your local builder feeling your life is out of control?

VOLUME 29 NO: 3 ISSUE 310

POSTAGE PAID inBlackwood River

Valley

FREE MONTHLYCirculation 3250

Distributed to

Bridgetown Greenbushes,

Boyup Brook, Hester,

Yornup & Catterick

Printed and Published by M.P. & J. Krauze, The Quality Shop, 125 Hampton Street, Bridgetown W.A. 6255 Telephone: 9761 1717 - Email: [email protected]

June 1st 2021

WA Country Builders offer more choices than any otherbuilder. For all design and construction advice talk toBeryl Thompson your local builders on 9761 2611.

your local builder

call 1800 642 377

FEELING YOUR LIFE IS OUT OF CONTROL?Depressed? Relationship problems?Having trouble coping?

We can offer:A supportive, confidential environment Empowering educational material Inspiration to make positive life changes

HENRI NOUWEN HOUSE16 Hester Street, Bridgetown, Phone: 9761 2027

Email: [email protected] Nouwen House gratefully acknowledges the

financial support it receives from the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire

The play is directed by Brian Baker and has a cast of 18, which is a clever mix of youth and experience, and stage crew of 10. All this is needed to bring Terry Pratchett, fantasy comedy to the Bridgetown Stage.

An excited Brian Baker speaks about the play. “We have a few new special effects used for the first time in Bridgetown, which are sure to surprise and delight the audience. Not wanting to take any surprise away, you will need to be at the theatre to witness them.

“The actors also keep the audience guessing on where they appear from and how they enter the stage, or are some of the audience getting involved?

“Oh, the witches, they are playing truly believable scary roles, at times they even scare me, and I know what's coming next.

“All in all, it is a brilliant play, one which is funny and one that should not be missed.”

The play tells the story along the lines of the three witches having to work to save the kingdom, after the King is murdered by his scheming cousin, the duke. The King's crown, along with his child, Tomjon, are given to the three witches for protection.

Yes, to these three - Granny Weatherwax; Nanny Ogg, matriarch of a large tribe of Oggs and owner of the evillest cat in the world; and Magrat Garlick, the junior witch, who firmly believes in occult jewellery, covens, and bubbling cauldrons.

The witches hand Tomjon to a troupe of travelling actors, and hide the crown in the props-box. Cont. 5

Bridgetown Repertory's next production has it all, and it's all there - a wicked duke and duchess, the ghost of the murdered king, dim soldiers, strolling players and a kingdom in peril.

So, who stands between the Kingdom and destruction? Three witches: Granny Weatherwax (intolerant, self-opinionated, powerful), Nanny Ogg (down-to-earth, vulgar) and Magrat Garlick (naïve, fond of occult jewellery and bunnies).

'Wyrd Sisters' at the Theatre

The Mailbag June 1st 2021 The Mailbag is now online www.thequalityshop.com.au

Bridgetown Art and Craft Centre 55 years on

To celebrate its 55th year milestone, the Bridgetown Arts and Craft Centre will be holding two ‘open days’ over the June long weekend on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th June from 10am to 2pm.

All are welcome to come and have a cuppa and a chat and look at the display of members’ crafts throughout the years.

Over that time Bridgetown Art and Craft Centre (BACC), has been able to survive and renew its purpose in the town.

The building, which once was a fruit and vegetable shop, was gifted to the Art and Craft Group in 1966. The members at the time thought it prudent to put the title in the Shire’s name for safe keeping.

Later additions down one side included a storage room and inside toilet.

Over the years the arts and crafts that were favoured have changed and so the changes have also happened in the Centre.

The group had the Title Deed transferred back to the BACC in 2004, which of course increased the cost for the members to maintain the building, but they have certainty of ownership.

Some of people you may meet on the open days give a little insight into the club.

Pat Strahan has been a member of the Art and Craft Centre since first coming to Bridgetown in 1992. Pat reflects on her time at the club. “Joining the Art and Craft Centre when I first came to town was the best introduction into the community I could have had.

“The Art and Craft Centre was a lot different then, pottery, weaving and art were the main interests, china painting was on the wane but there were art lessons in painting.

“My interest was spinning wool and knitting jumpers and socks, there really is nothing better than wearing hand knitted socks.

“We were also doing solar dying of wool using onion skins, avocado pith, blackberries, lavender, eucalyptus leaves it was a matter of experimenting.

“Its not only getting to know a wide range of people with the same interests as me, and it’s a lot more than doing your craft and passing on your knowledge to others or learning new technics on your craft, it’s the other moments as well.

“Like when another member has come across a recipe you really have to try, other members pass on their excess fruit and vegies they grown, or that inside knowledge you need when employing tradesperson.

“During my time in the Art and Craft Centre I’ve had roles as treasurer and president and I often changed roles, as you do when involved in a small club.

“What has kept the Centre going for so long has been the drive of members over that time, there is always a need for companionship with your craft.”

Bronwyn Mitchell has been a member of the Art and Craft Centre since 1983 and truly believes the Art and Craft Centre is a vital part of the community. She goes on to explain, “I’ve always found the Art and Craft Centre to be a social group, and through the years it has remained so.

“The Centre often receives items from ladies who no longer do their craft or from deceased estates. We have knitting yarn and needles, crochet cottons and hooks, material, lace and books.

“The Art and Craft Centre will donate these materials to any members of a charitable group in town that use these items for a charitable cause.

“The main project the club has under way at the moment is knitting caps for prem-babies.

“I like to spin wool and then knit the yarn into jumpers. Along with other members who are making items, we have these items for sale with the proceeds going towards maintaining the Centre. Continued page 15

Bronwyn, Bernie, Jan, Rhonda, Noelle, Pat and Karla Joan with Frankie

Domestic I Commercial I Industrial

P: 9761 1677M: 0488 611 678 E: [email protected]

Hillview ElectricalServiceEC: 11529

Jim Elliott

29th year ... The Mailbag June 1st 2021

Yornup HallYornup Hall is a wonderful little hall in Yornup that

holds the Yornup Dance on the first Saturday of each month starting at 8pm.

