valley voice issue 3 - april 2011

8/7/2019 Valley Voice Issue 3 - April 2011

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Tuggeranong Community Council Newsletter Issue 3: April 2011

Tuggeranong Community Council Working with our community www.tuggcc.com Page 1

CONTENTS PAGE

Call for Valley University 1

TCC supports future rail 1

Talking Tuggeranong with the Chief 2

Feed-in-tariff costly 2

Monaro Highway upgrade welcomed 3

Community considers master plans 4

Reforms to justice system 5

Health centre plans unveiled 5

Caring for Tuggeranongs aged 6

Community say on Erindale bus station 7

Watching every drop of precious resource 7

New recycling service 7

Anzac Day and the fires of hell 8

Leaner driver review 9

Flushed with new loo 9

East guide to STTC 10

Dont forget 10

Call for Valley university

The Tuggeranong Community Council(TCC) has called on the ACT Govern-ment to boost further education servicesand facilities in the Valley.

In a motion passed at its recent meetingthe Council called for the establishmentof a combined technical college and uni-versity campus in the Tuggeranong Val-

ley.

More than 4,330 residents from the Tug-geranong Valley and surrounds are cur-rently enrolled in tertiary studies at theUniversity of Canberra (2540), AustralianNational University (1,640) and the Aus-tralian Catholic University (248).

There are approx 5,000 TuggeranongValley residents studying at the variousCanberra Institute of Technology (CIT)campuses including the TuggeranongLearning Centre.

TCC President, Darryl Johnston, saidmany students living in the TuggeranongValley face, not only a heavy study load,but also hours of travelling between

home and campus. If they do not own acar they have to rely on public transportto get them to lectures, sometimes atodd hours during the day.

It can also be very expensive for manystudents on a meagre income, headded.

He said he noted that one university inCanberra has plans to open campuses inCooma and Goulburn.

I believe there is just as much need fora combined technical college and univer-sity campus in Tuggeranong.

A combined technical college and uni-versity campus in the Valley would makestudent life and studying easier for manyexisting students and open up more edu-cational opportunities for others, hesaid.

The TCC has raised the issue with theACT Education Minister, Andrew Barrand ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope(see Pg 2).

TCC supportsfuture rail

The Tuggeranong Community Council

(TCC) has joined the long campaign foran improved public transport system inthe ACT.

In a motion passed at its recent meetingmembers called for the construction of arail based mass public transport systemlinking Tuggeranong with other majortown centres in the ACT and Quean-beyan by 2030.

TCC Vice President, Colin Petrie, saidCanberra cannot rely on buses alone forits future public transport needs as the

Canberra-Queanbeyan region is ex-pected to grow substantially over thenext 20 years.

Continued on Pg 3


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Feed-in-tariffcostly

A mounting chorus of commentators andnow Federal Government Ministers are

highlighting the massive cost to consum-ers from programs like the solar feed-in-tariff here in the ACT, according to ACTOpposition Leader, Zed Seselja.

Mr. Seselja said Federal Labor Energyand Resources Minister, Martin Fergu-son, is the latest to warn renewable en-ergy programs came at a high cost tothe community

According to Mr. Seselja one of the mostinefficient renewable energy schemes inthe country has been the ACT solar feed-in-tariff scheme, which costs around$400 per tonne of carbon emissions pro-duced.

Source: Media release


Mass public transport, a Valley universityand a new southern cemetery were highon the agenda when a small delegationfrom Tuggeranong Community Council(TCC) recently met with ACT Chief Min-ister, Jon Stanhope.

The delegation included TCC President,Darryl Johnston and Vice President,Colin Petrie. This is the third in whathave become regular discussions be-tween the TCC and the Chief Minister.

In opening the talks Mr. Johnston andMr. Petrie referred the Chief Minister to arecent TCC motion calling on the ACTGovernment to begin planning for theintroduction of a rail based mass publictransport system linking Tuggeranong toother Canberra town centres and Quean-beyan by 2030.

