What A Fabulous Year We've Had!
November 23, 2017: Avalon Boomerang Bags
AVALON BEACH MARKET DAY 2017What a fabulous day - the weather even changed from the forecast and we were treated to perfect sunshine. A huge thanks to the volunteers for all lending a hand - once again we had a couple of newbies. We wore our Boomerang Bags shirt or red and white adding to our Christmas themed stall.
Sales were up, as people took advantage of the great enviro "stocking stuffers" we had for sale - ceramic mugs, stainless drink bottles, toothbrushes and more. We sold lots of "Bought to Support" bags and gave away patterns and fabrics for people to make bags for their Christmas pressies.
Thanks to the market day organisers for providing us with the free community space; and thanks, once again, to council for arranging the gazebo and tables, and for their support this past year.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LUCKY WINNERS of our Annual RaffleFIRST PRIZE to The Woods FamilyBeach General Avalon $150.00 Voucher Avalon Beach Chiropractic and Wellness $100.00 voucherJewellery made by Tanya value $280Avalon Organics $25.00 voucher
SECOND PRIZE to Rosie Doolan of TempeHeadspace Cutters and Colourists $100.00 voucher Haven and Sarah Flowers and Homewares $50.00 voucher Avalon Beach Chiropractic and Wellness$100.00 voucher
THIRD PRIZE to Graham Hawley of Long ReefBeach Without Sand $50.00 voucherCranzgots Pizza North Avalon $50.00 voucherRelish Café $50.00 voucher
FOURTH PRIZE to Caroline Miller of Dee WhyAvalon Organics $25.00 voucherCook Craft Sew 1 day school holiday camp voucher (value$65)Clareville Cellars 1 bottle Organic Red wine
Thanks to our wonderful sponsors and the donations of fabulous prizes.
Diary Dates
Tuesday 27 NovemberLast workshop for the year at SewCraftCook for the year.Huge thanks to Kate for providing such an amazing and creative space for us to make the bags and store our "bits".
And a huge thanks to all those who have volunteered making bags, stamping bags, screen printing, cutting, ironing, folding, providing yummy treats, making cups of tea and for all the laughs, chats and good times. Without you we wouldn't be the team that we are.
On that note, dear sewers - if any of you, including the "at home" sewers need more fabric during the break, please contact Robyn via this email and she'll arrange it - the cupboards are bulging.
Sunday 3 DecemberOcean Care Day at Manly Beach -Manly Boomerang Bags will be flying the flag at the Surfrider Stall.If you can lend a hand, please contact Jude 0404 870 413 or manlyboomerangbags@gmail.com
Tuesday 5 DecemberAvalon Boomerang Bag Team Christmas Party from noon at Clareville Beach. BYO food, drinks, swimmers etc.All welcome.
Monday 25 DecemberWishing all our volunteers, supporters and friends a happy and safe Christmas for them and their families.
Monday 31 DecemberAnd a happy and successful New Year, filled with love, hope and peace ..................and no plastic. Tuesday 31 JanuaryReturn to our regular workshops from 11am - 4pm.Come for a hour or two or come for the day.SewCraftCook 20/14 Polo Ave, Mona Vale.
November 23, 2017: Avalon Boomerang BagsAVALON BEACH MARKET DAY 2017
What a fabulous day - the weather even changed from the forecast and we were treated to perfect sunshine. A huge thanks to the volunteers for all lending a hand - once again we had a couple of newbies. We wore our Boomerang Bags shirt or red and white adding to our Christmas themed stall.
Sales were up, as people took advantage of the great enviro "stocking stuffers" we had for sale - ceramic mugs, stainless drink bottles, toothbrushes and more. We sold lots of "Bought to Support" bags and gave away patterns and fabrics for people to make bags for their Christmas pressies.
Thanks to the market day organisers for providing us with the free community space; and thanks, once again, to council for arranging the gazebo and tables, and for their support this past year.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LUCKY WINNERS of our Annual Raffle
FIRST PRIZE to The Woods Family
Beach General Avalon $150.00 Voucher
Avalon Beach Chiropractic and Wellness $100.00 voucher
Jewellery made by Tanya value $280
Avalon Organics $25.00 voucher
SECOND PRIZE to Rosie Doolan of Tempe
Headspace Cutters and Colourists $100.00 voucher
Haven and Sarah Flowers and Homewares $50.00 voucher
Avalon Beach Chiropractic and Wellness$100.00 voucher
THIRD PRIZE to Graham Hawley of Long Reef
Beach Without Sand $50.00 voucher
Cranzgots Pizza North Avalon $50.00 voucher
Relish Café $50.00 voucher
FOURTH PRIZE to Caroline Miller of Dee Why
Avalon Organics $25.00 voucher
Cook Craft Sew 1 day school holiday camp voucher (value$65)
Clareville Cellars 1 bottle Organic Red wine
Thanks to our wonderful sponsors and the donations of fabulous prizes.
Diary Dates
Tuesday 27 November
Last workshop for the year at SewCraftCook for the year.
Huge thanks to Kate for providing such an amazing and creative space for us to make the bags and store our "bits".
And a huge thanks to all those who have volunteered making bags, stamping bags, screen printing, cutting, ironing, folding, providing yummy treats, making cups of tea and for all the laughs, chats and good times. Without you we wouldn't be the team that we are.
On that note, dear sewers - if any of you, including the "at home" sewers need more fabric during the break, please contact Robyn via this email and she'll arrange it - the cupboards are bulging.
Sunday 3 December
Ocean Care Day at Manly Beach -
Manly Boomerang Bags will be flying the flag at the Surfrider Stall.
If you can lend a hand, please contact Jude 0404 870 413 or manlyboomerangbags@gmail.com
Tuesday 5 December
Avalon Boomerang Bag Team Christmas Party from noon at Clareville Beach. BYO food, drinks, swimmers etc.
All welcome.
Monday 25 December
Wishing all our volunteers, supporters and friends a happy and safe Christmas for them and their families.
Monday 31 December
And a happy and successful New Year, filled with love, hope and peace ..................and no plastic.
Tuesday 31 January
Return to our regular workshops from 11am - 4pm.
Come for a hour or two or come for the day.
SewCraftCook 20/14 Polo Ave, Mona Vale.
New Wonder Wall Set To Clear The Air At Manly Vale
November 15, 2017: University of Technology Sydney
In summary: - A world-first project will install more than 9000 plants on the external walls of a three-storey carpark being built on Sydney's northern beaches
- UTS scientists are working with living infrastructure company Junglefy and Transport NSW to take air-cleaning "botanical biofilter" technology out of office spaces and into the outside world
Having shown the effectiveness of plants in removing pollutants from indoor air, UTS scientists are taking their work to the streets, collaborating with living infrastructure company Junglefy and Transport NSW on an outdoor "breathing wall" at Manly Vale on Sydney's northern beaches.
The world-first project will install more than 9000 plants on the external walls of a three-storey carpark being built as a component of the new B-Line bus rapid transit network on the northern beaches.
Far from being a simple green wall, the project will take "botanical biofilter" technology developed in a collaboration between the UTS Plants and Environmental Quality Research Group and industry leaders Junglefy from office building interiors to the outside world.
"Projected growth in total greenhouse gas emissions suggests that most air pollution will be derived from increasing road travel and vehicle use, and thus population exposure occurs at the street level," said air quality expert for the project, Dr Peter Irga.
"Botanical biofiltration technology has demonstrated potential for the sustainable, high-efficiency removal of most air pollutants in laboratory trials.
"A natural progression of this technology is its use across urban areas, in places where people are likely to experience high levels of air pollution, such as roadsides, car parks and traffic tunnels."
The UTS Plants and Environmental Quality Research team, from the left: Thomas Pettit, Peter Irga, Fraser Torpy and Ashley Douglas. Picture by Filip Stempien
The system, which optimises the cleaning action of plants and soil microbes by moving air through the plant wall, offers other benefits, including acting as a sound barrier and cooling the surrounding air, resulting in improved energy efficiency.
"The technology is already utilised to filter the air in the built environment for private enterprise, however the greatest benefits to health will be seen if implemented in public spaces," said director of the research group, Dr Fraser Torpy.
"If living infrastructure is to contribute to developing healthy and sustainable urban futures, its true capacity for ecosystem service provision must be quantified, to determine its true capabilities in the cities of the future.
"The Manly Vale B-Line project will be the next step in a series of projects that have transferred this technology from the laboratory to the real world."
UTS will work with Transport NSW to monitor the performance of the breathing wall over the next two years. Construction of the car park is planned to start in mid-January and be completed by the end of March.
An artist's impression of the car park and external "breathing wall". Image: DesignInc
November 15, 2017: University of Technology Sydney
In summary:
- A world-first project will install more than 9000 plants on the external walls of a three-storey carpark being built on Sydney's northern beaches
- UTS scientists are working with living infrastructure company Junglefy and Transport NSW to take air-cleaning "botanical biofilter" technology out of office spaces and into the outside world
Having shown the effectiveness of plants in removing pollutants from indoor air, UTS scientists are taking their work to the streets, collaborating with living infrastructure company Junglefy and Transport NSW on an outdoor "breathing wall" at Manly Vale on Sydney's northern beaches.
The world-first project will install more than 9000 plants on the external walls of a three-storey carpark being built as a component of the new B-Line bus rapid transit network on the northern beaches.
Far from being a simple green wall, the project will take "botanical biofilter" technology developed in a collaboration between the UTS Plants and Environmental Quality Research Group and industry leaders Junglefy from office building interiors to the outside world.
"Projected growth in total greenhouse gas emissions suggests that most air pollution will be derived from increasing road travel and vehicle use, and thus population exposure occurs at the street level," said air quality expert for the project, Dr Peter Irga.
