Resident Birthdays
To our residents celebrating a August birthday we celebrate with you and say best wishes for a lovely day enjoyed with loved ones and family members!!
Jim @ Lot 1
Ben @ Lot 5
Les @ Lot 8
Ailene @ Lot 23
Robyn @ Lot 31
Linda @ Lot 36
Rhonda @ Lot 53
Carol @ Lot 61
Mavis @ Lot 63
Colin @ Lot 67
Sue @ Lot 71
Funny of the month
Quote of the Month
Welcome to our newest residents
Jan and Graeme Stock
Graeme was born in Subiaco and grew up in WA moving to different areas he attended schools in Wembley and Maddington.
After leaving school he joined a shearing team in Onslow and then worked at a Service station with his family in Port Hedland. He travelled around having a variety of jobs including with Dunlop tyres in both Darwin and Perth, along with a fair amount of travel and working on the Ord River Dam project. He worked on heavy machinery and obtained licences for front end loaders, tractors and trucks and then went on to training as a Mechanic.
Later he went to join and work with his sister and family in Wyndham. He worked there on the wharves and truck driving and has several stories of experiences at that time. At one time he was meeting with a outback guy in the pub when the police arrested him and found out he was well known to the police and they collected 4 coffins full of guns in his possession, needless to say that was the last Graeme saw of him!!
He also has lots of stories of the meatworks there and getting cheap meat. He met and married his first wife there and had 2 children. They even had an encounter with the Min Min lights in open country where hovering lights seem to follow them and then mysteriously disappear at enormous speed.
Later he went to Geraldton and then to various areas in Perth mainly in Huntingdale for 10 years and then Forrest Lakes for 10 more years where his family of a son and daughter grew up and later his wife passed away. He now also has 4 grandchildren, all boys!!
Jan was born in Sydney and came to WA with her 2nd husband and 2 children in 1976 to have a different and more relaxed life from that in Sydney. She had 2 more children in WA so had 4 children and now has 9 grandchildren, all residing too in Western Australia.
Jan was fortunate to win a trip to Argentina in a competition and had 2-3 weeks in South America, and re-calls an interesting tale of her time in Brazil, where she was searched by police when it was found that the tour guide was a drug dealer. Jan was released and continued on her travels. She has always enjoyed the outback and had a 4WD for many years.
After the children had grown up she went back to work and managed an accounting firm for 20 years.
She met Graeme in Denmark in 2004 after both their marriage partners had passed away. After initially making contact they continued to liaise via phone then decided to drive down to meet him, supposedly for 3 weeks but stayed for 2 years. They sold their properties and bought a big car and caravan and had a good set up and toured around Australia for 14 months. They love prospecting and spent many years in the outback gold prospecting spending some time in Yakabindie, near Leinster. They had some small successes , the biggest being about 8 grams. They love being in the bush and enjoy the outback life. In 2012 they went on a trip right around the top of Australia. They also love travelling abroad and have visited America, England and Europe.
In 2010 they brought a property in Wagin but then moved to Mandurah in 2012 to be near doctors and medical facilities. Unfortunately Graeme’s varied life has led to many health issues including spinal problems, plates and screws in his neck and several replaced joints. In 2016 they bought a property in Pinjarra where they built a house. Jan has a love of gardening and had a lovely native garden there. Graeme spent his time making toys from various bits of metal he had accumulated.
They moved into the village in May from Pinjarra and appreciate the smaller size of property and friendliness of the residents and safety of the village.
Sylvia James
Sylvia comes from Dartford, Kent, England and was brought up in that area where she was married in 1965. She had 3 children , 2 boys and a girl. She came to WA in 1974 and settled in the suburb of Thornlie with her husband and children.
They bought a 1 acre block in Kenwick where the children grew up and went to school. Sylvia worked in the retail sector and for a few years had a lunch bar in Maddington. She travelled after a few years through England, New Zealand and Singapore. From 2014 she owned a shop in Gosnells markets selling hair accessories and jewellery made with Swarovski crystals.
Most recently she had resided in Gosnells for the past 28 years. However after an unfortunate incident where a car drove into her house and was damaged she She moved into the village. She appreciates the safety and security here.
