March 2021 - Burrawang Village

March 2021

 CONTINUING A 139 YEAR TRADITION
 President’s Message again this year.
 For more than 20 years the Burrawang Easter Market has
 been an incredibly important event for the village. This
 includes: many families, Burrawang School P&C, local
 business, local social and sporting organisations and for
 many other small businesses from around NSW who rely on
 revenue from markets such as ours to survive.
Dear Burrawang Wildes Meadow Neighbours and Friends, Given 2020 was the first market which has been cancelled
Happy New Year everyone! On behalf of the Burrawang in more than 20 years, some new people to the village are
and Wildes Meadow Community Association Committee, unlikely to have ever experienced the market and may not
we hope that your holiday was fun and for those who were be aware of its importance as far as contributing financial
able, I hope you managed to have your families and friends assistance to a number of organisations and groups in the
visit this beautiful area. We extend our appreciation for your local area.
support during this New Year! The Burrawang Easter Market Association Committee is
Welcome to all the new people who came into the village in responsible for planning the market, and the committee
2020, your welcome packs are on their way and hopefully is made up of local people representing the Community
by the time you read this message you will have already Association, the Burrawang Rural Fire Brigade, the
received it in your mail box. Burrawang P&C and Burrawang Women’s Hockey Club,
We are already a month into 2021 and the Burrawang while other contributors are just big supporters of the market
Wildes Meadow Community Association has had its and want to be involved.
first meeting of the year and is exploring ways to make Planning the market event takes an enormous amount of
Burrawang and Wildes Meadow and surrounding areas the time and effort and it can’t run without the kindness and
best place to live in the Southern Highlands. generosity of a group of between 50-60 local volunteers.
Remember, we welcome your input and feedback at any It is somewhat of a complex and time-consuming effort
time as to how we can make improvements, fix problems which requires traffic management planning, negotiating
and protect our area. car parking with the Sherborne’s (who kindly allow cars to
 park in their dairy farm paddocks), engaging with other key
Cancellation of the Burrawang Easter Markets 2021
 stakeholders including the Wingecarribee Shire Council and
Unfortunately, the Burrawang Easter Market was cancelled Southern Highlands Police and organising local bus, rubbish

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 The diverse range of sales people, property managers
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 Your local agent, Michael Maloney 0414 482 150

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
disposal and mobile comfort facility companies. Not to as to how funds were raised previously to help support
mention the management and engagement with more than organisations like the P&C and how enough was saved to
150 market stall holders, planning entertainment, organising build the Avoca Hall and a housing facility in the Harbison
competitions and other logistics and that’s in addition to Homes complex to assist with aged care.
maintaining marketing and the social media platforms. This is a short passage from Russell’s document:
Since its inception, the Burrawang Easter Market has grown ‘It is on record in the books of the Agricultural Bureau
exponentially from its beginnings with just a couple of that operated in the Avoca area in earlier times, that
hundred people at the local school to nearly 15,000 people some of the residents of the area were playing cards in
who travel from all parts of NSW including the Southern private homes in the 1920’s to raise money to build the
Highlands, Sydney, Canberra, the South Coast and Central Avoca Hall.
West. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been They started an activity that was to continue for the next
a challenge to accommodate the influx of visitors to the 80 plus years.
market and provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure
the health and safety of everyone who visits. It expanded into a valuable means of raising funds for
 three local schools, as well as various charities and
Proceeds from the market have benefited the village over other worthy causes.
the years, with the distribution of proceeds going to the P&C
to finance excursions for primary school children, provided At its peak the group attracted an attendance of around
funding to local sporting clubs for equipment and uniforms, 50 players every Saturday night, and it was a social
greatly assisted the School of Arts in relation to ongoing occasion not to be missed.’
maintenance of the Hall, provides grant funding to support Over more than 80 years, the card players raised enough
locals and their families to participate in events such as money to build Avoca Hall, a unit at Harbison Homes for
children’s sports carnivals and allows the Burrawang Rural the Aged, to give generously to P&C Associations, donate
Fire Brigade to raise funds through a raffle. funds to carry out repairs and improvements to numerous
Despite the very obvious financial contribution the market School of Arts buildings and financial contributions to
makes to local groups and organisations, the Burrawang organisations such as Childflight, the Shepherd Centre, Kids
Easter Market Committee decided unanimously in in Need, Rainbow of Southern Highlands, Can Teen, Ronald
December 2020 to cancel the 2021 Easter Market because McDonald House, Berrima District Industries, Camp Quality,
we knew it was the right thing to do, to protect the health Harbison Care Building Fund, Parkinsons Sopport Group
and safety of the people in our community and those who and the list goes on.
also visit. Russ finishes his description of the card games with these
In preparation for the 2022 BEMA Market, and taking into words:
consideration the new world we now live in, the committee ‘The card games ceased as a fundraising activity at
will be engaging with the community to get your feedback the end of 2006, and so ended a typical country style
and views on what the market might look like in the future. entertainment that endured for more than 80 years.
Amanda Perrott (the Secretary of the BEMA committee) will A lot of money was raised for various organisations,
be arranging a ‘Survey Monkey’ questionnaire during 2021 and a lot of side wagers were won or lost, a lot of
so please keep a look out for this in your emails and letter good-natured banter went back and forth, but beneath
boxes. it all was a solid community spirit and goodwill.
The Card Players – a history from the 1920’s to 2006 That is priceless in a country community.’
Following the decision to cancel the market and the impact Equally, I think that running the BEMA market is also about
it has on raising funds for the community, I recalled a building solid community spirit and goodwill.
document which was handed to me following the sudden Note: The Card Players document will be made available
and sad loss of Russell Watman, a neighbour - friend and on our Burrawang Wildes Meadow Community webpage
an absolute Burrawang legend and Southern Highlands through the Burrawang Village website.
icon, who we lost in mid 2020. The document handed to Membership reminder and the role of the Burrawang
me, was titled, ‘The Card Players – a history from the 1920’s Wildes Meadow Community Association
to 2006’ which Russ had authored in August 2010.
 For those who are new to the village, we should highlight
It’s an amazing document, from the perspective that it the BWMCA’s objectives are set out in the BWMCA
provides a lens into the past and gives us some idea

