THE W.D. Keating Medal count on Saturday for the Fairest & Best Player for the King Island Football Association went to Justin Summers from the North football club with 28 votes from Tristan Forrest of Grassy with 16 votes.

Justin has had another great season with North and this is his seventh Keating Medal which is an outstanding achievement.

Vote recipients:
Justin Summers 28, Tristan Forrest 16, Ned Hunter 14, Josh Bellchambers 14, Jackson Taylor 14, Tom Graham 12, Jeramy Summers 10, Tyler Rhodes 8, Jack Noseeda 6, Dale Reed 6, Mark Mackie 6, Brandon Blomfield 5, James Jakowenko 5, Jak Youd 5, Joel Williams 4, Charlie Raff 4, Doug Cox 3, Keenan Fanning 3, Tyler Smith 2, James Shires 2, Abraham Shires 2, Ryan Frosi 2, Dale Ellis 2, Max Sainsbury 2, Michael Laskey 2, Bailey Rainbow 1, Jack Worral 1, Sukma Bowling 1.

The Terry Perry Medal Award for the Fairest and Best Player in the juniors was also held on Saturday and went to Rhys Esquerra from the Grassy Football Club with 39 votes from Harrison Lincoln of the North Football Club with 33 votes.

Rhys has had a top season for Grassy.

Vote recipients:

Reece Esquerra 39, Harrison Lincoln 33, Leo Reeman 31, Mathew Button 26, Cruz Osborne 25, Xavier Berkin 12, Peter Cole 12, Thomas Button 9, Aaron Smith 7, Isaac Daniel 5, Levi Martin 4, Toby Hyde 4, Tyreese Berkin 4, Charlie Stellmaker 3, Sunny Bell 2, Ryan Payne 2, Hamish Johnson 2, Hugh Lincoln 2, Alex Perry 1, Cooper Harvey 1, Gus Smith 1.

PHOENIX House has been a hive of activity over the past few weeks.

There was a chill in the air, but members and supporters of the Community House turned out for the winter cleanup working bee, readying beds for spring planting, seedling transplanting, drip irrigation system installation and strawberry patch dividing and creative potting.

Indoor activities were garden focussed. Groups made egg carton planting pots, and colour was in the air with Karryn Lesley, a Phoenix House coordinator, bringing new vibrancy and life to pots.

The two popular mosaic workshops with instructor Linda Payne brought people in from the cold, to volunteer their time and skills to create decorative pots and bee baths for the garden.

The house is producing King Island-specific monthly planting guides which can be collected from Phoenix House in Meech Street, at Elders, IGA, Op Shop in Currie and Grassy Op Shop.

The winter harvest is under way with silverbeet, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and seedlings.

The Community Garden is open every Wednesday from 10.30am until 12.30pm for sales (gold coin donation) and cuppa.

Other weekly activities include Tai Chi, quilting, crafts, walking groups, and Mens’ Shed.
Phoenix House also offers an after-school program ‘Chillax’, which operates 3pm – 4.15 pm.

Specialist activities and workshops are advertised on the Phoenix House Facebook page or pop into the House at 25 Meech Street for their calendar of events.

The next workshop is creating Bees Wax Melts on 10am 29 August, bookings are required, members $10, non-members $15. The King Island Dairy is hosting the Men’s Shed and guests.

There will be a talk, tastings, and light lunch in the shed, at 11am 30 August. Bookings essential 6462 1746 or email projects@pchi.org.au or go to the Phoenix House Facebook page.

KING Island businesses and families are bracing for the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze as the price of power increases.

Electricity retailer Momentum’s annual price review for the Bass Strait Islands will see prices on King Island increase 9.51 per cent from September 1.

Households already struggling under cost of living pressures including rising interest rates, record rent increases, and higher than CPI food and fuel price increases, are expecting an increase of $210 on an average annual bill.

TasCOSS CEO Adrienne Picone, said with one-in-four households already unable to afford the cost of living, this increase in electricity prices will lead to further energy debt, greater financial pressure and increased hardship.

King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie said like most King Islanders he was disappointed by this hefty retail power price increase.

“As a council we managed to keep our fees and charges increase to a very reasonable five per cent this financial year and met the ratepayers halfway,” he said.

“However, to draw out some positives for King Island we do have a diverse energy supply with diesel, wind and solar.”

The island is powered by renewable energy supported by diesel and HydroTas previously said the $4.5m solar farm project, announced late last year for the Huxley Hill Wind Farm site, is intended to increase the amount of renewable energy produced on King Island and replace 300,000 litres of diesel on the island every year.