Mr. Petrie said the TCC does not believeCanberra and Queanbeyan can rely onbuses alone for its future public transportneeds and planning must begin now forthe introduction of a mass public trans-port system to meet Canberra andQueanbeyans forecast growth to approx600,000 by 2030.

Mr. Stanhope said initial governmentcostings and modelling had shown that alight rail system in Canberra would cost$3bn. It also showed that unlike othercities that had developed light rail sys-tems, Canberra did not have the popula-tion mass to warrant one at this point.

However he said that the government

kept an open mind and he believed thata light rail system for Canberra was in-evitable, possibly developed in stagesover a number of years.

I and some caucus members have anopen mind on this subject and we be-

lieve it is inevitable that a light rail sys-tem will become a reality one day. Itcould be developed in stages, say fromMitchell or Dickson to Civic or even toWoden.

As a community council the TCC shouldcontinue to promote this issue with gov-ernment, Mr. Stanhope said.

Mr. Johnston and Mr. Petrie also raisedthe issue of the proposed location of thenew Southern Cemetery at Hume. Mr.Johnston said while the TCC supports a

new southern cemetery many membersare concerned over its proposed loca-tion.

He said they are concerned that the siteis not linked to public transport, its toorocky and contains natural water springs.

Mr. Stanhope responded that he ex-pected an announcement soon on a newSouthern Cemetery. He said a site forthe new southern cemetery would un-dergo an extensive geotechnical survey,planning and design work that will coverpublic transport issues.

The day following the meeting with theTCC Mr. Stanhope announced the newSouthern Cemetery and Crematorium

Talking Tuggeranong with the Chief

L to R: ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, TCC President, Darryl Johnston and TCC Vice

President, Colin Petrie at the conclusion of their quarterly meeting.

would proceed at Hume and he has allo-cated more than $720,000 for designworks. He also announced that furtherconsultation on the project would takeplace with religious groups and the com-munity.

On the issue of expanding tertiary edu-cation services and facilities in Tugger-anong the Chief Minister said the TCCscall for establishing a combined technicalcollege and university in Tuggeranonghad merit. He agreed tertiary educationfacilities were focussed in the north andsuggested the TCC take an active role indiscussions to amalgamate the CanberraInstitute of Technology (CIT) and theUniversity of Canberra (UC).

The Education Minister is due to an-nounce the appointment of a tertiary

education expert to look at the proposalsfrom the Hawke Review on greater col-laboration between the CIT and UC. It isworthwhile the TCC taking an active rolein this process. he said.

The TCC delegation also highlightedsome environmental issues including theACT Governments wood heater buy-back scheme. Mr. Johnston questionedthe Chief Minister on why the programdoes not also include the option to re-place old polluting wood heaters with acheap and efficient form of electric heat-

ing?

Mr. Stanhope said he would raise thisquestion with the Environment Minister,Simon Corbell.


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From Pg 1

Mr. Petrie said according to the PropertyCouncil of Australia Canberra-Queanbeyans current population isabout 398,000, which is anticipated toincrease by about 100,000 by 2030 toalmost half a million.

He said Canberra is currently growing atnearly four times the rate it did in 2005.

Canberra must begin planning now for a

mass public transport system otherwisewe will face gridlock on our major linkroads. As the national capital it shouldbe leading the way in public transportand an example to the rest of the na-tion, Mr. Petrie said.

Canberra can look to the examples ofmany cities of similar size in Europe andNorth America that have successfullydelivered a well patronised mass publictransport system, he added.

Mr. Petrie said the ACT Government

must look at the project as an investmentfor the future and not as a cost.

A future mass public transportsystem for Canberra?

Almost 130 years after it was first de-clared a road and more than two dec-ades since work started on converting itfrom two to four lanes, the vision of afully duplicated Monaro Highway is al-most a reality.

The Federal Labor member for Can-berra, Gai Brodtmann and Labor Mem-ber for Brindabella, John HargreavesMLA turned the first sod on the $20 mil-lion upgrade to the highway betweenCanberra Avenue and Newcastle Streetin Fyshwick the only remaining undu-plicated section.