 2

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
Constitution, but essentially our focus is on investigating From The Editor
practical measures the Association can take to protect Greetings and a belated Happy New Year. This is our first
the character and facilities of the village; how we will stay edition of the Burrawang Herald for 2021. As usual, it is full
informed about, and respond to development proposals of local news and stories from far and wide.
and represent the community on issues impacting the
 As our wings have been clipped in the last 12 months with
village, its surrounds and our residents, what we can do to
 overseas travel off our travel agendas our correspondents
improve the sustainability of the village in terms of transport,
 have looked closer to home for their contributions. However,
recreational, educational and communication facilities; the
 I have dug into my archive of travel stories and included a
type and frequency of dialogue with Wingecarribee Council
 tale from my travels in Namibia. This one is for you travel
or the State Government on matters that affect the village
 starved readers.
and the area including road and wildlife safety; how we
promote the village to ensure it remains viable; to organise, Do you need help: buying and selling property, electrical
promote and support community events and raise funds for services, building and renovations, garden maintenance,
the benefit of Burrawang and Wildes Meadow community accounting and tax planning, something to read or planning
groups and our residents; and applying for grants to improve your next social gathering – Please give our valued
village facilities. advertisers a call.
We encourage everyone in Burrawang and Wildes Volunteers needed! Our Burrawang Bushcare team needs
Meadow to join the Community Association or renew their some willing hands to assist them. It is not arduous work.
membership. It only costs $20. They meet weekly and I believe that there is a delicious
 morning tea on offer for your labours.
If you would like to join or renew please contact Nicholas
Gray at bwmcassoc@gmail.com Please take a minute to thank all the willing hands and
 minds that keep the Burrawang Herald ticking over. In all,
That’s all for now but as always, we welcome the
 there are approximately 40 people who contribute their time
community’s feedback or questions on anything else you
 and efforts to bring The Burrawang Herald to you every
see as impacting on the village or surrounding area.
 quarter. A big heartfelt thanks from me to each and every
Please stay safe and healthy and let’s just hope the world one of you.
gets better soon.
 As always - I welcome your feedback, and of course, and
Kind regards ideas that you may have on future articles.
Chris McCann Elizabeth Varley
President – BWM Community Association Editor Burrawang Herald
0474 500 658 burrawangherald@gmail.com
bwmcassoc@gmail.com
 Information & Disclaimer
 This publication is intended to
 be a Village Newsletter for the
 distribution of general information
 Your local professional and caring Accounting and Advisory team providing all and events, not a Broadsheet for
 your accountancy and business advisory requirements. Including: political comment. Whilst opinions
 • tax planning, expressed do not necessarily
 • estate and succession planning, represent the present Committee
 • financial and management accounting, and of the Association, any information
 • BAS and FY end reporting for individuals and commercial clients submitted to the editor which is likely
 to offend or concern a member or
 For a confidential conversation, please contact
 a resident, will be withheld form
 Rebecca Duffy or Joel Goring. publication.
 Rebecca: 0422 174 660 Joel: 0422 452 543 Correspondence in relation to this
 E: rebecca@goringduffy.com.au or joel@goringduffy.com.au should be addressed to the Editor.
 Suite 8A The Mews Bundarooo St Bowral PO Box 3209, Robertson 2577
 Burrawangherald@gmail.com
 3

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 The Burrawang brigade has been responding throughout the summer, not so
 much to grass or forest fires but to car accidents, shed fires and storm damage.
 We are enjoying a fabulous response rate from our new members including 11
 members on one Saturday afternoon! We have been limited again by COVID-19
 distancing restrictions in our vehicles and the holiday period with what we can do
 as far as training and community engagement, but we are all enjoying the fact
 that this year is a much quieter fire season (so far!).
 Burrawang Rural
 Fire Brigade
Recent Activity
The Brigade responded to a multi-agency, multi-vehicle accident on the Illawarra Highway during a heavy wind storm in
December. The community is reminded of the dangers of freak accidents which can occur as a result of trees or branches
falling during or after storm activity.

We have enjoyed the property visits that we have done and thanks to those members of the community who invited us to
their properties to discuss their threats and preparation.
Elizabeth Ellis (Burrawang Brigade Community Engagement Officer) was asked to go on deployment for public liaison for
the floods up north, however the whole team was stood down on the tarmac at Richmond Air Base.
Two special events occurred towards the end of the year. The RFS District Manager Martin Surrey came to the Brigade to
present those members of the brigade who were involved in the 2019-2020 fire season with their Premier’s Citation. We
are all very proud of their collective efforts under very difficult circumstances. Included in the large number of members
(wearing their blue caps) were our Captain, Col Munro, and Senior Deputy Captain, Mark Compton pictured below.