She has grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren but unfortunately they are spread around the country. Sylvia’s granddaughter Mikayla has recently become a paramedic so don’t be worried if you see an ambulance occasionally parked briefly near the area while she visits her Nan!!
She has always been interested and enjoys doing craft and making her jewellery. Sheila once she is more settled into village life is looking forward to join our craft group.
She also loves her gardening and will be sorting out her home courtyard garden and maybe later lend her skills, expertise and passion in the community garden also.
Kath Lattimore
Kath was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England but has been here in West Australia for 50 years come December this year.
She arrived in 1973 and was accompanied by her husband Tom, who was in the Navy. She has three children, two girls and a boy born in Perth between 1976 and 1981.
They lived in Lynwood and various areas South of the River and the children spent their childhood in those areas, being at East Kenwick Primary school then Lumen Christie High School. During those years Kath spent her time driving the children to their various activities of cricket, T-ball, dancing just to name a few.
She lived in Maddington for 28 years from 1993 until a divorce in 2009.
During her working career, at one stage Kath was a coordinator and supervisor for pamphlets being delivered to our letterboxes and organising the walkers!!! No doubt a taxing experience!
Kath has 8 grandchildren, 6 boys and 2 girls and an Angel. She has a son and daughter and their families living in Baldivis and a daughter and family in Southern River so they are quite close to Kath no doubt a consideration in her choice of area to live.
Her interests include line dancing which she does twice a week. She is in a 10 pin bowling league at Cannington Bowls which she does weekly. She is also a member of the West Coast Eagles but not sure if she should admit to that at the moment!! She loves reading and likes a good thriller. She has also visited UK and Ireland many times where she has parents and relatives.
Mary & Ken Black
Mary and Ken both came from the small town of Yarroweyah in Northern Victoria, a town which boasts a football club, a netball club, a Shire Hall, a Fire Brigade and a Roadhouse. Any shopping or other amenities have to be undertaken at Cobram which is 10km away.
Mary and Ken were brought up there and stayed in the area. They built a large house in Yarroweyah and have 2 children, a son and a daughter who also grew up in the town. They lived there for 36 years.
During his early years, Ken lived with his family on a dairy farm until the age of 30ish . He visited Perth in 1969 and worked on oil rigs for 10 months before setting off to travel throughout Australia before returning to Yarroweyah.
Upon his return they married and lived and brought up their children there and after undertaking share farming activities, worked as a linesman for Telstra then had different jobs until retirement.
Mary worked as a telephonist then clerical officer until having 2 children and later did odd jobs in the area including picking flowers and kitchen jobs in a seniors home and hospital until retiring.
They moved to Perth in November 2022 as their children are in the area and came into the Village in May. They now have 4 grandchildren aged from 5 years to 4 months who are all in the local area so can visit regularly.
Ken was involved in Scouts and the Fire Brigade and local football club in Yarroweyah. Mary is interested in gardening and crocheting and patchwork and will no doubt continue with these interests once they are properly settled into their new home. They are settling in well and are meeting many new people.
The “Scene” around Champion Lakes
Ladies Afternoon Tea
Thank you so much to Susan Preece and team for organising an amazing event held in the Village Club House on Tuesday the 25th of July.
45 ladies didn’t let the rain and artic winds stop them from joining their fellow neighbours for a wonderful afternoon tea.
An amazing display of home baked goodies were enjoyed by all and the next afternoon tea is already scheduled for Tuesday 5th September in the Clubhouse.
Chinese and Trivia Night
26 residents enjoyed a night that was well co-ordinated by Social committee member Tom Watson at the local Sun Hing Chinese Restaurant followed by a Trivia night activity in the Clubhouse hosted by Helen Rubin as MC.
Looks like the brains trust was out in force and well fed on this occasion.
Save the Date
Wednesday 16th August ( Quiz night ) 6pm to 10 pm
Thursday 24th August (Demystifying Support at Home) 1pm
Sunday 27th August and every last Sunday of each month (Breakfast )
Sunday 3rd September 5pm to 10 pm (Father’s Day Burger )
Tuesday 5th September 2pm onwards (Ladies Afternoon Tea)
Thursday 7th September 1pm to 5pm and every 1st and 3rd Thursday of every Month. (Bingo)
Saturday 16th September 5pm to 11pm (Curry night )
