Toxic Station Creek at Urunga

 

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/beach/bppsob/bpp0203_mainreport.pdf

Levels of arsenic and antimony measured in Pipe Clay Creek were generally low, and similar to those measured at Sea Lido.
In contrast, levels of arsenic and antimony measured in Station Creek were much higher than those at Sea Lido.
Antimony levels exceeded the NHMRC (1996) drinking water quality guideline of 3 on all occasions, while levels of arsenic consistently exceeded the ANZECC (2000) swimming water quality guideline of between March and May 2003.
Levels of both arsenic and antimony in Station Creek increased after February 2003, a period dominated by many small rainfall events.

These results suggest that arsenic and antimony are washed into the creek during wet weather. 

This is an update to an earlier blog which I am unable to locate and fear it may have been taken down.  I will add more to this as I regather my previous information.

Gilayjal Miirlarl

Gagu is Brother in Gumbaynggirr... So Guja Nyunyundi Gagu (Deadly My Brother)

 

Ginnagay,  thats what we say around here on the Coffs Coast Gumbaynggirr people... but my friend Marianne from the Headland in WA says Kaya' so Ginnagay and Kaya and Palya to my NT friends also and Jingi Wala to my Bunjalung friends and all out west of me Yama to you out there near Moree and surrounding Gomeroi lands.  Hello to everyone.   

YURRUUN.GA

Long white sands - Lingo Gumbaynggiiri

URUNGA 

This is where most of my life happens at the moment and what we can see or what we want to remember perhaps.. Purer stuff.

Looking towards the Ocean from town in Urunga

August 2012 was a special month because it has two FULL MOONS.  The first one falls on August 2nd and it is a Aquarius ♂ full moon. 

The second FULL MOON is on Friday 31st August and it will be full at 11:59pm and it is a Aquarius ♂ full moon.

The second FULL MOON in any one calendar month is called a BLUE MOON because a full moon occur every 29.5 days apart.
Calculate the moonsign here.. 

Gumbaynggirr Language

Ginnagayy            .           .            Hello
Yaanagay,  yagay!                         Here you are /  Here it is.
Yurruun.ga,                                    North Beach - Place of the Long white sands
Gilayjal Miirlari                             Urunga -Sacred place of the High Tides
Gilayjun                                         Sacred
Janingbirriny                                  Valla
Baalijin                                           Bellingen
Giinagay, Yaamadi                         Hello
Mirranya, gaywawa                       Dawn
Ngayan                                           Sun
Gawnggan.ga                                 Friday (from Gawnggan 'First woman').
Nungalli Mirrlarl..                          Pickett Hill Valla
Maam Gadaang                              Meeting place of talking

Yaanagay,yagay!(Gumbaynggirr)...    Here you are, Here it is!

Yurruun.ga,  Gilayjal Miirlari,.....          Urunga

Janingbirriny                                        Valla

Baalijin,                                                Bellingen

Giinagay, Yaamadi,.........                     Hello

Mirranya, gaywawa,...                          Dawn

Ngayan ,..........                                     Sun

Gawnggan.ga Gawnggan '1st woman  Friday

Gaargums .................                           Kookaburra

Translations.

Giinagay - hello.

Yaam darruy ngiina gaduyaygu - It's good to meet you.

Ngiinda darruy - Are you well?

Ngaya yaam darruy - I am fine.

Giinagay and yaarri yarraang - hello and goodbye.

Miimi - mother.

Baaba - father.

Gagu - brother.

Jiinda - sister.

Ngayan - sun; Giidany - moon.

Ngaya yaam naaraway - I am sorry.

Niirum - cold; Wiigun - hot.

Ngaya yaam niirumay - I am cold.

Guuru - black.

Garaaban - white.

Daagan - white northern.

Muluurr - red or blood.

Garlugun - one.

Bularri - two.

Guga - three (gugaamgan is emu).

