Dead trees are also important

It is encouraging to see some support for saving our trees, (Gaz 26/07).

It is perhaps timely to suggest that in terms of habitat and environmental values, a dead tree is as important as a living tree, often even more so. When a dead tree or log is burnt, its carbon is returned to the atmosphere. As a dead tree or log decomposes, its nutrients are returned to the ecosystem.

The hollows and cavities in dead trees and logs are utilised by wildlife: refuge, nesting, resting, maintaining a healthy body temperature, etc.

Dead trees and logs contribute to the vital litter layer in a forest or woodland situation. Dead trees and logs help mitigate erosion and retain moisture. Dead trees often sustain more life than living trees: birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, fungi, moss, lichen, bacteria and more. Soil organisms continue to use the roots of a tree for many years after it has died.

Dead trees and logs often provide physical support for other plants on which to grow. Dead trees are less likely to blow over, as they are not subject to the phenomenon known as windthrow; the leverage effect created by a tree canopy during a windstorm. We should be celebrating our dead trees too and placing at least as much effort on preserving them as the living ones – our environment needs them.

Peter Ware, Drouin

Carpark concerns

I write with regard to the rail project being conducted by the Department of Transport (DoT) next to the Old Drouin Butter Factory.

As the property owner of the Old Drouin Butter Factory, I believe it necessary that the community be made aware of what is about to impact them.

In October 2021, our team was contacted by the DoT and supplied with an artist impression of the rail works, of which are now subsequently taking place beside the Old Drouin Butter Factory.

Despite our best efforts to meet with the DoT, and numerous requests to be supplied with a set of construction plans to discuss the project, we were told that the plans were confidential and shut out of any formal communications.

As a result of this, we were forced to engage the services of a city law firm in order to pursue an outcome with the DoT that would best serve the community of Drouin, and once again, were met with silence.

Since the commencement of works by the DoT, it has become increasingly clear that they are going to close off the entrance to Main South Road, and as a result, place significant pressure upon Montague Street which will be forced to take the brunt of the traffic.

The DoT and rail authority will continue to have a significant works yard which will exceed its already standing 40 carpark space, whilst the Drouin Butter factory houses 20 carparks but is undergoing considerable restoration works, as it is an iconic building home to the Baw Baw Shire.

In real terms, this means semi-trailers as well as other machinery and equipment will only have access off Montague Street, and the overall detriment of closing this secondary entrance at Main South Road is beyond unconscionable and does not make logical sense.

It must be noted that the traffic jams the community is now faced with during peak times, will be unacceptable. The actions of the DoT may result in genuine public outrage as they will be forcing all that traffic onto one active point.

Regretfully, it must also be said that this issue was raised with the Baw Baw Shire council, and again, we were met with silence.

The actions of the DoT speak to a department who has no regard for the township of Drouin, nor its people.

Matthew Fox, Berwick

Unique dining

The imminent closure of the Albert and Smith restaurant at the WGAC would have to be regarded as an extraordinary triumph of mediocrity over quality.

It was only two weeks ago I was boasting to a friend that Warragul not only had a state of the art Arts Centre but also an outstanding restaurant on site. I pointed out that I had never seen the like anywhere in Australia.

For 40 years I have attended shows at the Victorian Arts Centre often having a meal in the centre. The management of the restaurant changed just about every 10 months because they could never manage to present 100 meals in a tight relaxed time frame at a high quality. Eventually one gave up and travels further away to get a decent meal.

In a major arts centre servicing several million people they could never achieve what Albert and Smith has achieved in a small country town.

Having gone to many shows interstate and even overseas I have never seen anything like the success we have had here. nothing comes close.

Over the 30 years I have been attending shows at WGAC there has never been anyone that presented anything that enticed one to make a booking before a show until now.

So here we are. Warragul has a world class service but it appears we want something more 'inclusive', a word that invokes mediocrity and ideological puritanism.

How successful has Albert and Smith been? Well you have to book about six weeks before an event to get a seat. Compare this to the previous 25 years this site has been underused and generally a commercial wasteland.

Can we look forward to party pies and hundreds of thousands after the Wiggles, pizzas and beer after the Pink Floyd show, and haute cuisine after Shakespeare? Snowflakes chance.

It is such a small town act of vandalism to tear down such a magnificent success. Who was responsible for destroying such a magnificent service?

Please reverse this decision or at the very least submit it to feedback from the community.

Brett Forge, Warragul

Concerned resident

I am writing as a concerned resident of the Baw Baw Shire. As it has been made aware through the media I want to have a say about the closure of Albert and Smith.

I have been a patron of the prior venue in Warragul known as In2Food.

