The state government is warning South Australians to be wary of dodgy unlicensed and door-to-door tradespeople. Consumer and Business Services has seen a spike of roughly 20 per cent in complaints about unlicensed tradies including plumbers, gas fitters and electricians in the past financial year. In total, CBS has received nearly 530 allegations of unlicensed or out of scope work in the building, plumbing, electrical and gas fitting industry in the 2023/24 financial year to date, compared to just under 440 for the same period in the previous financial year. A number of these matters are still under consideration, with formal warnings issued in more than 160 matters raised in the course of the financial year to date. CBS has also received a continuing number of reports of rogue tradies going door to door, offering low-cost services. It says that they capitalise on cost-of-living pressures, try ingto lure people in with the promise of quick, cheap work. But the work is often of a poor standard and costs far more to repair than hiring a qualified professional instead. By law, every builder and tradesperson must display their licence number on any advertising, including on social media, their website and business card. People should only deal with someone who is licensed and this can be checked by asking to see their licence card or by looking them up on the CBS website.Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels says the spike in complaints is very concerning.I suspect that the spike is being driven by cost-of-living pressures as more people are being tempted by the offer of cheap work. “While I completely understand why people would be tempted, they need to remember that an offer that seems to be too good to be true often is and can end up costing more in the long run. “Never accept an offer from someone going door to door without doing your research first. “Seek multiple quotes, look for testimonials and if the tradie is using high-pressure tactics to try and force a sale, don’t engage and report it to CBS.” More advice on hiring a tradie can be found online. Unlicensed tradespeople can also be reported via the CBS website or by calling 131 882.   

The community has the chance to explore study and training opportunities at the TAFE SA Victor Harbor Campus, with an open day on Wednesday, 15 May.Job seekers, employers, career changers and school students are all welcome to attend.The open day will include campus tours and information sessions throughout the day, giving visitors the opportunity to see classes in action, talk with lecturers and check out the facilities.Dean Pratt is TAFE SA Manager Education Partnerships - Adelaide Metro, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island.He says vocational education and training provides important workforce skills and the open day offers the chance to find out more about the career pathways available.“We really want to encourage people to come along and get involved in the day’s activities,” he says.“TAFE SA delivers high-quality, industry-relevant training across a range of sectors and this is a great opportunity to find out what’s involved in studying with us.“Visitors will be able to see our well-equipped classrooms and skills labs, meet the lecturers and ask questions.“I’d also encourage local employers who are looking to train staff to come along and talk to us about customised training solutions.”TAFE SA’s student services team will be available to provide information on applying for courses and more about campus life. They will be joined by a range of other exhibitors, including MAS National who will be on hand to explain their services for trainees and apprentices, and Rotary Victor Harbor will cook up a sausage sizzle from 11am to 1pm.Mr Pratt says it’s an exciting time for TAFE SA’s Victor Harbor Campus with an upgrade to the resource centre and library currently under way, and a new Regional University Study Hub to be established at the campus.Courses currently delivered at Victor Harbor include Aged and Disability Services, Children’s Education and Care, Community and Family Services and a range of short courses.Other TAFE SA courses are available through online study and open day visitors will be able to see a demonstration of a virtual classroom.The open day will run from 9am to 3pm at the campus on George Main Road. Register to attend specific sessions via the TAFE SA website.

As a result of its Village Conversations during 2023, Alexandrina Council has started drafting its Recreation, Open-space & Sport Strategy (ROSS).It is asking sporting clubs and associations in the region to kickstart the process by completing a survey.The survey aims to help identify the current supply and demand for sporting facilities; it closes on Friday 17 May. This feedback will contribute to developing the ROSS draft over the next six months, which will then be put out for community consultation early next year.More information about the Alexandrina council ROSS and the timeline for consultation can be found on its My Say website. 

Langhorne Creek, Victor Harbor and Willunga are in the running to be named South Australia's Top Tourism Town for 2024.Victor Harbor took out the People's Choice Award and Top Tourism Town in 2023 and its council is keen to make it two years in a row.Votes for the top tourism town can be lodged on the Hello SA website, with a deadline for voting is Sunday 19 May. All voters go into a draw to win a $500 voucher to use at a participating council caravan park, courtesy of the Local Government Association of South Australia.Organised by Hello SA and the Tourism Industry Council of SA, winners will be announced on Tuesday 4 June.

