Your locally owned 5000 copies circulating in Toodyay, West Toodyay, Goomalling, Postage Bolgart, Calingiri, Morangup, Northam, Coondle, Hoddys Well, December 2018 community newspaper Paid Wattening, Dewars Pool, Culham, Bejoording, Nunile, Julimar, Bakers Edition 375 Est. 1902 Hill, Clackline, Wooroloo, Wundowie, Gidgegannup and local districts. Australia Motocross champ hits shire road block Roger Simms A 2.4km motocross training track built without approval on farmland in Wattening is now in limbo and may have to be closed down or removed following a decision by the Toodyay Shire Council. The dirt track, with banks, turns and jump points, covers an area 450m by 250m on an 818-acre property in Bull Road near the border of the Toodyay and Victoria Plains shires, about 4km south of Bolgart. Steve Walsh and Karene Quinn applied for retrospective approval of the track which is used by Mr Walsh’s son Darren, a state motocross champion. The track has drawn strong community opposition over concerns about noise and dust pollution and possible contamination of a water source. Landowners, the Water Corporation, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and The Victoria Plains Shire all opposed the application in submissions to the council or urged more checks, especially about water. The recommendation to council at last week’s meeting, however, was that the application be approved. Planning officer Hugo de Vos said in his report that a thorough examination of the proposal made it difficult to justify refusal. Many of the concerns raised were related to potential future development, which went beyond the scope of the application. Conditions could be applied to control noise, dust and the number of riders who would use the track, how often and at what time of the day. The applicants had said that main user of the Days of golden harvest track would be Mr Walsh’s son. Other riders would be limited to family and friends. But the recommendation did not go to a vote. This striking shot taken by Frank Panizza captures the essence of early summer farmwork in Toodyay – round-the-clock harvesting. Shire Deputy President Therese Chitty moved The big machines are out across the shire taking off part of what is expected to be a record state grain crop. Frank’s picture was taken instead that the application be rejected, and this at sunset along the Irish Town Road. was adopted six votes to one. She said it was hard not to have in mind the in their application by Gary Fitzgerald of town full intentions of what the applicants wanted. planning consultants Tecon WA. There was already a building on the site without Mr Fitzgerald urged the council to vote on Friendly way urged in dementia plan approval. what he called the reality, not the perception. Shire President Brian Rayner questioned how This was not a motor sports complex. TOODYAY is on the way to becoming a dementia made silly little mistakes. the council would be able to enforce regulations In Mr De Vos’s report it was noted that the dementia-friendly town. It was important for others in the community about the track and said there was not enough applicants had advised that details of camping The shire council at its last meeting approved to understand, to overlook those little things information about the noise and dust risks. grounds had been included on the plans by a project with that aim, in partnership with and not frighten or alienate people already Cr Eric Twine said: “I’ve never heard a quiet mistake. They were not being considered as Alzheimer’s WA. becoming fearful about their future. motocross bike.” part of the application. Toodyay is the fourth WA town to adopt Toodyay is facing a heightened challenge in Cr Ben Bell was the lone supporter of the Mr Fitzgerald told The Herald this week the program, following York, Manjimup and aged care. The town has the second highest application. that the applicants were considering all their Margaret River. proportion of people over 55 in the state. Farmers were free to ride motorbikes options. The idea is to help people living with The proportion of people over the age of 65 anywhere on their land, he said. “Why The Herald’s understanding is that it is open dementia to maintain meaning and purpose in WA is just under 14 per cent. In Toodyay the shouldn’t such freedom be extended to this to them to appeal to the State Administrative in their lives by increasing community figure is 23.5. family?” Tribunal and if that failed the council would understanding of the disease. See Editorial, Page 4. Cr Bell said mining activity in the shire was have to decide whether to order the track closed In June this year the council had to say no more difficult to control for noise and dust than down or removed. to involvement because of a lack of funds. motocross