“THE OPAL CLASSIC”!

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1973
Opal hearted country......the wide brown land for me...
ANDAMOOKA SPORT SHOOTING ASSN ANNUAL SHOOT
“THE OPAL CLASSIC”!
Although the constant rolling of gunfire over the weekend of 20-21st June did sound
almost as though World War 3 had started at Andamooka, it was actually one of our
major attractions, the annual competition for our Andamooka Sports Shooting Association’s Opal Classic. The town campground was pretty full with campers, with more at
the Club H.Q. Earlier wet weather cleared away in time for the access road to the
Range to dry out, with two fine though windy and chilly days for the event.
Left: ASSA High Gun Wayne McCarthy,
winner of the Brian Rapsey Memorial
Trophy.
Right: ASSA members voted to award
their trophy to Clayton Faggotter, for his
contributions during the year. The trophy,
made by the late Kym Faehrmann and
Staffy Heath, has a base of obsidian
(volcanic glass) and opalised wood, with
a map of S.A. in matrix, then badges of
opal mounted on silver.
Andamooka press photos
The wind tested the competitors’ skill enough to lead to a first in the Opal Classic, a
shoot-off for places in both C and Junior classes. ASSA High Gun: W. McCarthy 122.
Overall High Gun was D. Bellinger with 135 from a possible 150. Other places were:
AA: (1) B. McGaffin 129. (2) R. Ahrens 126. (3) W. McCarthy 122. A: (1) A Hooper
120. (2) R. Young 116. (3) C. Faggotter 113. B: I. White 117. (2) J. Redway 115. (3) A.
Dalrymple 108. C: (1) m. Moss 113. (2) A. Kemp 110. (3, in a shoot-off) T. Rosenweig
99. Ladies: (1) “Tasha” 119. (2) R. Moss 66. (3) N. Auden 58. Juniors: (1)
M.Redway 110. (2) C. Auden 56. (3, in a shoot-off) B. Alston 48. Veterans: (1) W.
Gurney 125. (2) B. Morrison 110. (3) R. Howse 108.
continued on pages 8-9.
© Published by Andamooka Progress & Opal Miners Association Inc.
FREE
July 2015
INDEX
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Police
86727072 Opal Classic Shoot
Roxby Downs Sun to set? 3
Clinic
86727087
Nick’s Visit
Mon/Tues, Thurs/Fri 9-5, Wed 9-noon
APOMA Minutes (May)
Sat/Sun On Call - emergency only.
October Long Weekend
Flying Doctor (Woomera) 8671 3231 Garden Guru
ATMC
8672 7246 Police Report
October Weekend Sculpture
Supermarket/FUEL
8672 7034
RFDS Walking Group
9a.m-6p.m weekdays,
ASSA air pistols
9a.m-3p.m. Saturday
Editorial
10a.m-1p.m. Sunday
Letter of Support
CWA Opal Fields Branch
NRM Levy
BooTeek Wed/Friday/Sat 9a.m-noon.
NRM response re Levy
Grader Quote
Public Library/Internet/WiFi (at
Can You See Your Place?
School) Mon/Tues 8-10am, 2-4pm,
Centenary Celebration
Thurs 12-4pm, Fri 8am-noon.
Legend of the Desert Pea
Roving Vet
8642 3308
Opal Stories
Andamooka Powerhouse 8672 7135 Brighter Future for Opal?
Sylvie’s Corner
DEADLINE FOR COPY
Classifieds
The proof-draft of each issue is reviewed by the APOMA Committee at DATES TO REMEMBER
its monthly meeting. Next deadline for August 8 Camp Oven Dinner
receipt of your articles, ads., photos etc August 11 CWA AGM 1pm
August 30 APOMA AGM
is 5pm Wednesday 5th August.
1, 8-9
3
4-7
5
10
12
14
33
16
17
18-19
20
21
22-23
26-27
27
28-29
30
30
31
32
ADVERTISING
Advertising in the Andamooka Press is
CIRCULATION
FREE for residents, and charities.
225 hard copies. (available at ATMC, AnRates for non-residents are:
damooka Press office, Supermarket, TuckaFull page: $20,
Half page: $10,
Quarter page: $5,
Business card size: $2.
Andamooka Press July 2015
box, Liquor Store, Post Office).
Also 160 electronic copies, and On-line at
www.andamooka.sa.au Andamooka Press.
Email: [email protected]
2
“ROXBY DOWNS SUN” TO SET?
It was a great shock to all in Andamooka and Roxby Downs to hear the sad
news on July 3rd, that Fairfax Newspapers were planning to pull the plug on
the well loved “Roxby Downs Sun”, after 27 years of community service.
For the people of Roxby Downs, the greatest tragedy will be the loss of an alternative voice to “The Monitor” council run paper.
