Axe Creek – Eppalock Newsletter

Incorporating news from the Eppalock Primary School, Axe Creek Fire Brigade & the Axe Creek Landcare Group.

Welcome to the Autumn Issue Edition 58. Autumn 2018

• Welcome

Happy Easter! • Community Notice Board

• CFA News
However you spend the Easter break, please take care. As we
know Easter is traditionally a time when families head away for a • Eppalock PS Update
nice break. Whether you are heading away or staying local, • Axe Creek Playgroup
when travelling on the roads—take care.
• Landcare’s Latest
1 Apr 2018 - Daylight Saving Time Ends
• Church News
Before you go to bed on Saturday 31-March, don’t forget to turn • CWA News
your clock back 1 hour.
• Community News
As always, if you have something to share with the community,
• Kids Corner
please email us at axecreeknews@gmail.com
Sam Spence

Advertise your Business AND help the Community Thank you to this issues
Contributors

If you would like some great local exposure for a reasonable price, then
advertise in the next issue of the Axe Creek – Eppalock Newsletter.
John Wells - Axe Creek Fire
Brigade
Full Page $100
Jason O'Neill & Marie Mannes
Half Page $50
- Eppalock PS
Quarter Page $25 Fees charged help cover printing costs.
Kristie Smith - Axe Creek Land-
care
Advertising deadline for future issues:
Adrian Martins - Axe Creek
Winter 2018 June 1st
Landcare
Spring 2018 August 31st
Steve Weickhardt - Anglican
Summer 2019 December 1st
Parish
Autumn 2019 Mar 4th Contact us via axecreeknews@gmail.com
Bev Sutherland— CWA News

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 58 1
 Community Notice Board
Emergency Contact Numbers
Fire, Police & Ambulance 000
(life threatening or time critical emergencies only)

Vic Emergency Hotline 1800 226 226

Information about all emergencies, including bushfires, storms and floods

Burn Off Notifications 1800 668 511

Poisons Information 13 11 26
Wildlife Rescue Service 0419 356 433

Useful Websites Local Churches

CFA www.cfa.vic.gov.au
DSE www.dse.vic.gov.au
Strathfieldsaye Community Church
Vic Roads www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
920 Wellington St, Strathfieldsaye
Combined Service - Sunday Mornings – 9.30am

School Terms St Joseph’s Catholic Church

2018 Cnr Axe Creek & Strathfieldsaye/Eppalock Rds.

Sunday Mornings – 9am

Term 1
30 Jan – 29 Mar All Welcome

Term 2
16 Apr – 29 Jun

Term 3
Axe Creek CFA
16 Jul – 21 Sept

Term 4 Captain Neil Irving-Dusting

8 Oct – 21 Dec 5439 6388

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 CFA News From Axe Creek Brigade
YET ANOTHER SUMMER WITH NO LARGE LOCAL FIRES
It’s certainly been a hot and record-breaking summer, but fortunately we’ve not had many extreme fire
days. Over the summer months Axe Creek brigade responded promptly to a couple of local fires that
were quickly controlled, and assisted nearby brigades at a couple of larger ones, but even at those no
major assets were damaged.
The low number of fires this summer was surely due in part to the care and vigilance exercised by the
community. Thanks, and keep it up!
Sadly crews also attended four road accidents. One of these started a fire in long grass on the roadside,
which spread to nearby paddocks.

LOCAL RESIDENT INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT

On Sunday 11th February the brigade turned out to support ambulance and police at a road accident
in Storys Road. The driver, a local resident on her way home, suffered multiple severe injuries and was air
-lifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. She spent about three weeks in intensive care and underwent a
series of operations. At the time of writing she had been transferred to the rehabilitation unit. She faces
several months of rehabilitation in Melbourne and Bendigo.
Meanwhile friends and neighbours have been operating a roster system to look after numerous animals,
poultry and plants so that her partner can spend time in Melbourne to support her.
It is distressing when brigade members respond to serious car accidents, but even more so when a
member of our own community is badly injured. In recent years the CFA has developed excellent pro-
grams to provide support to members after traumatic incidents—and even for hardship or personal
problems not directly related to fire brigade service. Not only does the CFA need to support members
who suffer in the line of duty, but it wants to ensure that firefighters and their families are kept as well as
possible so that they can continue to help protect the community.

