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Articles by Jane Curtis
What can you do to build community resilience?
Developing ties within your community can have a huge impact when facing environmental change. You can share and trade resources to help with the cost of living, you'll know where to get support and sandbags if a flood is imminent, neighbours know to check on you if bushfires threaten, and if global supply chains are disrupted then you have other ways to find fresh food. So what can you do to build community connection and resilience?
How can you help young people to adapt to climate change?
The podcast is about how regional Australian communities are already learning to survive and thrive in a changing climate. As you'll hear in the series, there are things we can be doing now to help young people understand and adapt to climate change. Listen and be sensitive to climate grief Grief is a logical response to the current extinction and climate crisis but can become debilitating and unhealthy.
What steps can you can take to improve food sovereignty and water security at home?
The podcast shows how different communities in regional Victoria are tackling climate impacts head on by exploring new ways to work together. In the regional city of Mildura, where water is traded for profit and most produce is exported, a co-op is helping to ensure basic food and water security for local people. There are lots of simple ideas that you can take from their experience to improve food and water security where you live. Buy local.
The Hawaiian Club once had members all over Australia, lured by the promise of a happier life
In the late 1930s, a craze took off in Australia, sweeping up tens of thousands of fans. The ABC had opened, Albert Namatjira rose to fame, and Don Bradman and Phar Lap were at the top of their respective games. But this had nothing to do with them. In the few years following 1935, around 30,000 Australians had picked up a Hawaiian steel guitar, the Naracoorte Herald reported at the end of 1939. Professional musician Kenny Kitching, now aged 90, was one of them.
The Hawaiian Club once had members all over Australia, lured by the promise of a happier life
In the late 1930s, a craze took off in Australia, sweeping up tens of thousands of fans. The ABC had opened, Albert Namatjira rose to fame, and Don …
This teacher taught Aboriginal children 'leading and writing'. His students changed Australia for the better
If a teacher's success is measured by their students' achievements, then Thomas Shadrach James must be one of the most successful teachers in Australian history. He taught in a small schoolhouse near the Murray River on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. The government at the time ruled that the children he taught should not receive more than three years of education. But James's students would become some of the leading Indigenous activists of the 20th century.
Life inside the shearing shed: Chantel McAlister captures the 'truth' of the wool industry
What does the Australian wool industry look like? "Dust and everyday sheep", thinks former master wool classer turned photographer Chantel McAlister, and she has the photos to prove it. Since 2015, McAlister has photographed modern, on-farm wool production processes across Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia. McAlister's mission is to "tell the truth about wool" through her documentary photos.
Stargazing: How to photograph the night sky
Photographs of the night sky can be spectacular, but capturing clear, crisp photos of the stars is challenging — here are some tips to get you started. There are two ways that photographers shoot stars: as stationary objects, or as star trails. When photographing the night sky, you do not want to compete with light pollution that will overpower the stars in your image. Light pollution is the brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other human sources.
Commonwealth Games: Six fun, free things to do on the Gold Coast
If you are one of the 600,000 visitors expected on the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games, chances are you have put aside some time to visit the local sites and scenery. The Gold Coast is famous for its beaches, amusement parks and the glitz and glamour of spots like Surfers Paradise. What you might not know is that the Coast has lots of free (or cheap) things to do.
The Big Root and 10 more obscure Australian Big Things
Australia loves big things and many regional towns pay tribute to their local industry, agriculture, history and native fauna with giant outdoor sculptures. 'Shire Promotional Grotesques' is the official name for these supersized kitsch icons. Tourism academic Professor Johan Edelheim said a Big Thing was a reason to stop at a small town, stretch your legs, get some local produce and have a giggle at the humour of it.
Ulumbarra performance could be a template for other shows
A Bendigo production that shares local Indigenous stories could be a template for communities around Australia, musical director David Bridie has said. Ulumbarra is a musical concert that covers topics like Aboriginal astronomy, the experience of the Gold Rush and missions, the repatriation of Aboriginal remains, Dreamtime stories, and significant landscapes of central Victoria's Dja Dja Wurrung clan.
Telling 'stories of our lives' through scar photography
Photographer Marion Williams is challenging the way we think about our scars. Ms Williams, of Fryerstown in central Victoria, said her photography attempted to show scars as something proud and beautiful, rather than flawed or shameful parts of our bodies. "People can look at you and wonder, 'What's happened to you? Have you been belted up? Have you had a car accident?' You're really exposing your life story on your face," she said.
7yo Victorian boy inspires Australia's first Community Games
A small central Victorian town has become the first in Australia to join the UK Community Games movement. Heathcote's Community Games was a volunteer-run 10-day festival for people of all ages and all abilities, held with the aim of getting people outside and active. Games co-director Sandra Slatter said the idea for the games first came from local boy Jesse Bruce, then seven years old, in 2013. "I went to a community planning day with my Mum," Jesse said.
Bendigo Chinese zodiac expert predicts Year of the Monkey challenging for everyone
According to Chinese astrology, February 8, 2016 is the first day of the Year of the Fire Monkey. Like Western astrology, Chinese astrology gives each person a sign of the zodiac. There are 12 animal signs: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Your animal is determined by your date of birth and is said to reflect your strengths, weaknesses and character traits.
Anti-bullying pens designed by Gisborne student to provide safety net
A victim of bullying for two years, 15-year-old Gisborne student Sharina Mayman has created a "banner pen" to tackle the issue in schools. The banner pens contain anti-bullying and mental health information. One thousand pens will be given to secondary students in the Macedon Ranges in the hope students will have the information they need in their hand, and will contact support services if they are bullied.
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