The City of Greater Geraldton wishes to advise that Meru Landfill and the Tip Shop will be closed on Christmas Day Monday 25 December 2017 and New Years Day 1 January 2018.
This will affect rubbish collection for both residential and commercial premises during the Christmas/New Year period. Changes to rubbish collection days are as follows:
Normal collection days will recommence on Monday 8 January 2018.
Pap smears will soon become a thing of the past in the fight against cervical cancer. From December 1, the Australian Government will replace Pap smears with the more effective Cervical Screening Tests. A Pap smear looks for abnormal cell changes on the cervix that may go on to develop cancer, while the new test can actually detect the cause of the abnormal cells: the human papillomavirus (HPV). This means the Cervical Cancer Test will put women one step ahead in cervical cancer detection.
With the new test, most women will also only need to get checked every five years, instead of every two years with Pap smears, making it a double-win for women.
Sharon Houwen, Women’s Health Nurse at Desert Blue Connect said, “It is a big win for women, it’s a better test and we have to have it less often”.
“There are other changes with the renewal including the screening start date which has increased from 18 years to 25 years, so young women don’t need to come in from such a young age. However, women of any age who have symptoms such as unusual bleeding, discharge or pain should come and see a health professional immediately and be checked out”, said Ms. Houwen.
“Another thing to note is that women who have been HPV vaccinated still require cervical screening as the HPV vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV that cause cervical cancer”.
For further information on the National Cervical Screening Program changes go to https://jeanhailes.org.au/contents/documents/Resources/Fact_sheets/Changes_to_Pap_tests.pdf
Desert Blue Connect offer Cervical Screening Tests weekly on a Tuesday with Sharon, Women’s Health Nurse - please ring for appointments. This is a bulk-billing clinic. Desert Blue Connect is located at 25 Chapman Road, Geraldton, phone 08 9964 2742 or email info@desertblueconnect.org.au
District Superintendent Midwest Gascoyne, Mike Bell, is a Community, Respect and Equality (CRE) Community Champion.
The CRE project is a family violence prevention initiative managed by local family service organisation Desert Blue Connect. It forms part of the CRE Strategic Action Plan for the Prevention of Family Violence in Geraldton.
Community Champions are local leaders who promote messages about family violence in Geraldton by being visible, approachable and attending awareness events and activities.
Mr Bell’s message as a Champion is “Family violence isn’t always physical – you don’t have to hit to hurt’
‘Having served as a Police Officer for 32 years, I have personally witnessed the devastating effects of family violence on individuals, families and the community’ Mr Bell said.
‘The cost of family violence is not only the physical injuries but community cohesiveness and wellbeing along with economic and personal costs’
“Because of this, family violence is a top priority for WA Police and I am personally lending my voice to the Community Champions project to raise awareness and start crucial conversations.”
Mr Bell says that the key message that he wants people to hear is that violence is never ok and family violence isn’t always physical – you don’t have to hit to hurt.
‘If you’re experiencing family violence in any form, contact Geraldton Police Station for assistance 9923-4555. Let’s work together to stop family violence in our community.’
For more information about the Strategic Action Plan for Family Violence Prevention in Geraldton visit the CRE website www.communityrespectandequality.com.au or contact Margie Robinson at Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742.
If you or someone you know is affected by family violence, local support services are available through Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or Chrysalis House Women’s Refuge on 9964 2173.
Information and counselling is also available over the phone from 1800 Respect (1800 737 732) or online at www.1800respect.org.au
The team at Specs 2-4-1 want to wish all of their amazing customers a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
And want to remind everyone that time is running out to use up your health fund rebate at Specs 2-4-1. Most major health funds give you 1 pair of glasses per calendar year, so make sure you get in before December 31st to claim your free glasses!
Claiming glasses is hassle free at Specs 2-4-1, and they do fitting and technical adjustments onsite, so you don’t need to send your glasses away, and you can use your own frames if you want.
Specs 2-4-1 have over 300 frames to choose from, from a range of different brands. You are sure to find a design, style or colour to suit your life. Their friendly frame consultants will be able to help you find the perfect fit.