The upgrade to the Monaro Highwaythrough Fyshwick is a jointly funded pro-ject, with the Gillard Labor Government

contributing $18.5 million and the re-mainder coming from the Stanhope La-bor Government.

As well as erecting new bridges overCanberra Avenue and the rail line, theproject will duplicate 1.5 kilometres ofhighway by retaining the existing road fornorthbound traffic and building a newcarriageway for motorists headingsouth, said Mr. Hargreaves.

The sod followed the opening of thenewly duplicated Lanyon Drive, with this

latest upgrade set to complement theextensive work weve already completedaround the Airport as well as the futureMajura Parkway project.

Once completed in mid 2012, the bene-fits of this new piece road infrastructurewill be shared by the users of the Airportas well as the tens of thousands of peo-ple who commute daily through the pre-cinct between Queanbeyan and Can-berra.

Ms. Brodtmann said as well as providingbetter access to the Airport, this projectwill ease congestion for the 40,000 mo-torists which use this road every day anumber that will grow in the years ahead.

Once again, its taken a partnershipbetween Labor governments to build theinfrastructure which should have beencompleted long ago, said MsBrodtmann.

The Tuggeranong Community Council(TCC) has welcomed the announcementof funding for the duplication of the Mon-aro Highway at Fyshwick.

TCC Vice President, Dug Holmes, saidthe Monaro Highway is a major trafficroute for Tuggeranong residents com-muting daily between work and home.

He said for too long Tuggeranong com-muters have been delayed by bottlenecktraffic jams as they approach the single

lane bridges that carry the Monaro High-way over Canberra Avenue and the Can-berra railway line.

Monaro Highway upgrade welcomed

Federal Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann and Member for

Brindabella, John Hargreaves MLA, mark the commencement of work on the duplication of the

Monaro Highway at Fyshwick by turning the first sod.

Mr. Holmes said the TCC had raisedissues concerning traffic flow on theMonaro Highway with the ACT Govern-ment in its 2010 Talking Tuggeranongsubmission that highlighted the need toduplicate the bridges.

The TCC had also highlighted the possi-ble future need for a third lane, espe-cially with the planned industrial expan-sion at Hume and the proposed residen-tial development at Tralee. Both develop-ments will add significantly to traffic vol-ume on the Monaro Highway.

Meanwhile, I congratulate the ACT andFederal Governments for reaching afunding agreement that will dramaticallyimprove traffic flow on the Monaro High-way and ease traffic woes for Tugger-anong commuters, Mr. Holmes said.


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Community health centres in the ACTprovide a range of health services for allages, including counselling, screening,treatment, therapy, community support,education, and group programs.

As a part of the ACT Health Capital As-

set Development Program, ACT Healthis building a new community health cen-tre at Gungahlin, a new enhanced com-munity health centre at Belconnen. Theexisting Tuggeranong Health Centre willbe refurbished and expanded at a cost of$19m.

The release of design plans for the Tug-geranong centre represents the culmina-tion of two years of planning and consul-tation with user groups, key stake-holders, staff and the community.

The new centre will focus on the specifichealth needs of the Tuggeranong com-munity and surrounding areas. It willcontinue to be located on the corner ofAnketell and Pitman Streets, Greenwayand has been designed to include ser-vices such as alcohol and drug counsel-ling; renal dialysis; dental services; child,youth and womens services; self man-agement programs to manage chronicconditions; mental health services, andpathology.

Redevelopment of the centre will allow

existing consultation and clinic servicesto be expanded to meet a signif icantincrease in demand for health care ser-vices expected over the next 10-15years.

The centre has also been designed toenable outreach clinic services from hos-pitals, such as renal medicine, outpatientand antenatal services, to be conductedat the community health centre closer towhere people live.

The Tuggeranong Family Medical Prac-tice will continue to operate from the newcentre with its own dedicated entry andincreased floor space.