BIRCH Team Strathalbyn and District Aged Care has taken out the Excellence in Practice - Aged Care award at the 2024 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards.Nurses and midwives across South Australia were celebrated for their significant contribution to the health system at a gala evening last Friday 3 May.Part of Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, the Birch program is a collaboration between Strathalbyn Aged Care and Dementia Australia.It was set up to build a model of care for the memory support unit at Strathalbyn.The unit has 24 beds and provides specialist care for people living with advanced dementia.Three key projects were devised through consultation with care staff and families of the residents living in the memory support unit.They involved improving the environment and the dining experience as well as setting up activities and meaningful engagement for the residents.The Strathalbyn BIRCH team were among 14 award winners, from 30 individual finalists and seven teams nominated for their excellence.Health Minister Chris Picton says he was honoured to attend the awards to recognise the amazing work that our nurses and midwives do every day in South Australia. “We are so fortunate to have world-class healthcare professionals who go above and beyond to provide quality care across our state’s hospitals, community, aged care and non-clinical services.  “They are truly the backbone of our health system and we are proud of the work they do.” For more information about finalists and award winners visit the SA Health website.A video from the BIRCH Team Strathalbyn and District Aged Care can also be viewed online.

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie MP says she is appalled by falling levels of real investment in basic levels of home support for older Australians, despite a rapidly growing older population. Ms Sharkie has called the growing waiting list for Home Care Packages a national shame, and is urging the federal government to adequately resource it.She wants it to commit to funding an additional 80,000 Home Care Packages over the next three financial years in next week's Federal Budget, to fill the gaps in much needed care.The number of people aged over 65 years in Ms Sharkie's electorate of Mayo almost doubled over the last decade, she says, up from 23,939 in 2011 to 42,398 in the 2021 ABS Census. Australia-wide, between 2000 and 2020, the proportion of the population aged 65 years and over increased from 12.4 per cent to 16.3 per cent. Further, the Treasury's Intergenerational Report states that "the share of the population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 6.1 percentage points by 2062–63, to 23.4 per cent".Despite this, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's Aged Care Data Snapshot annual series shows the real investment in 'low value' Commonwealth Home Support Program services has fallen in real terms over recent years.“My team and I are inundated by constituents who cannot find a provider for lower level Commonwealth Support at Home (CHSP) services such as gardening, cleaning and home maintenance,” Ms Sharkie says. “Some of them are simply unable to find such services even after years of contacting providers, many of whom no longer keep waiting lists. “Nor can they access CHSP block funding to pay for the services privately that they have been approved to receive.'“Lower level CHSP investment at the start of the aged care journey can help to forestall poor-health and falls, easing pressure on other parts of the aged care system, as well as our health and hospital systems. “It can be a lifeline for those on the growing national priority system waiting list for Home Care Packages.”“I want to see more investment in a faster assessment process to access aged care, and then waiting lists for approved CHSP and Home Care Packages need to be urgently brought down. “Older people must be able to access the support they deserve to maintain their health, dignity and independence. “This benefits them and is also more cost effective for the taxpayer, so I'm unsure what the Government is waiting for.“Aged care at home is failing and needs to be properly funded in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, or older Australians will continue to suffer waiting for care.”

Special access to new RSPCA Animal Care Campus... if able to give an animal a temporary or forever homeWith five days to go before RSPCA South Australia’s new animal care campus opens to the public, access to the site has been restricted to staff and construction workers – up until now. In a bid to free up accommodation for dogs that have come in via RSPCA’s inspectorate and rescue service, the organisation has put the call out for foster carers who can take in one of the dogs currently being housed at the new campus. According to RSPCA SA’s Animal Operations Manager Billy Tubman, 32 dogs have come into the organisation’s care in the two weeks since the Lonsdale shelter closed. “Rather than wait until we open to the public, we’ve decided to get the ball rolling early on getting dogs out into foster care due to these recent seizures of animals by our inspectors,” Billy says. “We keep seized animals in protective custody while investigations continue, and to make space for these new ones that have come in, we need dogs currently with us to go into foster care.” Some of the dogs available to foster are also available to adopt or will be soon. Others remain under veterinary care or behaviour management and require further assessment. RSPCA SA uses donations to cover all animal care costs (including veterinary costs) for fostered animals. “If people are able to foster an animal now, they will be escorted by one of our staff while onsite as it remains an active construction site,” Billy says. “Anyone who has fostered a rescue animal will tell you that the rewards are huge, and for just the next few days the big-hearted decision to foster comes with the added bonus of a sneak peak at this incredible new facility before it opens. Notwithstanding any further delays, we anticipate we’ll be open next Monday.” Anyone who may be able to help is asked to email RSPCA SA’s Foster Care TeamInformation about foster care can be found online. Once registered, people are under no obligation to foster an animal but are able to view the animals in need of foster carers.