Yornup Hall is run by a committee of ten volunteers who feel by hiring that hall out for different functions, dances, church gatherings, weddings and memorials is the best way of preserving the building.

Michael Pierce who is the Chair on the committee goes

on to explain. “Yornup Hall is quite a well equipped function centre

with kitchen, fridges, crockery, glasses and cutlery.“The Yornup Dance is our regular function, Tony

Pratico sponsors this dance by providing half the cost of the music which goes a long way to supporting the dance.

“There is also a Social Dancing group which hold regular dances on a monthly basis, and a Dinner Dance.

“Over the last few years, we have had the Bunbury Regional prisoners coming down and completing some works. They re-oil the floor, clean the gutters, de-cob web the building inside and out and wash the windows and maintain the paddock around the hall.

“The building is a Shire building which the committee run to preserve the structure. The Shire completes any major repairs to the building as well as overseeing our management of the building.”

The hall is available for weddings, birthday parties and the like. If you want more information on hiring the building, please telephone Lyn Whitney on 9761 1238.

Kathleen Larsen, Elaine Brooks, Michael Pierce,


Drama at the Bridgetown High SchoolThe year eight drama class has two short plays well

underway; the story lines have been decided upon, the plays have a horror theme.

The plays have been written collaboratively by the students, Luke, Kyan, Hammish, Abby, Kelly, Cassidy, Marietta, Buckeley, Conner Luke, Kyan, Rani and Zac.

Their thoughts and ideas are being written into scripts, ideas on music accompaniment are being considered and their roles have been decided. some students have acting roles, while others have lighting and sound duties. The plays have come down to the final polishing of the story line, timing and costumes.

One of the plays is ‘American Monster’, which starts with a group sitting around a camp fire telling each other scary tales. Suddenly Connor, a person in the group who’s been swigging on a bottle, interrupts and brags, “I’ll tell you a really scary

story”. He takes another drink, and starts, “Once upon a time in a Day Care Centre in Russia a Health and Safety Officer confiscates all the guns and vodka in the centre ...” So, the nightmare begins, including flash backs scenes to Connor’s childhood, a tale of ‘taking to the bottle to block out the past’, all staged around the camp fire.

The other play is called ‘Virus’. Yes, a contemporary issue and a story the students have been thinking about.

This play starts in a doctor’s surgery with a patient who is a Botanist. The patient has been working in the forest where he has just discovered a new fungus deep in the woods, but after doing so he falls ill and seeks help at the doctor’s surgery.

The Doctor (played by Luke) considers the symptoms and feels the Botanist has a cold coming on and he tells the patient “Go home and rest, you will feel better in the morning, and if you don’t, come and see me again”. So, the Botanist goes home, where he dies.

At the end of the day the Doctor returns home to find his children are planning an evening out, they are going to a dance. He wishes them well and retires to bed because he is feeling tired. Continued page 15

Conner Whyte,

Buckeley Barker-Rose,

Cassidy Waters, and

Marietta Diallo rehearsing


Community Shed Greenbushes Community Shed is a fully equipped

workshop and is the right place to come for most projects you are wanting to tackle, or the right place to learn how to use power tools and improve your wood working skills.

No skills are required to join the team at the shed, you only need to come with ideas and a willingness to learn.

The shed is open on Fridays from 8.30am to 12.30pm and on an occasional Saturday 8.30am to 12.30pm.

The first lessons that are taught of course are on safety, but once safety procedures are understood the lessons are all hands-on training.

The available equipment is wide ranging and comprises drop saw, jigsaws, bench saw, planners, lathes, disc sander, bobbin sander drill press, routers and band saws. There is also a number of electric drills and drivers.

Dave, who is the Chair on the Shed Committee and one of the founding members, explains, “Grant McDonald and Merrick Paget are willing and capable instructors on all pieces of equipment and ensure even a novice is fully capable before using the tools.

“We have around 10 active members, there is a mix of 50/50 males and female members at the moment.

“I have personally found the Community Shed life changing, I came to Greenbushes not knowing anyone, I had PTSD and the life I was living was not a pleasant one. Getting involved with the Bridgetown Men’s Shed and the Greenbushes Community Shed have only had positive influences on my life.”

Merrick Paget tells of what the Shed is up to. “We have two projects under way, one is a bench which is being built to be placed outside the CWA building in Greenbushes and the other will be a Purple Bench project which we will place outside the CRC building.”

The Purple Benches movement started in Nova Scotia,

Canada, where they are known as Barb’s Benches and were launched in 2015 to mark the 25th year anniversary of the murder of Barb Baillie by her husband. Purple Benches in public spaces are to honour all victims killed as a result of domestic and family violence.

Purple is chosen as it is associated worldwide with the domestic violence awareness movement.

Grant McDonald says, “Most of the projects our members tackle are repairs to chairs, desks and tables.

“For beginners we like to start them off with cutting boards, serving trays or book stands.”

Angie Cornish is the driving force behind the Greenbushes Shed, her determination and hard work is what it has taken to get the community project up and running.

The building is situated behind the Greenbushes CRC building and is on land owned by Talison Lithium.continued page 14

Grant, Angie, Dave and Merrick


This is our Year, 2021Jamaica Scream is a five-piece high energy rock band

which engages and encourages audience participation wherever they appear.

Dom is the band’s front man, the lead singer and lead rhythm guitarist. He has been playing guitar since the age of nine, he is also the founding member of the band.

Jamie who joined the band in the last six months is the band’s lead guitarist renowned within the Perth music industry. She is extremely talented and has played in the U.K. with Brian May of ‘Queen’ fame.

Chris is the rock drummer and Dave the bass player, together they drive the beat of the band. Johnny is the keyboardist. They were all once in group called ‘Easily Distracted’ with Dom around fifteen years ago.

Dom goes on to explain. “Dave and I were also in a band ‘No Exit’ in the late 70s early 80s and were very successful. Although we all have different personalities the love of music brings out the best in each of us.

