Figure 1 DGHA Logo

                 NEWSLETTER
								Autumn 2021

Table of Contents
A Message from the Editor
Who are we?
What are the benefits of becoming a member of DGHA?
A Poem:  The World Is Your Oyster
A Holiday Snapshot: Memphis’s Time on Rottnest Island. By Greg Madson.
DGHA Conference 2021: Update
Useful Links
DGHA Annual General Meeting
New Team –Welcome Scott and Windsor
International Guide Dog Day -Wednesday 28th April 2021
DGHA Member Teleconference
Australia Post - Have a say
Dates to Rembert  -2021
Chatter Paws – An initiative of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Last Words
Disclaimer:

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A Message from the Editor
Welcome to the Autumn edition of the DGHA Newsletter. I hope you find the information in this newsletter helpful and enjoyable.
 Feedback is important, to ensure the newsletter is successful.
Contributions from members and those with an interest in Dog Guides is essential to ensure the newsletter can continue. Please send any stories, article or ideas to mewsletter@dgha.org.au . Let’s make the DGHA Newsletter great together.

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Who are we?
Dog Guide Handlers Australia (DGHA) is a national association which provides a voice for Australians who are blind or vision impaired, and who are dog guide handlers.
DGHA is an independent association of dog guide handlers, and is not affiliated with any dog guide school.
DGHA strives to foster, represent, promote, enhance and protect the interests of Australians who are blind or vision impaired, and who are dog guide handlers.
DGHA draws on the experiences and varied knowledge of its members, to provide peer support, systemic advocacy and information to dog guide users throughout Australia.

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What are the benefits of becoming a member of DGHA?
Life time member one-off joining fee
Unite your voice with other dog guide users and have a say to service providers 
Share your experiences as a dog guide handler and learn from other handlers
Join in 3 monthly online meetings to chat and enjoy presentations from experts on topics all about dog guides 
Take part in the DGHA bi annual conference 

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A Poem:  The World Is Your Oyster
To lose your sight at any age
Such bad luck, such misfortune
Feeling your life has come to an end
When all you need is a loyal friend 
You feel like a prisoner within your own frame 
Unable to venture outside again
 There is no incentive to carry on
 Surrounded by blackness; your eyesight has gone
 Life as you knew it has come to an end 
You have no life, you cannot see, so let us not pretend 
But wait, just open up your mind to see a shining light
 She is Bella 
She’s your guide dog
 She’s your eyes and your eyesight
 Her black coat is so glossy, she is cute and oh so sweet
 Her tender eyes, so loving, so black and oh so deep
 As she gently guides you through your life, with unconditional love 
Like an Angel she appeared for you, sent down from up above 
As you start a life in tandem, many challenges you face 
You venture out together at a slightly slower pace 
Traveling as one, as you tackle life’s ups and downs
 No time for tears, no time for fears, no time for facial frowns
 For that beautiful life that came through your door 
Offering so much love and hope once more
 The World is your Oyster, so much you can do 
With Bella by your side, as she guides you safely through 

Written by Ann Gilmour

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A Holiday Snapshot: Memphis’s Time on Rottnest Island. By Greg Madson.
Over the holiday break Erika, Memphis and I travelled off the coast of WA to spend a few days relaxing on Rottnest Island.
Rottnest Island was discovered in 1696 by Willem de Vlamingh, a Dutch explorer, who named the island Rats' Nest due to the many large rats that he found on the island. Visitors to the island do not need to worry about these 'rats' as they are one of the islands friendly attractions, otherwise known as Quokkas, which are a small wallaby.
Although Rottnest Island started out as a prison and hosted a large military stronghold during World War II, it soon became a perfect escape from the busy city life in Perth and is a wonderful place to visit.
As Rottnest is a A Grade National Park, and one of the few places Dog Guides need permission to enter, prior to booking our tickets to visit I had to contact the rangers on Rottnest to seek permission to bring my Guide Dog, Memphis.
It only took a phone call and a follow up email detailing when we would arrive to get that permission. I was told that rangers would meet Memphis and I on the dock when the ferry arrived for a Quokka introduction. I thought this would mean they would have a Quokka with them to see how Memphis would react, but it was just the 2 rangers who met us and basically explained a little about the Quokka’s and wished us a great stay.
The Quokka is the only mammal which is native to Rottnest Island and can be found almost everywhere on the Island. It is mainly nocturnal. This means that it is mostly active at night, preferring to rest or sleep in the shade during the day.
The Quokka bounds and hops along the ground although it can climb trees if it needs to. It will sit on its hind legs to look around and will also use its front paws to search for and pick-up food.
The Island habitat supports the largest known Quokka population and is essential for the survival of species. There are around 10,000-12,000 of these animals living on Rottnest. At all times of the year, there is a high number of Quokkas in the Settlement area because there is lots of water and food available. They have become one of the main tourist attractions of Rottnest Island because they have a cute appearance and are easy to see.
With the Quokka introduction over, we walked into the settlement and found our accommodation. After dropping off our bags we decided to have some lunch. While having lunch we had our first encounter with a Quokka. The Quokka casually wandered into the hotel and started visiting each table. Memphis did not react at all only giving the Quokka a curious stair.
That evening we went off for a walk and that is where we came across the full extent of the Quokka’s prominence on the Island, they were everywhere!

