This week's Column 8 brings a mix of reader observations from the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere, covering everything from land-dwelling crustaceans slinking under doorways to one reader's claim that VoVos are getting smaller.
Mary Carde of Parrearra on the Sunshine Coast reports that heavy rain has driven "lawn prawns", land-dwelling crustaceans, out of saturated gardens and under doorways, where they die within hours, leaving a sea of husks to be vacuumed.
Sally Deves of Kingston wrote in response to an item on price-per-unit calculations, recalling that her mother taught her to use mental arithmetic for that purpose 65 years ago, adding, “Nothing new!”
Rev Dr John Bunyan of Campbelltown counselled against further talk of an alternative Halloween, calling the idea of honouring Martin Luther "appalling." He cited Luther's writings calling for the expulsion of Jewish people and the destruction of their homes and synagogues, noting the consequences and the coincidence of Kristallnacht with Luther's birthday.
Daniel Low of Pymble said Ted Richards may be right that the company is putting fewer and smaller VoVos in packs and increasing plastic spacers; he also said their flavour had diminished. Tony Tucker of Leichhardt also said VoVos had gotten smaller, asked readers to remember Waggon Wheels, and said AWD utes had grown in size.
Susan Hunt of St Ives reported spotting a plaque at a rockfall near Bondi during Sculpture by the Sea that read "Gina Rinehart Commemorative Rockfall," and asked Column 8 for the story behind it.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The column offers a snapshot of Australian life and reader curiosity on everyday oddities.
- It highlights community engagement with local issues, from environmental changes to consumer complaints.
- The rockfall plaque question may prompt further reader research and responses.
Background
Column 8 is a reader letters column that appears in Nine newspapers including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Brisbane Times. It collects short observations, questions, and anecdotes from readers across Australia.
Key Perspectives
What to Watch
- Whether any reader provides the story behind the "Gina Rinehart Commemorative Rockfall" plaque.
- Further reports of lawn prawn invasions if wet weather continues.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline identifies the column’s subjects as lawn prawns, VoVos and a Rinehart rockfall plaque.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “lawn prawns”
- SupportedThe summary describes reader observations about crustaceans, smaller VoVos and a plaque at Bondi.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “these land-dwelling crustaceans are fleeing the saturated garden”
- Not in the sourcesThis is this week’s Column 8.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Column 8”
- SupportedMary Carde of Parrearra says heavy rain drove lawn prawns from saturated gardens under doorways.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “claims Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld). “We’ve had so much rain that these land-dwelling crustaceans are fleeing the saturated garden and slinking under doorways”
- SupportedCarde says the crustaceans die within hours and leave husks to be vacuumed up.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “then die within a couple of hours due to lack of moisture, leaving a sea of husks to be vacuumed up.”
- SupportedSally Deves says her mother taught her mental arithmetic for price-per-unit calculations 65 years ago.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “my mother taught me to do that, using mental arithmetic, 65 years ago”
- SupportedDeves added, “Nothing new!”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Nothing new!””
- SupportedRev Dr John Bunyan counselled against further talk of an alternative Halloween and called honouring Martin Luther “appalling.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: “On the advice of Rev Dr John Bunyan of Campbelltown, there will be no further talk of an alternative Halloween (C8): “C8 is no place for religious controversy but the idea of honouring Martin Luther is appalling.”
- SupportedBunyan cited Luther’s calls for the expulsion of Jewish people and destruction of their homes and synagogues, and the coincidence of Kristallnacht with Luther’s birthday.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Luther called for the expulsion of Jewish people and the destruction of their homes and synagogues, with centuries-long consequences. His proposals were implemented by the Nazis to whom he was a hero. Kristallnacht in Germany (and the neo-Nazi demonstration outside State Parliament) coincided with Luther’s birthday.”
- SupportedDaniel Low said Ted Richards may be right that the company is putting fewer and smaller VoVos in packs and increasing plastic spacers, and said their flavour had diminished.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Daniel Low of Pymble thinks Ted Richards (C8) “may be right. The company is putting fewer and smaller VoVos in the packs and increasing the plastic spacers to make it seem the same size. However, I’d say he’s lucky if there are less because the flavour has also diminished.”
- SupportedTony Tucker said VoVos had gotten smaller, invoked Waggon Wheels, and said AWD utes had grown in size.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Of course Iced Volvos, er, VoVos, have gotten smaller. Remember what happened to Waggon Wheels? Speaking of wheels, that’s something that has gotten larger. Look at how the size of Raptors, Renegades, Rangers, Rebels, Rams, Ringos and Rongos has grown in the testosterone-infected world of the AWD ute!””
- SupportedSusan Hunt says she spotted a plaque reading “Gina Rinehart Commemorative Rockfall” at a rockfall near Bondi during Sculpture by the Sea.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““While enjoying Sculpture by the Sea at sunrise, I noticed a striking rockfall towards the Bondi end, with a plaque saying Gina Rinehart Commemorative Rockfall”