"Botanical biofiltration technology has demonstrated potential for the sustainable, high-efficiency removal of most air pollutants in laboratory trials.
"A natural progression of this technology is its use across urban areas, in places where people are likely to experience high levels of air pollution, such as roadsides, car parks and traffic tunnels."
The UTS Plants and Environmental Quality Research team, from the left: Thomas Pettit, Peter Irga, Fraser Torpy and Ashley Douglas. Picture by Filip Stempien
The system, which optimises the cleaning action of plants and soil microbes by moving air through the plant wall, offers other benefits, including acting as a sound barrier and cooling the surrounding air, resulting in improved energy efficiency.
"The technology is already utilised to filter the air in the built environment for private enterprise, however the greatest benefits to health will be seen if implemented in public spaces," said director of the research group, Dr Fraser Torpy.
"If living infrastructure is to contribute to developing healthy and sustainable urban futures, its true capacity for ecosystem service provision must be quantified, to determine its true capabilities in the cities of the future.
"The Manly Vale B-Line project will be the next step in a series of projects that have transferred this technology from the laboratory to the real world."
UTS will work with Transport NSW to monitor the performance of the breathing wall over the next two years. Construction of the car park is planned to start in mid-January and be completed by the end of March.
An artist's impression of the car park and external "breathing wall". Image: DesignInc
New Industry Paper: Twice As ManyNarrabri People Reject CSG Industry As Embrace It
November 20, 2017More than twice as many local people reject the proposed CSG industry for Narrabri in north west NSW than embrace it, a new gas industry research paper has found.
GISERA has released its Community Wellbeing and Local Attitudes to Coal Seam Gas report, which reveals that 30.5% of Narrabri local respondents reject the proposed Narrabri Gas Field outright, while 14.8% embrace it.
“These results reflect what we are seeing on the ground, that the coal seam gas industry is not welcome in the north-west of NSW,” People for the Plainsspokesperson, Sally Hunter, said.
“This research paper shows what we’ve known for a long time, that twice as many people reject the CSG industry as embrace it.
“Across the region, communities have gone door to door to survey people across more than 3.5 million hectares. We’ve found that 96% of people do not want to live in a gasfield. Letting coal seam gas into our region would put at risk our most treasured assets: our water, social fabric and rural character.
“More than 300 people came out to the Pilliga last weekend send a clear message: those who depend on the land and groundwater know the risks of CSG are not worth it.
“People from all walks of life made a human sign in a sandy creek bed in the Pilliga State Forest to demonstrate that the CSG industry does not have social licence here.
“There were almost 23,000 responses to the Environmental Impact Statement put out by Santos earlier this year and 98.7% of these opposed the project. Of the 499 local submissions, 319 rejected the industry.
“No matter how you dice the apple, it’s clear people do not accept the risks of CSG. There are plenty of less damaging ways to create jobs, and far cheaper and cleaner ways to get energy.”
GISERA report in full available at: https://gisera.org.au/news/nsw-research-measures-community-wellbeing/
Photo courtesy Protecting the Pilliga
November 12, 2017: Protecting the Pilliga What a weekend at Spring into the Pilliga! Over 300 people gathered to see the beauty of the irreplaceable Pilliga forest, the damage already caused by Santos CSG, to plan and take action!
We heard stories from affected farmers and Gamilaraay traditional custodians and learnt about the impacts to forests, farms, water, and dark night skies. We stood together in the creek bed of the beautiful Bohena Creek that runs through the Pilliga and the proposed gasfield to say NO CSG! And we created a mock toxic salts spill to symbolise the toxic legacy this project would create for NSW; 430,500 tonnes of contaminated salty waste.
This Week;The Land Newspaper Reports: Pilliga pipeline proponents trapped on farm, police step in - Daniel Pedersen, 21 Nov 2017: "A STANDOFF is developing between landowners and surveyors looking to further refine a corridor for a gas pipeline across the Pilliga.
Yesterday afternoon (Monday) near Coonamble police negotiated the release of workers associated with the pipeline’s proponent APA, who were holed up on a private property.Farmers had formed a human picket line after discovering the APA workers on a private property and blocked their exit."
Farmers, police and contractors face off at CSG pipeline protest in Coonamble - Jamieson Murphy, 22 Nov 2017: "AN impromptu protest against coal seam gas sprung up on a farm near Coonamble on Monday afternoon, when two APA contractors were allegedly caught trespassing on a property.
One witness told The Leader the pair were caught walking on the land by a neighbour, who pulled over.
“Word spread quickly and all of a sudden there were upwards of 70 people there and 30 to 40 cars,” he said.
“There is a big ‘no trespassing’ sign on the gate they would’ve climbed over. And right next to that is a biosecurity sign with the landowner’s number on, which they could have called.'
The pair told the group they had a court order to access the land, but left after they failed to reproduce it, the protester said.
The region’s farmers have been on “high alert” ever since APA announced its intention to build a pipeline through the area to connect with the proposed Narrabri Gas Project."
APA maintains it has transgressed no laws.The company said in a statement:
“On June 30 APA was granted an Authority to Survey land along the proposed Western Slopes pipeline alignment by the NSW Minister for Energy and Utilities under the provisions of the Pipelines Act 1967. The ATS provides APA and its agents with the ability to enter private land for the purposes of field survey activities in order to ensure APA can fulfil its environmental, cutural heritage and other assessment obligations for the project.
“All survey activities are being undertaken in accordance with the ATS and the Western Slopes pipeline: biosecurity management protocol. Both of these documents are publicly available on the APA website at the following address: https://www.apa.com.au/about-apa/our-projects/western-slopes-pipeline/community-consultative-committee/
”The NSW government granted the ATS after consideration of feedback from a widely advertised period of public consultation. It is effective for the period July 3 2017 to February 4 2019. See https://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/energy-supply-industry/pipelines-electricity-gas-networks/pipelines/authority-to-survey for details.
“In early August 2017, APA commenced a program of field studies along the proposed pipeline alignment that included ecology, soils, indigenous and non-indigenous cultural heritage surveys.
“To date, approximately half of the field studies to support the Project have been undertaken with via voluntary landowner agreements, and the other half undertaken in accordance with the right granted by the ATS.”________________________
About GISERAThe CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA) is a collaboration between CSIRO, Commonwealth and state governments and industry established to undertake publicly-reported independent research. The purpose of GISERA is for CSIRO to provide quality assured scientific research and information to communities living in gas development regions focusing on social and environmental topics including: groundwater and surface water, biodiversity, land management, the marine environment, human health impacts and socio-economic impacts. The governance structure for GISERA is designed to provide for and protect research independence and transparency of research outputs.
CSIRO’s GISERA aims to:- Carry out research and provide information for the benefit of all Australian communities in onshore gas regions and industry.
- Inform governments and policy-makers of key research outcomes.
GISERA research includes coal seam gas, shale and tight gas, and onshore conventional gas.
November 20, 2017
More than twice as many local people reject the proposed CSG industry for Narrabri in north west NSW than embrace it, a new gas industry research paper has found.
GISERA has released its Community Wellbeing and Local Attitudes to Coal Seam Gas report, which reveals that 30.5% of Narrabri local respondents reject the proposed Narrabri Gas Field outright, while 14.8% embrace it.
“These results reflect what we are seeing on the ground, that the coal seam gas industry is not welcome in the north-west of NSW,” People for the Plainsspokesperson, Sally Hunter, said.
“This research paper shows what we’ve known for a long time, that twice as many people reject the CSG industry as embrace it.
“Across the region, communities have gone door to door to survey people across more than 3.5 million hectares. We’ve found that 96% of people do not want to live in a gasfield. Letting coal seam gas into our region would put at risk our most treasured assets: our water, social fabric and rural character.
“More than 300 people came out to the Pilliga last weekend send a clear message: those who depend on the land and groundwater know the risks of CSG are not worth it.
“People from all walks of life made a human sign in a sandy creek bed in the Pilliga State Forest to demonstrate that the CSG industry does not have social licence here.
“There were almost 23,000 responses to the Environmental Impact Statement put out by Santos earlier this year and 98.7% of these opposed the project. Of the 499 local submissions, 319 rejected the industry.
“No matter how you dice the apple, it’s clear people do not accept the risks of CSG. There are plenty of less damaging ways to create jobs, and far cheaper and cleaner ways to get energy.”
GISERA report in full available at: https://gisera.org.au/news/nsw-research-measures-community-wellbeing/
Photo courtesy Protecting the Pilliga
November 12, 2017: Protecting the Pilliga
What a weekend at Spring into the Pilliga! Over 300 people gathered to see the beauty of the irreplaceable Pilliga forest, the damage already caused by Santos CSG, to plan and take action!
We heard stories from affected farmers and Gamilaraay traditional custodians and learnt about the impacts to forests, farms, water, and dark night skies. We stood together in the creek bed of the beautiful Bohena Creek that runs through the Pilliga and the proposed gasfield to say NO CSG! And we created a mock toxic salts spill to symbolise the toxic legacy this project would create for NSW; 430,500 tonnes of contaminated salty waste.
This Week;
The Land Newspaper Reports:
Pilliga pipeline proponents trapped on farm, police step in - Daniel Pedersen, 21 Nov 2017: "A STANDOFF is developing between landowners and surveyors looking to further refine a corridor for a gas pipeline across the Pilliga.
Yesterday afternoon (Monday) near Coonamble police negotiated the release of workers associated with the pipeline’s proponent APA, who were holed up on a private property.
Farmers had formed a human picket line after discovering the APA workers on a private property and blocked their exit."
Farmers, police and contractors face off at CSG pipeline protest in Coonamble - Jamieson Murphy, 22 Nov 2017: "AN impromptu protest against coal seam gas sprung up on a farm near Coonamble on Monday afternoon, when two APA contractors were allegedly caught trespassing on a property.
