IT must be Perth’s most controversial toilet with locals packing the public gallery to debate a new loo going in at the small but overpopular Hobart Street reserve.
One-hundred-and-twenty-seven people (many from the North Perth precinct group) opposed the public toilet, worried about who it might attract.
Other public lavs in parks around town are routinely locked at night to stop “anti-social behaviour”.
Amelia Coleman says the owners of the nearby cafe have been happy to let kids use their toilets.
“Residents have never complained about the occasional bush wee if a child is caught short,” she adds.
About 60 supported the idea.
Councillors John Pintabona and Josh Topelberg opposed the outhouse.
“I can’t see it being used by enough people to support it,” Cr Topelberg said. The council voted for 12-month trial.
“The benefit will outweigh the potential risks highlighted,” Cr Julia Wilcox said.
“Give it 12 months and that will give us the opportunity to see if the risks are realised.”
Mayor Alannah MacTiernan added, “with the sheer number of people coming in to that park, it’s not responsible for us to not have a toilet facility there”.
A second-hand industrial toilet will be used for the trial and if that works out something more permanent will go in.
Max Lurie puts on his thinking cap to refurbish an old PC that had been destined for landfill. Photo by Jeremy Dixon
They’re so PC—but in a good way
A GROUP of Perth volunteers is refurbishing thrown-out computers and sending them to children in developing countries.
Since 2004, the group has sent more than 2000 refurbished PCs to orphanages, schools and charity organisations in Tanzania, Burma, Kenya, Cameroon and Zambia.
It diverts thousands more from landfill by restoring them and giving them to seniors, pensioners, students and other disadvantaged in Australia.
The operation is run by the Perth Lions Club but most of the work is done by local volunteers.
Refurbishment project founder Max Lurie said even PCs that were too far gone could be cannibalised for 95 per cent of their parts.
“Every Wednesday volunteers gather to complete the sorting, refurbishing, and packaging of the donated equipment ready for shipment,” he said.
“This provides an outlet for those individuals to enjoy the company of like-minded people in the knowledge that they ‘get out of the house’ for one day a week and that the effort put in is to the advantage of needy people all over our planet.”
Mt Lawley Liberal MP Michael Sutherland applauds the efforts.
“Max Lurie is one of or many local unsung volunteers,” he says. “He, together with members of the Lions Club of Perth and volunteers, have been collecting and refurbishing old computers which are distributed to the needy both here an overseas. I have often commended Max for his dedication and good work, he simply shrugs it off—he has been a lifelong volunteer.” Mr Lurie adds the project is short of old computers to work on. If you would like to send in your old PC, email project chairman Murray Fletcher at smfnbridge33@yahoo.com.
Voice cartoonist Chatfield is in the US for a couple of weeks, where he’ll be hosting the Reubens, the Oscars of the cartooning world. Instead of giving him a couple of weeks off like he wanted (give an inch they take a mile sort of thing) we asked him to send us some American themed ‘toons.
HOWZAT RON WILLIS of Mt Lawley takes issue with Wisden on the Ashes for, amongst other things, claiming to be ‘the authoritative story of cricket’s greatest rivalry’.
IN 2009 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack shot its albatross—the history of the Ashes urn. Wisden on the Ashes, 644 pages edited by Steven Lynch, took the carcase.
One hoped the latter would come clean about the urn’s origins, even examine the evolution of the Almanack’s explanation that carries a persistent whiff of pulp-fiction.
But no way. Readers with $105 to fork out and expecting from it a holistic approach might feel robbed, as I have felt, and even angry.
Okay, the famous mock obituary that announced the death of English cricket is lifted from the Almanack followed by nutshell treatment of, first, Reginald Brooks who scribbled the obit; and then young Ivo Bligh who recovered the Ashes for England and eventually became Lord Darnley.
Lynch then dismisses Brooks with “Actually [he] was fortunate to be remembered”; and even the Hon. Ivo is given short shrift, his being presented with the urn by a group of Melbourne ladies after one of the tour matches in “up-country Victoria”; nowadays the singsong state.
So much for the 1882 birthplace of the Ashes, Rupertswood mansion in Sunbury—a pleasant drive through bush from Melbourne—courtesy of Sir William Clarke, multi-millionaire farmer and president of Melbourne Cricket Club.
In fact it was Sir William who handed over the little pot after a backyard slogging match—forerunner of today’s pyjama cricket—at Rupertswood before any of the 1883 Tests were played.
Left to its own devices the Almanack would surely have dumped Brooks and even Bligh years ago, but it reckoned without the only book in 1982 that celebrated the Ashes centenary.
