Solution for: CBT GT Reading Test 13: Morpeth

Morpeth

Morpeth is today a small town about two hours' drive north of Sydney. The town of Morpeth grew from an original 2000 acres of land given to an English army officer, Lieutenant Edward Close (1790-1866), in 1821. During the 1830s and 1840s Morpeth became a major river port, due to its favourable location. Produce, hides and timber were brought to Morpeth from inland New South Wales and shipped down the Hunter river to the coast and then to Sydney. However, in 1870 a railway line reached the town, and the importance of river shipping began to decline. Today, Morpeth, with its beautiful old buildings, is a popular tourist destination.

Where to Stay near Morpeth

A — Country Comfort Inn, Hunter Valley
A beautifully restored 125-year-old building just 20 minutes from the vineyards. The Inn is set on 10 acres of landscaped gardens complete with pool, sauna, tennis court, spa, gym, billiard room, guest lounge, fireplace, cocktail bar, and two restaurants. Special packages available. New England Highway, Maitland. Call toll free 1800 065 064 or (049) 32 52 88.

B — Siesta Motel
“Spend a night — not a fortune.” The Siesta Motel, rated 3-star, is conveniently placed at the gateway to the winery district and nearby to the historic towns of Morpeth and Wollombi. A free light breakfast is delivered to your suite and excellent meals are available at the Maitland City Bowling Club next door. Quality of accommodation is assured and the tariff is the lowest in the district.

C — Endeavour East Maitland Motel
28 modern, comfortable 3-star units which open onto the swimming pool and barbeque area. All units feature TV and videos, airconditioning, 2 with spas. Fully licensed restaurant with cocktail bar and lounge is open 7 nights.

D — Eskdale Country Cottages
Rustic cottages secluded amongst gum trees provide quietness and privacy on 200 acres. Each cottage is completely self-contained having 2 bedrooms, full kitchen facilities, and sitting rooms with TV and video, and offers comfortable rural accommodation.

Morpeth Heritage Walk

The best way to see Morpeth is to take the Morpeth Heritage Walk. This covers about three kilometres, and takes visitors past many beautiful historical buildings. Starting at Fig Tree Hill, which has picnic facilities, stroll past the Surgeon's Cottage, built in 1845, formerly home of the local doctor, now shops. From there you will come to Morpeth Bridge, erected in 1870, which replaced a ferry boat. Opposite it on the right is the Courthouse, still in use today. Continue your walk past the historic Railway Station, then turn into George Street. Stroll past gracious houses until you come to the Church of the Immaculate Conception on your right, built of bricks made in Gosford. Continuing up George Street, you come to the shopping district; browse through the shops or stop for refreshment. Your tour of Morpeth will finish at magnificent Closebourne House, built in 1826 by Lieutenant Edward Close.

Numeracy Centre

Many business and marketing courses require a knowledge of introductory statistics, computing or mathematics. If you feel inadequately prepared for your course, you can get help from the Numeracy Centre, which offers FREE elementary help in maths and statistics. Grab a timetable from the Centre and drop in when it suits you.

COURSE A — Revision Course in Basic Maths
This 3-hour lecture will review mathematical concepts necessary for elementary statistics, such as fractions, area and percentages up to a Year 8 level of mathematics. It is not necessary to book, so feel free to drop in. This session is FREE!

COURSE B — Bridging Course in Statistics for Marketing
This three-day course introduces ideas in elementary statistics to provide a starting point for further developments in statistical skills later on in other courses. The course is run in sessions of three hours, in the form of a one-hour lecture followed by a two-hour tutorial. Tutorials will be interactive where possible, with hands-on experience of data manipulation using MINITAB on a bank of PCs.

COURSE C — Statistics for the Practitioner
The previous course must be completed before this course. It is largely non-mathematical and concentrates on the interpretation and application of statistics rather than computation. The statistical package MINITAB will be used as a teaching tool. This course is conducted over two days in the form of workshops and small group discussions.

COURSE D — English for Computer Studies
Students with English as their second language who will be needing elementary computing for their courses are encouraged to enrol in this 8-hour course. Students will learn through workshops giving hands-on experience. The cost is $15, including notes and refreshments.

Business Planning

What is a Business plan?

It is probably best described as a summary and evaluation of your business idea, in writing.

Preparation of a business plan is the first and most important task for the business starter. The plan should include details concerning the industry in which you operate, your product or service, marketing, production, personnel and financial strategies.

What purpose does it serve?

A business plan allows you to think through all the factors of a business, and to solve potential problems before you come to them. It will identify strengths and weaknesses and help to assess whether the business can succeed. It is a blueprint for starting, maintaining or expanding a business. It is a working plan to use in comparing your achievements to the goals you set. It should provide information required by financial institutions when finance is sought.

How to produce a Business plan

Step 1: Collect Information

Gather as much relevant information as possible concerning the industry in which you intend to operate. Collect all possible information regarding the markets you are aiming for and learn all you can about the products or services you intend to produce, distribute or offer.

Step 2: Analysis

Read over the material you have collected and decide what is relevant to your business idea. You may have to modify your idea depending on what your research shows. The key question to ask is: “Can you design a business that will earn enough to cover costs and pay a wage and reasonable profit to you as proprietor?”

Step 3: Strategy Formulation

Decide how the business will operate. Describe how it will be managed, the staff and organisational structure, and areas of responsibility for each staff member, especially family members.

A comprehensive business plan also includes a Marketing plan, an Operational plan and a Financial plan. The financial plan includes a cash-flow forecast, balance sheet, profit and loss statement, sources of finance, and sales forecast and target.

Do not forget set-up costs and the money needed to see you through an initial period of low cash flow when calculating your first year's budget.

Update your Business plan

Nothing remains constant in business; circumstances, markets, fashions and methods change. From time to time you must reassess your business plan. A business plan should be thought of as flexible, not fixed.