Figure 7 Memphis, A Back Labrador laying down looking at a Quokka that is a brownish colour. The Quokka is looking at Memphis perched on its back legs

I got Memphis to lay down and one of the curious Quokka’s came up to give him a sniff, and then casually moved off.
Perth's idyllic island playground, Rottnest is just a short ferry ride from the mainland and a world away from city life. For such a tiny island, this car-free and carefree Class A reserve packs a lot of pleasure into a day.
Getting to "Rotto", as the locals affectionately call it, is a breeze. Just 19 kilometres off the coast, ferries depart regularly from Fremantle, Perth's Barrack Street Jetty and Hillarys Marina. You can opt to arrive in style by helicopter or air taxi, or even cruise across in your own boat.

Figure 8 : 4 Quokka’s spread out grazing beside a path under a large tree

On our second day we did a little exploring of the island. 
As no cars are allowed, getting around Rottnest is mainly done by walking or cycling (you can hire bikes or bring your own over on the ferry). There are hop-on hop-off buses that travel around the approximately 24 kilometres coastline. As the temperature was in the high 30s, and a tad too warm to walk Memphis any great distance, we elected to take the hop-on hop-off bus for a circuit of the island. Memphis appreciating the air conditioning. The bus driver was deeply knowledgeable, with some great island facts, and provided a fantastic commentary.
On its shores, 63 stunning beaches, 20 beautiful bays and many coral reefs and wrecks invite you to enjoy some of Australia's finest swimming spots, snorkel trails and surf breaks.
After a couple of very relaxing days, on our last morning, we explored the history of the settlement.
Rottnest Island, Wadjemup, Rotto…
Rottnest Island has a rich history, spanning cultures and generations. It has been known by many names and used for different purposes.
Wadjemup
Rottnest Island’s history extends as far back as 50,000 years ago, when it was still connected to the mainland of Western Australia. Aboriginal artifacts suggest there was significant human occupation until 7,000 years ago when the rising sea levels resulted in the separation of the island. Without boats Aboriginal people on the mainland were not able to make the crossing, leaving the island uninhabited for the next several thousand years. Rottnest Island features in Noongar Aboriginal mythology as Wadjemup, meaning "place across the water where the spirits are".
't Eylandt't Rottenest
After separating from the mainland, the island remained uninhabited until 13 Dutch sailors from the Waeckende Boey landed near Bathurst Point on the 19 March 1658. This marked the beginning of the European exploration and settlement on the island. In 1696, Dutch captain Willem de Vlamingh spent 6 days exploring the island before giving it the name 't Eylandt 't Rottenest ("Rats' Nest Island") after the quokkas which he mistook for giant rats. In his reports, Willem described Rottnest island as "...a paradise on earth".
Swan River Colony Offshoot
A couple hundred years later, William Clarke and Robert Thomson received land grants from the British Swan River Colony for pasture land and town lots to be built on the island. In 1831 Thomson moved his family to the island and began building up the island’s main settlement at Thompson Bay. Pasture land for hay production was developed west of Herschel Lake, while several salt lakes were harvested and the salt was exported to the mainland. Today, you can wander through the main settlement and be transported back through time as you stroll past early colonial cottages, including the salt stores.
After visiting the museum and some of the original historic housing, it was back on the fast ferry for a 45-minute trip back to the mainland and home

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DGHA Conference 2021: Update
We are excited to announce that our 2021 conference will be held on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm [AEST} each day.
The conference will be held online via Zoom due to the Covid-19 situation and your committee will provide any assistance you need to be able to join us for the conference
More details will be provided over the next couple of months and we hope you can put those dates in your diary.