“I acknowledge the work and dedication of our local Hydro Tas team here on King Island,” Mr Blackie said.

“They do a great job looking after us and in recent years power outages have become very rare, despite the huge storms we have. So, we’ll focus our gripes at the corporate and government policy levels and still fully support our local utility team.

“In my opinion, the prevailing narrative we are given in Australia on energy supply and retail power pricing is becoming increasingly at odds with reality.”

Operators of the King Island Hotel said the increase was “astronomical”.

“It will hurt King Island traders. You can only ask so much and this will force some businesses to get out,” John Smith said.

“The hospitality sector is feeling it, people haven’t much disposable income.

“People do not have spendable money once they have paid their day-to-day costs.

“For our businesses, a close to 10 per cent increase is a hefty sum and we, like all businesses, will need to pass that on to customers,” he said.

Both the Federal and State Governments are offering $250 rebates for eligible households to help offset the increase and a separate rebate of $650 is available for eligible small businesses.

King Island has one all-energy Tariff 51 which will increase to 31.7933 c per kWh for 2023 – 24. The island does not have other tariffs for example off-peak or general business rates.

HydroTas said their Customer Service Obligation was to guarantee electricity supply on the island and in a recent statement said: “Our Community Service Obligation helps shield the island from the full cost of electricity generation.”

Photo by Daniel Barnes on Unsplash

IN AN earlier age, a wife would typically give up her job, community, family and friends and follow her husband, wherever his career path might take them. Times have changed.

Last year Mariam Melville moved to King Island to take on the role of King Island pharmacist, and her husband Nathan followed.

Working for NinjaOne, a remote monitoring and management software company in the US, he is able to work from home – and from the CWA House in Edward Street on Fridays.
Computers have always been his forte.

“My background has been telephones, IT and basically sales since I was about 14.,” he said.
“I’ve always been in the game from that point.

“I remember dad’s old Windows 95 computer breaking down and me having to play around with it, being able to fix it for him at the age of five.

“So, I guess I always had a bit of a knack for touching things and having the magic fingers, so to speak,” he told King Island Radio.

The next step for Nathan is starting Lighthouse IT. Melville loves to support and help the community with their phone, tablet and computer-related problems.

“A lot of it can be done remotely now. But the focus should never be taken off the face-to-face customer service side of things, where you’re there to have a chat and also help out the community at the same time.”

To bring his business a step closer to the public Melville decided to start pop-up sessions at the CWA Hall on Fridays, where people can come in with their problems, have a chat or make an appointment for a follow-up session.

The first couple of sessions people came in with a variety of questions.

“The questions often relate to the internet and then specifically speed and connection problems”, says Melville, “and phone problems, like setting up 4G Telstra, how do I use my phone? How do I set it up?

“ It’s basically general knowledge questions that people just want a bit of help to understand and how to use the technology when they’ve failed to upgrade from the old phone.

“I don’t want to overburden people with information because at the end of the day, if they’re not going to use it.

“I get phone calls from people asking how to solve an internet issue or something very simple.

“I try to not overcomplicate anything. With phones, everything’s very simple – if it can make a call or receive a text message, then most people are happy. If it starts getting a bit deeper, that’s when I can start doing a bit more explaining.”

In his first CWA drop-in, he had general enquiries, and one customer needed help to set up her mini thermal printer so she can label her products with ingredients and weights.
Nathan can help King Islanders with a wide range of technologies and fixes from phones and tablets through computers and laptops, internet and other connections, software and glitches.

For more information, you can find Nathan Melville on Facebook. Search Lighthouse IT or call on 0472 739 485.

THE weather gods combined all previous weather, for the semi-final, as if to test the teams on any conditions, and with last week’s contest decided by a point after the siren and the winner of today to meet Grassy in the Grand Final next week, it will be a high-risk high-reward game.

North won the toss and elected to kick against a stiff breeze. North were also wearing black armbands for the passing this week of Brian Crack.

North get the first clearance and goes to Bailey Rainbow near the North bench, who drives it forward, but Jak Youd at full-back takes possession.

He moves it quickly to Tyler Smith and onto Joel Williams (Mole) who escorts Currie out of trouble. In the middle, Ned Hunter gets hold of James Jakawenko and is rewarded, but only as far as Sukma Bowling.

Currie get their first forward entry, but Taylor Cook receives a free and darts a kick that Jeramy Summers marks and continues along the boundary to a contest.

Jack Worral and Keenan Fanning see a lot of ruck contests early. When a Dale Ellis kick finds its way out on the full Currie get possession to go forward, a spearing kick into the wide pocket with Clint Stretton marking and converts into a goal and the first score of the game.

