The Northern Rivers Echo Main News

A crafty weekend

Marcia White displays with some of the wonderful works on show this weekend at the Quota Craft Fair in Alstonville. Photo: Andrew Dostine

The magic of craft will be revealed this weekend at the annual Quota Craft Fair at the Alstonville Leisure Centre.

Some 59 stallholders will feature everything from stained glass to folk art, quilting, spinning, weaving, patchwork and more.

Craft fair chairperson Diana Cooper said that stallholders are coming from far and wide, as well as the best local talent.

"Among many highlights, ladies will give lacemaking demonstrations, which are simply amazing to watch, and Nick Contejohn, a young cabinetmaker from Lismore, will be demonstrating French polishing, as well as displaying some of his works," she said.

"There is a woodwork display by Alstonville High School students, which is always outstanding, and students from Southern Cross University will lead fun activities for the kids in the children's activity tent."

Community groups like Alstonville Historical Society will have a display, along with the Tapestry, Embroiderers and Sewing Guilds.

You'll be able to learn about crafts from scrapbooking to pottery in the demonstrations.

"It's a marvellous day out and the chance to see some very talented people in action," Diana said.

"All the money goes to local charities and this is Quota's major fundraiser for the year. We're hoping to top last year's effort by raising more than $11,000".

And when you need a break from all the activity, the canteen will have homemade cakes and other tasty treats for lunch or a snack.

The Quota Craft Fair is open Saturday from 10am to 4pm and on Sunday from 9am to 4pm at the Alstonville Leisure Centre. Tickets are $5/4 concession.

Historians search for war relic

John Alcorn and Marelle Lee are searching for a WWII air-raid shelter built on the riverbank.

Historians are searching for a concrete air-raid shelter built early in World War II on the Lismore CBD riverbank. Lismore Council and the Richmond River Historical Society Inc are looking for the shelter, believed to be near the Lismore Club while the levee bank is being built.

If discovered, it may become part of new historical interpretations associated with the levee works.

Lismore historian John Alcorn, who was in the air-raid shelter in the late 1960s, believes it could have been partially covered by a small levee bank built as part of the club's carpark. Weed have stopped his attempts to find it again.

"It was large, about 20 by 20 feet, and probably seven feet high, and all concrete," Mr Alcorn said. "There was an open parapet to the river and you could watch Brown and Jolly's sawmill on the other side."

He hopes the entrance could be uncovered during the levee bank construction.

Mr Alcorn is a bit of a shelter buff - his father Keith built a WWII shelter in the backyard of his Spring Street home when fears about Japanese air raids were at their peak following the bombing of Darwin.

Shelters were constructed in many city backyards and there were public versions on vacant lots, such as Short and Bright Street, the lower end of Bright Street, and the corner of Spring and Diadem Streets. These were mainly earth dugouts, filled in after the war.

The remains of a large, public air-raid shelter were discovered recently when people were working on the beautification of Molesworth Street, between Woodlark and Magellan Streets.

Historian Meg Timbrell remembers another street shelter in Keen Street, near the Gollan Hotel, and Mr Alcorn thinks that there were other public shelters in city streets. A shelter was displayed for a time after the demolition of the Ryan home at the corner of Zadoc and Keen Streets, to make way for the Lismore Cinemas.

Several people mentioned the riverbank shelter when Annette Potts and Marelle Lee were co-writing and editing Wartime on the Richmond 1939-1945 for the historical society in 1995. One man suggested on Tuesday this week that there were several air-raid shelters built into the banks of the river.

Anyone with memories or information about the riverbank shelters is asked to contact the Richmond River Historical Society at the Regional Museum in Molesworth Street on 6621 9993, weekdays, between 10am and 4pm, or Marelle Lee on 6687 7221.

Students light up the night

Kate McDowell with her work Crossing the Threshold

Students from St John's College Woodlawn will showcase their artistic talents next week in the school's first Lights Up arts night.

The evening will see this year's HSC music and drama students performing a range of musical and dramatic pieces, and will coincide with the school art exhibition.

"It will be a terrific night," drama teacher Murray Smith said. "This is the first time we have year 12 drama students. The calibre is very high and some of the pieces will later be performed in Lismore's Star Court Theatre. It's also the first time we've combined art, music, and drama in the one show."

Lights Up is on next Wednesday and Thursday, August 27-28. The art exhibition will officially open on Wednesday at 6pm, with dramatic and musical performances starting at 7.30pm.

