http://www.taragosportingassociation.org.au November 2020 The Tarago Times is a non-profit community service, published monthly by the Tarago Sporting Association Inc by a team of volunteers. It has a circulation of 550 copies distributed throughout Tarago, Lake Bathurst, Mayfield, Boro, Taylors Creek and the surrounding district. View online at http://www.taragosportingassociation.org.au Are you Bushfire ready? No fires without a permit from 1st October 2020 STAC’S BACK Pic left: Jack Harris is fine form attempting his first shot put throws. Pic above: Our first registered athletes from front to back, Millie Gundry, Bonnie Hallam, Jack Harris, Charlie Hallam and Jack Gundry waiting to start Shot Put photos by Linda Hallam We managed to beat the rain for our first meet at the 6th November - Tarago Rec Area Tarago Recretation Area on Friday 23rd October. We had 13th November - Windellama Hall Grounds 100% of our registered athletes attend and welcomed 20th November - Tarago Rec Area our new athlete Jack Harris to our club. All our athletes 27th November - Tarago Rec Area performed fantastically well and achieved personal bests 4th December - Tarago Rec Area in the events. 11th December - Windellama Hall Grounds Our dates for the remainder of 2020 are: 18th December - Christmas Fun Event Tarago Rec Area 30th October - Tarago Rec Area continued on page 3 Veolia is a proud sponsor of The Tarago Times Report all incidence of odour to the Woodlawn Bioreactor Community Feedback Line: 1800 241 750 or the EPA Hotline on 131 555 Option 1 Tarago Times November 2020 Page 1 http://www.taragosportingassociation.org.au Tarago Landcare Group’s AGM Tarago Landcare Group (TLG) held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday, 10th October at the Tarago Hall. The committee appointed the following members, many of who were reappointed to their positions plus some newcomers. We also welcome those new members to the group. The Executive Committee is: President Katherine Thatcher Vice-President Judy Taylor Secretary Samantha Johnson Treasurer Jeanette Payne Ordinary Member Robert Gemmell Ordinary Member Cid Riley Ordinary Member Vicky Coles Members and supporters are invited to the next ordinary meeting on the 5th December along with the TLG Christmas Party. Further details will be circulated to members via the email contact list. New members, as always, are welcome. TLG honoured Keith Hunter with tree planting On 26th September a tree was planted by TLG and Teresa Hunter to celebrate her late husband Keith’s contribution to establishing the local Landcare group. The number of people at the gathering in the Peace and Reflection Garden at Tarago cemetery was restricted due to Covid-19 rules, however despite the cold day a Banksia Integrifolia tree was planted for Keith, and those present reflected on the great effort he put into supporting the district’s community and in maintaining its good rural environment and lifestyle. The outdoor event was followed by a pleasant afternoon tea and reminiscences about Keith in the welcome warmth of the Tarago Hall. TLG helped plant trees for Glossy Black Cockatoos On 24 October TLG members enjoyed helping Lois and Kym Wake plant over 200 Casuarina trees and a variety of other native plants on their property in Willowglen Road. The main aim in planting the Allocasuarina Littoralis trees was to make more of this tree’s seeds available as these are a major source of food for the threatened Glossy Black Cockatoo. This bird is under threat as the numbers of this tree species dwindle due mainly to land clearing and bushfires. continued on page 3 Goulburn 4822 2970 Tarago Times printed by www.revolutionprint.com.au Page 2 Tarago Times November 2020 http://www.taragosportingassociation.org.au continued from page 2 continued from page 1 STAC’s BACK We welcome athletes of all ages from Tiny Tots through to Masters Landholder tasks this spring Athletes at our club. Our training There are at least two tasks Tarago district Landholders meets are on Friday afternoons are wise to work on in spring: - arrive at 5.30pm for a prompt a) control noxious weeds, especially the fast-spreading 6.00pm start and we will have Serrated Tussock; and a healthy options canteen running for food and drink b) prepare your bushfire plans and ready your properties purchases. Registration is open to athletes of all ages. for the coming hot weather. Go to our website www.southerntablelandsathleticsclub. TLG welcomes enquiries from Tarago district landholders org and when presented with the club selection select about any of our activities and future projects, or about either how our Landcare group may assist individuals with Southern Tablelands