One witness told The Leader the pair were caught walking on the land by a neighbour, who pulled over.
“Word spread quickly and all of a sudden there were upwards of 70 people there and 30 to 40 cars,” he said.
“There is a big ‘no trespassing’ sign on the gate they would’ve climbed over. And right next to that is a biosecurity sign with the landowner’s number on, which they could have called.'
The pair told the group they had a court order to access the land, but left after they failed to reproduce it, the protester said.
The region’s farmers have been on “high alert” ever since APA announced its intention to build a pipeline through the area to connect with the proposed Narrabri Gas Project."
APA maintains it has transgressed no laws.
The company said in a statement:
“On June 30 APA was granted an Authority to Survey land along the proposed Western Slopes pipeline alignment by the NSW Minister for Energy and Utilities under the provisions of the Pipelines Act 1967. The ATS provides APA and its agents with the ability to enter private land for the purposes of field survey activities in order to ensure APA can fulfil its environmental, cutural heritage and other assessment obligations for the project.
“All survey activities are being undertaken in accordance with the ATS and the Western Slopes pipeline: biosecurity management protocol. Both of these documents are publicly available on the APA website at the following address: https://www.apa.com.au/about-apa/our-projects/western-slopes-pipeline/community-consultative-committee/
”The NSW government granted the ATS after consideration of feedback from a widely advertised period of public consultation. It is effective for the period July 3 2017 to February 4 2019. See https://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/energy-supply-industry/pipelines-electricity-gas-networks/pipelines/authority-to-survey for details.
“In early August 2017, APA commenced a program of field studies along the proposed pipeline alignment that included ecology, soils, indigenous and non-indigenous cultural heritage surveys.
“To date, approximately half of the field studies to support the Project have been undertaken with via voluntary landowner agreements, and the other half undertaken in accordance with the right granted by the ATS.”
________________________
About GISERA
The CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA) is a collaboration between CSIRO, Commonwealth and state governments and industry established to undertake publicly-reported independent research. The purpose of GISERA is for CSIRO to provide quality assured scientific research and information to communities living in gas development regions focusing on social and environmental topics including: groundwater and surface water, biodiversity, land management, the marine environment, human health impacts and socio-economic impacts. The governance structure for GISERA is designed to provide for and protect research independence and transparency of research outputs.
CSIRO’s GISERA aims to:
- Carry out research and provide information for the benefit of all Australian communities in onshore gas regions and industry.
- Inform governments and policy-makers of key research outcomes.
GISERA research includes coal seam gas, shale and tight gas, and onshore conventional gas.
Voices Of People Who Made The 'No CSG' Human Sign
Donate Your Container Refund To Charity
November 23, 2017: NSW Government - Environment
When the Return and Earn container deposit scheme launches, you’ll be able to donate your refunds to charity.
People returning eligible containers at reverse vending machines will be able to donate their refunds to:
Cancer CouncilSt Vincent de PaulSurf Life Saving NSWPlanet Ark.
To donate a refund to one of these organisations, simply insert an eligible drink container into a reverse vending machine, select the ‘donate’ option and choose a group.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.
Charities, community and sporting groups, schools, and other not-for-profit organisations can register their interest to become a donation partner on the Return and Earn website.
People can also receive their refund into a registered PayPal account via the myTOMRA app, or receive a printed retail refund voucher to exchange for cash or an in-store credit at a local retail partner.
From Return and Earn website:
How do I get my refund?When you return containers at a reverse vending machine, you can obtain a refund in three ways:- Receive a voucher to be redeemed for cash or an in-store credit at a participating retail partner (such as a Woolworths)
- Register to receive a direct payment to your designated bank account via PayPal
- Donate the refund to charities and community groups linked to the reverse vending machines
The reverse vending machines do not hold cash.
From 1 December, schools, charities and community groups can fundraise through Return and Earn, simply by collecting eligible containers and redeeming them at collection points for 10 cents each (collection points will be announced on this site soon).
Opportunities will continue to grow, and we’ll be able to offer further support, as Return and Earn continues to roll out across NSW. Options will include collecting containers (and asking community members to donate their containers to your organisation), becoming a collection point, or having your charity listed on reverse vending machines (where the public can choose to directly donate their refunds to you).
To find out how your organisation can participate and fundraise through Return and Earn, please contact us at enquiries@tcnsw.com.au.
Most 150ml to three litre drink containers will be eligible for a 10 cent refund at an approved NSW collection point. Container materials that may be eligible for a refund include:- Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminium
- Steel
Liquid paperboard (cartons)Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken and have the original label attached. Wine, spirits, cordial and plain milk containers are generally not eligible.
If a container isn’t eligible for a refund, please use a recycling bin.
November 23, 2017: NSW Government - Environment
When the Return and Earn container deposit scheme launches, you’ll be able to donate your refunds to charity.
People returning eligible containers at reverse vending machines will be able to donate their refunds to:
Cancer Council
St Vincent de Paul
Surf Life Saving NSW
Planet Ark.
To donate a refund to one of these organisations, simply insert an eligible drink container into a reverse vending machine, select the ‘donate’ option and choose a group.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.
Charities, community and sporting groups, schools, and other not-for-profit organisations can register their interest to become a donation partner on the Return and Earn website.
People can also receive their refund into a registered PayPal account via the myTOMRA app, or receive a printed retail refund voucher to exchange for cash or an in-store credit at a local retail partner.
From Return and Earn website:
How do I get my refund?
When you return containers at a reverse vending machine, you can obtain a refund in three ways:
- Receive a voucher to be redeemed for cash or an in-store credit at a participating retail partner (such as a Woolworths)
- Register to receive a direct payment to your designated bank account via PayPal
- Donate the refund to charities and community groups linked to the reverse vending machines
The reverse vending machines do not hold cash.
From 1 December, schools, charities and community groups can fundraise through Return and Earn, simply by collecting eligible containers and redeeming them at collection points for 10 cents each (collection points will be announced on this site soon).
Opportunities will continue to grow, and we’ll be able to offer further support, as Return and Earn continues to roll out across NSW. Options will include collecting containers (and asking community members to donate their containers to your organisation), becoming a collection point, or having your charity listed on reverse vending machines (where the public can choose to directly donate their refunds to you).
To find out how your organisation can participate and fundraise through Return and Earn, please contact us at enquiries@tcnsw.com.au.
Most 150ml to three litre drink containers will be eligible for a 10 cent refund at an approved NSW collection point. Container materials that may be eligible for a refund include:
- Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminium
- Steel
Liquid paperboard (cartons)
Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken and have the original label attached. Wine, spirits, cordial and plain milk containers are generally not eligible.
If a container isn’t eligible for a refund, please use a recycling bin.
Helping Councils Manage Flood Risk
Wambo Coal To Pay Over $130,000 For Water Pollution Incident
Have Your Say On Priorities For NSW Land Conservation
Major Changes: State Environmental Planning Controls(Draft Enviro. SEPP)
Repeal Of Two Operational SEPPs
MONA VALE BEACH CLEAN
Hosted by The Green TeamSaturday, December 2 at 8 AM - 9 AMMona Vale Beach9 Darley St E, Mona Vale
Come join us for a beach clean at Mona Vale Beach!
It has been estimated that we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050...These beach cleans are aimed at reducing the vast amounts of plastic from entering our oceans before they harm marine life.
Anyone and everyone is welcome! If you would like to come along, please bring a bucket, gloves and hat. Kids of all ages are also welcome!
Hope to see you there!
Hosted by The Green TeamSaturday, December 2 at 8 AM - 9 AM
Mona Vale Beach
9 Darley St E, Mona Vale
Come join us for a beach clean at Mona Vale Beach!
It has been estimated that we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050...These beach cleans are aimed at reducing the vast amounts of plastic from entering our oceans before they harm marine life.
Anyone and everyone is welcome! If you would like to come along, please bring a bucket, gloves and hat. Kids of all ages are also welcome!
Hope to see you there!
Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities
Spotlight Walk - 8:15pm Monday Nov 27
This walk will take place after Jayden Walsh has shown pictures and talked about amphibians and reptiles in Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment.8:15pm Meet at Katoa Close. Spaces limited to 30 people
Spotlight Walk - 8pm Friday Dec 15Spotlighting walk - meet at start of Slippery Dip Trail. Spaces limited to 20 people
Wildlife Walk - 7:30am Friday January 19, 2018Meet at end of Deep Creek Carpark. Spaces limited to 30 peopleEmail: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment to get a ticket and book a place for one of these fascinating Wildlife Walks led by Jayden Walsh.
Bush Regeneration - Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment This is a wonderful way to become connected to nature and contribute to the health of the environment. Over the weeks and months you can see positive changes as you give native species a better chance to thrive. Wildlife appreciate the improvement in their habitat.
Belrose area - Thursday mornings Belrose area - Weekend mornings by arrangementContact: Phone or text Conny Harris on 0432 643 295
Wheeler Creek - Wednesday mornings 9-11amContact: Phone or text Judith Bennett on 0402 974 105Or email: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment : email@narrabeenlagoon.org.au
Eco Paddle on Narrabeen Lagoon1pm, Sunday Feb 11, 2018Black Swan have returned to the lagoon after 20 years - come and see these majestic creatures! This paddle will visit the Western Basin, Deep and Middle Creeks. Beautiful Deep Creek attracts migratory birds from as far away as Russia and Middle Creek has been the subject of a substantial remediation programme. A relaxing 2 to 3 hour afternoon paddle. No previous kayaking experience required, tuition given. BYO boat or a hire kayak can be arranged for you at cost. Bookings essential.Email tonycarr@ozemail.com.au or call 0417 502 056.
