History Corner

The privations endured in the early days of the settlement in 1788' produced its share of grumbles, usually with great justification.

An extract from a letter to Sir Evan Nepean (a name soon to be enshrined in local nomenclature) by Major Ross was full of complaints about the unwelcoming country. "Not one bit of timber have we found fit for any other purpose than to make the pot boil," he lamented. "I think it will be cheaper to feed the convicts on turtle and venison at the London Tavern than be at the expense of sending them here"..

Phillip himself wrote that he felt he would have to depend on regular supplies from England for at least six years for very little could be grown and convicts who were willing to work the land were frightened of the blackfellows. They could discover no food on which, in their opinion, so large a number of aboriginals could live. They therefore concluded that the black men were cannibals," quite ready when their appetites were sharp to kill each other as well as any white man if they could catch him."

Before December 1790, Phillip began to send out large parties to shoot kangaroos near Botany Bay and, so long as there was a hill in sight which he had not explored or an unvisited place likely to provide food or soil for cultivation, he never rested from his search for the wherewithal to feed his grumbling people.
 
Water was also a difficulty (Nothing has changed! L.W.) Here again Pittwater seems to have appeared desirable In 1790 Phillip writes "In Pittwater we found small springs of water in most of the coves. We saw three cascades falling from a height which the rain then rendered inaccessible." In this case Phillip does not seem to have traced effect to cause. There is still water to be found in the coves of Pittwater and some cascades in the rainy season when they are as easy to find as they were in Phillip's days which, records show, happened to be a time of abundant rain.

In 1790 Phillip also went to explore the Hawkesbury as he had always promised. The party rowed upstream for several miles as well as up a smaller river which ran in to it. This he called the Nepean. They found on the banks of these rivers "good, light soil and beautiful trees like almond trees" and decided the "noble river" was very suitable for settlement. During the next few months 70 settlers for sent there. One of the first two was James Ruse, the man who first grew wheat in Australia.

Next month: The port of Pittwater

- Leicester Warburton
Island Cyclist Hits the Big Time

Islandia, NY/San Diego, CA – January 5, 2005

Iron Horse Bicycles is proud to announce the signing of 20-year old professional downhill racer Justin Havukainen. Justin will join the Iron Horse/Mad Catz Factory Race Team for the 2005 season and contest the UCI World Cup Series, US Open, US National Championships, select NCS Races, and the Sea Otter Classic.

Justin joins the 2005 Iron Horse/Mad Catz roster along with 2004 Australian National Champion, 2004 US Open Champion, and 2-time Junior World Champion Sam Hill of Perth, Australia. In 2004, Justin had several top 10 UCI World Cup finishes, finishing 15th overall in the series. Justin resides in Australia and has the unique advantage of holding dual citizenship for the United States and Australia, allowing him to compete at the 2005 US National Championships at Mammoth, CA.

“We brought Justin to our program to expand Iron Horse’s presence in the North American market and a chance to win the US National Championships. We’re excited to have Justin onboard and I look forward to working with him.” comments Iron Horse/Mad Catz Team Manager Sean Heimdal.

Massive Reward Proposed for information on Tree Poisoners

At its first meeting for 2005, Pittwater Council will debate a Notice of Motion to increase the reward from $1,000 to $10,000 for information leading to a conviction of persons responsible for any major tree poisoning.

This arises from a serious tree poisoning which took place at Bilgola Plateau on Christmas Day 2004. Fourteen eucalyptus botryoides trees, as well as dozens of smaller trees on two properties, were poisoned, leaving the two neighbouring residents with a bill of over $15,000 for their removal.
Both families were devastated at the vandalism and were distressed and unsure as to how they could afford to pay for the removal of the dead trees.

Can you help?

I am returning to the island - having lived and worked in Wollongong since 1990.

Part of the reason for coming back is to hopefully find work for my son, Martin, who has an intellectual disability (Fragile X syndrome). HE HAS WORKED FOR 12 YEARS IN A SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PLACE BUT WANTS TO WORK in open or regular employment.

