“A Fresh Start to a New Year”

Free Industry Event for STA (WA) Members

We have a special member event coming up in January, “A fresh start to a New Year”.  This is in lieu of our usual end of year event.

STA (WA) members we look forward to a great turnout for this event. What better way to end the week and start the year, than to enjoy a networking afternoon with industry mates and colleagues, enjoying an onboard BBQ and for sure, more than a few laughs. Partners welcome at $35.00 per head.

If you’re keen to attend, let Eva know via email as per the invitation.

#bestjobever #turfmanagement #turf #Networking #mateship #sportsturf #onebigfamily

NOTE: The next STA (WA) committee meeting will be held in January 2025. Second Tuesday of the month. Meetings usually held GreenWorkz, 21 Ballantyne Rd, Kewdale WA.

Members are most welcome to attend committee member meetings. If you are interested in attending, please advise our Secretary, Richard Gainsford by email at r.gainsford@mcson.com.au so that he can add you to the invitee list.

Apprentices BBQ’s 2024

Another brilliant industry engagement day with the 2024 cohort of 3rd Year Sports Turf Management apprentices at South Metropolitan TAFE in Murdoch. These lads have one more term early next year before they finish their study plan and complete their final fourth year of apprenticeship. A beautiful day and fantastic tuition and practical presentation from Stephen Jones and Rob Green from Greenway Turf Solutions Pty Ltd who also provided a very well catered barbeque lunch for all the lads and lecturers. Needs to be said as well that Kaine did a not half bad job as head cook on the hot plate.

Thank you indeed to the par excellence team at South Metropolitan TAFE, Jeff, Simon and Kaine, supported by Shonagh, Andrew and Grazia.

Well done to everyone. The Sports Turf Association – WA is a very proud supporter of education and training for the turf industry in Western Australia.

When your life changes in a minute of time!

In June this year, I received an invitation from Breast Screen WA to book a breast scan. I didn’t book it immediately, being always too busy with work. I wish I had! I had the scan, the second week of August, three weeks later I got a call, to book an appointment at one of the major hospital clinics asap, as they had found something suspicious in my right breast. The first hospital clinic I could into was Sir Charles Gardner three weeks later. I was booked in for another mammogram and an ultrasound, with the possibility of a biopsy.

All of the above happened, and the beautiful, compassionate staff told me, as they were biopsying, exactly what they saw. After an 8-hour day in the breast clinic, I was called into the initial Doctors office, where she told me that I had breast cancer! I knew it before she said it, but I didn’t want to hear it! The cancer was already in lymph nodes in my chest wall, she suspected Stage 3 breast cancer. She immediately referred me to a breast surgeon, for what I presumed was surgery. I was booked in for a PET Scan, which I did, and then met with the surgeon the following week. I was feeling well, although had been suffering with a bit of nausea, and fatigue for about two months. I also had pain in my right abdomen, not enough to make me want to see a doctor though.

To Ivan and I’s shock, the surgeon blurted straight out that he would not be operating on me, as I had one of the highest categories and most aggressive types of breast cancer you can get. Being Metastatic Breast Cancer Stage 4, Category 3, Triple Positive. I was riddled with cancer, my entire liver, my bones, all of them, except my leg bones, chest wall, lymph nodes from top to bottom, but not in my brain, lungs or other major organs. The first question I asked was, is it in my brain. I didn’t know how I would cope with that! He pronounced the prognosis as very poor, wished me the best and told me in the kindest possible way that he wouldn’t see me again. I walked out of that appointment like a zombie. I felt completely shell shocked, planning my funeral, how to tell me children and darling grandsons, my sister and brother, and my 92-year-old mother!

So, within the spin of a coin, my life changed. I was referred to an oncologist, without knowing his credentials, and off we went. Within days I had stared chemotherapy and two targeted treatments. Immediately I started radiation as well, to stop the cancer in the top of my arms from breaking my arms! Thats when I knew what feeling ill was. My God, the pain, the anaphylaxis due to being allergic to two of the drugs, the absolute exhaustion, not being able to stand, knowing that every cell in your body was literally being nuked, and they were all trying to die faster than the other. The anemia, the low white blood cell count, the loss of vision, blood pressure dropping so low that you can’t speak or see. It was horrible. They say that you have to go through the pain to have the gain. Never truer words were said.

