Community
31 July, 2022
"Gazza´s Goss: An 80th Birthday is always great News!"
IN the very first Gazza’s Goss early last year, I indicated that part of my plan was to write about amazing and interesting people from our Region.
This week I was certainly given that opportunity, when I met up with Cairns Local News Reader, Khani Hawthorne – Vignes from Mossman, also known locally to many as Karen.
This bubbly member of the community turned 80 last week and is a well known character in Mossman where she has lived for 53 years. Starting life in Sydney, she has close family connections with the Dharug – Eora people of that area.
Dharug & Eora was originally known as the ‘Sydney Language’ and is the name given to the traditional Australian Aboriginal language that was spoken in greater Sydney and particularly in the inland areas. Dharug was not recorded by Europeans until late in the 19th century.
Since moving north, our Birthday Girl has been a teacher in Cairns and for many years taught at Mossman State School before retirement. For those in the Douglas Shire who love to indulge in some meditation, relaxation and challenging body postures, there is also a good chance you will know Karen from her 50 years as an expert Yoga teacher.
Always happy to put her hand up for a challenge, back in 1976 Karen was chosen to be Mossman’s entrant for the First Lady of the Centenary Of Cairns and District. Karen was also a busy mum, as can be seen from this family picture taken in the same year. This happy snap includes Karen’s children, clockwise from the top, daughter Cindee who was 60 this week (Happy Birthday!) and sons Ed now 58, Nigel just turned 56 and Marc 52.
Karen is not the sort of lady to sit back and do little in retirement and now dedicates much of her time helping in the community with local activities such as those at the recent Reconciliation Week. As a result, her 80 years of life and voluntary contributions were recently acknowledged with a birthday certificate from The Honorable Warren Entsch MP
Karen informed me that she can’t wait to get a letter from the Queen in 20 years time and I certainly look forward to writing about that when it happens! For now though, Many Happy Returns!!
I’m off to try the cake, so for now it’s Gazza signing out!
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
