Toodyay Herald

Sean Hefferon
DARREN Gillis has been busy living his country music dreams. Big dreams that saw him last month playing in Tamworth – the home of the Big Golden Guitar. He was invited to play at the Tamworth Country Music Festival as a top 5 finalist in the radio 2TM Discovered Competition.

Budding country singers the world over would break more than a few guitar strings to play at the Australian festival which is the second biggest country music festival in the world after the big show in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Tamworth has been the culmination of several months of touring for Darren who has been strumming his guitar in places as far afield as Shark Bay, Kalbarri and Green Head.

Along the way he was first place winner at the 2024 Lancelin Busker Festival where
he said, “I got poached by a fella that runs the Chapman Valley Country Music Festival who said I should have a crack at the Emerging Artists and I did and ended up
winning that, which is fantastic.”

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By Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation

FOR THOUSANDS of years, Noongar people lived in tune with the land, guided by the six Bonar (Seasons), which span from season of fertility to season of adulthood.

These seasons – Makuru, Djilba, Kambarang, Birak, Bunuru, and Djeran – guided Noongar families in their seasonal movements, food sourcing, and stewardship of the land and each season offers unique insights into life and survival on Country.

As we approach summer, we enter Birak, the ‘Season of the Young’. Birak marked a time of transformation and crucial land management practices, like controlled burns which helped care for the land and ensured its health.

Birak – The Season of the Young (December/January) Colour Symbolism: Red and brown
symbolise Birak, reflecting the warm tones of the drying earth at the start of summer in
the Noongar cycle.

These colours are tied to the season’s Kaarla (fire) practices, which renew the land
and sustain its health.

Nature thriving and new beginnings: Birakbrings warmth as the Boorong (rains) ease
and the land begins to dry out.

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Coondle – Nunile Volunteer
Bush Fire Brigade
By Aurelie Zimmermann, Secretary
SUMMER is here which means callouts; that so far have mainly been tree and grass fires, however we expect the number of turnouts will increase as we move deeper into the fire season.

In excellent news we welcomed a new member this past month and he has completed
all the foundation courses and is now ready to join the crews on the fireground.

Welcome aboard, Sebastiaan.

Our last training session saw us driving around the Coondle area to familiarise
ourselves with emergency egress.

 

It is vital no one interferes with any egress locks or gates as those can be a tremendous
asset in emergency response.

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Sean Hefferon
LAST month Toodyay Shire confirmed it was unable to manage the public swimming pool for the 2024/25 season.

Reasons for this decision include thelack of qualified staff and professional management.

According to a recent public notice by Shire President Cr McKeown the shire had been faced with the immediate closure of the public swimming pool last month – “due to legacy issues inherited from the previous contractor operator”.

Clublinks, a national company that manages fitness and aquatic centres exited their contract with the shire on June 30, five months before the contract end date.

Their departure came several months after a new council leadership team was voted in
with a focus on a shire managed recreation centre including the public swimming pool.

The shire also confirmed that Clublinks had not been contacted regarding the matter, before the public notice was issued.

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Toodyay Community Garden
Rosemary Madacsi, Secretary
THE TOODYAY Community Garden has been busy since first meeting on May 28 and membership continues to grow.

Professional concept designs have been completed, money pledged and alternative sites considered by the membership.

The last hurdle is to find a site with location central to meet our objectives – To create a harmonious environment in which to bring community together, to garden and share knowledge and skills of sustainable food production.

A central location with level and disabled community access and basic amenities is critical to achieve inclusion of children and our seniors.

The aim of this project is not just gardening but a place to socialise, support physical activity and community connections

The garden will provide opportunities to learn sustainable living skills and acquire local knowledge and lived experiences by being accessible and inclusive.

The vacated Fiennes Street tennis courts are the first choice due to its central location and existing infrastructure.

The group submitted an interest in this site on May 30 following council’s April resolution to seek expressions of interest.

The resolution to consider the site use and any expressions of interest at the August 28 council meeting was delayed until a Facilities and Building review was completed.

Huge thanks to Fiona and Rory Davin of Stirling House for their generosity in providing the rear of their property as a place to store needed resources.

We also thank others who have offered help.

Unfortunately, the delay in finding a site has meant the winter and spring opportunity to start the gardens was lost as was community garden funding on offer.

Our focus is now on moving forward and how to provide activities and a range of learning opportunities for the community, while we wait for a home.

Concept design

Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation

THIS month we highlight some bush foods traditionally used by Noongar moort (families) across the Toodyay Valley.

Contrary to colonial misconceptions that Noongar people relied mainly on large djaat (game), about 80 per cent of their traditional diet came from mereny (plant foods) and small djaat (small game).

