Footpath works on North West Coastal Highway

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The City of Greater Geraldton wishes to advise it will be renewing the footpath on the Northwest Coastal Highway between Phelps and Marsden Streets with concreting works scheduled to commence on Thursday 22 September 2016 for a period of approximately seven days.

The anticipated hours of work will be between from 6am to 6pm and include removing the slab path and replacing it with a user friendly concrete path.

These works are part of $1,041,084 allocated in the 2016/17 Budget for the renewal of footpaths which will see approximately 1.68km of the footpath network replaced.

Members of the community are requested to exercise caution and obey all warning signs and directions from authorised City personnel and contractors.

The City apologises for any inconvenience these works may cause. If you have any queries please contact the City on (08) 9956 6600 or email council@cgg.wa.gov.au.

City to undertake prescribed burning

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The City of Greater Geraldton wishes to advise that prescribed burning will be conducted in Strathalbyn and Cape Burney.

It will take place on Thursday 22 September in the river area behind Strathalbyn and also on Friday 23 September in the Cape Burney river area.

City staff will be conducting the burning in conjunction with the Green Army and local Bush Fire Brigades.

If you have any queries please contact the City on 08 9956 6600 or email council@cgg.wa.gov.au.

This boy from Strath just made a stranger's day

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A big shout out to a high school boy named TREVOR of Strathalbyn College for helping me get my car out of our garage this morning.

Power was out in Strathalbyn and I didn't know what to do. My husband was already at work and me and my 4-year old daughter were going to school. I saw Trevor on his scooter, going to school and asked him if he had a celphone that I could borrow so that I could ring a taxi (sad to say, I ran out of celphone credit and I couldn't recharge because the internet was not working too).

He said he doesn't have one and asked me what's the problem. I told him about the garage door. And then he told me that the garage door can be opened manually (I never knew that.. sorry people). And then he helped me, and just in time, we arrived at Allendale Primary School.

Today is my daughter's book week parade and because of this kid's help my daughter won a prize, yay!!!

Again, thank you so much TREVOR for the help.

- M.

Citizenship tests now available in regional Australia

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Migrants living in Geraldton will now be able to take their citizenship test locally, rather than travelling to the Perth.

Federal MP Melissa Price, Member for Durack, said regarding the change, “Now, prospective citizens can sit the test at their local service centre in Broome, Geraldton, Karratha and South Hedland, making it a far more convenient option.”

“It is good to see the Government delivering increased services for prospective citizens in rural areas.”

The Department of Human Services and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) have worked together to help migrants living in Durack can now take an Australian Citizenship test at their local service centre.

Around 141,000 citizenship tests are taken across Australia each year. Last year more than 12,000 – around 230 per week – were conducted in 33 different regional communities across Australia.

The staff at the service centres can guide prospective citizens through the citizenship test process, including verifying documents, administering and setting up the test.

Previously, migrants in these remote and regional areas had to travel to major cities or wait for DIBP to visit their communities.

Minister for Human Services Alan Tudge said Australian Citizenship is an important step in a person’s migration story.

“This service will make it much more convenient for people in regional communities to take their citizenship test locally, rather than travelling into the city,” Minister Tudge said.

“This is a great partnership between the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Department of Human Services to make it easier for people in rural and regional areas.”

To find out more about becoming an Australian citizen visit citizenship.gov.au.

This suggestion for suspending licences is actually brilliant

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We've published a couple of stories recently on that dangerous intersection at Hosken and NWCH. 

Here's the first. 

And here's a letter from a local Labor politician who says he's been nagging the Liberal National government about this intersection for years.

It's true that accidents could be avoided if people weren't idiots and never pulled out when they couldn't see. 

But we don't live in that reality. We live in a reality where we need roundabouts and traffic lights. 

But one local has a suggestion on creating a new law for removing someone's drivers licence that might make the roads safer:

Ryan Eastough : I use this intersection every day at least 2wice its a shocker , im carefull on both bike and car and havent had an incident but iv seen so many near misses that have really frightened me for those involved , mainly people lacking in driving skills ,but in this day and age we have to protect the stupid as well because " natural selection " is no longer tolerated and licences are hard to take back once given out unless it's drunk driving or hoon laws maybe there should also be an " ur just an unco useless driver , hand ur licence back because ur dangerous clause "

Sounds good to us.

