I flew to Tasmania late last week for a family reunion and en route the plane travelled over much of the fire devastation that has ripped Victoria apart and it was a very scary experience.

Having lived in Victoria for many years, much of my time in the bush, I am well and truly conversant with Marysville and the north east, and while I’ve experienced fires down that way before, (even helped to fight them in the days before the choppers), this was the worst damage I’d ever seen.

I know Victoria is what we could call a squashed up state size-wise, which means a good fire will spread quickly over a large area, but the devastation I witnessed from the skies made me sick in the stomach.

But what made equally sick was a front page story in Hobart’s daily paper (also a Mercury) warning of possible fire dangers for Tasmania. The article also pinpointed the danger areas of a possible fire, just what a budding arsonist needed!

My son, who is studying in the USA, tells me the Victorian plight and the flooding in north Queensland have really hit the headlines over there.

The devastation and loss of life makes it a must that anyone charged with arson gets a minimum life sentence with a clause saying never to be released. Hanging, as I suggested last week, still remains the best option.

Lighting up the local scenery   

New lighting at Darcy Wentworth and Reed Park sporting fields is a feature of the Federal Government’s latest financial support for the municipalities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama.

It’s quite strange in some ways as the Wollongong City Council wants to strip a fair hunk of Darcy Wentworth Park for use as a parking area, and only a short time ago they wanted the western end of Reed Park for housing.

And, remember, too, that both these recreational areas were originally gifts to council from the Wentworth and Reed families.

Wollongong will receive $2.1 million, Shellharbour $899,000 and Kiama $221, 000.

The funds for Wollongong also include a disabled access for the continental pool and footpaths at Belmore Basin and Flagstaff Hill.

Federal Member for Throsby Jennie George also advises that there will be more than a million dollars put towards works at the Kiama showground and its exhibition centre.

Dapto land fight is on 

Since I wrote last week about a residents’ action group being formed down West Dapto way to fight a proposal for a multimillion dollar TAFE–type college on flood prone land, I am now advised that residents of Hamilton Street are also preparing to vent their wrath at the development.

Hamilton Street already boasts 16 or so active business operations and the people there have suddenly realised that the development of the TAFE proposal will seriously effect their protection from future flooding.

I also understand one of the Hamilton Street residents is a developer in his own right and he doesn’t believe the would-be developer or the city council have done their homework on the area in question.

Clubs facing tough times

The news that the Helensburgh Workers’ Sports and Social Club is in dire financial straits a year after opening will send a shiver down the spines of other such clubs in the Illawarra.

We have already heard that the popular Wests Leagues Club lost money last financial year and there are stories about similar happenings at other clubs around the town.

The mad rush to install extra poker machines that the clubs got themselves into a few years ago has backfired badly, and even with machines sitting idle the clubs have to pay taxes to the State Government for just having them.

Perhaps a starting point might be for them to put their management to work instead of having them strut around trying to look important.

Lylea joins Rotary 

The State Member for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon has joined the Dapto Rotary Club.

Lylea was officially inducted last week and said she was looking forward to helping the splendid work of Rotary in the local community.

She joins local chemist Anne McQueen as the club’s second female member.

Oh, and by the way, I was watching TV at the Sydney airport and suddenly there was Lylea being hugged and kissed by many people, but when I got my ears tuned into what was being said it wasn’t her at all but Tzipi Livni who could become Israel’s new Prime Minister.

The resemblance between the two women was amazing.

It’s a strange world

What a weird world we live in when it comes to travel and the like.

I got my return airfare to Hobart for just $90, but had to pay $210 for a room at a hotel close to Sydney airport, and there was parking and brekkie at $32 for scrambled eggs and a coffee.

Needless to say I went without brekkie.

Smart thinking

We could also learn a thing or two from Hobart City Council as far as parking in the centre of the city is concerned.

The council car park offered the first hour FREE.

An excellent way you would say to bring people into the city centre.