Daan - four (daan.gi is talons).

Marla - five (hand).

Jugu - six.

Duwa - seven.

Janya - eight (short for octupus).

Wagaa - nine.

Ngaal - ten.

Muluny - platypus.

Nunguu - kangaroo.

Yamaarr - fish (eatable).

Jiibiny - bird.

Waanyji - dog.

Dunggiirr - koala.

Yugiirr - dolphin.

Gaagal - ocean and beach; Bindarray - river; Juluum - mountain; Waluurr - valley.

Yuraal - tucker or food; Biyamba - eat; Ngambii - drink.

Ngaya - I; Ngiinda - you; Ngiyaa - we.

Miil - eye; jalaany - mouth; maarla - hand; ngaalgan - ear; ngaari - leg; baga baga - knee.

Ngiina nyaagu gangaagirr diiragarri - see you later, alligator.

Galimbin - hat.

Miilambin - glasses.

Jagana - shoe.

Yiiliwiyay - dancing.

Wwagay - fire.

Wajaarr is land and marrall is earth.

Gaywa wunba - festival.

Maagunaygam - the feasting.

Maagun - feast.

Gilingal - new.

Jalumgal - old.

Jaaningga - Wattle

Yulun.ga - Sally Wattle

Gunayjin.ga - Fine Leaf Wattle

Niirum - Cold

Jalingarr - Morning

Jalingada Niirum - Morning cold

Daalgay - Song

Daalgiya - Sing

Daalgili - Singing - continuous singing like at a Corroboree

Ngaya yaam daalgiyay - I am singing

Minya minya - How many things?

Warru warru - How many people?

Warru - Person

Bijaarr - Name

Nganyundi Bijaarr - My Name

Nginundi Bijaarr - Your Name

Nganyundi Bijaarr Garyga - My Name is Gary

Nginundi Bijaarr Lizga - Your Name is Liz

Barrway - Large

Junuy - Small or Child

Yurruun - Long

Jarligam - Short

Jaraan - Frog

Yamaan - Creek

Yaam darruy ngiina nyaagaygu - It's nice to see you

Yaam darruy nginumbala gayigu - It's good to speak with you

Sacred Place of the High Tides

The Maritime Flagpole on the Hill in Urunga

The main street of Urunga in contrast

The Ocean View Hotel Urunga's only pub

Quotes

Quotes from Famous Indigenous Australians

Dr Perkins

They [Aboriginal youth] learn and receive messages from society of low worth and expectations of mediocrity and failure. I challenge these messages and dream for young Aboriginal Australians and I encourage them to believe in themselves. 

We stagger & stumble into each other in confusion when our identity…is contested & thus allow ourselves to be moulded by others.

"We pray eternally that the White authority structure will not turn on us and impede what little progress we have made" 

"We live off the crumbs that fall off the White Australian tables and are told to be grateful." 

"We ask for land rights with tongue in cheek knowing full well that the land belonged to us in the first instance"

Lilla Watson

"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time; but if you are here because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."

 Mandawuy Yunupingu
Australia will become a model for other global communities ... I see Australians coming together from all walks of life, especially indigenous and non-indigenous Australia, for a better tomorrow. We need to lock into one-another's point of view.
Patrick Dodson
Each of us is unique. We are different. We are all Australians and call this home. Let us rejoice in our diversity and difference because it is they that will enrich us. It is who we are and where we want to be that will ultimately give us the strength, wisdom, inspiration and the generosity to get the job done.
Kevin Gilbert


No people are willing to stand by and see their rights, their human rights usurped or eroded and not do anything.
Cathy Freeman
Peace, unity and harmony!
   People could see in me who I am now, an Olympic champ, the best in the world.
   You got to try and reach for the stars or try and achieve the unreachable.

Language is our soul.