Cricket’s Biggest Mystery: The Ashes, by Ronald Willis (Rigby, 1982, long out of print) was the first biography of the urn. Ronald Willis?—that’s me, now Ron and, I trust, more laidback since becoming Test cricket’s persona non grata. Does this prompt a giggle wherever from “Rego” as his family called him?
The “CBM” findings were elaborated on in follow-up books: the first, Beyond Reasonable Doubt (published privately by Joy Munns, of Sunbury); then came Scyld Berry, a former Almanack editor, and Rupert Peploe, a great-grandson of Bligh, with Cricket’s Burning Passion (Methuen, 2006).
These volumes are the only known sources available for anyone intrigued by the ongoing mysteries associated with cricket’s Holy Grail.
And in the decade since the centenary something intriguing has come about: with everything that’s now written about the urn more related mysteries become apparent.
A lack of space here, alas, prevents relating more about the mysteries; and, in any case, Miles Gonniston (meet him in my novel, The Cappuccino Club at Jacob’s Well) has developed the greater enthusiasm, as mine has waned, for continuing the hard yakka research.
The Ashes “bug” caught me within weeks of first arriving in Perth from York more than 30 years ago. I wandered into Tom Austen’s office on The Terrace seeking books to review. Tom, from Birmingham, was at that time features editor of the state’s daily.
With “help yourself” he flung cupboards open to reveal shelves crammed with tomes waiting for review. The armful I picked out included Arlott and Trueman on Cricket. In this John Arlott, for years the UK’s voice of cricket, mentioned the Ashes urn had never been back to Australia. I became indignant for my adopted country. This prompted five years’ research and the rest, as they say, is history.
A neat, and ironic, consequence came about when Arlott reviewed CBM (Lutterworth Press, UK, 1983) for the Almanack. Never aware of being himself who prompted my research, he questioned the urn’s being cricket’s bigger mystery. What might he have considered a bigger mystery?
There has also been an awesomely lavish Lord’s catalogue made available to those who visited the Ashes traveling exhibition when the urn came to Australia with the Prince and Princess of Wales; lavish, for sure, yet riddled with hiccups that beggar belief.
The Ashes saga apart, there’s sadly even more to whinge about in Wisden on the Ashes. Although well illustrated, it lacks a picture list.
Such references are tediously dovetailed into the selective index. One also searches in vain for a bibliography. Lack of space doesn’t wash. There are five blank pages.
There is also a sub-title and this, to be frank, is simply embarrassing: “The authoritative story of cricket’s greatest rivalry.” Of events on the field, fair enough; but what of the off-field people responsible for the urn—and we should remember the embroidered velvet bag? I’m allergic to screamers (exclamation marks), but rarely have I been more tempted to succumb. As for “authoritative”: a word far too long and ugly to justify being up front in this instance.
It’s appropriate, I feel, in winding up, to return to Reginald Brooks, by now 158 (born in London, October 12, 1854) and the elder son of Shirley Brooks. For about 30 years the Almanack confused the two. The father, an editor of Punch magazine, had been dead for some years when the mock obit appeared.
This scribe also believes Reginald’s colourful yet tragically brief life resonates today and merits revelation of all that is known of him.
Of course, getting rid of the “albatross” cleared the Almanack’s deck, so to speak, in readiness to celebrate now its 150th edition.
This Leederville eatery is chronically underpopulated.
The food is good but the dishes are typically a few bucks above what you’d pay at the wildly successful Two Fat Indians chain.
The service is also a little patchy. Despite the place being near-empty we did have to wave wildly to catch someone’s eye to get another beer.
That said, once we had our order placed everything did come out very fast and the food was expertly done.
I picked the goat curry ($23.50) which is billed as one of the hotter dishes but I didn’t have high hopes for teary eyes given recent underwhelming experiences around Perth.
I’ve been getting tired of ordering dishes that bill themselves as “hot and spicy” but end up as challenging as a two-piece jigsaw.
Soothe the heat
To its credit the Cinnamon Club’s goat is nicely spicy, leaving the mouth piping hot as you delve for another handful of naan to soothe the heat. The meat is served on the bone and is nicely juicy and rich. I loved it.
The palak paneer ($16.50) sees chunks of soft cottage cheese buried amongst a thick spinachy curry. I normally baulk at fully-vegetarian dishes but the dairy of the cheese nicely plays off the refreshing, sharp sauce and it has a really nicely rounded palate.
The yellow dal tadka ($15) was another vego dish that hit the spot. Here Toor lentils are strewn with mystery spices. I’ve had versions of this dish where the lentils were too sandy and gritty and it was like eating a packet of powdered gravy but this was pulled off really well with the lentils beautifully moist and the sauce creamy.
Dinner for two will cost you about $60, and if there’s leftovers they’re happy to pack it up for you to take home (something an increasing number of restaurants are refusing to do).
