Strathfield Development: Environmental Disaster?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Anne Rouen

Environmental issue: flooded creek crossing in Strathfield making Crow Mountain Road impassible. This creek drains the paddocks where most of the chicken sheds will be situated.

Environmental issue: flooded creek crossing in Strathfield making Crow Mountain Road impassable. This creek drains the paddocks where most of the chicken sheds will be situated. Note debris in rising water. Photo:Geraldine Wrench

Here I am in Strathfield, once again, contemplating with horror the proposed intensive development, housing almost three million chickens! I cannot bear that this jewel of our district, formerly resplendent in amber, gold and emerald, is about to be reset in ugly, grey metal and filthy odours.

Will my daily route pass bins of dead birds awaiting collection for disposal? The putrefying remains of those whose delicate systems are unable to survive such crowded conditions, even for the short eight weeks they are given: the unbearable stench an ironic substitute for the fresh country scents of summer grasses and drying hay.

Over seventeen years of daily travel, I have seen Strathfield in many guises: A changing tapestry according to the season. At winter sunrise, glittering rainbow-bright with frost, a mundane pipe-leak transformed into a magical crystal fountain; shadowed and silvery in moonlight; literally, in rain, hail and shine. But never have I seen it ugly!

Strathfield is dry now, its great centre-pivots and lush fields nothing but longed-for memories. Strangely, in what amounts to famine, my thoughts turn to flood. I wonder if the developers have taken into account Strathfield’s unique geographical setting which makes it subject to huge cloudbursts, causing severe local flash-flooding? This phenomenon has to be seen to be believed: the sheer volumes of water mind-boggling. And the roar is deafening.

Would effluent pools or dams have the capacity to deal with amounts of this magnitude? Definitely not possible! They would overflow in minutes!

Torrents racing down the hillsides; waterfalls gushing from high gullies, gaining impetus as they spread out, flooding paddocks and roaring into creeks to carry debris into the river, a few short kilometres away. Anyone familiar with Strathfield knows of these sudden, spectacular inundations during the storm season.

I have witnessed this remarkable occurrence several times, driving through water up to the door sills as the road becomes a river(Yes, hills and all!), all the way to the creek that drains the paddock where forty-two of the proposed seventy sheds will be situated. The creek rises with terrifying speed, and then we have to wait … and wait …

Do the developers know this? Do they care? If not, we must do the ‘caring’ for them.

Since this creek dumps the water (and whatever else it gleaned on its journey across the paddocks) into the river above the Manilla water supply and directly into Harry Burrell’s platypus pool, the risk of pollution is not just too great — it is inevitable!

For this reason alone — the incredible volumes of water involved in a matter of minutes — I believe the proposed development should not go ahead. The property is unsuitable for intensive production.

Strathfield is a historic and beautiful prime agricultural property with a unique microclimate: A bright jewel of our district. Please help us keep it in its true setting. Say ‘No!’ to this heart-breaking development.

How Much Do We Love Our Town?

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Anne Rouen

Safety issue: Too many B-doubles on our narrow, winding Namoi River road.
Image courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net

I’ve always loved Strathfield, a historic property with wide, sweeping valleys and beautiful riverland, tucked between the ranges. At least twice daily I drive through its magnificence to access my farm. As I go through fields of waving grass, cattle resting by the water, horses lifting lazy heads, I recall that it has recently been purchased by a major intensive chicken producer.

With dismay, I try to envision seventy chicken sheds springing up like metal toadstools from what is now rich and productive farming land. I think of millions of chickens living out their short lives – dust and feathers – where generations of farmers have produced golden harvests of wheat and barley; baled an abundance of sweet-smelling hay; sowed emerald fields of oats to winter their cattle; and I grieve.

I feel strongly that this proposed development is inappropriate for this wonderful property. Chicken sheds can be built on unproductive land, leaving good soil free for traditional production. Strathfield has been selected for its situation and its water, with no consideration given to the unconscionable waste of an increasingly rare and precious commodity: prime agricultural land.

I worry that, on my way to town on our hitherto quiet country road, I will run the gauntlet of B-doubles and staff vehicles; and that on the way home I may encounter them going back again. I shudder at the thought of meeting one or more on any of a series of tight bends on the narrow strip of bitumen or gravel road. Multiple, narrow curves; steep waterways; school buses having to stop where the road is barely wide enough to pass in a car; this is totally inadequate for the volume of traffic that will be required to maintain this huge, unrealistic number of chicken sheds.

The prospective safety of all who travel this road, including our children, has been jeopardised and is now a major issue: One which I intend to pursue!

My heart goes out to the neighbours and those who’ve built their dream homes on small-acre lifestyle blocks along this scenic route. How could they not be horrified at the prospect of noisy trucks roaring past at all hours of the day and night, exhaust brakes screaming on the bends? What will have happened to their lifestyle that they’ve worked so hard to achieve? And their investments that have already been severely compromised?

