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"It was beautiful": Rare rainbow cloud stuns small farming town

<p>The locals of a small farming town in Western Australia have been delighted with the sighting of a rare rainbow cloud. </p> <p>The colourful weather phenomenon appeared above the town of Goomalling, about 130km northwest of Perth in Western Australia, on Tuesday morning.</p> <p>Jenni Shaw was at her family-owned business when she got a text from a friend instructing her to look up at the sky. </p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"We all went out the front and had a look and there was some bright, rainbow-type clouds in the sky that we hadn't seen before," she </span>told <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-24/rainbow-cloud-iridescence-irisation-delights-wheatbelt-community/103016928" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></p> <p>“It was beautiful,” she said.</p> <p>“But we were a bit like ‘why is that like that? Should we still be outside looking or not?’”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flang.lefroy.7%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02h2HTyVYSVda8NkewrireTWPS4P6wKTnuJxhBWfkNhbxGn3QzHweELRNFQczM8GsPl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="645" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Ms Shaw said the rainbow-coloured cloud was visible for just a few minutes.</p> <p>"It was not there long, just long enough for us all to get some photos," she said.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">Jessica Lingard from the Bureau of Meteorology said rainbow clouds, known as cloud iridescence, form in the same way as rainbows - when sunlight diffracts off water or ice crystals in the sky.</p> <p>"It's quite a rare phenomenon to catch in person," she said.</p> <p>"It's the perfect storm of conditions: the sun's at the right angle, the clouds are not too thin and not too thick that they're being blocked out, and the sunlight has just created this spectacle of coloured light."</p> <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> <p>"It's an absolutely stunning photo."</p> </div> <p>Lucky local residents said it wasn’t the first time they’d seen the special clouds in the area.</p> <p>“I have seen clouds like this a few times in my travels, mostly in the Wheatbelt,” Jill Lefroy wrote on Facebook. </p> <p>“Pretty awesome seeing a rainbow with no rain!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Breeder faces the consequences for “squalid” puppy farm

<p>A 60-year-old man from Western Australia has been dealt over $100,000 in penalties, an animal cruelty charge, and a 40 year animal ownership ban in the wake of RSPCA inspectors seizing 39 dogs from him. </p> <p>The horrific conditions in which the dogs were living were brought to their attention after a customer came by to purchase a dog from the man’s Bridgetown property in January 2022. He was asking for $5000 a puppy, despite the filth the dogs were being forced to live in - reportedly facing everything from infection to drinking from sewage pipes. </p> <p>In a post to RSPCA WA’s Facebook account, it was revealed that the man “has been given what amounts to a lifetime ban from breeding animals after RSPCA inspectors seized 39 labradoodles from his Bridgetown home in January.</p> <p>“The offender was banned from owning any animal for 40 years, with one notable exception; the Magistrate ruled he could have up to three sterilised dogs.</p> <p>The offender, who pleaded guilty to 28 charges of animal cruelty, has also been fined $112,000, $64,000 of which was suspended for two years.” </p> <p>It went on to outline the conditions the inspector had encountered, and that - importantly - the “The dogs continue to recover in the care of RSPCA WA.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRSPCAWA%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02kdjk1JMbPpBanhpEFJGKd2wB9sCzuhHi4EivkDEckADnUFNgJb24Wmdgt8MuLDaRl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="708" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Kylie Green, Inspector Manager for RSPCA WA, explained that the dogs were examined by a veterinarian after they were removed from the property, and discovered that they were suffering from a whole host of conditions - with everything from ear infections to matted fur, dental disease, and conjunctivitis. </p> <p>“A lot of the dogs and puppies were also suffering from significant psychological harm, as determined by a veterinary behaviourist,” she added. </p> <p>“Some of them just stood in their kennels for weeks after they first came here, staring at the wall and refusing to interact.</p> <p>“It’s a credit to our expert staff and network of dedicated foster carers that they’ve come as far as they have, but this is what people need to stop and consider when they are looking to buy a ‘cute’ puppy.”</p> <p>Kyle went on to stress the importance of evaluating the conditions any puppy is being raised in before buying, whether “you buy from an unregistered breeder, if you buy off the internet or social media”. As without “clean, safe conditions” and a “happy and healthy” mother, “there’s a chance you are supporting this kind of cruelty.” </p> <p><em>Images: RSPCA WA / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“You won’t believe it”: An a-moo-sing new addition for one Victorian farm

<p>Megan and Barry Coster, two dairy farmers from Victoria’s West Gippsland region, were given the smiling surprise of a lifetime during their latest round of calving. </p> <p>“My husband was collecting calves to bring in for the day,” Megan told ABC’s rural reporter Annie Brown. “And I think I was off with the kids at sport, and I just got this text message of this calf, and he’s [Barry] like ‘you won’t believe it’.</p> <p>“Originally when he got the calf up he didn’t notice, and then he turned around and looked on the other side, and couldn’t believe it.” </p> <p>The calf, affectionately named ‘Happy’ by the family, had been born with an award-winning grin - just not where one would expect. On his side was a very unique marking - two eyes, a nose, and a big smile. </p> <p>When asked how old Happy was, Megan explained that he had only been born three or four days prior to the discovery, and went on to add that they had a lot of calving going on, so it was a busy time for them, and likely why they hadn’t immediately noticed what made Happy so special. </p> <p>“We’ve seen some number sevens, or love hearts on the head, and a few strange markings but we’ve never seen anything that resembles a smiley face before … we’ve had thousands over the years, and we’ve never had anything like it,” Megan said. </p> <p>“I couldn’t believe it,” she went on, before admitting she’d checked to ensure none of their staff had added any of the lines to the young cow. “And then I was pretty quickly sharing it with some of my friends - none of them could believe it either.” </p> <p>Megan went on to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1591950161115622/permalink/3523334507977168/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post to Facebook</a>, sharing a photo of their spectacular latest addition with the caption “the funniest marking we’ve had for a while”, to the delight of fellow dairy fans around the world. </p> <p>“They look fake! How awesome,” wrote one individual, who seemed to share Megan’s initial disbelief, “best marking I’ve seen.”</p> <p>“I guess that's his good side,” joked another. </p> <p>“Love it. That's got to be a keeper as a pet,” said one, unaware that the family had every intention of keeping Happy on a pet - though he might also have to pull his weight as a lawn mower.</p> <p>“One very happy calf,” came one declaration. </p> <p>One person hit the nail on the head when they said “this one will always put a smile on your face every time u c [you see] it.” </p> <p>Although not everyone was quite so onboard with the lovefest, with one woman admitting that she found it to be “a little bit clown-creepy”. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Alan Jones offloads farm home for less than expected