“Sun” reporter Jack McGuire often refers to himself as the “chief cook and bottle-washer”, with a huge job to produce to a weekly deadline, and the only other employee a part-time photographer.
There is hope, however. Negotiations are ongoing, and if you want to S.O.S
(Save Our Sun) send an email to John Angilley, Director of Fairfax’s Australian Community Media division, at [email protected] or Like the Roxby Downs Sun Facebook page. It still may be possible that “The Sun” will continue to shine.
J.M.
NICK’S VISIT
Former Andamooka resident Nick Nikolic
paid the old home town a brief visit, as part
of a bus tour from Boolooroo Centre at
Boolooroo.
After a side trip to try to find his old mining site, several local friends came along to
say hello before the tour group lunch at
Duke’s Motel.
Among them were John Unic (Top) whose
conversation in Czech brought big grins to
both men. (Centre) Paul Killeen, Carolyn
Christensen, and Margot Duke (Below)
Mash Clifford, Bev Burge, and Alex Mendelssohn also did a bit of reminiscing on
old times with their friend.
One of those memories is of Nick’s bravery
in rescuing two opal miners, who had become trapped in a mine. For this act, Nick
received recognition via a Bravery Award.
J.M. Andamooka Press photos
Andamooka Press July 2015
3
Andamooka Press June 2015
4
Andamooka Press June 2015
5
OCA/ATMC
2015 QUARTERLY LEVY PAYMENTS
due 15th September, and 15th December.
Andamooka Press July 2015
DOG REGISTRATIONS
ARE NOW DUE.
PAYABLE AT
Andamooka post office.
6
ATMC MINUTES.
To save space and printing costs,
ATMC minutes are no longer published in The Andamooka Press.
You can always read them online at
oca.sa.gov.au/atmc or get a hard
copy from ATMC office.
Andamooka Press July 2015
7
ANDAMOOKA “OPAL CLASSIC” continued from page 1...
This year’s event was well supported by competitors and sponsors, and the club
is most appreciative of this, given the distances travelled and expenses involved
in attending. 85 might be a lucky number as that was how many shooters came
along, and also the age of the oldest participant, Stan Cations, of Werribee, NSW.
Particular thanks are given to all sponsors:
Peter Taubers (opal pendant); Joe Sach; Dave Kovak; Erik
and Peter Hansen; Stefan Bilka; Staffy Heath; Ahrens; Autopro; Austec; Basetec Services; Black Stump Cate; Blackwoods; Cath Denhelm; Coates Hire; Cowell Electric; Coventry Fasteners/Konnect; Dotmar; Holcim; Hourglass Jewellers; Kwiksure; Mine Tech Engineering; Mitre 10; MPS
Building & Electrical; Outback Landscaping; Pentair; Roxby Downs Pharmacy; Roxby FM; Roxby Subway; Roxby
Bakery; Roxby Downs Mensland; Roxby Downs Monitor;
Roxby Tavern; Roxby Downs Sun; Roxby Smoke Mart;
Roxby Downs Post Office; Sodexo; Southern Cross Industrial Supplies; Tandales; Roxby Downs Club; Travelway;
Toll; United Fasteners; Veolia; Zealous; and Kokatha.
ASSA will provide tuition (with club firearms) for interested people. Shotguns every 2nd or 3rd weekend and handguns weekly at the Range, air pistols weekly at 6pm
Wednesdays, at the Andamooka Buffalo Lodge.
For those unaware of the value of the Range, it will surprise
to know that both the S.A. Police and TAFE use it for their
firearms safety courses, and the Scouts are currently looking at the site as a possible option for outdoor camping.
As with Andamooka’s old claypan airport’s potential as a
Land Yachting site, this site has great potential to attract
special interest tourists for longterm stays in Andamooka,
and as such deserves far more support from locals.
J.M.
The sidebar shows some of the visiting club
logos, while R: the many buckets of empty
shell cases saw me dreaming of teams of
shooters with wheelbarrow loads of empty
shells, in our October Race! photos Andamooka Press
Andamooka Press
July 2015
8
ANDAMOOKA “0PAL CLASSIC” - more photos...
Clockwise from top left:
1.
Club H.Q. with its 30 rooms of
dongas, plus many campers.
2. The much prized trophies of
wood slabs with opal badges.
3. Anna Cook’s car bonnet sign
on the approach road to H.Q.
4. Club President (with signature beer stein!) toasts ASSA
High Gun Wayne McCarthy.
5. Saturday night dinner cooking in the Pistol Range “pigs”.
6. Sunday BBQ lunch with part
of the large and happy crowd.
7. Lady shooters were not unknown, demonstrated here at
Stand No4 on “A” Range .
