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The Norfolk Island Bowling Club over the past week has been hosting the International NIO Classic Triples Tournament, and thanks go to the sponsor Terence Grube for his generous sponsorship of this event.  Teams travelled from all over eastern states of Australia, Victoria, NSW & Queensland.  28 men’s teams and 10 ladies teams contested the week of bowls which have been played in very trying conditions, with a fair bit of rain and windy weather each day.  This has tested the players but by all accounts everybody has enjoyed the week and are looking forward to the finals which are to be played on Friday.

Results of the Sectional play are:

Men’s Section A: (completed) I.Webb 10+37 (1^st), M. Braden 8+31 (2^nd), T.Cooper 8-3, N. McWaters 4-8, G. Baird 4-10, M. Bowe 4-16, R. McAnally 4-33; Section B: (1 round remaining). R. Dixon 10+67, C. Graham 8+22, Geoff Smith 8+9, T. Sellwood 4-14, B.J. King 3-6, G. Brady 3-35, D. Davis 0-43; Section C: (1 round remaining) M. Graham 8+66, B. Pauling 8+27, N. Rieschierg 6-18, G. Smith 6-1, B. Hollands 5+3, R. Orr 3-10, F. Smit 0-67; Section D: (1 round remaining) M. Mitchell 8+61, G. Fenlan 8+31, K. Button 8+11, M. Godfrey 5-5, J. Cosgrove 4-12, D, Drew 3-37, G. Weier 0-58.

Ladies Section: (2 rounds remaining) C. Jones 12+52, A. Snell 12+45, C. McGill 10+16, A. Brady 7+16, N. Juchno 7-6, S. Tyson 6+3, M. O’Brien 6-12, P. Williams 6-14, C. Pauling 4-41, C. McAnally 0-62.

The quarter-finals for the men’s competition was held on Thursday afternoon, with the semi-finals and finals to be played on Friday, but with the cut-off for the paper, these results will be advised next week, together with a full round-up of the tournament as a whole.

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‘Honey’ is not just endearment! It is a marvellous product! It keeps indefinitely and has untold uses, from healing properties to health foods to being used as a rooting hormone for cutting and marcotting.

Isn’t it great to be able to eat unblended natural honey produced from multiple varieties of plants not from GM crops that have been repeatedly sprayed with chemicals.

The first record of bees to come to the Colony of NSW were bought by Gregory Blaxland (brother to the Blaxland who crossed the Blue Mountains) on 1^st September 1805 in his cabin. How did he manage to keep a bee hive alive in his cabin all those months it took a sailing ship to travel from England to the Colony of NSW.

The first record of bees on Norfolk Island was in 1844 when it was reported that there were 50 hives.

On Buffett’s Road where Campbell Buffett lived Mr Griffiths kept bees after his schooling finished at our local school. When he left Norfolk he moved to QLD and kept bees there and he repotedly founded Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary now a huge tourist attraction.

Aubrey Greenwood kept bees at Peter Woodward’s daughter’s place at Watermill. He grew apples and lots of other fruit and he had a flourishing market garden were the watermill dam is now. To irrigate his crops he dropped a large rock into the narrow creek that went past the dam and the water went all around the wall in his trench and back into the creek near the bamboo. He can then run water down between his rows as needed. When he has enough water he removes the rock again. Aubrey also sold milk from his Jersey cows that grazed on the common all wearing cowbells that “donged’ everywhere and were milked anywhere he found them.

Norman Bowman kept bees at the top of Mission Road, later Vern Alston took over from him.

Jim Anderson kept bees at Cascade Rd. for many years.

Alan Baker kept bees at Steel’s Point and imported Queen Bee’s to improve his honey supply.

Ric Robertson was also the owner of a lot of hives at one time.

Alan Tomlinson had an industry going which he sold to Steve Nobbs  when Alan left NI.

Neville Bigg was also at one time a bee keeper.

There are still a number of bee keepers on NI today.

Bees are just not about honey. One out of every three mouthfuls of food are a result of pollination by bees. Bee security is food security.

NI is situated between New Zealand who has the Varroa mite and Australia which is still free of Varroa at this present time. In June 2018  the Port of Melbourne had an incursion of bees that carried Varroa. Three containers originating from Texas were on a ship coming into Melbourne but the Captain noticed dead bees on the deck and notified Biosecurity at the port and the hive was destroyed. All points of entry into Australia now have a system of sentinel hives which are checked on a regular basis to detect any incursions.

