"THE RANGE" Vol. 63 No.21
WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021THIS WEEK'S MEETING
Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:00pm for a Business Meeting.
Apologies please to Bernice before noon on Tuesday.
DUTY ROSTER
19th May 2nd Jun 16th Jun
Duty Officer Fran T Roly N Chris B
Assist DO Jeff C Phillip S Keith R
Registration Bernice McL Paulette S John McL
Fellowship Alan W Lionel T John W
WOOLWORTH SAUSAGE SIZZLE ROSTER
26 Jun 0730 - 1030 TBA
1030 - 1330 TBA
PRESIDENT'S NOTES
It's a huge welcome back to CL C and Leon from the land of the long white cloud and I am looking forward to hearing CL's report on
our Nepalese projects.
- Over the past weekend our Rypen representative Nathaniel
Audley from Yr 10 at Maleny State High School attended the Rypen camp at Coolum.
- Many thanks again to Sherryl G, Jeff C, Paulette S for joining me recently to help out with assisting the smooth running and delivery of the RYDA youth driving education project at Corbould Park to a huge
cohort of local hinterland students from Maleny State High School, and the
Maleny Flexi School accompanied by teachers and staff and who were also joined
on the day by students and staff from Caloundra Christian College. All
the students were of their best behaviour, and very engaged. This is a youth driving program that delivers a real impact at a yr 10 level just before many of these students are to start getting either
their L or P plates. Saving just 1 life makes it so worth it.
- Our club was also well represented by 14 members and their guests at the recent RUSCCF Dinner and Presention at the USC on 12 May. It was great to hear of the fantastic achievements being made by our local regional university and from the 3 PhD student candidate recipients of this year's scholarship awards. It is hoped that one of the
recipients, a creative writer, will attend a Rotary meeting later this year to
address us on her work in the Domestic And Family Violence space.
- And a huge thankyou to Chris B and his team Jeff C, Jim A, Alan W and Paulette S who managed a great bar on the night.
- The month of May is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I hope many of you can join me and Sherryl G at the Candelight Vigil at Tesch Park and Walk to the MNC being organised by the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre on 20 May commencing at 5pm.
- And on the following Saturday 22 May, it would be fantastic if we could have as many members as possible to join me in listening to and supporting Sherryl G who will be delivering a presentation on our local grassroots approach to and achievements that have made by our collaborative partnership known as Speak Up Now in relation to the prevention of Domestic and Family Violence and Elder Abuse at the Zonta Seeds of Change Forum being held at the USC.
- Paulette S is also organising a small group of up to 4 of our Rotarians to provide parking assistance on World Environment Day on the 6th June at Jill Morris' s property known as Book Farm at Reesville where a weed identification forum and eradication project is being held.
- And of course, the Maleny Agricultural Show is almost upon us. It's great to see so many hands being put up for assistance by our members and even others from nearby clubs for either parking duties at the gate and or with food preparation and service at our annual Rotary Food Stall.
- Bernice has reminded me to request that all members who are assisting in the Food Stall must send in to her their Certificate of Completion of the "COVID 19 Dining in" on line course as soon as possible,
- We are still looking for a few members to take on some Directors role in our incoming board. If you are interested, please contact me
over the next few weeks.
- And lastly, our Changeover this year will be held at the
Orangery on 23rd June. It is a Partners Night. As we change clusters within the new 9620 District, it will be great to have present our outgoing AG for our existing Hinterland Cluster Jan Lawton and our incoming AG for our new Kenny Cluster Tony Long.
President Greg welcomed members and guests. There was time for some business before the meal.
• Greg thanked those who attended our successful Cluster Breakfast on Saturday 24 April at the Community Precinct to celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Australia. The morning concluded with John Whan riding in a 1919 Essex Speedster holding the Centenary banner aloft as other club members walked behind in procession around the Ziza Field. A fitting finale to a great morning celebration with the other clubs in our cluster.
• Reminder re the USC Rotary Scholarships Night Wednesday 12 May. Maleny club is running the bar. No cash transactions. $1 added to each drink to cover security costs.
• Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) day at Corbould Park, Caloundra on Thursday 6 May. Greg, Paulette, Jeff and Sherryl will attend. Year 10 Maleny High students plus the Flexi School will be attending.
• Bernice sent around the roster for the Food Stall at the Maleny Show – Fri & Sat 28-29 May. All food service volunteers must do the COVID Safe food training course through TAFE. Send Bernice your certificate when completed. Easy course, registration not so easy.
• Anzac Day services went well. Book vouchers were donated by Rotary to schools.