Seeing how there's no transport minister in WA, Mr Blayney can you fix this intersection for us?

Boxing packs a punch against Parkinson’s

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A group of Parkinson’s disease sufferers are using boxing to help their motor skills.

During a trip to the Mid-West last week, Sport and Recreation Minister Mia Davies visited the Geraldton Police and Community Youth Centre and observed the Fighting Back program.

Fighting Back is a twice weekly boxing program for people with Parkinson’s. The 15-member group is aged between 55 and 85.

Boxing works by moving your body in all planes of motion while continuously changing the routine as you progress through the workout.  For the participants, the classes have lessened their symptoms and are helping them to lead a healthier and happier life.

“I’d like to congratulate both the PCYC and this special group who are working to improve lives through boxing classes,” Ms Davies said.

“We know sport and recreation has the wonderful ability to help people of all ages and all abilities, under all sorts of circumstances.

“I met one particular participant who only six weeks ago couldn’t walk backwards without falling over, but after participating in the program can now walk backwards while sparring and stay on their feet.”

The non-contact, boxing-inspired fitness routine is improving the ability of people with Parkinson’s to live independent lives across the world, and the Minister said she was pleased to see it now offered in Geraldton.

Through the educational program LEAP, a group of multicultural teenagers act as the group’s sparring partners.

“These teens represent the real meaning of ‘true sports’ by volunteering to help older people improve their physical and mental wellbeing,” Ms Davies said.

Holiday prize scam from Sparking Sword Vacation and White Hunter Vacation

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Tasmania Police have issued a scam alert to warn members of the community of the latest scratchie scam where vacations and cash prizes can supposedly be won.

The scam is delivered by post with the recipients address on the envelope. Inside is a brochure and scratchie tickets from a company called Sparking Sword Vacation and White Hunter Vacation. 

A 72 year old man was recently caught in the scam and paid $2120 in two payments. 

Complaint to the editor: The system is broken

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Not an actual letter we received... but pretty close. 

No one will help me.

I have a complaint. I need help but there's literally no help out there. The system is completely broken. 

Apart from the fact that I get a Housing Authority house to live in funded by tax payers, there's just no help at all. I am completely on my own with my struggle. 

I don't actually have a job. All the money I get each week is given to me by the government as well, funded by taxes I guess. But no one will help me. I'm on my own. 

I can barely get through a day, struggling to raise my kids. Yes, it's true I don't have to pay for their schooling, and I get extra money from other tax payers to raise them, and I get free day care for them too. But there's literally no help. I'm on my own. 

Sure, I may live in one of the most stable economies in the world, with great roads, no war, plenty of food, excellent Police and emergency services. But I have very little to be thankful for. The system is completely broken. 

While I can go and get free or discounted food whenever I want from local charities, that's just something I have come to expect as a given. No one is willing to actually help me though. 

Through no fault of my own I got addicted to drugs. And even though there's a heap of free services that will help me get off the drugs, they don't help me in the exact way I want to be helped. They're useless and no one cares about me. 

The system is completely broken and people like me are left to fend for themselves. It's horrible. I went to the hospital recently and had to wait 3 hours. That's madness. Sure, I didn't actually have to pay a single cent for the help they gave me, but no other country in the world could possibly allow people to wait three hours for their free health care. I've never actually been overseas, but I assume Australia is the worst. 

I suppose I also don't have to pay anything when I go to the doctors. But sometimes the doctors are grumpy and make mistakes as if they're actual humans or something. This proves the system is screwed. There's no help out there for people like me. 

Sometimes when I try and get around town, I have to use public transport. And I know the small amount I pay for my ticket barely covers a tenth of the cost of running the public transport, so tax payers pay for it again, but I'm still not happy with the quality of the transport. It's so inconvenient. No one is willing to help me. It's shocking that in this day and age I can't get my own chauffeur to drive me exactly where I need to go whenever I choose. 

