Local events for upcoming NAIDOC Week commences this weekend…. although a few of the smaller events have been postponed being Cent Sale, Artisan Markets and Toowoomba Base Hospital day, all other events are going ahead with great expectations for good numbers to turn out.
Our biggest events for the week will be our Awards Dinner which is being held tomorrow night Saturday 3rd July at St Patricks Hall, Neil Street, Toowoomba from 6pm with our award winners will presentation happening from 6.30 to 7.30pm.
This is always a highlight of the week with awards being given for Lifetime Achievement and then 10 other categories as well.   The contact for this event is Nikki Robson and her number is 0424 035 492.
The other big event for the week is the NAIDOC Flag Raising, March and Community Day happening on Monday 5th July starting at 8.15am at the Toowoomba Village Green with the flag raising, then followed by the March from 9.30am from Village Green to Queens Park, which will be the start of the Community Day from 10am to 2pm with market and organisation stalls.
The opening in the park will be at approx. 10.15am. Best contact for this day will be Lisa Goodman 0487 007 337. Then there are other smaller events happening throughout the week as listed on the calendar: NAIDOC Week Calendar
Submitted by: Trish Cochrane On behalf of Toowoomba NAIDOC Committee
From 6pm Tuesday 29th June until 6pm Friday 2 July, residents in the local government areas of Townsville, Palm Island, Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Gold Coast can only leave your home or accommodation for one of these four reasons:
1. to buy essentials such as groceries or medications
2. attend essential work and study if you can’t do from home
3. exercise in your local area
4′ healthcare or to provide help, care or support to vulnerable persons (includes getting vaccinated).
Lockdown restrictions include:
Face masks must be worn when you’re outside your home (excluding when in your private vehicle, when doing strenuous exercise or if you have a medical condition)
Limit of two visitors to your home (not including residents, volunteers and workers)
Restaurants and cafes to provide takeaway or delivery service only
All non-essential businesses to close; cinemas, entertainment and recreation venues, hairdressers, gyms etc
Places of worship to close
Childcare to remain open
20 people can attend funerals, 10 people can attend weddings.
We will review this on Friday 2 July.
For full lockdown details, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/…/pub…/restrictions-in-qld-update
For contact tracing locations and health advice visit https://www.qld.gov.au/health/covid-19/contact-tracing
Find your nearest testing clinic visit https://www.qld.gov.au/covid19testing or https://qld.health/TestLocator
Visit the COVID-19 Information Centre for vaccine resources. Get Vaccine Info
Whilst this doesn’t affect us directly (for now), you should be aware – even more so if you plan on traveling eastwards from the Darling Downs.
The Queensland Government is advising new restrictions will come into place from 1am Tuesday, 29th June for the 11 local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Gold Coast.
You must carry a face mask with you at all times whenever you leave your home, unless you have a lawful reason not to.
Masks must be worn in indoor spaces such as shopping centres, public transport, hospitals, aged care facilities, churches and workplaces where you can’t physically distance.
As one of our closest planetary neighbours, Mars has served as a source of legends since the first storytellers slept under the stars – Dr Graziella Caprarelli’s fascination with the Red Planet has forged more than 20 years of research and resulted in her joining a team to discover lakes of salty water on Mars.
Dr Graziella Caprarelli receiving ‘Scientist of the Year’ at the Australian Space Awards (Photo: supplied)
This month, representing the University of Southern Queensland, Dr Caprarelli was named ‘Scientist of the Year’ at the 2021 Australian Space Awards.
I am over the Moon, or should I say Mars, that the fruits of so much work, determination, grit and perseverance were recognised by my colleagues and other Australian professionals working across the space sector,†Dr Caprarelli said.
I hope with this recognition comes the possibility to take more people with me to Mars, by motivating them and paving the way for their direct participation in Mars exploration missions.â€
For Dr Caprarelli the love for space started as a child rugged up during long Italian winter nights, armed only with a pair of binoculars on her family’s balcony.
I have always dreamt of setting foot on the Moon or on Mars,†Dr Caprarelli said. The geophysicist grew up in a world of sci-fi stories and it was the tantalising feeling that Mars was within reach that spurred decades of research.
