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The White Hat Melbourne NewsletterArchived Newsletter No.194 - 2 November 2006Contents
Family history Fairs, fetes & markets Reader feedback Gallery Open Days Last week’s fishy quiz Bright Festival Family and children Hall of Shame Guided walks From the White Hat Inbox Open Days Music Daylight Savings Country Victoria Advance notice The White Hat Quiz +----------------------------------------------------+ FAMILY HISTORY Remember when you asked your mother why you were the only one in five generations of the family to have red hair and she told you it’s because you’re special and how she used to hide those postcards from America. Well now you have a chance to learn more about researching your family history at the Victorian Archive Centre in North Melbourne on Saturday. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Events/ForumsM.asps +----------------------------------------------------+ FAIRS, FETES & MARKETS Friday evening is open artist and jewellery studios at the Nicholas Building. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Buildings/BuildingsM.asp On Friday evening Strathaird Primary School have their inaugural fair, and there is a special fundraising market for the Austin Hospital on Wednesday. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Festivals/FairsFetes.asp A new Slow Food Farmers’ Market is due to commence at the Abbotsford Convent on Saturday but we have not been able to confirm details. Next month there is a new farmers’ market commencing at Whitehorse. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Festivals/FairsFetes.asp +----------------------------------------------------+ READER FEEDBACK “Hi White Hat, Just a word for Jane re the search for the Jack-o-lantern. I purchased one back in 2004 from the 'potato man' stall in the Prahran Market and it was an absolute beauty - perfect shape! Haven't looked this year yet, but give him a try - also a fabbo range of potatoes you wouldn't get many other places. Happy Halloween Justene” “Dear Whitehat I saw "Halloween" pumpkins at the 'Fresh Centre' in Centre Rd Bentleigh last week. Big round orange ones. Also in Bentleigh - lots of Halloween dress-ups at "The Party Shop". There's also a shop called (I think) USA Foods that has American treats. cheers, Kim” You can find details of the USA Food Store (and many others) at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/FoodStores/FoodStoresM.asp +----------------------------------------------------+ GALLERY OPEN DAYS There will be free entry to public art galleries across Victoria on Sunday. There must be an election coming up. Many galleries have free or cheap entry normally, but there will also be lots of additional activities. A couple of our favourite galleries for an outing are Heide and the McClelland Sculpture Park on the Mornington Peninsular. Details of all events at: http://www.pgav.org.au/getintoart_program.html +----------------------------------------------------+ LAST WEEK’S FISHY QUIZ Fishy things Andrew had the first response in where he felt that eels were the answer to all questions. We then received this response: “1. Name a species of fish that you could find at your local fishmonger which may have been caught in Port Phillip Bay Whiting 2. What sea creature appears on the Melbourne coat of arms? whale (should not be in a quiz about fish...) 3. Name a good eating fish you might catch in the Murray River.Yellow belly (Golden perch) 4. What marine creature was being 'farmed' by Aboriginal people in Victoria before the arrival of Europeans? Eels 5. How do you catch a yabbie? Yabbie net, string and dog food! 6. Where was Melbourne's first major wholesale fish market? Where is it located now? Flinders St Station [near the new Aquarium actually]. West Melbourne 7. Fish in Victorian waters live in fear of one day being kissed by a human. Which particular human? Rex Hunt Hello! I sent your newsletter to to my sister who works for the River Health programme at the Victorian Dept of Sustainability and Environment, and she promptly gave me these answers. But she said that I was allowed to claim the warm inner glow! Cheers, Brigid “ Thank you Brigid. With that name I imagine you have eaten a lot of fish on Friday nights. We then received: “Ooooo!!! Am I the first? I know some of the answers to these (my life is reduced to being excited about knowing the answers to the White Hat quiz!!) (answers 1-4 cut) 5. How do you catch a yabbie? Tie a piece of steak (preferably rotten) to a piece of cotton, chuck meat end in a dam, (which you have squeezed your way through a wire fence and then avoided the bloody big bull you didn't see in the paddock, to get to), hold other end of cotton, wait til you feel the pull from the yabbie trying to take the meat back to his hole, then slowly pull meat up dam wall with yabbie attached, and net or grab the yabbie - preferably without being bitten. We used to use an old chip fryer basket to pick them up. 6. Where was Melbourne’s first major