Spotlight Walk - 8:15pm Monday Nov 27
This walk will take place after Jayden Walsh has shown pictures and talked about amphibians and reptiles in Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment.
8:15pm Meet at Katoa Close. Spaces limited to 30 people
Spotlight Walk - 8pm Friday Dec 15
Spotlighting walk - meet at start of Slippery Dip Trail. Spaces limited to 20 people
Wildlife Walk - 7:30am Friday January 19, 2018
Meet at end of Deep Creek Carpark. Spaces limited to 30 people
Email: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment to get a ticket and book a place for one of these fascinating Wildlife Walks led by Jayden Walsh.
Bush Regeneration - Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment
This is a wonderful way to become connected to nature and contribute to the health of the environment. Over the weeks and months you can see positive changes as you give native species a better chance to thrive. Wildlife appreciate the improvement in their habitat.
Belrose area - Thursday mornings
Belrose area - Weekend mornings by arrangement
Contact: Phone or text Conny Harris on 0432 643 295
Wheeler Creek - Wednesday mornings 9-11am
Contact: Phone or text Judith Bennett on 0402 974 105
Or email: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment : email@narrabeenlagoon.org.au
Eco Paddle on Narrabeen Lagoon
1pm, Sunday Feb 11, 2018
Black Swan have returned to the lagoon after 20 years - come and see these majestic creatures! This paddle will visit the Western Basin, Deep and Middle Creeks. Beautiful Deep Creek attracts migratory birds from as far away as Russia and Middle Creek has been the subject of a substantial remediation programme. A relaxing 2 to 3 hour afternoon paddle. No previous kayaking experience required, tuition given. BYO boat or a hire kayak can be arranged for you at cost.
Bookings essential.
Email tonycarr@ozemail.com.au or call 0417 502 056.
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Board Meeting In Public
Moolarben Mine: Moolarben Coal 1 - MOD 14
Have Your Say On Construction Waste Management Reforms
Barangaroo South
Building C1
Reducing Threats To The NSW Marine Estate
Draft Environment SEPP
Asparagus Fern
Update On Baleen 2D HR Seismic Survey
Navigation Warning - NSW Coastal Waters: Whale Migration Season
New Movement Guidelines To Help Keep Aussie Kids Happy And Healthy
Virtual Reality Allows You To Look Inside Your Body And Could Help Improve Drug Delivery
The 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper
Australian Housing Oversupplied By Up To 164,000
20 NOVEMBER 2017: ANUAustralia has an oversupply of up to 164,000 dwellings, including parts of the major cities, countering industry and government suggestions that Australia is suffering a housing shortage, a new study by The Australian National University (ANU) has found.
The Regional Housing Supply and Demand in Australia Working Paper, by Associate Professor Ben Phillips and researcher Cukkoo Joseph of the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods analysed 15 years' worth of Census data and building approvals.
It found Australia had an oversupply in some markets such as parts of inner city Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
"The surplus is not particularly substantial, but certainly suggest that housing supply in and of itself is probably not the primary driver of house-price growth in Australia. There are other factors that are going on," Dr Phillips said.
"We've looked at factors like changes in household types and dwelling types and unoccupied dwellings which we don't think have been taken into account in other studies in any substantial way in the past, and certainly not at the regional level.
"The standard line of governments and industry seems to be that housing supply is a big problem in Australia. No doubt there are some areas where it is. But overall we don't see the housing shortage that's often talked about - in fact we see that there is a surplus."
In addition to analysing data from the 2001 and 2016 Census, the ANU researchers looked at Australian Bureau of Statistics building approvals and survey of income and housing.
"We appear to have built enough dwellings, and there's an oversupply in some markets such as some parts of inner city Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which could have interesting implications for the economy," Dr Phillips said.
"If this research is right, it suggests we've built enough dwellings, and there's not likely to be any great gain in building more houses in addition to what's required."
In the regions, many homes were built in mining centres over the past 15 years before the mining boom ended.
"Particularly in outback Western Australia, regional WA and north Queensland, many of these areas have a housing surplus," Dr Phillips said.
"We also find Canberra has a housing surplus, especially among higher-density dwellings in the town centres.
"We've found that we've built more than what population growth would require.
"It doesn't mean that it won't get soaked up in coming years, but it does suggest there won't be as much need for new home building in the near future, which could have knock-on to the broader economy."
The Regional Housing Supply and Demand in Australia Working Paperis available at csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/regional-housing-supply-and-demand-australia.
TOP 5 SHORTAGE AND SURPLUS REGIONS BY MAJOR STATE 
20 NOVEMBER 2017: ANU
Australia has an oversupply of up to 164,000 dwellings, including parts of the major cities, countering industry and government suggestions that Australia is suffering a housing shortage, a new study by The Australian National University (ANU) has found.
The Regional Housing Supply and Demand in Australia Working Paper, by Associate Professor Ben Phillips and researcher Cukkoo Joseph of the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods analysed 15 years' worth of Census data and building approvals.
It found Australia had an oversupply in some markets such as parts of inner city Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
"The surplus is not particularly substantial, but certainly suggest that housing supply in and of itself is probably not the primary driver of house-price growth in Australia. There are other factors that are going on," Dr Phillips said.
"We've looked at factors like changes in household types and dwelling types and unoccupied dwellings which we don't think have been taken into account in other studies in any substantial way in the past, and certainly not at the regional level.
"The standard line of governments and industry seems to be that housing supply is a big problem in Australia. No doubt there are some areas where it is. But overall we don't see the housing shortage that's often talked about - in fact we see that there is a surplus."
In addition to analysing data from the 2001 and 2016 Census, the ANU researchers looked at Australian Bureau of Statistics building approvals and survey of income and housing.
"We appear to have built enough dwellings, and there's an oversupply in some markets such as some parts of inner city Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which could have interesting implications for the economy," Dr Phillips said.
"If this research is right, it suggests we've built enough dwellings, and there's not likely to be any great gain in building more houses in addition to what's required."
In the regions, many homes were built in mining centres over the past 15 years before the mining boom ended.
"Particularly in outback Western Australia, regional WA and north Queensland, many of these areas have a housing surplus," Dr Phillips said.
"We also find Canberra has a housing surplus, especially among higher-density dwellings in the town centres.
"We've found that we've built more than what population growth would require.
"It doesn't mean that it won't get soaked up in coming years, but it does suggest there won't be as much need for new home building in the near future, which could have knock-on to the broader economy."
The Regional Housing Supply and Demand in Australia Working Paperis available at csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/regional-housing-supply-and-demand-australia.
TOP 5 SHORTAGE AND SURPLUS REGIONS BY MAJOR STATE
Patients To Get Faster Access To Medicinal Cannabis
Have Your Say On Palliative Care In NSW
Dual Winners Of Australian Mental Health Prize Announced
November 21, 2017: UNSW
Janet Meagher, a champion for the rights of people with mental health issues, and Professor Allan Fels, Chairman of the National Mental Health Commission, have been jointly awarded the 2017 Australian Mental Health Prize.
Janet Meagher and Professor Allan Fels.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt presented the two outstanding winners with their awards at an event at UNSW Sydney on Monday evening.
The Australian Mental Health Prize recognises the major contributions made by professionals and members of the community in mental health care and advocacy.
Ms Meagher, who has been living with schizophrenia for almost 50 years, has dedicated her life to ensure a care and support system that is humane, responsive and respectful. Her advocacy focuses on hope for people living with mental illness, along with access to rehabilitation, recovery, reintegration and support services in all service frameworks.
"I think of the many thousands of Australians who struggle for the hope and resilience to live their lives while living with mental health issues. My award is dedicated to them," Ms Meagher said.
"I hold a precious responsibility to represent people living with mental distress and to be a voice. It must always reflect the proper use of power, voice and status and respect the dignity of those we represent."
Health Minister Greg Hunt with Australian Mental Health Prize winners Janet Meagher and Professor Allan Fels.
Professor Fels has also had close experience of mental health issues. His daughter had a difficult childhood and at the age of 25, psychosis set in. She was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Understanding the needs of people with persistent and serious mental health issues, he helped to establish The Haven Foundation and its specialist accommodation in South Yarra, Melbourne, which helps provide long-term affordable accommodation, support and care for people living with severe and persistent mental illness. This is where his daughter currently lives.
"This is a great honour, although there are countless thousands of heroes working in this field and I don’t feel I’ve made a greater contribution than any of them," Professor Fels said. "Looking ahead I see two giant challenges: the first is making mental illness a higher priority for the community and the second is greatly improving the way the present system operates."
The prize is supported by UNSW, through its School of Psychiatry. Scientia Professor Philip Mitchell, Head of the School, said the decision to announce two winners was important.
"Both winners have shown incredible commitment to getting better outcomes for people affected by mental health issues by following very different paths," he said.
"We felt it was crucial to highlight the vital roles played by both the professionals in the field and those who have used their own experiences as inspiration to help others."
November 21, 2017: UNSW
Janet Meagher, a champion for the rights of people with mental health issues, and Professor Allan Fels, Chairman of the National Mental Health Commission, have been jointly awarded the 2017 Australian Mental Health Prize.
Janet Meagher and Professor Allan Fels.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt presented the two outstanding winners with their awards at an event at UNSW Sydney on Monday evening.
The Australian Mental Health Prize recognises the major contributions made by professionals and members of the community in mental health care and advocacy.
Ms Meagher, who has been living with schizophrenia for almost 50 years, has dedicated her life to ensure a care and support system that is humane, responsive and respectful. Her advocacy focuses on hope for people living with mental illness, along with access to rehabilitation, recovery, reintegration and support services in all service frameworks.
"I think of the many thousands of Australians who struggle for the hope and resilience to live their lives while living with mental health issues. My award is dedicated to them," Ms Meagher said.
