EastsiderNews EastsiderNews Edition Number 5 EastsiderNews FREE News, views and items of interest for residents of Melbourne’s east April 2021 Clarion call for an end to violence against women – Kate McCarthy Ann Scott stood on Camberwell the wake of the shocking allegation of a sexual assault in station platform holding a Parliament House, Canberra. home-made sign on the morning “I’m tired and angry. I don’t have much hope that things of Monday, 15 March. She was will change…I’ve been doing this for years and women on her way to Treasury Gardens in are still getting murdered, abused, assaulted and Melbourne to march for justice for harassed on a daily basis,” she lamented as she waited women, along with an estimated for the train. Many school students and children joined the march to call for 10,000 people who flocked into an end to violence against women. the city for the event. Many “I’m marching for my daughter, so she doesn’t have to thousands more marched in other put up with the sexism in the workplace like I did when up the stairs, the street above was bustling with people capital and regional cities. I was her age. I’m marching for all the friends in my life moving as one towards Treasury Gardens. who have been sexually and physically abused. And, as a Tired of fighting the same fight, Once at the gathering Ann said she initially felt angry woman over 60, I’m marching because women have had Ann has been marching for at having to protest yet again, but then, as she stood enough of being dismissed and not being listened to.” women’s rights since the 1970s. alongside thousands of other people in solidarity, she felt She didn’t hesitate when People came in droves to the city of Melbourne, filing out hopeful and strong. “Standing beside sisters as one voice academic and activist, Janine of stations and trams and flooding the streets. People was empowering. When I arrived home later that day, I Ann Scott, Camberwell, Hendry, put out the call on social dressed in black, proudly carrying signs and placards. felt happy that the women of Australia had their voices at the March4Justice media for people to march in Walking out of the underground at Parliament Station and heard,” she said. lifestyle for many thousands of years with minimal impact to the environment. The creek now has a plethora of tributaries (some are out of sight in pipes), trails, parks, IN THIS EDITION and crossings. Despite ongoing media prominence of the Gardiners Creek is well known to many readers of COVID challenges, it is clear that the community Eastsider News. But do you know that it is the only is bouncing back from the rather bewildering significant creek to run into the Yarra River without an experience of 2020. Seeing the MCG with football overall management plan? In recent times, a number crowds again, people using public transport again of people have come together to rectify this failure and (with their masks on), and many local groups ensure the ecological properties of this much loved meeting again, we are adjusting to the ‘new creek are maintained. This introductory article will be normal’. This increase in activity has resulted in followed in later editions of Eastsider News that explore a flood of articles for Eastsider News, so many its history and bring you articles from a member of the that we have increased the size of this fifth edition alliance of friends groups and others who have an interest from 16 to 20 pages. We suggest you scan the Kooyongkoot in how Gardiners Creek is managed. An important whole edition to see what interests you most, and Photo credit: Melbourne Photo credit: Water element of this discussion is the indigenous heritage then go back and read articles in detail. When you surrounding the creek and its naming and significance The southern waterway of the Eastsider News focus open the website, enlarge the text and images to to Aboriginal culture. area was originally known as Kooyongkoot, from the a readable size by simply double clicking. Woiwurrung language of the indigenous Australian Recent tours by First Nations guide Dean Stewart helped Eastsider News continues with the aim of Wurundjeri-Baluk group which translates to ‘haunt of the people observe the sounds, smells, sights, and tastes providing a diversity of stories about local waterfowl’. The creek’s current name was given in honour of the Kooyongkoot – home to the Pobblebonk frog and people and their activities as they enjoy the of early Melbourne land speculator and banker, John teeming with herons, cormorants, and swamp hens – and pleasures and face the challenges of both their Gardiner, who settled near the junction of Kooyongkoot understand the medicinal, edible and ecosystem value local area and the wider world. Visits to www. Creek and the Yarra River in 1836. of Indigenous plants during Eel Season in