8. An unusual event were the
shoot-offs on Sunday for tied
places in Junior, and C Classes.
9. Juniors were also present,
and education in firearm safety
is top priority. Note Andrew
pointing out the EMPTY chamber, before 10. showing how a
correct firing position within
the Stand’s frame prevents a
Above: Saturday night dinner
shooter swinging loaded barrels cooking in the “pigs” on the
left or right toward spectators.
Pistol Range.
ASSA photo
Andamooka Press photos.
Andamooka Press July 2015
9
ANDAMOOKA GARDEN GURUS
Water is precious in Andamooka. This garden is set up on an automated dripper
system using 13mm pipe to deliver the area, then 14mm “spaghetti” tubing,
with an adjustable tap to control the amount of water to each pot and hanging
basket. The timer can be set for day and time of day, and uses rain water.
The ferns have been happily growing on the verandah for about 6 years, and the
vegetables, which are growing in a cut-down rain water tank, are seasonal.
Top Left: The dappled light from
the lattice around the veranda is
obviously perfect for Sylvia’s
ferns, the 2 hanging baskets of
zygocacti (1 pink and 1 white)
and other plants. Shade-cloth on
the western wall stops the more
fierce afternoon sun.
Far Left: Tomato and Chinese
cabbage seedlings getting under
way in the recycled half tank,
with “spaghetti” irrigation lines.
Left: Desert water is too precious
to fill a tub, so now peas and Pak
Choi are making steady growth
in this recycled bathtub.
Far Left: Geraniums, in full sun!
The vegetables and herbs are also on automatic system and are watered by
sprays. Currently growing this season are Cos lettuce, bush tomato, silver beet,
daikon, sugar loaf cabbage, pak-choi, sugar-snap peas, rhubarb, parsley (both
flat and curly leaf) thyme, coriander, chives, curry plant, lavender and rosemary.
Story and photos Sylvia Hobbs
Is something odd going to happen to you on the 31st of this month?
This is a Once in a Blue Moon occasion two full moons in the one calendar month.
Such an event will not happen again until 2018.
Andamooka Press July 2015
10
WHISKEY STEAK
1½ kg steak, cut 5cm thick
1 tbsp butter
½ cup whiskey
1 tbsp sherry
½ tsp fresh black pepper
1 tbsp hot sauce
½ tsp thyme
Trim all fat from the steak, then it rub
on both sides with whiskey. Cover
and marinate the meat for 3-4 hours in
the fridge. Just before cooking, rub
whiskey on both sides of the steak
again, then sprinkle both sides with
pepper and thyme. In a small pan,
melt the butter, add sherry and hot
sauce. Brush one side of the steak
with the sauce and grill, basting every
5 minutes with sauce. Turn the meat
ONCE only, after 12 minutes, then
cook another 12 minutes (for medium
rare) ENJOY! (with the rest of the whiskey?!)
Q U I L T S
OLD & NEW
Wanted
for October 3-4-5
Andamooka Press July 2015
11
JULY REPORT
On Sunday 28th June a 22 year old male was reported for driving whilst
disqualified and his car has been clamped for a period of 28 days.
I’m urging everyone to ensure that they are licensed and that their cars are
registered.
Traffic is a major focus for the Police in the new financial year, and we have
been advised specifically to target the fatal five, this includes speeding,
seatbelts, drink driving, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bikes, etc) and
inattention (including mobile phones, fatigue).
I urge everyone to take care whilst driving no matter how far, and to ensure that
you are obeying the road laws.
For any enquiries and if anyone wishes to speak to Police please contact the
Andamooka Police station on 8672 7072 or attend the station.
Brevet Sergeant Tristan FANTINEL,
Andamooka Police Station,
South Australia Police.
October Weekend
sub-committee meets
in Andamooka Press office
APOMA AGM
August 30, 2015
Andamooka Press July 2015
3.13-5pm, Thursday 16th July
Planning, Coffee & Cake
12
Andamooka Press July 2015
13
OCTOBER WEEKEND - SCULPTURE
Take a little look at the handmade sculpture works at the Brunette Downs Rodeo grounds NT, the Tin Horse Highway WA, and the Sculpture Highway
through Cumnock NSW. Then tell me Andamooka doesn’t have people as
skilled in welding, and as clever in design, to make a wheelbarrow from that
skip out in the mullock heaps! No use saying there aren’t enough bits of scrap
metal lying around, either.
In fact, having seen all those artistic
bits of wood (prizes or firewood) out
at the Opal Classic camp, you can bet
there’s someone here who can sculpt
timber. Maybe even matrix - take a
look at the front page, at the way the
two gulfs are carved in the map of SA
that is part of that trophy.
Add a car bonnet to a cypress pole and
won’t you have a giant mining shovel?