“Now with maturity, and a different outlook on life, we are back together again, and we regard each other like brothers, which makes rehearsing and performing a sheer delight.

“We have been together with ‘Jamaica Scream’ for the last six years.

“Jamie has fitted right into the line-up and her talents has significantly helped the band. We play together with the rhythm and lead guitars, or, whilst I’m singing, she will take the lead.

“We are a ‘covers band’, playing music from 70s, 80s and 90s but really all music right up to today’s songs, the songs we play are the ones you want to dance and sing along to.

“We have gathered a ‘Jamaica Scream’ fan club with around 800 members, and we have our own ‘Official Screamers’ who like to scream on cue.

“The band has played at Optus Stadium to a crowd of around two thousand or so, the energy we got from that performance was something else. Continued page 7

Johnny, Dave, Dom, Chris and Jamie

29th year.... The Mailbag June 1st 2021

EETTLL OODD WWDD NNUUPPEETTLL OODD WWDD NNUUPP

Lions NewsBridgetown Lions will be holding a Sausage Sizzle

on the first Saturday of each month outside of Mitre 10. Please come and support us.

New members always welcome.

Blues at BridgetownThe new Board at Blues at Bridgetown is full steam

ahead for the 29th Blues event.On the 13th of May the AGM was held and the new

Board came into being. The Board consists of mostly long time volunteers and office staff. To compliment all the years of office experience there is also a fresh outlook and ideas coming from a member with many years’ experience of Blues at Bridgetown Festivals, as an attendee. The Board comprises of Chair Di Rayner, Vice Chair Allen Read, Secretary Collette Kowald, Treasure Sue Harding and general member James Miller.

The Board has worked on designing their “wish” list Blues and are now working within budget and COVID restraints to make their wishes come true. COVID willing, you will see the return of some of the favourite things of past Blues and some new inclusions. As things are confirmed we will share the news with you.

As part of the Board’s drive to be more linked to the community they are holding a membership drive. They are encouraging previous members to rejoin and are also looking for new members.

Artist’s applications will open in early June with tickets going on sale in August.

Rotary Club NewsIt was reported in the last issue that a 1,000 km bike ride

was planned by Rotary to raise funds for the Wooroloo and Hills Bushfire Appeal. The Rotary Club of South Bunbury have completed the bike ride throughout the South West, which raised $25,000.

The bike riders stopped off in Bridgetown where the Rotary Club of Bridgetown was holding a stall at the Sunday Markets to raise money for the same cause.

They were selling produce and holding a wood raffle, raising $952 toward the Appeal.

The Sunday Market proved to be a good public relations show, allowing residents to put names to faces and to connect with their local Rotarians.

The Bridgetown Rotary Club’s next event is the ‘Duck Derby’ which will again held in July. It is a race of numbered plastic ducks, which will be sent off from the footbridge in the River Park to the traffic bridge.

Tickets will be on sale soon.

Ashbil Community Garden

Late autumn in Bridgetown is the time when liquidambars and the maples put on a show. Winter’s here and even though we have had a cold snap, the ground is still warm enough for weeds to grow, weeding therefore is the task for the next few weeks. Coming into winter you may also think about planting garlic or peas.

The next produce market at the Community Garden will be held on Saturday 26th June from 9am to 11am.

There is always a good selection of fresh food at these markets, which is also boosted by excess produce donated by members as well as a good selection of home-made jams and pickles.

Money raised from the produce markets goes onto to pay for seeds, fertilizer and the water account.

Ashbil Community Garden has been here now for around nine years and continues to improve its infrastructure with a compost shed, chooks and a seed raising shed and a ‘bush tucker trail’ walk which is always worth a good stroll.

The next workshop will also be held on 26th June starting at 9.30am. This workshop is all about an ‘Olla’, which is a slow-watering pot that lets you get away for a while without the worry of ‘are my plants getting enough water?’

This month’s garden tip: If your brassica seedlings are under attack, look for cabbage moth caterpillars and eggs on the underside of leaves and remove.

This is our Year, 2021 Continued from page 6

“We are about to release our first album called ‘On the Edge’. I have written nine songs on the album and the final production is almost complete, we start making the videos for the release next month. We are very proud of our efforts this being our debut release.

Dom said “’On the Edge’ is a line from my first single ‘Mad for You’ released in 2020 and now included in the song ‘I’m Sorry Son’ about the sorry state we are leaving the planet in for our grandchildren and the generations to come. This song made my father’s eyes tears up.

“Jamaica Scream is a group which started in Bridgetown but has now morphed into the present day line-up, I’m the only one who still lives and works locally. We are playing together extremely well, all the band members sing backing harmonies adding a wonderful depth to the music. When you listen or attend a gig you will hear we really nail the tunes.

“I feel 2021 will be our year,” said Dom


WATSONSERVICESHANDYMAN

Geegeelup VillageThe official opening of the $7.8m redevelopment and

upgrading of the aged-care facility within Bridgetown’s Geegeelup Village took place on April 20, and was opened by Federal MP Rick Wilson on behalf of the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Richard Colbeck.

Geegeelup Village has been run and managed by the local community for just over 40 years and Chairman, Dr Mick Dewing, has been involved in the Geegeelup Village development since 1979. The aged-care facility can now provide high-care accommodation for 32 people. In the Village, 51 homes provide independent living accommodation, and six rental properties are planned for future development.

To this day Geegeelup Village remains one of the few community-owned and managed aged-care villages in Western Australia.

The $7.8m grant that funded the redevelopment of the aged care facility has added 16 new ensuite bedrooms, and the existing 16 ensuite bedrooms have been fully refurbished. Other amenities included in the redevelopment upgrade are a four-bed dementia wing, a palliative care room, spacious new residents’ lounge-dining area, additional separate residents’ lounge, meeting room, new kitchens, new reception area, offices, consulting rooms and even a hairdressing salon. The upgrade also includes a $500,000 on-site emergency fire brigade facility with tanks and diesel-powered pumps providing added safety for residents and staff.

Dr Dewing talks with pride on the development. “The one word I can use to describe the new Geegeelup Village Hostel is ‘Fabulous’.

“The building is a success, it’s functioning well and

overall, there is a ‘happy feel’ amongst all the staff.“We have 25 clients accommodated at the moment; the

capacity is 32. I foresee a long term future with this size development.

“We now have a CEO to run Geegeelup, Sean Mahoney. His role will be one of overview control with the Finances, Human Resources, independent living accommodation and rental properties.

“Geegeelup Village is now the fourth largest employer in town, which in itself means with the growth has come the need for managers in Rostering, Services and HR Compliance.

“The job that requires the most time and paper work is the government compliance requirements for aged care in the hostel.

“I know Geegeelup Village will always be in community hands, Though ours budgets are always tight, we have a Board of ten members who manage the facility well.

“The one thing I would change in the Aged Care sector is the pay rates for the people who work within it, frankly the pay rate is abysmal. I would like to see the Federal Government impose a 1% levy on taxes for Aged Care. Our seniors deserve better.”

The $7.8m funding arose from various grants including $7.4 million from the Federal Government, $181,022 from Lottery West and $100,000 from Bridgetown’s Rotary Club. This latter is the largest donation Bridgetown Rotary has made to a charity, raised mainly from the annual Blackwood Marathon event.

The result is that Bridgetown now has a beautiful facility for aged care with a special focus on caring for those living with dementia. This state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Bridgetown is a long way from the modest retirement village the Apex Club of Bridgetown planned when they launched their campaign to build a retirement home in 1966.

Greg Giblett, Dyan Dent, Dr Mick Dewing, Hon. Rick Wilson MP., Wayne Carter

Show TalkHello Everyone.

It is time to start thinking ‘Bridgetown Show’ (now that Winter has snuck up on us) and what we can practice on and create in readiness for the Show, while spending longer hours indoors by our warm and cosy fires. There are many things we and our family can do in preparation; gardening including vegetables and flowers, brewing, photography, home crafts, arts and delicious cooking. Highlight the date on your calendars, Saturday 27th November 2021.

Membership Drive; Sadly, a break of a year makes it all the harder to keep everyone focussed on how much your memberships benefit our Show ‘s survival. Letters will go out soon and we want to reinforce the message that a Member is like a friend of the Society. Membership helps our cashflow, supports ongoing costs of the showgrounds, and is a cost saving for families $30 Family and $15 single.

Continued page 14


4 out of 5 people can’t save a life.

Are you one of them?

Upcoming courses:

Book a first aid course today

PROVIDE FIRST AID: HLTAID011Wednesday 16th June 2021

Bridgetown Sub Centre

To book visit www.stjohnwa.com.auor call Bridgetown Sub-Centre on 9761-1049

Bridgetown’s blues and roots performer

Tracey Barnett is a very successful song writer and performer. She started out in 2007 when a friend persuaded her to busk on the street at a Blues at Bridgetown Festival. It was a shy beginning but her achievements came quickly when she came 2nd in the south west heat of the Next Big Thing competition in 2009. With the achievements that keep coming, her most recent one is being a nominee in the 2020 West Australian Blues Roots Song of the Year.

Tracey is working on her new album which is due for release in 2021. Two singles which have prior release in 2020 ‘Gotta Get Out’ and ‘Eyes Forward’ both well supported with air play on Triple J, reaching top 5 on the Triple J Unearthed Roots Charts and number 5 on the ‘AMRAP’ regional chart.

The recent release of ‘Darkness in The Light’ is the third single from the new album it also was on the AMRAP Regional charts topping at number 3.

‘Darkness in The Light’ delves into myriad genres, forging a flavour that is undeniably Tracey Barnett; alternative meets acoustic rock in this upbeat and powerful number about exposing a betrayer of innocence.

Tracey talks about her influences. “A huge influence on my song writing is where

I live, having grown up on a farm in Bridgetown. “I love riding my horse, gardening and just living

in the country. I’m an outdoorsy person who is grounded in Bridgetown.

“I was brought up on country music, but the music I write and perform has become a fusion of soul, rock and blues.

“I write songs for myself, but of course I hope others get meaning, comfort or inspiration from my songs.

“My song writing comes from quiet moments, mostly when I’m home, horse riding, bush walking or even when I can’t sleep at 2am in the morning.

“My songs, the words, rhythm and music come to me all at once, I just need to write it down. Sometimes I feel my music has a divine construct and I’m the conduit that gets to call these songs mine.”

Because of Covid-19 restrictions Tracey hasn’t be able to tour, as often, a highlight from 2020 was her performance was at ‘Blues at Bridgetown’ in 2020, this has meant she is able to spend a lot more time on her other loves, her horses.

She has three horses; Mingy, a 29 year old mare, Shukran, a 25 year old gelding whose Arabic name translates into English as ‘thank you’ she calls her dear old friend; and a new horse ‘Aussie Sensation’, an eleven year old gelding and the new kid in the stables. ‘Aussie’ is a standardbred horse that was bred for harness racing.

Tracey talks about her best mates,“I like to ride ‘Aussie’ around five days a week,

he was bred to pull a sulky and is slowly adapting to ridden work.

“Horses are wonderful friends. Of course it can take a long while to develop a relationship with them, because of their size you have to be wary of them, but once you build trust, you are mates for life.

“Horse are a lot of work, but it’s work you like doing, caring for a horse has a huge reward, the reward of unconditional friendship.

“When I tour, I have to pass the care of my horses over to my husband and my dad, this is when I’m told it’s a lot of work.

“I’m working on my new album and it should be released this year, I do have music clips on my web page. Although musicians get a lot more exposure on the music streaming service web sites there is little reward financially for the less popular musicians from these platforms. I make most money from performing at shows and being able to sell merchandise after the shows.”

We look forward, hopefully sometime soon, to once again seeing Tracey as she comes armed with her acoustic guitar, harmonica and stomp box, paving her own way with a heady mix of sounds that merge effortlessly with traditional rock rhythms, blues licks and a dose of grunge, creating a fusion that’s impossible to resist.

