Mid West Cat Shelter Cat of the Week

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Our Cat of the Week is available for $100 to the right home. Meet Ivory!

Ivory is smoochy. Loves attention, pats and cuddles. Very friendly and playful.

The adoption fee for our cats is $150 and kittens is $200, (with the exception of Cat of the Week) which includes microchip, sterilization, immunization, vet check, worm and flea treated. That is a huge saving on the vet work alone!

Mid West Cat Shelter Inc is a registered charity whose main objective is to rescue and re-home, lost abandoned and homeless cats and re-home them to responsible pet owners.

We promote sterilization and containment, for the wellbeing of your cat, your neighborhood and the environment. As part of the implementation of the new Cat Act, MWCS has recently received grant funding from the State Government, to provide a sterilization subsidy to low income earners in the City of Greater Geraldton. So if you have an adult cat that is not yet sterilized you can find the Application forms at your local vet.

If you would like to adopt any of our other cats or kittens, visit our website www.midwestcatshelter.com our Facebook page www.facebook.com/midwestcatshelter or phone 0487 193 244 to speak to a coordinator.

Static school zone signs will replace 74 electronic signs for the short term

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Seventy Four school sites will have their Electronic School Zone Signs temporarily replaced with static signs.  Main Roads will be contacting the affected schools on Monday and Tuesday next week. 

Main Roads Managing Director, Stephen Troughton, said "Extensive performance testing was undertaken before we selected the units, however problems have developed following installation of the signs on site.” 

"One of the problems relates to interference with communication networks. We are working with our suppliers to develop an urgent solution." 

This issue only relates to the electronic signs recently installed at 74 schools.  Electronic signs previously installed at 235 schools in metropolitan and country areas are not affected. 

Main Roads apologises for any inconvenience this will cause to schools, parents and motorists.

Help bring the boys home→

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Chad Fairley, Mason Carter and Murray Turner are missing off the coast of Karratha. The last communication was on Saturday the 11th of July. We need as many planes, boats, crew etc out there as we can get! If you could please spare a Few bucks to help cover the hire costs it would be deeply appreciated. Let's bring these boys home alive!

 

SKA influence spreads further than the skies

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This week I visited the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in regional Western Australia, the future Australian home of the world’s largest telescope, the Square Kilometre Array or SKA.

As a mechanical engineer – I was truly in awe of the scale and vision of the project.

It’s a great example of ‘moon shot thinking’.

President JFK said he was going to put a man on the moon but he had no idea how to do it.

With the SKA we’re building the world’s largest telescope with no real idea of what we’ll find.

The SKA will comprisethousands of antennasthat capture radio waves emitted from stars, galaxies, supernovae and black holes.

Some of the radio waves will come from objects that are so far away, they have since disintegrated. It will effectively provide us with a 3D Google map of the universe.

The SKA is expected to produce five times the global internet traffic in 2015, requiring processing power beyond the capability of the fastest super-computers on Earth today.

Australian science institutions and businesses will be at the fore-front in developing the technology for the SKA to process this vast amount of data.

One such scientist isradio astronomer, electrical engineerand inventor of Wi-Fi, John O’Sullivan, who is now a key figure at CSIRO in the development of the SKA.

Given Wi-Fi was invented by a radio astronomer researching the theory of black holes,it’s clearly evident that work in this field, especially on this scale, holds enormous potential for applications across countlessindustries.

The recent discovery of gas from a galaxy five billion light years away by one of the two precursor telescopes, the Australian SKA Pathfinder, proves that the work being conducted is already world leading.

The world’s most innovative companies are also excitedby the challenges and opportunities associated with the SKA.

Break throughs in managing big data are one of those opportunities.

This year Cisco announced its $15 million Australian Internet of Everything Innovation Centrewhich will promote collaboration with companies and scientists – including those involved in the SKA - who are producing big data sets and struggling with similar problems.

These sorts of strong links between research, science and industry are vital for Australia’s ongoing economic prosperity.

Investing in mega-science projects like the SKA,helps Australia remain at the forefront of technology development making our businesses stronger and giving birth to new industries and employment opportunities.

However projects like this also inspire the next generation of radio astronomers and science, technology, engineering and maths or STEM graduates.