<p dir="ltr">After a seven-month campaign, Alan Jones’ farm in the NSW Southern Highlands has finally sold, and is believed to have resulted in a smaller profit than initial hopes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home was sold for an undisclosed price by Liam Griffiths of Inglis Rural Property to a buyer on a walk-in, walk-out basis, meaning that extras such as furniture are included in the sale.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, it is understood that the property sold for less than the initial desired price of $16-$17.5 million, per <em><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/alan-jones-sells-southern-highlands-farm-discounted-from-17-5m-high-hopes-2-1186063/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">First listed in April this year, Griffiths took over the listing in October with a price range of $15 to $16 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jones has owned the property, known as Elizabeth Farm and Charleville in honour of his parents, since 2003 and has commissioned a major redesign that saw the two main residences link up with a mutual courtyard, creating a ten-bedroom home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Out of a total of 25 bedrooms, Jones has resided in a two-bedroom wing with a formal and informal living and dining room, a central living room and a home office, while his niece Tonia Taylor and her family have lived in a wing with eight bedrooms, a rumpus room, and central living and dining room.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the home was recently marketed based on its equestrian facilities, it also boasts a tennis court and pavilion built for Taylor and her tennis coach husband, as well as a separate two-bedroom caretaker’s cottage, and a “hootenanny” shed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The property also features landscaped gardens, a private natural forest called Wombat Woods, life-sized elephant and giraffe sculptures, and an ornamental lake and island with dyed water.</p> <p dir="ltr">With the sale of the Fitzroy Falls farm, Jones’ portfolio consists of his Circular Quay apartment purchased for $10.5 million in 2017, as well as his riverfront home in Southport, which he paid $12.25 million for in 2021.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a27e41f-7fff-4553-90ba-677859c83832"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images, Inglis Rural Property</em></p>

Real Estate

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Where is your seafood really from?

<p>Fake foods are invading our supermarkets, as foods we love are substituted or adulterated with lower value or unethical <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JFC-09-2020-0179/full/html">goods</a>.</p> <p>Food fraud threatens human health but is also bad news for industry and sustainable food <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">production</a>. Seafood is one of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X14003246">most traded food products</a> in the world and reliant on convoluted supply chains that leave the the door wide open for seafood <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12571-018-0826-z">fraud</a>.</p> <p>Our new <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">study</a>, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">Fish and Fisheries</a>, showcases a new approach for determining the provenance or “origin” of many seafood species.</p> <p>By identifying provenance, we can detect fraud and empower authorities and businesses to stop it. This makes it more likely that the food you buy is, in fact, the food you truly want to eat.</p> <h2>Illegal fishing and seafood fraud</h2> <p>Wild-caught seafood is vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.</p> <p>Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing can have a devastating impact on the marine environment because:</p> <ul> <li> <p>it is a major cause of overfishing, constituting an estimated one-fifth of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12462">seafood</a></p> </li> <li> <p>it can destroy marine habitats, such coral reefs, through destructive fishing methods such as blast bombing and cyanide fishing</p> </li> <li> <p>it can significantly harm wildlife, such as albatross and turtles, which are caught as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320714003140">by-catch</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <p>So how is illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing connected to seafood fraud?</p> <p>Seafood fraud allows this kind of fishing to flourish as illegal products are laundered through legitimate supply <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">chains</a>.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2003741117">study</a> in the United States found when seafood is mislabelled, it is more likely to be substituted for a product from less healthy fisheries with management policies that are less likely to reduce the environmental impacts of fishing.</p> <p>One <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">review</a> of mislabelled seafood in the US found that out of 180 substituted species, 25 were considered threatened, endangered, or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).</p> <p>Illegal fishing and seafood fraud also has a human cost. It can:</p> <ul> <li> <p>adversely affect the livelihoods of law-abiding fishers and seafood <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128015926000048">businesses</a></p> </li> <li> <p>threaten food security</p> </li> <li> <p>facilitate human rights abuses such as forced labour and <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-32811-5_127-1.pdf">piracy</a></p> </li> <li> <p>increase risk of exposure to pathogens, drugs, and other banned substances in <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">seafood</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>The chemical fingerprints in shells and bones</h2> <p>A vast range of marine animals are harvested for food every year, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9229en/">echinoderms</a>.</p> <p>However, traditional food provenance methods are typically designed to identify one species at a time.</p> <p>That might benefit the species and industry in question, but it is expensive and time consuming. As such, current methods are restricted to a relatively small number of species.</p> <p>In our study, we described a broader, universal method to identify provenance and detect fraud.</p> <p>How? We harnessed natural chemical markers imprinted in the shells and bones of marine animals. These markers reflect an animal’s environment and can identify where they are from.</p> <p>We focused on a chemical marker that is similar across many different marine animals. This specific chemical marker, known as “oxygen isotopes”, is determined by ocean composition and temperature rather than an animal’s biology.</p> <p>Exploiting this commonality and how it relates to the local environment, we constructed a global ocean map of oxygen isotopes that helps researchers understand where a marine animal may be from (by matching the oxygen isotope value in shells and bones to the oxygen isotope value in the map).</p> <p>After rigorous testing, we demonstrated this global map (or “isoscape”) can be used to correctly identify the origins of a wide range of marine animals living in different latitudes.</p> <p>For example, we saw up to 90% success in classifying fish, cephalopods, and shellfish between the tropical waters of Southeast Asia and the cooler waters of southern Australia.</p> <h2 class="align-center zoomable" style="text-align: left;">What next?</h2> <p>Oxygen isotopes, as a universal marker, worked well on a range of animals collected from different latitudes and across broad geographic areas.</p> <p>Our next step is to integrate oxygen isotopes with other universal chemical markers to gives clues on longitude and refine our approach.</p> <p>Working out the provenance of seafood is a large and complex challenge. No single approach is a silver bullet for all species, fisheries or industries.</p> <p>But our approach represents a step towards a more inclusive, global system for validating seafood provenance and fighting seafood fraud.</p> <p>Hopefully, this will mean ensure fewer marine species are left behind and more consumer confidence in the products we buy.</p> <p><em>Dr Jasmin Martino, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, contributed to this research and article.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189471/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zoe-doubleday-393169">Zoe Doubleday</a>, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-is-your-seafood-really-from-were-using-chemical-fingerprinting-to-fight-seafood-fraud-and-illegal-fishing-189471">original article.</a></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Farm shooter had gun ban revoked

<p dir="ltr">The farmer who allegedly shot at four family members killing three of them actually had his gun ban revoked. </p> <p dir="ltr">Darryl Young is accused of murdering three of his neighbours following a dispute of boundary lines on their land in Bogie, near Collinsville in Queensland. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, court documents have revealed that the 59-year-old had his gun ban revoked almost a decade ago after a successful appeal saying he needed it for his “business”.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Young was granted his gun licence in 1992, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/for-my-business-alleged-farm-massacre-culprit-darryl-youngs-prior-police-stoush-over-gun-licence-revealed/news-story/5d29e6d9f1922a2d4009f8d17eb60ea1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">Young was allowed to hold four rifles and two shotguns with his licence. </p> <p dir="ltr">Then in 2010, Young went to renew his licence but Queensland Police refused on the basis that it was “not in the public interest”. </p> <p dir="ltr">In his response to the refusal, Young explained that he needed the licence to control the feral animals on his farm.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There is no were (sic) in the laws of the gun laws that I have broken to stop me having a gun licence,” his application read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I need my gun licence for my business. I hope the Tribunal over turns (sic) the decision so I can have my licence.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The tribunal accepted Young’s explanation which saw him get his licence again. </p> <p dir="ltr">Last week, in matters unrelated, Young was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/man-accused-of-shooting-family-of-four-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged with the murder</a> of his neighbours Mervyn, 71, Maree Schwarz, 59, and their son Graham Tighe, 35, following a dispute of boundary lines on their land in Bogie near Collinsville in Queensland.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was also charged with one count of attempted murder after Mervyn and Maree’s other son Ross Tighe survived following a gunshot wound to the abdomen.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police will allege Young invited the three members to the edge of his property on August 4 before shooting them “execution style”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Young allegedly shot at Ross who managed to escape the farm in a ute and alert police to the horrific attack against his family.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police charged Young with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and he appeared briefly at Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday with his lawyer asking for the case to be transferred. </p> <p dir="ltr">Young was reprimanded in custody and will reappear in court on November 1.</p> <p dir="ltr">Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said it was incredible Ross was able to survive due to the properties being so far apart.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s actually a 45-minute drive between the neighbours,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the crime scene, which is at the front gate of one of the premises, it is a 3km drive between the gate and the house at that location.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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What happens when a petting zoo visits an aged care home

