Latest news with #winter
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Critical' gas network reconnection repairs begin in Midhurst
"Critical" gas network reconnection works have begun in Midhurst, as SGN said it wants to ensure local energy demand is met ahead of the autumn and works were initially due to start in June, but an intervention by the local MP, Andrew Griffith, saw the start pushed back to said the work follows the disconnection of the gas network in the town centre as a precaution after a fire broke out at the Angel Hotel in 2023. Since the fire, local supplies have been sourced by re-directing the gas flow around the surrounding network, manipulating pressures to maintain constant supply. But, ahead of the colder months, SGN said this "won't be viable" and supplies need to be re-connected before works are expected to tale up to six weeks and began on Monday - but traffic management measures won't be introduced until Tuesday to enable the conclusion of the Gold Cup Polo weekend and the movement of several lorries from the site at nearby Cowdray Park. Kemal Erghun, who owns Kemælli's Cafe in Midhurst, told BBC Radio Sussex: "I feel sad but good about the roadworks starting."It's progress but the town is fragile after previous works - it is difficult for us."It isn't really ideal because businesses struggle when there are roadworks - some people avoid Midhurst due to roadworks as it can add to 30 minutes on to journey times, but I understand it." Jintana Barron, the co-owner of Jintana Flowers in the town, added: "The traffic means that no customers want to come to Midhurst."This makes business very difficult. All businesses suffer, it goes downhill."We fear for our future if works continue - some shops have left already."
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Fragrant smoke on a wintry Melbourne night rekindles friendships and evokes memories of home in far-off Kabul
It was one of the rare sunny winter weekends in Melbourne when the air feels nice and warm. I had been avoiding my volleyball group's calls for months with different reasons: work, weather, or just not feeling up for it. But my friends weren't ready to let me drift away. So they all showed up, one by one, at my doorstep. I had no choice but to host them. I rushed around, borrowing extra chairs from my Polish neighbour, setting up tea, fruit and whatever snacks I had. In Afghan culture, hospitality doesn't wait for planning – it kicks in the moment a guest arrives. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Once we were all seated in the back yard, they got straight to it. No small talk. Why had I been skipping our weekly games? Was I losing interest? Their questions came fast, wrapped in jokes but serious underneath. I tried to laugh it off and blamed everything I could think of, but they didn't let up. The time passed quickly, and the sun started dipping behind the rooftops. Just as the air turned cooler and I thought of getting the heater, I noticed a soft, smoky smell drifting in from next door. Firewood. Sardar, the loudest of us, stopped mid-sentence and said, 'Do you all smell that?' We all turned toward it. And just like that, the energy shifted. We were still sitting in Melbourne, but for a moment, we were back in Kabul. The scent – warm, deep, and familiar – hit something in all of us. It was the smell of Kabul winters, of firewood burning in stoves, of homes pushing back against the cold. It reminded me of early mornings when my mother would boil water for tea, and the house would slowly come to life in the glow. In Kabul, firewood smoke wasn't just in the background. It was part of the rhythm of winter. It mixed with the smell of fresh bread and the sound of radio news in the morning. It clung to our clothes, our hair and even our memories. It meant life was moving forward. When I first arrived in Melbourne, I noticed winter felt really cold in a strange and dull way. The heating coming from machines without any scent or sound felt empty. Every drift of the firewood invoked further memories of snowy winters. It brought back to me the sweet memories of Shab-e Yalda, the longest night of the year – a tradition across Afghanistan, Iran and parts of Central Asia, which is not marked with loud parties but with small, intimate gatherings. Families stay up late with poetry, dried fruit, fresh pomegranates and stories. It's a way to face the darkest night with light, warmth and hope. Sardar remembered sitting around a small fire with his grandparents, reading poems by Hafez, the great Persian poet who believed in love and beauty even in the coldest moments: The long nights of winter will not last forever / The warmth of compassion is the light of the heart. Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning after newsletter promotion And there is Rumi, who taught us that the soul needs warmth just as the body does: Set your life on fire / Seek those who fan your flames. Sitting there with my friends, I realised that memory and meaning can arrive unexpectedly. Sometimes, in a poem. Sometimes, in a smell drifting across a fence. My Polish neighbour had no idea he was reminding a group of Afghans of their homeland, their traditions, their families. Now, each winter in Melbourne, I look for that scent. Sometimes I find it while walking past an old brick home, or near a bakery using a wood oven. Every time, it stops me in my tracks. I breathe it in and close my eyes for a moment. For those of us far from where we were born, memory lives in the details. In sound, scent and small rituals. And in those details, we find pieces of home. That evening, we didn't play volleyball, but we realised what we truly needed; the simple and warm connection of being together. Shadi Khan Said is an editor, producer and journalist who has worked in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Australia
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Nonagenarians have remained friends for more than 40 years
On a chilly winter's day, Esme Rash is flipping through a photo album. "That was my first bike, which I used to ride the 5 miles [8 kilometres] to my high school in Yarram," Ms Rash said. Sitting beside her is Wendy Pope, her long-time friend. "Oh how wonderful, I used to have one just like that," Ms Pope said. At the ripe ages of 93 and 91, respectively, these two women have seen it all. They have lived through a world war. They have toiled as farmers, raising dairy cows, beef cattle and sheep. They have met, married and mourned for the loves of their lives. Through all of it, across more 40 years, they have remained firm friends. Ms Pope was born in Yarram in 1934, and spent several years at a girls' school in the nearby town of Sale. After meeting her late husband, Ms Pope lived and worked on a Woodside farm for more than 20 years, moving back to Yarram in 1977. Ms Pope said she loved life on the land. "But once we moved into Yarram we settled in quite well." Ms Rash was born in Sale, but lived with her family on the outskirts of Yarram until she was 12 years old. She remembers leaving her rural home in the middle of World War II. "Unfortunately my mother's youngest brother had just been killed in New Guinea, which devastated my grandparents in Melbourne, so we moved there in 1943 to be with them," she said. "But I eventually returned to Yarram with my late husband in 1978." A lot of Ms Pope's memories also centre on the war. "It was 1945 and I remember sitting with my younger sisters on our front step to watch all the festivities announcing the end of the war," she said. Ms Pope said she loved her country childhood. "I also remember riding my bike to the local butter factory, where they'd open a little side door and serve you fresh butter and cream. "That was quite thrilling for a youngster like me!" These two women have been friends for more than four decades, but Ms Pope said their bond goes even further back. "In those days everyone knew everyone, so I knew Esme's family from our holiday trips to places like Manns Beach," she said. They may be in their 90s, but Ms Rash and Ms Pope like to keep busy. Ms Pope spends much of her time volunteering with various community groups. "Over the years I've served at local Red Cross branches, the Anglican church, and Rotary, among others," she said. Family history is Ms Rash's passion. "I'm secretary of our local genealogy group, so I often get calls from the most unexpected people," she said. Earlier this year, both women became recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia. On the King's Birthday weekend, they were honoured with an OAM, alongside 828 other Australians. Ms Pope said she was both surprised and grateful to be recognised for a "distinguished service to the community of Yarram". "Although now Esme and I have to remember to add three more letters to the end of our names!" So what keeps these two women going after more than nine decades on Earth? For Ms Pope, it is the opportunity to serve others. "And if you've got something to look forward to, every day is a joy." Ms Rash said being part of a close-knit community made all the difference. "Here in Yarram, there's always somebody to say hello to when you walk down the street," she said. Ms Rash said Yarram was, and always would be, home. "The local nursing home is right next to the hospital, so I'll go there when my time comes," she said. "And I already have my plot in the cemetery, so I'm just about covered."
