Point of view

Sometimes trash is just trash

20/6/2019

The op shop can sometimes be seen as a place of palliative care for items whose time really has come

By Roderick McIvor

MANY people say Hadden House in Bass is their favourite op shop. It has very reasonable prices. Most clothes are $2 an item or all that you can stuff in a bag for $5. Sited as it is in the old teacher’s residence, it offers a lot of nooks and crannies to show off the vast range of items that an op shop has on offer. With its shed for furniture and larger items, many people find visiting can become habit-forming. That’s wonderful for the Bass Valley Community Centre, which depends on the shop’s earnings to fund its services, particularly those supporting older and more isolated people in our community.

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As good as new

13/6/2019

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Hilary Stuchbery adjusts the tuning keys on a ukulele while Robert Mesley clamps a chair after regluing it.

By Hilary Stuchbery

YOUR favourite old chair’s developed a wobble and you fear it’s about to collapse. Your bedside lamp keeps blowing the globes. And the battery on your cordless drill won’t hold a charge.

We all have times when it seems everything is breaking down. These days you can’t just take them to be repaired. Even with major items like refrigerators and televisions, it’s much easier – and cheaper – to replace than to repair.

But what if you could learn to fix them yourself? That’s the idea behind Wonthaggi’s new Fixit Café, a joint initiative of the Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre at Mitchell House and The Wonthaggi Men’s Shed.

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A simple fix for disappearing beaches?

1/6/2019

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East Cowes beach. Photo: Bernie McComb

By Bernie McComb

THIS is about coastal erosion. It’s to challenge the usual solutions involving “world’s best practice” ideas, from the biggest consultancies, usually involving a huge budget and huge concrete and/or rock walls.

Recently, it’s been reported that $29 million is needed to protect properties at east Cowes from storm surge inundation. It’s said that sea level rise is the cause of the problem, either this or the level of the beach is falling.

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‘Despair is the conclusion of fools’

1/6/2019

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In shock on election night, refugee advocate Felicia Di Stefano has since joined the Labor Party and has returned to campaigning for resettlement of refugees.

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A faint glow on the hill

1/6/2019

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The despair of election night has been replaced by a cautious optimism for Marg Lynn, an advocate for greater indigenous recognition.

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‘Now it's up to us’

1/6/2019

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In despair and contemplating a move to NZ on election night, climate activist Maddy Harford has calmed down and plans to continue working for action in her local community.

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‘One for the silent majority’

1/6/2019

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For Conservative Pamela Jacka, the joy of election night has been followed by a quiet satisfaction in the new Coalition ministry, including 11 women – without the need for quotas.

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'Don't blame us for the woes of capitalism’

1/6/2019

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Down but not out after the election, Jessica Harrison vows to continue her campaign for those living in poverty on the Newstart allowance.

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A 'double whammy'

1/6/2019

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The sense of loss remains after the election but refugee advocate Anne Davie vows to fight on for the most vulnerable.

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Stories of fear and hope

31/5/2019

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The school built by Afghan refugees in Indonesia, a scene from The Staging Post

By Felicia Di Stefano

MANY of us have run away from something. I remember as a child running from a German shepherd in a market garden and the relief when I climbed back to safety through the hole in the tall cyclone fence. I also remember running from a boy in our Wroclaw street after I had kicked his leg hard when he had called me a dirty Jew. Then in 1959 my whole family ran away from Poland to land safely and gratefully in Australia.

In recent years Wonthaggi has welcomed South Sudanese and Karen refugees. The Sudanese ran from their homelands, family and friends, leaving behind all their possessions, when their government dropped bombs and destroyed all that human endeavour had created on their lands.

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Mind over matter

29/5/2019

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From psychotherapy to house building, Ron Lee was
a quiet achiever.

By Margaret Lee

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Ron Lee was writing, teaching, supervising and treating patients until six months before he died at home in The Gurdies in April, aged 89.

At the time he died, he was working on a book encapsulating his 50 years of treating patients in Australia and the US. The overarching theme of his practice was to understand pathological narcissism and how to treat it.

Ron was born in Melbourne on February 9 1930. He came to psychotherapy via a circuitous route. In his teens he worked as an instrument technician for TAA at Essendon Airport before going back to school at the age of 20 to complete his schooling and train for the Methodist ministry.

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The vision thing

15/5/2019

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By Ed Thexton

I READ a lot about vision and the fact that no party has a vision for the country. Don’t we really want to know that the things beyond the control or influence of the individual are being managed for our betterment? That amongst other things, past wrongs are righted; corporate regulation is effective and the government of the day looks beyond benefitting their partisan support groups and uses their position and our nation’s resources to enrich all our lives by addressing the needs of the marginalised. If, however you are fixated on a vision and you’re satisfied with a vision as a slogan, then Mr Morrison, the advertising man, is the one for you.

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A market with a heart

2/5/2019

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By Bert Weitering

THE Corinella Community Market is humble and unassuming, like its volunteer organisers. It cannot and will not compete with the fancy and trendy setups of other local farmers’ markets, but it is about community and spirit.

The market’s origins emerge from that spirit of community. It supports our local producers: Sweetbee honey, produce from Macca’s farm, Coronet Bay free range eggs and service with a smile.

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It's party time in Ventnor

2/5/2019

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Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak

By Tess Moore

IT’S 3am, a full moon and wildlife party time in Ventnor.

There is no breeze tonight and no clouds. It's very bright and the lack of wind accentuates the sound of animals going about their nocturnal activities.