The brigade also enjoyed a family Christmas party at the Burrawang Hotel and thank the management and staff for their
hospitality on the night. We also appreciated Chris McCann’s attendance and kind words as President of the Burrawang
and Wildes Meadow Community Association.
Resilience Through Preparation
Having gone through a terrible fire season last year and a stormy La Ninã over summer and autumn, the community is
reminded to prepare for all types of emergencies well before they hit. There are a number of emergency services websites
which might well be needed at some time and it would be good to explore these websites before you need them so you can
quickly find the information you need when disasters hit:
 Resilience NSW (resilience.nsw.gov.au) provides guidance on preparing, responding and recovering from a range of
 emergencies. You will find links there to the current events such as the COVID-19 crisis for example.
 SES is who you need to contact with storm damage (132 500) and their website (ses.nsw.gov.au) explains all their flood
 warning notifications which are quite different to a RFS warning that you might be used to. It provides specific advice to
 various communities under threat and you can enter in your post code to see the relevant advice for your area.
 Red Cross has an extensive range of emergency preparation advice including a comprehensive packing list for any
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Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 emergency (redcross.org.au) which is an excellent resource.
 Wingecarribee Shire Council (wsc.gov.nsw.au) has a range of community
 safety sections on its website, including a long list of phone numbers for
 emergency organisations and a specific Bush Fire Emergency Information
 page.
 And of course, the NSW RFS website for everything you might need to
 prepare for fires (rfs.nsw.gov.au)
 Our online Get Ready program has lots of things that you can do
 at any time of year to prepare yourself for the next big fire season
 (burrawangrfb.org). You can also stay up to date with us via Facebook at The Shed is back in action from
 burrawangruralfirebrigade. 2 February every Tuesday and
Property Visits And Pile Burns Thursday from 9am-3pm
Property visits are available and advised to help you assess your fire There is no skill needed, just a
preparedness in a COVID-safe way - contact Elizabeth Ellis, Community willingness to meet other men and
Engagement Officer on 0411 032 712. make new friends. Coffee and tea
Don’t forget that permits are now required for any pile burns until 1 April. There available, enough facilities to cook
is now an online notification mechanism for registering your pile burn with Fire yourself a nice lunch. The Men’s
Control you will find at burrawangrfb.org/fire-permits with a lot of other useful Shed is there for the health and
information as well. You can also find this notification point at https://www. wellbeing of men. Come along and
rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/BFDP/burn-notifications . This notification is a find out more. The Men’s Shed is
requirement, as is notifying neighbours or others who might be affected by the behind the CTC at 58-60 Hoddle
proposed burn, at least 24 hours before lighting up St. https://www.facebook.com/
 RobertsonmensshedInc
Burrawang Volunteers needed!! Robertson Women’s Shed mornings
The Burrawang Bushcare group meets monthly to maintain the area around the
 Starting again from 5 February every
boardwalk and the path between George and Harman Streets. As we were not
 Friday from 10am-1pm
able to meet much last year due to a combination of Covid restrictions and bad
weather, there is much to be done to clear the area of weeds and re-mulch the The Women’s Shed, affectionately
path. All the work is carried out under the supervision of the Council team who known as the She Shed would love
provide all the necessary tools and plants. It’s an opportunity to keep this part of to see some new faces. You don’t
our beautiful village looking good and learn about the native plants and eco- need to be an expert wood worker.
system of the area. A very different style of ‘gardening’ to what most of us do in All you need is a willingness to learn,
our own back-yards. share a laugh and be creative. You
 choose what you want to do. Pop in
Join us at 9.30 on the 4th Wednesday morning each month at the boardwalk
 and check it out at the Men’s Shed
between George and Harman Streets Burrawang.
 building behind the CTC.
Contact Cath Ward 0405 151 651

 5

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 Burrawang School of Arts Dealing with the unknown, however, does make it difficult,
 especially if a function requires considerable lead up time.
 I encourage you to keep an eye on the Burrawang Village
 website, particularly the School of Arts page, where updates
 regarding functions will be posted.
 Tentatively we have the world-famous classical guitarists,
 the Gregoryan Brothers booked for Saturday March 20,
 likewise world-famous jazz singer Sandie White booked for
Firstly, I would like to wish all our readers a safe and Sunday April 25 and the outstanding Haydn Ensemble have
healthy 2021. We still live under the shadow of the Covid19 three concerts booked for March 7, June 19 and September
pandemic, though Australia’s measures seem to have 4. The Burrawang Ball is scheduled this year for Saturday
ensured that we have been able to avoid the extensive June 5. As stated above all of these functions are subject to
outbreaks that have tragically developed elsewhere in the the Covid19 rules operational at the time and any resulting
world. limitations with which we must comply.
Rest assured that the School of Arts closely follows the The Trash and Treasure market (February 13) was fully
advice from our public health officials, and promptly updates subscribed (at the time of writing). More about this in the
its Covid19 management plan on the basis of this advice. next Newsletter!
It was a great pleasure to see the call for membership in our With the arrival of this edition of the Burrawang Herald our
last Newsletter was successful with a flood of applications thoughts will be turning to shorter days, Autumn colour and
coming in. For those of you who have not yet joined, or cooler weather.
are considering joining the Burrawang School of Arts, To ll our readers, keep safe and well
I strongly encourage you to do so. Please visit https://
burrawangvillage.com/ Dwight Dowda
Towards the end of last year, we applied for an infrastructure Committee Member
grant from the NSW Government’s Office of Responsible
Gambling. As many of you are aware, the century-old Staying in touch….
flooring of the Main Hall has reached the point where
simple repair or refurbishing is no longer possible, and the
daunting task of replacing the floor has been an agenda
item in our committee meetings over the last few years.
We were successful in receiving the grant. Now the timing
of the works (anticipated to take about 2 months) is being
discussed, and this (due to the availability of the builder and
optimal time for doing this work) is anticipated to be early Burrawang Herald Goes Digital
next year. The grant must be used within two years of its Would you like to receive an e-copy of the Burrawang
being given to the School of Arts. Of course, the Main Hall Herald so you can then forward to your friends and family
will not be available for any functions in that time. Through worldwide?
the Burrawang Herald you will be kept informed of progress.
 Yes?
Repairs have been carried out to the roof over the kitchen
to manage the leak that has been a problem for some time. Please email me at burrawangherald@gmail.com
These appear to have been successful. Given name:
Against the vagueness and uncertainties caused by Covid Surname:
19, bookings have been accepted for wedding receptions Email address:
this year as well as a variety of concerts. However there
remains the possibility that any further outbreak could The Burrawang Herald is published quarterly March, June
lead to restrictions in capacity and activities carried out September and December.
at the School of Arts. The Committee is keeping a close
watch on all this, and hopefully we will be able to restore
some if not all of the planned functions during the year.

 6

Burrawang Herald News March 2021

Around the Traps with
Geoff Goodfellow
While visiting a local farm recently I was
reacquainted with the old long drop dunny.
Fortunately, it was only still on the property
for nostalgic reasons. They now do have
a pristine modern porcelain flushing toilet,
praise the Lord. Open 7 days
For those of you who have never had the 8am to 2pm
horrifying experience of using a long drop
dunny, I should explain that they are usually a simple shed with a toilet seat built
over a big hole. And for those who have used a long drop dunny, you don’t need Follow us on Instagram or Facebook
an explanation, do you, because the malodorous experience will have been for events and daily specials
indelibly etched into your brain for life. 02 4886 4496
As a kid my greatest fear was falling through the hole whenever I had to use our
old long drop dunny. I’d hang onto the sides for grim death until the job was done. Online bookings via bgsc.com.au
It would have been an ugly death. 02 48864496
Snakes and spiders were always in the back of your mind when you visited one bgsc.com.au
of these smelly latrines. A friend of mine has a dairy farm on the Shoalhaven
River, where tiger snakes are prevalent. He was hosting a New Zealand dairy
farmer and the conversation turned to snakes. Ron regaled him with a few
frightening tales about encounters with this deadly reptile. Later that day the
Kiwi was sitting blissfully on a long drop dunny at the farm when he spotted
something coiled near his feet. In absolute terror he sprang up onto the seat and
managed to open the door, before taking a mighty leap to safety. Unfortunately,
he miscalculated, cracking his head on the lintel above the door before falling in
a bloodied heap on the ground, where he discovered the snake was, in fact, his
belt.
Anyhoo, time for a tale from Dudley, who tells me that years ago he worked on a
farm out west. A mining company sunk a huge exploratory hole on the property, Robert Handley
but abandoned the project about 500 metres down. The drillers packed up and
moved on, leaving a huge hole near the shearing shed. The property owner was 0419 243 520 Lic. 110210C
not one to let an opportunity pass, so he built a toilet over the hole. A few months robertsonelectricalservices.com.au
later when a team of shearers was staying on the property, one of them went
missing. They searched everywhere and finally found the poor bloke slumped Underground Power
dead on the toilet seat above that 500 metre pit. The police came and were Smoke Alarms
mystified. A very fit shearer and no sign of foul play. The bloke was as strong as Safety Switches
an ox. They didn’t have a clue what killed him. That was, until his wife turned up.
 Stoves
“Did your husband have a crook heart?” asked the policemen.
 Hot Water
“No,” said his wife. “Fit as a Mallee bull.”
 TV Aerials
“Well, did he have any unusual habits on the toilet?” asked the policeman,
 Phone & Data
searching for clues.
“Come to think of it, he did,” said his wife blushing slightly. Serving Robertson & District Since
“He had this stupid habit of holding his breath until he heard the splash.” 1999

 7

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 Jonas’ Story of Love and Marriage the family die in the intervening period, and as a matter
 of protocol, the wedding will be postponed to another
 auspicious date.
 Bride price is always negotiated as a matter of protocol.
 The usual price is four or eight head of cattle depending
 on the groom’s status and how hard the negotiations go.
 If the bride is working or even better, if she is educated or
 qualified, the price can escalate. The dowry can be $20,000
 Namibian dollars, which is approximately AUD $2,500.
 During the negotiations, the representatives of the groom
 approach the bride’s house and they sit down quietly on the
Covid 19 has clipped our wings and as we can’t get on left of the headman and elders. No one talks as they wait to
a plane and jet off to places near and far, I thought that I be formally greeted by the headman and elders - only then
would share some of my travel experiences with you. can negotiations begin. Negotiations can be a protracted
Firstly, to Africa, a wonderfully exciting and exotic affair, lasting for many days, even weeks, with much to-
destination. Travel in Africa is not only about the magnificent ing and fro-ing from village to village until the “contract” is
animals and scenery, but also about the diverse culture and finalised.
its warm and hospitable people. The wedding festivities and
My guide while I am staying in the Kulala Wilderness ceremonies are held over a
Reserve in Southwest Namibia is Jonas. He is 35 years old weekend so that the guests
and has two sons – Milton Marvellous who is 15 and Gilbert and family from far and wide
Donald who is an energetic 10-year-old. (Africans have will be in attendance. On
a wonderful practise of adopting western words into their the wedding weekend, the
names. Along the way I met Precious, Timex, Power, Bee official party go to Jonas’
and Brown to name few). fiancée’s house where the
When the boys were small, Jonas’ partner died, and as is head of the family consults
the custom, the children were collected from her family in with the ancestors at the
southwest Namibia and have been raised by Jonas’ parents holy fire and instructs the
in their Himba village in the far northwest of Namibia near bride on her new role as
the border with Angola. Tribal identity is very important in wife and mother, and the expectations of her new husband
Namibia and quickly establishes an individual in a social and and his family. He also instructs her to obey her husband
ethnic hierarchy. and particularly the mother and father of the groom. She will
 leave her own family for good and now be considered a part
The roots of the Himba come from the isolated northern
 of her husband’s family.
areas of Namibia and even today there are groups that
practise a very basic and ancient nomadic herdsman way The procession, including daughter-in-law to be, then
of life. However, Jonas’ traditional home is in a permanent moves to the house of the groom where they sit before the
village, but life in the village is still firmly rooted in tribal head of the house and the holy fire to once again consult
customs and practises. the ancestors. The headman of Jonas’ household tells the
 fiancé how she will
Jonas tells me that he now has a fiancée and plans to marry
 be treated as part of
her in December. The auspicious date was selected by
 their family and that
meeting with the headman at the “holy fire” in his village.
 she will be respected
The holy fire is the focal point of the village and this is where
 as a beloved
all the important meetings and decisions occur officiated
 daughter.
over by the village’s headman. They believe that the holy
fire is the avenue by which the headman communicates That night after
with the ancestors. Jonas and his fiancée initially wanted partying, feasting, dancing and after much alcohol is
to marry in August but the ancestors decided that the 29 consumed; all the guests and family retire. Once everyone
of December was a more appropriate date. However, this is asleep, Jonas will creep into his fiancé’s bedroom and
can be delayed a whole year should a close member of fully clothed (minus his shoes) he will get into her bed and

