News Bites
Vale BevLane
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share some sad news. On Friday evening, April 26th, our most ‘Beautiful & Useful’ stallholder Bev Lane passed away. An absolute wealth of botanical knowledge, Bev was a lady who had lived an amazing life with so many stories of adventures to share. Our deepest sympathies to Bev’s family and friends.
‘A weed is just a plant in the wrong spot’ Go well, Bev
Mt Pleasant Farmer’s Market
With sadness we are joining the list of organisations letting our wider community's know that the beautiful Bev Lane passed away on Friday.
Those of you who have been involved in the Mount Pleasant Natural Resource Centre and Recreate for some time would know the amazing contribution Bev has made not only to us but the wider community.
While her family, friends, our volunteers and wider community come to terms with this loss, we invite you to comment and share your memories of Bev on the post on our Facebook page. We will honour Bev in a tribute fitting the queen of the earth she was to come at a later date. We love you Bev and our hearts go out to all of your family and friends at this sad time.
Recreate
Many of you who attended Bev’s workshop at my home and cafe at Meadows will be sad to hear of her passing. Thank you Julianne Davy for such a beautiful tribute to Bev. Bev touched many lives with her knowledge and her joy. She was the first Druid I met and she was more than willing to recite hours long traditional Celtic mythology and history, from memory! She taught me so much about herbs, fungi and mead making. She will be deeply missed by the many many people who had the privi’lege to meet her.
My thoughts go to her husband Star whom she loved deeply. There will never be another Bev.... Vale Bev Lane
It is with the greatest of sadness that I must let you all know that Bev died on Friday (26th April). This is an end of an era and Bev will be missed by so many people.
Bev Lane was a retired botanist, natural therapist and a renowned herbalist, poet, writer and bard. She lectured in herbal medicine for forty years, and ran many workshops on wild food foraging, herb gardening, traditional plant usage, self-sufficiency and making your own herbal preparations.
Bev was very knowledgeable in folklore, ancient & medieval martial arts, wild foods, dye & medicinal plants, & bushcraft survival skills. Many of you may have heard Bev recounting myths and legends at medieval fairs, or attended a herb talk and walk, or been at one of her magical music nights, or been enthralled by her magical knowledge.
The last few years Bev had volunteered and taught food gardening at the Mount Pleasant Community Garden. She ran the “Beautiful and Useful” stall at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market selling herbs and rare plants. At home Bev grew an astounding variety of herbs, vegetables, medicinal and perfume plants, as well as a number of unusual fruit trees. Bev was a gardener, a healer, a Bard, & a published poet and her like will not be seen again.
The Elliot Oak
Anzac Day Dawn Service
6.15am on 25th April at the Mount Pleasant Soldiers’ Memorial Hall - all welcome.
Part of the large crowd attending the Dawn Service.
The displays in the hall.
Funding approved for Amy Gillet bikeway
From Adelaide Hills Council website:
Adelaide Hills Council has committed to build Stage Four of the Amy Gillett Bikeway from Mt Torrens to Birdwood with Federal and State Government funding of $2.6 million each and a Council contribution of $500,000. The total funding for the project is $5.7 Million.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport has worked closely with the Council on a design solution that can be delivered within the agreed funding package to ensure work on this iconic bikeway can finally continue.
“This is an incredibly important and much-loved asset for our community with the added strategic outcome of attracting tourism and providing economic benefit to townships along the way.” Acting Mayor Nathan Daniell.
The project will extend the Amy Gillett Bikeway from its current end point in Mount Torrens at Oval Road, taking it through to the intersection with Onkaparinga Valley Road in Birdwood, adding around six kilometres to the overall length of the bikeway.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis said, “I am pleased to see the State and Federal Governments’ funding offers taken up with the Adelaide Hills Council putting in the remainder of the funds required to see this important and long-awaited stage of the Amy Gillett Bikeway finally realised. It was the former Labor Government that began the Amy Gillett Bikeway to honour the legacy of a great young South Australian."
Adelaide Hills Council Acting Mayor Nathan Daniell said he was delighted to see Stage Four finally progressing after many years of Council and community advocacy. “The extension of the Amy Gillett bikeway will also ensure more young children are provided with a safe place to learn to ride without the safety concerns of riding on Adelaide Hills roads. Council have committed additional funds to cover the shortfall in government funding and will also undertake ongoing maintenance of the new stage so everyone, especially Birdwood residents, can enjoy the benefits.”
