The October-November issue of the Southern Yarn is available for your reading online, download, printout, or you can wait for your copy in the mail, if you still get it in glorious black-and-white on our signature yellow paper stock. Continue reading
The Southern Yarn – February March 2021
The February-March issue of The Southern Yarn is available for download now. Also check out the back issues at our dedicated Yarns page.
To get your started, here is the Editorial:
A common theme to much of our content for this issue is “nostalgia” – not by design, it just turned out that way. You will especially find some of that if you follow the links provided in the OZ and NZ News to the respective Film and Sound Archives – thank you to Ed in Adelaide for those. Maybe during the pandemic lockdown(s), you watched a Bond movie, or two. A run of them was offered by a TV channel here in the ‘Peg. “Getting to Know ..” on p. 7, explains the inspiration for the 007 super spy. Do you remember Chips Rafferty? Did you know he was born in Broken Hill? When we lived in Laidley, Queensland, a special treat was to cool off with a Weis Bar – a uniquely molded ice cream made with real fruit. Sadly, they’re no longer being made up the range in Toowoomba (p. 5). And I’m showing my age, but I used to enjoy listening to “Dad and Dave” on the ABC. Dave and his girlfriend, Mabel, are featured in this month’s Bush Yarn (p. 6). There is much more to reminisce over if you keep reading.
Thank to Ed, Jenny, Judy, Peter, Brian, Lucia’s sister in NZ, and our sponsors.
The new Southern Yarn is ready online, and this month there is a bonus page (p 9) of photos for those of you lucky enough to download it!
Although our ANZAC Day event on April 25th has been cancelled, there are other ways to participate in ceremonies in Australia and New Zealand to commemorate all the ANZACs who fought and died for our freedom. Remember that services on April 25th are in fact on April 24th for us here in Canada:
And in case you’ve not called down under recently, the time difference for ANZAC Day is:
Hopefully this will help you all participate in ANZAC Day this year.
Lest we forget.
Although the DUCW’s ANZAC Day commemoration has been cancelled this year, we are compiling a list of opportunities to watch services online, and will post them in a new blog tomorrow.
It is with deep regret to advise that our ANZAC Day service in Ottawa, scheduled for 9am on 25 April, has been cancelled. Organisers have also cancelled ANZAC Day services in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
It is with deep regret that we write to advise that our ANZAC Day service in Ottawa, scheduled for 9am on 25 April, has been cancelled. Organisers have also cancelled ANZAC Day services in Toronto and Vancouver.
We are as disappointed as we know you will be with this outcome, but given the COVID-19 pandemic and the advice of the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian public health authorities, it is the responsible course of action.
While we will not be able to gather together on 25 April, we encourage all Australians and New Zealanders, wherever you may be, to commemorate ANZAC Day in your own personal way. Please take a moment to pause and reflect on the service and sacrifice of the thousands of Australian and New Zealand men and women who serve or have served in wars, conflict and peace keeping operations. We especially ask you to think of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.
Public ANZAC Day services have also been cancelled in Australia and New Zealand. But, the Australian War Memorial will be holding a private ceremony in Canberra at 5.30am on 25 April (AEST), 3.30pm on 24 April (EST), 12:30pm on 24 April (PDT). The ceremony will be broadcast live by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and streamed online. Please see more information on this here: www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac-day. The Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association, alongside the New Zealand Defence Force, will also be holding a virtual dawn service to commemorate ANZAC Day, which will be broadcast by RNZ National, on the RNZ App, from 6am (NZST) on 25 April, 2pm on 24 April (EST), 11am on 24 April (PDT). You may wish to watch include these ceremonies as part of your commemoration of ANZAC Day.
Our thoughts are with all Australians and New Zealanders in Canada, and our Canadian colleagues and friends, in these challenging and unprecedented times. Please stay safe, stay informed by following the advice of public health authorities, stay connected with your friends and family, and please stay home.
Her Excellency Natasha Smith, Australian High Commissioner to Canada
His Excellency Martin Harvey, New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada