Spring 2019 ar st ye 41

ISSUE 186

THE NORTH & WEST MELBOURNE NEWS IS PRODUCED BY VOLUNTEERS AT THE CENTRE: Connecting Community in North & West Melbourne Inc www.centre.org.au Classes go through the motions

Tanaka Nyamvura would begin when they left,” Cliff grimaces. liff Rundle can now laugh about While emergency workers Can awful Sunday morning drained the water from the last month at North Melbourne classrooms, the resulting Language and Learning. mess meant they had to The adult education centre be decontaminated. In two that Cliff manages works to classrooms, carpets had to be Token Armies. Photograph: Dian McLeod empower the CALD (Culturally and removed and new floorboards Linguistically Diverse) community installed. However, classes had to in the Alfred Street public housing continue. And they did. estate. His education facility “That was important because Rich festival feast of theatre and dance occupies the ground floor of an we didn’t want to disrupt students 11-storey block. learning. When classes stop, it can Claire Wilcock exactly what is possible with of King Kong and Walking with “A rogue tree root ruptured a be hard to get students to return,” Sellotape and cardboard boxes – Dinosaurs) and an ensemble of sewerage pipe in a first-floor unit,” Cliff explained. Sam Navarria, he Melbourne International on its first visit to Melbourne. 23 performers. It will run from 16 Cliff said. The flat quickly became NMLL education and compliance TArts Festival is coming to These three shows will run from to 20 October. inundated with raw sewage, with coordinator, agrees. “We stress the the North Melbourne Town Hall 2 to 6 October only. Claire Wilcock is marketing manager at hundreds if not thousands of litres importance of attendance, so we next month. In the festival’s final week, Token Arts House. seeping through the floor to flood had to make sure they had lessons,” The festival will run from 2 to 20 Armies – the first work from NMLL’s rooms below. he said. October and will include some Chunky Move under their new Want to know more? Cliff had been at home relaxing The Department of Health and of the world’s most gripping artistic director Antony Hamilton – Tickets for all shows are available when the first call came through Human Services provided rooms contemporary dance. And Arts will take over the Meat Market. on the Arts House website at and didn’t realise how dire the in another building for students to House will be presenting it right It is epic in scale, ambitious in artshouse.com.au, on 9322 3720, or situation was. “But when I got a use. Bio-cleaners came in to restore here on your doorstep. conceit, and utterly unforgettable at the Arts House box office in North second call, I knew it was serious the flooded classrooms. Offerings will range from physical in execution. This world premiere Melbourne Town Hall. Discounted and I was prepared for the worst. Cliff speaks with admiration theatre that tests the limits of event is an evolutionary leap into tickets for locals: all shows $25 The damage affected all three for how the students handled everyday office supplies to a an unknown tomorrow. except Token Armies $39. Use the classrooms, two of them severely,” the interruption. “It was thrilling dance duet in a space that It features sculptures by Creature code LOCAL if you’re a local resident. he explains. commendable how they put up grows ever smaller. Technology Company (creator The centre’s rooms had with their temporary unsuitable Four epic performances are experienced what the Age accommodation. guaranteed to e ntertain you next indelicately called a ‘poo-nami’. “It just showed how we can month. All you have to do is book “There was water in between the all rally together to achieve a your tickets. classrooms, and police and 30 shared goal.” There will be four shows in the people were working to minimise town hall and the Meat Market. the damage. It soon dawned on Tanaka Nyamvura writes regularly for A North Melbourne-based dance me that a huge clean-up task the News. company, Lucy Guerin Inc., will bring its duet Split back to Arts House after it has been wowing audiences worldwide. Jo Lloyd’s OVERTURE is also making a triumphant return to Arts House following its premiere in August last year. It now has a clutch of awards under its belt. And there’s Branch Nebula’s High Performance Packing Tape – Students coped well with their temporary work area. Photograph: Manatosh Chakma the work that makes you rethink Overture. Photograph: Peter Rosetzky

INSIDE Page 5 Page 14 Page 20 4-page Program liftout 2 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019

So they did. Phillip explains, and their pursuits, but can reach conversation and critical “We set out in a modest way to into all areas,” he explains. One thinking. Well done, Phillip, and Flowering create an Institute of Postcolonial regret is that he never achieved all who embraced your efforts! Studies that would engage in his goal of a postcolonial opera When Phillip stepped down of a dream critical thinking through a book featuring Indigenous soprano as director, he said, “I’ve handed series, a recognised international Deborah Cheetham. the baton to younger members journal, and a regular series of The choice of the institute’s of the academic community, so of arts and seminars”. founding patrons, the Justice that generational change can Their spontaneous decision Michael Kirby and Professor take place.” captured an opportunity to Lowitja O’Donoghue, reflects He has high praise for new academia work, as Phillip puts it, “on the its commitment to working executive director Melinda critical edges of knowledge, across cultural and disciplinary Hinkson and executive officer John H. Smith and the life of communities”. boundaries. Carlos Morreo. “They have put The independent institute that Phillip speaks highly of both. together a remarkable program.” “If we had really thought it resulted has operated for 23 years “In themselves, and through Phillip is confident the institute Phillip Darby – IPCS’s recently retired through, I don’t think we would with the blessing of, and formal their support, both were terrific will continue to investigate founding director. have embarked on the project,” affiliation with, the University of advocates for the institute.” He and respond creatively to the says Phillip Darby, recently retired Melbourne. also praises Ashish Nandi, from pressing concerns of our time. founding director of the Institute Michael said, “Why don’t we Gradually the institute the Centre for Developing Studies of Postcolonial Studies. buy it and live there together?” broadened out beyond traditional in Delhi. “More than anyone, he John H. Smith writes regularly for the Phillip recalls the day in the After a thoughtful moment Phillip academic activities to encompass helped put the institute on the News. 1990s when it all began. He and replied, “I love you, and your the highlight of Phillip’s work: a international map.” Want to find out more? fellow University of Melbourne family, but I have lived alone all remarkable series of seminars in A spontaneous decision, Learn more about the Institute of academic Michael Dutton were my life. I don’t know if that would the performing arts. supported by a benefactor, Postcolonial Studies at ipcs.org.au; enjoying a glass of wine in Phillip’s work.” After another glass of wine, “This venture demonstrated that transformed a wreck of a email [email protected]. roof-top garden, overlooking a Michael asked, “Why don’t we buy critical approaches to knowledge property into an institute that derelict hotel in Curzon Street. it and develop an institute?” are not restricted to intellectuals is a vital forum for community, Fling into spring

Doné De Beer Errol Street and support our local artists and creators. he Spring Fling Street Festival Getting us off to a great start on Tis back for its 42nd year, with the main stage we have Bryon some new twists and old classics. Siren, whose voice is like a siren’s The festival will take place on call. His original songs are sure to Saturday 19 October from 11am tug at your heartstrings and lure to 4pm, in George Johnson Lane, you closer for a better look as he Little Errol Street and Raglan flies between guitar, ukulele and Street. We can’t think of a better tambourine. way to celebrate our inner-city The inimitable Homebrew Morris dancers joined the festivities at a previous Spring Fling. Photographs: Jim Weatherill diversity and local talent than in Verandah Singers hit the the sunshine among friends. stage at 2.55pm. Their joy of The groove doesn’t stop here. mini-circus show, as well as some of nostalgia and stories through The beloved Dog Show will be singing together is clear to There will be interactive dance fancy hula-hoop tricks by Merryn. his acoustic folk music. back, from 1pm to 2pm on the see. Celebrating life to the full, performances in the laneways, Your kids (and you!) will love Keep updated through our main stage. Enter your talented this men’s choir might croon so keep an eye out for when Delyse’s Drama Academy’s skit on social media – Instagram: pets and show off their slick about broken-hearted love you can bust a move. The Jungle Book. From 11.40am, springflingfestival, and Facebook: skills and silly-frills outfits, or just before erupting into a rousing All this dancing can be here’s your chance to make your Spring Fling Street Festival. come along to watch a parade of Elizabethan drinking song or one thirsty work, and your food acting debut in an interactive Whether it be for a boogie, adorable pooches. reflecting Australia’s social history. and beverage needs will be drama game. a delicious snack or a hunt for Returning this year is the Ever wanted to try out West covered. Stroll past our range Can’t get enough good tunes? some special goods, you won’t enchanting suitcase market, African drumming? Sessi Sessi of food trucks and fuel up on Don’t worry, we’ve got you sorted want to miss this event. Lock it a forest of odd finds and rare will not only put on an amazing some delicious fare so you can with Luke jamming in the side in your calendar! handmade items you can’t get performance but will be bringing keep the good times going. streets. Rounding out the day, anywhere else. Travel through this some extra drums so you can try Your little ones will be enthralled Caine Trindall, a Yuin man, will be Doné De Beer is a Spring Fling mini-market wonderland in Little your hand at tapping out a beat. by Varietville’s daring stunts and drawing us into a beautiful world volunteer.

WE HAVE MOVED

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Geoff Pound Shannon Stacey n the 1860s, when North Iand West Melbourne were osie, a 10-year-old Melbourne’s new growth suburbs, RStaffordshire terrier, was very a large, oddly-shaped allotment happy with life until the day that bordered by King, Hawke, Curzon her carers brought another dog and Miller streets became the into the home. base for local Baptists. Rosie was none too pleased The West Melbourne Baptist and growled to indicate her Church’s place of worship was a displeasure. This one incident stark bluestone building, about was enough for her carers to which an observer wrote: “It was surrender her to Lort Smith. not built for show. Its architecture Lort Smith operates an animal is extremely severe, designed for hospital, adoption centre and use and durability.” many community outreach programs. A lasting legacy of Today, the West Melbourne ‘Hawke+King’ apartment village. Photographs: Eighth Day Community Baptist Church (now known as the founder Louisa Lort Smith is Rosie takes a seat. Photograph: Jacqui Boyd Eighth Day Community) is housed The judges commended the smaller meeting rooms to house to never give up on an animal on this same land but in a stylish variety of communal spaces church activities. They also serve capable of being rehomed. We mid-rise apartment complex. (shared gardens, outdoor seating, as a community centre, ‘eight days weren’t going to give up on Rosie! A team of two surgeons and The church community, under barbecue areas and communal a week’. Like any ageing dog, Rosie two nurses successfully carried the leadership of Gary Heard, laundry) that facilitate interaction No longer does the church wasn’t going to be running out the delicate operation. Rosie has completed a development in with neighbours. They also noted stand alone as the original any half marathons and had a then recovered in our intensive which 75 apartments have been the open walkways and living bluestone building did. It is now range of health issues – some care unit before being moved to built on this site in several towers. areas, the edgy use of raw and part of a vibrant apartment predictable, but others more foster care for some loving care Several communal areas give it a recycled building materials, the village. It answers our question: serious. Itchy skin, red eyes with and attention. From ICU to TLC! campus or village feel. red brick hat-tip to the former “How can we help to make North green discharge, chronic ear Days later, Rosie still wasn’t Since July last year, up to buildings, and the industrial and West Melbourne better inflammation, and a hot spot quite herself. Her breathing was 200 residents have made the designs that reflect the former places for all people to enjoy?” thrown in for good measure. laboured and she was rushed ‘Hawke+King’ apartment village days of the suburb. All relatively manageable with Geoff Pound is pastor of the Eighth back to Lort Smith. Blood tests their home. The church has Due credit also went to the appropriate medication, some of Day Community. indicated she was anaemic and retained several apartments for many environmental features, which she will take all her life. needed a blood transfusion. It use in various ways: affordable including a food waste system, a First, Rosie underwent a major Want to know more? worked a treat and she has never housing for people struggling compost maker, rainwater tanks, dental procedure that saw six Worship gatherings are held looked back. to find private rental homes; a green rooftop creating a habitat teeth extracted to alleviate her at 5.30pm each Sunday. The After Rosie recovered, she was an accessibility apartment; for native birds, and a seven-star mouth pain. What was more Community Centre is available for adopted by her foster carer. Now, accommodation for ‘community energy rating. concerning, however, were her hire – priority is given to local not- she enjoys playing at her local builders’ both within the complex On the ground floor at the numerous lumps and bumps. for-profit groups. Contact centre park and is able to keep up with and local suburbs; and an southern end of the apartment Four lumps were removed and manager Cathie Staunton at the other dogs. She is happy, apartment for the pastor and complex (4 Miller Street, West pathology results indicated they [email protected]. healthy and very much loved. family. Melbourne) there is a hall and were benign. But there was one Compared to the 1860s, the sinister looking hard mass on her ribcage. A biopsy confirmed she Shannon Stacey is communications church has been much more specialist at Lort Smith. attentive to its architecture. had bone cancer. Not prepared to give up Working with the developer and Want to know more? on Rosie, vets embarked on architect, it has come up with an Lort Smith was only able to provide an operation that had never attractive design that encourages Rosie with her needed medical care previously been carried out at community. In June, the by the support of our generous Lort Smith. Using their state-of- apartment complex’s designer, donors. If you want to make a the-art CT scanner, vets were able Six Degrees Architects, received donation to help other animals like to carefully plan exactly how they two significant architectural Rosie, visit: lortsmith.com/donate would carry out a rib resection to awards in the categories of or call 03 9287 6468. residential-multiple housing and remove the nasty mass. sustainability. The bluestone West Melbourne Baptist Church c.1860. 4 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Angelic voices light up Peter Mac Rosie Greenfield

ack in 2002, when our community choir Right: Errol’s Angels on stage. Bbegan, we had to decide on a name. The establishing committee proposed four possibilities. Helen, one of our original members, tells us that Errol’s Angels was chosen by popular vote. We found this out as members recently sorted through choir records when creating an archive. Singing like an angel is not a prerequisite Want to know more? for joining the choir – but participating in Contact The Centre on a vast range of musical styles is! Our library 9328 1126. includes a wide variety of songs in other languages as well as a range of early music. For example, there is Ave Maris Stella, based and Gordon McCrae song from the 1950s. a cappella (unaccompanied) choir who to enjoy singing. Maryanne creates an on an 8th Century vespers hymn, there It was wonderful to perform for the would welcome you to sing with us. encouraging and inclusive environment are Broadway musicals, and more recent patients, staff and visitors in the central It doesn’t matter whether your voice is for all. popular music. atrium at the Peter MacCallum. Our high, low or somewhere in the middle. Come and try for yourself! We find learning and singing songs from performance was part of the music therapy There are no auditions, you just have Rosie Greenfield is a member of Errol’s Angels. other cultures and languages increases our program that runs during the Thursday awareness of diversity and that it connects lunchtime concert series at the hospital. us in a very real way to how others see and The Angels performed with fellow experience life. community choirs Heartsong and Sound This was most evident in the choir’s Waves as we sang with each other in front Early voice for women recent performance at the Peter MacCallum of an appreciative audience. Many hospital Cancer Hospital in Parkville. Our repertoire people attended, with the comment made included Welcome to All People from Ruby that it was wonderful to hear the songs of a Hunter; Yemaya, a Nigerian chant; Ave Maris by-gone era being sung. in politics and in sex Stella; The Space With Light, written by our We’d love to share experiences like these musical director, Maryanne Clements; and with you – either by your joining our choir Michelle Brett By the Light of the Silvery Moon, a Doris Day or being part of an audience. We are an ander down Errol Street and at Wnumber 51 you’ll pass the local CBA branch. It’s a building with a past. READY FOR A MINDFUL In the 1870s it was a greengrocery run by William Smyth and his wife, Brettena. When MATWORK EXPERIENCE? he died in 1873 and left her with three children, she converted it into a drapery and druggist business. Brettena was a remarkable woman. An interest in health led her to enrol at university and be one of the very few women of that era to study medicine. When economic depression hit hard in the 1890s, she couldn’t pay the fees and had to leave. Undeterred, she continued to study privately, focusing on women’s health and sexuality. She even wrote a book, Brettena Smyth. Photograph: PROV What Every Woman Should Know: Diseases Incidental to Women (1895) that provided information to women that they couldn’t She continued her work until her death in access elsewhere. 1898, at just 57, from kidney disease. Just Brettena’s beliefs were unusual for her ten years later, Victorian women won the times. She asserted that marriage should be right to vote. an equal partnership and, while she didn’t Brettena Smyth’s pioneering work – in champion birth outside of marriage, she health, contraception and women’s suffrage advocated for voluntary motherhood and – was well ahead of its time. She bravely There’s never been a better time to try Pilates. controlled birth rates. helped women understand their bodies Buy one class pass, get one FREE. A commanding presence at over 180 cm, and have control over them. she delivered a series of public lectures Located in Errol Street, North Melbourne, we offer weekly informing women about birth control. Her Michelle Brett is a new contributor to the News. classes for all ages, genders and fi tness levels. druggist store sold devices such as the Want to know more? rubber ‘French Pessaire Preventif’, described Brettena Smyth’s story is part of a new then as “the only article of the kind that exhibition, Wayward Women?, introducing can be used without the knowledge of the characters who don’t fit the stereotype of 0449 103 952 husband”. demure Victorian womanhood. It is showing [email protected] In that unenlightened era when only men at Old Treasury Building in Spring Street until could vote, Brettena joined a group that June 2020, presented in partnership with advanced the case for women’s suffrage. In Public Records Office Victoria. 1888 she formed a breakaway group when Visit oldtreasurybuilding.org.au or prov.vic. her progressive ideas for contraception gov.au for more information. were deemed too radical. North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 5 Hotham Mission’s helping hand lifts its community up

Joey Rebakis weekly food packages to around Next year we plan to launch, 60 local families. This is linked in partnership with other otham Mission is part of to a fortnightly cooking class at local organisations, a weekly HNorth Melbourne’s Mark the a nearby high school. Students community program to Evangelist (Uniting Church) in Elm learn practical life skills and we complement our other work. Street. foster a knowledge and interest in We hope to engage young We are a small not-for-profit healthy, quick and cheap food. women aged 12 to 25 with agency helping people overcome Hotham Mission has had their education, community the barriers in their life, engage a long commitment to engagement and social support. in their community and achieve supporting refugees and asylum Hotham Mission’s work is only their potential. seekers. We currently provide made possible by the passion Operating in Melbourne’s inner- accommodation to a number of of donors and volunteers. We suburbs since the early 1900s, we women and their children who thank all those involved for their mostly work with public housing Hotham Mission workers: (L-R) Greg, Joey and Neysa. Photograph: Hotham Mission are living in the community while continued interest and support. residents, many of whom are their visa status is being assessed. Joey Rebakis is community of African and Middle Eastern club for grades 4 to 6 at the North education for secondary students With the support of other local development coordinator at backgrounds. Melbourne Community Centre. with limited financial capacity. organisations, we also facilitate a Hotham Mission. Our primary focus is on helping We also work with local schools A third program is food security. boys group that nurtures positive young people and their families and other organisations as we Here, we aim to provide students male role models, teaches life Want to know more? to engage with and continue their provide materials (for example, with good quality, healthy food skills, and enables a safe space More information on Hotham education. One example is our electronic devices and books) that will sustain their learning. for young people to engage with Mission’s work can be found at the weekly after school homework to help enable equal access to We provide lunch vouchers and their emotions. website: hothammission.org.au.

Dick Dowling and Jeff Moore show what they think of Light up the night the club’s activities and amenities. Grant Banks As lead-up to the more serious summer Photograph: City of pennant competition, Monday night Melbourne Bowls s we welcome the warmer spring coaching has also started, with a new fun Club Aweather, the City of Melbourne Bowls format recently unveiled. Our club coaches Club has plenty to offer experienced and have been busy over winter devising novice lawn bowlers alike. creative new ways to learn about lawn Our popular Friday nights-under-lights bowls and to hone the sport’s finer skills. competition, the City Mazda Cup gets Come along any time between 4.30pm rolling again next month. Entries are now and 7.30pm to see the bowls revolution for being taken. Each Friday in October, the yourself. New bowlers, including novices, club will host this fun barefoot bowls are most welcome. The invitation also Grant Banks is vice chair of the City of Melbourne Want to know more? competition with weekly spot prizes and a includes existing bowlers wishing to play in Bowls Club. To be involved in the club’s City Mazda Cup prize for the winning team after four weeks. this year’s pennant season. (teams of four $20pp pre-booked or $25 The not-so-serious format of the City Pennant will commence on 1 October at the door), enquire at the club or email Mazda Cup encourages bowlers of all for midweek (Tuesday) competition [email protected]. skill levels to get involved. Groups can and 5 October for Saturday pennant. either register a team for the four weeks Any prospective bowlers will be warmly competition or individuals can be placed in welcomed at our Monday evening practice. Thinking of selling? a team if they are keen to participate. You’ll find our club nestled in the beautiful We are a family of 3 including our little girl (almost 2). We love the community The attractions are not only out on the Flagstaff Gardens. feel of North Melbourne and don’t want to leave! We’ve been renting here since green. Tasty bar specials at attractive rates Bowls is an inclusive sport, perfect for 2011 and searching for our fi rst home for over a year. Looking to buy a 2 or 3 are available for all bowlers. Lunch at everyone regardless of experience or ability. bedroom apartment, large lounge room, bath and small outdoor area. Not too half-time is also available for all the keen Monday evenings practice is a great way to bowlers we’re sure will be rolling up for start your bowls career. Coaching is free and many stairs to access the apartment. Pre-approved. the event. equipment can be provided. Call Jon on 0405 423 650 OPTOMETRIST

Hours 9–5 Mon–Fri Andrew 10–12.30 Sat Harris After Hours by Appointment BSc(Optom), FVCO Contact Lens Practitioner

56 Errol Street - North Melbourne - phone 9329 9372 6 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Dig down in the archives to make sense of our past

Rosalynd Smith

n the south-west side of North OMelbourne’s Shiel Street, straddling the slope down to Macaulay Road, stands a modern building, bland but not unattractive. Its purpose is declared by the name above the glass entry: Victorian Archives Centre. Inside is a foyer with tables and chairs, and a receptionist behind the desk. Behind it is a small gallery holding a Time and Tide exhibition, featuring marvellous old photographs of Melbourne’s wharfs and dockyards between 1936 and 1959. Down below, the temperature-controlled basement contains the collection of the Public Record Office Victoria as well as part of the National Archives of Australia. There are records of government departments, courts, councils, schools, hospitals and A PROV staff member helps a researcher find information. Photograph: PROV inquiries. There are also photographs, maps and illustrations. Behind the reception is the reading room, Italian prisoner of war camp in the 1940s. report into Bartoli’s death. Unfortunately, Rosalynd Smith writes regularly for the News. where quiet researchers are bent over their Years later, when he bought a nearby they were missing the pivotal exhibit, a materials. Here, many users are tracing their house, he started to investigate the site in photo of the scene of the shooting that was Want to know more? family history, using the births, deaths and earnest. This led to him unearthing a story referred to repeatedly during the inquest Find out more about Darren’s discoveries in his marriages link, a connection to Ancestry, that included a sensational incident in which and inquiries. blog, linked to the PROV website: prov.vic.gov. as well as census lists, school records, wills, a prisoner, Rodolfo Bartoli, was fatally shot by The trail finally ended here in the Archives au/about-us/our-blog/missing-piece-puzzle immigrations records and land titles. the camp commandant. Centre in North Melbourne when Darren and at italianprisonersofwar.com/2018/12/17/ Darren Arnott is here, pursuing a story he Using records from both Victorian and found another copy of the report, unopened no-regard-for-the-truth/. has been unable to let go. He has followed national archives, Darren was able to piece since 1946 – and this time with the missing Darren’s book, No Regard for the Truth, is to be it for years through the records in this office together a fascinating slice of Victorian photo. published in October. Find it at www.bookstore. and elsewhere. As he rode his bike around history. His painstaking research enabled Another late discovery was that Bartoli’s bookpod.com.au/ or through Amazon. Rowville as a boy, he had noticed the him to fill in the last gaps in the story when Australian girlfriend was still alive, living in bluestone foundations of what had been an he found several copies of the coroner’s Queensland and happy to be interviewed. Simone nurses her artistic flair into a business

Mike Muscat towels. Australian botanicals are a not chosen Simone. In a parallel theme in her work, influenced by universe you might be talking to est Melbourne-based artist a childhood spent camping in the Femke at Simone Textiles,” she WSimone Deckers can be bush with her family. smiles. found in her space at River Studios, While Simone initially sewed Simone’s transition to full-time on the banks of the Maribyrnong. these products herself, she now artist came after 17 years of It’s a fascinating facility that prints her signature designs on nursing. “I knew nursing wasn’t my accommodates 80 artists in its fabrics that people buy for their passion but it took a particularly 63 studios. own creations. “I just love the awful day for me to recognise it Simone tells how she received physical process of screen printing. was the wrong vocation for me.” an unexpected email from I get a thrill out of hand drawing She quit the next day and enrolled commercial website Etsy, which my designs and pulling ink across in textile design at RMIT. focuses on selling handmade or screens to produce beautiful The colourful, creative disarray of vintage items and craft supplies. original patterns.” Simone’s studio is in stark contrast She had never dealt with the site For Simone, there’s an ethical to the white-walled sterility of her and suspected it was a con. dimension to her art. “I’m conscious former workplace. “I don’t miss The email was an invitation to of the role designers have in that life at all. I’m happiest in here collaborate with major cosmetics reducing the environmental with my hands stained with ink, brand Kiehl’s for a David Jones Simone Deckers involved in her screen printing. Photograph: Mike Muscat impact of the products they create. creating beautiful prints people holiday promotion. “I thought it I choose to work with non-toxic want to buy.” was a gag email, but it turned out inks and natural, sustainably- Mike Muscat writes regularly for the that someone loved my designs on my sewing machine,” she into a major department store and sourced fabrics.” News. and wanted them on a Kiehl’s laughs. “The poor thing couldn’t seeing my designs in a display, The business name came gift box being produced for handle the workload.” knowing they’d be seen by in a moment of inspiration Want to know more? Mother’s Day.” Long days and broken machine shoppers all across the country.” while assembling her graduate Check out Femke Textiles at Simone designed the gift boxes aside, it was a decision she’s She has since turned her work collection at university. “My family femketextiles.com.au and read more and spent many hours making never regretted. “It was a fantastic into Femke Textiles, a business background is Friesian, from the about the artists at River Studios at zippered pouches to hold the opportunity,” Simone says. “I can’t that hand prints fabric to make Netherlands, and I would have creativespaces.net.au . beauty products. “I blew the motor describe the feeling of walking products such as bags and tea been Femke had my parents North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 7 Enjoy old Killarney’s blarney with a Guinness

Tim Cremean Harry Patte-Dobbs

f all the places in North Melbourne The Drunken tep inside the Celtic at Metropolitan The Celtic Oto have a quiet drink, I know my on Courtney Street and you might just favourite. It’s the Drunken Poet in Peel S imagine for an afternoon that you’re back Street, just opposite the Queen Vic market. Poet Club in old Ireland. Siobhan Dooley has run this authentic of portraits hanging on the walls. Apart Go past the churchlike, stained glass Irish bar for more than 12 years. Six nights There’s one thing that never changes. from Les Murray, James Joyce and Samuel windows and you’ll find the Cúchulainn a week there’s music and poetry, all with a As long as the Celtic on Metropolitan, the Beckett, you might spot Nick Cave, Bob dash of Guinness, Bushmills Irish Whiskey bar. The walls are adorned with Irish flags, Dylan or Shane MacGowan. Celtic Club’s temporary home on Courtenay and a boutique wine list. Siobhan creates words of the national anthem, posters for While in New York recently, I had a drink Street home, runs these informal sessions, a great vibe with her eclectic taste in Irish-authored books and radio shows. at the Dead Poet in the Upper West Side. feet will be tapping under tables laden with recorded music between performances. And of course, there’s always Guinness on The manager made me feel at home when I Guinness. Nodding along to the players is It can be a tight fit as musicians, backs to tap. told him about North Melbourne’s Drunken infectious. the front window, play in the long skinny Every Friday afternoon from 3pm, you Poet. I didn’t tell him that that our Poet has room. There are tables for four down one If you enjoy live Irish music and a chat, twice the atmosphere. can walk in and be part of a traditional side and a grand mahogany bar down the head on down to the Celtic on Courtney If you like music, conversation and a drink, Irish folk music session. Players Gary other. Small groups and single punters are Street from 3pm on Friday afternoons. you can’t beat the Drunken Poet. On a Sullivan, Graeme Pilkington and Leo all welcome. Soak up the atmosphere and As patron Barry says: “I love the culture Friday, there is Irish music, tribute acts and Quinn will usually be holding a tin whistle, you might just find yourself in conversation and the music; it’s a real place.” So, it’s sláinte heaps of blues. box accordion, and a fiddle respectively. with your neighbour at the bar. (cheers!), and come down for the craic. How such a small venue can put on two I’ve lubricated my tonsils here And it’s a fiddle, not a violin! or three great acts a day is astounding. while enjoying the intimacy of blues The musicians will be joined by Allister, Harry Patte-Dobbs is a new contributor to performances from the late great Chris Tim Cremean writes regularly for the News. Mike and Eamon around a small table in the News. Wilson, the roots music of Lucky Oceans, the main bar. In a typical session, where and the rock of Lloyd Spiegel. Want to know more? all who can play are welcome to come Want to know more? You can test your knowledge of poets old To find out more about the Drunken Poet, visit and go, around five to eight players reel To find out more about the Celtic www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au. at Metropolitan, visit www.celticclub.com.au. and new by checking the large collection off Irish folk songs, hornpipes and – if the mood is right – perhaps even a lament. “The sessions stem from an interest in tradition, and it’s great fun to play,” says Gary. The rules of how each song is slotted into the afternoon are loose. In true Irish fashion, the music just strikes up.

The Drunken Poet in Musicians share their passion for Irish music at the Celtic Club. Photograph: Harry Patte-Dobbs Peel St.

PAULA FERRARI Certified Practising Speech Pathologist

Assessment and therapy for communication and swallowing diffi culties Children and Adults Abbotsford Street, West Melbourne Phone: 0427 058 564 • Email: [email protected] By appointment 8 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019

I’ve been looking through some of takes around 50 years minimum to fill my old journals. In one I came across very impressive up. Now, it wouldn’t be the pastoralists an old autograph collection from the stealing water, would it? Or useless old days. Once, way back in 1991, I had governmental rules contributing to the a chance meeting with Windsor Davies problem, would it? in a Christchurch café. I walked him to a Dear Sigrid (Thornton), could I get    nearby theatre where he was acting in your autograph? That would truly be I could keep writing this column a panto. I was given a complimentary my captain’s pick. I know you walk forever. Things of interest just keep ticket to see him perform as an ugly among us in North Melbourne. Friends happening to me. Don’t know why. But stepsister. say they have actually seen you in the you really must read Atlas Of Untamed was the worst possible result. Lots of    supermarket or in local shops. I saw Places, An Extraordinary Journey Climate Inaction. If Adani ever gets built, you on the telly device in 1983 in All Through Our Wild World (2016). And is One autograph I don’t have is that of then the mine Clive Palmetto wants to The Rivers Run. I loved it and I’ve loved the universe AMAZING or what? Two Matt ‘The Magnificent’ Lucas. I bumped put right next door will be worse. into him in Smith Street in Collingwood your work ever since. Come and sign my stunning meteors have been caught on    but I was so star struck that the thought journal. camera in three days, in Victoria of an autograph never crossed my mind.    The Government is saying No, it and in the Northern Territory. Wow! couldn’t possibly be our fault. But Go the Universe! He admired the way I was dressed and Do you remember the federal election someone’s been taking the water. he asked directions to the Grace Darling earlier this year? Hundreds of thousands And someone’s drained the Darling’s Hotel. As we walked down the street we of dollars spent, many nasty campaign Menindee Lakes system twice in the Very Impressive shares his views on life in each talked about fashion and comedy. ads and all that. We had to put up with edition of the News. last five years. It’s water that apparently    that Clive Palmetto Stuff and all we got Take a ride to explore Melbourne’s ‘other’ river

Saddle up, guerrilla riders. Today Street bridge, you can ride to Brimbank we are exploring the wonders of WHEELS ON FIRE Park. But be warned, it’s a rough track Melbourne’s forgotten river, the and you might need a hybrid bike. Maribyrnong. Tim Cremean If keeping to my recommended loop, It’s a two-hour scenic ride, but try to you’ll ride back home past Poyntons the planned underground Metro lines Turn downstream for just 200 metres avoid a windy day as this route can nursery and café. From the east side will eventually emerge and link into the and check out the Buddhist Temple leave you exposed to strong winds of the river you can diverge a few existing network. of the Heavenly Queen. It is a great coming downriver. metres at Holmes Road and see the old Ignore the ‘Don’t Enter’ sign – it’s addition to our multicultural city. Then First, nip down Arden Street under incinerator designed by famed architect intended for cars. Continue to South turn back and scan Newell’s Paddock the freeway and go straight ahead to Walter Burley Griffin. It is now an art Kensington station then pedal across Wetlands for birdlife. the silos and train line. You’ll have to gallery. Holland Park to the traffic lights on the You can follow the riverside path push your bike up three flights of stairs Close today’s suggested loop corner of Kensington and Hobsons for kilometres from here. Flemington (a wheel-friendly ramp will help) to by crossing the river back at the roads. Down Hobsons and you’ll racecourse is on the right and, further cross the tracks on a pedestrian bridge. Maribyrnong Road bridge. Retrace cross the river on the wonderful old on, the imposing Edgewater Estate Train addicts can admire the diesel your pedalling back to the stock bridge stock bridge. overlooks the river, its lagoon and locomotives passing below into the and from there you’ll get back to Kensington Banks estate, to your right, extensive wetlands. Soon, on your left, silo area. North Melbourne. used to house stockyards and abattoirs. you’ll spot the solid bluestone Jack’s Over the bridge, and now on the It’s a rich and rewarding ride, especially A bluestone walk snakes through Magazine, once used to store explosives. Kensington side, keep heading down on a blue-sky day. Arden Street, past its many restored the estate. It is the same path that For refreshments, you have a choice of Victorian homes, into Tennyson Street. It thousands of animals walked down as riverside coffee shops and the Angler’s Tim Cremean shares his love of bike-riding in each is in this part of South Kensington that they went to be sold or slaughtered. pub. If you cross the river at the Afton issue of the News.