Goolwa library’s Local and Family History Room will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Sunday 26 May.The south coast community’s comprehensive local history collection can trace its origins to Mr Walter Pretty, who donated a significant number of research papers to the Goolwa library.The Walter Pretty collection is now held in the Local and Family History compactus, which houses thousands of files on well-known people, places and paddle steamers in the Goolwa and surrounding regions.Other research material has been developed by the room’s volunteers or acquired to make the room a highly valued asset.“Alexandrina Libraries would like to acknowledge all the volunteers who have contributed, including Peter Barclay, Dawn Juers, Helen Halm, Margie Anderson and Bill Cox,” says Nigel Morris, Alexandrina Council’s Chief Executive Officer.“Many volunteers, through the years, have contributed their valuable time and research skills to add local and family history resources to the room’s collection as well as help countless members of the public with their local and family history research enquiries.“Our current volunteer team provide a fantastic service to the community, helping locals as well as those interstate or overseas with their local or family history research.“Family history assistance sessions have proved very successful, with Jennifer and Anne providing one-on-one help to community members to navigate the numerous genealogy research tools on offer; while the local knowledge of Anthony, Luke and Frodo is invaluable to those seeking the history of local buildings and places.”Anyone who would like to volunteer in the Local and Family History Rooms at either Goolwa Library or Strathalbyn Library, or who has a local or family history enquiry, should contact Alexandrina Libraries by calling 8555 7000 or by email.

CFS volunteers have responded to a fire, which has destroyed two old cottages on a property on Victor Harbor Road at Hindmarsh Valley.Firefighters on two CFS trucks and a Bulk Water Carrier, supported by a further two MFS trucks, were called to the incident at 5:30pm on Monday 6 May and worked to contain the fire to the cottages within 45 minutes of their arrival.The stone cottages are not the owner’s primary residence, and no one was injured in the fire.Firefighters remained on scene for several hours, extinguishing the fire and putting out any hot spots. SA Police and SA Ambulance Service are in attendance.Total losses are estimated to be approximately $130,000 and Fire Investigators are yet to determine the cause.

Laws aimed at better protecting domestic and family violence survivors passed state parliament last week. The laws aim to ensure defendants granted bail on a charge of breaching a DV-related intervention order by either threatening or committing a violent act will be subject to mandatory strict conditions of home detention and electronic monitoring. The move mirrors similar provisions in place for defendants accused of offences involving serious or organised crime. Defendants will be unable to leave the home unless for specific permitted reasons – such as travelling to work or to a medical appointment – with the monitoring device capable of providing real-time alerts if any home detention conditions are breached. The government has also passed legislation to provide access to 15 days paid leave for domestic and family violence in the public service as well as legislation to make the experience of domestic violence a ground of discrimination in the Equal Opportunity Act. The Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, led by Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO, will formally start on 1 July and will examine five key themes, aligned with the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032:PREVENTION: How South Australia can facilitate widespread change in the underlying social drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.EARLY INTERVENTION: How South Australia can improve effective early intervention through identification and support of individuals who are at high risk of experiencing or perpetrating domestic, family and sexual violence.RESPONSE: How South Australia can ensure best practice response to family, domestic and sexual violence through the provision of services and supports.RECOVERY AND HEALING: How SA can embed an approach that supports recovery and healing through reducing the risk of re-traumatisation and supporting victim-survivors to be safe and healthy.COORDINATION: How government agencies, non-government organisations and communities can better integrate and coordinate efforts across the spectrum of prevention, early intervention, response and recovery.Premier Peter Malinauskas says it takes a tremendous amount of bravery and strength for someone to come forward and report cases of domestic and family violence to authorities. “These laws will help give those victim-survivors an additional layer of confidence that defendants in these cases will be subject to restricted movement and closely monitored in the event that they are granted bail.   Katrine Hildyard is Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. “The prevalence of domestic, family and sexual violence in our community is utterly unacceptable. “Our community is filled with anger, frustration and sorrow that this year, a woman has been killed by a man every four days. “It is a terrible fact that strengthens our steadfast resolve to continue to take action to tackle this scourge.”  