Aunty Rose Fernando, Gamilaroi Elder, 1998
So I take this word reconciliation and I use it to reconcile people back to Mother Earth, so they can walk this land together and heal one another because she's the one that gives birth to everything we see around us, everything we need to survive.
Max Dulumunmun Harrison, Yuin Nation

Language is the expression of our culture and our land. We cannot have one without the others. We cannot describe our culture and our land if we do not have language.
(Queensland Indigenous Languages Advisory Committee, 2006 )
Those who lose Dreaming are lost -
Australian Aboriginal proverb

We cultivated our land, but in a way different from the white man. We endeavoured to live with the land; they seemed to live off it 

Tom Dystra

 Quotes by http://aboriginaloz.blogspot.com.au/

Being Aboriginal is not an obligation or a responsibility, a deficit or an advantage. It is a fact. What you do with it is up to you alone.

Good intentions can be tokenism if appropriate leadership, time and consultation are not given to supporting local Aboriginal communities.

Thinks they are the center of the Universe, doesn't share toys & wants everyone else's, fear of the 'dark', 19thC Europe or a 4 yr old?

When immigrants come here they should do as we do, by which I mean do as they choose to do: Think, pray, talk any way they choose! As we do!

Aboriginal people should be thankful [for being given Civilization]? If you are given a bat you are thankful, if you are beaten with one you are not... basic logic really!

Watching Oprah does NOT really count as opposing racism and embracing diversity!

Racism: The inexplicable habit of blaming victims of historic and continuing inequities for the consequences of victimization.

Resistance/Activism/Oppression/Discrimination/Racism Quotes

Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.
Abraham J. Heschel
In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently.
 Harry A. Blackmun

Racism, in the first place, is a weapon used by the wealthy to increase the profits they bring in by paying Black workers less for their work. Angela Davis

It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate
.  James Arthur Baldwin

The biggest problem though out the history of man is the fact that racism is anything but an anomaly. Erik Hansen  Down Morgo Street Urunga YIDAKI

The didge is a mans instrument and should not be touched by woman of any creed or colour, therefor from the lore that I understand you should heed this.  You should show as much credence to this as to walking on Uluru, which of course you shouldn't.

There are at least 45 regional names for the didgeridoo and listed below are some of these:

Language Group	Region	Local Name for Didge
Anindilyakwa	Groote Eylandt	ngarrriralkpwina
	Arnhem Land	(Yidaki) Mandapul
	Arnhem Land	Yiraka
Djinang	Arnhem Land	Yirtakki
Iwaidja	Cobourg Peninsula	artawirr
Jawoyn	Katherine	Gunbarrk
Gagudju	Kakadu	garnbak
Ngarluma	Roebourne, W.A.	Kurmur
Nyul Nyul	Kimberleys	ngaribi
Warray	Adelaide River	bambu
Mayali	Alligator Rivers	martba
Pintupi	Central Australia	paampu
Aranda	Alice Springs	Ilpirra

Aunty Alison's bush tucker talks to educate.

All Images by Mezza and on flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/melonpopzdropz/

Flood Warning For Bellinger River.

Tropical Cyclone Marcia will go down in record as being the furthermost south a tropical cyclone has made landfall.

Looking towards the Pacific Ocean in Urunga.

• Minor Flood Warning for the Bellinger River
  
  
  Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
  New South Wales MINOR FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BELLINGER RIVER
  
  Issued at 1:43 pm EDT on Saturday 21 February 2015
  Flood Warning Number: 2
  

  
  

  An average of 75 millimetres of rain has fallen during the past 36 hours to 1pm today [21/02/15].  However, the rain intensity has increased during the past 6 hours.

  Further rain is forecast for the remainder of today.

  This forecast rain is expected to cause minor flooding at Thora this evening [21/02/15].

  At this stage it is not possible to predict the flood peak because of uncertainty over how much more rain will fall.