March. This eastsidernews.org.au and free subscription was part of the ‘Regenerating the Kooyongkoot’ series Long before Gardiner’s arrival, the banks of Kooyongkoot signup increase daily, the contributor rollcall – a citizen-led micro-festival celebrating the beginning were a source of vegetation used for food, tools and is expanding, and local advertisers are very of a 20-year masterplan to restore and create a 10km medicine by the local Aboriginal people, the Wurundjeri. supportive, but we need more to keep the biodiversity corridor around Glen Iris Wetlands and The Wurundjeri people’s skills and adaptation to their initiative strong. We would like to print two Gardiners Creek. environment meant they were able to sustain their editions a year for local distribution, but that will require funding support. Any suggestions for possible funding? BUILDING COMMUNITY, So now, look inside: • Anzac Day one neighbourhood house at a time • our local community radio station • poetry, music, and sport The trials and tribulations of recent times have highlighted their own particular character. They are part of a huge • meet Maximillian von Schnauzer’s friends the importance of community connectiveness in network of over 400 similar bodies throughout Victoria • history and reminiscences creating a strong and compassionate society capable of supported by their local councils with core funding from • mental health initiatives overcoming challenges of bushfires and pandemics. In the State Government. …and much more. this edition of Eastsider News, we feature stories of vital It is very likely that you will have a neighbourhood house Submissions for the sixth edition of Eastsider link in this chain of connection, our local neighbourhood close by to you. To find out more, we suggest you go to News are due no later than 25 May, to be online houses. Om page 16, the three included are Hawthorn the website for Neighbourhood Houses Victoria at https:// early June. See the guidelines for submissions Community House, Trentwood at the Hub in Balwyn www.nhvic.org.au/. They have a long list of all the houses on page 20. North, and Koonung Community House in Blackburn available that can be searched by postcode. We would North. While they share much in common, they each have also like to tell the stories of the many others in our area. Despite general support for the removal of the Union Road and Mont Albert Road level crossings, there is significantly increased concern that the Level STOP Crossing Removal Project team and the State Government are not taking the need for community engagement seriously. Major unsatisfactory issues include the lack of well-designed connections for the Surrey Hills and Hamilton Street shopping centres, loss of open space and vegetation, and ease of accessibility PRESS across the trench. Surrey Hills Progress Association, supported by other concerned groups, have organised a face-to-face public meeting at Holy Redeemer Hall on Thursday 29 April. For details about how you can attend this meeting, and about the project generally, see page 5 of this edition of Eastsider News. Eastsider News — No.5 April 2021 1 Frankie goes to kindergarten A new book for illustrator Marjory Gardner You may have noticed Boroondara resident Marjory Gardner’s name in childhood educators Peta Baxter and Connie Hemmens, Eastsider News. Her quirky it was published in March by Melbourne-based Ford illustrations accompany the Street Publishing. Frankie is based on a real dog, a poems by Corinne Fenton French bulldog/Pug cross that accompanies his owner that are a regular feature Peta to the Queensland kindergarten where she and of this publication. During Connie work. Lockdown, Marjory was busy Kookas in the Kitchen working on a much larger Frankie is a much-loved member of his kindergarten – Corrine King project, illustrating ‘Frankie community, reassuring children, helping them avoid Goes to Kindergarten’, a separation anxiety, and making their kinder day fun. It was only for a minute that the picture book for 3-5 year “It was a lovely project to work on,” said Marjory, door was open wide olds. Written by early whose colourful characters have appeared in many children’s books and magazines. “I’m hoping parents But seven cheeky kookaburras and kindergarten teachers alike will read the book to little came flying right inside. ones to prepare them for their kinder journey.” They flew about the kitchen, The book gently teaches children about sharing, eating they didn’t want to sit, healthy food, being kind to animals and each other, and My Mum was cooking breakfast sun safety. There is also a sub-plot that children will enjoy and she nearly had a fit!!!! – looking for George the cat on every page! One landed on the top-most shelf, As well as illustrating, Marjory also enjoys visiting another on the sink.