A pain in the patella takes the spring out of your step

We’re deep into September and regular runs that keep me sane? spring is well and truly here. The birds The answer is strength training. I can are singing their telltale song and the MARATHON GIRL focus on my arms and other muscle flowers are blossoming. Thea Oakes groups while my legs are taking a much- All over Melbourne, runners are needed break. I rely on aqua aerobics or swapping long sleeves for singlets. I the couch. Any injury is annoying, but The tech revolution has given me core training workouts at my local gym. can’t wait to feel the wind on my arms this has become a nightmare. apps to track my recovery, but is this I’m crossing fingers that I can recover again. With winter’s chill now behind us, There’s a physical pain with any injury, helping or just making things more enough to run the Melbourne Half many of us will be updating our well- but for me the enforced boredom is complicated? For me, it’s a bit of both. Marathon next month. So, that’s my worn running gear. worse. It’s left me sitting at home and Runner’s World calls running our message to my fellow injured runners. However, many runners are not so feeling like I’m losing my mind. It’s ‘best friend’, and I couldn’t agree more. Just be patient. lucky. Many of us are battling with comforting to know I’m not the only Running not only keeps us fit but it’s I know your pain because I’ve been niggling injuries like runner’s knee, runner who feels like this. also our happy place, the cheapest there too. It’s just our bodies telling us stress fractures, muscle pulls and To make it worse, the tedious therapy around. It’s a source of stress we need to rest. When that pain in your tendinopathy. If you’re a runner, it goes physiotherapy exercises I’m doing relief and self care for many runners. knee and that tightness in your calf have with the territory. are leaving my body sore. I’m doing After a stressful week at work, the only disappeared, you’ll be glad you waited. I My own recent struggles with patella hip abductions, leg presses and hip thing that helps me unwind is my long know I will be. tendinopathy (tenderness and pain in extensions – all organised neatly on my run at the weekend. So what do I do Thea Oakes writes a regular running column for the kneecap) have left me restless on phone. when injury prevents me from those the News. Ievers Reserve, fronting on to Flemington Road. Photos: Felicity Jack

North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 9 Heavens above! Clerics speak up on life-and-death issue

News editor Maurice Gaul caught up with our local churchmen to talk about their views on assisted dying after it recently passed into state law.

Fr Brian Kelty Rev. Dr Craig Thompson Fr Anthony Bernal Sts Peter and Paul (Ukranian Catholic) Mark the Evangelist (Uniting) St Mary Star of the Sea (Catholic) As a Catholic priest I cannot A good death is one that Euthanasia or mercy killing write in defence of what is accords with who we are in (falsely called ‘assisted dying’) called euthanasia (Greek for life. The question that best is an action or an omission good death). My role is a reveals who we are is “What that of itself or by intention pastoral one, therefore I plead do I think is worth dying causes death, so that all for love, attention, prayer and for?” Perhaps family, friends suffering may be eliminated. spiritual support. or God; our answer is rarely Life belongs to God from Good palliative care tested. Yet that question conception to natural death. demands human effort prompts another: “What is He has a perfect plan for each and financial support. The worth living for?” person so that we all may Catholic position on this issue Suicide – assisted or not merit eternal life in heaven. is to support the value of life – asks this question. Is pain, Therefore, no one has the above all else. Human suffering, of course, flies in the face of dependency, persecution or loneliness worth living? If authority to kill, asked to be killed, or consent to it. Nor this. We face the fact that life from its beginning until end is I choose death, the first question presses again: “What can anyone legitimately recommend or permit such an a paradox. It is paradoxical that life desires endurance but in am I dying for?” If I die for myself, my death no longer action. Euthanasia is a violation of the divine law, an offence the end faces death. Also, that belief systems grasp for what corresponds to what I’ve said is worth dying for – others. against the dignity of the human person. Experience shows is beyond death. We are not our own but are given being for others. The that where it is legal, many people have been killed by Gerhard Lohfink takes up the question of death and bell tolls for us all, indeed, but we ought not ring it before deception, without their consent. resurrection in his recent book, Is This All There Is? On time. Living into death – perhaps especially a difficult death What a sick person needs, besides medical care, is love – to Resurrection and Eternal Life. He reveals the power of – does something for those who watch with us, and for God. be surrounded by the human and supernatural warmth of Christian resurrection, showing it is not about events We ought not deny them that. parents, children, friends, priests, doctors, nurses. And thus that lie in the distant future but rather occurrences to die a holy, dignified death and to enjoy God forever. incomprehensibly close to us. Rev. Dr Geoff Pound The Eighth Day (Baptist) Fr Jan Joustra Rev. Canon Matt Williams Amidst commandments St Mary’s (Anglican) St James Old Cathedral (Anglican) that encourage people to Having worked for decades Pastors are often called to display a reverence towards in supporting people with walk gently with people in all life, there are instances in motor neurone disease and dark places, and I would do the Hebrew and Christian similar debilitating illnesses, that with people seeking Scriptures that respect one’s I can only support the right assistance to die, as with any personal freedom in special of people to choose to end other person saying “no” to circumstances to choose the their life early. their own lives. timing and manner of their This was brought home But, for my part, I want death. to me when working them to know that God has a When the Israelites in an oncology unit “yes” for them instead. I don’t were being routed by the where a woman had a believe that giving a person Philistines, King Saul asked his armour-bearer to draw his gynaecological cancer that the means by which to take sword and kill him “so that these uncircumcised may not caused her distended body their own life – or ending it come and thrust me through, and make sport of me”. His to decay from the inside. for them – is the right response to suffering. terrified armour-bearer was unwilling to assist his master’s The staff were unable to help. She was in a horrendous The biblical story is fundamentally an affirmation of life, death, so Saul fell on his own sword (1 Samuel 31: 1-6). position, her decaying body could be smelled throughout and the goodness of life. God created life, and called it good. In each instance, the time and nature of death is the ward, there was no way to make her comfortable. God defeats death, recreates life, and makes it for ever, voluntarily chosen when death is regarded as being Nobody should have to endure such suffering if a dignified, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. inevitable. The choice is motivated by a desire to die with peaceful, voluntary end is medically available. Because I live from this story, looking to this future, I dignity. The Scriptures report these events without making I struggle to believe in a God who would be happy to see cannot take the side of death. I am compelled to be always judgment. A person’s freedom to choose the timing and anyone suffer like this. I can only conclude that patients affirming the value of life, including lives in pain and lives in manner of death is respected. should be able to end their lives on a voluntary basis if there despair, through hope in Jesus. is no hope of a cure and they are in chronic pain. 10 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Boys’ fowl deeds cook up a feast

Giovanni Di Fabrizio a white wine sauce. The required side dish was roast potatoes with our year 9 students from herbs such as rosemary, sage and FSimonds College recently thyme. cooked up a storm in an inter- Our boys were awarded fourth school culinary competition. place, a fine effort given their The boys – Yosef Meselu, competitors were all in year 11 Nati Teshome, Allan Shen and or 12. They received excellent Brandon Liu – represented the feedback on their preparation, school in an event conducted by presentation and teamwork the Associated Catholic Colleges under pressure. They also enjoyed (ACC) that organises events tasting all the food prepared by for 12 Catholic colleges across the other schools. Melbourne. All four were thrilled with the The ACC conducts an annual experience. “I was so nervous at culinary competition along the the start, but I learned so much,” lines of a junior MasterChef. Nati said. For Allan, the event This year it was hosted by the might prove to be a landmark. “It Holmesglen Institute’s Glen was so good that I’d like to work Waverley campus and overseen in the food industry,” he said with by professional chefs. a smile. Simonds jumped at the chance to participate. Cooking has a high Giovanni Di Fabrizio runs the after- profile among the students, both school cooking club at Simonds Students slicing and dicing in the cooking competition. in the school’s food technology College. department that feeds into the curriculum and in a weekly after- school cooking club. On the night of the culinary competition, all participating schools faced a daunting task. Each team had just two hours to produce four plates of main course using two fresh whole chickens. The Simonds students worked under tight time pressure. They had just 15 minutes to set up, 90 minutes to do all preparation and cooking, and 15 minutes to clean up. Even more challenging was that that they had to do everything without help – teachers were banned from the kitchen. The first rule was to reduce waste, so any parts of the chicken not used were set aside for soup stock. The best parts were used to prepare a chicken scaloppine in Simonds boys at the cooking competition: Nati, Brandon, Yosef and Allan, with teacher Giovanni Di Fabrizio. Photographs: Luther Blisset

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MELBOURNE North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 11 Show rocked along with a KISS

Rita Totino Every grade performed while children from the senior classes took on the lead t Michael’s Primary School really rock roles. The songs included Get Up and Dance, Sand rolled at last month’s musical event, Geronimo and Moves like Jagger with the KISS – Battle of the Bands. whole school, including staff, performing The narrative of the show was that 1980s Don’t Stop Me Now in a the grand finale. rock band KISS was looking for a support From out littlest performers, the Preps, act for their Melbourne tour. Every class right through to the oldest in year 6, the auditioned for the gig in an exciting event night was a spectacular success. It was that showcased the performing arts talents inspiring to see the students’ growing of our students. confidence and the sheer joy of performing Over the five weeks before the big night, under the bright stage lights. children and teachers put in hours of Year 4/5 teacher Hayley Kermonde shared preparation. Initial auditions were followed her expertise with dance and capably by many rehearsals. The final result was led the children in their performance. some fantastic choreographed dance She uncovered hidden acting and comic routines, all supported by endless making talents among the students. For their first Performers in St Michael’s Primary’s Battle of the Bands. Photograph: Rita Totino of costumes. ever stage show, the students’ level of By the day of our final dress rehearsal, professionalism and skills was amazing. nervous excitement and eager anticipation Guer (year 5) had the role of Gene The show ended with ringing applause staff. “It was wonderful to see the children’s of the performance were reaching a Simmons. He owned the stage and did a and a request for an encore. The finale was confidence grow as they prepared for the crescendo. The performance night itself, wonderful job at engaging such a large duly performed again – but this time it was show. They were brilliant,” she said. Teacher on a big stage at St Aloysius College, audience. At the end of the night, he had the parents who joined in with singing Chris couldn’t agree more. “It was great to was a perfect opportunity for families just one question: “Can we do it again?” and dancing! The children were thrilled see them beaming with pride. They really and teachers to celebrate the children’s Bettle (year 4), the night’s MC, lit up with and everyone present took away lasting rocked!” achievements in front of an audience of an electric smile and had just one word: memories. more than over 300. “Awesome!” Prep teacher Claire spoke for all her fellow Rita Totino is the teaching and learning leader at St Michael’s Primary. Girls goggle-eyed with new career choices

Andrew Delmastro The girls saw presentations from 3D artists a panel discussion led by industry For Audrey, the most memorable and heard virtual reality designers explain representatives, and a hands-on virtual aspect was meeting the empowered an girls handle science, technology, their experiences in this new field of design. reality experience. and passionate female presenters. “They Cengineering and mathematics? Of Later, an industry panel of women from Year 10 students Ava McLeod and Audrey challenged all the gender stereotypes course they can! engineering, mathematics and business Savage were thrilled with the day. “It was surrounding the STEM industry. Like Ava, St Aloysius College recently held a Women analyst backgrounds gave presentations on awesome to hear from women succeeding I loved getting hands-on with the virtual in Technology summit, attended by 300 their areas of expertise. in technology-based careers,” Ava said. “The reality headsets and engaging in the guests from colleges around Victoria. The Throughout the day, students had the highlight for me was definitely the virtual design thinking workshop.” aim was to encourage our year 10 students opportunity to move between the various reality session. I now see that area as a to open their eyes to a career in the sessions and workshops on offer. These possible future career.” Andrew Delmastro is design, innovation and broad field of STEM (science, technology, included a design thinking workshop, learning leader at St Aloysius College. engineering and mathematics). Dr Dong Yang Wu gave the opening address, sharing the story that led to her heading up the aerospace division for the Ministry of Defence. The students were spellbound by the passion and intelligence of this world-class thought leader.

