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VOL 13 NO 6 SEPTEMBER 2011

Retention rates lift is target

By JOHN HALL

THE new Jordan RiverLearning Federation, withconstruction almost com-plete and students alreadysettling into the $40 millioncampus environment, is tar-geting a dramatic lift in theretention rate of its seniorstudents.

Currently only 15 percent of students in Brightonmunicipality attain year 12level or embark on a sustain-able career path – well belowthe national average of 80 percent and the state average of70 per cent.

The gap will begin to dra-matically close next year withthe federation offering year12 studies on its senior schoolcampus, built on the site ofthe old Bridgewater Highdestroyed by fire in 2007.

“The first results willcome with the year 12 stu-dents next year but 2013 willbe crunch time for showinga sizeable lift in the year 12retention rate,” said SteveLewis, lead principal of the

federation’s five campuses.“We have to demonstrate

a minimum 10 per centannual lift in the retentionrate over coming years. Thisis very achievable.

“I envisage the JordanRiver Learning Federation’sretention rate for year 12 willbe around 60 per cent in fiveyears.”

The confidence in hisassertion comes from the fed-eration’s adoption of a highlysuccessful US educationalprogram called Big Picture,which is now achieving year12 retention levels of 90 to 95per cent.

AcceptedThe Jordan River Learn-

ing Federation is one of thefirst educational facilities inTasmania to fully embracethe Big Picture model. Ogilvieand Montrose Bay haveadopted the scheme andHuonville High will have aBig Picture campus next year.

“Big Picture is theaccepted way of education in

the 21st century,” Mr Lewissaid. “The federation willensure that the model will berigorously implemented andconstantly improved.”

The Big Picture philoso-phy is ‘one student at a time’.Each classroom in the seniorcampus has a relatively smallnumber of students and thestaff focus is on the individualneeds of each student –teachers find what interestseach teenager and then helphim or her achieve thosegoals through to a successfulcareer path.

Mr Lewis is delightedwith the attitudes of his stu-dents, especially those in thenew senior campus.

“The most profoundthing that has happened isthat senior students now havetheir own campus,” he said.“They have settled down well.They have a feeling of own-ership.

“When you walk throughthe senior campus and inter-act with the students, they arevery friendly, relaxed andcomfortable with themselves.

“It’s early days in assessingthe results but truancy isdown and attendance is upfive per cent. It’s a calm envi-ronment.”

Risen from the ashes ofthe Bridgewater High fire in2007, the Jordan River Learn-ing Federation is becoming afocal point of Brightonmunicipality, which has theyoungest demographic of the29 municipalities in Tasma-nia.

Brighton Mayor TonyFoster chaired a taskforcewhich led to the birth-to-adult education blueprintspecifically designed for thecommunity, with the second-ary school campus based onthe Big Picture model devel-oped in the United States.

VisionCr Foster said: “One year

after fire destroyed Bridgewa-ter High our communityreleased its 2040 strategicvision. Better education facil-ities headed the list of urgentneeds of the community –now that vision is beingrealised.

“No longer will studentshave to cross the Derwent tocomplete years 11 and 12.That was a big impedimentto raising the secondary edu-cation retention level in ourcommunity. The new JordanRiver Learning Federationhas given the municipality ahuge boost.”

The federation has fivecampuses. They include threeprimary schools – Gage-brook, Herdsmans Cove andEast Derwent (the mergingof Green Point and Bridge-water) – a middle schoolcampus for grades 5 to 8, anda senior school campus. Themiddle and senior schoolcampuses are on the site ofthe old Bridgewater High andthe senior campus is adjacentto the new Bridgewater TradeCentre.

“We can now provide thebest possible education for astudent’s particular needs,”Mr Lewis said. “For example,we have a year 10 student whodoes some study at Claremont

From left, O Group chief executive officer Andrew Billing, In-roads general managerJohn Giles and relationship manager Ken Langston at the recent announcement.

New program helpsbreak the debt cycleENDING the debt cycle andbuilding financial wellbeingfor disadvantaged Tasmani-ans will be a special focus fora national pilot programlaunched in Tasmaniarecently.

The pilot program, In-roads, is a partnershipbetween the O Group andCommunity Sector Banking(CSB) – Australia’s first andonly banking service special-ising in the not-for-profit sec-tor.

The pilot scheme, fundedunder the Federal Govern-ment’s Community Develop-ment Financial Institutionsprogram, aims to improve thefinancial knowledge andresilience of vulnerable indi-viduals and their families.

O Group is making the

scheme available through itsCHOOSE Employment sitesstatewide, including from itsoffices at Bridgewater.

“In-roads offers fair,affordable and appropriateloans and education to mem-bers of the community who,as a result of having no credithistory, may not be servicedby the mainstream banks,”said O Group chief executiveofficer Andrew Billing.

“It also builds financialknowledge and resilience forpeople we work with.

“The personal loan pro-gram is designed to help peo-ple get their lives back ontrack.

“In-roads also providestailored, realistic education,helping people make soundfinancial decisions.

“For some people, it’ll betheir first formal loan, so it’scrucial to know the basics,especially budgeting andmanaging repayments.”

CSB executive directorPeter Quarmby said In-road’skey strength was the partner-ship with local not-for-profitorganisations such as OGroup who had a successfultrack record in providingservices to communities allover Tasmania.

“People are applyingthrough an organisation theyknow and trust, understandstheir circumstances and hasenormous local credibility,”he said.

“In-roads is part of along-term strategy to assistvulnerable Australians out ofthe poverty cycle.”

Continued Page 3

BRIGHTON POST OFFICE

Agent for North Hobart Dry Cleaners

Home: 6268 0704 Mobile: 0418 123 785Email: [email protected]

www.leighgray.com.au

Authorised by: Leigh Gray, 295 Elderslie Road, Brighton, Tas 7030

ADVERTISEMENT

LEIGH GRAYCall me if you require assistance with

Council matters

2 Brighton Community News September 2011

YOUR COUNCILBarbara Curran1 Daniel PlaceBrighton 7030Tel: 6268 [email protected] Committee, Heritage and Environment Committee, Brighton PrimarySchool Council, Waste Management Committee.

Tony Foster (Mayor)‘Glendower’6 Glebe StreetPontville 7030Tel: 0419 357 [email protected] Committee, Planning Committee, SouthernTasmanian Councils Association, Emergency ManagementAdvisory Committee.

Wayne Garlick18 McShane RoadBridgewater 7030Tel: 6263 79460438 539 [email protected] & Recreation Committee, Finance Committee,Planning Committee, Bridgewater Library + On-Line AccessCentre Advisory Committee, Bridgewater CommunitySpecial Advisory Committee

Peter Geard 269 Elderslie RoadBrighton 7030Tel: 6268 11430418 515 [email protected] & Recreation Committee, Planning Committee,Heritage & Environment Committee, Brighton SeniorCitizens Management Committee, Waste ManagementCommittee, Southern Waste Strategy Board Joint Authority,Jordan River Fire Management Committee, Cycling South.

Leigh Gray295 Elderslie RoadBrighton 7030Tel: 6268 07040418 123 [email protected] & Recreation Committee, Finance Committee,Planning Committee, Waste Management Committee,Bridgewater Community Special Advisory Committee

Moya Jeffries37 Seymour StBrighton 7030Tel: 6268 15300419 394 [email protected] Committee, Heritage & Environment Committee,Brighton Junior Council, Bridgewater High School Council.