During this time, whilst in hospital with a suspected stroke (I knew that it wasn’t, it was the bloody blood pressure dropping so low that you become non compass Mendes), I had a brain MRI. They found three small lesions in my cerebellum, and made it sound like I was going to be a “gonna” in a matter of weeks. I was devastated, I have always worried about losing control of the organ I rely on most to survive. Another battle to tackle. I also learnt that PET Scans cannot read the brain or the bladder! So those lesions were probably there from the outset. Tiny, sub-centimetre little buggers that they are. So straight on to steroids to deter any form of seizure and to reduce swelling.

By now I had, had eight rounds of chemo and targeted treatment, having missed two treatments due to being in hospital with infections. I was booked for a follow up PET Scan, and CT with contrast, and MRI all on the same day.

Low and behold, the PET scan results came back showing that my liver was all but clear, that the breast was all but clear, and that most lymph nodes were clear. There’s still cancer in some bones, but I’m ok with that. This will take time some time. I started radiation this week for the brain lesions. With my bald head glowing, and even more chubby face now from the steroids! I feel confident that they will be cooked and have everything crossed that the rest of my brain won’t be too badly affected.

Ultimately, though, it’s a great outcome after such a short period of time. Treatment goes on, but no chemo at this stage. An anti-cancer, anti-hormone tablet now instead, that’s sure to have a few side effects, but is a game changer.

I have learnt a lot through this process. About how vulnerable one is, but also how strong and resilient you have to be to fight this disease. I don’t know how long I have on this planet. I know that I have an incurable cancer, and that my five-year survival rate is considered to be only 20%, but I also know that I am not ready to die just yet. For one thing, we need a proper, relaxing little holiday. It’s been over five years since we took a break stupidly. And I want to be here to see my grandsons make their 21st birthdays. Thats the goal for now at least! It’s only seven years, surely, I can manage this!

I’ll tell you something for free though. I had no idea how much love, support, compassion, kindness and generosity surrounded me, both through my work and personally. I have never felt more loved in my life. It is the most beautiful of things. I cannot thank everyone who has shown care, kindness, huge generosity and concern, just how much it means to me. I cannot begin to express just how profound an experience this has been for both Ivan and me. I am ever grateful for this love and support; it buoys me on days that can be sad and sometimes just awful. When the men you have known and worked with for 20 years are unafraid to send messages of love and support and really enquire as to how you are coping, it’s glorious. When women send you beautiful, little gifts and flowers and share their compassion and love, and want to know how you are, it is a beautiful thing. When friends in our great industry, come across potential treatments or alternative treatments, they share this with me, and I love it. I am ever grateful for these wonderful expressions of support, comfort and love.

In amongst this, I received the best little gift ever! Jeff Austen, Simon Wood and Kaine Rogers, (the BEST turf lecturers in the world), along with the apprentices from South Metro TAFE, arranged for a pot of the finest turf to be delivered to me. This gift means more than most, given my love for this great industry, and its wonderful people, to whom I am committed and dedicated to. I treasure this gift! It’s the best industry ever, our Turf Industry! (With special love for the Sports Turf Association – WA and the Turf Growers Association Western Australia, for whom I have worked for over 20 years now!)

I could not have chosen a better industry to work in, with and for. I really love this beautiful little pot of living turfgrass. I will treasure it and trim it and make sure it stays alive for as long as I do.

It means more than I can express. This cancer journey isn’t an easy one, it’s moments like this that make me smile big and remind me to be grateful. Special thanks to Shonagh Bradstock, for delivering this on behalf of the SM TAFE Turf team. And also, a dear little desert rose she grew from a seed. So beautiful! I am blessed!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart everyone. Please keep on sending your positive thoughts our way, we so appreciate them. I know I am not young, but a bit more time to really live would be wonderful. Besides there’s so much to be done for this industry yet!

With huge respect, and love, Eva

HUGE NEWS

Diploma of Sports Turf Management WA

We are very excited to share that the Diploma of Sports Turf Management will be up and running as an evening class for the beginning of Semester 1, 2025.

Don’t miss this opportunity! If you are interested in undertaking the Diploma through South Metro TAFE in 2025, please email your interest asap to eva.ricci@turfwa.com.au and kaine.rogers@smtafe.wa.edu.au

“Future in Turf Seminar”

A Great Success

Thank you to all those who attended the “Future in Turf Seminar” on the 25th of September. It was great to see the number of delegates in attendance. Such great support for our industry!

