Visit by Noeline Brown, Ambassador for Ageing

On Thursday, 6th June, members of the Recorder Orchestra were hosts to actress Noeline Brown, Ambassador for Ageing.

Fifty recorder players and some observers from the Beginner classes gathered at the Woden Seniors’ Club hall and played a 40 minute concert. The music ranged from Renaissance Dances to modern (“Yesterday” by Lennon and McCarthy, and a lively Tango with contra bass solo.)

Noeline was amazed by the sound, and her prepared speech about how to ‘age well’ was, as she said , superfluous when confronted with 50 vibrant older people , so obviously engaged happily in making such beautiful music.

She commented that she had had no idea that recorders existed in sizes other than the descant which everyone knows from primary school.

A bonus was that Chris Kimball from the ABC 7:30 on Fridays was there with his cameraman, and expressed the same amazement. His piece was shown on Friday, 28th June. Click here to view the ABC report.

Following are some photos from the occasion.

Rail Trail Walk

By Jenny Gregory.

(See also Fortnightly News Update of 12/4/2013)

We could surely write a few more verses of Lucky Starr’s song “I’ve Been Everywhere” after our Rail Trail walks in Victoria’s lovely Kiewa Valley region in April. Tangambalanga, Kergunyah, Yackandandah, Mudgegonga – all previously unfamiliar place names which will now be part of some wonderful memories for the T’ai Chi Rail Trail walkers. I was delighted to be able to join Sue Allen, Elizabeth Halfnights and John Monk and walk nearly 100k on sections of the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail each day of our six day stay. Well, truth to tell, Elizabeth and Sue walked each day (anything up to 18k per day!) and I surprised myself by completing more than 50k altogether– with two rest days when I meandered around Myrtleford or Yackandandah with Elizabeth’s sister Dot. On those days my walking consisted of popping in and out of shops, museums and coffee stops, and included taking in the Anzac Day Ceremony in Myrtleford, a very nicely done and truly community commemoration.

As the name suggests, the trails were previously railway lines, disused now and re-made as walking and cycling paths. You can read more about these trails at http://www.railtrails.org.au. Read More

10 Stories High Collection

A collection of life stories by members of Woden Seniors. Click image to read the collection.

(PDF format)