Philip Owen9 Compton RoadOld Beach 7017Tel: 6249 85750419 333 [email protected] & Environment Committee, Waste ManagementCommittee.

Geoff Taylor (Deputy Mayor)507 Elderslie RoadBrighton 7030Tel: 6268 [email protected] & Recreation Committee, Planning Committee, WasteManagement Committee, Emergency ManagementAdvisory Committee.

Sonya Williams14 Barwick PlaceGagebrook 7030Tel: 6263 [email protected] & Recreation Committee, Heritage & EnvironmentCommittee, Brighton Junior Council, Bridgewater HighSchool Council, Gagebrook Primary School Council.

General Enquiries 6268 7000

Fax 6268 7013

Email Address [email protected]

Website www.brighton.tas.gov.au

General Manager

Ron Sanderson 6268 7000

Council Services Officer 6268 7035

Environmental & Development Services

General Enquiries 6268 7015

Building Services 6268 7016

Health Services 6268 7029

Planning Services 6268 7028

Animal Control 6268 7008

Physical Services

Council Depot 6268 7000

Project Engineer 6268 7018

Corporate Services

Rates Enquiries 6268 7025

Accounts Enquiries 6268 7001

Cashier 6268 7000

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 6268 7000

All correspondence should be addressed to theGeneral Manager, Brighton Council, 1 Tivoli Road,Gagebrook 7030.

Published monthly by the Brighton Council.It is distributed to households and businesses

throughout the municipality. Circulation: In excess of 7000.

Editorial: Ingrid HarrisonCorporate Communications (Tas) Pty Ltd

Level 1, 142 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, TAS 7000.Ph 6210 5200 Fax 6210 5205

email: [email protected]

Advertising queries: Cathy HarperBrighton Council,

1 Tivoli Road, Gagebrook, TAS, 7030.Ph 6268 7035 Fax 6268 7092

email: [email protected]

Design & Typesetting: Facing Pages33 Queen St, Sandy Bay 7005Ph: 6224 6219; 0412 591 248

Printing: The ExaminerPaterson St, Launceston, TAS 7250

October 2011 edition deadlines:Editorial: September 25

Advertising: September 25

Inside one of the accommodation buildings at the Pontville immigration detentioncentre.

Pontville detentioncentre open doors THE first stage of thePontville ImmigrationDetention Centre is readyfor use to cater for up to400 clients. The first clients arrived ear-lier this month.

The clients, all singleadult men, are being accom-modated in the formerBrighton army huts thatoriginally were located on thesite.

The huts have been refur-bished to provide dormitory-style accommodation witheach one sleeping up to 20people.

The huts have beenrewired and heating andcooling have also been fitted.

New kitchen facilitieshave been installed, alongwith a dining room, extrabathroom and laundryblocks and recreation roomswith free-to-air televisionand DVDs and books in rel-evant languages.

A medical facility hasbeen constructed onsite andwill provide a range of serv-ices including nursing, doc-tor and counselling servicesand mental health practi-

tioners.Department of Immigra-

tion and Citizenship (DIAC)spokesman Sandi Logan saidall clients at the facility arelow-risk.

Construction continueson the remainder of the facil-ity, which will bring capacityto a maximum of 400 peo-ple.

Additional buildingsbeing installed include ded-icated classrooms, recreationrooms and dining facilitiesto support additional accom-modation blocks.

Construction of the cen-tre at Pontville has providedan economic boost to thelocal and wider Tasmaniancommunity with materialsand even entire buildingsbeing sourced locally.

Up to 100 local trades-people have been employedto work on the project everyday for the past nine weeks.

DIAC understands theconcerns of near neighboursgiven their proximity to thesite and will continue to con-sult with them, either indi-vidually or in small groups,to ensure they remain

informed and answer anyquestions.

Stakeholder briefingswith other agencies includingTasmania Police and Tasma-nia Fire Service are occurringand will continue on a regu-lar basis.

The department hasdeveloped information inresponse to questions aboutthe establishment and oper-ation of the centre.

This information, calledPontville ImmigrationDetention Centre – Fre-quently Asked Questions,can be found at the depart-ment’s website athttp://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/facilities/pontville/pontville-faqs.htm

Anyone with inquiries oroffers relating to the estab-lishment of the centre cancontact the departmentthrough a special emailaddress [email protected]

This information has beensupplied by the Department

of Immigration and Citizenship

BRIGHTON Council Envi-ronment and DevelopmentServices is reminding resi-dents to ensure they havethe right information forthe following activities:

• House/land purchase –find out the zone and anyconditions relating to thatzone or building require-ments.

• Building work – new orrenovations – what permits,if any are required?

• Purchasing a swimmingpool – do you have any fur-ther obligations?

• Storage requirements –

you might be thinking of ashipping container.

• Converting your garageto a bedroom or rumpus.

• You want to run a busi-ness from home.

Council’s friendly, knowl-edgeable staff can guide res-idents through the planning,building and plumbing per-mit application process.

For any queries contactthe council in person or byphoning 6268 7016 or [email protected]

Brighton Council is at 1Tivoli Road, Gagebrook.

Council staff canassist all residents

Seniors school plans term threeTHE last meeting for termtwo for the BridgewaterSchool for Seniors was heldat the end of August.

During that time theschool has been educatedand entertained by a speakerson topics such as eye care,ancient technologies, willsand estate planning, seniorsdriving workshop, a Cana-dian tour and crossing theSwiss Alps.

Participants visited

MONA and looked overparts of the new Jordan Rivereducational facility.

This month, School forSeniors will enjoy a morningtea at the Brighton Bakeryand term three begins onSeptember 20 when it willwelcome back Bruce Engle-field to talk about what ishappening in the fight to savethe Tasmanian devil fromfacial tumour disease.

School for Seniors meets

at the Brighton Civic Cen-tre at 10am on Tuesdayduring the school term andit is not too late to enroland enjoy the rest of theyear.

Enrolments can bedone at the BridgewaterLibrary, the GlenorchyLibrary, by mail or online.

Enrolment details are inthe latest Adult Educationsupplement available at thelibrary.

Term three includes avisit to Parliament Houseas well as more interestingand stimulating speakers.

For further inquiriesphone Geoff Dodge on0418 121 814 or ShirleyMcKerrow on 6268 0842.

Brighton Community News September 2011 3

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From Page 1

College because he wants tobecome an architect at thispoint in time and we cannotprovide all specialist subjectsthat he needs.”

A learning internship offi-cer helps students gain hands-on experience in the work-place and those seeking a tradevocation enrol in some classesat the new Bridgewater TradeCentre, adjacent to the feder-ation’s senior campus.

Mr Lewis says that part ofthe success has been creatingthe right campus environ-ment – students had a say inhow they wanted the cam-puses to function and how tofit them out.

And so there are brightmotifs on the durable carpets,the kids have their own cook-ing facilities adjacent to class-rooms and ‘time-out’ areas.They’ve even got the chairsthey wanted – including flu-oro ones shaped like upliftedhands!

Books are now going upon the shelves in the huge, airylibrary. There are electronicblackboards (no chalk!) andinstead of the conventional PAsystem, school messages arerelayed on monitors in eachclassroom.

