Tag: Kalamunda Shire

Spring on Falls Road, Lesmurdie, Perth Hills

On By PaulLeave a comment
View from John & Jen’s Front Garden

Let me take this opportunity in thanking Franco & Francesca for graciously initiating the inaugural First Spring on Falls Road in Perth Hills in 2011.

This Spring in October 2012, John & Jen invited most residents along Falls Road including adjoining neighbours in Nelson Crescent & Maxim Court.

You couldn’t find a more friendly bunch of neighbours in the whole Shire of Kalamunda or indeed the suburbs of Perth.

Franco & Francesca

Congratulations are in order to Franco & Francesca for having conceived & carried out the first gathering. For most people you could be living in a neighbourhood without ever knowing any other of your neighbours.Surely it’s not the case of the conservative English man only coming to greet your neighbour when happened to counter one another while holidaying in the Continent.

Perth Hills is a lovely place to live in, especially on the escarpment with scenic panoramic vista-vision of ever changing lights & colours.With neighbours like what we have, life is further enhanced. A smiling face, a waving hand & that welcoming greeting make all the difference in making for peace & harmonious living.

Lilian & I have been living here on Falls Road since February 1988 in a modest little place we call home that was built around 1979/80. I found this place quite by chance when out driving on my relief from the tedious hours of our delicatessen business in Barberry Square. The city view, the hills and the valley simply captivated me. So from Rossmoyne we found ourselves & our three children from the lowland to the highland.

We found that all our friendly neighbours were similarly attracted to the hills here because of, as the real estate guys will tell you, “location . . . location . . . location”. With straight run along Welshpool Road East, Orrong Road & Graham Farmer Freeway, Perth City is within reach well inside the half hour. You are in the metropolitan area and yet free of the hustle & bustle of city life. Here life is beautiful one day & perfect the next. And you have more friends than strangers along Falls Road, particularly if you are living beyond the junction of Nelson Crescent towards the escarpment end.

Our Host & Hostess – John & Jen

John & Jen, our host & hostess this Spring are a vibrant young couple. She drives a sports car & John’s happily making music with six bands in operation. He is a pretty handyman rendering beauty to the home by the touch of his hands.

Max & Raylene

Max & Raylene, who live  to the back of John & Jen, are very interesting people with rich life’s experiences. In a fast rewind, Max could thrill you with his skills & spills, with more places than you have ever been, & a life’s journey teeming with adventures. He depicts my kind of picture with the concept of “To grow, to progress is to change”. He’s got a pretty good sense of humour.

And he’s always changing for the better, like this house they are living in now. With his hands, he’s transforming it (built in 1976) into a luxurious modern home with every nook & corner of the home enjoying the million dollar scenic view.

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With the glow of the glorious sunset in front

Another Spring is awaiting us to greet an equally

exciting morning sunrise.

Greetings to Perth!

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No Half Measures . . .

On By Paul1 Comment
Shire of Kalamunda
Shire of Kalamunda (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Haynes St. Kalamunda. Looking down from Hans Cafe

The Shire of Kalamunda, in line with other Shires & City Councils,

has a scheme to aid pensioners & people with physical disabilities to live independent lives by providing them with gardening assistance, meals-on-wheels, home-care etc.

My wife & I have lived in Kalamunda Shire since 1988, and there is no other place in Perth that we rather be than right here in Perth Hills, where the air is fresh & the scenery more beautiful each day.

This is our home. There is no place like home.

Our Modest Home in Perth Hills

Of course, there is no free lunch in this whole wide world. There is always a price to be paid. But in this case, through the passion & compassion of the Shire, payment is subsidised. For instance, in the matter of gardening service as provided through Home and Community Care (HACC), the subsidised rate is only $8.00 per hour.

I am more than well qualified for the HACC Scheme – a man with more than three score & ten years of age, severe backache, severe glaucoma, diabetes . . . what more do I need to say. Initially, I was given two hours of gardening service once every four weeks.

However, one fateful date, one nice old HACC lady came by to reassess my entitlement. I told her at my age I would be lucky to maintain my healthy status quo & not getting any better or worse. That was on 17 of November 2011.

After the assessment, I was taken off the scheme! No particular reason was given. For weeks I was left in the lurch without any help 0r assistance whatsoever.

I wrote in a couple of times with medical evidences but to no avail. The irony was they were not interested in my medical conditions, which means that nothing medical nor age was ever considered. I was made to feel that perhaps it was a case ofracial discrimination. Legitimately, I have every right to my entitlement. But why should I be DEPRIVED.

Now, they reinstalled the service since 6 weeks ago – but only it’s going to be ONCE EVERY SIX WEEKS FOR ONE HOUR ONLY. On Monday, 8 October 2012, Michael our new gardener called and did a wonderful job from 12.45 PM to 1.45 PM. He was specifically instructed to do only our front yard!

Neglected Backyard – Tall grass & weeds
Viewing from right – Neglected Backyard

But what about my backyard? Well, I guess the grass & weeds got to stay long & plentiful, certainly not good for health & summer bush fire!

Michael was telling my wife that he was finding it tough to do his work within the hour allotted. He concurred that more time should be given and MORE FREQUENCY e.g. at once every three to four weeks & two hours at a stretch.

More regular cutting makes life easier for the gardener.

When saving a man . . .

You don’t save him in half measure!

 

Is Buying A Pet Constitutes To Commencing A Development?

On By PaulLeave a comment

By P Chong                                                                 Thursday, 21 January 2010

Shetland Pony

Have you ever heard of the ridiculous formality of having to apply to the Shire of Kalamunda, Western Australia, for the approval of keeping a family pet? As though that itself is not laughable, you are required to pay them a whopping processing fee of $132.00!

Our Grandsons

For the sake of our two grandsons, I was prepared to overlook the ridiculous formality but not the $132.00 which I didn’t know about! Happily, I tried to fulfil the requirements:

  • I went round our neighbourhood getting supporting/consent signatures.
  • Filled up the application form which reads: APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO COMMENCE DEVELOPMENT.

    Now, doesn’t that sound crazy as though I am about to start a pony business in our backyard? I am only buying a pet Shetland pony for our grandsons. The size of this pony is between a miniature one & the normal pony . . . just a size larger than the German Shepherd or a Great Dane.

  • Three copies of our property’s location & site plan to be included.
  • A Stock Management Plan is even required!
  • No processing fee of $132.00 was mentioned or printed in the application form. I wouldn’t have gone to the Shire office today to submit my application form had I known of this or was even told about it!

Let’s hope & pray that this not reality but only a nightmare that I found myself in. Not sure if the Kalamunda community, or any other community, is aware of this nightmare.

After all, we have the space & area for the Shetland pony. Our backyard is in excess of 1500 M2 of empty grassy space and we also have the shed for its accommodation.

I have also seen the neighbours and they all have no objection whatsoever in our keeping one Shetland pony as a pet for our grandsons.

But why should Kalamunda Shire be so unreasonable?

Is buying a Shetland pony (gelding) as a pet tantamount to a business development?

Does the amount of $132 mean that the Shire is supplying me with the pony?

If you have any suggestion or comment, please have your say or email me:

paul21chong@gmail.com

Thank You.