weekenderSaturday 12 December 2020 Paradise Lane Christmas Lights a labour of love Pearl shines at Kobi claims spot 100th birthday in Queensland celebrations life saving team Phytocap Bundaberg technology trial to ‘most generous transform landfill town in Australia’ contents Mayor and RSL call for new 3 HMAS Bundaberg Cover story Paradise Lane Christmas Lights 4 a labour of love What’s on in the Bundaberg 6 Region Phytocap technology trial to 7 transform landfill Small school charm highlight 8 of Kaye’s career Photo of the week Teaching a Photo by @this_orchard_life passion for retiring 9 principal Pearl shines at 100th birthday 10 celebrations Family gathers for 75th wedding 11anniversary A tale of two much-loved 12 gardens Bundaberg ‘most generous 14 town in Australia’ Kobi claims spot in Queensland 16 life-saving team Warren Zunker retires after 55 years 17 of farming NEWS The second HMAS Bundaberg, which was destroyed by fire in 2014. Photo: RAN Mayor and RSL call for new HMAS Bundaberg Michael Gorey build tradition and foster a sense of esprit de The Bundaberg RSL Sub-branch corps among ship’s companies. “The first HMAS Bundaberg launched on has endorsed a call by Mayor Jack 1 December 1941 and saw active service in the Dempsey for a new HMAS Bundaberg Second World War,” he said. to be commissioned in the Royal “On 28 October 1945 she arrived at the Port Australian Navy. of Bundaberg where she was given an official reception by our grateful citizens.” Mayor Dempsey wrote last month to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and Chief of Navy, Vice Bundaberg paid off at Brisbane on 26 March Admiral Michael Noonan. 1946, having steamed 112,199 miles since commissioning. The Government has committed to building nine new Hunter-class frigates as part of an “The second HMAS Bundaberg was $89 billion naval shipbuilding plan, however the commissioned on 3 March 2007, continuing the first three frigates have already been named. tradition of having a vessel bearing our city’s name,” Mayor Dempsey said. “Unfortunately, she was destroyed by fire on 11 The first HMAS August 2014. “Bundaberg Regional Council and the Bundaberg launched Bundaberg RSL Sub-Branch request that a on 1 December 1941 and new HMAS Bundaberg be commissioned at the earliest opportunity.” saw active service in the RSL sub-branch president Graham Crowden said it’s important for veterans of the two Second World War HMAS Bundaberg vessels to have the tradition continue. The ships will begin entering service in the late “It’s very much a point of pride, especially 2020s, replacing the eight Anzac Class frigates, for those who served on the previous HMAS which have been in service since 1996. Bundabergs,” he said. Mayor Dempsey said the Navy has a practice of “I’m very supportive of the Mayor wanting to reusing names in later generations of ships to have a new ship named Bundaberg.” 3 COMMUNITY Cameron Kapernick with the original lights used in his very first Christmas lights display 25 years ago. Paradise Lane Christmas Lights a labour of love Megan Dean The Paradise Lane Christmas Lights have proudly hung on to every newspaper display features 50 Christmas trees and clipping that mentioned his efforts. 10,000 lights and is a labour of love for For his first display, Cameron received an encouragement award. That year he crafted Cameron Kapernick who started the many decorations from cardboard. tradition 25 years ago. As the years progressed so too did the quality Cameron was just eight years old when he of his display until, at age 16, he took out his first coordinated his first display at the Branyan property, still owned by his mum and dad, Rhonda and David. Cameron was just eight Back then the display featured just three sets of lights and four Christmas trees. years old when he But the collection has grown alongside the coordinated his now 33-year-old Cameron’s love for all things Christmas. first display. “It’s just been one of those things that has always been part of our Christmas there,” Cameron said. Christmas lights competition and made it to the “I’ve been obsessed with lights for a long time. front page of the paper. “I don’t know it’s always been part of my DNA Although he no longer resides in the region, I guess. Cameron returns as often as he can to decorate “I think it’s just been something that has lived in his family home which “is just made for Christmas me forever.” lights”. Each year young Cameron would enter the local “They kindly let me take it over for four weeks 4 