Book an eye test today at your locally owned and operated Specs 2-4-1, on 9964 8922 or pop in and see them at 132 Marine Tce, Geraldton. And don’t forget if you buy one pair you get the second pair FREE!
Santa and Mrs Claus have arrived at Stirlings Central!
Santa and Mrs Claus will be at Stirling Central on the following days, make sure you don’t miss out on seeing them–
Please feel free to take your own photos with Santa.
PLUS Fairy Deb will be there to make your face look magic on –
Thursday 14th December 3pm – 6pm
Saturday 16th December 9:30am – 11:30am
For more information about Christmas at Stirlings Central please go to https://www.stirlingscentral.com.au/whats-on/santa-mrs-claus/
Triton Building Co has some amazing 3 bedroom design plans. You can change them to suit your style or leave them as they are.
Just some of the designs available are:
The Beaufort – Three by two living at its best – a generous kitchen with a well thought out use of space and plenty of built in storage. Add feature piers to the front elevation and this home is a winner.
The Goulbourn - Who says a 3 bedroom house has to be small? 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a home theatre and games room - every room has been designed for practicality and that feeling of space.
The Abercorn - A beautiful 3 bedroom home ideal for the small family that appreciates the important features in a home. The generous kitchen with huge pantry will provide the hub for creativity, before retiring to the alfresco or living zone to relax and enjoy your special evenings. This is a compact home that delivers both practicality and comfortable living.
For more great designs go to Triton Building Co’s website - https://www.tritonbuilding.com.au/designs/3-bedroom/ and if you can’t find a plan you like they will help design one from scratch!
Don’t miss your chance to go in the All Decor’s Giant Christmas Wheelbarrow Hamper raffle. All you have to do is spend $100 or more in store and you’re in the draw! And you could win this Wheelbarrow full of goodies valued at $1200.
Entries close at 12 noon Wednesday 20th December, with the winner drawn that afternoon, so make sure you get in soon to get your entry in the draw.
All Decor will be open over the festive season with the following hours
Saturday 23rd December 2017 – 9am to 1pm
Sunday 24th December 2017 – Closed
Monday 25th December 2017 – Closed
Tuesday 26th December 2017 – Closed
Wednesday 27th December 2017 – 8:30am to 5pm
Thursday 28th December 2017 – 8:30am to 5pm
Friday 29th December 2017 – 8:30am to 5pm
Saturday 30th December 2017 – 9am to 1pm
Sunday 31st December 2017 – Closed
Monday 1st January 2018 – Closed
Normal hours from Tuesday 2nd January 2018
All Decor have a large range of flooring and window treatment options available and they will work with you to suit your budget and timeframe needs. Just come and speak to one of the friendly sales staff, or they can come to you to do a free measure and quote.
Interest free options are also available – see in store for details.
All Decor are located on the corner of NWC Hwy and Jensen St, Geraldton or you can call them on 9964 4233.
Rick and the team at All Decor would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and hope you have a great New Year.
The Community, Respect and Equality (CRE) project is a family violence prevention initiative managed by local family service organisation Desert Blue Connect. It forms part of the CRE Strategic Action Plan for the Prevention of Family Violence in Geraldton.
Zane D’Mello is a CRE Community Champion and a father who sees the importance of promoting gender equality in workplaces as an important step in preventing family violence.
Mr D’Mello says “My wife and I have raised our daughter to believe that she can fulfill her potential in any profession she chooses.”
“Globally there is a link between a country’s gender equality scores and the level of domestic violence. It is important for workplaces to provide leadership in gender equality on a local level to change the attitudes and social norms that allow family violence to be so prevalent in our community.”
For more information about the link between gender equality and family violence visit the CRE website www.communityrespectandequality.com.au or contact Margie Robinson at Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742.
If you or someone you know is affected by family violence, local support services are available through Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or Chrysalis House Women’s Refuge on 9964 2173.