<p dir="ltr">In June 2022, residents, families and team members at Arcare North Lakes had an a-moo-sing time with the beloved animals from mobile petting zoo, Amazing Animals. </p> <p dir="ltr">Residents had the opportunity to feed and pat the farm animals which included ducks, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, sheep and baby animals such as piglets, a one-month-old calf and a three-week-old goat.</p> <p dir="ltr">While holding onto the baby goat, resident Joyce Crawford said, “I love you! I would take you home in a flash; I just need a bag big enough to steal him,”</p> <p dir="ltr">Joyce’s husband John, who is also a resident at Arcare North Lakes and is visually impaired, spent quality time with the animals as the Lifestyle team made sure to bring them close to him. He fed and cuddled them and enjoyed the sensory experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had a great time with the animals and I’m glad we could spend time with them today,” John said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The residents enjoyed their visit so much that they have already booked them in for another visit.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Animal therapy is a wonderful way to support aged care residents as it promotes confidence, supports sensory and tactile stimulation and enables them to relive memories as many of the residents grew up on farms. One question was asked time and time again "can we keep them!" it was such a special moment for them to enjoy.” - Lifestyle Coordinator Maree said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There were smiles, laughs and enthusiasm as resident’s shared stories and fond memories of their own experiences working on their farms,” lifestyle Coordinator Maree said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fab907f1-7fff-bd8d-2734-04ce2488949d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the adorable gallery below.</p>

Retirement Life

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‘Neighbours’ star Ryan Moloney lists sprawling farm for sale

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian TV star Ryan Moloney, known for his role as Jarrod “Toadie” Rebecchi on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neighbours</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has put his luxurious acreage on the market with hopes of selling for $7.5-$8 million.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor and his wife Alison are selling their four-bedroom home that sits on a 4.33-hectare block in Merricks on the Mornington Peninsula in southeastern Melbourne.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Highlights of the property include a pool, gym, half basketball court, barn, riding arena and stables.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to CoreLogic records, the Moloneys have owned the property since 2015.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple said they had loved “watching the storms roll in from the south or (the) sunrises in the east” through the home’s expansive windows.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The house is designed to create a connection with the outdoors, and the quietness and seclusion is perfect for our lifestyles to relax and unwind,” the couple </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/ryan-moloney-toadie-neighbours-actor-lists-luxe-merricks-property/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Moloney has starred in the Aussie soap opera since 1995, he also spends his time operating a beekeeping and honey business, Beach Box Honey, with Alison from their farm.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BWug4cpA3DT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BWug4cpA3DT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Neighbours (@neighbours)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The property is also quite close to the beach, which Homes and Acreage director Grant Perry said was a rare thing for acreages in the area.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It will really appeal to someone with horses,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You can ride straight out from the property down to Balnarring Beach, where you are allowed to ride on the beach.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The sprawling property also scores points for eco-friendliness, with solar panels, its own dam, orchard, chook pen, and 280,000 litres of water storage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “virtually off-grid” home would also suit a buyer looking for a “walk-in” property, Mr Perry said, since it doesn’t require any renovations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Perry said Merricks was becoming one of the Mornington Peninsula’s standout suburbs, due to its quieter coastal lifestyle and shorter commute to Melbourne than hotspots such as Portsea or Sorrento.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images, Realestate.com</span></em></p>

Real Estate

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q" target="_blank">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Counting down to Christmas</strong></p> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM" target="_blank">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></em></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/" target="_blank">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></em></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647" target="_blank">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ" target="_blank">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained" target="_blank">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><strong>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</strong></p> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a rel="noopener" href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/" target="_blank">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw" target="_blank">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972" target="_blank">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765" target="_blank">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757" target="_blank">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></p> <h2>Counting down to Christmas</h2> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <h2>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</h2> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

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Australia has a heritage conservation problem. Can farming and Aboriginal heritage protection co-exist?

