This training is aimed at those people who need to make a decision whether to stay and defend OR to leave early.  This day will help you to understand what will be involved and how to plan for a bushfire.

The day is very practical and designed to be fun as well as educational. The morning session opens with theory on fire behaviour, personal protective clothing and equipment, preparation of your home, what to take when you leave if that is your plan and on extreme and catastrophic weather days. A guest speaker shares her fire plan and an activity explores stress and operating under stressful situations.

The afternoon begins with simulating what it will be like in a fire before participants move outside to extinguish a number of blazes using common household resources like mops and buckets.

The day concludes with a session on pumps and hoses, each participant gaining practice in starting pumps and using hoses to extinguish spot fires that erupt around them.

The feedback to date on these courses has been excellent with word of them reaching fire control in town who have asked the Brigade to give a presentation on their content.

The course is free and is open to anybody (including weekenders) in the area who think they may benefit from it.
The only course scheduled for this year is being held on Saturday 18 September 2010. It will commence at 0800 and finish around 1600. Lunch is supplied with a gold coin donation requested. All you need to bring is yourself, a pen and notebook and wear the type of clothing you will wear if a fire is threatening your property.

Spaces are limited so please book early with Frances Crown on 4878 9272.

Following some very generous donations we have so far collected $3,000. Together with the $5,000 Fire Control at Mittagong has pledged we have raised $8,000. In order to be eligible for the grant though, we need to raise a total of $15,000 (grant to supply $30,000). We are therefore short $7,000 and we are running out of time before the July deadline so if you haven’t yet donated we urgently need your help.

A detailed document of our initiative to establish the emergency tanks is available to download should you require any additional information. RFS Proposal Document 2.2MB Download

The tank sites have been carefully chosen to allow them to perform 2 vital functions: they allow ready access points for property protection but more importantly they allow the brigade to more effectively fight small outbreaks and contain a fire before it gets too large.

Some of the most vulnerable areas in Canyonleigh, for fire ignition, are those to the west of Tugalong Road as this is where lightning strikes are prone to occur. Should a fire start in this area the brigade has limited time to control it before it becomes too large and it starts to threaten properties along Foxgrove and Canyonleigh Road. Should a fire get out of control in this area the next line of defence may well be the Hume Highway.

There have been no serious bush fire outbreaks in Canyonleigh for a number of years, however, it’s just a waiting game.  Many Canyonleigh properties could be cut-off should a fire cut roads and access points.  RFS trucks and volunteer crews could depend on these tanks to protect your property in a case of emergency.
Should you wish to support this worthwhile community effort, please feel free to make a donation at the Canyonleigh Store, contact our Treasurer Frank Downs (4878 9388) or deposit funds directly into our appeal bank account. Banking Details:
BSB: 062 576
A/c Name: Canyonleigh Bush Fire Brigade
A/c No. 2, Acct No:1018 8067.
Donations are tax deductible with receipts available through Frank Downes.

E-Readers can store thousands of digital books, meaning many fewer trees die, and the e-books are usually cheaper (often much cheaper) than physical books. It’s also possible to download e-books wirelessly- you can be reading a book within seconds of deciding you’d like to….

E-Readers use e-ink, which is an amazing piece of technology:- here is a quote from the Wikipedia entry for e-ink “The principal components of electronic ink are millions of tiny microcapsules, about the diameter of a human hair. In one incarnation, each microcapsule contains positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles suspended in a clear fluid. When a negative electric field is applied, the white particles move to the top of the microcapsule to become visible to the reader. This makes the surface appear white at that location. At the same time, an opposite electric field pulls the black particles to the bottom of the microcapsules where they are hidden. By reversing this process, the black particles appear at the top of the capsule, which now makes the surface appear dark at that location.”. Couldn’t have said it better myself. The advantages of e-ink over a regular computer screen are that an e-ink screen can be read in bright sunlight, and it uses very little power- only enough to ‘turn the page’. The disadvantage of e-ink is that it needs external lighting (i.e. daylight, or a reading light beside your bed), and as yet, it only comes in black and white, but colour screens are apparently not far off.

There are now quite a few different e-Readers available, and working out which suits you is a big challenge. There are turf-wars between various suppliers, each trying to make their own format dominant in the market (and perhaps being able to better control prices of e-books?), or to handle as many formats as possible (maybe missing out on profits from e-book sales, but the e-Reader is more flexible, and more saleable). In the former category of restricted-format e-Readers is Amazon’s Kindle, one of the first on the market, now in an updated version, and a strong market leader. It is restricted to using e-books in Amazon’s own format (with a few exceptions), but given Amazon’s huge range of books, you might be able to live with this.

