mum ran her first marathon in Perth in 2004. “For someone like me who had just had my first child at the time, it did not seem realistic, ever”.

Supporting mum was always the priority.

Mum started running at 56 years old and six years later completed her first marathon, the Perth Marathon in 2004. Next was the 2010 Athens Marathon and after Athens, it didn’t seem that insurmountable for Loretta to do the New York Marathon.

Denise was disappointed she was not able to see her Mum over the line in Perth or in Athens, so she was pretty determined to see her finish in New York and help her celebrate. Not many people could say their 70 year old mum had run their third marathon! It was going to be a great trip.

Denise said, “It was a great a trip but not how we had planned it. The 2012 ‘run’ was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy and Loretta, along with many others who had trained and travelled for the event, were devastated. But then, New York City was devastated too, so we were in good company.”

On the day of the cancelled 2012 marathon, Loretta and about two hundred other Australians decided to run a goodwill run around Central Park. It seemed to be the right thing to do and there was so much pent-up energy in the competitors, that there needed to be some outlet. Denise ran with them.

She said, “It was amazing! There were about twenty thousand people in Central Park running that morning. I was running with Chileans, South Africans, Spaniards, Americans, French; some of the fittest people on the planet. After that run (only about 10km), I thought if I am ever in a position to participate in this marathon, then I will do it.”

About six months later the Boston Marathon bombings occurred and Denise feared for her mum, who had put her name down to run in New York in 2013. What was the risk for her?

Denise spent several days in April 2013 trying to talk her mum out of going.

Then Denise got the email, “Congratulations. We would like to offer you a place in the NYC Marathon.”

Denise said, “I didn’t know what to do. Then I remembered my promise to myself back in New York. I decided that, yes, I would commit to my first marathon and accompany my mum in her third. She has always inspired me and if she could do it, then I could too.”

The training was time-consuming. In February, Denise injured her Achilles tendon and spent two months getting back on track just to begin training. The next few months were hard work and she planned to train cautiously so as to prevent any other injury.

Denise with her New York marathon bib

Maybe it runs in the family lola jones

From running after a thunderstorm in Broome, Denise was inspired by her mum, Loretta, to run her first marathon.

“It was amazing! There were about twenty thousand people in Central Park running that morning. I was running with Chileans, South Africans, Spaniards, Americans, French …


GoinG Pl AcEs

Denise describes herself as a middle distance runner (8-12km) and used to run almost daily. She said her longest “competitive” run was a 12km City to Surf in 2007.

A marathon training schedule forces you to run longer distances but less often. So she runs four times per week now and with four months to go she is now up to running 18km.

At the moment she is beating her personal best every weekend!

They did what they set out to achieve and can laugh about it. Denise and Loretta ran the New York City Marathon in November, coming in at 5.24 and 6.17 respectively. They celebrated with champagne, dinner and a little shopping.

Denise and her mum, Loretta, at the finish line of the 2012 run which inspired her to get involved.

A lot of training goes into running a marathon.

Supporting mum was always the priority. Mum started running at 56 years old and six years later completed her first marathon, the Perth Marathon in 2004.

She said, “I run because I enjoy the meditation of it. I run pretty much the same course every time. I enjoy the shift where my body is in focus and my brain gets to rest. Amazingly, some of my best thinking happens when I am running.”

“In Broome particularly, I love to run because it is so clean and (most of the time) so quiet. Sometimes, of course, running in Broome can be hot and I love going for a run after a great big thunderstorm.”

“Most of all I love the feeling at the end of every run, the feeling that every runner knows – an elation. When you know that you are alive.”

Denise is grateful to her partner Paul and her father Des, who both help her to juggle her (nearly) full-time job, two children and training. Their support, her children’s support and the experienced advice from her mother, will all help in enabling her to achieve this goal.

Denise has also taken up yoga, and she says that yoga is definitely helping with the mental challenge of the whole project.

“Most of my mental strategy is visualisation of the course. I know a little about the city and have been studying the course. On every training run, I visualise one of the milestones on the NYC course. I am hoping it will help.”

“What I am most looking forward to is running down past Marcus Garvey Park and into Central Park on the day, because I know that at that point there will only be about five kilometres left to run to the finish line.”

“I will be very happy to get there. Mum and I will really celebrate then!”

[email protected]



A story that needs to be told jenny macdonald

mY hEArt mY homE

northcl iffE

We live on a farm in Northcliffe, a very small community, but a community with a huge heart. My husband John was born and bred here of pioneer stock, while I came from a farming family next door in Pemberton.

When we were married 45 years ago, the farm had about 130 acres cleared of scrub with ring barked trees everywhere. John worked for the Department of Environment and Conservation for 35 years and together we have worked hard through difficult times to develop and grow our farming business and to bring up our three sons.