NI can’t afford to relax its vigilance and put our healthy bees in danger. Our bees have one pest and 2 diseases (the scientist thinks that one of these diseases most likely come in imported honey) making our bees which are genetically different to Australia’s bees some of the healthiest on the planet and are of worldwide significance.

Because NI’s bees are extremely healthy we do not have to use any chemicals which makes us exceptionally fortunate compared to the troubles the rest of the world is experiencing.

Merv Buffett  July 2018   

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This week has been Donate Life Week, which is a lifesaving medical database of people who wish to allow their organs to be used as donor organs after they die.  This week there was been articles and information in the media promoting the system, asking people to sign up as an organ donor.  The Australian Organ Donor Register is seeking your support to help them raise awareness and increase the number of Australians registered to be organ and tissue donors.

Organ and tissue donation involve removing organs and tissue from someone who has died (a donor) and transplanting them into someone who, in many cases, is very ill or dying (a recipient).  Signing up means that you wish to be an organ donor, but it is important to talk to your family, letting them know that your wishes.

I have joined the donor list even though I realise that I would have to be in an Australian hospital to be able to be a donor, as Norfolk Island is too far away from the Australian transplant hospitals.  For residence who live in Norfolk Island, many do not have Australian drivers’ licences, making some of the online links are difficult to complete.  I followed this link to the Australian Donor Page and I was able to sign up using my Australian Medicare card.

The Australian Organ Donor Register link

https://donatelife.gov.au/

Each time I renewed my New Zealand Drivers’ Licence, the form had an option to be an organ donor.  I have always ticked the boxes on the Donor List for New Zealand.

I have a friend who has had a transplant, the gift of life.  It can be an anxious time waiting for a donor organ.  The advances in medical systems has saved many lives.  Queensland Medical teams preformed the first triple organ transplant in 2003.

I have read that there are more than 1,400 Australians are currently waitlisted for an organ transplant.  The patient must all complete many medical tests to be able to be on an organ transplant wait list.  This a very difficult time for medical staff and the patient along with their family and friends.  The organs must to compatible and the most suitable precipitants selected by the medical teams.

Just one organ and tissue donor can transform the lives of 10 or more people.  The organs which can be used include the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, small intestine, pancreas, tissue that can be transplanted, parts of the eyes, bone, blood veins, tendons, ligaments or skin plus many more as the medical advances continue.

At present I have a family member who is in acute care in Australia and he is completing his assessment for a Lung transplant.  The personal experience of waiting and hoping that there will be donor organ to save his life, is very emotional.

Thank you to all the donors and their families who have helped transform the lives of others through the gift of organ and tissue donation. Your generosity has a profound impact on people who receive a transplant, as well as everyone who cares about them.

"You can’t take it with you. If you can give someone a chance at life, why wouldn’t you give them that opportunity?"

There are many articles available on line to read more about Organ Donor and if you can support this “Give a Gift of Life”, please enrol on the Organ Donor Register List.

Betty Matthews

August 2018

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This week I was very pleased to see that Air Chathams announced flights between Norfolk Island and Auckland, New Zealand.  Burnt Pine Travel advertised the details of the Thursday flights schedule this week for 25^th October, 1^st November, 8^th November and 15^th November 2018.

I also read about these travel dates a couple of months ago, via the Air Chathams web page:

https://www.airchathams.co.nz/all-flights-packages/a-week-on-norfolk/

In 2018, Air Chathams in partnership with Pukekohe Travel have three week-long tours available including direct flights from Auckland to Norfolk.

It is fantastic to know that there will be opportunities for New Zealanders to be able to have direct flights to Norfolk Island, and it also gives the local community a chance to visit family and friends in New Zealand, without having to travel via Sydney or Brisbane.

During the Norfolk Island Country Music 2018 festival week Air Chatham charter flight came to Norfolk Island.  I took photos in May for their plane as it was parked at the Norfolk Island Airport.  Air Chatham also had a cargo flight deliver freight a month ago.  It was a lovely plane with a image of “Hopo” or “Toroa” the Chatham Islands Albatross bird painted on the front of the plane.  I found a great photo of the artwork on their Facebook page.

Follow Air Chathams on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=air%20chathams

Or their web page: https://www.airchathams.co.nz/

If you wish to book a holiday, contact Burnt Pine Travel for information about organising a seat on the flights.  travel@burntpinetravel.nf

Thank you Air Chathams and Burnt Pine Travel for making these links between Auckland and Norfolk Island.

Betty Matthews

August 2018

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Earlier this year Norfolk Island new radio station started broadcasting. “Pines FM 99.9” radio station is a community run radio station.  The radio first went to air in February 2018 and locals have volunteered as radio announcers plus they have many great community projects during the last few months.  During the summer the local seed exchange was started, and it is a great way to share local vegetables, fruits and herbs.  It is always so rewarding to grow your own food and fun for children to learn how to grow plants at home.

