Posts Tagged ‘Queensland’
Becoming a foster parent in Australia
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Becoming a foster parent can certainly be challenging but taking somebody else’s child into your own home and caring for them can make a real difference in a child or young person’s life. With thousands of children already in foster care across Australia, foster parents have already gone a long way towards improving the lives of kids all over the country but more are needed. If you think you have what it takes to become a foster parent and can make a full-time commitment to give a child a chance at a fresh start then you too may be able to help.
It takes a certain type of person to be a really good foster parent and while you won’t need to have reached a particular level of education, you will need to be able to show certain skills and a compassionate personality and, depending on the agency you foster with, adhere to a few set credentials. You will need to be able to deal with challenging behaviour from foster children without becoming angry or impatient. Many foster children will express their feelings about their past experiences in negative ways and it is important to be understanding and patient with them. For this reason, you must also have good communication skills both to work with children and to deal with the various other people you will come into contact with during the fostering process including teachers, birth parents and health and social care professionals.
You will also need to be able to support a foster child economically as well as emotionally. These means ensuring that there is enough space in your house so that they can have their own room as well as enough space for them to play in. Your application will tend to be looked on more favourably by foster agencies if you can demonstrate that you can effectively support a child and that you or a partner are in regular, steady employment. Agencies don’t expect you to be a millionaire, of course, but they are generally not keen to place children into financially marginal households.
Of course, being a foster parent is fraught with difficulties but support is on hand when you need it, whether it is dealing with challenging behaviour or simply needing a break from the rigours of parenting. Major fostering organisations provide around the clock support with a team of social workers, mental health professionals, education specialists and support staff on hand to deal with any problems. You will also be given the best quality training to help you cope with most situations on your own. You will also be rewarded financially to assist you in taking the best care of your foster child.
Foster families are needed all over Australia, whether it is foster care in Queensland or Western Australia. Local fostering agencies will be happy to answer any questions you might have if you are seriously considering looking after a child.
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Car hire in Australia
Article by merillmayden
In a continent like Australia, it is very common for people to hire a car for a one way car rental. A one way car rental refers to picking up a car from one hire location and dropping the car back at another hire location. One way car rentals often offer specific one way fees. These fees generally cover the cost of returning the rental car to the original car hire location. A number of leading car supplier such as Budget Rental car, Avis, Hertz, Thrifty, and Europcar car rental services provide their services of car hire Australia at various places in this continent. Most of these car rental companies in Australia rent a car to a driver, aged between 21 years and 24 years of age. But these car suppliers charge an extra surcharge on the younger drivers to cover the extra cost of car insurance for those under age drivers. The another point to consider in car hire Australia is if you are under age, only certain types of cars will be rented for you, they are mostly smaller type of rental cars. So if you are between 21-24 years of age and looking for car hires in Australia, you should check the total cost breakdown carefully to see the varied costs associated with an under age driver. Also it should be kept on mind that various companies charge different rates for under age drivers.
Almost all the offers of the car supplier include the following covers:Includes GSTIncludes Vehicle Registration FeesIncludes basic insurance (more information available in the Terms & Conditions after selecting a vehicle to book)Includes unlimited kilometers unless otherwise statedIncludes Vehicle Recovery FeesAllows additional authorized driversIncludes Airport Tax Includes One way feesNo hidden feesPrice does not include age surcharge for under age drivers
These car providers offer rental cars in 240 locations across Australia including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast etc and Australian territories like Car rental Australia Capital Territory (ACT), Car rental Victoria (VIC), Car rental New South Wales (NSW), Car rental Queensland (QLD), Car rental Northern Territory (NT), Car rental Western Australia (WA), Car rental South Australia (SA), and Car rental Tasmania (TAS).
On each of these aforementioned locations, they provide a list of deals and specials. If you can not find any option applicable to you, simply use the comparison search, available at a number of websites, to make sure that you still get the cheapest priced car on hire. This search engine involves a couple of questions like the pick up and drop off locations, time and date of arrival as well as departure, the age of the driver, the type of car according to your need and preferences etc. One thing you should keep in mind while booking a rental car in Australia, the sooner you book your car or motor home, the cheaper the deal will be. So if you can avoid the last minute deals, it will be always better and feasible for you.
If your looking for car hire australia, look no further. car hire sydney airport and car hire perth airport compares the prices of over a dozen car hire suppliers, finding you the cheapest deal on the market.
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The Bunya Pine Tree; Beauty Or Deadly?