What do you think? Martin is 32, good and strong, very social, has a a good sense of humour and loves boats. he has his boat licence. He was brought up on the island so some people who are still here remember him.

He wants an active job that involves working with other people. He worked for 12 years in a paper recycling plant and particularly enjoyed going out on the truck with the driver collecting materials from BHP, offices, etc.

I look forward to hearing from you on this and hopefully finding something for Martin in the area. He is registered with Shore Personnel in Chatswood who would do training, support, etc as necessary.

Sincerely
Robyn
Associate Professor Robyn Iredale
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Wollongong
02 4221 3448 (o)
02 4268 3487 (h)
0425 216 350 (mob)
02 42214250 (fax)
 

Dealing with cuts and scrapes

Small cuts and scrapes usually don't demand a visit to your local hospital, but proper care is
necessary to keep infections or other complications from occurring.

When dealing with minor wounds, keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. Stop the bleeding by applying pressure using a gauze pad or clean cloth. If the bleeding persists after several minutes of applying pressure, get immediate medical attention.
2. Keep the wound clean by washing the area with mild soap and water and removing any dirt. Dry the area gently with a clean cloth, and cover the wound with a protective bandage. Change the bandage at least once a day. If the wound becomes tender to the touch and red or oozes fluid, see your doctor.
3. If your cut is more serious and the bleeding does not stop on its own or the cut is large, deep, or rough on the edges, try to stop the bleeding by applying pressure directly to the injury using a sterilized gauze pad or clean cloth. Maintain pressure on the wound until the bleeding stops. Then consult your physician. A tetanus booster may be required if you haven't had one for a while.

Heat Related Emergencies occur when your heart and vascular system do not respond properly to high temperatures. The symptoms of heat exhaustion resemble shock and include faintness, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, an ashen appearance, cold clammy skin, and nausea. If you suspect heat exhaustion, get the person out of the sun and into a cool spot. Lay the person down and elevate his or her feet slightly. Loosen or remove most or all of the person's
clothing. Give the person cold (not iced) water to drink, with a teaspoon of salt added per quart.

The main indication of heat stroke is a fever of 40+ celsius with hot, dry skin. Other signs include rapid heartbeat, rapid and shallow breathing, either elevated or lowered blood pressure, and confusion or unconsciousness. If you suspect heat stroke, get the person out of the sun and into a cool spot. Cool the person by covering him or her with damp sheets or spraying with water. Direct air onto the person with a fan or a newspaper, and monitor the person's temperature with a thermometer. Stop cooling the person when his or her temperature returns to normal. If breathing ceases, start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Heat stroke is an emergency that needs immediate medical attention.
 

Free Native Plant Giveaway

Give a local plant a home in your garden with a FREE native plant to Pittwater Residents
Here is a wonderful opportunity to plant local native trees and shrubs to help create wildlife habitat in your backyard! (Limited numbers apply per residence)
Come along with your questions on composting and worm farming and also spend a couple of hours in the afternoon learning how you can use native plants as part of a gourmet meal.

Free Native Plant Giveaway to Pittwater Residents 9am - 3pm
Composting 9am - 2pm
Bushtucker Workshop noon - 2pm
Meet at the Coastal Environment Centre, Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen. Families welcome and bookings for the free Bushtucker Workshop can be made by ringing 9970-6905

30-Second Stress Buster Exercise
Do you feel tension in your forehead or clench your jaw? These two quick routines have often been claimed to not only reduce tension in the facial muscles, but also increase circulation, and thus reduce wrinkles in the long term. They are known as facial gymnastics: -

