Number 89, 2012

www.wollangarra.org.au

Ph 5148 0492

Wollangarra

Licola 3858

Patron: John Landy,

AC, MBE

A u t u m n N e w s l e t t e r

Stage III Trivia Night

Saturday 24th March, 7 - 11 pm. Brunswick Uniting Church, 211 Sydney Road Brunswick

Bring along your friends and family for a fun evening of trivia and games.

There will be a silent auction and lots of prizes to be won.

Look for the ‘Wollangarra Stage III Trivia Night’ event on Facebook or call us

for more information!

“A cup of tea without a biscuit is a missed opportunity," I was

once told. Well...we can be safe in saying that there aren’t too

many missed opportunities at Wollangarra. We could go even

further and say that not only do we get to enjoy tea with a biscuit,

but we get the joy of great company as well.

The Flat has been chock a block full of great company this Sum-

mer. January kicked off with six

new Wollangarra staff members;

Gabrielle, Meg, Lou, Hamish,

Josh and Paul. It’s exciting to

have these guys with us and we

thank them already for throwing

themselves in there and opening

their hearts up to all that

Wollangarra is and can be. We

love the different ideas and fla-

vours that each staff group

bring. So far we have been intro-

duced to cucumber jam, quirky

triathalons, plum cake and dul-

cet tunes from ‘The Shredders’.

The staff have also taken on the

challenge of putting zucchini

into almost every meal; I just

wish that they could disguise it a

little bit better at times! It has

been great getting to know them, sharing this wonderful time of

year on the Flat together, and loking forward to all that the year

will bring.

January has become a busy time on the Flat and up in the moun-

tains for our young people. Fruit Bottling brought in a huge mob of

fantastic company and, once again, no missed opportunities. It

was a weekend bustling with energy and giggles, focused yet re-

laxed. Not only did we bottle and store fruit, jams, pickles and

chutneys to keep us going through the year, but summery memo-

ries to look back on and sustain us through the long winter.

The outdoor kitchen renovations have made an awesome impact

to life on the flat. The privilege of building something and seeing it

evolve right in front of your eyes is a rare treat. I feel lucky to

know the story behind each of the materials used for this project

and also to have spent time with

each of the people that have been

involved in the building process.

Thanks for your energy and help.

Late summer and early autumn is a

time of training for the new staff at

Wollangarra. We are very fortu-

nate during this time for the myriad

of people that put their hands up to

get involved and even bring the

training right onto the Flat.

Thanks to all of those people that

have helped us out this year and

that are about to help us out this

year. We have enjoyed the many

visitors and the cups of teas and

goodies shared. Now we just need

to be sure to not let the Wollan-

garra wobbles take over!

We are incredibly lucky to be the caretakers of Wollangarra for

another year. There are not many places in the world in which

such special people visit so regularly and give of themselves so

generously. Whilst we may live very simply at Wollangarra our

lives are rich and all the better for having spent time here.

We look forward to seeing you for a visit this year and sharing a

cup of tea and maybe even a biscuit. - Lisa.

This year’s crew enjoy some sunshine

P A G E 2 W O L L A N G A R R A A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R 2 0 1 2

Meet the 2012 Staff

Ten Things I Hate about Gabrielle Bridge

I hate the way she’s a country girl and comes from Yackandandah

I hate the way she looks after the sheep and likes to clean the verandah

I hate the way she abbreviates Yackandandah to Yack

I hate the way she swims nearly every day in the Mac

I hate the way she has freckles, and that her hair is red

I hate the way she grows so many luscious veggies in the garden bed

I hate the way she always sings so fast and so high

I hate the way she’s willing to give swift water, 4WD and chain-sawing a try

I hate the way she has the hots for Frodo Baggins and for Snape

I hate the way I think she will forever be my mate

I hate the way she is like a sister to me, and what a bloody good year it’s going to be

I hate the way all these things I say that I abhor

Are really things that I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart adore. - Louise.

Introducing Hamish Macrae

Hamish is something of a Wollangarra veteran, first visiting in 2004 as a young

person. Even though he may get lost in Heyfield his bush navigation skills are his

saving grace, as well as his excellent foot dancing abilities and musical talents.