bikes. (Additional reporting by Peter Ruthven and Alzheimer’s WA now has funding and will Mr Walsh and Ms Quinn were represented Allan Gregory.) provide a project officer. this month The organisation has arranged a public meeting to be held in the Toodyay Community classifieds 28 Centre at 10.30am on Tuesday December 11. emergency services 7,9 Northam resident Genny Budas, a frequent visitor to Toodyay, welcomed the news. environment 20, 27 Genny was a carer for her husband Frank for health 30 eight years before his death two years ago. Frank was 77 when he developed dementia letters 4 after a prostate operation. public notices 28 “It’s a lonely life as a carer,” Genny said. “People stay miles away from you, even puzzles 29 friends. sport 31 “You need people to understand, to take notice of your existence as a carer. And, maybe, trades & services 21-27 just share a cup of tea.” when & where 28 An aerial view of the Wattening track. Genny said people in the early stages of Page 2 THE TOODYAY HERALD December 2018 Please note our email addresses Advertising: [email protected] The Toodyay Herald is a free monthly newspaper published and owned by a not-for- Articles and stories: [email protected] profit incorporated association - The Toodyay Herald Inc. Contributions via email or on flash drive are preferred. There is no charge for articles that appear in the paper. Deadlines for the next edition are listed below with the paper on the streets in the first week of each month except in January when there is no edition. Ol’ Blind Joe All advertising should be emailed to [email protected]. Editorial contributions and photographs should be emailed to [email protected]. The Puritans and a little bit of history Photographs for publication should be at least 500kb in file size to ensure quality THE PURITANS invaded North America in the CIA and the United Kingdom’s MI6. reproduction in the newspaper. the decade 1630-1640. In August 2013, 60 years later, the US They were all bitching about the influence Government formally acknowledged the SUBSCRIPTIONS of the Catholic Church on the Anglican US role in the coup by releasing a bulk of Subscriptions are $33 (postage and packaging) per year (11 issues). Please send a cheque Church. previously classified documents that show it to PO Box 100, Toodyay 6566. A more pressing problem was that they was in charge of both the planning and the were starving and the Indians, in their execution of the coup, including the bribing MEMBERSHIP humble manner, fed them, which is where of Iranian politicians, security and army Membership of The Toodyay Herald is available at $15 ($12 concession) per financial the celebration of Thanksgiving comes from. high-ranking officials, as well as pro-coup year, with members entitled to free advertising worth $15 annually. Please send your Once they were well fed and some mates propaganda. name, phone number and residential, postal and email address with your membership arrived they set off westward and killed every The CIA is quoted acknowledging the coup fee to PO Box 100, Toodyay 6566 or leave it at 92B Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. damn Indian they could find, claiming the was carried out “under CIA direction” and land for themselves. “as an act of US foreign policy, conceived COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT ADVERTISING They truly did hand out smallpox infected and approved at the highest levels of President: Peter Ruthven Sandra Harms: 9572 9061 or blankets to the Indians, which I find government.” Vice-President: Andrew McCann [email protected] disgusting. Here’s a little story about Crimea which is Secretary: Heather Appleby Heather Appleby 0419 906 083 Organising themselves eventually, they set a little country hanging off the backside of Treasurer: Beth Ruthven up an army and beat their English overlords, Ukraine. Members: ACCOUNTS and then stole half of Mexico. Crimea became part of the Russian Empire Sandra Harms, Stirling Hamilton, Beth Ruthven 0429 896 860 At the time of its independence from Spain in 1783, when the Crimean Khanate was Allan Gregory, Peter Harms, [email protected] in 1821, the territory of Mexico included annexed, then became part of the Russian Ieva Tomsons, David Cornforth what is now the states of California, New Soviet Federative Socialist Republic until NEWS & GENERAL INQUIRIES Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, 1954. PRODUCTION and Texas. It’s just over four years since the climax of Acting Editor: Roger Simms 9574 2106 - 0419 906 083 The Americans then carried out large- the so-called Maidan revolution in Ukraine. Admin/Advertising: Heather Appleby [email protected] scale warfare in the Philippines, Europe, Months of street protests ended with a Design/Layout: Sandra Harms toodyayherald.com.au.