Colac Herald » David McKenzie

Plans to lure visitors

David McKenzie — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:11:39 +0000

Businesspeople hope to turn Forrest, Birregurra, Gellibrand and Colac into tourist attractions, rather than towns people pass through on the way to the coast.
Tourism companies, Otways Tourism and the Otways Hinterland Tourism Association have started a project to boost tourism in towns away from the coast.
Sharon Bradshaw, who is developing a brewery and café at Forrest with her brother Matt, said people
from the tourism industry would work together to raise each community’s profile, attract visitors, and keep them in the area for longer.
Ms Bradshaw said the initiative was starting with Forrest.
Otways Hinterland Tourism Association will oversee the project, with help from Otways Tourism.
“It will roll out over the next 18 months,” Ms Bradshaw said.
“The idea is to focus on the individual towns and the unique tourism opportunities each town has, and then link the towns together,” she said.
Ms Bradshaw said Forrest boasted natural attractions, a rail trail, mountain biking, ecotourism, extreme cycling, a microbrewery, café and accommodation.
“We’ve got a great offering or recreational and ecotourism experiences,” she said.
“We’re got to make sure we use that profile.”
Ms Bradshaw said the industry wanted to make sure people knew what was happening in the small towns.
“The mountain biking community certainly knows Forrest as a destination,” she said.
“We want to extend that audience so we have other potential audiences seeing there’s things to do and experience in Forrest.”
Ms Bradshaw said the project could include new tourism signs, a website, a small visitor centre and a public relations campaign.
They also hope to develop compendiums of tourism attractions so accommodation providers could provide information to visitors.
Otways Tourism chairwoman Corinne Mitchell said OT was in the process of rolling out the program to boost tourism in small communities.
She said OT was planning a familiarisation tour with Forrest and Birregurra tourist operators, so people knew what the other towns had to offer and could encourage people to stay in the region longer.

Advocating for citizens

David McKenzie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:41:50 +0000

One of the responsibilities that comes with being a councillor is advocating to higher levels of government on behalf of the citizens of Colac Otway Shire.
I had the opportunity to do just that during a round table meeting with Premier John Brumby.
The round table involved mayors from across the south west, including Geelong, Surf Coast, Queenscliffe, Moyne, Warrnambool, Southern Grampians and Glenelg.
Also in attendance was some of the region’s leading businesspeople, as well as Minister for Regional and Rural Development Jacinta Allan, Minister for Mental Health, Community Services and Senior Victorians Lisa Neville, Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney, Parliamentary Secretary, Environment, Water and Climate Change Michael Crutchfield and Member for Geelong Ian Trezise.
The purpose of the round table was for the Premier to gather input for the Victorian Government’s 2010-11 budget, with a particular focus on infrastructure funding.
I was extremely pleased that G21 Chairman Ed Coppe took the opportunity to highlight several regional priorities, including the duplication of the Princes Highway between Winchelsea and Colac, and upgrades to the highway from Colac to the South Australian border.
Mr Coppe also discussed the need to upgrade the Apollo Bay harbour, highlighting that it was the only deep harbour between Geelong and Portland and an economic priority for the entire south-west.
I took the opportunity to draw the Premier’s attention to our bid for a trade training centre for Colac.
I provided background about our levels of disadvantage, including the fact that 74 per cent of males and 65 per cent of females in this shire were educated only up to Year 10.
We have poor participation in post-compulsory education, with only 31 per cent of people in the south-west going on to further education, compared with 70 per cent of young people in Melbourne.
I felt that Colac Otway Shire received a good hearing from the Premier, and that the points I raised were reinforced by other shires.
All shires agreed that local government needed more state and federal government funding to maintain roads to a satisfactory condition, as well as more infrastructure funding for community facilities.
At the end of the forum I had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with Jacinta Allan about the need for medical student accommodation in Colac.
This is another important project for our shire, as people who train in rural areas are more likely to return to rural areas to work, which would provide a much-needed boost to our medical and health services.
The Premier and Minister Allan both received a report overviewing the important projects for Colac Otway Shire’s future, to ensure they have a lasting record of our shire’s top priorities.

We asked people if they were mourning the end of summer or welcoming the start of autumn.

