Acknowledgment of Country
The Triangle is a community paper, principally for the region bounded by the three prominent mountains: Peak Alone, Gulaga and Mumbulla. It is produced on the traditional lands of the Yuin nation and we acknowledge that this was and will always be Yuin Country. We are grateful for their thousands of years of careful and deliberate stewardship of Country and pay our respects to Yuin Elders past, present and emerging.
About The Triangle
The Triangle, a not-for-profit, local, community newspaper, comes out on the first day of every month except January. Published since 2002 we have a print circulation of 1800, with a larger circulation over the summer holiday season. Our paper is free and available in print and online. If you live outside the Triangle area, an annual subscription of $35.00 will cover delivery of all 11 issues.
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First Cultural Burn in Tilba in over 230 years
/in Tilba /by Tikka WilsonAs part of a long-term fire management plan, the Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation, in conjunction with the local First Nations community and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, gained permission from the Gulaga/Biamunga Board of Management and the Tilba RFS to conduct their first ‘cool burn’ on the Gulaga mountain escarpment in perfect conditions in June.
Firesticks Community Coordinator Rhys Morgan and Koorin Campbell, lead fire practitioner, doorknocked Tilba residents, providing detailed information on the upcoming burn.
‘We have to give at least 24 hours’ notice before any burns. We know it’s short notice, but we can’t give longer notice because we need to work with the Country to make sure conditions are just right, and they can change quick over time’, said Koorin. ‘We have to look at where the wind is, and the soil moisture and temperature. And the sun can draw the moisture out of the ground, so for us, we need to just act quickly when the Country is ready. Today we waited for the dew to drop to keep extra moisture there, and as you can see, it just burned perfectly.’
A cultural burn is a ‘cool burn’, which means that the fire is confined to the ground/shrub layer and the tree canopy is not burnt. It’s beautiful to watch; there is such a gentleness about it.
The primary objective of cultural burns is to reduce and manage fuel loads and promote the regeneration of native plant species. But fire is also used to gain better access to Country, clean up important pathways, maintain cultural responsibilities, and is part of cultural heritage management. It also improves the health of particular plants, including bushfoods and native grasses, creates better habitat for threatened species, and improves biodiversity in general.
‘The Country is so sick at the moment that we need to sometimes do a couple of “reset” burns to get it back to looking anything like normal’, said Koorin.
Each cultural burn site offers an opportunity for research. Firesticks has a database containing pre-burn, during-burn and after-burn assessments.
The burns also offer training opportunities for young people learning the ways of cultural burns. For example, they’ve learnt that the colour of the ash can tell a lot.
‘The right moisture at the right temperature gives us a charcoal mulch layer. We need that mulch layer for the microorganisms in the soil. But if you burn Country with hot fire the ash is white and it’s going to put lime into the soil and you get the wrong plants and trees taking over.’
Koorin points to the nearby wattle and pittosporums. ‘They shouldn’t be up here. They’re a native tree but this is not their place. They need to be down in the gully near the water.’
Koorin said that when a country experiences a hot burn (such as the 2019/2020 fires), a cool burn within twelve months will prevent incorrect species from taking hold.
‘Understanding the ecology of each place is important. Going through a process of working on different Country types and just being around fires and seeing our fires helps the young ones to learn which tree species work in which soil types. You’ll find that the trees that are meant to be in the area will have the right [native] grasses around them.’
Cultural burns will be taking place in the region through to September when weather conditions allow, and residents will be advised ahead of each burn.
Shanna Provost
Captions: (top) Overseeing the cool burn. Photo: Daniel Hodgson; (above) Koorin creates fire the traditional way, Photo: Shanna Provost.
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Anzac Day at Central Tilba
/in Tilba /by Tikka WilsonANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day is a commemoration of the landing of those troops – known as ANZACs – at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Today, this annual day of remembrance honours and remembers all Australians and New Zealanders who have served in wars, conflicts and peace-keeping operations and acknowledges the sacrifices of those who have died in service.
This important day is a true community event at Central Tilba and, although it follows the accepted order of service, it is a uniquely local commemoration. Significantly, local school children participate in a special way by leading the march from the Drom and acknowledging and honouring local families whose family members enlisted by recounting their family histories. Researched by local historian, Robyn Lucas, two family histories were presented this year.