"I hold a precious responsibility to represent people living with mental distress and to be a voice. It must always reflect the proper use of power, voice and status and respect the dignity of those we represent."
Health Minister Greg Hunt with Australian Mental Health Prize winners Janet Meagher and Professor Allan Fels.
Professor Fels has also had close experience of mental health issues. His daughter had a difficult childhood and at the age of 25, psychosis set in. She was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Understanding the needs of people with persistent and serious mental health issues, he helped to establish The Haven Foundation and its specialist accommodation in South Yarra, Melbourne, which helps provide long-term affordable accommodation, support and care for people living with severe and persistent mental illness. This is where his daughter currently lives.
"This is a great honour, although there are countless thousands of heroes working in this field and I don’t feel I’ve made a greater contribution than any of them," Professor Fels said. "Looking ahead I see two giant challenges: the first is making mental illness a higher priority for the community and the second is greatly improving the way the present system operates."
The prize is supported by UNSW, through its School of Psychiatry. Scientia Professor Philip Mitchell, Head of the School, said the decision to announce two winners was important.
"Both winners have shown incredible commitment to getting better outcomes for people affected by mental health issues by following very different paths," he said.
"We felt it was crucial to highlight the vital roles played by both the professionals in the field and those who have used their own experiences as inspiration to help others."
New Wave Of Marine Scientists Complete Voyage
Sunday November 26, 2017: CSIRO
Travelling from Western Australia to Tasmania via the Great Australian Bight, the inaugural voyage in the program gave 20 postgraduate students two weeks of at-sea training on Board Australia’s advanced marine research vessel Investigator.
CAPSTAN (Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network) is a national approach to developing the next generation of marine scientists and provides multidisciplinary at-sea training to meet the needs of industry and government.
The program makes use of Investigator’s wide research capability to deliver training that ranges from seafloor coring and marine life surveys to sea survival skills and ship navigation using charts.
Students even receive training in the traditional maritime skill of knot tying from the ship crew!
The diverse training on offer was matched by the range of students and trainers on board the ship for the first CAPSTAN voyage.
Twelve Australian universities were represented, along with staff from the Marine National Facility, reflecting the highly collaborative nature of the CAPSTAN program.
CAPSTAN Director, Dr April Abbott from Macquarie University, said the first voyage had exceeded all expectations and provided more than a few memorable experiences.
"The voyage has been amazing, and both students and trainers have described it as a once in a lifetime experience," Dr Abbott said.
"Students received training in sampling seafloor geology and sediments, studied the chemistry of the ocean and got up close to marine life, including some large pods of whales - and that was just the first couple of days.
"So much has been learned about doing research at sea, and I'm sure everyone now has a greater appreciation of the impact that sea sickness can have on a research program."
Chief Scientist on the CAPSTAN voyage, Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf from Flinders University, echoed the many benefits that the CAPSTAN voyage had delivered.
"CAPSTAN offers research-based training for students and this voyage has resulted in the collection of new scientific data that will help underpin our understanding of the marine environment," Professor Kaempf said.
"Students have assisted in 3D mapping previously unmapped regions of seafloor, revealing features that may play a vital role in coastal nutrient cycling in the Great Australian Bight region. CAPSTAN training involves the collection of real data and students are contributing to real world research.
CAPSTAN students examine rock dredge sample. Image courtesy Marine National Facility
"For me, one of the highlights of the voyage was seeing a future generation of marine scientists plan and conduct a scientific program for a full day of the voyage. They all did an outstanding job."
Postgraduate student, Helen Hayes from University of Technology Sydney, said the voyage would be important for many students in helping shape future careers.
"To have had the opportunity to train on board this impressive research ship with all the amazing people that make the science happen has been a highlight of my career. You learn so many things that you can't find in books or in the classroom," Ms Hayes said.
"CAPSTAN provides at-sea training that is not available anywhere else in Australia and Ms Hayes said that the voyage had inspired many fellow students to continue following a career in the marine sciences.
"There are so many opportunities that this training opens up. I hope to be back as a scientist on future voyages to help contribute to developing greater understanding about the marine environment, and how we manage it from impacts such as climate change.
"It's also really great to see such a strong representation of women in the program, both as trainers and students. The marine sciences are a great career path for women."
CAPSTAN will continue on board Investigator in coming years with a further two training voyages scheduled in the initial three-year pilot program.
CAPSTAN is led by Macquarie University, supported by the Marine National Facility and governed by a network of leading industry and university partners. The program aims to provide a platform for institutional, industrial and generational knowledge transfer and collaboration to help support Australia's growing blue economy, which is expected to contribute over $100billion a year to the Australian economy by 2025.
Sunday November 26, 2017: CSIRO
Travelling from Western Australia to Tasmania via the Great Australian Bight, the inaugural voyage in the program gave 20 postgraduate students two weeks of at-sea training on Board Australia’s advanced marine research vessel Investigator.
CAPSTAN (Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network) is a national approach to developing the next generation of marine scientists and provides multidisciplinary at-sea training to meet the needs of industry and government.
The program makes use of Investigator’s wide research capability to deliver training that ranges from seafloor coring and marine life surveys to sea survival skills and ship navigation using charts.
Students even receive training in the traditional maritime skill of knot tying from the ship crew!
The diverse training on offer was matched by the range of students and trainers on board the ship for the first CAPSTAN voyage.
Twelve Australian universities were represented, along with staff from the Marine National Facility, reflecting the highly collaborative nature of the CAPSTAN program.
CAPSTAN Director, Dr April Abbott from Macquarie University, said the first voyage had exceeded all expectations and provided more than a few memorable experiences.
"The voyage has been amazing, and both students and trainers have described it as a once in a lifetime experience," Dr Abbott said.
"Students received training in sampling seafloor geology and sediments, studied the chemistry of the ocean and got up close to marine life, including some large pods of whales - and that was just the first couple of days.
"So much has been learned about doing research at sea, and I'm sure everyone now has a greater appreciation of the impact that sea sickness can have on a research program."
Chief Scientist on the CAPSTAN voyage, Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf from Flinders University, echoed the many benefits that the CAPSTAN voyage had delivered.
"CAPSTAN offers research-based training for students and this voyage has resulted in the collection of new scientific data that will help underpin our understanding of the marine environment," Professor Kaempf said.
"Students have assisted in 3D mapping previously unmapped regions of seafloor, revealing features that may play a vital role in coastal nutrient cycling in the Great Australian Bight region. CAPSTAN training involves the collection of real data and students are contributing to real world research.
CAPSTAN students examine rock dredge sample. Image courtesy Marine National Facility
"For me, one of the highlights of the voyage was seeing a future generation of marine scientists plan and conduct a scientific program for a full day of the voyage. They all did an outstanding job."
Postgraduate student, Helen Hayes from University of Technology Sydney, said the voyage would be important for many students in helping shape future careers.
"To have had the opportunity to train on board this impressive research ship with all the amazing people that make the science happen has been a highlight of my career. You learn so many things that you can't find in books or in the classroom," Ms Hayes said.
"CAPSTAN provides at-sea training that is not available anywhere else in Australia and Ms Hayes said that the voyage had inspired many fellow students to continue following a career in the marine sciences.
"There are so many opportunities that this training opens up. I hope to be back as a scientist on future voyages to help contribute to developing greater understanding about the marine environment, and how we manage it from impacts such as climate change.
"It's also really great to see such a strong representation of women in the program, both as trainers and students. The marine sciences are a great career path for women."
CAPSTAN will continue on board Investigator in coming years with a further two training voyages scheduled in the initial three-year pilot program.
CAPSTAN is led by Macquarie University, supported by the Marine National Facility and governed by a network of leading industry and university partners. The program aims to provide a platform for institutional, industrial and generational knowledge transfer and collaboration to help support Australia's growing blue economy, which is expected to contribute over $100billion a year to the Australian economy by 2025.
Christmas Lights And Stamps 2017
The Stamps
65c Madonna and ChildThe 65c Christmas-card-rate stamp shows a projection from the 2013 Lights of Christmas display. The painting is a copy of a now lost work by Italian artist Roberto Ferruzzi (1853–1934). The much loved original painting, known as the Madonnina or the Madonna of the Streets, was awarded a major prize at the 1897 Venice Biennale. Often reproduced as a devotional image, it survives in countless copies.
$2.30 Small Cowper MadonnaThe $2.30 international-rate stamp shows the Small Cowper Madonna by Renaissance artist Raphael (1483–1520). This work, projected onto the cathedral in 2014, was painted in oil on panel around 1505. The painting is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA. AnotherRenaissance artist, Carlo Crivelli (ca. 1430–1495), painted the Madonna and Child on the minisheet. Painted in tempera on panel ca. 1482–3, this work is now in the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, Italy.
65c Christmas treeThis Christmas-card-rate stamp features a graphic illustration of a shiny star-spangled Christmas tree.
65c GiftsThis Christmas-card-rate stamp features a graphic illustration of bow-topped Christmas gifts.
$2 BellsThis international-Christmas-card-rate stamp features chiming festive bells.
All of these designs are available as Personalised Stamps™.
65c Madonna and Child
The 65c Christmas-card-rate stamp shows a projection from the 2013 Lights of Christmas display. The painting is a copy of a now lost work by Italian artist Roberto Ferruzzi (1853–1934). The much loved original painting, known as the Madonnina or the Madonna of the Streets, was awarded a major prize at the 1897 Venice Biennale. Often reproduced as a devotional image, it survives in countless copies.
$2.30 Small Cowper Madonna
The $2.30 international-rate stamp shows the Small Cowper Madonna by Renaissance artist Raphael (1483–1520). This work, projected onto the cathedral in 2014, was painted in oil on panel around 1505. The painting is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA. AnotherRenaissance artist, Carlo Crivelli (ca. 1430–1495), painted the Madonna and Child on the minisheet. Painted in tempera on panel ca. 1482–3, this work is now in the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, Italy.
