News afloat!

Lorraine Slater sent through these images...

The Paynesville Water Police recently launched their new boat.

Marlay Point overnight race on 8 March - this fabulous still reflection was taken by Deanne Semmens who, with her husband, is a skipper with Carrum Coast Guard. The couple have been coming to Marlay Point for 10 years and love the Lakes.

Paynesville Coastguard hosted a dinner on Raymond Island to thank crews from Marlo, Port Welshpool and Carrum for their work at the Marlay Point race. 45 local and visiting coastguarders and other race supporters attended.

RICA's community voice

THE RAYMOND ISLAND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

What is RICA and why should you be involved?

Do you love our island and want to keep it as it is?  So do RICA members.   So we meet once a month at the community hall to plan activities and that will maintain the great lifestyle we have here.

We organise social events, working bees, we maintain the community hall, we raise issues with the Shire which we see as important to the Island and its residents.

Who maintains the ferry park?  Who keeps our hall in tip top condition?  Who organises the annual burn off?  Who organises the various social events you see advertised (and probably take part in)?  The members of the Raymond Island Community Association.

If you want to be part of protecting the island, if you have ideas you think would make our lives better, then why not join?  We need a strong community voice when action is being planned by larger interests.

We’ve just elected a new team of office bearers at the AGM in early March.  They are listed below.   

We meet on the first Monday of the month at 7.00 pm. at the Hall.   The annual membership fee is $12 for individuals and $20 for families.  Contact RICA at rica@netspace.net.au for a membership form.

The next meeting is Monday 7 April.  Come along, meet our current members and see how you can have some fun while making our beautiful Island a better place to live.

The committee and current members look forward to welcoming you.

The new committee is:

President – Warwick Hall

Vice President – David Prasad

Secretary – Vicki Trofimovs

Treasurer – Natalie Roberts

Committee – Jenni Hall

Committee – Brian Joshua

Committee – Di Reynolds

Did you know?

Anniversary of Raymond Island's electricity connection

Did you know that 28 February marked the 50th anniversary of the official ceremony to turn on the electricity supply to the Island?

Until 1964 Islanders made do without - cooking on wood stoves or Primus cookers, and relying on kerosene lanterns at night. In those days there were no solar or wind power generators. Last year ageing copper cable, some of it the original cable installed in 1964, was replaced with an alloy cable.

original reported: Bairnsdale Advertiser/Paynesville Post,  10 March 2014.

Crafting visitors from Phillip Island

Kay Mooney was invited to join a group of patch working ladies who were coming to view my neighbours' fantastic collection of sewing machines - mostly vintage Singer. Helen and Peter have so far collect and restored 33 machines of all kinds which they kindly displayed for the crafting group.  

Our visitors were a group of ladies from Phillip Island who came  to visit our lovely Island because of the Music Festival and to meet with the Raymond Island ladies and enjoy sharing their latest crafting ideas. I was invited by this merry band of friendly ladies to join them the next evening for their crafting session and took a few photos. Their creativity is just amazing.

Community facilities survey

East Gippsland Shire would like to hear what you, or your family, think about the quality of our parks, gardens, reserves, playgrounds and their facilities.

Survey respondents can go into the draw to win an iPod Shuffle or Forge Theatre tickets.

The survey link is: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParksGardens2014

Shelter Report Feb-Mar 2014

As nights draw in, here's a timely reminder to take extra care after dark.

Read the story in the latest Koala andWildlife Shelter Report.

Nine of Cups

For those who have been following David and Marcie Lynn's adventures, Nine of Cups and crew are currently heading across the Great Australian Bight from Streaky Bay to Esperance. 


You can check their progress on their daily blog at www.justalittlefurther.com or www.sailblogs.com/member/nineofcups. 

Can you spare any old Lego?

Have your kids/grandkids finished playing with their Lego?

Peter & Coralie Foxton and Val Quirk are travelling soon to Myanmar (Burma) on a voluntour with International Children's Care. 

They will be visiting a children's village/school and are looking for donations of school pens, pencils, textas, school exercise books,loose leaf paper etc.

Also, as our grandkids have finished playing with their Lego, we are taking that as well, as apart from being fun, it is a great teaching aid. If you have any that you no longer want (or felt generous enough to buy some new Lego), we would be very happy to receive it.

And finally, plain white school shirts (eg Midford, Stubbies) but no logos are always useful as they are the school uniform. All sizes,  Prep to VCE, long or (preferably) short sleeves.

Coralie can be contacted on 51566743 and Val 51561457.

Thank you

Weekly algae updates

Did you know that algae occurs naturally in the Gippsland Lakes?

Through the year, the Lakes contain different levels of various types of algae at varying levels. Weather conditions, nutrient levels, salinity and freshwater inflows all affect the levels of algae and can contribute to the formation of algal blooms. DEPI conducts regular tests of algae in the Lakes and you can link to weekly updates from our On the Lakes page. 

Still on the Strait

Stella Sakkeus captured this lovely 'Straitscape' from her kayak on a recent calm day!

