Eurobodalla River of Art Festival success
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WE would like to thank you for attending the many and varied events during the festival May 14-25 and contributing to its huge success this year.
The arts are well and truly alive in Eurobodalla. We can all be justifiably proud of the creative and inspiring community in which we live.
Visitors to the festival say that they were astounded by the quality, creativeness and professionalism of our artists, and performers. Comments were made that the events, performances and works of art were of International standard and were more inspirational than most other festivals.
Eurobodalla River of Art would like to thank:
• Our very generous major sponsors; Destination NSW; Southern Cross Austereo; Eurobodalla Shire; Easts Holiday Parks; Excell Print; Mogendoura Farm, a Rural Retreat; South East Arts; Moruya Bowling Club, who all assisted with promotional funding. Framed By Tracey, who provided the SoArt Art Prize;
• Our very generous raffle sponsors; South Coast Sea Planes; Easts Holiday Parks; Moruya Chiro and Wellness; Mogo Zoo; Blue Earth Café; Bodalla Nursery and Narooma Kinema;
• The Wonderful tasty delights from Evolve, whilst experiencing Circus Evolution and the amazing sounds of Ironic Circus at our opening night at the Moruya Waterfront Hotel Motel;
• The Visitor Centres at Narooma and Batemans Bay for ticketing and promotion; Eurocoast Tourism for publicity and media support;
• Local media outlets: Narooma News and Bay Post;
• All the photographers that donated their time and creative skills to capturing the excitement of the past 10 days;
• The brilliant musicians and sound engineers (TransmediaAV) that performed in the Moruya Country Market and the extraordinary artists’ stalls; Moruya Country Markets for stall spaces;
• SoArt Committee that managed and organized the Eurobodalla River of Art: Art Prize and O’Briens Hotel;
• The artists that opened their studios to the public as part of the Open Studios Program;
• Artists and residents from South Durass with Judy Horacek;
• Vikki who shared her knowledge of Aboriginal Culture on the Binji Binji Budjarn Walking Track;
• Organizations that exhibited especially for the festival; Umbarra Cultural Centre; MACS, Splinters, BBACS; Artisan’s Nest; Moruya Community Film Group; Arts Central; South East Arts with the Waterways Museum; U3A; Moruya and District Historical Society;
• EFTAG Artists for their Wearable Art “Beastly”; Moruya Bowling Club for sponsorship, catering and drinks; Barny, Tracey and Jon for exceptional music to accompany the art; Moruya TAFE students and tutor Lisa Jones for their Make-up artworks; Behind-the scene-helpers;
• Eurobodalla Library Programs with Kate Forsythe and Merryn Apma;
• Businesses that held music events; North Street Café; Avan Yu; Twisted Productions in partnership with Narooma Kinema;
• Artists who ran exciting workshops and MACS for being such a positive supporter of the workshops program;
• Our wonderful Poetry Slam and the brilliant poets;
• All of the generous artists and business owners that collaborated together to hang art works in their shops for Art on Parade;
• Lastly to the tireless efforts of a very few dedicated Eurobodalla River of Arts volunteers who put in countless hours.
We are a not-for-profit organization, run purely by volunteers, whose main mission is to highlight and promote the Arts in the Eurobodalla and to bring much needed tourist dollars into the local economy in the off-peak tourist season.
It is by working together in the above ways that we can help renew our businesses and the support the well-being of our entire community.
Sue Barford
Chairperson Eurobodalla River of Art
Gun culture
While listening to the ABC Radio the other day, I was extremely impressed by an interview they had with a young clay target shooter from Bombala named Brody Walters.
A very well spoken and modest Brody has set his hopes and dreams on shooting for Australia, and the local shooting fraternity wish him well.
As is the case with all young clay target shooters who are bought up around guns, and gun clubs, they are taught strict rules and discipline along with extreme self-control from a very young age, which carries them through to adulthood, thus ensuring a steady supply of model citizens for the future.
Well done and best of luck once again Brody.
Nev Brady
Bermagui
Narooma VRA update
Following the recent Narooma VRA rescue squad annual general meeting, several positions now have new incumbents.
First, congratulations to Dave Alabaster, who is now not only squad captain but also president.
Given the nature of Dave's “paid” work, however, anyone wishing to contact the squad is advised to contact our training officer Mal Barry on 0428 525 493.
In the unlikely event that Mal can't help you, he will be able to put you in touch with someone who can.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many local organisations and businesses which have supported the squad and assisted me personally in the performance of my duties as the president, over the past two years.
Without your support there would not be a Narooma VRA rescue squad.
Thanks once again and we look forward to continuing to work with the community into the future.
Stuart Kennedy
(Ex-president)
Narooma VRA rescue squad
Responding to outrageous claims
I wish to respond to the outrageous claims made by Councillor Burnside who without a shred of evidence is claiming that the Liberal Party is a shadowy group of right - wingers wanting the Council to follow an agenda.
One could be mistaken for not knowing what Clr Burnside is on about, I suspect that he doesn’t even know.
The Liberal Party has had absolute zero involvement in either the council’s affairs, the ERA ( Mr Burnside who ran on the ERA ticket at the last election before quitting knows this) or any other local community group that is wanting the Council to reform.