Now teachers have their

own staffroom, there are sci-ence labs, art rooms, com-puter rooms, a gymnasiumand a huge drama and musicperformance building. Thereis even a hothouse for studentsinterested in horticulture.

“We have the very bestequipment and a team of the

most dedicated teachers andsupport staff,” said Mr Lewis.“They are performing well ina challenging new environ-ment.

“The Jordan River Learn-ing Federation is at the fore-front of a new era of educa-tion in Tasmania.”

Students can seethe Big Picture STEVE Lewis believes hiscolleagues at the JordanRiver Learning Federationare on the right path whentheir 1100 students tell theirfamily and friends: “I’ve gota great teacher.”

Mr Lewis is lead principalat the federation, with prin-cipals from the five campusesreporting directly to him.

“They see the educationalworld as I do,” he said. “In thecampus environment theyand their colleagues will beworking twice as hard asteachers did 15 years ago.”

Mr Lewis began hiscareer in teaching in 1980.Although trained as a sec-ondary teacher, his first jobwas as a primary teacher atBruny Island District School.

He later taught secondarystudents at Ogilvie, Rosetta,Huonville, Taroona andRokeby before beingappointed principal atRokeby High for five years.

Along the career journeyhe had a six-month stint asbehaviour management con-sultant in the EducationDepartment.

Now aged 55, he is intro-ducing the dynamic birth-to-adult education blueprint toBrighton municipality. A vitalcomponent of the blueprint

Retention rates lift targeted

A MESSAGE FROM

The Mayor

Tony FosterMayor

Progressive council ensures growth of regionWITH a number a majordevelopments in Brightonunder way and pending, itis timely that we alsoreview where we are nowand what we haveachieved.

The Brighton bypass, therevolutionary Jordon RiverLearning Federation, thetransport hub, the Brightonindustrial estate, the growthof our technology businessMicrowise, the walking andbike trails and other com-

munity amenities that havebeen developed in recentyears, are all developmentsof which I am extremelyproud.

These and other initia-tives are already and willcontinue to bring enormous

benefits to our municipality.I am also proud of the

achievements of our Coun-cil, of which I have beenhonoured to serve as Mayorsince 1993.

I believe one of our mostworthwhile achievements inthat time has been the intro-duction and development ofBrighton’s fair rating system.

We recognised the cost-of-living pressures on ourratepayers and implementedthis system, which incorpo-

rates flat charges for servicesenjoyed equally by all thecommunity and a localitydifferential that recognisescapacity to pay.

Brighton’s fair rating sys-tem has now been in placefor some five years and hasenabled us to maintain ourcommitment to keep raterises at or below increases inthe consumer price index.

This is a commitment weintend to preserve into thefuture. For householders this

means that ratepayers knowthat from year to year raterises will be no greater thanthe increase in inflation andbusinesses will know whattheir rate costs will be andnobody will experience rate‘shock’.

Our rating system, cou-pled with Brighton’s talentedpeople and the efficientmanagement of Council’sbusiness, sees us debt-freeand able to provide anexpanding range of services

and support for our com-munity.

Brighton’s future ispromising and, in additionto the developments I havementioned, a number ofothers are in the planningstage and will be announcedin the months ahead.

Brighton is a progressivecouncil with strong leader-ship and vision and I amproud of the role we haveplayed in the achievementsof our region.

We have a thriving, sup-portive community and ithas been an absolute delightto see how we have grownand matured over the years.

Let’s all look forward tofurther growth and prosper-ity for our municipality forthe future.

Bridgewater’s Natilea Lovell, with son Jesse, is making local travel easier with the newbus service.

Local mum helps startdoorstopper bus service

Bridgewater for nine years. “I can’t even remember

why I walked through thedoor at first, but I knew Iwanted to try and improvethe community,” she said.

Recently, she has beenkept busy distributing flyersthroughout Bridgewater andGagebrook to make surepeople know the service isthere.

“I’m hoping it’ll be prettypopular once word of mouthspreads,” she said.

Red Cross employeeRebecca Urie said Natilea’senthusiasm for the projecthad been tremendous.

“Natilea has been a keypart of making it happenand I’ve noticed – even dur-ing the short time I’veknown her – that her confi-dence has improved a lot.”

The grocery doorstopperbus service is supported byRed Cross and the PCYC.

The bus runs on Thurs-days from 10am. A returntrip costs $3 for adults and$1 for children over the ageof five.

To book your seat on thebus phone 6235 7074 or0467 737 946 or drop intothe PCYC or Red Cross.

THE lack of daytime trans-port options in Bridgewaterhas inspired local mumNatilea Lovell to make a dif-ference.

Natilea has been one ofthe driving forces behind anew grocery doorstopper busdesigned to help weeklyshoppers to get from A to Bwithout having to walk longdistances, borrow shoppingtrolleys or wait around fortaxis.

The idea for the buscame from the local commu-nity members who have con-tinued to be heavily involvedin helping develop the idea,promote and run the service.

Natilea said the simpletask of going to the shops

could turn into a long jour-ney for people without a car,especially busy parents andthe elderly.

“Sometimes I’ve spent anhour waiting in the rain fora taxi with frozen fooddefrosting, or have had towalk home with very heavygroceries hanging off myarms,” she said.

“The bus has helped meout extremely.

“Now I can buy every-thing at once. Hopefully itwill make a difference andhelp other people out aswell.”

Natilea has emerged as alocal role model through hercommunity work with theRed Cross after living in

is the Big Picture program forsecondary students.

The Big Picture model,which began in the UnitedStates 15 years ago, has seendramatic lifts in school reten-tion at the year 12 level.

So successful has the pro-gram been, it is now beingadopted by schools in othercountries, including Aus-tralia.

At the heart of Big Pictureis the promotion of person-alised education programsthat are unique for each stu-dent.

Mr Lewis explains thatfor many teenagers schoolhas been irrelevant to theirneeds and aspirations and

therefore they have notbecome engaged in learning.

“We communicate witheach student, discover whatmotivates him or her, andnurture those interests into acareer path,” he said.

Mr Lewis says he has anunwavering commitment toeducation and it is apparentthat dedication will help driveprogress at the federation,which next year will havemore than 1100 students onthe five campuses.

Away from the campusenvironment, Mr Lewis andhis wife Robyn live in Hobart.

Mrs Lewis, who grew upin Pontville, works in HR atCentrelink. Her brother isBrighton Council’s IT man-ager, Scott Smith.

Their youngest sonMatthew, 20, lives at home.He is doing first year arts atUTAS.

Mr Lewis’ stepson, Will,30, teaches at Elizabeth Col-lege.

James, 25, is studying forhis PhD in neuro-pschologyin Melbourne.

His father Steve considershis own heavy educationalworkload: “When I’m start-ing to lose it, perhaps Jameswill be able to help me clearmy head.”

Steve Lewis

Lions Clubplanned forBrighton –memberswantedPLANS are well under wayfor the formation of a newLions Club at Brighton.

All community-mindedindividuals interested inbecoming a Lions memberare encouraged to come toa public information eventto be held at the BrightonShowgrounds on Sunday,October 30.

As a community-basedbranch of the InternationalAssociation of Lions, theclub will offer valuable assis-tance to people in the com-munity through collectiveefforts.

