Sunshine Coast Hinterland Times

Author David Marr was keynote speaker at the Hinterland’s festival of ideas Reality Bites during August

IN THIS month’s edition local state parliamentarian, Andrew Powell has a revealing perspective on war sharpened by his recent trek along the Kokoda Track. Like many of those in the X and Y generations, war has little meaning beyond history books and annual RSL rituals.

As a parliamentarian, Andrew is uncomfortable trying to express the views of constituents at such rituals. He is conscious of never having fought in a war, or even donning a service uniform. His grandfathers on both sides of the family were soldiers in New Guinea but they died before he was old enough to hear about their war experiences.

For that reason, Andrew and many of his contemporaries are seeking their own meaning to Australia’s record in war, and they are visiting battle sites in increasing numbers. Gallipoli,

Villers-Bretonneux and Kokoda to name just three of the most popular. For Andrew, walking the Kokoda Track over 10 ten days was not only physically testing, but emotionally challenging as he stumbled over brutal relics of armaments and discovered the graveyards of fallen diggers. His personal reflections in this month’s edition reveal a sensitive understanding of Australia’s involvement in this horrific campaign.

An overseas visit of a different kind was Johanna DeMaine’s four weeks in China’s premier ceramics city. She had a grant to learn the ancient secrets of overglazing.

Johanna’s creativity is founded on constant learning and adapting ceramic skills picked up all over the world. Even though China has an amazing history of ceramic culture, Johanna was astonished at the way creativity is part of the communal legacy. However, times are changing in China says Johanna. New graduates are setting up their own studios, going commercial and seeking to establish their names as artists, not simply makers of ceramics.

Also well worth reading is our positive look inside Maleny’s Flexi School. This sometimes controversial adjunct to the local high school is picking up young people who somehow get left behind in the modern educational process.

Reality Bites Festival wound up last weekend and is a tribute to the organisers, who managed to attract to the Hinterland a fascinating mix of speakers, discussions and debates. I managed to catch up with author, journalist and broadcaster David Marr, an old work colleague from our days on Four Corners in the 1980s. David was the keynote speaker, and was on various panels throughout the two week festival.

Michael Berry