 8

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
lie with his back to her. His best man will be there to ask Burrawang Public School
any questions of her regarding any issues that might be
 P&C News
worrying the groom to be. Just before dawn, Jonas must
sneak out of the house without anyone seeing him. Should Welcome back to all Burrawang
he be discovered in the house he will have to pay the bride’s families after what has been a
parents a penalty of two or three goats or a case of brandy. much cooler and wetter summer
This ritual is repeated the next night. holidays. A special welcome
 to the new families who have
Finally, on the third day, the wedding formalities are
 joined us at Burrawang Public
conducted. Everyone dresses in their finery, a new suit
 School. This year there are 43
for Jonas (his only suit which he will probably wear to his
 students at Burrawang from
children’s weddings and he will probably be buried in it too),
 Kindergarten to Form 6.
a large white wedding dress for his fiancé and the eight
best men and bridesmaids will need to be newly suited and With the relaxation of some COVID19 restrictions we
dressed for the occasion. are optimistic that we will be able to gather a little more
 often this year as a school community, including holding
The festivities include the slaughter of two cows to feed
 our welcome BBQ for new families early in Term 1 on the
the masses of invited and uninvited guests. The number of
 school grounds. The P&C is now able to hold face-to-face
guests can be in the hundreds and of course there will be
 meetings, rather than virtual ones, and in our first meeting
lots of singing, dancing and drinking of alcohol. The wedding
 of the year we will focus on planning fundraising activities
feast will be stewed beef, lamb and goat, maize meal
 for 2021 in the absence of the Easter Markets. Stay tuned
porridge all washed down with sour milk.
 for some special events and opportunities to be involved in
At the appropriate time, Jonas and his new bride will retire supporting our great little school. The P&C continues to fund
to a specially built wedding hut constructed out of mopone the languages program (French) for K-6 and will finalise the
timber. In here, they will consummate the marriage, and new school signage.
auspiciously, if the ancestors are smiling on them, a child
 In the very last week of 2020, co-funded by the school and
will be conceived that night.
 P&C, and led by our Principal Chris Beard and P&C Vice
Elizabeth Varley President Brooke Munro, a mural was commissioned for the
 brick wall at the end of the classroom block. Kirli Saunders,
To Solar Or Not To Solar – acclaimed poet, educator, artist and NSW Indigenous
A Postscript Woman of the Year 2020 was engaged to create this work
In my last article on Solar, I mentioned an important caveat for the school. The mural is amazing! Kirli also spoke to
– keeping my high feed-in tariff. the students, captivated them with her stories including the
This was at 21 cents/kwh. And so it came to pass. My narrative of the mural. As described by Brooke, while this
supplier notified me in November last that my feed-in tariff wall used to be a backdrop for school games when she
would be reduced to 12 cents/kwh –a reduction of 43%. As attended Burrawang School “today it is no longer ‘just a wall’
I previously stated, the 21 cents/kwh made my solar system but a magical story telling machine”. Please feel free to view
viable and even profitable. 12 cents/kwh does not come the mural after school hours and enjoy its magic!
close to doing the same. Karon Di Francesco
I have shopped around other suppliers and feed-in tariffs
vary from 8 cents to 15 cents/kwh. But beware. The waters
are muddy. All suppliers complicate their deals with different
base electricity tariffs and a myriad of discounts. Get help
from Einstein to work out the best deal. I gave up with better
things to do.
But the important lesson is that there is no guarantee of
future feed-in tariffs. The suppliers can do what they like and
they rely on the fact that most consumers do not want to
churn/change suppliers or seek true comparisons.
Good luck.
Dick Boyd
 9

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 After April, it’s possible that meetings will revert to physical
 meetings, but such lifting of the current safety steps will only
 be based on medical advice closer to the date, and naturally
The Highlands Garden Society Bowral started the new year NSW Government health directives.
with a friendship garden visit to the breathtaking Prittlewell The Society’s bi-annual Winter Seminar is now confirmed
property on Bodycotts Lane, Fitzroy Falls. The host for the for Sunday 27th June 2021 at the Carrington Room,
morning was its owner Patty Mouhtouris. The weather was Mittagong RSL. The keynote Speaker is Jane Edmanson,
a very warm but crystal-clear day, as evidenced in some of long-time presenter on the ABC’s Gardening Australia
the images in this article. television show and also the author of many gardening
 books. There will be a total of three speakers, stalls for
 shopping, morning tea and lunch, catered by the RSL.
 Mittagong RSL is already well practiced at events for up
 to 150 people safely seated to meet COVID conditions,.
 with individual food service delivered to seated delegates.
 Tickets will go on sale online in March, most probably via
 the Eventbrite booking system, at which time prices for
 attendance and lunch will also be announced. The choice
 of venue has been made on the assumption that social
 distancing will still apply by June, regardless of vaccine
 deployment. It promises to be a wonderful get together
 for the Southern Highlands Gardening Community and
 members and non-members can attend. Full details at the
 Society’s website: highlandsgardensocietybowral.org.au
 Membership details are available at the Society’s website,
 www.highlandsgardensociety.org.au .
A large acreage of parkland, several lakes, multiple divided
gardens, including a Japanese Garden. Some 50 members Happy Gardening.
attended, all observing the Society’s COVID-safe protocols,
 John Swainston
though some households did have to be reminded to spread
out on occasion. Booking in is via a call-out process, so no
member has to handle any pen or paper, just show their
badge, call out their phone number and email contact and
name and they can move to enjoy the venue.
A constant comment received back, apart from their delight
in Patty’s wonderful grounds and design elements, was
how uplifting the mental re-energising effect had been for
members, seeing old friends and being able to talk at a safe
distance in the open air. (At the time of the visit the Northern
Beaches and some parts of South Western Sydney were in
various states of lockdown).
The Highlands Garden Society Bowral continues to meet on
Zoom each month, at 5.30pm to 7.00pm on the third Friday
of each month, with a Friendship Garden visit the following
day most months. The average attendance is around 40
members for the Zoom meeting and 50-55 to the garden
visits. The latter are organised using the Controlled Event
protocols set by the NSW government. Two of the most
recent visits have been close to Burrawang, whereas many
of the autumn garden visits will be either in Bowral or Moss
Vale.
 10