Research indicates that 75 per cent of the fastest growing occupations require STEM skills and knowledge; however student participation in ‘science’ subjects has fallen to the lowest level in 20 years.

Projects like the SKA further highlight the need to encourage the next generation to be the radio astronomers or the electrical engineers of the future.

The Australian Government has introduced a range of initiatives to boost participation in STEM but more work is needed.

As a nation, Australians are competitive.

The Australian Government’s investment in projects like the SKA, providescurrent and future Australian scientists as well as industry the edge they need to compete globally, but also affords access to a wealth of economic and technological benefits beyond the scientific discoveries they are designed for – it’s an exciting time and I’m looking forward to the next discovery. 

Local Community Protect Over 4,600 Hectares of Riparian Vegetation in the Mid-West

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Fencing to improve river bank stabilisation and protect native vegetation

Funding from the Australian Government has allowed the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) to invest over $1,200 000 on-ground to protect and restore the Mid-west rivers and wetlands systems.

The four year project worked with more than 55 local land managers to protect more than 3,200 hectares of remnant native riparian vegetation.

“Even though rivers and wetlands occupy a small proportion of our region, they commonly support a higher diversity of plants and animals than the surrounding landscape’, said NACC Biodiversity Program Coordinator Dr Jessica Stingemore.

On-ground works ranged from revegetation, invasive species control and river bank stabilisation, to implementing alternative watering points for stock, stock river crossings and fencing.

Dr Stingemore said interest from local farmers, Aboriginal groups and local government agencies to be involved in the project was overwhelming.

“We have a further 1,300 hectares of remnant native riparian vegetation being protected in the upcoming year, but project funding is now fully committed”, said Dr Stingemore.

Land managers involved reported increased sightings of native fauna, natural regeneration of local flora and enhanced farm productivity as a result of the project.

Dr Stingemore said NACC will continue to support the local community in protecting and restoring the region’s distinctive biodiversity into the future.

More information on projects NACC can be found on their website www.nacc.com.au

The Rivers and Wetlands project is supported by the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council through funding from the Australian Government.

“Rad” skate park impresses locals

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Sam Geerlings makes a jump during the opening of the Wonthella Skate Park last Friday.

It’s already been described as rad, epic and gnarly – and it’s been open less than a week!

The Wonthella Skate Park was revealed and opened to the public last week after undergoing an extensive $800,000 refurbishment and extension.

It was a site to see on Friday with aerial tricks, spins, speed and even backflips, with people of all ages on skateboards, scooters, bikes and roller blades trying and testing out the new and improved skate park.

The popular skating zone was fenced off in April this year and was re-opened to the public with some very impressive new features.

The extension covered an area of approximately 700m2 with a whole new addition as well as a refurbishment to the existing park.

With features for the novice skater up to the advanced, the new skate park includes new additions such as grind rails, ramps, quarterpipe runs, banks, ledges and steps.

A very impressive, yet daunting, 2.5 meter bowl has been installed which most definitely isn’t for the faint at heart although it didn’t seem to deter many of the users of the facility when it opened on Friday.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor, Ian Carpenter, said the new skate park had already received rave reports.

“The feeling and energy amongst those using the new facility is just phenomenal,” he said.

“It has created quite a buzz amongst our community which is definitely something we aimed for.

“The community had been rallying for this and we listened to their suggestions and we are ecstatic that this has come to fruition.”

If 21-year-old skating enthusiast Jacob Bumbak had one word to describe the new park it would be “rad”.

“We’ve all been waiting for this for such a long time so it’s awesome to see it finally up and running,” he said.

“People are saying it’s the best skate park in the state. It’s going to take us a while to get used to it but all the skaters are really happy.”

Award-winning and renowned company CONVIC Pty Ltd was awarded the contract for the project with a large portion of the work going to local businesses.

Beresford Electrical Services have been separately contracted to provide and install the new floodlighting which will be installed this week.

The project was funded with $306,121 from the City, $310,546 from Royalties for Regions and $183,333 from the Department of Sport and Recreation.

There will be an official opening of the Wonthella Skate Park in the near future which is yet to be announced.