Truck springs and that cypress pole,
and have an opal miner’s pick?
And there’s got to be some domed end
of a big LPG tank, waiting to be converted to an opal miner’s helmet...
How about a BIG windlass?
Come on you blokes, you can do it!
Ladies, you can do it too - get carving
into a big block of Plaster of Paris. Or
twisting some florist’s wire.
Top: Brunette Downs racehorses.
Below: Opal field skip. Andamooka Press photos
PLEASE NOTE
ALL DROP-IN CENTRE GROUPS
MOVED FROM HALL TO SES
DUE TO RENOVATIONS TO THE APOMA HALL
KITCHEN.
Andamooka Press July 2015
Juniors can do those, too. Even solder,
if Dad supervises.
J.M.
Andamooka History Group
meet in Andamooka Press office
Monday, 15th July, 10am
Research, Coffee & Cake
14
RFDS WALKING GROUP
(abridged from Andamooka School News, July)
At the recent RFDS Community Meeting an exciting new venture was
forged in conjunction with the RFDS
Healthy Living Programme - this will
be a Walking Group.
Starting July 21, the group will leave
the Community Hall at 5pm Tuesday
and Thursday evenings, for 20-30 minute walks, and from July 26, on Sunday afternoons at 3pm.
First Aid
and
CPR Training
Locally Based Instructor
Individuals & Small Groups a specialty
Nationally recognized training
Convenient training locations
No need to leave town
Courses available 7 days a week
Courses available:
 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
 Provide basic emergency life support
 Provide first aid
 Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and
care setting
Training available at
 Roxby Downs
 Olympic Dam
 Andamooka
 Woomera
Call Brad
0488 244 911
Andamooka Press July 2015
These walks may be extended to include weekend walks covering greater
distances, with drop-off by the community bus.
Walking is said to offer many benefits
apart from physical fitness: destressing the body and balancing the
body through repetition and cadence,
helping to free the mind, relax muscles
and organs, while developing a sense
of freedom and connection with the
environment.
Other suggested activities were barefoot bowls, badminton, indoor circuits,
community gardening, cooking and
other workshops. A revival of an outdoor theatre and restoring the local
pool were also listed as possible activities.
Interested people can contact Andamooka School for more information,
or just turn up for one of the walks.
J.M.
15
CHOICE
I choose to live by choice, not by chance.
To make changes, not excuses;
To be motivated, not manipulated;
To be useful, not used;
To excel, not to compete;
To choose self esteem, not self pity.
I choose to listen to the inner voice,
Not the random opinion of others.
Andamooka & Districts Community Newspaper,
10.11.2000,
page 5.
ANDAMOOKA
SPORTS SHOOTING ASSN
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PHONE: 0419 504 200
Below: Messing up His world! Paper and plastic waste blowing at Andamooka
Dump, and over the fence onto the hillsides. Did you do this?
ASSA AIR PISTOLS
Below: NOT Annie Oakley.....
Ye olde editor rounded out her firearms expe- Ye olde Editor!
Andamooka Press photo - via Charlie!
riences in a recent attendance at the Andamooka Shorts Shooting Assn’s Air Pistol
Range, in the Buffalo Lodge building. As a
farm girl, familiar with small bore rifles from
an early age, progressing through .303 and
M1 carbines, and then black powder, it took
Andamooka to “complete the set”. Air Pistol
shoots weekly Wednesdays, at 6pm.
J.M.
Andamooka Press July 2015
16
EDITORIAL
This Editorial must start with my heartfelt thanks to Vicki Sheppard, who put
up with my early catch-up efforts with Microsoft Publisher, to produce your
Andamooka Press. Vicki’s skills and patience will be missed in this office, as
well as in her position as APOMA Secretary. All my very best wishes for the
future, Vicki.
Concerns were expressed to me at the Drop-In Centre morning tea on the July
1st. The bad news was the impossibility of payment for the NRM Levy, by cash
at ATMC or the Andamooka Post Office. My emails to Eddie Hughes, MP; Lyn
Breuer, ATMC Chair; Byron Gough, at OCA; and NRM have brought interesting replies. See page 21.
It gets worse. My efforts to pay my own NRM levy led to the discovery that the
1800 number given for telephone payments, was not accessible by my Telstra
phone. 1300 numbers are, but no such number is supplied by NRM. So my use
of the NRM landline number cost me extra, as the “meter” ticked up $$ while a
woman tried to locate the required machine, then take my credit card number!
There must be many others throughout the state, who had that same problem.
What can we say to Janet Brook, Presiding Member of the SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board, except “Not happy, Jan”?!!