Plans for the Tuggeranong CommunityHealth Centre were presented at theTuggeranong Community Council gen-eral meeting on Tuesday, 5 April 2011.The plans were also on display in theTuggeranong Hyperdome and the Tug-geranong Community Library during theweek of 11 to 15 April 2011.

If you werent able to view the plans atany of the community information dis-plays they can be downloaded from theACT Health website at:www.health.act.gov.au/yhop

Comments about the plans can beemailed to [email protected] by Friday 29 April2011 or mailed to Capital Asset Develop-ment Program, Community Health Cen-tre Plans, PO Box 11, Woden ACT 2606.

For further information email your-

[email protected] phone02 6205 9060.

Source: ACT Health

Health centre plans unveiled

The expanded and refurbished Tuggeranong Community Health Centre on the corner of Anketelland Pitman Streets. Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2011. ACT Health will

make every effort to ensure the least disruption to services as possible.

Reforms tojustice system

Citizens should play a role in the admini-stration of justice in the ACT for the mostserious of offences, according to ACTAttorney General, Simon Corbell. Mr.Corbell was speaking at the March meet-

ing of the Tuggeranong CommunityCouncil (TCC) on proposed changes tothe ACT justice system.

Mr. Corbell has introduced a Bill into theACT Legislative Assembly seeking re-forms to the process of election for judgealone trials and to reaffirm the importantrole of juries in serious criminal trials.

He told TCC members that the ACT nowhas the largest number of SupremeCourt cases heard by judge alone thanany other jurisdiction in the country.

The ACT provision for election of judgealone trials are some of the most gener-ous in the country and the ACT has over50 percent of cases heard by judgealone, he said.

The current system is not operating inthe way the original proposer ever antici-pated. It was introduced in the early1990s by a previous attorney generalwho believed judge only trials were nec-essary in certain cases where extenuat-ing circumstances existed and it wasfeared a jury could be influenced or bi-ased by pre-trial publicity, Mr. Corbelladded.

He said ordinary ACT citizens should beat the centre of our criminal justice sys-tem. They should be involved in deter-mining guilt or innocence in seriouscriminal trials and the general communitycan maintain its confidence in our justicesystem.

Some argue it will lead to further delaysin hearings. I dont accept that. In judgealone trials, judges frequently reserve

their decision after hearing the matter togive them time to consider all evidenceand prepare a report. In the case of jurytrials a jury usually gives its verdict quitepromptly, he said.

Mr. Corbell also announced that the ACTGovernment is pursuing proposals forthe introduction of a sentencing councilthat will be responsible for monitoringsentencing trends and to determine ifthey are adequate.

Mr. Corbell said the Bill will be debated

in the middle of the year. In the mean-time he is seeking feedback from theACT Law Society, the ACT Bar Associa-tion, the community and other stake-
http://health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sp&did=10241971http://health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sp&did=10241971mailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centremailto:[email protected]?subject=Tuggeranong%20Health%20Centrehttp://health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sp&did=10241971


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As a service group of UnitingCare NSW/ACT, UnitingCare Ageing is responsiblefor the Uniting Church's ministry for olderpeople, particularly those who are disad-vantaged, vulnerable and isolated. Unit-ingCare Ageing offers care in a range ofaccommodation settings including highcare, residential care, retirement living,community care, day centres, privatenursing services and respite care.

With around 14,000 people in our care,UnitingCare Ageing is the single largestprovider of aged care services in New

South Wales and the ACT, and seeks toprovide positive lifestyle choices for olderpeople that result in enriching and fulfill-ing lives.

UnitingCare strives to develop servicesby seeking knowledge, responding toand meeting community expectationsand by developing innovative ap-proaches that will provide the best possi-ble care for the people we serve.

UnitingCare Ageings Mirinjani Village atWeston in the ACT has been providing

quality aged care options for almost 30years and in recent times has undergonea significant expansion of services.