Students experiencing virtual reality goggles. Photograph: Jodie McLeod Students participating in a design thinking workshop. Photograph: Jodie McLeod 12 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019

Hotham History Project Grate story of draining the swamp Hotham History Project is always keen to extend its membership. Its extensive website provides details on how to join as well as being a treasure trove of interesting historical information. Felicity Jack The creek was buried sometime channel deposits its water. See www.hothamhistory.org.au. in the 1890s when serious efforts The channel is fascinating. The More information about the channel, including some old lluring, fascinating, were being made to drain the bluestone lining is clearly visible, maps, is available at www.nawmil.org. Geoff Leach can be Aintriguing. How, you may ask, local area to allow for residential and some of the openings show contacted on [email protected]. can these adjectives be used to and industrial development. steps allowing for maintenance. If you are interested in learning more about the Blue Lake- describe a drain? The drain’s diameter in Parkville The drain is self cleaning – no West Melbourne Swamp, Hotham History Project has North Melbourne resident Geoff is three feet, but once it reaches leaves or other debris were visible. arranged for David Sornig to talk about his recently published Leach has been interested in one North Melbourne it has increased The opening in Macaulay Road book on this topic on 24 September. The story also follows the fascinating particular local drain since 1989. to six feet. The channel has a has evidently been repaired, or lives of three residents of the area. He was then living in Harris Street heritage listing. possibly constructed later, as brick and a downpour caused the drain Our recent walk started from the has largely replaced bluestone. to overflow and flood the street south side of Errol Street Primary Felicity Jack is a member of Hotham to the depth of one metre. School where, with the aid of a History Project. One night recently, Geoff took strong torch, we could clearly eight committee members of see the bluestone drain through the Hotham History Project the grating. A small trickle of on a tour to discover how an water was flowing through but, unglamorous drain can attract when we viewed it again in Harris such a description. Street, there was a significantly Geoff has chosen to dignify greater water flow. This suggested the drain, which has its source that somewhere in the vicinity near Royal Park’s Australian there was a burst water pipe as Native Garden, with the name there had been no significant rain ‘Ievers Channel’. Before European for many days. settlement a small creek wound We were peering through a its way down the lane between grating in the median centre of Park Drive and Gatehouse Street Macaulay Road when a police and through the open area of car stopped to ask if we were OK. Ievers Reserve that fronts onto Clearly, a night-time inspection of Flemington Road. drains is not a usual occupation It continued under Errol Street for a collection of mainly grey- Primary School, along Harris haired individuals. Street and Gardiner Reserve, Flashing lights were evident as under the hill on the North we approached the railway line Melbourne football ground, and that crosses Arden Street beside emptied into the Blue Lagoon. the Moonee Ponds Creek. Trucks This later became known as and earth-moving equipment the West Melbourne Swamp were busy at work and orange- as human settlement and vested men helped us to reach industrialisation turned the lake the safety of the bridge that spans into an open sewer. the drainage creek into which the The pond in Australian Native Garden in Royal Park, the likely source of Ievers Channel. Photograph: Felicity Jack

Smashed avocados on the No, 57 tram

John H. Smith another, struggling to escape. catastrophe! The door opened, Further up the hill, three folding up like a concertina in ravelling on the number 57 avocados rolled out and danced play. Squelch! The avocado was Ttram is often full of interest. together on the floor. Two rolled smashed. And not a single piece On a lovely sunny day I boarded under a seat while the other of toast in sight. at Queen Victoria Market with a headed for the front. A passenger New passengers arrived. The trolley full of goodies. with a walking stick tried to door closed but the tram stood I settled on one of the parallel catch one, but it escaped from still. The driver burst out of his seats at the front as the tram his crook. A few more yards, a bit cabin and retrieved the avocado. squealed around into Victoria more speed and it teetered on It had a deep split in its side, its Street. We lumbered up to Peel the edge of the front steps. flesh open to the air. Street and ground to a halt. We had a green light at William The brown stone at is centre A man with several bags of Street so we rumbled on past leered at us like an eyeball set produce got on and stood by the Common Ground and smoothly between two creamy yellow- crested the hill. On the down green eyelids. The driver sat it driver’s door and put his bags on Illustration: Ptolemy Culvenor the floor. hill run we picked up speed and next to him on his desk and we The tram lurched forward from were all set to zoom past Simonds rumbled on to Errol Street. didn’t include a variation of this Hong Kong and New York. Peel Street and made its way up College when catastrophe struck. Was this the first avocado to now trendy meal. If you have ever wondered the hill towards St Mary Star of The bell rang for the Chetwynd be smashed on Victoria Street? According to writer Larissa if Australia has contributed a the Sea church. As it picked up Street stop. Tensions rose. The Probably not, but most likely the Dubecki, the avocado revolution unique cuisine to the world, speed, a plump blue plastic bag at brakes jammed on. The avocados first involving a tram door. Of in Australian cafes originated surely it is smashed avo served the man’s feet began to move. He rolled forward. Oh no! The course, tons of them have been with Bill Grainger who, in 1993, on toast with a well-made coffee. had forgotten to tie its handles. stray bounced down into the smashed differently in North opened Bill’s Café in Sydney. But a trendy North Melbourne Its mouth opened and half stairwell. Panic! Melbourne. From there, avocado and coffee version, ‘tram-smashed avocado a dozen dark green avocados With a squeal and a grind, we ‘Smashed Avo’ recipes have has become the signature meal on toast’, is a new twist. peeped out. He tried to control stopped. Seconds passed in multiplied and are served daily of the Australian coffee culture the bag with his feet, but the deathly slow motion. Silence in our many local cafes. The test cuisine. It has spread to cities as John H. Smith writes regularly for avocados jostled with one reigned. No-one moved. Then – would be to find a menu that distant as Singapore and London, the News. North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 13 Music creates links with Laos

Nancy Lane end-of-year concert. That evening, Andrew encouraged me to tell my story to the wo years ago, North Melbourne’s parents of his music students attending the TSchool of Living Music director, Andrew function. McSweeney, found out that I was going These North Melbourne locals understood overseas to teach English. the importance of music for their own He issued a challenge. “Why only look children, and generously donated more for a place to practise your music? Why than $320 to support access to music for not teach piano while you’re there?” What Lao children. started as a cheeky dare has ended up as Meanwhile, back in Laos, disaster had an ongoing musical link between North struck. The owners of the building that Melbourne and Laos. Max rented for the school had decided to In Luang Prabang, a city of 50,000 in convert it into a guesthouse and wouldn’t the north of Laos, I located a chaotic but renew his lease. “I had to move all the friendly music school and offered to teach instruments to my little house, and my music. I’d never done it before but the house is now full,” he said. director, Vansay Somboun (better known as The good news is that the North Max), took me on. Melbourne donation arrived at just the Music school director Vansay Somboun (Max) with writer Nancy Lane. The school provides Lao children with free right time. Max decided to use the funds to music lessons and the use of instruments, help build a new school on land just behind countries in South-East Asia. Nancy Lane writes regularly for the News. including ukuleles, guitars, keyboards, bass, his house. Never again would he have to So, just as Andrew dared me, let me dare drum sets and traditional Lao instruments. worry about renewing his lease. you. Why not create your own musical link Want to know more? I had a wonderful time teaching keyboard When I visited in June, the new three- and spend your next overseas holiday as You can view Max’s teaching videos at basics to Lao teenagers two evenings a floor music school wasn’t quite finished, a volunteer music teacher at the Music for meslaos.com. Contact him via meslaos.com/ week. When I emailed Andrew that I’d acted but Max gave me a guided tour. “There will Everyone School? support-volunteering. Or contact Nancy in on his dare, he generously offered to send a be teaching and practice rooms on the first I guarantee you’ll have an amazing Laos at [email protected], recording microphone for the school. two floors, and a recording studio on the experience. Director Max was thrilled. It enabled him top floor,” he said proudly. to record teaching videos that the students It is so uplifting that the money donated could watch as often as they wanted. It also by North Melbourne locals at the School gave the students an incentive to perform. of Living Music’s end-of-year concert has A year later, I was back in North helped to build a permanent Music for Melbourne at the School of Living Music Everyone School in one of the poorest

Max, wife Saimany and their children in Luang Prabang music school. Photographs: Nancy Lane Max’s school gives children in one of the poorest countries in South-East Asia a chance to learn music. 14 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Take your cubs to the Zoo