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 Book Review - By PJW The trail leads to the Cabinet and the
 Some years ago, Catherine Bailey wanted to official records at the War Office.
 write about the calamitous effect of the First Bailey has written a social history
 World War on British society and culture and of a kind, if not the work she had
 particularly rural life. She decided to do so envisaged. She describes the power
 through the prism of one vast, aristocratic and influence of an ancient, ducal
 estate. family; families in which inherited
 In 1914 the estate of Henry Manners, obligations matter more than shared
 the eighth Duke of Rutland, comprised affection or relationships; a political
 thousands of acres, including some thirty world which, even in war, is entwined
 villages, surrounding his Leicestershire with the social; and the significance,
 seat, Belvoir Castle. At the outbreak of war, unintended but fateful, reaching down
 the Duke recruited more than seventeen through the generations, of obscure
 hundred men - servants, estate workers, family settlements and entails.
 tenant farmers - to form two regiments; he John le Carré passed away a few
 guaranteed their jobs and supported their weeks ago. His death reminds us that
 families in their absence, and his son and the best thrillers are not concerned
 heir, John, joined them as a young officer with defeating SPECTRE or saving the
These regiments were ordered to the Western Front in late 1914 and suffered world. They are the stories in which a
horrendous casualties in the subsequent slaughter around Ypres. cuckolded George Smiley manoeuvres
 his agents like chess pieces in the
The detailed records of the Manners family and the Rutland estate, going back to
 shadows or a broken Alec Leamas
the sixteenth cen-tury, are kept in the Muniment rooms of Belvoir Castle. These
 attempts to redeem his failures.
rooms are in the lowest floor of the castle adjacent to the kitchens and servants’
quarters. Or a duke, apparently raised above
 the multitude by his titles and immense
As Bailey began her research, she uncovered
 wealth, worries himself to death in
another more intimate story.
 a basement annex, haunted by his
John, now the ninth Duke, died on an old sofa in secrets, trying to purge them from his
these rooms, and not his own spacious quarters family’s history.
two floors above, in 1940. He had ignored his
 They are located in quiet, dark human
doctors’ advice, isolating himself among the
 spaces.
historical records, allowing access only to his
valet, as he laboured to complete some task. PJW
John, who was a medievalist and keen amateur (This book is available from Bowral
historian, had devoted decades to preserving Library.)
and organising the estate archives. Working in
the papers, Bailey found that there was a gap in
John’s otherwise meticulous diary from December Letters to the Editor and Article
1914 to mid-1915. She then discovered a gap for the same period, beginning at Contributions
precisely the same date, in the correspondence of his mother and father and all
his family members. In the last weeks of his life, John had culled all the family The Burrawang Herald is a community
records for this six-month period. newspaper and we welcome feedback
 from our readers. Tell us what you
Bailey put aside her original project to pursue this mystery. Her book “The Secret enjoyed in this edition of the Herald
Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery” is the result. and what you might like to see featured
It is a fascinating piece of detective work. She begins in the collections of in future editions. Articles, comments or
other great aristocratic houses, seeking clues or oblique references in the suggestions should be addressed to:
correspondence of the principals with their ex-tended family and friends. There The Editor
are more clues in the minutiae of managing a large estate - ordering cars or
opening a shooting lodge for a weekend. burrawangherald@gmail.com

 11

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
Wilde Living with Barbara Good-Fry there is no end to the fillings you can use. I’ve gone from
 phyllophobia to phyllomania!

 BG-Fs No-Fear Phyllo
 300g plain flour, sifted
 5 tablespoons lights olive oil
 I tablespoon vinegar
I have always had a mortal fear of making phyllo pastry. 1 teaspoon salt
Largely, this is because my family always turned it into a ½ - ¾ cup cold water
full-scale operatic production. The dining table would be Mix flour and salt in a large bowl, or food processor. Add
cleared and covered in the special “strudel cloths” (never the oil and vinegar and then just enough of the water to
seen at any other time) and family members would take it in bring the dough together in a cohesive ball. Too much water
turns to “throw” the pastry at the table, the designated 200 and your pastry will be soggy; too little and it will be dry
times. It was this latter requirement that really put me off and crumbly, so this step is important. I usually add ½ cup
making phyllo pastry, and for many years left me wondering straight away, and then add the remainder one teaspoon at
about where this number came from. What would happen a time, while continually mixing the dough, until it’s just right.
if you only threw it 199 times? Or 203 times? There was Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until it
no minimum or maximum, just the arbitrary 200 throws, is smooth and elastic. Cover and set aside to rest for 30
followed by the endless rolling. This involved anchoring the minutes.
end of the pastry to the table with your body, then rolling and
 Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece out as
eventually stretching by hand until the pastry was tissue-
 thinly as you can. There is
paper thin and covered the entire table. The test was to
 no need to anchor the dough,
hold the pastry up to the light and peer through it – if you
 or use special cloths, just
could see your relatives grinning at you through it, it was thin
 keep rolling in all directions
enough. All of this seemed incredibly stressful and often
 until you reach the desired
resulted in throwing the pastry at each other, instead of the
 thinness. You will find that
table.
 it rolls more easily in one
I became a lifelong sufferer of phyllophobia and there direction than the other, and
seemed to be no cure. you should end up with a
One day I decided it was ridiculous to live in fear of a rectangle about 50x30cm.
pastry. After all, thousands of people in many different Don’t worry if your first efforts
countries make phyllo pastry every day. Clearly, I was don’t reach that size or aren’t as thin as you would like – it
missing something important. I started reading cookbooks will taste delicious anyway. I usually brush the sheet all
from different countries, surrounded by foreign language over with melted butter before filling and rolling, but this is
dictionaries as I tried to decipher the work of Greek, Turkish, optional.
Armenian & European cooks in an effort to get to the bottom or anyone who would like more detailed recipes/instructions
of things and what I discovered was that some cultures for anything mentioned above, please feel free to contact
had a completely different attitude. For many people it was me via the FaceBook page @ Wilde Living with Barbara
obviously an every-day go-to pastry because it was so quick Good-Fry
and easy. There were no strudel cloths in sight and no
 I’m always happy to hear from readers and respond to any
throwing.
 questions you may have.
I’m pleased to say that I’ve now perfected the art of perfect,
flaky phyllo pastry and it’s so easy and fast that it’s become
a staple of my weekday cooking. I hope it becomes a staple
for you too – once you try it, any commercial pastry tastes
like cardboard and there is no substitute for its rich flakiness.
It is a “neutral” pastry in that you can use it for sweet or
savoury cooking without having to change the recipe and