Aussie, Tracey and Shukran

The More Recycling Hubs the Merrier!

The brilliant Bridgetown Family & Community Centre (BFCC) have set up a Recycling Hub to complement the Library Recycling Hub and help us keep items that can’t go in our yellow top kerbside bin out of landfill. If you don’t know where the BFCC is, they are on the corner of Steere and Roe Street. The Hub will be located next to the BFCC Little Library and will be available Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. They have partnered with Terracycle to take the following items;

All brands of Hair Aerosol containers All brands of empty hair colour jars, lids, bottles, closures,

tubes, pumps, caps and stirrers made from plastics and flexible or rigid aluminium (including gloves from dye boxes)

All brands of hair care jars, lids, bottles, closures, tubes, pumps and caps (ie, gel, wax etc)

All brands of blades and razors (refillable and disposable), rigid plastic packaging from razors, flexible plastic bag packaging from razors

Electronic toothbrush handles and electric toothbrush basesBurt’s Bees personal care, lip care and skin care packaging

(no other brands)Paw Patrol toys (no other kinds of toys)Bread tags, Plastic lids from bottlesThere are handy information sheets on each of the items

about what you can and can’t recycle beside the BFCC Recycling Hub. If you have any questions, please drop in and have a chat to Jo or Jenni.

As with all recycling, please rinse containers with your old dish water and drop off your items loose at both recycle hubs.

Thank you for your help raising awareness for being responsible for the waste we create.

Please visit the Transition Bridgetown website and look under Resources for more information on local recycling in Bridgetown.

Our June Open Space gathering will be held on Sunday the 20th of June at the Cidery from 4:30 – 6:30pm. The topic is “Transition Towns - Brainstorming Our Future”. We will reflect on our progress so far and seek input to help us continue to work towards building Bridgetown’s sustainability and resilience.

We will also celebrate with a “Local Food Feast”. These food feasts are being held around the world as part of World Localisation Day. You are invited to bring a dish to share, made with locally grown produce and enjoy The Cidery’s locally produced ciders.

Please bring your own plates and cutlery to minimize waste. Enquiries or to register email [email protected] or ph/text 0432 105 754.


FetterChiropractic

Phone 9761 2245 or 0408 922 053email: [email protected]

27 Arnott Street, Manjimup. W.A. 6258

Carpet Dry Cleaning Service

Stephen Murphy

We Specialize in: Carpets - Lounges - Curtains

Cleaning and Re-Sealing of Tile and Vinyl Flooring

Servicing the Warren Blackwood Area

29th year ...The Mailbag June 1st 2021

getowdi nr BC enot tru eA

ANGELO LOGIUDICE P 9731 1059

Counselling CornerWhat is the most effective Trauma Counselling?Can people find healing after deep trauma?

When someone is traumatised it can happen that the memory gets ‘stuck’ where it is constantly being triggered in the present (such as the war vet who dives under furniture whenever there’s a loud noise). This can be very intrusive in that person’s life and hamper them severely.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desentisation Reprocessing) which was developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of these disturbing life experiences. It uses the brain’s own healing processes (not dissimilar to Rapid Eye Movement used in sleep) to shift those memories that are stuck in the present and processes them into the long-term memory where they are no longer emotionally distressing or triggering. This is very liberating of course. Here are some comments that have been made by clients who had EMDR therapy:

‘I have never felt so light…’ ‘This is the first time in my life that I feel at

peace with myself.’Dr Bessel van de Kolk, an American psychiatrist and

arguably one of the most revered trauma consultants in the world, wrote of using this therapy in his book, ‘The Body Keeps the Score,” discovering it to be the most effective approach for treating war veterans another severely traumatised clients. He became very excited when he found his clients recovering much more rapidly than with standard therapies (which had often made them worse!).

EMDR has been extensively researched and in 2014 the World Health Organisation issued a Press Release declaring that EMDR and CBT were the most appropriate post-trauma therapies, where medication was not effective.

If you or someone you know is hampered by the effects of trauma it might be helpful to find a therapist who is trained in this therapy. There is one in Bridgetown and there are others in various South West towns. Bunbury and Perth of course have many trained EMDR practitioners.

Elisabeth Pellicaan, Clinical Counsellor and Psychotherapist


Showing The WayColeen Russell

‘Showing the Way’ this issue is between the years 1866 and 1870.

A route to our district is followed that’s makes the hills easy to transverse “We followed the natives through a number of glades called ‘Yatamak’, and which, it appears, have been traversed by the denizens of the forest perhaps for ages.”

During this time our district is named Bridgetown, a town site plan is laid out, a school, police station, general store, a small hotel and post office are established.

Church Services are being held and a Conveyance of Passengers and Parcels to and from Bunbury once a month is established.

The Perth Gazette on Friday 6 April 1866 printed an interesting account from J.S. HARRIS the Colonial Secretary who in conjunction with Messrs. J Manning and T.C. Carey took a recent trip through the Southern District country upon the Blackwood and Warren Rivers.

“We proceeded to the southward, for the purpose of fixing the site of a bridge over the Warren River, and for the more important intention of finding a passable road from the Blackwood Bridge to the site selected at the Warren River, thus immediately connecting these important districts.”

Also stated as “A district until of late so unaccountably neglected, but which evidently possesses capabilities which must in time bring it into considerable importance for pastoral purposes.”

Into the journey the group were joined by others and called into various homesteads along the way including Higgins and Brockman.

“Having decided with Mr. Carey to return to the Blackwood Bridge by a more westerly route, Mr. Manning proceeded, via the Bunbury road, to join his cart at the homestead of Mr. Rose. Mr. Carey, myself, and P. C. Forrest, with two natives, (who stated they were the rightful owners of the country through which we proposed to travel), we started on our return route, leaving the Warren Valley by an easy ascent.

“We followed the natives through a number of glades called ‘Yatamak’, and which, it appears, have been traversed by the denizens of the forest perhaps for ages.”

