Let's Walk Australia is stepping out for the first time

By Darren Stones

On Saturday 3 September 2011 at 9.00am, Let's Walk Australia will hold its first walk along the 4-kilometre Maribyrnong River Loop Walk commencing from the Riverside Park car park, Essendon, Victoria. The entrance to the car park is via the roundabout at the intersection of The Boulevard and Fawkner Street, Essendon. Melway Map 28 B6.

Download the Let's Walk Australia flyer

The aim of Let's Walk Australia is to help and support those suffering a mental illness and to raise awareness in the community.

Maribyrnong River Loop Walk in Essendon
Photo: Darren Stones

You are welcome to walk with us if you fit into any of the following categories:

• Personal experience of a mental illness
• Relative of someone with experience of a mental illness
• Friend of someone with experience of a mental illness
• Carer of someone with experience of a mental illness
• A person who wants to raise awareness of mental illness in the community
• Health professional

Come along for some exercise and a chat in a scenic location where people participate in a variety of recreational activities. You will meet new friends and enjoy morning tea.

You are encouraged to bring a friend and your camera. BYO morning tea.

Further information about the venue and walk is located on the Let's Walk Australia website's Venue page.

Darren Stones
Let's Walk Australia Coordinator
http://www.letswalkaustralia.com/

Walkers on the Maribyrnong River Loop Walk in Essendon
Photo: Darren Stones

The 2011 Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts Photography Exhibition and Competition

By Darren Stones

If you are a professional or amateur photographer, you may like to consider entering the 2011 Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts Photography Exhibition and competition.

This year sees a changing of the guard in that Tim and Amy Wood have handed over the reigns as exhibition Coordinator to professional photographer Denise Yates. Tim and Amy did the festival proud by successfully reigniting the exhibition a few years ago to a point where the main prize is now highly sought after by Australian professional and amateur photographers.

I would like to acknowledge the terrific voluntary contributions made by Tim and Amy, and say a personal thank you to them. As the winner of the bronze statuette for photography at the 2008 Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts, the hospitality given to me by Tim and Amy was first class as they invited me to attend the festival and awards dinner and helped arrange my accommodation. They are a credit to the festival and to their hometown of Grenfell.

Dog Rocks by Darren Stones
Best photograph of the 2008 Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts
Bronze Statuette Winner

Denise Yates is a professional photographer from Grenfell and one her objectives as the newly appointed coordinator is to raise the standard of the exhibition and competition whereby entries sought must comply with the overall dimensions of 16 x 20 inches. I believe this is a great step forward for the festival, as the entries submitted will provide for a more professional looking exhibition.

I believe Denise is working on improving the lighting for this years exhibition, so that can only help raise the overall presentation to the many visitors who will see the exhibition from June 10-13, 2011 at 117 Main Street, Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia.

I will be participating in this year's exhibition and have booked my accommodation for three nights in Grenfell so I can attend the photography exhibition and enjoy the festivities. I am looking forward to catching up with friends and meeting new ones.

Further information:
The Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts is held each year during the Queen's Birthday weekend in June. See the festival's website and Facebook sites for entry forms, news, and program information.
www.grenfell.org.au/henrylawsonfestival
https://www.facebook.com/grenfellfestival

Festival program:
See the festival program for scheduled events.