And our Upper Namoi, pristine and beautiful: In the place where Harry Burrell studied platypuses frolicking in deep, clear pools, will we see huge pumps, sucking out the lifeblood of the river, reducing production even more for those dependent on it for their livelihood?

Manilla, too, will likely suffer increased water restrictions, amongst other ills. Our bridge, a marvel of modern engineering in the 1880s, while still an amazing structure, is inadequate for traffic flow in the 21^st century. There will be noise, odour, protracted waiting, traffic snarls, prospective accidents and more. All the things we love about our town will be only nostalgic memories: life, as we know it in Manilla, will be over.

If you don’t like the above scenario, then I am happy to tell you that it does not have to be. If enough of us speak up, this development will not proceed.

I call on all who love Manilla to raise their voices before it is too late. Please join us in protesting an enterprise of a magnitude that can only be detrimental to the future comfort and prosperity of our district.

The History of Manilla in the Pink

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Anne Rouen

Pink Ribbon Month in Manilla. Image courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

Pink Ribbon Month in Manilla. Image by scottchan courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

Nine years ago, when Robyn, Belinda and Sarah from our council’s Manilla office hosted a Pink Ribbon breakfast, they had no idea how fundraising for Breast Cancer Research would take off in our little town.

The next year, they held it outdoors because it was a beautiful day. People responded amazingly, giving Robyn the idea to move it to her home, ‘Tandarra’, where husband Harry had set up a memorabilia museum. Morning tea became afternoon tea with lots of entertainments, music, raffles, charity auctions, stalls, exhibitions; and the whole thing became an institution.

Craig and Lucy at the grocery store became involved when their valued staff member, Jenny, was diagnosed with breast cancer. They decorated the shop, sold merchandise, held raffles and raised a massive amount for BCR.

Jenny helped me so much when I received my diagnosis. I will be forever grateful for her kindness and the honest answers she gave me while still having treatment herself. I am happy to say that she is well and working at the same store, although it changed hands when Craig and Lucy retired. It is, at this time, the only IGA store that decorates the shop, dresses staff in pink and raises money for cancer research. Maybe the rest will follow this shining example.

Other businesses in town got on board, and, for years, have spent this week in October decorated in pink. It is quite wonderful to go shopping and see, in almost every shop, staff dressed in pink shirts or aprons (men and women) and pink ribbons and mementos for sale on behalf of BCR.

Last year, the stakes were raised. A full month was dedicated to fundraising; the whole town going Pink for October. This year, we plan to do it again, only bigger and better.

Our Pink Ribbon afternoon tea, hosted by Robyn and Harry, will be held at ‘Tandarra’, Barraba Rd., Upper Manilla on 12th October, from 1pm. Entry $5. All money raised goes to BCR. I will be in my usual spot, selling raffle tickets. (Lots of prizes, drawn at 3pm.)

Of course, all this effort would be for nothing without the dedicated support of the Manilla citizens spending their time and hard-earned dollars, but Manilla is a town that punches far above its weight when it comes to giving. More than $30,000 dollars have been raised for BCR since that first morning tea and I am proud to belong to such a caring community.

Manilla in the Pink: the signature of a little town with a big, warm and very generous heart.

A Muse on Reviews: Ethics

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Anne Rouen

Reviews under review. Photo courtesy Imagerymajestic Digitalphotos.net

As an author, I find it uplifting to receive a ‘good’ review. It is equally devastating to receive a ‘bad’ one. Especially, if it is unjustified.

Most professional reviewers take the task seriously. Authors wait on tenterhooks for their valued opinions. Professional reviews carry a lot of weight.

These wonderful people give their time, insight and considered judgement. Their reviews, whether favourable or unfavourable, are always constructive, sending a vital message to the author.

Customer reviews are essential to an author’s credibility and we are so grateful that our readers take time to say what they think. The majority are positive, but some are not.

If you are thinking of giving an unfavourable review, I would ask you to consider the following: Is it ethical to slam a book because:

You don’t like a character?
You don’t like a dynamic?
You don’t understand the genre?
You think the story should have a different ending?
You don’t realise it is one of a series and legitimately leaves questions to be answered in subsequent titles?

Have you taken into account:

The quality of the writing?
The strength and believability of the characters?
The authenticity of the setting?
The correctness of the language for its era?
The twists and engagement of the plot?

It is the responsibility of the author to present a polished work, the creation of his/her mind, in a professional and interesting form. It is equally the responsibility of the reviewer to acknowledge this fact.

If you must give a book an unfavourable review, by all means do so, but back it up with valid reasons that provide useful feedback for the author. The review will then be a relatively positive experience for both.

So much better, don’t you think?

Then there are the ratings. How we look for the magical 5 stars! I wonder if you know that there are differences between some platforms about the meanings of the ‘star’ rating. Amazon, for example, regards a 3 star rating as a negative, recognising only 4 and 5 star ratings in their rankings, whilst sites such as Goodreads, recognise a 3 star rating as a positive. Before you decide on your rating I would recommend having a look at this, rather than giving a book a negative rating, when perhaps you did not mean to.