Possum, who sleeps under the solar panels, has come to life as he runs along the roof, launches himself onto the car port and into the netted orange tree in an attempt to get at the ripe oranges.

Unbeknownst to him we picked them all earlier in the day.

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Round the bend

17/4/2019

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Cairns roundabout. This is tourist territory, like Philip Island. Visitors must slow down just to read traffic signs: diverging road is40km/h speed limit, give way, reduce speed, slippery when wet, pedestrians, cyclists, destinations, left turn must turn, and more.

Roundabouts are a costly and ineffective solution to Phillip Island's traffic problems, argues Bernie McComb. Anfd think what else we could do with $40 million.

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How much is a tree worth?

5/4/2019

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The blue gum tree was estimated to be at least 150 years old. Photo: Lisa Schonberg

By John Eddy

LAST month 15 trees were removed to make way for the new transit hub in the centre of Cowes. They included a magnificent southern blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) that was probably in the order of 150 years old, perhaps older.

Most likely a remnant of the pre-settlement Island flora, it was 1.3 metres in diameter at breast height, a thing of natural beauty, and a habitat for many creatures, including a pair of kookaburras that nested in a hollow.

It was significant for cultural reasons too. The site on which it, and many of the other lost trees, grew, used to be the school yard of Cowes Primary School, and the old blue gum was fondly remembered by many locals. In recent years, the prominent tree was admired by many as they went about their daily business in Cowes.

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The Wastie way

5/4/2019

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New council CEO Ali Wastie gives her first impressions of Bass Coast and lays out her blueprint in an extended interview with Post editor Catherine Watson.

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A road to chaos

4/4/2019

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The Phillip Island bridge from San Remo. Photo: Craig Franklin

Our council needs to work with VicRoads to sort out San Remo’s traffic tangles, argues Chris Day, rather than leaving it to the community.

By Chris Day

IT’S GOOD to see comments on road issues on Phillip Island and San Remo (Beware: four lane highway ahead). Mary Whelan and her committee have worked for a long time on behalf of the Phillip Island community to help sort out the bottlenecks.

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An oasis on a crowded planet

22/3/2019

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An artist’s montage of a proposed caravan park at Forrest Caves.

By Phil Wright

ON MONDAY the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will begin hearing arguments in favour of a 208-site caravan park backing on to the Forrest Caves beach reserve on Phillip Island.

The appellants are appealing against a decision by Bass Coast councillors in September 2017 to reject their proposal. (See Caravan park knocked back.)

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Let's stand by them

21/3/2019

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The Bass Coast contingent to the student strike on climate change at Southern Cross Station

By Moragh Mackay

On March 15, strike action was taken by over 30,000 students in Melbourne calling for political action on climate change. They were joined by more than 150,000 people Australia-wide and over one million worldwide.

The students took a day out from school to make their collective voice heard, saying not enough is being done to keep global temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius, the point at which science tells us runaway climate change is the most likely outcome.

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Dogs versus birds no contest

8/3/2019

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By Jeff Nottle

OUR council is currently reviewing policies regarding dogs on beaches on Phillip Island. I personally believe this discussion seems to inevitably result in an unfortunate collision of perceived rights and entitlements of people, pets and wildlife.

Strong sentiment is expressed and unfortunately this can, and does, result is some disrespectful comments, especially on social media.

Many dog owners have a perception that Phillip Island’s beaches are a free-for-all as far as off-leash dogs are concerned and what may have occurred in the past still meets the community’s expectations today. We believe we need to work hard to reverse these perceptions.

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It's funny about the fire

8/3/2019

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Photo: Fir0002

By Allison Jones

IT’S FUNNY what fire and the threat of fire does. It’s funny in its silver linings. The time and space expansion is amazing. But more amazing is the ping pong table set up to alleviate boredom translates somehow into captivation and enchantment for our four-year-old. The pony achieves his life-long goal of being allowed to graze in the giant paddock with the cattle and the big horse. His dream scenario.

It’s funny who checks in on you. Old friends, new friends, running friends, forever friends and best friends from the other side of the world. They reach out, check in and send their love.

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Buckley signs off

21/2/2019

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At his first meeting with a hostile new council in 2016, Paul Buckley confronted rumours of personal corruption, affairs and big staff bonuses. The departing council CEO recalls some challenging times in an extended interview with Post editor Catherine Watson.

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Why I run

21/2/2019

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Allison Jones and her running companion

By Allison Jones

SO MY best friend asked me why I run … here it is.

Every day when I wake up my very first thought … is it a running day? Is it light yet? If it is a running day I am straight out of bed. Dressed. Looking outside. Waiting for the first crack of light. The dog watching my every move, wondering if he can come too.

I lace up my shoes on the verandah. Freezing. Yet excited about the run. I hate the darl. Always hoping for some light. Walk up the driveway. Turn on my watch, wait for GPS. Hear the dog breathing, watching for the moment I break into a run. I talk to Pocket, can barely see him.

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Pitching in

8/2/2019

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Bill Robertson in his early teaching days with wife Barbara and sons Mark, Ian and Geoffrey

By Mark Robertson

WHEN Bill Robertson arrived in Wonthaggi in 1958 to take up his first teaching position at the Wonthaggi technical School, he wasn’t too keen about leaving Melbourne to live in the sticks. But then something wonderful happened: he fell in love twice – first with Barbara Dakers, his partner in marriage for 59 years, and second with this community. So much so that within 10 years he was mayor of Wonthaggi.

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