Including vegetable roots like yanget (bulrush), warrany (yam), and djubak (orchid tuber), as well as yerenburt (fruits/berries), kwolak (grains/seeds).

Included also were animals like yerderap (duck), djidong (small lizards), kaarda (goanna), noorn (snakes), kwenda (bandicoot), and minga (insects/larvae).

KAARDA (Goanna)
Kaarda is valued for its taste and nutritional benefits and after removing the internal organs and cleaning, it is cooked in the ashes of a kaarla (campfire).
The oil from kaarda is also used to treat skin ailments and though difficult to catch kaarda are often found in burrows.
Noongar people have used rock slabs on granite outcrops to create kaarda-mia (goanna shelters) designed to trap them.
Many of these shelters once common across Noongar country, have been removed or damaged due to various factors, including land development and the use of granite slabs for gardens and construction.

Toodyay Agricultural Society
Alison Wroth

ONE THING a country town needs is an event that brings individuals and businesses together.

One of those special events, our historic 170th Anniversary Toodyay Agricultural Show occurred on Saturday October 5.

Gate numbers of over 5000, the smiles and constant activity showed the committee
efforts had been worthwhile – put your hand up if you agree.

We are very proud of our history and since the Society’s establishment in 1853, the iconic Toodyay Agricultural Show has played a key role in our community and we always aim to celebrate this.

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THE NAME change of the Freemasons Hotel to the Toodyay Hotel is all but done with the new name now hanging from the front of the heritage listed building on Stirling Terrace.

For locals with an affinity for the old hotel name the Freemasons sign has been retained and can be found displayed on the pub’s wall.

The local watering hole has had a few names since its original licence starting as the Newcastle Hotel in 1861 then owned by William Tregoning a local publican.

A year later Tregoning sold the pub to Thomas Mead of Northam who changed the name to the Freemasons’ Hotel – this was due to a name-clash with another Newcastle Hotel just up the road (that hotel was subsequently renamed the Toodyay Tavern).

The naming of the Freemasons Hotel back then had nought to do with the secret society that is the Freemasons with its origins in medieval guilds and rituals of ancient orders.

Not that you would necessarily know if a Freemason did drop in for a beer.

Fast forward to 2024 to that recent name change which has caused some local chatter, over the bar and on social media.

For many locals the newly named Toodyay Hotel will remain the Freemasons.

Other locals support the name change and point to the promotional benefits for the town in having a pub with the same name.

THE TOODYAY Cup made its return to the Avon Valley on September 22 when the Toodyay Race Club hosted its first meeting at the local race course since 2021.

An estimated crowd of 3000 racegoers attended the course on what was a sunny Spring Day to see the return of familyfriendly picnic-racing to the Avon Valley.

The efforts of the club and community volunteers to put the event on paid off with
good odds as the friendly crowd enjoyed the warm ambience of the country race event.

The smiling faces and colourful fascinators on the heads of frocked up ladies were almost
matched by the glammed-up besuited blokes crowding around the bar.

Which is to say the fashions in the field went off like a firecracker with a good dose
of humour (and strutting) thrown in.

As for the cup.

The Toodyay Cup that was won by a horse named Zaza Rock – and he did – as did his
jockey and owners.

Tod Johnston and PeaceLove then had the crowd dancing as the sun went down.

Toodyay Football Club
Patrick Thompson

THE TOODYAY reserves capped off a brilliant 2024 season winning the reserves Mortlock Football League premiership by defeating Goomalling 10.15.75 to 3.3.21 in the grand final held in Goomalling on Sunday September 8.

A Toodyay reserves premiership was long overdue as it had been 15 years since the last one back in 2009.

Toodyay local Steven Cousins was the sole player to play in both the 2009 and 2024 premiership sides.

Toodyay entered the game as strong favourites but were challenged early by Goomalling who kicked three of the first four goals.

The match was evenly poised at half time with Toodyay holding a narrow two point lead 3.4.22 to 3.2.20.

After half time the midfield, lead by the Sullivan brothers (Jimmy and Ryan), gained ascendency and Toodyay took control of the match kicking five third quarter goals to lead by 35 points at final break and eventually running out 54 point winners.

Patrick Thompson was awarded best on ground kicking three goals across wing and half forward.

Ben Corbey kicked two and was busy in the forward line, while Connor McBride intercepted all day across the half backline.

The week earlier, Toodyay’s league side went down to Dowerin in the Preliminary final 12.13.85 to 11.7.73 to end their finals run.

On the awards front, Toodyay was well represented at Mortlock Football League awards night, winning the following awards:

League Bendigo Bank Player of the year – Reece Richardson.
League Rising Star – Seth Clarke.
Reserves Best and Fairest – Jimmy Sullivan.
Reserves Leading Goal Kicker – Luke Alexander.

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