School Holidays Start with a Bang.
A bleak Friday saw the start of school holidays and a rush of traffic along the highway. One unfortunate couple from Townsville had their holiday dream terminated at Warrigal Creek when they miscalculated a road train and totalled their caravan. End of a dream, but fortunately no one was injured.
With many tourists on the road now, and unfamiliar with our highways, it is wise to err on the side of caution and remember not all drivers are as adept as you.
Remember, too, that lights make you more visible on those grey days. So light up and give us all a chance.
Post Office Closes on Wednesday.
The end of an era has been marked by a rustle of activity here in Torrens Creek as we demonstrate our individuality in providing unique post boxes. Recycled objects range from a microwave oven, to a bar fridge and freezer parts.
I’d looked up some boxes on the net, and was inspired by a post box with a flamingo draped over the top. I thought I could make a cat for ours, then thought Nah, why bother when our cats will take up residence there anyway.
If you want to see some really inspiring mail boxes check out this site:
www.Rvtravel.com There are some real works of art there. Can’t wait to see what last minute wonders will be produced here.
Telephone Scam Warning.
This warning went around the net last year but I thought it was worth alerting readers as apparently the scam has started again.
I got a call last night from an individual identifying himself as an Telstra Service technician who was conducting a test on our telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I should touch nine (9), zero ( 0), hash (#) and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused. Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which allows them to place long distance telephone calls billed to your home phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many of the local gaols/prisons.DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE. PLEASE pass this on to your friends. The email was signed by Stephen CooperDetective Senior Constable 29748Victoria Police State Crime Squads Level 12, 412 St. Kilda Road , Melbourne (03) 9865 2663 or 0414644499 (Thanks Carol for passing this on)Temperamental Chef? (Odd News)
SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - An Australian restaurateur fed up with the waste left by diners has ordered her customers to eat everything on their plates for their sake of the earth or pay a penalty and not return.
Chef Yukako Ichikawa has introduced a 30 percent discount for diners who eat all the food they have ordered at Wafu, her 30-seat restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, that describes itself as "guilty free Japanese cuisine."
"To contribute toward creating a sustainable future we request a little more of our guests than most other restaurants," she says in a list of her restaurant's policies that is pinned on the door to the eatery.
This list includes finishing all dishes ordered which are organic and free of gluten, dairy, sugar and eggs and the chef and her staff tell people who don't clear their plates to choose another restaurant next time.
"Finishing your meal requires that everything is eaten except lemon slices, gari (sushi ginger) and wasabi," says the menu.
"Please also note that vegetables and salad on the side are NOT decorations; they are part of the meal too."
Wafu's strict policy has been welcomed by some but criticized as overbearing by some reviewers. Ichikawa is undeterred.
"Wafu is not just a restaurant; it is an extension of Yukako's personal ethos toward nourishment and sustenance," says a statement on the restaurant's website.
"We are not only committed to serving meals that nurture and respect the body but are actively dedicated to the notion of waste prevention, and take seriously our responsibility toward the environment and sustainability for the future."
(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Michael Perry)
Wonder how popular this place is???
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Week ending 22nd June
By now you all will have received your “Dear Valued Customer” letter from the Postal Department. (Strange how it felt like “Dear John” letter.) A week from now our Postal Agency closes and we say ‘good-bye’ to an important aspect of country living. The Post Office was where people met and chatted, passed the time of day with people they hardly saw because of the different work loads and distances travelled. It was a pleasant outing, a way to keep in touch with the rest of the community. We looked forward to the walk with the dogs (and cats) as a great start to the day.
How often did we share a cup of tea and a slice of freshly cooked cake before getting back to the daily grind, or waited for the bus? I remember how impressed I was with the country Post Office atmosphere when I first arrived in Torrens Creek. It was inviting and encouraged tourists to stop for a while, before continuing their journey. Now, at the end of the month, it will be gone.
The closure does not mean the end of an Agency here, but it does mean that there is not enough time to organize a replacement in the short time we were warned of the closure. This is not due to the Postal Department but because they could not notify us until they had the official letter from the present Agent, so the A/Area Operations Manager Retail North QLD informed me.
Do we need a Postal Agency in Torrens Creek? What does it mean to you?