Within the ACT, UnitingCare Ageing isnow planning to cater to the expectationsof future generations and their careneeds by designing innovative new ser-vices at Gordon that will turn the provi-sion of care on its head. Located directlyopposite Lanyon Marketplace the ser-vices will embrace living and wellness asan active part of ageing.

Regional Director of UnitingCare AgeingSouth Eastern Region, Joe Gaudiosisaid their approach to person centredcare and their newly developed servicemodel have not only required them to

rethink the way in which they care forolder people today and in the future, buthas also led them to move away fromconstructing the traditional large institu-tional style buildings that are typical ofmost aged care facilities in Australia.

We are considering the question of howwe offer care first, and then designingthe infrastructure to provide this care, hesaid.

Underpinning this for UnitingCare Ageingis its person centred care modelInspired Care and its new servicemodel, which encompasses principlessuch as individuality and diversity, en-ablement, empowerment, spirituality,choice, environment and the physicalhome.

Mr. Gaudiosi said their aim for Gordon isfor the new development to fully inte-grate with the local community and alsogive their clients choice in accommoda-tion settings where they can receive thecare they require. He said the non insti-tutional nature and design of the layout

will blend into the existing community.

Along with independent living units andaffordable housing options where com-munity care and wellness services will beoffered, the Gordon development willinclude the provision of residential agedcare for people within a choice of differ-ent accommodation settings. This willrange from community houses to individ-ual apartment accommodation. Thehouses are designed to accommodatesixteen people in twelve rooms, eachhaving laundry facilities and a separate

terrace. The apartments will be accom-modated in a community style setting.These housing options will combine withcommunity spaces for all residents, fami-lies and visitors to enjoy.

We envisage that the people living herewill be able to receive, depending upontheir needs, a continuum of care serviceswhich can be delivered to them in eitheran independent living unit, a studio styleapartment or a fully staffed domesticstyle residence shared by up to sixteenpeople. All buildings will be constructedto universal design standards, meaningthat care can be provided (both residen-tial and community style) when and asneeded, Mr. Gaudiosi said.

Residential aged care residents willhave the ability, if they wish, to maintainthe activities they enjoyed doing in theirown homes, such as cooking, gardeningand socialising.

He said the complete range of accom-modation will be designed to suit thelong term needs of residents, so thatonce they move in, their need to relocateis minimised, resulting in improved andmaintained relationships, lifestyle anddignity.

We are really excited to have the oppor-tunity to be so innovative and are lookingforward to its commencement later thisyear, he added.

Enquiries can be made by calling Unit-ingCare Ageing South Eastern Regionon 1300 236 030.

Source: UnitingCare


Caring for Tuggeranongs aged

An artists concept of the Gordon aged care project proposed by the Uniting Church

NOTE

This project will be discussed at thenext meeting of the TuggeranongCommunity Council to be held at7.30pm at the Tuggeranong SouthernCross Club on Tuesday 3 May.


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The ACT Government will commence a$1 million, 12-month trial of a bulkywaste collection service from 27 April2011.

Chief Minister and Minister for Territoryand Municipal Services, Jon Stanhope,said that the ACT has the best house-hold recycling rates in the country witharound 70% of domestic waste recycled,but, he said, we need new strategies toimprove this further.

"We know that one area that may help usachieve this, and where some house-holds have asked for assistance, is dis-posing of large items such as furnitureand appliances. This is why we are un-dertaking a bulky collection waste trial,"Mr. Stanhope said.

The bulky waste collection service will be

provided free of charge to Canberrahouseholds where the resident holds aCentrelink Pensioner Concession Card,ACTION Gold Concession Card or De-

partment of Veterans Affairs Gold Card.Certain, eligible households will be enti-tled to one free collection during the trialperiod. Other households will incur a feebased on the condition and ability to re-use the waste items.

Items that will be accepted during thetrial are household furniture and appli-ances, mattresses, garden tools andequipment, timber, white goods/sinks/baths, building materials and metal prod-ucts/scrap metal. A number of exclusionsapply. Items that will not be acceptedinclude garden waste, food waste, sheetglass, mirrors, household chemicals orhazardous waste, building waste.