Information and counselling is also available over the phone from 1800 Respect (1800 737 732) or online at www.1800respect.org.au
I'm not writing this article to jump on the Bitcoin bandwagon and get some page views while the topic is hot.
I'm writing because I see a lot of people wanting to get involved with it, and they don't know what to do, and some are getting sucked into scams.
I am not here to tell you whether it's a good investment strategy or not. But, if you decide you want to get involved, here's my experience.
So you're aware, I personally purchased some Bitcoin before the recent price spike, and I also own a couple of other crypto currencies. I love the technology behind it, and I am bullish on the future of the technology being used more and more for transacting, and as a store of wealth. I am not predicting the future price of Bitcoin though.
The technology the coins are based on is amazing. I am a big believer in it, and love transacting with crypto currencies. I won't bore you with the technical details. If you want to chat about it, give me a call.
This is written for people who are not technically minded and don't know the difference between a blockchain and a neckchain. If you already have a great understanding of Bitcoin, you won't learn anything new here.
DO NOT sign up for a company called USITech or USI-Tech. They are a scam. It's a very obvious ponzi scheme. They make claims that they're engaging in bitcoin mining, trading, etc. But no evidence exists of any such activity. One of the founders has already been banned from running businesses in Portugal, and the company is based in Dubai, with a Chinese phone number that doesn't get answered. As long as they keep signing up new people, they'll be able to pay people who signed up sooner. But there are HEAPS of scammers out there taking advantage of people who say "bitcoin" on the news, and want to get in, but don't understand it. Some people will make money, but the ones left holding the bag will suffer. It's very easy just to buy some bitcoin yourself if you want to be exposed to it.
There are many others that are running around trying to get your money right now too. Be very careful. If you're unsure, you should probably stick to simply buying Bitcoin yourself (see below).
So you said to yourself, "I want to buy some bitcoin. Maybe just a few hundred bucks to see what happens."
Sign up for a service called Coinbase. Here's a link that will give you a bonus $10 once you've traded. Here's a link: https://www.coinbase.com/join/5333c19737f789f98a000d71
I will also get $10.
This company is very reputable. And they are insured.
You can only buy with a credit card.
Australians can't sell their Bitcoins on Coinbase. So when you decide you don't want your bitcoins (BTC) any more, you will want to transfer them to another platform. See below.
Coinbase will set a small limit on how much you can buy each week. This is because it's easy to make a credit card purchase, transfer out your bitcoins, then cancel the transaction, leaving them screwed. They will also charge 4% (or higher for tiny amounts). 4% is well worth it, as their price is substantially cheaper, often, than the Australian exchanges.
You'll need your ID handy, and they'll also put two tiny charges to your credit card to verify your card is legit.
If you want to buy a lot more than what Coinbase will allow you, you need to sign up for one of these two platforms as well (you still want Coinbase as they're so much cheaper to buy from). I have found them both to be reliable. They are Australian based and owned.
Independent Reserve - referral link.
These services do not sell you bitcoin the way Coinbase does. They are exchanges. Which means you're buying and selling Bitcoin (and other currencies) with other people directly, and just paying these sites a small commission. This means the price may be different on each platform, and certainly different to Coinbase.
Take a look at their fees, and familiarise yourself with their platforms to make sure you're comfortable with what you're doing.
You don't have to buy a full bitcoin. You can buy $2 worth if you want.
Bitcoin is not a company. No-one owns it as such. It is a way of communicating value, with a network that registers each transaction to prevent fraud. You can store your bitcoins in what is called a wallet offline, or if you trust Coinbase, you can leave them there. (Coinbase are insured for what it's worth.) Spend some time on Google, Reddit, and talk to people you trust, if you want more of a technical understanding of what it is. The nightly news is not a great place to learn about it.
The world is going nuts over Bitcoin right now. Coinbase is absolutely swamped with people signing up. So be patient if you need to contact their customer support.
Are you a health fund member? Time is running out for you to see the value of your optical benefits.