Another article of interest was on Saturday night of 17 November 1866, four convicts absconded from the Warren Bridge Party, working under Warder Townsend. “An express was immediately forwarded to P. C. Moulton, Blackwood Station (60 miles away) on Sunday, and on Monday shortly after 12 a.m., that active officer was on the spot.”

Mr. C. Keyser constructed the first Police Station on the south bank of the Blackwood River which was completed in May 1867 at a cost of £205. This was then occupied by Constable Moulton and his wife Esther, who continued as the Postmistress.

Thomas Campbell Carey surveyed the (Bridgetown) town site following requests from settlers. Four squatter tradesmen were already established in business, a carpenter, blacksmith, wheelwright and shoemaker.

In a letter to Surveyor General John Septimus Roe in February 1868, Carey recommended the town site be named Geegelup, after the native name of the small brook running through the proposed town which joined the Blackwood River at the ford and the name by which the area had been known.

In the same letter Carey also made mention that some settlers had suggested the name of Bridgetown because of the bridge crossing the river and the ‘Bridgetown’ being the first ship to load wool in Bunbury from the Blackwood District.

In a following memo, Surveyor General J.S. Roe stated that the name Bridgetown had been chosen, ‘’for the reasons given by Mr Carey in his

letter”. An Article in The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times Friday 29 May 1868 reported a great increase of traffic in Bunbury which they reported was no doubt due to the opening up of the Blackwood country.

“A new town site has been laid out at the Blackwood Bridge, waiting only to be christened and proclaimed in the ‘Government Gazette,’ when allotments will readily be bought up. The opening of a new Store was advertised, there was talk of erecting a Steam Mill, and a much needed open house of accommodation for visitors.

Governor John Stephen Hampton approved the name and Bridgetown town site was pro claimed on 4th June 1868. On the same day of proclaiming the town, around 56 lots were sold at 5 pounds per lot. The town was gazetted on 9th June 1868 and the Bridgetown District came under the jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate of the Wellington District until 1871.

The Wellington Road Board had a seven-member committee with headquarters in Bunbury and an office at the Bridgetown Police Station (built in 1867) in the comer at the Blackwood River Bridge junction of the Police Reserve, Nelson Location 68, on the South bank of the river opposite John Blechynden’s home.

In 1869, with the settlers in need of a clerical minister a request was sent to the Hon. J.G. Lee Steere, Esq., J.P., M.L.C. by E. G. Hester, John Blechynden, John Giblett, J. W. Muir, Thomas Giblett, Walter E. Blechynden, Pemberton Walcott, Edwin Padbury, Thomas Muir, and Andrew Muir for a “meeting to be held on Saturday 18 December, at the hour of noon, at the house of Mr. Phillips of Bridgetown, to devise and determine on such steps as may be considered necessary for providing an itinerant clergyman for the Blackwood and its neighbourhood.”

Hon. J. G. Lee Steere chaired the meeting with the Rev. J. Withers of the Diocesan Church Society in attendance. A total of seven resolutions were passed and the additional names of Messrs. J. G. Lee Steere and A. W. Moulton were included with the above to consent to act, to constitute a Local Committee of the Blackwood Itinerant Mission Scheme, paying a subscription and enrolling themselves as members of the Diocesan Church Society within the Wellington and Nelson districts.

There was a noted increase in wild cattle in the district in 1869 and a meeting was held at the residence of Mr. John Blechynden, “to consider the evils the settlers are subject to.” Mr. J.G. Lee Steere took the chair, with other noted settlers present, Mr. E.G. Hester, Mr Abraham Moulton, Mr. John Allnutt, Mr. Mount, Mr. Pemberton Walcott, Mr. Muir, Mr Edwin Padbury, Mr John Muir and Mr. Blechynden, with a number of resolutions being proposed and agreed to: The Government would be asked to frame some immediate legislative enactment for the extermination of wild cattle allowing every freehold landowner or lessee of Crown lands the power to shoot

Continued page 14

1864: Balbarrup Post Office

29th year.... The Mailbag June 1st 2021

Allwood Stump GrindingFor all your stump removalGreenbushes & Southwest

ABN 44 940 578 427

Call for a FREEQuote today

Michael 0427 611 916

e: [email protected]: www.souwestglass.com.au

RRoobb’’ss RREELLIIAABBLLEE EELLEECCTTRRIICCAALL

Robert HossellEC 008037

Ph/Fax: 9761 4195Mob: 0407 187 441

Bridgetown Bowling ClubWhether you’re new to town, recently retired and

looking for a new hobby or have lived here all your life and never thought of playing lawn bowls, perhaps this is the sport for you.

The Bridgetown Bowling Club has been in operation since 1913 and offer a range of bowling activities to suit everybody.

If you want to just come along and enjoy a friendly game with likeminded people, they offer Scroungers (or social) games every Thursday morning from 9am-noon year round, weather permitting and every Sunday from 1pm-4pm in the Winter months. Summertime sees Scroungers also played on Friday evening from 7pm-9.30pm. Casual dress only. There is usually someone to coach new players and there are Club bowls for you to borrow on the day. You can come along a couple of times to see if the game is for you before joining.

The Club is part of the Blackwood League and several teams compete in Pennants games each season against other Clubs in the League. As well as Pennants, there are inter-Club competitions held throughout the season, not just within the Blackwood League but from all over WA and Members are able to submit a team if they wish to play.

There are several Pennants competitions played during the season: men have teams playing Wednesday with different teams playing on Saturday and women play Pennants on Tuesday. All League and WA Bowls games are played in Club uniform.

Carpet bowls is played every Wednesday from 9am -noon and Whist every Wednesday evening from 7pm. There is also a fully equipped kitchen and function room available for hire.

The players in Bridgetown are fortunate to have a synthetic green, which is wonderful to play on as your bowls run true to bias which is important and there’s very little maintenance. There is a newly completed ramp from the Clubroom down to the green for those who find steps hard to traverse with shaded seating for both spectators and players.

