Tag Archives: local

Santa arrived in a Red Car…Not a Sleigh and Reindeer

Posted on December 29, 2010 by admin

Santa arrived with a little bit help from the local police to attend the Christmas function held at the Toowoomba Hospice, due to his reindeers having a rest to be ready for their big Christmas Eve run. Qld Police helped Santa deliver some Christmas joy to the Toowoomba Hospice at their recent staff and volunteers Christmas function. He is greeted by Hospice Chairman Graham Barron whilst others who attended watch on. Toowoomba Hospice Chairman Mr Graham Barron OAM said It was wonderful to work with the Queensland Police Service for such an event, “The transport provided was much appreciated by the children and all those who attended.” This wonderful community spirit is shown to the Hospice everyday, whether it is from families, individuals, businesses or community groups/clubs and is sincerely appreciated said Mr Barron. Continue reading →

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Visitors From Far & Wide Attend Poets’ Breakfast

Posted on October 25, 2010 by admin

With Bush Verse becoming more and more popular, there were visitors who  travelled many kilometres to attend the Poets Breakfast held at the Highfields Pioneer Village recently. The Breakfast  is part of the annual Crows Nest Community Festival. Guest poet Janine Haig from Eulo/Chinchilla area recited various poems including some from her books “I Hope Yer Sheep Get Flyblown” and “Always Wear Clean Knickers.” Janine Haig Janine won the Bronze Swagman competition in 2003 with her poem “Not Gone” which she performed at the breakfast. She has recited poetry with ‘Cowboy Poets’, won various overseas trips and recited in U S A in Denver, Colorado and  Elko, Nevada. Georgia Steele Fairholme College Year 10 student Georgia Steele (15) from Bowenville also recited several of Janine’s poems, and well known poet Ron Selby and camp oven cook and poet Ned Winter recited poetry with their usual humour. Winners of the poetry competition sponsored by Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches were:- L to R: Sam Greer, Val Eldridge, poet Ron Selby and Alex Duff Senior Poet:- Sam Greer, Junior Poet – Alex Duff and People’s Choice Award – Val Eldridge. L to R; Jeff Close, Janine Haig, Georgia Steele and Highfields Pioneer Village Inc. president Ian Cockburn. The recipients of funds raised at this year’s breakfast are the Highfields Scouts/Guides and the Highfields Pioneer Village. Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches is a joint venture between Progressive Community Crows Nest Ltd (PCCN) and Heritage Building Society. Under the Heritage community banking model, profits are distributed to community organisations, charities and special community events. 50% of branch profits are put back into the local community. Submitted by Jenny Gersekowski Continue reading →

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Minister and Member Drop In On Tenants

Posted on September 29, 2010 by admin

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine and Housing Minister Karen Struthers have visited tenants who have been living in a new social housing development completed in May. Mr Shine said the eight, two bedroom apartments in Wilsonton were built using funds from the federal government’s stimulus package and had been a great help to tenants looking to get back on their feet. He said the $1.7 million project had provided a safe and secure place to live for people doing it tough and generated jobs in the local construction industry. “Here in the Darling Downs region, we saw a 28% downturn in the construction industry between August 2008 and April this year,” Mr Shine said. “This project alone generated 15 jobs during that time. Across the Toowoomba area, we invested more than $25 million from the federal government and the state government in the last financial year to build social housing. All up, that supported almost 190 jobs. The investment has been a real lifeline to the local construction industry”. Hon. Karen Struthers (Minister for Community Services and Housing, and Minister for Women) and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine outside the $1.7 million project of 8 two bedroom apartments in Wilsonton. Mr Shine went on to say “The great thing about this project here is that half of the units can be adapted to meet the access requirements of people with a disability. Two of the units are semi-adaptable and two are fully wheelchair adaptable”. Ms Struthers said Queensland could expect to see more than 4000 new social housing dwellings by June 2012 under the federal government program. “The help people receive from social housing is very significant when it’s added up,” Ms Struthers said. “When you add in other concessions, it works out to be about an average of about $14,500 a year in assistance that social housing tenants receive”. Further Information: Phone: 4638 5755 Fax: 4638 4056 Email: toowoomba.north@parliament.qld.gov.au Continue reading →

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Parkinson’s Support Group for Dalby?