City of Onkaparinga is one of eight councils joining a trial of recycling old bathroom, bedroom and kitchen linens.Residents are asked to clean out their linen cupboards and take part in the free Give a Sheet for the Planet linen drive, on Saturday 25 May. The nearest drop-off point will be the City of Onkaparinga's Field Operations Centre at Railway Road, Seaford Meadows, from 9am to 3pm.The drive is an initiative of Green Industries SA and Australian textile recycling company BlockTexx.Textile waste is a growing environmental issue, with large amounts going into landfill.It can’t be recycled via council kerbside bins and around half of textiles donated to charity shops are unfit for resale.Material collected on the day of the linen drive will be recycled via a chemical recycling process that separates polyester from cotton, and then re-manufacturers the fibres back into high grade raw materials.All types of pure and blended polyester and cotton linen can be dropped off at any of the eight sites across Adelaide.This includes face cloths, hand towels and bath towels; bed sheets, quilt and doona covers, pillow cases and bedspreads; tea towels and tablecloths.It does not include clothing and footwear; doonas and pillows; mattresses and mattress protectors; woollen blankets; or cleaning cloths.All the linen dropped off must be clean but it doesn’t matter if it is torn or damaged.Find out more about the linen drive on the Green Industries website.   

Police are asking for the public’s assistance to locate wanted man Allan Hopkins.Allan Hopkins, 44, is wanted for serious sexual offending involving a child under the age of 18 years.Hopkins is also being sought by Victoria Police.He is Caucasian, 185cm tall, solid build, with short brown hair, brown eyes and a skull tattoo on his right upper arm.He is believed to be driving a grey 2022 Mazda BT50 ute, SA registration XC101T, and may have travelled to Victoria.If you see him, his vehicle or know of his whereabouts, please call the Police Assistance line on 131 444 immediately or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

The City of Victor Harbor has called for public comment on a proposal to revoke the classification of community land for a portion of Allotment 202 Armstrong Road Victor Harbor.The proposed revocation aims to facilitate the development of the council’s flagship project, the Regional Community, Sport and Recreation Precinct (The Precinct).After looking into the feasibility of the project, towards the end of 2023 the council decided to explore potential private sector partnership opportunities as a way to balance the financial impact.A potential partnership was identified through a formal expression of interest process and commercial-in-confidence negotiations are underway. The council says negotiations aim to set out the terms of any future partnership and define parameters around the delivery of The Precinct with the best interests of the community being paramount.To make the investment in The Precinct viable, the developer requires a long-term lease (99+ years) which is beyond the term allowed under the current community land classification. City of Victor Harbor Mayor Dr Moira Jenkins says the proposal will see only a portion of the site revoked as community land status.“It is only a portion, just over 30 per cent, of Allotment 202 Armstrong Road, that we are seeking to reclassify. “The remaining portion of the site will remain as community land. Under the proposal the council will also retain ownership of the entire allotment” she says.“The council has looked extensively at a range of options to deliver an indoor sport and recreation facility for our community and the partnership opportunity is stacking up to be an appealing option.”“While the negotiations are still being finalised, an initial draft proposal would see the development of The Precinct for around $40 million. “Council’s contribution would be $11.7 million over two years with no further ongoing subsidy. Four multi-purpose courts and gymnastics area, as well as childcare, retail and food and beverage offerings are included.“The upfront costs for the proposal are significantly lower than what was estimated for Council to construct and operate the facility itself and includes the addition of much-needed childcare and allied health facilities. All of which could potentially be up and running mid-2026.”Whenever it is proposed that community land status will be revoked, Council must prepare a report for public consultation/consideration and to provide to the Minister for Local Government.A Community Land Revocation Report has been prepared in line with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1999, and the Council now invites submission on the proposed revocation.Copies of the report, along with details on how to make a submission, can be viewed online or in person at the Civic Centre on Bay Road.Submissions must be lodged with the council before 5pm on Tuesday 11 June.

