Mar2011 MT MEE NEWS
by Ian Wells
There can be no dispute that the weather for 2011 remains extraordinary. As I write the showers seem constant and mud is the word of the moment. What wonderful weather to be not dairying in!
If I’m any judge there will be big calves jammed in pelvises, plenty of mastitis, lots of painful chapped teats and teat sores making the cows kick their heads off, and copious supplies of that green sauce. Not to mention the grumpy staff!
It has been a quiet summer on the Mountain for cattle ectoparasites, but the buffalo fly is starting to get a go on. I suspect that anytime now we will see the grass grub begin to devour the roots of our lush pastures too!
It has not been a quiet summer for slips though – they seem to be everywhere on the Mountain. Those on the Dayboro-Ocean View road will take a bit of fixing too, like the one on my main dam wall.
Sadly, February saw the passing of Mrs Marie Hewitt – a matriarch in her own right. Marie, at almost 94, was the oldest living person born on the Mountain. It was always Maurie Thomasen’s ambition to outlive Marie and assume that title, but unlike Maurie, he lost that contest!
Mrs Yvonne Dawes has taken a very well-earned break to visit family in the USA. Yvonne has cared for husband Dave under very testing circumstances since his unfortunate brain injury some years ago.
Big things are happening at the Hall and our joint project with Council is well under way. At the time of writing, the new deck is floored, the balustrading and staircasing is completed and the roof will be going on any day.
The work on the kitchen servery hasn’t yet begun, nor has the new cupboard been constructed in the store-room Despite the incessant hold-ups caused by the horrible weather, the job should be completed by mid March. Committee then plans to have lockable, weatherproof roller blinds installed, so that the new area will be ‘lock-up’ and can be left with furnishings in place. That will be just wonderful!
The February markets at the Hall were huge. There was a record number of stall-holders and a big crowd of shoppers and morning tea- takers. I know that this dashing dishwasher was absolutely knackered by the end of that day!
And March looks to be just as busy at this stage, with the front lawn marquee again required and a visit in the wind to Bunnings, for more tables.
Big things are happening at the Dahmongah Look-out Anzac Memorial too. Bronze plaques have now been cast, listing all the known Mountain servicemen and women who have served overseas since 1914. Researching the national war archives has enabled several additions and amendments to the Hall’s honour board listings.
A series of small plaques will commemorate all of those who lost their lives, (other than the two already commemorated on the restored vintage plaques that are part of the existing memorial).
The plaques are all being mounted on a magnificent ironbark log – reflecting the timbergetting heritage of our Mountain, and this will be placed alongside the existing memorial. All going well, it will be ready for ANZAC Day. Please spread the word to those with connections who may not read this. We would love to see them at the dawn service on ANZAC Day.
Our thanks too to James Hewitt for his work on the log – fitted in around the demands of his new sharpening business!
Wild dogs are never far from our thoughts. The February full moon coincided with a number of sightings and many bursts of nocturnal harmony.
The shooters have accounted for eight dogs so far this year, all on the western side of the Mountain where some calf losses have been reported. The first of the four rounds of baiting planned for 2011 is scheduled for 11th April, and those who will be baiting are urged to do a bit of pre-feeding to boost uptake. Butcher’s scraps are fine.
Baiting is a very effective control measure – (despite what you might read in some papers), but it cannot account for all the dogs in an area. And while poisoning seems an unpleasant thing, we can be reasonably comfortable knowing that 1080 is much more humane than is strychnine, and that is the epitome of kindness in comparison with the cruelty inflicted by wild dogs in their sport with domestic animals.
Shooting is a very humane and effective control measure too – and it has a reassuring tangible finality. But it cannot account for all of the dogs in an area either. They are very cunning and formidable opponents.
A combined approach will pick up most of the recalcitrants. So if we pull together we can keep our problem under some sort of control, with shooters hunting dogs in the right places and with baits laid in the strategically important locations.
Finally, some words that resonate with me – from Benjamin Franklin, the great American politician and a very wise man. He said “Beer is proof that God loves us – and wants us to be happy”.
It has been a quiet summer on the Mountain for cattle ectoparasites, but the buffalo fly is starting to get a go on. I suspect that anytime now we will see the grass grub begin to devour the roots of our lush pastures too!
It has not been a quiet summer for slips though – they seem to be everywhere on the Mountain. Those on the Dayboro-Ocean View road will take a bit of fixing too, like the one on my main dam wall.
Sadly, February saw the passing of Mrs Marie Hewitt – a matriarch in her own right. Marie, at almost 94, was the oldest living person born on the Mountain. It was always Maurie Thomasen’s ambition to outlive Marie and assume that title, but unlike Maurie, he lost that contest!
Mrs Yvonne Dawes has taken a very well-earned break to visit family in the USA. Yvonne has cared for husband Dave under very testing circumstances since his unfortunate brain injury some years ago.
Big things are happening at the Hall and our joint project with Council is well under way. At the time of writing, the new deck is floored, the balustrading and staircasing is completed and the roof will be going on any day.
The work on the kitchen servery hasn’t yet begun, nor has the new cupboard been constructed in the store-room Despite the incessant hold-ups caused by the horrible weather, the job should be completed by mid March. Committee then plans to have lockable, weatherproof roller blinds installed, so that the new area will be ‘lock-up’ and can be left with furnishings in place. That will be just wonderful!
The February markets at the Hall were huge. There was a record number of stall-holders and a big crowd of shoppers and morning tea- takers. I know that this dashing dishwasher was absolutely knackered by the end of that day!
And March looks to be just as busy at this stage, with the front lawn marquee again required and a visit in the wind to Bunnings, for more tables.
Big things are happening at the Dahmongah Look-out Anzac Memorial too. Bronze plaques have now been cast, listing all the known Mountain servicemen and women who have served overseas since 1914. Researching the national war archives has enabled several additions and amendments to the Hall’s honour board listings.
A series of small plaques will commemorate all of those who lost their lives, (other than the two already commemorated on the restored vintage plaques that are part of the existing memorial).
The plaques are all being mounted on a magnificent ironbark log – reflecting the timbergetting heritage of our Mountain, and this will be placed alongside the existing memorial. All going well, it will be ready for ANZAC Day. Please spread the word to those with connections who may not read this. We would love to see them at the dawn service on ANZAC Day.
Our thanks too to James Hewitt for his work on the log – fitted in around the demands of his new sharpening business!
Wild dogs are never far from our thoughts. The February full moon coincided with a number of sightings and many bursts of nocturnal harmony.
The shooters have accounted for eight dogs so far this year, all on the western side of the Mountain where some calf losses have been reported. The first of the four rounds of baiting planned for 2011 is scheduled for 11th April, and those who will be baiting are urged to do a bit of pre-feeding to boost uptake. Butcher’s scraps are fine.
Baiting is a very effective control measure – (despite what you might read in some papers), but it cannot account for all the dogs in an area. And while poisoning seems an unpleasant thing, we can be reasonably comfortable knowing that 1080 is much more humane than is strychnine, and that is the epitome of kindness in comparison with the cruelty inflicted by wild dogs in their sport with domestic animals.
Shooting is a very humane and effective control measure too – and it has a reassuring tangible finality. But it cannot account for all of the dogs in an area either. They are very cunning and formidable opponents.
A combined approach will pick up most of the recalcitrants. So if we pull together we can keep our problem under some sort of control, with shooters hunting dogs in the right places and with baits laid in the strategically important locations.
Finally, some words that resonate with me – from Benjamin Franklin, the great American politician and a very wise man. He said “Beer is proof that God loves us – and wants us to be happy”.
I’ll drink to that!