There is also a licensed bar which is open in season during Friday evening Scroungers and Sunday afternoon games in winter, weather permitting. Pennants Home games and Club competitions also see the bar open.

There are several Memberships available – social member only (carpet bowls and use of bar when open), Scrounger member and a full membership, which enables you to participate in all Club events.

If you would like to come along and see if lawn bowls suits you, you’re most welcome to join the players on Thursday morning at 9am. Bowls and coaching provided free. If you have any queries please contact Shirley on 0429808833, the President Murray Waters on 0498090441 or leave a message on our Facebook page”.

The Bowling Club is easy to find, just over the bridge on the way to Manjimup, turn left at Caravan Park sign and it’s on the left.Shirley Streeter, Club Secretary/Treasurer

For SaleCashmere Goats, Does and Bucks for further enquires telephone 0428 631 040


Greenbushes Community Shed Continued from page 5

Angie goes onto say, “We have received grants from Lotterwest, Australian Men’s Shed Association, Bankwest and Talison Lithium with local contractors contributing to dust extraction equipment and providing us with some machinery.

“Improvements are always underway, with the Shed having recently received notification of their successful application through Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) for an extension to the building, it will be 8m x 2.8m Veranda construction on concrete to run down one side of the building to accommodate larger jobs and increase our workable space.

The AMSA has administered the Australian Government National Shed Development Programme (the NASP) on behalf of the Australian Government since 2010 with Round 1-21, a total of $6,681,285 GST excl) has been provided to assist new and existing Men’s Sheds. As partial funding was received we are now seeking funding assistance for the remaining balance.

“Some of our members come and do a small project, some come to gain experience with the equipment and for others it is for the social interaction.

“We have had members from Bridgetown, Balingup and Greenbushes. Whether you are an experienced person on the tools or a beginner, we welcome anyone who wants to come and join our shed.”

Showing the WayContinued from Page 12or destroy any unbranded cattle on lands held or leased by them. At the conclusion of the meeting the Rev. J. Withers called the attention of those present to the necessity of a building being erected on the town-site, to serve as a place for public worship and a school room, stating that sufficient children resided on, or within reach of the town site to enable them to ask the Government to appoint a teacher, if a schoolroom could be found. He advocated such a public room would be useful for many other purposes. His appeal was very successful and a subscription was entered into to carry it out, and a committee appointed.

In February 1870 Mr. John Blechynden informed the inhabitants of the Southern Districts, and the Public generally, that he would be running a Vehicle for the Conveyance of Passengers and Parcels to and from Bunbury and Bridgetown once a month. A room in the Blechynden Family home, ‘Bridgedale’ had been used for a number of years as a class room and in 1871 the Schoolroom was built in Steere Street on part of Lot 39, with meetings and Church services also being held for the Methodist and Anglican Parishioners.

By 1872, the township was noted as having a school, police station, general store, a small hotel and a number of houses with the main industries being farming and timber cutting.

What have the Helping Hands Bushcare volunteers been up to?

A recent bushfire in a section of the Donnelly Well Reserve, south of Yornup, exposed scattered heaps of old metal rubbish, broken glass and fencing wire as well as the skeletons of several cattle. The Helping Hands volunteers spent a morning scouring the burnt area and filling rubbish bins with the broken glass and smaller pieces of rusty metal, and collecting the old fencing wire into piles that the Shires Parks and Gardens staff helped to remove from the site, making it much safer for the native fauna using the reserve. They consolidated the rest of the scattered rusty metal rubbish into distinct piles in the bush as there was too much of it to carry out to the tracks this time.

Many of our Shire Bushland Reserves were used in the past for gravel or sand extraction, and the holes left behind were then filled with rubbish from the occupants of nearby properties. Time and disturbances such as fire or track developments have led to the spread of that historic rubbish into the bushland, giving us plenty of work to do now to find and remove it as well as a bit of treasure hunting that has uncovered lovely old bottles, many rustic enamel pieces and tools, a fob watch, brooches, and pieces of broken china for the mosaic enthusiasts. Eight Mile Well Reserve even has an old vintage car body that was uncovered while removing woody weeds!

Our second May activity was at the Somme Creek Parklands behind the Bridgetown Library where masses of dead and damaged branches were removed from the creekline vegetation, lessening the fire risk in the area and building on several other sessions held in that lovely area. Quite a lot of rubbish was picked up that possibly blows in from the skate park and walk trail around the parklands.

In June the Helping Hands volunteers will be working at what we call Abbotts Reserve beside the Yornup Creek next

Show TalkContinued from page 8

Like other not-for-profit organisations, COVID has put the brakes on our normal activities and now we are finding it a challenge to get the wheels cranked and rolling again. COVID planning is now part of our lives and the Ag. Society Committee realises COVID has changed how we need to operate our business in the future. We are already planning and working with other event planners to support each other, to share information and potentially use the same COVID marshals for our community events. Our Supporters and Volunteers are more important now than ever before as we all realise what we can lose and that the loss could be permanent.

Past Sponsors have received their invitation to re-sponsor for the 2021 Show. Your commitment to support the Show will ensure all the usual Section classes are available for entry. New sponsors are also welcome by contacting Jo (see below). To ensure your sponsorship is in the Show Schedule please respond before 30th June 2021.

At this stage we have received no interest for Stewards for the Sheep or Home Brewing Sections. If we have no interest for these Sections they will sadly be deleted from this year’s Schedule. If you would like to see these Sections remain and want to know more about what is involved, contact Coleen on 9761 9055.

The next Meeting will be held on Wednesday 9th June 7.30pm in the Presidents Room at the Showgrounds. If you wish to contact the Ag Society, Jo Moore can be contacted on 0437 602 836 or email [email protected] or follow us on Facebook ‘Bridgetown Agricultural Show’.

Stay Safe.

to the Brockman Hwy just out of Bridgetown, and for the second session we will be in Greenbushes helping to mulch the small Arboretum being developed near the cricket oval there.

We welcome new volunteers, no experience needed, on the first and third Thursday mornings of the month for as long or little as you are able. If you’d like to know more about this great community activity, please contact Cheryl at the Community Landcare Office on 0428 723 111.

