Female Eagles have the round to themselves

SFL ROUND 4, LOCAL FIXTURE
April 27-28

SENIORS, RESERVES, COLTS: New Norfolk bye.

WOMEN, April 28: New Norfolk v Kingborough at Kingston Beach Oval, 3pm.

Anzac Day 2019 in pictures

The Dawn Service at the Cenotaph at the top of High St, New Norfolk.

Dawn Service participants waiting for instructions outside the RSL Club.

Veterans marching to the Cenotaph for the Dawn Service.

Dawn Service participants at the Cenotaph.

Drum Major Chris Rice leading the Derwent Valley Concert Band at the head
of the main parade just before 11am.

Derwent Valley Concert Band trumpeter and bugler Arthur Jones.

Mark Curtain and Raymond Salter.

Participants in the main parade.

Derwent Valley Concert Band.

Marchers in the main parade.

Veterans leading the returned servicemen.

Participants in the 11am parade.

Dominic College students in the main parade.

St Brigid's Catholic School representatives.

Participants in the main parade.

Participants in the main parade.

New Norfolk High School students

A serving member of the RAN.

Part of the crowd at the New Norfolk Cenotaph.

The 11am service at the New Norfolk Cenotaph.

Lyall McDermott conducting the Derwent Valley Concert Band.

The scene at the main Anzac Day service in New Norfolk.

Part of the big crowd at the 11am service.

The Reverend Celia Hooker.

Craig Farrell MLC.

Onlookers at the 11am Anzac Day service.

The St Matthew's Singers performing.

Pixie Turner, left, Andrea Triffett, Lucy Rowbottom and Sharren Banks helped
to create a knitted wreath to place on the New Norfolk Cenotaph.

Veteran Ken O'Brien and family.

Some of the tributes placed on the New Norfolk Cenotaph.

MP explores local links to Anzac spirit

Craig Farrell MLC speaking earlier today.

Edited text of the address given at the 2019 New Norfolk Anzac Day Service

Given by the Member for Derwent, Craig Farrell MLC

AS we all gather here today it is difficult for most of us to imagine what going off to a war zone must be like and because others have done this before us, hopefully we won’t have to.

Ironically wars are fought to bring about peace. Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. But it has changed over the decades to remember and commemorate the 100,000 Australians who have died in wars over the last 100 years.

Unfortunately we no longer still have any of the original Anzacs from the Great War, “the war to end all wars”, but we do have men and women who served their country in the Second World War and others who served on other battlegrounds in countries such as Malaya, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. I acknowledge those here today.

I was very fortunate to be selected as the Parliamentary representative to accompany students on the Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize in 2014. I would encourage all students and teachers here today to enter the FMMP competition as it is a fantastic opportunity and a life changing event to travel to the Western Front and study World War I. The year prior to going on the trip is spent researching a soldier or nurse who left Tasmania to serve their country in far- away Europe.

There are many stories to research because in this War alone there were 416,000 Australians who volunteered for service in the First World War. From its population of just over 200,000 people at the time, Tasmania sent more than 15,000 of its men, women and boys to the war. Hundreds of Tasmanians also enlisted from elsewhere, expanding that number. Nearly 2900 died as a result of their service.

I had researched a soldier but I also wanted a direct link to someone I knew. I didn’t have to look far as my friend Ken O’Brien, who served in World War II in the Special Services Unit, had a father and an uncle who served in World War I. Ken’s father returned and ran O’Brien’s Store here in High St but his younger brother was killed alongside other Tasmanian boys by an enemy shell.

Ken shared with me a photo of his father standing next to his young brother’s grave. He was unmarried and has no descendants and to Ken’s knowledge his father was the only family member to ever visit his grave. Almost 100 years after he was buried in a field in France I went to the same spot that Ken’s father stood with a copy of the photo. As I looked around that cemetery, one of many we visited, I wondered how many others were in the same situation.

On the tour we also visited a German military cemetery – the difference was stark. The allied cemeteries had row upon row of white headstones standing high but the German cemetery had black headstones lying flat. Seeing this I realised that no one actually wins a war, the losses on all sides are great. All those soldiers, nurses and civilians who lost their lives all had a story – all had a family – all had a future – taken.

It is not only the ones who are killed in war that lose their lives. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as it is known now has claimed many, some are so affected by the horrors of war that they continue to live with it every hour of their lives – and sadly some can’t live with it. In this day and age it is better understood than it was after World War I but there is still a long way to go. It was politely described as shell shock and many who suffered were cared for in purpose built hospitals like Millbrook Rise on the outskirts of New Norfolk. 

Anzac Day is a day for reflection. We use art in its many forms to remember and commemorate Australians at war. Just as our troops used art to escape the horrors of war. Shell art, where soldiers would make all kinds of things from spent shells shows how important it was to occupy your mind in a creative way. Some sketched and painted and the Army would arrange travelling theatre and entertainment troops to give much needed light entertainment.

Music is an important part of military parades and was used on the battlefield for practical purposes. Music was used to signal and to set the beat for marching as well as to boost morale and tell a story. In military tradition, the Last Post is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest and at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition that mark the phases of the day. While Reveille signals the start of a soldier's day, the Last Post signals its end. The Last Post was incorporated into memorial services as a final farewell, and symbolises the duty of the dead is over and they can rest in peace.

The Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize visited many French and Belgian villages where the residents remember what the Australians did to save their towns from invasion.As a tribute to the sacrifice that Australian Troops made on the Western front a small village in Belgium called Ypres holds a ceremony at the Menin Gate every night at 8 o’clock where the Last Post is played.

Another small village in the Somme Valley, Villers- Bretonneaux, has a large yellow and black sign on the School that reads "Do Not Forget Australia," - and they don’t. Our tour group was treated as if we were  celebrities when we got off our bus. They all wanted to meet the Australians. As part of this school’s curriculum the song Waltzing Matilda is taught to the students in memory of the thousands of Australians who died fighting to save their town. This song is chosen because the Australian troops  sang it on their victory march after saving the village.

We are incredibly fortunate to have our wonderful Derwent Valley Concert Band as well as the St Matthew's Singers with us today to remind us all of the emotional attachment we have to Waltzing Matilda and reflect on its importance to our soldiers facing tough battles in foreign lands.

Big crowd for main Anzac Day service

A serving member of the Royal Australian
Navy took part in the 11am service in
New Norfolk today.

A ROUND of applause greeted participants in today's Anzac Day parade in New Norfolk. Following a successful Dawn Service, a big crowd turned out for the main march and service at 11am.

The Derwent Valley Concert Band led the parade from Arthur Square to the Cenotaph at the top of High St. Immediately behind the band, 13-year-old Mark Curtain, of Granton, had an important task assisting his great-grandfather, Raymond Salter, 96, formerly of Maydena, in a wheelchair at the head of the column of marching veterans.

Falling in behind the veterans were relatives of servicemen and women, community members and students from several schools.

Outside the New Norfolk Post Office, the official party included RSL Sub-Branch president Geoff Hack, Inspector George Cretu of Tasmania Police, and Councillor Martyn Evans representing the Derwent Valley Council.

At the end of the march, the parade formed up in front of the Cenotaph while the band members took their seats alongside the members of the St Matthew's Singers.

Veterans marching in the 11am parade.

The service went smoothly in the experienced hands of master of ceremonies Dallas Baker, parade marshal Dale Britten, and Brian Glover who co-ordinated the laying of wreaths. Among the many tributes laid on the Cenotaph was a hand-knitted wreath made by members of a knitting group that meets on Fridays at 10.30am at the New Norfolk Library.

The Reverend Celia Hooker from St Matthew's Anglican Church gave her third address of the morning, having also spoken at the Dawn Service and the special service at Corumbene Nursing Home. She was followed by the Member for Derwent, Craig Farrell MLC, as guest speaker.

Mark Curtain with his great-grandfather,
World War II veteran Raymond Salter.

Mr Farrell spoke of the irony in the fighting of wars to bring about peace. "As we all gather here today it is difficult for most of us to imagine what going off to a war zone must be like and because others have done this before us, hopefully we won’t have to," he said.

After his address, Mr Farrell introduced the Derwent Valley Concert Band and the St Matthew's Singers, whose rendition of We Will Remember Them was later described as one of the best musical performances at a local Anzac Day services.

This was followed by the hymn God of our Fathers Known of Old, then the laying of wreaths, the reading of the names of the fallen. Mr Baker recited the Ode for the Fallen and Arthur Jones of the Derwent Valley Concert Band sounded the Last Post. After a minute's silence Mr Jones then performed Reveille and the service drew to a close with an invitation to adjourn to the RSL clubrooms.

Click here for Anzac Day photo gallery.

Severe weather warning

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology 

Severe Weather Warning

for DAMAGING WINDS

For people in King Island, Furneaux Islands, Western, Upper Derwent Valley, South East, North East, East Coast, North West Coast, Central North, Central Plateau and Midlands Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:13 am Thursday, 25 April 2019.
STRONG COLD FRONT AND DAMAGING WINDS FOR TASMANIA THURSDAY NIGHT

Weather Situation:
A significant cold front associated with a deep low pressure system over the Southern Ocean is expected to cross the state tonight. Strong and gusty northwesterly winds ahead of the front will turn west to southwesterly behind it. Winds will begin to ease slightly during Friday afternoon, though remaining fresh and gusty.

DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY WINDS, averaging 45 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of about 90 to 100 km/h are likely over all of Tasmania from this evening and continue through to the early hours of Friday morning. Winds will shift west to southwesterly behind the front.
Thunderstorms may develop with the front overnight tonight about the west.
Winds are expected to ease during Friday afternoon as the associated low pressure system moves to the southeast of the state.
Locations which may be affected include Devonport, Burnie, Launceston, St Helens, Swansea, Strahan, New Norfolk and Hobart.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Supervise children closely.
* Check that family and neighbours are aware of warnings.
* Manage pets and livestock.
* Secure outdoor items including furniture and play equipment.
* Be prepared in case of power outages and report any outages to TasNetworks on 132 004.
* Beware of damaged trees and power lines and take care when driving.
* Listen to the ABC radio or check www.ses.tas.gov.au for further advice.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132500.

The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 5pm Thursday.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 216.