Christmas lights competition and his parents of the year.” The obsession was first sparked by regular “I have mostly white lights, because mum Christmas visits to Bob and Cheryl Pearce’s doesn’t like the others to be honest,” he said Rosedale Road display. with a laugh. “Their Christmas lights are famous,” Cameron In addition to decking the exterior of the house said. in lighting, every window of the house tells a “I was a kid and I used to run around their lights different Christmas story. telling them where their lights were blown and “It’s all on the house and there is six window what was new. displays that all set a scene.” “And I’d ask them about things that they’d Walking around the Paradise Lane home you forgotten about. can witness a snow scene, Santa’s fireplace, a “I just try to do as good as them.” nativity scene, the elves workshop, Candy Cane Lane and a nutcracker scene among carollers Cameron’s collection of Christmas lights and and snowmen. decorations has grown over more than two decades. Building up such a substantial stash of Christmas lights and decorations requires quite a bit of space, and Cameron said it was lucky he had access to storage. “I sort of just hang on to it and I always say ‘one day I’ll use it’. “I’ve still got half a shed of stuff that hasn’t gone up. “It’s a bit of a hoard to be honest.” This year he travelled from Brisbane where he works in media and events to put together the Paradise Lane Christmas Markets display. Putting together the impressive array of lights and decorations took 20 to 30 hours, which Cameron said is “not real long” compared to previous years. “Because I don’t live there, I’ve got to drive home and smash out a heap. “I stayed up until 1 am the night before last just to turn it on but there’s a few more things still to go up. “I was completely and totally exhausted from this week and I was actually down back in Brisbane at work and I saw all the activity on the Facebook page and I saw everyone’s comments Top: 16-year-old Cameron’s winning lights display on the front page of the NewsMail and I no longer felt exhausted,” Cameron said. Above: Early hand crafted decorations “It felt like my job was worth it. “Nothing was bought overnight, it’s all just years “It feels good that people can enjoy it.” and years and years,” he said. The Paradise Lane Christmas Lights, which are “I’m quite a bargain shopper. part of Bundaberg Regional Council’s 12 Days of “Most of it is second hand and everything is LED Christmas, officially launched last Saturday. so it’s all energy efficient. The lights display is a COVID safe event and “Ex-shopping centre displays, ex-Myer, Facebook Cameron said putting it together this year was Marketplace. You name it I’ve bought it. even more special after the challenges of 2020. “There are lots of people that have stopped “We just wanted to give something for Bundy to doing lights and sold them to me and follow look forward to,” he said. the Facebook page so they can see their “We just want to give them something nice to decorations.” enjoy because it has been an awful year.” No matter their origins, Cameron said each piece held a special place in his Paradise Lane Christmas Lights display. The Paradise Lane “I can tell a story about every decoration, every Christmas Lights string of lights that I’ve bought and where it are open to the public came from. until 25 December “I stick to a certain style of Christmas and it’s from 6.30pm to more of a traditional feel. 9.30pm each night, “There was a comment that it looks like a movie weather permitting. and that’s the feel I go for. 5 24 Oct - 1 - 12 D 7 Feb A S Dec Y 12 A S O T M F CHRIS & Digital interactives 12 Nov - 12 Dec 7 Dec - 24 Jan 31 Oct - 31 Jan Artists from the region 13 Nov - 10 Jan 12 Dec Carols in the City Christmas on Bauble St SOLD OUT Kids Activity Trail Avoidable Perils Merry and Bright SOLD OUT 2020 Wallaville Hall 13 Dec Car Boot Market sale 14 Dec Bears of Colour and Kindness Online Poetry and Tea 15 Dec Steam and Diesel Train Rides 16 Childers Community Christmas Dec Luncheon Bundaberg Dance Academy 17 Dec Concert 18 Dec Chess Online! Be the Moncrieff Cinema Society 2020 Outdoor Movie Night - Bundaberg first to know “Arthur Christmas” - SOLD OUT A Boy Called Sailboat whatsonbundaberg.com.au Steam and Diesel Train Rides 6 7 NEWS Assisting with the phytocap trial at the Qunaba Waste Management facility: Landfill operations coordinator Kerry Dalton with leading hand Robbie Beck (centre) and landfill attendant Vince Watson.