There are matinee performance on both days at 10am.

A bloomin' good idea

Emily Harvey is doing her bit to beat cancer - her mum Christine and grandmother Jan will be selling fresh daffodils for $5 a bunch at Lismore Florist at Conway Plaza, along with other Cancer Council merchandise.

One in three people will be affected by cancer at some time in their life. The other two people will know someone with the disease. You can help defeat cancer this Friday, August 22 - the Cancer Council's Daffodil Day. Daffodils are $5 for a bunch, or a gold coin donation per stem, or for just a few dollars, you can do your bit by buying a mini football, teddy bear key ring, pen and lapel pin.

You'll find them at major shopping centres, Spotlight, Coles and Kmart, and Bi-Lo in Alstonville. The money goes to cancer research, and programs such as the Cancer Helpline.

Pool plan revealed

Architect Ric Bzowy's preliminary design for the new pool on the Memorial Baths site features a 25-metre 'warm-up/down pool', but nothing for toddlers.

Parents with young children will be forced to use the free Lismore Lake pool rather than the Memorial Baths with Lismore Council favouring a design that targets competition swimmers rather than casual pool users.

Last Friday, the pool committee, led by Mayor Merv King and councillors Reg Baxter and Brian Suffolk backed a proposal to build two outdoor, unheated pools on the site - a 50m, eight-lane Olympic standard pool and a 25m x 8m x 1.2m-deep warm-up/warm-down pool close to the baths entrance.

The design will also see eight fig trees along the Northern side of Market Street removed and the 'historic' cascade filter, previously considered a key feature, demolished.

Costs are currently being prepared for the design, and are expected to be around $4 million.

The 50m pool with have 2m-wide lanes - larger than previously anticipated - and a disabled access ramp. It will also be deep and wide enough for a full-size water polo zone. The design also tries to maximise the concourse areas for large school carnivals and if the budget permits, will have grandstand seating for up to 400 people.

General manager Paul O'Sullivan said that while cost considerations will mean no heating or covering, the design will allow for their inclusion at a later date.

"We're looking to get the basics right for now, so you can come back and do other things later," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan said the configuration was the result of Council "concentrating on the focus being a competition-style pool, to meet Australian standards".

"There is no toddlers or wading pool, so Council needs to ensure that the Lismore Lake pool is maintained, because it will be the only facility available for toddlers," he said.

While around half of Lismore's 55,000 annual visitors to the Baths use it for recreational swimming, only 10 per cent of users are competition swimmers. The remainder come for educational (eg. learn-to-swim) and fitness reasons.

Mr O'Sullivan said Council will not be buying the RSL Club's bowling green land because it was "not required or warranted".

Once the costings are finalised, tenders to build will be sought in October.

"Council will deal with the tender at its December meeting. We anticipate the closure of the pool at the end of February, so the new pool can be open by December 2004," Mr O'Sullivan said.

Truck drivers killed

Two truck drivers were killed instantly when their trucks collided head-on on the Pacific Highway, south of Woodburn on Monday night. The southbound B-Double semi-trailer and northbound semi-trailer collided 12km north of the Iluka turn-off, completely blocking the highway to traffic for more than 14 hours.

Emergency services personnel worked to clear the debris, which was spread across a 200m stretch of road. The semi was carrying household cleaners that were scattered across the highway. The B-Double was fully-laden, but its cargo remained intact in the crash.

Motorists were forced to divert via the Bruxner Highway and Summerland Way, causing extensive delays.

A truck blacked out Alstonville early on Tuesday morning when it brought down power lines. The highway wasn't opened again until 3.40pm on Tuesday.

The bodies of the two men were taken to Lismore Base Hospital for post mortem examination and identification.

Crash Investigators from Ballina are attempting to determine the exact cause of the crash to prepare a report for the coroner.

Assault arrest

Police from the Sex Crimes Squad arrested an 18-year-old man at a Lismore caravan park early on Wednesday morning over the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl in Sydney.

The attack occurred last month during a home invasion at Newington on July 17.

The man was arrested at 6.30am and appeared in Casino Local Court yesterday. He is the third person arrested over the incident. Police are still looking for a fourth man to assist with their inquiries.

Refugee view

Asylum seeker Maqsood Alshams will talk about his experiences on the second anniversary of "Tampa" incident, next Friday, August 29, at Mary Gilhooley's Irish Pub from 6.30pm. Alshams is a former investigative journalist and foreign correspondent from Bangladesh, currently seeking asylum. He spent 16 months in the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre before his release in April 2000.