Tim Cremean circle elephant rides of the 1950s. Two elephants gave rides to hundreds of children each day. There were also elephant he Melbourne Zoo offers family memberships that offer balancing acts and monkeys riding on miniature bicycles. Tunlimited visits. They have proved a boon in our family. There was a different philosophy to the zoo’s education and My wife and I were blessed with two healthy but protection practices of today. mischievous little boys. Damage to the house and furniture An adult annual membership is only $111 and gives was an inevitable and almost daily part of life. The boys’ unlimited entry and other benefits. Kids under 16 are free. games saw them try to disassemble most of our property. They will love the new enclosure for ring-tailed lemurs, agile The solution was simple – take them to the zoo! It was creatures with long stripy tails, which leap from post to post The zoo offers many exciting experiences. Photograph: Tim Cremean just a handy five or so minutes to the zoo gate. Inside, there and mingle with the human visitors. and the aquarium and down to the underwater viewing was a network of garden paths. Even as toddlers, they loved The jungle pathways in this area are atmospheric and windows. Seals demonstrate the grace and pleasure wombling along these windy leafy tunnels of adventure kids of all ages enjoy winding through the dense foliage to of torpedoing through the water, perhaps rolling and and mystery. discover elephants, gorillas, tigers, and all types of monkeys. barrelling at the same time. In those days, our favourite destination was the elevated Not to be missed are the comical orang-utans, so cheeky This enclosure also includes micro-aquariums displaying monkey walkways. The gibbons’ nonchalant hanging about and laid back as they interact with children through Victorian undersea environments and has a big surround- and then their performance of impossible swings and twists large viewing windows. These ‘men from the jungle’ play screen animation on undersea ecology. would surely have made Cirque de Soleil performers deeply dress-ups and do handstands much to everyone’s delight, Don’t miss out on a regular visit to the zoo. envious. using all the props the zoo staff have put in their enclosure. Tim Cremean writes regularly for the News. My own memories go way back to the long-gone centre Finally, don’t miss the seal section. Go past the pelicans Salty finds our streets to her taste SHAPING OUR STREETS Syd Sherrin Lucy Percival

ey there! I’m Salty the Warehouse history lives on greyhound. You might H ver the past 30 years, many Another example is the old have seen me around. I just love warehouses throughout the cable tram depot on the corner hanging around the cafes in O city fringe have been converted of Abbotsford and Queensberry North Melbourne. to residential apartments or streets, North Melbourne. You might think I’m just a townhouses. Impressive modern apartments regular pet. No way. People all Many of these conversions are have now been built within this around the world know me from in streets that have an industrial historic building. my Instagram page. I’m your local flavour. In earlier decades, The foyer is dedicated to the internet celebrity. residential buyers would not fabulous history of Melbourne’s Have you ever wondered have contemplated the thought cable trams, and shared by the why you see so many of us of living in these areas. Today, occupants of the building to greyhounds around North residents enjoy the quirky aspects reflect on the site’s past glory. Melbourne? Well, we’ve become of living close to the CBD in One warehouse in Lothian very popular pets in inner-city buildings that have a historic Street, North Melbourne, was suburbs. At first glance that seems nature. renovated to such an extent that crazy. But although greyhounds For example, there is a wool it won an award in the prestigious are such big and fast dogs, we’re store in Spencer Street that was Vogue magazine. perfectly happy in small homes converted about 20 years ago. The builder had to consider and units. The builder noticed a dark patch what to do with a large gantry We’re also very lazy. We might on the floorboards where an old positioned in the exposed beams be incredibly fast but we’re also wool press was positioned. The in the roof that enabled goods very slow 99.9 per cent of the oil and lubricants for the press to be moved around inside the time. We sleep around 20 hours Salty takes a train ride. Photograph: Lucy Percival had seeped into the floorboards warehouse. a day and need only moderate It’s the downside of being a city Lucy Percival is Salty’s mum and lives and the developer was unable to The cost of the removal was exercise. My favourite is padding dog. But I don’t mind as I know in North Melbourne. remove them. high, so the developer retained up Errol Street to find a nice cafe it’s walkies time when my booties The wall behind the old press the gantry as a feature of the for a puppuccino. Or strolling come out. They also protect my Want to know more? had hand-painted instructions on property, emphasising its rich down to Flagstaff Gardens to sniff feet from hot pavement and wet If you’re interested in adopting how to operate the press. commercial history. This feature the possums. grass. a greyhound yourself, contact So the developer left the dark was an important factor in the We make good neighbours My absolute fave thing about Gumtree Greys, the lovely people patch on the floor and signwriting property winning the Vogue because we’re very quiet and being a city dog is catching the who rescued me, at www. on the wall, as a reference to award. clean. We tend not to bark as train. Lucy doesn’t have a car, so gumtreegreys.com.au/ the type of industry that had much as other breeds, which is we often catch the train. I love And you can follow Salty’s occupied the property for close Syd Sherrin, W.B. Simpson’s sales appreciated when you live in them so much that if she lets me adventures online @thesaltyhound to 100 years. Buyers loved the manager, has worked in North terrace houses and apartments. choose where we walk in the on Instagram. historic reference. Melbourne since 1989. And we have a thin coat with very morning, I always take her to little doggy odour. North Melbourne station. The downside of having thin fur Greyhounds are the perfect volunteers available, so many local people living is we get cold easily. So we need inner-city hipster pups. We’re Local volunteer drivers sought with blood cancers are either unable to access the to wear a coat when the weather quiet, gentle, affectionate and The Leukaemia Foundation is calling for volunteer transport service or are on long waiting lists. cools. But at least I know that snuggly. That’s why you see so drivers in the North Melbourne area to help transport Local residents can help continue this vital when my mum, Lucy, pulls out many of us around. people living with blood cancer to vital medical community service by giving a few hours of their time my nice coat, we’re about to head Next time you see me in the appointments. – either weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You can make out and hit the local bars. street, come up and say “Hi”. The foundation’s much-loved patient transport a real difference for a person living with blood cancer. I also wear little shoes because I might be a celebrity but I’m service has been providing people with free transport To find out more, contact 1800 620 420. sometimes I get glass in my feet. always keen to meet my fans. for more than two decades. It currently has limited North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 15 Volunteers care – naturally

Mark Paganini One current project is cornfields of her native Iowa, but environmental restoration at she loved being part of a similar onservation Volunteers Pipemakers Park in Maribyrnong. Conservation Volunteers-run CAustralia cares for our unique It is an eight-hectare conservation environmental project. “It was environment. Since we began park with two wetlands, native great working outdoors, meeting in 1982, we have welcomed bush areas, a history garden and people with similar values and hundreds of thousands of green open spaces. Volunteers being part of a native vegetation volunteers from home and can work in the History Garden, planting project,” she said. abroad to participate in projects the Frog Hollow or the general Another project likely to interest to protect and enhance our park to create an improved urban locals is the well-known La Trobe landscapes, habitats, species and native landscape. Wildlife Sanctuary that began in heritage. For volunteers who care about 1967. The sanctuary extends in a A keen volunteer planting trees in a CVA project east of Melbourne. Photograph: CVA We are still based in West the environment, the choices are sweeping network to the north Melbourne, although we have appealing. They can choose from of Bundoora’s La Trobe University More information recently moved from Adderley a range of conservation activities and is a classic model of the North or West Melbourne locals keen to volunteer for one of our outstanding Street to our new Rosslyn Street including weed removal, native restoration and management of environmental projects will be very welcome. As well as doing something to office. And we are still managing plantings, rubbish removal, frog indigenous flora and fauna. Bird care for the environment, you’ll be close to nature and you’ll feel better for the great environmental projects surveys, bird surveys, community watchers flock to the area. fresh air. in the local area. We are able to gardens and the creation of a Call in to our office at 120 Rosslyn Street between 8am and 4pm for a chat offer volunteers from North and working nursery. Mark Paganini is regional manager of and a coffee. Or call 9326 8250 and we’ll help you book in over the phone. West Melbourne some exciting American backpacker Nancy Conservation Volunteers Australia. More details can be found at the website at www.cva.org.au. opportunities. Borders was far from the Magical dream in Iran’s shining jewel

Suzie Luddon spanning the Zayendeh river. bazaars in the Middle East. Meaning ‘the bridge of 33 arches’ Once a polo and horse-racing usk was falling as the bus in Farsi, and built of yellow bricks ground, it’s also a meeting place Dpulled in to Esfahan. It was and limestone, Si-O-Se-Pol Bridge for locals to gather for parties and a warm evening with a taste of is a popular meeting place. to picnic on its expansive lawns. autumn in the air. The bus from Lit up at night, it casts a golden We eventually found a Shiraz had taken us through glow on the river, creating traditional restaurant upstairs stunning desert landscapes the ultimate Instagrammable in the bazaar with an imposing framed by mountain ranges, and scene. Niches formed by the view of the dome of the Lotfollah now here we were in the jewel arches create further photo Mosque. Lounging on a bed- of Iran. opportunities, and are perfect platform ringed with cushions They say that half the world is in for sitting and chatting while and being served exotic delicacies Esfahan, and it sure seemed that enjoying the view of the city. while admiring the intricate The imposing dome of the Imam mosque. Photograph: Suzie Luddon way, as hotel after guesthouse Once the capital of Persia, mosaics of the huge dome, we after hostel that we tried had no Esfahan is majestic. Its felt that life doesn’t get much major trading post on the The ceiling in the music room vacancies. Evidently, we didn’t centrepiece is the world heritage- better than this. Silk Road. is punctuated with cut-outs of get the memo about the public listed Naghsh-e Jahan Square, Until, that is, we went shopping On the western side of the vases and musical instruments, holiday, when the whole of Iran also known as Imam Square. in the bazaar, where our senses square we explored Ali Qapu which are decorative but also seems to flock here. Eventually, Constructed in the early 17th went into overdrive with the Palace. Built by Shah Abbas in absorb echoes and create what with the help of a friendly local, century, the square is ringed by scents, the tastes, the sounds and the early 17th century, the palace was perhaps the first low-tech we found a hotel overlooking stunning palaces, mosques, and the sights of this centre of trade reflects the shah’s love of music quadrophonic sound system, the historic Si-O-Se-Pol Bridge, one of the oldest and largest and artisanship that was once a and beauty. showing genius levels of acoustic knowledge for the time. From the upper veranda the views of the mosques, the square and the city are sublime. Over the next week we continued to savour the delights of Esfahan before we eventually boarded a bus to further explore this intriguing country. Never have we experienced such hospitality as we did here, and indeed everywhere we went in Iran. The visitor experience is totally at odds with what we typically read about in the media. This means that Iran has got to be one of the world’s best-kept secrets as a holiday destination. Sshhh, don’t tell anyone!

Suzie Luddon writes regularly for the News. The 17th Century Imam Square is ringed by one of the oldest and largest bazaars. Photograph: Suzie Luddon 16 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019