All our family have always been heavily involved in community life: Tennis Club, Golf Club, Southerners Football Club, Northcliffe’s 75th, 80th and 85th Anniversary Celebrations, the great Karri Mountain Bike Challenge, and the formation of the Northclifffe Community Development Group.

My latest achievement was raising funds in dedication to a wonderful doctor who helped people in our area for 47 years. We erected a cast iron silhouette in his honour on Australia Day 2012 and that must be my ‘swan song’ for the time being. Life as we knew it changed in May 2009. John was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

It was a great shock to John and I, our sons and extended families. Our journey began with an initial worry about John’s arm. We went to our local doctor, who sent us to a Bunbury specialist, who then sent us to Perth to a doctor who finally gave us the diagnosis. Very different to the ‘frozen shoulder’ which John thought he had.

MND is not very common. There are currently only 120 cases in WA and it is a difficult disease to diagnose, hence all the different doctors we saw. There is no known cure.

After the diagnosis and recognition of what MND would mean for John’s capability, I made a commitment to keep my beloved husband on the farm that he loves.

We needed a more suitable dwelling so that John and I could focus our energy and face the menace of MND together.

I raised the housing issue firstly with my brothers. One brother, with previous experience constructing this type of housing, took over. With his son, they drew up the plans for a dwelling suitable for a person with disabilities and within a week, with help from friends at the Manjimup Shire, we had plans ready to go.

Being a small town, the people of Northcliffe and surrounding areas soon heard of our plight. When my brother Noel and his son Paul started building, John and I were overwhelmed with the help provided from this community.

The dwelling took 27 days to build. 106 people, family members and friends helped with the cooking, building, cleaning, including the skilled tradesmen.

His grandsons take their Poppy John in their stride.

Jenny shares her story of how her community’s spirit and generosity provided the help and support needed so her husband John can stay on the family farm that he loves.

After the diagnosis and recognition of what MND would mean for John’s capability, I made a commitment to keep my beloved husband on the farm that he loves.


mY hEArt mY homE

We have been overwhelmed and humbled in this situation.

We are settled into this beautiful house. Facing one day at a time hopefully John will get lots of pleasure and laughs from his great mates, friends and family for a long time yet.

For me, how do I repay these wonderful people?

Now to the caring for John: we have been lucky with Baptist Care, Rural Respite, the Pemberton doctor and nursing staff at the Pemberton Hospital.

Tapping into Gumtree, I found travelling nurses who are backpacking around Australia. Baptist Care, Rural Respite and Care-a-Lot employ them for 27 hours a week and we provide their accommodation and food.

We have been very lucky with these young people. Without them I could not cope with John at home as it is 24 hour care.

Son Dave, his partner Catrin and their two little boys Jamon and Harper, live in our old home, which is adjacent to our house. Dave runs the farm and Jamon and Harper give us so much pleasure. John enjoys their antics.

These boys are very adaptable. Jamon turns the pages for John so he can read the Farm Weekly and both boys feed and share food with him. It is good for the heart to see these little boys taking Poppy in their stride.

John is a wonderful man and his attitude to his illness keeps me strong. He has just spent 12 days in respite, the first in 18 months. The hospital and the staff are just wonderful but he says, “there is nowhere like home”.

While he was away, family and friends plus 40 people from the area converged to work on our garden and orchard.

Where in the world would you get such a big hearted crew to dedicate their weekend to people like us?

John has recently written his memories of his much loved Southerners Football Club.

Ann O’Donnell shares how the community feels about the Macs coping with devotion to the comfort of their beloved John:

The reality is that we have learnt about this insidious disease. We are overcome with admiration of the Mac family. Anything we can possibly do is done with good cheer and visiting John is an absolute joy.

The memories are endless and Jen’s hospitality is legendary. We are used to John’s good humour, the man for all seasons who helped out at the drop of a hat. Most of all, we miss John and Jenny and from a distance stand in awe of the Macs’ love and commitment in keeping John at home, exactly where he wants to be.

On one particular day the painter, electrician, plumber, carpet layer, air conditioner and solar fitter, and two carpenters all worked together.

Grandson Jamon turns the pages for John so he can read the Farm Weekly.

The dwelling took 27 days to build. 106 people, family members and friends helped with the cooking, building, cleaning, including the skilled tradesmen.

In recognition of John’s commitment, the club dedicated a football match to him and his family. Played on Northcliffe Oval, he gave out the Fairest and Best Medal, the MacDonald Medallion. You can see why we feel very privileged and love to be living in this community. Plus we raised money for MND research.

We don’t know how long John’s battle will be. Without the wonderful community spirit we have experienced and the support from our sons: Steve, Gary and Dave, and our extended families, we would not have been able to keep John where he deserves to be.


wEstErn Austr Al iA

cElEBr Ation

If you missed attending a RRR Satellite Sundowner, you can still view the video. Download it from the RRR website at www.rrr.wa.gov.au and click on the Satellite Sundowner button.