National Broadband Network Rolling out in Geraldton

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Over 3,000 households and businesses in Geraldton are a step closer to getting access to the National Broadband Network, with build preparation work now underway. 

In coming weeks, work will be visible in streets as pre-construction activity begins, such as the clearing of Telstra’s pits and ducts. 

Premises included in the build preparations sites released today are situated in the suburbs of Drummond Cove, Glenfield, Moresby, Sunset Beach, and Waggrakine. 

The NBN will update its online maps in coming months to inform residents when physical construction of the network has begun, and when the network will be ready for service.  

Detailed maps which show construction progress including green shaded areas for the ‘build preparation’ phase are available at: www.nbnco.com.au/maps

Member for Durack Melissa Price said it was an important milestone for the area, with the NBN on track to be completed in Geraldton. 

“The message for Geraldton residents is clear – superfast broadband is on its way,” Ms Price said. 

“This follows the announcement of the black spot new and upgraded base stations throughout Geraldton and Durack. 

“However, I’m never satisfied, so if you have a black spot area, please let me know.”  

Under the Coalition Government, NBN Co has more than tripled the reach of its fibre network, now passing more than 909,000 premises nationwide. 

Total active connections to the NBN’s various networks, including the fixed line and wireless networks and the interim satellite service now stand at 498,000. 

And late last year NBN Co released a national rollout plan indicating that by mid-2016 one in every three homes and businesses across Australia will be able to connect to the NBN or have construction underway in their neighbourhoods. 

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull the announcement of NBN Co’s new construction schedule was delivering on the Government’s promise to get the NBN rollout back on track. 

“When we came into Government, one of our chief priorities has been to get this rollout done sooner, cheaper for taxpayers and more affordably for consumers” Mr Turnbull said. 

Don’t miss out on a tax refund again this year!

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Did paperwork get the better of you last year?

Don't let it happen again!

With tax time upon us, the accountants at RSM Bird Cameron in Geraldton will ensure that working out your tax return is stress free.

Our team of local accountants deliver personalised solutions and expertise to help you achieve your financial goals and maximise your tax benefits.

We can help with:

» Preparation of annual tax returns 
» Help in starting or running your own business 
» Financial planning 
» Superannuation 
» Estate planning
» and much more.

No matter what your needs, we will have an expert to help you as they evolve.

Call today to make an appointment: 
T 08 9920 7400
E geraldtoncloudaccounting@rsmi.com.au
www.rsmi.com.au/geraldton

Midwest Fishing report by Tackleworld Geraldton

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BEACHES

For those who have braved the cold night and mornings, they have done well with Mulloway from 15 to 20kg. Best locations have been 7Mile, SouthGates and Glenfield beach north of town, Buller River and Coronations. Big Yellow Fin Whiting are also on the bite with fish to 40cm coming from around S-bend, Greenough and Pages Beach, north of town Buller River and Coronations have been the pick of spots for Mulloway and whiting

TIDES AND WIND

OFFSHORE

African reef is the hot spot at the moment with Dhu Fish, Trout and Bald Chin all on the menu. Fish can be found in 15m of water, MidReef is fishing well with Dhuie to 15kg and Trout in plague proportions,Bald Chin and Spangled Emperor.Pensioners Bank and the Shipping Anchorage are holding Dhu Fish and Coral Trout, Mulloway have been schooling up around the Honeycomb patches 

HARBOR AND MARINA

The DisabledPlatform has been has been fishing extremely well with big Mulloway feeding at night onMullet schooling up under the lights, there has also been SchoolSharks feeding as well. Squid are also cruising the rock walls, there is also schools of Herring and Yellow Tail in this area. The Fisherman’sWharf is fishing well with solid Bream to 35cm and the odd size Pinkies, the new look out is fishing well with Snook,Herring and Skippy, and there is also Squid along the walls as well. An outgoing tide is best for Squid

A BIG THANK YOU TO SEASPORT CHARTERS KALBARRI FOR LOOKING AFTER ME AND MY KIDS ON SUNDAY SUCH A GREAT DAY OUT NUMBER 1 IN OUT EYES

Seasport Charters Kalbarri
Specialising in Jigging, Soft Plastics, Live Baiting & Game Fishing
Quality Shimano Rods & Reels
Tackle & Bait Provided