BREAKING NEWS: THE JUNIORS WIN AT MANDURANG!

This summer Axe Creek brigade fielded a full junior competition
team (11–13 years) for the first time for many years. The enthusias-
tic members practised firefighting skills such as setting up hydrants
and hose lines, operating pumps and delivering water to targets.
They entered local competitions, and then a major weekend
meet at Natte Yallock.
As we go to press there is news that the team did an outstanding
job at the 45th Annual Mandurang Rural Fire Brigade Champion-
ships, at which brigades from far and
wide competed to show their skills. In
their first appearance the Axe Creek
junior team not only won two events,
but took out the overall aggregate
trophy. A senior team also compet-
ed, gaining a second and a third
place.
Hearty congratulations to the juniors!
They are keen now to test their skills
against the best at the State champi-
onships, to be held at Warrnambool
in April.

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 TIME TO REVIEW YOUR HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
Now that autumn is here the danger from grass fires has reduced, but soon enough we’ll be needing to
heat the house as the weather cools—and that brings with it greater risks of house fires.
Make sure that your family is never trapped inside a burning house:
Draw a floor plan of the house and mark all the exits.
Identify at least TWO escape routes from every room.
Decide on an outside meeting place, such as the letterbox.
PRACTISE your home fire escape plan regularly with the whole family.
Keep this plan handy to remind everyone of the safe exits in case of fire.
If you are caught in smoke, “Get down low and go, go, go”: the clearest air will be closest to the floor.
If you (or somebody else) catches fire, “Stop, drop and roll”: trying to run will only fan the flames.
Test closed doors with the back of your hand: if there’s fire on the other side the door will be hot to
touch.

SMOKE ALARMS—WHY THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT!

By law, all Victorian residences must be fitted with one or more smoke
alarms. More detailed requirements may be found on the CFA web site:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/smoke-alarms/
You, the resident, are responsible for checking that the smoke alarm is work-
ing properly. You should do this at least once a month by pressing the test
button until loud beeping is heard.
OK, so that’s your legal responsibility. Here are the real reasons!
When you’re asleep you lose your sense of smell. A smoke alarm is your elec-
tronic nose. It will alert you if there is smoke from a fire.
A small fire can grow to involve an entire room in 2-3 minutes. A smoke alarm
provides early warning and time to escape.
If you don’t have a working smoke alarm in your home, and a fire occurs:
• You are 57% more likely to suffer property loss and damage
• You are 26% more likely to suffer serious injuries
• You are four times more likely to die.
Older houses may be fitted with battery powered smoke alarms, but those built after 1 August 1997 must
have smoke alarms connected to the 240 volt mains power. These smoke alarms must also have a
backup battery in case the mains power fails.
There are three main types of smoke alarm:
• 9 volt battery powered
• 240 volt (mains power) with 9 volt replaceable backup battery
• 240 volt (mains power) with 10 year long-life rechargeable, non-replacement battery
There are also specialised smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more infor-
mation contact VicDeaf: Ph: 9473 1111; TTY 9473 1199; www.vicdeaf.com.au.

All Australian fire services recommend fitting photoelectric smoke alarms that meet Australian Standards
(AS3786) when installing or replacing existing smoke alarms. (Ionisation smoke alarms are readily availa-
ble, but are more prone to false alarms from cooking.)

If your smoke alarms (stand-alone or mains powered) have 9 V batteries you should replace the batter-
ies annually. CFA recommends that you do this at the end of daylight savings each year: “Change the
clock: change the smoke alarm batteries.”

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HAS YOUR SMOLKE ALARM REACHED ITS USE-BY DATE?
If your smoke alarm is more than a decade old, it may belong in a museum,
not on your ceiling.
All smoke alarms have a 10-year life span and need to be replaced or they
may not work when you need them most.
While most people know to change their smoke alarm batteries at the end
of daylight savings, many are unaware that smoke alarms themselves have
an expiry date.
It is concerning that some Victorians have never replaced their smoke
alarms. Time to check yours now, and replace it promptly if it’s out of date!