65c Christmas tree
This Christmas-card-rate stamp features a graphic illustration of a shiny star-spangled Christmas tree.
65c Gifts
This Christmas-card-rate stamp features a graphic illustration of bow-topped Christmas gifts.
$2 Bells
This international-Christmas-card-rate stamp features chiming festive bells.
All of these designs are available as Personalised Stamps™.
The Lights Of Christmas
Researchers Play Cupid With Old-Style Courtship To Entice Rare Native Mice To Breed
21 November 2017: Office of Environment & HeritageA nice meal and flowers may not get the girl in the age of online dating, but threatened species researchers have had success using these old-fashioned romance techniques to help save one of New South Wales's critically endangered species, the smoky mouse.
Six new litters of baby mice have now been welcomed at Australia's only smoky mouse captive breeding facility, which is located just outside of Queanbeyan.
"Population numbers in the wild have dropped to critically low levels for this native mouse and there are now only 2 sites in New South Wales where smoky mice are known to occur – the Nullica area on the Far South Coast where fewer than 200 individuals remain, and Kosciuszko National Park," said Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Threatened Species Officer, Dr Linda Broome.
The captive breeding program, which started in July last year, is designed to increase population numbers by breeding the smoky mouse in specially designed enclosures.
"Flowers, food and emulating the smoky mouse's natural conditions in the wild are key in helping to encourage breeding in the enclosures," said Dr Broome.
"We all know that food can be the gateway to someone's heart, and it certainly plays an important role for the smoky mouse.
"The captive breeding facility places the male mouse in one enclosure, and the female in another. The two enclosures are then connected to a third enclosure which is the mutual meeting area.
"Native flowers are put in the enclosures to encourage breeding and we also vary their diet of seeds and fruits to find out the ideal breeding weight. If the female mice are too heavy, they won't breed. The mice are weighed every day during the breeding season to make sure they are at the ideal weight.
"We started the program with six adult smoky mice and are excited by the six litters that have been produced - with hopefully more to come," commented Dr Broome.
The captive breeding program is part of the NSW Government's Saving our Species (SoS) program, providing $400,000 towards conservation of this critically endangered species.
The Saving Our Species program aims to secure as many threatened species as possible in the wild for the next 100 years and the NSW Government has invested $100 million over 5 years in this program.
Smoky Mouse (Pseudomys fumeus) facts- The smoky mouse is part of a sub-group of native mice known as the 'Velvet Mice' or 'Beautiful Furred mice' group – only 4 species are part of this group (the silky mouse, ash grey mouse, blue grey mouse and smoky mouse).
- The smoky mouse only weighs between 40-60 grams.
- In the wild these native mice breed once or twice a year – unlike house mice which have very quick and frequent breeding cycles.
- Smoky mice have 4 nipples therefore a maximum of 4 young in a litter, this differs to rats who have 8-12 nipples and produce larger litters.
- The smoky mouse is gentle and naive; they show very little predator avoidance behaviour which means they are highly vulnerable to feral cats.
Future plans for the smoky mouse captive breeding program are to re-introduce this unique little mouse to select NSW sites to boost their chances of survival in the wild.
To find out more about the critically endangered Smoky Mouse visit: Smoky Mouse – profile
Smoky Mouse, Pseudomys fumeus. Photographer: David Paul Source: Museums Victoria Copyright Museums Victoria / CC BY (Licensed as Attribution 4.0 International)
21 November 2017: Office of Environment & Heritage
A nice meal and flowers may not get the girl in the age of online dating, but threatened species researchers have had success using these old-fashioned romance techniques to help save one of New South Wales's critically endangered species, the smoky mouse.
Six new litters of baby mice have now been welcomed at Australia's only smoky mouse captive breeding facility, which is located just outside of Queanbeyan.
"Population numbers in the wild have dropped to critically low levels for this native mouse and there are now only 2 sites in New South Wales where smoky mice are known to occur – the Nullica area on the Far South Coast where fewer than 200 individuals remain, and Kosciuszko National Park," said Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Threatened Species Officer, Dr Linda Broome.
The captive breeding program, which started in July last year, is designed to increase population numbers by breeding the smoky mouse in specially designed enclosures.
"Flowers, food and emulating the smoky mouse's natural conditions in the wild are key in helping to encourage breeding in the enclosures," said Dr Broome.
"We all know that food can be the gateway to someone's heart, and it certainly plays an important role for the smoky mouse.
"The captive breeding facility places the male mouse in one enclosure, and the female in another. The two enclosures are then connected to a third enclosure which is the mutual meeting area.
"Native flowers are put in the enclosures to encourage breeding and we also vary their diet of seeds and fruits to find out the ideal breeding weight. If the female mice are too heavy, they won't breed. The mice are weighed every day during the breeding season to make sure they are at the ideal weight.
"We started the program with six adult smoky mice and are excited by the six litters that have been produced - with hopefully more to come," commented Dr Broome.
The captive breeding program is part of the NSW Government's Saving our Species (SoS) program, providing $400,000 towards conservation of this critically endangered species.
The Saving Our Species program aims to secure as many threatened species as possible in the wild for the next 100 years and the NSW Government has invested $100 million over 5 years in this program.
Smoky Mouse (Pseudomys fumeus) facts
- The smoky mouse is part of a sub-group of native mice known as the 'Velvet Mice' or 'Beautiful Furred mice' group – only 4 species are part of this group (the silky mouse, ash grey mouse, blue grey mouse and smoky mouse).
- The smoky mouse only weighs between 40-60 grams.
- In the wild these native mice breed once or twice a year – unlike house mice which have very quick and frequent breeding cycles.
- Smoky mice have 4 nipples therefore a maximum of 4 young in a litter, this differs to rats who have 8-12 nipples and produce larger litters.
- The smoky mouse is gentle and naive; they show very little predator avoidance behaviour which means they are highly vulnerable to feral cats.
Future plans for the smoky mouse captive breeding program are to re-introduce this unique little mouse to select NSW sites to boost their chances of survival in the wild.
To find out more about the critically endangered Smoky Mouse visit: Smoky Mouse – profile
Smoky Mouse, Pseudomys fumeus. Photographer: David Paul Source: Museums Victoria
Copyright Museums Victoria / CC BY (Licensed as Attribution 4.0 International)
How To Claim The Active Kids Rebate
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series Presented By Billabong Announced For 2018
COOLANGATTA/QLD
November 22nd, 2017From Surfing Australia The Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong is set to propel the country’s best young surfers into the future with the full support of Surfing Australia and the World Surf League (WSL).
The 3 event Pro Junior event series will include stops at the legendary Bells Beach, the Gold Coast and Cronulla, kicking off at the aforementioned legendary Victorian break on January 13, 2018.
The WSL sanctioned Pro Junior events, which includes 18 and under boys’ and girls’ divisions, form part of the 2018 WSL Australasian Junior Qualifying Series (JQS), providing the winning athletes with an opportunity to win a coveted world title at the World Surf League Junior Championships in 2019.
“The partnership with Surfing Australia, and the Pro Junior Series is a natural progression from our current association with Surfing Australia. We believe that providing a showcase for our top junior talent is very important, and are very proud to be involved in the series and the association with Surfing Australia,” said Care Pharmaceuticals General Manager Jonathan Biddle.
“Equally important is being associated with like-minded organisations who have at their very core the desire to assist in the development of health within Australia.”
Proudly supported by WSL, Billabong and Surfing Australia, the Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong will provide an important event platform at a crucial point in the development of Australia’s leading junior surfers.
Surfing Australia's CEO Andrew Stark said he was extremely excited that Hydralyte Sports was supporting the series for the next 3 years.
“The WSL Pro Junior series is a critical pathway to the elite level of the sport on the WSL World Tour and the Olympics,” he said.
“We are thrilled and thankful to have Hydralyte Sports come on board to the series as the naming rights partner. They are an extremely suited brand to this high performance surfing event platform and we look forward to crowning champions over the next 3 years and watching these Aussie junior surfers go onto win at the highest level of the sport.”
It represents an important link in the ‘Pathway to the Podium’ developed by Surfing Australia, with surfers now able to progress from the Weet-Bix SurfGroms program, onto the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps presented by Wahu, into the Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong, followed by the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle.
"WSL Australia / Oceania is thrilled to extend our Pro Junior partnership with Surfing Australia," said WSL Australia / Oceania Regional Manager Will Hayden-Smith. "We are also excited to welcome Hydralyte Sports as naming rights sponsor to three events, our junior athletes will no doubt benefit from the opportunities these events will provide. We've seen the talent pool and the future of surfing is bright - so we are extremely excited to kick off the series at Bells Beach in January."
Ambassadors for the 2018 Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong are Reef Heazlewood and Zahli Kelly, who won the respective men’s and women’s WSL Australasian Junior Qualifying Series crowns in 2017.
“I’m very excited to be continuing my ambassadorship with Hydralyte Sports,” said Heazlewood.
Previous Series Winner and Hydralyte Sports Ambassador Reef Heazlewood In Action On The Gold Coast. Image credit: Bennett / World Surf League
“I’ve loved being able to represent them and spread awareness about how important hydration is and how Hydralyte Sports can help. 2017 has been a big year for me on the WSL Australasia Junior series and because I always had Hydralyte Sports I was able to stay focused and ready. I was able to win three events out of eight and claim the overall winner of the Junior series! I cannot wait for 2018 with Hydralyte by my side, it’s gonna be a great year!”
Kelly said: “I’m super excited to be partnering with Hydralyte Sports in supporting their involvement with the 2018 WSL Australasian Pro Junior Series. Their support for the Hydralyte Sports Pro Junior events is so important to young surfers who are trying to prepare themselves and make that next step towards the qualifying series.”