29th year .... The Mailbag June 1st 2021

Bridgetown Art and Craft Centre 55 years on Continued from page 2

“Over the years our members’ interest have changed, the Centre’s facilities and building continue to be modernized, the thing that hasn’t changed is that the Art and Craft Centre is still very welcoming.”

Karla Paget became a member in 2012 and she relates her story. “The ladies were ever so welcoming and I immediately felt at home.

“By 2013 I was asked if I would like to do the Secretary’s role. Ever since then I have been elected to the role.

“The members are a fun group who share ideas, patterns, their experience and expertise in a variety of crafts and life skills.

“The members enthusiastically support the many ventures that are proposed, yarn bombing, poppy making, boomerang bags, prem-babies caps as well as welcoming our visitors from Manjimup, Boyup Brook and Nannup and the staffing the street stalls where we sell many of the goods we’ve made.

“Days at the Craft Centre are always fun filled with laughter, stories and sharing.”

The Bridgetown Art and Craft Centre is a small group of like-minded women who have, in more ways than one, contributed to the well-being and balance which makes Bridgetown such a nice place to live.

‘Wyrd Sisters’ at the TheatreContinued from cover

They acknowledge that destiny will eventually take its course and that the child, Tomjon, will grow up to defeat Duke Felmet and take his rightful place as king.

However, the kingdom is angry about the way the new king is mistreating the land and his subjects. The witches realise that it will be at least 15 years until Tomjon is able to return and save the kingdom, but by then irreparable damage will have been done. Granny Weatherwax, with help from the other two witches, manages to cast a spell over the entire kingdom to send it forward in time by 15 years.

Meanwhile, the duke has decided to have a play written and performed that portrays him in a favourable light and the witches in a negative light. He thinks this will cause the witches to lose their power, and the people will like him.

He sends the court Fool to Ankh-Morpork to recruit the same acting company that Tomjon was given to, which now resides in the Dysk Theatre on the river Ankh, so as you can imagine the story just gets a whole lot more interesting from here on. The play is worth seeing just to see what happens next.

‘Wyrd Sisters’ will open on Friday 18th June. There are three shows the first week, 19th to 20th June then four shows the following week from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th June. Drama at the Bridgetown High SchoolContinue from page 4 Will the alarm bells ring in the doctor’s mind to the contagion? Will procedures be put in place to stop the spread of the virus at the dance or will his community be infected and wiped out?

Yes, two modern horror stories that reflect Australian Society today.

The two tales are thought provoking and show that ‘Story telling is alive and well’.

Advertisements, Advertorial and Community Editorial copy in The Mailbag are the responsibility of the author. The views expressedare not necessarily those of The Mailbag. While The Mailbag makes every reasonable effort to ensure that no misleading claims or statements aremade, responsibility is not accepted by The Mailbag for statements made or for failure of any products or services to give satisfaction. Inclusionsof a product or service should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by The Mailbag. Any pricing or agreements canbe reviewed at the discretion of The Mailbag, with notification to our advertisers as soon as possible after that review has been made.

Adam Jenkins

Tree ServicesQualified Arborist

Fully InsuredMobile: 0447 792 200

Home: 9761 1128

Large Tree FellingClimbingTree JackingTree Bracing InstallationsPortable SawmillingDisease & Pest ControlElevated Work Platfrom

Removal of Tree’s in Confined SpaceLowering and Rigging around Houses & InfrastructureDecorative Pruning, Dead Wooding, ShapingForestry / Plantation Work

16 Rose StreetPhone Jim

0429 612 662

Approved to Service New Cars Under WarrantyBattery and Windscreen replacement

South West Removals & Storage“on Time, on Budget, every time

You'll see our trucks passing throughwww.swremovals.com.au

email: [email protected]

9725 4766

Weekly Perth deliveries, all South West areas and North West. Short or long term storage,Everything wrapped in woolen blankets, whether we're going 400m or 400 kms.

Are you moving soonCall Us at South West Removals and Storage

Revamped Garden Path Steve Parker works at the Bridgetown Hospital as a

gardener. The Hospital Auxiliary approached Steve with the idea of

redesigning the garden leading to the main entrance of the hospital. Over the years the garden had become a mishmash of different types of plants, some being donated assortments, others just over grown. At the same time the footpath from the car park needed to be made wider to better accommodate the arrival of patients and visitors.

Steve drew up a design which was made up of native plants, with bark chip mulch, timber box borders with reclaimed split jarrah fence posts and rocks giving background, depth and interest to the design.

Steve goes on to explain, “Once the design was decided upon, we were going to get help from the Bunbury Regional Prison to do most of the heavy work, a number of prisoners at Bunbury assist with working on community projects throughout the South-West region, but because of Covid-19 I couldn't get that help, so the garden took a lot longer than we expected, around a month.

“The front garden was a mix of native and exotic plants, now all the plants which were taken out have gone to make other gardens, the roses that were moved have been replanted in the rose garden.

“Darren Tassos donated the split jarrah fence posts and rocks used in the garden with the Hospital Auxiliary supplying timber mulch, timber boxing surrounds and the native plants used in the revamped gardens.

“Everything used in the garden was locally sourced from businesses in Bridgetown.

“Some of the plants didn't take, so any spaces in the garden will be replanted soon. The garden looks good now but in a little while when the plants fill out it should be more impressive.

“The next project we will be tackling is an 'Entry Statement'. This will be a set of murals painted on panels on the brick wall leading onto and through the hospital entry.

The work Steve has been involved in with the gardens has given the grounds around the hospital a new look. He is making planter boxes which are placed outside hospital ward windows giving the patients a view of flowering plants. These planter boxes have been made from recycled timber pallets. There is also a wheel barrow planter, split jarrah fence posts and a parrot to be found in other part of the hospital grounds. Steve's beneficial work on the gardens has not gone unnoticed.

Gail Hay and Steve Parker

your local builder feeling your life is out of control?

Documents