Visit the RRR Facebook page to link with more images and videos at www.facebook.com/RRRNetwork

Government of Western AustraliaDepartment of Regional Development

Proudly supported by

Rural, Remote and Regional

Women’s Network

Thursday, 17 OcTOber 2013

SatelliteSundowner

My BackyardPostcards from rural, remote & regional Wa!

To commemorate International day of rural Women, the rrr Network invites you to gather and celebrate rural, remote and regional women in Wa.

This year’s theme is My Backyard and together with abc Open, rrr will be unveiling a collection of video postcards from across the state sharing stories,

viewpoints and experiences of rrr women, their families and their communities.We invite you to take part in the celebrations by either attending a local event or

getting a group of friends together for a sundowner.

To register an event or find one nearest to you visit

rrr.wa.gov.au RRR - Rural, Remote & Regional Women’s Network Pic courtesy of Janine McCrum

Proudly supported by

In my backyard

Attending a local public or private event held simultaneously across Western Australia on Thursday, 17 October 2013, women joined to celebrate and connect RRR women and share their experiences.

The 2013 theme was In My Backyard and a series of videos and images were sent in from across the state to share their backyards.

Partnering with ABC Open, a number of video postcard workshops were held to encourage participants to create their own video postcard of their backyard.

These video postcards then became the basis of a video, which was played at the beginning of each event. Opening with a walk through by RRR Chair, Leonie Noble and several RRR Reference Group members, the video shared some inspiring views and touching tales of life in rural, remote and regional Western Australia.

To celebrate International Day of Rural Women, women from all over rural, remote and regional WA came together to celebrate the unique capabilities of rural, remote and regional women at the second RRR Satellite Sundowner.

With over 15 events, many of which were hosted by Community Resource Centres (CRCs), the second RRR Satellite Sundowner was a great success.

Their events were all about networking, meeting new people, and for some, finding out about interest groups available to women in their town.

Some CRCs added their own local flavour to the program.

Quairading CRC compiled their own presentation of backyards and York CRC compiled their own My Backyard video with an empowering message for women.

The RRR Satellite Sundowner was proudly supported by the Department of Regional Development, Royalties for Regions and the Community Resource Network.

Thank you to partner ABC Open and their WA producers for showing women cross the state how to share their stories.


http://www.rrr.wa.gov.au

http://www.facebook.com/RRRNetwork

locat ion

t itle to go here

CUE

WANDERING

ESPERANCE

MUNGLINUPRAVENSTHORPE

BRUNSWICK JUNCTION

GINGINYORK

MERREDINQUAIRADING

DONGARADANDARAGAN

DALWALLINU

DERBY

KUNUNURRA

cElEBr Ation

MEEKATHARRA

DONGARA

RAVENSTHORPE

WANDERING

ESPERANCE

MERREDIN

CUE

“The women in Wandering loved the

evening and are all looking forward to next year.

This is now an annual event”

“Everyone enjoyed each other’s company

and said we should do it more often” Brunswick Junction


An uplifting way to givelola jones

GoinG Pl AcEs

kimBErlEY

In May 2013, three Aboriginal women from the Kimberley travelled, as guest speakers, to a women’s conference in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

In January 2012, when they were invited to attend, they began to plan how they could raise money to fund the event including the food needed for 500 people for three days.

They wanted to sponsor the event because Numba Village in Oro province, near Popondetta, is the home of the Managalasi people and a place of simple existence where people live in bamboo huts, without electricity and without running water.

In early 2012 Natasha received an unexpected phone call – charity Uplift rang to enquire if Natasha could use a donation of 3000 bras.

Natasha readily accepted, realising she could sell bras for $5 each to raise the money needed to sponsor the women’s conference.

The three women, from Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, each raised funds in their respective towns by selling bras and creating awareness of the conference to encourage others to buy a bra and write a card.

As part of their fundraising the ladies also made presentations at the 2012 International Women’s Day events in Wyndham and Kununurra.

In addition, Kimberley postcards showing local scenery and images were used to write a small message of hope or inspiration, which would be delivered to an unknown PNG woman.

Additionally, each card had two Kina attached to it (equivalent to one Australian dollar) which each woman could use to buy herself a small item. A total of 500 cards were taken into the village and only a few cards remained at the end of the giving time.

Each PNG woman received her card with a huge smile on her face, with this activity being the culmination of the conference where the theme for the three days was The Power of Giving.

Countless stories emerged over the three days from the PNG women who testified that the words written on the card she had received were so timely and true for her.

PNG’s highland people are fascinated by foreigners whom they rarely see. It was even more amazing to meet Aboriginal women from Australia.

As Indigenous women from different nations, they shared their stories and found similarities. The Kimberley women spoke and sang to the crowd in Kimberley Kriol. The PNG women listened eagerly and were amused at its similarity to their Pidgin English.