Huge thanks to our presenters, without whom we would not have had this seminar. Thank you, Maria Ignatieva (UWA School of Design), Monina Gilbey, Kate Torgerson (Torgerson and Gilbey), Daniel Ferguson (Dept. of Water and Environmental Regulation), Dr Sally Thompson (UWA Centre for Water and Environment), Nathan Tovey (Turfbreed), and Michael Sutton (AUSGAP and Lawn Solutions Australia).

Thank you also to Green by Nature for the tour of the Sam Kerr Football Centre. It was great.

Special thanks also to Chris Langsford (President STA WA) and Anthony Guy (Treasurer, STA WA) for your leadership on the day.

The feedback on the event has been extremely positive. People are talking and that’s what we aim for! Healthy discussion on matters of importance for the industry.

Thank you, WA Turf Industry! You’re amazing. So proud of this industry.

Thank you to our valued and amazing Gold Sponsors:

Please support our valued and very supportive sponsors.

Reporting and Environmental Incident in WA

To report an environmental incident in Western Australia, you can use the Environment Watch service provided by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Call the Environment Watch hotline: You can report incidents 24/7 by calling 1300 784 782.

2. Online Form: You can also report incidents using the online form available on the Environment Watch website1.

When reporting, try to provide as much detail as possible about the incident, including:

• The nature of the problem (e.g., pollution, illegal dumping)

• The location of the incident

• Any identifiable sources or responsible parties

• The time and date of the incident

This helps the authorities respond more effectively.

https://www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/pollutant-prevention/environment-watch

Recommendation:

Check out the Turf Growers Association WA and Sports Turf Association (WA) social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. You will find some top-quality posts on both pages.

https://www.facebook.com/sportsturfwa

https://www.facebook.com/turfgrowersassociationWA/

Also check out the “Turfies at TAFE” Instagram page, it’s a ripper.

Natural turf has many benefits

For the environment, families and the communities. This video shares the research that proves why natural turf is the best choice.

More resources are available at the Turf Australia website. Home Videos

Turf Research Library

Don’t forget there is a good Turf Research Library on both the STA (WA) And TGAWA Websites that you easily can access.

Turf Research Library

www.turfaustralia.com.au/resources/turf-research-library/

WA Turf Industry Awards Evening 2025

The WA Turf Industry Awards evening will be held at the Royal Perth Golf Club in South Perth on Thursday 20th March 2025.

Jeffrey Austen, Simon Wood and Kaine Rogers, Turf Lecturers at SM TAFE are coordinating this event along with the STA (WA), GCSAWA and the TGAWA.

It should be as always, an excellent celebration of our graduating apprentices. This event is historically very well supported by the WA Turf Industry sponsors. We look forward to having our sponsors onboard again next year supporting this lovely occasion of celebration.

STA (WA), GCSAWA and TGAWA Members are welcome to attend the event for cost of dinner and drinks. Full details to come soon.

WA Turf Seminar & Trade Show 2025

Time flies! The WA Turf Seminar & Trade Show is due again in May 2025.

This time we will be holding the event in the northern suburbs, hopefully at the Charles Riley Reserve in North Beach.  

This event will be of the same mode as in the recent past, being half a day seminar, with some very inspiring presenters. The second half of the day with be the traditional trade show. I know that our trade sponsors will support this side of the event really well. There will be innovation, new products and much more, we are sure.

How Australian cities can cope with more record-breaking summer heat

By Annika Burgess Topic: Urban Development and Planning

It’s one of those summer days where a heat haze rises from baking concrete and asphalt.

Parts of the road feel like you’re stepping on melted goo.

This is a common scene for many Australians, but imagine if those scorching streets could be cooled by up to several degrees.

Over the past decade, rapid urban development has been turning parts of our cities into so-called heat islands.

Backyards have shrunk, tree cover has disappeared, and commonly used building materials are absorbing and radiating heat.

And some suburbs will be copping extreme heat worse than others. 

Urban heat experts say persistent high temperatures can’t be ignored, and we need to get serious about ways to cool ourselves and our cities.

So, what can be done to turn down the heat?

“The use of synthetic materials is also an issue in areas experiencing heat island effects. Professor Nazarian said these materials on sporting fields and backyards could reach temperatures up to 80C in a heatwave.” 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-27/urban-heat-islands-hottest-summer-on-record-cooling-cities/104477994