David McKenzie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:41:09 +0000

“We’re happy to have the rain to water the gardens. We haven’t had any for a while.” Margaret Krake, Frankston 100305AF020	“The main thing is the smoke. It doesn’t feel like the end of summer.” Loretta Patterson, Alvie 100305AF023	“I’m trying to go on a holiday. I’m a bit disappointed it’s not sunny. I just bought this hat.” Donald Smith, Sunshine 100305AF024
“We’re welcoming the start of autumn. I’m just not a hot weather fan.” Val Coverdale, Cobden 100305AF026	“I’d rather it stay sunny. It was awesome and hot and I don’t like rain.” Jaymi Kennedy, Colac 100305AF029	“I like the sun but I don’t really like the heat. I like spring. It’s very even.” Zoe Taylor, Colac 100305AF031

Good plan is crucial

David McKenzie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:19:18 +0000

Feedpads and freestall barns are becoming more common on Australian dairy farms in response to uncertain seasonal conditions and fluctuations in feed and fertiliser costs.
The establishment of more intensive permanent systems such as feedpads and freestalls is not a quick-fix solution to
address issues of feed utilisation and wastage.
They require thorough planning and careful consideration, taking into account a multitude of factors.
Questions to be answered include the reason for the development, the type of feedpad system that will suit the farm’s requirements, the potential cost of establishment and ongoing maintenance, the location of the feedpad to maximise the use of to other key farm assets such as laneways, shade, water supply, power, and feed supply, and there are many more.
The cost of insufficient planning and inadequate design for these intensive systems can have detrimental consequences to both the farm and the environment.
Mistakes in recent times have lead to the financial burden of rectifying poor design, animal welfare issues, effluent discharges to nearby waterways leading to regulatory action, increased farm labour requirements, additional maintenance and repair costs, and community protest.
To help farmers plan and complete these intensive developments with confidence, the Department of Primary Industries has written Guidelines for Victorian Dairy Feedpads and Freestall. The guidelines, funded by the Geoffrey Gardiner Dairy Foundation, will be available this month.

Rain stays away for tight contest

David McKenzie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:04:18 +0000

SERVE: Kawarren’s Tim Pekin serves his team into a preliminary final. Kawarren defeated Warncoort in Saturday’s Polwarth tennis A Grade elimination final.

FORCE: Grit and determination helped Kawarren’s Sue McGann and her team move into Polwarth’s preliminary final.

FOCUSED: Warncoort player John Pietsch had his eyes firmly fixed on the ball.

Kawarren is through to Polwarth district tennis’ A Grade preliminary final after a tightly-fought match against Warncoort.
Kawarren had a seven-game win over its opponent to book a spot in next weekend’s hit out against Pennyroyal, with both teams looking to secure a grand final berth against Elliminyt.
Kawarren captain Neville Towers said he was relieved the forecast rain held off.
He said he was impressed at his team’s performance to come away with the win.
“We were concerned on Friday night about the weather but it held off,” Towers said.
“It was a fun day with some really good tennis,” he said.
“Heading into the mixed it was a difference of four games and it was really great
that we managed to get through.”
Kawarren ended Warncoort’s season with its 38 games and five sets to Warncoort’s 31 games and four sets.
Warncoort headed into the battle claiming underdog status having not defeated Kawarren in its four matches this season.
But Kawarren’s women headed into the match without having faced Warncoort’s Sue Gill before the final.
Towers said Kawarren’s women performed admirably.
“Our women have all played with and against Sue previously but they didn’t have her last time,” he said.
“Our women all got at least three games most sets.
“And that really helped us get over the line.”
Towers said he expected a hard-fought match against Pennyroyal this weekend.
He said favouritism was irrelevant when players took to the court.
“They can go in favourite but on the day that doesn’t matter,” Towers said.
“It will be a very close match, they’ve won once and us twice when we played this season,” he said.
“Players in both teams have to play their best or their team will lose.
“It only takes one bloke to be asleep and that’s it, you lose.”

Food wraps and bottles pollute lake

David McKenzie — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:26:24 +0000