 12

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 St David’s News

 Sky UK created the UK National
 General Knowledge Test which
 consisted of “100 essential quiz
 questions everyone should be able
 to answer.”
 But if that didn’t sound hard enough,
Tomorrow I embark on an adventure! It was to be an adventure in Tasmania players voted for the 10 trickiest
but hey you know what happened there. It all got too risky and complicated questions - so will YOU be able to
with borders and all. Anyway, tomorrow I start a four-day hike down in the Ben answer them correctly?
Boyd National Park, not quite the Tasmanian wilderness, but it will do for now. I
 The questions are designed to put
decided, with the help of some hiking buddies, that this will be the year for some
 your history, geography and science
adventures. I’m not sure what’s next, but someday we’ll try Tassie again.
 knowledge to the ultimate test.
The start of the new year is often a good time to have a fresh start. Maybe it’s
 1. What is the world’s smallest
a new fitness regime, or a new business venture, or even a new haircut? From
 country?
time-to-time, usually at the start of the year, my wife and I read a new book
together, it’s only ‘from time-to-time’ because Michelle reads much faster than 2. What are the first three books of
me, which gets a little annoying as she waits for me to finish the chapter. The Old Testament?
 Nevertheless, here’s the book we’ll be reading and I 3. How many sides does a
 want to recommend it to you. It’s called For The Love dodecahedron have?
 Of God: How The Church Is Better Or Worse Than 4. What were the names of Henry
 You Ever Imagined by Natasha Moore (https://www. VIII’s six wives?
 koorong.com/product/for-the-love-of-god-how-the- 5. Banksy is most associated with
 church_9780647530351) which city?
 There’s also a documentary… (if you don’t like reading) 6. What nationality was Charlie
 https://www.publicchristianity.org/fortheloveofgod/ Chaplin?
 So, have a fresh start to this year by reading a 7. What are the names of the five
cracker of a book! It will challenge you and it might make you a little cranky with oceans?
Christians… we don’t always get it right! But I promise you, it will be good for you. 8. What are Africa’s BIG FIVE
Or if you don’t feel like either of those things come along to church, where you animals?
can hear about the creator of fresh starts… Jesus! 9. Which chess piece can’t move in
REGULAR SERVICES a straight line?
‘Face-to-face’ services have resumed at Robertson and Burrawang, however, if 10. Which planet is closest to the
you would like to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can watch the Sun?
Robertson sermons, search on YouTube ‘Robertson Burrawang Anglican Church.’
Our service times at Robertson are:
Sundays @8am Traditional (1st and 4th of the month)
 @10am Contemporary Family (weekly)
We meet on the 3rd Sunday of each month at St David’s Burrawang at 4.30pm.

Rev Graham Thomas - Minister
Robertson / Burrawang Anglican
Church
robertsonanglican.org.au
4885 1210

 13

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 Joey’s Travels and friends, checking on their well-being and to see how
Like a lot of people, plans they were coping. It was - and felt strange to be cut-off.
were made to travel in Emails, letter writing and ‘zoom calls’ became the new thing
2020 for an overseas trip – to do; for both pleasure and work meetings. Distractions of
for us - to Italy! what was on the walls behind people became something
 of interest – or to see others who were in the household
However, during the latter
 walk by. It was a better option to observe than one’s own
part 2019, our planned trip
 appearance where hairlines of yet more grey hair continued
was the furthest thing from
 to grow and also seemed to glow.
our minds. Instead, we were to experience the anxiety of the
bushfires. We experienced the scare of evacuation. What to The style of more comfortable clothing was adopted, with
take? What not to take? Where to go? Where was it safe? waistbands expanding – only a little bit – but we decided
Watching and observing the never-ending destruction and it was nothing a few good brisk walks or yoga couldn’t fix.
devastation as the fire wielded unimaginable horror and My husband was growing a beard in place of his clean-
terror along its way. For months on end. And we all prayed shaven face, I quite liked it and his hair was getting longer
for the rain to come. with more grey hair, that suited him! Whereas my new look
 wasn’t working quite as well. I would have welcomed a visit
It was to be an unsettled and troubled Christmas for 2019
 to a beautician, but it simply wasn’t an option at this stage.
and a strange New Year for 2020.
 A more relaxed ambiance and behaviour was taking up
January remained uneasy – but then February brought residence in the household.
some hope with the longed for ‘rain’.
 Card games began, board games were dusted off,
But, with it, along came more media news about this new concentration applied to the instructions as the rules,
virus called COVID. forgotten long ago, had to be re-read and re-learned.
It remained an eerie start to 2020 and unfortunately the With no dinner guests due for the foreseeable future, the
scare only increased, it was taking hold, weaving and dining room table became a good area to spill a 1,000-piece
spreading its way forward. The anxiety was to remain. puzzle. Feeble attempts were made to spend the evening
We were to bunker down, like everyone else. The after dinner, away from the television, focussing instead on
realisation that it would be a long time, rather than a short grouping all the coloured pieces together. So, we pushed
time, before we were to understand the impact of this new them around on the table, trying to force what we thought
virus upon us. should go together, but they simply wouldn’t stay clicked
It made us begin to think about other things. Not being able in their positions (despite repeated attempts) this caused
to go anywhere or do anything, aside from the necessary undue amounts of frustration. The wine consumption
dash to the supermarket to restock. And the never-ending probably had an impact.
1st check to see if the paper supplies had been restocked! It wasn’t long before the puzzle pieces were repacked into
Our focus turned inwards toward home. There was more the box and placed back in the drawer where it belonged.
time to read books. And there were cupboards to clean out, Realising it was probably better for us, with less arguments
actually the whole house could benefit from a really good to do so. Happily returning back to the television it would be
clean. Then there was the garden too, it would receive with more Netflix series sought.
a major overhaul. And a lot more cooking began. New Our dog was delighted at how many extra walks he was
recipes were sort and tested, with extras being made to receiving, not to mention, our constant company and
freeze – for a ‘take-out’ home option - when we couldn’t be attention. The weeks turned into months. And the months
bothered to cook anything more. I was happy to relinquish got us watching and discussing the real estate market,
some of the cooking, but did wonder if it really had been which for some reason was exploding. Walks down to the
worth it, when extra cleaning was required the following letterbox became a pleasant journey. Ever hopeful for a
day to remove the splatters from up the wall. Compromise post office card advising on a new delivery of wine to be
and consideration would be required for a harmonious collected.
household to be sustained. Reality jolted us to understand Come September, an unexpected real estate flyer appeared
we were going to stay in each other’s space for a while yet - inside. This necessitated a huddled discussion over one
so we knew it would be best to get along. of our ‘take-out’ options from the freezer. Would it hurt to
Phone calls were made on a more regular basis to family seek an opinion? We decided we weren’t really serious to