Hamish spent most of last year as a leader at an Outdoor Ed camp in Scotland,

preparing him well for the potentially wet and cold conditions of the Australian

Alps. - Meg.

Who’s This?

She was born in the Charlton Bush Nursing hospital, to parents David and Jenny. She grew

up on a crop farm with three brothers.

She has lived a wonderful life full of different experiences, people, places and jobs all around

the world.

She can be found early in the morning practicing yoga or late in the afternoon strolling along

the riverbank.

She begins projects and finishes them, like destroying stinging nettles around orange trees

even when her hands go numb.

She loves learning new songs on the guitar and although she hasn’t played for very long she

picks things up quickly. She loves a mini session on the harmonica too.

When she has a task to complete she gets pretty focused, but if there is something to laugh

about, she lets out a huge contagious belly laugh to be heard from all around.

You can talk to her and ask her questions, she’s a good listener and can share her experienc-

es too. She is pretty content here at Woll and she reckons she’s gonna enjoy this year.

She is…Megan Cossar. - Josh.

Paul Nichol

Paul, our new Stage III facilitator, has ven-

tured to Woll this year from a very diverse

and interesting background. From riding

his bike around Australia to freelance out-

door-ed instructing and walking the Aus-

tralian Alps Walking Track, Paul has had

some awe-inspiring experiences through

which he has become a very knowledgea-

ble chap. He is full of get-up-and-go and

quirky ideas but is more famous for his

ability to give tips about almost anything

(check some out on page 7). Within a few

weeks of being at Woll he has already

rigged up a lightweight bed-frame on

wheels that we call ‘Paul the Great’. However this practicality

can also exert itself in pretty extreme ways.

Paul’s habit of cutting off any tiny thing that

doesn’t necessarily ‘need’ to be there, like tags,

excess straps and buttons is bordering on insane.

His poor pack is ridiculously bare, with almost

every attachment sacrificed in the name of being

light-weight. Paul has an uncanny ability to see

the simplest way of going about something. The

amusing peculiarity of Paul’s contraptions and

actions is also reflected in his sense of humour.

His array of different accents is pretty impressive

and he whips them out fairly regularly. Paul has

an eye for improvement and no doubt he’ll give

a lot to the Stage IIIs and Woll this year. He

comes accompanied by his fluffy black dog Hodgy. - Gabi.

P A G E 3 N U M B E R 8 9

Meet the 2012 Staff Josh Tucker—a top bloke

Born and bred as a local fella from Maffra, he has completed his Outdoor Education degree at Bendi-

go and worked up north in outback Queensland within Aboriginal communities. He worked for pro-

grams such as ‘Beyond Billabong’ and ‘Billabong to Beach,’ helping young Aboriginal people to im-

prove life skills to allow them to make better life choices and motivate them to have a positive life.

Josh is a man who anyone is happy to strike up a yarn with, as he has a great

sense of humour and team spirit. He can just about always put a smile on

your face and when you hear his cracker laugh from a distance, you can’t help

but join in with a good chuckle. - Paul.

Louise King

“Louise? Why would anyone in their right mind hire Louise?” I hear you ask.

Good question! We’re not sure!

Maybe it’s because since tagging along on a Burgoyne’s Hut work party back

in ‘09 she’s been a keen-as-mustard Stage IIIer, joining the committee as the Young Person Liason and attend-

ing loads of events. Maybe it’s because she loves her chooks so much that she sings them lullabies and hangs

up her dresses in their coop to scare away the goanna. Maybe because she introduces games like ‘Jungle

Speed’ and ‘Round and Round the Big Fat Pony’. Maybe it’s the inspired spontaneous song-writing skills.

Maybe it’s because she arrives full of ideas from a month at a community centre in Africa. Maybe it’s the dis-

tinctive laughter that can be heard from Licola, if the wind is right.

“Fair enough, I guess” I hear you reply. “Enjoy your year at Woll Louise!” you add. - Hamish.

