THANKS TO CHRISTINE LARKMAN
The Friendly Bay Islander would like to thank Christine Larkman for her involvement with this column for the past 10 years or so. As long-time island residents with husband Ian, the couple have made a significant contribution to our islands, building the Russell Island Shopping Centre and contributing generally to island wellbeing and community life. Ian and Christine have new grandchildren to spend time with and we congratulate them on their efforts on behalf of the islands over many years.
JETTY GETTING CLOSE!
The new Russell Island jetty is getting close to being completed. The final works are being carried out on the foreshore amenity that is to house a toilet block. We don’t know if you have been watching the build up-close in this area, but the amount of steel and concrete is enormous, starting about 20 feet underground followed by layer after layer of concrete and piping infrastructure. We are endeavouring to find out when the new jetty will be ready for use. We suspect it will have a ‘soft’ opening with residents one day soon finding it up and running and operational. We also suspect any small problems or issue will be ironed out during this period before an official opening of sometime in the near future. This build was expected to be completed by March with all four new island jetties operational and open before the end of 2023.
GREAT SUPPORT FOR ISLAND MOTEL
The stories that appear in your monthly Friendly Bay Islander, also appear on our website as well as Radio FBI. In recent months, both the website and Radio Station have registered some amazing growth in support. Readers and listeners are now in their ‘thousands’. A case in point was the story we ran in our January edition about the new motel for Russell Island. More than 1500 people viewed the story with support and interest on the website. If that kind of support is any guide, Daniel and Michelle Golin, the developers of the project, will be more than delighted, particularly if it leads to future bookings. The industrial shed they have already completed and occupy in John Street, is massive and a stand-out, too. The motel is located on a large commercial block at 21 Canaipa Road, Russell Island. The design of the motel complex is L-shaped with four units in one section and three units in the other section. All seven units have separate bathrooms attached, with the three-unit section also boasting outdoor decks. The motel property is being suitably landscaped via native grasses and plants. David and Michelle are hopeful to have the motel open before mid-year, provided the weather is ‘reasonable’.
RUSSELL POST OFFICE BIG BUYS
The Russell Island Post Office is back into ‘buying mode’ after three years of pandemic restrictions, and Anthony Gleeson is buying up ‘big’. “We have been extremely restricted on what we have been able to stock our shelves with for the past three years,” Anthony says. “We have not been able to attend the annual trade fairs in that time, and it has made a huge difference to supply. The result is a massive supply of new items and products arriving in the coming days which should fill the shelves at the Post Office to the ‘brim’. Anthony has selected a wide range of new items including ladies apparel, handbags, homewares, novelty items and toys.
GREAT FUN COMING AT RUSSELL BOWLS CLUB
There is some great fun coming to the Russell Island Bowls Club. Don’t miss Valentine’s Day with a great menu ready for those who wish to a romantic meal. There are some new entertainers coming to the club and the real fun will be happening at the club on Saturday March 4 when the Balls Out drag show will be held at the club starting at 8pm. There will be lots of prizes to win and fun to be had!! Of course you knew it was going to be hosted by the brilliantly named Candy Surprise!!
FEELIN PATCHY?
Want to learn basic patchwork? If you would like to learn, Russell Island Community Arts will be running a Beginners Patchwork Class at Monday 9.30 - 12.30. All equipment will be provided but you will need to bring some fabric of your own choice. You do not need to have any prior experience with patchwork or sewing as we will be willing to show you how everything works including the sewing machine. In the first session you will learn to cut and sew your fabric into traditional patchwork blocks to make a simple placemat. In the following session you will learn to add wadding and backing prior to doing some simple quilting to add dimension and hold the parts together. Finally, you will learn a couple of methods to finish off the edges to make the placemat look tidy. You will be surrounded by people willing to help and show you tips and tricks to achieve a professional finish. Once completed you may choose to continue to learn in the class and go on to make something bigger like a bag, a wall hanging or a cot quilt. You can become a regular and explore different styles of patchwork and more complex techniques if you choose to do so. If you are interested or would like more information, please come along to The Farm, Arthouse & Gallery on any Monday between 9.30 and 12.30 to talk to us about what you would like to learn. Session cost is $5 and includes morning tea.