Athletics Club for Senior Athletes or improving their land or community property. Feel free Southern Tablelands Little Athletics Centre for Little to contact Tarago Landcare Group at the email address Athletes registration. [email protected] or TLG’s Secretary Rob As Little Athletics Australia requires at least one parent Gemmell on mobile 0434 081 335. to attend with their child at all meetings, you may be Pics from page 2 Article by Chris Elford assisting with other children and we encourage parents above:Teresa Hunter and to apply for a free Working With Children Check through the memorial Banksia Service NSW. We are a COVID Safe club and request Integrifolia tree and that you at all times follow the directions of our Covid plaque for Keith. Marshall and procedures that we have set in place to bottom: l-r Caroline keep our athletes and helpers safe. If you have not Campbell, Leanne Wells, already done so please LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook Teresa and Ken Wells at at Southern Tablelands Athletics Club Inc as it is here the Peace and Reflection we post important information such as dates, venues, Garden at Lime Street. any last minute changes and notifications for carnivals, Pic on page 3: clinics and events. Glossy Black Cockatoos Any enquiries to Gill Shepherd registrar 0419639254 Solar Power Off Grid Phone Martin on On Grid 4849 4225 Or 0421 196 021 Hybrid www.cjsolar.com.au Clean Energy Council Accredited Installing Solar since 2004 Licensed Electrical Contractors (241654C) Tarago Times November 2020 Page 3 http://www.taragosportingassociation.org.au This turtle had been in care since April with a large hole in Wildcare Queanbeyan Inc its shell. Prior to the egg laying, she had stopped eating for a Wildcare News month. I was worried and took her to a Vet. The Vet checked Rock or turtle? her, but didn’t x-ray: gave her a booster injection and sent her home with me to keep an eye on her. I mentioned to my It might appear as a stationary rock on the road, but on husband that she seemed bloated, thinking she was unwell. closer inspection a living, breathing reptile could be sitting But lo and behold she was full of eggs. No wonder she was there on the bitumen. The lives of these long-necked turtles looking bloated! on our roads in the warm months can be spared, with driver awareness. While they have hard shells that provide great On 16th October, I walked past the turtle tank and saw a single protection, these will crack if driven over by a vehicle. Why egg at the bottom of the tank. I saved this one too, but I’m not turtles move around is a bit of a mystery, but we do know they sure if this egg was from the same turtle or maybe the other tend to move around more following rainfall and that they one in care, whose sex I wasn’t sure about. And guess what? travel long distances between water sources. Feeding mostly I’ve just walked past the tank again and there’s another egg!” on small fish, tadpoles, frogs, worms and insects, their long neck can be used like a snake’s to rapidly strike at passing prey If you are squeamish about picking up a turtle on the road, (they’re also known as ‘snake-necked’ turtles). use your fingers at the front and back of the shell, hold it upright and away from the body, (or indeed any other small Turtles will be on the move after warming up – usually native animal - obviously avoid snakes), then use a towel to mid-morning to mid-afternoon, depending on the day’s drape over it, then scoop it up and move to safety. It’s a good temperature. If you spot one on the road, it could be injured idea to carry a towel in the boot of your car. after having been run over, or it may be unharmed. Removing Merran Laver it from the road, if possible to do so safely, will hopefully save Wildcare its life. Yes, turtles can stink – but just think, you could be saving a life that could go on for another 50 years. (Long lived, they don’t reach maturity until around 10 years old). TARAGO BUSHFIRE BRIGADE If a turtle, found on the road, looks fine and intact, place it on the ground well away from passing cars; if it was clearly (est 1946) moving in one direction, place it on that side. If injured, call To report all fires DIAL 000 Wildcare 6299 1966. Vets are another option if it is in a very bad way. With a little awareness, many turtle deaths can be prevented if we simply look and wonder what that small, dark Fire season is upon us again and, hopefully, this season will lump on the road is. not be as devastating as the last. With the much needed rain, the pastures are looking great, but create a grassfire Recently a turtle in care, recovering from an injury, laid eggs threat when they dry off.