The Kimberley women’s visit to Numba was the fulfilment of a vision and was a very special time for each of them.

Their funds were enough to buy three pigs for an end of conference celebration, which was thoroughly enjoyed by people who rarely enjoy eating meat due to the cost involved.

Their new friends made them welcome and thanked them with gifts, including hand-made bags or bilums of beautiful colours and patterns.

The team, Natasha Short, Michelle Martin and Rayleen Pindan, thank everyone who gave generously in some way towards the success of the trip, including Halls Creek Tourist Bureau and Wunan Foundation.

Kimberley women, Natasha, Michelle and Rayleen, sold 3000 bras over a year to raise funds for a women’s conference in Papua New Guinea.

Emilly, Rayleen, Michelle and Natasha


Baby wearing in the Wheatbeltjane west

GoinG Pl AcEs

BEncuBBin

Jane West’s passion for baby wearing is infectious. Baby wearing, for the uninitiated, is a practice for thousands of years and in recent times has become a fashion statement. It involves carrying your baby in a sling or carrier, meaning they are held close to you. Jane’s passion has led to a fledgling online business and her appointment as secretary of Baby Wearers WA: all from her farm in Bencubbin.

How did she get to Bencubbin, and why baby wearing? Jane thought that her childhood growing up on her parents’ farm in Wagin was good preparation for her move to Bencubbin to be with her partner of several years.

Little did Jane know that Wagin would look like a pretty bustling town compared to Bencubbin, a small town in the wheatbelt of WA.

Jane persevered despite a quiet first year, when she found herself pregnant with her first child, unable to participate in sport, that great country pursuit, and working at the hospital down the road. Social occasions were few and far between.The arrival of her first child meant she was connected with other young mums. She got into hockey, and slowly she built up her network.

Jane is now an active community member, a mum of two young children, a nurse, and an entrepreneur, recently starting up her own online business selling baby wearing apparel.

Jane found her second child, Oscar, just didn’t want to settle in the way the books would tell her. She tried a more natural parenting, which meant responding to when Oscar wanted to sleep, eat and play. On discovering the world of baby carrying, she found Oscar fell asleep fairly quickly, and she could carry on with her daily chores, with relatively little effort.

Jane is now a collector of wraps, slings and carriers. Establishing her online business PixieMama after taking it over from a friend, she is currently investing all the profit into her business, building stock and investigating different types of carriers. She joined Baby Wearers WA, a not-for-profit community advocacy group who hope to bring an internationally recognised baby wearing educator from England.

Jane demonstrates wrapping techniques, hosts regular meetings in Merredin and is probably attributable for the rise in mums and dads wearing their babies.

It is becoming a bit of a fashion statement with an overwhelming variety of colours, fabrics and styles available. Jane says, “When you move to a small town, you need to make your own fun. Get out and talk to as many people as possible, and find out common interests or needs in the community. You never know what you can achieve. It could be something that benefits a whole range of people, such as starting a playgroup, to simply building your own friendship base by being part of a hockey team.” Jane is certainly an inspiration to rural, remote and regional women, turning a practical way to get on with her day into a business she can run from virtually anywhere.

www.babywearerswa.wix.com/westernaustralia

From Wagin to Bencubbin, from thousand year old practice to fashion statement: Jane West and baby wearing are changing the look of the Wheatbelt.


http://www.babywearerswa.wix.com/westernaustralia

http://www.babywearerswa.wix.com/westernaustralia

GoinG Pl AcEs

kimBErlEY

I’m a teacher educator who has been lucky enough to live and work in the Pilbara and Kimberley for the last ten years. What an amazing place to live: the people, the landscape, the climate.

I’ve worked in various positions supporting schools and teachers of Aboriginal students who speak Aboriginal English or Kriol as their first language.

Often these teachers are new graduates, living away from home for the first time. Their new teaching environment and the needs of their students are outside their realm of understanding and so many have an amazing spirit and willingness to learn.

To guide and support them made my role as teacher educator so rewarding.

After 10 years I had learnt so much, but I found I was “recycling and re-using” without perhaps engaging in enough self development.

I needed a different challenge, so I decided to volunteer overseas. I love travelling and scuba diving, so when I saw a teacher educator volunteer position in the Maldives it was a no-brainer. I left for the Maldives in September 2010.

The Maldives consists of 1190 islands grouped into 26 geographical atolls covering an area of 90,000 sq km. Teacher Resource Centres (TRC) have been established on each of the 20 administrative atolls so that training can be decentralised and contextualised.

My role was to work with my counterpart, Isse’, the TRC Coordinator of the Faafu Atoll, to build his capacity to provide professional development and support for teachers in five schools in the atoll.

I found there were many parallels to working in WA Kimberley schools. Instead of long 4WD or single-engine plane ride to schools, it was a long boat ride.

