Walpole says: Thanks firies!

February 11, 2015
Free Community News of Walpole,
Nornalup, Peaceful Bay & Bow Bridge
Proudly published in litter-free Walpole
Walpole says: Thanks firies!
Good men & women
To lead this edition of the Walpole
Weekly, we are proud to relay
messages of gratitude that
members of the Walpole &
Districts community are so keen to
convey to our firefighters and
support crews; from heartfelt
letters to the editor, and an
anonymous paid classified ad,
through to a booked and bought
full-page space thanking the
personal sacrifice of members of
the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade.
Good men and women true
stepped out that day (Wednesday),
booted up and helmeted.
Good men and women true
bowed heads that day and prayed,
“Good Lord save!”
That night, “He covered the
heaven with cloud and prepared
rain for the earth,” Psalm 147:8.
Good men and women true we
applaud your brave efforts against
the bushfires ravaging our great
southern forests.
Thanksgiving prayers were
offered at St George’s Walpole on
Sunday last and prayers continue
for the firefighters battling on .
—Geoffrey Newby
Selfless sacrifice
The Walpole Volunteer Bushfire
Brigade would like to express its
heartfelt thanks to the selfless
volunteers who have assisted in
fighting the ongoing bushfires in
Northcliffe and North Walpole.
Members have worked
relentlessly, often at significant
personal financial cost, to protect
property and life far from their
own homes.
— Anthony Thompson,
Captain, Walpole Volunteer Bush
Fire Brigade
See his full letter of thanks on
page 6
Good call
An image shared by a wife and
mother of her partner leaving home
for his fourth callout last week.
Reproduced with the permission of
the Association of Volunteer Bush
Fire Brigades of WA
I would like to express my deep
and sincere gratitude to all the
firies who so bravely and
successfully defended our town
from last week's fire; in particular
those who made the call to build
containment lines on Beardmore
and Ordinance Roads.
Once the post-mortems are
(Continued on page 5)
Walpole Weekly
Published by Walpole Community Resource Centre (Inc)
Latham Ave. (PO Box 197), Walpole, WA 6398
Phone (08) 9840 1395
Fax (08) 9840 1394
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.Walpole.org.au
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Weather
Temperatures and rainfall for
Sunday February 1 to Saturday February 7, 2015
Temperatures
Min
Max
mm
Sunday
16.0
29.3
0.6
Monday
17.8
33.7
0.6
Tuesday
21.4
36.6
0
Wednesday
22.5
38.5
0
Thursday
17.9
26.9
0
Friday
16.3
24.0
1.4
Saturday
13.9
23.7
0
Total rainfall for the week
Sources: www.bom.gov.au; www.willyweather.com.au
Times to Remember
Walpole Waste Transfer Station
Tuesday and Thursday 1 - 5; Sunday 9 - 5
Peaceful Bay Tip
Wednesday 9 - 1; Sunday 1 - 4.30
Library ph: 9840 1108
Wednesday 9 - 12 and 1 - 3.30
Friday 9 - 12 and 1 - 3.30 Saturday 9 -12
Walpole Op Shop
Monday—Friday 9.30 - 11.30 and Saturday 10 -1
Submit your friends’ and
family members’
birthdays to the
editor at
[email protected]
Corner Vista and Pier Streets
Contact: Rev Sue Lodge-Calvert
Telephone: 9848 2173
Website: www.denmarkanglican.org.au
2 - February 11, 2015
2.6
Forecast for the next five days:
St George’s
Anglican Church
Walpole
Holy Communion
Sunday 10am.
Rainfall
Feb 11
Feb 13
Feb 14
Feb 16
Judy Svenson
Sammy Ward
Nathan Lane
Neville Brass, Cooper Masters
Calendar of Events
Date
Details
Feb 11 Business After Hours @ Walpole CRC
with Bendigo Bank





Income Tax , BAS & FBT Returns
Financial Statement
Tax Planning & Advice
Bookkeeping set up & training
Mobile Service available
12 Seniors Computer Club resumes
@ Walpole CRC, 1:00 pm
17 Farm support seminar 1-3pm
@ Manjimup CRC, 45 Rose St
28 ‘Thank You Fireys’ Red Balloon Day
Feb 28- Walpole in the Trees Regatta
Mar 1 incorporating the 2015 Moth State Titles
Mar
6 Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”
Westlink Simulcast @ Walpole CRC
Apr
2 Last day of term 1 @
Walpole Primary School
Oct
3 Live Life with Relish Festival
Important Deadlines
OP-SHOP
Manji grants
Community project
applications by Feb 13.