In a time where there is so much centralization of services maybe we do need the personalized service of a local agent. Having had some small contact with the 131318 number provided for contact(?) to all Post Offices, not Agencies, I learned of the pitfalls of doing business with ‘customer service’. The first surprise was that they weren’t allowed to give me the phone number for Charters Towers Post Office. So I had a very confused and difficult three way conversation with CT, the service consultant acting as go-between. It does not make for easy, truthful, reporting but it was a learning experience.
Another interesting lesson carries on from last week’s grizzle about the internet. After waiting for a reply to my phone call regarding the service. I rang and asked for the manager and, when, finally, I spoke to him was told that they were going to try and increase the power for me from Cairns. He also said that it was not necessary to send my modem away to Perth as they would send a tech. from there if it was needed. I haven’t had any trouble with the net since. Pays to go to the top, sometimes.
How often did we share a cup of tea and a slice of freshly cooked cake before getting back to the daily grind, or waited for the bus? I remember how impressed I was with the country Post Office atmosphere when I first arrived in Torrens Creek. It was inviting and encouraged tourists to stop for a while, before continuing their journey. Now, at the end of the month, it will be gone.
The closure does not mean the end of an Agency here, but it does mean that there is not enough time to organize a replacement in the short time we were warned of the closure. This is not due to the Postal Department but because they could not notify us until they had the official letter from the present Agent, so the A/Area Operations Manager Retail North QLD informed me.
Do we need a Postal Agency in Torrens Creek? What does it mean to you?
In a time where there is so much centralization of services maybe we do need the personalized service of a local agent. Having had some small contact with the 131318 number provided for contact(?) to all Post Offices, not Agencies, I learned of the pitfalls of doing business with ‘customer service’. The first surprise was that they weren’t allowed to give me the phone number for Charters Towers Post Office. So I had a very confused and difficult three way conversation with CT, the service consultant acting as go-between. It does not make for easy, truthful, reporting but it was a learning experience.
Another interesting lesson carries on from last week’s grizzle about the internet. After waiting for a reply to my phone call regarding the service. I rang and asked for the manager and, when, finally, I spoke to him was told that they were going to try and increase the power for me from Cairns. He also said that it was not necessary to send my modem away to Perth as they would send a tech. from there if it was needed. I haven’t had any trouble with the net since. Pays to go to the top, sometimes.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Another Week at Torrens Creek
15th June.
Well, I’m sitting here typing for the Torrens Creek page in “The Whisper’ but don’t have much hope of having it reach the office in time for publication. The internet is down—again! According to people I’ve been talking to we aren’t the only ones. For weeks we have been getting
notification of “outages” which inform us that our service may be slow. How about nonexistent?
Cold weather, less than 10 degrees, no internet, cloudy skies –and again no internet. Monday it was sunny and—guess what? We had internet. Of course, Murphy’s Law ruled, and I was too busy to work on the computer. I’m waiting for a phone call from my provider but I don’t hold much hope as the waiting time for my call to be answered by the complaints department took overly long. So much for our ruddy broadband system that is supposed to “keep the country connected”. Should we have our own satellite instead of using others that are overloaded? Probably. As the internet is easily accessible in urban areas I guess this rural problem will go into the too hard basket, along with the radio “black spots”, alternative power sources, ensuring country television ‘free to air” viewing is equal to those in the city, and, of course, let’s not forget the good ol’ cell phone…
All these problems will be solved by the new cost of living increases forecasted for the near future. When they come in we probably won’t be able to afford these communication luxuries.
Keeping this rising cost of living in mind I’ve included a recipe used by the pioneers when things got rough. Enjoy!
Rainforest Turkey Soup (Down south they substituted Cockatoos)
Ingredients: 1 scrub turkey (a protected native bird about the sizeof a rooster), 1 mossy rock (rinsed), 2 litres of sparkling mountain water.
Method: Bring the water to the boil. Add the rock and the turkey. Boil for at least two to three hours. When the rock is tender, discard the turkey and serve the soup piping hot. Then tighten your belt.
It’s now three hours since I rang the server, still no response, but, guess what— the sun has appeared and so has the internet. Guess I’ll make hay whilst the sun shines. Have a good week.
Oh, I nearly forgot in all this trauma. Flying Doctors Rooms will be open between 2pm and 4 pm every Saturday. Come see what we’ve got.
Well, I’m sitting here typing for the Torrens Creek page in “The Whisper’ but don’t have much hope of having it reach the office in time for publication. The internet is down—again! According to people I’ve been talking to we aren’t the only ones. For weeks we have been getting
notification of “outages” which inform us that our service may be slow. How about nonexistent?