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 Eppalock Primary School

SCHOOL COMMUNITY NIGHT

A great night was held earlier in the term when we celebrated the new school year and enjoyed a
picnic tea and fun games including crazy bingo. The school community took the opportunity to formally
farewell and thank Di Riepsamen for all her work here at Eppalock over the past 18 months. Di and her
family have relocated to Melbourne and we wish them well.

FIVE STAR WIN FOR EPPALOCK

Eppalock Primary School has made a mark by reducing its environmental impact through a smart
schools program.
The school has been awarded five-star certification for completing the required modules in the
program, and meeting bench-marks for energy, water and waste usage as part of the state
government ResourceSmart Schools program.
Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan, said the certificate recognises the work of the dedicated
teachers and staff at the school.
“The program give kids a fantastic, hands on understanding of sustainability and the environment” she
said.
Principal, Jason O’Neill, said this is an amazing achievement and something we should be very proud of
as a community. We would like to congratulate and thank Lydia Fehring for the amazing work she does
in this area. Also a huge thanks and well done to our students, families and the wider community.

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STEM

STEM is a new program running at Eppalock Primary School in 2018. STEM is integrated learning around
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
STEM education and skills are vital for the future success of our learners at EPS.

Development of STEM skills at all stages of primary school and beyond inspires curiosity and creativity
and drives innovation and growth. Through an exciting and engaging STEM education, learners of all
ages can acquire skills that will give them an edge – so they can be smarter and more innovative, and
use new and emerging technologies to solve problems and extend their knowledge and understand-
ing.
STEM runs for 1.5 hours every week for every student from prep-6 and has already engaged children in
exciting learning opportunities that are highly valued by students, staff and families in our school.

As part of our STEM program, Bendigo Senior Secondary College Maths-Science students showed great
leadership when they hosted a group of 16 students from Eppalock Primary as part of the ‘Lego Mind-
storms’ program. The session involved our students learning a computer program to control robots.
There was a great atmosphere in the room, with lots of hands-on learning for everyone involved.

STEM EXPO
This was an opportunity for students to share their learning from our first term of STEM with families. The
human body in our words!
Children chose pieces of work they were proud of or enjoyed to share with any visitors to the school.
The afternoon was a fantastic success with all students presenting confidently and our visitors even
learned a few things!
Many thanks to the students who helped set up and pack up and to the parents who found the time to
come and hear about the human body in student’s own words.

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Maths Trail
Our students worked together on a range of maths tasks outside in the school yard recently. Our senior
students led small groups in measuring, chance and data, counting and pattern activities. It was great
to see and hear the conversations about how to complete the tasks. Well done to all involved.

When Mondays 1.30 pm – 3.15 pm

Thursdays 1.30 pm – 3.15 pm
Where Eppalock PS – Old School Building.149 Patons Road Axe Creek
(just a few minutes from Strathfieldsaye)

Come along and join other families for a cuppa and chat whilst your pre-school children enjoy lots of fun
activities. Fresh fruit is provided.

Morning Tea & activities provided.

Gold Coin Donation per child.

For further information please

phone (03) 5439 6366
email: eppalock.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
http://www.eppalockps.vic.edu.au
All Welcome
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axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 58 9
 Axe Creek Landcare
The Axe Creek Landcare Committee meets at Eppalock Primary School
in the Community Room
on the first Monday of each month
at 8.00 pm during the daylight saving months
or at 7.30 when we are on EST.

Meetings and activities of interest to the general public are advertised on the notice
board in the Strathfieldsaye Shopping Centre.

Members of the community are always welcome to attend any meeting!

