Feb2012_MT MEE NEWS
By Ian Wells
The weather during the year just concluded was certainly “out of the box”. At home here on Kalahari Downs we had a generous 700mm in January last year – almost equalling the total for some recent years.
That 700mm came within a whisker of destroying our main dam and silted the others, caused a substantial lump of our country to migrate into the forestry taking several panels of boundary fence with it, and greased up another slope which moved a few inches ready for a big slide. Our total for the year was unprecedented – more than 1500mm! The grass grew all year, and so did the cattle!
In contrast, the first half of January 2012 was bone dry, but good relief rain did follow.
The second edition of the Moreton Regional Council publication “Moreton First Community News” was distributed around Mt Mee just before Christmas. It has been a topic of much discussion ever since. Many residents are outraged that such a patently election driven rag was funded by ratepayers – there seemed precious little real news content to leaven the self-congratulations of the old Redcliffe Council lot!
But the parochial references to our Councillor Adrian Raedel were quite inexcusable.
Adrian has earned the respect and the admiration of many Mountain residents through sheer hard work – for his ready availability, his willingness to listen and his prompt action on issues. Mt Mee is much indebted to Adrian for his help with local projects such as the ANZAC Memorial, the renewal of the Mt Mee cemetery and the upgrading of our Hall. Adrian has not just ruled on such things from his office leather – that is not his style. He comes to planning meetings and puts in his “two bobs worth”. He will roll up his sleeves and get into the physical side of things. I wonder for instance, how many other councillors have loaned, transported and erected their own boat masts for ANZAC Day flagpole duties?
Adrian has shown himself to be a real “bottom up” manager with a focus on delivery. This may well be “pursuing his own path” as stated in the above – mentioned publication – and there should be much more of it! This edition of Moreton First Regional news seriously upset many people. It very likely will have a profound influence on the March elections – but not in the way planned by what seems to be a Redcliffe focused “Council Establishment”.
The final monthly New Vogue dance was held in the Hall on 6th January.
In contrast, the first half of January 2012 was bone dry, but good relief rain did follow.
The second edition of the Moreton Regional Council publication “Moreton First Community News” was distributed around Mt Mee just before Christmas. It has been a topic of much discussion ever since. Many residents are outraged that such a patently election driven rag was funded by ratepayers – there seemed precious little real news content to leaven the self-congratulations of the old Redcliffe Council lot!
But the parochial references to our Councillor Adrian Raedel were quite inexcusable.
Adrian has earned the respect and the admiration of many Mountain residents through sheer hard work – for his ready availability, his willingness to listen and his prompt action on issues. Mt Mee is much indebted to Adrian for his help with local projects such as the ANZAC Memorial, the renewal of the Mt Mee cemetery and the upgrading of our Hall. Adrian has not just ruled on such things from his office leather – that is not his style. He comes to planning meetings and puts in his “two bobs worth”. He will roll up his sleeves and get into the physical side of things. I wonder for instance, how many other councillors have loaned, transported and erected their own boat masts for ANZAC Day flagpole duties?
Adrian has shown himself to be a real “bottom up” manager with a focus on delivery. This may well be “pursuing his own path” as stated in the above – mentioned publication – and there should be much more of it! This edition of Moreton First Regional news seriously upset many people. It very likely will have a profound influence on the March elections – but not in the way planned by what seems to be a Redcliffe focused “Council Establishment”.
The final monthly New Vogue dance was held in the Hall on 6th January.
Save the last dance:
MC Ron Tumbridge fights off a wave of hungry scrub ticks heading for a lush feeding ground:
Feeding Time:
The Supper Crew:
There was a record crowd (for recent times) of nearly sixty people and ‘Chattanooga’ – the one man orchestra, was at its peak. With illness and unavailability severely hitting the kitchen, the supper was a bit of a scratch effort – but it was OK. Most of the post supper dancing was by request, and a good time really was had by all.
Tribute was paid to Betty and Les Hyde, who restarted the dances some 20 years ago after a layoff of many years, and ran them until their retirement when Ron and Glen Tumbridge took over. Ron and Glen found some excellent new bands and took the quality of the evenings to a new level, but sadly, as age took its toll of the ‘regulars’, takings no longer covered costs.