Cold weather, less than 10 degrees, no internet, cloudy skies –and again no internet. Monday it was sunny and—guess what? We had internet. Of course, Murphy’s Law ruled, and I was too busy to work on the computer. I’m waiting for a phone call from my provider but I don’t hold much hope as the waiting time for my call to be answered by the complaints department took overly long. So much for our ruddy broadband system that is supposed to “keep the country connected”. Should we have our own satellite instead of using others that are overloaded? Probably. As the internet is easily accessible in urban areas I guess this rural problem will go into the too hard basket, along with the radio “black spots”, alternative power sources, ensuring country television ‘free to air” viewing is equal to those in the city, and, of course, let’s not forget the good ol’ cell phone…
All these problems will be solved by the new cost of living increases forecasted for the near future. When they come in we probably won’t be able to afford these communication luxuries.
Keeping this rising cost of living in mind I’ve included a recipe used by the pioneers when things got rough. Enjoy!
Rainforest Turkey Soup (Down south they substituted Cockatoos)
Ingredients: 1 scrub turkey (a protected native bird about the sizeof a rooster), 1 mossy rock (rinsed), 2 litres of sparkling mountain water.
Method: Bring the water to the boil. Add the rock and the turkey. Boil for at least two to three hours. When the rock is tender, discard the turkey and serve the soup piping hot. Then tighten your belt.
It’s now three hours since I rang the server, still no response, but, guess what— the sun has appeared and so has the internet. Guess I’ll make hay whilst the sun shines. Have a good week.
Oh, I nearly forgot in all this trauma. Flying Doctors Rooms will be open between 2pm and 4 pm every Saturday. Come see what we’ve got.
Monday, June 7, 2010
1st June.
And isn’t it cold these mornings? It’s been pretty busy around the area, despite the weather. One date of note last week was the farewell party for Cynthia and Rowland Bendall from Oakley.
Cynthia and Rowlie have been in the area for over three years and have been active members of the community during that time, despite living out of town.
Rowlie, as Chairman of the Torrens Creek Fire Brigade, and Cynthia, as Secretary/Treasurer, have donated much time and energy in getting the group working together as a cohesive, trained unit. They have supported each social activity the town has provided and, though they will be missed, we all hope they enjoy their new home down in Tingora, near Kingaroy. The new Chairman for the Brigade is Charlie Holzwart from Rangeside, and the new Secretary/Treasurer is Michelle Gatti.
The farewell was held in The Exchange Hotel after the Fire Brigade meeting and the crowded room ensured cold weather was of no consequence.
During the evening the couple were presented with a wooden clock, hand painted with a rural scene, to “remind them of their time here with us”. At the end of the week both travelled to set up their new home. Cynthia will remain there but Rowlie will return to Oakley until the mustering is completed.
Saturday Craft? Want to Learn and Share your Skills?
And isn’t it cold these mornings? It’s been pretty busy around the area, despite the weather. One date of note last week was the farewell party for Cynthia and Rowland Bendall from Oakley.
Cynthia and Rowlie have been in the area for over three years and have been active members of the community during that time, despite living out of town.
Rowlie, as Chairman of the Torrens Creek Fire Brigade, and Cynthia, as Secretary/Treasurer, have donated much time and energy in getting the group working together as a cohesive, trained unit. They have supported each social activity the town has provided and, though they will be missed, we all hope they enjoy their new home down in Tingora, near Kingaroy. The new Chairman for the Brigade is Charlie Holzwart from Rangeside, and the new Secretary/Treasurer is Michelle Gatti.
The farewell was held in The Exchange Hotel after the Fire Brigade meeting and the crowded room ensured cold weather was of no consequence.
During the evening the couple were presented with a wooden clock, hand painted with a rural scene, to “remind them of their time here with us”. At the end of the week both travelled to set up their new home. Cynthia will remain there but Rowlie will return to Oakley until the mustering is completed.
Saturday Craft? Want to Learn and Share your Skills?
Torrens Creek area has many skilled craftsmen and women. In conjunction with the Torrens Creek Progress Association it has been decided to open the Royal Flying Doctors Rooms Saturday afternoons starting June 12th, for those who would like to make use of the “How To” books and encyclopedias we have accumulated over the years. It is hoped that this will lead to workshops such as lead lighting, lathe work, and working with clay as public interest grows. Phone 47417378 for further details.
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