In a motion passed at its last meeting theTuggeranong Community Council (TCC)called for the introduction of an on callservice for the collection and disposal of

large household items. It also called forthe introduction of green waste bins.

Source: Media Release

New recycling service

Southern ACT Catchment Waterwatch ispart of a national community water qual-

ity monitoring program that brings peopletogether from all parts of the communityto raise awareness, educate, monitor,restore and protect our waterways.

Waterwatch aims to createawareness

of water quality issues.

Waterwatch involves local communitygroups such as Landcare and Parkcareas well as residents, schools and land-owners who regularly monitor the waterquality of local creeks, wetlands, lakes,rivers and storm water drains.

Waterwatch aims to create awareness ofwater quality issues by involving allmembers of the Southern ACT commu-

nity.

Water quality information collectedthroughout our catchments provides apicture of the health of our waterways.

Waterwatch groups have initiated manypositive, community based conservationactivities such as creek restoration, weedand rubbish removal from waterways,development of habitats and reducingthe use of pollutants.

Waterwatch members remain informedabout local environmental issues through

our online network and contribute to de-bates and forums on matters of concernat community, local government andfederal levels.

If you are interested in improving thehealth of your waterway and meeting orforming a group of like minded individu-als, you should begin by contacting ourWaterwatch Coordinator: Ph 6296 6400or email: [email protected]

Steve WelchCoordinator

Southern ACTCatchment Group

Watching every drop of aprecious resource

Waterwatch volunteers take water samples

from waterways at Tidbinbilla.

Community sayon Erindalebus station

Community input is being sought on thelocation of a new $3 million bus station inErindale.

Chief Minister and Minister for Transport,Jon Stanhope, said the ACT Govern-ment has identified Erindale as a keylocation for a major bus station to im-prove sustainable transport options forpeople travelling to and from Tugger-anong.

Mr. Stanhope said the bus station willinclude new bus services such as theBlue Rapid service and sustainabletransport options such as the co-locationof bike-park-ride facilities.

He said Erindale is currently serviced byfour bus routes, three of which runthrough the Comrie Street bus stops inthe Erindale town centre and a fourthwhich stops on Sternberg Crescent.

The ACT Government is seeking com-munity feedback on two possible sitesfor the proposed Erindale bus station,both on McBryde Crescent, Mr. Stan-hope said.

One possible location is opposite the

shopping centre and would involve clos-ing the eastern end of Ricardo Street.The second is on a site west of the firstoption which would involve reconfiguringaccess to the shopping centre car park,Mr. Stanhope added.

The Erindale Bus Station feasibilitystudy has been closely integrated withthe ACT Planning and Land Authority'splanning project for the Tuggeranongand Erindale Centres, which aims toestablish how they can continue to de-velop to meet the needs of the commu-nity.

Mr. Stanhope said the Erindale bus sta-tion feasibility study was an importantproject in the ACT Government's $97million Transport for Canberra program.

"Transport for Canberra will increase thereliability and sustainability of the Terri-tory's public transport system, reducetraffic congestion and improve safety onour roads," Mr. Stanhope said. "The newErindale bus station will be a major partof this."

The Erindale Bus Station feasibility studyis due to be completed mid-2011.

Source: Media Release
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Inquirymailto:[email protected]?subject=Inquirymailto:[email protected]?subject=Inquiry


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On the eve of Anzac Day 2011 I wishto share with you a recent experiencethat brought home to me the meaningof this solemn day and the tragicwaste of war.