  
  Predicted River Heights/Flows:
  Thora:
  - with forecast rain reach minor flood level (3 metres) around 11pm Saturday [21/02/15]
  Bellingen:
  - remains below minor flood level
  Urunga:
  - remains below minor flood level
  
  

  FloodSafe advice is available at www.ses.nsw.gov.au
  For emergency assistance call the SES on telephone number 132 500.
  For life threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.
  Weather Forecast:
  For the latest weather forecast see www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/
  Next Issue:
  The next warning will be issued by 5pm Saturday [21/02/15].

  
  Latest River Heights:
  Bellinger R at Thora 2.37m rising 01:24 PM SAT 21/02/15
  Never Never Ck at Gleniffer 1.26m rising 01:32 PM SAT 21/02/15
  Bellinger R at Bellingen Br 1.96m rising 01:33 PM SAT 21/02/15
  Kalang R at Kooroowi (Scotchman) 1.23m rising 01:37 PM SAT 21/02/15
  Kalang R at Newry Island 1.06m falling 01:38 PM SAT 21/02/15
  
  

  For latest rainfall and river level information see www.bom.gov.au/nsw/flood/
  

  Issued by: The Bureau of Meteorology, Supplied to the ABC by: Weatherzone

  For further information or additional warnings visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/

  More information on this warning

  
  ABC Emergency

Our SUN is in the centre of our Galaxy ... Happy Summer Solstice

December Solstice in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia is on
Sunday, 22 December 2013 at 4:11 AM AEDT

Read More

Tonight the Christmas Carols are on in Urunga, Gail and I are going to go and see if we can find the spirit of the solstice energy and the equilibrium of life.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

The Weather has gone HAIL!

We got Hail in Urunga, we didn't get it like they did at Willowbank .

https://www.facebook.com/mollyjoe.hoare

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

The Bees are doing something different!

They have been here for a few months now and yesterday they decided to swarm on the outside of their chosen hive home here in my yard.   I hope they are all fine, they look alright

Swarm management

Why are they outside now?

During the first year of a queen's life the colony has little incentive to swarm, unless the hive is very crowded. During her second spring, however, she seems to be programmed to swarm. Without beekeeper "swarm management" in the second year, the hive will cast a "prime swarm" and may cast one to five "after swarms." The old queen will go with the prime swarm, and other swarms will be accompanied by virgin queens.

It is considered good practice in beekeeping to reduce swarming as much as possible using several techniques. Allowing this form of reproduction often results in the loss of the more vigorous division. The remaining colony may be so depleted and set back due to the brood cycle interruption that it is unproductive for the season. Beekeepers control swarming prior to the natural swarm time. They may remove frames of brood comb making nucs (nucleus or starter colonies) or by shaking package bees (usually for sale) from hives.

Swarming is to the beekeeper what losing all of his calves is to a cattleman. Beekeepers try to anticipate swarming and assist the bees to reproduce in a more controlled fashion by "splitting hives" or making "nucs." This saves the "calves" and keeps the "cow" in condition to accomplish some work.
Old fashioned laissez-faire beekeeping depended upon the capture of swarms to replenish beekeeper colonies and early swarms were especially valued. An old English poem says:

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay;

A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon;

A swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

(Or possibly for the last line, "A swarm of bees in July, let them fly.")

They really know I love them and they are safe here!

More Information

Swarm capture

There are various methods to capture a swarm. When the swarm first settles down and forms a cluster it is relatively easy to capture the swarm in a suitable box or nuc. There are also swarm traps with Nasonov pheromone lures that can be used to attract swarms. One method that can be employed on a sunny day when the swarm is located on a lower branch or small tree is to put a white sheet under the swarm location.

A nuc box is put on the sheet. The swarm is sprayed from the outside with a sugar solution and then vigorously shaken off the branch. The main cluster, hopefully including the queen, will fall onto the white sheet and the bees will quickly go for the first dark entrance space in sight, which is the opening of the nuc. An organized march toward the opening will ensue and after 15 minutes the majority of bees will be inside the nuc. This capture method does not work at night though.