And I have no future job prospects either. I mean, sure, I could get a job tomorrow at a fast food joint if I really wanted. But that's not my dream job. And if there's one thing all those movies I watched while being unemployed have taught me, it's that you should follow your dreams and never compromise. There's literally no help out there for people in my situation. Yes, I could pay absolutely nothing and go and get an education so I'd be qualified for my dream job. But I have so many other things in life I'm struggling with that I don't have time to do all that study. There's just no help available. 

Here's another struggle I endure. I can't afford to pay for extra data for my phone bill, so I'm forced to go all the way into town to use the free wifi at the library just to browse Facebook. It's so barbaric. No one wants to help me. I'm a victim.

In short, the world owes me and people need to do more to help me. I don't know exactly what else they should do for me, but the free money, police, health care, accommodation, education, defence force, child care, roads, transportation, emergency services, sewerage, waste disposal, internet, water, parks, playgrounds, museums, electricity and food... just isn't enough. 

Clearly no one cares and there's no help available.

- Misunderstood Victim

New WiFi at Abrolhos helps damaged boat get assistance

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Having no signal on the islands will soon be a thing of the past thanks to a team of people in Geraldton and local internet provider Node 1. 

The southern group of the Abrolhos Islands now have high speed wireless internet thanks to a number of Geraldton community members and the team at Node 1 Internet. 

The wifi signal is an extension of the existing high speed fixed wireless network that Node 1 has around Geraldton. The signal is beamed to the islands from the mainland at Geraldton. 

Initial measurements suggested it would not be possible to get the signal to the island, but due to a surprising natural phenomenon, the signal is able to travel across to the islands. 

A signal transmitter based on East Wallabi island in the north is currently being tested and hopefully will be fully operational soon. 

We spoke with Nick Van Namen from Node 1 about the new service for the islands. 

"Guys working on the installation had trouble with the boat, and were stranded. They couldn't get traditional phone coverage, but due to new recently installed free wifi they were able to make a Facebook call and get help."

Scam Alert - Car accident claims

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Shared with us by a member of the community:

Just had a scam phone call from an Indian sounding man stating someone at my number had a car accident in December last year and it was my fault. He was trying to get information from me. He said he was given my number by the WA Transport. He wouldn't say what company he was from. I asked for his phone number so my husband could call him back. He told me to get stuffed and hung up. I have reported it to Scam Watch and to WA Transport. 

Funding available for Community Groups

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Nationals WA MP and candidate for the seat of Geraldton Paul Brown, has urged local community groups to apply for Aurizon’s Community Giving Fund.

Aurizon’s Community Giving Fund provides grants of up to $20,000 to assist with community projects aimed at delivering positive outcomes in the areas of Health & Wellbeing, Community Safety, Environment and Education.

“Five WA organisations were successful recipients last year, including one from Geraldton,” Mr Brown said.

“The grants are open to not for profit community groups who hold deductible gift recipient status, so if that is your organisation, I urge you to apply,”

Aurizon’s Community Giving Fund has assist over 220 charities and community groups since 2011. Grant applications are now open and close on Friday, 21st October 2016.

For more information, please visit: http://www.aurizon.com.au/sustainability/community-engagement/communitygiving-fund 

Regarding that deadly intersection at Hosken St - Letter to the Editor

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Dear Editor

Hosken Street Intersection

I was most concerned to read of your near miss accident at the intersection of Hosken Street and North West Coastal Highway.

It may come as no surprise that this intersection was listed in the RAC’s Risky Roads Survey, October 2015 Report Card at number two for dangerous intersections in Regional WA.

I have been calling on the Barnett Liberal National Government to address this problem since December 2014 following an approach by residents, extremely worried for their safety and the safety of their children.

I wrote to the then Minister for Transport and have asked many questions in the Parliament since, most recently in June this year.  On each occasion I have been told that plans are either not finalised or are still being considered.

Just how long is the community expected to wait to have this matter resolved? It is not good enough.

I only hope we will see a positive outcome and soon before something very serious happens at this dangerous intersection.

