NEW BEGINNINGS LONG GULLY Community Newsletter of Hope & Encouragement Life in Isolation Streets are empty can’t go to the park I ’m in my pj’s from dawn to dark The schools are closed and sports are off Just another day in isolation, in isolation! Story cont. P2 Edition 19 10th August 2020 Life in Isolation cont. How does your garden grow? Kathleen Parry Andrew Who remembers “On our selection” the theme song of Dad & Dave sung by Some great photos from our LGNC Community Garden Facilitator, Andrew. John Williamson? Kathleen (a teacher at Tinternvale Primary School) and Lawns at the gardens are looking green, fruit trees are getting ready to the “Kat” in “Kat in a hat music” youtube.com/channel/UC9g6EBbjwSh- bud up soon. There’s a few Chinese cabbages and cabbages coming along WMnoNrd3Dndw is working with her students (who are currently studying nicely. from home) on their own song to the music of On our selection. Here it is: In Isolation Streets are empty can’t go to the park I’m in my pj’s from dawn to dark The schools are closed and sports are off Just another day in isolation, in isolation! Social distancing when out for a walk, I’m drawing lots of things with chalk, I go for walks to spot a bear Just another day in isolation, in isolation! I miss playing with my crew, but it’s how we all get through. Eating breakfast at half past two is our new direction The streets are empty, the shops are bare, we can’t do anything or go anywhere, together School work is always coming in I want to chuck it in the bin I lounge around in my dressing gown Just another day in isolation, in isolation! Chatting to class on Google Meet Seeing our mates is pretty sweet While we’re lonely and stuck at home Just another day in isolation, in isolation! We’re stuck inside, and we can’t go out, my sister’s annoying and I wanna shout please save me We’re getting bored, there’s nothin’ to do, my brother said ‘I’m sick of you!’, it’s daily Toilet paper running out, Cards and board games ‘til we shout, We can’t wait ‘til we can go out!! Just another day in isolation, in isolation! 2 We love our volunteers! Julie Clark & Kerry Parry It was at one of these bbqs Peter came along with his entourage of cohorts (he had 3 children) – he lived, at the time, in Energetic Street and Julie (who had 2 children) lived in Jason Street. One of Peter’s sons, Tam, had cerebral palsy and Peter used to walk past Julie’s house to take Tam to Scope. One day, Julie was out the front watering the lawn, trying to coax it back to life. As Peter and Tam (in a wheelchair) walked past, she squirted Tam’s feet with the hose. He giggled and she continued to playfully spray him with water, the rest is history. Peter used to come along to LGNC – he said he only came to see Julie. At the time there was a big long table with church pews either side. Peter and Julie would sit each side of the table and basically argue about anything (enjoying the banter). If he said something was black, she would purposely say it was white. Peter was a Maori, strongminded, strongwilled and a little stubborn. Julie recalls the first day her mum met Peter at LGNC. Peter was mowing lawns and came up to the house. He had long hair, unlaced boots and was a big man. He walked past Julie’s mum and Julie said, “By the way mum, his is Peter, say hello”. Peter said, “Hi mum,” and kept walking. Julie Clark has lived in Long Gully since 1992 and been involved with Long In 2003 they were married on the Rugby Field in Fenton Street, North Ben- Gully Neighbourhood Centre since 1994. Julie’s friends were volunteering digo (they are the only couple to be married on the rugby field). Australia at the Public Tenants Association (PTA) which was set up to assist tenants had won the Bledisloe Cup that year and so there were special goal posts with interactions with the Office of Housing. The PTA gave information, fur the Cup. Bill Calder (a life member of the rugby club) offered to drape dealt with complaints and maintenance issues by liaising between the ten- the Australian flag on the crossbar but Peter said no! It was the middle of ants and the Office of Housing. In Julie’s words, “the volunteers worked a drought and the ground was hard and dry. in a shoebox” – a tiny bungalow with a desk and a couple of chairs out the back of LGNC. Julie started volunteering with the PTA in 1994 but Peter and Julie ended up having 4 children