Victor Harbor’ ‘Elemental’ sculpture will be among conic landmarks across the state to be illuminated yellow this week to mark National Road Safety Week.The gesture is intended to support those impacted by road trauma and encourage South Australians to think about their behaviour behind the wheel. National Road Safety Week runs until Sunday 12 May and the display serves as a poignant reminder of lives lost on SA roads.It aims to positively change driver behaviour and deliver safer outcomes for all road users.Elemental usually glows blue at night and has previously been lit up in orange for Polio Awareness Month. Adelaide landmarks being lit up throughout the week include the Riverbank Bridge and O-Bahn tunnel, with the Entertainment Centre, Convention Centre and Parliament House also turning yellow. Regionally, the City of Port Lincoln will illuminate its main street, Tasman Terrace, each night while the Kadina Town Hall will also glow. Lighting up the road network aims to spread awareness of National Road Safety Week and signals to passing motorists that road safety is everyone’s responsibility.   This year’s theme – ‘As all road safety is local, drive so others survive’ – is a reminder to take extra care, including around vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, so that everyone arrives home safely. Anyone can take the National Road Safety Week pledge – promising to drive as if their loved ones are on the road ahead, remove distractions like their mobile phone, and avoid speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Last year 117 lives were lost on South Australian roads, while 856 people suffered serious injuries. So far this year, 33 lives have been lost on SA roads. The state government is investing more than a quarter of a billion dollars over five years to make South Australian roads safer, including $37 million announced last week for a series of pedestrian and cycling safety upgrades now underway.Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Cregan says National Road Safety Week shines a light on the devastating impact road trauma has on families, friends, first responders and wider community.“By lighting up landmarks across our metropolitan and regional areas, that message is being made abundantly clear to drivers – think about your behaviour behind the wheel.“Drive to survive and take the road safety pledge every day – the role we can play to reduce road trauma, through our own actions, is just as vital beyond this week.”

A tourism development that includes a surfing wave pool was approved by Onkaparinga’sindependent Council Assessment Panel at its meeting on 2 May.The resort is set to be built on cropping land at Lot 3 Tuit Road, Aldinga, next to the Port Willunga Tourist Park.It will include 35 tourist accommodation units, plus a ticketing booth, shop, rental area, café, restaurant, taphouse, surf school and wellness studio. The surf lagoon will generate 2.1 metre high waves up to every 12 seconds with facilities including beach cabanas, a pool and boardwalk/jetty.The tourist accommodation and surf lagoon will only be accessible to paying guests, but the public will be invited to watch the surfing. Its location is around 1.3 kilometres north of the township of Port Willunga and around 1.6 kilometres south of Maslin Beach in a designated Tourism Development Zone. The surf lagoon will be open during daylight hours, while the Beach Club café and the taphouse will operate from 7am to 11pm.Stage one of the development will include the surf lagoon, changerooms and admin buildings, while the taphouse, wellness centre and tourist accommodation will follow in Stage two.

Local space expert Ivan Aksenov will play celestial tour guide at Aldinga library on Thursday 9 May.He will tell the thrilling tale of this nation’s ambitious leap into the cosmos in a his presentation - Australia's Journey to the Stars: The Formation of the Australian Space Agency and Beyond.The Australian Space Agency was established in 2018 with its headquarters in Adelaide.Ivan will discuss the historical events, strategic decisions, and innovative partnerships that led to its creation and outline its significant achievements and plans for the future.He is a former European Space Agency consultant and worked at the European Space Operations Centre on a range of support missions.He is now involved in SpaceDAO, a Space Traffic Management solution, and is a keen space conservationist.His free one-hour presentation will start at 5.30pm. Register to attend via Eventbrite.

It’s 12 months until the next South Australian Wooden Boat Festival and Alexandrina Council is calling for volunteers to help to plan and run the biennial event.It has opened up Expressions of Interest in joining the official committee and for someone to chair the committee.The 2025 festival will be held on the weekend of 26-27 April and there is a lot of planning and organising required to make it happen.The council is looking for people passionate about wooden boats to contribute to this celebration centred on the historic river port of Goolwa and the mighty Murray.Expressions of interest close at 5pm of Friday 24 May. All the information can be viewed on the council’s MySay page.