Darren West MLC

MEMBER FOR AGRICULTURAL REGION

 

Link to original article "This Intersection is Deadly"

 

Australian National Championships - Croquet

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Each year the Golf Croquet National Championships are played.

Six states compete and take turns to host the event. This year WA clubs hosted the various competitions held over a twelve day period.

Firstly the Gold Medal – a three day event, where each state champion (Bronze Medallist) competes for the Gold and Silver. This year, Chris McWhirter, WA and Australian Team Capotain, won the event for the fourth time.

The Men’s and Women’s Championship Singles were played next.

Geraldton’s Paul Christmass entered his first Australian event and showed that Geraldton is on the radar and does have some good local players. Paul surprised his opposition and spectators by winning many games to end up being 22nd out of 44 players….not bad for only starting to play the game about 16 months ago.

Paul Christmass

The final event was a teams’ event where the six states competed for the Interstate Shield.

This year WA came the closest ever to Victoria, only needing one more winning game against Victoria to be the outright champions….sadly it was not to be this year…but we are heading on the right direction.

Local player Kay Chynoweth was a strong contributor to the team’s result by winning 11 of the14 games she played.

Kay Chynoweth

It is very pleasing to add that, over the last ten months five state team players have visited Geraldton to play in tournaments held at the Geraldton Croquet Club. This has provided encouragement and strong competitive play for our members and has been very much appreciated.

WA Team 2016

⚠️ URGENT: Explosives stolen in Geraldton overnight

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The Geraldton Police have issued a warning to the community regarding explosives that were stolen last night. 

They posted moments ago on Twitter that the explosives are dangerous, and should not be handled if they are located. 

If you have any information regarding the explosives, please call Geraldton Police urgently on 08 9923 4555. 

Brilliant news! Tourism to the Coral Coast up 15% for the year

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In brief:

  • The Coral Coast stretches from Cervantes to Exmouth. 
  • Visitors spent $638 million in the last 12 months. 
  • 951,000 domestic tourists visited in 2015-16 financial year
  • That's 15 higher than last year, and 42% higher than 3 years ago. 

Australia’s tourism industry is currently growing three times as fast as the rest of the Australian economy, and the latest tourism numbers for the Coral Coast show it. 

More than 950,000 domestic tourists came to Australia's Coral Coast, the coastline between Cervantes and Exmouth, and spent $638 million in the last 12 months, the latest figures from Tourism Research Australia show.

The Member for Durack Melissa Price MP said the National Visitor Survey shows Australia's Coral Coast is proving popular for those holidaying in Australia.

“This is great news for the local economy and local jobs,” Ms Price said.

“It is fantastic people are choosing our beautiful region to visit and spend their money.”

Produced by Tourism Research Australia, for the 2015-16 financial year, the survey shows 951,000 domestic tourists visited Australia's Coral Coast, an increase of 15 per cent from the previous year and 42 per cent over three years. 

While visiting tourists spent $638 million, an increase of 16 per cent from the previous year and 58 per cent over three years.

Visitor nights also recorded growth, with domestic tourists staying 4,740,000 nights in Australia's Coral Coast, an increase of 24 per cent from the previous year and 46 per cent over three years.

“The survey shows tourism continues to drive local jobs and economic growth,” Ms Price said.

“Tourism remains an important focus for the Turnbull Government, with our vibrant tourism sector forecast to continue its growth trajectory over the next decade,” she said.

The National Visitor Survey is available on the Tourism Research Australia website: tra.gov.au

In Defence of F.I.F.O.

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Letter to the Editor. Received Sept 15, 2016

Author is a local Geraldton resident who asked to remain anonymous. 

I've seen a few posts lately about the evils of the FIFO lifestyle. What it does to families and communities etc. 

This time last year, we were a FIFO family. My husband started working on the mines when my youngest child was about 7 months old. His (the youngest child's) sisters were 4 and 6. We did it for financial reasons. Having met, married and had our family a little later than most of our friends, we found ourselves wanting to be able to provide for our kids, and plan for our retirement and we realised that we'd left it a bit late. So off went my husband, to a better-paying job than he'd been in. Not hugely better-paying, but enough to hopefully pay off our mortgage before retirement age (Not looking good at this stage, but here’s hoping!)