TAFE teachers

North Coast TAFE teachers will meet at the Lismore Workers Club on Friday to discuss mooted changes to the TAFE system by the NSW government.

"This is the most concerted attack on the TAFE system in many years and TAFE teachers will not sit by and watch it destroyed by ill-conceived plans," a Teachers Federation spokesman said.

Head banging bad for your health

Len 'Horace' Harper and Agnes De Bye joined Nimbin's elderly for a spot of head-banging

Head banging is normally a past-time for young rock fans. Nimbin's elderly tried a more literal version this week in a protest against the federal Government's lack of help in restoring GP services in the town. The graphic demonstration was meant to show how they felt dealing with federal Health Minister Senator Kay Patterson was "like beating your head against a brick wall".

While Nimbin residents are grateful to have a doctor's surgery in their village again, they remain angry at the federal Government for failing to provide incentives to keep the doctors there.

The NSW Government offered $50,000 to help set up the practice, but the Commonwealth has so far refused to change Nimbin's bureaucratic classification, which means it is not entitled to federal incentives to attract doctors.

Dr Len Martin, spokesperson for the Nimbin Needs Doctors Rural Action Group said the group had been campaigning for most of the year for action from the federal Government over Nimbin's health services.

Resident GP Dr Dan Oxlee has been raising the problem with the Commonwealth for more than two years.

"Unfortunately, it's a bloody sight easier to get through that wall, than it is to get through to Senator Patterson," Dr Martin said after his turn at 'head-banging'.

"The practice must pay its own way in the not too distant future. But Nimbin's classification by the federal Government is compromising the viability of the practice by preventing access to Federal incentives designed to attract doctors to rural areas and keep them there - incentives enjoyed by surrounding towns like Alstonville, Ballina, Wollongbar!" he said.

"We believe that the Minister's intransigence on Nimbin's status makes her largely responsible for closure of the previous practice. Everyone else, from Lismore Council to the state Government and the Division of General Practice is supporting the practice, but will the federal Minister?"

ALP Senator Michael Forshaw has tabled a petition on the issue containing 1062 signatures in the Senate.

A'vlle Bypass reps sought

The RTA is seeking nominations for community representatives to join a community liaison group for the Alstonville Bypass.

The group will work with the RTA to ensure issues raised by the community are considered while the detailed design for the project is underway.

An RTA spokesperson said the community liaison group (CLG) will include residents, businesspeople and community groups.

"Those interested in becoming a member of the CLG can nominate themselves or be nominated by an organization or an informal group of residents from a particular area. Expressions of interest are also being called for nominations for people to attend community workshops to keep the community informed about the project and for the RTA to receive community feedback," they said.

Anyone wanting more information or details should contact RTA project manager Dave Purdy on 0403 098 110, or communications officer Sonia Williamson on 6640 1327.

Flying high after a year

Rex sales manager Kevin Lyons and regional manager Maurice Gahan were joined by Lismore mayor Merv King to cut a cake celebrating the regional airlines' first anniversary last week. The skeptics who declared it wouldn't last six months probably preferred humble pie to birthday cake.

A year after it began flying into Lismore and Ballina, Regional Express (Rex) will offer extra direct flights from mid-September.

Ballina will have three daily flights, Sunday to Friday, with the last one departing at 6.15pm. Lismore will have four flights a day, with only the 8.25am departure going via Ballina.

Rex sales manager Kevin Lyons said support from both councils had given the airline confidence to grow its schedules.

"Passenger numbers on the afternoon flight shared between Ballina and Lismore have been growing to a point now where it is difficult to get a seat on most days. Given the level of support we have from both councils, Rex is prepared to make this significant commitment of a dedicated afternoon flight for both centres," he said.

Rex also launched a $99 fare between Ballina and Sydney following an agreement with Ballina Council on airport taxes, similar to the recent deal with Lismore City Council.

"Both councils have now removed their local passenger charges and through a matching contribution from Rex, travellers between Sydney and the Northern Rivers are benefiting from highly competitive airfares," Mr Lyons said.

Casino rail celebrates centenary

Story & photo:Therese Schier

Pacific Coast Railway Society president Jim Fitzgerald in the Old Casino Station Railway Museum which will be the focal point for celebrations marking the centenary of rail in Casino on the October long weekend.

