This Sunday, November 11 deserves extra special recognition. One hundred years ago, locals spontaneously and joyously celebrated the return of peace. 

They prayed that the conflict that had just ended would be ‘the war to end all wars’ and the lives of the 61,700 Australians who had died (including 200 from the NSW South Coast) would not have been needlessly lost.

A year later King George V asked Australians to simply pause for two minutes at 11am on every  November 11 – for one minute to honour those who fought and were killed in the War, and for one minute to honour the wives, the children, the families in Australia that had been equally deeply affected by the conflict.  

He specifically asked that "all locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance" of the suffering that this war had caused.

It would be appropriate for all locals to again pause at 11am this Sunday, November 11, to honour all Australians who have fought for our country, to remember the impact that their service has had on those left at home, and to reflect on the immense benefits that peace has brought to our country and this area.

Remembrance Day gatherings are being held all along the South Coast. I urge everyone who can possibly attend their local event to do so.  

I also urge those who are unable to attend to at least recognise this important 100th anniversary of the World War I Armistice by simply pausing for a minute or two at 11am, and to join our community in again observing this significant 100-year-old tradition of reflective silence.

Some extra low life person has stolen ferns that were planted in a special memorial section of ground at the Lions Park, Pambula Beach. This dedicated area was developed by a group of people who planted an assortment of native fauna in memory of three young local guys who lost their lives tragically in a variety of different circumstances. This is sacred ground and should be treated with reverence.

The Burrawang ferns that were stolen take from 6-24 months to germinate and were eaten by the Aboriginal tribes who visited the area. An individual plant can take from 10 to 20 years to mature and under the right conditions can live for up to 120 years. They are unique and an ideal specimen to remember the lives that were taken from us.

The person or persons who stole these Burrawang ferns are asked to return them to their rightful location. You should hang your head in shame.

“Euthanise”. “Put down”. “Put out of his misery”. All polite terms to disguise the fact that the stallion Cliffsofmoreh was killed after suffering a fractured right shoulder during the Melbourne Cup.

This was a totally needless death, yet another example of animals suffering to amuse often intoxicated punters. 

Cliffsofmoreh was the sixth horse to die due to the Melbourne Cup since 2013. Two other horses were found to be lame after the race, another suffered lacerations after crashing into Cliffsofmoreh, and a fourth horse suffered an internal bleed.

Of course, horses die at lower-profile racing events all the time. During the last racing year 119 were pronounced dead on Australian tracks – that’s one animal every three days. 

Considering Australians hate cruelty to animals, a race in which horses routinely die is fundamentally un-Australian.  It’s time for the nation to stop the race.