The range of activitiesand initiatives typicallyundertaken by the associa-tion include:

• Youth projects such asLeo’s – clubs specificallydesigned for the youth ofthe community.

• Youth exchange pro-grams – providing theopportunity for seniorschool youth to experiencethe culture of a foreigncountry.

• Youth of the Year Quest– involving participation bysenior school youth in anational competition basedon leadership development.

• Health projects on thepromotion of good health,awareness of eye diseasessuch as glaucoma and theeffect of untreated disabili-ties, and assistance throughthe provision of hearingdogs for the deaf.

• Disaster aid to individ-uals and communities bothlocal and further afield.

• Fund raising throughlocal events such as barbe-cues and the sale of LionsChristmas cakes, puddings,mints and fudges.

To express your interestin joining the new LionsClub at Brighton or formore information on theorganisation, contact TonyHudson on 6268 0237 or0410 626 710 or [email protected]

THERE is no better way toenjoy a warm summer’s daythan in or by the pool.

However, swimmingpools can be a hazard forsmall children. Every yearyoung children lose their livesbecause of inadequate poolfencing.

In Tasmania the legalrequirement is that poolswith a water depth exceeding300 millimetres and/or a sur-face area exceeding ninesquare metres must be fencedin accordance with the rele-vant Australian Standards.

A building permit isrequired for the pool andinspections are to be carriedout by Council before thepool can be made operable.

There are a number ofvital steps every personshould consider in makingsure their pool is safe. Theminimum requirements forpool fencing are:

• All fences and gatesmust be at least 1.2 metresabove the ground with a bot-tom clearance of no morethan 100 millimetres. Anyhorizontal rails should bewithin the fence enclosureand at least 900 millimetresapart. Vertical rails must beno more than 100 millime-tres apart.

• Doors that lead into thepool area must be self-closingand self-locking, without the

use of force. The release latchis required to be no less than1.5 metres above ground.

• Gates must only openoutwards and must automat-ically close and lock andshould not be able to beopened, except manually. Thegate latch must be at least 1.5metres above ground – (ifnot, special conditions apply).

• Doors are not permittedto swing into the pool areaand must only operate man-ually.

• Windows that look ontothe pool area must either becompletely enclosed by barsthat are no more than 100millimetres or should not beable to be opened more than100 millimetres by the use ofchains.

It is recommended thatthe pool be sited to permiteasy viewing from as manyvantage points within theproperty as possible.

While fencing is an effec-tive means for restrictingyoung children from gainingimmediate access to a pool, itcannot be overstated thatadult supervision is para-mount every time youngchildren are in or near a pool.

Parents should under-stand that young childrenoften don’t understand con-cepts such as safety, danger,drowning and death.


Online AccessCentre marks10 years of operationsTHE Bridgewater OnlineAccess Centre recently com-memorated 10 years of com-munity-based operations inthe Brighton municipality.

The milestone was cele-brated with a communityevent that featured eLearn andinformation technology pre-sentations.

Among the invited guestswere Brighton Mayor TonyFoster and general managerRon Sanderson, representa-tives from the TasmanianPolytechnic, Sandra Laird andCheryl Williams, past andpresent centre advisory com-mittee members and volun-teers, certificate representativesand centre patrons andfriends.

Newly appointed Learningand Information NetworkCentre (LINC) managerRobin Black and LINC literacycoordinators Allyson Ekin andMichael Christie were intro-duced to the community atthe event.

The event also served as anopportunity for the officialhandover of a painting createdby former Bridgewater HighSchool students in 2006, to Jor-dan River Federation repre-sentative Mrs McDade.

The mural, entitled NestMates, was painted at the inau-gural Speed Art Day – a

National Youth Week eventhosted by Brighton Council.

The painting was boughtby the Bridgewater OnlineAccess Centre at an auctionwhich donated proceeds to theHobart City Mission to sup-port future work.

Artists Amy Pouwelse,Sarah Rolle, Sam Andrews,Jessie Tubb and Matthu Davishad only three hours to paintthe mural under the watchfuleye of teacher Eve Mills.

Amy and Matthu werepresent at the commemorativeevent.

Construction of the LINCbuilding has begun on a sitebehind the Civic Centre andthe building will house LINCservices, Service Tasmania andthe Child and Family Centre.

LINC will offer a range ofservices including library,online access and adult literacyand community learning pro-grams.

The centre is due to openearly next year.

RIGHT: Angela Brooksreceives a certificate from

Cheryl Williams fromTasmania Polytechnic,

watched by BridgewaterLINC manager Robin

Black, left, coordinatorShirley Williams and

Dorothy Ayres.

Bridgewater Online Access Centre Coordinator Shirley Williams cuts the birthday cake.

Swimming poolsafeguards for small children

Continued Page 5

Ph: 6263 7871 Mobile: 0437 932 212Email: [email protected]

SONYA WILLIAMSI am available to

help on any Council-related

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Authorised by: Sonya Williams,14 Barwick Place Gagebrook,Tas 7030

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Brighton takes the lead on rates reformBRIGHTON Council is taking alead on rate reform, briefing allTasmanian councils on its fairrating system.

As the State Governmentbegins consultation on its plans togive councils greater flexibility insetting rates that best meet theircommunity’s needs, Brighton haswritten to its local governmentcolleagues providing details of itsrating policy and background onhow the fair rating system benefitsratepayers.

Following strong representa-tions from Brighton Council, dur-ing the recent parliamentarydebate on the Local GovernmentAmendment Bill, the State Gov-ernment provided a commitment

to bring in additional legislationbefore the end of this calendar yearto provide legislative clarity for therating policies of Brighton andother councils.

Brighton Mayor Tony Fostersaid Brighton Council had beenemploying its fair rating method-ology for the past five years, havingfirst introduced it in the 2007-2008financial year.

“It comprises a fixed compo-nent for services that are enjoyedequally by all ratepayers andincludes a differential based onlocality that recognises capacity topay,” Cr Foster said.

“This system, and our efficientcouncil management have enabledus to keep rate rises at or below the

rate of increases in the consumerprice index (CPI) and in fact wehave been able to hold our raterises down in this way for the past18 or 19 years.

“In essence our fair rating sys-tem is little different from themany forms of taxes and chargesthat are based on a fixed charge orservice fee plus usage, such asgarbage services, electricity, gas,telephone and more recently,water and sewerage.

“And now having maintainedour system for some five years, weare determined to continue it intothe future.

“The undertaking from thegovernment to legislate to clear upany doubts will ensure that we are

operating in accordance with theintent and letter of the law.”

Cr Foster said he had receiveda letter from the Deputy Premierand Minister for Local Govern-ment, Bryan Green, reiterating thegovernment’s commitment toprovide legislative clarity forBrighton’s fair rating system.

Mr Green said he wanted toensure that councils were providedwith flexibility to set rating policiesand to increase community under-standing of rating practices.

“While we are yet to see anydraft legislation, the minister haspromised to consult with BrightonCouncil on the proposed changes,”Cr Foster said.

“Brighton’s rating methodol-

ogy is strongly supported by thecommunity and indeed enjoyswide ratepayer support across Tas-mania.”