If the swarm is too embroiled in its perch so it cannot be dropped into a box or sheet, a skep can be suspended over it and gentle smoke used to "herd" the swarm into the skep.

Swarms may now be collected by a suction pump and the swarm will be sucked into a box. This way is easy and few bees are lost and none become angry.

Smoke is not recommended to calm a clustered swarm. Smoke will have the opposite effect on a clustered swarm as many bees will become agitated and fly about instead of settling down.

We watched them for ages and they looked happy enough although it  had been very windy so perhaps this is why they are outside of their hive now.  Merve said that I had accidentally created the perfect environment for a bee swarm to come and find this place and make it home.  He said well done Sister.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Related articles

• Bee Keeping @ComptonVerney 2013
• Bee crazy
• Honeybees are Sugar Coating on Blueberry Farming
• Northumberland beekeeper creating a buzz for national campaign
• Protecting honey bees and humans
• Drop in honeybees population worries U.S. farmers
• Hail the honey bee
• Bees & Flowers

Catching the Country Link Bus from Ulmarra to the Train.

Ulmarra is a lovely little village these days and a shadow though of its former lively glory that it had in the past times'

Ulmarra was established when Thomas Small bought the land in 1857. Small's family had been timber cutters but he tried his luck firstly with general farming - they grew maize - and later (around 1865) with sugar cane.

Heritage Listed Ulmarra Hotel

By 1871 it had a population of nearly 1000 people. Sugarcane failed and eventually dairy farming started to dominate. It was as a result of this that the town developed as an important river port.

By 1900 Ulmarra was a thriving town with four blacksmiths, a bacon works, an abattoir, a hospital, two schools and three policemen.

Suzanna and I wandered through the various little craft shops that were in abundance and I took photographs of the interesting buildings while I had time.

The Bus came too soon and I boarded and waved good bye to Suzanne and headed for the Train Station to catch the train to Urunga and to my home

The Wide River Cafe Ulmarra

 The train station is at the end of my street and the bus stop is at the end of Suzanne Street in Ulmarra.  If that is not perfect I know nothing.

References: The Sydney Morning Herald Traveller

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

August Sports Blue Moon Antics.

Its a FULL Aquarius BLUE MOON ... It goes full at 11.45am tomorrow morning.  So in the morning before it goes down in the west it will be very big and beautiful to see.

If you try hard you can hold the moon between your fingers

 When the Moon is in Aquarius, the interest in new, unconventional ventures increases, and your head is congested with original ideas. During these days you could be selfish, blunt, but you will not refuse help.

Full Moon from my back door

Indulge in science and intellectual work, and also work, connected with society (psychology, sociology, astrology).  Getting down to tin tacks ( to the knitty gritty) by having deep and meaningful conversations with friends is favorable during this Aquarius moon phase.

The period is good for the people who work with electricity, electronics, technology, researchers and astrologists.

When the Moon is in Aquarius, the friends take precedent over the relatives. Empathy, Sympathy, love and affection and a careful attitude towards people reaches  way beyond the family unit.

The "Moon in Aquarius" time is favorable for activities and sport, that strengthen the cardiac-vascular system.

 If you are  handling electrical appliances at home take a lot of care and attention with this task.

Veins, joints, eyes are vulnerable and so surgery to these areas should be avoided around this time.

Date	Moonrise	Moonset	Time	Altitude	Distance	Illuminated	Phase
20 Aug	4:40PM	5:19	11.25PM	61.1g	226,181	99.4%
21 Aug	5:48PM	6:02				11:25am	Full

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Related articles

• Full Moon in Aquarius (August 20, 2013)
• Aquarius Full Moon-2013-Number 2
• Full Moon in Aquarius

National Day of Action to end Csg Mining!

