Neighbourhood Watch Area Coordinator Nicky Simon - 0418285797 GARRAN [email protected] Mar – Apr 2019

www.nwhact.com.au

Going on holidays over Easter • Lock away tools, ladders and anything Here are some useful home safety /ps if that could be used to get into your you plan to go away over Easter: house, garage or shed; • It’s a good idea to leave your • Ask a neighbour to park their car in houselooking ‘lived in’. Leave a key your driveway occasionally to give the with a trusted neighbour or friend and impression that someone is coming ask them to rearrange blinds etc.; and going; • If possible, get a friend or rela/ve to • Disconnect the electrical supply on house-sit for you while you are away; radio-controlled or electronic garage • Make sure all windows and doors are doors and use good quality locks; locked in your home/garage/shed; • Make sure all your valuables are • Have your mail collected by a friend or stored securely; neighbour, or have it held or • Close curtains and blinds; redirected by the post office; • Have your lawn mown while you are • Don’t leave a message on your away; and answering machine, or a note on the • Cancel paper delivery and ask a door that tells callers you are away; neighbour to collect your mail. • Turn down the volume on your phone s o i t c a n ’ t b e h e a r d r i n g i n g unanswered; • Ask a neighbour or friend to put your rubbish bins out and bring them in as usual; • Consider using automa/c /mers to turn on a light, television or radio at different /mes; Autumn is coming During Astronomy Nights, between 10 and 20 Lynne Bliss outreach telescopes are set up for viewing. With Autumn upon us, a deluge of beau5ful These telescopes will be posi5oned to see brown and red leaves will cover all. Don't things like the rings of Saturn, the craters of sweep or blow them or any other debris into the moon, and beau5ful star clusters and stormwater drains because they decompose nebulae. and release pollu5ng nutrients - the cause of the ugly algae in our waterways. Instead: The first two nights are on Fri 12 Apr and Fri • Rake leaves, turn them into mulch or 10 May 2019. Bookings are essen5al and entry compost or put them into the green is by gold coin dona5on. Warm clothing is waste bins when we get them recommended. • Look aDer your nature strip Find out more: hFps://bit.ly/2UCiac4 • Look aDer your drains and don't let any paint or oils in your drains Careless pedestrian loses to light rail • “De-liFer” your block or your street. Blake Foden & KaBe Burgess, Times • Some residents who enjoy a walk can On the morning of Sat 9 Mar 2019, a be seen carrying a bag for such liFer, headphone-wearing pedestrian crossed liFle things like that help so much. against a red pedestrian signal at a light rail crossing and was hit by a tram undergoing a Lets all do our bit. Discover more at ACT test drive. The tram driver took appropriate Healthy Waterways - https://bit.ly/2SZtE8h emergency ac5on and the pedestrian was taken to the hospital by Emergency Services. Galac/c Neighbourhood Watch Lauralee Evans The ACT government urges all Canberrans to Observatory is usually open be aware of their surroundings and obey the every day from 8am to 6pm, meaning that road rules in the light rail corridor. "Light rail visitors can't stargaze. This April, the vehicles are travelling the full length of the Observatory joins forces with the Canberra alignment between and the city at Astronomical Society to hold the first monthly both day and night," she said. public Astronomy Night. "Light rail vehicles are quiet and large. It is important Canberrans pay aFen5on near the light rail tracks." hFps://bit.ly/2F2BsSY

The Light Rail is projected to start in April. Are you Rail Ready: hFps://bit.ly/2TraXiJ

Please assist our police. Report all For police aHendance call 131 444. For all suspicious ac/vi/es to CRIME STOPPERS life-threatening emergencies and crimes on 1800 333 000 in progress call 000. ACT Policing targets shared zones Some other features of shared zones in the ACT Policing would like to remind road users ACT may include: of their responsibili5es in shared zones – • no formal pedestrian crossings; pedestrian-friendly areas where vehicles, • raised entry points at each end of the cyclists and pedestrians share the roadway. shared zone to show a changed traffic environment; As part of the 2018-2019 • addi5onal kerb ramps to improve Road Safety Calendar, access for people with mobility ACT Policing will target impairment, as well as pedestrians and vulnerable road users cyclists; and throughout March, with a • road pavement raised to footpath focus on shared zones. level at intersec5ons.

