Hello All and a happy Australia Day. I have just finished watching Grace Tame, our Australian of the Year talk on the news. What an erudite lady with a ton of guts and marvellous looks to match. Her determination and fortitude should be a lesson to any right-thinking person. Granted I don’t know everyone in Australia but I reckon it would be a hard job to find anyone to replace her. May I say on behalf of DA, congratulations Grace and may the seas you face ahead be calm and peaceful.
The sick parade is fairly stable. Marg Deveraux is still battling but continues to provide DA with tarts, slices and cake for smoko this week. God bless her. With her problems we tend to forget Norm’s medical condition: he is stoically putting up with the pain after his knee ops and will be back with DA soon. Ron and Ivy Woodrow continue to send me emails now and then just to keep in touch. Good to see that Darryl Backwell has returned. Had to phone Ken Cupples on Monday because of his absence: it as only has a cold but he assures me he will be back next Monday.
We have had a couple of busy weeks. As you know the 3 RAR Garden was finished before Christmas and plants were sown. With some welcome steady showers they are doing very well.
Greg Decker had a work party from 6 RAR arrive last Tuesday and they laid the turf on the western bank. Although we shouldn’t call it a bank anymore as it is a low level slope at the rear of the flame and plinths and it looks a treat. Our thanks to Greg, as our Project Manager he does a lot behind the scenes to make these projects possible. Not only did he and his son Luke build the sleeper wall and erect the safety fence but Greg spent many a day on a hire machine to gouge the soil, infill the new soil and smooth the topsoil before the work party arrived to lay the turf. As usual all done with a minimum of (obvious) upheaval and temper spats. Well done mate.
We have been lucky with the rain. We had 60 mm over the last week and most was soaking drizzle which helped the new turf immensely and a sprinkling watering system was erected in the 3 RAR Garden. So with luck and perseverance all will grow merrily. One thing that is growing well are the lawns, lovely green and healthy albeit with the never-ending menace of weeds. Good with the bad.
Some of the boys are a tad wary of using some of the chemicals in the weed killer so I got a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens – 1 Litre of white vinegar, 1 cup of salt and a tbspn of dishwashing liquid. Mix it altogether until salt is dissolved and spray. I did the eastern forecourt of the Contemplation Building (CB) and it had worked in three days and got right down between the pavers. The only hassle was the salt left a residue but it disappeared with a hose off. Its downside is that it is NOT selective so can’t be used for widespread broadcasting on gardens or lawns.
We didn’t fare too well with Grants this year and out of $35k we asked for to landscape around the CB we received $5k. We put our heads together and came up with the idea of doing the job in stages. The main problem is the CB forecourt, where the flagpole is, with its cracked and loose pavers and sinkage making it a Health and Safety Risk. We decided to use the $5k grant and top it up from our own funds to fund the replacement concrete slab in that area in time for Anzac Day this year. The other areas, eastern side and northern and end southern side to be done at a later date after we have secured funds from other sources like Qld Govt’s Gaming Fund, RAR Foundation or from a public donation fund.
However, as “Lofty” Eiby often said “We will prevail and never give in” I think it was something to do with rugby but the he was big enough to say what he wanted!!
Dads’ Army at Work in Pictures
Hot and sticky conditions but the “ fabulous few “ once again got the job done !! , these words are from our erstwhile photographer Rod Newham.
Please stay safe people and heed the warnings. Just think last week they lifted the ban of flights across and back over the Ditch then one case of South African virus put the Kibosh on that.
Remember #Catch 5 and our commitment
Duty First
Dave McDonald
Manager
RAR NMW
26 January 2021