Our Bunya Pine
Photo by Shay Davidson
We moved into our California home in 1990 when our daughter was thirteen years old. The gardens were beautiful. We had heard that the original owner, back in the 60′s, had owned a nursery. That explained the variety of plants and trees in the gardens; many that I had never seen before.
One odd looking tree, in particular, was planted just below our deck. It is now a full-grown, huge tree, so tall that neighbors above us on the hill complain about it blocking their view. It isn’t particularly attractive, this tree. Because it provides a stage for birds to perform on, we haven’t entertained the idea of removing it. When we awaken in the mornings, on the branches of the tree, just beyond our window, the same little pair of birds welcome the day, chirping sweetly and flirting with each other, fluffing their feathers as they move from branch to branch.
The leaves on this particular tree are razor sharp. In and of itself, this is a reason for removing the tree. We have had an influx of crows in the past few years. They threaten my small, sweet little birds. The tree is their protection. So, as gangly and unwelcoming as the tree is at a distance, with my morning coffee, from my bed, it seems to belong in the place where it resides. The tree has been here much longer than I have. So the tree stays, my husband and I have decided.
The tree, I have discovered, is a Bunya Pine tree, Araucaria bidwillii. It is native to Queensland, Australia. One day, not long after we moved into our home, we heard a crashing noise on the roof of our house, followed by a sound that resembled a hard ball, bouncing, and then rolling down the slope of our roof. The object, whatever it was, clanked and crashed onto the ground and rolled away. The winds were high, that day. My husband and I looked at each other; what the heck was that?
When the winds subsided, we walked out in the garden, past the tree and down the driveway. There, in the curve of the driveway, was one of the most odd, big cannonball-sized objects, with eerie protrusions all along it; it looked like a huge, green pine cone from outer space!
We later discovered that the Bunya “cones” as they are called, occur in the tree’s crown every three years. They can weigh up to 10 or 15 pounds! During the “dropping” season, they can be deadly as they hurl themselves from the highest peak of the tree onto the ground. Yep, no kidding, they could definitely stun you if one hit you; Actually, the cones can be lethal.
In New Zealand and Australia, parks where these trees grow are closed during the falling season. Unlike coconuts, which are stripped from the trees in tourist areas, it would be nearly impossible to remove the cones because the sharp protrusions on the branches and trunk might just shred the would-be tree trimmer!
The Buna Pine is a revered tree in Australia, cause for a celebration among the Aborigines who feasted on the nuts inside the cone. The cones are in demand today as the seeds are rare and are in short supply for would-be buyers worldwide. The seeds are also still eaten, and touted as a healthy food. I have promised the cones to nurseries during the next falling season. They have offered to pay me for them if I will remove them from the cone; I don’t think so! I’ll be glad to donate them for the cost of the postage. My hands are a bit precious to me to consider this task!
One afternoon, several years ago, our daughter stopped by to pick up our grandson who had been visiting us that day. We had enjoyed a beverage on the deck, and toward the end of the day, they readied themselves to leave. Our little five-year-old grandson, rambunctious as five-year-olds are, ran ahead of his mother and us toward the car. The car-park area is just below the Bunya Pine Tree. He stopped to give Grandpa and Grandma a kiss, then headed down the stairs and onto the driveway.
Just as he began to run down the driveway, we heard the rustling movement, crashing down through the branches of the Bunya Tree. Oh, my God, I thought, it must be one of those cones! “Stop, Kyler,” my husband and I called out in unison. Ky stopped in his tracks. About ten feet in front of him, a humongous pod crashed onto the driveway. My husband and I were stunned. Our baby could have been hit and seriously hurt or killed by that thing! We realized that if Ky hadn’t stopped just long enough to kiss us good-bye, the day could have ended very differently than it did. As it was, a hug and kiss, just enough time, a few extra seconds, to keep him out of harm’s way, delayed his run down the drive. Those seconds kept him from being very near where huge cone fell.
Since that time, we have taken the time to do some research on the tree. The Bunyas drop their cones in September and October. During the fall and early winter, no one is allowed to play in the garden under the tree. I am also hesitant to let anyone park in the area just below the tree during dropping season. Also, as we drive up the driveway in fall, I look up to be sure nothing is going on in the upper branches!
Although the Bunya Pine is unique and makes quite a statement in the garden, before you plant one, be sure to consider the placement carefully. As they grow extremely high, it is almost impossible without a cherry picker, to remove the pods before they fall. The pods will always be a hazard. If you have a tree that resembles the Bunya, take a close look at the character of the tree. Forewarned is the best strategy to protect your loved ones from the danger of the specie.