You have until the end of the year to use up your optical benefit with your health fund and Specsavers Geraldton are offering 30% off lens options with all health funds. But you only have until 31st December or December 31 or 31 December – well, anyway you look at it, you had better hurry into Specsavers Geraldton! Blink and you’ll miss it!
That’s 30% off for health fund members until December 31.
With designs and styles to suit everyone, you are sure to find something that suits you and your budget. Should’ve gone to Specsavers Geraldton.
Terms and Conditions apply – see in store for details.
Great news Geraldton! The Waifs will be bringing their 25th Anniversary tour to the Queens Park Theatre Thursday 1 February 2018! Set your alarms as tickets will go on sale at 9.00 am on Thursday 14 December. Get yours at https://qpt.cgg.wa.gov.au/
Harvey Norman Furniture and Bedding are having a Secret Sale! And you’re invited!
For TWO HOURS ONLY everything will be on sale with prices too hot to print!
Make sure you get into Harvey Norman Furniture on Wednesday 6th December between 6pm and 8pm to grab yourself an amazing deal.
Harvey Norman Furniture will be closing at 5:30pm to get ready for the secret sale to start at 6pm. The sale will only last for two hours, so make sure you’re in on the secret and get down to Harvey Norman Furniture and Bedding at 38 Chapman Rd, Geraldton.
Scott and the team at Novus Autoglass Midwest would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and great New Year
To celebrate Christmas in style Smales Jewellers will be host to an evening of canapes, champagne, door prizes, giveaways and exclusive offers.
ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt's Chief of Staff, Natasha Harradine is a Community, Respect and Equality (CRE) Community Champion.
The CRE project is a family violence prevention initiative managed by local family service organisation Desert Blue Connect. It forms part of the CRE Strategic Action Plan for the Prevention of Family Violence in Geraldton.
Community Champions are local leaders who promote messages about family violence in Geraldton by being visible, approachable and attending awareness events and activities.
Natasha’s message as a Community Champion is “don’t be afraid to speak out”.
As a journalist Natasha has covered a number of family violence cases and was shocked by how often people who experienced violence are asked what they did to make the other person so angry. “There is no excuse for using violence,” Ms Harradine said.
She aims to provide information through regular interviews throughout December to help raise awareness around family violence, encourage people to speak out and seek support, and let the community know that family violence is preventable.
“Violence is never ok, and people who are experiencing family violence need to know that it is not their fault,” she said.
“There are support services in Geraldton that will work with you to help you find a way to safety.”
Ms Harradine said we all have a role to play in preventing family violence.
“Use of language in the media and everyday conversations is an important tool in the prevention of family violence over the long term,” she said. “If we are more aware of the language that we use, and the language that is used around us, we can challenge the normalisation of violence in a very simple and safe way.”
If you or someone you know is affected by family violence, local support services are available through Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or Chrysalis House Women’s Refuge on 9964 2173.
Information and counselling is also available over the phone from 1800 Respect (1800 737 732) or online at www.1800respect.org.au
For more information about the CRE Project and Community Champions, contact Margie Robinson at Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or visit the CRE website www.communityrespectandequality.com.au.
Santa and Mrs Claus arrive at Stirlings Central this Saturday 2nd December for a Christmas Party! Join them and Fairy Deb from 10am to 2pm, and there will be Christmas Crafts and Free Popcorn!
If you can’t make the Christmas Party, Santa and Mrs Claus will be at Stirling Central on the following days –
The lovely volunteers from the Salvation Army Geraldton will be gift wrapping presents for a gold coin donation between 10am to 2pm from the 11th December to the 24th December, but not including Sundays.
PLUS on the 16th December they will be singing Christmas Carols for customers.
Stirlings Centrals Holiday Opening Hours are:
Monday to Friday – 8am to 9pm
Saturday – 8am to 5pm
Sunday – 11am to 5pm
Christmas Eve – Sunday 24th December – 11am to 5pm
Christmas Day – Monday 25th December – CLOSED
Boxing Day – Tuesday 26th December – 11am to 5pm
New Years Day – Monday 1st January – 11am to 5pm
Please check with individual stores for their trading hours.