 14

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
change our home, but we were curious to know. Where we Postponement of 2021 Robertson
lived had been the longest time we had lived anywhere. Show
Over the years, we’d made additions and changes, to make
 The Robertson Show Society Committee has just issued the
it comfortable as we liked. It was a home we enjoyed.
 following statement re the 2021 Show -
The appointment was made. The real estate agent
 “It is with sadness we announce the cancellation of all
appeared. We sat and talked, then they walked about the
 Robertson Show events in March 2021, with the exception
property. They told us how keen people from Sydney were
 of the Dogs and Rich Fruit cake events. The Dog and Rich
to buy in the area – especially with acreage – which we had
 Fruit Cake competitions will run exclusively as competitor
– and stock of it was quite limited apparently.
 only events with no public access. We have however
They told us places were selling and they were selling even decided to create new online events for our community
faster off market. They left. We pondered. And then made - details to be announced on the website on Monday 1st
a decision. The sale happened quickly with a price that we February.
couldn’t ignore. The timing was right for us to downsize and
 The remaining 2021 Robertson Show events will be held
make a change somewhere else.
 toward the end of the year. An announcement will be
We realised we didn’t want to leave the Highlands entirely. made once the dates for the remaining events have been
A new home needed to be found. But now we were in the confirmed. This decision was made at the end of a long
same market as others looking to make their own changes. committee meeting looking in detail at the challenges for
It was a whirlwind that followed. We were lucky and found the individual event organisers and potential risk to their
a house we liked. Totally different to the one we knew, but competitors and animals. While we want to support our rural
it felt right. Exchanges were made. The time to pack and community our first obligation is to keep our community
leave arrived. safe.
Were we really ready to go? Would we like our new place? All entry details for the Dog and Rich Fruit Cake will
What about our friends nearby? be available on Monday 1st February at https://www.
We spent time in all the spots we had enjoyed, mulling over robertsonshow.org.au
memories and the times and events we had shared with our
families and friends. We hoped we had done the right thing.
It was too late now to change our mind - the deal was done.
Following the slow pace of the year the last few months
passed by in a blur, the last of 2020.
If anyone had said it was to be our last year in the home, we
would have laughed.
‘Changes of 2020’?
We’ve moved into our new home – it’s a fresh start – a new
neighbourhood to explore.
Our belongings and furniture with us, all just configured
 For all your Building and
differently, but it feels like ‘home’.
 Renovations needs;
Our friends are visiting with new friends being met and
 • Extensions & Alterations
made. The change was good to make.
 • Project management
So, what’s on the agenda for 2021? We don’t know. The
rain is nice, everything’s so green. A vaccine please? • Kitchen & Bathrooms
Perhaps, like others, we just wish to remain safe and okay • Open plan living
with plans to settle in and enjoy our new home. There are • Structural Landscaping
ideas and projects already brewing. • Decks & retaining walls
But definitely no overseas trips planned. • Repairs & Maintenance
That idea for Italy, may be some time away just yet.
 You name it,
 we can do it!

 15

Burrawang Herald News March 2021
 ♻ Check your printer paper and use 100% recycled copy
 paper that is carbon neutral and made in Australia
 ♻ Look for garden beds and edgings that are made from
 recycled soft plastics
 ♻ Insist your carpet inlay has a recycled content and ask if
 your old carpet and underlay will be recycled
 ♻ Activewear can be made from recycled plastics. Check
 the label.
 ♻ At least one Australian company is making glasses
 frames from recycled plastic
 ♻ Cat litter can be made with 99% recycled paper
 There are some Fact Sheets about different waste streams
 and tips about the circular economy that are also useful
 resources on the Clean Up website. Did you know that
 Australia’s waste challenges are growing? Each person
Our small but enthusiastic group of local waste warriors produces 540kg of household waste every year. That’s
have been busy looking at ways to reduce waste. This 10kg for every single person, every single week!
means that we are warriors against waste not a worrier You are encouraged to pledge towards reducing waste
about how we are consuming resources. There are lots of by saying NO to straws, bringing your own water bottle,
ways that everyone can help to do their bit. composting and buying recycled. There are so many
Clean Up Australia Day thousands of small ways to make a big difference. Together
Clean Up Australia Day has been around for 30 years and we can all be part of the solution.
was started by Ian Kiernan. This wonderful charity is still
enthusiastic about making a difference in local communities.
They offer the #StepUpToCleanUp challenge to encourage
communities to prevent rubbish entering our environment as
well as removing what has already accumulated around our
locale. Check out cleanup.org.au.
Waste Warriors Not Worriers
Much of Burrawang and Wildes Meadow don’t have a street
litter issue so organising a special clean-up day is probably
not necessary, rather we should be “cleaning up” each and
every day. There is a small amount of rubbish around so
if you see it - pick it up and take it home to dispose of it
properly. There are bins in Hoddle St for dog poo as well
as bins at Burrawang Oval. If you can help do your bit it
will keep our villages clean and tidy. If you would like to be
part of a clean-up outside of our area you can register by
checking locations on the Clean Up website.
One way to reduce our waste is the Buy Recycled program.
cleanup.org.au/buyrecycled. This program supports
solutions which move us towards a circular economy where Top Waste Warrior Tip
everything is a resource and there is no such thing as
 When washing your hands in a public bathroom facility, after
waste. Here are some tips:
 washing, shake your hands 10 times to remove as much
♻ Check the packaging and look for products which have water as possible then dry them. This reduces the amount
 packaging with a recycling content of paper towel used or electricity to power an electric hand
♻ When buying soft drinks and juices look for the brands dryer.
 using 100% recycled PET containers

 16