The Liberal Party has had nothing to do with Mr Burnside, but his ongoing obsession in the Party, and our local member, can only be described as ‘unhealthy’.
That said, if Clr Burnside is upset at the Liberal Party wanting local Government reform across NSW, then maybe an examination of his performance as a councillor wouldn’t go astray?
He has two achievements since joining council 1) he has backed an 18 per cent rate rise which will slug local residents who are already under enough financial pressure and 2) supported a loopy sea level rise policy that destroys local property values. This is hardly a glowing performance.
I know Andrew Constance, our local member, has stated publicly “that any councillor who seeks to attack any local residents who want change at Eurobodalla Council, have deemed themselves irrelevant.” I 100 per cent agree on the case of Clr Burnside.
Gary Mapson
Secretary/treasurer
Narooma Branch of the Liberal Party
Mayor's say… Celebrating community spirit
As always, I am heartened by the work of volunteers in our community and over the past few weeks I have been part of some great events and witnessed the outcomes of hard work and a generous community spirit.
I try to attend as many community events as possible so I can personally meet and thank the people who make them happen, and so I can see if there is any way that council can support them as well.
The River of Art has now finished for another year and I hope that committee president Sue Barford and her committee and volunteers are now resting up and basking in some well-deserved accolades about this annual arts event which showcases our talented and creative arts community to the world.
The River of Art attracts visitors from far and wide and is an event that is growing every year. At Council, we support the event through our arts, tourism and events programs and we are very proud to be part of it.
Well done to the Moruya Chamber of Commerce who talked about how they are planning to build on the success of the weekly SAGE farmers market at their meeting last week.
The Chamber will promote a regular Tuesday Market Day in town and it will be worth keeping an eye out for businesses who will soon advertise specials, events and in store promotions to encourage people who come to Moruya to shop at the farmers market to head into town or around Moruya before or after the markets.
And well done to the SAGE Farmers Market crew as well for once again making it into the finals of the ABC Delicious Magazine awards.
These awards generate media and publicity that showcases Eurobodalla’s emerging reputation as a foodie destination. Fingers crossed for another win this year.
Committee members and volunteers involved in the annual Batemans Bay Writers Festival in Batemans Bay June from 5-7 are now in countdown mode as they prepare to present another excellent program with many high profile Australian authors, and opportunities for yet to be discovered authors and avid readers to meet with and learn from the experts.
The festival attracts visitors and publicity and is another event that Council proudly supports through its arts, tourism and events programs.
I will finish with saying that I was delighted to chat with Andrew Edmunds from the Far South Coast branch of Surf Life Saving NSW about the George Bass Surfboat Marathon which will be held again next January.
Council is a great supporter of surf life saving and this event.
Andrew has a small team of volunteers already committed to making this event happen and he is keen to hear from anyone who can join them. Please let me know and I’ll put you in touch.
Please let me know if there are any issues that council can assist with. You can contact me at mayor@eurocoast.nsw.gov.au or phone 0418 279 215.
Clr Lindsay Brown
Mayor of Eurobodalla Shire
Thanks from the Ratcliffes
I would like to write a letter of thanks, but I don’t really know where to start. I have been overwhelmed by the support for my family and myself and by the outpouring of grief for Matt. The support has come in too many ways to mention and I couldn’t possibly thank everyone separately. But I’d just like to share this letter from the executive director research of MND Australia, Janet Nash, to show everyone that all the money that has been donated over the years is really making a difference:
Dear Steph
It seems such a long time ago since you ran so valiantly to raise funds for MND research. And now I see donations in memory of Matt and in support of your family's future. It has been a long battle for you all and my heart aches for you and your family and your loss and your suffering now, but I think you know there is a great team of researchers out there all doing everything they can to try to change things so future generations have hope that it will not happen to them.
My thoughts are with you all.
Best wishes and thank you for your support for research
Janet
With many thanks and much love.
The Ratcliffe family
Narooma
Thanks from Kathryn
I would like to acknowledge everyone that has shown such wonderful warm and generous support, each in their own special way, to Matt, Steph, my mum, myself, all the kids and the MND cause over the last while and in particular the past few weeks. Thank you all very much.
Kathryn Ratcliffe
Narooma
Bang on Canberra doors
I was surprised to read that Dr Peter Hendy is launching a petition about better mobile phone coverage (Narooma News, May 20). Dr Hendy admits in the article that:
“...we have a real need here and we have to fix local phone reception – that is going to cost more”.
If that is the case, why doesn't Dr Hendy go and tell the Treasurer and the Minister for Communications?
A petition is not going to fix this issue; we need our local representative to bang on a few doors in Canberra.
Unless the petition is being used simply as a publicity mechanism, it would seem Dr Hendy, despite being the MP for Australia's “bellwether seat”, does not carry much sway with his ministerial colleagues.
In the same edition of the Narooma News, we also read that Dr Hendy had hosted a Regional Health Care Forum, with Minister Sussan Ley as a guest. The article advises that the Govenrment “has instituted key budget measures to support the health of regional, rural and indigenous communities”.
I note that no mention is made of the $80 billion cuts to health and education funding to the States, made in last year's budget, or of the freeze on indexation of Medicare rebates to GPs.
Both these measures are likely to impact severely on access to quality healthcare in regional areas.
Louise Webb
Kianga