Community groups and
not-for-profit applications
for Shire of Manjimup
community grants by 4
pm Mar 27.
WA heritage
Nominations for the
Western Australian
Heritage Awards close
Feb 20.
Herring limits
New herring bag limits of
12 per angler per day
from Mar 1.
Farm finance
Applications for the Farm
Finance Concessional
Loan Scheme close on
Apr 30.
Hard waste
Walpole hard waste
collection May 25.
Walpole Quality Meats
Support us.
We do support you!
Disaster relief fund
Walpole Community Resource Centre has a disaster
relief bank account set up to facilitate the consolidation
and distribution of cash donations from the Walpole &
Districts community to victims of the bushfires via the
Shire of Manjimup.
Our friendly teller at the Bendigo Bank Agency can
facilitate that for you. Opening hours for the Agency
are Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am-3:00pm. Donation tins are
also around town.
Online
The Walpole Weekly has a new home on the World
Wide Web at the newly redeveloped Walpole.org.au.
A free email subscription is available to those who
want to download the full-colour PDF version of the
Weekly as soon as it is published.
Visit www.Walpole.org.au/subscribe to subscribe.
It’s greener! For every three confirmed email
addresses subscribed, the Weekly will reduce its print
run by one copy! :-) www.Walpole.org.au/subscribe
Corrections Feb 4
At the time of writing of “Alex, Monty honoured on
Australia Day” in the Walpole Weekly, February 4
edition, Emergency Services Medallist Alex Williams
was not fighting fires in Northcliffe. He was fighting
fires in Boddington. And he has been involved in
volunteer emergency services nationally since 1971.
The cover story of that same edition was not written
on Feb 4. It was, of course, written in the afternoon of
Feb 3 moments before the newspaper went to print.
February 11, 2015
-3
Letters and contributions to the
The Walpole Weekly is YOUR newspaper; published
by the community for the community.
There is so much going on that it is impossible for
the Community Resource Centre to cover it all for you.
You can help us with words:
 If you’re on a committee or in a club, let us know
what happened at your big event.
 If you've witnessed something amusing,
dramatic, unusual or eventful, jot it down for us.
 If you’re an expert in a particular subject or a
close follower of politics, sports, books, music,
or anything else, we welcome your idea for a
regular column.
 If you’ve written a joke, poem or a very short
story we’d love to share it with the community.
If you think you can’t write, you probably can; and
of course we will edit and proofread it!
And you can help us with pictures (and captions):
 If you’ve attended an event send us your snaps
(please identify all the people in them).
 If you’ve caught a huge whiting or seen a ghost
in Pioneer Park, send us your pictorial proof.
Submit your contributions and ideas for stories and
columns to [email protected].
4 - February 11, 2015
The Walpole Weekly values freedom of expression and
welcomes contributions and feedback from readers via
letter or email on any topic of community interest:
1) All content submitted for publication must
provide full name and contact details.
2) If the writer wishes to remain anonymous, the
words “Name withheld by request” will be used
in the byline.
3) Any content published will be done so without
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spelling, and grammar—therefore the writer
should carefully check facts and consider their
choice of words.
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6) Should the writer dispute the Editor’s decision
they should take it up in writing with the
Management Committee of Walpole CRC.
7) The Management Committee will make the final
decision on whether or not to publish the content
in the next available edition of the Weekly.
(Continued from page 1)
done it could emerge that this decision saved the lives
and properties of many people living in the bush in and
around North Walpole Road, and perhaps even our
town.
Thankyou, you brave bunch!
— Louis Beckerling
THANK YOU
A big thanks to all the wonderful firefighters who
have gone above and beyond their endurance to
keep Walpole and the South West safe. Anon.
Do the fires tell us anything?
For many years people would have heard me saying
that the only real defence from wildfires is to prescribe
burn.
The current Northcliffe and Hotham fires are classic
examples of what will happen if you allow forest fuels
to build up excessively and mix with the severe weather
conditions that we get from time to time.