Long Description

Seasport Charters is a Guided Fishing Tour that specialises in unique methods, with Jigging, Soft Plastics, Live Baiting & Game Fishing their forte. Our Shimano Pro Fishermen will engage with you their skills & techniques that are continually evolving. Our skipper "Whitey", has dedicated the last 26 years to enhance his skills in finding and catching demersal and pelagic fish off the West coast of Australia. Over the past 6 years Whitey has won numerous major fishing competitions in WA culminating in becoming the 2013 Offshore World Champion Angler, an event held in Costa Rica, the first Australian to hold this prestigious title. We use quality Shimano Rods & Reels on our 60ft vessel. Tackle & Bait provided.

Phone
0477901445

Email
seasportcharters@bigpond.com

FISH REPORT WRITTEN BY
CRAIG WISE
20 ANZAC TERRACE GERALDTON WA
08 99216822

A Reply to: Rate alterations with no notice to ratepayers

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Max,

I appreciate your concerns but I believe that you are deliberately being selective with your comments to suit your own opinion. I am happy to provide the following information and corrections (which you are already aware of but have not included in your comments):

  1. The increase in the GRV residential valuations across the City was 2.95%– not 2.85%.
  2. Saying some increases were above and some were below 2.85% is misleading. Seven suburbs had average valuation increases of more than 15%. Within these suburbs many residents had valuation increases of more than 30%. Only one suburb had an average decrease in valuation of more than 15%.
  3. All properties are paying the same rate in the dollar.
  4. Residential properties that had an increase in their valuation are receiving a concession that has the same effect of phasing the new valuation in over three years.
  5. The rate in the dollar has not doubled – that is nonsense. The increase in the advertised rate is 0.02298 cents or 2.07%.
  6. Nearly a third of residents (32%) will be paying the same or less rates than last year.
  7. 64% of residents will be paying between 0% and 5% more in rates.
  8. As a result of concessions, approximately 2,463 residents that would have been paying more than a 10% increase in their rates have had them reduced to below 10%.
  9. There are no market forces at play here. Council rates are simply a tax based upon the assumed ability to pay - they do not relate to the level of service provided to individual properties. When a resident’s GRV’s increases significantly there is no corresponding increase in the level of service that the City provides to that particular resident.

Your statement assumes that it is fair and equitable for residents to pay significant rate increases simply because the value of their house has increased. The Council thinks it is much fairer and equitable for all residents to pay their fair share of rates but be insulated by valuation shocks that have been caused through no fault of their own.

The application of concessions means that all residents will now have the comfort of knowing that they will be insulated from the effects of significant valuation increases in the future.

 

Ken Diehm
Chief Executive Officer
City of Greater Geraldton
t (08) 9956 6601 | f (08) 9956 6674  

Ben Wyatt MLA to visit Geraldton

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Ben Wyatt MLA

WA Labor Shadow Treasurer Ben Wyatt will visit Geraldton in early August.

Mr Wyatt is also Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Native Title, Cost of Living, Kimberley and Pilbara.

Mr Wyatt spent his early years in the Goldfields before graduating from Aquinas College in 1991. He studied Arts and Law at UWA and attained a Master’s Degree with Distinction from the London School of Economics.

He trained as an officer in the Australian Army Reserves graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1996. Ben was awarded the Australian Defence Medal in 2008.

Mr Wyatt was elected as the Member for Victoria Park in 2006 following the retirement of Dr Geoff Gallop.

Agricultural Region MLC Darren West said he was delighted to have Ben Wyatt in the Mid West for a two day visit on August 5 and 6 to meet with community groups and stakeholders.

“Investment in the Mid West has virtually stopped under the Barnett Liberal/National Government and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to outline areas of greatest need” he said.

“By contrast, WA Labor invested heavily in Geraldton when last in Government.”

He will also be guest speaker at a Geraldton Labor Dinner at Tides Restaurant on Wednesday night at 7 pm.

Mr Wyatt will also attend a “Pollies in the Pub” at the Camel Bar to answer questions and meet with members of the community. Everyone is welcome.