wholesale fish market? Where is it located now? Can only answer the second bit ...Foot-a-scray Rd 7. Fish in Victorian waters live in fear of one day being kissed by a human. Which particular human? Big Rexy... Yibbida, Yibbida, that's all folks!! Debra” We also received various advice on how to catch a yabbie. Amanda told us: “my Dad used to tell me to dangle my toes in the water - but then he used to suggest I try touching the electric fence to see if it was on, too. Actually if you put some stinky meat on a line and dangle it in yabbie-infested water, you'll get one, too. And your toes will be unmolested.” Karen, however, gave us the most detailed description: “Thanks again for another 'smile on your dial' newsletter. I have to admit that I am not a Melbournian by birth. In fact I lived in Northern New South Wales for many many years and have only lived here a short while - coerced into moving by a daughter attending university. I must admit that I miss the lifestyle from up north - including many afternoons lazing about on the old vintage cruiser my ex husband had (built in the 1940's, heavy as the Queen Mary and slower than an old tug boat), meandering around Lake Macquarie, fishing. Your quiz this week bought back many memories - especially our country trips to Emmaville where our many children had a ball yabbie hunting. The trick was to find a good 'hole' that was deep and muddy with no sign of any red belly black snakes lurking in the long grass invariably surrounding the waterhole. The kidlets learnt the art of bending/unbending wire coathangers and attaching fly screen mesh in a bucket shape to make their own scooping nets. Chunks of meat (preferably rank smelly bits that had been cured by a couple of hours in the hot sun) were tied into the ends of pantyhose to be used as 'the lure' for the poor unsuspecting yabbies. Do you want to catch a yabbie? Then you cast the panty hose into waterhole, jiggle it about a bit, then let it settle. You'll feel a slow tug or heavy pull (much like a crab on the end of a line baited with a fish head). Slowly and gently lift the lure towards the water's surface. Don't bring the yabbie too close to the surface as it will drop off the lure. Slide the scoop carefully under the yabbie then raise the lure and the net above the water's surface. The yabbie will drop off and you can place it into a waiting bucket (best to use the same water from the hole - will keep the yabbies fresh). We cooked some (absolutely delicious) and each of the children bought one home as a pet. We had a large fishtank and the yabbies would eat everything you fed them (unlike the children). They had a vegetarian diet of carrots, broccoli, cabbage and devoured it all (again.. unlike the children). In their natural state yabbies have differing colours/markings so each child knew whose yabbie they were responsible for. They are nocturnal creatures (gee... sounds like the children again) and you could hear them tapping on the glass at night. Sadly..someone left the lid off the tank and they decided on their own little adventure. They all escaped. Unfortunately I found one behind the lounge a few days later in a definitely unhealthy state. I like to think the remaining little tikes made the journey to the creek at the end of our street and are now the parents/grandparents of many more little nippers. Have a great week~!! – Karen” Thanks Karen. Oh, then six days after everyone else we received a reply from Murray in the Defence Department and rated “unclassified”. I think he works in that section which is going to warn us of any impending attack. Well done Murray – all correct. +----------------------------------------------------+ BRIGHT FESTIVAL If you are looking for a trip in the country then we can thoroughly recommend the Bright Spring Festival which continues right through until next weekend. Full details at: http://www.go.brightvic.com/springtime/ If you are looking for quirky or different accommodation in the country, then go to our home page and click on “Book holiday accommodation across Australia” in the left hand column. In amongst the listings you will find things like converted churches, barns and other strange places. What’s more, if you book one of them we earn a commission. So if enough of you decide to stay in converted barns we can retire to a 5 star apartment on the Gold Coast. +----------------------------------------------------+ FAMILY & CHILDREN As part of Children’s Week, kids under 6 will be admitted free to the Collingwood Children’s Farm until Sunday. I believe they may be constructing an enclosure to hold the Terrible Twos. The Dream Seed Christmas workshops continue at Fed Square. Details of both these at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Lifestyle/Children.asp We have added a new page to our website listing events that have fireworks. The listings are fairly sparse at the moment but expect them to grow rapidly as we process new events. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Festivals/Fireworks.asp +----------------------------------------------------+ GUIDED WALKS During the Spring Racing Season, the Racing Museum is hosting a Golden Mile Racing Walk of the city. The cost is $39 per head including lunch. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Museums/Racing.asp The CAE also has a “Secrets of Sydney Road” tour this Saturday at 11am. Cost is $85 per head which includes a light lunch. Enquiries and bookings on (03) 9652 0611. +----------------------------------------------------+ FROM THE WHITE HAT INBOX We received the following personal message: “hi from nat sorry its been so long. im in an internet cafe in bairnsdale. we went to c some limestone kilns but the road was so bumpy that lots of bits fell of the kombi & we were stuck with no mobile & no internet so couldn’t communicate with any1 & wots worse the kombi was facing the wrong way so the feng shui wasn’t working. spooky! anyway the kombis fixed (megabucks) & im enrolling 2 vote 4 the 1st time. they want my address & they sed the kombi wasn’t good enough so i gave them my last address in portc. i found this cool postcard with cartoons of a dog explaining how to vote & how it works so im going to vote for the party with the dog cartoon. crystal sez she doesn’t believe in compulsory voting so shes not going to enrol and that will send a big message to parliament. were off to bright for a big festival thingy soon. love nat" +----------------------------------------------------+ OPEN DAYS Sunday is a free open day at the Parliament House gardens. The gardens, which are not usually accessible to the public, contain a number of leisure areas for the politicians such as tennis courts and a bowling green. They might just have a bowls match with members of the press gallery so that you can decide whether their bias is to the right or the left. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Places/ParltHouse.asp There is also open day at the Royal Exhibition Buildings. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Places/Exhibition.asp +----------------------------------------------------+ MUSIC This week there is a recital by pianist Ian Holtham, Pro Arte perform at BMW EDGE and the MSO play Beethoven & Brahms. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Classical.asp Sunday is the last of the current series of big band performance at the Copacabana in Smith Street. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Jazz.asp On Monday there is a Diana Ross concert. Details in all the mainstream media. +----------------------------------------------------+ DAYLIGHT SAVINGS Daylight Savings starts this weekend so remember to alter the time on all your equipment, change the batteries in your smoke alarms and tell the cows to come in an hour earlier for milking. And if you live in a student house this is also the day you clear that stuff with the grey fur on it out of the fridge. +----------------------------------------------------+ COUNTRY VICTORIA Occasionally in the workplace you will spot an otherwise mature adult with a teddy bear on their desk. This is visual code for “must not be placed in a position of authority or allowed to operate heavy machinery”. If your stock of teddy bears is running low, you can stock up this weekend at the Woodend Teddy Bear Show. Berwick has its 102nd annual flower show and fair and there is a floral display at Kawarra in the Dandenongs. There is also an Italia Festa in Wonthaggi. For details go to our home page and select the appropriate weekend from the drop down menu of events in country Victoria. As always, if you are planning a special trip, ring the number attached to the event to confirm the details. +----------------------------------------------------+ ADVANCE NOTICE The following weekend is Derby Day at the races, a Jazz Festival in Wangaratta, Maldon Folk Festival, Earthbeat Festival in Mildura and the Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally. Details on our website. +----------------------------------------------------+ THE WHITE HAT QUIZ How well do you know Melbourne? Colours. 1. If you have just received a ‘bluey’ in the post what has happened? 2. A contentious piece of public art once stood in the city square. What nickname was it given? (It now looks splendid contrasted against rust-coloured expanse of ACCA). 3. What colour are the city circle trams and why? 4. What colour is Victoria’s state flower? 5. Complete the following piece of local literature - ‘Like the tigers of old, we’re loyal and bold, Cos where from Tiiii – Gerrrr (------ --- -----) 6. Mac Robertson, Melbourne’s own Willy Wonka, painted his factories in Collingwood the one colour and also drove around in a cart and horses of the same colour. What colour was that? 7. Local Councils usually have ‘official’ colours with which they brand their suburbs. What is your candidate for the least attractive of these colour schemes. Send your answers to quiz@whitehat.com.au No prizes – just glory and a warm inner glow.
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