For more information about Christmas at Stirlings Central please go to https://www.stirlingscentral.com.au/christmas/
Geraldton based artist Phil Doncon is a Community, Respect and Equality (CRE) Community Champion.
The CRE project is a family violence prevention initiative managed by local family service organisation Desert Blue Connect. It forms part of the CRE Strategic Action Plan for the Prevention of Family Violence in Geraldton.
Community Champions are local leaders who promote messages about family violence in Geraldton by being visible, approachable and attending awareness events and activities.
Phil’s messages as a Community Champion are around utilising different forms of self-expression to help men deal with negative emotions “I’m a bloke, I get angry and frustrated, but when I do I actively seek out an outlet for those feelings, maybe hit the waves, punch out a painting or bust a move” Phil says. “As men it’s important for us to be able to find that form of expression that works for us, to enable us to process any negative emotions that come up in a healthy way. Violence is never ok.”
Through his live art platform Paint Storm, Phil uses music, dance and live painting to engage audiences at schools and community events with messages of healthy expression, relationship skills and resilience.
At The Exhibition of Blank Canvases, at the Geraldton Yacht Club on Friday 1 December, you will be able to see Phil in action. He will be creating 12 large canvases in a high energy three hour show with music and dance. Phil’s work will also be on display at Art and Soul by the Sea on Marine Terrace from December 8. Information about the Community, Respect and Equality Project and local support services for those affected by family violence will be available at both events.
If you or someone you know is affected by family violence, local support services are available through Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or Chrysalis House Women’s Refuge on 9964 2173.
Information and counselling is also available over the phone from 1800 Respect (1800 737 732) or online at www.1800respect.org.au
For more information about the CRE Project and Community Champions, contact Margie Robinson at Desert Blue Connect on 9964 2742 or visit the CRE website www.communityrespectandequality.com.au.
Chapman Animal Hospital believes in giving their clients and their pets the opportunity to build relationships with their preferred vet.
Chapman Animal Hospital’s teams of vets consists of –
Dr Sarah Mason – Principal Vet/Owner
Sarah is the principal vet and co-owner of Chapman Animal Hospital with her husband Ben. Sarah qualified almost 10 years ago at the prestigious Bristol University in the UK. She gained extensive experience at a private practice, followed by 2 years at a charity before moving to Australia 6 years ago. She has strong interests in imaging and internal medicine. Sarah also undertakes a large number of orthopaedic procedures, including cruciate ligament and fracture repairs.
Dr Kobus Vermeulen – Associate Vet
Kobus has been in practicing for over 13 years now, having qualified in 2004 in Holland. Although now only focusing on small animal work, Kobus has previously worked with large animals. An extremely passionate and caring vet, Kobus has a strong interest in surgery, and like Dr Sarah, undertakes a number of orthopaedic procedures.
Dr Richard Aplin – Associate Vet
Richard has been at Chapman Animal Hospital for over 7 years, having qualified over 12 years ago from Murdoch University in Perth. Richard has a keen interest in dermatology and soft tissue surgery.
Dr Jackie Robb – Associate Vet
Jackie is their newest member to the veterinary team, having graduated from Murdoch University in 2016. What she lacks in experience, she more than makes up for in passion and enthusiasm. And in the short time she has been with Chapman Animal Hospital, she has already got rave reviews and quite the client following. She has a keen interest in dermatology and particularly cute puppies.
All the vets at Chapman Animal Hospital love what they do, and will give your pet the very best treatment.
Chapman Animal Hospital is located at 74 Northwest Coastal Hwy, Geraldton and you can book an appointment on 9964 2828 or through their website http://chapmanvet.com.au/forms-2/make-an-appointment-2/
Win a Wheelbarrow full of goodies valued at $1200 All Decor
Great news Geraldton! Deadly 60 Downunder is coming to Queens Park Theatre Sunday 28 January 3.00pm and 6pm, that's right two shows! Tickets are on sale now!! Hurry both performances are nearly sold out… Great Christmas present for kiddies! http://bit.ly/2k3BjGo
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