Good spring rains and a warm summer have encouraged the wildlife to come out and play. Wombats, kookaburras, snakes, fish, butter-

flies and a goanna all call Woll home. It seems the only ones who

don’t want to stay are the sheep who keep our fencing skills up to

scratch. The garden and fruit trees have been bountiful, providing

colour and nutrition to many meals—tomatoes, zucchini, squash,

beans, beetroots, leeks, corn, plums and nectarines. The zucchinis

tend to hide under the foliage, sneakily growing into marrow mon-

sters! Apples and pumpkins are coming in now and we’re preparing

beds for winter planting. There were many contributors around the

flat during the Fruitbottling weekend: blackberry busting, flood water

diversion, fixing the Tussocky ford track, wood collection, water-

proofing gear and a summer weeds blitz in the garden. A few good

men also worked on the outdoor kitchen renovation, erecting the

mainstay beam and wall posts. Wollangarra and crew are humming

and looking forward to our first course of 2012. - Meg.

Around the Flat

Sponsor a Sleeper It's more than 22 years since Ian Stapleton set up Wollangarra, and all of a sudden we've got a great deal of maintenance, repairs and

renovations to undertake on the buildings.

Our current project involves extending and renovating the outdoor kitchen. The walls will be constructed using railway sleepers, in

keeping with the Wollangarra homestead. Our next project will be a renovation and extension of the tool/wood shed. All this work

will require 400 sleepers, and we need your support to get them! Help us out by choosing one of the sponsorship levels below, and

making a donation by cheque, money order or direct deposit.

Sleeper Sponsorship Levels:

Single Sleeper Sponsor: 1 Sleeper - $15

Bronze Sleeper Sponsor: 10 Sleepers - $150

Silver Sleeper Sponsor: 30 Sleepers - $450

Gold Sleeper Sponsor: 50 Sleepers - $750

Details of the Wollangarra Donations Account are on page 5 of this newsletter.

After having our destinies restored to us from the unforgiving hand of V/Line region-

al train services, a delicious lunch in the Heyfield park, the rambunctious ride in the troopies and the heartfelt civilities sent out to the inducting Stage IIIs as they left for

their hike, we, the Stage IIs of January 2012, stood awkwardly in the front paddock, collecting freckles in the hot afternoon sun. As my eyes met those of my friend Isaac,

we both knew what was coming; we were shocked to our very cores; what wonderful, nay, incredible luck we had! Here we were, with six other Stage IIs, all of whom had

either come to Wollangarra for the very first time, or were new from Stage I. They

were impressionable, and ready to faithfully do anything we asked, trusting our prior knowledge and charm. It would be an easy week.

Ha! Just kidding, we don’t really think like that. Needless to say, we were still excit-ed. New Stage IIs, a new year, new leaders, new challenges, new scars, new smells,

new accomplishments, and ever-more elaborate and inappropriate puns and campfire songs. Coupled with a few familiar faces which came in the form of Dan Abikhair

and Power Ranger Wayne, it was going to be cool.

The hike begun at Macalister Springs where we camped, so we could then explore Mt Howitt, and the Crosscut Saw. Track work on the path which led up to the Devil’s

Staircase Lookout was done with the sort of intensity and motivation of which I have never seen in new Stage IIs, and was quite inspiring. Reaching the summit of Mt

Howitt in an afternoon just proved that this group were ready to tackle anything. We were joined by an array of visitors: a chance encounter with Shaun and Six (local

Stage IIs) and their mothers, who set the pace for the walk in; Power Ranger Wayne

aiding with our track work activities on the second day; and a local supporter accom-panied by his six-year old son - the latter of the pair made us all feel very unfit, as he

ran the whole way along the Crosscut Saw. We had the traditional Thursday Night Dinner at Thomastown, a great car camping area equipped with its own watering

hole, whose ice cold mountain water has always gone down well with exhausted, dirt-incrusted Stage IIs as they make their slow journey back to Woll at the end of this

annual January hike.

All in all, it was a brilliant week, and one of the best I have experienced at Wollan-garra. I would like to thank the usual suspects - they know who they are, but especial-

ly Dan, Anneke and Tom who were nice enough to help out. I already know that 2012 will be an exciting year for everyone involved in the Wollangarra community,

and I wish you all the very best. - Hannah Lee.