Steam returns to Casino Station on the October long weekend when the 3801 steam locomotive arrives for a weekend of celebrations to mark the centenary of rail in Casino.

The Pacific Coast Railway Society is hosting the celebrations that will also mark the 10th anniversary of the Casino Mini Rail and the Old Casino Station Railway Museum.

The weekend will kick off on Saturday with the arrival of the 3801 at Casino station with a trainload of enthusiasts who will travel from Sydney for the celebrations.

The original Casino Station in Dyraaba Street, near Casino Golf course, which was renamed "Old Casino' in 1930, will be the venue for celebrations on Sunday October 5.

Society President Jim Fitzgerald said there would be plenty to excite rail enthusiasts of all ages during the weekend.

"The trips to Rappville and Kyogle on Sunday and Monday give people the chance to experience the thrill of riding in 1930s vintage carriages pulled by a steam loco," he said. "And to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Casino Mini Rail we will have over 50 visiting diesel, steam and electric "mini" locomotives."

The Mini Rail operates on the edge of the Jabiru Geneebeinga Wetlands around Casino Golf course and carries passengers over a 3.9km journey to the Old Casino Station Railway Museum.

The Railway Museum houses an impressive collection of historical railway memorabilia. "We have the original ticket box, staff records and much more," Mr. Fitzgerald said. Some visitors to the museum have been pleased to find the names of family members in these records."

Bookings for travel on the 3801 can be made at the Richmond Valley Tourist Information Centre Casino, phone 6662 3566, or buy them on Sundays at the Casino Mini Rail station.

New ear for health complaints

Story & photo: Andrew Dostine

Amanda Adrian, Commissioner of the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission, launched a local service in Lismore this week.

Local doctors are as skilled as other GPs across NSW, but like their colleagues elsewhere they need to work on their people skills.

Speaking at the expansion of the Health Care Complaints Commission's Patient Support Service into the Northern Rivers, Commissioner Amanda Adrian said that two thirds of complaints received from this region were about inadequate communication and service by doctors, ranging from rudeness and insensitivity, to failing to offer information, ignoring cultural values, inadequate treatment and delays in treatment.

"This is a very common theme and underpins the majority of complaints we receive, not just from the Northern Rivers, but right around State," she said

But Dr Sue Page, president of the NSW Rural Doctors Association, said that this finding hinted at a broader problem.

"The message to be taken is that the general practitioner workforce is declining and that GPs feel the need to see more patients. People tired from overwork usually aren't good listeners," she said. "Good communication is a critical element of a practice, but this can be difficult in a highly stressful environment.

"Many GPs would like to work more flexibly, part-time for example, but there is limited opportunity to do this with the current funding model."

The Patient Support Service provides free support and advocacy assistance to people with concerns about health services-public, private, or alternative. The Commission's new Patient Support Officer, David Annis-Brown, is at 29 Molesworth Street, Lismore.

"I hope to assist in improving relations between patients and their providers and to be an aid in facilitating the improvement of a better quality of service for people in this region," she said.

Region tops drug abuse statistics

Lismore MP, Thomas George (right), with the NSW Special Minister of State, John Della Bosca (second from right), and members of the NSW Summit on Alcohol Abuse delegation, Clarence MP, Steve Cansdell, Illawarra MP Marianne Saliba, and former Liberal Party leader Kerry Chikarovski.

Consumption levels of both legal and illegal drugs on the Northern Rivers are higher than the NSW average, leading to serious social problems, including the State's highest rates of assault, domestic violence, and property crimes.

This alarming, if not surprising statistic was explained last week to a bipartisan delegation of MPs on a fact-finding mission for the upcoming NSW Summit on Alcohol Abuse.

The delegation, one of two to be sent to rural NSW, was headed by NSW Special Minister of State, John Della Bosca, and included retired MP and former Liberal Party leader, Kerry Chikarovski, who will co-chair the Summit in Sydney from August 26 to 29.

Before inspecting alcohol and drug treatment facilities in Lismore and Alstonville, the group was briefed on local alcohol and drug abuse issues by the coordinators of programs aimed at reducing the links between alcohol/drug consumption and both crime and traffic accidents. These included the court diversion program, MERIT - Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment - which encourages people charged with drug-related crimes to accept medical treatment and/or counselling rather than face prison or fines, the Drinksafe program in local hotels and clubs, and the RRISK program aimed at raising the safety awareness of high school-aged drivers.