My Kindle

After a LOT of research, and much dithering, I decided to buy Amazon’s Kindle. The Kindle’s pros are good, and its cons are bad, but I was suffering paralysis by analysis. For every review I read singing its praises, there was another moaning about its shortcomings, and the Kindle’s competitors suffered the same fate. No e-Reader stood out as a clear leader, so I just bit the bullet. One attribute that swayed me was the Kindle’s ability to download books wirelessly- I wasn’t sure this would work in the wilds of Canyonleigh, but I took a risk. It does work! What a fantastic marriage of technologies- I can read a book review in the Saturday papers, and be reading the actual book in less than a minute.

One area where the technology failed (probably due to actual people being involved) was the delivery of the Kindle from Amazon in the States. The table below shows the tracking data provided by Amazon for the delivery of the Kindle to me. Note that it took less than 3 days to get from Louisville to Sydney, then 10 days to get from Sydney to Canyonleigh. Amazon won’t deliver the Kindle to a PO box, and I made the mistake of giving my Canyonleigh address instead. Stupid boy! The Kindle came to Australia via DHL, who then passed it on to some obscure local courier, and it ended up in Mittagong. The local courier won’t deliver to Canyonleigh, and didn’t bother letting me know the package was waiting pickup from Mittagong, so it got sent back to Sydney… I should have given my work address in Bowral, then I would probably have had the Kindle in 4 days rather than 14. Ignore the last entry’s location of Canyonleigh, that’s where it was addressed, but it was eventually delivered to me in Bowral, after many phone calls.

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000244 EndHTML:0000025203 StartFragment:0000002835 EndFragment:0000025167 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/chaplinc/Desktop/CAROLYN%20Mac/Canyonleigh%20Chronicle/2010%20Content/2010%20Jul%20Aug/Whino%20Jul10.doc

What fabulous technology! Joe Public can actually track a package coming from the other side of the world…

Anyway, I’m very happy with the Kindle now. It took a little getting used to- the black and white screen is actually black and light grey, and for the first few days I kept thinking I needed a brighter light to read by. Now it doesn’t bother me. I left the wireless access turned on, and flattened the battery in less than a day, now I know to turn on the wireless to download a book, then turn it off immediately, and the Kindle runs for a couple of weeks on a charge. It’s very easy to read in bed, you can hold it and turn pages with one hand. And you can load your own documents- school notes, technical manuals etc.

By the way, I bought the smaller 6” screen Kindle 2- it would be nice to have the larger 10” screen version, but I figured the extra weight would be a problem. So far, so good….

If you’re interested to know more, here are some links to relevant web pages.

Wired magazine article ‘Buying an E-Reader? Here’s What You Need to Know’-

http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/giftguide_e-book

Comparison of e-book readers-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_readers

Description of e-ink-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ink

History, advantages and disadvantages of e-books-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-book

Some interesting stuff about how naughty people circumvent the rules and access books not otherwise available….

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1371703&p=2

(See posting by DigiPants mid-page).

Wired magazine article ‘Buying an E-Reader? Here’s What You Need to Know’-

http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/giftguide_e-book

The document link is below:

RFS Proposal Document 2.2MB Download

Canyonleigh is a blessed area in which to live for many reasons not the least of which is its community spirit. With the AED project, the Hall committee, the Community Association, and the Singing Group we have many people willing to serve the area in which we live.

Keeping a volunteer group functioning and healthy is a constant task. Some groups manage to survive with a relatively static group of members, others require “new blood” to allow them to prosper.

The Canyonleigh Rural Fire Brigade is a group that constantly requires new members as this reduces the time demands on each person. In 2006 we had a major recruitment providing us with a number of dedicated and now skilled volunteers. Training a new member takes time in order to gain the skills and experience to allow the volunteers to safely act in a wildfire situation. It is also vital that the Brigade has a core of experienced officers able to guide the volunteers as they learn the necessary skills.

Currently the Brigade is relatively healthy with experienced management supported by a core of motivated and dedicated volunteers.

We face a major challenge though as we are an ageing population. Looking ahead 10 years to 2020 our average age will be 60. This is the age at which most members acknowledge that they will need to consider retiring. Unless we act now we may not have a brigade in 2020. We particularly need to consider how we will replace the officers of the Brigade.

WE NEED NEW MEMBERS

While it is difficult to look ahead and know exactly what the future holds, the reality is that unless trained volunteers move into the area, the future Captains and office bearers need to join now to begin the training process.

Anticipating this need the Brigade plans to hold a basic training this Spring with the aim of having these volunteers fully operational by the summer of 2011. We have spent a lot of the last year imploring the community to prepare their fire plans, therefore we would be hypocritical if we did not also plan ahead. In order to complete all the paperwork and background checks we need to start receiving applications now. If you think you would be interested in volunteering please contact Brett Bannerman on 4878 9272. We need all expressions of interest in by the end of July so please call as soon as you can.