We are protectors of the environment and should not be painted in any way as terrorists in the community.  So many men and woman in Australia have NEVER protested anything, they always left the business of government up to government.  This is what government like us to do to by the way.  This time the business of government has stepped over the invisible line of sense and sensibility. 

Australians everywhere have taken the stance against this type of $2.00 shop mining.  The damage to the environment and the draw down of the aquifers is just criminal behavior and for the life of me, I have been avoiding being a criminal all of my life and I am not going to let this government or any other and its cronies entice me into their criminal lifestyle.

Today has been organised as a "National day of Action" with Rallies planned for all Capital cities and various other areas and towns around the country.

Gordon Fraser-Quick - Stop Csg Party.  Protector not Protestor

  I took our family to the Pacific Highway and the Iconic URUNGA BRIDGE.   I placed signs and banners and took my crochet and all of the petitions, a table and a chair and pens.  We were prepared.  That was our contribution to the National Action against Csg.  No one came to stand with me.  I am not sure why?  I am not sure if it is because they agree with Csg or they don't agree with me.  Either way it was just us guys alone on the bridge. 

Brice was my bip and wave calculator.  He said the amount of those were staggering as people drove past us and in full view of the world they showed their support of what we were doing up there today. 

The legislation on this is endless and far too much to discuss in one lump.  The hypothesis's are many and the views of such are also endless.  Many of us who are fighting this scourge Csg across the planet have only that as theone commonality.   Many fighting Csg have very different views on Agenda 21 for example.  Those in favor of it have no problem belittling those who do.  I think its a childish bully attitude to take regarding such a personal stance on life and how it works for us.

If most of the people I know fighting Csg had lived my life and had been subject to Government lies and manipulation as early as I was, that would change their small minds.  No one goes through what I went through and retains ANY trust of government ever. 


When you have had your life totally annihilated by government policy, you see things from a very different perspective.  Not one where you trust them for a start.  How can people who have stood in the direct firing line trust this.

Apart from the desire to see Csg gone, they are as different as chalk and cheese with attitudes and learning as vast in difference as those examples.  I do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist.  I consider myself to be hyper-vigilante  in my assumptions of the world.  I think to not assume a stance similar to mine is ludicrous but hey,  they are not me.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

The practices of modern Druids

At Dawn in Urunga by the rivers

 The practices of modern Druids typically take place outside, in the daylight, in what is described as "the eye of the sun". In some cases, they instead perform their rites indoors, or during the night. Most Druids perform ceremonies within a circle around an altar or central fire. Neo-druids often meet and practice in groups called variously "groves" or "henges."

Sometimes they meet at stone circles and other megaliths which are pre-Celtic, but which since the romantic revival have been associated in the popular imagination with the ancient druids. At the Summer solstice, a Neo-druidic ritual is notably held at Stonehenge in England. Another particularly sacred place is Glastonbury in southern England. In parts of the world beyond the range of the original Celtic tribes in Europe and the pre-Celtic megalithic cultures, modern Druids seek an understanding of the sacred qualities of landscape and place^.

When performing rituals, some modern Druids wear ceremonial cloaks and robes, which in some cases imitate the Iron Age style of the Celts. In some orders, robes or tabards of different colors are used to indicate the grade of the druid within the order. In the case of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, the colors blue, green, and white are respectively assigned to these grades. Some modern Druids also use ritual staves, a symbolic magical instrument long associated with both Druids and wizards generally. Many modern Druids do not adopt any ceremonial garb.


In the 1990s and early 2000s, the use of sweat lodges became increasingly popular amongst Druids. Originally a practice performed by members of certain Native North American groups, it was adopted into Druidry as a part of a widespread perception that in order to learn about ancient European culture and religion, Druids would have to draw from indigenous cultures and religions from across the globe that were more in touch with the natural landscape. Within Druidry, sweat lodges are considered as "initiatory and regenerative opportunities to rededicate oneself to honouring the Earth and the community of life." 
Images @ Eminpee Fotography