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Useful Links
Let’s create a one stop collection of useful links. Know a good place email us the link at    mewsletter@dgha.org.au
•	My Community, My Way – is a new interactive hub where members of the Guide Dogs community can find the information you need from Guide Dog organisations across the country, all in one place.
You can register for free, answer a few simple questions, and you’ll be on your way to exploring your community in your way!
https://community.guidedogs.asn.au/s/

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DGHA Annual General Meeting
At our DGHA AGM on Wed 16 December, the following members were elected or re-elected onto the DGHA Committee:
Kevin Murfitt, President
John Hardie, Treasurer
Greg Madson Secretary
Jamie Kelly, general committee
Ros Mathews, general committee
Denise Ede, general committee
Erika Webb, general committee
Annette Ferguson, general committee
Francois Jacobs, general committee
Committee members not up for election this year who continue in their roles are:
Claudia Stevenson, Vice-President
Bronwyn Drew, general committee
The Annual report 2019-2020 was accepted and is available on the DGHA website www.dgha.org.au
We look forward to working together to advance DGHA’s peer network and to advocate on issues important to dog guide users.

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New Team –Welcome Scott and Windsor
My name is Scott I’m 55 years old, I was a truck driver for 14yrs I started to have problems with the sun in my eyes 4 years ago.  Went to see a doctor he referred me to a specialist to be investigated. After a series of test I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmantosa 
 My specialist said I would go blind to a degree that hit me like a tonne of bricks
Along with telling me I must hand my driver’s licence in.  That was worse than losing one of my children it meant the world to me.
Then 12 months later I had to give up my job.
Sitting home for 12months at home alone 12 hours a day my mental health went to an all-time low.
I thought my life was over sitting home with nothing to do.
My wife contacted Guide Dogs I met a representative along with meeting an instructor who taught me how to use a cane.
Just going on little walks till I got use to the cane built that up to 5 Kilometres and just increased the distance and got better and better 
Then guide dogs contacted me to see if I wanted a dog I said no I’m 55 I don’t want to look after a dog after all my kids have left home don’t want this.
In the end I decided to give it a go. In August 2020 I received my Guide Dog Windsor,, a Gold coloured Labrador. 
So glad I changed my mind I got Windsor now my 2 year old Labrador he’s my partner in crime 
Then Chatter Paws, an initiative of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, connecting vision Impaired and blind people with each other   came along and I have met some really nice ladies and never looked back 
We will be friends for life. 
I’m a lot happier now. I have dark days still here and there but am I a lot better now 
Big thanks to my friends in Chatter Paws 

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International Guide Dog Day -Wednesday 28th April 2021
A day for everyone to celebrate the amazing work our dog guides do.
A day to raise awareness of the access issues and the discrimination that we face on a daily basis.
How will you spend the day and spread the word? Let us know

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DGHA Member Teleconference
DGHA will hold our next member teleconference online via zoom on Wednesday 31 March at 8 pm eastern daylight saving time, 7 pm in Queensland, 7.30 in South Australia, and 5 pm in Western Australia.
All DGHA members are welcome and we will provide instructions for joining well before the 31st March
At this member teleconference we will have a brainstorming session about potential conference presenters and topics. Francois Jacobs will do a short presentation on our previous conference agenda and topics and then we will have an open conversation about suggestions for our 19-20 June 2021 conference.
We hope you can attend and assist us create an interesting and exciting conference

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Australia Post - Have a say
Over the last several months I have been in contact with Australia Post in regards to their new Electric Delivery Vehicles [EDV] that they are trialling in some areas, I asked some questions around how these vehicles will impact on us,  as dog guide users.
These vehicles are a three wheeled vehicle that can carry a large number of parcels and can be driven on the road and the footpath and have a top speed of 45 kilometres per hour. The initial response from the customer service section was, what I would call was not very helpful. [Initial Response from Australia Post]
“Thanks for taking time to raise your concern about the electric vehicles being used by our posties in some areas. Your main concern is that the vehicles are very quiet and neither the dogs nor humans can hear them approaching. Especially on the footpath which is shared with pedestrians. I appreciate that you raised your concern to know what steps Australia post has taken to ensure the safety of the visually impaired or blind person that uses a cane or in particular a guide or seeing-eye dog.
 
Our approach to environmental management is multi-faceted. As part of our commitment, we’re reducing our overall level of greenhouse gas emissions, removing virgin plastics from our product range and driving the reduction, reuse and recycling of materials that would otherwise go to landfill. This includes putting in place actions to minimise environmental risks to our people, infrastructure and services.
 
We’ve commenced pilots in select locations around the country to test the new electric delivery vehicle that will allow posties to carry more parcels than ever before. The purpose of these pilots is to gather feedback from staff on whether these vehicles are fit for purpose, easy to use and if they’re the right solution for increasing our parcel carrying capacity. Some of the key features are: 
•	3 x  carrying capacity of our postie bikes
•	Lockable compartments to keep your mail safe and secure
•	Dog friendly
•	Narrower than our postie motorbike (by 4cm)
•	Automatically locks and immobilises when the postie leaves the vehicle.
•	Environmentally friendly 
o	Fully electric (9 hour battery life)
o	Reduced emissions on your street
o	Less noise pollution in residential areas
The vehicle is already successfully used in Germany and Switzerland, with international postal authorities seeing benefits.
 