together (becoming the Long around 18 months later housing changing. It was now possible to phone Gully Brady Bunch). Their oldest is Nick (Peter’s son) who is 35 and their the Department of Housing direct, a Maintenance Hotline was set up and youngest is Henari (who turns 12 this year). They have 9 children and 7 the Department started to trial workers coming out to the estate. The PTA grandchildren (the eldest are 2 x 10 year olds who were born within 6 became obsolete. months of each other, 3 x 7 year olds, 1 x 4 year old and an 8 month old. The family is well connected and they stay in touch a lot. By this time, Julie was friends with lots of the people at LGNC (including Carol the then Coordinator). She was pregnant with her daughter Naomi in Peter used to work away in the mines (Mt Isa, Broken Hill, etc). Julie admits 1994 and there were lots of children’s activities at the Community House. she pretty much raised the kids by herself. It was always busy, busy, busy on the go with school, sport and the Neighbourhood Centre. In 1998 she met Peter (who would become her husband 5 years later). The Department of Housing was trying to improve their relationship and repu- In 2015 life changed when Peter got sick – busy, busy, busy remained but tation with tenants and not just been seen as rent collectors. They started hospitals, hospitals, hospitals was added to the mix. Peter suffered from bbqs at the park to enhance their relationships but sadly these failed as kidney failure, ending up on dialysis. He was diagnosed with cancer in his people thought it was a ploy to talk about rent arrears. liver. (To be continued next edition) Contributions & Newsletter publishing schedule Our next fortnightly Newsletter will be Issue 20 on 24th August, 2020. Contributions close on Tuesday, 18th August @ 12 noon. Thanks to all those who send in stories, photos, items to share in the Newsletter. Please send your contributions to: email [email protected] 3 Time to Explore Tang Tang Swamp Next time you need a bit of na- ture love, head to the Tang Tang Swamp. It’s a Red Gum wetland, with spike rush, sedge and a Plains grassland dominated by a mixture of native grasses. Some of those red gums are giants. Lots of cubby building space for kids, or they could al- ways do a bit of swamp wading in their gum boots! It’s 60 km from Bendigo, approximately 50 min- utes drive. We found our way around the edge of it, took us a few hours, but it was a stunning day, with lots to see on the way. Had a picnic lunch and a thermos of tea, listening to the birds and the frogs. And the silence. Partner saw 26 species of bird life in that time. By Robyn Ford 4 In the Beginning - Long Gully Neighbourhood Centre... (part 8) Carol Rasmussen The Black Saturday Disaster on 7th February, The overwhelming support by persons not just in our 2009 brought out a community spirit that we region or state but from all over was a sight to be had not seen before, which was to become the seen, a shed was allocated at Eaglehawk to store positive outcome. So many people to be thanked goods offered which were slowly distributed to for their response on this day and for a number organisations to be given to locals in need. There of years after, but it’s not really about the thank was food, clothing, bedding, white goods, toys you, it’s about what we have achieved as a com- and many letters of good hope. munity to bring Long Gully not just back to where we were but to have improved our community to The Bendigo Fightback Fundraiser was a mon- where we are today. ster auction held at the Schweppes Centre on 27th February - another first where all the sec- The service providers and agencies in Bendigo tions of the media pulled together as one. Almost worked together as one, realising that each had 500 people attended the evening, over $400,000 something that they specialised in and if each was raised from the auction and cash donations. took on a particular role together they could sup- Bendigo businesses really came on board with a port the community and their needs far better G J Gardiner Home, a new car from Poyser Mo- than working as individuals. Extra Counsellors tors and $25,000 worth of fuel from APCO. Pro- were brought up from Melbourne for around six ceeds from the night went to the Salvation Army months and then it fell back on local agencies, to for distribution to locally affected families.