P A G E 4 W O L L A N G A R R A A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R 2 0 1 2

Staff Training

Our training over the last couple of months has included a bit of everything! A staff hike included burning sun, closely

followed by a pretty decent snowfall around Mac Springs

and Conglomerate Falls. We learned 4WD stall recoveries and not to ‘pussyfoot around like you’re giving your Nanna

a lift on Sunday morning’ with Russel White. We got into flattering wetsuits to learn about the behaviour of swift

water with Murray Tucker. We all headed up to Mittagun-di to learn our 1st Aid stuff with their staff, including Woll

alum Denno Bainger and Lucy Kervin-McDermott. There

we learned to run through DRSABCDE, including the AVPU scale to check LOC, SAMPLE history, OPQRST,

RICER therapy, to take HRs and RRs, survey the MOI, administer CPR, check CSMs, including SCTM, do a

BEAM lift and an FSA, check TOTAPS, diagnose UTIs, write PTRs, and give NSAIDs, and we are now fully quali-

fied WFA-ers. Around the flat, Chad and Lisa have been

introducing us to all our job areas. Now we totally know what we’re doing, ask us anything!

- Hamish.

January Stage II

Clockwise from top right: relaxing on Mount Buggery; hikinh

though an actual snowstorm!; amazing views on the Crosscut

Saw; Lucy shows off her scenario-wounds.

Stage III Induction

P A G E 5 N U M B E R 8 9

Sunshine, laughter and a great group of people...what more could you ask for when be-ginning a new chapter of your Wollangarra journey? Or should I say the opening chapter

for the three Mittagundi girls coming across. Our hike was a great way to get a feel for what Stage III and Wollangarra is really like. To establish that contrast and connection

between home, Woll and all that lies between. Throughout the journey to Woll we learnt about many things, including how to read the

clouds to see a) if there was a weather front coming in and b) to know how quickly it

was coming. We also learnt about everyone in our group and a bit of their background, where they are from and what Wollangarra really means to them. During our afternoon

at Burgoynes Hut we finished off the work of mortaring the window and door frames along with a relaxing float in the Macalister! We ended our induction with a de-brief in

the Mac and then made the final steps into Wollangarra, freshly inducted (Thanks Lu-ca!).

We would like to thank plain old borin’ old Paul, Denno, Cass & Karlee for being awe-

some leaders even though unfortunately Denno couldn’t walk with us. And another massive thank you to Karlee for the beautiful wake up calls - they are definitely not

something that we will forget in a hurry! And now the much awaited knowledge of who these inductees are: John, Jacob, Mae,

Maddie, Lydia, Luca, Bruce (Brooke) and Rhiannon. The Woll experience will stay with us! There may be a long time between visits but we

will always come back to Woll no matter where we end up. Once a Wollie always a

Wollie. - Rhiannon Hughes.

Sunset over a newly furnished Bourgoynes

Friends of Wollangarra,

We are currently in the process of extending the outdoor kitchen to accommodate a new commercial kitchen and large food storage

area. This will help us to comply with increasingly stringent OHS and food handling regulations and increase our capacity to cater for

large courses and events. But more importantly, it will mean we don’t have to store all of our bulk food in the office!

The major cost for the outdoor kitchen extension will be for a new stove. A Collins slow combustion double oven, the same as the one

in the homestead kitchen, will set us back $12,500. These stoves are made in Australia by a family run

company in Bairnsdale. To cover the cost of the stove, we are seeking 25 $500 donations. If $500 is a

bit much, we will gratefully accept smaller donations. Every little bit counts.

If you can help out, Wollangarra will gladly accept a donation by cheque, money order, or direct de-

posit. Here are the details of the Wollangarra Donations Account:

Bendigo Bank BSB: 633 108

Account Number: 108 986 746

If you are making a donation to the Stove Fund, please inform Will Ford by email

wford85@yahoo.com.au or phone 0421 817 631 to be included in a special newsletter article once we

have reached the fundraising target.