After the 1961 Dwellingup fires, a Royal
Commission recommended regular prescribed burning
on a large scale.
Aerial burning was developed to a very high
standard and the southwest of WA enjoyed a broad
scale mosaic of low fuels that provided strategic
protection to communities until the late ‘90s.
So what has changed and placed the community in
this current situation?
There are a series of events that have collectively
contributed to it: A large reduction of available firefighters in DPaW.
Five hundred wages staff in the 70’s reduced to less
than half now. Also a large reduction of logging
crews who provided backup resources.
 A regular increase of staff centralised into regional
centres and head office positions. These are very
often the experienced fire officers who previously
would have been located in Districts.
 The unfortunate wildfire calamities of Boorabin,
Margaret River and Two Peoples Bay have created a
situation where the paperwork and cross checks
involved in doing a prescribed burn have become
excessive. It is not possible to do the amount of
prescriptions required to protect the community,
especially small burns adjacent to private property.
 Local brigade units are no longer available for
landowners to reduce fuel levels in their bush areas.
This results in less burning on private property
adding to the overall fire risk to communities.
 The extinction of the Bush Fires Board and creation
of DFES has resulted in the replacement of
experienced bush fire officers with mostly a
hierarchy of urban firefighters. The issue with this is
that too much money is being spent on equipment
(helicopters, waterbombers, etc) and not enough on
prescribed burning. This is due to the emphasis
being on suppression rather than prevention.
So how do we reverse this situation?
Some suggestions are: We need to allocate more funds to prevention. DFES
collects millions of dollars from fire levies on our
land rates and insurance policies. A large proportion
is spent on equipment. The Government needs to
direct some of this to prescribed burning.
 DPaW needs to urgently address fire training and
succession planning. The fire training section of the
department is grossly understaffed for the risk
involved with wildfires in WA. Have regional
officers with fire experience based in District offices
where they can mentor and train junior staff.
 A much more simplified prescription should be
developed, especially for small hand burns.
 Government Ministers need to strongly support and
fund prescribed burning in the State. How often do
we see them giving a press conference on the
achievements of prescribed burning? Yet they are
the first ones seeking an interview when another
Elvis helicopter appears on the scene.
 The conservation groups need to stop the persistent
“no burning” hype and actively support the
environment. Sort out the real concerns and look at
alternative ways to protect them but within a burning
regime that protects the whole environment.
— Peter Bidwell, Fire Consultant
February 11, 2015
-5
6 - February 11, 2015
What do fire, harvest, vehicle bans mean?
HAZELVALE FIRE REPORT
By Alex Williams, ESM
I have been asked a number of questions over the past
week with respect to what a total fire ban involves.
If you have internet access you should look at the
DFES website for this information at the following link:
dfes.wa.gov.au/totalfirebans/Pages/whatisatfb.aspx
There is also confusion with respect to harvest and
vehicle movement bans imposed by Local Government
so again, visit the DFES web site.
The following are some of the questions I am
frequently asked:
animals, such as urgent feeding and watering of stock
has an automatic exemption. However:
 You must ensure your vehicle is mechanically sound
and the exhaust system is in good condition, free of
gas leaks and has a well maintained spark arrester.
 You must ensure all reasonable precautions have
been taken to prevent a bushfire starting.
Can I use equipment and machinery (e.g. bobcats,
excavators, bulldozers etc)?
Yes. Their use is permitted in suburban or built up areas
where the area is sufficiently cleared of flammable
material to prevent a fire escaping. In bush or in areas
of crop, pasture or stubble, equipment and machinery
can only be used for agricultural purposes and only if a
Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban has not been
implemented by your local government. The following
conditions must also be met:
 You must ensure the equipment or machinery is
mechanically sound.
 You must take all reasonable precautions to prevent
a bushfire starting.
However, if possible, postpone this activity altogether
to minimise the risk of fire.
Dos & don’ts
Can I drive a 4WD offroad (e.g. through bushland)
for recreational purposes?
NO. During a Total Fire Ban you cannot use a vehicle
in bush or a paddock, unless it is for agricultural
purposes. You can only use a vehicle on a road, track or
in an area that has been sufficiently cleared of
flammable material.