Some of the safety features of the Electric Delivery Vehicles include: 
o	Three wheel-base with wide rear tyres provides improved balance and stability in all weather conditions
o	Automatic parking brake and reverse gear for safer stop-and-go operation
o	Electric, silent motor provides improved peripheral hearing to listen out for hazards
o	Greater visibility to other drivers while travelling on roads
o	Maximum speed while travelling on the road is 45 kph.
With that being said, when on a Shared path all staff on all modes of delivery are required to give way to pedestrians and other path users. As mentioned above this delivery vehicle provides greater visibility to our driver while travelling on roads. In addition, vehicles having a horn or something to also allow our staff to make visual impaired pedestrians aware of their presence.”
As you can see by the initial response it does not answer the question of our safety, my enquiry has made its way up the ladder and I am pleased to say Australia Post are taking my concerns for our safety seriously. They are also looking at other areas in which they could improve services to their customers who are vision impaired, blind and use not only a dog guide but a white cane and even others with a disability.
On review Australia Post have found some areas that could do with some improvements
•	Australia Post Safety – to push for a sound to be emitted at low speed with our new electric vehicles being manufactured and if modifications can be made to our existing fleet
•	Australia Post Learning & Development – to request our training modules be updated
•	Australia Post Deliveries – to see if the opt-in database for residence living with disability would be practical on the ground
•	Australia Post Tech – to see if the above is relevant that we can load this information onto our delivery scanners

Have a say, do you have a suggestion as to how Australia Post could improve and make our lives just a little easier? You may be thinking do they really care, the answer is YES they do.
Please email newsletter@dgha.org.au with your ideas and they will be forwarded to our contact at Australia Post who has taken on this important issue

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Dates to Remember -2021
31st March - DGHA Member Conference
28th April – International Guide Dog Day
21st May - Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)
19th June – DGHA BI-Annual Conference Day 1
20th June - DGHA BI-Annual Conference Day 2

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Chatter Paws – An initiative of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT
Guide Dogs clients in NSW and the ACT, are you looking for an opportunity to connect with other Guide Dog handlers across NSW and the ACT?
 Chatter Paws Chatter Paws is an established program that fosters social connection between people who are blind or vision impaired. It is about learning, sharing and, just having a good time chatting to new and old friends. 
Chatter Paws invites Guide Dogs NSW/ACT clients to join a regular group chat via phone or Zoom of around six people. Each chat session is facilitated by a client volunteer. Some groups run on a weekly basis, others fortnightly. Clients are sent reminder notices the day before each session and the Zoom link or dial in options through which to join the group chat. You can also ask to be dialled into the chat if you are unable to do so independently. While there are a number of groups discussing a range of topics, there are groups specifically for Guide Dog handlers at various times of the day and evening. We will also create more groups with enough demand. You may enjoy a Guide Dog handlers chat if you:
 • Like chatting to and sharing stories with other handlers about your experiences of working with a Guide Dog
 • Are interested in sharing information and tips with other handlers and learning from others 
• Are retiring a dog or transitioning to a successor Guide Dog If you would like to join a Guide Dog handlers Chatter Paws group or find out about any of the other groups, please get in touch with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Connection Services at  connections@guidedogs.com.au 

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Last Words
Join DGHA
Membership of DGHA is in 2 categories. Full Membership: $20.00. Any Australian who is blind or vision impaired, and who is a Dog Guide Handler or Associate Membership: $10.00. Any other person who is sighted, blind or vision impaired, who supports the objectives of DGHA.
If you are not already a member of DGHA and would like to be, please visit our
Website and fill in the accessible form. We welcome full memberships for dog guide handlers and associate memberships from dog guide trainers, puppy raisers and friends and family of dog guide handlers.  The joining page on our website is here:  http://dgha.org.au/dgha/membership/

Sign up for this newsletter
If you know someone who might like to receive this newsletter, for example a new dog guide handler, a puppy raiser or your instructor, please send their email address to us (with their permission) by reply email or to dgha@dgha.org.au and we’ll add them to our list.  

Contribute to this newsletter
We welcome your input into this newsletter.  If you have a story, an idea, a review of a doggy product you love, please contact Bronwyn via the newsletter@dgha.org.au email address to discuss your contribution.  
Dog Guide Handlers Australia
Email dgha@dgha.org.au
Website www.dgha.org.au
Twitter: @DGHAustralia via https://twitter.com/dghaustralia?lang=en
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/DogGuideHandlersAustralia/

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Disclaimer:

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Views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the editor, or DGHA, Any advice is general in nature and should be checked with relevant schools, your vet or other relevant authorities.