If you haven’t witnessed the Yarraville Mouth Organ Band perform El Toro then, you’re missing out.
They’re Australia’s oldest surviving mouth organ band and began in 1933 as an attempt to get young people off the streets. 90 years later they’re still churning out the tunes. Once a regular attraction for local festivals the group now mainly performs at nursing homes but band secretary Heather Mavric says it’s still a treat for all involved. ‘We enjoy it. We really do. When we play Colonel Bogey that livens them up. There’s always an old soldier who’ll get up and dance to that. It brightens their day.’
For their 90th celebrations the YMOB is holding a special Open Day and is encouraging interested souls to come and visit. Their headquarters are on Williamstown Road sandwiched between a footy oval and tennis courts and the display of historical photos are worth the visit alone. There’ll be music, tea, and if you ask nicely you might even get a quick lesson on the mouth organ. Who knows! You might just fall in love and join the band as they’re keen to welcome new players.
So if you’re looking for something to do on Sunday 24th September, head on down to 203 Williamstown Road in Yarraville between 1.00pm–5.00pm. This is a local institution that’s warmed the heart of many souls and deserves a little love in return.
If you’re interested in joining their Friday night rehearsals you can call Heather on
9399 2190 or email the band at ymob1933@yahoo.com.au.
Barbara Heggen
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
What’s in a name?
When an MP is not an MP
Could you contact Catherine Cumming and ask her why she refuses to change her Facebook name to remove the MP after her name.
She claims Facebook is in charge of that. But as we know – people can change their own name fields on Facebook.
She probably is in breach of election law being a political party representative and purporting to be an MP when she isn’t.
Stephen
Sky pollution as well as air pollution!
They say air traffic through Tullamarine hasn’t quite returned to pre-COVID levels yet, but have any other Westsiders felt the ominous rumblings of flight after flight coasting in over the suburbs a little more monotonously, a little more insistently over the last few months? Like white noise – or a migraine headache – the sound of airplanes dropping out of the sky as they barrel in to land can be both extremely loud, and for a while at least, entirely tune-outable.
It is nice when it stops though – and we might appreciate that, now, as it’s ramping up again.
But, do we need more flights?
Melbourne Airport says, yes. As a climate obsessive, I’d say… erm, no. As an adaptable and forward-thinking population, I know the good people of Melbourne can treasure the flights they do take, and figure out how to live better with less.
The poorest, of course, can’t afford more flights, and I don’t just mean they haven’t enough stashed away for a quick trip to the Maldives. Paths to net-zero penned by anyone other than airline executives rely on behaviour changes in aviation: now, not in ten or twenty years time.
Alex Ashley Chiew
No place for Nazis in our neighbourhood
On the 23rd of September anti-fascist activists in the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism will protest the National Socialist Network – a Hitler-worshipping Nazi group who are organising out of a boxing gym in Sunshine West. We will be standing up for the rights of migrants, Aboriginal people and LGBTI people. This is one of the most multicultural suburbs in Melbourne and the racism of these neo-Nazis will not go unopposed. They pick up the disgusting racism of the political mainstream, the anti-migrant and anti-indigenous policies of Labour and Liberal alike, and take it to its conclusion. Fighting the far-right means also standing up to the racism of the political establishment. We’ve proved time and time again that Melbourne is an anti-fascist town – wherever they have reared their heads, the community has come together to oppose them and challenge the racism of Australian society. Now it’s time to drive them out of Sunshine once and for all.
Lola Bowers
Got skills? We need you!
Altona Repair Cafe is looking for repairers to help meet community demand for repairs at our monthly repair events! We are particularly looking for people with skills in repairing electricals and textiles.
You don’t need qualifications, just skills in fixing and an interest in sharing their skills with the community. Meet a great bunch of folks, help us reduce household waste and create a sustainable community!
Repair Cafes run on the first Saturday of the month at Louis Joel Arts & Community, but volunteers don’t need to commit to being there every session.
Contact us at admin@ljac.com.au or call on 9398 2511.
Danielle Whelan