<p>Rio Tinto’s destruction of the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge rock shelters has led to recommendations by the Parliamentary Inquiry on <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024757/toc_pdf/AWayForward.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">how Australia can better conserve Aboriginal heritage sites</a>.</p> <p>Around the time the recommendations were made, Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act faced an important test when a pastoralist who cleared 500 hectares of bushland at Kingvale Station in Cape York <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/qld-country-hour/scott-harris-cleared-of-breaching-cultural-heritage-act/13592850">was charged</a> with failing to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage.</p> <p>The charges were eventually <a href="https://www.northqueenslandregister.com.au/story/7474626/cultural-heritage-charges-against-scott-harris-dismissed/">dismissed</a> but the prosecution, the first of its kind in Queensland, highlights weaknesses in the law.</p> <p>Like related legislation in other Australian states and territories, Queensland’s law requires landholders to conserve Aboriginal heritage sites or risk prosecution.</p> <p>But the law has been criticised by many Aboriginal people and heritage specialists for allowing destructive development by removing any ability for government to independently assess how proposed clearing would affect Aboriginal heritage.</p> <p>Under the “duty of care” provisions in the Act, Aboriginal heritage must be protected even if it is not known to landholders. However, as the Kingvale clearing case heard, if Aboriginal heritage is not known, how can it be shown to have been lost?</p> <h2>What we learned from the Kingvale clearing case</h2> <p>In 2013, the former Newman government in Queensland removed protection for the environment by introducing the Vegetation Management Act which enabled clearing of what they deemed as “high value agricultural projects” in Cape York.</p> <p>The World Wildlife Foundation argued this would see large areas of forest and bushland destroyed. Advocates for the new Act <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2013-05-22/veg-law-pass/4705890">argued</a> primary producers are “acutely aware of their responsibility to care for the environment”.</p> <p>In opening up new areas of Cape York to clearing, this legislation posed new threats to heritage sites. In this context the landholder of Kingvale decided he did not need to assess cultural heritage when clearing 500 hectares.</p> <p>At the conclusion of the hearing into this case, Judge Julie Dick of the Cairns District Court instructed the jury to return <a href="https://www.cairnspost.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CPWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cairnspost.com.au%2Fnews%2Fcairns%2Fcape-york-grazier-cleared-of-criminal-land-clearing-charges%2Fnews-story%2F1d124158e58936a302f1ee5d159ad841&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium">a not-guilty verdict</a>, exonerating the landholder, as the offence could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt.</p> <p>The landholder’s legal team noted in the media if their defendant had been found guilty, every landholder (including freeholders) who had cleared land, built a fence or firebreak, ploughed a paddock, or built a road or airstrip since 2003 would potentially be guilty of a criminal offence.</p> <p>The defendant argued the ramifications of the legal case were significant</p> <blockquote> <p>for the rest of Queensland […] anyone who mowed a lawn or cut down a tree since 2003 would be automatically liable.</p> </blockquote> <p>In our view, this is hyperbole. <a href="https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/inforce/2016-09-27/act-2003-079">Section 21 of the Act</a> makes explicit a person’s right to enjoy the normal and allowed use of their land to the extent they don’t harm Aboriginal heritage.</p> <p>Further, a person doesn’t commit an offence if they take into account the nature of the activity and the likelihood of it causing harm. Mowing the lawn is quite different to clearing 500 hectares of native vegetation.</p> <p>The setting of this activity is also important. Kingvale Station is located 100 kilometres west of the national heritage listed Quinkan Country. Heritage studies in similar landscapes across Cape York have identified scarred trees, artefact scatters, stone arrangements and cultural burial places.</p> <p>Based on our heritage experience across Queensland, it would be surprising not to find Aboriginal heritage sites at Kingvale.</p> <p>To reduce heritage risks, we assess the potential impacts of an activity, and talk with relevant Aboriginal groups about their sites and heritage values. Archaeologists and anthropologists also develop models to predict where unknown sites are likely to be found.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431020/original/file-20211109-23-aylfq7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">Recorded archaeological sites across Cape York. The distribution pattern reflects several key heritage surveys. It is expected that cultural sites would be found across the cape, including within the 500 hectares cleared at Kingvale. Image by Kelsey M. Lowe.</span></p> <h2>Can farming and the conservation of Aboriginal heritage co-exist?</h2> <p>The best way to conserve heritage is for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians to work together to identify, document, and protect places. An important example is the discovery of human remains from a mortuary tree west of St George, southern Queensland.</p> <p>The site was discovered during fence clearing by the landholder, who contacted the police. We worked with the landholder who has supported the Kooma nations people to conserve the mortuary tree and enable it to remain on country.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qKJs23hwLXA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><span class="caption">Courtesy of Tony Miscamble, NGH Consulting.</span></p> <p>A further example from Mithaka Country saw a spectacular stone arrangement discovered by a pastoral station manager, who notified the native title holders.</p> <p>All are now engaging with researchers to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fstones-point-way-to-indigenous-silk-road%2Fnews-story%2F8318b531d82263beab4afd089fd8d559&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium">investigate the site’s history</a>.</p> <p>Dozens of other examples around the state illustrate collaborative approaches to heritage conservation. But more effective legislation is urgently needed in response to Kingvale’s failed prosecution.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430631/original/file-20211107-10010-f752su.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">A spectacular stone arrangement from Mithaka country. Image courtesy of Lyndon Mechielsen</span></p> <h2>How can we improve cultural heritage protection?</h2> <p>The Juukan Gorge case highlighted how Australia has a problem protecting its Aboriginal cultural heritage. The final report of the parliamentary inquiry into the disaster made several <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024757/toc_pdf/AWayForward.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">recommendations</a> that could help pave a way forward.</p> <p>Instances like Kingvale emphasise more work needs to be done. The Queensland government needs to act now to address the glaring problem with its heritage legislation.</p> <p>Heritage management investment will also help. Victoria provides an example of how to improve Aboriginal heritage management. A standout action is the roll-out of a Certificate IV in Aboriginal cultural heritage management, with over 500 Aboriginal graduates to date.</p> <p>This program is decentralising heritage management and empowering Aboriginal people across Victoria, building a level of professionalism rarely seen in other states.</p> <p>Establishing treaties and agreements similar to those in Canada and New Zealand could go a long way to enable First Nations people in Australia to authoritatively protect their respective cultural heritage sites.</p> <p>Heritage conservation will remain challenging, particularly in resource-rich states like Queensland. But we can do better.</p> <p>Judge Dick’s ruling, while frustrating for the effort to conserve heritage, is crucial as it highlights weaknesses in the law.</p> <p>This trial, along with the Juukan Gorge incident, may represent a critical tipping point in the struggle to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage in Queensland and across Australia.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170956/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-westaway-118240">Michael Westaway</a>, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-gorringe-1237694">Joshua Gorringe</a>, General Manager Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indigenous-knowledge-4846">Indigenous Knowledge</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-m-lowe-1287335">Kelsey M. Lowe</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-martin-595866">Richard Martin</a>, Senior lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-mitchell-1288513">Ross Mitchell</a>, Common Law holder and director of Kooma Aboriginal Corporation Native Title PBC, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indigenous-knowledge-4846">Indigenous Knowledge</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-a-heritage-conservation-problem-can-farming-and-aboriginal-heritage-protection-co-exist-170956">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Dave Hunt/AAP Image</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Shocking discovery: Headless skeletons found on a farm

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archaeologists have found an “exceptionally high” number of decapitated bodies at three Roman cemeteries in Cambridgeshire, England, which experts believe were the result of judicial executions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) were excavating Knobb’s Farm in Somersham when they found 52 burials, 13 of which were prone burials where the bodies were face down.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many of the decapitated bodies had their heads placed at their feet and some were kneeling when they died, according to the research paper published in the Britannia journal earlier this month.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the Roman Empire hasn't ruled Britain since 410 AD, some towns still have medieval walls partially built from Roman fortifications.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many of the remains found on the farm were in poor condition, with some no more than shadows in the sand. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With no evidence of defensive injuries and a general “lack of trauma” before death - aside from the decapitation - experts see it as evidence that the deaths were organised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the researchers, the number of bodies found was “exceptionally high” in comparison to other Roman cemeteries in Britain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They added that 33 percent of the bodies were beheaded, a much higher proportion than the 2.5-6.1 percent found in other cases.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the reason why some of the burials were prone is unclear, the researchers argue “the practice cannot have been a mistake” as 13 people were buried in that manner. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841616/719f8d4c9f4e185e2009713b88559075350652fe.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c74a81b528c54592b9dd59e014277c7d" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These settlements were extensive rural settlements that provided grain and meat to the Roman army,” said Isabel Lisboa, archaeological consultant on the project.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lisboa also said the most likely reason for the large number of decapitated bodies could be as a form of execution for crimes, though ritual practice is another potential explanation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the latter part of Rome’s occupation of Britain, the number of crimes punishable by death increased from 14 to 60.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Roman laws seem to have been applied particularly harshly at Knobb’s Farm because it was associated with supplying the Roman army, so there were many decapitations,” said Lisboa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Crimes normally would have been let go, but there were probably tensions with the Roman army.”</span></p> <p><strong>Mysterious identities</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“DNA shows there were nine different types of groups that had come from various places,” said Lisboa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the research, most of the skeletons are believed to be from adults over the age of 25, with some also showing signs of anaemia and tooth decay.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archaeologists found pots and miniature pottery goods dating from the third and fourth century A.D., as well as a comb that may have been in a woman’s hair when she was beheaded.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Dave Webb / Cambridge Archaeological Unit</span></em></p>

International Travel

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You better watch out! Deadly brown snakes invade Aussie Christmas tree farm