A new biodiversity enhancement project for the Axe Creek Landcare Group
Adrian Martins

Enhancing patches of remnant native vegetation and creating corridors to large areas of public bush-
land is a key action to improve and enhance biodiversity values.
The Axe Creek Landcare group is supporting the initiative by a group of new and existing landholders to
apply for funding through a DELWP biodiversity on ground works grant program to establish new
vegetation and connect and protect remnants on a recently sub-divided farming property to nearby
Pilchers Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve.
A multi-faceted project, one of the main elements the erection of strategic fencing at sites in areas to
facilitate the natural regeneration of over grazed understorey vegetation from past sheep grazing and
now further impacted by sustained pressure from kangaroos. Land owners and their families and friends
will
supplement this natural regeneration with establishment of locally indigenous plants.
In time we hope to see more species of temperate woodland birds spread out from the Nature Reserve
into the surrounding landscape. Another component of the project is to supplement natural hollows by
installing nest boxes particularly to suit brown tree-creeper, kookaburra, barking owl, striated pardalote
and spotted pardalote and the threatened brush-tailed phascogale, which has been recently recorded
on two of the private properties.

Axe Creek Landcare Group Facebook Page

‘Axe Creek Landcare Group’ is the name of our Facebook page. We invite everyone to
“like” our page and invite your family and friends to “like” our page as well. That way,
we will spread the word on the events we hold and other relevant info we post on this
page. It seems to be the best way of getting information out there these days, and con-
siderably easier than newspapers or letterboxing.

Poo Pile!
Need manure for your garden? Bags available from out the front of 125 Axe
Creek Rd at $2.00 each or phone
54393144 for a trailer load at $10-$15.00 per load.

All proceeds to Riding for the Disabled Association.

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Indian Myna Pest Control
Kristie Smith

Axe Creek Landcare Group has launched an initiative to assist local land and home owners to trap the
Indian Myna. The group is making two traps available to be loaned to the community to help reduce the
impact of this introduced species.

The Indian Myna was introduced to Australia in the 1860’s in an attempt to manage insects in Melbourne’s
market gardens. This species is considered one of the world's 100 most invasive species. Since its introduc-
tion it has dramatically populated, becoming a problem in urban areas and increasingly a problem in re-
gional areas.

The Indian Myna’s success is due to its aggressive territorialism. It manages to get the upper-hand on na-
tive birds and mammals by taking-over hollows, laying up to six times as many eggs as native species, and
by dominating food sources. In areas of over-population the Indian Myna competes with native Rosellas,
micro-bats and grass parrots. They’re also notorious for damaging fruit orchards and building nests under
eaves and in roof cavities.

The Indian Myna is no relation to Australia’s native Noisy Miner. Both birds are aggressively territorial, how-
ever the native Noisy Miner is a protected species.

Key differences between the native species and the introduced species are:
Indian Myna – Brown in colour with a black head, long yellow legs and white patch on wings which are
noticeable during flight.
Noisy Miner – Smaller in size, grey in colour and a pale grey breast.

The noisy miner (left) is regularly confused with the introduced Indian myna (right), as both are similar in size
and aggressive. (Source: La Trobe University)

There have been regular local sightings of the Indian Myna reported in the Axe Creek area, which has
prompted Axe Creek Landcare Group to take pre-emptive action and manage numbers before they get
out of hand.

Please contact the Axe Creek Landcare Group for more information or to arrange loan of a bird trap.

Phone: 0429 396 242

Email: jandg@wellsoz.net

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 Church News
As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a’changin’ “ (that one is for you, John). Boy, are times changing,
and fast. Technology and transport, relationships and education, weather, and always, politics. Watching
the news makes my head spin and I don’t know if I should cry, swear or stay ignorant.

And I know I’m not alone. The accelerating rise in mental health issues, reporting of substance abuse
(legal as well as illegal), and breaking down of identity and spirit, relationships and connectedness, are all
symptoms of a wider society struggling to deal with the winds of change. Maybe it’s kicked up to gale
force. What happens when it gets to cyclone and the real damage starts?

For students of history, global changes of the like we see today are not new – but the pace of them is.
Now we are more “connected” for information transmission, news and global events. Now we are emo-
tionally disconnecting with in other people and places.

Jesus told a story about two blokes who built a house each (this can be found in the Gospel of Matthew,
chapter 7). One did the hard yards and selected a sure and certain piece of rock to build on, ensuring the
dwelling would be able to withstand the storm. The other didn’t bother doing any ‘groundwork’ and built
a pleasant house in a pleasant spot – in pleasant weather. When the wind blowed and the rain fell, the
sure house stood while the pleasant house collapsed and was washed away.