South Australia will have the opportunity to witness an extraordinary intersection of lunar exploration and local creativity with the Lunar Codex exhibition at the Artworx Gallery in Goolwa. A group of five South Australian artists are preparing to send their creative expressions of the world around them to the moon through the Lunar Codex program.  In a captivating venture echoing the historic 'Moon Museum' and 'Fallen Astronaut,' Canadian physicist and artist Samuel Peralta is endeavouring to enrich the Moon's art collection with his visionary program.  Representing almost every country globally, this celestial anthology spans diverse genres and mediums, encapsulating the essence of contemporary human creativity. Set for three launches over 18 months, this monumental project unites more than 30,000 contributors, who will send their works to the Moon via private missions by SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.  The art works will be part of the payload on various space missions, carried in time capsules known as Codex Orion, Codex Peregrine, Codex Nova, Codex Serenity, Codex Polaris, and Codex Freya. Each capsule is associated with a different mission, contributing to the diverse placement of contemporary arts on the Moon. Codex Polaris will feature more than 200 pieces of art, with the entire program incorporating artists from more than 162 countries around the world.  On May 26 this year, the Lunar Codex will arrive on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with pieces created by the South Australian cohort of artists adorning the walls of the Artworx Gallery in Goolwa for the exhibition Atelier Australis. Janette Humble, a musician and self-taught-artist, will have artwork sent on the Codex Polaris launch in November 2024, alongside Cheryl Bridgart, J Jo Headon, and Robin Hicks.  The collective was first united through the late Graeme Stevenson’s TV show, Colour In Your Life, which toured the world showcasing artists and their studios. When Graeme sent around an email informing all the artists who had been on his show of Peralta’s mission to send art to the moon, the South Aussie women leapt at the opportunity. In doing so, they also decided to come together for a local exhibition.  What sets this exhibition apart is not just the artistic diversity but the destination – the moon itself. The artists' episodes, recorded by Stevenson, underwent a digital transformation before being sent to NASA. The episodes were then uploaded onto nickel-shielded discs, becoming part of the payload for a series of launches. The first one took place in January this year.Janette Humble artworkInspired by the colours of the Australian Outback, Janette explains, “We've called our exhibition Atelier Australis because it’s our take on how we see our environment; our Australia. “This is what we would like visitors on the moon to see and experience about our space here because maybe someone or thing will go to the moon in a million years and find it, and they'll look at this and they'll think, ‘Wow, what is this amazing place?’.”  The Lunar Codex, envisioned and championed by Samuel Peralta, is a remarkable project that materialises the dream of sending the creative works of tens of thousands of artists, authors, musicians, and filmmakers to the Moon.  In conjunction with NASA's Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2026, the Lunar Codex strategically leverages Commercial Lunar Payload Service missions and partnerships with entities like Astrobotic Technologies.  Comprising six time capsules, including Codex Orion and Codex Freya that venture beyond Earth's orbit, and four archival missions—Peregrine, Nova, Serenity, and Polaris—destined for the Moon's surface, the Lunar Codex represents the first significant placement of contemporary arts on the lunar landscape in over fifty years.  Atelier Australis, the exhibition curated by the South Australian women, unfolds as an eclectic selection of various styles and mediums of visual artworks , including for the first time embroidery. Each artist brings a unique perspective to the collection, collectively portraying their personal experiences of living on Earth. Janette explains that her paintings delve into the nuanced realms of mood, drama, fragility, and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Australian Outback. “So my work is about capturing the essence and emotion of the fleeting moment . I’ve got sunrises and sunsets, crashing oceans , stormy skies with animals trying to get shelter in the shadows of these massive storms. There are waterways in the Northern Territory that are so silent and still and then rainforests and the cacophony of sound from all the birds. So my work is all about mood and atmosphere.”  This exhibition not only serves as a platform for showcasing the talents of South Australian artists but also marks a historic moment in lunar exploration.  Robin says, "This is the second time that women have been represented with their artwork anywhere on the moon or anywhere in such a situation in the time capsule." “I guess really the story is larger than any of the individuals…. We've talked to each other a lot and looked at ‘what's my significance in this?’ and actually, it is a privilege to be part of it. Hopefully my art will talk to somebody on earth, but also maybe on the moon too.” As the artists ready themselves for the November launch, the profound impact of their involvement in the Lunar Codex project becomes increasingly apparent. Janette encourages exploring the theme of the artists' relationship with the planet and the universe, leaving room for contemplation about our existence and the mysteries beyond. In a world often characterised by competitiveness, this collaborative effort of five female artists from South Australia exemplifies the power of supporting each other's dreams. Their art, now destined for a life beyond Earth, transcends boundaries and connects humanity through the universal language of creativity.  The Atelier Australis exhibition at Artworx Gallery is not just an art show; it's a celestial voyage of imagination and inspiration, inviting viewers to ponder the profound connection between Earth, the cosmos, our environment, and human connectivity with all that lies beyond. 

Police are seeking the assistance of the public to help locate missing person, Colin.Colin, 75, was last seen at Victor Harbor about 5pm on Saturday 27 April.  Police are concerned for his welfare.Colin is Caucasian, approximately 170 cm tall, with a slim build.Anyone who spots Colin or has information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the police assistance line immediately on 131 444.Reference #113969