200 of the islands are inhabited. Resorts are on separate islands so tourists rarely get a glimpse of the island life where I lived for nine months. My island, Faafu Nilandhoo, has a population of about 1500, is wonderfully quiet and isolated and the community is well known for its cohesiveness and local spirit.

Connecting with the women of “my island” was an enriching experience and so important in a Moslem country.

I had an amazing mentor and friend in Ameena, Isse’s wife, a teacher at the school and a beautiful mother of two.

She cooked and sewed for me and welcomed me into her home and family.

She guided me regarding customs when invited to celebrate marriages, anniversaries, circumcisions, birthdays, sporting achievements and exam results. At these events, there is no overt ceremony. The guests arrive, they eat, they congratulate the family and leave.

Another of my lifelines was my In-country Manager, ‘Shehe’, who reduced the issues of remoteness and isolation by locating materials I needed and delivering them to the boat without complaint. She became a close and valued friend who was always ‘there’ and her love of reading meant I could share my latest great read.

As the first western foreigner to live on the island I was a source of curiosity. From the beginning I would hear the children call, “Jane Miss, Jane Miss,” and a shy little wave would follow.

Orange and black was the theme for teachers on the 25th School Anniversary.

Sheeza Miss and I team teaching in Grade 2.

Volunteer experiencejane sheils

For 10 years, Jane Sheils worked with schools and teachers in the north west. She took a break to refresh by volunteering abroad in the Maldives. Now in the Solomon Islands, she shares her volunteering story.

Connecting with the women of “my island” was an enriching experience and so important in a Moslem country.


GoinG Pl AcEs

After a few weeks adults asked, “Kon thaakan dhany“ (where are you going?). My answer was usually “moodhu” (the sea).

One of the mainstays of the island’s economy is fishing. Fish is dried and smoked locally and a fish paste called Rihaakuru is made. It’s delicious with roshi (thin unleavened bread). So we ate lots of fish.

Nearly everything is imported, other than fresh and dried tuna. Fresh fruit and vegetables are difficult to get, expensive and often the term ‘fresh’ was questionable. There are no pubs in Maldives so the local cafe is always crowded for tea.

Now based in the Solomon Islands, Jane volunteered in the Maldives with the Australian Volunteers for International Development program, an Australian Government initiative. Skilled Australians can volunteer overseas in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Latin America or the Caribbean. Volunteers work with local people to reduce poverty by sharing knowledge, developing sustainable skills and building the capacity of individuals, organisations and communities. www.australianaidvolunteers.gov.au

Jane cooking – local style. Peaceful streets – only one car and two trucks on the island.

Solving the world’s problems whilst preparing the vegies.

Tuna tin skittles.

The island hosted the National Women’s Volleyball Championships in December, a memorable week. In the lead up to this event, the community worked together tirelessly to prepare the island.

Every team’s arrival was marked by a whole island welcome. The locals came out in force to cheer on the local teams and the sound of biscuit-tin drums and vuvuzela filled the usually quiet streets.

In my leisure time I read from an amazing range of classics, contemporary novels and lots of ‘weekend reading’ from the school library. I played Freecell and my chess has improved.

I swam every day and gathered a small group of women to do aqua-aerobics. In my last month on the island we organised for a fitness instructor to visit the island and had over fifty women participating in an aqua aerobics class.

An amazing experience and a sight to behold!

The snorkelling was amazing and right at my doorstep.

Ameena’s sunhat.

Isse’ took me ‘fishnorking’. We’d catch some worms and crabs for bait, then snorkel out over a reef and drop a line down from a coke bottle. We could watch the fish take the bait, then pull it up, put it in our floating basket and catch some more. I loved it and it sure made a change from tuna.

I have returned to the north west renewed and enthusiastic, with a clearer sense of the importance of life-work balance.

I laughed and learnt throughout my time in the Maldives and hope in some small way I made a difference. They have certainly touched me.


http://www.australianaidvolunteers.gov.au

GoinG Pl AcEs

mArGArEt r ivEr

At the time of writing this story Stephanie Coombes was in Nebraska, USA. For the previous three months she was living and working in Alberta, Canada. Before that, it is hard to keep track, but try outback Northern Territory, Queensland and regional Western Australia.

This Perth born and bred girl is one of the fresh new faces of WA agriculture, using social media to spread a positive message about farming as a career and as a lifestyle, and educating consumers about beef production.

Stephanie Coombes has over 2000 Twitter followers and in March 2012, she created the blog Ausagventures to give a voice to any Australian agriculture blogger wanting to share their experiences. The site now has over 2000 readers.

Agriculture wasn’t something that Steph was connected to growing up in the Perth suburbs.

“I always had a love of animals, especially horses, but that was as far as it went,” Steph explains.

“I didn’t know anything about agriculture except the anecdotal stories of farmers on tractors out in the paddock and shearers shearing sheep.”