Jesus explained that He was the sure and certain rock to build on, and that each person has the oppor-
tunity to listen to Him, to study what He had to say, and to build their life on Him. The alternative is to try to
build a pleasant life in a pleasant place – which is fine for pleasant weather.

Christians who build on Jesus’ life and teaching find in Him a foundation of ‘grace and truth’, and ‘life that
is full and true’ (both quotes from the Gospel of John). More importantly when the wind blows and the
storms of life hit, Jesus is the strength that is unchanging and unbeatable. He is the same in the pleasant
weather as He is in the foul weather. Whatever is on the news, however the economy is travelling, no mat-
ter how we are feeling, Jesus is sure and certain, known and knowing us.

The Church is quite unpopular at the moment, clearly. But it isn’t the Church that is our sure and certain
foundation, it is the person Jesus. He is the one who died on Good Friday because of the cyclones of this
life, and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday in victory over all that tried to smash Him, and us, down. If
Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, there would be little hope or comfort in the storm, and we would all be
praying mightily for pleasant weather forever. It would be a comfortless prayer.

No matter what the weather is like, God is still God, and Jesus is still risen and alive, and yet to return. He
promised that He would remain faithful always – a foundation of rock that the Christian stands on day by
day. You’re invited to join us at 9.30am on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday to hear for yourself.

Your local Rev,

Steve.

The Strathfieldsaye Community Church has a hall available for hire for small to
medium size groups with heating, kitchen facilities and toilets all under the same
roof, and plenty of parking.
Contact details are on the sign on the front of our Church at 920 Wellington Street,
Strathfieldsaye. Please note that no alcohol is permitted.

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 CWA Bendigo Northern Group
Our Bendigo Branch, along with the CWA of Victoria Inc are celebrating 90 years of CWA in Victoria
this year. In 1932 the Group was formed with 16 Branches. Many items have been donated to the
Community over the years but a major part of the Bendigo Branch early years was helping with the
War Effort. The making of camouflage nets was organised by members and they demonstrated this art
to other Branches and to Schools. They became so involved that the Military Forces from Fortuna were
called in to help pack the nets for transport to Melbourne. Sheepskin vests and gloves were also made.
Join with us in celebrating 90 years of diversity (CWA 2018 Theme).
CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF CWA IN VICTORIA - GARDEN PARTY - 8th April, 2018

11am onwards. Bring own food and chair for a picnic. Mini Train Rides. Tea/Coffee available.
3101 Harmony Way Harcourt. RSVP 31/3/18 Marilyn on 0404 334 855. For approx.. numbers only.

Our new executive for the Bendigo Northern Group are from left:
June, Minute Secretary, Marilyn, Group President and Gwenda, Group
Treasurer .
With daytime and night time Meetings once a month our doors are
always open at meetings for you to come and have ‘a cuppa and a
chat’ with us to see what we are doing in the local community. For
information on Meetings please go to our CWA Bendigo Northern
Group Facebook page or ring Marilyn on 0404 334 855.

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 Community News

email us at axecreeknews@gmail.com

Community Gamelan group

Mugi Rahayu is your local gamelan (Javanese music and dance) group. We are from
Eppalock and we practice weekly and perform at various cultural events and fund-
raisers around the district. No experience required and it’s free.
New members Welcome
Practice every Saturday 2:00 pm at 101 Carneys Rd, Eppalock.
Contact Nita or Aaron phone: 54392678
email: aaronita94@gmail.com

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axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 58 15
 Kids Corner
Homemade muesli bars
Via kidspot.com.au
Muesli bars are an easy snack to drop into your kids' lunch boxes but they can be expensive - and full of
sugar, fat and who knows what else! Try making these healthy homemade muesli bars instead - your
kids won't taste the difference.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (125mL) honey

• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 3 cups rolled oats (see note for gluten-free option)
• 1 cup Rice Bubbles
• 1 cup sultanas
• 1/2 cup chopped apricots, dates or choc chips
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels), sunflower or sesame seeds
Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

2. Grease and line a slice tray (31 cm x 22cm) with baking paper.
3. Combine honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until
butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.
Remove from heat.

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