Can I ride my motorbike, motocross bike or quad
bike through bush or in a paddock?
NO. During a Total Fire Ban you cannot use a vehicle
in bush or a paddock, unless it is for agricultural
purposes. You can only use a vehicle on a road, track or
in an area that has been sufficiently cleared of
flammable material.
Can I feed or water my stock in a paddock?
Yes. Agricultural activities can continue during a Total
Fire Ban, as long as a Harvest and Vehicle Movement
Ban has not been implemented by your local
government. If a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban
has been implemented, the immediate welfare of
Can I use my lawnmower?
Yes. However this activity can only be undertaken in
suburban or built up areas, not in bush or other areas
where there use is likely to cause a fire.
This is a summary of dos and don’ts with respect to
Total Fire Bans and Harvest and Vehicle Ban. Note:
The information below is a summary of the main points
in relation to these Bans and not a definitive statement.
 A Total Fire Ban is declared because of extreme
weather conditions or when existing fires seriously
stretch firefighting resources. It is declared by DFES
under delegation from the Minister.
 A Total Fire Ban prohibits the lighting of all fires in
the open and any other activity that may start a fire
such as but not exclusive to welding, grinding, gas/
oxy cutting etc.
 Farmers can continue day to day agricultural
activities such as harvesting, feeding, moving stock,
etc as long as a Harvest and Vehicle Ban has not
been imposed.
 A Harvest and Vehicle Ban is not automatic with a
Total Fire Ban.
 Farmers are not required to have a firefighting unit
on site when undertaking agricultural activities
during a Total Fire Ban. However common sense
requires people to exercise appropriate precautions.
 Gas BBQs may be used during a Total Fire Ban but
not solid fuel units, and flammable material must be
cleared five metres in all directions. Electric BBQs
without flames may also be used.
 4WDs, motorbikes and other internal combustion
powered vehicles may not be used off road during
Total Fire Bans unless for an agricultural purpose.
 Generators may not be used in the open outside
urban areas.
 Internal combustion engine water pumps should
have an appropriate clearance around them such as
to ensure there is no risk of them being a source of
ignition to any flammable material.
 Electric- and gas-fired stills are permitted under the
(Continued on page 8)
February 11, 2015
-7
(Continued from page 7)
same rules as BBQs. Wood-fired stills are
prohibited.
 Total Fire Bans apply from midnight to midnight
however there is provision for revocation if weather
conditions ease.
 Penalties for breaching Total Fire Bans are a
$25,000 fine and two years jail.
 Harvest and Vehicle Bans issued by Local
Governments are independent of Total Fire Bans.
 It is the individual’s responsibility to be aware of
bans.
 The Chief Bush Fire Control Officer (CBFCO) in
consultation with other FCOs may impose a Harvest
and Vehicle Ban at any time during the restricted or
prohibited burning periods.
 A Harvest and Vehicle Ban must be imposed when
the fire danger index is 35 or greater.
 During Harvest and Vehicle Bans all off-road
activity likely to cause a fire must cease including
agricultural activities, however urgent feeding and
watering of stock is permitted with reasonable
precautions.
I hope this is helpful to the Hazelvale Fire District and
to the broader community covered by the Weekly.
— Alex Williams, Hazelvale Fire Control Officer
8 - February 11, 2015
THANK YOU
Don and Margo Redman, together with
Terry and Maria, would like to sincerely thank
all those who expressed sympathy and support
for us since the tragic loss of our
son and brother Geoff.
THANK YOU
Many thanks to all our Walpole friends who have
either visited, sent cards, or phoned to wish Bob
a speedy recovery from his recent stroke.
He is improving each day and hopefully we will
be back in Walpole in the very near future.
Your thoughts have been greatly appreciated
by all his family — Roslyn Quin
Boronia fire issue smoulders
Dear Editor,
It is now four and a half years
since a bushfire devastated the
Boronia Ridge area of Walpole.
Because of the unseasonal timing
of the event on the second wettest
month of the year and the prompt
response from DEC (no DPaW), no
life nor houses were lost.
The comprehensive report in the
Walpole Weekly on the fire
highlighted the dangers which this
fire made evident.
There is only one road in or out of
the area. The second entrance road
was closed on Main Roads’
insistence. The remaining access road
has dense bush along the western
kerbside.