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
How to make the most of snow season in Australia without breaking the bank
Australia's ski season is underway, but fewer people are hitting the slopes. According to Snow Resorts Australia, visits have dropped by nearly 30 per cent since the pandemic began, with the cost of a ski holiday here in Australia simply too expensive for many. For example, a one-day lift ticket at NSW's Perisher during peak season could set you back $264, while in Japan and New Zealand, it's considerably cheaper. But for those still keen to get out onto the fields, is there a way to do it without breaking the bank? In part, it comes down to Australia's particularly short snow season. Resorts have only about 12 to 16 weeks to cover big operating costs, including paying lift operators, ski instructors, snowmakers, admin staff and emergency responders. In addition, most ski resorts are privately operated, despite the land managed by the states as national parks. "Lift prices are part of it, but it's everything. Resort entry, food, parking. There's an Alpine tax on everything," said Steve Belli, a local Chamber of Commerce chair who also owns several businesses in Victoria's Mount Hotham. Resort entry fees — often misunderstood as a so-called ski tax — fund public services like road clearing, emergency services, environmental protection, signage, toilets and waste collection. "There's a lot of expense because there's no local manufacturing for ski infrastructure — we import everything. And we just don't get the same volume of visitors as places like Japan," Mr Belli said. Put it this way — it's going to cost you to fly outside of Australia. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's not worth it. In fact, more Australians than ever are heading overseas for snow holidays — especially to Japan, where visits from Aussies rose by more than 50 per cent in 2024 alone. Niseko in Japan New Zealand Perisher Valley It is possible, if you're up for a little creativity and planning. Mark, a Victorian skier who runs a popular Instagram account on local ski culture, is passionate about showing people how to do it affordably. "People love to bag our mountains, but when you do that, you weaken the case to protect them," he said. Here's Mark's tips for where to stay, when to buy lift passes, and how to travel to the slopes: With on-mountain accommodation regularly topping $1,000 a night, Snow Resort Australia's CEO Josh Elliot recommended going for smaller resorts, visiting during the shoulder seasons (like June or September) and skipping weekends. Possibly. Mr Belli said the right investment and policy changes, such as abolishing short-stay accommodation taxes on the mountains, could turn the tide. "People still want to come, we just have to make it possible," he said. But there are big challenges ahead. Some resorts are still in limbo — the Victorian government is yet to find long-term leaseholders for Lake Mountain and Mount Baw Baw, which it took over after both ran at a combined loss of $8 million. And then there's the bigger question — how long can the season even last? The CSIRO has warned Australia's ski season could shrink by up to 55 days by 2050 due to climate change, putting pressure on resorts to make the most of every snowflake while they can. Mark said the focus on affordability was important, but time is ticking. For him, it's just as much about protecting the experience as it is about the price. "Our high country is truly unique," he said. "You won't find snow-covered snow gums anywhere else in the world."
ABC News
5 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Donate to 720 ABC Radio Perth's Breakfast Blitz
This winter, we are partnering with Uniting WA and asking you to kindly donate non-perishable breakfast items to help those in need in our community. Mark Gibson will broadcast live on Friday 8 August from Uniting WA's Tranby Engagement Hub, Perth's only 365-day-a-year crisis support hub for people without a place to call home. From Monday 21 July until Friday 8 August we are asking you to donate the following non-perishable breakfast goods to help provide nourishing breakfasts those doing it tough this winter: Instant Coffee Instant Coffee Tea Bags Tea Bags Cartons of long-life milk or powdered milk Cartons of long-life milk or powdered milk Raw sugar Raw sugar Jars of Vegemite, jam, honey and peanut butter Jars of Vegemite, jam, honey and peanut butter Cornflakes and wheat biscuits Cornflakes and wheat biscuits Rolled oats Rolled oats Cereal bars Cereal bars Baked beans Baked beans Tinned spaghetti Tinned spaghetti Tinned fruit No fresh food items please — we are looking for non-perishable items only and within the expiry date. You can drop off your donations at the following collection points Monday to Friday 8-4pm. ABC Studios , 30 Fielder Street, East Perth, 6004 , 30 Fielder Street, East Perth, 6004 Uniting WA Fremantle 1-12 Market Street, Fremantle, 6160 1-12 Market Street, Fremantle, 6160 Uniting WA Subiaco 317 Bagot Road, Subiaco,6008 317 Bagot Road, Subiaco,6008 Uniting WA Joondalup 129 Grand Boulevard, Joondalup, 6027 129 Grand Boulevard, Joondalup, 6027 Gosnells Uniting Church 142 Hicks St, Gosnells WA 6110 For more information on how to help support the homeless in your community, visit Uniting WA. Keep listening for updates by tuning in to 720 ABC Radio Perth on the ABC Listen app or live stream online
