In the Bega Valley there would be a lot of people who would remember Bill Easdown who had a photograph shop in Carp St.

He took many beautiful photos in his studio like weddings, families and children.

In later years Kevin Tetley joined him also taking lots of photos around the area. Kevin later bought the business.

When Kevin passed, he left all the photos to the Bega Valley Museum. Unfortunately the photos are unnamed, so the museum is asking people to call in to identify some of them. They can get copies if they wish.

One good story is a photo of a bride was identified and that bride had lost everything in the Tathra fire.

During the war years, Bill was in the Air Force so his cousin Lorna Plumb kept the business going, not able to take studio photos, but was able to develop the films for customers. Lorna was a born local and still lives in Canberra.

It is my belief that "Rose of Eden" was built to the design of a Norfolk Flood Wherry.

Identical to the vessel that Captain Livingstone used during his exploits on the African waterways (I presume).

Legend has it that Dan Gowing had her shipped to Twofold Bay, where she was lifted into the water and proceeded to Bega River from Snug Cove under her own steam. 

It is sad that this wonderful little ship has been lost for all time … her machinery ending up in a paddock somewhere near Bega.

I am very fond of The Sapphire Coast. Many of my friends have moved here and I have visited a number of times over the years. It's especially nice to pop up in winter for a couple of weeks and escape the freezing high plains environment of the Central Victorian Plateau where I live. You may think you're experiencing winter here but really you have no idea.

However, my latest visit to The Sapphire Coast has been unexpectedly cut short. After a splendid afternoon of gardening with my friends at their property which overlooks Jaggers Bay (Bermagui River) we decided we'd earned a beer. I was exiting Bermagui Cellars, a fine establishment with friendly, helpful, informed staff when I lost my footing and, as a consequence, have a severely sprained left ankle and, I suspect, a fractured big toe on my right foot. Walking is difficult, virtually impossible. 

The reason for my fall was the ridiculous guttering. A double gutter! You think you've stepped off the gutter but wait, there's another one! I dont know a lot about gutters but I've never seen one like that before. It's the gutter with the faded white line to offer some form of warning since I'm clearly not the first person to trip over here. The gutter that's been hit by countless tow bars, removing much of the white paint and concrete. 

The guy in the bottle shop says he's seen ankles, knees and elbows hurt. He advises everyone to write to the council. Why has nothing been done? Do we wait till someone breaks their head? What does it cost to install a railing to direct people away from the dangerous section of guttering? A lot less than a lawsuit I'd wager.

Someone on the council has responsibility for these issues and clearly has dropped the ball. One day a litigious person is going to take the council to court and, just like me, the council won't have a leg to stand on.