Posted on September 26, 2010 by admin

Parkinson’s Queensland Inc. are in the process of establishing a free support group for sufferers of Parkinson’s disease in Dalby. A free community seminar for people with Parkinson’s, carers, family and friends is to be held from 2.30 to 4.00pm on Wednesday, 6th October at the Myall Youth & Community Network Centre, 169 Cuunningham Street, Dalby. Registrations are essential and can be made by calling Lynda Foulis at Parkinson’s Queensland Inc. on Freecall 1800 644 189. Continue reading →

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Local Food for Local Consumption

Posted on September 22, 2010 by admin

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) invites everyone in  the community to the second Public Information Forum that will be held on Wednesday 22nd of September 2010 for the purpose of discussing ‘Local Food for Sustainable Communities’. The program includes four guest speakers consisting of Toby Hutcheon from the Queensland Conservation Council, Sonya McConville, Murray Griffith and a representative from Biological Farmers of Australia providing information on sustainable local food production. Information on the QCC Grow Local Campaign, new Farmers’ Market and organic foods growing and processing will also be available. Kirsten Larsen, an expert in the field, states that “first we need to change our understanding of cities and start to see them as productive, not consumptive spaces”. This idea, among others, will be discussed in the attempt to strategize the implementation of economically sustainable procedures in the community. The meeting will be held at the Jacaranda Room, (entrance through cinema complex) located at Grand Central Shopping Centre, Toowoomba from 7pm till 9pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome! RSVP: For catering purposes please contact the HOPE office by phoning 4639 2135 or email: office@hopeaustralia.org.au Continue reading →

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Declaration of Maranoa Poll

Posted on September 8, 2010 by admin

At yesterday’s official declaration of the poll for Maranoa, re-elected MP Bruce Scott congratulates the hard-working staff of the Dalby AEC office. Back from L-R: Acting Divisional Returning Officer Gordon Marshall, Janette Dudgeon, Tracey Newton, Kristy Dun, Colin Juillerat, Liz Schulze & Bruce Scott Front from L-R: Melita Connellan, Cynthia Rathmell Bruce Scott was officially announced as the re-elected Federal Member for Maranoa yesterday,at the AEC’s declaration of the poll in Dalby. Acting Divisional Returning Officer Gordon Marshall announced that the poll for the electorate of Maranoa had been declared, with Bruce Scott re-elected with a result of more than 57,000 primary votes. Mr Scott said that whilst he was pleased his re-election was now official, he was disappointed to learn that the Coalition would not form government. “Mr Katter’s electorate shares many similarities with the Maranoa electorate, and I am pleased Mr Katter acknowledged that a Coalition Government would have been better for rural Queensland,” he said. Mr Scott was the only candidate for Maranoa who attended the official AEC declaration of the poll, where he thanked the hard-working AEC staff in Dalby who processed more than 90,000 votes. Chase Pollard – Media Officer chase.pollard@aph.gov.au www.maranoa.info “I would like to acknowledge the staff of the local AEC office in Dalby, who have worked tirelessly over the past two months to organise the many polling booths across the vast electorate of Maranoa,” Mr Scott said. Continue reading →

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Toowoomba Regional Council News in Brief