Cinnamon Club 228 Carr Place, Leederville Open lunch Wed–Fri and dinner Mon–Sun 9228 1300
PRINCESS ANNE, a corgi riding side-saddle behind her, rears her horse; the hounds are off, and the hunt is on.
Acclaimed Queensland artist Melissa Egan’s art is part realism/part satire and sending up the Queen’s daughter was meant to have been just one of a number of royal-themed pieces.
“[But] after one princess I thought, ‘I can’t do any more’,” she told the Voice.
Instead The Good Life is an eclectic mix of people, scenes and animals. Dogs feature prominently, which was no surprise as Egan’s four-legged friends were in her studio for a chunk of the time it took to paint the works.
Her oils and acrylics on linen have a surreal, olde world look, with timeless themes that could be Australia today, or the UK a couple of hundred years ago—except perhaps for those with planes and cars in them.
The colours are sensuous and romantic. “I’m influenced by Renaissance art…[but] I like to blend with contemporary themes.”
Lady and the Quokkas could be Lady Caroline Lamb at table in the 18th century, except for the quokkas cavorting amongst the wine, cheese and grapes, thanks to a visit to Rottnest last year.
“I always put elements of Australian wildlife in my paintings,” Egan notes.
Once in painterly mode nothing exists for the artist outside her studio.
“When I work, I work, it’s lockdown. I don’t leave the house for months.”
Egan’s career spans more than 25 years and her works can be found in private and corporate collections nationally and internationally.
Her style has morphed over those years, a process she says is necessary to any successful artist.
“You become complacent if you don’t try to stretch yourself. Every day you develop your technique more.”
A finalist in a multitude of art awards throughout her career, Egan was in the final count for the Archibald Prize last year, for her portrait of Australian artist Charles Blackman.
Portrait painting really “stretches” an artist, she says. “Doing a face for months, not moving on. You can focus. You start looking more than seeing. You see things differently when you really look.”
The exhibition title, The Good Life, reflects the Australian lifestyle, Egan says.
“We are pretty fortunate in Australia, we live in paradise.”
It’s on at Linton and Kay Galleries, 137 St Georges Terrace, Perth, until June 6.
NOT too many people get the chance to buy the home they grew up in, but the vendor of this palatial home in Flinders Street, Mt Hawthorn did just that.
Not that her girlhood self would have recognised the place, after the single-storey ‘60s home was transformed into a spacious, two-storey modern abode, sitting proudly on 489sqm.
The only remaining original features are the lovely green, white and black terrazzo floors (polished into new life), the walls, and the massive limestone foundations, which had been lovingly crafted into the “pillow” shape of the time by her dad, a stonemason.
“I wanted to keep the foundations to remember what my dad did.”
Two years of renovations transformed the small home into a massive five-bedroom/three-bathroom abode, designed for her large family, who have since moved on, leaving this large nest very empty.
The original lounge now flows through double glass doors to a massive, light-filled dining/kitchen and family areas.
Many a meal has been cooked in this home over 50 years, not to mention tomato sauce bottled, olives pickled and quite a bit of homemade vino.
And this sparkling, white kitchen is big enough to continue the tradition, with enough granite-topped bench space to whip up a mediaeval banquet as well.
Two of the bedrooms are downstairs, including a spacious guest bedroom.
Upstairs you’ll find a massive sitting room, and the rest of the bedrooms, including the main-bedroom with built-in-robes big enough to walk into, and a delightful ensuite.
The two street-facing bedrooms are semi-ensuite and share a balcony.
Back on ground level the low-maintenance garden is fully paved, with neat limestone, raised-garden beds.
And there’s a massive undercroft games room under the home.
An even bigger double garage is accessed from a rear laneway. The vendor insisted on enough room for two cars to have their doors open without touching so it’s very spacious.
But with Mt Hawthorn’s thriving shopping/cafe hub almost on the doorstep the cars don’t get out much, she says.
by JENNY D’ANGER
97 Flinders St, Mt Hawthorn Auction Saturday June 8 at 3pm, unless sold prior Jody Missell | 0410 770 782 Acton Mt Lawley | 9272 2488
CAMPING out in cars in Vincent’s streets has been banned after backpackers ruined it for everyone with boozy, messy sleepouts.
More backpackers have been camping out on streets now that FIFOs have started filling up local hostels.
Mayor Alannah MacTiernan was unsure about the ban, saying she didn’t want the genuinely homeless to be targeted by rangers: “I am uncomfortable with this. Recently we had parked near us a young woman who had a small child with her.
“She wouldn’t have been there if she wasn’t desperate. These issues of homelessness do arise, or people escaping violent relationships.”