Some things never seem to change. So often in our archival issues, there are appeals to residents to stop dumping rubbish, or damaging bagged stuff so that
the waste paper and plastic bags blow all over the landscape. See the photo on
the opposite page. All good Christians know that we were given Stewardship of
Creation, so it behoves us to be good Stewards, or answer higher up?
If the new Walking Group is to succeed in its community health efforts, and include mums with toddlers and strollers, hopefully APOMA will use its next
batches of donated pavers to create safe, all-weather walking tracks, as planned
and approved many years ago.
With only seven weeks to the APOMA AGM, all Andamooka residents should
be thinking about the future of our town. If you haven’t yet joined APOMA,
remember, memberships must be paid soon, in order for you to be eligible to
vote at the Meeting, and so nominate and elect the people you believe will best
manage a sound future for Andamooka on your behalf.
This is a democracy and as a Member, you will have the right to vote. If you
don’t vote, then you don’t care, and don’t have the right to whinge about people
elected by those who did care, and did vote.
Jenny M.
Andamooka Press July 2015
17
A LETTER OF SUPPORT
The following is presented by APOMA to the Andamooka community. It is a
copy of the Letter of Support submitted by APOMA to the recent Magistrate’s
Court case. The letter was limited by law, to a maximum length of 2 pages.
********************
A Letter of Support for the Services funded by the Community Contribution
Scheme & managed by The Outback Community Authority in conjunction with
The Andamooka Progress & Opal Miners Association.
APOMA has been the representative body of the Andamooka Township since
1960 & the main form of local governance managed by a committee of elected
volunteers with the main work originally provided by local opal miners & volunteers.
For the last 3 decades there has been some government funding provided by the
OACDT to partially fund the town dump, local paper, household & business
water distribution & TV & Radio Broadcasting. There was also support for the
Progress Association with Admin Support, Auditing, Youth Group activities,
Grant Applications & provide some limited access to State government services. APOMA also managed grading & rolling the town roads, the town hall,
local dams, water access & delivery points, cemeteries, Town Park, Skate Park,
playground, camp ground, Old Miners Cottages, subsidised opal exploration,
opal & tourist promotion & acts as the umbrella organisation for various other
local committees & enterprises.
Historically it has also managed local airstrips, the pool, tourist roads & mining
tracks. APOMA has also been in charge of various schemes which have seen
major & minor infrastructure projects built in town from the cemetery upgrade,
Town Park construction to the 32 km Olympic Dam Pipeline, Storage tanks &
Water Dispenser installation.
Like most volunteer organisations APOMA has generally been able to rally
support & enthusiasm to get projects off the ground that were needed by the
community but it struggled when it came to the regular maintenance of the
town infrastructure. Several tree plantings came & went with the help of volunteers; the town hall had major roof, door & structure problems. The TV & radio
broadcast facility failed.
Maintaining the pipeline & keeping the water dispenser operating combined
with the need for regular water sampling was a constant headache. The rubbish
Andamooka Press July 2015
18
dump was a growing problem. With the EPA insisting that APOMA had to
come up with a management plan that didn’t require burning as its major tool.
A formal complaint was lodged with them by a resident affected by smoke in
2010, which meant a much larger community investment was going to be
required to keep the dump open. The replacement cost of community infrastructure minus the pipeline was recently valued at $2.4 million. Clearly the
town needed a better & more equitable system to raise money & manage, grow
& maintain the town’s assets & services.
Over the years different schemes have been floated & some tried. In 2003, APOMA’s chair (Pat Katnich) organised a town meeting run by Lyn Breuer (then
local MP) to address the lack of funding. The meeting attended by approximately 100 residents voted 93 for & 6 against a levy of $200.00 pa from each
household. 42 members remitted these amounts but it soon became obvious
that it needed to be a mandatory levy which was clearly well beyond a Progress
Association’s powers. The monies were returned as it was also deemed to be
against the tax act.
The town’s new street signs (93) are being erected as labour allows & will be
completed this year. Dog control & a dog pound have been built. There have
also been speed humps, footpaths, steps, ramps, road mirror & playground
fencing installations. The dump has been radically changed & managed without
burning. The pipeline & water dispenser have been upgraded.
APOMA is now starting to attract new committee members because the job is
no longer as arduous, nor the hours so daunting & the possibilities to improve
the town are quite good. The big winner is the town which would have struggled to exist, let alone improve, without proper management of the water supply, a dump & well maintained roads.
A ndamoo ka
SPECIAL ORDERS WELCOME.
BE SURE OF YOUR FAVOURITES
CONTACT TAMMY on 8672.7034
Andamooka Press July 2015
19
2014/2015 ARID LANDS NRM LEVY
We have all recently received our NRM Levy “bill”, included a brochure listing
“Frequently Asked Questions”.
