Island living: part 1

Kay Mooney celebrates the arrival of spring...

MONDAY: A grey and dreary day, rain overnight,  as I make the ferry crossing with tradesmen, ladies who shop, school kids and workers.  The lake is cold and dull looking, but I am on my way to choir practice and I love to sing.  The choir are working hard today, we have a gig Thursday and want to give our best.  Now, my "voice" is thin and scratchy at the lower end of Soprano and to the right of Alto, but when we all sing, it is amazing.  I love the Bach Alleluia, my head full of medieval architecture as I try to keep with the soaring voice of Edith, who cansing.  We sing "Feed the Birds "which brings tears to Dots eyes, and "Let There Be Peace" which will rattle around i my brain all day. A quick stop at the P.O. and to the Library, where I greedily book out three new books that enticed me , then home.  In the ferry queue I check on the swan who is nesting right by the road,, on the lake edge.  She was asleep, but wakes to keep an eye on me. On "our" ferry in bright, warm, sunshine across a smiling lake I watch the boats and a long skein of ducks.  Late afternoon and cooking cottage pie, and apple crumble for tea I discover we are out of potatoes **#*.  I walk back to the ferry for a quick purchase at Foodworks and return home among the high school kids and a chilly wind.

TUESDAY: Tuesday mornings is Step Aerobics with Rosy at the RSL, another ferry ride, and a lovely day.  A pelican does a long skim of the water and lands splashily right by the ferry but I don't have my camera out. I love how they do that, wing tips not quite touching the water.   Step is a challenge for the brain as well as co-ordination and breathing but I com out feeling ready for the world.  Off to Bairnsdale next. I love this drive too with it's march and fields and river sid all bathed in spring sunshine.  I have to pick up John, and visit Aldi, then a look at the Art exhibition at the East Gip. gallery as it's the last day today.  Mr Grumpy  stays in the car reading.  This is an exhibition of made items from paper.  There is a framed "picture" which is a piece of knitting on wooden kneedles, look closer and you see, supprise,  that the yarn is made out of twisted compacted paper; another delightful piece is like one of those strip thingis that you hang in doorways, but it is made of hundreds of paint colour cards overdyed with shadowy leaves in many misty greys and browns, I love it; there are little books of handmade paper and lovely bindings inviting you to look within.  So much talent and all in  East Gippi.  Now home to housework.

To be continued...

Island living: part 2

Kay Mooney's reflecting on the arrival of spring... 

TUESDAY continued: There is bird song coming from the garden next door, a real song like an English thrush.  He sits on a post in the sun, his throat swelling to send liquid notes into the air. He's about the size of a thrush too, drab brown with yellowish fawn throat and chest.  I search in my bird book but can't identify him.

WEDNESDAY: In Bairnsdale again to pick up our car from service, but I've really come to see another Exhibition, this time at the Library.  The East Gippsland Photographic Soc. and Wow! what an exhibition.  So many varied, and beautiful photographs (nothing like my snaps).  There are lots of subjects and lots of techniques on view here.  We are invited to nominate a favourite one but how do you chose? They are all amazing: a lighthouse against the night sky, alpine daisies, snow gums, an aged chinese lady, a dog sleeping but tweaked to give it the look of an etching.  A good use of fifteen minutes if you are in Bairnsdale.  I run a few errands and then head home.  The side streets of Bairnsdale, and Paynesville, are pink and fragrant with Prunus, spring is definitely here.

THURSDAY;  I wake to bird song and the bedroom filling with a golden glow as the sun rises.  6 deg.  Brrrr!  The Choir has a gig today and at 10am we all muster at Clifton Waters.  The residents are seated and ready, we have a well thought out program of songs, recitation, and piano solos to entertain them.  I love to watch faces as we sing to see if we are doing well.  It seems we are.  People are smiling and applauding.  It is a great feeling, a real high.  Afterwards no one remembers the small mistakes - thank heavens.  Several of us have decided to have lunch afterwards.  Such a nice idea, and such a nice venue.  The shop at the front is an interesting mix of Antiques and Gift Wear, the dinning area at the back is inviting and tasteful.   The tomatoe and capsicum soup served with a herb scone was delicious and very welcome, I was hungry after all that singing. Before I headed home I stopped by Dahlsons and bought a potted Fuscia, and Sutera Cordata, which is a pretty white flowering ground cover or tub plant.  I've grown this elsewhere and it flowers and flowers.  Clearly I have spring fever.

Saturday, a breath of Spring, warm and sunny, the lake like glass and all in the garden starting to grow.  We had a Koala visiting our tree so, as well as pulling weeds and admiring my flowering jonquils and freesias, I spent a happy day showing him off to passing walkers.  There was was a lady from Sale with her Alaskan friends who now live in Tasmania; two mums with young children in tow; a family, originally from Sri Lanka, who now live in Sale; and a lovely couple out taking photographs.  They are members of the Bairnsdale Photographic Club and we had a lovely discussion about gardens and vegetables growing.   

Just a happy day in "Paradise" K

Ramble supports cancer research

Dear Raymond Islanders,

In Australia, close to 3300 men die of prostate cancer – and around 20,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is dedicated to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, families and the wider community.

You and your family & friends are invited to the first annual ‘Raymond Island Father’s Day Ramble’ in Support of Prostate Cancer Research

                                   

What?     A gentle 2.5 km stroll around our beautiful island.
When?    Sunday September 7, 2014

Time?      9:00 a.m. at the Ferry Park, registrations from 8:30 am.