BETWEEN THE COVERS BEST NEW MUSIC Chris Saliba Ruby Smith

The Pillars Plots and Prayers Zanzibar Keepsake This Is Not A Safe Place Peter Polites Niki Savva Catharina Valckx Hatchie Ride (Hatchette Australia, RRP: (Scribe, RRP: $34.99) (Gecko Press, RRP: $16.99) Hatchie, In their $32.99) Who were Zanzibar the Harriette second Pano is the plotters crow is enjoying Pilbeam’s album post- his dinner at slumming it, his in Malcolm alias, has reunion, Turnbull’s home when there work as a poet produced a Ride sounds is a knock at the barely making downfall, and gorgeously door. The surprise like they’re an income. why did they catchy first visitor is a lizard simply When he sees an want him gone? album in Keepsake. This album And how did wearing glasses. having fun. In the first half, Ride advertisement is dream pop that focuses on Scott Morrison come up the His name is Achille LeBlab, a sound like a competent indie-pop on a gay website, he moves in sugary production, an emphasis middle, surprising everyone to reporter for The Voice of the Forest. group, young and modern and with Kane, an IT specialist. The on ‘pop’ ahead of ‘dream’. win the Liberal Party leadership? He wants to know if Zanzibar has pumping out slickly-produced designer house, in upwardly ever done anything extraordinary. Regardless, Keepsake is packed These questions and more are hits. It’s not until Clouds of Sils mobile Pemulwuy, is everything The crow thinks for a while, but with tiny moments of true dream answered in Plots and Prayers, Marie and Jump Jet that they start he’s ever aspired to. can’t come up with anything. pop delight, with shimmering a detailed account of the When Pano and Kane fall Unimpressed, Achille LeBlab caps to sound like the Ride that fans tumultuous leadership challenges guitar lines melding with into bed together, Pano almost his reporter’s pen and leaves. know and love. of 2018. Pilbeam’s voice. allows himself the fiction they Zanzibar thinks about this and Every song feels like an Niki Savva has worked both as a Keepsake is smooth throughout, decides to lift a camel with a are a happy couple. Kane is more a consistently listenable album, experiment. With Erol Alkan, the political journalist and as a Liberal single wing. He asks the postman, interested in a proposed Albanian with an unfortunate tendency same producer as their previous staffer, giving her unique insights Monsieur Seagull, where he can mosque, to be built across the to drag on in the same way for album Weather Diaries, This Is Not and a broad range of insider find a camel. In the desert, comes road. He talks Pano into a plot to A Safe Place still sounds cleaner contacts. the answer, and Zanzibar flies off. several long songs in a row. This discredit the mosque. and more modern than their She brings all this into play, When he arrives in the desert, is an album that would have Meanwhile, Pano has taken on painting a drama of almost he meets Sidi the fox and Cheb felt much smarter if 10 minutes catalogue pre-reunion. work as a ghostwriter for a dodgy Shakespearean proportions, with the dromedary. A dromedary is shorter than its current run time. But This Is Not A Safe Place is far property developer. Can he a cast of ego-driven, ambitious similar to a camel, so he decides Album standouts like Obsessed, more creative and adventurous. maintain this middle-class facade, men and women, all sharpening to lift Cheb. But can a crow lift a catchy pop song, run just slightly The band has settled into their or will it all come undone? their knives and either plotting such a large animal? longer than their welcome. This place as shoe-gaze heroes, and Peter Polites’ second novel is or planning. The book is a stark, French illustrator and writer can be forgiven by how much fun they have nothing left to prove, so Catharina Valckx’s charming a dry, witty exploration of class, if ugly, reminder that politics is it’s apparent Pilbeam is having. why not have some fun with it? chapter book for early readers race, sex and money, firmly set in primarily about personalities, with Keepsake is a road trip album, a concentrates on the sweetness of Sydney and with a cast of mainly policy coming a poor second. party album, a bubbly, delightful Ruby Smith is a university student and friendship and community. works part-time at Heartland Records. gay men. The Pillars drips with an What went wrong? A decade- summer album. There is a wonderfully gentle irony worthy of Jean Genet and long war between two of tone to the writing and a Joe Orton. the party’s titans, Abbott and Turnbull, meant the Liberals were delightful cast of characters, One of its main concerns is including Paulette (a mole), in constant turmoil. Turnbull artifice and the presentation of Ginette (a frog) and Madame didn’t help. Brilliant, yes, difficult self. Everything – clothes, décor, Adele (a moth). Zanzibar will leave according to his friends, he was cosmetics – are described in you feeling cheerful for days. a poor communicator with a mesmerising detail, working up a Suitable for 5 + years. Handcrafted Greeting Cards & Paper Gifts Quixotic streak who couldn’t see • group classes for everyone • custom invitations picture of a superficial, branded what was happening around him. Chris Saliba is co-owner of North • team-building events • personalised greeting cards world and its deluded denizens. • girls’ night out/creativity event ������������������������������� Comprehensive and with a Melbourne Books, 546 Queensberry An astute work of social wealth of fascinating interview Street. He writes regular reviews for observation that entertains with a Look for my new class series at The Centre in July! material, Niki Savva’s analysis has the News. seductive, sly humour. given us a definitive document of Nancy Hoetker the times. NancysNiftyNotes.com ��������������������������������� Boomerang

bags ELLEN SANDELL Volunteers make STATE MP FOR MELBOURNE ‘Boomerang’ shopping bags Hi, I’m Ellen — I’d love to hear from recycled your ideas and concerns. fabric. Buy one Authorised by E. Sandell, 146 Peel St, North E. Sandell, 146 Peel by Authorised Melbourne VIC 3051. Funded from Parliament’s Electorate Office & Communications Budget. Electorate Parliament’s from Funded (03) 9328 4637 from the Centre [email protected] or come and help Mail & Office: 146 Peel Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051 us make them. North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 17 Royal Park tells sad tales of pain and of loss

Tim Cremean

have a framed 1855 Hotham IHill subdivision map on my wall. It shows part of Royal Park back then. While I’m no historian, over the years I have learned quite a lot about the riches of this great park. Melbourne developed quickly after Batman and Fawkner arrived in 1835. The original inhabitants, the Wurundjeri people, were known to hold ceremonies near the park and had a small camping space reserved for them in the zoo grounds as late as 1880. If you sit among the gum trees on the hillside on a warm summer’s evening and gaze into the middle distance of open woodland, you can soak up the peace the original locals would have known. They would have been able to see down to today’s Docklands, which were then wetlands filled with bird and fish life. The adventure playground on the site of the old Royal Children’s nurses’ home on the edge of Royal Park. Photograph: Tim Cremean In 1860, Burke and Wills assembled their expedition in Roberts, who died in the Boer American military court then are using it, especially since the the park before setting off on War. As a child, he had played in Strolling hanged in Pentridge. successful adventure playground their ill-fated journey through the park. He died for the empire, Camp Pell remained until 1956 was opened on the site of the old Australia’s centre. The first night just 11 months before there was through with the Nissen huts used as Royal Children’s nurses’ home. they camped near Moonee Ponds an Australian nation. the open interim accommodation for poor The Grace Fraser-designed native junction so Wills could make one When the Duke of Cornwall families displaced by a slum garden at the corner of Royal last visit to his beloved. As Alan and York came to Victoria in woodlands, demolition program. Many said Parade has grown to full maturity. Moorehead’s Cooper’s Creek tells 1901 as part of his trip to declare the camp was worse than the The wetlands off Manningham us, their trip ended in tragedy Federation, a grand ceremony with so many slums and it became known as Street on the far side of the when they missed their depot took place in the Royal Exhibition Camp Hell for its high levels of railway track are worth a visit. The party by hours. Building. The scene is captured native birds, crime. Famous standover man ponds are alive with waterbirds The planned Town Hall in Tom Roberts’ iconic painting Kelham Young was found dead and they help the zoo manage its underground station will feature of all the assembled dignitaries. is a rural on the doorstep of his Nissen-hut water usage. the Burke and Wills statue in a To prepare for the celebrations, home in 1953. As a regular walker in the prominent place to acknowledge detachments of soldiers from experience. The camp was finally cleared for park, I enjoy wandering and the fatal expedition that so each colony’s army camped and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics so reflecting on nature, history deeply touched Victorians of that drilled in Royal Park. still there in Brens Avenue. that visitors to the Games would and our changing city. Strolling era. Soak up this past by reading Other soldiers’ boots have Not every visiting serviceman not see its rundown state. Only through the open woodlands, the plaque on the rocky memorial pounded the park’s grassy was here to help. When the city in 1984 did the City Council draw with so many native birds, is a near MacArthur Road. expanse. In 1942, when Australia lights were dimmed to deter up a master plan that still guides rural experience. Royal Park is a The saddest monument in the feared invasion and Melbourne possible enemy bombing, three the care of the park today. Native multilayered rich experience on park is a private one. It stands was the headquarters for the local women were murdered plants, passive recreation and our doorstep. at the corner of MacArthur Allies’ Pacific campaign, American in just 16 days. The murderer, views are the theme. Tim Cremean writes regularly for Road and The Avenue, erected General MacArthur stationed his dubbed the ‘Brownout Strangler’, In 2019, the park looks the best the News. by grieving parents to honour troops in Royal Park, then known was identified as Private Eddie it has in decades. More people their only son, Lieutenant James as Camp Pell. The guard posts are Leonski. He was tried by an Get involved through the Centre

Looking for a volunteer opportunity? The Centre has lots of them, from office administration to event management. Or we can point you towards other organisations that also rely on volunteers.

Take a walk with a purpose

If you enjoy walking around North and West Melbourne, a great way to explore areas you may not usually visit is to help with delivery of the North & West Melbourne News to homes and businesses.

If you are interested, please email [email protected] or call in at The Centre in Errol St. Camp Pell gates in Brens Avenue in Royal Park. Photograph: Tim Cremean 18 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Homework Club sows seeds in school and for life

Frances McMillan the staff and volunteers and all strong team of volunteers. The on Wednesday afternoons, three administration; NMLL provides first official tutoring session was volunteer tutors were trained to ome Away From Homework the learning resources, food for a shining example of how well take on coordinator/supervisor HClub is proud to announce snack preparation and space at students respond to the care roles at The Centre (secondary that it has expanded its provision its premises at 33 Alfred Street, and attention of adults who can students) and North Melbourne of homework tutoring support to North Melbourne. spend a significant period of Library (primary students). They a new, eager group of year 4 to10 The new session got off to a time with them focusing on their have taken to the task like ducks students at North Melbourne flying start in July when students learning needs and homework to water and their achievements Language and Learning (NMLL). and their families came along tasks. are commendable. This new session was made to hear how the homework Noticing at one point that all These folk, assisted by our possible by a grant from the R.E. club works, its expectations of the students and tutors had team of dedicated and skilled Homework Club tutors give students a Ross Trust. students and families, and the their heads down over the work tutors, are making sure the helping hand. Photograph: Homework Club Through consultation with responsibilities the club has to all in front of them, I proclaimed expanded club runs like a dream. I school system, the curriculum NMLL it became clear that there involved. enthusiastically: “This is my congratulate everyone involved. and the ever-changing social was a need for a homework Sharing chocolate biscuits and idea of heaven!” Everyone was Home Away From Homework environment. program at a location convenient strawberries, parents enrolled happy, engaged and safe in an Club has been part of the The club has always evolved to the residents of the flats, and their children with help from the environment that promotes educational support landscape of and grown in response to the at a time that suited students volunteers, feeling happy and learning, cooperation, respect the North and West Melbourne community’s needs, and we are returning from schools they excited that the program would and inclusion as well as personal community for the past 16 years. thrilled that it continues to do so. attend outside of the zone. begin in earnest the following responsibility. It has supported hundreds of A perfect marriage resulted: week. To enable the homework club children and their families as Frances McMillan is foundation skills The Centre provides the model, We recruited and trained a to run three sessions concurrently they navigate the rigours of the coordinator at The Centre. On course with the Centre