Alpine Walk

Anyone who’s driven from Wollangarra to Mittagundi knows it’s a long, fuel-guzzling

five-hour trip! In April this year, a group of young people from both centres will be do-

ing the same, but with only their boots to carry them, and only porridge, Vita-weats and

hike curry to fuel them!

Maeve Nunan, Arran Brady, Jacob O’Donohue, Jack Garton and Ellie Ware will be

leaving behind showers, phone reception, comfortable beds and microwaves for 11 days.

As well as all the amazing country they’ll get to see, and the friendships they’ll develop,

they’re doing it to raise money for Woll and Mitta, so how about giving them a sponsor-

ship?

Can you pitch in for a new outdoor kitchen stove?

Like this but bigger!

Fruitbottling 2012

P A G E 6 W O L L A N G A R R A A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R 2 0 1 2

Here’s a puzzle that‘s been bending our brains recently:

Three Stage IIs have just had a brill weekend at Fruitbottling. They catch the bus from the front gate to Traralgon, which costs them

$10 each, $30 altogether. The bus is late, so they complain to Paul, who gives them a $5 refund. They decide to take $1 each, and give

the driver a $2 tip. So they paid $10 each, minus the $1 change: $9 each. 3 x 9 = $27, plus the $2 tip = $29. There were originally 30

dollars...where did the other dollar go?

I felt a little under the grill But people told me it was quite chill

So I took a breath and let it out It was Fruitbottling, what’s to worry about?

Stage I, II, III came by the busload For a journey down the fruity road

People came from miles away

Some even drove for all of that day But when they arrived there was always a smile

A happy nod, a chat for a while It didn’t take long for the beginning

Nothing really started without the singing Hud, hud, hud, hud, we started the day

Everyone felt stretched and was cutting away

Some worked lunch, jammed, or pickled Others manned the fox, gardened or sickled

The ODK was surely a highlight Seeing that beam lift to a height

The valley went dark, no stars came out We flocked to the campfire and sat about

The guitar got plucked, a voice so sweet

Round the campfire, we felt the beat I wonder what the young people will feel

Eating zucchini pickle for a mountain meal One of the 510 jars that we made

Will they taste the sweat and love inlaid? I tell you what, I feel it myself

I’ll be thinking now when I go to the shelf

Of the fruitbottling of 2012. - Josh.

A Wollangarra conundrum

Anti-clockwise from top left: some of the vacola crew;

chop chop chop; morning warm-ups; affixing the lids;

snags for everyone; most of the 2012 Fruitbbottling

crew; serving up the grub; fruit picking on the flat.

P A G E 7 N U M B E R 8 9

Paul’s Tips · Technique is important to save those joints in the long term. Walk with soft

feet, like the cat - don’t shock load your knees, and let your muscles absorb all the impact with a bit of spring in your step.

· If you’re planning to do something at Wollangarra that would usually take about an hour, allow three instead.

· When planning a trip always start with the people and the dates, this is a must, the rest will just happen.

· For a slopey camp site you will find the good old foam mat is a lot more grip-

py than one of those fancy new fangdangled inflation mats, and the foam mat is warmer, cheaper and just as lightweight. If the insole falls out of your shoe, cut up

your foamy to make a new one! When it comes to price the old foamy can’t be beat. The only drawbacks are that it’s a little less comfy when on hard ground, and the

foamy is a little bulky - but you won’t ever find it goes flat on you. · Hat flaps! If you haven’t heard of hat flaps then don’t worry because you

soon will. Hat flaps are the latest craze when it comes to outdoor gear, fashion or

protective clothing in the mountains. They can be

made out of the lower half of a thin op-shop shirt. You put

an elastic draw-cord in the bottom seam and hang it

from your head to keep the

sun off your neck ears and face.

· I also recommend sun gloves for walking in the

mountains. These can also be easily made from old shirts and the likes of.

· Never count on it not raining in the mountains.