This venue was also developed and successfully service the community with excellent cuisine by David and his staff.

I cannot imagine why such a high standard venue second to none in or city that is coupled up with such an ambient of theatre and food could even be considered to be dismissed.

How can this be happening when we are all going through a change in our lives through COVID and now wanting to resume a so called normal lifestyle and enjoy high standard entertainment and food.

I am a resident of Drouin Sanctuary Lifestyle Community and one of my fellow resident has arranged dinner functions at Albert and Smith seating 40 people. All have been served with prompt respect, service, food ,and presentation with comments of accolades and satisfaction

Do we have to loose such assets in our community?

Where else would you expect a similar standard only inner city venue such as Hilton Windsor etc. We have been so fortunate to have such a venue on our doorstep

Why isn't it given more consideration. I do not understand and the loss is too great no to fight for a comeback.

Chin up David, find another venue if necessary and make a huge comeback, you will be supported.

I feel I am only one voice, but I would like to think it makes a difference.

Dawn Cheer, Drouin

Annoyed

After reading your article about the closure of the successful restaurant Albert and Smith I contacted Baw Baw Council to state my annoyance about this decision.

I received an anonymous reply providing no information at all about how this decision was made. This is not good enough. I would like to know why a confidentiality agreement was necessary, and what is it that council want kept secret.

Ratepayers and customers of this business deserve to know in detail why we are being denied access to this business. Where is the transparency in this decision.

Maggie Skinner, Warragul

Group dismayed

On behalf of the Sanctuary Lifestyle Ladies' Luncheon Group, Drouin, we wish to voice our dismay and disgust at the decision to terminate the lease of the restaurant area by Baw Baw Shire, to Albert and Smith proprietors.

This much loved and patronised venue has proudly served the community and added much prestige to arts centre, as well as providing much needed jobs for locals.

We also wish to convey our very best wishes to David and Sam O'Neill and sincerely hope they do not turn their backs on this area to open up a new restaurant of like class in another area.

Thank you for your wonderful menus, your help to other local business houses and bringing "classy" to dining.

Marlene Robbins, Drouin

Not credible

John Duck ('No sarcasm', Gaz 26/7) claims his previously expressed 'honest opinion' ('Well done', Gaz 12/7) was mistaken for sarcasm by

Brian Chapman ('Not a gambler', Gaz 19/7). Dr Chapman's was my clear impression too. It seems Mr Duck has confused opinion with the tone of its expression.

Sarcasm is a 'wounding remark or taunt', which captures the self-evident intent of his first sentence: 'Well done ... on following a great Aussie tradition of having "two bob each way."'

My Oxford dictionary adds: 'especially of one ironically worded', and defines irony thus: 'Expression of one's meaning by language of opposite or different tendency, especially simulated adoption of another's point of view for the purpose of ridicule', all of which aptly fits Mr Duck's second sentence: 'And as for the medical "establishment", what would they know anyway?'

So his two-sentence 'Well done' letter could fairly be described as dripping with sarcasm, quite contrary to his claim of innocence and the 'No sarcasm' title of the second letter, which incidentally is laced with further sarcastic taunts.

Please don't tell me I've missed your main point, Mr Duck. My purpose is only to point out that your denial of sarcasm is simply not credible.

John Hart, Warragul

To boost or not?

Mr Tuck (Gaz. 26/7) quotes some very compelling figures from the Victorian Department of Health, apparently put together in collaboration with the ABC regarding COVID vaccination and death rates. I have tried to find the original data on the official Victorian website but without success (my fault, no doubt). However, such data are easily found on the NSW Health website and their weekly reports paint a very different picture.

In the eight weeks ending July 16 last there were 798 COVID deaths reported in New South Wales. Of these, 796 were at least double-vaccinated (99.75 per cent), 540 were triple-vaccinated (67.67 per cent) while just two were either single-vaccinated or unvaccinated (0.25 per cent). Given that the general NSW population's unvaccinated cohort is around 4.7 per cent, this means that they are under-represented among the state's COVID fatalities by a factor of almost 19 whereas the whole idea of effective vaccination should have made them significantly over-represented as they apparently are in Victoria according to the figures supplied by Mr Tuck.

Taken at face value, these two sets of figures suggest that vaccination appears to be a potentially lethal health hazard north of the Murray while it appears to be a life saver south of the Murray. What are we to make of such conflicting data? What do the ABC and the Victorian Government know that NSW Health doesn't know (or vice versa)?

Brian Chapman, Drouin

New hospital?

Can I suggest that now Harriet Shing has been promoted to cabinet, that every resident who has access to email send her one asking if her promotion means that we will now get our new hospital.

Roger Marks, Drouin