Additional to fire fighting members we also have a couple of administrative functions that if filled would greatly reduce the workload of the members who have committed to fire line duty.

Firstly we need up to 2 people to change the fire meter signs. The current Captain (Mark Pearson) lives in Bowral and the Senior Deputy (Brett Bannerman) lives at the top end of Tugalong Rd. During the week the signs are easy to change however on the weekend both members have to travel up to 60km return simply to change the signs. Over time a repetitive task such as this gradually erodes motivation for other tasks. If there is anyone who lives near these signs and would be prepared to assist in ensuring they are up to date please contact Brett Bannerman. All you need is an internet connection to look up the next day’s rating.

The other role that would be very useful to have filled would be catering officer. This role may be as simple as collecting hamburgers from Julie’s shop and delivering them to the staging area or helping to organise BBQ lunches for training days. You may not realise that we have to self-cater except in the event of a major campaign fire when other brigades and the catering van arrive. There have been many occasions where we have had to skip meals while fighting a fire, so having people we could call on would greatly increase the efficiency of the Brigade.

We hope you can help. If you are unsure why not give us a call and see what you can do.
We need you.

“Madame, the simplest way to get to Paris is by train – just follow the signs” the gentleman at the Charles de Gaulle Airport information desk assured me.  So I followed the signs to the train station and found another gentleman, this time in the ticket office, who also assured me that getting to Bastille is simple – just change from the train to the metro at Chatelet.  He plied me with maps and directions and offered “would you like me to take you?”  …  I love Paris – so helpful.

Paris Metro Entrance

It was 9 pm after a long haul flight but the train to Chatelet and the transfer to the metro were easy despite my luggage getting caught in the turnstile and needing to be rescued by a passing Good Samaritan.  I found the right platform for the Bastille metro and noticed a railway attendant talking to various people on the platform.  By now it was 10.10 pm and I approached the railway attendant to check I was in the right place – “Madame, this metro line is on strike from 10 pm!”.  I was pointed in the direction of the exit and the many stairs leading up to the streets of Paris.  I huffed and puffed my way up the stairs, dragging my bag behind me (I have never been know to travel light), thinking this was a great way to start my holiday.  Then I saw it – lamp light reflecting on the cobblestones in pools of soft yellow, narrow streets lined with typically Parisian buildings with wrought iron balconies and chinks of light from chandeliers peeking through the curtains.  I love Paris – so beautiful.

I hailed a taxi which took me along a tiny lane way and through a stone archway then the most magnificent, floodlit building came into view – “What is that?” I asked.  “The Louvre” was the reply.  On the short journey through the streets of Paris my friendly taxi driver proudly pointed out not only the Louvre, but the Seine River and the Bastille monument.  I am sure he took me on the most direct route to my hotel.

The following morning, armed with my Paris Visite card, I walked towards the metro station (all systems go this morning) to start exploring the city.  “Bonjour, Madame, blurdle blurdle blurdle blurdle!”  “Bonjour – parlez-vous anglais?”  “Madame, you look good!”  I love Paris – so friendly.

Paris Cafe

The metro is such a great way to get around Paris and easy to negotiate.  I started with a visit to Montmartre, where the imposing Basilica of the Sacre Coeur dominates the skyline.  The surrounding streets are lined with artists, souvenir shops, lively cafes and a lot of tourists.  A walk downhill back towards the city centre takes you through local streets bustling with every day life where a café is followed by a chacuterie, then a café, a fromagerie, a café, a patisserie, a café, a boulangerie, a café, a florist and a café – so French!  At the end of the street I found the metro station, Pigalle, turned around and there was the Moulin Rouge!  Down I went again into the underworld of the metro and on to Etoile for my next tourist attraction – the L’Arc de Triomphe.  I did not count the number of stairs to the top, but believe me there are a lot.  The view, though, was excellent looking straight down the Champs-Elysees to the Louvre.  That was to be my next conquest!

The museums alone, including the Louvre and the wonderful Musee d’Orsay, can take days to look through but there is much, much more to Paris than museums.  The city and the people are so vibrant one of the best experiences is taking the time to sit in a café and observe the world passing by while sipping on a café au lait or a sauvignon blanc.  At night, the lively Latin Quarter in the left bank’s St Germain really comes alive when the restaurants throw open their doors and encourage patrons to taste the local flavours.  Travelling on your own can sometimes be a little lonely when out dining but not so here in the Latin Quarter, where you are made to feel right at home.  So much so that the waiter, the bartender and the chef were all vying for my attention.  I love Paris  …  so hospitable.

Five days is Paris is simply not long enough – five months would probably not be long enough.  Of course you must visit all the major icons such as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral, but some of your best memories may be of the ham and cheese baguette eaten on a park bench in the Tuilerie Gardens or the busker with the Edith Piaf voice singing in the peak hour metro.