I started working in space research almost 20 years ago, when I started researching the Columbia River Group Basalt in North-West America as analogues of Martian volcanic rocks,†she said.
From there, the research took her to the NASA Johnson Space Centre in Houston and the International Research School of Planetary Sciences (Italy) where she joined the Mars Express Co-Investigator Team for the High Resolution Stereo Camera experiment.
I was subsequently invited to join the Mars Express Principal Investigator Team for the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS), and the rest is history,†she said.
Last year, as a member of the MARSIS Team, I contributed to the discovery of liquid salty water at the base of the South Polar cap of Mars.â€
 Dr Caprarelli is an adjunct research fellow at the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Astrophysics.
There is a strong commitment to excellence at the University of Southern Queensland, and I love how emphasis is placed on mentoring early career staff and students, as well as the supportive environment for all staff,†she said.
I am immensely honoured that I could represent the University of Southern Queensland for these awards. I look forward to more exciting news from USQ’s space research.â€
The USQ was well represented at the 2021 Australian Space Awards which recognised the leading individuals and businesses driving the development of Australia’s space economy.
The University was a finalist for ‘Organisation of the Year’ and Professor David Buttsworth (Thermofluids Engineering) and Dr Duncan Wright (Astrophysics) were also shortlisted in the categories of ‘Researcher of the Year’ and ‘Academic of the Year’.
Darling Downs Health will be providing the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine at extra weekend clinics on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th June.
Annette Scott, from the Darling Downs Health Emergency Operations Centre, said the Baillie Henderson Vaccination Clinic would be open from 7am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
We have seen a great uptake of free COVID-19 vaccinations through our clinic at Baillie Henderson Hospital this week and we expect that to continue throughout this special clinic over the weekend,†Ms Scott said.
The clinic will be administering the Pfizer vaccine which is the recommended vaccine forpeople aged 16 to 49. We’d like to see as many residential aged care staff, disability accommodation staff and people aged 40-49 coming along this weekend.”
We strongly suggest that anyone interested in receiving their Pfizer vaccine registers before the weekend. Please be sure you bring your Medicare card, a form of identification, and your own pen.
There will be increased traffic around the campus, so we’d ask all people attending to be aware that the on-campus speed limit is 20km/h, and please follow all directions from our traffic control staff.â€
This weekend’s clinic will be held at the Maudsley building at Baillie Henderson Hospital. For more information call 13COVID (13 26843). Bookings can also be made by going to www.vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.auÂ
Entry to the hospital campus is via the Tor Street entrance only. Exit will be via Mort Street only. Please see the map below for directions and information on where to park.
Submitted by: Media, Communications & Engagement Team Media and Communication, Executive Services a: Baillie Henderson Hospital, Toowoomba, QLD 4350
Over 500 meals cooked every week for people in the Toowoomba community who are homeless and at risk of homelessness Tony’s Community Kitchen (TCK) is unique in Toowoomba as it is the only service that provides meals 365 days of the year to any person in need.
From the 1st of July when we move to our new premises at 174a James Street, TCK will be the only service in Toowoomba that is able to provide shower and laundry facilities, 365 days of the year and some undercover seating so our friends can come and sit and share a meal in comfort and out of the elements of the weather.
It costs us $260 a day to run the kitchen, these costs include Rent, Electricity and Insurance so we are asking Toowoomba businesses and families for support and to ‘Sponsor a $260 Day for TCK’.
Each day it takes up to 50 volunteers who cook, serve meals and pick up bakery and grocery donations… so for people who are wanting to donate, they know that 100% of what they donate, will go direct to those in need and have a huge impact. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Any one night we can see between 80 to 100 people who call in for a hot meal. A simple fact is that without our service people and families with children would go hungry. Since Covid and the decrease in government funding, we are seeing more older people, and more families who are paying exorbitant amounts for short term accommodation, which leaves little or no money left over for food.
So we have a greater number of people coming to us for groceries to get them through the week. If you would like to donate, please go to www.tonyscommunity.org.au and click on the Donate Now button. Please leave your name/business name as the Reference as we would love to give you a shout out!
