From heartbreak to hope: Keren Ludski's journey with Red Nose Day
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ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
WA prisoners help with project ensuring the legacy of fallen soldiers is remembered
Standing at the Avenue of Honour in West Australian regional city Albany, you can simultaneously see memorials honouring fallen soldiers and the harbour that many Anzacs set off from as they headed for the war front. Hundreds of plaques sit at the base of trees lining the road that leads to the Fallen Soldier Memorial. As the city prepares to host a raft of events next year for Albany 2026, WA's first bicentenary, the area is undergoing a refresh. This included creating a trail under the trees to provide easier access to the plaques, following requests from family members of those being remembered. A team from the Pardelup Prison Farm built the 600-metre footpath in about six weeks. The Section 95 prisoners have the opportunity to work in the community and acquire skills as part of their rehabilitation. One of the inmates involved spoke to the ABC about the work, saying the names on the plaques and "how hard they would have had it back when they went to war" made a lasting impression. "[They're] ages 18,19, all the way up to the mid 20s ... if they didn't do it, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said. David Johnson, Pardelup Prison Farm's vocational support officer, said about a dozen inmates took part. "It's one of the biggest projects we've done and I certainly felt from the crew we had the most buy-in we've had, in regards to them working here," he said. "The former RSL state president spoke to the men at the start to give them a bit of an idea of why we're doing it and the significance wasn't lost on them. "They worked quite tirelessly to finish the project on time." Vietnam veteran Ralph Flowers lives nearby and for many years has been maintaining the plaques, clearing fallen branches. "Before Anzac Day we had a lot of rain here and a lot of the plaques got spray on them, so I came up and dusted a lot of them off," he said. "The first tree on the right is Private [Ronald John] Bell, Vietnam vet. He's got a special significance to me and he's got a couple of beers I put there for him." WA's Corrective Services and Veterans Minister Paul Papalia said he appreciated the prisoners' contributions. "It's a great opportunity for prisoners, for anyone, to be respectful, to make a contribution on behalf of the community and in remembering our veterans," he said. "Across the state, there are more than 150 prisoners who are veterans and you'd imagine that, over time, when we do [more] projects like this, they will have an opportunity to contribute to something that will be close to their hearts." Avenue of Honour refurbishment project coordinator Jane Mouritz said the work of the prisoners was part of a wider project. "In September we will have the Southern Regional TAFE students planting tree seedlings they collected [for] two garden beds book-ending the path," she said. "Next year we have a plan for ongoing care and management of the Avenue for perpetuity, we hope. "We have invited schools, community groups, businesses all throughout Albany to … adopt the Avenue one month at a time."
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Quilter Yvonne Line's work honoured by her brother in exhibition Threads of Life
Internationally renowned Victorian quilter Yvonne Line is known for her cutting-edge and sometimes rule-bending works. Her brother John Lamb said his sister never developed one distinctive style in her 60 years of quilting. Instead she would constantly try new things. Now, as Alzheimer's disease cuts short her passion, Line's sibling is honouring her work in an exhibition, Threads of Life. Mr Lamb said his sister started to show symptoms of Alzheimer's disease about four years ago. "She lost some of her memory, but her skill set was fine because it was in her long-term memory," he said. But two years ago, when her anxiety began to grow and she started to lose other everyday skills, Line stopped quilting for good. She now lives in an aged care facility in Albury. Mr Lamb had spent years cataloguing some of his sister's work and produced a retrospective book as a more precise record. Now, he has put together an exhibition of Line's works for the public to enjoy. "It's one thing to see in a book, but to see it in real life, it's just very emotional," he said. "Just a few days ago, I found work that I hadn't come across, so some of that is in the exhibition as well." Mr Lamb said that not everyone understood Line's dedication to the textile arts. The exhibition is named after the central piece of the collection. Line created panels the sizes of tea towels, arranged by theme and colour scheme. "Every day for a year, she picked out a bit of material … religiously," Mr Lamb said. The series, completed by Line in 2019, is hanging in the Gateway Gallery in Wodonga alongside a small selection of her other works until August 23. National Wool Museum director Padraic Fisher said Line's quilts were "extraordinary". "Her artistry is exceptional, and world-class … she's meticulous in the way she designs and executed things," he said. Mr Fisher said Line's ability to blend traditional techniques with contemporary design concepts made her a leader in the Australian quilting scene. It's that commitment to the art form that Mr Lamb believes sets his sister's works apart. "Artists are so driven to create, to the exclusion of everything else around them, and it's remarkable," he said.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
For 35 years, Jacob Mingo was Woolworths' 'most dedicated trolley collector' from Carnarvon
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died. For more than three decades, people exiting the Carnarvon shopping centre were greeted with the friendly, smiling face of Jacob Mingo. Mr Mingo collected trolleys at the local Woolworths for 35 years and was once called "Australia's most dedicated trolley collector". The 50-year-old, who lived with disability, passed away last month and is being remembered as an icon of the town and a man who brought kindness to his work every day. "He was a friendly person to everybody from all over," his mother, Esther Mingo, said. Flags at the shire office were flown at half-mast to honour his memory. Ms Mingo said she would deeply miss her son, who always stood by her side and was "loved by everybody". Ms Mingo is a Yindjibarndi woman who moved to Carnarvon at a young age and raised Jacob in the small town, 900km north of Perth. Local artist Trish Oullette was a close friend of Mr Mingo's, and in 2023 won an art prize for her portrait of him. Ms Oullette said she was glad she had that painting to remember him forever. "I still expect him to walk into the office. I still expect to see him walking around the streets, pushing trolleys," she said. Jenni Jacomelli was Mr Mingo's manager for a decade, and "couldn't believe it" when she heard about his passing. "Jacob was very special to me in my years there [at Woolworths]," she said. Ms Jacomelli said he was one of the most dedicated workers she had ever supervised. "No-one could collect trolleys like Jacob — his work ethic was unbelievable." In 2008, Mr Mingo was nominated as Woolworths' employee of the year, and travelled with Ms Jacomelli to Brisbane for the awards ceremony. She said she would always remember travelling cross-country with Jacob. Ms Oullette said she and Jacob were fast friends from the moment she arrived in Carnarvon. "He was a happy-go-lucky person who would do absolutely anything for anyone," she said. "I'm going to miss the times we used to sit together and just paint." Ms Mingo said her son's hard work went beyond the shop's car park. "He used to come home from work, he'd cook … he'd help us in the yard, he'd do everything for me," she said. Ms Mingo said Jacob used to enjoy taking family members fishing and camping as often as he could. Having had such a big impact on the local community, there are calls for a permanent memorial to honour Mr Mingo's life as an "ambassador for Carnarvon". "There's been talk of a mural going up in town — that would be great," Ms Jacomelli said. The Shire of Carnarvon is currently assessing council policies around memorials. Ms Oullette said the best way to remember him would be to follow his example. Mr Mingo will be remembered at a funeral service in Carnarvon on August 23.