This is quickly followed by another when Stretton and Campbell Keeler link up in close to get Currie’s second.

The contest is finals-worthy today, with no easy possession, very little space to move with the ball and lots of body-on-body contact. Currie have fixed their tackles up from the last couple of weeks, everything sticking, and a tidy backline which Jez Summers finds out when he goes forward with no options but to follow up his own ball.

A light but dense rain begins to fall as an unmanned Tom Graham leads from the point post and takes a mark and easy goal, to give Currie 4 unanswered goals.

Justin Summers lets his presence be felt in the centre with some hard tackles, but the Currie backline cannot be trifled with. Graham, with a mark on the siren gets Currie’s fifth after the quarter-time siren and 30 points up. AT the quarter-time break, the rain stopped, although the clouds still threaten.

Currie get the first clearance but see it over the line on the full on the wing, but the North kick-in is directed straight for Jak Youd, on the opposing team, and goes quickly forward to a contest and a rushed behind.

Jakawenko from the Grassy pocket gets another one for Currie.

The Hunter v Doug Cox contest is a quick and fierce match-up, seeing plenty of run in the middle. Justin Summers effects a turnover and gets it to Jeramy who goes to the boundary line for a behind.

Currie are just thirsty for it, the pressure they’re applying to every North possession is relentless. The North forward line is seeing more of it this quarter but thus far have not been able to convert on the scoreboard. Blaze Mallinson with a free gives off a spearing kick to Mathew Button on the lead, who misses everything and finds the boundary. Jeramy Summers takes the ball out of a throw-up and does the work himself and gets a kick-off and finds North’s first goal of the game. Currie on a turnover take it down the corridor and with little fuss get it into Graham for another Currie goal.

Unfortunately, it appears North have one move, the switch up the canteen wing and it isn’t working today. Button strips Cox of the ball and gets a second chance at a shot he had earlier, and this time does not make a mistake for North’s second. Jeramy goes over the head of Keeler in defence for another one for North, Currie get their right of reply moments later and Graham gets a behind.

Currie are leaving the door open with their accuracy. Currie pass is amongst themselves in the centre waiting for a clean entry and find it with a spearing kick to Bellchambers on the Grassy pocket, it literally hits the post as the half-time siren sounds. At the long break, there are 4 straight kicks in it. THE third quarter starts with a Jack Worral v Jez Summers ruck, and immediately a contested ball ensues, there is no clear clearance which results in a ball up. Currie go forward but Rainbow, Riley Badenock and Cook have themselves organised for the ball’s quick exit. Down at the North end Ellis marks and will get a shot from the pocket and he opens the half with a North goal. Currie go forward for a rushed behind but Bowling marks the kick out and sends it back in quickly to Keeler who has a shot for a behind. North haven’t come up with a new strategy at half time and again continue their move up the canteen wing unsuccessfully and Currie get a turnover.

In the Currie forward line, Bowling has a shot on a sharp angle and finds the post. In a shock turn, North go up the canteen wing where it finds congestion and a throw-in. Tom Graham v Jye Summers in the fierce forward contest that Graham comes out of second best and is escorted to the boundary by a trainer in what could be a knee.

Button, having a blinder, centres to Hunter who goes direct to Tyler Smith of Currie waiting at full forward for a turnover. Riley in defence at the other end uses his speed to tidy up a loose ball and sends it forward. There is a sudden chill in the air, and the rain threatens to fall harder. Jakawenko shoots for goal, not far from his position at the end of last week’s game, maybe a little closer, for the same result, a behind. Stretten is proving to be a handy kick for Currie and treats himself to one from 40 out on a strong angle. Stretton marks and runs himself into a stationary Button but bounces off lively. Currie switches it and gets it to Bowling on the run who scores another for Currie.

Cook takes a nice defensive mark and North go forward, slowly, but the Currie defence is robotic and return it forward. At the final break Currie are up by 35 points, you would think, considering the conditions they may have this one stitched up, but anything can happen in a finals series. NORTH get the first clearance at the start of the last quarter through Ellis, Youd takes possession momentarily until he’s stripped of it by Luke Graham for a free, and moments later Rainbow is going for goal and this would be a quick start for North. He executes. Pressure is on immediately at the bounce of the ball, no one takes it cleanly and several ball ups later, North go forward only to find Tyler Smith. Currie inches it forward, until it spills from the pack to Luke Morris who turns on his heels and kicks one for Currie.

A sore-looking Luke Graham gets a 50 and takes a sure thing for North. The rain sheets in, vertical blankets from the North across the ground and Currie begin to try and slow things down, with still another 8 minutes to go. It’s a long time to chip it around but they slowly move it forward and get a behind.