I wouldn't say it's been all plain-sailing, but then life never is. Yeah, sometimes it's hard to be the stay-at-home parent. 24/7 responsibility, for everything, over 50% of the time; No-one to fix complicated stuff when it breaks (I have however, learnt to re-wire trailer lights, change mower blades, use high-school-level physics to lift and shift heavy stuff, and bury dead pets); showing up alone so often to school events that people think you're a single parent; Most of all, a lack of sensible adult conversation. My husband missed the kids horribly; had to juggle his own needs when he was home, with the need to take care of "stuff" (mostly the afore-mentioned complicated broken things); and deal with the sense of isolation that comes with being absent - whole chunks of life that happened while he was away, and that he struggled to catch up with.

Then my husband was made redundant. And suddenly we have him home again!! Or do we? 

He is now working in the same industry he was in before he became a miner. On less money than he was getting 11 years ago; with shitty conditions; away most of the time, usually at short notice, and usually with no idea of when he’ll be home again.

It's still hard to be the stay-at-home parent. 24/7 responsibility for everything 90% of the time and with no ability to plan ahead; Still no-one to fix complicated stuff when it breaks (No time on his 1-2 days off every 2-3 weeks, so now some of our reduced income has to pay people to do that stuff); Both of us showing up even less to school events because I'm trying to work extra hours to cover the loss in income; Having to rely more on friends and neighbours to help us out with running kids around, while having less ability to return the favours; Adult conversation has become less sensible and less about us and our family, and more like a counselling session to help him cope.

Most of all, my 11 year-old son misses his Dad. He always did, but I could always tell him when Dad would be home. We could plan stuff; We could prepare surprises or special meals and events for when he was home; If he was going to be away on a special occasion (Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries), we had time to adjust and organise to celebrate on different days. Now we never know if he’s going to be home in 2 days or in 20. Or for how long. 

FIFO doesn't suit every family. You have to be strong, and you have to be resilient. As a stay-at-home parent, you have to learn how to fix stuff (or when to call an expert in); You have to learn how to ask for help sometimes; Sometimes you have to learn how to make decisions without discussing it with your partner; You have to work on friendships, because it's your friends who will provide the adult conversation, the support, the baby-sitting and transport to sports events etc. (and the assurances that it doesn't matter that you can't repay the favour); and every so often, the shoulder to cry on, or the loan of a husband to help you shift something really heavy. 

You also have to learn not to burden the FIFO partner unnecessarily. He or she is lonely, tired and isolated. There's a difference between sharing what's going on at home, and worrying them. 

So what if the family car blew an engine and is going to cost $4000 to repair. Telling them one day into an 8-day swing is not going to help anyone. They can't do anything. Except worry. While they're working. With explosives and heavy machinery. A kilometre underground. On 12-13 hour shifts.

That’s why we never got into the habit of phoning every day. Perhaps I’m a product of an age where telephone calls were a luxury; not every family had a phone, and it was completely normal to go days, or weeks without contact. I have friends with FIFO partners who spend a fortune on telephone bills. I have friends whose children get upset if they can’t talk to Daddy every day. (Personally I think I’d struggle to know what to talk about if we spoke every day!!!). I also have friends whose partners live at home, but whose kids go days, and sometimes weeks, without seeing or speaking to their Dads… people who work as truck drivers, shift-workers, farmers, fishermen…. For my kids, it’s normal not to talk to Dad every day. They know they can phone him if they need or want to, but otherwise they’re pretty chill with the situation. At least these days, we have telephones, the internet, social media, government-funded support agencies, mobile phones etc. for when we really NEED them. 

Our forebears had none of that. Imagine waving goodbye to a partner going off to drive a mob of cattle from one end of the state to the other. Or to a fisherman, going off for weeks, if not months at sea. Or, almost unimaginable to most of our generation, to a newly-wedded husband off to war. These days we have mobile phones, social media, skype etc. The really BIG stuff can be shared, and partners can come home if they're really needed. 

So yeah, there’s a certain degree of strength needed if you plan to embark on a FIFO lifestyle. But there are also many benefits, apart from the financial incentives. It will always be a matter of personal choice. 