Officer in Charge of This campaign forms part of the ACT Road Traffic Opera5ons, Ac5ng Safety Strategy 2011-2020 which priori5ses a Sta5on Sergeant David Vision Zero approach to road safety. W i l l s s a i d i t w a s important for road users An intergenera/onal playgroup to know the road rules when travelling in Andrew Brown, Canberra Times shared zones. Since 2016, every Monday sees an intergenera5onal playgroup hosted at the “The most important thing to remember Mirinjani Aged Care facility in Weston. The when travelling in a shared zone is that residents play with children from a local motorists must give way to pedestrians,” playgroup. There is singing, story telling and Ac5ng Sta5on Sergeant Wills said. even visits from animal visit from animals.

Shared zones are signposted, and will oDen It's organised by Playgroups ACT and there's a have a different look and feel to a normal real connec5on between the par5cipants. road environment. Mirinjani resident Judy Baker has lived at the aged care facility for more than two years and “While all road users should be mindful of one said the intergenera5onal playgroup was the another, it is especially important for people highlight of her week. She s5ll speaks every opera5ng a vehicle to be aware of vulnerable week with some of the children who once road users in these areas. aFended the program but now live interstate.

“I would also like to remind road users that "It's the best day of the week, as far as I'm slow speed limits of 10 to 20 km/h apply in concerned," Mrs Baker said. "I don't have any shared zones across the ACT.” grandchildren of my own, but when all the kiddies are here, it's just lovely."

Please assist our police. Report all For police aHendance call 131 444. For all suspicious ac/vi/es to CRIME STOPPERS life-threatening emergencies and crimes on 1800 333 000 in progress call 000. The health benefits of intergenera/onal • To report Cybercrime: Visit ACORN playgroups aren't limited to the Canberra h^p://www.acorn.gov.au/. This program. A 2014 Australian study found includes any information about online elderly residents who took part in similar scams and fraud, identity theft, attacks programs had higher levels of self-esteem, on computer systems and illegal or increased happiness, more ac/ve prohibited online content. par/cipa/on in the community and an increase in dignity for those living with Crime Sta;s;cs demen/a. January 2019 – 12 incidents Dann Assault causing ABH 05/01/19 The program in Weston is one of two Dann Assault other 04/01/19 intergenera/onal playgroups in the ACT, with Dann Assault other 09/01/19 three new playgroups to start in coming Dann Motor vehicle thef 23/01/19 weeks. Dann Other property damage 04/01/19 Read at Canberra Times: h^ps://bit.ly/2FfUtkF Robson Other property damage 18/01/19 Robson Other property damage 23/01/19 When do I call Crime Stoppers? Brereton Other thef 15/01/19 Crime Stoppers welcomes and accepts Dann Other thef 01/01/19 informa/on about: • crimes that have happened; or Garran Other thef 17/01/19 • crimes that are likely to be Garran Thef of vehicle number plates 02/01/19 commi^ed. Gilmore Thef of vehicle number plates 11/01/19 To report crime related informa/on: • call 1800 333 000; or February 2019 – 17 incidents • via Online Repor/ng Dann Assault causing GBH 04/02/19 Dann Assault other 10/02/19 Crime Stoppers does not handle emergencies Dann Assault other 07/02/19 or send patrol vehicles. If you have been the Dann Assault other 07/02/19 vic/m of a crime, such as had your car stolen or house burgled, report the incident to your Dann Other property damage 27/02/19 local police on 131 444. Yamba Thef of vehicle number plates 13/02/19

The contact list: Monthly Incident tracker • In an Emergency - call 000 2018 2019 Change • If urgent police a^endance is required January 15 12 -3 – call 131 444 February 11 6 -5 • If you are a vic/m of Crime - a^end your local Police Sta/on or call 131 444 • To report Traffic related ma^ers - Call 131 444 • To report suspected Centrelink Fraud - Call 131 524 • To report an online SCAM or fraud - h^p://www.scamwatch.gov.au/