Descendants celebrate group settlement centenaries
Bev McGuinness. Three centenaries were celebrated this month marking Denmark’s Group Settlements, a scheme established to bring English families to WA to farm. Apart from opening up land to agriculture, Group Settlements aimed to increase the population.
Whisky barrels roll up at Karri Mia
Serena Kirby. The recent arrival of nearly 60 barrels of premium whisky marks major progress in the development of a new distillery on Mt Shadforth. The establishment of Nullaki Distillery has been the long-term dream of Michael Tomasz and his business partner who did not wish to be named that’s taken a decade to come to fruition.
Elder abuse warning
Serena Kirby. Statistics reveal that one-in six people over 65 will experience elder abuse and it’s more prevalent in remote areas and country towns ... Christine said elder abuse was not just physical violence or sexual abuse but included coercive control, psychological abuse, neglect, financial abuse and socially isolating someone.
Horses, history power our top senior
Serena Kirby. This year’s senior citizen of the year, Louise Swan, has put her love of horses to good use since retiring and moving to Denmark nearly a decade ago. Louise said horses had been her passion since she was five years old and when she discovered there was a local HorsePower centre, she wasted no time in volunteering to help.
Cool, calm change for principal
Serena Kirby. Denmark Primary School’s new principal Luke Breman aims to bring calm and stable leadership to the school ... Luke said there would be a renewed focus on quality, evidence-based teaching programs across the whole school.
Community focus for Abbie’s ‘amazing’ festival
Patricia Gill. A return to a community focus drew 380 artists at the Denmark Festival of Voice packing seven venues for 55 acts over the recent long weekend. First-time festival director Abbie Pedersen was honoured to be part of a long legacy established by previous directors.
Biochar plan a world-first
Patricia Gill. A biochar project of over three and a half years at the Shire Waste Transfer Station has the potential to develop a world-first industry for Denmark. Through a pyrolysis unit, which heats waste in low oxygen, green waste, silage wrap and food organics would potentially be converted into a carbon-rich product capable of improving soils and animal health.
Town’s top honour for fire brigade stalwart
Patricia Gill. Denmark's Citizen of the Year Murray Brooker believes in always leaving a place better than he found it and continually improving and learning. The former school principal and university lecturer in child psychology has served in emergency and fire services wherever he has lived but is thankful of all the support he receives.