March 24 Stage III Trivia Night

April 1-7 Stage III Hike/Work Party

April 2-6 Holiday Stage I—Meeting the Mountains

April 2-14 Alpine Walk

April 8-13 Holiday Stage II – Helping the Mountains

May 25-27 Work Party Weekend

June 9-11 Wood Chop

Calendar: March—June 2012 Need List

Duct tape

Wooden spoons

Shoe goo

Tent pegs

Star pickets

AA and AAA batteries

Mulch for veggie garden

Roofing nails

Railway sleepers

Permanent markers

Water bladders

Rat bait

Winter vegetable seeds

Pillows and single fitted sheets

Woodchop 2012

An event at which we chop wood.

Come up on the Queen’s Birthday

weekend, the 9th and 10th of June.

Bring your friends. If you don’t have

any friends, bring your mum!

Paul models his practical, flattering mountain fashions.

Have a look on our website for more work party dates.

If undeliverable, please return to:

Wollangarra

Licola 3858

Surface Mail Postage Paid

Australia

Print Post Approved PP 381667/00516

Tom, Anneke and Dan for leading the Jan

Stage II

Andrew ‘Foss’ Ellis for help leading up to

fruitbottling

Simmo for the work on the ford

Laurel for making heaps of pickles

Danni for helping with the chutney

Jake for supervising the swimming & stir-

ring the loos

Clare and Danni for all the great work on

the garden last year

Linda Nichol for the guitar

Ivan for chocolate and coffee

Robin Ford for the lovely ‘welcome’ flags

and corrugated iron

Conrad for a nice pair of boots

Timbertop for donating loads of useful gear

Sinead & crew for babysitting and getting

lots of jobs done

Brady family for the babysitting weekend

Mittagundi crew for hosting us during the

Wilderness First Aid training, and Lizzie,

Mez, Dan and Tim for wonderful cooking

Tim Benne and Neil Ritchie for brilliant

First Aid training

Murray Tucker for the Swift Water Rescue Training

Russel ‘Whitey’ White for teaching us the

capabilities of our troopies

John Colpo for ODK stirrups

Ian and Olivia for a lovely dinner

Tess and Will for heaps of Fruitbottling

help, and work on the new ODK

Al and Clare for bottling loads of jam and

cooking lunch

Tim Collins for two weeks of ODK work

Dylan Burns and John Brady for being part

of the vacola crew

Nicola Woodward for the fruit-chopping co-ordination

Brad and Jenny Woods for ODK work

and chutney brewing respectively

Al Katrivessis for manning a wheelbarrow

Ella and Bronwyn for delicious baking

Dave Cadogan for timber and corrugated

iron

Everyone who came to Fruitbottling for a

fun, productive weekend!

Thankyou to…

What a hunk of spunk!

12 Uses for a Giant Zucchini With a particularly good season for zucchinis this year, we’ve had to get creative to get through them all. Here are our suggestions for

that extra wheelbarrow of veggies you find hiding in the corner of the garden.

1. Club the Wollangarra Bunyip with one when he tries to steal chicken eggs.

2. Leave them in the unlocked car of a friend (or stranger).

3. Put one in a pram dressed like a baby and walk it down the street.

4. Use one instead of a log in a crosscut saw contest.

5. Fill the Wollangarra staff with joy at the very sight of them - a great gift.

6. Who needs a pumpkin at Halloween? Carve out one of these big boys.

7. Use one instead of a sheaf in a sheaf-tossing contest.

8. Hollow out the middle and take one canoeing down the Macalister.

9. Cut one into strips for a gentle and moist toileting experience.

10. Use one instead of porridge in a porridge-eating contest.

11. Lift our gigantic zucchinis each day, and you’ll soon earn a spot at the next

Olympics as a champion weight lifter, zucchini javelin thrower, zucchini shot put,

or in the synchronised zucchini wheelbarrowing team.

12. Oh and you can also cook them: on the barbie, in a pot, roasted on a stick in

the fire, in the oven, preserve them as a pickle or a chutney, make zucchini jam,

zucchini slice, zucchini bread, stuffed zucchini, zucchini dip, zucchini nutrient water, zucchini fritters, zucchini leather, zucchini choco-

late cake, zucchini pasta, zucchini soup, zucchini salad, zucchini smoothie, zucchini wedges, zucchini frittata, zucchini pilaf, zucchini

scones, zucchini chips...