The 100-metre low fuel zone
around the subdivision in the Shire’s
Fire Management document was not
maintained by the Shire.
The trees left on the lots, contrary
to established fire prevention
strategy, ignited, with flames many
metres above the tree tops.
There was no alternate route with
the highway the only way in or out of
the town causing traffic confusion
when the highway was closed.
The possibility of this event
occurring again mid-summer would
be a disaster.
None of these obvious elements
requiring urgent response or even
recognition have been addressed by
the Shire.
Quite the contrary, your local
councillor, David Tapley, has
supported legal action against the
developer for endeavouring to carry
out remedial clearing after the fire.
Boronia Ridge residents, some 60
in number, signed a petition
supporting the actions taken by the
developer and, on April 24, 2014
requested the Shire take no further
legal action.
This was ignored.
The Shire has, four summers later,
made no effort to comply its own Fire
Management Plan for the surrounding
100-metre low fuel zone.
The request by the developer to
the Shire for the developer to assume
responsibility for the clearing of
housing envelopes prior to sales, has
been refused.
This forces first home builders in
the area to build amongst the eucalypt
forest with onerous costs incurred to
their building specs, simply because
their neighbours have not submitted
building plans to enable approval to
clear the surrounding house sites.
The dense understory on these lots
absorbs 50% of the ground water and
when continually removed under the
fire control requirements, changes the
environment to the extent that the
water table rises and the jarrah and
red gum trees blow over.
The desire to retain the existing
forest environment on quarter-acre
residential lots has proven impossible
to achieve.
Walpole is over 100kms from the
FOR SALE
Lot 37 Latham Avenue
Centre of Town
Very Close to Shops and Park
2 Road Frontage
Zoned R30
Perfect for Retiree / Investor / Family
Offers over 200k ONO
Phone Tom 0418 933 110
Manjimup seat of local Government
which controls all of the above
planning issues and your local
councillor either cannot or is unable
to plan or take any practical
meaningful action to protect the
constituents of Boronia Ridge.
The developer, Sunland Pty Ltd, is
aware of the dangers involved in
creating a subdivision on the western
edge of the town, with millions of
hectares of forest on its doorstep and
is more than willing to carry out
whatever fire safety measures that
this environment dictates.
However, with absolute lack of
Shire support to remedy any of the
important issues that the fire of more
than four years ago highlighted, and
with the warning unheeded, the
danger continues, unchecked and
ignored by councillors living safely
120 kms to the north.
In a democracy such as ours, it is
up to the local rate payers to elect a
responsible person to represent their
interest and address their concerns.
Otherwise Walpole will remain
out of sight and low in the Manjimup
Council’s priorities.
As an example, the petition from
the 60 ratepayers living in Boronia
Ridge was tabled at a Manjimup
Shire meeting 10 months ago and
there has been no action taken.
— Graeme Robertson, Managing
Director, Sunland Pty Ltd
The Whirling Rainbow
Holistic Healing Traditions
Deep Tissue Massage, Swedish Massage,
Reflexology, Reiki, Earcandling,
Raindrop Treatment, and Holotropic Breathwork
Tues—Walpole at Aradia Blue
Tues.— Fri at Denmark Chiropractors
Enquiries & Appointments
Call SAMADHI 9840 9330 or 0423 503 085
30 years experience
February 11, 2015
-9
Silent Meditation National park closures
Sundays 9:00 am
The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) has
closed 18 national parks and reserves and 36 recreation
sites including tracks and trails in various parts of the
State due to the bushfires in the State's southwest.