And then?     Join us for breakfast/brunch

Cost?         $10.00 per adult – Children $ 2.00                                                        
For catering purposes please e: rica@netspace.net.au or m: 0409231127

All Proceeds to Prostate Cancer Research

Landcare: Plant of the month

Important meeting for Islanders

IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING - Monday September 1 @ 7.30 p.m.

The next RICA meeting will be at 7pm Monday September 1  in the Raymond Island Community Hall.  Immediately following the meeting at approximately 7.30PM a public meeting will occur, chaired by an East Gippsland Shire Council representative, to which all Raymond Island residents and ratepayers are invited. During the public meeting, priorities will be set and action plans established for projects which are important to Raymond Islanders and which can be jointly pursued by Raymond Islanders and the Shire.

During community consultation in recent years when the Raymond Island Urban Design Framework and the Paynesville and District Community Plan were developed, a number of considerations and proposed projects were raised by Raymond Islanders. Attached are extracts from both of the documents. Please review these and come to the meeting prepared to reinforce the previous issues raised or raise new ones.  The Raymond Island Urban Design Framework complete document can be emailed to you on request. The Paynesville and District Community Plan is too large to email, but available on http://www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au/Plans_and_Projects/Community_Planning/Paynesville_and_District

Printed copies of the relevant pages can be arranged for  those who are unable to access them.

This is an opportunity for Raymond Islanders and the Shire to review.

·         What has been achieved from the list of actions within the plan?

·         What has changed since the plan was endorsed by council?

·         With those changes in mind and what has been achieved, what are the key priorities to be addressed on Raymond Island?

·         Discuss how, who when etc…….

If Raymond Islanders want EGSC to help preserve what is important whilst pursuing appropriate projects, here is an opportunity to engage with the Shire.  

Please be there.

Cheers,

Warwick Hall
Ph / fax: 61 3 5156 0336
Mob: 61 425 785 042

A date with fashion

Morning delights

Stewart Whiffen writes...

Sadly, I am leaving the Island for work reasons.

Some of my favourite times have been watching our special world whilst waiting on The Ferry.

I won't miss the Ferry (sorry for the pun) anymore, but I will miss the early these morning delights.

Stewart.

Gothic cathedrals at the Abbey

Wouldn't it be nice!

John Potts found this great ferry service in South Australia...

Ferry outage: 11 August 2014

The ferry will be out of service for three hours on Monday 11 August 2014 to allow the drive chain to be comprehensively inspected and assessed. The chain has been inspected periodically, but this more detailed inspection is to assess the first year’s wear and tear, as the chain has been in place for 12 months.

It is expected that the ferry will be out of service between 11.00am and 1.00pm.

Additional inspections may be needed on Tuesday and Wednesday, depending on Monday's findings. If required, these inspections will close the ferry between 10.00am and 12.00pm.

The water taxi will be operating during any outages. The vacant land on the corner of The Esplanade and Victoria Street is unavailable for car parking, as it is being used to store items used in the upgrade to the Paynesville foreshore and The Esplanade.

For further information, contact the Shire’s Ashley Higman on 5153 9500.

Note: The ferry's biennial service is scheduled for 6 - 20 October.

RICA meeting with the Shire

The Raymond Island Community Association Committee met with Councillors and staff from the East Gippsland Shire last Tuesday 29 July at the Raymond Island Hall. 

The Councillors expressed a desire to keep open communication going between themselves and the residents of Raymond Island and once again welcomed the input on the Draft Shire Budget, particularly those aspects which affected the Ferry fees.

RICA President, Warwick Hall, made two important points – what “vision” does the Shire have for the Island as part of the greater East Gippsland Shire  and as a tourism destination and how can we work towards making the residents’ vision consistent with this and work together to achieve it.  The Urban Design Framework document prepared in 2007 was referred to as still containing the most relevant directions for Raymond Island.  An extract summary from the document follows.

Secondly Warwick stressed the need for access to the island to not become an annual issue and ways should be found so we can work together with the Shire to maximise the benefits of the ferry and eliminate the conflicts over cost and cost recovery.

The Shire President, Mark Reeves, responded positively and invited Fiona Weigall, Manager for Strategic Planning, to expand on the next step.  Fiona advised that Community Plans which had been drawn up for the smaller communities such as Metung, Eagle Point and Paynesville were now in various stages of implementation or completion and that Raymond Island was next.  She advised that she would be back in touch with RICA to review the Community Plan for the Island and seek residents’ views on the most important issues which needed to be addressed by the Shire in its 2015/2016 Budget.

The Councillors complemented the Committee on the Community Hall and enjoyed looking at all the local items on display as well as enjoying afternoon tea supplied largely by Fay Joshua.   

Raymond Island Urban Design Framework - 2007

THE VISION FOR RAYMOND ISLAND

“Raymond Island will be acknowledged as a unique village and rural residential

locality set within the heart of the Gippsland Lakes.

Its bushland setting, natural values and quiet lifestyle will be maintained and it will

be recognised as a destination where sustainability is a key element in all activities

conducted on the Island.

Limited new low intensity development, consistent with this vision will be provided for and the Island will be seen as an attractive visitor destination for nature based tourism experiences. Non-car based circulation on the Island will be well provided for and promoted.

Raymond Island will be conveniently accessed from adjacent Paynesville, which will also provide most essential goods and services for Raymond Island residents and visitors.”

Report by Di Reynolds

Creative workshop at the Abbey

Beautiful Strait in winter

Kay Mooney captured the higher water level and promise of wild weather on 18 July - a beautiful record of our winter...