• Speak Up Now- Domestic and Family Violence project update: May is Domestic and Family Violence Awareness Month.
• Candlelight Ceremony starting at 5pm at Tesch Park on Thursday 21 May, followed by walk to Maleny Neighbourhood Centre for BBQ, speakers and live music.
• Zonta Seeds of Change D&FV Forum at USC, Saturday 22 May, 8am-1pm. Sherryl to do short presentation on behalf of Speak Up Now committee.
• Reminder that the Speak Up Now – Stop Domestic and Family Violence in Maleny and the Blackall Range Project is a combined RC of Maleny, Zonta Club of the Blackall Range and the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre combined project.
• Paulette alerted us to a live comedy act coming to Caloundra which she recommended as a possible club social activity.
Michael introduced our Guest Speaker for the night, Neil Andison, the Maleny Platypus Whisperer. Neil went to sea at age 15. He spent 10 years in the Australian Navy and then 10 years in the RAAF. He retired in 2000 after running an electrical business as well as a job driving cherry pickers. He peppered his presentation with loads of platypus facts as well as photos taken of the platypus he has encountered, and named, in the Obi Obi in the stretch from the Showgrounds to the Community Precinct.
He cleared up early, the misconception that the plural of the Platypus, a marsupial, correctly called Ornithorhynchus anatinus, is ‘Platypus’ not ‘Platypii’ as some of us learned at primary school.
Some platypus facts noted by Neil:
• A fully-grown platypus should have approximately equal proportions of tail, body and head/beak.
• Neil can often tell the female platypus by bare patches on their tails.
• They are genetically similar to birds and reptiles (they walk like a reptile)
• Males have 2 spurs on the inside of the back legs, these spurs have a toxic venom.
• They are found exclusively in Australia & only found east of the Dividing Range.
• They can live up to 20 years in the wild.
• They cannot hear or see, eat or breathe underwater.
• They use electro and mechano receptors to sense their food sources.
• They mate between June- October in Queensland.
• They need to forage for about 16 hours per day to maintain good health, so can be seen at any time of day if you are patient and have time to wait…and wait…to spot them.
• The biggest danger to them are fishing nets- their heads get caught in the netting and as they can only survive about 3 minutes underwater, they drown. Dingoes, Pythons, Birds of Prey as well as feral cats, dogs and also domestic dogs prey on platypus.
• In dry weather they can travel up to 8km overland to reach another waterhole.
• When you see a kingfisher in a creek or waterhole, good chance a platypus may be nearby.
.• Platypus can detect electrical impulses of their prey as well as the pressure waves of obstacles in the water that they need to negotiate.
Neil has an absolute passion for the platypus in the 1.8 km reach of the Obi Obi which he has been observing and photographing for 8 years. He gets up at 4.30am most mornings to walk the creek, looking for the familiar ripples in the water made by the movement of the platypus bills. He has identified at least 11 individuals, many of which he has named and can identify by markings on their bill or head. He showed pictures of Patch, Little Patch, Polyanna and Cleft. In 2020 he turned his passion into a business and now he leads Platypus Whispers tours for small groups on the Obi Obi. His mobile number is: 0412 518 952 or check out his Facebook page if you would like to join one of his 3-hour tours which run from 6am or 4pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Mondays.
Neil was a congenial presenter and fielded many questions. Sherryl gave the vote of thanks and presented him with our bespoke RC of Maleny Platypus bag which he was very happy to receive.
26th May Board Meeting
28th and 29th May Maleny Show
2nd June Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:30pm with Guest Speaker Kate Huth, a Rotary Peace Fellow
9th June Board Meeting
12th June RSL at 10am for the launch of Jack Wilcox's new book - Maleny Weather 1880 - 2016
16th June Maleny Hotel at 6:30 for 7:30pm for Business Meeting
23rd June Changeover Night at The Orangery.
BIRTHDAYS FOR MAY
4th Angela Griffin 15th Greg Williams 18th Cilla Vickers 22nd Peter McQuoid
Look closely at the picture first and then read the
story:
This actually happened to an Englishman, in France, who was totally drunk.
A
French policeman stopped the Englishman's car and asks if he has been drinking.
With great difficulty, the Englishman admits that he has been drinking all day, that his daughter got married that morning, and that he drank champagne and a few bottles of wine at the reception, and many single malt scotches there-after.
Quite upset, the policeman proceeds to breath test the Englishman and verifies that he is indeed completely hammered.
He asks the Englishman if he knows why, under French law, he is going to be arrested.
The Englishman answers with a bit of humor, "No sir, I do not! But while we're asking questions, do you realize that this is a British car and my wife is driving on the other side?”
" Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day!"
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