Cr Foster said a ratepayer sur-vey across Greater Hobart con-ducted by Myriad Research earlierthis year showed that 80 per centof Brighton’s ratepayers were sat-isfied with their current rating sys-tem, compared with 30 per centsatisfaction recorded by otherGreater Hobart ratepayers for theirsystems.

“Indeed, a majority of ratepay-ers in other Greater Hobartregions expressed a preference forBrighton’s flat-rating user-pays rat-ing methodology, although theyhad no experience under such a

system.“Brighton is not seeking to

require other councils to adoptour model, however Brightondoes believe that councils, whichare closer to their communitiesthan the other tiers of govern-ment, should be able to adopt arating system that is fair, equitableand supported by their commu-nities.

“Different councils will havediffering demographic and socio-economic considerations and theyshould have the flexibility to adoptrating methodologies that areappropriate for their communities.

“That is what we are doing atBrighton.”

Songwriters show their talents in the recording studio.

Buddingwritersrecord their songsTHREE more songwritersreached the ultimate con-clusion of their projectwhen they travelled to theGreen Room in Hobart torecord their songs.

Music4Life takes bud-ding songwriters throughthe process of crafting a songall the way through to pro-ducing a CD-quality record-ing.

Tutor Jane Baker workedwith Alexandra Moyle,Makhayla Knott and AndieKelly for six weeks, carefullyselecting themes, rhymes,rhythms and styles.

Managed by RogerJoseph for the BridgewaterPCYC, Music4Life is work-ing with three other studentsat different stages of songdevelopment.

“Young writers tend tofind personal rather thanobservational topics for theirsongs and often the recordedversion remains like a per-sonal diary,” Roger said.

“Breaking the mould inthis program is a song aboutDr Who.

Challenge“Dr Who is an unlikely

topic for younger songwrit-ers and the challenge was tofind a theme around whichto develop the passion forthe show.

“Another student isworking on a heavy metalsong that blasts iconic insti-tutions (what metal songdoesn’t?) and championspeace.

“First the words, then theriffs, then combining into aflowing, finished song.

“Students in the studiobegin to understand thenecessity to be fullyrehearsed before the record-ing phase begins.

“Standing in front of amicrophone in an isolatedroom trying to overcomeself-conscious feelings is a lotharder if you are still strug-gling to learn your song.

“The first foray into thestudio is often a key stage inthe development of the stu-dents as a performer.

“These program mod-ules also guide buddingsongwriters into the need tohave a good musical baseand literary skills so that theycan create songs in a variety

of styles.“You may not always

hear these songs played inpublic but they are extremelyimportant in the develop-ment of the students assongwriters/musicians andyoung adults.”

There are plenty ofplaces for songwriters socontact Andrew Dean at thePCYC or Roger Joseph fromArelmedia Management ifyou are interested.

Libs bring message to BrightonSTATE parliamentary Liberal membersjoined to doorknock the Brighton munici-pality to talk about the party’s recentlylaunched Turn Tasmania Around cam-paign.

The campaign is allowing Tasmanians theopportunity to put forward their ideas onhow to address the major issues facing the

state, including the rising cost-of-living pres-sures.

The team has a number of ideas andstrategies to grow the forest industry, openup the electricity market to competition toput downward pressure on power bills, anda plan to merge Tasmania’s water and sewer-age corporations.

Will Hodgman speaking with Brett McKay at McKay Timbers.

Mark Sheltonand Elise

Archerdoorknock in

Brighton.

Swimming pool ownersshould also be aware that incases where death or injuryto any person occurs in theirpool, a legal liability fallsupon them or the personresponsible for the pool at thetime to the incident.

From Page 4

Pool safetyfor children

Community Ca lendarCommuni yy CaCalendarttyi r


BRIGHTON Community News calendar items need to be reviewed. Please sendthrough your changes for 2011 to [email protected]

After School Hours Care(OSHC) For 5-12-year-olds. Sport, art andcraft, eight-ball, video games etc.Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays from2.45-6pm. Bus pick-up from localschools. $5 per day. Parents mustpick up afterwards. Formsavailable from PCYC. Anglicare Family MentalHealth Support ServiceA family support worker isavailable to support/see peoplefrom the Bridgewater andGagebrook Community Centres byphoning Merima on 6213 3555.Services include access toinformation and resources; linksto other support services; supportto children of parents with mentalhealth issues; family or one-to-one counselling.Arthritis sufferersWarm water exercise for arthritisclasses are held everyWednesday from 2-3pm at theBrighton Swim Centre, 30 JubileeAve, Brighton. Cost is $8 persession. Bookings are essential –call Arthritis Tasmania on 1800 011 041.Brighton Alive MeetingsMonthly at the Brighton CivicCentre at 10am. Phone BrightonCouncil 6268 7035.Brighton Bowls BingoAt Bowls Club, 68 MidlandsHighway, Mondays 7.30-10pm(two jackpots). Phone 6268 1325.Brighton Bowls Random DrawsWednesdays and Saturdays12.30pm start. $5 entry includescoffee, tea and prizes. Phone M.Wiltshire 6268 0905.Brighton Heritage MuseumOld Council Chambers, MidlandHwy, Pontville. Open last Sundayin the month from 1-3pm. All

welcome. BrightonPlaycentre/PlaygroupHolds playgroup sessions forchildren aged up to five eachMonday and Friday 9.30-11.30am.at 42 Dollery Court (formerly 1Eucalypt Crescent), Brightonduring school terms. For moreinformation phone 6268 1851.Bright Start ProgramsPlay and Learn Programs:Gagebrook Primary School,Mondays 9-11am; BrightonCommunity and Health Centre,Wednesdays 9-11am; Tea TreeHall, alternate Thursdays 10am-noon. Teenage Parents 2gether:Gagebrook Primary, Mondayafternoons 1-2.30pm. Contact Playand Learn: Brighton Communityand Health Centre, Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am. Home Visiting: Brighton,Mondays to Thursdays 9am-4pm.Grow and Learn: RiversideNursery, monthly Mondays 9-11am. For more information on allprograms phone 6268 4257.Brighton Senior Citizens ClubNew members are welcome tothe weekly meetings held in theOld Council Chambers, 262Midland Hwy, Pontville. The clubmeets on alternate Tuesdays for ashared lunch and Bingo and cardgames, every Wednesday forIndoor Bowls and bus trips arealso undertaken. For furtherdetails on any of these activitiescontact Barbara Walker phone6268 6262. Community Knitting GroupThe group meets at the TerrapinRoom at the back of the BrightonCommunity Health Centre inGreen Point Rd, Bridgewater onTuesdays, weekly 12.30-3pm.There is no cost and women areinvited to call in and have a chat

and a cuppa. Phone Robyn Bishopon 6268 4240. Computer ClassesThe following computer coursesare available at the GagebrookCommunity Centre: digital mediafundamentals; word processingfundamentals; presentationfundamentals; internet and worldwide web fundamentals. For moreinformation on any of thesecourses or to receive aregistration form phone theGagebrook Community Centre on6263 6097.Early Support for Parents(ESP) ESP is a not-for-profit organisationthat trains and supportsvolunteers to work with familiesin their own homes. The work ofan ESP volunteer is varied andextremely rewarding. ESP has acomprehensive training programfor volunteers with support fromthe coordinator and othervolunteers, guest speakers andongoing training. ESP has familiesin need and offers free training tonew volunteers to meet theseneeds. A light lunch is provided atall training sessions. ContactMary Thornton on 6223 2937 forfurther information.Families TogetherThursday nights at BridgewaterPCYC 6-8pm. Dinner provided.Come along as a family and enjoyuse of the facilities and spendtime with the kids. If you have anyproblems support is available.Phone 6263 5277.Fitness and FunIn the gym at Brighton Primaryschool. Mondays and Thursdays,