Well, two frequently asked questions in Andamooka are (1) How do we pay? It
is not possible for Seniors who do not have Credit Card facilities, to pay cash
either at our local ATMC office, or Post Office. Only the extra expense of a $9
postal order, plus stamped envelope will allow these residents to pay the Levy.
After all, if other State Government departments (OCA for instance) can use
Local Government departments (Flinders Ranges Council, for instance) as debt
collectors for one levy, why can’t this NRM levy be paid, in cash, at ATMC?
Does Iron Knob have this problem too, or is it just Andamooka residents being
treated with this disrespect?
The second FAQ is: What does NRM do for Andamooka with our $51 from
each of around 600 blocks subject to this levy? You might think that an approximate $30,600 should provide some level of control of feral cats (one took my
broody hen July 8th, leaving 4 live 10 day old chicks and 1 dead chick) and
cacti, as requested by APOMA. But think again. All NRM offered last year was
a one drum of herbicide to control cactus, and no operator to apply it!
See page 21 for the NRM spokesperson’s response to your Andamooka press
email. To make your voice heard personally at NRM, phone 08 8648 5300, or
email to [email protected] (Remembering that yes, there is a double “a”).
J.M
ANDAMOOKA / R.D.
BIBLE CHURCH
Worship Service 10am, Sundays.
Bible Study 7.30pm Wednesday
Contact: 8672 7004
LAUGHTER - THE BEST MEDICINE
DAFFYNISHUNS
Illegal: a very sick bird
Minimum: a little mother
Mushroom: space between Eskimo sled dogs
Zebra: a horse that sat on a freshly painted park bench
Andamooka Press July 2015
20
NRM RESPONSE RE LEVY PAYMENT DIFFICULTIES IN ANDAMOOKA
The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) is continuing to
investigate the feasibility of Australia Post BillPay. In previous years it has added too much
to collection costs and the facility has not been available at all Post Offices/ Agents for Post
Offices in the regions. A variety of payment methods are available and are detailed in the
levy notice. Whilst maintaining low collection costs means that more funds are available to
take care of the region’s natural resources, DEWNR is committed to continually improving
the collection process and welcomes community feedback.
The SA Arid Lands NRM Board works in collaboration with its six district-based NRM
Groups and Andamooka sits within the Kingoonya district. Discussing natural resources
management issues and ideas with the local Kingoonya NRM Group and its members, who
are actively engaged with the delivery of projects, will help plan and tackle community priorities.
To assist the SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board to take care of the region’s natural resources for future generations, all land owners pay an annual land-based
natural resources management levy – about $50 – as provided by the Natural Resources
Management Act 2004. A water levy is also payable on water allocated to the mining, energy, gas and petroleum sector, for town water suppliers, irrigators and for commercial operations.
All landholders in South Australia, make similar contributions to natural resources management in the other regions in South Australia.
The combined water and land levy brings in about 20 per cent of the SA Arid Lands Natural
Resources Management Board’s income and the Board applies its levy across the whole region to deliver on priorities as set out in the 10-year Regional NRM Plan and the Board’s
three year Business Plan.
The Board will be reviewing its Business Plan this year and there will be an opportunity for
the Andamooka community to provide input to the Board on how to raise and invest those
funds in looking after our precious regional natural resources.
While the Board commends the excellent work of the Andamooka community in undertaking cat and pest plant control and has provided assistance where it can over the years, levy
funds (about 20% of the Board’s income) are applied across the whole region to benefit all
of our regional communities. These activities include managing our water resources, pest
plant and animal control, understanding and protecting threatened species and working with
land managers on property planning.
All landowners are required to pay the NRM levy and no concession for pensioners is currently in place. The South Australian Government is reviewing how to implement a regulation that would provide a concession (ie remission) to pensioners and other low income areas in out-of-council areas and the SA Arid Lands Board continues its support for such a regulation.
Andamooka Press July 2015
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Andamooka Press July 2015
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Andamooka Press July 2015
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Frontier Services | Andamooka Community Health Service
PO Box 155 | Lot 33 Hospital Rd Andamooka SA 5722
Phone 08 8672 7087 | Fax 08 8672 7222|
Mob 0428 727 087 (after hours emergency only)
Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
9 am to 12 noon—2 pm to 5 pm
Wednesday
9 am to 12 noon
On Call 24 hours – emergency only
Frontier Services | Andamooka Community Support Service
PO Box 203 | Lot 33 Hospital Rd Andamooka SA 5722
Phone 08 8672 7238 | Fax 08 8672 7222| Mob 0409 744 821
Email [email protected]
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday
9 am to 12 noon—1 pm to 5 pm
www.frontierservices.org
Andamooka Press July 2015
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Andamooka Press July 2015
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CAN YOU SEE YOUR PLACE?