EFFORT: Cororooke’s Jason and Joanne Becroft took their children, from left, Leah, 5, Connor, 6, and Courtney, 7, to pick up rubbish for Clean up Australia Day. Site supervisor Gary Barnes said about 25 people braved rain to participate in yesterday’s clean up along Cororooke Road.	Colac children collected 100 kilograms of rubbish from the edge of Lake Colac during a clean up day. Colac West Primary School pupils picked up 16 bags of rubbish along Lake Colac’s shore on Friday as part of Schools Clean Up Day. The most common types of rubbish were bottles and fast food containers. Colac Otway Shire Council environmental project officer Andrew Barber accompanied the children and provided bags and gloves. “It’s part of Colac West school and Colac Otway Shire working together on a community event,” he said. “The children got a bit wet but were so enthusiastic, it was a great day.” Mr Barber said the shire’s social justice team also removed rubbish from along Colac’s Barongarook Creek on Friday morning. The schools day was a prelude to Clean Up Australia Day activities across the Colac district yesterday.
*CLEAN UP: From left, Cororooke’s Tamzyn, 4, James, 10, Karyn and Jasmine Newcombe, 7, helped keep Australia beautiful yesterday.*	*HARD WORK: Teagan Fiscalini was busy helping to clean up the land near Lake Colac on Friday.*
*TEAM: Grade Three pupils Naomi Newcombe, left, and Zahra Weston search for rubbish between Colac’s yacht club and rowing club.*	*HELPING: Colac West Primary School pupils, left, Samantha Parsons, Grade Three, and Kira Armstrong, Grade Four, with Colac Otway Shire Council environmental project officer Andrew Barber, centre.*
*FOUND: Colac West Primary School assistant principal Peter Nelson with pupils, from left, Elise Gatti, Grade Four, Demi Trinca, Grade Four, and Jack Poulter, Grade Three.*

Idea that grew and prospered

David McKenzie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:25:47 +0000

The government came, cleared and built houses, and a settlement known as the Heytesbury came to life, writes Aidan Fawkes.
It was 1946, with the end of the Second World War as a political and social backdrop, when the Victorian Government established its Soldier Settlement Commission.
As hundreds of soldiers returned home and Australia experienced an influx of migrants, the question of where to put them became a hot topic.
South-west Victoria, with hectares of dense native bushland, seemed ideal.
Land clearing began in February 1956. By 1960 the first settlers – of Australian, Dutch, German, English and Irish heritage – moved in.
Twenty-five families, selected after a suitability interview, received 200 acres, a three-bedroom weatherboard home, 29 cows and a bull.
Added to that were 10 water troughs, two water points, a hay shed, dairy, tool shed and a garage.
Settlers leased the house for the first three months, after which they had the option to buy it.
At the price of £14,000 to be paid over 40 years at four per cent interest, a home in the settlement was considered a bargain.
On May 11, 1960, Les and Lois Deppeler were one of the first couples to take up the offer.
The couple was living at Scotts Creek before shifting to what is now known as Sunday Ridge Road, Simpson.
Electricity didn’t power their home until 12 months after they moved in, and a telephone arrived another two years later.
But to this day Mr Deppeler applauds the commission’s ambitious project.
“The commission was tremendous to work with,” Mr Deppeler said.
“If you had dairy experience and were nationalised you qualified for a block,” he said.
“The Dutch were extraordinary. They were the best farmers.
“It was one amazing scheme which we’ll never see again.”
As the first settlers moved in the commission continued to clear land, 5000 acres a year, ridge by ridge from Kennedys Creek to Simpson, down to Port Campbell and east to Princetown.
The first farmers struggled. The cleared land, with felled timber in neat wind rows, allowed wind to lash homes and a handful of settlers left when an underground pest destroyed pasture roots.
“When the grubs hit, it was pretty hard to handle when you lost 12 months of production,” Mr Deppeler said.
“The commission came back and they cleared the wind rows and gave us grass seeds to sow it,” he said.
But overall, the settlement and the diverse town of Simpson, named after H. L. Simpson, the first chairman of the Soldier Settlement Commission, thrived.
The first buildings were commission offices, but a general store, post office, three churches, hall, school and football club soon emerged.
In 1966 then Premier Sir Henry Bolte, the figurehead of the settlement, opened the Simpson Kraft factory and the town’s population grew again.
“It was an amazing community, what they achieved,” Mr Deppeler said.
“You didn’t argue, that wasn’t a worry. We were all classed as settlers,” he said.
The Heytesbury district is now recognised as some of Australia’s best dairying country.
Produce growers also feature in the district, as well as timber plantations.
Simpson has a well-supported football-netball and cricket club, one of the region’s biggest agricultural shows and it is renowned for being a tight-knit community.
The Simpson and district community will celebrate 50 years of the settlement this weekend.
The celebrations include a sold-out dinner, a market, displays of relics and tours of the district.
Author Ken Unwin will launch a book about the settlement, The Heytesbury Settlement 50 years on: Memories, Madness and Miracles, and country singer Andrea Weel will sing her song Home.
Weel wrote the song for her children but she said it had brought original settlers to tears.

