Reuse and recycle to help the planet thrive

Ashley Schipper

Bundaberg Region residents are being encouraged to get creative with recycling as part of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week.

The annual event is celebrating a quarter century of helping Australians cut waste by asking Australians to recycle in a way that is meaningful to them.

National Recycling Week kicks off on 8 November and runs until 14 November.

Bundaberg Regional Council is getting involved by providing locals with tips and ticks on how to Recycle Right.

Waste and Recycling portfolio spokesperson Cr Tanya McLoughlin said there was always plenty of opportunity to turn household waste into something useful.

“Waste isn’t waste until it’s wasted and this National Recycling Week, we are encouraging residents to give household items a second chance before throwing them away,” she said.

“For example, one reusable cup can keep hundreds of disposable coffee cups out of landfill so find one you love and incorporate it into your morning ritual. 

“Take your reusable bottle to school or work to avoid the use of unsustainable single-use water bottles.

“Keep reusable shopping bags in your car or handbag to avoid the risk of forgetting them at the front door – the opportunities are endless!”

Cr McLoughlin said to help locals, a 30 day recycling calendar had been created and featured plenty more tips to reuse household waste.

“Make yourself a challenge to follow a tip each day to keep your recycling habits in check,” Cr McLoughlin said.

Find the calendar here.

Council provides a range of recycling services to the Bundaberg Region community, including:

Yellow-lidded bins
All plastic bottles and jars can be recycled in the yellow-lidded bins, but remember to remove the lids and rinse out to ensure a better end product. Some hard/rigid containers can also be recycled including ice-cream containers, yogurt containers, butter containers, and plant pots. Soft plastics like plastic bags and plastic wrap should not go in the kerbside recycle bin. Find out more here.

X-rays
X-Rays are accepted at the Bundaberg and Qunaba Waste Facilities. Disposal of these is free.

eWaste
eWaste is free for disposal at all waste facilities. Items should be separated from other general waste and placed in the eWaste areas provided.

Paintback
Residents have access for disposal of wet paint in containers up to 20L drums (to a maximum of 100 litres in one disposal) through the Paintback Scheme available at some waste facilities. Wet paint is accepted free at Bundaberg Waste Facility and Qunaba Waste Facility.

Batteries
Battery collection boxes are located throughout the region – you can drop your batteries at all local waste facilities, Council service centres and the Bundaberg Library.

Recycling leaves positive Impact

Ashley Schipper

More than nine million soft drink bottles, enough to fill 360 domestic swimming pools, have been recycled by the team at Impact Community Services in the past financial year.

The impressive figure is one of many captured in the organisation's annual report, which was recently released in time for National Recycling Week.

Through a range of recycling and collections social enterprises the team at Impact is continuing to make a positive difference to the environment while providing employment opportunities for employees with disabilities.

The Material Recovery Facility (MRF), owned by Bundaberg Regional Council and managed by IMPACT Community Services, is one of these social enterprises.

All of the waste from Council’s yellow-top bins is sorted by Impact's workers at the site on University Drive.

MRF Australian Disability Enterprises Manager Tim Van Kooten said in the 2021/22 financial year, IMPACT processed and stopped 9000 tonnes of material from going to landfill.

He said having a passionate team was a big part of the organisation's success.

“The workers inspire me, they always come to work with a smile and are genuinely excited to be here,” Tim said.

“It is awesome to see them grow and become more confident in themselves, and see them develop into fine young individuals,”

At the same location as the MRF, Impact also operates a Container Refund Point as part of the COEX Containers for Change Scheme.

General Manager Robert Henderson said the Containers for Change scheme gave people an incentive to collect and return containers for recycling, in exchange for a 10 cent refund payment.

“We recently opened a new location at Bargara and have plans to open various additional CRP points in the next 12 months to make the scheme even more accessible across the region,” he said.

“At present, we employ 35 staff across our two CRP location and the MRF.”

Through both the MRF and Containers for Change scheme, the Impact team is kicking some serious recycling goals.

In the past financial year Impact Community Services recycled:

Nine million soft drink bottles – enough to fill 360 average sized domestic swimming pools

30 million aluminium cans – saving enough energy to run a TV for 10,300 years

4.6 million milk bottles – if laid top to tail they would go around Uluru/Ayres Rock 130 times

20 million glass containers – enough to cover the distance from Bundaberg to Melbourne and back

Read more about what Impact Community Services do in the recycling space here: http://ow.ly/cZNt50L0sIp

Mumma’s Nest Markets back for Christmas

Ashley Schipper

Stock up for Christmas at the upcoming Mumma's Nest Markets with up to 50 stalls selling local goods at the Civic Centre this month.

Organiser Hannah Jacobs said the event would be held on Friday 18 and 19 November, with something for the whole family to enjoy.

“This event will be held over two days to give our Bundaberg community plenty of opportunity to shop and support small local businesses,” she said.

“Our Friday evening market will run from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm and reopen for Saturday 8 am to 1 pm.

“We have stall holders who have handmade earrings, candles, homeware, clothing, children's items and accessories, bag makers, hats, knick-knacks – lots of things that would be perfect for end of year teacher presents and getting your Christmas shopping sorted.

“Don't forget the food – we'll have a coffee cart, gelato, donuts, cupcakes, and some savoury options too.”

The Mayor's Christmas Cheer Appeal baubles will also be available at the event, with funds going toward providing food hampers to those in need this festive season.

Hannah said it had been three years since the last market was held and she was looking forward to welcoming the community and local businesses once more.

“Mumma's Nest Markets have always been an event looked forward to by many in Bundaberg,” she said.

“Having been unable to hold our market since Christmas 2019 due to COVID, we are so excited to bring our Christmas markets back for 2022.