Entries have opened via the World Surf League website – www.worldsurfleague.com
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong Event Dates and Locations: Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 1 - Bells Beach, VIC - Jan 13 - 14, 2018Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 2 - Gold Coast, QLD - April 28-29, 2018Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 3 - Cronulla, NSW - August 4 - 5, 2018
COOLANGATTA/QLD
November 22nd, 2017
From Surfing Australia
The Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong is set to propel the country’s best young surfers into the future with the full support of Surfing Australia and the World Surf League (WSL).
The 3 event Pro Junior event series will include stops at the legendary Bells Beach, the Gold Coast and Cronulla, kicking off at the aforementioned legendary Victorian break on January 13, 2018.
The WSL sanctioned Pro Junior events, which includes 18 and under boys’ and girls’ divisions, form part of the 2018 WSL Australasian Junior Qualifying Series (JQS), providing the winning athletes with an opportunity to win a coveted world title at the World Surf League Junior Championships in 2019.
“The partnership with Surfing Australia, and the Pro Junior Series is a natural progression from our current association with Surfing Australia. We believe that providing a showcase for our top junior talent is very important, and are very proud to be involved in the series and the association with Surfing Australia,” said Care Pharmaceuticals General Manager Jonathan Biddle.
“Equally important is being associated with like-minded organisations who have at their very core the desire to assist in the development of health within Australia.”
Proudly supported by WSL, Billabong and Surfing Australia, the Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong will provide an important event platform at a crucial point in the development of Australia’s leading junior surfers.
Surfing Australia's CEO Andrew Stark said he was extremely excited that Hydralyte Sports was supporting the series for the next 3 years.
“The WSL Pro Junior series is a critical pathway to the elite level of the sport on the WSL World Tour and the Olympics,” he said.
“We are thrilled and thankful to have Hydralyte Sports come on board to the series as the naming rights partner. They are an extremely suited brand to this high performance surfing event platform and we look forward to crowning champions over the next 3 years and watching these Aussie junior surfers go onto win at the highest level of the sport.”
It represents an important link in the ‘Pathway to the Podium’ developed by Surfing Australia, with surfers now able to progress from the Weet-Bix SurfGroms program, onto the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comps presented by Wahu, into the Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong, followed by the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle.
"WSL Australia / Oceania is thrilled to extend our Pro Junior partnership with Surfing Australia," said WSL Australia / Oceania Regional Manager Will Hayden-Smith. "We are also excited to welcome Hydralyte Sports as naming rights sponsor to three events, our junior athletes will no doubt benefit from the opportunities these events will provide. We've seen the talent pool and the future of surfing is bright - so we are extremely excited to kick off the series at Bells Beach in January."
Ambassadors for the 2018 Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong are Reef Heazlewood and Zahli Kelly, who won the respective men’s and women’s WSL Australasian Junior Qualifying Series crowns in 2017.
“I’m very excited to be continuing my ambassadorship with Hydralyte Sports,” said Heazlewood.
Previous Series Winner and Hydralyte Sports Ambassador Reef Heazlewood In Action On The Gold Coast. Image credit: Bennett / World Surf League
“I’ve loved being able to represent them and spread awareness about how important hydration is and how Hydralyte Sports can help. 2017 has been a big year for me on the WSL Australasia Junior series and because I always had Hydralyte Sports I was able to stay focused and ready. I was able to win three events out of eight and claim the overall winner of the Junior series! I cannot wait for 2018 with Hydralyte by my side, it’s gonna be a great year!”
Kelly said: “I’m super excited to be partnering with Hydralyte Sports in supporting their involvement with the 2018 WSL Australasian Pro Junior Series. Their support for the Hydralyte Sports Pro Junior events is so important to young surfers who are trying to prepare themselves and make that next step towards the qualifying series.”
Entries have opened via the World Surf League website – www.worldsurfleague.com
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong Event Dates and Locations:
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 1 - Bells Beach, VIC - Jan 13 - 14, 2018
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 2 - Gold Coast, QLD - April 28-29, 2018
Hydralyte Sports Surf Series presented by Billabong - EVENT 3 - Cronulla, NSW - August 4 - 5, 2018
Australia’s Best Junior Surfers Preparing For 2017 Surf Dive ‘N Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles At Culburra
Australia’s best junior surfers are preparing to head to Culburra Beach on the New South Wales South Coast for the prestigious 2017 Surf Dive ‘N Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles.
Culburra Beach's ability to pull in swell and its variety of waves should make for a memorable week of high level junior competition when the event gets underway from November 25th.
The region has produced some serious talent with the likes of Tyler, Owen and Mikey Wright and the Watson brothers calling Culburra Beach home.
“At Surf Dive ‘n Ski we believe in developing the future of surf by supporting grass roots events for junior athletes," said Surf Dive ‘n Ski General Manager David Keay.
“We are stoked to remain the Australian Junior Surfing Title’s naming rights sponsor, continuing our investment in this country’s upcoming talent.”
Surfing Australia, Surfing NSW and Shoalhaven City Council have aligned with The NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW to bring the renowned junior event to the idyllic region.
Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findlay said, “Shoalhaven City Council welcomes Surfing NSW to the Shoalhaven, we are proud to host the Surf Dive N Ski Australian Junior Titles and look forward to working on more surfing events in the near future. The event is expected to contribute over $600,000 to the local economy and it complements our unspoilt brand and the recent surfing campaign run by Shoalhaven Tourism.”
Six states are represented at the titles across Under 14, 16 and 18 age groups in both boys and girl’s divisions at the event that is considered the benchmark of junior surfing in the country. The Australian School Surfing Association Titles will be part of the event again in 2017.
With past winners including World Champions Steph Gilmore, Chelsea Hedges, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll and Damian Hardman, a win in this year’s event is a legitimate stepping stone to world stage glory.
The 2017 Surf Dive ‘n Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles will commence with an opening ceremony on Saturday 25th November before surfing starts on Sunday 26th and runs through to Saturday 2nd December.
To follow the event visit www.australianjuniorsurfingtitles.com
Xavier Huxtable (VIC) on his way to victory in the Under 16 Boys Division at the 2016 Surf Dive N Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles. Photo credit: Blainey Woodham / Surfing Australia
The 2017 Surf Dive ‘n Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The event will also be supported by City of Shoalhaven, Hydralyte Sports, Woolworths, Toyota, mySURF.tv, School Sport Australia, Surfing NSW, Surfing Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport.
From Surfing Australia
Australia’s best junior surfers are preparing to head to Culburra Beach on the New South Wales South Coast for the prestigious 2017 Surf Dive ‘N Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles.
Culburra Beach's ability to pull in swell and its variety of waves should make for a memorable week of high level junior competition when the event gets underway from November 25th.
The region has produced some serious talent with the likes of Tyler, Owen and Mikey Wright and the Watson brothers calling Culburra Beach home.
“At Surf Dive ‘n Ski we believe in developing the future of surf by supporting grass roots events for junior athletes," said Surf Dive ‘n Ski General Manager David Keay.
“We are stoked to remain the Australian Junior Surfing Title’s naming rights sponsor, continuing our investment in this country’s upcoming talent.”
Surfing Australia, Surfing NSW and Shoalhaven City Council have aligned with The NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW to bring the renowned junior event to the idyllic region.
Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findlay said, “Shoalhaven City Council welcomes Surfing NSW to the Shoalhaven, we are proud to host the Surf Dive N Ski Australian Junior Titles and look forward to working on more surfing events in the near future. The event is expected to contribute over $600,000 to the local economy and it complements our unspoilt brand and the recent surfing campaign run by Shoalhaven Tourism.”
Six states are represented at the titles across Under 14, 16 and 18 age groups in both boys and girl’s divisions at the event that is considered the benchmark of junior surfing in the country. The Australian School Surfing Association Titles will be part of the event again in 2017.
With past winners including World Champions Steph Gilmore, Chelsea Hedges, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll and Damian Hardman, a win in this year’s event is a legitimate stepping stone to world stage glory.
The 2017 Surf Dive ‘n Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles will commence with an opening ceremony on Saturday 25th November before surfing starts on Sunday 26th and runs through to Saturday 2nd December.
To follow the event visit www.australianjuniorsurfingtitles.com
Xavier Huxtable (VIC) on his way to victory in the Under 16 Boys Division at the 2016 Surf Dive N Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles. Photo credit: Blainey Woodham / Surfing Australia
The 2017 Surf Dive ‘n Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The event will also be supported by City of Shoalhaven, Hydralyte Sports, Woolworths, Toyota, mySURF.tv, School Sport Australia, Surfing NSW, Surfing Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport.
From Surfing Australia
Ancient Life Form Discovered In Remote Tasmanian Valley
November 17, 2017: University of TasmaniaA team of Tasmanian researchers has uncovered rare, living stromatolites deep within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
The researchers from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) and the University of Tasmania made the discovery during a survey of peat-bound karstic wetlands – an unusual type of swamp which occurs only in peaty soils underlain by limestone and similar carbonate rocks.
Dr Bernadette Proemse from the University says this is an exciting discovery because living stromatolites were previously unknown from Tasmania.
“The discovery reveals a unique and unexpected ecosystem in a remote valley in the State’s south-west,” Dr Proemse said.
“The ecosystem has developed around spring mounds where mineral-rich groundwater is forced to the surface by geological structures in underlying limestone rocks. The find has proved doubly interesting because closer examination revealed that these spring mounds were partly built of living stromatolites.
“Stromatolites are laminated structures of micro-organisms which have created layers of minerals using elements dissolved in the water in which they live. Fossil stromatolites are the oldest evidence for life on Earth – they first appeared 3.7 billion years ago!”
Roland Eberhard from DPIPWE’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Division said stromatolites are rare because more advanced life forms such as aquatic snails feed on the micro-organisms required to form them.