When asked why a city girl chose to do an agricultural science degree, Steph answers with two words: McLeod’s Daughters. Yes, the TV show from a decade ago.

“I loved that television show growing up, and I would have to say it definitely sparked my interest in agriculture.”

Thinking she would end up as a farm labourer, Steph was initially overwhelmed by the career choices from an Agricultural Science degree.

As she explains, “the reason why I chose that degree, and why I remained enrolled in it, are very different.”

“Once I got into my degree, I discovered this whole other world, and I haven’t turned back. I thought I was going to work as a farm labourer, like in McLeod’s Daughters, but at uni I learnt about the science, business and technology which underpins agriculture.”

“With so many facets to this industry I often got overwhelmed thinking about them all, and what I wanted to do when I finished”.

After an initial interest in soil science, Steph considered future career opportunities in pasture science, cropping systems and grain marketing.

It was a six week contract job on a cattle station, during their annual muster, that sparked her interest.

“I decided that beef cattle production was the area I wanted to pursue.”

Despite her passion for agriculture and, after graduating with first class honours, Steph was still searching for the perfect career opportunity.

With a keen interest in overseas beef production, Steph applied for a Canadian working visa one day, booked her ticket two weeks later, and after a week flew out. By April 2013 Steph was living and working in Two Hills, Alberta, Canada.

Whilst she loves her North American adventure, Steph says she will always be a WA girl.

“It all happened so suddenly so I think it took my family a few days to realise what was really happening. I know they miss me, and I really miss them. My nephew was born while I was on my flight over – talk about timing issues. I have become much closer with my family since I left.”

Steph is missing her family and the WA sunshine. Despite travelling into the North American spring, Steph found herself still working in snow and sub-zero temperatures. So much for escaping the Aussie winter!

Always a WA girl jackie jarvis

Stephanie Coombes went from suburban Perth to outback Australia, the wilds of Canada and the United States and back, as she shares her passion for agriculture.

When asked why a city girl chose to do an agricultural science degree, Steph answers with two words: McLeod’s Daughters. Yes, the TV show from a decade ago.


GoinG Pl AcEs

When asked what else she missed about WA the response was quick to come.

“My family. My horses,” she starts. “I think though it’s Australia itself that I miss. I miss being able to drive to the beach on a whim, or watch (TV show) Home and Away or even drive to a friend’s house.”

“I miss the warmth of the land and the people. Our larrikin behaviour, and general state of relaxation… and especially our humour. No one laughs at my jokes over here!”

Of course it is not all homesickness and cold weather. There is plenty for her to enjoy on her overseas adventure.

“There are country music radio stations dedicated JUST to country music! There is also a rodeo on every weekend for the summer months and, thanks to living in Australia, a four hour drive is nothing to me, so I can go to as many rodeos as I like!

“The country and western fashion just doesn’t happen in Australia. I have my eyes on a couple of pairs of cowboy boots, and I’m figuring out how to make room in my suitcase.”

And the two step. In Canada, well North America, it is normal for young men and women to dance together doing the two step. Nothing provocative or flirty; just good old fashioned dancing.

“I can’t think of one bloke from home I could convince to two step with me. It’s the cutest thing to watch, fairly hard to learn, but I figure I have a few more months to get there!”

After arriving back in Australia in late August, Steph has already had a number of short agventures and is currently deciding which agventure to embark on next.

In the meantime she plans to remain an active advocate for agriculture, to do her part “to reduce the urban/rural divide and highlight the opportunities the agricultural industry offers.”

And she has some powerful advice for young West Aussies.

“To anyone thinking about getting into agriculture – do it. We need you!

“People need to eat, and Australia has the ability to feed the world in a clean, green and ethical way.

“No matter what experience you have, or what your strengths are, there is a role for you in the industry. The agricultural industry offers careers from the boardroom to the bush, so no matter whether you are more comfortable behind a motorbike or a microscope, there is a role for you!”

Follow Steph at Ausagventures at http://ausagventures.com and on Twitter @ausagventures.

“No matter what experience you have or what your strengths are, there is a role for you in the industry. The agricultural industry offers careers from the boardroom to the bush, …”


http://ausagventures.com

Bridgetown joins the conversation maxine clifford

lEAdErshiP

BridGEtown

Quality not quantity was the motto for the Bridgetown Influential Women Forum held in late August at the Agricultural Society grounds.

Ten women from local and surrounding areas came together for two fabulous days of learning and networking with the inspirational Catherine Marriott and the equally fantastic Cath Marriott.

We were welcomed with a beautiful sunny morning for our first day and made the most of the outdoor weather, conversing around the picnic table on the veranda of the Junior Farmers Hall.

Catherine took us through exercises in personality types, group communication, team work, a run-down on social media and how it can benefit our business and personal goals and values based communication, including social license and the ethics of feeding the world.