“We love seeing our wonderful stall holders and giving some the opportunity to have a mini-shop to be able to promote their business and sell their items.

“We also love giving our customers the chance to shop for something more unique than what's available at the larger shops, and exposing them to new businesses they may not have heard of before while supporting local.”

Mumma's Nest Markets

Where: Civic Centre

When: Friday 18 November from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm and Saturday 19 November from 8 am to 1 pm.

Find out more here.

Dr Annette Tyson releases Garrow Head novel

Contributed

Dr Annette Tyson is a well-known local artist and assistant surgeon who now adds another feather to her cap with author, as she releases her debut novel Garrow Head.

The story is set in Van Diemen’s Land in the early 19th Century in a fictitious location known as Garrow Head.

While it has a strong historical background, Annette describes it as a tale of medicine, mystery and art, with a touch of romance.

“I was born in Tasmania, and I am proud to be a descendant of the colonial artist, John Glover, who emigrated with his family from London in the early 19th Century for reasons unknown.

“I used them as the starting point for my story,” Annette said.

“By reading Garrow Head, I hope people will develop an understanding of society in 19th century Van Diemen's Land and its impact on the Palawa (the Tasmanian Aboriginals).

“Many interesting people visited or lived in Van Diemen's Land during the 1830s – the time period when my book is set.

“I have included some of these people in the story: historical figures such as Count Pawel Strzelecki, the governor of the day, Sir John Franklin and his wife Jane, a woman many years ahead of her time with interests in science, social reform and education for women.”

Novel Annette Tyson's 10-year labour of love

Garrow Head has been a 10-year labour of love for Annette because she has led, and continues to lead, a very busy life.

Annette lives by the sea at Bargara with her supportive husband and fellow medico, John Evans.

In her early years Annette was raising her two sons, working in the operating theatres of Bundaberg, and developing her art and textile design practice.

Annette has always had a fascination with history and art and as a doctor has a particular interest in the history of medicine.

She spent many hours searching through second-hand bookstores, libraries and museums.

Initially, her research was conducted when she travelled to her family cottage in Low Head, Tasmania, during school holidays.

But in more recent years Annette has been able to spend more time in the region to write, paint and recharge.

Some of Annette’s literary treasures include a copy of her grandmother’s nursing textbook and an original copy of her great-great-grandfather Henry Button’s book, Flotsam and Jetsam.

Annette said Henry married John Glover’s granddaughter, Emma, who was a major character in the story, and he writes about visiting Patterdale and the Glovers in Flotsam and Jetsam.

Annette credits attending creative writing workshops organised by the Bundaberg Writer’s Club in helping her writing to evolve.

The first draft of the manuscript was finished in 2019 but then the long process of editing commenced, Annette said it was another two years before she felt the story was ready for publication.

Annette considered herself fortunate to have found a wonderful publisher, Foot and Playsted, in Launceston, Tasmania.

Finally, in October 2022, the first copies arrived in a box on her Bargara doorstep.

“I enjoyed doing the research for the book and made some fascinating discoveries along the way,” she said.

“I also enjoyed developing the characters and their world.

“It was difficult managing all the plot lines, who was meant to be where and when, and who knew something that someone else didn't.

“The editing process was the most difficult part of all.

“I didn’t realise that writing the end on the manuscript is actually only the beginning of the process.”

Garrow Head will be officially launched this month, with copies already available at Artisans Bargara, The Book Boutique Bundaberg, Dymocks Bundaberg and Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery.

Annette Tyson said she looked forward to doing readings at local book shops and at the Bundaberg Library.

In Our Gallery with Melissa Christi

Morgan Everett

As an ornithologist and wildlife photographer Melissa Christi has always had a passion for birds and has captured the beauty of a mulga parrot in her latest work for the Here + Now exhibition at the Bundaberg Art Gallery.

How long have you been a photographer and how did you get started?

I've been dabbling with art since I was a little girl.

My mother always encouraged me to try different mediums and over time I grew to love photography.

I kept wishing I could preserve these wonderful moments in time when I would see something fantastic on a walk, so mum bought me a little digital camera.

I now have a more robust Nikon DSLR that I drag with me everywhere, because you never know when you'll come across something fascinating. 

Tell us about your photo displayed by Bundaberg Regional Galleries as part of the Here + Now exhibition?

The image displayed at BRAG is called 'Narcissus'.

It's a play on the old myth of the boy who loved his reflection in a pond [so much] that he fell in and drowned.

In my image, we see a Mulga parrot poised on a branch lit gold by the setting sun, seemingly entranced by its reflection.

Of course, wildlife are not prone to such whimsies and what the parrot was doing was squeezing in a last drink before hurrying off to roost.

I love this blend of human imagination with the natural world, because I believe it brings us closer, opening up that connection to learning about our environment. 

What was the inspiration behind this piece?

As an ornithologist and wildlife photographer, it's rare that I'll go out there with something specific in mind.

I prefer to immerse myself in the bush and observe the natural behaviours of the wildlife around me.

Sometimes you're lucky and witness something beautiful and unusual, sometimes you don't.

The key is understanding your environment and animal behaviour, and trying your best to be in the right place at the right time (and making sure your lens cap is off!). 

How long did it take you to capture this photo?

Some photos take hours, searching for the right light and composition.

Others are fleeting seconds, as I take a shot and hope for the best before the animal disappears from sight.

This one took a while as I had to wait quietly by a waterway and see what would visit, luckily the parrot landed in the perfect spot. 

What do you love most about what you do?

I love that I'm able to use photography as a tool for science communication.

It allows me to blend what I've learned about wildlife and their environment, with my passion for being in the great outdoors and deliver it in a nice little package for my audience.

I recognise that being able to explore Australia the way I do for fieldwork is a great privilege and being able to share that with others brings me joy.