North Narooma, stand proud. You good people proved there are good people willing to help out. Regardless of age or fitness, you were there! I hope to see you all again in stage 2.

Well done, Chris. You got it together and we all think the world of you.

Thanks to all people involved in the working bee on Lewis Island on Saturday. There is still more to be put in place and a lot more to be done, but Saturday showed what can happen when the community and council work together. 

When Val Brown formed the Montague Choristers back in 1987, we are sure she did not envisage the many years of entertainment the choir would give to the Narooma and Bermagui communities.

We were simply a small choir, giving concerts and engaging in Christmas services. Then a wonderful pianist, Phil Curtis, came to town. With Val Brown, Dot Philip (dance coach), Edna McDowell (amazing costumes) Liz Ferguson (stage manager) and Val Tippins (backdrops) we hit the stage.

Performances of Gilbert & Sullivan works such as the Mikado and Pirates of Penzance received wonderful responses from audiences. We celebrated the centenary of the Kinema in music and dance to full houses. There were many costumed shows that created laughter, relived memories and sometimes just let everyone have fun. We even managed to have our male chorus sing and dance at the same time!

When Val left Narooma, how lucky we were to have the renowned Professor Bill Hawkey take on the musical director’s position. He added a new direction that linked so perfectly with the old. We realised we could sing the more difficult sacred and classical music like Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as well as continue with variety and Gilbert & Sullivan performances. The Visiting Artist concerts that Bill and Elizabeth initiated under the auspices of the Montague Choristers continue to be a wonderful part of our musical year.

Since 2014, the choir has been under the baton of Doctor Philip Hartstein and, again, a new direction has been taken. Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Dvorak, Purcell and other wonderful baroque, romantic and classical music, sung acapella, has honed the sound of the choir. No wonder we want to celebrate.

Please, Choristers old and new, join us for lunch on November 18 at the Narooma Golf Club. To reserve a place contact me on 4476 2614.

On this November 2, 75 years ago, Australian soldiers retook the village of Kokoda in Papua New Guinea.

Between July and November 1942, Australian forces fought the numerically stronger Japanese in abysmal conditions along the Kokoda Track, sustaining more than 600 dead and more than 1,600 wounded or struck down by illness or disease.

The Australians forced the Japanese into retreat, culminating in battles at the beachheads which came at an enormous cost — more than 1200 Australian lives lost and more than 2000 wounded. I ask all Australians to pause and reflect on the service and sacrifice of these great Australians and of all those who served on the Kokoda Track and at the Beachheads during the Second World War.

We also remember the estimated 50,000 Papuan civilians who provided supplies to Australian soldiers and evacuated our sick and wounded.