Inhale: and raise your eyebrows as much as you can.
Exhale: and draw them together in a deep frown.
Repeat a few more times, pushing the eyebrows higher and lower each time
Inhale: close your eyes and place your fingertips of both hands on the centre of your forehead.
Exhale: stroke the fingers out to the edges of the temples, wiping away any last tension.
Repeat a few more, times and then feel the muscles of your forehead relaxing and spreading out.
Now smile, and take the corners of your mouth as wide as you can: imagine or say out loud the letter sound “eeeee”.
Then perse your lips and imagine, or say out loud, the sound “oouu” ; as in “you”.
Repeat a few more times, stretching and squeezing the muscles more each time.
Then relax, and if you haven’t burst out laughing, or caused the office to laugh yet, feel how much more relaxed, plump and well nourished the cells / muscles of the face feel. Notice how much of the pent up tension in the face and jaw has melted away. If you have been laughing, then enjoy the rejuvenating effect that has had on you too! [with thanks to Zen at Work]

 

The 29th Day

It was delightful to see the well deserved award, that of Pittwater Council Citizen of the Year, being presented to Claire Atkins and Emmie Collins by Mayor, Lynne Czinner at our local Australia Day breakfast at Newport.

A number of islanders made the early morning journey over to Newport see the presentation ceremony and to show their support for Emmie and Claire. These people certainly were rewarded for their journey - both Claire and Emmie responded with excellent speeches which summed up our life in the offshore communities, its spirit and its heritage.

Congratulations go to both on the award which recognised their inspiration, hard work and leadership in bringing the "28 days on an island" festival together.

Joy Nielsen.
Showcasing Seniors in Pittwater

Pittwater Council is hosting a photographic competition - ‘Showcasing Seniors in Pittwater’- as part of Seniors Week 2005. Council thanks the Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care, which has contributed a grant of $500 towards this event.

To enter all you need to do is take a photo of an individual, or a group of people, showing their participation or achievements within the Pittwater community. Your subject/s should be over 55 years of age, and your photo should showcase the contribution older people make to the Pittwater community.

Entries are welcome from amateur photographers of all ages, with either colour or monochrome (black and white) photographs accepted. There are two categories - large (10” x 8”) or small (6” x 4”) - and there is also a special category for seniors over 55 years of age.

A panel of judges will determine the winners, and all entrants will be notified of the results. Prizes will be available for the best small and large entry, the top three overall entries, and the top entry by a senior aged over 55 years. All entrants will be invited to attend an exhibition and a prizegiving lunch held during Seniors Week in March. Your entry will then form part of a roving display which will tour Pittwater.

Entries close at 5pm on Friday 25th February 2005. To obtain all the details along with an entry form, either view Pittwater’s website: www.pittwaterlga.com.au, grab a ‘Showcasing Seniors in Pittwater’ flyer from Pittwater’s community centres, customer service centres and libraries, or contact Jennifer Walker on 9970 1199.

Clean up Australia Day Sunday March 6th 2005

We would now like to have the names and telephone numbers of everyone who wishes to help on a major clean up on march 6th. Please email your details to crhaskell@bigpond.com asap.

Once we have got a list of all the people involved we will be able to plan and advise more details .

Obviously the more volunteers we have the more we can achieve.

We will be targeting abandoned vehicles, boats, and cleaning up the foreshores at the wharves and the reserves. We will also be targeting all items which can not be picked up in the general clean up such as batteries, paint tins, etc..
There will be more information on the clean up in further bulletins and on posters around the island and at the wharves. We hope that everyone will get involved and make this year's clean up a really successful event.

Thank you.

Join your local Brigade

Have you ever thought about joining your local Rural Fire Brigade? On the Island, the Brigade is involved in everything from fighting fires through to assisting the Ambulance Service with Medivacs and attending storm damage and fallen trees. Our members have fought fires throughout the District and the State and the boat is regularly called out to attend callouts throughout Pittwater and up the Hawkesbury.

We hold Brigade Training on the first Sunday of the month to which we invite any interested people to come along and have a look. The next Brigade Training day is this Sunday, 6 February, starting at 9.00am at the Station on Scotland Island. Call us on 9999 4404 or call your local Brigade to find out more.