Hall Committee plans several social nights during 2012 featuring live bands, dancing, a bar and a substantial supper – the first will be a R&R night, and the Spring Ball will be retained, but in a different format.
Dates have been set for the Mt Mee autumn rounds of wild dog baiting – to wit Monday 16th April (the week after Easter) and Monday 14th May. Would all intending participants put a ring around those days in their diaries now. We didn’t get full roll-ups to each round last year because conflicting commitments kept arising.
Council would welcome new participants too – provided that they can comply with the basic separation rules of the Health Department. Phone Ray Johnson on 3283 0351 for details. Note that Council supplies all materials and paperwork free of charge.
Ray has provided some interesting statistics collected from the 2011 Mt Mee programme. (They are not quite complete – curiously, one or two recalcitrants have yet to send in their returns!)
The total of baits laid over the four rounds was 581.
April 53% of baits were taken
May 66%
September 59%
October 49%
So better than 300 baits were taken, and that would make the exercise well worthwhile if just one dog was accounted for by each bait. But the odds are that the result was even better than that!
Regrettably, (from the point of view of convincing the odd sceptic), few bodies were found. Affected dogs seem to seek hides when they begin to feel unwell.
The unfailing efficacy of 1080 has nevertheless been shown locally to be beyond doubt though, and it is a powerful tool. Together with the good work of our shooters, it has given the Mountain an almost trouble free calving season.
For those wishing to diary the Mt Mee Hall Sunday afternoon concert series, the dates are:
May 27th (St Lucia Orchestra),
September 9th (Savoyard Singers) and
November 11th (Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra).
You can book anytime now with Kay (5498 2104) or Joyce (5498 2270).
The licensed dancing/musical evenings will be:
R&R (with Greg “Hendo” Henderson) on 14th April;
Country Music night on 7th July;
Spring Ball with a ‘settlers’ fancy dress theme on 29th September.
Make a note of these!
And that is ‘it’ for this month. Toodle –ooh!
Tribute was paid to Betty and Les Hyde, who restarted the dances some 20 years ago after a layoff of many years, and ran them until their retirement when Ron and Glen Tumbridge took over. Ron and Glen found some excellent new bands and took the quality of the evenings to a new level, but sadly, as age took its toll of the ‘regulars’, takings no longer covered costs.
Hall Committee plans several social nights during 2012 featuring live bands, dancing, a bar and a substantial supper – the first will be a R&R night, and the Spring Ball will be retained, but in a different format.
Dates have been set for the Mt Mee autumn rounds of wild dog baiting – to wit Monday 16th April (the week after Easter) and Monday 14th May. Would all intending participants put a ring around those days in their diaries now. We didn’t get full roll-ups to each round last year because conflicting commitments kept arising.
Council would welcome new participants too – provided that they can comply with the basic separation rules of the Health Department. Phone Ray Johnson on 3283 0351 for details. Note that Council supplies all materials and paperwork free of charge.
Ray has provided some interesting statistics collected from the 2011 Mt Mee programme. (They are not quite complete – curiously, one or two recalcitrants have yet to send in their returns!)
The total of baits laid over the four rounds was 581.
April 53% of baits were taken
May 66%
September 59%
October 49%
So better than 300 baits were taken, and that would make the exercise well worthwhile if just one dog was accounted for by each bait. But the odds are that the result was even better than that!
Regrettably, (from the point of view of convincing the odd sceptic), few bodies were found. Affected dogs seem to seek hides when they begin to feel unwell.
The unfailing efficacy of 1080 has nevertheless been shown locally to be beyond doubt though, and it is a powerful tool. Together with the good work of our shooters, it has given the Mountain an almost trouble free calving season.
For those wishing to diary the Mt Mee Hall Sunday afternoon concert series, the dates are:
May 27th (St Lucia Orchestra),
September 9th (Savoyard Singers) and
November 11th (Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra).
You can book anytime now with Kay (5498 2104) or Joyce (5498 2270).
The licensed dancing/musical evenings will be:
R&R (with Greg “Hendo” Henderson) on 14th April;
Country Music night on 7th July;
Spring Ball with a ‘settlers’ fancy dress theme on 29th September.
Make a note of these!
And that is ‘it’ for this month. Toodle –ooh!