The local Thai people say the area ishaunted; they warned me so before I setout on my journey. They believe thatthere are many lost souls living in thejungle. Perhaps they are right becauseas I walked down the steep and narrowtrack toward Hellfire Pass the atmos-phere was eerie. There was also an ab-normal silence about, no insects or birdsto be seen or heard. It was as if theysensed something strange and avoidedthe place. The only other time I experi-enced this inexplicable conflict betweenthe past and the present was when I

visited Mauthausen-Gusen Concentra-tion Camp in Austria. It was alsoshrouded in a ghostly ambience.

it was likelooking into

the fires of hell

Today I was following my local Thaiguide Tik as we descended the samebamboo path trod by thousands of pris-oners of war who had been enslaved bytheir Japanese captors to build a 415kmrail line from Ban Pong in Thailand to

Thanbyuzayat in Burma. The construc-tion of what was to become known asthe Death Railway took place between1 October 1942 and 16 October 1943

and claimed tens of thousands of lives.Tik assured me that if I kept an eye tothe ground I may find a small relic fromthe past, a button or a badge that oncebelonged to a POW, but, he said, therule is to look but dont take. Once at

the bottom of Konyu Cutting the air wascooler. A large grey marble monumentwith gold inscription marked the site ofone of the darkest chapters of WWII andhonours those who worked and diedhere.

The cutting is about 500 metres long and26 metres deep. The rock was dug outby POWs using no more than picks,hammer and tap and dynamite (used bythe Japanese Engineers) together withtheir bare hands. Tik pointed out a starkreminder of their labour on the cutting

walls. Scars from metal taps driven intothe rock by sledgehammers can be seenclearly in the rock. The combination wasused to drill thousands of holes that werefilled with explosives to break throughthe mountain. On one wall a brokenmetal tap is still embedded in the rock.Apparently it was not unusual for a pris-oner to be killed if he broke a tap.

From April 1943 the POWs and Asianlabourers were forced to work long andpunishing hours as the Japanese racedto meet an August deadline for comple-

tion of the Death Railway. This becameknown as the Speedo period. Duringthis time POWs were forced to work wellinto the night and this is when HellfirePass got its name. Men working at the

top of the Pass said that it was likelooking into the fires of hell when theyglanced down and saw the flickeringlamp and bonfire light reflected on therock walls and the emaciated bodies oftheir mates.

As I walked further into the cutting theemotion of the moment and the signifi-cance of the place became obvious onmy face. Tik saw that the experience hadprofoundly shaken me. In a reassuringgesture he put his arm next to mine andpointing to them said, the only differ-ence between the men that were herewas the colour of their skin.

A visit to Hellfire Passis an emotional pilgrimage

for many.

At the far end of Hellfire Pass lays a sec-tion of the rail line. It is said that everysleeper laid on the notorious Death Rail-way represented a life. That may not befar from the truth when you calculate thehuman cost and consider that many vic-tims were buried in unmarked gravesalong the route of the railway line. Be-tween 70,000 and 90,000 Asian labour-ers died working on the railway, of the60,000 allied POWs more than 12,300died. Death would have been consideredescape and freedom for many whoworked under the cruel and harsh condi-

tions. They were beaten and starved andif they were not killed by their captorsthey fell victim to diseases such as beri-beri, pellagra, cholera, dysentery, ma-laria and stinking tropical ulcers that ateflesh to the bone. The saviour for manywas Edward Weary Dunlop. He was amedical surgeon who became a Japa-nese prisoner of war in 1942 when hewas captured in Java.

In January 1943 Dunlop commanded thefirst Australians sent to work on the Thaisegment of the Death Railway. His dedi-cation and heroism and that of his teamof medics became legendary amongprisoners. All accounts and records ofthat period describe Dunlop as acourageous leader and compassionatedoctor who restored the morale of POWsin the prison camps and jungle hospitals.Dunlop defied his captors, gave hope tothe sick and eased the anguish of thedying. He became, in the words of one ofhis men, "a lighthouse of sanity in a uni-verse of madness and suffering.

Sir Edward Weary Dunlop passedaway in 1993 and on Anzac Day 1994

his ashes were scattered on the railwaytracks at Hellfire Pass.

Continued on Pg 9

ANZAC Day and the fires of hell

Konyu Cutting or Hellfire Pass where thousands of young Australians died when they were

enslaved by the Japanese to build the notorious Death Railway.


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valley voice issue 3 - april 2011

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