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROGRAM COURSES Bookings are now being taken for next term. Errol’s Angels Community Choir General Pilates Sessions for Term 3 break Contact The Centre on 9328 1126, at Time: Thursday 7.00pm–9.00pm The Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North [email protected] or www.centre.org.au Membership: $176 / $109 concession* per term Melbourne Venue: Maternal & Child Health Centre, 505 $23.50 per session for dates. Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne Tuesday 5.30pm–6.30pm, 24 Sept & 1 Oct Information, Digital Media and Technology Find us on Facebook! Thursday 6.30pm–7.30pm, 26 Sept & 3 Oct 16 weekly two-and-a-half-hour sessions Home Away From Homework Club Wednesdays 9.30am–12.00 noon Primary (Grades 4–6) Tuesday Pilates Cost: $120 / $90 concession* Time: Wednesday 3.30pm–5.00pm The Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North (Next course commences summer 2020.) Secondary (Grades 7–10) Melbourne iGadgets Time: Wednesday 3.30pm–5.00pm Commencing 8 October Four weekly two-hour sessions Cost: Free 5.30pm–6.30pm – General Wednesdays 1.00pm–3.00pm Venue: North Melbourne Library 6.30pm–7.30pm – General/Rehab Cost: $25 / $20 concession* 7.30pm–8.30pm – Introduction to Pilates Open (Grades 4–10) One on One IT Tutoring Time: Wednesday 4.30pm–6.00pm Cost: $60 per hour. Times to suit you. Cost: Free Wednesday Pilates Venue: North M elbourne Language & Learning The Legion (behind North Melbourne Library) Introduction to Customer Service Commencing 9 October Eight two-and-a-half-hour sessions Open (Grades 4–12) 9.15am–10.15am – General Wednesday afternoons Time: Thursday 3.30pm–5.00pm Cost: $35 / $25 concession*# Cost: Free to City of Hobsons Bay residents Thursday Pilates Introduction to Accounting/Basic Venue: Altona North Community Library The Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North Find us on Facebook! Melbourne Bookkeeping Commencing 10 October Eight three-hour sessions, Friday mornings Centre Adventures – Monthly Bus Trips Cost: $75 / $55 concession*# Time: Tuesday 22 October: Ballarat Tramway 5.30pm–6.30pm – Beginners Museum and Lake Wendouree 6.30pm–7.30pm – Intermediate Plus Introduction to News Media Tuesday 26 November: Buda Historic Home and 7.30pm–8.30pm – Intermediate Ten two-hour sessions, Thursday mornings Garden and The Mill, Castlemaine Cost: $35 / $25 concession*# 9.00am–5.00pm Older Adults Exercise Classes Cost: $42 / $32 Health Care Card concession*# The Legion (behind North Melbourne Library) Classes follow school term dates unless otherwise Meet at: 58 Errol Street, North Melbourne 10.15am–11.15am – commencing 9 October stated. Community Morning Teas 12.15pm–1.15pm – commencing 11 October The Centre also has tutors able to deliver workshops, Cost: $5 or bring a plate of food to share short courses or one-on-one training on a variety Time: Tuesday 3 December Cost: $194 per term or $142 Health Care Card of subjects. Minimum and maximum numbers may 10.00am–12.00 noon concession apply; fees (if any) will vary. If you are interested in Art Venue: 58 Errol Street, North Melbourne Therapy, Photoshop, Teacher’s Aide Training, Spanish Conversation, Job Interview Practice or Résumé * subject to conditions # subject to staff–student ratios Writing get in touch! The Centre: Connecting Community in North & West Melbourne Inc 58 Errol Street, North Melbourne, Vic 3051 Tel: (03) 9328 1126 Office hours: Monday 10.00am to 6.00pm Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm Photo caption 2: Centre Adventurers visited the Victoria State Rose Garden at Werribee Park last year Photo caption 3: A group of Adventurers under Phil Price’s Tree of Life at the McClelland Sculpture Park, Langwarrin Photo credits: Craig Barry

North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 19 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 19 NOTICEBOARD

Please deliver contributions, letters THE CENTRE’S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and feedback to: North and West Melbourne News 58 Errol Street, North Melbourne 3051 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 9328 1126 Copy deadline for Summer 2019–2020 issue: Friday 15 November Provisional publication date: Friday 6 December North and West Melbourne News is available online at You are invited to the The Centre’s website: www.centre.org.au 43rd Annual General Meeting of The Centre: Connecting Community in North & West Melbourne Inc Advertisement sizes and rates Monday 7 October 2019 at 6.30pm To be held at the clubrooms of the Australian Legion of Size $/issue Colour Mono Ex-Servicemen and Women The North and West Melbourne News Full page (24 cm wide x 34 cm high) $1550 $1300 North and West Melbourne Sub-branch is a quarterly publication produced Half page (24 cm wide x 17 cm high 16 Little Errol Street, North Melbourne by volunteers from North and West or 12 cm wide x 34 cm high) $750 $650 Melbourne and the inner city. It is now One-third page (24 cm wide x 12 cm high) $545 $475 New members are welcome. in its 41st year of production. Readers’ One-quarter page (24 cm wide x 8.5 cm high Please join us for refreshments afterwards. contributions and letters are welcomed. or 12 cm wide x 17 cm high) $400 $350 RSVP 27 September 2019 Where relevant the News may seek One-eighth page (12 cm wide x 8.5 cm high) $200 $175 Email: [email protected] alternative opinions in the interests One-16th page (12 cm wide x 4 cm high) $105 $90 Phone: 9328 1126 of balance. Contributors’ opinions are Business card (in Services Directory) their own, however, and the News takes (9 cm wide x 5.5 cm high) $95 $80 no responsibility for them. We reserve • Prices ex-GST the right to edit or omit articles and • The News reserves the right to reject advertising bookings that Hong Kong students head back home advertisements considered unsuitable or are outside the standards for a community-based publication. Tanaka Nyamvura when space is limited. • Book a repeat advertisement for four issues for a 20% discount. • Make your advertisement stand out in full colour. Articles should be submitted by email • Prices are for supplied artwork (high-res PDF). Layout services to [email protected]. Please use are available — talk to us about how we can help. minimal formatting and do not embed graphics in documents. Photographs of suitable resolution for reproduction should be sent as graphic fi les attached IMPORTANT STREET EVENT NOTICE with the article. SPRING FLING STREET FESTIVAL Road Closure Notifi cation Finance Saturday 19 October 2019, 7.00am – 8.30pm The News is a program of The Centre: Connecting Community in North & West On Saturday 19 October the following streets will be Melbourne Inc, a registered charity. closed or affected by the Spring Fling Street Festival Costs of producing the News are met between the hours of 7.00am and 8.30pm. through advertising, sponsorships, • George Johnson Lane, Little Errol Street and Raglan ReginaRegina and and Jason Jason at The have Centre’s fi nished front desk.their internship. Photo: The Centre subscriptions and donations. Donations Street will be completely closed to vehicles between of more than $20 are tax deductible 7.00am and 8.30pm on Saturday 19 October. Regina Pang and Jason Ng have just finished their six-week through the ANHCA Public Fund for DGR. work placement at The Centre. The two Hong Kong university • The southbound lane of Errol Street (North Melbourne students said they learnt a great deal while they were with us. News subscriptions Town Hall side) will be closed to all traffi c between “The Centre’s activities and links to the community taught Subscriptions are available at the rate of Queensberry and Victoria streets. me so much about my chosen career of social work and $20 per year (four issues) sent anywhere • Residents and traders located in the affected streets how to create social change,” Regina said. “For me, I gained in Australia. The News is distributed free will have limited access until 7.00am on Saturday a valuable insight into how to apply for grants and funding,” throughout North and West Melbourne. 19 October, at which time the precinct will be shut Jason added. Further copies are available from The down to all cars. Access will be reopened to traders and While both our guests gained important hands-on Centre and the North Melbourne Library. residents within the precinct when it is safe to do so experience, the real thrill was in experiencing a totally and no later than 8.30pm. different culture. “I was nervous about my first trip to Australia,” Regina said. “I wasn’t confident in my English Volunteers Tram service: The Route 57 Flinders Street Station to West The News welcomes new volunteers. capabilities as it’s not my first language.” Maribyrnong tram will run unaffected through North She was surprised by Melbourne’s shorter working hours If you have skills in writing, drawing, Melbourne on the regular Saturday timetable. photography, archiving, subediting and and that the shops closed earlier in the evening than at proofreading, computer technology, For further enquiries about traffi c management for this home. She certainly got out and about. “On weekends I social media or design and layout, please event please contact The Centre on 9328 1126 or the City went on Puffing Billy and I visited the Great Ocean Road consider joining the team. of Melbourne SP&L Coordinator on 9658 7094. and the Grampians. And I saw all your famous animals at the Healesville Sanctuary — koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils Thank you for your understanding and support of the and even a platypus.” Editor: Maurice Gaul Spring Fling Street Festival. While Regina saw brief shots of an AFL game as she sat in Production: Anne Burgi a coffee shop, Jason experienced the real thing. “I went to see Proofreader: Liz Harrington Hawthorn and Collingwood play at the MCG. It was amazing, Advertising: Janet Graham the stadium was just so big and so crowded. I was cheering for Distribution: Rahul Velumani North Melbourne Book Group the Hawks but I couldn’t quite work out the rules,” he said. Writers: Michelle Brett,Brett, Tim Tim Cremean,Cremean, Third Monday of every month at 6.00pm The weather intrigued him. “Some days there was sunshine, MauriceVery Impressive, Gaul, Very Felicity Impressive, Jack, Nancy Felicity Lane, North Melbourne Library then a minute later rain and wind,” he said. But there was Mike Muscat, Tanaka Nyamvura, Thea Jack, Nancy Lane, Mike Muscat, another aspect of Melbourne that made an impact, something TanakaOakes, HarryNyamvura, Patte-Dobbs, Thea Oakes, Lucy Harry Percival, 21 October The Death of Noah Glass Gail Jones 18 November Any Ordinary Day Leigh Sales he had never seen at home. “I loved the graffiti in the city. It Patte-Dobbs,John H. Smith, Lucy Rosalynd Percival, Smith John H. Smith, 16 December Favourite books of the year was so vivid, so colourful, so creative.” Rosalynd Smith On their last day at The Centre before returning to Hong Publisher: Tom Seddon All welcome — no bookings required Kong both said how much they had learnt about their chosen Enquiries 9658 9700 careers as social workers. They have also taken home glowing Printed by Express Print www.melbournelibraryservice.com.au memories of their six weeks in Melbourne. 5 Jones Road, Morwell 3844 Circulation 6700 North Melbourne Library, 66 Errol Street Tanaka Nyamvura writes regularly for the News. 20 North and West Melbourne News SPRING 2019 Celebrating a milestone

Kristen Pepyat Fellow Prep teacher Susannah was thrilled with the day. “It’s been wonderful to share he last day of July marked the 100th day the children’s learning journey thus far. They Tat school for the Prep students at North have achieved and grown so much in 100 Melbourne Primary. days. I loved seeing their smiles when they The Prep corridor of the historic school saw all of their teachers dressed up.” building was decorated with streamers with The number 100 was at the centre of the the number 100 glistening from the ceiling. day. The children counted collections and Then all the children and their teachers objects, made 100th day crowns and glasses, magically turned into 100-year-old people! and explored stories with characters also The day started with all six Prep classes celebrating their 100th day. parading in their creative costumes. Those A highlight when we all shared a Prep watching – the children’s families, their picnic. Mike, Prep E’s teacher, had made friends from years 1 to 6, and all the staff – a giant 100-shaped red velvet cake with were entranced and applauded warmly. cream cheese frosting. Everywhere there were walking sticks, The children’s wonderfully supportive wigs, hats, makeup, hair rollers and even families whipped up creative costumes suspenders. for their children, as well as generously The teachers got into the spirit of the day. contributing food for our celebration. Emma, Prep F’s teacher, was the slowest as she shuffled around on her walking frame Kristen Pepyat teaches Prep at North Melbourne and kept stopping to continue her knitting. Primary. Above: Prep teachers showed their style. Front: Susannah, Emma, Emily. Back: Mike, Mollie, Kristen. Below, from left: Harper, Sambhav, Gayathri and Arthur. Photographs: North Melbourne PS

WOOD PHARMACY Something NORTH MELBOURNE to share? 67 Errol Street, North Melbourne 3051 Do you have a skill, Ph: 9328 1960 • Fax: 9328 1531 talent or expertise to (Next to Errol’s Cafe and opposite the Library) share? Would you like to start a club or Try our Vegan range of discussion group? The Centre could be skincare and haircare just the place to get started. Call in or drop

OPENING HOURS: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm, us a line at Sat 9am to 2pm, Sun 11am to 3pm — closed public holidays [email protected]