Personally, I’d welcome the chance to return to being a FIFO family. I’d like to be able to book annual leave from my job at a time that suits the family. I’d like to be able to commit to events 6-12 months down the track. Or in 3 day’s time.  I’d like to be able to accept an invitation to an event, or a chance to work extra hours, or to attend a work-related course later this month; I’d like to be able to promise my kids that they’ll be able to go to an event 3 weeks from now; I’d like to plan to do stuff with my husband. 

In my opinion, FIFO is an opportunity, like any other lifestyle choice. There are many other lifestyles that are far harder, and less certain, than the FIFO life. There are also many options that are easier. Choose carefully, based on your own personal circumstances, but please don’t demonise the FIFO lifestyle without giving it a fair go, or blame it for all the ills of society. It works for many of us.

Police and Fauna for the Future saved this bird from a busy highway

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We can't imagine some of the stuff our local Police have to deal with each day. 

But they had a happy customer today for a change. 

This young bird was rescued from a busy road. 

And it didn't seem to mind posing for a photo or two either. 

The Gero Police thanked Fauna for the Future for their assistance too. 

If you have any issues with wildlife, birds , or snakes, be sure to get in touch with Fauna for the Future. 

You should save their number in your phone: 0404 387 215

And don't forget to give them a donation when they come and help. It helps keep the service going. 

Northampton Celebrates 20 Years of Community Spirit

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The residents of Northampton have been holding their very own community street festival since 1997. Every year, on the second Saturday in October since then, the town has come to life with colour and creativity. Be part of marking history on Saturday 8th October when they celebrate their 20th year of the Northampton Airing of the Quilts.

“We celebrate a tradition which was considered a usual household chore of hanging the bed quilts outside to air after the winter months.  Long before sewing machines were invented, these quilts were sewn by hand and they are proudly displayed by their owners.  This tradition is celebrated in many areas throughout the country and overseas.” says Committee Chair Kaye Simkin.  “Quilts and quilters come from far and wide each year, we have a number of regular interstate and international visitors at the festival.”

The main street in Northampton happens to be part of the North West Coastal Highway and is lined from one end to the other with colourful quilts, arts and crafts.The town has seen more than 840 quilts aired in just one day. On top of all the quilts, the town comes to life with live entertainment, May Pole demonstrations, more than 50 different market stalls consisting of local and visiting artisans, a street parade and a fashion parade, interactive animal displays, a huge variety of food and activities including miniature train rides, pony rides, balloon animals, free face painting, balloons and bouncy castles for the little ones.

“In 2014 we created and displayed the southern hemisphere's LARGEST quilt! We were aiming for the world's largest but someone just beat us. We had to hoist it up over the back of a few semi-trailers” says Mrs Simkin.

“This year some of our talented young Northampton artists have been working hard under the guidance of their terrific teacher Jenny, from "Kurrajong Farm Art". At Jenny's after-school art classes they have been busy creating canvas panels that will be mounted together to form a BIG "QUILT". Keep a lookout for this unusual and fun display at the 2016 Airing of the Quilts - it will be displayed near the CRT shop in the centre of town.” says Pat Mitchell Reynolds, proud supporter of the community festival.

There is even a chance to win prize money as part of the festival! The float parade is open to all and any entrants, free of charge - all with an equal chance of taking home the cash prize. Plus the annual raffles and the Northampton Art Prize will be voted on and presented on the day.

The Northampton Airing of the Quilts is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2016, and until this year has been completely run by a volunteer committee of residents, many of whom are also active members of the Lions Club, the Friends of the Railway and more. Plus a lot of them - nor their wives - make most of the (hundreds) of quilts which are hung out to air during the festival.

It is pretty much a street festival which takes over the entire town. A huge day for the region and the local community. The event runs from 9.30am til mid-afternoon, and entry is free. Follow what’s happening at www.facebook.com/NorthamptonAiringOfTheQuilts

Anyone interested in displaying a quilt, having a stall, performing, entering the parade or being part of the day in any way should contact Amy at info@itsallsorted.com.au or 0407 394 569.