6.30pm. Available Saturdays byappointment only. For moreinformation or to reserve yourplace phone Emanuela on 0419 338 941Jordan River Pensioners ClubMeets third Monday of everymonth at 1pm. Bus trips on lastWednesday of every month.Special luncheons. Phone theGagebrook Community Centre on6263 6097.JudoMonday evenings 6-7pm atBridgwater PCYC. Phone6263 5277. Jumping CastleNow available for hire. Speak toByron or Andrew at PCYC on 6263 5277.KarateWednesday and Thursdayevenings 6.30-8.30pm. Males andfemales aged 10 and over,including adults. Turn up on theevening to enrol at BridgewaterPCYC phone 6263 5677.NILS (No Interest LoanScheme)The scheme is available topurchase essential householdsuch as a fridge or washingmachine. Monday to Friday, 9am-2.30pm, Bridgewater CommunityCentre. Phone 6263 4303.Meals on Wheels Always need volunteer driversand helpers. Delivery of mealsone to two hours, most volunteersare only rostered once a month,petrol allowance offered, trainingprovided, insurance coverageprovided. Being a volunteer givesa sense of satisfaction by helpingthe community. Phone 6268 0559

if you are able to help.Nelson ChoirThe adult choir Nelson Sound isnow meeting at the HobartBaptist Church at 8.15pmWednesdays. Beginnerswelcome, please phone Louise on0419 006 569.PCYC Midgets For up to 5-year-olds every secondTuesday 9.30-11.30am atBridgewater PCYC. $2.50 persession. Come along with thekids. PCYC Gym for GirlsMondays and Wednesdays, 5-6pm at Bridgewater PCYC. $3 persession. Phone 6263 5277.Penguin Club Brighton GroupFirst and third Wednesday of themonth 7.30-8.30pm. St Paul’sChurch, Community Room, PaiceSt, Bridgewater. Phone0416 928 903.Pete’s ShedPete’s Community Work Shed is afocal point for people from theBridgewater and Gagebrook areato learn woodwork and metalworkas well as simple and practicalhome maintenance skills. Pete’sShed is always buzzing with avariety of people and is availableto community members to carryout their own projects usingequipment that they do not haveat home. Projects include makingoutdoor furniture for nursinghomes and community parks andworking closely with othercommunity groups such as theGagebrook and BridgewaterCommunity Centres. Pete’s Shedis at 10 Sorell St, Bridgewater.Phone 6263 5142.

RECLINKFree sports and social activitiessuch as football, netball, cricket,golf, fishing etc for 12-16 yearolds. Tuesdays 10.30am-2pm.Transport to activities and lunchprovided. Phone Andrew on 6263 5277. Riverside Community NurseryMonday to Friday 9am-4pm,Eddington St, Brighton. Come andbrowse our plants and check onall of our upcoming courses andprograms. Parents R UsEvery Monday 11am-2pm at theGagebrook Community Centre.Free program of activities and alight lunch provided. Childcare onsite.Rock and Rhyme for pre-schoolers . Join us for 30minutes of rhyme, rhythm and funwith nursery room favourite songsand stories. Wednesdays at 10.30during school term at theBridgewater Library and OnlineAccess centre. No need to book.Phone 6233 6222 for moreinformation.Rhythmic Dance CentreClasses at 1 River Court, Brightonand Uniting Church Hall,Claremont. Jazz, tap, classicalballet, song and dance, hip-hopand zumba/ Phone 6268 0864St John Ambulance BrightonDivisionLooking for adults interested inbecoming members of the divisionas a volunteer. If you have aninterest in learning first-aid skillsand building on any skills youalready have we need you. Anyinquiries phone Kath on 6249 4665.Tai Chi for ArthritisIncreases flexibility, muscle

strength, improves balance. Allclasses conducted by qualifiedleader. 4.30-5.30pm WednesdaysBridgewater PCYC. $5 persession. Phone Arthritis Tasmaniaon 6231 2988 for moreinformation.Top Gear ProgramNeed to complete your 50 hours?Then call Bridgewater CommunityCentre to book an appointmentwith one of their volunteer mentordrivers. Monday to Thursday 9am-2pm, Bridgewater CommunityCentre. The program givesapplicants significant life benefitsincluding gaining employment, re-engaging in education andimproved autonomy. PhoneJordan River Service on 6263 4303.Weight Gym $2.50 per session plus $10 annualmembership. Weekdays, 9am-6pm. Open to adults and youthaged 14 and over. Phone Andrewon 6263 5277 for moreinformation and an initialassessment and tailored program– or drop into Bridgewater PCYC.First session is free.Youthfutures Drop InFree for 11-16-year-olds, everyMonday and Wednesday from2.45-6pm. Activities include eight-ball, X-box games, internet,basketball, gym, table tennis etc.Gagebrook residents picked upfrom Gagebrook and HerdsmansCove Primary around 2.45pm anddropped home afterwards. PhoneBridgewater PCYC on 6263 5277.YogaIf you are interested in doing yogalocally, phone or SMS instructorRachael on 0413 766 136.

Spice up spring with sweet and tender lamb SPRING is in the air bringingan abundance of new sea-son’s produce and sweet, ten-der lamb.

Bursting with flavour,lamb is perfect with the freshnew season herbs and vegeta-bles and it’s affordable .

For great value, try a lus-cious lamb steak or melt-in-the-mouth lamb mince burgerwhich can be cooked on thebarbie and enjoyed alfresco ona warm spring day.

Mini Greek lamb burgers

Serves: 4Preparation time: 10 min-utes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:500g lamb mince 2 spring onions, finelychopped 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill 1 clove crushed garlic Grated rind and juice of onesmall lemon 1/2 cup fresh whitebreadcrumbs 1 egg 2 tablespoons fennel seeds Pita bread, lettuce, choppedcucumber, roastedcapsicum, feta and tzatziki toserve

Combine the lamb mince,onions, dill, garlic, lemon rind

and juice, breadcrumbs andthe egg. Mix the ingredientslightly and shape into 12 smalllamb burger patties. Lightlybrush the lamb burger pattieswith oil and sprinkle themwith fennel seeds.

Preheat the pan to moder-ately high. Add the lambburger patties to the pan andlower the heat to moderate.Cook for 4-5 minutes on eachside, or until cooked through.Turn them once only.

Serve the lamb burgerswith pita, lettuce, cucumber,capsicum, feta and tzatziki.

Moroccan-spiced barbecued lamb steaks

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 lamb round or lamb rumpsteaks 1 tbsp Moroccan seasoning 1 tbsp chopped toastedhazelnuts Carrot and coriander salad: 2 medium carrots, peeledand shredded 1 small red onion, halvedand finely shredded 1 1/2 cups coriander leaves Grated rind and juice of oneorange A little honey and olive oil

Brush the lamb steakslightly with oil. Combine theseasoning with the hazelnuts,rub over the lamb steaks. Pre-heat the barbecue flat-plate orchar-grill to hot before addingthe lamb steaks.