The Negus family was represented by Central Tilba Public School children Marcus Toovey, Athena McGrath, Banjo Mulcahy and Gracie Negus. They told the story of the descendants of John and Mary Negus – nine direct descendants, mostly from the Tilba District, enlisted in either World Wars 1 or 2.
The Negus family owned and farmed Oceanview and Oakleigh farms at Corunna, with Oceanview still in the family today. The district was extremely lucky to see all of them come home alive. John and Mary are the great-great-great-grandparents of Gracie and she thinks that her father, Brendan, resembles his grandfather Ellis Negus as described in his medical record on enlistment in 1941. Ellis was the son of Ernest, John and Mary’s youngest child. Gracie also sang ‘The Travelling Soldier’.
Dali who attends Sapphire Coast Anglican College told the story of Bert Latimer who was born at Glenrock (now Billy McCarthy’s property) in1897, the seventh child of Joseph and Helen Latimer. Bert enlisted in 1916 and saw active service in France. Wounded in 1918, he spent many months in hospital in both France and England, finally landing back in Sydney in 1919 with both legs amputated below the knee. Arriving home to a hero’s welcome, he was granted £100 from the Mumbulla-Dromedary War Service League fund that enabled him to be fitted with artificial legs. After the war, Bert went into business as a hides and skins buyer on the South Coast, purchasing those products from farmers. In 1926, Bert married Dorcas Waldron and, in 1932, the family moved to the Mid North Coast of NSW as did most of his brothers and sisters. In addition to Bert, his older brothers Harold and Frank both joined up in late 1916 and went to France in different units. Both were invalided home to Australia and medically discharged in 1918. Many of Bert’s nephews enlisted and served in the second World War.
The school children were also involved in laying the wreaths, performed by Athena and Duke, and the flag raising, executed by William.
The commemoration service, led by Janine Halasz, included laying wreaths and floral tributes, prepared by Yvonn Deitch and others, for several local groups and organisations whose representatives participated in this tribute. Gillian Kearney, who has researched the significant role of animals in war, spoke about the importance of ships’ cats, both in rodent control and companionship and David Oliphant spoke about the significance of pastoral care during war and the pivotal and supportive role of Padres in providing pastoral care.
John McMahon not only organised and coordinated this special ceremony, he led the march with the sound of his hauntingly beautiful bagpipes. Special thanks to John and all involved including the school children, especially as Anzac Day was in the school holidays.
Images:
(Top) The Anzac Day march Photo: Jane Facchetti
(Bottom) Gracie, Athena, Marcus and Banjo
at Anzac Day Photo: Jane Facchetti
Strings at The Drom
/in Tilba /by Tikka WilsonMusic is a universal language and its exercise may well be a measure of the spirit of the community in which it happens. No surprises then that The Drom, Central Tilba’s active pub hub, is the venue for The Drom String Sessions that began at the start of the year and happen monthly. Open to anyone who plays a stringed instrument, the sessions are an opportunity to play with other musicians, an experience that many musicians value, and are a true community gathering.
Bev Long, well-known local musician – banjo and guitar player, singer and tap dance teacher – has a long history in community music. Believing that there are too few chances for people to play and sing, Bev has sought to provide opportunities for people to get together. First it was The Dromedarys, a community ukulele group started over a decade ago. This led to the formation of The Dromedary Lynch Mob, a fifteen piece band led by Bev, that is the host band for The Drom String Sessions. Many will know Bev from the band, Jazz Alley, and also the former Stitch.
Held on the first Thursday of each month, the sessions go from 5.30 to 7.00 pm in the Barn at The Drom. There is a dinner break at 7.00 for those who wish to stay and an after-dinner jam session until 8.30. Bev prepares the music and shares it on Google Drive. Being a community gathering, the emphasis is on social, casual and enjoyable – there is no teaching and everyone is encouraged to play at their own level. More information is available on FB @The Drom String Sessions or by contacting Bev on bevanne2546 @ gmail.com or 0419 285 960.
The Drom plays an important role in the Tilba community and the encouragement from all involved at the pub is greatly valued. The Drom String Sessions are part of community music events that include the weekly Open Mic and the hugely successful Tilba Rocks. There is also regular weekend music at The Drom.
Stuart Absalom