ChroniclesMay07

The Greens of Agnes Water 1770

The real-life guide to living here

Agnes and Ecstasy

May 2007

It cannot POSSIBLY be the end of May? Tell me it is not so!

How totally thoughtless of the Calendar to advance at such a pace. Well, if it is, then it is and I must get on with the Chronicle.

1770 Festival
Month of May Chronicle should have been about the 1770 Festival. But we didn’t go. In Brisbane till the day it started and then the weather was cold and windy and wet. Plus the major Festival film attraction was something no-one had heard of but apparently the star was available to make a guest appearance so it received star billing. The art show wasn’t held at the RTC so I guess was a repeat of last year? No invitations sent out – shame as rather an essential for sales. But I am sure the street parade would have been at least as good as last year plus great market stalls and lots of fun things to entertain the kiddies.

Some fine images of the festival events by 1770images.

The 1770 Festival is of course for the locals enjoyment and it does a great job of that. However, to attract good numbers of visitors from Gladstone, Bundaberg and further afield the festival has to offer something unique not just smaller versions of what is available elsewhere.

We have something incredibly unique - Captain Cook actually came ashore here - not anywhere else.

I imagine, some day, a 1770 Festival unique to our village. An actual re-enactment of The Landing at 1770 with a replica of 'HMB Endeavour' (which would be moored throughout the year at 1770 as a tourist attraction). HMB The whole town would dress up in period costume for the Festival duration and take on the flavour of that era in food and beverage offerings (I will pass on the ship's biscuits thank you!) , market stalls and stocks for the wrong-doers. Pipe and whistle bands, Union Jacks flying, drunken sailors and barefoot urchins. Displays of, for example, the 'still' that Captain Cook has aboard to convert salt water into fresh drinking water. And another of on board discipline ie the cat-o-nine tails, could use the left over salt to rub into the wounds to make it really authentic? *smile* How about a 'Mr Banks' giving botanical tours as we have so much unique flora still remaining in this area? So many opportunities to create something unqiue for Agnes Water 1770 - the mind boggles!

Too romantic a concept ? too much work ? - but oh boy would it bring in the tourists, the reporters and also be great fun for our community.

Global Warming
I am more concerned with global warming this May though. Saw a map of the area at king tide storm surge 2010 if global warming continues (totally un-Al Gore to say Climate Change, dontchano) Now planning to keep spare beds and blankies et al on standby in the shed for our low lying friends in town. Everyone here talking about their empty damns (the Summer rains just didn’t swing by Agnes Water 1770 this year) and when will the mid-day temp fall below 30C (its Autumn – Winter is next week!) ?

And talking about not be able to get a drop of water, don't miss this 'precious' 1770 attitude in the side column

Exodus
So many longer time residents selling up and leaving town – builders, printer, newsagent, candlestick makers (ok I made that last one up). Not totally a case of ‘make your money and run’. Just a case of ‘the big boom never happened’. Which Tom and I are glad about. Although even one of the specialists we had to consult in Brisbane this week told us about the airport coming to Agnes and how it will have hangers for the private planes. Yep!

Some new folks arriving – and they come with different expectations. Will be interesting to see the changes they bring to our little village. I must admit, I like the new feel. One such who came around home to do some repair work got chatting with me as I yet again macheteed the roses (they grow faster than sweet corn!) and suddenly his face lite up and he said " Oh Your Agnes Chronicles! " - I confessed and then had the opportunity to hear of yet another young family from NZ who are making their home here. This is what Agnes Waters 1770 needs.

Council Mergers
Of course the talk of Council mergers is an absolute must for dinner conversation. Too few people governed by far too many public employees and elected councilors was finally recognized by All Hail Beattie (our Premier). After giving the Shire Councils yonks to sort themselves out – and surprise surprise – none seemed to feel they should devolve, just their neighbours should – Beattie pulls the junket plug and forces amalgamation upon the squealing piglets. I hope we get to play with Gladstone Shire Council as they have money and no competitive tourist industry and a pool of educated people from their industry upon which to draw as councilors.

Orchid Brag Moment - So easy to grow and oh so rewarding!

orchids

The Tree & Saltwater Cafe 1770- not a drop to drink there

How serious is the global warming water shortage crisis in the Town of 1770?

Really Serious, let me tell you!

Seems the company that owns the drinking and eating hole at 1770 - The Tree and The Saltwater Cafe don't even have water clean enough to wash the dishes in. And none safe enough for folks to drink.

I only know this from the chef there last night. No wonder the poor boy was so cranky.

This tale of horror was revealed when we purchased a bottle of wine and the waitress brought out the wine glasses and poured the wine. We asked for water. She enquired "sparkling or still?"

My shackles rose as I really get annoyed with this petty miserliness I said tap water please. And here the very pretty lass tried hard to keep to the party line which ranged from 'the water was too dangerous to drink ' to 'we just don't provide it'.

Hmmm.

Now I know under the Restaurant and Catering Act of NSW if you are the holder of a liquor licence there are strict regulations in relation to serving of free tap water with alcohol. The fines for non-compliance in this area can reach $22,000 and the NSW Government takes action against licensees who fail to supply free tap water to patrons who purchase liquor. The Government will also take action against those licensees who attempt to add any type of service charge for supply of this water.

But this is Queensland, perhaps anything goes?

Although even commonsense would suggest serving tap water when providing liquor is a pretty socially responsible thing to do.

Anyway, back to the struggling young waitress.

She goes to the kitchen and fetches the chef. Who appears and without any greeting or, god forbid, a smile to his patrons, he launches into this song (no dance thankfully) about The Perils of Local Water.

Slightly ruined the story in that we are locals and know that everyone drinks tap water here but there were a few other diners from interstate and they couldn't believe their ears. Especially as a couple were staying at the popular 1770 Camping Grounds where drinking water comes straight from the many taps!

But, according to the chef, the water is so bad he imports water even to wash the dishes.

Anyway, surf ice to say the chef wins and this licence premise does not have to provide tap water to patrons. But we could of course buy the bottled water.

Where's Derryn Hinch when you need a Shame File?

Got a view on this? Let me know.

UPDATE: Thanks for the emails, folks. Seems I am not alone in finding this absence of tap water disappointing at a premises selling alcohol to diners, nor is the Saltwater Cafe alone in finding ways to presumably save a buck!

BD of ACT wrote:

Read your column on bottled water and totally agree—it’s a farce. I lived in Indonesia for a while, in Jakarta, and some restaurants would try and make you pay for water. They sell a bottled water called ‘aqua’, and when people would ask for ‘water’ they would often ask for aqua, which, of course, is the word for water in some languages—but not Bahasa Indonesia. So people were getting their ‘aqua’, and of course having to pay for it! Not that it cost a lot, but it was the principle of the thing.

CW of VIC wrote:

We enjoy your Chronicles every month. Our worst penny-pinch experience with tap water was in Greece. After sitting, we did get a small bottle of water at the table with the waiter saying 'for free' which was nice. We then had two more (only half a litre in each) along with our lunch and carafe of wine and a few beers. When I went to pay it turned out the other two bottles of water weren't 'for free' and we were changed at around AUD3 each.

RR of QLD wrote (and supplied the relevant section of the Act - so it's true sadly)

Queensland is a state on its own. That place you went to doesn't HAVE to provide free tap water. They do have to provide water and can charge the same for tap water as they charge for a glass of soft drink. So if a place wants to charge $5 for a glass of Coke, they can do the same for tap water. They can make money from getting you drunk and then make money from getting you sober.