Together we are keeping the doors OPEN and food flowing for people who need us the most.†~ Tony (Founder, Tony’s Community Kitchen)
2021 marks the 22nd year that the Rotary Club of Toowoomba North has run this annual event. This is the Club’s major fundraiser for local charities such as the Leukaemia Foundation, Blue Care, Rotary charities and many more.
David Hack was a passionate young man whose life was tragically cut short by Non Hodgkins Lymphoma (Leukaemia). The loves of his life were cars and photography. He had the makings of a brilliant career as a motoring photo-journalist, contributing to magazines such as Street Machines, Fast Fours, Wheels, and Performance Street Car Magazine.
For his 28th Birthday, a huge Birthday Bash†had been organised at Aerotec Hangar, Toowoomba Aerodrome, but tragically he passed away two days before it was held. Rotary has held this annual event to create a lasting memorial to a wonderful young man.
[vsnippets id=”1″]Some of the exciting attractions on display this year were an Amphicar (see above for a demonstration), the RAAF C27-J Spartan aircraft and many more classic vehicles and warbirds. Those attending were able to get up close and personal to the static displays and vehicles lovingly restored.
Children were able to enjoy a jumping castle and the Bunnings Kids Workshop marquee. There were food stalls, barista coffee outlets, ice creams and drinks. Qld Fire & Rescue demonstrate the jaws of life and cut up a vehicle in a simulated extraction.
The David Hack Classic has won the Elegance in Motion Event Award†at the Festival of Elegance, Gold Coast. This year we saw over 300 exhibits at the Toowoomba City Aerodrome, Spitfire Street, Wilsonton on Sunday, 16th May.
35 Squadron RAAF C26-J Spartan at the David Hack Classic Meet
Gates open to the public at 8.00am and the event finishes at 2.30pm. Entry is $15 per person, all children 12 and under are free, Family (2 adults & teenagers) $40. Exhibitors $10 per vehicle.
Submitted by: Robyn Jeffery,
Rotary Club of Toowoomba North
Soldiers from the Army’s 11th Brigade have arrived in Toowoomba for a week-long interoperability training exercise, EXERCISE ARRAS, with Queensland Police Service (QPS) to improve joint procedures.
EXERCISE ARRAS will see approximately 150 Army personnel deployed to the region as part of a response to a fictitious scenario. There will be an increase in activity around the O’Quinn Street depot and activities around the City Library and in Queen’s Park.
The public should not be alarmed if they see or hear aircraft, vehicles, unmanned aerial surveillance systems and military personnel carrying weapons. People who see the training should not be concerned that any of the locations are under any form of actual threat.
Exercise Director, Colonel Arran Hassell said the exercise built on previous joint responses conducted between QPS and Army personnel from the 11th Brigade over the past eighteen months, including support to border checkpoints and hotel quarantine as part of the COVID response.
ARH Tiger Helicopter and Bushmaster Armoured Vehicle
Every day we’ll have different activities in the city and around the region. Our personnel will be armed, however they will be adopting a neutral posture rather than offensive – it is our aim to effectively train our people alongside the QPS officers without causing concern or alarm amongst the community,†COL Hassell said.
The Army personnel participating in the exercise are drawn from the Queensland Army Reserve formation from several depots, including the 25th/49th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment.
This is the first time we’ve done this exercise in Queensland, so it is exciting that we get to do it in Toowoomba,†COL Hassell said. It is a safe environment, and we have a great relationship with local residents as a result of having bases at Oakey and Cabarlah, as well as our 25/49 RQR depot at O’Quinn Street.â€
There will be a visitors’ day at the O’Quinn Street Depot on the afternoon of Friday 14th May. We will have an ARH Tiger helicopter, a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle and a range of other displays for those interested in having a closer look at Defence equipment, or having a chat with our people or a Defence Force Recruitment team.â€
Submitted by: Ms Tina Turner Regional Manager Public Affairs Communication Division
Department of Defence
Local events for upcoming NAIDOC Week commences this weekend…. although a few of the smaller events have been postponed being Cent Sale, Artisan Markets and Toowoomba Base Hospital day, all other events are going ahead with great expectations for good numbers to turn out.
