Meredith &district Newsletter July 2013 Our Community Newsletter since 1972 Distributed FREE to district residents Little Green Thumbs The last day of Meredith Primary School’s second term was a beautiful winters day, perfect for some serious PHOTO OMITTED FROM ONLINE VERSION yard time. A brilliantly coloured “tin of pencils” sculpture was erected in the front yard, and a couple of foreboding, if slightly ludicrous, scarecrows installed in the back yard garden beds. But the main event was the establishment of eight “wicking beds” which the children, with a only a little help from mums, dads and teachers, set up and planted out. Here, teacher and the driving force behind the project, Rosemary Gargan, explains the school’s approach to gardening. For some years now we have been operating two different systems of vegetable gardening. The first is a traditional above-ground garden bed filled with soil which is regularly Exactly what you would expect to find at a Working Bee - enriched with sheep manure and other organic matter. working bees! Here, Matilda and Arrabella get into character. The second garden bed was established using the ‘no dig’ garden principles, sometimes known as lasagne gardens. known as ‘wicking gardens’. The children were involved This is an easy way to make a garden without any digging in the making of the beds along with friends, family and and it will give you an instant garden. The garden is locals. It is an excellent system for demonstrating water layered with newspaper, lucerne, sheep manure and straw. conservation techniques. This is extremely important to us The worms find this very attractive and in no time it has as vegetable gardens are at their peak during the summer turned into beautifully rich soil with a very good PH months when school has its long holidays. The system balance for growing vegies. alleviates the need to water every day because the plants access the water from the bottom up and this also cuts Our newest vegetable garden beds are using a system (cont. on p. 21) in this issue…. COMPLETE OUR READERS’ SURVEY ON THE ● Elaine Courts officially opened BACK PAGE, AND YOU COULD ● Marj the performer WIN TEA OR COFFEE FOR TWO ● Vale Jean Stafford 40 PAGES ... and the usual more! winners to be drawn 25 e: [email protected] w: www.meredithnews.com.au Meredith & District News Page 2 July 2013 Meredith and District News Police, Ambulance, Fire 000 Community (from mobile phone) 000 or 112 The Meredith and District News is published Meredith Police Station 5286 1222 by a volunteer sub-committee of the Meredith Power Failure 132 412 Community Centre comprising: Jim Elvey, There are lots of special interest Nurse-On-Call 1300 606024 Dawn Macdonald , David Jones, Trudy groups in the district. Make a call Mental Health Advice 1300 280 737 Mitchell, Stefania Parkinson and Ian Penna and connect - you’ll be glad you NEWS & VIEWS Poisons Information 13 11 26 Subject to the conditions outlined did. (And let us have any corrections Barwon Water 1300 656 007 below, contributions accompanied by the or additions.) SES Emergency - contributor’s name (which will also be flood & storm help: 132 500 published) and contact details, are most ADVANCE FOOTBALL 24 Hour Helpline 1800 629 572 welcome. Please email to MEREDITH (seniors) 24 Hour Drug & [email protected] or 5286 1291 0408 545246 Alcohol Counselling 1800 888 236 deliver to the Meredith Corner Shop. (juniors) ANGLING CLUB Kids Help Line DATES AND DEADLINES 0430 587674 5354 3879 24hr 5-18yo 1800 551 800 The Newsletter is distributed on the first Golden Plains Shire 1300 363 036 Thursday of each month (except BLUE LIGHT January). 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Meredith Memorial 0400 078752 RSL 5286 1227 (11 issues) and get the Meredith and 5286 1545 52861 452 Elaine Mechanics PRIMARY District News posted to you anywhere in CUBS & SCOUTS 5241 5596 SCHOOL Australia. SENIOR CITIZENS Anakie Elaine Rec Res 5286 1313 CONTACT US CLUB 5281 9497 5341 5703 RECREATION Post: Post Office, Meredith, 3333 5286 8232 Email: [email protected] CWA LIBRARY VAN RESERVE TENNIS 5272 6010 Ph: (BH ONLY please) Jim 5286 1273 or 5286 1559 0429 841399 Elaine Dawn 5286 1274. FILM GROUP 0448 291074 WEB 5286 1274 Meredith You can check back copies and lodge 5286 1211 comments at meredithnews.com.au SEW ‘N’ SEWS ONLINE PHOTOS 5286 1348 We do not publish children’s photos online. If you would like any other photo that you appear in withheld from the web edition, let us know in writing by the second Thursday of the month of publication. DISCLAIMER ...or start something. The opinions expressed by contributors are If you have a special “Eternity is a very long time, not necessarily those of the publishers. The interest you would like especially near the end. publishers may edit or reject contributions to share with like and accept no responsibility for errors or minded people, let us know and Woody Allen omissions. we will help you get it started . Meredith & District News Page 3 July 2013 Community Meredith Senior Citizens Meredith Community Village Jim Hynds. Di Richie A large group of Senior Citizens met at Morrows Hotel for The Meredith Community Village Committee has endeavoured lunch on Monday, June 17. Upon entering the hotel we were for the last two years to interest five potential organizations/ greeted with a massive open fire and a warm welcome from providers/developers in the building of retirement units for the Steve and his staff. When all were seated, our lunch orders were Meredith Community Village. Despite our best efforts we have taken and we settled in for a great day. In no time at all the been unsuccessful. At a recent meeting of the committee the meals that were presented brilliantly arrived and judging by the decision was made to invest the funds in a Bendigo Bank silence in the room they were very satisfying. Well done Chef! Investment account for two years, to meet six monthly to review After the 2 course meal we settled down to an afternoon of catch the situation and in essence to put all plans on hold. We feel that ups, chatter and much laughter. Many thanks to Morrows Hotel given recent developments in Meredith and District there is for making the Seniors most welcome. Our next gathering will optimism for the future that there may still be an opportunity to be on July 1 at the Memorial Hall for lunch and a social day. build the village into the future. All Welcome! Bonfire Father Herman Courts Opened at Elaine Marg Cooper Do you have tree branches or burnable rubbish (no plastic or Elaine residents celebrated the opening of its two new tennis metal) that you would like to get rid of? Then give Father courts on Sunday June 16. Simon Ramsay MLC cut a ribbon and Herman at St. Joseph's Parish Meredith a call on 52861230 . declared the courts open. Also attending were Moorabool Shire We are holding a cookup and bonfire for our young people on Councillors including Tom Sullivan, who said Elaine is an Sunday July 28th in the church grounds to coincide with inspiration to other struggling towns. All those who attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero and are hoping to watch enjoyed a barbeque provided by the Moorabool Shire. proceedings via the internet. So if you can help and we can help you to get rid of your trees etc please give us a call. The courts reconstruction cost $130,000 including money from the State Government and the Moorabool Shire. They have been built for use as both tennis and netball courts, and will serve the community for many years. New Blood Ron Read, President of the Recreation Reserve Committee said The recent Community Centre AGM added two 28 truck and trailer loads of crushed rock were carted to create a new members to the Newsletter Committee in solid foundation for the bitumen surface.