<p>Deadly brown snakes are threatening to ruin a family-run Christmas tree farm ahead of the holiday season.</p> <p>The Court family, owners of Xmas Tree Bob farm, have warned buyers to wear closed-in shoes when looking through the Wolumla property for the perfect tree.</p> <p>“It has affected the families and kids roaming on the property wanting to tag a tree,” owner Deb Court told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/"><strong><em style="font-weight: inherit;"><u>ABC</u></em></strong></a>.</p> <p>Deb has been forced to leave a sign at the entrance of the property so that visitors are immediately warned to “watch out for brown snakes”.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fxmastreebob%2Fphotos%2Fa.1091411717568055%2F2561426900566522%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="504" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>“No sandals or flip flops or open toed shoes,” the sign reads.</p> <p>Deb took over the family business following her dad’s death in 2016.</p> <p>The family, whose farm is made visible by brightly coloured tree-shaped cardboard cut-outs along the fence, has been selling pine trees from their five-acre property for nearly a decade.</p> <p>Despite the knowledge of tree harvesting passed down to her, Deb said the snakes had caught her off guard and had become a “kill-joy”.</p> <p>Deb explained that she has already had two close encounters with deadly snakes.</p> <p>When she was getting out of her car one day, she nearly stepped on a brown snake.</p> <p>She also had one pass through her legs while she was gardening.</p> <p>Now, Deb always carries a rake with her at all times and greets every potential buyer at the front of her property.</p> <p>She also never steps outside without wearing closed-in shoes.</p> <p>“This year, I'm wearing gumboots and [I'm] not in the garden nearly as much.”</p> <p>Deb also now has the added pressure to leave pre-cut trees at the entrance of the farm so her buyers are as safe as possible.</p> <p>However, she said her customers had been understanding and that the issue has not yet impacted sales.</p> <p>“I think Dad is up there laughing his head off at me trying to manage this,” she said. </p> <p>Deb believes the snake invasion has been caused by the recent drought.</p> <p>WIRES Reptile Handling Trainer Gary Pattinson explained that brown snakes are drawn out by hot weather.</p>

Home & Garden

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Farming hero Brendan Farrell breaks down over mate’s death in emotional video

<p>Burrumbuttock Hay Runners founder Brendan Farrell is a hero to many in the outback.</p> <p>He delivers donated hay to drought-affected Aussie farmers but it means Brendan has seen first-hand the utter distress of famers in the midst of a crippling dry spells.</p> <p>But today, the hardened fourth-generation farmer broke down as he found out that one of his mates he had been helping on a rural NSW cattle farm had taken his own life.</p> <p>In a heart-wrenching Facebook video which has been viewed over 197,000 times and shared by over 4,000 people at the time of writing, the man who was recently awarded a Queen’s Birthday honour, said the news of the man’s death was a “real kick in the guts”.</p> <p>The pair first met when Brendan was delivering dog food in 2015 to drought-affected farmers in outback NSW.</p> <p>“I saw this old bloke at the side of the road,” he said. “I pulled up and said: ‘Mate, do you want some dog food? And, he said: ‘Yeah, righto.’</p> <p>“I put five bags of dog food in the back of his Jeep and we got talking there and he had the oldest pair of wire strainers in the world. They must have seen more kilometres of wire than I can imagine.”</p> <p>The next time he was down that way, Brendan dropped off a pair of new wire strainers and a note telling the farmer to “keep his chin up”.</p> <p>The unnamed, single farmer was “gobsmacked” and the two stayed in touch ever since.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fburrumbuttockhayrunners%2Fvideos%2F2079473492301830%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>“Bonds are formed in special ways and that’s what hurt,” Brendan said as his eyes filled with tears in the video. “It’s just a real kick in the guts today, that’s all.</p> <p>“To all those farmers who are thinking of doing something silly, think of a bond or a special moment.”</p> <p>Brendan added the pressure of drought “is absolutely horrendous” and took aim at the government and corporations for exacerbating the mental and physical strain on the nation’s farmers.</p> <p>“I’d been looking after this farmer for a while,” he said.</p> <p>“I thought I was winning the battle with this fella but depression is a very dark place – I’ve been there.</p> <p>“The problem is I can’t see a farmer ringing some random person in an office to spill out all their problems … I just don’t know which way you go with this.”</p> <p>He said he’d hand back his award in an instant to have this bloke back.</p> <p>““Every award in Australia cannot bring a life back … I would hand back my award to have this bloke back,” he said.</p> <p>“He couldn’t get his cattle to market because they were too poor,” he later told <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/06/21/15/54/hay-runner-left-devastated-by-suicide-of-cattle-farmer-mate">Nine News</a>.</strong> </span>“He couldn’t sell his property because it was worth nothing. Couldn’t feed his cattle because he didn’t have enough money to buy the feed or the freight. So he is gone.”</p> <p>Brendan pleaded with farming families to hang in there and urged any person contemplating the worst to just stop and think of the repercussions for family, friends, children.</p> <p> “Think of a special moment, for Christ’s sake,” he begged.</p> <p>“Just keep getting up out of bed, put your shoes on and your hat on, because the sun keeps rising every day.”</p> <p><em><strong>Lifeline 13 11 14</strong></em></p> <p> </p>

Mind

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Inside the farm shed converted into a luxury rural retreat

<p>At a glance this farm machinery shed might not look like the most comfortable type of accommodation for a holiday in the Kangaroo Valley in NSW, Australia.</p> <p>But a glance at the interior in the gallery above will show you otherwise.</p> <p>Set in a picturesque region, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">beautiful, eco-accredited property</span></strong></a> is the perfect venue for a getaway with family and friends, or even larger celebrations.</p> <p>Using recycled and reclaimed materials, this farm machinery shed has been creatively transformed into the perfect B&amp;B with three luxurious bedrooms. The owners have also installed a wood fire, dining space, fully equipped kitchen, outdoor entertaining/dining space, pizza oven and BBQ to cater for all your entertaining needs.</p> <p>Set amongst permaculture gardens, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">farm shed offers seclusion and privacy</span></strong></a> in the Kangaroo Valley, but it’s just 10 minutes from the town centre so you won’t feel isolated.</p> <p>Kangaroo Valley is one of the most picturesque regions of Australia and you will love exploring the area for accommodation that is truly unique.</p> <p>To find out more or book the converted shed, <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Even if you’re not headed to the Kangaroo Valley any time soon, make sure you scroll through the gallery above to see just how incredible these properties are.</p> <p>Have you ever visited the Kangaroo Valley before? Do you have a holiday on the cards, and if so where are you planning to go?</p> <p>Please share your story in the comments.</p> <p><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/cosiest-winter-retreats-in-the-blue-mountains/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cosiest winter retreats in the Blue Mountains</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/converted-bakery-in-kangaroo-valley/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Stay in a converted bakery in the heart of Kangaroo Valley</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/06/french-gypsy-wagon-transformed-into-luxury-cottage/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">French gypsy wagon transformed into luxury cottage</span></em></strong></a></p>

International Travel

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Saying goodbye to my family farm in the 1960s