DPaW Director General Jim Sharp said staff
resources had been redirected towards fire suppression
and that closures would ensure public safety
Closures include:
 Serpentine National Park
 Avon Valley National Park
 Walyunga National Park
 Lane Poole Reserve
 Wellington National Park
 Boorara-Gardner National Park including Boorara
Tree and Lane Poole Falls
 D'Entrecasteaux National Park including Camfield,
Banksia camp, Crystal Springs and Yeagarup beach
 Gloucester National Park
including Gloucester
Tree
 Greater Hawke National Park, including Yeagarup
Lake
 Jane National Park
 Mount Frankland South National Park
 Shannon National Park including Great Forest Trees
drive and Shannon campground
 Walpole Nornalup National Park including Valley
of the Giants, Longpoint Track and Fernhook Falls
 Warren National Park
 Two People Bay Nature Reserve
 Stirling Range National Park including Bluff Knoll
and Toolbrunup walktrails
 Porongurup National Park including Granite
Skywalk, Castle Rock, Tree-in-the-Rock, Nancy
Peak Circuit
 Waychinicup National Park
 Hoffmans Mill
 Stockton Lake
 Contos, Boranup and Point Road camp sites within
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
 Brockman Sawpits
 Z-Bend and The Loop In Kalbarri National Park
Track and Trail closures include:
 Cape to Cape Track: major recreation sites in the
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
What’s on:
 Munda Biddi from Dwellingup to Ferguson Road
including Collie; and Pemberton to Walpole,
including Northcliffe
Fridays: Chase the Ace

Bibbulmun Track in the Helena National Park
Happy Hour
between Randall Road and Dale Road and between
Op en 7 day s a w ee k
Bar Snacks
Dwellingup to Collie; between Dwellingup and
Harris Dam Road; Wellington National Park’s
Restaurant Open Hours
Phone: (08)9840 1023 Wellington Spur Trail; and between Pemberton and
Walpole, including Northcliffe.
Lunch 12-2pm, Dinner 6-8pm 7days
Kentdale Hall, Parker Road
Enquiries:
Jillian 9840 8685
Walpole Hotel/
Motel
10 - February 11, 2015
February 11, 2015
- 11
Manji seminar focus on farm support
A series of free seminars offering
information on support measures
available to WA farm businesses is
set to begin.
The seminars will run in eight
locations across the agricultural
region, providing detailed
information about assistance.
It is a combined delivery by the
Rural Business Development
Corporation, Rural Financial
Counselling Service WA, Regional
Men’s Health Initiative and the
Australian Department of Human
Services.
Department of Agriculture and
Food, WA project manager Jason
Moynihan said the upcoming seminar
series followed similar workshops
run successfully in the Wheatbelt and
pastoral areas last year.
“There are a range of schemes and
support measures available, and it can
be a challenge for farm business
owners or managers to know the
extent of what is on offer and what is
relevant to them,” Mr Moynihan said.
“These workshops bring several
providers together in one place, to
provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for farm
businesses keen to find out more.
“These range from concessional
loans, financial counselling, health
and wellbeing, and household
allowance payments.”
The Rural Business Development
Corporation (RBDC) will provide
details on the Australian
Government’s Farm Finance and
Drought Concessional Loans
Schemes which will assist
participants to determine whether the
schemes are applicable for them.
The RBDC will also outline grants
under the State Government’s Farm
Business Assessment Scheme which
are available to farm businesses in
eligible shires.
The Rural Financial Counselling
Service WA will present information
on helping people and businesses
through tough times
The Regional Men’s Health
Initiative will outline its activities to
support health and wellbeing.
The Department of Human
Services will provide an overview of
the Farm Household Allowance.
For further information on the
seminars, please phone the RBDC on
freecall 1800 198 231 or email
[email protected]
The closest seminar to Walpole &
Districts will take place in Manjimup,
February 17, 1-3pm at the Manjimup
CRC, 45 Rose Street.
Walpole Quality Meats — Your Local Butcher
Walpole CRC’s Manager, Operations Linda Beard will
fill the role of Kidsport Referral Agent in Walpole for
the Shire of Manjimup.
KidSport enables WA children from low-income
families to participate in community sport and
recreation, no matter their financial circumstances.
Eligible youth aged 5–18 years can apply for
financial assistance to contribute towards club fees.
The fees will go directly to the registered KidSport
clubs through their participating local government.
While the primary objective of KidSport is to ensure
all WA children can participate in sport and recreation
clubs, its secondary objective is to engage these
children and their families in the community.
Applications for consideration of eligibility should
be presented in person to Linda at the CRC.
To find out more about the Kidsport please
contact the Shire of Manjimup Community Services
Administration Officer on 9771 7701 or email
[email protected].
12 - February 11, 2015
Smith found guilty
Colin Smith of Philippine Magic Café, Walpole, faced
the Albany magistrates court in January charged with
purchasing crabs and other fish on three separate
occasions from a recreational fisher.