Did I mention I love Paris?

For more details on Paris or other destinations, contact Anni, Carol, Renee, Michele or Elise at Moss Vale Cruise and Travel on telephone 02 4868 1177 or call into 413 Argyle Street, Moss Vale.

Late last year we started our research on kitchen companies close and not-so-close.  “Let’s spend our money locally … seems the right thing to do” we agreed.  We did, however, buy our appliances out of town (up to 30% cheaper) and they could deliver to the Highlands.

First up was ordering our Rayburn: a system that heats the house, water and does the cooking: 12 week delivery time as it had to be shipped from the UK.

Next, selecting the kitchen company – which was easy as there are only two in the Highlands.  Then, setting the timetable to coincide with the delivery of the Rayburn and appliances.  Using my project management skills I put together a sixteen week excel spreadsheet.  We selected the kitchen company, met them for the first time and proudly showed them the spreadsheet.  “No problems, we can work to that” they said.

With deposit paid, we awaited the plans to sign-off so they could progress to the next step.  Waiting, waiting, waiting. After three weeks, we contacted them and asked how the plans were going. ”Oh, in another week” they said.  After three weeks (and my excel spreadsheet needing regular updates) I phoned and forcefully said “We will be in at 11 tomorrow to sign-off the plans”.  After another week they were finally finished.

We could feel that the ship with the Rayburn was about to dock in Melbourne and pressure was starting to mount.
To facilitate the renno, we moved our whole kitchen downstairs to the cellar – minus running water, drainage and heating.  Cooking was via a bar-b-que and gas burner and water was bucketed from the bathroom to downstairs.  “This will only be temporary – according to my spreadsheet, we will be out of here in a week or so”.

First, the demolition of the kitchen.  This was a real eye-opener!  We thought our kitchen was on a concrete slab: WRONG. The kitchen tiles were cemented to the wooden floor.  Then when we demounted the exhaust system, we found underwear of the previous owner stuffed in the back of the range hood. We are still trying to work out if she did it or he hid her knickers from her.  Couldn’t get any worse?  When we had to replace the plaster work behind the old cooking/fire system to our amazement the wooden framework was actually charred.  The old system was installed 5mls from the wall, not 150mls as per spec!

“That’s the worst of it … all they have to do is install the cabinets and appliances and we can move back in” we thought.  WRONG.
“The Rayburn will be here on Saturday” …. all 385 kilos of it. A slightly built man and his generously proportioned wife were the deliverers and installers.

“You don’t know anyone with a forklift do you?  They loaded it onto the ute with a forklift.”  Luckily my neighbours were in earshot, and came over to help.  It took four of us to lift it off his ute and move it to the kitchen door!
The kitchen company installer arrived on the `updated’ pre-arranged date and started work on the cabinetry.  After day one only 50% was installed. “We will be back in a day or so to finish-off”.  With another adjustment to the spreadsheet, this was OK before the plumber, electrician and tiler arrived.

Several days passed …. “When are you coming to finish the cabinets the tiler is due here on Monday, then the plumber and electrician?”. “We’ll pop in on Sunday and install the pantry”

Six hours to install a glorified wardrobe!

With two rooms being tiled, we had to get in and out of the house for three days via lounge and bedroom windows while the tiles set and the sealer dried.  Oh, what fun.  Even the dog learnt to jump in and out of the windows!
“Where’s the kitchen company? The glass splashback man will be here any day to measure-up?”
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“We’ll be there in a day or so.”  After a few harsh words, they arrived to finish-off the cabinetry prior to the splashbacks being installed.

To cut an even longer story short – we survived our kitchen renno just before the `real’ cold of June arrived.  The kitchen is working well, the house is warm and bar-b-qued food has been banned for 6 months!

And my excel spreadsheet?  Let’s not go there.

Thinking of renovating? Move to a new house!

Until the next time – Terry Biscoe.

Otherwise it is very quite in Canyonleigh.

The buyers are aware of this and prospective buyers try to get a bargain and come up with unrealistic offers. Or are the expectations unrealistic??

The market changed dramatically out here. We do not have the good old 2004-2005 anymore.

Investors and newcomers to Australia buy in the big centres like Sydney and Melbourne.

Let’s hope the vendors in the big smoke realise soon how close and how beautiful Canyonleigh is and that the Southern Highlands does not end in Burradoo.

Potential purchasers of properties have to get around in Canyonleigh to get a feel for it. So, people are travelling around on weekends and even find a Real Estate at the shop.

Why not list your property with the local estate agent?

Enjoy Canyonleigh and have a nice day.

Beat Schwarzenach
Canyonleigh Real Estate
0418 979 909