“I am so pleased the Adelaide Hills Council has voted to increase its funding contribution towards this valuable project. It is unfortunate that years of delays have resulted in an increased project budget. This project has endured several changes in Government at a State and Federal level, so I am relieved that despite these challenges it is pushing ahead. I look forward to traveling the Mount Torrens to Birdwood leg of the Bikeway once completed.” Rebekha Sharkie MP
160th Mount Pleasant Show
From farm produce, to novelty floral designs, sheep to cattle, flowers to photography - the Mt pleasant Show has it all. Once of the most successful and enduring rural shows in the state - some would say in the country! Thank you to all who helped to bring it to us again this year - and to all the competitors, stallholders, cooks, and visitors - thank you!
Last Old Talunga Apple Tree Cut down.
2019
2023
2021
2024
We have often admired and appreciated the one remaining apple tree, that was growing near the tennis courts at Old Talunga Park, as it would have been a part of the orchard which once grew there. Sadly, thanks to Simon, who lives nearby, we were given the news that it has now been razed to the ground. On investigation, it appears that the inner core of the tree was crumbling, but it is still sad to see the tree has been chipped, so that there is no possibility of preserving a small portion of it for posterity... and so preserving a little of the history of the area. Paula Bartsch - Historian.
Sophie at Glen Devon
Clockwise from top left: Sophie talking about how every garden makes a difference, the audience, Sophie and MP Red Cross vice chair Mandy Lintern, Sophie answering gardeners questions.
Sophie gave us another interesting talk this year - starting with the theme of ‘Cool Gardens’. Her Royal Show Garden was a ‘cool garden’ - which she intended to be taken in several ways - one being the fact that it was ‘cool’ in the sense of innovative and appealing - the other in that the plantings and design meant that the garden would be cool in summer. Sophie works on the 5 Star Garden rating system:
Is your garden cool? Have you got things in the garden that create shade? (Trees / Vines).
Is your garden liveable? Do you feel comfortable in it - is it welcoming?
Is your garden habitable? Is it a habitat haven for wildlife and birds?
Is your garden sustainable? Is it water wise - easy to maintain?
Is your garden productive? Does it produce food?
Mount Pleasant Community Awards
Paula Bartsch - Vice Chair of the Mount Pleasant Community Association Incorporated presented Leonie and Leon Holmes with their very well deserved Community Awards for all their decades of work for our community. Leonie and Leon are worthy recipients, and we wish them well in the next phase of their lives when they shift to town. Knowing what they have done in the past, we can’t imagine them slowing down much!
Paula presented Nick Seager with his Community Award for services to our community. Nick has served on the Show Society, also the Table Tennis and Tennis Club committees, when he continued as a player. He has also played football with Mt Pleasant and been a trainer. He has volunteered with St John’s and also the CFS. Another worthy recipient.
Morning Tea and Meet the Neighbours
Thank you so much to all who attended this morning's award ceremony and morning tea. We were blessed with perfect weather and we met quite a few people who were new to the town - a couple who had to leave early - but with a promise to catch up soon. Our recipients this year were Nick Seager - who received his award for services to the community serving in various roles on the Show committee, with the Football club, Table Tennis, CFS and St John's to name a few. Leonie and Leon Holmes received the Kath Award for their tremendous effort over many decades, primarily in assisting people in need, and providing a service in conjunction with the local churches, and also St Vincent de Paul Society. I'll put up Paula's speech in a later post, and it will also be on the Beat website.
It was a great morning with a wonderful, neighbourly feel to it, and we were very happy to meet with our new neighbours, and hopefully new friends. Welcome to Mt Pleasant!
Many thanks to Paula (Vice Chair of the Mt Pleasant Community Association), and committee members Fran Davy, Kath Fisher, Joyce Stokes and of course Bill Bartsch, who is always on hand! Thank you also to Peter Wilde who came early to help us set up. I'm sorry if I missed anyone, because I know people contributed to the beautiful morning tea, please take this as my thanks for your help also.