Yes, we authors love ‘good’ reviews. Who wouldn’t? Yes, we hate ‘bad’ ones.(Ditto.) But we’re OK if they’re ethical and make a fair point. We are mostly happy to learn something to improve our writing and thus our readers’ experience. It is what it is about, after all.

Where’s the Risk?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Anne Rouen

Surprise yourself and read a self-published author (eBook Friendly)

My book, Master of Illusion, shared ebook friendly’s photo on Facebook telling readers to surprise themselves and read a self-published book. Master of Illusion is like that: he sometimes takes his own initiative when it comes to his Facebook page.

But it set me wondering: Why do readers feel it is such a risk to read a self-published book?

Before I self-published, I researched the opinions of many self-publishers and readers.

So, if the risks for the reader are:

That you will spend less than the price of a cup of coffee on an ebook.
That you may become intensely irritated by grammatical errors and/or poor expression.
The characters may be stilted and one dimensional.
The story might be boring; or the end leave you unsatisfied and feeling you have wasted precious hours of your time.

Then the answer is twofold:

a). Choose self-published books that have been professionally edited. All of the above will have been taken care of, and

b). Reading the free PDF download of 10 – 20% on the author website will give you a good idea if it is your sort of book. And if you must, must read on, well and good.

For the self-publisher, on the other hand, the risks can be daunting, both in time, investment and sending you out of your comfort zone. Basically, you put your money where your mouth is (or your pen).

Not only that, but you must take charge of the whole publishing process, doing all the hundred-and-one things a conventional publishing company does for its author, including publicity.

And the greatest risk of all – that your beloved baby you have laboured over for so long will be torn to pieces when it goes out into the world. Or worse, ignored.

But for the author/publisher there is also the unparalleled joy of doing something you love. It is amazingly fulfilling.

Nothing compares with:

the excitement of seeing your book for the first time on the shelves of Amazon, Smashwords and all the other platforms available to ebook authors.
the privilege you feel when someone has taken the time to read your book and the humble delight when they say they loved it. That is so special.
the sheer indescribable ecstasy of receiving a 5 out of 5 star review from someone in a country across the globe; and watching your book rise in the International ebook authors top ten, pinching yourself to make sure it’s real!

For me, as a self-published author, all the above and the fun of forming my own business StoneHut Publishing, was worth the risk, whatever the outcome. (We breast cancer survivors don’t have time to wait twenty years for a publisher to notice us: we just want to get on with it.)

Matthew Reilly took the risk and self-published his first book Contest. His millions of readers are glad that he did. And he is one of the most positive people I have ever met.

So go on, read a self-published book. What’s the risk? You might actually enjoy it – and have your coffee too.

Hendra Virus: It’s Evolving

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Anne Rouen

The fruit bat, Hendra virus’ natural host.
Picture: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Will deadly Hendra virus become our next pandemic? With the way the virus is evolving it cannot be ruled out. History shows us that about 70% of pandemics originate in animals.

The Spanish flu that decimated the world at the end of World War I originated in pigs in a Spanish village. In its first go round in 1917 it was relatively mild. But the next bout in 1918-19 killed more people than had died during the entire war. And anyone who has made the most cursory study of WWI knows that it was absolute and utter carnage. On a scale to take the breath away. Unimaginable! And the Spanish Flu was worse!

Like every other horse owner, I don’t need any more expenses this year. Poor seasons, poor markets take a toll on all of us. But now that live Hendra virus has been found in dead fruit bats in Adelaide, I know that it is time– time to take a look at the big picture – time to vaccinate.

The fruit bat, or Flying Fox, Hendra virus’ natural host, ranges all over Australia, except for desert areas. All our horses are in danger, and by deduction, us and our dogs.

Lets take a brief overview: (more info here)

First found in 1994 in the racing stables of Vic Rail, where it killed him and 14 of his horses. Since then there have been several outbreaks:

In 1995 the virus took the life of a Mackay farmer and in 2008 and 2009 two Qld vets.

Between 1994 and 2010 there were 14 clusters of Hendra virus.

In 2011 in Qld and NSW there were 18 outbreaks with 24 cases in horses and 1 dog. 2011 also chalked up another sinister first. The first case of Hendra in Chinchilla blowing the myth that Hendra virus would not come west of the divide and that our inland horses are safe. No horse is safe!

Now in 2013, the horrifying thing is not only that there have so far been 9 outbreaks in horses ranging from the North coast and tableland of Qld to Kempsey and Macksville in NSW, including another dreadful first, NSW’s first dog, but the virus has changed its clinical signs. Where once the signs were:

High temperature
Neurological
Respiratory

The latest signs have included:
No rise in temperature
Founder or shifting lameness of the feet
Colic

This means that none of us will know if our horses have contracted this deadly virus until it is too late. Over 50% of humans catching the virus have died.

I cannot believe that any of us would put a value of less than $100 (the price of the vaccine at our local vet clinic) on our children, ourselves, our vets, horses and dogs.

Please, take this warning from history and vaccinate your horses. The potential of this virus is too horrifying to contemplate.