Next time you are on your way back into Andamooka, take the time to stop at
the Rest Area just out of town, and check out the latest map. An adaptation of
early APOMA Guides by Ron Collins for the October Long Weekends, we
hope to use it again this year, and it’s great fun to try to see where your house
is, and all the other items of interest.
This work was done by our Complete Personnel team, and is sure to be one of
the Grey Nomads’ favourite photos. They just love things like this! They may
do better at fitting the whole sign in their photo frame too, as you can see where
mine was a cut-and-shut, to fit.
A second map next to it - not pictured - is an enlargement of the Andamooka
street map available at ATMC, and was produced by APOMA. Together, these
two maps are pretty handy, except that the street map probably needs people to
be aware that the top of the map is NOT North...as it is in most other maps.
Above: A job well done - the new tourist map just outside town. My only gripe is
that my place isn’t on it! Ah well, less “drive-by shootings” - tourists cruising past
my gate slower than walking speed, with iPads out the window, “shooting” film of
my shack, then doing a U-ey at the end of the chookyard, and filming again on the
way back!!! (If emoticons were legit in a newspaper, there’d be a wry face here).
Andamooka Press photo
An economic downturn is a sad thing, and while voluntary work certainly doesn’t
come close to a well paid, fulltime job a person really looks for, this community
work is valued for its contribution to our town. Hopefully those involved can look
with satisfaction - if not pride - at the improvements their work has made to our
safety, physical environment, and attraction for the touring public. Thank you.
J.M.
Andamooka Press July 2015
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Below: A partial reprint of the A3 centrefold map from the APOMA Guide for
the 1988 October Long Weekend. (And what Editor would DARE mention that
its cover page bears the words: “No Rates, No Building Inspector, No Parking
Inspector, No Bitumen, No Street Names”? After all, that was 27 years ago...)
1988 OCTOBER WEEK END
CENTREFOLD MAP
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which,
in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.
Horace.
CENTENARY CELEBRATION
As part of the Centenary celebrations
of the Willochra Diocese of the Anglican Church in South Australia, the
pastoral crosier (or staff) of Bishop
Gilbert White is being taken on a tour
of the Rural And Remote areas.
Also on the tour is the “New Century”
Cross, showing all those areas in the
Diocese, from the Clare Valley north
to the N.T. border, and to the east and
west borders of S.A.
Above: The Bishop’s crosier and the
New Century Cross, on display for the
congregation of Andamooka Community Church, July 5th. Andamooka Press photo
Andamooka Press July 2015
Early pastors of the Trans & Mid-west
Mission Patrol travelled on the Old
Ghan, via Maree, to minster to their
far dispersed flocks.
J.M.
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THE LEGEND OF THE DESERT PEA
There are several variations on this aboriginal love story, the legend of the
Blood Flower. The first was recorded in 1898, the second in 1937, again in
1991, and then in 1994, with a musical one-act play in 1980. This version,
based on the 1898 story by K.L. Parker, as reprinted in “Sturt Pea” by Symon
& Juctaitis, p121-123, is abridged for space.
Tirlta was an Elder of his tribe, a crippled old man who had already killed two
wives with his waddy. The young maiden Purleemil was promised to him, but
fled away with her lover Wimbakolo to his father’s tribe, that was hunting near
a large freshwater Boulka or lake.
Tirlta’s was furious, so he and his tribe painted on their war paint, took their
spears and tracked the runaways for three days. They demanded Purleemil’s return, threatening to kill everyone if she did not come back.
Wimbakolo refused to let her go, and challenged Tilta to single combat, but as
Tirlta was a coward, he went back to the Callawatta river with his tribe.
Wimbakolo and Purleemil were happy together, and before their tribe moved
around to the other side of the Boulka lake to the winter camp their little boy
was born. The spirits sang happy songs and told Purleemil that the boy would
live forever, the most beautiful thing on the plains. But as the tribe began to
plan for the move back to summer camp, Purleemil was unhappy, as the spirits
were whispering on every breeze, that misfortune was approaching. Wimbakolo
didn’t understand, and so the little family went back with the old tribal camp.
Nothing happened for a while, but Tirlta was a cunning coward, like a dingo,
and one night crept back with his tribe. They slaughtered everyone - men,
women and children. Tirlta slew Wimbakolo, and he speared the baby. But
Purleemil grabbed the spear with the baby still impaled on it, and plunged it into her heart. She and her son, pinned together, fell on Wimbakolo’s body, and
the blood of all three ran down into the earth as one stream.
Tirlta was happy in his revenge so he left the bodies to rot, and his tribe went
back to their river. Then as the seasons changed, Tirlta’s tribe came around the
Boulka lake again to hunt.