Cook the lamb steaks onone side until the first sign ofmoisture appears. Turn onceonly. Test whether they are

done to your liking with tongs(rare is soft, medium feelsspringy and well done is veryfirm).

Remove the lamb steaksfrom heat, loosely cover withfoil and allow them to rest fortwo minutes before serving.Combine salad ingredients.Serve with sliced lamb steaks.

Lamb chump chops withrosemary and thyme

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes

8 lamb chump chops 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finelychopped 1 tbsp thyme leaves, finelychopped Steamed spring vegetables toserve

Season each lamb chopwith salt and pepper. Combinethe oil and herbs and brush alittle on each side of the lambchops. Put aside the remainingoil and herbs. Preheat the panto moderately hot beforeadding the lamb chops.

Cook on one side until thefirst sign of moisture appearson the top. Turn the lambchops once only and cook fur-ther until it is done to yourpreference, testing for done-ness with tongs (rare is softwhen pressed, medium isspringy and well done is veryfirm).

Remove the lamb chopsfrom the heat, loosely coverthem with foil and allow to restfor 2-3 minutes before serving.Serve the lamb chops drizzledwith the remaining oil andherbs and accompany themwith spring vegetables.

For more mouth-wateringlamb ideas, find this season’srecipes at www.themainmeal.com.au.

Lamb chump chops with rosemary and thyme.

Moroccan-spiced barbecued lamb steaks.

Mini Greek lamb burgers.

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And the Rock Eisteddfod nerves kept building…By DANIEL WATKINS*

Year 10 student

HOW the Rock Eisteddfod dayunfolded for me.

6.30am: I woke up, had ashower, ate my breakfast andwatched TV. I was very pumpedfor the Rock Eisteddfod but quitenervous.

7.30am: Jayden arrived at myhouse and his mum gave us a liftto Bridgewater. When I arrived Irealised I had left my costume atmy house. I had to dash home toget it before Ms Gardner noticedI was missing.

8am: We arrived back at

Bridgewater, got on the bus andwent straight back off so Ms Gard-ner could run through the atten-dance. My cunning plan hadworked – she hadn’t noticed memissing. Lucky!

8.15am: Finally back on thebus and headed off to the DEC. Itwas a funny bus ride with every-one really excited about the per-formance.

8.45am: We arrived at theDEC, walked inside and straightaway, met one of the productionmanagers who gave us a quickspeech about the day. We got astamp on our hands and headed

off to our school area in the RedArena. We shared our space withseveral of our competition – River-side High and Collegiate School.

9.30am: A few of us went intothe auditorium to watch MontroseBay High rehearse their perform-ance. They were very good, hadsome great dance moves and theirmale lead was an excellent dancer.But that wasn’t going to win themthe competition. The pressure wason for us.

10am: We had a little practicewith the leads and then watched afew more performances.

11am: Everybody headed into

the auditorium for the morningproduction meeting. During themeeting a teacher from everyschool went up on stage to standon a piece of paper with our per-formance spot. Mr Eaves took onefor the team dancing on stage topick us seventh spot. The musicwas pumping.

Midday: We decided that thethree backstage groups holdingstick ropes and cherry blossomsneeded practice so everyone in mygroup practiced with Gary.

12.30pm: It was now time forus to have our full dress rehearsals.We didn’t do very well in the

rehearsals – we didn’t know whatto do with the sets and we were alla bit frightened. Oh no… morenerves building.

1pm: Another productionmeeting. We met the people thathelp put everything together anddanced again.

2pm: I had my make-up done(not without complaining) andgot fully dressed. I looked like analien!

2.15pm: Wandered aroundand watched a couple moreschools rehearse and practisedwith Fisher and Harley. Nerveswere building more and more.

3pm: Practised, practised,practised!

7.55pm: It was finally time forour actual performance. We linedup outside the stage door, nervousbut pumped. We went on stageand tried our best and it was fan-tastic! We were so stoked with our-selves.

All in all everyone had a fan-tastic night and we picked up fiveawards.

Thank you to everyone whomade it possible, and especially MrMackay for believing in us.

CONGRATULATIONS toall young entertainersinvolved in the Jordan RiverLearning Federation’s spec-tacular Rock Eisteddfodperformance at the Der-went Entertainment Centrein July.

The federation was therecipient of two majorawards – the Department ofEducation, Employment andWorkplace Relations awardof excellence for school ini-tiative and the award forhealth, lifestyle and creativethinking skills.

The school also receiveda number of certificatesrecognising excellence in setdesign and function, excel-lence for concept and excel-lence for sound track and aplaque for being a finalist inthe open division.

Rock Eisteddfod pro-ducer Andrew Mackay, whorecently marked his 20th yearas a producer and director,said he was very pleased withthe way the students per-formed and the flawless wayin which the costumes, sets,backstage and lighting allcame together in the finalperformance.

“The performers over-came numerous hiccups.They were brilliant,” he said.

“And for the first andonly time, the backstage crewhad all the sets on stage at thesame time. They were bril-liant as well!

“After so much effort andhard work, we presented acreative, meaningful and skil-ful performance to representour community and the fed-eration.”

Federation’s performance rock solid!

Healthy teethare the firststep to ahealthy smileHEALTHY teeth are happyteeth.

Eating healthy foods,cleaning teeth, visiting thedentist regularly and drinkingwater regularly were the keymessages of the Food 4 Smil-ing Oral Health program heldrecently at local Launchinginto Learning sessions andGood Beginnings’ GagebrookPlay and Learn groups.

Delivered by the SmithFamily in partnership withColgate Palmolive and theTasmanian CommunityFund, and supported by theOral Health Services Tasman-ian (DHHS), the programaimed to improve the oralhealth of children from babiesto four-year-olds.

Andrea, a Learning for Lifeworker from the Smith Fam-ily, used a very toothy puppetand entertaining story-tellingto help children understandthe basics of caring for healthyteeth.

They learnt the impor-tance of tooth-friendly food,brushing their teeth, makingregular trips to the dentist anddrinking water with snacksand water rather than fizzy,sugary cordials.

“Children enjoyed pretendfeeding the puppet healthyfood and cleaning its life-liketeeth with a giant toothbrush,”Andrea said.

“Young people take notice,copy and learn things fromthe significant people in their-lives.”

During the Food 4 Smil-ing session, children were reada picture book written byJeanette Row called Whose

Teeth?Jeanette Rowe storybooks

can be found at the Bridgewa-ter Library and Online AccessCentre, Green Point Road(near Woolworths). The cen-tre is open Mondays, Tuesdaysand Fridays from midday-5pm and Wednesdays andThursdays 10am-3pm.

At each session, familiestook home a Food 4 Smilingresource bag containing con-tact details and informationabout local dental clinics,healthy food and food ideasfor babies to five-year-olds, aswell as toothpaste, a tooth-brush, a sipper cup, and funtooth-brushing chart for chil-dren to use at home.

Children were also treatedto a fun tooth-brushingdemonstration and singalongstaged by a dental therapist.

Good Beginnings Playand Learn sessions run at theGagebrook campus Terrapin,from 8.45-10.45am Mondaymornings.