<p><em>Missed the start of series? Read <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/2018/02/growing-up-on-a-farm-in-1950s-australia/" target="_blank">Chapter 1: Aussie Summers – 1950s</a></strong></span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/2018/02/growing-up-on-a-farm-in-1950s-australia-part-2/" target="_blank">Chapter 2: Aussie Winters – 1950s</a></strong></span>, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/2018/03/a-time-of-great-change-in-my-childhood/" target="_blank">Chapter 3: Aussie Winters – 1960s</a></strong></span>.</em></p> <p align="center"><strong>Chapter 4: Aussie Summers – 1960s </strong></p> <p>The 60s were great for me, but did result in the biggest changes in my life, certainly towards the end of the decade. I was in my late teenage years, and a little outspoken as to what I wanted regarding my farming future. However, all of that were to happen much later.</p> <p>I still loved everything involving the sheep. Uncle Henry still continued to supply us with rams, until his untimely death due to a road accident in Western Australia in early 1962. He was only aged 54 at the time of his death.</p> <p>His widow was Mum’s sister so Mum immediately flew to WA to comfort her. Mum would later tell us that every day she was away, for about three weeks, the temperature never dropped below 40 degrees.</p> <p>We still continued growing wheat and barley, the success of which was dependent entirely on receiving the right amount of rain when we needed it. Some years we received too much rain, which could result in partial flooding, other years not enough. This was just part of being a farmer.</p> <p>This decade saw huge changes as to how harvesting was done. From bags, and carting them all to Wasleys, bulk handling was slowly introduced. The grain was poured into a large bin on the back of the truck and then driven to where there were several grain silos. Once weighed, the truck was driven onto a grid, the sides of the bin opened up to release the grain from where it was sent into one of the huge silos, by various conveyor belts. The truck was then weighed, and the process continued until harvesting was completed.</p> <p>After I left school, Robin and I did all the tractor work. Robin did the harvesting, and I drove the truck to the silos at Roseworthy which was about a 20-minute truck drive away. Depending on weather conditions, harvesting could take several weeks. I was 16, the first season this happened. It was not uncommon for many of the other truck drivers to be farmers sons of similar age.</p> <p>It was during the harvest time in ‘63 that American President Kennedy was assassinated. It only seemed like yesterday when this tragic event occurred. I had ridden my bike home from school, and Mum had heard about it on the wireless, so she told me to tell Dad and Robin. Like everyone else, certainly in Australia, everybody was deeply shocked, as JFK appeared to be a great world leader.</p> <p>Robin was married in the 60s and he and his wife moved onto a recently purchased property about two miles away. As usual, Robin and I had some funny experiences during the summers in that decade.</p> <p>At the front of his house, was a solid looking stone wall. For some reason, the decision was made for it to be demolished. The intention was for Robin to reverse the truck as close to the wall as possible, so we could dismantle it and put everything onto the truck. I was to tell him when to stop. However, I made a crucial mistake. Instead of being out to the side, I stood directly behind the truck, and directly between the truck and the wall, with Robin slowly inching the truck back. I was getting a little concerned for my health, because despite my best efforts to tell him to stop, he continued reversing. Finally and by now fearful for my life, I yelled out, almost begging him to stop. I’m certain the terror in my voice was heard many miles away. The wall was eventually safely removed without further mishap, or near loss of life.</p> <p>Another time, he decided to change part of the fence leading from the road, to the house. This required digging several post holes. I decided, because the ground was really hard after a long dry summer, and it was HIS driveway, that he should dig the holes, which he did. A post was then put in the hole, and some dirt tipped back in. Robin then rammed the soil with the round heavy round piece on the end of the crow-bar. This process was repeated several times, until the dirt reached the top of the ground, to make the post nice and tight. Having fenced with Robin previously, it was then customary for me to then ram the ground with the heel of my foot.</p> <p>A major disaster was about to happen. For some unknown reason, this time we were both ramming at the same time, with the inevitable result that my foot was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was only wearing light-weight old tennis shoes at the time, and soon we could see blood seeping up through the top of my shoe. I was too frightened to see the mess of my big toe, so decided not to take my shoe off.</p> <p>Eventually we went home and Mum cleaned it up for me. What hurt the most was the fact I was unable to play tennis for a few weeks, because my toe was too sore. I’m not sure if I eventually lost my toe nail or not, as that did not seem so important.</p> <p>When I was aged about 10, I began playing Under 12 competitive tennis on a Saturday morning. We played against teams like Kangaroo Flat, Gawler River, Sandy Creek and Williamstown to name but a few. As was normal for me, at that age, I had undoubted beliefs (which were totally unfounded) in my abilities with anything sporting. I think there were six players per team. As we had many more players than that, we had to give others a turn, no matter how good we were, or thought we were.</p> <p>One Friday we were in Gawler doing our weekly shopping. We saw Robin (my best friend’s mother), who was the selector for the team. She told me, that the following day I would not be playing, and would be replaced with a player I felt was well below my abilities.</p> <p>I was totally devastated because I knew we were playing Kangaroo Flat who happened to be THE best team in the competition. Without me, I knew we would lose, which we did. My rationale at the time for our defeat was simply because I was not playing.</p> <p>Robin was not yet married and still living at home. He happened to be the Captain of the senior team that played in the afternoon. Sometimes a Gent player would ‘phone about lunch time saying that for some reason he could not play. Rather than trying to get another player at short notice he would ask me… my hero. I still loved to win, but somehow that did not seem so important. I was playing in the same team as my brother and other players I knew and respected, and to me that seemed to be enough.</p> <p>My sister-in-law and her younger sister, both of whom were top sportswomen in the district eventually joined our team which strengthened it considerably. We later went on to win the prized premiership for many consecutive years.</p> <p>When aged about 10, if I wasn’t going to become a farmer, then I wanted to travel the world playing tennis like Rod Laver, Lou Hoad, Ken Rosewall, and John Newcombe amongst others.</p> <p>I truly believed I was that good.</p> <p>During my final year at primary school, it seemed highly likely that rather attending Gawler High School, I would be sent to boarding school in Adelaide and be coached by one of the State’s leading tennis coaches. It would give everyone a true indication of my abilities, or lack of. Although I hated the ides of being away from the farm, I thought it was a sacrifice worth making. However, circumstances changed and the possibility never eventuated.</p> <p>By now, both Mum and Dad had become excellent lawn bowlers, winning countless events and trophies. Sometimes on a really hot, summers night I would go along and play with them at Wasleys. It was great fun as I knew most of the people and I really enjoyed it. I was asked to play more regularly, but in those days, bowls was something “older” people played, not energetic teenagers like me.</p> <p>Initially, we still had our annual holidays at Port Elliot, which were still the highlight of the year. However, a few years later Mum and Dad purchased a caravan, so our holidays were spent visiting different places like Barmera, and Port MacDonnell (south of Mt. Gambier) visiting Uncle Murray’s property at Keith on the way, to name but a few.</p> <p>These holidays were still great, but different. The highlight one year was when a really neat couple who were farmers and lawn bowler friends, decided to drive to Port Lincoln. For both Alison and I this was really exciting as we knew it was a long drive. To make it even more exciting, we drove through the night, because it was too hot to travel during the day time. I loved following on the map, where we were going. I would have a doze, then excitedly wake up and ask where we were, and then look on the map. It was fantastic to drive through towns I had studied in geography like Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla and finally Port Lincoln. We had a great holiday, with great friends.</p> <p>In 1967 we had one of the worst droughts on record, resulting in no financial return from our cereal crops. We also had to sell many of our precious sheep, because we had no feed for them. It was very sad for us and our neighbours to see our once beautiful farms transformed into what looked like deserts.</p> <p>After much family discussion it was decided to sell the farms, and move to the South East of the state. It was a huge decision, which would affect many lives. Not the best thing to do when gripped in a severe drought, but there were several other factors involved.</p> <p>I remember our first trip to look at properties. It was early morning after our table tennis Grand Final against our greatest rivals Kangaroo Flat, and it seemed fitting that after years of friendly rivalry, our final, Grand Final would be against them, and that we would win.</p> <p>After several trips looking at properties and many sleepless nights, two properties were purchased within about an hour’s drive of each other, one farm for Robin and his family, and one for Dad, Mum, Alison and I.</p> <p>Eventually the properties were sold, farm machinery and tools railed to the new properties, and sheep loaded and moved. It was a mammoth job, not helped by the drought, and by now, oppressive summer heat.</p> <p>After Robin and family had relocated, it was our turn.</p> <p>I can still vividly remember the day. It was a really hot summer’s day with the temperature in the low 40’s when the furniture men packed our furniture into a huge van. It took them all day and was dark by the time they had completed their huge task.</p> <p>After a final clean of all the rooms and our individual goodbyes to our home of many years, a home in which Mum and Dad had raised four children. A home in which they had personally lived for almost 30 years. It was a very emotional time for us all, with very little talking. We were totally absorbed with our own thoughts, and memories.</p> <p>It was time to begin the next chapter of our lives. We finally left on our 4 hour journey, during which the temperature never dropped below 38 degrees.</p> <p>We drove in a convoy, Mum and my sister with our spoilt cat in the car. Dad drove the Land-Rover with our sheep dog in the front between us. In the enclosed back, on top of various soft bags, with her head sticking out of a wool pack and looking quite happy, was our spoilt pet kangaroo, Josie. Behind in the trailer were our 20 or so chickens.</p> <p>It was a slow hot, journey, with numerous stops. We finally arrived at our new home which was empty. We soon settled the animals into their new homes, and relaxed on mattresses we had previously taken down on a previous trip, with a big fan, until the furniture truck arrived.</p> <p>That day it was 44 degrees in the nearest town. Understandably everyone was exhausted after the furniture truck arrived and everything was safely in the house. We then went for a short drive into town for a much deserved milkshake.</p> <p>The next day, we all started our new lives. We knew things would be different and would take time to adjust to everything new, but we were still going to be farmers, so nothing had changed. We would still be reliant, as we always had been, on the weather. That was not about to change.</p> <p>To quote the words from a well-known poem we learnt at school, written by Dorothea Mackellar in 1908, part of which reads:</p> <p align="center"><em>I love a sunburnt country,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>A land of sweeping plains,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>Of rugged mountain ranges,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>Of droughts and flooding plains,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>I love her far horizons,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>I love her jewel sea,</em></p> <p align="center"><em>Her beauty and her terror</em></p> <p align="center"><em>The wide brown land for me</em></p> <p>The 17 years were amazing with some great, and some not so great years financially, but always happy, with fantastic memories. How appropriate therefore to end my stories about South Australian weather with such a beautiful poem.</p>