After a Saturday night spit roast shindig at the Russell family farm, Sunday saw us working interactively through media based topics including engaging your audience, scenarios and training for media interviews, handling activism and delivering effective presentations.

Bridgetown sisters Maxine Clifford (Left) and Calinda King (right). Image courtesy of Maxine Clifford & Calinda King.

Participants made the most of the warm weather out on the verandah. Image courtesy of Influential Women.

Bridgetown sisters Calinda King and Maxine Clifford put their passion for rural Australia to good use, bringing an ‘Influential Women’ forum to the ladies of the south west.

Our backyard, Bridgetown’s iconic bridge over the Blackwood River. Image courtesy of Maxine Clifford & Calinda King.

We also spent time brainstorming a range of topics to benefit the Bridgetown Agricultural Show using our new found knowledge.

All the participants walked away from the weekend with so many new skills, great contacts for future community and personal projects and a better understanding of how they can help their local rural communities and farming industries.

We had great support from our sponsors: the Bridgetown Agricultural Society, Talison Lithium Greenbushes, Ben Cooper Landmark Bridgetown, Chooks Bridgetown and the Russell Family.

We think everyone left with a great sense of community spirit and having taken part in something very special.

[email protected]

Ten women from local and surrounding areas came together for two fabulous days of learning and networking with the inspirational Catherine Marriott and the equally fantastic Cath Marriott.



Words and stories Anna Anderson

our crEAtivE sidE

Falling asleep as a child to the tall tales of shearers, publicans, artists politicians, pastoralists and clergy, Anna Anderson loves words and tries hard to convince us she’s not a storyteller.

kojonuP

I love words. I love reading them, mulling over them, rolling them around and mixing them up.

Occasionally, I manage to put them down in a way that creates something bright and sharp and succinct. Often, it is a jumble of half thoughts, pinpricks of ideas and a head full of unfinished possibilities.

Brought up on a Pilbara sheep station, my young world was full of storytellers and yarn spinners. My parents entertained a constant stream of friends and acquaintances, lovers of the spoken word and the good old fashioned art of conversation.

Grownups would sit on the breezeway at night until the generator spluttered and expired, cigarette smoke billowing through the fly wire, and cans and bottles clinking melodically.

Eventually, when my eyelids could bear their own weight no longer, I would surrender to sleep, and drift off listening to the tall tales of shearing contractors, publicans, artists, politicians, pastoralists, and visiting clergy alike, their stories punctuated with peals of laughter, heart breaking silences and exclamations of wonder.

My mother wrote a book based on these tales; a story of the Pilbara and its people. Oral histories told and retold: characters, conflicts, conspiracies and conquests. These stories are gold and the black and white photographs; faces etched with wordless lines, tell their own tales.

Living in the Great Southern, married to a farmer and raising our children on our sheep/cropping farm

in Kojonup, I’m keenly aware of the importance of the retelling of history to sustain a sense of place.

The past has been swept clean in an effort to modernise, and in so doing, the stories, characters and ways of old are at risk of being passed over.

Involved in a local community project, The Kodja Place, I had an opportunity to play with this concept, linking now with what has been lost over the years.

It tells the story of Kojonup through its ancestors and pioneers of which the area is richly diverse: Noongars, Italians and English settlers and their colourful tapestry of interrelated stories written, spoken, and visual.

It was a special opportunity for me, and I learnt about the importance of story, and its linear and non-linear progression over time. A story can be told in many ways, and in so many dimensions.

I am still on my farm in Kojonup. The kids are older, and have left us with a nest full of memories. Recent history I suppose, but important none the less. I like to write about our family and our community.

I don’t know if it is an exercise in journaling for the future or simply an indulgence but now, words and stories are what fuel me, maybe even a book. They say that there’s a book in everyone.

I like the thought of stories being specially crafted; carefully selected, whittled and moulded with love and passion over years. A job for a storyteller.

[email protected]

I’ve never considered myself to be much of a storyteller. I forget names, get details wrong, become derailed and end up leaving out the punch line. I get by with a bit of wayward exaggeration and lots of asides, but I’m really not a storyteller.



communit Y

BoYuP Brook

Almost 200 women flocked to Rylington Park for the second Rylington Park and Boyup Brook Co-Op ‘Storm in a Teacup’ Women’s Day.

With the theme ‘Expand Your Mind, Change Your World’ the premise was set for a fabulous day. And it didn’t disappoint.

Master of Ceremonies for the day, Rhonda Parker introduced Rylington Park Chairman Richard Turner to officially open the day and acknowledge the many sponsors who made the day possible.

He also thanked his committee and Marc and Erlanda Deas for their commitment to hosting events such as the Women’s Day.

Keynote speaker, Maggie Dent was the first inspiring presenter. She challenged the women present to “move away from what’s in your head and move to what’s in your heart” and to “make peace with the woman in the mirror.”