“The discovery of living stromatolites in Tasmania is highly significant because stromatolites are rare globally and not previously known from Tasmania except as ancient fossils,” Mr Eberhard said.
“DNA analysis indicates that the Tasmanian stromatolites are micro-organism communities which differ from all other known stromatolites.”
The discovery provides clues why stromatolites thrived for millions of years but then virtually disappeared from all but a few exceptional places on Earth.
The researchers believe that the highly mineralised water flowing from spring mounds is a critical factor in the ability of the stromatolites to survive in the Tasmanian wilderness because it challenges other forms of life.
This became obvious when the researchers noticed that the mounds were littered with the shells of dead freshwater snails.
“This is good for stromatolites because it means there are very few living snails to eat them. Fortuitously, these Tasmanian ‘living fossils’ are protected by the World Heritage Area and the sheer remoteness of the spring mounds,” Dr Proemse said.
Further surveys are planned to assess whether spring mounds and stromatolites occur at other sites in the World Heritage Area.
The research effort was jointly coordinated by Rolan Eberhard from DPIPWE’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Division and Dr Bernadette Proemse from the University of Tasmania’s School of Biological Sciences.
Their paper, co-authored by Dr Karen Richards and Michael Comfort (both DPIPWE) and Dr John Bowman, Chris Sharples and Dr Leon Barmuta (University of Tasmania), is published this week in the leading scientific journal Scientific Reports.
Aerial view of a prominent Giblin River spring mound (site GR5 and transect). The shrubby centre conceals marshy ground and shallow ponds which discharge groundwater. The pale outer band is calcareous mud and tufa colonized by stromatolites. This example is 60 m in diameter.
Bernadette C. Proemse, Rolan S. Eberhard, Chris Sharples, John P. Bowman, Karen Richards, Michael Comfort, Leon A. Barmuta. Stromatolites on the rise in peat-bound karstic wetlands. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15507-1
November 17, 2017: University of Tasmania
A team of Tasmanian researchers has uncovered rare, living stromatolites deep within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
The researchers from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) and the University of Tasmania made the discovery during a survey of peat-bound karstic wetlands – an unusual type of swamp which occurs only in peaty soils underlain by limestone and similar carbonate rocks.
Dr Bernadette Proemse from the University says this is an exciting discovery because living stromatolites were previously unknown from Tasmania.
“The discovery reveals a unique and unexpected ecosystem in a remote valley in the State’s south-west,” Dr Proemse said.
“The ecosystem has developed around spring mounds where mineral-rich groundwater is forced to the surface by geological structures in underlying limestone rocks. The find has proved doubly interesting because closer examination revealed that these spring mounds were partly built of living stromatolites.
“Stromatolites are laminated structures of micro-organisms which have created layers of minerals using elements dissolved in the water in which they live. Fossil stromatolites are the oldest evidence for life on Earth – they first appeared 3.7 billion years ago!”
Roland Eberhard from DPIPWE’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Division said stromatolites are rare because more advanced life forms such as aquatic snails feed on the micro-organisms required to form them.
“The discovery of living stromatolites in Tasmania is highly significant because stromatolites are rare globally and not previously known from Tasmania except as ancient fossils,” Mr Eberhard said.
“DNA analysis indicates that the Tasmanian stromatolites are micro-organism communities which differ from all other known stromatolites.”
The discovery provides clues why stromatolites thrived for millions of years but then virtually disappeared from all but a few exceptional places on Earth.
The researchers believe that the highly mineralised water flowing from spring mounds is a critical factor in the ability of the stromatolites to survive in the Tasmanian wilderness because it challenges other forms of life.
This became obvious when the researchers noticed that the mounds were littered with the shells of dead freshwater snails.
“This is good for stromatolites because it means there are very few living snails to eat them. Fortuitously, these Tasmanian ‘living fossils’ are protected by the World Heritage Area and the sheer remoteness of the spring mounds,” Dr Proemse said.
Further surveys are planned to assess whether spring mounds and stromatolites occur at other sites in the World Heritage Area.
The research effort was jointly coordinated by Rolan Eberhard from DPIPWE’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Division and Dr Bernadette Proemse from the University of Tasmania’s School of Biological Sciences.
Their paper, co-authored by Dr Karen Richards and Michael Comfort (both DPIPWE) and Dr John Bowman, Chris Sharples and Dr Leon Barmuta (University of Tasmania), is published this week in the leading scientific journal Scientific Reports.
Aerial view of a prominent Giblin River spring mound (site GR5 and transect). The shrubby centre conceals marshy ground and shallow ponds which discharge groundwater. The pale outer band is calcareous mud and tufa colonized by stromatolites. This example is 60 m in diameter.
Bernadette C. Proemse, Rolan S. Eberhard, Chris Sharples, John P. Bowman, Karen Richards, Michael Comfort, Leon A. Barmuta. Stromatolites on the rise in peat-bound karstic wetlands. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15507-1
NSW Youth Explore New Frontiers
21 Nov 2017: NSW Dept. of Family & Community Services
24 community projects, developed by high school students, have been recognised by the Minister responsible for Youth, Ray Williams, at a ceremony at Parliament House. Youth Frontiers is a state-wide mentoring program that encourages young people in years 8 and 9 to use their creativity, passion and determination to make a positive difference in their local community.
Mr Williams said the awards were an opportunity to recognise students and their mentors who have developed projects to support the local community.
“Each student is paired with a mentor who volunteers to spend about an hour per week with them over six months during school. With the support of their mentor, students are encouraged to come up with creative solutions to local issues and in the process develop key life skills,” Mr Williams said.
Brandon McManus from Oxley High School built a vegetable garden at Billabong Clubhouse, a local mental health facility. Clients at Billabong help maintain the vegetable garden and half the produce is donated to local nursing homes.
“Participating in this project has been great. I was able to help the community, meet new people and learn new skills,” Brandon said.
Other projects celebrated include:- Arranging a veterans’ group afternoon tea for ANZAC Day, created by Sarah Pugh from Newcastle High School
- A free exercise program for seniors, created by Flynn Wallis Smith from Belmont High School.
There are eight categories for the community project including Community Harmony, Youth Mental Health, Engaging in Sport, Empowering Young Women, The Centenary of ANZAC, Environment and Conservation, Group projects, and a General category.
The NSW Government has committed $6.3 million over the next three years to continue Youth Frontiers from 2018 to 2020.
Since 2015, Youth Frontiers has connected about 3500 young people with their communities through quality mentoring.
A tool kit has been developed for young people with ideas on how to choose, plan, and develop a Youth Frontiers community project.Download the Youth Frontiers tool kit (657KB) from this webpage
- Arranging a veterans’ group afternoon tea for ANZAC Day, created by Sarah Pugh from Newcastle High School
- A free exercise program for seniors, created by Flynn Wallis Smith from Belmont High School.
A tool kit has been developed for young people with ideas on how to choose, plan, and develop a Youth Frontiers community project.
Download the Youth Frontiers tool kit (657KB) from this webpage
Lifeguards Send Schoolies Safety Warning
Thursday 23 November 2017
From Surf Life Saving NSW
As thousands of NSW Year 12 graduates make their final preparations for the traditional schoolies week which officially kicks off from Saturday, the lifesaving community is issuing a warning to those looking to cool off during the celebrations; alcohol and the ocean are a dangerous combination.
An influx of school leavers will be heading to holiday hotspots across the state, with sea, sun, and fun sure to be an important part of the festivities which marks the end of 13 years of study.
While many schoolies will be travelling to traditional tourist destinations in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland, there has been a trend in recent years for school leavers to head to smaller seaside towns.
Areas such as Port Macquarie, Forster, South West Rocks and Batemans Bay have all experienced a surge in popularity for schoolies looking for a more relaxed holiday.
Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS) Northern NSW coordinator Scott McCartney said holidaying students should make the most of their time off, but has urged all schoolies to watch out for each other while enjoying all the beach has to offer.
“There are many wonderful beaches across NSW, and they are great places to relax, but it is crucial for everyone to be aware of the importance of surf safety.
“Please take the time to familiarise yourself with local conditions, always swim between the flags during patrolled hours, ask lifeguards or lifesavers for advice and avoid the temptation of swimming after consuming alcohol or swimming at night,” Mr McCartney said.
Both Byron Bay and Tweed Valley Councils have taken a pro-active stance on beach safety ahead of the summer season with lifeguards stationed on Main Beach Byron Bay and Kingscliff Main Beach during the week.
This five-day-a-week service complements the weekend patrol hours, ensuring that these two beaches will have total coverage. Schoolies in the area are strongly encouraged to swim at either of those two locations and not in unpatrolled locations where situations can escalate quickly especially if the environment is unfamiliar.
Additionally the Far North Coast Branch of Surf Life Saving has activated their support operations team for the entire duration of the festivities. That means jet skis, 4 wheel drives and duty officers are available to respond to emergencies if required.
NSW Lifesaving Manager Matt du Plessis hopes that the key message of “watching out for your mates” will get through to all teenagers embarking on schoolies.
“While our lifesavers and lifeguards are all extremely well-trained, it is important for everyone to know the dangers and to watch out for your friends while enjoying the water.
“We want people to have a good time and to make sensible decisions around their own and others safety in the water,” he said.
Lifesavers and lifeguards will be out in force to reiterate the importance of surf safety throughout the celebrations, and should be the first point of call for anyone experiencing any difficulties while on the beach.
Schoolies Safety Checklist
- Only swim at a patrolled beach, between the red and yellow flags
- Don’t swim under the influence of alcohol/drugs
- Never swim at night
- Ask a surf lifesaver or lifeguard for advice
- Look after your mates, and know where your group is while in the water
- Call triple-zero – Police to report an in-water emergency