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Growing up on a farm in 1950’s Australia

<p><em>Missed the first part of the “Growing up on a farm in 1950’s Australia”? Read <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/2018/02/growing-up-on-a-farm-in-1950s-australia/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chapter 1: Aussie Summers – 1950s</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p align="center"><strong>Chapter 2: Aussie Winters – 1950s</strong></p> <p>Now retired, as I reflect on my life thus far, the ‘50s were without doubt the most enjoyable. I was happy and had great family and friends. We lived on a farm, what more could I want?</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Lambing time</span></p> <p>We heard the heavy rain falling on the roof.</p> <p>Dad looked happy and said to Mum “Just what we need to make the grass grow for the ewes.” The weather was still fairly warm, but the days were getting shorter.</p> <p>I love lambing time.</p> <p>I go out every day with Dad, if I get the chance, to see the ewes and lambs and to make sure that everything is OK which it normally is. It is great fun to see the lambs running around together with their tails in the air playing “chasey”.</p> <p>Sometimes though, we have to bring a lamb home to look after it, if their mums can’t feed it properly. Our Mum would mix up warm milk in a bottle. Then it was fun to feed them, as they wagged their cute little tails.</p> <p>When they got bigger, Dad put them out with the other sheep. They still loved to come over for lots of pats every-time they saw us.</p> <p>The first ewe (girl) lamb was always called Sally and the ram (boy) lamb was called Jimmy. I don’t know why, it’s just how it was. Any other lambs, my sister Claire and I got to choose their names.</p> <p>As Dad and me drove around the paddocks, sometimes Dad would see a dead lamb, and would say “Darn foxes”. Then he and some of our friends would go out on a dark night to try and shoot foxes.</p> <p>After all the ewes had had their babies, Dad would bring them into the sheep yards. It would take a long time with lots of noise ‘cause sometimes the Mum’s and their babies could not find each other and cry out for each other. Then Dad, with the help of us kids would sort out the babies from their Mum’s, and then they REALLY made lots of noise as they tried to get back to each other.</p> <p>After that, my brother Robin would catch them one at time while Dad put a round green thing around something stopped the ram lambs from making babies. Then with a really sharp knife, Dad would cut off their tails. Then Robin would let them go and they would run flat out crying all the way back to their Mum’s.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Shearing time</span></p> <p>The other job I really loved at the end of winter was shearing time. Most times we had two men who were local farming friends that shore the sheep for us.</p> <p>I loved the smell of the wool and the sheep. Before and after school I really enjoyed helping. It was my job to sweep any bits of wool left over after each sheep was shorn and Dad had picked up the fleece. I always thought I did a good job, ‘though sometimes I probably got in the way a bit.</p> <p>Sometimes one of the shearers as he was going to get another sheep, would pretend to grab me and say “Time for a hair-cut” and I would laugh but run pretty quick back to Dad or Robin ‘cause I thought he was joking but I wasn’t sure.</p> <p>After we had finished for the day, I would help fill the shed with more sheep ready for the next day.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tractors</span></p> <p>After it had rained, Dad would spend lots of days driving a tractor, pulling something that had “things” that dug up the ground. Dad would try to drive it in a really straight line. Sometimes there would be a tree in the way, so he had to drive around it. I thought Dad was pretty clever ‘cause he always got real close to the tree, but never hit it.</p> <p>I loved to sit on the green and yellow (John Deere) tractor with Dad.</p> <p>When I was little, the tractor was brand new and it looked all bright and shiny and smelt great.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="315" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268645/growing-up-on-a-farm-in-text-image_499x315.jpg" alt="Growing Up On A Farm In Text Image"/></p> <p>After a day at school, I would ride my bike flat out to our house, and yell out to Mum, “Which paddock is Dad was in”? Then I would change into my old clothes making sure I was warm ‘cause the weather was cold and sometimes wet. Then I would rush to where Dad was and sit with him until it was dark and then I would ride my bike home again. Dad usually came home much later.</p> <p>When I got a bit older and Robin had left school, Dad brought another green and yellow tractor for him to drive. I liked to be with Dad but Robin was better and more fun. Robin liked to sing a lot, and some people seemed to think he was pretty good. He sang in a choir (whatever that meant) so he liked to practice while he was driving the tractor and I thought he was so clever ‘cause he could sing AND drive the tractor in a straight line at the same time.</p> <p>Sometimes he liked to “show off” by doing all that while he was driving standing up…wow!</p> <p>Sometimes Dad would drive pulling something else that Robin sat on. It had kinda bins with lids that lifted up that they poured stuff into. Sometimes they would stop by the truck that had bags on them and carry them over. When I got a bit bigger I could carry them as well, but they were REALLY heavy. While Dad was driving, Robin would tip the stuff out of the bags into the bins, and I thought he was so clever. Then we would just sit and talk.</p> <p>Most times it was really, really cold and we would put the empty bags over us to keep out the wind and rain.</p> <p>When I got a bit older, I asked Robin what we were doing and he told me we were “Seeding, planting the grain (wheat or barley) with the fertiliser, to make it grow”.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Passing time in winter</span></p> <p>On one side of the farm, we had a dirt road and ‘cause it was a road between two district councils (whatever that meant), nobody looked after it so it became like a fairly narrow track in places with a few trees. It was known as the Boundary Road.</p> <p>One day when I was about 6, and Robin was about 15, somehow he was driving the Land-Rover with just me with him. We ended up on the Boundary Road. It had lately been raining lots. Robin was driving real fast probably ‘cause he wanted to “show off” when suddenly we struck a real slippery patch, and he lost control. The Land-Rover did a full circle.</p> <p>Lucky we did not hit a tree or a fence post and damage the Land-Rover, or hurt ourselves. Robin went real quiet but I thought it was funny. He drove real slow back to the house after that and made me promise not to tell Mum and Dad ‘cause he knew they would be cross with him, but it wasn’t my fault.