The court found Mr Smith guilty of all three charges
and, on January 23, imposed fines and penalties
totalling more than $7,000 plus costs of $7,500 for
three $20 purchases of crabs and one gummy shark.
Richard Petty, Compliance Manager – South,
Department of Fisheries said: “The fines reflect the
seriousness of unlawfully buying or selling fish.”
In the sentencing submissions, made by the State
Solicitors on behalf of the Department of Fisheries, it
was reinforced that the livelihoods of the commercial
fishers are compromised by unlawful sales.
“The health and
integrity of fish
products must be
maintained and fish
stock sustainability
remains paramount,”
Mr Petty said.
Kerry Halse 0427 482 437
A/hrs Ph/Fax 9848 2437
17-21 Cockburn Rd
PO Box 5628
Albany WA 6332
Ph: 9842 1533
Fax: 9842 1833
www.rainbowft.com.au
Your suppliers for
Timber Roof Trusses & Wall Frames
Twitter BOM
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is now active on
Twitter in all states and territories, with staff tweeting
daily to enhance the community’s awareness of
forecast information, particularly during severe weather
events.
Bureau meteorologists around the country are now
trained and ready to tweet, with these tweets pointing
back to the most up-to-date, comprehensive and
official source of information – the BOM website.
BOM hopes Twitter will help let people know what
the weather looks like in their state or territory.
Forecasters will also keep followers informed about
significant weather such as storms, tropical cyclones,
destructive winds, floods, tsunami and heatwaves.
The Bureau’s newest Twitter handles are:
@BOM_au; @BOM_NSW; @BOM_Tas;
@BOM_ACT; @BOM_SA; @BOM_Vic
BOM fast-tracked Twitter in WA and Queensland
as well as the Northern Territory because they
experience cyclones.
@BOM_Qld, @BOM_WA, and @BOM_NT have
been actively tweeting tropical cyclone information
since mid-December 2014.
BOM mostly uses Twitter one way; to share
information, not engage in conversation.
February 11, 2015
- 13
WALPOLE CONCRETE SUPPLIES
and EARTHMOVING SERVICE
Lady Walpole update
 Pre-mix concrete
 Sand, gravel carting
 Site works, house & shed pads, driveways
 Back hoe, bobcat, loader and grader hire
 Blue metal and metal dust available.
A ‘Lady Walpole’ meeting will be convened once
Walpole returns to normal after the summer holidays
and the heroic firefighting teams return from protecting
people and property from the bushfires.
The meeting will help plan events to raise funds.
We will also discuss the future of the ‘Lady’;
options are either in the water or on land with the
upgrade of the main Walpole jetty area.
A special thanks to Bunbury Plumbing Supplies
who have provided the vessel’s temporary home at the
industrial area and the Walpole Work Camp for their
excellent efforts preparing and protecting the Lady for
its restoration under the guidance of Peter Newton.
Wood supplies for the ribs, stringers, gunwale and
beams are currently being obtained for the restoration
with the assistance of Peter Bidwell.
The propeller is being restored in Perth at Northport
Marine Services.
Trevor Holms has restored the steering wheel and is
now working on the jarrah rudder.
These items are hoped to be part of the Walpole
Nornalup and Districts Historical display coordinated
by Lee Hunter throughout Walpole Yacht Club’s
Walpole in the Trees Regatta long weekend.
Fund-raising is now the most urgent priority.
Money is needed to acquire more materials for
restoration and pay for expert advice and the ongoing
costs of maintenance so restoration can proceed.
Donations are always welcome at the Walpole
Visitor Centre.
— Gary Muir
Contact Nigel Fry
Phone 98401626 - Mobile 0419948072
BRAD PIERCE
 HOUSE Slabs
 Verandahs
 Driveways
 sheds
 Aggregate
 CONCRETE
 Brick paving
Mob: 0428 927 158
Ph/Fx: 08 9848 3191
Email: g.s.concreting
PO Box 434
@bigpond.com Denmark wa 6333
HP & LJ
9840 8141
0429 850 917
FENCE LINES ; DAMS & SOAKS ;
BLOCK CLEARING
AQUACULTURE-PONDS
And all other general excavation work
EXCAVATOR HIRE
ABN: 56 925 355 168
22T Excavator & D6 LGP Dozer
Walpole Quality Meats
Phone: Rusty0427 000 983
Email: [email protected]
14 - February 11, 2015
Supplying & supporting
Walpole for over 11 years
Sanctuary news
Uralla Wildlife Sanctuary’s Open Day was a huge
success with lots of people travelling far and wide to
visit and see what we are all about.