The Play and Learngroups are open to all youngfamilies. Phone Tanya orCathryn on 0458 732 950 formore information.

In more ‘toothy’ news, theBridgewater Dental Clinic isoffering free appointments forchildren up to the age of 18.

Adult dental check-upsand appointments are avail-able at the New Town clinic(Southern Dental Centre)located at 2 Archer Street, NewTown. Phone 66214 5411 foran appointment.

There is also a new dentalclinic in the Claremont VillageShopping area for children

and young people aged up to18.

Health promotion coordi-nator and community educa-tor for Oral Health TasmaniaJenny McKibben supportedthe sessions and encouragedparents to make an appoint-ment with the dentist beforetheir child starts school.

Jenny says caring for chil-dren’s teeth from the time theyare babies is extremely impor-tant and can prevent toothdecay pain and problems thatcan appear in adulthood.

“When baby teeth start toappear, so can tooth decay forchildren,” Jenny said.

“Parents should introducea sippy cup instead of a bottle

for children to drink theirwater or milk.”

Jenny reminded parentsthat all children’s dental check-ups are free of charge. Treat-ment following the consulta-tion is also free for childrenunder the age of six or if theyare covered by a current healthcare card or concession card.

For further informationor to make an appointmentfor your child, free-call theBridgewater Dental Clinic on6268 4270.

The Bridgewater DentalClinic is open Monday to Fri-day from 8.30am-4.30pm. Itis located at the new SeniorSchool (entry is off Green-point Road, Bridgewater).

ABOVE and left: The Food4 Smiling Oral Health

program is delivered bythe Smith Family. During

the recent sessions,children of all ages weretreated to a fun toothbrushing demonstration

and a singalong by adental therapist.

A diet of ‘tooth friendly’ foods is just so important! RileyBrockman, four, Monique Salter, 21⁄2, and Dakota and

Montana Jacques, three, all enjoy healthy snacks.

The children take turns cleaning the puppet’s teeth witha giant toothbrush and playing with a set of giant teeth.Mum, Kelly Wilkinson, with daughter Telysha Schwarth.

in the Brighton Community


30th birthday celebrations for little athleticsTHIS season marks the 30thbirthday of Little Athletics in theBrighton municipality.

The East Derwent Centre,which now operates at Weily Park,was founded by former TasmanianTreasurer Michael Aird 30 yearsago and began at the BrightonSchool.

The centre has changed dra-matically over the years from tim-ing races with hand-held stop-watches to the fully automatedtiming gates of today.

The centre will celebratethroughout the season with anumber of special events planned,including a disco, birthday dinnerand multi-event.

However, the big birthdaybonanza planned for Saturday,November 19 will definitely be ahighlight on the calendar.

All registered athletes will beinvited to one huge birthday partyat Weily Park, with fun activities,a handicap race, birthday cake,balloons, bubbles, and special

birthday presents for all childrenin attendance.

The club’s new mascots ‘Eddie’and ‘Dottie’ will also make anappearance.

If you have never beeninvolved with athletics before, thisseason is a great time to join withso much on offer at East Derwent.

There are many opportunitiesto win special awards and prizesjust by participating during ourbirthday year.

East Derwent will hold a reg-

istration night and free barbecueon Friday, September 23 at WeilyPark from 5.30-7.30pm.

Register on the night and gointo a special early bird draw towin a portable TV/DVD player.

The season begins with a twi-light meet on Friday, September30 at Weily Park at 5.15pm toavoid a clash with the AFL grandfinal.

The following week on Satur-day, October 8 the club begins thenormal Saturday morning meets

at 8.45am.Children can register any time

up to Christmas but must be agedbetween five and 14 as of Septem-ber 30.

East Derwent also offers a TinyTots program for three to four-year-olds, and as of this season itis open to any child, not just sib-lings of registered athletes.

Athletes at East Derwent comefrom as many as 20 differentschools, including both state andprivate, making it a great place to

make new friends. The centre is run by a group

of dedicated and passionate vol-unteers from many walks of life.

East Derwent was a finalist inthe Tasmania Sport Awards lastseason, recognising its commit-ment and support to young peoplein the general community.

For more information, [email protected] or check the website atwww.eastderwentlittleathletics.com.au

Barefoot bowls crazerolls Brighton’s wayTHE barefoot bowls crazethat has swept Tasmania iscoming to the BrightonBowls Club in October.

Barefoot bowls offersmen and women the chanceto experience the fun ofcompetitive bowls in a com-fortable social environment.

Family, friends and workcolleagues can enter a teamand play against people withsimilar experience, or simplytry their hand – or foot – atthe sport without any pres-sure.

While the club providesbowls equipment to players,anyone who has access totheir own set is encouragedto bring it along.

No official uniform isneeded but players areencouraged to wear neat,clean casual clothes.

Of course, players whowish to identify themselvescan wear similar outfits or adistinctive business uniform.

Flat-soled shoes arerequired, or for the morecourageous socks or barefeet.

Barefoot bowls is played

by four-member teams.Essentially, the object of thegame is to get at least one ofyour team’s eight bowlscloser to the ‘kitty’ (white tar-get ball) than any of theopposition team’s eightbowls.

Each game day will kickoff with a barbecue at5.30pm, with matches tostart at 6pm sharp – toensure they are finishedbefore dark.

The roster is planned forseven matches and the finalsand Christmas evening totake place December 14.

There will also be weeklygiveaways and a prizeawarded for the top teamafter the finals are drawn.

The club’s synthetic greencan accommodate 16 teamsbut it is important to lodgeyour registration early toensure your team’s place inthe competition.

A free practice sessionwill be held at Brighton clubon Wednesday, October 19at 5.30pm, with the gameroster beginning the follow-ing week.

Club members will beavailable to assist and delivercoaching tips on the day butthe main aim is for partici-pants to just have fun.

Anyone wishing to par-ticipate but without access toa playing team, should con-tact the club.

The nightly cost is $25per team, inclusive of theplayer barbecue.

The clubhouse and barwill be open for all in atten-dance.

Inquiries may be directedto the Brighton Bowls Clubon 6268 1325, or by [email protected] or by calling into theclub at 68 Midlands High-way. Barefoot bowls is a great way to socialise and practise your spin.

Water safety program a splashing successEAST Derwent Primary Campus(Jordan River Learning Founda-tion) students from kindergarten tograde two recently participated in astructured four-week swimmingand water safety program.

Throughout the four weeks, stu-dents took part in two water safetyinformation sessions – a classroom-

based program and a four-sessionswimming program at the ClarenceAquatic Centre.

Under the guidance of Auswiminstructors, children learnt and prac-tised important swimming and watersafety skills.

Overall the sessions were metwith a fantastic response.

The presence of many familymembers during lessons helped thestudents to further develop their skillsand confidence in the water.

With the much-valued supportof instructors, teachers and parents,it is expected the children will be ableto transfer their newly acquired skillsto the home environment.

The swimming and water safetyprogram was made possible througha grant received from the TasmanianEarly Years Foundation and the sup-port of the Clarence Aquatic CentreYMCA. The Jordan River LearningFoundation hopes to gain funding tocontinue the successful program nextyear.

The children receive safety instructions before entering the pool.Learning swimming safety was made fun with the use of

water toys and flotation equipment.

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