Andamooka Press July 2015
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Although they made sure to camp away from the massacre site, they saw
strange lights moving around over there at night, and were afraid. Next day
they went to the Boulka to get fresh water, and were amazed to find that the
huge lake had been turned to salt by the tears of the spirits, grieving over the
murders of Purleemil, Wimbakolo, and their little boy.
The Tirlta’s tribe ran back to their own country in terror, but he wanted to go
and gloat over the bones of those he killed. However, in the place of bones
there was a carpet of blood red flowers! As he stared at the blooms, a great
spear came out of the sky to hook him up high on its barb, and a voice said inside his head: “Coward! You cannot kill blood, and the blood of Purleemil,
Wimbakolo and their baby will live forever, to beautify the plains beside our
lake of dried tears. And you shall sit here forever, looking at the results of your
coward’s work”.
So the spirit spear pinned Tirlta to the earth, where he turned into a rock, surrounded by Flowers of Blood, all with the black faces of Purleemil, Wimbakolo
and their little baby.
Above: Well known Desert Pea plants outside Duke’s Motel, Andamooka.
Centre panel, p.28: Footprints to and from a Waterhole, from fabric carry-bag
by NT Health, 2010.
Andamooka Press photos
ANDAMOOKA OPALFIELDS CWA
AGM, at our rooms, 1pm, August 11.
All folk welcome.
We would like to also take this opportunity to thank Complete Personnel for their
work at our Boo-teek, clearing weeds and building the slab for our water tank.
Andamooka Press July 2015
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ANDAMOOKA’S BEST OPAL STORIES.
In 1982 after the Army I worked here on and off for 10 years, getting to know
Kalgoorlie Bill (a gold miner from WA) who believed in wires and was consistently successful. He would show me where the next shafts were to be sunk by
Paddy and Herby, how he moved the shafts three foot to the side so they would
not land on it. I was a bit of a cynic and still think it had more to do with the
fact that he contracted six shafts at a time!
My long service ran out and I had to go back into uniform, abandoning the
claim. It was taken up by the opal buyer who bought all I had found and 20
years later he told me he had got his start in the big time on my claim. It seems
God didn't think it good for me to become rich! That's OK, HE is riches
enough!
Scotty Bob lived on Lunatic all his years here, a lovely man, a quiet ex-soldier.
He had “hundreds” of cats and about as many Villiers motors that he recovered
from the dump and repaired. It was always Scotty Bob who I turned to when a
snake fell down my shaft and he would go without hesitation, bringing it up in
a bag. A six pack of Thanks was always welcomed as he spent most of his pension on cat food.
I bought a Landcruiser and had my 8 year old son Daniel with me and showed
my bush skills by driving over the sand dunes, except I sunk right down to the
doorsills as I revved to get out. Daniel said “Dad, aren’t you supposed to turn
those things on the wheels?” to which I replied “SHUT UP, can’t you see I’m
BUSY”. Much, much later a sheepish Dad got out and dug out the front wheels
and turned “those things” on the hubs and away we went. I do not think I ever
thanked him or apologised. I do now.
Conrad Powell
Have you got your team together for the Wheelbarrow Race yet?
Got your barrows?!
Started training? Sorting out your photos? Doing your ARTWORKS?
Found the Ŧȋᵯᶀәᶉ, wire, stone or steel for your Sculpture?
BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OPAL?
The recent decision of haute couture houses Tiffany & Co., and Dior, to include
opal in their new season fashion ranges may improve demand and prices for
opal.
J.M.
Andamooka Press July 2015
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SYLVIE’S CORNER (extract from Andamooka School News, July)
Sylvie
Andamooka Press July 2015
Andamooka School Pastoral Care Worker
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ANDAMOOKA
DUKES BOTTLE HOUSE MOTEL
CHECK OUR SPECIALS
275 Opal Creek Boulevard
ANDAMOOKA, SA 5722
Ensuite motel rooms, reasonable rates,
air-conditioned
Tel: 08 8672 7007 Fax: 08 8672 7062
Email: [email protected]
www.andamookaopal.com.au
ANDAMOOKA
ANDAMOOKA COMMUNITY
CHURCH
Sunday service: 2pm
Bible study: Tuesday 10am
All welcome
ATMC
ANDAMOOKA
TOWN MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Monday-Thursday: 9am-noon, 1-3pm
Friday: CLOSED
Phone: 8672 7246
Email: [email protected]
For more information on ATMC
Dr Owen Lewis
MBBS DCH DRCOG DA FRACGP GDPHC
Clinics held most weeks on Tuesdays
10 am - 12.30 pm
Andamooka Dukes Bottlehouse Motel
Appointments: please ring
Roxby Downs Medical Practice
8671 1900
please visit www.oca.sa.gov.au
Andamooka Press July 2015
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