She added, “Who cares what other people think – it’s their thoughts.”

Former Australian Football League player, Heath Black, then spoke openly of his battle with alcohol and mental illness. Heath described his world as a “bi-polar bubble” and his view that he was above the law.

When finally diagnosed with Bipolar II and ADHD type 6 and prescribed the correct medication, Heath turned his life around with the support of friends and family and now uses his experiences to help others.

He said, “Strangers come up to me and tell me they have a mental illness, and then they ask me for a hug.”

Assistant Coordinator for the One Life Suicide Prevention Strategy, Jane Mouritz, presented information on future activities that could occur locally to promote suicide awareness.

Attendees were treated to a delectable ploughman’s lunch (created by Kate and Doug Cumming and helpers), and

encouraged to visit market stalls which included a variety of local produce, arts and crafts, community information, household products and fashion.

The local Country Women’s Association branch took the opportunity to undertake a membership drive and raise awareness of the organisation.

Following lunch there was an auction of Jacquie Broockmann’s magnificent painting which was the event’s logo. Beulah Wines donated a two-pack of wine featuring exclusive Women’s Day labels of the painting. Paul Broockmann was the successful bidder with proceeds from both items being donated to the Cancer Council for breast cancer.

Regional Cancer Council Support Coordinator Hayley Tuck explained that these and other donations are all directed to cancer patients at the grass roots level with support such as counselling, peer support, a wig service and more.

Maggie Dent led a brief relaxation session which left everyone in a calm state for their journey home.

Event coordinator, Erlanda Deas, expressed her thanks to the Rylington Park Committee members and all their sponsors.

“Without the support of the sponsors a day like this is not possible,” said Erlanda.

She added, “I hope you all had a wonderful day and I am sure we expanded your mind and changed your world.”

Join Storm in a Teacup ‘Birds in the Bush’ Women’s Day on 22 March 2014. Register your interest with Erlanda on 9765 3012 or 0429 375 609.

Local ladies enjoying a day out – Cecile Maddams and Kate Lefebvre

Lorraine Robinson, Sue Wallace and Pauline Glynn

Great support for women’s day Erlanda deas

The ladies of Boyup Brook gathered for their second annual Storm in a Teacup women’s day earlier this year and the combination of inspiring speakers and good fellowship ensured an uplifting day.


All things woollen Bev southall

communit Y

torBAY

Ever since my two alpacas, Triton and Dakota came to live at our place, I have been involved with all things woollen. Knowing how besotted I was with alpacas, my partner bought them for me as a rather unusual birthday present.

From the day of their shearing, ‘fleece’ became part of my vocabulary.

Joining the Torbay Spinning Group I learned how to turn wool and alpaca fleece into yarn. Every week I met up with like-minded women and gradually became adept at producing enough spun yarn to make jumpers and other woolly things.

It has been a rather life-changing experience for me as before the arrival of my two alpacas I had never been involved with crafts of any sort.

In the lower Great Southern there are a number of spinning groups. Most, if not all of these groups, meet during week days which excludes working women from taking part.

Most of the spinners are of retirement age.

Over time I became aware that the number of spinners in the groups was dwindling for one reason or another. Little effort seemed to be made to recruit new members, even though it was a common complaint that the decline in numbers made it difficult to retain enthusiasm.

So it was clear that something needed to be done to address this problem.

That was how the idea of a SWANK Expo was born. SWANK is an acronym for Spinning, Weaving and Nifty Knitting.

All of the groups in the region were contacted and a meeting was held to discuss the idea. Everyone was keen to participate, to reinvigorate their membership and to recruit new members to swell the ranks.

The SWANK Expo encourages people to become more active in the community in which they live.

Much work was involved in organising the Expo and on 29 August 2013 the efforts of everyone involved came to fruition. The Vancouver Arts Centre in Albany was the venue and three of its rooms were devoted to showcasing spinning, weaving, knitting and felting.

Our local MP, Mr Peter Watson MLA, agreed to open the SWANK Expo. When the doors opened at 10am the rooms were bursting with things to examine and admire, and there was a huge array of things made by the groups’ members for purchase.

The members of Albany Spinning Group were on hand to demonstrate their skills, as were the Albany Weavers, a group of Albany knitters and the fairly recently formed FIGS group (the Felters in the Great Southern).

It was a busy, colourful scene. From opening until closing at 3pm hundreds of people streamed through the Expo, marvelling at the work on display, pleased with their purchases and, we hope, enthused enough to become members.

The Expo far exceeded our expectations and will become an integral part of Albany’s craft calendar of events in future years.

Through her passion for fleece, Bev Southall saw the need to encourage and recruit new spinners and so the SWANK Expo was born.


My backyardPhoto sent by Sonya Hennessy showing her backyard, the Cape Le Grand National Park.

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