Ferry costs for motorcycles

This is a subject that may have been discussed many times around the island but as a fairly new part time resident I thought I should raise it anyway.
My wife and I have 2 cars and living in an area with no public transport this is almost essential. Both vehicles have windscreen stickers and can travel on the ferry for free.
I have an elderly motorcycle on club plates which would probably only go on the road 40 days a year. It is cheap to run but when I take it on the ferry I am hit for $10. Now my Land rover and caravan is free but in the same space on the ferry I could fit 8 motorcycles (2 abreast).
Would it be a good idea if owners of vehicles with club rego or motorcycles which are really fair weather only, could apply for an additional sticker or stickers? Let's face it, we can only drive one vehicle at a time onto the ferry so why be penalised for using one and not the other?
Neil Sandison.

Disastrous fruit raid

Kay Mooney found a Fruit Bat on the roadside just up from the IGA and after the last terrific winds.  It appears, however, that the little didn't succumb to the wind but rather was the caught in the act of raiding a small peach tree and when it electrocuted itself on  overhead power lines.  It was quite beautiful and unmarked.

Fish, Fish, Fish Everywhere!

Rob Morecroft reports... the long weekend is upon us and the bream are up under the jetties all around the Island. There is a new batch of flathead moving through the lakes ranging in size from 28cm to 35cm, and reports indicate schools of Taylor in Newlands Arm. It looks great for the Easter break.

The water is so clear I was able to snap a few photos from the jetty of large bream feeding on the new growth of barnacles and mussels.

Tim released ... a koala's tale

Hi, my name is Tim. I have just been released back to my home in Gravelly Point Road. I spent 6 weeks in care after a tourist’s dog decided it wanted to play with me and hurt me quite badly.

Of course everyone knows that Koalas don’t like to play with dogs, in fact we really prefer to be well away from them and we often get very stressed when dogs are near us. Anyway as a result of the attack, I received a permanent hole through my skull. I’m thankful that it has now covered over with skin. I also received a badly injured eye. All healed now.

I’m grateful to Grant Kuseff from Main Street Vet who treated me at the clinic. I had stitches to my head, wounds flushed and IV fluid administered. After being at the clinic for the day, my carer took me home to the comfort of the shelter. I certainly was well looked after and spoilt. Food was served twice daily, more than I could eat. It was just wonderful. My carer also had to administer antibiotics and pain relief for 14 days and a further 5 days of eye ointment. I was a bit naughty at first and liked to fight with her but I soon calmed down and realised the needles weren’t too bad.

My carer Susie was great and over the hot days kept me cool with a fan, it certainly was 5 star accommodation and I don’t have private health cover either. Soon my carer told me; “Tim it’s time to go home”, I was happy. But I thought to myself, “Gosh I’ve got to get my own food now and who’s going to scratch my back?”

I was released once the weather cooled down a little to give me a good chance to get back on my feet. I’ve got yellow paint both sides of my lower back so people can recognise me in the trees. I will never be as I was before the attack, but I’m well enough for now to be out enjoying what I do best-eating and sleeping not to mention eyeing off the gorgeous girls. Thankyou to my fellow friends for looking after me.

If I’m unwell and you see me with a blood nose or sitting on the ground, please call Susie at the Shelter. I will most likely need her. However I’m fighting fit now and enjoying the smell of the trees and my mouth is watering thinking about all the yummy food over at Tom and Jane’s.

Day 1: 14 January

Day 9: 23 January

Day 43: Saying farewell

Day 44: 26 February back home

Vintage cars help sick kids

Residents and visitors enjoyed a special Happy Hour fundraiser for the Royal Children's Hospital. The balmy Friday twilight at the Hall was the perfect setting for enjoying a good company, a glass of wine and the sausage sizzle. Stu Hughes played the blues and Paynesville IGA donated prizes for a raffle. But the stars, of course, were the cars and motorcycles on display of course!

Thanks to Les and Margaret Bradd for organising this event, and also to their helpers. A terrific result of $490 was raised for a Raymond Island donation to the Good Friday Appeal.

You can see the photos on our Events page!

Maritime Museum opening

The Paynesville Maritime Museum is opening its new display room on Sunday 7th March at 9am for the first time - Raymond Street extension of Gilsenan Reserve. 

From now on, it will be open on the second Sunday of every month (the same day as the Sunday Market) from 9am til 12 noon.

All visitors welcome!

Alien identified!

Congratulations to Stella Sakkeus and Paul Harvey who reported on the jellyfish that we see off the side of the ferry!

It is the Blue Blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), is native to Victorian coastal waters, and its sting is not dangerous.

Find out more on the new Marine Animals page!

Bush dance a local hit

Kay Moore reports the Music Festival bush dance went very well...

'We had over 100 people happily dancing  the 'Drongo', the 'Kangaroo Hop', the 'Stockyards', the Gallopede', 'Pride of Erin', the 'Muffinman' and many others. Australian Colonial songs were performed by the band and guest singer-songwriter Bob Moorhouse entertained the crowd with two of his originals. 

A special thanks go to the band members for keeping the energy flowing all night, and to Jill,  Peter, Marilyn, Natalie and friends for keeping the sausages supplied, manning the door and tidying up.   

Thank you to all the locals and visitors who attended to make the evening a great success. We had families with babies and children; all ages were represented and joined in together. 

You can see the night's photos on our new Events page!

Shelter Report 2014

Rocky as a young joey

Young Rocky has been successfully released! 

Read the story in the latest Koala andWildlife Shelter Report.