Statistics show that around 66 per cent of assault-related offences had an alcohol related factor, while the Richmond police command registered the fourth highest drug detection rate in the state, with Tweed-Byron at the top, ahead of Sydney's Kings Cross. A significant proportion of incarcerated offenders had committed a crime whilst under the influence of alcohol.

"The visit will provide MPs with first-hand knowledge of alcohol treatment, prevention programs and support services in Northern NSW," Mr Della Bosca said.

"This will help parliamentary delegates debate, discuss and develop innovative and effective approaches during the Summit. The visit also provided frontline workers the opportunity to discuss their successes and challenges."

Mullum returns to coastal hospital option

The debate over a new coastal hospital took another twist last week when the new 25-member Byron-Ballina Community Consultative Committees held its first meeting, adding a proposal to retain Mullumbimby hospital to the existing three options.

The group, which meets again on September 6, will now consider whether to: a) replace Mullumbimby, Byron Bay and Ballina hospitals with one coastal hospital; b) maintain two hospitals - in Ballina and Byron providing a complementary, higher-level range of services; c) maintain two hospitals, but with duplicated, less-complex services; or d) continue the current services, with Mullumbimby Hospital re-opened after the removal of asbestos, plus the maintenance of Byron Hospital and the redevelopment of Ballina Hospital by consolidating surgical and rehabilitation and aged care services.

The committee with investigate the four options in greater detail next month before deciding on a preferred option by October.

NSW Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, Cherie Burton, who attended the meeting, said she was "very heartened" by the initial discussions, and believed the community would finally come to a decision.

Northern Rivers Area Health Service is also holding separate consultation with staff at each hospital to gauge their views, which will go to the September workshop.

NRAHS CEO, Chris Crawford, said he hoped for a speedy resolution of the issues and agreement on a "realistic and feasible" option.

"However, the committee will not be rushed and if it resolved that it needs more time to further discuss issues, it will be granted that extra time," he said.

"It is highly desirable that these fast-growing, neighbouring communities reach a mutually acceptable decision on how their health services should be developed."

Top scientist talks at rainforest day

Professor Hugh Possingham (pictured) - a leading member of the Wentworth Group of Scientists - shall deliver the keynote address at the fifth annual Big Scrub Rainforest Day at Rocky Creek Dam on Sunday, September 7.

The Wentworth Group is a group of scientists and economists which is advising Prime Minister John Howard and Premier Bob Carr on the reforms needed to secure sustainable management of our land and water resources. The key components of the Wentworth Model include ending broadscale landclearing, setting clear environmental standards and providing significant public funding to farmers. The proposals to assist farmers to farm sustainably and profitably have received widespread support from both conservationists and farmers.

Big Scrub Rainforest Day is a chance for people to learn about the local ecology and to get involved in protecting what is left of the Big Scrub. Leading experts on rainforest flora and fauna will host guided walks and workshops, while market stalls and displays, entertainment and kids activities create a festival atmosphere, making a relaxing and fun family day out in the rainforest parklands at Rocky Creek Dam.

The Echo will publish further details next week. Information is also available online at www.rainforestrescue.org.au/bigscrub.html

Art in the Centre

Olga Masters shares her excitement at her first effort in watercolour painting with pastels workshop teacher Elizabeth Brand of Dyraaba.

Four workshops were held at the proposed Casino Art Centre last Sunday with everyone surprised and pleased with their efforts and vowing to come again.

Casino High School student Josh Southern impressed teacher Greg Wilson with his first efforts.

"His work shows a good sense of colour and balance," Greg said.

Peter McIntyre of Lismore also enjoyed his watercolour class and like other participants is keen to come again.

"I think this is a great idea! There's nothing like this in Lismore," he said.

The workshops were funded by a grant from Regional Arts NSW, Quick turnaround Grant.

Get the gravy for charity

There is no denying that the Gravox brand is a trusted Australian favourite. Delicious as an accompaniment and flavoursome as an ingredient, Gravox has been adding honest to goodness flavour to lamb roasts, hearty casseroles and soups throughout Australian homes since 1917.

No less than 86 years on, Gravox is proud of its contribution to the Australian way of life and is celebrating with a unique grants program designed to highlight Gravox's honest to goodness commitment to the Australian people. The Gravox Grants program will see a total of 100 grants worth $500 each given away to community charities and groups throughout regional Australia.

We are pleased to announce that The Northern Rivers Echo is working with Gravox to award one of these grants in the Northern Rivers area.