Another great project is the Book exchange.  If you have any books at home you wish to donate or exchange, remember you are welcome to visit the Pines FM 99.9 community radio station, which is in town, Taylors Road, across the road from the Westpac Bank.  I recently look a few photos at the radio station and everyone is welcome to drop in and visit when you see the doors open.  Say hello if you would like to learn more about their community projects.

Sponsors and advertiser are also welcome plus if you are interested in becoming a RADIO DJ.  There is a weekly show schedule and volunteers are always welcome, if you would like to assist.

If you have any song request, news items or public notices, please remember to email or call Pines FM 99.9, the Norfolk Island community radio station.

Pinefm999@outlook.com or call 22899

Plus, you can follow the Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/NIcommunityradio/

Betty Matthews

August 2018

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Coming from far and wide, 52 visiting archers from New Zealand, NSW, QLD, ACT, Victoria and even Perth joined the small band of local archers for a superb week of camaraderie and competition.

‘Family’ and is a word widely used in the sport and it was easy to see why with a great number of juniors also shooting it out for the prizes. They don’t get it easy either as they share in the scoring duties, offering fish and helping tidy up. Well done to our juniors for their sportsmanship and being a valued part of club and future in the sport.

Following a blustery welcome fish fry on Sunday, the weather settled for the first round of competition on Monday. 

Competition is shot over four rounds throughout the week with only the archers top three cumulative scores counting in the final mix, meaning if the men want to drop a day to go fishing, they can without jeopardizing a spot on the podium.

As readers will see in the scores opposite, competition was close with the Norfolk archers mixing it with the some of the best from the region including sponsored archers and Australian Reps.

In conjunction with the local association’s competition, Mark and Maura Harvey host a fun event for lovers of traditional (longbow) archery across other properties on the island.  This was also a lot of fun for those involved and the proceeds from the entry fees go to a local charity, this year Boomerang Bags, who are working to reduce the need of single use plastic bags, a topic close to Mark and Maura’s heart.

So the dust has settled on yet another important sporting event on the Norfolk calendar. Thanks must go to the generous sponsors and supporters who work tirelessly supporting events such as these, the passionate workers in the club  to make it a success, and especially those who have traveled so far to join us and share in our wonderful island and sport.

See you next year and thanks f’ ucklun.

If you wish to join us and try archery, please see contact Bob, Rosa, Petra or Dave and make a date to come and give it a go.

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The ocean swells can be powerful, and this week, Norfolk Island the weather alert has been released giving coastal warnings, “Not suitable for rock fishing or coastal activates”.  This ocean swell is expected to reach five to seven metres by Saturday morning, and the force has been growing over the last few days.

On Thursday the sunshine was glistening on the waves as they rolled into Kingston.  The coral reef gives protection to the foreshore, as the waves bash up against the reef, then the waves wash into the stone walls and along the water frontage and the Kingston Pier.

On Thursday evening I was shown some photographs of the Emily Bay raft washing up on the sandy beach.  It had broken the moorings, and luckily come into shore, rather than washed out to sea.  This was a reminder that the conditions in the bay have been very rough today, especially at high tide in the afternoon.

On Thursday 24^th May this weather warning was published

IDN28503

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology 
New South Wales

Severe Weather Warning

Issued at 10:30 PM EST on Thursday 24 May 2018.

Weather Situation

HEADLINE: LARGE SOUTHERLY SWELL

An intense low-pressure system near New Zealand is generating large south/south-westerly swell across the Tasman Sea.

Damaging surf conditions, with waves exceeding 5 metres in the surf zone, are expected to develop during Friday evening. These waves may produce significant beach erosion on the south and southwestern shores.

For emergency help in storms, ring the Norfolk Island Police on 977

The Norfolk Island Police advise you:

• * Stay out of the water and stay well away from surf-exposed areas.

I managed to take a couple of photos at the Kingston Pier after work on Thursday and the ocean was looking very impressive.  The fishing boats were not venturing out from Kingston that afternoon, a local fisherman was securing the launch cables at the pier, to keep the equipment safe during the ocean storm.

Take care everyone over the weekend as the Southern Swells crash into our shores.  High tide over the weekend is around sunset and sunrise.  It will be interesting to see what is washed up along our shores.  Hopefully any ships or yachts in our area have a safe place to shutter until the stormy waves settle again.

Betty Matthews

May 2018

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