Further details and tickets are available to the public on 0457689162 or at geraldton.branch@walabor.org.au.

Dongara Police conduct drug bust

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Dongara Police have tweeted that today they executed an MDA search warrant, which resulted in discovery of a hydro set up, plants, and cannabis. 

An amazing letter published 100 years ago today in the Guardian from "my little dug out somewhere in Turkey"

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Thanks Neil Kidd for sending this in:

One hundred years ago today extracts from Lieutenant T. A. Kidd’s letters to his family appear in page 1 of The Geraldton Guardian; 15th July 1915. This is a transcript and the link to TROVE is below;

AN OFFICER'S LETTERS

Lieutenant T. A. Kidd, writing to his wife whilst travelling from Egypt to the Gallipoli Peninsula, mentions that the officers were shorn of all their glory and were dressed just like troopers. Whilst it might seem cowardly, it was necessary for the protection of both officers and men.

On the 25th May, he wrote from “My Little Dug-out, somewhere in Turkey.”

He states “As we have to carry everything on our backs, besides ammunition, anything we can dispense with is left behind. I have only a blanket, a rubber sheet and a great coat with me. We have no change of clothing, and as it is necessary to sleep fully dressed you can imagine the result.

But the tucker is good and plentiful. Pity they cannot issue sleep in a condensed form; it is a very scarce commodity.

Firing is continuous, the night time being the favourite time for the Turks display. The roar of the machine gun, musketry, field guns and howitzers renders conversation almost impossible.

Shrapnel is bursting over my dug-out as I write. An armistice was declared last Monday to bury the dead, as the bodies were ''humming in real earnest”.

About 3000 Turks and 100 Australians were buried. Our boys fraternised with the enemy's burial party. I think when you read the account of our boys landing you will acknowledge they are the finest fighting men in the world.Sir Ian Hamilton calls them the 'White Gurkhas.'

The country is very hilly, very much like the big hills near Woolanooka, the hills and valleys being covered with thick scrub. Our dug outs are cut in the face of the cliff-like sides in the hills. The weather here is delightful.

We are proper infantry, and work in the trenches. Many of our trenches are only ten yards away from the Turks. One has only to throw a biscuit over when the beggars open fire, and play hell for a time.”

On June 4th Lieut Kidd wrote;

“You will probably hear that I was wounded in operations against some Turkish trenches. It was nothing but a trivial scratch. Don’t worry.”

(In our last issue we published a thrilling account of this incident, in which Lieut Kidd bravely led an apparently forlorn hope. A bullet grazed his nose and cheek, under the left eye, but he was able to resume duty without delay. — Ed).

“B Squadron officers are the happiest family in camp. Have had no mail for such a long time now, but as we are all in the same boat, we consider the mails to be held up somewhere. The Turks are terribly frightened of our Australian lads. We get plenty of first line trench work, but are now enjoying a few days rest. Our first bayonet charge was very successful, the conduct of our boys being magnificent. They displayed courage in its best form.”

Rate alterations with no notice to ratepayers

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Let’s understand what Council have done with respect to their robbing Peter to pay Paul decision.

In late May Council advertised a new Rate in the Dollar (RID) figure of 11.1208 (up from 10.9371 last year).  The advertising period was for 30 days during which time ratepayers had the opportunity to submit a submission to Council.  The overall Gross Rental Value this year was only 2.85% however as is normal some GRV’s were up above that figure and some below.

Council in their “wisdom” have decided to gerrymander the result by more than doubling the RID increase from 11.1208% to 11.3506% from the 2014/15 figure of 10.9371% which effectively increases rates to the lower GRV properties to give a subsidy to the higher GRV valued properties.  There are no free lunches.

There has not been any suggestion that the values are wrong (and if they were property owners have the right of appeal) and yet Council have chosen to massage the higher increase rated properties downward at the expense of the rest of the ratepayers without any advertising or right of redress by ratepayers.

So in short you’ve had your RID increase more than double from the advertised figure and the properties that have through normal market forces had a reduction in their GRV are now paying more than double the original RID advertised figure to subsidise some higher GRV rated properties.  There is no logical reason for this gerrymandering of our rate’s calculations.

Max Correy
Concerned Ratepayer