ORIGINAL: Two of the Heytesbury’s settlers Les and Lois Deppeler on their Simpson property. The land was native forest before the Soldier Settlement Commission Victoria ordered its clearing.

We asked people their opinions on Australia’s new national curriculum model.

David McKenzie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:14:17 +0000

“It is a good change. Hopefully it will make

kids realise the importance of getting an education and make them try harder in school.”
Fred Beddow,
Merimbula

“I think it should stay the same as it always has and the government should stop changing things. There should be an emphasis on the basics, like arithmetic, spelling and geography.”
Mavis Cambrey,
Colac

“Anything that requires kids around the country to all be of the same standard is a good idea, it means everyone is on the same level in their learning.”
David Halliday,
Naroghid

“It is important to focus on the basics and that is what they have promised with this model, so I think it is a positive change.”
Val Rippon,
Colac

“It is probably a good thing. Schools just don’t teach things the way they used to and they should focus on making sure everyone is at the same level.
Simone Robertson,
Gellibrand

“The idea of a grassroots model is good, but children need to be assessed individually and not just fed a one-size-fits-all curriculum.”
Sandy Martini,
Simpson

Swedish assistance for hospice project

David McKenzie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:06:54 +0000

A Colac palliative care hospice project has received international help.
A backpacker from Sweden is among people volunteering to help build Anam Cara House at Barongarook.
Tony Mahoney, one of the site foremen on the project, said about 30 tradespeople and volunteers had worked on the hospice in recent weeks.
Swedish backpacker Jonas Jonebratt is among the volunteers.
Mr Jonebratt said he was spending a year travelling Australia, and had been staying on Mr Mahoney’s farm.
“He’s been doing work for us on the farm,” Mr Mahoney said.
“He heard what I was up to and said he’d like to volunteer for a week or a month,” he said.
Mr Mahoney said Anam Cara had been a busy worksite.
“This is the most intense stage, leading up to the plastering which will be starting next week,” he said.
Mr Mahoney said the plastering would probably take a week to complete.
“Which then takes the main hospice area up to painting and fitting out stage over the next few months,” he said.
Mr Mahoney said tradespeople working on the house included electricians, plumbers, fire services, communications and data installers, air conditioning installers, carpenters and plasterers.
He thanked people who donated time to help build the hospice.
“I’d like to say how appreciative the Anam Cara committee has been of the huge contribution from tradespeople who are unbelievably busy due to the school building projects, and the generosity of volunteers who are giving up their precious time as well.”

WORKERS: Volunteers Jonas Jonebratt from Sweden, left, and Mick Melville installing insulation at the Anam Cara House community hospice at Barongarook.

Top worker calls for nominations

David McKenzie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:57:37 +0000

Colac and district’s top employee has encouraged people to nominate workers for a prestigious award.
Nominations have opened for the 2010 Westvic Staffing Solutions Employee of the Year award, and 2009 winner Jacinta Langdon urged people to nominate others for the honour.
Ms Langdon said she had noticed other people who she thought deserved the award.
“It’s made me think there are people I could nominate,” she said.
“There’s definitely a lot of good employees within our community that would be worthy winners.”
Employers and customers can nominate workers for the award.
Organisers will pick from the nominees to choose 12 employees of the month, who will each face an interview panel, before judges choose the Westvic Staffing Solutions Employee of the Year.
Ms Langdon said the interview process was not daunting.
“Knowing where you sit within your place of employment went a long way,” she said.
Ms Langdon, who works at Barongarook Weed and Vermin Control, said winning the award was “humbling”.
“On the night it took my breath away,” she said.
“It took a while to sink in, but then I thought it’s a good award to win.
“To have people stop you in the street to congratulate you, people I’ve never met in my life, was really nice.
“Even now, somebody congratulated me yesterday.
“It’s probably made me work a little bit harder because I’ve got a reputation to live up to now.”
Ms Langdon said she was passionate about her job.
“There’s no use going to work just to get paid, you’ve got to enjoy it at the end of the day,” she said.
“If you’re passionate about something and you get recognised for it it’s worth it.”
Nomination forms are available at The Colac Herald, 3CS Mixx FM, and Colac Otway Shire Council offices.
The employee award is part of the 2010 Powercor Colac Otway Business Awards.

WINNER: Employee of the Year winner Jacinta Langdon.