</p> <p>The other thing we did during winter time was play table-tennis. Our team was Reeves Plains and we used to play against a lot of local teams. When we played our home matches it was always in our barn, and was great fun.</p> <p>The barn was where we stored the seed wheat, barley and fertiliser. Being really little I thought the barn was a long way from the house (it was probably about 50 metres) and even with the outside lights turned on at the house and the barn, there was lots of dark places. There were sheds both sides with trees, and sometimes the branches would make a noise on the roof of the shed and I would get scared and run flat out if I was by myself. I never told anybody ‘cause I didn’t want them to think I was a baby.</p> <p>When I first started to play I was only little and couldn’t reach very far, so I used to stand on a box. I always thought I was pretty good.</p> <p>Often I used to pester Robin for a hit and try my new fancy trick shots and thought I could beat him. I never did, but sometimes I got close. Maybe he just let me. He was the second best player in the WHOLE district so I was dreaming if I thought I was ever going to beat him. Dad was really good, and Mum was fairly good too. Claire didn’t seem to like playing very much and was no competition for someone like me.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Starting school</span></p> <p>When I was a bit older than five, I started going to school. Most days, Claire and I used to read our bikes on the dirt road, about two miles.</p> <p>One day she wouldn’t wait for me so I went too fast trying to catch up and fell off grazing my knee. Claire asked if I wanted to go home so Mum could clean it up, but I didn’t want the kids at school, especially the three other boys in my class to think I was a baby by having a plaster on it, so I said “No”.</p> <p>For the first three years before she went off to college in Adelaide, it was kinda nice to have Claire around, in case I got into trouble.</p> <p>I loved Primary School and was always the smartest kid in my class. It was also great to play with all my friends.</p> <p>The toilets seemed a long way away from the class-room. At least they did when I was little. They were in amongst the Pepper Trees and made of galvanised iron. As I went into them, there was a long trough thing to pee into that was always surrounded by spider webs. If I wanted to do “two’s” I went through a door. When lifting the lid I had to be careful not to sit on a Redback Spider, ‘cause I knew they would bite. When I lifted the seat it was a long drop and looked disgusting so I only used it if I was busting. I was always afraid I might fall in.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dealing with kangaroos</span></p> <p>During most winter’s Dad and some friends would “go bush” for about a week. Sometimes there were lots of kangaroos on the outback stations, so they would go up and shoot them, ‘cause the kangaroos ate all the grass the cattle were ‘spose to eat.</p> <p>When I was about 10, people like Dad were stopped from doing that. Sometimes when a kangaroo was shot, without Dad knowing it, they had a baby (joey) in their pouch.</p> <p>Every time Dad went away Claire and I would always hope Dad would come with one. One year, when I was about five, Dad came home with three of them.</p> <p>The boy ones were brown in colour and the girls were blue. They were the most amazing, cute, gentlest, beautiful pets we EVER had. When they were really little they used to sleep in an empty wheat bag, hanging against the hot water thing to keep them warm. When it was feed time Mum or Dad would gently get them down and tip them out so Claire and me could feed them.</p> <p>They would try to grab the bottle with their cute little front legs as we fed them. We had to be careful they did not slip on the lino floor. Their fur was so lovely and soft.</p> <p>When they got a bit bigger we used to take them outside and they used to hop after us, and they looked adorable. By that stage they slept outside in a small yard close to the house Dad made for them. After that they spent the rest of the day and their lives in a really big yard, and one year one had a baby, but that’s another story.</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Royal Adelaide Show</span></p> <p>At the end of winter was time for the 10-day Royal Adelaide Show.</p> <p>On the Monday morning, the whole family would rush down to see the Merino Sheep judging to see Uncle “Henry” and his family with their stud sheep. I loved all the sights, smells and excitement of all the sheep and lots of people.</p> <p>Uncle Henry always did really well and won lots of cups, medals and sashes with his sheep.</p> <p>It was a great, fun day out, ‘cause after that we would spend the rest of the day looking at all the animals, and side-shows. After that, we had to see all the stuff the adults wanted to look at, which was a bit boring for us kids.</p> <p>Usually we had lunch with other aunts, uncles and cousins so it was always a fun day out.</p> <p>Yes, winter in the ‘50s took some beating, with so many great things to do.</p>

Family & Pets

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31 dogs seized from negligent puppy farm in Sydney

<p>The RSPCA have released a series of confronting images showing the appalling conditions of a dog breeding facility in Yerrinbool, south of Sydney.</p> <p>Inspectors found more than 20 dogs and several litters of puppies on the property that were living inside the house with serious health problems.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="480" height="640" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36023/in-text-1.jpg" alt="In Text 1 (3)"/></p> <p>Joanne McIntyre, owner of the property, was summoned to Picton Local Court on April 24 where a magistrate described the living conditions of the dogs as “appalling”. She was fined thousands of dollars, placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and forbidden from obtaining any new dogs for five years.</p> <p>RSPCA NSW Inspector-in-Charge Jean Sprague said, “The stench inside the home was nauseating and the extreme squalor and filth was really horrendous. Breathing was difficult and our eyes immediately started to water and sting with the strong fumes of ammonia. All windows were shut and the floor was covered in faeces and urine.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36025/in-text-2_500x375.jpg" alt="In Text 2 (3)"/></p> <p>Many of the dogs on the property had matted coats, were suffering from fleas and had ear infections.</p> <p>Inspectors took 31 dogs and left two at the house as they were in good health.</p> <p>Many of the dogs that were seized by the inspectors were adopted out by animal organisations and required urgent veterinary care. </p>

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