The ball goes forward for Currie, and Jeramy in a ruck contest boots it out, Bowling chases it down and drives it forward but Hunter intercepts and sees it back out. Currie regain possession in North’s forward and begin to chip it amongst themselves again, the congestion continues in what, compared to last weekend, is a lacklustre finish to a semi-final. At 4.25, the siren sounds, and Currie convincingly get themselves into the 2023 Grand Final. If Currie brings this level of pressure and athleticism, it will definitely give Grassy something to think about next week. They may need to spend some time on target practice this week because 11 goals from 22 shots will not likely win Grand Finals.

Will Grassy’s two weeks off give them the advantage of fresh legs or the staleness of limited game time for their chance at a threepeat?

Or will Currie become a surprise smokey for the flag? King Island Football
Association Scores
19-08-2023 Juniors
(last
roster
game) North Grassy
5-4-34 1-2-8
8-5-53 2-4-16
13-9-87 4-4-28
14-10-94 7-6-48 North
Goals: Harrison Lincoln 6, M. Button 4, O. Martin 3, G. Freeman
Best: M. Button, M. Poulsen, T. Button, S. Bell, G. Freeman, Harrison Lincoln, O. Martin
Grassy
Goals: T. Berkin 2, G. Freeman 2, Cruz Osborne, G. Smith, S. Bell
Best: C. Osborne, T. Berkin, R. Esquerra, H. Harvey, C. Harding, T. Payne, S. Bell Seniors
(semifinal) North Currie
0-1-1 5-1-31
3-3-21 7-5-47
4-4-28 10-9-69
6-5-41 11-11-77 North
Goals: Jeramy Summers 2, M. Button, D. Ellis, B. Rainbow, L. Graham
Best: N. Hunter, M. Button, Jeramy Summers, Jye Summers, K. Fanning, D. Ellis
Currie
Goals: T. Graham 3, C. Stretton 2, J. Jakowenko 2, L. Morris 2, C. Keeler, S. Bowling
Best: Joel Williams, S. Bowling, J. Bellchambers, D. Cox, C. Stretton, J. Youd, T. Smith, J. Worral, D. Beecroft

FOUR species of Plovers live on King Island; the one we notice most is the Masked Lapwing, previously known as the Spur-winged Plover. This bird is commonly seen in paddocks, or occasionally near the coast and built-up areas.

Similar and slightly smaller is the Banded Plover, also a bird of the paddocks but not as common. The other two Plovers living on sandy beaches are the Hooded Plover and the small Red-capped Plover.

A migratory bird less commonly seen on King Island, is the Double-banded Plover, known in New Zealand as the Banded Dotteral or Pohowera.

While most migratory birds come to Australia for the southern summer, these New Zealand birds arrive here for the winter. This bird breeds in New Zealand’s South Island and each autumn some of the population migrate to southeast Australia. They remain here over winter before returning to New Zealand to breed in the spring. Interestingly, many of these Double-banded Plovers are locally nomadic and never leave New Zealand – for reasons still unknown to scientists.

They usually nest among the shingle on braided river beds, while some birds will nest in fallow paddocks. In all cases, the nests are out in the open and very difficult to find. The three eggs are incubated for four weeks, and the chicks fledge at five weeks of age.

The Double-banded Plover generally arrive on King Island towards the end of February and departs by the end of August. By this time, they have begun to moult into their breeding plumage. As their name suggests, the males have a double band across their breasts of which the lower one is a chestnut colour with a narrower black band above.

Females have less distinguishable bands and are paler brown in colour. Their non-breeding plumage is brown above with white below. Both males and females have a white band across the top of their beaks which extends just above the eye towards the back of their heads.

Compared to the similar but smaller Red-capped Plover, the NZ birds stand more upright and have longer tail feathers, a rather larger head with a very short bill, and weigh about 60 grams. The long wings are up to 130 mm which is typical of all migratory birds.

They live in various-sized flocks on King Island, and I have observed them from a few up to more than 50 birds.

They often mix with other shorebirds including Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Stint, Red-capped Plover, Hooded Plover and Silver Gulls, especially when they first arrive on King Island in the autumn. After heavy rain, Double-banded Plovers will often feed in freshwater wetlands and where spring water flows to the coastline in areas of pebbles and short grass. Here they eat grubs, insects and caterpillars, but they usually prefer sandy beaches strewn with decomposing kelp where they eat flies and hoppers. Like all shorebirds, they will be found where their preferred food is in plentiful supply, so even after they arrive on King Island, they can be locally nomadic.