If you know of a local honest to goodness community charity or group that deserves a Gravox Grant, write in and tell us why.

The community interest with the most nominations will be awarded the $500. To nominate the community interest you think has made the greatest 'honest to goodness' contribution to our local area, send in your entry by last mail on August 29 to Gravox, Grant PO Box 37, Lismore. 2480.

The winning community interest will be announced and profiled in our September 4 edition.

See the one that got away

Volunteer researcher David Taylor with an Eastern Cod - the rare fish will be on show at SCU's open day.

An endangered native fish once plentiful in the Richmond River, but now rarely sighted, will be on show at Southern Cross University's (SCU) biology lab in Lismore this Saturday, August 23.

Freshwater Eastern Cod numbers are under threat and the fish is the focus of research by a team in SCU's School of Environmental Science, calling themselves the Cod Squad. During the SCU Lismore Open Day from 10am till 3pm on Saturday, a freshwater Eastern Cod will be on display in a tank.

"Seeing one is getting to be as rare as sighting the snow leopard," said Cod Squad member Anthony Moore, Research Fellow at SCU.

While there are some in the Richmond - the result of years of restocking - their future does not look bright because of habitat quality.

Illegal fishing is a major threat to its survival and the territorial cod can't resist taking a bite.

"It's their downfall; you can catch the same fish three times in a day. If there are other species around, the cod will still go for the bait first. They'll eat anything they can fit in their mouths and they have quite a large mouth. I even have a picture of a cod with a cat in its mouth. Unfortunately the cod choked on it and died."

Anne's art takes her to Taiwan

Amanda Soutar, Anne Coroneos and Justyn Shaw, winners of TAFE's art acquisitive prizes with Anne's prize-winning sculpture.

Winning is nice, but exhibiting is everything. That was the message from four young artists who took out prizes recently in the North Coast Institute of TAFE's 2003 Student Acquisitive Prize art exhibition.

"Student artists don't often have the chance to exhibit so shows like this give us the chance to gain exhibition practice and to have our works shown in the community," said Lismore's Amanda Soutar after her sculpture Blue won the $250 prize for best 3D artwork.

Other winners included Justyn Shaw from Murwillumbah for a self-portrait and Lismore's Katherine Perrott for her work Seeking Asylum.

The major acquisitive prize of $600 was won by Anne Coroneos of Lismore for her sculpture Goanna Waiting.

"It's very exciting and very encouraging. It gives you the drive to keep working," she said.

All of the works acquired by the North Coast Institute of TAFE will become part of an emerging collection of works.

For Anne it had been a week of honours after she was told she had also been selected to represent Australia in Taiwan next month as part of an International Ceramics Lantern Workshop. Anne will receive return airfare, accommodation and a daily allowance as part of the award where she will be part of an international team of 10 sculptures creating large ceramic lanterns at the prestigious Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taipei.

The TAFE exhibition can be seen until the end of the month by visiting the Lismore campus's main administration building.

Make a will this Saturday

Lismore residents interested in making a Will can visit the Public Trustee in Lismore this Saturday, August 23, between 9am and1pm to make or update their Will.

Public Trustee Lismore advisors will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice on Wills and the advantages of choosing the Public Trustee as their Executor.

"Too many Australians die without a Will each year," Lismore Branch Manager Col Gray said. "Many people do not realise what a simple task it is to make a Will. A Will with the right Executor substantially reduces the stress on loved ones at a time of loss."

Whether you are getting married, having a baby, welcoming a grandchild, getting divorced, entering or ending a de facto relationship or nearing retirement, a Will should communicate these stages of life.

"Those people who already have a Will need to consider their changing circumstances and update their Will in order to reflect this change", said Mr Gray. "People need to understand that beneficiaries, assets and choice of Executor may change throughout their lives and it is important that these changes are reflected in their Will."

Mr Gray advised against home-made Wills and Will Kits.

"Legal complications can arise if the writing is illegible or the wording is capable of more than one meaning. It is always advisable to seek the advise of a professional Will-maker. It is also wise to seek advice on appointing an Executor as this can be a difficult task for an someone inexperienced in the role."

For further information on Will-making, call 1300 364 103, or log on to www.pt.nsw.gov.au to begin the Will-making process online. To avoid disappointment on Saturday, you should book an appointment.

This week's features: Southern Cross University Open Day - Motoring News - Your Shopping Guide - Local Businesses