All the animals are doing well and growing up fast.
Our arrivals this month included a kookaburra found
caught in some barbed wire.
Luckily his injuries were not that significant and
after a few weeks in care was able to be successfully
released. This is always a happy event at Uralla.
We have also had some new joeys arrive; Heywa
and Banjo; both settling in nicely. Heywa is only a tiny
little girl but is doing well under the loving attention of
her new human mum Margaux.
Yesterday saw the arrival of Debbie, an “at foot”
joey that would have still been in her mum’s care but
independent of the pouch.
She turned up at a house in the Porongurup and was
watched from a distance and was obviously very
unwell, floundering about, weak and no mum in sight.
She was observed for quite some time but it soon
became obvious that she needed help.
Luckily she was able to be caught easily – a clear
indication of just how unwell she was – and brought to
us at Uralla.
She presented with extreme swelling of the entire
head but luckily the swelling had not affected her
ability to breathe.
With vet advice and medication we were able to
both calm her down and get her to feed. She was
extremely thirsty and had lost condition.
Today the swelling is slightly improved; we can
now see her eyes and we hope she will continue to
recover over the coming days.
Many thanks to our English volunteer Sophie who
has willingly and patiently taken on the care of this
very sad little girl.
On the volunteer front this month we sadly said
goodbye to Lou and Sacha our two French zookeepers
who did a fantastic job.
We have welcomed Sarah from France, Seb from
Switzerland and Laetitia from France who is back for
her second visit.
Add to that Aurélie from France who has been
wonderful but sadly leaves us soon, and our two longtermers, the irreplaceable Margaux and Sophie.
We have a great team who are very much
appreciated by John and I.
Uralla is open to visitors every day and admission is
free. We do ask that you ring prior to your visit. We
are also able to take animals 7 days a week, 24 hours a
day and can be contacted on 98561065.
— Mandy English, www.urallawildlife.com.au
RODERICK’S TREE LOPPING
SERVICES
We are a fully Insured Company with very Experienced
& Qualified staff to handle your job professionally.
Any size Tree Removal or Lopping, Pruning,
Mulching. Stump Grinding, Bobcat Clearing,
Fire Breaks or Parkland Clearing
Please call Paul for a free quote
Mobile 0428 481 280
Office 08 9848 1113
 Sales
 Service
 Aircon Specialists
 Fridge Repairs
ARC AU18684
FOR ALL ELECTRICAL
INSTALLATIONS
& REPAIR WORK
•Domestic • Commercial
• Rural • Industrial
EC 6877
Obligation free quotes
Ph 9848 2026 Fax 9848 2212
E [email protected]
February 11, 2015
- 15
Sport
Whether it’s for fun or money we want to
know what inspires competitiveness in
Walpole. Email [email protected]
Golf
Bowls
Scroungers Golf results from February 3, 2015:
Stableford
Winner:
R Knight 24 points
Runner-up
G Becker 23 points
Longest putt
#9 F Stevenson
Best 3rd
# 10 G Becker
Best 2nd
#11 F Stevenson
Nearest the pin
#13 G Becker
Nearest the pin
# 17 G Peck
Birdies
G Becker #13, C Devine #9,
G Peck #9 & #18
Summer Golf results from February 8, 2015:
Stableford
Winner
M Lumb 46 points
Runner-up
B Cooper 44 points
Best putt
#11 G Peck
Nearest the pin
#17 B Cooper
Best chip
#16 N Hawkins
Club Championship Triples Winners:
Graham Becker
Graham Pola
Colin Oliver
— Betty Cooper
16 - February 11, 2015
— Peter Grant
FREE CLASSIFIEDS
FREE non-commercial classifieds; this size &
format; strictly one per person per week ($10 per
additional). Email [email protected]
LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME
Lovely B&W female cat (snipped & chipped)
seeks new home ASAP. Happy as an indoor cat.
Suit single or couple. Ph Victoria 0428 401 422