Where the police station is today, there were three shops joined together.

Mr Albert Lloyd had the shop in the middle, the paper shop where you could buy these story books.

Mrs Daisy Wroth had tea rooms on one side and Hassels sold stoves on the other side.

There was a wooden seat in front of the shops where three old men often sat.

I was walking across the street there and I picked up a little square stone.

I took it to the three old men and they all told me it was a Devil’s Dice.

They told me that men carried them in their pockets when clearing land far from home, or cutting sandalwood in the eastern goldfields, so the devil couldn’t harm them, or cause them to have an accident.

You see, there were no numbers on the dice and your number could not come up (to die or get hurt).
Over the years I asked other old men and they told me the same story that when you carried these you were quite safe.

You can only find these stones in the Toodyay area, in the ironstone ridges in the Julimar bush and well down the Toodyay Road, or over towards Clackline.

I keep mine handy all the time.

These dice would be crushed with bauxite mining, and that would be another thing gone forever.

While we are loving the warm welcome we are receiving in Toodyay and exploring the activities, services and facilities available to residents, we have noticed a glaring omission in the way Toodyay markets and presents its social and cultural heritage.

Many other regional shires throughout Australia, faced with the challenges of an increasingly urban focus and the need to maintain an economic footing, have invested heavily in promoting their historic heritage largely for the purposes of attracting tourism.

This is a strength of the Toodyay community – the signage around town, the Moondyne Festival and the showcasing of historic buildings in the area are integral to attracting the city ‘weekender’ and their coffee-and-cake spending to the area.

However, where is the acknowledgement of the significant history, influence and contribution of Noongar/Ballardong people to this area?

We have not seen any informational signage telling the stories of local Noongar people or places of significance.

There is little use of local language or place names; the only exception we have seen is Duidgee Park and in this case there is no information signage explaining the origins of the name ‘duidgee’ or which language it comes from.

There are no brass signs giving any indication of a pre-European history or of how Noongar people continue to be part of the fabric of Toodyay life.

Most notably, we have seen no Aboriginal flag flying in the town as an official recognition of Noongar people, past and present, in this local area.

It is common practice for regional shires to fly the Aboriginal flag alongside the national Australian flag and local/state flags and its omission at the front of the Toodyay Shire Council speaks volumes.

I call upon the members of local council, the Community Development Officer and the Shire Chief Executive Officer to respond to the absence of an Aboriginal flag and broader acknowledgement of the Noongar community in the Toodyay area and ask that as a respectful and cultural priority an

Aboriginal flag is flown at the shire offices alongside our other official flags.

Many thanks for your careful consideration of this important issue.

The train is for early morning travellers who work in Midland and beyond, and return from work to Toodyay.

A coach later in the morning would service other people, including from Morangup.

The coach would return in the afternoon without those people having to wait for the late AvonLink.

There is still a strong interest to maintain the AvonLink.

I have read these emails and the reply from Stan Scott is not one that anyone should receive in the workplace, and left no alternative for Di.

Di wrote an initial email to the shire president and the vice-president with a copy to the CEO.

Correct procedure should have been that if the CEO wished to reply to Di, his email should have been sent to the shire president to deal with.

Mr Scott should not have communicated on this matter directly back to Di, and the CEO should have been censured by the council.

But as usual, most current councillors are averse to pulling the CEO into line.

I am talking about us, the people who have to have a post office box as we do not have postman service.

I have just paid a $38 bill to the post office for the post box that I have to have.

Not so long ago it was $12.

However, that is not my point.

I have always had my postman service wherever I lived, delivering to my letter box at home.

Now I don’t need a letter box as there is no service.

But, I have to pay the $38 for having to drive to town and collect my mail, while the people in town get their mail at home for free.

It is equality – in a very funny way.

Our post office in Toodyay utilises approximately 1500 post boxes, which brings in at least $57,000 to the post office, which would pay for two part-time postmen who would bring the mail to us; thus employing two people.

It would also stop us ‘out of town people’ not feeling like victims of an old system.

I wish I could get some sort of reaction from Herald readers to see for myself if my thoughts are correct, or wrong.

As a regular confidante for Di during this period and last year as her campaign manager, I always advocate governance best practice, not only for local government but boards and community groups in general.

I understand the situation; I respect the reasons and I support Di for having the courage to resign (in the face of a potential community backlash) rather than continue in an environment impacting her wellbeing.

As a recognised professional with a clear understanding of the characteristics needed for good governance, she was tested and I suggest even disrespected.

Having been a councillor myself, along with my partner Bob Neville (a long-term councillor) in other parts of WA, we both know the joys and angsts associated with the role.

While there will now no doubt be some detractors, I seriously hope new and current councillors encounter fewer adversarial attitudes and that council moves towards being a more collegiate and supportive environment.

I have no doubt Di’s experience (and the current fallout) will begin to effect the change that is required to continue to progress and transition this wonderful town; and that Di will continue to play a role in this.