Posted on September 5, 2010 by admin

Community forum The USQ Community Capacity Building Project in conjunction with the Community Development and Facilities Branch, Toowoomba Regional Council invites you to a Public Lecture – Understanding Youth Suicide (with Garry King, Guidance Officer, Teacher and Youth Counsellor specialising in the area of suicide prevention and Garry Hansford, Community Support Worker, GP Connections). To be held on Tuesday 14 September 2010 at 6.45 pm at the QCWA Hall, 263 Margaret Street. Light refreshments (tea/coffee) will be provided after the event. Details available at: www.usq.edu.au/commcapacityproject/communityevents Please RSVP by Friday 10 September to Glen Postle 0407 462 331 or postle@usq.edu.au or Darryl Bates 4688 6758 or darryl.bates@toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au Book Spring Bluff train trips Tickets for return train rides to Spring Bluff during Carnival week are on sale at Toowoomba Railway Station, Railway St. Apart from one service departing the station at 9am on Sat, Sept 25 two services will run daily from Sun, Sept 19 to Fri, Sept 24. The first diesel train trip leaves Toowoomba at 9am and arrives at Spring Bluff at 9.35am before departing at 11am. Afternoon trains leave Toowoomba at 1pm (arriving at Spring Bluff at 1.35pm) and depart at 3pm. Tickets must be bought in person at Toowoomba Railway Station from 9am to 3.45pm weekdays. No phone bookings. Prices: $16.50 adults, $8.50 child 4-15, Under 4 free if not occupying seats. Enquiries to QR on 4631 3381. Gallery seeks 2011 exhibition ideas Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery is seeking fresh exhibition proposals from regional artists for the first half of 2011. Artists who live in the council area are welcome to submit proposals for exhibitions to be displayed in the Cam Robertson Gallery from January to July 2011. Applications must be lodged with the Gallery by Friday, October 1. For more information, please contact Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery on 4688 6652 or email art@toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au Exhibition papers the walls Contemporary art and interior design will come together in a short exhibition at the Crows Nest Regional Art Gallery from September 7 to 26. The touring exhibition of wallpapers titled The Wallpaper Project is a collaboration between artist Simon Mee, wallpaper printer William Wilding and a number of contemporary artists. A floor talk by Simon Mee will be held at the gallery on Thursday, September 9 at 9.30am. Gallery hours are 10am-4pm Tuesday to Saturday. For details, please call 4698 1687 or email crowsnestart@toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au Local History Library Displays Toowoomba’s Local History Library is hosting two significant displays during Sept and Oct – a photographic display of the Carnival of Flowers during the 1950s, including the queens, gardens and parades, and an exhibition of photographs and programmes marking Toowoomba Repertory Theatre’s celebration of 80 years of entertaining. Visit 476 Ruthven St (9.30am-1pm Tuesday to Saturday) or phone 4638 7766. Free plant vouchers Ratepayers in the TRC area receive two free plants per year via a voucher included with their rate notices. Half of TRC residents would have received vouchers in April and the remainder would have received theirs in the past week. Please see the back of the voucher for collection points and opening times to collect your plants. For more information phone 4688 6654. Immunisation clinic times Council’s Wednesday immunisation clinic hours will vary this month. The service will operate from 9am to noon on Sept 8 and 22 at 12 Little Street, Toowoomba. Regular Wednesday hours (9am to 1.30pm) will operate on Sept 15 and 29. The clinic also provides vaccination advice for children and adults. Call 4688 6835 weekdays between 8.45am and 5pm. Lodge event support proposals Applications are being sought for the Events Support Grant Program which closes on October 3, 2010. This council initiative aims to support groups planning major regional and community events. Further information about the program and application forms can be obtained from the Economic Development, Tourism & Events Branch on 4688 6966. Plant a tree in Cambooya Help plant trees in Cambooya’s Paterson Park in George St from 9.30am on Saturday, September 11. Council, Cambooya Landcare Assoc, Toowoomba Probation and Parole and Toyota are joining forces to provide tools and plants. All helpers can join a free sausage sizzle and a drink. Enquiries to John Hughes (Landcare 0417 303 612) or Kristie Jenkinson on 4688 6514. Sign on for Bushcapades Spring holiday activities will be staged in Toowoomba’s bushland parks from Tuesday, September 21 to Friday, October 1. Craft sessions cover paper making, pressing flowers, candle making, pottery and tips for organic gardening. Small fees apply and children under eight must be accompanied by an adult. Bookings are essential by calling 4688 6572 during office hours. Get in early Ergon Energy Flower, Food and Wine Festival tickets, including the Heritage Building Society Live Concert Series (featuring Troy Cassar-Daley, the Hoodoo Gurus and Beatnix) are on pre-sale now at the Empire Theatre Box Office. Phone 1300 655 299 or visit www.empiretheatres.com.au Brush up on safe food handling Residents involved in catering at public functions during Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers can brush up on safe food handling tips at a free course on Thursday, September 9. The session runs from 9am-1pm, 2nd floor, 543 Ruthven St. Enquiries and bookings to 4688 6824. Rate notices Council’s rate notices have now been issued with payment due on September 21. Please check the back of your rate notice for the full range of payment options. Tombstone Tours Discover the region’s intriguing past on the 2010 Tombstone Tours of Toowoomba and Drayton Cemetery. Tours will run on Sunday, Sept 19 at 10am, on Wednesday, Sept 22 at 7pm and on Saturday, Sept 25 at 10am. Tickets cost $5 and must be pre-booked at the Local History Library, 476 Ruthven St (9.30am-1pm Tuesday to Saturday) or by phoning 4638 7766. Temporary closure Stephen St Qld Rail’s upgrade of Stephen St railway bridge from August 23 for approx 5 wks (weather permitting) will involve the temporary closure of Stephen St (between Duhig St and Fifth Ave). Detours will be in place. New 10-year Community Plan In late July, TRC endorsed the new community plan that sets out the vision, goals and outcomes the region’s community wants to see over the next 10 years. The Community Plan fulfils a legislative requirement of the Local Government Act 2009. Please log on to www.toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au and select Council Vision and Strategies to view the new Community Plan. Lodge request for Council service online Council is offering residents and ratepayers a further option when lodging a request for council services. Anyone wanting to submit a request for a specific council service can now do so online at any time of the day. Areas currently available for online lodgement are animal collection/nuisance, changes of address, overgrown allotments, parking meter faults or infringements, road and footpath maintenance requests, abandoned and nuisance vehicles, water meter issues and wheelie bin services. Explore Laurel Bank Park Grab your torch and be a part of the popular Twilight Tours of Laurel Bank Park in Herries St Toowoomba during the Carnival of Flowers. Running on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 20-22, the one-hour tours from 6.30pm and 7.30pm each evening will provide an insight into the park’s history and its many floral highlights. Gold coin donation. Bookings essential on 4688 6542. Continue reading →