But Cr John Carey said “no-one is suggesting here that we should be targeting people in homelessness situations”.
“The majority of these offenders are backpackers who are coming in, blazing out, leaving booze bottles on the street.
“Some people may think [the ban is] being a little bit draconian but the feedback I’ve got from local residents is it is a problem.”
Cr Matt Buckels and Dudley Maier were against the plan. Cr Maier, who once lived in a squat in Canberra, said the council could look at programs to help backpackers. He wanted to consider letting them shower at Beatty Park for a small fee but acknowledged it’d be difficult.
Cr Buckels said he didn’t think people sleeping out in cars was a problem, and it helped prevent drink-driving: “My wife and I, the first night that we met properly, after having a few drinks we slept in my Datsun Sunny outside the tavern. I don’t know what would have happened to my relationship if I’d got a $150 fine.”
Mayor MacTiernan and Crs Carey, John Pintabona, Josh Topelberg and Julia Wilcox had the numbers to approve the ban.
FOR years Perth has been the only major city in Australia without a jazz festival (OK, Darwin too).
But after a few local jazzy sorts like Graham Wood from Ellington Jazz Club and saxophonist Jamie Oehlers got together, Perth will see its inaugural International Jazz Fest kick off later this month.
Mr Oehlers says, “there’s not necessarily a theme, but there are a lot of acts that will be listenable for a lot of people out there”.
“It’s essentially a modern jazz festival in that it’s not based around Dizzyland and swing… it’s not the crazy freeform jazz out there that no one understands.”
The fest has managed a coup in landing US jazz muso Joe Lovano, “one of the biggest names in jazz music worldwide,” Mr Oehler says. “Joe is usually booked up two years in advance, he’s one of the most in-demand jazz musicians on the planet.
“I just thought ‘I’ll shoot Joe an email and see if he’s free’, and it just so happened that he had five days in his schedule free, and it happened that it was across that weekend, and he agreed to do it.
“He’s basically in Australia for four days, it’s his only Australian concert.”
While there’ll be some international names like Lovano and Gilad Hekselman playing here, Mr Oehlers says they’ll be backed up by solid Perth talent.
“The scene here is actually incredible. Without sounding biased—because I run the jazz course at WAAPA—the fact that the course here is so strong is behind the fact that we’ve developed so many great young players, young artists who’ve gone overseas and are coming back,” like Troy Roberts.
There’ll be 14 ticketed concerts and 25 free shows across Perth and Vincent May 24 to 26.
More CCTV cameras are going up in Mt Lawley. Stirling mayor David Boothman, CEO Stuart Jardine, Cr Rod Willox, and MP Michael Sutherland and Stuart Keenan are pretty happy with it.
BIG BROTHER is watching you in Beaufort Street.
Stirling city council has added another four CCTV cameras to the Beaufort-Walcott Street intersection, taking the total number of cameras in the area to 13.
The cameras are clustered around the eastern side of the crossroads, stretching up to the NAB bank.
The new hi-tech fixed cameras will record in high definition 24-7 and can pan, tilt and zoom.
The $72,000 cost for the new cameras will be split between WA police and the council.
Mayor David Boothman says CCTV helps police prosecute criminals and prevent crime.
“The city has already received multiple requests from WA police for footage in recent times, just since December there have been eight requests regarding incidents in Mt Lawley.
“In fact, in the last two years the city-wide 24-hour camera network has assisted police in more than 209 investigations and has helped identify suspicious activities for police to further investigate.
“There is no question that cameras help reduce the number of unwanted incidents and prevent further ones from occurring.”
Irving Keenan Real Estate and Mt Lawley Liquor Barons liaised with police on the positioning.
Mt Lawley Liberal MP Michael Sutherland—whose office is just shy of the intersection—said it was important businesses kept their back entrances well lit to discourage unwanted intrusion.
A COUNCIL-sponsored community bus is on the cards to deal with a “problematic and grossly inadequate” public transport network.
Vincent city council staff say there’s a “poor connecting transport network in the city, in particular the east-west connections”.
The situation wasn’t helped when Transperth nixed the 401 route saying it was underused (the council says it was underused because the bus only comes every hour, meaning few bothered to use it).
Curtin uni transport expert Shahed Khan has looked over Vincent’s cruddy transport network and found it takes 40 minutes to travel a very janky public transport route from the west of the city to the east, a distance of less than 4km as the crow flies.
He found 94 per cent of locals surveyed supported the community bus plan and said they wouldn’t mind a small fare of between 50c and $2.
Dr Khan says businesses could support the bus with advertisements and in turn the bus would bring more shoppers to their door.
The total cost to run it for three years could be anywhere from $2600 to $300,000 depending on how much they make back from advertisements and fares.
Perth Voice Interactive 