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Heritage Crow’s Nest Community Branch Funds Historical Plaques

Posted on August 12, 2010 by admin

Discussing placement of the former Railway Yards plaque in Curnow Street Crows Nest, No. 41 on the map are :- L to R:- Heritage Crows Nest Community Branch Manager Julie Murphy(with map), Lions Club of Crows Nest Inc. President Meg Hatfield and Club Secretary Rob Crosato. Heritage Crows Nest Community Branch has presented a cheque for $17,820 to the Lions Club of Crows Nest Inc. for their history plaques project, Stage 2 of three stages to promote awareness of historical sites in Crows Nest village. Stage 1, a map entitled “Crows Nest – More History Than You Think” was published last year by the club,  financed by a Q150 grant from the Queensland Government and completed with the invaluable help of the Crows Nest Historical Society. The map shows the locations of 60 sites of historical interest. A cast bronze plaque will be placed on footpaths at each of the 60 locations with information and in the instance of now vacant sites or major structural changes, an illustration of the history of that site. The plaques should last 100 years and will be constructed by Wagners Toowoomba. Stage three will be the publication of a book of oral history, again focussing on the 60 sites. A questionnaire will be sent to the public outlining the club’s plans for obtaining oral history. “We plan to interview older residents and former residents of Crows Nest and anyone else who is interested in passing on valuable information about the history of Crows Nest village,” said Club President Meg Hatfield. The idea for the project was instigated by Russell Hamilton & Meg Hatfield who saw a similar completed project done on buildings in Rockhampton. If you can help with any information, please phone President Meg Hatfield on 4698 2665 or Secretary Rob Crosato on 4698 1538. submitted by Jenny Gersekowski Continue reading →

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Council Connections: Week 2, August 2010

Posted on August 8, 2010 by admin

Toowoomba Regional Council Connections The weekly program keeping you up to date with Toowoomba Regional Council’s facilities, activities and services. Council Connections with Darren Burton Continue reading →

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Intrepid Heritage trekkers race to the top of Mt Everest

Posted on May 27, 2010 by admin

It’s a tough trek to the top of Mt Everest, but that hasn’t stopped 20 teams of staff members from Heritage Building Society in Toowoomba from launching a race to the summit. Workmates from Clifford Gardens, Grand Central and K-Mart branches, along with multiple head office teams, have set out with the top of the world in their sights. Even more impressive is that they are doing it without oxygen tanks, parkas or gloves, and without even leaving the neighbourhood! That’s because the teams are tackling the Everest Virtual Challenge, a unique fund-raising event sponsored by Heritage Building Society that supports sick kids at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane. The concept is simple. Teams of up to 15 people are aiming to walk 10,000 steps a day in the two weeks between May 17 and 30. If they do that, the team will collectively total 2.1 million steps, which is the equivalent of walking to the top of Mt Everest. Teams use pedometers to track their steps and gather sponsors along the way. All money raised goes to the Royal Children’s Hospital. The target is $150,000 by the end of the two weeks. Heritage CEO John Minz said the event was potentially life-changing, in more ways than one. ”Each year, the Royal Children’s Hospital cares   for more than 30,000 children from all over Queensland and beyond. About 60 per cent come from regional and rural areas. “Through the support of the community, the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation works wonders for sick kids by investing in groundbreaking research leading to faster diagnoses, better treatments and ultimately cures for childhood illnesses. “The money raised by the Everest Virtual Challenge contributes directly to these life-changing projects. “And the Challenge is fantastic because it also encourages people to improve their own health by getting out and exercising. Walking 10,000 steps a day could be life-changing- and perhaps life-saving – for participants as well. Altogether Heritage Building Society has entered almost 400 staff members in 33 teams – that’s from a total staff of 700. If you would like to help sponsor the Everest Virtual Challenge event, inquire at your local Heritage branch or log onto the website at www.workingwonders.com.au . Andrew Fox Public Relations Manager 0419 714 204 Continue reading →

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